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Sunday, January 9, 2011

In the Spotlight ~ Willa Edwards

Welcome friend and fellow Cobblestone-Press author, Willa Edwards.  She's talented, witty, and knows what she wants out of life.  Her debut novel, Naughty List, is number 12 in the 12 Days of Christmas series from Cobblestone-Press. 

Also, today is Willa's birthday, let's wish her Happy Birthday, read her blog about WISHES, and maybe your wish will come true too. Willa's offering a free copy of her novella to one lucky commenter.  (Must be 18, and comment by 11:59 PM on Wednesday, January 12).



The Power of Wishes
The origin of the wishing on your birthday candles comes from ancient Greece. The Grecians would ask for gifts from the Gods around a burning sacrifice, the smoke from the fire was supposed to bring their wishes to the Gods to be fulfilled.
As a rule, I’m not a big fan of wishes. Not to say that I don’t close my eyes and make a wish as I blow out my birthday candles, or when I find an eyelash on my cheek. But wishes, on their own, don’t have much power. The true power is what you do with them. How you put your wishes into action. How you make what you want happen.
Last year, as my birthday candles burned brightly before my face, the wax melting down into my cake, I closed my eyes tight and made a wish. I wished to be a published author, to have one of my stories published.
My wish was fulfilled before the next time my birthday candles were lit. This Christmas I celebrated my first release, Naughty List, with Cobblestone Press. But it wasn’t because of my wish, that my story was published. It was my hard work. It was due to the many hours at the computer I spent writing, editing, learning the industry. It was a direct result of me following my writer instincts.
A wish can help you decide what you want. Can help you make it real by voicing it. But a wish will never make you sit in front of the computer and put the words on the page. A wish can’t make you take the chance and hit send on that submission. It can’t help you fight the butterflies in your stomach as you wait for that yes or no.
Wishes only take you so far. After that it’s all up to you.
As to what my birthday wish will be today. Well that I can’t tell. I might not put much stock in wishes but I’m not going to jinx my one wish a year. J
My hero and heroine from Naughty List both have a wish, for the other. And they’re waiting for their wishes to be fulfilled, though neither has the guts to do anything about it. They’re both waiting a miracle to happen, for their wishes to be fulfilled and bring them together. Callie even goes so far as to write all her naughty wishes down during a fun girl’s night in.
Luckily when that list of wishes falls into his hands, Eric doesn’t rely on wishes to make Callie’s naughty list happen, he takes action. But you’ll have to buy the book to find out how he makes their wish happen.

Enjoy the book blurb and a free read of Chapter One here:
BIO
Willa has wanted to be a writer since she was four years old typing away at her grandmother’s typewriter. She wrote her first novel in fourth grade about the trials and tribulation of twin alien princesses. Since then Willa has dabbled with many different genres, including sci-fi, paranormal, mystery and suspense. When she read her first romance at fifteen she knew she’d found her place, and she’s never looked back. Willa is now a contemporary and historical erotic romance writer who lives in New York. When she’s not writing you can find her curled up in bed with her two fur babies, her nose pressed to her e-reader.
Follow me on the web:
*** CONTEST ALERT *** CONTEST ALERT *** CONTEST ALERT ***
Let me know what’s your wish (naughty or not) and one lucky commenter will win a copy of my debut novel, Naughty List.

16 comments:

M.J. Schiller, Romance Author said...

Dear Willa- I love the premise of your book, The Naughty List and I wish you all the best with it!

My birthday is fast-approaching, too, (January 27th) and I guess my birthday wish this year would be similar to yours, I want to continue to grow and achieve as a writer. Couple that with a desire to balance my writing with raising my four kids, which is, of course, my most important job. Sometimes, though, it's hard to keep from indulging myself by sitting down to write. My writing is something that feeds me, and I'm sure that you must know what I mean by that. Sometimes I give into that desire instead of spending time with a child that could use some of my attention (and with four, there always seems to be someone who fits that bill). I know that my time is limited with them, so I need to make the best of it, but be true to myself as well, thus the eternal inner debate!

Thanks for sharing your wish with us! -M.J. Schiller

Kemberlee said...

I can't even blow out all the candles on my cake anymore. Too many candles. And somehow, I don't get one wish per candle. Why not? I think I've earned them ;-)

One of my favorite quotes: Wishes are dreams that come true.

Happy birthday, Willa. Enjoy a week of wonderful celebrating. And congrats on your dreams coming true!

Willa Edwards said...

Thank you M.J. I'm glad you like Naughty List. I'm very proud of it.

I completely understand what you mean about writing feeding you. I don't have children that need my attention (though I do have to adorable fur babies that are often fighting for my focus) but about three months ago I took a new job that has been draining all my energy, and making writing, not to mention creativity, very difficult for me. Yet if I don't do it, I don't feel like myself.

I'm still working on a balancing the two, but from what I hear from other authors, its a constant struggle. Sounds like that's what your working on too.

Maybe that's what I should wish for this year...

Or A time machine :)...

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday!

Mines in April and I am so looking forward to it this year! I love the sounds of the new book!

~~*Drea*~~

Marianne Stephens said...

Happy Birthday! Your wish came true, but as you said, wishing can only do so much and the rest is up to us! My wish is to continue writing and enjoy doing it. As Mary, I too had four children at home when I started writing...it became my sanity outlet!

Tina Donahue said...

Happy Birthday, Willa, and congrats on your publication!! May you have many happy sales! :)

C. Zampa said...

Congratulations on your debut novel! Here's to many, many more!

C. Zampa

Terra said...

Happy Birthday Willa. I would sing to you but it would hurt your ears. Love the cover on your book Naughty List and the excerpt is just yummy.

Terra

Sarah J. McNeal said...

I agree with you about wishes--same for prayers, you have to put action with it if you expect results.
Happy Birthday, Willa, and I wish (oops!) you many more.

Fedora said...

Hi, Willa! Happy birthday! I do love the premise of The Naughty List--how fun to have one's heart's desires fulfilled ;) My heartfelt wish is that my children will come to be mature, generous, contributing members of their communities and that they'll come to realize what a gift they have in each other--surely the current bickering must come to an end? ;) One can dream!

Congrats on your own dream-come-true, and may the coming year see more of your wishes fulfilled, Willa! You, too, Mary!

SiNn said...

Happy Birthday Willa!

My birthday was on the 3rd and my only wish was to have more time with my fiancee and for others in my family to acknowledge i was alive hey one out of two aint bad i got more time with my fiancee

Congrats on the book cant wait to read it

Anonymous said...

What a fabulous post! And a great interview. Congrats on your new title!
Liz Arnold
Message to Love
The Wild Rose Press

Unknown said...

Thank you all for stopping by and wishing Willa happy birthday! Feel free to stop by every Monday.

Willa ~ Thank you for spending your birthday with us. Best of luck this year.

gigis said...

From one New Yorker to another Happy Birthday!
Hope your wish for this comes true for you too. Love the concept of the book...will have to put on my TB list.
gigi

Unknown said...

Wishes are great....but a lot of hardwork has to be done to get those wishes. You are one hardworking writer so am sure your wishes will come true.
Love the cover!
My wish is to get cracking on a rewrite and finish my novel in 2011.
And by the way, you're not old, you're classic!
Carolena Torres

Willa Edwards said...

And the winner of a free copy of my debute novel is Drea....Congratulations! Contact me at willa.c.edwards@gmail.com for you copy.

Thanks so much to everyone for coming out. I appreciate all your support. And I hope all your wishes come true.

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