Jerrie Alexander's Blog, page 7

Writer’s Wednesday with Kate Wyland

I’m excited to introduce Kate Wyland to you today. Kate is a woman after my own heart. Her love for horses gives her first hand knowledge when she’s writing.

Kate is a life-long horse nut who started riding at three years old. She’s taken part in a great variety of equestrian activities with her greatest loves being dressage and trail riding in the mountains. A few years ago, she exchanged her tech writing “bug” hat for a fiction writing Stetson. Suspense, romance, horses and sometimes the paranormal are the themes she likes to explore in her books. And she delights in sharing her love of animals and country living.

 

Let’s jump right in and learn about Kate’s writing life.

Q. Do you do any special research for your novels?

So far I haven’t had to do much in the way of special research. Both my published novels have been in horsey settings, which I know quite well. I did some research on amnesia for FOREWARNING, but I already had experience with the alternative healing. I based the dude ranch in WYOMING ESCAPE on a ranch where we had a delightful vacation.

For my current WIP, I’ve done some digging on PTSD. What our soldiers have to deal with is really appalling.

Q. What made you pick your particular genre?

I’m drawn to mystery and suspense because I like stories that engage both my mind and my emotions. I want to help solve a puzzle AND keep the heroine and/or hero safe. I also enjoy love stories and want a happy ending, so romantic-suspense fits nicely.

Q. What are you working on right now? Can you tell us about it?

My current WIP is FOREARMED, the second in my Horses and Healing series. Callie Burns, a child psychotherapist who uses horses to work with her patients, finds a badly beaten, dying man in the Arizona desert. The park ranger who answers her call for help finds himself attracted to her. However, he has small tolerance for illegal immigrants and when it appears that one of Callie’s clients is connected to the murdered man and is probably illegal he’s torn as to how to respond.

Q. Do you ever hit the wall or find you’ve written yourself into a corner? How do you turn that around?

I start working on a different chapter or scene, or sometimes a completely different story. Getting my mind off the problem frequently helps me come up with a new approach. Spending time with my horse is also helpful.

Okay…enough with the business questions! How about some fun stuff. You know, just between the two of us.

Q. The opportunity to go on a surprise vacation arises. You have 90 minutes to pack and get to the airport. Where will you go and what will you pack?

Somewhere I haven’t been before. I love to explore new places. I’ll pack as little as possible.

Q. Are you more likely to be spotlighted on the TV show Hoarders or Fashion Police?

Hoarders, unfortunately. My husband is a definite pack rat and I keep far too much stuff, just in case.

Q. If they make a movie about your life, who do you want to play your part?

Wow, that’s hard if you’re talking about current actresses. When I was younger Anne Margaret might have fit, at least in terms of looks. I’m a redhead. A younger one that might do is Annette Bening. Not that I’m as glamorous as either of them!

Q. Tell us one thing about you that might surprise us…it can be a secret…we won’t tell.

I’d love to be a dancer. To be a prima ballerina or dance like Cyd Charisse or Shirley MacLaine. Unfortunately, I’ve always had balance problems, so I’ve never been successful dancing on my own. But I dream of it.

Here’s a few quickies. What’s your favorite:

Sound?  Kids laughing

Romantic song? Some Enchanted Evening

Day?  Sunday

Smell?  Horse – tangy and sweet

Tell us about your release and then give us links. The excerpt and blurb a awesome!! Everybody will want to know what happens next!

 

FOREWARNING:

Healing is her life. Will it be her death?

Grieving and guilt-stricken after her husband’s suicide, Kasey Martin has closed her energetic healing practice and retreated to her Oregon horse ranch. One night, she rescues a badly injured man, and against her better judgment, uses her neglected skills to save his life. This starts her on an unexpected journey of healing and danger.

Complicating her life is Jim Bradley, an old friend who has long been in love with her and wants her to return to her work. When criminals looking for her patient invade the serenity of her world, she must use her skills to save all three of their lives.

Excerpt:

Kasey Martin jerked awake, her heart galloping like a horse running from a cougar. Wide-eyed, she lay frozen and listened to the night. Wind howled through the eaves, thunder rumbled in the distance, rain pounded the roof. A typical storm in the foothills of the Oregon Cascades.

She sat up and stared into the deep black of a night with no city glow to lighten the dark. No help came from the night light in the hall, either. The tempest had knocked out the power again. All she could see was unrelieved black. All she heard was the downpour and Goliath, her Border Collie, snoring on the floor.

Kasey frowned and tilted her head. What the heck had startled her awake and sent her pulse racing? She focused her thoughts and reached out with her mind, briefly touching the energy fields of the animals in her care. The horses in both pastures were dozing in their lean-tos, ignoring the storm. In the barn, her stallion Sundancer was awake but unconcerned. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. She lay back, pulled the quilt up around her shoulders, and willed herself to relax. At least tonight it hadn’t been the nightmare about Brian that disturbed her sleep.

Her breathing had almost returned to normal when a flash of lightning lit up the room and a blast of thunder shook the house. With a yelp of terror, Goliath leaped on the bed and clawed at the blankets, trying to burrow under her arm. Kasey cuddled him close and let him stay. She knew how much he hated loud noises, particularly thunder and gunshots.

Eventually her pulse calmed and she drifted off. But images of fire and pain wracked her dreams, disturbing her sleep. Her legs began a restless twitching, pulling her awake once again. The earlier heart-pounding anxiety returned, too. Her apprehension increased when she swung out of bed. Then she felt it. Something was wrong with the horses.

She grabbed a flashlight from her nightstand and rushed across the chilly room to the window. Rain blotted out everything beyond the porch. Foreboding tightened her chest and restricted her breathing. Whatever was going on was serious.

She concentrated on the agitated feelings surging toward her and recognized Star’s distinctive energy. Kasey sensed no pain, so the mare wasn’t hurt. However, she was frantic about something. Kasey focused her thoughts on the other horses in the pasture. Paris and Dina were awake and distressed too. The rest of the horses appeared to be on the far side of the field away from whatever was upsetting the trio.

A sudden wave of pain hit her, sending needles through her hand and stomach and setting her head throbbing. She gasped and braced herself against the windowsill. Someone—a man and a stranger by the unfamiliar feel—was badly hurt. That was why Star woke her. The mare sensed his pain.

 

Contact links

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKateWy...
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/katewyland
Website : http://katewyland.com/
Blog:  http://katewyland.com/blog/
Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/dash...

Buy Links

FOREWARNING:

Amazon:  http://tinyurl.com/l93s8ml

 

Behind The Curtain…debut

I think it’s time to switch gears. Don’t you?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I love having the opportunity to meet new authors and really enjoy introducing them to you.  But writers are people, too. They have awesome personalities and I think you’ll enjoy seeing a fun side of them.

So beginning next Monday, I’m tossing out the stoic questions, such as “How long did it take to write this book,” and pushing back the curtain.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I think we’ll discover that they have sense of humors and can laugh with the best of us. And along the way, we’ll check out their current release. I’m betting we get to know them a little better.

Be sure to come back next Monday when we’ll look Behind The Curtain.

Writer’s Wednesday with Loretta C. Rogers

Loretta Rogers joins me today! Read on, you’ll find she’s engaging, funny, and has a great imagination! And her book cover is to die for.

Loretta resides in Florida. Once an avid horsewoman, she is happiest when traveling with her husband on their motorcycle. The Witching Moon is Loretta’s fifth novel published by The Wild Rose Press, Inc. She enjoys hearing from readers and invites all to visit her website: www.lorettacrogersbooks.com

Q. Do you do any special research for your novels?

A: I’m a researchaholic. Often, I find myself cross-referencing to another interesting topic, which causes a chain reaction to the land of procrastination. Seriously, research helps authenticate facts even in a fictional novel. For example, in The Witching Moon, the heroine is a fairy doctor. The Celts believed certain women had the ability to not only communicate with animals, but could turn a human into an animal.

Q. What made you pick your particular genre?

A: Even though it was a place of unspeakable hardships and dangers, there is something magical and romantic about the old west. Cowboy’s stood by their codes of honor. It was a time of discovery. The western genre fascinates me because of the Native American lore of ghosts and witches. Plus, the people who settled the West had to live by their wits to survive. From train robberies to ghost stories, there is no limit to infusing these elements into the plot of a western romance.   

Q. What are you working on right now? Can you tell us about it?

A: Currently, I am writing another paranormal western romance. Cloud Woman’s Spirit is the man vs man plot where  Deputy US Marshall, Jim Sawyer, seeks revenge on the men who brutally murdered his wife, and hung his father-in-law. The question is – why did these outlaws commit such a horrific act? And, of course, there is Cloud Woman’s unrequited spirit who shows up in the most unexpected places.

Q. Do you ever hit the wall or find you’ve written yourself into a corner? How do you turn that around?

A: I’ve written myself into a corner many times, and I’ve had to figure ways to chisel through that brick wall. It’s a good thing I live in the country and my neighbors are squirrels and birds, because when I’m stumped I take my dogs for a walk, and rehash the story out loud. If that doesn’t work, I try to quiet my mind. Most of the time I can figure out the solution to the problem. When I can’t, I set the WIP aside for a few days, and work on another project. When I go back and look at the story with a fresh pair of eyes, the solution is right there in front of me.

Okay…enough with the business questions! How about some fun stuff. You know, just between the two of us.

Q. The opportunity to go on a surprise vacation arises. You have 90 minutes to pack and get to the airport. Where will you go and what will you pack?

A: I’m afraid of heights, and I dread flying with a passion; but if you insist I get on that airplane, then let’s make it a time machine that goes back in time. I’d love to visit the old south before the Civil War. I’d pack my prettiest ball gowns, and colorful ribbons for my hair, and  sensible shoes. I’d also pack bug repellent for the mosquitoes, and I’d shock the genteel ladies by giving them copies of my sensual western romance novels. We’d sit on the veranda, sip mint juleps, and share scandalous secrets.

Q. Are you more likely to be spotlighted on the TV show Hoarders or Fashion Police?

A: Oh, definitely the Hoarders. If you were to see my office, you’d understand why. I seem to manufacture paper, and while my intentions of cleaning and organizing are good, all I do is create more piles. Even a rat would get lost in my maze.

Q. If they make a movie about your life, who do you want to play your part?

A: Hmm, this is an interesting question. From yester-year, I would pick Doris Day because she was the all-around American girl; but from today’s era–Sandra Bullock. She’s everything I’m not, so she’d make me look really good on the big screen.

Q. Tell us one thing about you that might surprise us…it can be a secret…we won’t tell.

A: Ah, secrets, I love secrets. I once visited a nude beach, and I was the only one wearing a bathing suit. Truly, I didn’t see the sign warning me that I was entering the ‘naked’ zone. Apparently, male nudist are very proud of their wing-wangers. Here’s a question for you: What do limp wing-wangers and chicken necks have in common? To discover the answer–go to the grocery store and look at chicken necks. People will wonder why you’re laughing.

Here’s a few quickies. What’s your favorite:

Sound? A: waves crashing on the beach

Sad song? A: I Hurt Myself Today by Johnny Cash

Day? A: Every day is a good day that I’m above ground and can greet the world.

Smell? A: Chocolate chip cookies while they are still baking.

www.amazon.com/Loretta-C.-Rogers/e/B004948XP2

www.facebook.com/loretta.c.rogers

www.facebook.com/pages/Author-Loretta-C-Rogers…

manicreaders.com/LorettaCRogers

twitter.com/BooksbyLoretta

www.linkedin.com/pub/loretta-rogers/55/3b1/434

 

Buy links

Amazon. Com   http://amzn.to/1h93BkW

The Wild Rose Press.com   http://bit.ly/189ORAz

 

Release Day for Cold Day In Hell

We have lift off!

I’m thrilled to announce that COLD DAY IN HELL releases tomorrow, October 1st. This is Ty’s story, and believe me, I  put him through hell!

Writing this book took me way out of my comfort zone. I normally set my books in areas that I’m familiar with or lived there. Ty’s story took place in the Colombian jungle. And no…I’ve never been. Although after I’d finished my research,which added up to about eighty pages,  I’d fallen in love with the country. I’d love to have a guided tour. But with much less drama.

The use of explosives, the SOG (a badass military knife) and many of the weapons and situation were either fact checked or provided by a retired Navy SEAL. I’m so lucky to have him as a resource. Even though he refuses to allow me to identify him, he’s willing to keep me from making a fool of myself. Our emails are interesting!

I stretched my capability when I wrote  this book. As I studied the Colombian culture and jungle, hopefully, I grew as a writer along the way. I hope you see that in Cold Day In Hell.

Blurb:

Ex-Army Ranger Tyrell Castillo’s first mission for Lost and Found, Inc. goes awry when his contact is kidnapped, and he’s left scrambling for weapons and explosives. He’ll have to blow up a drug cartel’s compound, rescue the woman, and keep her safe while they cross the sweltering hot Colombian jungle.

Driven by the need for revenge, Ana Maria Vega Cisneros doesn’t want to be rescued. She wants revenge. She’ll risk her life to ensure the drug lord who killed her family suffers the same fate.

The cartel leaves a trail of blood on their hunt for Ty and Ana. When Ty receives the order to kill the drug lord with extreme prejudice, he and Ana will face the enemy head on. Can Ty protect the woman who’s hell bent on vengeance? The woman he’s grown to love?

Excerpt:

               Ana Cisneros stood close to the window. Craning her neck to see outside, she was unaware he’d entered the room. With no time for introduction, he reached around and clamped his hand over her mouth.

As expected, he’d startled her. She fought, slinging her body back and forth like a wet dog. She kicked at him, so he whirled her around and jerked her body snug against his.

“Quit struggling. I’m here to help you,” he whispered, trying to sound reassuring. No doubt, with the flames outside casting an eerie glow, he looked like an alien. A man wearing night-vision goggles, geared up with a pistol on his hip and another in a holster strapped to his thigh, and a rifle over his shoulder would scare most anybody. Not to mention the machete sheathed on his back and the SOG knife in his hand. “Do you understand?”

He took the slight movement of her head as a yes and relaxed the pressure off her lips. His reward? She bit his finger and pummeled his ribs with her free fist.

What the hell? The lamb had attacked the lion. He reapplied the pressure while keeping one eye on the door.

“Stop that,” he commanded, impressed at her bravado.

Even through the lens on the night-vision goggles, he spotted a bruise on her cheek. Heat sizzled up his spine at the bastard who’d hit her.

He’d expected fear or panic to be oozing from her every pore, but didn’t sense either emotion from her. Waves of anger rolled off her. 

“Do you understand?” he repeated. She nodded slightly, relaxed her tense muscles, and then tried to kick him in the nuts.

He didn’t have time to reason with her. And from what he’d seen so far, sweet-talking her was out. “I’m going to remove my hand. If you fight me, I’ll tie and gag you. Got it?”

This time he got a full nod. The expression behind her eyes made him doubt her honesty.

“I don’t have time to argue, so you’ll have to trust that I’m the contact you were supposed to meet in Bogota.” Cautiously, he lifted two fingers from her lips and waited to see if she complied.

“I know who you are,” she hissed. “And you’ve ruined everything.”

“Me? I think you’ve cornered the market on screw-ups.” He quickly assessed her condition. Other than the bruise, she appeared to be unharmed. Long dark hair fell around her shoulders. She wore jeans and a T-shirt. All she needed was shoes, preferably a good pair of boots.

Damn, she was a little thing. Beautiful, bruised, and pissed. Protecting her as they crossed the sweltering jungle wasn’t going to be easy. This woman was going to make the next few days a living hell.

In my mind, Ty is the spitting image of Shemar Moore, one of the stars of Criminal Minds. Do you form images in your mind of the characters in a book while you read? I have a few copies available in PDF or .MOBI files. Leave a comment and your email address. You could be one of the two readers to receive a copy.

 

Writer’s Wednesday with Georgie Lee

Welcome back to the blog, Georgie! We both love research and I’m excited to share your article with my readers!

Research, research and a little more research.

Research, for me, is not an onerous task. When I’m ready to start writing about a particular time period, I can’t wait to go to the library, pull every book available on that era off the shelf, take them home and lose myself in a time period. However, research isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. It can be overwhelming deciding where to begin, what to look for and when to stop. Today, I want to offer some advice and a few suggestions for getting started and seeing it through until “The End.”

The first thing to do is…

Start Big: You know what era you want to write about, so it’s time to learn about the era. General overview books are a great place to start because they give you the key politics, ideas, people and events that helped shape the time period. Once you know the basics, you can begin to…

Narrow things down: Decide when in the era you want your story to take place then focus your research accordingly. In my upcoming Regency novel, Engagement of Convenience, I needed the heroine’s brother to be injured at the Battle of Trafalgar and then arrive back home from the battle before the end of the story. As a result, I did a great deal of research on the particulars of the battle, especially which ships first brought news of the battle back to England. Details like this are important since they helped me craft scenes and add to the historical realism of the story. So once you’re done narrowing things down, it’s time to…

Get personal: The details of everyday life help create characters, make them real and flavor a narrative. To make the Regency period come alive in the story, I researched everyday life including dress, food, furniture and the plans of both London town houses and country manor houses. I sprinkled these details throughout the story to help make the setting come alive and draw the reader into the time period. However, be careful with how much historic detail you add to your story. Too much will make it read like a college mid-term instead of a sweeping saga. So, what happens when the research you need isn’t there? Well, it’s time to…

Think outside the box: Depending on what time period you’re dealing with, or what obscure historical event you’re trying to incorporate into your story, you may or may not have a wealth of information to draw from. This is when it’s time to start looking at primary sources like journals, autobiographies and even government reports. These writings will give you more detail on a subject than a general history book will and most are in the public domain and available free on Amazon. It’s time consuming but worth it, even though at some point I’m going to have to…

Know when to say when: Research can be fun. It can help you outline your story or navigate a tricky plot point. However, it can also distract from writing. There is no end to the research available or the hours you can dedicate to it. It’s an important part of the process, but so is sitting down and getting words on paper. So, don’t be afraid to put your research aside and start writing, because the great thing about research is, you can access it any time and you can always do more.

BIO:

A dedicated history and film buff, Georgie Lee loves combining her passion for Hollywood, history and storytelling through romantic fiction. She began writing professionally at a small TV station in San Diego before moving to Los Angeles to work in the interesting but strange world of the entertainment industry.

Her first novel, Lady’s Wager, and her contemporary novella, Rock ‘n’ Roll Reunion are both available from Ellora’s Cave Blush. Labor Relations, a contemporary romance of Hollywood, and Studio Relations, a love story set in 1935 Hollywood, are currently available from Montlake Romance. Hero’s Redemption, a Regency novella, is now available from Carina Press.  

When not writing, Georgie enjoys reading non-fiction history and watching any movie with a costume and an accent. Please visit  www.georgie-lee.com for more information about Georgie and her novels.

Social Media Links

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Georgie-Lee/259729314054846?ref=hl

Twitter: @GeorgieLeeBooks

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2985551.Georgie_Lee

Blog: http://georgielee.blogspot.com

Website: www.http://georgie-lee.com

Blurb

Julia Howard longs for the freedom her inheritance will bring her—but with her controlling brother holding the purse strings, she’s going to need a most convenient engagement… An encounter in the woods with a dashing stranger couldn’t be more timely. 

Wounded, his life at sea at an end, Captain James Covington isn’t prepared for the dull ache of civilian life. He sees in Julia a fellow adventurous spirit—willing to risk all. Could agreeing to her outrageous proposal help him recapture a reason to live as they face the biggest adventure of all—marriage?

Buy Links

Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Engagement-Convenience-Harlequin-Historical-Georgie/dp/0373297564/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1376701697&sr=1-1&keywords=engagement+of+convenience

B&N http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/engagement-of-convenience-georgie-lee/1115072848?ean=9780373297566

Thank you everyone for stopping by and a special thanks to Jerrie for having me here today.

 

Behind the Curtain with Ms Romantic Reads

Ever wanted to look inside the mind of a romance book reviewer? I’m thrilled Michelle Wilson, aka Ms Romantic Reads has joined me for the day and willingly answered all my questions. Take it from someone who has been reviewed by Michelle, she provides honest feedback. And we authors are the better for it.

This familiar avatar can be found on most social network sites. I’ll post them below. For now, let’s find out what’s behind the curtain.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Q. How did you get started reviewing romance books?

A really close friend of mine, got me started. We often read similar books and would email our thoughts back and forth, then she started her own book review blog, MyFictionNook. At first I thought that was ridiculous because who cared about someone else’s opinion about a book? Then I discovered some review blogs and saw quite a few people out there turn to such blogs, not only to figure out what to read next, but to connect with like-minded readers. I followed my friend’s example six months later. I’ve been consistent since October 2012.

Q. Do you run your blog, review books all by yourself, or do you have help?

It’s all me, baby Yes, I do everything by myself. I’m a little OCD and a bit of a perfectionist (that’s probably the artist in me), so I would find it too difficult to rely on someone else to keep things running. Does that make sense?

Q. Do you get paid for anything having to do with your blog?

No. My blog is a free one hosted by WordPress. I don’t have any expenses that need to be covered so why charge for anything? All advertisements or promotions on my blog are FREE. And paying/charging for reviews just seems icky to me. One might argue that time is money, and heavens knows I spend a lot of time on my blog or reading, but that was sort of the point from the very beginning. Reading is fun, talking to people is fun. I won’t charge money for something that I just have fun doing, you know?

Q. What do you do when you’re not blogging or reviewing?

Keeping my hubby out of trouble, and painting. I have always been interested in art, so in 2005 I decided to teach myself how to draw and paint while hubby was on deployment. I specialize in fine art and digital art. You can check out my Gallery on my art blog at MWilsonArt. 

OMG!! You are so talented, Michelle! It broke my heart to choose just two and resize them. Folks, you owe it to yourself to drop by her art blog!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Q. What piques your interest in a story?

Cover, blurb, reviews. In that order. If the cover doesn’t catch my eye first, I probably will just pass it by.

Q. What turns you off faster than being wet down by a fire hose?

Haha! Well, if there’s a hot firefighter at the end of that hose, I may not mind getting wet TMI? Oh well, too bad. It’s how I am, lol. 

Bad or non-existent editing, heroes/heroines who are TSTL (too stupid to live), cliffhangers and really short stories masquerading as “books”. I understand authors want and need to make a living, but they should also consider their customers who are expected to part with their money. There is stiff competition out there, so if I have a choice between 100+ pages and up to 50, at the same price, guess which one I’ll purchase? I’m also not a fan of trilogies or serials that are made up of extremely short stories that could easily be compiled into one book. It leads me, and many others, to think that greed plays a large role in the decision to split it up.

Q. Ever have trouble with an author who didn’t like your review? (Lord, I hope the answer to this is no. Surely, we writers know better.)

Trouble per se, no. However, I did have an author not like the review I had left, and she went on Facebook and made some remarks which prompted her friends and followers to agree with her and call “the reviewer” (me) names, I had no idea what I was talking about, blah blah blah.  She didn’t realize that we were following each other. I made a note not to buy any more of her books (not out of spite, but simply because I didn’t enjoy her writing style) and unfollowed her. End of story.

Michell can be found here:

Blog – MsRomanticReads: http://msromanticreads.wordpress.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MsRomanticReads
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/MsRomanticReads
Bloglovin’: http://www.bloglovin.com/en/blog/6023427

Okay…enough with the serious questions! We are here to peek behind the curtain and see the real Ms. Romantic Reads! Your answers will be just between the two of us. (cough, cough)

Bring it on!

Q. You and one male survivor are shipwrecked on a deserted island. He’s not your husband. So who is he? Why did you choose him?

Not my husband? Oh dear, Navy boy won’t like that at all! Okay, this is my fantasy so here goes: David Gandy because 1) he’s gorgeous 2) I love his eyes 3) he’s gorgeous. He may not be built like a line-backer, but he has this aura of sophisticated elegance and casualness that I find insanely attractive in a man. He also has this small scar above his right eye which makes him a little mysterious. He looks like he’d be good at many things to pass the time.

 

Q. Describe the perfect kiss in three words.

Wet, deep, bruising.

Q.  If you could be one of the heroine’s from any of the books you’ve reviewed, who would you be? Why?

Oh.My.Gosh! Could you ask a harder question?!

Is there a book about Lara Croft? She is who I’d want to be. No? Okay … wow, this is so tough. I can’t think of just one, but I can tell you what type of heroine my choice would fall on. She is independent and confident. She doesn’t beat around the bush, and she can kick some serious butt. She may not need anyone in her life, but she wants someone to come home to, someone who is her equal in all ways, someone she can laugh with.

 Q. What is the first thing you notice in a man?

His eyes. Always.

Q. If you were in the “Miss America” talent competition, what would your talent be?

Playing the flute. I had a gorgeous silver one, but my mother commandeered it

Q. Tell me two truths and one lie about yourself.

Ooooh fun! Okay here goes:

I have lived on three different continents.

I have met a celebrity.

I fainted once while riding Space Mountain.

Thank you, Michelle. You’re a great sport. I for one, appreciate everything you do!

This was so much fun! Thank you so much for having me on your blog

Okay, everybody, let’s try to guess the lie.

 

Writer’s Wednesday with Brenda Whiteside

I’m thrilled to welcome Brenda Whiteside to the blog.  We’ll get to know her a little better, ask her a few questions, and then more about her awesome new book!

Tell us about yourself, Brenda.

I was born and raised in Arizona. Outside of Arizona, my travels had only gone as far as California, Nevada, and New Mexico until I married a man doing a stint in the Army. If the Army offered nothing else, we at least had the opportunity to see a good part of the world. And we found we liked moving around.

Our frequent moves continued into our civilian life. Our gypsy lifestyle has finally landed us in the northern prairies of Arizona. We’re transitioning from city people to country folk. We share our rambling farmhouse with our son the farmer, his wife, my granddaughter and three dogs. Together, we’ve embraced an age-old lifestyle that has been mostly lost in the United States – multiple generations living under one roof, who share the workload, follow their individual dreams and reap the benefits of combined talents.

Although I didn’t start out to write romance, I’ve found all good stories have to involve complicated human relationships. I’ve also learned, no matter a person’s age, a new discovery is right around every corner. Whether humorous or serious, straight contemporary or mystery, all my books revolve around those two facts.

Brenda, trust me. You’ll love the country life. There’s never a dull moment. I’ve lined up a few questions for you!

Q. Do you do any special research for your novels?

I do as much as I can. I like to set a novel in a city where I’ve lived or traveled to extensively. When it comes to detail, be it the wildlife in the area or the hit song for that year, I research that too. I might not use half of what I learn, but I think it gives me a more trusted, authentic voice.

Q. What made you pick your particular genre?

Ha! It picked me. I write romance, mostly contemporary and suspense, but I also write what would be considered women’s fiction like my latest release from The Wild Rose Press, Amanda in the Summer. What I love to read about are human relationships and love is the most complicated. So no matter what I write, there’s a love story front and center.

Q. What are you working on right now? Can you tell us about it?

Sure! I’m on book two of a three book series I call my Love and Murder Series. I’m waiting right now to hear from a publisher on book one. Lacy is searching for her past. Book two is about her friend, Phoebe and book three is about Lacy’s daughter, August. There’s murder and dirty deeds in all three books but romance is hot and heavy!

Q. Do you ever hit the wall or find you’ve written yourself into a corner? How do you turn that around?

So funny you ask that. I did just that a couple of weeks ago. I found I had taken the power out of my heroine’s hands by bringing in a strong male character from book one. I didn’t know that was my problem to begin with but once I mulled it over for a few days, I figured it out. Solution – slash his entrance. I’m now stuck doing some rewriting but it’s necessary. You can keep going and try to fix it. Won’t work. You have to go back to square one sometimes.

Okay…enough with the business questions! How about some fun stuff. You know, just between the two of us.

Oh sure, Jerrie. I trust you!

Q. The opportunity to go on a surprise vacation arises. You have 90 minutes to pack and get to the airport. Where will you go and what will you pack?

I’m off to Austria. I have a friend there I haven’t seen in years who has built a small cabin in the Alps and a guesthouse at his main house. I’ll have somewhere to stay. He’s a favorite person of mine and I’ve never met his wife. I’ll pack jeans, sandals, blouses and a couple of sweatshirts.

Q. Are you more likely to be spotlighted on the TV show Hoarders or Fashion Police?

Oh dear. Not much of a choice. I recently started trimming myself of all physical baggage so am not much of a hoarder. But I’ve also been living on a farm or nearly two years and fashion comes way after comfort and purpose. Hmmm…I guess I’ll go for Fashion Police. I need them.

Q. If they make a movie about your life, who do you want to play your part?

Meryl Streep. She makes anyone look great.

Q. Tell us one thing about you that might surprise us…it can be a secret…we won’t tell.

If you’ve known me long enough, you might know this and might not. I used to belly dance. In fact, I performed at a Phoenix Suns Basketball game. Shhhh….

Here’s a few quickies. What’s your favorite:

Sound?

A storm with thunder and rain.

Romantic song?

Steamer by Jimmy Buffett

Day?

Of the week? Thursday  Or of the year? Christmas Day

Smell?

Nagchampa oil

Brenda, I love your cover! Tell us more about the book.

Three generations of women…and the secret that strengthens their love.

A line of women, all named Amanda, stretches back for generations. Each with her hopes, her joys, her pain—each pouring out her heart in correspondence with a dear family friend who shares their lives, understands their loves, and joins in their sorrows. 

But within the correspondence lies a secret. And as the youngest of the Amandas retraces the journey through the years—beginning in post-war America and following through to modern day—the letters reveal, layer by layer, the Amandas who came before her. Soon, the truths and lies hidden in the letters lead her down a path of self-discovery that forges a bond between her past and future.

Excerpt:

August 24, 1968

Dear Tilly,

A few days of bliss with no one to talk to but the

seagulls. I have you to thank for this. I’m so glad you

popped back after Amanda, Robert, and Mother left. The

strain I put on all of us while you were here would’ve

dragged on for who knows how long if you hadn’t

returned. Once again, Tilly, you read the tea leaves and

righted things.

My moods have been so ragged of late. Jealousy of

all things. Jealous that you could talk to my daughter,

get along so lovely with her, which I’ve had difficulty

doing these last few months. Jealous of your longer

running friendship with Robert than with me. I’m not

sure if I was jealous of him or you. You’re both mine.

And angry that the two of you are uncomfortable around

each other after so many years and not making sense of

that. When Robert left, I tried to give him the blue

swimsuit you had left behind and asked him to drop in

on you to return it. He said no, I could do it when I got

back. This was so unlike him and did more to unsettle

me…

You can find Brenda here:

Visit Brenda at www.brendawhiteside.com.

Or on FaceBook: www.facebook.com/BrendaWhitesideAuthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/brendawhitesid2

She blogs on the 9th and 24th of every month at http://rosesofprose.blogspot.com

She blogs about prairie life and writing at http://brendawhiteside.blogspot.com/

 

 

Tuesday’s Surprise with Barb Han

Occasionally, I’ll have a special guest and post on days other than Monday or Wednesday. Today is one of those days, and Barb Han is one of those special guests. Not only is Barb a fellow RWA and NTRWA member, she’s my friend and critique partner. I think you’ll be interested in her surprise! She’s brought you a gift…so keep reading

First of all, thank you so much for hosting me today, Jerrie. I love your blog!

Don’t we all have that crazy relative at Thanksgiving or Christmas no one wants to sit by because they’re likely to shove their extreme political views down your throat in between bites of turkey? How about the one who can’t stop talking about how great their vacation, children, or job is? Or the one who makes certain you know they breastfed all six of their kids while getting their shape back in hot yoga class twice a day and only munched on organic carrots? *gags*

Family dynamics fascinate me.

In Caught In The Crosshair, Lauren hasn’t spoken to her brother in a decade. She loves him, but he’s a criminal and none of her efforts to save him paid off in the past. Essentially, she’s had to make the difficult (and lonely) choice to walk away. Then, she gets a call she can’t ignore. He’s been kidnapped. If she doesn’t bring money, they’ll cut him up and mail the pieces.

Taking an idea to the extreme, to the worst-case scenario, I got to explore Lauren’s resolve. Would she walk away? Or would she dig in and try to save her brother one more time even if it might cost her life?

What would you do?

 

Blurb:

Lauren James had ignored the recent spate of calls from her brother. After all, he was a big player linked to a major cartel, and he’d been dead to her for nearly a decade. Then she receives the one call she can’t ignore—her brother’s been kidnapped and will be killed if she doesn’t bring money. No matter how far gone her brother is, Lauren can’t turn her back on him completely. Deep down she’s always wanted to save him. Now, she’s forced into action because he’ll die otherwise.

Ex-Special Forces sniper Jaden Dean owns a private security firm and after losing his older brother to gang violence, needs to take down as many scum bags as he can—single-handedly if need be. And he was the best. Until he trusted the wrong woman on his last assignment and ended up nearly dead in the street.

On a tropical island with a hurricane brewing and dangerous men closing in, Lauren and Jaden will need to work together to survive and find her brother. The cartel seems to be one step ahead, and Jaden’s operatives are being killed one-by-one. He will have to use all his specialized training and risk everything, including his heart, to outwit the deadly group and keep Lauren safe. Their magnetic attraction isn’t helping matters…because even a slight distraction might just get them both killed.

 

Excerpt:

The ominous storm clouds that had been threatening thickened as a light sprinkle began. The heavy clouds blocked the sun, making it dark as night. The rain shooed tourists back into the hotel, their fists full of rainbow-colored drinks with chunks of pineapple stabbed by toothpicks and set on the rims of the glasses.

Bryce took a step toward Jaden. His eyes bulged, and he made a sharp gasp to force air into his lungs.

Another rush of adrenaline hit Jaden, popping him to his feet long before his brain had time to register what had happened.

Bryce’s large frame stumbled forward, wobbled, and then abruptly sat down. He slumped forward, the look of shock still on his face, as the African gray parrot on his chest turned blood red, and the dark liquid infected every other bird like a strain of H1N1.

Shit.

Bryce was dead.

A flash of anger had Jaden ready to unleash his rage on the asshole who did this. Did they shoot Lauren too?

He caught sight of his asset struggling against a man slightly larger, but very much stronger than she, while clutching her suitcase.

Where the hell was his backup?

Cursing beneath his breath, knowing he was running out of time, Jaden had to act fast. The beach was too exposed. He couldn’t go barreling across it no matter how much his instinct told him he could take the kidnapper with ease. There were too many others covering this stretch of real estate. 

At least Jaden had his mark in sight, his own weapon, and the benefit of knowing what he was up against. Knowing your enemy and how many there were created a distinct advantage.

He no longer had the element of surprise on his side. Not since Bryce.

With Lauren thrashing around, Jaden couldn’t get a clean shot. One wrong thrash and there’d be a bullet between her eyes.

He needed her alive. 

 

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FREE

That’s right! For a limited time Barb is giving you a copy of Caught In The Crosshair! Don’t miss out.

 

Barb loves to connect with readers. Connect with her at: Website, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest.

Her newsletter has prizes and cool things just for subscribers.

 

 

 

 

Monday Musing about Sports Superstitions

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last Monday while I was checking in with Facebook friends, I noticed a picture that piqued my interest. A devout Dallas Cowboy fan was proudly displaying her DeMarcus Ware jersey. The Cowboys had won the night before, and she declared her new jersey to be good luck. Now she has to wear it at every game.

I got to wondering about sports superstitions, and my research had me shaking my head. Some were interesting, but we will not go into the sports star who urinated on his hands!

One basketball player bounces the ball an exact number of times before attempting a free throw. Another sleeps in shorts with the other teams logo on them. One licks his fingertips before his turn at the free throw line.

One football player eats chocolate chip cookies before a game, no more and no less than two. A lot of them put their gear or pads on exactly the same way every time.

And how about the baseball players who decided not to shave. Those were some scruffy guys, but they stuck by the commitment.

As fans we tend to look for ways to help our team. Some of us wear the same shirt to every game. Some turn their ball cap around backward, believing it brings luck to their team.

 

I have to confess, I tried last year. It failed dismally!

 

 

 

 

 

So are you a fan? Have any special thing you do to bring good juju to your team?

 

 

Wednesday 9-11 is a day of Remembrance

 

 No writers, no guests, and no promotion today.

On September 11, 2001, our country was attack by 19 members of al-Qaeda. Over 3,000 people lost their lives during the attacks in New York City and Washington, D.C..

Of this number more than 400 were firefighters and police officers. Almost 10,000 people were injured, many severely.

Of those that lost their lives were the heroes on United Flight 93. They gave their lives to save others.

Today is about recognizing and remembering those who lost their lives that day.

Don’t miss the opportunity to hold someone you love.