my-blog

A Charming Wish by Tonya Kappes. Who wants a Fairy God Cat?

Sun, 24 Mar 2013 06:28:49 +0100

I've got the fab Tonya Kappes here today talking about A Charming Wish and an adorable little Fairy God Cat!

Life was good. I mean real good until Isadora Solstice decided to stick her nose into my business. Granted, she was the one responsible for picking me to be June Heal’s Fairy God Cat.

Yes, you read that right. FAIRY GOD CAT. Being a Fairy wasn’t just for cute little winged creators, though I am a very cute white, male cat.

After all, it wasn’t that hard to find a place in June Heal’s heart on her tenth birthday. I knew she had always wanted a charm bracelet because it was very well known that she prayed every night for one. I made sure that I had snuck a charm from the shop Bellatrix Baubles, in the magical town of Whispering Falls, before I showed up on June’s front door step with a cute turtle charm dangling from my tattered collar.

It took a lot of rolling around in sticks and muddy water to get that collar to look all ratty. But I had to get in June’s heart somehow, in order to protect her from evil spiritualist that would do anything to have her powerful gift. After all, my name wasn’t Mr. Prince Charming for nothing!

Little did I realize, she was going to have a place in my heart. I was there to do a job. . .protect. . .not LOVE.

Like I said, life was good. June had taken over her mom’s homeopathic cure shop at the local flea market, A DOSE OF DARLA. She had just started honing her spiritual gift of knowing how to cure what A Dose of Darla client’s really had. They might think they had heartburn and wanted June to make a homeopathic cure for it, but in reality June knew they were suffering from a broken heart. With a few “special” ingredients, June healed the client and A Dose of Darla took off.

That was until Izzy showed up realizing that June had her late father’s spiritual gift and she made June a deal to move to Whispering Falls to open her own shop. That was when June found out that she wasn’t a “typical” person and I wasn’t just a stray cat.

We moved. And life hasn’t settled down since. I’m having to keep June safe at each stage of her life by adding protection charms to her bracelet. Plus her budding romance with Whispering Falls’ sheriff Oscar Park, leaving her little time to give me a good scratch. Not to mention Madame Torres, June’s snarky crystal ball was high-maintenance and requires a lot of June’s free time.

But it was all up to me to help keep June safe and out of trouble, even when villagers show up dead with June’s prints all over the evidence.

Sometimes I wish for those long days back in Locust Grove where I could smack around cicadas all day and warm my belly in the beating sun.

Get to know Mr. Prince Charming and the magical gang of Whispering Falls in THE MAGICAL CURES MYSTERY SERIES. A Charming Crime is the first novel in this fun series, followed up by A Charming Cure. And the fun doesn’t stop there. A Charming Potion is a holiday short story. The third novel in the series, A Charming Wish released on March 14^th.

For more of Tonya Kappes novels, be sure to check out any online book seller for ebooks and print.

Tonya is an Amazon Movers and Shakers, and International bestselling author. She brings MAGICAL FICTION TO LIFE by writing humorous cozy mystery and women's fiction that involves quirky characters in quirky situations.

Splitsville.com, the first novel in the Olivia Davis Mystery Series, is a double finalist in the Next Generation Indie Book Awards in the Mystery and Humorous Categories.

Carpe Bead 'em is the winner in Amazon's eFestival of Words in the Women's Fiction/Chick-lit Category.

Check out Tonya's website, Tonyakappes.com,to join her newsletter, view book trailer, and upcoming news.

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Thanks so much, Tonya! As an avid cat-lover, I think the Fairy God Cat is fantabulous. I want one!

Happy Reading!

Peace and Love

Sibel XX

Light After Darkness - Renewal - Guest Post by Susan Salluce

Sat, 23 Mar 2013 07:23:49 +0100

I have a fabulous and inspiring post from author Susan Salluce on my blog today...

Susan Salluce is the author of the bestselling indie book Out of Breath. She brings her experience as a bereavement specialist to her writing and her life. Today on this first day of spring she offers a deeply personal look at finding the light after the darkness.

***

Spring offers the promise of light after darkness, life after dormancy. Look around: trees are budding. Flowers are in bloom. The bulbs that have been laid to rest in the damp autumn soil held on through the harsh winter, and are exploding with yellow, pink, red, and orange delights. Life abounds!

Most of my life’s major events have happened in the spring: the birth of both of my children, as well as the death of my mother. That I keep tulips around me this time of year reminds me of the cycle of rebirth, promising that every year, the harshness of winter will be followed by precious blooms. Life follows death.

When I practiced therapy, many clients feared digging into the soil of their lives to experience the depths of the dark, winter pain. Once there, though, we saw that the rocks of childhood kept the flowers from blooming in their gardens. Or, sometimes we discovered the weeds of a failed relationship that choked the ability to experience new love. And just like weeds, these old issues soaked up so much attention, that their lives were dry, dull, and lacking bloom.

I revealed an appropriate amount of self-disclosure to help my clients move to a place of getting their hands dirty and unearthing these painful memories so that they could move forward. I often shared stories of my childhood: an emotionally unavailable, often violent, mother; a father who was equally violent, could not hold a job, BUT was a tender, giving, and nurturing father. He was my daddy. That he was violent to my mother was confusing, but I never doubted his love for me. That is, until my mother divorced him when I was thirteen, convinced a court that he was an unfit to parent me, and I wasn’t allowed to see him until I was an adult. What followed was an adolescence riddled with rebellion, and ultimately, a place across from a therapist who got me to stop my self-destruction. It’s no wonder I was drawn to practice therapy for many years.

Fast forward to the present, and some of you know that this father is someone I “found” in my twenties, and struggled to maintain a relationship with, as he battled his demons of depression, and tragically, developed Alzheimer’s disease five years ago. I lost him, once again…first to dementia, then to death. His dying was a welcome relief in that his suffering stopped, and I got to hold him as he left this world, cherishing his final words, “I love you, Honey.”

He died in the winter. This winter was a dark one—one that will stand out as a life-changing winter for many reasons. I’m emerging slowly; a bit like the Root Children who live underground with Father Time (a classic children’s book). My eyes sore when they see the sun; muscles cramped from being in a confined space; my being hunched with a sadness, I’m gradually standing tall, as if to say, “Here I am. I found myself.”

Renewal is spring’s gift to us. Gone are the barren trees, the brown lawns, and the dull skies of winter. So, too, am I renewed in my writing. As I emerge from my grief, I looked at the manuscript that I’d battled over the past two years, trying to breathe life into, wishing it would write itself, ignoring it like an annoying relative who calls too frequently with complaints of gout. I wondered why I was trying to write a novel with which I had little emotional connection. Where was my voice? A question that extended far beyond my writing.

Then, I began to journal about my father’s death. And life. And my life. And my memories. And our memories. And suddenly, I felt a rush…the rush that a writer feels when she has an idea that must be acknowledged. If you are a writer, you know what I mean. If you’re not, let me explain. It’s a bit like seeing someone across the room who you know. You recognize this person, are attracted to him. You must reach out, say something, lest he gets away. If you don’t, you may miss this opportunity. Your pulse accelerates. Your mind races. Emotions run wild. It’s a bit like falling in love.

I ran for my laptop, and began pounding out the ideas, writing line after line, paragraph after paragraph, until I had eight pages. It was effortless. Magical. As though this story had been with me all along. But then, of course, it has: it’s the story of me, my father, and a daughter loving him through his life and through his death; a love story, if you will. I grabbed a photo of my father and me at my cousin’s wedding. We are slow dancing. I’m standing on top of my father’s white platform shoes. I’m about six-years-old, clad in a puffy white dress, with my hair pulled back in a white bow, revealing my wide freckled-face. My smile tells it all: I’m blissfully enraptured with my daddy, as he is teaching me to dance.

There were many occasions over the years that I my father held me, but only one time that I held my father: when he crossed over from this life to the next. Nat King Cole was playing. I’d like to believe that in my father’s mind, he was holding me, remembering all the times that we were together, cuddling, tossing a ball, watching television, reading, playing games, driving around Santa Cruz, but especially dancing. Which is why I’m titling my next novel, a fictionalized memoir, Dancing My Father Home.

Though I’m in the early stages of writing, I share this small excerpt with you. It is a story that I hope offers healing to any of you who experienced a childhood of abuse, confusion, or mental illness. It’s also a story of resiliency, forgiveness, and redemption: themes in Out of Breath, my first novel. Enjoy, and remember that no matter the struggle in your own winter, spring offers an opportunity for new beginnings. Don’t be afraid of getting your hands dirty. Plant your own garden, and watch those flowers bloom, reminding you that joy and happiness is a season away.

***

Excerpt from Dancing My Father Home

Memories are cagey. That is, they are highly influenced by storytelling, photographs, and home movies. They get exaggerated, put through the storyteller’s filter, then strained through our own view of our life, as to whether or not we saw that particular event as pleasurable, painful, embarrassing, life changing…you get my point. If you grew up prior to the ‘80s, odds are, fewer photographs and home movies exist of you than, say, the average new millennium baby whose entire life is broadcast on YouTube, so there is a chance that you are relying more on actual memory than on filling in the blanks with recorded history or even your own reality show.

All that to say that one of my first tangible memories of my father is at my cousin Antonia’s wedding—the photo of my father and me dancing at her wedding simply shook the jaggedy ice in the tumbler of my mind’s gin and tonic.

My father descended from Greek immigrant parents—his father riding into Athens on a donkey to find his bride—all very “Holy Family Feeling”, except that she was a bit on the grumpy side, a lot less Holy Mary feeling, more of a Margaret Thatcher meets Natasha out of the Bullwinkle cartoon of my childhood. Not the warm-fuzzy grandmother that was on my maternal side. Nonetheless, when we got together with my father’s side of the family, it was like stepping into a carnival: loud music; wild-smelling food that left my stomach gurgling from the richness of cheeses, meats, and sweets; voices competing for air time, which were a polka of arguing, laughter, and merriment, confusing and delighting me. In a word: delicious. Also, forbidden. My mother detested my father’s family, for reasons that I did not understand until I got my Master’s in Counseling Psychology, and even then, the “diagnosis” disturbing: narcissism, paranoia, borderline personality disorder, an inability to form attachments. I suppose because forbidden fruit is all the more delicious, I reveled in attending my Greek family events, and often went without my mother proudly draped on the arm of my father. I can practically feel my tongue sticking out as we would strut away, get into whatever car we had at the time, (Capri? Lincoln for special occasions for the wedding), and leave her behind, fuming in anger that my father would dare see his own family. If I’d had been a teenager, and it were the year 2012, I’d have said, “Whateve’.”

Then, sometimes, there were the weekends in which my father would crouch down to me, hold my shaking body, then back up and put his finger to his lips and whisper, “Shh. Now calm down. I know. She’s nuts. We’ve got to get out of here before she wakes up.”

My mother would be in her room, recovering from the blows of their morning “argument.” Bruises. Broken watches. Holes in the walls. Knives.

“Uh-huh. Can I go get Victoria?” My little hands wringing together. Don’t cry.

“Yes. But, hurry up. Be very quiet. Get some P.J.’s , your toothbrush, and some clean underwear. We’re going to go for a drive. I’ll tell you all about it on the way.”

“Okay.” I’d nod.

Then, we’d disappear for a few days to his family. We’d make the forty-minute drive from Santa Cruz to Half Moon Bay, up and down the hills of Highway 1, dipping, diving, keeping my eyes toward the ocean.

“It’s okay, honey. It’ll be fun. You’ll see your aunts, and uncles, and cousins.” He reassured me, squeezing my knee.

I’d scooch over and he’d put his warm-daddy arm around me, and pull me against his side. Safe. Ahh. No more yelling. No more crazy. We were going to the carnival! There were also no cell phones. No one would answer my mother’s frantic calls. And when I got home, the interrogation would begin. And I didn’t know where we went, of course. I always made a deal with the devil never to tell. I am nothing if I am not loyal.

Antonia was marrying a man with shoulder-length curly black hair, broad shoulders, and the skin the color of coffee. My outspoken aunt, whom my mother called “that bitch” at every opportunity, leaned across the table at the ocean-side reception and hollered to my dad, “Well, if he ain’t Greek, Sicilian is the next best thing, ain’t that right?” These are the only words that imprinted in my brain, and, I believe held special significance…a forecast, if you will, for my destiny.

He was beautiful. I’ve gone back and looked at the pictures. The moustache of the decade makes me giggle only slightly, but Antonia and Paolo were drunk on love. She couldn’t keep her hands off of his body, sending the crowd into spills of laughter and cheers, producing a chorus of knives clinking glasses to encourage passionate kisses. I’m sure that more than one of my uncles called out, “Get a room!” I felt my face flush with all of this intimacy. It was such a contrast to the withered up, dry, coldness with which I lived. Or, the intense violence. No in between.

We dined on rich cheese, Greek salad, lamb, and a host of other dishes that had me pleading for spaghetti with butter, to which my outrageous aunt has lovingly filled in the blanks with her Queens accent, saying, “You were such a pain in the ass! Always coddled because of your damn mother. But, we got you those damn noodles.” (This said with a measure of love and tenderness that only she can get away with, God bless her!)

***

Susan Salluce, MA, CT, holds a Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology and is a Certified Thanatologist–a death, dying, and bereavement specialist. With a passion for writing, impacting the bereaved, and having experienced her own sense of compassion fatigue, she wrote Out of Breath which is available on all E-readers and in traditional book form on her website in December of 2011.

Susan continues to contribute to the field of bereavement through her writing, consultant work, and her work with Friends for Survival, a non-profit dedicated to those affected by a suicide death. She is currently at work on a parenting book based on her blog and a chic-lit book due out by 2013.

When Susan is not working on her novels, you can find her either in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada’s or on the beaches of Aptos, Ca. What she truly calls home is anywhere she is with her amazing, loyal, and fun children, Kellen and Marina.

Thanks so much, Susan!

Happy Reading!

Peace and Love

Sibel XX

The Crossing - Boxed Set - Two Action & Adventure Novels

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 08:56:12 +0100

Faith Mortimer is here today talking about her boxed set of two action & adventure novels...

Two Complete Novels tell the story of "The Crossing"

"The Seeds Of Time"
This intensely romantic yet realistic action and adventure novel spans two generations and the unimaginable gulf between the Second World War and the present.

When Englishman Richard Barker suffers a devastating loss he learns to come to terms with his grief. He is helped by two beautiful women, newly discovered quiet and smouldering American, Sorrel and the tempestuous and wilful, Miranda, an old flame from long ago.

While Richard is battling with his feelings, by chance he enters into the dark, often surreal world of his dead father's past life spent during the Second World War. It is Sorrel's Grandfather, an American Air Force pilot, who contacts Richard with some intriguing news which helps Richard to his senses.

Richard lives in a world that is sometimes as tragic as A Farewell to Arms and as sensuous as The English Patient. His story and that of his father are crafted from the ruins of war and the indestructibility of love. The action is non-stop, the locations are intriguing and the characters are appealing. There is tension, romance and harrowing escapes all woven within a story that captures the imagination and keeps the reader guessing until the very end.

"HARVEST"
Continues Richard and Billy's stories which begun in "The Seeds of Time".

Billy returns home and marries his love, while Richard has to make a decision between the two beautiful women in his life. Richard discovers he is torn between love and duty.

In Sorrel he finds what he believes is his soul-mate, whereas sexy Miranda keeps Richard guessing. When Richard discovers an old war-torn photograph of a woman and two children he is shaken to the core. What was it his father did & never divulged to his wife and family? Harvest is a world where tragedy rests alongside joy. Harvest deals with harsh, cruel, & often despicable conditions - at the same time describing the indestructibility of love in past & present lives. This is a story of deep romance, bravery, survival, heartbreak and happiness, all poignantly & convincingly conveyed. Richard's compelling desire to finally lay his father's dark secrets to rest brings warmth and understanding into the two intertwined stories. All perfectly blended with non-stop action, intriguing locations, and appealing characters.

Author Q&A

1.What attracted you to writing in the first place?

Loving literature as I do, I’d always wanted to write – whether it was novels, plays or poetry. As a child I used to write stories for my sisters and then as I grew older, my short stories became much longer until they resembled novellas. But it wasn’t until the early 2000s that I started writing my first full-length novel

2.What genre are you most comfortable writing?

There’s more than one and I like to switch from one to another making sure I don’t become stale with my writing. I love crime writing; murder mystery suspense, but I don’t do real hard core violence – I prefer to let the reader’s imagination take over after I’ve laid down some hints. I love writing adventure and action mixed in with romantic suspense. Finally I’ve recently begun writing pure romance. A few fans of my adventure books like the romance I’ve included in them, so I thought, why not?

3.How has your upbringing influenced your writing?

I’ve lived an amazing life – and God willing I’ve got a lot of living still to do! Since the age of five I’ve been fortunate in visiting many countries and six of my tender years I spent living in Malaya and Singapore. I now divide my time between Cyprus and England, I think living abroad and mixing with different cultures and class has enriched my life and hopefully my writing.

4.Where do you get your inspiration and ideas from?

I find it from all sorts of places. It may be a snippet from an overheard conversation, talking with friends, reading an article in a magazine or something from the television. I have an inquisitive antenna that turns towards interesting themes and I log on!

5.Do you have any writing rituals or listen to “mood music” when you write? Where is your favorite place to write?

I try and write in the morning for a few hours, then break and do something else. If I have time and the inspiration I’ll pick up and carry on. The next day I go over the previous day’s work and edit it. I rarely listen to music – I need quiet and I write in our ‘snug’.

6.What’s your favorite place in the entire world?

Being with my husband and family.

7.Fame or fortune, which would you prefer?

Both! Seriously I’d like to try fame (for a short time ) and see what it is all about. I get a kick when I’m recognized in the street or supermarket and love signing books! Fortune would be good, I’d love to be able to pass on something worthwhile to my children and grandchildren.

8.What was your favorite part of this book to write? Which part was the hardest?

I loved writing all the parts. I suppose the more I wrote the more I became involved. The hardest…was making sure I got my facts and dates right. I spanned from the Second World War to the present and I had to keep remembering there was nothing ‘modern’ as we know it back in the forties!

9.When you were a child, what did you want to be when you “grew up”?

A veterinary surgeon.

10.If you couldn’t be an author, what would your ideal career be?

Either a surgeon or an actor.

11.Give your fans three fun facts that they may not already know about you.

I’m a qualified Yachtmaster. I regularly ‘tread the boards’ (stage act). I’m a ‘hasher’.

12.If you were stranded on a desert island what 3 things would you want with you?

Unlimited supply of water and food. My reading glasses and books. My mate.

13.Please tell us in one sentence only, why we should read your book.

If you’re a romantic who loves stories with action and adventure and drama – and the story finishes with a happy ending; a heroine and hero who have problems and worries just like you and me, and gorgeous settings, then this book is for YOU!

14.So what’s next for you as an author? Any last words?

I’ve just finished the fifth Diana Rivers Murder Mystery Suspense, ‘Childhunt’. It’s with my editor and will be released in April. I’ve also written a short romance set in Egypt ( release mid-summer) and I’m into the first few chapters of a new full-length psychological thriller! Busy days which I adore!

Author Bio.

Faith Mortimer is a bestselling Amazon author. Born in Manchester & educated in Singapore, Malaya and Hampshire, England. A Registered nurse and in later years changed careers to oversee a number of travel and sport related companies. Faith is happily married and has two children. The same time the children attended University, Faith joined them in reading for a Science degree in 2005. After gaining honours for the Natural Science degree Faith believes the dedication & stamina she needed gave her the confidence to finish writing her first novel.

Thank you for dropping by and taking the time to read about my new release and I sincerely hope you enjoy your read.

Faith Mortimer

Link to Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/The-Crossing-Action-Adventure-ebook/dp/B00BXMALM6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1363840150&sr=8-1&keywords=faith+mortimer+the+crossing+-+boxed+set+-+two+action+%26a...+%28+b00bxmalm6%29

Link to amazon.co.uk http://www.amazon.co.uk/Crossing-Action-Adventure-Novels-ebook/dp/B00BXMALM6/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1363845031&sr=1-1

Link to B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/faith-mortimer

Link to Apple: https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/faith-mortimer/id444132474?mt=11

Link to iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/faith-mortimer/id444132474?mt=11

Link to Kobo: http://www.kobobooks.com/search/search.html?q=%22Faith+Mortimer%22&t=none&f=author&p=1&s=none&g=both

Author Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FaithMortimer.Author

Author Twitter: https://twitter.com/FaithMortimer

Author Website/blog: http://www.faithmortimerauthor.com/

Goodreads author/book page: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2967303.Faith_Mortimer

Link to Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/faithmortimer/

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Thanks for sharing, Faith, they sound like fab reads!

Happy Reading!

Peace and Love

Sibel XX

March Madness Ebook Sale!

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 07:52:20 +0100

For two days only some very talented authors have come together to offer you great deals on ebooks for your Amazon Kindle.

All of the below Kindle books have been marked down to $0.99 for March 19 andMarch 20.

Literature and Fiction/Romance - $0.99 each!

Mystery/Thriller - $0.99 each!

Fantasy/Paranormal - $0.99 each!

Humor - $0.99 each!

Historical Fiction - $0.99 each!

Kids - $0.99 each!

Happy Reading!

Peace and Love

Sibel XX

A Gluten Free Soup Opera out now! Plus, grab the Recipe for Sweet & Sour Moroccan Soup

Sun, 17 Mar 2013 10:19:55 +0100

My new gluten free soup cookbook is out - yay! Want to take a peak and grab a yummy recipe for Moroccan Sweet & Sour Soup?

About A Gluten Free Soup Opera:

Whether you’re looking for a tasty starter, a light lunch, or a hearty dinner, there’s nothing quite like a nutritious bowl of soup. In the second book from Sibel Hodge’s gluten free cookbook series, A Gluten Free Soup Opera takes you on an international culinary journey, bringing you a delicious bowl of goodness for any occasion. All of the 30 recipes included are gluten and wheat free, and most also have dairy free and vegetarian/vegan options included.

Looking for a Christmas Day starter? Try Festive Chestnut Soup. If you’re running low on time, Butter Bean and Pancetta Soup or Greek Pork and Lemon Soup will take 20 minutes to cook. For a filling dinner, Rustic Leek and Potato or Hearty Lamb and Green Bean Soup fits the bill. African Peanut Soup, Moroccan Sweet and Sour Soup, or Chilli Bean Soup are the ultimate in winter warmers. Pistachio Soup and Seafood Soup will impress your guests at a dinner party. And for a light lunch, choose Chinese Chicken Noodle Soup or Broccoli and Parmesan Soup.

A Gluten free diet doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice taste. Today it can be eclectic, vibrant, and adventurous. After cooking for her coeliac husband for over a decade, author Sibel Hodge gives you the ultimate in mouth-watering and healthy recipes, which can easily be prepared using ingredients from your store cupboard or local supermarket.

Who says gluten free cooking has to be boring?

Experiment. Eat. Enjoy!

SOUP RECIPES INCLUDED:

African Peanut Soup, Beef, Mushroom, and Asparagus Soup, Broccoli and Parmesan Soup, Butter Bean and Pancetta Soup, Carrot and Coriander Soup, Chicken and Courgette Soup, Chicken and Spinach Soup, Chilli Bean Soup, Chinese Chicken Noodle Soup, Chunky Minestrone Soup, Coconut, Ginger, and Carrot Soup, Daal Curry Soup, Festive Chestnut Soup, Greek Pork and Lemon Soup, Hearty Lamb and Green Bean Soup, Meatball and Spaghetti Soup, Minted Pea Soup, Moroccan Sweet and Sour Soup, Mushroom Soup, Onion Soup, Pistachio Soup, Roasted Vegetable Soup, Rocket and Goat’s Cheese Soup, Rustic Leek and Potato Soup, Salmon and Green Tea Soup, Seafood Soup, Spanish Chorizo and Chickpea Soup, Spicy Pepper and Potato Soup, Thai Green Curry Soup, Tunisian Spiced Cauliflower and Almond Soup

This recipe does exactly what is says on the tin – it’s sweet, it’s spicy, it’s sour, and it’s fun! Moroccan food is all about flavour and colour, and this dish is an explosion of both.

I’m using dried apricots here, and whenever possible try and get apricots that are naturally air dried, rather than those dried using sulphur or sulphur dioxide, which can cause allergies in some people. They will probably be darker in colour than the usual apricots, but the taste is the same and they’re healthier for you.

Did you know that as well has being a great source of dietary fibre and protein, chickpeas are also rich in folate, calcium, and manganese, plus they’re also low in fat, which is always a bonus! But if you don’t like chickpeas, substitute them for a can of beans like cannellini, borlotti, kidney, or black-eyed.

Ingredients:

· 1 onion – chopped

· 1 carrot – diced

· 1 red pepper – diced

· 1 green pepper – diced

· 8 – 10 dried apricots – chopped

· 4 cloves of garlic – crushed and chopped

· 2 inch piece of fresh root ginger – peeled and chopped finely

· 400 gr can of chopped tomatoes

· 400 gr can of chickpeas – drained and rinsed

· Juice of half a lemon

· 2 – 3 tablespoons of chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)

· 1 pint (approx. 2 ½ cups) of chicken stock/vegetable stock/water

· ¼ teaspoon of dried cinnamon

· 1 tablespoon of ground coriander

· 1 teaspoon of ground cumin

· ¼ teaspoon of nutmeg

· 1 tablespoon of tumeric

· 1 tablespoon of paprika

· ¼ – ½ teaspoon dried chilli flakes

· ¼ teaspoon of black pepper

· Salt to taste

· Olive oil for frying

Method:

1. Fry the onions and peppers until soft.

2. Add the other ingredients, except for the fresh coriander, and bring to the boil. Simmer for 35 – 45 minutes.

3. Stir in the fresh coriander and serve.

Serves 4 – 6

* Vegetarian/Vegan Options – Use vegetable stock

* Dairy Free

A Gluten Free Soup Opera is available from Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, Kobo, B&N, Smashwords, and iTunes!

Happy Cooking!

Peace and Love

Sibel XX

Tags, Categories & Why You Should Use Them!

Wed, 06 Mar 2013 06:49:00 +0100

I've got Y K Greene on my blog today explaining why should use tags on your blogs. Take it away YK!

Today I’m going to be helpful and explain what tags and categories are and why you should be using them on your blogs. Any blogs, all blogs, for the LOVE OF ALL THAT IS HOLY AND GOOD IN THE WORLD USE THEM!

*pant pant*

You see, tags and categories do you and your readers a valuable service. Ever been to a blog that had all kinds of useful information that you wanted to read up on, as well as tons of other content that you really just didn’t have the time for? Adding categories to your blog posts (and then adding a category widget to the sidebar) makes it a lot easier for readers to find exactly what they’re looking for On Your Blog.

For example over at Sarah a.k.a. Legion I use categories to highlight each character, so that fans of a particular character can just click on the relevant category and get all of their posts together. Here, I don’t use many categories – which makes the blog a Lot harder to search through in order to find posts on a particular topic. You’d have to scroll through all of the pages scanning titles and content and most people just aren’t that dedicated.

Tags on the other hand, aren’t as much for your readers as they are for You. Tags are metadata that help search engine spiders find and correctly archive your site for query – but they’re also useful in your dashboard in order to help you find specific topics within categories. You should use the most relevant tags for each post, but try not to use too many or a spider might consider the tags worthless and your post spam.

How to decide what is a category or tag worthy is up to you. It helps if you have a concrete grasp on what your blog is about as I did when constructing Sarah a.k.a. Legion, I knew from day 1 that it would feature serial fiction from various different characters over time – so having categories for each character was an obvious choice. Blargle Splect on the other hand was my sandbox where I threw a bunch of blather and saw what stuck – so it only had a handful or general, nonspecific, less useful categories at first. I’ve since changed that.

It’s better to start using categories early on, then have to go back and add them later. It’s still possible to go back in and add categories later, it’s just a little bit more of a pain in the ass that way, same with tags. So use them early, use them as well as you are able, and your readers and search engine ratings will thank you!

Y. K. Greene

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Thanks so much, YK. I'd better get tagging!

Happy Reading!

Peace and Love

Sibel XX

A Very French Affair by Faith Mortimer

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 13:49:43 +0100

Faith Mortimer is talking about her latest release, A Very French Affair today. I read this when it was released and it's a compelling read full of passion and heartbreak!

About A Very French Affair

When Margaret discovers her fiancé is cheating on her, she leaves England for the south of France in search of a new life and a fresh dream. Beautiful yet self-effacing, Margaret is determined to put romance out of her mind and avoid forming personal ties. Things are looking up, until a series of events draw her into meeting handsome Frenchman Jean-Paul. Despite her reservations, Margaret begins to let down her guard with inevitable consequences.

Can she trust him with her heart?.. Has she found a safe haven?

Or is she poised on the brink of the abyss...

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When asked about the inspiration for, ‘A Very French Affair’, I immediately think of my fans and followers. Yes, I do have some! My first book, ‘The Seeds of Time’ (Part 1 of The Crossing), is a mix of genre. It covers action, adventure; it’s historical in parts, a saga, relationships and that favourite of many, romance. I didn’t realize I could write romantic scenes until a very good friend said how much she enjoyed my romantic touches in Seeds. “Why not try writing a pure romance”, she said. So I did. To me, she was my first inspiring follower.

I often think romantic novels are looked down upon in certain areas of society. To many readers they represent a ‘light’ read. So, what’s wrong with that? I can write literary. I can write heavily described novels. And I can write about all different manner of things, especially if I’ve had experience in them. But romance and love is all around us and hey, romantic novels don’t have to be ‘light’! Think of all those classics… Since writing, ‘A Very French Affair’ I’ve received some wonderful reviews and comments. Readers have enjoyed the book – so much so I’m going to be writing more! Whether I’ll continue in the, ‘A Very **** Affair’ theme, I’ve not decided. It’s a good title for a series so…maybe. It will be a fun series to write!

So, What Makes ‘A Very French Affair’ so sexy?

Come on. You have to admit this. When you're watching a French actor or actress who has a gorgeous sexy voice your heartstrings get a good, hard tug. You pause, your eyes follow them, you watch them smile that slow, languorous sexy smile…and you get tingly all over.

What is it that makes, ‘A Very French Affair’ so sexy? You might be too young to remember the famous French singer, Sacha Distel (swoon), but click on the link above and take a listen on You tube....Who wouldn't find my hero, Jean-Paul drool-worthy? When a man is that sexy, a complicated chemical reaction takes place in a woman's brain that makes her think…mmmm, now that's sexy. Let’s have some more…and you read on…

1.What attracted you to writing in the first place?

2.What genre are you most comfortable writing?

3.How has your upbringing influenced your writing?

I’ve lived an amazing life – and God willing I’ve got a lot of living still to do! Since the age of five I’ve been fortunate in visiting many countries and six of my tender years I spent living in Malaya and Singapore. I think living abroad and mixing with different cultures and class has enriched my life and hopefully my writing.

4.Where do you get your inspiration and ideas from?

All sorts of places. A snippet from an overheard conversation, talking with friends, reading an article in a magazine or something from the television. I have an antennae that turns towards interesting themes and I log on!

5.Do you have any writing rituals or listen to “mood music” when you write? Where is your favorite place to write?

6.What’s your favorite place in the entire world?

Being with my husband and family.

7.Fame or fortune, which would you prefer?

Both! Seriously I’d like to try fame and see what it is all about. I get a kick when I’m recognized in the street or supermarket and love signing books!

8.What was your favorite part of this book to write? Which part was the hardest?

I loved writing the middle and end parts. I suppose the more I got involved the more I was that heroine. The hardest…making sure I got my facts and dates right. I spanned twenty years and had to keep remembering there was no internet or mobile phones back then!

9.When you were a child, what did you want to be when you “grew up”?

A veterinary surgeon.

10.If you couldn’t be an author, what would your ideal career be?

Either a surgeon or an actor.

11.Give your fans three fun facts that they may not already know about you.

I’m a qualified Yachtmaster. I regularly ‘tread the boards’ (stage act). I’m a ‘hasher’.

12.If you were stranded on a desert island what 3 things would you want with you?

Unlimited supply of water and food. My reading glasses and books. My mate.

13.Please tell us in one sentence only, why we should read your book.

If you’re a romantic who loves stories with a bitter-sweet ending, a heroine and hero who have problems and worries just like you and me, and a gorgeous setting.

14.So what’s next for you as an author? Any last words?

I’ve just finished the fifth Diana Rivers Murder Mystery Suspense, ‘Evil’s Unfinished Business’, I’ve started writing a short romance set in Egypt and I’m drafting a new full-length psychological thriller! Busy days!

About Faith

BOOKS so far:

THE ASSASSINS' VILLAGE ~ CHILDREN OF THE PLANTATION ~ THE SURGEON'S BLADE ~ THE BAMBOO MIRROR ~ THE SEEDS OF TIME ~ HARVEST ~ CAMERA ACTION...MURDER! ~ A VERY FRENCH AFFAIR. and soon: ~ EVIL’S UNFINISHED BUSINESS.

You can find out more about Faith and A Very French Affair at:

Amazon.com: Amazon.co.uk: B&N: Kobo: iTunes: Facebook: Twitter: Website/blog: Goodreads author/book page:

Pinterest:

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Funny you should mention Sacha because my mum had a big crush on him and if I was a boy, I was going to be named after him!

Happy Reading!

Peace and Love

Sibel XX

Excerpt from The Tech Guy by Lia Fairchild

Sun, 03 Mar 2013 14:45:26 +0100

I've got an excerpt from Lia Fairchild's fun new chick lit book The Tech Guy today. I read this a couple of weeks ago and love it! Take it away, Lia ...

Emma Barton is a workaholic. Nothing is more important than becoming managing editor of the magazine she works for. And she has the perfect plan to achieve that goal. Then Guy Walker enters her office. Sexy, sweet, and super popular, the new tech guy takes the office by storm. Will he derail every strategy Emma has in place? If he discovers her secret, it could ruin Emma’s career and turn her life upside down.

Chapter 1

“Check out that curly hair.” Jayne sat and stared through the glass window of my corner office, drool dripping from her chin like barbecue sauce at an all-you-can-eat wings night. “It reminds me of—”

“Bozo the clown?” I interrupted, without looking up from my computer. Normally, I’d be up for Jayne’s amusing way of finding “hot” in every guy, but today I was too preoccupied to indulge her. In addition to everything else I had going on, the magazine redesign launch was a little more than a month away. Was I feeling the pressure since it was my idea to revamp the publication? Do supermodels eat salad? I had to stay on top of things to make sure everything turned out the way I’d envisioned it. The way I’d planned it from day one here at New You magazine.

“No, silly.” Jayne turned back to face me. Spring’s daylight shone from the unusually clear L.A. sky and played across her rosy cheeks. “You know, Emma, that sexy actor from the eighties. Now he’s in that hospital show.”

Her stylish apricot skirt pulled tight against her thighs as she crossed and uncrossed her legs. Looked like our recent absences from the gym were showing. I reminded myself we keep those things to ourselves, even though she probably had tuned me out by then. When there was a man on Jayne’s radar, everyone else was simply background noise.

I knew exactly to whom Jayne was referring, but instead I said, “I really don’t have time for this right now. And you need to stop gawking at whomever Bill is meeting with and get back to work before he sees you.” Bill knew Jayne and I had recently grown close, and our inter-office water cooler sessions were becoming way too frequent. Jayne was a copy editor so technically I was her boss, but that didn’t interfere with our new-found friendship.

“Okay,” she said after a long pause. “But just take a quick look first and tell me that guy’s curls aren’t hot.”

“Someone talking about me?” Adam, tall and lanky, stood in the doorway patting his own coiled locks. He liked to describe himself as the gumbo of race. You name it, it was in his genes. He sort of reminded me of Snoop Dogg, but I never told him that. His head was big enough already.

“Not you, Fro-meo,” Jayne spouted. “The mystery man over there in Berkley’s office.” Jayne and Adam had a love-hate relationship. They both respected each other professionally, but they batted heads socially. The irony was they were both flirty, opposite-sex chasing, non-committal flakes when it came to relationships.

“Hey, Adam,” I said, finally looking up. “I was just going to buzz you to ask if you finished the Links file. I need to get in there to make some changes.”

“Yeah, finished with that a while ago,” he said. Always in fashion and dressed to impress, he wore a dark grey suit with faint pinstripes and a deep purple tie.

“Great, thanks for letting me know.” I tilted my head and stared blankly at him, hoping he would get my vibe.

“My bad,” he answered with a smile. I loved Adam, but he had a unique immunity to guilt. Things seemed to roll right off his back like he was lathered in grease. His relaxed attitude made some think he was lazy and unprofessional, but when it came to copy editing, there was no one better, or faster. That’s why I’d put up with him for almost two years.

Adam glanced across the hallway at the two men. Bill Berkley, editor in chief of New You magazine, was behind the desk facing our way. The other man was facing Bill, leaning forward in his chair, speaking and gesturing with his hands. Adam turned back to Jayne, who had resumed her spying position. He shook his head and laughed. “Anyway, I just came to tell you ladies I’m having a par-tay on Friday night.”

Jayne and I peered at each other with raised eyebrows, but different expressions. Jayne was always up for a party; I could take it or leave it.

“When don’t you have a party on Friday night?” I asked.

“Hey, they’re all for very specific events. This one just happens to be celebrating my girl, Tina’s new Chanel ad. You remember Tina, right, Jayne?” He glanced over at Jayne who cocked her head like a collie, adding a crooked smile.

Taking the hint, he said. “Tall, blonde? You met her at the party we had for Nikko’s graduation from ITT Tech?” He put his hands on his hips as if it was our duty to remember all his lady friends.

“Oh yeah, right,” Jayne snapped. Her answer didn’t sound convincing. “Sweet girl.”

“So y’all are invited. And Emma,” he said, pointing a finger gun at me. “Bring Howie this time.”

“Thanks, but we’re going to Bill’s for dinner.” As much as I didn’t want to go to Adam’s party, I didn’t want to go to Bill’s even more. With all the extra hours I’d been putting in for the launch, the last thing I wanted to do was spend more time with my Bill Murray–lookalike boss. Yes, a few inches taller and my boss could be a stunt double for his namesake.

“Oh yeah, that should be exciting,” Adam said. “Well, I’m out.” He turned and started to walk back to his office when Jayne’s voice caught him. He stopped in the hallway.

“I’ve got my date picked out,” she said, smiling in the direction of Bill’s office. “I just have to figure out who he is first.”

Adam gave a knowing grin from the hallway that rattled me. “Oh, I know who he is.”

“He’s probably an intern or something.” I tried to sound casual, but the smug expression on Adam’s face made the tiny hairs on my arms stand up. And when he knew something I didn’t, well, let’s just say I’d been in better moods when Howard used my new scarf to clean his bike chain, or when he left the toilet clogged all day. But what was even worse was when Bill made big decisions without me. It wasn’t as if he was required to consult the managing editor on every detail of the magazine’s operations. But the head honcho always made such a big deal about me being his “right-hand woman,” a term I’ve learned to live with as well as use to my advantage.

“Nope.” Adam stood in the doorway shaking his head, wearing a confident grin.

Jayne eagerly waited for more information. “Well?”

“If you guys had been at Bill’s niece’s Quinceañera last month you would have known that that guy is—”

Just then I saw the men making their way towards us. I stood abruptly, swept my shoulder-length brown hair back, and clasped my hands behind my back. Adam sensed them walking up behind him so he turned around, taking a step back into my office.

“Well, I’m glad you three are all together,” Bill said as the two entered. “I’d like you to meet the man that’s going to help take us to new levels and keep us running smoothly.” He slapped a hand on the other man’s shoulder. “This is Guy Walker, our new technical consultant.”

I tried to cover my shock with an awkward smile I copied from Ronald McDonald. My eyes widened with forged hospitality. I’d gotten pretty adept at that lately. Like the first time Jayne showed up in the office with her boyfriend, Hank. Let’s just say if they decided to do another Star Wars movie, he could play Chewbacca.

But this was different. Bill and I had talked about bringing someone in to upgrade the equipment and get new software. And we had planned to develop a greater online presence, but as far as I knew, we hadn’t moved on it. I suddenly felt my inner thermometer start to climb.

Jayne, on the other hand, was grinning from ear to ear. She popped out of her chair like a Jayne-in-the-box, flicking her fiery red away from her face. “Hi, I’m Jayne.” Her words came out like molasses, sweet and slow. She plunged a claw forward, way too eagerly, to snare her prey.

Guy reached out and gave her hand a gentle shake accompanied with a closed-mouth smile. He might have been a head taller than Bill, at least six-one, probably taller. He should have towered over Jayne as well, but she covered her lack of height with her ever-present four-inch heels.

“Great to meet you,” he said. Then he turned to Adam and shook his hand, but with greater firmness. “Hey, man, good to see you again.”

Adam’s smile was triumphant when it was clear that Guy remembered him and he proudly displayed it to Jayne and me as he replied to Guy. “Yeah, you too.”

“And this,” Bill resounded with his arm outstretched to me as if I would magnetically float right into place, “is my right-hand woman, Emma Barton.” Jayne held back a smirk, while I reluctantly complied and walked to Bill’s side. I felt like a daughter being pawned off in an arranged marriage.

From the beginning, Bill had seemed to take me under his wing. He saw real potential in me, and though he thought I was a talented writer, he knew I wanted more. He told me he was impressed with my ability to take charge and make things happen. After only a few months as a columnist, he was ready to give me more responsibility. He promoted me to copy editor, which eventually led to this. And of course that was exactly how I had planned it. When you got to know me, you saw that making plans is what I’m all about. It’s my way of controlling the chaos. Writing “Newlywed News” was merely a stepping stone for me. Right from the start, I knew I’d eventually work my way up in this company, even if it meant putting up with Bill’s archaic views of women.

“It’s nice to meet you, Guy.” I presented him with my Donald Trump handshake, so he’d know whom he was dealing with. “Welcome to the team.”

“Thanks,” Guy responded. “I’m really looking forward to working with all of you.”

There was a moment of uncomfortable silence. Then, as usual, Jayne opened her mouth without thinking. “Those are some pretty broad shoulders for a computer geek.”

An innocent chuckle escaped from Guy. “Well, I played a lot of water polo in high school and college. It was kind of a family thing. Mostly did it for my dad and brother.”

“Okay. Well, I guess we all should get back to work now,” I said, hoping that would clear my office. Adam and Jayne said their goodbyes before walking out, but Bill and Guy didn’t take the hint.

“Emma, Guy and I have some paperwork to go over in my office, and then he has to go. But tomorrow, I’d like you to show him around the rest of the office. Introduce him to everyone.”

I sat back down at my desk. “Of course.” I picked up a random piece of paper, signaling the end of the discussion and my obvious need to get back to work. A half-eaten muffin sat next to my computer, and I felt my cheeks blush when I glanced at it. As if I’m not allowed to eat? Heaven forbid a woman consume a muffin in the morning.

“That will give you two a chance to get to know each other, especially since you will be working so closely together.”

That one caught me off guard. “Oh, uh ….” I squinted over the paper, fighting the sudden urge to cram the rest of that muffin in my mouth. I had some interaction with Marty, who had been taking care of all the tech issues up to now, but no more than anyone else. I should have realized that increasing our online presence would require a lot from me, as well.

“Didn’t we talk about this before?” Bill’s eyes lifted up toward his bushy eyebrows like he was searching his brain for the memory.

I sat back in my chair, waiting for him to drop the inevitable bomb. It seemed as though Guy sensed my annoyance. His happy expression faded, like the boy last picked for a baseball team.

“Anyway,” Bill continued, “the point is that you will be Guy’s go-to person. He’ll answer to you, and the two of you will work out a schedule and priorities. And you’ll have to get him up to speed on the redesign launch.” Bill must have noticed the blank look on my face because he added, “Don’t worry, Em. We’ll work it all out. One thing at a time, right?” That was easy for him to say. He wasn’t a type A, compulsive planner who lived and died by her to-do list.

As Bill and Guy left my office, I tried to convince myself that this could be a good thing. We really did need a new tech person. Marty was one of our freelance writers who also provided tech support. Great writer, but unreliable when it came to time-sensitive problems. We had to bring in someone from the outside to save our asses more times than I could count. So, it did make sense to have someone dedicated to that part of the business, because our equipment was ancient and our software had more bugs than a Louisiana swamp. I only hoped that this Guy could handle what was ahead.

But something else still felt off. Like waking from a bad dream that you forget the instant you wake up, yet somehow you’re still left in a negative fog. Once I dreamt I was back in high school. I’d walked through the door to find my mother making me a prom dress. It was hideous, of course, but seeing her there when she had long since passed pleased me more than attending the clichéd ceremonial virginity auction. I awoke the next morning, tears still moist on my cheeks, trying to remember why I was so upset. The sadness followed me to the office. I racked my brain trying to remember the dream. Then, flipping through one of our fashion-focused issues, I spotted a dress that brought the whole dream back.

But this was different. This was real. And when it came to my future at the magazine, I didn’t like to take any chances. I’d worked my butt off to get where I was. I wasn’t going to let anything—or anyone—jeopardize my career. Plus, I couldn’t help but wonder why Bill didn’t consult me or even ask for my help in hiring someone. That wasn’t like him. After all, I was his right-hand woman.

Reviews:

I'm always surprised when a book is as good on the inside as it is on the outside. Cute cover, adorable man, fun title... but the writing carries the book. I loved the plot, but I really enjoyed her ability to write a fun contemporary romance that wasn't clunky. Witty, charming, and romantic! Five stars!

I really enjoyed this book. It was light and heart warming. I had just tackled some long, hard to read novels and this was just what I needed to relax and enjoy. I was hooked within the first couple pages and couldn't stop reading.This is the first Lia Fairchild I have read and I've already bought 2 more of her books!

The Tech Guy is available from Amazon US and AmazonUK.

About Lia

I've been creating stories my whole life, but only for me, in my own head. Then one day I sat down and started to write a book. I completed my first novel, In Search of Lucy, in February of 2011. Seven months later, AmazonEncore contacted me about representing my book. It's currently in the top 10 for Kindle Drama.

My second full-length novel, Vigil Annie, was released on Amazon in December of 2012. One reviewer called this thriller "suspenseful, well-crafted, and fast paced."

I recently completed my first romantic comedy, The Tech Guy, now available on Amazon.

My other works include a mystery series (A Hint of Murder) and a short, sweet romance (Special Delivery).

I was born and raised in Southern California and hold a bachelor's degree in journalism and a multiple subject teaching credential. I'm a wife and mother of two teenagers.

Look for updates on me and my books at http://www.liafairchild.com or follow me on Twitter at or Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/lia.fairchild.author?fref=ts

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Happy Reading!

Peace and Love

Sibel XX

Read an Ebook Week 2013 - Huge Ebook Discounts!

Sat, 02 Mar 2013 10:46:59 +0100

Read an Ebook Week is upon us again from 3rd - 9th March! In celebration, you can get 50% off eleven of my books between these dates from Smashwords. All you need to do is quote coupon code: REW50 when you check out!

A Gluten Free Taste of Turkey

Amber Fox Mystery Boxed Set (Books 1-3)

Be Careful What You Wish For

Fourteen Days Later

It's a Catastrophe

My Perfect Wedding

Romantic Comedy Box Set (Helen Grey Series Books 1 & 2)

The Baby Trap

The Fashion Police

Trafficked: The Diary of a Sex Slave

Voodoo Deadly (Amber Fox Mystery No 3)

Happy Reading!

Peace and Love

Sibel XX

Cruxim - New Release by Karin Cox

Fri, 01 Mar 2013 06:37:00 +0100

I've got Karin Cox here today talking about writing and her latest release Cruxim...

Can’t afford therapy? No problem, become a writer!

I think most people would agree that writers are a weird bunch. No one knows that more than me, because, heck, I am a writer. But I’m also an editor, so I have to work with other writers, too, and that makes me fully qualified to tell you that writers are wonderful, hilarious, talented, imaginative, clever, sensitive, and quite insane people. Most of us really should be stretched out on a couch at least once a day, and I don’t mean for a nap in-between tapping out a few thousand words. I mean for a lobotomy, or at least a little psychoanalysis. However, I really think that the constant pecking thoughts in a writer’s brain and the swirl of emotions in a writer’s breast are critical to being an author.

Authors see things differently to most people. They plumb the depths of human interaction and emotion. I don’t know many writers who have never wallowed in the snake pit of a broken heart or felt the paranoid bite of the black dog from time to time. I think perhaps the very desire to explore the world and its people, and to truly feel what others feel, makes writers a little more susceptible to maudlin, profound thought, which, in turn, makes them more than a little bit bonkers.

Now, before you all start jumping up and down and saying, “This editor said writers are all mental. Stone her! One-star her books! Burn down her plantation! (which is probably made-up anyway),” I should clarify. “Writing mental” is a fabulous, hilarious, super-productive kind of jetpack-powered insanity that, while it can drop one into a seething pit of despair, also consists of moments of deluded grander and ridiculous “Cruxim is so amazing that I’m sure I’m going to be the next JK Rowling/Stephenie Meyer/Colleen Hoover/[insert name of next big superstar here]!” style optimism. The psychological afflictions that plague writers are rarely the kind of “I’ll hunt you down and boil your bunnies in molten batshit” mental—and thank goodness for that, although I knew there was a reason I don’t keep rabbits. “Writing mental” is the little voice on your shoulder that sometimes blows trumpets in your ear (or smoke up your bum, whichever you prefer) for your wondrous work and at other times berates you for being clichéd, or boring, or for being a genre writer of paranormal romance and therefore simply not as good as that Man-Booker-Prize-winning author ... Now, what was his name again...? Oh, it doesn’t matter; no one reads literary fiction anyway (she says, tongue in cheek).

Writing insanity is a way to take all of your own personal little neuroses and peccadilloes and plot bunnies and vampire-eating angels and cobwebbed skeletons in haunted corners of your tatty little writer’s soul and put them on the page for others to gasp at, laugh at, cry over, or identify with.

We’re nuts, but we’re working through it in our own cathartic manner by putting it all down on paper. We’re making little effigies of our nutty selves—or our friends and relatives (whom we haven’t seen for months because we’ve been writing), or our exes (because good things always happen to them in novels), or the man at the pizza shop, or the lady with the alligator purse at the mall—and we’re plunking them into times, worlds, relationships, and situations we’ve most likely never been in ourselves ... and then we’re hurting them. Slowly. And deliberately.

Yes, we’re hurting them! Because all good writers know that conflict is king. Pain and need and trouble drive stories. Basically, we create people we love (and we hope you love them too), or people that we love to hate in the case of exes, and then we make life increasingly horrible for them. Then—just when you, us, and certainly they, can’t take any more—we sometimes deign to let them be happy. We let them find love, fulfil their quest, or attain their wildest dreams. And we feel good for a little while. We feel good because we’ve finally finished that damn novel and now those insistent voices in our head have vanished for a little while. Then we go back to our lonely little desks and we sit down, and we feel content. Then we wash down two Vicodin with vodka and we start again. Okay, I’m kidding ... I prefer wine.

What is Cruxim?

Amedeo is Cruxim, a mysterious, immortal fallen angel. Destined to seek redemption as a vampire hunter, he quenches his insatiable hunger on vampire blood. But when the object of his passion, the novice nun Joslyn, is turned into a vampire and enters a vampire coven, Amedeo's worlds collide. Shattered by the loss of his beloved, he vows to rid the world of vampires once and for all, even if it means destroying Josyln in the process.

A Paranormal Game of Cat and Mouse

Joining Amedeo on his quest to rid the world of the undead is Sabine. Half-woman, half-lioness, she is a Sphinx, a Guardian who has protected humans from vampires since the dawn of time. Yet Sabine comes to this fight pursued by her own enemies. An evil scientist, Dr. Claus Gandler, knows the secret of Sabine's mythological past, vowing to torment her for eternity or destroy her forever.

Immortal Ever After

Captured by the evil doctor, Amedeo and Sabine are paraded as sideshow freaks in the Circus of Curiosities. Only vampire Joslyn has the power to intercede. Will she prove Amedeo's redemption, or his destruction?

What attracted you to writing in the first place?

I’ve been a writer as long as I can remember. My earliest memory of writing is winning a poetry contest when I was in about fourth grade, so I was probably about eight or nine. With my (enormous) earnings, I bought a kite and I thought, Now this is a gig I could get used to. I still make about the same amount of money per annum.

English was always my favorite subject at school, but when I applied for university, I listened to all the naysayers who said, “You’ll never get a job if you do an Arts degree.” So I enrolled in a Science degree in the hope of becoming a zoologist. Big mistake.

Within a year, I’d transferred to a Bachelor of Arts to study English Literature, Communication Studies and Myth and Ancient Literature, which led to my career in editing and to my job as an inhouse author for an Australian publisher, rather ironically writing books about ... zoology and natural history! Writing has always been a natural state for me. I’m one of those people who jolts awake in the wee hours to scribble ideas in a notepad by my bed or to put them in “notes” on my iPhone. It’s cathartic, a necessary process of working through my own tumultuous thoughts and emotions.

What genre are you most comfortable writing?

I haven’t yet settled into one genre, and I’m not sure that I will. Currently, I have literary fiction, paranormal romance, young adult dystopian, young adult fantasy, romance, a thriller novel, children’s fiction, and a heap of poetry all sitting in various stages of completion on my hard-drive. I also write non-fiction across many genres: social history, natural history, travel and children’s non-fiction. New Holland Publishers in Australia are just releasing two of my social history books for kids—Gold Rush and Settlement—this month, and another two will follow in April and two more in 2014. So it is anyone’s guess whether I will eventually pick one genre or whether I’ll keep sticking my fingers in a lot of pies (and potentially getting burned by some).

How has your upbringing influenced your writing?

My dad was always a writer, and my sister, too, so I think it is fair to say that writing runs in my family. They have always supported me and encouraged me to follow my dreams. I think that is the best gift parents can offer a child: belief in their dreams

Where do you get your inspiration and ideas from?

Mostly, they just come to me. Usually at two in the morning when I’m trying to sleep—I am an insomniac. But I think every author weaves some of their own experiences or interests into their novels. Cruxim was such pure fantasy that it doesn’t have a great deal of the real “me” in there. I’ve never been a vampire, or in a freakshow (thank goodness), but I have been in a situation where I’ve felt like I was in love with two people before (and neither of them even knew about it), so I can relate to the feelings Amedeo experiences.

Do you have any writing rituals or listen to “mood music” when you write? Where is your favorite place to write?

I get very absorbed in my world, so I prefer to write late at night, from 9 pm to 2 am. I like the silence then, when my kid and my partner are asleep and my imagination can run away with itself. The biggest writing ritual I have at present is a program called Write or Die. I’ve spent so many years editing that it can be hard for me to let go and just hammer out a first draft. Very hard. And I am a terrible procrastinator, so if I have to fact-check, I’ll spend an hour googling a place or an object for historical reference, even if it only appears for one line in the novel! I set Write or Die to kamikaze, which means it will start eating my words if I linger for too long, and I force myself to do 1000 words in an hour. Then, I later edit, research, fact-check and rewrite the heck out of it. It works for me.

I write in a recliner in my living room, or on my deck overlooking the pool.

What’s your favorite place in the entire world?

My bed. Good stuff happens there ... like sleep, and dreams. It smells and feels like home.

Fame or fortune, which would you prefer?

Fortune, hands down. I’m not remotely interested in fame. It seems like fame would come with too many downsides, particularly the kind of life-changing attention authors like Stephanie Meyer or JK Rowling have found. With fortune, I can spend my days writing, reading and learning, and I can use that money to help others. I don’t believe in being filthy mega rich. I think we would all like to be comfortable, but by world standards, I already feel very lucky. I live in Australia, I have food in my belly, I have a wonderful family, a roof over my head, a job. I am already blessed. If my writing could make me enough that my partner didn’t have to do the daily grind of working in construction and I could pay our mortgage and put food on the table with my words alone, that would make me a very happy girl indeed.

What was your favorite part of this book to write? Which part was the hardest?

My favorite parts to write were the love scenes, or what I see to be love scenes: when Joslyn’s love for Amedeo first becomes clear with the passionfruit scene; Amedeo and Danette, and what happens to her; and the scene where he tries to save Sabine from the burning tent.

The hardest part was definitely writing the ending. I worried that some readers would be annoyed about what happened to some of the characters. But much more is explained in the sequel, which I am currently writing and which explains why things turned out that way. Amedeo might just discover that his upbringing isn’t as typical for a Cruxim as he thought it was.

When you were a child, what did you want to be when you “grew up”?

I wanted to be the woman in the pink spangled tutu who did handstands on the back of horses in the circus. Despite some time devoted to practicing this on the back of my childhood Shetland pony, Mr. Ed, it appears I never quite got good enough. But there’s still time.

If you couldn’t be an author, what would your ideal career be?

Probably still an editor. I’ve worked as an editor for fifteen years, and I still love it; however, I really want to focus on writing my own books for a little while now.

If you could live inside the world of a book would you choose?

It would be Mary Renault’s The Bull from the Sea and The King Must Die. Ancient Greece. Cretan Bull Ring. Amazon women. But I’d also be pretty happy in Rivendell or Hobbiton.

Give your fans three fun facts that they may not already know about you.

I have two elbow creases on each arm, which sounds weirder than it looks (thankfully).

I can ride a horse like a maniac when I get the chance, and I pretty much grew up on horseback.

I adore cats. They can be cruel and selfish and self-absorbed, but they’re so darn cute and funny and deeply self-conscious at times. I can’t help it

Chocolate, vanilla, or strawberry?

Vanilla. I like the versatility. Add peaches. Add Milo. Add macadamia nuts. Add whatever topping you like. What’s not to like?

If you could invite any 5 people to dinner who would you choose?

Jimi Hendrix, Mary Renault, Dorothy Parker, CS Lewis, Lord Byron.

If you were stranded on a desert island what 3 things would you want with you?

My Kindle (loaded with books). My family. Water (It is a desert island, right? If it’s just a deserted island and it has a spring, replace water with wine)

Please tell us in one sentence only, why we should read your book.

Because it will make you think, and hurt, and understand that we all make mistakes and that things are often not how they first appear.

So what’s next for you as an author? Any last words?

Next is the sequel to Cruxim, which I know many of my early readers are eagerly anticipating. I’m hoping to have it out by Easter, and it is tentatively titled Creche. It provides a lot more background into Amedeo’s past—background that even he was unaware of, and also into Sphinxes and the mythology surrounding them. So it explains a few incidents in the first book and why they panned out the way they did.

I’m also working on several other projects, some non-fiction, some fiction and some for children, and running my website for indie authors to find reviews, Indie Review Tracker. I’m always busy. If I only had a few more hours in each day (about twelve more a day would be great!) I could get a few more books out this year too. My book of short stories, Cage Life, is doing really well at present too, so I’d like to take some more time to do a few more shorts in 2013 as well. As for sleep, well ...

Cruxim is available from Amazon.com.  You can find out more about Karin and her books at her website, Facebook, or Twitter.

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Thanks for sharing, Karin. And I totally hear you about the wine!

Happy Reading!

Peace and Love

Sibel XX