Meet the Author: Linda Nightingale ~ New Release: The Summoning

Please help me welcome Linda Nightingale:

(Be sure to check out the giveaway at the bottom of the post!)

Meet the Author

Please tell us about yourself, Linda. Born in South Carolina, I’ve lived in England, Canada, Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, Atlanta and Houston. I’m back in South Carolina now. I’ve seen a lot of this country from the windshield of a truck pulling a horse trailer, having bred, trained and showed the magnificent Andalusian horse for many years. I have a poster that says, ‘this horse will change your life’.  They did mine, and I wouldn’t take anything for the experience.

On my journey to publication, I won several writing awards, including the Georgia Romance Writers Magnolia Award for Excellence and the SARA Merritt.  I retired from a career as a legal assistant and enjoy movies, theater, music, travel, reading and events with my car club. The stars in my crown are two wonderful sons. In a former life, I must have had to walk everywhere because today I am into transportation with fine taste in expensive horses and hot cars! I like to dress up and host formal dinner parties.

Where can readers find you? (social media, etc.)

I love to hear from my readers, and you can find me at:

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/LNightingale

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/LindaNightingaleAuthor

Web Site:  http://www.lindanightingale.com – Visit and look around. There’s a free continuing vampire story.

Blog:  https://lindanightingale.wordpress.com/ – Lots of interesting guests & prizes

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4839311.Linda_Nightingale

Pinterest:  https://www.pinterest.com/lbnightingale1/

Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/Linda-Nightingale/e/B005OSOJ0U

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer? About 9^th grade. I had a teacher who’d allow me to write stories instead of book reports. I began writing short stories and poetry dripping with teenage angst.

How many books have you written? I’ve written 10 books: Gemini Rising (now released as Her Brother’s Wife under my pen name Bianca Swan) and the following:

Love For Sale

Gambler’s Choice

Morgan D’Arcy: A Vampyre Rhapsody

Gylded Wings

Her General in Gray

The Summoning

Sinner’s Obsession

Cardinal Desires

Which is your favorite? Sinners’ Opera.  The book of my heart is not listed above because my rights reverted to me from the original publisher, and it is now under consideration by my editor at The Wild Rose Press. It’s a paranormal romance starring my favorite hero, Morgan D’Arcy, an English lord, a concert pianist…and a vampire.

What do you enjoy most about writing? What is the best part of writing for you? Hearing from my readers that they loved a book and are looking forward to the next one.

Are your stories driven by plot or character? Always by character.  One character, usually the hero, begins the tale and, as the plot evolves, other characters join in with their part of the story.

How do you balance a life outside of writing with deadlines and writing muses? Since I retired, I don’t face the problem of a day job to interfere.  My children are grown with lives of their own.  In fact, neither live near me. As with other people, I do have conflicts. My biggest problem with deadlines is that my muse will not always cooperate. Now with galleys and the such, the deadlines are rarely a problem.

If I were a first time reader of your books, which one would you recommend I start with and why? Probably, until Sinners’ Opera is in print again (fingers crossed), I’d recommend Love For Sale.  LFS is a sci-fi romance, a different love story about a human-like, sentient android and a the disillusioned dreamer who buys him.  Reviewers have called the story ‘different’ and ‘touching.’

What do you hope readers take with them after reading your work? A sense of wonder, satisfaction and the feeling that when they finished the book they surfaced into reality—when they wanted to stay in the story.

Tell us about your latest release, including its genre.

The Summoning is a fantasy romance. Here’s the blurb and a short excerpt:

BLURB:

Heather Morique is a witch. The problem is she doesn’t know it. Her husband Jahill was a refugee from an obscure branch of the Arawak Indians. After his death, mysterious whispers lure her to his homeland of Jamaica. Soon, she finds herself in a web of secrets, lies and illusions.

Jahill’s people worship Eyrael, the God of Wind and Sea, and his brother Sofiel, the God of Fire and Earth. The new Shaman has pitted brother against brother, and these two powerful spirits from an alternate universe fight to become the tribe’s ruling deity. Will light or darkness reign?

When Heather unwittingly summons Eyrael, these two unlikely soul mates face a dangerous fate.  The chemistry between them is more disturbing than the long-buried secrets.

EXCERPT:

Like storm clouds cloaking a sunny day, darkness gathered in the room. Heather lifted her gaze from the computer screen. Smoke sullied the air, crawling across the floor in a black mist. No scent of burning came from the billowing murky fog. Her hands froze on the keyboard. An icy shiver melted down her spine. The gulls’ cries and the normal sounds of life had quieted. The house was as still as a tomb. Her skin prickled, goosebumps pebbling her skin. A shudder leapt over her. Fear seized her in its cold, cold hands. Her heart beat a rapid staccato in her ears.

“Heather,” a dark voice called softly.

She started violently, whirled to see who’d spoken and shuddered again. No one. Just the scentless smoke. The hair at her nape quivered. Danger lurked just out of sight.

With trembling fingers, she guided the mouse, clicking on save. She set the laptop aside, intending to rise, but found herself paralyzed as fire flickered to life five feet from where she sat. Sofiel. The battle had come. Why hadn’t she trusted her gut feeling?

Please don’t let him kill me now I’m finally happy. Please don’t let me lose my baby.

Nausea burned her throat, her stomach twisting into a knot of terror. She jumped to her feet, focused on saving her child. Fire nibbled at the black mist swirling around her feet. A tongue of flame licked her ankle. Ignoring the stinging pain, she charged toward the door. A crimson blaze climbed the walls. She’d taken three desperate strides when fire consumed the exit. She was trapped with the dark spirit who wanted her dead.

Does it cross over to other genres? Not really. I suppose it could be considered a contemporary or a paranormal, but fantasy best describes it.

 

Thanks for hosting my characters and me!

It was my pleasure, Linda…thank you for joining me.

 

Giveaway:  Linda will be giving away a $15 Gift Card through Rafflecopter! Winner will be announced 8/30.  Follow her on tour for more fun and chances to win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway