July 31, 2007

Official Announcement for Hallows Hex Design

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July 29, 2007

Hallows Hex Design

My design site is now up and running!

HALLOWS HEX DESIGN

I am so excited! I still have alot of work to do on it, but it's good to see it live!

July 18, 2007

4 Ribbon Review

Wow....I just got a 4 Ribbon Review from Romance Junkies!!! I can't believe it! Here's some of what Anita had to say.......

"Missy Sue Hanson has created a fascinating magical adventure in which a necromancer falls in love with a warlock in her newest paranormal romance, BAYOU SUMMONS. Sweaty images of the steamy bayou and a sense of mystique set the stage for this erotic romance. Colorful and compelling characters tell their story as they come together to fight an evil that threatens the world." ~ Anita, Romance Junkies

I am SO flying high right now.....I keep wondering if my book got confused with another one, lol.

July 11, 2007

Walls......

I just saw this icon that really got me to thinking......this is what it said.......

"Sometimes people put up walls not to keep others out but to see who cares enough to tear them down."

Wow. Don't know why those words hit me so hard??....Maybe it's becaue I do it in my own life. Though it can be a bad thing, as I sit here and think about it, that simple sentence really defines something for me. And it has made me come to a startling conclusion. I have been waiting for someone to tear down my walls, lol.

Someone who cares enough to take the time. Someone who would defend me to his last breath.

And really, we don't have to be talking about relationship kind of love, we could talk about friendship, family. Who is it in my life that has cared enough to break out the jack hammer and start deconstructing the concrete? Hmmm.....

This might be the beginning of a great idea........lol

Christopher Howell Interview


What a man. Christopher is warm, sincere and an absolute pleasure to know. I had the honor of interviewing this cover model and 2007 RT Convention pageant hopeful........here's what he had to say.......


First things first........tell us about your family! Any brothers or sisters?
I have three brothers. Two older and one younger. Paul is the oldest, followed by Matthew, me, and the youngest Aaron.


How close are you to your family?
I am very close to my family. From time to time we might argue, but deep down inside, it’s family. You only have one family, so make the best of it.


How long have you wanted to be a model? Why? What pulls you to a modeling career?
I have wanted to be a model for a very long time. Since I was just a boy. Wanting to be famous is what pulls me to modeling. I enjoy being in front of people and keeping a smile on their face. Besides that, It’s always nice to get paid to stand around and look good.


On your page at MySpace, it states that you have lots of different interests and talents, including acting and performing stunts. Out of all of these talents, do you have one that is your favorite? Why?
I don’t really have just one favorite. Everything that I learn to do takes me on some type of adventure leaving me with a wonderful story to tell in the end. If you can have a never ending amount of stories to tell in your old age, than you most likely had a life that you truly lived to its fullest.


On your page you say that anyone can be beautiful nowadays with the availability of photo enhancements form computer programs. How do you think that affects men and women in today's society? Do you feel that it sets good standards or bad ones?
I think that it affects them a lot. Here’s an example :D….I once went on a blind date/met up with a girl based only on one of her pictures that she had showed me. I stopped by her work after doing a photo shoot….(yeah, I was prettied up and ready to go) and received my first glance of what she looked like. It was nothing like the photo or the photo had been enhanced BIG TIME! I think that it sets both good standards and bad ones. It sets bad ones because anyone can do it and it sets good ones because they can make you look really good!


If you had to pick one city in the USA, which would it be? Why?
I would have to visit a few more before I could make that decision. If I had to just name one off the top of my head, it would be New York.(I’m going there at the end of July, so I can give you a definite answer afterwards). I am a people person. I like to be around lots of people and I heard that there is a lot of people there and always something to do no matter what time it is…which is perfect because I have a hard time trying to sleep.


When you're not using those bulging muscles to haul boxes at UPS or posing for photo shoots, what do you do?
Haha Funny question….I actually like to just do anything and everything. From lounging around the house watching movies and doing absolutely nothing, to doing whatever pops into my head first!


Ladies.......hang on to your britches for his answer to this question.........LOL

If you could define the perfect moment, what would you describe?
Standing face to face with your lover with her soft lips about to meet yours. There are clouds out, but they are scattered…just enough to keep the sun from being too bright. It’s about seventy five degrees out with a nice breeze sweeping through the air. After the two of you finish caressing one and other, you realize that it’s morning. This brings a smile to your face, because you still have the whole day to spend with each other.


While at the RT Convention this year, did you buy any books? If so, which ones?
No, I can’t stand to spend money when I’m doing events and things such as that. I admit, I’m a little spoiled. I love free things and will take what you give me, but will always focus my time on something else once I find out that I have to spend my money on something. I think it’s because I have a brick wall built up to keep me from getting scammed in the whole industry. When your younger and don’t’ know any better, many people will try and scam you for thousands of dollars in the modeling/acting industry.


What was your favorite thing about this year's convention?
How we were treated like celebrities. I enjoyed always having someone coming up to me and wanting to talk or get their picture with me.


I heard the opinion of an editor recently that the rise of romantica and erotica books has set unattainable standards for the real men in the women's lives who read these books, making women's expectations too high. What is your opinion of that?
I think that there is no such thing as the word unattainable. I always romance my girl friend and I probably do it more than a romance novel does. Yes, it’s a never ending amount :D….I’m a bit of a hopeless….no longer hopeless…romantic.


When asked what was your favorite part of your body, you stated your eyes because "you don't have to worry about perfecting them in any way to make anybody happy"......do you feel that you have to be perfect?
My goal to be perfect leaves me on a never ending journey. Yes, I would like to be perfect or almost perfect in everyone’s eyes. I want people to be able to look at me and be able to say, “ I like something about him.”


Some people think that the life of a model is easy, that looking good just comes naturally to some people, do think that's true?
Haha that’s funny. If you only knew what I have to do to stay like this. I have to constantly work out, scan my body for any flaws, and remind myself that even though I ‘m a guy and what I want to do at this very moment (of what ever I might be doing) will possibly hurt me or even scar me, I shouldn’t do it because I have to keep looking pretty.


Can you give us a little insight into your daily routine?
Wake up at 2:50a.m. for work(UPS). Get off work around 6:30a.m. and come home, take a shower fallowed by bed. Wake up, get onto the computer and look for modeling jobs or call to see if I can get more work from a friend. Hopefully get some type of shoot or something set up or a job installing the super expensive shower doors, windows, mirrors. Go to the gym, come home and relax, then go to bed and wake up early for work again.


How hard is it to constantly keep an image?
Very, because there are so many factors that will throw you off in every day life. It’s hard to do stuff that you don’t want to do and on top of it keep fit.


What is your idea of the perfect woman?
My girl friend hahah :D A flawless personality that makes her my best friend and looks to keep me always wanting more. She is very unique and one of a kind.


Have you ever been drawn to a woman from across a room? What was it about her that drew you in?
Yes, she would have given me a look showing she’s interested in meeting me or I was bored and had nothing else to do….haha yeah, not many women want to hear the second answer coming from a guy.


Do you have any plans to attend the 2008 RT Convention? Any other events/plans where we can expect to see you?
I do indeed have plans on attending the 2008 RT convention. Hopefully someone will sponsor me like several of the other guys there were and I do intend to go to other events coming up here in the future.

Here are some places you can see more of Christopher......


Christopher's got a bright future ahead of him and I'm quite certain we'll be seeing more of him!
*picture by Styx Photography

July 10, 2007

Red Roses Interview

Hi, Everyone! I have an interview up at Red Roses For Authors, a review blog! Pop on over and take a look at me, lol!

http://redrosesforauthors.blogspot.com/2007/07/interview-with-missy-sue-hanson.html

July 03, 2007

Java @ The Hut and new contest!



Announcing JAVA @ The Hut.....a group for everyone's promos, contests and chats! Java @ The Hut will be open to promos everyday of the week! There are only a few rules which are posted on the home page. Eventually I hope to host author's chats and special events, so I hope you'll come join me for a cup of java at the hut!


CONTEST! Everyone who joins Jave @ The Hut this week will be automatically entered to win a free banner! You can use the banner for promo purposes!


Hope to see you at JAVA @ THE HUT!!!!

July 01, 2007

LORI DEVOTI ~ Interview

I had the pleasure of interviewing Lori Devoti, author of UNBOUND, a novel from Silhouette's hot paranormal line, NOCTURNE. Here's what Lori had to say;

What inspired you to become a writer?
I don’t know. I wrote a lot of poetry as a child/teen—who didn’t? Started a couple of novels in my twenties, but never went far with them. Then after I had my daughter my husband suggested I write a book—so I did. My first manuscript was actually a mystery.

Do you feel that UNBOUND is any different from others of the same genre?
Well, people keep telling me it is. I guess it is. I didn’t try to write something incredibly different. It is just what came out. I read a lot of fantasy and mystery—not just romance. I guess that is why.

What advice can you give an inspiring writer?
This is tough because it depends on what stage the writer is at. No agent is better than a bad agent is always a good piece of advice. A rejection doesn’t mean you are a bad writer, just that that particular person at that particular time isn’t looking for what you wrote. Everything in this business is basically one person’s opinion—reviews, agent rejections/acceptances, editor rejections/acceptances. Don’t let them get you down and keep going. Pick the pearls out of critiques and toss everything else. See, I have TONS of advice.


Did you feel you would go as far as you did?
I don’t think I am that far yet. So I hope to go much further. To be honest, I don’t think I thought about how far I would get.

Can you tell us a bit about your contemporary novels, LOVE IS ALL AROUND and LOVE IS ALL YOU NEED?
They are both set in Southern Missouri. They are very different from Unbound. Light contemporary romantic comedies. I have had people say they can’t believe they were written by the same person who wrote Unbound—but they were. J Love is All Around is about a small town girl who wants to get out and move to the city—St. Louis in this case. Love is All You Need is about a small town girl who has left and been working in Chicago at a high brow auction house. Her boss sends her to Southern Missouri to find a piece of legendary art pottery. The hero is after the same piece of art pottery. I think both books are fun and they both have characters similar to people I knew in my childhood—which made them fun to write. There are excerpts from both on my site.



What is your favorite thing about writing Contemporary? Paranormal?
Romantic comedy is easy for me. It just pours out. Writing dark is harder. I have to get into dark mode—and stay there. But I love the paranormal aspects and being able to just go with my imagination. Hellhounds can get away with a lot more than a small town girl from Missouri.



In which areas are the two genres the most different?
If asking about my particular books, it’s my voice. It is totally different between the two.

Where did the idea for UNBOUND come from?
I wanted to write about shape-shifters, but didn’t want to do werewolves. I came across a picture of the Black Dog of Ireland in a book and the idea for hellhounds were born. This is also where the seed for Lusse came from. This same book said some people believed a witch named Lusse ran the Wild Hunt (usually it is Odin). I just ran with it.

Was there a specific event or person who spurred the creation of Lusse's character in your UNBOUND novel?
Just the book I mentioned above. The rest just kind of happened. I am not a writer who does character sheets or anything. My characters are fairly organic.

Can you tell us a bit about GUARDIAN'S KEEP, your next book for the Unbound series?
It’s Kelly and Kol’s story. Lots of action in this one and lots of new beings. Kelly is harboring bad feelings against Kol for the death of her friend in Unbound. On Kol’s part—someone has been attacking his bar trying to take over his portal—he suspects Kelly. So each is watching the other when the book opens. There is a lot more about garm in this book and a new place that I love—Lyngvi and a new character, Fenrir. Plus dwarves, dark elves, trolls, mud type monsters and the corporeal undead. Lots and lots of action—and it’s hotter than Unbound. I really like Kol. He’s an alpha, but a protector. That is part of a garm’s nature—to protect.

How about the third book in the series?
This is Venge’s story and I am writing it now. I can’t say a lot about it because the proposal is still out with my editor, but I plan to introduce some more new beings: Valkyries and Norns. And the Wild Hunt is a focal point. And some characters from the first two books will make appearances.

On your website's hompage you feature Hellhound Bookplates. Can you tell us about those?
They are printed on Avery labels, but I think they look pretty nice. If anyone would like one, they can send me a self-addressed stamped envelope and a note letting me know if you want one or two. I’ll sign them and ship them back off. My mailing address to send the SASE is Lori Devoti, PO Box 46251, Madison, WI 53744-6251



Thanks for the interview!!

Lori

Thank you, Lori! I'm delighted and honored!

You can visit LORI DEVOTI to learn more about her books and the lady herself!



June 28, 2007


Thirteen Things about SUMMER....

1.) Thunderstorms. I love them, even though all I want to do is sit and listen to the rain instead of getting any work done.

2.) My sister's name is Summer, lol. She represents it perfectly....golden curls, full of sunshine and flair.

3.) Camping. I grew up camping, peeing in the woods and going to two days without a shower....yes, I know it's gross...but that's what camping is all about, lol.

4.) Rodeo. Ahhh....nothing better than the sights, sounds and smells of a summertime rodeo. Of course, if you're not used to dust clogging your nostrils and the smell of hot cow and horse shit, it might not be your thing, lol.

5.) Swimsuits. I hate them. Always have, even way back when I didn't really have anything to complain about, lol. I hate the way the fit. I hate the way they feel.

6.) Daylight. I love the fact that it can still be daylight at bedtime.

7.) BBQ's. I love the feel of all those people being in the same place and just having fun.

8.) Fireflies....or lightning bugs......what more can you say?

9.) Hay fields. I love to see a hay field that has just been plowed and baled.

10.) Watching my son swim.....or try to anyway, lol.

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THE UNFORTUNATE MISS FORTUNES

The first thing I have to say about the book is that the cover is amazing! Absolutely beautiful, yet simple, it stood out to me in a row of endless other paperbacks. It was the only reason I picked it up.

I am only on page four as of yet and can honestly say it's a knock-out read. It hooked me right off the bat with the first paragraph and has had me laughing and interested since I opened it.

The THE UNFORTUNATE MISS FORTUNES website was also a worthwhile visit. it has downloads (which I am now displaying as my screensaver) and a blog where the three authors of the book post. I definitely recommend checking out this new release and it's website!