Much like the Not Ready for Primetime Players, there is a group of amazingly talented authors on the cusp of stardom. They gather here at the Not so Famous Author's Blog to tell you all about writing and smashing your head on a desk. No just the writing part. .

Enjoy!

Monday, May 19, 2014

Spotlight for the amazing LaQuette - Author of My Beginning

BLURB
Genesis Lawrence left her home and family in Brooklyn, New York ten years ago and never looked back. When you've spent your entire life protecting yourself from the ones that are supposed to love you, running to the other side of the country seems like the best idea ever. Emotionally bankrupt, she begins rebuilding her life after failed familial connections and a broken marriage leave her too raw to ever believe happiness exists for her. Work as a Physical Therapist in her rehab clinic is all she knows and all she wants.   Drew Marrack has spent the last year of his life trying to end the soul-searing pain of losing his mother by any means necessary, even if that means ending him—literally. After a tragic accident and a resulting disability that devastates the tattered remnants of his world, only one name can give him a brand-new start: Genesis.   Pain, heartache, secrets, and tragedy from the past bring them together, and then fight to tear them apart. Is new love strong enough to give them the fresh beginning they both need, or is this simply the beginning of their end?



AUTHOR BIO
A native of Brooklyn, New York, LaQuette spends her time catering to her three distinct personalities: Wife, Mother, and Healthcare Provider. Writing: her escape from the everyday, has always been a friend and comforter. She loves writing and devouring romance novels. Although she possesses a Masters degree in English Lit, she'd forego Shakespeare any day to read something hot, lusty, and romantic.



LINKS
Facebook.com/LaQuetteTheAuthor
Twitter: @LaQuetteLikes
Goodreads.com/LaQuette
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Saturday, May 3, 2014

PREPARE FOR THE SECOND COMING! (Or at least the coming of the second book in this series...)

I am so proud to announce that my new release, Jude: The Fallen is now available!
Let's take a moment and properly appreciate those feathers, shall we?


The Fallen Series continues with 'Jude', a paranormal romance/urban fantasy that fans of the Black Dagger Brotherhood will enjoy. When the big angel meets the intrepid archaeologist, Coriander, more than just sparks fly. But even struggling to get closer to the fiery redhead will be easy compared to the danger that strikes at the heart of the angels. Will he be able to overcome it? Or will he be forever...fallen?

EXCERPT

 
Jude followed behind Coriander, the glow of her flashlight adding more light to their path as it mixed with the interspersed torches on the walls. She ducked into a side alcove and pulled him inside, her breath catching as the beam of the flashlight hit the edge of a large object in the center of the room.
“Is that what I think it is?” he asked.
“Don’t tell me this creeps you out?” she snorted as her eyes scanned the hieroglyphics on the walls. “But yes, this is a tomb.”
“Wonderful. Anybody I know?” he quipped.
“I don’t think so,” Coriander snapped. “Unless you’re long lost pen pals with Setepenre.”
“Who?”
He heard the eye roll in her huff of escaped breath as she examined the wall further. “Setepenre. One of Akhenaten’s daughters, sister to Meketaten.” Coriander turned to face him. “She died before her sister, so most likely we need to go further in.”
Jude glanced at the object. “And is that, you know, her?” He gestured at the sarcophagus.
“Doubtful,” she replied. “The body is probably long gone, but yeah,” she squinted at the rectangular stone tomb, “that looks like it could be hers.”
“Think there’s anything useful inside?” Jude curled his hands on the edge of the sarcophagus, ready to push it open.
"Don't!" Coriander cried. "Don't open it! You'll-"
"What?" he shot back, crossing his arms over his chest. "Please don't tell me you were going to use the word 'desecrate' in reference to me." The big angel smirked. "Please."
Her face scrunched up, disgruntled. "Fine. But can't you bless it first or something?"
"I'm not the Pope, Coriander. Water is the extent of my purview." Jude glanced down at the hieroglyphics carved into the lid. "And I don't think this chick is Catholic." Ignoring the squeak of protest from Coriander, Jude pushed against the lid, and it groaned with the friction of stone on stone as it moved.
“Jude,” she warned. “This is not a good idea.”
He grunted and put his back into it, shoving harder. “What do you mean? I thought this would be right up your alley.” Sweat beaded on his forehead and he grinned at her. “Isn’t this what you do?”
Her hands planted on her hips and she frowned. “No!” she shouted. “I mean, yes, but not like this! You don’t know what could happen when you touch-“
A louder creak of moving stone made her head snap up and her face go white. Jude paid no attention to the fluttering of her hands as she tried to stop him, and pushed the lid off the top by a few inches, enough for a smattering of dust to waft up from the interior.
“Jude,” she said again, her voice more insistent.
“Hang on, I’ve almost got it off.”
Jude.
“What?” he snapped, straightening.
“Oh, you idiot!” she cried, grabbing at him and running for the opening, which was swiftly closing behind the appearance of a hidden door.
Coriander pulled her fingers back just in time before it shut with a loud thud, trapping them inside. She whirled around on him with a murderous glare. “You feather-brained moron! Look what you’ve done!”
He swallowed sheepishly. “Sorry.”
She closed her eyes for a second and drew in a calming breath.
“I really am sorry.”
“I know. It’s fine,” she said, tapping her finger on her cheek. “Give me a second. I need to think.”
The horror of the situation finally dawned on him, and a tiny flutter of panic settled in his throat. Coriander, on the other hand, had relaxed, all traces of her earlier ire gone, her features set in concentration.
“Oh, God,” he groaned as his eyes darted around the room. “Oh, shit. Shit, shit, shit.”
“Unclench, sunshine.”
“We're trapped in a tomb, Coriander! How can you be this calm?” Jude bellowed.
She gave him a bright smile and knelt down, digging though her bag. “Happens to me all the time. No big deal, we'll just...work around it. I'm sure you've been in worse scrapes before.” She waved her hand, blowing him off. “Fiery demons and the whole twelve circles of hell are a lot more complicated than the tomb of a lesser known Egyptian princess, I'm sure.”
“Nine,” he frowned. “It's nine, and I would rather be taking tea in any of them than sitting here on my ass while you try to MacGyver us out of this with a roll of duct tape and some incense!” Jude rubbed a defeated hand over his face and rolled his eyes skyward. “Why do you do this to me?”
Coriander's bright smile widened. “Because, big guy, some days you're the pigeon, and some days you're the statue. And with a butt like that,” she said, smirking at his rear, “expect some shit. Besides, I told you not to touch it.”


Monday, April 14, 2014

Interview with Jeff Hennelly - Writer of The Power!

The Interview

Tell us the story behind that cover!

I wanted a hand! I must have looked at a thousand pictures of hands, and the one I chose seemed the most eye-catching—plus it captured the mix between medical and metaphysical that I was searching for.  

What can we learn from your main character?

That when things go wrong we need to first look within ourselves for the power to overcome. That we all have a little of God, and the Devil within us, and though the two are often intermingled, it is ours to proffer which one.   

What has been your greatest compliment as an author, your worst criticism?

Best: when people tell me that they couldn’t put the book down, that they were late for work or stayed up in bed in order to finish THE POWER. Also those readers who actually “get” what the book is truly about. 
Worst: I had someone write a scathing criticism for including sex scenes and dirty words. And they were right, if you don’t want to see sex or dirty words in in your book, this book is not for you.  

What part of the story was the hardest to write, the beginning, the middle, the climax?

I literally rewrote the beginning over 50 times, maybe one hundred. Starting with the ER scene didn’t come until late in the process. But I wanted to start with a bang, and a statement.

Is your main character based on anyone in particular? Did you have a muse for this book?

Austin MacLean is based on a conglomeration of people. But all of them are people that I have admired. As for his flaws, most of those came from me.
Fast Round
Names of your pets: Buster (Cocker Spaniel)

Favorite ice cream, color, book, and television show

Ice cream: Chocolate Chip
Color: Green
Book: Sophie’s Choice
Television Show: The Office or Sopranos
Fame: First Eagles Quarterback to win the Superbowl
Grapes or Raisins: Grapes, naturally
 



The Power 





Blurb

What would you do if you had the power to heal but it only brought you personal destruction and ruin? Would you still use it?

When a street shaman meets a horrific demise on Dr. Austin MacLean’s ER table, Austin soon discovers a raw and irrepressible power. But when this power inflicts traumatic effects on three chronically ill children, families rush to accuse him, his colleagues condemn him, and the police begin to investigate in this affluent New Jersey beach town....and so do others when the children begin to show inconceivable progress.
Dara Kleows, a local reporter, is the first to connect the children’s gradual healings back to Austin. The two develop a deep bond but Austin remains uncertain as to what this beautiful woman wants. Is she just after a story, or more? There are those who covet Austin’s “power” and at any cost, while Dara is more concerned by Austin’s headlong march toward his own perdition.  




Excerpt

When Austin looked up, he thought he saw a faint corona flicker around DJ. It started growing ever-brighter, and he tried to step back but was pulled closer by some indelible force—an atmospheric hollow drawing his humming body into the eye of an invisible storm. An ear-popping decompression was followed by an overpowering energy surge, his brain and muscle masses engorging with a metamorphic euphoria. Experiencing that spine-chilling “conduit” feeling, he swore as if he were about to be struck by some unseen force. And when DJ looked up, Austin sensed the imminent electrical surge was meant for the boy.

Author Bio



Jeff Hennelly now lives in Chester Springs, Philadelphia, PA. He’s been in the medical device business for over 20 years and has worked with hospitals, clinics, and alternate care facilities from Palo Alto to Prague. His articles and short stories have appeared in numerous trade magazines and journals. He is represented by Eric Myers of the Spielman Agency in New York. His novel, THE POWER was published on Amazon in June, 2013. Look for his new novel, THE 95 PERCENT in 2014.  


BUY LINK


Giveaway


In order to enter to win one of two $5.00 giftcards or a copy of The Power put in the blog comments what you would want your super power to be if you could have one. If you tweet the Amazon link you get an extra entry. Make sure you post your Twitter username in your comment if you do!

                         

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Interview with Elaine Calloway


Interview with Elaine Calloway




 

BLURB:

Some say history repeats itself, but for Terran, an Earth Elemental, history has returned and slapped him in the face. Along the Willamette River in Portland, Oregon, the Acobi Fallen Angels have decided to go underground–literally. They are resurrecting an old legend, shanghaiing innocent people into slavery. Underage girls are trapped and kept in holding cells, ready to be sold into the sex trade. Terran must stop the Acobi and keep the public away from the Shanghai tunnels, all while keeping his supernatural powers hidden.

Kelly Habersham, overachieving real estate developer, has finally convinced her father and brothers to give her the Portland condo project, which would require extensive construction near the tunnels. Determined to impress her father and make a name for herself in the family business, she is not about to let a Save-the-Earth guy get in her way.

Terran and Kelly must work together and come to a truce--or they may be the next shanghai victims.

Elaine Calloway

Crafting Stories of the Living, the Dead, and the Eerie In Between.

Elaine Calloway grew up in New Orleans with a love of cemeteries, gothic architecture, and all things paranormal. She is currently writing The Elemental Clan Series, a good vs. evil set of tales involving Elementals and Fallen Angels. For more information and to connect with Elaine online, visit her website at http://www.elainecalloway.com.

Follow Her!

Twitterhttp://twitter.com/writerscanvas

Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/authorelainecalloway

My Pinterest Pagehttp://pinterest.com/elainecalloway/

Goodreadshttp://www.goodreads.com/user/show/13256243-elaine-calloway

GIVEAWAY!!

ENTER THE RAFFLECOPTER FOR A CHANCE TO WIN EBOOK OR A PAPERBACK FROM ELAINE!!

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What inspired your new release? Earthbound is Book 3 in my Elemental Clan Series. This is Terran’s story, the Earth Elemental, and his journeys in Portland, Oregon. The series idea came about from a number of factors. I figured it would be interesting to pair Elementals and Fallen Angels together.

Tell us about any WIPs you have I am in the midst of writing Book 4 (Wind Elemental) to conclude the main series, then I plan to write a few offshoot books with similar themes, in addition to a ghost story trilogy.

How many people ask you to read their books? (unsure of question? - people don’t ask me to read *their* books - but I do get readers wanting to read mine) Now that there are several books in the series available, I have more readers asking when the next book will be released. Maybe twenty people asking these days? It was a thrilling feeling to get my first fan email, asking when I would release Earthbound because he enjoyed the first 2 books so much!

In a word sum up your writing style Descriptive

Do you have a character you enjoyed writing the most? I tend to fall in love with one character per book. In this Elemental series, I enjoyed writing the villains the most, particularly a Fallen Angel named Cristos, who will eventually get his own book. Readers seem to respond to him, too.

Is there a genre you would like to try? I think doing New Adult would be interesting. I already write paranormal, fantasy, and women’s fiction, but I’ve never tried New Adult.

Could you live without coffee? Yes, but never without Diet Coke over ice!


What's your favorite thing about the writing process? I get excited over the planning stage, when I’m gathering information and the characters are beginning to take shape. But my favorite part is when I’m almost done with the first draft. By then, I can see everything clearly and it gets me excited to know it will eventually be edited and turned into a readable manuscript.

Three facts about you - I’m from New Orleans, I live in the Southeast USA, I love Twix bars!

Do you believe in UFOs? - Yes. I don’t wear tinfoil on my head and act paranoid, but I do think that we are a small planet in a big galaxy, with an even bigger universe. To think we are the only ones in our tiny region is not true, in my opinion. I also don’t think mankind had the engineering capability around 3000 BC to build and make some of the feats done in that time (pyramids in alignment, for example). I think mankind had help.

What was your favorite snack growing up? - I can’t remember who made it, but there were these mini-snack cheesecakes in stores in back then. Small enough for one person, but delicious! I miss those. I love love cheesecake :)

Would you rather have fame or fortune? Fame, but not in the typical sense of the word. I want readers to identify with my stories, to enjoy my stories and characters. I’m not looking for the spotlight, just a means of bringing some sunshine into readers’ lives.

What are some of your favorite books and/or series? I like the Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor and the other books in that series. I also like the detective series by Dennis Lehane. He is one of my favorite authors; his words make music on the page.    




Saturday, February 22, 2014

Review of Earthbound by Elaine Calloway

 A REVIEW FROM

I just finished Earthbound. I really really liked it! I didn't read anything about it before I started to read it. I only knew it was science fiction. It was a very unique story line. I haven't come across anything like it. I liked how Terren didn't go right for Kelly. He chose someone else first so that made it different. Usually girl meets guy they fall in love, but won't admit it and will go through stupid stuff to hurt each other, but this was so different. I liked how Kelly grew up in the book and didn't go running around... poor me. Between the Elementals and Fallen Angels it was a great story. 

I admit I got a little bored at some points, but I think it was because I was waiting so anxiously to see what happened and how everything would come to a head in the end. All in all a great story. I will definitely be buying the rest of the series. I want to know each of the Elementals stories. This was really a great read!!! Thanks for letting me read and review it for you. If I can do anything else let me know. I can post a review on Goodreads if you want. Just let me know. Thanks again for this opportunity! 


         Genice Cassidy

 

 

 

BLURB:

Some say history repeats itself, but for Terran, an Earth Elemental, history has returned and slapped him in the face. Along the Willamette River in Portland, Oregon, the Acobi Fallen Angels have decided to go underground–literally. They are resurrecting an old legend, shanghaiing innocent people into slavery. Underage girls are trapped and kept in holding cells, ready to be sold into the sex trade. Terran must stop the Acobi and keep the public away from the Shanghai tunnels, all while keeping his supernatural powers hidden.

Kelly Habersham, overachieving real estate developer, has finally convinced her father and brothers to give her the Portland condo project, which would require extensive construction near the tunnels. Determined to impress her father and make a name for herself in the family business, she is not about to let a Save-the-Earth guy get in her way.

Terran and Kelly must work together and come to a truce--or they may be the next shanghai victims.

Elaine Calloway

Crafting Stories of the Living, the Dead, and the Eerie In Between.

Elaine Calloway grew up in New Orleans with a love of cemeteries, gothic architecture, and all things paranormal. She is currently writing The Elemental Clan Series, a good vs. evil set of tales involving Elementals and Fallen Angels. For more information and to connect with Elaine online, visit her website at http://www.elainecalloway.com.

Follow Her!

Twitterhttp://twitter.com/writerscanvas

Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/authorelainecalloway

My Pinterest Pagehttp://pinterest.com/elainecalloway/

Goodreadshttp://www.goodreads.com/user/show/13256243-elaine-calloway

GIVEAWAY!!

ENTER THE RAFFLECOPTER FOR A CHANCE TO WIN EBOOK OR A PAPERBACK FROM ELAINE!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway