Diane Rapp's Blog: She's a Mystery and Science Fiction Writer!, page 8

Golden Legacy is Available!

The package arrived, and I grabbed my scissors to cut through the pesky tape.  Yes!  My proof copy of Golden Legacy was in my hands and it looked better than I imagined possible.  Of course I needed to go through 420 pages to make sure everything printed correctly, but who cares.  My newest baby was born.

After scrambling to check everything, I also received corrections from several authors who were kind enough to help me edit the book.  I can't believe how many errors I missed!  Oh well, we got them all fixed quickly.  I uploaded the file and impatiently checked the online review copy to make sure it all still looked fine.  Six uploads later, I pushed that button to approve and ordered the books to sign and ship for advance orders.

Now the author's letdown.  Yes, authors feel exhilarated when finishing a book but the day after all the excitement dawns with a letdown.  It's the same feeling you get after opening all those sparkling packages under the Christmas tree.  You love the presents but hate seeing an empty space under the green bows.  Part of the letdown is worrying that people will buy the book and wondering if they'll actually enjoy what you created.   When I started down this road a year ago, I traveled along a lovely path and knew all kinds of adventures awaited my characters.  Now the road is snowy, and I can't see what lies ahead.  It's probably better to button up my virtual winter coat and enjoy the quiet before the storm of advertising begins.  Fellow authors will understand.  We work alone, the germs of ideas sprouting until a forest of words swirls on the page.  Now we shout the news that our baby is born, and we pray that it will meet friendly readers in a multi-million book market.

Oh well.  There are still tasks to complete.  Today, I reluctantly deleted the "Journal" blogs.  My exclusive agreement with Amazon Prime does not allow me to offer so much content for free.  The good news for readers who enjoyed those few episodes is that the full story is now available on e-book and print edition.  You can learn what excitement and danger greeted Ginny and her descendant Kayla when they reached the gold mine.  I hope you'll joins us in the adventure.   Readers will discover old-time nostalgia, dangerous mountain terrain, and villainous miscreants awaiting the heroines.  Readers who care to take the journey may find a few surprises along the way.  If  you read the book, post a review, and send me an e-mail, I will send you a free short story about one of the characters to learn more about their back story.  I'm scrambling to write the first one right now...no time for any of that pesky letdown.  I've got work to do.  Click the buy button if you want to start the journey. Golden Legacy

A Coming-of-Age Story

All The Feels by Danika Stone

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


What can a fan do when her favorite character dies?

In this delightful “coming of age” story set in modern times, Liv is a fangirl hooked on a popular movie series called Starveil. Her world comes crashing down when hero, Capt. Matt Spartan, dies at the end of his latest adventure. She’s depressed. Life is not worth living without Spartan, so after reading a cryptic fortune cookie, she decides to change the ending. Of course in modern times, social media is part of Liv’s answer. She initiates a #SpartanSurvived campaign and convinces her best friend and budding actor, Xander, to perform in a clever fanvid. The vid calls for fandom to find proof that Spartan did not die.

When your favorite character gets killed, the shock can be devastating! So what can fans do? After author, Arthur Conan Doyle, killed off Sherlock Holmes, his readers shouted their displeasure in every newspaper. He finally relented and brought the character back to life. The explanation for Sherlock’s survival was hardly believable, but readers didn’t care. Sherlock lived and was all that mattered.

The only difficulty I found with this story was reading through the “social media” conversations. It got a bit confusing at times, but I eventually grew accustomed to the fandom conversations. The wacky character Xander, who dressed in Victorian garb and spoke in Steampunk vernacular, really livened up the plot. Liv’s growing crush on the guy was a natural. Of course Xander had a gorgeous girlfriend, so they could only be friends. Or can they?

There are so many levels to this story, fandom, obsession, learning to communicate in person, and a budding love story. It was a very satisfactory story, with ups and downs that kept my attention. I loved the descriptions of the DragonCon event. (As a budding sci-fi author, I once attended a similar convention and marveled at all the costumes and characters roaming the streets.) Liv matures during the course of the novel and discovers her true destiny. It was like a fortune cookie coming true, a great read!

I received a review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I recommend buying this one.




View all my reviews

Golden Legacy, How I Got the Idea

I find it interesting to know what prompts an author to write about a specific idea, character, or situation.  The idea for my newest novel, GOLDEN LEGACY, began in the early 1990s after my family moved to Telluride, Colorado.  We later moved to the nearby town of Ridgway and became better acquainted with the neighboring town of Ouray.  When my architect husband designed a bank in Ouray that needed to resemble old-time buildings in the town, we spent time exploring and appreciating the stately architecture in the town.

The rugged mountains surrounding Telluride and Ouray are part of the San Juan Mountain rang.  (The front cover photo displays real mountains in the area.) Towns sprang up to support the intrepid miners who searched for gold, silver, and other minerals in those treacherous granite cliffs.  Interest in the history of the area prompted me to read real-life accounts of women in the area; TOMBOY BRIDE, and FATHER STRUCK IT RICH were vivid accounts of women who lived near Telluride and Ouray in mining days.  Then I discovered an old copy of Isabella Lucy Bird’s travels in Colorado, A LADY’S LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, in my mother-in-law’s library.  Miss Bird was an English gentlewoman, the daughter of a minister, who traveled alone during a rough-and-tumble time in Colorado history.  She started her journey in San Francisco and later visited Denver and the mountains around the area now known as the Rocky Mountain National Park.
The problem with real-life accounts is that they are bound by reality.  Miss Bird encountered an English ex-patriot named Gentleman Jim.  He was ruggedly handsome with a “reputation for violence” in the mountains, but his English manners immediately came to the forefront when he met Miss Bird.  As I read the account of their friendship, I saw the real potential for a romance.  True to real life, the romance never blossomed, very disappointing for a reader!

During the years since my first exposure to the narrative, I “thought” about how I would rewrite the story, developing a romance between two charismatic English compatriots who met in the Wild West.  When I completed my third High Seas Mystery, I decided it might be fun to transport my familiar characters into the magnificent mountains of Colorado.  After all, Kayla lived in Colorado before she met Steven and went back home to recover from a gunshot.  What better than a lost gold mine and a journal written by a plucky lady in the 1880s to guide them to a gold mine?
Little did I know that I must do tremendous before I could create an account of a character in 1888.   I reread Miss Bird’s account, went on to read her life history and parts of her other books.  Delving into the railroad route from San Francisco to Ouray, Colorado, I learned about train accommodations during that time period.  While writing the journal, I also stopped frequently to research ladies’ fashion, discover which items might have been invented, and immerse myself into the vernacular of the time period.  That meant I needed to read historical novels and absorb the jargon my character might use.

Once I finished writing the journal, it became easier to write the modern-day part of the story, or so I thought.  Having immersed myself into the 1880s, I found modern-day language less colorful and dull.  I needed danger and excitement to enliven the narrative, but I also needed to mesh the two stories together in a believable manner.  Therefore, I decided that Kayla needed to find clues in her ancestor’s journal to pass a test and inherit the family legacy.  I built a “family tree” from Ginny down to Kayla, using dates and approximate life-cycles to determine how many women might have already completed the family quest, and established names and brief histories for each woman.
Having already visited the Bachelor Mine near Ouray and driven over scary Jeep trails around the area, I needed photos to complete the tale.  Before moving away from Colorado, we knew that the beautiful Beaumont Hotel had sold and was undergoing renovation.  I contacted the current owners of the hotel, and Jennifer Leaver was kind enough to supply me with a treasure-trove of old-time and current photos to use in the book.  Having seen Lake Como in person, I needed a beautiful photo to use.  I found one and contacted the photographer.  Again I was lucky, Rose Krohn Epps gave me a license to use her vivid photo in the book and for advertising.

I encourage you to visit the page on my website for GOLDEN LEGACY at bit.ly/1kpMy6U and see the slide show of pictures used in the book.  (The photo of Lake Como is used for the back print cover.)  Some of you previously read my blog episodes of the journal written by Ginny and might wonder how her tale ended.  The book is nearly complete and will be available soon on Amazon.  Watch for my launch.  I hope you all will consider reading and reviewing this year-long project.  It is literally close to my heart, so let me know if you’d like to receive a free review copy by making a comment on this blog.

Buy now

Mystery Dinner Game

I was recently asked to “write” a script for a mystery-dinner party to raise funds for a local charity.  Almost turning them down, I reconsidered.  Why not design a game loosely based on the old board game “Clue” and use characters and setting from one of my mystery novels?

The idea appealed to me, so I started organizing clues.  Using public domain clip art and photos I gathered during the research for my book, I designed a “meet and greet” game for the party.  I’m using the characters, paintings, and rooms from my novel “Murder for Glacier Blue” to create the game cards.  

The three categories are:  Suspects, Paintings, Place.  A valuable painting was stolen by someone on the ship, guests must discover which of six pricey originals is missing, who stole the painting, and where the painting is hidden on board the ship.  Passengers are discussing the art theft at dinner in the main dining room.
Guests will receive lanyard ID tags (rubberized strings stapled to two-sided cards) at the door.  I created fold-over Clue/I.D. cards like the ones shown above (cut into 4 cards).  From advance ticket sales, we will know each guest.  The guests’ names will printed on one side of the card and their special clue printed on the other.  To win the game, participants must mingle with all the other guests and trade peaks at each other's clues.  They mark a sheet with all the clues printed in three categories.  By the end of dinner, they must turn in a time-stamped accusation form. The prize winners will be the earliest correct guesses.  (I plan to donate several print copies of my book.) This game should be loads of fun, require guests to mingle and talk with each other, and raise money for the charity.  Next time someone asks you to help organize a fund-raiser party, why not use your own book to create a “meet and greet” game?  This dinner party is scheduled for February 2016, so I'll let y'all know what happens.

Featured Author: Tara Fairfield

Diane Rapp:  I first met Tara Fairfield through Clean Indie Reads group, the home of "Flinch Free" reading.  Although her stories might seem like pure Fantasy, she weaves moral lessons into each plot line.  I've enjoyed reading all of her novels and hope she's got more to come.

About the Author:

Dr. Fairfield is a licensed psychologist with her doctorate from Northern Arizona University.

Tara grew up in Southern California and loves being near the ocean. Some of her fondest childhood memories are of swimming and snorkeling around Catalina Island. It was these memories that inspired her to write her first novel, Makai Queen. 

She has three grown children, three grandchildren and some lovable dogs. Life is good!

When she's not writing, you'll find her having fun on the ocean, playing with her dogs or just hanging out with family in the Pacific Northwest.  When My Lion Calls:

In a world decimated by death and disease, evil threatens to descend upon the small clan of survivors Elle calls family. Things are not what they seem and dark forces are at work. When a bear savagely attacks her friend, rumors suggest the incident might be more than coincidence. Nobody is safe. Armed with a sense of determination, Elle joins forces with a young lion keeper to save those she loves. Together, they embark on a quest to journey to the City of Light and seek the protection of King Elohim. Will this king have the answers they seek?

http://amzn.to/1KPW7Tk

From Diane's Review:  This author has a unique talent. She wraps a religious message into a story that appeals to young adult readers and older ones as well. This allegory describes a classic battle between good and evil, where each character is given an opportunity to choose their own path. The road that leads toward good is fraught with danger and has no guarantees--except that the King's spirit will accompany them on the journey. The magical kingdom where the King dwells is incredible and beautiful, a perfect place where anyone should choose to live. Still, some reject drinking from the River of Truth and refuse to choose the right path. I highly recommend this novella. Makai Queen:

Off the coast of Lanai, far beyond the sailboats, there is a hidden world beneath the beryl-blue sea, the marvelous kingdom of Moku-ola, a place where man and beast live in harmony.  Unknown and forbidden to those living above the surface, it has never been discovered....until now. 

Tessa, a curious teenager with a taste for adventure roams the sandy beaches of Lanai. Feeling lost and hurt she longs for meaning and a place in this world. By chance, Tessa encounters a mysterious man who appears to be drowning. The attempted rescue puts her own life in danger as she is abducted and dragged out to sea.

Far beneath the oceans surface, Tessa is brought to the frightening and wondrous land of Moku-ola. As the dangers of this world threaten her very survival, Tessa must overcome the barriers of self-doubt to discover the keys to her royal destiny. 

http://amzn.to/1MYh0Bi

From Diane’s Review: Imagine yourself kidnapped and dragged into an undersea world filled with danger and romance. The story is a bit like the "Little Mermaid" with lessons about love, life, jealousy, and faith all wrapped in seaweed. If you enjoy a "clean" Fantasy/Romance with imagination and lessons about forgiveness and faith, this is the book for you. Tessa lost her parents and chaffed under the control of her sister until she nearly lost it all. Can she discover her true love and save Makai in the process? There's danger and evil caused by jealousy. Tessa must navigate underwater to find her life's true course.
Makai King:

A new queen reigns beneath the sea in the underwater kingdom of Moku-ola. Armed with a sense of destiny, and friends loyal and true, Queen Tessa faces her greatest challenge ever as the ruler of sharks threatens her kingdom. Her heart has chosen one man to become her king, but another seeks to take it by force. Can her strength and resolve endure? 

In Makai King, second book in the Makai Series, psychologist Tara Fairfield continues the adventures of Tessa in the whimsical world of Moku-ola, which began in Makai Queen, showing readers the power of forgiveness.

http://amzn.to/1FFFSLF

From Diane's Review:  These characters battle a powerful evil to protect their underwater kingdom and keep their people safe. It's much like battles waged on land. This episode in the saga was a nail-biter and a worthwhile read. Enjoy the beauty of the ocean, the strength of young love, and the action that keeps the characters busy. I won't give away any spoilers, but anyone who read the Makai Queen should enjoy book 2 in the adventure. I'm sure the third book will be coming soon.

Links:


Websites:
http://tarafairfield.com/index.html
http://makaiqueen.com

Facebook pages:
http://on.fb.me/1KQ2LsI
https://www.facebook.com/MakaiQueen

Twitter:
https://twitter.com/MakaiQueen

Featured Author: Leeland Artra

Diane Rapp:  I first met Leeland Artra after reading the first book, Thread Slivers, in his bestselling epic fantasy / science-fiction The  Golden Threads, Trilogy.  Later, I joined a group to read and comment on subsequent volumes of the trilogy as he completed each one.  I enjoyed the entire adventure.

Leeland Artra:  I live in the Emerald City (Seattle, Washington) with my wonderful wife and idea-inspiring son. The first half of my life was "wasted" (as my mother said once) being an avid science-fiction/fantasy reader. It took me twenty years of thinking I should publish, before I finally got serious about writing in 2012. 

I'm working to become a full time author but I work as a software engineer until that happens. By day I help people take fabulous vacations, and at night I help people take even more fantastic trips of the imagination. 

Helping people have happier lives appeals to the Dagger in my soul. The symmetry of my work appeals to the Navy-trained computer scientist in me. If you like Fantasy, Science-Fiction, and RPGs feel free to drop me a note, I'd love to hear from you.  

E-mail: author@lartra.com 
Faceboook: http://on.fb.me/VNjyZx
Don’t miss Leeland Artra’s bestselling epic fantasy / science-fiction The Golden Threads Trilogy , which begins with Thread Slivers. This book is available FREE from all the major ebook retailers.

She craves fame. He wants freedom. When their worlds crumble, even survival may not be an option.

The world is driven by wizards, gods, and an imperial space marine 20,000 years into our future. Fame-hungry female mercenary Ticca is willing to skirt the edges of her warrior's code if it brings her the fame she desires. Her hopes of making a name for herself by spying on assassins are dashed when she's forced to kill the assassin she was hired to watch.

Lebuin is a rich journeyman mage who's just discovered his new rank involves actual journeying. He hires Ticca to help him advance to master and return to a life of comfort as quickly as possible. He's willing to spend all he has to make it happen, but the mage and his mercenary get much more than they bargained for.

Trapped in the crossfire of a vast power game, Ticca and Lebuin must survive a battle between rulers, guilds, and gods. In a land of magic and technology, they'll need to give everything to keep the world and themselves in one piece.

Thread Sliver  is the first book in an epic trilogy set in a distant future. If you enjoy heroic, humorous, and exotic characters in a world that mixes elements of paranormal and hard sci-fi, then you'll love this beautiful, original, and thought-provoking adventure and want to read the entire trilogy.

Complete Trilogy on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1hECXY6

Free Book 1 links:
Amazon - http://amzn.to/1GHq5al      Kobo - http://bit.ly/1HUGJ8t               
Apple - http://apple.co/1BrVBGB         Google Play - http://bit.ly/1FjazAh       
B&N - http://bit.ly/1EALFdZ                inktera - http://bit.ly/1dAh1MK            
Scribd - http://bit.ly/1Kss0lz                Smashwords - http://bit.ly/1FFMndZ
Master storyteller, Leeland Artra, brings to readers the first season of his new Endless Horizons Sagas , World Without End, the first part of an incredible series of stories set in a unique location. This series focuses on the adventures of Janali Jedalor, one of the most relatable heroines you’ve ever encountered.

Janali Jedalor, the younger of two daughters of the powerful Jedalor family of the city of Vental, is a natural scientist, with an insatiable curiosity that is required to oversee her family's business interests when she’d rather work in a laboratory. 

Being the second born daughter, she is expected to perform the dutiful roll as written in the scrolls of life for all such ladies. But her talent in mathematics helped her achieve more than her family could ever dream possible.  Her latest creation, The Vibrius, an enhanced cargo ship, was lost at sea for six long months.  When it miraculously returns, Janali’s incredible design is proved to be flawless.

Powerful, intense, and visually magnificent, The Return of the Vibrius sets the tone for the Endless Horizons Sagas. With its social precision, gripping storytelling, and relatable heroine, The Return of the Vibrius is a captivating story.

Leeland Artra is releasing the fifteen episodes in the Endless Horizons Sagas  as interlinked serial novellas, a new one each week. In the greatest tradition of serial fiction, he is also producing an audiobook of each episode as weekly podcasts! Go to: http://lartra.com/podcasts

The EPUBs for World Without End are free downloads. Here is a list of links:
1. Return of the Vibrius - https://www.patreon.com/posts/new-work-in-free-3253507
2. Center of the World - https://www.patreon.com/posts/world-without-2-3312296
3. In Service to the Empresses - https://www.patreon.com/posts/free-episode-3-3330864
4. The World's Matriarch - https://www.patreon.com/posts/episode-4-worlds-3349087
5. Flight of Science - https://www.patreon.com/posts/episode-5-flight-3441757
6. Legendary Mystery - https://www.patreon.com/posts/episode-6-3526847
7. High Places - https://www.patreon.com/posts/episode-7-high-3560244

Featured Author: Rachelle Ayala

CHRISTMAS STORIES

Growing up, Christmas was always a special time of year. For one thing, we had no school, and then, there were the presents, and extra special food. I have three brothers and sisters, so we always had fun sharing and playing with the Christmas toys we got: bicycles, games, puzzles, books, art sets, and model kits [yes, these were the days before video games and electronics].

So, it’s no wonder that I’m drawn to writing Christmas romances, both sweet and spicy. What better time to fall in love than when everyone’s in the holiday mood? People are traveling, some going back to their hometowns, and others going on vacation. Parties, family gatherings, and charity work all give ample time and opportunity to meeting someone new.
Sweet Christmas Stories:


My first Christmas story, A Father for Christmas, is a story about a little girl who asks Santa for a father for Christmas. She doesn’t just sit back and wait for Jolly Old St. Nick to bring her a father, but immediately sets off to find him under the mall’s giant Christmas tree. The man she finds turns out to be a homeless veteran. This story must have touched many hearts because it is not only one of my bestselling books, but it won the 2015 Readers’ Favorite Gold Award.

A Father for Christmas (A Veteran’s Christmas #1) Sweet romance between a homeless veteran and a single mother whose daughter asks Santa for an unusual gift. http://www.amazon.com/Father-Christmas-Holiday-Romance-Veterans-ebook/dp/B00NUKAWL4/
I especially love sweet and heartwarming stories with children and pets. This year, I wrote three sweet stories, Christmas Stray, about a couple snowed in with a stray dog and a lost boy, A Pet for Christmas, an update on A Father for Christmas, and Christmas Lovebirds, where a lovebird mix up brings two lonely people together.

Christmas Stray A couple grieving for their son is snowed in with a stray puppy and a little boy. Is there room in their hearts for a Christmas miracle? http://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Stray-Sweet-Holiday-Romance-ebook/dp/B00T5JTM0Q/





A Pet for Christmas (A Veteran’s Christmas #2) A veteran suffering from PTSD fights to return from Afghanistan and give his family their Christmas wishes. http://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Sweet-Holiday-Romance-Veterans-ebook/dp/B010MHNYDA/





Christmas Lovebirds Can two little lovebirds and Christmas cheer open Melisa’s heart to giving Rob another chance? Exclusive to the Christmas Pets and Kisses Boxed Set   http://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Pets-Kisses-Sweet-Romances-ebook/dp/B0116IBGPM/

Spicy Christmas Stories:

On the spicy side, I created my Jingle Belles Series with Christmas Flirt, where naughty girl, Racy Lacy, gets more than she bargained for when her naked selfies show up on her boss’s phone. Her sister, Brainy Brittney, finds her own Santa love in Santa’s Pet when she sits on the lap of a very hard Santa.

Christmas Flirt , Bad girl Lacy Reed gets more than she bargained for when her naked selfies turn up on her boss’s phone. http://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Flirt-Holiday-Romance-Rachelle-ebook/dp/B00REQ045O/






Santa’s Pet , Social media CEO Brittney Reed plays elf to a substitute Santa who fills out his Santa suit in all the wrong places. http://www.amazon.com/Santas-Holiday-Romance-Rachelle-Ayala-ebook/dp/B013RSMVXA

Boxed Sets:


Since I love Christmas and it’s the season of giving, I’ve boxed up several of my Christmas stories in multi-author boxed sets. For this season and a limited time only, you can get:

A Father for Christmas in Romancing Christmas Boxed Set
http://www.amazon.com/Romancing-Christmas-Stories-Spice-Holidays-ebook/dp/B00OQO0JJ8/

Christmas Lovebirds in Christmas Pets and Kisses Boxed Set  http://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Pets-Kisses-Sweet-Romances-ebook/dp/B0116IBGPM/

Christmas Flirt in Spicy Christmas Kisses Boxed Set   http://www.amazon.com/Spicy-Christmas-Kisses-Romances-Holidays-ebook/dp/B015TSI4KK/

Whether you’re naughty or nice, you’ll definitely warm up to Christmas with my Christmas stories.

Website: http://www.rachelleayala.me
FB page: http://www.facebook.com/RachelleAyalaWriter

Featured Author: Reb MacRath

Diane Rapp:  I originally connected with Reb after reviewing his book Nobility (Fast and the Furies Suspense Book 2).  I was astounded by his writing abilities and compared his work to O'Henry in my review.  Since that first exposure, I continue to be delighted by his characters and descriptions.  The stories are imaginative, filled with facts, startling discoveries, and often pack a punch.  

Reb MacRath: Born in Buffalo and educated at the NY State University College at Buffalo, I lived in Canada for ten years. There, I worked as a freelance writer, with a syndicated column, before returning to the States.  My first novel, The Suiting, was the first of four novels published under the name Kelley Wilde. It won a Stoker Award for Best First Novel and was optioned for film. But I retired from horror in 1993 after my fourth novel, Angel Kiss.  And I set out to learn to write the books that I like best to read: mystery and suspense. The nine books I've published on Amazon reflect my commitment to these new writing goals:  to thrill, delight, astonish, move and inspire.

Diane Rapp:  On this blog, Reb chose to feature one book from each of his groups: horror, mystery and romantic suspense.  I enjoy the antics of the character Boss MacTavin, who is not an ordinary hero but really fun to read. As Boss fights the bad guys, I found myself humming the Jimmy Croce tune "Big, Bad, Leroy Brown" but inserted Boss into the refrain.  (Note: sex, blood, and violence are part of these stories.) Charlotte Kills

http://tinyurl.com/pwb4k6f

The third Boss MacTavin mystery is a standalone title that takes the rugged Southern Scot on his most dangerous Correction. To pay back a marker to a San Francisco don, Boss accepts an assignment in Charlotte: verify that a death was really accidental. But the assignment proves to be far more than the do-nothing task Boss expected. And he finds himself trapped in dangerous web involving east and west coast mobs, a smoking hot widow with no time for tears, and a gang of crooked cops. 

Diane Rapp: When Reb writes about trains, you hear the wheels clack on the tracks, smell the steam, and feel the rumble under your feet.  This story takes readers on a ride through time.

Red Champagne

http://tinyurl.com/o3c5vw6

Time travel, magic, mystery and murder combine in a short tale of romantic suspense set aboard the world's greatest train--The Twentieth Century Limited--on Christmas Eve, 1938. And it all begins when a retired thief cracks a safe to save a child...in the presence of the cop who's tried to catch him for years.
Monster Time

http://tinyurl.com/qc4ek32

Halley's Comet, when insulted, shows how spiteful a comet can be in 1986. The California Zephyr is sent scream-rolling back in time. As the train runs out of track, passengers frantically jump for their lives...learning that they've landed in 1906 San Francisco. One by one, those who fail to blend in end up in cells on Alcatraz. Unknown to San Franciscans, though, something far more frightening than the 'strangers' has hit town. The train has also brought a new kind of monster: as handsome as the Sundance Kid, but half vampire and half hyena. His name is Austin Blacke...and he is powerfully hungry for the blood of his own day. MonsterTime is the second re-release of the four novels written as Kelley Wilde from 1988-1993.  Formerly called Mastery, it has been extensively rewritten and edited. 

More Links:

Amazon:  http://tinyurl.com/octpn2u

Blogs:
Southern Scotch:  http://rebmacrath.blogspot.com

The Seattle Kid:  http://theseattlekid.blogspot.com/

Featured Author: P.C. Zick

P.C. Zick began her writing career in 1998 as a journalist. She's won various awards for her essays, columns, editorials, articles, and fiction. She describes herself as a "storyteller" no matter the genre.

She was born in Michigan and moved to Florida in 1980. Even though she now resides in western Pennsylvania with her husband Robert, she finds the stories of Florida and its people and environment a rich base for her storytelling platform. Florida's quirky and abundant wildlife—both human and animal—supply her fiction with tales almost too weird to be believable.

She writes two blogs, P.C. Zick and Living Lightly . She has published six nonfiction books and ten novels.

Her writing contains the elements most dear to her heart, ranging from love to the environment. In her novels, she advances the cause for wildlife conservation and energy conservation. She believes in living lightly upon this earth with love, laughter, and passion.

My Life as a Writer:

I’ve always written and always had a vision of myself as a writer. However, it took me until later in life to admit this secret passion and to say, “I’m a writer.” Even though I couldn’t say it, I’ve always written. As a high school English teacher, I was known as the writing teacher. I began earning money as a writer more than fifteen years ago, even though I’d been writing for much longer than that. It started with a very small piece in  Better Homes and Gardens . I was paid $50 for that tiny piece, but it could have been a million for as excited as I got!

Then local newspapers began hiring me to write little pieces on events. Those jobs didn’t pay much, but they paid. At the end of the year, I did my taxes and filed a Schedule C for the first time. While working full time as a teacher, I’d still managed to rake in $5,000 as a local correspondent for two newspapers. What could I do if I worked at it full time? I’d lost my passion for teaching. I wrote in every spare moment and knew I needed to make a change.

I quit teaching. The same month, I won first place in an essay contest named after one of my heroes, Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings of  The Yearling  and Cross Creek fame. A small publisher in California accepted my first novel for publication. I never looked back from that watershed year of 2001.

Since then, I’ve written ten more novels and six nonfiction books. I became a reporter, columnist, editor, publisher, and public relations director. I did anything and everything that kept me writing and making a living. In 2010, I married and moved where my husband worked in Pittsburgh. He gave me the greatest wedding gift of all by believing in me as a writer of fiction and allowing me the freedom of working full time at the art without worrying about making money.

I started writing contemporary fiction with environmental themes, which are reflected in the three novels in my Florida Fiction Series. Last year, I joined an online class taught by author Rachelle Ayala. Romance in a Month turned me to the romance genre, and I’ve enjoyed writing my Behind the Love Trilogy. I’m working on Book 3 right now and hope to release it by November. I’m involved in several box sets with other authors and have several releases coming in 2016. 
Behind the Love Trilogy

Behind the Altar - All seems perfect in Leah's life until tattoo artist Dean rides his Harley into her heart in this story of forbidden love.

Behind the Bar - Susie and Reggie have been together since high school, but they want different things. Both struggle to find out if love can survive a second chance.

Behind the Curtain – (To be released by November 2015) Susie’s sister Lisa brings a reality TV show to their hometown in Victory, Florida. Lisa finds herself falling for her best friend while filming a show with her boyfriend. Lots of sparks fly.
Florida Fiction Series

Tortoise Stew (Florida Fiction Series, Book 1) – Politics, murder, and chaos in rural Florida reign supreme in a story where love triumphs over it all.

Trails in the Sand (Florida Fiction Series, Book 2) – Family secrets, an oil spill, and redemption create a roller coaster ride for journalist Caroline Carlisle.

Native Lands (Florida Fiction Series, Book 3) - A novel rich in intrigue and history as a tribe of Native Americans, thought to be extinct, fight to save their beloved heritage.

On October 6, Christmas Pets and Kisses, a box set with sixteen other authors, releases. I’m very excited about this set filled with sweet contemporary romances featuring a pet. 

Other Fiction

Third Base - Baseball star Tomas Vegas puts all his energy into winning the World Series, until he meets the widow Adriana Moretti. His supermodel ex-girlfriend and Adriana’s tightly-knit Italian family threaten them, but the more they’re pulled apart, the more they silently yearn to be together.

Live from the Road (Fiction  takes the reader on an often humorous, yet harrowing, journey as Meg Newton and Sally Sutton seek a change in the mundane routine of their lives. Joined by their daughters, they set off on a journey of salvation enhanced by the glories of the Mother Road.

A Lethal Legacy (Psychological Suspense) - A fascinating study of human expectations, failings, and redemption filled with lust and forbidden lovers.
Minty’s Kiss , is a tribute to my faithful companion, Minty, who lived with my family and me for eighteen years.

Nonfiction

From Seed to Table (Blog posts) Gardening techniques, organic gardening, canning vegetables, and recipes galore

Civil War Journal of a Union Soldier (Memoir nonfiction) – My great grandfather’s journal from his days as a soldier. It’s a personal account of war and all its sundry causes and effects from the eyes of a man who fought it.

Odyssey to Myself (Essays nonfiction): The people of Morocco, Italy, Panama, and Chile come to life through the experiences of the author as she absorbs the cultures so different from her own.

Links

Website: www.pczick.com/
Blog: www.pczick.wordpress.com
Facebook: https://facebook/PCZick
Twitter: https://twitter/PCZick
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5989135.P_C_Zick
Google +: https://plus.google.com/u/0/114232083554517874771/posts
Video Trailers: http://youtu.be/GNsZUiyDKIo?list=UUxE92WgTCZOLI6wrbIgoYhw

Featured author: Julie Elizabeth Powell

Hello, everyone!  Firstly, let me say thank you to Diane for featuring me and some of my work on her blog – THANKS!

My pen name is Julie Elizabeth Powell, and I live in England. I write in a variety of genres, lengths; and for adult and children.  I currently have nineteen titles, but in this blog I will focus on four. 

My first serious piece of writing will always be the most important to me because of why it was written and kept, rather than being tossed into the rubbish like so many others.   Gone  was inspired by a true event in my life.  Although the book is written as a Fantasy, it tries to answer a question that haunted me during the years of my daughter's first and second deaths: Where had my daughter gone?  

Why this question?  When Samantha was two-and-a-half years old, her heart stopped and she died for the first time; by the time doctors revived her, it was too late, she was severely brain damaged.  She didn’t know me or anything of her previous life, she’d been wiped clean; her essence was simply gone.

Hence the question.  Because if Samantha wasn’t with me anymore, then where was she?  Her body was still ‘here’ but the person she was no longer present.  So, I went in search of her and wrote Gone .  I think this story would help others who may have endured such loss, and cope with all those tangled emotions.

Gone  explores many issues, such as loss, guilt, sorrow and grief BUT it is not a depressing read.  It also demonstrates coping mechanisms, humour and hope.  It is a journey on many levels, which includes adventure and magic!
GONE

After Charley dies in her office chair, how is it that she finds herself propelled into the mysterious world of Avalon?

Upon encountering an essence, which insists is her daughter – the one she knows she left behind – insanity battles with fear inside her mind.

The further she delves, the more puzzling things appear, especially after she rises into the Orb of Caprice – a realm of fairies, talking flowers and goblins…and something else, something that lurks in the shadows ready to swallow her whole. Can she realise in time what it is she must do…or has she left it too late?

Cover Design: Julie Elizabeth Powell
Universal link to Gone:  viewBook.at/B005MAAE0Y
Gone will soon be released as an audiobook with Audible
13  is a horror novel, a perfect Halloween read.  I wrote this book because of the awfulness of the modern world – maybe it has always been this way, but now it is more noticeable because of the luxury of easy communication. The story allowed me to tap into my darker side and comment upon the horrifying world today. Although, I don’t think I’m a psychopath, but maybe an alien, I never fit into anyone’s rules /opinions.

The story follows thirteen individuals and the terrible things they do.  Some may think that it is a collection of short stories, but then realize in the final, and most chilling, chapter that this is not the case.
13

What is found within the depths of the human soul? Does wickedness linger, as if the Devil’s thumb is ready to pluck the strings of certain choices? And with the strumming, just how far will Evil spread?

13 is the story of random souls pitted against the tragedy of the modern world. What is their connection, if any? Nameless; are these merely humans whose weaknesses force them to commit heinous crimes, or demons under the skin, aware of their sins yet indifferent to the outcome? Will they decipher the unknown and make it out alive?
Who is watching, what is the end?

Warning: strong language and scenes of violence /horror/drugs/sex

Cover Design: Julie Elizabeth Powell
Universal link to 13: viewBook.at/B00BGRWLZI
13 is now an audiobook with Audible:
 http://goo.gl/TySd33 USA
 http://goo.gl/1WZSHA UK
Promo codes available (see e-mail address below)
I wrote Knowing Jack  as a Mystery/Adventure for children, YA and those young at heart. I love the fun of writing for a younger audience.  The story was inspired by my son who has amazing intuitive qualities.  It takes place in the Lake District of England, where I visited with my parents as a child.  It is a magical and majestic place filled with trees, lakes, rivers and everything you would expect in such surrounding beauty.  It can also be scary.  Within its beauty in winter, it has both wide stretches of un-trodden snow, shadows, and closely-knit overbearing trees – just perfect for this mystery adventure that takes place around Christmas.  

Knowing Jack

Twelve-year-old Jack knows they shouldn't go but is unable to persuade his parents not to take the planned trip to the Lake District. 

Something was going to happen but what? The weird feelings he had were always so fuzzy and they didn't always make sense. 

Maybe it was just because he'd have to spend time with his pampered cousin, Rosie? Anyway, it was nearly Christmas and what could go wrong with just staying in some cabin in the woods?

He was being stupid...all he had to do was ignore the way his belly churned and his head pounded. He might be wrong after all.

Cover Design: Julie Elizabeth Powell
Universal link to Knowing Jack: viewBook.at/B005MEP6N0
Knowing Jack is available as an audiobook with Audible:
http://goo.gl/WCx9KT US
http://goo.gl/Rvbtka UK
Promo codes available (see e-mail address below)
I wrote  Misadventures Of Fatwoman  because I have struggled all my life with my weight – and I know many people feel bad about themselves because of being fat. It is a humorous look one woman’s life, her thoughts and feelings and why she thinks less of herself because of her unsatisfactory body.  The story has an element of romance, even though it isn’t strictly a romance novel, but concentrates on the very real emotions that can affect those who feel inferior.  It’s also a fun tale, and maybe could help others to feel better about themselves – I hope so! Misadventures Of Fatwoman  

Andi has always been anxious about her weight and like many women, thinks that unless she is thin, she has no value.

Follow her 'misadventures' and see if this is true or will she find there are more important things that makes a person who and what they are?

Cover Design: Julie Elizabeth Powell
Universal link to Misadventures Of Fatwoman : viewBook.at/B005MER390

Misadventures Of Fatwoman will soon be available as an audiobook with Audible.
Other links for Julie Elizabeth Powell:
AMAZON UK -  http://goo.gl/XK8TOj AMAZON USA - http://goo.gl/cT0DCK 
GOODREADS - https://goo.gl/DcTSOO
FACEBOOK pages:
https://www.facebook.com/julieelizabethpowellsbooks
https://www.facebook.com/GoneByJulieElizabethPowell
Audiobooks  USA - http://goo.gl/MjNtaJ  UK - http://goo.gl/Un3ExL  
E-mail address: julizpow@yahoo.co.uk to acquire promo codes for audiobooks