• Blog

    The Writing Process Blog Chain

    2/2/2014

    Building Attraction - CoverWhat am I working on?

    Right now I’m working on a shorter piece for an upcoming Mother’s Day anthology. I’ve only just started it so I’m in that nice stage where I’m getting to know the characters and it’s like making a whole new set of lovely friends.

    2. How does my work differ from others in it’s genre?

    That’s an interesting question. My female protagonists are always Australians so I suppose that’s a point of difference for non-Australian readers, who in fact make up the majority of my readers. I think my books generally have a strong female friendship component that most women can hopefully relate to. It annoys me immensely to read about characters who seem to have no one in their life, even in romance, if the character is so amazing that this guy thinks she’s amazing he can’t possibly be the first person in twenty-something years to have noticed. I hope the books also have a strong sense of place, except for one book they’ve been set in Sydney so far and I like showing readers around my home town.

    3. Why do I write what I write?

    I didn’t always write women’s fiction, chick lit or romance (half the time I’m still not quite sure what to call what I write – I probably should work on that). In fact my short stories tend to be quite dark. The reality is it takes a long time to write a book and you have to spend lots of times in the world you create. I don’t want to spend all my time in a dark place. I made a conscious decision to write books about people that I would like to spend time with, books that make people smile. I think being happy is a great thing to aspire towards and turning towards the light rather than the shadows is healthy, so I try to have the energy in my books. My books don’t necessarily have a happily ever after but they certainly don’t have a misery ever after.

    4. How does your writing process work?

    When I write a character appears to me in a certain situation. For all of my books the main character has appeared to me in opening scene and I start writing from there. Usually when I’m about a third of the way through I do an outline for the rest of the book. It’s not super specific, more like sign posts to help me get to the end. When I’m writing I usually write every day. I find that’s easier for me than dipping in and out of a story. I love the initial creation of a story, it’s exhilarating. The re-writes are a whole different ball game.

    Keep the chain going:

    As part of this blog chain I had to tag three authors who will post their won answers to these questions next Monday 10th February.

    Leigh Bennet

    Leigh Bennett is an Australian author who lives in Melbourne’s hilly and rugged outer east with her husband, three sons, 2 beagle x cavalier dogs and any number of chickens.

    Currently a stay at home mother, she has worked in the public service, education, road and music industries.

    She enjoys reading, cooking and writing stories full of fun, drama, love and always with a happy ever after.

    Her first novel, Flirting with Magick was released in February 2013 and she is currently working on her next romantic tale.

    Social Media Links:

    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeighBennettWriter

    Twitter: @LeightaBennett

    Blog: http://abroomwithaview.blogspot.com.au/

    Karen E. Martin, M.Ed. is a full-time freelance writer/editor. She has been in the publishing business since 2004, working on books and publications for major and independent publishers, universities, businesses, and private individuals. Prior to entering the field of publishing, Ms. Martin worked as a Senior EFL Fellow (English as a Foreign Language) for the U.S. Department of State in Romania, a Junior EFL Fellow for the U.S. Department of State in Jordan, and a teacher-trainer for the U.S Peace Corps in Mauritania, Jordan, Romania, and Morocco. Ms. Martin served as a Peace Corps volunteer for two years, teaching English in the Errachidia Province of Morocco. This is Ms. Martin’s first novel.

    https://www.facebook.com/karenmartinauthor

    http://www.karenemartin.com/blog/

    http://www.amazon.com/Karen-E.-Martin/e/B00GL664QG/

    Monica Donnelly

    Monica is an Australian author who writes contemporary coastal romance.
    She has always been a hopeless romantic who believes in love at first sight and ‘happily ever afters’. She does however, also know that the path to true love is not always smooth.

    Her Henley’s Bluff romance series charts the romantic entanglements of the Doherty family and their friends in the sea-side town of Henley’s Bluff.

    http://www.monicadonnellyromanceauthor.com/
    https://www.facebook.com/MonicaDonnellyauthor

    https://twitter.com/DonnellyMonica

    Comments

    Jenn J McLeod | House for all Seasons
    2/2/2014 02:06:48 pm

    Like you, my HEA is Happy Enough Afterwards. 🙂 I have trouble seeing you as a dark writer!
    Reply
    Monique
    2/2/2014 02:24:25 pm

    I think everyone does Jenn. Too perky! Too many exclamation marks!

  • Blog

    Taste of Tuesday with Modogomous author Karen. E Martin and a give-away!

    12/16/2013

    Karen E. MartinToday I’m joined for a holiday-themed Taste of Tuesday by the Karen E. Martin author of the newly released Modogomous.

    Taste of Tuesday Q&A

    Do you prefer sweet or savoury foods (i.e. cheese or chocolate)?
    Savory, all the way. (Sorry, American spelling throughout!) I like sweets, but I’d much rather have the main course than dessert. I’m the same at breakfast. I can’t do sweets for breakfast; it just doesn’t stick with me. I’ll take a plate of bacon and eggs any day over pancakes and syrup. But whatever it is, DO give me coffee with it! Lol…

    Red wine or white? (Wine obviously) White, please! If I’m just having a stand-alone drink, I love nice Riesling. Sweets, I’ll take a Moscato or Gewurztraminer. And with dinner, either a classic Pinot Grigio or a Chardonnay. I like red wines, too, but they give me a headache if I drink them alone. With a meal, though, is just fine. I can always take a good red Zin, a Cabernet Sauvignon, or a Pinot Noir. (Yes, I frickin’ love wine. I’ve been to more wine-tastings than I can count!)

    Do you have a favourite food memory?
    Cooking sessions at my grandmother’s house, twice a year. Once, at the end of summer for canning season, when my Uncle Ray would buy bushels and bushels of tomatoes and make dozens of quarts of the best tomato soup I’ve ever had (you can find a post about that and a recipe here). And then again at Thanksgiving, when the women of the family would gather to make our traditional meal together. The gals do the cooking and the guys do the washing up! We take pictures every year, as it’s such a rare sight to see. 😉

    Does food feature in your novel(s)?
    Indeed! Many of the scenes take place over a shared meal, whether it’s at a Mom-and-Pop type diner, or just a bag of Chinese take-out. One of the characters, Mitch, is quite known for his sweet tooth, too.

    What recipe are you sharing with us and why?
    One of my mom’s classic comfort dishes, “Mary Ellen’s Hamburger Skillet Stew.” This was a staple for us growing up, and a dish mom often made when we were home from college for the winter holidays. To me, this recipe definitely says, “The family is together again!” I hope you enjoy the recipe.

    Mary Ellen’s Hamburger Skillet Stew

    For the meatballs:

    1 lb. ground beef

    1 cup chopped onion

    1 egg

    1 cup fine bread crumbs

    1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

    1 teaspoon salt (or less, if desired))

    1 teaspoon pepper

    1 cup tomato soup (not condensed)*

    Combine ingredients and shape into 16 meatballs. Brown in a deep skillet with the shortening.

    For the skillet:

    2 tablespoons shortening (Crisco)

    1 large onion, diced

    4 carrots, cut into 1 inch slices

    2 potatoes, diced

    2 cups green beans (or other veggies of your choice)

    1 cup water

    1 cup tomato soup (not condensed)*

    Optional: 1 tablespoon flour

    Once meatballs are browned, add the remaining ingredients to the skillet. Simmer for 1 hour, thickening with flour if desired. Serves four…and the meatballs make great sandwiches, too!

    *Traditionally, we used Uncle Ray’s home-canned tomato soup for this recipe.

    Modogamous - Karen E. Martin - CoverModogomous by Karen E. Martin

    Kate Adams has it all figured out. Five years out of college, she’s got a steady job, a home she loves in the big city, and good friends who always keep her laughing: her stylish but nosy roommate Evette, happily-married Cecie, and of course, good old Mitch, her seriously cute co-worker who’s been stuck in the Friend Zone since the day they met.

    Everything is going just fine—until the night Kate crosses the line with Mitch, and the boundaries between friendship and love begin to blur. Things get even more complicated when hunky JP enters the scene. What’s a girl to do? Add to the mix a spunky little pug Kate never expected to fall for, and her neatly-ordered life is starting to look more like a dog’s dinner. Maybe her roommate has the right idea after all: forget the men, and stick with a canine companion instead.

    It’s time for Kate to figure out what she really wants in life. But can she dig her way out of the mess she’s created before she ends up permanently in the doghouse?

     

     

     

     

    Author Contact Info:

    You can contact the author on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, GoodReads, and on her blogabout writing, publishing, and literature.

    Author Bio:

    Karen E. Martin, M.Ed. is a full-time freelance writer/editor. She has been in the publishing business since 2004, working on books and publications for major and independent publishers, universities, businesses, and private individuals. Prior to entering the field of publishing, Ms. Martin worked as a Senior EFL Fellow (English as a Foreign Language) for the U.S. Department of State in Romania, a Junior EFL Fellow for the U.S. Department of State in Jordan, and a teacher-trainer for the U.S Peace Corps in Mauritania, Jordan, Romania, and Morocco. Ms. Martin served as a Peace Corps volunteer for two years, teaching English in the Errachidia Province of Morocco. This is Ms. Martin’s first novel.

    Buy Links

    Modogomous now available on Amazon or Smashwords

    About the Giveaway:
    Join the Modogamous Holiday Hop Giveaway to win a fabulous Swag Pack full of prizes! The Swag Pack winner will receive a signed copy of the paperback, tote bag, coffee mug, Christmas ornament, and more! Additional prizes include a copy of the e-book, a signed paperback, and a limited edition, signed art print of the book’s cover art.

     

  • Blog

    Cover reveal for Modogamous by Karen E. Martin

    5/31/2013

    Modogamous - Karen E. Martin - CoverBoy meets Girl. Boy and Girl screw it up.

    Girl
    meets New Boy. Boy meets New Girl.

    New
    Girl meets New Boy.

    …and
    then things start to get complicated.

    Relationships, bah! Wouldn’t it just be easier to get a dog?

    ***
    Look for Modogamous this summer at Amazon.com,
    Smashwords, and all the other usual places.

    You can find Karen here:
    FB: facebook.com/karenmartinauthor
    Twitter: @karenemartin1
    blog: karenemartin.com
    email: info@karenmartin.com

     

    Comment

    Karen E. Martin
    6/1/2013 11:35:03 am

    Thanks for posting! It’s so exciting to see my book out there on other people’s websites. 🙂