Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Beach Book Blast!!!

ARE YOU READY??



Join me and the WG2E Street Team members for the Beach Book Blast--a chance for you to load up on FREE books for the summer, plus a ton of $0.99 bargain books. It's a perfect chance for you to try out some new authors and new genres--risk free!

Oh, and did I mention you could win a KINDLE FIRE??
(donation thanks to the awesome D.D. Scott!)

Participating Authors: Dale Amidei, Meredith Bond, Debra Burroughs, Greg Carrico, Kristine Cayne, Cate Dean, Dana Delamar, Keta Diablo, L.C. Giroux, D.D. Scott, PJ Sharon, Alicia and Roy Street, Tracy Sumner, Kiru Taye, Tamara Ward

What am I offering with the BBB?

  • LOST IN ITALY  ~  FREE at Amazon
  • DITCHED AGAIN  ~  $0.99  (regularly $1.99) at Amazon and Barnes & Noble
  • DRAGONFLY DREAMS  ~  $0.99  (regularly $2.99) at Amazon and Barnes & Noble
  • MORE THAN A KISS  ~  $0.99  (regularly $3.99) at Amazon and Barnes and Noble
When you click the BBB image above, it'll take you to the blog for the listing of books, the 'buy' links, how to enter for the Kindle Fire, and don't forget to SHARE WITH YOUR FRIENDS!!  (yes, I did yell that because we're excited to share with all of you!)

Share this on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterist, Google Plus, Goodreads, and anywhere else there are readers who love great books.

Here's to a great summer!

Stacey Joy Netzel

Sunday, May 20, 2012

Sunday Share: Bargain eBook Hunter Blog

Today I'd like to share the blog BARGAIN EBOOK HUNTER and invite you to check them out!

Dedicated to hunting through the digital publishing world looking for eBooks at great deals (from FREE to $5.00)

From their ABOUT US page:
Welcome to Bargain eBook Hunter where we track the best ebook bargains!

What will you find on our site? We’re dedicated to hunting through the digital publishing world looking for eBooks at great deals (from FREE to $5.00) and putting them on our site to provide you, the reader, with a one-stop shopping experience. You will find titles that comprise the full gamut of styles from short stories to novels and from all genres.

With Bargain eBook Hunter, you’re never far away from a great reading experience or a great bargain, so stay tuned by visiting us often or by signing up for our free email or RSS feeds or by following us on Facebook or Twitter.

We hope you enjoy our listings as much as we enjoy bringing them to you.
Bargain eBook Hunter is one of those great blogs that finds deals for readers and also helps out us authors by featuring our books and getting the words out to those wonderful readers.



Thank you,

Saturday, May 19, 2012

Cate Dean Author Interview

I'm happy to welcome Cate Dean, a fellow author I met through the Writer's Guide to Epublishing Street Team. I read her book When Walls Can Talk (fantasy novella) and am so impressed with her writing that I recommend you pick up a copy! She was kind enough to answer a few interview questions to give you a peek into her writing journey and life.

Hello, Cate! How did you get started in writing, and how long have you been writing for?

I've been writing for as long as I can remember. I've always made up stories in my head, and finally had to get them out! I got serious about it a few years ago, and here I am, a self-published author.

And I wish you much deserved success! What genre do you enjoy reading? Do you stick with what you write, or play the field?

I'll read just about anything, as long as it's well-written. I started in fantasy, and love that genre - I also write paranormal, because I am a sucker for the spooky and the supernatural, always have been.

What do you find most challenging in the writing process?

Typing fast enough.;) Seriously, though, for me it is getting to the heart of the story. I play the "what if" game, with the plot, a scene, my characters, just to dig deeper. And I never accept the first answer.

That's a great way to keep it fresh. Speaking of which, what do you enjoy most about the writing process?

The first draft. I usually write it in a dead heat, and when I read back over it, I don't remember writing half of it. So reading that draft through the first time really is like the first time.

Ever since finishing When Walls Can Talk I've been waiting for REST FOR THE WICKED--congratulations on the release! What do you have in store for readers next?

I am working on Book 2 of the Claire Wiche Chronicles, my paranormal series, which will be out in July. I am also outlining my next fantasy - book 1 of a YA time travel trilogy coming out early in the fall. And I have a couple short stories in the works - yep, I love to keep busy.


Cate Dean has been writing since she could hold a pen in her hand and put more than two words together on paper. She grew up losing herself in the wilds of fantasy worlds, and has had some of her own adventures while through the UK, and a few other parts of the world. A lover of all things supernatural, she infuses that love into her stories, giving them a unique edge. When she's not writing, she loves cooking, scaring herself silly in the local cemeteries, and reading pretty much anything she can get her hands on.

You can find Cate at:





Cate's book LAST CHANCE JACK is part of the Beach Book Blast May 23-25th--so make sure you mark the calendar and head over Wed-Fri to grab a FREE copy! You can also enter to WIN A KINDLE FIRE!   


Thanks for your time, Cate, and happy reading everyone!

Stacey Joy Netzel

Monday, May 14, 2012

My Favorite Mother's Day weekend moment


"Stupid bass."

Let's rewind. We went up north to the lake this weekend to see my parents for Mother's Day and I woke up in the cabin on Saturday morning to those words.
Giant water beetle about 2 inches long
Shall we rewind a bit more?  Okay, my neighbor's husband found one of these critters and thought my kids would love to have it, so she brought it over in a Cool Whip container with holes poked in the lid. Yes, the kids thought it was so cool, so thanks Mark and Patti.

That container sat outside on our picnic table for 3 weeks, in the direct sun during the day, and all through the cold nights, with no food or changing of the water. I figured the thing was dead, but when we went up to the lake, my 10yr old daughter brought it with us (along with Little Toad in the coffee can) and we were sitting on the couch Friday night and kept hearing this scratching noise. My sister thought it was the toad, but then we realized it was the beetle swimming around in it's little container, desperate for freedom. Maybe he smelled the fresh water of the lake? Maybe he was just starving!

Saturday morning, I'm all snug in my bed when I hear the screen door slam and here's the story as my sister told it later.
We heard that bug scraping the sides of the container half the night, so when Morgan got up and headed outside, I asked her if she was going to set him free.

"Yep."

About ten minutes later the front screen door slams shut and Morgan comes in, pouting as she tosses the empty container on the table. "Stupid bass."
"What happened?" 
"I let him go, and he went swimming out to look for food, and a fish came and ate him!"
Now as my sister is telling the story, I recalled the words I heard while half asleep and knew it was coming, but still had to laugh. Morgan was standing right there and says "It's not funny!" But it was, and everyone we told the story to thought so, too. It's a story that's just too good not to tell.

Oh the irony for that poor, ugly giant water beetle. At least he was free for...5 seconds. LOL

And to give you all another smile for the day, we went up with Little Toad and the water beetle; we came home with Little Toad, a large injured moth Morgan saved from a robin attack, and a fat tadpole with tiny legs growing by his tail now named Soft Belly. She caught the tadpole in her shoe as she and her brother and Uncle Troy (my brother) were canoeing around the mud pond near the lake trying to catch painted turtles.

All I can say is thank God the brown snake Troy caught tried to bite them, and none of the chipmunks fell for the bait in the live trap Grandpa helped them set up.

Have a great week everyone!

Stacey Joy Netzel


Friday, May 11, 2012

Lost In Italy Character Interview: Trent & Halli

This interview was unveiled at World Literary Cafe, but I also wanted to post it here for readers to enjoy as the interviewer tried to have a serious talk with Trent from LOST IN ITALY. Halli had to jump in to try to keep him in line. Enjoy!

Stacey Joy Netzel

Interviewer:  For those who might not have read the book, please introduce yourself and tell us a little about the book you star in.

“Hi.  I’m Trent Tomlin, here to tell you all about Lost In Italy. Yes, I’m that Trent Tomlin—the movie star.  But first the book, then we’ll get to me.  I’ve given some thought as to why Stacey Joy Netzel used that title, since we were never technically lost. Well, Halli thought she was for a little bit, but seeing as I kidnapped her, I knew where she was all along. I guess her siblings were lost, so that makes sense, but the book is about our journey—mine and Halli’s—not Ben and Rachel, so maybe it doesn’t. Plus, they didn’t really get lost, they were taken hostage.”

“Oh, boy.  Can I interrupt here, Trent?”

Trent turns toward the shadows off-set where the female voice came from:  “By all means, sweetie pie.”  (leans forward to say very quietly)  “Halli Sanders, my better half.”

Halli:  “Stacey decided on Lost In Italy for two reasons.  One, I was lost for at least the first three or four chapters.”

Trent:  “But—”

Halli:  “And two, we were both figuratively lost until we found each other.”

Trent:  “Figuratively lost?  I think you’re over thinking it.”

Halli:  “If anyone is over thinking it’s you.  Just tell them about the book.”

Trent shrugs:  “Well, apparently, Lost In Italy is a book about two figuratively lost people who find each other.”

Halli: “Trent.”

Trent:  “Along the way there are car chases, gun fights, suspicion of trafficking of endangered animals, murder, hostage taking, daring rescues, a bit of drinking, some great lovemaking, more action—”

Halli:  “I think the readers are looking for something more like a DVD back cover blurb.”

Trent:  “Oh.  In that case... Halli Sanders spent two years planning the trip of a lifetime to Italy. Her itinerary did not include being stranded by her siblings, kidnapped by a sexy American movie star—I love the sexy part of that by the way—dodging bullets, or fleeing criminals in a car chase around Lake Como. And that’s just in the first three hours.  Trent Tomlin—”

Halli:  “They can read that on the back of the book.”

Trent huffs in frustration:  “Then why do I have to explain it?”

Halli:  “They want it in your point of view.  A brief description of what the book is about.”

Trent:  “It’s a hundred and twelve thousand words.  That’s three hundred and forty-five single spaced print pages.  You want me to be brief?”

Halli:  “Yes.”

Trent thinks a moment:  Lost In Italy is a wild ride of action and adventure, with some murder and danger thrown in for good measure.”

Halli groans:  “Too generic.  You lived it, Trent, tell the readers what it’s about without giving away the plot.”

Trent:  “This is too much like work.  Where’s my script?” (quickly glances in the direction of Halli’s growl)  “I’m kidding!  So...be brief.  Okay, here goes.  The catalyst of the story is my brother Sean’s death a couple months earlier. The Italian police ruled it a suicide but I didn’t believe them, so when the book starts I’m investigating with a retired Italian cop and Halli accidentally video tapes that cop getting shot by the suspects.  I kidnap her to keep her safe, the killers take her brother and sister hostage to negotiate for the evidence, and that’s when the action and adventure begins.  How’s that?”

Halli:  “Good as it’s going to get, obviously.”

Okay, then, moving on... We all want to be different, so what is the one thing you wish Stacey had done differently with you?

Trent:  “She could’ve made me less handsome. I mean, being undercover is hard when all the girls—”
“Trent!”

Trent winces, grins, and then turns an innocent expression toward Halli: “What?”

Halli:  “Put the ego away for the interview.  There’s enough of it in the book.”

Trent turns back:  “Okay, fine.  I’ll tell you this, I wish Stacey had given me superhuman powers or something.  Being invincible would’ve been great because getting shot really hurts.”

Halli: “I said don’t give away the plot!”

Trent:  “All I said is getting shot hurts.  Everyone knows that.”

Halli:  “And now everyone knows you get shot in the book.”

Me and Troy on my research trip to
Italy this past fall...and yes, this is
the same brother (he's my only brother)
who left me behind in 1996
Trent:  “So?  There’s lots of guns and shooting, so it stands to reason someone got shot.  At least it wasn’t you.”

Halli:  “Oh my God, would you shut-up?  You’re going to ruin it for them.”

Trent rolls his eyes:  “She’s bossy in the book, too.”

Halli:  “I am not.”

Trent:  “You are too.”  (swivels to glare into the shadows) “Whose interview is this, anyway?”

Silence from the wings.

Trent swivels back:  “That’s right.  I apologize for my producer’s interruptions.  Please continue.”

If you could have added something to the story, and Stacey would have let you, what would that have been?


Trent:  “Seriously, super human powers.  Then I could’ve taken down Alrigo, and Lorenzo would—“

Halli:  Don’t give away the plot!”

Trent throws up his hands:  “I’m not going to.  Geez.  But come on, don’t you think it would’ve been fun to leap buildings in a single bound?  Fly through the air?  Catch a bullet with my bare hand?”

Halli:  “It’s a romantic suspense, Trent, not a paranormal fantasy.  And if you could’ve done all that, Stacey wouldn’t have had to write about you kidnapping me to save me, and we probably never would’ve met.”

Trent frowns, contemplating Halli’s retort:  “I hadn’t thought of it that way.  I guess I’m okay with being shot.”

Halli:  “You guess?”

Trent:  “You know what I mean.” (motions with his hand for the next question)  “Quick—move on before I dig myself deeper.”

What do you love best about yourself? What do you like least?


Trent:  “What do I love best?  Come on, what kind of question is that when I’ve been ordered to keep my ego under wraps?  I’ll get yelled at for anything I say.”

Halli:  “You make me sound like a nag.”

Trent:  I don’t make you sound like anything, sweetheart.  But wait, I got it.”  (under the guise of shifting in his director’s chair, he leans forward to whisper) “And she’ll love this.”  (sits back again and speaks normal)  “What I love best about myself is that I’m smart enough to recognize a good thing when I see it.  I got the girl, didn’t I?  Shain never sticks around for more than a kiss or two and a little bit of fun.  He’s totally missing out.  Never should’ve left Emma in High Lonesome. Come to think of it, I’m going to have to talk to Eastwood about that.”

Halli:  “If they haven’t read the book already, they may not know who Shain is.”

Trent: “That’s right.  Sorry.  Shain West is the old west movie character that made my career. He’s to me like Indiana Jones is to Harrison Ford.  Only younger and better looking.”

Snort of laughter from the sidelines, and then Halli:  “Can you imagine if he didn’t try to control his ego?”

Trent, ignoring Halli: “To answer the other part of your question, what I like least...?”  (rubs his chin thoughtfully)  “My lack of humility.  I mean, I really wish I could learn to—“

Halli:  “Oh, pluu-eese.  Next question, for everyone’s sake.”

What part of the book was the hardest for you and Stacey to work through?


Trent: “Well...I’d have to say she had a hard time convincing Halli to warm up to me.  I mean, she already knew how charming I could be, but Halli—”

Villa Bottini in Lucca, Italy
view from the back garden
Halli:  “That’s something Stacey and I had to work through, not you.”

Trent:  “And I’m so glad you did, baby.”

Halli:  “Can you try to be serious for one minute and answer the woman’s question?”

Trent’s smile fades:  “I barely talk about stuff like this with you, and now you want me to tell complete strangers?”

Silence.

Trent sighs.  More silence as he contemplates his boots and fiddles with the leather stitching on his western costume vest:  “The stuff with my dad wasn’t easy.  And my brother Sean.  I told you his murder started all this, and it really took me awhile to believe in my heart that his death wasn’t my fault.” (glances toward the shadows) “I have Halli to thank for that, and her tenacious stubbornness.  Which then made the end of the book that much harder, too.  There was the one part where I thought...” (pauses, swallows hard, and shakes his head) “Let’s just say, trying to keep her safe took about ten years off my life.”

Halli:  “And you still look great, honey.”

Trent’s serious expression softens to a loving smile.

Is there a sequel for this book? If so, what do you want to accomplish in the next book.  If not, do you wish you could continue your story?

Trent:  “Sequel—yes! You see the rock I put on her hand? Our story is nowhere near ended. But since the next one is Ben’s book, and Halli and I had enough adventure to last us for a few years, we’ll confine our excitement to the bedroom.”

Halli:  “Hey!”

Trent leans forward to whisper again: “She’s still shy about things like that in public. It’s so cute.”

Halli stands up and moves into the light, holding her phone:  “You’re due back on set in five so we’re going to have to wrap things up.”

Trent’s million-dollar movie star grin lights up his face and his ego visibly rushes forward:  “That’s her excuse to get me alone. Now that she acknowledges my irresistibility, she’s on me all the time.”

Halli: “Trent!  That’s it, interview’s over.”

Trent’s sexy laughter echoes across the soundstage:  “Isn’t she beautiful when she’s angry?  Sometimes I rile her up just to see those blue eyes spark.”

Halli’s gaze narrows.  She crosses her arms over her chest.

Trent lifts his palms up to ward off her advance:  “Easy, sugar.  One more question and then I’m all yours.”

Do you have anything else you'd like to say? 

Trent:  “I have a question for you.  If you end up talking to Ben, can you find out what happened with that Italian hottie, Evalina?  Because he refuses to talk about her.  They were supposed to go to dinner, and—”

Halli:  “She’s not going to talk to Ben, his book isn’t written yet.  You want to find out what happened with Evalina, you’ll just have to read the book after Stacey writes it.”
Trent:  “Well that’s not fair.  Sleeping with the main character’s sister ought to get me more than that.”

Halli:  “It gets you great sex.  Now thank the readers for letting you waste their time and let’s get going before Clint texts me again.  Your massive ego is holding up production.”

Trent grins and winks:  “See?  Irresistible.  But on a serious note, I do thank you for taking the time to sit with me, and Halli, to talk about when we were Lost In Italy.” (he leans close)   “Hopefully my joking didn’t get too out of hand.  Truly, Halli’s the irresistible one, just don’t tell her I said that—I’m already at her mercy.  And you’re definitely going to want to watch for Ben and Evalina’s story.  If Ben’s not talking, I’ve got a feeling it’s going to be one hell of a book.”
While Trent and Halli were along the shores of Lake Como, Ben and Evalina
will be traveling through the more rural parts of Italy.
Storm clouds over Rome as Troy and I drove
into the city the night before we flew home.

Get ready for another wild ride as Ben and Evalina...

RUN TO ROME

(Coming soon!)


Pick up your copy today to finish the wild ride!

Amazon

BN: http://bit.ly/BNLostInItaly (after May 30, 2012)

Smashwords: http://bit.ly/SWLostInItaly (after May 30, 2012)
(formats for iBook Store, Sony, Kobo, PDF, EPUB and other ereaders)
Thanks so much for reading and reviews are always greatly appreciated!


Sunday, May 6, 2012

Sunday Share: Gargoyles, by Alan Nayes

Today I'm happy to welcome back Alan Nayes. His guest spot for BARBARY POINT is my 3rd highest viewed blog post, he's the author of SMILODON, a book I LOVED, and today he's sharing with us an excerpt from his 5 Star rated book GARGOYLES.
3 lucky commentors will receive a Smashwords coupon for a free copy of this book. At Smashwords you can download the book for any ereader format.

Take it away, Alan!

GARGOYLES (Resurrection Trilogy, Book 1) by Alan Nayes

Genre: Sci fi/ thriller


Pre-med student Amoreena Daniels becomes a surrogate mother in order to pay for her mother's cancer treatment and unwittingly becomes a pawn in a high-stakes game of biomedical experimentation. GARGOYLES is the first book in the Resurrection Trilogy series.

Excerpt:

Prologue 


Somewhere near Itzimté Ruins, Guatemala, rainy season

   She turned her first trick four months shy of her thirteenth birthday. Patricio had been a small man, only a boy really, being just two years older than she. His father had been a teniente in the security police that patrolled Mexico City, and he’d paid sixty pesos for Gabriella’s services. Gabriella wasn’t her real name then, but it was the name she’d used while plying her trade, and it was how she was currently registered at Las Canas.

   Now, three years later, the teenage girl with the truculent almond eyes sat huddled under a gnarled tree limb, seeking refuge from the tropical shower. Her skin glistened moistly from sweat and precipitation, and she could smell her own fear above the pungent odor of the earth.

   Gabriella stroked one hand across her gravid abdomen, then quickly climbed from the security and cover of the lush vegetation to resume her flight along the muddy carretera that would eventually lead her to San Andres. Nightfall was fast approaching. She pressed onward, prodding herself another half kilometer, though her feet and thighs cried out for rest. Surrounded by miles of unfettered jungle that comprised the Guatemalan lowland rain forests, she longed for a shortcut. There was none. And carved out of this most intimidating habitat in all of Central America was Las Canas.

   Wump. Wump. Wump. Wump. Los helicopteros. The choppers.

   “Mi bebé!” My baby. Gabriella dashed back under the gloomy cover of the rain-forest canopy. She would rather risk an encounter with el tigre or even Desmodus rotundus, the loathsome bloodsucking vampire bat.

   Wump. Wump. Wump. Anything but the choppers. She could never return to Las Canas. Never.

   Gabriella clutched desperately at her stomach. It heaved with each laborious breath. She couldn’t maintain this frenetic pace; it was impossible. She forced herself to think through the tears, through the pain. She might still stand a chance if she could thwart their initial assault.

   Wump. Wump. Wump. Wump.

   “Que mierda,” Gabriella cried out.

   Her hands protected her eyes as she stumbled farther through the thick underbrush. Thorns ripped at her skin, and vines threatened to ensnare her ankles as if they possessed wills of their own.

   She tripped, stumbling forward. Terror gripped her like a giant anaconda. Her breaths catapulted from her convulsing chest in short gasps.

   Oh Dios, por favor, she prayed. Please, God. If she could just make it to the Itzimté Ruins before dark.

   High above her head, the canopy of epiphytes, vines, and towering ferns gyrated into a living tempest. The powerful downdraft from the Sikorsky’s blades created a whirlwind of flying debris.

   Gabriella threw herself on the forest floor, cowering under the onslaught of tangled vegetation.

   Wump. Wump. Wump. Wump.

   “No!” she cried. “No!

   With nothing to cling to but remnants of past dreams, Gabriella began to pray. She prayed for herself. She prayed for Las Canas. But mostly she prayed for the bebés.

   The men from the plantatión de azúcar were coming.

 ABOUT THE AUTHOR

          Alan Nayes was born in Houston and grew up on the Texas gulf coast. He lives in Southern California. He is the author of the horror/thrillers, GARGOYLES (Resurrection Trilogy, Book One) and THE UNNATURAL. His most recent releases are BARBARY POINT, SMILODON, GIRL BLUEPLAGUE (Resurrection Trilogy, Book Two) and RETURN TO UNDERLAND, a children’s adventure story. 

         An avid outdoorsman and fitness enthusiast, he is one of only a few individuals to ever swim across Wisconsin’s chilly Lake Winnebago. When not working on his next project, he enjoys relaxing and fishing at the family vacation home in Wisconsin.

         Read more about Alan Nayes at http://anayes.com/  and in the interview below.

Alan, how did you get started in writing, and how long have you been writing for?  Stacey, I started out the conventional way. I completed a manuscript, found an agent and eventually—after numerous rejections—sold to a big six publisher. Unfortunately the book didn’t do well so for some years I found myself adrift in the Nopublishing Sea. Then the ebook opportunity came floating by, so here I am an indie author, as well as a trad pub author--GIRL BLUE was recently released by Samhain in April, 2012.  I am both traditional and indie at this time and have been writing for almost two decades, if you don’t count my brief foray into song writing while in college. And no, I can’t sing too well, lol.

My kids tell me I don't either, but what do they know? LOL  What genre do you enjoy reading? Do you stick with what you write, or play the field? I enjoy most genres—I usually don’t choose a book to read based on what genre the story falls in but more so based on the story itself. By the same token, when I’m deciding on my next project, it’s the story that must capture my interest and if it does, then regardless of the genre I’ll attempt to write it.

What do you find most challenging in the writing process? That’s easy to answer, finishing the book.  Ideas seem to come without too much difficulty but actually planning out a full length novel is always a challenge for me. Also, research—I’m not too keen on researching material. I’d rather just make it up, though that doesn’t always work. Readers are pretty astute.

What do you enjoy most? Several things are really enjoyable for me in the writing process, Stacey. As an author yourself you have to admit it’s a great feeling when you finally finish that first draft. For me anyway, I’d much rather rewrite than face a blank page or screen. However what I really find fun is when I receive an email from someone what tells me how much they enjoyed my story. That’s a great feeling. Or if they are reading a series and are wondering when the next book will be out—love that too.

Yes, I agree, writing The End is pretty great. But you also nailed it with hearing from someone about my book.  So, what do you have in store for readers next? (I'm hoping for a SMILODON sequel one of these years.) I have several projects in the works, Stacey. HEMLOCK  POND  is a horror story about a woman and her young son who move into an old farmhouse with a haunted pond. THE LEARNER is a paranormal love story that I’m still in the process of hashing out. It will be compelling, though, I hope. I’m also just beginning work on the third book in the Resurrection Trilogy—RESURRECTION. Hopefully, I’ll have it out sometime this summer.

Thx again for having me on your blog, Stacey.

You're welcome, Alan--good writers are always welcome here. *grin*

Comment for your chance to win one of 3 copies of GARGOYLES (Book One of the Resurrection Trilogy) ~ or buy your copy now: Amazon Barnes and Noble Smashwords

Stacey Joy Netzel