Uncharted Hearts - Amelia Bishop

Today I’m very lucky to be interviewing Amelia Bishop, author of Uncharted Hearts. Hi Amelia, thank you for agreeing to this interview. Tell us a little about yourself, your background, and your current book.

Hi! Thanks for having me here today.

I am a longtime m/m romance reader and have been writing in this genre for just over three years. I have a background in art and teaching, but I’m enjoying my “midlife crisis career” quite a lot!

My current book is an m/m/m Romance, set in the late 18th century. There is a lot of seafaring and a little bit of adventure, but overall it is a gentle love story about three men becoming a family together. I hope someone out there likes it!

Well, I may not be the best writer, but I can give advice as well as the next person I guess! Here are my ten tips for becoming a better writer: 

1. Trust yourself.
   You have a great story in you, great characters, too! You just have to let them out. Be confident in your ideas. Write the things you love, the way you think is best.
   
   
2. Have fun.
   If you enjoy what you are writing, your readers will probably enjoy reading it. And during the times when writing isn’t so fun (it happens) remember all those great reasons why you started writing. Passion is contagious.
   
   
3. Try to keep things in perspective.
   It’s just a story. It’s entertainment. Taking yourself too seriously is, to me, the worst possible thing a writer (or any artist) can do. If you think every line, every little decision is life or death, you’ll never move forward.
   
   
4. Find some friends.
   Writing buddies, critique partners, even just facebook friends are all part of a support system, and you need one. They will cheer you up when you feel like you are the world’s worst writer, and cheer you on when you feel like you just wrote the best scene ever. You need them. Trust me.
   
   
5. Keep going.
   Sometimes, writing is hard. And sometimes, people don’t like what you’ve written. In the immortal words of Aaliyah: “dust yourself off and try again.” You only fail when you stop trying.
   
   
6. Read.
   Reading a lot helps you in so many ways, no matter who you are or what kind of stuff you are reading. For a writer, reading in the genre you write is especially helpful. It alerts you to overused themes, helps you see how other people have approached similar problems, and fosters a sense of community.
   
   
7. Critique.
   Reading critically is super important. When you critique, you are forced to identify and explain when, and why, things are working in a piece and when/why they are not. This will always make you a better writer. Plus it helps other writers so it’s just a nice thing to do. Do it.
   
   
8. Use technology.
   I know some people are all traditional and say they love the ol’ pen and paper. I’m not going to argue (you fools!) But seriously, the tools we have now are too good to ignore. Plotting and outlining programs, map making programs to create your own custom fantasy worlds, wikis to organize characters… even the simplest thing – like pinterest – can be a great way to organize research or gather character inspiration photos.
   
   
9. Talk and listen to real people.
   Step away from the keyboard and venture into the real world. Meet new people, or just hang out somewhere different and eavesdrop (I’m not judging.) It helps to mingle with people outside your friends, family, and coworkers. Some people say “no one talks like that” when what they really mean is “no one I know talks like that.” Don’t be one of those people.
   
   
10. Don’t be afraid of change.
    Sometimes, you have to cut that really snappy line of dialogue. So, okay, you didn’t pick the right word. Or maybe you didn’t start the story in the best possible place. Don’t worry! Consider the changes people (especially your beta readers and editors) suggest. If it doesn’t hurt the story, consider the change. And then think about why it works, or why it doesn’t. Growth doesn’t happen unless you stretch yourself a little.
    
    Thanks so much for having me here today! I hope my extremely wise and profound words of advice are helpful to someone out there J
    

Uncharted Hearts

Release Date: August 14, 2015
Blurb:
Clayton Taylor is smart and skilled, and born into privilege. His expertise with navigation lands him a job on The Irish Lady, a ship which promises a world of new experiences. Half in love with Peter, The Lady’s roguish captain, Clayton signs on for adventure and a chance to test his skill against the sea. Once aboard he meets Jorge, a pillar of quiet strength.  

Clayton’s life among the sailors and thieves is happy, wild, and free. He learns to sail, to fit in with the crew, and to cheat at cards. There isn’t a course he can’t chart, or a job he can’t design.  

But Clayton can’t navigate love, nor can he plan for the whims of his heart. Bold and direct and often stubborn, Clayton’s uncharted heart will plot its own course, bound for a union with two men who need him as much as he does them.  

Together Clayton, Peter, and Jorge will discover the heart has no need of map and compass.  

Pages or Words: 240 pages
Categories: Fiction, Historical, M/M Romance, Menage/Poly, Romance

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Excerpt:

The Irish Lady’s gangway was up, and I had a flash of panic. Was I too late? I caught a glimpse of Peter on deck, and called out to him. “Sir! Peter Simpson!”

He turned and strode back to the rail, a light in his eyes and a smile on his face. My trunk seemed suddenly much easier to haul.

A large black man lowered the gangway, and looked me over as I struggled up it, raising an eyebrow at my large case. He wore his hair in long twisted locks, and his shirt, open at the chest, revealed heavy glistening muscles. I swallowed hard. Was this a ship full of temptation? Would I spend my entire time here aroused and useless?

“You came!” Peter rushed to me, not hiding his excitement.

I nodded, smiling.

“I’m so glad.” He brushed his fingers over my cheek in a move much too affectionate for public display. I glanced at the large man, but he’d turned away.

“Come, I’ll get you settled in and explain your position.” Peter hoisted one end of my trunk, and led us toward the hatch.

I felt as if I had to ask him, before I went below, exactly what kind of situation I was signing on to here. “Just what sort of a ship is this, precisely? I’m sure you aren’t an entirely reputable merchant?”

He dropped his side of the trunk, and I feared I’d erred. Perhaps that was too forward a thing to ask. But his crooked grin told me he was not offended. “Is that a problem?”

Good lord, he was sexy. His chin was shadowed with a fine dark stubble, and his hair was gathered at the top of his head in some sort of ridiculous knot, which only accentuated his chocolate brown eyes and thick brows. “No…” I smiled. “But you’ll have to teach me.”

His mouth opened on a gasp. Finally, I’d unbalanced him.

“Gladly,” he rasped, and picked up the trunk again.

Sales Links: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B013RHYHDS

About the author:
I am a reader and writer of romantic erotic fiction of all varieties. Sometimes, the little stories in my head just need to be shared (and sometimes they are just for me). I enjoy red wine, black rum, shell-hunting walks along the seashore, and solo late-night drunken dance parties.


Where to find the author:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amelia.bishop.507
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/ameliabishopauthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/anotheramelia
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/ameliabishop507/
Blog: www.ameliabishop.wordpress.com
Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25953502-uncharted-hearts?ac=1

Publisher: Amelia Bishop
Cover Artist: Amelia Bishop with photo by Dan Skinner

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Tour Dates & Stops:
14-Aug
Prism Book Alliance, Two Chicks Obsessed With Books and Eye Candy, Inked Rainbow Reads
17-Aug
BFD Book Blog, Amanda C. Stone
18-Aug
Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Just Love Romance
19-Aug
MM Good Book Reviews, Love Bytes
20-Aug
Bayou Book Junkie, EE Montgomery

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