When I was a kid, if my parents chose to punish me, they turned off my TV. It was a great hardship. Until I discovered reading. I became an addict for Nancy Drew mysteries. By the time I was twelve, I was reading adult fiction. Nothing stopped me. I loved reading.
But I have seen our society change. Some people still read a book every chance they get. Others regard reading as a chore. Why? Is it the books they were forced to read in school? Have traditional publishers begun to bore us with their formulaic books? Have schools failed to create good readers, so that young people struggle to follow a storyline?
Or are we passive, preferring to watch the world through a TV set?
Don't get me wrong, I still watch a lot of TV. But I read a lot, too. If Harry Potter can inspire millions of children to read, then it must be the books that have been the problem. What does it take to inspire you to start a novel and discover the world inside?
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
BellaOnline review and interview
The wonderful Lisa Binion over at BellaOnline Fiction Writing has posted her review of Night Glitter, as well as an interview with me. Both articles are available this week.
Here's an excerpt from the review:
And from the interview:
Thanks, Lisa!
Here's an excerpt from the review:
The story was really good, entertaining, and easy to follow. The first book made me hungry to read its sequel and find out what happened.Click here to read the whole review at BellaOnline.
And from the interview:
When I started with Night Jazz, the first in the series, I wanted to use time travel which was not only very exciting to me but very popular at the time I wrote the book. But I wanted to break with tradition and write a novel during the 1920s, a period which has fascinated me ever since I was a child and loved TV shows such as The Untouchables and The Roaring Twenties.Click here to read the interview.
Thanks, Lisa!
Friday, May 14, 2010
Juicy Guest Blog at Love Romance Passion
The lovely Keira at Love Romance passion was generous enough to have me do a guest blog as a part of her "Kiss and Tell" feature.
The post is called Kiss and Tell: Jill Shure on Her Hero, and trust me, you do NOT want to miss out on this one!! Take a look!
Thanks, Keira!
The post is called Kiss and Tell: Jill Shure on Her Hero, and trust me, you do NOT want to miss out on this one!! Take a look!
Thanks, Keira!
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Guest Blog at Coffee Time Romance
I have had the pleasure of working with the crew over at Coffee Time Romance & More and their blog, Coffee Thoughts. I'm pleased to share with you all my guest post, Turning Up the Heat in Miami with Night Glitter.
The post is complete with a FREE sample drink recipe from Night Caps. So head over there and check it out!
Enjoy!
The post is complete with a FREE sample drink recipe from Night Caps. So head over there and check it out!
Enjoy!
Monday, May 3, 2010
Brenda Novak's Online Auction
I am very proud to be taking part in Brenda Novak's online auction to benefit diabetes research. My donation is all 3 of my Night books, Night Jazz, Night Glitter, and Night Caps.
That's right. All this could be yours!
Click here to view item at the auction.
Click here to learn more about the auction and to view other items.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Guest post at Romancing-The-Book
I have had the pleasure of working with Jen and Jessica over at Romancing-The-Book.com and have written a guest post that they have graciously posted. Check it out:
Jill Shure on Finding Inspiration
Leave a comment on that post for a chance to win copies of Night Jazz, Night Glitter, and Night Caps!
Thanks, Jen (and Jessica!)
Jill Shure on Finding Inspiration
Leave a comment on that post for a chance to win copies of Night Jazz, Night Glitter, and Night Caps!
Thanks, Jen (and Jessica!)
Monday, April 19, 2010
Packrat City
My husband and I have too much stuff. Some if it could be considered worthwhile, like my playbills from the theater in London and old travel brochures. But I also have obsolete business files and day planners.
We could probably live in a small, comfortable townhouse if we'd just get rid of our stuff. Books and more books, old linens, old frying pans. I always mean to get rid of these things but I'm much too busy. Besides, I find it upsetting to part with stuff. And yet one day, someone will have to sort through all this stuff. Even if I've moved on to my next karmic level. My stuff will have to endure the scrutiny of strangers so these things can be discarded or recycled.
I never look at the stuff except when I see a pile of it and think, I'm never gonna need this stuff again, am I?
Anyone in the same (packed) boat? Do you keep things around long past their prime for sentimental reasons?
We could probably live in a small, comfortable townhouse if we'd just get rid of our stuff. Books and more books, old linens, old frying pans. I always mean to get rid of these things but I'm much too busy. Besides, I find it upsetting to part with stuff. And yet one day, someone will have to sort through all this stuff. Even if I've moved on to my next karmic level. My stuff will have to endure the scrutiny of strangers so these things can be discarded or recycled.
I never look at the stuff except when I see a pile of it and think, I'm never gonna need this stuff again, am I?
Anyone in the same (packed) boat? Do you keep things around long past their prime for sentimental reasons?
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Books
Okay, I'm a writer. But I'm also a reader, and I love to read a variety of things from news magazines to The Vermont Country Store catalog. I'm crazy about mysteries as well as romances. I love fast thrillers by writer Daniel Silva. I adore historical mysteries by Ariana Franklin. I'm just beginning to follow writer Michael Connelly. In fact, I've been overseeing a mystery group for a year and we'll be reading THE LINCOLN LAWYER in June.
Often these mystery books have a passionate affair as a subplot which satisfies the romance reader in me.
I adore humor, too. I'm a big fan of Janet Evanovitch and Nelson DeMille. Evanovitch and DeMille manage to write page turners which also happen to be hilariously funny -- something I hope to accomplish in my next book, A CLAUSE FOR MURDER, which is a cross between chick-lit and a mystery. I suppose it should be labeled a cozy. But it's very modern and hilariously funny.
Because funny is always good.
In my new book NIGHT GLITTER, a romance which is out now, my character, Lupe Cardona often offers comic relief for the novel. She's a complex character. Readers may initially find her obnoxious, if not ridiculous. But she's supposed to be funny. Later on, the reader will discover that her behavior is based on a life filled with intense complications.
Of course, NIGHT GLITTER is the sequel to NIGHT JAZZ, a time travel novel. NIGHT GLITTER begins in 1932 and takes place in both New York and Hollywood during the Great Depression. And thanks to murderous thugs, a silent film heart-breaker named Franky Wyatt and enough sizzling scenes to make your heart pound, the book should appeal to mystery and romance readers.
Often these mystery books have a passionate affair as a subplot which satisfies the romance reader in me.
I adore humor, too. I'm a big fan of Janet Evanovitch and Nelson DeMille. Evanovitch and DeMille manage to write page turners which also happen to be hilariously funny -- something I hope to accomplish in my next book, A CLAUSE FOR MURDER, which is a cross between chick-lit and a mystery. I suppose it should be labeled a cozy. But it's very modern and hilariously funny.
Because funny is always good.
In my new book NIGHT GLITTER, a romance which is out now, my character, Lupe Cardona often offers comic relief for the novel. She's a complex character. Readers may initially find her obnoxious, if not ridiculous. But she's supposed to be funny. Later on, the reader will discover that her behavior is based on a life filled with intense complications.
Of course, NIGHT GLITTER is the sequel to NIGHT JAZZ, a time travel novel. NIGHT GLITTER begins in 1932 and takes place in both New York and Hollywood during the Great Depression. And thanks to murderous thugs, a silent film heart-breaker named Franky Wyatt and enough sizzling scenes to make your heart pound, the book should appeal to mystery and romance readers.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
America
I am proud to be an American. But ... I wonder how we got to this sad point in history. We have minimal access to modern train travel, and air travel is a bleak experience. Try waiting in endless lines, sitting in miserable seats, and being charged extra for everything you need from luggage to food. And after you've paid for all these extras, the experience is still unpleasant. And no one complains. Why? The TSA might drag you away.
Our schools depend on our belief in a brighter, smarter America. But in Florida a new bill has been created to pay teachers by results and not pay them for an advanced education. But if teachers are not encouraged to seek a higher education, why should our students go for an advanced degree? And what should teachers do when students don't do homework, don't show up for class, or don't make any attempt to do the work? Should we punish the parents? Because we can't punish the students. And why are our schools so unimportant? We have the money for new stadiums, so why not teachers?
We have so many malls. Store after store. Yet we dress like slobs. We spend millions at the mall and don't seem to care how we look. We fly, work, and eat in restaurants dressed as if we never saw a store. Odd, huh?
We want our children to read, but we as a country don't read much. We prefer TV. And most of our news shows don't focus on promoting American education, American industry, or the terrible shape of our roads and bridges. Our news shows often focus on the latest winner on AMERICAN IDOL.
In fact we seem to be obsessed with three things in America. First and foremost is being thin, though we're getting fatter. Being thin matters more than who we are as human beings. Next comes the shopping mall and then reality TV.
Television promotes us into believing that being cool matters the most. Have unrealistic breast implants, have your teeth veneered, look starved, and drive the right car, and you've got it made.
And you definitely need a presence on FACEBOOK. So how come so many people are lonely if they have so many internet friends?
We have political leaders who talk about human values and religion. But a lot of the time it's just hot air. It's a smoke screen which covers up the fact that America needs to catch up with Europe and Asia in many areas such as health care and train travel. It's a smoke screen that doesn't tell you that the reason you can buy so many cheap goods in the stores here is because it's all made somewhere else. It's a smoke screen that doesn't warn you that your job may disappear while you're focused on the winner of THE BACHELOR.
And while we're at it, we do need to take control of our health care. We are about 79th in the world. This is fine if you never get sick. But allowing Wall Street to dictate how an insurance company will pay out claims, is just plain nuts. Wall Street is not about you. It's about the few at the top who manage to skim off the profits and disappear into their posh estates in Fairfield County.
There's a lot to be proud of here. But we need to pay attention to more than the latest diet.
Our schools depend on our belief in a brighter, smarter America. But in Florida a new bill has been created to pay teachers by results and not pay them for an advanced education. But if teachers are not encouraged to seek a higher education, why should our students go for an advanced degree? And what should teachers do when students don't do homework, don't show up for class, or don't make any attempt to do the work? Should we punish the parents? Because we can't punish the students. And why are our schools so unimportant? We have the money for new stadiums, so why not teachers?
We have so many malls. Store after store. Yet we dress like slobs. We spend millions at the mall and don't seem to care how we look. We fly, work, and eat in restaurants dressed as if we never saw a store. Odd, huh?
We want our children to read, but we as a country don't read much. We prefer TV. And most of our news shows don't focus on promoting American education, American industry, or the terrible shape of our roads and bridges. Our news shows often focus on the latest winner on AMERICAN IDOL.
In fact we seem to be obsessed with three things in America. First and foremost is being thin, though we're getting fatter. Being thin matters more than who we are as human beings. Next comes the shopping mall and then reality TV.
Television promotes us into believing that being cool matters the most. Have unrealistic breast implants, have your teeth veneered, look starved, and drive the right car, and you've got it made.
And you definitely need a presence on FACEBOOK. So how come so many people are lonely if they have so many internet friends?
We have political leaders who talk about human values and religion. But a lot of the time it's just hot air. It's a smoke screen which covers up the fact that America needs to catch up with Europe and Asia in many areas such as health care and train travel. It's a smoke screen that doesn't tell you that the reason you can buy so many cheap goods in the stores here is because it's all made somewhere else. It's a smoke screen that doesn't warn you that your job may disappear while you're focused on the winner of THE BACHELOR.
And while we're at it, we do need to take control of our health care. We are about 79th in the world. This is fine if you never get sick. But allowing Wall Street to dictate how an insurance company will pay out claims, is just plain nuts. Wall Street is not about you. It's about the few at the top who manage to skim off the profits and disappear into their posh estates in Fairfield County.
There's a lot to be proud of here. But we need to pay attention to more than the latest diet.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Midwest Book Review: GLITTER a "Top Pick"
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Night Glitter review in The Midwest Book Review.
From the website:
The deadliest things have the prettiest faces. "Night Glitter" is a follow up to Jill Shure's previous novel Night jazz, as the protagonists fall upon the tough times of the 1930s and as Jeri is forced out of their New York hometown and finds herself in Hollywood and finds a more eventful life that she really wants, trading the New York underworld for the Hollywood underworld. "Night Glitter" is a riveting thriller and drama, and a top pick.
--Mary Cowper, The Midwest Book Review
Click here to read the review. Click here to purchase Night Glitter from your favorite bookseller.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
NBC6 Miami Segment
My interview on South Florida Today is up on the NBC Miami website!
This segment features drinks from Night Caps and also features Pawel Prus, a handsome bartender from Bar 721.
Click here to watch!
Welcome to Miami!
Yesterday, I appeared on the NBC program "South Florida Today" on NBC6 in Miami. What a treat! Now, I am enjoying the city and catching up with some friends in the area.
I will be sure to put a link to the interview when we get the video uploaded. The segment was a blast - we had a bartender on site mixing drinks from my book Night Caps. I'm sure you will enjoy it.
Is anyone from Miami, or have you visited the city? Any suggestions of what to see and do while we're here? Leave a comment!
I will be sure to put a link to the interview when we get the video uploaded. The segment was a blast - we had a bartender on site mixing drinks from my book Night Caps. I'm sure you will enjoy it.
Is anyone from Miami, or have you visited the city? Any suggestions of what to see and do while we're here? Leave a comment!
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
My interview on "Your Book Is Your Hook!"
To read my post about my great experience on "Your Book Is Your Hook!," click here: "My Book Is My Hook!"
Click here to hear my interview on "Your Book Is Your Hook!" Jennifer and I talk about writing fiction, the future of publishing, and how you, too, can use your book as your hook.
I have had the pleasure of writing a guest blog called "It Takes a Village to Raise Book Sales" for the "Your Book Is Your Hook!" website.
Here's an excerpt:
Read the rest of the article here.
Enjoy!
Click here to hear my interview on "Your Book Is Your Hook!" Jennifer and I talk about writing fiction, the future of publishing, and how you, too, can use your book as your hook.
I have had the pleasure of writing a guest blog called "It Takes a Village to Raise Book Sales" for the "Your Book Is Your Hook!" website.
Here's an excerpt:
So you want to write a novel or start your own publishing company. Both are worthwhile goals. And given the time and dedication, you can do both. But you may need more than a little help from your friends. You may need the help of a dazzling array of professionals.
Read the rest of the article here.
Enjoy!
Monday, March 29, 2010
My Book Is My Hook!
I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Jennifer S. Wilkov for an interview on her WomensRadio network program “Your Book Is Your Hook!” Jennifer’s program is a wonderful tool for anyone in any facet of the book industry. She has had interesting and enlightening conversations with experts from practically every aspect of publishing – public relations, writing, publishing –she’s covered it all!
Jennifer is warm, friendly, articulate, and a very intelligent host, and I am thrilled to have had the opportunity to work with her and “Your Book Is Your Hook!” Her enthusiasm for the publishing industry is inspiring. In a world where the "author" demographic is not always understood, Jennifer offers a smart program that is specifically targeted for authors and industry professionals. I am thankful for this media outlet, and I encourage everyone to check out her program, Tuesdays at 9:00 AM on WomensRadio.
It is always a pleasure to take part in something so meaningful, and I hope you’ll check out “Your Book Is Your Hook!” My interview will air tomorrow (I’ll put links up when they become available, so check back!). In the meantime, check out this show, featuring author Victoria Moran , and make sure to look at the related articles below. I know you’ll enjoy them as I have.
Thank you, Jennifer, for a great opportunity!
ETA: The link to my interview is here! It will go live Tuesday, March 30, at 9 AM Eastern Time. Enjoy!
Jennifer is warm, friendly, articulate, and a very intelligent host, and I am thrilled to have had the opportunity to work with her and “Your Book Is Your Hook!” Her enthusiasm for the publishing industry is inspiring. In a world where the "author" demographic is not always understood, Jennifer offers a smart program that is specifically targeted for authors and industry professionals. I am thankful for this media outlet, and I encourage everyone to check out her program, Tuesdays at 9:00 AM on WomensRadio.
It is always a pleasure to take part in something so meaningful, and I hope you’ll check out “Your Book Is Your Hook!” My interview will air tomorrow (I’ll put links up when they become available, so check back!). In the meantime, check out this show, featuring author Victoria Moran , and make sure to look at the related articles below. I know you’ll enjoy them as I have.
Thank you, Jennifer, for a great opportunity!
ETA: The link to my interview is here! It will go live Tuesday, March 30, at 9 AM Eastern Time. Enjoy!
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
QA posted at Romance Reviews Today
I was recently interviewed by the lovely Patti at Romance Reviews Today, and the interview has been published! Check out the QA with Jill Shure and Romance Reviews Today to keep up with the best and brightest reviews on the web.
Thanks, Patti!
Thanks, Patti!
Monday, March 22, 2010
You Can Call Me Publisher
From my article "You Can Call Me Publisher" at MORE.com.:
Read the rest of my article, "You Can Call Me Publisher" at MORE.com. Visit MORE.com for more great articles and ideas.
At my age, you face unpleasant changes. You don't jump at the chance to drag on that one piece suit for a swim. You don't always sleep like a log. And your doctor may tell you that besides sleep apnea, you grind your teeth. You have small pains. You have birthdays you once associated with people who ate oatmeal for dinner. But there are good things, too. You finally know what makes you happy.
Read the rest of my article, "You Can Call Me Publisher" at MORE.com. Visit MORE.com for more great articles and ideas.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Q&A at Romance Author Buzz
I am beyond thrilled to have a Q&A featuring me at Romance Author Buzz , along with a chance to win copies of the books in the "Night" series.
Take a look! And special thanks to the blog admin, Marilyn, who is undergoing surgery soon. Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers.
Take a look! And special thanks to the blog admin, Marilyn, who is undergoing surgery soon. Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Guest Blog at The Romance Book Club
I am humbled to be featured as a guest blogger at The Romance Book Club. My post, Love Knows No (Genre) Boundaries, discusses genres, subgenres, and how authors and readers handle them and respond to them.
Take a look!
Take a look!
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Guest Blog at Romance Junkies
I am honored and thrilled to be featured as a guest blogger at the Romance Junkies blog. The community is rich with readers and authors, all passionate about reading.
You can check out my guest blog here: Why I Love Time-Travel Romance, or Why I Send Heroines Back 70 Years.
Check out Romance Junkies, a great resource for all things romance!
You can check out my guest blog here: Why I Love Time-Travel Romance, or Why I Send Heroines Back 70 Years.
Check out Romance Junkies, a great resource for all things romance!
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Americans and politics
A young woman told me the other day how different Americans are, how divided we are.
I don't think so. Most Americans, in fact most of the world, want the following: A good job with a sympathetic employer who treats them with respect; a safe, clean place to live; freedom to practice their own beliefs as long as no one else is harmed; enough to eat; and medical care when they are sick.
Anyone out there have a better plan?
I don't think so. Most Americans, in fact most of the world, want the following: A good job with a sympathetic employer who treats them with respect; a safe, clean place to live; freedom to practice their own beliefs as long as no one else is harmed; enough to eat; and medical care when they are sick.
Anyone out there have a better plan?
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