Category Archives: New Release

April 26, 2022 · 7:15 am

Author Interview with Karen C. Whalen ~ New Release: Toes on the Dash ~ #WRPbks #AHAgrp

Please help me welcome today’s guest, Karen C. Whalen, sharing her latest release, a funny, fabulous cozy mystery, Toes on the Dash.

Hello, Karen…so nice to have you with us today.

Q-  What is your favorite quote?

“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you’ve always imagined.” —Henry David Thoreau. Thoreau is often quoted, but that’s because he was one smart guy. This quote makes my heart soar and helps me to believe in myself.

Because I can imagine a pretty great life.

Most authors admit they always wanted to write. I did, too, from an early age. I loved to read and could imagine myself writing a book. My dream came true in 2016 when my first book was published by The Wild Rose Press (TWRP), Everything Bundt the Truth, a murder mystery centered around a dinner club group. My eighth book was published by TWRP on April 25 of this year, Toes on the Dash, another murder mystery, this time involving a super-feminine, shoe-aholic who drives a tow truck in high heels.

Q- How did you come up with the title?

I got the Toes book title from a song I heard on the radio, Take A Little Ride, by Jason Aldean. I had the radio turned up and the window rolled down, trying to sing along, trying being the operative word here. He sings about his girl’s pretty pink toes on the dash. And my imagination took off. Was it possible to leave toe prints on the dashboard of a car? If so, this could be an important murder clue! I checked with my local police department and learned people can leave toe prints, often a vital piece of evidence at a crime scene.

So, my main character, Delaney Morran, suddenly became the kind of gal who props her toes on the dash. When her jerk of an ex-boyfriend is found dead in the trunk of a car she’s towed and her toe prints are discovered on the dash of said car, Delaney becomes the prime murder suspect.

Why, you ask, is Delaney driving a tow truck in high heels? Why is she even driving a tow truck at all? Well, Delaney received an unexpected inheritance—the keys to a tow truck—from her dead-beat dad. And she has some issues. She has very few memories of her father and wishes she could’ve known him better. Plus, her dad died in a mysterious hit-and-run accident that was never solved. So, despite the fact she’s never even changed a tire in all of her twenty-eight years, she decides to give the rough and dangerous business a chance. And, can you imagine all the dead bodies she stumbles upon in the car hauling business? Spoiler alert: she finds a dead body in every book. Actually there’s no surprise there.

Q- Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

Delaney’s dream is to get to know her dad by doing the work he did and driving the truck he drove. Plus, being her own boss is a dream come true. The message of the book is this: if you work hard enough at something, you can succeed at it. As Thoreau said, go confidently after your dreams. And live the life!

She went from wearing stilettos to hauling stiffs

Blurb:

Super-feminine and confirmed shoe-a-holic Delaney Morran receives an unexpected inheritance—the keys to a tow truck from a dad she’s never known. Even though she hasn’t changed a tire, or even driven any kind of a truck, she’s determined to make the rough and dangerous business a success. When she hauls a vehicle with the body of her jerk-of-an ex hidden in the trunk, the small-town cops in Spruce Ridge, Colorado do not believe this a coincidence. They have her in their headlights as the prime suspect. When the news hits, her business stalls. As a woman trying to make a living in a man’s world, she drives her rig in four-inch-heels to set herself apart. But she must toughen up her image and solve the crime or she’ll end up parked in jail.

Excerpt:

Stopping with my hand on the door, I sneaked a peek left and right, worried someone I knew would recognize me, then I took a deep breath and stole inside. Need I explain? This is a small town.

My eyes took a moment to adjust to the dark. One girl wearing a thong—thank goodness she wasn’t anyone I knew—was on stage. Mr. Hot Head sat at the bar with a tall beer, foam on top, glass full. Looked like he had just been served a fresh, cold one, and this early in the day, too. I backed out the door, ran for the tow truck, and zipped back to the alley as fast as I could.

I angled the truck in front of Hot Head’s Jeep and muscled the dolly wheels over to the rear end, crouching low to the ground, getting a whiff of the rank dumpster. Hot Head couldn’t see me from inside the building, but he had a sixth sense about me, and I was determined to keep under his radar. I jacked up the first dolly wheel and was on my way around the back bumper to jack up the second one, when bam!

I stumbled right into Hot Head. He had a tire iron in his meaty fist.

Buy links:

Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09S5XH9KQ?ref_=dbs_m_mng_rwt_calw_tkin_0&storeType=ebooks&qid=1644676163&sr=8-1#detailBullets_feature_div

Barnes & Nobel:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/toes-on-the-dash-karen-c-whalen/1140989970?ean=2940160712291

Apple books:

https://books.apple.com/us/book/toes-on-the-dash/id1609810860

 

Karen C. Whalen is the author of two mystery series for The Wild Rose Press: the Dinner Club Mysteries featuring Jane Marsh, an empty nester who hosts a gourmet dinner club, and the Tow Truck Mysteries starring Delaney Moran, a super feminine shoe-a-holic who drives a tow truck. Both are cozy mysteries about strong friendships and family ties set in Colorado. The first book in the Dinner Club series tied for First Place in the Suspense Novel category of the 2017 IDA Contest sponsored by Oklahoma Romance Writers of America. Whalen worked for many years as a paralegal at a law firm in Denver, Colorado and was a columnist and regular contributor to The National Paralegal Reporter magazine. Whalen loves to host dinner clubs, entertain friends, ride bicycles, hike in the mountains, and read cozy murder mysteries.

http://karencwhalen.com

https://www.facebook.com/whalencozyauthor (author page)

https://www.facebook.com/whalenkarenc  (personal page)

https://www.instagram.com/whalenkarenc

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April 4, 2022 · 9:53 am

Spotlight On: M. S. Spencer ~ Hidden Gem: the Secret of St. Augustine / #CozyMystery #RomanticSuspense #WRPbks #Blog

Please help me welcome today’s guest, M.S. Spencer with her new release: 

 

Release day for Hidden Gem: the Secret of St. Augustine!! Let me introduce you to the heroine—Philo Brice, owner of Mind Over Matter, an antique book and map store, and the hero, Barnaby Swift, graduate student and famous cruciverbalist. In the excerpt, he takes her for the best chili in St. Augustine. Or so he thinks.

Blurb:

Barnaby and Philo’s story begins with very bad chili and a dead body.

Barnaby is in St. Augustine, Florida, to teach a college seminar, and plans to use The Secret—a treasure hunt book—as a framework for his class. He enlists Philo Brice, owner of an antique map store, to aid him in seeking clues in the historic sites of the ancient city.

Together they face murderers, thieves, thugs, and fanatics, heightening their already strong attraction to each other. Can they solve the puzzle and unearth the treasure before the villains do? Philo and Barnaby pursue several twisting paths and false leads before arriving at a startling conclusion.

 

Excerpt:

Barnaby stopped to survey the street, took a tentative step, and halted again. He whirled around and trotted back the way they had come. “Ah, here we are. Thought for a minute I’d misplaced it.” He led Philo down an alley she’d never noticed before to a tiny restaurant—little more than a hole in the wall. A chalkboard hung in its grimy window. Scrawled on it were the words Welcome to Flora’s. “Let’s see what the specials are.” He read. “Well, how do you like that? Chili’s on the menu. Again.” He held the door for her.

The interior was painted a garish turquoise. Two wobbly Formica-topped tables took up the open space. Pink vinyl stools lined the counter. A woman supported herself on its scratched and stained surface, folds of fat cushioning her elbows. On the steel shelf behind her stood a large coffee urn and a cake stand piled with dusty-looking churros. How on earth did she wedge herself into that cramped space? She has to weigh four hundred pounds.

Barnaby strode up to the woman. “You must be Flora. Reservations for two at six, under Swift. I know we’re a trifle early, but could you squeeze us in?” Flora stared silently at him. He said heartily, “Well, then. Two bowls of your finest chili please, with all the fixings. You want a beer?” This last to Philo.

“Thanks.”

He walked over to a refrigerated display case and pulled two bottles out. “Dos Equis. Excellent.”

They sat at one of the tables, and Flora brought out two soup bowls filled with a dark red mess, along with a tray of grated cheese, and chopped onions and peppers. She plunked a basket of fresh tortilla chips in between the bowls. “Buen provecho.”

Barnaby pulled a small bottle from his pocket. “I always carry my own hot sauce. A blend of pineapple, serrano chilis, and chipotle, with a hint of chocolate.” He poured a generous amount over his chili.

Philo took a tentative bite of hers. Her eyes opened wide, and she almost spit it out.

Barnaby handed her a napkin, concern coloring his face. “Whatever’s the matter?”

She wiped her mouth and whispered, “This is vile.”

 

 Buy link(s):

Books2Read: https://books2read.com/u/mZZ2Ry

https://books2read.com/Hidden-Gem-The-Secret-of-St-Augustine

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Hidden-Gem-Secret-St-Augustine-ebook/dp/B09QJHCB4V

Barnes&Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hidden-gem-m-s-spencer/1140893266   /BIN ID: 2940161144589

ITunes: https://books.apple.com/us/book/hidden-gem-the-secret-of-st-augustine/id1605417704

 

About M.S.:

Librarian, anthropologist, Congressional aide, speechwriter—M. S. Spencer has traveled the globe. She has published fifteen romantic suspense or murder mystery novels, with two more on the way. She has two fabulous grown children and an incredible granddaughter. She divides her time between the Gulf Coast of Florida and a tiny village in Maine.

Social media

Blog: https://msspencertalespinner.blogspot.com

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

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/msspencerauthor

GoodReads: http://www.goodreads.com/msspencer
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/msspencerauthor/

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/m-s-spencer

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March 30, 2022 · 9:43 am

“10 Moments That Changed My Life” by Cara Bertoia ~ New Release: Casino Queen #WRPbks #Blog

Please help me welcome author Cara Bertoia with the moments that changed her life, and her latest release, Casino Queen.  

10 Moments That Changed My Life

When I saw this blog post suggestion, I found it intriguing. Could I distill my life into ten moments that changed my life? I found it quite the challenge and I love challenges.

  1. The first disappointment in my life came at nine years old. My family moved from my beloved Charleston, South Carolina to Charlotte, North Carolina only a four-hour drive but a world apart. Charleston was a walkable city filled with antebellum mansions, and beaches galore. And Charlotte a suburban ghost town where you never saw a human walking.
  1. In my senior year in college my boyfriend decided he didn’t want to get married. Not sure what to do next I decided to spend my last semester at the University of the Americas in Puebla, Mexico. I loved it there, and when I got home and he proposed I decided I didn’t want to be married. I wanted to travel.
  1. My first year after college I was teaching school and living in Charlotte. Then one day my father dropped dead of a heart attack while playing tennis. My heart broke because he was the parent I felt the closest to. I joined the sad club that day, but it cut the ties that tethered me to Charlotte.
  1. On a summer break from teaching, I traveled to Lake Tahoe to work as a blackjack dealer. I never returned to teaching and spent the next three years dealing at Caesars Tahoe.
  1. Eventually I moved back east to take a job in hi-tech. A friend from Tahoe passed through town on her way to New Zealand to work for Princess Cruises. An adventure down under sounded like more fun that my job, so I applied to the cruise ships and got a job traveling the world.
  1. After I had been at sea for five years, and getting a bit anxious about my future, my Prince Charming appeared. We both worked on the Star Princess. Three months later Ray jumped ship to leave with me. We married a week later. I discovered that although I had sucked at dating I was great at marriage.

  1. We took jobs at an Indian Casino in Palm Springs, California. It turned out to be the best job of our lives. The tribal chairman was the most charismatic man I had ever met. Native American casinos had just opened in the Coachella Valley with thousands of people from all over the world moving to work there. It resembled a modern-day gold rush.
  1. We contracted to build a house in Palm Springs. Three fourths of the way through our contractor abandoned us. We didn’t know anything about permits, or building, but we finished the house without divorcing. We didn’t even get into a fight. That is when we truly became Team Bertoia.
  1. We sold our property and moved to Florida to be nearer my sisters. We traded a house and a garden for an apartment in a high rise. Unfortunately, a few years later my sister died. But at least I had that time to reconnect with my family.
  1. I loved the casino industry but an underbelly of corruption ran underneath the surface just perfect for a thriller, and I decided I was the perfect person to write it. I embarked on my next career as a novelist. Now, I spend my days looking out at the ocean as I write about my casino years.

Manager Caroline Popov’s job is to clean up the Night Hawk. In the process her list of enemies grows. With her life on the line, can she pull out a win.

Excerpt:

“Why did I transfer you up from Palm Springs to be my Casino Queen?” The charismatic Tribal Chairman John Tovar asked.

“Casino Queen, really? Apparently, you are the only person in America who isn’t watching the show about the seven kingdoms on cable. The queens always get killed in the most horrific ways. They are hanged, beheaded, poisoned, burned alive in an explosion, or have their throat slit,” an exasperated Caroline Popov answered.

“I promise that won’t happen to you.” He gestured for her to take a seat at an empty ‘Mystic Mermaid’ slot machine, then sat across from her. They swiveled their

chairs to face each other. John tried to act serious, but a smile kept pulling at the corner of his eyes. “According to the Mazurie decision, Native American tribes are considered sovereign nations. Therefore as leader of the tribe, I am King of the Shotowa.”

He continued. “Believe me, when I met the Queen of England I was introduced as the leader of the Shotowa nation. Let me be clear, as soon as you drove into this parking lot you entered the nation.” He gestured toward the uniformed officers standing at the door. “We have our own army.”

She decided to play along with the flow of his logic. “You mean security guards.”

“Precisely, trained courtesy of the United States Marine Corps. The tribe issues its own currency, gaming chips made of ceramic clay, stamped with our logo. At the cashiers’ cage, our central bank, those chips can be exchanged for U.S. dollars. Anyone can find food in our three restaurants or the team member dining room for employees. An underground well supplies us with water. We provide hotel rooms for shelter. Any guest who comes to stay with us will find their basic human needs covered by the Shotowa Tribe. Never forget we are a sovereign nation. I am the King, and I anoint you Queen of the Night Hawk.”

 

Buy link(s):

Amazon 

 B&N

 Google Books

Bio: 

Cara Bertoia grew up in a strait-laced Southern family, but she was always fascinated with casinos. In her twenties on a summer hiatus from teaching in North Carolina, she drove to California and became a dealer at Caesars in Lake Tahoe. She discovered that after teaching high school, handling an unruly gambler was a piece of cake. Her mother highly disapproved of her working in a casino, “a place so bad it has ‘sin’ in the middle.”

Eventually, she succumbed to pressure from the family and returned east to take a hi-tech job in Boston. She also began working on her MFA in writing at Emerson. Her goal was to write the first realistic novel about casino life from the perspective of an experienced table games dealer. She is always amazed that normal and sometimes quite intelligent players become absolutely clueless in the casino. They repeat superstitious nonsense and no amount of logic can change their position, maybe her novel will.

While in Boston she was offered the opportunity to join Princess Cruises as a croupier. Jumping at the chance, she spent the next five years circling the globe. Sometimes life exceeds your dreams. She was awed by the wonders of Venice, the fjords of Norway, and the Northern Lights in St. Petersburg.

Cara returned from ships with a very special souvenir, her Scottish husband Ray. They went to work at the Spa Casino in Palm Springs, and now live in Hollywood, Florida, where she writes about her casino years while wistfully gazing out at the ocean.

I love to connect with my readers. Please send me a picture with Casino Queen. I will post those pictures to my social media.

mailto:carabertoia@yahoo.com

TikTok:  tiktok.com/@carabertoia

Cara Bertoia’s Blog 

 Twitter 

 Cara Bertoia – Author 

Instagram

 Goodreads 

 BookBub 

 Facebook

 

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February 9, 2022 · 7:43 am

Peculiar Activities by Mark Edward Jones ~ #Mystery #Blog #AHAgrp #WRPbks

I am very pleased to welcome Mark Edward Jones….who happens to be one of my authors at The Wild Rose Press. And, it so happens, we discovered that his wife and I graduated together…Moore High School, Class of ’80. Crazy coincidence, right? Mark is a talented author and a great guy and I am thrilled to be his editor. And the best thing of all, he’s an Elvis fan! 🙂 Take it away, Mark…

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

I grew up in Duncan, Oklahoma, and I’ve lived in Edmond, Oklahoma, since 1999. I’m married and have three grown children but no grandchildren. Cooper and Jasper are Yorkies or Yorkie mixes, and they keep me more than busy.

I read and wrote a lot in junior high and high school. The dedication page in Peculiar Activities includes a note about a high school English teacher. Once in college, I read textbooks and wrote term papers, then, after marrying and children, life went faster. I retired in 2017 from the financial area of the University of Oklahoma and thought I would try writing again. Luck seems to have followed me (so far) as I found writing classes with very helpful instructors and classmates, harsh but friendly beta readers, and great editors.

Where did you get the idea for Peculiar Activities? Why did you choose this genre? 

I wanted to focus on writing a mystery novel because the genre is what I like to read and watch on television. Since there are literally hundreds of thousands of mysteries on Amazon and other platforms, I wanted to expand the story a bit beyond a generic police procedural. I included an international intrigue subplot, specifically the main protagonist getting involved with cold-case murders leading him to Vienna and Prague. This led to the book’s title, Peculiar Activities, a derivative of an actual police unit in Prague called the Unit for Special Operations.

Do you collect anything?

I still have a rock collection from my grade school years. After my mom passed away, I inherited over six hundred albums and records, and I’ve kept my eyes open in old records shops for others I may want to purchase. 

What was your first job?

In high school, hauling those big console TVs back and forth to a friend’s dad’s repair shop. 

Would you rather have a bad review or no review?

Bad one. At least people supposedly have purchased and read the book. 

What is your favorite quote?

“I went to a bookstore and asked the saleswoman, ‘Where’s the self-help section?’ She said if she told me, it would defeat the purpose.” Steven Wright 

Have you written any other books that are not published?

I have self-published a historical fiction book in 2017 called New Beginnings, later renamed Servants, Slaves, and Sinners. I’ve pulled it from Amazon, and I’m thinking of rewriting it as a historical mystery. 

Who is the most famous person you have ever met?

Robert Lamm of Chicago, and I was totally tongue-tied. 

How did you come up with the title? 

The book title is the name of a Czech police unit and is based on an actual division called the Unit for Special Operations. 

Your favorite…

Movie  North by Northwest

Music  Elvis, the 70s, and Smooth Jazz

Place you’ve visited  Maui

Place you’d like to visit  Great Britain

TV show from childhood  Lost in Space

TV show from adulthood  Seinfeld

Food  Mexican

Sports team  Sooners and Dallas Cowboys (not easy)

Which do you prefer: Board games/card games or television?  Television

Thanks so much, Mark. It was great getting to know you better. I’m also a huge Seinfeld fan. And I love Steven Wright. Love the quote! 🙂

A murder in a park, and a new detective finds an old conspiracy.

Blurb:

Junior Detective Henry Ike Pierce is hired to reassess cold-case killings. On the third day of his new job, a dismembered body appears in a local park. The corpse’s desecration is like slayings from over two decades ago, and his boss assigns Henry to his first investigation. He must uncover the present-day killer while his boss pushes him to resolve crimes from the past.

Henry seeks a killer within a community of rival ethnic groups, refugees from the 1990s Balkan wars. Rumors point to a killer called ‘the hooded one.’

As his investigation unfolds, the young man from western Virginia’s coal country discovers that ‘trust’ has a flexible definition.

Excerpt:

Eddie Stone pointed to our left. “There. This whole section.” He kicked away the dead foliage, and a flat headstone surfaced with the name of UNKNOWN and the death date of JULY 1987. “This used to be where we buried unclaimed bodies after two weeks. These days it doesn’t happen much with all the DNA crap.”

He stepped toward the fence, then cleared off another area. Five gray markers appeared, all said UNKNOWN and JANUARY 1995. “These are the five homicide victims Director Marconi told you about.”

Those deaths came into focus like a cold slap. “Why couldn’t you identify them?” I asked.

“No heads, hands, or feet.”
“Excuse me?”
“Whoever did this kept the skulls, hands, and feet.

With no teeth and no fingerprints, we had nothing else sophisticated enough to help us.”

“No guesses even? A missing person reports?”

“Nope. We found a connection, though.”
“To what?”
“To each other, it seemed. The victims were male,

all wore brown leather jackets, and the damnedest thing—a piece of Orehnjaca was stuck in the breast pocket of each victim.”

“Oren Jaka? I’ve never heard that word.”

He grinned. “I hadn’t either. It’s a Serbian bread dessert. A nut roll or something.”

“These murders sound more like mob hits.”

“Bingo. We’ve thought similarly over the years but couldn’t connect it to local gangs.” A blast of north wind shuffled the leaves, covering the headstones again. “I don’t think it’s only a local issue, and neither does the director.”

Buy links: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple, Google, Kobo

                             Audiobook: Amazon or Audible

 

Bio: 

Mark Edward Jones retired in 2017 after thirty-three years working in higher education finance and wanted to start writing again. In February 2021, he signed a contract with the Wild Rose Press for a novel called Peculiar Activities. The book’s release date was October 6, 2021. This manuscript won first place in the mystery category of the 2019 Oklahoma Writers Federation annual contest and was a finalist in the 2020 Page Turner Awards contest.

Mark signed a contract in November 2021 for the second book in the Henry Ike Pierce series, Shadowed Souls.

He is a part of a group of thirteen authors bringing together thirteen stories for a Friday the 13th anthology to be released on May 13, 2022. Mark’s short story is A Gentleman from the Darkness.

His flash fiction piece called Alone in Warsaw was published in the Autumn 2019 edition of the U.K. Publication, Painted Words.

Mark grew up in Duncan, Oklahoma, then attended the University of Oklahoma, earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees in political science and public administration.

He and his wife celebrated their fortieth anniversary in November 2021.

Mystery/suspense/international intrigue novels are his favorite reads, and he’s found an odd niche with medieval murder mysteries, noting it’s interesting to see the lifestyles from other eras and how crimes were solved.

His favorite music includes Elvis, Chicago, Earth, Wind & Fire, and Boz Scaggs (among many others).

Website: mejbooksllc.com      Email: mejbooksllc@gmail.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mejbooksllc   Twitter: https://twitter.com/mejbooksllc

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February 4, 2022 · 11:06 am

Katie’s Gamble: #HistoricalRomance by Kara O’Neal ~ #AHAgrp

Please help me welcome my prolific and sweet author friend, Kara O’Neal…

 

Hello, Kara…please tell us a little about yourself.  

Hello! My name is Kara O’Neal, and I am from a small town northeast of Houston. And I still live there! I’ve been married for almost twenty-four years. My husband and I have three children – two are in college and one is a freshman in high school. I asked them to stop growing up, but they didn’t listen. (Kids, right?) We also have a sheltie named Stormy, and she is the princess of the house! 

Where did you get the idea for Katie’s Gamble? 

In my Texas Brides series, I met Rowdy Denton. He was a secondary character in another book. A villain, truthfully. But as I wrote him, I felt like he had a good heart that was covered up by bad circumstances. I couldn’t get his backstory out of my head. I had to see if he could be redeemed or saved. 

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

I am the Special Education Campus Specialist for a middle school. I like this job most of the time. It is very demanding, but for good reasons. I adore the people I work with. I can’t do life without them. And let me tell you, they are heroes. What they do every day is inspiring. 

Do you collect anything? 

Yes! I collect castles, crosses, Christmas ornaments, and things with the number seven on them. 

What do you want readers to come away with after they read Katie’s Gamble? 

I hope that they will feel happy that someone like Rowdy Denton can be saved. I also hope that they will find Katie’s dedication and loyalty inspiring. 

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

Because their chemistry is fantastic, I would hope that Jennifer Morrison and Colin O’Donoghue would take the roles! 

What is your favorite quote? 

Fear not. 

Your most prized material possession? Why? 

I have the Texas flag that was flying over the capital of Texas the day I graduated from high school. It’s gorgeous. It’s home. 

Your favorite…

Movie – Pride and Prejudice

Music – Texas Country/Red Dirt

Place you’ve visited – Marfa, Texas and Vatican City

Place you’d like to visit – Ireland!

TV show from childhood – Golden Girls

TV show from adulthood – The Closer

Food – Brisket, Cheeseburgers, Tacos, Tamales, Blue Bell Ice Cream

Sports team – Houston Astros

Which do you prefer: Board games/card games or television? Games!

 

 

She’s trying to keep her family together and will do whatever’s necessary. He’s a gambler and gunslinger who will do anything to protect her.

Excerpt:

“Miss McCord?” the gambler asked, his voice hard and gruff.

“Y-Yes. I’m Katie McCord.”

He jerked his head at the doors. “You need to go.”

She gulped and curled her hands into fists. “I need to speak with my brother.”

The fellow shook his head. “No. And this is not a place for a lady like you. You need to go before it’s too late.”

Was he concerned about her safety? If so, then the best thing would be for him to let her see Johnny. “I would like nothing more than to leave, sir, but I can’t until I talk with my brother.”

A muscle twitched in his jaw. “That’s not gonna happen. Best to give up.”

The thought of what she might lose if she left here without Johnny’s half of the confectionery drew her up. She lifted her chin. “I can’t afford to. Do you know where he is?”

He didn’t reply, only watched her with a hard glint.

“Please, take me to him. I can’t stress the importance enough.”

That muscle jumped again. “I’m sure you have your reasons, but McCord won’t see you.”

His flat statement punched her in the stomach, and she felt panic rising within her. “He can’t ignore me. Please.”

Something flashed behind the rigid light in his eyes, but it disappeared so quickly that she had no time to determine what it was. “Miss McCord, I suggest you leave before the evening crowd arrives. Find yourself a safer hotel or return to your home.”

Anger flared. “My home is in Texas. It was once Johnny’s, and he has been neglectful. I’m here to discuss personal matters with him so that I can continue providing for myself and our siblings.”

The gambler, and probably gunslinger, rolled his tongue against the inside of his cheek as he studied her in silence.

After a few, quiet moments, during which she refused to fidget, he finally said, “He won’t listen, won’t care. It’s best that you just go and find an alternate way to take care of your kin.” His gaze swept over her once more. “Get married. That ought to do it.”

She let out a frustrated exhale. “You have no idea what you’re talking about, and I demand that you take me to my brother or send him out here to me.”

One corner of his mouth quirked. “Finding your backbone, huh?”

She set her jaw, sensing if she said more, she’d only end up giving him a laugh.

He shook his head. “The McCord temper might run in your veins, but this is no place for a woman like you. Heed me and go home.” With that, he turned around and strode toward the hall on the opposite side of the lobby.

 

Buy link: https://amzn.to/3txYACc

 

Bio:

Award-winning author, Kara O’Neal is a teacher and lives in Texas with her husband and three children She write stories with strong family ties, lots of romance and guaranteed happy endings! Please visit her at www.karaoneal.com.

Website –  http://www.karaoneal.com

Bookbub –  https://www.bookbub.com/profile/kara-o-neal

Amazon –  http://www.amazon.com/Kara-ONeal/e/B00FL19TH8/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1465007993&sr=8-1

Barnes and Noble –  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/kara+o’neal?_requestid=845025

Facebook –  https://www.facebook.com/KaraONeal84/

Twitter –  https://twitter.com/KaraONealAuthor

Pinterest –  https://www.pinterest.com/karaoneal7/

Goodreads –  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7278350.Kara_O_Neal

Blog — http://www.karaoneal.com/blog

Blog – The Story Continues — http://www.karaoneal.com/the-story-continues

 

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January 29, 2022 · 1:27 pm

Delicious Heat: Bangers Tavern Romance 3  by Sadira Stone ~ Steamy Contemporary Romance ~ #AHAgrp #Blog

Please help me welcome today’s guest, Sadira Stone….

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

I grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area (the fog belt), joined the Army right after high school, went to Germany, then to Georgia & Alabama where I earned my teaching degree, then back to Germany where I taught on U.S. military bases until 2014 when I took early retirement & moved to Tacoma, Washington. After seven years in the Pacific Northwest, we recently moved to Las Vegas, where I live with my darling Hubs. No pets at the moment. One gorgeous daughter, one charming stepson who, with his lovely wife, will soon furnish us our first grandchild!

Where did you get the idea for Delicious Heat?

 Anna and Diego’s Meet Cute scene happens in Bangers Tavern Romance 1, Christmas Rekindled, and readers asked for their story.

Why did you choose this genre?

My stories are always realistic contemporary romance centering around small businesses and the found family who gather there. I love the way a shared enterprise can forge close relationships.

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

The story starts out with Anna’s discovery that her weasel of a husband is cheating on her. She tosses him out, then the very next day discovers she’s pregnant. Tough choice—stay in a crappy marriage for the baby’s sake, or divorce him and become a single mom? Diego’s arrival in her life further complicates her choices, of course.

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

I always struggle with the middle of the first draft. I started writing this book last spring, then my husband fell ill. I wrote through his surgery, recovery, and our move to Las Vegas, not to mention the pandemic. It was sloooow going.

Are there any tricks, habits or superstitions you have when creating a story?

I’m a kinesthetic learner, so I always start out by jotting scene ideas on index cards. These get arranged into a rough outline. It gives me such satisfaction to crumple and toss each card as I work that idea into the story.

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

Diego’s appearance is based on actor/musician Alfonso Herrera. He’s a hottie! Anna is half Lebanese-American on her father’s side. Lebanese actress/singer Maya Asmar would be make a perfect movie Anna.

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

I recently attended a panel discussion on reverse harem romance, and now I’m noodling out plans for a reverse harem series. This one will have supernatural elements, something I’ve never dabbled in before. Can’t wait to get started!

What is your favorite quote?

Life may not be the party we hoped for; but while we’re here, we might as well dance.

What celebrity would you most like to be stranded on an island with?

Whichever one had the best boat-building skills.

Is there one subject you would never write about? What is it?

BDSM. No shade on the kinksters—I believe that whatever consenting adults do behind closed doors is none of my business. But I don’t get the appeal of that kind of sexual expression, so I’d do a lousy job writing it.

What do you want your tombstone to say?

She touched lives and had a blast.

If you could spend time with a character from your book, whom would it be? And what would you do during that day? (PG-13 please 🙂

I’d love to help Diego in his food truck for a day. I’m a wannabe chef at heart.

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

Absolutely! This story (and my life) rejects the old-fashioned notion that in order to be a good mother, a woman must put her own needs last. Anna chooses to leave her cheating, neglectful husband, and she gets tons of push-back for that choice.

Your favorite…

Movie: French Kiss

Music: Blues

Place you’ve visited: The Loire Valley in France

Place you’d like to visit: Tahiti!

TV show from childhood: The Partridge Family (Yup, I’m old.)

TV show from adulthood: Any hospital drama, like Chicago Med

Food: Cheese!

Sports team: Meh. I’ll watch whatever Hubs is watching.

Which do you prefer: Board games/card games or television? Darts!

Thank you, Sadira. What a fun interview. I’m old too, LOL, and I also loved The Partridge Family. 🙂

Please tell us about your book…

 Blurb:

Cupid has lousy timing.

After kicking her cheating husband to the curb, nurse Anna Khoury discovers she’s pregnant. When Bangers Tavern’s hunky chef makes heart eyes at her, she dismisses that delicious thrill as the last thing she needs. Single motherhood will take all her strength and focus. Anna’s battered heart can’t take another blow.

Chef Diego Vargas is aiming higher than burgers and tater tots. His dream—his own food truck, the Empanada Angel, but he’ll need his family’s support to pull it off. Meeting Anna leaves him thunderstruck, even though his attraction to her threatens all his plans. Call it fate, call him crazy, but he’s determined to prove he’s in it for keeps.

With a belligerent ex-husband and two overprotective families set on breaking them up, Anna and Diego will need more than red-hot passion to pull them through. His career and her baby’s future are on the line.

Come back to Bangers Tavern for a spicy tale of forbidden love that will warm your heart…and other parts…and make you hungry for empanadas!

Excerpt:

He dipped a spoon in his olive and sun-dried tomato tapenade and held it to her lips. She held his gaze as her soft pink lips closed delicately around the morsel. Then her eyes closed, and her fingers fluttered to the delicate V where her collar bones met. Her soft moan brought his dick to full attention.

Note to self—cook for Anna as often as possible.

A devilish smile bloomed across Anna’s lovely face. “What Olive doesn’t know won’t hurt her.”

“Smart mom.” He slathered her feta-studded burger with tapenade, topped it with a dollop of tzatziki, and filled the rest of the plate with garlic tots.

Watching Anna eat was his new favorite thing. Perched on her stool at the center island, she attacked her dinner with enthusiasm bordering on feral. Each groan of pleasure echoed between his thighs.

She licked tzatziki from her thumb, then glanced up and caught him gawking. “Oh, jeez, I must look like a pig.”

He shook his head. “A pig could never be so pretty.” Or tempting. Or bewitching. Or fascinating…

She ducked her chin and giggled. “You’re trying to seduce me and Olive with your cooking superpowers, aren’t you?”

“Drat.” He smacked the counter. “You’ve discovered my evil plan.”

Buy link(s): https://books2read.com/deliciousheat

Bio:

Award-winning contemporary romance author Sadira Stone spins steamy, smoochy tales set in small businesses—a quirky bookstore, a neighborhood bar, a vintage boutique… Her stories highlight found family, friendship, and the sizzling chemistry that pulls unlikely partners together. When she emerges from her writing cave in Las Vegas, Nevada (which she seldom does), she can be found in belly dance class, or strumming her ukulele, perhaps exploring the West with her charming husband, or cooking up a storm, and always gobbling all the romance books. For a guaranteed HEA (and no cliffhangers!) visit Sadira at http://www.sadirastone.com.

I’d love to hear from you! Please visit me on all the socials.

Author Website   Facebook   Twitter  Goodreads   Bookbub   Amazon Author Page   Pinterest   Instagram   Author Newsletter     Bingebooks

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November 19, 2021 · 8:43 am

Diana Rubino ~ The One That Got Away ~ #AHAgrp

Please help me welcome today’s guest, author friend Diana Rubino…

About Diana

I write about folks through history who shook things up. My passion for history and travel has taken me to every locale of my books: Medieval and Renaissance England, Egypt, the Mediterranean, colonial Virginia, New England, and New York. My urban fantasy romance FAKIN’ IT won a Top Pick award from Romantic Times. I’m a member of the Richard III Society and the Aaron Burr Association. In my spare time, I bicycle, golf, do yoga, devour books, and live the dream on Cape Cod.Visit me at www.dianarubino.com, www.DianaRubinoAuthor.blogspot.com, https://www.facebook.com/DianaRubinoAuthor

and on Twitter @DianaLRubino

About THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY

I’ve been a Civil War and Lincoln buff since I was eight years old. I don’t know what got me started, but it might’ve been a book which I still have titled The Life of Abraham Lincoln, Volume 1, written in 1895. When I was in 3rd grade, my teacher asked us to bring in a book from home, for a show & tell. My mother suggested I bring this Lincoln book, which even in 1966 was in rough shape—yellowed, stiffened strips of Scotch tape barely held the covers to the spine. With the wisdom of an 8-year-old that sadly, all of us outgrow, I demurred:

“This old book? She’ll think we’re poor!”

My mother corrected me: “No, she’ll think we’re rich. Books like this are rare.”

Then she proceeded to tape it up some more. Those tape fragments adhere to the book’s spine and pages to this day. My teacher, Miss Cohen, was duly impressed. I treasure that book, one of many on my “Lincoln shelf” which holds books about our murdered president, his wife Mary, his assassin John Wilkes Booth and his family, the “Mad Booths of Maryland” and the conspirators who faced the gallows or years of hard labor because Booth, their charismatic leader, sucked these poor impressionable souls into his insane plot.

In 2017 I wrote A NECESSARY END, a romance thriller about Booth’s plot to kill President Lincoln, with a touch of the paranormal. My new historical novel, THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY, features John Surratt, a loyal Southerner embroiled in Booth’s plot. As Booth and his other cohorts meet in the Washington D.C. boarding house of Mary, John’s mother, John begins to struggle with a dilemma that soon tears him apart emotionally: should he avenge the South as a hero, or back out as a coward to avoid an unforgiveable sin?

Mary Surratt was hanged as one of the conspirators, although no one will ever know the degree of her involvement. It was in her house where Booth and his crew met to hatch their plot. Her son John is a footnote to history, but he also was one of Booth’s most trusted followers.

John may have joined Booth out of need for approval and recognition as a war hero, which he never got from his alcoholic father. As Booth’s cohort, he took dangerous risks for his beloved South. But as Booth’s plan to abduct Lincoln changed to assassination, a mystery arises—was John Surratt there in Washington to assist Booth in the murder, or was he in New York? No one knows for sure, as witnesses claim to have seen him in both places. We do know that he agreed to carry out Booth’s order to shoot General Grant, but backed out at the last minute. We will never know why, but this story explores the possibilities—did he have an attack of conscience, of cowardice, or did he just promise to obey Booth, without any intention to carry out the deed?

We witness the inner workings of John Surratt’s mind—and his heart—tormenting him, tearing him apart. His dilemma—whether to carry out this deed for his love of the South, or back out and be branded a coward, but live free from sin—consumed his thoughts, prayers and dreams throughout this part of his life.

He never achieved his wish of being a famous war hero. He’s a rather obscure historical figure. But this isn’t about the failed efforts of a would-be hero; it’s the story of an emotionally torn young man devoted to his beloved country. On one level, avenging the South was a noble deed. But deep down, his fear of God’s wrath prevailed.

We see how a backwoods Maryland boy comes of age during the Civil War, starting out as a courier, and becomes embroiled in one of the most notorious plots in American history. Students and adults will learn the more intricate details of the Booth plots, from the point of view of one of his most faithful followers.

Purchase THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY on Amazon:

Getbook.at/GotAway

 

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November 15, 2021 · 6:14 am

Author Jill Piscitello ~ New Release: Tinsel and Tea Cakes, a sweet holiday romance ~ #WRPbks #AHAgrp

Please help me welcome today’s guest, Jill Piscitello…

Book blurb:  

Hair stylist Scarlett Kerrigan lost her job and her apartment. To alleviate a touch of self-pity, she succumbs to her stepmom’s pressure to attend a wedding in the New Hampshire White Mountains. Unfortunately, she runs into the vacation fling who promised the moon but disappeared without an explanation. Months have passed, but she is not ready to forgive and forget.

After a chaotic year, executive Wes Harley settles into his family’s event venue, The Timeless Manor. His carefully structured world is shaken to its core when Scarlett arrives for the Victorian Christmas wedding weekend. The feelings he never quite erased flood to the surface.

When secrets are revealed, will a magical chateau and a sprinkle of tinsel be enough to charm Scarlett?

Purchase Links:

Amazon           Nook

About the Author:

Jill Piscitello is a teacher, author, and an avid fan of multiple literary genres. Although she divides her reading hours among several books at a time, a lighthearted story offering an escape from the real world can always be found on her nightstand.

A native of New England, Jill lives with her family and three well-loved cats. When not planning lessons or reading and writing, she can be found spending time with her family, trying out new restaurants, traveling, and going on light hikes.

 Social media links:

Website ~ Twitter  ~ Facebook ~  Instagram

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November 12, 2021 · 10:26 am

#HobbyCareerPassion: Maria Imbalzano ~ Baking May Not Be My Forte, But I Love It! & New Release: Red Velvet Crinkles and Christmas Sprinkles #WRPgrp #Blog #AHAgrp

Welcome to my weekly feature where authors share about the hobbies, careers, or passions of their characters.

I’m pleased to introduce today’s guest, Maria Imbalzano…

Baking May Not Be My Forte, But I Love It!   I’ve always hated to cook, but I love to bake. The reason is simple: I have a sweet-tooth and licking the bowl, beaters, spoon or spatula is far superior than tasting some sauce or chicken and veggie concoction. Every year during the holidays, my mom, daughters and I bake Christmas cookies. When my mom was in charge, they all came out perfectly. We made butter balls, chocolate walnut, chocolate chip and kiefle (a square of thin pastry dough stuffed with a nut mixture, lekvar or apricot jam). While my mom, who is now 94, still supervises, she doesn’t jump in and help. Unfortunately, my cookies never come out as good as hers did, and after a few years I gave up on the kiefle. My dough was never thin enough and I didn’t have the patience to keep rolling it out after it stuck to the rolling pin or cutting board. The problem with my baking in general is that I’m a little casual with quantities. My mother, daughters and husband have all commented on my methods of measuring water, flour, sugar etc. and my response to anything that doesn’t come out quite right is “oh well.” My heroine, Bella, in “Red Velvet Crinkles and Christmas Sprinkles” has a little bit of me in her. She’s a lawyer who lost her job in Manhattan and returns home to Princeton over the holidays to regroup. She learns that her parents’ gift shop in town is failing and she comes up with the idea to turn it into a cookie cottage. Her parents bristle at the idea at first, but realize they may not have a business if they don’t change. In an effort to bolster the new cookie cottage during the holidays, Bella suggests that her father video her and her mom baking—with Bella making all kinds of mistakes. These videos will be posted on TikTok in an effort to reach a broader audience. In order to write this scene, I researched common mistakes in baking – most of which I make. Who knew there was a proper technique for measuring flour? Apparently, you spoon it into the measuring cup instead of dipping the measuring cup into the flour bag, because no one wants excess flour causing a crumbly cookie. And too much sugar makes cookies brittle. You wouldn’t want others to break their teeth on over-sweetened treats. Not thoroughly creaming the butter and sugar results in flat, dense cookies instead of the more appealing light and fluffy ones. Not chilling the dough when called for means the batter will spread quickly and aggressively once in the oven. Presumably no one wants an aggressive cookie. And the mortal sin of baking—using liquid measuring cups to measure dry ingredients. Or vice versa. So much to learn. Perhaps Bella and I will take heed. Perhaps not. But one thing is for sure. “Red Velvet Crinkles and Christmas Sprinkles” is a heartwarming holiday romance that will squeeze your heart and make you smile. And it might even make you head to the kitchen to make Christmas cookies.

Maria’s cookies in Santa Plate

Find the recipe here: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/231745/red-velvet-crinkle-cookies/    Blurb: Competitive, work-obsessed Bella Simonetti has just been fired from her high-paying job at a Manhattan law firm. At an all-time low, she returns home and helps her parents at their small-town gift shop, but the business is failing and may not make it past the Christmas holidays. Successful landscape architect Dean Jackson is like a son to Bella’s parents. But he’s a persistent annoyance to her—he seems to have forgotten his unforgivable blunder thirteen years earlier. When Bella transforms her parents’ gift shop into a cookie cottage, Dean’s generosity and magnetic smile are hard to resist, and those feelings of unrequited adolescent love come rushing back. But can Bella let go of the past and accept Dean for the man he is today?  Excerpt:  “I agree with Dean. Barb’s Gift Cottage has been in Princeton for thirty years. You don’t decide one day to revamp the entire business. Get rid of the old, make way for the new. It doesn’t make any sense to me.” Bella bit her tongue before responding, reminding herself to stay cool. “Okay. I’m open to anything. Let’s talk about your ideas to stay afloat.” She sat, poised with her pad in front of her, pen in hand. Silence. She looked directly at her dad first, eyebrow arched. “I’m listening.” Then she scanned over to Dean. Her gaze moved up to his eyes—sea green in the harsh kitchen light but beautiful just the same. His gaze locked with hers and held her hostage— an unwilling prisoner to his warden. All ire morphed into a swirling eddy of primal lust, and she felt herself disappearing into his aura. She needed to save herself as well as her ego. Fighting the pull, she surfaced, blinking to clear her eyes, inhaling to bring her back to the present. She disconnected and glanced at her parents. Had they noticed she’d been missing? The smallest smile quirked Dean’s lips—surely acknowledging her lapse into Dean-land. She reached for the annoyance she’d let slip from her grasp and pulled it back into her arsenal. Buy links:  Amazon https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09FYVGDWR Barnes and Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/red-velvet-crinkles-and-christmas-sprinkles-maria-imbalzano/1140147130?ean=2940162321644 Apple https://books.apple.com/us/book/red-velvet-crinkles-and-christmas-sprinkles/id1585527197   About Maria: Maria Imbalzano is a retired matrimonial lawyer who now writes full time. Instead of drafting motions, legal memoranda, and briefs, although fascinating, she now spends her days creating memorable characters and taking them on their emotional journeys through her contemporary romance novels. Her novel, “Unchained Memories,” won the Wisconsin Romance Writers Write Touch Readers’ Award and the ACRA Readers’ Choice Heart of Excellence Award. “Sworn to Forget,” the first of the four-book Sworn Sisters Series was a finalist for the illustrious RONE award as well as the Book Buyers Best Award. Two of her novellas, “The Blueberry Swirl Waltz” and “A Song For Another Day” won first place awards in their categories in the NEST (National Excellence in Story Telling) contest. Both of these novellas were also finalists for the Beverley Award. Visit Maria at http://www.mariaimbalzano.com Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/mariaimbalzanoauthor Twitter http://www.twitter.com/mariaimbalzano @mariaimbalzano Instagram: Mariaimbalzano_author Blog Link http://www.mariaimbalzano.com/category/blog/ Website Link http://www.mariaimbalzano.com Goodreads Author Page https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7276749.Maria_Imbalzano Book Bub Profile page https://www.bookbub.com/profile/maria-imbalzano Mailing List Sign Up form https://mariaimbalzano.com/sign-up-for-my-newsletter/ Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00FG9RI5K  

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October 25, 2021 · 6:51 am

Author Interview with Wendy Rich Stetson ~ New Release: Hometown ~ #AHAgrp #WRPbks

Please help me welcome today’s guest, Wendy Rich Stetson…

Good morning, Wendy, thank you for joining me. Please tell us a little about yourself, where are you from? Where do you live now? Family? Pets?

I’m a city girl with a hometown heart.  I grew up in Central Pennsylvania, the setting of my Hearts of the Ridge series, but I’ve lived in New York City for over 25 years.  Although I’m a wee bit scared of heights, I live on the 16th floor of a high-rise in Upper Manhattan with my husband, teenage daughter, and very naughty Maine Coon kitty. 

 Where did you get the idea for Hometown?

I guess you could say Oprah made me do it!  Just out of acting school and twiddling my thumbs while I waited for the phone to ring, I saw an episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show featuring romance writers.  “I could do that,” I thought, every bit as naïve as I was to think a starring role on Broadway would land on my doorstep, wrapped in shiny paper and tied up with a satin bow.  Still, inspired by those Oprah writers with the often-heard advice to “write what I knew” I came up with a simple premise: what would happen if a girl moved back to her hometown in Pennsylvania and fell in love with an Amish guy.  Twenty years and endless edits later, Hometown is now in the hands of readers.

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

I’m a professional actress, audiobook narrator, and theater teaching artist.  I’ve played saucy maids, longsuffering spinsters, and quirky leading ladies on and off-Broadway and at regional theaters around the country. I’ve worn no makeup onscreen with some of Hollywood’s most gorgeous stars, and Rick Sordelet (Broadway’s premier fight director) once told me I drove a cop car as well as any stunt woman.  I love what I do, and I’m so excited about the reopening of theaters around the country. 

Do you collect anything?

Like many redheads, I’m a huge fan of the Anne of Green Gables series by L.M. Montgomery.  I collect early editions of her books and display them in my office for inspiration. 

What was your first job?

As an actor, I’ve had a lot of odd jobs to make ends meet.  When I moved to New York, one of my first jobs was helping legendary children’s book author R.L. Stine answer his fan mail just as the Goosebumps series was taking the world by storm.  It was extremely important to Mr. Stine that all the fans who took time to write to him got letters in response.  Though I write in a completely different genre, he remains a big inspiration.

What do you want readers to come away with after they read Hometown? 

Through Tessa’s journey in Hometown, the reader grapples with how two people from vastly different backgrounds can create a life together.  Each book in my Hearts of the Ridge Series is a love story between an Amish and a non-Amish character and explores what happens when differing cultures mingle, clash, and ultimately merge.  Themes of forgiveness, self-acceptance, and the healing power of love run through all three stories.  When she turns that final page, I want my reader to feel all those things…and that along with Tessa, she’s finally come home. 

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

Oh, this one’s easy!  Debra Messing would play Tessa Meadows, Patrick Dempsey would play Dr. Richard Bruce, and Sam Heughan would play Jonas Rishel.  Dream team!

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

I’m dying to write a middle grade ghost story with just the right amount of creep factor.  I’ve just started playing with some ideas, and I’m super excited to give it a whirl.

What is your favorite quote?

I love the JRR Tolkein quote, “Even the smallest person can change the course of the future.”  It just fills me with hope.  And he and I share the same birthday.

Are your characters based off real people or did they all come entirely from your imagination?

As a tall, curly-haired redhead, I see some of myself in Tessa, but she is braver and ultimately more generous than I am.  Her best friend Jenn is definitely inspired by my spunky college roommate of the same name.  All the rest of the characters are entirely made up. 

What do your friends and family think of your writing?

I was so lucky that my parents were incredibly supportive of all my artistic endeavors.  They always told me to do what I loved and to do my very best.  These days, my daughter is my biggest fan.

 

Wonderful interview, Wendy. You’ve led a very interesting life.  Thanks again for joining me!

 

When Tessa’s big-city plans take the A Train to disaster, she lands in her sleepy hometown, smack in the middle of the most unlikely love triangle ever to hit Pennsylvania’s Amish Country.

Hot-shot Dr. Richard Bruce is bound to Green Ridge by loyalty that runs deep. Deeper still is Jonas Rishel’s tie to the land and his family’s Amish community. Behind the wheel of a 1979 camper van, Tessa idles at a fork in the road. Will she cruise the superhighway to the future? Or take a slow trot to the past and a mysterious society she never dreamed she’d glimpse from the inside?

 Excerpt:

The girl entwined her fingers in her skirt and tugged the fabric tight. “Your hair is the same color as my cat, and she’s the best cat in the world.” In a heartbeat, she fled and buried her face in the man’s lap.

“My goodness.  What a compliment.  Thank you.” She fumbled with the clasp of her wallet, discovering only then she smooshed her thumb deep into the whoopie pie.

The elfin child giggled and bounced on bare toes.

Standing, the man swept her into his arms and smiled down at Tessa. “Rebecca has not seen many women with ginger hair.”

Ginger hair. For years, she was tormented by boneheaded boys shouting, “Carrot Top” and “Flame.” No one ever called her mane ginger. Beneath his candid gaze, her curls heated like embers, warming her from top to toe. Who was this man?

The girl wriggled, knocking askew his straw hat.

He tossed her under one arm like a sack of flour and righted it, loosening a tawny curl that escaped the wide brim and fell over one brow. His gaze passed over Tessa’s face.  

Her unruly hair and short shorts tweaked at her consciousness. What did the Amish call outsiders? English? She was definitely dressed like an English woman. And not one from a Jane Austen novel.

He deposited the giggling girl right-side up on the floor and approached the table. “I’ve rarely seen hair that color myself. Like a copper penny.”

She stared at the mangled whoopie pie and blushed even deeper. For a brief moment, she felt his gaze trail down her body like a caress. Or did she?

 Buy links:

Amazon  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B097NVNFDF/

Barnes and Noble

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hometown-wendy-rich-stetson/1139719240

Apple

https://books.apple.com/us/book/hometown/id1573329404

Kobo

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/hometown-11

Google Play

https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Wendy_Rich_Stetson_Hometown?id=JSo7EAAAQBAJ&hl=en_US&gl=US

About Wendy:

Wendy Rich Stetson is a New York City girl who still considers the Central Pennsylvania countryside to be her home.  She grew up road tripping in a 1979 VW camper van, and she keeps a running list of favorite roadside attractions from coast to coast.  Now an author of sweet, small-town romance, Wendy is no stranger to storytelling.  She’s a Broadway and television actress, an audiobook narrator, and a mom who likes nothing more than collaborating on children’s books with her teenage artist daughter.  Wendy lives in Upper Manhattan with her family of three and rambunctious Maine Coon kitty.  Follow Wendy’s journey at www.wendyrichstetson.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/StetsonRiches

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

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wendyrichstetson_author/?hl=en

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58504083-hometown?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=Svcjev2iMD&rank=1

 

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