Dear Oliver with Pat Dale

Hello and welcome to another episode of Dear Oliver! Today’s special guest is my friend and fellow writer Dale Thompson who writes captivating novels under the pen name Pat Dale. You don’t want to miss Dale’s pet peeve, especially if you’ve ever had to deal with a rejection letter from an agent. If they don’t have the wherewithal to recognize a future New York Times bestseller, let them eat crow.

In the meantime, belly up to the bar and bend Oliver’s ear a spell. And while you’re eavesdropping on his sound advice, why not treat yourself to one of his legendary martinis! You’ll find his impressive venue listed on the sidebar. Not a martini fan? Not a problem. Oliver will make whatever drink strikes your fancy and serve it with a wink and a smile. Rumor has it that his hand tossed pizza is more loaded than Jessie James’s pistol. With no further ado, let’s give a warm round of applause to my good buddy Dale Thompson!

Hi there, Oliver. Manning the bar again, I see.

What can I getcha to drink, Dale ol’ buddy?

Right about now a double bourbon straight would do the trick. Hold that, Ollie. Been there, done that, and it cost me big time. How about a lemonade?

Oliver grins. You’re pulling my leg, right

No, I’m not kidding! Back when I was a jazz trumpeter, I got lost in alcoholic haze so bad I ruined my family and my career. Lost a decade in the doing, so no, I don’t need that again.

Oliver pumps his biceps and salutes Dale. He fills two tall frosted mugs with freshly squeezed lemonade. There we go then, ol’ buddy. Takes a real man to own up and turn a new leaf. To starting over. Cheers!

Over the sound of sax and trombone, Oliver and Dale share a toast while they shoot the breeze.

Why so glum, chum?

Dale shrugs and drains his mug. Oliver pours another from a pitcher brimming with lemonade, ice cubes and lemon slices. I just got another rejection from an agent. She read thirty pages of my mystery, said the opening was gripping and she loved my female protagonist, but my writing wasn’t tight enough to suit. She never even got to my male Wlead, who’d have blown her knickers off!

Oliver flicks his James Bond remote. An agent sits in her office in her ergonomic chair, glasses perched on the edge of her nose as she reads Pat Dale’s manuscript. When she gets to the male lead, her knickers shoot up in the air.

Dale chuckles and holds up his empty mug. I tell you, this business will lead a grown man to drink. Twenty years ago, it would have been a piece of cake, but no more. Now it seems most editors and agents have been indoctrinated to look for a few ‘gems’ that prove a manuscript worthy. Missing those, there’s no need to read the whole thing.

But wait, I just thought of something. Damn!

Dale slaps himself upside the head.

Just when I was ready to get a good mad on I have to remember it’s my responsibility to sell the thing to whomever I solicit for help. Now I’m back to writing that cursed synopsis, and I’d better make it good.

Nodding, Oliver fills Dale’s mug. Ah, yes, the dreaded synopsis. I hearsay from the dragon…er…boss lady they can be more challenging than writing the book, a real nightmare.

Dale nods his head in agreement.

So, Dale ol’ buddy, who can I play for you on the jukebox to chase your blues away?

Maybe a chorus of ‘One more for the road’ would do the job. Instead of sitting here crying in my beer, I should be hammering out a storyline and synopsis that even Machiavelli couldn’t fault.

Oliver presses the button on his JB remote. Instantly, Lido Shuffle by Boz Scaggs drifts across the bar. Dale sings along.

“Lido missed the boat that day he missed the shack

But that was all he missed and he ain’t coming back

A tombstone bar in a jukejoint car,

Just long enough to grab a handle off the top

Next stop Chi town, Lido put the money down and let it roll

He said one more job ought to get it

One last shot ‘fore we quit it

One more for the road…”

Oliver sets a bubbling, loaded pizza in front of Dale. When did you develop this pet peeve?

Dale plucks up a piece of pie dripping with cheese and pepperoni. It’s been growing for a long time. After I’d been writing four years I submitted to an agent. Got the same doggone answer back then. Now I’ve been at it for fifteen years and nothing’s changed. Got four books published and seven more under contract, too, so I’m more successful with editors nowadays. Guess I’d best just stay with it, ol’ pal.

Sounds like a plan, ol’ buddy.

Where do you think utopia is, my friend?

*big grin* Utopia? Actually, I’m living it, Ollie. I get to spend my days creating these strange worlds that have crowed my brain for decades. Now that they’re more polished and civilized, I’m building a reader base. How much better can it get than that?

Oliver grins back and pumps his biceps. Hot damn, you got it, hit the ol’ nail right on the head. So tell me, how can Dear Oliver help

You already have, my friend. By allowing me to vent my frustration, I feel much better now. And I can see what I need to do to fix my so-called problem. I can’t control my editor or my agent; my readers, either. That means I have to modify my own approach to my situation. Thanks again, Ollie and Sharon, for hosting me today!

Oliver raises his mug. You got it, my friend. When life tosses you lemons, make lemonade!

Native Missourian Dale Thompson traveled far and wide before returning to his home state. He sailed the Pacific from San Francisco to Tokyo, spent a cold winter in Goose Bay Labrador; lived in such diverse places as Fairbanks, Alaska and Fort Collins, Colorado.

After serving in the U.S. Air Force as an airborne electronics technician, Dale earned a Bachelor of Music Degree from Nebraska Wesleyan University, and a Masters in Music Composition from the University of Nebraska. While laboring in a professional capacity, Thompson made it a point to work with a wide range of folk; observing and cataloguing what was most important to each of them.

Using his imagination and humanity catalog to draw from, he began writing novels fifteen years ago. He builds stories from his rich experience but also from constant research that allows him to keep his characters fresh and up to date. Underlying Dale’s work is a desire for us to see that we all choose varied paths in living but nobody has a lock on the ‘right’ lifestyle. He claims, “Life, as ugly or beautiful as it gets, is a wonderful thing to behold.” Something of the little child remains in the old man, writing as Pat Dale, sits at his keyboard even as we read, hammering out another view into what makes humanity go round; and with it, the world.

Website: http://www.patdale.net/

Blog:      www.patdalesblog.blogspot.com

Contact? patdale@charter.net

Dear Oliver with Val Pearson

Hello and welcome to another episode of Dear Oliver! Today’s special guest is my good friend and one of the reviewers of You Gotta Read, Val Pearson. You don’t want to miss Val’s pet peeve, especially if your teenager is driving you bonkers with nerve-wracking music. So, come on in and belly up to the bar. And while you’re eavesdropping on Oliver’s sound advice, why not treat yourself to one of his legendary martinis! You’ll find his impressive venue listed on the sidebar. Not a martini fan? Not a problem. Oliver will make whatever drink strikes your fancy and serve it with a wink and a smile. And rumor has it that his tortilla chips and salsa are spicier than a pot of his Cajun Jambalaya. With no further ado, let’s give a warm round of applause to Val Pearson!

Oliver: What can I getcha to drink, love?

Val: Tequila straight up Oliver, it's been the most irritating day EVER!

Oliver mumbles under his breath, but when he turns to Val after pouring her chosen poison straight up, he flashes the charm with a wink and a smile. There we go then, love. With a flick of his 007 remote, a calming beach scene with gently rolling waves materializes on the big screen behind the bar. When Val downs her shot and points a finger to her empty glass, he leans a little closer. Why so glum, chum?

Val: It's this whole Glee soundtrack that my daughter has going on. It's not that I don't like Glee, but she plays it OVER and OVER and OVER!

Nodding, Oliver fills Val’s empty shot glass, tossing a Lemon wedge and shaker of salt on the bar as an after thought. We are at the beach, after all. So if y’all could sum up your pet peeve in a word, what would it be?

Val: One word? GLEE

With another flick of his 007 remote, The Eagles' Tequila Sunrise plays in the background. Oliver hums along. "Given the way you downed that rather potent shot down the ol’ hatch without coming up for air, I dare say the added amenities may keep y’all from falling off the bar stool like the rest of ‘em". Humming away, he takes a margarita glass, coating the rim in salt before presenting it. "As long as you think you’re woman enough to handle another shot of the nasty, knock yourself out, sweet thing."

Val coils her fingers around the glass in a death grip, brings it to her lips and knocks it back neat.

Oliver shoves a heaping basket of his tortilla chips and spicy salsa in front of her and smiles a beguiling smile. "Best have a bite to eat, love. Remember how tanked the boss lady got when she so foolishly thought she was woman enough to handle more than one martini. As if!" Oliver pumps his biceps and hums another verse of Tequila Sunrise. Plucking a chip from the basket, he dips it in salsa and feeds it to Val. Then another. "Now about your pet peeve with Glee, love. But if you’re not ready to rant and rave just yet, who can I play for you on the jukebox?"

Val: *sigh* if you could play me some Bon Jovi, I would love you forever Oliver.

Oliver presses a button on his JB remote and Bon Jovi appears on the background beach scene and the music begins. Casting Val a wildly wicked wink, he plucks up his electric guitar and spews forth, gazing into her eyes the whole while. In moves that Jon Bon Jovi himself would envy, Oliver shakes it loose.

It’s my life

It’s now or never

I ain’t gonna live forever

I just want to live while I’m alive

It’s my life

My heart is like an open highway

Like Frankie said

I did it my way

I just want to live while I’m alive

It’s my life

It’s my life

It’s my life

Oliver flings his guitar over his head and takes a sweeping bow. The bar rocks with hoots and whistles.

Oliver: Whew, I dare say I’m in need of a drink after that rather electric dance. Oliver fans himself. Now, back to the subject at hand. When did you develop this pet peeve with Glee, love boat?

Val: The moment one of my daughter's friends gave her the CD soundtrack.

Oliver shrugs. So, tell me, sweet thing, where do you think utopia is?

Val: My utopia is in a tropical paradise somewhere with Channing Tatum, Dale Earnhardt Jr and Jon Bon Jovi. I'm lost Oliver, can you point me the way to my little Valtopia?

With a wink and a smile, Oliver hits his remote and a tropical paradise with Channing Tatum, Dale Earnhardt Jr and Jon Bon Jovi appear on screen, fanning Val and feeding her bon bons as she lounges in a chaise lounge, grinning from ear to ear.

How else can Dear Oliver help, my pet?

Val: You can help me sit back and laugh. I got back at my daughter by grounding her from all of her CD's except the one I gave her. It has a Mariachi band, some Spanish guy singing a French song and songs I know she will detest! So join in for our big guffaw Oliver, MOM won!

Oliver kisses Val on each cheek, hands her 30 pieces of silver and grins. With a flick of his 007 remote, the repugnant Mariachi band strut in, six short and chubby Spanish inmates that haven’t shaved or showered in way too long, gather ‘round Val, belting out French tunes for all they’re worth in between hoots and whistles.

Oliver hands the be-frazzled Val a double shot of tequila. Ah, well, y’all know what they say ‘bout what goes ‘round comes ‘round. Val? Love? Are you all right?

Final words from Val Pearson

I would love for each person visiting to stop by You Gotta Read reviews, an awesome review site I work with. Here's the link: http://yougottareadreviews.blogspot.com/ Then there is my personal review site for the sweeter books here http://thesweetersideoflove.blogspot.com/ (still working with the layout on that one) and the my spicier blog here http://booksthatleaveyoubreathless.blogspot.com/?zx=e5ffa6e11b7f5e8e

It would be greatly appreciated if you decided to follow the sites listed. With your help, more reviews can get greater exposure.

Oliver, Dahling, thank you so much for ..... just looking so sexy to begin with and for listening to all my drama issues.

Wednesday Spotlight with Tiffany Green

Hello and welcome to Wednesday Spotlight! My featured guest today is Tiffany Green. In honor of her regency romance, Innocence Lost, we will be sitting in the Victorian parlour.

White lace curtains ripple through the open terrace garden doors, bringing in the delicate scent of Vintage Lasting Love and Sentimental roses. Brilliant sunbeams radiate through the crystal chandelier and dance across the cherry wood floor like prima ballerinas. In the background, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 in D Minor (Ode to Joy) plays, and when three chimes ring through the mansion, Oliver dashes off to answer the door, a red rose between his teeth.

And when they enter the parlour doing the tango, thunderous applause breaks out. Sharon is seated in a Queen Anne chaise lounge, and Tiffany slips into a pink silk fainting sofa with rolled arms.

Sharon: Well, after that rather impressive entrance, how are you, Tiffany?

Tiffany: Quite out of breath, but I am enjoying myself tremendously. Thank you for inviting me to your lovely retreat, Sharon.

Oliver struts in, dressed like a knight in shining armor, pushing a sterling silver caddy. With a sweeping bow, he sets out sliced fruit and wedges of cheese, artistically arranged on leaf-shaped dishes. With a wicked wink, he plucks a red, succulent strawberry, the biggest and the plumpest of the lot, and feeds it to Tiffany. Her eyes glaze over. Pumping his incredible biceps, Oliver serves mango margaritas and saunters off.

Sharon: Ah…well…where were we? Oh, yes. You were about to tell us a bit about Innocence Lost. But just sit back and enjoy your margarita while the video rolls. Oliver, we’re ready. Here’s what reviewers are saying:

TOP MARKS FOR INNOCENCE LOST…

A Great Review from The Long and Short Romance Reviews!

~Innocence Lost is a poignant and unforgettable story that enraptures the heart and doesn’t let go. Author Tiffany Green has given romantics something to swoon over, combining sensuality with intrigue, suspense, and an undeniable and breathtaking amount of tension.

As with all of the best romances, Nicholas and Megan meet in an utterly unconventional manner. He is searching for his lost stallion and believes she is the thief who stole it, while she is traipsing about in breeches, eager for a freeing ride in the open. The moment they kiss, a spark is ignited. While Megan is well aware of Nicholas’s identity, he is uncertain of hers. She flees his embrace, fearing the repercussions of falling into the arms of the man her brother hates. It takes unforeseen circumstances to bring them together again, yet as before, Nicholas perceives Megan to be someone and something other than who she is. With the loss of innocence comes the loss of something far greater, and when Nicholas finally learns who he has become enamored with, he may or may not be able to lay claim to the one woman who has affected him as no other has before.

To put it simply – I could not put this story down. I sat down to read and grumbled and complained each time I was pulled away. The characters come to life, drawing you in with their fears, doubts, and desires. Ms. Green has a gift for crafting something that is both entertaining and mesmerizing, with just enough tension to keep you guessing. Will Nicholas and Megan finally come to an understanding? Will their love meet fruition? Or will the forces determined to keep them apart have their way? It’s painful to watch as Nicholas is forced to leave Megan be, knowing all the while that she believes he has forgotten her. Yet, with sacrifice comes a greater reward, and your wrung-out emotions will overflow with delight when everything is placed out in the open.

Historical romance fans have to read Innocence Lost. The plot is fantastic, the love affair between Nicholas and Megan will tug at your heart, and the secondary characters are given just enough time on the page to bring the story to life. Sharp and vivid writing ensure you become lost in the work, and feel as if you’re taking the journey versus reading it.

Innocence Lost is a definite must read that I highly recommend.

~Fran




ANOTHER GREAT REVIEW:

What a wonderfully written Regency romance. Full of deceit, revenge, lust, love, broken friendships and misunderstandings. All of these elements when artistically combined make for a wonderful tale.

This title is no exception. Ms Green has done a superb job crafting a tale with a riveting plot and wonderful characters. I enjoyed every last page and am ready to read it again. Rest assured that I will be keeping my eyes open for more of Ms Green's work. If this is any indication as to what we can expect for this author in the future I have to say her future looks bright :)

~Seriously Reviewed~



ABOUT INNOCENCE LOST…


From her first glimpse of his portrait, Lady Megan is smitten. Unfortunately, the handsome face belongs to her brother’s enemy—the Duke of Claremont, Nicholas Bradshaw. Nicholas learns a little too late that the beautiful girl he met at the stream is not at all who he thinks. And now, he must keep her safe from the enemy lurking close to home. When the kidnapper does strike, it takes the assistance of Nicholas, his former foe, and a pirate captain to save Megan. But will it be enough?


A GLIMPSE INTO INNOCENCE LOST…


“My lady, come quick.”

Megan frowned at the closed door. She set aside her volume of Catullus’s poetry and rose from the chair in her sitting room. Calmly, she opened the door. If it was another man threatening suicide because she hadn’t agreed to marry him…

Julian’s furious voice rang through the house. She gasped and ran down the stairs.

Wentworth bowed and opened the drawing room door, as if he’d been expecting her.

Her heart took a crazy leap at the sight of him standing there. Nicholas. She glanced at her brother and grew worried. The two stood face to face with their fists balled and ready to strike.

As Julian moved forward, she flew between them. Her blood pounded hard in her ears. She stood so close to Nicholas, she could feel the heat of his body. She yearned to step into his arms. Had he come to see her? “What are you doing?” she demanded, looking from one wrathful face to the other.

“Leave, Claremont, now,” her brother said.

“Not until I have some answers concerning this.” Nicholas threw a crumpled newspaper down. “Damn you, Julian, you had no right.” Then his gaze shifted to her. Her heart surged up in her throat. He looked flushed with anguish. “How could you do this, Meg? Why didn’t you choose me?” His voice grew hoarse, full of pain. Then he went still. “Or did you choose me and your brother did not honor our agreement?” He jerked his head up and nailed Julian with a glare.

Confusion boiled within her. “What agreement?”

A muscle ticked in Nicholas’s cheek as he kept his eyes on her brother. “Tell her,” he demanded.

She turned to her brother and caught the unease in his eyes. “Julian?”

He heaved a sigh. “Moppet—”

“Don’t you dare call me that, Julian!” She poked a finger into his chest. “Tell me everything. Now!”

With a sigh, he nodded at Nicholas. “He was not to see or speak to you until you selected a husband. And I would not oppose your decision.”

She kept her eyes locked on her brother. “Even if I had named Nicholas?”

“Yes,” he said.

She wanted to kill Julian.

“Your brother also insisted that you were to know nothing of this agreement,” Nicholas added.

A sick knot of despair rose up from the depths of her stomach. She started to tremble. Her hands fell limply to her sides. “Are you telling me,” She turned to Nicholas, “that the only reason you’ve been ignoring me is because of a pact you made with Julian?”

His brows were drawn and his eyes filled with pain. He lifted his hand to touch her but halted and lowered his arm.

“Yes, love.”

Her eyes prickled as she turned to her brother. “I cannot believe you did this.”

“Megan, I did it for you—”

“No, Julian. You did it for you.” Oh, God, she had been so wrong about everything. Nicholas. Her brother. Everything. She trembled in earnest now.

Nicholas moved closer. He reached out as if to steady her, but didn’t touch her. “Are you all right, Megan?”

She glanced up, her vision swimming. “You were trying to find a way for us to marry?”

“Yes, my little nymph.”

A tear skidded down her cheek. “I-I can’t. I’m betrothed to another.”


Buy Link: http://www.thewildrosepress.com/tiffany-green-m-600.html?zenid=811e4e1426ce885c13c3570965e8b8a7


Author Web site: www.tiffanygreen.net


Once the audience has settled down, Oliver hands Tiffany his copy of Innocence Lost. If I might have your autograph, love?

Tiffany: Of course you may have my autograph, Oliver. The mango margaritas are wonderful, by the way.


Sharon: Those are some awesome reviews. Can you describe how they make you feel?

Tiffany: Like floating on a cotton-candy cloud. I was hoping the book would receive some good reviews, I was not expecting such high praise. I’m still floating on that cloud.


Sharon: If you’re like me, there’s a moment of panic that soars straight through the heart when a review comes in. Do you experience this spike of adrenaline?

Tiffany: Yes, it’s quite a rush. Like a dream come true.


Sharon: I can feel the chemistry between the characters, how they come to life on the page. When you did the character sketch on the heroine and hero, Megan and Nicholas, did you model their personalities after anyone you know in your real life?

Tiffany: Actually, they came to me in a dream. The scene in London, when Nicholas finds Megan in his guest room, was a dream I had. When I woke, both characters were fully developed. Eye color, hair color, personalities. And the whole story just slipped into my mind.


Sharon: Fascinating, and that has actually happened to me as well. Now, is there ever a time when you are writing that you lose yourself so completely in the moment you forget where you are?


Tiffany: Oh, my yes! My husband grumbles that I’m off in England again. Don’t look so hurt, Oliver. You know I’m married.


Sharon: What type of research materials did you do for this novel?


Tiffany: I read anything I could find about the time period. Including lots of historical and regency romance. I have many reference books as well, such as Everyday Life in Regency and Victorian England; Everyday Life in the 1800s; An Elegant Madness; What Jane Austen Ate and Charles Dickens Knew; etc.


Sharon: Tell me about your first book signing. What advice would you give authors to entice readers to purchase your book?


Tiffany: My first book signing was at a small independent bookstore. The owner is a delightful lady who loved books so much, she had to have her own shop. My advice to authors is to not just sit at the table and blend into the background. Be proactive. Stand up, greet the patrons, and smile. They will begin to ask questions and the sales will follow.

Oliver struts in, doing the tango, a silver platter poised above his head. He serves English sherry trifle. Placing a huge portion in a dainty floral china dessert dish, he feeds Tiffany her first bite. Then he gazes into her eyes, waiting for her response.


Tiffany: Mmmmm, delicious. The English sherry trifle isn’t bad, either.


Sharon: All right, Oliver. You’ve knocked yourself out. Now run along so we can finish our interview. Another margarita, Tiffany? You look a bit thirsty.


Tiffany: Yes, thank you. It’s a good thing I’m not driving.


Sharon: Just a few more questions. What’s next for Tiffany Green:


Tiffany: Well, I should soon have a release date for my second book, Innocence Avenged. It’s about the Duke of Huntington trying to escape the humiliation of being jilted only to meet the true owner of his heart; unfortunately, neither is aware of the serial killer stalking her.


Sharon: And we’ll certainly look forward to the release. As you probably know, I enjoy traditions and legends and lore. I ask all my guests to share a favorite with me. Do you have something for my book of keepsakes?

Tiffany: One of my favorite traditions is about Christmas in nineteenth century England and involves the introduction of the Christmas tree. In Britain, the Christmas tree was introduced in the early 1800s following the personal union with the Kingdom of Hanover, by Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Queen to King George III. In 1832 a young Queen Victoria wrote about her delight at having a Christmas tree, hung with lights (candles), ornaments, and presents placed round it. After her marriage to her German cousin Prince Albert, by 1841 the custom became more widespread throughout Britain. An image of the British royal family with their Christmas tree at Windsor Castle, created a sensation when it was published in the Illustrated London News in 1848. A modified version of this image was published in the United States in 1850. By the 1870s, putting up a Christmas tree had become common in America.


Sharon: Claps her hands in earnest applause. I especially adore traditions I hadn’t heard before, and this is certainly one for my box of keepsakes. And my last three trivia questions. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be and why? If you could be the leading lady in any literary book, which would it be and why? And last but not least, who would you want playing your romantic hero?


Tiffany: If I could live anywhere in the world, I would live exactly where I am living right now. Except, of course, if Gerard Butler invited me to live in Scotland with him. Wink, wink. Seriously, though, I live in a beautiful new home with a supportive husband and feel as though I am the luckiest person alive. I have the best friends anyone could ever ask for and a wonderful family. Why would I want to be anywhere else? While writing Innocence Lost, I was the leading lady, Megan. Lately, I’ve become Silver MacLaren in Innocence Avenged. My favorite leading ladies are the ones I write. This is because I know them, they are my friends and part of my family. I think of them as living, breathing individuals and can only hope my readers feel the same way. The same goes for my romantic hero. The one I would pick would be the one I am currently writing. Writing about these characters and telling their stories has been one of the greatest joys of my life.


Sharon: Beautiful answers, Tiffany. Sadly, that brings us to the end of another Wednesday Spotlight. Thank you so much for being my featured guest. You’ve been a delight. I hope you come back again.


Tiffany: Thank you so much, Sharon, for your hospitality and your charming company. I have had such a wonderful time and would love to come back.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR…

From the first moment I saved the knight in shining armor at age eight, I fell in love with romance. Since then, I have conjured many stories, and now I am excited to bring the best of them to you.


My main love is the Regency historical, but don’t be surprised if you find some medieval and western romances show up.

I am a native Texan and have deep roots in the small Texas town in which I live. My husband is incredibly wonderful and supportive and I have one awesome teenage son. Going back to school for my MBA is keeping me busy, but has not stopped me from my first love—creating exciting new worlds and interesting characters to fill them.


Visit me at www.tiffanygreen.net. I’m also on Facebook. I hope you enjoy my books!