#FridayGuest: Interview with Amber Leigh Williams, author of Navy SEAL's Match

Amber Leigh Williams is a romance writer who lives on the US Gulf Coast. She lives for beach days, the smell of real books and spending time with her husband and their two young children. When she’s not keeping up with rambunctious little ones (and two large dogs), she can usually be found reading a good book or indulging her inner foodie. Amber is represented by the D4EO Literary Agency.

Amber’s latest book is the contemporary romance, Navy SEAL’S Match.

WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK

About the Book:

He believes he can’t be saved—she’ll prove him wrong!

Former SEAL Gavin Savitt always knew who he was—until his last deployment ended tragically. Now he’s home, his mind hijacked by trauma and the shadow of his once-perfect sight. Yet in this new hazy, unclear world, one person stands out—Mavis Bracken.

There are a million reasons why Gavin shouldn’t be with Mavis, including that she’s his best friend’s little sister. Yet he longs for her touch, her freckles and her special way with wild, skittish beasts like him. He just needs the courage to take his life back. And Mavis won’t let him give up without a fight.

ORDER YOUR COPY:

Amazon

What’s inside the mind of a romance author?

Chaos? No, it’s probably just me. There are all sorts of conversations happening inside my head at any given time; they’re all either heated or extremely sarcastic and most of them are between other people. Needless to say, having the outlet of writing to get the dialogue out of my head has been instrumental in keeping me sane.

What is so great about being an author?

Sharing my stories with other people. Writing’s a lonely art so seeing it go from concept to an open book in someone else’s hands is something magical.

When do you hate it?

The process of getting a story onto paper has many ups and downs. A lot of times, there are more down times than ups and they’re difficult to charter. It doesn’t get easier, the more books that you write, but you do learn the ways that work to manage the self-doubt.

What is a regular writing day like for you?

I’m a homeschooling parent so I do have a full-time job outside of writing. My littlest one still naps regularly so that’s when I try to get the business of publishing done—normally while my oldest builds LEGOs across the table. After their bedtime, I work towards my writing goals—or try to. Caffeine and chocolate are my friends.

How do you handle negative reviews?

If I read them, it’s once. I take whatever constructive criticism there is to gain from them. If there’s none, then it’s best just to forget about it and move on. A writing voice doesn’t thrive with negative chatter plodding along for the journey.

How do you handle positive reviews? 

I love positive feedback as much as any other writer, but like negative reviews, it’s best to read them once and move on to the next thing. A good review won’t write the next book; only I can do that and overestimating my abilities is never not a recipe for disappointment.

What is the usual response when you tell a new acquaintance that you’re an author?

I’m known mostly as the stay at home mom so whenever I get into a conversation about writing, people are surprised and curious.

What do you do on those days you don’t feel like writing? Do you force it or take a break?

When you’re on a deadline, you have to get the words out. Something is better than nothing. Even if I have to delete the words later, I’ve found one way the story doesn’t work.

Any writing quirks?

Do hot tea and lip gloss count? I find it necessary to always have a blanket and a comfy chair on hand as well.

What would you do if people around you didn’t take your writing seriously or see it as a hobby?

I couldn’t imagine doing what I do without the support of my spouse and extended family. I hope I would write anyway, but it would be extraordinarily difficult. 

Some authors seem to have a love-hate relationship to writing. Can you relate?

Absolutely. I love when the concept of a story becomes something more than an idea. I love the challenge of writing, though I could do without the lows at times. I learn more from the lows than the high points, however, so there’s not one without the other. It’s definitely a love-hate dynamic.

Do you think success as an author must be linked to money?

No, success comes with completion. When you take an idea and transform it on the page into a 50,000-80,000 novel, there’s no point of failure in that—even if revision comes inevitably after.

What has writing taught you?

Writing is an intimate process so it’s taught me a great many things personally, not least of which who I am and what I believe in.

Leave us with some words of wisdom.

Never be afraid to try. The thing I admire most about my children is that, like my spouse, they’re both do-ers and triers. They’re very young but they each already have certain things that they’re passionate about. Watching them develop their interests, seeing their eagerness to learn and grow in these areas, has been inspirational both personally and professionally. If everyone, no matter their age, had the wherewithal to express themselves so freely or had the courage to try whatever they’re most passionate about—I think happiness would be much more commonplace.

#MondayGuest: Shane Stanley Author of What You Don't Learn in Film School @shanestanley

Multi-Emmy Award winning filmmaker Shane Stanley has worked in almost every capacity on and off the set starting with hit shows like “Entertainment Tonight” and “Seinfeld.”

Along with his father, Stanley produced “The Desperate Passage Series,” which was nominated for 33 individual Emmy Awards and won 13 statues. In this series, five of the seven specials went No.1 in Nielson Ratings, which included “A Time for Life” and “Gridiron Gang.”

Stanley has produced films starring Marlon Brando, Mira Sorvino, Thomas Hayden Church, Donald Sutherland, Marisa Tomei and Martin Sheen. He co-wrote two of the films and has worked closely with top Hollywood executives.

Stanley has taught workshops at many film schools and universities. He is the founder of Visual Arts Entertainment, a production company based in Los Angeles. He is still active in teaching, working with several schools, film students, and recent grads as a mentor and guide.

His latest book is What You Don’t Learn in Film School: A Complete Guide to Independent Filmmaking.

WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK

What’s inside the mind of an author who writes a guidebook to filmmaking?

My mind is a tangled mess! For the past three decades I have made a life of writing scripted fiction while tap-dancing on the landmines that surround my business. Things seemed to calm a bit as I took my experiences and translated them into an easy-to-read, helpful handbook for aspiring artists but it’s been a finely tuned ballet of ordered chaos lately as I attempt to jump back into screenwriting. But truly, I wouldn’t want it any other way.

What is so great about being an author?

Two things. First, it’s the freedom to move forward when I am motivated or ready without feeling like there’s a ticking time bomb strapped under my chair. As a filmmaker, there are so many intricate parts that force things along and too often the creative process can be rushed and becomes greatly compromised. I never once felt that way when I was writing the book. Second and most important, is the satisfaction that comes from writing something that helps others get closer to achieving their goals. As an artist, you always want to touch the lives of others - and as an author, I have felt that satisfaction more than I have working in any other medium.

When do you hate it?

Considering I feel so blessed to do what I love, I could never imagine hating a single breath of it. It does get painful at times when you feel you’ve painted yourself into a corner or have gone down a rabbit hole that doesn’t bare any fruit and you just have to jam it into reverse and back up before starting down another trail. Eventually it works itself out but I prefer when I don’t have to go through that process.

What is a regular writing day like for you?

My writing is usually done from 11PM-6AM when the rest of the world is asleep and I can work without interruption. This habit started when I was running a production company back in the 90’s - and while I was overseeing the daily grind at the office - I was also responsible to kick out the screenplays we produced. I consider myself lucky to get 4 hrs of sleep a night and it’s a schedule that has become the norm for me and when I’m not on it, I actually feel displaced.

How do you handle negative reviews?

I just remind myself that art is nothing but opinion and you’re never going to please all the people all of the time. Being an author is new for me, so when bad reviews come my way as a filmmaker, I just adopt the old ‘sticks and stones’ approach and move on. Life’s too short to get hung up on negativity and you shouldn’t give anyone that kind of power over you. Never forget that YOU are really the only person those negative reviews will affect and that’s only if you let them.

How do you handle positive reviews?

Well, I like them better than negative ones but try not to let them get to my head. Sure, it feels good to have a critic’s endorsement and receive praise and sometimes it’s just what you needed to keep you going. But I also try to remember that pleasing one person doesn’t guarantee you’ll please the next and one great review can be snuffed out as quickly as it arrived by the negative one that might come next.

What is the usual response when you tell a new acquaintance that you’re an author?

“Really? Wow, I’ve always wanted to write!” Then usually they’ll continue by telling me their life story. I enjoy it actually, as I tend to be shy in social gatherings and it quickly takes the attention off of what they just asked me.

What do you do on those days you don’t feel like writing? Do you force it or take a break?

I have to take a break. Of course there are times you may have a deadline and walking away isn’t an option but I strongly encourage artists to step away from the canvas for a bit and get their head clear. My best breakthroughs come when I’m away from the work. I also believe you should always finish a work day knowing where you want to go next creatively, so the following session can start out productive and set the tone for a successful work day.

Any writing quirks?

Ha. Too many to list. I find when I am deep in a write, it consumes my entire being. I often speak out loud conversation my characters might have when I’m in a restaurant eating alone, taking a walk, or even when I’m stopped in my car at a red light. Thank God for cell phones as people usually think I’m engaged in a discussion when I’m alone in the car. I have freaked out some people, as I’m often oblivious to my surroundings or who’s listening in. When I sense their eyes upon me, I’ve been known to glance over and say something like, “Fear not, I didn’t escape from the looney bin, they let me out early for bad behavior.”

What would you do if people around you didn’t take your writing seriously or see it as a hobby?

Write a manifesto that would really get their attention. I’m kidding, of course. Seriously, thank God I don’t have that to worry about that. Good or bad, I’ve only supported myself as an artist. Now that doesn’t mean I’m always been successful but it’s all I’ve known for 30-plus years and in turn, everyone in my circle knows its what I do in order to survive. 

Some authors seem to have a love-hate relationship to writing. Can you relate?

I certainly can. I am honestly not a fan of writing. I love having written but getting there can sometimes be very painful. My wife says I’m a masochist. Maybe I am. But I always go in with the end in mind and look forward to the journey in every creative project I set my hand to, no matter how grueling the process might be.

Do you think success, as an author must be linked to money?

Not at all. I’ll admit, I’ve been rich and I’ve been poor and although I like rich better, I have never equated success as an artist with money. My brother is a successful businessman and he’s always said, “if you want be an artist, go paint in the park on Saturdays”, but I find the greatest rewards come from when someone tells you what your work has meant to them or how it has touched their lives. You cannot put a price tag on that and honestly, some of my least commercially successful projects are the ones that people have been the most impacted by.

What has writing taught you?

Not to be too hard on yourself. It’s so easy to get wrapped up in the written word. I think a lot of us try so hard to be wordsmiths and over think what we’re trying to say. I know when I started writing the book, I really wanted to sound like a wise old owl but my creativity was being stifled because the words were being forced and weren’t flowing through me like they should. Once I remembered who I was and abandoned being something I wasn’t, the book found its personality and practically wrote itself. I think that comes across in its tone and flavor.

Leave us with some words of wisdom.

A writer writes. One of the best lines from a movie I ever heard and never forgot. Writing is the one thing you can do that requires no money or anyone else’s permission or participation. All it takes is your imagination, desire - and nerve. Stick with it. You might swing and miss a hundred times but until you grip the bat and hit it with all your might, you will never know. Good luck, and I sincerely look forward to reading about YOUR work one day.

About the Book:

Title: WHAT YOU DON’T LEARN IN FILM SCHOOL: A COMPLETE GUIDE TO INDEPENDENT FILMMAKING
Author: Shane Stanley
Publisher: Industry Insider, LLC.
Pages: 199
Genre: Nonfiction/Film

BOOK BLURB:

Multi Emmy-Award winning filmmaker Shane Stanley, a lifelong entertainment industry insider, has worked in every aspect of the film industry, covering a multitude of movies, television shows, and other projects. In his valuable new book, WHAT YOU DON’T LEARN IN FILM SCHOOL: A COMPLETE GUIDE TO INDEPENDENT FILMMAKING, Stanley takes a candid look at the film business and offers ambitious young filmmakers important information on how to navigate every aspect of making movies, from initial pitch to distributing a finished product. The book “is written for anyone who hopes to have a career in the industry at any position, but (is) geared for (the) total filmmaker,” Stanley says.

Producer Neal H. Moritz (“Fast & Furious,” “S.W.A.T.,” “21 and 22 Jump Street”), says that WHAT YOU DON’T LEARN IN FILM SCHOOL “pulls no punches. It's one of the most insightful and accurate books ever written on the subject, a master class bridging the gap between school and real-life experience that will save you years of heartache. A must-read for anyone interested in pursuing a career in film.”

Jane Seymour, two-time Golden Globe and Emmy Award winner, actress, producer and founder of the Open Hearts Foundation, declares that Stanley’s “step-by-step guide is a must-read for anyone hoping to break into the world of independent cinema, along with many useful tips for those who desire to work within a studio or network system.”

Jeff Sagansky, former president of Sony Entertainment and CBS Entertainment, notes that “Shane Stanley takes you to a film school that only years of practical experience can teach. He covers both the business of independent filmmaking as well as the hard-earned secrets of a successful production. A must-read for anyone who wants to produce.”

A lifelong veteran of the film world, Stanley has directed and produced hundreds of film and television projects, including the 2006 No. 1 Box Office hit “Gridiron Gang,” starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. His clearly-written guide to navigating the shoals of independent filmmaking comes from his hands-on experience, covering such topics as choosing what material to produce, raising independent capital, hiring a production crew and selecting the right cast.

WHAT YOU DON’T LEARN IN FILM SCHOOL is an essential book written by someone who clearly understands the independent film business from the inside.

ORDER YOUR COPY:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

#MondayGuest l Benjamin Mester, Author of The Banished Lands

Benjamin Mester is native of San Diego but can often be found wandering the woods of northern Minnesota.  He fell in love with language at an early age – the eloquence of poetry or the grandeur of an epic story.  Fantasy is his favorite genre, crafting new and magical places of heroism and adventure.  When he isn't writing, he's often taking long walks through nature or wondering about his place in the wide world.

Benjamin is the author of The Banished Lands series.

You can visit him on Goodreads.

About the Book:

A kingdom in danger. A prophecy that will change everything. But will they understand it in time? The old world is gone, and barely even histories remain. But something from that time is returning. The closing lines of a farewell poem, written centuries ago by the last great king of the age to his slain wife, might be more than just a poem:
The world and all its light shall fade,
I'll stay with her beneath the shade
And wait until the world's remade...

Join us in this epic fantasy adventure as three friends plunge into the great mystery of their age, twelve centuries in the making. A mysterious fog blankets the forest just outside the sleepy town of Suriya. A dark plot unfolds as Durian and his friends discover ties between a strange wanderer and the warlike barbarian kingdom far to the north. Are the mysterious things happening in the forest a prelude to invasion? What happens next will propel Durian and his curious friends into the middle of the oldest riddle in the history of their kingdom, a dozen centuries old.

ORDER YOUR COPY:

Amazon

What’s inside the mind of a fantasy author?

The thrilling reality that anything is possible, that your world can be as expansive and alive as the time you're willing to invest.

What is so great about being an author?

People have been telling stories since the dawn of time.  Stories inspire us to be our best selves, to want more for our lives that the mediocrity of day to day living.  When we fall in love with characters wrapped up in epic circumstances, it inspires us to want to make our own lives equally great...to fight for things worth fighting for.  Crafting something that could potentially do that for people really inspires me.  What better thing could you do for someone than to inspire them to want to be better?

When do you hate it?

The middle third of a book is always rough.  It's so much fun starting out when you have a new idea.  But somewhere around the middle, it just becomes work.

What is a regular writing day like for you?

I love to write first thing, cup of coffee in hand.  There's something about the freshness of a new day that silences the discouraging voices saying you'll never finish your book.

How do you handle negative reviews?

I take a deep breath and read the review with as little bias as possible.  If there's anything in there I needed to hear, I try and apply it.  Otherwise, I just give it a thumbs down on Amazon and move on :)

How do you handle positive reviews?

With celebration.  At some point, you have to become really vulnerable to be an author.  Your deep passions and emotions come out all over the page.  When another person connects with that and lets you know it, it's an amazing thing.

What is the usual response when you tell a new acquaintance that you’re an author?

I actually don't usually tell people that unless I know them well.  Since I have a day job, being a gemologist, which is a really interesting field, I usually lead off with that.  It's not that I'm not proud of my work.  It's just, you always seem to get into those awkward conversations where a person you hardly know who probably has never touched your genre says they want to support you and read your book. 

What do you do on those days you don’t feel like writing? Do you force it or take a break?

Definitely I take a break.  And if I have the time, I'll go on a hike and bring my favorite book of poetry.  That often brings me right back into the flow.

Any writing quirks?

Hmm.  Don't think so.  When I first started writing, I always went to 7-11 and got a slurpee.  Which brings up an interesting point.  I think it's helpful to associate writing with something else you enjoy.  Psychologists call it classical conditioning.  Sorry to go off on a tangent, but there was an experiment done once with a dog, and before each meal they fed the dog, they would ring a bell.  After awhile, every time they rang the bell, the dog would start to salivate.  How in the world does that apply to writing?  Well if you associate something with your writing time – something you enjoy that you only do when you're about to write, like me with my slurpee – it can help kickstart your creative process and get the ideas flowing.  It sounds coo coo I know but it really works.  I remember in those early days, driving home with slurpee in hand, my mind would explode with ideas and I couldn't wait to get home to my keyboard.

What would you do if people around you didn’t take your writing seriously or see it as a hobby?

That's their choice.  Since I write a lot of fiction and primarily fantasy, people not taking me seriously is just a way of life. 

Some authors seem to have a love-hate relationship to writing. Can you relate?

Absolutely.  Writing can be an amazingly frustrating undertaking.  But when you create something you're proud of, there's nothing else like it.

Do you think success as an author must be linked to money?

Not at all.  My favorite genre is poetry, which is virtually impossible to make a living at.  There have been world famous poets, like John Keats, who had to stop writing poetry full time because there wasn't enough money in it.  I love that I have a day job because then I can write for the pure enjoyment of it. 

What has writing taught you?

That the written word is beautiful and inspiring.  That stories can inspire us in ways like nothing else can.

Leave us with some words of wisdom.

I started writing after reading Walden, by Henry David Throeau.  He inspired me to live differently, to march to the beat of a different drummer, as he would say.  I'll leave you with a quote of his that continuously inspires me:

If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.

#FridayGuest / Conch Shell Confessions by Dax Marie @conchieconfess

CONCH SHELL CONFESSIONS by Dax Marie, Memoir, 202 pp., $13.99 (paperback) $3.03 (kindle)

Title: CONCH SHELL CONFESSIONS

Author: Dax Marie
Publisher: Author House
Pages: 202
Genre: Memoir

This is a book about love: hunting it, chasing it, losing it, tripping, and falling into it.
And yes, it’s a book about sex: hunting it, chasing it, losing it, tripping from it, and falling onto…ahem…it.

But more than anything, it’s a book about self-discovery, navigating the learning curve of adulting, and learning the kind of tough lessons that only come when you have to pick yourself off the floor, block a guy’s phone number (for the second time), and clean some curious stains off your dress.
I dove headfirst into love and sex, and for better or worse, they have taught me that sometimes you just need to try the world on for size to really understand what it is you want and learn who you are. So here’s my experience in the world of men.

Amazon Link:

https://amzn.to/2kFHA8v

Watch the Trailer!

(click on YouTube graphic to watch)

Epigraph

…

Because lord knows I need one.

…

    Ladies, this is a book about men (or maybe they could be more accurately defined as boys…little boys). So, if you have ever found yourself with the wrong guy (or guys as I have mistakenly done), I am so sorry. If you have ever had to deal with heartbreak, frustration, or immaturity due to boy-kind, I would like to apologize for their actions, too, because lord knows they never will. Can I do that? Just apologize for the inferior gender like that? Oh well, I’m going to anyway.

    The dating struggle is real, and I feel your pain. Know that you don’t stand alone in your dating of dipshits and DEFINITELY know that I understand (and that it’s okay) if sometimes you’re the dipshit because of the men you choose for yourself. As some cliché somewhere once said, you live and you learn. So let’s start making our way towards finding ourselves and learning about love. Oh, the happy struggles of vagina-hood.

    Some of you men out there might be worried that you’re going to show up in these pages. Some of you will be right––but not to worry my sweet boys, I have changed your names to ones that I find more befitting of you. So if you don’t like it, I’m sorry, but you shouldn’t have been so deserving of such colorful nicknames.

Dax Marie was five or so, when the man that she would otherwise call, “father” gave Dax her issues. What’s the medical terminology for that? Oh, Daddy Issues! For nearly the whole of her life she has tried to deny this grave medical condition and up until about seven years ago, she was doing alright. By no means was she swimming through the world with ease, but she did like aight (that’s hood talk for alright).

It was not until sometime in high school when she discovered her self-diagnosed condition. Sigmund Freud (you may have heard of him, he’s like a coke-head genius) told Dax (in a text book) that she has Penis Envy. Poor thing, she was absolutely flabbergasted!

“Me, Dax Marie? Associated with male genitalia?” she thought to herself.

So, it was then and there, her junior year of high school that she knew what
she was destined for…MEN.

Dax’s latest book is the memoir, Conch Shell Confessions.

WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:

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Visit us at Pump Up Your Book!

 

Sunset Beach Book Blast ~ Book Giveaway! @cmdonovan

SUNSET BEACH by Christine Donovan, Contemporary Romance, 255 pp., $3.99 (kindle)

Title: SUNSET BEACH
Author: Christine Donovan
Publisher: Independent
Pages: 328
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Until Sarah Kennedy is 17 she spends her summers at Sunset Beach with a close-knit group of friends. They are young, carefree, and just a tad wild—as teenagers tend to be. They share secrets, love, and a deep connection. But that final summer life as the friends know it begins to unravel. Domestic violence plagues one family, one of their group becomes a criminal. Sarah severs all ties with her friends and disappears.

Fifteen years after the summer that changed Sarah’s life forever, she receives a letter about a reunion. Can she bury her fears, curb her anxiety enough to attend and finally unearth who attacked her and changed the trajectory of her life forever? She also hopes to reconnect with the one man she gave her heart and soul too—Jake Ferroli. She wonders if his life faired any better than hers after his family tragedy and his downfall into drugs and alcohol.

Sarah locks down her demons and rents a cottage for the summer. To her surprise Jake is still single and they slowly reconnect. But so does her attacker. He is good at eluding the police. Somehow he has gone on attacking women for fifteen years without so much as being a suspect. Pictures, letters, and threats against Sarah now come on a daily basis. Jake and Sarah hire a private detective and as they get closer and closer to revealing the identity of the perpetrator, he strikes. Can Jake rescue Sarah before their so-called friend rapes her, or even worse, kills her as he did to his last victim?

Amazon Link:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MT56U44

When he stepped close to her, he could sense rather than see her retreat. Her eyes darted toward the door then back to him, suddenly full of panic. Why? It tore at his heart to know someone or something traumatized her.

“Why don’t you take a seat and relax.” He reached out to touch her arm and she all but flinched. It appeared ever so quickly, but he noticed it. On an exhale, he let his arm fall, frowned at her behavior, and sat down. She slid into the chair opposite him.

“So, tell me why you’re so jumpy? Is it me, or are you always like this?” God, please don’t let it be me.

She shot him a look of disbelief. “I’m not jumpy.”

Clearing his throat, he said, “If you say so.”

“Have you kept in touch with everyone?”

The desperation he witnessed flash in her eyes nearly broke his heart. “Yeah, I have. You know about Drew and Alyssa. Tom’s a doctor. He works at Mass General and he’s still single. Dylan lives in his mother’s old house. He’s a local cop here. Had a nasty divorce a few years back, but I don’t know all the details. I believe he has one kid, a daughter. Mitch is a detective with the Boston Police Department. He married a fellow police officer and they have two kids. Heather married some guy last year, I haven’t met him. Tracy’s single and I think she’s the only one not coming.”

“I had no idea what became of anyone.” Tears pooled in her eyes. “Except Charlotte.” She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “You took me by surprise when I saw you pull up today.”

Exhaling, he said, “Likewise. I didn’t expect you to come after fifteen years of silence.” He ran his hands threw his hair and asked, “Why did you come?”

“I don’t know. I thought it was time.”

She had a strange, vacant look on her face, so Jake decided to drop the subject. He would push for more answers later. And he wanted answers. Something had been eating a hole in his heart all these years, and he wanted to know why.

Christine Donovan is giving away five free e-copies of SUNSET BEACH!

Terms & Conditions:

• By entering the giveaway, you are confirming you are at least 18 years old.
• Five winners will be chosen via Rafflecopter
• This giveaway ends midnight June 29.
• Winner will be contacted via email on June 30.
• Winner has 48 hours to reply.

Good luck everyone!

ENTER TO WIN!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Christine Donovan is an International Bestselling Author who writes romance that touches the heart, soothes the soul and feeds the mind. She is a PAN Member of RWA and belongs to Novelist, Inc. and Rhode Island Romance Writers.

She lives on the Southeast Coast of Massachusetts with her husband, four sons, four cats and one spoiled golden retriever. As well as writing contemporary romance, she also writes historical and paranormal. All her books have some degree of suspense. In her spare time, she can be found reading, painting or gardening. She loves to tackle DIY projects.

WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK

Visit us at Pump Up Your Book!

 

#FridayGuest / The Dawsons by Lydia and Santina Casablanca #blogtour #VBT @tdawsons

THE DAWSONS by Lydia & Santina Casablanca, Fantasy Romance, 432 pp., $.99 (kindle)

Title: THE DAWSONS
Author: Lydia and Santina Casablanca
Publisher: Xlibris
Pages: 432
Genre: Fantasy/Romance

Witnessing the horrific demise of everyone he knew and loved has made Derrick Dawson strong, but it has also made him cold and broken. Tormented by his past and fears for the future, Derrick drowns himself in alcohol and drugs to dull the pain he can’t seem to escape. When Rose, the granddaughter of his sworn enemy, suddenly appears in his life, his world turns upside down. The wall he has built to protect his heart is crumbling. Will Derrick ignore what he feels or will he let the wall fall?

Francesco has felt alone and miserable all his life. The loss of his family and the harshness he receives from his constantly intoxicated older brother has left a void inside him that he thought he would never fill. Until a young princess named Rosa stumbles into him and changes his life forever. There’s only one thing that stands in his way—King Antonio has forbidden Rosa to have anything to do with a Dawson.

ORDER YOUR COPY:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

INTRODUCTION
There is a world like no other, a world where anything is possible, where no mortal walks—or lives. This world is on a planet called Magika, a place like Earth with the same identities, the same personalities, and the same countries. The only difference is the people on Earth are mortal, and the people on Magika are witches, which makes things very different. All kinds of beings and creatures—any supernatural thing you can think of—live on this bizarre planet. Mortals aren’t allowed to visit Magika; nor do they even know that the planet exists. Though it’s located close to earth, Magika is barely possible to find in space, given that it’s invisible to the mortal eye. If somehow a human were to miraculously figure it out and enter the magical land, the rulers of Magika would make sure he or she never returned. Mortals can never know Magika exists; their knowing would change everything, and drastic measures would have to be taken.
The only way in or out of Magika is through several portals around the world, and they open only once a year at twilight. Witches in books and movies on Earth are nothing like witches in the witch world. On this planet, witches fly without broomsticks and heal quickly. They are given a gift from an angel on the day of their birth, but they also receive a curse by a demon on the same day. The only way to get rid of the curse is to kill the demon who gave it. However, if you do get rid of the curse, you will gain another. Witches senses are heightened. Their eyes and hair can grow any colour. They will never age and can never die, unless they are given the curse of mortality. Child witches usually grow faster than do mortal children. You can never tell how old a witch may be, and it would be better not to guess, if you know what we mean.
And so our story begins one night on the shores of Casa Palace.

Lydia and Santina Casablanca are twin sisters who were born in Brisbane, Queensland Australia. They grew up mostly in New South Wales, moving around all the time and never staying in one place for more than three years. Growing up, Lydia and Santina were left at home a lot with nothing to do while their mother worked to provide for them. The twins had wild imaginations and would often play make believe where they lived in this world where only the supernatural inhabited it. They made up all kinds of characters and story lines, and in doing so they did not realize that they were creating magic.

When Lydia and Santina were 14 years old they noticed they were starting to forget the stories, the characters and the families they had made up and they didn’t want to forget, they wanted to always remember the adventures they went on when they played, pretending they were witches who lived in a magical place. The twins decided to put down all their adventures they had had, all the characters and the families they had made up on paper so they would always remember them.

While writing their book they were suddenly aware that they had a passion for it, and realized they didn’t want their stories to be hidden, to just be shared between themselves. They wanted to share the families they had created, the adventures, the characters with the world. The twins wanted to share their love of writing, their magic and write for a living.

Lydia and Santina worked on their first novel (The Dawsons) for ten years, adding to the story, maturing and professionalizing it, editing it and trying their best to make it as perfect as a manuscript can be before they approached the self-publishing company Xlibris in October 2016. The twins knew that self-publishing a book is not cheap so they saved up for years, working at Gloss Cosmetics, Coles, etc. to earn the money that would help them to publish their first novel.

Lydia and Santina’s book “The Dawsons” was finally self-published with Xlibris Publishing in April 2017. The twins went through a crazy, exhilarating ride making their book a reality, and haven’t regretted taking all the nerve-racking risks in the hopes of being successful. They have been trying to get as many people as possible to know about their book, contacting radio and television stations, bookstores, newspapers and social media in the hopes that their dreams will come true.
The twins are now 24 years old and are living on the Central Coast, New South Wales. Lydia is currently working on the second installment to The Dawsons. She is also working on the first novel by contacting anyone she can to popularize their book. Santina helps Lydia with the marketing of The Dawsons whenever she can.

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