Spotlight On Monique O'Connor James

Today we have Monique O'Connor James, author of several intriguing novels such as Magia Rising and The Keepers. Today she'll chat with us about her written works, her hidden quirks, and her process.

You’ve published through a small press house. Would you say it is more advantageous for writers to go through smaller press houses so that they can receive the attention they need? Or would you encourage completely independent publishing for creative direction purposes?

I’ve done both and I don’t regret either.  I think sometimes it’s nice to start with a small press – you do get individualized attention, if it’s a good press then they teach you about editing and what is important when you present yourself to the public.  Sometimes, writers who go directly to self-publishing don’t know the importance of a well edited manuscript, they don’t understand what head-hopping is (POV change) and they have a problem staying in the same tense.

I totally agree with you there. Too many writers forget that good writing means good editing. Can you talk about that a little bit?

Through the small press, I met a fabulous cover artist—a content editor I can’t live without—a proofreader who whips my work into shape—and a wonderful lady who formats my work before I post it on the various sites for sale.  If I hadn’t gone through the small press first, I wouldn’t have met these talented people who knew how to do all the things I didn’t.

Now that I have self-published, of course, I have more creative freedom.  I can choose what will be on my book covers, my content, and when and for how much I sell my work.  I really enjoy the freedom I have gained through self-publishing, but I wouldn’t trade the experience I got from working with a small press for anything – (I am published by Astraea Press and my publishing company Bayou Brew Publishing).

What is your favorite novel that you’ve authored?

 I really can’t answer that!  Usually, the one I’m writing is my favorite, but they all are special to me for different reasons – The Keepers, The Watchers, Jamais Vu and Déjà vu were all very personal stories and I’m proud of them and the nod they give to my life.  The Mulligan Man was a short story I wrote with my son – you can’t beat that.  I wrote Becoming Jolie in eighteen days (not including editing) and some think it’s my best novel.  Magia Rising has characters that I adore.  My short story Musical Scares was a little out of my comfort zone and I love it.  And currently, I’m writing Black Water Bayou—and for now it’s my favorite :D

We’ll keep an eye out for that one! What is your favorite novel by another author? 

You know, I read Anne Rice’s vampire chronicles when I was fourteen.  After that, I read everything I could get my hands on by her—I still love this woman.  There are several indie authors that I adore and I’m not going to list them all, but Alexia Purdy, Crystal Ward & Missy Lee just to name a few.

What are you working on now, and how can we find out more about it?

 I’m currently working on a novel called Black Water Bayou.  You can check out my website for information on any of my books at www. Moniqueoconnorjames.com – I haven’t really given any details about this new one, but it’s about a little hottie from New Orleans that has the power to pull demons from the souls of the possessed;  he meets a girl whose family is in trouble and the twists and turns begin!

Let’s pretend finishing a novel is like scoring the winning touchdown; what is your touchdown dance? Here’s where you know how bizarre I am – I don’t dance when I’m done!  I’m always sad…I go through a little let down period, because I know I won’t be spending time with those characters every day.  I find at the end of a novel, I slow down and draw the end out because I just don’t want to say goodbye!

Wow, we don’t want to say goodbye either, but we’ve gotta let Monique go.

Thanks to Monique O’Connor James for all of her helpful tips and info on what she has in store for her fans!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Monique is the mother of two beautiful children and lives in a small community outside of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She currently works full-time as an insurance agent, but her favorite jobs are mother, wife, and author. On her ninth  birthday, her mother bought her a journal and said, "Write whatever you  want.  Just write." And so, a love affair with words was born. 

ALL BOOKS AVAILABLE AT AMAZON AND BARNES AND NOBLE!

Catch Monique on Twitter, Facebook, or her blog!

BOOK GIVEAWAY CONTEST:

We're very excited to announce that Monique is giving one lucky fan the chance to win either of her published books! To be entered to win, simply comment below with the title of your personal favorite book, and we’ll enter you in the contest! (Be sure to include your email address in the request box or we won’t be able to send you the notification!) We will randomly select a winner.

Example entry:

Macy Grey

macygrey@notreallyemail.com

My favorite book ever is Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Don't wait.... Contest ends on January 24, 2013, 12pm CST!

Winner will be emailed before announcement.

Author Interview: Monique O'Connor James Part I

Today we have Monique O'Connor James, author of several intriguing novels such as Magia Rising and The Keepers. Today she'll chat with us about her written works, her hidden quirks, and her process.

You write all sorts of novels from paranormal to fantasy to romance. How do you decide what to write next? 

Most of my novels and short stories are either Paranormal Romance or Urban Fantasy.  However, you never know what I’ll kick out next!  My stories come to me in different ways – for instance, my first novel, The Keepers was about a girl who lost her mother to breast cancer and the fallen angel who helps her learn to forgive God.  A lot of that story was very personal.  Jamais Vu and Déjà vu were about a girl who has a near death experience after “accidentally” shooting herself.  My mom was playing with a loaded gun when I was a toddler and was shot.  So in the beginning, a lot of my stories were from personal experience.  As I’ve grown as a writer, that has changed.

My two short stories – The Mulligan Man and Musical Scares were actually dreams!!! They resonated with me and I jumped out of bed and wrote down the gist of what happened in my dream—from there they blossomed into short stories.  Becoming Jolie was a NANOWRIMO novel—I was just frantically searching for a topic and came across ghosts/kidnappings/black market babies—voila!  I don’t know how but it all came together. 

The smallest things can give me an idea for a story – a line in a movie, a lyric in a song, something that really makes my heart jump!  I find that if you are looking for ideas they are hard to come by, but if you are busy writing, they seem to pop up everywhere!  I keep a list in my phone so that I can use the ideas I come up with in the future.

What is your writing process like? What is a day in the life of Monique O’Connor James?

 I’m not much of a plotter, but most of the time I’ll jot down my basic idea for a story and then just let the characters tell it.  I make crazy notes all over random notebook pages that probably wouldn’t make sense to anyone but me.  The crazy thing is, when I first started writing, I did everything on my laptop.  Then I got a raging case of writers block, and I found that if I wrote long hand, the story seemed to flow easier.  So you will usually find me scribbling in a notebook and then typing it up on my computer.  I try to only handwrite one chapter at a time, so I don’t get overwhelmed with what I have to type.

That's really smart! Most writers have some kind of “distraction” going on as they write, usually food or music. What kind of foods do you keep handy while writing? 

I’m moody!  Sometimes I have to have music and others I just want quiet!  I love Laffy Taffy!  It’s an addiction…is that weird?  :D

Nope, that’s not weird at all… Laffy Taffys are awesome! What do you jam to while writing? 

I mostly listen to alternative rock—The Foo Fighters, Pearl Jam, Rise Against, etc., but I have days were I listen to country.  I have found some great artists that play rock music on violins and cellos and that is perfect writing music for me – check out David Garrett.

Will do! The first time we spoke, you stated that your mother encouraged you to write by presenting you with a journal and the fire grew from there. What advice would you give to the writer who, like you, has been prompted by family and friends to write?

 The thing about writing is that it’s a fire inside of you.  No matter what you do or what the circumstance, you always want to write about it.  I’ve always had a journal or blog.  When I was distressed I would grab a sheet of paper and write about how I felt. 

My mother must have seen something in me from a young age that prompted her to encourage my writing.  If you have that fire inside, nothing will stop it.  Fourteen years ago, my mom died of breast cancer.  For nine years after, I couldn’t write a thing.  One day, I just knew that’s what I needed to move on—I had to channel my grief into creativity. 

So, having said all of that, my advice is…write.  Even when you don’t feel like it…even when the words don’t come easy.  Maybe you won’t use it---maybe it will be part of a novel or short story later, but regardless write.  I saw a program on Eminem—Slim Shady—Marshall Mathers—once, and he had this huge box of sheets of paper where he’d just written random thoughts and rhymes.  When he needed inspiration, he’d dig in that box and find a starting point.  I thought it was a great idea.  Try it!

Absolutely, I’ll try that!

Check back at 11 am CST for Monique’s tips for writers who are considering both indie and traditional publishing routes ….and her BOOK GIVEAWAY CONTEST DETAILS!

About the author:

Monique is the mother of two beautiful children and lives in a small community outside of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She currently works full-time as an insurance agent, but her favorite jobs are mother, wife, and author. On her ninth  birthday, her mother bought her a journal and said, "Write whatever you  want.  Just write." And so, a love affair with words was born. 

All books available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble!

Catch Monique on Twitter, Facebook, or her blog!

*Spotlight* on author E.J. Knapp

Recently, E.J. Knapp, author of Stealing the Marbles stopped by to let us in on a few of his secrets. After reviewing his debut novel, we just had to know more. See what was revealed below:

*Thanks for speaking with us today. Can you give us the rundown of your debut novel,Stealing the Marbles?

In one sense, it’s a classic thief story: object to be stolen, preparations to steal said object, actual theft, getaway.  STM was a little bit more than that for me, however.  I wanted it to be the story of a thief stealing something that was stolen, something that is the heart and soul of a nation I happen to think of as my second home.  I also wanted to educate people about the Parthenon Marbles in particular and stolen antiquities in general.  The Greeks have been trying to get their stolen antiquities back from the British for close to 200 years with zero results.  I thought a novel about someone stealing them back might be a good read, a little education and, hopefully, a favorable nod to those diligent folks working for the Marbles return.    

Stealing the Marbles is loaded with great European settings, and I can tell you really wanted to do them justice with this novel. Which one was your favorite to write about and why? 

I love Europe.  Given the chance, I’d move there in a heartbeat.  Of the two main places mentioned in the book -  Bize-Minervois in France and the island of Kefalonia in Greec e -  it would be a toss-up between which I would  want to live in most.   In the end, I think Kefalonia would win out.  Bize is a beautiful little town in a beautiful part of France.  There’s a great little restaurant there, just inside the arch to the old part of the city, that you simply don’t want to pass up.  The proprietor there was the inspiration for the part of Kaz’s father.  But oh, the island of Kefalonia, that captured my heart long ago and has never let go.  I hope to go back there one day to stay.      

*In the review, I mentioned that your novel has moments of duplicity, betrayal, and high-speed chases. It's also a story about friendship and love. What made you want to write a novel like this, with all of these different elements? 

I think that part of life is the duplicity, the betrayal of others, though maybe not the high-speed chases.  I believe it was Nietzsche who said “what doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger (though I’m not ashamed to admit I believe I first heard that quote in a Scott Adam’s Dilbert cartoon).  It’s the friendship and love of family and friends that balance it out.  Add to that, as in the story, the fact that sometimes duplicity and betrayal may not always be the evil they appear to be and, well, then you have a whole new playground to explore. 

*Were there any challenges in creating a story with this many layers? Especially in the thriller/suspense genre?

Challenges?  No, not really, not in terms of writing the story, anyway.  If there were challenges at all, they came in terms of how to describe it genre-wise when I first was looking for an agent (a quest I was never successful at and am now glad I wasn’t).  Is STM a suspense/thriller?  A mystery?  An action story?  I honestly don’t know.  I don’t write in a particular genre as far as I can tell.  I’ve heard this said by a number of authors and feel it has always applied to me and my writing: I write what I would want to read.   

*During my research, I learned that you want to be free to write in any genre you choose. What's your favorite genre to write? And to read? 

True.  See above question/answer.  The way I see it, the whole genre thing is something the publishing industry came up with to determine what section of the bookstore your book will get shelved in.  But what does it mean, really?  I’ve read mysteries that were thrillers and thrillers that were mystery.  I’ve read so-called literary novels that were every bit a mystery, or a thriller, or a suspense novel.  What determines that?  There’s a controversy going on right now about how a ‘literary’ novel written by a woman won’t get the same attention as a ‘literary’ novel written by a man and may well not even be considered a ‘literary’ work but rather be tagged as ‘women’s fiction’?  WTF?  I don’t see a genre category out there called ‘men’s fiction’!   

Sorry, this whole genre thing is a real soapbox issue with me, worse than politics and religion combined.  To answer your question, I have no barriers to what I read; if it’s a good story, I’ll read it.  As to what I write, well, there is almost always murder and mayhem so I suppose I would be wedged into the suspense/thriller category. 

*The characters of Stealing the Marbles were so layered. They had strengths and weaknesses, and they felt like real people. Where do you pull that from? 

I have this thing I do with all my characters, primary and secondary; I put something of me in each one.  It can be something small, something simple, something large and complex but it is some part of me.  Then I send them out into the story to fend for themselves but that one piece always keeps me connected to them.  The one problem with that is that they tend to start haunting you.  The characters from my novel-that-will-never-see-the-light-of-day, something every author has buried somewhere, still whisper to me. 

*The novel is loaded with factual information, not exactly stuff you can get off a cereal box. What was your research process like? 

I was lucky with STM in that I’ve been to all the places mentioned in the novel so I had first-hand knowledge into all the sights, the sounds, the smells of the places mentioned in the book.  That fact holds true for the novel I just finished but, I fear, the one I’m toying with at the moment is going to require some serious research as it starts out in, and may well stay in, a country I’ve never been to.  Luckily, I have friends who do live there.  I just hope I don’t strain the friendship too much with the six million questions I’m going to ask.

*And what is your writing process like? Is there music involved, food? How much time do you spend in one sitting? 

Silence.  Absolute silence.  And no one in the room or anywhere near me.  My ideal writing spot would no doubt be the dark side of the moon.  I will sometimes listen to a piece of music a character is interested in, but not while I’m actually writing.  I just can’t take the distraction.  As for my writing process, I’m not one of those get-up-and-put-down-1000-words-every-morning kind of writers.   I write when I write.  I’m also one of those types who edits as I go so the process can oft times be very laborious.  As for time in one sitting, it can be fifteen minutes or fifteen hours.  It all depends on how deeply into my imaginary world I am.  There were moments with STM, well, let’s just say they were very long moments.  

*What made you want to get into writing, and what advice would you give to those wanting to do the same? 

Unhappy, hostile childhood sums it up best of all.  Reading took me out of that but it takes you to a place someone else created.  Writing takes you to a place you create, you control, a place where you decide what is right and wrong, who wins and who loses.  Maybe I’m a control freak.  Maybe all writers are.

As for advice for the newbie: READ! Read what you like, read what you think you wouldn’t like but above all – READ!  Once you have that down, start writing but make sure to develop a thick skin in the process.  Rejection, bad reviews, lack of attention from family and friends, it’s all part of the game.  Get used to it.  Once you’re writing, seek out other writers.  The best way to do this is join a writers group like Backspace.  Don’t be afraid to put your stuff out there.  You’re gonna take flak.  Get used to that, too.  But keep in mind, always, that not every critic is a good critic for what you’re writing.  Find those writers whose work you respect and listen to them a good tad more than you listen to anyone else.     

*What can we look forward to next from you? 

Meter Maids Eat Their Young is finished and will be in the hands of my editor by the time this interview is posted.  A bit different than STM to be sure though there will be murder (three or four, actually), mayhem,  the mangling of parking meters (which I fully endorse), a long con, conflict between friends and the long overdue resolution to a love story.  

*Thanks so much for spending a little time with us. Is there anything else you want us to know?

Well, if I may be so bold here, could I recommend all of Rebel e’s books to your readers?  For the suspense/thriller fans out there, Cat Connor’s books are top of the line: Killerbyte, Terrorbyte and her new one, Exacerbyte, coming out in February.  Political satire fans will love Land That I Love by William Freedman while fans of historical fiction might love The Gates of Hell by Caroline Addenbrooke (I just finished it and loved it.  Ditto Land That I Love).  Our newest Rebel author is Ian Barker, author of Fallen Star.  I haven’t had a chance to read that one yet but it’s at the top of my TBR list.

Oh, and if I may, there is a self-pubbed book called Last Witch of Manhattan by Richard Lewis that I would highly recommend.  It’s available on Smashwords and is one hell of a read.

*Spotlight* on National Novel Writing Month

Have you finished that novel you've been telling everyone so much about? Neither have most people who do. Luckily for you and me, there's a national campaign going on right now to get people just like you into the writing groove.

What is this magic? No magic. It's National Novel Writing Month or NaNoWriMo for short. NaNoWriMo is a national community of writers who are challenging themselves to write 50,000 words toward a novel in 30 days. And you're invited to join the community. You can upload your 50,000+ words to the National Novel Writing Month website on November 25th (after scrambling it on the website to ensure copyright protection). You'll then be declared a National Novel Writing Month winner. Sound crazy? It is, but it's crazy in a good, productive way, not a telling-everyone-about-my-novel-which-doesn't-really-exist way. The best part about NaNoWriMo is that registration is free and the experience is invaluable. There are groups and group leaders who really go all out to ensure that the participants are comfortable and productive during this time. My group members recently held a backyard potluck. I was regrettably unable to attend, but I'm  almost certain that there was food, laughter, and a lot of email/phone number exchanges made. Writers generally want to help each other, but we also need a little push. NaNoWriMo puts us on a deadline which is tight enough to make us keep going while providing support that's helpful enough to make us want to keep going. 

The website is chocked full of helpful tools like a word counter which determines how many words you need to write per day to meet your goal based on the number of words you've written at that point. 

At this point, everyone is catching onto NaNoWriMo. It's even trending on Twitter. If you're not in, don't say we didn't offer you admission!

For more information on this incredible month of words, visit the National Novel Writing Month website. And keep writing!

*Spotlight* on Jody Hedlund, Author

This October, forget the tricks; we've got a treat!  

Meet Jody Hedlund, author of The Preacher's Bride, which releases TODAY, gave willwriteforlove.com the goods on her experience with writing for love, her advice for writers, and, of course, her debut novel. Jody is known around the cyber-writing world as an optimistic realist who gives excellent advice on staying the course and seeing your dreams through to the end...even after rejection.

Join willwriteforlove.com as we shine the *Spotlight* on Jody Hedlund, author:

*Somewhere in the world, someone thinks that every writer buys his or her own private island with the royalties from the first novel (Here’s where we laugh out loud). People who write know better, and they usually have better reasons for writing than just money. What are your reasons?

My reasons? Because I’m doing research for a new reality TV show that explores how much pain and rejection people are willing to endure before reaching their dreams.

No, seriously. Writers must have a much stronger motivation to write than making money, because in today’s oversaturated book market, we’re lucky if we make enough sales to pay for the cost of our ink. And our motivations must be able to withstand the incredible odds that often beat against us.

My deepest reason for writing is that I absolutely love story-telling. I love the creative process of spinning intricate and moving tales. And it’s the love of the story that keeps me writing no matter the hardship or monetary reward. The ultimate reward is the satisfaction I find in the act of writing.

*Willwriteforlove.com is a site dedicated to bringing together writers, readers, filmmakers, and film-lovers. This next question is for the readers and film-lovers: What is your all-time favorite book? What are you reading now? And what’s your favorite movie of all time?

I love Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. And I think the reason I’m drawn to the story is because it’s about strong women with unique personalities, who all pursue their passions despite the odds. The book offers inspiration to all of us to find out what we love and chase after it with all we’ve got.

My current read? I mostly pick up books of authors I know because I love to support them. And my favorite movie of all time? Wow. That’s a tough one. A recent favorite was Young Queen Victoria because I’m drawn to strong women of history who had so many constraints and yet managed to persevere anyway.

*Some writers loathe, yet appreciate, the rewrite process. And yet, there are some who love it, because it allows them to discover new dimensions in their story and characters. Are you in your most creative state during the first-draft process or during the rewriting process?

I’ve had a couple very difficult in-house rewrites both with The Preacher’s Bride and most recently with my second contracted novel. So while I definitely want to do everything I absolutely can to make my books appeal to my readers even if that means substantial editing, I’d much rather get things “right” during the first draft!

So, yes, you could say I prefer the writing that comes with the first draft. I’m a huge plotter and I consciously try to incorporate new techniques and skills when I start a novel, but I also hold loosely to the reigns of my creativity, often letting it steer me to new places.

*Self-doubt plagues every creative at some point, and if we don’t muzzle the critic in our head, he can wreak havoc. How do you shut up your mind’s critic? Or do you just lure him away with chocolate?

Usually my mind’s critic makes his appearance during the later stages of editing, when I’ve had time to put distance between myself and the book. In fact, during the very last edit of The Preacher’s Bride (the galleys) I was SO discouraged, I even got to the point where I didn’t think the book was worth printing.

Of course, I was overly critical, worried, anxious, and way too hard on myself. During those discouraging times, we really need each other—especially writer friends who can come alongside us, validate our strengths, and help pull us out of the mire.

And when all else fails, drown ourselves in melted chocolate. That usually seems to revive me!

***Give us the goods on this debut novel, The Preacher’s Bride.

The Preacher’s Bride is a tale about finding true love in the midst of hardship, discrimination, and persecution. It’s inspired by a strong, but little-known woman from history, Elizabeth Bunyan, the wife of John Bunyan who wrote Pilgrim’s Progress. Of course I’ve dramatized her story to include lots of conflict, danger, and of course, passionate love.

***Who is your favorite character in your novel? And why?

One of the reasons I was drawn to write this particular story was because I admired Elizabeth. She was “a lawyer” during a time in history when women couldn’t pursue their giftings. She was a mere uneducated peasant woman, and yet she defended her husband against a roomful of judges and enemies who wanted to destroy him. Her eloquent argument, her bravery, and her willingness to fight, act as inspiration for women everywhere to pursue their strengths no matter how difficult the challenges are.

***What is your novel’s message and how is it relative to you personally?

We all face hardships in our lives—I certainly have, both in my writing journey and with the pressures that come from raising a large family. Often we’re tempted to avoid the difficulties, to take the easy way out of situations. However, when we stick to the hard path it usually takes us higher and makes us stronger.

*Speaking of your large family, you lead a full life (husband, FIVE small children, laundry, writing and rewriting, juggling knives, etc.) How do you keep it all together? In other words, what have you decided to name your clone(s)?

I’m naming my clones More and Time. I’d love More Time in a day! Until then, I’ll continue to get behind, live in chaos, eat boxed meals, and carve out time for the most important people in my life—my family!

***We can’t wait to get our hands on a copy of your debut novel The Preacher’s Bride which comes out on October 1, 2010 *wink*. What is the one thing you want people to “get” about this story and why?

Inspiration to keep going. Because there are so many beautiful things that come out of persevering.

*Since this is a site for creatives, what would you say to the person who wants to be where you are?

Stick to the hard path. Persevere even when we feel like giving up. It’s only when our lungs burn and our muscles ache from the climb that we’ll eventually reach the summit.

*I know you love Pandora. What song would you put on repeat (if that were an option) on Pandora?

“This Is Home” by Switchfoot (from the Prince Caspian soundtrack). As I wrote my second contracted book, it became the theme song. If I do a trailer, it’s probably the song I’d pick.

Jody is a debut historical romance novelist who was a double finalist in the 2009 ACFW Genesis Contest. She received a bachelor’s degree from Taylor University and a master’s from the University of Wisconsin, both in Social Work. Currently she makes her home in Midland, Michigan, with her husband and five busy children.

She’s represented by agent Rachelle Gardner and her debut book, The Preacher’s Bride, released Oct. 1, 2010 and is available online and in most bookstores. Stop by her blog, Author, Jody Hedlund, where she chronicles her journey to publication and dispenses more of her two-cent writing wisdom. 

You can also catch up with Jody through any of these links:

Website: http://jodyhedlund.com/

Blog:http: //jodyhedlund.blogspot.com/

Facebook: Author Jody Hedlund

Twitter: http://twitter.com/JodyHedlund

Email: JodyHedlund@JodyHedlund.com

*Spotlight* {August '10 edition}

So all your friends think you're a dork because your usual hangout spot is   behind a book. We're not judging, we're just saying: If you want help getting your hands on some of the best stuff the publishing world has to offer, willwriteforlove.com has got you covered. The short answer is: 

 The magazine-style review can be seen covering the coffee tables and computer desks of your local library. BookPage distributes its useful handbook to subscribing libraries who in turn provide them free of charge to their patrons. It gives readers and writers alike something to look forward to by providing advance notice of the most buzz-worthy books coming to the market. Their mission, as declared on their website, is "to recommend the best books for readers of all types, whether you're interested in literary fiction or romance, history or science fiction, cookbooks or children's books." That's their mission, but they do so much more.

We refer to BookPage as a handbook because it offers insight into the world of literature like no other publication. Furthermore, it provides assistance to writers trying to become authors with its feature entitled, "The Author Enablers".

The column is headed by Kathi Kamen Goldmark and Sam Berry, who reportedly have more than 25 years experience in the world of publishing. Writers find helpful, non-judgmental advice in their "Dear Abby"-style question and answer column. They tackle the subjects every writer wants to understand but that few have the courage to ask. Topics range from a writer's probability of being published to querying rules and even networking decorum.

BookPage sifts through hundreds of books and recommends a few of the best each month, putting the avid reader at a buying advantage. They also conduct exciting interviews with authors in which they expose writing-related facts such as his or her "process", as well as more personal tidbits such as the author's favorite television show. The interviews allow readers to connect with authors and their works on a level that feels candid and personal.

BookPage is available at libraries in 48 states, of course, free of charge to you. And for the quickest updates on your soon-to-be favorite books, follow BookPage on Twitter.

*Spotlight* {July '10 edition}

The Spotlight feature for the month of July goes to Talenthouse!

Most of the willwriteforlove supporters (you) are creatives at heart. You're people who want to make your mark on the entertainment world, but you don't have a guaranteed path to publication or production. While Talenthouse is by no means a guaranteed path, the website offers creatives of every age, every level, and every background a chance to shine. What makes it really awesome is that the *Creative Invites* are usually backed by big-time producers, directors, screenwriters, publishing companies, and artists who want to find the unknown talent.

willwriteforlove.com will periodically post links to Talenthouse Creative Invites for you to get your name in the right people's mouths! Keep an eye out for the updates by subscribing to the RSS feeds, following willwriteforlove on Twitter, and "LIKE"-ing us on Facebook!

From www.talenthouse.com:

Talenthouse is the leading platform for creative collaboration, providing artists opportunities for recognition and compensation.

Talenthouse embraces artists at every level of their career, as well as all supporters of the arts. Attracted by the potential for discovering, collaborating with and mentoring emerging talent, many global brands and acclaimed industry icons are involved with Talenthouse by hosting Creative Invites. Brands choose Talenthouse to engage in a dialogue with their audience in a targeted, relevant and credible context. Talenthouse currently focuses on film, fashion, music, art / design, and photography.