Glossary of Publishing-related terms

Glossary of Publishing-related terms


Advance Review Copies (ARCs):  Also known as galleys. These are prepublication editions of a book. They are generally used to generate reviews and publicity prior to the official release date.

Author: The creator or originator of any written work.

Alpha reader: The person or persons who are the first to read a completed manuscript. They offer feedback on the completed work as a whole, before it begins revisions.

Agent (literary/publishing): A professional representative of the author who, for a percentage of the profits, negotiates sales of rights for literary works.

Backmatter: Backmatter is additional information placed at the end of the book, such as: the appendix, bibliography, index, notes, and other references.

Beta reader: Like the alpha reader, this is a person or persons who read completed manuscripts and offers feedback. Unlike the alpha, a beta reader usually sees a manuscript after it has been through at least one revision.

Big 6: The six major New York publishers who dominate traditional publishing.

Blurbs (cover quotes): Endorsements of the book by well-known writers or celebrities. Often these appear on the book’s front cover.

Book doctor: Someone hired by the author or publishing house to improve a manuscript. Often used interchangeably with editor in the freelance market.

Book blog tour: A relatively new method of marketing an author’s book via online blogs. An author and their book will be scheduled at a variety of blogs for interviews, book features, guest posts, and chapter excerpts. This avoids the author needing to physically travel around the country, yet still gives them the opportunity to reach their audience.

Book trailer: A video “teaser” about the book. This can be in the form of an author interview or pictorial presentation of key plot points.

Blog: A blend of the terms Web and log. Blogs provide commentary or news on a particular subject, such as reviews on recently read books. Readers can interact with the owner of the blog via comments. This interactivity and “community” is an important aspect of blogging. It is also a useful tool for authors wanting to connect with readers. (See Book Blog Tour)

Critiquing partner/group: A person or a group of people who read and offer feedback and editing advice on some or all of an author’s manuscript.

Copyright: The author’s legal right to ownership of the work under federal copyright laws.

Cover art: The design of the book’s outer image.

Cover quotes (blurbs): Celebrity or author endorsements placed on the front or back cover of a book.

Draft: The various pre-publication stages of a manuscript.

E-book/Ebook (electronic book): A book published in electronic form that can be downloaded to computers or handheld devices.

Editor: A person whose job is to locate and correct errors in a manuscript. There are various types of editors, each with unique functions.
1. Substantive/developmental editor. This editor reads the book and tells the author what parts to tighten, what doesn’t make sense, what plot threads need to be developed, etc.
2. Line editor. This editor notes grammar issues, redundancies, punctuation issues, and awkward sentence structure.
3. Copy editor. This editor intensively edits for continuity as well as grammar and spelling.
4. Proofreader. This editor does a final read-through for obvious errors.

E-publisher: A publisher that focuses on publishing ebooks rather than printed books.

Fiction: A story invented by the author.

Freelance: Independent contractor hired to work in a variety of capacities on a book or article.

Galley: Bound edition of a work available for review and publicity purposes before publication.

Genre: Sales and marketing category into which the title falls (e.g. mystery, suspense, horror, how-to, self-help.)

Hardcover: A book with a hard cover.

Independent (indie) publishing/ Self-publishing:  Often used synonymously, both terms refer to the process in which an author takes their manuscript from draft to printed book, incurring all cost involved in producing the work. Independent publishers generally take a more business-like approach, setting themselves up under a publishing name or label to produce multiple books, whereas self-publishers generally publishes under their own name and may or may not have multiple works to publish.

ISBN (International Standard Book Number): An ISBN is your publishing “social security number.” It is a 13-digit string of numbers that identifies the book and publisher.

Manuscript (ms): The unedited book as written by the author.

Non-fiction: Written work that is factual.

Offset printing: A printing method used to produce large volumes of high-quality documents at a single time.

Paperback: A book with a soft paper cover

Print run: Number of copies produced at a single time (used with offset printing).

Print On Demand (POD): A printing technology and business process in which new copies of a book are not printed until an order has been received.

Proof copy: A draft of the book sent out for review before and approval production.

Publishing format: The physical form in which books appear—hardcover, mass market paperback, trade paperback, ebook, etc.

Royalties: A percentage of the sales price earned by the author on sold copies.

Synopsis: A 200-400 word summary of the entire book.

S.W.A.G.: Stuff We All Get. A common term at conferences and tradeshows describing the freebies that are given away. It is also used to describe the bookmarks, posters, and other book-related promotional items.

Traditional publishing: A process that involves several steps to entice someone else to take on the cost of publishing an author’s manuscript. This involves but is not limited to: querying and signing with an agent, shopping a manuscript to editors, signing contracts, revising, and editing. In general, if successful, this process can take between 1-4 years from first draft to bookstore shelves.

Trade paperback: A paperback book that is generally 6x9 in size.

Vanity press (vanity publisher): A publisher who requires the author to pay for all of the publishing expenses. In return, the author receives a royalty on sales of each book.

Word count: The number of words in a work of fiction. They are broken down as follows:

Novel: Generally, a work of fiction that is above 50,000 words. (Often the genre dictates what is considered novel-length. 50,000 is the bare minimum.)
Novella: A work of fiction that is between 20,000 words and 50,000 words.
Novelette: A work of fiction that is between 7,000 words and 20,000 words.
Short story: A work of fiction that is under 7,000 words.
Flash fiction: A work of fiction told in under 1,000 words.


Read more in Go Publish Yourself! Available on Amazon Kindle. http://www.amazon.com/Go-Publish-Yourself-ebook/dp/B007415JD6/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1329547160&sr=1-1

Keeping Up With The Rheinlander's: #Book #Review: Hunter's & Prey

Keeping Up With The Rheinlander's: #Book Review: Hunter's & Prey

Keeping Up With the Rheinlander's has reviewed Hunter's & Prey Book 2 Immortalis Series!!

She gives it4/5 hearts and says:

"This is book 2 in the Immortalis Series and a great continuation of Alyssa's story! Katie does a great job of keeping the the storyline going but with new and interesting characters..."

Read more here
http://www.mnmrheinlander.com/2012/02/book-review-hunters-prey-immortalis.html

Author Spotlight - Sandra Bunino




K.S.  Hello and welcome to the blog. I am very excited to have you here. Why don’t we start off with a small introduction? Tell us a little about yourself. 

First, thank you for having me, Katie! I’m thrilled to be on Written in Blood today. This is always one of the toughest questions to answer! I’ll start with my background. I have an undergraduate degree in accounting and an MBA in business management.  I’ve worked in the cutthroat industry of corporate finance for many years.

Even though my writing career started quite recently, I’ve been writing romantic fiction since high school. I’ve followed the publishing industry, specifically e-publishing, closely and decided it was time to jump in and publish my first novella.


K.S.  Any interesting writing quirks or stories you would like to share with my readers?

I love to write while traveling. There’s just something about being away from your normal routine that gets the creative juices running. I like to write about the different locales I visit. My current release, Marooned in Miami takes place in one of the sexiest spots possible – South Beach! My next release is set in Martha’s Vineyard and New York City. I’m currently working on the Marooned sequel, Lusted in Las Vegas, where anything can happen…and does. During the holidays my husband and I spent a long weekend in Cozumel. You guessed it! I’m working on a novella set on the Mexican island about a sexy modern day pirate.


K.S.  When did you realize you wanted to be a writer? What sparked the desire to pen your first novel?

I think I’ve always wanted to be a writer. I developed a love of writing while taking creative writing classes in high school. Stories are usually triggered by everyday events and just unfold in my mind. I began saving bit and pieces of stories on my laptop until one day I decided to write a novel.


K.S.  What genre do you write?

I write in the romance genre. My stories are erotic but also always sensual and romantic. There is a lust to love development in each book. I love to progress my sexy scenes from flat out infatuation to intimacy as the characters become more emotionally attached. It’s all about the connection.



K.S.  What would you say has inspired you most in your writing career? Or, who is your favorite author and why?

I don’t have a favorite author but the one that comes to mind is Diana Gabaldon. I am currently on book 5 of her Outlander series. My favorite is still the first - it’s a time travel love story about modern day Claire and her 18th-Century Scottish lover, Jamie. Their love is hardly conventional, always controversial and forever sizzling. Reading this series is a commitment because each book is long and detailed. I do take a break from them once in a while and change it up with a hot, sexy short novella but I always look forward to the continuation of Claire and Jamie’s love story.



K.S.  What does your family think of your writing?

This is an interesting question because of the genre I write. For the most part, everyone is very supportive but I do have a few friends and family members who are uncomfortable with the fact that I write ‘the sexy.’ My answer to the questioning looks is usually: “Do you think murder mystery authors are running around killing people?” I mean really people, grow up. But the sad fact is friends whom I’ve known in one area of my life cannot accept my new facet and that’s okay because it’s their issue, not mine. However, I am proud to say that my husband is my greatest supporter. I don’t think I would be able to write these types of stories without having a healthy relationship.


K.S.  What was one of the most surprising things you learned while creating your book/s?

I think the most surprising thing about creating my books is the time and energy that is necessary to get a book out into the marketplace. The writing is the easy part! Multiple edits, cover art, release promotion, review requests, interviews, reader correspondence, blogging and ongoing contests and promotion take a lot of time and hard work. I love to hear from my readers and answer every comment and question. I also have many blog hops and contests going on each month, including a fun weekly blog called ALL THINGS GIRL where I write about, well, all things girl! My last post was about shoes. Shoe posts are always a hit!


K.S.  What inspires you?

People watching! I love to watch people interacting with one another. There is so much you can tell about a relationship just through their body language. I can glance at a couple having dinner together or two people meeting at a bar and a story plays out in my mind. I also get a lot of my story ideas from songs. My next release, Sara’s Smile, was inspired by a song about lost love.



K.S.  Can you tell us a little about any of your novels?

Blurb:
Undeniable lust and a fierce Miami storm bring sexy strangers together at The Hotel Del Santos for a passion filled night.

Stephanie, still reeling from a failed marriage, needs a break from the past. She decides to take her friends’ advice and finds a perfect stranger for a night of no-strings-attached, smoking hot sex.

Jason, a wealthy Seattle builder has the worst luck with love. Swearing he would never allow another woman to get under his skin, Jason decides a life of casual sex is just fine with him. While watching Stephanie’s sexy stilettos click across the lobby floor he zeros in on his next conquest.

Cut off from the outside world, the lives of these two strangers collide and burn with desire when stranded in the perfect storm. Both are content with the idea of sharing a glorious one-night stand together, that is, until they go their separate ways.

Excerpt from Chapter 1:
Startled by an angry crack of thunder, she saw a flash of lightning through the lobby’s floor to ceiling glass window. The chandeliers all flickered in unison as the elevator doors opened. She swore under her breath, looked down at her three-inch heels and considered walking up the six flights of stairs to her room.

“Hey, is it okay to take the elevator in this storm?” she called to the front desk clerk who nodded and gave her a small wave.

A night stuck in the elevator was not in her plan. She debated for a moment about walking up barefoot when she heard a low voice to her right.

“How about we chance it together?”

She spun around to see the source of those words that washed over her like a slow moving current. Stephanie’s breath caught when she turned toward the source of the silky voice. His eyebrows raised and waited for an answer to his question. His lips curled to showcase his straight white teeth. He appeared out of nowhere; surely she would have noticed him in the lobby. A day’s growth of dark stubble covered his chiseled cheekbones below dangerous blue eyes. Stephanie’s heart raced, while she imagined her fingers combing through his dark wavy hair. Stop it, she thought as she shook her head slightly and hoped the action would rid her mind of these visions. One side of her said kick off those heels and walk up all of those damn flights of stairs, but the other told her to take him up on the offer. It was as if an angel and a devil sat on her shoulders. The devil was winning. The front desk didn’t foresee an issue with the elevator so why should she?

Stephanie’s eyes narrowed, careful not to give him any indication of the attraction she felt, even though his dark hair and tanned complexion made her insides turn to mush. There was something about his presence that made her feel sexy. She couldn’t make sense of the feeling. Heat coursed through her veins and straight down to her core. How could a stranger have that effect on her? I’ve got to start dating. I’m turning into a horny mess. She stepped inside the elevator and pushed the button for the sixth floor. The man followed closely behind, slid his key into the PH slot at the top and pushed the button.

Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars "OH. MY. GOD! Strikingly Hottest Erotica Novella! An amazing short story was well-written and convincingly hot and sensual." - Best Erotica Books


"Marooned in Miami is an excellent short, steamy and very erotic tale." - Fallen Angel Reviews


"You're going to have to trust me on this one, and go pick it up, it's worth it." - The eBook Reviewers

“This will make you hot on a cold winter night!” – Reader Review



K.S.  Where can we buy your novel?
Amazon, Barnes & Noble, AllRomance ebooks


K.S.  Do you have a website, fan site, or Blog that we can visit?

Readers can contact me through my website www.sandrabunino.com and on Amazon Author Central. I am also on Twitter @sandrabunino (following is sexy!) and Facebook.



K.S.  Do you have any closing advice to aspiring writers?

Follow your dream, stay positive and don’t give up! Writing is about the journey not the destination. Enjoy the ride.

Go Publish Yourself!



Self-Publishing made simple. Get your polished novel ready for Kindle, Nook, or Print in thirty days or less.

Avoid the common stumbling blocks and get on the road to successful self-publishing. This handy dandy guide, filled with insider’s tips and tricks, will unscramble the world of self-publishing into simple, easy-to-follow steps. 


What’s in the book?
Common Misconceptions
The Business of Self-Publishing
Basic Costs & Budgeting
Publishing Formats: Epub, Kindle, Smashwords, & Print
Cover Art
Interior Layout
Pricing
Printing and Distribution
Marketing Basics: Platform Building, Book Signings, Blog Tours, etc.

And much more!


Don’t make rookie mistakes. Learn from an insider!
Katie Salidas is an author with several successful self-published titles. Each of her titles was created in the DIY (Do It Yourself) style, without the aid of author service companies. Through trial and error she has gained the knowhow to successfully publish print and ebooks. GoPublish Yourself! has that knowledge assembled into an easy-to-use format, packed with no-nonsense tips and quick and dirty tricks, so you can take your novel to the next level.

So, what are you waiting for? Go PublishYourself!

Soulstone




It’s a desperate time for rookie vampire Alyssa, and her sanity is hanging by a slender thread. Her clan is still reeling from the monumental battle with Aniketos; a battle that claimed the body of Lysander, her sire and lover, and trapped his spirit in a mysterious crystal. A Soulstone.

Unfortunately, no amount of magic has been able to release Lysander’s spirit, and the stone is starting to fade. Weeks of effort have proved futile. Her clan, the Peregrinus, have all but given up hope. Only Alyssa still believes her lover can be released. In despair, Alyssa begs the help of the local witch coven, and unwittingly exposes the supernaturals of Boston to unwanted attention from the Acta Sanctorum.

The Saints converge on the city and begin their cleansing crusade to rid the world of all things “Unnatural.” In the middle of an all-out war, but no closer to a solution to the dying stone, Alyssa is left with an unenviable choice: save her mate, or save her clan.


Soulstone
CHAPTER 1
Copyright © 2012 by Katie Salidas

Down the creaky steps I walked, alone, heading for the basement.
Visiting Lysander had become my nightly ritual. I’d wake up in my bed, reach out to the empty sheets, and feel nothing but crushing emptiness. It’s hard to believe that the absence of someone can bear such a heavy weight on one’s soul, but it does. That’s when realization would hit me, and I’d relive that terrible memory of seeing Lysander, my love, my mate, dive into the flames.
Only after coming downstairs to the dark, dungeon-like basement, would I feel better.
I took a deep breath and stepped down onto the cold concrete floor. To my already tepid skin, the ground felt icy. Winter’s chill had frozen everything, and the basement was no real shelter from the cold. I probably should have worn something more than socks, but in my desperation to see him, I’d ignored basic necessities. I shook off the chill working its way up my spine and continued on.
“Good evening sweetie.” I said it as if he could hear me.
His spirit could, I guess, but Lysander had no voice with which to respond. Still, it made me feel better to talk to him as if he were alive and in front of me.
“It’s snowing outside. It’s Boston is a winter wonderland. Zuri took us shopping for coats and boots.” Lysander had lived the last fifty years in Las Vegas. I had grown up there, before becoming a vampire. So for desert rats such as us, snow was as infrequent as rain, which made them special. Now that we were on the east coast, both were very common but neither had lost their beauty, at least to me they hadn’t. “I wish you could see it, honey. It’s just gorgeous out there. Everything’s covered in white.”
No response, as always. Not that I had really expected one. Hoped for, yes. But, at this rate, my hope was beginning to wear thin.
Too much time had passed since he’d been trapped inside the crystal that now served as his prison. The fragile hope I held of saving him was almost gone. I grew restless for a resolution. His spirit felt weaker. The warmth of his presence was almost … transparent.
Ariana, our resident witch, had not yet come up with a solution. She’d managed an impressive feat, trapping Aniketos back into the Pandora’s Box. But because she’d used her own spells instead of the original ones from the old scrolls, Lysander had been trapped too. His spirit now resided in a large blood-red crystal.
She’d said her coven might be able to help; however, weeks later, we still had no resolution. Others in the house had already given up. I could feel it in the way they avoided any talk of Lysander or the crystal. They’d always find a way to change the subject. A few times, I had the sneaking suspicion that they were purposefully avoiding me so as not to have to talk about it.
I reached up and pulled the chain, flicking on the overhead light. The basement was small and bare. Brownstones in the Back Bay area of Boston were built tall, not wide, so the basement didn’t take up much square footage. Lysander’s coffin sat in the middle. Just a plain pine box that reminded me of ones from the old westerns I’d watched as a kid. It had been quickly constructed, and wasn’t a showpiece. Just a simple, almost flimsy box, only meant to hold Lysander until we could find some way to release his spirit.
Seeing it there, sitting all alone in the cold dark room, caused my heart to seize. Each time I set eyes on the coffin, for a brief moment, my world crumbled into dust—like everything important had been destroyed, except the reminder of the act that put him in this coffin.
It The coffin had been quickly constructed, and wasn’t a show piece. Just a simple, almost flimsy box, only meant to hold Lysander until we could find some way to release his spirit. For as long as he’d been lying there, I hoped he was comfortable. Part of me felt guilty, like the others and I should have gotten him something a little nicer to sleep in. That thought too made the permanence of death seem more real. A tear welled up in my eye, and I wiped it away.
The pine box is fine. He won’t be in it much longer.
I pushed aside the lid and leaned it against the side of the box. Inside, Lysander lay, looking as if he were sleeping off his terrible injuries.
Where his body wasn’t scabbed or bruised, the skin appeared ashen in color and almost plastic-looking, as if not really skin at all, but a sort of waxy coating. I shivered at the gruesome sight. He’d been so beautiful before the fire charred him. His once-gorgeous chocolate-colored hair had been singed away in the blaze, leaving only a few patches here and there to remind me of its original color. The tips of his fangs poked down from behind dry, parched lips. I’d tried to give him blood, hoping it might restore him, but it hadn’t had any effect. His body was frozen in the moment his spirit had left it.
The fire had almost destroyed him before his spirit had been caught. Ariana had suggested to me that Lysander had already died and his spirit was moving on when she trapped him. She told me that if we freed it from the crystal, he might not return to his body.
I wasn’t ready to accept that. I could still feel his presence, though weak, emanating from the large soda bottle-sized crystal. Whether in his body or not, his spirit was still with us. That had to count for something. He was still here with us and alive, for all intents and purposes. And until we knew otherwise, I did not want to hear talk of him “moving on.”
I hoped and prayed to every deity out there that when Ariana did find the answer, Lysander could be returned to his body. Even if he remained charred and burned, I’d still love him. I didn’t want to face eternity without him.
I’d placed the crystal on his chest and folded his arms across it. There it had rested for the last two weeks while I tried to find answers. I hoped keeping the two together like this would help in some small way.
“Alyssa the widow is back to mourn again,” said an overly chipper voice from the top of the stairs. “Shouldn’t you be wearing black?”
I craned my head to look up and found Ian standing at the top of the stairs. As usual he was dressed for a night out: raven-black hair slicked back with just a few strands framing his face, skin-tight t-shirt and tight-legged jeans to ensure nothing was left to the imagination, and topped off with a leather coat. I often wondered if he had been a greaser before being turned. He certainly looked the part.
“Widow implies death, Ian,” I said with as much snark as I could put into my mournful voice.
“Widow also implies… available.” Ian beamed down with his thousand-watt smile. “I’ve had enough of this moping. You’re coming out with me tonight.” He took the stairs at a trot.
“No, thanks. I don’t need to hunt tonight.” I looked down at Lysander again. “You have to come back, honey. Look what you’re leaving me with.”
“I’m not taking no for an answer.” Ian’s breath blew across my ear. I felt the closeness of his body almost pressing against my back. “And I prefer to be the one on the hunt.”
I jumped in response, and my head collided with his. “Ugh. Ian! Stop it. I’m not one of your waitresses or barmaids. Leave me alone.” A spike of pain radiated through my skull. I could only hope I’d done more damage to Ian. The nerve of him, hitting on me in front of Lysander.
“No, you’re not. Which makes the hunt all that much more fun for me. Tricky little prey, aren’t you, Alyssa?” If I had injured him, he didn’t show it. In fact, whatever pain I’d caused him, he might have even liked.
I groaned in frustration and rubbed the sore spot on the back of my head.
“Oh, c’mon. Try me. You just might like it.” He winked.
I couldn’t help but roll my eyes. “I don’t want to try anyone, especially not a sleazy vampire that’ll sleep with anything that breathes.”
“Not fair. I didn’t sleep with your human friend, Fallon.”
“That’s ’cause she’s with Aiden.”
Ian grimaced for a brief second before his smile returned. “She’s off limits.”
“And so am I.”
“Just come out and have fun.”
“Fun for you is getting in the sack.”
“Look, you might see me as sleazy. I prefer the term ‘promiscuous’; it has a nicer ring to it. But the bottom line is, at least I’m out there living life, not moping around in some dingy cellar, waiting for a man who’ll never return.” His typically cheerful tone had all but vanished. “I’m trying to help you.”
It was the first time I had ever seen Ian serious. Beyond that, he almost looked angry. His blue-gray eyes narrowed on me and his lip curled ever so slightly. “You have to know when to give up.” He inclined his head toward the coffin. “Let a lost cause go.”
I stared at him while anger and grief fought each other to be the dominant emotion inside me. My jaw quivered. I mashed my teeth together so it wouldn’t show.
“Lost cause? Lysander’s not a lost cause.” My eyes watered. I blinked and turned away. I didn’t want to melt down again. I didn’t want anyone seeing me like this.
“Look, I’m sorry I hurt your feelings,” Ian said, softening his tone. He smiled at me, but it didn’t have its usual brilliance.
“You don’t know what this feels like. To know that your mate is here, lying as if dead. But I feel him. I know he hasn’t gone yet. Yes, Ian. I can feel his spirit. Right here.”
I picked the crystal up, off Lysander’s chest, and held it for Ian to see. “He’s not dead and gone. I know you can’t feel it, but I can. That’s what makes this so difficult.”
“I get it. You’ve been so maudlin lately. I’m just trying to lighten things up. Put a smile on that pouty face.”
I huffed. There was no getting through to that man. How could I expect him to understand the loss of a mate? He was the pathological playboy of the immortal world. Sex was his answer for all life’s problems.
“I’m sorry. Let’s try this again.” Ian’s wide eyes suddenly narrowed on the crystal. “Hey, didn’t that used to be all red?”
“What?” I pulled it closer to inspect. When Lysander had been trapped, the crystal had gone from completely transparent to a deep red color, as if it were made from blood itself. To my surprise now, the tip had turned clear.
“What does this mean?” I mumbled more to myself than to Ian.
“Good news, probably. Maybe the longer you keep that thing on Lysander’s chest, the more his spirit can seep back into his body.”
Oh, how I wished he were right! Ever the optimist, Ian had given me a little more hope. Maybe the spell would reverse its self after a short while, and Lysander would heal and return to us.
“Ariana is coming by later. You can show her then.”
I gave Ian a genuine smile.
“There it is. That’s what I’ve been looking for. You look so pretty when you’re not moping. Now, let’s go out and celebrate this good news.”
Part of me wanted to. I’d been cooped up for the last two weeks, researching and staying by Lysander’s side. It would be nice to get out and enjoy the city.
Ian took a step, closing the gap between us. He was a tall man, six foot or better. He pulled me into a hug and cradled my head to his chest. “It’s not a crime to go out and have fun. You have to live too. Otherwise, what’s immortality good for?”
I pulled back and looked down at the crystal in my hands. It seemed to pulse, as if Lysander were trying to tell me something. The warm, tingling sensation of his presence briefly flashed through me. Maybe he was saying the same thing: You shouldn’t forget to live.
I held it up and gently kissed the smooth sides. “I’ll be back soon,” I said, and then placed it against his chest.
“Atta girl.” Ian’s full blinding smile returned. “Let’s turn that frown upside down, permanently. We’re gonna hit the town and have a little fun.”
“I’ll go out with you tonight, on two conditions,” I said as I closed the lid to the coffin.
“Name them.”
“Quit with the cheesy lines. You need some new material.”
“Ouch. I think I might be insulted,” Ian quipped.
I shook my head. “Oh, poor baby. It couldn’t hurt that bad. I doubt anything in the world could damage that ego.”
“You’re so feisty and full of anger. I know a way to relieve some of that tension.” He waggled his eyebrows.
I gave him my best I-don’t-think-so look and drummed my fingers on the top of the coffin.
“Can’t blame a guy for trying. Either way, you’re still smiling.” He smirked. “What’s the other condition?”
“That you talk Zuri into coming with us.”
“Spoil sport.” Ian shot up the stairs, leaving me alone with Lysander’s body.
I had to laugh. Ian just didn’t give up. That, in its own funny way, gave me more hope. Maybe he was right and Lysander might actually make a comeback. That was a reason to celebrate, even if it was with Ian. I took one last look at the coffin. “Are you sure I should go out with him?” I mumbled to the box. As expected, there was no response, but I still felt Lysander spirit.
I wished, just once, that he would answer. With a sigh, I headed to the stairs, pulling the chain for the light as I walked by. “I’ll see you later honey. Don’t you go waking up without me, okay?”

Author Spotlight with Jimmy G


K.S.  Hello and welcome to the blog. I am very excited to have you here. Why don’t we start off with a small introduction? Tell us a little about yourself. 

My background is, in my opinion interesting as far what type of person one might consider to be the writing type. I would never, in my life had I thought that I would end up writing. I was the kid in the back of class avoiding the gaze of the teacher. I’d shriek when I would come across an essay question in place of the more mild mannered multiple choice option. It took me ten years to get through junior college! When I speak of how I got into writing I like to tell folks I fell into it, literally. I fell of off a train and broke my knee. I needed surgery. I was a professional firefighter at the time. A broken knee and that gig just do not mix. I was to be off of work for quite some time. During a visit to the firehouse the guys asked me what I was going to do with all of my time away, as if physical therapy wasn’t enough. I had always been an avid reader, for some reason “I think I’ll write a book” popped out. They didn’t think I could do it. Well, to me that was a challenge and one I obviously accepted. I headed home that day, fired up the computer and started typing. That was a little over ten years ago. As of this week I started writing my seventh novel. Since then I’ve been rather active where literature is concerned. I’m on the board of directors for the Chicago Writer’s Association. I head up their Windy City Book Review Program. I’m a panelist for the Clive Cussler Adventure Writers Competition. I’m a mentor for a teen writer, who by the way will have her first book published shortly. I was also instrumental in getting my hometown’s annual book festival going. Aside from all of that, I am no longer a firefighter, another injury closed that chapter of my life. I’m now a husband, a father of two, I umpire high school and college baseball and finally, I’m the Den Leader for my little guy’s Cub Scout Pack. That’s about it….




K.S.  Any interesting writing quirks or stories you would like to share with my readers?

            Not really, I’m sorry, kind of dull answer. I just sit down and type. What whatever pops out I either hit delete or keep rolling along. I guess this is kind of quirk. I don’t like writing home for some reason. I do, of course. I make a point to head out to my favorite local pub where I claim a spot at the bar. It’s fun, as with most saloon, bars and restaurants you’ll see a bunch of regulars hanging out. I usually stick to myself but I do like jumping into the banter when something catches my ear.        


K.S.  When did you realize you wanted to be a writer? What sparked the desire to pen your first novel?

Oh boy, I’m sorry, I answered that in the first question! Oops!


K.S.  What genre do you write?

            I write in two genres. I started off writing adventure novels for adults. I still do but now I’ve added paranormal stuff for middle school kids to my resume. I tried my hand at that just to see if I could write something different. I’m glad I did, it’s fun stuff to work on.


K.S.  What would you say has inspired you most in your writing career? Or, who is your favorite author and why?

I think it’s pretty neat to know there are folks out there who I have never met reading my stuff. At least I hope there is some out there reading my stories. The best part is fan mail, its nice to know what those people I’ve never met feel about the stories.

K.S.  What does your family think of your writing?

Supportive, naturally, my wife isn’t big reader. I’ve written seven books, she’s read one. I still love her though.


K.S.  What was one of the most surprising things you learned while creating your book/s?

Tough question, I’ve learned so much. In relation to the writing business in general, I’ve found editing and cleaning can take as long as or even longer than just writing the darn book. Another observation I’ve made since I started writing ten or twelve years ago, authors are often treated poorly by their industry peers, such as agents, publishers, sellers and reviewers. I sometimes wonder if all of these folks realize they that they wouldn’t have their jobs with out us?


K.S.  What inspires you?

Another tough question simply because there is so much to mention. I’m inspired by other writers, my own hobbies and interests, my family and my friends. Part of what keeps me writing though, I just think it’s cool to know that there people out there who I’ve never met reading my stuff. The fan mail is cool too. I think have two or three of those now, fans that is.

K.S.  Can you tell us a little about any of your novels?

Here you go, for the current book anyway….

1776: An English payroll ship loses sight of its convoy and wrecks on the shoals of a small, remote Caribbean island during a terrible storm, marooning its crew and a small group of soldiers. After rescuing the gold and burying it on the island, they are overrun by a tribe of cannibals, leaving the treasure hidden...

Today: Jimmy Quigley, a small town cop, inherits a boat and a treasure map from his Uncle Jackson, a renowned world explorer. He hooks up with Evelyn Quinn, who also received a small inheritance from his uncle. He heads to the Caribbean with Evelyn and her friend, Kristin, and his friend, Rick, for some fun in the sun and a possible treasure hunt. When the boat is ransacked by thieves not once, but twice, Jimmy wonders if his uncle's warning to watch his back has more to it than he first thought. With his friends' safety and the fate of the Lorraine gold in mind, Jimmy heads off into the biggest adventure of his life...


K.S.  Where can we buy your novel?

Mostly on line at Amazon or anywhere books are sold on the web. If you’re in the Chicago area, swing on by your favorite bookstore, hopefully my stuff will be there. If it’s not, scream at the desk clerk.


K.S.  Do you have a website, fan site, or Blog that we can visit?

I am at www.jimmygwrites.com. I’m told I should be blogging. I’ll get to that eventually. I am on Facebook as well, everyone hit me up, one can never have too many friends.


K.S.  Do you have any closing advice to aspiring writers?

Just keep writing, you’ll get there, seems every established writer I know has passed that along.


About The Author

Katie Salidas is a USA Today bestselling author and RONE award winner known for her unique genre-blending style.

Since 2010 she's penned five bestselling book series: the Immortalis, Olde Town Pack, Little Werewolf, Chronicles of the Uprising, and the all-new Agents of A.S.S.E.T. series. As her not-so-secret alter ego, Rozlyn Sparks, she is a USA Today bestselling author of romance with a naughty side.

In her spare time Katie also produces and hosts a YouTube talk show; Spilling Ink. She also has a regular column on First Comics News where she explores writing from a nerdy perspective.