D.V. Stone's Blog, page 35
February 28, 2021
Take a Peek through Debut Author Nancy Brashear's Window
Make sure you read to the end of the blog. Nancy has a special offer for you. 
Who I’m a writer, educator, reader, traveler, cook, naturalist, and faith-filled family lover.
Interests Our family is raising strong women for America with seven wild and crazy grandgirls, who range in age from five- to almost thirteen-years-old. We believe in fairies, and create fairy gardens in the spring to attract these magical creatures. We also spend time looking for mermaids among the ocean waves. I recently won first place in a poetry contest with “Time and Time Again: The Mermaid’s Rite of Passage,” and I’m thinking about writing a retold fairytale for adults with a mermaid theme. I recently self-published “Ready or Not: A Creepy, Retold Fairytale for Grownups” on a contemporary Hansel and Gretel theme.
Network I belong to the RWA, ACFW, SCWBI, SinC, and specific FB writing groups in my geographic area and/or genre. Along with family, friends, and our dog (Goldie Licks), who lend me emotional support, I’ve been blessed with mentors who encourage my writing. My writing critique group, Serious Scribblers (with four of us in it), has given me much valuable feedback over the last four years. Yes, it takes a village to raise a writer!
Desk I don’t have a designated writing area in my home, so I usually write in my gazebo in the wifi-wired corner of the yard (good thing I live in Southern California!). I take my laptop, a quilted bag of writing paraphernalia, and a mug of coffee to my corner and set up for business. Instead of walls, I have a clear view of the Pacific Ocean and Catalina Island. Sometimes I have to bundle up and firmly hang onto my computer during stiff onshore breezes. Most days, however, I’m out there writing quietly among hummingbirds, monarch butterflies, bees, and crows unless it’s recess at the elementary school below with the voices of children filtering up to my ears--or Camp Pendleton (Marines) with the booms and bangs of bombing and shooting exercises.
Outrageous As professor of literacy development and bilingual education, I have presented workshops and taught courses in United States, Canada, the Oxford Round Table (England), Costa Rica, New Zealand, Zimbabwe (during a revolution), Kazakhstan, and other interesting places.
Window From my dining room table where I sometimes write or Zoom, I peer through large, uncovered windows and French doors to a giant eucalyptus tree growing out of the slope on the backside of yard. Across the valley, hills light up in the spring and early summer with bright yellow wildflowers.
Gunnysack Hell, a psychological thriller, was released by The Wild Rose Press (https://www.thewildrosepress.com/) on Feb. 10, 2021.
“There’s more to fear in the desert than scorpions and rattlesnakes.” It’s the summer of 1962, middle of the Cold War, and the O’Brien family has moved off-grid to the Mojave Desert in Southern California. After all, the desert has to be a safer place to raise a family than the crime-ridden city, and there they can build a new future. But evil also stalks dusty desert roads, and eight-year-old Nonni finds herself harboring a terrible secret: Only she can identify the predator who has been terrorizing the community. And he knows where she lives.
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/gunnysack-hell-nancy-brashear/1138547553
https://amzn.to/3pFfBpk
https://books.apple.com/us/book/gunnysack-hell/id1546966537? 
Who I’m a writer, educator, reader, traveler, cook, naturalist, and faith-filled family lover. Interests Our family is raising strong women for America with seven wild and crazy grandgirls, who range in age from five- to almost thirteen-years-old. We believe in fairies, and create fairy gardens in the spring to attract these magical creatures. We also spend time looking for mermaids among the ocean waves. I recently won first place in a poetry contest with “Time and Time Again: The Mermaid’s Rite of Passage,” and I’m thinking about writing a retold fairytale for adults with a mermaid theme. I recently self-published “Ready or Not: A Creepy, Retold Fairytale for Grownups” on a contemporary Hansel and Gretel theme.
Network I belong to the RWA, ACFW, SCWBI, SinC, and specific FB writing groups in my geographic area and/or genre. Along with family, friends, and our dog (Goldie Licks), who lend me emotional support, I’ve been blessed with mentors who encourage my writing. My writing critique group, Serious Scribblers (with four of us in it), has given me much valuable feedback over the last four years. Yes, it takes a village to raise a writer!
Desk I don’t have a designated writing area in my home, so I usually write in my gazebo in the wifi-wired corner of the yard (good thing I live in Southern California!). I take my laptop, a quilted bag of writing paraphernalia, and a mug of coffee to my corner and set up for business. Instead of walls, I have a clear view of the Pacific Ocean and Catalina Island. Sometimes I have to bundle up and firmly hang onto my computer during stiff onshore breezes. Most days, however, I’m out there writing quietly among hummingbirds, monarch butterflies, bees, and crows unless it’s recess at the elementary school below with the voices of children filtering up to my ears--or Camp Pendleton (Marines) with the booms and bangs of bombing and shooting exercises.
Outrageous As professor of literacy development and bilingual education, I have presented workshops and taught courses in United States, Canada, the Oxford Round Table (England), Costa Rica, New Zealand, Zimbabwe (during a revolution), Kazakhstan, and other interesting places.
Window From my dining room table where I sometimes write or Zoom, I peer through large, uncovered windows and French doors to a giant eucalyptus tree growing out of the slope on the backside of yard. Across the valley, hills light up in the spring and early summer with bright yellow wildflowers.
Gunnysack Hell, a psychological thriller, was released by The Wild Rose Press (https://www.thewildrosepress.com/) on Feb. 10, 2021.“There’s more to fear in the desert than scorpions and rattlesnakes.” It’s the summer of 1962, middle of the Cold War, and the O’Brien family has moved off-grid to the Mojave Desert in Southern California. After all, the desert has to be a safer place to raise a family than the crime-ridden city, and there they can build a new future. But evil also stalks dusty desert roads, and eight-year-old Nonni finds herself harboring a terrible secret: Only she can identify the predator who has been terrorizing the community. And he knows where she lives.
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/gunnysack-hell-nancy-brashear/1138547553
https://amzn.to/3pFfBpk
https://books.apple.com/us/book/gunnysack-hell/id1546966537?
February 17, 2021
Today's Peek is Julie Howard
Who I'm a mystery writer who dabbles in paranormal mysteries and historical fiction too. I loved my life as a journalist, meeting new people and writing about their fascinating lives and events. I’ve interviewed celebrities and top businesspeople, athletes and “the man on the street.” Now I get to return to my grade-school self, making up storiesInterests – Recently, I’ve gotten into kayaking and so am waiting impatiently for spring. Also, love to walk and take my electric bicycle out (no, it’s not cheating to have an electric bike!).
Network I have two writing critique groups which are both online these days. Thank goodness for my writing friends!
Desk – I’ve taken over the formal dining table since we don’t have big dinners right now. The advantage is there’s lots of space to be messy, and there’s a view of neighbors strolling by.
Outrageous talent – Absolutely nothing, which is one of the reasons I love hanging out with my 2-year-old grandson. He laughs at my silly jokes and even thinks my singing is good.
Window – There’s a beautiful stone Buddha, painted red, under a big pine in the corner of the yard. I’ve had this guy for years and he makes me feel good every time I catch a glimpse of him.
Spirit in Time by Julie HowardTime travel isn't real. It can't be real. But ghost-blogger Jillian Winchester discovers otherwise when an enigmatic spirit conveys her to 1872 to do his bidding.
Jillian finds herself employed as a maid in Sacramento, in an elegant mansion with a famous painting. The artwork reveals another mystery: Why does the man within look exactly like her boyfriend, Mason Chandler?
Morality and sin live side by side, not only in the picture, but also within her. As her transgressions escalate, she races the clock to find the man in the painting, and hunt down a spirit with a disconcerting gift.
But will time be her friend or foe?
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2LslC9S
iBooks: http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/isbn9781509235100
Barnes and Noble: https://bit.ly/3qaFAF5
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/spirit-in-time-julie-howard/1138556279?ean=2940162911340
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/julie-howard?list=author_books
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18116047.Julie_Howard
February 13, 2021
Today's Campfire Guest is Paranormal Author Julie Howard.
Welcome to today's campfire! I'm so glad you joined us. Before we get to today's campfire guest I'm excited to tell you I've booked my first trip of the up coming season. The day I retire in May, Pete and I are, Lord willing, heading south to the www.fwcwriters.com/ignite-your-imagin... Then to celebrate the new stage in life taking our time heading up the east coast. We plan to drop the landing gear in Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia (where we'll be near Chincoteague. The Misty books are from there.) Delaware, and then home. I'll keep you posted with any developments and a photo journal. Now let's light this fire and greet my guest.
Picture
Hi, Julie, welcome to my campfire. I'm so glad you could join me today though it's pretty cold out. What can I offer you? The camper is like a shooting star with refreshments. You wish it, you get it.
Dark, strong coffee at 5:45 a.m., light cream. I like to be fully awake and at my writing desk by the time the sun rises.
Oh, your one of those morning people. Well I roll out of bed anywhere between seven and eight, even at camp. Which by the way have you ever camped, or as I call what I do, Glamp. If you’re not the camping type. Tell us about your favorite adventure or vacation. What made it special to you?
My favorite vacation (this sounds like a school essay) was a trip to the Cinque Terre region of Italy. There’s a narrow trail high above the sea that connects five villages that I hiked with my daughter several years ago. We stayed in one village, took a train to the farthest point in the trail and hiked back. The views were stunning (!) and it was so much fun saying hello to people from all over the world in different languages. No matter where people were from, everyone had a huge smile on their face.
Well then, ciao, oh and yI'el. (Who knows what language that is?) It sounds lovely. I would love to visit Italy one day. Problem is getting 2HOOTS across the pond. Tell us about your latest project and what’s on the horizon.
Spirit in Time, which released this week, is the third in my Spirited Quest mystery series. The main character is a ghost hunter, and in this book she is kidnapped back in time to 1872 by a mysterious spirit.
A ghost story with time travel! It sounds wonderful. Do you have a Life Motto?
If you get knocked down, get up and fight a little harder.
Yep, that's a good one. We can't let circumstances rule our life without kicking back. And your motto speaks to an author trait, perseverance, and lead to my next question. How long did it take you from conception to publication? How did you do it so quickly, or what circumstances drew the process out.
Each book takes about a year and half from conception to publication. The writing part takes a little under a year and the rest is editing and publishing details (that magic a publisher does behind the scenes). I write nearly every day, at least for an hour and often for several hours, so the chapters stack up quickly.
Julie, what does literary success look like to you? I love this question. It’s different for everyone.
This is such a difficult question because the answer changes over time. At first, my goal was simply to finish a manuscript I was proud of. Then, it was to get published, and next to see it read. Spirit in Time is my seventh novel, and the third in a series, and I get the most enjoyment when I see people read all the books in the series; this means, they like the characters and my writing. I feel I’ve done my job well.
Do you have any tips, tricks, or anything you specialize in that you would share with others. I’m also interested in how you have been managing your life and writing with COVID-19.
There’s a silver lining in most difficult situations and I suppose the upside to Covid is it keeps me focused on my writing. Covid, of course, is distracting but if I’m limited in many other things, like shopping or traveling or getting together with friends, then I may as well work on my next book. I’m always surprised how much I can get done if I take the first step, which is sitting down in front of my laptop.
Now the fun questions
Do you have a special object like a piece of jewelry or keepsake of some sort? Can you tell us what makes it special to you? I have an azure blue Swarovski crystal pendant that is a lucky charm for me. I had it on when one of my books was accepted by my publisher and it continues to bring me good fortune.
What is your favorite T-shirt? It’s a T-shirt that says: Every Word Matters.
What’s your favorite candy, cookie, pasta? Oh, molten lava chocolate cake or mudslide cake. The key is the chocolate.
Favorite childhood book? Grimm’s Fairy Tales – the real one, where the stories are pretty dark. I checked this out from the library over and over again when I was a child. I loved that not all stories had happy endings.
Last movie you saw? The last movie I watched in the theater was the remake of The Lion King (loved it). The last movie I watched at home was Testament of Youth, a true story set during WWI.
If you could eat anything in the world right now, what would it be? A four-course meal inside a fine restaurant with friends. I haven’t been in a restaurant in nearly a year because of Covid. I’d dine slowly, enjoying some good wine along the way. I don’t really care what I eat – it’s the experience I crave.
Last thing you googled? Why?
I looked up how to train a race horse for my work-in-progress. This next book, The Three Widows of Wylder, is a historical fiction/women’s fiction story about three women who each are running from their past. Their stories collide and their lies are exposed. I hope to have this book completed in late spring.
Julie, thank you so much for being my guest at the fire. Before you go will you leave us a tease about about Spirit In Time and where we can find out more about you?
Picture
Time is not on her side.
Time travel isn't real. It can't be real. But ghost-blogger Jillian Winchester discovers otherwise when an enigmatic spirit conveys her to 1872 to do his bidding.
Jillian finds herself employed as a maid in Sacramento, in an elegant mansion with a famous painting. The artwork reveals another mystery: Why does the man within look exactly like her boyfriend, Mason Chandler?
Morality and sin live side by side, not only in the picture, but also within her. As her transgressions escalate, she races the clock to find the man in the painting, and hunt down a spirit with a disconcerting gift.
But will time be her friend or foe?
A peek inside
“Are you a ghost?” A young girl stood where the guard had been only minutes before. She spoke matter- of-factly, her dark eyes alive with curiosity.
The house was still whole, she was alive, and the world hadn’t ended. Jillian scanned the room for damage, then blinked. This must be a dream. The long dining table—bare just moments ago—was now laid for a meal. Glasses sat upright, forks and spoons lined up in perfect order, and a tall flower arrangement appeared unscathed. A crystal chandelier above the table remained perfectly still.
The guard and Asian man were nowhere in sight.
The girl, dressed neatly in a calf-length white pinafore embellished with pink ribbons, didn’t appear rattled by the cataclysmic jolt.
“What happened?” Jillian asked, still crouched on her knees. “Are you okay?”
“You don’t belong here. Mother will be angry.”
Even though the floor had ceased to shake, the roiling continued in her head. Might this very real looking girl be a spirit? Most apparitions wavered in some manner, their appearances paler and less there than the tangible world around them. This child appeared solid in every way, from the tips of her shiny chestnut hair to the toes of her lace-up black shoes.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2LslC9S
iBooks: http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/isbn9...
Barnes and Noble: https://bit.ly/3qaFAF5
More about Julie
Julie Howard is the author of the Wild Crime series, and Spirited Quest. She is a former journalist and editor who has covered topics ranging from crime to cowboy poetry. She is a member of the Idaho Writers Guild, editor of the Potato Soup Journal, and founder of the Boise chapter of Shut Up & Write. Learn more at juliemhoward.com.
Website: http://juliemhoward.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/juliemhowarda...
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Julie-Howard/e...
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/julie...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/_JulieMHoward
Follow her on Instagram: @authorjuliehowardSpirit In Time
Picture
Hi, Julie, welcome to my campfire. I'm so glad you could join me today though it's pretty cold out. What can I offer you? The camper is like a shooting star with refreshments. You wish it, you get it.
Dark, strong coffee at 5:45 a.m., light cream. I like to be fully awake and at my writing desk by the time the sun rises.
Oh, your one of those morning people. Well I roll out of bed anywhere between seven and eight, even at camp. Which by the way have you ever camped, or as I call what I do, Glamp. If you’re not the camping type. Tell us about your favorite adventure or vacation. What made it special to you?
My favorite vacation (this sounds like a school essay) was a trip to the Cinque Terre region of Italy. There’s a narrow trail high above the sea that connects five villages that I hiked with my daughter several years ago. We stayed in one village, took a train to the farthest point in the trail and hiked back. The views were stunning (!) and it was so much fun saying hello to people from all over the world in different languages. No matter where people were from, everyone had a huge smile on their face.
Well then, ciao, oh and yI'el. (Who knows what language that is?) It sounds lovely. I would love to visit Italy one day. Problem is getting 2HOOTS across the pond. Tell us about your latest project and what’s on the horizon.
Spirit in Time, which released this week, is the third in my Spirited Quest mystery series. The main character is a ghost hunter, and in this book she is kidnapped back in time to 1872 by a mysterious spirit.
A ghost story with time travel! It sounds wonderful. Do you have a Life Motto?
If you get knocked down, get up and fight a little harder.
Yep, that's a good one. We can't let circumstances rule our life without kicking back. And your motto speaks to an author trait, perseverance, and lead to my next question. How long did it take you from conception to publication? How did you do it so quickly, or what circumstances drew the process out.
Each book takes about a year and half from conception to publication. The writing part takes a little under a year and the rest is editing and publishing details (that magic a publisher does behind the scenes). I write nearly every day, at least for an hour and often for several hours, so the chapters stack up quickly.
Julie, what does literary success look like to you? I love this question. It’s different for everyone.
This is such a difficult question because the answer changes over time. At first, my goal was simply to finish a manuscript I was proud of. Then, it was to get published, and next to see it read. Spirit in Time is my seventh novel, and the third in a series, and I get the most enjoyment when I see people read all the books in the series; this means, they like the characters and my writing. I feel I’ve done my job well.
Do you have any tips, tricks, or anything you specialize in that you would share with others. I’m also interested in how you have been managing your life and writing with COVID-19.
There’s a silver lining in most difficult situations and I suppose the upside to Covid is it keeps me focused on my writing. Covid, of course, is distracting but if I’m limited in many other things, like shopping or traveling or getting together with friends, then I may as well work on my next book. I’m always surprised how much I can get done if I take the first step, which is sitting down in front of my laptop.
Now the fun questions
Do you have a special object like a piece of jewelry or keepsake of some sort? Can you tell us what makes it special to you? I have an azure blue Swarovski crystal pendant that is a lucky charm for me. I had it on when one of my books was accepted by my publisher and it continues to bring me good fortune.
What is your favorite T-shirt? It’s a T-shirt that says: Every Word Matters.
What’s your favorite candy, cookie, pasta? Oh, molten lava chocolate cake or mudslide cake. The key is the chocolate.
Favorite childhood book? Grimm’s Fairy Tales – the real one, where the stories are pretty dark. I checked this out from the library over and over again when I was a child. I loved that not all stories had happy endings.
Last movie you saw? The last movie I watched in the theater was the remake of The Lion King (loved it). The last movie I watched at home was Testament of Youth, a true story set during WWI.
If you could eat anything in the world right now, what would it be? A four-course meal inside a fine restaurant with friends. I haven’t been in a restaurant in nearly a year because of Covid. I’d dine slowly, enjoying some good wine along the way. I don’t really care what I eat – it’s the experience I crave.
Last thing you googled? Why?
I looked up how to train a race horse for my work-in-progress. This next book, The Three Widows of Wylder, is a historical fiction/women’s fiction story about three women who each are running from their past. Their stories collide and their lies are exposed. I hope to have this book completed in late spring.
Julie, thank you so much for being my guest at the fire. Before you go will you leave us a tease about about Spirit In Time and where we can find out more about you?
Picture
Time is not on her side.
Time travel isn't real. It can't be real. But ghost-blogger Jillian Winchester discovers otherwise when an enigmatic spirit conveys her to 1872 to do his bidding.
Jillian finds herself employed as a maid in Sacramento, in an elegant mansion with a famous painting. The artwork reveals another mystery: Why does the man within look exactly like her boyfriend, Mason Chandler?
Morality and sin live side by side, not only in the picture, but also within her. As her transgressions escalate, she races the clock to find the man in the painting, and hunt down a spirit with a disconcerting gift.
But will time be her friend or foe?
A peek inside
“Are you a ghost?” A young girl stood where the guard had been only minutes before. She spoke matter- of-factly, her dark eyes alive with curiosity.
The house was still whole, she was alive, and the world hadn’t ended. Jillian scanned the room for damage, then blinked. This must be a dream. The long dining table—bare just moments ago—was now laid for a meal. Glasses sat upright, forks and spoons lined up in perfect order, and a tall flower arrangement appeared unscathed. A crystal chandelier above the table remained perfectly still.
The guard and Asian man were nowhere in sight.
The girl, dressed neatly in a calf-length white pinafore embellished with pink ribbons, didn’t appear rattled by the cataclysmic jolt.
“What happened?” Jillian asked, still crouched on her knees. “Are you okay?”
“You don’t belong here. Mother will be angry.”
Even though the floor had ceased to shake, the roiling continued in her head. Might this very real looking girl be a spirit? Most apparitions wavered in some manner, their appearances paler and less there than the tangible world around them. This child appeared solid in every way, from the tips of her shiny chestnut hair to the toes of her lace-up black shoes.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2LslC9S
iBooks: http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/isbn9...
Barnes and Noble: https://bit.ly/3qaFAF5
More about Julie
Julie Howard is the author of the Wild Crime series, and Spirited Quest. She is a former journalist and editor who has covered topics ranging from crime to cowboy poetry. She is a member of the Idaho Writers Guild, editor of the Potato Soup Journal, and founder of the Boise chapter of Shut Up & Write. Learn more at juliemhoward.com.
Website: http://juliemhoward.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/juliemhowarda...
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Julie-Howard/e...
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/julie...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/_JulieMHoward
Follow her on Instagram: @authorjuliehowardSpirit In Time
February 10, 2021
Come on and take a Peek. You know you want too.
Who am I? Former teacher who still volunteers, reading books to kids on Zoom. Writer fighting to organize too much, as my father used to say. Honey to my sweetie. Great friend. Miss my family. I’m in Florida, they’re in New England.Interests are discovering that unexpected, special book, a swoon worthy read. Sharing fun resources of all kinds with friends, dancing outdoors (not kidding) and lots of walks.
Networking with my writer friends is a big deal. My other support system are my friends from forever.
Desk? It’s a mess. I’m not kidding about that challenge. Recently asked friend writers how they organize. I have the “if it’s not in front of me I’ll forget to do it” syndrome. Did I mention I’m in love with my 32” monitor?
Outrageous fun is dancing. I’m desperate to go dancing. Hence the outdoor dancing to canned music at the local shopping center. Yes, it’s partner dancing, so two dancing fools.
Window. Mine looks onto a small courtyard and there’s a little Heidi-like figure sitting on the bench. Squirrels and geckos and birdies visit.
Outside Shirley's window.
Eat Your Heart Out by Shirley Goldberg
When a tyrant in stilettos replaces her beloved boss, and her ex snags her coveted job, teacher Dana Narvana discovers there are worse things than getting dumped on Facebook. Time for the BFF advice squad, starting with Dana's staunchest ally, Alex—hunky colleague, quipster, and cooking pal extraordinaire. But when the after hours smooching goes nowhere, she wonders why this grown man won't make up his mind.
Alex Bethany's new lifestyle gives him the confidence to try online dating. What he craves is a family of his own until a life-altering surprise rocks his world. He knows he's sending Dana mixed messages. Alex panics when he thinks he's blown his chance with his special person. From appetizers to the main course will these two cooking buddies make it to dessert?
Funny and bittersweet, Dana and Alex's story will have you rooting for them.
https://www.amazon.com/Your-Heart-Starting-Over-Book-ebook/dp/B08VHWN56S
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/eat-your-heart-out-shirley-goldberg/1138734045
February 3, 2021
Take a Peek into Author M. S. Spencer's Window
Who I have lived or traveled in five of the seven continents and published fourteen mystery or romantic suspense novels. I have two children, a wonderful granddaughter, and divide my time between the Gulf Coast of Florida and a tiny village in Maine.Interests Living in Florida I spend time at the beach & bird watching, kayaking, studying the unique & odd Florida history, and just soaking up the blue sky & warm sun.
Network Social media links I use most are Facebook, my blog M. S. Spencer Tale Spinner, and Twitter, but I’m also on Linked In, Goodreads, Bookbub, and Pinterest. Since I grew up in DC & worked for the Senate I’m naturally a political junkie. I keep abreast of the news on all kinds of news aggregates, websites, and C-Span (politics kept totally separate from my writing networks of course!). I live in a complex of bungalows a few yards from the beach with wonderful neighbors who love to socialize but understand the introvert in me.
Desk I work at my husband’s antique mahogany desk facing my garden. To my left is the 18th-century grandfather clock an ancestor brought to America. To my right are my assorted diplomas & the Roget’s Thesaurus my grandfather gave me. On the desk is the status of Ganesh from my father’s desk, and the photo of my daughter & baby granddaughter.
Outrageous I have studied nine languages but have forgotten most of them. In my garden in Virginia I grew more than 12 kinds of vegetables, 15 types of herb, and 10 different varieties of fruits. Here in Florida I’m down to six.
Window My desk faces a picture window looking out at my garden. I love to watch the blue jays & squirrels fight over the peanuts I leave out. Over the fence I can watch the Florida sun setting in fiery flames in the west.
Mrs. Spinney's Secret books2read.com/u/3JXWEA
What do you do when Hollywood takes over your tiny Maine village to make a movie?
Cassidy Beauvoir, chair of the board of overseers of Amity Landing, is ready to throw the bums out; that is, until she meets Jasper MacEwan, the director of American Waterloo: the Rout of the Penobscot Expedition. It’s instant attraction until a series of deadly incidents threatens their budding romance. Are the attacks directed at the movie crew or the townspeople?
As the two search for answers, the trail leads them to long-held secrets of the worst naval defeat of the American Revolution—including betrayal, murder, and a lost hoard of English gold.
Buy Links:
Books2Read
Amazon
Tunes
Barnes&Noble
Walmart
KOBO
Google Play
Thalia
Bold.de
Angus & Robertson
Social links
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January 27, 2021
Take A Peek Through Daryl Devore’s Window
Who –Daryl Devore – sweet and hot romance writer, who has just ventured into medieval fantasyInterests –Yoga! Raks Sharqi (belly dancing)! Baking! (which is why I do yoga and Raks Sharqi)
Network –guessing my network is where I am on social media. I am at a number of places, but I hang out in these 3.
Blog - https://daryldevore.blogspot.com/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/daryldevore
Newsletter – daryl.devore@yahoo.ca
Desk–No desk. I sit in a comfy chair by a window with my laptop across my lap. At the moment, with my cat asleep at my feet.
Outrageous –Outrageous talent. Wow – no idea. Telling you I can do froggy probably doesn’t mean much. I can’t whistle. Or sing. I guess maybe – I make a pretty mean Coconut Pecan Oatmeal Cookie.
Window – It’s January. It’s Canada. What’s outside my window is snow. Also, several bird feeders with numerous birds and a squirrel. What I would prefer out my window was a palm tree. Le sigh.
The Last Dragon What do dragons, knights and romance have in common? Grab a copy of multi-published author Daryl Devore’s medieval fantasy romance and discover the answer.
A sorcerer craving dominance merged with a dragon, the power overwhelmed him causing him to split into three dragons. Demora ruled thought, but was lost in time. Yidithe offered protection, shining like the light of the sun. Ayrradex craved chaos, revelling in destroying souls.
Many knights died, attempting to slay the devil beast. One knight, Prince Hawkyns, did not fear death. He’d lost everything. Away on a mission when Ayrradex attacked his father’s kingdom, Penrythe, Hawkyns returned to find his noble father – feeble and defeated. His wise mother – crazed. His beautiful wife and unborn child - dead. Only a pile of ashes remained for him to bury. He knelt before his King and vowed to slay the devil-beast or be slain.
Derry was born with powers that terrified her parents. They delivered her to a nunnery to be raised in secret. Jathe, a wise sorceress, discovered the young girl and trained her to one day use the secret hidden in her soul.
Legends spoken around campfires hinted the sole way to destroy Ayrradex was when the hearts of a knight and a golden dragon became one. But after a vicious battle with Ayrradex, the golden dragon was thought to be dead.
Can Prince Hawkyns’s bravery and Derry’s powers end the reign of the devil-beast’s terror?
Amazon - ebook - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08QPW4CVF
Amazon - print - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08QRVJ59P
Books2read – universal link - ebook – https://books2read.com/The-Last-Dragon
Books2read –universal link – print - https://books2read.com/The-Last-Dragon-
BookSprout – https://booksprout.co/book/69199/the-last-dragon
Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.ca/daryldevore2013/the-last-dragon/
January 20, 2021
Take a Peek into an Author Life with ME ?
Who Well hopefully by now you know a little about me. But like anyone I change and hopefully grow as a person as well as a writer. Personally I've become at this stage a little more comfortable in my skin. I've resented growing older but you can't stop it, right? Like Dolly said in Steel Magnolia's "Time marches on and sooner or later you realize it is marching across your face.” But, that said I'm anxiously looking forward to a new stage in life. Retirement is in four months. I have a count down in my phone that tells me how many days, hours, minutes, seconds. If I want, I can see how many breaths or heartbeats. It doesn't mean I'll be sitting back and not working. The day I leave work, Pete will have 2Hoots ready and hitched to head to Tampa for the Ignite Your Imagination Conference hosted by Florida West Coast Writers, Inc. On June 4-6, 2021. At least that's the plan. I can't wait to meet two of my favorite authors, CL Wilson and Roxanne St. Claire. CL writes fantasy which I adore, and Roxanne contemporary romance with mature characters. I'm also hoping to see some of my NJRW and TWRP authors there.Interests Okay, so we've talked about my interests before. Camping (or glamping) cooking, reading. But I also dabble in painting, sketching, photography and jewelry making. I'm not good at it, but I enjoy it very much. I even have a guitar though it hasn't been out of the case for several years. I'm steeling myself to develop finger pad callouses.
Network I'm professionally involved with RWA, NJRWA, TWRP, but I'm also a member of Sparta Evangelical Free Church. In the past I've been a Sunday School teacher and a missions committee leader. Before my health went down hill, my DH and I traveled every summer for ten years to West Virginia and were part of a group that rehabilitated housing, volunteered in assisted living, ran basketball camps and general pitched in where ever needed. Pete still goes down and this summer helped build a house then returned in November to distribute Thanksgiving Baskets.
Desk My work space is moveable though my laptop is no longer portable. The case is broken so I don't move it any longer. I do have a Chromebook I take on the road with me. Also, I do a lot of work from my phone. I love working outside on my deck and often will head down to my camper and driveway camp while working.
Outrageous I used to be much more outrageous. I've been a spelunker, rappelled off the side of a three story building, and climbed many trees. Adventure still calls and I'll push as far as my breathing will allow. If they ever host a team Jeopardy my DH and I will nail it.
Window I am truly blessed. I look out my front window and enjoy a lake view in Northern New Jersey. Out my back is the Mountain which leads to the Appalachian Trail. Up until a few years ago, every year on my birthday I would hike to the top. Now I'll drive and walk along sections of the trail.
Thanks for stopping by and reading about me. In the next few weeks my guests will be back and Take A Peek will introduce you to an amazing assortment of authors and books. Be good, be safe, and God bless.
The Mystery at Branch Lake Agent Carter Book 1www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0785LCHWH
Agent Sam Carter of G.A.S.P., or the Government Anti Spector Program, is called away from vacation to the small Community of Branch Lake.
Someone, or something, is breaking into the summer cabins, and indications are it may not be humans.
Join Agent Carter, Sheriff Holly Stone, and Uncle Martin in the sometimes crazy adventure in the mystery of Branch Lake.
The Mystery at High Pointe Tower Agent Carter Book 2
https://www.amazon.com/Mystery-High-Pointe-Tower-Carter-ebook/dp/B08NC6XZR9
Join the gang in the second Agent Sam Carter series. Sam's camping vacation is canceled. Strange happenings at the High Pointe Tower are going to take all his wits and skill to save the world from its latest threat. The convergence of the Dragon Aurora and volcanic eruption tears a hole between the dimensions trapping a paranormal creature on earthside. But as usual, nothing is as it first appears.
About the author
Hi, my name is D. V. Stone. I am a multi-genre author of two independently published books. Felice, Shield-Mates of Dar is a fantasy romance. Agent Sam Carter and the Mystery at Branch Lake is a mid-grade paranormal. In April, Rock House Grill was released by Wild Rose Press. And on July 8th Rainbow Sprinkles part of my publisher One Scoop or Two series became available.
I also host Welcome to the Campfire and A Peek Through the Window, both weekly blogs. Recently I’ve begun to review books by other authors and share my favorites in a monthly newsletter.
On the personal front I’m a full-time employee in a medical office, wife to an amazing husband, mother to one son, and not your average grandma to three beautiful grands. I’m a woman of faith, trusting and believing in God. I drive a Camaro when not behind the wheel of my camper, 2Hoots—a 41 foot long 13.2 feet high 5th Wheel.
My greatest pleasures are spending time outside with friends and family, cooking over the open fire, sipping a glass of wine, and reading.
Hali, my rescue dog always reminds me to let readers know “Woof, woof.” Which is loosely translated Support your local animal rescue.
A further Peek
Born in Brooklyn, D.V. Stone has moved around a bit and even lived for a time on a dairy farm in Minnesota before moving back east. Throughout her wandering, she always considered herself a Jersey Girl. She met and married the love of her life, Pete—a lifelong Jersey Man, and moved this time to Sussex County. They live with Hali, a mixed breed from the local shelter and their cat Baby.
Follow D. V. on Social Media
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Blogs
Welcome to the Campfire Blog Peek Through the Window
Other Books by
D. V. Stone
Rainbow Sprinkles
After the storm come the rainbows.
Amazon Barnes & Noble iBook’s
Rock House Grill
One man’s choices. One woman’s Impact
Amazon Barnes & Noble iBook’s Google Books Kobo
Felice, Shield-Mates of Dar
One foolish thought. One brutal act. Instead of a peaceful alliance––war.
Amazon
Contributing Author
Australia Burns
Amazon
Un-embedded links
Link Tree For one stop connections
https://www.instagram.com/d.v.stone/
https://twitter.com/donnavstone
https://www.facebook.com/dv.stone.1
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16344100.D_V_Stone
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/d-v-stone
https://www.amazon.com/D.-V.-Stone/e/B01N154Y9U
January 13, 2021
Take a Peek into the Window of Author Sorchia Dubois
Who Greetings! I’m Sorchia DuBois. I write urban fantasy, small-town mysteries, and paranormal romance. In my previous life, I taught English in rural communities and community colleges. While I still work for a virtual education provider (and business is booming during the pandemic), my true love is writing. I just finished an urban fantasy trilogy, which is on sale until January 22. I have a new trilogy in the works for 2021.Interests When I’m not writing, I walk in the woods, garden, and do a little macrame. To tell the truth, when I’m not writing, I’m thinking about writing. My two-year-old granddaughter, Lily, is quickly becoming an obsession.
Network During the quarantine, I rely heavily on the Interwebs. I loiter and lurk and comment when I feel like I have something worth contributing. One of my goals this year is to be more visible both online and in reality, when that is possible. I’m getting over a small case of cancer which put me out of contact with most people for the past year. Now that I’m back, I’ll be renewing memberships and finding groups to join.
Desk: I just cleaned it for the new year, but that won’t last. I have cats and their prime directive from the Cat Overlords is to create chaos in my office. They love to knock things on the floor and sit directly on the document I need to see. They also enjoy lying on my desk and flicking their tails across the keyboard while I’m trying to work. Occasionally, they actually gallop across the keyboard which causes me to spend untold hours correcting what they type and finding my way out of the view or application they have somehow opened.
Generally, I have my desk calendar and planners open on separate surfaces with a cat snoozing in front of me. A cup of tea and a healthy snack of nuts and fruit and dark chocolate will be nearby though I sometimes replace the tea with a good single malt Scotch if I’m about to finish something or just for fun.
Outrageousness: I am a firebug and love bonfires which I have become adept at starting even in nasty weather. I am a trivia buff as well and have a store of useless information at my disposal. Sarcasm is my favorite thing, though, along with bad puns and word games. The only ones who get me are my kids which is nice. I have a new granddaughter who seems to be developing a sense of irony that I appreciate.
Window: I’m on the second story and my view is of a piney wood. It’s really perfect. The picture was taken on a dreary day, but it shows my leaf-covered yard. In summer, the trees are green and filled with birds. A memorable view happened on a day I was writing about a character who occasionally turns into a snake. One of the cats went on point and when I followed her gaze, I found a black snake crawling on the roof outside my window. Very weird. That day, Scotch was called for.
Thanks so much for reading. Happy New Year and here’s wishing for a peaceful and successful 2021 for us all.
Find out more about Sorchia ⤵️
www.facebook.com/SorchiaD
https://twitter.com/SorchiaDubois
www.pinterest.com/SorchiaDubois/
https://www.instagram.com/sorchiad/
: http://www.amazon.com/SorchiaDuBois/e/B00B60NOUQ/
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6879978.Sorchia_DuBois
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/sorchia-dubois
Newsletter sign up: https://sorchiadubois.com/signup/
Books by Sorchia: https://sorchiadubois.com/books-by-sorchia/
Zoraida Grey TrilogyHow many Scottish witches does it take to destroy one small-town fortune teller?
The Zoraida Grey trilogy follows Zoraida from Arkansas to Scotland on a quest to retrieve a healing stone to save her granny’s life. But it seems Granny hasn’t told her everything. Soon Zoraida is smack dab in the middle of a witchy clan war and in danger of being ensorcelled by not one but two smoking hot witches. The truth of her own heritage is buried deep beneath Castle Logan. Trouble is the only one who strikes fear in the black hearts of the Logan witches has stepped in a steaming pile of Voodoo thousands of miles away in the Caribbean.
To save her granny and her best friend, Zoraida must decide between her old, safe life or a new one filled with magic and danger.
The task may be the end of her—or the beginning.
Start the adventure with Zoraida Grey and the Family Stones in which Zoraida discovers just what a mess Granny has let her in for. Continue the story in Zoraida Grey and the Voodoo Queen in which Zoraida journeys to the Yucatan Jungle to retrieve a Scottish wizard who turns out to be naked and painted blue. The trilogy ends with Zoraida Grey and the Pictish Runes as Zoraida returns to Castle Logan with vengeance on her mind.
Buy Links:
Stop by Sorchia’s Universe for more info or go straight to buy links at your favorite sites:
Zoraida Grey and the Family Stones: books2read.com/u/mKJkvZ
Zoraida Grey and the Voodoo Queen: books2read.com/ZoraidaGrey2
Zoraida Grey and the Pictish Runes: books2read.com/ZoraidaGrey3
January 6, 2021
Today's Peek is a look into my own window.
Sometimes it's a long time between books in a series. Especially for me. Yesterday Agent Sam Carter and the Mystery at High Pointe Tower released. So, lets take a look in my window and see why.
Who- Recently I became an award-winning author with two books published by The Wild Rose Press. But who am I? Like everyone I'm a bit complicated. I'm a woman of a certain age. Wife to an amazing husband. Mom to one son. Grandma to three awesome grands. A working woman. A woman of faith.
Interests- I love to read and write across genres. My happy place is traveling and visiting different campgrounds. Sitting around the campfire or chiminea. Cooking over the open fire. I enjoy eating out. Walking in the woods with my dog. Taking pictures.
Network- I'm a member or RWA, NJRWA, Savvy Authors, Sparta Evangelical Free Church, The Wild Rose Press Garden. My family. My friends. My dog.
Desk- Is built in by my husband in a library he created for me. It has my laptop which in no longer portable, lots of sticky notes, a white board, all the books I've published. There's a clipboard and notepad. It goes between sort of neat and very messy.
Outrageous- I play an amazing kazoo. I also have a song for everything.
Window- Depending on where I'm working the view differs. From my library slash office, my neighbors yard. From my kitchen, the lake near where I live. From my RV, the sky's the limit. #wsite-video-container-735805124708629522{ background: url(//www.weebly.com/uploads/b/81573318-373... } #video-iframe-735805124708629522{ background: url(//cdn2.editmysite.com/images/util/video... } #wsite-video-container-735805124708629522, #video-iframe-735805124708629522{ background-repeat: no-repeat; background-position:center; } @media only screen and (-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 2), only screen and ( min-device-pixel-ratio: 2), only screen and ( min-resolution: 192dpi), only screen and ( min-resolution: 2dppx) { #video-iframe-735805124708629522{ background: url(//cdn2.editmysite.com/images/util/video... background-repeat: no-repeat; background-position:center; background-size: 70px 70px; } }
Join the gang in the second Agent Sam Carter series. Sam's camping vacation is canceled. Strange happenings at the High Pointe Tower are going to take all his wits and skill to save the world from its latest threat. The convergence of the Dragon Aurora and volcanic eruption tears a hole between the dimensions trapping a paranormal creature on earth side. But as usual, nothing is as it first appears.
Goodreads Giveaway
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08NC6XZR9
Bio
D. V. Stone is a multi-genre author, both traditional and independently published. A weekly blog host of Welcome to the Campfire and A Peek Through the Window. She reviews books and shares her favorites in a monthly newsletter.
D. V. is a full-time employee in a medical office, wife to an amazing husband, mother to one son, and not your average grandma to three beautiful grands. A woman of faith, she trusts and believes in God.
When not behind the wheel of my camper, 2Hoots—a 41 foot long 13.2 feet high 5th Wheel, she tools around Northern New Jersey in her white Camaro named Snowball. Her greatest pleasures are spending time outside with friends and family, cooking over the open fire, owls, and reading.
Hali, her rescue dog, always reminds everyone, “Woof, woof.” Which is loosely translated. Support your local animal rescue.
You can find out more about D. V. by following her on Social Media
Website Amazon Author Page Facebook Twitter Instagram
Pinterest Bookbub Goodreads Newsletter
Blogs
Welcome to the Campfire Blog Peek Through the Window
December 30, 2020
December 30th, 2020
Who – Hi, my name is Amber Daulton. I write contemporary, historical, and romantic suspense. My latest series Arresting Onyx is currently a five-book set about five sexy men—brothers in blood and in life—and the stubborn women they can’t live without. I’m writing two novellas to squeeze in between a few of the novels, but I’ll be sharing more about those later in the New Year.Interests – Other than reading and writing, I enjoy binge watching Star Trek TOS and TNG, Supernatural, and Fraser. I like to garden, hike, play with my cats, and do scrapbooking, though I’ve slacked off on the latter in the past few years.
Network – I’m a member of Marketing for Romance Writers, Rom-Critters, and my publisher’s groups. I’ve met several wonderful authors over the years, and I’m proud of the way we support each other and help one another grow.
Desk – I can’t concentrate on writing if I’m surrounded by clutter, so I always keep my workspace clean and organized.
Outrageous – I’m a pretty boring person. Not much happens to me, and I live through my books. I do, however, have one source of constant entertainment—my cats.
Darby and Pepper are loud, weird, lazy, and spontaneous all in a span of a few short hours. You never know what they’re gonna do. They’re both eight years old (from different kitty parents/litters) and grew up together.
I used to joke to my hubby, Greg, that we weren’t the only married couple in the house. For a time, Darby and Pepper were an item. Why they always had sex in plain sight, I don’t know, but it wasn’t a fun thing to see. Thank goodness they finally stopped after about two years. Now they’re like brother and sister, as they were originally, or they’re amicably divorced. You decide. ☺
Window – My office window faces the backyard, the barn, the fence that my hubby and his dad built, and the forest. I live in the country in an old country house, so it’s pretty peaceful out here. Deer, wild turkey, and sometimes coyotes come around. I’ve heard a few black bears huffing and stomping in the woods, but I’ve never seen them.
Check out the picture, which I took a few years back. I love all the snow, but it’s a much prettier scene with flowers and blackberry vines along the fence.
Arresting Jeremiah Series: Arresting Onyx (book 2)Romantic Suspense
Heat Rating: 5 Flames
Injured Parole Officer Jeremiah “Jim” Borden never expected Calista Barlow, the sassy blonde waitress he’s craved for months, to ring his doorbell. She slips into his heart—and his bed—but he’s obsessed with a gangland investigation that threatens his career and maybe even his life.
Calista doesn’t trust easily, not with a daughter to protect and the stalker who keeps calling her. After her violent ex-boyfriend returns, she finds solace in Jim’s arms.
Jim may have to forego his need for answers to protect the ready-made family he adores, but how will he and Calista escape an unseen enemy that is always one step ahead of them?
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