From the High Sierras: A Chat with Diane Benefiel
October 2, 2019 by Jann Ryan in category Jann says . . .
Diane Benefiel writes adventurous romantic suspense novels that are all about the romance. Like your heroes a little rough around the edges and your heroines strong enough to stand up to them? Then you’ll love her books. Diane enjoys travel and flies to the east coast often to see her baby granddaughter Grace (and Grace’s parents). A history teacher in her day job, she’s always searching for pockets of time to write. She and her husband are huge fans of the national parks and hit the open road to visit as often as they can with their trailer in tow. Visit her website and sign up for her newsletter to stay abreast of new happenings.
Today we’re chatting with Romantic Suspense author, Diane Benefiel.
Jann: Your book, Solitary Man, was the National Reader’s Choice Award Winner for Romantic Suspense in 2016! How did it feel winning the award?
Diane: It was awesome.
Jann: August 15, 2019, Hidden Betrayals, The Jamesons, U.S. Marshalls – Book One made its debut. When starting this new romantic suspense series, did you think of character, plot or theme first?
Diane:I almost always build my characters first, and the Jamesons, US Marshals series is no exception. I’d had the idea of a burned-out marshal ready to give up his badge percolating since watching the series Justified, and I wanted a heroine who’s been strengthened by adversity going toe to toe with him. I think I succeeded with Linc and Mikayla.
Jann: What major conflicts do your leading characters in Hidden Betrayal, U.S. Marshal Lincoln Jameson and Mikayla O’Kane, have to work through on the way to their HEA?
Diane:Linc discovers that Mikayla witnessed a major cartel member at the scene of a murder, and the Marshals finally have the witness they need to put the vicious killer behind bars. Linc wants to put her in witness protection, but following a childhood trauma, Mikayla has spent her life trying to escape from the smothering confinement imposed by her mother, and she isn’t about to be put into what she sees as a cage, even if it’s for her own protection.
Jann: How many books do you have planned for this series? Are you working on Book Two? Can you tell us about the characters and their story?
Diane:The Jamesons, US Marshals features siblings Linc, Eleanor, and Seth Jameson, and will be a three-book series. Book Two, Hidden Judgement, features Eleanor, whose skill is being able to emotionally read people. Growing up with two brothers, she has learned to fight harder and be tougher, but always seems to have greater insight into people’s motivations. We’ll see Ellie in charge of protecting a federal judge (yet to be named) who has been threatened by a white nationalist extremist group led by her own father, a man who abandoned the Jameson siblings when they were teenagers.
Jann: Also available for our readers is your High Sierras Series. These six romantic suspense books take place in my favorite areas—the eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains. Tell us about this series and why you chose this particular setting.
Diane:I chose the Eastern Sierras as the setting for my first series because it’s my absolute favorite part of the world. When I was a child my family took may vacations to the Sierras, and I have fond memories of staying at the cabins at Convict Lake with my sisters and parents. My husband and I have taken our children there, and we still visit a couple of times a year. My fictional town of Hangman’s Loss is a blending of Convict and June Lakes, and the story of the town’s name is inspired by the history of how Convict Lake was named.
Jann: Do you find yourself returning to certain themes in your stories? What? Why?
Diane: I do have a recurring theme, and that’s ‘woman in danger’. I love writing strong female characters who can take care of themselves, but who are in a situation where they have to accept help from a strong, protective hero. The next book in The Jamesons, US Marshals, will be a challenge, because for the first time I have the heroine wearing the badge. She’s going to be kickass.
Jann: What are you currently working on and when can we read it?
Diane: I am currently finishing up Break Away, Book 7 of the High Sierras Series. I had thought the series was done, but a character kept popping up in my head and I pitched the idea to my editor, and she said to go for it. Break Away will feature the youngest of the Gallagher siblings who have been the heart of series. Levi has lived away from his family and the town of Hangman’s Loss for all his adult life, but he returns to deal with his past.
Jann: Do you ever run out of ideas? If so, how did you get past that?
Diane: I do hit walls where the ideas won’t come. One way I’ve dealt with that is with a technique I learned from a workshop at a Cal Dreamin’ conference. The presenter suggested a ‘list of twenty’ if a writer gets stuck. Can’t think how to end a scene? Make a list of twenty possible options. Write down even the horrible ones, but make a list of twenty and you’ll find you can come up with some great ideas. I do this all the time.
Jann: It’s been great talking today Diane. Looking forward to reading Hidden Betrayal and Book 7 of the High Sierras Series.
Some books by Diane Benefiel
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Featuring Jina Bacarr
October 1, 2019 by Jina Bacarr in category Featured Author of the Month tagged as Jina Bacarr, new release, October Featured Author of the Month, time travel
October featured author is Jina Bacarr.
I discovered early on that I inherited the gift of the gab from my large Irish family when I penned a story about a princess who ran away to Paris with her pet turtle Lulu. I was twelve. I grew up listening to their wild, outlandish tales and it was those early years of storytelling that led to my love of history and traveling.
I enjoy writing to classical music with a hot cup of java by my side. I adore dark chocolate truffles, vintage anything, the smell of bread baking and rainy days in museums. I’ve always loved walking through history—from Pompeii to Verdun to Old Paris.
The voices of the past speak to me through carriages with cracked leather seats, stiff ivory-colored crinolines, and worn satin slippers. I’ve always wondered what it was like to walk in those slippers when they were new.
Sign up for Jina’s Newsletter.
Everyone here at A Slice of Orange is excited about Jina’s newest novel, Christmas Once Again. Publication is scheduled for October 10th, but you can use the links below to pre-order the book.
About Christmas Once Again
On a cold December day in 1955, Kate Arden got on a train to go home for Christmas.
This is the story of what happened when she got off that train. In 1943.
In 1943 Kate Arden was engaged to the man she loved, Jeffrey Rushbrooke. She was devastated and heartbroken when he was called up for wartime duty and later killed on a secret mission in France.
But what if Kate could change that? What if she could warn him and save his life before Christmas?
Or will fate have a bigger surprise in store for her?
Christmas Once Again is a sweeping, heartbreakingly romantic novel—it’s one woman’s chance to follow a different path and mend her broken heart…
Nothing Found
Other Books by Jina
Taglines, Copyrights, and Trademarks
September 30, 2019 by A Slice of Orange in category The Extra Squeeze by The Extra Squeeze Team tagged as copyrights, taglines, trademarks
Dear Extra Squeeze Team, I have a tagline I use on all my novels, do I need to get a copyright?
Robin Blakely
PR/Business Development coach for writers and artists; CEO, Creative Center of America; member, Forbes Coaches Council.
Great question. The idea that you are asking this sort of question suggests that you are in the business of writing–not every writer is. Business is important to writers, but often they do not like to think about the business side of creativity. You are thinking about business and that indicates that you have a good chance at making significant money from your creative craft. Part of being in business is protecting your intellectual properties. Before you decide how to best protect your tagline, you need to talk to a lawyer who handles this kind of specialized legal business and can explain the difference between copyrights, trademarks, and patents. Before you talk to that qualified lawyer, you need to gather your information together. The process of gathering your information together will help you find the path you should follow. When you find a potential lawyer, that legal professional will want for you to provide a solid overview of your business concern.
Find the answers to the following questions and you will have a better meet-and-greet with the lawyer during your first consultation.
Your lawyer will ask you these questions:
- What is your exact tagline?
- Exactly how and when have you used the tagline so far?
- In an initial search, when you google your tagline, does any result come up that indicates a potential existing conflict?
- What are your plans to use the tagline in the future?
- How will you routinely protect your tagline in the future?
Here are questions for you to ask the lawyer:
- What is your hourly rate?
- How much will this process cost?
- How long will this take?
- How many other authors have you worked with?
- What exactly will I receive when you are finished with your part?
- What do I have to do to make your part possible?
- Jumping ahead, what are best practices to protect my tagline?
- How will you help me routinely protect my tagline?
Rebecca Forster
USA Today Bestselling author of 35 books, including the Witness series and the new Finn O’Brien series.
This is above my pay grade. You might want to ask an entertainment lawyer. The person I asked suggested it might be a trademark situation.
Jenny Jensen
Developmental editor who has worked for twenty plus years with new and established authors of both fiction and non-fiction, traditional and indie.
US copyright law does not cover tag lines. Short phrases or sentences are not considered original creative work as that would run the risk of actually copyrighting a phrase or word common in the English language. Just imagine what you’d have to pay Nike every time you told your kids to ‘just do it’. And how would anyone enforce that anyway? Maybe big brother has that many eyes but individuals don’t.
You can Trade Mark a tag line. Marketers often do. Be sure you can live with a TM beside your tag line. It’s not something I’ve ever seen but I think it would strike me as officious and send an odd message. Writing is a creative effort as well as a business effort but I don’t want to see overt signs of business in my reading for pleasure choices. Besides, a Trade Mark requires mountains of paperwork and the near impossibility of enforcement.
Yearning by Neetu
September 26, 2019 by Neetu Malik in category Poet's Day by Neetu Malik tagged as Neetu, tears
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Yearning
I glisten in tears
like an April dawn,
covered in dew
like blades of grass,
whispering notes
like softly falling raindrops,
I call your name
like one who is lost –
listen achingly for the sound
of your answering call.
© Neetu Malik
Spotlight on Debra H. Goldstein
September 24, 2019 by A Slice of Orange in category Spotlight tagged as A Sarah Blair Mystery, cozy mysteries, Debra H Goldstein
Judge Debra H. Goldstein is the author of Kensington’s new Sarah Blair cozy mystery series, which debuted with One Taste Too Many on December 18, 2018. She also wrote Should Have Played Poker and 2012 IPPY Award winning Maze in Blue. Her newest release is another Sarah Blair cozy mystery, Two Bites Too Many.
Her short stories, including Anthony and Agatha nominated “The Night They Burned Ms. Dixie’s Place,” have appeared in numerous periodicals and anthologies including Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, Black Cat Mystery Magazine, and Mystery Weekly.
Debra served on the national boards of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America. She is a past president of Sisters in Crime’s Guppy Chapter and is the president of the Southeast Chapter of Mystery Writers of America.
Find out more about Debra
Website
Facebook
Twitter
Jan Ryan’s Interview with Debra
Excerpt from Two Bites Too Many by Debra H. Goldstein
The rising decibel of the mutterings in the room indicated the natives were getting restless. Her mother had joked that nothing could start without Lance, but it wasn’t like Maybelle to keep people waiting.
Sarah checked her phone to see if she had a message from her mother.
None.
Commotion near the door used by the council members caught Sarah’s attention. Bailey, the loan officer, stood in the doorway. This time he wasn’t burdened down with a pile of papers when he scurried into the room toward the dais. If it was possible, Sarah thought his face was even paler than before. Although he went straight to Anne Hightower, who sat erectly next to Lance’s empty chair, instead of quite facing Anne, Bailey was intently scanning the audience. He froze when his gaze met Sarah’s.
“It’s Mr. Knowlton. He’s dead!”
Not sure if she’d heard right, Sarah maintained an unbroken stare with Bailey. Only when he repeated “he’s dead” and added “your mother” did she break the linkage of their gazes to push her way out of her row and the auditorium . . .
Some Books by Debra H. Goldstein
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LOST IN THE LIGHT
One October morning in 1932, Vicente Sorolla entered the white house on the hill and was never seen again. Now, Detective Dori Orihuela witnesses his brutal murder in her nightmares.
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FALL OF BLAZE
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