Lisa Haselton's Reviews and Interviews

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Interview with urban fiction author Kruze

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Haselton) — Thu, 01 Oct 2020 04:02:00 +0000

Novelist Kruze is here today to chat about her new urban fiction, Is Blood Thicker.

During her virtual book tour, Kruze will be awarding a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble (winner’s choice) gift card to a lucky randomly drawn winner. To be entered for a chance to win, use the form below. To increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit her other tour stops and enter there, too!

Bio:Kruze was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Although she always enjoyed writing poems as a way of expressing the things she didn’t feel comfortable saying out loud, she didn’t decide to seriously become a writer until after she graduated from high school.

She started Urban Legends Publishing & Media as a way to create good literature for readers to enjoy. A self-described urban author with an erotic flare, Kruze wrote and published Cap-Poetry, a collection of poems about life, love, and sex from the viewpoint of a Capricorn as her first project. In November 2016, she released Lock and Load, a novel she co-wrote with Ace Capone, an author she signed to Urban Legends Publishing. Next up, is her novel, Is Blood Thicker, which was made available 8/4/2020.

Kruze has several single and joint projects coming out in the future, including another book of poetry, Letters to my Exes, and several novels, including Sins of the Father, Domain High, and The Money Team. She is always working, always striving for self-improvement both in her personal and professional lives. Be on the lookout for Kruze Hatch and Urban Legends Publishing & Media.

Welcome, Kruze. Please share a little bit about your current release.Have you ever looked at your circle and wonder if the people in it are really down for you? That’s the question Ceasar constantly asks himself. In his eyes betrayal is a worse crime than murder, so think twice before crossing him.

Daquans’s was life was filled with what he considered to be normalcy. He is completely devoted to his wife, Aviana, and their son. But how deep does his loyalty run? Can he stay with Aviana when her past catches up with her, attempting to collect an unpaid debt?

Nolan is a prominent member of his family, but he’s also the only one who managed to make it out of the hood. His family looks to him for all type of assistance, including money, because he doesn’t have the heart to tell them enough is enough. Maybe it’s the guilt he feels from his secret that keeps him digging in his pocket for his loved ones.

Join us as we dive into these strangers lives to explore their inner circles. Lies will be told, secrets won’t be kept, and graves will have to be dug. Take this ride with us, and maybe you could answer the question, is blood thicker?

What inspired you to write this book?

I was thinking one day that families go through so much and sometimes outsiders have no idea. Some of these scenarios I either experienced or know someone who has.

Excerpt from Is Blood Thicker:It was Christmas morning, and Daquan watched as his son slept in Symone’s bed. This isn’t how we should be celebrating, he thought. He felt guilty. He blamed himself for Zahir waking up to no gifts, no tree, but most importantly, no Aviana. Symone hadn’t returned from looking for Aviana, so Daquan didn’t know how to feel. Did they find her yet? Is Aviana dead? What am I gonna tell Zahir? He thought.

Zahir began to move around but was still asleep. Daquan prayed that he wouldn’t wake up. He hadn’t figured out what to tell Zahir about why Aviana wasn’t there or why they were at Symone’s house.

“I have to make something happen,” he said to himself.

Daquan was his son’s hero, so letting him down wasn’t an option. Daquan headed to the kitchen and searched the cabinets and refrigerator for something to cook. He soon found out that Symone didn’t keep her house stocked with groceries.

“How does she survive like this?” Daquan questioned aloud, still searching for food.

“I don’t need much to survive,” Symone answered, startling him.

“Why are you creeping up on me?” Daquan questioned.

“How am I creeping in my own house?” Symone asked.

“You know what I mean,” Daquan said and closed the refrigerator. “You hear anything about Aviana?”

“Not yet,” Symone regrettably answered.

“What am I gonna do?” Daquan plopped down at the kitchen table. “It’s Christmas, and I have to tell my son I have no idea where his mom is.”

What exciting story are you working on next?

I am working on Is Blood Thicker part 2, which will include new families and maybe some cameos from part one. In part 3 I will combine the two parts. Also, I’m working on another story, Quest, which is dedicated to my cousin, Salim.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I didn’t consider myself a writer until 2014, which was the same year I decided to start my publishing company, Urban Legends Publishing. It’s when I decided to take it serious and learn everything I can about my craft.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?

I have a full time job as an administrative assistant. My writing time varies, but I make sure I carve out time because I do not want to work for someone else for the rest of my life.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

My writing quirk is weaving many storylines together at the end. It allows me to give my readers a lot of content and make it all connect at the end.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I wanted to be a doctor up until the seventh grade. After that I didn’t have a particular career aspiration, I just wanted to be wealthy.

Links:
Website | Instagram Author | Facebook Author | Instagram Novel | Facebook Novel

Thank you for being a guest on my blog!

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Interview with fantasy author V. S. Holmes

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Haselton) — Fri, 25 Sep 2020 04:02:00 +0000

Novelist V. S. Holmes is here today chatting about the new epic fantasy, Blood and Mercy.

Bio:

V. S. Holmes is an international bestselling author. They created the REFORGED series and the NEL BENTLY BOOKS. Smoke and Rain, the first book in their fantasy quartet, won New Apple Literary's Excellence in Independent Publishing Award in 2015. In addition, they have published short fiction in several anthologies.

When not writing, they work as a contract archaeologist throughout the northeastern U.S. They live in a Tiny House with their spouse, a fellow archaeologist, their not-so-tiny dog, and own too many books for such a small abode. As a disabled and queer human, they work as an advocate and educator for representation in SFF worlds.

Welcome, V. S. Please tell us about your current release.

Blood and Mercy is the final book in my Reforged series and follows Rih, a Deaf soldier-turned-rebel-general and Keplan, a broody, queer, teenage god. While Rih juggles life in a foriegn country and marriage to a man she condemned, Keplan struggles with addiction, visions, and murder.

You can check out the description below!

Saving the world may have doomed them all

Keplan reels in the wake of grief and guilt at the blood on his hands. Outside the city walls, however, winter grows fiercer and droughts longer. Alea reforged the fractured world twenty years before--so why is it withering before his eyes? Then, just as he masters being a monarch, a prophet arrives spouting scripture about a One True God. Keplan’s own mother killed the last gods, yet this one matches his description perfectly--and its wrath is about to fall upon Athrolan.

Isolated within the same cold, marble walls as Athrolan’s murderous king, Rih struggles to plot her rebellion leagues away from everything she has ever known. With an unexpected ally, she may have finally found a way to the Mirikin Hetmir--until tragedy strikes. With religious fanatics at their walls, blight in their fields, and a king floundering from addiction, Athrolan spirals out of control.

Now Rih must choose between a mad king’s life and her own revolution.

What inspired you to write this book?

Fantasy is filled with farmboys who become heroes and princesses, and I chose to subvert those tropes. This is the finale of a series that focuses on broken heroes and terrible choices, a theme I wanted to keep in this installment. I also explored the political machinations behind war and whether the end justifies horrifying means. I began this book years ago, but while finalizing it for publication I realized there were familiar notes of rebellion, climate change (though this one has divine roots), and corrupt governments, both openly so and secretive.

With Rih I wanted to show a stubborn and dedicated woman, surrounded by as many--if not more--enemies than friends as she navigates a world she cannot hear. With Keplan, I delved into concepts of sexuality and gender with a mind that hears too much.

Link to an excerpt from Blood and Mercy: https://vsholmes.com/news/weve-got-a-release-date

What exciting story are you working on next?

I’m a multi-project author, so I’ve got a few in the works! I’m drafting Heretics, the fourth book in my lesbian archaeologists in space series, the Nel Bently Books, which take place in the shared Starsedge scienc fiction universe.

I’m also outlining my next fantasy, Dagger’s Dance, the first in an all-new series set in the Blood of Titans world.

Lastly, I’m sandboxing a third unrelated project which I’m not at liberty to share just yet, but it promises to be dark, complicated, and utterly delightful!

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I’ve always written, but I first began taking it seriously in a professional manner in university (partially as an escape as well as in retaliation against my narrow-minded creative writing professor) and dove into the querying world in 2013.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?

I do write full time, though I also have a seasonal day-job as a contract archaeologist. This means I travel a lot during the summer and fall, writing early in the morning and after we finish off our hotel parking lot drinks in the evening. Most of my winter months are spent writing as the ground is too frozen for consistent digging. My schedule is unpredictable, but I find incredible inspiration in the people and places I encounter!

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

Brooding and psychological characters who we’re never certain are actually good. Also, I cannot write scenes in chronological order, despite heavily outlining!

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

An astronaut/ astrophysicist like Ellie Arroway or evolutionary biologist/paleontologist. Also, a dragon.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

If you’re interested in checking out my work for free, you can snag a copy of Disciples, a Nel Bently short prequel or The Tempest, a fantasy survival story and glimpse at the Blood of Titan’s world from an entirely new perspective!

The Tempest: Frigid waters, monstrous leviathans, and seven other heirs lie between her and the crown. https://vsholmes.com/tempest.html

Disciples: Can Lin save their lives when she’s forbidden to get involved?

https://vsholmes.com/disciples.html

Links:

Thanks for joining me today.

Interview with horror writer John C Adams

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Haselton) — Thu, 24 Sep 2020 04:02:00 +0000

Dark fiction author John C Adams is chatting with me about Blackacre Rising.

Bio:

John C Adams is a nonbinary writer of fantasy and horror fiction. They are also a reviewer with the British Fantasy Society, the Horror Tree and Schlock! Webzine.

John has had short fiction published in Swords and Sorcery Magazine, Sirens Call Magazine, the Horror Zine, Devolution Z Magazine, Lovecraftiana Magazine and many other small publications. You can also read their short fiction in anthologies from Lycan Valley Press, Horrified Press, Fantasia Divinity and Jersey Pines Ink.

Longlisted twice for the Aeon Award, John has also been runner up for the Enrico Charles Literary Award. They have a Postgraduate Certificate in Creative Writing from Newcastle University.

They are an Oxford graduate and non-practising solicitor, living in Northumberland UK but conducting the ultimate long-distance relationship with their boyfriend in Pennsylvania.

Please tell us about your current release.

Blackacre Rising is the sequel to my debut novel Souls for the Master. It starts off exactly where the prequel ended, with the resistance betrayed by one of their own and the three key characters forced to flee the Metropolis. Gerald takes Don and Ivy north to his cousin Brett Flint's farmhouse at Blackacre, but they soon discover that unique perils await them under its ancient roof. Gerald heads back south, hoping to confront Janus and persuade him to rejoin the resistance, but en route he's captured by members of the old regime, the authorities whose power crumbled when the resistance rose up and challenged the Master. As they wait for help from Gerald that may never arrive, Don and Ivy explore the farmhouse and build an uneasy alliance with the powers that reside within its walls. It isn't long before they both set off on missions of their own, each one fraught with danger.

What inspired you to write this book?

Souls for the Master ended on a note of betrayal, threatening everything that the resistance had just achieved. I've been itching to explore the consequences of Janus's weakness ever since finishing Souls for the Master. I wanted to really get into the tensions it would engender within the remaining resistance membership over how to counter his abandoning everything they had fought so hard to build. I also wanted to see how the heroes of the first book would respond to their plans spinning out of control. Would they be resilient, or would losing everything they'd worked for bring them to an irreversible point of cynicism where they accepted that their hope of building a better world without the overweening power of the Master was a futile dream?

Excerpt from Blackacre Rising:

Twenty-three-year-old trainee surgeon Gerald Flint pressed his foot on the accelerator as soon as they were clear of the Metropolis. Angry at the betrayal that had seen his group flee the capital, he slammed the pedal to the floor. Now that he was through the capital’s suburbs, his black car would devour the miles as they sped north.

Dusk softened the May evening, and he revelled in a blast of warmth as he wound down his window. Exhaustion sank down into his body in a dull ache deep in his muscles, but joy at being away from the Master's Thought Control thrilled his soul. Not even his terror of being rounded up and shot could obliterate his relief at being free at last.

The three of them were out of the city, Gerald reminded himself, but he, Don and Ivy were far from safe. Janus Fidens would be celebrating back in the Metropolis along with the rest of the resistance, and Gerald had intended to be there until he overheard Janus's plans for his closest allies. It was shocking that someone who fought tirelessly to overthrow the authorities could be so easily corrupted by power, but Janus wasn't the first. Others had fallen prey to this very temptation.

Ivy Spires stared out of the passenger window, mesmerised by the bushes and trees flashing past. She'd grown up in the urban wasteland of West Metropolis. The eighteen-year-old twisted the ends of her long black hair around her slender fingers. Her dark-purple nail polish was chipped, and there was dirt under her fingernails. Her high-boned face was inscrutable as she internalised her response to Janus's behaviour. The aroma of the perfume she'd worn to the celebration party after the resistance took control of government lingered, and its allure penetrated Gerald's mind as he drove.

Even as he longed to know her inner thoughts, he didn’t push her to talk. She’d come with him despite her wariness in trusting him, but they barely knew each other. Working for a common goal had brought them closer in the past few days, but he was asking her to believe someone she’d known for years was a traitor to the very cause they fought for. He decided to give her whatever space she needed to work through that she could trust him. Survival instinct saved her when she was growing up in the Metropolis, and it hadn't let her down now. She'd agreed to come with him and convinced Don to join them. Let that be enough for now, he thought.

Don Allwood was asleep in the back seat. The lad’s head lolled onto his skinny chest, and his straw-blond hair fell across his pasty face. He snuffled into a snore, mumbling in a strange, unrecognisable language.

The poor kid was drained by the combat of the past forty-eight hours. The fifteen-year-old took far greater risks than anyone else in the resistance until his loyalty was rewarded with betrayal. He was the key to everything, and, wherever the trio ended up, his safety must be paramount. If anything happened to him, they were finished.

END OF EXCERPT

What exciting story are you working on next?

I write both horror and fantasy, and I am generally pretty inclined to alternate between the two. After launching Blackacre Rising I'll get back to the first draft of my next fantasy novel. It's about halfway through at present, but of course fantasy novels are never short in length and even after the first draft means there's still a lot of work left to do. I haven't worked on it in some time, and I'm starting to really miss the characters, so it'll be good to be back in a fantasy universe instead.

The novel is the third in a fantasy series I first published back in 2016 with Aspatria. The sequel Dagmar of the Northlands came out in 2019. This third novel is inspired by a Russian-themed Medieval universe.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

At fourteen I won twenty pounds in a writing competition for a diary I wrote during our school cruise to the Mediterranean. I found out then I could get paid for doing something I loved so much I'd have done it for free. I wish I'd continued with it, but real life intervenes and for me that meant university and then working. It was only when I was a full-time parent and carer that I began writing again just to carve out some space for myself. When my daughter was old enough to start nursery I dug out some of the writing I'd done as a teenager, read it, winced at how bad it was and then rewrote one of my favourite stories into a novel. Since then I've done a Postgraduate Certificate in Creative Writing, which I found really helpful, and learned the practical side of writing through submissions reading and reviewing. In some ways that sort of hands on experience is more useful than a writing course, in my opinion.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?

I wish! Like most budding writers I have a day job as well. Mine is to be a full-time carer for a severely brain damaged relative who lives with our family. It's exhausting work but very rewarding. Finding time to write isn't easy under the circumstances, but you just have to be resilient and determined to carve out the hours required. Most writers struggle to do that after a long day at work so I'm not alone. Just now, my boyfriend is over from Pennsylvania for six months while he works on his own novel, so I do have someone to give me a hand and, perhaps most importantly of all, nag me into sitting down and getting some writing done. And of course stand over my shoulder and point out that I'm putting the commas in all the wrong places.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

Most of my preparation for a novel is done through lucid dreaming. Most writers flinch at the idea of letting the characters, plot, description and dialogue roll around your head often for months without writing any of it down. You just have to trust that it'll sink down into your memory and the subconscious will find it again at the appropriate time. It works for me, though I understand this writing technique is not for everyone.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I'm still working on the growing up part, which is interesting given that I turn fifty in a few months. I actually wanted to be a vet. Not sure what happened to that ambition, given that I ended up becoming a lawyer instead. And of course now I'm a writer. Life's a journey. One day I'll learn to take it more seriously, I promise.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

I'd be delighted to give away twenty copies of Blackacre Rising via Smashwords code to download ebook or Mobi for Kindle versions.

Links:

Website | Amazon | Twitter | Facebook

Thanks for being here today!

Interview with crime thriller author Dwayne Clayden

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Haselton) — Wed, 23 Sep 2020 04:02:00 +0000

Crime thriller author Dwayne Clayden joins me today to chat about his new novel, Speargrass-Opioid.

Welcome, Dwayne, please tell us a little bit about yourself.

I was born and raised in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. In my 42-year career in emergency services, I served as a police officer, paramedic, tactical paramedic, firefighter, emergency medical services (EMS) chief, educator, and academic chair.

Now I combine my experience as a police officer and paramedic and write realistic crime thrillers.

My first novel, Crisis Point, was a finalist for the 2015 Crime Writers of Canada, Arthur Ellis Awards.

I love to speak at conferences and to writing groups on writing realistic police, medical, and paramedic procedures.

I am the co-author of four paramedic textbooks and have spoken internationally at EMS conferences for the past three decades.

Please tell us about your current release.

Speargrass-Opioid is set in Great Falls, Montana, and on the fictional Indian Reservation, Speargrass.

Rodeo champion Franklyn Eaglechild finds his life upended when his bull-riding injuries force him into a new line of work as the Tribal Sheriff in Speargrass, Montana. His damaged health leaves him with a pill-popping problem and a dim future of lost dreams. While coping with his personal defeats, Franklyn quickly discovers not everyone in Speargrass is thrilled to have a new Sheriff in town looking into their business—especially not the drug dealers.

Franklyn makes enemies in high places when he refuses to play by the Tribal Chief’s rules. Friends are scarce. Lucky for Franklyn, he has at least one friend he can rely on—his adopted brother and DEA Special Agent Riley Briggs in Great Falls.

As an opioid crisis spirals out of control in and around Great Falls and Speargrass, Franklyn and Riley realize they need to join forces if there is any hope of putting an end to the destruction.

What inspired you to write this book?

There were three reasons I wanted to write this novel. First, I was directly involved in the carnage the opioid crisis has created.

Second, based on my experience working on a First Nation, I saw first-hand addictions, death, and destroyed families.

Third, I am a big fan of Craig Johnson and his Longmire novel series, and the TV show. I saw the opportunity to create my own characters and world. In Speargrass, Franklyn and Riley are protagonists 1a and 1b. They share equal time in the novel, in their own sphere, but come together to solve a critical problem.

Excerpt from Speargrass-Opioid:

Franklyn Eaglechild slumped on the examination table, legs over the edge, and stared at the row of X-rays.

“Remind me, how many previous fractures?” the doctor asked.

“About fifty.”

“All from rodeo?”

“No, some from hockey.”

The doctor sighed. “The body wasn’t meant to take this abuse. I’m amazed you’re still walking.”

“About that … the pain pills aren’t doing a lot. I need something stronger.”

The doctor turned and sighed. “Look, Franklyn, Oxycontin is all I can prescribe. I shouldn’t be doing that anymore.”

“What’s the option?”

“You gotta stop rodeo. Your next argument with a two-thousand-pound bull could be your last. Any subsequent fractures might not heal. Besides, you can hardly move. How would you dodge a bull?”

“Don’t ride bulls anymore.” Franklyn smirked. “Just steer wrestling.”

“Oh great, so you jump off a speeding horse to wrestle five hundred pounds of steer to the ground.” The doctor shook his head. “What could possibly go wrong with that?”

“Come on, doc, it’s all I know.”

“Why do you sell yourself short? A month ago, you said you were applying for a job. What happened with that?”

“It’s back on the rez.”

The doctor leaned against the wall and crossed his arms. “What’s wrong with that?”

Franklyn shrugged. “I haven’t been on the rez for twenty-five years.”

“But it’s home. You got folks there?”

“Nobody close. My parents died a long time ago. Grandparents, too. Don’t know if I’d recognize anyone.”

The doctor pushed off the wall and stepped over to Franklyn. “As I told you a month ago, rodeo is in your past. If you jump off another horse, you could be crippled for life.”

“No options?”

The doctor rolled his eyes. “What about the job?”

“Speargrass Tribe advertised for an arena manager.” Franklyn grinned. “But they offered me the job of sheriff.

“Are you kidding me?”

“Nope.”

“You got any experience?”

“Some,” Franklyn said. “I worked the Montana Highway Patrol. Primarily winter months after rodeo season.”

“That’s better than continuing rodeo and being crippled.”

“I didn’t think I’d get the job.” Franklyn held out his shaking right hand. “Will I be able to hold a gun?”

“You’ll be able to hold it, but I can’t guarantee you’ll be able to pull the trigger too many times. And you might not be accurate.”

“About the pain?”

“I’ll give you a two-month prescription for Oxy. But you must stop rodeo and take care of your body. Maybe try yoga.”

“Are you insane?”

“Hey, pro athletes swear by it. Give it a try.” The doctor grinned. “Lots of women go to yoga.”

Franklyn’s head jerked up. “Lots of women?”

“Lots.”

What exciting story are you working on next?

Crisis Point, Outlaw^MC, and Wolfman is Back are the first three novels in the Brad Coulter Crime Thrillers series.

The fourth novel in the series, 13 Days of Terror, is now back from my editor, and I am making the final changes before sending it for proof-reading. It will be released in November 2020. I am working on the fifth novel in that series, Goddess of Justice, which will be released in early 2021.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I have always loved reading. My earliest memories are of my mother reading the Hardy Boys to me. Then I read every one. In high school, I wrote Mad Magazine type spoofs and Saturday Night Live skits. In 2010 I started my first novel, Crisis Point. I realized I was a writer when I held the full printed proof in my hands for the first time.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?

I am a full-time writer. My days start with coffee, the news, then to my writing cave. Around nine, I check emails and social media, and then by ten, I edit for the rest of the morning. After a lunch break, I then work on new chapters in the next novel. My most productive time for writing new material is from after lunch to midnight. Sometimes, after Valerie goes to sleep, I will write into the wee hours of the morning.

On a new novel, my goal is to write between 3-5,000 words a day for the first draft.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I use a lot of Post It Notes. My cave is covered with small notes, and large poster-sized notes with research, photos, and reminders. I still edit with paper (full of Post It Notes) and pen (a Bic four-color pen).

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

High School Physical Education Teacher/Football Coach/Police Officer

I did two out of three—a cop and football coach.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

13 Days of Terror—4th in the Brad Coulter Crime Thriller series—Launching in November.

My next novel is in final edit.

Monday morning. A man drops dead in the parking lot of a car dealership in downtown Calgary. No one knows where the shot came from. No one knows why the victim was targeted. The shooter? Invisible.

An hour later, another body hits the ground. Random victim, random location.

A sniper is terrorizing Calgary.

Detective Brad Coulter has just returned to work after a long leave of absence. He is thrown directly into the fire and tasked with stopping what is rapidly becoming one of the city’s deadliest killers. The shooter leaves no evidence behind but taunts Brad with notes addressed directly to him. As the death count rises, city-wide panic ensues.

It is a race against time. But how can Brad hunt a ghost?

Links:

Website | Facebook | Twitter

Thanks for joining me today!

Interview with romantic suspense author Maggie Clare

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Haselton) — Tue, 22 Sep 2020 04:02:00 +0000

Romantic suspense author Maggie Clare is in the hot seat today chatting with me about her new novel, Lost and Found.

During her virtual book tour, Maggie will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble (winner’s choice) gift card to a lucky randomly drawn winner. To be entered for a chance to win, use the form below. To increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit her other tour stops and enter there, too!

Bio:

Maggie Clare is the pen name of award-winning speculative fiction author Tabitha Lord.

When channeling Maggie, she writes all the naughty things! Her Tactical Solutions International romantic suspense series features hot hunky heroes, smart sexy gals, and nail-biting narratives.

Count on Maggie to pair great story-telling with an erotic edge.

Please share a little bit about your current release.

Lost and Found is the 3^rd book in the Tactical Solutions International romantic suspense series, but it can be read as a stand-alone. You’ll meet a few characters who’ve starred in the earlier books, and you’ll get a sneak peek of some who’ll be featured in the future, but this book has its own complete story.

Tactical Solutions International is a private military contractor and security firm co-founded by the main character of Lost and Found, Cam Taylor. The series focuses on the founders, the operatives they’ve hired, and the folks they fall in love with. All have a healthy dose of suspense - from serial killers, to human trafficking rings, to the creepy stalker in Lost and Found. All have a happily-ever-after, though, I promise!

Here’s a brief summary of Lost and Found…

When a disturbed admirer sets his sights on Dr. Lissa Morgan, former SEAL Cam Taylor vows to protect her. Although Cam has run from intimacy his whole life, the more time he spends with the sweet, sexy doctor, the faster his defenses crumble. When the stalker strikes, he’ll do whatever it takes to save the woman who’s slowly healing his wounded soul.

What inspired you to write this book?

As I mentioned, Lost and Found is the third book in the Tactical Solutions International series, but I actually wrote parts of it first. I’d just finished the final draft of a science fiction novel, and I needed to take a break from that story for a little while.

As often happens, key scenes from a new story will take shape in my mind, choreographed out like action sequences on television. There is one scene in Lost and Found where Lissa is trying to escape from the stalker. She sprays him with a bottle of bathroom cleaner and runs through the house, only to find all the doors padlocked. Even though there wasn’t much of a story yet, this scene was pulse-pounding and terrifying enough that I really wanted to keep it!

After just a few weeks of working on my new idea, I had to return to writing my science fiction series, and Lost and Found sat in my files for about a year. When I eventually began developing the TSI series, I dusted off that partial manuscript, gave Cam a new and better backstory, and turned this into the third book.

Excerpt from Lost and Found:
Cam woke with a splitting headache and no idea where he was. For a few seconds, before his foggy brain cleared, he simply stared at the white ceiling overhead. He ran a hand over the soft blanket covering him, and turned his head carefully to the side. A glass of orange juice, a bottle of pills, and a note sat on a coffee table. His cell phone, keys, and wallet were in a neat pile next to the glass.

Snapshots of memory flashed back into his head, coming in reverse order, like a videotape rewinding. Liss suturing his head. Her friend bringing supplies. Cam sitting outside her door, getting drunk while he waited for her to come home.

He reached for the note, licking his dry lips and squinting past the pounding in his head.

Things you may do: 1. Drink this juice and take some Tylenol. 2. Take off your bloody clothes and leave them in the basket. 3. Shower – the sutures won’t dissolve. 4. Move into my room for more sleep. Things you may not do: 1. Leave – doctor’s orders.

He grinned, hearing Lissa’s voice in his head as he read her instructions. His smile faded when he remembered what had driven him to her doorstep in the first place. He couldn’t think about that right now. He considered sneaking out before Liss returned from wherever she’d gone off to, but he discarded the idea pretty quickly. He needed the pills, the shower, and more sleep.

What exciting story are you working on next?

You may know that Maggie Clare is my pen-name, and I also publish speculative fiction under my given name, Tabitha Lord. Maggie is taking a short break from the romantic suspense series so Tabitha can finish writing an urban fantasy! It’s a rather dark story about a lady assassin who kills people in their dreams. She’s a Jessica Jones meets Dexter vigilante type character, and she only goes after men who’ve gotten away with terrible crimes. In the opening scene, she’s on a job but realizes the person she’s been hired to kill is actually an undercover FBI agent. His criminal history is a cover. She finds him in the waking world, and they attempt to discover who wants him dead. A little different from the romantic suspense, but with a similar action-adventure pace!

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I’ve been writing since I was a little girl, and I’ve always been told I was a ‘good writer.’ But, there’s a big difference between writing a solid paper in college, creating content for work, or even dabbling with story ideas, and completing a full-length novel. This was the part I never felt I could do. Once I’d written the first draft of my first novel, I allowed myself to finally admit I was a writer.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?

I am a full-time writer. As my kids got older and began leaving for college, I felt like it was time for a career change. When I wrote my first novel, they were all still living at home and I was working a full-time job.

The manuscript was a labor of love for sure, but I learned I was capable of completing a full-length novel, and further, I really enjoyed the process. My husband was super-supportive, and at that point in our lives, we could afford for me to take a chance on my writing.

I tried to imagine what it would be like to be a full-time writer. Would I write only novels? Would I write articles for blogs or magazines? Short-fiction? Would people actually pay me to produce content? I really didn’t know. Turns out, I do all of the above, and I do get paid to produce content!

My writing career is a mix of things. In addition to novel and short fiction writing, with two platforms to support since Maggie was born, I’m also the managing editor of a writer’s blog, and a partner for an online author review/interview site. I will occasionally take on editorial projects that really interest me as well.

My work days vary, depending on what kind of projects I’m working on. When I’m drafting a new manuscript, I tend to need hours of uninterrupted time each day. But, if I’m working on blog posts, editing, or marketing and sales work, I’m more flexible.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I talk to myself while I’m working. I’m not sure if this would be considered a writing quirk, but it’s certainly a habit that drives my family crazy. They never know if I’m speaking to them or not!

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

Oh, so many things - an archeologist, an astronaut, a doctor, and definitely a writer. Now I can research and write about all the things I’m still interested in!

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

Each one of my books contains some darker elements. This makes for good storytelling and creates dramatic tension, but I am also aware that some of the themes can be triggering. In Lost and Found, in addition to the stalker plot line, the main character, Cam, has suffered a terrible trauma that he’s kept secret for years. When I add something like this to my stories, I try to do it with great care. While I aim to give all my couples a happily-ever-after, I also want to show that trauma has far-reaching consequences. Love helps heal, certainly, but it doesn’t erase everything.

Links:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Amazon

Thank you for being a guest on my blog!

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Interview with western novelist Bob Brill

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Haselton) — Mon, 21 Sep 2020 04:02:00 +0000

Writer Bob Brill joins me today to chat about his new western, Lancer; Hero of the West – The Broken Bow Affair.

Bio:

Bob Brill is an award-winning journalist, broadcaster, and writer who is well known in broadcast circles and radio news. A former national correspondent with the UPI Radio Network and currently a news anchor/reporter with the only All News Radio Station in Los Angeles, he has written a dozen books. Aside from other novels and non-fiction books, Bob has just completed the sixth novel in the Lancer; Hero of the West series. There will be ten. He writes one a year.

Welcome, Bob. Please tell us about your current release.

The Broken Bow Affair is the sixth in the series and takes place in Broken Bow, NE. Lancer is hired by the local cattleman’s association to find who is rustling the local herds. He meets up with his usual legendary characters along the way. There are usually a couple of them aside from the men he knows and hangs out with in Tombstone, AZ, such as the Earp brothers and Doc Holliday.

What inspired you to write this book?

Several of the Lancer series deal with International Affairs (New Orleans and Los Angeles in particular as well as Santa Fe). This one deals with a real problem the West faced; rustling and the growing power of corporations (aka associations). I wanted to delve into America’s growing corporate structure as well as bring in some historical figures.

Excerpt from The Broken Bow Affair:

Lancer stepped in quickly.

“Look fellas I got breakfast coming and I’d really like to eat it without getting heartburn, if you catch my drift,” the gunslinger registered. “Now if we can put the family squabble aside for a few minutes, I do have a question maybe the three of you can help me with.”

The brothers agreed without a word to settle this later. Lancer needed help and they were obliged to give it.

“I’m going up to Nebraska tomorrow, cattlemen up there in Broken Bow, got some troubles and need my help.”

Virgil’s ears perked up right away.

“Range War? Didn’t think you’d get involved in something like that. Nasty business.”

Lancer waived him off.

“Nah, rustlers,” he assured the older Earp. “Seems something about they got it going on up there and can’t seem to catch who’s behind it.”

“Cattleman’s Association hiring you?”

Lancer nodded. Wyatt didn’t look up from his coffee and said it straight forward.

“There’s your answer,” he replied. “Never knew an association of cattleman to be anywhere near the honest truth. Probably doing the rustling themselves and looking for someone to blame it on. You look out for yourself up there. We are really talking nasty business.”

Lancer had thought about it but since he didn’t have much to go on yet, he wasn’t making any assumptions. He took in all that Wyatt was saying however.

“I’d rather face Johnny Ringo than a cattleman in a suit and tie, any day,” Wyatt pointed out.

Just then a booming voice came from the doorway.

“Well, I’m right here law dog.”

Johnny Ringo stood tall enough despite not being a man of great stature. When he spoke, whether softly or with a keen sense of power, people listened. Wyatt, surprised, did not even look up.

“Can’t you figure enough to come in out of the rain, Ringo,” Wyatt suggested. “Oh, I forgot you did.”

The comment was enough to rile Ringo and move his hand toward his gun. It didn’t take much because Ringo was always looking for a fight, itching to pull his .44.

“I wouldn’t do that,” came the voice of Doc Holliday behind Ringo. “Johnny Ringo why don’t you just sit down and have some breakfast? I’ll even pay for it.”

Ringo stood frozen. He’d love to tangle with Holliday and maybe would one day, but not today. As his hand moved slowly away from his holster Ringo settled down a bit.

“You keep your money Holliday,” he answered. “I can buy my own breakfast, anytime, any day.”

Virgil couldn’t pass up the opportunity.

“Yup, I guess the price of cattle just went up, didn’t it Ringo, I mean some folks got their pockets full of foldin’ money, not just jinglin’ change, ain’t that right?”

“You got somethin’ to say Earp, you say it!”

Virgil got up from the table and walked directly over to Ringo. The two men went face to face and stared, neither with a smile to be had.

“I got something to say, Cowboy,” Virgil held his ground. “Where’s your partner, Curly Bill this morning? Oh, he’s probably eatin’ Tortilla’s and enchiladas somewhere near the Mexican border, I figure.”

As Ringo’s hand moved closer to his side again, Doc put his hand onto Ringo’s hand and held tightly. Ringo, despite his lack of even temperedness, understood he was not going to win anything here. He stared directly into the eyes of the elder Earp, turned and stormed out. Doc let him move on.

“Now nobody sit with their back to door, ya hear?” Virgil warned.

“Not necessary,” Doc responded. “You see, Johnny Ringo, while a desperate scoundrel, carries too much pride in himself to back down and then shoot you in the back. He’ll be back, but his breakfast will be eaten elsewhere this morning.”

What exciting story are you working on next?

As far as books go, I start writing the next Lancer in November or December but I have not decided where yet. I'm thinking San Francisco but that's not set in stone. Right now I’m getting ready to shoot a documentary on an event from 50 years ago. February is the 50^th anniversary of the Sylmar earthquake and I was a senior at Sylmar High School at the time. It’s a big project and won’t give me time to write. Although I am working on another book which I’ve been working on for ten years but I only pick it up when I have little else to do, and that’s rare.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I’ve always written since childhood but I really began the craft seriously and professionally in 2008 when I started putting together “Fan Letters to a Stripper; A Patti Waggin Tale.” I own the rights to a long dead stripper who married a major league baseball player. It’s a coffee table biography. When I was 7 I started writing jokes for friends and family and I guess that contributed to my quirky sense of humor.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?

I don’t, my day job is as a news anchor and reporter with the only all news radio station in Los Angeles. Otherwise, I also write screenplays and pilots as well as books, a couple of blogs including the very popular “www.baseballinthe1960s.com. It’s a weekly column about baseball from 1960-69. I also produce a trivia show on my YouTube Channel several days a week and once in a while I sleep. I find the time to write in between other stuff and when I decide I need to work on one project I write for hours at a time until I want to stop. The next day or even later in the day I go back to it. It usually takes me 3-4 weeks at most to write a first draft of anything.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I buy and sell baseball cards, something which I became well known for. At one time I was considered an icon in the industry when I wrote “The Brill Report,” which was a twice weekly “FAX newsletter in those days. It is a passion of mine (baseball cards not newsletters).

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

The Lone Ranger

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

When I am on the treadmill at the gym I still watch half hour episodes of the Lone Ranger on my phone to make it through the exercise. I really hope people enjoy Lancer and my weekly baseball column as well as the short films I’ve produced and hopefully one day I will actually sell a screenplay and see my work on the big (or the little) screen and not just the Internet. Dreams never end and I really do just enjoy working and creating.

Links:

Book site | Author site | Facebook | Amazon

Thanks for being here today, Bob!

Interview with historical fiction author Charlotte Whitney

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Haselton) — Fri, 18 Sep 2020 04:02:00 +0000

My special guest today is historical fiction author Charlotte Whitney to chat with me about her novel, Threads.

During her virtual book tour, Charlotte will be giving away a $50 Amazon or Barnes and Noble (winner’s choice) gift card to a lucky randomly drawn winner. To be entered for a chance to win, use the form below. To increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit her other tour stops and enter there, too!

Bio:

Charlotte Whitney grew up in Michigan and spent much of her career at the University of Michigan directing internship and living-learning programs. She started out writing non-fiction while at the University and switched to romance with I Dream in White. A passion for history inspired her to write Threads: A Depression Era Tale chronicling the stories of three sisters on a farm during the throes of the Great Depression. She lives in Arizona, where she loves hiking, bicycling, swimming, and practicing yoga.

Welcome, Charlotte. Please share a little bit about your current release.

It's a boring, hardscrabble life for three sisters growing up on a Michigan farm during the throes of the Great Depression. But when young Nellie, digging for pirate treasure, discovers the tiny hand of a dead baby, rumors begin to fly. Narrated by Nellie and her two older sisters, the story follows the girls as they encounter a patchwork of threatening circumstances and decide to solve the mystery.

What inspired you to write this book?

My grandparents had three daughters that they raised during the Depression, but my grandmother didn’t like to talk about those times. Once, when I asked her about it, she answered, “We were very, very lucky. We only went hungry for a year.” Even though I was a child, that left me with a chill. Even farmers who had gardens, chickens, pigs, and dairy cows went hungry, because saving for taxes and mortgage payments required them to sell everything. So I decided to use their farm as the setting for Threads.

Excerpt from Threads:

“Bad luck is raining down on our family. Like a wet, cold downpour. Every waking moment I walk around with a heavy heart. Ma and Pa confided that we will lose the farm if dairy and crop prices keep going down. I wish there was something I could do about that. I tried to give Pa my two-dollar nest egg a couple of weeks ago but he wouldn’t take it. Yesterday Ma told me to use the money to go to the movies with Jean, but I can’t do that with our farm in jeopardy.

In the meantime, I’ve decided to sneak behind Ma’s back and go to May Hendrick’s house after school to confront her about the baby. I feel guilty about it but, by gosh, May Hendrick was wrong to bury her baby and blame me. I’m going over there and get a confession come hell or high water.”

What exciting story are you working on next?
I’m working on another historical novel, again set in rural Michigan in 1934. In this book twenty-year-old Polly is suddenly widowed. As the book unfolds, it’s unclear if her husband’s death was a suicide, homicide, or bizarre farm accident. There are plenty of twists to keep you guessing. The working title is VEILS: A Depression-Era Tale.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

Actually, not until my first book was published. I worked in an academic environment at the University of Michigan, and if you called yourself a writer without anything published, people would simply roll their eyes.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?

Yes, I do write full-time and I’m a morning person, so I’m up early to walk the dogs, have a quick bite to eat, and then settle in behind my computer. I’m fortunate to have a large spacious office with a door so I can shut out the world. I’m also an exercise fanatic so I punctuate writing with swimming, Zumba, or bicycling. I attempt to do the hardest work in the morning, and save marketing and easier tasks for the afternoon. Guilty pleasure: I have a sofa in my office, so if I find myself nodding off, I simply take a cat nap on the sofa for fifteen or twenty minutes.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

When I’m listening to an audio book while I’m walking or hiking I sometimes think about plot issues with the book I’m currently writing. It seems strange and counter-intuitive that I could do this while spoken words are being delivered into my ears. But it happens!

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

I love to hear from readers. Let me know about your likes and dislikes. What is going on in your life right now? If you want to subscribe to my free newsletter, go to my website and sign up.

Links:

Thank you for being a guest on my blog!

You’re welcome!

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New interview with legal thriller author Heath Daniels

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Haselton) — Thu, 17 Sep 2020 04:02:00 +0000

I’m happy to welcome Heath Daniels back to the blog to chat about his latest novel – a new international legal thriller, Don’t Fence Me In.

In December of 2017, Heath was here and chatted about two of his novels Three Kisses and Day of Judgment.

Bio:

For many years during his professional career as a professor focusing on international issues, Heath Daniels travelled the world and lived in several countries where he made a point of involving himself in local culture, politics, and friendships. While living in the Middle East in late 2005, he received inspirations and strong motivations to write his first novel, Three Kisses, about an anti-U.S. group’s attempts to infiltrate the U.S. using Russian medical technology.

Since then, he continued to travel and move. The same characters that came to life in his first novel metaphorically pressured and inspired him to continue to tell their stories of international espionage, intrigue, adventure, legal drama, and continued infiltration of the U. S. Each time he received such inspiration he sat down to his computer and began writing the stories that are now well-received U.S, historical novels focusing on current events. Many events he has written about fictionally have actually happened at a later time. Characters reflect persons he has encountered directly or indirectly, not always under favorable circumstances; there are no stereotypes.

Now he spends most of his time in the U.S. but still traveling internationally when opportunities present themselves. When not thinking of ways to spoil his grandchildren, traveling, or writing, he reads and is involved in spiritual activities that inspire the themes of empathy, respect, and acceptance that are woven through all his works.

He has written four novels.

Welcome back to Reviews and Interviews, Heath.

Please tell us about your newest release.

Russia, with the help of Iran and North Korea, has dug a tunnel under the Mexico-U.S. border to infiltrate the U.S. as the U.S. teeters on the precipice of civil destruction. Behind the cacophony of chaos, a sinister secret group of presumed diplomats based in Mexico orchestrates their infiltrators to enter the U.S. and conduct acts of terrorism to collapse the United States from within. There are frequent bombings of prominent institutions. In addition, during this period there are lengthy government shutdowns and mass illegal immigrant detainments adding to the chaos. At the epicenter of the activity, where the Texas, New Mexico, and Mexican borders meet, key civil servants of the United States investigate and bring perpetrators to justice.

Muslim-American U.S. Deputy Attorney General, Yusef Shaito, is suddenly thrust into a position of leadership under intense scrutiny of the media and the general public, with everyone judging the implications behind every prosecution and sentencing. Issues of race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, and citizenship are all called into question, with no stone unturned in this thrilling examination of what makes the U.S. what it is today and how susceptible it is to collapse if it doesn’t find a way to come together.

What inspired you to write this book?

When my third book, Justice!, was published, mentally I began to compose my memoirs. Many persons have said that I really need to write my memoirs soon because they would be so interesting. I even had a title for a book of memoirs and some idea of how I would organize the contents. Then, suddenly, inspirations came into my mind to write a fourth novel based on current events of the day. Russians were using many means to infiltrate and create chaos in the U.S. to bring down the society and democracy. Because of the Maria Butina and other scandals, U.S. authorities had become much too vigilant for the Russians to continue creating chaos from within the country. So, now, why not write about Russia’s infiltration, with help from Iran and North Korea, countries that had their own reasons for damaging the U.S., by coming in through the back door, Mexico. Inspirations just began to flow. The U.S.-Mexico border had its own set of issues as widely reported by the media and Russia could take advantage of that discord. Dig a tunnel to get people and bomb-making supplies into the U.S. from Mexico, and get people back under the border once things were stirred up. Characters from the previous books were in ideal positions to be sent to the border to continue the saga.

Excerpt from Don’t Fence Me In:

Wednesday, November 28, 2017

San Antonio, Texas, USA

It was mid-morning on a warm, sunny day, typical of late fall in South Texas, when Yusef Shaito entered the office of John Holmes, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, one of the largest, if not the largest, judicial districts in the U.S. in both population and geographic size. Yusef was the deputy U.S. attorney for the district. He focused primarily on human and civil rights, and was viewed as one of the nation’s experts on hate crimes. He took the position almost three years previously after exemplary service in the U.S. Attorney General Headquarters in Washington, DC. He was in his early thirties and stood five feet nine inches with slightly curly black hair and a trim build.

John Holmes was fairly new in the position, having been appointed three months earlier by the Trump administration and confirmed by the U.S. Senate. He had been the deputy in another U.S. judicial district and recently moved to San Antonio with a promotion. He was of average height and build, about five feet ten inches, with neatly trimmed brown hair. He was in his middle forties, young for a senior position. Both Yusef and John were professionally dressed with suit, dress shirt, and tie, their suit coats hanging in their offices.

Yusef and John had developed a good working relationship during the relatively short period John had been on the job, but they were not close and remained mostly professional in their

interactions. Yusef immediately took a seat, not feeling a need to wait until asked.

After pleasantries, John said, “First of the year we need you to move to El Paso temporarily.”

Yusef, stunned, blurted out, “What? Move to El Paso? Now?”

“Yes. As you know, Emiliano is retiring early to go into private practice, leaving a big vacancy at the top. Lots of things are going on in the El Paso area, and a good defense attorney, especially one with previous experience with the AG like Emiliano, would be in

demand and do well.”

“What about Susana? She’s number two there and doing a good job.”

“Yes, she seems to be doing a good job. But, if we promoted her, even temporarily, it would leave another hole. Things are shorthanded there anyway, and we don’t have authority to hire right now. Besides, just between you and me, Susana’s a great number two, but I’m not sure if she has the personality and style to take over, even if just temporarily. You are forceful but unassuming, and they all like you and respect you.”

“Thanks for the compliment,” Yusef said. “You know I focus on human and civil rights. Drug trafficking and immigration are not my thing, and that’s what they have a lot of there.”

“I know. When I was there to get to know them, Gerard was taking the lead in handling drug issues and doing very well. He can keep on handling the drug cases under you. The other staff all deal well with immigration issues. As you’re no doubt aware, it’s human rights and civil rights issues that are becoming much more important with migrants from Central America. El Paso doesn’t have strength in that area. With you in charge, we’ll have that covered. You’ll still be in charge of human and civil rights for the whole district, but you can

handle that from El Paso just as well as you can from here.”

“You know I’m Muslim,” Yusef continued. “This administration doesn’t seem to like Muslims, to put it mildly. How would they react to my being there? I can keep a low profile here, which I would likely do Muslim or not. But head of a division is higher profile.”

What’s the next writing project?

Inspirations are coming to me for the next novel, mostly inspirations for subplots and some characters. The main thing missing is the beginning that sets a thread for a plot to be carried through the book. Last night in a dream the ending for this fifth book just came to me. I still need the beginning, though. *smile* When the inspiration comes for the beginning, I’ll start the next novel. Almost certainly it will be necessary to wait until the 2020 election in the U.S. is over; there is too much uncertainty to latch onto a plot.

The notion of memoirs is also there when the inspiration comes.

What is your biggest challenge when writing a new book? (or the biggest challenge with this book)

Putting distractions aside in order to sit at a computer and write!

If your novels require research – please talk about the process. Do you do the research first and then write, while you’re writing, after the novel is complete and you need to fill in the gaps?

While I am writing, if I come to a place in the story line where I need to fill in details, I do the research. Only once did I do some research at the beginning. For the third book, Justice!, I knew that my lead character needed to continue to move up in his career. He had moved up with promotions as far as he could at the U.S. Attorney General office in Washington, D.C. until someone retired or died. In order to continue to progress up the career ladder, he would have to transfer to one of the 90+ judicial districts in the U.S. It couldn’t be just any judicial district, but instead a big and important one. Research showed me that one of the biggest, if not the biggest, in both population and geographic size, is the Western District of Texas with headquarters in San Antonio. Because I am very familiar with western Texas and could easily write about it, it was a very fortunate result of research.

What’s your writing space like? Do you have a particular spot to write where the muse is more active? Please tell us about it.

While I can’t say the muse is more active here, my writing space is my home multi-purpose room where I have my desk, computer, etc., i.e. a home office. It is also an extra sitting room, has a couch that makes into a bed for a guest bedroom, and serves many other purposes. That is why it is multi-purpose.

What authors do you enjoy reading within or outside of your genre?

One of my favorites lately is John Grisham. I have discovered that his genre and mindset are very similar to mine, although I was not that familiar with John Grisham before I started writing my books.

Also, I have re-discovered Allen Drury who had cult following when I was in university more years ago than I want to admit. Drury wrote about political events in the late 1950s into the 1960s that included Russian infiltration (the Soviet Union in those days) of the U.S. Drury’s books confirm the old saying that the more things change, the more they stay the same. Because I re-discovered Drury after I had written three books, I can’t say I got any inspiration from him, but there are many similarities in genre although I pointedly avoid partisan politics.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers today?

Your feedback, comments, and reviews are always very welcome.

Links:

Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

Thank you for coming back to Reviews and Interviews!

Interview with paranormal novelist Barb Jones

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Haselton) — Wed, 16 Sep 2020 04:02:00 +0000

Paranormal novelist Barb Jones is here today and we’re chatting about Blood Prophecy Three: Queen’s Ascension.

During her virtual book tour, Barb will be awarding a $15 Amazon or Barnes and Noble (winner’s choice) gift card to a lucky randomly drawn winner. To be entered for a chance to win, use the form below. To increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit her other tour stops and enter there, too!

Welcome, Barb. Please tell us a little bit about yourself.
I was born in Hawaii, a place rich with culture and storytellers. As a little girl, scary tales about vampires, werewolves, angels, demons, and witches were my favorite kind — much to my mother's dismay.

The scarier, the better.

My love for the supernatural never went away, even after moving to Seattle, far from Hawaii's majestic beaches with unusual colors. Nothing compares to the landscapes of Maui, Lanai, or Oahu. But somehow, Seattle stole my heart anyway. It became the place where my love for stories took on a new form, in a book of my own: The Adventures of Little Arthur and Merlin the Magnificent. This book is for kids who love stories, just like I did.

Then I had an idea while sleeping.

One night, my mind began to work overtime. In a dream, I saw a unique storyline involving all the races and an epic battle of good versus evil. It was a modern day plot with a three thousand year old prophecy, The Blood Prophecy. I finished the first book in 2014, The Queen's Destiny. Two years later, I released The Queen's Enemy. The last book in the series, The Queen's Ascension, released on August 17, 2020.

Today, I live in Florida with its beaches and sunshine. But I'm still a Seattle girl at heart. And so all my stories take place in the Northwest.

I always keep to my roots when I write.

Please share a little bit about your current release.

Queen’s Ascension is the third book in the series that brings Amber closer to fulfilling her destiny. For a millennia, a prophecy has been foretold that a Queen will unite the supernatural races in an epic battle that will test everything she holds dear. Her friends, her love, her life – all will be tested as she prepares for the prophecy to come true.

What inspired you to write this book?

The original storyline for Queen’s Destiny came from a dream but once I started creating this world, the rest just evolved into the series as we know it today.

Excerpt from Blood Prophecy Three: Queen’s Ascension:

Merlin, Camelot, 1276

Deep within the woods surrounding Camelot, Merlin, a strapping young man with sharp blue eyes and dark black hair, and knowledge that surpassed his years, ran through the trees, darting past the shrubbery in hopes of reaching his destination.

Out of breath, he stopped in front of a wall of foliage and flowers. With a wave of his hand, he whispered, “Eowan,” and revealed a hidden door within the cobblestone wall. A charge of wind pushed his hair back as he entered the passageway, and behind him, the wall was sealed once more.

With every step he took, fire illuminated his path, until finally, he reached the opening, a large room filled with herbs and ancient ingredients. The rickety shelves on the walls were lined with books and scrolls.

He eyed the cauldron within the hearth and said, “Ignis flamma,” and a fire lit underneath the kettle and quickly started to bubble. Merlin racked the shelves looking for a specific book he had in mind.

“Aha.” He found the volume and reached for it. In his hands, he had a delicately crafted book, made from worn soft leather with embossed writing which read, Balocræftum. He blew on the cover to rid it from the dust and cracked it open. While perusing the pages, he flipped through eagerly. Merlin found what he was in search of.

In the middle was a hole gouged out from the pages. He reached inside and pulled out an amulet, magnificently encrusted with all sorts of gems and diamonds. It radiated light and glowed. He pulled it up to his face and inspected it, the jewel aglow in his visage. His eyes sparkled in admiration.

What exciting story are you working on next?

I’ve decided to continue the series. I wasn’t ready for it to end and neither were the readers. So, I have already started Book Four: The Rise of the Hunter.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I think when I was 9. I wrote a story for Language Arts at St. Anthony’s School in Hawaii. My fourth grade teacher told me that if I kept up my writing and storytelling, I can be a writer. She even told me to think of myself as a writer beginning that day.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?

I actually work as a Senior Level (Executive) IT Consultant, Personal Fitness Trainer and Nutrition Coach. It’s a busy day but I am primarily in IT. I love Fitness so much that I became a trainer and paired it with healthy eating. That’s the day job. But in the evenings and on weekends, I write. I don’t miss a day of writing, even if it is just a paragraph. I’m a perfectionist so I will rewrite my endings until I find the one perfect for me and the characters. With two grown kids, it makes it easier to find the time too.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

Probably that I can write anywhere and I mean it! On a date, during a run or workout in the gym, anytime I get a thought I want to put it down!

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I always knew I wanted to be a mom. But, I also wanted to be an astronaut. I was so intrigued by the Space Program and the Engineering behind the shuttle.

Links:

Thank you for being a guest on my blog!

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Interview with juvenile fiction author Sherry Ellis

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Haselton) — Tue, 15 Sep 2020 04:02:00 +0000

Today’s special guest is juvenile fiction author Sherry Ellis and we are chatting about Bubba and Squirt’s Mayan Adventure.

Sherry is sponsoring a tour-wide giveaway. She is giving away ten (10) autographed print copies of the book open to all. Be sure to enter using the form below. The giveaway ends at midnight on Oct. 17^th. The full listing for her tour stops is at the bottom of this post.

Bio:

Sherry Ellis is an award-winning author and professional musician who plays and teaches the violin, viola, and piano. When she is not writing or engaged in musical activities, she can be found doing household chores, hiking, or exploring the world.

Ellis has previously published Bubba and Squirt’s Big Dig to China; Don’t Feed the Elephant; Ten Zany Birds; That Mama is a Grouch; and That Baby Woke Me Up, AGAIN.

She lives in Atlanta, Georgia.

Welcome, Sherry. Please tell us about your current release.

Bubba and Squirt’s Mayan Adventure is the second installment in the Bubba and Squirt’s Adventures series. The two young protagonists travel through the mysterious portal and find themselves at the ancient Mayan ruins of Altun Ha. They befriend archeologists who are unearthing priceless artifacts. But someone is stealing them. It’s their job to find out who. Thrown into the mix are characters from Mayan folklore who add an element of magic to the story.

What inspired you to write this book?

In 1998, I took a trip to Belize and saw Altun Ha. Since I found the place fascinating and wanted to teach kids about Mayan history and culture, it made sense to make this the setting for Bubba and Squirt’s second adventure.

Excerpt from Bubba and Squirt’s Mayan Adventure:

We climbed the steps and stood at the opening. Guess what we saw? A pyramid with no point on top, like the one from my dream. It was in the middle of a grassy field, and it had lots of steps. And do you know what else? Behind the pyramid was a jungle. A real one with palm trees and tropical plants. You wouldn’t believe the noise! I needed earplugs for all those bird chirps and bug sounds. I took a deep breath, and it smelled like mud puddles.

“I think we’re in Mexico!”

Squirt shrugged. “Maybe. I know we’re not in Egypt. Egyptian pyramids don’t look like that. Plus, we’re in a jungle, not a desert.”

“Correctomundo, Captain Obvious. Come on. Let’s check it out!”

I took off lickety-split to the pyramid and climbed the steps. But when I got to step number thirty-two, I had to take a break. Sweat leaked out of my forehead and dripped into my eyes. Sitting down, I looked around.

I spotted another pyramid, but it was shorter than the one I was on, and it was covered with grass. Someone needed to get a lawnmower. A line of white steps went to the top.

I looked down. Squirt was at the bottom.

“Bubba wait!” she said.

But I didn’t. I wanted to get to the top first. So I kept climbing. Those steep, narrow steps were tricky. A couple of times my feet slipped, and I almost fell.

I finally made it, but boy was I thirsty! They should’ve put a drinking fountain at the top. Wishing for water, I sat down and waited for Squirt.

She huffed and puffed. Sweat made her stringy, brown hair stick to her face. She stopped in the middle and looked up. “How many are there?”

“Steps?”

“Yeah.”

“Ninety-two.” I didn’t really know, but it sounded good. I’d lost track after forty-seven.

Squirt frowned and continued climbing. When she reached the top, she grabbed her hair and lifted it off her neck. Then she let out a big breath and plopped down next to me.

“About time, slow poke!”

Squirt gave me a tummy jab.

“Check out the other pyramid,” I said.

Squirt nodded. “There are more stone things over there.”

She was right. Crumbling gray buildings made of giant stone blocks were everywhere. They must’ve been part of an ancient city. I looked at the structure we’d come out of. Compared to the others, it was in good shape. The building looked like a stone rectangle with a door. Easy to spot whenever we had to go back.

“What do you think we’re supposed to do here?” Squirt asked.

“Beats me. But it would be nice if they had a burrito shop. I’m hungry.”

Squirt rolled her eyes. “Seriously? We’re stuck in who-knows-where, and all you can think of is food?”

“And something to drink.”

“Yeah, I guess that would be nice.”

What exciting story are you working on next?

I’m working on the next three Bubba and Squirt adventures which will be a trilogy. I’ve completed the first draft of the first one and am almost done with the first draft of the second. That’ll leave one more. The working titles are Bubba and Squirt’s City of Bones (to the catecombs of Paris), Bubba and Squirt’s Shield of Athena (to Greece), and Bubba and Squirt’s Legend of the Lost Pearl (to Japan).

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I’ve always enjoyed writing, but I don’t think I actually considered myself a writer until my first book, That Baby Woke Me Up, AGAIN was published. That was in 2005.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your workday like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?

Unfortunately, I can’t say that I’m a full-time writer. I am an Executive Director for an orchestra (the Georgia Philharmonic), which takes a lot of time, and I also teach and perform (violin, viola, and piano). Finding time to write is challenging. I usually go in spurts, which means it takes me a long time to crank out a story. I try to fit in a chapter a week, writing a few days a week, but it doesn’t always work out that way.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I write all my stories by hand in a notebook. I’ve tried to be a “normal” writer and sit at my keyboard, but it just doesn’t flow as easily. I literally have to use a pencil and paper.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

An astronaut and opera singer. I used to love to sing when I was young. I’m not sure what happened, but even through I’m a professional musician, I don’t sing much. I am, however, still fascinated by space. I think going into space would be interesting, but I’m happy staying on planet Earth and just observing the photos from satellites and telescopes.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

There are activities and teacher guides that go with each of my Bubba and Squirt books. Visit https://www.bubbaandsquirt.org/ for details.

Links:

Thanks for being here today!

Thank you for having me as a guest!

Feel free to visit Sherry at other stops during her tour:

Monday, Sept. 14 - Write With Fey - Guest Post
Alex J. Cavanaugh - Guest Post
Tuesday, Sept. 15 - Lisa Haselton's Reviews and Interviews - Interview
Wednesday, Sept. 16 - The Story of a Writer - Review
Thursday, Sept. 17 - Book Reviews by Pat Garcia - Review
Friday, Sept. 18 - Booked Solid with Virginia C - Feature
Rockin' Book Reviews - Review & Top Ten List
Monday, Sept. 21 - Just Jemi - Review & Interview
Anna del C. Dye Official Page - Excerpt
Tuesday, Sept. 22 - Baroness' Book Trove - Review
Saturday, Sept. 26 - Storeybook Reviews - Excerpt
Monday, Sept. 28 - Elizabeth Spann Craig's Blog - Guest Post
Joylene Nowell Butler - Excerpt

Journaling Woman - Feature
Wednesday, Sept. 30 - Nesie's Place - Excerpt
Friday, Oct. 2 - Thoughts in Progress - Review
Monday, Oct. 5 - The Sexy Nerd "Revue" - Excerpt
Wednesday, Oct. 7 - Willow Writes and Reads - Review
Friday, Oct. 9 - Celticlady's Reviews - Excerpt
Monday, Oct. 12 - Literary Rambles - Interview
Wednesday, Oct. 14 - Writer's Gambit - Feature & Top 10 List

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Interview with children's author Mark M. Even

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Haselton) — Mon, 14 Sep 2020 04:02:00 +0000

Children’s author Mark M Even joins me today to chat about his new middle grade fantasy, The Wonders of the Peculiar Parasol.

During his virtual book tour, Mark will be awarding a $20 Amazon or Barnes and Noble (winner’s choice) gift card to a lucky randomly drawn winner. To be entered for a chance to win, use the form below. To increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit his other tour stops and enter there, too!

Welcome, Mark. Please tell us a little bit about yourself.

I retired from almost 40 years working for IBM in Mar 2017. I’ve been married for 43 years to my wife, Joyce and have 3 children and 8 grand-children. I enjoy golfing, fishing, bird-watching and travel.

Shortly after retiring from IBM in 2017, I was at a small-town celebration in northern Wisconsin and noticed that a number of the little vendor booths were people selling children’s books that they created and self-published. I looked at these and told myself that I could write something like that. And I did, but these were the type of books that were targeted at small kids and needed vibrant pictures and artwork.

In the spring of 2018, I was visiting my niece and her family, and she told me of this wonderful idea for a story for a children’s book and after talking with her about it, we agreed to collaborate and I took on the task of writing the story. After many iterations, The Wonders of the Peculiar Parasol became a reality.

Please share a little bit about your current release.

When Mandy Mandez and her cousins, Mickey and Gina, discover a peculiar parasol in their Great-grandmother’s attic, their lives are changed forever. The parasol is enchanted and transports each of them to a magical world to experience a story for their enjoyment. They also discover that they are descendants of the powerful wizard who created the parasol.

When Mandy takes steps to use magic in the real world, she inadvertently releases an evil sorceress from a magical prison dimension who endangers Mandy’s world.

Mandy and her cousins must come up with a plan to battle the sorceress to save the parasol, their ancient wizard ancestor, and even their own families.

What inspired you to write this book?

I had been retired from IBM for a year and had attended a local festival in a small town in Wisconsin. Browsing through the various booths set up along the main street, I took note of many booths that were selling books, self-published by the author. Nearly all of them were picture books intended for toddlers. Being a grand-father of 8, I looked at them and while they were all somewhat interesting, I thought to myself that I could write a book like these for my grand-children. I tried various styles and attempts at a book, but never really got it going. But at a dinner with my niece and her husband, we were talking about my retirement “project” and she told me her idea for a children’s book. She and I talked for quite some time about her basic idea and she gave me permission to write the story. One idea followed another and then another and I couldn’t stop writing what has become my series: Dragonstone Story. Wonders of the Peculiar Parasol is the first book of the series, based on my niece’s idea of a magical parasol that takes whoever is holding it to a faraway land to live out a fantasy adventure.

Excerpt from The Wonders of the Peculiar Parasol:

Grandma asked the kids to help clean up and then said, “I called your great-grandmother and told her we’d come to visit today. Let’s get in the car and go now.”

The children loved their great-grandma, whom they called Gigi. Gina quickly shouted, “I get the window,” and ran to the car to get the best spot in the back seat. Mandy reluctantly let Mickey get the other window. That meant she got stuck in the middle, but at least she could sit by Gina. Grandma started her old Pontiac Bonneville and headed off to Gigi’s house in Grandma’s hometown of Remsen, twenty minutes away.

The girls chatted with Grandma during the drive, while Mickey ignored them and played a video game on his cell phone. When they arrived at Gigi’s, she was sitting on the front porch of the old three-story house. The children raced up the steps and took turns giving Gigi a big hug. She led them into the house, where she had fresh chocolate chip cookies and lemonade on the kitchen table.

After snacking and chatting, the kids went off to play, leaving Grandma and Gigi in the kitchen having “grown-up” talk.

“Let’s play Monopoly,” Mandy offered.

“Oh, Mandy, you always want to play that. That game takes forever!” Gina grumbled. “I know, let’s play hide-and-seek!”

Mandy rolled her eyes. Once again, Gina has to be in charge, she thought. They decided to do rock-paper-scissors to decide who was “it.” Mandy was happy she at least won that, and Mickey got stuck being it, so the girls ran off through the big old house to hide while he counted to fifty. Mandy ran into the dining room with the built-in cabinets that covered an entire wall. She knew there was a cupboard there that she could squeeze into, and she opened the door to hide in it. As she was shutting the door, she heard Gina’s footsteps running up the stairs to the second floor.

Mickey shouted, “Ready or not, here I come!” Rushing to the dining room, he opened the cupboard door. “Found you, Mandy. You hid in there the last time we played.”

Then he stopped and listened. Mandy heard a loud squeak coming from above and then chased after Mickey as he bolted up the stairs. Instead of staying on the next level, Mickey ran to a narrow set of steps that led to the attic. He turned and whispered to Mandy, “She’s up here. That creaky door to the attic made that noise.”

Mandy followed Mickey into the attic, and when the door squeaked loudly, there was a loud crash just ahead of them. Lying on the floor was a wooden coat rack with old winter coats, and Gina’s feet sticking out of the mess.

“Found you, Gina! Now one of you is it!” Mickey cried triumphantly.

Gina struggled to get out from under the mess, giggling. “I heard you come in and tried to make sure I was hidden, and then tripped on this old coat rack.”

Mandy looked down and saw something peculiar on the floor amongst the coats. It was like an umbrella, but different. The handle was wooden, carved to look like a dragon with its tail curved at the bottom. The umbrella’s fabric was a faded beige, decorated with branches or vines with different-colored flower buds coming off them. At the very top was a dull white knob. Was it glass, or was it a crystal? Mandy picked the umbrella up and wiped dust off the knob to see it better. It looked more like a crystal—a polished stone, she decided.

She said, “Hey, look at this dirty old thing. It sure doesn’t look like it would keep anyone dry. See how flimsy it is? Water would probably soak right through it.”

“Let me see!” said Gina as she grabbed it from Mandy. “Let’s go ask Gigi about it. I think it’s kind of pretty, but weird.” As she walked across the dimly lit attic, she passed through a beam of sunlight shining through the window. Suddenly, the room flashed with a bright red light.

“Wow—what was that?” said Mickey. “It looks like it came from the glass knob!”

Mandy stared thoughtfully at the crystal stone. She had seen it turn red, and now its color was quickly fading. She looked at her cousins, who stared back at her, unsure of what to say or do.

“Gigi!” Mandy yelled, and the kids all turned and sprinted across the dusty attic, through the doorway and, without closing the door, descended the narrow dark stairs as quickly as they could without falling.

They ran into the kitchen and stopped with a lurch in front of Gigi. Gigi looked at the umbrella in Mandy’s hands, put her own hands to her face, and said, “Oh my! The… the parasol!”

What exciting story are you working on next?
The 2^nd book of the Dragonstone Story series is called The Power of the Emerald Ring. It is currently going through the editing process and it will be available September 2020. The book continues the story of Mandy Mandez and her extended magical family as they struggle with learning magic and using it in the real world.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

Only after going through multiple editing efforts with professionals did I even consider that I might be a writer. Still not sure – I’m still learning.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your workday like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?

No – My writing now is pretty much broken up into bursts of writing. I typically formulate an idea for a chapter in my head, working out dialogues and plots before I even start writing. Most of my days, now that I’m retired from a paying job, is spent golfing, fishing, birdwatching, travelling, and hanging out with my grandkids.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I like to hide little family “secrets” and private jokes within the text, just to test my kids and see if they catch the hidden meanings.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

A professional baseball player! Then, even though I played on some state championship teams in Little League and high school and played in college, reality set in. Then my aspiration was to be a baseball coach and teach math. But I took a computer class in college and went in that direction instead.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

I hope everyone is staying safe and healthy and are finding ways to stay connected with their families and friends. So much is happening so fast in today’s world. Be sure to slow down and take some time for yourselves. A good way to start is to buy my book and be entertained with the magical adventure of The Wonders of the Peculiar Parasol (sorry for the last ditch plug….)

Links:
Website | Cresting Wave Publishing | Amazon | Facebook | Goodreads

Thank you for being a guest on my blog!

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Interview with paranormal romance author J.E. McDonald

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Haselton) — Fri, 11 Sep 2020 04:02:00 +0000

Novelist J.E. McDonald is helping me wrap up the week by chatting about her paranormal romance, Ghost of a Gamble, book one of the Wickwood Chronicles.

Bio:

J.E. McDonald is a writer of paranormal romance, romantic suspense, sci-fi romance, and contemporary romance. Born and raised in Saskatchewan, Canada, she lives with her husband and three rambunctious daughters who keep her on her toes. An avid reader and Minecraft junkie, when she’s not plotting her next story, she’s avoiding dust bunnies while plotting her next story.

Welcome, J.E. Please tell us about your current release.

Ghost of a Gamble is a romance pitting a ghost hunter with a skeptic. Set in Wickwood, a city where strange things happen, the two main characters are thrown together by bad luck. Bree loses her job at the beginning of the book, and with an eviction notice in her back pocket she needs to find a job fast. That’s when she runs into Zack, a paranormal investigator searching for an assistant. Because Bree speaks without a filter, and Zack is the strong silent type, personalities clash while the chemistry sparks, all amid an investigation of one of the most haunted houses Zack has ever encounter. While Bree struggles with the need to expose the paranormal investigation company for a scam because ghosts aren’t real, Zack battles internally on whether or not to trust Bree enough to reveal his secret.

It's kind of like the first few seasons of Supernatural (before they got super dark) with a splash of Bridget Jones’s Diary.

What inspired you to write this book?

I love to read and write romance, and one of my all-time favorite things is the clash of opposing personalities. With this book, Bree is the skeptic while Zack knows ghosts are, indeed, real. Bree is bubbly and speaks without thinking, while Zack is introverted and doesn’t like to speak unless he needs to. I love to see the sparks fly.

Excerpt from Ghost of a Gamble:

The meet cute:

She sipped her coffee and winced when it burned her tongue.

Rubbing the sting away on the back of her teeth, she strolled the five steps to the advertisement board. From beneath the half-wall, she saw someone on the other side in combat boots and black jeans. Bree scanned the ads. Most were college students searching for roommates. Others were for concerts coming up in the Wickwood area.

The hard knot in Bree’s chest mutated into a hot burn. She really needed a job.

Thunk. Thunk. A stapler hit the other side of the board. She straightened. Thunk. Thunk. Slowly, she edged to the side and peeked around the board to check out what Mr. Combat Boots had posted. Probably looking for a roommate.

She noticed his hair first. Brown with a hint of red, it swept across his forehead to stop below his chin. A dusting of stubble showed through his tawny skin, but nothing you could call a beard. And his clothes matched his boots. All black. He’s cute. Her heart did a double thump. Really cute.

Straightening, she stepped around the board to get a better look at his flyer. His golden eyes tracked her, then quickly looked away. He stepped back to admire his handiwork, and she stood beside him, shoulder to shoulder. Her body hummed. Acting casual, Bree took a cautious sip of her coffee and read the flier.

HELP WANTED IMMEDIATELY

PART-TIME FIELD ASSISTANT

RESILIENT PERSONALITY PREFERRED

AVAILABLE NIGHTS

*NEEDS TO KEEP AN OPEN MIND*

She pursed her lips. “What do you do? Make pornos or something?” She wouldn’t want to star in a porno—not that she didn’t have the skills—but taking a leap into adult entertainment wasn’t a life goal. She wasn’t a prude and could probably be an assistant.

“What?” He turned so abruptly, he hit her elbow. She managed to hold onto her coffee, but some splashed out of the lid and landed on his jacket with a splat.

“Oh, my God.” Bree set her cup on the ledge of the advertisement board and dug around in her tote for a tissue. “Are you hurt? Are you burnt?”

Eyes wide, he shook his head.

“I’m so sorry.” Bree kept digging in her bag. There must be a napkin or something in here. “Not that it was my fault, mind you, since you hit my hand. But I am sorry I poured coffee on you.” She found a used, crumpled up tissue, stared at it for a full two seconds, shrugged, and wiped at the front of his jacket. “At least I didn’t get your boots wet.”

As she turned to reaffirm her coffee was secure on the ledge, she hit the cup with her tote. The cup tipped, tipped…she reached…and it fell to the ground with a dull thud. The lid flew off and coffee splattered her sneakers and his boots.

“Oh my God, I can’t believe I did it again.” Easy come, easy go. That’s how it was with free pity coffees. She went to a knee and swiped at the moisture on his boots. The embarrassment ringing in her ears made it hard for her to hear.

“Please stop,” he said, the words finally making it through.

She peered up to see his wonderfully beautiful face twisted in distress. Glaring at the tissue, she grimaced, and shoved it in her tote before hopping to her feet.

“Sorry,” she muttered. Had she ruined her chances?

Most likely.

She glanced at the flyer. She really needed a job, but if he was wanting a fluffer, that was probably a deal breaker.

Probably.

What exciting story are you working on next?

The next book in the Wickwood Chronicles is called Ghost of an Enchantment. The main character is a witch we meet briefly near the end of Ghost of a Gamble. Her story revolves around her ailing grandmother, a necklace she receives as a gift, her best friend accidentally opening a portal to another dimension, and of course a romance with someone who is, in many ways, her opposite.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I’ve always loved to write. Creative writing and English were my favorite subjects and I preferred exams with essays more than multiple choice. But I didn’t consciously make the decision to seek publication until my early thirties.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?

I’m a full-time mom, my kids ranging in age from two to nine, and I write whenever I can. With my husband working out of province weeks at a time, and my kids at home 24/7 due to the pandemic, sometimes it’s hard to find a spare minute. I’d once read an interview where a writer put up on her wall “You will never have more time than you do right now” and that really resonated with me. If I can’t find time now, today, then I’ll never find time. I’m constantly searching for unique ways to make that time, and right now that means waking up at 5am to write before my kids get up for the day.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I need music while I write. When I write an angry scene I blast loud, gritty music in my headphones. When I’m writing a love scene, it’s soft and gentle. I create a new playlist for each new project, which means I’m often listening to the same songs over and over again while drafting and editing.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

Influenced by the pop culture I saw on the TV all the time, I wanted to be a famous singer or famous actress. In high school, my dreams became more practical as reality set in, but my creative side always had a prominent role in my goals.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

When I started writing Ghost of a Gamble, I was a skeptic. I thought the idea of a paranormal investigator was neat, but didn’t see the value in it. Throughout my research, I kept coming across story after story of paranormal experiences, and even heard first-hand accountings. By the time I finished writing Ghost of a Gamble, my mind was opened to so many more possibilities than I had ever imagined—an eye-opening experience I thoroughly enjoyed.

Links:

Website and Newsletter Sign Up | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Buy Pages:

Thanks for being here today!

Interview with debut women's fiction author Karen Leigh Gruber

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Haselton) — Thu, 10 Sep 2020 04:02:00 +0000

Today’s special author is Karen Leigh Gruber to chat with me about her new women’s fiction, When Lions Roar.

During her virtual book tour, Karen will be awarding a $50 Amazon or Barnes and Noble (winner’s choice) gift card to a lucky randomly drawn winner. To enter for a chance to win, use the form below. To increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit her other tour stops and enter there, too!

Bio:

Karen Gruber is an international #1 best-selling contributing author, inspirational speaker, and a Leadership Development Coach for women and moms. She specializes in inspiring moms to realize their potential as mothers, women, and leaders. Karen has had extensive specialized training in parenting, feminine spirituality, and leadership. Over the past 15 years she has provided innovative leadership coaching for moms and has dramatically transformed her own life.

Sharing her life with her husband Jim and daughter Jaymie, presenting her message to other women, and traveling the world bring her the greatest joy.

She is the founder of The Inspired Mama, a company located in gorgeous Denver, Colorado that focuses on the inspiration, leadership, and wellbeing of women and moms.

When Lions Roar is Karen’s debut fictional work. She is freakish about Christmas lights and loves to play Baccarat.

Welcome, Karen. Please tell us a little bit about your debut release.

Two women from different lands, each struggling to survive; a child’s mysterious disappearance will alter both their lives forever…

Maggie has become unrecognizable to herself, succumbing to the predictability of being a mother and wife. Every day she reminds her daughter to brush her teeth, has the same conversation with her husband about what’s for dinner. Maggie struggles to cope with the disenchantment of the monotonous tedium that has become her life. Despite her boredom, when her husband David is called on assignment to South Africa, Maggie resents having to rearrange her life just because David has decided they all need to traipse halfway across the globe.

While on safari, Maggie awakens one morning to a mother’s worst nightmare; their daughter Hannah has gone missing. Just when things can’t get any worse, Maggie is confronted with the harsh truth of her emotionally abusive marriage and what she has allowed her life to become.

When Lions Roar is set against the backdrop of the exotic and intriguing landscape of South Africa, when the country is reeling from the aftershocks of apartheid. Will Maggie find the strength and courage to abandon the fragile ties of her marriage and confront her self-destruction in time to save the life of her daughter?

Excerpt from When Lions Roar:

After several days, while David had left on assignment, Akilah came to see me. Although there was alarm in her eyes when she first saw me, that shifted to compassion as she found me lying across the bed. Unwashed for weeks now, my mouth was crusted over and my hair a tangled mess. I reeked of alcohol, filth, and despair. Quickly, she ran to the bathroom and started the tub. Gingerly, she lifted my arms and began to guide me toward the tub. I resisted her.

“David is coming back. He will find you here. You must leave,” I pleaded.

“Not until you are washed.” She helped me into the bath and proceeded to wash me as one would wash a little baby. It was with such tenderness and loving hands, I thought I might simply dissolve under her touch. She started at my neck, face, and mouth and wiped away the crust that had been lingering there for far too long. She lifted each arm with the warmheartedness of a mother. As she washed up and down the length of my arm, I couldn’t help but notice the contrast of her dark skin, which seemed so strong compared to my delicate white skin that could peel away at any moment. She pitched the top half of my limp body forward in order to scrub my back. I could feel the suds from the sponge trickle down my spine into the water below.

What are four things you can’t live without?

I'm going to take this very literally, because of course there are people that I could not live without, but things: rich dark coffee, lip balm, books, and flowers.

What is your favorite television show?

I recently got turned onto Shitt$ Creek and I am loving it. The characters are so over the top and the acting is phenomenal. The dialog is clever, and I laugh simply watching the facial expressions and body language.

If you could be any character, from any literary work, who would you choose to be? Why?

I would choose to be Scarlett O'Hara because this character got to experience so many facets of life from grandeur of great wealth and beauty to despair and poverty through war. The character of Scarlett O’Hara experienced so much of life that many of us will never see.

What have you got coming soon for us to look out for?

My next book that I'm working on is nonfiction, titled Sacred Sex Ed for Girls. This is a coming of age book, dealing with issues that young girls and women in general deal with throughout their entire lives. It is my belief that if we teach sex education in a different way our girls will be safer, happier, more confident and self-loving.

What books or authors have most influenced your own writing?

My favorite book of all time is Gone with the Wind. I love how Margaret Mitchell takes you from the highest of highs to the lowest of lows without missing anything in between. Her prose makes you feel like you're on the plantation or you're at the barbecue or in the hospital ward, it is an incredible journey to be taken on.

I admire authors who do something different with their writing like Wide Sargasso Sea, where Jean Rhys took a classic Jane Eyre and the reference to the crazy woman in the attic and turned it into a turn to a new story, into a prequel. She created a story of the woman in the attic and how she came to be there. Writing like that is fascinating. This kind of creativity and out of the box thinking is not a formula, it is influential and inspiring. I hope readers feel the same about When Lions Roar.

Links:

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Book Pre-sale | Amazon

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Interview with YA fantasy author Jenna Greene

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Haselton) — Wed, 09 Sep 2020 04:02:00 +0000

YA fantasy author Jenna Greene joins me today to chat about Reborn.

Bio:

Jenna Greene is a YA fantasy author from Alberta, Canada. She lives with her husband, Scott, and daughter, Olivia. Aside from writing, Jenna enjoys dance, dragonboat paddling, and napping.

Welcome, Jenna. Please tell us about your current release.

My current release is titled Reborn. It was released a year ago and won the Moonbeam Children’s Book award for 2019.

What inspired you to write this book?

A lot of things coordinate together to inspire a book. I remember a meme, a complaint about my freckles, and a writer’s conference conspired together to create the initial idea for the story. Late, I realized my mother’s illness, and subsequent passing, inspired a great deal of the emotion of the book.

Excerpt from Reborn:

Sold into servitude, Lexil must deal with brutal punishments, back-breaking labor, and the loss of every freedom. When a young child she has befriended faces a horrible fate, Lexil must intervene to protect her, no matter what the risk.

With the help of a boy named Finn, the trio flee into the Wastelands. There, they must evade those who hunt them while trying to survive a barren landscape. Lexil must face challenges she's never imagined existed, all while learning what it means to truly be reborn.

What exciting story are you working on next?

I am editing the sequel to Reborn. Naturally, the consequences of the first book come into play. More characters are introduced, and the main character’s journey is continued.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

The first time a teacher said I had talent and my parents should buy me a journal. (Second grade). I probably didn’t have any special talent at age six, but the power of a teacher or role model is that they can make you believe what is possible about yourself.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?

I am a teacher, so sometimes I struggle to find time to write, especially around report cards! Summer vacation and other school breaks offer good opportunities, though, and it also helps that I am an efficient writer who works in 45-60 minute bursts.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I like to wear a tiara when I write. Not only does it keep my hair out of my face, but it alerts other members of my household not to disturb me. Plus, I look pretty.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

A fairy princess. (Still working on that).

Links:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Amazon

Thanks for being here today!

Interview with thriller author Virginia Crow

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Haselton) — Tue, 08 Sep 2020 04:02:00 +0000

Thriller author Virginia Crow is here today to chat about her new novel, Baptism of Fire.

During her virtual book tour, Virginia will be awarding a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble (winner's choice) gift card to a lucky randomly drawn winner. To be entered for a chance to win, use the form below. To increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit her other tour stops and enter there, too!

The book is on sale for $.99 during the tour.

Bio:

Virginia grew up in Orkney, using the breath-taking scenery to fuel her imagination and the writing fire within her. When she's not writing, Virginia is usually to be found teaching music. She believes wholeheartedly in the power of music, especially as a tool of inspiration. She also helps out with the John o' Groats Book Festival which is celebrating its 4th year next April.

Virginia lives in the far-flung corner of Scotland, soaking in inspiration from the rugged cliffs and miles of sandy beaches.

She loves cheese, music and films, but hates mushrooms.

Welcome, Virginia. Please share a little bit about your current release.

Baptism of Fire is set in Middle England and tells the story of Kevin, a young boy who is followed by a cursed past, being adopted by Alastair, a clergyman haunted by his own ghosts. Alastair is determined to prove to Kevin that the curse doesn’t exist but, as he tries to protect Kevin, a series of incidents overtake the people of his congregation.

The book explores the role of faith and trust in some of the most trying situations. It focuses on the importance of family and relationships in healing. And – like all my books – the significance of hope.

What inspired you to write this book?Baptism of Fire is my literary curveball! Every other book I’ve had published has been historical – either straight-up Historical Fiction, or Historical Fantasy.

This book came out of nowhere – or almost nowhere!

I’d had this idea years ago, of writing a short story with this plot. The premise was to have only two characters – the clergyman and the boy. I had (rather generously!) allowed myself 10,000 words to cover the whole story.

So, I wrote the opening. Then I realised there was no way I could possibly portray Alastair as the man I wanted him to be without including his interaction with other people. I got rid of the word count and decided to see what happened! I loved having the freedom to write the observational things of an ordinary life, and setting them off against the suddenly dark and downright evil events made for a brilliant juxtaposition in the story. At least, I think it’s brilliant – but I suppose I’m biased!

Excerpt from Baptism of Fire:

“Was he really Alastair’s son, or was he like me?”

“He was really his son,” Jilly replied. “But you’re his son, too, Kevin.”

“No,” Kevin replied stoically. “I haven’t had a dad since Liam, and I don’t want the same thing to happen to Alastair that happened to him.”

“What did happen?” Jilly asked, holding the child to her as they both looked at the grave.

“He burnt to death in his car.” Kevin gripped Jilly’s coat and his voice became little more than a whisper. “I’m cursed, Jilly. Everyone who looks after me dies in a fire, or someone they love does. I don’t know how to stop it.”

“Well,” she said firmly, trying not to let her fear at his words show. “I don’t believe in curses, only bad luck. It sounds to me that you’ve had your share of that. But then, so has the vicar. Shall we go back home and try out some of those conkers?”

Kevin smiled slightly and nodded. “Who is Dawn Louise Roberts?” he asked as they turned away.

What exciting story are you working on next?I have two books being published next year – The Stealth of Caledon which is the second in my Historical Fantasy series, and The Year we Lived which is set 8 years after the Norman conquest. Caledon is a six-book series, and I’ve just finished writing Book 4!

But in terms of new writing, I set myself a challenge of writing a book in every genre. At the moment I’m in the process of writing a horror novel and a romance novel. I never have only one book on the go at once. At any given time I might have up to five different novels on the go.

As well as that, my New Year Resolution for 2020 has been to enter a writing competition every week, so I’m busily scribing away with poems, flash fiction and short stories for those, too!

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I’ve always written stories. And, perhaps most significantly, I’ve always been encouraged to write stories. My mum is a writer, my brother and my sisters are also writers, and my dad is an avid reader, so I’ve always been surrounded by books.

Throughout my teenage years, I began writing a ten-book Fantasy series. It’s ongoing (currently weighing in at more than 400,000 words) and will one day be available for people to read. But I think the real moment I thought of myself as an author was when my sisters told my I should publish my historical novel Day’s Dying Glory. It wasn’t the first novel I’d written, but it was the first I published. That belief was all I needed.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?

I think I write as much as a full-time writer but I have a day job as a private music teacher which I love. A typical weekday usually involves walking the dog, then I tend to get down to writing. I start my teaching at 2pm, so most of my writing is done in the morning. The exception to this, is when I find my writing too disconcerting, then I tend to write at the weekends, just because certain scenes and books are harder to switch off from!

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?I have a mirror hung over my desk and, when I’m writing, I try to copy my characters’ expressions so I know how to describe them. I also speak their lines out loud to get an idea of how they sound. I hope this makes them a little bit easier to read! So, when you’re reading Baptism of Fire and it gets to any part with any facial expression, you can imagine me sitting in front of the mirror and trying to write the funny face I’m pulling!

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

From being about 4 I wanted to be a paleontologist. I knew all there was to know about dinosaurs – and this predated the Jurassic Park franchise! And that remained my aim, right through primary school. When I was about 14 I had a complete U-turn and decided I wanted to be a priest, so Baptism of Fire was, in part, born out of some of the ideas and experiences I came across then.

The one job I swore I would never, never do, was teaching. Both my parents were teachers and I’d seen just what a thankless job it had become, with hours way beyond schooltime. But fate has a strange way of catching up with us, and after my undergrad degree I ended up doing my teacher training!

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

Absolutely: believe in the power of words! We’re living in crazy times, when the world is suffering pandemics and political chaos. Reading and writing is a great way of changing the world for the better. If you have a story to tell, tell it. If you want a safe place to go, read it. Don’t let anyone tell you books are worthless, they’re the keys to greatness.

Links:

Thank you for being a guest on my blog!

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Interview with middle grade author Jerry Harwood

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Haselton) — Mon, 07 Sep 2020 04:02:00 +0000

Author Jerry Harwood is here to chat with me about his new middle grade (MG) book, Jam Sessions: Sometimes in Middle School, the Best You Can Do Is Survive.

Bio:

Jerry Harwood was born in Ooltewah, TN. His mother was an elementary school teacher and he spent his afternoons reading books in her classroom or the nearby library. He currently is a writer, which makes sense based on the fact you are reading this here. He has experimented with other occupations: camp director, program director at a counseling center, college professor and middle school teacher. Jerry has backpacked Europe, taught in a Ukrainian University, worked in Rwanda after the genocide, is a first responder, sort-of remodeled a VW Thing, and has a love for Cherry Coke Zero that is only surpassed by his love for his wife, six children, and grandson.

Feel free to share your thoughts on the book with Jerry at JerryHarwoodBooks@gmail.com or visit his website.

Welcome, Jerry. Please tell us about your current release.

Jam Sessions follows a middle school student whose mom moves him in the middle of the year. Middle school is always challenging, but especially when you are an outsider trying to find your place. Using humor, I attempt to also portray student anxiety, bullying, and the difficulty of finding your place.

I suppose no one says it better than the back cover…. So here is that:

Meet Phillip. His mom relocates him to a new school in the middle of the school year.

Things do not go well. Phillip lands himself a trip to the dean of student’s office when he tries to forge his mother’s signature. Maybe if he spelled her name correctly it would have gone better.

Phillip also finds himself having more and more anxiety. And the song some bullies are singing is certainly not helping:

Phillip Willip, Puddin and Pie.

Got a bad grade and made him cry.

There is one class Phillip has that is going well. It is with Mr. Filter, who starts each day with a writing prompt. These “jam sessions” allow students to be creative and enjoy writing. Phillip writes about being a basketball on a soccer field. Another day he writes about receiving two dragon eggs in the mail, one for himself and one for a particularly cute girl.

But will Phillip ever be able to make his real life go as well as his Jam Sessions?

What inspired you to write this book?

My previous career was as a clinic director / CADC II counselor. I semi-retired into teaching so I could start writing. This book blends those two worlds: counseling issues such as anxiety and bullying as well as middle school life.

Excerpt from Jam Sessions:

Here is Phillip’s first day:

Phillip walked into the room at 1:15. It was really late to start a school day and this looked nothing like his school.

“My skirt is ruined!” a girl exclaimed with a tear rolling down her cheek. Her eyes moved from the lump of blue icing on her bottom to the chair she was sitting in to a group of boys in the back. “It was those three!” she hissed, pointing. “Robert, Javante, and that Chuck.”

Chuck, Robert, and Javante all huddled together in a back corner. They seemed undisturbed that the girl just shouted their names. Phillip watched one of them give his best, “Who? Us?” look. The other two shrugged and smiled.

Phillip started taking very short breaths. He was standing in the door and needed to move.

Phillip’s eyes fell on a table with cupcakes. He locked on one with pink icing and walked to it without looking around. A parent cleared her throat and Phillip reluctantly looked up.

“Only take one cupcake, young man. Just one.”

“Yes ma’am,” Phillip said, though he thought his voice was barely audible. Not knowing where to go he stood awkwardly beside the table.

The mother moved away to the girl with the icing on her. “I’m sure no one did it on purpose, sweetie,” the mom said. She did not seem convinced of her own words and gave the three boys a second look. However, she did not pursue the boys or the case of the spilt icing any further.

Phillip watched as the mom turned away. He began eating his cupcake slowly. He needed to hold it more than he wanted to eat it. It gave his hands something to do. The boys in the back started pulling cupcakes out of a plastic carton.

A nearby girl looked at the three and said, “Chuck, you were just suppose to take one cupcake.”

“I only took ONE PACK. Not my fault it had six cupcakes in it!” came Chuck’s response.

Phillip moved his attention to the rest of the room. Everyone was collected in groups of three or four, talking. He had never felt so alone. The teacher was at her desk behind a computer screen and a name plate that said, “Mrs. Murray.” Phillip was pretty sure she never saw him come in.

Phillip moved to the back of the room against a wall. It wasn’t a seat, but at least he wasn’t front and center anymore.

“It was a sacrifice TOTALLY worth it,” the one Phillip thought was Chuck said, patting another boy who held an icing-less cupcake on the back.

What exciting story are you working on next?

I just finished a draft for a dystopian young adult. A trans male time travels to a future America where a major world event has enhanced women’s superpower but left men as near-children. Our main character is a gunslinger. A Texas Ranger, in fact. It is the first of a three part series.

My other work in progress is a Middle Grade book titled Freckles, The Dark Wizard. It is a comedic romp through middle school life. More Diary of a Wimpy Kid than Harry Potter.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

In 1992, a teacher I had in high school asked me why I was not enrolled in his creative writing course. I subsequently enrolled and fell in love with the art of writing. Like many, it became something I would “do later.” Now, in my late forties with my six kids teens or out of the house, I have decided to make time to follow the passion. Exactly when did I consider myself a writer? I think when that sixteen year old kid got a story published in his school writing publication and won the creative writing award for his graduating class at Baylor School.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?

I write full time in the summer. During the school year I teach 7am-3pm. One night a week I teach a college class on psychology. One night a week I attend drill / training as a volunteer fireman. Writing works in around family and those commitments. I do my best to write 1000 words per week during school and work on edits. In the summer, I aim for 2,000 to 2,500 words per day, six days per week.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I like to write out my manuscript by hand. I was classically trained, so some of my scribble is in Latin shorthand!

I prefer to write outside if at all possible when writing first drafts. I have a space heater on my porch!

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I attended a summer camp as a middle schooler. I loved my counselors and the fun I had there. I wanted to work at the camp when I was older. I worked there all through college. When I finished my masters, I became the camp director. I ran the camp for six years before leaving to do counseling. It still to this day was the best job I ever had.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

A few interesting notes personal facts:

- My oldest two are adopted from Ukraine independently. They were 8 and 11 when adopted.

- I was a dues paying girl scout.

- I worked in Rwanda after the 1990 genocide. It was a life shaping venture.

- I am a volunteer fireman / emergency service worker.

- I believe the power of story is immense and one of the few things that can really shape us individually and corporately.

- I love miniature candy bars but my wife thinks they should be banned.

Links:

Thanks for joining me today!

Interview with writer Clifford Garstang

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Haselton) — Fri, 04 Sep 2020 04:02:00 +0000

Writer Clifford Garstang is helping me wrap up the week. He’s here to chat about his literary fiction short story collection, House of the Ancients and Other Stories

Bio:

Clifford Garstang is the author of the story collection House of the Ancients and Other Stories, as well as two other story collections, In an Uncharted Country and What the Zhang Boys Know, and a novel, The Shaman of Turtle Valley. He is also the editor of the anthology series, Everywhere Stories: Short Fiction from a Small Planet as well as the co-founder and former editor of Prime Number Magazine. He has won both the Library of Virginia Literary Award for Fiction and the Indiana Authors Emerging Author Award. A former international lawyer, he now lives in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.

Please tell us about your current release.

House of the Ancients is collection of stories that is both eclectic and a little quirky. The stories are set all over the place—the US, Mexico, Asia, Europe—and touch on a variety of themes, some dark, some humorous, some mysterious. One thing they have in common, though, is characters, mostly men, who behave badly.

What inspired you to write this book?

I love short stories. While I’ve turned to writing novels in recent years, I began writing stories during my MFA program and I continue to love the form for its focus and concision. The stories in this collection were written over a ten year span of time, but when I looked at them together I thought they fit together nicely. Individual stories have their own inspirations, of course. I lived in Central Asia for a year, so some of the stories are based on that experience. I lived and worked in East Asia for a very long time, so there was more inspiration there. And I’ve traveled in Mexico and Europe a fair amount, so some of the stories came from there. Others are inspired by my roots in the Midwest or living in the Shenandoah Valley for the past twenty years. But generally I’m interested in surprising situations and images, and just about all of the stories have their origin in something I observed, wherever it was.

For a sample of the stories: One of the shortest stories in the book—set in Mongolia--is available on my blog: The Learned Lama.

What exciting story are you working on next?

I’ve just finished the edits on a novel that’s coming out in 2021. It’s about a young man who is trying to discover the truth about a family mystery, and the trail takes him on a journey around the world. The novel I’m currently working on is a blended contemporary and historical story set in Southeast Asia. It’s exciting to write, so I hope it will be exciting to read.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

Probably not until my first short story was published. I used to practice law and being a lawyer was my identity for a very long time. It was very hard to tell people I was a writer until I had something to show for it.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?

I do write full time. I quit my “day job” a long time in order to dedicate myself to writing, so I now treat it as my job. I have a pleasant writing space in my house, so my commute is up the stairs to the office in the morning and I’m usually at my desk until lunchtime. I continue working in the afternoon, although that usually involves the more mundane side of the job—reading, promoting, developing contacts, and so on. That usually fills the rest of the day.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I think a lot of writers do this, but when I’m working on a novel I spend some time finding images—it used to be in magazines but now it’s on the Internet—of people who look like my characters. I keep those pictures in a file on my computer and I can pull them up to help me see them when I’m writing about them. Another quirk, one that applies when I’m writing short stories, is that I often don’t know what they’re about when I start. The theme only emerges when I’m pretty far along, or even finished with the first draft, at which point I can revise the piece with the theme in mind. That’s actually something I advise students to do, because if you start with a theme, the story may feel forced and artificial.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

A vampire. Seriously, for some reason I had a thing about Dracula when I was a kid. Ran around wearing a cape with a red lining, the whole bit. In high school I told people I wanted to be President of the United States, although I don’t think I honestly ever did want that, and it’s definitely not a job I would want now. At some point before college I knew I wanted to be a writer. It just took a couple of decades of practicing law for me to get there.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

I would like readers to know I appreciate them! There are few opportunities to interact with readers, so it may seem like writers don’t even think of them, but it’s the opposite. It amazes me to think that there are people out there who are reading stories and novels I wrote. So, thank you! And also, thanks to you for this wonderful blog!

Links:

Website | Facebook | Twitter

Thanks for being here today!

Interview with thriller author Thomas O'Callaghan

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Haselton) — Wed, 02 Sep 2020 04:02:00 +0000

Novelist Thomas O’Callaghan is here today and we’re chatting about his police procedural thriller, No One Will Hear Your Screams.

Bio:

Thomas O'Callaghan's work has been translated for publication in Germany, Slovakia, Indonesia, the Czech Republic, China, and Italy. As an internationally acclaimed author, Mr. O'Callaghan is a member of both the Mystery Writers of America and the International Thriller Writers associations. A native of New York City and a graduate of Richmond College, Mr. O'Callaghan resides with his lovely wife, Eileen, a stone's throw from the Atlantic Ocean in beautiful Belle Harbor, New York.

His debut novel Bone Thief introduced NYPD Homicide Commander Lieutenant John W. Driscoll. The Screaming Room is the second in the John Driscoll series. The third book in the series, No One Will Hear Your Screams, is now available from WildBlue Press.

Welcome, Thomas. Please tell us about your current release.

No One Will Hear Your Screams, described by #1 New York Times bestselling author, Gregg Olsen, as a nuanced thriller that grabs you by the throat and never let's go, features Tilden, a sociopathic killer on the loose who’s tracking down and murdering prostitutes in New York City. The reader soon discovers this depraved misfit had been sexually abused as a child by his mother’s john. NYPD’s top cop, Homicide Commander Lieutenant John Driscoll, a man haunted by the events of an unstable childhood himself, must put aside any sympathy he may have for Tilden and put a stop to his murderous rampage. The Lieutenant soon discovers Tilden’s not the run-of-the-mill sociopath. After all, would a common murderer have taken the time to embalm his victims, an action the New York City chief medical examiner determines to be the cause of their death?

What inspired you to write this book?

I’m a mild mannered friendly gentleman with a vivid imagination. No One Will Hear Your Screams is the third in a series depicting murder and mayhem in NYC. Initially my inspiration to write in this particular genre began to simmer after reading novels by Thomas Harris, Jeffery Deaver, Dean Koontz, and Michael Connelly. Like them, I look to capture the interest of readers who were enthralled with a fast paced depiction of harrowing crime. Because the commission of murder is horrific enough I try not to compete with the terrific scribes where horror is fully on display. I’ll leave that to the likes of Stephen King and Clive Barker. I truly enjoy my craft. It allows me to depict both good and evil in the human soul and as the writer, a man armed with only a pen, I can do so without being held accountable for the crime. Writing also allows me to escape the hum drum of everyday life. Creating characters for the sole purpose of performing in a story that I’ve set in motion is exciting. I’m fueled by that. And, because it’s fiction, I’m motivated to weave memories of times in my life, some good, some regrettable, into the back story of my characters. We all have chapters we wish never to see published, but, with the right finesse, the theme of those blunders can and do add human authenticity to fictional entities.

Excerpt from No One Will Hear Your Screams:

Pearsol opened the mortuary cooler and pulled out the stainless steel tray supporting the victim. “Lieutenant, meet Jane Doe,” he said sliding the woman’s bloated body under Driscoll’s gaze. “Harbor Patrol fished her out of the muck. I’d say she was a feast for the gulls for a day. Maybe two.”

“What’s that smell? Paint thinner?”

“Phenol.”

“She was doused in phenol?”

“Injected.”

Driscoll’s eyes narrowed.

“The complete autopsy will fill in the blanks, but I’d bet my pension I already know what killed her. The who, and the why, I’ll leave to you.” Pearsol handed the preliminary lab report to Driscoll. It identifies a mixture of substances inside her vascular system.

“Phenol, formaldehyde and Chloride of Zinc?” Driscoll looked perplexed. “The same Chloride of Zinc they put in dry cell batteries?”

Pearsol nodded. “There’s three more.”

“Myrrh, aloe and cassia,” Driscoll read aloud. “That’s a strange mix.” He glanced at Pearsol, who nodded. “Says here you drained 851 milliliters from her circulatory system. What’s that? About two pints?”

“Just under.”

“A body contains five to six quarts of blood. So the rest of this mixture?”

“Still in her.”

Using his finger, Driscoll pushed back a lock of the victim’s hair. “What could you have done to warrant this?” he whispered, eyes on the corpse.

“Right now the unofficial cause of death is phenol poisoning by arterial injection. Familiar with the German word, ‘abgespritzt’, Lieutenant?”

“No.”

“Abgespritzt was a method of genocide favored by the Nazis in the early 1940s. Hitler’s henchmen delivered instantaneous death by injecting 15 milliliters of phenol directly into the heart.”

“What kind of syringe injects six quarts?”

“More than likely he used a centrifugal pump. And he knew what he was doing.” Pearsol pointed to the side of the victim’s neck, where a semi- translucent latex adhesive covered a two inch stretch of rippled flesh between the carotid artery and the jugular vein. “An extreme method of murder, Lieutenant. He arterially embalmed her.”

Driscoll winced.

“There’s more.” The M.E. produced a transparent evidence bag containing a locket. It was an inch in diameter and featured Saint Vitalis of Gaza; his name etched in a half circle below his likeness. “I found it under her tongue. Someone apparently placed it there before suturing the tongue to the floor of her mouth.”

“What’s that about?” Driscoll wondered aloud.

“Good question. I’m not familiar with that saint. You?”

“She‘s the patron saint of prostitutes.”

“Well, there’s a lead. Oh, and there’s one other bit of information you’re sure to find intriguing. The myrrh, aloe, and cassia injected with the embalming fluid were once embalming solutions on their own. Sort of.”

“Sort of?”

“They were the purifying fragrances applied to the linens that wrapped the crucified Christ before he was laid in his tomb.”

What exciting story are you working on next?

I’m near the completion of my fourth novel. Though it is not part of the Lieutenant John Driscoll series, it does feature a unique serial killer who, without revealing his identity or his whereabouts, convinces a New York Times bestselling author to ghost write his life story with emphasis on his string of murders. The writer sees this assignment as an opportunity to out this fiend. That’s not as easy as it sounds, but therein lies the ultimate cat and mouse saga.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

The short answer is: “Late in life.” After graduating with a liberal arts degree from Richmond College I landed a job with Allstate Insurance Company as a sales agent. When the company opted to take their sales force in another direction I decided it was time to retire and find something else to do with my time. I spent much of that time reading. On the beach in summer and on the couch in winter. One day I picked up a copy of Helter Skelter, by Vincent Bugliosi and Curt Gentry. This is an often used adage, but I couldn’t put it down. The authors’ attention to detail fascinated me. After that, I was hooked on novels depicting murder, mayhem and suspense. I soon discovered such notables as Thomas Harris, John Sandford, Lawrence Block, Michael Connelly, and Ed McBain, just to name a few. Unlike, Helter Skelter, where the storyline was based on an actual murder, Harris, Sandford, Block, Connelly, McBain and company, created murder and the intrigue that surrounded it. I was enthralled all the more. Read on, I said, and so I did. After I finished reading my twelfth 87th Precinct novel, I thought: I could do that! And so, on a gloomy, rain-soaked Friday afternoon, that happened to follow Thanksgiving, I began writing Nightkills, which would later become Bone Thief, my debut novel. Looking back, I’m happy with the course my life had taken me, bringing me to what has become my life’s passion: Writing!

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?

I write full time. I usually write for four hours in the middle of day, every day, though my wife will argue it’s more like my morning as I tend to sleep late. My goal is to put together two or three scenes and I allow the clock to dictate when to close the laptop. There’s never a deadline, nor do I concentrate on a word count. I’ll usually wrap up around 6pm which allows time for a pleasant dinner with my wife. It’s imperative I write every day. I had the distinct pleasure of sipping a cold one with famed author, John Lescroart, at the Grand Hyatt in New York during ThrillerFest 2008. His advice about a routine was simple. He told me if I write one page of my manuscript each day, in a year’s time I’ll have a novel. He was right.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

Taller.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I’m a big fan of Post-it Notes. I prefer the canary yellow ones. Should an idea materialize inside my head while I’m, say, having dinner, or watching TV, I’ll reach for a readily available pad and jot it down. If that notion prompts a full blown scene inside my head, I’ll open my iPhone, dictate a first draft of the scene in an email and send it to myself. When I open the email on my laptop I simply cut and paste it into my work in progress.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank my readers. You’re this writer’s audience and by communicating with me through my website you’ve inspired me to continue what can often be a solitary pastime.

Links:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Amazon

Thanks for being here today!

Interview with romance writer Nora LeDuc

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Haselton) — Mon, 31 Aug 2020 04:02:00 +0000

Novelist Nora LeDuc helps me kick off a new week and round out the month by chatting with me about her new contemporary romance novella, Beach Kisses & Sunset Wishes within The Last Chance Beach: Summer Ends boxset.

During her virtual book tour, Nora will be giving away a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble (winner’s choice) gift card to a lucky randomly drawn winner. To be entered for a chance to win, use the form below. To increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit her other tour stops and enter there, too.

Bio:

Nora grew up in rural New England where she currently lives with her family. She enjoys visiting and spending time with her friends, the Winettes, in Florida, where she continues to write. Her current book, Beach Kisses, Sunset Wishes is her seventeenth. In October, Christmas at the Easy Breezy will be released. You can find Nora on Amazon, Goodreads, Facebook and her website: Noraleduc.com. She also contributes to the Romance Gems’ Blog every month.

Please share a little bit about your current release

I’d been longing for a while to create a novella with a focus on a contemporary romance. My most recent books have fallen into the romantic suspense category and none are short. Could I write one?

Thanks to the fabulous writing group that I belong to, the Romance Gems, I was given the opportunity to answer this question. I volunteered to contribute to our first box set Last Chance Beach: Summer’s End. I was excited and nervous but told myself to go for it.

My first job was to establish my daily word count and plan my story. I knew both my characters had suffered disastrous relationships. As a result, they handled their dating lives in different ways. My heroine wanted a fling. My hero wanted to find a woman for a lifetime commitment.

Each day I thought about my protagonists and my plot and then sat and wrote. On my screen, the tale came alive, and the story grew. Finally, they reached the end of their journey, now titled Beach Kisses & Sunset Wishes.

What inspired you to write this book?

I had many inspirations. The Gems read the history or Legend of Last Chance Beach. This sparked a lot of ideas about people living in paradise and a land where wishes come true. Another author created a map, giving us a visual of where our characters were located. Others carried on online discussions of life on our island.

For the island settings, I used my memories from vacations. Since I’d cruised to Bermuda twice, I pictured Last Chance Beach with the same pastel-colored concrete buildings. I imagined the picturesque town square where my cruise ship docked as the center of our isle.

My muse tapped into my time spent on the seashores in Florida and walking their beautiful wooded rail trails. This provided me with mental images of the plants, trees, and the sea. Finally, my writings sprang from the characters’ situations. She works at the Sands Hotel Gift Shop and dreams of owning her own brick & mortar store. He’s staying at the same resort while running his Yelp-like business. Both have sworn off adventures in dating until they meet each other. Neither could resist the other.

Excerpt from Beach Kisses & Sunset Wishes:

Frankie spotted him across the café patio. She’d never seen him here before.

He sat alone, wearing khaki shorts and a pale blue shirt, open at the collar. Dense black hair spilled over his forehead, and bristles shadowed his strong jaw. He looked to be in his early thirties. Dark-framed sunglasses were perched on his straight nose as he read something on his phone resting beside his plate of eggs and hash browns. He took off his shades, rubbed his chin, and raised his gaze. Their glances collided.

His brows shot up with interest. His lips parted slightly. Blue eyes that matched the sea drew Frankie to him and caused a sensation of dizziness to dance in her head. She was aware she was staring, but she couldn’t stop.

The squawk of a bird broke through the scrape of forks against the dishes and the murmur of voices. The noises faded away. Even the thud of her heart seemed to pause when he nodded to her.

“Attention, everyone.” A server standing nearby with a carafe of coffee interrupted

Frankie’s moment. “MacDyver has been sighted.”

“Quick the food.” Tikki covered their meals with napkins.

Silverware clinked as diners dropped their utensils and popped up their overhead covers–– their futile attempt at protection. As Frankie shoved her chair back to open their umbrella, she peeked at the man.

He picked up his toast and held it for a second. The seagull struck. With one swoop, MacDyver grabbed the bread from his fingertips. A hush settled over the throng, and the bird soared heavenward with a snide cackle out the side of his beak and disappeared.

All gazes fell on the stranger MacDyver had robbed as he rose to his six-foot-plus height.

What exciting story are you working on next?

Currently, I’m whipping my holiday novel, Christmas at the Easy Breezy, into shape for an October release. The setting is the White Mountains of New Hampshire. The story centers on a young woman finding love and family in an unexpected place. Our hero is the gruff, handsome owner of the local diner stuck in the past until the night a pretty, bubbly woman crashes into a snowbank and into his life.

I’m also at work on my second novel for the Love & Lies in Paradise series set in Florida. It will be a stand-alone romantic suspense like the first book. The heroine is a minor character from Trail of Secrets. She has a less than sterling reputation and is discovered at the scene of a murder. The hero is an old friend and a private investigator. He isn’t sure how innocent she is, or if he wants to take her case. She has a lot of growing up to do. Unfortunately for her, she must find not only a killer but her true self before she can share her heart.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

Well, it’s often tough to say when you pass the invisible milestone that identifies you as a writer and not someone just filling up pages to entertain yourself. For me, the big realization came when I found myself on a recommendation list with authors I admired and read. Being included with great writers was a super thrill. I kept rereading the listings and showing everyone I had made it! That was an “aha moment” for me.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?

When I first started writing, I had a full-time job. I wrote every day after work and often on the weekends. Many people asked how I squeezed this in. Simple, creating stories was as entertaining and fun for me as watching my favorite movie or reading a great book. I wanted to do it. Now I’m not working for a guaranteed paycheck, I write in the morning. This gives me the freedom to think about my story and to revise or create scenes differently than I originally imagined them.

Other than typing away at my keyboard, I love flowers, not so much the planting part, but their growth and beauty when they bloom. I also quilt and have lots of bedspreads––you can imagine! Taking pictures wherever I am has become a hobby of mine. Through my camera’s eye, I try to capture an interesting feature or unique characteristic that makes us want to look at a mundane image in a way we never imagined.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

Don’t know how quirky this is, but we have a camp up north. When we go there, my friend and I wonder about the people we’ve never seen or met who live nearby us. One time, an older gentleman moved in. He had a long white beard and never came outside. She thought of him as a generous, jolly Santa Claus. I told her he reminded me of a terrorist hiding from the FBI. Another man was always walking around talking to everyone, but we never saw his wife. I suggested she might not exist. And I can’t forget the woman who broke up with her boyfriend. Nobody knows where she’s gone. I like to think she’s at Last Chance Beach meeting her true love.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

When I was six, I wanted to be a nun. (Yes, I went to a parochial school.) My friends and I tried to mirror the sisters’ habits. We’d walk around on the playground at recess with the back of our sweaters pulled over the top of our heads and the front buttoned up to our chin. That ended when my mother found out I was stretching out all the sweaters my grandmother knit me.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

Thank you for reading my stories. It means the world to me when someone tells me they enjoyed one of my books. And please follow me on social media.

Thank you for being a guest on my blog!

Thank you for having me!! It’s been fun.

Links:

Website | Facebook | Amazon | Twitter | Bookbub

Authors and Titles:

Hot August Night by Joan Reeves, NY Times and USA Today Bestselling Author

Can a chef and a hot dog loving cop resist desire when they’re forced to share the same overbooked beach cottage?

Something New by Liz Flaherty, USA Today Bestselling Author

Their lives are all planned out--until they're not.

I Do…Again by Nancy Fraser, Amazon Top 100 Author

Can they re-ignite what they once had and take a last chance on love?

The Man in Gull Cottage by Caroline Clemmons, Amazon Top 100 Author

Will the solution to her dilemma drive them apart or into one another's arms?

That One Summer by Maddie James, Amazon Top 100 Author

He's the one who got away. She's the one who couldn't commit.

Romancing the Spouse by Jan Scarbrough, Amazon Bestselling Author

Can she turn back the clock to save her marriage?

Blue Sky Summer by Kathleen Lawless, Amazon Bestselling Author

Of all the beaches on the coast, who does she see again? Him!

Hangover Husband by Bonnie Edwards, Amazon Bestselling Author

What happens in Vegas doesn't always stay there

One Last Shot by Marcia King-Gamble, National Bestselling Author

She can run, but can she hide? Will love still find her?

Secondhand Hearts by Kathryn Hills, Award Winning Author

Life takes you down many winding paths. Will theirs lead to love on Last Chance Beach?

Paradise Perfume by Connie Vines, Award Winning Author

Fragrance and love cannot be hidden.

Dreams of the Past by Laura Hunsaker, Award Winning Author

Can dreams of the future erase her nightmares of the past?

Beach Kisses & Sunset Wishes by Nora LeDuc

She wants someone interested in a fling. He wants someone interested in a ring.

Frankie McKinley’s last three relationships went up in flames. Her best bud insists she needs to relax, have a fling. But Frankie’s not into casual hookups. She vows to resist the lure of romantic Last Chance Beach and take a break from men. She’ll concentrate on her dream, opening a gift shop. Or so she’d promised herself until the morning her gaze locks with the handsome Sean Thomas-Michael’s sea-blue eyes.

Can't Buy Me Love by Hannah Rowan

Things aren't always what they seem.

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Interview with sci-fi romance novelist Linda Nightingale

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Haselton) — Fri, 28 Aug 2020 04:02:00 +0000

Novelist Linda Nightingale is in the hot seat today, and she’s chatting with me about her new sci-fi romance, Life for Sale.

During her virtual book tour, Linda will be giving away a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble (winner’s choice) gift card to a luck randomly drawn winner. To be entered for a chance to win, use the form below. To increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit her other tour stops and enter there, too!

Bio:

After 14 years in Texas, Linda returned home to her roots in South Carolina. She has 8 published novels, four of which are available from Audible.com in audio. For many years, she bred, trained and showed Andalusian horses. So, she’s seen a lot of this country from the windshield of a truck pulling a horse trailer. Linda has won several writing awards, including the Georgia Romance Writers’ Magnolia Award for Excellence, the Raven Award in Anthologies, and the SARA Merritt. Sinners’ Opera is a finalist in the 2020 Raven Awards. She loves horses, sports cars, music, reading, writing, and piano—oh, and dressing up and hosting formal dinner parties.

Welcome, Linda. Please share a little bit about your current release.

Life for Sale is a sci-fi romance that probably leans more to the sci-fi than the romance. The book is Book II in the Tomorrow’s Angels’ series. The first is Love for Sale, which begins the journey of the main characters, Christian, a sentient android, and March, a human and a dreamer. It is, as one review said, a ‘study of a chaotic mind, albeit lab created’. Christian and March race to stop an insane killer—one of his kind—trapped on a cruise ship in the middle of the Atlantic.

What inspired you to write this book?

Four years after Love for Sale was released, I came to feel Christian’s and March’s story wasn’t told, wasn’t complete, that there was something else I needed to say. Christian was telling me the story, but I needed a villain. Kind of a requirement! One day as I was rereading what I’d written, a what if moment struck me. What would happen if one of the almost invulnerable androids malfunctioned? I had four suspects. Not Daniel, he had a story coming. Not Trevor because I hardly knew him. Monica II was perfect. The sexy android hadn’t found anyone to love her, and she wanted someone badly enough to kill anyone who had him. Long answer to short question. The long and short of it is, Love for Sale inspired this story.

Excerpt from Life for Sale:

“Why are you here? To spout more nonsense?” Spitting mad, Monica reared up in her enemy’s face.

“Not at all.” March’s hand flashed, almost too rapidly for Monica to see, and came down hard below her nose in a Judo-like attack.

Shocked and in pain, she stumbled back, switching modes as she pushed off the bed. “That’s it, whore. You’re a dead woman.”

“I don’t think so,” her rival gritted out, hands braced on her hips, her expression as cold and hard as her mediocre brown eyes. She shook her head. “Look, Monica, I know you’re aware of your actions. I’m going to give you a chance. You must deactivate until we can safely transport you to Dr. Cross for testing. Surely, you know something is wrong.”

“As they say in the films, you and whose army?” She squared her shoulders, preparing to strike without notice. “I didn’t do anything to that bloody dog. I didn’t do anything to you, fool.”

“You didn’t mention Anne.” The other woman seized Monica’s arm. “What did you do to Anne?”

Claws out, Monica lunged. March darted beneath her guard, stabbing at a spot beneath her left earlobe. Monica shoved her back. “Looking for my off switch, fool? It’s well hidden, like where Ms. Goodie Two Shoes wouldn’t even think about going.”

Her insane human rival stood at the locked door, her stance as much as saying to leave Monica would have to get past her. No prob. She stalked toward her rival, murder in her eyes. March didn’t move. When Monica threw a punch at her eye, she moved by the gods.

The American whore lurched back, crossing her arms across her face, anticipating Monica’s next attack. Forearm struck forearm. A human bone should break, but March stood her ground, her limb intact. She recovered too quickly, dealing Monica a hard blow beneath her cheekbone, barely missing her eye, slamming her back against the wall.

“I don’t know what you are, March Morgan,” she sneered. “But it’s not going to save your butt.”

“No, but I am.” Looking like an avenging angel, Christian—in a Houston t-shirt and khaki shorts, his long hair disheveled—had somehow appeared behind March without either of them hearing.

What exciting story are you working on next?

I’m actually trying to choose between two. My contemporary western must come first. I have an approval in hand. Afterwards. I can work on the sequel to Sinners’ Opera, a vampire paranormal, titled Sinners’ Obsession. If not Sinners’ Obsession, then my centaur book where the hero is a golden palomino centaur who dazzles a Dystopian girl when she discovers a time portal from a ruined Earth to his idyllic home.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

When I got a high grade on a story I’d written instead of a book report in 9^th grade. The rest of the world wasn’t as sure.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your workday like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?

I do write full-time, but I can only write well when I’m in my zone. Interruptions pull me out of the story, and that’s that for the day. I know that sounds temperamental but past experience like throwing away a ton of pages has taught me it is true.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I must be totally alone to get into the space where I am transported into the story, living it with the characters, seeing what they see and hearing what they hear. It’s a wonderful place to be, but a fragile bubble that can be shattered by the ringing of the phone.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

An auto mechanic. My dad was always tinkering with our cars (maybe he wanted to be an auto mechanic, too), and I was right there with him under the hood. To this day, I wish I could work on cars. For fun and profit. I love cars, particularly sports cars.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

I love you. I mean really. I write for you and me. You’re the biggest part of my passion for writing—to have someone appreciate my work, to enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it. That’s a good feeling. Every time I get a five-star review, I happy dance. Thank you.

Links:

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Interview with fantasy author Dimitrius Jones

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Haselton) — Wed, 26 Aug 2020 04:02:00 +0000

Today’s special guest is fantasy author Dimitrius Jones and we’re chatting about Doorway to Scorn.

During his virtual book tour, Dimitrius will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble (winner’s choice) gift card to a lucky randomly drawn winner. To be entered for a chance to win, use the form below. To increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit his other tour stops and enter there, too!

Bio:

Dimitrius Jones was born and raised in West Texas, much to his eternal annoyance. Despite this, he first picked up the pen at the tender age of six. His first masterpiece was a page-turner was about dolphins that used eye lasers to kill a hurricane. From there, his life took a few twists and turns, but he always found his way back to his trusty notepad.

His next few projects include a self-help book for those who suffer from low self-esteem as well as a full-length fantasy/romance novel to be released sometime in the future. Dimitrius has always, perhaps unsurprisingly, been inspired by the mystery, tragedy, and wonder of fairy tales.

His goal in life is to constantly inspire, amuse, and shed light into the corners of life we didn't know were right in front of us.

Welcome, Dimitrius. Please tell us a little bit about this book.

I have always been fascinated with the world of JRPGs. As a kid, I wanted to know more about the myths and history beats in the game. I wasn’t as concerned with the actual gameplay, which was a little strange. You typically buy video games to play them.

I noticed a lack of African-American characters in this particular genre and wanted to create a story that featured characters similar to myself. Thus, one night after beating Grandia once again, the idea for Doorway to Scorn took root.

Do you have a favorite scene? If so, what was it?

There’s a particular scene where one of the main characters gains magical powers, but they’re not the ones they wanted. This scene is important to me because it showcases that sometimes we don’t get the opportunities we think we should get. Instead, we get the opportunities that will allow us to grow as individuals and stretch our limited worldview.

Any challenges in writing this book?

The biggest challenge for me was not giving too much away with this first installment. There are still so many things yet to be uncovered regarding the characters, overall plot, and the world of Austyria. I want so badly for my readers to be as excited as I am about what’s to come, but I have to be patient. We’ll get there!

I will definitely say that if people enjoy this book they can expect several more sequels. We have a lot of ground to cover.

Excerpt from Doorway to Scorn:

“Lex. You need to run.”

Bibi’s voice is low, just above a whisper. She flips her daggers in her hands until they’re pointing away from her body, something I’ve never seen done before. They’re normally used for stabbing – usually in the most treacherous manner possible – and held with the blade facing up, not down.

“I’m not leaving you here to fight that alone.”

“Then you’re a fool. You can’t help me here, and that cursed weapon you have won’t save you. I don’t even know why you’re still holding onto it.”

“I have potions. If you get hurt, I can at least heal you.”

Bibi doesn’t respond, but I can see the muscles in her shoulders and arms tensing as the shadow man regains his composure and goes completely still. She doesn’t sound like herself. It’s as if she’s a completely different person.

The shadow man points his blade high into the sky, and a strange, smoke-like energy begins to wisp around him. Soon, he is joined by two identical shadow men, each taking a battle stance with swords of their own.

“This is not a fight I plan to win,” Bibi says, and that’s when it dawns on me. She’s trying to buy everyone else time to escape from these things.

“Lex. You need to run.”

“I’m not leaving you here to fight that alone.”

“Then you’re a fool. You can’t help me here, and that cursed weapon you have won’t save you. I don’t even know why you’re still holding onto it.”

“I have potions. If you get hurt, I can at least heal you.”

“This is not a fight I plan to win,” Bibi says, and that’s when it dawns on me. She’s trying to buy everyone else time to escape from these things.

Do you have a favorite writing environment?

Before COVID, I had a specific coffee shop I’d haunt nearly every day. Yes, I’m that cliché author who writes their novels in coffee shops, and it works for me! I get distracted when I work from home. I’m too tempted to start cooking, folding laundry, or take a nap instead of writing. I really, really love naps. They’re my weakness.

Do you have a favorite genre you like to read (other than the ones you write in)?

I love to read horror. Reading scary stories is way more effective than watching horror films. Your imagination can create something much worse than a movie can.

I’m also addicted to finding new creepypastas to devour. I read scary stories in the dark, and I love freaking myself out at midnight alone in my room. I’m weird like that, but it’s so much fun! Some get their thrills from rollercoasters. I get mine from reading horror in the dark. Everyone has their vice.

How long have you been a writer?

I’ve been a writer since I knew how to spell, if we’re being honest. I was always attracted to finding an old notepad lying around and either drawing pictures or attempting to write my next masterpiece. I can’t say why it always seemed to fascinate me, but it certainly hasn’t gotten boring yet!

What is your favorite time of day, and why?

My favorite time of day is just before the sun comes up, especially in the summertime. There’s something about how quiet it is, even in the big city, that calms me. It’s as though you get a chance to take a deep breath before everyone else gets up and starts making noise.

I also adore being active just before midnight on weekdays. It’s when my creative juices are at their most potent, and I’m able to utilize them to their full potential.

Links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Amazon

Thank you for being here today!

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Interview with novelist J. A. Boulet

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Haselton) — Mon, 24 Aug 2020 04:02:00 +0000

Author J. A. Boulet is helping me kick off a new week by chatting about her coming of age novel, The Strong Amongst Us (Book One of The Olason Chronicles).

During her virtual book tour, J. A. will be awarding a $15 Amazon or Barnes and Noble (winner’s choice) gift card to a lucky randomly drawn winner. To be entered for a chance to win, use the form below. To increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit her other tour stops and enter there, too!

Bio:

J. A. Boulet is the passionate author of The Olason Chronicles, a historical saga of immigration, love and perseverance. The Strong Amongst Us Book 1 was released on Amazon in April 2020. She was born and raised in Western Canada as a first generation Canadian from European descent. Her parents landed in St. John’s, NFLD as refugees in 1956, a direct result of the Hungarian Revolution. J. A. Boulet was born many years later, raised in a strong Hungarian culture and proudly calls Canada home to this day. She started writing poetry at the age of five and progressed to short stories and novels. She has a keen interest in history, healing, family bonds and embracing the unknown. J. A Boulet writes with a spine-tingling realism like none other, grabbing your emotions and refusing to let go. The Strong Within Us Book 2 is scheduled to be released on November 11, 2020.

She currently lives in Canada with her two teenaged sons and a crested gecko named Mossio.

What inspired you to write this book?

I came across the immigration story at my cottage near Gimli, Manitoba. I was literally flabbergasted when I learned of the hardships the Icelanders and Natives endured at the hand of the natural environment and the political landscape in 1875. It truly is a story of perseverance beyond anything we’ve experienced in today’s North American world.

A Chapter One preview (excerpt) from The Strong Amongst Us can be found on my website at: https://jaboulet.ca/page/chapter-1-preview-book-one

And

Excerpt from The Strong Amongst Us:
He stared at the beautiful sun, peering over the horizon of gentle waves. The coldness stung, but he embraced it. The lake was much calmer today. He loved it actually; luck was on his side. They would most likely be able to send the funds request of the remaining five-thousand-dollar loan to the Dominion today by boat.

A movement caught his eye. Someone was pulling in a larger boat. He stood and used his hand to shelter from the sun. He squinted into the bright rays. It was just one person, pulling in the boat. He strapped his boots on and scurried over to the dock.

“Hey, do you need a hand?” Nathanael shouted as he approached.

A woman’s voice lilted into the air, gentle but full of strength. “No, I am okay.”

“No, I must! Let me help you,” Nathan insisted.

She looked at him stubbornly, shook her head and relented. “If you must.”

Nath grabbed the rope and helped pull in the boat, anchoring it along the sand. “Is this the boat that will be taking the letter to the Dominion for us today?”

“It is, yes,” she replied. “Sorry for my English. I am still learning.”

“You are native to this land?” Nath asked. “How long have you lived here?”

“Forever,” she laughed. “Ma and Pa were born here, so was I.”

“Interesting,” Nath said. “It is a beautiful land. And a beautiful lake.”

“Yes, Nath, it is,” she replied.

“You remembered my name?”

What exciting story are you working on next?

I am currently finishing the final touches on Book Two of The Olason Chronicles: The Strong Within Us. It is the highly anticipated sequel to Book One.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

When I was five years old, I realized that I had a gift of poetry and literary art. I wrote a poem in Hungarian, my mother language, and was astonished that I received a standing ovation at the local Hungarian Hall. I thought everyone was nuts, lol. I had no idea how I touched people’s hearts.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?

I began writing full-time in March 2020, focusing on completing Book One. I succeeded and published The Strong Amongst Us on April 29, 2020. I have been writing full-time since. My work day has honestly been chaotic. It is not your regular 9-5 job. There are many times I am awake until 2 am editing or working with my cover artists on technical issues. I am currently working one day per week in legal/accounting to counteract the imbalance of routine in my life.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

For some reason, unbeknownst to me, I write from a male POV and my main character is always male. I am female, lol.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

Simple, a fiction novelist. I always knew this was my passion and I will continue until my death. There is no other way for me to experience fulfillment, balance and joy in my life.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

I truly appreciate all my readers and try to talk to as many readers as I can on Twitter, Reddit or Instagram. All my social media links are available in the upper right-hand corner of my website.

Without my amazing readers, my job as a writer is incomplete. Thank you so much for reading my powerful saga of hope and resilience. I hope it changes you as it changed me.

Thanks for being a guest today!

My humble thanks to Lisa Haselton for hosting me on your blog. You are an angel!

You’re very welcome.

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Interview with novelist Melissa Riddell

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Haselton) — Fri, 21 Aug 2020 04:02:00 +0000

Novelist Melissa Riddell joins me today to chat about her new sci-fi post-apocalyptic romance, The Descendant.

During her virtual book tour, Melissa will be giving away a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble (winner’s choice) gift card, a signed copy of The Descendant (book 1), OR an ARC of the second book in the series to lucky randomly drawn winners. To be entered for a chance to win, use the form below. To increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit her other tour stops and enter there, too!

Bio:
Melissa Riddell is from a small, West Texas town in which she still lives with her husband. Her writing career started as a hobby when she was a teenager, writing poems and short stories. Eventually, she branched out and began constructing novels. When not contemplating new story ideas, she can be found traipsing around Texas State Parks, herding her cats, or reading a book.

Please share a little bit about your current release.

The Descendant is the first book of the Baltin Trilogy. It puts the reader in Tilly Morgan’s shoes, a tough little scrapper with a potty mouth. The story shows her journey through Texas to find her older sister. Tilly is one of the few humans to have survived an alien invasion. The unseen visitors released an electromagnetic pulse and destroyed all electronics and then wiped out most of humanity with a killer virus. As a lonely survivor, she navigates the new, savage world and clings to the hope her sister is also immune and alive. Unfortunately, her sister lives in Florida, hence the journey across Texas.

Along the way, she befriends Kodiak, a funny, lovable dog who becomes her best friend. A few weeks later, she’s rescued by a cocky, handsome stranger named Jareth, who’s intent on tagging along, whether she wants him or not. It follows their relationship as they travel and touches upon truth, trust, and forgiveness. It has a few twists and turns, too.

What inspired you to write this book?
At the time the idea started, I worked on an Air Force base and would daydream of secret aliens and government conspiracies. Plus, I was playing Fallout 4 and loved how the main character and Dogmeat form their bond. So, after turning part of the idea into a short story, I decided I wanted to flesh it out into a full-length novel.

Excerpt from The Descendant:
Jareth clears his throat. “I know it’s not much, but I like the way it feels—the earthy smell, the chalky texture. Plus, it gets cooler back in the tunnels, which makes for great food storage.” His voice bounces from the walls, projecting the sound all around me.

Shadows cast by the edge of the distant firelight flicker across his face, revealing the hollow of a small dimple in his cheek. It’s a face that’s near perfection. Too bad he had to open his mouth and ruin it.

“Like what you see, Red?”

Oh, my God. I’m going to kill this man. Blood rushes to my face, but I’m not sure if it’s from embarrassment or anger.

Pressing my lips together, I try to focus on anything that’s not him. The earthen smell he mentioned isn’t unpleasant. It reminds me of mom’s garden; digging our hands into the dark, moist soil to plant seedlings for the summer season. It’s a satisfying, honest scent.

But I’m not about to let him know that. “Kind of smells like bat crap in here.”

Hazarding a glance at his face, he nods his head, the small smile still playing about his lips. “Oh, that’s what the smell is? I thought it was body odor and dog fur.”

I will kill the jerk in his sleep tonight.

Pivoting on the balls of my feet, I stalk back to Kodiak.

Dreadful. Hateful. Spiteful man. “I hope a stalactite falls on your head.”

What exciting story are you working on next?
I’m currently writing the prequel to The Descendant. It will follow Tilly for the two years between the electromagnetic pulse and the release of the virus that killed most humans. It’s a survival story and shows how she and her parents weathered those two years in their little Texas town, along with the community.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I didn’t consider myself a writer until this book was published. It’s funny, because I never, in a million years, would’ve guessed this would be a career for me. Now, I can’t stop the stories. My brain is like Pandora’s Box!

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?
I work full-time as a contractor for the military, but at night, I write for several hours every evening. The hubby knows how obsessive I am about things, so he doesn’t bother me while I shut myself in my office for months on end, cranking out one story after the other. I’m quite an introvert, though most people would never guess it after meeting me, but I love the solitude of being a writer.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

Goodness, I don’t know. Wait, yes I do. I broke my laptop by hitting it against a door (I’m a klutz), but it still works. I can’t write on any other computer or laptop because I’m afraid it’ll mess with my creative mojo. So, I use this poor, beat-up thing (it won’t even shut) to write my stories. And there’s no way I’m taking it in to be repaired because then I’ll be without it for who knows how long and unable to write.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
A singer in a rock and roll band, then it changed to a police officer, then a teacher… you get the picture.

Links:
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon

Thank you for being a guest on my blog!

Thanks for the interview!

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Interview with women's fiction author Merida Johns

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Haselton) — Fri, 14 Aug 2020 04:02:00 +0000

Author Merida Johns joins me today to chat about her women’s romance, Blackhorse Road.

During her virtual book tour, Merida will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble (winner’s choice) gift card to a lucky, randomly drawn winner. To be entered for a chance to win, use the form below. To increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit her other tour stops, and enter there, too!

Welcome, Merida. Please tell us a little bit about yourself.

For three decades, I was a university professor who taught classes and wrote textbooks on “nerdy” subjects centering on computer systems in healthcare.

But a decade ago, informed by my experience in a male-dominated area, I started my practice as a leadership coach to help women break the glass ceiling and fulfill their leadership and economic potential. Consequently, during the past ten years, I transitioned from writing textbooks to motivational books on creating environments where people flourish through better leadership.

About a year ago, I was on a conference call discussing concepts of what makes a fulfilling life with fellow life coaches. Bang! Like a thunderclap, I had an insight. What would it be like to help people understand the concepts of a flourishing life in a story instead of through a motivational book or text? After all, I thought, storytelling has been the most compelling form of communication for thousands of years. As far as I could recall, none of the great prophets fed up learning objectives and multiple-choice questions to their followers. No! They got their message across through stories.

Motivational books and textbooks give frameworks, theories, and ideas, but they don’t immerse us in the human experience. They don’t show us how others face challenges, embrace their passions, overcome sorrow, celebrate achievement, quash self-doubts, develop positive emotions and relationships, handle betrayal, or act on aspirations.

Storytelling ignites our imagination and emotion. We experience being part of the story rather than being served up a platter of facts, exercises, and information.

This eye-opener was enough for me to take on the challenge of novel writing. My passion is to help people catapult beyond concepts and theories and jump into the wonderment of imagination in designing a flourishing life for themselves. Storytelling does this best.

Happily, as a fiction writer, I have jettisoned learning objectives and test questions. Ah…the freedom makes me feel as light as a balloon on a summer breeze.

Please share a little bit about your current release.
Blackhorse Road is a compelling story of emotional maturation, coming-of-age, romance, and womanhood that chronicles family conflict, a generational clash of beliefs, and the transforming power of choice, gratitude, and forgiveness.

It’s the turbulent mid-1960s, and Luci, an eighteen-year-old Southern California girl, is on the quest for self-determination and new beginnings. Three powerful forces influence her values: the grit of her Irish great-grandmother, Lucinda McCormick; the philosophy of choice of her father, Sam; and the 1960s ideals of equity and altruism. But potent foes thwart Luci at every turn. Her budding romance with a handsome United States Air Force Academy cadet sets the stage for conflict and deception that last for two decades. A betrayal set into motion by someone she should have been able to trust plunges her into despair. When Luci discovers how her autonomy and her love affair were hijacked, she struggles with anger and bitterness. But from a surprising source, she finds a forgiveness path that restores her well-being and hope and, in the end, faith in herself.

What inspired you to write this book?

After I retired from academia, I started my practice as a leadership coach to focus on helping women break the glass ceiling and fulfill their leadership and economic potential. During the past ten years, I transitioned from writing textbooks to motivational books on creating environments where people flourish through better leadership.

About three years ago, I was on a conference call with fellow life coaches, and we were discussing concepts of what makes a fulfilling life. Bang! Like a thunderclap, I had an insight. What would it be like to help people understand the concepts of a flourishing life in a story instead of through a motivational book or text? After all, I thought, storytelling has been the most compelling form of communication for thousands of years. As far as I could recall, none of the great Profits fed up learning objectives and multiple-choice questions to their followers. No! They got their message across through stories.

I was tired of writing motivational books and textbooks that give frameworks, theories, and ideas but don’t immerse readers in the human experience. Since I was ten-years-old, I had wanted to write fiction, but my professional career steered me in another direction.

Now, I saw an opportunity to follow the dream I had had as a child and write stories showing how ordinary people tackle challenges, live through sorrow and betrayal, struggle with doubt and act on their aspirations to achieve flourishing lives. There is nothing more satisfying to an author to receive feedback from readers describing how they have connected with the characters and become one with the story.

Excerpts from Blackhorse Road:Values, beliefs, and life philosophy form the backbone of Blackhorse Road characters. Book reviewer, Gayle Scroggs, suggests that “The exceptional self-awareness that the characters show is what stands out in Blackhorse Road.” The following excerpts give a hint about some of these.

Lucinda—Chapter 1: What defines a person are not one’s financial or physical attributes or beliefs. Instead, it’s the choices that one makes in surmounting life’s challenges.

Luci—Chapter 1: Conformity may make life seem more comfortable. But blind obedience, in time, frustrates and disappoints us. It is conformity that robs us of our hope and deprives us of improving ourselves and creating a better and fairer world.

Sam—Chapter 13: Life’s a journey,” Sam told his children. “You get to pick the highway, the destination, and transportation. You choose the provisions available on the way. You make the decisions. In the end, you are answerable for your actions, looking out for your best interests, and completing the journey.”

Geneviève—Chapter 19: Because some group or government bans a book, dear, doesn’t mean its material has nothing valuable to teach us. Make no mistake, Ma Bichette, governments and narrow-minded groups ban books because they challenge and teach people something important. Banned books are bold and provocative and confront issues that certain segments of the population want to sweep under the carpet.

Barry—Chapter 19: Being “in love” is a passion like the flames of a blistering fire that race across the prairie. It’s fierce and red, self-serving, and out of control. It feeds upon itself until there is nothing left. “To love,” though, is a passion like the embers of a flickering fire that lingers within the hearth. It’s gentle and glowing, crackles with surprise, and permeates the senses. It’s warm and steady. It rekindles itself, and it endures.

What exciting story are you working on next?
I am working on a women’s fiction novel tentatively titled Suzanna that begins in Columbus, Ohio, in the mid-1980s. Suzanna has her whole life in front of her like an open freeway or so she believes . . . The story is packed with challenges and hard decisions, as Suzanna strives to follow her North Star. The ending, like Blackhorse Road, has a surprising twist—this one, though, might raise the reader’s curiosity just enough to wonder if coincidences that edge on the paranormal might be real. Stay tuned!

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

My first recollection of writing fiction was when I was about ten years old. What inspired that effort was a picture that hung in the dining room of my parents’ home. It was a moon-lit lake scene that screamed out that mystery lurked among the shadows cast from the trees on the shoreline. At the time, like most young girls in the 1950s, I was into Nancy Drew books. So, my first attempt at fiction involved some type of scary adventure along the shores of a secluded lake. Although I had minor attempts at writing short stories in high school, my fiction writing career was interrupted by authoring nonfiction works related to my career in health information systems and leadership.

As I mentioned earlier, about three years ago, I got back on the fiction writing track during a conference call in late 2017 with a group of fellow life coaches. As we were talking about what makes a flourishing life, I blurted out, “What would it be like to help women and men achieve a flourishing life through storytelling instead of another self-help book?”

After that phone call, I got started answering that question. Almost three years later, the result is my debut novel Blackhorse Road, a compelling story of womanhood and the power of choice, gratitude, and forgiveness.

Do you write full-time? If so, what’s your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?
I’m still connected with my previous profession, have coaching clients and help women develop in their leadership, but I consider writing women’s fiction my full-time profession. I spend at least eight hours a day on some aspect related to my fiction writing. When I’m in full swing into a story, I can devote sixteen hours or more a day to writing. I get immersed with my characters and their challenges and time stands still.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

Music! When I was writing Blackhorse Road, the Four Seasons, the Everly Brothers, the Beach Boys, Dick Dale, Peter, Paul, and Mary and others put me in the 1960s mood and gave me inspiration. Now, writing my next novel, Suzanna, that is set in the early and mid-1980s, Neil Diamond, Phil Collins, and Elton John provide the necessary background that inspires me.

The Mindful Minute. Every hour I indulge in a mindful minute to elevate my awareness and keep me in the present. I take sixty seconds, sit in my chair and close my eyes and just listen to the sounds around me. I don’t judge the sounds but accept them with curiosity. When extraneous thoughts come into my mind, I acknowledge them and gently push them away and continue listening. That short mindful minute is a remarkable remedy for anxiety or worry.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?I hope that my stories raise readers’ awareness and curiosity and transport them to the most unexpected places within themselves. If Blackhorse Road achieves that, then I am grateful.

Thank you for being a guest on my blog!

Thank you for this opportunity to share Blackhorse Road with your readers.

Links:

Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon | Bookshop

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