Author Tina Folsom - Guest Post & Giveaway!

Today I have the very sweet and talented author Tina Folsom joining us today! You don't know how excited I was when she agreed to stop by for a guest post, but let me put the nerdy fan girl back in the box and let Tina get on with her post. LoL

Welcome Tina, thank you SO much for joining us today!

______________________________________________________


When I was invited to do a guest post on Reading Between the Wines Book Club and told I could write about anything I wanted, I thought, Oh Boy, there are so many choices. And frankly, that’s why it took me a while to figure out what to talk about. I didn’t want to do something that’s too much like other guest posts I’d done in the past, but at the same time I know you guys want something that relates to my books. And you know what happens when you have too many choices: it’s like standing in front of a huge buffet. But I digress.


So, I figured I’ll tell you a little about the daily dilemmas I deal with. When I started writing in late 2008, my biggest worry was that I would run out of ideas and that I’d be a one-book-wonder. Well, not really wonder, but you know what I mean. I shouldn’t have worried about that, because now my biggest dilemma every day is: when will I find time to write this?


The truth is, I have too many ideas and too little time. And that realization hit me right after Christmas 2010. Sales for my Scanguards Vampires series had started to really take off, more and more reviews fluttered in, and readers started to email me and ask when the next book would be released. That’s when panic set in. I hadn't planned on releasing the forth book (Yvette’s story) in the series until the summer of 2011. On my own little publishing schedule, I’d made a note to write the second book in the Out of Olympus series first.


Only, the first in the series, A Touch of Greek, wasn't selling as well as the Scanguards series despite its five- and four-star reviews. That’s when my next wave of panic hit me. Was I losing my touch? Was I writing something that the readers weren't looking for? Maybe Greek Gods would never take off. There isn't really a true sub-genre in romance that covers Greek Gods the way there is for Vampires. Was I trying to impose a new sub-genre on readers when they were perfectly happy with the existing ones?


I still don’t have answers to these questions, however, I have decided to satisfy my Scanguards readers first, and release Yvette’s story in April. But book #2 in the Out of Olympus series, Dionysus’ story, will be next. I still believe that Greek Gods have a great appeal, but maybe it will just take a little while longer for them to permeate through the general reader population. At least in the Young Adult genre, Greek Gods seem to have taken hold - see Percy Jackson and the Olympians - and it might only be a matter of time until adults latch on.


But Scanguards Vampires and Out of Olympus are not my only series. I also started a new historical Vampire series in December: Venice Vampyr. They are novellas, so about 1/3 of the length of my regular novels, and more sexually explicit. Two novellas are already published, and I hope to write a third one in between Yvette’s and Dionysus’ stories, sort of as a little relaxation between two long novels.


Recently I also received a reader email, asking whether I’ll be continuing my Captured Viking series. There’s only one short story out so far: Captured to Breed, but it is set up to be a trilogy. Again, I would love to write the next in the series, but there are just not enough hours in the day.


Writing series is very rewarding, because you can get a really loyal following of readers, but at the same time it can also put pressure on the author who can’t keep up with releasing the next books fast enough. So, dear readers, I heard all your requests, I've taken them to heart, and I will eventually get around to writing all those different stories, but please be patient. It takes time to write a good book. And I don’t want to compromise on quality.


The good thing about being an indie author is that I can release a book as soon as it’s ready. Authors who work for publishers have to wait between 12 to 18 months for their book to be released after they’re done writing it. I just don’t have that kind of patience.


Thanks for having me on your blog today, and make sure to enter the giveaway. Also please check out my blog and enter the Nook Color giveaway, which is still open until January 24.
______________________________________________________
You can find more of Tina at:
www.tinawritesromance.com
http://authortinafolsom.blogspot.com
http://www.facebook.com/AuthorTinaFolsom
http://www.twitter.com/Tina_Folsom

GIVEAWAY!

Tina has graciously offered one paper back copy of Gabriel's Mate to U.S. readers and one e-copy to international readers!

To enter just leave a question or comment for Tina and 
fill out this form. 




Giveaway will end at 11:59pm on Feb. 3rd. A winner will be chosen using random.org and emailed, the winner then has 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen. 
*Comments are not your entry, you must fill out the form above.
I've read this novel and it is awesome, you'll love it!
Good luck!