Behind the Pages #30: Dana Volney on Sexy Suspense to Sweet Holiday Romances

It's exciting to have Dana Volney as the last Behind the Pages featured author of 2016, because not only does she write in one of my absolute favorite genres, she also writes stories perfect for Christmas. And since it is the holiday season, Dana is contributing a digital copy of her latest to one lucky ready. So check out her awesome interview below and enter for the chance to win A Heart for the Holidays.

1. Where are you from and when did you realize you wanted to be a writer?

I am from Casper, Wyoming (where I currently live), but when I worked in Seattle I was reading a lot and caught the bug to write there. I didn’t do anything about it for a number of years, until I was back in Casper and my sister urged me to take a class at the college on writing fiction. It opened my eyes to my love of the industry and I’ve never looked back!

2. I read that you also work with a marketing consulting company. How does that impact your life as an author, and how do you balance the two?

I run my marketing business, so I can, mostly, set my own hours. I have made an effort in the last couple months to divide out my schedule to make sure my clients are taken care of and I still get my writing time in—unfortunately, I have yet to have a week where it actually works out that way, but I get in the time for both. Some days my sleep is what suffers though!

3. Tell us a little about your latest, A Heart for the Holidays. How did you come up with the plot?

I love writing a holiday novella every year. From The December Deal, I knew Silver would be the next one to have her own story. I knew she’d been out of town for a while and that she was smart and driven. I also knew I wanted it to have something to do with a heart transplant situation. Last summer at the lake with my sister (who is a nurse which came in very handy for research) and brother-in-law, we formed the general story picture after a harrowing game of Yahtzee. It took some turns when I actually sat down to write, but the general premise was kept. I love Fisher and Silver and I hope people enjoy their heart-tugging story!

4. What do you hope readers will take from this story and from the characters, Silver and Fisher?

There’s always hope. Never give up. You never know when your Silver Morgenstern will walk through your doors!

5. How challenging is it to transition between suspense and holiday romances?

They definitely take two different strategies when I plot and when I write. When I am writing the sweet, holiday stories, I have to think about all the season entails both with the festivities and weather (which is funny because I usually write them in the summer). When it comes to the suspense, they’re all about the danger, mystery, and generally darker thinking. Sometimes the worlds collide, but that’s what editing is for. 😉

6. Have you considered writing outside of both genres? If so, what other genre would you like to tackle?

At the moment I haven’t. I enjoy a couple different Sci-Fi shows and think that would be fun to write, but I don’t know enough about it yet. I generally read romantic suspense and contemporary and haven’t strayed too far out of those zones. Hopefully someday!

7. Dana, since your debut till now, How have you evolved as a writer?

I’m sure there are numerous ways in which I’ve grown—thankfully! One that’s been more evident to me lately is my plotting. I’ve come to realize my life is a bit easier (especially with the suspense novels) when I plot my stories out in more detail before I start. I still stray from my original notes here and there, but overall it creates an easier flow of creativity during my writing time.

8. Was there ever a moment that you wanted to focus on your business and step back from writing?

I think that every day it is a choice. I’ve thought about a lot of different scenarios (clients, time, etc) over the last couple of years, but never once did I commit to quit writing. Even if I take a couple of months off, I always come back to it. I’m constantly thinking of plots and characters and scenes. It’s a part of me now and I truly love it and hope to be publishing for years to come.

9. How do you unwind after finishing a book?

I usually binge watch a show I’ve been saving or order pizza or get some serious family time in, sometimes all of that in one weekend. But mostly I just start thinking about the next book and the timeline. I think if I give myself too much time to relax then nothing really gets done and it’s harder to get back into the routine.

10. What's next for you? 

I am working on my next series, and I’m pumped! It will be a romantic suspense series following assassins on the road back to redemption. Look for the first novel in the series on February 22, 2017!

11. Thank you so much for taking the time. Please leave any tips for aspiring writers. 

One of the best pieces of advice I ever received (or that truly resonated with me as a new writer), is that “there are no new stories, just new voices.” This actually helped me a TON. When I first started exploring writing fiction I was almost paralyzed because I thought “I have to come up with something that has never, ever, EVER, ever been done before”. And while, of course, fresh ideas are never a bad thing, chances are some form of an idea has already been written. That one simple tip put my mind at ease and allowed me to be creative.

Thank you so much for having me! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

More About the Author

Dana Volney lets her imagination roam free in Wyoming, where she writes romances and helps local businesses succeed with her marketing consulting company. Splitting her time between telling sexy, fast-paced suspense stories and sweet holiday romances, she likes to try new adventures in real life whenever she can (which, let’s face it, means tasting all sorts of delicious cuisines). Dana is bold, adventurous, and—by her own admission—good with plants, having kept a dwarf lemon tree alive for six months.

www.danavolney.com | facebook.com/DanaVolney

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Guest Post~Caela Carter (Me, Him, Them, and It)

Caela Carter, author of the new YA contemporary novel Me, Him, Them, and It, has stopped by IFB today with a guest post written in the POV of the main character's best friend. 

Me, Him, Them, and It

by Caela Carter 

Released: February 26th 2013 

Publisher: Bloomsbury U.S.A. Children's Books

Purchase: Amazon

Synopsis via Goodreads:

When Evelyn decided to piss off her parents with a bad reputation, she wasn't planning to ruin her valedictorian status. She also wasn't planning to fall for Todd-the guy she was just using for sex. And she definitely wasn't planning on getting pregnant. When Todd turns his back on her, Evelyn's not sure where to go. Can a distant mother, a cheating father, an angry best friend, and a (thankfully) loving aunt with adopted daughters of her own help Evelyn make the heart-wrenching decisions that follow? With the popularity of "Juno," "Teen Mom," and "The Secret Life of the American Teenager," this novel has a built-in audience. Gripping, heartfelt, and responsible, "Me, Him, Them, and It "is not to be missed!

“Ok, Lizzie, that’s enough,” Mom says. “Go do your homework.”

            “It’s only the third day of school,” I protest. I put my granola bar down on the kitchen table, trying to buy some more time. Mom turns back to the sink and switches on the faucet.

            In the living room behind us, the vacuum cleaner starts whirring so I have to shout so that she’ll hear me whine. Mom can never stand up to whining.

            “Just tell me the next thing, what happens next.”

            I see her shoulders go up and down which means she’s sighing, even though I can’t hear it because of the all the noise: the vacuum our right, and my sister’s cartoon blaring behind our heads, and the water rushing over my mother’s hands. It’s always so damn loud in this house.

            “Lizzie,” she says. She turns around to face me and I sink in the wicker kitchen chair when she levels her blue eyes on mine. She’ll say she’s not in the mood, which really means she’s in a mood. But she says, “You’re a junior in high school now. Aren’t you a little too old to be asking me to tell you the same story over and over again?”

            My cheeks turn pink, but I don’t bother to argue with her. If you ask me, I’m a junior in high school now and that means I’m old enough to know who my dad is. It’s really unfair. Everyone I know knows who their dad is. My sister knows who her dad is, even though he’s not around anymore. Evelyn knows who her dad is, even though she hates him. It’s so stupid that I’ve lived for sixteen years without this answer.

            But, I know not to ask Mom directly about him anymore. She just shuts down. So, instead, I ask her, over and over again, to tell me the story of when I was born. She always lets a new little detail slip and eventually I’ll have enough minutia to put together into a clue that will solve my life-long mystery.

            Mom comes to sit next to me. She puts her arm around my shoulder. She feels bad for making me turn all pink. Which is good. She should feel bad.

            “Don’t you think I know what you’re doing, dear daughter?” she whispers into my ear. “You don’t really think I can be tricked that easily, do you?”

            Crap. There goes my last resort.

            “I’ll tell you. When I’m ready to tell you about him, I will,” she says. Something loosens in my shoulders. It feels like my heart raises an inch or two higher in my chest. She’ll tell me. Mom has never promised that before.

            “Now go. Do your homework,” she demands.

            Even though I’m hopeful, I arrange my face into a scowl and stomp up the stairs. She’ll tell me sooner if she thinks I’m angry with her.

            She can’t hear the stomping though, because the house is always so loud. For good measure, I plunk my iPod into my speakers and turn up the volume before opening my million-paged reading text book. I spread out on the floor with the Canterbury Tales under my noes but it’s only a few seconds before the words spin and mush on the page.

            I put my head down on the pink carpet and brush my hair off my neck so it spills across the pages. No one does homework in the first week of school anyway.

            She said she’d tell me. She’ll tell me. I won’t have to figure it out. She’ll let me find him.

            I can’t wait to tell Evelyn.

            I savor that thought—telling my best friend about the biggest news of my life—in my skull and focus on it so clearly that I lose myself in there, in my brain. Until five fingers brushing the top of my head make me jump. I hadn’t heard anyone come in, of course, because of all the noise in this house.

            I look up and there she is, Evelyn, in her school uniform with her own arms wrapped around her like she’s hugging herself. Her legs are like twigs sticking out of her skirt, her hair is sticking out of her pony-tale in every directions so like a red halo.

            Her face is broken, the picture of pain.   

            I hope to my feet and wrap my arms around her bony shoulders. “Oh my God! What’s wrong?”

            A million theories crash through my brain: her dad left again, her parents had another fight, they’re finally getting divorced. And because I can’t help it, Darn, I won’t be able to tell her my own news, yet again. Whenever her face is this broken, she doesn’t hear me anyway.

            She shrugs me off without hugging me back. She’s always like that.

            I stand back and look at her. Her eyes are big like she’s heard some shocking news. Her mouth is twisted to the side. Her freckles seem to be drooping off her face.

            “Tell me. Now.” I insist.

            She shakes hear head and clears her face. “Nothing’s wrong, Lizzie. God.”

            Oh no. Not this again. No, no, no.

About the Author

Caela Carter was raised in Basking Ridge, NJ and Baltimore, MD. She's been writing since she learned how to pick up a pen but before the writing thing got serious she spent six years teaching English to middle and high school students in Jacksonville, FL and Chicago, IL. Her debut novel, ME, HIM, THEM AND IT will be published in 2013 by Bloomsbury. When she's not writing, Caela is a middle school librarian in Harlem, a Notre Dame football enthusiast, and a happy explorer in New York City.

www.caelacarter.com | twitter.com/CaelaCarter

Behind The Pages #13: Jennifer Echols Interview & Giveaway

As busy as she's gotta be these days, Jennifer Echols still took some time to stop by IFB for not only an interview but to also give away her latest release. Check it out below and enter to win a copy of Star Crossed!

What inspired you to become a writer and where do you get the motivation to write so many books?

I think I'm like most authors in saying that I've always loved to read, and writing is an extension of that. But my grandmother was an unpublished author, and she was my role model. She wrote stories and submitted them for publication, so it never occurred to me that I couldn't.

As for motivation, I love writing and feel out-of-sorts when I'm not doing it, so I just keep going.

How challenging is it to balance between Young Adult and Adult novels?

I think writing for different age groups makes it easier, not harder. Switching between types of novels cleanses the pallet and ensures that they won't all be the same.

Most of your books are based in the contemporary genre, are you branching out anytime soon?

Yes! I'm so excited that my New Adult paranormal romantic comedy Levitating Las Vegas will be published by Simon & Schuster as an ebook on May 6.

Tell us a little about Stargazer and the latest in your new adult romantic comedy series, Star Crossed. For one, why the entertainment industry?

I'm fascinated by the arts and creative people, but I also love to hear the story of what went on behind the scenes. Stargazer is a public relations firm specializing in stars who are sabotaging their own careers, so I'm delving into that backstage world.

Putting aside writing, what else do you do for fun?

I run! I ran my first marathon last year, and I've completed six half marathons. I'm planning to run three or four half marathons in the fall. But I'm not really putting aside writing when I run—I'm listening to the soundtrack I made for the book in progress, and I'm writing scenes in my head!

Any other talents you'd like to share with us?

I'm really interested in art and music, but I wouldn't call them talents. I paint very bad paintings and compose very bad songs, and that's okay with me because I enjoy it.

What's next for Jennifer Echols in the world of books?

I have a new YA romantic comedy series coming out starting in May 2014. It's about friends who have been elected to Senior Who's Who positions at their high school—Biggest Flirt and so forth—and how those positions change the way they view themselves. I've already turned in the first book, and I think it's pretty darned funny, but of course I think everything is hilarious when I'm delirious and on deadline.

Thank you for taking the time. Any tips for aspiring writers out there?

Always write the book you want to read! Thanks for having me on your blog, Shane!

www.jennifer-echols.com | twitter.com/jenniferechols

~Giveaway~

Win a copy of Star Crossed (Stargazer #1)

Summary via Goodreads

Wendy Mann loves her job rescuing celebrities from public relations scrapes. She grew up with nothing, and now she’s drawn to glitz, glamour, and a lighthearted lifestyle. She speaks her mind, so she’s just the tough cookie to tell stars the truth about how other people see them, even when they don’t want to hear it. But after six years at the top of her game, Wendy crosses the line. A star she was sent to save rebels against her and nearly gets her fired. To salvage her job, she must rehabilitate the career of a singing starlet with a penchant for posting inappropriate photos of herself and arguing online with her famous ex. Problem is, the ex is represented by Wendy’s arch nemesis from college, the hot and haughty Daniel Blackstone. And both stars are scheduled for a collision course on national television, broadcast live from Las Vegas.

Daniel’s uneasy when he hears Wendy Mann from his firm’s most hated competitor has been brought in to revive the career of his client’s ex-girlfriend. Daniel must win at any cost. And if he has to seduce Wendy to smooth the way to their partnership, he’s willing to sacrifice himself for the cause. But Daniel doesn’t count on the scorching heat between them—and when they get to Vegas, all bets are off.

Released: February 26th 2013

Publisher: Pocket Books

Purchase: Amazon

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Behind The Pages #3: Interview with Lauren Oliver + GIVEAWAY

Lauren Oliver is one of my favorite authors, so it's no surprise I sought out getting an interview with this awesome lady. Thankfully, she not only granted me some of her valuable time, but she's also contributing signed copies of her Delirium series to one lucky reader. Check out Lauren's interesting answers below, and find out how you can win her cool prizes!

1. Tell us about your life growing up in New York. Were you compelled

to become a writer due to the fact that your parents both taught

literature?

That was absolutely a huge source of inspiration to me. I was certainly raised in a very literary household. I started telling stories at a very young age, and started writing them down as soon as I physically knew how to!

2. How long did it take to establish the story in Before I Fall?

Before I Fall was an interesting process. I basically started hearing Sam's voice in my head, and I needed to start writing it down. It also deals with a lot of themes that had been interesting me, such as peer pressure. 

3. Your debut is more on the contemporary, realistic fiction side, while

your new series is focuses on a post apocalyptic fantasy world. What

inspires your versatility as an author and do you think it’s important

to be able to take on different genres?

I try to just focus on telling the specific story I want to tell, and not on "oh, I'm telling a dystopian story now... what does that mean I have to do?"

4. What makes the Delirium series different from other dystopian

books out now?

I think it has very distinct characters, and hearing the story through their voices would differentiate it, no matter what the genre is. 

 

5. And what inspired you to write a story where love is classified as a

disease?

There's an essay by Gabriel Garcia Marquez where he says that all stories are about either love or death. Since my first book was about death I wanted to write a story about love. At the same time I was watching something on TV about pandemics. I guess the two ideas got mixed together in my head and I started thinking about a world where love was a global disease. 

6. Pandemonium is a mind blowing sequel, picking up beautifully the

momentum left by the first. Can you give us some details about the

third, Requiem, and where you’re hoping to take the characters

next?

All I'm going to say is that it's told from two different points of view, and that it includes characters that the readers haven't seen since Delirium.

7. Let’s put writing on the side for a bit. What do you do for fun outside

of creating these intriguing stories?

I like doing most artistic things, singing, dancing, cooking.. I love seeing my friends, and watching movies with them, and doing physical activity.

8. Why do you hate bananas? I’m just curious to know.

Because bananas are evil!! Their little yellow smiles disgust me.

9. If you lived in a post apocalyptic world where you were only allowed

to keep three things from the past, what would those three things

be?

Libraries, the power grid, and prospect park. And the heinz tomato ketchup factory. 

10. Thanks for taking the time Lauren. Please leave a message for your

readers, and any tips for aspiring writers.

I would love to give a huge thank you to all my readers, and a reminder to all aspiring writers to write write write every day!

~GIVEAWAY~
Sorry, for the US only.

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