Interview with Sheila R. Lamb, Author of Once a Goddess

Hi everyone! 

Today we are chatting with Sheila R. Lamb, author of the paranormal romance/historical fiction novel Once a Goddess. Sheila R. Lamb will be joining us for a live interview on Blog Talk Radio, Wednesday, April 4th, at 3:30 p.m. Pacific Time. We hope you'll stop by and listen in. 

Hey, Sheila, and welcome! Why don’t you tell us a bit about yourself?

Thanks so much for hosting me on ParaYourNormal. I'm a school librarian by day, and writer - well, much earlier in the day. I teach creative writing classes occasionally and am working on my MFA in creative writing.

How do you carve out time to write?  Carefully. I started a new job this past fall and suddenly every minute counts. But I tend to work best under a deadline.  Being in school also requires that I turn in a new story or chapter every few weeks. I used to spend a lot more time on Twitter and Goodreads before this whole job thing. :)

How did you decide to write a book about historical fantasy? I used to be a history teacher and I love Irish history. Brigid's story came about at first from an academic perspective. I wondered if she and St. Patrick co-existed  and discovered a long line of mythology of Brigid before Saint Brigid.

Which book are we talking about today and what is it about?  Once A Goddess is the first in Brigid's trilogy. This is story of Brigid as one of the Túatha de Danann, the mythical, supernatural founders of Ireland.

What inspired this book?  Brigid herself. I love that throughout myth and history, she is regarded as a Goddess, Druid and then Saint and did a lot of research following her transitions. As one of the Túatha de Danann, Brigid was known as a healer, blacksmith, and poet.

Tell us something about your characters that we wouldn’t be able to figure out by reading the book.

The Túatha de Danann were known through mythology as shape shifters - I didn't make that up. There is a famous battle (the Second battle of Mag Tuired) where it is said they turned to mist.

Is there a book 2 in the works? Can you tell us a bit about it?  

There is. I'm looking forward to the second book, which will hopefully be released next year. Fiery Arrow tells Brigid's story as druid, growing up in fifth century Ireland. I use the device of reincarnation so that eventually, Brigid remembers of her past life with the Danann. In book two, she, a druid, must confront Patrick as he begins to Christianize the island.

Where can readers purchase your book?  

It's available through one of my favorite indie bookstores, FourSeasons Books

Amazon 

Barnes and Noble

May we read an excerpt from the book?

My father’s incantation had ended and it was our turn to speak quietly to each other. 

Danann couples spoke sacred words of magic at this point in the ceremony, words to bind them for a lifetime. Of course, I had been warned not to use those words, our secret. My promise was simple: to uphold the treaty.

Bres spoke first. “Brigid, our joining will be new to both our people and to this island. If you can’t bear the pressures that will be put on us, then you may walk away now.”

He knew I couldn’t walk away. He knew we were trapped together.

“There will be pressures,” I said. “However, the purpose of our union is peace. Not for my personal gain.” I paused. “Nor yours.”

Bres smirked at my implications and our eyes met, each daring the other to turn away first. 

So, this was how it would be. I knew in that instant that I couldn’t let him catch me off guard; I would have to think carefully before I spoke and always remember that cunning motivation hid behind his words. I would protect our gifts, our knowledge of the elements that surrounded us, with my life. The Fomorians would use that information to take the earth, the source of our strength, from us. And as mine was to protect, I believed that Bres’s mission was to discover.

With sickening clarity, I understood why Father and Mother had chosen me. I, Brigid, was quiet and reserved, able to turn to stone. Stone is what they wanted to give to Bres and the Fomorians.

Bres studied my face as though looking for fractures in my expression. I would not give in to him. Instead of showing my trepidation, I smiled and touched a forelock of his black hair that escaped the tight leather band that kept its length pulled back. He grinned and brought my hand to his lips, biting lightly. His gesture sent a chill down my spine.

Where can your readers connect with you on the web?

You can find me on Facebook or Twitter.   

Feel free to visit my website Pagans, Saints, and Potatoes at http://sheilarlamb.com. Sometimes I blog.

Interview with Amber Scott, Author of Irish Moon

Hey everyone. Welcome back from what we like to think was too short of a weekend. We did lose an hour of sleep, after all. Springing forwards is never helpful to an author. We barely have enough hours in the day as it as. Okay, we'll deal with it, especially if it means warmer weather is around the corner. As you can tell from our last post, cabin fever has struck and if we don't get time away from our desks and our homes, we'll make Jack Nicholson's character in The Shining, look like Shirley Temple carrying a butter knife ;-) 

So, in honor of St. Patrick's Day, which is this Thursday, and the upcoming Bestseller For a Day program on Wednesday, we wanted to give our readers a little taste of both worlds. Joining us is Amber Scott, author of Irish Moon. We've read it, we love it, we can't stop talking about it, so what better way to celebrate the upcoming day of all things Irish then to spend it talking about an Irish novel? #thereisnobetterway. On to the interview :-)

What drew you to the world of magick and druids?

I’ve always loved magic and have found Druids fascinating. Breanne showed up in my mental waiting room claiming to be an apprentice of sorts to Druid magic. So I began to research.

In researching highland history, I discovered Brehon Law. In medieval Ireland, women had quite a few rights and even were warriors. The era I chose for the setting was rife with conflict. It’s the time of Braveheart and when the Templar Knights were disbanded, their leader burned at the stake for heresy. The old ways and the new were in flux.

I’d found Breanne and Ashlon’s story.

How much research did you put into writing Irish Moon?

Lots of reading from the library and online research, particularly about Brehon Law and Druids. I wanted to be as accurate as possible even though I was fictionalizing much of both. Also, getting a timeline is critical in a historical. I researched this book more than any other.

Are you of Irish and Scottish decent?

Like many American’s, I’m a strong mix of many, but I do have a lot of Irish blood. My fair skin is the main evidence of it. I don’t tan at all. I get off-white. Or just burn.

Do you have any hobbies?

I love scrapbooking and crafting. It tends to leak over into my promotional items. I make door tags and my own bookmarks and such. I think it makes it fun to create collectible, personal items for fans.

Tell us about your muse and inner critic.

Ah, yes. Charles is my inner critic. He’s a pointy nosed man who sits in the corner while I write and tsks. He hates my taste in shoes, although he did approve of one recent pair of heather gray pumps. He’s critical but when it comes time to edit, I need him most. He helped with all those crucial details that make Irish Moon so vivid for me and for readers.

Milla is my muse. Milla often puts Charles in his place during creative flow, saying things like “Hey, dude, we’ll get to it. Shut your trap.” She’s a goth chick with attitude who pushes me toward digging deeper and really feeling the emotion of my characters. She’s the character liaison, so to speak. It’s as if she knows their story best and helps me hear it. I used to try to decide what story next, which one falls in line with my career path. Milla finally put her foot down though and I’ve learned to just shut up and write.

You’re a mom and a wife. How do you balance writing and family life?

Well, my husband thinks my laptop and I should go ring shopping so I don’t know if I always do balance the three. I do know that I love writing so much that I can’t give it up for anything. So, I constantly am finding ways to write. My kids come first and I force myself to put down the mouse and take them to the park or somewhere else every day. They need that fun with me. And I try to give my husband attention first, before I sneak off with my mistress--writing. My family keeps me grounded. They help me remember to come up for air, brush my teeth and use my words. I couldn’t do this without them.

Who is your favorite character in Irish Moon?

Aahhh! That’s a really tough call. I am deeply in love with Ashlon, a man of fierce honor. Breanne is the kind of woman I strive to be, fearless despite her fear. But Finn is soooo much fun to write. I have a serious soft spot for Quinlan and Danny, too. They’ll be the heroes of Enchanted Moon and the third in the Moon series.

What do you like best about being an indie author?

Oh, there is so much that I love. The very best part is that I can fix things, though. I’m a perfectionist. A reader once found a typo in Play Fling. In my traditionally published books, I would have no way to fix this. But with Indie, it’s a snap to go in, fix it and then re-publish it. I get to ensure the reader gets a superb product. AND I love that I can give as many ebooks away that I want. With my traditional house, there are limits. I see free reads as a way to introduce myself to a new reader and thereby earn their future reading.

Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?

Never, ever, ever give up. It’s a hard, uphill battle at times but if you love the story and you learn to truly surrender to that joy, it will all be worth it when you get your first fan email that tells you how much someone loved your book. Short of the joy my family brings me, that connection is the most amazing feeling in the world. I’m so lucky I get to live my childhood dream every single day.

Where can readers buy your book?

Amazon, Barnes and Noble, 1Place For Romance, Diesel Books, Fictionwise, BooksAMillion, Smashwords, Changing Hands Bookstores and more.

Where can they find you on the web?

Twitter: @amberscottbooks, Facebook: Amber Scott Books and Author Amber Scott, 1stTurningPoint.com, PlotMamas.com, The Indie Book Collective and my weblog AmberScottBooks.com

Can you give us a short excerpt from Irish Moon?

“Who are you?” the man asked, sounding so inspired that Breanne returned to his side and touched his cheek.

“Shhh. Rest now. You have a long journey ahead of you.” Then she bent forward and kissed his forehead, giving in to an urge to feel how soft his skin was. Part of her knew she shouldn’t be so intimate, tender. It took advantage of his vulnerability and compromised trust. A healer walked the fine line of trust with any charge.

But, she didn’t regret it when her lips pressed his skin, warm, moist with sweat. His hand covered hers on his cheek and then touched her cheek. His fingers trembled. Breanne inched back and lowered her gaze to his. What she saw there startled her. Never before had she seen such intensity, such heat in another’s eyes.

Breanne leaned her cheek into his palm and searched his eyes. His hot gaze trapped her, spellbound and unable to retreat or progress. She needed to do neither, as he did for her.

His hand slid back and into her hair. She covered his hand with hers, her touch intrigued by the change from stubble to smooth texture. He pulled her gently. His lips caressed hers, a whisper of touch, and his eyes closed. Breanne’s closed as well and the feel of his lips on hers magnified. A dizzying hunger for more took root in Breanne and she pressed her lips onto his, opening her mouth. The hunger grew, spreading through her limbs, down her belly, between her thighs.

A shockwave tingled there when his tongue met hers, soft and warm. He tasted sweet. His lips on hers were so firm but pliant. She gripped his hand and leaned in for more. His tongue swept into her mouth, jolting her with pleasure.

She reveled in this new experience and grew bold. All thought beyond the feel of it, of him, escaped her. She matched his sweep with her own, suckling his lower lip, letting her teeth drag against it, savoring the plump feel.

The tingle warmed, changed, into an ache unlike any she'd ever known. It made her heart beat harder, her breathing feel desperate. She needed something more, craved a satisfaction she could not name but sensed it there in his lips pressing hers, his tongue twining and tormenting her mouth.

His hand stroked her jaw and explored lower, brushing her throat, tickling her collarbone and all the while taking Breanne's hand with it. She couldn't let go and as it drew farther and farther down, a strange, wonderful beating of anticipation built in her.

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Thank you so much for having me today, and for all your support with Bestseller For a Day and Indie authors!!

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We want to thank Amber for joining us. Don 't forget about our Blog Talk Radio show on Monday, March 14, at 3pm PDT. The link to our show is here. Also, this Wednesday is the next Bestseller For a Day and Amber's Irish Moon is the book we're helping drive up the Amazon charts. She is lowering the price on her book to .99¢ #loveit. You can also enter for a chance to win some Amazon gift cards and there are bonus buys. Instead of skimming over the details here, check out Bestseller For a Day's website here to learn more.