Barbra Annino Interview - Part II

AA - Who are three of your favorite eBook authors and what genres do they write?

BA - Oy, that's tough. There are so many. LJ Sellers writes great mystery/suspense, Deborah Greary has a book out called A Modern Witch that I'm reading now--a fun fantasy/romance and JL Bryan writers creepy horror.

AA - What’s an average work day like for you? Up and fully dressed in business casual or wearing your pajamas until you realize it’s past noon?

I get up, crawl into workout gear, drink coffee, work until a Dane pokes me in the shoulder, then walk a dog, lunch, shower, then back to work until 6.

BA - If you weren’t a writer, how would you earn your living?

As a professional poker player.

AA - What are your five top tips for promoting an eBook?

BA - Make a walking billboard with your book cover, get naked, slip it over your head and stand in rush hour traffic. Repeat five times.

AA - When writing a novel, do you bullet point out the whole plot or just find yourself listing into it? How do you set about writing a book?

BA - Usually characters come to me first. I do a lot of writing in my head and I might jot down really basic ideas or traits such as occupation of the protagonist.

The first book I outlined, but since then, I've been flying through the air without a net. That way, no one can tell me they knew who the killer was or how the story would end, because I didn't even know.

AA - What can you tell us about your new novelette Doppelganger?

BA - It's a suspense story about a woman who is always in a hurry, never slowing down to enjoy her life until someone tries to take it away--someone who looks just like her.

Have you ever met your own doppelganger?

No, but I suspect she may have had one too many glasses of wine a few years ago because it certainly wasn't me who flashed that tour bus.

AA - What’s next for Barbra Annino?

BA - BLOODSTONE is the second title in this series and then I have plans for an urban fantasy and a YA, but right now I have to wipe the slobber from my keyboard.

Thank you Barbra!

eBook release for Fangs

Fangs for Nothing now available on Kindle, Nook, Sony Reader, iBooks, iPad, iPhone, iWant To Read Fangs For Nothing. (Okay, that last bit was made up ;O)

Barbra Annino Interview - Part I

Barbra Annino is an indie writer best known for her Stacy Justice series.

AA - How did you become an indie writer? Please give us a brief history of your writing career.

BA - I've been a professional writer since just after college. I was a technical writer, a journalist and then a freelancer before I tried my hand at fiction. The fictional path to publication was a lot like Dorothy's trip to Oz except I never quite made it to Emerald City.

In 2008, I pitched my first novel to a small publisher at a conference. She loved the premise and asked for the first three chapters on the spot. She enjoyed those so much she invited me to dine with her and introduced me to everyone as her new author. I sent the full script as soon as I got home and promptly never heard from her again. (I would learn the following year at the same conference she was interested, but never received my email.) A few months after that, I landed an agent. When I learned he only shopped the book to one editor in a year, I fired him. Meanwhile, I had written book two, which I felt was stronger. I pitched Opal Fire to a few more agents and publishers and received an offer from a small press in late 2010. Unfortunately, editorial mistakes were made and the novel that went to print was worse for the wear. I took a deep breath, took my rights back and published in March of this year.

I believe the Universe points you in the right direction if you can just read the signs. I had so many mishaps on this journey (more than what is here even) that I could no longer ignore the message I was getting to go indie. So glad I listened.

AA - What kind of justice does Stacy Justice dish out? Please tell us more about this series.

BA - The series centers around a reporter raised by witches who finds herself in heaps of trouble everywhere she turns. Stacy is funny, honest and a major klutz with a deep sense of right and wrong and a devotion to her family that is unwavering--even though they drive her batty. Opal Fire opens in the middle of a burning building. The Black Opal is owned by Stacy's cousin Cinnamon and before long, she's accused of arson and Stacy is determined to prove that theory wrong. What sets the series apart from other mysteries is that the crimes and victims affect Stacy's family and close friends, so the stakes are very personal for her. It's been compared to Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series.

AA - What’s with all the Great Danes on your website? How do you house them and do the neighborhood kids ever try to ride them?

BA - Those are my furkids! They aren't available for rides, but it is funny to hear the comments people make. I was walking Thor down Main Street and someone asked, "Does he bite?" My response was, "Not me."

Rose Pressey Interview Part II

Part II of my Rose Pressey interview, author of No Shoes, No Shirt, No Spells, Me and My Ghoulfriends, and How to Date a Werewolf.

Upcoming title: Rock n' Roll is Undead


Coming soon: How to date a vampire

(love this cover)

AA - What are six of your favorite adjectives?

RP - Delicious, hilarious, sarcastic, suspicious, humble, and cuddly.

AA - If you weren’t writing paranormal romance, what genre would you be writing and why?

RP - I write mystery in all my books, so I'm sure it would involve mystery. I'd love to try historical, but I'm not sure I could ever pull that off.

AA - Why is it important that cupcakes have sprinkles?

RP - Extra sugar is good. Plus they add color and whimsy.

AA - In your book My Haunted Family, you write of your family members ghostly encounters. Have you had any of your own? If yes, please describe. If no, how about one from the book?

RP - My Haunted will be rereleased with new content this fall as an ebook. It’s a book with ghost stories and other unexplained events, tales passed down from family members. I’ve had some experiences which I talk about in the book. I’ve been on some paranormal investigations where I’ve experienced cold spots, being touched, seeing a black shadow figure, and catching some great EVP.

AA - What advice do you have when it comes to ebook publishing? What do you do to promote your own work?

RP - Good covers, editing and just get your name out there. Word of mouth is the best promotion. If a reader enjoys your book, they'll likely tell a friend.

AA - What’s next for Rose Pressey?

RP - More books! I have another book out on July 1. The title is Rock ‘n’ Roll is Undead. I’m very excited about it. I’ll have follow-ups to all my series out this year and next. I have another idea for a different series, so I hope to get around to writing it later this year.

Thank you Rose Pressey!

Fangs for Nothing - Blurb

Grab some garlic and start sharpening your mother's wooden spoons because there are vampires living in the most unlikely of places.

I’ve always wanted to meet a vampire. Not to stake some poor bloodsucker as he sleeps in his coffin or have some sexy vampiress bite me on the neck, but just to see a creature so rare and infamous. What can I say? Some people want to sail to Easter Island, others want to fling themselves out of an airplane, I want to shake hands with a vampire. Well, maybe I should prioritize getting a girlfriend first, but a vampire sighting is pretty high up on the list. Trust me, a lot of kids my age dream about it. Like my two best friends, Rini and Xander. We spent half the summer searching the most notorious cities in the United States for the undead, but so far, no luck.

That’s why it came as a total shock to discover a living, breathing vampire in our hometown of Cleveland, Ohio. (Okay, so he’s more undead and not breathing, but you get the picture.) At first we were kind of excited, but then pretty freaked because it turns out our new fanged friend has a hold on the city's teenage population and a specific thirst for their blood. Which, in a word—bites.

To read the Fangs for Nothing Prologue, go here.

To read Chapter 1, go here.

To buy the book on Amazon Kindle, go here.

Rose Pressey Interview Part I

Rose Pressey is an indie author who has found ebook success with titles that include How to Date a Werewolf, Me and My Ghoulfriends, and No Shoes, No Shirt, No Spells. Here's part one of her interview:

AA - You have previously been traditionally published by a small press. Why did you decide to make the jump to being an indie author with ebooks?

RP - When I started writing, I knew I wanted readers. Sharing my stories with others is so much fun. Most people are reluctant to try a new author with an ebook priced at over five dollars. I think people are more likely to give my books a chance if they're not super expensive. With self-publishing, I liked the appeal of being able to offer my books at whatever price I wanted. Being an indie author allows me to do that.

AA - Who are your best Ghoulfriends?

RP - My best Ghoulfriends are my Chihuahuas. I had two, but one recently passed away and I miss him a whole bunch. I like to think he's still with me in spirit. Even though I can’t see him like Larue Donavan sees ghosts hanging around in Me and My Ghoulfriends, I feel he’s still watching out for me.

AA - What can you tell us about your latest title No Shoes, No Shirt, No Spells?

RP - I wrote No Shoes, No Shirt, No Spells while dieting, so it's no surprise it's full of delicious cuisine. Ha-ha. I had food on the brain. The main character, Elly Blair takes over her grandmother's little southern café. Her sweet granny failed to mention that she added magic to the menu items. Elly's a bit accident prone, so disaster strikes soon after she flips the first burger. There's hunky men, great food, and a lot of magic spells.

AA - What are your top four tips for dating a werewolf?

RP - I haven’t personally tested these rules, but I’d say buy steak dinners, avoid moonlit strolls, don't mention excess hair, and don't give silver jewelry as a gift.

AA - With ebooks in the picture, what do you think is the future of publishing?

RP - I feel a lot of people think it's ebooks or paper. To me, this isn’t necessarily an either/or situation. There’s room for both, but publishers need to adjust their pricing for ebooks. For the most part, people aren’t comfortable paying hardback prices for ebooks. As more ebooks become available though, more people will embrace ereaders and that could change things significantly.

AA - Who is your new favorite author? Or, what book have you read recently that you absolutely love?

RP - I have a bunch of favorite authors, but my favorite is anything light and humorous. I love Molly Harper's humor. She's unique and I love her Jane Jameson series.

Fangs for Nothing Now on Kindle

Fangs for Nothing is now available on the Kindle for 99 cents.