The Next Phase for Sleeping with the Lights On by Brenda Whiteside

I have two books going to audio. I’m not sure which will break first. This whole process is taking way longer than I thought it would. It seems to me, Sleeping with the Lights On will be my debut audio venture, so in preparation I’m sharing a couple of my character studies from the book.

Every character in my stories have their own page of traits and information. The hero and heroine for Sleeping with the Lights On:

Heroine: Sandra Holiday

Age: 50

Description: Sandra is a green eyed, blonde. More than likely there's gray under that blonde, but we'll never know. Her hair still touches her shoulders in soft waves. At 5'3", she is petite and just slim enough. She prefers jeans, but wears form-fitting skirts to work.

Characteristics and Personality: Sandra hates to clean. She has a positive attitude in spite of feeling like she’s accomplished little in life. A die-hard romantic, she’s in love with love.

Background: Sandra was born in Phoenix, Arizona. She married young and it didn't last two years. Her marriage to her second husband, Carson Holiday, lasted five years. Why not longer? See Carson's background below. For the last eighteen years, Sandra has had some colorful relationships from a radio DJ that was too young for her to the Iranian who disappeared and was found dead in the Salt River. Her love of travel keeps pointing her toward careers in the field, but it seems every time she gets close, some man distracts her from her goal. As Sandra says, "Always a sucker for romance, but romance never lasts, and I'm left without a career."

Not in the book: She excelled in English class but didn't have much time for her other studies. Community College held her interest for as long as it took to get her Associates of Arts degree. One night, in Las Vegas Nevada, she met Carson Holiday who was performing on the casino stage at the Sam's Town Casino. He spotted her at the bar, playing video poker with a girlfriend on each side of her. She was twenty-seven. They were married three months later.

Additional Information: Sandra hates to clean. She still has clothes from high school. Beaujolais is her favorite wine, and Starbuck's is her favorite coffee. She has a sister named Abby who is taller, married, and her best friend.

Hero: Carson Holiday

Age: 50

Description: Dark hair, blue eyes with a 5’7” muscular frame.

Background: He was born and raised in Texas.

Not in the book: Carson attended college in Las Vegas, majoring in accounting. He was always a singer/songwriter/musician, but made sure he got an education for a backup. He chose Las Vegas for school because of the possibility of performing live in casinos. His father died when he was four. His mother raised him and his two brothers.

Characteristics and Personality: He has a voracious sexual appetite, but would never cheat on a wife or a girlfriend. When he feels he’s growing tired of a woman, he divorces her and marries another…at least that’s the old Carson!

Additional Information: He wears western shirts and a black cowboy hat. His favorite boots are gray animal skin. He’s been married six times.

I’m getting impatient for the release. I’ll be sure to shout it out on this blog when I know. In the meantime, you can get the print or eBook copy wherever great books are sold on line.

After two failed marriages and countless relationships, Sandra thinks she’s met the man to end her years of less than perfect choices; choices that not only derailed her travel-related career plans, but also left her single and broke.

Carson Holiday, a Las Vegas country crooner with swoon-inducing good looks, spent his adult life pursuing a recording contract and love, never holding on to either. After eighteen years, he drops back into Sandra’s life, reigniting an attraction he can’t deny.

When Carson reappears, Sandra must choose again. As life confronts her with yet another turning point, will her decisions find her eternally sleeping with the lights on – or will she finally discover a way to turn them off?

Who's the #Character? My Alter-Ego is a Sexy Author by Brenda Whiteside

Not all characters spring entirely from an author's imagination. At least, that's the case with me. When an author says "be careful, you just might end up in my book" they aren't joking.

There is some model or true to life person in many of the characters who roam the pages of my novels. After all, truth is often way crazier and more colorful than fiction much of the time. So, just between us, I'm going to divulge some of those inspirations. You won't tell, right?

For the most part, my Love and Murder Series springs from my imagination. But not entirely. The hero in The Art of Love and Murder is Sheriff Chance Meadowlark. He started out as Lance...which happens to be my son's name. He also happens to be my son's height and build with a strong character for protection of the women in his life. When I wrote the first love scene, egad, the name had to change!

Book two, Southwest of Love and Murder, the heroine, Phoebe, is a murder/mystery writer who loves hippy/gypsy style clothing, lots of jewelry, and sex. Hum, well, she's my alter ego. And who better to model the hero after than Robert Redford. No, I don't know him personally, but it was his face I saw interacting with me, er, Phoebe.

A Legacy of Love and Murder, book three and set in Austria, is probably the purest of the series when it comes to characters. But I do have a close friend in Austria and with his help I threw in some German. He's also very good looking like the hero, Tobias Wolf.

My brother spent an awful night in a cheap motel and that one scene was inspiration for The Power of Love and Murder. I built Jake from my brother and my son. My brother owned a tile business for years and my son was a rock and roll singer in his own band for years. But another interesting character in the book is Vince Elams, an FBI agent turned hit man. A friend of mine, Vince Smale, asked if I'd put him in one of my books someday. Friend Vince is a big man and not a villain, but switching up his name did the trick. P.S. he loves the character.

Three characters in Sleeping with the Lights On do exist. I've changed them a

Mom and Dad were the stars of Post-War Dreams

little to fit the story, but they are very much the models. And I won't say which of them for sure. There was a fourth who had one minor scene...the jerk of a boss. Oh yes, I knew that man!

In other books, it might be a personality trait or physical trait of someone I've encountered or known in the past.

So, watch out! You could be in my book...let me know if you recognize anyone.

Find all of my characters on my Blog or Amazon or my Web Page.

The #Journey from Idea to #Reader by Brenda Whiteside

When you pick up a novel to read, did you know your hands are the final destination of a long and often winding road for that book. Every book, romance, suspense, or any other genre, has a journey from conception to reader, and you might be surprised at the obstacles to clear, hoops to jump, and mountains to climb that story took to get to you.

This is Journey of a Novel for the first book I published, Sleeping with the Lights On. It's my favorite journey because it was my first and could've been my last. I don't know. Maybe. I'm not easily discouraged, but you never know.

Sleeping with the Lights On began life as a joke and a short story. My sister was in between husbands and complaining to me about the frustrating dating scene. We got to reminiscing about some of her more noteworthy dates. That led to laughing and my comment that I should write down some of this.

Side note here: Having had only one husband and marrying him while I was a child, her experience in the man field was fascinating. I'd also written another book and was getting nowhere with it.

I made her start with date one back in high school and made a note on all of them. Next day, I started my story which turned into a book. Second side note: I did embellish her experiences. Had to make it a bit more juicy, you know.

Several months later, I started researching publishers. Then I had an idea to submit it to a contest. I sent it off and waited. I'm not one to wait, so when I heard of The Wild Rose Press and that RWA recognized this fairly new publisher, I submitted my baby. And waited.

I'm doing a lot of waiting at this point. Agonizing, especially for a never been published in novel form writer. Weeks and weeks later, I came home from my day job and checked my email. Ping! A communication from the contest. Pow! Punch to the gut. I didn't place, and if the one judge who was so kind as to send me a written critique had her say, I'd never even publish the story. I couldn't believe she'd read the same book I'd written. Her comments were so deflating.

I sighed, rubbed my head, and fought off tears. Glanced at the screen again and there was a message from TWRP. I held my breath, heart beating in my throat. I'd probably been turned down.

AHA! My book was fresh, and WANTED! I was going to be published! Yeah, I'm not supposed to use that many exclamation points, but I need you to know how elated I was. Take that contest judge. You don't know squat.

How fortunate I had not waited for the contest results to come back to submit my book for publication. Sleeping with the Lights On might still be vanquishing under my bed with a few other attempts. Hmmm...might ought to dig those out.

Seven and a half years later, and twelve publications later, I'm still proud of that first published book.

Brenda and her husband are gypsies at heart having lived in six states and two countries. Currently, they split their time between the pines of Northern Arizona, the desert of Southern Arizona, and the RV life. Wherever she roams, she spends most of her time writing stories of discovery, suspense, and the tangled relationships of life.

Visit Brenda at www.brendawhiteside.com

Or on FaceBook: www.facebook.com/BrendaWhitesideAuthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/brendawhitesid2

She blogs on the 9^th and 24^th of every month at http://rosesofprose.blogspot.com

She blogs about life’s latest adventure on her personal blog http://brendawhiteside.blogspot.com/

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B003V15WF8

Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3972045.Brenda_Whiteside

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/brenda-whiteside

Winner, Loser, Give It Up by Brenda Whiteside

I'm not big on entering contests. I particularly steer away from contests that require me to ask others to vote for me. In the publishing world there are contests for covers, first lines, unpublished works, published works, and probably others I haven't paid attention to. That said, I have entered a few, which is probably why I don't like entering them.

Before I wrote novels, I won a poetry contest and an essay contest. I was okay with them then not having had a bad experience. So, a few years later after I completed Sleeping with the Lights On, I entered it in two contests for unpublished books. It usually takes a few months to hear the results. In the meantime, I submitted the book to The Wild Rose Press for publication. A couple of months later, I got "the call"...actually the email. They wanted my book!

The next day, within hours of each other, I received two more emails. The first email was pretty bland, letting me know my book did not fare well in their contest. The scores were not even close to the top. The second email wasn't any better...my book was a dismal disaster. What did I do? I laughed. I was contracted! I often wonder what I would've done had I not submitted the book and received the results of the contest first. Makes me shudder.

Over the last eight years, I have entered a handful of contests and have been disappointed most often. Southwest of Love and Murder was a runner up once in a small contest. A couple of years ago, I had an agent, and she warned me against entering chapter contests. She felt it was a waste of effort as they were not fairly judged since most of the judges were fellow authors and competitors. I don't like to think my peers would not be fair minded in their judging.

Apparently, last summer, I took the plunge to try one more contest with my then latest release. I say apparently because I'd forgotten all about it until I received an email two days ago. I'd entered A Legacy of Love and Murder for an EPIC Award (Electronic Publishing Industry Coalition). This is a prodigious contest. I was thrilled. Now for the kicker...

As of this morning, if you go to the site to see the list of finalists, A Legacy of Love and Murder is not there. I've emailed and am waiting a response. I won't be surprised if they emailed me in error. Such is my experience with contests.

Thankfully Charmed (in spite of my husband's opinion)

This time of year, people want to know for what are you thankful. The first thing that pops into my head is family. Although my maternal and paternal grandparents had rather large families, seven children on both sides, my immediately family is small. I am one of three children and each of us had one son. We’re small and close.

I tell my husband, we live a charmed life. He shakes his head; but honestly, I think we do. Not that we haven’t had our share of heartache, loss of loved ones, sickness, and financial woes. Cancer has taken parents from us. A couple of us live with conditions that flare and make daily life tough. We've known addiction and loneliness, too. The economy and bad decisions have caused some mighty lean times on both sides of our family. 

But we hang together, take comfort in each other, and come through with laughter. Laughter is a big component in our family. We laugh easily. I remember going to a Woody Allen movie years ago and the only people laughing throughout were my brother, sister and me. My mom, sister and I have taken a few road trips together. We can get lost on a Los Angeles freeway and laugh our heads off.

Each member of my family has been an inspiration for a character in my books...and not in the mushy, inspirational kind of way. My mom and dad are found in Post-War Dreams. My sister is the fun heroine in Sleeping with the Lights On. My brother has his part in the book I'm currently writing, The Power of Love and Murder. Some of my son's characteristics are found in the hero in The Art of Love and Murder. I guess I'm glad I have some real characters in my family!

My husband and I have recently ended another chapter of our life and as we begin the next, as of yet unknown, I know that no matter what life deals us, our charmed existence and loving family will be along for the ride. 

For what are you thankful?

Although she didn’t start out to write romantic suspense, Brenda has found all good stories involve complicated human relationships. She’s also found no matter a person’s age, a new discovery is right around every corner. Whether humorous or serious, straight contemporary or suspense, all her books revolve around those two facts.

Visit Brenda at www.brendawhiteside.com.

Or on FaceBook: www.facebook.com/BrendaWhitesideAuthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/brendawhitesid2

She blogs on the 9^th and 24^th of every month at http://rosesofprose.blogspot.com

She blogs about writing and prairie life at http://brendawhiteside.blogspot.com/

WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL ABOUT COVERS? by Brenda Whiteside

When I first published six years ago, I cared about my cover, but didn't see the need for a typical romance cover. What's typical? Most often a cover involving intriguing people or an attractive couple. Gorgeous or dramatic scenery is also coveted. Romance readers like a setting they can get lost in. But I had never purchased a book based on a cover. So if I had never done that, why would anyone else?

My publisher asked for some guidance on the cover like what elements did I think were important. The book's title is Sleeping with the Lights On. I named a lamp, a black cowboy hat and a spilled bottle of wine. When I got the cover, I nearly cried. It wasn't the exciting cover I pictured and suddenly the cover was important to me.

I've vended at numerous book events over the years, and I can see the importance of a cover. That cover isn't awful, but it certainly does not attract the attention that some of my other covers do. After my experience last weekend, I asked my publisher if I could have a new cover. Here's why:

New cover and new title

I published another book several years ago with another publisher. The cover was "okay" and I sold a few books but mostly to friends and relatives. I've always loved the story, and decided to ask for my rights back which the publisher was gracious enough to give me. The book was edited again, but no major changes to the story. The new title is Post-War Dreams. The cover is totally different, and I was ecstatic with it. I took the first copies to a book event last weekend. We were rained out and had a poor turnout. BUT after not selling a copy of the prior edition in two years, I sold three copies with the new cover.

That convinced me!

Old cover waiting for an update

Now, I am awaiting a new cover for Sleeping with the Lights On. I can't wait to see if a new cover breathes life into what I consider a very entertaining read.

Sleeping With the Lights On 
After two failed marriages and countless relationships, Sandra Holiday thinks she’s met the man to end her years of less than perfect choices; choices that not only derailed her travel-related career plans but also left her single and broke. 

Carson Holiday, a Las Vegas country crooner with swoon-inducing good looks, spent his adult life pursuing a recording contract and love, never holding on to either. After eighteen years, he drops back into Sandra’s life, reigniting an attraction he can’t deny.

When Carson reappears, Sandra must choose again.  Only this time, nothing’s as it seems.  A secret admirer, a redheaded stalker, and an eccentric millionaire throw her on a dangerous path, with Carson her only truth.

As life confronts her with yet another turning point, will her decisions find her eternally sleeping with the lights on – or will she finally discover a way to turn them off?

It's All About the Choices by Brenda Whiteside

Our lives are fashioned by our choices. First we make our choices. Then our choices make us. ~ Anne Frank

Any of the three quotes we've chosen for the month of March could apply to my life. But I've probably written enough about my combination farm life and writing career. I chose Anne Frank's quote because certainly the choices I've made in those directions have changed me. Then it occurred to me that my characters' understand the significance of her quote, too.

SLEEPING WITH THE LIGHTS ON

After two failed marriages and countless relationships, Sandra Holiday thinks she’s met the man to end her years of less than perfect choices; choices that not only derailed her travel-related career plans but also left her single and broke.

 

 Carson Holiday, a Las Vegas country crooner with swoon-inducing good looks, spent his adult life pursuing a recording contract and love, never holding on to either. After eighteen years, he drops back into Sandra’s life, reigniting an attraction he can’t deny.

 When Carson reappears, Sandra must choose again.  Only this time, nothing’s as it seems.  A secret admirer, a redheaded stalker, and an eccentric millionaire throw her on a dangerous path, with Carson her only truth.

 As life confronts her with yet another turning point, will her decisions find her eternally sleeping with the lights on – or will she finally discover a way to turn them off?

 So Sandra is all about choices!

THE ART OF LOVE AND MURDER (book one in series)

Lacy Dahl never questioned her past until the deaths of her adoptive parents and her husband. A husband who wasn't what he seemed. Her research uncovers secrets about the mother she never knew; secrets that dispute the identity of her father and threaten her life.

Sheriff Chance Meadowlark is still haunted by the murder of his wife and the revenge he unleashed in the name of justice. When he meets Lacy he is determined not to become involved, but their pasts may make that impossible. As they move closer to the truth, saving Lacy may be his only salvation.

Lacy begins to think the present is more important than her past...until Chance's connection to her mother and a murder spin her deeper into danger and further from love. Will the truth destroy Lacy and Chance or will it be the answer that frees them?

Lacy's choice to discover the parents she knew totally changes her life. Chance's choice of revenge has dictated his life. It's all about the choices they make.

SOUTHWEST OF LOVE AND MURDER (book two in the series)

Mystery writer, Phoebe Anderson, owes her success to killing her first husband on paper seventeen years earlier. Now, someone has actually done it. When she decides to take a few days away on the ranch of her best friend’s brother-in-law, she doesn’t expect romance to find her...or murder to follow her.

Mason Meadowlark is happy with his wild cowboy ways, avoiding love since the death of his baby and the end of his marriage twenty years ago. When Phoebe shows up, he fights to control his emotions, but soon wonders if she just might be worth the risk of opening his heart again.

 With an obsessed fan close on her heels, Phoebe is thrown into her own murder mystery…and the next target on his list is Mason.

Phoebe's first choice leads the way for an interesting life. Mason allowed his life to be defined by something he had no choice over. But eventually he makes his own choices.

So fictional or real life, it's all about the choices we make!

All of Brenda's books can be found here: http://brendawhiteside.com/books.html