Always & Forever with Chantel Rhondeau

Hi everyone and welcome to another day of madness. Only that this time, I am not alone in my endeavors. The lovely Chantel Rhondeau is here with me to talk a little about her book and the process of writing it. (And do be honest, I'm giving her some blog space to fill up too, since I'm being so lazy about it).

Stef: Hi Chantel, and welcome to the loony bin Across the border!

Chantel:  So happy to be here, Steph. Thanks for inviting me over.  

S: Great to have you. And as long as you don't go through that door, everything should work out well. So, let us know, Chantel, how do you churn out a literary masterpiece?

C: I actually write best in the midst of complete and utter chaos. Since I’m a mom, I don’t like to lose any time with my kids if I can help it. I write on my laptop, sitting in the living room in my comfortable recliner (usually with a cat vying for space with the laptop). The TV’s blaring, the kids frequently interrupt me for this or that (I hate when they want help with a math question—I suck at math!), and I generally write in short stops and starts. Well, except for the peaceful weekend mornings when everyone in the house is asleep except me. 

Before I ever get to the stage of using my laptop, I like to plan out my characters completely.  That’s all the real plotting I do. I sit down with a regular notebook and my purple gel pen. I start with a secret someone wants to hide, and that is where I get my plot from. Secrets are always great motivation for characters to do the wrong thing and make mistakes. I think it is also important to have a good understanding of the characters beliefs and values. I do this for both my heroes and my villains. I finally round off by writing down how old everyone is, their names, and their physical descriptions. (Even for characters with a small role to play, I always write down their ages and physical descriptions— it’s so easy to forget someone’s eye color!). Once that is done, I start writing and let the characters tell me where to go.  I can’t over plan the story, or I get bored and want to move on to something else. I just let my Muse go where her fancy takes her, and I enjoy the show.

Of course, blogging, Facebook, and Twitter are a part of my daily routine, and I take time out to do critiques for other authors through the Critique Circle web site, correspond with new friends, and also sneak in some reading time. For me, continuing to read helps open up my Muse and get her creativity flowing. Either that, or I bore her to death with housework if she clams up and quits talking. Folding a load of laundry always does the trick J. My Muse and I would both rather write than fold laundry.

If I didn’t have a day job, I might actually get a little sleep once in a while!

S: Wow, that does sound hectic. Thanks for sharing your process with the world. Us writers know it's the secret ingredient to our work. (sugar, spice and a ton of murder - that's how it went, right?).

Now, just to make things confusing for everyone, let me throw some random questions your way.

So, how does your process influence the plot and characters?

C:  It’s fun to allow my Muse to take off and do whatever she wants to. Some of my best plot points were things I never imagined would happen.

S:  Do you pre-plan, or do the plot and characters take over?

C:  Beyond a glimmer of an idea about what will happen, I let the characters tell me what to do.

S: Ugh, me too. We all know how dangerous that can become (cough *150k novel *cough).  What was your favorite thing about writing Always & Forever?

C:  Well, first drafts are always great fun and I love them, but the best thing about A&F was connecting with other authors throughout the process of writing and getting their critiques and help along the way. I’ve made a lot of great friends on the road to publication.

S: Yay for writer friends!  What was the scariest thing about it?

C:  Spending so much time in the mind of a seriously abused woman, putting myself in her shoes for every scene. It was actually quite horrible, but I knew I had to tell this story, and I had to be deep in Lilly’s character to do it justice. Though, it probably didn’t help my blood pressure anyway :) Also, letting a stranger read my work for the first time, that took a lot of courage—and at heart, I’m a really big wuss!

S: You're not a wuss. It can be a hard confidence knock back if a lot of people come at you with knifes and shred your masterpiece apart. *shudders* Happened to me, too. Fortunately, I was wise enough to see they were right, and also to have some supportive people there. 

So, I pretty much know this, since I’ve read the book, but what do you as the author believe makes the story stand out and stick with readers?

C:  I’m a pretty positive person, despite the darker parts of this book. I hope what stands out is that your past (or present) circumstances don’t define your future. Lilly and Zach have both had hard lives, but are able to reinvent themselves. Ultimately, I want readers to close my book with a sense of hope lifting them up.

S: I'd say you've got that one nailed. Do your characters tend to borrow some of your traits?

C:  Haha – well, there’s a little of me scattered within each of my characters. Lilly is a bookworm, I love to read. However, it goes to the deeper traits too. Insecurity, kindness to others, inability to trust easily, all sorts of things.

S:  How would you describe the experience of being a now published author?

C:  There’s a LOT more work to be done on the marketing front, which does take away from writing time, but it is very exciting!

S: I know what you mean. I wish I could be a first-draft writing machine and let others handle the rest. But, alas... one can only dream.  Did you have fun?

C:  Writing is one of the greatest joys I have ever discovered. I might be a little obsessed with it, but yes, it’s tons of fun!

So, there you have it folks. Don’t miss out on this brand new, fresh out of the oven story of love and trust.

A huge thank you to Chantel for letting herself be subjected to my questioning. Just so you all know, I've twisted most of her words around and put everything out of context. This is by no means a true interview. Or maybe it is... you'll never know! Mwahahahaha!

Now for some nifty info!

Buy the book on Amazon, B&N and add it to your TBR pile on Goodreads.

Also, follow Chantel on Twitter and Facebook, or visit her site.

Always & Forever

A suspected murderess flees her former life in search of tranquility, but ghosts she left behind refuse to die, threatening to destroy her happiness.

Lilly Price is desperate to escape public scrutiny once released from her incarceration. She moves to a lakeside community in hopes of remaining anonymous while rebuilding her tattered life.

Widowed Zach Woodbridge is in no hurry to find a new bride. He longs for a peaceful summer, writing at his lakeside cottage. Things change after an introduction to his grandmother’s new assistant, Lilly.

When Lilly’s secrets are revealed, can their fragile relationship weather the storm?  And when a man from the past returns to reclaim Lilly, using any force necessary, can she and Zach protect the people they love?

CONTENT WARNING: Violence, mild language, sizzling love scenes.

Follow Chantel on her blog tour! Next stop is on Melinda Dozier's blog.

Interview and Giveaway with Wanita May

Hey, that kinda rhymed! And it was completely unintentional. But let's cut to the chase before my computer has a change of heart and crashes again.

I’m back with a new author interview and Giveaway (aren’t I busy this month – doing this and NaNo), today with the lovely Wanita May. Her new book Rae of Hope is already available as an e-book and will soon be out on paperback (nov 15).

S: So, Wanita, grab a cup of hot chocolate (since it’s cold outside) and sit down for a chat.

Wanita (W): Thanks for inviting me over for some cyber cocoa and some babble! I feel truly honoured!


S: Well, not to toot my own horn, but... Yeah, I think I just won't toot my own horn. So tell us a little something about yourself.


W:  I’m in my thirties, three great kids and hubby, along with a Weimeraner  (that’s a kind of dog for those of you scratching your head :))  Now, I sound like the color of my hair – except I honestly don’t mean to come across that way.



S: Wow, not to toot your horn now, but you sound like supper woman (with three kids and all).  Okay, maybe I’m being rude, but I’ve just got to ask. You have a pretty unusual name. What’s the story behind it?



W:  Great question and not rude, I get asked all the time.  Especially when you see me.  I’m blonde, blue eyed.  Most “Juanita’s” I know have Hispanic descent – there are not a lot of dutch ones around :).  Both my folks immigrated from Holland, and met in Canada.  I’m the youngest of six (four bro, one sis) and then me!  I’m not sure if they got inventive or never thought of it as a unique name.  I’m named after my grandmother (my Friesan “Beppe”) who wad Weastka.  My folks Canadianized it to Wanita.  And somewherealong the line there was a Hungarian foster girl in my mom’s house during the war who’s name was Wanita and she also thought it was a pretty name.  (Bet you weren’t expecting that much detail on this answer! Ha ha)



S: Well, actually, no, but it was very interesting to read all the same :D  Tell us a little about your book.



W: Rae of Hope is YA Fantasy.  It’s the first book in the Chronicles of Kerrigan.  Rae, the MC, wakes up on her sixteen birthday with a tattoo on her lower back that enables to do supernatural things.  – It’s a lot more complicated than that but that’s it in 20 words or less :)


S: Wow, I couldn't shut up about my own work. You're so very professional *drools in admiration* How was your writing experience?


W: I’ve got a BS degree and competed in athletics during and after university. I wrote through high school but lost touch with it when I began competing for Canada and focused on my highjump career.  I lost my father three years ago to cancer and one of our last conversations was him telling me to make sure I did what I wanted to do… if I put anything off with excuses I should do it, or I’d regret it later.  He passed in September and that December I wrote my first book.  I started writing Rae of Hope shortly after and everything just fell into place.  I landed an agent, then a publishing contract and now, here I am.


S: See above comment about superwoman. Right...so, let’s talk characters. MCs and antagonists and everything. Who’s your favorite as a person, favorite to write and hardest to write? Which one is most like you?  



W:  I’m slightly answering the question here, and slightly going off on a tangent.  I LOVE FORESHADOWING.  I always say that foreshadowing in a book is irony in real life.  So I love characters that grow and realize some of the irony in their own life.  In Rae of Hope, I love Rae, Devon, Julian and Carter.  Some of them have a bigger part in the rest of the series (Rae obviously does since she’s the MC)



S: I love foreshadowing, too. It's maybe half the reason I write - to smartly plan everything ahead and then surprise people with how stuff comes out.  So, I stalked you and saw that this book is a part of a series. Tell us a little something about this series.



W:  I’ve signed a four book contract with Mitchell Morris Publishing.  The first two books are written, the next started and the fourth already plotted out.  It’s a fantastic series – with supernatural, fantasy, mystery, etc… I love the series (and am completely biased too, of course :) )



S:  What’s it like to work with your publisher?



W:  MMP are great.  They work closely with their authors, and make themselves available.  This is my first book being published so I asked a lot of questions (and I mean A LOT). And all the time.  Not just at the get-go.  My agent is also so amazing.  Anytime I had a tidbit of a concern, she made sure it was addressed immediately so I could focus on the writing, then editing and now helping with the marketing.



S: That sounds like a dream. And you might just be the first agented author I interview (yikes!) But, enough about that. Let's get to the lightning round.


Summer or Winter?



W:  Summer… wait, I like Winter too (we’re spoiled where I live – we get all four seasons to their fullest)



S:  Sand and sea or mountains?



W:  Sand and sea



S:  TV or books?



W: Books 



S: I think I should make that question harder.  Writing or reading?



W:  Honest? Reading :)



S:  Favorite food?


W:  Chicken Curry.


S: Yum. Well, with that delicious meal, you've unlocked the secret question of the interview. If you could change something in the world right now, what would it be?


W: Injustice.  We can all help to change that by being kind.  – Kindess and giving would help stop poverty, abuse, anger, war, faith…   Seems so simple, and yet, so complicated.


S: Yeah, good point. It would be a much better world. *sigh* How about giving us your personal fave part of the book?


W: The sins of the father are the sins of the son, or in this case, daughter.

 -         First line, and it’s been my favourite line of the entire book since day one. 

S: Awesome.  I hope you had fun here :)

W: Loved it!  Thanks so much for having me and letting me chatter away.  You’ve got a fantastic blog and wish you the best with your writing and blogging!

S: Aw, thanks a whole bunch, Wanita!

Okay peeps, here's how it's gonna go down. Wanita will be giving away one free copy of  her book. Together with it she's also giving away a bookmark, as I understand. You know the drill. Comment with your e-mail addy to enter the draw for the fabulous prize.

Here's a little more about the book:

How hard do you have to shake a family tree to find out the truth about the past?

Fifteen-year-old Rae Kerrigan never questioned her family’s history. That is until she accepted a scholarship to Guilder Boarding School in England. Guilder is an exclusive, gifted school. Rae has no idea what she is getting herself into or that her family’s past is going to come back and taunt her.

She learns she is part of an unparalleled group of individuals who become inked with a unique tattoo (tatu) on their sixteenth birthday. The tatu enables them to have supernatural powers particular to the shape of their ink-art. Both of her parents where inked, though Rae never knew, as they passed away when she was young. Learning about her family's past, her evil father and sacrificial mother, Rae needs to decide if there is a ray of hope in her own life.

Also, you can find Wanita on her personal blog, on Facebook ( Author W. J. May ) and twitter ( @wanitajump ) Book trailer here.

This is it for now, folks. Will be drawing the prizes in about two weeks :) Signing off. Am behind with my NaNo work.