Interview Lori Zaremba Author of Case One Deceit
Give a warm welcome to Lori Zaremba, author of Case One Deceit.
What defines you as an author? As a person? Are they one in the same?
I have finally realized that it’s okay to be a weirdo, I have embraced it. I have tried to fit in with the regular folks, working a steady job, being the “top salesperson”, never late for work, always super cheerful and outgoing. I hated it, all of it and I was dying inside. I had to embrace who I am. Creative, often a recluse, clairvoyant and most importantly, a writer.
What inspired this particular story?
All my life I have seen and many times spoken with spirits. Most were sweet and just wanted to be near loved ones. The others were agitated, and I didn’t understand why they were here. Did they pass with unresolved issues? Fight with a loved one? Commit a crime? My mind couldn’t let it go. I started creating these scenarios in my mind, and one day decided to put it to paper.
What inspired you to write?
At first it was just a fun way to pen my crazy thoughts to paper. But then something felt so right about it, the words seemed to flow, sometimes in chaotic disorder- but I am blessed to have an awesome editor.
How long have you been writing?
I’ve been writing songs and poetry since I was 10 or 11 years of age.
If writing is your first passion, what is your second?
Singing. At one time not only was I trained for opera but I was in several blues and Metal bands. I can give you chills with my rendition of Ave` Maria and I can “blow the roof off a joint” performing songs by Aretha Franklin and Zeppelin. These days, I walk around the house, belting out tunes and amusing the neighbors.
Together we’re delving deeper and deeper into the spiritual world. But the more secrets we uncover, the more pissed off these ghosts become; and that’s when I start to realize…we might be in way over our heads.
A sneak peek between the pages of Case One The Deceit
Looking once again across the table at Jason, she noticed he was listening to his two-way radio.
“I’ll go check it out,” Trudy heard him say as he excused himself.
“Is everything all right?” Paul started to rise from the dinner table.
“Everything is fine. Sit and relax. I have to go and check one of the cameras.” Jason slipped from the room.
Trudy caught up to him at the base of the stairs. “What’s going on?”
He looked at her warily. “One of the cameras on the third floor caught the door of your room slamming shut.”
“Oh, I left it open for the dog when I came down to dinner.”
“Jasmine?” He raised a questioning brow as he referred to the golden retriever who was sound asleep under the dining table.
“No.” She bit her lip and tried not to laugh at his puzzled expression. “I left it open for the other dog that was whining and scratching at my door.”
“Oh, I see, the imaginary one,” he quipped, climbing the stairs two at a time. Trudy was almost at a sprint to keep up, careful not to slip in her high heels. They finally reached the third floor. The air was so thick that Trudy could barely move her legs and felt the hair on the back of her neck rising in warning.
“Shhh. Did you hear that?” A door slammed from inside her room.
“What the hell was that?” Jason said as he reached for the door, looking down at her.
“It’s probably just a little mouse,” she said, causing him to frown down at her before slowly turning the knob.
They entered the room as quietly as possible, and a blast of frigid air struck them. Jason reached over to flip the switch for the light. Everything was normal. They quickly searched the room for any signs of a disturbance. The room was just as she left it, and the door to the bathroom was open as before. She couldn’t figure out what made the slamming noise that they heard.
“Uh, were you typing an email earlier?” Jason asked, looking at her laptop.
“Oh, yeah, to my mom. I forgot.”
“You better take a look at this.”
Trudy looked at the screen and saw her email was
still up. She had written, “Hi, Mom. We’re at the house. All is well. Please…” That was where she stopped when she’d been interrupted by a phone call, and that was where it looked like the email went wild with,
“EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEGGGGGG
GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG.”
The two letters repeated the whole way down the page. “How is that possible?” she questioned.
“Maybe your keys are stuck.” He bent down to get a better look at the keys then tapped them to see if they were sticking.
“Please, there’s nothing wrong with the keys. Someone was playing.”
“Who?”
She rolled her eyes. “I’m not talking about a human.”
“You think a ghost did this?” Humor danced around his mouth as he tried to keep from smiling.
“Well, it certainly could be a possibility, and it is the reason we’re here.”
“Not we, you. I’m here to look at things rationally.”
“Rationally…really?” She was irritated, folding her arms over her chest and glaring at him. “What was rational about the events that led us into this room? And for the love of God, what was rational about what happened to you in the basement?”
Jason sat on the bed, elbows on his knees, and looked down at the floor. “I don’t know, but I plan to find out.”
She looked at him for a moment and could almost feel his confusion. He was a bit lost in all this chaos. She sat beside him and mimicked his pose. Trudy elbowed him on the arm, and the simple touch sent a thrill racing through her body. “I guess we have our work cut out for us.”
His gaze settled on her half-smile. “At least it won’t be boring.”
Her heart did a somersault. “Yeah, I don’t do well with boring.”
Feeling brazen, she leaned over and planted a quick kiss on his mouth. His eyes widened in surprise, and Trudy jumped up, grinning from ear to ear.
“Let’s go, Mr. Young. They’re probably wondering what’s happened to us.” She was halfway out the door.
Jason grabbed her hand before she could reach the hall and spun her around. His lips claimed hers before she could grasp what was happening. Trudy felt his hand on the small of her back molding her to him, while his other hand gently held her head. She felt a thrill like never before, and just as her knees started to give out, he released her.
“Better hurry, Gertrude. Wouldn’t want anyone to think you were trying to take advantage of me in this here grand bedroom.” He smiled into her eyes, and once again she was lost. She shook her head to clear it and get some control of her senses.
“We better go, or I’ll be taking advantage of you.” She laughed, and he did too. She loved the sound of it. She glanced over her shoulder. “I hope that damned camera of yours was turned off.”
As they headed out the door, Jason walking just behind her, he grimaced when he saw the red light on the camera on and grunted, “Oh, shit.”
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Posted in Authors' Secrets Blog and tagged Case one Deceit, Lori Zaremba, Paranormal Mystery, Trudy Hicks Ghost Hunter by Tena Stetler with 2 comments.
Interview Misty Simon Author of Liv and Breathe
Give a warm welcome to Misty Simon author of Liv and Breathe!
Pull up a chair, grab a drink of your choice from the cooler, a Chocolate Chip or Peanut Butter cookie from the plate, and let’s find out a little about Misty and her new release Liv and Breathe!
How long have you been writing? I started writing in 1999 so that’s a lot of years but my first book came out in 2005 and I haven’t stopped since then.
Do you see yourself in your characters? Absolutely! I tend to write people who have at least one of my quirks.
What do you want your readers to take away from your books? Pleasure, escape, a time away from whatever life is throwing at them. I like to think of myself as Calgon – I take you away.
Why do you write what you write? Contemporary, paranormal, suspense, etc. LOL, so um the only thing I don’t write is erotic and inspirational so I write whatever hits my fancy though for the most part they all involve mysteries of some sort. I love the game of seeing if you can figure it out before the big reveal.
Any tips to share with fellow authors/aspiring authors? What’s Know what you want and then go get it! If you want to be traditionally published then know what is selling and see if you can fit your stories into that frame. If you want to self-publish then know the ins and outs of what you’re getting yourself into. But always stay true to what calls to you to write it. Huge numbers of readers are awesome but if you are writing something that just doesn’t speak to you then I think it comes across to the reader and cheats both of you of what could have been an amazing story.
SPEED ROUND FOR A LITTLE ADDED FUN:
Speed Round (one word only answer): Yep, I know torture for a writer!<evil laugh>
Favorite movie: Princess Bride
Favorite book: Maia
Last book read: Guardian of the West
Favorite color: Purple
Stilettos or flipflops: flipflops
Coffee or tea: Tea!
Ebook or audiobook or paperback: paperback
Pencil or pen: Pencil
Favorite song: Somebody by Depeche Mode
Streak or not: Nope
Favorite dessert: Pie
Favorite junk food: Tagalongs
Favorite thing to do to relax: Journal
Champagne or gin: Champagne
Paranormal or Historical: Both!
Wonder Woman or Top Model: Wonder Woman
Favorite TV show: Supernatural
Hot or cold: Cold
POV: First
I’d die if I don’t have: Silver Crayons
Review or Not: Review
Tell us about Liv and Breathe.
Olivia Jameson runs a summer camp called Breathe, giving inner-city kids a chance to see a different life. When the man who owned the camp died, leaving his dream to his son, Liv took charge, and the work means the world to her.
As far as Alex Campbell is concerned, the camp is a hands-off tax write-off. But when Liv calls because her boys are accused of property damage, Alex returns to the place he hasn’t called home since age twelve…and to a girl he barely remembers, now a woman who stirs him like no city sophisticates ever have.
This is Liv’s livelihood, her mission, her dream. Sharing it with a man who doesn’t understand the impact is frustrating. But as he begins learning truths that were hidden from him, both Liv and Alex may have a change of heart. Can Liv open up her life one more time to love?
A sneak peek between the pages of Liv and Breathe!
The clink and clatter of silverware in the busy diner did nothing to block out the thoughts churning through Olivia Jameson’s head. She had made the call earlier this morning, and now she would have to live with the consequences. Hoping she’d survive the experience, she had her doubts it would be easy.
“What can I get you, hon?” Betty, the owner of Petri’s Dish, asked with pad and pencil in hand.
“Just coffee.” At the thought of the storm she may have created, Liv’s shoulders drooped.
Betty’s eyes narrowed behind her thick glasses. “Tell me what’s wrong. You never just order coffee, especially when I have my pineapple salsa pancakes on the Specials board.” Her hand went to her hip, while her expression became mutinous. “So you’re not still worrying about that little ruckus over at the Beckham farm, are you? I told you it would all blow over.”
Unfortunately, it wasn’t blowing over. In fact, it had just gotten a whole lot bigger. “They’re pressing charges.” It was as simple and as complicated as that.
“What?” Bustling around the counter, Betty plopped down on the stool next to Liv. A crowd began to gather the second she did. She never sat down for anything, not even when she wasn’t working. “You better tell me what in the world is going on, right now.”
No matter what she said or did at this point, Liv knew the entire story was going to come out soon enough. Such was life in a community their size. Sometimes she wished she lived in Kissinger, the next town over, where everyone seemed to mind their own business.
She might as well take a chance and tell her side before Mr. High and Mighty came rolling into town—if he could unglue himself from his society life long enough to take any interest.
“Some boys in town say they saw my boys over in Beckham’s pastures trying to tip over cows. When these town kids came along, they said they spooked the camp boys, who took off running. According to the accusers, that’s how the fence was broken and how the alpacas got out and ran away. Beckham still hasn’t found two of them.”
By this time, there was a solid crowd of about twenty people hemming Liv and Betty in at the counter. As much as Liv appreciated the looks of outrage for her camp boys, and for the situation in general, she didn’t blame the Beckhams for pressing charges. Especially with the graffiti Mr. Beckham had told her was spray-painted on the side of his barn.
She just couldn’t wrap her head around the idea that her boys would do something so destructive when they knew the consequences and the punishment for not toeing the line.
“I don’t believe it,” Betty declared, and had the majority of the other people agreeing with her both verbally and by nodding their heads. “There’s no way the boys at Breathe would jeopardize their time here by doing something so stupid.”
Liv would have said the same thing to her boss, Alex Campbell, this morning if he’d picked up his phone. Instead she’d left him a message asking him to please come to the farm, and she’d explain when he got here. It would be far better to handle this face to face. That way she could plead the case for her boys and make him understand more easily than she could convey over email. She didn’t want him here, but she wasn’t able to figure out a way to avoid it.
“I agree,” Liv said to the diner at large, but worry still pulled her eyebrows together. “The problem is how do I prove it? I don’t want to accuse anyone else, and I can’t prove without a shadow of a doubt that the boys were all in their beds last night. Not even David. This is a huge mess, just in time for the annual cook-off.”
“Don’t you worry about the cook-off,” Tim from the mechanic’s shop said. “That’s all taken care of, except for a few details. We’ll figure something out with the boys, too. I’m coming there today to work on that car with them. I’ll ask some questions that maybe you can’t ask.”
There was a chorus of agreement while people all went their separate ways. She really appreciated the support, but who was going to be there when Mr. Campbell came riding in to shut down the camp because she wasn’t doing a good job as the director? She couldn’t—and wouldn’t—lose Breathe, a camp that had been around for almost eighty years. It housed underprivileged boys from major cities over the summer, giving them a chance to see real grass and real cows, to ride horses and learn skills and self-worth that would hopefully keep them out of gangs and make them productive members of society.
About the Author:
Misty Simon always wanted to be a storyteller…preferably behind a Muppet. Animal was number one, followed closely by Sherlock Hemlock… Since that dream didn’t come true, she began writing stories to share her world with readers, one laugh at a time. She knows how to hula, was classically trained to sing opera, co-wrote her high school Alma Mater, and can’t touch raw wood. Never hand her a Dixie cup with that wooden spoon/paddle thing. It’s not pretty.
Touching people’s hearts and funny bones are two of her favorite things, and she hopes everyone at least snickers in the right places when reading her books. She lives with her husband, daughter, and two insane dogs in Central Pennsylvania where she is hard at work on her next novel or three. She loves to hear from readers so drop her a line at misty@mistysimon.com.
Links:
https://www.facebook.com/misty.simon.18
It was wonderful having you with us today. Please feel free to stop by anytime. Good Luck withLiv and Breathe!
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Posted in Authors' Secrets Blog and tagged Contemporary Romance, Liv and Breathe, MIsty Simon by Tena Stetler with 10 comments.
A Witch’s Journey the Beginning
In the continuing Sunday series of the behind the scenes look at my books, A Witch’s Journey, available in e-book, print and audio book has center stage today. I had the wonderful opportunity to interview Kate Tyler the gal that narrated A Witch’s Journey. She is a hoot and a talented artist!
Take a moment to sit back and relax, grab a drink of your choice from the cooler, a Chocolate Chip or Peanut Butter cookie from the plate, and let’s find out a little about A Witch’s Journey, Kate Tyler and what it take to turn a book into an audio book.
A Witch’s Journey is not only about magic and love between two people, but the dedication of a witch – wildlife rehabilitator and a compassionate former Navy SEAL with physical and psychological scars of his own. Their journey begins with building a wildlife rescue and rehab center, her life-long dream. Along the way, they discover the healing power of love and family.
Wildlife rescue and rehab are causes close to my heart. Incorporating them into this book was my way of bringing attention to the needs of those people dedicated to preservation of wildlife for future generations. Weaving magic into the story added and fun and intrigue to the plot. Remember the magic to happily ever after.
The title was meant to convey Pepper’s journey of redemption from being outed as a witch in Salem, where she’d worked at a wildlife sanctuary, and had to leave town. To creating her own wildlife rescue and rehab in a Lobster Cove, Maine, where the town embraced her.
Breaking news! A Witch’s Journey saga continues! I am hard at work on the third book in the series. This one will encompass the journey of Gwen (Pepper’s best friend) and Brock (who we met in A Witch’s Holiday Wedding) and their adventure in Salem, MA. Stay tuned!
Buy Links:
Amazon, The Wild Rose Press, Barnes and Noble Itunes Kobo
I own a copy and have listened to the audiobook, A Witch’s Journey, a paranormal romance. I am participating in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions in support of Kate Tyler the sponsor of this tour. She’s the fantastic narrator of A Witch’s Journey. I can honestly say that Kate’s narration of A Witch’s Journey brought the book’s characters to life. A story of wildlife rescue and rehab, magic, second chances, and the love of family and friends. What better way to forget your trials and tribulations than relax and listen to a feel good audiobook? A Witch’s Journey will whisk you away from your ordinary world into a romantic fantasy adventure that you’ll never want to end. Pepper and Lathen’s journey begins with building a wildlife rescue & rehab center in the small town of Lobster Cove. Along the way, they discover the healing power of love and family. I highly recommend this book!
Best-selling author, Tena Stetler, has an over-active imagination and writes award-winning paranormal romance novels. She wrote her first vampire romance as a tween, to the chagrin of her mother and the delight of her friends. Colorado is home; shared with her husband of many moons, a brilliant Chow, a spoiled parrot and a forty-five-year-old box turtle.
Her books tell stories of magical kick-ass women and mystical alpha males that dare to love them. Well, okay there are a few companion animals to round out the tales. Travel and adventure flourish in her novels. Any winter evening, you can find her curled up in front of a crackling fire with a good book, a mug of hot Chocolate and a bowl of popcorn.
Website⎮Twitter⎮Facebook⎮Goodreads ⎮BookBub⎮Instagram
Kate Tyler is an audiobook narrator and producer with several published audiobooks available on Audible, iTunes and Amazon. A background in drama and a successful career in voiceover, Kate lives with her family in San Diego and enjoys swimming, running, cycling and stand up paddleboard.
Website⎮Twitter⎮Facebook⎮⎮Instagram
- How did you wind up narrating audiobooks? Was it always your goal or was it something you stumbled into by chance?
- Great question! My son, Drew, was 15 and ½ last summer. That’s a tough age for a kid entering summer because it’s a little too young for a summer job, and a little too old for a summer camp. We wanted to come up with something that we could do together during the summer to keep him busy, that would be fun and interactive, where he could earn a little side-money and something that might look good on a college resume! We searched Google for something he could do and among the suggestions we found narrating audiobooks. Since he and I both have a background in stage theater and improv, we thought it might be fun. I’m an avid audiobook listener and thought it would be fun! We ordered some equipment online and it came on a Saturday from Amazon. Drew had everything set up that night and we were off and running the next day, auditioning for books!
- A lot of narrators seem to have a background in theatre. Is that something you think is essential to a successful narration career?
- Yeah, that’s what most people think. Yes, I’m in theater and so is my son. It definitely helps, but it’s absolutely not essential. Since I’ve been in this world, I’ve gotten to know a lot of narrators and many of them would describe themselves as introverts. I’m an extrovert so I found that funny. But when you think about it, you’re all alone in a small room when you work, so it works well for people who are naturally introverted. Kind of cool, right?
- Are you an audiobook listener? What about the audiobook format appeals to you?
- Oh yes. I love audiobooks. I listen every week if not every day to something awesome on audio. I re-listen to stuff. I even follow a few narrators when I really like their voice. If I love a voice, I’ll check out everything they’ve done and if it appeals to me, I’ll grab it. I travel a lot for business and pleasure and I listen in the car, on trains, on airplanes and so on. I definitely listen when I’m working out. Nothing can make five miles go faster than a few good chapters of a zombie thriller!
- Is there a particular genre you feel unsuited for? Have you ever declined a project because you didn’t think you were right for it?
- So, yes. I’ve declined projects. Most people think it’s all acting, but there are some things I just don’t want to narrate because I just don’t believe in them. If there is a self-help book that gives advice I just disagree with, I’d turn it down. Narrating self-help is different from acting in that it’s your voice trying to convince someone of something. If you don’t believe it yourself, you’ve got two problems. One, you won’t like saying it. Two, it will come through as fake to the listener. All bad outcomes. So it’s best they find someone else. That could be true for other narrators with other touchy subjects like politics or religion too.
- How closely do you prefer to work with authors?
- I like to get to know the authors and what they are looking for. It’s the dream in their head we’re trying to make happen, so I want to try to get as close to that as possible. And, selfishly, I’m a sucker for applause and encouragement. So if my author loves my voice and they are telling me how much they enjoy how I’m doing a certain character, that’s a huge bonus for me. I love working with an author who is not shy in telling me when they are loving what I bring to the book!
- Has anyone ever recognized you from your voice?
- Um. No. A big no on that one. I guess it could happen, but I’ve actually gifted some of my audiobooks to friends and family and they’re like: “Are you sure that’s really you?” I think they mean it as a compliment, but with family you never can tell!
- Have there been any characters that you really connected with?
- Oh sure! You spend a lot of time with a book and voicing the characters. So a lot of what you bring to it is your own personality. It happens more often than not that you are feeling the emotions right along with the character. In Witchs’ Journey there were some exciting parts and some scary parts and some dreamy parts. You end up feeling all of those as you bring voices alive.
- Do you read reviews for your audiobooks?
- Absolutely! Reviews can be very important for the success of an audiobook. I encourage listeners to leave reviews. Whenever I see a book with one or two reviews I check out the reviewers page. Does it have one review or many? If there’s only one review, I tend to wonder if it was just the author’s mom who wrote something nice. Reviews from reviewers who read 30+ books a year are key. They really know what they like and the reviews are more deep than “I liked it a lot.” It’s been fun to get reviews that say things like: “I will definitely listen to Kate Tyler again!” That way I know I’ve done my job right.
- What type of the review comments do you find most constructive?
- I like reading reviews that give a taste of the story. Some sort of recap of what they thought the book was about. Once they’ve done that, then I want to see their impressions about how well the story was put together, and how well the narrator did the voices or characterizations.
- Who is your “dream author” that you would like to record for?
- Well, gee, I’d say Brene Brown, because I love her, but she usually does her own stuff which makes a lot of sense. If you know her, you know you want to hear her voice reading her material. And she’s very captivating to listen to. Not all authors can read their own material, but she is very talented and makes the book come alive.
- What do you say to those who view listening to audiobooks as “cheating” or as inferior to “real reading”?
- Oh, no. I think listening is equally as valuable as page turning. In fact, there are statistics that show that people who buy a book has about a 10% chance of reading it cover to cover. Audiobook listeners generally listen end to end about 80% of the time. If your goal is to get your story or message into a person, audiobook wins hands down. Not only that, page-turners are usually different people than listeners. If you want to reach a larger audience, you have to consider that. Making it available in different formats makes it accessible to a larger group of people. And after all, isn’t that the point?
It was wonderful having you with us today Kate. I loved your narration of A Witch’s Journey. It was spot on with the dream I had in my head. Please feel free to stop by anytime. A Witch’s Journey Audio book a must listen in your audio library!
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Posted in Authors' Secrets Blog and tagged A Witch's Journey, Audiobook, ghosts, Kate Tyler, Lobster Cove, magic, Paranormal Romance, Shapeshifters, Tena Stetler, wildlife rescue, Witch's by Tena Stetler with comments disabled.
ROMANCE GIFT BASKET GIVEAWAY
Today I have a spectacular opportunity for you!!!! I am participating in ROMANCE GIFT BASKET GIVEAWAY – Grand Prize Gift Basket Overflowing with Goodies! Plus Runner-Up Prizes March 1-22. Enter the Rafflecopter Give away at the bottom of this post.
Here’s what you could win. Eight gift cards, 22 paperback books, a T-shirt, three mugs, six pieces of jewelry, chocolate from Ireland, a teacup and saucer, book tote, romance calendar, bath bomb, swag galore, and loads of other goodies…that’s what one lucky winner will be awarded as a grand prize in the Romance Gift Basket Giveaway. Enter now for your chance to win!
Plus, fill up your shopping basket with page-turning reads at our all romance genres book fair. Every book, 2.99 or less, many FREE. We’ve got a bonus giveaway, too!
https://bookwrapt.com/romance-basket-book-fair/
(This giveaway is sponsored by the authors listed below)
Tena Stetler • Alexa Aston • Amanda Uhl • Carly Fall • Cate Tayler • Clara Stone • Connie Davé • Danielle M. Haas • E.B. Black • Eliza Watson • Elizabeth Rose • Erin Bevan • Holly Cortelyou • Honey Phillips • J. L. Lora • J.D. Monroe • J.M. Walker • Jacqueline Diamond • Jacquie Biggar • Jami Denise • Joanne Dannon • Jocelyn Dex • Judith Sterling • Karen Michelle Nutt • Katherine Gilbert • Kim Carmichael • Kris Michaels • L.E. Harrison • Laura Ashwood • Leslie Scott • LJ Swallow • M.C. Cerny • Marilyn Peake • Melissa McClone • Michelle Jo Quinn • Mona Sedrak • Naomi Bellina • Nina Crespo • Quinn • RM Alexander • Samantha Keith • Sarah Williams • Sharon Ashwood • Soraya Naomi • Stephen B King • Susan Kiley • Suzanne Jenkins • Tamara Ferguson • Theresa Beachman • Tracy Ellen • Victoria Grant • Zoe Forward • Aileen Harkwood
Don’t miss out! Click on the links today and enter to win. Then fill you shopping basket with exciting page-turning books at bargain prices!
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Posted in Authors' Secrets Blog and tagged Book Fair, Gift Basket, Giveaway, Romance, Tena Stetler by Tena Stetler with comments disabled.
