June 22nd, Crimson Frost Books will be at Coffee Time Romance's blog (http://coffeetimeromance.com/CoffeeThoughts) doing another pitch session. Frost Mania will be an all day event!
Simply post your first three lines of your completed manuscript in the comment section and those selected will be notified within 48 hours. We're looking for everything from teasers of 5,000-10,000 words through to our longer works of 15,000 to 60,000 words.
Guidelines: Crimson Frost Books is currently seeking stories in all genres, heat levels, and pairings. The hotter the better. We're specifically looking for holiday teasers for release in Oct through Dec. As well as Valentine stories for release in late 2013 early 2014.
Midnight Frost Books is seeking stories in non-romance genres, though romance elements can be included. These stories can be any genre, we're looking for westerns, horror, thriller, suspence, paranormal, and more. So stop by and give us your best pitch - we're excited to see your books.
Patricia Bates and Celeste Brammer
Publisher - Crimson Frost Books
My family moved a lot when I was growing up, following my dad from job to job as he pursued advancement. With each move, I was displaced from friends and people I knew. The constant in my life was the stories, told in books and comic books, and on TV. The characters became my friends, and the heightened realities of many of the tales became the safe place to which I could retreat.
I found out that stories I created were ways I could connect to people; folks love a good story. Stories are, I believe, what really make us human. No other creature tells stories except us. Characters had been my friends; stories helped me make more friends.
At another level, I think writing is in my blood. I’m related to a 19th-century U.S. poet, and my Scottish ancestry includes a clan seneschal – someone whose job it was to know and tell all the stories of the clan’s members. I enjoy carrying on those traditions in new ways.
How long have you been writing fiction? Do you write anything else?
I‘ve told stories I’d made up as long as I can remember, but my first formal efforts at writing fiction were in the mid-1990s. I’ve been published in a variety of genres and styles: lots of nonfiction and some skits. Recently I’ve been writing as macromega for giantessfan.com, which publishes comic books.
What is your preferred genre and why?
I love genres that allow the fantastic into the present-day world – magic realism, urban and modern fantasy, and science fiction. Exploring how people cope with impossible situations, and how those situations impact their relationships, their jobs and the rest of their lives – this is where some interesting stories can be found.
While most of my stories aren’t simply romances, there’s usually a romantic plot or subplot in the story somewhere. Passion can drive a story, and can turn it in ways that make the plot more interesting.
What is your muse?
I’m fascinated by myths, legends and fairy tales – stories that have survived because they touch on the deepest part of the soul. Even when my stories don’t directly relate to old stories, they tend to deal with basic themes. The stories that are most worth telling deal with the most fundamental aspects of being human; love, life and death, and status in relationships.
When dealing with such stories, one has to deal with powerful forces, forces that can inflict real harm. Such forces often teeter at the edge of light and darkness, good and evil – and frequently go over that edge. It’s said that you measure a hero or heroine by how powerful an adversary they face. For the story to matter, to have real weight, it needs to face such issues; otherwise, it’s just fluff.
Love is another powerful force. The woman I love has a way of turning up in my characters. It’s usually not a conscious thing, but I recognize her presence after I’ve written awhile. She’s often part of the romantic relationship in the story.
Size change is a theme I use in part because it can touch on all those matters. If people fell in love with each other at one size, what happens if their relationships to each other change? If someone shrinks or grows, or their body’s dimensions change, how does that impact how people perceive them? Does their condition put them or others in danger? If size is power, what happens if that power shifts – and has it shifted the right way? And how does a couple who have undergone or are undergoing size change cope with sex? We take our sizes for granted. They are fundamental to who we are. Change them, and you change how the world sees you, and how you see the world. Ask anyone who’s successfully lost a lot of weight and kept it off.
Along the way, I’ve learned I have an ear for dialects. That inspires me, too. The music of the way people speak in different places has an impact on how they communicate, and that affects stories. Someone in the Appalachian foothills in Ohio will speak differently than someone in the Cleveland area, and someone from northern Indiana will sound different than someone from southern Indiana. Different regions in England have distinctive vocal rhythyms. Liverpudlians have a lilt all their own! The brogues of Scotland and Ireland stem from the same roots, but have branched in very different ways. Understanding that music lets me add depth to characters.
What other interests do you have?
I love genealogy and mythology. I collected comic books for years. I know way too much comic-book and comic-strip trivia. I’m a big fan of M*A*S*H (the TV series) and Doctor Who.
What type of music do you like?
I love female voices and tight harmonies. Celtic Woman is a favorite group, as is Wilson Phillips. I adore Alison Krauss’ musicality and have been a fan of Loreena McKennitt for some time. I love Adele and Sara Bareilles. I also love Irish and other Celtic music, so Mumford and Sons are among my favorites
Have you ever had an incredible vacation you will never forget? If so, tell us about it.
It’s tough for me to choose between two trips. Between them, I traveled through most of the U.S. and encountered elements that have inspired me, ranging from a puppet shop on the east coast to multiple rainbows in the New Mexico sky, and a little motel in Colorado with an owner who loved to decorate cakes. There was a house filled with dolls and black walls and floors, and a beautiful lake with an irate goose. I discovered how good beef can be the farther west I went. I learned the joys of Cincinnati-style chili and how different pizza and hot dogs are between New York and Chicago. There was the night that so many deer nested down by our campsite in New Mexico that we lost count as we got past 40, and the thrill of seeing an eagle soar alongside our car for miles. There was the terror of a semi that tried to run us off the road in Texas, and a family obsessed with making sure we knew how many people in the country music industry they knew
What are some of your favorite movies or books?
In movies, anything with the Marx Brothers, Carole Lombard, Buster Keaton or W.C. Fields; classic Universal horror movies; John Wayne westerns; film noire; and lots of animation. Up, Wall-E and The Croods are among the best movies I’ve ever seen. Oddly, for someone who loved comic books, I’m not that into the movie adaptations of them.
In books, I love Agatha Christie, and all of the books in The Cat Who … series. While Brian Jacques was officially writing for children, his ear for dialects and subtlety of character were unparalleled. Ray Bradbury and Arthur C. Clarke wrote wonderfully, and I loved “The Werewolf Principle” by Clifford Simak. Richard Matheson’s “The Shrinking Man” (the basis of the movie that added “Incredible” to the title) is a touchstone of the genre. Another favorite writer is far more obscure: an author who wrote under the unlikely pen name of Hi Standard, who penned some amazing slow-growth giantess fiction. My favorite Tolkien story is “Farmer Giles of Ham,” which he wrote to let off steam after finishing The Lord of the Rings; it’s a hilarious take on the genre. C. S. Lewis is another favorite. So is George MacDonald, whose retellings of ancient folk tales inspired both Tolkien and Lewis.
Is there anything else you would like your audience to know about you? What makes you special?
I’ve met few art media I don’t like; although there are many at which I’m not good, I still enjoy others’ work. People don’t appreciate how brilliant a puppeteer Jim Henson was, or the true artistry he produced. And I love watching good dancers, in almost any style of dance. I’m a klutz, but I adore the visual poetry of a body moving to precisely accomplish a look and a flow of motion.
What is your next book and when do you expect it to be published?
Eve’s Thieves will be published by Midnight Frost Books, and is set for release this fall. It’s a tale of a group of crime victims, but what’s been stolen from them is what they view as fundamental elements of themselves. They’re going to get back what they’ve lost and stop the thieves, whatever the price … and there is a price …
Thank you Mac, I certainly enjoyed this interesting interview. We are all looking forward to your upcoming book, Eve's Thieves.
Enjoy this time with your family. Time goes so quickly. We here at Midnight Frost Books and Crimson Frost Books wish you a safe and happy Memorial Day! From our family, Celeste and Patricia
I will never forget that day. Many things in my life changed on that day. In the first time in my especially young life at that time, made me realize how fragile our world and our life really is. I remember holding my children down in the bathtub praying for the strength I would need. I remember the earth move like it quaked. The loud roar and the house shaking as if it were made of match sticks. It was like horror movie or science fiction. My children screaming in my arms.
I'll never forget that beautiful day. At about 3pm it was gorgeous outside then it all changed. I saw the monster approach about eight miles from us on the other side of Sooner Elementary School headed for Sooner Rd. The tornado was at least a mile wide, I did not know it was possible to be so big. I was frozen with fear. Sure we would all die and soon. The tornado carried debris in it's arms, I swear I saw cars. Smaller tornados spun off from it like wicked arms hitting the earth.
When it was over, we opened our front door, which was still standing. Thanks be to God. We were an island of somewhat untouched houses. Others were outside dazed, confused and stunned. The look on the older adult's faces made me realize how this really was, a true nightmare, a living one. Like a war zone, a bomb had been dropped. Sooner Elementary School was still standing too. But my neighbors not far from me were devastated. Just across Sooner was devastation. Horses were dead in the road, dropped out of the air from being picked up from somewhere. The smell of gas, the sparking electricity, the oddness in the air. It was truly a war zone. And unexpected misery.
A few weeks later, I finally got to the BX at Tinker AFB to get supplies there. And my heart was broken when I was told the nice lady who had usually checked my ID had been killed. It still bothers me to this day. I have forgotten her name, but the memory of her face is etched in my mind. I'm so sorry she did not make it.
My oldest son called me yesterday, he's away on a school trip, and he was remembering the experience too, even though he was so young it stamped in his brain. Some things just stick with you and this will for always be one of them for me and for him.
Now, I wonder if our house we owned once, our first owned home, is still there. As you know, a house is part of your family, even after you leave it. At least to me, so many memories were made there. I am praying for all involved, as I know personally the shock of it all and I did not even have it as bad as others. For days, I looked at our city and was in disbelief. And this one is even worse. God Bless you all. And remember the material things are not so important, not really. But our friends our families are. I pray yours is well and soon this to shall pass.
Love to all,
Celeste and my sons
Celeste and Carrie, two of our publishers, attended the Ohioana Book Festival this last Saturday. We extended our invitations for any one interested in our company to check out our web sites and blogs for Crimson Frost Books and Midnight Frost Books. We hope to see those we met this last Saturday. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions or comments. Happy Writing and Reading! Celeste
CELEBRATE THE IMAGINATION THIS WEEKEND WITH READING AND WRITING:
2013 OHIOANA BOOK FESTIVAL: Celebrating Ohio’s Authors, Saturday, May 11th Author Ciara Lake and Sady Cass will be at this weekend's book festival featuring local authors. CRIMSON FROST AND MIDNIGHT FROST BOOKS will be handing out goodie bags with our information and pitch requests from authors.
Also, Karen Harper, who interviewed with our house on Crimson Frost Book's blog will be there too. You will have an opportunity to meet local talent. Come on out!
If you're reading this blog and see us, say hi! Be sure to get your goodie bag!
Bring Mom out to this wonderful outing, it's free and an interesting activity to enjoy with Mom.
Information below:
from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Fort Hayes Metropolitan Education Center, 546 Jack Gibbs Blvd., near downtown Columbus and the Short North. The Festival is FREE and open to the public with no tickets or advance registration required.
We look to see you there! Happy Mother's Day Weekend!
Author Sady Cass
Wednesday, 1 May 2013
Hello, I'm going to be at: The Ohioana Library Present: 2013 OHIOANA BOOK FESTIVAL: Celebrating Ohio’s Authors, Saturday, May 11th
Columbus, Ohio Over 100 authors, including ten designated as “featured,” will be at the Festival with books they have published within the past sixteen months. The main event will be held on Saturday, May 11th from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Fort Hayes Metropolitan Education Center, 546 Jack Gibbs Blvd., near downtown Columbus and the Short North. The Festival is FREE and open to the public with no tickets or advance registration required. As our bookseller, Barnes & Noble will have books by all of the participating authors for sale at the Festival.
Festival Programs-will include than thirty panel and roundtable discussions on a variety of topics. Festival authors will take part in conversations about their own literary influences, the writing life, and the creative process. The featured authors will participate in the following panels.
·Real People, Real Stories – Ellis Avery, Bob Hunter
·Mentors& Muses: Literary & Artistic Influences – Robert Olmstead, P. Craig Russell
·How We Write, What We Write – Carla Buckley, Raul Ramos y Sanchez
·The Writing Life – Emilie Richards, Sharon Short
·The Creative Life – Rae Carson, Daniel Kirk
Other panels and roundtables will cover specific genres, publishing, and other writing and reading related topics. We will present two panels built around the Choose to Read Ohio titles, and a roundtable on Ohioana’s new “On the Road” program. Additional panels will explore children’s literature and poetry, along with several “behind-the-scenes” opportunities for new
writers to find out more about how to get published. The program schedule will soon be available online at www.OhioanaBookFestival.org.
“We are excited to have so many nationally recognized authors participating in our 2013 Festival.They are all Ohioans by birth or residents with books that have been published in the
past year,” Hengst said. “They represent every major literary field and genre – fiction (mystery, romance, fantasy, science fiction, and literary fiction), nonfiction (memoirs, history, essays, and cook books), poetry and books for children and young adults.”
Additional festival activities will include a special children’s room with programs designed to entertain young readers. Many of the featured and festival authors will make personal appearances in the children’s area.
