The Heart of the Story

Posted on September 9, 2015 by Joanne Guidoccio

Welcome to my Second Acts Series!

Today, we have author and fellow Sister of Suspense Marian Lanoutte/Merry Holly sharing a lifelong passion for writing.

Here’s Marian!

Briefly describe your first act.

I always joked that I didn’t know what I wanted to be when I grew up. My career choices was acting or writing. But my parents made it clear from an early age, they wouldn’t pay for those kinds of degrees. Teaching or accounting was their recommendations. I figured I’d show them and turned down college for a temporary job as an office manager that lasted ten years. My father told me I’d regret the decision, but I was eighteen and headstrong.

In my first act I was busy working with no real goal. Well, my father was right. At thirty I headed back to school and got my Bachelors of Science in Accounting.

What triggered the need for change?

Believe it or not, our office was totally manual at the time. My boss (one of the greatest I ever had) suggested we take classes to learn to use computers. Our trustees mentioned they wanted to computerize the process. Well, my husband and I, and my boss and his wife signed up at a local high school in their adult education program. The course was an introduction to computers and their uses. The four of us arrived for class the first night and discovered it was cancelled for lack of interest.

Disappointed, my husband and I drove straight to the local college and signed up for a basic computer class. I loved it (I could be a professional student discovered) and decided it was time to work on my degree.

My second act was triggered by a health issue. I discovered I had severe blockages in the heart and required by-pass surgery. During the recovery period (six months) I looked through my computer and discovered all the stories I’ve written over the years, I never shared with anyone. To aid in my recovery and keep my mind sharp, I started my first novel.

After surgery the limit for a by-pass patient is eight pounds. In the scheme of life that’s not a lot of weight. Your vacuum weights around ten pounds or more to give you a comparison. My husband to ensure I didn’t lift more brought me a notebook which weighed less than two pounds.

In three months I had my first draft of If I Fail, A Jake Carrington mystery. Since then I haven’t looked back. I now have three complete novels in the series (the last one Mated for Life is in the editing process,) and several published novellas.

Where are you now?

I’m back in my accounting career and continue to write in the evenings. The accounting is a necessary evil, and the writing is a joy. I’m sorry I didn’t follow my dreams and pursue my writing earlier in life. But I’m a firm believer things happen for a reason.

Do you have advice for anyone planning to pursue a second act?

Do your research. I wrote a first draft and sent it out to every agent on the planet. Not knowing the steps to a successful novel. The book, Loss of Power, is still sitting in a drawer. A wonderful story, that I love, which needs a ton of work. If it wasn’t for a nice editor at a big publishing house and her advice, I’d still be banging my head on the wall. She suggested I join a writing group and take some online classes to learn the craft. It was the best advice I got pertaining to my writing. And it made sense. Didn’t I have to take classes to learn accounting.

Any affirmations or quotations you wish to share?

Yes, I love Stephen Kings advice in On Writing. The book is wonderful. This quote is one taken from it.

“If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that.” ― Stephen King

Marian’s Books

Buy Links – Season of Thrills

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Kobo | iTunes

Where to find Marian…

Website | Amazon | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Joanne here!

Marian, thanks for sharing your inspiring journey. If you ever run out of story ideas, consider writing your memoirs.

10 Reasons Why I Love The Paranormal

Posted on September 4, 2015 by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m thrilled to welcome Soul Mate author L.D. Rose to the Power of 10 series. Today, L.D. shares the reasons behind her avid interest in the paranormal.

Here’s LD!

1. I was accused of being a vampire in the first grade.

Yep. That’s right. I went to an all-girls Catholic school for kindergarten and first grade (my mother yanked me out before second grade for acting out—oops!). My classmates already thought I was weird since I spoke broken English (my first language was Portuguese and I didn’t go to preschool; I learned English from Sesame Street). All of us kids were playing a game of tag at recess and I tripped on a rock and sliced my finger open. I immediately put my hand in my mouth to suck the blood away (c’mon, didn’t you do that when you were a kid?!). The girls freaked out and ran away from me, screaming vampire. I guess it didn’t help that I had a widow’s peak, dark hair and pale skin. I had no idea what a vampire was, but my feelings were hurt and I started to cry.

This was obviously quite traumatic since the concept of a vampire invaded my brain and I became obsessed with learning (and writing!) about them. 😉

2. I grew up in a haunted house.

Yep, that’s right too! My family was poor growing up and we bounced from apartment to apartment when I was a toddler. My parents bought a house when I was about five, both of them incredibly excited to have a home.

Too bad it was haunted, haha!

This could be a whole blog post in and of itself (and will be soon!) but my parents’ little Cape was over a hundred years old and two ghosts apparently haunted the premises (an eight year old boy and an elderly woman who died in the upstairs bathroom; later, my deceased German Shepard made a few ghostly appearances too). I never actually saw them, but their roaming footsteps, cold patches, whispers and little games such as dropping the blinds, turning off the radio and the occasional “push” made their presences unmistakably clear. I have no doubt there’s a ghostly world among us, no matter how much my logical doctor brain wants to argue it.

3. My first memorable books were horror stories.

Thanks to my vampire accusation, I began to read horror stories—a lot of them! My absolute favorite books as a kid were the SCARY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK series by Alvin Schwartz. I couldn’t stop staring at the creepy images and rereading the melodious yet disturbing passages. My absolute favorite was THE HEARSE SONG and I used to sing it constantly while jump roping outside like the freaky little kid I was. As I grew older, I transitioned to R.L. Stine, Clive Barker and Stephen King, then it was all downhill from there.

See, kids? Be careful what you call your classmates!

4. Naturally, my favorite movies were horror movies growing up.

Gremlins. Ghostbusters. Poltergeist. The Exorcist. Friday the 13th. Nightmare on Elm Street. Halloween. Jaws. The Shining. Silence of the Lambs. CLASSICS! Although the horror movie industry has sorely disappointed me as an adult, these were my most memorable movies. My parents would let me watch a few of the more “benign” ones, but I usually snuck out of my room in the middle of the night (or hit the theaters) to watch the more graphic films.

5. My first writing ventures were horror stories.

Surprise, surprise! I’ve been writing for as long as I remember. The first actual “story” I wrote was on a typewriter at ten years old. It was called “The Secret Door”, about fifteen pages long, and starred a haunted house that held a portal to another dimension (no kidding!). My first ever publication is a short story in an anthology called “Horrors of History” (Fey Publishing) and it’s about two depression-era gangsters who get more than they bargained for during a bank heist (two words: zombie cops). I plan to do a lot more with these two boys in the future, since I loved writing them so much. Every story I’ve written has a preternatural edge to it—I just can’t help it, it’s part of who I am.

6. I wanted to be a paranormal investigator.

As a teenager, I used to raid abandoned houses (particularly those rumored to be haunted), trek into the woods after dark in hopes of running into a cult (or at least see a hanging body), and I played Ouija way too much (I’ve had some interesting experiences with that demonic game, let me tell you!). I know it sounds crazy but I loved to be scared; it was a rush, an addiction even, and my morbid curiosity never ceased to be satisfied. I never got into the real complex “ghost hunting” with detectors and such, but I still visit the occasional haunted spot (although my sixth sense has petered out, unfortunately). My hubby is quite averse to the supernatural world, so now I tend to explore it through writing and art. That and an occasional episode of Ghost Hunters. 😉

7. The type of music that draws me in most is rock, metal and rap of a darker flavor.

The darker the lyrics, the better. I’m madly in love with Trent Reznor (he’s my musical god) and some of my favorites are Marilyn Manson, Deftones, Godsmack, In This Moment, Disturbed, Staind and Stonesour. DMX is my favorite rapper of all time ‘cause he’s brutal and doesn’t hold anything back in his music. There’s something exhilarating about expressing one’s fears and discussing subjects most people are uncomfortable with through music (or any art in general). I try to do the same with writing and give it the realism it deserves.

8. Jogging in cemeteries gives me peace.

So, do you think I’m a total weirdo yet? 😛 Although my running tends to be on the street and residential neighborhoods as of late, I used to run through cemeteries all the time in college. I loved the silence and desolation—no people, no cars, just me, the trees and the graves. My favorite used to be Oak Grove Cemetery in MA, where the infamous Lizzie Borden is buried. Many of them were hilly too, which made for a great workout.

9. My acceptance of death and all things disturbing helped me to become a doctor.

Amongst other things, of course, but having a thick skin and a gut of steel helps. I’m going to let you in on a little secret: being a doctor is terrifying. You end up in situations so crazy you can’t even imagine and you must act quickly. There’s no staring or jaw dropping or sudden paralysis. A career that starts out by asking you to take apart a human body requires some serious nerve…and that’s only the beginning! Not to mention you need to soothe the fears of others and understand them. Needles, scalpels, blood and gore is no biggie to me, but my hubby will drop like a bomb at the sight of his own blood or an uncapped syringe. Being able to resist passing out is a major plus.

10. My passion for the dark and sexy (like vampires!) led to my first novel being published by SMP.

Yes, I love writing horror, but I also love writing about love. The books I’m most invested in involve a romantic relationship with a ton of conflict (usually of the frightening variety) and after much chaos and destruction, the hero and heroine have their well-deserved HEA. Dark paranormal romance and urban fantasy became my favorite genres to read…and write! I strive to put my readers through the same rollercoaster of emotions the characters experience—terror, lust, anger, sadness, relief, and of course, happiness. I think both fear and love bring out the best and worst in us, and I try to depict those ups and downs in my work. Now that my debut novel is out in the world, I hope it’ll be something memorable, whether you love the paranormal, horror or a romance that keeps you teetering on the edge of your seat.

If you’re so inclined, check out RELEASING THE DEMONS, a dark paranormal romance, out now on Amazon! BUY LINK: http://amzn.com/B013GVCC7I

Thank you so much, Joanne, for having me on your blog! It’s been a lot of fun and I hope your readers enjoyed it too. 🙂

Bio

L.D. Rose is a neurotic physician by day, crazed writer by night, and all around wannabe superhero. She writes paranormal romance and urban fantasy, but she’s been known to delve into horror, sci-fi, and medical suspense on occasion. L.D. Rose is a member of the RWA, FF&P, NEC-RWA and CoLoNY. She currently lives in Rhode Island with her studly hubby, her hyperactive boxer, and her two devious cats.

Where to find L.D.

Interview with Jim Jackson

Posted on September 1, 2015 by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m visiting with Jim Jackson and chatting about writing and A Season for Killing Blondes.

If you have a few minutes, drop by his blog. Remember to leave a comment; you could win a free eBook.

Visiting Pure Jonel

Posted on August 30, 2015 by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m enjoying a virtual cup (glass?) of coffee with bibliophile Jonel and chatting about A Season for Killing Blondes.

Drop by her blog and visit for a while. If you leave a comment, you could win a free eBook.

Follow Your Passion!

Posted on August 28, 2015 by Joanne Guidoccio

Welcome to my Second Acts Series!

Today, we have Tina Frisco sharing the rich and varied experiences of her multi-act life.

Here’s Tina!

Thank you, Joanne, for hosting me on your Second Acts blog. I’m delighted and honored to be among so many talented artisans.

My ACT ONE began with knowing that I wanted to be a nurse at age five. Born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania USA, I attended parochial school for twelve years and academically pursued the fields of science and math. The nuns were excellent teachers, and by the time I graduated twelfth grade, I was well-prepared for further study in these areas.

Eager to leave the nest, I moved to New York to attend Nursing School. Back then, hospital-based schools were still in existence and proved to be far superior to college and university nursing programs. My class scored above all other programs in New York on our State Boards, including the Masters Programs. Needless to say, students and teachers alike were very pleased.

I worked as a nurse for many years in the areas of Med-Surg, Psychiatry, Hemodialysis, Family Planning, and Geriatrics. I’ve been a Staff Nurse, Charge Nurse, Assistant Director of Nursing (ADON), and Director of Staff Development (DSD). Seeking a greater challenge, I applied to the California State Department of Health Services for the position of Health Facilities Evaluator Nurse. These are the folks who visit hospitals, clinics, and home health agencies to evaluate their performance in adhering to state and federal guidelines. Since this was a civil service position, the candidate process took almost a year to complete. But it was well worth it; I not only was hired, but also was their first choice. I worked in the field of nursing until my mid-forties.

Music is also an integral part of my life. I received my first guitar at age fourteen and began writing songs and music. I emulated folksingers such as Joan Baez, Joni Mitchell, Judy Collins, Donovan, Tom Rush, and Gordon Lightfoot. Later on, Emmylou Harris, Cris Williamson, John Denver, and many others also became favorites. I performed publicly throughout high school and much of my adult life, both as a solo act and with others. I enjoy all genres of music, with the exception of some types of jazz.

In my early twenties, I became an animal rights activist. The practice of vivisection filled me with anger and disgust, especially since the poor creatures often were not given analgesics or anesthesia. Non-human animals are treated with little or no regard for their sentience, and I was compelled to advocate on their behalf. Ever since corporations assumed the larger part of the industry involving animal research as well as the care and raising of animals for food consumption, the emphasis is now placed on profits rather than concern for the quality of life. When great distance is placed between the steward and her/his charge, it becomes easy to objectify. Once I became aware of this, I began advocating for all beings and remain politically active to this day.

In my early thirties, I became apprenticed to a Medicine Woman. This catapulted me into the realm of spirit and solidly placed me on a spiritual path. Everything I now do derives from a depth within my heart, soul, and consciousness. Once consciousness is awakened, there’s no turning back. Many lessons are difficult and the path can be arduous at times, but the benefits reaped are priceless and enlightening.

In my mid-forties, I became quite ill with an immunologic disorder and was unable to continue working. Many years passed before the pain and fatigue lifted enough for me once again to become productive.

My ACT TWO began after watching several doomsday documentaries regarding the supposed end of the Mayan Long Count Calendar on December 21, 2012. I knew from a place deep within me that the world was not going to end on this date, and I felt compelled to put forth a message of hope into the world. I published Plateau: Beyond the Trees, Beyond 2012 in July of that year. Its underlying message is that we must keep our hearts open and act from love instead of reacting from fear; we must practice gratitude and compassion within every moment and with every breath; and in so doing, we’ll help elevate the human species to a higher consciousness, facilitating both personal and global peace.

About Plateau: W’Hyani, a fifteen-year-old tribal female, lives on a sequestered plateau where her people have little or no contact with the outside world. Born strong and willful, she is the predestined Keeper of the Crystal Heart, the key to unlocking the thousands-year-old mystery of the Great Mosaic of Life. Ignorant of her role as well as the shard’s significance, she carries it in a pouch around her neck, hidden from view and kept secret as her mother instructed before she disappeared. When cosmic forces begin testing her, W’Hyani meets every challenge with firm resolve. But ultimately she comes face-to-face with herself in a battle that would shrink the will of the most intrepid warrior, unaware that the realization of her destiny will irrevocably impact all beings on earth and beyond. The Great Mosaic of Life holds a message of hope that would allow us to see and live beyond our perceived horizons.

Last year I published my second book, Gabby and the Quads. When my niece had quadruplets, I was inspired to write a children’s book that was ethically as well as traditionally educational. For example, Gabby’s family includes two pit bulls. I explain that pit bulls are born gentle and become mean only when mistreated by humans.

About Gabby and the Quads: Gabby is an only child, and her parents are concerned about how she’ll receive four new babies into the family. They decide on a unique approach to introduce her to and help her accept this awesome experience.

I’m now writing another novel, in yet a different genre. I thought I would try my hand at writing in a genre that’s currently popular and selling well. Writing is an inherent part of who I am, and it sure would be nice to make a little money from it!

Aside from writing and music, I enjoy reading, dancing, arts and crafts, exploring nature, and getting lost in working crossword puzzles.

My advice for anyone planning to pursue a second act is the same as that which I give to aspiring authors: Follow your passion! It will lead you to your heart’s desire. And don’t be disheartened if you encounter obstacles. Give your mind a rest for a period of time. Take a walk. Listen to music. Visit with friends. You’ll be pleasantly surprised when you return to your project. Sometimes we have to take a step back in order to gain the perspective and momentum needed to move forward. And whatever you do, don’t listen to critics unless their criticism is constructive. If it is, learn from it. If it isn’t, turn a deaf ear and continue on. Above all, listen to yourself! Your intuition is your best guide.

Below are a few of my favorite quotes, the essences of which are reflected in my life’s philosophy and, thus, my writing:

“I believe that imagination is stronger than knowledge – myth is more potent than history – dreams are more powerful than facts – hope always triumphs over experience – laughter is the cure for grief – love is stronger than death.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” ~Mahatma Gandhi

“You can also commit injustice by doing nothing.” ~Marcus Aurelius

“All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.” ~Edmund Burke

“In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.” ~Martin Luther King, Jr.

“Take the breath of the new dawn and make it part of you. It will give you strength.” ~Hopi Nation

“Love is the bridge between you and everything.” ~ Rumi

Joanne, it has been a pleasure meeting you. Your generosity and support of artisans is much appreciated. I’m an optimist by nature and hope that gratitude, compassion, forgiveness, and love will imbue the current tenor of our social fabric – and prevail.

Walk in beauty, my friends…

Buy Links

Plateau – Amazon | Smashwords | Spangaloo | iTunes | EBook Universe

Gabby and the Quads – Amazon | Create Space

Where to find Tina…

Joanne here!

Tina, thanks for sharing your inspiring journey. Best of luck with all your creative endeavors.

10 Things I Do to Preserve My Mental Wellness

Posted on August 21, 2015 by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m happy to welcome life coach Catherine Simmons to the Power of 10 series. Today, Catherine is sharing her common sense approach to mental wellness.

Here’s Catherine!

1. Get enough sleep

2. Spend time with people who inspire me

3. Be true to my values

4. Be mindful

5. Think positive

6. Explore my spiritual side

7. Let go of guilt and trauma

8. Exercise

9. Eat well for who I am

10. Spend time with nature

In 2002 I was diagnosed with a mental illness and since then I’ve been on a journey of discovery. I firmly believe in recovery and that mental illness is transient. My power of 10 are the things that make the most difference in my life to keep me mentally healthy, and I know instinctively that they work for others too. They’re not rocket science, in fact these few common sense things can make more difference that you can imagine.

One thing I’ve left out, though, is the key to the rest. That one thing is a belief in self-empowerment. Taking responsibility for your own life and your own decisions is one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself. Don’t believe everything you are told. There is so much information available these days and we don’t even need to go to the library!!! It’s time we took the driver’s seat and demanded the very best quality of life we can possibly have…a change in perspective from victim of circumstance to Executive Director of our lives makes all the difference.

As Wayne Dyer said – when we change the way we look at things the things we look at change.

My purpose in life to give people hope and to support and guide them to live the lives they dream of, whatever that means to them.

To learn more about these ten things you can sign up on my website at http://happinessecret.com

Bio

Catherine has had a lifelong interest in biology and how the universe works. With a Master’s degree in molecular genetics, and over 15 years of experience in Biotech industry, she concluded that the person centered holistic view of medicine is the only real solution to healing dis-ease. Her own experience of mental illness has led her to become qualified as a practitioner in Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT tapping) and she is now studying for certification as Quantum Success Coach, where she harnesses universal laws to help people achieve their life goals. Her passion is coaching for mental wellness.

Where to find Catherine…

Facebook | Twitter

Spotlight on When Double Becomes Single

Posted on August 14, 2015 by Joanne Guidoccio

I am thrilled to spotlight Charmaine Gordon’s new release…

I wrote When Double Becomes Single because the story is very close to my heart. As a first time widow years ago, I had nowhere to turn. I dedicate this book to all widows and widowers to give them hope. Take one step and another to a new life. It’s all there. Just open your heart to find love.

Blurb

Before that awful night, Sharon Michaels had never even driven herself at night… eaten at a table for one… or made plans on her own.

Alone after losing her husband – her rock– she’s left with a business to run, a great son and his wonderful wife and children – far away in Denmark, a bad son and his nasty wife, and two teenage grandchildren she barely knows.

Step by step, she finds her way into the world of singles and learns to Survive and Thrive!

Trailer

Excerpt

The touch of her husband’s lips on hers warmed Sharon Michaels all the way home from the hospital. Remembering his whispered I love you before she left released a cascade of tears. She groped in her bag for a tissue, found none and used the sleeve of her good winter coat as a blotter. Mac would fix Barry. Their favorite doctor always knew the magical potion to apply. Even when Fred, their difficult teenager now in his thirties, started using marijuana and refused to stop, Mac knew what to do. Tough Love was the prescription. No driver’s license and other privileges allowed until he straightened out. So Barry’s bad cough should be easy like the croup. Hmm. Fred still held a grudge against us. Get home and go to sleep.

Exhausted after hours visiting with her husband at Community Hospital in Suffern, New York, Sharon stripped and pulled on flannel pajamas. Too tired to shower, she brushed her teeth, washed her face and slipped under the comforter on this chilly night. The phone rang. She picked it up. Mac Bloom, the family doctor said something she couldn’t quite hear.

“Crisis? Is that what you said? What do you mean crisis? I left him at the hospital about an hour ago. We kissed and said I love you the way we’ve always done for thirty six years.”

Their doctor for many a long time sighed. She heard urgency and sadness in his voice. “Sharon, is anyone at home with you?

Buy Links

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iTunes | Smashwords

Bio

Charmaine Gordon writes books about women who Survive and Thrive. Her motto is take one step and then another to leave your past behind and begin again. Six books and several short stories in three years, she’s always at work on the next story. The books include To Be Continued, Starting Over, Now What?, Reconstructing Charlie, Sin of Omission and The Catch, and her series of Mature Romances, The Beginning…Not the End, including the stand alone novellas, She Didn’t Say No and Farewell, Hello and her most recent series, River’s Edge Stories where the town motto is Kindness to Strangers.

“I didn’t realize at the time while working as an actor in NYC, I’d become a sponge soaking up dialogue, setting, and stage directions. I learned many tools of writing during the years watching directors like Mike Nichols and actors including Harrison Ford, Anthony Hopkins, and Billy Crystal. And would you believe, I was Geraldine Ferraro’s stand-in leg model, my first job giving me entrée into all the Unions needed to work. When the sweet time ended, I began another career and creative juices flowed.”

Where to find Charmaine…

Website | Twitter | Facebook

10 Quick Facts about Sarah Hoss

Posted on August 12, 2015 by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m happy to welcome Sarah Hoss to the Power of 10 series. Today, Sarah is sharing some of her favorite and not-so-favorite things and chatting about her new release.

Here’s Sarah!

1. Christmas

2. Scented candles

3. Fresh cut grass

4. Lightning bugs

5. Camping

1. Brussels sprouts

2. Roller coasters

3. Spiders

4. Port-a-pots

5. Cherry flavored drinks

Two Lifetimes – Two Hearts – One future, if they can only survive the past.

Blurb

Hamish Macpherson is surrounded by turmoil: an arsonist is on the loose, he’s in the middle of a feud with a local clansman, and just as he’s trying to save his sister from a burning cottage, he appears in the middle of a foreign living room three hundred years past his own time.

Gillian Meadows thinks she’s self-sufficient and can handle anything until she witnesses a murder in the alley next to an Olde City tavern. In a desperate run to escape being the next victim, she stumbles into a Wiccan store and accepts the help of the shop owner. Little does she know that one mis-spoken word of a simple incantation can change everything.

Neither world is safe, but Hamish can better protect Gillian if he returns to his own time. Gillian has no choice but to go with him if she wants to escape the danger closing in. Little do they know that his past could be the biggest threat of all to their future.

Bio

Sarah Hoss grew up believing she could try anything and if she set her mind to it, she would succeed. Sixteen years of dance lessons, Cheerleading, and school plays proved to her that her parent’s words rang true. Writing was no exception. Reading the Outlander series made her fall in love with time travels and the historical places books could take her. Always a child with a vivid imagination, she realized as an adult, she could put her imagination to good use and began writing. Marrying her very own hero, they live in Indiana in the town where she grew up. They have three beautiful children and one hyper dog. When Sarah isn’t writing, she enjoys gardening, camping, and watching her kids’ play sports.

Where to find Sarah

Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

My Writing Journey

Posted on August 11, 2015 by Joanne Guidoccio

During my high school years, I dabbled in poetry while dreams of a writing career dangled before me. But I gave in to my practical Italian side and pursued degrees in mathematics and education. While teaching was a good career fit, in my heart of hearts, I knew that I would write a novel at some point in my life. All I needed was more time and more energy.

Be careful what you wish for…

Continue reading on Tracee Ford’s blog.

Spotlight on Sophia Ryan

Posted on August 7, 2015 by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m happy to feature author Sophia Ryan and her writing journey.

Here’s Sophia!

Sometimes we choose our path. Sometimes we stumble into it. I’m of the latter group, as far as writing novels goes.

Growing up, I read, but only if there wasn’t something more fun to do. I wrote, but only if I had to. All that changed my second year in college. Not because of all the textbooks I had to read or all the papers I had to write, but because of a Harlequin romance novel.

I was home on winter break and was bored, bored, bored and (cough, cough) missing my boyfriend. After surfing through 157 channels, twice, and still finding nothing on, in desperation I rifled through my mom’s bookcase. Nothing caught my eye, but my hand seemed mysteriously drawn to a slim paperback with a red spine. I pulled it out.

The sexy half-naked cowboy on the cover locked eyes with me. I probably snickered at the cheesiness of his bare, bronzed, buff chest; the monster bulge straining the zipper of his tight and faded jeans; and the “let’s buck” grin on his hottie-oh-my-goddie face, but I didn’t put him back on the shelf. Instead, I curled up with him on the couch in the only spot of sun and read all about his passion, his flaws, his fears, and his love for the only woman in the world who could fill the empty spot in his heart. By the time I’d turned the last page, sighed, and closed the book, I had fallen in love. More than that, I had experienced a metamorphosis—I was a fan of romance novels.

You’ve heard the saying, you are what you eat? Well, my consumption of romances from that point on rewired me, and soon stories were growing inside me, pushing to get out, but I wasn’t sure how to make it happen. The ‘how’ presented itself the following semester when I signed up for a ‘writing the magazine article’ class. The assignment was to write an article for one of the magazines on the professor’s list. The magazine I chose was True Love. My professor liked my article/story and encouraged me to submit it for publication. I did. They bought it. And I found myself staring down the mouth of a new, exciting, and frightening path.

I changed my major from computer science (really, what was I thinking?!) to professional/creative writing. My professors commented on my “good voice” and “unique writing style.” I’m still not sure whether it was a compliment, but I took it as such and kept going. I also kept writing short stories, selling almost everything I wrote. After I graduated, I joined the rank and file as a corporate writer-editor. I got married. I changed jobs. Several times. I had a child. And I kept writing. I put myself through grad school on the money I made from writing short stories.

In all that time, I never thought I had it in me to write a book. When one of my long short stories (a tad over 22,000 words) was rejected for being too long and too sexy, I didn’t know what else to do with it, so I kept adding to it. Soon it was about 50,000 words. It was a book! I had written a book! Not just ‘A’ book, mind you, but a masterpiece, one filled with enough love and angst and sex to rival the Shakespeare of modern romance herself (Nora Roberts, of course). And what else does one do with a masterpiece but offer it up to the publishing gods?

Raise your hand if you know what’s coming.

Yep, I got the big R. Not just once, but again and again. And again. But I didn’t give up, and my precious little reject finally found a home. The publisher and I christened it Hot Summer Fling. (I used the pseudonym Toni Zuma because I didn’t want my grandmother to see it and know that her sweet little doodle bug knew that much about S-E-X.)

My virgin journey to publication was painful but enlightening. I learned so much, and it did get easier every time I attempted it. Today, I’ve had several books published (She Likes It Irish, Dirty Little Secret, and 6 Days of You), two will come out this year (Sin City Alibi and Only Forever), and I’m working on more.

I now live full time in the camp of those writers who say, I can’t NOT write. Even if I never sold another book, I’d still write. It’s part of who I am. It’s on my list of things-that-must-be-done-everyday, like brushing my teeth, flossing, eating, exercising. I love it, and I love the satisfying feeling of knowing I’m on the right path for me.

What about you? How did you end up on the writing path? Are you still just staring at it, afraid to take that first step into the unknown? Leave a comment below, with your email address, for a chance to win a paperback copy or a pdf copy of Dirty Little Secret. I’ll choose one winner. Good luck!

Sophia’s Books

A wager made in a moment of lust has Kristin and Sean rethinking their vows to avoid love.

Irish archaeology grad student Sean O’Neill comes to America and falls for American grad student Kristin DeMarco. Fate brings them together and tosses them into love, but it might not be strong enough to overcome the outside forces trying to pull them apart.

Kristin and Sean both carry wounds from relationships gone wrong, but a sex wager between them, made and accepted in a moment of lust, soon has them rethinking their vows to avoid love, especially when healing touches and kisses are building new ideas of how good love can be with the right person.

Angela and Nick’s secret affair could destroy everything they’ve worked for and those they love.

Angela Abbott has the best life money can buy. But that life of privilege has its rules. And rule number one is don’t fall for the bad boy from the wrong side of the tracks. Sexy, hot, dangerous Nick Spencer is everything she needs to stay away from, but the more she sneaks off to be with him, the harder she falls. She’ll do anything to keep Nick her dirty little secret.

Nick Spencer’s goal to escape the dead-end life laid out for him didn’t include a secret affair with a preppy princess in pearls and lace. But he’s fallen, and not just because of the hot sex. Angela sees him as more than just the trash across the tracks, and it’s giving him crazy ideas about being the guy who makes her dreams come true. But first he has to get her to admit they’re more than sex buddies.

When their secret comes out, Angela will have to come clean about what it is she wants most—the trappings of her privileged lifestyle, or the love of the bad boy who’s oh-so-good for her.

Lily and Daryl won’t get the fall break they hoped for, but they might get something better.

Lily’s uber-conservative boyfriend Michael finally agrees to let her visit over fall break, but only if she agrees to his no-sex rule. Unfortunately, he’s ditched her for a trip to Vail, a blizzard has hit, and she’s forced to stay the week with his grumpy, gay, totally yummy roommate. Then the heat in the building shuts down, and she discovers two things—the sexy stud keeps her hotter than any furnace, and he’s definitely not gay. No-sex rule? How about no rules?

After a bad break-up with his girlfriend, Daryl’s looking forward to a quiet week without his annoying roommate, Michael. His plans go awry when a sexy-as-sin blonde, suitcase in hand, barges in claiming to be Mike’s girlfriend. He doesn’t have the heart to tell her Mike’s away with two gorgeous redheads. And with snow piling up he can’t throw her out. He’d never move in on his roommate’s girl, but as the feisty bombshell settles in, the tiny dorm room grows smaller and certain parts of his body grow bigger. It’s going to be a hell of a long and sexy six days.

I’d love to talk with you about writing, books, or just about any other topic that’s on your mind. I have an opinion about most things and am not shy about sharing it. You can email me at sophiaryan@live.com or usually find me hanging out at one of these places:

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