In a Perfect World...Part II

In February, I posted a small piece about life in the Perfect World.  Here are a few more thoughts... Enjoy!

In a Perfect World...

You could eat all you wanted on special occasions, without the miserable, bloated feeling afterward.

Children would never have homework - so you wouldn't have to show how stupid you are.

Hair would never need cutting, coloring or styling. Great hair days, every day! (no gray!)

We'd all be fabulously rich, widely acclaimed, published authors and poets. (*smile*)

The faucet would never drip.

No one would have to take meds.

There would be no such thing as wrinkles.

Your neighbor would carry all your favorite brands of food! (For when you borrow, get it?)

Krispy Kreme donuts would be healthy. (Or -- fill in your favorite brand.)

All flowers would be perennials, and there would be no such thing as weeds!

Your scales would lie. (So would your mirror.)

You'd soon find the hair on your shirt that has been tickling you for hours!

Onions would never make you cry (and neither would your children!)

There'd be no such thing as computer viruses!

God would answer every prayer immediately.

Your bathroom would clean itself.

You really COULD earn $5000 a week from home.

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"Tag, You're It!" with me - Robyn Corum!

Hey all!  I’m participating in a fun round of interviews with sister authors this week!  We’re all part of a dynamic campaign called, “Tag, You’re It!”  I’m posting my interview questions and answers here today and at the bottom, you’ll be able to (come back and) find the links to the other girls’ interviews! 

 

Questions for Robyn Corum for Tag – You’re It!

What is the title of your book?

Melinda Heads West

Where did the idea for the book come from?

The idea actually came from a flash fiction contest on a writing website.  I created the first chapter and really liked the character of Melinda.  I decided to ‘play’ with it, and more chapters followed.  Soon, I was in the middle of a novel!

What genre does your book fall under?

It’s a Historical Romance/Western

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

I am so bad at this.  Matt Damon as Boone, maybe, and Jennifer Lopez as Melinda.  The only problem is that I don’t see Melinda as classically ‘pretty’, and her hair is always a mess!

If anyone can come up with better characters, let me know!  I’d be interested to hear your ideas. *smile*  (Leave them in the comments section!)

What is the one sentence synopsis of your book?

A young girl traveling across three states for a family deed finds misadventure, danger and love.

Will your book be self-published or agented?

It’s published by Crimson Romance, a division of Adams Media! It was released October 8^th, 2012.  The paperback should follow in about a month. 

 

How long did it take you to write the first draft of the manuscript?

About seventy days.

What other books within your genre would you compare your WIP (writing-in-progress)to?

I can’t think of a single book similar to the one I’m currently writing, except that it has a very loose mail-order bride plot! 

Who or what inspired this book?

I have often heard about the tenements in New York City at the turn of the century.  I wanted to try to capture the harsh realities of that life on paper and in a character people could relate to.  “Ama” was born.

 What else about your book might pique the readers’ interest?

It’s a hard story to tell.  I threw myself couple of hard curves, which I can’t really share or it would give away too much.  But suffice it to say that like today, the mail order ads in the 1800s didn’t tell the whole story either!  *smile*

 

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Here are some ways to catch up with Robyn after the interview:

To purchase Melinda Heads West: Melinda-Heads-West

Authors Den:  authorsden

Pinterest:  pinterest.com/robyncorum

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/pub/robyn-corum

Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/MelindaHeadsWest

Twitter: @robyncorum

 

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Here are the links to other authors participating in the Tag- You're It! Fun:

Suzanne Barrett      Molly Kate Gray

Galen Rose       Pam B. Morris     Susan Blexrud

Nancy Loyan       Shelly K. Wall        Traci McDonald      

Tara Mills

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Thanks so much!  robyn

An Interview With Galen Rose!

Hi Galen!  I’m so happy to have you visiting with us today!  Thanks for taking the time out of your busy schedule to answer a few quick questions.  Let’s get right to it:

Can you tell us what your work space looks like?

Hi, Robyn!  Right now, my workspace is a mess. I’m not sure what happened because last week it was clear. Can I blame my cats?

Sure!  *smile*  What do you think are the best and worst parts of being a writer for you?

The best part is seeing people reading your work. Having them tell you how much they enjoyed it and ask when the next book is coming out.

The worst part for me, is the promo. I don’t enjoy it and find it tends to get in the way of writing.

Yes, I’m learning that the marketing side of things isn’t nearly as much fun as the writing!  Do you have a specific writing style?

I like writing in first person. I know it is not everyone’s cup of tea, especially in romance, but I feel I can get inside the head of the main characters that way.

 

That’s so unusual!  Makes me want to read your book even more!  Please tell us how you came up with the title for  A Place to Rest My Heart.

For most of the time while writing A Place to Rest My Heart, the title was ‘Laney’s Law’. But at the end that title made it sound more like a western theme.  I had to think about what my main character wanted most in life, and that was a place for her to truly allow herself to love and trust someone.

Where do you get your ideas?

I watch people all the time. Then I throw in what-if scenarios and go from there. The idea for A Place to Rest My Heart just popped into my head on a long drive and then would not leave my head, so I had to write it down. At the time I had no idea a novel was being born.

Do you read much?  If so, what book are you reading now and what rating would you give it?

Lately, I have been reading a lot of Carla Neggers books and Catherine Coulter. They are both five-star writers and I really enjoy their characters.

 
Are there any new authors that have garnered your interest?

Nikkie Locke, I really enjoyed Unbound and can’t wait for more.


What are you working on now?  Can you share a little of it here?
I am working on two projects right now. One is a left-at-the-altar adventure in Maui and the other is set in Washington about a woman who has not left her house in years and the man who helps her take that first step to love.

 

They both sound like something worth exploring! Do you ever experience writer's block?  What do you do to overcome?
Writer’s block is my arch-enemy, and it is a sneaky one too. To overcome it, I make myself step away from the project and do something that requires some manual labor. And if that doesn’t work, I head to the beach and take a long walk.

 

One last question, Galen:  What advice do you have to help other authors improve their writing?
Take advantage of all that RWA has to offer with writing classes, read your genre and don’t hesitate to work with a critique partner.

 

I know readers will want to find you and your book, A Place to Rest My Heart.  Can you leave us information on that?

Blog:   http://www.galenrose.com

Facebook:  http://www.galenrose.com

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/galnrose/

 

To order A Place to Rest My Heart:

Kindle:  www.amazon.com/Place-Rest-My-Heart-

Amazon: www.amazon.com/Place-Rest-My-Heart

B&N: www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-place-to-rest-my-heart-  

  

Thanks again for spending time with us, Galen.  Good luck with your new projects and with your marketing! 

To our readers, what project are YOU currently working on?  Can you share a little of it here?  Or if you’ve read Galen’s book, tell us what you thought of it, please.  Thanks!