New Posts on My Promotional Blogs

This is post #300. Who would've thought it :)

I have quite a few promotional blogs where I created interviews for authors to help them promote their books. The full list is at http://virtualblogtour.blogspot.com/2008/04/free-promomtional-options-for-author.html. If you would like to use these to promote any of your books - feel free to read this post for a full list of the links and for instructions.

This week I posted the following interviews and chapters -- enjoy :)

http://startatbeginning.blogspot.com/2008/12/starquest-by-hywela-lyn.html

http://startwithfacts.blogspot.com/2008/12/kindred-spirits-by-marilyn-meredith.html

http://shareyourheroine.blogspot.com/2008/12/meet-marilyn-merediths-heroine-from.html

http://authorpromotion.blogspot.com/2008/12/promotional-interview-with-lisa-burke.html

http://detailwithnikkileigh.blogspot.com/2008/12/in-detail-with-russell-vassallo.html

http://judgebookbycover.blogspot.com/2008/12/katana-duet-samurais-forbidden-love-by.html

http://badguysandvillains.blogspot.com/2008/12/witch-hunts-on-internet-by-yvonne-walus.html

I'm starting to run out of interviews to post -- hint, hint :)

Nikki Leigh

Nikki Leigh Interviews Publisher and Author Arline Chase

Nikki Leigh interviewed Arline Chase on Book Promo 101 Talk Radio on Monday September 2. We had the opportunity to talk about her work as a publisher, some do’s and don’ts for writers and tips for submitting your work to a publisher. We also had the chance to talk about her latest book which was released yesterday. The title is Spirit of Wind and it is the third book in her spirit series. For more information or to listen to the show, visit www.blogtalkradio.com/nikkileigh.

On September 9th, best selling mystery author Doug Cummings is scheduled to discuss his latest book- Every Secret Crime. Doug began his 25 year broadcasting career as a TV investigative reporter before discovering his passion for the immediacy of news-radio. He worked as an anchor, reporter and talk-show host in Kansas, Missouri and Illinois before settling in Chicago. You can visit www.blogtalkradio.com/nikkileigh to set a reminder for future shows.

Nikki Leigh

Book Promo 101 - http://www.nikkileigh.com
Follow Me on Twitter - www.twitter.com/litekepr
Nikki Leigh Promotional Services Can Help YOU
www.nikkileigh.com/promo.htm

Underground Controversy to Host Author Jim Musgrave

Steven Clark Bradley's Underground Controversy blog http://undergroundcontroversy.blogspot.com/ seeks to talk about and present issues that are often considered controversial. Jim Musgrave's book, President's Parasite and Other Short Stories does the same. Don't miss it tomorrow, July 16, when the two come together as Underground Controversy hosts author Jim Musgrave.

Learn even more on Thursday, July 17, when PlotDog.com http://plotdog.com/ does an in-depth interview with author Jim Musgrave. For example, they ask: "I see a lot of drugs and alcohol in your writing, what is the background to this?" Be sure to stop by and read what he has to say. You can even ask Jim a question or leave a comment for a chance to win a free print copy of his book at the end of the tour. Increase your chances of winning by stopping and leaving a comment at each blog hosting the tour.

Amazon Link for President's Parasite: http://www.amazon.com/Presidents-Parasite-Jim-Musgrave/dp/0977650367/

Donna Sundblad – Author, Editor and Tour Coordinator

Author of Pumping Your Muse

www.virtualblogtour.blogspot.com – Get more information about virtual blog tours

President's Parastie - 2 Great Blog Tours - Don't Miss Out

Be sure to stop by the New Great Books Blog http://newgreatbooks.blogspot.com/. It's the July 2 stop on author JIM MUSGRAVE'S virtual blog tour for his book President's Parasite. Read his article "Change is More than Just a Slogan" and take a moment to leave a comment.

On July 3 be sure to tune in to Variety Night on Paranormal Online Radio http://www.blogtalkradio.com/paranormalpalace at 9:00 P.M. (EST) as Royce Holleman talks with author JIM MUSGRAVE about his book President's Parasites. The number to call in is (646) 915-9605.

You are encouraged to stop at each blog visit and post a comment for Jim. Each comment enters you in a drawing for a free print copy of his book at the end of the tour. So, visit Jim, learn more about President's Parasite and post comments. Jim looks forward to getting to know his readers.

Amazon Link for President's Parasite: http://www.amazon.com/Presidents-Parasite-Jim-Musgrave/dp/0977650367/

Radio Interview Followup and Link

I did a radio interview with Melissa Alvarez yesterday and for anyone who would like to hear the show, it is available to listen or download at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/MelissaAlvarez

Or, this is the page to listen to the show -
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/MelissaAlvarez/blog/2008/02/01/Nikki-Leigh

Nikki

Book Promo 101 - NOW AVAILABLE
www.nikkileigh.com/book_promo_101.htm
"Coastal Suspense with a Touch of Romance"
Would you like information about the newest blog tour option? Ask me for details and visit
www.inspiredauthor.com/promotion

Radio Show Invitation for Friday February 1

I wanted to extend an invitation for anyone to drop in on a radio interview that I have on Friday morning. Melissa is a good friend and an accomplished author.

These are the details for the show -

The call in number to speak with us is 1-347-215-8473 from 11 am to noon EST. If you aren't able to attend, you can visit the site to listen to the recording later in the day. If you visit the site and register before the show you can listen online for free. This is the link for this show - http://blogtalkradio.com/MelissaAlvarez

We have a long list of topics to discuss, but will be taking questions from callers too.

Nikki Leigh

An Interview with Nikki Leigh and Her Parents

Muze’s Musings – Interview with Nikki's Parents

I’m doing something a little different today. First, this is my parents’ anniversary – 43 years, I believe. Happy Anniversary to dad and mom. Since I had a spot in the tour, I asked if they would like to ask me some interview questions. These are the questions they asked.

1 – Did you have any personal obstacles to overcome in order to write? If so, how did you do that?

I did have quite a few stumbling blocks and I was talking about this on the Communati blog earlier this week (www.communati.com). I wanted to write for years, but I doubted whether I could do it. So, I put it off for a long time. In 1987, I made rough notes about a series of characters, a location for the story and basic ideas for the story. It was an interesting story, but my doubts and concerns caused me to file the notes away. Believe it or not, I kept those notes in a box for the next 14 years. I’m just amazed I could find them when I decided to give writing another try.

One day I was on roof estimates with my younger brother and he mentioned to the homeowner that I wanted to be a writer. I think this was because she is an artist and works with some authors. She came to talk with me and strongly recommended that I should read The Artist Way by Julia Cameron. I high recommend this book for anyone who wants to pursue any creative pursuit in their life. I didn’t follow all the instructions and exercises in the book – but the point got across to me. I also read Vein of Gold by Julia Cameron. These helped me get past the doubts and I decided to try to write. I found the Writers’ Village (www.writersvillage.org) and the price was right and the class schedules were very flexible. And, eight published books later, the rest is history.

For anyone who has personal doubts and concerns, I recommend that you read one or both of these books. Go into it with an open mind and when the book asks about your life, but honest with yourself. It’s amazing what a difference it can make in your life and your creativity. Unleash your personal creativity 

2 – What is your primary interest in writing?

I wanted to find a creative outlet. It seems like the chance to be creative was one of the things that drew me to promotional work. My favorite place to be, is on the coast, on the sand, near lighthouses --- so, why not write about that setting? I also love interesting architecture and history. There is so much wonderful history associated with lighthouses and the early days of the Lifesaving Service (which became the Coast Guard). I also enjoy the fact that my novels give me a chance to share more lighthouses and lifesaving details with my readers. There is a lot of authenticity in my novels, so you will learn about both of these organizations and the wonderful work that they did over the years. There will be more lighthouses and lifesaving history in future Misty Cove and Cape Hatteras books.
My novels give me a chance to weave together history, architecture, the ocean and my imagination. What more could I want?

3 – What is involved in choosing the “right” setting?

For a long time I thought Cape Cod was the right setting for Kennalyn’s story (being released as Stormy Shores later this year). But, when I visited the area, I knew it was the wrong place. On that same trip, my brother and I visited Cape Ann and that was the right setting. The area, the people, the scenario, everything was right for the story. As I researched the area and its history, I realized there were more stories to tell about the people of Cape Ann.

Sometimes a specific place is just “right” for the story. If you try to force a story into the wrong setting, it won’t help your story. I’m an author who feels the right setting and an accurate setting is very important when you tell a story. I will be at the Muse Online Conference with my publisher and a good friend. We’ll be talking about choosing, researching and using setting in your story. Feel free to visit us on October 9th at 6:00 pm EST. For more details, click here - http://www.freewebs.com/themuseonlinewritersconference/. We will have a workshop on the 9th and we will have a forum where you can ask questions all week. Hope to see you there.

4 – How did family trips to the beach as a child enhance your stories?

The beach has always been my favorite place. I live in the mountains of Virginia, so the beach is a nice change. When I was young we traveled all over the east coast and other areas might show up in future stories, but the Outer Banks has been a favorite destination for years. It just seemed natural that I would write about the area, and there will be more books set in that area. When I write the sequel to Lady Lightkeeper, I’m moving a lot of the action to Wilmington NC.

How could I write and not include information about the ocean, powerful waves, gulls, the smell of the ocean and lighthouses? I’ve loved the area and each facet of the ocean – I had to include these things in my stories.

5 – Was there anything about Stormy View that sparked the idea for a historic series?
In Stormy View (soon to be re-released as Stormy Shores), I created a lot of family history for Captain Bart. He is the latest in a long line of lighthouse keepers in the Jones family. His pride prompted me to include stories about brave rescues by other family members over the years. I was having a lot of fun creating these pieces of the history for Kennalyn and Captain Bart to share with Kennalyn’s daughter. I researched the history of Cape Ann and found so many great things that I had to write about the people and their history. The historic Misty Cove Chronicles were born. Lady Lightkeeper is the second book in that series.

6 – Is any of your personality reflected in your characters? If so, what?
This is an interesting question and one that I’ve avoided for ages. There are elements of me in Lizbeth and Kennalyn. I will admit that Mrs. Stevens and Ida do not have any of my personality traits – no matter what people may try to say.

I am independent and determined to accomplish things. I am very loyal to people I care about and I do what I can to protect those same people. I also do what I must to deal with the things life throws at me. But, I must admit that I throw a lot of problems at both of these women. They held up well, no matter what I made them handle. If you’ve read my books and like these women, wait until you meet Georgette – she will be in Rebels and Rogues.

7 – Have you written yourself into a corner with a story? If so, how did you fix the problem?

This is a problem that no reader has mentioned to me, but I had to fix the problem anyway. When I referred to Kennalyn’s great great great grandmother in Stormy View, I called her Lizbeth Jones. The problem was that I named her Lizbeth Kinsey in Widow’s Walk. That was a pretty big problem and I wasn’t entirely sure how to fix it. Believe it or not, I didn’t think about it until I was about 1/3 of the way through Lady Lightkeeper. There were only a few good ways to fix the problem, but I don’t want to ruin the surprise for people who will read Lady Lightkeeper. If you email me privately, I’ll tell you what I did. My actions have gotten me so mad emails from readers and some suggestions for future story elements. I can be reached at nikki_leigh22939@yahoo.com.

Remember that everyone who posts a comment on any of my virtual tour visits will be entered in a drawing for a chance to win a copy of Lady Lightkeeper. In addition, anyone who buys a copy of Lady Lightkeeper can be entered in a drawing to win a copy of Widow’s Walk (Book One) or Lilah and the Locket. All you need to do is send me a copy of your receipt and I’ll pick a winner by the end of the month.

For much more information about my books, visit www.nikkileigh.com

September 11th on the Virtual Tour Trail

September Virtual Blog Tours – The 11th

Welcome to Monday September 11, 2007, of the virtual book tours. Today, I'm offering the following interviews -

Yvonne Perry starts with the facts - http://startwithfacts.blogspot.com/
to promote her book Right to Recover Winning the Political and Religious Wars over Stem Cell Research in America

This is a surprise stop that wasn’t on my schedule -- Nikki Leigh visits My Best Friend’s Story - http://mybestfriendsstory.blogspot.com/ to promote her book Lady Lightkeeper – Misty Cove Chronicles Book Two

Dwayne Anderson talks about the villain in his book – Partially Human on the Bad Guys and Villains blog – http://badguysandvillains.blogspot.com/

Scott Zema talks about the cover for his book – Three Steps to Investment Success - http://judgebookbycover.blogspot.com/

September Giveaways - Each person who buys a copy of Lady Lightkeeper needs to email me a copy of their receipt. I just need a receipt that shows you bought a copy of Lady Lightkeeper and I'll enter you in the drawing for a copy of Widow's Walk. That seemed like a good giveaway since the story starts with Widow's Walk. However, if the winner already has a copy of Widow's Walk, I'll be happy to send a copy of Lilah and the Locket instead.

In addition, each person who posts a comment on any or all of the blog stops will be entered in a separate giveaway. Each comment will be entered in the drawing and at the end of the month one person will win a copy of the book being promoted on that blog. So, come out and say hi.

Let's have some fun this month and get to know each other.

Nikki Leigh
www.nikkileigh.com/promo.htm

Day Five of the Virtual Blog Tour

Day Five - September Virtual Blog Tours

Welcome to Day Five, Friday September 7, 2007, of the virtual book tours. Today, I'm offering the following interviews -

Yvonne Perry visits Be My Guest! at www.bloggingauthors.blogspot.com to talk about her book – The Right to Recover (Stem Cell Research)

Nikki Leigh visits Bryn Colvin - http://blog.myspace.com/brynneth_n_colvin to talk about her book Lady Lightkeeper

Dr Barbara Holstein visits The Best Friend Blog to tell you about the best friend from her book The Truth: I’m Ten, I’m Smart and I Know Everything http://mybestfriendsstory.blogspot.com/

Hazel Statham visit the Hero Blog to tell us about the hero of Dominic. Visit her at: http://shareyourhero.blogspot.com/ (Psst – This post is scheduled for Monday, but you can get a preview today at http://shareyourheroine.blogspot.com/ where we learn about the heroine from Dominic.)

I would also like to invite you to visit my Self Promotion blog at http://inspiredauthor.com/v3/node/12. There are promotional articles, author interviews and much more. This content is always being updated, so check back.

September Giveaways - Each person who buys a copy of Lady Lightkeeper, needs to email me a copy of their receipt. I just need a receipt that shows you bought a copy of Lady Lightkeeper and I'll enter you in the drawing for a copy of Widow's Walk. That seemed like a good giveaway since the story starts with Widow's Walk.However, if the winner already has a copy of Widow's Walk, I'll be happy to send a copy of Lilah and the Locket instead.

In addition, each person who posts a comment on any or all of the blog stops will be entered in a separate giveaway. Each comment will be entered in the drawing and at the end of the month, one person will win a copy of Lady Lightkeeper from me and the same giveaway applies to all of our authors this month. So, come out and say hi.

Throughout the month, messages will be posted at www.muzesmusings.blogspot.com and http://www.inspiredauthor.com/v3/blog/litekepr among other sites with all updates and links to all blog posts. Let's have some fun this month and get to know each other.

Nikki Leigh
www.nikkileigh.com/promo.htm

Day Four - Nikki Leigh, Yvonne Perry, Dwayne Anderson & Scott Zema Blog Tour Visit for Thursday September 6

Day Four - September Virtual Blog Tours

Welcome to Day Four, Thursday September 6, 2007, of the virtual book tours. Today, I'm offering the following interviews -

Yvonne Perry author of Right to Recover (Stem Cell Research) visits Plug Your Book www.plugyourbook.blogspot.com

Nikki Leigh author of Lady Lightkeeper visits Sharon Hurley Hall (she has a wealth of wonderful freelancing information on her website that you should check out – after you read my interview) This is the link for my interview http://doublehdesign.com/blog/books/book-talk-nikki-leigh/

Dwayne Anderson author of Partially Human will visit My Best Friend’s Story and tell us about the part the best friends play in his book - http://mybestfriendsstory.blogspot.com/

Scott Zema author of Three Steps to Investment Success: Buying the Right Art, Antiques and Collectibles is visiting the Author Promotional Interview Blog. The link is http://inspiredauthor.com/v3/author-promotional-interviews

I’d also like to invite you to visit my Self Promotion blog at http://inspiredauthor.com/v3/node/12. There are promotional articles, author interviews and much more. This content is updated frequently, so check back.

September Giveaways - Each person who buys a copy of Lady Lightkeeper, needs to email me a copy of their receipt. I just need a receipt that shows you bought a copy of Lady Lightkeeper and I'll enter you in the drawing for a copy of Widow's Walk. That seemed like a good giveaway since the story starts with Widow's Walk. However, if the winner already has a copy of Widow's Walk, I'll be happy to send a copy of Lilah and the Locket instead.

In addition, each person who posts a comment on any or all of the blog stops will be entered in a separate giveaway. Each comment will be entered in the drawing and at the end of the month, one person will win a copy of Lady Lightkeeper from me and the same giveaway applies to all of our authors this month. So, come out and say hi.

Throughout the month, messages will be posted at www.muzesmusings.blogspot.com and http://www.inspiredauthor.com/v3/blog/litekepr among other sites with all updates and links to all blog posts. Let's have some fun this month and get to know each other.

Nikki Leigh
www.nikkileigh.com/promo.htm

Nikki Leigh, Yvonne Perry and CJ Maxx

Day Three - September Virtual Blog Tours

Welcome to Day Three, Wednesday September 5, 2007, of the virtual book tours. Today, I'm offering the following interviews -

Yvonne Perry visits Family, Fun and Faith blog - http://communati.com/main/blog/familyfunandfaith to promote The Right to Recover

Nikki Leigh visits http://www.authortalks.blogspot.com/ to promote Lady Lightkeeper

CJ Maxx visits http://itsallinthesetting.blogspot.com// to promote Coming Back a Virgin

I would also like to invite you to visit my Self Promotion blog at http://inspiredauthor.com/v3/node/12. There are promotional articles, author interviews and much more. This content is always being updated, so check back.

September Giveaways - Each person who buys a copy of Lady Lightkeeper, needs to email me a copy of their receipt. I just need a receipt that shows you bought a copy of Lady Lightkeeper and I'll enter you in the drawing for a copy of Widow's Walk. That seemed like a good giveaway since the story starts with Widow's Walk.However, if the winner already has a copy of Widow's Walk, I'll be happy to send a copy of Lilah and the Locket instead.

In addition, each person who posts a comment on any or all of the blog stops will be entered in a separate giveaway. Each comment will be entered in the drawing and at the end of the month, one person will win a copy of Lady Lightkeeper from me and the same giveaway applies to all of our authors this month. So, come out and say hi.

Throughout the month, messages will be posted at www.muzesmusings.blogspot.com and http://www.inspiredauthor.com/v3/blog/litekepr among other sites with all updates and links to all blog posts. Let's have some fun this month and get to know each other.

Nikki Leigh - www.nikkileigh.com
Fiction Author
Book Promo 101 - Basics of Book Promotion
www.nikkileigh.com/book_promo_101.htm

Day Two of the Virtual Blog Tour

Day Two - September Virtual Blog Tours

Welcome to Day Two, Tuesday September 4, 2007, of the virtual book tours. Today, I'm offering the following interviews -

Yvonne Perry is Pumping Up Her Promotion - www.pumpupyouronlinebookpromotion.blogspot.com

Nikki Leigh is the Guest of Dorothy Thompson - http://www.bloggingauthors.blogspot.com/

Nick Oliva shares info about the cover art for his book - http://judgebookbycover.blogspot.com/

I would also like to invite you to visit my Self Promotion blog at http://inspiredauthor.com/v3/node/12. There are promotional articles, author interviews and much more. This content is always being updated, so check back.

September Giveaways - Each person who buys a copy of Lady Lightkeeper, needs to email me a copy of their receipt. I just need a receipt that shows you bought a copy of Lady Lightkeeper and I'll enter you in the drawing for a copy of Widow's Walk.

That seemed like a good giveaway since the story starts with Widow's Walk.However, if the winner already has a copy of Widow's Walk, I'll be happy to send a copy of Lilah and the Locket instead.

In addition, each person who posts a comment on any or all of the blog stops will be entered in a separate giveaway. Each comment will be entered in the drawing and at the end of the month, one person will win a copy of Lady Lightkeeper from me and the same giveaway applies to all of our authors this month. So, come out and say hi.

Throughout the month, messages will be posted at www.muzesmusings.blogspot.com and http://www.inspiredauthor.com/v3/blog/litekepr among other sites with all updates and links to all blog posts. Let's have some fun this month and get to know each other.

Nikki Leigh
www.nikkileigh.com/promo.htm

Day One Virtual Tours - Yvonne Perry and Nikki Leigh

Welcome to, Monday September 3, the first day of a new series of virtual blog tours including Yvonne Perry and Nikki Leigh.

On this day, we have an interview with Yvonne Perry on the Writer's Life blog - http://www.thewriterslife.blogspot.com/

We also have my interview on the Pump Up Your Promotion blog at - http://www.pumpupyouronlinebookpromotion.blogspot.com/

I've also posted the schedules for my Lady Lightkeeper tour and for Yvonne Perry's tour on the following pages -

Yvonne Perry - Right to Recover - http://www.inspiredauthor.com/v3/virtual-tour-yvonne-perry-author-right-recover

Nikki Leigh - Lady Lightkeeper - http://www.inspiredauthor.com/v3/nikki-leigh-virtual-book-tour-schedule

I'll post tour updates for Yvonne and myself and any other touring authors that I host on any of my blogs. Now that its time for the tour to begin, I can announce the giveaways that I am having this month. Here are the details....

Each person who buys a copy of Lady Lightkeeper, needs to email me a copy of their receipt. I just need a receipt that shows you bought a copy of Lady Lightkeeper and I'll enter you in the drawing for a copy of Widow's Walk. That seemed like a good giveaway since the story starts with Widow's Walk. However, if the winner already has a copy of Widow's Walk, I'll be happy to send a copy of Lilah and the Locket instead.

In addition, each person who posts a comment on any or all of the blog stops will be entered in a separate giveaway. Each comment will be entered in the drawing and at the end of the month, one person will win a copy of Lady Lightkeeper. If the winner bought the book already, I'll send them another book as a prize. Any questions, contact me. nikki-leigh@excite.com.

Nikki Leigh
www.nikkileigh.com
"Coastal Suspense with a Touch of Romance"
Book Promo 101 - www.nikkileigh.com/promo.htm

Judi Moreo and Kim Baccelia - Virtual Tour Stops (and - Preview For September)

Judi Moreo – Author of, You’re More Than Enough shares the opening chapter of her book. She shares a wealth of useful information in this book. How can you feel better about yourself and accomplish more? Read on for more information. Click to read more – http://startatbeginning.blogspot.com

~ and ~

Kim Baccelia talks with us about her young adult fantasy. She’ll tell us how she promotes the book. There’s always something that we can learn from talking to other authors about how they promote. To learn more, click here - http://inspiredauthor.com/v3/node/12 for the Self Promotion section of the Inspired Author website. Or, click here to go directly to Kim’s interview - http://inspiredauthor.com/v3/promotional-interview-kim-baccelia

There are a lot of interviews and information coming your way the beginning of September, see you here for more details. Some of the authors that will appear next month include: Yvonne Perry, Nick Oliva, Dr Barbara Holstein, CJ Maxx, Dwayne Anderson, Scott Zema, Hazel Statham and Nikki Leigh.

We’ll see you soon. I'll post the schedules for my tour and for Yvonne Perry's tour this weekend.
Nikki Leigh

Nikki Leigh - http://www.nikkileigh.com/

Book Promo 101 -www.nikkileigh.com/book_promo_101.htm

"Coastal Suspense with a Touch of Romance"

Dr Barbara Holstein Shares "The Truth"

I recently got a chance to read Dr Barbara Holstein's book "THE TRUTH: I’m Ten, I’m Smart and I Know Everything!"

This book is centered around a ten year old girl who has some important information to share with you. Do you remember what you thought of life when you were ten? What did you expect to happen in your life? Now that you've grown up, did you reach the dreams that you had when you were ten? If not, why not?

Dr Barbara starts off in the Introduction and reminds us of how many woman are leading unfulfilling lives and who feel they have lost the feeling that they have any control over their lives. Many woman have forgotten how to laugh and are feeling depressed and discouraged with the way their life ended up.

Its never too late to take control and try to take back your life. Do you have creativity that is untapped? This could be the time to find a creative outlet. Let the young heroine of this book transport you back to the time when you were time. She will remind you of how innocent life was at that time and all the promise that was before you. It can be productive and therapeutic to go back in time to a simpler and more interesting time. Come along as our young friend tells you about her "first love", "balloons" in her father's nightstand, betrayal by her best friend and the feeling in the pit of her stomach every time her parents fight.

Dr Barbara's Contact Information
Visit her website at www.enchantedself.com/ or her blog at www.enchantedself.typepad.com/.

Preparing for the Lady Lightkeeper Tour

I'm getting ready and putting the finishing touches on interviews for my virtual book tour to promote my book Lady Lightkeeper. Its the second book in the Misty Cove Chronicles. The tour starts next Monday, but I wanted to go ahead and mention it now. There will be lots of great info and I look forward to sharing the background information with you all. I'm also saving a surprise which will be mentioned here each day of the tour and it will also be mentioned at each stop of the tour. You'll just have to wait and see what I have in store for every one.

Nikki Leigh

http://www.nikkileigh.com/

Promotional Interview with Marilyn Meredith

Join me as we talk with Marilyn Meredith, author of Judgement Fire. Here's a little information about Marilyn ---

Marilyn Meredith is the author of award winning Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery series, the latest, Judgment Fire, from Mundania Press, Fringe Benefits, the third in the Rocky Bluff P.D. series, with Smell of Death soon to follow. She is a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, EPIC and Public Safety Writers of America. She was an instructor for Writer’s Digest School for ten years, served as an instructor at the Maui Writer’s Retreat and many other writer’s conferences. She makes her home in a small foothill community much like Bear Creek where Deputy Tempe Crabtree lives.

You can visit Marilyn Meredith at http://fictionforyou.com/ or her blog at http://marilynmeredith.blogspot.com/. I'm working in conjunction with Kathleen Gage of Street Smarts Marketing on these interviews. The interview is posted at: http://inspiredauthor.com/v3/promotional-interview-marilyn-meredith-0

I need to apologize for any inconvenience a couple of days ago with the interview for Judi Moreo. The Inspired Author website was relaunched about a week ago and there is all kinds of information for visitors. Everything is working and I invite you to read Marilyn's interview and take a look around while you're there. We're working on the Inspired Author site to make it a wonderful writer and freelancer resource.

Nikki Leigh

Nikki Leigh – Fiction Author – www.nikkileigh.com
Book Promo 101 – www.nikkileigh.com/book_promo_101.htm
“Coastal Suspense with a Touch of Romance”

Promotional Interview with Judi Moreo

This is the first author promotional interview that I've posted on my Self Promotion blog on the Inspired Author site. This is the first interview in a series that I'm doing with Kathleen Gage. She is posting some on her blog and I'll be posting all of the interviews on my site. To read about Judi Moreo's promotion - visit

http://inspiredauthor.com/v3/promotional-interview-judi-moreo-0

PG Forte - Waiting For the Big One

Nikki - I love your tag line "PG is a name, not a rating". That is great. How did you come up with it?

PG - Oh, self defense, definitely. *grin* As soon as I started writing erotic romance the teasing began. I mean, PG erotica? That's such a contradiction in terms, don't you think?

Nikki - Do you use Berkeley, California as the basis for the setting in your book? If so, why?

PG - Nope...although I'm certainly not ruling it out for future books. Waiting for the Big One is set in Los Angeles. That was very important because it's the kind of story that could only take place there, for a number of reasons. The first, and most obvious, reason being that the seed concept--that everyone in LA was waiting for the big one--was something that came to me while I was living there...and expecting my first child...who did turn out to be rather a big one, now that I think of it. Hmmm. I don't really think there's that same focus everyplace else. My previous series, however, was set in the fictional town of Oberon, California. Now that was an amalgamation of several places I'd lived in California, including Berkeley. Setting is very, very important to me so I do need to feel as if I know the location just as well as I know the characters. Also, I love California, so I love setting stories here.

Nikki - The idea of moving a relationship from friendship to something more is a common concern. What are your feelings about this shift in a relationship?

PG - I think it's hard not to fall in love with your friends. And I think it's even harder to fall out of love with someone without the friendship suffering as a result. Tom Cruise had a line in the movie Cocktail that kind of sums up my feeling about that: "Everything ends badly--otherwise it wouldn't end."

Nikki - I notice in your synopsis that there's a crisis in Gabby's life and she re-evaluates her relationship with her good friend after he helps her through the problem. Do you think that is one of the most common situations that make a woman take a fresh look at future possibilities with a friend who could be more?

PG - I think it's human nature to cling to what's familiar unless we're pushed by circumstances into doing something different. Most of us are creatures of habit. We rarely ever simply wake up one morning and decide to change without some sort of catalyst.But it doesn't have to be a crisis. I broke up with a boy in high school after reading Ibsen's The Doll House. Hardly a traumatic event, but it crystallized things for me somehow. In Gabby's case, even though she was obviously attracted to Derek all along, it had always been safer and more comfortable to maintain the status quo than to risk losing their friendship by trying for something more.

Nikki - Did you have a similar relationship that sparked the idea for the story? If so, would you like to tell us about him?

PG - I don't really think I based the story on anything I've been through, although, now that I think about it, when I met my husband, I did go through a period where I tried to deny how serious my feelings for him had become. I'm much more impatient than Gabby, however. It didn't take a crisis or more than a couple of months before I came to my senses. Actually, all it took was a friend asking me who I was planning on inviting to go with me to an upcoming event. It was a perfectly reasonable question, since she knew I was seeing several people at the time. But, when I found myself thinking, "well, that's ridiculous--who else would I want to go with?" I realized things were more serious than I'd been willing to admit.

Nikki - What do you think is the most attractive thing about a man? What draws your attention and makes you think he could be someone special?

PG - Most attractive? You mean on first meeting someone? Oh, that's impossible. I mean, it could be almost anything. Seriously, a lot of things are capable of drawing my attention. LOL! To quote one of my characters: "Nice eyes, a deep voice, a sexy smile, a great set of buns, any of those--or any one of a dozen other traits, like broad shoulders, or strong legs, or the right kind of smell--and she was a goner. Every time." Mmmm.But, as for being someone special, well, I don't really think that has very much to do with physical attractiveness. In the end, who someone is, how he behaves, how he thinks, is much more important. On the other hand, my husband got me on our very first meeting simply by flashing me the most dizzyingly gorgeous smile I'd ever seen. I've been trying to get him to recreate that look for years.

Nikki - Do your female characters share similar thoughts? If not, what appeals to them in a man?

PG - Sure, a lot of them do. But they are individuals so I think it's fair to say they each have their own individual take on the matter. Gabby, for instance, is quite enamored with Derek's muscles. That's probably what's making it most difficult for her to stay 'just friends' with him. I mean, she knows he's a great guy--that's why she's so reluctant to risk their friendship. But those muscles...For April (Love, From A to Z), on the other hand, it's Zach's gentleness, his humor--and his guitar playing that make her fall for him. And for Claire (Let Me Count the Ways) I think it's Mike's voice that does it for her. Or, as she puts it: "that deep, dark, delicious river of sound that could never be anything but male and can't help but leave you wondering, what's all the fuss about Tenors?"

Nikki - So you started writing sexy stories while you were in a Catholic school. Do you have a favorite story about how that went with your friends and the teachers? I'm picturing a teacher who wasn't impressed with your literary skills

Well, my English teacher certainly wasn't impressed--she accused me of plagiarizing some of the work I turned into class because she didn't believe a teenager could write that well. Kind of a backhanded compliment, I guess. The teacher who was most supportive of my writing was my Biology teacher. Go figure, huh?But as for the stories you mentioned, it was actually one, long, on-going serial, very open-ended--sort of like a soap opera. I started writing it while I was bored in French class one day...which probably goes a long way toward explaining why I never did learn to speak French! All the characters had the names of my friends or people I knew. And even though the action was largely fictional, it mirrored some of what was going on in our lives--if someone was sick, if two friends were fighting with each other or if someone had a new boyfriend or a new car, etc--the same things would likely occur to their 'characters'. So it was us, but not us, if you know what I mean, and 'we' all got to have fantastic adventures. I wrote most of the installments during class and then I'd pass them around. As more and more people heard about what I was doing, they'd ask me to write them in as well. Luckily, most of the action was set in a previously abandoned hippie commune/farm in New Mexico that we supposedly discovered and moved into, so the location could accommodate a very large cast of characters--especially since a lot of the 'extras' were only written in for a few episodes. My Algebra teacher managed to confiscate some of it, at one point and...well, I don't quite think she understood that it was fiction, so it was probably very shocking for her. I mean, it certainly wasn't as explicit as the erotic romance I write today but, on the other hand, she was an elderly nun. She looked shocked, in any case; her eyes just about popped out of her head. Probably because she recognized so many of the names. I don't believe I ever bothered to clear up the confusion. lol! I know--very mean of me.

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CJ Maxx - In The Arms of a Warrior

Nikki – I see you used to write military citations and efficiency reports. How does a person make the jump from that to romance?

CJ – If you're a writer, you're a writer. When I was in the Army I wrote several citations and numerous efficiency reports. Both types of documents must be written well if they are to represent the recipient properly. In one you're describing an action, in the other a person's performance. Both require using descriptive language that accurately portrays what you're trying to say. That's pretty much what you're doing when you write a book. Jumping to romance wasn't a simle transition though. I had to teach myself to my romance scenes. I write from both male and female points of view. I had a lot of 'supervision' from the females in my life until I got the female stuff right.

Nikki – Your character Susan Ambrose, has a strong family history in the military. How did you decide to give her this background?

CJ – The premise I started with was Susan, the product of a warrior family, wanting to marry outside that culture. I work from a rough outline so I don't know what's going to happen in my stories. The influence that her family, especially her father, had on her just came out as I wrote. It became much more important than I originally envisioned.

Nikki – Defense contractors seem to be playing a much larger part in war situations in the 21st century. Did that increased importance in national security play a part in your decision to set your story in this environment? If not, what prompted your decision?

CJ – I needed a role for David that would eventually show that he was a warrior. Selecting a program that would require him to go to a war zone worked well. I didn't consciously select a defense contractor for any other reason than it fit the story. David had to be a civilian and one who wasn't obviously a warrior. He's not your typical romance hero--in the beginning.

Nikki – Most men I know tell me they are visual and enjoy watching sex scenes, but I’ve noticed more and more are reading sex scenes. Do you think that’s a shift in attitude or is it just the men I know?

CJ – I hope things are changing. It seems like the majority of erotic romance readers (and writers) are female. That's always been the female source of sexual fantasy, reading explicit novels. Men had their x-rated films but also would read things like the letters in Penthouse. I think men's fantasies are more pure erotica than women's Getting them to read something titled 'romance' is difficult. Most think romance novels won't be that erotic. Boy, are they wrong. Their interest in something with the term 'romance' in it isn't there. Obviously, they will read erotica. They need to understand that women, and some men, are writing stuff that will fire them up. If all men knew the effect erotic romance had on their significant others, sales would boom.

Nikki - If it is a change, what do you think has lead to the change?

CJ – The erotic romance doesn't have to change, just the packaging. The term 'erotic romance' works great with women. We need a similiar term for men, 'smut for men' seems too crude. We need something provocative that will catch their attention.

Nikki – What sort of reactions do you get from women and other men when they find out about your books?

CJ – Easy question. The women's eyes light up and the men shrug their shoulders.

Nikki – Many women mention that they write erotic books under a pen name because of family concerns. Do you have these same concerns? Why or why not?

CJ – I use a pen name because my given name is so obviously male. I didn't want a potential reader turned off by the fact that a man wrote it without even seeing what it was about. It wasn't a family thing, all the women in my family think it's great that I write erotic stuff.

Nikki – Female writers often use their initials when they write thrillers because men are more accepted? Did this sort of idea lead to you using your initials?

CJ - That's interesting. The ladies use their initials to mask the fact that they're female and I use them to mask the fact that I'm male.

You can visit his website at http://www.cjmaxx.net/.