Category Archives: Author Blog Post

June 17, 2016 · 7:40 am

Tina Gayle ~ Author Interview & New Release: Marketing Exec’s Widow

Please help me welcome today’s guest, Tina Gayle, who is sharing a little about herself and her brand new release!

Hi Alicia, thanks for having me on your blog today.

You’re welcome, Tina. So thrilled to host you!

 

Please tell us a little about yourself, where are you from? Where do you live now? Family? Pets?

I grew up in the great state of Texas with three sisters, all of which are older than me. A dreamer from the very beginning, I love telling stories and fell in love with romance novels in my teens. After I got married, we moved around a lot and now, we are in Orange County, California. My husband and I love to be outside and travel. We play golf and visit our two sons when we can. Right now, we have one dog, Callie, who rules the house.

 Where did you get the idea got Marketing Exec’s Widow?

This series started years before I sat down to write it. My husband worked for a logistic company that had a truck with a big roll of paper that broke its secure line and rolled off the truck. It crushed the people in the car next to it. A tragedy that I couldn’t seem to get over. When I started this series, I wanted to write about women who were over coming grief from the loss of their husbands. So the Executive Wives’ Club was born. In the Marketing Exec’s Widow, Jen is a married single who now has to move on with her life, but she faces losing her friends by recovering from her grief before the rest of the group.

Why did you choose this genre (is it something you’ve written in before)?

I believe this book and series has more women fiction elements. Mainly, I choose this genre because I feel woman need to understand as much as we need romance in our lives we also need to establish strong ties to other women.

Was there anything unusual, any anecdote about this book, the characters, title, process, etc, you’d like to share?

I started out this series with different titles but ended up changed them because people didn’t see them as romances.

What is the most difficult thing about writing a book? What was the most difficult thing about this one in particular?

The worst part of writing a book is the end. I always struggle to finish a book because I have finished writing it in my head so getting the last part on done always require me to exert a little extra push to get her done.  The most challenging part to this book was to include stories for the other three ladies so that readers would want to read their books too.

Do you have another occupation, other than writer? If so, what is it and how do you like it?

For years I was a computer programmer. I loved it when I could write a new program. Mainly, because it feeds my creative juices.

Do you collect anything?

Elephants. I have to keep them small because they take up a lot of room. But I do love the gentle giant.

What’s your favorite book of all time and why? What’s your favorite childhood book?

Favorite book is Power of Positive Thinking – it helps keep me motivated and reminds me that we are what we think. Favorite childhood book is Touchdown for Tommy.

What do you want readers to come away with after they read Marketing Exec’s Widow?

Inspiration – I want readers to see that no matter how bad things might get in our life. There is always hope for a brighter tomorrow.

What genre have you never written that you’d like to write?

A romantic comedy.

 

Thank you! I enjoyed the interview. I’d also like to write a romantic comedy some day, but I’m not sure I could pull it off. 🙂

Tina has a question for readers… What do like to see most in a romance novel?

Good question, Tina. For me, I like good conflict and a story where the hero and heroine have to really work for their HEA.

And now, please tell us about your book…

 

MarketingExecsWidow6162016

Blurb:

Letting go and rebuilding a life comes at a price. 
Having come to terms with losing her husband, Jennifer is ready to move on with her life, but she faces opposition from her friends, in-laws, and brother-in-law, who see himself as her future husband. None of them know of Jen’s marital problems and she is afraid of their reaction when they learn she has a date for Friday night? 
Hagan Chaney is not anything like Craig. He tempts Jen into the future but is she willing to give love another chance after the heartache she faced the 1st time around. 

Excerpt –

 “God, you must think I’m awful.”

“Not even in the ballpark as to what I think about you. Because I know you would never have said yes to a night out with me if you’d been happy in your marriage.”

His words hit her like a fist to the face and her head snapped backward, striking the wooden partition between the booths. Wow, how could he have guessed the truth when so many people who knew her hadn’t?

She closed her eyes and searched for an answer. For so long, she’d kept her emotions bottled inside, not allowing anyone to see the loneliness or heartache her unhappy marriage had caused. What now? Lie, or admit the truth?

The vinyl cushion squeaked, and a hand touched her shoulder, pulling her from her stupor. Hagan slipped in beside her, his thigh bumped hers and his arm slid along the back of the seat. In the space of a few seconds, his large athletic body blocked her escape from the confining booth.

Nerves pulsed in an agitated rhythm. She couldn’t sit still, and opened her mouth to tell him to back off, but the thin lines of concern marring his brow killed the comment.

“Hey, there’s no reason to get upset.” He cupped a hand over her shoulder and drew her close. “I’m happy you said yes.”

Jolted by his sudden nearness, she exhaled, and then fought to draw air back into her lungs. His crisp, masculine scent acted like a seductive lure, and she had to fight the urge to bury her nose in the curve of his neck.

TinaGayleimage6162016

Tina’s Bio –

Tina Gayle loves writing and is currently working on finishing her Family Tree series, a contemporary paranormal suspense series.

When not writing, she enjoys spending time with my family and traveling around the country. She hasn’t hit every state, but she hopes to someday. You might also catch her on the golf course with her husband of 30 years.

Also, you can read the first chapter of any of her books by visiting her website or download an exclusive story “My Future Step Brother” and join her special friend’s list. All on her website http://www.tinagayle.net

Home – www.tinagayle.net

Blog – www.tinagayle.blogspot.com

Twitter – https://twitter.com/#!/AuthorTinaGayle

Goodread – http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1641826.Tina_Gayle

Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/tina.gayle

14 Comments

Filed under Author Blog Post, New Release

Tagged as , , , ,

June 16, 2016 · 7:37 am

Interview – Patti Sherry-Crews, Author of Margarita and the Hired Gun

Please help me welcome today’s guest, Patti Sherry-Crews, who is sharing a little about herself and her brand new release!

1. Where did you get the idea for Margarita and the Hired Gun?  

Margarita and the Hired Gun is my first historic western romance. I always wanted to write one, and I had this story in my head for years, but I wasn’t sure I was up to the challenge of writing with historic accuracy.

2. Was there anything unusual, any anecdote about this book, the characters, title, process, etc, you’d like to share? 

To prepare myself I read other books in that genre and spent time researching. When I did sit down to write, the story poured out of me. But I had to stop frequently to fact-check!  Things like, they’re setting up camp for the night and going to light the campfire–Wait, did they have matches yet? What foods would they have brought with them? And I couldn’t let them ignore their horses. How did they keep their mounts in good condition? I did find a really good book written by two Englishmen who rode the old outlaw trail on horseback, and that was a great resource for me.  I’ve since written three more historic westerns and though it’s not typically what I write, I do enjoy the challenge. I love the old west, having grown up watching all those old westerns on TV.  I repeatedly watched Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid when I was young. My favorite scene was the opening one that takes place in Hole-in-the-Wall. I knew Margarita and Rafferty would need to hole up in an outlaw hideout for a while.

3. Are there any tricks or habits you use when creating a story?

I’m a visual person, so creating Pinterest boards for my books is one of the first things I do. The boards are especially helpful when writing an historic piece. I have boards devoted to the fashions, everyday items, and keep articles on 19thc America. I refer to these boards frequently.  I can now look at a lady’s dress and know right away which decade of the 19thc it came from.

4. What book have you read that you wish you would have written?

This question gave me palpitations. There are so many books I’ve enjoyed over the years, but the thought of taking credit for any them makes me uneasy! I love the question though, so if I had to choose one, I’d go with Pride and Prejudice by Patti Sherry-Crews–I mean Jane Austin. For one thing that book has staying power and has inspired so many modern retakes in both film and literature. Also, when someone says something demeaning about romance novels, I say “Tell that to Jane Austin.” She wrote Chick Lit! Smart, funny woman and their love life problems.

5. Do you have another occupation, other than writer? If so, what is it and how do you like it?

I have a strange and arcane occupation. I cane and rush chair seats. My mother, who wanted to stay home with us, taught me, which allowed me to stay home with my own children. I have a love/hate relationship with caning chairs. I don’t love it, especially as I get older, but it can be meditative like knitting. I do some of my best writing while caning a chair. I don’t even advertise I do this anymore, but people turn up on my doorstep with broken chairs all the time–and the money isn’t bad. It’s a weird occupation to have to explain to people. I now say I’m a writer.

6. What do you dislike that most people wouldn’t understand?

This is a strange one, but I really hate snorkeling. Everybody else seems to love it. The times I’ve gone snorkeling, I was either terrified or bored and cold–nothing in between. While worrying I was drifting out to sea in Hawaii, I came face to face with a giant sea turtle and couldn’t remember if they attack humans or not. Another time snorkeling in Mexico I was so cold I lost feeling in my hands when I found myself in the midst of barracudas–and I did remember their attitude toward humans. I chose a certain excerpt from my book for today because Margarita has the same response to being on the trail that I have toward snorkeling. She is either terrified and uncomfortable or bored with a companion who at first only talks to her when necessary.

Thanks so much for joining me today. Fun interview! I enjoyed getting to know more about you. I’ve never snorkeled, but I think I would find it terrifying and exciting at the same time. I have a fear of underwater creatures, namely sharks!

And now, tell us about your book…

 

ry-Crews,AliciaDeanBlog,AuthorInterview,Bookcover,june16

Blurb:

Pampered Margarita McIntosh is not used to being forced to do things she doesn’t want to do—but when her father, Jock, sends her away for her own safety, she has no choice. The long journey from Flagstaff to Durango tests her personal strength of will as never before, and the secret she carries in her saddlebag could be the death of her.

A rough Irish gunman, known to her only as “Rafferty”, is entrusted with getting her to her destination “safe and intact”—something he fully intends to do to claim the reward he’s been promised by Jock McIntosh. With a price on his head, the promised money is Rafferty’s ticket to a new life, and he’s not going to jeopardize that for anything—not even love.

But there are steamy nights and dangers all along the arduous trail for MARGARITA AND THE HIRED GUN, with deadly secrets between them that passion cannot erase. With her father’s enemies after her and the secret she conceals, will Rafferty’s protection be enough to save their lives? And will the heat of their passionate love be enough to seal their future together—if they do survive?

Excerpt:

(At this point Margarita and Rafferty have been on the trail for days and relations have been frosty. This scene marks a turning point.)

Rafferty glanced over his shoulder, alarmed, and there she was. She had stopped her horse and was looking out across the desert with an expression on her face which made his heart stop. She looked so beautiful, even in that ridiculously large hat.

 “It’s so glorious,” she said.

He looked out at the vista with the setting sun turning the sky pink. The mountains ahead were red. The earth before it ochre, studded with majestic cacti.

“I’ve never seen this part of the country before. I’ve never seen anything like it,” she continued, her voice soft.

Rafferty remembered the first time he’d seen the desert stretching out for miles in a landscape so alien to him. He never wanted to be any place else after his first view of the west.

“There’s no place like it, is there? It’s the exact opposite of the land I was born in,” he said, forgetting a moment his stance to not talk to her except when necessary.

But he knew how she felt right now, and he wanted to share in the moment. Her face registered surprise at his first attempt at polite conversation. He instantly regretted softening.

“I imagine it’s all green where you’re from. I’m sure it’s beautiful too, but this is…”

“You keep on enjoying the scenery. I’ll keep a look out for things that could kill us. Don’t worry.”

She actually smiled at him then, which hit him like a shot to the heart. “Oh, you!”

“I’m serious! You go right ahead and enjoy yourself. I’ll continue to light the fire, feed you, clean up after you, take care of the horses, and look out for danger while you have your little experience.”

“Enjoy myself? You must be joking. Every minute out here is torture. And don’t be such a bloody martyr. If you want me to do something, you only have to ask. I’ve never been out of the trail before. Remember? I don’t know what you expect me to do. Please, give me some tasks. I’m going stark raving mad with boredom.”

He turned quickly to hide the smile on his face and nudged his horse forward.

After they reached camp, and he settled the horses, he was surprised to find a pile of sticks and kindling, ready for a fire. She was fussing about with it, getting it all wrong.

“Here, no, you have to set up the sticks like a tepee. The way you have it, the fire won’t be able to breathe.”

“Show me,” she said, looking up at him with that smile again.

“I’m only going to show you the one time.”

“Will you show me how to make coffee? I could use a cup now. How about you?”

That evening, he didn’t take out his book. Instead, he began what would become their nightly ritual when he would draw a map for her in the dirt, showing her where they’d been so far and where they had to go yet.

 

PattiSherry-Crews,AliciaDeanBlog,AuthorInterview,June16

Bio:

Patti Sherry-Crews lives with her husband, two children, a bad dog, and a good cat in Evanston, IL. She studied anthropology and archaeology at Grinnell College and the University of North Wales, UK.

After college she had an Irish and British Import store for fifteen years, which was really just an excuse for the occasional buying trip during the year and to sit and read books during the day—the shop was pretty quiet.

Once Patti started her own family, she gave up the shop to work from home, caning and rushing chairs, which is a family business. Repairing chairs is still her day job, but she does reserve the afternoons for writing.

She first wrote a memoir, Smoke Damage, and then she went on to write a novel, Patrick III, which takes place in Newfoundland. Two more novels are pending, in various forms of completion. Under the pen name Cherie Grinnell, she’s written four steamy romances that take place in Dublin and Wales.

Whether it is because she watched too many western TV shows with her grandmother or because her bag of cowboys and Indians was her favorite toy, Patti also writes historic western romances. Her book, Margarita and the Hired Gun with Prairie Rose Publishing came out this spring, and she has two novellas out now in anthologies by the same publisher.

Buy links:

Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/Margarita-Hired-Gun-Patti-Sherry-Crews-ebook/dp/B01EAS7F50?ie=UTF8&keywords=margarita%20and%20the%20hired%20gun&qid=1464193098&ref_=sr_1_1&s=books&sr=1-1

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/margarita-and-the-hired-gun-patti-sherry-crews/1123670611?ean=9781532777318

Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/margarita-and-the-hired-gun?utm_source=facebookDPAUS&utm_medium=social_paid&utm_campaign=title-Margarita+And+The+Hired+Gun

Where to find Patti Sherry-Crews and Cherie Grinnell:

Website: http://pattisherrycrews16.wix.com/author-blog

http://www.amazon.com/Patti-Sherry-Crews/e/B01C7L8QUU/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

http://www.amazon.com/Cherie-Grinnell/e/B00TJ19RN2/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1465326504&sr=1-2-ent

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8095617.Patti_Sherry_Crews

https://www.goodreads.com/search?q=cherie+grinnell

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CherieGrinnell

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Patti-Sherry-Crews-Author-1560094420912035/

 

21 Comments

Filed under Author Blog Post, New Release

Tagged as , , , , , ,

June 15, 2016 · 12:44 pm

Interview with Margo Bond Author of Under Her Skin

We were treated to Margo’s lovely cover reveal recently, now I’m happy to share her interesting interview…

  1. You probably get asked this a lot, but for my readers, please tell us…was there a ‘moment’ in your life where you decided ‘I am going to be a writer!’

I’ve always known. The first story I remember actually writing down was basically fan-fiction of The Wizard of Oz. I wrote it in long-hand in a yellow legal pad. I’ve been writing ever since.

  1. If you were stuck on a deserted island and you could bring 3 of your favorite books, what would they be and why?

This is an unfair question, so I’m going to cheat. 🙂  I would bring an anthology of British literature, an anthology of world literature, and an anthology of science fiction and fantasy.

  1. In today’s hectic world, it seems like people just don’t have enough hours in the day to do the things they want to do because of all the things they need to do. If you had 72 hours of uninterrupted ‘me time’ what would you do? Would you write? 

Oh. 72 whole uninterrupted hours all to myself? That sounds heavenly. I would definitely write. I would also read. And I would sleep. A lot. I don’t get enough time to do any of those things!

  1. If you were to remove the actual title – so that only the ‘cover’ was visible to readers – what do you think would make your book stand out from other in the genre?

The snake, definitely! And the tattoo of the mongoose.

  1. Who designed your cover? Did you play a major role in how it came out looking? Or did you say ‘I really don’t know what I want on it – but when I see it…I’ll know’?

Kelly Abell did the cover, and I had quite a bit of say in it. I love what she came up with based on my sketchy description.

  1. Thinking of the First 500 words to your book, what was the main idea you wanted your readers to walk away with?

I don’t want them to walk away at all after the first five hundred words! 🙂  But if they do, I want them to wonder what the hell happened to cause Callie to wake up dead in Alabama.

  1. If possible – please write ‘the hook’ of your story in 25 words or less.

When she died, Callie Taylor expected heaven or hell. She got Alabama.

  1. If a Hollywood agent came to you today and asked you to choose your dream cast to be in the movie version – who would you want to play the leads?

Here’s my dream cast:

Callie: Jennifer Lawrence

Jennifer Lawrence has the perfect girl-next-door vibe, and if you’ve seen the clip of her joking with Jack Nicholson (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJmhsJ5T5L0), it’s clear that she can also do funny and snarky, which is an absolute necessity for any actress who plays Callie!

Ashara: Kat Graham

I just love Kat Graham. I love it that she’s beautiful and smart (she speaks something like five languages!). Ashara has to be strong and kind, too, and having seen Graham’s work in Vampire Diaries, I think she would make the perfect Ashara.

Maw-Maw: Ruby Dee

There was never any question about my dream actress to play Maw-Maw. The first time I saw Maw-Maw in my mind, she had Ruby Dee’s face (and my grandmother’s way of moving and my great-grandmother’s voice!). Maw-Maw is canny and wise and smarter than anyone gives her credit for being.

Stephen: Chris Hemsworth

Because who wouldn’t want Chris Hemsworth in a movie?! Seriously—Hemsworth’s blond good looks will suit Stephen nicely. Also, he can do quiet and strong nicely; Stephen often takes a supportive role, keeping Callie, Ashara, and Maw-Maw safe and working to help all of them as they solve the mystery surrounding Molly’s death.

Clifford Howard: Billy Burke

The villain needs to be creepy! Burke isn’t ugly like Howard is in the book, but he can do an amazing sneer. I think he could play up the psychopathic elements of the book’s villain.

Molly McClatchey: Jessica Alba

Although Molly has only a small appearance in the book, as the victim, it’s an important one. I think Jessica Alba would be perfect for this role—her dark hair, dark eyes, and olive skin are important to the plot, and Alba’s sweet demeanor would play nicely, too!

Rick McClatchey: Jared Padalecki

Jared Padalecki does emotionally distraught so perfectly that he would be a great candidate for the role of Rick McClatchey, a man wrongly accused of killing his beloved wife.

  1. What is next on the horizon for you?

I’m working on sequels to Waking Up Dead and to Legally Undead, the urban fantasy I have  coming out from World Weaver Press in 2014. I’m editing a young adult paranormal romance. I’m also working on a contemporary romance novel. And I have the beginnings of two others—one’s a paranormal romance, and the other is what I’m calling my Regency Romance in Space.

  1. Please, indulge the readers of this review – Do you have any sort of ‘ritual’ you go through when you’re working? Perhaps you must always have a cup of coffee and a cheese Danish before you can even consider writing? Maybe you only write after you’ve had your morning walk? Mayhap you wait until it’s completely quiet to gather your thoughts – or – you like to ‘rock out’?

I used to have elaborate writing rituals, but now I just write whenever I can get a spare minute! I usually have to have coffee or tea. I have an office that I use for all my work: academic writing, fiction writing, editing, and online teaching. My desk is against a window so I can see outside. I’m surrounded by books and papers. I write directly on my laptop, but when I get stuck, I sometimes switch to handwriting; this seems to shift my brain onto a different track and helps me get over writer’s block. I write something every day, whether it’s academic writing, fiction, or my blog.

  1. What sort of advice would you give to new authors? 

The very best advice I ever got was just this: keep writing new things. Always have a work in progress. Finish writing a piece, do a quick edit, and submit it somewhere for publication. Then move on to the next project. Don’t wait to hear back—that way lies madness! If it’s rejected (and often it will be; that’s the nature of writing for publication), don’t let it get you down. Just send it out again and go back to your work in progress.

  1. Have you ever experienced ‘Writer’s Block’? If so, what do you do to get over it? (Or, are you a writer who feels there’s no such thing as ‘Writer’s Block? If so, please explain your thoughts)

I get stuck, like everyone. I hit writer’s block sometimes. But when that happens, I usually switch over to another project or go for a walk. Sometimes I’ll go back and try to work on editing what’s already done. But I loathe editing and revising. I know it must be done, but I hate it with a fiery passion. So that usually prompts me to go back to writing!

Wow, enjoyed the interview. Loved seeing your entire cast of characters. I am a Vampire Diaries fan and I agree about Kat. I’ve been fortunate enough to meet her and she’s even more gorgeous in person, if that’s possible. LOVE your hook. Who would be able to resist that?

Thanks so much for joining me!

 

Close-up of Snake, a Small Python, on Back and Shoulder of Naked Muscular Man against White Background

About Under Her Skin

She’s lucky he’s a charmer…

Lindi Parker works hard at being human, not an easy task for a snake shifter. She has no desire to search for others like her—until a new case changes everything. When Lindi learns that she she’s not the only shapeshifter in the world, she also realizes she might be next on a killer’s list.

In order to save herself and the abused children she works with, she will have to team up with Dr. Kade Nevala, a member of the shifter tribe responsible for eradicating weresnakes—and the most attractive man Lindi’s ever met. Even more terrifying, she’ll need to embrace her serpent side, a choice that has enormous consequences for Lindi, and for everyone around her. 

Excerpt 

I’m not the kind of woman who goes around kissing strange men—especially strange men with hypnotic gold eyes who set off every internal warning system I’ve got.

And as a general rule, I avoid making out with men who drag me into dark rooms against my will.

But all those rules went out the window when this man kissed me.

His lips burned against mine, searing something deep inside, heating me to my core.

The almost peppery scent that had frozen me earlier now flooded my senses. His hands dropped from my shoulders and ran down my arms, wrapping around my waist and pulling me closer to him.

Muscles that moments ago had been writhing in an attempt to shapeshift now twisted to move closer to him.

Buy Waking Up Dead on Amazon in Kindle for $2.99: http://www.amazon.com/Waking-Up-Dead-ebook/dp/B00FOXWLM8/

Be sure to add Waking Up Dead to your Goodreads bookshelves: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18428064-waking-up-dead

UnderHerSkinPromo

About the Author

Margo Bond Collins is addicted to coffee (mmm…caffeine) and SF/F television, especially Supernatural (mmm…Winchesters). She writes paranormal and contemporary romance, urban fantasy, and paranormal mystery. She lives in Texas with her daughter and several spoiled pets. Although she teaches college-level English courses online, writing fiction is her first love. She enjoys reading urban fantasy and paranormal fiction of any genre and spends most of her free time daydreaming about heroes, vampires, ghosts, werewolves, and the women who love (and sometimes fight) them.

 

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/margobondcollins

Email: MargoBondCollins@gmail.com

Website: http://www.MargoBondCollins.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MargoBondCollin  @MargoBondCollin

Google+: https://plus.google.com/116484555448104519902

Goodreads Author Page: http://www.goodreads.com/vampirarchy

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/MargoBondCollins

Facebook Novel Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Waking-Up-Dead/502076076537575

Tumblr: http://vampirarchybooks.tumblr.com/

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/mbondcollins/

 

Leave a comment

Filed under Author Blog Post, New Release

Tagged as , , ,

June 9, 2016 · 11:10 am

Elaine Cantrell ~ “Why I Write Romance Novels” Plus ~ The Captain and the Cheerleader

Please help me welcome today’s guest, Elaine Cantrell:

Why I Write Romance Novels

Writing is so much fun.  If you’re thinking of writing a book, one of the first things you’ll need to do is pick a genre.  I picked romance.  Out of all the genres out there, why did I pick romance?  Plenty of people write romance so there’s a lot of competition out there. 

Well, I picked it for several reasons.   First of all, I think most folks are fighting some kind of battle in their lives.  Maybe they’re in a relationship that went bad, and they’ve lost the one they love.  Whether it was by divorce, death, or just walking away, it tears a huge hole in someone’s heart.  Maybe the battle is health-related.  It’s hard to accept limitations if they interfere with activities you love.  Have you ever dealt with unemployment?  How do you feed your children with no paycheck?  My romances always have a happy ending which gives us hope that tomorrow things will be better.  We can believe that ‘this too shall pass.’  

Remember what happened at the end of Gone With the Wind?  Scarlett lost Rhett and collapsed in tears, but then she decided to go home to Tara where she can think of a way to get Rhett back.  Human beings are designed to hope. 

I also think that romance novels possibly satisfy our craving for justice.  In the real world, things don’t always end happily.  Children are abused, the missing teen is never found, or we get our heart broken.  In the vast majority of romance novels you know the bad guys are going to get what’s coming to them.  My heroes and heroines sometimes face determined villains, but you can rest easy in the knowledge that the bad guys will never win. 

Last, I write romance because I’m a romantic at heart.  I just adore a good love story. In my latest release The Captain and the Cheerleader my characters have many obstacles to overcome before they find true love. Their romance didn’t start off like you might expect, but don’t worry. Both my hero and heroine are made of good stuff.

Readers, what about you?  Why do you read romance?  Leave a comment and tell me what you think. 

** GIVEAWAY: Readers should leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of The Captain and the Cheerleader. The question they have to answer is “Why do you read romance.” 

get-attachment.aspx-2

Book Blurb:

Susan English can’t stand Robin Lanford! She’s so full of herself she irritates everyone on the faculty of Fairfield High. When Robin bets Susan fifty dollars that she can’t get a date with Kurt Deveraux, the head football coach, Susan jumps at the chance to put the little heifer in her place. She had no idea that teaching Robin a lesson would irrevocably change her life, strain treasured friendships, and throw two families into chaos.

Excerpt:

She looked at him with a sexy little smile curving her lips. “I like your kisses.”

“What do you like about them?”

She pretended to think about it. “The shape of your mouth is pleasing, for one thing.”

“Is that all?”

She shook her head. “No, I like the way your lips feel.”

Her hand had somehow come to rest on the table and was well within his reach so he took it. “How do they feel?”

“Well, they’re firm, but soft too, and they’re just the right size.”

“Is my technique any good?”

She glanced at him from under lowered lashes and seemed to promise all manner of delights. “On a scale of one to ten I’d give you a ten.”

“How does it make you feel when I kiss you?”

Heat flared in her eyes and caused him to tighten his hold on her hand.

“When you kiss me,” she said, “it gives me an empty, longing feeling down deep inside, and I know the only cure for the emptiness is more kisses.”

Kurt took a deep, steadying breath. “Do you want more than just a kiss from me? I know other ways to make the emptiness go away.”

Author Bio:

Elaine Cantrell was born and raised in South Carolina where she obtained a master’s degree in personnel services from Clemson University.  She is a member of Alpha Delta Kappa, an international honorary society for women educators and Romance Writers of America.  Her first novel, A New Leaf, was the 2003 winner of the Timeless Love Contest.  When she’s not writing, she enjoys movies, quilting, reading, and collecting vintage Christmas ornaments. 

Contact Links:

http://www.elainecantrell.com

http://www.elainepcantrell.blogspot.com

http://www.facebook.com/elainepcantrell

http://www.twitter.com/elainecantrell

http://www.pinterest.com/elainecantrell

http://www.goodreads.com/elainecantrell

http://www.amazon.com/Elaine-Cantrell/e/B001K7V90M/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_2?qid=1411604384&sr=1-2

 

12 Comments

Filed under Author Blog Post, New Release

Tagged as , , , , ,

June 2, 2016 · 7:39 am

Cover Reveal ~ Under Her Skin by Margo Bond

Please help me welcome Margo Bond. Isn’t her cover fantastic?

Close-up of Snake, a Small Python, on Back and Shoulder of Naked Muscular Man against White Background

About Under Her Skin

She’s lucky he’s a charmer…

Lindi Parker works hard at being human, not an easy task for a snake shifter. She has no desire to search for others like her—until a new case changes everything. When Lindi learns that she she’s not the only shapeshifter in the world, she also realizes she might be next on a killer’s list.

In order to save herself and the abused children she works with, she will have to team up with Dr. Kade Nevala, a member of the shifter tribe responsible for eradicating weresnakes—and the most attractive man Lindi’s ever met. Even more terrifying, she’ll need to embrace her serpent side, a choice that has enormous consequences for Lindi, and for everyone around her. 

Release Date: June 15

Add to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30244024-under-her-skin

Excerpt 

I’m not the kind of woman who goes around kissing strange men—especially strange men with hypnotic gold eyes who set off every internal warning system I’ve got.

And as a general rule, I avoid making out with men who drag me into dark rooms against my will.

But all those rules went out the window when this man kissed me.

His lips burned against mine, searing something deep inside, heating me to my core.

The almost peppery scent that had frozen me earlier now flooded my senses. His hands dropped from my shoulders and ran down my arms, wrapping around my waist and pulling me closer to him.

Muscles that moments ago had been writhing in an attempt to shapeshift now twisted to move closer to him.

UnderHerSkinPromo

About the Author

Margo Bond Collins is addicted to coffee (mmm…caffeine) and SF/F television, especially Supernatural (mmm…Winchesters). She writes paranormal and contemporary romance, urban fantasy, and paranormal mystery. She lives in Texas with her daughter and several spoiled pets. Although she teaches college-level English courses online, writing fiction is her first love. She enjoys reading urban fantasy and paranormal fiction of any genre and spends most of her free time daydreaming about heroes, vampires, ghosts, werewolves, and the women who love (and sometimes fight) them.

 

You can learn more about her at http://www.MargoBondCollins.net and follow her on all the usual social media outlets (listed below).

For updates about publications, free fiction, and other goodies, be sure to subscribe to her newsletter: https://confirmsubscription.com/h/d/03A21E5E161401F0

 

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/author/margobondcollins

Email: MargoBondCollins@gmail.com

Website: http://www.MargoBondCollins.net

Blog: http://www.MargoBondCollins.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MargoBondCollin  @MargoBondCollin

Google+: https://plus.google.com/116484555448104519902

Goodreads Author Page: http://www.goodreads.com/vampirarchy

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/MargoBondCollins

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/mbondcollins/

 

 

14 Comments

Filed under Author Blog Post

Tagged as , ,

May 30, 2016 · 7:59 am

INTERVIEW WITH JOE COSENTINO author of CHINA DOLL, a Jana Lane mystery, published by The Wild Rose Press

 

Please help me welcome Joe Cosentino. He is sharing an interview about his new release, the fourth installment of the Jana Lane Mystery series:

Interviewer: What inspired you to become a mystery romance writer? 

 Joe:        I have always been a mystery fanatic. As a child I read three mystery novels a week, watched The Alfred Hitchcock mysteries on television, and saw every mystery movie possible. This passion continued throughout my teen and young adult years. Eventually I became an actor in film, television, and theatre, working opposite stars like Bruce Willis, Nathan Lane, Rosie O’Donnell, Holland Taylor, and Jason Robards. One of my jobs was playing Ross (I mean Ross not Hercule) Poirot in a murder mystery dinner theatre show. Since a great deal of that show was improvisation, it occurred to me that acting is storytelling in the same way that writing is storytelling, so I decided to give writing a try. After writing some plays, I knew my novels would include show business in some way, since show business has always been such a huge part of my life. As an avid mystery reader, it was clear to me that my novels would also be page-turning mysteries with clever plot twists, engaging characters, romance, and lots of clues leading to a surprising conclusion a la Agatha Christie. Since coming from a funny Italian-American family, I also knew humor would play a role in my novels. 

Interviewer:  Can you tell us readers a little bit about creating the Jana Lane mystery series? 

 Joe:   As a child I loved child stars like Shirley Temple, Hayley Mills, and Patty Duke, seeing their movies over and over. So I created a heroine who was the biggest child star ever until she was attacked on the studio lot at eighteen years old. Through the course of the books, Jana not only solves the mysteries, but also reclaims the courage and fortitude she had as a child. This is an important message for all of us. As one reviewer wrote, she starts out as a wounded bird, and ends as tiger.

In PAPER DOLL Jana at thirty-eight lives with her family in a mansion in picturesque Hudson Valley, New York. Her flashbacks from the past become murder attempts in her future. Forced to summon up the lost courage she had as a child, Jana ventures back to Hollywood, which helps her uncover a web of secrets about everyone she loves. She also embarks on a romance with the devilishly handsome son of her old producer, Rocco Cavoto.

            In PORCELAIN DOLL (The Wild Rose Press), Jana makes a comeback film and uncovers who is being murdered on the set and why. Her heart is set aflutter by her incredibly gorgeous co-star, America’s heartthrob Jason Apollo. The other suspects include Jana’s James Dean type young co-star, her older John Wayne type co-star, her children’s Eve Harrington type nanny, the film’s gossipy makeup and hair artist, a local reverend trying to stop the film’s production, and Jason’s agent.

            In SATIN DOLL (The Wild Rose Press), Jana and family head to Washington, DC, where Jana plays a US senator in a new film, and becomes embroiled in a murder and corruption at the senate chamber. She also embarks on a romance with Chris Bruno, the muscular detective. Jana rubs elbows with senators on both sides of the aisle, a lobbyist, and a Washington reporter. Her husband also goes through a personal crisis. 

Interviewer:  How have the reviews been for the series so far? 

 Joe:   Amazing. Here are a few examples:

“A book that will captivate any reader! A page turner that won’t let you go! This is one author you can always depend on to publish a good read!!” Stormy Nights Reviewing 

“Joe Cosentino is a brilliant mastermind when creating the perfect mystery series. In each novel in this intriguing series of his, Jana Lane Mysteries, readers are blown away by his writing. The instant readers jump into Joe Cosentino’s fictional world, the danger feels real, the suspense is killing, and the plot moves so fast. Action, lights, camera!”  “A fast-paced murder mystery that readers will easily fall in love with…and one they can’t live without. Overall, I highly recommend this new title in the Jana Lane Mysteries and look forward to the next best adventure from Joe Cosentino.” Danielle Urban, Universal Creativity Inc.

“Beautifully written and intensely detailed, Porcelain Doll is one not to be missed. Flirtatiously decadent with a strong moral undertone, set in a decade of extraordinary social change this is a story of its period that is as poignant today as it was then. Joe Cosentino controlled the emotions that the book encouraged with a deft but delicate touch. Suspenseful and mysterious, Porcelain Doll is a masterful creation, one that was impossible not to be affected by.” Carol Fenton, BooksLaidBare Reviews

“Paper Doll is a superbly crafted mystery with an eclectic cast of characters that will engage you and elicit some very emotional responses as you are completely caught up in the events that unfold in these pages. Everyone has secrets and the people in Paper Doll have them in spades!” Fresh Fiction

“Mr. Cosentino has produced a masterpiece of mystery (Paper Doll)” “The story gripped me from the start and there were enough twists and turns, with a bit of romance thrown in for good measure, to keep hold of me until the end of the book.” “Great book, can’t wait for book 2.” Readers’ Favorite 

Interviewer:  Tell us about the current release, CHINA DOLL. 

 Joe:   In CHINA DOLL (The Wild Rose Press), Jana heads to New York City to star in a Broadway play, enchanted by her gorgeous co-star Peter Stevens, and faced with murder on stage and off. It is old home week and nepotism in action as the play is produced and written by the same producer (Stanley Rothman) and author (Katrina Wright) who produced and wrote Jana’s first Broadway play when she was five years old, Sweet Nothings. Jana’s co-star from Sweet Nothings, the aging but still gorgeous and mysterious Savannah Stevens, is co-starring in China Doll, along with Savannah’s incredibly handsome and muscular son, Peter Stevens, in his Broadway debut. Rounding out the cast are Rothman’s granddaughter Bella, Jana’s nephew Brad, and Jana’s youngest son B.J. And the play is directed by Katrina’s new and much younger husband, the studly Tony Cuccioli. Also in the cast are Sally Chen a recent Tony Award winning actress, and Tate Moonglow a transplant from Off-Broadway.

During rehearsals, attractions come to the surface between Tony and Sally, Brad and Bella, Tate and Gary (B.J.’s new nanny), and even Jana and Peter.

Art imitates life as members of the production team of China Doll are murdered, personal secrets are revealed, and Jana once again uses the skills she learned as a child star to solve the crime.

Also, Jana and her husband go through a personal crisis, however, her son B.J. is bitten by the acting bug and has the time of his life. 

Interviewer:  Who is your favorite character in CHINA DOLL? And why? 

 Joe:   I really enjoyed writing the comically neurotic Gary Royale, B.J.’s (Jana’s youngest son) new nanny, and of course the Broadway musical buff Detective Douglas was great fun. 

Interviewer:  Which one of your characters was the hardest one to write? And why?

 Joe:   Savannah Stevens is an aging beauty with fond memories from her past on Broadway and as a movie star in Hollywood, yet she carries the burden of an aging actress in a youth-oriented society. 

Interviewer:  With her gorgeous violet eyes, is Savannah based on Elizabeth Taylor? 

   Joe:   Savannah is a smart, strong, talented woman like Elizabeth Taylor, however, she doesn’t have anywhere near as many husbands or such a troubled life. 

Interviewer:  Is Katrina Wright the highly successful mystery writer supposed to be Agatha Christie? 

 Joe:   They are both very successful, older female writers, but Agatha Christie wrote many novels and a few plays, Katrina has written many many plays and no novels. Also unlike Agatha Christie, Katrina has a young stud husband. 

Interviewer:  David Mamet wrote a play on Broadway in 2015 called CHINA DOLL. Any connection to your novel. 

 Joe:   None. I think it’s fascinating that there really was a play on Broadway called CHINA DOLL, though Jana wouldn’t know about it since my novel takes place in 1984. 

Interviewer:  You acted onstage with Bruce Willis in A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM and Nathan Lane in THE ROAR OF THE GREASEPAINT. Were you able to use your theatre background in writing CHINA DOLL?

 Joe:   I wrote, directed, and acted in a number of plays. I used my experiences many times in CHINA DOLL when writing about the role of the playwright, director, stage manager, producer, actors, designers, and technicians. I know first-hand what it’s like to do a read through, a blocking rehearsal, rehearsals, dress rehearsals, and performances. Though thankfully nobody was murdered in any of my plays. 

Interviewer:  How amazing that Jana’s youngest son B.J. takes so well to the stage. 

 Joe:   Like mother like son—and grandfather and uncle. 

Interviewer:  In the novel Katrina and Stanley use their religious beliefs as a weapon to try to fire one of the cast members. Do you think people of faith will be offended by that?   

 Joe:   I sure hope not. Jana is a Christian who prays and goes to church on Sundays. She seems like a true Christian to me since she tries to love her neighbor as herself, not judge others, and help the downtrodden and outcasts. Jana stands up to Katrina and Stanley because she believes any kind of discrimination is wrong, and that freedom of religion is far different from the freedom to discriminate. I assume Jana would defend Katrina or Stanley if someone tried to discriminate against them as well. 

As in the first three Jana Lane mysteries, Jana is tempted by a gorgeous man, this time the heartthrob younger actor, Peter Stevens. 

I can’t imagine anyone not being enticed by Peter Stevens. He’s what used to be a called a matinee idol. 

And Jana goes through a major personal event. 

I love that part of the story. It still brings tears to my eyes when I read it. 

And Jana is reconnected with her nephew. 

Who has changed his name and become a hungry for fame actor. Jana tries to give him advice, but like many young people. He doesn’t take it. 

Interviewer:  I find it fascinating how Jana uses the skills she learned as a child star to solve the crime. How do you remember all of Jana Lane’s old movie titles and storylines? 

 Joe:   I keep really good notes on Jana’s old movies, and on each room in her Hyde Park, New York mansion. I also enjoyed writing about Jana’s gorgeous penthouse hotel suite. 

Interviewer:  Since the book takes place in 1984, you included a great deal of history, music, and fashion from the era. 

 Joe:   Though China Doll is a fictitious play, I was able to place the theatre between the marquees of real shows playing at the time: Hurlyburly starring William Hurt and Christopher Walken and The Rink starring Chita Rivera and Liza Minelli. Since the book takes place in 1984, I included a great deal of history, music, and fashion from my favorite era. Layered hair, parachute pants, shoulder pads, lace gloves, leggings, and scrunchies are all there along with music like Bruce Springstein’s “Cover Me.” New York City is prominently featured in the novel with its luxury hotels, Central Park, Washington Square Park, Little Italy, and of course the theatre district. I was also able to include, the still new AIDS epidemic and the devastation it caused when ignored by our political representatives, as once again Jana sponsors a benefit for AIDS research. 

Interviewer:  Which scene in the novel did you enjoy writing the most? And why? 

 Joe:   I loved writing the hospital scene the most. It’s so touching. 

Interviewer:  Many of the men in the series are strapping, muscular, good looking guys. Did you do that intentionally? 

 Joe:   You mean since I’m not? Hah. Many of the women are gorgeous too. I’m enjoying exploring how the other half lives and loves. However, in CHINA DOLL, I have characters like Katrina, Gary, and of course Simon and Cornelius who don’t fit that mold. 

Interviewer:  Everyone in CHINA DOLL seems to have a secret. Thank you for revealing them by the book’s end. 

 Joe:   Yes, each Jana Lane mystery is its own story. Readers get a complete mystery with each novel, as you said, full of revealed secrets. 

Interviewer:  You play fair in your mysteries, meaning the clues are there, and so are the plot twists and turns, and white knuckle shocking ending. 

 Joe:   I don’t like mysteries where characters are introduced and the writer arbitrarily picks the murderer at the end. The readers feel cheated. At the end of a mystery, the readers should say, “Of course! How did I not see that?” I agree about the ending. It still makes my heart race when I read it—and I’m still surprised. 

Interviewer:  Do you see the Jana Lane mysteries as a TV show? 

 Joe:   Totally! I want to play Simon Huckby! 

Interviewer:  Who do you see as Jana Lane? 

 Joe:   I’m not sure. I hope the readers will send me some ideas! 

Interviewer:  Do you have another mystery series besides the Jana Lane mysteries? 

 Joe:   Yes, the Nicky and Noah comedy mysteries published by Lethe Press. Each novel is loaded with wacky humor and romance in a fast-paced whodunit. Since I am a college theatre professor/department head, and theatre departments are havens of mystery, secrets, romance, and high humor; the series takes place at an Edwardian style New England college. In DRAMA QUEEN theatre college professors are dropping like stage curtains. With the inept local detectives, it is up to Directing professor, Nicky Abbondanza to use his theatre skills (including playing other people) to solve the murders, while he directs a murder mystery onstage. Complicating matters is Nicky’s intense crush on Assistant Professor of Acting, handsome Noah Oliver, the prime suspect in the murder. In DRAMA MUSCLE Nicky and Noah have to use their theatre skills to find out why musclemen are dropping like weights in the Physical Education department while Nicky directs the Student Bodybuilding Competition. In DRAMA CRUISE (not released yet), Nicky and Noah go on a cruise to Alaska, and discover why college theatre professors are going overboard like lifeboats while Nicky directs a murder mystery dinner theatre show onboard ship. 

Interviewer:  Have you written other books besides mysteries? 

 Joe:   My MM romance novellas are published by Dreamspinner Press. They are AN INFATUATION, A SHOOTING STAR, A HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS, and THE NAKED PRINCE AND OTHER TALES FROM FAIRYLAND.

I also have an MM series COZZI COVE: BOUNCING BACK and COZZI COVE: MOVING FORWARD taking place on the Jersey Shore and published by Nine Star Press. 

Interviewer:  Is writing an MF series different from writing an MM series? 

 Joe:   Not at all. People are people. Love is love. Mystery is mystery. We’re all connected. 

Interviewer:  As a college professor/department head, how do you have the time to write? 

 Joe:        I write at night after my spouse has gone to bed. I have a beautiful cherry wood study with a fireplace, huge desk, bookcases, and window seat. My mother asked me, “How do you think up all those stories?” I told her I had a colorful childhood. Hah. 

Interviewer:  How long does it generally take you to write a book? 

 Joe:   About three months working evenings and weekends. When I complain about my time, my mother says, “Just think how hard you’d have to work if you had a real job like your cousins” (lawyers).

Interviewer: Who is your ideal reader of your books?

     Joe:  My ideal reader is a lover of mystery, romance, and Hollywood. Someone who craves being swept away by a story and becoming part of the novel. My reader loves clues, suspects, and plotlines that zigzag with numerous surprises leading to a shocking yet totally justified conclusion. Finally, my reader relishes in beautiful, lush locations and captivating characters as she/he enters the portal of my book.

Interviewer:  What are you writing now? 

Joe:  The next Jana Lane mystery of course: RAG DOLL, where Jana is offered the leading role in a TV pilot about an amateur sleuth. Of course murder and romance ensue.

 

How can your readers contact you?

 

I love hearing from readers! They can contact me at: http://www.JoeCosentino.weebly.com

 

CHINA DOLL, a Jana Lane mystery

by Joe Cosentino

published by The Wild Rose Press

 

ChinaDollcover

http://catalog.thewildrosepress.com/all-titles/3830-china-doll.html?search_query=china+doll&results=2

http://amzn.com/B01E2UD4HY

Jana Lane is back on Broadway in 1984—starring in a murder mystery. Life imitates art when members of the company are murdered. As Jana investigates, it’s clear she may be the next victim. Complicating matters is Jana’s uncontrollable infatuation with her leading man, gorgeous and muscular Off-Broadway actor Peter Stevens. Will Jana find the murderer before the curtain comes down on her?

Excerpt of CHINA DOLL, the fourth Jana Lane mystery, by Joe Cosentino, published by The Wild Rose Press

Tall, muscular, aristocratic-looking with dark hair and blushed cheeks, Peter shook Jana’s hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Lane.”

Feeling the warmth and smoothness of his strong hand, Jana felt like a shut-in at a blind date with Mr America. “It’s Miss Otley…rather Mrs. Lane…Mrs. Otley, but please call me Peter.” Jana turned the color of her avocado dress.

He seemed to enjoy her attraction to him. Amazing dimples emerged as Peter said, “I thought I was Peter.”

Jana giggled in spite of herself. “You are. I’m Nana. I mean…I’m Jana.”

Peter’s peaches and cream complexion complimented his white pants, coral T-shirt, and marigold blazer. He whispered in her ear, and she smelled fresh mint. “I’m nervous too. Everyone’s thinking I got this role because I’m Savannah Stevens’ son. They’re probably right.”

I have to stop gawking at him. “I’m sure you’ll be fine.”

Peter seemed genuinely touched. “That means a lot to me, coming from such a fine actress. I hope you’ll give me a few tips in rehearsals.”

B&N2

Author’s Bio:

Bestselling author Joe Cosentino won Divine Magazine’s awards for best mystery novel, best humorous novel, and best contemporary novel of 2015. He is the author of the Jana Lane mysteries: Paper Doll, Porcelain Doll, Satin Doll, and China Doll and the upcoming Rag Doll (The Wild Rose Press); the Nicky and Noah mysteries: Drama Queen, Drama Muscle, and the upcoming Drama Cruise (Lethe Press); the Cozzi Cove beach series: Cozzi Cove: Bouncing Back and Cozzi Cove: Moving Forward (NineStar Press); and the romance novellas: In My Heart anthology (An Infatuation & A Shooting Star), A Home for the Holidays, and The Naked Prince and Other Tales from Fairyland (Dreamspinner Press); and The Nutcracker and the Mouse King (Eldridge Plays and Musicals). As an actor, he has appeared in principal roles in film, television, and theatre opposite stars such as Bruce Willis, Rosie O’Donnell, Nathan Lane, Holland Taylor, and Jason Robards. Joe is currently Head of the Department/Professor at a college in upstate New York, and is happily married. http://www.JoeCosentino.weebly.com

 

Web site: http://www.JoeCosentino.weebly.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JoeCosentinoauthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoeCosen

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4071647.Joe_Cosentino

Amazon: Author.to/JoeCosentino

 

 

 

 

 

Leave a comment

Filed under Author Blog Post, New Release

Tagged as , , , , , , , ,

May 23, 2016 · 10:45 am

An Author Interview with Barbara Brett… And She’s Bringing you SIZZLE

It’s always fun to get to know new authors, and today I’m chatting with Barbara Brett. She is also sharing her latest release. And, after the interview, you’ll find a question Barbara would like you to answer! 🙂

(Barbara is going to be away for part of the day, but will respond to comments later this afternoon)

  1. Please tell us a little about yourself, where are you from? Where do you live now? Family? Pets?

I am one of those increasingly rare breeds—a native New Yorker. I was born in Manhattan,  grew up mostly in the Bronx, then married and moved to Brooklyn. Our two children, Jennifer and Steven, were born and raised here. We have also had two cats along the way: Odysseus, sweet and loving, followed by Rocky, who lived up to his name as a tough guy with a big heart. Having sampled the other four boroughs (I lived briefly in Queens as a child, and we frequently visit family on Staten Island), I wouldn’t trade Brooklyn for any of them. We have Prospect Park with its terrific zoo; Brooklyn Botanic Garden with its glorious cherry trees; the Brooklyn Museum, famous for one of the best collections of American art in the world; a great public library three blocks away; and the magnificent Atlantic Ocean within walking distance. What better place could there possibly be for my husband and me to spend our happily-ever-after?

  1. Where did you get the idea for SIZZLE?

Like many writers, my primary interests are books, art, music, and nature. The world of finance had always been a mystery to me, and I was happy to let it remain so. But one day after reading yet another front-page report of a ruthless corporate takeover battle, I decided that I had to learn more about the financial world. I began reading the business section of  The New York Times and books about finance. The more I read, the more fascinated I became. What if, I asked myself, a beautiful, brilliant woman decided to take on these Wall Street vultures and fight them for a particularly juicy corporate plum, maybe the most profitable and glamorous magazine in the world? How would she do it? What kind of life would she lead? What exotic places would she visit in pursuit of her goal? What treacherous traps would her opponents set for her? How would she escape them? Could she escape them? And so SIZZLE was born. I hope that your reading about the dazzling Marietta Wylford and her perilous pursuit of corporate power will be as exciting and delicious as my writing about it was.

  1. What do you want readers to come away with after they read SIZZLE?

Most of all, I want readers to have had a good time. I want them to enjoy experiencing New York City’s most glamorous places, from multi-million-dollar penthouse apartments to exotic five-star restaurants. I want them to feel that they, too, were warmed by the golden rays of the sun on the French Riviera, inhaled the fragrant blossoms of the floating flower markets on Amsterdam’s unique canals, felt the breeze on their cheeks as they strolled the Champs-Elysée and the Bois de Boulogne in Paris. I want them to have felt the excitement and suspense of the perilous battle for the corporate prize. And I want them to shudder along with Marietta when she discovers the dangerous and horrendous secret buried deep in Harrison Kendricks’s past.

  1. What actors would you like in the main roles if your book were made into a movie?

This is a tough question because there are so many great actors out there. I think I’d like to see Cate Blanchett as Marietta. She would have to dye her hair red, but that may well be its natural color. Cate is beautiful and brilliant, and I think she could bring the ambitious Marietta to life with all of her dreams, fears and complexities. Leonardo DiCaprio would ideal for the role of the smooth and mysterious corporate raider, Harrison Kendricks. Though handsome, he’ll look  threatening in the tinted glasses that he will have to wear. Rooney Mara would be perfect for Melanie Danielle, Marietta’s reticent but brilliant and loyal lawyer-assistant. Bryan Cranston, could definitely be Harlan Wylford, Marietta’s adoring husband. And Richard Madden would be perfect for Craig Campbell, the actor who is and will always be the true love of Marietta’s life. SIZZLE is filled with many more intriguing characters, and I think readers will have fun playing casting director after they have finished the book.

  1. Do you collect anything?

When I was a child, I was fascinated by, and really believed in, fairies and pixies. I loved fairy tales and made up my own, usually encouraged by friends. We used to have great fun acting out the stories. As I grew up and outgrew the stories, I began collecting fairies and pixies. They now gaze down on me from shadow boxes and the tops of bookcases. A group of them sit on my desk and cheer me on as I work. They never fail to make me smile. I think the child in me still half-believes in them. I’m convinced that I have a real pixie in my home. After all, who else could be responsible for hiding my eyeglasses and whisking away the earring I remove when I’m talking on the phone—and then leaving it to turn up two days later in some unexpected place? 

  1. What is your favorite book of all time and why?

For someone who loves reading as much as I do, it’s really difficult to narrow it down to one favorite book. I suppose if someone held a gun to my head and I really had to come up with an answer, I’d choose William Makepeace Thackeray’s Vanity Fair. I know that by today’s standards it’s long and rambling, but Thackeray’s satirical take on Victorian life is delicious and his characters are unforgettable. It also has one of my favorite quotes, Becky Sharpe saying, “I think I could be a good woman if I had five thousand [pounds] a year.” That seems to sum up the whole premise of Victorian society (and perhaps even contemporary society) in fifteen words. Translation: “Money makes the world go round.” Today’s authors can learn so much from the old masters.

  1. What is your favorite childhood book?

This question is much easier. I have many favorites, but Antoine de Saint-Exupery’s The Little Prince tops them all. It is a beautiful story, intended for adults as well as (perhaps even more than) for children, and the older I get, the more I cherish it. From its poignant dedication, “…To Leon Werth when he was a little boy,” to its heart-wrenching ending, it takes the reader on a beautiful journey of discovery. It is the story of an aviator, lost in the desert, who meets a little boy who has journeyed to Earth from a far-off asteroid. The little prince tells the aviator about the strange people he has met on the planets he has stopped at along the way. None of these people are strange to us, though, with their vanity and intolerant views, and, along with the aviator and the little prince, we learn something important about ourselves with each visit. The little prince yearns to return to his asteroid to care for the rose he loves, and, in the end, through sweet, painful sacrifice, he makes the journey, and takes our hearts with him. This book, too, has one of my favorite quotes, something a wise fox tells the little prince: “One sees clearly only with the heart. What is essential is not visible to the eyes.”

  1. If you were stranded on a desert island and you could have three inanimate objects, what would they be?

Only three? This is a tough one! I’m not a very practical person, but if I’m going to be stranded on a desert island, I had better let the practical me take over. In that case, I think that the first object I would pack should be a Dummies book titled, HOW TO BUILD A RAFT WHEN STRANDED ON A DESERT ISLAND. Next, I’d pack a flashlight, so that I could read the book at night. I’m assuming my island would have plenty of rocks lying around so that I could rub two together to make a fire to keep me warm and to cook the fish I’d have to catch with a stick I’d sharpen. Uh-oh. How do I sharpen the stick? Okay, I’ll read the manual by the fire I make with the rocks. That means I can eliminate the flashlight. So now I have two more things I can bring. One of them will have to be a Swiss Army Knife so that I can sharpen the stick and clean the fish. Now for the last object. It will have to be something to keep me from going crazy out there all by myself, and we all know what that would be—a book. But what book? I’m pretty much all thumbs, so it’s going to take me quite a while to build that raft. Maybe years. It would have to be along, interesting book. One I wouldn’t be able to memorize. I think I’ll opt for a big, unabridged dictionary. What better companion for an author? We’re all addicted to words!

LOL, Barbara. I enjoyed your answers. Leonardo DiCaprio would make a handsome ANYTHING. 🙂 I love your theory about pixies. That does explain a lot. Very clever, your book on how to build a raft…who wouldn’t want that? Thanks for joining me today!

Thanks so much for interviewing me, Alicia. This was great fun! I’d love to know what your blog readers would take to a desert island. Of course, I hope that some of them would pack a copy of SIZZLE!

Brett_Sizzle_Final

BOOK BLURB:

She’s the most beautiful and ruthless CEO in the nation. He’s the most dangerous corporate raider in the world. Neither has ever lost a battle in the boardroom—or  the bedroom. Now they’re warring for America’s biggest publishing prize. 

SIZZLE—a  novel of breathtaking power and ambition, set against the jet-setting world of Manhattan’s elite! 

“[A] battle fraught with…the dirtiest of tricks…the stuff that destroys marriages, people, lives…. Sizzle through the summer with Sizzle.”—The Salem News

 

EXCERPT:

Harrison Kendricks sat down on the other end of the settee and raised his glass. “Cheers.”

“Cheers,” Marietta returned, and sipped her drink.

Though Kendricks had a reputation for never mincing words and getting down to business immediately, he seemed in no rush to broach the subject. Through the first drink and then the second, they spoke instead in generalities—their shared interest in gardens, antiques, the theater. Since he had suggested the meeting, Marietta was determined that he be the one to initiate any discussion of a buyout or compromise. She would let him say his piece, then drop her bombshell.

At first, she thought he was avoiding the subject because he wanted to disarm her. But as their conversation progressed, she realized that he had more than business on his mind. Though the tinted glasses veiled his eyes, they did not hide them, and she was aware how often his gaze traveled over her. It was like a visual caress. Harrison Kendricks wanted her. It was possible, of course, that it was all part of his plan—that, with his gigantic ego, he thought that one kiss and she’d be eating out of his hand. But even if that had been his primary purpose, it was obvious he now wanted to satisfy a great deal more than corporate desires. Besides, what difference did his motivation make? She wanted him too. She had never made love with such a dangerous man.

She was aware that Kendricks, probably for the first time in his life, was faced with a problem in deciding what approach to take. For she had to be as unique to him as he was to her. She would have to find a way to help him. That gave her one more advantage.

Talk of the theater led Kendricks to make some unflattering observations about American musicals and music. “No one today seems to know what music is all about,” he said.

“Except perhaps you?” Marietta asked.

He smiled. “There are a few others, I admit.”

She nodded toward the piano. “Do you play?”

“Yes. Rather well, in fact. Schumann is my favorite. Does that surprise you?”

“Nothing anyone does—whether admirable or despicable—ever surprises me.”

“So you’re an absolute cynic.”

“Not a cynic—a realist. I see things as they are. For example, I’m very much aware that you would like to get me into bed.”

“Really?” he said, raising an eyebrow.

“Don’t play coy. It’s out of character.”

“All right. I’ll admit that I find the idea of making love to you rather attractive.”

“And I find it rather attractive too. So I wonder why, busy people that we are, we’re sitting here wasting each other’s time sipping drinks and chatting. Why don’t we simply go up to your bedroom?” she said, rising.

“You’re an extraordinary woman.”

“If I weren’t, you wouldn’t be so interested in taking me to bed, would you?”

He followed close behind her as she walked across the room. When she paused at the big double doors, he reached around her and opened them, probably the first time in his life that he had performed such a courtesy for a woman other than his mother. Smiling to herself, she passed through them, then preceded him up the winding marble staircase.

Neither spoke, but words were unnecessary. They were two of a kind, creatures who had fashioned themselves in the image of their own wants and needs. They understood each other as no other person on earth could….

 

BUY LINKS:

Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Sizzle-Where-Boardroom-Meets-Bedroom-ebook/dp/B01DL6F1E4/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1460124005&sr=8-1

B&N:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sizzle-barbara-brett/1123604122?ean=9780989917339

Smashwords:

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/626180

Kobo:

https://store.kobobooks.com/search?Query=Sizzle+%28Barbara+Brett%29

iTunes:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/sizzle-where-boardroom-meets/id1098961262?mt=11

 

barbara-publicity

BIO:

Barbara Brett’s love of reading led her to a life devoted to books—as an editor, publisher and author. She began as a proofreader, then moved up to become editor of True Romance and True Confessions. Later, she became vice president and publisher of Avalon Books, which published fiction for the library market. After that, she started her own company, which published inspirational non-fiction. She is delighted that many of the authors she developed over the years have moved up to best-sellerdom.

In addition to editing and publishing, Barbara was also writing novels. She is the author of Between Two Eternities, Love After Hours, and, with her husband, Hy Brett, the mystery Promises to Keep. Recently she closed her publishing company so that she could devote herself  completely to her own writing. She is delighted to see Sizzle published, and she promises to follow it with many more exciting books.

Barbara and Hy live in Brooklyn. When they aren’t writing, they enjoy reading, taking long walks to see the Atlantic Ocean, and treating visiting family and friends to Brooklyn pizza and bagels, which, everyone agrees, are the best in the world.

AUTHOR LINKS:

Website:

www.brettbooks.com

Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1767558.Barbara_Brett

Amazon.com author page:

www.amazon.com/author/barbarabrett

 

28 Comments

Filed under Author Blog Post, New Release

Tagged as , , , , ,

May 18, 2016 · 8:13 am

“10 Moments That Changed My Life” by Author Pamela Thibodeaux

I am pleased to introduce today’s guest, Pamela Thibodeaux, who is sharing the moments that changed her life and a book bundle for sale…

 

10 moments new_MTE1MTUwNTQ0MTg

#1: Although it ended in divorce, the day I married my first husband definitely changed my life. I went from a high-school girl to a married woman and a short one-year-and-two-months-later, I fulfilled the lifelong dream of becoming a mother.

#2: Born three years, nine months, one day, two hours and fourteen minutes apart the birth of my two children will always be moments that changed my life! 

PThib-10MomentsPic3-for5-18

#3: July 14, 1992 I married the love of my life in the back yard of our home.

PThib-10MomentsPic2for5-18

#4: December 2000 I received an email acceptance for my first novel! Although more were to come, and each is exciting in itself, there’s nothing like that initial contract.

#5: June 2002 I co-founded Bayou Writers’ Group in Lake Charles, Louisiana and for six years acted as President and Treasurer and overall ‘everything’ (with some help of course!) before handing the reins over in 2008.

#6: Everyone says there is nothing like having that first grandchild and I must admit that old adage is true. 2004 was a rough year. My dog died, my grandfather died, my daughter was experiencing a toxic pregnancy, I was hit by a drunk driver-totaling my car and throwing my life into a tailspin with “situation induced” depression. Without a doubt, the only bright spot in that entire year was the birth of my Angel Girl.

#7: April 4, 2006 ushered in the birth of our first grandson and we flew to WA to visit him when he was just a few weeks old.

#8: 2009 was another year of excruciating hardship intertwined with inexpressible joy. The love of my life passed away August 18th, but God brightened the months before with the birth of our 2nd grandson in May 27th. 

PThib-10MomentsPic1-for5-18

#9: The 2010 “Saddle up and Write” retreat at the Silver Spur guest ranch in Bandera, TX changed my life because it opened the door to new friendships and a place where I can escape that brings me peace beyond measure and joy unspeakable.

#10: They say what doesn’t kill us makes us stronger. That I’m still alive after losing my mother, mother-in-law, honorary aunt, and cousin in the span of two weeks in 2014 is a testament to that fact and the grace of God in our toughest circumstances.

Thank you for sharing those sad and happy moments. And for including the lovely pictures. 

And now, please check out Pamela’s awesome book bundle…

Tempered Series Bundle 

PThib-10Momentspicfor5-18

Now all 4 titles in the Tempered Series by Pamela S Thibodeaux are combined into a single book along with a bonus short story and a sneak peek into #5 in the series Tempered Truth (coming sometime in the near future)!

Contains: Tempered Hearts, Tempered Dreams, Tempered Fire, Tempered Joy, & Lori’s Redemption

Start at the beginning and follow these beloved characters throughout the years as love crosses the lines of age and strengthens the bonds of friendship. 

Title: Tempered Hearts (book 1 in Tempered series)

Blurb: Rancher Craig Harris and veterinarian Tamera Collins clash from the moment they meet.  Innocence is pitted against arrogance as tempers rise and passions ignite to form a love as pure as the finest gold, fresh from the crucible and as strong as steel.  Thrown together amid tragedy and unsated passion, Tamera and Craig share a strong attraction that neither accepts as the first stages of love.  Torn between desire and dislike, they must make peace with their pasts and God in order to open up to the love blossoming between them.  It is a love that nothing can destroy when they come to understand that only when hearts are tempered, minds are opened and wills are softened can man discern the will of God for his life.

 Title: Tempered Dreams (book 2 in Tempered series)

Blurb: Dr. Scott Hensley (introduced in Tempered Hearts) has built a wall around his heart since the death of his wife and parents.  Katrina Simmons is recovering from scars inflicted on her as a battered wife.  Can dreams be renewed and faith strengthened?  Can they find joy and peace in God’s love and in love for one another? 

Title: Tempered Fire (book 3 in Tempered series)

Blurb: Amber Harris is a good girl on the brink of womanhood. Stanley Morrison is a young man at the start of his life. For each other, they have always felt the fireworks that two people in love should feel. But the questions about his past, his pride, and Amber’s father might be the end of what could be a strong relationship. As the two try to protect their budding romance, some unlikely but powerful forces conspire to keep them apart. Will they survive the wishes of everyone around them with their relationship intact?

Title: Tempered Joy (book 4 in Tempered series)

Blurb: All around rodeo cowboy and heir to the Rockin’ H Ranch, Ace Harris is determined not to fall in love.  He’s only loved one woman in his life, his mother, and no one can even come close to filling her boots. Lexie Morgan thinks rodeo cowboys have rocks for brains and a death wish for a soul.  A broken childhood and the death of her father and best friend leave her doubting and questioning God (despite her years of religious upbringing) and afraid of love. Can two young people who clash from the onset learn to trust in the healing power of God and find love and happiness amidst tragedy and grief? 

 Title: Lori’s Redemption (short story spin-off of Tempered Fire)

Blurb: Lori Strickland (introduced in Tempered Fire) has always been known as her father’s “wild child” with no desire to change until she meets ex-bull-rider-turned-preacher Rafe Judson. Her attempts to change her wanton ways come to naught until she realizes redemption only comes with true repentance.

 Purchase Links for Tempered Series E-bundle

Nook: http://bit.ly/1Xv6l2Y

Kindle: http://amzn.to/1TlaExp

Smashwords: http://bit.ly/1SzkRoi

 Author bio: Award-winning author, Pamela S. Thibodeaux is the Co-Founder and a lifetime member of Bayou Writers Group in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Multi-published in romantic fiction as well as creative non-fiction, her writing has been tagged as, “Inspirational with an Edge!” ™ and reviewed as “steamier and grittier than the typical Christian novel without decreasing the message.”

1382907

 

Links:

Website address: http://www.pamelathibodeaux.com

Blog: http://pamswildroseblog.blogspot.com

Face Book: http://facebook.com/pamelasthibodeaux

Twitter: http://twitter.com/psthib @psthib

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/pamelasthibodea/

Amazon Author Page: http://amzn.to/1jUVcdU

22 Comments

Filed under 10 Moments that Changed My Life, Author Blog Post

Tagged as , , , , , ,

May 12, 2016 · 5:00 am

INTERVIEW WITH JOE COSENTINO author of SATIN DOLL, a Jana Lane mystery, published by The Wild Rose Press

Please welcome today’s guest, Joe Cosentino. He’s sharing an interview about his new release: 

 

You were an actor playing opposite some very big stars. How did that lead to writing?

After college I became an actor in film, television, and theatre, working opposite stars like Bruce Willis (Midsummer Night’s Dream onstage), Nathan Lane (A Roar of the Greasepaint onstage), Rosie O’Donnell (AT&T Industrials), Holland Taylor (ABC-TV movie My Mother Was Never a Kid), Charles Keating (NBC-TV’s Another World), and Jason Robards (Commercial Credit computer commercial). It occurred to me that acting is storytelling in the same way that writing is storytelling, so I decided to give writing a try.

Why did you create the Jana Lane mystery series?

After writing some plays, I knew my novels would include show business in some way, since show business has always been such a huge part of my life. As an avid mystery reader, it was clear to me that my novels would also be page-turning mysteries with clever plot twists, engaging characters, romance, and lots of clues leading to a surprising conclusion. Since coming from a funny Italian-American family, I also knew humor would play a role in my novels. 

Your leading character Jana Lane is the most famous ex-child star in US history making a comeback personally and professionally, and she solves murder mysteries. How did you come up with that idea? 

As a child I loved child stars like Shirley Temple, Hayley Mills, and Patty Duke, seeing their movies over and over. So I created a heroine who was the biggest child star ever until she was attacked on the studio lot at eighteen years old. In PAPER DOLL Jana at thirty-eight lives with her family in a mansion in picturesque Hudson Valley, New York. Her flashbacks from the past become murder attempts in her future. Jana ventures back to Hollywood, which helps her uncover a web of secrets about everyone she loves. She also embarks on a romance with the devilishly handsome son of her old producer, Rocco Cavoto.

In PORCELAIN DOLL (The Wild Rose Press), Jana makes a comeback film and uncovers who is being murdered on the set and why. Her heart is set aflutter by her incredibly gorgeous co-star, America’s heartthrob Jason Apollo. The other suspects include Jana’s James Dean type young co-star, her older John Wayne type co-star, her children’s Eve Harrington type nanny, the film’s gossipy makeup and hair artist, a local reverend trying to stop the film’s production, and Jason’s agent.

The reviews were amazing for PAPER DOLL and PORCELAIN DOLL, calling each novel a “mystery masterpiece,” “edge of your seat thriller with sweet romance,” “page-turner with plot twists and turns.”

And your current release is SATIN DOLL.

In SATIN DOLL (The Wild Rose Press) Jana and family head to Washington, DC, where Jana plays a US senator in a new film, and becomes embroiled in murder and corruption at the senate chamber. She also embarks on a flirtation with Chris Bruno, the muscular detective. Jana rubs elbows with senators on both sides of the aisle, a lobbyist, and a Washington reporter. Her husband also goes through a personal crisis.

Have you always been interested in politics?

I’ve always found politicians fascinating. How they can speak to someone and make him/her feel as if he/she is the only person in the room. I also marvel at the desire to serve others and to make the world a better place. After reading about political scandals and corruption charges in the news, visiting Washington, DC, and speaking with a few politicians, I became aware of what often goes on behind the scenes in DC. I am clearly on the liberal bent. However, I believe all the political characters in the book are treated equally in showing their good points and bad.

Who is your favorite character in SATIN DOLL? And why?

Jana’s agent, Simon, is my favorite character for five reasons. He is amazingly resilient, old world Hollywood, incredibly funny, loyal to Jana, and most importantly, I want to play him in the movie version!

Which one of your characters was the hardest one to write? And why?

Senator Maxmillion, the Republican majority leader of the Senate, and Benjamin Topower, Maxmillion’s wealthy super pack contributor. I’m not a top one-percenter, so I found it hard to relate to them. However, I found their drive and sense of entitlement fascinating.

Is Senator Cassie Castle, the Democrat senator touted to run for Vice President, based on Hillary Clinton?

Cassie is a smart, strong woman who is deeply involved in protecting the environment, women’s rights, gay rights, education, and creating jobs, like her father before her. She is also quite charismatic. So in some ways she’s very much like Hillary. In many ways she is different. Cassie seems to wear her heart on her sleeve. And she’s dating the Republican majority leader of the Senate!           

And then there is the studly Senator Sancho Ramirez from New York.

Like all of the characters, Sancho is a man of many secrets that all come to light.

In the novel Jana is interviewed on the radio by a Christian host for Jana’s upcoming AIDS benefit. Do you think Christians would be offended by that character?

I sure hope not. Jana is a Christian who prays and goes to church on Sundays. She seems like a true Christian to me since she tries to love her neighbor as herself, not judge others, and help the downtrodden and outcasts. The radio hosts who interview Jana use their wealth, power, media chops, and religious affiliations to demean others and try to take away their rights.

As in the first two Jana Lane mysteries, Jana is tempted by a gorgeous man, this time Detective Chris Bove.

Detective Bove was great fun to write given his amazing looks, past as a professional football player, and addiction to good food. I don’t blame Jana for being captivated by him. 

And Jana’s husband goes through a major personal event.

 I love that part of the story. It still brings tears to my eyes when I read it.

And Jana is reconnected with her best friend, Jackson.

Yes, Jackson is a Democratic congressman now. I love his sense of humor, and interplay with Jana.

Jana uses the skills she learned as a child star to solve the crime. How do you remember all of those movie titles and storylines?

I keep really good notes on Jana’s old movies, and on each room in her Hyde Park, New York mansion.

Since the book takes place in 1983, you included a great deal of history, music, and fashion from the era.

Yes, Flashdance, “Maniac,” layered hair, parachute pants, shoulder pads, lace gloves. It’s all there. I loved that period! I was also able to include Karen Carpenter’s death, the still new AIDS epidemic and the devastation it caused when ignored by our political representatives, and dangerous proposed legislation by conservatives like the Protect the Children Act, which was a disguise to try to make gay people second class citizens.

Which part of the novel did you enjoy writing the most? And why?

I loved writing Jana’s banter with Bove, and Brian’s banter with Adam.

Did you use your background as an actor to write SATIN DOLL?

I used my background in each of the Jana Lane novels, since I know the ins and outs on a movie set. Thankfully nobody was murdered on my sets. However, in SATIN DOLL Jana is in DC to research her upcoming role for Madam Senator. So I was able to include many famous Washington, DC historic settings like the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Memorial, Smithsonian Museum, Capitol, and the Ford Theatre.

Everyone in SATIN DOLL seems to have a secret.

Readers get a complete mystery with each novel, full of revealed secrets. The ending still makes my heart race when I read it—and I’m still surprised!

Will there be another Jana Lane mystery?

I received many comments from readers begging for the next one, which I really appreciate! In CHINA DOLL (releasing late May from The Wild Rose Press), Jana heads to New York City to star in a Broadway play, enchanted by her gorgeous co-star Peter Stevens, and faced with murder on stage and off.

And after that?

I’m writing RAGDOLL now, where Jana stars in a TV murder mystery series, and once again life imitates art.

Do you have another mystery series besides the Jana Lane mysteries?

Yes, the Nicky and Noah comedy mysteries published by Lethe Press. The series takes place at an Edwardian style New England college. In DRAMA QUEEN (Divine Magazine’s Readers’ Choice Award for Best Mystery, Best Crime, Best Humorous, Best Contemporary novel of 2015) theatre college professors are dropping like stage curtains. With the inept local detectives, it is up to Directing professor, Nicky Abbondanza to use his theatre skills (including playing other people) to solve the murders, while he directs a murder mystery onstage. Complicating matters is Nicky’s intense crush on Assistant Professor of Acting, handsome Noah Oliver, the prime suspect in the murder. In DRAMA MUSCLE Nicky and Noah have to use their theatre skills to find out why musclemen are dropping like weights in the Physical Education department while Nicky directs the Student Bodybuilding Competition. In DRAMA CRUISE (not released yet), Nicky and Noah go on a cruise to Alaska, and discover why college theatre professors are going overboard like lifeboats while Nicky directs a murder mystery dinner theatre show onboard ship.

Have you written other books besides mysteries?

My MM romance novellas are published by Dreamspinner Press. They are AN INFATUATION (Divine Magazine Readers’ Choice Award 2nd Place for Best MM Romance), A SHOOTING STAR, A HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS, and THE NAKED PRINCE AND OTHER TALES FROM FAIRYLAND.

I also have an MM series COZZI COVE: BOUNCING BACK and COZZI COVE: MOVING FORWARD taking place on the Jersey Shore and published by NineStar Press. I’m writing COZZI COVE: STEPPING OUT now.

As a college professor/department head, how do you have the time to write all these books?

I write at night after my spouse has gone to bed. I have a beautiful cherry wood study with a fireplace, huge desk, bookcases, and window seat. My mother asked me, “Don’t you have anything better to do than write at night?” I wonder if Shakespeare’s mother asked him that? Hah.

How long does it generally take you to write a book?

About three months working evenings and weekends. When I complain about my time, my mother says, “Just think how hard you’d have to work if you had a real job like your sister’s” (the accountant).

What is your writing process?

I write a plot summary, biography for each character, and an outline. The draft is mine alone. I show the second draft to my spouse for his notes. The third draft goes to my editor at the publishing house for her notes.

Who is your ideal reader of your books?

My ideal reader is a lover of mystery, romance, and Hollywood. Someone who craves being swept away by a story and becoming part of the novel. My reader loves clues, suspects, and plotlines that zigzag with numerous surprises leading to a shocking yet totally justified conclusion. Finally, my reader relishes in beautiful, lush locations and captivating characters as she/he enters the portal of my book.

How can your readers contact you?

I love hearing from readers. They can contact me at: http://www.JoeCosentino.weebly.com

SatinDollcover

Blurb:

Murder, corruption, and scandals rock Washington, D.C.… America’s most famous ex-child star, Jana Lane, is playing a US Senator in a 1983 film. Just as she and her family arrive in DC, two Washington power players are murdered, and Jana is caught in the web of intrigue and political scandal. Jana falls under the spell of the breathtakingly handsome detective assigned to the case, ex-professional football player and food aficionado, Chris Bove. Will Jana and Bove uncover the murderer’s identity and shocking secrets before Jana and her family become the Capitol’s next victims? 

Excerpt:

Jana felt goosebumps as she looked over at the dias for the presiding officer—a rotating senator elected by the majority/Republican party. Her eyes spanned the one hundred desks in a semicircle, where senators sat by order of seniority with the majority leader (Josiah Maxmillion noticeably absent) and minority leader (Ben Stevens present) sitting front and center on each side.

The meeting resumed. Jana stood in awe and listened as senators took to the floor, yielding and accepting time to and from one another, making their case for or against the vast expense of taxpayers’ dollars.

After ten minutes had gone by, Jana realized she had left her notepad in Cassie’s office. Wanting to write copious notes about her meeting with Max and about the senate debate, Jana hurried through hallways and around corridors. Again flashbacks from her nightmare rendered her unable to move, but she commanded her legs to obey and miraculously found her way back.

Upon entering Cassie’s office, Jana noticed Cassie’s secretary and Lenore were not at their desks. Probably on their lunch breaks. Since Cassie’s office door was open, Jana peeked her head inside and gasped at the sight of Tamaya Stormcloud, lying motionless on the Persian rug, surrounded by a pool of blood.

Buy Link:

http://catalog.thewildrosepress.com/all-titles/3808-satin-doll.html

B&N3

Author’s Bio:

Bestselling author/Divine Magazine’s favorite mystery writer of 2015 Joe Cosentino wrote the Jana Lane mysteries: Paper Doll, Porcelain Doll, and Satin Doll (The Wild Rose Press); the Nicky and Noah mysteries: Drama Queen and Drama Muscle (Lethe Press); In My Heart (An Infatuation & A Shooting Star), A Home for the Holidays, and The Naked Prince and Other Tales from Fairyland (Dreamspinner Press); Cozzi Cove: Bouncing Back & Cozzi Cove: Moving Forward (NineStar Press), and The Nutcracker and the Mouse King (Eldridge Plays and Musicals). He has appeared in principal acting roles in film, television, and theatre, opposite stars such as Bruce Willis, Rosie O’Donnell, Nathan Lane, Holland Taylor, and Jason Robards. Joe is currently Head of the Department/Professor at a college in upstate New York, and is happily married. His upcoming novels are China Doll the fourth Jana Lane mystery (The Wild Rose Press) and Drama Cruise the third Nicky and Noah mystery (Lethe Press).

Web site: http://www.JoeCosentino.weebly.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JoeCosentinoauthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoeCosen

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4071647.Joe_Cosentino

Amazon: Author.to/JoeCosentino

 

Leave a comment

Filed under Author Blog Post, New Release

May 5, 2016 · 7:40 am

“10 Moments That Changed My Life” by Author Chrys Fey

I am pleased to introduce today’s guest, Chrys Fey, who is sharing the moments that changed her life and her new release…

 

10 moments new_MTE1MTUwNTQ0MTg

 

  1. Spine Surgery

When I was fifteen I had spine surgery to correct scoliosis. My spine was curved at a 48-degree angle and was twisted. I spent five days in the hospital after doctors used fusion and a titanium rod to fix the curvature. Before my surgery, I spent every day in pain. After it, I had a hard recovery and had to learn how to do daily activities with limited movement in my back. I remember how strange it felt to walk, and go up and down stairs. I didn’t think I’d ever heal, but I did. And what I went through made me a stronger person.

  1. The First Time I was Inspire to Write

One day, when I was twelve-years-old, I sat down on a small grassy hill next to my house after a game of basketball. I was playing with the sharp blades of grass when my fingers brushed something stuck deep in the roots—a crooked screw crusted in orange rust. For the strangest reason, a story came to me about an extraordinary girl in an alternate world. I grabbed an old notebook and wrote fiercely. I’ve written ever since.

  1. Fire

Also when I was twelve, a series of fires erupted in my city. I remember heading home from school and seeing the black plumes. My best friend’s dad said, “It looks like it’s right next to your house.” Sure enough, it was. I was dropped off to see flames consuming the brush and trees a mere foot from my home. My house survived, but one of my cats didn’t. Her name was Angel. She had run out the door…toward the fire. She returned late that night badly burned. She died a few days later on my thirteenth birthday. Fires still scare me today.

  1. Hurricane Francis

Hurricane Francis, a category 5 hurricane, hit Florida in 2004. Her worst happened at night while I was asleep. In the morning, I found my neighbor’s fence flat on the ground, the roof over my porch torn, and my garage door crumpled. I spent a week with my family without power and had to get MRE’s from FEMA in order to eat. This experience inspired my novella Hurricane Crimes.

  1. Bye-bye School

When I was seventeen, I left school. Not because I was pregnant or a delinquent or anything like that. I was just going through difficult family times and found myself unable to go for several reasons. That circumstance, however, really did change my life.

  1. GED

After I left school, I got my GED when I was twenty-one. I hated seeing my friends graduate high school and move onto college, but that just wasn’t in my cards. I am proud of what I did though. That GED hangs proudly on my wall.

  1. The Birth of my First Nephew

I fell in love (heart and soul) for the first time in my life when I met my nephew. I held him in the hospital, looked down at his precious face, and knew I was a goner. He is now ten-years-old!

  1. Signing with The Wild Rose Press

I was in a bad place emotionally when I sent TWRP my manuscript. I was sinking deeper into a depression, feeling like a failure, and desperately wishing for something to change. Then it did. I received a positive email from the Senior Editor of the Crimson Rose Line (romantic-suspense) and soon had a contract. Thanks to my editor, I have published a total of 5 projects with them.

  1. Hurricane Crimes

The day I published Hurricane Crimes, I finally felt like a winner. I was a published author! Then I received awesome messages from readers and reviewers that pushed me to think about the fate of this story. What happened before it? What happened after it? And that’s how the Disaster Crimes Series was born.

  1. The Great Kitty Rescue

At my old apartment complex, a stray cat gave birth to 4 babies. I tried to take care of the mommy and babies the best I could. I offered shelter on my screened-in porch and gave them food and water. One day, the mom disappeared. I don’t know where she went, but before she left she made sure that her babies knew I was good. Every evening they crept onto my porch for dinner.

Sometime later, a woman with obnoxious twin boys (who I had seen throwing rocks where the babies sheltered at night, knowing they were there) was trying to grab them out from under the shed. She was unsuccessful, and I took action. That night when the babies came for their dinner, I did something drastic…I put the plate inside my house and waited for them to enter. When they did, I quietly slide the glass door shut. One of them freaked when he saw the door closed, but after a few minutes they were completely fine. It took them a few weeks to get used to seeing me so close, but they soon warmed up to me. October of this year will make it three years since they’ve been members of my family—Cole, Clover, Milo and Otis.

Wow, Chris, those are some fascinating, life-changing events, I’ll have to say. I loved hearing about your journey and how writing and publishing helped to pull you out of depression. The Wild Rose Press is a fabulous publisher…so glad you found a home there. Thank you so much for sharing with us.

And now, please check out Chris’s new release, looks like an excellent read!!! She’s also sponsoring a giveaway…the Rafflecopter link is at the bottom of the post.

 

SeismicCrimes_w10160_750

 

BLURB:

An Internal Affairs Investigator was murdered and his brother, Donovan Goldwyn, was framed. Now Donovan is desperate to prove his innocence. And the one person who can do that is the woman who saved him from a deadly hurricane—Beth Kennedy. From the moment their fates intertwined, passion consumed him. He wants her in his arms. More, he wants her by his side in his darkest moments.

Beth Kennedy may not know everything about Donovan, but she can’t deny what she feels for him. It’s her love for him that pushes her to do whatever she has to do to help him get justice, including putting herself in a criminal’s crosshairs.

When a tip reveals the killer’s location, they travel to California, but then an earthquake of catastrophic proportions separates them. As aftershocks roll the land, Beth and Donovan have to endure dangerous conditions while trying to find their way back to one another. Will they reunite and find the killer, or will they lose everything?

 

Digital:

Amazon US: http://amzn.com/B01CRJSPIU

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01CRJSPIU

Amazon CA: http://www.amazon.ca/dp/B01CRJSPIU

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/seismic-crimes-chrys-fey/1123508790?ean=2940158028380

KOBO: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/seismic-crimes

All Romance eBooks: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-seismiccrimes-1999825-153.html

The Wild Rose Press:

http://www.wildrosepublishing.com/maincatalog_v151/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=195&products_id=6740

 

Print:

Amazon US: http://amzn.com/1509207252

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1509207252

Amazon CA: http://www.amazon.ca/dp/1509207252

The Wild Rose Press:

http://www.wildrosepublishing.com/maincatalog_v151/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=191&products_id=6793

 

 

ChrysFey

BIO:

Chrys Fey is the author of Hurricane Crimes, Book One in the Disaster Crimes series, as well as these releases from The Wild Rose Press: 30 Seconds, Ghost of Death, and Witch of Death. She is an administrator for the Insecure Writer’s Support Group and has participated in the Blogging from April A to Z Challenge.

When Fey was six years old, she realized she wanted to be a writer by watching her mother pursue publication. At the age of twelve, she started writing her first novel, which flourished into a series she later rewrote at seventeen.

Fey lives in Florida and is always on the lookout for hurricanes. She has four adopted cats who keep her entertained with their antics, and three nephews who keep her entertained with their antics. You can connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, and through her blog, Write with Fey. She loves to get to know her readers!

AUTHOR LINKS:

Website www.ChrysFey.com

Blog www.writewithfey.blogspot.com

Facebook www.facebook.com/chrysfey

Twitter https://twitter.com/ChrysFey

HURRICANE CRIMES 99¢ SALE!

 

  

DIGITAL LINKS:

Amazon US / Amazon UK 

Amazon CA / NOOK / KOBO 

All Romance Ebooks

The Wild Rose Press

a Rafflecopter giveaway

13 Comments

Filed under 10 Moments that Changed My Life, Author Blog Post, New Release

Tagged as , , , , ,