Angels Of The Fallen, The Watchers

Friday, February 20, 2015

What makes C. A. Tibbitts Tick?

First and foremost, it is a pleasure to have you here. 
So, can you tell us what makes C.A. Tibbitts tick?  What got you started on the path to becoming an author?
Growing up, English and Literature were my favorite subjects in school and college. After I got married (almost 18 years ago!), the internet and instant messaging were getting pretty popular. I created a "fan fic" writing group based on the first television version of La Femme Nikita (Peta Wilson version).  It is still active at present!
When I quit my last 'outside of home' job (a paralegal for a District Attorney), I decided to write a short story and publish it, just to see if anybody besides me would read it.  That short story is Shifted For Love, and it is the first book in my current series Pepper Valley Shifters!
This current book, Shifter Under Cover, uses my 'sweet spot' for writing, as it has a lot of elements I use in my writing group.  It is my favorite book I've written so far!

What are you currently working on?  Would you care to share a snippet?
Currently working on a short story for the next Mystical Box Set Babes anthology that will publish May 1, 2015.  Tentatively titled "Ghost Of A Chance", here is a small excerpt:

On her way to the front desk, she tried in vain to shift away the strand of hair that kept falling over her left eye.  A large shadow fell over the desk.  "Hello, and welcome to the…"  She finally looked up.  Oh, this day just keeps getting better and better!  Sarcasm, her dearest friend.
Grant Harrison flashed that hundred-watt grin at her, and though it had been almost fifteen years since she'd last saw him, her panties dampened and her nipples hardened to the point of cutting glass.
"Hi, Ness."
"What are you doing here?"  Harsh, maybe, but he was the one that left.  She often daydreamed about what might have been if her high school sweetheart, her first for everything, hadn't left to play football at the University of Oklahoma.  Never mind that he had begged her to come with him.  Missouri was her home, and she was content to live her life in the only home she'd ever known.
His smile faltered and a sadness crept into his features.  "Momma died last night."

Tell us a little more about yourself?
Born, raised, and still live in Oklahoma, USA.  Married almost 18 years now.  We have one parakeet, and were previously foster parents (with one failed adoption).  I used to be a travel agent, and also a paralegal.  My husband and I have traveled the USA extensively, with only a few remaining states left to visit.  I have also been to Canada, Mexico, and several Caribbean islands.  Our favorite place to go is Alaska, and we love to go on cruises!

Quickly, tell us about your upcoming releases?
Shifter Under Cover is my latest book.  I have numerous anthologies upcoming with Mystical Box Set Babes, and at least one more anthology with Full Moon Series in April.  And, of course, I will begin a new Pepper Valley Shifters very soon!

Do you have any specific inspiring incident that turned you out as an author?
Yes, a very by-chance happening!  I had been thinking on writing a book.  I attended a Facebook party in Summer 2014, and somehow (I don't remember entering for this!) won a guest hosting at this event for 1 hour!  Extremely nervous, I plotted out the entire hosting hour and used it to plot out names and the genre I would write!  I left it all to chance, using random.org to choose from the list of names - turned out to be Jace (which is the romantic lead of book 1), and specifically 'shifters' as the genre. Voila!  How's that for a strange beginning?!

Who designed your cover art? How did you choose the image?
My first two books were designed by Shaded Gems & Designs.  I provided her with pictures of the people I had in mind as my characters, and she did a fantastic job of finding images, etc. to make the covers.
With Shifter Under Cover , I wanted to go a different direction.  I found an image of a couple, but for various reasons, I decided not to use it.  So, I wound up designing the current cover myself.  I think it represents the danger and location well, and I love it!

Do you outline your work before you write?
No!  With my second book, Healing A Shifter, I did make an outline (or tried to).  I found that I just can't stick to it.  I write by the seat of my pants and go where the story takes me.

How do you like spending your leisure hours?
Reading, tv, social media, some cooking, swimming, traveling.

Which genre is far more appealing to you as a reader?
Paranormal is the first thing I look for, then cowboys. J

What inspires you to write? Is there any level of similarity with the events or characters in your book and real life?
I am visual, so I find pics to represent my characters, and I will watch quick interviews online or movies/shows.
No, the events or characters are made up - though I do tend to make stubborn and sarcastic females (which somewhat resemble me).

Which is your current read?
For my book blog (Romance Readers Book Blog), I am reading and reviewing The Sweet Taste Of Whiskey by Charlene M. Martin.  I will say it is something I would probably not have picked up on my own, but I am really enjoying it!  It never hurts to get out of your comfort zone and try something new!

What, in your opinion is the toughest part while carving your book?
I tend to struggle with the length the most.  I know where the story goes, and try to pace it appropriately, and sometimes wish I was as long-winded as some other authors.  My stories wind up novella length (35k-45k words). 

Share a word of advice with our readers and authors, if any?
Authors:  find a critique partner.  One that will tell it to you honestly without hurt feelings.  I have the MOST awesome one (You can't have her! Lol), that edits, and comments, and tells her favorite parts, and says when she hates certain parts. You NEED honesty, because readers/reviewers are going to sometimes be brutal!
Readers:  I, and other authors, BEG of you to leave reviews!  It is the most important way that a story gets noticed.  It does not have to be an essay, and certainly don't spoil the plot points - just honesty.

Share one of your favorites from your music band collection, if any?
I honestly don't listen to a lot of music now.  I can sing you almost every song from my childhood/teen years though.

If you’re a foodie, tell us about your favorite dish?
I could eat Mexican food any/all day!  Chinese, Italian…….okay, anything!

List any giveaways or surprises in near future?
I frequently run giveaways and rafflecopters on my Facebook page.  In fact, there is one associated with this blog tour!  Check it out!

Where can we find your books?
Currently, I am exclusively on Amazon.  I am slowly making headway for printed books as well.  Shifter Under Cover will be the first in print, and should be available during this blog tour!
The Mystical Box Set Babes anthologies are everywhere online!

We would love to reach out to you, please share your social media active platform.

Romance Readers Book Blog
https://twitter.com/RomanceRBB

Thank you so much for joining me here today. Good luck on all your future books. 

Where can we find your books?
Currently, I am exclusively on Amazon.  I am slowly making headway for printed books as well.  Shifter Under Cover will be the first in print, and should be available during this blog tour!
The Mystical Box Set Babes anthologies are everywhere online!

We would love to reach out to you, please share your social media active platform.

Romance Readers Book Blog




C.A. Tibbitts
Other 
Books!

Enter 
The 
Rafflecoptor



How to Find a Critique Buddy Dana Delamar

A critique partner, or critique group, is an essential part of taking your writing to a publishable level. Critique partners provide honest, constructive feedback on your work. They also help you develop your characters and your plot. They help you spot when either one has gone off the rails, and they help you get back on track.
Critique partners can also help you improve your writing chops, whether in terms of point of view, pacing, style, and so on. They’re essential sounding boards to any writer, and they can save you a bundle by helping you polish your work as much as possible prior to hiring a professional editor.
So how do you find this mythical person or group?
·         Take classes at your local college, local writers’ groups, or local writers’ conferences. The Internet will help you find many of these groups. Meetup.com is one place where you can find hundreds of writers’ groups in your area.
·         Try to find local writers who write in your genre. While feedback from any writer will probably be helpful, the best feedback is likely to come from someone writing in the same genre. For example, if you’re writing romance, another romance writer will understand that a Happily Ever After (HEA) ending is mandatory.
·         To find writers in your genre, you can look for writers’ organizations on the Internet. For romance, Romance Writers of America (RWA) is a key resource, with local chapters all around the United States. Other genres, such as science fiction, fantasy, thrillers, mysteries, and so on, also have writers’ organizations.
·         Once you’ve found your tribe, be sure to attend meetings and get to know your fellow writers. Make friends. At some point, you’ll find someone you click with, and that someone might be a good match for you in terms of a critique partner. Or they might know someone who is.
·         Preferably, your critique partner will be at a similar place and skill level in their career. If you choose someone who’s an experienced pro while you’re an unpublished newbie, the relationship may end up becoming more of a mentor/mentee kind of relationship, rather that one of equal partners. That may not be a bad thing, but such relationships can end up with an unbalanced power dynamic, or the mentor may feel that they are not getting as much out of the relationship as the mentee.
·         Preferably your critique partner will be writing in the same subgenre(s) as you and preferably you will both have similar preferences when it comes to the heat level of your stories. For example, if you’re writing erotic romance, you will want someone who’s very comfortable with sexuality to be giving you feedback.
·         Preferably your critique partner will have a complementary skill set to yours. Maybe one of you is great at developing characters, and the other has top-notch grammatical skills. You can take advantage of each other’s strengths and learn from each other.
·         Above all, your critique partner must be someone who is constructive, supportive, helpful, and not afraid to give and receive honest and candid feedback. Both of you must be open to other opinions, but at the same time not offended if the feedback doesn’t resonate with one or the other of you. And remember to point out what’s working great, as well what needs work. We all need a pat on the back sometimes… especially when we still haven’t got things quite right!
·         Trust is the key ingredient in the critique partner relationship. While you may be able to develop this with someone you know only online, it’s much easier to develop this kind of relationship with a local writer you can meet with on a frequent basis. Being able to read each other’s nonverbal cues and discuss sometimes sensitive or difficult issues face to face is vital to building the level of trust and support that makes a critique partnership so invaluable.
 Dana Delamar is the author of the "Blood and Honor" romantic suspense series, which is set in Italy among the Calabrian Mafia. An avid traveler who loves to learn about different peoples and cultures, Dana often sets her books in exotic locales. She grew up in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest, and today makes Seattle her home. She's an omnivorous reader with overflowing bookshelves and a passionate love of "Supernatural," "Firefly," "True Blood," "Mad Men," and a zillion other TV shows. Where she finds the time to sleep is a mystery.

When she's not writing, Dana is zipping off to visit new locales, dreaming about her next trip to Italy, or narrowly avoiding car accidents while she conjures up exploits for her characters. You can visit her at http://www.danadelamar.com.
Author Links:
Website: http://www.danadelamar.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DanaDelamarWriter
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DanaDelamar
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/DanaDelamar
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/danadelamar/

Dana Delamar is the author of the "Blood and Honor" romantic suspense series, which is set in Italy among the Calabrian Mafia. An avid traveler who loves to learn about different peoples and cultures, Dana often sets her books in exotic locales. She grew up in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest, and today makes Seattle her home. She's an omnivorous reader with overflowing bookshelves and a passionate love of "Supernatural," "Firefly," "True Blood," "Mad Men," and a zillion other TV shows. Where she finds the time to sleep is a mystery. When she's not writing, Dana is zipping off to visit new locales, dreaming about her next trip to Italy, or narrowly avoiding car accidents while she conjures up exploits for her characters. You can visit her at http://www.danadelamar.com. Author Links: Website: http://www.danadelamar.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DanaDelamarWriter Twitter: https://twitter.com/DanaDelamar Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/DanaDelamar Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/danadelamar/














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