Write the Next Book: Publishing Tips by M.S. Kaye

Author M.S. Kaye visits today with some writing tips for us and a peek at her new paranormal romance release, Strong As Death.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks for having me!

Welcome to my Publishing Tips Blog Tour. I’ve put together ten short, easy tips that have been invaluable on my journey to publication. Follow my tour to see them all. Tour stops will be posted on my website: http://booksbymsk.com/?page_id=428

Stop 9: Write the Next Book

As you submit your book to agents and publishers, start writing the next one.

–          If you’re really a writer, you should always be writing. Period.

–          Stay passionate about your stories—and not be dependent on editors and agents to make you happy. Because they rarely will.

–          If your first book, for whatever reason, doesn’t get picked up, you’re less likely to give up. You’ll already be excited about the next book.

Keep writing!

Strong As Death coverStrong as Death

Book one of the Born from Death series

by M.S. Kaye

Ilona runs from her sheltering mother in order to find the truth, why she’s seeing people who are invisible to everyone else. A mysterious boy named Archer guides her through Brooklyn and introduces her to Hendrick, the man who claims to be her father—though he died in 1890. Ilona must discover not only what she must do to rid the city of Soll, a sadistic and powerful spirit, but also what it means to be half ghost. She proves what her mother told her—love is stronger than death.

Buy Links:

Available at Publisher (all formats) Amazon, ,
Barnes and Noble, and Smashwords.

M. S. KayeAuthor Bio:

M.S. Kaye has several published books under her black belt. A transplant from Ohio, she resides with her husband Corey in Jacksonville, Florida, where she tries not to melt in the sun. Find suspense and the unusual at www.BooksByMSK.com.

Contact M. S. Kaye at:

Facebook, Goodreads or Twitter: @MSKosciuszko (Yes, that’s my real last name. See why I use a pen name?)

Excerpt:

Another twenty yards and she’d be out of the darkness of the trees and almost to the sidewalk, within reach of the light from the streetlamps.

A figure stepped out from behind a large oak, directly into Ilona’s path.

Ilona stopped and searched for a way around.

“What are you doing?” a rough voice growled.

Ilona recognized it immediately, even before she registered Archer’s face.

“It’s none of your business what I’m doing,” she said.

He moved closer. “You’re making it goddamned impossible to protect you.”

“You can’t protect me.”

His jaw tightened, and he glared. “What in the hell do you think I’ve been doing?”

“I’m honestly not sure.”

His voice rose. “You’d be lying frozen dead in a gutter right now if it wasn’t for me. You saw what happened in the shelter—you’d have been attacked by now if I hadn’t been around.”

Her tone was quiet, calm. “I know how you scared them away.”

“I told you I have a talent for creating fear. It comes in useful.”

“But you don’t like it.”

He said nothing.

“And I know you’ve been around,” she said.

He raised his eyebrows as if she was being slow.

“Before you asked me if I was lost,” she said. “You were there—when the car hit me.”

His expression sobered.

She waited for a response.

Finally, he said, “I’ve been around.”

“Will you answer one question? And be honest?”

“I give as much honesty as I can.”

Her lips curved a little. That was perhaps the most honest response he had yet given.

She moved closer, and he backed away.

“No,” she said.

He stopped.

“When you turned the corner and asked if I was lost,” she said, “you leaned your shoulder on the wall. How did you do that?”

His eyebrows pulled together.

“You’re really good at it,” she said. “It took me awhile to realize you never actually touch anything, that you stay out of the light, that you don’t get cold, your breath doesn’t come out in puffs in the cold like everyone else’s, you never let anyone close, near enough to realize you have no scent, to feel the static when you get too close.”

He took a step back, as if in self-defense.

“Don’t try to lie anymore,” she said. “I know what you are.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks to M. S. Kaye for sharing her writing tip and book information. I always love finding new books and authors.

Now I need to take her advice and get to work on the next book!

Note: Today is the last day to comment to win my monthly drawing for June. Leave a comment to be entered for a chance at a $15 Starbucks e-gift card. Follow the blog and let me know for a second chance to win.

Linda McLaughlin / Lyndi Lamont

 

Recycled Reviews: The Scarletti Curse #audiobook

This is a review of the audiobook of The Scarletti Curse, by Christine Feehan, which I checked out of the library and listened to while recovering from eye surgery back in 2013.

audiobook coverThe Scarletti Curse
by Christine Feehan
Love Spell Books, 2000
Romance Audiobook read by Rebecca Cook

A classic Gothic tale, though written in third person omniscient point of view rather than the traditional first person. All the Gothic conventions are here: the young, innocent heroine, the older, domineering and mysterious hero, the forbidding house, in this case an Italian palazzo, the dark atmosphere and sense of impending doom.

Nicoletta is a young peasant woman with a special gift for healing. She is sweet-natured and free-spirited, used to running barefoot over the hills of her homeland, but at the same time dedicated to her healing arts. When she and her guardian, Maria Pia, are called to attend the Scarletti family at the Palazzo Della Morte (Palace of Death), as the peasants call it, she meets the dark and brooding Don Giovanni Scarletti. He and his little niece Sophie are ill from tainted soup. Was it poisoned? If so, who was the target?

When the don decides to claim her, Nicoletta resists, even attempting to run away, but the don will have his bride. She goes reluctantly to the palazzo, a dark frightening place with a reputation for destroying women. A number of them have been murdered, from Giovanni’s grandmother to several maids, including Nicoletta’s own mother. The palazzo is full of secrets and dangers and Giovanni fears he cannot protect her. But who is safe in the Palazzo Della Morte?

The danger and tension build to a dramatic climax that includes the requisite confession by the villain. Gothic fans will love the atmosphere and the satisfying romance. Rebecca Cook’s narration is delightful. She does the Italian accent well and gives each character a unique voice.

Scarletti Curse book coverThe only criticism I have, other than some occasional overheated prose, is that I didn’t get a good sense of time and place. I could not tell you what part of Italy the story takes place in nor which century.  The audio cover didn’t help as the clothing pictured looked quite modern. The original paperback cover gives more of a Renaissance look, which I think is close to the period. It was clearly pre-Industrial Revolution, but that was as close as I could pin down. But I imagine most readers will not care, as the story is very enjoyable.

Leave a comment to be entered in my monthly drawing for a $15.00 Starbucks gift card!

Linda