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Any title with the word “wildchild” in it sounds like my kind of book, and from my interactions with author Feather Stone I think she might have a bit of wildchild within her too! Today kicks off her blog tour.

Sidney Davenport is known as Wildchild to her Guardian mentor, Greystone. She rebels against rules. Wildchild is gifted in the paranormal, but carefully conceals her powers from the world. Even in the crises that threaten her life, she refuses to use her powers of telepathy, telekinesis, space/time travel. If her enemies discovered the truth of who she is, her Guardian people would be destroyed. She calls upon her spirit guides, Seamus and Celeste, to guide her through a mine field of the insane – Madame and Captain Butchart.

Sidney leaves her home on Hawk’s Island to help the underground stop two people who are about to cause worldwide madness. Unskilled in espionage, she is arrested and sentenced to death. But, God help Sidney, she can’t deny her attraction to the man who has orders to perform her execution – the tall, dark eyed Captain Waterhouse. He’s meticulous, disciplined and lives by the strict rules expected of an officer of the American navy.

Captain Waterhouse is about to scrap his higher morals to bust out of his hell. When a female prisoner is delivered to his ship, he has no idea she is capable of turning his disciplined life into a storm of unimaginable experiences. His prisoner’s enemies, he discovers, are also the ones who hold his life in the palm of their hands.

Through stunning imagery, an intricate and adventurous plot, and a strong cast of characters, Feather Stone gives readers a fast paced story woven with murder and magic.

And now it’s time to welcome the creator of Wildchild, Author Feather Stone!

Jennifer Lane (JL): Welcome to the blog, Feather, and congratulations on The Guardian’s Wildchild! I’m just getting into this novel and I’m very intrigued–it’s a smattering of science fiction, spiritual exploration, military thriller, and romance. I read somewhere you thought “Paranormal Romance” wasn’t a perfect fit. How would you describe its genre?

Feather Stone (FS): Genre? Perhaps “Beef Stew” might be the best answer. It’s all kinds of stuff in one meaty and tasty dish. And who doesn’t like a good beef stew, except a vegetarian. But, of course, you’re looking for a conventional genre to slot The Guardian’s Wildchild into. I was surprised to discover that the word “paranormal” is currently synonymous with vampires and evil witches. In my world, vampires are in the genre of horror and “don’t read at bedtime” books.

Mysticism is one word that comes to mind but that is closely related to religious connotations, which I avoided in the story. The story introduces the Guardians who are highly evolved human beings and have god-like powers, but seldom interfere with the plight of the human race. The story takes off from there and becomes a murder mystery. Enter Sidney Davenport, a rebellious Guardian known as Wildchild. It’s only fitting that she is thrust into the world of Captain Waterhouse, a man devoted to the rule book and about to fall into the dark world of his enemies. Immediately, Sidney feels a connection with him. Both resist the murmurings of passion. I can only guess at what point the reader is thinking, “Kiss her, you idiot!”

JL: How did you decide to write a novel taking place in the future?

FS: It wasn’t my decision. None of the storyline was my choice. I didn’t even sit down to write a book. I experienced time/space travel spontaneously one evening ten years ago. I was with an officer at the railing of his ship. He was deeply troubled. He was real. And he followed me, telepathically, for the next several days. I would ask him the why’s and how’s. I decided to write about it hoping that the energy would dissipate. Instead the energy grabbed hold of me and I became a slave to describing scenes and dialogue.

Now, don’t be alarmed. I wasn’t a mindless doll at the keyboard. But the visions and feelings were crystal clear in my mind. The dialogue rolled on. Anytime I questioned the flow of the story and told the story my way, the visions would stop. Frustrated, I obediently went back to point where my ego intervened and hit the delete key. The visions resumed.

It was an incredible experience. I was never alarmed or felt threatened. Instead, the hours of bringing the Captain’s story to life was invigorating. It went on for five years, followed by another three years of editing and developing the characters’ full personality, gifts and demons.

JL: To what extent do you believe we have guardians watching over us?

FS: One hundred percent, Jennifer. It is difficult, probably impossible for some, to believe that each of us has guardians that are at our beck and call. They watch us with love that has no limits or conditions. In my youth, I experienced the paranormal – the Light. I met my spirit guide when I was very young. That was a day that lives on as a sacred event and has given me strength to go on during times when I would have gladly hit my “Delete” life button.

One of my most profound experiences with the “guardians” occurred when I was nineteen years old. I went swimming with some friends. Not a strong swimmer, I quickly found myself in deep trouble. I was too exhausted to swim back to shore or to the raft where my friends were. After trashing in terror, I gave up and sank to the bottom of the lake. As darkness overtook my vision I heard, “If you stand, you can breathe.” I obediently responded to the familiar voice. My nose was just above the level of the water.

Yes, everyone has a guardian or spirit guide or whatever you wish to call the beings of Light. It doesn’t matter what religion you practice or don’t practice, your morals, your beauty or brains, wealth or poverty. There is a guide who is waiting for you when you are released from the physical world and who walks alongside your every step while you are here.

But don’t take my word as gospel. Each of us must find our own way, our own truth in our own time. If anyone wishes to seek out their guide, it is easy if one adopts an open mind. The truth lies within you. In quiet meditation, follow your inner compass.

JL: You posted a lovely painting of your horse on Facebook–it appears you are quite creative! Tell us about your creative endeavors.

FS: Everyone has creative talents. I believe it’s in our physical DNA, a gift from our connection with spirit. We are always creating, even when we are unaware of it. We are creating our future with our thoughts. Our thoughts manifest in the physical world. My favorite saying is, “Change your thinking, change your life.”

My ability to do crafts and paint is largely due to my difficulty in speaking. In order to find a way to express myself, I turned to other ways that reflect my feelings. None of the things I do have come easy. I’ve had to take courses and practice. I’ve been fortunate in that my instructors have been gifted in seeing my potential.

JL: What’s one thing that’s surprised you about the publishing process?

FS: All of it was surprising as this was my first experience with publishing. However, the best surprise was the community of authors at Omnific Publishing. The camaraderie has been a delight. The support and humor from all the Omnific authors has given me the courage go beyond my comfort level in marketing my book to the rest of the world.

JL: I love your author name. How did you choose Feather Stone?

FS: I smile at remembering how this came about. When Omnific Publishing inquired about the author name for the book, I was skeptical about my ability to market The Guardian’s Wildchild. The vision of it plummeting like a stone was clear. And yet I had the belief the book was special, well written, and could fly. Then it hit me. The name of the author should be Feather Stone.

JL: Thanks for stopping by, and good luck with the blog tour!

FS: The Kick-Off Party is going to be a grand affair! I can hardly wait to meet all the cruisers. You know my party has a nautical theme as the setting for The Guardian’s Wildchild was on the Pacific Ocean. So many prizes. The best part for me will be to meet and chat with all the cruisers.

Thank you, Jennifer, for everything. You’ve been an inspiration.

~~*~~

Check out Feather’s BLOG to enter the grand prize giveaway!

With the release of my YA swimming romance Streamline just around the corner (3-27-12), I’m happy to announce that Omnific Publishing has launched my YA swimming short story Swim Recruit.

Swim Recruit will “wet” your whistle for Streamline! Read both and you’ll be wet behind the ears.

What’s even better news is that Swim Recruit is FREE at Omnific Publishing’s site.

Not long after Abby Donahue’s family falls apart, she escapes on an airplane to Chicago for a recruiting trip. A talented high-school swimmer, Abby hopes to score both a college scholarship and some distance from her parents’ recent divorce. But is this university for her?

Her first encounter with freshman swimmer Reese McGowan makes her nervous. He’s a tall backstroker with a mess of blond hair, glittering aquamarine eyes, and a suspension from the team for badmouthing the school to another recruit. As Abby unravels the mystery underlying Reese’s disdain, she begins to unlock her own hidden emotions about her father. Together Abby and Reese battle bullies on the team and inner demons, learning that flipper feet and fighting for family can actually be a good thing.

It’s my first short story and my first time writing from a first person point of view. I had a lot of fun with it and I hope the story has some positive messages too.

Bounce, baby! It’s time for Omnific’s Blog Bounce–check it out HERE.

Seems like Leo Scott has it all: looks, brains, and athletic talent. He’s captain of his high school swim team with a bright future in college and beyond. But Leo has secrets. His mother’s crippling car accident has devastated his family and left Leo to deal with his father’s abuse, battered and alone.

Part murder mystery, part tale of young love in a military family, this gripping story takes readers on a journey from Pensacola to Annapolis. Leo and Audrey must band together to rise above the adversity they encounter and find their true selves in the process. When everything’s on the line . . . streamline.

Stay tuned for the release 3-27-12! Please contact me at jenniferlanebooks at gmail dot com if you’re interested in joining the Launch Party that day.

Sign up for the Blog Tour May 7-11 with Julie from A Tale of Many Reviews HERE.

Add Streamline to your Goodreads shelf HERE. 

A big thanks for JULIE and the participating blogs for the cover reveal:

With the Academy Awards just around the corner, I’m gearing up for my annual Oscars party. I don’t know about you, but I LOVE movies. Camped out in a dark theater as the opening credits roll, chewing on popcorn or Junior Mints, hearing the music swell . . . there’s nothing like it.

Movies inspire me to write, too. If I could ever craft a romance as soft and tragic and beautiful as the one between Rose and Jack in Titanic, I wouldn’t stop smiling for days. And if one day one of my novels became a movie . . . THAT would be incredible!

I try to see most of the best picture nominees before the show. What’s been your favorite this year?

When I first wrote Bad Behavior, I titled the novel Couples Counseling due to its focus on couples therapy sessions for Grant and Sophie. Dr. Hunter Hayes obviously has his hands full with these two. Before publication we changed the title so it sounded less self-help!

As a romance author, I’m obviously fascinated by romantic relationships. What attracts one person to another? What makes romantic relationships succeed or fail? Why is communication so hard sometimes? How can a couple heal their fractured marriage?

There are some helpful answers out there I want to share today. The guru of couples counseling is Dr. John Gottman, researcher and author. Here’s one of his best books:

John Gottman’s research methods are intriguing: he has couples live in his lab for a few days while hooked up to heart rate monitors and other physical measurements. When couples argue, they become physically distressed, making it difficult for them to work together to resolve the conflict. During an argument, if one partner’s heart rate goes over 100 beats a minute, they both have to retreat to their corners to calm down before resuming the discussion. LOL!

Gottman’s research has focused on heterosexual couples but there is some evidence his principles can work for homosexual couples too. He found that although the woman may appear more distraught in an argument, often times the man is more distraught (pounding heart, tense muscles, adrenaline rush). He becomes flooded by distress, has no idea how to handle it, and may view fleeing as his only recourse. Sometimes the woman pursues him, which makes him withdraw more, and a pursue/withdrawal pattern can ingrain itself.

Women can help lower men’s distress by using “soft start-ups” (e.g. “Remember that light fixture you were planning to replace, honey? When are you thinking of doing that?” instead of “You never do anything you say you’ll do!”) and by making repairs (apologizing, bringing up a private joke, compromising).

For the couple to be happy, men need to make repairs too, and accept influence from their wives. Problems in a relationship can be solvable or “perpetual”–enduring unsolvable problems for which it helps to have some dialogue to understand each partner’s perspective.

This book is chock full of more interesting findings, and I encourage you to check it out. My characters Grant Masden and Sophie Taylor certainly learned many of these strategies from their psychologist Hunter in Bad Behavior. How will their relationship endure the challenges I throw their way in book three, On Best Behavior? Mwa ha ha!

Now it’s time for Omnific’s Author Blog Bounce! Join in HERE.

Nicki Elson is the coolest author! She wrote the fun & sexy 80’s Romp Three Daves, and today is hosting the Tumble 4 Ya Blogfest.

Who was my 80’s crush? Here are some hints . . .

“Your ego’s writing checks your body can’t cash!”

“I feel the need . . . the need . . . for SPEED!”

That’s right, my crush is MAVERICK, otherwise known as Tom Cruise.

I think I saw the movie Top Gun like 20 times in the theaters, and I was the first in line at the Blockbuster store to order my VHS tape of the beloved flick.

Hot men in their dress whites? *thud*

And then there’s the volleyball scene (ah, Iceman, you freeze me with your charms):

Even though little Tommy comes up to my collarbone, back then I thought he was a dreamboat. Then he got all Scientology on me and bashed psychiatric medication, and I became a bit disillusioned. But my teenage self really fell for that showty with the cocky bravado and charming smile.

Can’t wait to check out all the 80’s crushes on the Blogfest. And don’t forget to enter my giveaway below for the Follower Love Giveaway!

Do you ever wonder why it takes so long for a novel to hit the market after the author finishes writing?

One of my favorite authors, Diana Gabaldon, answers this question on her BLOG. She describes the lengthy editing and marketing process involved with her eighth novel in the Outlander series, Written in My Own Heart’s Blood (I can’t wait!) I just finished her novel The Scottish Prisoner and loved it (see my review HERE).

Omnific Publishing is much smaller than Random House but I’ve marveled at the lengthy process from the inside. I wrote Streamline in 2007 when it was over 200,000 words (gulp). I edited the story in 2010 to see if I could get it to a place where it might be publishable. In 2011 I edited it some more to get it down to 160,000 words.

Then I sent a query letter to Emma Taylor, Acquisitions Editor for Omnific, and she gave Streamline the thumbs up for publication. That started the arduous work with my lovely developmental editor, Jessica Royer Ocken. We decided to go from third-person-omniscient to third-person-limited, which involved a LOT of rewriting on my part. We involved some Navy experts and a native Spanish speaker to increase the authenticity. We also changed the title to reflect Leo and Audrey’s efficient glide through the resistance of their lives.

Jessica is the master of tightening my word diarrhea and we got the manuscript down to 129,000 words (longer than your average YA novel but still preserving the integrity of the murder mystery). My little baby’s next stop was with the managing editor Kathy Teel who praised our diligent work. The copy editor Coreen Montagna now holds the manuscript as we wait for the cover design.

Kayla Watson is the marketing associate for Streamline. We’re planning a launch party as well as a blog tour, and she’s put together a fantastic video trailer. The novel that started in 2007 is slated for release on 3-27-12!

When it’s all on the line, STREAMLINE.

Anyone who really knows me is already aware of my love for competitive swimming. I truly am wet behind the ears. If they made a perfume that smelled like chlorine, I’d wear that scent everyday! (And I wonder why I’m still single.)

I started swimming at age 8 on Coney Island’s swim team in Cincinnati, Ohio.

The team needed another girl for the 8 & Under relay and my older sisters dragged me to practice one morning. Diving into the crystal blue water, thrashing about with little technique, joking with teammates . . . it’s where the love affair began. That autumn I joined a club team and swam year-round until I graduated from college, often practicing twice a day.

Even my shoe size (12) indicates that swimming is the sport for me. God gave me flipper feet!

(I’m on the left with my friend Katie. Look at the size of those toes!)

Here’s what swimming has given me:

1) Friends. I’ve met so many quality individuals in this sport.

2) A strong work ethic. My coach Tim once told us, “Get ready for a tough practice. Are you a man or a mouse? A woman or a wouse?” I learned how to be a WOMAN, not a wouse!

3) Perseverance. Not everyone can swim four hours a day all year long.

4) An amazing college experience. I wouldn’t have heard of Kenyon College if not for its swimming success (due to Coach Jim Steen, a wonderful mentor).

5) A career. How can I cope with anxiety before races? That question and others drew me to the field of counseling psychology.

And now swimming has given me one more gift: the upcoming Young Adult novel, Streamline. They say “Write what you know” so my first novel is about my favorite sport, mixed in with family drama, therapy, and a military murder mystery. It took a lot of hard work and perseverance to write and edit this story, and I can’t wait to share my love of swimming with you.

Streamline is slated for release on 3-27-12. Stay tuned for the reveal of the cover and the video trailer, as well as giveaways!

What’s YOUR favorite sport? Why do you love it?

Congratulations to Alicia and Lindsey, the big winners of the Young Adult Giveaway Hop!

Join us for the Author Blog Bounce, hosted by Omnific Publishing.

Today I want to discuss dialectics. No, not dianetics, ha ha. I first heard about dialectics when I learned skills from Marsha Linehan’s “Dialectical Behavior Therapy” to use as a psychologist, but I think dialectics also apply to writing.

A dialectic is a union of opposites.

You have a dialectic when you have two opposing statements that are both true, joined by an AND (not a BUT!)

For example, here’s my dialectic for writing this blog post right before bedtime:
I want to go to bed (waah) AND I want to connect with my readers by writing a great post.

Both are true. In therapy we use dialectics to acknowledge both sides of the coin — to see the whole picture. Dialectics help increase empathy and decrease defensiveness.

* Alcohol helps you relax and alcohol gives you scary beer goggles.
* You love your mother and you are positively furious at your mother.
* You hate feeling dependent and you’re scared about him leaving.

Here are some dialectics I’ve noticed about writing:

* Writing is art AND writing is work.
* I feel less pressure to sell books because of my day job AND I get little writing done because of my day job.
* I want to please my readers AND I can’t please all readers.
* I write for myself AND I beam when a reader enjoys my novel.
* Writing is solitary AND writing is a way to connect to people.
* My cat Izzie is a good writing companion AND my cat Izzie has horrible fishy breath!

What dialectics have you noticed in YOUR life?

Bounce with us, authors and readers! Check out the Omnific BLOG for deets.

Today I’m hanging out at Nicki Elson’s blog, where she interviews me and gives a 4 star review of With Good Behavior!

It was great to read this quote from Nicki’s review:

The author’s experience as a psychologist shows, because background plays an important role in shaping each of the characters, and we also see how the choices they’ve made along the way have had a profound impact on their lives. Definitely no shallow characters here.

Thanks, Nicki! Nicki Elson is the author of the fun and sexy 80’s romp Three Daves, which I loved. Check out my review HERE.

I’m joining Nicki’s “I’ll Tumble 4 Ya” Blogfest on February 10th to talk about my 80’s celebrity crush. Here’s a hint:

Your ego’s writing checks your body can’t cash!