Happy New Year: a New beginning in 2016

Good morning!
As we turn out the lights on 2015, I'm looking forward to next year.
I'm planning to attend the George Lindsey Film Festival in March at Huntsville, Ala. if one or both of my screenplays make the cutting room.
Haven't checked the full calendar for spring or summer film festivals, but I could make my way at one if I enter a script.
I've all but left the book world and will fully focus on entering the long, tedious journey to becoming a screenwriter. My screenwriting name will be JK Jones, not KT Bishop in the literary world.
From what I've heard, it takes a decade to find success as a screenwriter unless you get a big break.  (Hoping to land somewhere in between).
Here's to a Happy New Year and have a great 2016.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Good evening!
It's Thanksgiving week. I'm sure everyone's either planning a huge Thanksgiving dinner or going out of town to see family and friends.
I'll work the holiday and throughout the weekend, which culminates with the Iron Bowl battle between Alabama and Auburn.
Enjoy the holidays.....
KT Bishop

Love has no limits

Good morning:
Here's my latest paperback, Love Unlimited, now available at Barnes and Noble and Amazon:

      Blurb

       Love can be found in many different ways. Love Unlimited chronicles the lives of four different families who discover the true meaning of love through unexpected circumstances

      *At the reading of her mother's will, Destiny Katz discovers her father is actor Stormy Rivers in Love Walks In. Will she accept her real father?

    *London Cox rescues Miranda Cherry from a snowstorm in Snow Crazy in Love and sparks immediately fly between them

    *In Love Overboard, Gabi Nagle is grieving the loss of her husband. She meets a young powerboat racer and falls in love

    * Two former college sweethearts reunite in Classified Love and consider getting back together.

     Buy links: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1517742889?keywords=kt%20bishop&qid=1445264704&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1

Printed for success

It's been a while since we last talked.
Several things required my attention over the last two months, virtually killing any free time I had for the blog.
Two great things came from my absence: I produced my first two print books- Intentional Grounding and Love Holiday. 
Grounding is a updated version of my first book, Picking Cotton. Holiday is a collection of four previously released shorts.

For those who know me, fully understand it was a long-time goal of mine. E-books have been good to me, but I needed a print book to feel like a true author.
Thanks to Melissa Keir, it happened.
Here are the buy links: http://www.amazon.com/Love-Holiday-K-T-Bishop/dp/1516806085/ref=sr_1_2_twi_pap_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1442265660&sr=8-2&keywords=kt+bishop;  http://www.amazon.com/Intentional-Grounding-K-T-Bishop/dp/1517090490/ref=sr_1_1_twi_pap_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1442265660&sr=8-1&keywords=kt+bishop.

Until next time.......

Cleaning Webs

Veteran Author Franny Armstrong drops by and promotes her latest release, The Web Cleanser.

A little info on Franny:

Franny Armstrong is a mother of three and a grandmother of four. Her husband supports her imagination and has the patience of a saint. She’s been writing since she was a child, creating plays to act out in front of the neighborhood children, charging them five cents admission to join her in the family garage for the play.

Since 2002, after a serious breakdown, Franny had to express herself on the computer since she couldn’t speak, everything coming out gibberish at that time. She’s slowly healed to the point that she can function fairly well. Writing was the best medicine for her and still is.

Franny loves to write about rainforests and Caribbean islands rather than about cities. Her characters are well rounded and share her wacky sense of humor.

Blurb:

Ryland Sanders is a feisty, no-nonsense cop who protects her heart with her smart mouth. She has no friends, and every partner she's ever had gave up on her long ago. When paired with a new cop, Ry pulls out all stops to get rid of him.

Kane Nanuq is from the Northwest Territories on Baffin Island. He's tracking a serial killer who murdered his wife and children. When he meets Ry, his carefully planned revenge is altered. She wants to become bait, but Kane wants to protect her. She cracks open his carefully guarded heart, even as she loses hers.

The duo worked together to capture the man, but neither of them realize they've lost their hearts to each other until it's too late...

Excerpt:

 As a detective, she didn't wear a uniform. The form-fitting black pants gave the impression of a narrow waist, while the tucked in t-shirt clung to her shapely body perfectly. The leather holster and gun strapped tight around her chest accentuated her breasts. He noticed that she hunched her shoulders forward slightly in an attempt to conceal them. Since she came up to his shoulder in height, he figured she stood approximately five feet, nine inches tall.

Acting as though she noticed him for the first time, she turned to face him, her eyes widening slightly. He could still see the anger burning in them, and waited patiently for her to vent. She surprised him when she spoke to him with the patience of a kindergarten teacher, talking to children. The sarcasm only showed in her simmering gaze.

"The box in front of you is called a computer. I doubt you have them at the North Pole, but here we use them to document our cases. Perhaps you'd prefer to use the drawing board. We have some pretty colored markers there. Do you have any questions, Nanuq?"

Studying her in silence for a long moment, he finally nodded. "First of all, are you this rude to everyone you meet, or did you save it up for me? Send a detailed list of every scrap of about the case to my inbox. I trust my email account is already set up?"

She seemed surprised when he remained calm and casual about her behavior. When her lips curved upwards, he knew her grin was a fake.

"I already sent you the information before you came in here," she said with a purr, turning back to her computer.

Logging onto his computer, he opened his email account, and saw that she'd told the truth. Opening one file after the other, he read them quickly until he came to the final message. Oh, are you still here, Detective? Her sour attitude would have been enough to send anyone into a rage, but he simply emailed her back.

Enough fooling around, Detective. Let's get some work done.

Here's buy links:

http://www.amazon.com/Web-Cleanser-Franny-Armstrong-ebook/dp/B011Q4RN62/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1438179562&sr=1-1&keywords=franny+armstrong

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-web-cleanser-franny-armstrong/1122405248?ean=2940150941793 

Some places to reach Fran: 

 http://www.paranovelgirl.blogspot.com

http://www.twitter.com/Franny_PNG 

http://frannyarmstrong.wordpress.com  

 

Double Play!

Good evening!
Two of my E-books reached the Top 20 best-seller's among Men's Adventure at Smashwords.com: Curtain Call and Pacific Blue.
Curtain Call is ranked 11th in its first day. Pacific Blue sits four spots down at the 15th spot.
Both E-books are available via Splice Publishing.
Here's the blurb and link of each E-book:

Curtain Call: Actress Melissa Kaye and writer Perry Tiffin had a love-hate relationship during their time together on the soap opera A Different Corner. Their hatred often led to hot, passionate sex. At a party to celebrate the show’s twentieth and final year, Melissa and Perry are reunited again. Does lust still exist between them after ten years?
Buy link: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/553399

Pacific Blue: Lauralyn Doss and Sebastian Gates are newlyweds who just relocated from Honolulu to Hollywood, California, but their marriage is off to a rocky start. Lauralyn is frustrated because she can't find a job, while Sebastian travels around the world as a backup quarterback with the NFL's Los Angeles Stars. Will their marriage fall apart before it even begins?
Buy link: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/539074
Money is the first objective to success in the book writing,  but landing spot on the rankings will always be second.
Have a great evening!/KT Bishop

More screen time

Screenwriting has become a fun, addictive exercise for me.
Before I hit the road for vacation last week, I threw several  previously-released E-books into the trunk of my car.
No matter where I go out of town, finding the time to write has always been important for me.
I combined elements from an old Rebel Ink Press book, The Search is Over, and an Ex-Red Rose Publishing E-book, A Christmas Reunion, into a short screenplay called Instant Replay.
With both books five years old, I made it more presentable.
I kept the two characters from a Christmas Reunion and placed them in Halifax, Nova Scotia. I took the Canadian Football League team, Atlantic Skyhawks, from the Search is Over.
How the other two screenplay submissions fare in the fall will determine which direction I take.
Enjoy the week/KT Bishop.

Screening E-books!

Good afternoon!
I found the perfect way to get rid of unsold E-Books: converting them into screenplays.
Actually, two of them: Game-breaker and Viva La Paris.  I turned the basketball love series into short screenplays and were recently submitted to companies. Game-breaker to a Birmingham company and Viva La Paris to Shore Scripts.
I made the conscious decision to do so because the material in both had the potential for the adventure genre on the large screen.
Only four E-books need homes: Snow Crazy in Love, Out of the Blue, All in the Family and A Different World.
Snow Crazy and Blue are best suited for the E-book world. The other two are inspirational pieces and I'm not sure if there's a market for them.
I'm not sure if any of my 40 previous E-books are materials for screenplays.
Enjoy the rest of May/KT Bishop

Taking Alabama Gumbo to the screen

Good morning!
 I've decided to write my third short screenplay. It took me 10 days to write 43 pages from my adaptation at Splice Publishing, Alabama Gumbo (https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/486565). At that pace, I could probably write a full-length movie in a month at 100 pages.
For those who read the E-book, I only made a few changes. It was scary how easy and quickly everything came together. (The company where I'll be sending to, however, may have other ideas).
Originally, I thought writing screenplays would be difficult. It's not as bad as I envisioned. It'd be scary if I actually either had guidance or studied screenwriting in college (I still may pursue a Master's Degree in the screenwriting someday or get a certificate).
I'll submit this one next year, with fingers crossed on two fall entries.
Have a great weekend!

Pacific Blues

Good morning!
           I'm pleased to announce my latest release at Smashwords.com, Pacific Blues.
           The book's timing couldn't be more perfect, because the NFL Draft starts tomorrow and ends on Saturday.
           Pacific Blues was originally a three-book short stories in a series called Road to Hawaii: Over the Rainbow, California Dreams and Hawaiian Hangover. I decided to combine all 8,500 word stories into one big E-book and it worked.
           Blurb:
           Sebastian Gates and Lauralyn Doss, who relocate from Honolulu to Hollywood, California after Sebastian gets drafted by the NFL's Los Angeles Stars. While Sebastian travels around the country, Lauralyn grows restless.Will their marriage end before it begins?
           Excerpt:
           A wave of nervousness washed over Sebastian. He watched the NFL Draft at his childhood
home in Bessemer, Alabama. A.C. now resided in the charcoal brick house and Cheryl lived
down the street.
          Sebastian was surrounded by Lauralyn, A.C., Cheryl and their children in the living room. His heart raced out of control because he took a huge risk. The reason he left Hawaii after two
seasons came down to the first weekend of May. He was unconcerned about neither the round
nor the team.
          He attended UCLA's pro day in Los Angeles and had a solid workout. Despite a strong
performance, none of the NFL teams interviewed him. He appeared to be a blip on the league's radar screen.
       “Everything will work out,” Lauralyn said positively.
        “I'm sorry I put you through this,” Sebastian apologized. He closed his eyes and inhaled
sharply.
        Lauralyn's hands kneaded into his shoulders. “We'll be okay. I'll get a job to support us until
you find something.”
       “If I've got to work at Wal-Mart or take some odd job, I'll do it,” Sebastian vowed “You're not
carrying me.”
       The fourth round began and Sebastian's eyes were glued to the wide screen TV. “Quiet
everyone, the draft's back on,” he said.
       ESPN just announced the Los Angeles Stars were on the clock and speculated they'd take
TCU quarterback Luke Sweeney. “They need a player to develop down the road.”
        The NFL Deputy Commissioner announced the Stars' selection. “With the pick, the Los
Angeles Stars select Sebastian Gates, quarterback, the University of Hawaii.”
        Loud screams fell upon the household and everyone shook Sebastian, who stared in shock at the TV.
       “You did it,” Lauralyn said. They shared a passionate kiss.
        Here's the buy link: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/539074.
       
        Thanks for reading, have a great week!

Screening for Success

Good Morning!
The arrival of spring is now considered screenwriting season in my world.
Easter, Mother's Day, Father's Day and Memorial Day are the major holidays that fall in the three-month period when April Showers bring May Flowers.
During this time of year, aspiring filmmakers and screenwriters are polishing up their scripts for various contests around the world.
With that in mind, I've decided to enter two contests this year.
The first one is the Sidewrite Short Screenplay Competition in Birmingham, Ala.. The Aug. 28- 30 competition has entries for a 15-page, original screenplay.
I took one of my unpublished E-books, Winning the Lottery and made it into a screenplay called Game Changer. It's about  Dana Rossi who unexpectedly retires from singing to pursue a dream to own an NBA team in her hometown of Birmingham.
The second contest I'm targeting is the George Lindsey UNA Film Festival in Huntsville, Ala. They've got writing entries in the fall. (Yes, the late Goober Pyle from the Andy Griffith Show has a contest for directors and writers).
I made my first E-book, Picking Cotton, into a 60-page screenplay called Nobody's All-American. It's probably my most successful book.
For those who haven't read Picking Cotton, it's about African-American M.L. Cotton chasing a dream to play quarterback at a major college in 1986. Blacks weren't given many chances in those days to play quarterback. Cotton, from the tiny Alabama town of Spanish Fort, is determined to make it happen.
I'm a huge underdog as I compete against experienced screenwriters, but I'll borrow a page from Benjamin Franklin's playbook: "paint a negative outlook and when the results come in your favor, you're pleasantly surprised."
Thanks for listening.  If you want to purchase any of my E-books at Smashwords, http://www.smashwords.com/books/search?query=ktbishop, or click to the covers on the right.

Making Cajun Sugar

I've always admired Madonna for finding ways to re-invent herself over the past 30 years. In 1984, I was about to enter high school when Madonna told Dick Clark on American Bandstand she wanted "to rule the world." 
Since "Borderline," her string of Top 10 hits include "Material Girl," "Like A Virgin," "Express Yourself," "Like a Prayer," and "Papa Don't Preach." Madonna made headlines showing her assets last month on the Oscars' Red Carpet.
With that in mind, I've taken the liberty to re-package some of my earlier E-books.
My first published E-book, How to Cure A Cajun Cold, had a few holes after its 2008 release. I fixed the mistakes, combined its two successful sequels, Catching A Cuban Curveball and Back in Love Again, into one book.
The repackaged E-book is now called Cajun Sugar. For those who purchased the original books, I made a few adjustments to the content, not the characters. Arnaz Booker and Isis Rogers are characters with a wide arrange of emotions.
When Cajun Sugar gets accepted and has a release date, I will let everyone know.
Happy St. Patrick's Day.

DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER!

Rebel Ink Press Author Joanne Berroa stops by promote her latest release, The Diamond Legacy, the sequel to her popular: The Diamond Cross, but can also be enjoyed as a stand-alone romance.

Here's what she had to say:

BLURB:

The year 1907 finds Heather and Brenton Emery celebrating seven years of blissful marriage. They are anything but the average couple. The son of Hungarian immigrants, Brenton owns and manages a thriving, top-notch Saratoga Springs hotel and vaudeville pavilion with his partner-wife Heather. She’s an entrepreneur in her own right. Blessed with a keen business sense, she’s made millions of dollars in her undertakings.

But they soon learn even the best marriages have problems, and their commitment to each other is sorely tested. A charismatic billionaire makes Heather an offer she simply can’t refuse. Given the opportunity to spread her wings thousands of miles away from home, she must choose between marriage and her career. Her choice stuns Brenton. Will the handsome and brilliant San Francisco architect Heather joins forces with succeed in rendering the coup de grace on Heather’s now tenuous marriage? 

To further complicate matters, Brenton’s secretary is astute and alluring. Heather’s plans fit her agenda nicely. Brenton is faced with the question: How far can a business friendship stretch before it is no longer just friendship?

The Diamond Legacy is a romance saga packed with bold, colorful characters and surprising twists that will tear at your heartstrings. Can Brenton’s and Heather’s love for each other rise above all odds and endure, or is love sometimes not enough?

EXCERPT:

“Care to comment on this.” He held the papers up for her to see.

“Can’t you read? I’m suing you for divorce.”

“You couldn’t tell me yourself. You had to get your lawyer to do it. You’re a cheat and a coward. I thought I knew you, but I was wrong. You’re an evil woman. You’re so devious, you probably even caused John’s heart attack. Did you slip a packet of strychnine into his coffee, little black widow spider!”

She slapped him hard. “I hate you! You’re pathetic. Your dick is smaller than my little finger.”

“Is it? How would you know, my pretty? You haven’t seen it in a damned year!”

“I’m sure you’ve been showing it off to lots of other women.”

“You should talk. You’ve been sleeping around with that architect and who knows whom else? Which of your lovers lives here with you, bitch?”

Her eyes shown puzzlement. “What are you talking about?” she snarled.

“The men’s clothing in your bedroom! Are you going to deny it?”

Her eyes widened and she relaxed a bit. “No, I’m not. I happen to love that man.”

“So you admit it! You’re having an affair!” Brenton clenched his teeth together. “So he’s the real reason you’re divorcing me. If not him, then it’s the architect. I swear, bitch, I can’t keep your lovers straight.”

“You’re a pigheaded ass, Brenton Emery. For your information, the man who’s staying with me is my father.”

You can purchase The Diamond Legacy (and her other romances) from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and All Romance ebooks.

www.joannecberroa.wordpress.com

www.joannecberroa.blogspot.com

Amazon