Vijaya Schartz talks about Akira's Choice and Angel Fierce

Welcome author Vijaya Schartz!

Born in France, award-winning author Vijaya Schartz never conformed to anything and could never refuse a challenge. She likes action and exotic settings, in life and on the page. She traveled the world and claims she also travels through time, and feels just as comfortable in the future as in the far past. Her novels collected many five star reviews and literary awards. She will make you believe you actually lived these extraordinary adventures among her characters. Find out more at: http://www.vijayaschartz.com

Tell us about your life outside of writing. - As busy as I have been with writing lately, there isn't much of a life outside my computer and my chair. But I make it a point to practice Tai-Chi several times a week and I hike the mountains of the Valley of the Sun around Phoenix Arizona on weekends. It keeps me centered. Otherwise, I have a steady relationship with my cat (who inspired many of my feline characters), and I maintain friendships in writing circles. I am also in the middle of a divorce... don't ask.

Do you have a work in progress? - I always have a work in progress, if not several. I am currently writing book 3 of the Byzantium space station series, and I'm plotting Book 3 of the Azura (angel planet) series. The two series are related, set in the same universe, and I am enjoying writing them. A few characters are recurring, but each novel is a standalone. That's what I like when I read. I hate novels ending with a cliff-hanger. I want to be satisfied at the end, so I want my readers to feel satisfied as well.

Was there a person who encouraged you to write? - All my teachers encouraged me to write, but I wasn't ready then. I needed to see the world and accumulate personal experiences, so I could write from direct knowledge. I also do a lot of research. Obviously, I've never lived on an alien planet or a space station, but first hand experience in many places, and first hand knowledge of many different cultures helps me create believable worlds for my novels.

Five years from now, where do you see yourself as a writer? - Writing. Always writing. A few more literary awards or a movie would be nice, a NYT bestseller would be fantastic. But for me, writing is its own reward. I think what authors crave the most is recognition for the quality of their work.

What are you working on now? - I'm in the first stages of MALAIKA'S SECRET, set on the Byzantium space station. The hero, Tyler, and the heroine, Mailaika, were secondary characters in AKIRA'S CHOICE, book 2. Book 3 is their story... along with a lot of action, adventure, dangers, plot twists, and villainous characters bent on their destruction, of course. Otherwise, it wouldn't be a Vijaya Schartz novel.

AKIRA'S CHOICE

When bounty hunter Akira Karyudo accepted her assignment, something didn't add up. Why would the Galactic Trade Alliance want a young kidnapped orphan dead or alive?

She will get to the truth once she finds the boy, and the no-good SOB who snatched him from a psychiatric hospital. With her cheetah, Freckles, a genetically enhanced feline retriever, Akira sets out to flush them out of the bowels of the Byzantium space station. But when she finds her fugitives, the kidnapper is not what she expects.

Kazmo, a decorated Resistance fighter, stole his nephew from the authorities, who performed painful experiments on the boy. Stuck on Byzantium, he protects the child, but how can he shield him from the horribly dangerous conditions in the lawless sublevels of the space station?

Akira faces the worst moral dilemma of her career. Law or justice, duty or love. She can't have it both ways.

November 2019 release from BWL Publishing

amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07ZL45JRR/ 

B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/%22Vijaya+Schartz%22 

Editorial Reviews

"Wow! If readers want to see and feel and believe they are in deep space, then ‘Akira's Choice’ is the perfect choice! With a touch of romance, the vivid descriptions and beautifully developed characters masterfully presented by Schartz create a virtual world that invite the reader not merely to observe, but to walk amongst them and participate... This is a delicate art, and Schartz wields her weapons with precision and skill. Banzai!" 5 stars - exceptional - recommended read - Ind'tale Magazine

"A captivating story with interesting, appealing characters. Being a cat lover, I found the relationship, with its psychic element, between Freckles and Shane absolutely captivating. As always, Ms. Schartz’s solid plot and crisply-written prose incorporates a good blend of action and intrigue... This story can easily stand alone... but I believe you’ll enjoy this exciting Sci-Fi series much more if you start reading it from the beginning... a must read for all fans of Sci-Fi romance. Go pick them up and settle into your favorite armchair for some entertaining reading. 4.5 stars - Manic Readers

ANGEL FIERCE
Something’s rotten on the angel planet. When Avenging Angels turn up dead, Urielle, their Legion Commander, suspects the handsome intruder brought unspeakable evil to Azura.

Maksou never met a woman he couldn’t seduce. He came to the forbidden planet to rescue his friends and get rich in the process, but the jungle crawls with lethal life forms… including a gorgeous warrior angel, who saves his life but keeps him prisoner and challenges his irresistible charm.

Urielle, sworn to protect Azura at all costs, has no use for a maverick who ignores the rules and endangers the planet… no matter how attractive. Especially when the Galactic Trade Alliance (GTA) wages a secret war to get their greedy hands on the priceless crystal at Azura’s core.

Winner of the 2019 ARIZONA LITERARY AWARDS in Fiction.
February 2019 release from BWL Publishing

amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07NCXHZJX/ 

B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/%22Vijaya+Schartz%22?Nrpp=20&page=2 

Reviews:

"Action-packed twists and blooming romance fill each chapter to the point I didn't want to stop reading it. I adore her planet, Azura, and the abilities of her Avenging Angels, but even above those, her two main story-stars. Maksou and Urielle take the lead. Truth beyond all... especially when one can't lie. Love it! I will be reading more of this author, entertaining and intriguing, along with vivid, intense action... plus the fact, this author knows her sci-fi." Susan - 5-stars on amazon.

"This romance is full of fascinating elements and a unique spin on Angels... fast pace and strong, vivid characters that draw readers in and keep them glued to the pages...  an entertaining and intriguing read." 4.5 stars -Ind'tale Magazine May 2019

LINKS:

http://www.vijayaschartz.com
http://www.amazon.com/author/vijayaschartz
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/vijaya-schartz
https://www.facebook.com/vijaya.schartz
https://twitter.com/Vijayaschartz

Victoria Chatham talks about "His Unexpected Muse"

Welcome to today's featured author Victoria Chatham!

Victoria Chatham’s very first attempts at writing, in crayon on a wall, were not appreciated but she progressed to filling scrappy exercise books with proper words written in pencil. She now tries to embrace modern technology and uses a laptop. She grew up in England and immigrated to Canada more than twenty-five years ago. Now happily retired from formal employment, writing historical romantic fiction, particularly Regency romance, is her full-time occupation. When not writing, Victoria enjoys reading (of course!), movies, and sharing a glass of good wine with friends.



Victoria's latest release:

His Unexpected Muse, Book 3 in her Berkeley Square Regency romance series.

Overwhelmed by circumstances, Lady Olivia Darnley flees a society ball. She finds refuge in a darkened library but discovers that she is not alone. At her request, her unknown companion does not reveal himself but remains seated with the confines of a wing chair. When she finally exits the room all she has of him is his handkerchief.

Expected by his mother to choose a bride, Lord Peter Skeffington would much rather continue his bachelor lifestyle and his literary pursuits. However, the lady in the library unexpectedly piques his interest and, much against his will, he finds himself more and more drawn to her.

Will Lady Olivia recognize the owner of the handkerchief when she meets him? And will she forgive him for making her the heroine in her own story?
Universal buy link: https:/
/books2read.com/His-Unexpected-Muse







Brides of Banff Springs (Canadian Historical Brides)

In the Dirty Thirties jobs were hard to come by. Having lost her father and her home in southern Alberta, Tilly McCormack is thrilled when her application for a position as a chambermaid at the prestigious Banff Springs Hotel, one of Canada’s great railway hotels, is accepted. Tilly loves her new life in the Rocky Mountain town and the people she meets there.

Local trail guide Ryan Blake, taken with Tilly’s sparkling blue eyes and mischievous sense of humour, thinks she is just the girl for him. Ryan’s work with a guiding and outfitting company keeps him busy but he makes time for Tilly at every opportunity and has already decided to make her his bride. On the night he plans to propose to Tilly another bride-to-be, whose wedding is being held at the Hotel, disappears. Tilly has an idea where she might have gone and together with Ryan sets out to search for her.

Will they find the missing bride and will Tilly accept Ryan’s proposal?
Universal buy link: https://books2read.com/u/boYwj9


Links:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorVictoriaChatham/
Books We Love: http://www.bookswelove.com/authors/chatham-victoria-romance-historical/
Website: www.victoriachatham.com

Round Robin Blog Fest April 2015

Welcome back to another edition of the Round Robin Blog Fest! 

I've been absent from the tour for a bit due to other obligations, but now I'm back!

This month's topic is: What glues you to a story start to finish? And/Or what hooks do you use to capture your readers?

What glues me to a story from start to finish are great characters and a plausible story line. If I'm not hooked into a book within the first page, I will put it aside - or toss it across the room as in some cases. Rarely do I force myself to read on unless someone has already read it and tells me it is worth it. Usually, it's not.

A plausible story line to me is something that, while it may be a bit far fetched, could be possible. Improbable Possibility refers to a situation that is a possibility in the real world, but is extremely unlikely. A lot of movies thrive on this, particularly the older James Bond movies.

I also appreciate a good story where I don't have to hunt to follow the story line. One of my least favorite books was The River King by Alice Hoffman which tended to meander like a river. Jumping from one character to another, including a dog, the book made for a very difficult read in what should have been a really good story.

What hooks do I use to capture my readers? I decided the best way to tell is to show. Here are some samples of my hooks and the books they are in:

"I directed traffic and tried to ignore the wailing from up the beach. The crime lab boys arrived via Ken Allured’s fishing boat about half an hour ago. They kept busy doing their thing, which included scraping finger nails and collecting everything on the island that looked suspicious. Well, everything except me." - from Murder on Manitou, Wynterblue Publishing.

 "Danny Walker fought the urge to grab Paulina. Rather than get directly involved, he leaned against the back wall of Gerard Maddox’s home office while she swayed and clutched the arm of the chair next to her. Her face, perfectly made up, was as pale as her platinum hair. She stared at her champagne flute, apparently unable to swallow another mouthful. Considering the conversation that floated around her, he hardly blamed her." - The Bookstore Lady, Books We Love Ltd.

"Danny awoke to a cool draft and snuffling near his face. Images flashed through his head sleepy mind. Sitting in an overheated car, a drive through the country, scraping old paint off walls, falling asleep in a dusty sleeping bag at three o’clock when he could no longer keep alert. Finally, he remembered falling asleep in the old sleeping bag at the old Victorian house he’d purchased last month.

Only now he wasn’t alone." - The Mystery Lady, Books We Love Ltd.

"After taking a lukewarm shower then rummaging for clothes that would pass for clean, Leo Blue opened the curtains and groaned. More snow. The fir trees along Main Street blossomed with colored lights and lamp posts stood adorned by wreaths. Christmas had taken the small town of Packham by storm overnight, but in his opinion the holiday ranked right up there with root canals and broken ribs. He should have fled to Tibet right after Halloween." - The Bakery Lady, Books WeLove Ltd.

"Gilda’s cell phone vibrated next to her plate, making the ice in her half-full water glass dance. She groaned, her stomach churning, as it had all week. “Not again.”" - Can't Keep a Brunette Down, Gemma Halliday Publishing.

(Coming June 8,, 2015!)

When Sensei Mick Williams dreamed, he dreamed big—much to the chagrin of his receptionist Gilda Wright. After spending a late night designing fiery logos for the new Phoenix Martial Arts school and printing off scorecards for Mick William's MMA extravaganza, Gilda had fallen asleep on top of her covers with nightmares of martial arts clip art coming to life and chasing her through the new training hall. - Hard-Headed Brunette, Gemma Halliday Publishing.

Thanks for joining me on my blog today! You can find all my books (except Murder on Manitou which is out of print right now) on Amazon and my fan page on Facebook.

Hope you pop over to check out Ginger Simpson's blog and the other great authors joining us this month!

Beverley Bateman http://beverleybateman.blogspot.ca/
Diane Bator http://dbator.blogspot.ca/
Ginger Simpson http://mizging@blogspot.com
Skye Taylor  http://www.skye-writer.com/
Marci Baun  http://www.marcibaun.com/
Margaret Fieland http://www.margaretfieland.com/blog1/
Helena Fairfax  http://helenafairfax.com/
Anne Stenhouse  http://annestenhousenovelist.wordpress.com/
Fiona McGier http://www.fionamcgier.com/
Connie Vines http://connievines.blogspot.com/
Rachael Kosnski http://rachaelkosinski.weebly.com/
Victoria Chatham http://victoriachatham.webs.com/
Lynn Crain  http://www.awriterinvienna.blogspot.com
Rhobin Courtright http://www.rhobinleecourtright.com/

February Round Robin Blog Fest

GOOD MORNING!!

Welcome back to another episode of:

My apologies for disappearing for the past couple of months, between getting Book 2 done for Gemma Halliday Publishing and a few other things, I've pretty much been hiding in a cave! I promise you, the results will be worth it!

If you are unfamiliar with the Blog Fest, grab a cup of tea and sit back to jump from author site to author reading their answers to the question: If you have (or even if you don't have) a bucket list, what top priority thing(s) do you want to accomplish?

This made me think of the movie The Bucket List, which I thought was very funny and stirred both my mind and emotions. Aside from the movie, I've been thinking about this question a lot lately. Every January in karate class, we set our goals for the year. The three basic ones include: Something karate based, something personal, and one other. This year, like every year, my goals include earning my next belt and getting a book published. I'm proud to say I exceeded my goals for last year. I had three books published, ran two 5km events, and earned my blue belt. This year may be a little more difficult.

This year's goals include earning my brown belt, publishing two more books and losing 20 pounds - sorry, Letting Go of 20lbs. With one book already off to my agent for submission to Gemma Halliday Publishing, I've started the fourth book in my Wild Blue Mysteries series for my other publisher Books We Love. I'm also at work on a short story for Gemma to put into an anthology this summer and we are doing a revamp of my Yin-Yang series to give it a different vibe and reach a wider audience. 

Eventually, I would like to start a whole new series of books once the Wild Blue Mysteries are done. The characters and settings are already waiting in the wings!

The physical side is where I'm running into trouble. Last year my goal was to run a 5km race. I ran one and ended up walking one. Something in my body has held me back to the point I struggle to walk some days and am in pain most days. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a whiner by any means. I've still done karate and yoga classes up until karate became too painful. Yoga helps alleviate the pain, but only for a while.

On the upside, I've been to my doctor. I have an anti-inflammatory and have had vial after vial of blood taken to find out what's going on. Then I can get my goal to become a black belt (eventually) back on track!

From here, you can jump over to visit Victoria Chatham and see what she's written on her list! Below is the list of all the writers on our tour. Feel free to check them all out and show them some love!

Stay warm,

Diane

Skye Taylor  http://www.skye-writer.com/
Fiona McGier  http://www.fionamcgier.com/
Marci Baun  http://www.marcibaun.com/
Diane Bator  http://dbator.blogspot.ca/
Victoria Chatham  http://victoriachatham.webs.com/
Anne Stenhouse  http://annestenhousenovelist.wordpress.com/
Beverley Bateman  http://beverleybateman.blogspot.ca/
A.J. Maguire  http://ajmaguire.wordpress.com/
Rachael Kosnski  http://rachaelkosinski.weebly.com
Geeta Kakade  http://geetakakade.blogspot.com/
Kay Sisk  http://kaysisk.blogspot.com
Connie Vines  http://connievines.blogspot.com/
Judith Copek  http://lynx-sis.blogspot.com/
Rhobin Courtright  http://www.rhobinleecourtright.com/

Back to School!!

Two of my kids started back to school today. For the first time, I was "banned" from the First Day of School by my 13 year old who chose to walk with his buddy to school. I have to admit, I wasn't totally upset. I saw it coming. He's humored me in the past couple of years since his older brother started high school. I walked with him more to get out of the house than in fear of him being snatched or anything. I loved the one-on-one time. The fact that I wasn't allowed to hug him within 500 feet of the school has been agreed upon since Kindergarten when he first told me "Not in front of the guys!"

My high school kid, ran out of the house so fast this morning you would have thought rabid dogs were after him. I guess he was afraid I'd catch up! Just kidding. He was in a huge hurry to get to school and change a couple courses, as well as seeing the buddies he hasn't seen all summer. I can't blame him.

The oldest moved out for his second year of University this weekend. He's got a great apartment in a perfect location and loves the independence. Of course, I've been getting texts all morning as he sorts out his student card, changes his schedule, discovered there's a buffet breakfast this morning on campus and so on. I thank God and the phone companies for the ability to text and keep up with his busy life.

Since the house is quiet, I've been restless. September, for me, is the real New Year. New books, new papers, new pens...that's just for me. Good thing the kids didn't need anything yet.

I love the smell of autumn, the Indian Summer days, the excitement that crackles in the air almost as loud as the leaves. It won't be long until the fuzzy sweaters and socks have to come out of the closet and the shorts get packed away. 

Along with the cooler air, comes my two new releases!

Both The Mystery Lady (Books We Love) and Death of a Jaded Samurai (Gemma Halliday Publishing) are scheduled for release in November. 

On top of it all, I've opened my e-mail to those seeking an editor. I have done some editing in the past as a courtesy for a few writers, but it's time for me to make it an equal exchange. While my prices are low for now, I will raise them in January. Check out my editing webpage at Diane Bator, Editor.

Round Robin Blog Fest Aug 23 2014

      Welcome back to another edition of Round Robin Blog Fest!

Pour a cup of coffee and pull up a chair while we discuss this month's topic:

      "Have you ever read or written a story that had a secondary character take over?"

For those of you who don't know, I have written a series called Wild Blue Mysteries published by Books We Love. The name comes from the detective agency my main character Danny Walker has opened as part of an undercover operation while he is a police officer on the Newville Police force. When I first started writing The Bookstore Lady, one of the secondary characters seemed to struggle with playing second fiddle. Danny, my leading man, suddenly had to compete with his sidekick Leo Blue for the limelight. From Danny's point of view: "Leo, severely wounded while stationed in Afghanistan, was both a former professional boxer and third degree karate black belt. He was the one person Danny wanted to have watch his back..."

Leo Blue remained a secondary character in The Mystery Lady, where mystery writer Lucy first sees him outside her house and labels him the Ponytail Man:  "Ponytail Man's face seemed carved from marble, yet handsome in a rugged way like the photo of the hunk she'd pulled off the Internet. Unlike the male model, this guy scared the crap out of her even from afar."

I'm glad to say the third book in the series, The Bakery Lady, is all Leo's and readers get to know this mystery man a whole lot better. "Leo tossed his cell phone onto the sagging green couch that doubled as his bed by night and sighed. A detective by trade, he wasn't in a big  hurry to take on a new case, not since his nightmares had returned. He blew out a long, bracing breath and reached up to work his hair into a braid. Instead of a foot and a half of red locks, he scrubbed his fingers through the inch-long do he had to endure after Lucy's daughter Gina cut his braid off. Someone fighting cancer somewhere, would get a soft, manageable wig. In return, Leo got a brief bout of the warm fuzzies and cold ears."

I guarantee Leo Blue will hang around for the next two books and will be the male lead in the series finale.

Be sure to stop by and visit Margaret Fieland who is next on the tour and have a lovely weekend!
Hopefully you get a chance to stop and see the other amazing authors who are a part of this tour:

• Marci Baun   
• Anne Stenhouse
• Fiona McGier 
• A.J. Maguire
• Beverley Bateman
• Diane Bator
• Margaret Fieland 
• Victoria Chatham 
• Connie Vines
• Geeta Kakade 
• Rhobin Courtright

Exciting Week!

I've had a bit of a struggle lately to get things done and organized. Suddenly within a couple days, I have even more things on my plate! Far from feeling overwhelmed, I'm energized. Why?

1) I received a 2 book contract offer from Gemma Halliday Publishing for Death of a Jaded Samurai and a second book. Woohoo!! I love this series and have been waiting patiently for a publisher to pick it up.

2) I submitted the third book in my Wild Blue Mysteries series, The Bakery Lady, and got the cover art back. The Bakery Lady will be released in time for Christmas! I have arranged with BWL to release two more books in this series before we end it. That means 2 more books to write!

  

3) On a whim, I applied for a job at BTS emagazine and GOT IT! Starting in September, I will be the new Author Liaison for BTS. Not a huge job, but it should be fun and a great experience.

4) While talking to someone the other day, they told me how much I inspire them, which was really great to hear! I know my kids tell me that all the time, but from a total stranger it was amazing!

5) Last, but certainly not least! I've started my own Editing business. I know my start up prices are low, but I will raise them in 2015 as I gain experience. I posted my information on Facebook and had someone inquire a day later. I'm hoping this will become something that will start to pay bills one day!

Thank you to everyone who has supported me! I hope you will continue to support me in the future!

Special Guest Appearance!

I will be appearing on Southern Writers Magazine Blog "Suite T" on Aug 4, 2014 to chat about the excuses we make as writers. Be sure to stop by and say hello. 

I also appear tomorrow (Aug 3) on my publisher's blog: Inside Books We Love.

What else have I been up to since I haven't updated my own blog in a while? A lovely vacation with the kids to the beach. We had a great time playing miniature golf, checking out a lighthouse, swimming in Lake Huron, riding a Yak Board, eating spider dogs and hanging out with some fabulous friends! 

A walk upon the beach every day is great for the soul! All the little things were washed away we were left with laughs and a tan. 

The great news is The Bookstore Lady and The Mystery Lady are both being released into print soon from Books We Love Ltd. and will be available in bookstore catalogues soon! Pictures will follow. 

I have also finished edits on Death of a Jaded Samurai, which is back in the hands of my wonderful agent. Fingers crossed as she submits my book to a promising publisher. 

In the meantime, I have a zillions things to update and some final edits to The Bakery Lady for November release. So glad I've had a few days to kick back and relax! I'll be back to work in full force next week.

Hope you all get time to relax and pick up a good book!

A Summer in the Life of...

Run or Dye Toronto 2014

I'm a bit laid up this summer. I've pushed so hard to do a 5km run and my Blue belt grading in karate, that I've injured my knee. A minor thing that a bit of rest will help, if I can sit still. In the meantime, I'm embarking on a new venture! Not only am I actually updating my own blog for the first time in...I've offered to do blogs for my publisher Books We Love on their blog page http://bwlauthors.blogspot.com/ starting this week on July 3.





What else is in store this summer? A few trips to the beach, a lot of walking, and an awesome retreat weekend with girlfriends!
With The Bookstore Lady and The Mystery Lady published and for sale, it's been nice to take a few days to sit back and enjoy Canada Day and my family. It's easier to take a break when Book #3, The Bakery Lady, is DONE and off to my beta readers! After a few days of forced rest, my brain is churning with ideas for Books #4 and 5.

As for Death of a Jaded Samurai, my agent Dawn is still seeking a publisher. Keeping my fingers crossed for some wonderful news this summer! Watch for more updates!