Stacy Gold's Blog, page 3

Preorder Sale Happening Now!

Preorder Sale—Order Wild at Heart now for just $0.99!

Are you searching for a spicy contemporary romance that’s a little different? How about one set in the wilderness where the woman is perfectly capable of taking care of herself—and even rescuing the guy? And he falls for her because of all this and more, and is willing to be patient while she works through her own demons?

If so, you’re in luck! Wild at Heart is Cheryl Strayed’s Wild as a gender-flipped outdoor adventure romance also set primarily on the Pacific Crest Trail. It’s got a dash of Sarina Bowen’s Overnight Sensation, a smidge of Bill Bryson’s A Walk In The Woods, and a tiny helping of Barbara Kingsolver’s’ Prodigal Summer mixed in.

Best of all, it’s available to preorder now in print at full price, or as an ebook for just $0.99. It’ll ship, or drop to your device, on May 2nd.

Wild at Heart features…Opposites attractOnly one bed/ Tent sexOutdoor adventureCompetence pornA cinnamon roll heroZERO damsels in distress

People always say write the book you want to read. As an avid outdoorswoman and former Forest Service Backcountry Ranger, this steamy backpacking romance is a story from my heart. Because I want to read about other capable women in the outdoors finding a partner who appreciates them because they are badass.

Here is the detailed description:

They each hit the trail solo in search of themselves…

Overworked entrepreneur Jules Martinez is sick and tired of men leaving her for their exes. Determined to wipe the giant, scarlet R for rebound off her forehead, she kicks off a yearlong vow of celibacy with five, blissful weeks backpacking her favorite trails through Washington State. Solo.

Out-of-work financial analyst Evan Davenport hasn’t been happy since camping in Scouts as a kid—before his wealthy parents and now ex-fiancé made all his major life decisions. Hoping to find joy and purpose, he buys all the latest ultralight backpacking gear, flies to Washington, and sets off alone on a weeklong speed hike through the wilderness.

Mother Nature has other plans, though, and keeps shoving Evan and Jules in each other’s paths. Usually naked. When sparks fly, can they find what they’re looking for in life together instead of apart?

Want to know what readers think of this steamy camping romance? Check out these early reviews…

“…did not disappoint! Jules and Evan are both such relatable and adorable characters. Evan is an absolute softie and Jules is such a strong baddie!”

“…made my heart melt on multiple occasions. All those sweet moments were balanced perfectly with a good dose of spice… Jules was a wonderfully refreshing MC… I’ll definitely be picking up Aly and Bryn’s books once they are released!”

“…refreshingly sweet and funny. The banter between Evan and Jules is delightful and story itself was entertaining.”  

“A great read… Looking forward to the next book in the series!”  

“It’s hilarious and totally not what you would expect putting him in the damsel in distress role… I’m starting to doubt my devotion to the typical “alpha-male” characters…”  

“I love how Jules is such a competent and fierce main character. The author does an amazing job painting a picture of their surroundings and the beauty of nature. This was a quick and enjoyable read and I loved the authors writing style…”  

“…a wonderful read for those interested in second chances, romance, and the crazy paths that life can take us on.”  

“I especially love when male protagonists aren’t toxic and Evan nailed that to perfection! Pick this up for a lovely and romantic times outdoors.”  

“Author Stacy Gold hits the mark in this unique and exciting romance novel full of outdoor adventure, a sexy trail romance, self-doubt and the bravery behind loving again after past heartbreak.”

Preorder your copy now in print at full price, or as an ebook for just $0.99!

 

 

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Why I Write Outdoor Adventure Romances

Author Stacy Gold high up in the mountains

Inspirations for Writing My Upcoming Outdoor Adventure Romance, Wild at Heart

Like many authors, my inspirations come from my own life. So, I write outdoor adventure romance—instead of another romance sub-genre—because I’ve spent a lifetime working and playing in the outdoors. I have a degree in Outdoor Resource Management and Environmental Education, and spent six season working for the U.S. Forest Service as a backcountry ranger, river ranger, and naturalist out of college.

I’ve been a whitewater raft guide and a ski technician. I’ve written for outdoor sports magazines like Paddler and Canoe and Kayak, and outdoor companies including REI, MSR, Therm-a-Rest, Mountainsmith, and more. Before I started writing romance, I spent three years as communications director for a mountain biking nonprofit.

When I decided to write fiction, how could I not write about outdoor adventures?

The outdoors is my happy place. It doesn’t matter if I’m backpacking, biking, skiing, paddling or just sitting on a log enjoying the view. But for too long I was one of the few women out there. This past November I was the only woman out of fourteen paddlers kayaking the Grand Canyon together for two weeks.

As an author, I want to show more competent, capable women kicking butt in the outdoors. Women like me and my girlfriends, who don’t always fit the usual mold. And I want to show them finding love because of this—not in spite of it. Thus, I decided to write outdoor adventure romance featuring women who are anything but damsels in distress.

Maybe because I came late to reading romance, my approach to writing it is a little different. I’m inspired by reading and studying nature writers like Ed Abbey, Gary Nabhan, and Terry Tempest Williams. And by books that feature everything awe inspiring about the great outdoors, our connection to it, and the internal journeys we take when we’re out there, pushing outside our comfort zones–particularly ones that feature women.

Three Non-Romance Books that Inspired Wild at Heart

Wild by Cheryl Strayed

I am a sucker for any story that puts a strong woman front and center in the outdoors. While Ms. Strayed didn’t know what she was capable of at the beginning of her journey on the Pacific Crest Trail, she proved more than up to the task. Even more than that, I loved the way her journey of self-discovery mirrored her journey on the trail—with all the difficulties and emotional moments and beauty and grandeur. More than any other book, this story provided the inspiration for Wild at Heart.

A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson

Bill Bryson is always good for a chortle or two, and this book is no different. The narrative of two men who haven’t seen each other in years hiking the Appalachian Trail together with no idea what they’re getting into, leads to some classic stupid decision moments. A few of which inspired some of the trouble Evan gets in to out on the trail.

Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingslover

My favorite of her books, I fell in love with the character Deanna Wolfe, a reclusive wildlife biologist living in an isolated mountain cabin, watching a den of coyotes. The path she walks in learning to let someone else in, even if only for a time, is so thoughtful. And the way a sense of place and connectedness to the natural world is woven through the narrative really speaks to me. I try to infuse a little of that same magic in my work, though I can only aspire to someday write half as well as Ms. Kingslover.

Got thoughts on this? Please do leave a comment below.

My latest outdoor adventure romance novel, WILD AT HEART, comes out May 2nd, 2022 at $6.99 for the full price.
Preorder the ebook now for just $0.99! 

Overworked entrepreneur Jules Martinez is sick and tired of men leaving her for their exes. Determined to wipe the giant, scarlet R for rebound off her forehead, she kicks off a yearlong vow of celibacy with five, blissful weeks backpacking her favorite trails through Washington State. Solo.

Out-of-work financial analyst Evan Davenport hasn’t been happy since camping in Scouts as a kid—before his wealthy parents and now ex-fiancé made all his major life decisions. Hoping to find joy and purpose, he buys all the latest ultralight backpacking gear, flies to Washington, and sets off alone on a weeklong speed hike through the wilderness.

Mother Nature has other plans, though, and keeps shoving Evan and Jules in each other’s paths. Usually naked. When sparks fly, can they find what they’re looking for in life together instead of apart?

 

 

 

The post Why I Write Outdoor Adventure Romances appeared first on Stacy Gold.

2022 Winter Games Reader Challenge!

Meet Authors, Win Cool Prizes, Read Great FREE Books in the 2022 Winter Games Reader Challenge!

February 14, 2022 through March 14, 2022

The 2022 Winter Games Reader Challenge is a four-week Facebook event packed with: opportunities to meet authors, fun daily contests, and big prizes for reading and reviewing great books. Join us and receive FREE books from participating authors — all of whom are rated 4-star and above on Amazon.

Winter Games PrizesFirst Place: The first reader who reads and reviews the most books starting February 14th to March 14 will receive a $250 gift card.Second Place: $100 gift card,AND a random drawing for $20.00 to one lucky BookBub reviewer!A separate speed-reader competition will be held and the winner will receive a signed book from each author.

  To participate Readers MUST have an Amazon Reviewer page.

Fun contests are already happening. Go here now to join in the festivities!

 

*Authors, a few spots still remain if you’d like to get in on the fun, go here to sign up.

The post 2022 Winter Games Reader Challenge! appeared first on Stacy Gold.

Seven Lessons I Learned On the Grand Canyon

The Top Lessons I Learned Achieving My Long-Standing Goal of Kayaking the Grand Canyon, and How They’ll Impact My Romance Novels.

Author Stacy Gold kayaking in the Grand Canyon

Recently, I achieved one of my biggest, hairiest, most audacious goals—kayaking the entire 226 miles of the Grand Canyon (from Lee’s Ferry to Diamond Creek). On top of that I did it in 12.5 days. Carrying all my gear in my own boat. At age 51, after having two rotator cuffs reattached to the bone and assorted other injuries and surgeries. It’s a goal it’s taken me thirty years to achieve.

My first invitation to paddle the Grand Canyon came way back in 1990. I was a raft guide at the time and was offered a spot rowing a raft. But it was a fall trip, and I was due back in college. A few other invites to kayak along with raft trips came my way over the years but the timing was never right. And seven years ago I was supposed to do almost this exact same trip but, I blew out my shoulder mountain biking.

I’d started to think maybe it was never going to happen. Or at least not under my own steam and I’d have to ride in a raft as a passenger. So, this was a huge deal for me.

When I got the invite for this trip, I jumped on it despite dealing with a host injuries. I mean, my body isn’t likely to be any stronger or healthier next year or the year after. It might be, but there are no guarantees. While I wasn’t 100 percent sure I could physically do it, I did everything possible to get in as a good a shape as I could. Then hoped it would be enough.

And it was. Just barely. But it was.

Here Are Seven Lessons I Learned Kayaking the Grand CanyonI am tiny. Miniscule. And the world keeps turning and people keep doing things and it all continues whether I’m there to witness or experience or not. It’s very freeing to remember that the modern world is something of our own creation, but there’s a whole other world out there that’s far older, and to me, more real.The Grand Canyon is bigger and more astonishing than my mind can comprehend, even weeks after my trip ended. It’s like trying to imagine the true size of the universe while staring at the milky way. Your brain hurts and you just…can’t. Which leads me back to point number one.It’s gotten harder to find ways to step outside my comfort zone, but the Grand Canyon pushed me to new limits physically, mentally, and emotionally. I realized that I’m still capable of so much more than I ever would’ve thought.Take the SHEWEE. I’ve always scoffed a bit at having to carry a little plastic funnel to take a piss while wearing a drysuit—especially since my drysuit has a zippered drop seat. One of these showed up with our rental equipment the night before the trip, AND at the put-in nestled in one of the other guy’s gear. Still, I scoffed. Then I found out I didn’t need to pee below the high water line in camp, I had to pee IN the water. So, despite the universe doing it’s best to push one on me, I spent two weeks balanced on rocks and logs, and/or getting my feet wet, every time I peed.Once is not enough. I must go down the Grand Canyon again.  I always thought I wanted to paddle it one time. Now I realize there are so many side hikes and things to see I could probably spend months there and not get to it all. In fact, it might be impossible to spend enough time exploring the Canyon. Not to mention the first few days were so overwhelming I’ve had to piece them together from my notes and photos. I’d like a redo.I’ve gone through journaling phases in my life but hadn’t been in the habit in a while. So, I bought a pretty new one, and on night three forced myself to sit down and catch up. I wrote the day’s events and emotions pretty much every evening from there on out. It’s amazing how much my brain scrambled and squished moments and places and experiences but this way I have somewhere to look to make sense of it all. And to bring back more memories.Do the hard thing. Go for the big, hairy, audacious goal even if you aren’t 100 percent ready. All you have to be is ready enough. Strong enough. Good enough.How will kayaking the Grand Canyon influence my future romance novels?

You can trust that pieces of the experiences on my Grand Canyon trip, and all I learned along the way, will make their way into my outdoor adventure romance novels. I’m already working on both a rafting romance and a kayaking romance. With a whole lot of forced proximity and tons of things that can go wrong—and really, really right—on a multi-day river trip in the middle of nowhere , it’s a no-brainer.

The post Seven Lessons I Learned On the Grand Canyon appeared first on Stacy Gold.

The Alpha Male Isn’t My Romance Fantasy

So, why am I constantly being sold the idea that all women fantasize about the alpha male sweeping them away?

On two different occasions in the last few weeks, I’ve had someone say to me, “Well, you know, every woman loves the fantasy of the alpha male coming to their rescue.” Both times I felt like they were selling me the idea with their suggestive smiles, conspiratorial nods, and perky delivery.

Like the were giving the me the old “Nudge, nudge. Wink, wink.” Like it’s our little guilty pleasure and you don’t have to deny it with me.

But I’m not buying into that now any more than I did when I first flipped open the cover of a classic, Fabio adorned, bodice ripper as a teen. Nothing about it struck a chord with me. I spent my childhood being told I could never do anything on my own and decided early on to prove everyone wrong.

I have never, ever fantasized about some big, strong, wealthy man coming to my rescue.

Maybe I’m strange, but I don’t believe I need a man to be a happy and successful human. I never even wanted to get married. Didn’t dream about my perfect wedding or dress. Through most of my late teens and early twenties I was busy learning to ski and mountain bike and whitewater kayak in what little spare time I had between working three jobs. Not looking for a relationship.

Growing up in a very dysfunctional family, as I got older, all I wanted was a partner and friend who liked, loved, and respected me. Someone who’d share in my outdoor adventures and not be threatened by my abilities. Someone who’d support me and my crazy ideas and help me achieve my goals. I dated a lot of guys who would’ve made great “alphaholes” in an old school romance.

When I met my husband, we were both living in the back of our pickup trucks and kayaking as much as possible. He turned out to be everything I ever dreamed of. We’ve been together 23 very happy years.

That’s the fantasy I’m buying into. The one where you meet a nice guy who likes and respects and supports you—and isn’t at all afraid to show it. And is great in bed because he cares about making you feel good.

It’s also the fantasy I’m selling in my own books. And I think it’s one other women share.

Women, like romance novels, are not a monolith.

If you like your romance with a classic alpha male lead, that’s fine. Lucky for you that’s what you’ll find in many, many romances. In traditional publishing especially, beta males are a rare breed and I want more of them.

I want more romances with the gender roles reversed—especially when it comes to jobs and sports. I’m tired of male hockey players, and firefighters, and police officers, and Navy SEALs, and whatever other traditional role you can come up with.

Ninety-nine percent of the sports romances I’ve ever read featured the man as the athlete and the woman as the cute girl who enjoyed watching. Even in books where both do a sport like skiing, he’s almost always the better athlete.

That’s not the life I live, and it’s not what I want to read about either. Give me the women who kick-ass and take names but can still be vulnerable. And the men who aren’t intimidated by them.

Would you like to read more romances with alpha females and beta males, or are you strictly and alpha male kinda lady? I’d love to know in the comments below.

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TEN RANDOM THINGS ABOUT AUTHOR STACY GOLD

Ten Random Things Most People Don’t Know About Me

If you’ve been following me for a while, you already know I live in Colorado, do a ton of outdoor sports, and write steamy, outdoor adventure romance novels. You might also know I own dogs and play in the mountains every chance I get with my wonderful hubby. So this post is devoted to ten random things you may not know about me.

Despite the fact I became both a semi-pro contemporary dancer and a semi-pro whitewater kayaker in my twenties, I was a terrible athlete as a kid. We’re talking always picked last for any team sport. I played soccer, poorly, for six seasons. I tried gymnastics and was… not good. I did not make the cheerleading squad in eighth grade. But I fell into whitewater raft guiding and kayaking at 18 and something just clicked. I lived in my car for a total of about two years in my twenties. The longest stint was seven months. I moved into the back of my pickup truck on March 31st, in Jackson Hole, WY, and awoke on April Fool’s Day to 15 degrees Fahrenheit. Luckily, it only got warmer from there and I ended up meeting and camping and kayaking with my now husband that summer.While I was born and raised in the U.S. of A., I have dual citizenship with Switzerland thanks to my immigrant mother. I still have family over there and visit whenever I can. I love learning languages. In addition to English, I speak pretty fluent French and better than just tourist Spanish. Plus a few words each in German and Italian and Mandarin. I got a subscription to Rosetta Stone during the pandemic and have been brushing up on the first two regularly.My husband and I only have one car, so I walk or bike almost everywhere (we do have a ’78 VW Bus with a full camper set-up, but it’s not a daily driver. Just an RV.). In an average week I cover an easy 50 miles between the two.I started college and moved out of my parent’s house when I was 17. At 19 I moved across the country alone to get residency before transferring to Colorado State for my degree in Resource Management and Environmental Education.You cannot gross me out. My father was a veterinarian. Growing up I worked in his animal hospital after school and on weekends throughout my childhood and again in my mid-twenties, cleaning kennels and assisting in the exam room and surgery. As a result, I also can’t imagine living life without a dog.  I’m a longtime dancer. I started with modern jazz for PE credit in college and got hooked, adding classes in modern/contemporary and a little hip hop. By the time I graduated I was two credits shy of a dance minor. I went on to dance with a small modern dance company in Jackson, WY and have continued taking and teaching class for thirty years. Along the way I also learned ballet and ballroom (swing, waltz, foxtrot, a little cha-cha and rhumba). A few years ago I began studying tap and continue taking classes weekly.I did not start writing fiction until I was 44 years old. Up until that point I’d always written non-fiction…essays, magazine articles, marketing copy, etc. It took me three years to learn how to write a good story, and another year to sell my first one, but it’s more fun writing romance than anything else I’ve tried.My husband and I have been together for twenty-three happy years! This August will be our 21st wedding anniversary—and that’s saying something considering I never wanted to get married. Ever. Not after seeing the marriages in my family. I just couldn’t understand why someone would volunteer for that. But I knew I wanted to stay with him forever, and marriage was important to him, so I said yes. One of the best choices I’ve ever made. We’ve learned and grown and worked through so much and we’re best friends and partners and still have so much fun together.Got questions about any of these ten random things about me, or anything else? Leave them in the comments below.

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RANDOM MUSINGS: THE FEAR OF PHYSICALLY STRONG WOMEN

Simone Biles – Image Source: FitnessReaperWhy is our society so denigrating of physically strong women—whetherOlympic athletes or not?

She looks like a man… You don’t want to build bulk, you want to be lean… Skinny is healthy and desirable, fit and muscular is not… Her testosterone levels are too high for a woman… Women are too fragile, and shouldn’t be allowed to: serve in combat, land a Yurchenko double pike vault in competition (and definitely shouldn’t get full points if she does), compete against other women if their natural hormone levels don’t conform to the dictated norms.

Why? Because the patriarchy is scared of physically strong women.

It’s the only answer I’ve been able to come up with. I mean,Simone Biles own namesake moves are not given their full scores because the Federation of International Gymnastics is concernedabout how risky they are and the safety of other female gymnasts who might wantto try those moves. Basicallly, score them lower than deserved so other womendon’t think they should try them and prove Ms. Biles isn’t the only women inthe world capable of these athletic feats.

Men in power know, deep down, we’re a threat, and the only way they can beat us is physically.

As long as we believe we’re weak and in need of protection, or at risk of physical or sexual abuse (and therefor in need of physical protection), they maintain the upper hand. It’s like gerrymandering, because it’s the only way they stay in power, only different.

The patriarchy created and/or pushed most of our societalnorms to benefit themselves. Women should be weak and meek and pretty. Weshould have long nails and high heels that make it harder for us to run away,change a tire, or fend off an attacker. We should spend an inordinate amount oftime and money maintain and/or altering our appearance to attract a man,because that’s the most important thing—followed by having babies. We shouldalways, always remember we are the weaker sex.

I mean, you couldn’t make it without him. AmIright?

Sure, this was true when women couldn’t open a bank account, get a loan, or have a credit card without their husband or father signing off on it for them. When few of us went to college, and many that did went solely to find a husband. And when it was far too dangerous for us to be running around alone at night working or God knows what, inciting and inviting men to rape us—because we’re weak.

While we still might not earn as much as men, today we can run our own business and manage our own financial affairs. This means we only need men if we want babies or need their muscle for hard work or protection. Except nowadays we know we don’t. Sperm banks exist. And our own strong, beautiful muscles will do the job just fine.

Which, I think, is part of why men vilify butch lesbians, calling them ugly and mannish. They don’t want to be rendered unnecessary to women because then what power do they have. They can’t even rescue the damsel in distress and that is SO important to men’s egos. They definitely don’t want us to realize we can do everything all on our own without their help, and certainly without them running our lives and dictating what we can and can’t do with our own bodies.

Physically strong women are a threat to the patriarchy.

Women who don’t subscribe to the dictums of society and spend hours of their day and thousands of dollars trying to be their skinniest, prettiest, self are a threat to the capitalism that makes them rich.

Mind you, I’m not saying all men are bad or all men subscribe to these views. I’m happily married to a man who loves my muscles because strong is sexy and those muscles let me do the sports we both enjoy. But the men in charge of the patriarchy, yeah, they’re just trying to “keep us in our places”.

What do you think about the patriarchy and it’s ostensible fear of physically strong women? Got another opinion or thoughts to add? Please do leave a comment…

This post dedicated to: Namibian sprinters Christine Mboma and Beatrice Masilingi, Venus and Serena Williams, Simone Biles and all the other strong, beautiful, muscular women in the world.

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RANDOM MUSINGS: LIVING ON RIVER TIME

I become my best self on the river, because I leave the modern world and live on river time.Running the oars rafting the Upper Colorado

The water beneath my raft hissed and gurgled. My oars plashed in an even, meditative cadence. Wind whooshed up canyon, blowing back my dogs ears and making me worry about my straw cowboy hat. My muscles tingled and ached in the best possible way. And I knew that, somehow, I’d forgotten the true bliss that is settling in to river time on a multi-day trip.

The river has been a part of my life since my sister would take me for “river days” on the upper Chattahoochee when we were kids. We’d hang on the rocks and throw frisbee in the field and laze around all day.

At eighteen, the river entered my soul and it’s never left.

That’s the year I became a whitewater raft guide on Tennessee’s Ocoee River. I spent that entire summer living on river time (and the next couple summers after that).

It’s also the first year I squeezed my butt into a whitewater kayak, and the first year I swam a whole lot of rapids. Once I even thought I might die. I found that made me feel even more alive. Even more grateful for my time on this earth, in nature, and on the water.

I went on to work as a raft guide, safety kayaker, and Forest Service Kayak Ranger on and off for the next sixteen years—spending day after day immersed in the rhythm and flow of the river.

Somehow, over the years I’ve only been on a handful of multi-day trips, all of which I loved. They became nothing more than amazing memories.

Despite continuing to kayak for fun, life and injuries mademy river days number so few I could count them on my fingers. In a good yearfingers and toes. Each journey blissful but fleeting. Sweet tastes of thatgood, good life.

When our friends invited us on a 3-day raft trip for my birthday weekend this year, and even provided a raft for me to row, we said yes right away. We gathered our usual camping gear and our life jackets and river sandals and dogs without really thinking about what we were about to experience.

God, I’d forgotten how much I love it. How much it bringsout the best in me. How good it feels to wake up when the sun warms the wallsof your tent, eat when you’re hungry, throw disc in a grassy field, and movethrough canyons at the speed of the river.

In a raft, you have only one speed. No faster. No slower. My attention stays captured by the meander and flow of current. The sun lighting the canyon walls rose gold. The outstretched, mottled wings of a Golden Eagle taking flight from a treetop. The scrum of rocks and rapids in the hardest sections.

On the river I forget about the stresses and worries of day to life and breath clean air and work my muscles until they’re pleasantly thrashed. I become centered, and joyful, and relaxed. I am my best self, living on river time.

This November we’ll spend two weeks kayaking through the Grand Canyon. I can’t wait!

Have you experienced something like river time? If so, I’d love to know more in the comments below.

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BOOK REVIEW: QUEEN MOVE BY KENNEDY RYAN

Queen Move by Kennedy Ryan is a stellar, page-turning,childhood best-friends-to-lovers romance.

If you’re looking for your next great romance read, look no further than Queen Move by Kennedy Ryan. I regularly buy books without knowing much about them, especially if they come recommended by the right person (What can I say? I like surprises.). But I cannot remember why I bought this book. I didn’t even really remember what it was about when I started reading it.

Lucky for me, it turned out to be the most wonderful kind of surprise—a great read with layered characters, quirky dialogue, loads of sexual tension, and all the feels.

What made it even better was the mixed-race, interfaith hero. As someone who grew up a “Protestant-Jew”, I related deeply to the hero’s search for who he was and how he fit into his religions. I also adored the fact that he had a mixed-race children of his own, because this is the world we live in and Ms. Ryan presents it with vibrancy.

Ms. Ryan also managed to pull off a neat trick by jumping around in time seamlessly. The story moves from two years ago, to twenty or so years ago where we get to see childhood friends blossom into something more, only to be torn apart.   Then, she brings us back to the present and puts those two friends back together, only now with all the baggage of adulthood.

Along the way, the author weaves in bits of Atlanta’s political and social history that added tremendous depth to the character’s backstories and the setting. With terrific writing, and a smart, successful, independent woman with a high-profile political career who knows what she likes in bed, this book has everything going for it and then some.

My only, very minor, quibbles are: the story moved a tad slow in one section and I almost put it down (which would have been a shame), and a small handful of sentence structure choices jarred be out of my reading trance.

All in all, I highlyrecommend you buy this book right here, right now. You won’t regret it.

About Queen Move by Kennedy Ryan

The boy who always felt like mine is now the man I can’t have…

Dig a little and you’ll find photos of me in the bathtub with Ezra Stern.
Get your mind out of the gutter. We were six months old.
Pry and one of us might confess we saved our first kiss for each other. The most clumsy, wet, sloppy . . . spectacular thirty seconds of my adolescence.
Get into our business and you’ll see two families, closer than blood, torn apart in an instant.
Twenty years later, my “awkward duckling” best friend from childhood, the boy no one noticed, is a man no one can ignore.
Finer. Fiercer. Smarter.
Taken.
Tell me it’s wrong.
Tell me the boy who always felt like mine is now the man I can’t have.
When we find each other again, everything stands in our way–secrets, lies, promises.
But we didn’t come this far to give up now.
And I know just the move to make if I want to make him mine.

Grab a copy now

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10 MORE QUESTIONS WITH STACY GOLD

Romance author interview with Stacy Gold

A couple months ago, I had the great pleasure of participating in a fast-paced romance author interview Q & A with a group of avid romance readers. Many of the questions were incredibly thoughtful and thought-provoking, so I shared ten of them in a recent blog post. Today I thought I’d share ten more questions here, along with my answers.

Ten Questions with Stacy GoldWhat is your definition of romance? What is your ideal date? My personal definition of romance is someone who thinks about me and my needs and what I like and makes an effort to make me happy. My husband will cook my breakfast or leave me little love notes. My ideal date is to go skiing or mountain biking or kayaking, have a delicious organic meal, soak in a hot spring, and have amazing sex then fall asleep curled in each other’s arms.What made you want to be a writer? In terms of writing romance, I realized I have something to say. That I want to show women finding love on their own terms, not because they need a partner but because they meet someone they actually want to share their life with.Do you have a preferred athletic type/sport? I am a longtime outdoor sports junkie. I whitewater kayak, mountain bike, alpine/Nordic/backcountry skiing. I like men who do the same.What are three random facts about you? I speak 2.25 languages (English, fluent conversational French, and usable Spanish). I was a semi-professional modern dancer in my twenties, teaching and dancing with a small company. I once assisted in force feeding a six-foot-long python.Does your family read your books? My sister is one of my most important and regular beta readers, and my father and my aunts and my mother-in-law and all her sisters have all read my books. My husband has read most of them, though not until they’re finished and published.How would you describe your writing style to newbies of your books? My writing style is visually and emotionally evocative, and easy to read in the best possible way with very human, relatable characters you can’t help rooting for. I try to write books you’ll keep reading until 3:00am without even realizing.What do you look for in book boyfriend/girlfriend? What turns you off one? I want characters to be real people on the page, with flaws and hopes and dreams, who work to become better people who are genuinely trying to be nice and healthy and happy even if they struggle.What is one genre or subject matter you are not interesting writing and what is one you like to write in the future? I will never write thrillers/horror because I don’t want to live for months in such a dark world. I won’t watch those genres of movies or read those books either. I do have some ideas for a dystopian romance, but it’s not something I’m going to write anytime soon.What was the first book you published? I published a number of non-fiction marketing books back in my days as a marketing consultant. As for fiction, that was the first novella in my Emerald Mountain ski romance series.What do you love about writing romance? I adore being able to show flawed people finding partners who not only love them for all they are, but genuinely like, respect, and support them. I also enjoy normalizing independent women enjoying and having great, satisfying sex.

Got more questions for me? Leave them in the comments below and I’ll respond in a future post.

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