Write the Next Book: Publishing Tips by M.S. Kaye

Author M.S. Kaye visits today with some writing tips for us and a peek at her new paranormal romance release, Strong As Death.

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Thanks for having me!

Welcome to my Publishing Tips Blog Tour. I’ve put together ten short, easy tips that have been invaluable on my journey to publication. Follow my tour to see them all. Tour stops will be posted on my website: http://booksbymsk.com/?page_id=428

Stop 9: Write the Next Book

As you submit your book to agents and publishers, start writing the next one.

–          If you’re really a writer, you should always be writing. Period.

–          Stay passionate about your stories—and not be dependent on editors and agents to make you happy. Because they rarely will.

–          If your first book, for whatever reason, doesn’t get picked up, you’re less likely to give up. You’ll already be excited about the next book.

Keep writing!

Strong As Death coverStrong as Death

Book one of the Born from Death series

by M.S. Kaye

Ilona runs from her sheltering mother in order to find the truth, why she’s seeing people who are invisible to everyone else. A mysterious boy named Archer guides her through Brooklyn and introduces her to Hendrick, the man who claims to be her father—though he died in 1890. Ilona must discover not only what she must do to rid the city of Soll, a sadistic and powerful spirit, but also what it means to be half ghost. She proves what her mother told her—love is stronger than death.

Buy Links:

Available at Publisher (all formats) Amazon, ,
Barnes and Noble, and Smashwords.

M. S. KayeAuthor Bio:

M.S. Kaye has several published books under her black belt. A transplant from Ohio, she resides with her husband Corey in Jacksonville, Florida, where she tries not to melt in the sun. Find suspense and the unusual at www.BooksByMSK.com.

Contact M. S. Kaye at:

Facebook, Goodreads or Twitter: @MSKosciuszko (Yes, that’s my real last name. See why I use a pen name?)

Excerpt:

Another twenty yards and she’d be out of the darkness of the trees and almost to the sidewalk, within reach of the light from the streetlamps.

A figure stepped out from behind a large oak, directly into Ilona’s path.

Ilona stopped and searched for a way around.

“What are you doing?” a rough voice growled.

Ilona recognized it immediately, even before she registered Archer’s face.

“It’s none of your business what I’m doing,” she said.

He moved closer. “You’re making it goddamned impossible to protect you.”

“You can’t protect me.”

His jaw tightened, and he glared. “What in the hell do you think I’ve been doing?”

“I’m honestly not sure.”

His voice rose. “You’d be lying frozen dead in a gutter right now if it wasn’t for me. You saw what happened in the shelter—you’d have been attacked by now if I hadn’t been around.”

Her tone was quiet, calm. “I know how you scared them away.”

“I told you I have a talent for creating fear. It comes in useful.”

“But you don’t like it.”

He said nothing.

“And I know you’ve been around,” she said.

He raised his eyebrows as if she was being slow.

“Before you asked me if I was lost,” she said. “You were there—when the car hit me.”

His expression sobered.

She waited for a response.

Finally, he said, “I’ve been around.”

“Will you answer one question? And be honest?”

“I give as much honesty as I can.”

Her lips curved a little. That was perhaps the most honest response he had yet given.

She moved closer, and he backed away.

“No,” she said.

He stopped.

“When you turned the corner and asked if I was lost,” she said, “you leaned your shoulder on the wall. How did you do that?”

His eyebrows pulled together.

“You’re really good at it,” she said. “It took me awhile to realize you never actually touch anything, that you stay out of the light, that you don’t get cold, your breath doesn’t come out in puffs in the cold like everyone else’s, you never let anyone close, near enough to realize you have no scent, to feel the static when you get too close.”

He took a step back, as if in self-defense.

“Don’t try to lie anymore,” she said. “I know what you are.”

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Thanks to M. S. Kaye for sharing her writing tip and book information. I always love finding new books and authors.

Now I need to take her advice and get to work on the next book!

Note: Today is the last day to comment to win my monthly drawing for June. Leave a comment to be entered for a chance at a $15 Starbucks e-gift card. Follow the blog and let me know for a second chance to win.

Linda McLaughlin / Lyndi Lamont

 

The Visionary by Author Pamela S. Thibodeaux @psthib

SummerPlease help me welcome inspirational author, Pamela S. Thibodeaux, who is here to tell us about her novel, The Visionary, another Rocking Summer Romance. Welcome, Pam!

Here are four fun facts about The Visionary….

The book is set in my native area of Lake Charles, Louisiana on a piece of property that once belonged in my family. I am a direct descendant of the LeBleus and my brother-in-law is a direct descendant of Julian Charles Sallier whom Lake Charles is named after (also mentioned in the book).

I actually did the research Taylor uncovers about Laonise and Joseph LeBleu, and have a copy of the newspaper interview on ‘Grandmaw Jo’s’ 100th birthday (also mentioned in the story).

The Pirate Jean LaFitte was a friend of Laonise and Joseph and slept not only in their barn, but a cabin down on the English Bayou which runs at the back of the property.

The old house described in chapter three…a mere box of a building with potbellied stove, antique wallpaper, plaster walls and boxed in staircase as well as the shutters with crosses carved in them… were described from memory. A pipe supply company now owns that property but, I visited that old homestead back in 1978 or 79 and remember vividly the house.

The VisionaryBlurb:

A visionary is someone who sees into the future. Taylor Forrestier sees into the past but only as it pertains to her work. Hailed by her peers as “a visionary with an instinct for beauty and an eye for the unique” Taylor is undoubtedly a brilliant architect and gifted designer. But she and twin brother Trevor, share more than a successful business. The two share a childhood wrought with lies and deceit and the kind of abuse that’s disturbingly prevalent in today’s society. Can the love of God and the awesome healing power of His grace and mercy free the twins from their past and open their hearts to the good plan and the future He has for their lives?

Purchase Links:
Amazon Print, Kindle, Print @Create Space, B&N Print, Nook, Smashwords and Deeper Shopping.

Excerpt:

“Thank you for taking such good care of me.”

“I’m not through yet,” he mumbled, then slid off the couch and swung her up in his arms.

Fear snuck in, darkening her eyes. She stiffened and opened her mouth to protest. He brushed his lips over hers and silenced her objections.

“I just want to hold you,” he whispered and laid his forehead against hers. “That’s all. I promise,” he added, unable to camouflage the need in his voice.

***

He’d offered her another step to relinquish her fear and trust him. Triumph lit his expressive eyes when she wrapped her arm around his neck, smiled, and whispered, “Okay,” then snuggled her face against his shoulder and let him carry her to the bedroom.

With exquisite tenderness, he laid her on the bed, crawled up beside her, and took her in his arms. Taylor felt the strength of his need in the heat and tensed against the hardness of his body. He eased his grip and propped up on one elbow beside her. His eyes pleaded for grace when he stroked the hair off her face and said in a soft, husky voice, “Please don’t be afraid of me; please trust me. I will never force or even persuade you to give more than you’re ready to.”

They gazed at each other for a long, tender moment. She cupped his cheek in her hand, brushed her thumb over his mouth, then curled her fingers in his hair and urged his head down to fasten her lips to his. A low moan escaped his throat, yet he held himself taut.

Taylor ran her hand over his shoulder and back in a soft caress then wrapped her arms around his waist. “Hold me, Alex, I trust you.”

The emotions reflected in his tone caressed her heart when he thanked her in that beautiful velvety-rough voice. He rolled onto his back, pulled the covers over her, and held her while she slept.

Author bio:

Award-winning author, Pamela S. Thibodeaux is the Co-Founder and a lifetime member of Bayou Writers Group in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Multi-published in romantic fiction as well as creative non-fiction, her writing has been tagged as, “Inspirational with an Edge!” ™ and reviewed as “steamier and grittier than the typical Christian novel without decreasing the message.”

Find Pam online at:

Website address: http://www.pamelathibodeaux.com
Blog: http://pamswildroseblog.blogspot.com
Face Book: http://facebook.com/pamelasthibodeaux
Twitter: http://twitter.com/psthib @psthib

Thanks for visiting today, Pam. How cool that your family has a connection to Jean Lafitte. Louisiana has such an interesting history!

Pamela and I love comments. Use the form below to comment and you’ll be entered for a $15 Starbucks card in my monthly drawing. Follow the blog and receive another credit towards the drawing.

Linda