Marlow Kelly's Blog, page 14
November 18, 2015
Close Enemy by Sandra Dailey
When I invited author Sandra Dailey to be a guest on my blog I had no idea what she wanted to talk about, but as always, she is interesting, educational and insightful. I hope you enjoy her post as much as I did.
Mystery, Suspense, or some of each
Thanks so much for making room on your blog for me today, Marlow. I have a little something on my mind I wanted to discuss.
We all write romance, but often need something extra in our story. I like crime. There are several types of crime to write about; murder, kidnapping, burglary, etc… But, there’s one decision to make from the beginning – will it be a mystery or suspense. It amazes me how many people don’t know the difference between the two.
Yes, I’ve seen many people label a book without ever reading it, but I’ve also seen reviewers and book sellers, people you trust for accurate information, get this wrong. It’s a thing you’d expect any true reader to know. Am I right?
For me it boils down to the question – Is it a ‘who-done-it’ or a ‘what’s-going to happen’?
I’ll use two great books as an example ~
Mystic River by Dennis Lehane:
In this book Jimmy Marcus, an ex-con, is determined to find out who killed his daughter. Sean Devine, his former friend, is the detective in charge of the case. The third member in their childhood trio, Dave Boyle, is one of the suspects. Both wonder if the crime may be related to an incident that tore their friendship apart twenty-five years earlier. However, the murder could have been committed by someone connected to the daughter or a complete stranger. We have to find out who-done-it. It’s a mystery.
Misery by Steven King:
Here we have a bestselling novelist, Paul Sheldon, who has suffered serious injuries after an accident. He finds himself at the mercy of Annie Wilkes, his number-one fan. She’s determined to use any torture necessary to make him write the next book in his popular series her way. And, she’s not letting him go until he does. Scary for us writers, I must say. But, we know who the villain is. What we don’t know is ‘what’s going to happen’ to poor Paul. Suspense.
When I wrote Common Enemy , it was clearly suspense. You know from the beginning that the villain is Bobby Ray Butler, the ex-husband. What you don’t know is how much damage he’ll do to the hero, heroine and public at large before he’s caught.
I wrote Close Enemy with the intention of making it suspense as well. Bogdan Petrov is determined to use any means necessary to get what he wants from my heroine, Leah Fletcher. What he doesn’t count on is the protective nature of my hero, Caleb McCrae. Not far into the book, I decided that Petrov needed more of a challenge. Soon, while he stalks Leah, he discovers he has a stalker of his own. Who could it be and how are they doing it? Now, we also have a mystery. Wow, two for the price of one! Here’s my question:
What’s your favorite mystery and your favorite suspense?
Close Enemy was just released on November 13th. This is where it can be found.
TWRP ~ Amazon ~ Barnes&Noble ~ Kobo
He slowed his footsteps as he approached the den. The familiar aroma of rich, sweet, smoke was growing stronger. Petrov opened the door to the tinny tinkling melody of a Viennese waltz. Beside his chair the silver powder box stood open on the table. A cigar from his personal supply burned in an ashtray. He looked up to where his wife’s bed was on the next floor. His anger only lasted until reasoning took over. She’d hated the smell of cigars. She didn’t have a clue which of his music boxes was his favorite. She didn’t know where the key was for the cabinet that had stored them both. No one knew but him. Who had been in the house?
About me ~ Sandra Dailey lives with her husband and mother in a small town in North Florida, far from the maddening crowds. Her children and grandchildren all live close and keep her ridiculously busy and active. Her passions are reading, writing, and crafts. Her addictions are coffee, chocolate, and football. Her aversions are cooking, housework and negative people. She loves to hear from fellow readers and writers, so get in touch.
Website/blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Amazon ~ Goodreads
Mystery, Suspense, or some of each
Thanks so much for making room on your blog for me today, Marlow. I have a little something on my mind I wanted to discuss.
We all write romance, but often need something extra in our story. I like crime. There are several types of crime to write about; murder, kidnapping, burglary, etc… But, there’s one decision to make from the beginning – will it be a mystery or suspense. It amazes me how many people don’t know the difference between the two.
Yes, I’ve seen many people label a book without ever reading it, but I’ve also seen reviewers and book sellers, people you trust for accurate information, get this wrong. It’s a thing you’d expect any true reader to know. Am I right?
For me it boils down to the question – Is it a ‘who-done-it’ or a ‘what’s-going to happen’?
I’ll use two great books as an example ~
Mystic River by Dennis Lehane:
In this book Jimmy Marcus, an ex-con, is determined to find out who killed his daughter. Sean Devine, his former friend, is the detective in charge of the case. The third member in their childhood trio, Dave Boyle, is one of the suspects. Both wonder if the crime may be related to an incident that tore their friendship apart twenty-five years earlier. However, the murder could have been committed by someone connected to the daughter or a complete stranger. We have to find out who-done-it. It’s a mystery.
Misery by Steven King:
Here we have a bestselling novelist, Paul Sheldon, who has suffered serious injuries after an accident. He finds himself at the mercy of Annie Wilkes, his number-one fan. She’s determined to use any torture necessary to make him write the next book in his popular series her way. And, she’s not letting him go until he does. Scary for us writers, I must say. But, we know who the villain is. What we don’t know is ‘what’s going to happen’ to poor Paul. Suspense.
When I wrote Common Enemy , it was clearly suspense. You know from the beginning that the villain is Bobby Ray Butler, the ex-husband. What you don’t know is how much damage he’ll do to the hero, heroine and public at large before he’s caught.
I wrote Close Enemy with the intention of making it suspense as well. Bogdan Petrov is determined to use any means necessary to get what he wants from my heroine, Leah Fletcher. What he doesn’t count on is the protective nature of my hero, Caleb McCrae. Not far into the book, I decided that Petrov needed more of a challenge. Soon, while he stalks Leah, he discovers he has a stalker of his own. Who could it be and how are they doing it? Now, we also have a mystery. Wow, two for the price of one! Here’s my question:
What’s your favorite mystery and your favorite suspense?
Close Enemy was just released on November 13th. This is where it can be found.
TWRP ~ Amazon ~ Barnes&Noble ~ Kobo
He slowed his footsteps as he approached the den. The familiar aroma of rich, sweet, smoke was growing stronger. Petrov opened the door to the tinny tinkling melody of a Viennese waltz. Beside his chair the silver powder box stood open on the table. A cigar from his personal supply burned in an ashtray. He looked up to where his wife’s bed was on the next floor. His anger only lasted until reasoning took over. She’d hated the smell of cigars. She didn’t have a clue which of his music boxes was his favorite. She didn’t know where the key was for the cabinet that had stored them both. No one knew but him. Who had been in the house?
About me ~ Sandra Dailey lives with her husband and mother in a small town in North Florida, far from the maddening crowds. Her children and grandchildren all live close and keep her ridiculously busy and active. Her passions are reading, writing, and crafts. Her addictions are coffee, chocolate, and football. Her aversions are cooking, housework and negative people. She loves to hear from fellow readers and writers, so get in touch.Website/blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Amazon ~ Goodreads
November 13, 2015
The Setting for A Woman of Courage
Today I'm celebrating the release of my latest story, which is set in early medieval Ireland. I thought it might be nice to give you a quick look at Fianna and Connell’s world. A brief Overview of Early Medieval Ireland 
Perched on the western edge of Europe and never conquered by the Romans, ninth century Ireland had its own distinct culture. You might be forgiven for thinking the Irish were a primitive people. After all, they had no towns or cities. They lived in clans or túath that occupied ringed hillforts with circular homes of wattle and daub.
My rendition of the traditional Irish Leine based on my research They had no monetary system; instead their wealth was measured in cattle.
Clothing was basic with both men and women wearing a long dress-like garment called a léine. The woman’s léine reached her ankles, whereas a man’s came to the knees.
But this was a rich culture with a strong tradition of scholarship and literacy, including a Celtic form of Christianity, and a native system of laws known as Brehon law, which recognized divorce and equal rights between genders.
Marriage in ancient Ireland was not regarded in the same way as today. It was a legal contract between clans rather than the unbreakable bond between man and wife. Once a marriage contract was arranged the groom paid a dowry or bride-price to the bride’s father. Each year after the marriage the groom paid a settlement to the bride’s clan. After the first year the bride kept a portion of the payment that added to her wealth. The amount diminished each year until the twenty-first year when it ceased.
Book of Kells believed to have been created in the 9th century Celtic Christianity didn’t frown on divorce. The Celts were much more practical, concentrating instead on writing the laws governing separation. This could be because a husband never owned his wife. When she married all her property and wealth stayed in her control, and in the event of estrangement she retained her possessions.
Although Ireland was a male-dominated society, women were allowed greater freedom, independence, and property rights than in other European societies of the time. Women were able to become poets, healers, and brehons (lawyers). And under the right conditions, with the backing of her male relatives, a woman could become queen of her people, as is the case for Fianna in A Woman of Courage.
Perched on the western edge of Europe and never conquered by the Romans, ninth century Ireland had its own distinct culture. You might be forgiven for thinking the Irish were a primitive people. After all, they had no towns or cities. They lived in clans or túath that occupied ringed hillforts with circular homes of wattle and daub.
My rendition of the traditional Irish Leine based on my research They had no monetary system; instead their wealth was measured in cattle. Clothing was basic with both men and women wearing a long dress-like garment called a léine. The woman’s léine reached her ankles, whereas a man’s came to the knees.
But this was a rich culture with a strong tradition of scholarship and literacy, including a Celtic form of Christianity, and a native system of laws known as Brehon law, which recognized divorce and equal rights between genders.
Marriage in ancient Ireland was not regarded in the same way as today. It was a legal contract between clans rather than the unbreakable bond between man and wife. Once a marriage contract was arranged the groom paid a dowry or bride-price to the bride’s father. Each year after the marriage the groom paid a settlement to the bride’s clan. After the first year the bride kept a portion of the payment that added to her wealth. The amount diminished each year until the twenty-first year when it ceased.
Book of Kells believed to have been created in the 9th century Celtic Christianity didn’t frown on divorce. The Celts were much more practical, concentrating instead on writing the laws governing separation. This could be because a husband never owned his wife. When she married all her property and wealth stayed in her control, and in the event of estrangement she retained her possessions. Although Ireland was a male-dominated society, women were allowed greater freedom, independence, and property rights than in other European societies of the time. Women were able to become poets, healers, and brehons (lawyers). And under the right conditions, with the backing of her male relatives, a woman could become queen of her people, as is the case for Fianna in A Woman of Courage.
November 12, 2015
Beneath the Lake by Casi McLean
I asked today’s guest Casi McLean to tell us about her inspiration for her book Beneath The Lake. I hope you enjoy her post as much as I did.
Hey Marlow. Thank you for hosting me on your blog today.
I love to talk about my new release, Beneath The Lake, and the eerie lake lore that inspired my muse. A town that time forgot––the history and creepy stories attached to a rural area that sleeps beneath Atlanta's famous man-made lake, Sidney Lanier, fascinated me. Homes, churches and businesses still linger beneath the surface. The moonshiners of the 1940's added built-in suspense, not to mention the birth of NASCAR. Looper Speedway, a half-mile dirt track where bootleggers competed with their souped-up cars, bared its cement stands in a recent draught.
There's a Lady of the Lake who haunts the ghost town too––the lore is spine-chilling. Some say she lures victims to her watery grave. The truth is, swimmers get trapped among the deadfall of sheered-off trees and town remains. Even expert divers get tangled beneath the murky surface, hence the lake's unnerving label: Lanier never gives up its dead. The inspiration swirled in my mind, begging for a story to be told. What a perfect setting for my romantic time-slip suspense series.
Why time-slip? Ever since my childhood imagination discovered Madeleine L'Engles, A Wrinkle In Time , the idea of time travel intrigued me. And Lake Lanier, a man-made lake with mesmerizing history presented a plausible theory: what if the explosions required to excavate the lake induced a seismic shift and, given enough energy, could open a portal to a different dimension or a rip in time. I loved the possibilities.
The birth of Lacey Montgomery evolved through my young adult love for Jude Deveraux's A Knight In Shining Armor , a time-slip novel of course, and her endearing Montgomery family. I hope my writing honors her inspiration. The character Lacey's persona, inspired by my high school friend, Hilary Johnson, slipped perfectly into position. A lawyer, discouraged with defending criminals, yearned to help honest people in trouble, and some of her finer qualities naturally became part of Lacey––the dysfunctional relationships came from my own personal experiences. LOL. Once these elements entwined, Beneath The Lake blossomed with an energy and life of its own.
The sequel, Beyond The Mist , picks up where the first story ends incorporating two minor characters as the new hero and heroine. Any guesses as to who will pick up the ball? Hmmm . . . maybe a contest is in the works. Maybe your readers would like to guess who the main characters will be in Beyond The Mist ?
Available in print & e-book on:
Amazon
Wild Rose Press
A ghost town submerged beneath Atlanta's famous man-made Lake Lanier reportedly lures victims to a watery grave. But when Lacey Montgomery's car spins out of control and hurtles into the depths of the icy, black water, she awakens in the arms of a handsome stranger, in a place she’s never heard of––
34 years before she was born.
When the 2012 lawyer tangles with the 1949 hunk, fire and ice swirl into a stream of sweltering desire. Bobby Reynolds is smitten the moment the storm-ravaged woman opens her eyes. Learning the truth about her origins does nothing to stop the passion from taking root in his heart, and leaves him torn between finding a way to help Lacey return to 2012 or convincing her stay with him.
The desperation to find her way home dissolves as Lacey falls in love with a town destined to be erased from the face of the Earth, and the man who vows to protect it. Will the couple discover the key to the mysterious portal before time rips them apart? Or will their star-crossed spirits wander forever through a ghost town buried beneath the lake?
Time Travel, Romantic Suspense, Mystery
Excerpt:
Lake Lanier, Georgia—June 2011
A final thud hurled him backward, flailing through brush and thickets like a rag doll. Grasping at anything to break momentum, Rob’s hand clung to a branch wedged into the face of the precipice. Spiny splinters sliced his skin. Blood oozed and trickled into his palms, and one by one, his fingers slowly slipped.
A sharp crack echoed through the silence of the ravine as the bough succumbed to his weight. He plummeted into free-fall. Clenching his eyes, he drew in a deep breath, terrified of the pain, the mauling that waited on the jagged rocks below.
When icy water broke his fall, the chill kept him from losing consciousness. He spun, straining to see, but darkness enveloped him. Soggy clothing pulled him deeper—deeper into the murky, fathomless depths. He wrestled to squirm free from the waterlogged jacket dragging him down to a watery grave, watched the coat disappear into black obscurity. Panic gripped his stomach, or was it death that snaked around his chest, squeezing, squeezing, squeezing the air, the life from his body? Lack of oxygen burned his lungs, beckoning surrender, and a shard of rage pierced his gut as reality set in. He lunged upward with one last thrust and burst from the water’s deadly grip, gasping for air. A gurgling howl spewed from the depths of his soul and echoed into silence.
Sunlight shimmered across a smooth, indigo lake, but aside from the slight ripples of his own paddling, nothing but stillness surrounded him. He floated toward the shore, sucking deep breaths into his lungs until the pummeling in his chest subsided. When he reached the water’s edge, he hoisted his body onto the soft red clay and collapsed while the sun’s warmth drained the tension from his body.
No one knew he had survived. The rules had shifted. Now he could reinvent himself, become a stealth predator. His target: Lacey Madison Montgomery.
Where to find Casi:
Website: casimclean.com
Twitter: @casimclean
Facebook: Casi McLean
FB Author Page: Casi McLean-Author
Goodreads: Casi McLean
Amazon Author Page: Casi McLean
Hey Marlow. Thank you for hosting me on your blog today.
I love to talk about my new release, Beneath The Lake, and the eerie lake lore that inspired my muse. A town that time forgot––the history and creepy stories attached to a rural area that sleeps beneath Atlanta's famous man-made lake, Sidney Lanier, fascinated me. Homes, churches and businesses still linger beneath the surface. The moonshiners of the 1940's added built-in suspense, not to mention the birth of NASCAR. Looper Speedway, a half-mile dirt track where bootleggers competed with their souped-up cars, bared its cement stands in a recent draught.
There's a Lady of the Lake who haunts the ghost town too––the lore is spine-chilling. Some say she lures victims to her watery grave. The truth is, swimmers get trapped among the deadfall of sheered-off trees and town remains. Even expert divers get tangled beneath the murky surface, hence the lake's unnerving label: Lanier never gives up its dead. The inspiration swirled in my mind, begging for a story to be told. What a perfect setting for my romantic time-slip suspense series.
Why time-slip? Ever since my childhood imagination discovered Madeleine L'Engles, A Wrinkle In Time , the idea of time travel intrigued me. And Lake Lanier, a man-made lake with mesmerizing history presented a plausible theory: what if the explosions required to excavate the lake induced a seismic shift and, given enough energy, could open a portal to a different dimension or a rip in time. I loved the possibilities.
The birth of Lacey Montgomery evolved through my young adult love for Jude Deveraux's A Knight In Shining Armor , a time-slip novel of course, and her endearing Montgomery family. I hope my writing honors her inspiration. The character Lacey's persona, inspired by my high school friend, Hilary Johnson, slipped perfectly into position. A lawyer, discouraged with defending criminals, yearned to help honest people in trouble, and some of her finer qualities naturally became part of Lacey––the dysfunctional relationships came from my own personal experiences. LOL. Once these elements entwined, Beneath The Lake blossomed with an energy and life of its own.
The sequel, Beyond The Mist , picks up where the first story ends incorporating two minor characters as the new hero and heroine. Any guesses as to who will pick up the ball? Hmmm . . . maybe a contest is in the works. Maybe your readers would like to guess who the main characters will be in Beyond The Mist ?
Available in print & e-book on:Amazon
Wild Rose Press
A ghost town submerged beneath Atlanta's famous man-made Lake Lanier reportedly lures victims to a watery grave. But when Lacey Montgomery's car spins out of control and hurtles into the depths of the icy, black water, she awakens in the arms of a handsome stranger, in a place she’s never heard of––
34 years before she was born.
When the 2012 lawyer tangles with the 1949 hunk, fire and ice swirl into a stream of sweltering desire. Bobby Reynolds is smitten the moment the storm-ravaged woman opens her eyes. Learning the truth about her origins does nothing to stop the passion from taking root in his heart, and leaves him torn between finding a way to help Lacey return to 2012 or convincing her stay with him.
The desperation to find her way home dissolves as Lacey falls in love with a town destined to be erased from the face of the Earth, and the man who vows to protect it. Will the couple discover the key to the mysterious portal before time rips them apart? Or will their star-crossed spirits wander forever through a ghost town buried beneath the lake?
Time Travel, Romantic Suspense, Mystery
Excerpt:
Lake Lanier, Georgia—June 2011
A final thud hurled him backward, flailing through brush and thickets like a rag doll. Grasping at anything to break momentum, Rob’s hand clung to a branch wedged into the face of the precipice. Spiny splinters sliced his skin. Blood oozed and trickled into his palms, and one by one, his fingers slowly slipped.
A sharp crack echoed through the silence of the ravine as the bough succumbed to his weight. He plummeted into free-fall. Clenching his eyes, he drew in a deep breath, terrified of the pain, the mauling that waited on the jagged rocks below.
When icy water broke his fall, the chill kept him from losing consciousness. He spun, straining to see, but darkness enveloped him. Soggy clothing pulled him deeper—deeper into the murky, fathomless depths. He wrestled to squirm free from the waterlogged jacket dragging him down to a watery grave, watched the coat disappear into black obscurity. Panic gripped his stomach, or was it death that snaked around his chest, squeezing, squeezing, squeezing the air, the life from his body? Lack of oxygen burned his lungs, beckoning surrender, and a shard of rage pierced his gut as reality set in. He lunged upward with one last thrust and burst from the water’s deadly grip, gasping for air. A gurgling howl spewed from the depths of his soul and echoed into silence.
Sunlight shimmered across a smooth, indigo lake, but aside from the slight ripples of his own paddling, nothing but stillness surrounded him. He floated toward the shore, sucking deep breaths into his lungs until the pummeling in his chest subsided. When he reached the water’s edge, he hoisted his body onto the soft red clay and collapsed while the sun’s warmth drained the tension from his body.
No one knew he had survived. The rules had shifted. Now he could reinvent himself, become a stealth predator. His target: Lacey Madison Montgomery.
Where to find Casi:
Website: casimclean.com
Twitter: @casimclean
Facebook: Casi McLean
FB Author Page: Casi McLean-Author
Goodreads: Casi McLean
Amazon Author Page: Casi McLean
November 10, 2015
Cowboys and Christmas by Shanna Hatfield
Welcome to the 2nd annual
Cowboys and Christmas
Blog Tour!Raising funds and awareness for the Justin Cowboy Crisis Fund
Ring in the Holidays with a Helping Hand
November 1 through Dec. 24, 10 percent of the net proceeds from all Shanna Hatfield book sales will be donated to the
Justin Cowboy Crisis Fund
. The JCCF is a non-profit organization that assists rodeo athletes who’ve sustained catastrophic injuries and are unable to work for an extended period. Every book purchased during this promotional period adds to the donation total. Don't forget to add books to your Christmas lists! USA Today Bestselling Author Shanna Hatfield writes character-driven romances with relatable heroes and heroines. Her historical westerns have been described as “reminiscent of the era captured by Bonanza and The Virginian” while her contemporary works have been called “laugh-out-loud funny, and a little heart-pumping sexy without being explicit in any way.”
Walking with Ghosts
When I decided to write a Victorian Christmas story, I wanted to use a real town from the 1800s. After doing a little research, I settled on Hardman, Oregon. Located in Eastern Oregon, about twenty miles from present-day Heppner, Hardman is now a ghost town with around two dozen residents. From that first story, Hardman has become the setting for the Hardman Holidays series. The other day, one of my beta readers made a comment that stuck with me. She said it made her sad to think about what the town is like today after she read about what a wonderful little community it used to be. Although the stories are works of fiction and most of the town exists only in my active imagination, the town did boast a skating rink, four churches, a school, and newspaper office in the 1880s. Stagecoaches and wagon trains traveling north and south through eastern Oregon and Washington found a convenient stopping point there. It was rumored the railroad would go through Hardman in the late 1880s. When it was routed through Heppner instead, it was a devastating blow to the community, effectively stunting future growth of the town. By the 1920s, trucks replaced horses, mail routes changed and Hardman began its decline. The last business in Hardman closed in 1968. In the Hardman Holidays stories, we visit the town in the 1890s when things were still thriving.
This hill is where the schoolhouse once stood. I like to think about what buildings stretched up the slight rise to the school. I picture boardwalks and picket fences and houses with gingerbread trim. The sounds of children laughing as they skip into town after school let's out for the day fill my ears. The sharp scent of wood smoke from the fires in hearths and kitchen stoves blends with the tantalizing aroma of roasting meat and the yeasty fragrance of baking bread. The Hardman Bank would have a prominent place in town along with the Bruner’s Mercantile, the newspaper office, and Abby Dodd’s dress shop.
Visit Hardman as I see it in my imagination through the holiday series:
The Christmas Bargain
, The Christmas Token,
The Christmas Calamity
, and
The Christmas Vow
.~*~
New Releases To kick off the second annual Cowboys and Christmas Blog Tour and the JCCF campaign, two brand new holiday romances will release Nov. 12!
Capturing Christmas
is the third installment in the sweet holiday western Rodeo Romance series. Life is hectic on a good day for rodeo stock contractor Kash Kressley. Between dodging flying hooves and babying cranky bulls, he barely has time to sleep. The last thing Kash needs is the entanglement of a sweet romance, especially with a woman as full of fire and sass as the redheaded photographer he rescues at a rodeo. Determined to capture the best images possible, rodeo photographer Celia McGraw is fearless and feisty. Not one to back down from a challenge, her biggest risk isn’t in her work. Danger lurks in the way her heart responds to one incredibly handsome stock contractor. Will Kash and Celia capture the spirit of the season? Pre-order
your copy
today! http://amzn.to/1FC8ZQj
Get all three books in the Rodeo Romance series!
The Christmas Vow
is the fourth book in the Hardman Holidays sweet Victorian romance series. Columbia River Pilot Adam Guthry returns to his hometown of Hardman, Oregon, after the sudden death of his best friend. Emotions he can’t contain bubble to the surface the moment he sees the girl who shattered his heart eleven years ago. Widow Tia Devereux escapes her restrictive life in Portland, returning to the home she knew and adored as a girl in Hardman. She and her four-year-old son, Toby, settle into the small Eastern Oregon community, eager for the holiday season. Unfortunately, the only man she’s ever loved shows up, stirring the embers of a long-dead romance into a blazing flame. When her former father-in-law, a corrupt judge, decides he wants to raise Toby, Adam may be the only hope she has of keeping her son. You can pre-order
your copy
today for only $2.99! http://amzn.to/1KQHhvI
Don't miss out on the Hardman Holidays series!
You’re Invited to PARTY!You’re invited to join in the online
Cowboys & Christmas Facebook Party
, Thursday, Nov. 12 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (PST). Drop in anytime during those four hours to enter to win great prizes, chat with guest authors, and more (many of the giveaways will stay open until the following morning)! Here’s the link to the party:
http://tinyurl.com/cowboychristmasparty2
The talented guest authors joining in the celebration include: 10 a.m. - Carmen Peone 10:30 - Kayla Dawn Thomas 11 a.m. - Melanie D. Snitker, Author 11:30 - Julie Cerniglia Lence Noon - Author CJ Samuels 12:30 - Rachel Rossano 1 p.m. - Author Kristin Holt1:30 - Dani Harper
Enter to Win Prizes!
To enter the drawing for an Amazon gift card, Wrangler Tote Bag, Rock & Roll Cowgirl T-shirt, autographed books, chocolates, and more fun goodies, fill out this
form
. Winners will be randomly drawn and announced Nov. 16.
http://tinyurl.com/cowboychristmasprizes2
Where to Find The Books
Start the Rodeo Romance Series with The Christmas Cowboy.
Travel back to a time of grandeur in the old west
with the Hardman Holidays series.
The Christmas Bargain begins the popular series
and is available free for a very limited time!
About Shanna Hatfield
Convinced everyone deserves a happy ending, hopeless romantic Shanna Hatfield is out to make it happen, one story at a time. Her sweet historical and contemporary romances combine humor and heart-pumping moments with characters that seem incredibly real. When she isn’t writing or indulging in chocolate (dark and decadent, please), Shanna hangs out with her husband, lovingly known as Captain Cavedweller. This USA Today bestselling author is a member of Western Writers of America, Women Writing the West, Romance Writers of America, Sweet Romance Reads, and Pioneer Hearts. Find Shanna’s books at: Amazon | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords | Apple Shanna loves to hear from readers! Follow her online: ShannaHatfield | Facebook | Pinterest | Goodreads | You Tube | Twitter Make sure you sign up for her newsletter to get the latest on new releases and exclusive giveaways!
Newsletter
November 6, 2015
Lady Overton’s Perilous Journey by Vikki Vaught
On Sale
Available at:
Amazon
When her son’s life is threatened, Anissa, Marchioness of Overton, seeks refuge by sailing to America. Before the ship reaches the high seas, sparks fly between her and Captain Alex Hawks. Although the young widow may be lonely, and afraid, she cannot risk the diversion a romantic entanglement could bring, no matter how much she wants to lose herself in the captain’s embrace.
The Captain vows to protect the young Lord Overton, but can offer no assurance that the marchioness will leave his ship with her virtue intact. Alex is drawn to Anissa’s beauty and courage, as a hummingbird is to the nectar of a flower. How long can he fight a losing battle before he surrenders and makes her his own?
Will Alex be able to keep this remarkable woman and her child safe? Will his passion for Anissa be enough or will their differences keep them apart?
Excerpt:
Shortly after ten, he heard the front door open and went into the hall. Anissa looked startled when she saw him and asked, “When did you arrive? I did not know you were coming.” Then fear escalated her voice, “Oh, Lord, has Lord Howard arrived already?”
He moved over to her and gazed into her frightened eyes. “No. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you. I wanted to make sure you were settling in. Harry told me you’ve been busy with ladies coming to call. He’s a bit put out with you. He told me you only have time to make him study.”
Anissa looked at him with worry written across her face. “Oh dear, I did not realize he looked at it that way. I shall have to spend more time with him. I do not want him to feel neglected. How long are you staying?”
“Only a couple of days. I have to be back on Monday. Bridges leaves for England on Tuesday. Why don’t we take Harry to Harrison’s pond tomorrow? From talking to him earlier this evenin’, I think he would enjoy going.”
As she bit her bottom lip, desire pierced his loins. He had almost forgotten how beautiful she was. She looked particularly fetching tonight with her hair piled high on her head and deep, golden tendrils curling around her face.
“It has been several days since I took him. We can have Lucy pack a lunch. We will have a busy day tomorrow, so I think I shall turn in.”
“After my grueling trip today, I’m exhausted myself. Let me escort you to your room.” After he dropped her off at her door, he continued down the hall to his chamber. When he entered, he leaned back against the door and sighed. Coming here had been a bad idea. It reminded him of how much he wanted her, and not just sexually—he craved her delightful company as well.
About Vikki:
Vikki Vaught started her writing career when a story invaded her mind and would not leave.
Over the last few years, she has written more than a half dozen historical romances and is presently working on her next. Her new release, Lady Overton’s Perilous Journey, is the first book in her Honorable Rogue series.
Vikki loves a "Happily Ever After", and she writes them in her stories. While romance is the central theme of all her books, she includes some significant historical event or place in all her novels.
While all her books are love stories, she has also written short contemporary sweet romances as Vikki McCombie and erotic romances using the pen name of V.L. Edwards.
For the last decade, Vikki has lived in the beautiful foothills of the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee with her beloved husband, Jim, who is the most tolerant man in the world to put up with her when she is in a writing frenzy. When she is not writing or working her day job, you’ll find her curled up in a comfortable chair reading her Kindle, lost in a good book with a cup of tea at her side.
LINKS:
Website: http://www.vikkivaught.com/home.html
Email: mailto:vvaught512@aol.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VikkiVaught?...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/vvaught512
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+VikkiMcC...
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/vaughtmccom...
Amazon Author Page: http://smile.amazon.com/Vikki-Vaught/...
Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
GIVEAWAY:Vikki will be awarding a $15 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here:
http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2015/09/excerpt-tour-lady-overtons-perilous.html
a Rafflecopter giveaway
November 4, 2015
Secret Promise by Marin McGinnis
Buy links: The Wild Rose Press
Amazon
B&N
Kobo
Falsely imprisoned as a blockade-runner during the American Civil War, Edward Mason yearns to go home. But when after seven years he finally returns to England, the life he expected is gone. His parents are dead, his home destroyed, his father’s legacy stolen, and his girl—his girl is now the single mother of a child Edward never knew.
Abandoned by the man she loved and disowned by her family, Anna Templeton has learned to stand on her own two feet and make a home for her son. Now the successful owner of The Silver Gull tavern, she's not about to put their happiness in the hands of the one man who let her down so badly.
Edward is determined to regain Anna’s love and be a father to his son. But when a series of suspicious accidents threaten him and those he loves, he must stop the man responsible, or lose everything.
Excerpt:
“Good day, sir. What can I get you? We have a very good cottage pie today.”
Edward frowned. “Aren’t you a bit young to be working in a public house?”
“Oh, I don’t work here,” the boy said. “Me mam’s the owner, and Molly didn’t come to work today.”
“Molly?”
“The barmaid, of course.” His tone held a hint of derision, as if he thought Edward an idiot for failing to know who Molly was.
“Of course.” Edward was amused. “Well, then, I suppose I shall have the cottage pie, and an ale. And perhaps I could have a word with your mother, when she has a moment?”
“What do you want her for?” The boy’s eyes narrowed suspiciously.
“I used to live here, many years ago, and would like to speak to someone about…” Edward broke off as a woman emerged from the kitchen, carrying two plates piled with food. She had fiery red hair and a lithe figure, and moved easily through the tables. After setting one of the plates before a man sitting near the bar, she turned and scanned the room. Her gaze alit on the boy first, and she smiled. Then she spotted Edward. All color drained from her face, and the remaining plate slid from her hand, shattering on the stone floor.
“Mam!” The boy raced to the woman and clutched at her skirts, but Edward was unable to move.
“Anna,” he whispered.
About Marin:Clevelanders are tough, a bit cynical, and just a little crazy, and Marin McGinnis is no exception. When she's not chasing after big dogs or watching tweens skate around hockey rinks, she is immersing herself in romantic tales of years gone by. She lives in a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio, with her husband, son, and two standard poodles.
You can find her hanging out at marinmcginnis.com, on her group blog at throughheartshapedglasses.com, on Twitter @MarinMcGinnis, Facebook at facebook.com/MarinMcG, Goodreads at https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/12256384.Marin_McGinnis, or Pinterest at https://www.pinterest.com/marinmcginnis/
November 2, 2015
I won First Place
I can’t believe it. I'm so excited I had to share.
I won first place in The Pages From the Heart Contest for the first three chapters of my contemporary romantic suspense novel, Sun Seeker.
I was notified on Friday and I waited all weekend for an email to tell me that there had been a mistake.
Then this morning there was an announcement and guess what – no mistake.
I won. Yay.
I will be doing a happy dance all day.
I won first place in The Pages From the Heart Contest for the first three chapters of my contemporary romantic suspense novel, Sun Seeker.
I was notified on Friday and I waited all weekend for an email to tell me that there had been a mistake.
Then this morning there was an announcement and guess what – no mistake.
I won. Yay.
I will be doing a happy dance all day.
October 30, 2015
THE HEART OF THE PHOENIX by Barbara Bettis
I won’t give you any spoilers but I have read this book and given it a five star review.
Evelynn is a worthy heroine and I fell hopelessly in love with Stephen.
Barbara Bettis does an amazing job bringing the reader along on this couple's journey as they discover danger, secrets and love. Giveaway : Barbara is offering an ecopy of her book and a $5 Amazon Gift Card for one commenter
Available at:
Amazon
Some call him a ruthless mercenary; she calls him the knight of her heart
Lady Evelynn’s childhood hero is home—bitter, hard, tempting as sin. And haunted by secrets. When Evie offers friendship, Sir Stephen's cruel rejection crushes her, and she resolves to forget him. Yet when an unexpected war throws them together, she finds love isn’t so easy to dismiss. If only the king hadn’t betrothed her to another.
Sir Stephen lives a double life while he seeks the treacherous outlaws who murdered his friends. Driven by revenge, he thinks his heart is closed to love. His childhood shadow, Lady Evie, unexpectedly challenges that belief. He rebuffs her, but he can’t forget her, although he knows she’s to wed the king’s favorite.
When his drive for vengeance leads to Evie’s kidnapping, Stephen must choose between retribution and the love he’s denied too long. Surely King John will see reason. Convict the murderers; convince the king. Simple. Until a startling revelation threatens everything.
About Barbara:
A former health insurance claims adjuster, a former journalist, a former journalism teacher, Barbara Bettis plans never to be a “former” author. Currently, she supports her writing habit as an adjunct English instructor at a community college near her home in Missouri.
Visit me at:
www.barbarbbettis.blogspot.com
https://www.facebook.com/BarbaraBettisAuthor http://www.twitter.com/BarbaraBettis
Evelynn is a worthy heroine and I fell hopelessly in love with Stephen.
Barbara Bettis does an amazing job bringing the reader along on this couple's journey as they discover danger, secrets and love. Giveaway : Barbara is offering an ecopy of her book and a $5 Amazon Gift Card for one commenter
Available at:
Amazon
Some call him a ruthless mercenary; she calls him the knight of her heart
Lady Evelynn’s childhood hero is home—bitter, hard, tempting as sin. And haunted by secrets. When Evie offers friendship, Sir Stephen's cruel rejection crushes her, and she resolves to forget him. Yet when an unexpected war throws them together, she finds love isn’t so easy to dismiss. If only the king hadn’t betrothed her to another.
Sir Stephen lives a double life while he seeks the treacherous outlaws who murdered his friends. Driven by revenge, he thinks his heart is closed to love. His childhood shadow, Lady Evie, unexpectedly challenges that belief. He rebuffs her, but he can’t forget her, although he knows she’s to wed the king’s favorite.
When his drive for vengeance leads to Evie’s kidnapping, Stephen must choose between retribution and the love he’s denied too long. Surely King John will see reason. Convict the murderers; convince the king. Simple. Until a startling revelation threatens everything.
About Barbara:
A former health insurance claims adjuster, a former journalist, a former journalism teacher, Barbara Bettis plans never to be a “former” author. Currently, she supports her writing habit as an adjunct English instructor at a community college near her home in Missouri.
Visit me at:
www.barbarbbettis.blogspot.com
https://www.facebook.com/BarbaraBettisAuthor http://www.twitter.com/BarbaraBettis
October 28, 2015
Of Love and Betrayal by Louise Lyndon
I asked my guest today, Louise Lyndon, to share something about herself and I have to admit I totally relate to how she feels about the dreaded high school reunion. I’VE BEEN INVITED TO MY 25 YEAR HIGH SCHOOL REUNION! NOW WHAT?
High school reunions. We’ve all seen the movies. The unpopular girl works up the courage to attend the reunion, and to face the popular girls who made her life unpleasant. The popular guy she once had a crush on has turned out to be a jerk, or worse still, hasn’t changed since high school. And the guy who secretly had a crush on her declares his love and they live happily ever after.
The writer, and romantic in me, would love for this to happen.
But, then the realist in me pops up…
You see, I’ve just received an invite to my 25 year high school reunion. And you guessed it, I was the unpopular kid. I spent the majority of my lunchtimes in the library. Alone. I wasn’t invited to the parties and I wasn’t popular with the boys. And I should point out here that my high school was small. In my year level (or grade) there was only about 30 kids. For the entire level. So, there wasn’t enough kids to branch off into different groups. You were either in. Or you weren’t. And I wasn’t.
I’ve done a lot since I left high school. I’ve been in love a few times. But never married. And have no kids. I’ve become an aunt six times, and a great aunt once. I’ve had loads of jobs. Some great ones. Some I am trying to forget. I’ve lived interstate and I’ve lived overseas. I’ve seen the world. And I’m a multi published author. By rights, I should be walking in to that reunion, full of confidence.
Yet, the exact same insecurities I had at high school, insecurities I haven’t felt since leaving high school, have suddenly come flooding back.
It’s as if the invitation was a time machine and I have traveled back twenty-five years. My achievements and accomplishments have suddenly evaporated, in their place, the fear of being found out, and being left on the sidelines. But worst still, of no one remembering who I am!
I don’t have the need to ‘rub’ anyone’s noses in anything. I don’t want to go back there and stand in the middle of the room and yell, ‘see, look what I have become!’.
What I do want is to be able to stand tall and proud and say, ‘this is who I am - like me or hate me, no skin off my nose’. Words that I longed to have been able to say way back when.
I’m not one of these people who think their high school years were the best years of their life. Hand on my heart I say the years I’m living now are the best - and I know things are only going to get better. But I just find it interesting that eight small, seemingly inconspicuous words, ‘You’ve Been Invited To Your High School Reunion’ can suddenly revert you back to the person you once were.
I haven’t decided if I’m going to go to the reunion. I’m not sure if I want to go backward - I’m a going forward kind of gal. But I have to admit, there is a little part of me that wouldn’t mind seeing the old gang. But, shrug, I just don’t know if I truly want to go. Is that wrong of me to say? Out loud?
If you’ve been to your high school reunion, how was it for you? Were you the popular kid? Or not? Did all your insecurities suddenly come flooding back as soon as you opened the invitation? I would love to hear your experiences. Please leave a comment!
Available at:
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Kobo
Nook
iBooks Aveline de Bondeville is on the run. Determined to keep out of the hands of the cruel Raimbaut de Blois she will do whatever it takes to stay alive. And so when she finds herself in the company of Troy de Gysborne she must quickly decide if she can trust him. But can she confess to murder knowing it would mean her certain death?
Troy de Gysborne did the unthinkable; he tore the bonds of brotherhood and left a path of destruction in his wake. And now Troy must face those he betrayed, including the father who long ago renounced him. But to confess to the crime he committed will cost him everything. Including Aveline. But can he remain silent if it means losing the woman he loves?
Excerpt:
Aveline’s scream burned her throat; she tasted blood. Eudes staggered forward, his eyes wide. He looked at her as he fell to his knees and then slumped forward. Bright red blood rushed from his wound and pooled on the ground. She looked at Raimbaut.
“This time you shall not escape.”
She picked up her skirts and ran headlong into the forest and did not slow her speed as branches slapped her in the face and tore at her arms. The ground beneath her feet was icy and uneven. She risked a glance over her shoulder and did not stop even though Raimbaut was nowhere to be seen. He may not have been behind her, but it did not mean he was not stalking her.
Sweat trickled down her face and burned her eyes. Her heart pumped, her lungs gasped for air. She came to a skidding stop and looked wildly around. Should she keep running straight, go left or right, or make her way back to Gysborne? She turned in a circle and shoved her hair from her eyes.
A twig snapped behind her. She stilled and held her breath. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a blur rush by. Was it an animal? Was it Raimbaut?
She ignored the pain in her chest and her sudden need to loosen her bladder. But she could not ignore her trembling. She clutched her arms to her chest. A sour taste flooded her mouth as she did not see how she would be lucky enough a second time to escape from Raimbaut.
AUTHOR BIO:
Louise grew up in country Victoria, Australia, before moving to England, where for sixteen years she soaked up the vibrancy of London and the medieval history of England. She has since returned to Australia and now lives in Melbourne.
In 2013, Louise won first prize in the historical romance category of the Crested Butte Sandy Writing Contest for her story, The Promise, which has since been retitled and is now known as, Of Love & Vengeance.
When not writing, Louise can be found covered in mud, crawling under barbed wire and hoisting herself over twelve foot walls!
AUTHOR LINKS:
EMAIL: louise_lyndon@yahoo.com
WEB: www.LouiseLyndon.com
FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/pages/Louise-Lyndon/1472910852955051
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/LouiseLyndon1
PINTEREST: llyndon3513
GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/LouiseLyndon
High school reunions. We’ve all seen the movies. The unpopular girl works up the courage to attend the reunion, and to face the popular girls who made her life unpleasant. The popular guy she once had a crush on has turned out to be a jerk, or worse still, hasn’t changed since high school. And the guy who secretly had a crush on her declares his love and they live happily ever after.
The writer, and romantic in me, would love for this to happen.
But, then the realist in me pops up…
You see, I’ve just received an invite to my 25 year high school reunion. And you guessed it, I was the unpopular kid. I spent the majority of my lunchtimes in the library. Alone. I wasn’t invited to the parties and I wasn’t popular with the boys. And I should point out here that my high school was small. In my year level (or grade) there was only about 30 kids. For the entire level. So, there wasn’t enough kids to branch off into different groups. You were either in. Or you weren’t. And I wasn’t.
I’ve done a lot since I left high school. I’ve been in love a few times. But never married. And have no kids. I’ve become an aunt six times, and a great aunt once. I’ve had loads of jobs. Some great ones. Some I am trying to forget. I’ve lived interstate and I’ve lived overseas. I’ve seen the world. And I’m a multi published author. By rights, I should be walking in to that reunion, full of confidence.
Yet, the exact same insecurities I had at high school, insecurities I haven’t felt since leaving high school, have suddenly come flooding back.
It’s as if the invitation was a time machine and I have traveled back twenty-five years. My achievements and accomplishments have suddenly evaporated, in their place, the fear of being found out, and being left on the sidelines. But worst still, of no one remembering who I am!
I don’t have the need to ‘rub’ anyone’s noses in anything. I don’t want to go back there and stand in the middle of the room and yell, ‘see, look what I have become!’.
What I do want is to be able to stand tall and proud and say, ‘this is who I am - like me or hate me, no skin off my nose’. Words that I longed to have been able to say way back when.
I’m not one of these people who think their high school years were the best years of their life. Hand on my heart I say the years I’m living now are the best - and I know things are only going to get better. But I just find it interesting that eight small, seemingly inconspicuous words, ‘You’ve Been Invited To Your High School Reunion’ can suddenly revert you back to the person you once were.
I haven’t decided if I’m going to go to the reunion. I’m not sure if I want to go backward - I’m a going forward kind of gal. But I have to admit, there is a little part of me that wouldn’t mind seeing the old gang. But, shrug, I just don’t know if I truly want to go. Is that wrong of me to say? Out loud?
If you’ve been to your high school reunion, how was it for you? Were you the popular kid? Or not? Did all your insecurities suddenly come flooding back as soon as you opened the invitation? I would love to hear your experiences. Please leave a comment!
Available at:
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Kobo
Nook
iBooks Aveline de Bondeville is on the run. Determined to keep out of the hands of the cruel Raimbaut de Blois she will do whatever it takes to stay alive. And so when she finds herself in the company of Troy de Gysborne she must quickly decide if she can trust him. But can she confess to murder knowing it would mean her certain death?
Troy de Gysborne did the unthinkable; he tore the bonds of brotherhood and left a path of destruction in his wake. And now Troy must face those he betrayed, including the father who long ago renounced him. But to confess to the crime he committed will cost him everything. Including Aveline. But can he remain silent if it means losing the woman he loves?
Excerpt:
Aveline’s scream burned her throat; she tasted blood. Eudes staggered forward, his eyes wide. He looked at her as he fell to his knees and then slumped forward. Bright red blood rushed from his wound and pooled on the ground. She looked at Raimbaut.
“This time you shall not escape.”
She picked up her skirts and ran headlong into the forest and did not slow her speed as branches slapped her in the face and tore at her arms. The ground beneath her feet was icy and uneven. She risked a glance over her shoulder and did not stop even though Raimbaut was nowhere to be seen. He may not have been behind her, but it did not mean he was not stalking her.
Sweat trickled down her face and burned her eyes. Her heart pumped, her lungs gasped for air. She came to a skidding stop and looked wildly around. Should she keep running straight, go left or right, or make her way back to Gysborne? She turned in a circle and shoved her hair from her eyes.
A twig snapped behind her. She stilled and held her breath. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a blur rush by. Was it an animal? Was it Raimbaut?
She ignored the pain in her chest and her sudden need to loosen her bladder. But she could not ignore her trembling. She clutched her arms to her chest. A sour taste flooded her mouth as she did not see how she would be lucky enough a second time to escape from Raimbaut.
AUTHOR BIO:
Louise grew up in country Victoria, Australia, before moving to England, where for sixteen years she soaked up the vibrancy of London and the medieval history of England. She has since returned to Australia and now lives in Melbourne.
In 2013, Louise won first prize in the historical romance category of the Crested Butte Sandy Writing Contest for her story, The Promise, which has since been retitled and is now known as, Of Love & Vengeance.
When not writing, Louise can be found covered in mud, crawling under barbed wire and hoisting herself over twelve foot walls!
AUTHOR LINKS:
EMAIL: louise_lyndon@yahoo.com
WEB: www.LouiseLyndon.com
FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/pages/Louise-Lyndon/1472910852955051
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/LouiseLyndon1
PINTEREST: llyndon3513
GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/LouiseLyndon
October 21, 2015
When She Knows: Franconia Notch Trilogy Book One by Jessie Clever
Looking in a Writer’s Toolbox or The Whiteboard that Ended the Honeymoon
I visual stories before I find them in words. This usually means a lot of outlining and jotting down notes when inspiration strikes. I use Scrivener to manage my drafts, character sketches, research and more. But while Scrivener’s a great tool for writers, I find there are times when I need a bigger map.
This leads me to the infamous whiteboard.
For a time in my wild and crazy youth, I moved from apartment to apartment as my career and education took me to new and exciting places. Organizing my current WIP on a larger scale meant sticky notes on my fridge, arranged and rearranged as the story took shape in my mind.
But what I coveted more than anything was a giant whiteboard. I coveted whiteboards. I would go to office supply stores just to stroke the whiteboards with a loving caress. Sticky notes and fridges are great, but whiteboards give you erasing abilities and endless colors of markers. It was the ultimate way to map out a story.
But my nomadic lifestyle made a giant whiteboard unrealistic. My apartments were usually small and frequent, and the idea of dragging a whiteboard back and forth, around and around, just seemed impractical.
So when I grew up, got married and settled down, the first thing my husband bought me as a Christmas present was a giant whiteboard. Story mapping exploded in brilliant colors. Whatever my mind could draw escaped from the tip of the markers. I would draw and write and erase and do it all over again. It was euphoria. It was nirvana.
It was unsettling.
Literally.
I couldn’t decide what was the best location for my beloved whiteboard now that I had it. Which leads us to why it’s known as the infamous whiteboard in our house.
I made my husband rehang it four times. Four. Within the first three months of moving into our house. This is not a little tool you can hang up with some duct tape or a single nail. This sucker has giant brackets and wall anchors. I even got a separate holder for the markers. It’s a serious business to move this thing.
But like any creative artist, my moods change. My office gets rearranged as the mood strikes me. Perhaps I feel better writing under the windows, or maybe it’s better writing in the corner. Where ever I move, it means the whiteboard gets moved as well. But in the end, the infamous whiteboard remains the ultimate story mapping tool, despite how my husband feels about it.
Available at:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
iBooks
Google Play
Kobo
All Romance eBooks
Goodreads Link:
http://bit.ly/1SWpIy3
His latest problem is her newest assignment.
Shannon Wynter has it all figured it. Abandoned by her mother and left to care for her agoraphobic father, Shannon focuses on building her career as a journalist to the detriment of all else including her love life.
Ian Darke has his own problems. Battling past failures, Ian sets his eyes on launching a new factory for his father’s defense firm. But it’s the very father he failed that will do anything to sabotage Ian’s progress.
And when Shannon follows an anonymous tip that leads her to Ian’s factory door, the last thing she expects to discover is what she already knows
Excerpt
"But fraud for a defense contractor is serious. You don't want to defend your reputation as a provider to our armed forces?"
It took him a minute to realize that clicking noise was her following him over the pavement. He spun around, his arms coming up once more to gesture his acquiescence, only she was standing too close, and instead of gesturing with authority, he ran into her, his arms striking her shoulders and knocking her against him.
He froze, feeling the length of her body collide with his, the scent of her shampoo invade his senses, her breath fall across the exposed skin above his shirt collar. He felt her hesitation, the hitch in her breath, before she shoved against him, pushing herself away.
"I'm very sorry," he said, his hands moving uselessly in front of him as if to help her regain her balance.
She stood with her pad held against her chest like some sort of shield, and he felt his anger drain into annoyance.
"I'm sorry," he repeated, much more carefully, "I don't have a comment, and I need to get back to work. Please excuse me."
He turned slowly this time, resuming his walk to the loading dock door.
"What is it that you're using this factory for, Mr. Darke?"
He didn't answer. No matter how much he wanted to turn around and rail about his stupid brother's stupid decisions, he did not. He kept walking.
"Fraud, I mean, come on, that's-"
And then he did turn.
"If you want a comment, you can call our PR department."
"Great!" she said, and he almost smiled at her enthusiasm as she pulled up a clean page of her notebook. "What's the phone number?"
He shook his head at her and let his feet carry him back to where she stood on the pavement, notebook poised for the phone number.
"Shannon, was it?" he said when he was close.
He had felt her breath hitch when she had bumped into him, and now he dared to step a little closer than politeness would have dictated. He saw it again, the slight hitch in her chest, and he felt a smile spread over his face. He leaned in, dropping his voice to a soft, rich level.
"Have you heard of the Internet, Shannon?"
"Yes," she whispered softly, her eyes locked on his.
"Use it," he said and walked away, leaving her standing in the parking lot, her pen completely still.
About the Author:
In the second grade, Jessie began a story about a duck and a lost ring. Two harrowing pages of wide ruled notebook paper later, the ring was found. And Jessie has been writing ever since.
Armed with the firm belief that women in the Regency era could be truly awesome heroines, Jessie began telling their stories in her Spy Series, a thrilling ride in historical espionage that showcases human faults and triumphs and most importantly, love.
Jessie makes her home in the great state of New Hampshire where she lives with her husband and two very opinionated Basset Hounds. For more, visit her website at jessieclever.com.
Social Media Links:
Facebook: http://on.fb.me/1foelMH
Twitter: http://bit.ly/1IM6UPJ
Google+: http://bit.ly/1rpRvsU
Pinterest: http://bit.ly/KZQ4TQ
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/1fge8x9
I visual stories before I find them in words. This usually means a lot of outlining and jotting down notes when inspiration strikes. I use Scrivener to manage my drafts, character sketches, research and more. But while Scrivener’s a great tool for writers, I find there are times when I need a bigger map.
This leads me to the infamous whiteboard.
For a time in my wild and crazy youth, I moved from apartment to apartment as my career and education took me to new and exciting places. Organizing my current WIP on a larger scale meant sticky notes on my fridge, arranged and rearranged as the story took shape in my mind.
But what I coveted more than anything was a giant whiteboard. I coveted whiteboards. I would go to office supply stores just to stroke the whiteboards with a loving caress. Sticky notes and fridges are great, but whiteboards give you erasing abilities and endless colors of markers. It was the ultimate way to map out a story.
But my nomadic lifestyle made a giant whiteboard unrealistic. My apartments were usually small and frequent, and the idea of dragging a whiteboard back and forth, around and around, just seemed impractical.
So when I grew up, got married and settled down, the first thing my husband bought me as a Christmas present was a giant whiteboard. Story mapping exploded in brilliant colors. Whatever my mind could draw escaped from the tip of the markers. I would draw and write and erase and do it all over again. It was euphoria. It was nirvana.
It was unsettling.
Literally.
I couldn’t decide what was the best location for my beloved whiteboard now that I had it. Which leads us to why it’s known as the infamous whiteboard in our house.
I made my husband rehang it four times. Four. Within the first three months of moving into our house. This is not a little tool you can hang up with some duct tape or a single nail. This sucker has giant brackets and wall anchors. I even got a separate holder for the markers. It’s a serious business to move this thing.
But like any creative artist, my moods change. My office gets rearranged as the mood strikes me. Perhaps I feel better writing under the windows, or maybe it’s better writing in the corner. Where ever I move, it means the whiteboard gets moved as well. But in the end, the infamous whiteboard remains the ultimate story mapping tool, despite how my husband feels about it.
Available at:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
iBooks
Google Play
Kobo
All Romance eBooks
Goodreads Link:
http://bit.ly/1SWpIy3
His latest problem is her newest assignment.
Shannon Wynter has it all figured it. Abandoned by her mother and left to care for her agoraphobic father, Shannon focuses on building her career as a journalist to the detriment of all else including her love life.
Ian Darke has his own problems. Battling past failures, Ian sets his eyes on launching a new factory for his father’s defense firm. But it’s the very father he failed that will do anything to sabotage Ian’s progress.
And when Shannon follows an anonymous tip that leads her to Ian’s factory door, the last thing she expects to discover is what she already knows
Excerpt
"But fraud for a defense contractor is serious. You don't want to defend your reputation as a provider to our armed forces?"
It took him a minute to realize that clicking noise was her following him over the pavement. He spun around, his arms coming up once more to gesture his acquiescence, only she was standing too close, and instead of gesturing with authority, he ran into her, his arms striking her shoulders and knocking her against him.
He froze, feeling the length of her body collide with his, the scent of her shampoo invade his senses, her breath fall across the exposed skin above his shirt collar. He felt her hesitation, the hitch in her breath, before she shoved against him, pushing herself away.
"I'm very sorry," he said, his hands moving uselessly in front of him as if to help her regain her balance.
She stood with her pad held against her chest like some sort of shield, and he felt his anger drain into annoyance.
"I'm sorry," he repeated, much more carefully, "I don't have a comment, and I need to get back to work. Please excuse me."
He turned slowly this time, resuming his walk to the loading dock door.
"What is it that you're using this factory for, Mr. Darke?"
He didn't answer. No matter how much he wanted to turn around and rail about his stupid brother's stupid decisions, he did not. He kept walking.
"Fraud, I mean, come on, that's-"
And then he did turn.
"If you want a comment, you can call our PR department."
"Great!" she said, and he almost smiled at her enthusiasm as she pulled up a clean page of her notebook. "What's the phone number?"
He shook his head at her and let his feet carry him back to where she stood on the pavement, notebook poised for the phone number.
"Shannon, was it?" he said when he was close.
He had felt her breath hitch when she had bumped into him, and now he dared to step a little closer than politeness would have dictated. He saw it again, the slight hitch in her chest, and he felt a smile spread over his face. He leaned in, dropping his voice to a soft, rich level.
"Have you heard of the Internet, Shannon?"
"Yes," she whispered softly, her eyes locked on his.
"Use it," he said and walked away, leaving her standing in the parking lot, her pen completely still.
About the Author:In the second grade, Jessie began a story about a duck and a lost ring. Two harrowing pages of wide ruled notebook paper later, the ring was found. And Jessie has been writing ever since.
Armed with the firm belief that women in the Regency era could be truly awesome heroines, Jessie began telling their stories in her Spy Series, a thrilling ride in historical espionage that showcases human faults and triumphs and most importantly, love.
Jessie makes her home in the great state of New Hampshire where she lives with her husband and two very opinionated Basset Hounds. For more, visit her website at jessieclever.com.
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