Brenda Whiteside's Blog, page 59

Genre Hop Part 3 Steampunk! What's #Steampunk? by Laura Strickland

MUSE MONDAY
Laura has introduced us to several genres she writes. Today is the third and particularly interesting because I'm not sure what SteamPunk is. How about you? Please give us a lesson, Laura!
If I had a nickel for every time I’ve been asked this question, I’d be a wealthy woman indeed. Usually, when I confess that I write Steampunk Adventure novels, people tend to look at me with a puzzled expression, perhaps wondering whether I also sacrifice goats on weekends or whether my tattoos are all safely hidden beneath my clothing. I can almost hear them thinking, “Wow, but she looks like such a normal lady.”
And I always feel as if I’ve been put on the spot. Despite all the times I’ve been asked, “What’s Steampunk?” I’ve yet to come up with a perfect answer. Perhaps that’s because Steampunk means different things to different people.
Here’s how the Urban Dictionary defines it:  Steampunk is a subgenre of speculative fiction, usually set in an anachronistic Victorian or quasi-Victorian alternate history setting. It could be described by the slogan "What the past would look like if the future had happened sooner." It includes fiction with science fiction, fantasy or horror themes.
For me, Steampunk is more a feeling than a definition. It’s a dark and misty place in my mind populated by folks who might have escaped from one of the more troubling Dickens novels, with a hint of Sherlock Holmes and a seasoning of black humor. Wrap that all up in an atmosphere of steam-powered everythingfrom airships to automatons, and you’re getting close to what I think of, when I think Steampunk.
Fans tend to get into varying aspects of the genre. Some like the mechanics of it—they want to create their own gadgets, and claim their own realities. Others fall for the costuming—think Victorian gone on a wild weekend with Gothic. For me, it’s all about the characters. What sort of people would inhabit such a world? Would its mechanics affect them? How?
When I first set out to write a Steampunk Romance, I thought I’d set it in London, like so many other Steampunk tales. My daughter, who lives in Buffalo, New York—city of my birth—suggested I set it there instead. Upon thought, I had to acknowledge that Buffalo offers everything I love about Steampunk—strength and grit and an industrial past, people who as the sons and daughters of immigrants tend to look at the world a bit darkly, and who never, ever give up. And so the world of Buffalo Steampunk Adventure was born. I and my readers have traveled back again and again. Come visit, if you dare!
Blurb for Dead Handsome: A Buffalo Steampunk Adventure (first book in series)
Clara Allen needs a husband in order to keep a roof over the heads of her assorted dependents, a roof her nasty grandfather will re-appropriate unless she is married by her 21st birthday, only a few days away. Strong-minded, unwilling to take orders from any man, she decides to solve her problem by raising a murdered prisoner from the dead and marrying him. She expects an empty-headed puppet; she certainly never dreams he’ll be so devastatingly handsome.
Liam McMahon doesn’t recall much about his life before his hanging in the prison yard, other than being Irish. He does remember the kiss Clara bestowed as she brought him back to life. Every time he looks at her, his desire gets out of hand. But his former life is chasing him down like a steam engine, and when a couple of mad geniuses decide he’d make a fine experiment, he wonders if he’ll live long enough to claim Clara’s heart or if he’ll die all over again.
CLICK FOR AMAZON BUY LINK 
Author web site: HERE
Author bio:Born in Buffalo and raised on the Niagara Frontier, award-winning author Laura Strickland has been an avid reader and writer since childhood. She believes the spunky, tenacious, undefeatable ethnic mix that is Buffalo spells the perfect setting for a little Steampunk, so she created her own Victorian world there.  She knows the people of Buffalo are stronger, tougher and smarter than those who haven’t survived the muggy summers and blizzard blasts found on the shores of the mighty Niagara.  Tough enough to survive a squad of killer automatons? Well, just maybe.

Steampunk! What's #Steampunk? by Laura Strickland

MUSE MONDAY
Laura has introduced us to several genres she writes. Today is of particular interest because I'm not sure what SteamPunk is. How about you? Please give us a lesson, Laura!
If I had a nickel for every time I’ve been asked this question, I’d be a wealthy woman indeed. Usually, when I confess that I write Steampunk Adventure novels, people tend to look at me with a puzzled expression, perhaps wondering whether I also sacrifice goats on weekends or whether my tattoos are all safely hidden beneath my clothing. I can almost hear them thinking, “Wow, but she looks like such a normal lady.”
And I always feel as if I’ve been put on the spot. Despite all the times I’ve been asked, “What’s Steampunk?” I’ve yet to come up with a perfect answer. Perhaps that’s because Steampunk means different things to different people.
Here’s how the Urban Dictionary defines it:  Steampunk is a subgenre of speculative fiction, usually set in an anachronistic Victorian or quasi-Victorian alternate history setting. It could be described by the slogan "What the past would look like if the future had happened sooner." It includes fiction with science fiction, fantasy or horror themes.
For me, Steampunk is more a feeling than a definition. It’s a dark and misty place in my mind populated by folks who might have escaped from one of the more troubling Dickens novels, with a hint of Sherlock Holmes and a seasoning of black humor. Wrap that all up in an atmosphere of steam-powered everythingfrom airships to automatons, and you’re getting close to what I think of, when I think Steampunk.
Fans tend to get into varying aspects of the genre. Some like the mechanics of it—they want to create their own gadgets, and claim their own realities. Others fall for the costuming—think Victorian gone on a wild weekend with Gothic. For me, it’s all about the characters. What sort of people would inhabit such a world? Would its mechanics affect them? How?
When I first set out to write a Steampunk Romance, I thought I’d set it in London, like so many other Steampunk tales. My daughter, who lives in Buffalo, New York—city of my birth—suggested I set it there instead. Upon thought, I had to acknowledge that Buffalo offers everything I love about Steampunk—strength and grit and an industrial past, people who as the sons and daughters of immigrants tend to look at the world a bit darkly, and who never, ever give up. And so the world of Buffalo Steampunk Adventure was born. I and my readers have traveled back again and again. Come visit, if you dare!
Blurb for Dead Handsome: A Buffalo Steampunk Adventure (first book in series)
Clara Allen needs a husband in order to keep a roof over the heads of her assorted dependents, a roof her nasty grandfather will re-appropriate unless she is married by her 21st birthday, only a few days away. Strong-minded, unwilling to take orders from any man, she decides to solve her problem by raising a murdered prisoner from the dead and marrying him. She expects an empty-headed puppet; she certainly never dreams he’ll be so devastatingly handsome.
Liam McMahon doesn’t recall much about his life before his hanging in the prison yard, other than being Irish. He does remember the kiss Clara bestowed as she brought him back to life. Every time he looks at her, his desire gets out of hand. But his former life is chasing him down like a steam engine, and when a couple of mad geniuses decide he’d make a fine experiment, he wonders if he’ll live long enough to claim Clara’s heart or if he’ll die all over again.
CLICK FOR AMAZON BUY LINK 
Author web site: HERE
Author bio:Born in Buffalo and raised on the Niagara Frontier, award-winning author Laura Strickland has been an avid reader and writer since childhood. She believes the spunky, tenacious, undefeatable ethnic mix that is Buffalo spells the perfect setting for a little Steampunk, so she created her own Victorian world there.  She knows the people of Buffalo are stronger, tougher and smarter than those who haven’t survived the muggy summers and blizzard blasts found on the shores of the mighty Niagara.  Tough enough to survive a squad of killer automatons? Well, just maybe.

Steampunk! What's #Steampunk?

MUSE MONDAY
Laura has introduced us to several genres she writes. Today is of particular interest because I'm not sure what SteamPunk is. How about you? Please give us a lesson, Laura!
If I had a nickel for every time I’ve been asked this question, I’d be a wealthy woman indeed. Usually, when I confess that I write Steampunk Adventure novels, people tend to look at me with a puzzled expression, perhaps wondering whether I also sacrifice goats on weekends or whether my tattoos are all safely hidden beneath my clothing. I can almost hear them thinking, “Wow, but she looks like such a normal lady.”
And I always feel as if I’ve been put on the spot. Despite all the times I’ve been asked, “What’s Steampunk?” I’ve yet to come up with a perfect answer. Perhaps that’s because Steampunk means different things to different people.
Here’s how the Urban Dictionary defines it:  Steampunk is a subgenre of speculative fiction, usually set in an anachronistic Victorian or quasi-Victorian alternate history setting. It could be described by the slogan "What the past would look like if the future had happened sooner." It includes fiction with science fiction, fantasy or horror themes.
For me, Steampunk is more a feeling than a definition. It’s a dark and misty place in my mind populated by folks who might have escaped from one of the more troubling Dickens novels, with a hint of Sherlock Holmes and a seasoning of black humor. Wrap that all up in an atmosphere of steam-powered everythingfrom airships to automatons, and you’re getting close to what I think of, when I think Steampunk.
Fans tend to get into varying aspects of the genre. Some like the mechanics of it—they want to create their own gadgets, and claim their own realities. Others fall for the costuming—think Victorian gone on a wild weekend with Gothic. For me, it’s all about the characters. What sort of people would inhabit such a world? Would its mechanics affect them? How?
When I first set out to write a Steampunk Romance, I thought I’d set it in London, like so many other Steampunk tales. My daughter, who lives in Buffalo, New York—city of my birth—suggested I set it there instead. Upon thought, I had to acknowledge that Buffalo offers everything I love about Steampunk—strength and grit and an industrial past, people who as the sons and daughters of immigrants tend to look at the world a bit darkly, and who never, ever give up. And so the world of Buffalo Steampunk Adventure was born. I and my readers have traveled back again and again. Come visit, if you dare!
Blurb for Dead Handsome: A Buffalo Steampunk Adventure (first book in series)
Clara Allen needs a husband in order to keep a roof over the heads of her assorted dependents, a roof her nasty grandfather will re-appropriate unless she is married by her 21st birthday, only a few days away. Strong-minded, unwilling to take orders from any man, she decides to solve her problem by raising a murdered prisoner from the dead and marrying him. She expects an empty-headed puppet; she certainly never dreams he’ll be so devastatingly handsome.
Liam McMahon doesn’t recall much about his life before his hanging in the prison yard, other than being Irish. He does remember the kiss Clara bestowed as she brought him back to life. Every time he looks at her, his desire gets out of hand. But his former life is chasing him down like a steam engine, and when a couple of mad geniuses decide he’d make a fine experiment, he wonders if he’ll live long enough to claim Clara’s heart or if he’ll die all over again.
CLICK FOR AMAZON BUY LINK 
Author web site: HERE
Author bio:Born in Buffalo and raised on the Niagara Frontier, award-winning author Laura Strickland has been an avid reader and writer since childhood. She believes the spunky, tenacious, undefeatable ethnic mix that is Buffalo spells the perfect setting for a little Steampunk, so she created her own Victorian world there.  She knows the people of Buffalo are stronger, tougher and smarter than those who haven’t survived the muggy summers and blizzard blasts found on the shores of the mighty Niagara.  Tough enough to survive a squad of killer automatons? Well, just maybe.

#FairyGarden and #Farming in the Desert

It’s not getting much cooler here in Tonto Basin, or anywhere else in Arizona. I took part in the annual Chino Valley Days a couple of weeks ago. So glad we had shade and a breeze off and on. I enjoy doing this event every year with some fellow Arizona authors. It’s small town Arizona with a pancake breakfast and parade. Of course, I don’t get to take part in either since I’m under the tent with my books, but the atmosphere is fun. When someone walks directly to me and asks to see my latest book, I’m honored. I had several repeat customers who read all my books. I wish I could write them as fast as they read them.

When I’m not writing, I like to “play in the dirt” as FDW calls it. It isn't technically farming on this scale, but I am a fiction writer! Until last spring, I stuck to potted plants at the Ranch. In late spring, I tried a small plot. It was a failure. The soil here is mostly sand, and I planted too late. Since it’s supposed to be fall, I’ve added more planting soil and tried some different vegetables. But the heat is hanging on so I’m not sure what will happen. In pots, I have sage and fennel that are two years old. I’ve got basil that is new. The rosemary in the ground is a hardy plant and still going strong after three years. In the small plot, I planted seeds of green onions, carrots, beets, chives, and dill and broccoli plants. Wish me luck. I’ll need it for my garden in the desert.
My fairy garden is to the side and a work in progress. I have more fairy additions coming in the mail. I’ll play with it over the next few months.

Do you garden? Or play with fairies? I'd love to hear your stories.

Female Trucker to Sexy Romance by Dee S. Knight

FEARLESS FRIDAY 
Dee is fearless for sure. When she says "this might not seem very fearless", I answer "oh yes it is!"
Growing up, I never considered myself fearless. Far from it, in fact. Maybe because I had polio as an infant and my left leg was affected to the point that I wore braces until I was in my mid-teens. Despite that, I learned to roller skate, ride a bike, learned to dance, and took part in most everything else kids do. So maybe my mom instilled some fearlessness in me while I wasn't looking. I went from a mom who made me get out and do things to a husband who rarely took no for an answer when it came to adventure. I like to say that between them—my mom and my husband—they thought I could do anything. Even things I didn't particularly want to do! And that leads me to my most fearless action.
I am a creature who likes stability. I'm fairly risk-averse. So when hubby came home from work one day and said, "Remember all those years while we were dating I said I thought we should drive a truck? Well, I wasn't kidding," I didn't quite know what to think. But I'd watched the big rigs go up and down the highways and I'd suffered from wanderlust for years so I said, "Why not." In a matter of weeks, stay-at-home me packed up the items we wanted to keep and stored them in my in-law's attic. We sold everything else, let the apartment go and set off for Home Transportation in Marietta, GA. This might not seem very fearless unless you consider that I had never been inside a big rig, much less had driving experience. Remember what I said above? I was raised to believe I could do anything, and I had no doubts that I could handle driving a tractor trailer.
Well, we had a few setbacks. Hubby went out by himself for six months or so, but then called me back down. I went through "truck school" (this was before the national license and testing that we have now), had the physical—which I almost didn't pass because of the residual effects of the polio on my left (clutch) foot and leg—and I went, fat, dumb, and happy, as my mom would say. Hubby taught me how to drive by making me practice when and how to shift the truck's fifteen gears in the company parking lot. Then off we went, like we knew what we were doing. That was the start of eight fabulous, fun years driving throughout the U.S. and parts of Canada. In probably a quarter of a million miles of driving I never had an accident or a ticket. Had lots of laughs, though, and many days of hard work. Being fearless was definitely worth it! 
A few years ago, Dee S. Knight began writing, making getting up in the morning fun. During the day, her characters killed people, fell in love, became drunk with power, or sober with responsibility. And they had sex, lots of sex. Writing was so much fun Dee decided to keep at it. That's how she spends her days. Her nights? Well, she's lucky that her dream man, childhood sweetheart, and long-time hubby are all the same guy, and nights are their secret. Find Dee on https://nomadauthors.comand read about her books like her latest, Naval Maneuvers. Contact Dee at dsknight@deesknight.com.
Find all of Dee's books HERE

In The Book: When #Inspiration Strikes #girlpower

In the Book
One spring day, I received an invitation for Ben and Amanda for a summer wedding. The invitation was on a full sheet of paper, folded. Because of the folds, the first thing I saw was "Amanda in summer." I was instantly transported to another era. Holding a folded sheet of paper was reminiscent of an age of letter writing communication. That led me to a woman named Amanda, toes in the sand on a summer day. Inspiration hit. I wish I’d kept a detailed account of where my mind wandered. But I didn’t. The complexity of this brief novella tells the tale.
Three generations of women…and the secret that strengthens their love.
Imagine summertime, lazy days, lying on the beach watching the waves roll in and writing a letter to your best friend. Okay, this is probably totally foreign to some of you. Write a letter? Why not just call or text? In 1947, you wouldn’t have had that option. Writing a letter was an art, an intimate exchange and a satisfying pastime. The excitement of waiting for a reply and checking the mailbox every day was a treat. Amanda in the Summer is told through that old-fashioned way of communicating. Three of my characters are named Amanda, mother, daughter and granddaughter, and through letters they write to Tilly, over the course of fifty-seven years, a story of love, pain, secrets and joy unfolds. We never hear from Tilly, but through the words of the three Amandas we meet the woman who is the epitome of the forward-thinking female of her era. She’s a member of the beat generation of the forties and fifties and holds a secret that affects all three generations of Amandas. Although each generation has her own voice, the friendship and love remain constant. But then there’s that secret…
BUY LINKS: iTunes Barnes and NobleKoboAmazonBookstrandGoogle

#FearlessFridays and Facing Your Fear of #FreshStarts by Addison Brae

FEARLESS FRIDAY
Since I'm a Bathophobic (fear of being underground or underwater), I'm enjoying today's Fearless Friday. I haven't conquered mine yet, but you'll be delighted to read about Addison Brae and some other phobias.
Do you ever get dizzy, breathless, or nauseous at the thought of flying, sharks, tornados, hurricanes, earthquakes, or even learning something new? The National Institute of Mental Health reports an estimated 9.1 percent of U.S. adults had a specific phobia over the year of the study, and the prevalence was 12.2 percent for females.
Here are some achievements I certainly didn’t tackle fearlessly, but rather faced my fears head-on. These adventures may not be phobias, but at times my heart raced. I felt like I would throw up any second. The good far outweighed the bad, and in hindsight, I don’t regret any of these journeys.
·     * Attended high school in another country—inspired my first manuscript·     *Got my scuba certification·     *Learned to figure skate as an adult and competed—inspired my second manuscript·     *Rode in a hot air balloon·     *Quit my corporate job to start my own consulting business—August was 18 years·     *Learned to shoot a pistol·     *Bought a sports car·     *Published a novel
The achievement that sticks with me most was leaving my second husband. It was an emotionally abusive relationship about to explode to violence. Before I left I was afraid for my life at times. The fear of stepping out into the single world again brought an entirely opposite fear. These experiences inspired Becker Circle, my third manuscript and first to publish.
Seventy-four percent of people in America know someone who’s a domestic abuse victim, which is why a portion of my proceeds go to Hope’s Door New Beginnings Center, to help raise awareness and stop the horrible trend. The good news is we always have a way out. Fresh starts are scary. They almost always come with doubts like Gillian, the main character in Becker Circle, experienced, but those doubts are rarely worse than what already happened. Fresh starts come with experimentation. We screw up. The sting reminds us we’re not numb.

Facing fear of leaving and a new beginning led to another adventure, vacationing in Puerto Rico--alone. A few years later, it led to something else that causes shortness of breath and racing heartbeats--falling in love. 
Today’s Fearless Friday. You don’t have to be fearless, but I challenge you to stare down a fear today.You can find Becker Circle on Amazon.  Connect with Addison Brae on website, Tirgearr Publishing, Twitter, Facebookor YouTube.
About Becker CircleNew degree. New job. It’s Gillian’s fresh start across the country. So much to experience. A giant past to forget. Gillian’s sense of humor and best friend help her maintain her self-respect when most every jerk in the neighborhood hits on her. Who know a fresh start could threaten her dignity—and even her life. Watch the trailer. 

#FearlessFridays and Facing You Fear of #FreshStarts by Addison Brae

FEARLESS FRIDAY
Since I'm a Bathophobic (fear of being underground or underwater), I'm enjoying today's Fearless Friday. I haven't conquered mine yet, but you'll be delighted to read about Addison Brae and some other phobias.
Do you ever get dizzy, breathless, or nauseous at the thought of flying, sharks, tornados, hurricanes, earthquakes, or even learning something new? The National Institute of Mental Health reports an estimated 9.1 percent of U.S. adults had a specific phobia over the year of the study, and the prevalence was 12.2 percent for females.
Here are some achievements I certainly didn’t tackle fearlessly, but rather faced my fears head-on. These adventures may not be phobias, but at times my heart raced. I felt like I would throw up any second. The good far outweighed the bad, and in hindsight, I don’t regret any of these journeys.
·     * Attended high school in another country—inspired my first manuscript·     *Got my scuba certification·     *Learned to figure skate as an adult and competed—inspired my second manuscript·     *Rode in a hot air balloon·     *Quite my corporate job to start my own consulting business—August was 18 years·     *Learned to shoot a pistol·     *Bought a sports car·     *Published a novel
The achievement that sticks with me most was leaving my second husband. It was an emotionally abusive relationship about to explode to violence. Before I left I was afraid for my life at times. The fear of stepping out into the single world again brought an entirely opposite fear. These experiences inspired Becker Circle, my third manuscript and first to publish.
Seventy-four percent of people in America know someone who’s a domestic abuse victim, which is why a portion of my proceeds go to Hope’s Door New Beginnings Center, to help raise awareness and stop the horrible trend. The good news is we always have a way out. Fresh starts are scary. They almost always come with doubts like Gillian, the main character in Becker Circle, experienced, but those doubts are rarely worse than what already happened. Fresh starts come with experimentation. We screw up. The sting reminds us we’re not numb. 
Today’s Fearless Friday. You don’t have to be fearless, but I challenge you to stare down a fear today.You can find Becker Circle on Amazon.  Connect with Addison Brae on website, Tirgearr Publishing, Twitter, Facebookor YouTube.
About Becker CircleNew degree. New job. It’s Gillian’s fresh start across the country. So much to experience. A giant past to forget. Gillian’s sense of humor and best friend help her maintain her self-respect when most every jerk in the neighborhood hits on her. Who know a fresh start could threaten her dignity—and even her life. Watch the trailer. 

Reading and #Reviews (Garner, Konrath, and Henderson)

I'm a writer, but I'm also a reader. Each month, I'll share with you what I'm reading and some reviews. My available time to read is limited because I write, but I love to curl up with a book or a reader at night for the last hour of my waking day.

I tend to read what I write, but not exclusively. I also like detective thrillers, WWII historicals, mysteries, and some main stream character driven novels. I just finished Overland on the Hippie Trail by Larry Farmer. I'll review it soon. My current read is a Dying to Love You by Alicia Dean. It's a short romantic paranormal and I'll share my review in the future.

Here are some of the books I've read recently. Maybe you'll discover a new book or author!
BUY LINK CLICK HERE
Risky Redemption (Rogue Security) by Marissa GarnerThis is the first book I've read by Marissa Garner and it won't be the last. My favorite kind of books have both suspense and romance. Wow, does this Romantic Suspense meet my reading taste. I see there are other Rogue Security novels so I'm happy. The main characters in this novel kept me reading. This guy is just the right amount of bad and certainly enough tough. Angela is a heroine we can route for. Definitely recommend to romantic suspense lovers.
Bloody Mary (Jacqueline “Jack” Daniels #2) by J.A. Konrath BUY LINK CLICK HEREI didn’t read the first book in the series. It didn’t hurt. Jack is a tough female detective who deals with her ex, a new boyfriend, an oversexed and overfed partner, her mom’s failing health and, of course, murder. This serial killer is a sicko. The characters are well portrayed and in spite of the subject matter, there is humor. It was a little too cutesy for me, but overall an entertaining, light read. Suspense/Mystery


Boiling Point (Phoenix Ltd. Book 2) by Alison Henderson BUY LINK CLICK HEREI love stories about mistaken identity, or in this case, hidden identity. When a female body guard poses as a chef (and she can't cook), and a male body guard poses as a chauffeur (and he never drives), the humor is light in the midst of real suspense. Their attraction for each other, and their suspicion of each other, makes for fun reading while they try to protect each half of a couple in danger. You’ll enjoy this Romantic Suspense an entertaining read. By the way, I again didn't start with book one in the series. What's up with that? Whatever, it didn't matter.

The Lure of #Scottish #Romance by Laura Strickland

MUSE MONDAY
Here's post number two by Laura Strickland. She writes in multiple genres, and I asked her to share more about them with each post.
I’ve always loved Scottish Historical Romance. In the early days, fabulous books like Barbara Michaels’ The Master of Blacktower drew me in. I thrilled to the misty, brooding atmosphere of moor, mountain and glen, and desired a brooding hero to match. When I met my best friend in High School (incidentally, she’s still my best friend today), one of the first things I said to her was, “I write books about Scotland”. So I guess it’s fitting the book that let me break into print with my now publisher, The Wild Rose Press, was just such a story, Devil Black .
I have to admit, I still prefer a dark hero when it comes to a Highland love story. I want him to be as elemental, and perhaps as changeable, as the land of his birth—as rough around the edges, and as compelling to a woman’s heart. I want him to be harsh and gentle in turns, like the wind from the Hebrides. I want him to be irresistible, like the land I love.
Of course, such a hero demands a heroine of strength, one who won’t back down—one who, perhaps, never imagines just how tough she is, till she runs into him. Throw in some details from Scotland’s turbulent past, and you have a book in which you can lose yourself. Ah, romance!
Readers often ask me how I moved from writing Scottish Historical Romance to other genres, like Steampunk. Here’s a little secret: they’re not all that different. They’re set in different historical eras, it’s true, but if you take a look you’ll find all my heroes are either devilishly dark, or fascinatingly damaged. Like Finnan MacAllister, from His Wicked Highland Ways , who’s had readers screaming at him through the pages since the book first came out.
So, what’s your idea of the perfect Scottish hero?
His Wicked Highland Ways blurb:Widowed following a marriage of convenience, Jeannie MacWherter has fled lowland Dumfries, Scotland, for the highland cottage bequeathed to her late husband by his brother-in-arms, laird of the glen. Though she’s never met the laird, local rumor labels him both murderer and seducer—a wicked, dangerous man who Jeannie learns is determined to chase her from his land.
Finnan MacAllister has come home to Glen Mhor in order to right past wrongs. He doesn’t care that Rowan Cottage is the beautiful Widow MacWherter’s only refuge. He’s convinced she’s a wanton who deliberately broke the heart of his best friend, Geordie, and he’s vowed to get even with her: seduction is his weapon of choice. But will his own heart betray him?
Excerpt:The man arose from the pool stark naked and dripping wet, like a god newly formed. Jeannie took another half step backward and blinked, not entirely believing the sight that met her eyes: some six foot of male, all rippling muscles, scars, and tattoos, with a curtain of sopping red-brown hair that slapped his shoulder blades, and a handsome, dangerous face. His eyes were tawny brown, almost the same color as his hair, and spiked by wet, black lashes. But after one glance, Jeannie could not make herself look there.
Instead her gaze dropped—and dropped. Sweet, merciful heaven! Was that how men came equipped? She might be a widow in name, but she had never seen her husband, Geordie, naked. Theirs had not been that kind of relationship, or that kind of marriage.
But she had an eyeful now, right enough, and for the life of her could not keep from staring. What a ridiculous, daunting, and marvelous appendage! How did men ever manage to walk around like that?But this man did not attempt to walk. He merely stood in the shallow pool with the water lapping around his…Jeannie’s strained mind supplied the word “weapon”…and gazed at her as if he found her as hard to fathom as she found him.
Ah, and she never should have walked so far down the glen. But dearly as she loved Aggie, Jeannie sometimes needed to escape her chatter, and the beautiful day had lured her on.Into danger, clearly. Who was he? Obviously someone of ill repute, a traveler, a dangerous outlaw, a madman. What if he decided to use that terrible weapon on her, and she on her own?
Instead he spoke the way a man might to a frightened horse. “There, now, no need to be afraid. I’ll not harm you.”
Jeannie took another judicious step backward. If she ran, would he be able to catch her? No doubt, given those long, muscular legs.
She shook her head, and her hair tumbled about her shoulders. Never well-disciplined, the yellow curls invariably escaped their pins, and she’d lost most of those on her walk down the glen.
He spoke again, in a voice smooth as warmed honey, lilting, and very Highland. “Where are you from, lass? You’ll be a maid at Avrie House, no doubt.” Deliberately he snagged his plaid, which lay on the bank, and wrapped it around his waist.
“Why were you lying in the water?” Jeannie forced her voice past suddenly stiff lips. “I thought you dead, drowned.”  Buy links:Buy Link Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Wicked-Highland-Ways-Laura-Strickland-ebook/dp/B00V7CT52O/  Buy Link Amazon Canada: http://www.amazon.ca/Wicked-Highland-Ways-Laura-Strickland-ebook/dp/B00V7CT52O/  Buy Link Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wicked-Highland-Ways-Laura-Strickland-ebook/dp/B00V7CT52O/  Buy Link The Wild Rose Press: http://www.wildrosepublishing.com/maincatalog_v151/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=242_176_138&products_id=6183Buy Link Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/his-wicked-highland-ways-laura-strickland/1121602060?ean=2940151491181KOBO: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-CA/ebook/his-wicked-highland-waysGoodreads address: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25417018-his-wicked-highland-ways?ac=1Author Web site: www.laurastricklandbooks.comAuthor Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000002632317Author Amazon page:  http://www.amazon.com/Laura-Strickland/e/B001KHSACW/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1
Author bio:Born and raised in Western New York, Laura Strickland has pursued lifelong interests in lore, legend, magic and music, all reflected in her writing. Though her imagination frequently takes her to far off places, she is usually happiest at home not far from Lake Ontario with her husband and her "fur" child, a rescue dog. Author of Scottish romance Devil Black as well as The Guardians of Sherwood Trilogy, she is pleased to say that His Wicked Highland Ways is her eighth title for The Wild Rose Press.