Guest Blogger Debby Giusti: How Authors Translate Fact To Fiction
UPDATE: The contest is closed. The winner of a copy of PROTECTING HER CHILD is Sharon A. Lavy. Please email you physical address to contests@knightagency.net.
“WHAT HAPPENED TO MY BABY?” Wealthy heiress Eve Townsend is close to death. But before she dies, she has to know: what happened to the daughter she gave up for adoption twenty-four years before? Did she inherit her mother’s life-threatening disease? Medical researcher Pete Worth is ready to find answers by tracking her down. And when he finally locates Meredith Lassiter, he finds her widowed, pregnant and on the run. The loan sharks who killed her husband want her dead…and Pete is the only one standing in their way.
Fact or fiction? Authors put themselves into their books.
Okay, I’ll admit it. In my case, it’s fact. Not that the story is always about my life, mind you, but my experiences, relationships and core values are often woven into the tales I tell.
No, I’ve never been widowed, pregnant and on the run like Meredith Lassiter, the heroine in my latest book, PROTECTING HER CHILD. Nor did I fall in love with a hunky medical researcher who would sacrifice his own life to save mine, but the story came to light because of a dear friend named Pat Rosenbach.
Years ago, Pat told me about her friend Eva who had Von Hippel-Lindau disease. (In the photo above, Pat Rosenbach (L) stands next to Debby (R) and holds a photo of Eva.) I’m a medical technologist so diseases fascinate me. Strange, I know, but it’s the way I’m wired. I did my homework and soon learned about tumors—actually clusters of capillaries—that appear sporadically in VHL patients. Initially, they attack various organs such as the retina or spinal cord or adrenal gland. The tumors must be surgical removed and sometimes result in debilitation, such as blindness or paralyses. While benign at the onset, once they attack the kidneys, the tumors turn malignant and can lead to death.
Throughout her lifetime, Eva had seven surgeries to remove growths in her body. Physicians at The National Institute of Health followed her and eight other members of her family who had the genetically acquired condition. Medical researchers believe that by studying VHL they will someday learn better ways to treat other cancers as well.
My friend Pat hosted a birthday party--a celebration of life party--for Eva shortly before her death. I met Eva that night and was struck by her courage and optimism in the face of such adversity. Eva’s heroic determination inspired me to write PROTECTING HER CHILD. I hope my fictional tale will increase awareness about the disease as well as honor Eva and all of those who struggle with cancer.
On a lighter note, I set part of the story in Savannah’s beautiful historic district as well as the rural Georgia coast south of the city. Whenever in the area, my family and I always stop at the Sunbury Crab Company, a rustic waterfront restaurant in Sunbury, GA, which was the Dock House Restaurant in my book. While feasting on buckets of steamed blue crabs pulled fresh from the ocean, we watch the sun set over the low country and reflect on how good life is in Georgia. Next time you visit that neck of the woods, head to Sunbury (http://www.sunburycrabco.com/) for the best seafood in the South. It’s a treat you won’t forget.
If you’re a writer, post a comment and share how much of you own life experiences are reflected in your books. As a reader, do you try to separate fact from fiction in the stories you read? If you leave a comment, you will to be placed in the drawing for a copy of my current release, PROTECTING HER CHILD. The winner will be announced in this post tomorrow afternoon by 12pm ET. Happy writing! Happy reading! Wishing you abundant blessings,
Winner of the 2008 Daphne du Maurier Award for Inspirational Suspense, medical technologist Debby Giusti writes spine-chilling Christian fiction for Steeple Hill. PROTECTING HER CHILD, her fifth book and the second story in her Magnolia Medical series, was released in May. CHRISTMAS PERIL will feature her novella YULE DIE in December, and KILLER HEADLINE will follow in February 2010. Her first three books, NOWHERE TO HIDE, SCARED TO DEATH and MIA: MISSING IN ATLANTA are available in hardcover by Thorndike. In addition to full-length fiction, Debby has written articles for numerous magazines, including Southern Lady, Woman’s World, Our Sunday Visitor, Army and Family. For over twelve years, she served on the editorial advisory board of ADVANCE for Administrators of the Laboratory and wrote extensively on emerging infectious diseases for that magazine. For more information about Debby and her books, visit her web site at: http://www.debbygiusti.com/.
UPDATE: The winner of ANGELS' BLOOD by Nalini Singh is Jennifer M!!! Please email your physical addy to contests @ knightagency.net (remove spaces). Thanks to everyone who participated. Remember, every Tuesday we have a fab giveaway! Hope to see you all next week :).
Leave your name in the comments below to enter the book giveaway for ANGELS' BLOOD by Nalini Singh. The winner will be announced tomorrow morning!
The 411: Vampire hunter Elena Deveraux knows she's the best—but she doesn't know if she's good enough for this job. Hired by the dangerously beautiful Archangel Raphael, a being so lethal that no mortal wants his attention, only one thing is clear—failure is not an option...even if the task is impossible. Because this time, it's not a wayward vamp she has to track. It's an archangel gone bad. The job will put Elena in the midst of a killing spree like no other…and pull her to the razor's edge of passion. Even if the hunt doesn't destroy her, succumbing to Raphael's seductive touch just may. For when archangels play, mortals break…
Knight Agency Book Signing Summer Tour Extravaganza!!
If you are going to be in the Atlanta area in early June, you don't want to miss the fabulous signing events that we are planning beginning June 5th!! The tour line-up includes Deidre Knight, an award-winning paranormal romance author who is also president of The Knight Agency, along with USA Today bestselling author Jennifer St. Giles, Debby Giusti, Shannon K. Butcher and debut author Maria Geraci!
This is not your ordinary book signing. Three of the events will feature a "How To Get Published Q&A," followed by a one-on-one meet and greet with the authors during the signing portion. See details below!
The Knight Agency Presents: How To Get Published Q&A and Book Signing Instead of lounging during the lazy days of summer, now is the time to reach for that dusty manuscript or half-written chapter and get to work!
The journey from manuscript to published novel can be difficult to navigate, and we know you must wonder what it's like when you finally land that elusive contract. Why don't you give yourself an edge? Ask national bestselling authors represented by one of the region's top literary agencies about their adventures in the publishing business. Our experienced panel has been there and can answer all your burning questions about making waves in the often times intimidating publishing pond. The panelists will include award-winning paranormal romance author, Deidre Knight, who has sold numerous titles to top-tier publishing houses as president of the agency, along with an all star line-up including USA Today bestselling author Jennifer St. Giles, Maria Geraci, Debby Giusti and Shannon K. Butcher. These authors have released titles through major houses such as Simon & Schuster, Penguin and Harlequin.
Meet the authors in person at the book signing following the Q&A portion.
1--Borders at Stonecrest Mall in Lithonia – June 5th, 5pm ET 8000 Mall Parkway, Lithonia, GA 30038
2--Books For Less in Buford – June 6th, 1pm ET* 2815 Buford Dr, Buford, GA 30519
3--Dog Ear Bookstore in Madison – June 6th, 5pm ET** 142 Academy Street; Madison, GA 30650
4--Borders in Athens – June 7th, 2pm ET 196 Alps Road, Athens, GA 30606
If you have any questions, please direct them to info @ knightagency.net (remove spaces). *Debby Giusti will not appear at the Books For Less event. *The Madison signing will not include a Q&A session.
UPDATE: The winner of Criminally Handsome is Amelie Markik! Congrats :). Please email your physical address to contests @ knightagency.net (remove the spaces).
Leave your name in the comments below to enter the book giveaway for CRIMINALLY HANDSOME by Cassie Miles. The winner will be announced tomorrow morning!
The 411: Criminologist Miguel Acevedo had come face-to-face with his biggest challenge--Emma Richardson, guardian to a newborn baby and admitted psychic. The Native American beauty claimed to have information that could bring down a notorious criminal, but Miguel wasn't about to buy into her "abilities" so fast. Before long, though, Emma's leads attracted a killer and Miguel became her bodyguard. Now, as he watched her with the innocent baby and became captivated by her blue gaze, Miguel sensed his ordered world tilting on its axis. First he'd gone from skeptic to believer. Could the switch from confirmed bachelor to family man be far behind?
Agent Nephele Tempest has a great post on her blog about Guys Lit Wire. Guys Lit Wire is a blog that aims to connect the oft overlooked category of young male readers with great books. They are focusing on a special project dubbed "The Book Fair for Boys" that will supply books to young men residing in the LA County Juvenile Justice System. At present, these teens (ages 12 - 18) do not have access to books unless they are brought to them. A book "wish list" has been set up at Powell's where folks can donate to this much needed cause. Check out Nephele's blog for more info on how to get involved.
Guest Blogger Jennifer St. Giles: Full Moons, Eerie Places, and Ghostly Orbs
UPDATE: LuAnn and Pam P are the two lucky winners today!! You have both won a copy of KISS OF DARKNESS and BRIDE OF THE WOLF. Please email your physical addys to contests @ knightagency.net (remove spaces). Thanks to everyone who commented!! I am often asked where do I get my ideas for my stories and the question always amazes me because for me story is everywhere. In every little snippet of life that strings together the minutes of each day there is a thread of story which can be woven into an unforgettable rich tale by asking one simple question. What If?
I see story in the stars at night. I feel story in a song on the radio. If you’re lucky enough to travel, then there are places so steeped with story that your mind can’t absorb them all. Were I to write continuously until my one hundredth birthday, I don’t think I’d be able to write down all of the stories in my heart. All because I simply cannot stop myself from wondering, What if?
Do you ever have what if moments? Have you ever been to a place where you knew there is more there than you can actually see? Ever wandered upon a battlefield and felt the courageous hearts of those who fought? Have you ever stood before an ancient ruin and felt the spirits of those who lived so very long ago? Have you ever been to a place or experienced a moment when the spirits near you were just a breath beyond your ability to touch? Have you ever stood still beneath a full moon and felt its magnetic power?
As I write my stories, I find myself examining little moments of life and asking myself what if? Especially in my paranormal contemporaries. My Shadowmen were born from the notion that good and evil battle around me in the spirit world, where princes and principalities exist and fight either for or against the darkness in the world. Then I asked the what if question. What if these pure spirit warriors were suddenly thrust to earth and had to deal with a darkness within themselves as they fought the evil in the world? Then I asked what if they were to find and discover for the first time what love was? And LOL my questioning doesn’t stop there. What if rain was the iridescent blood of warriors fighting in the spirit world? What if storms, tornadoes, and hurricanes were the fierce battles the fought? What if spontaneous combustion was real and caused by spirits that crossed too many times across the spirit barrier in a short period of time—as if they’d fried their circuits. And what if….sigh you get the idea. I could go on forever with the what if scenario.
In KISS OF DARKNESS, 3/31, Book 3 of the Shadowmen series my hero and heroine face some very tough what if questions. What if the man she loved was vampire bitten and damned? What if she were part angel and if she couldn't save her man, she would have to kill him before his hunger for angel blood became stronger than his need to protect her from himself? In BRIDE OF THE WOLF, 4/28, Book 4 of the Shadowmen Series, I wondered what if a blind warrior had to rescue the woman of his dreams? What if there were really vampires behind a corrupt medical corporation that used free health screening to prey upon humans?
Anyway, I would love to hear about your encounters with the spirit world or your what if question. So leave a comment and two lucky people will win a copy of KISS OF DARKNESS and BRIDE OF THE WOLF!
Happy Reading and What iffing?
USA Today Bestselling Author, Jennifer is a former nurse and homeschooling mother of three. She has won a number of awards for writing excellence including, two National Reader’s Choice Awards, two time Maggie Award Winner, Daphne du Maurier Award winner, Romance Writers’ of America’s Golden Heart Award, along with RT Book Club’s Reviewer’s Choice Award for Best Historical Gothic/Mystery. Website: jenniferstgiles.com Blog jenniferstgiles.blogspot.com. Books: The Mistress of Trevelyan 8/04, His Dark Desires 11/05, Midnight Secrets 5/06, Touch A Dark Wolf 9/06, Darkest Dreams 12/06, The Lure of the Wolf 7/07, Silken Shadows 12/07, Kiss of Darkness 4/09, Bride of the Wolf 5/09. Point of No Return: Mammoth Book of Vampire Romances Book 2 9/09. Romance’s first graphic e-book through betweenyoursheets.com. Jennifer St. Giles writing as Jennifer Saints in Wild Irish 5/20/09 and Smooth Irish 5/20/09.
Looking for some food for thought? Hillary Rettig's got you covered. A member of the New England chapter of RWA and author of a book on progressive activism, Hillary recently wrote an article for Huffington Post entitled, The Eroticization of Equality and Social Justice. She draws compelling arguments about romantic fiction being a "fundamentally progressive activity," and shines a light on the oft overlooked ways romance has helped to break through our cultural boundaries throughout history.
UPDATE: This contest is closed. The winner is macbeaner! Congrats! Please email your physical address to contests @ knightagency.net (remove spaces). Thanks to all the participants. See everyone next Tuesday!!
Leave your name in the comments below to enter the book giveaway for GHOST HUNTRESS: THE AWAKENING by Marley Gibson. The winner will be announced tomorrow morning!
Publisher's Weekly recently mentioned Marley's new release GHOST HUNTRESS (Houghton Mifflin, May 2009) in the Children's Bookshelf newsletter, as well as her upcoming nonfic book on paranormal investigations, OTHER SIDE: GHOST HUNTING AND THE PARANORMAL FOR TEENS*(Houghton Mifflin, Sept. 2009), which was co-written with Patrick Burns and Dave Schrader. Click here for the article. WTG Marley!
The 411: When Kendall Moorehead moves from Chicago to the small town of Radisson, Georgia, her psychic abilities awaken. Together with her new BFF, Celia, Kendall forms a ghost hunting team. Now they're going to clean up Radisson of its less savory spirits.
*Please note, OTHER SIDE has not yet been published and is not a part of today's book giveaway. Thx!
Hooked on Romance has a fabulous interview with TKA agent Elaine Spencer up today! Click hereto find out what kind of writers really get her attention, how she feels about conferences, her sage advice for aspiring authors and much more!
A Special Message from RWA's Newest Chapter: Rainbow Romance Writers
I'm Jade Buchanan and I'm the very lucky (or insane, depending on who you're talking to) President of the Rainbow Romance Writers, RWA's newest special interest chapter. A lot of very hard work, by a group of dedicated individuals, went into the formation of this chapter so I've brought along my support system today! Kimberly Gardner is our wonderful Secretary and Sara Bell is my right hand and the best Vice President you could ask for. Finally, JL Langley is the Treasurer who keeps us all honest.
We certainly appreciate the opportunity to blog about our chapter and discuss some of the issues surrounding our formation as well as where we would like to go in the future. One of the reasons we decided to form this chapter was to give a voice to our genre and hopefully show that we represent a number of very talented individuals that are no different than any other group of romance writers out there. At the end of the day, we all write about love!
Kimberly Gardner: The tag-line on our site says, "Rainbow romance, where all lovers are welcome." In my mind, and in the minds of our members, that can be expanded to "where all romance writers are welcome." As Jade said, it's all about the falling in love. Everyone falls in love. And all those stories deserve to be told. That's what we're doing.
Sara Bell: Speaking of members, the diversity of our membership astounds me. We run the gambit from the multi-published to the pre-published; those who are with major New York houses and those who are with start-up e-publishers. We have agents, editors, and publishers on the associate member side, PRO and PAN members on the general side. Some of us have one book out, and some have ten or twenty.
JL Langley: Thanks for the lovely intro, Madam President. I just wanted to add that we are not only for writers of GLBT romance but anyone with an interest in GLBT romance. We have a nice array of writers of Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Romance and we have one or two authors who write transgendered romances, although I hope to see more in our future. We even have a few GLBT writers who write in non-GLBT genres. It's wonderful to see how much support we have garnered so far and I really look forward to the months and years to come.
Jade Buchanan: I can't tell you how excited I am to see where we can go in the coming months and years. I'm a firm believer that a slow and steady approach is best to sustain an organization in the long run, but we do have a number of items that we would like to work on in the short term. We have a few courses that are planned for the future, and we will have our first newsletter coming out in June. It will contain articles about the craft of writing, as well as interviews with our members and some of the leading publishers who are promoting GLBT romances in the industry.
Kimberly Gardner: One of our goals as a chapter, and we feel very strongly about this, is advocating for our members. For many years writers of LGBT romance have been attending conferences, hoping for the chance to network and promote the genre they love, only to be pushed aside and sometimes even met with outright discrimination, having their promo materials called offensive and their books rejected for review by some of the leading review magazines while their ad dollars were just as good as any other writer's to those same publications. It's injustices like these, and others I won't get into here, that we hope to address as an advocacy group. But it's so much more than that. I've been hearing from so many of our members (and we are over fifty members strong as of this writing) how hungry they are for the chance to network with like minded writers, others who love the genre as much as they do and want to see it gain acceptance in the larger romance-writing community.
Sara Bell: It's our hope as RRW establishes itself to integrate our author's titles into the mainstream. We want to bridge the divide that exists between GLBT romance and the rest of the romance genre. A great story is a great story. We want to be eligible for the same contests, reviews, markets, and accolades as every other romance writer in America. We're also working on a database of publishers friendly to GLBT romance so our authors won't have far to search when it comes time to sell their work.
JL Langley: It's my hope we can do all those things and more. I must admit I long to see bigger GLBT sections in the chain bookstores. More than that I'd love to see a GLBT Romance section, not just a GLBT fiction section encompassing everything from Mystery, Erotica and Romance to Drama in a single small bottom shelf in the very back corner of the bookstores, hidden away like something taboo or perverted. I know it's not going to change overnight but with the growing acceptance and popularity of GLBT romance I think we have a promising start. It's my sincerest hope that the formation of the chapter is just the beginning.
Shannon K. Butcher is celebrating the release of the first book in her new SENTINEL WARS series, BURNING ALIVE, today! If you are in sunny San Diego this Saturday, May 9th, check out her joint signing at 1pm with husband Jim Butcher at the Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore.
Here's the 411 on BURNING ALIVE: They are the Sentinels...Three races descended from ancient guardians of mankind, each possessing unique abilities in their battle to protect humanity against their eternal foes--the Synestryn. Now, one warrior must fight his own desire if he is to discover the power that lies within his one true loe...Helen Day is haunted by visions of herself surrounded by flames, as a dark-haired man watches her burn. So when she sees the man of her nightmares staring at her from across a diner, she attempts to flee--but instead ends up in the man?s arms. There, she awakens a force more powerful and enticing than she could ever imagine. For the man is actually Theronai warrior Drake, whose own pain is driven away by Helen?s presence.Together, they may become more than lovers--they may become a weapon of light that could tip the balance of the war and save Drake's people...
UPDATE: The winner of PROTECTING HER CHILD by Debby Giusti is Steena Holmes! Congrats! Please email your physical address to Contests @ Knightagency.net (remove the spaces). Thanks to everyone who participated. Also, remember we have a special treat coming up on May 28th -- Debby will be guest blogging with TKA!
Leave your name in the comments below to enter the book giveaway for PROTECTING HER CHILD by Debby Giusti (Steeple Hill, May 2009). The winner will be announced tomorrow morning.
Here's the 411: Wealthy heiress Eve Townsend is close to death. But before she dies, she has to know: what happened to the daughter she gave up for adoption twenty-four years before? Did she inherit her mother's life-threatening disease? Medical researcher Pete Worth is ready to find answers by tracking her down. And when he finally locates Meredith Lassiter, he finds her widowed, pregnant and on the run. The smugglers who killed her husband want her dead…and Pete is the only one standing in their way.
Official Release: Romance Writers of America announces the formation of a new special-interest chapter, Rainbow Romance Writers, whose purpose is to advance the professional interests of career-focused GLBT romance writers through networking and advocacy, dissemination of information, professional education, publications, and other appropriate activities, and to provide continuing support for writers within the romance publishing industry. For more information on RWA's newest chapter, contact Shannon Bolger at sabolger @ hotmail.com (remove spaces) or visit their website at http://www.rainbowromancewriters.com/.
Thanks to everyone who entered our Book in a Nutshell contest. We received over twelve hundred pitches, making it very tough to narrow that number down to the top twenty. The winning pitches encompassed multiple genres including young adult, sci-fi/fantasy, mystery, women’s fiction, contemporary romance, historical romance and thrillers. We believe we chose an excellent mix of projects and are anxious to read them. Our finalists were notified of their win via email on May 1st and asked to submit their complete manuscripts. At present, we are not listing the winner’s names or entries; however, TKA will make an effort to release names once winners have been contacted and granted permission for personal information to be publically announced.
Because of the huge number of entries, we are unable to notify those who did not final. But we are more than happy to receive queries on these projects. If you are interested in sending us a more detailed query than the three-sentence pitch allowed, please take a look at our submission guidelines on our website and email your query to submissions @ knightagency.net (remove spaces before emailing).
Our thanks to all who made this contest such a success!
Marley Gibson's new release, GHOST HUNTRESS: THE AWAKENING is out in stores today! It has all the perfect ingredients for a YA must-read: smart, hip heroine transplanted from the big city to small town America (check), drool-worthy, cute boy (check), annoyingly overprotective mom (check), a plucky sidekick (check) and the undead (in this case...check!).
Marley has done an awesome job generating buzz on this book, and we can't wait to see this awesome series take off. Today, Marley's doing a giveaway on her blog, aptly entitled, Books, Boys, Buzz. In fact, keep checking back all week because apparently they'll be more prizes (always a good thing).
If you're not a winner, no worries. Beat a path to the nearest bookstore! Or you could click over to your fave online retailer.
Here's the 411: The first in a trilogy. Get out your tape recorders, crystals, and extra batteries— you’re about to go where our world meets the spirit world.
Psychic Kids, Paranormal State, Haunting Evidence—these and countless other television shows are making believers out of millions of people: Ghosts exist, and they’re living right beside us. For centuries, individuals have been trying to prove the existence of ghosts. But without hard evidence, it’s been difficult to make the case. But now as science and technology have progressed, ghost hunters have been able to use scientific means, along with more traditional psychic tools, to make their case. Photographs, video recordings, and sound recordings are all producing some amazing results.In this new series, Ghost Huntress, meet Kendall Moorehead, a seemingly typical teen. When her family moves from Chicago to the small historical town of Radisson, Georgia, her psychic abilities awaken. She’s hearing, feeling, and seeing things that seem unbelievable at first, but with the help of the town psychic, Kendall is able to come to terms with her newly emerging gift. So, together with her new BFF, Celia, Kendall forms a ghost hunting team. They’ve got all the latest technology. They’ve got Kendall for their psychic. Now they’re going to clean up Radisson of its less savory spirits.The story is fiction. The science is real. Welcome to a new reality.
Hot of the Presses: Chloe Neill & Lucienne Diver Chat Transcript!
Thursday night we had an awesome time chatting with Chloe Neill, author of SOME GIRLS BITE, and her agent Lucienne Diver. Thanks to everyone who came out! Some of you were almost an hour early :). Admittedly, there was some time zone confusion -- but hey, still great to see everyone.
If you didn't make the chat, we've got the next best thing available. Check out the transcript below. Chloe and Lucienne were very generous with their knowledge about distinguishing yourself in the flooded paranormal market, query ettiquette and combating writer's block. Plus, Chloe also revealed the name of her upcoming YA series for the first time, ever! A must read: Chat Transcript.
PROTECTING HER CHILD by Debby Giusti
No, I’ve never been widowed, pregnant and on the run like Meredith Lassiter, the heroine in my latest book, PROTECTING HER CHILD. Nor did I fall in love with a hunky medical researcher who would sacrifice his own life to save mine, but the story came to light because of a dear friend named Pat Rosenbach.
On a lighter note, I set part of the story in Savannah’s beautiful historic district as well as the rural Georgia coast south of the city. Whenever in the area, my family and I always stop at the Sunbury Crab Company, a rustic waterfront restaurant in Sunbury, GA, which was the Dock House Restaurant in my book. While feasting on buckets of steamed blue crabs pulled fresh from the ocean, we watch the sun set over the low country and reflect on how good life is in Georgia. Next time you visit that neck of the woods, head to Sunbury (http://www.sunburycrabco.com/) for the best seafood in the South. It’s a treat you won’t forget. 
