Please help me welcome today’s guest, Colleen L. Donnelly…
Please tell us a little about yourself, where are you from? Where do you live now? Family? Pets?
I consider the Midwestern US my home, though I did spread my wings in early adulthood and explored other places. My kids are grown and have struck out on their own…except for one. An adopted Shih tzu from the pound named Lucy, who has taken over and rules the roost.
Where did you get the idea for Katy Walsh?
My dad told the story of a woman preacher in their country church when he was a boy around 1940. She traveled from farm to farm in her Model A pickup and could be heard whistling long before she arrived. From those few details, “Katy Walsh” sprouted. However, she grew into a young woman whose father was murdered, who had a family mystery to solve, and who rejected her father’s final wish that she preach.
Why did you choose this genre (is it something you’ve written in before)? I’m old enough that I don’t have to do a lot of research to write a historical novel. Ha! My other reason for choosing that genre is to make my characters work harder. No modern conveniences that make communication or travel instantaneous. They have to earn what they accomplish.
Was there anything unusual, any anecdote about this book, the characters, title, process, etc, you’d like to share?
A radical change in my family brought my “write a book every year” practice to a halt. With a complete redirection of my time and energy, creativity all but vanished. For over four years, “Katie Walsh” was little more than a title on a page, until a new normal was established in my life, and the words began to flow again. This story turned out nothing like my others, so I considered keeping it out of publication, until I realized I had written a slice-of-life autobiography. Katie’s story begins when her family is turned upside down and her desire to write is uprooted. Katie and I both had to undergo the process of finding ourselves and starting over again.
What is the most difficult thing about writing a book?
The due diligence it requires.
What was the most difficult thing about this one in particular?
Not worrying about myself when all I could do was stare at my laptop. Writers write, and for a long time I couldn’t.
What do you dislike that most people wouldn’t understand?
Television.
What was your first job?
Selling magazines by phone, but I was fired immediately when I cancelled a large number of subscriptions I sold to a woman who clearly didn’t understand what she was agreeing to.
What’s your favorite book of all time and why?
“The Monk” by Matthew Lewis, who wrote the best internal clash of good and evil I have ever read.
What’s your favorite childhood book?
“Little Hippo” which was a story about using others’ inability to think outside the box to your advantage…it isn’t as creepy as it sounds.
What is your favorite quote?
Possibly a poem: “It has ever been since time began, and ever will be till time lose breath, that love is a mood – no more – to a man, and love to a woman is life or death.” Ella Wheeler Wilcox.
If you could be a character in any of your books, who would you be? Magdalena in “Asked For.” She is the most fabulous secondary character I have ever written!
Have you written any other books that are not published?
Yes, the five they say you are supposed to write before you are good enough to be published.
What is the toughest criticism given to you as an author?
The one I took to heart as a fellow author’s critique about my writing, when it was actually intended as a criticism of me and my initial success. I accepted several debilitating critiques from that person before I realized they were tearing me down instead of helping my writing improve.
What has been the best compliment?
I couldn’t put your book down.
Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?
Louise Penny. She tells a mystery poetically.
Blurb:
Katie Walsh expects to write a love story someday. The hero resembles her father, and the heroine the deceased mother she never knew but imagines from the longing on her father’s face. Katie doesn’t expect her father to be murdered, or his will to leave their farm to Guy Knowles, the man she hoped to marry, and order her to another state. Betrayed by the men she trusted, what should have become a love like no other withers and dies. Until Ted Howard, who doesn’t fit the hole Guy left in her heart. Instead, he fits himself into what she needs—someone who will stay, protect her, and break his own heart for her if needed.
Excerpt:
When our neighbor, Guy Knowles, began to drop by and take me for long but mostly silent walks across Papa’s pasture, I wondered if my parents had done the same thing and if my excitement mirrored what my mother’s might have been. Did she, like me, translate every quiet step into tender words? Did she see lifelong devotion on Papa’s face then, like I watched for it now on Guy’s?
I expected my love story—the one I would write and the one I would live—to be like theirs. What I didn’t expect was that both stories would begin the day a stranger came to my door and told me my father had just been killed. Killed, not died.
Nor did I expect this tale of “A Love Like No Other” to reach full bloom in a tiny jail cell far away.
Colleen L Donnelly was born and raised in the US Midwest but ventured to other parts of the country as an adult to experience life from other perspectives. Besides writing, she spends time outdoors, antique hunting, reading, or watching a good movie. Even though she retired from a career in laboratory science, she is never bored and always busy at something.
Welcome to my feature where authors share about the hobbies, careers, or passions of their characters.
I’m pleased to introduce today’s guest, Kara O’Neal…
If My Book Was A Song It Would Be A Country One
I can sing.
Not like Whitney Houston or Patsy Cline, but I can sing. Music, for me, is my first creative love. I was singing before I was talking. When my mamma would rock me to sleep as an infant, I would hum with the beat of the rocking chair.
Here is me singing The Dress by Emily Scott Robinson. It’s a heartbreaking song, but it’s one of the more beautiful ones I’ve ever heard. https://youtu.be/IQBw5-NucHw
I listen to all kinds of music, but my favorite is country. Not the songs they play on mainstream radio. I’m a Texas Country fan, which is also known as Red Dirt music. The artists of this musical genre create masterpieces that lodge into your heart and speak in real and very raw ways.
These artists hack out a living just like the rest of us, because, let me tell you, streaming services don’t pay much. So they go from town to town, singing their hearts out, plucking the strings of their guitars till their fingers bleed, teaching the world that all it takes is “three chords and the truth” to move you to the depths of your soul.
My most recent release, FOREVER HOME, is my love letter to the artists who have created works of art through music. And I’m gonna share some of my favorites with you – love songs only.
Many of my favorite singers and bands are featured in FOREVER HOME. I wanted to shine all the lights I could on these artists, and I love how their music helps me tell Wyatt and Jessie’s story.
What’s your favorite love song? Please share and you could win an ebook of FOREVER HOME!
Here’s my list of some of my favorite love songs. Have fun listening!
My Love Will Never Change by Drew Kennedy
The Morning by Roger Creager
Before You Called Me Baby by Caitlin Smith
Ain’t Nothin’ To It by Cody Johnson
Everyday Kind of Love by Kyle Park
Shivers Down Spines by Zach Bryan
Every Damn Time by Drew Fish Band
Lady May by Tyler Childers
I Need Your Love by Charley Crockett
How Lucky Am I by Kaitlin Butts
Russell County Line by 49 Winchester
All Again by Charles Wesley Godwin
A heartbreakin’ cowboy meets a serious-minded shop owner and suddenly he’s got all the wrong moves.
Jessie Townsend is done with love. She has her family shop, Main Street Antiques, to run, and her sweet father to look after. She has plenty to keep her busy and fill the void her ex-fiancé left when he broke her heart.
Wyatt Davis, part owner of the Swinging A ranch, is feeling his age. He’s thirty. Still young, but…too old for the life he used to live. He’s done with one-night stands, with drinking all night and staying out until morning. Which irritates him. But what’s a cowboy to do when he begins to change?
Go after Jessie Townsend, that’s what. But she’s not interested. Which is a helluva thing. Because Wyatt’s pretty sure he’s in love and wants a “forever home”…with her.
Excerpt:
Wyatt excused himself from the group he’d been standing with near the exit and strode to Jessie’s side. He needed to get to her before someone else monopolized her time. When he pulled out the chair next to her, she didn’t look up.
He watched her take a bite of apple pie, and the action caused his skin to warm. Damn, this girl really had a good hold on him. “Afternoon.”
“Hello,” she responded before piercing an apple with her fork.
“Nice wedding. I didn’t realize you knew the bride.”
Still without making eye contact with him, she replied, “I didn’t know you were friends with Tucker. I was with them last night.”
When she didn’t expand and continued to eat as if his presence didn’t interest her all that much, his gut clenched in nervousness. She was going to turn him down again. He could feel it.
But that wasn’t going to stop him from asking. He cleared his throat. “I was wondering if you’d like to go out sometime. Maybe to a restaurant or…”
She stopped eating and looked at him.
His cheeks flamed with heat. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been embarrassed or nervous around a woman he liked.
She opened her mouth to answer but paused. A few beats of silence passed between them as she studied him.
He had to work hard not to fidget. His heart thudded hard as he anxiously waited for her rejection. It’s not like he’d never been turned down. The difference was, if she said no, it would actually hurt. He resisted the temptation to rub his stomach where agitation sat like a rock.
“I don’t think it would be a good idea,” she finally answered.
Award-winning author, Kara O’Neal is a teacher and lives in Texas with her husband and three children. She writes stories with strong family ties, lots of romance and guaranteed happy endings! Please visit her at http://www.karaoneal.com.
Please help me welcome my good friend, Maxine Douglas, with an interview and new release…
Please tell us a little about yourself, where are you from? Where do you live now? Family? Pets?
Although now I consider myself an Okie (Oklahoma), I was born and raised in Wisconsin, the dairy capital of the world. LOL Yes, I know those in California will argue that point with me and that’s okay with me. I got married for the first time in my 40s to my best and long-time friend, Randy, whom I lost in 2018 to cancer. Will there be a second chapter? Only God and time will tell. I am a proud mother, grandmother, and great grandmother. I had dogs, cats, and horses throughout my life. I am blessed to have Simon, my rescue kitty, who keeps me company 24/7. I have friends, many I consider family, that I cherish in both Oklahoma and Wisconsin. I am a full-time caretaker to my son’s significant other while he’s at work, so writing these days is limited to nights and weekends.
Where did you get the idea for Winds of Change?
This is the second in the Men of the Double K series, which is an off shoot of the third book in the Brides of the Chisholm Trail Series, The Cattleman’s Bride. When I finished that book the other Kennedy men (Beau, Cordell, and Johnny) said they had stories to tell. So like any author who listens to the voices in their head, I wrote the blurbs and story ideas for Men of the Double K. Winds of Change is Cordell’s story.
Why did you choose this genre (is it something you’ve written in before)?
I wrote contemporary and time-travel when I was first published. A couple of friends of mine finally asked me to do a box set with them after they realized that I would be willing to write a western. I grew up with Zorro as my hero and watch so many TV westerns that writing one seemed natural to me.
What is the most difficult thing about writing a book?
Because I am a caretaker, finding the time to write is an issue. But where there’s a will there’s a way, and I generally find a way at some point.
Are there any tricks, habits or superstitions you have when creating a story?
I tend to “watch” TV while writing. It has carried over from never studying without the radio on. I also start a chapter writing by hand and then type it onto the computer, which then I usually end up adding a few things while I’m typing. I also print out what I’ve typed and edit what I’ve written before moving on to the next point of view (POV) or chapter.
What was your first job?
Like many my age (I’m a 50’s baby) my first job was babysitting. I then got a job at Prange’s in the junior department as a sales clerk. It was the 70s and Rod Stewart’s “Maggie May” was a big hit; I grew to hate the song because it was constantly played in that department.
What’s the main thing that you could get rid of in your life that would give you more writing time?
As horrible as it may sound, being a caregiver but for reasons other than for myself. The disease my son’s significant other has (Huntington’s) is a death sentence, hereditary, and there’s no cure only medication to lessen some of the symptoms. It is hard not only on her, but also the entire family watching her disappearing mentally and physically over these past few years with more to come before all is said and done.
Would you rather have a bad review or no review?
All reviews good or bad. I think a writer can learn from the bad ones, even if some of them are spiteful. I don’t always look at them, but when I do I appreciate the time the reader took to leave one. Thank you for that 😊
What is your favorite quote?
“There is no such thing as great writing—there is only great rewriting” by Hemingway. He had great insight into a writer’s soul. One of my favorite movies is Midnight in Paris, there are great Hemingway quotes in that movie.
Your most prized material possession? Why?
Family and friends because without them where would I be?
What do you want your tombstone to say?
Besides the usual information, it says “A Love As True As Ours.”
What do your friends and family think of your writing?
LOL … Even though they support me and buy my books, my brothers and son have said they don’t want to know what is going on in my head when I write my stories. My friends are completely supportive.
Your favorite…
Movie: Too many to choose from, but to name a few: Midnight in Paris, The Holiday, Book Club, Queen Bees, Gone with the Wind, White Christmas.
Music: Rock n Roll and Country
Place you’ve visited: Antietam and Harper’s Ferry for research. Las Vegas for fun. Galveston to relax.
Place you’d like to visit: Scotland, England, Paris, Denmark
TV show from childhood: Zorro, The Virginian
TV show from adulthood: Again too many to choose from, but here are a few: The Tudors, The Voice, Murders Only in the Building, When Calls the Heart, Outlander, The White Queen
Sports team: Wisconsin Badgers / Green Bay Packers
Thanks, Maxine…great interview! I have known you for years but learned a few new things about you.
Readers, check out Maxine’s upcoming novel, now available for pre-order…
Can a grieving heart learn to live again with the unwanted help of family?
When Cordell Kennedy’s young wife dies, his life falls apart and he leans on family members to care for his daughter and maintain his focus on running the Double K Ranch. After a year of juggling fatherhood and work, he believes the time has finally come for him to hire a woman to care for his daughter and his home.
Mollie Sheffield lived most of her childhood in a New York City orphanage until the age of fourteen when the Fitzgerald family secured her services to act as a companion to their invalid daughter. When her charge passes, the Fitzgeralds allow her some time to find another position.
Cordell and Mollie have been thrown together by the Kennedy clan. Can Mollie fulfill her desire to become a mother and wife when she falls in love with a man who doesn’t believe he can share his heart again? And can Cord see past his pain to find the love in Mollie’s heart?
Excerpt:
Texas, 1889
Cord drove the buggy down the rutted lane to his brother’s ranch house. Secured safely next to him, Beth had chattered the five miles. Whatever she was talking about made her happy because she laughed and giggled the entire way.
“I don’t know what you are gabbing about, little girl, but I’m so glad you are happy,” Cord commented, smiling over at her. “You know where you are, don’t you, Beth? You get to see all your cousins today and play as much as you want.”
Beth looked up at him, her blue eyes sparkling like diamonds. “Cousins.” She giggled and smiled then turned her attention back to the ranch standing at the end of the road. The old family homestead where Cord and his brothers grew up. Now it belonged to Cyrus and his family, which was fine with Cordell. He much rather preferred a place of his own now that he had Beth to care for.
“Let’s see if we can find you a nanny, shall we, Beth? Do you think your aunts will help us find one for you?” Cord asked, not really expecting Beth to either fully understand or answer. “Maybe having someone for me to talk to would be nice as well. Not that I don’t love talking to you because I do, but a little adult conversation other than our family would be nice, don’t you think?”
Cord laughed, shaking his head. “I think your pa has lost his mind.”
Why is Cyrus’s buckboard wagon out front? Cord wondered, pulling around and stopping next to the well-kept wagon. Whose trunk is that? It looks too new to belong to the family.
“Uncle Cordell!” His younger nephews Adam and David greeted them as they ran from the back of the house. “Johnny and Pa are in the back watching the beef cook. Ma and Aunt Jessica are in the kitchen with Miss Sheffield.”
“Who is Miss Sheffield?” Cord jumped down, patting each of his nephews on the head as he walked around to Beth who was squirming, wanting to get down to play.
“A lady that came back with Ma and Pa from town,” David replied, reaching for the bag as Adam tied off the horse and buggy to the hitching rail.
“Must be an old friend of your ma’s then,” Cord muttered, suspicion seeping through him. Why wouldn’t they have mentioned an old friend coming to stay? Especially since that friend was a woman.
Beau walked out from the house with Colin on his shoulders. “Remember what I said earlier today. Be careful what you wish for, brother,” he said as Cord walked past him and into the front room where he put Beth down to play with her cousins.
“Boys, can you keep an eye on Beth for me? I need to talk to your ma and Aunt Jessica,” Cord said, following the sound of cheerful female voices to the kitchen once he was satisfied that Adam, being the eldest of the two boys, would keep an eye on his daughter.
“I’m so glad you came, Mollie,” Jessica was saying.
Humph, that must be the Miss Sheffield the boys said was here. I don’t ever remember that name being mentioned, but then again, I’m not in on their secrets.
“I must say, I was surprised to learn it was your parents who told you about me,” responded an unfamiliar female voice with an accent not unlike Jessica’s, just more pronounced. The lyrical softness was all female, unfamiliar female that sent Cord’s mind spinning.
“We are happy that you came,” Suzanne responded. “You’ve met most of the family, except for Cordell and Elizabeth.”
“The family that I’ll be working for?”
What the heck? Cord stood in the doorway, picking his mouth up from the floor. Gathering his wits, because there was no way he was going to raise a ruckus during a family dinner, he walked into the kitchen.
“This is where all the important people are,” Cord said, glaring at both of his sisters-in-law before glancing over at the beautiful woman sitting at the table. Her dark hair was up with curly strands escaping here and there. There was a smattering of freckles across her cheeks. Her eyes sparkled somewhere between green and brown. Cord couldn’t take his eyes off her lips, full and deep pink.
Maxine Douglas first began writing in the early 1970s while in high school. She took every creative writing course offered at the time and focused her energy for many years after that on poetry. It wasn’t until a dear friend’s sister revealed she was about to become a published author that jumpstarted Maxine into getting the ball rolling; she finished her first manuscript in a month’s time.
Maxine and her late husband moved to Oklahoma in 2010 from Wisconsin. Since then, Maxine rekindled her childhood love of westerns. She now writes both American Historical, Contemporary Romance, and on occasion YA Cozy Mystery. She has a son, two granddaughters, a great-granddaughter, and a grey tabby named Simon, as well as three adult stepchildren. Although Maxine misses her family, she has many friends now considered Oklahoma family.
One of the things Maxine has learned over the years is that you can never stop dreaming and reaching for the stars. Sooner or later, you touch one and it’ll bring you more happiness than you can ever imagine. Maxine feels lucky, and blessed, that over the years she’s been able to reach out and touch the stars–and she’s still reaching.
Maxine loves to hear from her readers. So, come on by and say “Hello”; she would love to hear from you.
I am thrilled to welcome my dear friend, Tina Fausett, with a fun interview and her fantastic new release…
Please tell us a little about yourself, where are you from? Where do you live now? Family? Pets?
I was born in Oklahoma City and currently live there in a historic neighborhood with my best friend, Draco (minpin/chihuahua mix). My home is a 107 years old…I sometimes like to refer to it as my life in ruins. My main focus is on my children and granddaughter.
Was there anything unusual, any anecdote about this book, the characters, title, process, etc, you’d like to share?
This book is a work of fiction, however, most of the characters are based on people I know. I don’t care how old you are, I think everyone can agree that dating is hard, but I truly believe it gets harder the older you are. We change, we know what we want and don’t want, and I know for myself that I’m not willing to settle…we get set in our ways. Women in my age range (Baby Boomers) have typically spent a lifetime working and being caregivers…to our children, our husbands, our parents, our spouses’ parents, to grandkids…now a lot of us don’t want to do that with the years we have left, and I think that’s difficult for a lot of men… So, in discussing men and dating and sharing experiences, my friends and I decided that newly widowed and divorced men, bless their hearts, really needed help learning how to live again as well as how to date a contemporary older woman and the idea for a Widower Whisperers’ business was conceived. Though we didn’t actually form a business, I decided to write about it.
What do you want readers to come away with after they read Unrequited?
Deep down, I’m a hopeless romantic. I would like people to come away feeling good and understanding that it’s never too late…never to late to fall in love, never too late to pursue writing, art, a business…your dreams. And to know that on the inside, most of us seniors still feel young on the inside.
What actors would you like in the main roles if your book were made into a movie?
Susan Sarandon, Steve Martin, Pierce Brosnan, Helen Mirren
What is your favorite quote?
“Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn.” I mean who hasn’t said it…or at least wanted to say it?
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 🙂
It would have to be with Thomas Fitzsimmons. I’d be picking his brain, cooking and/or baking. He’s intelligent, well read, has a sense of humor and he likes to get in the kitchen and stir things up. I just find it such a joy when a man likes to cook…for a multitude of reasons.
What is the toughest criticism given to you as an author?
I was told by an agent that I wasn’t commercial enough. What has been the best compliment? I was told by the same agent that she couldn’t put my manuscript down all weekend, and I wrote like the classics. That being said, I still wasn’t commercial enough. That was years ago!
Are your characters based off real people or did they all come entirely from your imagination?
Ha! Almost all the main characters are based off people I know. The idea for the book came from my 50th reunion. People kept coming up to me saying they remembered me and my red hair. I have high school amnesia and didn’t remember most of them. My graduation class had almost 1,000 people. A couple of different men kept asking if I remembered them and showing me their badges with their graduation pictures on them. Young or old, past or present, their faces didn’t ring a bell. One man was a bit tipsy and actually got upset (I figured he must have been a big deal in high school and expected everyone to know who he was). Later I asked a friend (Betty in the book) if I had dated him or something, because according to her, I don’t recall going out with a couple of guys that were really cute. She didn’t think so, but out if it all I thought what if…what if there was really a story between them and a reason she doesn’t remember him. Except for his looks, Thomas is one hundred percent fantasy…much to my chagrin…he’s almost too good to be true! Darrell on the other hand…
What do your friends and family think of your writing?
That’s a mixed bag. I have such wonderful, supportive friends. Sometimes, I’m not sure if they’re excited if I base a character off them and/or something that’s happened to them or they’re terrified what I might write. But they are always so sweet. As for my family…they’re supportive of my endeavors, but my granddaughter has helped me a lot. She taught me about different writing apps and is great for getting a young opinion. I’ve been writing most of my life, and I feel that people who don’t write, don’t really don’t grasp what we do… It’s like they think if you’re not a best seller and a household name, you’ve just got this little hobby that you piddle around at.
What character in your book are you least likely to get along with?
Absolutely Darrell! He is a culmination of some of my worst dating memories.
How did you come up with the title?
If the story was based on a relationship that Sally and Thomas had in high school, and he was disappointed that she didn’t remember him and didn’t return the crush he had on her…the one word that came to mind was Unrequited.
Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
Yes, definitely. I think it was said by one of the bachelorettes in The Golden Bachelor. She said something about when you get older, people don’t see you anymore. There isn’t a lot of respect for elders these days…it almost feels like people are just waiting for us to pass on and quit taking up space. I would love for the younger generations to understand that we still have the same feelings and fears…that we’re capable of falling in love again…and we’re not dead till we’re dead. I started this book prior to the pandemic then health issues and 4 surgeries caused me to quit writing for a couple years…I can’t tell you how happy I was to see The Golden Bachelor and the chance those beautiful women had to be seen and to shine.
How much of the book is realistic?
Probably way too much. A lot of conversations and a few of the scenes actually happened…I’m positive a man will now think more than twice before asking me out.
Getting Old isn’t for sissies…and neither is falling in love
Blurb:
After a coffee date from hell, Sally Estes and her friends come up with an idea for a business-The Widower Whisperers, LLC. They train Newbies, recently widowed and divorced men, on how to start living again and to do the things their wives used to do for them. The hardest part is teaching them how to treat and court a contemporary woman. Little did Sally know this new venture would change all their lives forever, bringing back a man from her past she can’t remember and a history she wants to forget. What started out as a promising enterprise now threatens to destroy her friendships and everything she’s worked so hard for.
Excerpt:
His head was bent but Elaine could see the trace of a tear escape from the corner of his eye. She stretched forward and ruffled his hair. “Could we get back to Sally?”
“Yes, let’s,” he mumbled without looking up.
“I was just reading an article about her and some of her girlfriends starting a business called the ‘The Widower Whisperers’. Ghastly name I know and doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue, but catchy.
“They evidently help widowed and divorced men…newbies, they call them, get back into the swing of life and train them how to do the things their wives did for them, as well as getting them ready to start dating…I think they even have a course called ‘Women 101’. When I first saw their ad about four months ago, I kind of thought it was a ridiculous idea and had no clue Sally was involved. But it looks like they’re doing really well and have so many male clients that they’re going to branch out to females soon.”
“That’s charming and I wish them all the luck in the world, but it has absolutely nothing to do with us.”
“Well, if you think about it, it really is a good idea. It’s hard for most people to start over. You know what it was like after you and Gayle divorced. I remember what it was like dating after Jake died, before I met you. It was horrible. Men were absolute idiots, thinking they were suave and debonaire. You’d go to dinner, and they’d be putting down the ex, drinking too much, start trying to hold your hand and talking about back rubs…” She shivered and ran her hands over her arms. “It was creepy, and I don’t imagine it’s gotten any better as we’ve aged.”
First off, I want to say that I never pictured myself this old writing about people this old. But we’re not dead yet and I realized there’s definitely a market and a need to tell our stories. (I think the fascination with the Golden Bachelor proved that). My favorite place is New Orleans where I once lived. A native of Oklahoma City, I grew up with a southern mom and she used to tell me I had swamp water in my veins. I’ve owned an antique store and art gallery, been a pickle pusher (I had a company called Red Hot Mamma’s Pickles), I’ve sold real estate in the Big Easy and OKC, yet I am always drawn back to writing. I’ve written mainstream, a children’s book that’s not published, some mystery and suspense with romantic and paranormal elements and even erotica. I can say, quite proudly that I have two Raunchy Read Awards. A rather haughty an unimaginative woman once asked if I regretted not focusing more on my intelligent side. woman. In response, I quoted Einstein. “Creativity is intelligence having fun.”
Blurb: Falsely accused of wrongdoing at a Princeton Prep school, Sophie Kearns accepts a temporary teaching position at an environmental school in the Florida Keys to wait out her suspension. The time away is meant to be an anxiety-free escape, but her clashes with the hot but arrogant marine biology teacher, Max Heaton, are anything but tranquil.
Max is determined to start an environmental research institute at the school, but he suspects the gorgeous new Lit teacher, who lacks even the most basic outdoor skills, is there to hinder that dream. Yet, something about her tames the demons from his past, and he can no longer ignore the fire she’s lit inside him.
Excerpt:
How’d Sophie end up working with women who could have been in the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue?
She glanced down at her own one-piece halter and smoothed out an imaginary wrinkle. Not ready to venture back to the bikinis of her college days, she’d chosen a lime-green hue that looked great against her tan. And even though her midriff wasn’t bare, the high-cut detail on her legs showed plenty of skin. At least she wasn’t embarrassed standing next to Maddie. Or the other two.
She’d come a long way from the buttoned-up professor at Valen, thanks to her new friends here. After their shopping spree in Key West, they’d made sure to compliment Sophie on her new look—obviously afraid that if they didn’t, she’d go back to her old ways. And it had worked. Along with the exercise she was getting from boating and swimming, she looked and felt like a new woman.
Stealing a glance at Max, she assumed he’d be staring at Maddie. A slow burn crept across her face when his gaze fell on her.
His mocha eyes blazed a scorching trail as they traveled up her legs, her torso, then stopped at her face. She turned and looked out over the ocean, swallowing hard, to banish this erotic discomfort. But try as she might to ignore his scrutiny, she felt it deep down in the pit of her stomach as fingers of heat spread over her skin, doing much more damage than the sun.
Maria Imbalzano is an award-winning contemporary author who writes about strong, independent women and the men who fall in love with them. She recently retired from the practice of law, but legal issues have a way of showing up in many of her novels. When not writing, she loves to travel both abroad and in the states. Maria lives in central New Jersey with her husband–not far from her two daughters. For more information about her books, please visit her website at http://mariaimbalzano.com where you can also sign up for her newsletter.
Good morning, Kimberly. Please tell us a little about yourself, where are you from? Where do you live now? Family? Pets?
Sometimes I feel like a character in someone else’s novel. So much drama! My husband died unexpectedly when our children were six, eight, and twelve. Over the next decade-plus, I focused on raising the kids and putting myself through college. I didn’t date, because it didn’t seem fair to make the kids share their only parent with someone new. Eventually, the kids grew up, I got that college degree, and I landed a good job as an editor with a federal agency in my Pennsylvania hometown.
Then came the second blow: the agency I was working for shut its doors for good. I was fortunate to find a new job with a federal agency in the Washington, DC, area, but that meant I had to leave the town I’d lived in all my life. Saying goodbye to friends, neighbors, and family members—not to mention my comfortable house and idyllic suburban neighborhood—was one of the most heartbreaking experiences of my life.
Nonetheless, I made the transition and settled into my new life. I even met a wonderful man, Clint. Things were good until 2018, when Clint was diagnosed with a terminal lung disease. Only a lung transplant could save him, and the odds were low that a matching pair of lungs would become available in time. Miraculously, Clint got those new lungs. It’s now been four years since the transplant, and he’s doing well. Alas, my three children and two grandchildren live far away (Chicago and Sacramento), but I’m blessed to have Clint nearby. And as of now, the drama seems to have simmered down—for the time being, anyway!
Where did you get the idea for Out of Body? Sometimes I dream that I’m flying, and at one point I wondered, “What if these aren’t dreams? What if my spirit actually leaves my body when I’m sleeping and goes flitting around town?” Thus, the concept for Out of Body was born.
Why did you choose this genre (is it something you’ve written in before)? Many of my story ideas are rooted in some sort of paranormal or science fiction scenario. For instance, my first novel, The Haunted Purse, is about a girl who buys a vintage purse at a thrift store and learns that it’s inhabited by a ghost. I have a weird imagination, so I just run with whatever it churns out.
What is your favorite quote? “The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven.”(John Milton) This quote reminds me that attitude is everything. You can turn a negative into a positive (or at least mitigate it) by looking for the silver lining or simply choosing to make the best of every situation.
What is your most prized material possession? Why? I have a wall calendar from the year my husband died. His death occurred in April, and there’s a strange anomaly on that calendar page: the whole page is upside down! I don’t think it’s a coincidence that this particular calendar ended up in my hands. The metaphorical message is clear: my family’s world was about to be turned upside down, but we would be okay, since all the subsequent pages are right-side up. I’ve kept the calendar as a reminder that there’s more to existence than the world we see around us.
What’s your favorite book of all time and why? It’s impossible to pick just one, but two young adult series I really enjoyed were Neal Shusterman’s Scythe and Unwind. I’m a sucker for a unique premise and a well-written story, and Shusterman’s two series deliver on both counts. What’s your favorite childhood book? As a child, I would have said all the Nancy Drew books, especially The Secret in the Old Attic. As an adult, I have a different favorite: The Velveteen Rabbit. The ending never fails to choke me up.
Who is the most famous person you have ever met? Bill Cosby.He was the keynote speaker at my college graduation. I was the last student to walk across the stage, and he grabbed me in a bear hug, lifted me off my feet, and spun me around. I have photos of me in his arms. I gave one to my mom, and after the Cosby scandal hit the fan, she cut out a picture of Mark Harmon (her favorite actor at the time) and glued his face on top of Cosby’s.
If you were stranded on a deserted island and you could have 3 (inanimate) objects, what would they be? I’ve learned from watching Survivor that flint, a machete, and a tarp are essential. But I also have a less practical list: a fully loaded Kindle, a solar-powered Kindle charger, and my bed pillow. (Can I bring six items?)
What’s the main thing that you could get rid of in your life that would give you more writing time? Cooking! I hate doing it and would love to have a personal chef to prepare all my meals and bring them to me at my desk so I could keep working. (Naturally, this person would do the dishes, too.)
What do you want readers to come away with after they read Out of Body? My intent is not just to entertain but also to uplift and inspire. Let’s face it: life can be tough—and my stories reflect that. My characters endure all sorts of hardships, but they prevail in the end. They come through their struggles stronger and wiser. I hope readers are able to draw strength from that message, to internalize it. I want to plant the idea that no matter what life throws at you, you can get through it.
Blurb:
Those weird dreams Abby Kendrick has been having? Turns out they aren’t dreams after all. They’re out-of-body experiences, like the ones her cousin Logan is having. At first Abby has fun with her new ability, using it to spy on her neighborhood crush and spook a mean girl. But when Logan gets in trouble on the astral plane, the game changes, and Abby must bend the rules of out-of-body travel as she journeys to a distant realm. Her mission is a perilous one, and success is not guaranteed. Can she save Logan and find her way home again? Or will the cousins be lost forever on the astral plane?
Excerpt:
The girl slept on, never stirring, breathing deeply. Arms and legs akimbo, hair spread out like disconnected wires, mouth hanging open. Was that how I looked when I was sleeping? It wasn’t pretty.
Something twinkled below me, a translucent silvery cord tethering me to my body. I’d never noticed it in my dreams-that-weren’t-really-dreams, maybe because I hadn’t realized I was out of body. The cord, thick and round as Italian sausage, was weird but reassuring. I assumed it would keep me from getting lost, because no matter where I went, I could simply follow it back to my body.
But how did the cord work? Was it retractable like the cord on our vacuum cleaner? Stretchy like a bungee cord? If so, how far could it stretch? I wanted to test it for myself, but before I could do that, I needed to figure out how to move. For now, I was stuck in place like a stalled weather front.
A few nights ago, I’d traveled all the way to Sorcery Place. I’d gone to Sophia’s house, to Grandma’s. How had I done it?
More important, how could I get back into my body? I gave a psychic grunt, straining toward that sleeping form, but nothing happened. I was anchored to the ceiling as firmly as my physical body was anchored to the bed.
What if I couldn’t get back? What if I was stuck up here forever?
Kimberly Baer is an author and professional editor who was born and raised in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, a town marginally famous for having endured three major floods. She even lived there during one of them. She now resides in northern Virginia, where she enjoys power-walking on days when it’s not too hot, too cold, too rainy, too snowy, or too windy. On indoor days, you’re likely to find her hard at work on her next novel or binge-watching old episodes of Survivor, her favorite guilty pleasure.
Kim has had her nose in a book practically since birth. Her first story, written at age six, was about a baby chick that hatched out of a little girl’s Easter egg after somehow surviving the hard-boiling process. These days she writes in a variety of genres, including adult romantic suspense, young adult, and middle-grade. Her books are published by The Wild Rose Press and have won several awards.
I am more than delighted to welcome these lovely ladies to my blog on their release day. I have had the pleasure of editing several novels by them and, not only is their writing fabulous, they are a joy to work with. Happy release day, ladies!
Thank you so much for hosting us on book launch day! We’d love to answer any questions, including personal questions, that your Followers might pose.
Please tell us a little about yourself, where are you from? Where do you live now? Family? Pets?
We’re sisters, and each other’s only siblings, born and raised in Rutherford, New Jersey, a small suburban town about thirteen miles from New York City. Our dad, Michael (Mickey) died when we were teenagers and our mom, Katherine (Kay) died when we were in our early forties. Neither lived to see us realize our dream of becoming published authors. We honor their memories with our pen name: we’re (K.)atherine’s and (M.)ichael’s Daughters.
Pat, the oldest sister, is married to Nick, has three children, two granddaughters and two grandsons. Pat lives in the Western Suburbs of Chicago. Kathie is married to Tom, has two sons, four granddaughters and one grandson. Kathie lives on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. This explains our settings in our Sisters of the Legend Trilogy, Reunion For The First Time, etc.
Pat has no pets. Kathie rescues Boston Terriers. Franklin is her Boston Terrier mix. K.M. Daughters LOVES Franklin.
Where did you get the idea for From The First Moment?
The title sprang from Mike and Amy’s history of loving each other from the first moment they met.
Why did you choose this genre (is it something you’ve written in before)?
Yes, we’ve written romantic suspense in our Sullivan Boys Series and love the genre. Bringing back the Sullivan Boys next generation is like a loving family reunion for us.
Was there anything unusual, any anecdote about this book, the characters, title, process, etc, you’d like to share?
Finishing this book was an unprecedented joy for us. We love writing together and our process alternating chapters always brings unexpected plot twists and surprises. But the real-life plot twist for us when we were about halfway through writing our first draft was Pat’s diagnosis with ovarian cancer. After we complete every first draft of a novel, we get together for a read through. This read through was beyond joyful. After six rounds of chemotherapy and extensive surgery, Pat was cancer free.
Are there any tricks, habits or superstitions you have when creating a story?
We give each other a charm for our “K.M. Daughters bracelets” engraved with the name of each book after a completed read through. We’re starting to run out of links. J
What book have you read that you wish you had written?
The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto by Mitch Albom
What do you dislike that most people wouldn’t understand?
No matter how cold it is outside, neither of us can stand wearing socks under the covers. AND the covers can’t be too swaddled around our feet, either.
Do you collect anything?
Seashells and sea glass if you ask Kathie – Pat only has a few from sister-time visits to OBX. Both of us collect autographed books.
What was your first job?
Cashiers at Shop Rite Supermarket in our hometown.
Would you rather have a bad review or no review?
No review. Absolutely, we choose no review. If either of us doesn’t enjoy a book, or in the rare cases if we don’t like it enough to finish, we never give the author a bad review recognizing how hard it is to write a novel. Our grandmother’s life philosophy stuck: if you can’t say something nice, say nothing at all.
What is the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment?
We attended a Fiction Novel writing course at the University of Iowa’s Writers Workshop. It was SERIOUS. We had to supply ten pages of a manuscript to workshop attendees for their critiques. Thankfully, no one criticized our ability per se but clearly, they didn’t consider romance writers serious. “Does everybody have to be beautiful?”
The best compliment is hearing that a Reader “can’t wait” for our next book. We’ve heard that a lot pending the release of From The First Moment. We are excited that Sullivan Boys Series fans have missed the family.
Are your characters based off real people or did they all come entirely from your imagination?
All our characters are fictional, but we often name secondary characters after real people. Secondary characters named Kay and Mickey always have roles in our books in honor of our parents.
How did your interest in writing originate?
Our dad wrote children’s stories for us when we were kids. So, the writing bug was inherited.
Can first love last forever for Mike and Amy?
Amy Jordan Sullivan returns to Chicago from her home in the Hollywood Hills for a starring role in a run of the musical Grease. She moved seven years ago to establish her now successful acting career leaving her first love behind. CPD Homicide Detective Michael Sullivan Lynch heads the next generation of Sullivans in law enforcement. Mike is a rising star on the force and he’s happy with his career and his life in Chicago until Amy returns home reawakening feelings that he thought he’s buried. Can first love last forever for Mike and Amy? Only if Mike can stop the Hollywood City Studios killer.
Excerpt:
“How has this already gotten out to the media?”
“You’re kidding right? All those cellphone videos? It was probably on TMZ before the coroner even got to the lot. MJ ran into Ryder’s arms when he appeared at the door. I’m happy he’s here for her.”
A tear ran down her cheek. He wiped it away with his thumb. “Aw, don’t cry, Ames. I’m here for you. I’ll get to the bottom of all this.”
“Why, Mike? Why would anyone want to harm MJ?”
“I don’t know, but I’ll find out. I contacted your dad requesting involvement in the case. He must have talked with Flynn who has a history working with the LAPD. Small world. Flynn knows the lead detective. I’m on the investigative team officially. I have a meeting with the lead detective first thing in the morning.”
“MJ said she wants to resume shooting tomorrow if the police let her. I’ll have an early start to the day, too.”
“I don’t see any reason why you can’t go back to work – if MJ adds a heavy security presence. I’ll talk to her before I leave for my meeting in the morning. She needs to close the set and post guards at all studio access points. I’m still concerned about her exposure.”
“I know. I’m sure she’ll listen to you.”
He huffed a laugh. “Have you met my sister?”
Mike stroked Amy’s silken hair. “Get some sleep, sweetheart. I’ll keep you safe.”
K.M. Daughters is the penname for team writers and sisters, Pat Casiello and Kathie Clare. The penname is dedicated to the memory of their parents, “K”ay and “M”ickey Lynch. K.M. Daughters is the author of 17 best-selling and award-winning romance genre, mainstream fiction and Christian fiction novels. The “Daughters” are wives, mothers and grandmothers residing in the Chicago suburbs and on the Outer Banks, North Carolina. Visitors are most welcome at http://www.kmdaughters.com
Please help me welcome today’s guest, Diane Scott Lewis…
SPOTLIGHT Unwed and pregnant, Norah Cooper flees England to hide with her cousin in Brittany before Germany’s 1940 invasion. After her baby is stillborn, she’s trapped under the Occupation. Norah consoles herself by sketching wildlife. When she’s caught near the coast, she comes under scrutiny of the German commandant, Major August von Gottlieb.
August loathes what Hitler is doing to his country and France but is duty-bound to control the people in his jurisdiction. The young Englishwoman piques his interest. Is she a spy? He asks her to sketch his portrait so he might uncover the truth.
Soon, their relationship evolves into a passion neither can deny. He plans to sabotage a major war machine of the Reich, while she secretly helps the Resistance. Will their love ruin her and end in heartbreak? Or will they overcome the odds and survive the surging threats.
Can a damaged Englishwoman find love with her worst enemy, or will the brutality of war rip them apart?
Excerpt:
Norah sighed and blinked quickly. “I have feelings I shouldn’t have.”
“Ja. As do I.” Two lonely people, or something more? Silence followed, punctuated by rain and the whistle of wind around the building. Her eyes looked huge, and startled, even in the shadows. A woodland creature; but was he a savior or a predator?
Finally, August said, desperate to say something, “May I see what you’ve done so far on the portrait?”
She smiled, looking relieved by the change in subject. “No, not yet. I want it to be completed first.”
He moved toward her, playfully. “Just a peek won’t hurt.”
She spread her arms as if protecting her masterpiece. “Mais non. I’ll tell you when.”
August took a long step toward her. Fräulein Cooper came forward at the same time. They bumped into one another, her breasts right below his chest. He clasped her upper arms. She stared up at him, lips parted, inviting, yet wary. Past helping himself, he lowered his head and brushed his lips against hers. A tightening started low in his body.
She quivered beneath his hands, but didn’t move away, her breath warm on him.
**GIVEAWAY: Diane is giving a copy of her book to one lucky commenter!
About Diane:
Diane Parkinson (Diane Scott Lewis) grew up near San Francisco, joined the Navy at nineteen, married in Greece and raised two sons in Puerto Rico, California, and Guam. She’s a member of the Historical Novel Society and wrote book reviews for their magazine. She’s always loved travel and history and has had several historical novels published.
Diane lives with her husband and one naughty dachshund in western Pennsylvania.
Please help me welcome author D.V. Stone with an interview and her new release…
Hi, I’m D. V. Stone. Currently, I’m in Northern Florida living the life of a Snowbird in my 5th Wheel Camper with my husband of twenty-eight years, Pete, Hali, my doggo, and an almost twenty-year-old camp cat, Baby, who loves traveling and camping. We’ll be home in Northern New Jersey in April.
Sea Hunter is book four of The Mortar & Pestle Series. This is my first cooperative writing with six other amazing authors. It was a pleasure working with them. We are made up of international authors of different genres and vast backgrounds who came together and are offering this exciting, often humorous series. From world travelers, teachers, bloggers, magazine editors, and award winners, there’s something for everyone in this series. Paranormal to contemporary and various heat-levels, but we made it work.
Interview:
~Do you collect anything?
I have a parliament of owls. Yes, a flock of owls is a parliament. At home, in my camper, the décor is owlish. When choosing one to add to my collection, it’s all about the eyes. Sometimes they are just weird. My most recent addition is a mercury-glass owl who stands about a foot high. Small figurines that stand on a pile of books are my favorite. I’m always on the lookout.
~What was your first job?
I’ve worked at least one, if not two, paying jobs since I was sixteen. But I’m going to count before that. I lived on a dairy farm and milked cows and goats. Mucking out the barns. Feeding all the livestock. In the summer, we plowed, planted, harvested, mowed, baled, etc. Farming is hard work, and even little kids pitched in by feeding chickens and collecting eggs.
~ What do you want readers to come away with after they read [your book]?
I want readers to find hope and happiness in my work. Life is tough. If we can escape for a little while and enjoy a great story with a happy ending, I’ve done my job.
~ What is your favorite quote?
Your thoughts of God are too human. Martin Luther
~What celebrity would you most like to be stranded on an island with?
Lassie. She’d snuggle and help me out of bad situations.
~What do you want your tombstone to say?
Even when it was scary, she did it.
Or— She made a difference.
~How much of the book is realistic?
Sea Hunter is my first book set in historical reality. Post WWII. I did so much research and even traveled to Maine and Cape Cod to visit naval museums. I spent time on the computer reading about underwater archeology, diving, sea life, and the dangers of diving off the east coast due to mines. My favorite part was learning the vernacular popular in the post-war era.
GIVEAWAY:
I’m giving away a free sample of all the books in the Mortar & Pestle Series via Bookfunnel at https://dl.bookfunnel.com/b1ytv2r7nq no requirements
On the turbulent high seas, an archeologist must protect a historic shipwreck from treasure hunters—not fall for one.
Series Blurb
A wisp of smoke, a swirl of promise, a breath of destiny…a message within the Mortar & Pestle for those who want to believe. Throughout time people have sought their heart’s desire. But true love is often elusive. Carved with ancient Norse runes, the Mortar & Pestle shows paths to happily-ever-afters. Once you capture the Mortar & Pestle’s scent of magic, you’ll want to read all seven individual romances.
Sea Hunter: Blurb
Zahra Corbyn.
I’m a Sea Hunter. As an underwater archeologist and professor of antiquities, it is my duty to stop treasure hunters and looters from raiding Sea Wraith. But fate is a funny thing. Now I find myself working with Jack Alexander, a treasure hunter, to protect history from a known looter. Did my heart’s desire change?
Captain Jack Alexander.
I’ve been told women on a ship are unlucky, but this one has the two pieces of the map I need to finally claim Sea Wraith. Now I find myself in a deal that makes me one-third partner with her and a known scoundrel.
Can the two unlikely allies work together while safeguarding their hearts against the power of the Mortar and Pestle?
If you like Lara Croft and Indiana Jones, you’ll love Zahra Corbyn and Jack Alexander.
Excerpt:
Zahra flailed when he pitched her over the rail of the steamer.
The sneering smile got smaller, and he saluted before the frigid Atlantic water closed over her.
Splashing into the rough water, she suppressed her initial gasp. As an experienced diver, she understood the peril of aspirating saltwater. However, her heartbeat was out of control. When the disorienting shock of hitting the cold ocean in the darkness dissipated, she kicked toward the surface, following the bubbles up. Gasping and sputtering, she stared at the disappearing ship while treading water in its wake.
The fall hurt, but it hadn’t killed her, not like the cold water would. Already her arms and legs were becoming uncoordinated. Tingling along the nerves turned into stabs of pain. Her muscles contracted. Thinking became muddled.
In the distance, a lighthouse flashed a beacon before another wave swamped her.
Zahra kicked her way back to the surface, but a current dragged at her legs like a sea monster’s tendrils.
So close to home, and she would die out here. Alone. Killed by the elements she loved and researched. Maybe another underwater archaeologist would find and study pieces of her clothes and jewelry.
She’d survived two ocean crossings, a world war, and a stint working for the Office of Strategic Services.
Boston was only about fifty nautical miles away.
She’d read most deadly accidents happened close to home.
Stop and focus, Zahra.
Surfacing once more, she coughed and turned three hundred sixty degrees, looking for anything to help her. A buoy, a plank, floating garbage.
She wasn’t shivering anymore. Uh-oh, this was it. Her body was shutting down. Slowly, she descended below the surface. A flicker of light caught her attention. Was that a ship? Or rather the wreck of one? She must be hallucinating.
The depth of the water here wasn’t bad, considering. Only about twenty to thirty feet. Could it be Sea Wraith? Archeologists and fortune hunters had been searching for her for years. The figurehead poking from the sand and silt resembled a specter with its gaping maw and tendrils like an octopus. Spots developed in her vision. The last thing she saw was the shape of a man standing on the ship’s figurehead.
D. V. Stone is an award-winning, multi-genre, traditionally and independently published author. She writes books people want to read. Whether romance or fantasy, contemporary or mid-grade, her stories are about the importance of friends and family. About overcoming obstacles while often with humor.
Around the Fire is a popular weekly blog where she introduces both established and new authors giving an insider’s look into their lives and books as well as tidbits about her own life.
Now retired, she is a full-time author and incorporates her life experiences into her books.
A former Emergency Medical Technician, she volunteered in both New Jersey and Pennsylvania. At the same time, she worked as a professional EMT in a women’s state prison. She was the proprietor of a coffee shop, and a small restaurant/ice cream stand in the years that followed. The years following were as a manager in an animal emergency hospital, while her last position was in a human medical office.
When not behind the wheel of 2Hoots—a 41-foot long 13.2 feet high 5th Wheel camper, she rambles around town in Northern New Jersey in a white Camaro. She also loves travel and history.
D.V. is a wife to an amazing husband, mother to one son, and not your average grandma to three beautiful grands. A woman of faith, she believes and trusts in God.
“My greatest pleasures are spending time outside with friends and family, cooking over the open fire, sipping a glass of wine, and reading.”
Hali, her rescue dog, always reminds her to let readers know, “Woof, woof.” Which is loosely translated as support your local animal rescue.”
Please help me welcome author Susie Black with the moments that changed her life, and her latest release, Death By Pins and Needles.
10 Moments That Changed My Life
Getting my driver’s license was the moment I experienced tangible independence for the first time and it shaped the way I approached life. I learned to plan ahead, think proactively, and that with independence comes responsibility and ownership of ones decisions and actions.
Receiving my college diploma and graduating Magna Cum Laude was the moment that pride and a tremendous sense of accomplishment taught me to always reach for the stars and that nothing is impossible if you believe in yourself.
Answering the phone call from my apparel sales rep dad asking me to come to Atlanta and take over a trade show when he was called away to deal with a family emergency changed everything in my entire life. It precipitated a challenging and unexpected lifestyle and career change, leaving my friends and comfort zone with a cross-country move from LA to Atlanta to a region that was completely different in every aspect from the one I had lived almost all my life in. But most important, I learned to trust my gut, take chances, and not be afraid to fail.
My first solo road trip traveling the southern states after accepting the sales rep position my dad offered me was the beginning of a career where I successfully broke every glass ceiling in an historically male-dominated industry.
The first entry I ever made to my daily journal as a sales exec would someday be the foundation of leveraging my apparel sales career into a successful writing gig. Those journal entries gave me the characters and stories to tell.
Answering the phone call from my future husband and accepting a blind date with him set up by a mutual friend changed my life. A blind date was not something I was interested in, but my friend was so insistent, that I accepted out of sheer curiosity. By the end of the evening, I was glad I’d taken the call. Forty plus years later, I am still glad.
My wedding day six months after my husband and I went out on our blind date changed my life in countless, wonderful ways. My mother always said to marry a man who makes you laugh every day. I did, and he still does.
When the doctor put my newborn son into my arms for the first time, I was certain that my life was never going to be the same. And it wasn’t. Thank goodness. The awesome sense of responsibility and unconditional love that filled my heart was overwhelming and remains there to this day.
When I left my son at his college dorm, I cried tears of joy mixed with anguish realizing my reward for doing a wonderful job of raising him was that he would not be living under my roof again.
Signing my first publishing contract and then seeing my debut cozy mystery novel Death by Sample Size posted on Amazon the first time filled me with an unparalleled sense of accomplishment and pride. And proof positive that things happen for a reason, even when I didn’t always understand why. My Nana predicted when I began my career that the reason I became an apparel industry sales exec is because I was destined to write about my experiences. As usual, my wise Nana was right.
FREE GIVEAWAY:
Susie has a giveaway for each of you… CLICK HERE to get your FREE copy of her Swimwear Fit Guidebook.
(Link for Fit Guide: Please insert this link at the end of the post with the instruction to click it for a FREE swimwear fit guide.)
She gave ‘skeleton in the closet’ a whole new meaning.
BLURB: Who wanted Lissa Charney dead? The list was as long as your arm….but which one actually killed her? The last thing Mermaid Swimwear sales exec Holly Schlivnik expected to find when she opened the closet door was nasty competitor Lissa Charney’s battered corpse nailed to the wall. When Holly’s colleague is wrongly arrested for Lissa’s murder, the wise-cracking, irreverent amateur sleuth sticks her nose everywhere it doesn’t belong to sniff out the real killer. Nothing turns out the way she thinks it will as Holly matches wits with a heartless killer hellbent for revenge.
Excerpt:
I walked to Lissa’s in case God made a mistake, and by some miracle, she’d hung around. The Royal showroom lights were dark, but the internal ones leading to the offices blazed bright as a beacon. For giggles and squeaks, I pushed on Lissa’s showroom door. Remarkably, it opened. Hot Diggity Dog. Amazingly, the fabric Goddess covered my play. My envelope with the fabric swatches lay on the first workstation table. Now for the key, and I’d be all set.
“Lissa,” I called out, “It’s Holly from Mermaid. I came for my package. Thanks a bunch for accepting it. Listen, Patti left early and I forgot my mart key in my desk drawer at the factory. Can you give me my spare?” Dead silence. Weird. Maybe she’s on the phone with her office door closed?
“Lissa,” I funneled my hands around my mouth into a megaphone and yelled, “It’s Holly Schlivnik from Mermaid.” Still a whole lotta dead air. God short-changed me in the height department at four feet nine inches tall, but the Good Lord compensated for it by blessing me with a strong set of pipes. Unless the woman was deaf as a post, no way she couldn’t hear me.
The clock said eight minutes left. Crap. Buyers in this industry are famous for keeping vendors waiting. My luck, I get the one who’s never late. I stuck my head out in the hall. Hallelujah. Lady Luck smiled down on me. No Sue Ellen. If the congestion goddess loved me, the Queen of Mean sat stuck in Friday night rush hour traffic with the rest of the homebound Angelinos.
Since shouting at the top of my lungs failed to get her attention, I went back to Lissa’s office. Lights on, but nobody home. Her beige leather purse sat on the desk with her keys on top of it. I jangled the chain. Lots of keys, but none of them mine. I slid my fingers over the grainy purse to move it out of the way, and my digits got coated with dust. Weird. I opened all the drawers and rooted around her desk, but no key. Her jacket lay haphazardly draped on her chair behind the desk. She obviously hadn’t left for the day, but I’d combed the place from one end to another and found no sign of Lissa. Where the Sam Hill could she be? Not in the showroom. Not in her office. Not in the kitchen. Not in the copier room. In the ladies’ room? Abducted by aliens? Hiding in a closet? I was out of options and time; so, for giggles and squeaks, I pulled open the doors to the enormous sample closet that stretched across the back wall and peered inside. Good news. I found Lissa Charney. The question was; did she have my key?
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 Fashion & Foul Play 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 