Nancy Lee Badger's Blog, page 59

And the Winner is....

Entry #308 Mary M. She is my blog's WINNER during the  WINTER WONDER MAN BLOG HOP! Her prize will be on its way soon!

Winter Wonder Man Blog Hop & Giveaway

Winter winds have descended on America (including where I live in the sunny south) and all I want to do is read a good book. Everyone loves a good read by the fire. How about you? Movies are okay, too, but there is just something about that book.

This is a Blog Hop, where dozens of authors and others have grouped together to offer fantastic prizes. We would all like to give those prizes away, so read the topic, and answer the question:

"What makes a hero in movies and books wonderful to the point your toes curl?"

Why a Blog Hop? Authors 
want to showcase their work!
My latest release is 
3-Books-in-1
DRAGON Bites contains 
3 Scottish tales that deal 
with dragons and romance:
*Dragon's Curse
*Southern Fried Dragon
*Dragon in the Mist
Available in e-book and print

AMAZON Kindle   AMAZON print     NOOK     BarnesandNoble print     iTunes      KOBO
*Check all my titles on my Amazon Author Page
The GRAND PRIZE a $35 Barnes and Noble Gift Card will be awarded to one lucky personby the Blog Hop CoordinatorBellaMediaManagement

A random winner from my blog entrants will win something wonderful to help you 
get ORGANIZED in 2014! 

the WonderFILE
a portable workstationAnd because y'all are readers,I will stuff it with ButterSCOTCH Candy and the following autographed print copies of:Glitter Baby by Susan Elizabeth PhillipsThe Guardian by Margaret MalloryDRAGON Bites by ME! *please note: any winner residing OUTSIDE the Continental US will receive a library of e-books by Nancy Lee Badger

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Nancy Lee Badger Presents John Reinhard Dizon and The Role of Gender

Author John Reinhard Dizon
2014 brings some changes to my blog, and I am happy to start the year off with an article by author John Reinhard Dizon. John stopped by to discuss the role of gender. Learn more about how his used this subject in his latest release, The Bat.
The role of gender in The Bat is highly significant as we consider the impact of female protagonist Brenda Hammond on the narrative. The tone of discontent is prevalent throughout as Brenda realizes she is being exploited by Chief Joel Madden in the exchange of information as an undercover operative for the detective badge she desires. Her romantic involvement with Johnny Sullivan, a member of the group of interest, is being leveraged by Madden to his own benefit in trying to win Brenda’s affections. She is also stressed by having to compromise Richard Garrison and Dr. Coulter, conflicted by having to betray their personal trust in pursuing her professional objectives. She compares her situation with others in her department and realizes she is being exploited as a female rather than being able to rely on sheer ability to succeed in the investigation.
Holly Westlake rejects the gender norms in her act of suicide caused by the abusive relationships she has endured. Her deceased husband gave her a life of uncertainty and risk as a professional gambler, and after his murder she existed under the threat of blackmail as the Mob pressured her for her husband’s ‘black book’. In turning to Dr. Coulter, she finds a lover and a therapist who betrays her by using his experimental DMX-1313 drug on her. The omniscient narrative implies that Holly killed herself out of desperation. Yet scholars might consider the possibility that Holly may have sacrificed her life to have placed the ‘smoking gun’ in the untouchable Doctor’s hand.   We find Darla Mc Carthyreaffirming the gender norm as the stabilizing female character in the novel. She takes the initiative in kindling a relationship with Richard Garrison, then recedes as he reestablishes contact with his own emotions. Unlike Tommy O’Hara’s girlfriend Jill Masterson, she succeeds in breaking down Richard’s walls while strengthening both their relationship and his own overall self-perception. She leads Brenda and Jill by example in improving their own relationships without being didactic or self-righteous. Darla becomes a ‘mother earth’ figure of serenity as opposed to Brenda being a damsel in distress and Holly having opted out rather than seeking resolution to her struggles.
The Bat continues in the tradition of John Reinhard Dizon’s works in discussing the role of gender in society and literature, examining the cause and effect of cultural projections on women and how personality, psychological outlook and overall character determines social outcomes. The ‘second class citizen’ viewpoint is not only questioned but rejected in this essential viewpoint on female perspectives.
What’s next for you?
Nightcrawler is another action/adventure novel with a strong female protagonist who may appear as an anti-heroine forced into a situation beyond her control. It’s being released by Black Rose Writing this month, and we hope it is going to be another essential contribution to the women’s fiction genre.
BOOK BLURB The Bat (An Existential Fable) is an action-adventure novel centered on the not-too-distant future in NYC as the Big Apple becomes the beacon of the world in the throes of the Great Recession. Existentialism becomes a philosophical alternative to religion in a city that has lost hope in the future. Crime is rampant as narcotic use has reached epidemic proportions, and vigilantes began to capture the imagination of the world press as they take a stand in the War On Gangs.
Excerpt from The BatShe tried to struggle but it was as if the blow to her neck had drained all the strength from her body. They carried her into the tunnel, into the darkness, then dropped her upon what seemed to be a padded surface. She could hear a knife being flicked open, and felt a hand grab her by the front of her shirt and lift her off the ground. “I think you guys are in for a big disappointment,” she heard a booming voice at the entrance of the tunnel behind them. “This is not going to be worth it.”They looked up in amazement at a dark silhouette blocking the lamplight outside the tunnel. They saw what looked like a man in a hat and long coat, hands in pockets. They looked past him and saw no one else. They determined that he had no visible means of escape, and could not be carrying much more than a handgun. They knew Julio was carrying a .22, and could exchange fire with the intruder long enough for them to retreat if necessary. Julio and two others moved towards the right, while the other three Raiders moved to the left.Julio had no choice but to empty his clip of .22 rounds at the man. The new anti-gun laws in NYC provided for a mandatory ten years in prison, but Julio saw no other option. The man staggered but did not drop, suddenly surging forward and tacking Julio to the muddy ground. She recalled a vicious scuffle followed by deathly silence.“This should teach you a lesson,” she would The Bat’s voice as a sexy growl in her nightmares. “This park isn’t safe for anyone.”She tried to call out to him but the cumulative shock swept her into unconsciousness. 

How can my readersbuy your book?Check out John Reinhard Dizon’s Amazon Author Page  
A little bit about the authorJohn Reinhard Dizon was born and raised in the Cobble Hill section of Brooklyn, NY. He participated in local and high school sports at Bishop Loughlin MHS. He was a key figure on the Brooklyn rock scene during the Punk Revolution of the 70's. Relocating to San Antonio TX in the 80's, he moonlighted as a pro wrestler while pursuing a BA at UTSA and degrees in Korean martial arts during the 90's. He currently lives in KC MO where he is studying for his MA in English at UMKC. You can find more information about John Reinhard Dizon and my book, The Bat (An Existential Fable) by visiting:
WEBSITE    BLOG    TWITTER
FACEBOOK    GOODREADS
           

Happy Hogmanay from Author Nancy Lee Badger

The New Year is upon us
and the day is clear and bright,
the fireworks are silent
but my heart is beating right.

Our home is warm and cozy,
the New Year's guests are gone,
join me in a quiet appeal to
tread true, lovingly and strong.

--Nancy Lee Badger,
proud member of:
    Celtic Hearts Romance Writers
 

Nancy Lee Badger Interviews Elizabeth McKenna

Elizabeth McKenna stopped by in the midst of a busy holiday season to talk about her latest book. Venice in the Moonlight is a Historical Romance and was released October 2nd.
Please tell my readers a little bit about your book.  The short description is a young widow discovers her father’s murderer is related to the man she’s falling in love with and she must decide between vengeance, forgiveness and love. It’s set in 1753 in Venice, a city I find so romantic and beautiful. I’m hoping it will appeal to readers who would like a break from stories set in London.Venice...the land of romantic gondola rides! When did you start writing toward publication?  I have been a technical writer and editor most of my adult life, but I didn’t try my hand at fiction until 2008 when I started writing my first novel, Cera’s Place . I published it in September of 2011. I then wrote a short story, The Gypsy Casts a Spell , which was published in the February 2012 issue of eFiction Magazine. Then I started on Venice in the Moonlight . I’ve learned so much about fiction writing and marketing since 2008 and I’m glad I’ve pursued this dream, but I admit it can be extremely frustrating.I can relate to that, but I am glad you kept at it. I am sure my readers are glad, too. Why have you become a published author? Back in college, I started as an English major, but switched to Journalism. My writing is on the concise side and the other English majors who could write a paragraph-long sentence intimidated me. Journalism was a better fit, but I still had a dream of being a fiction author. One day, my girls had been discussing careers at school and they asked me what I had wanted to be when I was their age. I said an author. They said why aren’t you? So I started writing Cera’s Place. I wanted to show them that you shouldn’t give up on your dreams. Having achieved your goal to be a published author, what is the most rewarding thing?  The most rewarding thing has been connecting with people all around the world. Sometimes reading my email is like Christmas morning. I am a shy person, but the internet has allowed me to make numerous friends over the years and I’m truly grateful for that. Maybe we can drum up a little more mail, and get our readers interested with your answers to this: please Share three fun facts about you that most people don’t know.1) My house has to be clean and organized at all times, but my home office is a total disaster area. I only clean it when the dust starts clogging my lungs.2) I can kill a plant or flower just by looking at it. I wish I could have a beautiful landscaped yard, but it will never happen.3) My ancestors came from Ireland, but when I visited Germany, I realized the Germans were my true soul mates. Everything was so clean, and they all followed the rules. I was in heaven!What’s next for you? I’m thinking about writing a contemporary romance. BOOK BLURBConsidered useless by his cold-hearted father, Nico Foscari, eldest son of one of the founding families in Venice, hides his pain behind gambling, drinking and womanizing.After her husband’s untimely demise, Marietta Gatti returns to her hometown of Venice in hopes of starting a new life and finding the happiness that was missing in her forced marriage.When Fate throws them together, friendship begins to grow into love until Marietta learns a Foscari family secret that may have cost her father his life. Now, she must choose between vengeance, forgiveness, and love.Elizabeth McKenna’s latest novel takes you back to eighteenth century Carnival, where lovers meet discreetly, and masks make everyone equal.Excerpt – Venice in the Moonlight by Elizabeth McKenna – Copyright 2013Nico shrugged in the French wingback chair they had placed by the fireplace for his portrait. He looked regal in a black silk suit trimmed in gold and a waistcoat of burgundy and gold leaf-patterned brocade. It seemed Raul had excellent taste in men’s fashions.Marietta rolled her eyes before she settled in a chair behind the easel. “Please keep still while I draw.”“May I talk?”“I’d rather you didn’t.” Looking at him was going to be enough distraction. She didn’t need to listen to him also.He ignored her request. “I have to ask—why Palladino?”Marietta blew out an exasperated breath. “I can’t sketch you properly if you talk.”“You could have chosen any man at the Consul’s villa. Casanova himself expressed interest in you, yet you leave with that pig.”“It’s not what you think.” She compared her drawing to Nico and frowned. His shoulders were no longer in the same position.“You didn’t have to suffer the man’s dismal lovemaking. What were you thinking?”“We did not make love,” she replied through clenched teeth.He continued as if not hearing her. “You’re the first woman in years that he didn’t have to pay, though he would never admit to his need for courtesans. I just don’t understand how you could find him appealing.”“We did not make love.” She practically shouted it this time. “I’m not attracted to Palladino or any other man for that matter.”This silenced him, gratefully, but only for a few moments. “Well, in that case, I know of a few courtesans that can accommodate you. I am told they are quite beautiful and skilled.”Marietta threw down her charcoal and marched over to him. She grabbed his shoulders and repositioned him. “That is not what I meant and you know it.”He smiled up at her innocently. “I didn’t mean to offend you, but you have refused my charms, so what should I think?”She glared at him for her own benefit, knowing it would have no effect on the man. “You need to stop talking and moving.”When he didn’t respond, she said, “That’s better.”He lasted almost fifteen minutes. “So, what kind of man are you attracted to? Perhaps, I could suggest a few potential lovers.”“How about one who has fewer conquests than fingers and toes? Or one that values honesty and fidelity over all else? Do you know any like that?”From the thoughtful look on his face, he took this as an earnest question. “I’m afraid a man like that will be hard to find in Venice, especially this time of year.”“Well, then, I guess I’ll have to go without.”“How depressing. What will you do for amusement if you don’t take a lover?”Marietta rubbed at her temples and decided she deserved more than the coins she’d already been paid. “There’s more to life than pleasuring oneself.”“Really?”“Yes, Signore, really.” She placed her stub of charcoal on the easel’s tray and rolled the stiffness from her neck and shoulders. “That is all for today. I have another appointment.” It was a lie, but she felt the need to rest and the bed in the corner was tempting her tired body.MORE ABOUT THE AUTHORElizabeth McKenna works as a full-time technical writer/editor for a large software company. Though her love of books reaches back to her childhood, she had never read romance novels until one Christmas when her sister gave her the latest bestseller by Nora Roberts. She was hooked from page one (actually, she admits it was the first love scene). She had always wanted to write fiction, so she combined her love of history, romance Author Elizabeth McKennaand a happy ending to write her debut novel Cera's Place. Her short story, The Gypsy Casts a Spell, is available for free on her website http://elizabethmckenna.com/. She hopes you will enjoy her latest novel, Venice in the Moonlight, as much as others have enjoyed her previous works.

Elizabeth lives in Wisconsin with her understanding husband, two beautiful daughters, and a sassy Labrador. When she isn't writing, working, or being a mom, she's sleeping.How can my readers buy your book?  Readers can go to the publisher’s home page at http://elizabethmckenna.com/buy/ where you will find links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other major retailers.You can find more information about Elizabeth McKenna and her book Venice in the Moonlight by visiting: WEBSITE     TWITTER     FACEBOOK GOODREADS     Amazon Author Page

Nancy Lee Badger Interviews Denise Tompkins

Author Denise Tompkins stopped by to talk about her book, VENGEANCE. It is an urban fantasy with strong paranormal romance elements and will release on December 24, 2013.
Please tell my readers a little bit about your book. VENGEANCE is the third book in the Niteclif Evolutions (LEGACY is book #1; WRATH is book #2). Maddy is faced with a whole new level of fear in the third book and must come to terms with what it means to choose to live and choose to love. It’s a great adventure with a few laughs, a little heartbreak and a fast-paced storyline that my editor called “compulsively readable.” (You have to love it when your editor can’t put your book down!) I have read and reviewed LEGACY, and cannot wait to read VENGEANCE! Describe the genre of this particular title, and is the only genre you write in?  (Read my 5* Review of LEGACY HERE )While Maddy is the heroine in this series, VENGEANCE is, truly, Hellion’s story. It’s about his own vengeance against an unavoidable past and a plan for vengeance in an unknowable future. The fourth book, RETRIBUTION, is a strong continuation of VENGEANCE’s theme of reclaiming what you can of your life when it all seems out of control.And while I absolutely love urban fantasy with an undying passion, I actually write across several different genres. I have three paranormal romances coming out with Harlequin Nocturne Cravings (12/1/13, 3/1/14, 5/1/14) and six contemporary romances coming out with Harlequin Blaze starting in (very roughly) September 2014. The underlying theme here is clearly romance. (LOL)Did you have several manuscripts finished before you sold? If so, did you send them out yourself?I was one of the remarkably lucky authors who sold their first true full-length manuscript (LEGACY, Samhain Publishing, October 2011). I’ll share with you a little secret, though. I have several manuscripts I’ve written since then which haven’t sold, either full manuscripts or proposals. Being published doesn’t guarantee that everything you write in the future will sell, unfortunately. The market for the book of my heart absolutely fell apart roughly six months before that book was finished. I was devastated. But I still have that manuscript ready and waiting, and there’s a great deal of historical data that says the markets are cyclical and will come back around. As for sending the manuscript out myself, the first one I did. Then I landed with an agent who handled those things for me. I ended up working with a different agent roughly a year later. My current agent (whom I love madly) handles all of that now. My responsibility is to write.Tough topic: do you have any rejection stories to share?I have too many rejection stories to share! Even as a published author, rejection is a common theme in writing life. It’s a huge mistake to believe that once you sell, you’ll always sell. Every story has to be considered on its own merit. There are, of course, authors who have made it so big they’re beyond the norm and publishers will contract anything they write. That’s not everyday life, though. The best thing I can share from my rejection experiences is this: writing is truly, truly subjective. What one editor dismisses may be exactly what another is looking for. I’ve learned to read a rejection, set it aside and then come back to it a couple of days later and really consider it – try to extract the best information from it I can. What is your writing routine like? I don’t really have a routine. My personal life is a bit wonky, so I sneak in words wherever I can. My writing mantra is very simple: WED = Words Every Day. I don’t set unreasonable goals or a number of words I must write. I enforce for myself the fact I must touch the story and add new words. Period. So far? It’s worked like a charm!Routines don't always work, I agree. Having achieved your goal to be a published author, what is the most rewarding thing?The most rewarding thing for me has to be, hands down, my fans. I get fan mail that makes me absolutely giddy. The most validating thing for me as a writer is to know I’ve reached someone, made them laugh or think or cry, and that they’ve fallen in love with the characters I’m so intimately involved with, even just a little bit. Will you share some encouraging words for authors still struggling for that first contract?  The absolute best advice I can give you is twofold. First, read. A lot. Pick up books by your favorite authors and see how they do things. Consider how they craft a story. Evaluate how they handle things like dialogue tags and description and emotional complexities. If you love their voice and their storytelling abilities, reading is as much research as pleasure.Second, keep writing. If you’re waiting for agent or publisher responses on a query/manuscript, don’t sit there. Write. Be working on your next project. I know it’s hard, but you will find that with every new project you tackle, you get better. Join writing groups where the members are more advanced in their skill and then really push yourself to grow. Find a mentor. Get two or three great critique partners. Learn to take constructive criticism. Let me say that again: learn to take constructive criticism. It’s so important. Truly, though, the best thing you can do is to keep writing. Please Share three fun facts about you that most people don’t know.*I am absolutely terrified of spiders. I don’t know kung fu until I walk into a spider web. Then? My moves are epic. *I know how to drive a tractor. *My greatest dream is to own a home in the UK and split my time between my current home in the US and my dream home there.What’s next for you? I have a six-book contract with Harlequin Blaze and am very, very busy making the keyboard smoke in order to get these books to readers. The books are two very, very different trilogies. The first is about three male friends, all strippers, and the second is about three brothers who are ranchers in New Mexico.

BOOK BLURB
The demons that haunt you don’t have to be your own.

The Niteclif Evolutions, Book 3

Maddy Niteclif’s world has changed so radically she’s no longer sure she recognizes the face staring back at her in the mirror. Pale skin, wide eyes, new scars, and even newer wounds. They’ll heal. It’s the invisible wounds—the ones that disfigure the soul—that pose the most danger.

Hell’s higher thinkers have organized. They’re seeping into the paranormal world, bypassing easy targets as they run larger prey to ground. Maddy is caught in a mad scramble to identify the next target before the demons find the individual. But when the demons’ mark is someone from under her roof, she finds just how far she’ll go to protect those who belong to her.

Maddy is about to learn the most difficult lesson yet: loving someone, seeing his scars ripped open and watching as he’s driven to his knees…it hurts. To save his life means she’ll have to sacrifice the only other man she’s ever loved. There’s only one guaranteed way to ensure both men survive, but it will require the ultimate sacrifice.

Herself.



MORE ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Denise Tompkins lives in the heart of the South where the neighbors still know your name, all food forms are considered fry-able and bugs die only to be reincarnated in aggressive, blood-craving triplicate. Thrilled to finally live somewhere that can boast 3 ½ seasons (winter’s only noticeable because the trees are naked), her favorite season is definitely fall. It’s the time of year when the gardens are just about to pass into winter’s brief silence, and the leaves are out to prove that nature is the most brilliant artist of all.


A life-long voracious reader, Denise has three favorite authors. Why three? Because favorite authors are like chips: a person can’t have just one. Her little house was so overrun with books that her darling husband bought her an e-reader out of self-preservation. He was (legitimately) afraid she might begin throwing out pots and pans to make room for more books, and he didn’t want to starve. Smart man. You can learn more about Denise by visiting"




WEBSITE         Twitter     Facebook    Goodreads How can my readers buy your book?  Any online retailer carries the e-books and the print editions are available through Amazon, Barnes & Noble and several independent bookstores.
Samhain Publishing HERE
All titles, including the Harlequin releases, will be available through major retailers as well as www.amazon.comand www.bn.com

A Very Paranormal BLOG HOP & GIVEAWAY!

It is time for the
Very Paranormal BLOG HOP!

Authors Kallysten & Tricia Schneider organized this Blog Hop to share their love for paranormal romance, help you discover new authors, win books, prizes...and maybe a BRAND NEW KINDLE FIRE!

The HOLIDAY SEASON is here and the New Year is right around the corner! I have joined oodles of wonderful authors, to offer fantastic prizes for you, the reader. A Blog Hop is simple...enter by clicking below. Then go to the list of participating blogs. Scroll through them, click on one or all, and enter.  

Each blog is giving away a prize!

Why? In hopes of getting new readers to learn more about my books. Here are a few Book Blurbs:
My Honorable Highlander A modern day witch’s love spell goes awry when she is cast back in time while volunteering at the Highland games. Ripped away from her best friend, her married ex-boyfriend, and still wearing her villager costume, she meets a plaid-wrapped Highlander in 1598 Scotland.


Forced to follow an edict by James VI, our scarred, lonely hero decides to marry in order to end a century-old feud. As clan chieftain, he is torn between duty and love the moment he stumbles across a beautiful woman wandering the Highlands.
What follows involves two people whose personalities grate amid a deepening passion. With a spy in their camp, a kidnapping, and our hero’s secret betrothal, they endure spells, battles, and treachery. Our hero’s duty and her awakening desire lead them toward a happy ending.

My Banished Highlander When his clan convicts Cameron Robeson of treason in 1598 Scotland, the last thing he thought his cousin the Laird would do was banish him to the future. With a certain woman on his mind, he plans revenge while surrounded by the sights and sounds of the modern day New England Highland Games. His plans go awry when a comely redheaded lass wearing the Mackenzie plaid lands at his feet. 
Iona Mackenzie is worried about her friend, Haven, and searches for answers among the tents at the games. Whom can she trust to help? Her father? The handsome blacksmith? Or, the tall, golden-haired Highlander? Romance takes a back seat because saving her friend is her priority, no matter how great Cameron can kiss. 

When a magical amulet and an angry sorcerer send this unlikely couple back through time, more than one heart will be broken. Danger, intrigue, and threats surround them, and feelings between Iona and Cameron grow hot and steamy. They fight the sorcerer and search for Iona’s friend, the woman he vowed to steal from his cousin. Will the strong-willed Highlander and the present day witch stop fighting long enough to listen to their hearts. My Reluctant HighlanderSkye has spent the last five years trying to forget the blacksmith who followed her back to 16thcentury Scotland, to help fight evil. Sending Jake Jamison home against his will was a disastrous mistake. She risked everything attempting to defeat Andreas Borthwick. Jake might have defeated the evil sorcerer, preventing her husband’s death. When she prevents the sorcerer from grabbing her nephew, he takes her instead. To escape, she defies time to find Jake.
The last person Jake wants to see is the young woman from ancient Scotland; the same woman who has haunted his dreams since she blackmailed him into traveling back in time. Before he could save Skye Gunn’s people, she had sent him home. Until he met Skye, his life had been normal. Quiet, and uncomplicated. No one knows he is a firebreather, except her. His ancestry is a mystery. When Skye falls into his bed—beaten, bloody and beautiful—Jake must choose to trust her, or turn his back on the only woman he’s loved across time.Skye encourages Jake to use his ability to help her kill the sorcerer. Stealing his heart was not part of the plan. Jake must share his secret, Skye must give her heart fully, and both must dare to love in the time they have.
Sign up with Rafflecopter
(I use it to get the winner's email, but I do not collect emails)
I will reward One Winner their choice of an E-Book from my Highland Games Through Time seriesMy Honorable Highlander Book #1 My Banished Highlander Book #2
 My Reluctant Highlander Book #3
 When the Blog Hop ends  the Sponsor will choose one overall winner 

 The GRAND PRIZE is a  Kindle FIRE HD E-reader!
Hurry! This fantastic Blog Hop ENDS December 30th!Scroll down and visit the other authors. Each one is offering a FABULOUS PRIZE!



 
 a Rafflecopter giveaway


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Nancy Lee Badger Interviews Cecilia Dominic

Today I’m interviewing CECILIA DOMINIC. Her book, The Mountain's Shadow is an urban fantasy and was released on October 1st.

To start us off, please Share three fun facts about you that most people don’t know.
1)  I've always wanted to be an actress. I actually dream about being in movies or television shows, where of course I know my lines unless I don't and I'm in the middle of the set naked, but that's an answer to a different question. My only acting experience came in grade school and high school, but I loved being able to deliver entertainment with immediate feedback. It's in my blood – my maternal grandparents acted, as did my maternal godmother. She and her ex-husband ran a community theater in Belgium for many years. My grandfather wrote for television.2) I'm actually not the calm, collected person I project. My patients often tell me, "oh, wow, I bet you're never stressed," usually after I teach them some sort of relaxation technique. One of the best parts of my day job as a psychologist is regular relaxation exercise practice because I need it. I probably handle my stress okay unless I'm really tired or sick or hungry or any of the other reasons we humans become more susceptible to experiencing negative emotions, but I wouldn't say I have less than anyone else. Having my own practice and now a writing career won't allow a stress-free existence, but it's totally worth it.3) Sometimes I think about running for public office. Yes, this one shocks me, too. I suspect I'd have difficulty playing politics and refraining from telling the other politicians how stupid they're being. Please tell my readers a little bit about your book.  
The Mountain's Shadow is set primarily in a fictional town in the Ozark Mountains and features Joanie Fisher, a public health researcher who is chasing down the origin of the new hot behavioral disorder in children so the company she works for can develop a cure. Unfortunately, her lab burns down, and she gets fired from her job. She inherits her grandfather's estate in the Ozarks, but there are suspicious circumstances surrounding the estate including the town's children disappearing at the full moon. There are werewolves, a little romance, and lots of yummy food descriptions.

Describe the genre of this particular title, and is the only genre you write in?  
This is an urban fantasy, which traditionally features an urban setting with magical elements. The Mountain's Shadow pushes the genre a little because it's primarily a rural setting – so maybe it should be called suburban fantasy – and my werewolves have a scientific explanation behind them. Besides the usual werewolf tropes, I also bring in some old Scandinavian legends to give them some different abilities. This book was the first one I wrote. I primarily write urban fantasy, but I've written in other genres as well (see below).

When did you start writing toward publication?  
I'd never seriously considered it until I was in graduate school, where we were pushed to write academic articles and chapters. If you've ever read an academic article, you know that objective, scientific language often translates to "dry and boring," and trust me, it can be as painful to write as it is to read. Chapters are a little better. I came across Writer's Digest magazine one day and was shocked to find that people could actually get paid for short stories. It was like the heavens opened up and a chorus of angels appeared singing, "you can get paid for your writing." Okay, maybe it wasn't that extreme, but it was shift in my thinking. I'd bought books before and knew authors got paid, but it had just not occurred to me that I could do it, too.
My first short story submission went to The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, which I had also found on that fateful trip to the bookstore. My then boyfriend, now husband, and I went out for fondue to celebrate what would surely be my first sale. Of course it got rejected, but I am nothing if not persistent. My first short story acceptance was when my fantasy mystery The Coral Temple won the 2011 Mystery Times Ten contest, sponsored by small publisher Buddhapuss Ink. I won a Kindle.Did you have several manuscripts finished before you sold? If so, did you send them out yourself?The Mountain's Shadow was my first book. When it was accepted, I was starting to pitch my YA historical paranormal The Golden Fox, which was my fourth completed manuscript. I was also writing a romantic suspense, which doesn’t have a good title yet. My second book was another urban fantasy, a subsequently very edited NaNoWriMo book from 2006. My third book is a meta-romance called A Perfect Man, which features a class of MFA students who are finding out that real life is, indeed, stranger than fiction. I pretty much wrote what interested me at the time and figured I would follow the path of whatever sold first. I'm glad it was an urban fantasy since I really like that genre.
I did all my submissions myself, which is probably why it took so long to get published. I would send out five to ten submissions to agents and small publishers, get a batch of rejections, and sulk for six to twelve months. To be fair, I had other things going on like starting a career, buying a house, getting licensed as a psychologist, and then starting a private practice.
Why have you become a published author?As I mentioned earlier, I like to entertain and get feedback that people have enjoyed my work. I've also always been drawn to writing as a full-time career because I believe in doing what you love. I don't think I'll ever retire from it.Having achieved your goal to be a published author, what is the most rewarding thing? Apparently my book makes people think and pay attention. Several reviewers have commented on how it's not possible to multitask while you read it because of the twists and turns. This shocked and amused me. I've always been the kind of reader who shuts everything out while immersed in a book, even to the point of annoying those around me (sorry, Mom!). If I can help people be more mindful in this chaotic, distracting world while entertaining them, it makes me happy both as an author and a psychologist.What’s next for you?I'm continuing to write the Lycanthropy Files series, and I recently submitted a proposal for the third one to my editor. The sequel to The Mountain's Shadow is called Long Shadows and will be out on March 25. Meanwhile, I'll keep writing and doing my Characters on the Couch series on my blog, and I'll definitely be drinking more wine and blogging about it on the Random Oenophile. I also have that first book in the other urban fantasy series almost ready for submission. Day job-wise, I hope to find another psychologist to join my practice. Behavioral sleep medicine is a growing field, and it would be great to have someone to share the clinical work.
BOOK BLURBSome mistakes can literally come back to bite you.

The Lycanthropy Files, Book 1

First it was ADD. Then pediatric bipolar. Now the hot behavioral disorder in children is CLS, or Chronic Lycanthropy Syndrome. Public health researcher Joanie Fisher was closing in on the cause in hopes of finding a treatment until a lab fire and an affair with her boss left her without a job.

When her grandfather leaves her his multimillion-dollar estate in the Ozarks, though, she figures her luck is turning around. Except her inheritance comes with complications: town children who disappear during full moons, an irresistible butler, and a pack of werewolves who can’t seem to decide whether to frighten her or flirt with her.

Joanie’s research is the key to unraveling the mysteries of Wolfsbane Manor.  However, resuming her work means facing painful truths about her childhood, which could result in the loss of love, friendship, and the only true family she has left.

Warning: Some sexy scenes, although nothing explicit, and adult language. Also alcohol consumption and food descriptions that may wreck your diet.

READ A FREE EXCERPT HERE
MORE ABOUT THE AUTHORCecilia Dominic wrote her first story when she was two years old and has always had a much more interesting life inside her head than outside of it. She became a clinical psychologist because she's fascinated by people and their stories, but she couldn't stop writing fiction. The first draft of her dissertation, while not fiction, was still criticized by her major professor for being written in too entertaining a style. She made it through graduate school and got her PhD, started her own practice, and by day, she helps people cure their insomnia without using medication. By night, she blogs about wine and writes fiction she hopes will keep her readers turning the pages all night. Yes, she recognizes the conflict of interest between her two careers, so she writes and blogs under a pen name.  She lives in Atlanta, Georgia with one husband and two cats, which, she's been told, is a good number of each.

How can my readers buy your book?  
Readers can go to the publisher’s HOME PAGE Amazon    Barnes and Noble Find out more about Cecilia Dominic and her bookThe Mountain's Shadow by visiting: WEBSITE     Twitter    Facebook   Goodreads    Wine Blog

Nancy Lee Badger Interviews Linda McLaughlin

Author Linda McLaughlin stopped by to talk about her latest release. Her book, Rogue’s Hostage is a historical romance and was released in February. Please tell my readers a little bit about your book.
Rogue’s Hostage is the book of my heart, or at least the one that bubbled up out of my gut. I wrote it during one of the most traumatic periods of my life, after the sudden death of my mother, and only after it was finished did I realize that the heroine, Mara, was in many ways patterned after my mother. This book is also special because it’s set in the area I grew up in, Western Pennsylvania. I’m a Pittsburgher, and I got the idea for the book while researching the history of the city. The spark for the story was the fact that, during the French & Indian War, the French officers at Fort Duquesne, many of whom were aristocrats, would shed their uniforms and don loincloths and moccasins to lead raiding parties on the English settlements. I thought that was in intriguing idea for a romance hero, and the character of Jacques Corbeau was born.Describe the genre of this particular title, and is the only genre you write in? Rogue’s Hostageis an old-fashioned historical romance, with lots of history and adventure. It’s a captive story set during the French & Indian War. Most of what I write is historical, but I’ve delved a bit into fantasy romance and science fiction romance under my pseudonym, Lyndi Lamont.I helped my hubby research relatives who fought in that war. An interesting time in America's history. Did you have several manuscripts finished before you sold? If so, did you send them out yourself? I had two manuscripts finished before I sold, one of which was Rogue’s Hostage, but it wasn’t the one that sold. That book was a contemporary romance written with my friend, Anne Farrell. It was published by Zebra in April 1998 as Private Affair by Lyn O’Farrell, part of their Precious Gems line. We have since re-issued it in e-book form under the title Worth The Risk.Rights reversions gives you that freedom to republish, and get your work in front of more readers! Do you have any rejection stories to share?Oh, yes. My favorite rejection story is when I sent Rogue’s Hostage to a NY publisher. When I didn’t hear back after about four months, I sent them an inquiry about the status of the ms. Someone wrote back to say they never got it and could I resend it, so I printed out another huge paper ms. and mailed it off. Another $20 or so down the drain.  About a month later, I received a rejection. At the time, I had a sneaking suspicion that the rejection was for the first manuscript. (When did NY ever turn anything around that fast?) When I received another rejection from a different editor about a month after that, I knew the first manuscript hadn’t been lost at all; they had just lost track of it. At that point, all I could do was laugh.   I sold the book to Amber Quill Press, and felt validated when it received a 4 ½ Star review from Romantic Times and was nominated for a Reviewer’s Choice Award for Best Small Press Romance of 2003. This year, the rights reverted to me and I reissued the book.What sort of promo do you do? Do you have help?I’m still learning in the promo department. I do blog occasionally, though not with the kind of regularity you do. I love Twitter, and use my account to promote other authors more than myself. I’m a Facebook newbie, having joined only this year, and I’m still learning there. The only help I get is from other authors who tweet and share for each other. Someday, I’d like to be able to hire an assistant to help with the blogging, since it’s so time consuming. Let's tweet together! Promotion is important. Are you a member of any writing organizations and, if so, have they helped?Yes, I’ve been a member of Romance Writers of America and the local Orange County California chapter for many years now. I’d never have become published without the help of this organization. It’s amazing how much one can learn from chapter meetings and workshops at the national conference. I recommend RWA to anyone who wants to write romance fiction. In the last year and a half, I’ve gotten involved with Indie Romance Ink and found, again, that romance authors are the most generous and sharing souls in the writing world. This time the learning curve has been more technical than craft-oriented, but I’ve found a huge amount of information about self-publishing and promo. This year, I participated in two group projects: the Romance Super Bundle, a boxed set of ten romance novels, and Sweetwater Springs Christmas: A Montana Sky Short Story Anthology by Debra Holland and Friends. I contributed a holiday short story to the latter called The Best Present, about a ten-year-old girl experiencing a difficult Christmas. There are so many opportunities for authors today. It’s an exciting time to be a writer! Please Share three fun facts about you that most people don’t know.
1) I married for the first time at the age of 40, after a 9 ½ year courtship.
2) When I was a kid, we once ate Christmas dinner at White Castle in North Carolina.
3) In my twenties, I went to Australia where a friend talked me into a camping tour of Tasmania.

What’s next for you?
I’m working on a Western romance set in post-Civil War Texas.

BOOK BLURBHis hostage... 

In 1758 the Pennsylvania frontier is wild, primitive and dangerous, where safety often lies at the end of a gun. Mara Dupré's life crumbles when a French and Indian war party attacks her cabin, kills her husband, and takes her captive. Marching through the wilderness strengthens her resolve to flee, but she doesn't count on her captor teaching her the meaning of courage and the tempting call of desire.

Her destiny...

French lieutenant Jacques Corbeau's desire for his captive threatens what little honor he has left.  But when Mara desperately offers herself to him in exchange for her freedom, he finds the strength to refuse and reclaims his lost self-respect. As the shadows of his past catch up to him, Jacques realizes that Mara, despite the odds, is the one true key to reclaiming his soul and banishing his past misdeeds forever.

Rogue’s Hostageis also part of the Romance Super Bundle, a boxed-set of ten full-length romance novels by ten authors, available at all major e-book retailers for one low price. You can find more information at my website: http://www.lindamclaughlin.com/RSB.html

An excerpt is available at my website: http://www.lindamclaughlin.com/rogue-excerpt.html

MORE ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Linda McLaughlin grew up with a love of history fostered by her paternal grandmother and an incurable case of wanderlust inherited from her father. She has traveled extensively within the United States and has visited Mexico, Canada, & Australia. A lifelong dream came true with a trip to England where she was able to combine sightseeing and theater with research for her novels. A native of Pittsburgh, she now lives in Southern California with her husband.

Her first book was Worth The Risk by Lyn O'Farrell. Now Linda writes historical and Regency romance. She loves transporting her readers into the past where her characters learn that, in the journey of life, love is the sweetest reward.

She also writes sexy to erotic romance under the name Lyndi Lamont.

How can my readers buy your book? Rogue’s Hostage is available at Amazon      Barnes and Noble   iBooks     Smashwords     ARe  
You can find more information about Linda and her bookRogue’s Hostage by visiting: WEBSITE     BLOG     TWITTER FACEBOOK     GOODREADS Amazon Author Page   

And the Winner of my HOT AUTUMN NIGHTS Blog Hop Giveaway is...

Debra Elise! Congratulations on Winning my Snowman Basket filled with goodies!

The HOLIDAY SEASON
is officially here and I have joined oodles of wonderful authors, bloggers, and reviewers to offer fantastic prizes for you, the reader.

A Blog Hop is simple...enter by clicking below, or by simply leaving a comment. Then go to the list of participating blogs. Scroll through them, click on one or all, and enter.

Each blog is giving away a prize!

When the Blog Hop ends Monday night, the Sponsor will choose one overall winner for the



GRAND PRIZE   an $80 Amazon or Barnes and Noble Gift Card!
Why a Blog Hop? This is my way to intice readers to learn more about MY RELUCTANT HIGHLANDER, the latest in my HIghland Games Through Time series. So sit back, relax, and scroll through to find all the wonderful people who have gotten together to share their work with you. A hot rum punch or spiced hot cider might be just the ticket! Here is a little sneak peak at what my book, MY RELUCTANT HIGHLANDER is all about:
Skye has spent the last five years trying to forget the blacksmith who followed her back to 16thcentury Scotland, to help fight evil. Sending Jake Jamison home against his will was a disastrous mistake. She risked everything attempting to defeat Andreas Borthwick. Jake might have defeated the evil sorcerer, preventing her husband’s death. When she prevents the sorcerer from grabbing her nephew, he takes her instead. To escape, she defies time to find Jake. The last person Jake wants to see is the young woman from ancient Scotland; the same woman who has haunted his dreams since she blackmailed him into traveling back in time. Before he could save Skye Gunn’s people, she had sent him home. Until he met Skye, his life had been normal. Quiet, and uncomplicated. No one knows he is a firebreather, except her. His ancestry is a mystery. When Skye falls into his bed—beaten, bloody and beautiful—Jake must choose to trust her, or turn his back on the only woman he’s loved across time.Skye encourages Jake to use his ability to help her kill the sorcerer. Stealing his heart was not part of the plan. Jake must share his secret, Skye must give her heart fully, and both must dare to love in the time they have.MY RELUCTANT HIGHLANDER
Buy LinksE-Book AMAZON      NOOK      KOBO      SONY    AllRomanceEBooks      Smashwords      iTunes Print Amazon PRINT      Barnes and Noble PRINT Books-A-MillionPRINT       Book Depository PRINT    


Snowman BasketThe Sinner by Margaret MalloryAt The Highlander's Mercy autographed by Terri BrisbinLessons in Loving a Laird by Michelle MarcosMy Reluctant Highlander autographed by Nancy Lee BadgerWalkers Scottie Dog Shortbread The Winner, Denise Elise, will recieve this fabulous prize. Check back a little later to see who has won the GIFT CARD!
(to be drawn by the Blog Hop Chairperson)a Rafflecopter giveaway