Mystery & Mayhem with Lorraine Adair

Thank you all for putting up with my melancholy, last week. We're all doing better now, but still miss the boy incredibly. Thanks to those of you who reached out with warm thoughts. And now...on with the show.

A Stuck Record

Yeah, yeah! I know I always say it, but I am truly excited to bring you this week's author. Lorraine was one those 'true fans' writers adore. She read my books, and without my knowledge or request, she posted links to them on Twitter, touting her 5 star review. I had to send her my thanks. We began corresponding and soon became friends. Then, I read her book, Ambient Light. I was blown away. This was Lorraine's first book, but she writes like a seasoned pro, so of course, I had to share her with you. 

 

LORRAINE ADAIR 

Lorraine, welcome to Dream Weaver Novels on Blogger. I'm excited to have you here today and share you with readers. Tell us a little about yourself - where you're from....

I'm a native Oregonian and I live in my hometown, Eugene. I left for a while in my late teens, early twenties. But it is true, there's no place like home. My husband wants to move to Eastern Oregon when he retires. We'll see. We love our furry friends and currently have five cats and one small dog, an elderly Pomeranian. 

I know you use a pen name. How and why did you decide to use one?

There were several reasons, but the most compelling reason was a published author already out there with my real name. She writes children's education books. I didn't want to confuse the readers, so I used my middle name and my husband's middle name.

I am a HUGE fan of your book and gave it two big thumbs up and five shiny stars. Tell readers about your book, Ambient Light. 

I started out to write a Cozy Mystery. I wanted to write one where nobody dies. Turns out I couldn't do either. Ambient Light turned into a thriller. Though no one dies during the time frame of the story, the bad guy has a couple of skeletons tucked away. I spent about three weeks researching all the law enforcement details. I learned far more than I used, but I feel good about those scenes. They are very realistic for the Eugene Police Department. I had fun writing the story, but writing the bad guy was the most fun of all. He evolved a lot as the story progressed. I had to rewrite the first chapter as the original made him look too nice, less devious and calculating.

Personally, I'm chomping at the bit to read more of your work. Can you tell us what you're working on next? 

I have several projects in the works, in varying stages of completion. There's a second book in the Angel McKenzie Thriller Series, the first in a Contemporary Romance series set in a fictitious town on the Oregon Coast, and a Regency Romance series tentatively labeled The House of Warrick Series. However, the next book to be published will be a Prequel to Ambient Light. I wrote the first draft last month while participating in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). I need to do some significant revisions, but I'm hoping to complete it in December. It's all about Jason Dalton, years before he meets Angel McKenzie.

What is the most important thing you've learned that you would share with new indie authors? Any great websites? 

Keep writing, keep publishing. One book will not make you a best selling author. It's also important to have a good story. Readers will forgive a few mistakes if the story is compelling enough. In spite of that, you should always pay a professional to edit your book. They won't find everything, but a fresh set of eyes on the manuscript will find more mistakes, including things you didn't realize were wrong. Last but not least, a good genre-appropriate cover is a must. Something to catch the eye as readers are looking at a long list of potential books to buy.

Websites? I have a few dozen bookmarked. The one I refer to more than any other, though, is a page on writing numbers in fiction: The Editor's Blog: Writing Numbers in Fiction.

What traditional authors have inspired you to write? 

I was inspired to write by the success of a friend who'd turned from Internet Marketing to writing for Kindle, (Leighann Dobbs.) Authors who have influenced my writing style most recently are in the Fantasy genre: Brandon Sanderson, Brent Weeks, Patrick Rothfuss, Terry Brooks, and of course, J.R.R. Tolkien.

Any indies you'd like to give a shout out to? 

Well, the Dream Weaver Series by you, of course. The story is dark, but compelling. It was not easy being patient waiting for the third book. I'm also quite impressed with Tamie Dearen. Her fantasy Alora has the heart and soul of traditional fantasy books, if not the huge number of pages. I'm eagerly, and impatiently, waiting for the next book.

Thanks for the shout out, Lorraine! OK, I like to keep interviews relatively short and add a little fun at the end, so...If I gave you a piece of drift wood, a feather and a pocket watch, what kind of story would you write? You can even give it title if you want. 

A romance, probably contemporary. It would be an older couple, sweethearts in their youth, torn apart by circumstances, reunited for a second chance on their first love. "November's Song." You realize, now I have to write that story…

Of course. I aim to inspire. If your book was made into a movie, who would be in your dream cast?

She's adorable, right?

Hot & bad ass! Awesome!

That's easy! 

Angel McKenzie - Zooey Deschanel

Jason Dalton - Chris Hemsworth

David Santoro - Joe Manganiello

Connie Garcia - Eva Mendez

Though, I never cast the bad guy in my mind… I wonder why…

 

While writing, silence or music? Why? If music, what do you listen to? 

Silence. I'm too easily distracted. It's hard to write when I'm singing along, trying to remember the words. 

Me too. I can listen to just music, but if there's lyrics, I'm just too distracted. Thank you so much for visiting us here at Dream Weaver Novels. We look forward to hearing more about you and your books in the future. 

Thank you for inviting me. It was an honor to be interviewed.

So there you have it. Miss Lorraine Adair. I hope you'll all go check out her book Ambient Light. It's so worth it!

Mock-up of Gate of Erebus cover

OH! I almost forgot!

Coming soon from Dream Weaver Novels...Gates of Erebus: A Dark Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Paranormal Anthology with short stories from authors from around the world. You'll meet some new and brilliant writers, as well as a few who've been featured here. It has truly been my honor to work to with such amazing writers. As well, all of them have graciously agreed to donate their earnings to a global charity. Our first recipient is Reading is Fundamental. Makes sense, right?

Thank you, as always, for stopping by to chat. If you have a question for Lorraine, or myself, please feel free to leave it in the comments below. And since the Christmas holidays are looming, I wish you all the best and blessed holidays ever! 

And as always...

Dare to Dream!

Su

Darkness Falls on Dream Weaver Novels

Hi all. Normally, I have a chipper note or a fun interview for you. And I know that a lot of you who check in here are true fans of my books. Out of all my characters, the one with the most fan response has been the little beagle pup, Eddyson. 

So, it is with a heavy heart that I share this sad news with family, friends and fans of Dream Weaver Novels. The beagle pup in the books, Eddyson, was largely based on my own sweet boy Dyson. Eddy and Dyson (notice the overlap of their names) kind of grew up together and I tried to weave the antics of the real pup into the fictional one.
All that said to say this: I posted on Facebook several weeks ago that Dyson was diagnosed with stage 3 lymphoma. We dosed him with prednisone twice a day, and originally, the meds worked and reduced the size of the lymph nodes in his neck. Unfortunately, the steroids aren't a cure and even chemo in dogs is not a guarantee. The nodes again began to swell, and it became obvious the boy was in pain. I promised him when he was diagnosed that I would not let him suffer, no matter how much it broke my heart. So after a rough sleepless night for both of us, I decided I had to be brave and keep my promise to my puppa love. The vet confirmed I'd made the right decision, and five minutes later my beautiful boy rested his head on his paws, breathed his last, and grew incredibly still. It was so fast. The vet allowed us to stay with him, love on him, anoint his coat with our tears and whisper all the precious words he already knew.
 

**I love you puppadoo. And I miss you already. Thank you for saving me.**

IN LOVING MEMORY OF THE BEST DOG IN THE WORLD! EVER!

As always...Dare to Dream!
Su

WHAT'S IN A NAME?

Cue Jeopardy Music...

Doo doo, doo doo, doo doo doo....OK so I'm just being a little silly. But don't we all sometimes need a little silliness in our day to cut through the boredom or anxiety? Even the Bible tells us "A merry heart does good like a medicine." Don't believe in God or the Bible? How about "Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face." (Victor Hugo) Or "A day without laughter is a day wasted." (Charlie Chaplin) So laugh away!

I Know Why You're Here

After recoloration, this was the base image for Rock Star

I know most of you who drop by are here to read about a new indie author and their books. And occasionally I give you the run down on a great site I found for indie authors - like Grammarly.com. I featured today's site once before, but I'm so pleased with them, I had to give them another shout out. Of course, the site is Dollar Photo Club. I joined the Club about three months ago. After a week, I signed up to be an ambassador for them. After two weeks, I did a full feature on their site. So yes, I do absolutely love Dollar Photo Club. But rather than blathering on about them, I thought I'd just show you the awesome images I've downloaded from their site, and tell you where I've used them. So here goes....

Recolored & used over Rock Star image

Used in Facebook posts & Tweets

I used two different art programs to recolor and change the opacity of the images so they would fit into the Dream Weaver brand. I have to chuckle a little. I got a message from someone on Twitter, asking me why I had to use 'demonic' imagery in my tweets. Um...huh? Do you think the image above of the skull is demonic? I just thought it was a cool rock n roll image. Went great with my character and the story.

This one was cropped and used on Breaking Normal

Em's original bad-assery on the Breaking Normal cover

For a little game I like to play called Flash Reviews

I know, a little out of character for me. For Sunshine & Daisies

Top Notch

As you can see, the images are diverse and all very high quality. And their name means exactly what it says: Dollar Photo Club. When you join for $10/month, you get 10 downloads. And even if you don't use your downloads each month, you still get to keep them. As well, if you decide it's just not in your budget anymore but you still have downloads, they will still let you use your downloads. Pretty cool huh?

Down To The Brass Tax

I have never been one to jump on a bandwagon and blather on about a bunch of different places, people and things. But when I do find a site that I am thoroughly impressed with, I have to shout it from the mountain tops. And Dollar is one of those sites. 

So if you're an indie author, a book cover designer, or just want to spice up your social media with professional and totally cool images, I encourage you to check out Dollar Photo Club.

DOLLAR PHOTO CLUB

I hope you're all having a wondermous day! Coming soon...Miss Lorraine Adair!

As always...

Dare to Dream!

Su

DID YOU GET YOURS YET?

We interrupt the regularly scheduled interviews, for this brief announcement! 

I know quite a few of my regular readers have already gotten copies of my Dream Weaver Novels. But just in case you're new here, or haven't had the chance to get copies, I have a FREE promo going thru Nov. 18. Here's the info:  

Dream Weaver Novels is offering the first two books in the Dream Weaver Series, Dream Weaver (now an International Book Award WINNER!) & Rock Star, for FREE November 14-18. AND… the full trilogy, all 3 books in one, is also FREE!

Vampires sparkled through the spotlight. Then the zombies shambled through. Now it’s time for a new paranormal. The Dream Weaver Trilogy is a dark romance, action/adventure thriller and survival story of mind-benders and mind-jackers; a dark science fiction meets YA romance with a little tragic style. An absolute must read! A deep and wild, dark novel!

 
Dream Weaver

Rock Star

Full Trilogy

UK LINKS

Dream Weaver

Rock Star

Trilogy

 

Here's a little more info too, if you need it:

Nickolas Benedetti is a Dream Weaver - an ancient, arcane and almost immortal race, descended from angels, with the power to command memories and dreams. Nick plunges heart-first into Emari Sweet's tragedy-torn life to rescue her from the night terrors that stalk her after the death of her parents and brutal assault. But, can he save her from the living, breathing nightmares that have followed him to her doorstep? 

In ROCK STAR Emari lives the dream of being a rock star in an elaborate memory weave created by Dream Weaver Sabre James; and faces her own mortality at the hands of Sabre's longtime nemesis bent on vengeance for the death of his beloved sister. Immortality and magic unearth treasures and secrets that some would rather keep buried. And the biggest secret of all could destroy everything.

 

In BREAKING NORMAL, Does 'normal' even exist for Emari Sweet anymore? Normal is all she's wanted since the death of her parents, but with the Wraith, Thomas, out for her blood, and the betrayal of Nick, Em doesn't see normal returning any time soon. Will her relationship with Nick survive? And will any of them survive the destruction of the malevolent Nightmare Wraith? 

Check back next week for my interview with the phenomenal Miss Lorraine Adair. Her first novel, Ambient Light is so good, you won't believe it's a first novel. Yeah, that good!

So, please help share this news and I'll chat with ya'all very soon!

And as always...

Dare to Dream!

Su 

WHO'S YOUR TOP REFERRING SITE?

Happy Fall, Everyone!

I know I said that last time, but I am still, and hope to always be, fascinated with the beauty of Autumn. I ask myself how I can paint a picture of words to describe the colors, the weather, the starkness that heralds winter. Because, isn't that the job of a writer? To paint a picture with words? And sometimes, I have to wonder if Fall appeals to my dark side as trees and flowers turn skeletal and dark. Any of you got any great word pictures of Fall? We'd love to hear them! Leave a comment below.

This Week's Guest

Close to 2 years ago, I posted an interview on Dayna L Cheser's blog, and to this day, that site is my biggest referral site here to Dream Weaver Novels on Blogger. I messaged Dayna to say 'thanks' and we struck up a convo and I decided to introduce her to my readers. Fair warning! This interview is chock full of pics and links to great sites. So, here she is....

  

INTERVIEW WITH DAYNA LEIGH CHESER

Dayna Leigh Cheser hails from a family of writers; her mother, a non-fiction writer, and her brothers, a newspaperman, and a copywriter. While she has many passions, her first love has always been books, which evolved into writing.  Much of her young life was spent in the town library, and her parents despaired her being an under-the-covers-at-night-with-a-flashlight reader.

A casual writer since childhood, it wasn’t until 2002 that she was driven to finally write a book. On a ‘graveyard shift’ shift for eighteen months, she had the time to write for several hours every night. The result was her first book. Today, with three books published and two more in the series due out soon, she’s busy all the time.

Hi Dayna!

Welcome to Dream Weaver Novels!

I’m so happy to be here, thanks for inviting me.

Tell us about your books.

I have 5 books – 3 are published and the other 2 are WIPs (that's Work In Progress).

Janelle’s Time, published in 2012, is the story of Janelle, a young woman in south-central New Hampshire in 1830, who loses her father in a logging accident, and gains a suitor in rapid succession.  It’s the story of their courtship and eventual marriage – but with a host of problems dogging them every step of the way.  From a devastating family secret, to kidnapping and murder attempts, to amnesia, and questioned parentage, it doesn’t look good for the survival of their relationship.(Warning: ‘hot’)

Moria’s Time, published in 2013, is the story of one of Richard and Janelle’s twin daughters, a child, the subject of a vision, will travel far, to a dangerous place and do amazing things.  In the end, she lives the vision, and finds a great love along the way. 

I also introduced 5 real-life historical characters.  Four of the 5 had to be in London at the same time to interact with Moria and her family. Moria’s twin, Adelle, shares the book as they shared their childhood.  As a child, Adelle was a real challenge to Richard and Janelle. 

Adelle’s Time, published in 2014, is the story of Moria’s twin from the time, as young adults, when their life’s paths diverged.  A horrible child, Adelle grew into herself when punished for misdeeds by working in a local orphanage. In time, she became as wonderful a person in her own right as her younger sister.  Married in a double wedding to their respective spouses, Moria and Adelle make an impact on the lives of many people, in very different ways.

Logan’s Time, not published yet, is a spinoff of Janelle’s Time.  In book 1, Logan crashes Richard and Janelle’s wedding with revenge on his mind for a perceived wrong, but ends up a husband himself. I don’t yet know how it ends.

Clarissa’s Time, not published yet, is the story of Logan’s oldest daughter, Clarissa, and Janelle’s oldest son, Damian Gerard, who marry in Scotland.  Damian Gerard, is an Army officer, stationed in Washington, DC.  Clarissa willingly gives up her Scots peerage and moves to America. As with Logan’s Time, I don’t yet know how it all ends.

Note: FREE CHAPTERS for all 5 books, including the two that haven’t been published yet, are available on my site.  Click on CHAPTERS and have a ball!

Who are your favorite authors/books?

The ones who have influenced my writing the most (and are my favorites) are Bertrice Small (any of her books, but especially the Skye O’Malley series), Lynn Kurland (time-travel romance), early Karen Marie Moning (time travel romance), Jean Auel (the concept of the alpha-female), and others.  I’ve read many, many other fine authors over the years - and a few duds. I’ll read almost anything...but I’m really not keen on horror.

What was one of the most surprising/important things you learned while writing your books?

Even as a child, I dreamed of being a published author, but I never knew that it wasn’t just sitting down and writing a book.  There’s so much more to the process.  My decision to actually write was many years in the making.  Then, I wrote a book and shelved it – for many more years.  It wasn’t until I retired that I got serious about being a published writer. 

What was a surprise was that the actual writing is almost a minor part of it.  There’s all the research (which I enjoy), there’s working with the editor (which I also enjoy – go figure!), there’s the publishing (which in my case is assisted self-publishing), and, last but not least, there’s the dreaded marketing – doing whatever I can to get the word out – on a retiree’s limited income. As a hearing-impaired introvert, this part of publishing is difficult for me.

I know you use a pen name, why did you chose to use it? And how did you decide what name to use? 

I’m asked this question often.  In my case, it’s not a vanity or privacy thing.  My real name – Julie Jordan – is also the name of the main character in the Broadway play, Carousel.  That means the potential for a trademark/copyright lawsuit would always be hanging over my head, if not with the current owners, then possibly with heirs down the road, so I proactively decided to use a pen name.  Before I made the final decision, I googled my choice -  ‘Dayna Leigh Cheser’ - and came up with nothing, which is exactly what I wanted!  Now, if someone googles my name to test it for herself, however unlikely, she’ll opt for another name.

The name itself is simply a pair of common names – Dana and Lee – with alternate spellings – Dayna Leigh.  The Cheser was the result of several hours on the US Census Bureau website, looking for a name near the beginning of the alphabet, short and simple, and not heavily used.
My goodness! You put a lot of work into deciding your pen name. I just used my nickname (Su, without an 'E', because why would you add an 'E' when there isn't one in Susan?) and my maiden name. My husband and I aren't attached to his last name...it's an adopted name. So he writes under his former/birth name, Goodwin. And I write under my maiden name, Williams. Any suggestions for beginning writers?

Two things come to mind. 

1) Patience.  Writing a book takes time.  Some writers can crank out multiple books per year but to do it right (and still have a life away from writing), it will take the better part of a year – or maybe even longer – to publish a book. 

A notable extreme is Author Jean Auel (The Clan of the Cave Bear series).  Her

 6 books took her 30 years or so to produce because of her research.   She went on archeological digs in Eastern Europe and France, and spent months living the way Ayla lived.  The result is a wonderful, fictional study on life in Europe in prehistoric times.  Oh dear! I may have to read these, now!

Few writers can produce a quality book by sitting down before lunch to write it and publishing it before bedtime!  Patience is a virtue in life, but especially in the life of a writer. 

I completely agree. I believe if an indie author wants to birth a book into the world, they should go through the full gestation and labor process before they do.

 

2) After editing, set the completed book aside for a while.  Then, after a couple of weeks or more, use a reading program (I use TextAloud) where the computer reads the book to you.  Listen carefully to the book.  I guarantee you will make lots of corrections and changes.  You can read it to yourself, but after about 75,000 words, your voice will give out!

I read that advice in Elizabeth Lyon's Manuscript Makeover, too...er, at least I think it was her book. At any rate, it's an AWESOME book for editing. A writer can learn a lot by simply recording their manuscript aloud and listening to it. If it sounds jerky and uncomfortable to listen to, it's going to read that way too.
So, what's your next big thing?

After a 4-month hiatus (my husband and I moved from Naples to Lake Placid, FL, and then I had to catch up), I’m now back to work on book 4 of my series – Logan’s Time.  This is the story of Logan Conor, the Scots Duke of Muileach, which starts 30 years before Janelle’s Time (book 1).  It’s a spinoff, rather than a sequel.  I’d worked on this book sporadically over the past 3 years, but there are a lot of changes and improvements I want to incorporate so it will take a while to complete.  I’m hoping to publish in the spring of 2015. After that, book 5, Clarissa’s Time, will finish the series.

It’s going to be hard to say good-bye to this cast of characters many of whom entered my life over 10 years ago.  I expect I’ll feel a big loss for a while. So. I’ll get busy on my next project.

I like to keep interviews short, and add some fun at the end!
What are your hobbies?

Other than writing, I’m an avid reader.  I enjoy sewing (I just finished the curtains and dinette seat covers for a motor home we’re restoring and selling), other crafts, cooking … if it sounds like I’m a typical 50s or 60s housewife, that’s right!  

On the flip side, I’m the webmaster of a 36 page website, DaynaLCheser.com, which has been a challenge that I really have enjoyed.  On my website, which I created in September of 2012, after 2 years running ‘A Place for Writers’, visitors will find my blog, ‘Posts by Dayna’, plus, I now have 3 sets of questions for people to do their own author interviews.  When they hit submit, the interview comes to me via email and I create a blog post of it.  And, I have a brand new feature – “Reviews by Dayna".  I had avoided doing reviews because of nightmares about school book reports, but I’ve finally capitulated and have started doing reviews.

I also like hanging out on the computer – making friends on Twitter, Facebook, and elsewhere, and keeping in touch with friends and family on email.  I recently upgraded to an iPhone so I’m having fun learning the ins and outs of that, as well as reading on that and my Kindle. 

In short, I’m busier now than I ever was when I was working.  LOL

If you just won the multi-million dollar lottery, what's the first thing you would buy?

I’ve never had a lot of money, and I’ve read the horror stories about folks who win the lottery and, in a few short years, file for bankruptcy.  As a winner, I’d make sure we had enough to enjoy our retirement, and share some with our families, but the bulk of it would go into a foundation where we can help other people.  I’d like to encourage reading in some way, so I’d likely partner with publishers to provide books to schools and libraries for free, or maybe build libraries in poor countries and provide reading teachers.  Of course, it would depend on how much I won … and, of course, I’d have to actually buy lottery tickets in order to have a chance at winning. 

Tell us something weird or quirky about yourself. And what absolutely drives you nuts?

At the risk of starting a war on your site, I have to say that the politics in this country really gets to me.  I’m a firm believer that everyone should be involved in, and be informed about, what’s going on in our country politically.  Too many politicians are getting away with too much and it’s hurting the country and the people.  There are times when I just want to knock some heads (not that I ever would – that’s not me). 

It’s us – ‘We the People’ – who are the government, not the people in Congress.  The President and Congress are there because we put them there and they work for us!  They are supposed to do what we want, not what’s best for them, personally, or their buddies!

Too many people don’t know who their representatives are in the House or the Senate.  Too many people have no idea what’s going on in the country.  And, too many people don’t vote! 

Oh, sister! Shout it! 

Just for fun…I'm doing some research for my next book...a devolution zombie story. So, if you survived the zombie apocalypse, what one thing would you miss the most?

If the TV show, ‘TheWalking Dead’ is anything at all what life would be like after a zombie apocalypse, well, I can safely say I’d miss just about everything, including personal safety. I’d really not want to be someone’s lunch, and/or inflict any harm, thank you very much.

But, personally, what would I miss the most … one single thing?  Electricity. With that, so many things are possible – without it …

Thank you for visiting us here on Dream Weaver Novels.

You’re very welcome.  It’s been a lot of fun.

Links for Dayna Leigh Cheser 

The Historical Romance 'TIME Series'
Janelle's Time, Moria's Time, Adelle's Time,

Coming soon: Logan’s Time & Clarissa’s Time

Twitter - https://twitter.com/Writers_Cafe

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/AuthorDaynaLeighCheser

Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/DaynaLC

Find my books at: Amazon - http://bit.ly/DLC-Amazon

Barnes & Noble - http://bit.ly/DLC-BandN

Kobo - http://bit.ly/DLC-Kobo

Books-A-Million - http://bit.ly/DLC-BAM

And many other fine book retailers

Thanks to the readers who stop by each week to meet new authors. I hope if you connect with one of them during an interview that you'll contact them and strike up a friendship. These interviews have found me some of my best friends and associates. At Dream Weaver Novels, we believe in supporting the indie author, so if that's you, and you'd like to do an interview here, leave a comment below, or contact me @ dreamweaver526@yahoo.com. I look forward to hearing from you...maybe my new best friend!

OH!! Anyone out there doing NaNoWriMo in November??? I'm in this year! My zombie book needs some flesh...teeheehee! Connect with me so we can create a support group or something!

As Always...

Dare to Dream!

Su 

THIS WEEK'S PICS

Cana - the newest critter @ our house