For What It's Worth


Friday, November 4, 2011

Shadowlander Blog Tour: Guest post & Giveaway with Theresa Meyers

Four sisters, three rules to live by, one big problem.

O’Connell Family Rule #1: Don’t let the Fae know you see them.

O’Connell Family Rule #2: Don’t talk to the Fae.

O’Connell Family Rule #3: Never, ever follow them.

Most people only believe what they can see. Gifted with the ability to see the deep, dark fae of Shadowland, Catherine Rowan Mary O’Connell would prefer not to. When the fae abduct her friend Maya, Cate breaks the sacred O’Connell Family Rules and sets a trap for the handsome fae who haunts her every step.

Rook, High Court Advisor to the Shadow King, has been following Cate since she was sixteen. When Cate reveals herself as one of the fabled “Seers”, Rook is stunned—she is One of the few that can permanently open the gates between their worlds. If he turns her over to the Shadow King, his court will rule the human realm. Cate knows she has precious little time to find Maya. By midnight, the glamour of Mid‐Summer’s Eve will fade, leaving her trapped forever in the Shadowland, but Maya’s abductor won’t give up the woman he’s mesmerized easily.

The midnight hour is almost at hand. Cate must choose: her freedom or her destiny. (Contemporary Fantasy Romance)

It's my pleasure to welcome author Theresa Meyers to the blog today. I just finished reading Shadowlander. It was a really fun, sexy novella and great start to her new Shadow Sisters series. My review will be up next week. Until then here's Theresa to discuss writing and inspirations.

*Don't forget to enter the giveaway at the end of this post!

Writing Inspirations by Theresa Meyers

A lot of people are curious what serves as inspiration for a writer. “Where do you come up with your story ideas?” is something I get asked a lot. Well, here’s the embarrassing truth. Every working writer you know probably has more ideas than they can ever write. Ideas are the easiest part. I’ve gotten to the point where I just start jotting them down on an idea sheet and put them away in a file called the “Idea Trunk” on my computer.

Anything can be a catalyst for a new idea. A bit of a song, a commercial or bill board. Standing in line at the grocery store or at a Starbuck’s listening to how people talk. (I love to listen to accents, they are my favorite.) Watching movies. And if I really get stuck, and I kid you not it does happen when I’m working on a book and it takes a twist I didn’t expect, I’ll go shovel the horse’s pasture. Nothing like physical, smelly work to kick your muse in the behind and get her back to work.

Sometimes I get the book title first and wonder for days what that story will be about. Sometimes I just get a scene or bits of dialog floating through my head as the characters start talking to each other like I’m not even there. (Confusing as hell when you have little people talking to you at the same time and are driving the car or listening to voice mail!)

But I can tell when the creative well is starting to dry up a little. It’s harder to pull the ideas out of my head. I find taking a day or two to watch reruns of Supernatural, a favorite movie like Stardust or create a new book soundtrack from my music selections seems to help. Sometimes I’ll just bake for a day, or paint something or sew up a new steampunk costume. Creativity tends to spark more creativity. (And really, who couldn’t use some pumpkin bread to go with their tea this time of year!)

There are times, such as when I was working on Shadowlander, that I found I needed to actually go outside and not just see the world around me, but sit down, shut my eyes and open up my other senses. My fae world is so different in its structure than our world. I needed to smell, hear and touch more than see. Seeing is often the easy part to write, it’s all the other stuff that’s tougher.

The funny thing is we all tap into that creative part of ourselves in different ways. Some people do it in how they play sports. Others in how they mechanic on something or the way they dress. No matter how you express your creativity, by tapping into it, you infuse the other parts of your life with creative inspiration.

So, I’m curious, what do you do to be creative?

Karen: Thank you for stopping by today Theresa. I'm finding that watching Supernatural is a common source of inspiration to writers! I really have to watch this series one day to see what all the fuss is about. I KNOW! I'm the only person who hasn't seen it yet!!

About the author:
Raised by a bibliophile who made the dining room into a library, Theresa has always been a lover of books and stories. First a writer for newspapers, then for national magazines, she started her first novel in high school, eventually enrolling in a Writer's Digest course and putting the book under the bed unRl she joined Romance Writers of America in 1993. In 2005 she was selected as one of eleven finalists for the American Title II contest, the American Idol of books. She is married to the first man she ever went on a real date with (to their high school prom), who she knew was hero material when he suffered through having to let her parents drive, and her brother sit between them in the backseat of the car. They currently live in a Victorian house on a mini farm in the Pacific Northwest with their two children, three cats, an old chestnut arabian gelding, an energetic mini‐Aussie shepherd puppy, several rabbits, a dozen chickens and an out‐of‐control herb garden. 

Connect with Theresa: Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | website | or blogging with the other Lolitas of Steamed 

Buy the book! Amazon | Barnes and Noble 

Giveaway!

THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED


The winner is Loves to Dive


Congratulations!

16 comments:

  1. I was born a creative person. I do artwork of all types from paper and ink drawings to seed-beading jewelry. I also write as a hobby. Nothing published as of yet but I am working on it.
    This book sounds great so thanks for the chance to win a copy.

    LadyVampire2u AT gmail DOT com

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  2. I'd really love to read Shadowlander!It sounds like a really interesting book!

    anniech85(at)gmail(dot)com

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  3. I'd love to read it as well!
    Email is ariel(dot)kirst(at)gmail(dot)com.
    Or, twitter handle is Matriaya

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  4. Totally non-creative, everyone else in my family got that gene and it passed me by. Can't draw, can't write, can't sing. I did dance when I was younger. I'm an avid scuba diver though and love to be under the water with creatures that live there and I do take underwater photos.
    would love to read the book.
    lvs2dv (at) gmail (dot) com

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  5. i love stardust too ^^ supernatural - i haven't seen it - i probably should ;)
    i am not too creative, but i like to daydream. especially if a book takes a turn i really don't like or find lacking i just dream up my own end ^^
    It's easy to be creative while doing the dishes or other not too hard work ;)

    witchvela at web dot de

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  6. This book sounds wonderful! I have always loved books about the Fae.

    Answer: To be creative, I usually read my favorite books again. Something in it usually sparks an idea. I also like to walk around the mall and people watch. While I'm doing chores, I listen to music and ever now and then some lyric sparks an idea.

    And don't feel bad, Karen. I still haven't seen Supernatural either. =/

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  7. Oops, forgot to leave my email.

    ashley_e_prince@yahoo.com

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  8. Good to hear from you, Theresa! To be creative, I usually exercise a bit while listening to new music. The combination of rising endorphins and fresh words really gets my brain working overtime. :-)

    Karen, girl, you have got to experience the awesomeness that is Supernatural. It creeped me out sometimes, but more often I thought it had great action and smart episode writing. Plus, yanno, the Winchester brothers...

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  9. My creativity is sparked by various things, including books, music and movies.

    email: goonie4ever(at)gmail(dot)com
    Twitter: kellym2372

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  10. i am na unpublished author at this time and i find that when i am having a bit of writers block or need to work out a plot wrinkle or something i make homemade bread or a cake or candy from scratch. this keeps my hands busy and gives me a break but doesn't occupy all of my mind. it just takes the focus off enough that i can get past whatever was holding me up.

    trvlagnt1t@yahoo.com

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  11. Sounds good :)
    But what do I do, well, I just let go and just write. That is it


    -not an entry, I must have that reader first_

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  12. This is so sad, but I'm another person that doesn't have a creative bone in my body. It utterly baffles my husband, who is an artist, but I since I've never had that urge, I don't miss it. On the other hand, I love to explore new worlds, so I travel a lot, and like the poster above, I scuba dive also. Between that, and my reading habit, I'm always entertained.
    jen(at)delux(dot)com

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  13. Great post! When I am creatively stumped, I drag my brother on walks and bounce ideas off of him. :)

    Thanks for the giveaway!

    liedermadchen(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  14. I love the cover, and it sounds like a great read!! :D
    Kait.Reader at gmail dot com

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  15. Moving is something I do to be creative, be it a walk or even riding a bus, when there's moving scenery my mind can wander more freely ^^

    eveningreen AT gmail DOT com

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  16. When I'm feeling creative I pick up my violin. I'm only a beginner, but I love the sound of a fiddle!! (or I read) :) thanks for the giveaway, it sounds great!

    Artesia at comcast dot net

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