Brenda Whiteside's Blog, page 13

Journey of a Novel: WWII Romance

INSPIRATION  

I grew uplistening to my mom recount memories of growing up in the 1940s. Phoenix was a small, Southwest town with single lanes and closeknit communities. The war ended, soldiers came home, and Hollywood documented American life in the most romantic terms. Through my mom's stories and watching old movies, I fell in lovewith the era. My mom and dad met, fell in love, and married in the 1940s. Their story, of two poor families...one without a mother and one without a father...is the basis of Post-War Dreams. And to put my mom at ease, yes I did fabricate a few things.

I labored on this romance novel for years. What was originally Honey On White Bread was the first full length book I wrote. No one wanted it. So, I put it away and went on to publish several other books. I found my niche in romantic suspense and most recently cozy mystery.

But eventually, I dusted it off, rewrote and edited it, and published it as Post-War Dreams. It's the book of my heart. The story unfolds in two points of view. Claire is a senior in high school, mature for her age, taking care of her alcoholic father. Her mother died when she was a toddler. Her point of view is first person. The other, in third person, is Benjamin who wasn't able to finish high school because he had to go to work to support his mom, brothers, and sisters who struggled to survive after his father abandoned them. 

I’m sharingtwo short excerpts today from Post-War Dreams.

ONE

Claire shook back her hair and lifted tressesthe color of a summer sunset from her neck with a flourish. “I’d definitelylike to pursue a career in the movies.” The word theatrical came to mind whileher smile dazzled him. “This contest should be a lot of fun.” She stared directlyinto his eyes, the dark brown of hers simmered. “Do you go to the movies?” 

“Now and then.” 

She dipped her chin and gave him a beguilingupwards glance. “I bet you’re a Rita Hayworth man.” When he only shrugged, shecontinued, surprising him with her flirtatious tone. “Come on, now. We all haveour favorites.” 

“Yeah, she’s…okay.” The words he could usefor the sexy, red-haired actress he’d leave unspoken to the young Claire. “Doyou dance and act in addition to singing?” 

“I will.” She nodded, quite serious. “I thinkit’s best to be well-rounded, if you’re going to have a chance in Hollywood. Idon’t exactly have any credits to my name yet, still, I’m pretty sure I couldact, if given the chance. As far as dancing, yes, a few lessons will be in order,eventually.” 

“So, it’ll be off to Hollywood for you aftergraduation?” Unusually confident for a high school girl, he could imagine herhopping on a bus to follow her ambitions. Pity. “Not interested inhanging around Phoenix to raise a family?” 

“Oh goodness, lots of time.” Once again, shepushed the hair from her silky-smooth neck with a flip of her fingers.“Following your heart should be first.” 

And who will steal your lovely heart, lovelyClaire?

 

 

TWO

“But…but you can’t love Susan.” My voice, soft as a whisper,didn’t betray the rising fear boiling up from the pit of my stomach. 

He gripped my arms with emphasis. “No, I don’t.” 

My stomach calmed a bit, the fear at a simmer. “Does she loveyou?” I had to convince him his thinking had clearly gotten off course. 

“No. I mean I don’t think so.” 

“Is she demanding you love her?” Love was everything. Withoutlove, this wasn’t our problem. 

“No…”  

His hesitation cheered me on. My panic churned barely belowthe surface as I led him down the path of reason. “Well, then, Benjamin, why—” 

“Claire, she’s pregnant. I’ll have to marry her.” 

“Marry?” I choked on the word. Fear and panic erupted. “Oh,God, no. Benjamin!” The tears toppled and flooded my cheeks. “This is her problem.” 

“You know it isn’t, Claire.” His words were thick andstrained. “I have to take responsibility.” 

“No, Benjamin, no!” I slapped my palms to his chest as if Icould stop this madness with a physical barrier. “No, you don’t.” 

He encircled my waist, gently caressed, but held me firm untilmy tantrum played out. 

I folded into his chest, but my anger still had some steam. Iballed one hand into a fist and hit his chest. “Why? Why do you always have todo the right thing? Why?” I swiped away tears soI could see his reaction when I glared into his face. 

His chest heaved as he stared into myhostility with calmness. “You wouldn’t love me if I didn’t.”

BOOK LINKS:

https://www.amazon.com/Post-War-Dreams-Brenda-Whiteside-ebook/dp/B015AO6B1M 

https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/post-war-dreams/id1040722643?mt=11

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/post-war-dreams-brenda-whiteside/1122626545?ean=2940151181877 

https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Post-War-Dreams/Brenda-Whiteside/9781509203529?id=8220345408823  paper 

https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Post-War-Dreams/Brenda-Whiteside/Q335588623?id=8220345408823  ebook 

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/post-war-dreams-1 

https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Brenda_Whiteside_Post_War_Dreams?id=oW-5CgAAQBAJ 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26239988-post-war-dreams?ac=1&from_search=true 

https://www.bookbub.com/books/post-war-dreams-by-brenda-whiteside

 

Reading and Reviews (Winters and Black)

I'm an author, but I'm also a reader. From time to time, I'llshare my reviews of present and past reads. My available time to read islimited because I write, but I love to curl up with a paperback or an eBook atnight for the last hour of my day. 

I tend to read what I write, but not exclusively. BesidesRomantic Suspense, I read crime and law novels, once in a while a true story, WWIIhistoricals, mysteries, cozy mysterym, and mainstream character driven books.

Here are some of the books I've read recently or in the not-too-distant past.Maybe you'll discover a new book or author. 

Burnout (Jessie Black Legal Thriller Book 1) by Larry AWinters 

Years ago,Assistant DA Jessie Black's successful prosecution of Frank Ramsey—a serialkiller known as the Family Man—put her on a path to stardom at the PhiladelphiaDistrict Attorney's Office. But now an ineffective assistance of counsel claimthreatens to overturn the verdict.

Theclaim alleges that Ramsey did not receive a fair trial because of his lawyer, apublic defender named Jack Ackerman. Jack, an excellent lawyer, committedhimself to a mental institution days after the trial. No one knows why.

NowJessie must return to the courtroom to face the killer and his new lawyers—adream team of high-powered attorneys with mysterious motives for taking hiscase. Unless Jessie can stop them, they will overturn the verdict, destroy agood man's legal career, and put a vicious killer back on the street.

Jessie'sonly chance to keep Ramsey in prison is to defend his defense attorney andprove Jack's sanity. And to do that, she's going to need to find out what really happened at that trial.

 

AMAZON BUY LINK

 

MY REVIEW

This is mysecond Jessie Black novel. I’m not reading them in order, obviously. Doesn’tmatter. I’m hooked on this series. Jessie is an easy character to get behindand follow her adventures. I love characters that are fleshed out so thoroughlythat I feel like I know them. She is not so kick-ass she comes off fake. She’sjust tough enough and smart. The story is involved and well rounded. An enjoyableread.

Death byPins and Needles (Holly Swimsuit Mystery Book 2) by Susie Black

 

The last thing Mermaid Swimwear sales exec Holly Schlivnik expected tofind when she opened the closet door was nasty competitor Lissa Charney’sbattered corpse nailed to the wall. When Holly’s colleague is wrongly arrestedfor Lissa’s murder, the wise-cracking, irreverent amateur sleuth sticks hernose everywhere it doesn’t belong to sniff out the real killer. Nothing turnsout the way she thinks it will as Holly matches wits with a heartless killerhellbent for revenge.

 

AMAZON BUY LINK

 

MY REVIEW

The world ofswimwear sales is a lot more cutthroat than I imagined. In fact, I didn’t knowsuch a huge world even existed. This is the second book in the series and sinceI read the first, I’m learning even more about what I thought might be a glitzyworld. Ms. Black makes that world come to life. The amateur sleuth, Holly,certainly knows the ins and outs all the while solving the murder. Ms. Black’sbooks are full of standout characters who guide you through the mystery. Youdon’t need to read book one to enjoy this second book in the series.

 

Wicked Adventure by Anne Hamilton Fowler

WICKED WEDNESDAY

Welcome back, Anne Hamilton Fowler. Such a fun guest and a fun post. Enjoy!

Thefollowing wicked adventure is just one of the many in the life of MAL (shortfor Margaret Anne Louise), the name often utilized by friends when referring toany of my nefarious deeds! 

Isuspect many of you reading this adventure know the drill. Whether called theairplane scheme or something similar, it was still just a pyramid. Back in theeighties this was a very popular illegal money- making activity in NorthAmerica, one that thrived in Toronto. You’ve blocked from your mind all recallof how it worked?  Burned were you!? Letme refresh your memory. An individual invests $2200 and is then responsible forattracting (luring) other like- minded investors into the game. If the investoris successful and “brings in” the required number of people to the group,he/she rises to the top of the pyramid and receives a large cash payout. 

Sincethe venture required recruiting skills, it looked like one made to order forMAL. Owner of a well known personnel agency, she was a seasoned recruiter withover 25 years of experience. A meeting was attended where details of the gamewere skillfully laid out by the current top of that particular pyramid. Thefact that it was an endeavor severely frowned upon by the Toronto constabularydidn’t deter those of us who had visions of grandeur and dreamed of a $17,600reward. After all, it’s not like we’re robbing a bank we told ourselves. And,we are recruiting adults who know what they’re getting into, don’t they?  Certainly, my recruits were under noillusions and I had made very clear the possibility that they could lose theirmoney. This rationale was how I justified my actions and participation in thescam. Unfortunately, many investors across the city did lose their money whenthey were unable to produce the required number of recruits. Was MAL one ofthose people? Surely you are joking! She made the operation a fulltime careerbringing her friends, clients and colleagues on board. Most of them achievedone payout and stopped. But MAL was obsessed with the whole hype surrounding celebratoryparties, expensive lunches and thrilled by the challenges involved. The bucketsof money didn’t hurt either. Using the mantra of Winston Churchill…she KBO! 

Theventure became such an obsession that for several months most of her workdaywas devoted to planning, prospecting and strategizing. 

Expandingthe scope of the game, MAL then began to sponsor recruits who had manycontacts, just not the $2200 investment money. Choosing her partners wisely,she fronted them the entry fee while they all went about recruiting peopleinterested in joining the venture. How was the $17,600 payout at the top split?Half to the investor and half to MAL. Meetings were expanded from one night a week to four and the moneyrolled in! 

Theoperation raced on for about ten months until one fateful evening the weeklyTuesday night meeting at MAL’s office was raided by the police. It seemssomeone had talked to the wrong person (whose brother was a cop) and a mole hadbeen installed in the group. Two weeks later we were invaded. 

“Whereis Anne Fowler,” one detective asked.

“She’snot here,” stammered a terrified group member who was so rattled that she peedher pants turning the office chair where she was sitting into a write off. 

Succumbingto meeting and presentation exhaustion, MAL had fortuitously taken thatparticular night off and another person was substituting in her stead. Thepolice thinking that they had nabbed “The Queen of Pyramids”, as Anne hadbecome known, were most definitely not amused! But after receiving a panic-stricken phone call at her home, “The Queen”knew the jig was up. 

Accompaniedby her lawyer, the following day she visited the police station for booking.Unbeknownst to MAL, her group was just one of many operating in the GTA andpolice were currently on a mission to locate and destroy, determined to shutthem all down.  Perhaps they could makean example of the big fish they had just landed. 

The dayfinally arrived when MAL met the judge. The court scene was like a keystone copskit. Picture if you will, terrified defendants, all who’d been at the meetingthat fateful night, as they sat shaking in their seats. The prosecutingattorney, a particularly nasty woman disliked by all who knew her, strodeaggressively back and forth in front of the magistrate. Known for his sarcasticwit, the judge was not her fan either. The case was presented and MAL pledguilty. 

Hadpunishment using the eighteenth - century guillotine been available in Canada,I believe the PA would have asked for it to be used.  She was most certainly out for blood andlooking for major fines to be levied. But as the judge looked down at theterrified defendants, he decreed that they had been sufficiently punished bylosing their $2200 and fined them each a token $100.   

With atwinkle in his eye, he then turned to a tearful MAL and inquired, “Did we servetea and homemade cookies at our parties?” It seems that he had recentlyprosecuted several groups who had evidently held their  meetings in church basements and servedrefreshments.

 MALfelt it prudent not to tell him about the celebratory bottles of champagne andexpensive lunches or just how much money she had made on the venture.    

Thejudge then said, “Well I hope this will put an end to your social gatherings”and proceeded to fine MAL $1,200.   

Whenone considers the carefully hidden jack-pots she had accumulated, this wascertainly letting her off easy. The PA was apoplectic having expected a minimumof a $25,000 penalty or even jail time to make a suitable example of thiswoman’s evil deeds. We all left the courtroom that day and breathed acollective sigh of relief. 

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Some ofyou may have read one of Brenda’s blogs called Fearless Friday and recognizedmy name from a submission that I made last February. You are now scratchingyour head and saying, “how do MAL’s exploits mesh with what we read in Februaryabout Anne’s humanitarian work in Honduras!?” To find the answer, you’ll needto read my memoir “I’ve Worn Many Hats”! Because the direction of my lifechanged so drastically, I wrote the book in two sections: life before Hondurasand life after. The following reader response pretty much sums up the reactionI have received to the book: 

“Hercandid account spanning decades of a long bumpy life evokes many emotions;laughter, empathy, shock, admiration. As I read the first half, I kept goingback, re-reading and thinking, “she did what?!” In the second half of the book,I discovered what had inspired her to make such a drastic life change andaccomplish “all this.” Anne’s memoir is hard to put down, in fact I read ittwice! Bravo!” 

BIO

Born andraised in Toronto I grew up an only child in a traditional middle classCanadian family of the 40’s and 50’s. But my life has been anything buttraditional! After finishing school my career included flight attendant withAmerican Airlines, model, travel agent, world traveller, sales and marketingand almost 30 years in Human Resources as an entrepreneur/ business owner. Iclosed my company and retired in 2001 to take up another role, that ofhumanitarian. As someone once said when they described my various life pursuitsduring their introduction of me as that night’s speaker, “and she’s only 108years old”! I live 6 months of the year in Honduras where I have spent the past22 years developing a variety of community health and education programs.  

My web site:  http://anne.honduranhope.nethas the link to order on Amazon and the book is available in both e book and paperback. 

Tocontact me: use Messenger under Anne Hamilton Fowler, or email: anne.fowler@xplornet.ca

Inspiration in Her Dreams by Fiona McGier

MUSE MONDAY

How fun to have Fiona McGier on Discover... for Muse Monday. And let me clue you in: all of her books are on sale at Smashwords in July. I've also heard some are free. Leave a comment and ask her about them!

Hello, I’m Fiona McGier. Have you ever wondered how authorsget the ideas for their books?

For me, the answer is often dreams--vivid and convincingdreams, which show me the story arc my characters want me to write. Onetime I dreamed of a brilliant Black female scientist doing research into thebrain chemicals involved with intelligence. Once she succeeded, her boss senther home with orders to tell no one. When she balked at that she became thetarget of murderers sent to silence her. The dream also had the Mayanprediction of the end of time in 2012 as part of the setting. I started towrite Keesha Brown's story but got stalled during the second chapter, where Ihad to introduce a man for her. I was going to have him be a Native Americandoctor, but it just wasn’t flowing out of me. So, I put it aside. 

Months later I had another dream in which a tall, pale manwith white-blond hair spoke directly to me. Never before or since has acharacter spoken so boldly to me like that. He told me I was having writer'sblock because I was giving Keesha the wrong hero--it had to be him. Then hesmiled, showing me his fangs. "Oh no," I told him, "I don'twrite vampires. They're too overdone. There's nothing more to say aboutthem." He shook his head, still grinning, and told me, "Research theMayans." I woke up the next morning and did just that.

What I found was that the religious and public rituals ofthe Mayans all involved blood sacrifices. Leaders would pierce themselves invarious places, many of them sensitive, intimate areas, to produce bloodcollected on paper or fabrics, or in urns, to be offered to the gods. Iwondered why the Mayans regarded blood as life—then I remembered those fangs inthat sexy blond guy's mouth and sawhim nod at me. Of course! Vampires were the Mayan gods! 

I pulled the manuscript up,tossed out the second chapter, and the rest of Prophecy of the Mayan Undeadwrote itself. My vampires are intelligent and articulate because they are theones who have what it takes to survive eternity. We all think we want to liveforever but in reality, life is precious because it's ephemeral.Anything taken for granted loses its value. My supporting vampire charactersinclude a 700-year-old Spanish teenager who crossed the Atlantic with Columbus,and his chosen mate for the last two-hundred years, a Russian man forever inhis early twenties. The hero is Yuri Kozakov, brought across in his latetwenties by Rasputin in the waning days of the Romanov Empire. César has livedfor centuries in the Yucatan Peninsula surrounded by ancient Mayan structures,supporting himself as many vampires do, by being a part of the supply chain ofillegal drugs that have no effect on the eternal ones, but render their cattle more controllable. And all areworking in various ways to support the return of the Mayan gods as predictedfor December 21, 2012. 

Blurb: Keesha wants to find a way to increasethe intelligence of humans to save the world. What she finds is the secret toeternity that comes from the stars, and a love that can save her. Ying neverexpected to discover her own humanity in the arms of an alien--he neverexpected to fall in love. Can they join forces with others on Earth to face thereturn of the Mayan aliens and save humanity?

 

Excerpt:

Yuri is a Russian vampire whohas been searching for years for someone to help him research what causesvampirism. He engineers a meeting to Keesha because he thinks with herintelligence, she can find his answers. Once he meets her, he is surprisedto have his body respond to her generous curves, since he had thought himselfto be "past all that". When she doesn't show up in thecoffeehouse they had agreed to meet at, he goes to her apartment to find outwhy. When he finds evidence of a fight, he’s determined to find her.

         He quickly searched herapartment for anything that might give him any clue as to where she might haverun to. Then he remembered the boyfriend.
     Of course. She’d have run there first. Now where isher computer? I can break into it and hopefully find an address or phone numberfor him.
     It didn’t take him long to find what he searchedfor. With one final look around, he promised the air that he would make someonepay for the damage done to her piece of mind.
     If she’s been harmed, I’ll tear the limbs off thepersons responsible and laugh while they bleed to death.
     A few minutes later, Yuri scaled the side of thebuilding Dan lived in, up to the penthouse. He stood on the balcony watching andlistening as Dan made a phone call.
     “Is it done yet?”
     He listened, and then responded in a petulant voice.
     “You said it would be done already. I know you arejust waiting until they call you to tell you it’s done. Every minute that she’sstill alive is another minute she could find someone to believe her aboutwhat’s been going on. That would jeopardize the plan.”
     He listened again and then sighed heavily.
     “Fine. Just let me know when it’s done, all right?”
     Yuri felt the growl start somewhere deep inside of hissoul. He watched until the perfidious boyfriend turned his back to the balcony topour some brandy into a snifter. He didn’t have time to turn around before Yurisank his teeth into his neck to sip the blood while he delicately sortedthrough the recent memories.
     Two men were pursuing her. They chased her fordays. They found her today. They are driving her to a desolate place so they cankill her. She knows too much. We can’t let her ruin all these centuries ofplanning.
     With a start, Yuri broke off the contact to stare atthe man who collapsed at his feet.
     Centuries of planning? He’s mortal and too young tohave even seen a half a century. What is this all about?
     “Danny-boy? When are you coming back to bed?” Twonaked blonde women stood in the doorway leading to what apparently was thebedroom. They stared in shock at Yuri standing over the object of their desire.
     Damn.
     Throwing himself across the room, Yuri grabbed a wristof each of the girls and twisted, forcing them to kneel in front of him.
     “Look at me,” he commanded aloud, while exertingenough mental force to capture their minds but not to destroy them. He createdthe memory of watching as Dan collapsed while pouring himself the brandy. Noone else was in the room.
     He let go of them both, then turned and walked back tothe balcony. Determined, he gathered his strength and took a deep breath, thenimagined himself riding the night breezes out of the city. And he did.Universalbuy link: https://books2read.com/u/barA8x

But for the month of July,since I self-pubbed this book on Smashwords, it’s half-price, so $1.49, ONLY ifyou purchase it at Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1023111

Author BIO:

I write romances that involve strong, independent women who don't mindcasual flings, but who are not looking to fall in love. Enter the man whodecides this is the woman for him. I think that how they ultimately bothrealize that they have found the one is the most interesting part of aromance. I read and review romance because, as I've told my long-time HEA, theonly men I'll cheat on him with live in books. Some I write, some I read. Andhe's okay with that. Phew!

Website: www.fionamcgier.com  (1st page is my blog.)

www.facebook.com/fionamcgier

Ripping Out Roots by Kathleen Buckley

FEARLESS FRIDAY

I love fearless stories of uprooting and going on an adventure. Enjoy Fearless Friday with Kathleen Buckley on Discover...

As my friendsknow, I am not a spontaneous person. Like most Capricorns, I tend to grow bothroots and moss. But in December, 2007 I ripped out my roots. 

That month, alongtime friend and I visited Albuquerque, New Mexico. The vacation began  with bad news: my friend’s eighteen year jobwas ending. But on the second day of our trip, she found jobs in her field inthe classified ads while I was reading one of those real estate magazines. I discoveredAlbuquerque had cheap real estate (by Seattle standards), and the cost ofliving was correspondingly low. She could rent out her Seattle house. She madethe decision to move almost overnight. 

While we werefiguring out how she could clear out her house, get a job, find a place to livein Albuquerque, and move herself and her cats, it occurred to me that I nolonger loved Seattle: too big, too expensive, terrible traffic, and I had sinusinfections and bronchitis more often than not. If I ever planned to retire, nowwas the time to get out. 

We’d been friendsfor thirty-five years. I hesitantly asked if she’d consider sharing a house.She would. We spent the time we weren’t in museums cruising neighborhoods. Backin Seattle, we house-shopped online and found about two dozen that lookedpromising. In mid-February, we flew down for four days to check them out. 

There was a housethat looked great in the pictures online, like something in Spain or Italy. Inperson, it was…problematic. The scariest words I’ve ever heard in connectionwith real estate were, “…and the new addition is 100% up to code.” BobbyUnser’s first house was too far from shopping, hospitals and, well, everythingelse. There were two houses with casitas but they needed someone with major remodelingskills. 

We put in anoffer on our first choice: two houses on a double lot, walking distance to thezoo and downtown, only to discover the owner had already accepted an offer. Oursecond choice was also gone. We got our third choice, actually the perfect fitfor us: on a street that T-bones at both ends, with houses built in themid-1950s in the pueblo style. My friend got a job within walking distance. 

Our casa neededsome work, especially electrical, as houses in 1955 did not have microwaves,computers, printers, dishwashers, and phones that need to plug into an outlet. Therewere no kitchen appliances. My friend and her oldest stepdaughter came down towork on the house while I arranged to ship our houses’ furniture. They got bywith a microwave, a Sunbeam electric skillet, a foam ice chest and a Mrs. Tea.   

All the linoleumtile in the original part of the house and the addition was toast. Herstepdaughter helped me put down ceramic tile over the slab in the old part ofthe house, and taught me to put down the rustic cherry tongue and grooveflooring in the addition. The hardest part was loading and unloading the rentedair compressor for the nail gun.

I nevercontemplated moving from Seattle until I heard myself saying, “If we both movedand shared a house…” 

How did I havethe courage to tear up my roots? I have no idea, but I haven’t regretted it fora moment. My roots and my writing (stalled for years in Seattle) areflourishing in New Mexico’s arid but artistic soil. My eighth historicalromance (lots of historical detail, no explicit sex scenes) was released inDecember, 2022. 

Here's the blurbfor the eighth, A Peculiar Enchantment. Despite the cover it contains nofantasy or paranormal elements: Love is the most peculiar enchantment.

BLURB

What can you lookforward to, when your only relatives call you ugly, unbalanced, and ascandal?  What would you do if your onlyfriend was threatened? Adelaide, forced to live as her half brother’sdependent, knows. 

Replaced as amarquess’s heir presumptive, Gervase Ducane should have taken up some career ormarried well, or both. He has wasted his chances and now his time is runningout. At the house party Ducane was meant to court a well-dowered young lady.Adelaide was ordered to stay away. Sometimes when you least expect it, magichappens. 

After a variedcareer which included bookkeeping, a few years as a security officer, and manyyears as a paralegal, Kathleen Buckley began her writing career after moving toNew Mexico. Her ninth book, By Sword and Fan,  will be released on October 18, 2023. 

A PeculiarEnchantment buy link: https://books2read.com/u/bQAkNe

Website: Powder& Patch & Peril     

https://18thcenturyromance.com/subscr...
Instagram: 18thcenturyromance 

Is it Real or Just in My Head?

Living a real life while living an imaginary life…

There have been books, plays, and movies about doing justthat—The Secret Life of Walter Mitty and Hello, My Name is Doris to name two.

Writers have a secret life. We live it in our heads beforeever setting it to paper. I’m often inspired by real-life which in turn is the basis for my fiction. Luckily, my life won’t be blasted across thesilver screen so you can see how nutty I am. The discussions I have with my characters, the circumstances I
plop myself into, and people who populate my head shall remain my secret.

The Chocolate Martini Sisters Mystery books are a primeexample of real life becoming fiction. My sister and I toast our birthdays twice ayear with a chocolate martini in the historic Peacock Room in Prescott, Arizona. Our alter egos, Emand Nic, also toast their birthdays twice a year in the Azul Saloon in Wyatt, Arizona...only their celebrations alwaysinclude a murder mystery to solve.

We could do it, you know. At least in my head. 

Candy, Cigarettes, and Murder, Book 1

 

Recently widowed, Emma Banefield looks forward to a getawaybirthday weekend with her free-wheeling sister, Nicole Earp, sipping chocolatemartinis at the peaceful, historic Dulce Inn. When a rude stranger, a nastyfood critic, and a madhouse of temperamental artists greet them, all hope for atranquil weekend evaporates faster than dew on a hot desert morning. 

Overlooking the riotous atmosphere is doubly hard after Emdiscovers the body of a hotel guest, and a second murder affects Nicpersonally. Now, entrenched in a caper that pits them against a surlydetective, they cozy up to a hotel staff hiding dangerous secrets to uncover cluesto the killer. 

Using their smarts and love of all-things mystery, will theChocolate Martini Sisters solve the crime ahead of the obstinate ChiefDetective or find themselves trapped in the middle of a third murder? 

AMAZON BUY LINK (ALSO AVAILABLE KU)

And now I’m super happy to reveal the next adventure of theChocolate Martini Sisters: 

Reading, Writing, and Murder, Book 2 

At the writers’ conference, murder tops the program. 

Aspiring mystery author EmmaBanefield and travel writer Nicole Earp are excited to attend a writers’conference during their latest sisters’ getaway. Nic’s birthday should be allabout relaxation, writing, and a chocolate martini to toast another trip aroundthe sun, but the climate at the gathering rumbles like a sudden desertthunderstorm. 

When sparks fly between the keynote speaker and her timidassistant over a handsome mystery author, the subtitle on this anticipatedtranquil weekend spells drama. If a heated love triangle, bruised egos, andbetrayal aren’t enough to upset the atmosphere, the conference banquet eruptsinto a drunken brawl and sends the place spinning. After a body is discovered,Nic and Em do what they do best—snoop—and become embroiled in a mystery thatjumps off the pages of a true-crime bestseller. 

With more than enough suspects and little time, the amateursleuths have their hands full finding the killer. But can the competitiveChocolate Martini Sisters solve the crime before the prickly chief detectivedoes, or will a murderer outwit them all?

PREORDER LINK ON AMAZON

 

 

The Boardwalk Isn't Boring by Jill Piscitello #CozyMystery

MUSE MONDAY

Please welcome guest, Jill Piscitello for Muse Monday. Being a western gal with no experience of eastern boardwalks, I'm fascinated. She gives us a good visual. Enjoy! 

Irecently came across an article featuring the top beach boardwalks in thecountry and was thrilled to see Hampton Beach, NH, included on the list. One ofthe reasons I chose Hampton for the setting of A Sour Note was its bustlingboardwalk. Every inch of the mile long stretch offers something to delight thesenses. Bells and alarms peal out from arcades. Live music resonates fromrestaurants. In need of a dress, cover-up, swimsuit, flip flops, candy, icecream, food choices, lemonade, sunblock, or beach toys? If you can name it,you’ll likely find it amongst the countless shops.  

Growingup in New England, I loved visiting Cape Cod with its pristine beaches. But myheart belonged to Nantasket Beach with its own boardwalk, waterslides, andbeloved amusement park, Paragon Park. When developers swept in and replaced thepark with condominiums, few landmarks remained with the exception of thecarousel. 

I didn’tsee another boardwalk to rival the Nantasket of my childhood memories until Imet my husband and ventured north to Hampton Beach. I’d grown so accustomed tobeautiful beaches with the simple pleasures of sand and ocean that the sightsand sounds seemed almost too much for me to take in. But when I had children ofmy own, I saw the setting through their eyes. Hungry? Take your pick from anynumber of food stands and restaurants. Bored? Visit the arcade or enormousplayground overlooking the beach. Need a bathroom? There’s always one nearby.Looking for adventure? Creep and climb over stretches of rocks and find avariety of sea creatures nestled in the sand and seaweed. How do you entertainthe family after dinner? They have a band for that. Every night, groups oftalented singers and musicians take the stage while the audience sings anddances along under the stars—unless it’s a Wednesday night when the weeklyfireworks blaze overhead. 

Sure,sometimes it’s nice to visit a beach offering only peace and beauty. But for myfamily, summer isn’t summer without at least a few trips to our favoriteboardwalk. 

A Sour Note (AMusic Box Mystery)

Genre:  Cozy Mystery

Blurb:

On theheels of a public, broken engagement, Maeve Cleary returns to her childhoodhome in Hampton Beach, NH. When a dead body turns up behind her mother’s musicschool, three old friends land on the suspect list. Licking her wounds soontakes a back seat to outrunning the paparazzi who spin into a frenzy, castingher in a cloud of suspicion. Maeve juggles her high school sweetheart, a cousinwith a touch of clairvoyance, a no-nonsense detective, and an apologetic, two-timingex-fiancé. Will the negative publicity impact business at the Music Box— thevery place she’d hoped to make a fresh start?

Excerpt:

With his mouth set in a grim line, hewaited.

If anyone else had enough nerve topresume she owed them an explanation, she would respond with a solid mind yourown business. Instead, the seventeen-year-old still inside her refused to tellhim to get lost. “He was hiding money in his office.” This was one of thosetimes when learning how to wait a few beats before blurting out inflammatoryinformation would come in handy. Each second of passing silence decreased herability to breathe in the confined space. She turned the ignition and switchedon the air conditioner.

“How do you know?” His volume just abovea whisper, each dragged-out word hung in the air.

“I found it.”

“When were you in his office?” He swipedat a bead of sweat trickling down the side of his face, then positioned a venttoward him.

“Last night.” When would she learn tobite her tongue? Finn’s switch from rapid-fire scolding to slow, deliberatequestioning left her unable to swallow over the sandpaper lump in her throat.

“Where was Vic?”

She stared at the back of the building,wishing she’d kept her mouth shut. “He’d left for the night.” If she avertedher gaze, she could pretend his eyeballs weren’t bugging out of his head, andhis jaw didn’t need a crane to haul it off his chest.

“You were at the town hall after hours?Did anyone see you?”

“A custodian opened his door for me.” Shesnuck a glance. Sure enough, features contorted in shock and horror replacedhis boy-next-door good looks. 

Purchase Links:

Amazon

Barnes and Noble 

About the Author:

Jill Piscitello is a teacher, author, and an avid fan ofmultiple literary genres. Although she divides her reading hours among severalbooks at a time, a lighthearted story offering an escape from the real worldcan always be found on her nightstand.

 

A native of New England, Jill lives with her family and threewell-loved cats. When not planning lessons or reading and writing, she can befound spending time with her family, trying out new restaurants, traveling, andgoing on light hikes.

 

Social media links:

Website ~ Twitter   ~ Facebook ~  Instagram   ~ Amazon ~ GoodReads ~BookBub

 

Fiction Imitates Life Imitates Fiction

Research...some authors love this part of writing. Others don't take it seriously enough. I'm not particularly fond of research, but I believe it's a necessity even though I'm creating a fictional world. This is especially true when my  fictional worlds are based on real places.

The MacKenzie Chronicles are set in Joshua, a fictional town inspired byand modeled after Jerome, Arizona. You’ll love Joshua, an 1800s mining town,turned ghost town, turned hippie haven, and now a tourist town, perched on theside of Spirit Mountain. Most of the MacKenzies are mystics, and you’ll want toget in on the family’s story from book one.

Here is a sample of research for The MacKenzie Chronicles:

Jerome isa town in the Black Hills of Yavapai County inthe U.S. state of Arizona.Founded in the late 19th century on Cleopatra Hill overlooking the Verde Valley,it is more than 5,000 feet (1,500 m) above sea level. In 1883, with the aid ofeastern financiers including James A. MacDonald and Eugene Jerome of New York City, they created theUnited Verde Copper Company. The small adjacent mining camp on Cleopatra Hillwas named Jerome in honor of Eugene Jerome, who became thecompany secretary.[n 1]

This is how I used it for my fictional town of Joshua:

Joshua isa town in the Black Hills of Yavapai County in the U.S. state of Arizona.Founded in the late 19th century on Spirit Mountain overlooking the Verde Valley,it is more than 5,000 feet (1,500 m) above sea level. In 1883, with the aid of eastern financiers including James B. Martinand Frederick Bennett of New York City, created the American Verde MiningCompany. The small adjacent mining camp on Spirit Mountain was named Joshua inhonor of Frederick Bennett’s first-born son, Joshua. F Bennett, who became thecompany secretary.

I became entrenched in my fictional Joshua, creating restaurants, hotels, shopping, neighborhoods, diaries, journals, and a history that dated back to the beginning in the 1800s. When the hippies descended on Jerome in the 1960s, my parallel Joshua experienced the rebirth. Frank MacKenzie and Susie Muse were two of the hippies who revitalized Joshua. Their children, Harlan, Magpie, and Elidor each tell their stories in The MacKenzie Chronicles.

“Secretsof the Ravine is an enticing romantic suspense from start to finish. BrendaWhiteside is known for writing compelling contemporary romantic suspense (herLove and Murder series) but in this one, there’s added depth with thehistorical mystery sub-plot. Once I started reading, I couldn’t stop.” NNLight’s Book Heaven Review 

"Mystery on Spirit Mountain...A punch of suspensethat has you flipping through the pages with ease. The bonus in this story isthe journal…connecting the past to the future in a suspenseful and surprisingfamily twist. The author is a master at weaving a romance into theedge-of-your-seat mystery." Still Moments Magazine

"Curse of Wolf Falls...The story isseamlessly written, and brings all thing small town together beautifully –family and traditions, old loves lost and reconnecting, new loves found, Nativebeliefs, spiritualism, empathy and a good dose of history. But it couldall come unraveled if Ellie loses the secret held in her locket. A few veryscary moments, wrapped up in a life-long love story, set in scenic Arizona,around a long-lost archaeological dig, will surely keep your attention. Hold on– this one is well worth the ride!" Paranormal Romance Guild

The MacKenzie Chronicles on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08JCKBVH2

Wickedly Provocative Heroines by J. Arlene Culiner

What a treat to have J. Arlene Culiner on Discover... again. She always has the most interesting posts. Today is no exception. So get ready for some wicked fun.

Am I wicked? I suppose so. And that’s why Ilove creating wicked romance heroines. 

Okay…I can’t say that I’m truly wicked. My heroines aren’t either—or at least, wearen’t wicked in the sense of evil, or nasty. We’re mischievously wicked. Weprovoke, we needle people until we get a reaction, we refuse to accept anythingat face value, and we question everyone’s ideas. 

Forexample, Rose Badger, the heroine of DesertRose, is the village flirt, and she wants all men to adore her. However,that’s only on the surface. Rose is careful to hide her rather louche past (whichincludes living in squats, and stealing from supermarkets). These days, she seemsto be the friendly owner of a second-hand clothes shop in a semi-ghost town inNevada. In reality, she’s a secretive person, and she makes sure no one knows whatshe really does in life, or what her real interests are. 

Secretive folks like Rose often have a wealthof knowledge that they keep hidden, and it’s hard to know what they’rethinking, or feeling. That does make life difficult, and forming close,trusting relationships is a definite challenge… which is what the very delicioushalf-Paiute Jonah Livingstone discovers. 

And when Jonah appears to be neglecting her,what does Rose do? Her wicked streak takes over. Dressed in a black bodysuitand stretch leopard leggings, she sets out to seduce Lance Potter, Jonah’s oneserious rival. 

Anotherdeliciously wicked character is Lucy Barnes from A Room in Blake’s Folly. Outspoken and brash, Lucy’s outrageousopinions often clash with accepted values. For example, she loves spiders, photographsthem, becomes enraged if anyone hurts them, and she is scathing to those whofear them: 

       Lance stared at her. “You aren’t afraid ofspiders?”

       Any trace of amusement was replaced bydisgust. “Because I’m a woman? Because every single woman on earth is idiotic?Because as soon as any of us see a spider, we have to run and grab a male whowill rescue us from something smaller than a fingernail?” Lucy’s eyes glintednaughtily. “What’s definitely true, is that half of all women but only tenpercent of men are afraid of spiders. Now try and work that fact into adiscussion about sexual equality.” 

Lucyis equally unyielding when it comes to television:      

       “You have a television?”

       Lance nodded. “You don’t approve.”

       “What does my approval have to do withit?”

       “Okay, why are you against television?”

       “Don’t you know that passively watchingtelevision greatly reduces our capacity for critical thought? The images changeso rapidly our brains can’t process them, so we end up not thinking thingsthrough, but ready to accept any form of propaganda, buy any product, and feelmiserable or diminished if we don’t.”

       Lance was grinning. “That’s prettyradical.”

“Yeah.” Lucyadmitted. “But it’s true, too. Besides, nobody has to subscribe to my point ofview, and I don’t mind at all.” 

Let’sget back to very secretive Rose. At the moment, she’s in the Mizpah Saloon withJonah and Lance, and both men are trying to discover what she does on Saturdaynights: 

Rose approachedthe little group slowly, still peeking carefully into the shadows of boothslining the wall.

Jonah was watchingher every movement. “You’re looking strangely furtive.”

“I’m avoiding mymother.”

Lance laughed;Jonah chuckled.

She scrunched upher face with mock pain. “Okay, okay. I know how infantile that sounds, but Ijust got rid of the woman. She staggered over to the shop about fifteen minutesago.”

“Staggered?”

“Four sheets tothe wind, as usual. She does make a habit of it.” Rose wrinkled her nose. “Now,she wants to drive into Reno with me on Saturday.”

“On Saturday? Ithought you didn’t do Saturdays,” said Lance laconically.

“Really?” Jonahraised one quizzical eyebrow and turned to Lance. “What do you mean, shedoesn’t do them? She wipes them off the calendar? Crams everything into asix-day, Sunday to Friday, week?”

“It’s her secretday. No one knows what she gets up to on Saturdays. Only that she isn’tavailable. Ever.”

“Aha. I was aboutto ask her to meet me this Saturday evening.”

“She’ll say no.She always does.”

Exasperated, Rosethrew both men the dirtiest look she could manage. “I’m not unavailable every Saturday. I intend to be here, in Blake’s Folly, forthe Get-Together, and that’s two Saturdays away. Now, would you both pleasestop talking about me in the third person? I’m here, right in front of you. Youcan address me directly, and I can speak for myself.”

“Except youdon’t. Not when it comes to Saturdays.” Lance’s voice was calm.

“Interesting.”Jonah nodded. “I wonder what she gets up to. A night at the roulette table?”

“Perhaps arendezvous in some den of iniquity.”

“Hmm. A secrethusband and seven secret children?”

“A hidden lover?”

“A change ofidentity?”

“A second life asan investment banker?”

“Or as a lapdancer.”

“A nude trapezeartist.”

“Or a nudecontortionist?”

      “Okay, cut it out, both of you,” Rose snapped. “You are aboutas much fun as my mother.” 

Desert Rose

Secrets are the best protection against love 

Rose Badger is the local flirt, and if theother inhabitants of backwoods Blake’s Folly, Nevada, don’t approve, shecouldn’t care less. With a disastrous marriage and a dead-end career far behindher, settling down is the last thing she intends to do. Newcomer JonahLivingstone is intriguing, but with his complicated life, he’s off limits foranything other than friendship. Besides, Rose has a secret world of her own—oneshe won’t give up for any man. 

The last person geologist Jonah Livingstoneexpected to meet in a semi-ghost town is the sparkling and lovely Rose Badger.But Rose, always surrounded by many admirers, doesn’t seem inclined to choose afavorite. So why fret? Jonah keeps his personal life well hidden…and that's thebest way to avoid disappointment. 

Purchase links: https://books2read.com/RosesDesert

Web:https://www.j-arleneculiner.com/desert-rose

Trailer:https://youtu.be/tHPrIciT0XU

 

A Room in Blake’s Folly

 

Secrets your grandparents never told you

In one hundred and fifty years, Blake'sFolly, a silver boomtown notorious for its brothels, scarlet ladies, silverbarons, speakeasies, and divorce ranches, has become a semi-ghost town.Although the old Mizpah Saloon is still in business, its upper floor issheathed in dust. But in a room at a long corridor's end, an adventurer, abeautiful dance girl, and a rejected wife were once caught in a love triangle,and their secret has touched three generations. The six stories in A Room inBlake’s Folly tell the tale. 

Purchase links: https://books2read.com/BlakesFollyRomance

Web site: https://www.j-arleneculiner.com/a-room-in-blake-s-folly

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wt3VkYUTVNk 

About the Author 

Writer, photographer, socialcritical artist, and impenitent teller of tall tales, J. Arlene Culiner, wasborn in New York and raised in Toronto. She has crossed much of Europe on foot,has lived in a mud house on the Great Hungarian Plain, a Bavarian castle, aTurkish cave dwelling, a haunted house on the English moors, and on a Dutchcanal. She now resides in a 400-year-old former inn in a French village of nointerest where, much to local dismay, she protects spiders, snakes, and allweeds. She particularly enjoys incorporating into mysteries, non-fiction, andromances, her experiences in out-of-the-way communities, and her conversationswith very odd characters.

Author Website: http://www.j-arleneculiner.com

And here are all my links in one place: https://linktr.ee/j.arleneculiner

 

The Mighty Pen by Barbara White Daille

FEARLESS FRIDAY

It's a treat to welcome Barbara back to Discover... She's given us a fun post. Read on!

Thanks to Brendafor inviting me back to the blog, and Happy Father’s Day to you and yours! 

Some of the friendsI consider fearless spend their spare time skydiving, bungee jumping, orziplining. They climb mountains, kayak over rapids, or push themselves to theirlimit during triathlons. They have dental work done without the use of an anesthetic! 

Me? I sit at adesk and write books. 

You may at onetime have read this proverb: The pen ismightier than the sword. 

Research comesup with different interpretations of the above, but the ones I like best explainit this way: Brains win out over brawn. Arguments can be settled peacefullyrather than by jumping into a fistfight. Words arouse our emotions aseffectively as a razor-sharp blade draws blood. 

While reading, haveyou ever sighed in frustration at the hero’s stubbornness? Shed a tear at ahappy-ever-after ending? Shivered and turned up the bedside lamp before flippingthe next page of a horror novel? Laughed aloud as a five-year-old flower girlupstaged an entire wedding ceremony? 

If so, in thatbook you’d just read a great example of having your emotions triggered—bywords. 

Some authors havemastered that skill and play with our feelings on every page. The authors maybe different for each of us, but they’re often the ones we auto-buy and put atthe top of our to-be-read piles or lists. 

Those authorsare also fearless. They put their hearts into the stories, draw on their ownemotions, and share their experiences—whether in an as-it-actually-happenedform or after taking some poetic license. 

As anintroverted author, I can truthfully tell you sharing your feelings with theworld takes guts. I feel that fear and do it anyway, giving it my best shot.Why? Because the greatest reading experiences happen when the characters andthe readers are on the same emotional page. 

For thisFather’s Day weekend, here’s a peek at a special daddy-to-be from my sweetcontemporary romance, Court Me, Cowboy. 

From thebook cover:

The End. . . or Just theBeginning? 

Three weeks. Gabe Miller'smarriage ended in divorce so fast it had hardly begun. Which is why he couldn'tquite believe his luck—or his "ex"—when she returned a few monthslater with the news that legally they were still husband and wife. And that thechild she was carrying was his son. 

It looked as if Marissamight bolt again, making a custody battle his only option—unless he could turnback the clock and woo her the way he should have during their whirlwindaffair. But even with his boy's future at stake, mending fences with awoman—especially the one he loved—wasn't something the strong, silent typefound easy to do.... 

Review clip:

 

“…laugh outloud funny and charming. …a book you won’t be able to put down.”

 

Find thebook:

At most booksellers,including:

Amazon https://www.amzn.com/Court-Cowboy/dp/B00EM36HD0

About Barbara:

Barbara White Daille lives with her husband in the sunny Southwest. Though theylove the warm winters and the lizards in their front yard, they haven’t gottenused to the scorpions in the bathroom. She also loves writing, reading, andchocolate. Stop by Barbara’s website, where you can find more info about herbooks, check out her blog, andsign up for her newsletter:  https://www.barbarawhitedaille.com/newsletter.