A Blog Post by Michelle Grogan, our Author Spotlight

(To see more about this author and book, click on the Author Spotlight picture to the right!)

        Writing Forbidden Love began more than 10 years ago while I was sitting in a doctor’s office. All throughout that day I had been thinking about this story, playing with it in my head – luckily I always carry paper and pen on me and I was able to sketch out a basic outline for the entire story before the doc even came into the room!! Forbidden Love has gone through many rewrites – including name changes until I found the right names that fit the people wanting to tell this story. It took me a while to even share the first version of this with anyone but myself, but once I did, I found that people liked my writing and that alone spurred me on!

            After Forbidden Love was finished, I put it aside and began on its sequel – as Jessica and Jake’s story was not done yet . . . and that then turned into one more story – rounding out an unplanned trilogy. When I began to seriously think about taking Forbidden Love to publication I began the long process of rewriting. Five rewrites later I felt I had something that other people would want to read. When the traditional route of publishing did not work for me, my fiancé encouraged me to try self-publishing and am I ever glad that he did!!

            Forbidden Love wouldn’t be what it is today without the support of my family, my fiancé and my beta readers who were with me every step of the way! And to top it all off, I have to give credit to my cover designer. I went looking for a designer with no clue what I actually wanted! But as soon as I saw some of his work, I knew he had to be the one to design the cover and he did an amazing job!!! My jaw dropped when I saw his sketch and I knew it was exactly what I wanted!! With a few tweaks to colors and clothing (I was floored when he asked me what I wanted Jake and Jessica to be wearing!!) I had the cover that I knew deep down I wanted – something that would draw people in before they even read what the book was about.

            Now that Forbidden Love has been available on Amazon for six months and the reviews are starting to come in, I find myself checking my product page frequently to see what people who have either bought my book, downloaded a free copy on my free promo days through KDP Select, or have received a free copy directly from me for the purpose of providing a review, have thought about it. I have to say that I have been very happy with all of my reviews as they have all provided some great insight as well as constructive feedback for me. I do worry about spoilers, but that can’t always be helped (as someone who also reviews the books she reads, I find myself having to be careful not to give too much away in my reviews). One review, written by Darian Welks had me floored because she hit on all the major points I was hoping that readers would get when reading Forbidden Love – such as this one line that is a favorite: “She has done well at showing us characters true to real life; from the detectives trying to bring them to justice, to Jessica's love - a man we come to root for, yet never forgetting that at the end of the day, this man is a killer for the mob.” I also like this one from KissablySweetOne : “A Romeo and Juliet of the organized crime world best describe this book.” These two women nailed what I was trying to get across with this story.

            As I continue my writing journey and prepare the next installment of this trilogy (Is Love Enough?) I find that the community of Indie Authors has been a huge factor in the success of my debut novel and it just makes me want to keep going!!

IF YOU'D LIKE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT MICHELLE AND FORBIDDEN LOVE:
Amazon.com Purchase Link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005PGNLQO

   Blog: www.michelleagrogan.com

FB Fan Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Forbidden-Love/119023281535277

   Twitter handle: mishmash878

   Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5232793.Michelle_Grogan

Author Spotlight: Michelle Grogan

Hello all, Alicia Rasley here, and I wanted to take a moment to welcome our newest Author to the Spotlight. Michelle Grogan!

We are very excited to have Michelle spending some time with us. Please make sure to stop by the Author Spotlight page (you can find it at the top of the page, or just click Michelle's picture to the right) to find information about her and her book. In the meantime, check out her book (cover below) and leave a comment saying hi and letting us know you stopped by!

Why are British Accents so Dang Hot??? By Guest Blogger and Author Spotlight Jan Fischer Wade

Okay, I’ll be the first one to admit it. If I hear a guy with a British accent, something inside me just melts, Ahhhh. This was part of the reason I sent the heroine in my new book, Veiled Virtues, to England. And connecting that accent to a handsome, muscular hero – a modern day knight – well, let’s just say OMG!

Some will point out that there are numerous “British” accents, and that is fine. I love ‘em all – Scottish, Cockney, Welsh, Brummie – whatever! [Side Note: Even the IT guys my company use in Northern Ireland can turn a computer problem into a wonderful afternoon telephone chat.] But, I think what I am probably most referring to is that upper class English accent – think Colin Firth in ‘Pride and Prejudice’. He kept us all swooning, right?

This list of sexy Brits (with their yummy accents) can go on and on - Jude Law, Robert Pattinson, Daniel Radcliffe (its okay people, he’s of-age now), Orlando Bloom, Hugh Grant, Ewan McGregor, Paul Bettany…

Even the movies have caught on to this phenomenon.  In “Love Actually” the slightly bug-eyed and awkward young Englishman Colin Frizzle strikes out with girls left and right on his home turf of London. Determined that he is a Love God simply “on the wrong continent,” he takes his self-admitted “cute English accent” and travels to the United States to find a girlfriend with the realization that “Stateside I am Prince William without the weird family.”  Next, he’s “on shag highway heading west.”  Colin lands in Wisconsin, has a taxi take him to the nearest bar, orders a Budweiser, and finds not one, but three girls who fawn over him and his accent.  Needless to say, he returns to London, with an American girlfriend in tow. If you haven’t seen “Love Actually” – do it now! I love, love, love this movie!  Hugh Grant, Colin Firth, Alan Rickman, and a whole host of others star in this movie. Rowan Atkinson’s bit is particularly funny!

Now, I have to tell you that one study found that the British accent has dramatically dropped in its ‘sexiness’ but I have to disagree. Although, I will agree with their ranking of Irish and Australian accents – very hot too!  http://weeklyworldnews.com/headlines/19246/british-accent-no-longer-sexy-study-finds/

So, what is it about the accent?  Does it indicate chivalry? Money? Manners? Alluring stranger from another country – a bit exotic yet safe?

Or, like so many things, did it all start with the Beatles?

We may never be able to pinpoint the ‘why’ but regardless, if you swoon at an English accent, are lured to English men for any other reason, or the thought of a strong, hot, modern day knight sets your insides aglow, check out Veiled Virtues!

Jan

 

Author Spotlight- Jan Fischer-Wade

Welcome, Jan Fischer-Wade

Hello all, Alicia Rasley here, and I wanted to take a moment to welcome our newest Author to the Spotlight.

We are very excited to have Jan spending some time with us. Please make sure to stop by the Author Spotlight page (you can find it at the top of the page, or just click Jan's picture to the right) to find information about her and her book. In the meantime, check out her book (cover below) and leave a comment saying hi and letting us know you stopped by!

 --Alicia Rasley