Joyce T. Strand's Blog, page 15

WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY: Author Sandra Nikolai, “What Makes a Mystery?”

Sandra Nikolai, Author
FALSE IMPRESSIONS
FATAL WHISPERS
TIMELY ESCAPESandra Nikolai writes mysteries described by reviewers as “urbane, witty and enjoyable” and “action-packed…with characters who grow as they come to grips with what is happening.” She’s published more than a dozen on-line or printed short stories and two novels (FALSE IMPRESSIONS and FATAL WHISPERS) and a short story (TIMELY ESCAPE) featuring Megan Scott and Michael Elliott as a romantic pair solving crimes. 
A mystery reader since her first Nancy Drew story, Nikolai experienced true crime in real life facing a series of armed bank robberies while working at a bank. Both influenced her to write her own stories. 
In the following article, published earlier on this blog, Nikolai outlines the elements of a good mystery.

What Makes a Mystery?BySandra Nikolai
Fans of the genre will agree that nothing beats the thrill of reading a mystery and trying to solve it.
But what exactly makes a mystery?
To put a spin on what Sherlock Holmes might have said, “The elements must come together, my dear Watson.”
In a mystery, the plot is the element that weaves events together to create a dramatic and engaging story. The solution to a murder or another crime is gradually revealed by a detective or amateur sleuth through the logical interpretation of evidence and a bit of luck. A mystery is similar to a jigsaw puzzle in that all the pieces of information, or clues, needed to solve the mystery are presented. These clues connect so that the solution or true picture reveals itself by the end of the story.
To continue with the analogy, a piece of a jigsaw puzzle might look as if it connects to another at first glance but then doesn’t, as with certain clues scattered throughout a mystery novel. Clues that mislead, or red herrings, are the ultimate challenge to readers of whodunits. Red herrings raise doubts about characters linked to the victim and expose them as potential suspects, making it harder to determine which one is the real perpetrator.
The investigator is the protagonist or main character, the element with which we form a “human” connection from the onset. Secrecy and danger surround the crime, so it’s normal to fear for the safety of the investigator who gets pulled into the case. If the investigator’s private life is affected by the incident, it can bring into play inner struggles with personal issues and generate more conflict—a situation that keeps us turning the pages.
Suspense is intensified when an amateur sleuth plays the role of investigator because we identify more easily with a protagonist who is inexperienced in solving crimes. Feelings of surprise and fear are heightened each time our hero or heroine experiences a setback or encounters danger. Regardless, we cheer them on, knowing that the end of their journey will bring worthwhile results. Family, friends, and other secondary characters complete the protagonist’s life with their comments, emotions, and actions, and add a realistic feel to the unfolding story.
The perpetrator is the character we love to hate. However, no one is one hundred percent evil, so he or she needs at least one redeeming quality. He might be a family man who takes his kids to baseball games or a part-time volunteer at a hospital. She might be a reliable employee at the office or someone who helps an elderly neighbor with the groceries. A pleasant characteristic in a criminal generates surprise—even horror—when the real perpetrator is exposed. Who? The butler?
No mystery is complete without the element of setting. Forget the “dark and stormy night.” Nothing is more shocking than finding out that your neighbor down the street is a serial killer or that a young woman in the hotel room next to yours was murdered the night before. Extraordinary events that happen to ordinary people in everyday places incite more terror because we can’t possibly imagine such terrible things happening in our little corner of the world.
Whether real or imaginary, the setting adds visual layers to a story by zooming in on small locales, such as a room, and zooming out of larger places, for example, a city landscape. The setting can include a period in time, local news events, the weather, the culture of the population, and natural disasters. These aspects also affect how a character feels and reacts, and intensifies the mood of the story.
Like the pieces of a puzzle, the elements that make a mystery can vary in countless ways. What’s important is that they all fall into place at the end.
About Sandra Nikolai
Sandra Nikolai has published more than a dozen short stories online and in print, garnering Honorable Mentions along the way. She is also the author of a mystery series featuring ghostwriter Megan Scott and investigative reporter Michael Elliott. FALSE IMPRESSIONS and FATAL WHISPERS are the first two books in the series.
When Sandra isn’t weaving ordinary characters into extraordinary, life-threatening situations, she shares her writing experiences on her blog and has been a frequent guest writer on other blogs. She has recently published TIMELY ESCAPE, a short story and prequel to ICY SILENCE, the third novel in her mystery series (expected publication: 2015).
About FATAL WHISPERS
A millionaire’s beautiful young wife.A homeless woman.A parish priest.
Three baffling deaths within days. No sign of foul play. No police leads. Even medical authorities can’t explain the cause of death. An unprecedented occurrence in Portland, Maine.
Megan Scott and Michael Elliott look for answers when their trip to this alluring New England town coincides with the mysterious deaths. As they probe deeper, they discover ominous secrets buried decades ago and ruthless killers who won’t let anyone get in the way of revenge.
About TIMELY ESCAPE (a short story)
Megan Scott’s car takes a hit—literally—when a pedestrian is shoved onto the hood. Even worse, the man is one of two notorious prison escapees on the loose in Montreal. Megan chases the felon through the Old Port, convinced that her photographic evidence will lead to his capture.
Just as the escapee disappears aboard a yacht in the marina, another man forces Megan aboard the same yacht at knifepoint. Gagged, tied, and terrified, she witnesses a murder.
Will she be next?
About FALSE IMPRESSIONS
Montreal ghostwriter Megan Scott falls under police suspicion when her husband and a female friend are found murdered. In what a Québec detective calls a crime of passion, startling evidence surfaces to implicate Michael Elliott, a young investigative reporter who’d rather rub elbows with scumbags than live the posh lifestyle he inherited.
Clutched out of her comfort zone, Megan is flung into Michael’s dark world of criminal investigation. As they make a last-ditch attempt to prove their innocence, an elusive enemy closes in and threatens their lives. Who wants them out of the way and why?
Their only path to freedom is to catch the twisted killer before they become the next victims. But not knowing who to trust or where to turn can have consequences that are just as lethal…

Links
To learn more about Sandra and upcoming events, visit her website at http://sandranikolai.com
For links to Sandra’s books, visit her Amazon page here or visit other major online retailer sites.
How to contact Sandra:
Website Facebook Twitter: @SandraNikolaiGoodreads 

WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY: Joseph Tatner, Author

Joseph Tatner, Author
FLOYD AND MIKKI: ZOMBIE HUNTERSWhat you need to know about Joseph Tatner’s FLOYD AND MIKKI: ZOMBIE HUNTERS, according to reviewers, is that it is “a hilarious foray into the world of zombies.” Tatner approaches the world of zombies with humor, yet quickly adds that he intends the story to be “compelling” with “colorful characters” and the book does include “truly creepy parts and genuine horror.”
Tatner, a child actor and the son of a well-known 1940s musician, turned from technical writing to telling zombie stories, a favorite genre of his wife, after seeing World War Z with its "new spin."  FLOYD AND MIKKI: ZOMBIE HUNTERS is the first of a series. The second book, Floyd and Mikki: Zombie Slayers, Dawn of the Living, is due to be released soon. 
Don’t miss the excerpt at the end of his interview.
Q: Why zombies? What drove you to choose this genre to tell your story?
Joseph Tatner:Actually, I have never been a fan of zombie movies. I think they are the dumbest of all monsters and I don’t like excessive blood and gore. However,  my wife loves zombie and monster stories. She and I had recently seen World War Z in the theater, and while we were waiting to change planes in an airport, I joked that I should write a book called, “Floyd and Wanda: Zombie Hunters.” She didn’t like the name Wanda, so I changed it to Mikki. I liked the new spin World War Z had taken and I decided to write something completely different with a lot of humor.
Q: Reviewers say FLOYD AND MIKKI: ZOMBIE HUNTERS is “a zombie book with a difference.” What makes it different?
Joseph Tatner: First, it is very funny. Although I do include some truly creepy parts and genuine horror, the book is easy to read and makes you laugh. But I think that what really sets it apart are the characters. The two heroes aren’t one-dimensional by any means, and you learn more about them as the book (and their love for one another) progresses. The living and undead creatures and people they encounter are also interesting and fun. At one point, Mikki adopts a zombie kitten as a pet, despite the fact that Floyd hates cats – especially undead ones. Floyd and Mikki get on each other’s nerves, yell at each other, joke with each other, laugh, cry, etc. They have real questions about life and almost no answers. They are real people caught in an unreal situation. Readers can really relate to them.
Q: A key theme among reviewers about FLOYD AND MIKKI is that it is “an amazingly funny book.” How important is humor to telling your story? Or, for that matter, how important is humor to any story?
Joseph Tatner:  Humor was critically important because although there are many die-hard zombie fans, there are also many people who don’t take the genre seriously. I wanted to have something for everybody, and everyone loves to laugh. I wanted this to be like the movie Galaxy Quest. It’s a spoof about Star Trek and Trekkies, but whether you love or hate Star Trek, you will probably love Galaxy Quest because it has a compelling story with colorful characters and a lot of humor. I wanted this book to have the same appeal.
Q: Why did you set FLOYD AND MIKKI in a post-apocalyptic America? Could your zombies have existed in our current world, e.g., zombies who resemble everyday people shopping in the mall or supermarket?
Joseph Tatner: Actually, the timeline is contemporary, as if the Zombie Apocalypse could start today. While other stories focused on how the infection began, spread, etc., I wanted something different. Unlike the hero in most stories, neither Floyd nor Mikki have any clue what created the zombies. They do what they can to learn about the creatures and survive against all odds. They each had been alone for nearly two years, and this sense of isolation was crucial to set the stage for their first meeting. They don’t like each other, don’t trust each other, and don’t respect each other, but for all they know, they are the last two people on Earth. That forces them to deal with each other, and eventually to rely on each other. The more they learn about each other, the more they come to respect and even love one another, until they are fiercely devoted to each other.
Q:  You have had a variety of careers, including child actor, dancer, technical writer, as well as two diverse degrees -- a BA in Communications and an MA in National Security Studies. Now you are a writer. Of all of your careers, what is your favorite? What caused you to turn to writing fiction?
Joseph Tatner: I love telling stories, as an actor or a writer. As an actor, I learned to observe people and create a variety of characters. Obviously, this is a very useful skill when writing characters for a book. Actually, I made my living for years as a technical writer. It’s really nice to write something a lot more creative.
Q: Reviewers applaud FLOYD AND MIKKI as an “Amazing story, great characters and a really good plot.” Did you write it to entertain or did you intend to deliver a message? A warning?
Joseph Tatner:  I definitely wrote it to entertain, but there are a lot of deep questions raised in the book – all without answers. Floyd and Mikki question whether there is a God, what is right and wrong when the rules no longer apply, what obligation do they have to others in an every-man-for-himself world? They really don’t know, but like all of us, life is a search for meaning. Every reader will have his or her own interpretation, and that was intentional as well. It brings the reader into the story in a cerebral way that is highly unusual for a zombie story.
Q: Why do readers care about the characters Floyd and Mikki? What makes them engaging?
Joseph Tatner:  Floyd and Mikki are Everyman and Everywoman. Like all of us, Floyd and Mikki just want to live every day without drama and complication. But also, like all of us, drama and complication plague our lives. In their case, that drama and complication is raised to the extreme, but they are really just simple people who want to be left alone to live their lives. They have the same thoughts, questions, feelings and needs that we all have, so watching them struggle to survive everyday against all odds makes them the underdogs. We all love watching underdogs triumph. By making them as real as possible, the reader can see himself or herself in the characters, which makes the story more engaging.
Q: Is the concept of heroes vs villains relevant to your story? Are zombies essentially the “bad guys?” What makes a compelling villain? Do you need villains to have heroes?
Joseph Tatner:  The concept of heroes and villains is essential to the story. The big question is, what is good or bad when a society falls apart and there are no rules? The real “bad guys” in the book are the living. Zombies are mindless and somewhat predictable (at least in book 1), but human beings are not. There are criminals and gangs that raided and looted and killed when society fell apart. They gathered all the gold and jewelry they could rob or steal, only to have it all end up being worthless. Yet, they still murder and destroy whatever is left in society. There are many levels of good and evil in the people Floyd and Mikki meet, and they become heroes without ever intending to be.
Q: What’s next?
Joseph Tatner:  Floyd and Mikki 2, of course! I am proofing the second book, Floyd & Mikki: Zombie Slayers, Dawn of the Living now, and am about 20% finished with Floyd & Mikki: Zombie Destroyers, Zombie Trek. Book 4 in the trilogy (pun intended) will be, Floyd & Mikki vs the Martians, which will spoof the entire series as Floyd and Mikki get abducted by aliens to fight in an arena similar to the Predator movies. Mikki loves to blow things up, so this way she gets to blow up an entire planet. A character oddly similar to Doctor Who will show up in that novel. If I can find the right illustrator, I may turn the first book into a graphic novel, as well. I also have a prequel short story simply entitled, Mikki, which I am currently shopping for publication in a horror magazine in the US or UK. It tells the story of how Mikki transforms from runaway teenager to Zombie Hunter as the Zombie Apocalypse begins. In addition, I have an action/adventure novel called Caribbean Heat and a Dungeons & Dragons style trilogy called The Black Lore that will be published soon, but I haven’t begun the final proofreading and I want to get at least the first three Floyd & Mikki books done first, as everyone keeps nagging me for more. Apparently the story is pretty addicting!
Q: Tell us about Joseph Tatner. What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
Joseph Tatner: I unwind playing Neverwinter and other computer games, but as corny as it may sound, I really like spending time with my family. I have a lovely wife and young daughter. I always make time to do something special together, whether it’s a road trip, visiting the mall, or just staying at home watching movies.
About Joseph Tatner
A true renaissance man, the author Joseph Tatner holds a BA in Communications and an MA in National Security Studies. He has written numerous published Web and print articles, books, technical documents and promotional materials.
After writing so many technical manuals over the years, Joseph nearly turned into a zombie himself, so he has a unique insight into the mindless void of a soulless drone. Yet like his father before him, Jack Tatner (a famous musician in the 1940s), Joe has kept his offbeat sense of humor. He has a unique talent for taking an otherwise normal situation and turning it on its head, then twisting it again with delightful, thought-provoking results. Joe is a modern day Gilbert and Sullivan, examining humanity, society and personal relationships in a topsy-turvy apocalyptic world.
FLOYD AND MIKKI: ZOMBIE HUNTERS
Unlike most zombie books, which are as dry and mindless as the creatures they feature, this first book in the trilogy packs plenty of action and creepy horror as Floyd and Mikki rely on each other, their wits and whatever supplies they can scrounge as they travel through the Midwest to New California Haven, the last safe zone in America. Lost in a shattered world populated by the undead, they don’t know what caused the infection or how to stop it. With wry humor and snarky comments, they encounter plenty of action, colorful characters and riveting horror as they fight to stay alive and help others along the way. This is one zombie novel for readers with a brain!ExcerptSuddenly, a light flipped on, shattering the total darkness. Floyd had to blink a few times to adjust. Then he got the shock of his life.“Holy crap! You’re a girl!” he exclaimed, noticing the obviously feminine figure for the first time. He removed his face mask.
“No shit, Sherlock. You figure that out all on your own, did ya?”
She wasn’t just a girl. She was a hot girl! What the hell? She spoke with a southern drawl that Floyd couldn’t quite place. It certainly wasn’t Texas. Tennessee? Georgia, maybe?
She wore short, tight jeans that she had cut off right at the top of the thigh and a T-shirt cut off just below her ample breasts. She removed the football helmet to reveal light blonde hair tied into unbraided pigtails. Two fountains of yellow hair tied with rubber bands erupting from the sides of her head. She wore pink cowboy boots—or cowgirl boots—and the stem of a Dum Dum lollipop was sticking out of the side of her mouth.
If it weren’t for the size of her chest and the granite gaze in her eyes, Floyd would have thought she was about 15. Whoever she was, she sure knew her way around a shotgun and was far more mature than her young face would indicate. In a saner world, she would have been safe at home, playing with dolls or getting all dolled up herself in some fancy dress for the prom, instead of sneaking out after curfew to kill undead monsters. Buffy the Zombie Slayer.
“How old are you?” Floyd asked.
“Old enough!” she snapped back. “But don’t get any funny ideas or I’ll gut you like a fish and cut you into bait!”
Ignoring the mixed metaphor, Floyd knew by the look on her face that she wasn’t kidding. He began to seriously wonder what he had gotten himself into.
“Hey, no problem!” he insisted, throwing up his hands in surrender. “I’m Floyd. What’s your name?”
“Mikki.”
“Mikki, huh? What is that, short for Michelina or Michelle or somethi-”
Before he could finish the sentence, Mikki was up in his face screaming at him with a large, evil-looking combat knife that she seemed to have pulled out of nowhere pointed at his throat.
“Don’t you call me Michelle! Don’t you never call me Michelle! You hear me? I’ll cut of your balls, stuff ‘em in your mouth and sew up your lips! We clear?”
“We’re clear! We’re clear!” Floyd stammered. When Mikki retreated, Floyd carried on. “Damn, girl! In case you haven’t noticed, we’re on the same side here.”
Mikki paused and looked him over carefully before saying, “Maybe. We’ll see about that.”
“So what were you doing out there anyway?
“Shopping.”
“Shopping?”
“Yeah, shopping! You think cans of food just grow legs and walk their way down here by themselves?”
“I guess not.” Floyd also guessed that hunting zombies every day hadn’t exactly taught her much in the way of manners, either, but he kept that thought to himself.
Links
Purchase sitesAmazon Barnes and Noble iTunes Kobo Smashwords Author LinksGoodreads siteWeb site (includes sample chapters)FacebookTwitter address @FMzombies




WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY: Romance Author Joyce DeBacco "Transitioning from Category Romance to Women's Fiction"

Joyce DeBacco, Author
Romance NovelsHaving reared four grown daughters and helped run her husband’s business, romance author Joyce DeBacco confronted the problems women face in a real world. A reader of romantic novels for many years led her to want to create her own stories resulting in almost a dozen published romantic novels. Reviewers applaud her romances with their “complex characters and an intriguing story line” that “never descends into the sappy dialogue and thought processes of a swooning nymphette” but offers “a more pragmatic view of love in today's society.”
The following post by DeBacco, originally published on this blog in 2012, differentiates the more traditional category romance approach to writing a romantic novel, from a more modern approach to women’s fiction, which she has adopted.

Transitioning from Category Romance to Women’s FictionBy Joyce DeBacco
There was a time when women’s fiction was synonymous with bodice rippers. Thankfully, those days are long gone. Although romance is still a large part of our reading material, women today want more from their fiction. With more women in the workforce now, either by choice or necessity, our reading time is understandably limited. While it’s fun to occasionally indulge in a fluffy romance or a sexy read, many women prefer to read what’s relevant to them. It’s the reason little girls want dolls that reflect their ethnicity or coloring. And, because we’re strong women, we don’t always want the female to follow the male’s lead; we can think for ourselves. On the other hand, sometimes we want to be taken care of. It’s a fine balance.

It’s not hard to figure out from my writing that my preference is for women’s fiction. Although at one time, I tried my hand at category romance in order to submit to the popular romance publishers of the day, I just couldn’t adhere to their strict requirements as to length or timing. I didn’t want my hero and heroine to meet, fall in love, and live happily ever after according to some arbitrary formula. I wanted to do it my way.
Of course, at the heart of any good women’s fiction is authenticity, and family dynamics is an important part of my fiction. One of the greatest compliments an author can get is when a reader says their characters seem like real people. As mothers, we’ve all dealt with a toddler’s temper tantrum or a teen’s rebellion. And it’s the rare woman who hasn’t experienced sibling rivalry or mother-daughter issues. The characters in my books face these problems as well. They may not always say the right thing at the right time, but that’s what makes it real. It’s also why some of my characters are well-educated and some are not; some are professionals and some are not. They’re a microcosm of society. The important thing is that they’re all motivated by love of home and family.
In the end, women’s fiction is about life. As wives, mothers, daughters, sisters, we strive to keep our home lives and professional lives separate. When they do overlap, we do the best we can to blend them; multi-tasking has always been part and parcel of a woman’s life, from pioneer days to the present. Today’s woman can be the head of a corporation or the head of a family, and women’s fiction has evolved to reflect that. Today the hand that rocks the cradle is just as apt to rock the business world. And we wouldn’t have it any other way.
About Joyce DeBacco
After reading women’s fiction for many years, Joyce knew she wanted to create stories of her own. As the mother of four grown daughters, she’s familiar with the problems women face finding love, raising children, and stepping back when necessary. While raising her daughters, she also ran the office of her husband’s sub-contracting business, so she’s quite familiar with multi-tasking. She is happiest when she’s secluded in her office creating new worlds and people to populate them. When she’s not taxing her brain with plot, structure, and grammar, she likes to sew, particularly quilts. When she really wants to rest her brain, she sprawls out in front of the TV and tries not to fall asleep. Please visit her website, http://www.joycedebacco.com for information about her Tea or Sympathy light romance series, her short fiction collection called Midnight and Holding, or her six women’s fiction novels, Serendipity House, named Best Indie Romance of 2011 at Red Adept Reviews, Rubies and Other Gems, Tomorrow Blossoms, Where Dreams Are Born, So Wonderful as Want, and The Mercy of Time and Chance.
About Joyce DeBacco’s Books
Serendipity House 
Sylvie was a pleaser. She did as her mother pleased, and she did as her fiancé pleased. Then she did as she pleased. Determined to take back her life, she heads to the hills instead of the altar on the day she's to wed.

The Mercy of Time and Chance
Spans three generations of an Italian-American family. The first generation is steeped in old world customs and values, living in the manner expected of them by their church and community. The second clings to the old and familiar while the world around them changes. The third embraces the modern but reverts to the past when it suits them.
Rubies and Other Gems
Lily’s life isn’t going well. Her husband is clueless and her children are rudderless. It's little wonder she seeks comfort in her dreams, unaware that her grandmother’s rubies have transported her back through time to a safer, saner existence.
So Wonderful as Want 
Dinah’s dream of ever leaving her small Southwest Florida town before and during the land boom of the twenties seems doomed when she finds herself pregnant by an unscrupulous, older man. Young Zach also has a dream. He wants to be his own man, go his own way. But when tragedy strikes Dinah’s family, his soft heart won’t allow him to walk away. Years later, the stock market is soaring, Tyler’s the wealthiest man in the county, and Dinah’s had it up to her jeweled earlobes with the grand life. Then Tyler and Zach decide to enter politics, and she has another choice to make. Will she support the candidate who wants to further develop the sun-kissed coast, or jeopardize her marriage by supporting the one who wants to preserve it for future generations?
Tomorrow Blossoms 
When Kate’s husband, Ward, locates the son she put up for adoption as an unwed teen, she’s understandably wary. What if he looks like his father instead of Ward?








Tea or Sympathy Light Romance Series
Angel Wishes: Book 1
When Addie inherits her parents’ antique shop, she wonders how she can pursue her New York career and keep the shop her parents loved in her small hometown.
Penny Dreams: Book 2
After the death of her husband, Pam devotes herself to raising their daughter. When she meets Barry, she begins to dream again.
Morning Mist: Book 3
Demoralized by a cheating husband, Maggie is determined to prove her worth by starting her own business.

Purchase Links
Serendipity HouseThe Mercy of Time and Chance  Rubies and Other Gems So Wonderful as Want  Tomorrow Blossoms  Where Dreams Are Born 
E-books only
Midnight and Holding  Angel Wishes  Penny Dreams Morning Mist 
Author Links
Website Facebook  
Twitter: @JoyceDeBacco

WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY: Arlene Hittle, Romance Author

Arlene Hittle, Author
BLIND DATE BRIDE
and other romancesReviewers say that BLIND DATE BRIDE by Arlene Hittle is “funny, witty and a modern romance” that “makes you feel good and brings out the hopeless romantic in all of us.” Hittle claims it’s “pure entertainment.” She writes romances to escape from everyday life and because she likes happy endings. In addition to BLIND DATE BRIDE, she has written four other romances and numerous articles as a journalist.
When she’s not writing, Hittle likes to spend time with her cats, dog and tennis pro boyfriend. Currently residing in Arizona, she grew up in Chicago and remains a Cubs fan.  She is working on “Trouble in Paradise,” the follow-on to BLIND DATE BRIDE – both self-published. In addition, she also writes for Turquoise Morning Press who will be releasing one book in March (BREAKING ALL THE RULES, for Star Trek fans) and another in April (JUST RIGHT, a novella-length retelling of Goldilocks and the Three Bears).
Don't miss the excerpt following her interview.
Q: How did you conceive of the idea for a romance connected to Reality TV in BLIND DATE BRIDE? Why do you choose to write romances?
Arlene Hittle: BLIND DATE BRIDE is actually the first of two Reality (TV) Bites stories. A radio news report sparked the idea, way back in 1990-something. Back then, reality TV shows weren’t as pervasive as they are now. You had MTV’s “Real World” and “Road Rules,” but I don’t think “Survivor” or “The Bachelor” had started airing yet. I’m really not sure how I made the connection, but I remember telling myself I needed to hurry up and finish writing the book before the reality TV craze died off. Turns out, I needn’t have worried about that.
After hearing the radio story (the details of which now escape me), I wrote and submitted to my local theater group a one-act play in which the “lucky” couple’s friends are in the church basement, beseeching them to go through with a blind-date wedding neither of them signed up for. The book picks up where the play left off, with Kari and Damien reluctantly getting married and then getting to know one another.
I write romance because I believe in happy endings. Romance provides an escape from everyday life...a guarantee that, no matter how many things go wrong along the way, the hero and heroine will get to happily ever after.
Q: One of your reviewers describes BLIND DATE BRIDE as a “modern” romance. Do you agree? How does a “modern romance” differ from a “traditional romance?”
Arlene Hittle: When I think of “traditional romance,” I think of the Silhouette Desire and Harlequin Presents titles—boss and secretary find forbidden love, best friends become lovers, secret baby comes to light, divorced couples rediscover the spark ... I devoured those stories (still do from time to time). BRIDE isn’t one of them.
Sure, the situation Kari and Damien find themselves in—meeting for the first time on their wedding day, as the winners of Romance TV’s “Get a Love Life” contest—can be seen as a traditional marriage of convenience story. At the same time, the reality TV angle makes it thoroughly modern. Even 15-ish years ago when I first came up with the idea, it seemed outrageous. (People asked me how I’d get readers to believe people would marry for TV.) Not so anymore. About the time I released BLIND DATE BRIDE last summer, FYI network premiered “Married at First Sight,” a reality show with an eerily familiar premise.
Q: A reviewer said your “wit and love for the funnier side of love shines through.” How important is humor to telling your story? Do you associate humor with romance?
Arlene Hittle: For me, at least, humor and love are intertwined—if you’re not having fun in a relationship, perhaps you shouldn’t be in it. Yes, I love love won’t be a 24-hour-a-day laugh fest, seven days a week—but your mate should be able to make you laugh at yourself or the situation. My tagline has been “...because love is funny.”
Q: What makes readers care about what happens to your protagonist Kari Parker? How do you create a character that readers will embrace?
Arlene Hittle: Good question. I hope to create characters that readers identify with, or at least wouldn’t mind sitting down to drinks/dinner with. (I do this with varying degrees of success, according to editors and critics.) I love my characters, flaws and all, and want everyone else to do the same.
Kari picked the wrong boyfriend in college (who hasn’t done that?) and is still struggling to get over the psychological damage he inflicted. She gets tongue-tied talking to cashiers, and her friend Bethany enters her in the contest to win something less than the grand prize—a six-month subscription to an online dating service. Instead, she finds herself saddled with a too-strong, too-sexy veterinarian and has to find herself before she can say “yes” to love.
Q: Does the concept of “villains versus heroes” apply to BLIND DATE BRIDE? What are the attributes of an effective villain? Do you need a villain to have a hero?
Arlene Hittle: There really is no villain in BLIND DATE BRIDE—unless you count the ghost of Kari’s ex-boyfriend. I think to be effective, a villain has to be creepy and have good reasons for doing what he does. (We’re never in Rob’s head, so we have no idea why he was such a jerk to Kari.) In romance, the hero can be a hero simply because he’s the male lead.
Q: Did you write BLIND DATE BRIDE just to entertain or did you intend to deliver a message?
Arlene Hittle: It’s pure entertainment. Any messages readers find in it arise from their experiences/interpretations.
Q:  In addition to writing your novels, you are also a journalist. Do you prefer journalism or novel-writing? Fiction or non-fiction? Were you able to use your journalist skills to write a fictional novel? Or is the difference between reporting news and creating a story difficult to cross?
Arlene Hittle: Honestly? I majored in journalism because I was trying to be practical. In elementary school, I knew I wanted to be a writer. By the time I got to 10thgrade, I realized I needed a career to pay the bills while I tried to break into fiction. I chose journalism because it’d give me a chance to write for a living until I could write novels for a living.
Novel-writing and journalistic writing are somewhat different—I didn’t really settle into heavy-duty fiction-writing until I started working as a page designer/copy editor. (When I wrote all day at work, the last thing I wanted to do when I got home was write some more.) Some skills cross over—vocabulary, ability to string together sentences. I believe that my reliance on clichés, which some readers have dinged me for, is a result of my journalism background. (I go for the quick, easily understandable comparison.) I’m about to test my ability to do both at once, though. In September, I was laid off from my page design/copy editing gig, and I start a new job as education reporter Jan 5. Writing has become more of a habit now, and I’m confident I’ll be able to do both.
Q: How supportive is setting to telling your story? Can you use time and location to amplify your narrative?
Arlene Hittle: I probably could, but I’m not sure I do. A lot of the scenes in BRIDE are set in fictional places within the real city of Chicago.
Q:  What’s next?
Arlene Hittle: BLIND DATE BRIDE is my foray into self-publishing. Its companion, TROUBLE IN PARADISE, picks up where BRIDE left off and tells the story of Kari and Damien’s best friends Bethany and Cody, the ones who got more wedding night action than the bride and groom. It’s sitting on my hard drive, waiting for me to shape it into something ready to release, which I’d like to do sometime in 2015. I also write for Turquoise Morning Press. My next TMP releases are set for March (BREAKING ALL THE RULES, a nod to Star Trek lovers) and April (JUST RIGHT, a novella-length retelling of Goldilocks and the Three Bears).
Q: Tell us about Arlene Hittle. What do you like to do when you’re not reading or writing?
Arlene Hittle: I watch too much TV and spend as much time as possible with my cats, dog and tennis pro boyfriend. I enjoy cooking, the result of a Food Network obsession in the 90s, and—in a fit of poor judgment induced by my impending move downstate—decided to use up my yarn stash by crocheting scarves as Christmas gifts. I’d love to learn how to knit, but attempts to teach myself have been unsuccessful. I’m guilty of pinning tons of recipes/projects that I will probably never, ever attempt on my own, no matter how delicious they look or cute they are.
About Arlene Hittle
Arlene Hittle is a Midwestern transplant who now makes her home in northern Arizona. She suffers from the well-documented Hittle family curse of being a Cubs fan but will root for the Diamondbacks until they run up against the Cubs. Longtime friends are amazed she writes books with sports in them, since she’s about as coordinated as a newborn giraffe and used to say marching band required more exertion than golf.
About BLIND DATE BRIDE
Nearly a decade ago, accountant Kari Parker shed 220 pounds of dead weight — her hulking, abusive college boyfriend. The last thing she wants in her life is another man — especially one as tall as a Windy City high rise. Yet when her best friend enters her in Romance TV’s “Get a Love Life” contest, another man is exactly what she gets. As much as she'd love to just say no, she can't turn down the prize money that will allow her to help her parents save the restaurant they've run all her life. Sparks fly between Kari and her bogus groom, and as she and Damien share close quarters, intimate meals and — gulp — his bed, Kari doesn’t stand a chance of resisting his considerable charms. Even worse? She might not want to. But building a real future out of their sham marriage will be tougher than baking a wedding cake from scratch … with no flour … in a broken oven.
Excerpt
She let Damien take her hand, and together they took their first steps as man and wife. When they reached the end of the aisle, they dutifully posed for their wedding pictures. Really, they were publicity shots for Romance TV, but the producer promised Kari and Damien could have as many copies as they wanted.Like they’d really want any pictures to commemorate this bogus wedding.She made sure her fake smile remained plastered on, though, as flashes lit the room. She stood and smiled, nodding whenever necessary, while the reporters in attendance asked questions that could only be considered nosy. No doubt this blind date wedding would be news in papers all over the country tomorrow morning.

Thank goodness her parents didn’t subscribe to the newspaper anymore. They’d stopped several years ago, claiming too much of the news was depressing. They didn’t have cable TV, either.“So, Mrs. Walker, do you think your luck in love is about to change?”When Kari didn’t respond right away, Damien nudged her. “They’re talking to you, sweetheart.”He wanted her to speak in front of all these people? No way! And why was he calling her sweetheart? They barely knew each other.She leaned over to whisper in Damien’s ear. Annoyance flared that she had to stand on tiptoe to do so. “I hate public speaking. I can’t address this crowd.”His eyes searched her face. She barely had time to register the half-smile on his lips before he lowered his mouth to hers again. It was another one of those long, soul- searing kisses that made her hunger for more. When the kiss ended, he looked at the throng of reporters. The corners of his mouth quirked up in a satisfied smile.“Does that answer your question?”Links
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WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY: Caldric Blackwell, Author

Caldric Blackwell, Author
THE BOY WHO COULDN'T CRY WOLFAuthor Caldric Blackwell conceived his latest children’s book, THE BOY WHO COULDN’T CRY WOLF, as part of a project to help children gain self-confidence, but he’s OK with children just enjoying a story about a six-year old werewolf who can’t howl.  Reviewers say it’s a  “A short story beautifully written for children and teaching them how not to worry.”
Blackwell wrote an earlier story titled The Enchanted River Race, and is currently working on a middle grade series called the Young Alchemist series. The first book in this series, The Missing Alchemist, releases on January 20, 2015 and is available now for pre-orders. 

Blackwell lives in central California and in addition to writing and reading, enjoys hiking, gardening and playing a variety of string instruments.


Q: Why did you write THE BOY WHO COULDN’T CRY WOLF? How did you envision the story? Why did you write a story for children? Are there children in your life who inspired you to write it?
Caldric Blackwell: The idea for THE BOY WHO COULDN’T CRY WOLF came to me a few years ago. At the time, I was doing autism research as an undergraduate student. I was part of a project that sought to improve communication skills in children who have autism. During the project, I saw firsthand how important self-confidence is for children, and I came up with the idea of writing about a six-year-old werewolf who lacks self-confidence.
Q: Reviewers say the main character in THE BOY WHO COULDN’T CRY WOLF actually “speaks” to their four-year-old. How were you able to create a character that 3-6 year olds could relate to?
Caldric Blackwell: I was spending a lot of time with toddlers during the writing process, so I think I had a good understanding of the age group. I also shared the story with young readers while finalizing the manuscript, which really gave me insight as to what does and does not work for that age group.
Q: How relevant is believability to create credibility for this age group? Does it even matter?
Caldric Blackwell: I think the necessity of believability really depends on the specific story, rather than the target audience. Readers respond to both outrageous and realistic stories, if they are done well.
Q: For this age group, how important are the illustrations? Did you conceive the story first followed by the illustrations?
Caldric Blackwell: Because a lot of children in this age group can’t read or are just learning to read, illustrations can help them visualize what the text is saying. For THE BOY WHO COULDN’T CRY WOLF, the story came before the illustrations, but as I was writing each page, I was imagining the illustration that would accompany it.
Q: Did you intend to entertain your young readers and/or deliver a message? Reviewers say there is a “positive underlying message about worry.” Did you want to teach children something about themselves?
Caldric Blackwell: I wrote THE BOY WHO COULDN’T CRY WOLF so that young readers would have the opportunity to learn something as well as be entertained. As I mentioned earlier, I created a character who benefits from believing in himself. If the young reader wants to view that as the take-home message, then great. That said, I’m equally happy if the young reader just wants to enjoy a fun story about a young werewolf and not go any deeper than that.
Q: What do you believe are the most important elements of a children’s story?
Caldric Blackwell: I don’t think there is a set of elements needed to make a good children's story. For instance, kids love B. J. Novak’s The Book with No Pictures even though it lacks illustrations. On the flipside, you have Aaron Becker’s Journey, an exceptional children’s book even though it lacks text. At the end of the day, the most important thing is do a good job at whatever approach you decide to take.
Q: Have you written other fiction or non-fiction stories for children and/or adults? What kinds of stories do you like to write?
Caldric Blackwell: I wrote an early chapter book titled The Enchanted River Race, which was published in December 2012. It follows the story of a group of children who race down a magical river on a ship. I like to write stories that stimulate the imagination.
Q: I notice that you’re a musician. Do you believe music can help children to learn, face problems, and/or embrace positive experiences?
Caldric Blackwell: I believe that both listening to music and playing an instrument have many benefits for children. Children’s television shows, such as Sesame Street, certainly recognize this, making songs about everything from saying hello to counting.
Q: What’s next? Will you write more children’s books? Other stories?
Caldric Blackwell: I’m currently working on a middle grade series called the Young Alchemist series. The first book in the series, The Missing Alchemist, comes out January 20, 2015. It’s available for pre-ordering now. I’m excited to share this book with readers because it’s so different from the other books I’ve written.
Q: Tell us about Caldric Blackwell. What do you like to do when you’re not reading or writing?
Caldric Blackwell: As you mentioned earlier, I am a musician. I spend a lot of time learning to play new songs and experimenting with new instruments. I recently got a traditional Chinese instrument called an erhu, and I’ve been working on learning how to play it. I also like to spend time outdoors. I particularly like hiking and rock climbing.
About Caldric Blackwell
Caldric Blackwell realized he loved reading when he read about a bunch of people (with single-syllable names) and their pets (also with single-syllable names) in kindergarten.

Exposure to a host of great authors while studying at the University of California, Santa Barbara inspired him to begin writing fiction. Although he began writing short stories for adults, he eventually migrated to writing children's books. His debut work is an early chapter book titled The Enchanted River Race. His next release is a picture book, The Boy Who Couldn't Cry Wolf.

Outside of writing, Caldric enjoys hiking, gardening, and playing a variety of string instruments. Caldric currently resides in California.
About THE BOY WHO COULDN’T CRY WOLF
Six-year-old Byron Woodward is a werewolf who can’t howl. Determined not to embarrass himself after being chosen to lead a full-moon ceremony, he embarks on a mission to learn how to howl. He learns a lot about howling during his journey, but more importantly, he learns a valuable lesson about believing in himself.






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WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY: S. M. Freedman, Author

S.M. Freedman, Author
THE FAITHFULReviewers praise THE FAITHFUL from S. M. Freedman as an “engrossing and original bit of fiction” and a “very unordinary book. Good unordinary.” It involves an agent and his search for missing children with psychic abilities. An Amazon best-seller in the U.S. and U.K., it was also a quarter finalist in the 2014 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award.
A former private investigator and business owner, S. M. Freedman now lives in Vancouver with her husband, two children, and a large yellow cat. (I have one of those, too!) She also studied acting at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York, but she says writing is her true love. She is currently working on the sequel to THE FAITHFUL and plans to release it in the first half of 2015.


Q: Reviewers of THE FAITHFUL tout the vastness of your imagination and even wonder “How far was she going to push the limits of her imagination?” How did you envision your “supernatural/suspense/thriller/mystery,” which has been described as “something for everyone… mystery… SciFi…romance… heartbreak… thrills?” What inspired your story?
S. M. Freedman: The initial inspiration for THE FAITHFUL came from the meteorite that exploded above Russia in February 2013. I started to research NASA’s Spaceguard program, which is charged with finding Near Earth Objects (or NEO’s) before they impact the earth. My main character became a meteorite hunter, working for Spaceguard at their facility on the White Sands Missile Range. From there it grew to encompass an FBI agent obsessed with the kidnapping of hundreds of psychic children, and a twisted organization bent on Armageddon. How it actually ended up there is strange magic I just can’t explain.
Q: Reviewers also appreciated your characters as “vivid” and “real people with deep emotions, foibles, and unexpected humor.” What makes a “real” character?
S. M. Freedman: Flaws, and lots of them. Each of my characters began as an extension of me, whether it was my sass and love of junk food (Ryanne), my determination and ethics (Josh), or my totally inappropriate sense of humor (Sumner). But at some point, each of them took on a life of their own, much to my horror and delight. I think that’s when they became real.
Q: How helpful is humor to engaging readers and telling your story?
S. M. Freedman: If characters are the meat of your word stew, action and pacing the vegetables, and vivid imagery the broth that melds it all together, you’re still missing something without humor. Humor is the salt that enhances all the other flavors. Without it, the story is pretty bland.  
Q: How relevant is the concept of villains-versus-heroes to telling your story? What are the characteristics of an effective villain? Do you need a villain to produce a hero?
S. M. Freedman: Without a doubt, THE FAITHFUL is a classic good versus evil tale. But the truth is so much muddier than that. The best villains have redeeming qualities; the best heroes have major flaws. In any given circumstance, a hero can become a villain, and the worst villain can become a hero. It’s what makes them human, and relatable.
Q: Several reviewers were impressed with your technical knowledge claiming it “makes it look very realistic and believable.” How relevant is back-story to creating credibility? Is credibility important to engaging readers? How else did you deliver believability?
S. M. Freedman: I’m an obsessive researcher. The settings in THE FAITHFUL are real, right down to the gas stations, hotels and restaurants. For me, it helped to ground the fantastical parts of the story in that kind of reality. Even the locals don’t seem to know that the Spaceguard facility actually exists on the White Sands Missile Range (although I took some creative license and put it closer to Las Cruces, it’s actually near Socorro). To be fair, it is hard to find, and men with big guns will try to stop you if you try. Trust me on this one.  
Q: Why did you choose to write the story from various points-of-view? How helpful was this approach to telling the story?
S. M. Freedman: I honestly couldn’t tell this big a story if I’d stayed in one person’s head. And it’s fun to let readers in on secrets that other characters don’t know.
Q: Reviewers say THE FAITHFUL is “thought-provoking.” Did you write it to tell an entertaining story? To deliver a message? To educate? To make readers think?
S. M. Freedman: I wish I could pretend I was intellectual enough to have a message, but honestly, I just wanted to write a good story.
Q:  What’s next?
S. M. Freedman: I’m working on the sequel to THE FAITHFUL. If all goes well it should be available sometime in the first half of 2015.
Q: Tell us about S.M. Freedman. What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
S. M. Freedman: I’m a former private investigator turned author. Mom of two, wife of one, and ruled by one giant orange cat. Seriously, don’t anger the cat.
When I’m not writing, I’m cooking, cleaning, changing diapers, helping with homework, chauffeuring, and appeasing the cat.
About S. M. Freedman

S.M. Freedman is a top-ranked Amazon author in the Mystery, Thriller and Suspense
categories, and a member of the WorldWiseWriters group. She lives in Vancouver with her husband, two children and a giant orange cat.

She studied acting at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York, and spent years as a private investigator and business owner.

Inspired by authors of many different genres (favorites include Sue Grafton, Diana
Gabaldon, Jodi Picoult, Stephen King, Justin Cronin, Suzanne Collins and Lawrence Hill, to name a few) she eventually turned back to her first love: writing.

THE FAITHFUL, a paperback and kindle Amazon Bestseller in both the US and the UK, and a Quarter Finalist in the 2014 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award, is her debut novel. She's currently working on the sequel.
About THE FAITHFUL
For Agent Josh Metcalf, memories are ghosts. They are blood-soaked backpacks and the smell of strawberry Chap Stick. Josh is haunted by a little girl who went missing his first summer on the force. Decades later his search has become an obsession, and he's pinned the photos of hundreds of missing children to his wall of tears. All the children had psychic abilities. All the cases went cold -- with no witnesses, no useful tips, anFor Rowan Wilson, a meteorite hunter for NASA's Spaceguard program, memories are lies. The childhood she thought she knew has been erased, leaving a black hole in its place. New recollections are flaring to life: men dressed like priests, a ranch in the mountains, mind control, and rape. Each new memory draws her closer to one of the other missing children, Sumner Macey; and to I Fidele, the underground organization for whom kidnapping is just the beginning.
For Sumner, memories have become weapons. He's sharpened each of his with surgical precision: the ranch, the doctrine, the mind-wash, and the murders. He's eager to slice at the black sludge pumping through I Fidele's heart, desperate to cripple those who stole his childhood.
To I Fidele, non-psychics are cockroaches in need of extermination, an inferior species destroying the earth. They're ready to enforce eugenics on a global scale. If they succeed, only those faithful to their doctrine will survive. Crossing several genres, THE FAITHFUL will appeal to anyone who enjoys supernatural mysteries; high-tech, edge-of-your-seat suspense flavored with paranormal elements; thrillers involving psychics, occult and high stakes action/adventure; tied up with a depth and humor usually reserved for works of literary fiction.
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WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY: Darryl Olsen, SciFi Author

“Filled with page after page of adventure, chaos and profound action.” That’s how reviewers describe Darryl Olsen’s science fiction novel PURGATORY ORIGINS: POWERS OF DARKNESS. In the following interview, Olsen explains why his story is “not a predictable story line,” why it’s full of action, and why he chose Egyptian archaeological digs and Wyoming mountains as settings.
Olsen currently lives in Sydney, Australia where he loves to drive his jeep out to the State Forrest or race his race horses all over Australia. Olsen has also written PURGATORY SOLDIERS OF MISFORTUNE and CHILDREN OF THE GODS. He is currently working on a novella to follow CHILDREN OF THE GODS to be released early in 2015; and will then complete the Purgatory Series with “Purgatory Origins, Men in Black.”

Don't miss the giveaway opportunity following his interview.


Q: Reviewers applaud the originality of your plot for PURGATORY ORIGINS: POWERS OF DARKNESS and claim it’s “not a predictable story line” and integrates history with science fiction. How did you conceive or envision this unique plot?
Darryl Olsen: You’re right about PURGATORY ORIGINS having a “not predictable story line”, I wanted to devise an ending that the reader could finish, but still make them think about for days after the read. About 18 months ago I started devising a time travelling science fiction piece with a basic storyline which flows from the first book titled Purgatory, Soldiers of Misfortune. But with only a few months left I ended up changing Purgatory Origins to a prequel rather than a sequel. This process enables me to create a stand alone piece which subsequently introduced new characters and scenes to the Purgatory Series.
Q: Reviewer after reviewer talks about the “nonstop action” of PURGATORY ORIGINS: POWERS OF DARKNESS with its “relentless passion for adventure” and a “story [that] jumps and dives and turns over but never falls to the ground.” How do you create this pace? And how do you give your readers a chance to breathe? Or, do you?
Darryl Olsen: You can breathe after you stop reading. haha. Yeah I admit the book has a lot of action, but it’s done in such away that it still holds up as a good read. My passion in reading and writing has always been action. That’s probably the reason I joined the military when I left school.
Q: You integrate history into your story. Did this require research? How relevant is historical accuracy to your story?
Darryl Olsen: To give myself a basic understanding of WW2 bombers and refuelling trucks I did find myself researching mainly through the internet and Google, but I did visit the War Memorial in Canberra ACT for some pictures. This knowledge gave me a basic understanding of the times, but the story itself doesn’t dive into the world of specifications of those machines.
Q: How significant is credibility to engaging your readers? If it’s important, how do you achieve believability? Or is it not a key issue for a “time-traveling sci-fi saga?”
Darryl Olsen: Your main role as an author is to engage the reader. The best way to engage the reader is to grab their attention in the first few chapters. The best way to grab their attention is to give them characters they believe and follow. Once you give the storyline good strong characters, you can put those same characters in situations like time travel and horror. This process makes the characters believable. But your base is always the welfare of those characters, make them believable but bend the world around them.   Q: Why do readers care about your “well-formed” characters? How do you create characters in your world? Do you base them on people in the real world?
Darryl Olsen: The main characters are a mix of people I know and have read about, but they are not specific to any one person. I like mixing my characters up for each story, I’ll create characters I love and follow, then I’ll throw in those which make you dislike and cringe. Its like working for large companies, you are all there for the same result, but you don’t necessarily get along with everyone.  
Q: How helpful is setting (in Egyptian archaeological digs and Wyoming mountains) to telling your story?
Darryl Olsen: Those locations I picked suit those scenarios in the story the best. I looked at so many rural suburbs when researching my book and finally settled on Wyoming as my rural retreat. It offered that unique laidback lifestyle with a dense forest nearby. I also couldn’t pass on the opportunity to mention the archaeological dig sites around Egypt, it was an area that everyone would recognise and affiliate with ancient history.     Q: Whenever Nazis occur in a book, I ponder why and how they existed to do the inhuman things they did. Did you intend to deliver a message or did you write the story strictly to entertain?
Darryl Olsen: The reason I chose the Nazis was for the fact I needed a group desperate enough and willing to sell their soul in a last minute effort to win a losing war. This is the reason I send the Nazis to Purgatory as they plan on bringing back secrets, which they can later transform into deadly weapons.
Q: You tend to appreciate and enjoy horror or exploring the “what if” of horrific characters and events. Do you see “life” this way? Or do you – like Stephen King – just appreciate a good horror story? What else do you like to read besides science fiction and horror?
Darryl Olsen: I do love a good horror story, but I also wanted the reader to think about the scenario where they themselves are one of the main characters. I love everything action, so if it’s a good read, coupled with heaps of action chances are I have probably read it. My favourite read is a story about the British SAS titled Bravo Two Zero by Andy McNAB.
Q: What’s next?
Darryl Olsen: I’m in the process of writing a short novella, which will follow from CHILDREN OF THE GODS. This should be released early next year. I will then complete the Purgatory Series with the next instalment titled Purgatory Origins, Men in Black.
Q: Tell us about Darryl Olsen. What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
Darryl Olsen: I live in Sydney Australia. I love taking my Jeep out in the State Forest. I also love football and motor sport. I own a number of racehorses that race all around Australia but that’s another story in itself. I’m a massive film junkie and read at least one book every fortnight.
About Darryl Olsen
Darryl Olsen is a Sydney based author of titles including PURGATORY SOLDIERS OFMISFORTUNE, CHILDREN OF THE GODS, and PURGATORY ORIGINS: POWERS OF DARKNESS. Darryl was first introduced to the world of fiction whilst schooling on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales. After a short period of school Darryl Olsen found his true calling in life as he enlisted in the Australian Army.

For more information about Darryl and his upcoming books please go to www.darrylolsen.com or you can contact him on darryl@darrylolsen.com

About PURGATORY ORIGINS: POWER OF DARKNESS

Australian sci-fi author Olsen continues his Purgatory series, knitting together a disparate menagerie of time-travelling Nazis, escaped serial killers, dog-headed monsters and Corsican gangsters in a far-out tale that reads like a mash up of Raiders of the Lost Ark and 24. 

When Professor Harrison Standish, a bookish young archaeologist inadvertently stumbles upon an ancient burial chamber in Egypt, he is baffled to find symbolism inside that would appear to date from two different historical periods, thousands of years apart. Suspecting the tomb had been tampered with at some point in the distant past, Professor Standish soon discovers the skeletons of ten half-human/half-canine creatures lying in a far corner of the chamber and his initial bafflement now turns to shock. What kind of ancient madman would be conducting such a horrific experiment?

As Dr. Standish endeavors to explain this mystery over the ensuing days, he happens upon a news report, suggesting that these same grotesque, half-human/half-canine creatures have come to life in the remote mountains of Wyoming and he is immediately on the next flight. By the time he arrives in Wyoming, a World War II Nazi bomber has materialized out of the sky and crashed off the coast of France and a Nazi general named Schmitz has stumbled into the 21st century, leaving behind evidence of his presence in Professor Standish's ancient burial chamber back in Egypt, all of which sets the stage for a rollicking, nonstop, modern day fantasy/sci-fi adventure.

The cast of characters in Purgatory: Origins includes Rachael, a pesky, auburn haired New York magazine correspondent, who is known equally for her ability to sink her teeth into a story and her unwillingness to let it go, Jason Kendall, an escaped rapist and killer who falls hard for Rachael when they cross paths and turns out to have a past with our half human creatures, and Harper, the ex-special forces FBI agent, whose primary goal is finding Jason Kendall, getting him back behind bars and keeping him there for the rest of his life but soon finds himself sucked into this mystery woven of ancient symbolism, old Nazi war criminals and otherworldly creatures.

As with Soldiers of Misfortune, the first installment of the Purgatory series, Purgatory: Origins, The Prequel, presents an alternative universe that is as real as your Sunday morning paper, yet one that quickly leads to swashbuckling adventures. Purgatory: Origins. An alternative universe you enter with no hope of escaping, a book you pick up with little hope of putting it back down.
Excerpt
“Sir, you’d best get up here. They’ve found something and according to the captain of the search boat, it’s very strange.”
Jacques got to his feet wearily.
“Please wait here,” he said to the father and son. “I will return soon.”
Back up on the Préfet Maritime vessel, the inspector grabbed the radio receiver.
“Yes, this is Inspector Mitterand. What it is you’ve found?”
“Sir, we have located a plane on the sea bed that fits the general description and dimensions that your two witnesses described. It’s in about 50 meters of water.”
“Very well, send your divers down and get back to me once they’ve had a closer look.”
Jacques had started to hang up but heard a voice coming through the receiver.
“Yes, what it is?”
“Sir, there is more.”
“There is more what?”
“The plane appears to be balancing on a deep ocean trench.”
“And your point is?”
“Sir, there is no deep ocean trench in this area. At least there should not be. I have worked the waters off this coast for many years and have never heard of such a thing. I can assure you it doesn’t exist on any of the ocean charts we have.”
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WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY: Brian Burt, Science Fiction Author

Brian Burt, Author
AQUARIUS RISING BOOK 1: IN THE TEARS OF GOD
AQUARIUS RISING: BLOOD TIDE
(To be published Feb. 2015)Please welcome science fiction author Brian Burt. Reviewers tout his first book, AQUARIUS RISING BOOK 1: IN THE TEARS OF GOD, as an “apocalyptic/dystopian aquatic tale of impressive scope and remarkable vision.” He describes it as a “cautionary tale,” a “what if”  story that tells what might happen if we don’t listen. It won the 2014 EPIC e-book award for Science Fiction. You can check out an excerpt from this book following the interview.
Burt's second book, AQUARIUS RISING BOOK 2: BLOOD TIDE, to be released in February 2015, features a human-dolphin hybrid trying to survive from the outcome of climate change. 
Burt is a father of three boys, although he hints that he might really be the fourth “boy” in the family.  When he’s not writing, he enjoys his day job as an information security engineer, protecting us against hackers. The award-winning author has published more than 20 short stories in addition to his novels and is already working on the third book in the Aquarius Rising Trilogy.
Q: I’m always amazed and impressed with how you science fiction authors envision your “what if” story. Reviewers tout your plot as an “apocalyptic/ dystopian aquatic tale of impressive scope and remarkable vision.” How do you do it? What inspired you to create the story for AQUARIUS RISING?
Brian Burt: I'm a dad.  I have three boys, ages 8 to 18, and (despite my chronic immaturity) it's my job to look after them.  I've always believed that means I'm supposed to ensure that the world they inherit is at least a bit better than the one in which I grew up.  Lately, when I consider the trends, I struggle to convince myself that I'm living up to that responsibility.
Climate change is one of the "inconvenient truths" that keep me awake at night.  I'm not a scientist or a climate expert, but I do read what the experts have to say, and it's not encouraging.  We seem determined to conduct a massive, uncontrolled experiment with the Earth as our laboratory.  If things go wrong and the experiment blows up in our faces, we can't just leave the building until somebody else cleans up the mess.
That concern over "what if" emerged as one of the central themes that inspired my debut novel, AQUARIUS RISING: IN THE TEARS OF GOD. The characters in this story, Book 1 of the Aquarius Rising trilogy, find themselves fighting for survival on an Earth where a disastrous attempt to reverse global warming has had the opposite effect.  Most of the planet has become harsh and inhospitable.  To adjust to the brutal conditions, humans have adapted themselves through bioengineering.  We (humanity) have become the parent race to a variety of child species, all of them competing to dominate the ecological niches that still support life.  In this series, we're too often unfit parents.
So, yes, it has dystopian elements.  But I think of this as a cautionary tale, a fictional exploration of one possible future — one we as a species ought to fight like hell to avoid!
Q: How important is credibility to a science fiction thriller? One reviewer credited you with “incredible technical tools made believable.” What do you do to make your story and its characters believable?
Brian Burt: I'll admit to feelings of insecurity on this.  I don't have formal education in the hard sciences, so I often worry about messing up the technical details, especially in a series of novels of this complexity.  So I begged for help.  I ended up soliciting feedback from three very gracious scientists, experts in marine biology and oceanography, who reviewed the first draft of AQUARIUS RISING: IN THE TEARS OF GOD and helped me avoid obvious gaffes.  I think in any fiction genre, but especially science fiction, making a glaring mistake of scientific fact alienates a good chunk of your audience.
Q: Reviewers also embrace your characters as “well thought out” and characters “that you really care about.” Why do you think they like your characters? Did you copy real people?
Brian Burt: That's a great question, and a tricky one!  I think every author is a voyeur — a quiet student of human nature who observes and records unobtrusively all the time.  I definitely draw on aspects of the personalities of real people when I create fictional characters.  But, of course, no character in the novel is a "carbon copy" of somebody I know.  Good characters in fiction take on lives of their own and branch off in directions that you, as their "creator," never imagined up-front.  That's a big part of the fun and challenge of being a writer.  You have to give your characters (like your kids) space to evolve and not be constrained by your own biases or preconceptions.  If you do that, you can end up with characters who are compelling to you... and if they grab the writer's attention, they have a much better chance of appealing to readers.
Q: How relevant is the concept of hero-versus-villain to telling your story? What are the attributes of an effective villain?
Brian Burt: I've never been a fan of the "pure evil" villain, the cartoon bad guy who has no redeeming qualities.  In AQUARIUS RISING: IN THE TEARS OF GOD, I wound up with a villain named Edmund Bryce who was a pretty nasty dude; he did some truly despicable things.  But he genuinely believed he was doing them to achieve a greater good.  He had some worthy goals, and he was haunted by painful episodes in his own past that marked him indelibly.  I didn't much like him, but I did feel sympathy for him.  So, I think readers generally enjoy having somebody to root for and somebody to root against... but I think they're smart and sophisticated, savoring protagonists with some flaws and antagonists with some virtues.  Speculative fiction readers strike me as a very savvy bunch, and anyone who reads books these days is probably a pretty discriminating judge of storytelling!
Q: Did you write AQUARIUS RISING to entertain only, or did you intend to deliver a message or educate your readers?
Brian Burt: I wanted to write a story with plenty of action and compelling characters, but I was aiming for more than that.  I'm not an activist, and I don't mean to get overly political.  But I do hope the novel makes readers think: are we willing to bet the future of our planet on a roll of the climate dice, praying that the scientific consensus is wrong and that the bones won't come up snake-eyes?  Is this really the kind of world we would bequeath to our grandchildren?  Can we trust ourselves as a species to "play god" to some extent and manipulate our own genetics?  If we try to "geo-engineer" a fix to global problems, will we be better or worse off in the long run?  These aren't easy questions, and I certainly don't know the answers.  But if readers end up contemplating them, I'll feel satisfied that the novel had some value.
It was reassuring to learn that the novel won the 2014 EPIC eBook Award for Science Fiction.  We all need validation once in a while, and this renewed my determination to keep working and striving to become a better storyteller.
Q: What draws you to write in your genre? Why “dystopia” rather than “utopia?” Can there not be an interesting story in “utopia?”
Brian Burt: I think utopias can be intriguing as well, but I'd have to confess that most of the memorable stories that leap to mind (from classics like 1984, Brave New World, or Farenheit 451 to more contemporary novels like the Hunger Games) seem to focus on the shadows in our future rather than the light.  I suspect it's easier to create drama and tension in a dystopian setting, sad to say.  The works of speculative fiction that stick with us are often haunting, not necessarily predictive but provocative.
Q: Why write a series rather than a standalone book?
Brian Burt: Believe it or not, the Aquarius Rising series began its life as a short story.  For most of my writing career, I've only written short fiction; in fact, my first big break as a writer was winning the Gold Award (grand prize) in the Writers of the Future contest for a short story entitled "The Last Indian War."  So I wrote a (somewhat long) short story called "Neptune's Children" that was set in the fictional world that became Aquarius, but it was a dismal failure.  I couldn't do the idea justice in that format.  So, when I finally decided (gulp!) to get over my fear of commitment and try a full-length novel, the world of Aquarius Rising seemed perfect, but I still strongly suspected that it would expand beyond the boundaries of a single novel.
Q: Reviewers are pleased with the “unremitting tension” and say you did a “good job of balancing action, exposition and scene-setting to create a highly colorful page-turner.” How do you build tension and suspense? Are there any tricks?
Brian Burt: I'm a rookie novelist, so I wouldn't presume to imply that I've mastered the tricks!  But I'm a longtime, voracious reader, and I've learned some valuable lessons from the brilliant authors who have hooked me with their writing styles.  I tried to approach my debut novel with the assumption that each chapter was in some sense a short story unto itself, but one that could end on a cliff-hanger without cheating the reader.  So I tried to build tension within most chapters, leaving some unresolved challenge for the point-of-view character to confront at chapter's end.  That can certainly be overdone, and the pace needs to be varied, but I tried my best to ramp up the tension steadily throughout the novel.
Q: What’s next?
Brian Burt: AQUARIUS RISING BOOK 2: BLOOD TIDE is scheduled for release in early 2015.  I'm hard at work on BOOK 3: THE PRICE OF EDEN, which will conclude the Aquarius Rising trilogy.  After that, I'm looking forward to building a totally new fictional world, but it will likely still draw on environmental themes since these evoke passion in me as a writer and as a person.
Q:  Tell us about Brian Burt. What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
Brian Burt: My wife would say that I'm an overgrown kid (maturity-wise, at least), so I love goofing around with my three boys.  I also enjoy my day job as an information security engineer.  Anyone who reads the headlines knows that the cyber-crooks keep breaching the digital barriers and stealing precious personal information from company after company.  I love the challenge of trying to block them, to put on the "white hat" and counter the black-hat hackers.  These days, it definitely feels like there are a lot more attackers than defenders.  Talk about job security!
About Brian Burt
Brian Burt works as an information security engineer in West Michigan, where some of his most bizarre and twisted imaginings wind up in threat assessments.  His wife and three boys tolerate his strange imagination and constantly inspire new flights of fancy, whether they mean to or not.  He enjoys reading, cycling, hiking, horseplay, red wine, and local micro-brews (so hopefully the virtues balance the vices, more or less).  At every opportunity, he uses his sons as an excuse to act like an unruly child (which is why his wife enjoys rum, school days, and migraine medication).
Brian has published more than twenty short stories in various markets, including print magazines, anthologies, and electronic publications.  He won the L. Ron Hubbard Gold Award in 1992 for his short story, “The Last Indian War,” which was anthologized in WRITERS OF THE FUTURE VOLUME VIII.  His story “Phantom Pain” received an Honorable Mention in The Year’s Best Fantasy and Horror, Tenth Annual Collection, edited by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling.  He’s a card-carrying member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America.  His debut novel, AQUARIUS RISING: IN THE TEARS OF GOD, won the 2014 EPIC eBook Award for Science Fiction.
AQUARIUS RISING BOOK 1: IN THE TEARS OF GOD *Winner of the 2014 EPIC Award for Best Science Fiction* 
On an Earth ravaged by global warming, human-dolphin hybrids called Aquarians have built thriving reef colonies among the drowned cities of the coast. Now their world is under siege from an enemy whose invisible weapon leaves no survivors. Only Ocypode the Atavism—half-human and half-Aquarian, marooned in the genetic limbo between species—knows why. Disclosing the reason could be as deadly to Aquarius as the Medusa plague itself. Ocypode and his comrades must face the perils of flight into the open ocean, a friend’s betrayal, a killer storm, a lethal kelp forest haunted by mutant monsters, and a fundamental challenge to their most cherished beliefs if they are to have any hope of saving Aquarius from destruction. They must enlist allies of the most unexpected sort from the most unlikely of places. Even then—when confronted by rogue scientists determined to resurrect the land by slaughtering the sea—it may not be enough.
Excerpt from AQUARIUS RISING BOOK 1: IN THE TEARS OF GOD
We were born in the tears of God.When the First Creator wept at the fate of His Creation, His tears fell like burning rain to melt the polar ice and swell the seas, the cradle of all life.  His grief swallowed the mighty human cities of the coast and gave them over to the realm of Mother Ocean.  Humanity, who did not aggrieve the Maker out of malice but out of ignorance, wished to atone for their sins against the Earth.  We are that atonement.  We are Humankind's offering to the First Creator, the Maker of All.  The Great Father — a man, and nothing more — crafted his transforming virus and infected his own kind, so that we might be born as the children of Man and Mother Ocean.  Humanity became the Second Creator, Aquarius the Second Creation, and we the stewards of its bounty.We owe much to Man, who is our father and our brother.  We must honor our debt to him.  But we must always remember this: he who has the power to Create also has the power to Destroy.— Delphis, Third Pod Leader of Tillamook Reef Colony, from a speech to commemorate the Fiftieth Aquarian Birth Day
CHAPTER 1—BIRTH DAY
Ocypode dove through the turquoise waters of Tillamook Reef toward the fringes of the celebration.  Revelers floated everywhere.  Strings of limpets, whelks, and periwinkles glittered around their necks, clicking when they moved.  Brightly colored pigments stained their skin of blue and gray and silver with pictograms symbolizing the history of Aquarius.  Ocypode ghosted through the crowd in silence.  His own flesh bore no ornaments.Ocypode of Tillamook had no desire to draw attention to himself.He slipped through the window of an ancient building, its barnacle-encrusted frame long devoid of panes, and hovered in the opening like a misshapen eye thrust into the socket of a skull.  Birth Day throngs made him want to flee toward open ocean.  He preferred to watch from the shadows.The surface shimmered overhead as sunlight filtered down to paint the reef.  The drowned Human city had been reborn, bones of steel and concrete covered with a growth of corals. Fish darted between caves marked by crumbling doors and windows, danced across the reef like fragments of a shattered rainbow.  Waves soughed beneath the chatter of the crowd.  When he listened, Ocypode could almost grasp the secrets hidden in that ceaseless whisper.Ocypode hated secrets.  They had ruled his life for far too long...but not today.
About AQUARIUS RISING BOOK 2: BLOOD TIDE Scheduled for release by Double Dragon Publishing in 2015
Megalops is an Aquarian, a human-dolphin hybrid who lives in one of the many reef-cities that thrive beneath the waves on an Earth ravaged by climate change.  Some of the Humans who cling to the barren lands blame Aquarius for their plight and unleashed the Medusa Plague that entombed Megalops's wife and daughter in stone.  Tormented by that loss, Megalops dedicates everything to avenging his murdered family, no matter what the cost.  He unleashes a Vendetta Virus as cruel and lethal as the Medusa Plague, a bio-weapon that transforms living Humans into Aquarian corpses.
Ocypode — one of the heroes who stopped the Medusa Plague — and his band of Human and Aquarian allies battle desperate odds to prevent Megalops from committing an act of genocide that will escalate into global conflict, dragging the Earth's other humanoid species into the chaos.  War demands sacrifice.  If Mother Earth and Mother Ocean wage war against each other, will anyone survive?
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WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY: Marianne Curtis, Journalist and Author

Marianne Curtis, Journalist and Author
RAE OF HOPE: STORIES FROM SURVIVORSBest selling author Marianne Curtis has just released her newest book, RAE OF HOPE: STORIES FROM SURVIVORS – real stories from victims of bullies. Curtis herself is a survivor of childhood abuse, bullying, and sexual assault. In addition to writing books, she has been a journalist for the past 20 years in Manitoba, Canada.
In the following post, we learn how she is able to solicit information that is painful to her subjects and why it’s so important to tell their stories.
Don't miss the giveaway opportunity following her post.




Marianne Curtis: A Pro at Telling Other People’s Stories
Amazon bestselling author Marianne Curtis is a pro at telling other people's stories. As a journalist with seventeen years experience, she has perfected the art of getting people to share their deepest, darkest secrets. Why do people share with her? Because even though she is a member of one of the most hated professions (media), she redeems herself by being an empathetic and compassionate listener.
For those who’ve been abused, talking about what happened even years after the abuse has stopped can be as painful as the day it first occurred. Having someone to share those stories with, without judgement and condemnation is key.
"In many cases, all it takes is a genuine ‘I know what you are talking about’ that will give a victim peace, and the courage to stand up to their abusers, or to take steps to move forward towards real healing," stated Curtis.
So why is it so important to share these stories?
It sounds so simple—telling your story.  But when it is a story of tragedy, or abuse it becomes more difficult.  It is also more important.  It is the telling of one’s story that eventually results in successful healing and finding peace.  Intellectually, one may be able to recite the details but it takes time and repetition to begin to own them.  As you retell your story, the numbness begins to lessen at about the same pace as you become cognizant of the details.
"Until I wrote my first book, Finding Gloria, I did not realize how messed up things were," stated Curtis. "Then I started looking at the big picture, began to recognize patterns, and subsequently, I began looking for solutions to solve the problems that originated by some of the things I was made to believe about myself, based on my treatment while I was growing up."
Sharing your story through writing can help victims because it can be difficult to find someone with whom to share your story.  Some people will listen once or maybe a few times but then lose interest or become frustrated, likely from their inability to know how to respond or help.  People often wear out their friends and family members.  That “wearing out” comes from their inability to “fix” the problem and the length of time it takes to recover.
"I learned so much about myself through this process, and it was so freeing," Curtis continued. "That is why I invited other people who had a story to tell that they were unable to share it with others, to open up and send them to me. By simply saying I was interested, I opened the door for others to share their stories, and the submissions started coming."
Indeed, one must tell their story over and over and over again.  Often, people are unable to comprehend the length of time it takes to heal. Those people we love the most, have the greatest power to hurt us, usually without any realization. 
"Like tears cleanse the body, telling your story cleanses your soul," Curtis added. "It truly helps to tell those awful details; once you’ve said them out loud to someone or written them out, they aren’t quite so awful."
Curtis believes that telling the details allows a victim to gently move toward acceptance and eventually toward healing and peace. 
"It is critical to find someone – be it a friend, a family member, a clergy person, a therapist or a support group – where you feel safe to tell your story," Curtis adds. "Everyone needs someone to witness his or her pain.
When stories aren’t told and shared with others, lives are lived under the shadow of pain.  Unresolved issues can manifest themselves through depression and other illnesses.  Victims often find true happiness and joy elusive. 
It is never too late to repair some of the damage by sitting down and discussing what happened.  As information is shared and questions are answered, people begin to heal. Telling your story is an important part of the process. 
About Marianne Curtis
Marianne Curtis is a well respected newspaper journalist in Manitoba, Canada with nearly twenty years of media, publishing and freelance writing experience. Her first book, a personal memoir called Finding Gloria hit the best sellers list on Amazon in Canada, United States and United Kingdom several times.
In 2013, she received a YWCA Woman of Distinction nod for inspiring others by sharing her story of struggle and survival after recovering from childhood abuse, bullying, and sexual assault.
Curtis’s other published titles include: Moondust and Madness: a collection of poetry, Behind Whispering Pines, Brian’s Last Ride and A Discreet Betrayal. When Ms. Curtis is not writing, she enjoys spending time with her children and grandchildren; reading, gardening and spending time with friends.

About RAE OF HOPE: STORIES FROM SURVIVORS
Over the past few years, bullying has become an epidemic with deadly consequences. Newspaper headlines scream for justice as our youth fight for survival; a fight they sometimes lose.
RAE OF HOPE: STORIES FROM SURVIVORS is a collection of real stories, written by real people who have suffered at the hands of bullies. In each story, contributors dig deep into their own painful memories to vulnerably expose their horrors with the hope that their survival will inspire others to fight.
This collection includes contributions from across Canada, the US and UK. Read stories of bullying survivors, including submissions from Leah Parson’s, whose daughter “Heather” was bullied to the point of suicide in 2013 in Nova Scotia; Jenna Nickie, the “Warrior Mom” from Saskatchewan; Evan Wiens, who fought successfully for a gay-straight alliance within a Christian-based school district and Candace Maxymowich, a budding politician subjected to international online bullying during a civic election campaign also contributed to this project. Gina Dickason, founder of Families Impacted by Bullying shares her daughter Jade’s story for the first time ever.
Along with real Stories, RAE OF HOPE: STORIES FROM SURVIVORS includes vital information that could help you identify and stop bullying in your home or community.
By sharing our stories, we take back our power and are no longer victims.
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GiveawayFirst prize: Autographed copies of Rae of Hope and Finding Gloria by Marianne CurtisSecond prize: 1 of 4 autographed copies of Rae of Hope by Marianne Curtis


Click here to enter giveaway.">

CHECK IT OUT: Game of Love by Bestselling Author Melissa Foster

Grab yourself this 'RED HOT' bargain while it lasts!
Game of Love by New York Times Bestselling Author Melissa Foster
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From the Award Winning Love in Bloom Series
Book #1 The RemingtonsFive sexy, loyal, family oriented siblingseach in search of their forever love .
This 5-book steamy contemporary romance series features alpha male heroes and sexy, empowered women. They're flawed, funny, passionate, and very relatable to readers who enjoy new adult romance, contemporary romance, and women's fiction.
Ellie Parker is a master at building walls around her heart. In the twenty-five years she’s been alive, Dex Remington has been the only person who has always believed in her and been there for her. But four years earlier she came to Dex seeking comfort, and then disappeared like a thief in the night, leaving him a broken man.
Dex Remington is one of the top PC game developers in the U.S. He’s handsome, smart, and numb. So damn numb that he’s not sure he’ll ever find a reason to feel again. 
A chance encounter sparks intense desires in Ellie and Dex. Desires that make her want to run—and make him want to feel. A combination of lust and fear leads these young lovers down a dangerous path. Is it possible to cross a burned bridge or are they destined to be apart forever?**CONTENT WARNING: Due to mature content, recommended for readers aged 18+**
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About the Author Melissa Foster is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling and award-winning author. She writes contemporary romance, new adult, contemporary women’s fiction, suspense, and historical fiction with emotionally compelling characters that stay with you long after you turn the last page. Her books have been recommended by USA Today’s book blog, Hagerstown Magazine, The Patriot, and several other print venues. She is the founder of the  World Literary Café and Fostering Success. When she’s not writing, Melissa helps authors navigate the publishing industry through her author training programs on  Fostering Success. Melissa has been published in Calgary’s Child Magazine, the Huffington Post, and Women Business Owners magazine.
Melissa hosts an Aspiring Authors contest for children and has painted and donated several murals to The Hospital for Sick Children in Washington, DC. Melissa lives in Maryland with her family.
Melissa is available to chat with book clubs and welcomes comments and emails from her readers. Visit Melissa on The Women's Nest or her personal website .
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