Please help me welcome today’s guest, Pamela S. Thibodeaux…
Whether married or looking for another chance at romance, love is always in the air for these couples…
Twin Flames: Twins, Raymond and Raelee MacFarland have spent a couple of years and a ton of money turning the property they inherited from their uncle into a small guest ranch, rebuilding their lives after her husband runs off with his wife. Will they succeed and perhaps, get a second chance at love?
Like a Rock: Macey finds herself at a crossroads when her and Jerry’s youngest child leaves for college. Will their love survive midlife crisis and empty nest syndrome?
The Big Catch Karla and, the love of her life, Jeff, have uncovered some uncommon ground: The Great Outdoors. For the life of her, she does not understand his love of fishing and how he can spend so much time doing so. Will she come to love the sport as much as he or will his passion for a rod and reel tangle up their relationship?
A Hero for Jessica: Anthony Paul Seville is known as the ‘most eligible bachelor’ in New Orleans, possibly even the entire state of Louisiana, but finds himself alone—completely and explicitly alone. Jessica Aucoin is a writer on her way to fame and fortune but is haunted by a man from her past. Will the “champion” lawyer and the author of romantic suspense find love written in their future?
In His Sight: Grade school teacher Carson Alexander has a gift—a gift that has driven a wedge between him and his family. Worse, it’s put him at odds with God. Feeling alone and misunderstood, Carson views God’s gift of prophecy as the worst kind of curse…that is until he meets Lorelei Conner, landscape artist extraordinaire, and perhaps the one person who may need Carson and his gift more than anyone ever has.
Lorelei Connor is a mother on the run. Her abusive ex-husband has followed her all over the country trying to steal their daughter. Distrusting of men and needing to keep on the move, she’s surprised by her desire to remain close to Carson Alexander. Through her fear and hesitation, she must learn to rely on God to guide her—not an easy task when He’s prompting her to trust a man.
Can their relationship withstand the tragedy lurking on the horizon?
Review of Love: Jason Stockwell has been commissioned to interview Kylie Erickson and to review her books. The only problem is, she won’t give the time of day much less an interview to someone whose type of writing she deems not worthy of respect. Can they suspend their judgmental attitudes and find true love?
Paper Roses: Widowed eleven years, Patti Howard has found herself enamored with her son’s football coach. Will a homecoming tradition give them a chance at romance?
Journey’s End: Ellie Thibaudeau’s travelling days ended when she bore a daughter who, in turn, left a granddaughter to be reared in the small town of Wellington, Florida. With retirement on the horizon will her dream of seeing the world come true with a new man or will she be resigned to staying put and live vicariously through her Angel Girl, Callyn?
Soul Mates Jolie LeBlanc has used her Masters in Archeology and Minor in Anthropology to study the paranormal all over the world and ends up on five acres of land supposedly haunted by the famed pirate, Jean Lafitte. Will she and her soul mate will reconnect once again or will she live another lifetime without him?
WHY I Wrote these Stories: As a novel writer, short stories are a welcome diversion, but also a challenge. To tell a complete story in so few words can sometimes frustrate one who thrives on the detail and description found in a novel. Some of these were written with a particular women’s magazine in mind. Others were for the publisher I was with earlier in my career who listed them for free through the website or for 99cents at Amazon. ALL were written for fun and the experience. A friend of mine said I write excellent short stories. I hope I’ve done well enough in these to entice you to want to read my longer works.
Essay Prompt: Describe a recent hobby you have picked up and why you are passionate about it.
Name: Nevine Turner
Without you knowing it, my dear teacher Ms. Höss, from time to time, while I sleep, I escape from Grimoire Manor in my dreams to travel to Prague in the year 1888. There, I have picked up the most unusual hobby: the hunting of ghouls and ghosts. Yes, I know it sounds unbelievable that I should escape Grimoire Manor in such a way. Perhaps you need better locks on the doors and windows.
There I have studied under the famous physicist Dr. Xanthe Halruaa (or she would be famous had she not been a woman). Dr. Halruaa is an expert and has taught me so much. She has forgotten more science than our own teacher, Ms. Speer, ever learned. Grimoire Manor should hire her on, but Dr. Halruaa is long dead in our current year. Perhaps she could lecture via séance?
In addition to the basics of physics and chemistry, Dr. Halruaa has taught me about how to be a good ghost-hunter (good = not die). Yes, that’s right, ghost-hunting. It might sound unbelievable were it not for our school’s own haunted attics and halls which you might have noticed.
While Ms. Speer has us heating unidentifiable goo in glass tubes with Bunsen burners, with Dr. Halruaa I have learned the finer points of the design of an early flamethrower. Such tools are essential in the fighting of ghouls and zombies and other physical undead who might be unimpressed with knives and guns.
Now you might say it’s irresponsible that a scientist such as Dr. Halruaa would allow a teen girl such as myself near such a dangerous implement. And, well, if I’m being honest, you’re probably right. To be fair to Dr. Halruaa she has not yet let me wield it myself, though I beg and plead. I’ll wear her down. And do keep in mind, in 1888 it was common to send kids my age to the factories or down chimneys to sweep. So, I suppose it’s okay if a scientist teaches me about dangerous devices so long as they are used for a good reason. And fighting ghosts is a good reason!
I suppose you won’t believe me about all this. Maybe I should have written about ribbons and bows, or how my new passion is reading the books you assign, but actually they’re quite boring. Instead, I thought I would tell the truth. My new hobby is science, particularly the kind that involves fire and things that blow up! So long as it’s for doing good.
So, that’s me and what I am up to. I hope you will be entertained by this essay and give it an A.
Grade: D-
(paper crumpled up)
Find Author Christopher J. Ferguson at the below links…
Bio After a children’s adventure story in her early 20s, which sank immediately, Mary Georgina wrote no fiction until about ten years ago. She was creating languages courses for schools and one editor asked her to produce a pack of French short stories and poems – and she was off on her writer’s journey: she enjoyed this dip into fiction so much, she had to write a novel. But life was busy, and it wasn’t until lockdown that she began to write seriously. As a linguist, she finds it logical to use the setting of countries she’s lived and worked in, and this forces her to try to understand the culture and how it affects anyone with a different background. Stuck at home, she wanted to travel, and Italy glowed in her mind as a desirable place to visit, and so her first published novel began. Then The Earth Moved was published in 2023. The main character is always a strong young woman determined to make her way in the world and each novel has a love story at its centre. She lives on the beautiful English Riviera with her artist husband where she indulges in her passion of writing, reading and creating things, especially in fabric.
Blurb English archaeologist Dr Amancia Harding has looked after her family for five years. Now it’s time to take care of herself and leading a team on a dig in Spain is the perfect way to propel her career forward. Her good intentions are threatened when she meets vineyard owner Max Serrano. Damaged by war in Ukraine and a tragic event in his past, Max has given up on relationships and taken refuge in making wine, but the attraction he feels to Amancia forces him to confront painful issues. There’s also the gulf between their two cultures to consider if a relationship is to have any chance of success. Ambitious and fiery in character, can either accept that compromise is sometimes necessary to find happiness?
Mary Georgina, how important is research for a romantic novel? It’s as important as for any other novel. You must get it right, even if you’re writing fantasy, because the world you create has to have a structure everyone can relate to. For Then Time Stands Still, I researched the following in some depth: Roman archaeological sites and what happens on site The gritty world of academia! Making promotional films Festivals in Spain, specifically Zaragoza and the surrounding area Food, drink, restaurants and entertainment in Zaragoza, renewing my acquaintance with the city Similarly for Barcelona in Spain and Bristol in the UK The climate throughout the year in both countries Grape growing and wine making and how climate change is affecting these activities Post-traumatic stress disorder Controlling behavior between men and women How being of mixed race might affect your everyday life and the way you view the world. Thank you to friends who have helped me with this and to my sensitivity reader, fellow Wild Rose, Lynn Griffin.
Do you have any advice for beginning writers? • Read a lot in different genres, fiction and non-fiction, and some psychology. Reading in your own genre can be helpful and you begin to respect others, seeing how cleverly they handle a difficult transition or an emotional situation. Here are three books I have recently read:
The Eight Mountains by Paolo Cognetti (Italian)
The Queen of Dirt Island by Donal Ryan (Irish)
Machines Like Me by Ian McEwan (English) None of these is about writing or romance but such reading will feed your imagination. • Writing is hard work, so settle down at your desk and write – and ditch perfectionism at this stage. Find out what’s most comfortable for you – paper or computer – and write. I like to get through the first draft quickly because I love editing. Writing friends have recommended participating in NaNoWriMo – 50K words in one month – to get going.
• What will help you? Make a plan, a pathway to the end you envisage. If you haven’t envisaged an ending, this should be the first step. Your plan can be quite sketchy, but don’t be afraid to tackle a later scene that’s already fully formed in your mind as soon as it arrives there.
• Courses and books are useful. I’d recommend a series of books by Janice Hardy. If you are writing romance, her book on Show Don’t Tell is hugely helpful for the beginner. Buy Links:
In 1976, my boyfriend said, “I wish I was like you and knew what I wanted to do.”
I asked, “What?”
“You’re going to be a writer.”
In 1979, my same boyfriend said, “If you get married, never change your last name.”
“Why?” I asked as I realized we did not have a future together.
“Because when I’m standing at the grocery counter line and see a book on display, I’ll see your name and know it’s yours.”
1988—Birth of my daughter
1989—Birth of my son
In 1994—when a woman asked what I did, my five-year-old son didn’t tell her I worked for a utility company and stuffed 20,000 bills and advertisements into envelopes daily.
He said, “My mom’s a writer.”
1996—I had a short story published in Half Price Books bedtime stories, and my mom and I drove to the store to buy a copy. She turned to me and said, “I’m so excited. I’m shaking.”
2006-2010—published many short stories and one novel with The Wild Rose Press
In 2007, after working for 27 years at the utility company, the boss said, “If you’re not happy here, quit.”
So, I did.
In 2015, I married and quit working in Waukee, Iowa, as a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant—to travel and volunteer with my husband.
In 2023, my husband and I moved into an apartment in Wilmington, NC, and he said, “You should start writing again.”
I sent a manuscript for a novel to The Wild Rose Press and got a contract and then another.
Chance Meeting
January 8, 2024
I’d Rather Kiss You Goodnight
coming in 2025.
Book Blurb:
Melody is fostering her niece while her sister, Captain Opal Erickson, is deployed to Kuwait. A chance meeting at work with Clayton, a construction manager, awakens feelings of love and romance. Everything is perfect until Opal reveals a family truth and swears Melody to secrecy. To honor her sisterly pledge, Mel attempts to reject any advances from Clayton until he guesses the truth. Torn between loyalty to Opal and love for Clayton, she pours herself into work, making a mess of everything. When the dust settles, Mel wonders if she can put the pieces of her life back together.
About the Author:
I am thrilled to be back writing with Chance Meeting available now, and I’d Rather Kiss You Goodnight coming out soon. These novels culminate my passion for storytelling, and I can’t wait to share them with you.
Eighteen years ago, while living in Minneapolis, Minnesota, I published children’s stories, creative non-fiction, poetry, and flash fiction, then stumbled into romance, writing several short stories and a novel with The Wild Rose Press.
I wrote the story from Melody’s perspective with humor and heartfelt emotion: she is a civilian with a sister deployed to Kuwait. Melody is the caretaker for her sister’s daughter. The story is about the struggle of balancing family, work, and a budding new romance when you are over forty and wanting to do what’s best for everyone, even when you’re not exactly sure what that looks like.
Please help me welcome today’s guest, Tashia L. Fugate. Her book is fantastic and I have had the pleasure of a sneak peek of Book 2, which is awesome as well and is available for pre-order…
“When you finally have everything, what would you sacrifice to keep it?”
Blurb:
What do you do when the past you remember quickly morphs into a past you wished would stay forgotten? On the surface, Samantha Walker is your average human, working hard to build her future. But there’s more than one fanged skeleton in her closet and they’re about to be released.
When, in the sleepy town of Glenwood, mystery man, Deacon Vasileios, shows up at her feet bleeding from a gunshot wound, her life gets turned upside down. Something about him isn’t human, but the glow of his icy blue eyes holds all the keys to unlock her past.
People she trusted are lying to her as she struggles to understand her twisted memories. Hunters want use her while an alpha wants her to become his. As the fire sparks between Samantha and Deacon, she must make a choice. Is her life in fate’s hands or is she in control? Choices are dangerous things to make.
Excerpt:
Living is sometimes harder than dying. To choose to fight and push through the callings of death rather than succumb to them is a decision that no person can make for someone else. We must want to live. We must fight as hard as we can, not just for ourselves, but for those we love. It is the people that we cherish more than life itself that make it all worth it. Life is hard, and sometimes sacrifices must be made, but we push through and live. It is days like today that break us down. Today, dying feels easier.
Samantha closed her eyes as she tried to catch her breath and clear the blurriness from her vision. The warehouse was so close, but still so far away. Large raindrops fell in slow succession as she lay on her back on the hard floor of the abandoned school. Lightning streaked through the dark, cloudy sky after every heart-pounding crash of thunder rumbled through her chest. She wanted to scream, to cry out and let go of all her frustrations, but to release them would be the first step to letting go, and she could not do that yet. She was doing the right thing; she knew that now.
With another attempt at a deep breath, Samantha brought herself up into a crouched position. Standing was harder now, and her head spun as she tried to balance herself. She pushed back on the bile that threatened to come up from her stomach. It had been how many days since she ate anything? She couldn’t remember. Time over the past few days seemed strange and distant. She let her breath out slowly as she stood using the aged bricks of the old school’s walls for support.
Her favorite pair of black running shoes were soaked and caked in mud and grass. Two drops of black fell into the pooling rainwater. The drops started to spread out like dark red branches of a tree. She was dying, but she wasn’t dead yet. There was still some fight left in her, and she had to keep going.
Tashia L. Fugate lives in her Kentucky home with her husband. When she’s not reading, she enjoys walking, painting, gardening, music and letting her imagination of its leash with her writing.
From the time Tashia was in high school then to college and off into the work force she’s been a dreamer. She is always inventing characters and new places for their adventures to take place. She’s more than excited to bring those adventures to her readers. With hard work and determination, any dream can become a reality.
Please help me welcome today’s guests, Diana Rubino and Piper Huguley…
February is Black History Month, a celebration of achievements by African Americans and for recognizing their role in U.S. history. Ona Judge, Martha Washington’s ‘favorite servant’ (Mrs. Washington wouldn’t say ‘slave’), with her bravery, intelligence and shrewdness, escaped the Washingtons, outwitted her captors, and remained free for life. Thanks for making ONA JUDGE:
I AM FREE an Amazon best seller.
Ona’s Story…
Teenaged Ona (known as “Oney”) Judge was Martha Washington’s ‘favorite servant.’ Oney and Martha both longed for freedom, but in very different ways. Martha hated being confined to the president’s house, forced to entertain politicians and foreign diplomats. Oney hated being someone else’s property, forced to do labor and wait on her owners day and night.
After President Washington served one term as president, he wrote his farewell speech. He and Martha started packing for their retirement at Mount Vernon, but it was not meant to be. He was elected again—unanimously. He did not want to serve another term, but gave in under pressure.
Martha had no say in it whatsoever. But as she hosted her tea parties and levees, she became close friends with several forward-thinking women, such as Abigail Adams and Judith Murray, feminists of the time. Their radical ideas rubbed off on Martha—education and job training for women to be self-supporting instead of depending on husbands. By the end of George’s term, she experienced a steep character arc. She even changed her attitude toward slavery. When Oney escaped at age 20, at the end of George’s final term, Martha was very resentful: “She was more like a child to me than a servant.” The Washingtons knew that she’d escaped to Portsmouth, New Hampshire and made several attempts to recapture her. But in a sudden act of lenience, Martha gave up on Oney and let her remain free. During her husband’s presidency, Martha complained, “I am more like a state prisoner”, so perhaps she put herself in Oney’s place and realized she deserved liberty, too.
As our first First Lady, Martha Washington evolved from a grandmotherly wife and homebody to an outspoken champion of women’s rights. She provided freedom for her slaves at her death.
While living in Portsmouth, Oney married a sailor, Jack Staines, and had three children. She outlived her husband and children, and lived her remaining free life in Greenland, New Hampshire. Somewhat of a local celebrity, she lived in poverty, but the locals supported her and she took in sewing to supplement her meager income. She declared in an 1847 interview, “I am free now and choose to remain so.”
An Excerpt from ONEY, MY ESCAPE FROM SLAVERY
The hour finally came—while they ate dinner.
Nothing heavied my heart—not remorse, not guilt, not sadness upon fleeing my master and mistress. Raw thirst for freedom overcame all that. I walked straight past the Washingtons and out that door. When I shut it, I left them—and my forced bondage— behind me.
I tore through the muddy streets in pouring rain. Gasping for breath, soaked to the skin, my heart slamming in terror, I glanced behind me, again and again. No one pursued me—yet. I dreaded and expected pounding footsteps, a clap on my shoulder. But, I asked myself, who would chase me through the driving rain? No, it is not possible, I affirmed—they didn’t even know I’d left the kitchen.
At the Jones house I slowed and caught my breath. When Absalom opened the door, I staggered inside, laughing, sobbing, gulping for dear life.
I spent the night pacing the attic room, hands clasped. “I beg of you, dear God, walk beside me on this journey. See me through this safe. Don’t let them capture me. I only want to be your servant, no one else’s.”
As daybreak nudged away the darkness, I fell to my knees, weary with fatigue. “Thank you, dear God, for ending my final night of bondage.”
Serendipity at Work
In May 2014, popular romance author Brenda Novak had her annual auction for diabetes—authors donate books, critiques, etc., and people bid on them, similar to Ebay. I donated one of my other books, and I also donated a free manuscript critique. An author named Piper Huguley won the critique auction, but the auction ended and I never heard from her. I thought oh, well, she doesn’t want it after all. About 3 months later, she wrote me and sent me her story, A CHAMPION’S HEART, to critique. It’s a romance about an African American girl, set in rural Georgia in the 1910s. Very moving and powerful story. I loved it. It was published by Liliaceae Publishers.
I’d been wanting to find an African American author to go over my Oney novel, but never looked for anyone. I thought of asking one of my grade school classmates, but just didn’t get to it…well, one day I decided to ask Piper.
Right after I asked her, she wrote back and said she’d be happy to help. Then I went on Facebook and saw that Piper just posted that her mother passed away that morning. So I sent her a message of condolence. Then she wrote this back to me:
And I appreciate your kind comments about my mother. You see, I see your request as “heaven sent” for I think I told you about how my mother told me about Oney. I know that she would want me to work on anything, do anything to forward that story. So, even in the midst of a difficult time, I look forward to helping you–something I really didn’t expect after you had helped me so much. Thank you for that.
I don’t remember her telling me that her mother told her about Oney. I’ve heard so many stories about people who pass away, and send ‘signs’ etc. to their loved ones, this was just too strange to be coincidence. Piper helped me a great deal with Oney’s story and became my co-author. We dedicated the book to her mother.
Diana writes about folks who shook things up. Her passion for history and travel has taken her to every locale of her stories, set in Medieval and Renaissance England, Egypt, the Mediterranean, colonial Virginia, New England, and New York. Her urban fantasy romance FAKIN’ IT won a Top Pick award from Romantic Times. She is a member of Romance Writers of America, the Richard III Society and the Aaron Burr Association. When not writing, she runs CostPro, Inc., an engineering business, with her husband Chris. In her spare time, Diana bicycles, golfs, plays her piano and devours books of any genre. She spends as much time as possible just livin’ the dream on her beloved Cape Cod.
Piper Huguley is a two-time Golden Heart ®finalist and is the author of the “Home to Milford College” series. The series follows the building of a college from its founding in 1866. Book #1 in the series, The Preacher’s Promise was named a top ten Historical Romance in Publisher’s Weekly by the esteemed historical romance author, Beverly Jenkins and received Honorable Mention in the Writer’s Digest Contest of Self-Published e-books in 2015.
Her new series “Born to Win Men” starts with A Champion’s Heart as Book #1. A Champion’s Heart was named by Sarah MacLean of The Washington Post as a best romance novel selection for December 2016.
She blogs about the history behind her novels at http://piperhuguley.com. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia with her husband and son.
Please help me welcome today’s guest, Diana Rubino. She has a fabulous-sounding new book…and a delicious sounding recipe…
Can an Italian sweatshop worker and an Irish cop fall in love on Manhattan’s Lower East Side in 1894? The answer is a big YES, and once they’re enjoying wedded bliss in their Greenwich Village brownstone, they spend their first Christmas together feasting on her Struffoli! (Italian for honey balls).
In FROM HERE TO FOURTEENTH STREET it’s 1894 on New York’s Lower East Side. Irish cop Tom McGlory and Italian immigrant Vita Caputo fall in love despite their different upbringings. Vita goes from sweatshop laborer to respected bank clerk to reformer, helping elect a mayor to beat the Tammany machine. While Tom works undercover to help Ted Roosevelt purge police corruption, Vita’s father arranges a marriage between her and a man she despises. As Vita and Tom work together against time and prejudice to clear her brother and father of a murder they didn’t commit, they know their love can survive poverty, hatred, and corruption. Vita is based on my great grandmother, who left third grade to become a self-made businesswoman and politician, wife and mother.
Vita’s hero Tom McGlory isn’t based on any real person, but I did a lot of reading about Metropolitan Policemen and made sure he was the complete opposite! He’s trustworthy and would never take a bribe or graft.
FROM HERE TO FOURTEENTH STREET is Book One of the New York Saga, three generations of the McGlory family, through Prohibition to 1963.
When my grandparents came from Naples and landed at Ellis Island in the early 1900s they brought many recipes with them, but only in their heads. No one brought cookbooks or written recipes on the boat along with their possessions. A favorite Christmas treat is Struffoli, better known as Honey Balls. One Christmas when I was a kid, I watched my grandmother make them and scribbled down the ingredients as she sifted and mixed and baked and drizzled. Here’s an accurate recipe in English! Ingredients Dough: •2 cups flour, plus extra for dusting •1 large lemon, zested (about 2 teaspoons) •1/2 large orange, zested (about 2 teaspoons) •3 tablespoons sugar •1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt •1/4 teaspoon baking powder •1/2 stick (2 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces, at room temperature •3 large eggs •1 tablespoon white wine, such as pinot grigio •1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract •Canola oil, for frying •1 cup honey •1/2 cup sugar •1 tablespoon lemon juice •1 1/2 cups hazelnuts, toasted (see Cook’s Note) •Vegetable oil cooking spray •Sugar sprinkles, for decoration •Powdered sugar, for dusting, optional
Directions For the dough: In the bowl of a food processor, pulse together 2 cups of flour, lemon zest, orange zest, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Add the eggs, wine, and vanilla. Pulse until the mixture forms into a ball. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Cut the dough into 4 equal-sized pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each piece of dough until 1/4-inch thick. Cut each piece of dough into 1/2-inch wide strips. Cut each strip of pastry into 1/2-inch pieces. Roll each piece of dough into a small ball about the size of a hazelnut. Lightly dredge the dough balls in flour, shaking off any excess. In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, pour enough oil to fill the pan about a third of the way. Heat over medium heat until a deep-frying thermometer inserted in the oil reaches 375 degrees F. (If you don’t have a thermometer a cube of bread will brown in about 3 minutes.). In batches, fry the dough until lightly golden, about 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. (The rested and quartered dough can also be rolled on a floured work surface into 1/2-inch thick logs and cut into equal-sized 1/2-inch pieces. The dough pieces can then be rolled into small balls and fried as above). In a large saucepan, combine the honey, sugar, and lemon juice over medium heat. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is dissolved, about 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the fried dough and hazelnuts and stir until coated in the honey mixture. Allow the mixture to cool in the pan for 2 minutes. Spray the outside of a small, straight-sided water glass with vegetable oil cooking spray and place in the center of a round platter. Using a large spoon or damp hands, arrange the struffoli and hazelnuts around the glass to form a wreath shape. Drizzle any remaining honey mixture over the struffoli. Allow to set for 2 hours (can be made 1 day in advance). Decorate with sprinkles and dust with powdered sugar, if using. Remove the glass from the center of the platter and serve. Note: To toast the hazelnuts, arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F oven until lightly toasted, 8 to 10 minutes. Cool completely before using. Total Time: 4 hr 12 min Prep: 1 hr 30 min Yield: 8 to 10 servings
About Diana
I’m a self-confessed history nut, my favorite eras being Medieval and Renaissance England, and all American history. I’ve written several novels set in England and the U.S., two time travel romances, a vampire romance, and an urban fantasy, FAKIN’ IT which received a Top Pick award from Romantic Times. I’m a longtime member of Romance Writers of America and the Richard III Society. I now write biographical novels about strong women, with no fictional characters. In my spare time, I bicycle, golf, play my piano and devour books of any genre.
Please help me welcome today’s guest, Margaret Izard…
From stage to page—a storyteller’s journey
Storytelling has always been a focus in my life. I’ve always wanted to write but never had the confidence. I’d write a short story, then trash it over and over. I’ve told stories my whole life, be it dancing or acting. It wasn’t until I finished tutoring my triplets through college that I finally put my foot down and said, “This is it!” Once my family overcame their shock, I wrote my first book, then another, and another. It’s those great classics from ballet and theatre training that inspire me. Folk and fairy tales that I put a twist or a spin on creating innovative stories.
My mom put me in dance classes at age three since I bounced all over the house, and I kept dancing my whole life. My background in performance arts has heavily influenced my writing and storytelling. I lean into classics due to all the ballets I’ve studied or performed. Yet, I also like modern dance, which places a twist on some of the norms. These experiences pretty much drive the types of stories I desire to tell. They are something based on the classics with a twist.
The greatest asset to my writing is my performance background. It’s how I work through each story. From scene to scene, I run the overall story arc in my head like a movie or a play. I’m the director/choreographer; the characters are my actors/dancers. I run scenes differently to produce the outcome I want and need to push the story forward. The dance training has had a significant impact on writing scenes that involve body movement. Merging physical details with emotion is a particular favorite of mine.
Before I wrote a single word … I read, read, and read. I wanted to find a single castle that would anchor my series. Dunstaffnage Castle in Oban, Scotland, provided a rich, tremulant history, while the Chapel in the Woods gave me the perfect opportunity to blend history into fantasy.
In early research, I read about the Stone of Destiny, or the coronation stone, traveling through Scotland and stopping at Dunstaffnage Castle. When I learned about the Stone of Destiny and its rumored birthplace—Iona Island—I asked myself: what if the stone was magic? What if many stones were magic, and what would that mean? As I delved into research on Scotland, I found that many of its beliefs link to its folklore. These rich stories of worlds beyond ours became essential in capturing this country, its people, and its culture and bringing them to life.
The character’s personas, quirks, wounds, and strengths I formed early on. Stone of Love was the first book I wrote. Writing relatable characters took time and patience to make sure they resonated in the way I wanted and needed them to tell their story. Each character plays an essential role in the overall series arc. Every narrative in the seven-book series focuses on the search for a magic Fae stone, a Stone of Iona. Via a Fae fable, the characters learn which stone needs finding. Blending the fables into the plotline and how it unfolds became the series’ backbone.
After drafting the first three books in the series, a trip to Scotland in June 2023 provided an inspiring view of Scotland and her people. I feel even more connected to the characters and their stories after visiting the locations featured in the series—Dunstaffnage Castle, Chapel in the Woods, Iona Isle and Abbey, and Dunollie Castle.
Stones of Iona series
Stone of Love, book 1. Colin and Breille’s story. American scholar starts a new life by renovating a Scottish chapel as a Fae’s prophecy sends her through time into the arms of the modern Scottish Laird, posing as his ancestor who must find a magic Fae stone to bring order to the realms. Out now!
Stone of Fear, book 2. John and Marie’s story. A Scottish expert on religious buildings finds herself kidnapped and forced to search for a magic Fae stone as a Fae prophecy sends her lover chasing her through time to save her and the realms from evil. Out now!
Stone of Lust, book 3. Ainslie’s story (Colin’s sister). A modern woman attempts to save her kidnapped sister-in-law when she comes face to face with the Viking warrior of her dreams as a Fae prophecy demands she search for a magic Fae stone, but is his love worth risking her future? Out now!
Thistle in the Mistletoe, a Christmas companion book. Mary and Roderick (Colin’s identical ancestor in the past). An innocent highland beauty seeks peace in a forced marriage to her clan’s greatest enemy as betrayal looms from within; she only hopes to find true love. Releases November 4th.
Stone of Hope, book 4. Dominic’s story (Brielle’s brother). Adrenaline junkie, special ops hunk, finds himself hunting a magic Fae stone as his niece and nephew, who possess Fae powers, land them in the middle of the 1930s Egyptian dig of an attractive archaeologist whose archenemy attempts to steal her work. Coming 2025.
Stone of Doubt, book 5. Evie’s story. (Colin and Bree’s daughter) A human with Fae powers finds herself fulfilling an old magic stone prophecy as her lost dream boy, now a man, must rescue her from the cruel grip of an evil monster and save the realms. Coming 2025.
Next in the series: Holly and Ivy, a Christmas companion book. Stone of Faith, book 6. Stone of Destiny, book 7. Evergreen Evermore, a Christmas companion book.
This series leads into another connected series, Dragons of Tantallon, a dragon-shapeshifter series revolving around the magic Iona Stones.
A kiss under the Mistletoe brings good fortune, but can a Christmas wedding stop a deadly feud?
The soft beauty beside him at the altar would make the perfect bride. Roderick MacDougall would do anything to stop the feud without more bloodshed. Too bad the gorgeous woman is the daughter of his greatest enemy who murdered his da. Trust in a Comyn is hard won, even if she tempts his senses.
Mary Comyn only wants to stop the wars and live a life of peace and goodwill. Tricked by her father and forced by the English king to marry her clan’s enemy, Mary fears she’s scarifying finding true love for peace. A Christmas wedding sounds romantic, but why would the handsome MacDougall laird, her greatest clan enemy, love her?
A man conflicted by duty charged to find peace. A woman whose father betrayed all. When betrayal looms from within, can enemies find love and forge a new future for both clans?
“Stop, don’t kill anyone.” Breaths echoed in the silent church as Mary’s heart lurched from her chest. A blade held at her father’s throat. Another at her clan’s long-time enemy, the MacDougall laird. The newest laird stood proud, eyeing her from across the pulpit. He’d tied his jet-black hair in a queue at his nap leaving a lock that fell over his eye, making him seem handsome and vulnerable.
Damn him. She shouldn’t find her enemy attractive.
His expression held malice and disgust, reflecting her father’s. The expression the MacDougall wore, her father well earned. The glare her father settled on Laird MacDougall, she knew, was not.
She took a deep breath. “Certainly, there is some other way.”
The king’s agent spoke in a flat voice. “Marry, or they both die.”
Her gaze shot back to the MacDougall laird. While not old, he wasn’t in the budding of youth. His enormous frame filled out his clothing well, and the muscles on his exposed thighs flexed as he fought to remain still. Her eyes traveled back to his face, and his mouth quirked a half grin.
The king’s agent raised his hand, and Mary grabbed his arm. “I’ll do it. I’ll marry Laird MacDougall.” One of her mother’s sayings echoed, a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. One step toward peace, and it started with her.
The king’s agent chuckled. “Lass, you are the wisest in the room.”
She fingered her cross necklace, knowing a knife hid inside. But her pin knife, compared to the swords the king’s guards carried, remained useless. The moments before the confrontation ran through her mind.
Why was she here for a meeting between the king’s agent and her father? At Iona Abbey, of all places. Prior to entering, the king’s guards disarmed her and her father’s men. They wait, but for whom?
A scuffle from the back of the church alerted them that the guests they had waited for had finally arrived.
A long curse echoed in the sanctuary. “Son of a—the Comyns.”
Mary turned, and the worst sight greeted her. Her clan’s long-time enemy stood at the back of the church. His plaid was similar to her Comyn’s, green and red. But the dominant color of the MacDougall’s was red, whereas hers had more green and blue.
Her eyes connected with the large warrior’s, much as they had weeks before in battle. She wasn’t supposed to be with the war party, but she’d come, the men needing her. Her father, too focused on the attack, didn’t notice or maybe didn’t care. She spotted the MacDougall on the ramparts as he called orders to his men, who responded as they tried in vain to protect their home. When his eyes found hers, they both stopped as the fighting continued. The blue of his eyes captured her. The intensity of his glare rooted her to the spot.
She took a breath, then another, and he still stared as awareness washed over her. He’s your match, your soul mate. She shook the sensation off, breaking eye contact. When her gaze tried to find his again, he had gone.
Now facing him here, those deep blues eyes held her in place.
What did the king have in mind?
About the Author:
Margaret Izard is a multi-award-winning author of historical fantasy and paranormal romance novels. She spent her early years through college and adulthood dedicated to dance, theater, and performing. Over the years, she developed a love for great storytelling in different mediums. She does not waste a good story, be it movement, the spoken, or the written word. She discovered historical romance novels in middle school, which combined her passion for romance, drama, and fantasy. She writes exciting plot lines, steamy love scenes and always falls for a strong male with a soft heart. She lives in Houston, Texas, with her husband and adult triplets and loves to hear from readers.
What would really happen if a medieval knight landed in the 21st century? That was the question that prompted me to write this book. I had seen other media where a medieval knight shows up but there is no language barrier and he immediately understands modern conveniences. That’s now how it would be! I wanted to shout.
So I wrote my own story. When Thomas shows up in the modern day from the 14th century, he can barely make himself understood because the language is so different. I also wanted to capture how the frame through which people saw the world was different. For example, rather than understanding automobiles as mechanical inventions, he sees them through the medieval worldview of god vs. the devil. This of course sets up plenty of conflict between Thomas, the new world he finds himself in, and Ashley, our modern-day heroine.
Part of this idea stemmed from my fascination with the history of the English language. It’s not very often I get to name drop the Great Vowel Shift in a novel. I had a lot of fun writing this book. I hope you will have just as much fun reading it.
Blurb:
When Ashley’s conventional 21st century life falls apart, she returns to England to write the book she shelved years ago, determined to take control of her life.
Meanwhile, in 1377 Wiltshire, Thomas fights his family’s desire that he become a priest and plots to chase his dream of knighthood instead. While Ashley and Thomas search for answers, Thomas suddenly appears in the modern day.
Unable to communicate, his first encounter with Ashley ends with the police demanding his immigration papers. All Thomas wants is to return to the world he understands, but he and Ashley are drawn together again and again. How will they find the answers Thomas needs before the authorities close in without losing each other forever?
Excerpt:
Neither of them said a word. They stood in shock, each assessing the other.
Ashley stared at the young man’s strange clothes. He wore a long, blue shirt over—were those tights?—and oddly shapeless leather boots. Everything he wore appeared homemade. The leather crossbody bag he wore was the only thing he had of decent quality.
She lifted her gaze to his face. His eyes immediately captivated her. They were the most gorgeous shade of blue she had ever seen. His face wasn’t bad either. His hair was thick and a bit long. Even beneath the beard she could tell he had a strong jawline and fine cheekbones. He appeared her age or a bit younger.
Snapping back to herself, she took a few steps backward to put some distance between them. “Sorry,” she said nervously.
The man cocked his head at her like a curious cat trying to figure out what the game was.
“Are you all right?” she finally asked.
He said something that she couldn’t interpret. It was her turn to look confused.
“Are you going to Salisbury?” she asked, since he was headed in the opposite direction she was. Then tried again, “Salisbury?”
“Sarisbury,” he said firmly, correcting her. The middle sound held more of a “r” shape in his mouth instead of an “l.” She couldn’t tell where he was from. The words he had said to her sounded like nothing she had heard before.
But they were getting somewhere. She pointed down the hill toward the city. “Sarisbury,” she said, mimicking him.
He nodded, satisfied. His gaze tracked in the direction she pointed. When his eyes lit on the city, he took a few inadvertent steps back and stumbled over a tree root. Once he was steady on his feet again, he glanced wildly along the horizon. Her eyes darted between him and the view, trying to guess what had surprised him so. Between them and the city, a stretch of highway trailed along the horizon. Nothing particularly remarkable about that. But the man turned pale and crossed himself. When that didn’t improve things in his mind, he pulled a necklace out from under his tunic—she had decided that was the best word for what he was wearing. The necklace was a simple leather cord holding a wooden cross. He rubbed the cross fervently and his lips formed a prayer she couldn’t interpret.
“Are you okay?” she asked again.
He glared at her before he turned and dashed back into the forest.
Ashley hesitated, then followed after him. Despite the fact that running into the woods after a potentially crazy man sounded like a setup for a horror movie, she had to make sure he was okay. She couldn’t just leave him here.
Beth Ford is a historical fiction author living in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. In addition to Love Between Times, she is the author of the novel In the Times of Spirits and the Cassie Woods, Reporter novella series. Her work has also appeared in a variety of literary journals.
Welcome, AA…Please tell us a little about yourself, where are you from? Where do you live now? Family? Pets?
Thank you, Alicia, for having me on your blog today!
Born and raised in New England, my kids now attend the same schools I did growing up, and I’m happy about that. I enjoy traveling, but New England will always be home to me. After my husband retired from the Army in 2010, we settled into the Massachusetts town we both grew up in and started a family. We are blessed with two sons and a shih tzu named Didi (who clearly thinks she’s a human).
Where did you get the idea for PERIPHERY?
The idea for Periphery brewed in my mind for decades. Growing up, I read a few books from my mother’s library about near-death experiences, and my father has a degree in philosophy, which led us to engage in a lot of existential conversations under the stars. Once I learned about the concept of the multiverse, my imagination exploded. It was a potential answer to the question I’d often pondered on about whether decision or fate determines our destiny.
Periphery was written to explore the weight of our choices—can changing one choice change everything? With that insight comes a new question to ponder: Are we given different scenarios, different choices, and ultimately different outcomes, that test our character, our strength, our virtue, all during a set of lifetimes within a multiverse? And, with that concept in mind, is it possible to seek and love the same soul across lifetimes?
Do you have another occupation, other than writer? If so, what is it and do you like it?
I work as a clinical laboratory technician at a local hospital, and I absolutely love what I do. As a generalist, I work in the hematology, chemistry and microbiology departments where I examine blood films under the microscope, work-up blood cultures, run blood analyses on automated instruments, and perform COVID PCR testing. Though I work behind the scenes in the laboratory, being part of the patient’s diagnostic care team is both challenging and rewarding.
What do you want readers to come away with after they read your book?
I hope Periphery is will linger in the mind of those who read it, prompting self-examination of our choices, our destiny, and our soul’s journey through life and death. The big takeaway is that our past doesn’t define us, but our ability to love and continue moving forward does.
What actors would you like in the main roles if your book were made into a movie?
I’d love to see Ana de Armas as Charlotte Cardoza, Rege Jean Page as Jared Cardoza, Idris Elba as General Mitch Cardoza, and Chris Hemsworth as Simon Donovan.
Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
No matter what you’ve been through, it’s never too late to choose a new path in life.
Your favorite…
Movie- Meet Joe Black
Music- I have a huge eclectic playlist ranging from classical to rock to alternative to rap. What I listen to depends on my mood, but I’m a sucker for angsty, moody music.
Place you’ve visited- Nationally: Fort Lauderdale, Internationally: Israel
Place you’d like to visit-Norway
Thank you, AA…I enjoyed getting to know you…now, please tell us about your book!
A tragic accident. A miraculous resuscitation. A catastrophic secret. One choice can change everything.
When a young widow falls for a mysteriously familiar stranger, she’s targeted by an agency intent on exploiting the ability gained after her near-death experience. When offered a chance to reconnect with her late husband, things get complicated…and dangerous.
Blurb
Charlotte barely survived the accident that killed her husband four years ago. Resuscitated a savant, she struggles to find meaning in her survival. When she meets Simon, a mysteriously familiar stranger, they are drawn to each other with undeniable magnetism. But Simon is contracted to a black-ops agency.
With the agency on her heels, and Simon claiming her heart, Charlotte’s past and future collide when she’s offered a chance to reconnect with her late husband.
As secrets are revealed, motives uncovered, and alliances are formed, Charlotte must choose…between the fate of the world and the fate of her heart.
Excerpt:
Sy turned to face me, and his gaze went from my eyes down to my lips. “I believe everything, no matter how painful or tragic, happens for a reason. Whether we like it or not, we have to go out and find our own healing, our own happiness, down whatever path the universe opens for us.”
I nodded, his statement resonating deeply with my own tragic story. “So, what’d you do?”
He looked away and shrugged. “I was honorably discharged after that, and Jeff’s now in the reserves.” He laughed. “Now I’m stuck working with him and nearly cutting my arm off in the process because he’s a slob, and forgets to throw away old blades.”
He lifted his arm, now un-bandaged and scabbed over, a far cry from the angry wound I’d cared for last week.
“Wow, Sy. You’re lucky to be alive.”
“I don’t believe in luck.”
“What do you believe in, then?”
“Destiny.” He winked at me and smiled.
This time, it was my gaze that dropped to his lips as he spoke. I took a deep breath, then looked up at him.
He leaned toward me, and I grasped the door handle. “Thanks for today.” I quickly opened the door and nearly stumbled out of the car.
He leaned back into his seat and chuckled. “Anytime, Charlotte.”
After he left, I showered and put on my pajamas, then snuggled into bed deliciously sore from the run. I hugged the covers tight around my body, and fell into a deep dreamless sleep, the type of sleep that had eluded me for the past several years.
Born and raised in New England, AA DaSilva holds a degree in clinical laboratory science and brings her love of science and writing together via science fiction. When she’s not writing or identifying cells under a microscope, she can be found with a book in one hand, and a cup of iced coffee in the other. She resides in Massachusetts with her husband, two sons, and pup Didi (who looks suspiciously like an Ewok). Her debut novel, Periphery, is a science fiction love story that explores fate, strength, and the choices that determine our destiny, and was awarded the Literary Titan Gold Award. Book two in AA DaSilva’s Periphery series, titled The Bleed-Through Effect, is forthcoming in 2025 from The Wild Rose Press. For the latest updates on new releases, events, and giveaways sign up for email updates at aadasilva.com and follow her on socials.
Author Alicia Dean 