Coming soon!
After my publisher, Turquoise Morning Press, closed its doors, I found a new home for my books. I published the series romance novels through Amazon's CreateSpace. But my romantic suspense, REBUILD MY WORLD, found a home at Salt Run Publishing, LLC, Since it's part of my Mustang Sally trilogy, it needed better exposure. This time around, the novel has added bonus material, a short story sequel of sorts called Veiled Threat. If you read TMP's anthology The Wedding Day Collection (now out of print), you may remember Veiled Threat. Both have been reedited and revised.
Soon REBUILD MY WORLD with its bonus VEILED THREAT will be available. I'll keep you posted. I am super excited to be working with the folks at Salt Run Publishing!
I have a question for writers: Do you eat what you write?
I realize that's a strange question, but in the interest of research I often drink or eat or at least sample what my characters are consuming. I do so as part of character development. I want each of my fictional people to have individual likes and tastes.
Years ago, I discovered all my heroines drove Ford Mustangs. I drive a Ford Mustang (I'm on my fourth). A rookie mistake is to give your protagonist all your preferences, so I studied other makes of vehicles to add variety to my writing. It's a little thing, but readers notice. My latest heroine (who is interested in reducing her carbon footprint) drives a Chevy Volt.
Same with food, music, shows, furniture, and clothes. I had to listen to or watch genres outside my comfort zone. I browsed magazines for photos of the latest in people and home fashions. And I tried regional and different cuisines to understand their appeal to my characters.
This morning, my heroine made a pitcher of sweet tea. Typically I drink mine unsweetened, but to get in the writer's zone I sweetened a glass of tea and drank it sweet. I totally get the appeal (and the calories). Now I can describe its taste.
I used to hate coffee and so did my heroines. But that's not realistic. The majority of people in the United States drink coffee. I sampled coffee a few different ways and a few different brews and now I drink coffee! I discovered I like it a little sweet and with half-and-half.
In trying to expand my characters' individual tastes and preferences, I've expanded mine, too.
