Ally Shields's Blog, page 39

Goodreads' Giveaway of Awakening the Fire (Guardian Witch #1)

Although my latest release, Embers of Fire (Guardian Witch Legacy #1), can be read as a standalone,
the story is richer if you've read the original 7-book urban fantasy series that inspired the sequel.

To start you off right, I'm offering three free print books of Awakening the Fire (Guardian Witch #1)
as a  Goodreads' Giveaway (available to US, CA, and GB).

Don't miss out! Enter below or on Goodreads. And good luck!


Awakening the Fire (Guardian Witch #1)
Genre: Urban Fantasy
PG-13

Blurb:

Twenty-three-year-old Ari Calin has sworn to keep the peace in the Olde Town district of Riverdale, and most of the time the Otherworlders cooperate. The vampires, werewolves and other magical creatures go about their business, living side by side with humans, until the foreign wolves arrive and a virtual reality drug hits the streets. When violence erupts, Ari needs more than her witch fire, weapons and potions to stop the madness.
 
Joining forces with a human police officer, Lt. Ryan Foster, and a way-too-sexy vampire singer, Andreas De Luca, Ari hunts for the enemy—from the vampire strip clubs to the caverns under the city. Every step draws Ari and her companions deeper into an old feud and closer to the brink of a supernatural war.

Read the sample text on Amazon.

Book Trailer on Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzEed1jeOyE



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Giveaway ends August 22, 2017.

See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway

Have You Met Author Mabry Hall?

Good Morning, Booklovers!

Welcome to another Wednesday Coffee Chat! Our guest this week is mystery author Mabry Hall, featuring her book, An Engaging End (An 18 Karat Cold Mystery).
Thanks for stopping by, Mabry. How do you take your coffee?

MH:  I like it ridiculously strong, with hot milk and one half pack of raw sugar. At least one cup must be consumed before I can say any more than “good morning.”

Ally: You should feel right at home here! Please introduce yourself to readers why I pour.
Bio:

I grew up in Mississippi, where I spent every spare minute at my grandparents’ farm. I draw on those years when I write about rural and small-town life. I lived in Houston in my twenties, but was very happy to move to Louisiana after my first child was born. Texas has its charms, but it definitely isn’t the South.

I’d have loved to get a degree in English, but bowed to family pressure and went to nursing school instead. I became a nurse anesthetist, which allowed me to work part-time while my boys were growing up.

Something unique that isn’t in my bio? I’m a passably good seamstress, plant my garden to attract hummingbirds, and can make a biscuit that tastes like my grandmother’s. I make a beautiful French macaron and a delicious blackberry cobbler, but my boys like my chocolate cake best.

Author Contact Links:

https://www.facebook.com/18KaratCold/
www.mabryhall.com
 
Follow my Pinterest boards to see the jewelry that inspires my stories
https://www.pinterest.com/mabryhall/ 
INTERVIEW:

Ally:  Tell us what kind of books you write?

MH:  I think of my genre as cozy with an edge. I want my readers to laugh, because there are enough poopy things going on in the world today. You’re more likely to hear me utter a curse word than to read one I’ve written. Annalee has a romantic interest, but my books are definitely PG-13. (I recently had a book club tell me they want more romance!)

Ally:  How do you choose and name your characters?

MH:  Most of the characters in my books (unless they’re villains), have names from my family tree. My roots in North America go back to the early 1600s, and there are a lot of names to choose from. I have two sons, and this allows me to use all the names I thought about for them and for the girl I never had. The only supernatural character is a ghost goat that lived on the book’s Goat Hill Farm in the late 1800s. I named him Repentance, after my real-life seventh great-grandfather. I think it’s a fabulous name, but one could hardly saddle a child with it now.

Ally:  Did someone or something inspire you to write? If so, what effect did it have and why?

MH:  Like most authors, I’ve spent my life reading, but my book choices change according to what’s going on in my life and how much mental energy I have at the time. I picked up my first romance novel when the kids were in elementary school and I was working as a nurse anesthetist. It was like someone had handed me a big bag of salty, buttery popcorn. I became addicted to the quick read that always had a happy ending. I wrote three of them, one medieval and two contemporary, and progressed to receiving lovely rejection letters! They were complimentary of my writing skills and style, but each said I essentially had too much plot.
I put the writing aside, but decided to give it another try a couple of years ago. I turned my effort to the mystery genre, where I could plot to my heart’s content.

Ally:  Do you have a writer's cave? If not, where do you do most of your writing?
 
MH:  I can write on a laptop or a Chromebook since I use Google Docs as my program. I have a favorite chair in the den that my husband calls my nest. It’s surrounded by paper I’ve scribbled notes on and books I use for reference. If someone comes to visit, I make a frantic dash to dump everything in my closet. In the winter when it’s dark and gloomy I move to whichever room looks most cheerful, but often wind up back in my favorite chair with the fireplace going.
We live on a lake in northern Louisiana and have an enormous screened porch with swings and rocking chairs, so there are many occasions when I can work outside. Those are the best days.

Ally:  Do you prefer to read standalones or series? Which do you prefer to write?

MH:  I love to read series mysteries, because I like to get to know the characters and see them evolve as people. It’s even better if there’s someone obnoxious who gets knocked off a few books down the line. That’s why I started the 18 Karat Cold mystery series. Annalee Wyatt, the protagonist, deals in antique jewelry and has recently moved to a small town. Between her job and her home, there is room for her to change and grow through several books.

Ally:  What is your next writing project? Anticipated release date?
 
MH:  Book number two in the series is due to be released in September, 2017. The title is A Regrettable Reunion (An 18 Karat Cold Mystery).

Ally:  Let's try a few quick-answer, get-to-know-me questions:a. an author (living or dead) you'd love to take to lunch:  I’d love to take Charlaine Harris to lunch. She writes about my part of the country, and she has a unique imagination. She goes to dark places in her books, and her characters are multi-dimensional.b. an item on your bucket list:   I’ve carted my family all over the world, sometimes against their better judgement. I buy my clothes at Target and spend my money on travel. I would love to live in another country for several months, preferably one with fabulous food and wine!c.  favorite accessory: My favorite accessory has to be jewelry. I’ve collected antique jewelry for years, and firmly believe that more is more. Put on everything you want to wear; then add another piece.d. Hiking or sunbathing? One look at my fair skin and freckles will answer that one. Hiking, with plenty of sunblock and a broad-brimmed hat.e. book you're currently reading:  I read a lot of non-fiction history. My current book is John Aubrey, My Own Life, by Ruth Scurr. He lived in the 1600s in England and is considered to be the first modern biographer. Queued up is a book on the exploration of the Louisiana territory, Jefferson’s America, by Julie Fenster Ally: Thanks for sharing coffee with me and answering all our questions. Before you go, please show us your book, An Engaging End.

An Engaging End (An 18 Karat Cold Mystery) by Mabry Hall
Genre: cozy mystery
PG-13

18 Karat Sold? Or 18 Karat Cold? Antique jewelry dealer Annalee Wyatt recently moved from Houston to Goat Hill, her family’s ancestral farm in Louisiana. Okay, admittedly she knows jack about farming and makes her living selling expensive baubles, but she’s returned to her roots and wants everyone, including the citizens of nearby Berryville, to be as enthusiastic about it as she is. Her goal of acceptance gets a boost when the scion of an old family pays her big bucks for an engagement ring. When his intimidating mother invites her to attend the ceremony, she really feels like she's made it. Unfortunately, "Happily ever after" turns into "Happy never again" when the young bride shockingly dies at the wedding reception.
 
Soon Annalee is dealing with a grieving, hostile groom and unpleasant accusations regarding her honesty. Though there seems to be no way to prove her integrity, Annalee can’t afford to give up. With the help of her hunky cattle-rancher neighbor and the town book club, she sets out to solve the mystery that threatens her reputation. It comes as a nasty surprise to find that her life is in jeopardy, too!

Buy Link:

https://www.amazon.com/Engaging-End-Karat-Cold-Mysteries/dp/1536849057

Coffee Chat Author Interview: Barbara Lund

Welcome, Booklovers!

Our guest this week is YA author Barbara Lund. Thanks for stopping by, Barbara. What may I get you to drink?

BJL:  The only way I can drink coffee is with more sugar and cream than coffee, so I generally go for hot chocolate instead. :)

Ally:  Then Hot Chocolate it shall be! Please introduce yourself while my magic pot gets that ready.
BIO:
 
Barbara decided that raising two kids, “wife-ing”, working as a police officer, maintaining her black sashes in kung fu and tai chi, hiking (oh yes, and eating!) weren’t enough obsessions to keep busy, so she picked up a NANOWRIMO book, and hasn’t stopped writing since. When she placed 2nd in the science fiction/fantasy category of the 2015 Zebulon contest sponsored by Pikes Peak Writers, she decided to do something with the stories in her head, which prompted indie-publishing of three novels and fifteen short stories (so far).
 
Something unique/unusual that isn't in her regular bio: "Someday I plan to grow up and become a therapist. (Hoping to start an LCSW masters at the University of Utah next year.) Though if Hollywood shows up on my doorstep and shoves cash into my hands, that may change!"
 
LINKS:
 
www.barbaralund.com
info@barbaralund.com
facebook: BarbaraLundAuthor
twitter: @BarbaraJLund 
INTERVIEW:
 
Ally:  What kind of book did you bring with you today? Is it romantic?
 
BJL:  Creeper is YA Fantasy, and during this book the main character is too busy staying alive for romance… but that changes in the sequel, though the heat rating is still quite mild!
 
Ally: Describe your writing process. Schedule, goals, etc.
 
BJL:  Unlike a lot of writers, I don’t write every day. I tend to save up during the week when I’m doing everything else, then on the weekends, pour words out onto the page. I have written every day (between 1500 and 2500 words!) – when I pushed myself up against the deadline for a novella – but as soon as it was done, I stopped writing for about three weeks.
 
Ally:  Do you have a writer's cave? Describe it or tell us where you do most of your writing. Does it have to be quiet or do you write with music or white noise?
 
BJL:  My favorite room in the house is the back patio, so I write out there, weather permitting. Otherwise, the living room with the TV going and the kids on the couch is #2, and my office at work is #3. (Shh, don’t tell my boss.)
 
Ally:  What is your favorite social media? Why do you like it? How often can readers find you there?
 
BJL:  Facebook and Twitter, way too much because they are on my phone, and I always have my phone because I’m frequently on call for work!
 
Ally:  Do you prefer to read standalones or series? Which do you prefer to write? Explain both answers.
 
BJL:  Same answer for both - I prefer series because I fall in love with the characters and want to read/write more stories about them.
 
Ally:  Does your real life show up in your writing? In what ways?
 
BJL:  Fight scenes! Between work and kung fu, I’ve hit and been hit several times…
         I also have a sci-fi short story series which features a cop on a mining platform in space, so I’ve used cases from work as inspiration for the plot (suitable for 15 and older).
 
Ally:  What is your next writing project? Title, short description, anticipated release
 
BJL:  LAST MAGE STANDING is the third in the Crowns Peak series, which started with CREEPER. Ava has been away training with the dragon, but now she’s coming home to Crowns Peak. She will have to face her friends, her old rival, and an enemy she didn’t even know she had to stop the highborns from being murdered in their own mansions. (Anticipated release: late 2017)
 
Ally:  Let's try a few short answer, get-to-know-me questions. a. manicure or pedicure:  pedi – I am pretty brutal to my hands. I constantly have nicks and scratches and bruises and I rarely know where they came from, so I love the pedi because it lasts longer for me!b. favorite tv program:  Blacklist – It’s a love/hate relationship, because I don’t want to watch TV, but the writers suck me in again and again with every show.c. hiking or sunbathing:  Hiking. We have great mountains and wonderful lakes. My hiking buddies know I need a water feature to be truly happy with the effort of going up the mountain.d. What comes to your first - character or plot?  The big finale, actually, which hands me a big chunk of character and plot together. The only problem is I can’t actually write the finale first (I keep it in my head), or I feel like I’m done with the book!e. favorite after five drink:  Orange juice and whip cream vodka (tastes like a creamcicle!)

Ally: I enjoyed your visit. Can you give us a peek at Creeper before you go...?

Creeper
Genre: YA Fantasy

BLURB:
 
Slavers have come to Crowns Peak.

For Creeper, a street urchin living rough in the slums, that fact is just one more in a long list of everyday realities she has to deal with.

But what if there were a better place for her, a place where she might be safe? Safe from the coming winter, from the older littles who bully her, from the king’s guards who want to take her, and perhaps even from the slavers.

Creeper might just have found such a place… within the palace walls, surrounded by the very guards she has been taught to fear. But better in here than out there.

Or is it?

Secrets swirl within those walls, and old hatreds bubble close to the surface. Creeper will have to navigate very carefully if she is to remain safe, remain welcome.

Outside the walls, however, the littles from Creeper’s old life are being snatched up one by one…


 
BUY LINKS:
 
https://www.amazon.com/Creeper-Crowns-Peak-Book-1-ebook/dp/B01BUG5L9W/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1483637491&sr=8-1
 
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/creeper-barbara-lund/1123559756?ean=2940152998269
 
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/633309 

They're Rumbling in Olde Town

Embers of Fire (Guardian Witch Legacy Book 1)
is nearly two weeks old, and I'm still excited to bring these characters back.
It's like meeting old friends.


The situation in the De Luca household as the book opens...
 Five years have passed since Eternal Fires (Guardian Witch #7) and the defeat of the O-Seven, the vampire elders who had ruled the vampire world for thousands of years
Three years have passed since Rayne's second birthday (detailed in the Eternal Fires Epilogue) and the discovery of  The Star of Esielen prophecy.
The intervening period has been unique for Ari and Andreas, relatively trouble-free, and more family oriented than they had ever thought possible.
Domesticity has developed a certain appeal, and Ari is uncertain whether she wants to remain as Olde Town's guardian. The job has gotten rather predictable, and she has an apprentice eager to step in. Ari's time is more than full with raising their daughter.
While Andreas is still intrigued by the challenges of the fledgling vampire league, Marcus has taken over management of the supper club, and work has been completed a new casino. Gabriel is ready to assume the primary management of it. Andreas's responsibilities would soon allow him to leave town with his family…permanently.
Ari and Andreas have had several discussions about moving to Tuscany. It seems like the time is right. As Rayne's powers develop, she is becoming a greater challenge and isolating her on his Italian estates is more appealing every day.     Then police dispatch calls, sending Ari to Olde Town Cemetery No. 1…

Embers of Fire opening scene excerpt:
 
A crisp breeze caught the last of the early morning fog and swirled it over the gravestones. The Olde Town cemetery slowly emerged from the mist, its silent memorial to the dead marred by an unusual amount of activity. A uniformed Riverdale cop completed a final loop of bright yellow tape around several stone vaults and two small crabapple trees. CS techs snapped photos and set out evidence markers as they processed the crime scene.
 
With a hot Styrofoam coffee cup in each hand, Arianna Calin bumped her jeans-clad hip against the iron entrance gate, knocking it open, and slipped inside, her footsteps crunching the brittle September leaves. When an eerie chill nudged her senses, she swept the scene with a sharp glance.
 
Nothing she hadn’t expected. Not yet. Nothing bad enough to trigger her witch alarms. But then, it was a graveyard. The remnants of so many dead souls could mask a great deal.
 
She ducked under a high section of the bright tape and focused on the blond man in jeans and a dark gray sweatshirt crouched beside a still form. “ME’s not here yet?” she asked.
 
Lt. Ryan Foster, her partner from the all-human Riverdale Police Department, looked up and stood, his blue eyes lighting on the cups in her hands. “On his way. One of those for me?”
 
A smile touched her lips, and she handed him one, withholding further comment until he’d taken his first jolt of caffeine. “Dispatch said it was a stabbing. Human female victim. Is the suspect one of mine?” As a supernatural cop and guardian for Riverdale’s Olde Town district, Ari wouldn’t be notified of an RDPD case unless the Otherworld was involved. Usually that meant vampires or werewolves—the predominant species in town—had run amok.

BookTrailer: https://youtu.be/-I-B_OHsN2E


Buy Links:
 
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073H49YJS/
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/embers-of-fire
B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/embers-of-fire-ally-shields/1126658380?ean=2940158758874
ibookstore: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/embers-of-fire-ally-shields/1126658380?ean=2940158758874
GooglePlay: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Ally_Shields_Embers_of_Fire?id=ShQqDwAAQBAJ
Etopia Press: http://www.etopiapress.com/embers-of-fire/

Coffee Chat Author Interview: Micki Browning

Welcome to this week's Coffee Chat!

We're talking about books and writing with author Micki Browning, who brought her mystery novel, Adrift.
Before we get started, what may I get you to drink, Micki?

MB:  I start my morning with tea, but when I’m ready to settle down at the computer, I often transition to coffee. My perfect cup is a dark roast, freshly ground, and prepared in a French press. A splash of cream and I’m ready to tackle the words!

Ally: Since I assume you've already had your tea, I'll have that coffee ready in a second--just time enough for you to introduce yourself to readers.
About the Author:
 
Award-winning author Micki Browning worked in municipal law enforcement for more than two decades and is an FBI National Academy graduate. She retired as a division commander – wonderful fodder for her current career as a full-time writer.
 
Her mystery, Adrift, set in the Florida Keys, won the 2015 Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence and the Royal Palm Literary Award for best unpublished mystery and unpublished book of the year. It was released in January 2017 by Alibi- Random House.
 
Micki also writes short stories and non-fiction. Her work has appeared in dive magazines, anthologies, mystery magazines and textbooks.
 
Micki resides in Southern Florida with her partner in crime and a vast array of scuba equipment.

Something unusual that isn't in your regular bio: "I play the Celtic harp, am a wicked-good shot with a traditional longbow, and read Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales in Middle English as part of my Medieval Studies degree."

Contacts Links:

Learn more at www.MickiBrowning.com
Like her at Facebook.com/MickiBrowningAuthor
Or follow her @MickiBrowning 
INTERVIEW:

Ally: Tell us about the book you're featuring today.
 
MB:  Adrift is a traditional mystery that has a thread of paranormal possibility woven throughout. There is a kiss of romance, but it mostly plays off the page.
 
Ally:  What was your journey to publication, including bumps and missteps?
 
MB:  I published short stories and articles before I tackled a novel. During my career in law enforcement, I was the department’s Public Information Officer and as such, I wrote press releases, a monthly newspaper column, and was frequently interviewed regarding breaking news stories and special events. In hindsight, that was a lot easier than shepherding a novel to publication.
 
I’m a firm believer in entering legitimate contests. I had written two novels before I wrote Adrift. The first one will never see the light of day (a very good thing). My second manuscript won an award and generated some very motivational comments. I entered Adrift in the Daphne du Maurier Award of Excellence for Unpublished Mainstream Mystery/Suspense and won first place. My category was judged by an agent who now represents me--so although I had queried, I connected with my agent through a contest.
 
Ally:  Let's talk a little about the writing process. How do you choose and name your characters?
 
MB:  I love naming characters! All my main characters possess names that either have a deeper meaning or that struck me as the only possibility for that character. The origin of Mer’s nickname is revealed in Adrift, Amber Green is colorblind, Selkie derives from an Irish Legend—and his last name means lover of horses. Mer’s last name is horse in Italian. Coincidence? Not a chance.
 
Ally:  Does your real life show up in your writing? In what ways?
 
MB:  The extensive training I received throughout my law enforcement career lends authenticity to my writing, regardless of whether I’m writing from the perspective of an amateur sleuth, a police officer, or a crime victim. Aspects of my life show up in my writing: I love to scuba dive, and I’ve lived in the Florida Keys for several years. That said. I don’t write true crime, and I’m always researching something. It’s one of the reasons I love to write. I’m constantly learning.
 
Ally:  What is your next writing project? Anticipated release date?
 
MB:  My second Mer Cavallo Mystery, Beached, is finished!
            Marine scientist Meredith Cavallo dreams of a laid-back life as a divemaster in the Florida Keys, but she’s managed to become a suspect in a criminal investigation. Twice.
            On a recent dive, Mer finds a large, plastic-wrapped bundle floating in the waves. By pulling it onboard, she lands in the middle of a storm of historical intrigue involving an obscure legend, an 18th century shipwreck, and a modern pirate who wants to claim the booty first.
            Now, with the help of her captain and the owner of the dive shop, she must find a way to evade the smuggler who wants her dead, and return to something more valuable than gold—a normal life.
 
It will be released in 2018.
 
Ally:  Now on a more personal level. If you could have a supernatural power, what would it be and why?
 
MB:  Oh, I wish I could banish distractions. Ever see the film Up? Yup that’s m--Squirrel! Ally: And a few quick answer questions...
 a.  manicure or pedicure? Definitely pedicure. See photo and next question…
b.  high heels or sneakers? In Florida, there is only one answer—Flip flops!c.  hiking or sunbathing: Hiking, which really makes me miss living in Colorado.d.  favorite quote: Leap and the net will appear ~ John Burroughse.  hobbies? Diving—(which also doubles as my favorite “research”). 
Ally: Thanks for joining us today, Micki. Let's leave readers with a little information about your mystery novel, Adrift.

Adrift (A Mer Cavallo Mystery)
Blurb:

Marine biologist–turned-divemaster Meredith Cavallo stands accused of a chilling crime after a dive gone wrong. But do the murky circumstances point to an accident, a murder, or a supernatural encounter?

Mer thought adjusting to a laid-back life in the Florida Keys would be a breeze. But when she rescues a floundering diver who claims to have seen a ghost, she’s caught in a storm of intrigue. News of the encounter explodes on social media, attracting a team of ghost hunters who want to capture proof that a greenish ghoul haunts Key Largo’s famed USS Spiegel Grove shipwreck.

Meredith knows the wreck inside and out, and agrees to act as their safety diver. When Ishmael, the charismatic leader of the group, vanishes during a midnight dive, everyone except Mer is convinced the ghost has claimed another victim. Topside, the tenacious detective in charge of the investigation finds Mer’s involvement in both incidents suspicious, and her enigmatic neighbor resurrects ghosts from her past.

Determined to find a rational explanation, Mer approaches Ishmael’s disappearance as any scientist would—by asking questions, gathering data, and deducing the truth. But the victim’s life is as shrouded in mystery as his disappearance. Still, something happened under the water and before long, she’s in over her head. When someone tries to kill her, she knows the truth is about to surface. Maybe dead men do tell tales.

Buy Links:

Publisher:  www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/546962/adrift-by-micki-browning/9780425286418/
Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/Adrift-Cavallo-Mystery-Micki-Browning-ebook/dp/B01CBLUS7A 

Independence Day, the Fourth of July

John F. Kennedy reading the Declaration of Independence
https://youtu.be/6PSUr9rMVtc
Celine Dion sings God Bless American
https://youtu.be/Q6fgUcuuOFc

New Release: EMBERS OF FIRE (Guardian Witch Legacy 1)

Wow! Even I was surprised at how quickly this all came together!
Ari and Andreas are back with new challenges but a cast of many familiar faces.
I hope you'll enjoy reading it as much I did the writing.
Embers of Fire (Guardian Witch Legacy Book 1), the sequel series
Publish Date: June 30, 2017
Genre: Urban Fantasy
PG-13

A chilling prophecy. A child in danger.

Following the defeat of the vampire elders, Guardian fire witch Arianna Calin and vampire prince Andreas De Luca are considering moving to his estates in Italy to raise their daughter in its idyllic setting. As if being descended from two powerful witch bloodlines wasn't challenging enough, Rayne was born with a mysterious star tattoo on her shoulder. Her parents suspect she is the Chosen, the focus of the Star of Esielen prophecy. But that's something to worry about in the distant future. Isn't it? After all, their child may be precocious, but she is only five.

Then the murders begin. The stench of demonic activity hangs over Olde Town, and a symbol carved in blood indicates Rayne may be the next victim. Suspicion points in several directions, including a rival vampire prince, a mysterious stranger, and a werehyena leader attempting to break the bank at Andreas's new casino.

Abandoning plans for a quiet life, Ari and Andreas hunt for the killers. While Rayne may someday have to face her destiny alone, it's up to them to make sure she's ready...and to keep her alive.

Buy Links: *

Amazon US:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073H49YJS

*Links to other online stores should soon be available

Coffee Chat Author Interview: Helen B. Henderson

Welcome, Booklovers!

The Coffee Chat guest this week is Helen B. Henderson with her fantasy romance, Windmaster.
Nice to meet you, Helen. What may I get you to drink? Coffee? Something else?

HH:  I don’t drink coffee. Which made for an interesting time when I worked a mile down the road from a factory that made and packaged the beverage. On some days the smell of burnt coffee beans permeated the air. My morning starts with a small shot of orange juice then glasses of water. In the afternoon beverage selection changes to alternating glasses of water and diet cola. Relaxing for the evening calls for two fingers of sangria over ice in a glass of lemon lime soda—stirred not shaken.

Ally:  Hmm. How about a diet coke? While I get our drinks, please introduce yourself to readers.
Author Bio:

A former feature-story writer and correspondent, Henderson has also written fiction as long as she could remember. Her heritage reflects the contrasts of her Gemini sign. She is a descendent of a coal-miner's daughter and an aviation flight engineer. This dichotomy shows in her writing which crosses genres from historical adventures and westerns to science fiction and fantasy. In the world of romantic fantasy, she is the author of the Dragshi Chronicles and The Windmaster Novels.
 
Something unique/unusual that isn't in your regular bio: "In school I hated writing classes, in large part because of outlining in general, and analyzing sentences in particular. My stories were almost always completed early because we had to hand in the work in tradition outline form first with the bullet points and snippets in cascading roman numerals, numbers, and letters. I hated outlining so much I could never get the prose portion done. So, a cheat. I wrote the story, then retroactively created the outline. The irony is that today I admit to being a plotter, or at least to using forms and organization when writing full-length works."
 
You can find Helen here:
 
BLOG | TWITTER | GOODREADS | AMAZON AUTHOR | FACEBOOK | WEBSITE | GOOGLE +
INTERVIEW:
 
Ally:  What was your journey to publication, including bumps and missteps?
 
HH:  My journey to publication can be described in one word–rocky. Between the number of genres and publishers, the path was so convoluted you need a roadmap to follow it. Every time a path ended, I jumped the dividing hedge in the maze to take another.
 
After school with its mandatory outlines and research papers, my next introduction to writing was coding computer programs and creating their accompanying “how-to-use” guides. After the dot.com bubble burst, the next use of pen was feature stories and event coverage under the guise of a press badge. Ever ride a train hijacked by confederate soldiers or been challenged on a public street by musket-carrying Hessians? I have.
 
Publication closures accompanied by the reduction in pay scale (often to nothing) necessitated yet another change in direction. This time to my first love—fiction. Even though now on the original path I attempted decades earlier, twists and turns sometimes obscured the maze’s end. Publications closed, others changed direction to ebook only. Now, years later, I straddle several non-fiction and fiction paths: small press, regional press, and independent publication.
 
Ally:  How much research do you do? When? Where?
 
HH:  I love to research, but there is always the problem of balancing writing time against research time, otherwise research can turn into a huge time sink. Although I generally write fantasy, I try to base my worlds on places real enough the readers can relate to them.
 
I start my research with the books on my office shelves where there are volumes suitable for grammar and editorial work, fantasy world building, military history and weaponry. The internet is another starting point, but I always take into account the credentials of the person writing the article. If you fake something, if your research isn’t accurate, some reader will call you out on it.
 
As to where I research, I don’t always bury my head in a book or stare at a computer screen. I love to research in museums, taking notes for future stories as well as the ones in progress. Among the more unusual places where I’ve obtained information are air shows and historical battlefields. I do know a little something about the subject of battlefield archaeology and have participated in digs using both traditional screen and trowel and the new-fangled metal detectors. Although the previous events allowed me to be inconspicuous, not all the places I’ve researched at were suitable for modern clothes. To fit in with historical reenactors, I’ve donned fatigues and hoop skirts, though not at the same time. One night while walking in period garb through rows of small white tents on a Revolutionary War battlefield and watching the mist rise from the hollow, it felt like I had been transported back in time.
 
Ally:   How do you choose and name your characters?
 
HH:  I like my main characters’ names to be simple, such as Ellspeth, Branin, Dal, and Anastasia so I start off with a list of common names from Scotland, Wales, and Ireland. Then I move to the secondary characters. I write fantasy so uncommon names are acceptable. Their uniqueness creates havoc with spell check, but adds color to the story. Names are acquired in various ways including online name generators. However, you have to be careful that the offerings are not too long or is an unpronounceable assembly of odd letters.
 
A favorite technique for naming secondary characters is done with the aid of a Gaelic-English dictionary. I take a characteristic that I want to highlight, translate that into Gaelic, tweak for pronounceability, and there is the name. If the setting or character is not Celtic, then I use the appropriate language such as Norse, Polynesian, or Chinese.
 
Ally:  Tell me what you're currently writing. Anticipated release date?
 
HH:  With an expected September 2017 release date, First Change is the final volume dealing with the dragshi, humans who can take on the dragon form. Unlike the other books in the Dragshi Chronicles, First Change is not one tale, but a collection of short stories and novellas of tales of history and legend. Another difference? The first four volumes were a true mix of romance and fantasy. There might be surprises and hazards, but the characters end up with whom they were supposed to. However, First Change more closely mimics real life. There is still the romance between characters, but in legend as in life, not every story has a happy ending.
 
Ally:  What is your home like? Do you get around mostly by car, subway, etc.?
 
HH --I’m a country girl. I can’t say born and bred because I was actually born in a city and lived there for the first four years of my life. But years on a working farm taught me a love of nature and self-reliance. Marriage came with a 1915-era home in a small town. No more driving ten miles to the grocery store. Evening walks on the waterfront to watch the sunset over lower Manhattan and ready access by train to New York City didn’t diminish the local feel. Although I kept my rural heritage in my heart, my conversion was complete. I was now a townie.
 
Thirty years later, a move back to a rural area changed the scene again. Instead of the mid-Atlantic region, it was now western Tennessee that was called home. The downtown is within walking distance, although the bicycle is needed to go to the stores on the highway. The area is still rural with corn fields only a stone’s throw away—and it is still a ten mile drive to the main shopping area and thirty miles to the mall.
 
The two-story colonial was replaced with a more age-friendly ranch house. The basement workshop is now above ground in a garage (that has never seen the car.) The 50 x 100 foot lot grew to half an acre with a row of pecan trees on the property line. And the best part, there is the amenities of a city, but we kept the small town feel.
 
Ally: Now for the short answer questions...a.  an item on your bucket list:  I try to tell myself I'm too young for a bucket list (just ignore the silver hair.) Two activities tease the back of my mind. A trip to Scotland, Ireland and Wales, a week or two glamping trip (camping with a touch of luxury) on horseback in Montana or Wyoming.b.  favorite song:  Lately, a favorite tune when I’m writing is the piano solo played at the end of each episode of The Incredible Hulk. “The Lonely Man Theme" by Joe Harnel conveyed the sense of hopelessness, of loss, and of an unknown future. It has helped set the stage for the black moment in several of my works. When I’m listening for pleasure the music alternates between classical and country.c.  What comes to you first - character or plot?  I start with the beginning of a storyline and a hint of the main characters. I’ll have their names and maybe a little backstory. By the time I’ve outlined the first three or four chapters (or drafted out the scenes if the muse is visiting), the characters take over and tell the rest of the story.d.  something unique in your closet:  Next to the spare metal detector, atop the box of reference books on the Old West, is a memory box. Inside are the credentials that provided access to museum archives and collections. Press badges for military reenactments and air shows share space with images from the events. Each comes with their own memory. The pilots racing to stop their small acrobatic planes from blowing down the runway when a World War II era fighter fired up his engine mixes with the haunting silence that fell upon another show as the radio announcer re-broadcast the news of the attack on Pearl Harbor.e.  if you couldn’t write anymore, what would you want to do?  Be a photographer or landscape painter.  
Ally:  It was a pleasure to have you visit, Helen. Before you go, let's take a look at your novel, Windmaster.
Windmaster (Book 1 of the Windmaster Novels)
Genre: Fantasy / Romance
Heat Level:  PG-13
 
Revenge set Ellspeth, captain of Sea Falcon, on the path to her destiny, but prophecy controlled the journey. Despite his insolent attitude, she is attracted to the dark-haired dockworker she hires to help unload the vessel's cargo. The supposed dockhand reveals his true identity as Lord Dal, the last member of the Council of Wizards, and her passenger. His presence on board ship brings with it more than an impossible liaison. Bringing him back from near-death releases Ellspeth's latent powers and threatens her captaincy. For to have magic she must give up the sea.

In accordance with an ancient prophecy, Dal allows Ellspeth to be handfasted to him without her knowledge or consent. However, the prophecy doesn't state whether she will return his love. A likelihood threatened when Dal is captured and stripped of his powers by fanatical clerics bent on ridding the world of magic and those who wield it. His one chance to survive is to keep secret the key to breaking him—his feelings for Ellspeth.

Trapped within the Oracle's Temple, Ellspeth must choose between her own survival, saving the future of magic... or love.


 Buy Links:  Amazon  /  Kobo  /  Smashwords  / Barnes&Noble  /  iTunes 

Too Many Women in the Room: Book Spotlight

                                       NEW RELEASE!                           

                           Too Many Women in the Room
                                 (A Gilda Greco Mystery)
                                     by Joanne Guidoccio

When Gilda Greco invites her closest friends to a VIP dinner, she plans to share David Korba’s signature dishes and launch their joint venture-- Xenia, an innovative Greek restaurant near Sudbury, Ontario.

Unknown to Gilda, David has also invited Michael Taylor, a lecherous photographer who has throughout the past three decades managed
to annoy all the women in the room. One woman follows Michael to a deserted field for his midnight run and stabs him in the jugular.

Gilda’s life is awash with complications as she wrestles with a certain detective’s commitment issues and growing doubts about her risky investment in Xenia. Frustrated, Gilda launches her own investigation and uncovers decades-old secrets and resentments that have festered until they explode into untimely death. Can Gilda outwit a killer bent on killing again?

EXCERPT:

“I’m a nobody here,” David said, glancing down at his plate. “And with my credit rating, none of the banks would endorse a loan. I’m screwed.”

“What if I backed you?” I couldn’t believe I was speaking so casually, all the while my heart beat at an alarming rate.

David rubbed a hand over his chin and flashed a grin at me. “Gilda, darling, you’re sweet to offer, but I don’t think you know what’s involved here.”

Susan nodded in agreement.

Were they playing me, I wondered. Since winning nineteen million dollars in Lotto649, I had encountered many sharks who hoped to prey on my easy-going nature. A quick Google search would have revealed my three-year-old lottery win. Old news, but still there on the second and third pages.

“Would one hundred thousand dollars be enough?” I asked. “In case you don’t know, I won a major lottery several years ago.” Since winning, I had received many proposals from across the province and had backed three local ventures. In each case, I had chosen to remain a silent partner.

David’s right hand trembled as he poured himself another glass of wine. Susan’s mouth dropped open, and she gave a little gasp.

“I take it that’s a yes,” I said.

More mild protests followed, and another bottle of wine disappeared. We were all a bit tipsy when we shook on the agreement. And so Xenia was born.
 
Book Trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CORaCadAnbA

Buy Links:
 
Amazon (US):  https://is.gd/NRjAXT
Amazon (Canada):  https://is.gd/1pX3Bn
Kobo:  https://is.gd/5VwbTf
Indigo:  https://is.gd/o3ZKRW
The Wild Rose Press:  https://is.gd/1mns8Q
Barnes & Noble:  https://is.gd/NFHdlS
About the Author:

In 2008, Joanne took advantage of early retirement and decided to launch a second career that would tap into her creative side and utilize her well-honed organizational skills. Slowly, a writing practice emerged. Her articles and book reviews were published in newspapers, magazines, and online. When she tried her hand at fiction, she made reinvention a recurring theme in her novels and short stories. A member of Crime Writers of Canada, Sisters in Crime, and Romance Writers of America, Joanne writes cozy mysteries, paranormal romance, and inspirational literature from her home base of Guelph, Ontario.

Where to find Joanne...

Website: http://joanneguidoccio.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/joanneguidoccio
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorjoanneguidoccio
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joanneguidoccio
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/jguidoccio/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7277706.Joanne_Guidoccio
Giveaway:
 
Click on the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win a $10 Amazon gift card.
 
https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/628069205/

Coffee Chat Author Interview: B.K. Stevens

Welcome to our Wednesday book chat!

This week's guest is mystery author B.K. Stevens, who brought her YA martial arts mystery, Fighting Chance.

Thanks for visiting the blog, Bonnie! What may I get you to drink?

BK: I hate to admit this on a blog called Coffee Chat, but I’ve never finished a cup of coffee in my life. I’ve tried many times, but I simply don’t like it. I love hot tea—nothing fancy, just regular old tea loaded with caffeine. Lipton’s suits me fine. And I don’t put anything in it.

Ally: We consider ourselves equal opportunity drinkers! :) I suspect some of our readers in parts of the world where it isn't morning are drinking something a bit stronger. I'll have your tea ready in a moment. Meanwhile, please introduce yourself.
About the Author:

B.K. (Bonnie) Stevens is the author of Fighting Chance, a martial arts mystery for young adults (Agatha and Anthony finalist). She’s also written a traditional whodunit for adults, Interpretation of Murder, which offers insights into deaf culture and sign language interpreting. In addition, she's published over fifty short stories, most in Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine. Some of those stories are included in Her Infinite Variety: Tales of Women and Crime, a collection published by Wildside Press. Some of B.K.’s stories have been nominated for Agatha, Anthony, and Macavity awards; one story won a Derringer. Another story won a national suspense-writing contest judged by Mary Higgins Clark. Currently, one of her stories is nominated for an Anthony. B.K. and her husband, Dennis, live in Virginia with their self-satisfied cat.
 
Not in my regular bio: "When I was in high school, I spent a summer working illegally in Canada, as the mother’s helper for a wealthy family."
 
Website:  www.bkstevensmysteries.com
Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/author/bkstevens
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100003534785806
INTERVIEW:

Ally:  How did you select the mystery genre? What about it intrigues you and readers?

BK:  I enjoy the challenge of constructing a whodunit—that’s a lot of fun—but I write other kinds of mysteries, too, including ones that aren’t built around puzzles. Basically, I read and write mysteries because I have old-fashioned tastes, and mysteries have the same elements as the nineteenth-century novels I love. Among other things, mysteries have real plots—plots with a beginning, a middle, and an end, plots shaped by the choices characters make and the actions they take. And most mysteries have at least some characters who, despite any flaws and limitations they may have, struggle to uncover the truth and see that justice is done. Modern literary fiction often portrays human beings as helpless victims of absurd circumstances, but mysteries usually insist we can and should try to understand the circumstances that shape our lives, can and should try to set things right. On the whole, I agree with the way mysteries see the world, and that’s why I write mysteries. (On my website, I explore these ideas further in an essay called “What’s Wrong with Mysteries?” You can find it at http://www.bkstevensmysteries.com/thoughts-about-mysteries/.)
 
Ally:  Did someone or something inspire you to write? If so, in what way?

BK:  My father definitely inspired me to write. He was an English professor (as I was for over thirty years—he inspired my choice of career, too). In any spare time he could find, he loved to write—novels, plays, humorous verse. He didn’t have much luck at getting published, but I think he was very talented. I can remember sitting on the floor in his study, reading or doing my homework while I waited for the next page to emerge from his manual typewriter. We discussed what he was writing, I made comments and suggestions, and he treated them with respect. He encouraged my writing, too: Even before I could read, I’d dictate poems and stories to him, and he’d type them up and bind them into folders. My father always made writing seem like the most fascinating, exciting thing a person could do. I should also mention my mother. When I was in second grade, she gave me a diary and told me to write something every day. It’s a good habit, and it made a difference.
 
Ally:  Have you thought about one of your books being made into a movie? Who would play the parts, if you could choose?
 
BK:  Of all the books and stories I’ve ever written, I think Fighting Chance would make the best movie. It’s like a cross between The Hardy Boys and The Karate Kid—it’s a fair-play whodunit laced with action and adventure, but it’s also a coming-of-age story about a teenager growing into adulthood as he studies a martial art. As I was writing the book, I had one actor clearly in mind—Chuck Norris. He’d be perfect in the role of Aaron, the Krav Maga teacher who becomes Matt’s mentor.  Thanks to my fifth-degree black belt husband, I’ve seen all of Mr. Norris’s movies (most many times), and I think his gentle, encouraging demeanor is just right for Aaron. As for Matt and Graciana, I don’t know the names of many teenaged actors, so I’ll say Matt could be played by a seventeen-year-old Mark Wahlberg, and Graciana could be played by a seventeen-year-old Eva Mendes. And I think William H. Macy and Karen Allen (first and fourth Indiana Jones movies) would be great as Matt’s parents.

Ally: I know we're going to learn more about Fighting Chance, the YA novel you're featuring today, but tell us about the main character and what kind of person he is.

BK:  Seventeen-year-old Matt Foley is a thoroughly nice guy with good instincts and a generous nature—for example, he won’t stand idly by when someone else is being bullied. But he sometimes gets taken in by a pretty face or a smooth talker, he's too quick to believe gossip, and he tends to think the people in his own popular crowd at school are superior to the misfits. He’s also a star basketball player and a talented martial artist who sees himself as a jock who’s bored with school—but he’s smarter than he thinks he is, and reading and writing interest him more than he’ll admit. Although he loves his parents and knows they’re good people, he can’t help feeling distant from them. By the end of the novel, Matt’s taken some important steps toward growing up.

Ally:  What is your next writing project?

BK:  Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine has accepted a story called “Death under Construction,” which will appear in the November/December 2017 issue; AHMM has also accepted a story called “One-Day Pass,” but that hasn’t been scheduled for publication yet. I’ve just about finished revising a novel featuring characters from one of my series for AHMM (the Iphigenia Woodhouse/Harriet Russo series) and plan to send it out during the next week or so. And I’m in the early stages of working on a nonfiction project, a collaboration with another writer.

Ally:  Since I enjoy urban fantasy so much, I have to ask this question. If you could have a supernatural power, what would it be and why?

BK:  Without a doubt, I’d choose super-speed. I could fix dinner in thirty seconds, clean the house in two or three minutes. And how wonderful it would be to pack an hour of exercise into a minute—provided, of course, that I’d still burn off the same number of calories I would in an hour. Another few minutes would be enough for me to zip through e-mail, tend to promotion, and take care of other routine tasks. Then I’d have lots of time left for reading and writing. I’d slow down and enjoy myself for those.

Ally:  It's time for one of my favorite parts, the short answer questions:a.  Favorite book:  Jane Eyreb.  Book you’re currently reading:  Taking the Stand: My Life in the Law (Alan Dershowitz)c.  Favorite television program:  Columbod.  Favorite movie:  Casablancae.  Your pet:  Ari, our fifteen-year-old enormous gray calico  
Ally:  It was terrific to have you visit, Bonnie! Thanks for stopping by. Before you go, let's check out your novel, Fighting Chance.

Blurb for Fighting Chance (Poisoned Pen Press):
Genre: Young Adult mystery PG

When seventeen-year-old Matt Foley’s coach and mentor is killed in a sparring match at a tae kwon do tournament, the police decide it was a tragic accident. Matt’s not so sure.

With help from a few friends, including the attractive but puzzling Graciana Cortez, Matt learns the coach’s opponent, Bobby Davis, is a brutal, highly skilled martial artist, the central attraction at an illegal fight club. Now, Matt’s convinced someone hired Davis to murder the coach. But who would want to harm the coach, and why do it at a tournament?

Matt’s efforts to find the truth pull him into some dangerous conflicts. To improve his self-defense skills, he joins a krav maga class taught by a man who becomes his new mentor. Matt suspects that he’s going to need those skills, that some day he’ll have to face Bobby Davis himself.

Fighting Chance was an Anthony and Agatha finalist. Kirkus Reviews calls it “a smartly crafted mystery filled with suspense and intrigue.”
 
You can find Fighting Chance on Amazon— here.
or Barnes and Noble— here.

Hope to see everyone back next week!