Seelie Kay's Blog, page 3
January 12, 2024
This week in The Loft: KD Sherrinford!
Joining me today in The Loft is Extasy Books colleague KD Sherrinford. An award-winning author, KD writes historical romantic mysteries and cozy mysteries. She is best known for her Sherlock Holmes and Irene Adler series. The first novel in that series, "Song for Someone," was recently short-listed at The Chanticleers International Awards for Romantic Fiction. KD started writing until after she retired from her career as a real estate agent. She lives on the Fylde Coast in the UK.
Author KD Sherrinford
S: Good afternoon, KD. It's always a pleasure to have you as a guest on "Postcards from the Ledge!"
Why write romance?
KD: I never set out to write romance, but I wanted to develop the relationship between Sherlock and Irene, which involves romance. So I decided to go with the flow, and I'm so glad I did. Theirs is not a Mills and Boon romance. It's a slow build-up, described by Jon Oshiro in "The Sign of Holmes" as an endearing look at an enduring love.
S: Personally, it's hard to keep romance out of my stories, even when the story is primarily suspense or paranormal. It just makes my characters more human.
Do you outline the plot for your stories before writing?
KD: I'm a pantser writer, but that said, I had to do a lot of outlining, especially for "Song." There was a fair amount of historical research, getting times, places and dates right. Interacting with fictional characters and real-life people was all part of the fun. For instance, Irene meets Agatha Christie, Sherlock and Watson, Arturo Toscanini, the cast of the opera Silvano, at La Scala and the composer Mascagni and his wife Lina.
S: It is important to take notice of certain facts or character traits. Readers do notice when you slip up!
What do you write first—the blurb or the book?
KD: I wrote all three books in my series first, then the blurbs at the end. My editor at Extasy Books guided me on that. She's amazing.
S: I also wait until I have finished writing. Early on, I realized that the blurbs written in advance never matched the final books.
Have you ever attended a writer’s retreat?
KD: I plan to go to a literary retreat with my stepdaughter and her mum at the beginning of December. We booked a log cabin with a wood burner and hot tub in the heart of Sherwood Forest. I plan to finish some serious writing and catch up on my reading. My TBR list is overflowing.
S: How do you get reviews?
KD: I have a street team of dedicated and loyal Arc and Beta readers. They tell me if they think anything is wrong. I also have lovely followers from the UK, the USA and Canada. And a lovely lady from Italy, Benedetta, who helps with the Italian translations. She lives in Lucca and is a soprano. She used to sing in the junior chorus at La Scala.
S: What inspired "Song for Someone?"
KD: I was inspired to write "Song for Someone" after my visit to the Sherlock Holmes Museum in London and Neil Sedaka's classical concert, Classically Sedaka, performed at the Shaftesbury Theatre in London. He wrote original lyrics to a selection of classical melodies and performed them with the London Philharmonic Orchestra—wonderful, inspirational, thought-provoking stuff.
S: Now there's a blast from the past--Neil Sedaka. I haven't heard anything about him in years.
Is there anything special you would like people to know about "Song for Someone?"
KD: There are a few characters in "Song" I loosely based on people I knew who have now sadly passed. For example, the two villains from London, Ron and Earnest. Although not villains in real life, they were old friends of mine from my illicit nights spent at the old Preston Greyhound Stadium in the seventies and eighties. The music director at La Scala, Robert, was named after another friend who was very close to my heart. "Song" is dedicated to my late sister, Sue, who died suddenly in May 2022.
Here's the blurb--
Charlotte Sapori has led a wonderful life, safely tucked in the bosom of her family. Her mother, Irene Adler, is a renowned opera singer, while her father, Lucca Sapori, does important government work that frequently takes him away from them. Charlotte is close to her older brother, Nicco, and they are both doted on by their parents. All is well until her mother receives an unexpected diagnosis, which shakes the family to its core.
Knowing herself to be dying, Adler confesses to Charlotte things that have been long kept from her, telling her to find and read her diary. A distressed Lucca Sapori tells his daughter to read his as well. And by the way, Lucca Sapori is not his real name. in fact, she may have heard of him-he is the world-famous detective Sherlock Holmes.
Charlotte finds both diaries and plunges into the hidden world of Irene Adler and Sherlock Holmes as she discovers what brought them together and how they managed to stay together for thirty years despite having to battle the odds.
S: Where can readers buy "Song for Someone?"
KD: It's available at--
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Sherlock-Holmes-Irene-Mysteries/dp/1487436882
The Sherlock Holmes and Irene Adler Trilogy is available at--
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BN16RPQY
S: KD, thanks so much for joining me today. If you'd like to learn more about KD and her books, please visit--
All Author: https://allauthor.com/Author/KDSHERRINFORD
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kdsherrinford
BookBub: https://bookbub.com/profile/kdsherrinford
Google: https://books.google.co.uk.books
LinkedIn: https://uk-linkedin.com/in/kd-sherrinford.4150072jb
Extasy Books: https://www.extasybooks.com/Song-For-Someone
Facebook: https://en-gb-facebook.com/KDSherrinord/Author.co.uk
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/dhow/23093327
Author KD SherrinfordS: Good afternoon, KD. It's always a pleasure to have you as a guest on "Postcards from the Ledge!"
Why write romance?
KD: I never set out to write romance, but I wanted to develop the relationship between Sherlock and Irene, which involves romance. So I decided to go with the flow, and I'm so glad I did. Theirs is not a Mills and Boon romance. It's a slow build-up, described by Jon Oshiro in "The Sign of Holmes" as an endearing look at an enduring love.
S: Personally, it's hard to keep romance out of my stories, even when the story is primarily suspense or paranormal. It just makes my characters more human.
Do you outline the plot for your stories before writing?
KD: I'm a pantser writer, but that said, I had to do a lot of outlining, especially for "Song." There was a fair amount of historical research, getting times, places and dates right. Interacting with fictional characters and real-life people was all part of the fun. For instance, Irene meets Agatha Christie, Sherlock and Watson, Arturo Toscanini, the cast of the opera Silvano, at La Scala and the composer Mascagni and his wife Lina.
S: It is important to take notice of certain facts or character traits. Readers do notice when you slip up!
What do you write first—the blurb or the book?
KD: I wrote all three books in my series first, then the blurbs at the end. My editor at Extasy Books guided me on that. She's amazing.
S: I also wait until I have finished writing. Early on, I realized that the blurbs written in advance never matched the final books.
Have you ever attended a writer’s retreat?
KD: I plan to go to a literary retreat with my stepdaughter and her mum at the beginning of December. We booked a log cabin with a wood burner and hot tub in the heart of Sherwood Forest. I plan to finish some serious writing and catch up on my reading. My TBR list is overflowing.
S: How do you get reviews?
KD: I have a street team of dedicated and loyal Arc and Beta readers. They tell me if they think anything is wrong. I also have lovely followers from the UK, the USA and Canada. And a lovely lady from Italy, Benedetta, who helps with the Italian translations. She lives in Lucca and is a soprano. She used to sing in the junior chorus at La Scala.
S: What inspired "Song for Someone?"
KD: I was inspired to write "Song for Someone" after my visit to the Sherlock Holmes Museum in London and Neil Sedaka's classical concert, Classically Sedaka, performed at the Shaftesbury Theatre in London. He wrote original lyrics to a selection of classical melodies and performed them with the London Philharmonic Orchestra—wonderful, inspirational, thought-provoking stuff.
S: Now there's a blast from the past--Neil Sedaka. I haven't heard anything about him in years.
Is there anything special you would like people to know about "Song for Someone?"
KD: There are a few characters in "Song" I loosely based on people I knew who have now sadly passed. For example, the two villains from London, Ron and Earnest. Although not villains in real life, they were old friends of mine from my illicit nights spent at the old Preston Greyhound Stadium in the seventies and eighties. The music director at La Scala, Robert, was named after another friend who was very close to my heart. "Song" is dedicated to my late sister, Sue, who died suddenly in May 2022.
Here's the blurb--
Charlotte Sapori has led a wonderful life, safely tucked in the bosom of her family. Her mother, Irene Adler, is a renowned opera singer, while her father, Lucca Sapori, does important government work that frequently takes him away from them. Charlotte is close to her older brother, Nicco, and they are both doted on by their parents. All is well until her mother receives an unexpected diagnosis, which shakes the family to its core.
Knowing herself to be dying, Adler confesses to Charlotte things that have been long kept from her, telling her to find and read her diary. A distressed Lucca Sapori tells his daughter to read his as well. And by the way, Lucca Sapori is not his real name. in fact, she may have heard of him-he is the world-famous detective Sherlock Holmes.
Charlotte finds both diaries and plunges into the hidden world of Irene Adler and Sherlock Holmes as she discovers what brought them together and how they managed to stay together for thirty years despite having to battle the odds.
S: Where can readers buy "Song for Someone?"
KD: It's available at--
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Sherlock-Holmes-Irene-Mysteries/dp/1487436882
The Sherlock Holmes and Irene Adler Trilogy is available at--
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BN16RPQY
S: KD, thanks so much for joining me today. If you'd like to learn more about KD and her books, please visit--
All Author: https://allauthor.com/Author/KDSHERRINFORD
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kdsherrinford
BookBub: https://bookbub.com/profile/kdsherrinford
Google: https://books.google.co.uk.books
LinkedIn: https://uk-linkedin.com/in/kd-sherrinford.4150072jb
Extasy Books: https://www.extasybooks.com/Song-For-Someone
Facebook: https://en-gb-facebook.com/KDSherrinord/Author.co.uk
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/dhow/23093327
January 5, 2024
This week in The Loft: Author A.J. Llewellyn!
Joining me today in The Loft is author A.J. Llewellyn. The author of more than 300 erotic romance novels, A.J. started life as a journalist and boxing columnist. She has now written a number of series, including the
Mingo McCloud Honolulu
Mysteries
and
Honeybone
. An early obsession with Robinson Crusoe led to a lifelong love affair with islands, particularly Hawaii and Easter Island. A.J. has a desire to paint, draw, juggle, work for the FBI, walk a tightrope with an elephant, be a chess champion, a steeplejack, master chef, and a world-class surfer. She can’t do any of these things, so she writes about them instead.
Author A. J. Llewellyn
S: Welcome, A. J. Thanks for visiting today.
What do you think is the biggest issue facing romance authors today?
A: I think it’s the quality of the books that are being released. The best thing that happened to authors is that we got to self-publish. I make a lot more money self-publishing than I do with my publishers, but I stay loyal to them and still give them books. But I think it’s wonderful that we have more freedom now. I am so grateful. I’ve built up my backlist to over 300 books and I treat my career seriously. The problem is some authors don’t work on their books. They won’t hire an editor and their covers often suck. It makes it very hard for romance writers in general, because there is a perception that it’s easy to write romance. It’s not. It’s a job and I love it, but I spend a lot of time honing my stories. I spent a lot of money on edits, covers, website updates, and promotion.
S: Sadly, AI will probably further taint the book pool.
Do you have a literary agent?
A: No. I used to have one when I was writing screenplays, but she couldn’t get me arrested, let alone a paid gig. We’re still friends, but I have bad memories of all the pitch meetings I went to, hoping to get work. I even had pitched ideas stolen. I actually wrote about a lot of this in my Black Point series with D.J. Manly. In those days, I had to photocopy my books and screenplays, and spent a fortune getting her new material to send out all the time. I never saw those items again. I know she sent them out because I had a list of places they went to – and like I said, I did get pitch meetings, but I have done much better on my own. These days, it’s so much easier and cheaper because everything’s done via email.
S: I can't imagine what a chore it was to make paper copies.
Is there any advantage to having a literary agent?
A: I would not advise a romance author to get an agent. You don’t need one. You can send publishers your material directly and even the big six New York publishing houses are open to unrepresented authors. However, I would advise getting a literary attorney or a lit agent to go over the contract if an author does land a big book deal. For movie projects you definitely need an agent, but the good ones are hard to find.
S: Have you ever attended a writer’s retreat? Did you find it helpful?
A: I have been to a few and I really enjoyed them. The best one I went to was run by author Rachael Herron and I learned so much from her. The meditations we did, writing prompts, and outdoor visualization writing exercises were beyond valuable. She held the retreat at Pelican Point Lighthouse and State Park in northern California. A breathtaking place. We were there five days, and it was wonderful. I am still friendly with some of the people I met there.
S: How do you develop your characters? Do you use photos or a vision board?
A: No. But I do use a graph like I did when I was writing screenplays. I use post-its for the various characters. Each character and storyline gets a particular color. I put them on the wall and as the story develops, I can tell if one color isn’t in there enough. Then it’s time to repack the snowball as William Goldman used to say, and go back and fix things. It’s a fun way to write. Sometimes, I have a particular look for a character in mind but mostly I don’t work with photos anymore.
S: What do you write first—the blurb or the book?
A: The book. However, as I am writing it, I’m always thinking about the logline. That’s the Hollywood script reader in me. I do screenplay coverage for a studio and we’re trained to think of a 10-word sales pitch. That is the selling point for any book or screenplay. So, I do think about that. One of my favorite loglines ever and gosh, I wish I’d written it was the one for Ferris Bueller’s Day Off: “One Man’s Struggle to take it easy!”
S: I find the blurb limiting, so I don't write it until after the book is done. However, I usually have a tagline in my head while writing.
If you had to do it all over again, would you still choose to write books?
A: Oh, yes. I live to write. I wanted to write screenplays after 20 plus years as a journalist but it’s a heartbreaking business. The writer who spends years creating and developing their screenplay often doesn’t even get a writing credit. They might get paid, but their work is taken over and it’s written by a committee. I once got offered $10,000 by actor Robert Blake to take a book I’d written “out of my hands.” I was desperate, but not that desperate. He wanted to put his own name on my work. I said no. It ended our communication but that was okay. By the way I ended up making quite a few changes to the screenplay and wrote it as a book. It became "Honeybone," one of my favorite mysteries that I’ve written. There are five books in that series at the moment.
S: What famous book do you wish you had written?
A: Wow, what a great question. I’d say "The Daughter of Time," by Josephine Tey. Written in 1951, it still stands up today and it’s a cracking great mystery. I love that book!
S: What do you want inscribed on your tombstone? How do you want to be remembered?
A: "She could write but above all, she loved animals. The animals have lost a friend.”
S: A.J. it's been a pleasure chatting with you today. If you'd like to learn more about A.J. and her books, please visit--
Website: https:/www.ajllewellyn.com
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/ajllewellyn.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/aj.llewellyn
TikTok: www.tiktok.com/AJ Llewellyn992
Newsletter sign-up: ajllewellynnewsletter@gmail.com
Author A. J. LlewellynS: Welcome, A. J. Thanks for visiting today.
What do you think is the biggest issue facing romance authors today?
A: I think it’s the quality of the books that are being released. The best thing that happened to authors is that we got to self-publish. I make a lot more money self-publishing than I do with my publishers, but I stay loyal to them and still give them books. But I think it’s wonderful that we have more freedom now. I am so grateful. I’ve built up my backlist to over 300 books and I treat my career seriously. The problem is some authors don’t work on their books. They won’t hire an editor and their covers often suck. It makes it very hard for romance writers in general, because there is a perception that it’s easy to write romance. It’s not. It’s a job and I love it, but I spend a lot of time honing my stories. I spent a lot of money on edits, covers, website updates, and promotion.
S: Sadly, AI will probably further taint the book pool.
Do you have a literary agent?
A: No. I used to have one when I was writing screenplays, but she couldn’t get me arrested, let alone a paid gig. We’re still friends, but I have bad memories of all the pitch meetings I went to, hoping to get work. I even had pitched ideas stolen. I actually wrote about a lot of this in my Black Point series with D.J. Manly. In those days, I had to photocopy my books and screenplays, and spent a fortune getting her new material to send out all the time. I never saw those items again. I know she sent them out because I had a list of places they went to – and like I said, I did get pitch meetings, but I have done much better on my own. These days, it’s so much easier and cheaper because everything’s done via email.
S: I can't imagine what a chore it was to make paper copies.
Is there any advantage to having a literary agent?
A: I would not advise a romance author to get an agent. You don’t need one. You can send publishers your material directly and even the big six New York publishing houses are open to unrepresented authors. However, I would advise getting a literary attorney or a lit agent to go over the contract if an author does land a big book deal. For movie projects you definitely need an agent, but the good ones are hard to find.
.jpg)
S: Have you ever attended a writer’s retreat? Did you find it helpful?
A: I have been to a few and I really enjoyed them. The best one I went to was run by author Rachael Herron and I learned so much from her. The meditations we did, writing prompts, and outdoor visualization writing exercises were beyond valuable. She held the retreat at Pelican Point Lighthouse and State Park in northern California. A breathtaking place. We were there five days, and it was wonderful. I am still friendly with some of the people I met there.
S: How do you develop your characters? Do you use photos or a vision board?
A: No. But I do use a graph like I did when I was writing screenplays. I use post-its for the various characters. Each character and storyline gets a particular color. I put them on the wall and as the story develops, I can tell if one color isn’t in there enough. Then it’s time to repack the snowball as William Goldman used to say, and go back and fix things. It’s a fun way to write. Sometimes, I have a particular look for a character in mind but mostly I don’t work with photos anymore.
S: What do you write first—the blurb or the book?
A: The book. However, as I am writing it, I’m always thinking about the logline. That’s the Hollywood script reader in me. I do screenplay coverage for a studio and we’re trained to think of a 10-word sales pitch. That is the selling point for any book or screenplay. So, I do think about that. One of my favorite loglines ever and gosh, I wish I’d written it was the one for Ferris Bueller’s Day Off: “One Man’s Struggle to take it easy!”
S: I find the blurb limiting, so I don't write it until after the book is done. However, I usually have a tagline in my head while writing.
If you had to do it all over again, would you still choose to write books?
A: Oh, yes. I live to write. I wanted to write screenplays after 20 plus years as a journalist but it’s a heartbreaking business. The writer who spends years creating and developing their screenplay often doesn’t even get a writing credit. They might get paid, but their work is taken over and it’s written by a committee. I once got offered $10,000 by actor Robert Blake to take a book I’d written “out of my hands.” I was desperate, but not that desperate. He wanted to put his own name on my work. I said no. It ended our communication but that was okay. By the way I ended up making quite a few changes to the screenplay and wrote it as a book. It became "Honeybone," one of my favorite mysteries that I’ve written. There are five books in that series at the moment.
S: What famous book do you wish you had written?
A: Wow, what a great question. I’d say "The Daughter of Time," by Josephine Tey. Written in 1951, it still stands up today and it’s a cracking great mystery. I love that book!
S: What do you want inscribed on your tombstone? How do you want to be remembered?
A: "She could write but above all, she loved animals. The animals have lost a friend.”
S: A.J. it's been a pleasure chatting with you today. If you'd like to learn more about A.J. and her books, please visit--
Website: https:/www.ajllewellyn.com
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/ajllewellyn.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/aj.llewellyn
TikTok: www.tiktok.com/AJ Llewellyn992
Newsletter sign-up: ajllewellynnewsletter@gmail.com
December 22, 2023
Congratulations to Lisabet Sarai on her latest release!
Blurb:
There's more than one way to beat the blues.
She’s always been proud of her sensual nature. Now it seems to have landed her in an impossible situation. Two lovers…and she wants them both.
Ruby Jones has clear priorities. Her teenage son comes first, then her struggling blues club. Her love life ranks as a distant third, despite the efforts of Zeke Chambers to convince her otherwise. Zeke's the lead singer in her house band, a devoted friend, and an occasional lover. He can drive her wild with desire, but can't get her to make a commitment. Deserted by her cheating ex-husband, Ruby's determined she's going to make it on her own. She's hot-blooded like her bluesman daddy, happy to satisfy her physical cravings, but she's not about to let any man into her heart.
The stranger who takes the stage on open mike night upsets the delicate balance in Ruby's world. From the moment Ruby sets eyes on him, Remy Saint-Michel inspires irresistible lust and inexplicable sympathy. Confused, guilty and worried about her prized independence, Ruby decides that the only way to deal with the two men is to push them both away. Zeke and Remy, however, have other ideas.
Note: "Wild About That Thing" was previously published by Totally Entwined. This new edition has been revised and re-edited.
Buy Links--
Kinky Literature: https://www.kinkyliterature.com/book/1342-wild-about-that-thing-/
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CPDD3JR9
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CPDD3JR9
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1485627
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/wild-about-that-thing-lisabet-sarai/1110738210?ean=2940167659858
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/wild-about-that-thing-4
Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/us/book/x/id6474285642
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/203152943-wild-about-that-thing
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/wild-about-that-thing-by-lisabet-sarai-2023-12-10
December 15, 2023
This week in The Loft: Author D. S. Dehel
Joining me today in The Loft is fellow Extasy author, D. S. Dehel. D. S. writes contemporary, historical, paranormal, and erotic romance. A lover of literature, good food, and the Oxford comma, the award-winning author is retired from a 26-year career as an educator. She enjoys reading, traveling, being a mom to her four adult children, and spoiling her rather pampered feline, Mr. Darcy or her equally pampered pup, Jameson, and her slightly psychotic Australian Shepherd, Piper. D. S. adores literary allusions, writing sex scenes, and British men.
Author D. S. DehelS: Good morning, D. S. It seems every time I read your social media, you are traveling to another exotic place. Thanks for taking the time to join me today!
How do you determine the "heat level" of your stories?
D: Like most things in my writing, I determine very little. The characters do, and that holds true for the heat levels. Now, that probably sounds very odd to people who aren’t writers, but for me anyway, I know my characters are becoming fully fleshed out when they push back against my plot.S: It is kind of amazing when the characters take over. I always feel like a medium when my character's words begin to flow through my fingers.
Book banning is back in the news and even some very popular romance authors' books are being removed from school libraries. How do you feel about this trend? How do we fight it?
D: As someone who spent over 25 years as an English teacher, book banning sets my teeth on edge. There’s a reason that authors like Ray Bradbury and George Orwell wrote novels about that topic, novels that are still read today. The people who feel the need to ban or heaven forbid, burn books are frightened of the ideas contained in the pages. And here’s the thing, ideas can’t be burned. Ultimately, they’ll fail, but those of us with sense have to fight back by requesting books that are banned and buying copies from those targeted authors.
S: I was really surprised when some popular romance writers were banned. But book banning seems like a futile move. These days, it's just as easy to get books from the local library or online. I'm convinced book banning increases sales.
Are you self-published or traditionally published? Why did you choose that path?
D: I’m small press traditionally published. Pragmatism made me make choose this path because I knew nothing about the process other than the vague descriptions I’d read in other places. I was certain, however, that it was more than write a book and then magic happens. Personally, I needed someone to hold my hand and guide me through the publishing process. There’s so very many moving parts, and I had no hope of muddling through on my own.
S: I'm with you. I had no understanding of the publishing process when I began, and now, I know I couldn't handle it on my own.
How do you get in the mood for writing?
D: Coffee, lots of coffee, and curling up in my favorite chair at my desk. To be honest, writing is more about discipline than being in the mood. You have to be ready for the muses to speak.
S: Have you ever shelved or thrown out a manuscript?
D: Yes, I actually have two that are shelved for the time being because they just weren’t ready for the proverbial prime time. I hope to go back and revise them in the not-too-distant future.
S: What inspired “Christmas Wrapping?"
D: Nostalgia would be the best way to describe it. Like Steph, I worked at a mall during the holidays in a men’s clothing store, though in 1986 instead of 1985. Couple this with my love for Rankin-Bass Christmas stop motion animation shows, especially the ones that explore the history of Santa, and you have the genesis of this story.
S: Is there anything special you would like people to know about “Christmas Wrapping?”
D: The best way to read it would be to put on some Wham! and your favorite Izod shirt. Pop that collar, turn on the bubble lights on your tree, and curl up to meet Nick and Steph. Hopefully, it takes you back or at least, to an eight-bit era with fabulous music.
Here's the blurb--
Totally wrap yourself in holiday magic.
Christmas 1985 promises to be dull for Steph Marshall, a computer whiz stuck in a dead-end mall job. Then two small strangers enter her life…and kidnap her as a present for their boss, Nick Claus. When she wakes under a Christmas tree, Steph is furious at her abductors and Nick. But she soon learns that Nick is not like his father, Kris Claus. He’s charming, funny, and most of all, kind to everyone he meets. She finds herself drawn to the Santa-in-Waiting.
But things at the North Pole aren’t like the songs describe. Not everyone is a jolly old elf. This world is too different from all she knows, full of magic and reindeer shifters, and to make things worse, Nick won’t stand up to his father and make the changes the North Pole needs. Can Steph help Nick break from tradition and be the Claus he’s meant to be? Or will Christmas morning come too soon?
S: What a fabulous storyline! You can't avoid politics, even at the North Pole. Where can readers buy your book?
D: The buy links are available at https://linktr.ee/DSDehelWrites . In addition, the book is available at--
Extasy Books: https://www.extasybooks.com/Christmas-Wrapping
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Wrapping-D-S-Dehel-ebook/dp/B0CM9GL4VL?ref_=ast_author_dp
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/christmas-wrapping-ds-dehel/1144326988?ean=2940167581166
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/christmas-wrapping-3
S: D. S., thanks so much for joining me today. If you'd like to learn more about D. S. and her books, please visit https://linktr.ee/dsdehel.
December 8, 2023
It's release day for Broken Down Cowboy!
%20(1)%20(1)%20(1).jpg)
Blurb:
When is it time to take a leap of faith? When the man holding the net is a sexy, middle-aged cowboy!
Tea shop owner and pastry chef Bailey Willis is nonplussed when she finds a handsome Texan sprawled out on the floor of A Spot of Tea. Trevor Anderson, on the other hand, is instantly smitten. Some might call him a broken-down cowboy, but that doesn’t mean he lacks the ability to pursue a beautiful woman, even if she is a northerner and a Green Bay Packers fan! Unfortunately, Bailey has other things on her mind, like winning the Hales Corners, WI holiday bake-off. When Trevor provides a valuable assist, Bailey begins to regard him in a different light. Too bad he’s planning to head back to his ranch after the new year. Will Bailey agree to wear Trevor’s Texas-size ring? Will Trevor agree to settle in the frozen tundra, the site of one of the Dallas Cowboys’ most humiliating defeats? Hold on to your cowboy hats folks, this tale of romance is going to take you for a ride. Texas style!
Excerpt #1:
Before Mrs. Franklin could respond, they heard a loud crash, and then the sound of breaking glass. The floor seemed to shake.
Bailey paled and quickly curtsied. “Excuse me, please.” She hurried back into the kitchen where her chef, Spencer, held a substantial pastry brush and was swatting a man sprawled out on the floor. A black cowboy hat sat at the man’s feet. “Spencer, what the devil? We do not beat on our customers.” She extended an arm to the man and helped him to his feet. “Now, will someone please explain to me what’s going on?”
Spencer’s victim picked up his hat and slapped it on his leg, then reshaped the crown. He placed the hat on his head. His soft brown eyes, punctuated by crow’s feet that appeared carved into his tan face, gazed at Bailey, and his full lips curled up in a cocky grin. “Sorry, ma’am,” he drawled in a sexy baritone. “I didn’t mean to disturb you, but my daughter sent me to pick up her order for my granddaughter’s birthday party. I saw how crowded it was out front, so I thought it best to come ‘round to the back door.” He made a face. “Not sure how I wound up on the floor. Guess I slipped.” He shrugged and chuckled. “Guess that happens to those of us ready for the pasture.”
Bailey squelched a sigh. Pasture my eye. He couldn’t be more than fifty, around her age. This guy could be on the cover of a romance novel. He was tall and sturdy, with curly dark hair, bushy eyebrows, and just a hint of a five o'clock shadow. And that voice. She could just imagine the man whispering into her ear after a night of passionate sex. A tiny shiver raced up and down her spine. She was exiting her forties, but her body was not immune to a handsome cowboy. Damn, he was fine.
Spencer planted his hands on his skinny hips and scowled. “He didn’t knock. He just whipped open the door and barged on in. Scared the bejesus out of me. I dropped a water glass.” He shot the cowboy a dirty look. “His boots must be wet because he took a less-than-graceful tumble. You know, ass over teakettle? You may be all that in Texas, cowboy. But in Wisconsin, we wipe our feet before entering a building.” He clucked his tongue and tossed his head. “Everyone knows what happens when you track in snow.”
The cowboy held up his hands and tried to squelch a grin. “Hey, I apologize. In my defense, I knocked several times. When no one responded, I just thought it would be easier to come in…”
“Oh, for Pete’s Sake. Did you grow up in a barn?” Spencer huffed. “I need to go clean up. I’ve got enough flour on me to enter a powder puff derby.” He flounced away, muttering about uncouth cowboys with bull crap on their boots.
Bailey rolled her eyes and giggled. She smiled at the man. “I hope that pastry brush didn’t seriously injure you.”
The man chortled. “I’m a bit buttered up, but it beats my granddaughter’s fingerpaints all over my face. As long as he doesn’t force me into an oven, I think I’ll be fine.”
See more excerpts at https://www.seeliekay.com!
Book trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOPNBT7LHa4Buy link: https://www.extasybooks.com/Broken-Down-Cowboy
Coming soon to all booksellers!
This week in The Loft: Author Ella Braeme!
Joining me today in The Loft is author Ella Braeme. Ella writes sweet and steamy romance. Her books are small-town romances, reflective of her own life. She takes to cities only for concerts and galleries. s that are meant to provide short vacations from your everyday life. Ella loves to read, and putter around in her backyard. Her dog helps greatly with the garden work by supervising everything Ella does and—for the most part—not digging up her flowers.
S: Welcome, Ella!
Are you self-published or traditionally published? Why did you choose that path?
E: I am fully self-published. As weird as this may be, I chose to do so to have less stress. Of course, a publisher would do many things for me, but I would have to write according to their schedule. I feel way better setting my own deadlines.
S: I admire self-publishers. I just don't have the patience for that.
Do you write in other genres?
E: I write small-town romance only. As much as I love to read other genres, too, I think that sticking to one genre helps me get better and better with each book. There is a science fiction novel cruising in my mind. One day I might give in to that temptation.
S: Do you think romance books have become “too spicy?”
E: There are very hot romances out there, and some are most definitely too hot for my taste. I like to read what I write--sweet love stories, interspersed with a couple of intimate scenes. But although I'd have to say there are some very spicy stories out there, I've also come across clean ones. There was one that I thought to be the slowest burn ever, but all of a sudden, the heroine was pregnant – without a single kiss ever mentioned. There are so many romances by gifted authors of all heat levels and I don't think there is a shortage of sweet romance. And if your taste is different than mine: Good for you. I won't judge.
S: Exactly. Just because a story isn't for you doesn't mean it should judged as lacking or worse, banned.
How do you determine the "heat level" of your stories?
E: I've struggled for a long time. Not for what I want to write, but how to give a heat level for readers. There are scales from one to five, but they all are defined differently. Still, I think my books are a solid three. It's not full-blown erotica (5), and it's not a story with plenty of bedsheet action, nor anything overly graphic (4). I'm in the next level (3)--one or two scenes with physicality that are embedded in a love story. I do call things by their names, though. I would feel weird if my characters couldn't name their body parts.
S: I think they call that "purple prose" in sweet romance. I find it hard to write like that.
How do you get in the mood for writing?
E: That can be a struggle sometimes. Mostly, I sit down at the desk, read what I had written the day before, take a sip of tea, and start typing. Other days, it's difficult. I just stop trying and walk my dog instead. Or take a nap. Waking up is the most creative moment I could have. Or did you specifically mean naughty scenes? Same answer. More napping, though!
S: What inspired "Butting Heads with Her Mountain Man?"
E: I live by the sea and love it. But having read a number of mountain man romances, I wanted to give it a go myself. You can't have a mountain man on the coast, so I moved my new series to another place. A number of dog walks and naps helped me to come up with the story itself.
S: Is there anything special you would like people to know about "Butting Heads with Her Mountain Man?"
E: That's a tough question. It is a special book for me--the first in a new series, the grumpiest grump ever, a new place. I do hope readers will like it, too. There are so many steamy mountain man romance novellas, I fear mine is not anything special. And that's okay. It's meant to be a book that will give you a short breather from your everyday hassle. Nothing less, but then again nothing more, either.
Here's the blurb--
Could this grinch with his dark frown be the light of her life?
Grace
I need to start afresh in my small hometown. While I am happy to be back in the mountains, the efforts of my hapless family to help me settle in lead to me running zig-zag to avoid further disasters. Being scrutinized by the townsfolk doesn’t help either. Still, I set to work to establish my own accounting business with all the determination that I can muster.
I count myself lucky when I get my first client—only to find out he is as grumpy as they get—and yet, I can't deny the pull I feel towards him.
Lyle
I hate Christmas. And it shows. So I need help keeping my Christmas tree farm afloat. The accountant turns out to be an opinionated lover of all things Holiday. Still, I can't help but feel a spark of attraction for her. An attraction that I have no intention of owning up to.
(This is a heartwarming, small-town romance novella with a heroine who's determined to make her dreams come true, a grumpy mountain man who’s doing his best to keep her at arm’s length, and a nettlesome audience of townspeople buzzing with Christmas cheer, or in Lyle’s case: Christmas scowling. Light steam, HEA, no cheating, standalone.)
S: Where can readers buy "Butting Heads with Her Mountain Man?"
E: It is available on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CCMWG8TY.
S: Ella, thanks for joining me today. If you'd like to learn more about Ella and her books, please visit--
Website: https://ellabraeme.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ellawritesromance
Sign up for Ella's newsletter and get a free novella: https://ellabraeme.com/newsletter.htm
S: Welcome, Ella!Are you self-published or traditionally published? Why did you choose that path?
E: I am fully self-published. As weird as this may be, I chose to do so to have less stress. Of course, a publisher would do many things for me, but I would have to write according to their schedule. I feel way better setting my own deadlines.
S: I admire self-publishers. I just don't have the patience for that.
Do you write in other genres?
E: I write small-town romance only. As much as I love to read other genres, too, I think that sticking to one genre helps me get better and better with each book. There is a science fiction novel cruising in my mind. One day I might give in to that temptation.
S: Do you think romance books have become “too spicy?”
E: There are very hot romances out there, and some are most definitely too hot for my taste. I like to read what I write--sweet love stories, interspersed with a couple of intimate scenes. But although I'd have to say there are some very spicy stories out there, I've also come across clean ones. There was one that I thought to be the slowest burn ever, but all of a sudden, the heroine was pregnant – without a single kiss ever mentioned. There are so many romances by gifted authors of all heat levels and I don't think there is a shortage of sweet romance. And if your taste is different than mine: Good for you. I won't judge.
S: Exactly. Just because a story isn't for you doesn't mean it should judged as lacking or worse, banned.
How do you determine the "heat level" of your stories?
E: I've struggled for a long time. Not for what I want to write, but how to give a heat level for readers. There are scales from one to five, but they all are defined differently. Still, I think my books are a solid three. It's not full-blown erotica (5), and it's not a story with plenty of bedsheet action, nor anything overly graphic (4). I'm in the next level (3)--one or two scenes with physicality that are embedded in a love story. I do call things by their names, though. I would feel weird if my characters couldn't name their body parts.
S: I think they call that "purple prose" in sweet romance. I find it hard to write like that.
How do you get in the mood for writing?
E: That can be a struggle sometimes. Mostly, I sit down at the desk, read what I had written the day before, take a sip of tea, and start typing. Other days, it's difficult. I just stop trying and walk my dog instead. Or take a nap. Waking up is the most creative moment I could have. Or did you specifically mean naughty scenes? Same answer. More napping, though!
S: What inspired "Butting Heads with Her Mountain Man?"
E: I live by the sea and love it. But having read a number of mountain man romances, I wanted to give it a go myself. You can't have a mountain man on the coast, so I moved my new series to another place. A number of dog walks and naps helped me to come up with the story itself.
S: Is there anything special you would like people to know about "Butting Heads with Her Mountain Man?"
E: That's a tough question. It is a special book for me--the first in a new series, the grumpiest grump ever, a new place. I do hope readers will like it, too. There are so many steamy mountain man romance novellas, I fear mine is not anything special. And that's okay. It's meant to be a book that will give you a short breather from your everyday hassle. Nothing less, but then again nothing more, either.
Here's the blurb--
Could this grinch with his dark frown be the light of her life?
Grace
I need to start afresh in my small hometown. While I am happy to be back in the mountains, the efforts of my hapless family to help me settle in lead to me running zig-zag to avoid further disasters. Being scrutinized by the townsfolk doesn’t help either. Still, I set to work to establish my own accounting business with all the determination that I can muster.
I count myself lucky when I get my first client—only to find out he is as grumpy as they get—and yet, I can't deny the pull I feel towards him.
Lyle
I hate Christmas. And it shows. So I need help keeping my Christmas tree farm afloat. The accountant turns out to be an opinionated lover of all things Holiday. Still, I can't help but feel a spark of attraction for her. An attraction that I have no intention of owning up to.
(This is a heartwarming, small-town romance novella with a heroine who's determined to make her dreams come true, a grumpy mountain man who’s doing his best to keep her at arm’s length, and a nettlesome audience of townspeople buzzing with Christmas cheer, or in Lyle’s case: Christmas scowling. Light steam, HEA, no cheating, standalone.)
S: Where can readers buy "Butting Heads with Her Mountain Man?"
E: It is available on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CCMWG8TY.
S: Ella, thanks for joining me today. If you'd like to learn more about Ella and her books, please visit--
Website: https://ellabraeme.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ellawritesromance
Sign up for Ella's newsletter and get a free novella: https://ellabraeme.com/newsletter.htm
December 7, 2023
December 1, 2023
This week in The Loft: Author Judythe Morgan!
Joining me today in The Loft is author Judythe Morgan. Judythe writes sweet romance and romantic suspense. Her stories feature strong characters tackling real-life situations from a Christian worldview. Judythe believes books should be a break from real life and leave readers feeling happy. The romantic relationships in her books end with HEA/HFN (happily ever after/ happy for now) and there are no on-page sex scenes. After years of roaming as an Air Force daughter and then Army wife, Texas called her home. She and her husband now live in a small town called Rose Hill. Besides writing fiction full-time, Judythe shares a weekly blog with her urban farmer/music teacher daughter at www.judythewriter.com.
Author Judythe Morgan
S: Good morning, Judythe and Happy Holidays!
Why did you start writing romance?
S: I am an avid reader of romance. The more I read, the more I thought I bet I could do this. Sitting at the counter in my antique shop in the nineties, I decided to try it. Between serving customers, of course. I joined writer organizations and attended craft workshops to learn how to write fiction. I entered contests and sent submissions to romance short story magazines to see how I was doing. I was pleased and proud to have magazine publishers buy my stories and win writing contests. Since that beginning, I’ve published a six-book small town series about a preacher’s children, The Fitzpatrick Family, a four-book military romance series titled, The Promises, and two standalone romantic suspense books. A third suspense book, "Dead Body Girl,' will be released next year.
S: Do you write in other genres?
J: I do love a good love story. I write small-town stories and military hero stories. Because I read and watch lots of mystery/suspense, I started writing in the romantic suspense genre. All my books are written from a Christian worldview and labeled closed door because I leave that part of the romance to the reader’s imagination.
S: If you had to do it all over again, would you still choose to write books?
J: Yes, yes, yes! If I had it to do all over again, I’d start a lot sooner. I love what I do and I’m pleased to say, based on readers’ reviews, they think the stories are five-stars.
S: I am also a "late bloomer!" I didn't start writing books until I stepped away from my first career.
How do you get in the mood for writing?
J: I don’t wait for a mood or a muse. I’m a writer. I write. Some days writing comes easy. Other days not so much and I end up cutting everything I wrote the day before, but I write every day. After breakfast with my hubby-dear, I grab a cup of Irish Breakfast tea and head to my computer in my writing corner. First, I read over the last scene I wrote to reconnect with the story, and then I begin. The mood always comes.
S: I wish I had that much discipline. I write when I feel like it. I can't force it.
Have you ever shelved or thrown out a manuscript?
J: I haven’t thrown out any manuscripts but I have done lots and lots of editing, such as cutting out scenes and rewriting.
S: I haven't thrown anything out, but I have shelved plenty stories. Somedays, I'll write like the wind for hours and then the story just stops. If I'm lucky, I can pick it up the next day. However, what seems like a great story one day, isn't the next.
What inspired "Christmas Prom Rerun"?
J: Short answer, memories. Every holiday season, my husband and I reminisce about past Christmases. This year, we talked about our Christmas proms. He suggested a prom would be a great setting for a Hallmark Christmas movie, which prompted me to think, why not a Christmas reunion novella? And thus, "Christmas Prom Rerun" was born.
S: Is there anything special you would like people to know about "Christmas Prom Rerun?"
J: "Christmas Prom Rerun" is a sweet story of second chance love that just might bring back some high school prom memories.
Here's the blurb--
Welcome to Dawson Springs, Texas
Where dreams are big and love always wins.
Shannon O'Leary always had a plan for her life: escape Dawson Spring and strike it rich as a personal trainer to the stars. Her plans crashed and burned when her two-timing husband squandered every penny of her hard-earned savings.
Broke and divorced, Shannon retreats to her parents’ home to regroup. She takes a teaching job at the high school she once attended. Unfortunately, that also means facing Tyler Evans, the high school sweetheart she jilted, along with responsibility for organizing the annual Christmas Prom.
Being in the familiar place where they’d fallen in love becomes a challenging walk down Memory Lane. Shannon knows she needs to put her life back together before she thinks about love again. She believes she doesn't deserve a second chance. But she also knows she never stopped loving Tyler.
Can she put the pieces of her heart and life together when her heart insists on falling in love all over again with him?
S: I love these second chance stories! Where can readers buy your book?
J: It's available at--
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Prom-Rerun-Judythe-Morgan-ebook/dp/B0CCWHRTY3/
Amazon Canada: www.amazon.ca/Christmas-Prom-Rerun-Judythe-Morgan-ebook/dp/B
Amazon UK: www.amazon.co.uk/Christmas-Prom-Rerun-Judythe-Morgan-ebook/d
Amazon Australia: www.amazon.com.au/Christmas-Prom-Rerun-Judythe-Morgan-ebook/
Amazon India Link: www.amazon.in/Christmas-Prom-Rerun-Judythe-Morgan-ebook/dp/B
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/195082507-christmas-prom-rerun
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/christmas-prom-rerun-by-judythe-morgan
S: Judythe, thanks for joining me today. If you'd like to learn more about Judythe and her books, please visit--
Website: https://judythemorgan.com/
Blog: https://judythewriter.com/
Amazon Author Page: https://amazon.com/author/judythemorgan
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JudytheMorgan/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6450879.Judythe_Morgan
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/judythe-morgan
Newsletter signup: https://judythemorgan.com/
Author Judythe MorganS: Good morning, Judythe and Happy Holidays!
Why did you start writing romance?
S: I am an avid reader of romance. The more I read, the more I thought I bet I could do this. Sitting at the counter in my antique shop in the nineties, I decided to try it. Between serving customers, of course. I joined writer organizations and attended craft workshops to learn how to write fiction. I entered contests and sent submissions to romance short story magazines to see how I was doing. I was pleased and proud to have magazine publishers buy my stories and win writing contests. Since that beginning, I’ve published a six-book small town series about a preacher’s children, The Fitzpatrick Family, a four-book military romance series titled, The Promises, and two standalone romantic suspense books. A third suspense book, "Dead Body Girl,' will be released next year.
S: Do you write in other genres?
J: I do love a good love story. I write small-town stories and military hero stories. Because I read and watch lots of mystery/suspense, I started writing in the romantic suspense genre. All my books are written from a Christian worldview and labeled closed door because I leave that part of the romance to the reader’s imagination.
S: If you had to do it all over again, would you still choose to write books?
J: Yes, yes, yes! If I had it to do all over again, I’d start a lot sooner. I love what I do and I’m pleased to say, based on readers’ reviews, they think the stories are five-stars.
S: I am also a "late bloomer!" I didn't start writing books until I stepped away from my first career.
How do you get in the mood for writing?
J: I don’t wait for a mood or a muse. I’m a writer. I write. Some days writing comes easy. Other days not so much and I end up cutting everything I wrote the day before, but I write every day. After breakfast with my hubby-dear, I grab a cup of Irish Breakfast tea and head to my computer in my writing corner. First, I read over the last scene I wrote to reconnect with the story, and then I begin. The mood always comes.
S: I wish I had that much discipline. I write when I feel like it. I can't force it.
Have you ever shelved or thrown out a manuscript?
J: I haven’t thrown out any manuscripts but I have done lots and lots of editing, such as cutting out scenes and rewriting.
S: I haven't thrown anything out, but I have shelved plenty stories. Somedays, I'll write like the wind for hours and then the story just stops. If I'm lucky, I can pick it up the next day. However, what seems like a great story one day, isn't the next.
What inspired "Christmas Prom Rerun"?
J: Short answer, memories. Every holiday season, my husband and I reminisce about past Christmases. This year, we talked about our Christmas proms. He suggested a prom would be a great setting for a Hallmark Christmas movie, which prompted me to think, why not a Christmas reunion novella? And thus, "Christmas Prom Rerun" was born.
S: Is there anything special you would like people to know about "Christmas Prom Rerun?"
J: "Christmas Prom Rerun" is a sweet story of second chance love that just might bring back some high school prom memories.
Here's the blurb--
Welcome to Dawson Springs, Texas
Where dreams are big and love always wins.
Shannon O'Leary always had a plan for her life: escape Dawson Spring and strike it rich as a personal trainer to the stars. Her plans crashed and burned when her two-timing husband squandered every penny of her hard-earned savings.
Broke and divorced, Shannon retreats to her parents’ home to regroup. She takes a teaching job at the high school she once attended. Unfortunately, that also means facing Tyler Evans, the high school sweetheart she jilted, along with responsibility for organizing the annual Christmas Prom.
Being in the familiar place where they’d fallen in love becomes a challenging walk down Memory Lane. Shannon knows she needs to put her life back together before she thinks about love again. She believes she doesn't deserve a second chance. But she also knows she never stopped loving Tyler.
Can she put the pieces of her heart and life together when her heart insists on falling in love all over again with him?
S: I love these second chance stories! Where can readers buy your book?
J: It's available at--
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Prom-Rerun-Judythe-Morgan-ebook/dp/B0CCWHRTY3/
Amazon Canada: www.amazon.ca/Christmas-Prom-Rerun-Judythe-Morgan-ebook/dp/B
Amazon UK: www.amazon.co.uk/Christmas-Prom-Rerun-Judythe-Morgan-ebook/d
Amazon Australia: www.amazon.com.au/Christmas-Prom-Rerun-Judythe-Morgan-ebook/
Amazon India Link: www.amazon.in/Christmas-Prom-Rerun-Judythe-Morgan-ebook/dp/B
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/195082507-christmas-prom-rerun
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/christmas-prom-rerun-by-judythe-morgan
S: Judythe, thanks for joining me today. If you'd like to learn more about Judythe and her books, please visit--
Website: https://judythemorgan.com/
Blog: https://judythewriter.com/
Amazon Author Page: https://amazon.com/author/judythemorgan
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JudytheMorgan/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6450879.Judythe_Morgan
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/judythe-morgan
Newsletter signup: https://judythemorgan.com/
November 30, 2023
The Extasy Winter Book Sale!
Indulge in the Extasy Books winter sale and save 50% off all backlist books, including mine. Check out the wide variety of stories available at this all genre sale!
