Melody Knight and Barbara Perfetti

Wildfire would like to welcome author Melody Knight and Barbara Perfetti, Chief Publisher and Managing Editor for Linden Bay Romance LLC.

Melody Knight

Julie: Tell us a little bit about your latest release.

Melody: My latest is GlassWorks, published by Red Rose. This is a very scary paranormal novel, set in New Zealand. The heroine is clairvoyant, but with her it's more retrocognition: she can perceive past events and scenes that were captured in window glass. In this particular case, she gets involved with a murder.

Julie: When a new book comes out, are you nervous about how readers will react to it?

Melody: Always! When I'm writing a scene, I'm there, like a movie. I hope the readers will have the same reaction—the thrill, the suspense, the fear, the intensity.

Julie: How long have you been writing? What inspired you to pick the pen up one day and create characters that capture the imagination?

Melody: I've been writing 12 years now. I actually went to the local library, but couldn't find what I wanted to read, so I went to the keyboard and began typing it. I was as surprised as anyone when it turned into a book!

Julie: What makes your characters so vulnerable yet strong? Can you describe them to us? What do you do when characters stop talking to you when writing?

Melody: My characters are always flawed, or in difficult situations that are nearly impossible to resolve. These may be paranormal, physical (hey, when you're a superhero, life ain't always easy!), or circumstantial (lightning strikes, you're a conductor, and this strike has your name on it). Some of the flaws are the characteristics that drive them to greater things, but in other cases, they're part of the dilemma they need to overcome.

Julie: What is the most rewarding thing about being an author?

Melody: I think it's a combination of both the contact with readers and the dreams <G>. As long as you have a book out there, it's like having a lotto ticket—you never know what's going to happen! That book could go to the top of the New York Times list. You never know. Having a published novel, or two, or thirty, is a thrill. It means someone else thought well enough of your work to have it represent their company.

Julie: What is your writing process? Do you outline, fly by the seat of your pants or a combination of both?

Melody: I'm a pantser, but with heaps—and I mean heaps—of research! I research everything, from job descriptions to lightning strikes. I want to know the slang used in certain jobs, if those are the positions my heroes/heroines hold. Of course, much is open to invention, but even my ghosts need to follow certain paranormal and natural rules.

Julie: What genre do you want to try your hand at but haven't?

Melody: Historical romance. I've written time travel a few times, with historical scenes, but one of these days I'd like to write a Regency romantic suspense.

Julie: What would you consider is your favorite part of a book to write? The beginning, the middle or the ending?

Melody: The beginning's always the easiest for me, but then I frequently rewrite it after I've written "The End". I like it when I can tidily wrap up an ending, so all loose ends are satisfied, and my protagonists are momentarily content.

Julie: Most people envision an author's life as being really glamorous. What's the most unglamorous thing that you've done in the past week?

Melody: The laundry. The dishes. Taking the bus to work. Walking the dog (that's not bad, but the pick-up is dreadful, LOL!).

Julie: How long does it take you to finish a book from start to submission?

Melody: I've written books in anything from 28 days to 6 months. The average is 3 months.

Julie: Do you prefer writing series books over non series or does it matter?

Melody: I actually prefer non-series, but so many publishers prefer series now. If I'm writing series, I prefer to limit it to 2 books. That said, though, I find fantasy easier to carry on. I've just finished the third book in The Elf Chronicles, and am moving on to a fourth.

N. D. Hansen-Hill writes fantasy, paranormal, science fiction, and horror novels, while her alter ego, Melody Knight, pens romantic prose. Whether horror novel or erotic novella, all ND's and Melody's books are suspenseful.

When she's not writing, ND oil paints, and now has work in 8 countries. She's also studying archeology, with the goal of qualifying by the end of next year to do contract archeology throughout the Pacific rim.

Her books are published widely, with 30 published or contracted by Five Star, Linden Bay Romance, Fictionwise, Drollerie Press, Red Rose Publishing, and Cerridwen Press.

Backlist:
Romance (writing as Melody Knight)
In Trysts, Linden Bay Romance
In Flames, Linden Bay Romance
GlassWorks, Red Rose Publishing
Of Dragons, Red Rose Publishing

Writing as N. D. Hansen-Hill
Trees, Fictionwise
Crystals, Fictionwise
Mud, Fictionwise
Shades, Fictionwise
Fire, Fictionwise
Light, Fictionwise
Elf, Fictionwise
Trolls, Fictionwise
Light Play, Fictionwise
Light Plays, Fictionwise
Lightning Play, Fictionwise
Grave Images, Fictionwise
Graven Image, Fictionwise
Grave Imagery, Fictionwise
Grave Image, Fictionwise
Vision, Fictionwise
Static, Fictionwise
ErRatic, Five Star
Gilded Folly, Cerridwen Press
The Hollowing, Cerridwen Press

Coming soon:
Writing as Melody Knight
A Kiss for Luck, Red Rose Publishing
Emerald City, Red Rose Publishing
Gray Beginnings, Cerridwen Press
BoneSong, Drollerie Press
BloodWorks, Cerridwen Press
Relic, Drollerie Press

Links:
ND Hansen Hill
Melody Knight Website
MySpace

Barb Perfetti, Chief Publisher and Managing Editor for Linden Bay Romance, LLC.

Julie: Welcome, Barb. I understand there are some exciting new things happening at Linden Bay Romance. What can you tell me about them?

Barb: Thanks, Julie. We're very excited about our current expansion plans, and I'm particularly enthusiastic because they've enabled Linden Bay to open submissions again after over two years of being closed to unsolicited manuscripts.

Julie: That is exciting. What kind of books do you publish?

Barb: Linden Bay Romance publishes a variety of types of novels and collections of short stories. Our best sellers often contain elements of the sweet "finding your soul mate" type of love stories with heroes the reader can fall in love with, but that is where the similarity to old-fashioned romance ends. Linden Bay romances typically have toe-curling UST (unresolved sexual tension) and as much hot sex as the plotline dictates. We enjoy celebrating personal freedom, as reflected by the books in our catalog that feature alternative lifestyle choices. One thing that is a must--no matter who the couple falling in love is, (hero and heroine, two men, two vampires, or three people in a polyamorous relationship) the book will have a happily every after ending. Our readers have come to expect that from LBR and we never let our readers down! We view romance as a venue for escaping into an idealized world where love reigns supreme and good things happen to good people. So there's no sense in an author sending me an angst-filled storyline that explores the darker side of human nature and ends tragically; it's just not our thing and we couldn't do a story like that justice

Julie: Are you looking for any particular types of submissions?

Barb: We are currently accepting submissions of previously unpublished works ranging from 40,000 - 65,000 words in the following sub-genres (series are of particular interest):

            Non-traditional relationships (multiple partner, older female/younger male, etc.)

            Gay romance, all sub-genres

            Anthologies of 3 themed short stories for our Trilogy Collection

Contemporaries: sensual, edgy (light bondage, etc) with heroes involved in action/adventure careers (police, firemen, spies, cowboys, race car drivers, etc)

            Science Fiction/Urban Fantasy, particularly shapeshifters

Cross-genre Historicals: highly sensual; of particular interest if set during unusual time periods and/or unusual places, i.e. Medieval, Regency, Westerns, Civil War

Julie: If you publish in both print and electronic formats, how do you decide which books will become available in print.

Barb: We publish all our novels in both electronic formats and trade paperback.

Julie: Is there anything that is absolutely not negotiable for you? Something that's a complete "no-no"?

Barb: We do not accept any submissions containing sex with minors (under 18 years), only consenting adults.

Julie: Do you have specific editorial guidelines or standards that you make available to your authors or the public?

Barb: Yes, we have an Editorial Guide that can be accessed from our submissions page that goes over the most common problems in basic writing techniques. We use the Chicago Manual of Style as our reference tool for grammar and punctuation. And we encourage all our authors to be familiar with The Elements of Style by Strunk and White.

Julie: How long does it take for you to respond to a submission?

Barb: We initially respond the same day to let an author know that their submission was received, and then we try to give an answer on acceptance within 45-60 days.

Julie: When you reject a submission, do you explain why?

Barb: Yes, I think it's only fair to give the author some type of idea why the submission was rejected. Often it's because the work isn't the type of novel we publish, but if it's the case where the manuscript requires more work before it's in a version that is ready to be submitted, we try to give a short recap of the challenges that need to be sorted out so the author can move forward in the process and possibly resubmit a later incarnation of the work.

Julie: How long does the editorial process last? How long from the time a contract is extended to the time that it's offered.

Barb: It really depends on the book and the author. Often it's about four to six months from initial content edits to copy edits and through proofreading. From the point of acceptance until eBook release ideally is eight to twelve months, with print release normally following a few weeks after.

Julie: Do you have any submission tips for aspiring authors?

Barb: One important tip I'd pass on is to advise aspiring authors to be sure to closely follow the submission instructions, and point out if your submission fits any of the criteria the publisher has listed as the types of manuscripts they are currently looking for. Most importantly, make sure what you submit is clean—punctuation and grammatical errors in a submission immediately tell an Acquisitions Editor the author is not a serious professional.

Julie: Tell us about your editing process and how it ensures that you preserve the author's voice.

Barb: The first step in our editing process is for the content editor to read the book and make comments throughout so that the author can hear the reaction of a first time reader. This points out things that the author may have missed due to multiple rewrites and working so closely with the manuscript. We discuss any plotline or characterization inconsistencies and make suggestions that could improve the flow of the novel such as reworking the dramatic arc, choosing a more intense hook, etc. These types of changes can require some rewriting, but the exact choice of how to make the agreed upon change is up to the author.

Copy editing then involves pointing out the areas where writing methodology has gotten off track, such as point of view hopping, overuse of exposition, use of passive voice, repetitive word choice or sentence structure, etc. Again, it is normally accomplished through comments on areas that need to be cleaned up; line-by-line editing is reserved for basic things like punctuation or grammatical errors.

The final stage is polishing, where the manuscript goes through proofreading and format checks. All stages have the author involved as a main participant, with the editor's job seen as guiding them through the rewriting and sprucing process. This preserves the author's control of the evolution of the novel so their own unique style and voice remain intact.

Thanks again, Julie, for giving me the opportunity to tell readers about our expansion plans. I hope we hear from some of that wonderful talent that I know is out there waiting to be discovered!

Even with two older brothers, Barb Perfetti grew up in a quiet household where you could hear a pin drop—because everyone was always reading. Coming from a family of non-fiction publishers and authors, Barb opted to follow her heart into the popular fiction industry. Though she's tried her hand at writing, she found her biggest rewards working with others as a Critique Partner and Editor. As a founding member of Linden Bay Romance, today Barb manages LBR's Editing and Finance Departments. She lives in Florida with her husband who works in television and a very chubby cat who offers continual (though unsolicited) editing advice.

For more details about Linden Bay Romance and their submissions please visit their submissions page at:

http://www.lindenbayromance.com/submissions.html

 

If you would like to request an interview, please send a query to info@allromanceebooks.com

 

Until next time!

Julie Cummings
Wildfire Interview Coordinator
All Romance eBooks

 

Luckey Charms by Marie Rochelle
This story is rated 1 flame. Love scenes are not consummated, or if the love scenes are consummated details are not given.

"I can go over there and talk to her. I've done it before," he muttered to himself. 

"All I've got to do is walk about ten steps and I'll be there". Hurry up before someone else beats you to it. Checking his appearance one last time in the mirror on the wall, Patrick Kaye slowly made his way over to the woman across the room.

He was proud that he made it without losing his nerve. Taking a deep breath, he touched her on the shoulder. "Hello, Jada. I didn't think you were going to show up."

A pair of eyes that made him think about all steamy nights in the bedroom glanced at him over a smooth shoulder. "Hey, Patrick." Jada Michaels smiled. "I'm surprised to see you here, too. I didn't think these corporate parties were your thing."

"Mr. Street told me I had to be here or it wouldn't look good for the promotion. I would rather be at home," he answered. Patrick wondered, could Jada see how fast his heart was beating underneath his shirt?

"Well, he is right. You were a big part of everything coming together. We couldn't have done it without you. I know that I owe you so much. You were so sweet to stay all those late nights here with me."

"I didn't mind staying here with you," Patrick mumbled, pushing up his glasses with his index finger. "I lov….like working with you." He prayed that Jada didn't catch his slip of tongue.

"Oh, you're such a sweetheart." She grinned, making a deep dimple pop out in her right cheek. "I like working with you, too. You're such a wonderful guy. I'm really surprised that your girlfriend isn't here with you."

How can I want anyone else when I'm in love with you? Patrick thought to himself.

"Hmmm….I don't have a girlfriend."

"Really," Jada uttered and then pushed his glasses up again when they started slipping down his nose. "You're a cute guy. What's wrong with the girls out there?"

Patrick moved from one foot to the other one trying to hide the erection Jada's touch just gave him. "I think most women think of me as a….."

"What?"

"Greek or nerd," he answered, honestly. God, he knew that he wasn't in the same league of guys that Jada dated. In the three months that his office had been across from hers, he never saw one guy that wasn't model perfect come out of her office. She dated pretty boys and he wasn't anywhere close to Brad Pitt or George Clooney.

"Let me tell you something. If a girl is too dumb to see how sweet and kind you are then you don't need her. Don't waste your time on her," Jada said. "I'm beginning to think most of my friends have their heads screwed on wrong lately. I swear with some of the men they have been trying to hook me up with."

"You're not dating anyone? I thought you were seeing that guy named Evan," Patrick stated. Could he really be this lucky? Maybe this was the chance he had been hoping for.

"Evan is a good friend and we go out a lot, but I'm looking for a guy that will romance me." Jada sighed. "Someone who will think about me first instead of himself, but that will never happen to me. I seem to draw all of the losers."

"Have you ever thought that your soul mate might be right in front of your face?" Patrick asked, sliding his hands into his pockets so he wouldn't touch Jada. The warm scent of her perfume was making him hot. He wanted to touch her so bad and couldn't. Yet, she only thought of him as her co-worker and nothing else.

"Well, my soul mate better step up his game because I haven't seen him. All I see in this room are men who enjoy making money and not much else."

You're so wrong about that, he thought. I'm thinking about how to get you to notice me as a man and not your dependable old Patrick from across the hall.

"When I start working on a new project making money isn't on my mind. I enjoy the work that I do. I really get into the computer programs I'm asked to write codes for. I find all of it a lot of fun.  I finally have a job that I don't mind getting up for everyday." Patrick smiled. Honestly, he thought this job couldn't get any better until the day Jada Michaels moved into the office across from his and then his own opinion changed.

She was beauty in the way a woman should be. Perfect Hershey brown skin that looked totally mouth-watering in the purple dress she was wearing. That was one thing that he loved about Jada. She wore colors that brought out the richness of her skin. For months after she started working for Charming Technology, he always made it a habit to make a personal bet about what color Jada would wear to work.

"Did I tell you how beautiful you look tonight?" Patrick asked. He was so proud that he had enough nerve to give Jada a compliment.

Jada's face lit up as she gave him a huge smile. It brought out the beauty of her dark brown eyes. "You're such a sweetheart. I can always count on you to make me feel better."

"I'm glad that I can," he replied. "I like giving you compliments."

"I'm always happy to get them, but we have to find you a girlfriend to romance and charm. Surely there's someone you're interested in dating?" Jada asked looking up at him.

Patrick looked away from Jada trying to find a way to answer her question without giving himself away. She didn't know that he was with the woman he wanted to be with tonight. He was so happy that none of his co-workers were surrounding Jada like they usually did at these events. This time he had her all to himself and he couldn't have been happier. Now all he had to do was just get her to look at him like possible boyfriend material.

"There is someone but she doesn't know I've feelings for her. She's only sees me like her favorite sidekick or something." He tried to keep the bitterness out of his voice, but couldn't. Jada was so perfect for him, but she constantly looked past him. She probably hadn't even noticed the erection he had been sporting the past twenty minutes because of her.

"Do you really like this girl?"

Why did Jada think he was interested in dating a girl? He was a grown man and he wanted a woman. "I'm not interested in dating girls. I want a woman and this particular woman would be my perfect match, but she's oblivious to the fact," Patrick complained.

"I like this side of you, Patrick." Jada grinned.

"What are you talking about?" He frowned.

"Usually you're really quiet and laid back. Sometimes it's like pulling teeth to get an answer from you. I bet if you showed this woman you're interested in this kind of attention she would stand up and take notice of you. You're a cute guy."

Patrick tried not to let Jada's words hurt him, but they did. She only thought of him as cute. Great, that wasn't going to get him anywhere with her. He had to do something to make her want him. It was time for him to go home and think about what he learned tonight. Jada was the woman he wanted and he was going to find a way to get her.

"I think I'm going to call it a night," he said.

"Lucky you," Jada sighed. "I'm waiting for Tina to show up. She wants me to go somewhere with her after the party. I hope it isn't another blind date. I'm so feed up with all these creeps who get tossed my way. I miss the kind of man who would send the woman he liked little love notes and made the romance slow and sweet. I guess that sounded old-fashioned didn't it?"

"No, I think you should be able to get what you want out of life and if that what's you want don't settle for a guy who won't give that to you." Patrick could barely stand still. He finally had an idea for the perfect way to make Jada his. Now all he had to do was set his plan in motion.

"Wonderful, Tina is here. I can't wait to see what she wants," Jada groaned looking past him towards the front entrance. "If she wasn't my best friend I wouldn't have stayed this long and waited for her."

"Do you want to sneak out with me?" he suggested, secretly hoping Jada would agree.

"Sorry, I can't she already spotted me, but you have a wonderful night. I'll see you tomorrow at work." Jada touched him on the arm and then made her away across the room towards the blonde waving at her.

"Oh, you bet I'm going to see you tomorrow," Patrick whispered. It was going to start part one of his plan to win over one Ms. Jada Michaels.

Marie Rochelle is a bestselling author and award winning author of interracial romances featuring black women and white men. Marie first started writing IR books about three years ago and it has been nonstop for her ever since. Her first best selling IR romance was entitled Taken by Storm. Her hero in the book Storm Hyde won the 2006 Choice hero from REC. In addition, Marie has a very successful series called The Men of CCD and right now she is about finished working on the much awaited third book in the series: Tempting Turner.

Marie has enjoyed writing from a very young age and is happy she decided to turn her career toward the IR market; a market that she had enjoyed for years herself. She has always dreamt of being a writer and now is truly happy to see her dreams becoming a reality. Furthermore, Marie has released books several books through Red Rose Publishing: Beneath the Surface, Pamper Me and Be with you.

In addition, she has a book published through Cobblestone-Press called Special Delivery.

 Lastly, her first book published through Phaze entitled All the Fixin' is out in print. She also signed a contracts with Phaze for My Deepest Love: Zack and A Taste of Love: Richard. The first and second book in her Drace brother's series and she has finished the third book in the series called: Close to You: Lee. Marie loves hearing from her fans.

Please drop her an email at marierochelle2@yahoo.com .

Backlist:
Beneath the Surface, Red Rose Publishing
Cover Model, Red Rose Publishing
Pamper Me, Red Rose Publishing
With All My Heart, Red Rose Publishing
Be With You, Red Rose Publishing
All the Fixin, Phaze
A Taste of Love:Richard, Phaze
My Deepest Love: Zack, Phaze
Outlaw: Caught, Phaze
Special Delivery, Cobblestone Press
Dangerous Bet: Troy's Revenge, Red Rose Publishing

Coming soon:
The Men of CCD: Loving True, Phaze
Closer to you: Lee, Phaze
The Men of CCD: Slow Seduction, Phaze
Taken by Storm, Phaze
Boss Man, Red Rose Publishing
Blindsided, Red Rose Publishing

Links:
Website
Blog
Authors Den
Yahoo Group