Talking with Barbara Donlon Bradley

Getting to know author Barbara Donlon Bradley...

Is there a genre you’d like to write?  Is there one you’ll probably stay away from?  Why?

I love writing SF/Futuristic and Fantasy Romance. The heat level always depends on the characters I create within the story. I say that because I have been writing erotic SF/Futuristic romances lately. One genre I’d probably never write is a romance during the Civil War or a regency romance.  There are far too many things you need to know about the timelines.

Please tell us about your newest release and where the idea came from. 

I’ve been working on a series called the Vespian Way. The series is about Heather, from Earth Security and Storm, the Vespian ambassador. They are destined for each other but were separated as children to keep Heather safe. Heather believes she is human until she moves to Vespia and finds she can read this old language. In fact she’s the only person who can read, speak and write it. She is genetically engineered and people want her because of that. I’ve had a lot of fun writing this series. The latest release is Stolen Desire. I had a dream about the first scene of Dominated by Desire and started writing. The rough draft took 5 weeks. I have just submitted book 8 Hidden Desire and am working on book 9 and 10.

What kind of research did you do for this book? 

SF/Futuristic is different because it’s all about world building. I loved trying to figure out how the races I come up with are different. Yet how they are a lot like humans? I have to make them compatible in order to write those steamy sex scenes! What is their planet like? Their society?

Most of the world building I did was in the first book of the series but as I’ve added a few things as the series developed – like when Heather got pregnant I had to figure out how the shorter days on Vespia would affect her pregnancy. The series deals with time travel, cloning and altering the timeline. Thank goodness I love science fiction and am geeky enough to watch the science shows like Cosmos and Through the Wormhole so I know what to look for when I need to do a little extra research.

If this book was made into a movie, who do you see playing the main characters? 

Been trying to figure that out but I’m not one of those writers that has to have an image of what the characters look like and haven’t really found an actor to portray either Heather or Storm.

How do you come up with characters names? 

I don’t have a set way – they just kind of come to me. The characters in every book I have written have introduced themselves to me in some way, either writing or while trying to figure out the plot in my head.

What do you do in your free time? 

Hate to say this but I really don’t have free time. I work part time, plus edit for a publisher part time and write whenever I can, I also am caregiver for my mother-in-law, and lately my mother has been having a few issues. When they both have issues watching over them can be a full time job at times. I can paint and was good at sketching I just haven’t picked up a pencil or brush in a long time.

How much of your own personality bleeds into your characters? 

A bit. I have a lot of humor in my life and it bleeds into my writing

Do you have a list of movies like me that you are itching to see or have seen? What about ones coming up? Any that draw your eye to it? 

I’m one to wait for it to come out on DVD – but I want to see the new planet of the Apes movie, the Guardians of the Galaxy, and the new transformers movie. (And this gives you an idea when I filled out the form – they just started advertising the release of the transformers movie in DVD)

You are hosting a dinner party. If given the chance to invite characters from other series, who would you invite? 

Mine comes from TV and it would be the Star Trek series. I love Kirk, Spoke and the crew.

If you only had twenty dollars in your pocket, what would you buy? 

Hmm, I love books, what writer doesn’t?

Of all your heroes that you’ve written, is there one that you love above all? 

I’d have to say Storm from the Vespian way – but I’ve really gotten to know him since he is a part of my first series.

What’s the most interesting way you got around a plot problem? 

Most interesting? Hmm I work through plot problems while I’m merchandizing – that’s my day job, or driving to and from the stores I’m responsible for. I’ve also dreamed the fix. It’s kinda crazy.

If you owned a bookstore, what book would you make sure was in stock?  

Wow...there are so many...umm...besides mine? I’d have to say Shanna by Kathleen E Woodiwiss. It;s the book that made me fall in love with romances.

What is next for you? Anything you want to mention? 

I’m still working hard o my series, the Vespian Way. I have submitted my 8th book in that series, have started the editing process on book 9 and am writing the rough draft of book 10.

Stolen Desire by Barbara Donlon Bradley

Released July, 2014 from Phaze Books

Sci-fi Romance, Paranormal/Shifters

eBook

978-1-60659-806-1

$5.99

Paperback

978-1-60659-807-8

$12.95

When Heather is confronted with her time traveling self she fears the worse. The woman came to warn them of a terrible accident but something isn’t right. The visitors her future self says are there to help only wants to kidnap her and kill her mate.

Using her mind she tries to protect her friends and family. Yet she wakes up as a prisoner after seeing the ship Storm is in blow up. She is now alone, and trapped.

Somehow she has to figure out a way home and hopefully reverse all the horrible things that have taken her family from her.

Buy:

Phaze Books – http://phaze.com/book.php?title=Stolen+Desire

Amazon US – http://www.amazon.com/Stolen-Desire-Vespian-Way-Book-ebook/dp/B00MBZNLU8/

http://www.amazon.com/Taste-Love-Richard-Marie-Rochelle-ebook/dp/B00KZ1YEW4/Amazon UK – http://www.amazon.co.uk/Stolen-Desire-Vespian-Way-Book-ebook/dp/B00MBZNLU8

B&N – http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/stolen-desire-barbara-donlon-bradley/1120039238

ARe - https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-stolendesire-1584216-143.html

Excerpt

Heather sighed as she opened her eyes and stretched. Before she could move she felt a warm hand on her breast.

“I see you’re awake.” Storm’s breath brushed against her cheek.

She looked up at her mate, who had a knowing smile on his face. “And I see you are awake too.” She was referring to the erection pressed against her hip.

“True, but I can’t help it when I have such a wonderful partner lying beside me.” Storm nibbled against her throat. “We still have time before we need to be anywhere.”

“Why didn’t you wake me earlier?” She smiled as he settled himself between her thighs. “You could have had all the time you want if you had.”

“Because the twins aren’t allowing you to get enough sleep yet. I don’t mind watching you sleep when I know you need it. It gives me time to appreciate having you in my life.” He dipped his head to her mark. “And waking you up this way is an anticipation I look forward to. I don’t mind stretching that out a little.”

“Because you know what will happen when I wake.”

“That is the best part.”

She felt him smile against her neck as he pulled the soft tissue of her mark into his mouth before he worked his way down her body.

“You are incorrigible.”

“And that is why I’m your heart.” His tongue lathed her nipple before drawing the tip into his mouth. She arched up against him and he slipped his hands under her.

A growl escaped him when they were interrupted by the computer system. “Heather, you have a communiqué from Admiral Barrister.”

She sighed again. This time in frustration. What did he want now?

“The last time he contacted us you ended up being whipped.” Storm blew against the tip before he climbed back up her body. “I’m inclined to not let you answer him.”

“Storm, I’m still part of Earth’s security.” She looked up at him, his face only inches above hers. “I can’t ignore him.”

About the Author

Writing for Barbara Donlon Bradley  started innocently enough, like most she kept diaries, journals, and wrote an occasional letter but she also had a vivid imagination and wrote scenes and short stories adding characters to her favorite shows and comic books. As time went on she found the passion for writing to be a strong drive for her. Humor is also very strong in her life. No matter how hard she tries to write something deep and dark, it will never happen. That humor bleeds into her writing. Since she can’t beat it she has learned to use it to her advantage. Now she lives in Tidewater Virginia with two cats, one mother in law – whose 87 now, her husband and son.

Author Sites:

Website: http://www.barbaradonlonbradley.com/

Publisher: http://www.phaze.com/author.php?author=21

Blog: http://barbaradonlonbradley.blogspot.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Barbara-Donlon-Bradley/118673448173249

Twitter: https://twitter.com/barbbradley

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/barbaradbradley/

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/7773192-barbara-bradley

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B0072OTZJE

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/Barbara-donlon-bradley

ARe:http://www.allromanceebooks.com/storeSearch.html?searchBy=author&qString=Barbara+Donlon+Bradley

Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/Search?Query=Barbara%20Donlon%20Bradley

Shelfari: http://www.shelfari.com/search/books?Keywords=barbara%20donlon%20bradley

Talking with author Mychael Black

Mother Nature: WTF?!

I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one thinking that Mother Nature's lost her frickin' mind. After weeks of freakily late winter storms/weather, I finally got to plant a garden out back. Just a small one (really small), but manageable for me alone. Cute raised bed, tall stakes for the plants when they sprout, watering can and bottle, and some good rich planting soil. I planted things just a few days ago, and the weather has been absolutely wonderful. Beautiful spring days, not too cool but not too warm. Clear skies even!

Well, today it's raining (with a few rumbles thrown in--just not enough for MY liking), so not much need to water the garden. Of course, I venture over to weather.com and see what things will be like throughout the day and tomorrow, plus the weekend (we're doing a DC trip on Sunday/Monday). Everything looked pretty good: not hot, not much rain toward the weekend, and a slight touch of spring coolness. I can totally live with that.

An hour or so ago, something new popped up for the alerts for Salisbury, MD...

Freeze warning.

*blinks*

Exsqueeze me? Baking powder?!

FREEZE warning? In mid-April??

What in the names of the gods is going on? O.o

Suffice it to say, poor Mother Nature is a tad...off her rocker, methinks. Or simply confused. But, then again, she can join the club. I'm not sure there's anyone left in the US who is NOT confused over this weather. And to think, mid-upper west is looking at another potential winter storm.

I'm done.

So done.

***

Call me Katherine or Mychael--I'll answer to both. I'm a mother, student, author by trade, and editor by compulsion. I've been in the publishing business for several years, namely as a writer but also as an editor on occasion. It never fails, though. I always end up editing eventually.

I'm a proud bibliophile, to which my poor sagging bookcases can attest. I read all the time, namely fantasy and romance.

When not writing or reading or editing, I...eat. Maybe sleep. Or watch Spongebob. Yes. I am a self-proclaimed, thirty-something year old Spongebob Squarepants addict. Much to my roommate's dismay. It's fun.

If you're curious about what I write (and who wouldn't be?!), then you can find me below:

http://www.mychaelblackbooks.com/

http://www.mychaelblackbooks.com/category/blog/

http://www.facebook.com/mychael.black

https://twitter.com/mychael_black

***

Magnum Opus

A Dark Performance:

Spurned by the only person he ever loved, Hunter is the perfect image of a tortured artist. A sorcerer moonlighting as a singer, he uses his magical arts to tantalize the audience during his band’s performances. His preferred method? A sphere that drifts above the crowd, a beacon that calls out for someone–anyone–who will understand him. On one particular night, Hunter finally receives an answer.

Novel Visions:

Jonathon Cayle is a horror novelist visiting New Orleans for a two-week long book signing stint. Unhappy with his life back in Atlanta with his girlfriend, he is grateful to be able to explore his preference for men while he’s out of town. What he finds in New Orleans, however, is the last thing he ever expected.

Visions of the Night:

Three years have passed since horror novelist Jonathon Cayle encountered his vampiric character Kain Hart. Since then, they’ve made a home together in Atlanta, living as any couple would. However, Jonathon’s curiosity about vampires has grown, and he finds himself contemplating the final step: becoming one. The question is: can he get past his fear of venturing into the unknown realm of life after death?

http://phaze.com/book.php?title=Magnum+Opus

Welcome Barbara Donlon Bradley

I am a pantser and I’m proud of it. My plotting friends look at me like I’m out of my mind. They don’t know how I can work that way. But it seems to be the way my brain works. A perfect example is the book due out within a few weeks. The very first scene came to me in a dream. I saw my hero standing on a car, shirtless, with a bunch of women pawing at him. The heroine saw him and turned and walked away but she found herself turning to look back at him. The look that happened between them was so powerful when I woke up the next morning I started writing. I had no idea if there would be anything else but I had to put that scene to paper before I lost it.

But it didn’t stop at the one scene. It just started coming to me, scene after scene. What amazed me the most was how I was driven to get this book onto the page. I wrote it in three weeks. It was a rough draft, or the bones of the story so to speak, but I had never written anything so fast. The characters drove this. They woke me up in the middle of the night with how they wanted their story told. When I was at work, scenes would play in my head to help me let the manuscript flow.

And I probably made a fool of myself while I worked because I have a tendency to talk out loud when thinking. Thank goodness I didn’t say any dialog…at least I don’t think I did. But the scenes kept coming. I’d stay up late trying to get the words down as fast as I could. I never took typing class and tried the Mavis Bacon program, but wasn’t very good at it. I use the hunt and peck method. I’m pretty fast at it now and can even stare at the screen and not the keys without making too many mistakes. Of course you didn’t see how many times I had to correct my spelling because I hit the wrong key while trying to write this paragraph without looking at the keys. So much for honesty.

So back to my writer friends who are plotters. They ask how can I just write without knowing what scene goes where. How do I know where the story is going? What if I get stuck? How can I leave everything to chance? But it is okay – I can’t figure out how they can sit there and plot their manuscript, knowing each scene and what will be in it before they write a word. I see it as writing your book before you write your book. I like the thrill of where the story takes me. I want to know what my friends do if their book takes a turn all that plotting didn’t expect? Do you follow the turn or force it to follow your plot points? Doesn’t that take the fun out of it? It would for me.

I always know how my story starts and I know how it is going to end. The middle part gets a little murky but it always works out for me. My scenes come to me as I write but I’ve done some thinking on this and believe there isn’t that much between this pantser and my plotting friends. I still have to plot out my ideas, but I do it mentally. I think about what comes next as I work on the present scene. I do a lot of driving in my day job so I have time to think through plot points, upcoming scenes and things I might have forgotten about in previously written ones.

But I work my way through what comes next and why, or what I forgot, just like any plotter, I just do it while I write. If I have a problem with a scene, or the way the story has forked off from my original idea, my mind works through it when I’m not paying attention. I’ll have an epiphany in the middle of a store, or at a stoplight. I’m sure that’s fun to watch if you have no clue why I suddenly start jumping up and down.

This has always worked for me. My brain likes the creativity aspect of this process. Maybe it’s because I used to draw and paint so starting with a blank canvas is exciting to me. In painting, the scene starts to develop as you add color and style. Big bold brushstrokes or small intricate ones build the scene you want. Oils allow you to work on one picture over and over because they take a long time to dry. You can paint a corner, leave it and comeback and mix more color to it. Acrylic dries quickly, but if you don’t like the image you created you can paint over it because the paint has already dried. It’s like writing. You can write the scene, let it sit, then comeback and add to it to make it more realistic, or you can paint over the whole thing and start a new.

I found writing and realized it was the perfect medium for me. I still paint a picture, but with words. Pantsing is my style. My creative juices flow best when I write. Things pop into my head as I work on my stories. Plotting it out, and believe me I have tried that, it makes me antsy. My fingers itch to touch a keyboard before I can even get the index cards out. So I’ll remain a pantser. I found something that works for me and I’m going to stick to it.

Writing for Barbara Donlon Bradley  started innocently enough, like most she kept diaries, journals, and wrote an occasional letter but she also had a vivid imagination and wrote scenes and short stories adding characters to her favorite shows and comic books. As time went on she found the passion for writing to be a strong drive for her. Humor is also very strong in her life. No matter how hard she tries to write something deep and dark, it will never happen. That humor bleeds into her writing. Since she can’t beat it she has learned to use it to her advantage. Now she lives in Tidewater Virginia with two cats, one mother in law – she’s 84 now, her husband and teenage son.

Newest release!

Dominated By Desire

Publisher – Phaze

Tentative Release date 10/25/11

Blurb:

Heather can’t believe she is the only person on Earth that can protect Storm, the ambassador from Vespia. It has something to do with some pheromone the Vespian male exudes. Although everyone tells her she is immune she doesn’t agree. There is something about the man that makes her desire skyrocket whenever she is around him.

Storm finds the Heather fascinating, bright violet eyes that hold a world of emotions in them. He finds himself drawn to her, wanting her with a depth he never experienced before. When she becomes the focal point of several kidnapping attempts he realizes she’s going to need his protection, the perfect excuse to get to know her better.

Excerpt:

UNEDITED PROOF

Chapter 1

Heather stood next to her commander, going over everything she had learned about the Vespian society so far. He wanted to be sure she was ready for her next assignment. She found the idea of guarding the ambassador a bit boring but she’d done it before and it shouldn’t be a long one. The man was only to be on Earth for a short period of time.

Her first glimpse of the Vespian ambassador caught her off guard. She wasn’t sure what she expected but it wasn’t seeing him coming in like some sort of rockstar. Shirt missing, exposing tight, well worked abs, along with well muscled shoulders and arms. He was the stuff of most women’s wet dreams and he dressed the part.

“That is the ambassador?” she couldn’t keep the shock out of her voice. His jet black hair had a bit of a blue shine to it and he kept running his fingers through it like he wanted to draw attention to it.

“I know it isn’t what you expect but he is doing this for charity.” He commander’s voice was laced with a touch of laughter. “From what I hear he was talked into this. They wanted him to be one of the dates for this auction but he refused.”

All she could do was stare. The women surrounding him were practically throwing themselves at him. Reaching to touch whatever they could. Giggles and groans filled the air as hands made contact with his muscled arms and legs.

How was she going to work with him now that she had seen this? She wasn’t sure if she could work with him with this flashing in her mind all the time.

Those women who were able to touch him tried to pull him toward them but luckily he had anchored himself well plus had plenty of protection to keep them at bay. She was sure he reveled in the attention. He had a smile that could melt a polar ice cap.

“If it’s all right with you, sir, I’ll wait for this to end elsewhere.” She didn’t really want to see anymore. If she was to treat him with any kind of professionalism it would be smart for her to find another place to wait inside the embassy.

“That’s fine. This shouldn’t take very long.”

Heather turned around and climbed the steps to the large double doors. Her title of ice princess fit her well at this moment. Where most women would enjoy watching this display but it just made her uncomfortable.

Not being able to stop herself she turned one last time to watch the spectacle and found him staring right at her. Everything disappeared during that moment. Nothing else existed but the two of them connecting through the throng of the crowd. The moment she realized she was starting to attract attention she broke eye contact and walked into the building.

What had just happened?

Her heart beat hard in her chest. No one ever affected her. That was one of the reasons she was brought in. Where all the other women had ended up sleeping with the man she’d be immune.

She needed something to calm herself down.

Meditation normally worked for her but she needed someplace quite and empty. As she looked she found just about every room occupied. She nodded and smiled as she entered and then left different rooms.

It took a few minutes but she did find a quiet corridor. All she needed was a small alcove and a few minutes. She heard footsteps and sighed. Not this time. She turned back to find herself face to face with the ambassador.

Being this close to him set her body on fire. His gaze trapped her. Heating her from the inside out. Training kept her from crumbling at his feet.

“Sorry, mistress, but this is the ambassador’s wing. No one is allowed down it but him and his most trusted guards.”

She found herself drowning in his eyes. They were a golden tone with a deep amber ring around the edge. She had never seen anything like it.

Tearing her gaze from his, she blinked a couple times before she could focus on the man who spoke to her. “I am sorry. Guess I got a little lost.”

“Of course.” The man bowed to her. “One of these men will take you to your room.”

“Thank you.” She steadied herself and followed the man down the hall. It took every ounce of will power to not turn around to look at him again.

Talking with Author Christine London

Why I Write Contemporary?

So often those of us who have been called to spend hours in front of that blank glowing screen are asked why. When we could be enjoying a film, a barbeque, our friends or just washing our socks, we toil over plot and setting. Define it as a calling, an addiction, a penchant or insanity; those who write popular fiction have something deep inside them the normal human being does not—characters. Yes…with an ‘s’. Maybe we grew up with a greater than average curiosity about what makes people tick, or in the case of we romance writers, a softer heart that believes nothing is more powerful than love. Whatever it is we few intrepid souls park ourselves in front of a computer and/or carry a composition book and pen wherever we go because not to do so would impoverish our world…and yours.

The ineffable “they” say that most people want to write a book someday. It is the few that actually make it to those two little words ‘the end’ and fewer who manage to navigate the soul-blistering world of publishing. The waiting, the rejection, the learning curve are not for sissies.

Most writers will tell you that there are certain types of stories that attract them. In my case, I write to uplift, inspire, educate and entertain-- a tall order I take it with all seriousness. Like most art forms, literature falls under the influence of trends. Just as television seems to be inundated with crime investigation programs, popular fiction is flooded with revenge thrillers, vampires and fantasy.

Maybe it is our global recession that steers people to escape. Maybe we are drawn to the unknown, the unfeasible or downright unbelievable. Whatever the case, there has been and always will be the deep seeded need for people to experience the world through others eyes.

I write Contemporary.

I write contemporary because that’s what has always attracted me. Before I started to write fiction I was a big self-help and psychology reader. My major in college focused on the human condition. Even when I used to watch a daytime soap, I chose All My Children because it fit the lunch hour timeslot and it did NOT have ghosts, vampires or anything out of the contemporary reality (if you can call a soap 'reality’...lol)

People are endlessly fascinating to me, as is setting. I love to travel and use my experiences to research new locations and character(s). Modern day dilemmas and locales are more accessible and relatable. Not that basic human interest has changed over the generations. A good read is a good read no matter what century it is set because of this unchangeable human nature. Yet, I find modern life very exciting and think we are all fortunate to be alive in this amazing time of change and burgeoning knowledge.  How do we deal with this avalanche of knowledge and choice in our present day? Fascinating stuff.

Sub Genre?? The book I just contracted with MuseItHot Publishing is a romantic suspense. (Shadows Steal The Light- Feb 2011) It is not easy to keep track of all the details that make a suspense, a really fast paced and fun read. It was a challenge in the writing---yet at the end of the day it turned out amazing. My Coast Guard rescue at sea, gone wrong book, Against The Current (Phaze Books at Phaze.com) also was exciting to construct with its realistic challenges and the suspense inherent in how these brave men and women handle emergency situations.

Exotic setting?? Most of my works take place, at least partially, in the UK. It has been a home away from home ever since I fell in love with it during a year of University spent abroad in London. Scotland feels strangely familiar as though I have lived there before or belong there. So I write about these people and their beautiful corner of the world. I have their idioms and speech patterns ingrained in my internal ear putting me in a unique position---I can write Brits so Americans can understand them. I imbed explanations of odd idiom or cultural stuff within the fabric of the story so Americans are not left scratching their heads. Yet when I do book signing I often have readers surprised to find that I am not British....a real compliment.

My most recent e-book release through Awe Struck Publishing is set on a beautiful Island off the coast of Naples, Italy. I have holidayed there twice and simply love it. It is a real joy to be able to bring wonderful settings to readers that they may never have a chance to visit. Or maybe they will do because of the sense of character my settings take on. :) Leap Of Faith is a great vicarious vacation.

Guess you can extrapolate that I don't plan any ghosts or vampires in my work anytime soon though I have learned to never say never. As a former Kindergarten teacher, most people would not have expected me to turn spicy romance author, so who knows?? It is the truth in the telling that sets a story above others. A hundred years from now we in the contemporary vein will be sought out as accurate reflections of a time in history when change was the only thing certain and men and women met the challenge with amazing resiliency and courage. That is the stuff of world building to know that eyes unborn will read and marvel. The readers of today will always appreciate something they can sink their teeth into as familiar, yet inspiring because the characters handled their situation in creative ways that uplift, educate, entertain. Hmmm…think I just may have hit on something here.

Warm Regards,

Christine London

www.christinelondon.com

"London Blog" at Blogspot: http://christinelondon.blogspot.com/
My Space (and Blog there): http://www.myspace.com/christine_london
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=697467403&ref=profile   and  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Christine-London/71009389201

Twitter:  http://twitter.com/ChristineLondon

Phaze Books:  http://phaze.com/

Awe Struck Publishing:  http://www.awe-struck.net/index.html

MuseItHot:  http://museithot.blogspot.com/