Interview with Catherine Bybee

I have an author to introduce before you can read the interview. Catherine Bybee is a paranormal romance author with The Wild Rose Press.

Catherine, take it away!

CB:Thank you, Nicole for having me here today.

NZ:When did you start writing? Why?

CB:A few years ago I injured my back at work and found myself sitting in a chair with a heating pad day in and day out. I’ve always written when I had time… after work or when the kids were asleep… but at this point I had more time than I knew what to do with so I picked up my pace and finished my first manuscript.

NZ:How did you come up with the title?

CB:Titles are actually easy for me. Binding Vows is based in part on a handfasting ceremony that links my hero and heroine. The title was a given.

NZ:Most authors are also readers. What book(s) are you currently reading?

CB:I finished Sins of the Flesh by Caridad Pineiro last week and haven’t had time to pick up another book. Sins was a fantastic twist on the paranormal. Caridad did a wonderful job, as always.

NB:Any advice for writers?

CB:Writers write… so do it. You can’t get published if you don’t finish a story. So write, polish and submit. In that order!

NZ:How would you describe yourself in three words?

CB:Determined, determined, determined.

NZ:What is your go to tool in your author's toolbox?

CB:My critique partners. They keep me on track whenever I’m stuck or need a boost.

NZ:What comes first: plot or characters?

CB:Characters.

NZ:What have you learned about writing since becoming published?

CB:That there is just as much hard work do be done after signing the contract as there is before. With an editor and a publisher working with you, this work is guided and you do have a warm and fuzzy feeling through the process, but the work is far from over.

Binding Vows is available now at The Wild Rose Press in print or electronic copy.

To learn more about Binding Vows, future releases or previous ones, visit my website.

Thanks again for having me here, Nicole. I look forward to seeing you over on my blog soon.

NZ: Thanks for the wonderful interview, Catherine! Wishing you many, many sales!

My question for the DBP Scavenger Hunt (and some writerly and nonwritely news)

Question: What is the title of the NaNoWriMo novel K. Dawn Byrd wrote for DBP?

Visit here to find the answer!

Now the writerly news:

I've started to send out The Land of Imagining to agents. Wish me luck because this part of the process might take a looong time. Originally called All-Knowers' Land of Imagining, this was the fantasy YA story that I rewrote last month, one that I started many, many years ago. It's my baby.

And the nonwriterly news:

Speaking of babies, I'm pregnant again! Just found out on Thanksgiving. We're thrilled! I'm hoping for a little girl this time, but so long as the baby is healthy, I'll be happy. Hubby and I have already nicknamed the baby "sweet pea" because that's the baby's current size and it stuck. Whenever we talk to Nicholas about being a big brother, he smiles so wide. It's adorable!

Desert Breeze Scavenger Hunt - Win prizes!

Questions will be posted daily beginning today and ending on Dec 18, 2009 - the Desert Breeze Scavenger Hunt begins HERE!

Some of the prizes will include:

Free reads from authors like Stephanie Burkhart, J. Morgan,
Barri Bryan, Shawna Williams, and Michelle Sutton
Free books
Fresh baked cookies to 3 lucky winners
Goodie Bags and autographed Postcards
Holiday themed handmade jewelry
$10 GC to Amazon
Cover Art Mugs with coffee and bookmarks
2010 Calendars and hand crocheted snowflakes
Author Pens
Bookmarks, Pens and Magnets
Tins of mixed nuts
Crucifying Angel tee shirts
Cover Art Canvas Bag ­ Woman of Honor
2 book credits to DBP storefront
Irish themed gifts
Book themed gift basket

The grand prize will be a $50 gift certificate to Amazon.

Update: Nano, Knight of Glory, Bonus Excerpt, and Dreams

November is always a crazy month for me because of Nano so I'm sorry that I haven't been posting much lately.

I changed my mind about Nano. Instead of doing two stories, I rewrote my fantasy YA novel. It had been roughly 69K, now it's just over 80K and (hopefully) ready for an agent's desk. In addition to that story, I wrote another combined 19K from other stories so I almost wrote 100K anyhow. A wild success if you ask me!

Now I've been doing my final revisions of Knight of Glory before I send it off to my Beta Reader. I hope to send it sometime next week. I'm really excited for some feedback on it.

And a bonus for you all, I decided to post another excerpt from Woman of Honor for you to enjoy:


This day, the last class was riding. After setting the saddle on Dream Rider’s back and tightening the girth to keep it in place, Aislinn adjusted the stirrup length and set her foot in the stirrup, swinging onto Dream Rider’s back. Again, the horse refused to cooperate. “Come on, go straight,” Aislinn muttered, trying to spurn the horse onward with a touch of her heels to his side. Dream Rider turned right. Aislinn pulled up on the reins, trying to get the horse to halt but the horse continued to go right and made circle after circle until Aislinn wondered why he didn’t stumble from dizziness.

“What is going on here?” Baron Benedict came over, riding his own steed, Moonshine.

“I’m sorry, Lord Benedict. The horse won’t stop spinning.”

“I thought you told me you knew how to ride a horse?”

“I did, my lord. And I do.”

“Evidently not.” The baron wrinkled his crooked nose in disgust. “But since you think you know how to handle a horse, then, by all means, go ahead. You don’t need my help then.”

Aislinn watched the Baron’s backside as he rode up to another page. The dark baron was a formidable instructor and his contempt wounded her more than she liked to admit. Refusing to let him see how much his lack of faith hurt her, Aislinn kicked her heels hard into Dream Rider’s formidable sides. But no matter how hard she dug in her heels or tried to coax the horse to the right or left, the horse refused to listen and did the opposite.

Finally, class finished. Aislinn swung herself free of the saddle to walk the horse back to his stall. “You listen well enough when I guide you and walk beside you, why can’t you listen when I use a rein?” she grumbled.

“I told you ‘fore, that horse don’t listen well,” Tomas said, limping over to her.

“What happened to your leg?”

“A knight brought me a wild horse the other day. I was tryin’ to break it in but it’s got a vicious mean streak and it kicked me. I’ll be fine.” He brushed her concern away with a wave of his hand. “The better question is what are you goin’ to be doin’ with that yon horse?”

“I don’t know.” Aislinn sighed. “The baron was not pleased with me.”

“Well, can’t say that I blame ‘im. There aren’t any more horses to offer either, not that the horses can be reassigned anyways. But, as if said ‘fore, I’ll help in any way that I can. I just don’t know how.” He grinned broadly at her and Aislinn wondered if the few missing teeth was from a well aimed kick by a horse.

“If I come back tonight, after I finish my work, will you still be around?”

“Not tonight, lass. But you can come ‘ron if you be wantin’. I don’t mind.”

“Thank you, Tomas, I might do that.” Aislinn untacked the horse and brushed the dirt and dust from him. If only she could figure out how to force the horse to listen!


Aislinn faces many difficulties on her journey to fulfilling her dreams. What are your dreams? What obstacles are you facing or might you face? Me? I would love to be a best selling author. But I'm also a mom and that comes first. What about you?

NanoWriMo

It's November 1st and you know what that means: NanoWriMo

In case you don't know what I'm talking about, November is National Novel Writing Month where authors around the world try to write 50,000 words in the month of November.

Crazy, huh?

Yes, but it's a ton of fun.

My sister told me about it when I was in college. Four years in a row I won. Last year I didn't try because of Nicholas but I'm willing and ready this year. Just have one last chapter to type for the rough draft of Knight of Glory and I'm ready to go.

This year, I'm going to try for two. I might end up just doing one but I figure it can't hurt to set lofty goals.

The first story: From the Brink of Insanity. A woman accidentally kills a child during a game of hide and seek. Her guilt and paranoia causes her to kill again and again.

The second: Magic's Origins. When magic suddenly appears, chaos and war results and four teens must work to gather to save the world.

Wish me luck! And if you're doing Nano this year, good luck and happy writing! Oh, and add me as a writing buddy: Scarlett9284