Thursday, April 26, 2018

WELCOME BETHANY-KRIS, AUTHOR OF LOYALTY AND DISGRACE


I went searching for the people who needed a voice. I wanted to give them a voice.

Hello Everyone!

I hope you all had a great week. I spend my week hiding out in my writer's cave [kitchen table] enjoying the process of beginning a new novel, my ninth. The first few chapters are always the hardest part of the book, but I'm in my happy place.

Today, I'm thrilled to showcase a first-timer on my blog, Bethany-Kris, author of Loyalty and Disgrace

Bethany says below that she's 'boring as hell' in real life. Ladies and Gents, that so untrue. My head spins with what Bethany can do with her few free hours a day. 

Bethany-Kris, I can't thank you enough for sitting down today with us. To start off this interview, tell us a little about yourself--the real woman behind the writer and how came to write Loyalty and Disgrace?

Hi, Nancy. Thanks for having me!

I always find these bits in interviews come off the same when I answer, and so I will try to do something different this time. So, I am a mother of four young boys which means I don’t do anything without someone needing me, wanting something, or climbing up my legs. I have three dogs, one cat, and a hubby. I’m boring as hell in real life because well, I don’t have a life beyond writing and my kiddos.

That’s the way I like it.

I have lived an interesting life before all of this, but that’s another story for another day.

The John + Siena duet was a set of books that I have been waiting to write ever since Johnathan was born to a character (Lucian) in one of my earlier works (Filthy Marcellos: Lucian). Mind you, it’s not required for you to read the Marcellos series—I simply have a habit of refusing to let go of my characters, and letting them have their own big world and life. I continue them on as standalone series or novels, and that’s what happened with John. I knew he was different and special due to his own set of circumstances, and I really just wanted to put him down on paper. That’s how those two books were born.

Bethany, I'm the same way with my own characters. I just can't let them go and have to write their stories--because they won't allow me a good night's sleep if I ignore them for too long. 
I'm sure a lot of people ask you how you manage to get so much writing done with four young boys, but do you think your boys (or being a mother of all boys) have shaped the way you write in any way?

It has—a lot, actually. There seems to be this trend in romance where men are getting labeled as heroes who have literally no business being called a hero. Sure, authors can slap the pretty dark romance tag on it and think they’re safe, but I call garbage on that kind of thing. I write my heroes the way I want my sons to be, and how I am trying to raise them.

As good men. And sure, my heroes tend to fall on the gray side of life—not entirely good people, but not the villains, either—but at the end of the day, they are good men who love their wives, and treat their children well. They protect their family, and honor it.

That’s how my sons have influenced the way I write.

My daughter has a very small tattoo on her wrist that says simply, WORDS. As authors, our words have an unique power to drive change. Your sons are very lucky to you in their lives...just saying. 
When did you realize you wanted to be a writer? 

I was nineteen, had my first son, and was battling severe post-partum depression. I woke up one day, and needed an outlet for everything that was going on inside my head. And that was sort of how this was born for me. I just went from there. 

Monday, April 23, 2018

THE EYEWITNESS NOMINATED FOR PRESTIGIOUS RONE AWAY. PLEASE VOTE!

GREAT NEWS!

I'm thrilled to announce that The Eyewitness, Book 1 The D'Azzo Family series has been nominated by InD'tale Magazine for a prestigious RONE Award--Reward of Novel Excellence in the Romantic Suspense category. As with television shows like The Voice or American Idol, The Eyewitness needs your vote this week to make it into the final round.

Suspense/Thriller Weeks 2-- April 23--April 29, 2018.
To cast your vote for The Eyewitness, please log-in/sign-up at InD’tale Magazine. Registration is completely free and a wonderful source for great romance.  The Eyewitness can be found second from the bottom of the Suspense/Thriller group. 


You can read the complete review from InD'tale HERE. This is my all-time favorite paragraph in any review ever!  

I can't thank you enough for your vote. Have a wonderful week.
Hugs to all,
Nancy C. Weeks

Friday, April 20, 2018

THE PROTECTOR QUEST: WRITING THE NEXT NOVEL

"Nothing worth doing comes easy." 

Happy Friday, Everyone!
I'm beginning a blog series, The Protector Quest. What the heck is that? Well, The Protector is the title of my ninth novel. Each new post will be presented in chapter form--because I'm a writer and I love getting through one chapter and going on to the next. This series is a bird's eye view of what I put myself through with each new novel. So lets get to it! 


Chapter One--The Beginning

I have nothing!


Well...that's not exactly true. I have an amazing title that the members of my wonderful Facebook group, Nancy's Corner, helped me select. The image above depicts the road I have ahead of me. It's that disorganized, unpredictable, and at times, so disheartening. AND...I constantly hear my sweet, wise mom's voice in my head. 

Nothing worth doing comes easy." 

I'm not overstating when I say I have nothing planned for The Protector.  This is how every new novel of mine begins. While I have a soft foundation for my hero, Nathan D'Azzo, Emersyn and Tessa's older brother, that's where things get sticky. I haven't a clue what comes next at this point.

You met Nathan for the first time in chapter two of The Eyewitness, and he has a much bigger role in The Analyst. The Protector will be the third book in my The D'Azzo Family series. Here is what it looks like: 
The Eyewitness--starring Emersyn D'Azzo and Alec Pearce
The Analyst-- starring Tessa D'Azzo and Eric Logan
[More to come about The Analyst below.] 
The Protector--starring Nathan D'Azzo and ???

Another truth: I know that The Protector is Nathan's journey, and that the man I introduce you to in the first sentence will not be the same man on the last page. I don't know how Nathan will change, but if I do my job, he will have envolved in ways I can't even imagine today. That is the magic of writing, the reason I love what I do so much.

So.... no name for my heroine. I'm thinking about Olivia, again, a name suggested from Nancy's Corner. It is beginning to fit the image I have of her in my head. What I can give you is by the end of chapter one, Nathan will put up every shield he built over the years and protect himself against her. 

But this is a romantic suspense with an HEA, right? 

I'll get there somehow. Next post, I hope to get your help choosing what she looks like---and what Nathan looks like, the inspiration I will use to create two amazingly strong characters. I know my villain, and they are going to need all the help they can get. 

This is your front row seat on my quest, writing of The Protector. I hope you will stick around and invite your friends too. As you can see, I have a lot of work to do. I want this book done by October. 

Unsettling News: The Analyst

I know you have been waiting patiently for  book 2, The Analyst. A month ago, out of the blue, Simon & Schuster closed the doors to my publisher, Crimson Romance, effective immediately. This came as a shock to everyone. I signed a contract on Friday three days before, and was so excited to announce it to you. Monday afternoon, The Analyst's contract, gone. All my books are still being sold by S&S, but I'm looking for another home for The D'Azzo Family series. Until I find it, I'm going to do something positive, write the next book.  I hope you will all be a little patient with me as I figure this out. It's time to take a deep breath and allow the dust to settle. I love what I do, and I love living my dream--even after this last month. 

That's it for today. Next week, I have invited the wonderful Bethany-Kris to sit down for an author interview. I'm so impressed by Bethany's confidence and drive. I can't wait for you to meet her. Until then, I hope you can take a break in your busy life and read a great book.

Hugs to all,
Nancy C. Weeks

***If you haven't heard about Nancy's Corner or joined Nancy's Newsletter, please do so today.  I would love to have a closer relationship with my readers.


Wednesday, April 11, 2018

I WANT ROMANCE GIVEAWAY

Happy Wednesday, Everyone!
I hope you are having a great week. This is a short post to tell you about another contest. To begin, check out this adorable banner.


Now...what you can win if you enter? Who couldn’t use a little more romance? Not to mention a pretty in pink Marc Jacobs leather wristlet? Or a Kindle Fire 7? Or maybe you’ve been lusting after the newest romance bestseller on Amazon. Enter our giveaway April 2-22 and you could be one of 8 lucky winners to add new ‘romance’ to their lives!

Why am I in another contest? It's simple. I would love for you to follow me on BookBub. If you haven't checked out BookBub, do so. It's a fantastic way to find sale prices on all your favorite authors in all genres. BookBub chooses books that meet their high standards. If I'm lucky enough to be on BookBub, I want you to know about it.

This contest is sponsored by 67 wonderful authors.
Alexia Adams • Allyson R Abbott • Amy Ruttan • Anne Stone • Aubrey Wynne • Becky Lower • Bethany-Kris • Brenda Whiteside • Brighton Walsh • Cailin Briste • Calinda B • Candace Sams • Carla Krae • Carrie Whitethorne • Cate Tayler • CB Samet • Cecy Robson • Charmaine Ross • Crystal Dawn • Donna R. Mercer • E.B. Black • Eliza Daly • Elizabeth Meyette • Elizabeth Rose • Holly Cortelyou • J. L. Lora • J.E. Parker • Jacquie Biggar • JC Andrijeski • Jen Doyle • Jennifer Dawson • Joan Reeves • Joanne Dannon • Josie Riviera • Julieann Dove • Karly Morgan • Kim Petersen  • Kris Michaels • Kristin Holt • Kristy Tate • L A Cotton • Lana Campbell • Laurel Greer • Linda Carroll-Bradd • Lola Karns • Madeline Iva • Mari Carr • Marilyn Peake • Megyn Ward • Melissa Belle • Melissa McClone • Michele Barrow-Belisle • Nancy C. Weeks • Patrice Wilton • PG Forte • Renee Ann Miller • Ruth A. Casie • Sarah Williams • Shereen Vedam • Soraya Naomi • Stacey Joy Netzel • Stacy Gold • Susan Jean Ricci • Susanne Matthews • Sydney Aaliyah Michelle • Victoria Saccenti • Aileen Harkwood

Plus, shop our book fair where you can choose from books in genres from contemporary romance to romantic suspense to PNR for $2.99 or less. You’ll even find a bonus giveaway!

BOOK FAIR WITH BONUS GIVEAWAY


Browse, click, and buy from over 55 titles in the I Want Romance Book Fair, all but one priced at 2.99 or less.
Whichever genre is your favorite, contemporary romance (sweet or steamy), historical romance, romantic suspense, paranormal, fantasy and science fiction, we've got page-turning reads that will make you want to pull up a comfy chair, grab your favorite beverage, and forget everything else while you disappear into another world.
PLUS 
Look for the bonus giveaway on this page!
You could win a $15 Amazon gift card 


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thursday, April 5, 2018

WELCOME NANCY LOYAN, AUTHOR OF AFTERLIFE

"Earth is just the beginning ..."

Hello Everyone!
I hope you are having a great week. Today, I would love to introduce you to Nancy Loyan, author of Afterlife


I asked Nancy to sit down with me in order to get to know her better and maybe hear a little gossip about her new release. Afterlife sounds fascinating, and  as a reader, I had to know more about this story as well as the woman behind it.

Special Note: I don't want to confuse anyone-- Nancy (me) interviewing Nancy (Nancy Loyan). My questions and comments will be italic. Now take a look at Afterlife's amazing cover and short blurb.


Kalden Nicholas, a man of science, has lost all he loved on Earth, but the pull of space and new discoveries drives him on a one-way mission to the far reaches of the universe.

Landing on a mysterious planet, his perceptions of life, death and beyond are challenged and tested in ways he could never have imagined. Finding renewed purpose, he returns to Earth where he learns that faith cannot be proven, and one person can make a difference.

After all, Earth is just a training ground for the Afterlife.

AMAZON



Nancy, I can't thank you enough for dropping by today. Can you start interview off by telling us a little about yourself.

Mine is a life gone full circle. Writing has always been like breathing for me. However, I’m far too practical. I first attended Cuyahoga Community College, and after, graduating with a BSBA in Marketing from John Carroll University. I worked in retail management, outside sales and marketing. I left corporate America to embark on a freelance writing career. I wrote for numerous local and national publications, specializing in architecture, construction and antique safes. I continued to write fiction and pursue publication. After twenty years, I landed a contract with a small publisher, Inner Vision Books. My first published novel was Paradise Found, a multicultural romance set in the exotic Seychelles Islands. 

The next six novels were contracted major publisher, F & W Media who was starting the Crimson Romance line. As luck would have it, Inner Vision  closed its doors. Regaining the rights to my novel, I embarked on self-publishing.  Shortly after, an editorial changes at Crimson had me regaining the rights to five of my novels. I subsequently self-published them as well. I just had the rights reverted for my last Crimson novel, Special Angel, as Simon and Schuster, new owners of Crimson, closed the line. I am enjoying the control and freedom that self-publishing allows.
I obtained my BS before my Mrs. My husband Bill and I have been married thirty years and have “fur children,” Amber and Topaz, English Pointers. My husband is a retired architectural photographer. Being married to a self-employed creative person made the transition to author easier because he understood me and my  need to create.  We have traveled the world, and many locations have provided inspiration and research for my novels. Going to Egypt was special because I have an alter ego, Nailah, Middle Eastern belly dancer, and studying in the country of the dance’s origin was special. I instruct Middle Eastern dance. 


My favorite venue is teaching at the Chautauqua Institution in New York State. This will be my 11 Season. I have also taught writing and had a book signing at the Institution. One of my romantic suspense novels, A Kiss in the Rain, takes place on the grounds.

I have to break in here and say---OH MY...you are awesome! Hello alter ego, Nailah! And...I love that you teach Middle Eastern dance. Sorry to interrupt. Please continue. 
My forte is romance and women’s fiction, as my other eight novels can attest.  Afterlife is quite a departure. 

It can be classified as Speculative Christian Fiction. Though it has a little romance, this futuristic novel is about an astronaut who finds faith and himself after volunteering for a one-way mission into the universe.  This novel came about in an unusual way. I was seated in church listening to a sermon about Heaven. The “what if” in the writer in me came out. I sat pondering about Heaven being an actual place, a planet. I rummaged through my purse for a small note pad (writers must always carry paper and a pen for when inspiration strikes) and began jotting down ideas. When I got home, I continued writing. This novel literally took over my life. I felt possessed. Putting aside my WIP, a romance, I set out to complete this project. Six months later, it’s a published novel.

Oh, Nancy, that 'what if' question plagues me in Mass too.  Good for you for taking the time to jot down your thoughts before they evaporated into thin air. When did you realize you wanted to be a writer?

I can’t remember when I wasn’t writing. I composed picture books for fellow students in elementary school. In junior high, I wrote romantic novellas for friends. The final for my creative writing class in high school was to complete a short story. I surprised the teacher by handing in a four-hundred page historical manuscript!

You have to add in comments below your teacher's reaction? I bet it was priceless. And don't forget to let us all know your grade. So my next question is a favorite of mine. I think I know the answer but ... do you believe writers are born or made?

I think that it’s a little of both. I do think that writers, particularly fiction writers, have some innate ability. Most people, unless they have a diagnosed mental illness, do not hear voices in their heads that propel them to put pen to paper/fingers to keyboard.

Ha Ha! I think you just labeled us a little crazy. I can't argue with you. Again, sorry for the interruption, but you are so fun.

Tuesday, April 3, 2018

I WANT ROMANCE GIVEAWAY APRIL 2-22



Who couldn’t use a little more romance? Not to mention a pretty in pink Marc Jacobs leather wristlet? Or a Kindle Fire 7? Or maybe you’ve been lusting after the newest romance bestseller on Amazon.

Plus, shop our book fair where you can choose from books in genres from contemporary romance to romantic suspense to PNR for 2.99 or less. You’ll even find a bonus giveaway!

Enter our giveaway April 2-22 and you could be one of 8 lucky winners to add new ‘romance’ to their lives! (Sponsored by the 67 authors listed below)


Alexia Adams • Allyson R Abbott • Amy Ruttan • Anne Stone • Aubrey Wynne • Becky Lower • Bethany-Kris • Brenda Whiteside • Brighton Walsh • Cailin Briste • Calinda B • Candace Sams • Carla Krae • Carrie Whitethorne • Cate Tayler • CB Samet • Cecy Robson • Charmaine Ross • Crystal Dawn • Donna R. Mercer • E.B. Black • Eliza Daly • Elizabeth Meyette • Elizabeth Rose • Holly Cortelyou • J. L. Lora • J.E. Parker • Jacquie Biggar • JC Andrijeski • Jen Doyle • Jennifer Dawson • Joan Reeves • Joanne Dannon • Josie Riviera • Julieann Dove • Karly Morgan • Kim Petersen  • Kris Michaels • Kristin Holt • Kristy Tate • L A Cotton • Lana Campbell • Laurel Greer • Linda Carroll-Bradd • Lola Karns • Madeline Iva • Mari Carr • Marilyn Peake • Megyn Ward • Melissa Belle • Melissa McClone • Michele Barrow-Belisle • Nancy C. Weeks • Patrice Wilton • PG Forte • Renee Ann Miller • Ruth A. Casie • Sarah Williams • Shereen Vedam • Soraya Naomi • Stacey Joy Netzel • Stacy Gold • Susan Jean Ricci • Susanne Matthews • Sydney Aaliyah Michelle • Victoria Saccenti • Aileen Harkwood


I would love for one of my readers to win. Please let me know if you do.
Good Luck!
Hugs to all,
Nancy C. Weeks