Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Holiday Inspiration

I've been bad. Very, very bad -- no bloggy Santa for me this year! I've been running around like a chicken with its head cut off trying to get ready for my impending departure, and I'm afraid I haven't had much time to blog hop these past few days. *hangs head* I can't wait for January when things will hopefully be calmer!

Anyway, today I'm thrilled to have two wonderful writers visiting, talking about their inspiration behind the stories in Madness Under the Mistletoe (Amazon, Nook, Smashwords), an anthology in which I'm participating. D.D. Scott and Tonya Kappes are both chock-full of energy and, as co-founders of The Writers' Guide to EPublishing, they're super helpful people, too.

First up, Tonya! Take it away...

Definition of superstition: Noun 1. An irrational belief arising from ignorance or fear. 2. The way Maggie Greenlee lives her life…

Yes, this is the first line my novel, Never Tell Your Dreams Before Breakfast. I absolutely love this novel. No matter what authors say, there is a little bit on themselves in every one of their novels. And I’m no different.

My Grandberry Falls series set in the fictitious town of Grandberry Falls, is less than fictitious. It’s actually based on my small hometown. And if you know anything about small towns, there is a lot of superstition. From which house is haunted, lifting you feet up as you drive over railroad tracks. It’s just something that is ingrained in you.

A SUPERSTITIOUS CHRISTMAS, in the MADNESS UNDER THE MISTLETOE anthology, is the prequel to my third Grandberry Falls novel, Never Tell Your Dreams Before Breakfast. I wanted to give everyone a glimpse into what it is really like in a real small town, superstition and all. Starting with the Greenlee family seemed like the right place.

Maggie Greenlee, like me, was raised on superstitious beliefs, and it’s hard to explain those to potential boyfriends or husband in Maggie’s case. Sometimes they understand your crazy beliefs and sometimes they call you crazy! Either way, superstition is so ingrained in your soul, it’s nearly impossible to try to live your life without it. I NEVER leave a house/store/restaurant through a different door than I came in. It would simply mean bad luck and anyway I can ward it off I will.

I thought it would be fun and funnier to write a book about a small town girl who moves away to a big city where she finds love and happiness. Or so she thinks, because you know she’s been trying all her life to get out of that small town.

What happens when she does land that great job, hunky and rich Hampton boyfriend who thinks her superstition is childish? Well, it turns out that the Greenlee’s traditional Christmas is turned upside down when Maggie brings her “other” home! A SUPERSTITIOUS CHRISTMAS is a fun tale of family and what true happiness really is.So next time you have a dream...be sure to never tell it before breakfast!

I write fun humorous fiction, some with romance and some with a little mystery. More than anything I love to connect with readers! I'm a huge fan of them and LOVE getting to know them. I love to make readers smile, and remember not to take life to seriously. KARMA plays a big role in my life, and I believe in being kind to everyone, even if they aren't kind back. I'm addicted to coffee, McDonald's Diet Coke, and Red Hots Candy. I'm the co-founder of The Writer’s Guide to E Publishing (thewritersguidetoepublishing.com) where we give writers the true grit on what helped us sell more books, and reach more readers. When I'm not writing about quirky characters and even quirkier situations, I'm busy being the princess, queen and jester of my domain which includes my BFF husband, three teenage boys and two dogs.

Now over to D.D. Scott!

Hello to all of you in Talli Roland Land!!!

I'm thrilled to be here with y'all today and also thrilled to be partnering with Talli in our superfab Christmas Anthology MADNESS UNDER THE MISTLETOE.

One question I get a ton from my readers and fans is "What inspired you to write this book?"...so here's the superfab fun scoop for my contribution to Madness Under The Mistletoe - Hullabaloo and Holly Too: Without a doubt, Hullabaloo and Holly Too came from my luuuvvv of all-things-Whoville...as in The Grinch's Whoville!!! I go beyond gaga for Whoville! In fact, I'd love nothin' more than to live in a for-real Whoville. Cindy Lou Who would be my BFF!!!

Because of that little fixation, I asked myself (and my muses too) the proverbial "What If"...

What If my Cozy Cash Mystery hero and heroine - Roman Bellesconi and Zoey Witherspoon, who are very Will and Kate gone Bond, James Bond - spend the holidays in their very own Whoville?! And not just any Whoville... What If their Whoville is along the fabulous shores of Lake Michigan AND is also home to Zoey's parents, who suffer from a Delusional Disorder in which they believe they're Santa and Mrs. Clause?!

So with that over the moon quirky-fun premise, I went to work creating Hullabaloo and Holly Too!

I also like to explore social issues in my humorous mysteries, so I decided to also make this story very "Green". Yep, as in Save The Earth kinda Green. How did I do that? Well...Zoey's dad George Witherspoon - aka Santa Claus - is also an inventor, among other very odd things. Anyhoo...he's in the process of developing a revolutionary new reindeer diet food. Why? Because his reindeer have an emissions problem from eating too much cabbage on Christmas Eve. BUT...there's one other big-time problem too...
Father Time has been phone-hacking Santa, and is doing everything he can to stop Santa's progress. That's it...the Behind-and-Beyond My Books Scoop regarding Hullabaloo and Holly Too! Y'all are welcome to take a Sneak Peek at the story on my online home D. D. Scott-ville!!!

Thanks beyond bunches for hosting me today, Talli! And Happy Holidays to all of you from my home to each of yours!!! --- D. D. Scott

D. D. Scott is a Bestselling Romantic Comedy and Humorous Mystery Author and a Writer’s Go-To-Gal for Muse Therapy, plus the #1 Amazon Bestselling Author of Muse Therapy: Unleashing Your Inner Sybil and the co-founder of The Writer’s Guide to E-Publishing, your destination site for Everything E-Publishing. You can get all the scoop on her, her books, her Muse Therapy Online Classes and Live Workshops, plus juicy tidbits too from D. D. Scott-ville http://ddscottville.blogspot.com .




Thank you, ladies. And now, I really am going! Yes, for real this time. I'll likely drop in with photos and a few guests posts, but normal service will resume after the 3rd of January.


Have a very happy Christmas and/or holiday season, everyone!

44 comments:

  1. These books look great! Adding them to my Winter list of reads. Have a fantastic trip and can't wait to see pics!! Cheers!

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  2. Wonderful post Talli, hope the weather is ok for your flight.
    Have a safe trip.

    Yvonne.

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  3. Don't feel guilty for what you don't think you do, because even though you don't do, you still do more than you think. (did this make any sense?)
    Anyway, have a great holiday and time in Canada.

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  4. Shouldn't you be packing?!?! LOL!

    Awww yay for your anthology with these gorgeously fun and fab authors!!!

    Hello Tonya, hello DD! The stories sound most exciting - romance, espionage, small town superstitions.. all makes for a heady mix of fun and frolics!

    Take care
    x

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  5. Thanks, Talli!! I love being here again with your fab readers and friends! Bloggy Santa??? Did I miss out on something this year? Oh, well...you have been a tad bit busy writing and publishing two books this winter!! I hope you have a fantastic holiday! Thanks again for having me and I love being in the anthology with you and DD Scott!!

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  6. Just finished "Madness Under the Mistletoe" and gave it 5 stars. It is off the star chart, actually. LOVED IT!!

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  7. Good Mornin' to all you superfab Talli Roland Peeps!

    I'm over the moon to be here with y'all today and just thrilled to bring you MADNESS UNDER THE MISTLETOE!

    Thanks bunches to each of you - Tracy Jo, Poetry World, Em-Musing, Old Kitty and Pj for all the sweet comments and Welcome to my Bootscootin' and Cozy Cash Mystery Worlds with HULLABALOO AND HOLLY TOO!

    Safe travels to you, Talli (who I call Super T-2) and wavin' atchya Super T (Tonya)!

    Happy Holidays from my home to each of yours!

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  8. I have had my eye on Madness under the Mistletoe. I need to add it to my list.
    Enjoy your holidays in Canada.

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  9. Keep an eye out for Santa while you're in the air. And, BTW, with the price of fuel these days a load of coal from the Jolly One might be the best gift of all for some!

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  10. Thanks for a look behind the pages, ladies! And have a wonderful holiday, Talli, much peace and happiness to you :)

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  11. 'I can't wait for January when things will hopefully be calmer!'

    The holiday refrain ...

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  12. Cheers to you, Anne, Li, Joanne, and Suze!

    Happy Reading and Happy Holidays too!!!

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  13. Great interviews, ladies! These books look smashing :) And safe travels to you, Talli!

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  14. Happy Christmas/hols Talli! Have a great time!

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  15. Safe travels Talli. You get to be spoiled by the family. No matter how old we are we soak that up. It feels good.

    Tonya, I've never been much into superstitions of any sort. I have friends who are. I try not to laugh at salt being thrown (even when I get sprinkled with it), being taken to task because I walk down the side walk without a thought to the cracks and my poor mother's back not to mention ladders. I've not heard of railroad crossings or doors.

    I can see where it would make grat fodder for a fun story.

    I do enjoy your Granberry Falls stories.

    Sia McKye's Thoughts...OVER COFFEE

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  16. Thanks bunches for chatting with us today, Julie, Writer Pat and Sia!

    Cheers to each of you and Happy Holidays too!

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  17. I enjoyed your guest blogs today, D.D. and Tonya, & I LOVED your Christmas anthology! The stories & characters were so much fun! Safe travels, Talli, to you & yours. Merry Christmas!

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  18. You ladies fit together so well!
    Don't lose your head, Talli. You will need that for the trip.

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  19. Great sounding books. A superstitious small town girl who wants to leave for life in the big city sounds like a fabulous background for a book!

    Monti
    Mary Montague Sikes

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  20. Love the sound of these - so much fun! :)

    Safe trip, Talli!

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  21. Both Tonya and DD's books sound like entertaining reads! Best of luck to both of you! Talli, have a wonderful trip, and a very Merry Christmas to all! Julie

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  22. Have a wonderful holiday season yourself, lovely lady! Take care and have fun xx

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  23. Awww...Thanks, Sia! Grandberry Falls has been a lot of fun to write. BUT superstition has RULED my crazy life. As a matter of fact, last night my son threw his hand on the ceiling of our car when we went under railroad track bridge with a train going over. My DH just shook his head:)

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  24. Thanks to everyone here for being so supportive of our anthology! We had so much fun collaborating over it.

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  25. Have a wonderful time and relax. It is going to be a busy 2012 for you, I feel it in my bones. :D

    Happy Christmas X

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  26. What a superfab fun day here in Talli Roland Land!!!

    Thanks sooo very much for all the wonderfully sweet shout-outs!

    And Happy Holidays again from my home to each and every one of yours!!!

    Cheers and Happy Reading!!!

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  27. Wavin' atchya, Jaw, Alex, Monti, Jemi, Empty Nest, Rebecca and Glynis!!!

    And Welcome to my Bootscootin' & Cozy Cash Mystery Worlds!!!

    Happy Reading!!!

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  28. Talli, have a wonderful trip.

    Ladies, good luck with your books!

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  29. I've got to get this! It sounds like exactly what I need to lighten up my holiday.

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  30. You're too hard on yourself. Sometimes it is a good idea to relax. Life first, blogging later :) As usual, a very interesting post. I hope you enjoy the holidays at home and in Canada!

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  31. Great posts, ladies! I love DD, Tonya's and Talli's books. Super fab fun for those chilly winter days. Brrr! :)

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  32. These books look so fun! And hope you have a fantastic trip x

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  33. Hehehe these stories sound awesome! I love reading how the writers came to the premises that they wrote about. :-)

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  34. Another great post...I sure wish I could write humour but I guess I should just be happy that there is always gems of a post like this pointing me towards new great reads. Hope you have a wonderful and relaxing Christmas (you've earned it)!

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  35. These stories sound fantastic. :)

    Happy holidays, ladies.

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  36. Great interviews, ladies! These books look smashing.

    And safe travels to you, Talli!

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  37. Great post, I love learning about Talli's partnership... excellent!!

    Oh... congrats Talli on your new book. Have a safe trip, and Merry Christmas!!!

    Doris

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  38. Wonderful post, Talli!

    Have a safe trip. Looking forward to all the photos from your vacation.

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  39. Happy holidays and a great time in Anne of Green Gables country. :)

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  40. I've been 'bad' for a couple of months now! It is the season. Have a wonderful holiday with your family and congratulations on all your accomplishments in 2011!

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  41. These stories sound so fun. What great premises. Hope you have a safe and very enjoyable trip!

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  42. This is exactly the holiday read I need. Thanks gals!

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  43. I'm in the middle of reading the anthology right now, and I'm loving every moment of it - it's definitely the best Chistmas money I've spent this far - thanks ladies!
    Lxxx

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Coffee and wine for all!