March 30, 2016

I - IA Investigator Ryan Goldwyn - Deleted Scene


Donovan’s brother, Ryan Goldwyn, is a character we don’t get to meet. Before Hurricane Crimes begins he’s murdered by two corrupt cops he was investigating for drug trafficking. In Seismic Crimes, we don’t get to know him as Donovan knew him. He was Donovan’s older brother. He also acted as a father figure for him while he was growing up.

The scenes where he’s mentioned are devastating and heartbreaking because they involve death. Because of that, I’m sharing a deleted scene that takes place before Hurricane Crimes. In this scene, Ryan is alive. It begins the storyline for Hurricane Crimes and how Donovan got pulled into the mess.

DELETED SCENE:

            Donovan walked into his apartment after doing a monster truck show in Orlando. He could still hear the rowdy crowd in his ringing eardrums. Whenever a truck crushed a car or launched into the air, their screams magnified. Donovan had performed a new trick he had been testing out and was satisfied with the outcome when the roar of the crowd reached him over the growl of his truck’s engine. To finish his performance, he performed wheelies right in front of the stands, splattering the onlookers with mud. When he stopped his truck in the middle of the field, he could see people holding up their drinks and fists, blotches of mud on their faces.
            Now all Donovan wanted was to drink a beer, take a shower, and crash. He tugged open the refrigerator and selected a brown bottle. Using his shirt to twist off the cap, he took a deep pull. He was picking up the remote to turn on the TV when his phone rang. With a groan, he walked back into the kitchen and took the cordless.
            “This is Donovan.”
            “Meet me outside.”
            Donovan frowned. “Ryan?”
            “No questions over the phone,” his brother snapped. “Meet me outside.”
            The line went dead.
            Donovan sighed and took another swallow of beer before leaving his apartment. In the parking lot, he paused as he tried to locate Ryan. A flash of headlights caught his attention. His brother’s unmarked car sat several paces away, the lights off.
            “Talk about overkill,” he muttered as he went to it. He opened the passenger door, slid in, and looked at Ryan. Stubble covered his neck and face, and his hair was about an inch too long. Immediately, he sensed something was wrong. Ryan wouldn’t show up late at night, sounding anxious, looking like he hadn’t slept or bathed in days, for no reason. “What’s going on?”
            “Buckle up and don’t say a word,” Ryan said while backing the car out of the parking space.
            Donovan watched his brother from the corner of his eye. His hands were tight on the steering wheel, knuckles white. He flinched whenever a car came up behind them, and he kept inspecting the rearview mirror as if he expected someone to appear in the backseat.
         Donovan didn’t ask any questions. He stayed silent while Ryan drove to the Atlantic Ocean. He turned, heading south toward Cocoa Beach, but instead of going to the Pier, he slipped down a side road with beach access. He parked the car, cut the engine, and got out.
            Donovan followed him across the sand to the crashing waves. His thoughts pinged back and forth in his head. I haven’t seen or talked to Ryan in weeks. He was normal then. What’s happened since? Did he shoot someone while on duty? I haven’t heard anything on the news. Is he in trouble? Donovan’s heart thundered in his ears, and his palms were damp. He hated the anticipation.
            Ryan stopped a foot from the shore and turned his back to the water. “I don’t think we were followed.”
            Donovan couldn’t hold back anymore. “What the hell is going on?” The demand erupted from him before Ryan could make an attempt to say more.
             Ryan stared at him. “My house, your apartment, and my car aren’t safe. I had to bring you out here. Somewhere I could tell you everything.”
            Donovan remained silent, waiting to find out what the “everything” entailed.
            “Several months ago, I was given a case that involved missing drugs from a few departments throughout Orange County. I’ve been looking into many officers –especially two in my department; Viktor Chuman and David Buckland. Whenever they’re involved in drug busts, it seems the drugs, or most of them, go missing. They also spend a lot of time in the evidence locker where we lock up the narcotics used in sting operations. I’ve questioned them and tailed them. Their movements and their contacts are suspicious. I’ve seen Buck with a few big-time drug dealers, but I could never catch him exchanging money with them. After months of investigation, I wasn’t able to uncover any evidence to prove they were doing anything illegal. My boss told me to drop the case, but I wouldn’t.
            “I recently questioned one of the men in charge of evidence. He works the night shift. Something in his mannerisms told me he knew more than he was letting on. I applied pressure until he finally spilled. He said Chewy and Buck paid him off to keep his mouth shut about their dealings. He said they have been pilfering drugs for a year and selling it to drug dealers. I got him to sign a statement, which I promised I wouldn’t use until he was safe and I had more evidence.” Ryan turned his head, looked up and down the beach.
            Donovan looked too. He couldn’t see anyone.
            “Last week, he turned up dead,” Ryan added, his voice low.
            Donovan’s head snapped back to his brother. “They killed him?”
            Ryan nodded. “I don’t have evidence, but it’s obvious they found out he talked to me.” He met Donovan’s eyes. “I’ve been receiving death threats ever since.”
            Donovan’s jaw tightened. “What are you going to do?”
            Ryan reached behind his back. “That’s why I brought you here.” He held out a leather journal. “I need you to take this.”
            “What is it?” Donovan examined the journal.
            “It’s where I write everything I’ve ever heard or saw while on the job. Many detectives do it in case they end up needing the information again. Everything I found out about Chewy and Buck and what they’re doing is in there, including the signed statement, a log of all the threats I’ve received, and a list of other suspicious officers I believe are working with them.”
            Donovan gripped the journal. “What do you want me to do with it?”
            “I need you to hold onto it for me. If you have it, they won’t be able to find it and destroy it.”
            “Can’t you give it to your superior?”
            Ryan shook his head once. “I don’t know who I can trust.” He put his hand on Donovan’s shoulder. “I trust you with my life, Don, so you’re the only one I trust with that. Promise me you’ll hide it until I ask you for it again.”
            Donovan nodded. He would do anything for his brother. “I’ll take care of it.”


If you read all of that I'm giving you a virtual hug right now. :)



QUESTION: If you were Donovan, would you have taken Ryan's journal? Where would you have hidden it?


March 28, 2016

Writing About: Easter



I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter!


Here is another holiday not often used except, perhaps, in Christian stories, but it could be a neat holiday for children’s books and any stories that revolve around families. That’s not all though, a story featuring wiccans/pagans (witches) can also use Easter scenes because Christians and Wiccans do the same things, but for Wiccans it is for the Spring Equinox.


1. Dye Eggs

This is always an activity that kids love, so let your MC’s children get colorful fingers by dying eggs with water, vinegar and food coloring, or with paint.

2. Egg Hunt

Now have your MC and his/her spouse or bf/gf hide eggs (real and plastic) all over the house and/or outside. This could be a fun and sweet moment between your characters. Then you get to describe the shenanigans as the kids look high and low for the eggs. This really would make a cute scene. I want to write one now!

3. Easter Bunny

And of course if you’ve got kids in your story, you also need to include the Easter Bunny! The Easter Bunny brings all kinds of goodies. He’s almost as loved as Santa. So let the parents mention this furry friend and have the kids squeal with excitement when they see a carrot was devoured and treats were left. Parents can do this and also teach their kids about Jesus and the real meaning behind this day.

4. Church

Many people go to church on Easter. If your characters are religious, you can mention the Easter service they attend. Keep it short and sweet, though. Not all readers will want to read a long-winded church service scene. You could always add more to this scene, such as a romantic meeting…many couples meet at church.

5. Easter Dinner

A feast with honey-glazed ham, green bean casserole or collard greens, and yams/mashed potatoes is nice to do for a family-oriented story. Or even a romance…think: meeting the parents for the first time. This could go smoothly or be a disaster…like a Thanksgiving dinner.




QUESTIONS: I still dye Easter eggs for fun but also because I like hardboiled eggs. Do you dye eggs? Do you remember when you stopped believing in the Easter bunny? I think I was about 8 or 9. I tried hard to keep believing, though.




March 25, 2016

H - Hurricane Sabrina




I am on Unicorn Bell today with Dear Mad Writer.
Do certain things about writing/publishing make you mad?



Support my first Thunderclap Campaign! Click HERE



Hurricane Sabrina is the star of Hurricane Crimes (published 2013). The narrator (that’s me!) and my characters (Beth and Donovan) are on a first name basis with the super storm. We call her Sabrina. On occasion Beth refers to the storm as...Bitch.  Yup.

This category 5 hurricane is not only big but she’s a pain in the butt. She destroys Beth’s house, as well as many other houses, floods a lot of Florida, crashes Donovan’s car into a tree, and throws the state into utter chaos.


Excerpt:

A deep groan touched their ears and pulled their eyes to the ceiling above them. Time stalled as they listened to the creaking of the house and the monstrous moan of ninety mile-per-hour wind.

Suddenly, a transparent claw ripped away a strip of ceiling, creating a gap that wind and rain invaded. Beth’s cards flew right out of her hands and the mountain of jelly beans scattered to the ground. Donovan shot to his feet. With one hand, he grabbed the battery-operated lantern. With the other, he grasped Beth’s hand and pulled her out of her chair. The wind ate away at the ceiling and followed them as they ran down the hallway.

Donovan kicked open the bathroom door and yanked Beth inside. She hurried to the tub, stepped over the ledge, and sank into the deep porcelain ditch. The first ridiculous thought that rushed through her terrified mind was “I should’ve grabbed some jelly beans.”

He slammed the door in Sabrina’s face and locked it. After he set the lantern on the counter, he hunkered in the tub next to Beth. His arm automatically came around her, and fear had her nestling into the side of a relative stranger.

The door trembled in its frame.

On the other side, the sounds of banging and shattering was deafening as pictures crashed to the floor and items tumbled off furniture. Sabrina was ransacking Beth’s house.

“We’re going to die, aren’t we?” Beth said aloud.


To read more from Hurricane Crimes go to Amazon.




QUESTIONS: What do you think of the excerpt from Hurricane Crimes? Have you ever experienced a hurricane?


March 23, 2016

SEISMIC CRIMES Cover Reveal + Music & Words Award



I am on Unicorn Bell today with Dear Scared Writer
Do certain things about writing/publishing scare you?


Title: Seismic Crimes
Series: Disaster Crimes (Book 2)
Genre: Romantic-suspense
Format: Digital and Print
Length: 282 pages
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Cover Artist: Kim Mendoza


World Wide Release - April 22nd! 


AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER!


Support my first Thunderclap Campaign! Click HERE


BLURB:

An Internal Affairs Investigator was murdered and his brother, Donovan Goldwyn, was framed. Now Donovan is desperate to prove his innocence. And the one person who can do that is the woman who saved him from a deadly hurricane—Beth Kennedy. From the moment their fates intertwined, passion consumed him. He wants her in his arms. More, he wants her by his side in his darkest moments.

Beth Kennedy may not know everything about Donovan, but she can’t deny what she feels for him. It’s her love for him that pushes her to do whatever she has to do to help him get justice, including putting herself in a criminal’s crosshairs.

When a tip reveals the killer's location, they travel to California, but then an earthquake of catastrophic proportions separates them. As aftershocks roll the land, Beth and Donovan have to endure dangerous conditions while trying to find their way back to one another. Will they reunite and find the killer, or will they lose everything?

DIGITAL $4.99

QUESTION: What do you think of the cover?




Once accepted, the award process has five steps:

Link back to the person who nominated you
- Answer the questions with words AND music
- Pass the award to 5 bloggers who inspire you with their posts about music
- Tag your post with #MWA, for Music & Words Award so that we can all find you down the line
- Quote these 5 steps and the award icon in your post. You can display the icon on your sidebar as well.


I was given this award by Cherdo. Thank you!!!


Q1: What does music mean to you?

Music is my escape. Almost like reading can be. But for me, music sinks deeper than the words of books. It inspires me, moves me, motivates me. I listen to music whenever I am creating something artistically, whether it’s while writing or drawing a fashion design. I use music, and the many genres, to influence my mood for whatever I have to create. The first song to really sweep me away and influence my writing was this:


Q2: What is your first music-related memory?

Sitting in the backseat of my mom’s car, driving somewhere in our relatively empty city (it had just started growing at the time), probably getting groceries or going to the library, and listening to the radio. Whenever I hear Celine Dion’s song The Power of Love, this brief memory pops up. It’s so simple and yet it makes me smile.


Q3: What was the first album you’ve purchased yourself?

When I was younger, I didn’t purchase albums because I didn’t have the money. The few I got when I was younger was purchased by my parents. The first album I bought and remember being so excited about came much later and was A Beautiful Lie by 30 Seconds to Mars. This song is the one that sold me on this band:


Q4: What was the latest music you purchased? (No online streaming or free downloads, I’m talking about cash here!)

1000 Forms of Fear by Sia. I listened to all of the songs on that album on Spotify, which was free for me to do. I even saved each song on my account, but I loved the album so much that I bought it. I usually don’t buy an album these days unless the music really speaks to me. Here’s a live version of the song that started it:


Q5: Which song did you listen to last? (No cheating, come out with the dirty pleasures!)

I had to check Spotify for this answer and it said: How Could an Angel Break My Heart by Charice



My Nominations:




March 21, 2016

Diet and Food - Character ER



Something that writers don’t often think about is their character’s diet. But why not? Food is a big part of our lives. We need it to survive. We eat an average of three meals a day with mid-day and nightly snacks.

I’m sure your characters have eaten something during the course of your story. If they haven’t, give them a sandwich because they are starving! :P With that said, you don’t have to be so diligent as to describe each and every meal. That would be overkill, but an occasional breakfast, lunch or dinner date would be nice. And some readers actually really enjoy reading descriptions of food. I am one of them.

One thing I wanted to discuss was vegetarians (a person who doesn’t eat meat) and vegans (a person who doesn’t eat meat or diary including milk and cheese). I have never come across a vegetarian or vegan character. I’m sure there are some out there but I haven’t found them.

When I became a vegetarian, I turned Avrianna Heavenborn (introduced in Ghost of Death and the MC in my unpublished series) into a vegetarian. I did it because she took after me in many ways and I wanted her to be different from all the other characters out there.

Now you don’t have to have a vegetarian or vegan character in your book just because I say so. In fact, there are many other diets out there that your characters could have instead such as: diabetic, glutton-free, Kosher, Weight Watchers, high protein, no-carb, detox diets, and juicing.

Then there is specific diets for certain religions such as Hindu and Buddhist, fasting for a medical procedure or Ramadan, and Lent. A character could give up something they love such as chocolate coffee for Lent.

You don’t even have to use a diet like these but simply talk about what your character eats. Maybe your MC has a craving for cheesecake or has a fetish for orange soda.

Including a diet can make your character different, and talking about what your character likes to eat can add something fun to your story.

Taking this a step further...if you have zombies in your story then right about that cannibalism. Yum?




QUESTIONS: Have any of your characters had a specific diet or fetish for a food or drink? As a reader, do you like food descriptions? 



March 18, 2016

Blogger Interview with Jeffrey Scott




Today I’m welcoming Jeffrey Scott to Write with Fey. He’s telling us about his R.A.N.T. feature and Titanic. Sit back and hang out with us for a while. :)


1. What is your blog feature R.A.N.T.? How did it start and how can people join in on the fun?

R.A.N.T. (Rage Against Nothing, Typically) was started in 2004. I maintained my own website and for a few weeks, tried something new. I would rant about something in my forum and asked who else felt the same. With little to no replies, I gave up. Fast forward to 2005 when I messed with Myspace. It had a blogging feature which I toyed with briefly and did a few rant style short posts. This (in a way) drew me to the blogging world. In 2008, I finally did so. I began with the rant feature once more, but I started blogging so much about other things, it fell by the wayside. I was also writing Doctor Who and Biggest Loser episode reviews. 

Finally, in 2012 I broke my blog into three separate entities and I once more picked up the rant feature. Unlike the first few attempts, this one stuck and I’ve been continuing my r.a.n.t. feature to this day. For the time being, it’s a monthly feature rather than weekly, but I welcome any who wish to participate in one or more months to follow along. I rant on the second Monday of the month. I try to keep my ranting lighthearted and whimsical if possible. Full details can be found on my blog under the R.a.n.t. tab, along with my archive of past rants. i.e. (Super Bowl commercials, TV shows jumping the shark, Stores selling ground coffee).


2. I participated this past Monday. :) What was your very first blog post? 

Armadillo Walkers – It was a rant about people who walk into the street as you are driving past them.

3. You’ve visited the Titanic Experience in Belfast and blogged about your experience. Tell us about your fascination with this fated ship.

I’ve always loved learning about histories tragic events. None have fascinated me more than the Titanic. I could, and have, spent hours researching. I’m not sure why exactly. Perhaps because I think the majority of the suffering could have been avoided and I wonder how I would have reacted in the same situation. The stories of how different ones survived or perished in the experience are fascinating. Would I have been one to play an instrument as the ship sank or would I be first in line for a lifeboat? Knowing most lifeboats departed without being filled to capacity still amazes me to this day. When I was 13, I wrote a short story called The Titanic 2, it also sank, but because of an alien invasion.

4. An alien invasion sank the Titanic? Nice! You’re a member of Battle of the Bands and always have interesting matchups. Which of your battles has received the most feedback?

My battles have been a mix of just about every genre; jazz, reggae, country, top 40, 80’s, and such. However, the one most viewed and has received the most comments was one I did on early morning super hero cartoon shows of my youth.

5. What are the top 5 most-viewed posts on your blog? 

My evening with Diana Krall – Concert photos.

Early in my blogs history, I was doing CD reviews.

One of a few poems I wrote about an unrequited love.

Selected photos from my solo European vacation.

Another in my series of CD reviews.

6. Share your number one tip to bloggers just starting out.

Advertise, advertise, advertise. If you are looking for readers and want a successful blog, you need to reach out to others and let them know your blog is active. This means you need to visit other blogs, reply to comments and get involved in the blogging community. Blog hops are a great way to meet new bloggers. You are also going to need patience. Nothing happens overnight. When I first started blogging, I received little to no traffic. Only after a joined a few blog hops and became a regular reader and commenter to other blogs did I start seeing traffic. 


Hyper Round:

1. Favorite time to post blogs? Early morning.

2. Blogger or Wordpress? Blogger

3. Do you host guests? Yes

4. Where are you when you’re blogging?  Airport, coffee shop or recliner at home.


BIO:

Jeffrey Scott has lived in Milwaukee Wisconsin his entire life. He is divorced with two children, both of whom have already moved out. This leaves much time to pursue his interests which include writing, photography, music, travel, poetry and comedy. His dominant interest is writing. Besides blogging, Jeff has kept a personal journal since 1984.

In High School, Jeffrey wrote a YA series of eight short stories that he passed around to his friends. Though they all seemed to enjoy reading it, he never sought out the possibility of having it published. Now, nearly 30 years later, Jeffrey has returned to the series to update, drastically rewrite and possibly have it published.

LINKS:
Twitter: Twitter: @Jeffrey__Scott 
Note: That is 2 underscores not one.


Thank you for chatting with me, Jeffrey!

Please leave a comment for Jeffrey! :)


March 16, 2016

G – Google as a Writing Tool





No, Google is not a writing mentor.

No, Google is not Stephen King.

No, Google is not a best-seller How-to book.

But…Google has an infinite supply of knowledge (thanks to blogs and websites) and much of it from professionals in their subjects

I use Google all the time when I need info fast. For the things I need to extensively research I use both books and Google. But Internet research is still my first option as long as I double check all resources to make sure they are accurate.


I’ve shared a list of my Internet searches before but this is the complete list for the Disaster Crimes series (so far):

SEISMIC CRIMES:
1. California
2. San Francisco
3. Earthquakes
4. Self-defense moves
5. Monster truck driving
6. How to do doughnuts
7. China Town
8. China Town Gate
9. Kung Chow Temple
10. Dim Sum
11. Golden Gate Park
12. Cable Cars
13. Chanel No5
14. Eggs Benedict
15. High Striker game

BOOK 3:
1. Hawaii/Oahu
2. Places to get married in Orlando
3. Kraft Azalea Gardens
4. Surfing
5. Surf terms
6. Diamond Head
7. USS Arizona Memorial
8. Ala Moana Mall
9. Shoulder gunshot wound
10. American Red Cross


QUESTION: What are you Googled for (writing) research?


March 14, 2016

Writing About: St. Patrick's Day + R.A.N.T.



Not many writers think about including St. Patrick’s Day into their stories. But your characters don’t need to be Irish for them to have a little fun on St. Patrick’s Day. Throw this holiday in for a quick reprieve for your characters in a mystery/thriller to step away from their cases to have a pint of green beer. Or it could be a fun date for a couple in a romance story.


Here are a few things you can add to your St. Patrick’s Day scene:

1. Wear Green

I still wear green on St. Patrick’s Day and your MC can do the same. Picture a strong woman wearing a green dress and black pumps to the office. I’d want to be her! Or a well-dressed man with a shamrock tie. I’d like to know him! So show your readers how your characters got into the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day.

2. Green Beer

Let your characters kick back with a mug of green beer. This could give them a nice break from a work or be a good bonding opportunity for two of your characters to get to know each other.

3. Cabbage and Corned Beef

This is a traditional meal for St. Patrick’s Day and would go perfect with that green beer. Give your characters in your romance a good dinner date.

4. Kiss me, I’m Irish!

Here is a great opportunity for a couple to get passionate. One kiss could lead to a lot more. If you take this idea a little further, you could turn it into a morbid trademark for a murderer.

5. Festivals

Many states and countries hold St. Patrick’s Day festivals with drinking, food, green face paint, and beads. A festival like this would be fun for a NA novel for college friends to have a good time. It could also be a crime scene....


Did you know...?

The Chicago River is dyed green every year for St. Patrick's Day.


QUESTIONS: Do you wear green on St. Patrick’s Day? Are you Irish? 



My R.A.N.T. today has to do with the Oscars. 

I do like to watch the Oscars. I'm one of those people who usually gets inspired when I see actors (or even singers) win awards for their talent and hard work; it makes me want to have that one day. Except, as an author that won't happen. I know there are book awards, but they aren't televised. And so many books these days are made into movies, but do the authors get any recognition for having created the story and characters in the first place? The only time I ever saw that happen was with J.K. Rowling and Stephanie Meyer. 


I've seen many awards, hoping someone would thank the writer who wrote the book these movies were adapted from and...nothing. Well, that's not entirely true. I don't remember who it was or what movie it was for but one guy said something like, "And thanks to the guy who wrote the book." WHAT? You don't know his name? You wouldn't have received this award if he hadn't written the book, BUD! It's disappointing. To this day, writers aren't getting the acknowledgement they should.



Don't get me started about the fact that the nominated movies are ones that hardly any one goes to see. What about the movies that are at the top of the Box Office Charts throughout the year? 


March 11, 2016

What Would You Do...? (Part 2)



Every once in a while I’m doing something a little different. This is a "What Would You Do?" feature. I’m asking a question related to one of my books and I might do something with your answers. :)

You can give me realistic answers or silly answers.

To answer the first question click: What Would You Do...? (Part 1)

The second question relates to Ghost of Death.



Blurb:

Jolie Montgomery, a twenty-one-year-old woman, wakes up in an alley next to her corpse. She has no memories of her murder or the night she died. She didn’t even see the killer’s face before he or she took her life. Wanting justice, Jolie seeks answers in the only way a ghost can...by stalking the lead detective on the case.

Avrianna Heavenborn is determined to find the person responsible for a young woman’s death. She gets closer to the killer’s identity with every clue she uncovers, and Jolie is with her every step of the way.

But if they don’t solve her murder soon, Jolie will be an earth-bound spirit forever.


QUESTION: Imagine waking up next to your corpse, like Jolie in Ghost of Death, and finding out you’re a ghost. What would you do?


A few more questions to help you:
-       Is there a person or place you’d visit?
-       Any unfinished business you’d try to take care of?
-       Would you look into your death?



Leave your answer and invite others to leave their answer. :)