Debra Parmley

Writing a book takes planning, scheduling, marking out blocks of time to write. I came across this writers clock a few months ago as some of us were sharing pics of it around our facebook sites. Isn't it fun? January rolls around and many of us start buying calendars and planning our schedules for the year, taking stock of where we are and where we want to go. 

It has become my practice to choose a word for the year, going in to the New Year. Last year, throughout 2011, my word was release. I certainly received plenty of that, in ways I could never have imagined. This was a reminder to me, to be careful of what I ask for. Going into 2012, I will admit the selection of my next word was much on my mind. After much contemplation I selected my word for 2012.

My word is abundance.

Webster defines Abundance as:

1: an ample quantity: profusion

2: affluence, wealth

3: relative degree of plentifulness

When I tell people of my word for the year it is interesting how their eyes light up. Several have told me it seems the perfect word. And it is a good and positive word, however like any word, it will bring lessons and challenges with it.

We are barely into the year, not even past January and already I have had doors opening in more than one area. Good, yes, but with this I have needed to make choices.  It is not that one choice is better than another (or if it is so, I am not seeing this as yet) but the reality is I cannot be walking through all the doors. Choices must be made.

It is much like being presented with five different kinds of cookies, or ten flavors of ice cream.

Each choice will present it's own rewards, challenges and lessons. Such is life on this planet. I welcome it all.

Some of the abundant things in my life this year are related to my writing. I am with a new publisher and I have new books coming out, my first book trailer is in the works and there is the Romantic Times Booklovers Convention in Chicago in April to look forward to. I'll be taking my first train ride from Memphis and back, something I am quite excited about as I have always loved to travel and experience new things.

Abundance? I am ready for it, with all the associated joys and challenges. Life is a grand adventure. Anything is possible.

This spring I was fortunate enough to win the Breakfast in Bed With Jimmy Thomas raffle at the RT convention in LA. The raffle is a fundraiser for a local animal shelter. (I posted about this in my previous blog and there are pictures in the photo section of my website.) It was great fun having breakfast in bed with Jimmy and I enjoyed getting to know him a little better. He agreed to do an interview with me and I am excited to be able to share that interview with you today, so you can get to know Jimmy a little better too. Enjoy!

Interview With Jimmy Thomas: 

Jimmy, how many covers have you been on now? - 1,575 although that number increases by about 30 new covers each week J 

One way readers can follow this number as it goes up and up or to see the beautiful covers Jimmy has been on is to visit his facebook page. 

http://www.facebook.com/JimmyThomasDotCom

www.RomanceNovelCovers.com RNC is a wonderful website just full of great images. How did you get involved in this project? – Thanks Debra! J Well without going into the semantics, I knew the industry was in need of precise, specific novel cover-looking images, so I created my own stock image website that I shoot for regularly. I choose my female co-models, I produce and direct all my photo shoots, I select the theme, the setting, our wardrobe, the poses, the mood, what we are starting with and ending with, and my lighting specific, and very talented photographer, captures our moments as my co-model and I create them. I then select all the images I find are most marketable for novel covers, clean, edit, crop, size and upload them to RNC for non-exclusive, royalty-free purchase, and there you have them J I take suggestions of what other looks are desired or needed more of, and I also do exclusive shoots for a separate price (noted on RNC) for those who want exactly something specific just for their cover(s). 

What behind the scenes work goes into producing those great stock photos on your RNC website? – Thanks again Debra, glad you find my image “great” J Well it all depends on the shoot and the model I’m shooting with. If mostly historical then I have to decide where we are going to shoot to have a matching background for that era we’re shooting, same with western, cowboy, Native American, etc. Otherwise, if shot indoors, they are almost always at my place, so I have to change up my settings; bed décor, backdrops. I never know exactly what we’ll shoot until I see my co-model’s wardrobe. Once I see what they have brought with them, then ideas pop into my head as for what and where. Anything else is merely the basics and the obvious… showering, shaving my body, brushing and flossing my teeth, and choosing which of my versatile ways to do my hair for each set-up J 

You’ve traveled and lived so many places. If you could go anywhere in the world to shoot your next cover, where would you go? – Scotland! I would love to shoot historicals at and around castles and the landscape! 

Scotland is beautiful! Especially when the heather is in bloom. I escorted a group to Scotland back in my travel consulting days and my next historical romance will actually be set in Scotland at my clans castle, Caerlaverock, near Dumfries.  I heartily agree with your choice.  Castles are such a romantic setting!  

There is so much that goes into making good cover art. Can you explain that a little? – Nope. Lol, I don’t make the cover art, the Cover Artists do that J I just provide them with the images to use J 

LOL Well you've given me an idea now. I ought to interview one of the Cover Artists and ask that question. ;-)

Readers are familiar with your covers, but many of them many not know that you also write. What have you written and/or what are you writing now? – I’ve written a full length, action-adventure, sci-fi thriller, feature film screenplay and I’m in the process of writing a self-help book J 

You have such a positive energy, which is infectious. One of the things you said which stuck with me most is, “Everything happens for a GOOD reason.” I grew up hearing my grandmother say that everything happens for a reason, but you’re the first person I’ve known who added that word GOOD and with an emphasis. What are your thoughts on this? – Glad I come off that way Debra! I’ve always been a very positive, optimistic person. To me, anything and everything is possible and can happen, which is also why I take on so many things/projects and get myself swamped each and everyday ;) But I love being busy and doing so many things. As for the aggressively noting the “GOOD” in “everything happens for a good reason”, everyone I hear say it just says “Yes, I also believe everything happens for a reason”. Well to them, things can happen for a bad reason then. Well why do things happen for a bad reason? They believe everything happens for a reason, so if not specified as “good reasons”, then they are saying that things happen for a bad reason, which is never justified by anyone as to why that would be. I’ve had enough experiences in my life that have shown me why bad things (things that seemed bad at the time) happened, as right after it, or hours later, days later, weeks/months/years later, something good happened that wouldn’t have happened if that seemingly bad thing didn’t happen. Most people call these situations “coincidences” and that is because they don’t open up enough to allow themselves to see how often these situations happen. I see them all the time, so I don’t “believe” things happen for a good reason… I KNOW that everything happens for a good reason, without a single shadow of a doubt. Knowing this allows my life to live almost 100% stress-free, frustration-free, anger-free and depressed-free. To go deeper into this would require writing a book about it. Oh ya, I’m doing that ;)

I am very much looking forward to reading your book and I am so glad you explained this further. I really believe people need to hear this, because changing your thinking can change your life.  

Jimmy, you’ve accomplished so many things in your life already, Romance Novel Model, Architectural Designer, NASM Personal Trainer, Self Defense and Kick Boxing Instructor. If you could choose one dream job, what would that be? – I love this question as it’s barely ever asked. I love it because before I’ve ever been asked it I’ve always had this answer in my head when I’ve asked myself many, many years ago and so wish I could do it. I would want to work for the universe, my/our higher power, etc., and just spend my days helping whoever needed it; people with flat tires on the side of the road, old or blind people crossing the street, carrying groceries to a car, giving rides to those who need it, giving food or money to those in need, etc., and living on the largest wildlife preserve to home all abandoned and rescued animals, and be paid just enough to just live my life and take a few vacations here and there J 

What a beautiful life that would be. :-)

You’re a busy man with all the projects you have going. What is your favorite movie? – Lol, not sure how that statement and question go together, but I have many favorites, not just one. I love action/adventure and sci-fi thrillers mostly, things that aren’t daily life stuff. I like movies that involve the world, not just a couple and their co-workers. I could ask my neighbor what happened to him today to get one of those stories J I’m all for a love story though, as long as it is put into an action movie, like Braveheart, Samurai, Gladiator, or into a funny movie like A Knight’s Tale, also inspirational, go get’em movies, like all the Rocky movies, Million Dollar Baby, and impacting movies like The Wrestler, Avatar, and just plain fun, entertaining or WOW movies like How to Train Your Dragon, The Game, Inception, Brotherhood of the Wolf, Ironman, etc., and yes, I liked the Notebook J 

LOL Well they don't! LOL It looks like the second sentence somehow got left off when I sent you the questions. It was supposed to read... I've heard one of the things you find relaxing is watching movies. LOL Thank you for sharing some of your favorite movies with us. 

I understand you really like chocolate, so I’m sure chocolate lovers everywhere will want to know, what is your favorite form of chocolate? – The kind I can eat, period. J 

Jimmy, will you tell us more about the animal shelter, PuRRfect Solutions Feline Rescue and how you came to be involved with it? – Yes, they are where I adopted my previous brother-sister, beautiful Mainecoon cats. The woman who runs it is such an animal lover, she’ll even take cats from other states that are going to put down and tells them she has homes for them, then hires a carpenter to build another cattery in her backyard to house them and she’ll feed and medicate them as if they were her very own pets, even if they are old feral cats, hoping someone will adopt them. It’s shelters like these that need financial support directly, not large organizations that send out endless letters with free return address labels, greeting cards, stickers, magnets, mini-calendars, etc., where most people just throw them away. That is where most of those donations are going to, the staff to make those, the printing, mailing, etc.

What a beautiful thing she is doing. 

Now that the raffle is over for 2011, is there a way for readers to make donations to the shelter or do they have to wait for next years raffle? – Yes, they can. However, I’d prefer everyone find their own local animal shelters to help and support J 

There are so many lost and abandoned animals that need love and care, especially as our economy has taken a downturn and their numbers have increased. I hope that everyone reading this will find some small way to help their local animal shelter. If you attend the next RT convention please look for Jimmy's raffle and make a donation. 

Jimmy, thank you for this interview and for the wonderful breakfast in bed. – You’re very welcome J Thank you for participating J 

And thank you to Bruce Heinsius for taking great shots to capture the moments!

Take a Chance

Or How I Came to Have Breakfast in Bed With International Cover Model

Jimmy Thomas

Life can be full of surprises and little adventures, if you are open to them and take a chance.

I’ve found this to be particularly true of my experiences at the Romantic Times Booklovers Conventions (or RT as it is affectionately known.) This convention brings together readers, authors, agents, editors and many other industry professionals as well as the RT magazine staff for several days of nonstop events and many opportunities to network, to meet readers, or simply to have fun at the nightly costume parties.

The first year I attended, RT was held in St. Louis and because it was close enough to drive, one of my critique partners and I decided to go see what it was all about. Neither of us knew much beyond what we had read in the magazine. I saw Bobbi Smith was having a contest for beginning writers, so I decided to take a chance and entered my western historical. We were at one of the dinners when the announcement came. My manuscript was a finalist and I was called up on stage. Later, Bobbi told me the story really started in chapter three. I took it home and revised it.

The following year, I decided to take a chance and entered that revised manuscript into the American Title II contest, where it was a finalist. The contest was put on by RT magazine and Dorchester Publishing and was similar to American Idol. Voters would go online and vote for their favorite and the winning manuscript would be published by Dorchester Publishing. By the time the RT convention arrived, I was there with several of my ATII sisters awaiting the announcement of the winner and the unveiling of her book cover. I also met the agent I had signed with two weeks before.

The third year I attended, my western historical manuscript A Desperate Journey had sold to Samhain Publishing and was out as an eBook. I was at the RT convention signing at my first eBook signing.

The fourth year, A Desperate Journey in print and I was able to sign at the big book signing on Saturday. I was on panels in Bobbi Smiths writers program and Judy McCoy’s writers program.

This year was my sixth time attending the RT convention and once again I decided to take a chance. International cover model Jimmy Thomas was at RT selling raffle tickets to raise funds for a local animal shelter. The cause called to my heart so I donated and bought a few chances.  (Hmm anyone noticing the take a chance theme here?)

The winner of the Breakfast in Bed with Jimmy Thomas raffle would have Jimmy Thomas bring their breakfast of choice, prepared by the hotel to the hotel room where he would sit in bed with the winner while you both enjoy breakfast and conversation together. During this time, his photographer would take pictures.

Raffle ticket proceeds go to PuRRfect Solutions Feline Rescue in Los Angeles. For the last three years Jimmy has run this raffle to raise funds for the animal shelter.

You might think with the good luck I’ve had at previous RT conventions and as good as RT has been to me; I wouldn’t have been so surprised when I won the raffle. But there I was sitting at my table signing books during the big book signing on Saturday along with over three hundred romance novelists when one of my raffle tickets won! I could hardly believe it and even checked the number two more times to be sure I had really won!

Just when I thought the RT convention couldn’t get any better, suddenly there I was making plans to have breakfast in bed with International Cover Model Jimmy Thomas.

We planned to have breakfast the following day. Luckily my flight home wasn’t to leave till late in the afternoon so we could do a late breakfast. All I needed to do was decide what I wanted for breakfast, call it in to room service and Jimmy would take care of the rest.

Sunday morning I did the usual girly thing, looking in the mirror, wondering do these pajamas make me look fat? Do the polka dots make me look like a twelve year old? And wondering if anyone ever thinks about having their picture taken in their pajamas when they are buying them. I know the last thing on my mind when shopping for pajamas is whether I’ll be wearing them in bed with a famous, handsome cover model! This adds a whole other category to that advice mothers sometimes give on always wearing clean underwear. So, ladies, you just never know!

Soon my breakfast arrived, but it was too early, before Jimmy did. They were supposed to wait until he arrived. When I told him he said, “I’ll take care of it.” And he quickly took charge, just the way a hero should. There’s just something about a man who will take charge and take care of things. That’s hero material in my book. ;-) And it was particularly nice because having worked in the travel industry I’ve done my share of complaining about hotel issues and fixing things. So it was really nice for him to take over so I could relax.

Breakfast looked and smelled delicious. When Jimmy’s food arrived we discovered we had both ordered exactly the same thing! Egg white omelets with asparagus and cheese, hash browns and whole-wheat toast. He then insisted I take the warmest one instead of the one that arrived early. Jimmy is thoughtful and a true gentleman.

I was nervous about the camera, even though his photographer Bruce said, “Just pretend I’m not here.” I told him that wasn’t so easy. But soon Jimmy and I were talking and laughing and I wasn’t as nervous.

Life is full of surprises and this was one of the better ones. Breakfast in bed with Jimmy was a lot of fun and made a great memory I’ll always treasure. It's amazing what can happen if you just take a chance.

To learn more about Jimmy visit

http://www.jimmythomas.com/

he is also on Facebook 

http://www.facebook.com/JimmyThomasDotCom

and to see some of the covers he has been on or to order prints, please visit www.RomanceNovelCovers.com

A big thank you to Jimmy for a fun breakfast in bed and special thanks to Bruce Heinsius for taking great shots to capture the moments. You both were wonderful for making me feel more at ease and making the event both fun and memorable.

And to all our readers out there, remember that good things can happen if you just take a chance!

(To see more pictures of Jimmy and me, please visit the photo section. Thank you!)

Love and Light,

Debra

I’m very excited about the redesign of my website. With a new blog on the home page I’ll be able to post updates on my writing and my books, share pics and stories of the writing life and hear from my readers.  This is my first post on the blog and there are many more to come.

One of the things I am keeping is the lovely artwork on the sides of the home page. Michele, who is my web designer, is a talented artist and this design is original.

I am also keeping a link to the archived Make-Believe Mondays interviews here on the site.  You may find your favorite author in the archives if you search. Interviewing authors once a week since Jan 1996, well there are quite a few!

If it seems I’ve been very quiet lately (at least it has appeared so online) this is because I have been re-evaluating my direction as an author, learning to balance and integrate more aspects of the things that I love into my writing.  There are several projects I am working on, several that are completed and looking for a publishing home, and many more in the planning stages.  For news and updates on those projects along with all the other things planned for 2011, stay tuned!

Yes It Is Pretty

But come, dear, need

You pride yourself

That much on a ring?

--Sappho

Love lies

Not in the glittering

Things

Love lies

In the crook of an arm

Ear bowed

To heartbeats

Internal rhythms

That call to us

A ring

Is cold

And hard

It holds no rhythm

Only a cold sparkling.

--Debra Parmley

Published in Bellowing Ark July 1996

Afraid of losing you

I ran fluttering

Like a little girl

After her mother

--Sappho

Wanting to grasp

And to hold

As if any human

Can truly hold another

You turned

And grasped

Me back

Somehow knowing

What I really needed

Was to beheld.

--Debra Parmley

Published in Bellowing Ark, July 1996