Happy First Birthday, Decadent!

What a difference a year makes. What a difference Decadent has made for me.

Before submitting to Decadent I was a self-published author.

I want to celebrate my relationship with the house by reviewing the bounty they have brought this emerging author…

1) Validation

Perhaps you can imagine the joy I took in telling people, “Decadent publishing house just accepted my manuscript.”

UNTOUCHED PLACES (erotica) was the first book I released through Decadent.

THE SWEATER CURSE (thriller) was my second.

2) Education

What happens after you receive a contract? How do you work with an editor? What’s it like to see your ebook on Amazon? How do you participate in a blog tour? Thanks to Decadent I can answer all of these questions.

3) Companionship

Decadent has grown in leaps and bounds in a year. Now I have 49 fellow authors to cheer on, seek advise from, and to interview for my blog (http://sweatercursed.blogspot.com)

4) Growth

Ever since I was tiny, spinning tales is what I’ve wanted to do. Before Decadent it was hard to justify this pursuit. I felt like I was just wasting time — only dreaming. Now I know that I’m working to perfect my craft.

Much thanks, Decadent, and here’s to many more years.

Spotlight Sunday with Grace Meadows!

Greetings Grace, and Welcome!

Decadent Publishing: Your erotic novella, Untouched Places, has a very dark twist to it. What inspired you to write this story?

Grace: Inspiration for this story steamed from my love of nature and my interest in sharing Icelandic legends.

DP: You have traveled to Iceland, seen its varied landscape personally. What effect has it had on your storytelling?

GM: That mystic place affected me to my very bone. While there I was fortunate to stay in the small northern community of Hofsos. Hofsos has a must-see heritage village. They also offer a genealogical service. Their goal is to reunite Icelanders with their North American cousins. Thus, in Iceland, I was immersed in stories. Their words have stayed with me, the seeds taking root in my imagination, inspiring me to write.

DP: What are you reading right now?

GM: Eat, Pray, Love

DP: If you could meet anyone in the world, who would it be and why?

GM: John Grisham. I read somewhere that he has dyslexia. I too am dyslexic. He’s a prolific author and I’m struggling to become one. Yes, definitely, I would enjoy meeting him.

DP: What character archetype do you most enjoy writing?

GM: The outcaste

DP: Where would you go for your dream vacation? Why?

GM: Two things my mom never had an opportunity to do but dreamed of doing were to take a balloon ride and visit New Zealand. I would like to complete her bucket list. I also dream of visiting North America’s far north, my husband visited Alaska and took such beautiful pictures.

DP: If you could live in a different time than now, what era would you choose?

GM: I’m happy right here, right now. However, given this opportunity I wouldn’t turn down visiting 1967 – the summer of love, the 1920's and also Victorian England. Actually, now that I think about it, I would thoroughly enjoy owning a time machine. I believe that studying history gives us a new appreciate for our own time.

DP: Tell us a little bit about your hobbies.

GM: I enjoy sensual pleasures such as listening to music and taking photographs.

DP: Is Grace Meadows your real name or a pen name?

GM: Grace Meadows is my pen name. I use this name when I write erotica.

Leanne Dyck is my real name and I write mainstream under it.

DP: How can we find you on the web?

GM: Follow Grace Meadows’ blog by logging on to: http://authorgracemeadows.wordpress.com

Her twitter ID is lustful graces
Follow Leanne Dyck by logging on to her web site www.oknitting.com