Monday, October 13, 2014

Virtual Book Tour: The Shed

Please welcome author Dianne Hartsock, who is here to discuss her newest release, The Shed.  Diane will be awarding a $25 Amazon GC, plus an e-copy of Alex, first book in the series, to a randomly drawn commenter via rafflecopter during the tour. The more you comment, the better your chances of winning. To find the rest of the stops on her tour, go here. Look for the rafflecopter at the end of this post.

The Questions
1)      You’re marooned on a small island with one person and one item of your choice—who is that person
and what item do you have?
This is a dangerous question! I should say my husband…  But, can I have Jude Law please? I could spend weeks gazing into those gorgeous eyes and listening to that sexy voice. And those lips! We'd survive on pineapples and bananas (think Gilligan's Island). Only when we've exhausted all the excitement to be had on the island and each other, I'd pull out the cell phone I've kept hidden and call for the yacht.

2)      Which musical would you say best exemplifies your life – and which character in that musical are you?
Oh, this is embarrassing! I don't really like musicals all that much. Though I do go through life singing, much to the dismay of my friends and co-workers. If you asked me for a song that portrays my life, I'd pick I'm Still Standing by Elton John. Not for what any one lover did, but just because life has been a little harder at times than I like, but I've come through and ended up exactly where I want to be.  As for musicals, I do like Sweeney Todd. Yes, because of Johnney Depp. And also My Fair Lady because it's so darn romantic.

3)      Take these three words and give me a 100 word or less scenario using them:  night, union,  minute
Mist clings to the trees, drips off the sign at a rural Union Station. A full moon disappears behind clouds as the woman glances nervously at her watch. Another minute passes. A man steps from the train. They embrace, then the howling begins from the forest surrounding them. The couple walk to the edge of the platform and draw their long silver knives just as the werewolves burst into the open.

4)      You’ve just been let loose in the world of fiction, with permission to make love to anyone you want.
Who do you choose and why?
That would be Quinn (Christian Bale) in Reign of Fire. Intelligent, brave, tortured, sexy as hell. He spends most of his life trying to create a community of people, keep mankind alive until the dragons sleep once again. Lonely and struggling, I'd love to stand by his side and support him, and be the one he comes to for comfort and great sex.



5)      What is your idea of how to spend romantic time with your significant other?
Our favorite evening is building a fire in the fireplace, listening to soft music and sharing a glass of wine and conversation. Chocolate is also welcomed.

6)      When you start a new story, do you begin with a character, or a plot?
My stories are mostly driven by emotion. I like to get intensely personal with my characters and wring every last feeling out of them. If I'm writing a romance, I'll start with a wistful glance or flirty remark or brokenhearted sobbing. In my psychological thrillers I put my MC's in situations that make them uncomfortable, unsure, uneasy. I've set them in scenes where the reader has no doubt this character is in an unusual situation with more strange happenings to follow.

7)      If they were to make the story of your life into a movie, who should play you?
*snort* I'm sorry, I've lived a pretty tame life, which I thoroughly enjoy, but would make a really
boring movie. Not even enough here to make a made for TV drama! But my husband says I could get Cheryl Tiegs to play me, so you can see why I keep him around.
















8)      Who’s your favorite horror villain and why?
I adore Vincent Price in all his villainous roles! I think it's his voice I love the most, the way he rolls his words. And he's cute and funny. Like his smile, though it can be cruel at times. Just good scary fun. I especially like him in The Raven and House on Haunted Hill, though all of them are good.







9)      Do you have an historical crush and if so, who is it?
I've always been intrigued with Thomas Jefferson. I know he wasn't perfect, the product of his times,
but such an intelligent, passionate man. I think it would be fascinating to spend some time with him.



10)   Is there a story that you’d like to tell but you think the world isn’t ready to receive it?
I have a million stories milling around in my head but nothing so controversial that my readers would be shocked to see it.  Sorry guys!




The Shed
by Dianne Hartsock

~~~~~~~~~~~~~




BLURB:

As a Certified Mental Health Therapist, Scott Reid has his share of interesting experiences, though nothing compares with the time he spends with the psychic, Alex Elson. Plagued by terrifying images and dreams, Alex turns to Doctor Reid in the hopes of learning to control his visions. Instead, Scott is pulled into Alex’s world, where dreams and reality mix and nightmares are real.

Two young men, brothers, have been abducted from the lake outside of Oakton without a trace of who took them. That is, until Alex receives a silver pocket watch in the mail belonging to the elder brother, a taunt from the kidnapper for Alex to come find them. Alex’s visions turn at once into nightmares. Images flash in his mind of an abandoned well and a terrified, lonely boy slowly dying at the bottom. The shed looms close by, holding a horrifying secret, a dark place Alex’s frightened mind refuses to go.

With the help of Scott Reid, Alex endeavors to control his visions and find the brutalized victims before death claims them. But the watch is ticking away and time’s running out.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EXCERPT:


“Hey Alex…” Justin’s voice trailed off, and he put the coffee pot on the warmer and went over to him when the man didn’t respond. Scott joined them, leaving his computer on the table as he passed. Alex’s eyes were wide, unfocused as he stared out the window. His breath came quickly and sweat beaded his forehead.

“What do you see?” Scott asked, voice mild, placid.

“It’s hot here. Grass is dry.” Alex’s whispered words sent a shiver through Scott. He sounded…detached. “The forest is dark across the way. Crows circle above the trees.”

“Alex, where are you right now?” Scott made the question a demand.

A shudder ran Alex’s lean frame. “I’m in your office, Dr. Reid. I see the garden through the window. But I’m also here, in this empty field. Talk to me! I want to come away from here.”

Scott touched his hand. “Come home, Alex.”

“It’s hard. Something’s drawing me to the forest. God! I don’t want to go in there.”

“Jane would want you to come home,” Scott said firmly, using the ace up his sleeve. For a second he didn’t think even the deep love Alex had for his wife could draw
him back, but then he blinked his eyes into focus, and gave Scott a slight smile.

“Thank you. That’s a terrible place.”

“Is it a real place, do you think?”

Alex’s expression turned bleak. “Yes,” he whispered.




~~~~~~~~~~~~~



AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Dianne grew up in one of the older houses in the middle of Los Angeles, a place of hardwood floors and secret closets and back staircases. It’s where her love of the mysterious and wonderful came from. Dianne now lives in the beautiful Willamette Valley of Oregon with her incredibly patient husband, who puts up with the endless hours she spends hunched over the keyboard letting her characters play.

She says Oregon’s raindrops are the perfect setting in which to write. There’s something about being cooped up in the house while it pours rain outside, a fire crackles on the hearth inside, and a cup of hot coffee warms her hands which kindles her imagination.

Currently, Dianne works as a floral designer in a locally-owned gift shop. Which is the perfect job for her. When not writing, she can express herself through the rich colors and textures of flowers and foliage.

Blog: http://diannehartsock.wordpress.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/diannehartsock

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/diannehartsock

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/4707011-dianne-hartsock

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Dianne-Hartsock/e/B005106SYQ/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1361897239&sr=8-1

ARe Books: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/storeSearch.html

THE SHED

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Shed-Dianne-Hartsock-ebook/dp/B00KXH186K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1402609466&sr=8-1&keywords=dianne+hartsock

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-shed-dianne-hartsock/1119716446?ean=2940149418244

Solstice Publishing:  http://solsticepublishing.com/search.php?search_query=DIANNE+HARTSOCK&x=0&y=0














a Rafflecopter giveaway

9 comments:

  1. Oh my! That's quite a pic of Cheryl! Thanks so much for having me over. :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. The interview was great but I loved the blurb and excerpt for the book. It sounds amazng.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm so glad you liked the excerpt, Sherry! It's always hard to pick just one out of the book. :)

      Delete
  3. A great interview. I like the movie REIGN OF FIRE.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's one of my favorite movies too, Mary! I thought it was very well written and acted. Thanks for stopping by!

      Delete
  4. Fun interview! I love Vincent Price, too...he was a major foodie and art buff, which struck me as very cool!

    Trix, vitajex(at)Aol(Dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  5. Nice excerpt but I enjoyed the interview more. =)

    ReplyDelete