Today is Alluring Turmoil’s official release day!
Sales are GREAT and I couldn’t be any happier.
Currently I’m #1092 in the Paid Kindle Store! This is out of over 80,000 books! So, yes I am stoked!!!!!!
4 Facebook pages/blogs interviewed me this week. I enjoyed the interviews and really thank them for taking the time to get to know me and share a little of me with their fans and readers.
I’ll share the links with you now for the blogs. Each one is a little different and each one gives book info and you’ll get to know me a little as well.
They’re a glimpse into my head. (You might be sorry once you see what’s in there.)
The first Page to post their interview was Book Geeks Unite, you can find them HERE on Facebook.
Here is the Interview with them.
Recently, I had the pleasure of interviewing fellow Louisianan, Skye Turner Author. I’ve been fortunate enough to get to know her a little over the past few weeks, and I must say she’s a sweetheart. I hope you enjoy getting to know her a little through this interview as we discuss her novel, her family and her take on the 50 Shades casting choices!
~ Shawn 🙂
What inspired you to write your first book?
For 3 years now, I’ve edited for other Indie authors. I came across a book called “All For Anna” by Nicole Deese and it just really touched me. It’s a Christian, inspirational romance, so nothing like my books, but I completely loved it. I loved that Nicole Deese was so open and able to write about what was important to her, plus the book was amazing. I started talking to her and when her second book in the series came out and I read it, something in me just woke up. I’ve always had ideas in my head, but after these books, the idea and the story for Alluring Turmoil just demanded to be let out. Jude and Lexi wanted out. So, I wrote it.
How did you come up with the title Alluring Turmoil?
This seems to be a popular question. Jude and Lexi are electric. Their relationship is so intense, yet has some serious issues that they refuse to deal with. I played around with various titles, but the title Beautiful Chaos stayed on my mind. There are so many “Beautiful” books out though, and I didn’t want mine to get lost in the mix. So, I compromised and came up with Alluring Turmoil since it basically means the same thing and I absolutely love it now.
What genre(s) do you most enjoy reading?
I am a huge fan of romance. All romance. But paranormal romance and contemporary romance are my favorites. My absolute favorite genre is actually YA Paranormal Romance though. And I also love Dystopian.
How many books do you read per month, on average?
Before I started writing, I’d read at least a book a day. Since writing, I read a couple per week. And about 8 per month on average. I’d like to get back to reading more once things settle down though.
Who are you top three favorite authors?
Nora Roberts, Gena Showalter, and JoAnn Ross
What book are you reading now?
I’m currently reading Origin by Jennifer L. Armentrout, Wicked Wind by Sharon Kay and an ARC of Sanguis City by Morgan Jane Mitchell.
Are there any new authors that have caught your eye?
Her book isn’t out yet, but I was lucky enough to read an ARC of LL Collins’s Living Again and I loved it. Alina Man is another author whose books are not like mine, but I find myself very drawn to them. I also cannot put down either of the 2 books by new authors I’m currently reading. There’s so much talent in the Indie field!
What’s a typical day like in the Turner household? I know you have children, so where do you find the time to write? Are you a day writer or a night writer?
A typical day here is CHAOS. Lol. But I love it. I thrive in chaos. My children are very young, 5.5 and 4, so they are constantly needing/wanting/demanding something, but I’m an excellent multi-tasker. A normal day starts around 6-6:30AM for me and I don’t stop until after well after midnight most nights. I’m OCD about my house being clean, baking and cooking are things I absolutely love and I’m very crafty, so we’re always doing projects (my friends jokingly call me SuperMommy). I sit when I can and write, but spending time with my family is number one for me. Things have been a lot smoother since they started school and are gone most of the day, but my household details and editing take up a lot of my day, so writing is generally done at night after they are down.
Where do you stand on the 50 Shades casting hoopla? Do you care at all? Will you see the movie?
Honestly, I don’t care. I wasn’t an uber fan of the books. I read them, I enjoyed them, but they didn’t change my life. I took then for what they were, a quick way to escape into an enjoyable book. Matt Bomer was my choice for Christian Grey… or Ian Somerhalder. I didn’t even know who the guy they cast was to be honest. I don’t watch the show he’s on and I’ve never heard of the girl. But I’m sure they will nail the roles. After all, I don’t think many people knew who other people were when they were cast in pivotal roles either. As far as seeing the movie, I would wait until it came out on cable, but my girlfriends are telling me I’m going with them to see it. And I’m always up for a Girl’s night with my best friends, so I guess I will see it in the theater after all.
Be sure to check out Skye’s debut novel, Alluring Turmoil (Bayou Stix #1).
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The 2nd Interview was with Book Fanatic-Roni. You can find her HERE on Facebook or her blog can be found HERE.
This is her interview with me. (She is a dear friend and has supported me immensely through this process.)
Interview with Skye Turner author of Alluring Turmoil Coming Out September 13th
Hi Skye, I appreciate you taking time out of your busy day to answer a few questions for me. My goal is to have other readers get to see how awesome you are 🙂 Here we go:
1. When did you decide you wanted to start writing?
The day I sat at the computer and started Alluring Turmoil. LOL. I never thought I wanted to write. I was the reader and the editor, not the writer.
2. Which do you prefer more, writing or editing?
I love to edit. I love helping authors perfect their work, but I have to be honest and say that I absolutely LOVE writing. It’s so exhilarating getting your own ideas, characters, and stories onto paper and ready for the world to see.
3. How did this story Alluring Turmoil come to you?
Jude and Lexi have been in my head for a long time, but I never really gave them much free reign. It was a snippet here and there, but I actually read a book, an inspirational romance, called “All For Anna” by Nicole Deese and I loved the way she wrote so freely about what was important to her. When her 2nd book came out, I read it and it just gave me the push to get Lexi and Jude out of my head and onto the laptop. By that point, they were pretty persistent anyway.
4. Are any of the characters based on real people you know?
I had to laugh. Yes actually. Jude is based partly on features and characteristics of my husband, Adam Levine, and Eric Johnson (the sexy actor), but he’s a lot of my imagination too. Lexi and Bradi are actually a lot like me and my friends in a lot of ways. But of the 2 girls, Bradi would be more “like me”.
5. Was this an easy story for you to write?
In all honesty, yes it was. It just flowed. There was one scene that I completely threw out after writing one night for 4 hours, because something just felt off, but I am very happy with the scene that took its place. The first few sex scenes were a little strange to me though. I made myself blush a few times.
6. Do you listen to music when you are writing? If so which songs inspired you the most?
I actually do not listen to music when I write. I listen when I brainstorm and outline, but not when I’m actually writing. It would distract me and when I write, I’m in “the zone”. Alluring Turmoil does have a Playlist and it’s songs that remind me of parts of the book or mirror the emotions of the characters. Of the Playlist songs, I think Clarity by Zedd and It’s Not Over by Daughtry most reflect Jude and Lexi as a whole.
7. I have to know…the tattoo itself is very creative. Did you picture the tattoo as you were writing about Jude or was there somebody that had a tattoo that helped you create Jude’s tattoo?
No, Jude’s tattoo is entirely my creation. It was in my head and it’s such an important part of the book, I needed it featured on the cover. My cover designer completely nailed my vision. It’s so perfect to the picture in my head it’s eerie.
8. I’m curious. Was it hard writing the Hot sex scenes? (I would be all hot and bothered….lol)
Um, yes. Writing the first sex scene, I was so embarrassed. I sent it to 2 people and was like, “Is this ok? Does it suck? Is it too graphic? What do you think?” And I was reassured it was hot and perfect. Writing sex scenes is not an easy task. Especially when I think that people I know will read them. Lol
9. How did you come up with Alluring Turmoil as the title of the book?
Originally, I wanted to call it Beautiful Chaos, but there’s already a pretty popular book with that name, and there are so many “Beautiful” books out… I played around with it and decided I like Alluring Turmoil and it basically means the same thing.
10. I know you are a full-time mom, and I bet it is difficult to focus while taking care of everything. How do you keep yourself from going crazy so that you can get into the zone of writing?
I don’t. LOL. I’m actually pretty much insane. I just hide it well. I’m sort of kidding. Honestly, I don’t know how to relax. If I’m not doing 10 things and my life is not chaotic, I don’t know how to function. I’ve also gotten pretty good at listening to my kids and keeping an eye on them while doing 10 other things, so if they aren’t giving me the I “hurt myself and need the hospital” scream, then we’re good.
11. Is your family supportive of your decision to start writing?
My husband was actually working away from home when I started the book. He called home and I said, “Hey baby, I’m writing a book.” He said, “Yes, I saw that on Facebook.” My husband is amazing. He supports me 100% in everything I do, he’s also the person who can keep my from the brink when I get too overwhelmed. I’m a lucky lady. My parents are pretty great and supportive too.
12. Will this book turn into a series based on different characters? If so how many do you think you may write in the series?
Yes, Bayou Stix is the series and there are 5 band members, so there will be 5 books.
13. What book are you currently reading?
I’m currently reading 3 books: Origin (Lux #4) by Jennifer Armentrout, Wicked Wind by Sharon Kay, and Bully by Penelope Douglas.
14. Do you have any advice to give to new writers that are barely getting into the business?
Don’t allow anyone to tell you you can’t do it, but don’t think it’s easy. Writing the book is just the beginning. You are your biggest fan and your biggest selling point, so be prepared to WORK for what you want. Contact blogs and authors you admire and make friends. It’s important.
15. Are there any authors that have inspired you with their writing? (famous or not)
Yes, Nicole Deese, Nora Roberts, Gena Showalter, JoAnne Ross, Molly McAdams, Shelly Pratt, Alina Man, Glenna Maynard, and LL Collins.
16. Any shout outs you might want to give when I post this interview?
Roni asked me if I wanted to give any shout outs, so I’m going to! I’m going to thank one person who is NOT famous, but is 100% supportive and a great childhood friend, Thomas Noble. He read my book and he gave me honest, unbiased feedback from a male’s perspective, not many men will do that. He’s also always giving me encouragement and support and when people you’ve known your entire life do this, it means so much, so thank you Thomas! I appreciate you! And I’m going to give a HUGE shout out to Roni over at Book Fanatics! 😉 She took on a book from an unknown author and has supported me from day one, so thank you Roni for everything you’ve done for me and also for this awesome interview! Okay well that is all I have for you today, and I wish you the best of luck on your book. I know you will kick ass!
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ALLURING TURMOIL ~ REVIEW & AUTHOR INTERVIEW
ALLURING TURMOIL (BAYOU STIX 1) by SKYE TURNER
SYNOPSIS:
Alexia Sloane is the twenty-six year old owner of the highly successful Louisiana coffee shop/bakery, Java and Sweeties. The past couple of years have been all she’s dreamed of and her business takes all of her focus, all of her heart.
Jude Delecroix is the lead singer of one of the most famous rock bands in the country, Bayou Stix, and the man who broke Lexi’s heart.
Lexi and Jude have a past.
When Jude comes back to town eight years after leaving to fulfill his lifelong dream of being a famous musician and comes face to face with Lexi, forces collide, old hurts are brought to the surface, and life as these two have been living it will never be the same.
There are two sides to every story, and what happens when the things you believed to be concrete suddenly crumble like ash and fade away?
What happens when two people afraid to face the past, become involved in the present? Can they hope for a future?
Welcome to Louisiana where humidity and passion are high and things are not always what they seem.
REVIEW:
Watch Out Ladies, there is a new rocker in town and he goes by the name of Jude Delecroix. Make sure you have plenty of time and nobody to interrupt you when you start this book because believe me, you will not want to put it down! This is Skye Turners first book, but it doesnt show. The writing is confident, it flows, and the characters are so well put together. Its written in dual point of view, which I love. Its quite difficult sometimes to relate to a male POV when written by a woman, not everyone gets it right but Turner manages this with ease and makes his character so believeable ~ some of Judes internal monologues had me in stitches!
I fell in love with Lexi straight away, she is independant, funny and ballsy. I loved her relationship with her best friends Bradi and Erik, they were strong secondary characters and really added to the story. What can I say about Jude? That man should come with a warning – he is smoking hot! He is your typical arrogant rockstar, bedding a bunch of women, but there is only one woman that he has truly ever wanted. Alexia!
“….I can’t stand to see you upset. And I’m not asking you to be a rock stars girlfriend. I’m Jude. Just Jude. Be MY girlfriend. Ok? Just be with me. Not Jude the rock star. Just Jude, the man who’s loved you his entire life. The man who loves you now.”
……..*Faints* Isn’t he special ladies? He really does have a sweet, caring side to him and I fell hopelessly in love with him.
I have to say that this book does contain graphic sex and language, so its definitely not for younger readers ~ so technically I wouldn’t recommend it to everyone. If you are over 18 however, I say you need to download this NOW!!
Obviously this is book 1 in a series. We do briefly get to meet the other members of Bayou Stix ~ Jessie, Liam, Cruz and Dade ~ and the good news is that they will each be getting their own book. YAY!!
Finally I just need to say Well Done and a huge Congratulations to Skye Turner on a fantastic debut! I really am so excited for the rest of the series.
INTERVIEW:
I was lucky enough to be offered the chance to interview Skye, here’s what she had to say:
Hello Skye and thankyou for letting me interview you! Can I start by asking how you came up with the idea for the story?
I didn’t really. Lol. Jude and Lexi have been in my head for a long time, but I usually just pushed them back. I was the editor, not the writer. This summer, they demanded to be let out and I sat down to write it. I didn’t actually come up with it in the sense that I said, “I want to write a book. What will I write about?” Lol. It just kind of happened in my head and I just wrote it down. Alluring Turmoil is the result.
Have you always wanted to write?
I went to school for Journalism, so in a way I suppose I did, but I wanted to be a Broadcast Journalist. I didn’t graduate, I’m not far off, but life intervened. I have been freelancing articles for years with various websites and publications, but only every now and again. For the past 3 years, I’ve been editing for Indie authors. One authors work really made me realize I wanted to get my own ideas down, so I started writing Alluring Turmoil not intending for anyone else to ever read it. I just wanted it out of my head.
Is the location of the story special to you?
Yes. Baton Rouge is home. I’m a very proud Louisianan, so I will always center my stories around Louisiana. Our culture is amazing and I want to share a bit of that with my readers. The biggest compliment a person can give me is to want to visit my home state because they fell in love with it through my work.
Jude is an absolute Sex-God!! Did anybody in particular inspire his character?
Well Jude is a combination of several people while still being his own man. He’s based off of my own husband, Adam Levine, and Eric Johnson (the actor, not Jessica Simpson’s beau.)
Who are your favorite authors?
This is a popular question. My favorite authors are Nora Roberts and Gena Showalter. I own every single book that these ladies have ever put out.What was the last book you read?
The last book I completed was Everything Bared (Six Alarm Sexy #2) by Kristine Cayne. I’m actually reading 3 books right now: Origin (Lux #4) by Jennifer Armentrout, Sangius City ARC by Morgan Jane Mitchell, and Wicked Wind by Sharon Kay.If Jessie, Liam, Cruz & Dade left Bayou Stix and you were asked to make a “supergroup” with 4 other Book Boys – who would you choose?
This is a hard one. Probably Sed Lionheart from Rock Hard (Sinner on Tour #1) and Jase Seymour from Hot Ticket (Sinners on Tour #3) by Olivia Cunning, Jet Keller from Jet (Marked Men #2) by Jay Crownover, and Gabe from Try Me (One Night With Sole Regret) by Olivia Cunning.
Will each member of the band be getting their own story?
Yes, Bayou Stix is a series with 5 band members, so there will be 5 books. Each character will have their own book, but you will be able to keep up with all of the other characters, though each book can be read as a stand alone. Do you listen to music while you write? Who is your favorite band/artist?
I listen to music when I brainstorm and outline. I can’t listen to music when I write, because it distracts me. The books Playlist is the songs the book and it’s contents remind me of… the songs I listened to when I was jotting down ideas.
I am a huge fan of Maroon 5, Luke Bryan, Paramore, & Katy Perry, but if I have to have a favorite band… it’s probably Heart.
Thank you so much!
So ladies, ALLURING TURMOIL goes Live Fri 13th – if you buy only one book on that day, please let it be this one!!!!
Happy Reading!
Nikki xx
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The 4th interview is with B00k W0rms (found HERE) and should post either today or this weekend.
Now… Alluring Turmoil is LIVE and can be BOUGHT at these links!
Also available on iBook!
Thank you to EVERYONE who’s supporting me on this endeavor and I pray you love the book as much as I loved writing it.
If you DO love the book, please leave a review so others can buy the book!
Goodreads Reviews can be left HERE.
And all other reviews can be left at the links to purchase the book, ^right up there!
Thank you!!! 🙂