Why Zuri Loves Mixed Martial Arts in my New Release: Phantom Algebra
When I took a crack at writing Phantom Algebra, I faced a couple of new challenges. First, the novel is a horror story, a ghost tale to be precise, which was something I had never tackled before in novel-length fiction. Sure, I had written a handful of short stories that fit into the creepiest of genres, but crafting an entire book in that genre felt like a monumental undertaking. This was especially true because I also faced a deadline, which was not the self-imposed kind. If I wanted the yarn to be part of The Wild Rose Press’s series, The Haunting of Pinedale High, I needed to produce a polished manuscript in a little over a year. Such a task usually takes me at least eighteen months.
Despite those challenges, I wanted to make my hero, Zuri Williams, distinct from the characters I had encountered in the horror genre. What quintessential passion could I give her to set her apart from the genre’s many heroes and final girls?
While brainstorming passions, I fondly recalled watching boxing with my father as a lad. He wasn’t much of a sports fan, but he did enjoy the pugilistic arts. This was back before mixed martial arts (MMA) had taken off and women’s boxing was rarely televised. But times have changed. MMA fighter Conor McGregor has helped make mixed martial arts more mainstream and become a sporting superstar. Fighters like Ronda Rousey have increased the prominence of the female side of the fight game. Social media is full of videos of female fighters battling with the same levels of passion and skill as their male counterparts. I thought, what if Zuri is an aspiring MMA fighter? That struck me as a suitably unique passion for a horror hero, and raised an awesome question. What will Zuri do when facing foes she can’t punch, kick, or grapple into submission?
So mixed martial arts became Zuri’s passion imparted to her by her estranged father, a former prizefighter turned gangland enforcer. Instead of studying algebra, Zuri obsessively watches clips of her hero, The Jade Tiger, battling it out in the octagon and dreaming of one day becoming a world champion herself. She will learn just as she can’t solve algebraic equations with her fists, some enemies, namely nasty poltergeists, can’t be dispelled with a high kick alone, no matter how expertly delivered.
Zuri and her mother settle in Pinedale, North Carolina, to start over. For years, they’ve been on the run from Zuri’s father, a retired boxer and full-time gangland enforcer.
In Pinedale, Zuri finds a gym where she can train in mixed martial arts to pursue her dream of becoming a champion fighter. At Pinedale High, she discovers friends among the outcasts, academic challenges, and something unexpected…ghosts.
When Zuri encounters a tween phantom haunting the library, her life is turned upside down and inside out as she attempts to help the spirit. This incurs the wrath of devils, living and dead. Zuri will need her martial arts prowess, heart, and the aid of friends to protect everyone she loves.
Excerpt:
After being sucker punched by Mason, Zuri had executed the advice to lead with straight right hands. As the oldster had said, Mason was fast, but she was faster, and for whatever reason, be it arrogance or laziness, the boy never raised his guard high enough to block her shots. Instead, he tried to dodge them, which he did sometimes, but not nearly enough. Her right hand crunched into his face time and time again, sending satisfying jolts up her arm into her shoulder. With gratification, she watched the maniacal glee fade from his eyes, and panic set in as he realized he was getting his ass whooped by a girl. Mr. Tito ended the sparring match after one round, not wanting Mason to get beat up with the tournament only weeks away.
But the revelation after the match had doused Zuri’s joy at showing up the bully. After berating Mason for his shoddy defense, Mr. Tito ambled over to help Zuri remove her gloves. Smelling of aftershave and sweat, he spoke as he worked. “You did good in there, Zuri. Maybe too good for Mason, but you taught him a hard lesson. Something I’ve been working on with him for months. Keep your hands up!”
“He does keep his left low,” Zuri agreed.
Tito wrenched the right glove off her hand and dropped it to the canvas. “The angles you throw the right hand are unorthodox. I’ve only seen it once before.” He looked her questioningly in the eyes. “Zuri Williams. You’re not Jake Williams’s daughter, are you?”
Zuri’s mouth dropped open. “Ummm…” What to say? She collapsed in on herself, shriveling like a raisin. Did she dare lie and risk being caught? Did Mr. Tito know her father? Would he phone Big Jake as soon as she left?
Dan Rice pens the young adult urban fantasy series The Allison Lee Chronicles and other speculative fiction, both short and long, in the wee hours of the morning. To discover more about Dan’s writing and keep tabs on his upcoming releases, check out his blog, join his newsletter, and follow him on BlueSky. His latest novel, the YA horror Phantom Algebra, releases on September 15, 2025.
Please help me welcome today’s guest, Susie Black…
How an Apparel Career Led to a Writing Gig
Like the protagonist in my Holly Swimsuit Mystery Series, I am a ladies’ swimwear sales executive. The most critically important skill a sales exec must have to succeed is to be a good storyteller. Fortunately, I’ve been telling stories since I learned how to talk. One thing I was told repeatedly as a sales executive was to know your product inside and out. I heard the same thing when I started writing cozy mysteries: write what you know. If you don’t know it, either do the research and learn it, or don’t dare to write it. Whether you’re an author or a sales exec, you’re selling yourself, and readers, like buyers, can sniff out a phony in a heartbeat, and then you and whatever kind of story you’re telling are toast.
I came to write in the cozy mystery genre because I love solving puzzles. My parents would certainly confirm I have always asked a lot of questions, and I am naturally curious (some narrow-minded people say I am nosy…go figure…LOL). So, writing mysteries was the natural next step for me to take. Since I’d never written a novel before, the only thing I knew to do was to apply the same storytelling skills I’d successfully used hawking bikinis to writing a tale. It turns out that how you present an apparel line is the same way you write a story. Both have a beginning, a middle, an ending, and a point of view.
So, where did my story ideas come from? From the start of my career, I have kept a daily journal that chronicles the quirky, interesting, and often challenging people I’ve encountered as well as the crazy situations I’ve gotten myself into and out of. The protagonist of the Holly Swimsuit Mystery Series, Holly Schlivnik, is based on me. The journal entries are the foundation of all my writing for the stories that comprise the Holly Swimsuit Mystery Series. With a dollop of imagination, a pinch of angst, and a decades-long career chocked to the gills with juicy characters, I had more stories itching to be told in my daily journal than time to write them.
Who could push a sales exec to dream of murder and mayhem? Who else but a buyer? After completing a rather challenging conversation with an important but difficult account, I imagined how good it would feel with my hands around her scrawny neck, squeezing the life out of her. While the notion of knocking off my annoying customers was wildly appealing, a horizontally striped prison uniform making my four-foot, eight-inch body look like a barbershop pole and a fire hydrant had a child wasn’t a pretty sight. The viable alternative? Writing humorous murder mysteries set in the Los Angeles garment center. Brilliant and cathartic! In one fell swoop, eliminate a pain-in-the-patootie buyer, avoid life in prison, and still get the order. It doesn’t get any better than that.
Very interesting article, Susie. Thank you for sharing. And now, tell us about your book…
Brings a whole new meaning to a killer party.
Blurb:
Mermaid Swimwear President Holly Schlivnik attends an industry Hanukkah party to honor Rapido Swimwear CEO Leni Waxman as the Mount Cedars Hospital Woman of the Year. The guest of honor collapses and dies in the middle of the event. An autopsy confirms that Leni expired as a result of poisoning by coming in contact with a purposely contaminated dreidel. There is no shortage of suspects—Leni had no problem destroying anyone who threatened her position as the top dog in the swimwear industry. When Holly’s business partner is wrongly arrested for Leni’s murder, the irreverent sales exec can’t mind her own beeswax. The wise-cracking snoop sticks her nose everywhere it doesn’t belong to flesh out the real killer. But the trail has more twists and turns than a rollercoaster, and nothing turns out how Holly thinks it will as she takes on a ruthless killer hellbent on revenge.
Excerpt:
I leaned over to Queenie and pointed to Leni. “Take a gander at Leni. Something’s wrong with her.”
Queenie followed my index finger with her eyes. “Yeah, she’s white as a ghost and perspiring.”
Gary snapped, “Maybe the old broad is nervous.”
Buddy took his seat and pointed to Leni. “Something is wrong with that woman.”
Mira shrugged. “Or perhaps the emotion of sharing the loss of her sister took its toll.”
Gary clucked his tongue. “Don’t let her fool you with her sad story about her sister. I wouldn’t be surprised if she made the whole thing up to add some dramatic context to her acceptance speech. Leni Waxman has a heart of stone, and only ice water runs in her veins. She is incapable of loving anybody but herself. She’s probably going through menopause and having one helluva hot flash.”
Seeming to rally after taking several restorative gulps of water, Leni tottered on unsteady feet over to a large glass-topped table piled high with door prizes. She pointed to the stack and said in a remarkably normal voice, “Okay, folks, the last thing on our party agenda is the auction of these wonderful door prizes donated by all you generous vendors. Dig down deep in your pockets and let’s see some high bids. The proceeds are going to buy a library of books for the daycare center in the new hospital wing.”
She leaned over to pick up the first item, but it slipped through her fingers. Leni bolted straight up and stumbled as she clutched her midsection and let out a blood-curdling scream. She gagged and vomited down the front of her dress. Leni fell forward and collapsed onto the table. The stunned crowd went as silent as a cemetery when the glass top shattered and the door prizes scattered across the ballroom floor.
Hadassah Waxman jumped up and screamed, “Oh My God, No!” Morty and Barry rushed to Leni, but Doctor Levinson pushed them away. Levinson yelled, “Somebody call nine-one-one!” Then he sprang into action. He carefully pulled Leni out of the glass shards and laid her stiff-as-a-board body on her back. He held his palm over her mouth. She wasn’t breathing. He pressed his thumb first on the inside of her wrist and then on the bottom of her throat, but detected no pulse. He put his ear to Leni’s chest but didn’t hear a heartbeat. He commenced CPR, but she failed to respond.
Ten minutes later, two paramedics, pushing a stretcher loaded with life-saving gear and accompanied by a pair of LAPD uniforms, rushed into the ballroom. The hushed crowd held their breath as the medical first responders reached Levinson, still working desperately to revive Leni. The two pulled resuscitation equipment out and prepared to work on the supine guest of honor. The doctor’s shoulders slumped with defeat. Levinson’s eyes filled, and his voice cracked as he waved the two off. “It’s too late. She’s gone.”
Named Best US Author of the Year by N. N. Lights Book Heaven, award-winning cozy mystery author Susie Black was born in the Big Apple but now calls sunny Southern California home. Like the protagonist in her Holly Swimsuit Mystery Series, Susie is a successful apparel sales executive. Susie began telling stories as soon as she learned to talk. Now she’s telling all the stories from her garment industry experiences in humorous mysteries.
She reads, writes, and speaks Spanish, albeit with an accent that sounds like Mildred from Michigan went on a Mexican vacation and is trying to fit in with the locals. Since life without pizza and ice cream as her core food groups wouldn’t be worth living, she’s a dedicated walker to keep her girlish figure. A voracious reader, she’s also an avid stamp collector and sailor. Susie lives with a highly intelligent man and has one incredibly brainy but smart-aleck adult son who inexplicably blames his sarcasm on an inherited genetic defect.
Please help me welcome today’s guest, Mickey Flagg…
Walking into Kindergarten. I couldn’t wait to let go of my mother’s hand and take a seat in that classroom. A love of learning led me to a BA in Music Ed, an MA in Education, an M. Ed in administration, and much, much more. Learning takes a lifetime and I’m still up for trying new things every day.
The day I put my hands on a piano at age 4. I wasn’t allowed to touch the expensive piece of furniture, so I watched my sister’s lessons through a keyhole in an old-fashioned door. When no one looked, I’d run to the piano and play her lesson. I think I read music before I read words.
The day the boy I had the biggest crush on taught me how to read and play chords on the piano. I was thirteen. He was sixteen. He had a photographic memory. I didn’t. He was on the football team. I couldn’t catch a football if I tried. But… Sitting so close together on the piano bench, torn between absolute adoration and a thirst for knowledge, I somehow managed to absorbed everything he taught me. Little did I know it would shape my future.
The first audition for a speaking role in my high school’s musical. I had always been in the chorus, but in junior year, I tried out for a minor role. I won the lead and caught the acting bug. That experience changed my life.
The day I auditioned at NYU. On the spot, I was offered a full scholarship in music. Unfortunately, my parents wouldn’t let me go to school in NYC. But that validation of my abilities definitely changed my view of the world.
The day I stepped off the plane in London to study acting at The Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts. After the summer session, I spent months traveling Europe, seeing places I had dreamed about, before returning to New Jersey. RADA’s classical training led to years of professional performances in the tri-state area.
The glorious births of my two children. Each one was different. My son’s labor took forever. My daughter’s was a breeze. I feel blessed that they were both born healthy and have grown into such wonderful, caring adults. I cherish them both.
Taking a music teaching position in a local, large urban district. Life happens, right? I had taught in private schools and other school districts, but I needed to be closer to my two teenagers. So I took a position that had many challenges. It became a twenty-five year stay. My choruses were top-notch and a joy to prepare for performance. Then I was blessed to become an administrator in the same school for the last ten years of my education career.
The day I looked at a blank word document on my laptop and decided to write a novel. Who knew, right? I thought I’d write a few pages and walk away. Instead, three novels poured out of me. They were published between 2008 and 2010 with The Wild Rose Press. But as I said, life happens, and with my new administrative duties, I stopped any form of creative writing.
The day I retired. For twelve years, I’d written educational reports and evaluations. The rights for my three novels had reverted back to me. It took months of soul-searching before I opened them up ando read what I had written over a decade ago. So I cleaned them up. During those deep edits, I got the idea to continue the paranormal series. In 2022, I contracted the revised manuscripts, as well as Night of the Crescent Moon, with The Wild Rose Press, and I was able to work with my original editor. I’m thrilled that NOTCM won the Spring 2025 BookFest First Place Award for Paranormal Romance and took Second Place in Paranormal for the NEST (National Exelence in Story Telling) with the Central Region Oklahoma Writers. I never thought I’d have this exciting experience. But my life has overflowed with many blessings. I’ve had the unconditional support of family and friends through good times and bad. That kind of love is a gift that keeps on giving!
Some wounds never heal
Martine, a good witch and ER nurse must enlist Lukas, a mystical warrior to save her patient who is under the spell of a dark witch from the Second Realm. But Martine pushed Lukas out of her life years ago, and he is the only person who can help save her patient. Martine is torn when Lukas agrees to return to the realm that holds terrifying memories for him. Even though many assist Lukas, Martine’s ask is complicated and dangerous. Can he save her patient from a fate worse than death? More importantly, can Martine open her heart to Lukas, or this time, shut him out forever?
Night of the Crescent Moon Excerpt:
Lukas pushed off the kitchen chair, walked over with his arms wide and a warm smile complete with magnificent dimples. They held on to each other as if both had become lost in a mist of memories. Closing her eyes didn’t erase five years apart, nor the horrible way she ended their friendship. As if sensing her apprehension, his arms tightened across her back. The steady rise and fall of his chest as her head rested against him brought a strange comfort. Yet too many emotions blurred the lines, crashed into each other. Martine bit her lip, unable to focus. Lu looked happy. That’s all that mattered. And when he kissed her cheek, for the first time in a long time, she felt drawn to life again.
“Christ, how I’ve missed you, M,” he whispered in her ear.
“I can’t believe you’re really here, Lu,” she replied still tight in his arms.
“For you, I’d have walked if necessary.”
Looking aside, she frowned. “Yeah, and swim across an ocean, too.”
“Like I’ve always said, for you, anything.” He held her shoulders as she pulled back, and his deep-blue eyes filled, his expression one of concern. “You’re so thin. It’s like you’re wasting away.” She glanced down, but he drew her close again. The last time they’d seen each other, she had been healthy and happy, convincing him how her new boyfriend would be her destiny, how they’d have a baby and live happily ever after. She hadn’t realized it until just now. “I’m so very sorry,” he whispered as if he read her thoughts.
Mickey Flagg writes paranormal tales of passion with a twist of fate. Her mystical warriors, witches, and not-so-normal creatures of the night speak to the heart. She is an award-winning author in the genre of paranormal romance. Also published in the field of music education and in Still Standing, a web-magazine about loss and healing, Mickey is a member of Liberty States Fiction Writers, NJRW and NJ Author network. Oh, and she loves to edit, and then spend some quality down-time snuggling with her rescued Maine Coon. Find out more about her novels at www.mflagg-author.com
Please help me welcome today’s guests, C J Bahr and Marla White who are sharing about their collaboration. I’m in awe of writers who can work together to write the same book. I am not sure I could, but let’s see how it came about…
Alisa Jean is what happens when you put two writers together who share a mutual love, bordering on obsession, of hockey.
MARLA: I’m an award-winning cozy mystery writer who prefers to kill people the old-fashioned way – on paper.
C J: And I’m an award-winning writer of supernatural suspense who wreaks havoc in ghostly, demonic, or other-worldly ways with some spicy heat for good measure.
MARLA: Our writing collaboration more or less started the day the L.A. Kings celebrated Dustin Brown’s retirement. So, thanks, Brownie! Before then, I’d seen a hockey game or two, but dang, that puck is hard to follow on TV.
C J: S**t, take her to one live game and a fan is conceived if not fully born. Already a fan of the sport, I got her to watch a season, and soon my friend turned into a shouty, screaming maniac. It’s hilarious to watch.
MARLA: So naturally, we decided to turn our mutual love for the sport into a hockey romance series. Which always invites the question, “How do you write together?” The answer is it’s oddly easier than either of us thought it would be.
C J: Being lifelong best friends certainly helps. We don’t split up the characters, with one of us writing the male hero and the other the female heroine. Frankly, the idea never occurred to us, and now that I say it, that just sounds…weird. We basically leapfrog off each other’s work, making changes and approving new words as we go.
MARLA: It works out well, since I prefer to write first thing in the morning for an hour or so before starting my real job.
C J: And I prefer to write in the afternoon. So I’ll read and edit what she wrote earlier, and then I’ll write new scenes or chapters for her to build on the next morning.
MARLA: After coming up with a general outline, of course. Because I’m a plotter while she’s –
C J: A proud pantser. That’s the one difference that can be a bit tricky to work through, but we compromise and make changes to the outline as characters become clearer and more vibrant. Sometimes it takes a while, and other times, the characters just click.
MARLA: So far, “Luka,” the second book in the series, took a little bit longer. Our main characters are both dealing with some darkness, and we wanted to get it right.
C J: “Matthew,” on the other hand, practically burst off the page. We both knew back in book one, when the reader is introduced to Matt as the team’s angriest enforcer, exactly where we wanted to take him.
MARLA: One of the most fun we had with “Matthew” was replaying a scene from “Luka,” but this time from Matt’s perspective because their stories run concurrently. The idea of knowing what a person is dealing with makes it easier to feel compassion for them was important to us.
C J: I mean, he is an almost irredeemable jerk to Lincoln in the first book. Largely inspired by Jonathan Quick, we both loved Linc but had a little too much fun making Matt a thorn in his side. There had to be a reason he was such an a-hole, and when we found it, we knew what his book needed to be about.
MARLA: So far, knock on wood, we’re in the midst of book four in the (hopefully) seven-book series and haven’t had any major conflicts between the two of us.
C J: Well, except for your overuse of “up”. And towards instead of toward.
MARLA: Let it go, it’s my inner-Brit, I can’t help it.
C J: Anyway…writing in a different genre has opened us to a whole new group of readers, and we just love it.
A red-hot hockey sin bin romance
Matthew Holt uses his anger on the ice, gaining him the title of enforcer for L.A. Quakes and high minutes in the sin bin. But hooking up with a teammate’s little sister may earn him the highest penalty of all.
Ever since pee wee hockey, I’ve only known one way to play the sport I love – one hundred percent all in. My focus has always been protecting my teammates, so when the only team I’ve ever played for betrays me, trading me to a team thousands of miles from the family that needs me, who can blame me for taking angry and bitter to a whole new level.
Then Phoebe Anderson, the younger sister of my new teammate, literally falls into my arms and suddenly my life takes another, weird turn. Because believe it or not, my late sister voices her approval of the adorable klutz and refuses to be denied. Or am I going nuts? Either way, will our siblings prove to be too big of an obstacle to overcome? Or am I ready to let go of my anger and do whatever it takes to earn Phoebe’s love?
Excerpt:
This is from Phoebe and Matt’s first real date, and she discovers some surprising information about him.
“You can’t be serious. The original cartoon Mulan is way better than the live-action piece of garbage.” I’ve figured out that arguing is Matt’s primary mode of conversation, but he’s doing it with a sparkle in his brown eyes and a hint of a smile dancing on his lips. He takes a bite of a tortilla filled with roasted poblano peppers, onions, corn, Mexican cream, and cotija cheese. I’ve never had Rajas Con Crema, but I think I’m in love now. I want to date it. “The animated movie features great songs. Reflection, A Girl Worth Fighting For, Honor To Us All. And of course, my personal favorite,” he grins before singing, “mysterious like the dark side of the moon.”
First, I’m not surprised he likes the song I’ll Make A Man Out Of You, but I am surprised he has a pretty great singing voice. Who would have guessed?
I snicker. “Of course, that would be your favorite song.” I hold up a finger, ready to make my own argument for why the live-action is better. “That’s one of the problems. Live-action Mulan fixed many of the cultural problems and sexism. It also is closer to the historic Mulan story.”
“And I’ll counter-argue unlike the animated Mulan, who is an active force in shaping her own destiny, the live-action Mulan joins the Imperial Army, and the rest of the plot simply happens to her.”
I laugh. I can’t help myself. It’s like he’s giving a PhD dissertation. When I finally get a hold of myself, grateful I didn’t pee myself laughing, I grin at him. “I still can’t believe you watched both Mulan movies multiple times. I just don’t see it.”
“Yeah, well, I watched them with my younger sister.”
“You guys close?”
“Yeah.” He looks away before grabbing the last taco. For the record, I ate three to his seven. And, I also sense his discomfort talking about his sister, so I cut him some slack and change the topic.
We talk for another two hours about everything and nothing. Like his movies, he prefers classic rock like Guns N’ Roses, Rush, and Metallica over the synthesized crap of Pixel Grip or Death Comes Crawling.
“I mean, how do people not know when the instruments aren’t even real?” He gives an exaggerated shudder, which makes me laugh again.
“Mathew Holt, I had no idea you were so funny. And such a traditionalist. Plus, those bands use synthetic sounds on purpose. They’re not pretending a fake electric guitar is real.” I put my hand on his arm without thinking about it. His skin is warm to the touch, and the thought of how warm he’d be in bed comes into my brain unbidden. The image of him naked beside me isn’t unwanted, mind you, it just came of its own accord.
“Why are you smiling at me like that?” He raises an eyebrow at me, lip curled up on one side.
“I just didn’t know you were funny, that’s all.” I lie. If he knew what I was really thinking, we’d both be in trouble.
Favorite Lines:
“She sees rainbows and sunshine everywhere she looks, and all I see is the impending storm, flooding, and destruction.”
“I’m going to romance her so hard she won’t know what hit her. Somewhere between the front door and the bedroom last night, I decided to claim her, body and soul.”
“I need your rainbows to light my super dark world, or I’m lost.”
“I want the world to know this amazing woman is off the market and she’s mine. She’s my everything.”
Alisa Jean is the pseudonym for award-winning authors Marla A. White and C J Bahr. They first teamed up over thirty years ago over a bottle of Zima (don’t ask) while polishing their gear for a horse show. They’ve since moved on to better beverages and writing novels.
Separately, Marla prefers to murder characters in the usual way, while C J uses paranormal means. The long-time best friends joined together as a writing team through their mutual love of hockey. Wonder twin powers activated! Their hockey romances examine flawed characters with heart, humor, and sexy sizzle.
Please help me welcome today’s guest, Margo Carey…
Please tell us a little about yourself, where are you from? Where do you live now? Family? Pets?
Originally from Marblehead, MA, I later moved to Rhode Island with my husband and son. New England holds a special place in my heart. It’s where my imagination led me to write. Today, we live in Southwest Florida with our black cat, Sammy. Though we enjoy riding our bikes, we gave up kayaking after a couple of scaly denizens followed us around then bumped my husband’s boat. However, the positive outweighs the negative. The view from my office is always green. No ice. No snow. My latest pastime is walking and recording ideas for my next book. I enjoy reading paranormal and anything witchy. My favorite TV shows are Elspeth and Tracker. Life is good.
Tell us a little about how you came to write Demon Amulet.
Demon Amulet is set in Newport, RI, one of my favorite places. I created the Watcher Clan series around a mysterious stone tower that some believe was built by the Knights Templar. If so, I wondered if there could be descendants. Might those relatives have psychic powers? When we lived there, my husband was an offshore lobsterman, and I spent a lot of time in the wharf area with wonderful little shops. My characters also love those touristy lanes. I chose the title, Demon Amulet, to reference the story’s lethal magic trinket. Although I had already done intensive research on the Knights Templar for the first book, I found this second book more difficult because I had to discover new ideas: conflicts, story arc, and goals. I do love Google Earth for my setting research. That and Pinterest for photos of people who look like my characters and for ideas on their outfits. Each book can stand alone which means different protagonists and villains. In my first book the protagonist is a young brunette unaware of her family or powers. Her antagonist is a dreamwalker. This second book revolves around a beautiful blonde cousin and a vicious warlock. For the third, a thirty-something redhead goes up against a traitorous member of the Templar council. Of course, each story has the necessary handsome and psychically powerful love interest.
Stone Tower and Me
Are there any tricks, habits or superstitions you have when creating a story?
When I’m looking for a setting, whether it be a house or neighborhood, I always picture someplace I’m familiar with. But, if I don’t know I use the internet. The Brendani estate in this book is in an exclusive neighborhood. Although I’ve ridden by the driveways, I had to get a view of the homes and riverfront property via Google Earth. The apartment in the next book is my sister’s former abode. That way I can picture my characters as they move around.
What book have you read that you wish you had written?
Any one of the Harry Potter books.
What’s your favorite book of all time and why?
“The Agony and the Ecstasy” by Irving Stone. A wonderful narrative about Michaelangelo.
What’s your favorite childhood book?
Nancy Drew. The beginning of my love of mysteries.
Would you rather have a bad review or no review?
As much as I’d hate a bad review, I do want to know what I’ve done or not done to upset a reader. Critiques can be painful, but they help you grow.
What is your favorite quote?
“Nothing you do can change the past. Everything you do can change the future.” Anon.
Your most prized material possession and why?
A beautiful wood jewelry box. My son made it for me.
If you could be a character in any of your books, who would you be?
I’d be Lia Ferguson. She is beautiful, tough, and has a great sense of humor. Oh yes, and she has awesome psychic powers.
What is the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment?
For me, a criticism I had trouble fixing was “Show. Don’t tell.” I still go back and look for it in my writing. What made me happy was someone telling me that they loved my characters. I also love my characters and try to make that come out on the page.
Tell us Your favorite…
Movie: See No Evil. Hear No Evil. A comedy with Richard Pryor and Gene Wilder
TV show from adulthood: NCIS
Food: Really good french fries
Sports team: Boston Red Sox
A cursed amulet. A deadly warlock. An impossible love.
Excerpt:
Moonlight filtered through the clouds, bathing the Brendani property in swaths of soft light. Lia inhaled the sweet aroma of beach roses carried by the wind. A perfect evening. A shiver unrelated to the weather coursed through her. Would he be waiting?
Gravel crunched under her feet and the bite of chlorine teased her nose as she neared her destination. She paused for a moment to control her erratic breathing. Nerves? Ridiculous. No man had ever disturbed her.
The glow from the changing room lanterns almost reached the pool. The flickering shadows on the liquid grew into waves caused by the powerful strokes of the swimmer. Mesmerized by Aiden’s straining muscles, desire stirred in her belly.
She swallowed and strolled closer. “I see you made it.”
He stopped and looked up, unruffled. She knew he’d been aware of her. Watchers could always sense another’s approach. As the silence lengthened, she reached around to the back of her neck, undid a clasp, and let her cover-up slide down. Aiden’s sharp intake of breath made her skin tingle.
His eyes darkened as they raked over her body. A slow smile played across his face. “Coming in?”
The deep timbre of his voice ignited her desire. She paused for another moment to enjoy the heat simmering between them. Without breaking eye contact, she lowered herself to the pool’s edge and slipped in. The warm water covered all but her bikini top.
“Ooh!” she said as she gazed at him. “It feels so good.”
Her body responded to the naked desire blazing from his eyes. She swam past him to the deep end and turned. He hadn’t moved, but she felt his penetrating gaze follow her.
Poised there in waist-high water, Aiden resembled one of the ancient sea gods.
Margo Carey, an award-winning author, weaves tales of romance and supernatural intrigue. She began her career trying to write cozy mysteries, but the paranormal inevitably slipped in. Rather than fight her muse, she gave in to her pen’s inclination, changed her genre to Paranormal Romance, and titled her website, My Haunted Pen.
Her gripping novel Trace of Evil, a NEST finalist, immerses readers in a haunting romance in Salem, Massachusetts. After her move to Rhode Island, she penned The Convent House, the first in her Watcher Clan series that follows the perils and romance of psychically gifted descendants of the Knights Templar. Readers’ Favorite gave it a five-star review. The second book, Demon Amulet, will be out in June, 2025.
Margo now lives with her husband Paul and their unapologetically spoiled cat, Sammy, in South Florida. Will inspiration for her next book spring from the shadowy, gator-infested swamps where she and her husband kayak? Stay tuned.
The time an angel grabbed me as I toppled over the edge of a bluff on my tenth birthday. I felt their hands, but saw nothing, and was up-righted from a free fall to back on my feet.
The time when as a very young child, I shoved my little brother aside so I could have first dibs on a bowl with the remnants of cake batter inside. I realized then that I didn’t have a bully’s heart and found no pleasure in behaving that way. My brother and I still competed, and I wasn’t always the best big sister, but from then on, I knew who I was and how I was designed.
The time I went to a Neil Diamond concert and realized the audience was almost geriatric. I didn’t enter leaning on a walker, but I had to face that I was no longer a spring chicken.
The time I learned a new language—Sign Language—and had my world opened up to a whole new culture and wealth of friends.
The time(s) I became a parent and realized I wasn’t the center of the universe and there were needs and people more important than mine and me in the world.
The first loss of someone very special and their funeral I couldn’t stop crying at.
The moment in adulthood when my parents suddenly made sense, and I realized they weren’t unreasonable and on earth merely to make my life miserable.
The day I realized my husband was betraying me, and the long trek through the grieving process that followed.
The first sip of real coffee that turned me into a coffee snob, causing me to throw out all store brands, trash my drip coffee maker, and begin to pay for good beans, grind them myself, and spend the time drizzling the perfect temperature of water over a cone of dark grounds.
The moment the Bible suddenly made sense.
Blurb:
Jim Turner writes crime but doesn’t live it. He respects his grandfather’s tales of heroes but doesn’t believe them. When his failing grandfather sends him to a remote peninsula to write the end of his own heroic love story, Jim includes a war criminal interview while there to maintain his edge.
Chastity is an anomaly, a misfit in pre-WWII culture as well as in Jim’s life. Her spritely charm and endearing features turn Jim’s world upside down, especially when she reveals his grandfather’s peninsula as the site of her upcoming wedding.
Do good journalists flee when their interviewee is murdered? Do heroes write fiancés out of another’s story and themselves in? “The End” become the hardest words for Jim to write.
Excerpt:
“So,” Chastity said. “Tell me more about the grandfather who impacted you so much.”
I felt him in the room. Or maybe it was in Grove. Mountain Grove. Or because we had been on his beloved peninsula, she with her yellowish hair. It was as if he joined Chastity and me, and she sensed it too. His hands and heart were in this decrepit building with us, his presence and hers making it feel like a castle instead.
“If it wasn’t for him, who knows where you might be now instead of here helping me.” She squeezed my hand.
How did she know? Because of Grandpa I came to Grove and searched for a peninsula that brought me to Chastity…who actually brought me to it. “My grandfather is a wonderful man… But before we discuss him, there are things you should know about.” I had to be honest. “Tasks you can’t help me with.” Like crime and violence, dangerous interviews, and the way I felt about her.
A face unlike any I had ever seen…and never would again…should send my heroic heart to the ladder where I would gather a million splinters in my hands by sliding to the ground, risking pain and infection to keep her safe by leaving.
Her features looked watery as I gazed at her. Tears? I never cried. Her pastel throw rugs turned into colorful puddles blurred by an emotion I had never experienced before.
“You are supposed to be here, Jim. And I am supposed to help you.”
For a moment, something ominous crept into my thoughts. Something of the old crime writer in me, who with several clicks of a typewriter’s keys could turn any story the direction I wanted. I welcomed him back, then set him aside. Because in the blue of her eyes, I saw something stronger—my promise.
If friendship was defined by a long period of time and a large number of interactions, Chastity didn’t qualify. And maybe my initial carnal fascination which became a pitter-patter my heart couldn’t beat without didn’t meet the definition of love. But she was at least partially right. For three days we were supposed to be together and help each other. For three days we had an eternity.
Colleen L Donnelly put her science education to use for years and then put it behind her to pursue other passions. Her first love is writing and her second is hunting—hunting for that next good story, hunting for shed antlers or mushrooms in the woods, hunting for the next good author to read. An avid believer in work hard/play hard, Colleen splits her time between indoors and out, always busy at something.
Please tell us a little about yourself, where are you from? Where do you live now? Family? Pets?
Thank you for having me today on your blog! I grew up with my eight siblings on a small farm in western Pennsylvania, but now live in West Virginia with my husband, daughter, and thirteen-year-old Jack Russell. My three older children have graduated from school and are living on their own.
Tell us a little about your process in writing your book.
When I started writing the Euphoria trilogy, I had never written in the adult genre before. All my other books had been children’s stories. I chose romantic suspense because I like to read romances, and I wanted to see how difficult it would be to write an adult novel. I also thought it would be cool to incorporate medical topics in the book, as I worked in a clinical lab for several years and had a medical background. I honestly hadn’t realized the amount of research writing a book would take, but learning is so satisfying and I wanted to make the story as realistic as possible. The most difficult aspect about drafting the third book Embracing Euphoria was finding the fine line between giving out too much information from previous books in the trilogy and not enough. I had to go back twice to rewrite entire sections. Besides the rewrites, getting the story back into the editor’s queue in their busy schedule takes time. Whoever said patience is a virtue knew what they were talking about! I’m lucky my editor is very patient, too.
Do you have another occupation, other than writer? If so, what is it and do you like it?
I keep busy with different jobs. Currently I’m a musician working with two churches as the music director and organist. I also worked as a substitute teacher for over ten years. Before having my family, I worked as a medical technologist in a hospital laboratory. I joke with my sister that I still don’t know what I want to be when I grow up. LOL!
Do you collect anything?
Rocks and Pokémon cards.
What’s the main thing that you could get rid of in your life that would give you more writing time?
Cooking, cleaning, and household obligations. Often people assume when you write you can still spend your time doing everything in addition to your writing. If I worked in an office out of the home, I’d have eight hours of uninterrupted writing. Only in my dreams!
What’s your favorite book of all time and why? What’s your favorite childhood book?
My favorite book of all time is “Remember When” by Judith McNaught. I love how she shows emotions like pain and desire in her writing. I also like how McNaught brings in recurring characters from books. My favorite childhood book was The Secret Seven series by Enid Blyton. I read almost the entire series in elementary school. I became a fan of mysteries after reading those books.
Would you rather have a bad review or no review?
No review.
Have you written any other books that are not published?
I’ve written a middle-grade novel, but haven’t had time to pursue a publisher for it yet. The book was recognized last year in a state writing contest. I’ve also written a holiday screen play that I hope to find a home for this year.
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 hang out with the main character Hailey Langley and shadow her in her biochemistry lab analyzing Euphoria. If I were lucky enough, I’d follow her around in an undercover case and then hit the gym with her.
How did you come up with the title?
I used the word Euphoria throughout my trilogy, including this final book Embracing Euphoria. Euphoria has a double meaning . First, it’s the name of the drug used in the first book that gets unleashed into the public. The protagonist in the book Finding Euphoria also longs to find happiness from the guilt she’s had for giving her first-born son up for adoption. In the second book, Saving Euphoria, the protagonist holds on to any happiness she has left after she believes her husband succumbed to a fire. The roots from the Euphoria shrub are used to derive the mind-altering drug she is unknowingly taking, and her scientist friend is trying to save his dying Euphoria plant. In Embracing Euphoria, the protagonist needs to find a Euphoria shrub after she learns the plant’s flowers hold the key to regenerating her husband’s skin. She also convinces her husband to accept his condition and their relationship, even if he can’t be healed.
Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
Love and relationships aren’t easy, but you need to continue living and embrace the positive that exists all around you.
Your favorite…
Movie August Rush
Music Contemporary Christian
Place you’ve visited Florence, Italy
Place you’d like to visit Australia
TV show from childhood Little House on the Prairie
TV show from adulthood Guiding Light soap opera
Food Chocolate cake
Which do you prefer: Board games/card games or television?
Board games –Bananagrams and Big Boggle
Thank you for joining me today. I enjoyed getting to know you. Please tell us about your book.
Blurb:
Hailey Langley tries to wrap her mind around the news her husband survived a fire she thought had killed him. Before she can search for him, Hailey has a promise to keep that takes her to Colombia where she must face the drug lord behind her husband’s attack.
Mark Langley is suffering from his own plight and insecurities, including burns and PTSD. Beneath Mark’s scarred exterior is a man seeking acceptance from a wife he refuses to see. Uncertain if he will ever reunite with his family, Mark struggles through his therapies, hopeful an experimental drug from the Euphoria plant will heal his scars.
When another villain from Colombia seeks revenge, Hailey and Mark must learn to trust and love again as they battle their newest threat and find their way back to each other.
Excerpt:
Mark breathed in his wife’s delicate feminine scent, taking in every beguiling curve of her body. Dang! Hailey was sexier than when they first met. Even her soft snores heated his blood. He should’ve brought her here weeks ago. After sharing a bed again, he’d do whatever it took to recover and return home.
The shuttle bus would arrive in an hour. He’d wait another five minutes to calm his erection before he prepped for therapy.
He licked his lips. The sweetness of Hailey’s honeyed kisses the previous night still lingered. They hadn’t made love; the last time he’d slept with Hailey had been almost a year ago. He couldn’t push her. Depending on her response to his disfigurement, that element of their marriage might never happen again.
He raised his gloved hand to touch her cheek but then lowered it. Better take things slowly. For now, lying next to her was enough.
Bruce’s suspicions had been correct about Hailey encountering hardship in Colombia. Twice during the night, Hailey cried out Mendoza’s name.
Mark had comforted her, smoothing her hair, whispering, “I’m here, honey.”
He ground his teeth. He should kill that bastard for tormenting her. Thank God she was safe now. Back in the US, away from the Mendoza family.
Hailey’s eyelashes fluttered, and a smile spread across her face. “Good morning. What time is it?”
“Quarter after eight.” He leaned over and kissed her. God, her sweet lips tasted delicious. He nibbled on her lips again. Like a hummingbird feeding on nectar. “You can use the bathroom first. I’ll ask the therapist to change my pressure garments at the clinic. I leave at nine. I won’t have much time for breakfast.”
She snuggled closer into his arms. “Give me another minute with you. Before the outside world takes over.”
His pulse raced. Maybe their relationship hadn’t changed that much.
C. Becker is a romance suspense writer, musician, and lover of crafts. She has a bachelor’s degree in Medical Technology and worked in the clinical hospital setting until she began raising a family. As her children grew older, she never outgrew the attraction of using science in everyday life. She turned to teaching, music, and eventually to writing stories. She considers herself a “jack of all trades,” and readily admits she is a “master of none.” Yes, she even does home improvement projects! Becker has published three romance suspense novels in the Euphoria trilogy, several poems, and over a dozen children’s books (under Colleen Driscoll). Becker enjoys hanging out with her family and Jack Russell, playing the piano, reading, traveling, and gardening.
Please help me welcome today’s guest, Margaret Izard…
Hello Margaret, thank you for joining me today. Please tell us a little about yourself, where are you from? Where do you live now? Family? Pets?
My name is Margaret Izard. I live in Houston, Texas, with my family of adult triplets, my loving husband, two doggies, and a cat. I’m a previous professional dancer in ballet, modern jazz, tap, and other dance forms. I’ve been involved in the arts since I could walk, and I love to tell tall tales about fantastic events. I love any holiday and enjoy cooking, traveling, and spending time with family and friends. On most hot Texas days, if I’m not at my laptop, I’m in the pool trying to say cool. I keep busy with not only writing but many hobbies. I enjoy hearing from my readers.
Where did you get the idea for Stone of Lust?
Lust is one of the Stones of Iona, and magic Fae stones are featured in my series.
The idea for the stones came from research for my series, Stones of Iona. In early research, I read about the Stone of Destiny, or the coronation stone, traveling through Scotland and stopping at Dunstaffnage Castle. When I learned about the Stone of Destiny and its rumored birthplace, Iona Island, I asked myself, what if the stone was magic? What if many stones were magic, and what would that mean? As I delved into research on Scotland, I found that many of its beliefs link to its folklore. These rich stories of worlds beyond ours became essential in capturing this country, its people, and its culture and bringing them to life.
Why did you choose this genre (is it something you’ve written in before)?
I love historical paranormal romances. Writing about the two sub-genres of time travel and history came from my vast reading. I had stories inside me that craved to be told. So, I started writing.
Was there anything unusual, any anecdote about this book, the characters, title, process, etc, you’d like to share?
When I first outlined Stone of Lust, it weaved two stories into one, each dependent on the other, as both found a resolution. One element of the story has vexed me for some time, and when my stories do that, I delve into the World Wide Web, searching history. Usually, there’s something that I read that sparks inspiration, and a solution evolves from that.
The day I found the Brooch of Lorne, a highland brooch created by the Lord of Lorne, a MacDougall ancestor, designed to hold stones and one of three rare left today, I nearly jumped from the chair, cheering. This was the answer! (Which I can’t share here without spoiling the book.) I called it a gift from research. Incorporating it into the story resolved a major plot point and opened the door for other places where I could use the relic in other books. It was such a great gift. This isn’t the only book you’ll see, the Brooch of Lorne, so look for it in future books coming soon!
What is the most difficult thing about writing a book?
My books aren’t linear. I like to call it a story with “meat on the bone.” For the Stones of Iona Series, there’s not only a romance story for each book but an underlying story driving the series forward: the hunt for the magic Fae stones. The challenge, which I love, is weaving these stories together to where they merge into one and make sense. Each book is a love story; the series is one long saga of finding lost magic stones.
Fun fact: A second series called Dragons of Tantallon is connected to this one, featuring dragon shapeshifters introduced in Stone of Love, book 1, Stones of Iona.
What was the most difficult thing about this one in particular?
The hardest part of this story was weaving Ainslie’s love story within the kidnapping plotline of her sister-in-law, Brielle, the main character from Stone of Love, and the storyline of the search for a magic Stone of Iona. Three distinct plot threads are dependent yet not. The first challenge was choosing the best places where these stories intersect and overlap. The second challenge was ensuring each plot thread found a resolution by the end of the book. It’s one of my darkest and most challenging books. I hope readers enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Are there any tricks, habits or superstitions you have when creating a story?
Research. When I start outlining a story, I begin with research. When I’m stuck on a story, I dive into research. So many ideas have come from reading about our past and present day. It only takes one spark, and a story develops from there.
Do you have another occupation, other than writer? If so, what is it and do you like it?
I’ve had multiple different careers: professional ballerina, dance teacher, marketing, and sales, but people pick up this one from my bio all the time: Triplet mom. Yes, I have adult triplets, and it’s a job. Everyone asks – two boys and a girl.
Once they hit grade school, I quit my day job and dedicated myself to their upbringing and education. (I tutored them through college). Did I like it? Yes and no. Some days were a blast and others a challenge, but I wouldn’t change it. They are my hellions on earth, and I love them. Every day is an adventure.
After they had completed college, I decided to take back my life and started writing.
Do you collect anything?
Earrings. I love different earrings.
I also collect art. I love Peter Max. Years ago an employer (He had commissioned the artist to do a family portrait) took me to Peter Max’s studios in New York, where I met the artist. I witnessed him work, and came away with a personalized signed poster. It hangs in my game room. I have three lithographs of his work.
What do you want readers to come away with after they read your book?
My romances focus on how people form connections. They explore the notion of fated love and true love. I hope each person comes away from my stories with hope. Hope for themselves and the relationships they form in their own lives.
What actors would you like in the main roles if your book were made into a movie?
The irony of this question is I have a pictorial memory. My leads already have an image I’ve modeled them after.
Stone of Love – Colin MacDougall is Henry Cavill, and Brielle DeVolt is Anne Hathaway Stone of Fear – John MacArthur is Richard Rankin, and Marie is Freya Mavor Stone of Lust – Rannick is Clive Standen and Ainslie is Kristie Mitchell
What genre have you never written that you’d like to write?
Contemporary Romance – I have a few ideas on what I’d like to write next after my two paranormal romance series.
Have you written any other books that are not published?
Yes. Years ago, I wrote short stories, but out of a lack of confidence in my writing, I threw them all out.
What is the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment?
Early on, criticism was hard to handle, even after all my dance training, which had a lot of criticism. But as I worked on my craft, I looked to feedback as a gift. If I didn’t get the response from a reader I wanted, I went back and looked at what I needed to improve to get the message I wanted across. I still do this today.
Best Compliment. There have been many over the years, but my publishing editor’s reaction to my latest submission, Stone of Doubt, book 4 Stones of Iona series, is the most recent. After reading the synopsis, she sent an email complimenting my creativity. An hour later, she emailed again and admitted she had read the epilogue first to find out where the next book, Stone of Faith, Book 6, would go, and then she complimented my creativity again. Her first word was “WOW!” Best compliment – my editor read the end first!
Thanks, Margaret. I enjoyed your interview. Wow, triplets? That must have been interesting. 😊 Please tell us about your book…
Blurb:
She dreams of a Viking warrior with Fae-blue eyes and a God-like body that makes her heart pound like no other. Trying to save her kidnapped sister-in-law, Ainslie follows her back to the Vikings of Scotland, where she faces the very man who has haunted her dreams.
When Jarl, Rannick MacRaghnaill meets the alluring Warrior Woman who helped steal his warship, she dresses in clothing so strange that every curve teases his senses. But is she, as she claims, a woman from the future or an irresistible lying thief?
She’d risk her life to save her sister-in-law. He’d risk his honor to win her heart.
Can both hardened warriors save the realms from the evilest of Fae’s minds combined with the most dangerous of humans?
Excerpt:
Ainslie smoothed her hand over his firm fist, and he relaxed it a little. She understood his warrior’s heart. The desire to control the fierce energy within him that wanted to wage war but still needed to be gentle with his friends and family. The people he loved deeply. Maybe if she explained how she saw the bloodlust, he might understand the balance between the two.
She continued to caress his fist as she whispered, “Bloodlust is something every fighter has, Rannick. Even women.”
He stared at her hand, gently stroking his, and he relaxed a little more.
Her fingers trailed along his knuckles. “Fighting comes in many forms, not just the sword a warrior wields, but a mother’s fight to bring an infant into the world, a husband’s fight to hunt for food for his family, a warrior’s fight to defend his land.”
She opened his fingers and lightly brushed hers along his palm, from his fingertips to his wrist and back. “A child’s fight to survive in a hard world.” She slowly traced the lines in his hand. “Using the bloodlust for the right reasons and causes is the art of being a great warrior.”
Rannick glanced at his hand, then her face. His free hand came to her cheek and caressed it.
He used his thumb to tilt her head till their eyes connected. “Warrior for the children, woman of war. Is yer bloodlust only for the children?”
Ainslie gazed into Rannick’s bright blue eyes and became lost. She spoke before she thought. “Everyone, I fight for everyone. Who does yer bloodlust fight for, Rannick?”
He leaned toward her, and their breaths mingled. “I fight for many things.” He licked his lips and spoke softly. “But tonight, I use it to pursue the woman I love.”
Margaret Izard is a multi-award-winning author of historical fantasy and paranormal romance novels. She spent her early years through college and adulthood dedicated to dance, theater, and performing. Over the years, she developed a love for great storytelling in different mediums. She does not waste a good story, be it movement, the spoken, or the written word. She discovered historical romance novels in middle school, which combined her passion for romance, drama, and fantasy. She writes exciting plot lines, steamy love scenes and always falls for a strong male with a soft heart. She lives in Houston, Texas, with her husband and adult triplets and loves to hear from readers.
Please tell us a little about yourself, where are you from? Where do you live now? Family? Pets?
My wife and I live in a place one person claimed got hotter after sunset than in the middle of the sunny afternoon—Metro Atlanta, Georgia. Georgian since birth. Family scattered in Georgia, Florida and Minnesota. I enjoy the outdoors and beg for winter, which seems to avoid us most years.
Where did you get the idea for Lethal Impulse?
The idea came from my background of growing up in a minister’s home and tenure investigating homicides and employment in a medical examiner’s office, which led to a forensic consulting job with national travel and investigations and plethora of ideas for novels, including Lethal Impulse.
Why did you choose this genre (is it something you’ve written in before)?
I love crime fiction and suspense/thriller novels and movies. I enjoy writing in this genre for the challenge it offers in adding suspense, red herrings, and unexpected twists.
Was there anything unusual, any anecdote about this book, the characters, title, process, etc., you’d like to share?
The main character, Neil Caldera, comes from a diverse family, completed forensics and theology majors in college and sought a career at NYPD. Lethal Impulse opens with his officer-involved shooting in which a bullet from Neil’s pistol kills a New York crime boss’s daughter. Fallout led to his move to a small town once named, “The Best Place to Live in Georgia,” and an encounter with a vengeful killer.
What is the most difficult thing about writing a book? What was the most difficult thing about this one in particular?
I am a pantser. I outlined my first novel and changed much of what I had written in the process. I felt it best to let creativity take over. When I reach a sticking point, I ask, What if? I had written about 2,000 words of Lethal Impulse when our consulting business shut down. I wrote 10,000 words a month for seven months. For the effort, I had a finished novel, and carpal tunnel syndrome.
What do you want readers to come away with after they read Lethal Impulse?
I want them to experience the characters’ highs and lows the way I did while writing their story and hope they approve of the way I fulfilled my promises to them. My objective is to transform readers into fans. I’ll do my best to live up to their expectations.
What book have you read that you wish you had written?
The Husband, Dean Koontz.
What is your favorite quote?
“I have a perfect cure for a sore throat: cut it.” ― Alfred Hitchcock
Have you written any other books that are not published?
I have three manuscripts ready for submission. One is the first book one of a planned three-book series. My thriller, After Her Deceit, the sequel in a two-book series is scheduled for release on October 1st. The same publisher has another two-book crime-thriller series planned for release in 2025.
What is the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment?
Toughest:did not resonate with the characters.Best: great dialogue.
Are your characters based off real people or did they all come entirely from your imagination?
I give life to characters and place them in true-to-life situations and watch their reactions and responses. A few I will create based on a person’s unique name. I always ask permission and portray those characters as good people.
How much of the book is realistic?
I’m all-in when it comes to offering readers an impression of reality and adhere to self-imposed standards of authenticity, believability and credibility based on my experience as a forensic investigator. I research settings for accuracy in real towns or ones based on real places.
Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?
Dean Koontz, a master wordsmith.
Thank you for the interesting interview. Crime Thriller is my favorite genre, and I also love Dean Koontz. And I love that quote from Hitchcock. 😀 Now, please tell us about your book…
Blurb:
He’s riddled with guilt. She’s annoyed with the status quo.
The death of a crime boss’s daughter forces Detective Neil Caldera to leave NYC. He seeks refuge in the tranquil embrace of a small town, where he finds himself entangled in the labyrinth of a teenage girl’s murder.
Tess Fleishman’s pale skin and extreme weight loss portrays a disease she wants others to see. While inside, a compulsion for Neil fuels her passion to have him, or destroy him.
Excerpt:
Neil had observed enough crime scenes to identify the familiar sight and smell of blood. Light revealed blood on three of the four walls and on a few boards overhead.
He strode to the rear space amidst various farm implements. The flashlight beam revealed nothing unanticipated to the right. The light revealed more to him than he foresaw. Happenstance played no role in the display now before him. The artist’s rendition displayed evidence of a warped mind. Malevolence flaunted in the form of a portrait painted with blood.
Neil widened the beam of light with a left twist of the flashlight’s head. Shock jolted him. The likeness on the barn wall stared back at him with remarkable resemblance.
“Holy mother of Moses. I understand why you didn’t want to come back.”
Neil looked at the front and rear doors. Light from an approaching vehicle rose on the front of the barn. Gaps around the door allowed enough streaks of light through to make shadows look as if the light infused them with life. The vehicle continued onward. Every shadow around Neil returned to stationary ominous forms. He half-turned toward the front and listened. The whine of tires on pavement diminished. Silence again filled the barn.
The hinges squawked against Neil’s shove on the right-side door. Chad turned his head in Neil’s direction. He was sitting on the ground with his back to the weathered wood. Knees drawn up, arms wrapped around them and his right hand clamped on his left wrist.
“It’s you.” Chad shuddered, tilted his head toward the barn. “In there. The picture on the wall looks like you.”
Neil glanced inside. The image renewed in his mind. “Is that the reason you called me? To have me look at someone’s depravity smeared on a barn wall?”
Steve Rush is an award-winning author whose experience includes tenure as homicide detective and chief forensic investigator for a national consulting firm. He worked with the late Joseph L. Burton, M.D, under whom he mastered his skills, and investigated many deaths alongside Dr. Jan Garavaglia of Dr. G: Medical Examiner fame.
Steve’s book Kill Your Characters; Crime Scene Tips for Writers was named finalist in the 2023 Silver Falchion Award for Best Nonfiction and Honorable Mention in the 2023 Readers’ Favorite Awards. Lethal Impulse won the 2022 Public Safety Writing Association’s Writing Competition for an unpublished novel, longlisted in the 2022 Page Turner Awards and joint first prize in the 2020 Chillzee KiMo T-E-N Contest.
He lives in Metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia, with his wife Sharon.
Please help me welcome today’s guest, Susie Black with her Hobby, Career, Passion Post: The Philatelist: How Stamp Collecting Made Me a Better Writer…
I have been an avid philatelist since I was twelve years old. What is a philatelist? It’s a fancy word for a stamp collector. My introduction to stamp collecting was with a birthday gift of an album filled with stamps from one of my mother’s cousins. While the stamps fascinated me, other than attaching them to an envelope, I didn’t know much more about them. I took the album to a neighborhood coin and stamp store to see if the proprietor could teach me about stamp collecting. The first time I walked into that store, a magical world opened up for me that impacted my life in more ways than I could ever have imagined.
I credit my lifelong love affair with stamps and their influence on my writing to the generous, knowledgeable store proprietor. Every Friday after school, I went home to collect my weekly allowance and stamp album and then rode my bicycle to the stamp store.
Always wearing a jeweler’s loupe and a magnifying glass on a lanyard around his neck, Mr. Albin was so willing to answer all your questions, teach you everything you wanted to learn, and exuded so much enthusiasm about his chosen field, that even the most skeptical customer couldn’t help but become a fan. He was a wonderful teacher who taught me the proper way to handle and evaluate the quality of stamps.
After making my selections, I’d bring them to the proprietor to ring up, and that’s when the magic began. He had a story for every stamp, and his vivid descriptions made the stamps come alive. With one commemorating the casualties of our Civil War, his eyes filled as he whispered, as though praying in a Chapel. With another celebrating the end of slavery, he spoke with the fervor of a preacher. No matter what the story, he told it like a novel with a beginning, a middle, an ending, and a point of view. He told each story his special way; taking his time, slowly building up to the cliffhanger, and dramatically pausing right before the climax. Talk about pacing and how to build tension up to the finale. Mr. Albin had it down pat. He was my tour director on weekly adventures with stamps serving as the tickets for the ride.
I incorporated my hobby into a key scene in Death by Jelly Beans, my latest mystery. The stamp collector protagonist encountered a murder suspect’s spouse at a stamp store, which set another murder in motion. My view of the world and people play a major role in the writing style I learned from a marvelous man every Friday afternoon who led me by the hand on the continuing adventure of a lifetime through stamps.
Very interesting how you became involved in stamp collecting. Thank you for sharing. Now, please tell us about your book…
Mermaid Swimwear President Holly Schlivnik discovers the Bainbridge Department Store Easter Bunny slumped over dead and obnoxious swimwear buyer Sue Ellen Magee is arrested for the crime. Despite her differences with the nasty buyer, Holly is convinced the Queen of Mean didn’t do it. The wise-cracking, irreverent amateur sleuth jumps into action to nail the real killer. But the trail has more twists than a pretzel and more turns than a rollercoaster. And nothing turns out how Holly thinks it will as she tangles with a clever killer hellbent on revenge.
Excerpt:
The door to Sue Ellen’s office flew open and a six-foot tall rabbit I’d later learn named Pedro Conejo, President of Rent a Rabbit Characters, stalked out and bowled me over as I tried vainly to get out of his way.
The messenger bag containing samples and the presentation information fell off my shoulder and bounced across the room. The flap of the unzipped messenger bag flipped open, scattering everything inside it from one end of the room to the other.
The rabbit gripped the two ears atop the head with his paws. He ripped the headpiece straight up and off with a furious jerk and shoved it under his right armpit. He turned, faced Sue Ellen’s open door, and screamed loud enough for anyone at the mart three blocks away to hear. “You can’t prove a damned thing. Think you’ll get away with this? We have a contract. I’ll get you fired for this; you bitch!”
Then the rabbit removed the left paw of his costume with his teeth and gave Sue Ellen the middle finger salute. He hurdled over my prone body splayed out on the floor and stomped out of the office without so much as an apology for knocking me over, let alone an offer to help me up.
I sat up and poked my extremities to make sure nothing more than my pride had been injured. Satisfied my body, if not my self-respect, remained in one piece, I shook myself to get out the kinks the way my standard poodle Siggie does after a bath. I stretched as far as possible and grabbed the messenger bag. I spent the next five minutes crawling on all fours around the room, stuffing everything back inside the case. Note to self: Next time, zip the damned bag closed.
As I shoved the last sample back in the messenger bag, Sue Ellen’s assistant came out of the buyer’s office and observed me sprawled across the floor. I bit the inside of my cheek not to laugh as Abby deadpanned. “Sue Ellen will see you now.”
Named Best US Author of the Year by N. N. Lights Book Heaven, award-winning cozy mystery author Susie Black was born in the Big Apple but now calls sunny Southern California home. Like the protagonist in her Holly Swimsuit Mystery Series Susie is a successful apparel sales executive. Susie began telling stories as soon as she learned to talk. Now she’s telling all the stories from her garment industry experiences in humorous mysteries. She reads, writes, and speaks Spanish, albeit with an accent that sounds like Mildred from Michigan went on a Mexican vacation and is trying to fit in with the locals. Since life without pizza and ice cream as her core food groups wouldn’t be worth living, she’s a dedicated walker to keep her girlish figure. A voracious reader, she’s also an avid stamp collector. Susie lives with a highly intelligent man and has one incredibly brainy but smart-aleck adult son who inexplicably blames his sarcasm on an inherited genetic defect.
Author Alicia Dean 