Interrogation Room and giveaways

Me: *whispers*Is the interrogation room ready?
Sidekick : Yeah lights and audio are perfect
Me: Ladies and gentlemen today I drag before you Christine Bell and Chloe Cole (2 me that counts as 2 people even though they share the same picture). She comes bearing gifts; 2 books and a 10 page critique for an aspiring author, to learn how to win keep on reading :)

1. Joanna - Hey I know you don't know us that well, but tell us a secret
   Christine - Okay. Let’s see…Sometimes, when I’m in an elevator and I’m the only one in it, I pretend I’m controlling it with my superhero powers. Sort of like Magneto from X-Men, yanno? So, I will get in, the door will shut, and I will turn my palm face up (in a rather dramatic fashion) and “make” the elevator rise. When it stops, I will flick my superhero wrist, which will (theoretically) cause the doors to open. I blame this on my interaction with my four boys and husband. We spend an inordinate amount of time discussing superheroes, most desirable superpowers, etc. Recently, however, I did find out that my workplace has hidden cameras in the elevators, so I have begun to curtail this practice.
   Mostly.
   
   
2. Joanna - Are you or plotter or a pantser and can we lure you to the other side?
   Christine - A few months ago, I would’ve said 100% panster, but you’re already luring me to the other side! I have recently taken to doing loose outlines and character overviews. Not that I stick with them, mind you, but I *do* them. And they guide me through a lot of the story. I find my beginnings and ends are usually true to my outline.  The middle chunk? Not so much.
   
   
3. Joanna - Are you a disciplined writer that has to write a certain number of words per day or you just go with the flow?
   Christine - I would LOVE to be one of those writers who can set a daily word count, but my lifestyle just doesn’t allow for that. I have a full time job, a husband, a house, four boys and two dogs. Not to mention, a lot a family out of state so I do a lot of traveling in order to maintain a close relationship with them. Aside from stolen moments at lunch time, or between making dinner and doing dishes my writing time is typically from 10:00 p.m. until about 1:00 a.m. (or until I start drooling on my laptop). And that time isn’t just for writing, but all writing related business as well (cover art forms, blurbs, contracts, proposals, emails, promo and on and on). I also try to squeeze in extra time on the weekends. That said, to come up with a min. word count would just be depressing, because, depending on how tired I am by the time I get to writing, I would invariably fail to meet it. That’s one thing I do pride myself on is meeting or beating my goals and deadlines, so to set a goal and fail to meet it would be really bad for my mental state. I do consider myself disciplined, though. Just not in the “daily word count” sense. More like I’ll say “I need to complete, edit and sub this ms by X date.” And then I do that. Or I will say “I want to release ten books this year.” If I say it, then I’m very driven and will do everything in my power to make it happen.
   
   
4. Joanna - Choose one, chocolate, wine or books? why?
   Christine - That’s just cruel. I have to go with books, because then at least I can read about souls more fortunate than I (who get to eat chocolate and drink wine!)
   
   
5. Joanna - What advice do you have for aspiring writers like me?
   Christine - In order to do this, you have to love it. It’s not an easy road to publication, it’s not a high paying profession for the majority of us, it’s hard work and if you break it down to an hourly rate you would probably cry once you realize you’d be better served getting a job at the Quickie Mart. But if you truly love it, and couldn’t stop if you tried, immerse yourself in it, read about writing, write about writing, take workshops, read blogs, read books and write write write. Then submit submit submit. Take the feedback you get from editors (if you’re fortunate enough to get it) and apply it, then write some more. This is often said, but it really is the truth: A published author is one who won’t quit. When you get knocked down, get back up and do it again. For a great, inspiring book about becoming an author, I suggest Stephen King’s On Writing. 
6. Joanna: Okay I think she did a good job, she is guilty of being an author. Sidekick roll the book blurb

AWAKENING - The Wolves of Pray
Sean Mulaney’s beloved mate Sara is dead and her killer’s trail has grown cold. Eaten up by grief and guilt, it’s an effort just to get through the day. Now, after a year in mourning, his animal instincts have reawakened. As Sean struggles to control the need clawing at him, along comes Chandra and she wants more than just passion. But if she refuses, she might blow her one chance to convince him that she can rock his world and fill the empty space in his heart. Will Sean let love in, only to risk having it taken away again?



Ahem still drooling at the book cover? go and cobble cobblestone press for a copy

Christine Bell is one half of the happiest couple in the world. She and her handsome hubby currently reside in Pennsylvania with a four-pack of teenage boys and their two dogs, Gimli and Pug. When she isn't acting as maid, chef, chauffeur, or therapist, she can be found reading just about anything she can get her hands on, from Young Adult novels to books on poker theory. She hates bugs (except ladybugs, on account of their cute outfits), but lurrves chocolate. She also loves writing steamy romance stories, but also hopes to one day publish something her dad can read without wanting to poke his eyes out with sharp sticks. If she had to pick another occupation, she would be a pirate. Or, like, a ninja maybe. Oooh, or a Gryffendor! 
Christine can be found at her website or her blog she loves guests.
Now for the giveaway
Christine's book comes out today from Cobblestone press at 5pm EST (Exciting right?), she has also been recently signed with Carina Press (The Adventures of Stormy Gale) and she is on a role.
Today she is giving out 2 books written by her of course

1. Pray (Book 1 in the wolves of Pray series)
2. Captive Audience (From Chloe Cole)
3. And of course a 10 page critique 

To win all you have to do is follow her blog which can be found here and follow me too

You also get to do a fun challenge: Chloe Cole wants to know what your ideal pen name would be.
So three special steps tell us what your ideal pen name would be, follow me and then hop on over to her blog and follow.
Winners will be picked by my Kidlet on Sunday Night French time and announced Monday Morning American Time
Have Fun, its Friday and Christine will be by later with the drinks, I told her we are a rowdy bunch

If you were an agent would this rock your world?

Without further Ado I present the synopsis we have up for constructive crit today. Our friend L'aussie has graciously taken a bold step, I should point out that this is her first attempt.

What if, for most of your life, you’ve had a dream? You’ve never wavered from the necessary steps to reaching your goal. It’s not that you think you’re better than anyone else or more focused, but you’ve made promises which you must keep. The culmination of being true to these promises is ultimately reaching your goal.

Having lost everything you hold dear in your home country, you move to a foreign country where you plan to make your dreams come true. You find the town you want to live in, you find the property you want to buy; at last, you are making positive steps to realise the fulfilment of your dreams.

Then one day, when your dreams are falling neatly into place, you relax and give yourself a day off. You join a whale-watching expedition on the sleek tourist boat, the Eco Pacific, and head for the oceans off Queensland’s Sunshine Coast to meet whales in the wild.

You meet more than whales. You meet the man of your dreams, but the timing is all wrong for you. There are choices to make. You know this is a crucial crossroad in your life. Which way will you go?

This is what happens to the main character, Angelique (Ruby) Beaulieu, a Titan-tressed, green-eyed beauty. In all her twenty-three years Ruby has been a model daughter to her French parents. Growing up in Paris, holidaying in the South of France, studying at the Sorbonne; this was her life of charm.

But her life wasn’t all charm, as when she was six, she lost her mother. Ruby was extremely close to her father from then on; they had one of those ‘two of us against the world’ close-knit types of relationships.

Ruby and her father shared a dream, but her father didn’t live to see it fulfilled. Ruby continues to pursue their shared dream after his death in a plane crash when he was flying back to France from Australia. The dream, which is now Ruby’s, is to own and operate a boutique hotel – not in France – but in Noosa on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.

To the reader Noosa may seem an odd choice for a Frenchman, but Ruby’s father originally wanted a property in Bandol in the South of France where he spent the final family holiday before Ruby’s mother died. When this was unachievable due to French property laws, he set his sights on Australia, specifically Noosa, which reminded him of Bandol.

Ruby’s vision of owning her own hotel has meant up until now Ruby has denied herself many pleasures, chiefly love and romance. She has such a strong connection with her dead father that she has avoided anything or anyone that might hinder her quest – but she finds her resolve wavering when she meets the gorgeous Australian sea captain, Michael Asher when whale watching on his boat, the Eco Pacific. When she and Michael meet, the air crackles between them. Both of them feel a jolt which destabilises their once-ordered existence.

Ruby’s immaturity in matters of the heart, coupled with the secrets of the much more worldly thirty-year-old Michael, threaten the relationship from the start, with firstly Ruby, then Michael, pulling back from their undeniable mutual attraction. Their pulling back is the result of a shared insecurity and secrets neither feels ready to share with the other.

First, Ruby has a health problem – she battles the stringencies and dangers of having Type 1 diabetes – a condition she tries to hide from Michael due to her independent nature and wishing to appear ‘normal and uncomplicated’ to this man.

Second, Michael has a past addiction to alcohol which he has ‘overcome.’ He has zero tolerance for drugs of any kind and he soon suspects Ruby is abusing drugs following a tip off from Jimmie, his aboriginal friend and co-owner with him of the restaurant where Ruby and Michael share their first meal.

Michael’s past relationship with Kylie, the feisty waitress, also causes some angst, but Michael assures Ruby the relationship was fleeting and is well in the past despite Kylie’s jealous barbs.

Ruby’s secret can’t be hidden for long and Michael discovers Ruby’s struggle with her health in a most alarming way. Ruby literally falls at his feet and needs medical attention. Her secret is out. Now Michael knows she needs drugs to survive. Michael is very solicitous and swears to the doctor that he will attend to Ruby’s needs.

The shared knowledge of Ruby’s condition draws them closer together and it seems as if they will make it as a couple. Michael opens up to Ruby and shares some of the traumas of his childhood – his alcoholic mother and his absent father – things he has shared with no one else.

Their relationship seems to be building into one of mutual love and trust, when Ruby discovers Michael has dreams of his own he hasn’t shared with her.

Staying at Michael’s cottage while recuperating from her fall, Ruby comes across Michael’s notes and books which reveal his dream to join the fight against the Japanese whalers just getting underway for the season in the Great Southern Ocean – south of Australia.

As one who understands and believes in the preciousness of following your dreams, Ruby ends the burgeoning relationship as she knows Michael’s deep feelings for her will not permit him to leave her. She also fears she is becoming too dependent on his strength which makes her uncomfortable as she has always fought her own battles. There is no way she can see their individual dreams merging.

The parting scene is heart-wrenching, with Ruby very nearly surrendering to Michael’s charms, but she maintains her independence, sending Michael on his way, convincing him that she does not return his love. She forces them apart, feeling this is her only choice. She puts Michael’s dreams before her own needs, mistakenly thinking she knows what’s best for Michael himself, not giving Michael the chance to know why she does what she does.

Heartbroken and angry, Michael joins the huge black hulk, the Sea Shepherd ship, the ‘whale-saving terrorists,’ according to the Japanese, and embarks from Melbourne on his long-held ambition to help save the whales. As he hops on board at the last minute, all the jobs are taken. He is given the job of writing the ship’s blog.

Meanwhile, Ruby’s first hotel guests arrive, along with the hot Japanese owner-skipper of Michael’s boat. Izuru Ito falls hard for Ruby and woos her incessantly right from their first meeting when Ruby discovers Ito was a whale hunter back in Japan. She and her other guests react angrily to this news, but in a heartfelt speech Ito explains his conversion to the other side.

Ruby feels an undeniable attraction to Ito, but as he pressures her into a relationship she is constantly torn with dreams of Michael and what might have been.

Michael, meanwhile, has found more than whales on his Sea Shepherd tour of duty. The bosun of the vessel, the beautiful Asian, Shelly Wang, comes to Michael one night, interrupting his dreams of Ruby. He makes love to her in a dream-like state, at first believing she is Ruby. The harsh reality that he’d been seduced by someone who doesn’t share his ideal of sex and love is a bitter realisation and sours his whale-saving mission.

Michael finds himself retreating into himself, something he did as a child when dealing with the trauma of living with his alcoholic mother and missing his absent father and now he settles down to complete his mission without the vigour he first had.

While Michael is chasing the whale hunters around the icebergs of Antarctica, Ruby faces huge battles of her own. The hotel is up and running smoothly and she is attracted to Ito. She is ready to surrender to Ito’s charms when his wife Chie arrives unexpectedly and mortifies Ruby with a terrible scene at a ball Ito had arranged at her hotel. Ito is spirited back to Japan by his steely wife.

Ruby is suffering on many fronts – she is humiliated by the flirtation with Ito, she knows she has ruined her chance of happiness with Michael and she worries about him in the dangerous environment. This is her blackest moment, she thinks.

However, just when she feels things can’t get any worse, her hotel is badly damaged in a fire set off in the kitchen by her French chef Montague (Monty) Clouitier.

The hotel fire is the point of high drama, but everyone survives, even though the damage is significant and Ruby’s heroic efforts to save Monty nearly cost her her life. She suffers some smoke inhalation and just makes it out of the burning rooms in time.

Michael arrives back off the ship, having heard of the disaster of the fire. He is consumed with fears for Ruby and runs to her. After a near-tragic reconciliation where Ruby suffers a life-threatening ‘hypo’ attack related to her diabetes, they confess their true love for each other, and look towards a shared future. They will share their dreams from this moment on.

Michael buys Ito’s boat and the rebuilding of Ruby’s hotel becomes a joint venture, with the story ending on a joyous note when they realise that dreams are meant to be shared.