Ima Liar Liar

July 16, 2020 / The Eclectic World of Christina / Leave a comment

“What’s real? What’s not?”

These are two of the biggest questions I’ve gotten since publishing Dearest Mother and Dad, and, frankly, it surprised me. I mean all my books are fiction. Even though I researched a few truths for each book, they’re mostly lies…made-up stories.

For example, can you use nano-drugs to control a person’s actions like the drugs in Chemical Attraction? Not unless there’s top secret research going on. So, I guess it seems plausible.

Can you shape the inside of a diamond to look like an American rose similar to the one in The Garden Collection? It would be cool, expensive, and plausible.

Can you transport a Russian satellite inside the trailer of a semi-truck like the one in The Trucker’s Cat? Who knows what’s inside those non-descript trucks, but it seems plausible, too.

If you’re asking what’s real and what isn’t in Dearest Mother and Dad because it’s historical fiction and based on letters my father wrote to his parents during the Korean War, here are those answers.

REAL: the Korean War

REAL: the battles

REAL: the dates

REAL: Orrin’s (my dad’s) letters to his parents (Names were changed to protect the innocent … and the guilty.)

FAKE: the rest of the story

My dad didn’t share his experiences, so I made it up. Isn’t that what writers do? They lie. We’re liars although I prefer the term fiction writers.

Thanks for stopping by today.

Christina’s Author Page on AMAZON

@48fourteen eBook Sale

April 29, 2020April 29, 2020 / The Eclectic World of Christina / Leave a comment

All of 48fourteen eBooks are on sale on Amazon for $0.99, until life returns to some kind of normal. Until then, get your read on! –> https://amzn.to/2yJqgcS

You’ll find thrillers, romance, YA, science fiction, and horror–something for everyone.

All are free with Kindle Unlimited.

#HumbleBrags

April 23, 2020 / The Eclectic World of Christina / Leave a comment

A humble brag is a complaint with the intention of drawing attention to something of which one is proud. Humble bragging is said to be more irritating than outright boasting. Is it?

For example, I might say, “I’ve been so busy spending my gobs of royalty money I haven’t checked my Amazon ranking for a while. Much to my surprise, I was just above 1,000,000. Yay me!”

Are you impressed? Nope, me either. What would your mock humble brag be? I know you can do better.

Well, I’ve seen the fun lists of favorites on social media, so I decided to make a specific author’s list as a humble brag. Is this bragging or promoting? Humble bragging or not, I’d like to share my achievements; and I want to celebrate and learn about your passion projects.

Let’s have some fun. Are you an author? Copy and paste your answers on your blog or Facebook page then put the LINK to your humble brag list in the comments below. I’d like to read them.

Are you a fan of my books? Do you agree with my favorites? Let me know what your picks would be in the comments below.

Here’s my list:

The name of my Series: The Chemical Attraction Series

The number of books in my Series: 4

The total number of books I’ve published: 8

The number of rejections before my 1^st publication: 162 (Yikes! Well, I’m proud I didn’t give up.)

The number of years I’ve been writing: 15

The year and name of my 1^st book published: 2012, Chemical Attraction

The number of books self-published: 4

The number of books with publisher: 4

My publisher: 48fourteen

My book ideas come from: Life and NPR

Out of all my books—my favorite book: Dearest Mother and Dad

Out of all my books—my favorite cover: The Garden Collection (My daughter drew it.)

Out of all my books—my favorite character: Joe Roberts from my Series

Out of all my books—my least favorite character: Cindy Carter from Their Rigid Rules

Out of all my books—my meanest character: Vincent Jordan from Chemical Reaction

Out of all my books—my nicest character: Brianna Carlson from The Garden Collection

Out of all my books—my favorite couple: Joe Roberts and Madeline Pierce from Chemical Attraction and Chemical Reaction

This minor character from my books deserves main character status: Aunt Sylvia from Chemical Attraction

This backstory tidbit about a character isn’t actually in my story: Spoiler Alert: In my Series, Peter Bingaman is Joe Robert’s biological father.

My favorite place to write: any quiet place—office, car, backyard…

My favorite topic to write: the synchronicity of life and romance

My writing preference—computer or paper & pen: paper and pen

My reading preference—print or eBook: print

My favorite social media platform: the WordPress community

My favorite part of writing: the magic of the characters telling me their story

My least favorite part of writing: blogging (My books are exciting; I’m boring.)

My writing rituals: brushed teeth, no bra

The best advice I’ve received: Write what you would love to read.

The worst advice I’ve received: Write about the trends that are popular right now.

Link to my Amazon Author Page

Thanks for stopping by.

AUTHORS, don’t forget to copy/paste onto your blog/social media platform then put the LINK to your humble brag list in the comments below.

FANS, what are your favorites? Post them in the comments below.

My Podcast Adventure with @AuthorCKBrooke

February 6, 2019 / The Eclectic World of Christina / Leave a comment

I recently did a podcast with C.K. Brooke, a fellow 48fourteen author and gracious hostess. In my usual awkwardness with social media, I had a pit in my gut for a week leading up to this interview. This fun chat between authors made me want to barf. (FYI: I suck at small talk.) However, my New Year’s resolution was to do new things.

I’ve never used Skype so my tech savvy son and daughter gave me a tutorial—basically Look there, Click here. Great! Got it!

Luckily, my son, an avid gamer, set me up using his equipment. I wasn’t totally clueless—listen through the headphones and talk into the microphone. I’ve seen his charismatic stream on Twitch many times so I would try to channel my inner Son.

To practice, I Skyped with my daughter. Surprisingly, I had fun with her—talking like Johnny Fever spinning records in his booth. (Yeah, I know. I dated myself.)

The morning before the call, I paced. I already had a list of possible topics to keep from freezing up. My big concern now was choking, figuratively and literally, but my son pointed to the mute button for those emergencies. With two thumbs up, I took a deep breath, flashed back to Mr. Martin’s high school speech class, and then cringed.

Game time!

C.K. Brooke was an absolute delight. With my background in holistic health, I talked about my experience with Past Life Regression and how it related to my writing. She had written a series on the topic, The Past-Life Chronicles Vol. 1 and The Past-Life Chronicles Vol. 2. (I already downloaded my copies. The idea of past lives has always fascinated me.)

C.K. has a natural gift as an interviewer and she understands the nuances of promoting on social media. I’m grateful for the opportunity to learn from her. She. Is. Awesome.

After the interview, I wondered why I was so nervous. Would I do this again? Sure. Would I still be nervous? Of course.

So how did I do? You be the judge.

Listen to Our Fun Chat between Authors

You can also subscribe to C.K. Brooke’s YouTube Channel and listen to her interviews with other authors.

Meet Eva O’Sullivan

January 13, 2018 / The Eclectic World of Christina / Leave a comment

Taking-the-town

I’ve had the privilege of getting to know the people in The Chemical Attraction Series. Eva O’Sullivan, Taylor Valentine, and Joe Roberts are siblings by choice. They’ve told me their story, and I wrote about their amazing journey. These interviews take place just after their adventure in Chemical Reaction. [trivial spoilers/no plot spoilers]

Eva O’Sullivan Connor, a petite Irish spitfire with auburn spiral curls, has big opinions, and you know them whether you want to or not. Masking her vulnerability, she wears her willfulness like armor. Eva grew up in a single parent household and met Joe and Taylor in grade school. They quickly became inseparable. Eva has a fierce love for her family and believes families are bound by love not blood. Today, she answers a few questions for the fans of the Series.

CHRISTINA: Taylor and Joe have said, “If Eva has an opinion on a subject, you knows it whether you want to or not.” Does that description bother you?

EVA: No, it’s true and it’s not a bad thing. I like that way I am. Joe and Taylor tease me about my bossiness, but it’s never mean. We have our strengths and weaknesses. Family balances them. How boring would it be if we were all the same?

CHRISTINA: You made quite an impression with David and Matt at your first meeting in Their Rigid Rules. How’d you feel about them?

EVA: What’s not to love? David was adorable. He’s smart with a good heart just like his father. And, well, my first thought about Matt was “Wow, now this is a man.” He wasn’t a guy or a college boy. This handsome rugged man has embraced the responsibilities to his son and his profession. Seriously, Matt was shot in the line of duty saving an officer’s life. How much more manly can you get? They included me in their family. I can’t imagine a better feeling for your soul than that.

CHRISTINA: Throughout the series, you’ve fixed the meals when the family gathers. Have you always been a great cook?

EVA: I learned to cook from Matt’s mom. I have a thick homemade cookbook with all her delicious recipes. We didn’t get off to a great start. In fact, Gail hated me.

CHRISTINA: What happened that made her dislike you so much?

EVA: Oh boy, well, I visited Matt at his house for our first weekend together without David, who stayed at a friend’s house. Naked in his bed, I waited for Matt to come home from work. Well, Gail walked in first. She called me a harlot. The weekend deteriorated from there. Everything I did caused a stir in the town. It’s a big part of The Kindred Code.

CHRISTINA: You love messing with your brother, Joe. You’ve called him out for his player ways and embarrassed him in front of the other agents in Chemical Attraction, and then you pranked him during your phone call with Madeline in Chemical Reaction. Has he ever gotten you back for those shenanigans?

EVA: Not yet. He tries, but I’m always a step ahead of him. Taylor and I tease him so his anger doesn’t take over. Madeline’s the perfect balance for him. For a long time, Joe didn’t think he was worthy of someone special. I hope Madeline will continue to appreciate how great he is. Oh, uh, don’t tell him I said that. He doesn’t need a bigger head.

CHRISTINA: Thanks for sharing your insights. I love how dedicated you are to your family. Read more about the chemistry of Eva and Matt’s first meeting in Their Rigid Rules. Then follow up with their touching romance in The Kindred Code.

Meet Taylor Valentine

September 24, 2017August 13, 2019 / The Eclectic World of Christina / Leave a comment

I’ve had the privilege of getting to know the people in The Chemical Attraction Series. Taylor Valentine, Eva O’Sullivan, and Joe Roberts are siblings by choice. They’ve told me their story, and I wrote about their amazing journey. These interviews take place just after their adventure in Chemical Reaction. [trivial spoilers/no plot spoilers]

Taylor Valentine, a natural beauty, embraces her vanilla tendencies. Her plan for her life reinforces those traits. Kindhearted, she doesn’t apologize for giving people the benefit of the doubt.

In Their Rigid Rules and The Kindred Code, she meets Stuart and her perfect plan hits a snag changing her life significantly. Taylor has a minor part in Chemical Attraction and Chemical Reaction, but she supports the family with her subtle strength. Today, she answers a few questions for the fans of the Series.

CHRISTINA: After all the drama from Their Rigid Rules and The Kindred Code, has your outlook changed about your life?

TAYLOR: Yes. I’ve become more flexible bending with my plans so not to break. Bad things happened back then, but so much good happened as well. All those changes in my original plan led me to Stuart.

CHRISTINA: Was that the start of your Happily Ever After?

TAYLOR: Not quite. Stuart and I had to deal with the aftermath of Their Rigid Rules in the sequel, The Kindred Code. Stuart tried to protect me from the stress which ended up making everything worse.

CHRISTINA: Eva and Joe have mentioned throughout the series that you have a family vibe. Can you elaborate on that? Are you psychic?

TAYLOR: No, I’m not psychic. I had developed an ability of insight with our family. The snapshots I saw weren’t about the future; they were about the present. I can’t always decipher the meaning just the emotion of the family member. Once I saw Eva, embarrassed, angry, cold, and stranded in a snow bank. What I couldn’t see was that Eva slipped into a snow bank just outside the Allenton Police Station. This vibe hasn’t come in handy at all. I just worry more. It’s irksome that there’s no context to these visions.

CHRISTINA: Do you think Joe met his match with Madeline?

TAYLOR: Oh yes! Eva told me about the chemistry of their first kiss. I’m thankful they found each other. Joey works too hard. He found his equal.

CHRISTINA: Thanks for joining me today and giving the fans an insight into your life. To read more about Stuart and Taylor’s romance, check out Their Rigid Rules and its sequel The Kindred Code.

The Chemical Attraction Series on AMAZON

Cover Reveals & Relaunch of The Chemical Attraction Series

June 2, 2017 / The Eclectic World of Christina / 5 Comments

The Chemical Attraction Series has had a major makeover – both inside and out. On July 19th, the entire series will be re-released. The books will be a little bit hotter, and will come full circle, giving you more of the characters you have grown to love.

The re-release will be aligned with the new release of The Kindred Code, now Book 2 of the series. Confused? Don’t be, the only books you need to read in order is Chemical Attraction and Chemical Reaction…the rest is up to you.

***

Now, for an inside look at The Kindred Code:

Taylor Valentine, Eva O’Sullivan, and Joe Roberts are siblings by choice. They believe in The Kindred Code: blood means nothing and love is everything. After all, they’ve been together every day since the third grade. As their lives take different paths after college, they wonder if their mantra will stay true.

When word gets out that Professor Stuart Morgan had dated Taylor while in his class, the publicity takes a toll on their relationship. While Taylor recovers from a gunshot wound, Stuart struggles with his PTSD. Instead of sharing their pain, they drift further apart.

With his son, David, at a sleepover, Officer Matt Connor invites Eva to his home. During their romantic weekend, volatile confrontations erupt between Matt’s mother and Eva and David’s biological mother and Eva. The rural town enjoys the uproar. Even on her best behavior, Eva worries about the chaos she brings to Matt and David’s lives.

Before Joe heads to the FBI Academy, Director Peter Bingaman asks for his help on an unofficial case. He needs an outsider, who’s smart and quick on his feet. Joe jumps at the chance to test his skills. Before long, they uncover horrendous crimes. Suddenly, Joe’s in over his head.

Will Joe’s family put aside their problems and come to his aid before it’s too late? And what will that mean for his career as an agent?

***

Add it to your Goodreads TBR List

Series Cover Design by Ampersand Book Covers

BONUS: Searching for Her will be FREE July 19th

Here’s a sneak peek into my new anthology:

Searching for Her, an anthology of short stories about Joe Roberts from The Chemical Attraction Series, takes place after The Kindred Code leading into Chemical Attraction. During the eight-year span of these seven stories—as seen through the eyes of his family—Joe gradually loses faith that he’ll find his soulmate.

His sisters, Taylor and Eva, conspire to help him. Convinced Madeline Pierce is his perfect match, Eva and Madeline’s Aunt Sylvia push for a connection. Each time they try to force a meeting, it backfires.

Unbeknownst to Joe and his family, the Synchronicity of the Universe is at work. Can Joe decipher the subtle signs pointing him toward Destiny’s grand plan with Madeline? Many could die if he doesn’t.