Sunday, December 14, 2008

Jacquie Rogers- Contest!!


*CONTEST* Read the interview to find out how to win some goodies!!!

Author Pen Name: Jacquie Rogers

CA: How did you choose your pen name?

JR: It’s my real name. I was going to use JD Roberts because people are always saying Roberts instead of Rogers, and my first initials are JD. But then I found out about this author named Nora who also writes as JD Robb . . . so I stuck with my real name. That’s the truth—I didn’t read romance at the time and I had no idea who Nora Roberts was. Wow, was I ever missing the boat!

CA: What genre(s) do you write? Why do you write the stories that you write?

JR: My genre is actually humor, then you add in romance and fun settings—different times and places throughout history and into the future. The only thing I don’t write is straight contemporary, vampires, or erotica.

CA: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

JR: I’m not sure I’ve realized it even yet because writing sort of just claims you. My mother wanted me to be a writer so of course I wanted to be a baseball announcer. I ended up a software consultant. Who knew?

But then about 10 years ago I dreamed a book, wrote the first 200 pages in three weeks, and decided I’d better figure out exactly how to do this gig. I quit my business and set up an office at home. My dh is very patient with me. He proofreads all my work and finances all the PR without a gripe. Okay, so I’m grounded until January, but that’s because we have four birthdays as well as Christmas to buy for. Internet shopping is my friend.

CA: Who or what was your inspiration for writing?

JR: My daughter, Moriah, was the first one to encourage me to give it a shot (meaning, when I actually did start writing fiction). I think she hooked me when she read me a passage from one of her romance novels (I didn’t read romance at all then) and the hero said, “You’re a wanton woman.” Only Moriah said, “You’re a wonton woman.” So now Chinese food reminds me of romance novels.

CA: What is your work schedule like when you're writing?

JR: I write from 3pm to 5pm, and from 10pm to 2am. With Pirate breaks.

CA: Your book is about to be sent into the reader world, what is one word that describes how you feel?

JR: Petrified.

But now you have to let me explain. First of all, it’s hard to put a book out just because your heart and soul are now open for criticism. What if someone doesn’t like your book? Readers think books are books, authors think books are a part of them. Big difference. With humor, there’s a double-whammy because let’s face it, humor is very subjective. That’s why I’m scared to death. On the other hand, I’m also excited because my ultimate goal is to give someone a few hours away from their troubles, and put a little joy in their hearts.

CA: What was your biggest challenge in writing your book(s)?

JR: Finishing. I have the attention span of a gnat and I keep thinking up new ideas that seem considerably more intriguing. To counterattack, I created an ideas folder and I allow myself two pages per idea. No more. And then I have to get back to the book I’m writing.

CA: What do you like to do when you're not writing?

JR: I play fantasy baseball. My team won the championship in our league this year. Yay! I also play Pirates: Rule the Caribbean on both facebook and myspace. Of course, I love to read and watch movies, although I’m seldom enticed to watch TV programs.

CA: How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?

JR: I’ve written a bunch of books that haven’t been published and two that have. Any one of them is my favorite for a different reason. Faery Special Romances is my first published book, plus it was a challenge to write for several reasons, so of course it’s near and dear to my heart. Down Home Ever Lovin’ Mule Blues is set near where I grew up and is populated with characters who have the same attitudes as my friends and neighbors had, plus I adore Socrates, so I love that book, too. An unpublished western historical romance that may never see light of day, throws out the B-western mythos and features a heroine who’s strong and confident. I love that book but it doesn’t follow the “rules.” I could go on and on. LOL

CA: Do you tend to base your characters on real people or are they totally from your imagination?

JR: Both. Most of my characters are from my imagination, but some of them do have elements of the people I’ve known. It’s actually difficult to make a real person into a character because fiction has to be two things: plausible, and bigger-than-life. Let’s face it, bigger-than-life is not plausible, so it’s definitely a tightrope to walk.

In Faery Special Romances, Princess Keely is an amalgam of my oldest daughter’s tenacity, my younger daughter’s orneriness, and I threw in a big dose of Emma’s (from Jane Austen) confidence that she right with her matchmaking. And she’s always wrong. Also in that book, Sir Darian in the first story is patterned loosely after my own ancestor in 1199a.d. But most of the characters are figments of my imagination.

Brody Alexander, the hero in Down Home Ever Lovin’ Mule Blues, is imaginary, but his moves are based on two real rodeo clowns: Leon Coffee, one of the best bullfighters of all time; and Jim O’Keefe, a person friend who was a rodeo clown for years. All Brody’s injuries as well as his daring, determination, and slick moves are from Leon and Jim, although I did tone it down considerably because non-rodeo goers couldn’t believe what they really do. Rita, well, she’s a teensy bit autobiographical, except I stayed in the city with my city boy and I like it here just fine. LOL. Rita’s a high achiever and is very goal-oriented, and only Brody can upset her balance sheet. Socrates came out of the blue. He’d resent it highly if I were to attribute his finer qualities to anyone else.

CA: Do you have any advice for the aspiring writers out there?

JR: Write, study your craft, and write some more. Follow your own instincts, but stay open to new ideas. Most of all, let your hair down and put your soul on the page.

CA: How can a reader contact you or purchase your books?
JR: Website: http://www.jacquierogers.com
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/jacquierogers
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jacquie-Rogers/18676302690
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/jacquierogers
Gather: http://jacquierogers.gather.com
Email: jacquierogers@gmail.com
I’m also on a bazillion ning sites, but here’s Keely’s special place:
http://faeryworld.ning.com

CA: Is there anything you would like to add?

JR: I write a weekly article about writing craft or business for Texty Ladies (http://www.textyladies.com) Magical Monday and a monthly article in Unusual Historicals (http://unusualhistoricals.blogspot.com). I’m a member of IWOFA, Infinite Worlds of Fantasy Authors (http://www.iwofa.net) which is a wonderful place to find out about paranormal books and authors. We’re having a fabulous contest starting Dec. 15th, so please check it out. Lots of prizes are available!

I’d also like to mention the cause I work for: neurofibromatosis (NF) awareness. NF is a genetic disorder where painful tumors grow on the nerves. These tumors grow inside and outside the body, so obviously the children don’t make good posters, and those who suffer from NF have kept out of the public eye. More children are born with NF than muscular dystrophy and cystic fibrosis combined, yet most people have no idea what NF is. I didn’t, not until we found out our oldest daughter has it. All royalties from Faery Special Romances go to the Children’s Tumor Foundation (http://www.ctf.org), ending neurofibromatosis through research.

(CONTEST) And finally, I’m not above bribery—no sirreebob. So all you have to do is ask me a question about my books, Socrates, Princess Keely, my book videos, NF, or Justin Saragueta, or make any g-rated comment, and you’ll be in the drawing for these prizes:

Down Home Ever Lovin’ Mule Blues T-shirt
Faery Special Earrings
Faery Special Notepad
Faery Special Pen.

Crystal will choose the winner.

Also, the first person to post a comment stating who this Justin Saragueta fellow is will win a Down Home Ever Lovin’ Mule Blues T-shirt and a calendar magnet. If you include his myspace page link, you get a signed copy of Faery Special Romances.

And finally, finally, if you’re on facebook and you play pirates or dragon wars, friend me, please. Aaarrgh

Crystal: I just love Jacquie she’s so much fun and her books are also fun to read. I’ve had the pleasure of reading/reviewing both Faery Special Romances and Down Home Ever Lovin’ Mule Blues. You can check out the reviews here, and I hope it will intice you to pick up one of each or more lol to give out as gifts.
Faery Special Romances: http://bookreviewsbycrystal.blogspot.com/2007/06/faery-special-romances-by-jacquie.html
Down Home Ever Lovin’ Mule Blues: http://bookreviewsbycrystal.blogspot.com/2008/11/down-home-ever-lovin-mule-blues-by.html

Now as Jacquie said she’s offering up some pretty cool goodies here! SO first person to identify who Justin Saragueta is will win a T-shirt and calendar magnet—if that same person includes his myspace page address they will win a copy of Faery Special Romances!!

And you could win her other goodies by asking her questions, or by simply leaving a comment. Here’s what you can win:
Down Home Ever Lovin’ Mule Blues T-shirt
Faery Special Earrings
Faery Special Notepad
Faery Special Pen

To win though, you must leave your email address or a way that I can contact you. I’ll choose a winner by random.org on Sunday night and notify the winner by email( I will not spam your email or share your info it is for this contest only.) You will have 5 days to respond or your prize will sadly be passed on to another.
Now get to commenting!

Jacquie, it is always a pleasure!!

Dianne Ascroft


Author Pen Name: Dianne Ascroft

CA: How did you choose your pen name?

DA:I use my maiden name, Ascroft, for my fiction writing. My uncle, George, when he first heard that I was writing a novel, was delighted and very proud to have a writer in the family. Because he was so enthusiastic, I decided to publish the book under my maiden name, the surname we share.

CA: What genres do you write? Why do you write the stories that you write?

DA:Though my novel, Hitler and Mars Bars, is an historical fiction, I enjoy writing contemporary and historical fiction. It’s the characters that are most important to me rather than the time period that the story is set in. If a writer captures the humanity and personalities of their characters then they write the kind of books I want to read. And those are the kind of books I want to write too. I have ideas bouncing around in my head for both contemporary and historical stories so I plan to write both in future. A lot of my writing is inspired by my own memories and experiences. But I sometimes hear an interesting story about someone else’s life and it sparks an idea that becomes the basis for a story. In the case of my recent novel, Hitler and Mars Bars, I met a man who, as a child, had participated in the Red Cross project, Operation Shamrock, and his story roused my curiosity. I did some research about the project and I eventually used the material to write the novel.

CA: When did you first realise that you wanted to be a writer?

DA:It took me a long time to realise that I wanted to write. Since I was a child I’ve always enjoyed reading. I rarely went anywhere without a book and I spent every free minute reading. But, despite having a very active imagination, being an avid reader and enjoying essay writing at school, I never considered writing anything more than school assignments. I enjoyed reading others’ stories but didn’t have the desire to create my own. I was in my thirties before I got the urge to write and it occurred to me that I might be able to do so. Then, for several years after the idea first occurred to me, I yearned to write but didn’t put pen to paper. I was busy with too many other activities. Finally, I was galvanised into action, in the spring of 1998, when I heard an advertisement for a Belfast radio station’s Annual Short Story writing contest. I decided to enter it. There was only one weekend left to submit my entry before the contest deadline so I got started immediately. I didn’t win but my story, The Contest, was short listed and read on air. That success encouraged me to continue writing. I wrote sporadically, without any attempt to get my work published, until 2002 when I enrolled in the Writers Bureau correspondence course. Having assignments to complete focussed me and helped me decide what I wanted to write. Now I fit in course assignments between my other writing projects. One day I may find time to actually finish the course!

CA: Who or what was your inspiration for writing?

DA:When I first began writing I just had the urge to write. I’m not sure who or what prompted it. But I do know what inspired Hitler and Mars Bars - I heard about an unusual childhood. I met a man who was born in the heavily bombed Essen area of Germany during the Second World War. He lived in a Children’s Home until the Red Cross project, Operation Shamrock, transported him along with hundreds of other German children, to Ireland to recuperate from the horrendous conditions in their homeland. His life story opened up a new aspect of German and Irish history for me - one that has been overlooked in history books. I was very curious about Operation Shamrock and began researching it. Besides the German man, I met other people who participated in Operation Shamrock. I spent a lot of time researching the Red Cross endeavour and acquired a large quantity of material. For a history lover, like me, it was exciting to uncover little known facts but I also encountered amazing people (in person and in others’ recollections) - men and women who had survived the horrendous conditions in World War II Germany and kind, generous people who opened their homes to them in Ireland.

These individuals’ stories moved me and captured my imagination. Images and impressions of them filled my head. So, it only needed a little prompting from my family to set the wheels in motion and I began writing Hitler and Mars Bars. BBC broadcaster and journalist, Brian D’Arcy, when he reviewed my book, understood that these individuals’ experiences were the foundation for Hitler and Mars Bars. He commented that the book was ‘beautifully written with a strong human element running through it’.

CA: What is your work schedule when you are writing?

DA:Like many writers, writing has never been my primary occupation. I’ve always held a day job and written in the evenings after my household and farm chores are complete. I don’t manage to write every evening but I usually spend a couple hours, several evenings each week, writing. I’m up early each morning but I have chores to do so I don’t manage to do any writing before I leave for the office. But I do carry with me the piece I’m currently working on and spend any quiet times during the day revising it. When I sit down to write later, I look over what I’ve already done and then continue on. On the weekends, after the chores are done, I also find time to write.

CA: Your book is about to be sent into the reader world, what is one word that describes how you feel?

DA:Amazed.

CA: What was your biggest challenge in writing your book?

DA:Sometimes I borrow traits from people I know when I create characters. They are often taken from several people and no character is based completely on one person. Characters will also have traits that I have invented for them. I used to worry that a friend or family member reading my work might think a character was modelled completely on him. Even worse, I worried that people I know might mistakenly identify with an unpleasant character. It made me hesitant to create memorable characters. Eventually I realised that I wouldn’t be able to write anything believable if I didn’t stop worrying whether others would see themselves in my characters. Admirable and despicable characteristics are universal. I had to trust that my friends and family would realise this and understand that my characters ultimately come from my imagination. If I do sometimes throw in a bit of someone I know, I don’t mean to be insulting.

CA: What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

DA:Music is an important part of my life. I especially enjoy folk, Celtic, Americana and bluegrass. I played the bagpipes in a pipe band for many years and now I am learning to play guitar. I really enjoy it and wish I could devote more time to practising guitar than I do. Since I was a child I’ve enjoyed crafts and quilting is my favourite. Lap and baby quilts are my specialities. Whenever I have a reason (birthday, baby gift etc) to make a gift I start work on a new quilt. I’m not a sporty person but I love to walk. I find it very relaxing, especially if I am surrounded by beautiful scenery. My husband and I often walk in a forest near our house and it is a great way to spend an afternoon.

CA: How many books have you written? Which is your favourite?

DA:Hitler and Mars Bars is my favourite - but then, it is the first novel I’ve written! I have contributed a short story and poems to the Fermanagh Authors Association’s Fermanagh Miscellany 2 which was released this month. But I haven’t written any other full length novels - yet…The ideas are dancing in my head, just waiting to leap onto paper.

CA: Do you tend to base your characters on real people or are they totally from your imagination?

DA:As I said earlier, although I do sometimes borrow traits from people I know, I try not to base characters too closely on real people. A lot of my writing is inspired by my own memories but, although I do draw traits from people I know, I try to use these details to create different fictional characters. But Hitler and Mars Bars was an exception because the story is loosely based on real events. So I did draw some of the characters from real people who were involved in the initiative. It would have been very difficult not to do so. But, although some characters are based on real people, they are not identical to them. The characters are also partially drawn from my imagination and I added other details to make each character unique.

CA: Do you have any advice for aspiring writers out there?

DA:Characters are central to every story. A writer must create believable characters that the reader will care about. Capturing the humanity of characters is crucial. I read authors such as Maeve Binchy, Jodi Picoult, Adriana Trigiani and Diana Gabaldon because they make me care about their characters. I would suggest that new writers should read widely and find writers who they feel create good characters. They should analyse why they like these characters and try to use their observations in their own writing. Although every writer has his own voice, we can learn from reading each other’s work.

CA: How can a reader contact you or purchase your books?

DA:If a reader would like to learn more about Hitler and Mars Bars, please drop by my website at www.geocities.com/dianne_ascroft. If they have any questions my email address is dianne_ascroft@yahoo.co.uk. My Virtual Book Tour continues until December 24. The full schedule is posted on my blog, Ascroft, eh? at http://www.dianneascroft.wordpress.com/. Hitler and Mars Bars is available to order from Trafford Publishing (www.trafford.com/07-1955), Amazon and other online retailers and my website.

CA: Is there anything you would like to add?

DA:Let me tell you a little about my novel. Hitler and Mars Bars is the story of a German boy, Erich, growing up in war-torn Germany and post war rural Ireland. Set against the backdrop of Operation Shamrock, a little known Irish Red Cross project which helped German children after World War II, my novel explores a previously hidden slice of Irish and German history. Erich, growing up in Germany’s embattled Ruhr area during World War II, knows only war and deprivation. His mother disappears after a heavy bombing raid, leaving him responsible for his younger brother, Hans. After the war the Red Cross initiative, Operation Shamrock, transports the boys to Ireland, along with hundreds of other children, to recuperate from the devastating conditions in their homeland. During the next few years Erich moves around Ireland through a string of foster families. He experiences the best and worst of Irish life, enduring indifference and brutality and sometimes finding love and acceptance. Plucky and resilient, Erich confronts every challenge he meets and never loses hope.

Thanks for chatting with me, Crystal. I enjoyed visiting your website today.