20 Years to Life

ID-100272375On Thursday, my wonderful husband and I will be celebrating twenty years together. That’s not too shocking given that many people manage it. However, after twenty years, we are still, and more so, madly in love with one another. We aren’t staying together for our daughter. We won’t be lost as empty nesters, we are looking forward to it. We aren’t staying together for religious reasons. We are staying together because we still very much enjoy each other in every aspect of our lives. We still crave sex with one another and “make out like teenagers” to quote our daughter. Continue reading

Where the Heck Have I Been?

I’m sorry for the utter neglect of my blog. I did take off time for a vaca and since I’ve gotten back, I’ve been working on getting my husband’s (Dana Bennett) book ready to launch. And guess what? It’s out today! Woo hoo!

I’m so proud of his second book in the Jones Whitman Time Travel Series and I know you will just LOVE it. Continue reading

Cover Reveal for Geared to the Present by Dana Bennett

I’m so happy to share the cover of my husband’s novel Geared to the Present. I just love it. What do you think? Available on Amazon!

 

Author: Dana Bennett
Release Date: February 27, 2014
Cover Designer: Yocla Designs

 

Geared to the Present is the story of Jones Whitman who, after making unsavory lifestyle choices in Boston society, learns his father, James, has arranged for him to school under the tutelage of Master Wong Fei-hung in Foshan, China. Jones Whitman submits to the teaching, evolving into a strong and ethical young man. Fei-hung, master of Hung Gar gives each student a new name upon graduation. Jones’s new name is 時光旅行者, Time Traveler. Jones spends the next seven years working diligently on a design for a time machine. The Atomotron. When the first human trial is to take place, he inadvertently trips the lever and jumps forward 120 years to Snohomish, Washington, 2012. That’s where the real adventure begins.

 

Jones blushed upon realizing the short length of Darcy’s skirt. He had never seen a woman dressed in that manner. He brought his attention back to her freckled face and brown eyes, at once feeling rather mesmerized and confused. Ever the gentleman, he struggled not to stare at her bare legs.
“You’re not hard on the eyes at all. If you clean up your act—”
“I beg your pardon? What does that mean?”
“Take off those goggles, you look kinda weird with ‘em on.”
“This seems incredibly contentious for a first time meeting,” Jones said, removing his goggles.
 “That’s the kind of girl I am. What’s your name?” She took a tentative step forward and found the green in his hazel eyes captivating.
“Jones Whitman. And yours?”
“I’m Darcy Champagne.” She squinted in the sunlight and dropped her arms to the sides. “Are you from England?”
“No I am not. Please, may I have a few moments to explain the situation in which I find myself?”
“Sure, but this better be good, ‘cause I’m running outta steam for this get together.”
“Yes, as I have as well with the Atomotron.” Jones pointed to the machine. “Well, how shall I begin?” He laid his goggles and dustcoat on the picnic table and took a deep breath contemplating a way to move events forward. “What do you know of time travel?”
“H.G.? I’ve read a few books. I’m in a steampunk sort of mood these days. I even have a corset to wear for this year’s Steamcon.”
“What?” Jones asked. “So, wait, where am I? And what date would it be today?”
“Okaaaay. Now that’s a really odd question.”
Darcy began to back up, crossing her arms in front of her once again.
“It will not seem strange in a few moments, I assure you.”
“You’re in Snohomish, Washington and it’s Sunday, June 2012, and I don’t off hand remember the exact date.”
“This is incredible. I am stunned.” Jones glanced at the toggles on the time machine. “I left Boston, Massachusetts on Monday, 7 September 1891, at precisely 9:30 am.”
“Yeah, right,” she said with a nervous grin. “I’m starting to think you need some help.”
She pulled out her cell phone and looked at it.
“I know how this must sound but please bear with me. I am Jones Whitman, nephew of Walt Whitman—”
“Oh right. Sure you’re the nephew of Walt Whitman and I’m the niece of… of Joan of Arc.”
“You are making light of me, I can tell. So how can I prove to you that I am who I say I am?”
“Wikipedia. If you’re somebody famous, that invented a time machine—well that’s ridiculous because if you had, we’d all be using one right now! Who are you?” Darcy’s eyes widened, the angst apparent in her voice. “I think I’ll call Taylor and have him take you to a shelter.”
Jones wiped his forehead on his sleeve and sat down on the picnic table.
“There must be a way I can explain. I assure you these circumstances came to be by accident. I tripped—”
“Okay. Let’s say you’re telling the truth, then why can’t you just travel back to where you came from?”
“Because I have bent two gears that are crucial to generating the low vibration used to expand my atomic gravitational field to allow for a lateral time and space displacement.”
“What the…? What did you just say?”
Jones sighed.
“May I intrude upon you for a glass of water?”
“That is not what you just said.”
Darcy flopped down next to Jones.
“Yes, I know. However, my immediate need is to quench my thirst.” Jones glanced in the direction of the house. “Would this be your domicile?”
“Yeah. Came by it from the death of my father.”
“And your mother?”
“She’s in a facility. She never got over my Dad’s death. And what business is it of yours anyway?” Darcy looked Jones up and down.
“I realize it is none of my business. I am a curious kind of fellow.” Jones waited.
 Darcy stared at Jones for a moment. “Come on. I’ll take you inside.”
“You can feel completely assured that I mean you no harm,” he said as he rose from the table.
“Not necessary, I’m highly intuitive. I wouldn’t be asking you in if I had even one red flag.” She traipsed over the yard toward the house and bounced up the steps with Jones in tow.

 

Dana Bennett lived in north central Florida for the first chapter of his life. After high school, he spent the next chapter working with problem teens and their families in Pensacola, Florida and then spent time on the Colorado River Indian Reservation, in Parker, Arizona helping the Native American population. He graduated from Nova Southeastern with a degree in psychology later in life. He has had many eclectic professional experiences in the work arena, always returning to the creativity he finds in building and construction as well as crafting new stories.

He has three wonderful daughters and two adorable grandsons. He is married to his best friend and partner in life, love, and business. They have a strong supportive community of friends and neighbors who encourage them daily to keep writing.

He enjoys each day with Blakely as they work on their never finished project, life. Writing is his bliss and both he and Blakely are chasing the dream of writing full time.

You can find out more by going to:

http://danabennettblog.wordpress.com/

https://www.facebook.com/GearedToThePresent

https://www.facebook.com/fracturedfidelities

Amazon

Blakely’s Friday Interview with Dana Bennett (on Thursday)

Please give a warm welcome to my best friend and husband, Dana Bennett, author of Geared to the Present, Jones Whitman Time Travel Series and The Demarcation of Jack. Make sure to check back tomorrow to see the cover reveal for Geared to the Present!

DSC_0279resizeWhat genre is your book? Do you write in other genres as well?
Geared to the Present, Jones Whitman, Time Traveler is a new adult, historical fiction, time travel romance. My wife and I recently published The Demarcation of Jack which is contemporary romance with a twist.

Do you use test readers? If so, how many?
I do use test readers or beta readers, as we call them, and they are invaluable to producing your best product. Usually around five. Make sure your list of questions for your readers will lend to perfecting your product.

What advice do you have for writer’s just starting out?
Write about what you love and it will show through in your work, but most importantly, write. Create a great product and it will sell itself; a good story with interesting characters combined with appropriate beta readers and a pro editor, and of course, a beautiful cover that tells the story of your book in one picture. A picture is worth a thousand, or in our case, 70 to 90 thousand words, or more. AND wear virtual earplugs for a while, ‘cause everybody’s an expert.

Do you outline your stories or just go with the flow?
It’s sort of an outline. I have an excel worksheet that lists scenes with characters, location and purpose of the scene. When I write I refer to the worksheet, but the characters don’t always read the worksheet and I can find myself being pulled in a whole new direction.

What does your writing space look like?
It’s an unorganized mess on my desk, but I have reminders of grammar issues hanging to my left and bio’s of all of my characters with photos hanging to my right. That helps me with their voices.

Do you have any writing rituals or interesting writing quirks?
Yes. I write best between eight and noon. I can go longer but the quality begins to diminish. I enjoy research. However, I can also find myself with ten websites open and may have forgotten the original question. 😉

Is there a message in your book(s) that you want readers to grasp?
I really enjoy strong female characters and men who aren’t afraid to show emotions, so the characters are constantly surprising me with some of their dialogue. I hope to free both men and women from their contrived, role expectations.

Was one of your characters more challenging to write than another?
I suppose that might be Roark. He is a six foot eight inch man of Irish descent who has been hired by Jones as a bodyguard. So he needed to be tough but lovable as well. My wife, who is my first reader, says that Jones and Roark have a bromance going on that she really likes.

What do you do to stay sane as a writer?
Write. Work on something else. I also work with my hands as a carpenter, which gives a different kind of creative outlet.

What do you do when you’re not writing?
Spending precious time with my best friend, Blakely Bennett. I do have projects outside of the home, but whenever I can I am at her side, talking about the future, better ways to play, what our characters are up to and new ideas for stories.

Do you read your reviews and if so, how do you cope with a bad one?
I do read reviews. I respect that POV is just that. When I’ve worked really hard, as well as my editor and beta readers, and I really love my product, I stand behind it. I don’t expect everyone to love my kids the way that I do and I certainly don’t give credence when a person is just flat out mean. I dismiss them and move on.

You can find Dana on Facebook, Facebook Page, Twitter and soon on his blog.

To buy Dana’s book, please click on the cover below or the links in the interview. Geared to the Present will be available on Amazon in paperback and eBook February 27th.

doj-ebookcover copy

Bringing Yourself Along for the Ride

roller_coasterI never truly realized, until I became an author, how much readers bring of themselves to any story they read; their perceptions, life experiences, pet peeves and much more. It makes sense to me and reminds me of the literature classes I took in college. I always found myself wondering if the so-called “meaning” of the stories we read were really the author’s intentions or just that particular teacher’s interpretation or a school of thought. Continue reading

What’s it Like to Write with Your Husband?

DSC_0280resizeI’ve gotten this question often and it’s usually accompanied by, “I could never work with my husband. How do you do it?” The writing and creating process is rather easy when we work together. The writing goes a lot faster because if either of us is stuck on a scene, we can pass it off to the other. However, working with someone else requires an outline and a very different style of writing than when I’m working on my own.

On my own, I don’t plan, outline or figure out the end until I get there. I let my characters lead me through the story. When I write with my husband (Dana), I don’t have that same luxury because the story must have structure so we can both move forward with the storyline. However, we have lots of fun writing together. Continue reading

The Remarkable Journey from Traditional to Self-Publishing

doj-ebookcover copyWe are on the precipice of self-publishing our first title called The Demarcation of Jack, coming out November 7th. We are so excited to have the bulk of the formatting work done. Wow, what a learning curve on all of that. I found it crazy, frustrating, and daunting that each vendor had its own formatting requirements. On the bright side, I have learned so much that the next time should be a breeze.

We found a very reasonable editor and cover artist so our financial outlay stayed pretty low. Time wise, self-publishing was a much larger investment. However, the ability to track our sales, get the bulk of royalties and be in charge of our product is priceless.

Since my publisher didn’t offer much in the way of promotion, that outlay of time has stayed the same. Well sort of. LOL! Social media seems to ramp up on its own and these days it’s hard to stay on top of it. Of course, becoming our own publisher requires more time elsewhere so I seem to be forever falling behind on my friendship request, page likes, event invites, etc. (I promise to catch up after the release date!)

We are having an online giveaway party the day of the release and we already have over 45 prizes to give away. You can join the Release Party and Big Giveaway for The Demarcation of Jack and enter the Rafflecopter giveaway.

Again I must remark on all the wonderful relationships I have forge with other authors and readers as well. I have found the community to be so supportive and helpful. I can simply type a question on my Facebook wall or tweet the question and other authors will step up and offer advice. I love that we can be supportive instead of competitive like is found in other industries.

As you may have noticed, I have transferred my blog to my new website. I hope you all like it. I will still be hosting author interviews on Fridays so if you’re interested, contact me and let me know.

Warm hugs,

Blakely

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