Happy Release Day: Divinely Ruined

"She finally meets a decent man–after she’s oath-bound never to touch men again!

Rebecca’s life sucked before she became an angel. Crappy apartment, awful jobs, abusive boyfriends–it was no wonder she jumped at the chance to escape it all and become a real live angel. The problem is Rebecca’s not very angelic, and she’ll have to do more to earn her wings than end her love affair with the word f–er, frick.

Especially when she’s assigned to save single father Tony Weis, whose less-than-pure thoughts wreak hell on a telepathic angel’s nerves. It’s all Rebecca can do to keep her hands off him…but when she loses her memory injuring herself to save Tony’s daughter, now it’s Tony’s turn to be her angel and care for her. But will Tony’s devotion tempt her from her angelic path, even if it means being human again?"

Congratulations and Happy Book Birthday, Diane Alberts! Love that cover! I wish you lots of success!

Check out Diane on her blog and Twitter.

Interview with Stephen Black

Today we're chatting with writer Stephen Black. He's an American from Ohio who's been living in Singapore for the last decade. *does the expat secret hand shake*

Welcome, Stephen. How long have you been writing? 

My father sells books; I grew up surrounded with boxes and boxes of books. I’ve written for as long as I can remember. 

Tell us about your books and what inspired you to write them.

Obama Search Words was planned to be a book about the man’s life using food as a motif: the African food of his father, the Hawaiian food of his childhood, the range of Chicago cuisine, etc. I went to Jakarta to research what he had eaten there and discovered that very very few people had heard of him.Then he became the Democratic Presidential candidate and I realized that history was being made. I needed to challenge myself to record and interpret things; the book would have to be more than recipes,restaurants and the relationship between culture and food. My other books have been inspired by things like Japanese restaurants, the letter W or strolling. 

Do you have a critique group/partner or beta readers, or do you self- edit? 

I am very honored to have professional editors, curators and writers as my sparring partners. 

Are you a planner or a pantser? 

"I love deadlines. I love the whooshing noise they make as they go by.” -Douglas Adams

Actually I am an OK planner. I do meet deadlines, though the days preceding them are usually very interesting. 

What’s the hardest part of writing for you? 

The silence of the pages. 

What do you absolutely have to have nearby when writing?

The music of 3how. 

If you could have any super power, what would it be? 

(The five paragraphs above were written in invisible ink, in keeping with my super power of invisibilty.)

LOL. What's the weirdest thing you've googled? 

The world’s deepest pub.It’s in a former donkey stable in what used to be a gold mine.

Interesting! Okay, quick writing test! Use the following words in a sentence: hot chocolate, kangaroo, and water balloon.

I replied with an anagram made of hot chocolate, kangaroo, water balloon and a few letters more:

"Aha! Nona, your collaborator’s tooth... Acknowledge!"

Here’s the part where you thank the people who are supporting you. Let's hear your shout outs. 

My parents, my brother, my daughter. V Weston. M. Lee.D. East. Mr. Subra. Spirits. 

And finally, where can people find you and your books online? 

Obama Search Words http://www.amazon.com/Obama-Search-Words-ebook/dp/B001U8981S 
Furikake http://www.amazon.com/Furikake-ebook/dp/B002PAQAXE 
Contact With Shadow http://www.xinxii.co.uk/contact-with-shadow-p-333066.html 
Book Merah of Facebook and Twitter 
Blog of sorts http://stephenblacksteps.weebly.com/ 

Stephen, thanks for chatting with us today. I wish you lots of success with your writing.

THANKS DOROTHY! 

Interview with Hazel M Larsen

Today we welcome writer Hazel M Larsen to sit and have a chat with us about her most recent book, THE SMELL OF RAIN. There's a title that tickles the senses!

Welcome, Hazel. Tell us a bit about yourself.

I have been doing lots of things in my life, tried several different careers, but it never really felt right. Writing, however, felt right from the start and I have now switched to a part-time job to be able to concentrate more on writing than before. I also spend ridiculous amounts of time sleeping and updating my facebook profile. I love eating and cooking and probably do too much of both. I’m a big fan of museums and art in general. I travel whenever I can afford it, but I’d be terrified to go anywhere where they don’t speak English or German. That’s me in a nutshell...

How long have you been writing?

I started back when I still at university, in 2009. It feels much longer than it has actually been. It’s been a great time.

Tell us about ‘The Smell of Rain’. What’s the story about?

It’s about Alannah, a young guardian angel who starts a new life in a little town by the sea, without knowing what’s going on there. She befriends the local angels and soon learns that her seemingly peaceful new home is also home to a pair of brothers who are anything but peaceful. It becomes increasingly difficult for her to tell right from wrong and falling in love doesn’t make it any easier.


It’s a lovely book about young love and trust and friendship.

How did the idea of the story come to you?

Good question. I kind of like my idea of guardian angels - Not as biblical creatures, but as supernaturals with the mission to help and protect human beings. In my first book, Perfect Fudge, I told the story from a human perspective. Now I wanted to do something from the viewpoint of an angel and I also wanted a different kind of hero. I think the rough story idea must have come to me in my sleep. I get lots of ideas from dreams.

Do you have a critique group/partner or beta readers, or do you self-edit?

Both. I do have beta-readers who will suggest changes and point out errors and flaws in the story, but I also go over each story several times until I am completely happy.

What’s the hardest part of writing for you?

I guess every writer knows the menace of the blank page. It’s not any different for me... Finding the first words is the hardest part, I think.

Let’s get to know you on a deeper level. What do you absolutely have to have nearby when writing?

A window. I need to be able to look outside and see the sky while I think.

If you could have any super power, what would it be?

Does flying count as super power? If so, then definitely that. Flying must be great.

Quick writing test! Use the following words in a sentence: ripple, quadruped, and toffee.

A ripple went through the quadruped as it swallowed the toffee, thinking it would be happy to give an arm and a leg for another piece.

Here’s the part where you thank the people who are supporting you. Let's hear your shout outs.

I would like to thank my usual facebook gang. They all have been extremely helpful, as beta-readers, critics, and friends. I also would like to thank my friends in real life for enduring all my ramblings about my books, even encouraging them. And thank you, Dorothy, for having me ;-)

My pleasure! And finally, where can people find you and your book online?

My website is on www.hazelwriter.com and my books can be found in the amazon kindle stores.


Hazel, thanks so much for taking to time to talk with us. I look forward to reading your book!