Interview with Coloring Book Author Annie Douglass Lima!

by mamaho // October 6, 2016 // 2 Comments

Of the many indie authors I have met online, Annie Douglass Lima is certainly someone I’m thankful to call a friend. I interviewed her back in May about her speculative fiction book, The Collar & The Cavvarach, and today I have the privilege of sharing her newest release, a coloring book, with you!

I had the chance to watch this book come to life, so to speak because Annie and I are in the same Facebook writer’s group where we throw around ideas about story lines, blurbs, book covers—you name it!—and get feedback from each other. When she announced she’d finish her coloring book, I didn’t hesitate to buy a copy. Here’s one page that I colored with the munchkins. It was fun and cool, too, because we got to talking about what it means to be born again (short answer = becoming a child of God!).

I had some questions I wanted to ask Annie about the process behind creating this coloring book, so here goes!

Thanks, Annie, for joining us today! Tell us, what was your inspiration for this coloring book?

A few months ago, one of my colleagues was leading us teachers in staff devotions before work (as a Christian school, we do that twice a week). As a part of her message, she handed out markers, colored pencils, and little slips of paper on which she had printed the Bible verse she was talking about. It was written in several different fun “outline fonts”, and she turned on some music and suggested we spend the last few minutes meditating on the words as we colored them in. It was so much fun, and as she mentioned, coloring the words really made them stand out in my mind. The activity wasn’t even over before I thought, Someone should make a whole coloring book like this! People would love it, and it’s such a good way to really think about each word and phrase! And so I decided to be the one to do it.

How did you come to know of the organization you’re donating the proceeds to, and is there a particular people group that you hope your donation will be able to help?

It isn’t so much that I came to know of the organization, but that I came to know the specific missionaries involved. They’re a family who work in a “closed” country not far from here. After I got to know them, the more I heard about their ministry, the more I wanted to get involved. And yes, there is one specific people group whose Bible translation the proceeds will go toward, but for security reasons, I can’t say much more than that.

Are there any other fun or interesting facts that you’d like to share about the behind the scenes process of making this book?

It was quite a process! I had no idea when I started that there would be so many steps involved. After doing some initial research, I chose the verses I would include, searched online for free fonts, and downloaded and installed them (which involved a bit of a learning curve for me). Then came the process of choosing which fonts I wanted to use for which words and phrases of each verse in order to try to emphasize the meaning effectively. I prayed a lot over every verse as I worked on it, asking God to give me wisdom in those little details, so as to make the messages in His word stand out as clearly as possible to those who would later color the pages.

Somewhere along the way, I looked up copyright information for the version of Scripture I was using (NIV) and discovered that I could not legally create a book whose only text was Bible verses. That was when I decided to include the word puzzles too. I researched a number of different websites and apps until I found two that would allow me to create the kinds of word puzzles I wanted in a format where I could download both the puzzles and their answer keys to include in the book – and of course that would permit me to use them for commercial purposes.

I was nearly finished with the whole project when I made the alarming discovery that not all my new fonts were actually free for commercial use; some were legal only for personal use. So I had to look up each one individually (there were hundreds!) just to make sure. In the end I had to uninstall almost half of them, find new ones to replace them with, and then redo parts of almost all the verses. That was really discouraging! But I kept reminding myself Who I was doing this for, and in the end it all worked out.

I owe a debt of thanks to the “beta colorists” who printed and colored the different pages when I thought they were perfect and gave me feedback to let me know what really wasn’t. The book went through lots of changes in the process, but the final product is one that I’m satisfied with. More importantly, I hope that the Lord is, and I pray that He’ll use it to bring His Word to life in people’s hearts in a new way.

Wow! Knowing all the time, work, and heart that Annie put into making this book makes me so happy and relieved that the finished product is now available for you! If you’d like to try out a few pages, scroll down for the link to where you can download and print them out. Thank you, Annie, for this wonderful coloring book! Go and get yours today! 🙂

More than just a coloring book, this inspirational activity book will help you relax, unwind, and enjoy some creative fun while hiding God’s Word in your heart.

The 35 separate verses and passages are printed in colorable word art with decorative borders, blank on the back to make them easier to remove and frame or display, if desired. Each one is accompanied by two different activities or puzzles featuring the verse or key words from it.

Hide it in Your Heart is an ideal Scripture memorization aid for Christian schools, homeschool programs, Sunday schools, or your own personal use. Children and adults will enjoy learning, practicing, and meditating on these artistically presented verses from the New International Version Bible.

Proceeds from the sale of Hide it In Your Heart will be donated to www.Christar.org to help provide a translation of God’s Word for a particular people group in East Asia who do not yet have the Bible in their own language.

Here are a few sample coloring and activity pages from Hide it In Your Heart. If you’d like to color them or complete the word puzzles, click here to access a PDF that you can download and print.

Hide it In Your Heart is available in paperback on Amazon. Click here to order your copy for $8.99.

Hide it In Your Heart: a Scripture Coloring & Activity Book for Adults & Kids

HOWEVER, you can get it for 15% off if you order it here on CreateSpace with coupon code JZBVVBH8! The code can be used an unlimited number of times and will not expire, so feel free to order as many copies as you like for family and friends. Hide it In Your Heart makes a great gift for anyone who enjoys word puzzles, coloring, or God’s word!

You’re welcome to share the code with others, too.

Happy coloring!

About the Author:

Annie Douglass Lima spent most of her childhood in
Kenya and later graduated from Biola University in Southern California. She and
her husband Floyd currently live in Taiwan, where she teaches fifth grade at
Morrison Academy. She has been writing poetry, short stories, and novels since
her childhood, and to date has published thirteen books (two YA action and
adventure novels, four fantasies, a puppet script, five anthologies of her
students’ poetry, and a Scripture coloring and activity book). Besides writing,
her hobbies include reading (especially fantasy and science fiction),
scrapbooking, and international travel.

Connect with Annie Douglass Lima online:

Email: AnnieDouglassLima@gmail.com

Blog: http://anniedouglasslima.blogspot.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnnieDouglassLimaAuthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/princeofalasia

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/ADLimaOnGoodreads

Google+: http://bit.ly/ADLimaOnGooglePlus

Amazon Author Page: http://bit.ly/AnnieDouglassLimaOnAmazon

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/AnnieDouglassLima

LinkedIn: http://bit.ly/ADLimaOnLinkedIn

Sign up for author updates and receive a free ebook of “interviews” with characters from her fantasy series: http://bit.ly/LimaUpdates

Release Day! (+ The “Woe is Me” Tale Behind this Story)

by mamaho // September 15, 2016 // No Comments

It’s release day for A Spoonful Of Spice! I may get tired of writing sometimes, but I never get tired of hitting the “publish” button on a story. 😀 So yay, please celebrate this momentous occasion with me! Here’s a pumpkin spice latte for you and one for me, too. Cheers!

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In case you haven’t figured it out by now, A Spoonful of Spice is the autumn story in my “Seasons of Love” series. When I was brainstorming for this book, the first thing that popped into my head was the word “pumpkin”. Then the words “chai latte” because I love putting those two together when I go to my favorite cafe, Peet’s (sorry, Starbucks lovers!). But since pumpkin spice lattes are more popular drinks, I decided to include them in this story. Oh, and also an IT guy and an IT girl because it’s a love story between the guy and the girl (and possibly, the girl and her pumpkin spice latte). 😉

So that’s how this office romance started … but the finished product is actually a major revision of my original story. Like a total rewrite of half of it (something I’ve never done before!). Yes, that’s when I had a “woe is me” moment as a writer. 😉 Looking back, however, I’m more than grateful that one of my early beta readers (a trusted author friend) gave me some honest and insightful feedback on the story. After picking myself up off the ground, I took a good look at it and tried my hardest to make it better. And to my delight, I like the story a lot more now after rewriting half of it. I think I keep repeating that I rewrote half of it because I still can’t believe I rewrote half of it! Oh, but rewriting half of it was only the first part of my “woe is me” story with this book. I also had to redo the cover after I already did the cover reveal (you can read about that in this post here).

Oh, I almost forgot—there’s a part 3, too. 😉 This was the first book I formatted myself (aka. turning a MS Word file into a .mobi file for Kindle) and that in itself was an adventure. It took 8+ hours to figure it all out, but I did save $80, and hopefully next time it’ll be a lot easier and faster.

So, yes, for a 10,000-word story, there was a lot of work involved. Let me repeat that—A LOT of work. 😉 But it’s all good. All the rewriting and redoing made me appreciate how stubborn I am (haha!) and how any good thing involves perseverance.

Anyhow, you can buy A Spoonful Of Spice for $0.99 or read it for free with Kindle Unlimited on Amazon.com here. I hope you’ll enjoy it, especially with a cup of pumpkin spice latte! 🙂

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And here’s my favorite song from the YouTube playlist I made for this book, Voctave’s cover of “Someone Like You”, featuring Jody McBrayer.

Cover Reveal: Take 2!

by mamaho // September 2, 2016 // No Comments

Sooo … after yesterday’s cover reveal for my story, A Spoonful Of Spice, a kind author friend informed me that my cover was the same one as a book by a well-known author! Cue the facepalm, maybe even a double facepalm!

I was torn when I heard this because I loved the couple on the cover! I had picked out the picture even before I started the story and had them in mind when I was writing it. Aiya. I shared my dilemma with the Facebook author’s group I’m a part of (by the way, it’s called Clean Indie Reads and they are the most supportive people!) and got mixed responses. Some said there are many books out there with the same cover, so it’s no biggie; others said it could come across like I’m trying to ride on that author’s coattails (which is a funny image, don’t you think?). Anyhow, after some groaning and more facepalming, I decided to look for a new image … and by God’s grace, I found one I like even more! At least it looked good when I was up till 2AM making it. 😉

So, here it is!

Josh Pepper has one goal: to become the next manager in the IT department. But his career plans are sidelined when the first woman, bubbly Cin Thomas, joins his team. He now needs to keep everyone from being distracted by her presence, a task that appears easy to accomplish … until her piercing green eyes start invading his dreams.

I had asked hubby at 1:30AM when he got up to use the bathroom what he thought of it and he said, “Isn’t that the same couple?” Then this morning when he had his glasses on, he said, “You showed it to me last night? Oh, wait, I remember now. And no, that is not the same couple!”

Haha. So there you have it, a sneak peek into the oh-so crazy behind-the-scenes life of an author. 😉

Now, time for some caffeine. Happy Friday, everyone! 😀

Confessions of an IT Wife (And a Cover Reveal!)

by mamaho // September 1, 2016 // No Comments

I’ve shared about my secret life as an IT wife before (here) and now I’m going to share some confessions of an IT wife. 🙂 In case you don’t speak tech, IT stands for Information Technology (not the crazy clown from a movie that a friend told me about, haha). Ever since I met hubby, he’s worked with computers. This explains why we have a surplus of monitors, laptops, and tablets lying around the house, plus wireless routers and cables and other electronic doodads. E mentioned once that his friend had to wait for his dad to come home from work in order to use his laptop to play games, to which I rolled my eyes and thought, You don’t know how good you have it, buddy.

But along with all the perks of a tech job comes the stress. I’m talking about STRESS with a capital S. I like to think of the IT department as a company’s first responders to a technical problem. And in this day and age, especially when you live in the Silicon Valley, a technical problem is more like a technical emergency. Cue the sirens and flashing lights … or emails and texts and phone calls at all hours of the day and night! He used to be the one fixing the issues, but now as the Fire Chief, he’s the one overseeing three dozen different issues at the same time. Hubby’s job is so all-encompassing and critical, that he carries a lot of his stress from the job back home. As a (trying to be) supportive wife, I do my best to listen and share in his load as much as I can. After 18 years of listening to him speak tech, I actually understand most of what he tells me now. 😉 I didn’t realize though just how much I’ve been sucked into his world until I got inspired to write about it.

That’s right. I wrote a story about an IT guy. 😀 And since I write romance, I had to include an IT girl … and I bet you can guess what happens next.

I must confess though that I have had more than enough of the IT world, both the real and fictional ones. I’m sure I’m not the first IT wife/girlfriend who wishes her hubby/boyfriend spent as much time looking at her as he does his phone. 😉 Or that he could spend one weekend—or even a day—without worrying about something going down at work. But I’m thankful he has a good job and our family has the best tech support available 24/7/365 (although sometimes we have to share him)! Most of all, I’m grateful I get to walk side by side with my IT guy through all the crazy ups and downs of his IT career.

Now for the fun stuff … here’s the cover reveal for A Spoonful of Spice, the second short story in my Seasons of Love series!

*Updated Sept. 3, 2016: This cover is no longer the cover for my story! Go HERE to find out why. 😉

Josh Pepper has one goal: to become the next manager in his IT department. But his career plans are sidelined when the first woman, Cin Thomas, joins the team. He now needs to keep everyone from being distracted by her presence, a task that appears easy to accomplish … until she starts invading his dreams with her piercing green eyes.

And here’s the playlist to give you a taste of the story. 🙂

A Cover Reveal + A Sneak Peek

by mamaho // August 11, 2016 // No Comments

It’s been a month of S’s since the munchkins’ summer school ended: sibling squabbles, slamming doors, swimming every day, and (slightly) sweet boba teas (for my sanity’s sake). When the friendly cashier at Trader Joe’s said to me yesterday with a sympathetic smile, “School’s almost starting, isn’t it?”, I had to try super duper hard to suppress my glee. The truth is, I do enjoy spending time with E and C more now that they’re older and more independent … but I do like my me-time, too. (Any other introverted moms here agree?) 🙂 But I’m doing my best to go with the flow and savor each moment, even moments like right now as C sings into a rolled-up paper tube, “Sad day, sad day, hey, it’s a sad, sad day,” because I asked for a few minutes to write this blog post before we go out and do something fun. 😉

Sad day, indeed. 😀

Speaking of S’s, I thought I’d share a sneak peek at my latest story, Tropical Kiss Or Miss, that’s part of Kisses, Kids and Bundles of Joy, an awesome boxed set of 7 Christian romance novellas. Oh, but before that, here’s the cover! I have to give a shout-out to my dear friend, M, for her artistic eye in helping me choose the perfect colors for a story set in Hawaii. 🙂

And here’s an excerpt to introduce you to Olivia and Matt (a flashback from their college days in 2005).

“Well, you could use the time to study like all the other students around here.”

Olivia rolled her eyes. “Oh, please. Like you don’t hear the parties going on every night upstairs. I am studying,” she pouted, partly because Matt had put a shirt on. Blue cotton with the word Cal in gold letters covered up the toned abs she’d secretly been eyeing. “Psych majors are supposed to study people. I happen to be studying the ones on TV.”

“In case you have to counsel someone in the future whose plane crashed on a deserted island?”

“Totally. And it’s not deserted. There’s a whole group of ‘The Others’ who are trying to kidnap them.” She crossed her arms when he laughed again. “Don’t diss my show. If you don’t like it, you can go find some boring real-life story to write about.”

“Guess what? I already turned in my article for Friday, so I’m free to enjoy some fictional entertainment.” He raised his feet onto the glass coffee table in front of them and sank back into the cushions. “Let’s see how good this show really is.”

Hmm? As a lead beat reporter for the university paper, Matt was usually busy researching, conducting interviews, and meeting deadlines. Yet this was the fourth time he was joining her this month. Truth be told, she didn’t mind his company. Especially when he was close enough for her to breathe in the fresh, minty scent of his soap. “Fine. But no talking.”

A sly smile crossed his lips. “What about chewing?”

Olivia’s eyes widened in delight. “You didn’t—”

“I did.” Reaching behind the couch, he produced a black bag and tore it open. “I’m surprised to see you empty-handed.”

“I ate my last bag yesterday. Care to share yours?”

He pretended to ponder her question. “I guess I could.”

“Taro chips, my favorite,” she gushed, grabbing a white chip with purplish lines running across it. She shoved it into her mouth and brushed some crumbs off her black leggings before reaching for another one. “Thanks, Matt. You can definitely stay now.”

He chuckled. “You know this is my apartment and my TV you’re watching. Not to mention”—he held the bag up—“my chips you’re eating. If anyone should be begging, it’s you.”

“But I’m your best friend’s sister. That’s gotta count for something.” Kneeling on the couch, she reached for the bag he kept dangling farther and farther in the opposite direction. “You should know I’ve been playing keepaway with my brother my whole life and I always win.”

“We’ll see about that.” He stretched out his arm and held the bag high over his head, jerking it away as Olivia got close. “Not bad.”

“Come on, the show’s starting.” She yanked his arm down, surprised at the effort she had to exert. “It’s not fair. You have more muscles than Brian.”

“That’s no surpri—stop!”

“Huh?” Olivia stared in disbelief as Matt doubled over in pain, his gasps for breath mixed with laughter. “You’re ticklish?”

“Here, take it!”

She had obviously hit a sensitive spot on his body. Make that several spots. The poor guy had dropped the bag onto her lap like it was on fire, his face contorted in fear as she wiggled her pink fingernails at him. It was too much fun. She gave his side one last poke and sat down. Stuffing a few chips into her mouth, she savored the salty and crispy taste of victory. She couldn’t help but flash a cheeky smile. “I told you I’d win.”

He narrowed his eyes and smirked. “I’m just letting you hold the bag”—he cocked his head in her direction—“so I can do this.”

She shrieked as droplets of cold water flew onto her face. “Ew! You’re like a wet dog.”

“I thought you liked dogs?”

“Not slobbery ones.” She fell back onto her elbows and tried backing up toward the other end of the couch. Her oversized gray sweatshirt caught beneath her body, preventing her from making it very far. “No more—stop! You can have my chips!”

Playfully shaking his hair in her face, Matt leaned in close until they were nose to nose. “You mean my chips.”

Olivia swallowed hard, her throat suddenly dry. Everything around her—the sounds coming from the TV and the glare from the lamp beside the couch—faded away. She could only hear the mesmerizing tone of his voice and focus on the intense look in his eyes. Eyes that made her wonder if he wanted to kiss her.

Yup, if you noticed, I reference one of my and hubby’s favorite shows, Lost, in this story. I also pay homage to another show we used to watch together with the female character’s name, Olivia. Anyone know which show I’m talking about? (Pacey Witter starred in it, too.) 🙂 So much of Tropical Kiss Or Miss was inspired by a lot of real-life stuff—my love of taro chips, my counseling background, and my dream of getting a tattoo (which is still a dream thanks to my fear of needles, ha!). There’s lots of happy moments in the book, but also some not-so-fun reflections on marriage. I really wanted to tackle the question of how do two people who were once so in love get to a point where they feel like strangers. So, yes, the excerpt you read is when love was just beginning to bloom for Olivia and Matt … and things do get “real” and hard as they try to find their way back to each other. But I promise you there’s a happy ending with lots of redemption and grace.

To read the rest of this story (and also meet their sweet son, Micah!), you can pre-order Kisses, Kids and Bundles of Joy for only $0.99! I’ve read the 6 other stories in the set and can vouch that they are all creative, heartwarming, and sweet.

Snuggle up with seven Christian winter romances from bestselling and award-winning authors. Kisses and kids abound in this collection of novellas that will warm your heart all winter long.

Amazon: https://kdp.amazon.com/amazon-dp-action/us/bookshelf.marketplacelink/B01JTDE03G

Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/kisses-kids-and-bundles-of-joy

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/kisses-kids-and-bundles-of-joy/id1141527848?ls=1&mt=11

Alrighty, it’s time to turn this sad, sad day into a happier one! 😉 And on that note, I’ll leave you with the playlist for Tropical Kiss Or Miss.

Cover Reveal!

by mamaho // July 26, 2016 // No Comments

I’m beyond excited to share with you all a little project that I’ve been working on with six fabulous authors. It’s been a long time in the making (6 months can feel like a long time, haha!), but it’s finally ready to be revealed today. So without further ado, here’s the cover reveal for our upcoming boxed set of Christian winter romances!

Kisses, Kids and Bundles of Joy: 7 Christian Winter Romances

Snuggle up with seven brand new, never before published Christian winter romances from bestselling and award-winning authors. Kids and babies abound in this collection of novellas that will warm your heart all winter long.

One Winter Kiss – Lindi Peterson – Deena Ross travels to Ohio to try and sway her grandfather from making a big mistake, a mistake his neighbor Andrew has been encouraging. When a winter storm hits, and Deena is forced to stay with Andrew and his young son, Evan, Deena’s vision of love is tested and she might lose her heart in one winter kiss.

Childish Ways – Jenn Faulk – Kevin Peterson, a teacher at a small town elementary school, is unexpectedly reunited with Lisa Walker, a girl who spent most of their childhood tormenting and bullying him, when she comes back to town where she helps organize a winter carnival to benefit her niece’s school. Lisa has no idea who he is, though, and as they work alongside one another and Kevin sees how much she has changed, he begins to question whether or not he can really trust her and let her into his life.

The Baby & the Bachelor – Cindy K. Green – Playboy bachelor, Alec, discovers a baby on his doorstep only days away from being appointed to a political office, prompting him to appeal his assistant, Jane, for help. Misunderstandings and accusations from the press abound, leading Alec to wonder, even if he were prepared for a ready-made family, could sweet, church-going Jane ever find it in her heart to marry a sinner like him?

For Tracy – Trisha Grace – One phone call led to Sarah Carter becoming the guardian of her favorite student, Tracy, while waiting for Tracy’s Uncle Keith to show up. But Sarah has no idea Uncle Keith was Keith Sutton, Hollywood’s most eligible bachelor, and doesn’t realize how much trouble she is heading for.

Tropical Kiss Or Miss – Liwen Y. Ho – Therapist Olivia Chan can’t wait to escape it all—a failed marriage, a struggling practice, and her son’s recent health scare. The Hawaiian getaway she planned, however, gets rained on—quite literally—by a tropical storm and the unexpected arrival of her estranged husband Matthew, who’s determined to win her back.

To Gain a Mommy – Tanya Eavenson – When Hope Michaels decides to face her past, she unknowingly purchases the house across the street from her former fiancé—the man her twin sister married, then widowed. Fire Captain Carl McGuire can put out any flame, except for the one Hope sparks within him—some things never change.

Foolish Heart – Cindy Flores Martinez– Judy and Graham have feelings for each other, but they won’t admit it. After all, she lives in America and he lives in Scotland with his daughter, Mairi, who he could never leave to be with the woman he loves.

Author Bios

Lindi Peterson, USA Today featured author, lives in north Georgia, in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, with her husband and a lively array of cats, dogs and birds. She loves sharing life with her family and friends. Her passion for reading led her to writing, and then God spoke words of love into her heart and changed her life forever. Website | Facebook | Twitter

Jenn Faulk is a native Texan who enjoys reading and writing chick lit. She’s a pastor’s wife, a stay-at-home mom, and a marathon enthusiast who loves talking about Jesus and what a difference He’s made in her life. She has a BA in Creative Writing from the University of Houston and a MA in Missiology from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Website | Facebook | Twitter

Cindy K. Green has worked as a middle school history & English teacher, a frozen yogurt server and a golf magazine employee. Today she’s a multi-published, award winning author, a mother, a wife, and a homeschooler too. This native Californian now resides in North Carolina with her husband, two sons, and their two cats Chloe & Kassey. Website | Facebook | Twitter

Trisha Grace graduated from Bradford University with an Accounting and Finance degree. She has always been an avid reader and has a passion for writing. After being a tutor for over six years, she finally sat down and penned her own novels. Website | Facebook | Twitter

Liwen Y. Ho works as a chauffeur and referee by day (AKA being a stay at home mom) and a writer by night. She penned her first children’s picture book, “A Rainbow of Nine Colors” in high school (now available at Meegenius.com) and has since published four romance books for grown-ups (with more on the way!). She also enjoys writing about real-life matters, such as marriage, parenting and faith because truth can be as strange and entertaining as fiction. Her work has appeared in various online publications, including LiteraryMama.com and MomLifeToday.com, and she is a contributor at StartMarriageRight.com. In her pre-author life, she received a Masters degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Western Seminary, and she loves makeovers of all kinds, especially those of the heart and mind. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her techie husband and their two children, and blogs about her adventures as a recovering perfectionist at www.2square2behip.com. Website | Facebook | Twitter

Tanya Eavenson is an inspirational romance author of the series Unending Love. She has also written several Bible studies that have been translated and published into different languages with Christ to the World Ministries. Tanya and her husband have been involved in ministry for seventeen years, teaching youth and adults. She enjoys spending time with her husband and their three children. Tanya is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Word Weavers International. Her favorite pastime is grabbing a cup of coffee, eating chocolate, and reading a good book. Website | Facebook| Twitter

Cindy Flores Martinez is an Amazon bestselling Spanish romance author. She writes sweet romantic comedy and Christian romance. She has an MFA in Creative Writing with an emphasis in Screenwriting. Her debut novel, Mail-Order Groom, started out as a screenplay and movie project, which she shopped around Hollywood, New York, and other parts of the world.

Website | Facebook | Twitter

Interview with Speculative Fiction Writer Annie Douglass Lima + A Giveaway!

by mamaho // May 26, 2016 // 1 Comment

I’m excited to introduce you to a fellow writer I met through a wonderful Facebook writers group, Clean Indie Reads. Please welcome speculative fiction writer Annie Douglass Lima!

I was intrigued when I met Annie because she currently lives in my place of birth (Taiwan) and teaches at a school that one of my girlfriends taught at before. Plus, I always appreciate authors who can write genres I can’t write, and Annie definitely falls into that category. I haven’t read her books (yet), but this review from Publisher’s Weekly proves her writing is wow-worthy:

“What looks, at first blush, like a Hunger Games pastiche turns out to be anything but. First in the Krillonian Chronicles series, Lima’s novel is an uneven but gripping tale of loyalty, captivity, and redemption.”

So without further ado, let’s get to know Annie and her books better. Be sure to read to the bottom to enter the giveaway for an Amazon gift card or a digital copy of her book!

Hi Annie, thanks for joining us today! Please tell us a little about yourself and what a day in your life looks like.

I was born in Southern California but raised mostly in Kenya. After college (in Southern California), I spent a year teaching in a one-room schoolhouse in Indonesia, which was an incredible experience. Shortly after returning to the States, I married my husband Floyd, and the two of us lived in California for several years. Eventually all the pieces fell into place for us to move overseas together, and now we’re serving at Morrison Academy, an international school in Taiwan. I’ve been teaching fifth grade here for nearly nine years now, and I love it!

During the week, my day often starts when the alarm rings at 5:00 a.m. I like to begin by reading my Bible over breakfast, and then I often go out jogging around the track. (I read books on my Kindle as I jog – as soon as I discovered this ability, my motivation to exercise went up several thousand percent!)

I’m usually in my classroom by 6:30 or 7:00 a.m., at which point I squeeze in some writing if I’m ready for the school day. School goes from 7:50 to 3:15 on most days. After school, I plan lessons and get ready for the next day, and then if my brain isn’t too fried from a day of teaching, I work on my own writing again. In the evenings after dinner, I write some more or catch up with my author groups on Facebook. Most of my best writing happens on weekends or school holidays.

What started you on your writing career?

I’ve been writing for as long as I can recall. When I was seven years old, I had a sudden inspiration for what I thought was an amazing story and decided then and there that I was going to write a book and be the world’s youngest author. I ran to my room in great excitement, found an old notebook and a pencil, and started in. Well, that first novel was never actually finished, let alone published, but it got me started. After that, I can’t remember a time that I wasn’t working on at least one book. Prince of Alasia, which I started in college, was the first one I finished that I thought was worth trying to get published. I looked into traditional publishing and spent a long time trying to get an agent, but to no avail. Finally I learned about Kindle publishing and did it myself the indie way, eleven years after I first started writing the book. A few months later I added the paperback edition. It was quite a thrill to me to finally fulfill my childhood dream! Now I’ve published a total of twelve books (two YA action and adventure novels, four fantasies, a puppet script, and five anthologies of my students’ poetry).

What do you like most about the genre(s) you write? What do you like the least?

Speculative fiction in some form (fantasy, sci-fi, alternate reality, etc.) is just plain fun to write. Reality simply doesn’t give me enough freedom! I don’t think there’s anything I dislike about writing in this genre.

Tell us about the inspiration behind your new book. Which character(s) do you relate to the most?

I’ve had the idea growing in my mind for the last few years. It started as just a picture of the setting and its culture: a world almost exactly like ours, but with legalized slavery. The main characters, Bensin (a teenage slave and martial artist) and Steene (his owner and coach) emerged gradually, along with the plot (in the first book, Bensin’s struggle to protect and free his younger sister, and in the second, his struggle to survive as a gladiator).

The Gladiator and the Guard is book 2 in the Krillonian Chronicles, book 1 being The Collar and the Cavvarach. The stories take place in a world almost exactly like our own. Although most aspects of the culture are just about what they are currently on Earth, a few sports are different, such as the martial art known as cavvara shil. The main difference, however, is that slavery is legal there.

The Krillonian Empire rules much of the world. An emperor, who is never named, governs from the capital city, Krillonia, on the continent known as Imperia. Eight separate provinces (originally independent nations before they were conquered) can be found on nearby continents. Each province, plus Imperia, is allowed to elect its own legislature and decide on many of its own laws, but the emperor reserves the right to veto any of them and make changes as he sees fit. This seldom happens, however, and to most people the emperor is merely a vague and distant ceremonial figure.

The prevalence of slavery is probably what would stand out the most to visitors from Earth. There are nearly as many slaves in the city of Jarreon, where both books take place, as free people, and they are easily identified by the steel collars they are required to wear locked around their necks. From each collar hangs a tag inscribed with the slave’s name, their owner’s name, and a copy of their owner’s signature. On the back of the tag is their owner’s phone number and a bar code that can be scanned to access additional information.

Many families own one or more slaves who do their housework and yardwork. Businesses often own a large number of slaves, usually for manual labor, though some are trained for more complex tasks. Those who don’t own their own slaves may “hire in” one belonging to someone else. The accepted rate for an hourly wage is two-thirds the amount that a free person would earn for equivalent labor (the money goes to the slave’s owner, of course).

To read more about the culture of the Krillonian Empire, take a look at this post on my blog.

My favorite character in this book is definitely Bensin. The struggles he is forced to go through make him stronger, and I admire him for his perseverance and determination to meet his goals no matter what. He is willing to sacrifice himself for those he cares about, and while his choices aren’t always the wisest, he is committed to doing what he feels is right. Society is against him, since he’s a slave and has few rights, but that doesn’t stop him.

What do you hope readers will learn/gain from reading this story?

I hope readers will realize, as Bensin eventually does, that we can all choose the type of person we want to be, no matter what our circumstances are. We might not have a say in what happens to us, but we can decide how we will respond and who we will be.

Thank you, Annie, for giving us a glimpse into your life and books!

Annie’s young adult action and adventure novel, The Gladiator and the Guard, is now available for purchase! This is the second book in the Krillonian Chronicles, sequel to The Collar and the Cavvarach.

First Things First: a Little Information about Book 1:

Bensin, a teenage slave and martial artist, is desperate to see his little sister freed. But only victory in the Krillonian Empire’s most prestigious tournament will allow him to secretly arrange for Ellie’s escape. Dangerous people are closing in on her, however, and Bensin is running out of time. With his one hope fading quickly away, how can Bensin save Ellie from a life of slavery and abuse?

What is the Collar for, and What is a Cavvarach?

The story is set in a world very much like our own, with just a few major differences. One is that slavery is legal there. Slaves must wear metal collars that lock around their neck, making their enslaved status obvious to everyone. Any slave attempting to escape faces the dilemma of how and where to illegally get their collar removed (a crime punishable by enslavement for the remover).

Another difference is the popularity of a martial art called cavvara shil. It is fought with a cavvarach (rhymes with “have a rack”), a weapon similar to a sword but with a steel hook protruding from partway down its top edge. Competitors can strike at each other with their feet as well as with the blades. You win in one of two ways: disarming your opponent (hooking or knocking their cavvarach out of their hands) or pinning their shoulders to the mat for five seconds.

Click here to order The Collar and the Cavvarach from Amazon
for $2.99 a discounted price of just 99 cents through May 30th!

And now, The Gladiator and the Guard, with another awesome cover by the talented Jack Lin!

Bensin, a teenage slave and martial artist, is just one victory away from freedom. But after he is accused of a crime he didn’t commit, he is condemned to the violent life and early death of a gladiator. While his loved ones seek desperately for a way to rescue him, Bensin struggles to stay alive and forge an identity in an environment designed to strip it from him. When he infuriates the authorities with his choices, he knows he is running out of time. Can he stand against the cruelty of the arena system and seize his freedom before that system crushes him?

Click here to order The Gladiator and the Guard in Kindle format from Amazon
for $2.99 a discounted price of just 99 cents through May 30th!

Click here to order The Gladiator and the Guard from Smashwords (for Nook or in other digital formats)
for $2.99 a discounted price of just 99 cents through May 30th!

Annie Douglass Lima spent most of her childhood in Kenya and later graduated from Biola University in Southern California. She and her husband Floyd currently live in Taiwan, where she teaches fifth grade at Morrison Academy. She has been writing poetry, short stories, and novels since her childhood, and to date has published twelve books (two YA action and adventure novels, four fantasies, a puppet script, and five anthologies of her students’ poetry). Besides writing, her hobbies include reading (especially fantasy and science fiction), scrapbooking, and international travel.

Connect with the Author Online:

Email: AnnieDouglassLima@gmail.com
Blog: http://anniedouglasslima.blogspot.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnnieDouglassLimaAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/princeofalasia
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/ADLimaOnGoodreads
Amazon Author Page: http://bit.ly/AnnieDouglassLimaOnAmazon
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/AnnieDouglassLima
LinkedIn: http://bit.ly/ADLimaOnLinkedIn
Google Plus: http://bit.ly/ADLimaOnGooglePlus

Now, enter to win an Amazon gift card or a free digital copy of The Collar and the Cavvarach!

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The 4 F’s Every Good Romance Needs

by mamaho // April 14, 2016 // No Comments

Is anyone here a hope~~less~~ful romantic? 🙂

You know, the kind of gal (or guy) who prefers to watch sappy, predictable chick flicks, listen to boy bands from the ’90s, and daydream about that special someone with the blue/green/brown eyes that can light up your whole day?

Haha. Okay, I’ll be the first to admit that I’m that person. I’ve always been drawn to love stories and still enjoy a good happily-ever-after. I just don’t get the same thrill from reading (or watching) a story where people point fingers, or things get blown up or are genetically altered—though there is a time and place for mystery, action, and science fiction (because certain folks don’t appreciate “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2” as much as “Batman vs. Superman”—ahem, hubby). 😉

Since I love romance so much, I decided to write romance books. (Here’s my first completed series!)

And through my experiences, I’ve discovered there are 4 things every good romance needs (which all happen to have the letter F in them).

1) Flawed characters. Okay, let’s be honest, the flaws I’m talking about are not physical. The main characters don’t have to be model material, but they do need to have some physical traits that appeal to the reader. But they need to also have something internal—such as a past mistake, a fear or a loss—that makes them relatable and realistic. Because nobody’s perfect, even in a fictional world.

2) The Feels. I once heard that readers read romance because they are buying a “basket of feelings”. They want to experience the spark that comes with an initial attraction, the sweetness of new love, and even the angst of lost love. It sounds like an emotional roller coaster, doesn’t it? But one that we can experience vicariously without any real side effects (ie. drowning your sorrows in a tub of Cherry Garcia ice-cream). A good romance story should let readers into the characters’ minds and hearts enough that they feel for them and want to root for them.

3) The Fallout. As with real life, fictional stories should not always go according to plan. There needs to be some kind of conflict that drives the story. Sometimes the guy you like doesn’t like you, so you swear off all relationships … until you meet the one who’s different from all the rest. Or if he does like you back and everything is fine and dandy, one day you find out something about him that’s hard to swallow. Whatever the scenario is, every love story needs some kind of conflict or fallout. Because a good roller coaster ride takes you in all directions—up, down, over and under—before you arrive at the destination. Likewise, a good romance should keep you guessing and surprised.

4) The Grand Finish. I don’t know about you, but I prefer happy endings to not-so-happy ones. Real life is hard enough, so I’ll take all the happiness I can get, even if it’s fictional. 😉 But even if a love story turns “Nicholas Sparks” on me, I can still appreciate it as long as there’s a grand finish. The ending to a romance story is what a reader turns the pages for. It’s the payoff, the result of all the lovely and angsty emotions you experienced and pushed through to see the conflict(s) resolved. It’s knowing that the characters you fell in love with changed and grew during the course of the book, just as we learn to do in real life. Whatever the ending turns out to be, a good romance should leave you wanting more. To go back to page one and reread the story again, to renew your faith in love, to hug your spouse or child or friend … or maybe even to write a book of your own.

Sigh. 🙂

All this talk of romance has gotten me in the mood to get back to work on my WIP (work-in-progress). Stay tuned for more details about it! My deadline to finish it is July and the publication date is the end of September. I can’t wait to share these new characters with you all. 🙂

In the meantime, enjoy Pentatonix’s beautiful and sweet cover of “Valentine” by Jessie Ware and Sampha.

What is your favorite genre to read or watch? Why?

Release Party for Drawn To You + A Giveaway!

by mamaho // March 21, 2016 // No Comments

Welcome to my 3 step release party for my newest book baby, Drawn To You! 😀

Step 1: Please help yourself to some virtual goodies while you read an excerpt from my book.

Image courtesy of John Hritz from Ann Arbor, MI, USA (Flickr) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Wanted: A man who can handle his alter ego. Quick reflexes recommended.

Feisty and adventurous, art teacher Sam Koo is used to getting what she wants, including talking her way out of traffic tickets. When it comes to money matters though, she’s a lost cause. Her studio is in trouble, and there’s no way of charming herself out of this mess.

Police officer Lucas Choi is the last person she expects to rescue her. Handsome and rule-abiding, he was the best—and worst—part of her high school experience. When they meet a decade later, he’s still on her case and quick to point out her flaws.

Their differences drive each other crazy, but also draw them closer. The attraction is tangible, yet so are Sam’s fears. Will she choose to protect her heart or trust the only man who ever rejected her?

Excerpt:

“I hope you know you can’t sweet talk your way out of everything, Sammie Koo.”

Sam’s ears perked up. Where had she heard that line before? Pursing her lips, she took a good look at the officer. Jet black hair. High cheekbones. A dimple in his chin. There was something familiar about him, particularly that dimple. If only she could see his eyes. “Do I know you? No one calls me Sammie anymore.” Her eyes roamed over his well-defined chest and over his name tag again. “Choi. Wait a minute. Lucas Choi, is that you?”

The officer lowered his sunglasses onto the bridge of his nose. “Hey, Sammie. It’s good to see you, too.”

Her jaw dropped when she met his gaze. Those eyes. She would recognize them anywhere. Brown irises so light in color that they had flecks of green and gold in them. Once upon a time those eyes, so uncommon for an Asian, made her envious, but now they completely infuriated her. Judging from his haughty expression, she could tell he was taking way too much pleasure in tormenting her. It figures he went into law enforcement. Mr. Goody-Two-Shoes loved nothing more than following the rules and making those who didn’t pay for it.

Not much had changed since the last time they crossed paths, except that she had her hands free today. She looked around for something to throw, settling for a fistful of candy wrappers, and tossed them at him. “How long were you going to mess with me? I can’t believe you let me beg you for mercy! Stop wasting my time. I know you want to write me up, so do it.”

He brushed off an orange Kit Kat wrapper stuck to his pressed shirt. “Hey now, settle down, Firecracker. I could arrest you for assaulting an officer.”

Heat flared from her neck up to her cheeks, likely causing her complexion to match the red highlights in her hair. Oh, how she hated his nickname for her. “Oh, please. Assault you with what—paper cuts? Or maybe the overpowering aroma of chocolate? If you want to arrest me, Squealer, go ahead. It’s not the first time you got me put in handcuffs.”

“Now, now, there’s no need for name-calling, Miss Koo. We’re both adults here.”

“You started it.” Sam wrinkled her nose at how juvenile she sounded. Why did he have to bring out the worst in her? And how did he manage to look so cool and composed? It wasn’t fair. She swiped at some wisps of hair that were stuck to her damp forehead. “I don’t know why you enjoy tormenting people. What did I ever do to you?”

“Someone has a short-term memory. Need I remind you that you left me to do all the experiments in chem class and then tried to copy my answers? We weren’t assigned as lab partners so you could flirt with the jocks while I did all the work.”

“Ah! I see what’s going on. You were jealous.”

“Jealous?”

“Of all the attention I got. Admit it. You’re still jealous I got elected Student Body President and you didn’t.”

“You got lucky. There were more guys than girls at school. Of course they voted for the prettier candidate. It was a no-brainer.”

Sam covered her open mouth to feign shock. “Did you just say something nice about me? What’s the catch, Lucas? Do you have a hidden police cam on you?”

“I said you’re prettier than me, but we both know I’m the more handsome one. Let’s not forget who got crowned Homecoming King.”

A genuine smile crossed Sam’s face for the first time that day. Lucas was still as charming as ever, in an annoyingly appealing kind of way. “You’re still such a dork. We both won that night. I was Homecoming Queen.”

“I remember. It was the one time we didn’t try to kill each other.”

“You almost maimed me with your gigantic lead feet. Come on, how hard is it to slow dance without stepping on your partner’s toes?”

“Apparently, very hard when the girl doesn’t allow you to lead.”

Sam crossed her arms and faked a laugh. “Ha! You just don’t know how to handle a strong, independent woman.”

“I think the word you meant to say was stubborn.”

Get Drawn To You on Amazon.com. Add to Goodreads.

***This novella is part of the Taking Chances series, but each book in the series is a STANDALONE book.***

Can love overcome the past?

Can love be colorblind?

Can love embrace differences?

Step 2: Enter my Release Party Giveaway!

ENTER TO WIN a $25 Amazon Gift Card (Open Internationally)

Ends 3/31/16

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Step 3: Join me on my Blog Hop!

These gracious bloggers are showing Drawn To You lots of love this week. Please support them (and me) by visiting their websites! 🙂

Monday, March 21: Will Read for Feels – Reading fiction one emotion at a time AND My Own Little Corner – Book reviews by Amanda and Alex

Tuesday, March 22: Tianna Holley – Writer of passionate fantasy romance without the guilt

Wednesday, March 23: Catherine Bennett – Author of romantic suspense and inspirational suspense

Thursday March 24: Letters from Annie (Douglass) Lima – Author of young adult action adventure/fantasy

Friday, March 25: Wendy May Andrews – Writer of sweet historical (regency era) romances

Thanks for coming to my release party! 🙂

Now take a listen to Tori Kelly’s upbeat hit, “Nobody Love” and get ready to dance!

Cover Reveal Time!

by mamaho // February 18, 2016 // No Comments

Yay! My favorite part of writing a book (other than hitting the “publish” button) is working on the cover. I have a wonderful cover designer, Deborah Bradseth of Tugboat Designs, who works hard to accommodate my requests to change colors, add articles of clothing and change fonts—and does all of that with great patience and care, too. She comes through every time and I highly recommend her for all of your book cover design (and interior formatting) needs!

I’ve been working overtime on book 3 in my Taking Chances series to get it “just right”. With the support of some dear fellow reader and writer friends, I’ve finally finished the manuscript and am in the process of editing (joy! haha). The main reason why this novella took so long to write was because the main characters are polar opposites in their personalities. This means they rarely see eye to eye and they butt heads—a lot! I had to learn to be okay with conflicts and find believable and entertaining ways to create and resolve them for the characters. For an anti-conflict, non-confrontational introvert, this was not easy. 😉 But I was determined to do it because I love the characters too much to not give them a happily ever after. I think you’ll adore them, too!

Without further ado, here’s the cover for Drawn To You!

Wanted: A man who can handle his alter ego. Quick reflexes recommended.

I hope to release Drawn To You next month, so stay tuned! 🙂

In the meantime, take a listen to Rachel Platten’s song, “Better Place”. I like to think of it as Lucas’s theme song after Sam shows up in his life.

Who has made your life a better place?

2 Square 2 Be Hip

Inspired by makeovers of all kinds… especially those of the heart and mind

Makings