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.
The fourth series of Friday the 13th horror short stories is now available. In each, a murder takes place or a body is found on Friday the 13th. See if you can spot the other recurring elements. Dive into these short horror reads and have a frightfully great time!
****** Only 99 cents until the witching hour when the price goes up! (Well, until around midnight :))
For the series buy link, click on the below:
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Spit on a grave by Tamrie Foxtail
Fun Fact:
When I was in high school there was a cemetery across the street. It may sound odd, but it was a quiet place to study and walk. And there was that one mysterious headstone…off by itself…broken….
About Spit on a Grave:
No one likes a bully and Kiera’s tormented by four of them. But Kiera knows something they don’t. She knows how to turn the tormentors into the tormented.
Snippet:
“Audrey’s right,” Makayla said. “This is spooky. Why can’t we just say we went?”
“Because we have to post a picture,” Jenna said. “With the time.” She pointed to her right. “Kiera said the grave is over there in the corner, under the oak tree.”
They walked two abreast, dead leaves crunching beneath their feet and the full moon playing hide-and-seek through bare branches.
“There,” Alissa said, pointing at the lonely stone. She motioned for the other three to follow.
“Do we just take a picture standing in front of the grave?” Audrey asked.
“We’re supposed to spit on it,” Makayla said.
“That so disrespectful,” Jenna said.
Alissa shrugged. “Who cares? She was a child killer.” Alissa turned on her camera and aimed it at the stone. “Here we are in front of the grave of Barbara Dawn Callan,” she said in a spooky voice. “So scary. Not.” She made certain she was in the video, turned and spit on the grave. “There you go Barbara Dawn. Come and get me.”
Makayla followed. “Waiting for you, Barbara Dawn,” she taunted.
About the author:
Tamrie Foxtail followed her husband from the Sunshine State to the Sooner State thirty years ago. She loves carousels, reading, her family, and her fur babies.
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Soulless by Alicia Dean
Fun Fact:
When I write, I like to pay homage to things I love or that are personal to me. In Soulless, there are several scattered throughout:
The name of the town is Pleasence, after Donald Pleasence who played Dr. Loomis in the Halloween movie franchise.
A nearby town is called Boone Springs, which is the name of the town in my grim reaper romance, Soul Seducer.
My sheriff is Rosalyn (Roz) Grimes, and Rick Grimes is my favorite character in Walking Dead, and Roz is from one of my favorite sitcoms, Frasier.
Of course, I mention Elvis, though briefly.
And, I mention MLB, although at the time I wrote it, I didn’t realize that no post season game would be happening on Friday, although in the story I say there is.
And, lastly (I think), my bad guy’s name, Dearil, means ‘call of death.’
About Soulless:
When Sheriff Rosalyn Grimes shoots and kills the serial killer who is holding her daughter captive, she thinks the ordeal is over and her town is safe. But a rash of new murders plunges them right back into the nightmare—is there a copycat on the loose or, even more terrifying, has the same murderer come back to life?
Snippet:
He was only ten feet away, and she was suddenly afraid to go any closer. He gave off a bad vibe…as if just his being naked in the middle of the road wasn’t a bad vibe enough. No, there was something about this guy she wanted no part of. Screw it, she’d definitely call the police. And grab her gun while she waited for them.
She backed away, keeping her eye on him, but still, he didn’t move. She turned and hurried to her porch. She was twisting the knob when a smell like death assailed her nostrils. Fear choked her, and she whirled to see the man looming behind her. How had he gotten here so quickly?
She fumbled for the door and managed to get it open, then hurried inside. When she went to slam the door shut, he shoved it open from the other side and sent her tumbling to the floor.
He stalked over to her. “Let me in, little piggy.” His harsh voice rumbled out of him like a death rattle.
Shivers raced over her skin. “What do you want?” she managed to get past the lump of fear in her throat. “My husband’s upstairs, and he’s got a gun.”
His grotesque mouth lifted in the parody of a smile. “Don’t lie to me, Bethy. Your husband’s out of town. I need his clothes.”
The moon outside the window passed from behind the clouds, illuminating his features, and she gasped with recognition.
About the Author:
Oklahoma author, Alicia Dean, has an unhealthy fascination with murder and all things creepy and disturbing. On a lighter note, she’s a lifelong Elvis fan, loves the NFL and MLB, and hardly ever makes her darkly disturbing fascinations a reality.
Some friends and I attended a forensic class at a Skeleton Museum. We were given a skull and instructions on how to determine the cause of death. It was interesting to go through the steps anthropologists and forensic scientists go through to determine age, sex and physical trauma. Skeletons really can tell a story of a person’s life.
About The Widower:
Lucy Cable has an inexplicable talent for reading bones—she can look at a skull and see the person’s face. While touring a local bone museum, she notices a skeleton on display and is horrified to identify it as her missing friend. When another murder takes place, Lucy realizes a maniac is in their midst. Can she figure out how to stop him before her snooping around puts her next on his list?
Snippet:
“I didn’t think the museum would have this effect on you. Seriously, I just thought it would be a fun party.”
“I’m fine,” Lucy said. “I just need to sit down for a bit.”
“Ok, if you don’t mind, I’m going to find Cora.”
“Knock yourself out.” Lucy headed for an empty bench across the room. She was almost there when a sight stopped her short. She couldn’t have seen what she thought she had. It couldn’t be. Slowly, she pivoted on her heels. She had to be imagining things. She walked toward the single skeleton in the far corner of the room.
She put her hands on the glass and stared at the figure allowing the flesh to layer in her mind. There was no mistaking it. The same pert nose. The high cheekbones. The perfectly shaped rosebud lips. Add the blue eyes and long blonde hair. It was Maeve. Her mind spun with the implications. She’d seen her last night and now her skeleton was on display. “Oh, Maeve.”
“Now, what do you think of my museum?” Professor Porter beamed down at her. Lucy looked into the eyes of a killer.
About the Author:
Krysta Scott is the author of the novel, Shadow Dancer. Since publishing her first book through the Wild Rose Press, she has since published two novellas in the Martini Club 4 series and three novellas in the Friday the Thirteenth series. She lives in Oklahoma with her husband, daughter and dog.
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The Boy in the Bubble by Stephen B. King
Fun Fact:
This story was inspired by meeting someone who spent his childhood as a true boy in the bubble due to severe allergies that would kill him if he left it. Later in life, when he gained some immunities, though he still has to lead a sheltered life, he suffered a hernia and the operations went wrong. We can all be grateful that he didn’t have the telekinetic power Timothy does in the story……
About The Boy in the Bubble:
Timothy has spent his life in a bubble which protects him from fatal allergies. But nature always compensates and Timothy has developed incredible telekinetic powers. When a simple hernia operation goes wrong causing him unbearable, non-stop agony, Timothy strikes back the only way he knows how by reigning death and destruction.
Snippet
Much later, when Joseph recalled the incident, he realized their attacker suddenly resembled a marionette operated by a manic puppeteer. As the man reeled backward away from the cab, his hand, which held the switchblade, trembled as it turned toward his own stomach. The man seemed to be fighting with an invisible bodyguard, and he grasped his right wrist with his left hand to try to stop the knife from stabbing into his own body. But he was fighting a losing battle, and the blade disappeared into his stomach as he screamed a blood-curdling yell which ended with an even louder shriek.
“No,” Joseph shouted frantically, “Timothy, stop.”
The man jerked the knife out, and a squirt of blood arced toward the open door, some hitting Miriam’s skirt. “Arggghhhhhh,” the mugger exclaimed and looked directly into Joseph’s eyes as the knife re-entered an inch higher, then again, and again, repeatedly until he fell to the sidewalk, shaking and kicking his legs in pain before passing into unconsciousness.
About the Author:
I am thrilled, and deeply humbled to have published 17 books. Though my first love is psychological thrillers featuring the worst serial killers imaginable, I have also written romantic thrillers, horror stories and even a time-travel romantic thriller where the protagonist comes back in time to save the world, and falls in love. Find me on FB: @stephenbkingauthor
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A Wicked Fate Mark Edward Jones
Fun Fact
I like to pluck quotes from Shakespeare’s different works and in Hamlet I found ‘Our wills and fates do so contrary run.’ I wanted to show a bit of the killers’ perspectives in this story. Can the young female antagonist, Miomir, resist her destiny, or will her uncle force her to accept her fate?
About A Wicked Fate:
Miomir ìl Kurić desires money, power, and to be feared, while unburdened by her past. Her Uncle Karanosz insists she remains a part of their unique family, one which harbors special skills … and connections to evil.
Snippet:
The ancient granite structure no longer offered Christian worshipers a place for gathering in southern Vienna. The Catholic Church abandoned then sold St. Ezekiel—some said because the hauntings had never ceased. A half-century earlier, the Jews of Vienna had been herded like cattle into the old church before transport to Mauthausen or one of its surrounding camps. The church sat empty for decades, an outcast building with broken stained glass, dusty pews and altars, and fading memories of the long-ago tragedy.
Two people had claimed a portion of the former church. A man with a fedora in his lap leaned back into a cushioned love seat, his head tilted upward with eyes shut. A young woman paced the living area, clenching an unlit cigarette between her lips.
Miomir stared and yanked the cigarette from her mouth. “Comfortable?” she asked, staring at her resting uncle. “Two dead, and now we are the hunted again.”
Tasev sighed and sat forward. “Dear Miomir, I cannot believe you let it happen.” He shook his head. “There will be many questions about the condition of the body. If someone knows your … abilities, they will identify you.”
About the Author:
Mark retired from higher education finance in 2017. He is working on his third detective mystery, has written three paranormal short stories, and has completed the first chapter of a proposed sci-fi mystery.
One morning, during the writing process of SHARE my grandson and I went on a bicycle ride through town. On our way home, our path led us beside an abandoned building with an entire wall missing. We could see something inside and climbed onto the crumbling foundation to get a better look. There, standing alone, was one single piece of furniture–a baby cradle complete with bedding. In contrast to the surroundings, the cradle was in perfect condition. The scene absolutely took my breath away, because of the similarities to my existing book cover–so much so, I snapped this picture with my phone.
About SHARE:
Expectant mother, Autumn, offers to lend her body through “lend and borrow” technology to her childless boss and mentor, Sadie, who longs to experience the movement of a child within her before she dies. However, Autumn is horrified to learn that her good intentions have warranted certain death for her unborn child. Sadie doesn’t like to share.
Snippet:
“Wow,” Autumn breathed, stopping in her tracks. “Look at that.” She pointed to a large painting of a crying infant whose colorful—was it a soul?—descended from the sky, entering the child, filling its small body with light. A Not For Sale sign was attached to the ornate frame.
Sadie approached, touching Autumn’s arm. “How far along are you?”
She turned slowly toward her. “Almost five months. But most people are surprised when I tell them. How did you know?”
“I just knew.”
“Do you have children?”
“Actually, no. I’ve had three miscarriages, each at around twelve weeks gestation. Shortly after the last one, our house burned down, and my husband died in the fire. No children, no husband. It’s just me and my shop. Loss is so painful.”
“That is heartbreaking.” Autumn wrapped an arm around Sadie. “Your husband is waiting in heaven for you. Your babies are there, too.”
“I wish that were true. But my children never drew their first breath, therefore they never received a soul.” She looked up at the painting. “The soul is granted by God when a newborn child takes its very first breath. The soul is precious. Reserved for children who thrive outside the womb, not those who merely exist inside it.”
“You said yourself it was painful to lose your children,” Marlene piped in, her words bristling with irritation.
“Extremely painful. But even more painful was the acknowledgement that each of those small, lifeless bodies lacked a soul.”
The breath whooshed from Autumn’s lungs. She steadied herself against a sturdy-looking bookcase as Marlene put an arm around her and glared at Sadie. “Seriously, lady? What you said goes way beyond polite conversation.”
“I’m sorry—”
About the Author:
Anna is a screenwriter, freelance writer, and fiction writer with twelve books in publication and over a dozen articles/stories featured in Writers’ Digest, Southern Writers, and Woman’s World magazine. She was named “Oklahoma’s Best Author of 2021” by Oklahoma Living Magazine.
In “Blanks,” my favorite character, Josiah Poopart, better known as Beaver, rides again. I liked him so much in “Stripes” that I couldn’t resist writing a sequel. I’ve known him in various forms my entire life: canoeing buddies, fellow soldiers, family members. Men with a simple yet somehow poetic view of life. None as homicidal as Beaver, of course, but they speak of the world much as he does. He is very true to my experience and very close to home. He is not sophisticated, but he is creative, and he’s never met a story he was afraid to embellish. He’s so fun to write. My hope is to write at least five stories documenting the misadventures of my lethal, bucktoothed friend. I’d like to eventually publish them as a single work. (Title suggestions are welcome. 😊) We’ll see.
I did a lot of research for this story (LSD, Spavinaw history, etc.) I always do. My favorite scene, however, wasn’t due to any research or innate creativity on my part. I really wish it was. The Tale of the Depressed Duck was given to me whole cloth by my buddy Colin. He had just had a nearly identical conversation with his wife and was wondering how he should respond. I had no advice for him but, I roared when I heard the story and had to find a way to make it Beaver’s. Fortunately, Colin was willing. I’m hoping you enjoy my retelling of The Depressed Duck. If not, that’s on me. The original version was hysterical.
About Blanks:
Beaver Poopart has graduated both the VA psych ward and the police academy. Now he’s gone to Oklahoma in search of a wayward woman. Lots of people are going to wish he hadn’t.
Snippet:
“Anyway,” I said, “thirteen weeks I spent getting my head unscrewed and re-screwed. No booze. No women. Nothing but cigarettes and all the sleep and VA chow you could eat.”
“Food bad?”
“Hell, no. I ate better than I ever did. Free, too. They had this carrot Jell-O that I got to liking a lot. Little blob of whip cream on top. Real darn good. Sometimes I think I ought to head back over there for dinner or lunch some time. In fact, we could—” I stopped myself. Shooter might meet one of my docs. He might not understand about that dead orderly, Raymond.
Nothing to do with me, of course. People break their necks falling down the stairs all the time. They don’t often die on the fire escape outside my room, but that ain’t my fault. Truth is, nobody knows what he was even doing out there. I reckoned him for a peeping Tom, and I told them so. I told them I was suing for sexual harassment. I pointed out that he kept trying to give me weed, which everybody knows is a gateway drug to sexual slavery. Turns out they had their own suspicions.
About the Author:
Christopher Farris lives in a very old, very small house in a very old, very small town nestled deep in a valley of the Boston Mountains of Northwest Arkansas. His novels, The Fountain, and Intersection: A Trucker’s Christmas Carol are available at Amazon.com, as are his Friday the 13th short stories, including the first Beaver story, “Stripes.”
The climax to the story takes place in the old Rainier Brewery in south Seattle. The huge building is next to the freeway with an iconic “R” sitting on top. Millions of people have driven past the place, but few have entered it. I decided the bowels of the building would be an ideal setting.
About The Devil’s Dregs:
A witch has stolen Steven Metcalf’s newborn son and intends to sacrifice the child to her dark lord. Steven and his two friends scour Seattle to rescue the infant, but the city has become infested with witches and their allies. Can Steven and company save the innocent before it’s too late?
Snippet:
We were about fifty yards down the hill, stumbling through the ferns and salal bushes when a bright flashlight illuminated us. A woman shouted, “This is the police! Stop where you are!”
We ignored her and increased our pace, careening down the hillside by taking flying leaps through the wet fall foliage. Gunshots rang out. I could hear the whizzing sound of bullets flying past us and into the leaves of bushes. Bark flew off a nearby tree. This caused us to leap even faster until we entered a copse of evergreens with low-hanging branches, shielding us at least from view. We crouched on the ground and gathered together as bullets continued to wiz over our heads.
“What now?” asked Hu. While normally cool as a cuke, her voice betrayed her desperation.
About the Author:
Robert Herold is the author of the award-winning Eidola Project novels, which follows a team of 19th-century ghost hunters, and The Seattle Coven Tales, declared by N. N. Light Book Heaven as the “must-read paranormal series of the year.” Find out more at:http://robertheroldauthor.com
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Feast or Famine by Jon Minton
Fun Fact
The story contains a scene at the Teatro della Pergola, an opera house in Florence, Italy. It opened in 1656 and still hosts shows today. In the scene, the main character is watching Robert le Diable, a Meyerbeer opera about the medieval legend who discovers he is the son of Satan. Released in 1831 it is known for the provocative Nun’s Ballet.
About Feast or Famine:
Theresa Salomé is cursed and blessed. Every Friday the 13th, she must kill and cannibalize her victim, extending her life. She’s collected knowledge, amassed wealth, and watched empires come and go. But as centuries pass, the cycle and isolation threaten to tear her mind apart. Is she a monster, a preview of humanity’s future, or just another pawn for gods and devils.
Snippet:
Tess’s strength and extended life came from the brain and heart, the meat and potatoes of the meal. She threw the heart to Marco, who tore into the tough muscle like butter. Despite popular opinion, the brain isn’t something you can hold. Tess scooped out gelatinous fat, slurping it from her hand like an oyster.
Everything that came after the brain and heart, just like the spinal fluid hors d’oeuvres, could be skipped. Tess reminded herself that there was a technical need. If nothing else, body disposal. On a cursed day, she tore flesh and consumed it with the same efficiency as her companion, and together, they would devour it down to the bone in a single day.
About the Author:
Jon Minton is an American speculative fiction writer based in Oklahoma City. He is a software developer but has always been passionate about a great story.
The natural springs and caverns that are part of this story were once popular spa destinations in Florida for travelers in the laste 1800s and early 1900s.
About Violet:
Ivy Powers, now Ivy Ligon, is happily married, renovations to convert the Victorian home she inherited from a distant relative into a bed-and-breakfast are almost complete, and she just discovered she’s expecting. Life is perfect except for troubling dreams and the heartbreaking wail of a child that keeps waking Ivy in the middle of the night. While one lost soul may be seeking solace, another intends to keep its secrets buried…forever. Ivy will be forced to pay a price in her quest to right a wrong…but will it be worth the cost?
Snippet:
“Did you hear about the skeleton they found at the sinkhole on Aaron Rebisz’s farm?”
Ivy was sitting cross-legged next to a box of ledgers from the 1900s the town librarian had dropped off for the new museum. Across the room, Truby Santella was methodically sorting four generations of war medallions donated by Pete Wilson, a retired Navy captain who came from a long line of patriotic men and women who’d served in the Armed Forces.
“Passaway is slow to reveal her secrets, but nothing stays buried forever.”
Ivy flinched at Truby’s choice of words. Although she’d slept a few more hours, undisturbed by eerie cries, the thought of a small child dying in an underground cavern unsettled her. She’d confessed her feelings to Mike who frowned sympathetically but cautioned her about jumping to conclusions.
“We don’t know what happened,” he’d said, smoothing a strand of hair out of her face. “A family could have been picnicking out in the field on top of another sinkhole and the child fell in and was trapped under the dirt and rocks. Jackie mentioned something about a health spa where people came to swim in the natural springs. Could be the child accidentally drowned or was swept away by the waters. Whatever it was, I suspect it happened a long time ago, given there are no stories about children who unexpectedly went missing in the area.”
Her husband was right. The child’s death was most likely an unfortunate mishap.
No, it wasn’t.
Ivy’d had a series of baffling and inexplicable events when she first arrived in Passaway. Premonitions, visions and dreams that seemed to be those of another woman, ghostly encounters, roses with supernatural abilities—all related to Rosemary Storm’s murder. She’d learned to trust her intuition and believe in the unbelievable.
There was a dark secret connected to the child’s skeleton spit out by the earth yesterday. What would it take for the truth to be revealed?
“You’re familiar with the town’s unofficial history.” Ivy tried to sound curious, not like she was digging. “Have you ever heard of a young boy or girl getting lost in the caverns around here?”
“That’s not something I know,” Truby drawled. “Each generation has its own secrets.”
About the Author:
Connor Treadway is the pen name for the writing team behind Gothic thrillers and mysteries. The duo lives and writes in northeastern Florida.
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Karma’s a Bitch by TL Schaefer
Fun Fact:
This was one of those stories that just appeared in my head as I drove back from a lunch meeting with my writer friends! Driving time is the best time for conjuring ideas.
About Karma’s a Bitch:
Millie is determined to prove the existence of the paranormal in Bountiful, Oklahoma. But the people of Bountiful don’t care much for strangers asking questions…
Snippet
A monster emerged soundlessly from the depths of lake into the eerie silence, the last rays of sunlight putting her on display.
She was small, no bigger than Millie, but pure presence and power surrounded her like a nimbus, making her seem larger than the men arrayed before her combined. Her naked body was mottled gray and green and brown, long knotted ropes of what looked like moss shrouding her face. She was grotesque and stunning at the same time, and her terrible, terrifying beauty made the breath clog in Millie’s lungs.
The water streaming off of the monster was clear, and all around her water lilies formed and bloomed, a riot of green and white and pink against cool, crisp water that had looked black and clouded just a moment before.
A kind of wonder tinged with terror swept through Millie, leaving chill bumps on her arms as she looked and tried to comprehend. Failed. She’d never seen anything like this. Had a feeling no one had, except the men who’d summoned the creature.
About the Author:
TL Schaefer writes mysteries/police procedurals that also have a romance twined throughout. And likely some stuff that goes bump in the night.
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Knockers by Mary Coley
Fun Fact
The KNOCKERS story came together after visiting the famous Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, CO this summer.
About Knockers:
Trina Ellsbury needs a break. Then she checks into the StayLonger Inn. The desk clerk neglects to tell her about Knockers that linger on the fifth floor, or the history of Room 511.
Snippet:
“Front Desk. How may I help you?” A woman asked.
“Trina Ellsbury in 511. I need maintenance. The water in my bathtub is brown.”
“511? That can’t be right. What room, Ms. Ellsbury?”
“511. I checked in last night and have been here all day.”
The woman cleared her throat. “I have no one in 511. We don’t rent that room. Please check the number again. I’ll be happy to send someone up.”
“Trip has been here several times today.”
“Trip? We don’t have an employee by that name.”
“Then ask Lou. He delivered food and picked up something for the cleaners. I assure you I’m here and in room 511.”
“Lou? We have no one on staff named Lou. I’ve been at the desk all day.”
“Mr. Jenkins has helped me each time I’ve called. Get him, please. Mr. Jenkins, the manager.”
“There is no Mr. Jenkins. I’m Sandra Lawson, the night manager.”
Someone knocked on the door. Knock…knock, knock, knock, knock. Five times. In my head, the two answering knocks sounded.
“Maintenance, Ms. Ellsbury.” Trip called. He knocked five times.
Through the peephole, I recognized Trip’s blazing smile. I knocked twice in response, loudly, and let him in.
About the Author:
Mary Coley thinks in mysteries. Her favorite question is WHY? A traveler, nature and dog lover, her next story is just around the corner. She lives in Oklahoma with her husband and Trixie, their current rescued hound.
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Spine Chilling by Michelle Godard-Richer
Fun Fact
I put up a post in The Booklounge For Readers and Authors to ask men which classic books were their favorites to decide which book Peter McFadden would possess.
About Spine Chilling:
Peter McFadden’s life is ending, but he isn’t ready to leave this world and his killing ways behind. His spirit lingers inside his favorite vintage book, tethering him to this world, while he waits for his next victim.
Snippet:
Esme kneeled beside her sister and angled the flashlight on her phone into the dark space beneath the box spring. The beam illuminated two boxes. A black metal case and a big shoe box.
Lucy pulled them out. “If he had anything valuable in this room it would be inside these.” She tugged the metal box towards her and lifted the latches. “Yep, this is his old Colt. We’ll take this with us. What’s in that one?”
With an unexplainable sense of unease lifting the hair on the back of her neck, Esme pulled the shoe box towards her and flipped it open. “This is weird.” She picked up a bundle of cards, with a woman’s driver’s license on top, held together by an elastic band. She tugged the elastic off and spread what turned out to be a bunch of driver’s licenses across the carpet. They all belonged to young women. “What the hell, Luce? Why would he have these?”
“I don’t know. I’ll google the names.” Lucy’s fingers flew across her iPhone as she glanced at the driver’s licenses. Her skin turned clammy, and her hands shook.
“What’s wrong, Luce?”
“Ohmigod. I’ve searched three of the names so far, and they were all murdered by the Colorado Strangler. And the police still haven’t caught him. But that still doesn’t explain why Dad has these.” Lucy picked up a small jewelry box, the only other thing left in the shoe box. “I wonder what’s in here.”
Esme’s stomach twisted into a tight knot as her brain worked through the shock of their discovery and arrived at a horrific conclusion. “I wouldn’t touch that if I were you.”
“Why not?” Lucy opened the box, then dropped it, and covered her mouth.
The box landed on its side and a mound of gleaming white teeth spilled out all over the carpet. Almost as if their father had polished each tooth individually after…he yanked them out of someone’s mouth.
About the Author:
Michelle Godard-Richer is the award-winning author of The Fatal Series. She writes edge-of-your-seat suspenseful stories with strong protagonists and diabolical villains. linktr.ee/mgodardricher
Please help me welcome today’s guest, author friend, Kara O’Neal….
I’m so excited to introduce you to Andrew and Ben, mischief-making twins, who are private investigators and catch the case of their life. They must reunite sisters who were kidnapped and torn apart at ages 3 and 2.
I have to tell you that my fingers flew over the buttons of my laptop on this one. There was so much to write, so many characters to flesh out. And I absolutely adore that steadier, calmer, and quieter Andrew gets trail-blazing, pants-wearing, veterinarian, Jo Tatum as his lady love, while fun-loving, never serious, mischievous Ben ends up with Charlotte Ryan, a math wizard who has more courage in her pinky than you can shake a stick at.
These sisters don’t know each other, and Andrew and Ben must bring them together. It’s a story filled with joy, sorrow and bravery. I loved writing every word of it.
A long-ago murder, sisters separated as children, and two brothers, private investigators, who have caught the job of their lives…
Pike’s Run, Texas, 1882
Andrew and Ben Lonnigan, brothers and private investigators, have accepted an important case—to reunite the long-lost DuBois daughters with their rightful inheritance. Abducted from their childhood home in New Orleans when they were three and two-years-old, Jo and Charlotte were adopted by separate families.
Andrew heads north to find Josephine Tatum—a pants-wearing, spitfire veterinarian who challenges his mind and captures his heart. Ben travels south to find Charlotte Ryan—the financial mind behind her father’s ranch, with a sweet disposition and, unfortunately, a fiancé.
As the sisters journey toward destiny, Charlotte must guard her heart against Ben, a man too daring to ever return her love. And Andrew must hide his feelings from Jo, a woman determined to carve her own path. While the foursome battle feelings, they must also war with a villain from the sisters’ past, one with the will and the means to destroy everything the DuBois daughters hold dear.
Excerpt
“You aren’t gonna talk just because I won’t sleep in the tent with you?” Andrew asked.
Jo took a deep breath and glared at him, trying to rein in her temper.
“That’s more of a punishment for you than me,” he went on. “I’m not much for conversation. My brother is better at it. I prefer silence, but you sure seem ready to explode with things to say.”
He looked at her with such ease that her good sense left her. “I think it’s rude of you to tell me outright that you find me ugly.”
“When did I say that?” he replied.
“When you told me you weren’t going to sleep in the tent with me.”
He made a face. “No, I don’t think I said that.”
She rolled her eyes. “Fine. You implied it.”
“No, you inferred it. I implied something altogether different.”
She sat ramrod straight. “What do you mean? What else could you have meant?”
He shrugged. “Maybe I can’t share that cramped space with you because I find you too damned attractive.”
She reared back.
“Maybe I’m trying to protect you from my inability to leave you be and not touch you.” He watched her carefully, his gaze direct and intent.
Her breath came more quickly. “Do you mean to tell me…that you…you find me desirable?”
“I do.”
She almost declared the ridiculousness of the statement. But it wasn’t. Not at all. It shouldn’t be. What was absurd was his honesty. And even more unbelievable…she tried the control of someone as disciplined as he.
Pleasure burst through her. She couldn’t help but grin at him.
He cursed.
The heat in his gaze made her pulse race, and she stood.
He shot to his feet.
And now she picked up on his nervousness. It was subtle, but she could tell he considered running away. He’d given her a powerful piece of information, and he didn’t even know if she found him attractive.
She walked the ten paces necessary to get to him.
He didn’t back away, but she could sense he steeled himself against whatever she planned.
“You can sleep in the tent with me. I’d like that very much.” She heard the husky note in her voice.
His brown eyes went warm, and her body melted. She refrained from leaning into him.
“We probably ought not to,” he ground out.
“Why?” she murmured, stepping even closer. Her breasts almost pressed against his chest. “I won’t tell anyone.”
He narrowed his eyes at her. “Have you done this before?”
Born and raised in Texas, I had to make the state the setting for my first series. From the food to the fun, like floating the rivers, it is the fire in my blood that inspires me. My family and friends take center stage in my books. My sisters and best friends are my heroines, and my husband created my favorite hero. Love and family are the point of my stories, and I seek to entertain, relieve stress, and inspire people. Books can take one on a journey that one can relive over and over. I am extremely grateful to those authors who did that very thing for me. I learned and I fell in love with their words and characters. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.
Please help me welcome author Kara O’Neal and her new release, The Cowboy’s Embrace…
The Cowboy’s Embrace came about because, when I introduced Deacon in book three of the series, I fell in love with him. He was strong, steady and smart. Really smart. Because he was the only one in book three who knew that trickery was afoot!
I had to give him a book. He deserved a true love. But what would his story be?
I have to say I took some time developing his match. She had to be someone righteous, honest and unafraid. She had to be able to stand next to Deacon and be her own person. Enter Lily Spero…the girl he abandoned in a park in Houston.
Now, before you get confused, he had his reasons for leaving her. So don’t hate him. Read his story and learn how these two triumph over a great evil. If you read it, know that my favorite part is how Lily steals the walking cane from the villain on the white horse and what happens after it.
About The Cowboy’s Embrace… Fate brings his greatest regret back into his life…
Lily Spero is searching for her stolen heritage, for a place in the world that is all her own. Sixteen years ago, she lost her parents and siblings to a villain on a white horse. Since, she’s hungered for family, for that love she’d once known. When she visits the Swinging A Ranch, her past collides with her present, opening wounds long buried and shockingly creating hope where none had been before.
Deacon Tolbert is the foreman and a contributing partner to the Swinging A Ranch. He’s carved a niche in the world all his own, finally feeling worthy of the goodness he’s found for himself. But when Lily Spero arrives, the girl he abandoned years ago, he’s forced to face the most gut-wrenching moment of his life.
Despite the pain, love surprises them and blossoms, bringing hope for the future. But the villain from the past comes to haunt them, to steal what they’re trying to build. Deacon and Lily must brave vile evil in order to stay together, and fight with all they have to keep the promises they made to each other.
Excerpt: He would come back soon. He would. He wouldn’t leave her here. Lily assessed the park with its strong oaks and maples and winding packed dirt paths. She bit her lip and worked hard not to cry. She was a big girl. She was eleven, and he’d asked her to be brave while he was gone. As she hid in the shade, she sank down to the grass, huddled against a trunk and hoped no one noticed a frightened, stranded, black girl. Where was he? What was taking so long? He only went to find food for them. Morning turned into noon. People came. Some to eat their lunches on blankets they spread on the ground. Others to walk the picturesque paths. She pulled her knees into her chest and buried her nose in her dirt-caked pinafore. It had been yellow once. A pretty color as bright as the sun. As she rocked back and forth, she prayed. She repeated over and over the words her mother had taught her. With her eyes clamped shut and her lips moving without ceasing, she implored to Heaven for Deacon to return. But hours passed. Faces swam before her, asking her questions, giving her food. She couldn’t answer the nice strangers. Just gazed down the path, hoping, waiting, her heart dying. Where are you? Please come. Please come back. She silently begged to see his familiar form, dressed in overalls and a threadbare work shirt, coming around the bend to carry her away. But he didn’t come. And the kind people didn’t leave. They took her home with them, and Lily didn’t argue, even though their pale skin struck uncertainty in her heart. She couldn’t think. Deacon, she grieved. And his name was the pained whisper on her lips every night, the perpetual cold ache in her heart…that could never be filled.
Born and raised in Texas, I had to make the state the setting for my first series. From the food to the fun, like floating the rivers, it is the fire in my blood that inspires me. My family and friends take center stage in my books. My sisters and best friends are my heroines, and my husband created my favorite hero. Love and family are the point of my stories, and I seek to entertain, relieve stress, and inspire people. Books can take one on a journey that one can relive over and over. I am extremely grateful to those authors who did that very thing for me. I learned and I fell in love with their words and characters. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.
Please help me welcome author friend Kara O’Neal with the moments that changed her life, and her new release, The Cowboy’s Embrace, Book 10, Pike’s Run Series…
10 Moments That Changed My Life by Kara O’Neal
When I was in second grade, I read “Little Women”. The story enthralled me. I loved the close relationship between the sisters. But this is when I learned that “happily ever after” doesn’t always mean that everyone stays together. It was a sobering moment for a second grader!
Let’s jump a decade to my senior year in high school. One of the many books I read that year had an ending that was highly disappointing. This had happened before, of course, but I was especially irritated by the way this story wrapped up. My sister told me to make up a better ending. Seemed like a good idea. I followed her orders, and thus began my love affair with crafting my own “happily ever afters”! (I credit my sister with my writing career. Alice in The Sheriff’s Gift is based off of her.)
August 22, 1994 – This is the day I met my husband. I knew as soon as I saw him that he was my “happily ever after” guy. (He didn’t think I was his “happily ever after” girl until the next day.)
July 18, 1998 – We got married! We will be married 20 years in a little over a week. Even though I knew he was the one for me right off the bat, I still can’t believe it’s been 20 years. Marriage is hard, but I’ve discovered that as long as you work to grow together, it absolutely can feel like a “happily ever after”.
The summer of 2000 – I sat down and wrote my first book. The writing was pretty horrible. But, I didn’t let go of it. I couldn’t. I had found the work of my heart, and even if I never saw words of mine published, I was going to keep writing.
November 14, 2000 – Our first child, a daughter, was born on this day. She is going to be a senior in high school this year. My heart can’t take it. Even so, I’m extremely excited to see what she does with her adult life. She is talented, bright, and a sweetheart. She NEVER gives up on anything. She is one of the bravest people I know, which has made her one of my heroes.
November 17, 2002 – Our second child, a son, was born on this day. He is a carbon copy of his father – quiet, kind, talented, and as calm as the day is long. He’s a sturdy rock who is a friend to all. He will be a sophomore this year, and the world is absolutely his oyster. He can draw and sing and act. He does all of this with a kind smile and never a boastful attitude.
September 16, 2006 – Our last child, a son, was born on this day and now our house is filled with laughter because of it. He’ll be in sixth grade this year. He is also very talented – he is a wonderful artist, but he has this sense of humor that keeps us in stitches. I don’t know where he gets it. Here’s a joke he made up when he was in the second grade: “Do you know why there are no male teachers? Because it’s teacher not teachim.”
May of 2013 – I received the communication all writers want to hear. Resplendence Publishing wanted to publish my book. It had taken 13 years, but I finally got it right. Welcome Home, book 1 in the Pike’s Run Series, had been through many revisions. But all that sweat, blood, tears, tears and more tears paid off. And now I can’t stop!!! The Cowboy’s Embrace, book 10, will be released tomorrow, Destiny’s Secrets, book 11, is going through the critique process, and Pierce’s Hero, book 12, is finished and waiting its turn with my critique partners.
November 22, 1998 – My grandpa gave me the best advice on this day. He told me that marriage is 100/100. Not 50/50. He asked me why I would ever only give half of myself to the person who would be my partner in life. It made so much sense. So, ever since then, regardless of what my husband does for me, I give him as much as I possibly can. Is it working? I think so. Am I always successful? NO. It’s hard, of course, but I don’t believe I’m here just to see what others can do for me. My helping hands and loving heart shouldn’t be contingent on what others do for me. I’m so grateful I got to spend time with my grandpa on that day. It was the Sunday before Thanksgiving of 1998. He died on Thanksgiving Day that year. His entire family was there. He’d been diagnosed with cancer in January. He was given 6 months. He lived for 11. I think of him every day.
Blurb:
Lily Spero is searching for her stolen heritage, for a place in the world that is all her own. Sixteen years ago, she lost her parents and siblings to a villain on a white horse. Since, she’s hungered for family, for that love she’d once known. When she visits the Swinging A Ranch, her past collides with her present, opening wounds long buried and shockingly creating hope where none had been before.
Deacon Tolbert is the foreman and a contributing partner to the Swinging A Ranch. He’s carved a niche in the world all his own, finally feeling worthy of the goodness he’s found for himself. But when Lily Spero arrives, the girl he abandoned years ago, he’s forced to face the most gut-wrenching moment of his life.
Despite the pain, love surprises them and blossoms, bringing hope for the future. But the villain from the past comes to haunt them, to steal what they’re trying to build. Deacon and Lily must brave vile evil in order to stay together, and fight with all they have to keep the promises they made to each other.
Excerpt:
“I thought you were dead.”
Deacon paused in restacking the woodpile outside his home. Lily.
His hand hovered over the cut tree, and it took every ounce of strength he had to remain upright. He swallowed. He should have realized she’d have enough courage to face him. She’d always been like her mother.
When her friend hadn’t shown this morning for her cowboy education, he’d thought the pair had gone home. He’d thought he’d been saved from confronting the worst moment of his life. But here she was. Lily.
He couldn’t tell her to go. And he wouldn’t pretend not to know who she was. Slowly, muscle by muscle, he straightened to full height.
“Or captured,” she continued.
He closed his eyes.
“I thought…no…I tortured myself with images of the ghost coming to get you.”
Ah, God. Pain tightened his chest. He couldn’t turn around.
Some beats passed, accompanied only by the noise of cicadas. “But…now…I fear you abandoned me of your own volition.” Tears thickened her tone. “Did you choose to leave me?”
He had. And the action had haunted him every day.
A groan of frustration came from her. “Are you going to stand there and say nothing? After all these years, after what we went through, you won’t talk to me? You can’t even look at me.” Her voice broke. “Was I that much of a problem? Did I cause you so much trouble I’d become a burden?”
Her questions lashed his skin, making past wounds crack open and run down his flesh. God, how he wished he’d been able to stop the villain on the white horse.
Another sob from her had him clenching his hands into fists. He could face her. He could. With slow movements, he turned.
And the beautiful creature before him proved that sixteen years had passed. His heart constricted that he had caused this beauty so much suffering. Guilt pressed on him, and he couldn’t move, couldn’t make his mouth work to speak.
She was Lily. He could see it. But she’d transformed into a picture of grace and strength he had no business being around. He’d added to her grief and owed her an explanation. If he could find his courage, he would apologize.
Her watery gaze glittered with gut-wrenching pain. Disbelief.
“God,” she choked out. “You’ve changed so much.”
He was a rough cowboy now. One who chose to avoid the sweeter side of life for reasons he refused to explore.
“I should know your face,” she accused, lifting her chin. “You should be as familiar to me as the backs of my hands. We were supposed to be together…to be each other’s family. You promised.”
Have you ready any of Mary’s books? If so, which one?
I haven’t yet, but this one looks like a winner!
Check out her giveaway below!
Blurb:
Matt Beckett is the Chief Financial officer for World Banking Association (WBA). Over a year ago an agency known as the HEAD group tried to take over the WBA. Matt’s sister, Reagan Beckett, a member of a Federal Special Task Force took out one of the key players, a serial killer known as the Headman. Now the founder of HEAD, Andrew Phillips, is back and ready to finish what he’d started with a new and dastardly key player from the Dark web.
Matt doesn’t have any desire to be involved in any cloak and dagger stuff. He’d rather leave that to the other law enforcement Beckett’s. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like he’ll have a choice.
Bryn Connelly is the Chief Audit Executive also for the WBA. She had been one of the Headman’s targets and thought her days of danger were over. However, she finds herself working with laid back Matt Beckett, much to her dismay.
Matt couldn’t be more delighted when Reagan informs him he’ll be working the lovely Bryn. He’s been trying to catch her eye for five years, now. However, their sleuthing quickly lands them in a precarious position.
It’s up to Matt and Bryn to finish what Reagan and her team started, but can he win the lovely Bryn and save the day? Or will he lose her forever if the WBA falls into the wrong hands?
Excerpt:
“No shop talk or you’re banned from Christmas dinner.”
“Ma, you can’t ban me from a home-cooked meal.” Matt looked down his body. “Look at me, I’m skin and bones, because I don’t have a good woman to cook for me.”
Martha gave him a light slug to the shoulder. “And whose fault is that, young man?”
“Yeah?” Reagan raised a brow at him and took another sip. “How’s the lovely Bryn?”
Martha gasped and looked at him. Damn Reagan. Now his mother was going to hound him.
“Who is Bryn?” Martha’s eyes twinkled in anticipation.
He shot Reagan a look that he hoped conveyed that she would pay. “Bryn is a woman I work with from time to time at WBA.”
“She works at DIG?” Referring to one of the five entities of WBA.
He sighed, he might as well get the Q & A over with since she’d just keep at him until he gave in anyway. His mother could be like a dog with a bone.
“No, she’s with Corporation of International Finance, or CIF, she’s their Chief Auditor Executive.” He glanced at his sister who stood sipping her drink innocently and glared. “She is a very nice person and no, before you ask, we are not seeing each other.”
“Not that he doesn’t want to see her, she just has better taste in men.” Reagan laughed.
“Reagan, any woman would be lucky to date your brother.”
Matt held in a groan. Man, he needed to get out of here. He looked to his brother, brothers-in-law, anyone to rescue him. But Reagan wasn’t going to let that happen.
“Ma, you’d love her. She has the most beautiful red hair, green eyes, and she speaks with this lovely Irish accent.”
“Gan, Gan!”
Matt looked down at his niece, Lucy, he wanted to give her a big kiss for interrupting. But the little one was currently pulling on Reagan’s jean clad leg. His sister set her glass on the side table and swung Lucy up above her head, her giggles drew the attention of everyone in the room.
Escape. Matt didn’t waste any time, while his mother and sister were occupied with the adorable dark haired cutie he raced toward his brothers and talk of football.
Mary lives in Magna, a little town west of Salt Lake City, Utah. Together with her husband, she has six grown children, and six wonderful grandsons and five beautiful granddaughters. She loves to spend time with family and friends–she includes good books as friends!
Mary and her husband love to travel, especially to the Caribbean for relaxing, and Italy for the wine. And most recently she discovered she was Irish and Scottish, of course they had to visit Ireland and Scotland. Mary fell in love with both, but the green hills of Ireland felt like home. With the experience from the exotic places she has visited, she is able to fill her books with colorful descriptions of cities, painting a colorful backdrop for her characters. One of her favorite US destinations is New York/Brooklyn, where her beloved Beckett’s live. When she visits, she can wander their neighborhoods, favorite parks, and visit their favorite pub, Putnum’s.
They are avid concert ‘Ho’s’! Yes, they pretty much want to do them all. They love outdoor amphitheaters the best and attend as many during the warmer months as possible.
Mary writes mostly romantic suspense, romance, women’s fiction, and she has just begun to dabble in young adult mystery. She is a member of Romance Writers of America (RWA). During her writing career she has been a conference coordinator, workshop presenter, and chapter president for the Utah Chapter of RWA. In 2007 she was presented with the Utah RWA service award in acknowledgment and appreciation for outstanding service. Mary has also participated in numerous library panels on writing and co-presented a workshop on writing a series at the League of Utah Writers conference.
Mary and her husband are also enthusiastic college football fans. They have season tickets to the UTES, University of Utah Football and they tailgate every game. They love tailgating so much, that they were married at a tailgating in 1999.
Please help me welcome Kara O’Neal, an author friend and fellow Authors Helping Authors member…
Hi Kara…Please tell us a little about yourself, where are you from? Where do you live now? Family? Pets?
Hello there! My name is Kara O’Neal, and I was born and raised in Texas. I’ve put down roots here with my wonderful husband and three children. We’ve got a sweet – and very prissy – sheltie, named Stormy. She’s a doll.
I’m a middle school teacher, working with students who have special needs. I’ve been at the same campus for nineteen years, and I love it. The people I work with are dedicated and true servants to their profession.
Where did you get the idea for The Editor’s Kisses? Was there anything unusual, any anecdote about this book, the characters, title, process, etc, you’d like to share? What is the most difficult thing about writing a book? What was the most difficult thing about this one in particular?
When I was a girl, I loved – and still love – the Little House series. While I enjoyed the events surrounding the Ingalls the most, any story about the town and its citizens was fun, too. I was an avid reader from four years old. I read everything from Shel Silverstein to Rudyard Kipling. However, I never fancied myself a writer.
My sister, who is the inspiration for the fabulous heroine in my second book, was the one who first turned my thoughts in that direction. I was a senior in high school when she sparked my interest. But, I didn’t write my first scene until I was a senior in college. It took a long time for me to be published, but in that waiting period, I wrote. The Pikes Run Series was born, and I would have to say that any story I write comes from the characters. While I have two main families, I also tell stories about a town and its citizens.
The Editor’s Kisses came to life because Stephen Dawson wanted to start Pikes Run’s first newspaper and Constance Forrester wanted to get women the vote and saw his paper as a way to help the process along. Their love story evolved as they worked through that.
The most difficult thing, for me, when writing a book is making sure the character comes across to the reader. I want each one to be different, to have different faults and quirks. I want them to be their own person. And sometimes that is hard to do.
What book have you read that you wish you had written?
Oh, heavens. Probably Anne of Green Gables.
Do you collect anything?
Castles and crosses! I love them. And my husband’s aunt makes the most gorgeous crosses from stained glass. They’re amazing.
What’s your favorite book of all time and why?
Pride and Prejudice is my favorite book of all time because Mr. Darcy and Lizzie Bennett are the most complex characters ever written. I was so caught up in the story that I can honestly say I was shocked beyond everything when Mr. Darcy…well…let me not spoil it in case someone hasn’t read it and wants to!
What’s your favorite childhood book?
Anne of Green Gables.
What actors would you like in the main roles if your book were made into a movie?
Colin O’Donoghue and Jennifer Morrison. They could play any characters they want from any of my books.
Would you rather have a bad review or no review?
A bad one.
What is your favorite quote?
From the movie Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves – “There are no perfect men in this world, only those with perfect intentions.”
Your most prized material possession?
I have a Texas flag that flew over the state capitol the day I graduated from high school. It’s a symbol of home for me.
Are your characters based off real people or did they all come entirely from your imagination?
Four of my heroines, and one of my heroes, are based off people I know. Emma (Welcome Home) is based off my baby sister, Alice (The Sheriff’s Gift) is based off my middle sister, Angelique (The Cowboy’s Charms) is based off one of my best friends, Willa (Love’s Redemption) is based off another best friend, and last, Lonnie (Love’s Redemption) is based off my husband.
What is your favorite…
Movie – Pride and Prejudice
Music – Texas country or Red Dirt music
Place you’ve visited — England
Place you’d like to visit — Ireland
TV show from childhood – Little House and Golden Girls
TV show from adulthood – The Closer and Once Upon A Time
Food – Brisket and chips/salsa
Sports team – Texans and Astros
Which do you prefer: Board games/card games or television? Card games
Thank you, Kara. I enjoyed getting to know more about you. Please tell us about your book.
Blurb:
Constance Forrester has no intention of getting married. She is a suffragette and determined to change society. When Stephen Dawson, her school chum, starts a newspaper in their sleepy little town, Constance discovers an opportunity. With confidence and an unflinching will, she asks Stephen to take a risk and employ her as a journalist.
Stephen is stunned by Constance’s impossible proposal and immediately turns her down. But the small moments he’s spent with Constance have peeked someone’s curiosity, and Stephen finds himself sought after by the town princess, Madeline Talbut. Stephen has loved Madeline for years, and when the young lady finally shows an interest in him, he concocts a plan: enter into a fake courtship with Constance in order to make Madeline love him, and in return, Constance can be a journalist for his newspaper. Anonymously, of course.
It’s a chance Constance can’t pass up. So what if she has to attend parties and withstand Stephen’s heart-melting kisses? A suffragette must forge through barriers, break down walls and risk all for the sake of freedom. But Stephen changes the game, and Constance finds herself the object of the editor’s desire…
Excerpt:
“Constance,” he uttered. “I’m gonna kiss you.”
She flinched again.
“I won’t hurt you, I swear it. But if I don’t kiss you…they’ll all question us and our…attachment.” He was an ass. He was using their agreement to coax her into acquiescence, and while he knew it, and was ashamed of it, he continued. “It will only be for a second. I’ll just brush my lips with yours.”
In the darkness, he felt her slight nod against his chin. His heart pounded at her quiet surrender.
When she pulled back as far as the space would allow, and lifted her head to his, heat slashed through him. He’d never needed a kiss as much as he needed hers.
Madeline had kissed him. Once. Behind the schoolhouse when they were sixteen. And that moment hadn’t caused near the anticipation this one was.
He lowered his head and swallowed her gasp. It wasn’t a brush even though he only set his lips on hers. It was a fire. A shot of whiskey that whipped through him and pooled in his gut. He deepened the connection, and she let him, sighing and sinking into him despite already being as close to him as he could get her.
But there was a melting. A need to move to the ground and cover her, press her down and make her his. He used his tongue, tasting her. She capitulated instantly and opened her mouth under his. He took what she allowed without hesitation as his free hand came up to grip her waist.
The damn closet was too small. His left hand was wedged between her side and the slender door. But though he couldn’t get his arms around her, he didn’t stop the kiss. It went on and on, stealing his breath, tightening his chest, and making him doubt everything he’d ever known about his heart.
Bio:
I was born and raised in Texas. It is the fire in my blood that inspires me, and I had to make it the setting of my first series. My family and friends take center stage in my books. My sisters and best friends are my heroines, and my husband created my favorite hero. Love and family are the point of my stories, and I seek to entertain, relieve stress and inspire people. Books can take one on a journey that one can relive over and over. I am extremely grateful to those authors who did that very thing for me. I learned and fell in love with their words and characters. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.
Please help me welcome today’s guest, Julie Lence…
Hello Alicia. Thank You for having me as your guest today. It’s a pleasure connecting with you and your readers. No Luck At All was probably the easiest story for me to write. Racine spoke to me the entire way. Below, get to know her better and you’ll discover why she tugged at my heartstrings from beginning to end. 2 people will win a Kindle copy of No Luck At All just for leaving a comment. Hugs!
My pleasure, Julie! I’m thrilled to have you and I look forward to meeting Racine. Thank you for the giveaway!
Hello. I’m Racine, the youngest daughter of wealthy and respected Boston doctor, Donald Somerfield, and his socialite wife, Katherine. Mama hated me from the moment I was born. She had it in her mind that Papa wanted a son, and when I came out a fourth daughter, she blamed me for that mishap. She swore she would not jeopardize her figure and looks again to bear papa another child, moved into her own bedroom, and handed me and my care over to the servants.
My toddler years, I found it unbearable to not have Mama’s love and acceptance. My sisters, Valeen, Victoria and Valerie did. Mama would fuss over them, take them shopping and plan parties for them. She did none of that with me, which made me try all sorts of ways to gain her approval, none of which worked. I only earned her ‘rolling’ of the eyes, a stern lecture on how I was disobedient and very unladylike, and words of how no one would ever like me. I was unlovable.
I found that last part hard to believe. Papa loved me and spent as much time with me as his doctor duties allowed. Even the servants seemed to enjoy my company. Then one day, on a whim to make mama happy, I went to her flower garden to pick her some flowers. A stray dog leapt out from under the bushes and attacked me. His paw clawed my cheek and Papa had to stitch three deep cuts. When the bandages were removed, I had three long, red, ugly scars. Papa swore they would fade in time, But I knew that wasn’t true. Every year, they got bigger, more noticeable–this was proven when I overheard my sisters beg Mama to keep me hidden from their friends. They said I was hideous and would scare away the other girls.
After that, I took to spending a lot of time in my room, alone. The maids took pity on me and taught me how to sew. Sophie, our cook, taught me how to prepare delicious meals. My skills flourished under their guidance. Even Papa was impressed with the curtains I sewed for his den.
The years passed and I reached an age where Papa insisted I attend the dinner parties he held for his interns. I wanted nothing to do with socializing and retreated to my room on those occasions. One night, Papa ordered me to attend a dinner. Grudgingly, I did, and kept to the shadows most of the evening until one man asked me to dance. I wanted to decline his offer, but his warm smile drew me to him as his hand drew me out of the corner. I’m thankful I didn’t refuse him, for that night I met and fell in love with the most handsome, heavily muscled, kind-hearted man to ever exist―Creel Weston.
Creel courted me relentlessly. He took me to the park, to dinner, and for strolls around Mama’s flower gardens. He told me he loved me and wanted me to marry him. Part of me believed him. The other part was unsure, until he stood beside me at the altar, said his vows, and gave me a ring. I’ve never been so happy, and then that happiness disappeared as before my eyes Creel went from warm and caring to a cad on the eve of our wedding.
I don’t know what brought about the change in him, but I have a good idea. Somehow, he came to the conclusion he can’t bear looking at me and my hideous scars for the rest of his life. Though he’d never once commented on them, I gathered the preacher joining us together for all eternity sparked feelings in him he never knew existed. I can’t blame him―I am ugly. But I can hope for some semblance of comfort and accord between us. I thought I had found that after Creel and I hashed out some misunderstandings. But now, an old friend from Creel’s childhood claims he loves her. After replaying some events over and over in my mind, and pitting Amy’s beauty and refinement against my scars and lack of elegance, I fear she is right in that Creel loves her and not me.
No Luck At All is the 3rd book in the Weston Family series and available for purchase at Amazon:
“A sassy mouth isn’t becoming of you.” He sat across from her.
“Ungratefulness doesn’t become you, either,” she rallied back.
“Butchering me like a side of beef does?” He raised a brow.
“I butcher you?” Disbelief shone in her eyes. “You butcher me. Most of the time you don’t talk to me and when you do, you’re mean.”
“Have a heart, Racine. I’m doing the best I can.”
“If this is your best, I’d hate to see your worst.” She fidgeted with the sash on her robe. “What’s bothering you, Creel? Why do you think the worst of me?”
“Because,” he barked and instantly regretted it. Fear sprang into her eyes and she sank back in her chair, her shoulders trembling. “I apologize,” he said quietly, leaning forward and resting his arms on his thighs before folding his hands together to conquer the churning in his gut. If he wanted any kind of normalcy with her, it was now or never.
BIO:
Julie was born and raised in upstate New York. She married her high school sweetheart and accompanied him on his twenty-year career with the United States Air Force. Presently, she resides in the Pikes Peak region, where she’s a stay-at-home mom enjoying a career writing western historical romance.
Throughout her school years, Julie enjoyed reading and writing. A friend introduced her to the romance genre in the late 80’s and she was instantly hooked, crediting Judith McNaught and Johanna Lindsey as her inspirations to pen her own novels. As she puts it, Ms. McNaught’s voice is flawless and Ms. Lindsey’s Malory family is endearing and addictive. Combining her fondness for horses, John Wayne and the television series, Dallas, Julie settled into writing about cowboys, outlaws and the ‘old west’ early in her career.
Julie self-publishes her work at Amazon.com. She also designs her covers. When she’s away from her computer, she enjoys taking care of her family and home, exploring the Rocky Mountains and meeting fans of the romance genre. To connect with her, visit her here:
Please help me welcome today’s guest, Marianne Rice. Let’s get to know her a bit before she tells us about her new release…
Do you have another occupation, other than writer? If so, what is it and how do you like it?
I’ve been teaching high school English for nineteen years. Being a teacher was all I wanted to do until I got the writing itch about ten years ago. I never thought I wanted to do anything else until I got published last year. I’d love to be able to write full time now. Unfortunately, the bills must get paid.
What do you love that most people don’t like and wouldn’t understand why you do?
I love to do crazy, dangerous, muddy obstacle courses. Kind of odd since I love getting dolled up and wearing snazzy heels. I’ve run the 12 mile Tough Mudder twice (designed by the British special ops) where I have to army crawl in mud under barbed wire, go down a slide through a tunnel of fire, run through dangling electrical wires and scale ten-foot walls. I won’t do a straight-up 5K or marathon; running is extremely boring. I live for the obstacles. And the mud.
What’s your favorite book of all time and why?
My favorite piece of literature is The Great Gatsby. Oh, the symbols, the one-liners, the twisted love triangle. We actually just wrapped up our “Fall of the American Dream” unit in my American Lit classes. I love when students feel passionate about literature; it doesn’t happen enough these days.
What do you want readers to come away with after they read Then Came You?
I don’t write love stories as complex as Gatsby. Instead, I write fun, light-hearted romances that involve complex issues, but are emotionally satisfying in the end. If I can make a reader smile, laugh, or cry, I’ve done my job. And if they’re itching to read the next Wilde sister’s story…even better!
What actors would you like in the main roles if your book were made into a movie?
Check out my Pinterest board and you’ll see who I’d like to star in each of my books. Liam Hemsworth would make the perfect Grayson Montgomery. Grayson is loyal, serious, and business-minded, and too young for his polished personality. He’s followed his family’s pre-destined plan for him until he learns a five year-old orphaned girl is his daughter.
For spunky, sweet, adorable Thyme Wilde I picture Rachel McAdams. Oh, that permanent smile and dimples, just like Thyme. So sweet and a little sassy.
What is your favorite quote?
“Cinderella and Dorothy are proof that a pair of shoes can change your life.”
What celebrity would you most like to be stranded on an island with?
Chris Hemsworth. He’s my everything. *sigh*
***Join my mailing list and you’ll automatically be entered to win a slew of prizes. Every newsletter I like to give a lucky subscriber something special. Just for being kind enough to follow me. http://www.mariannerice.com/connect.html
Wonderful interview, thank you! Chris Hemsworth is most definitely sigh-worthy. 🙂 And now, check out her contemporary romance, Then Came You…
BLURB:
Thyme Wilde doesn’t make long-term decisions—until she falls in love with one…
Easily bored and quickly distracted, Thyme enjoys her freedom, so being a temp at her sister’s company is the perfect job. But when she takes a position as a nanny, she instantly falls in love with the five-year-old princess named Maddie—and just two months later, Maddie’s parents are killed in a plane crash, leaving Thyme in an unfamiliar role of responsibility.
Multi-millionaire architect Grayson Montgomery lives in the lap of luxury—but at a cost…
Being the sole heir of his family’s fashion empire and his father’s architectural firm, Grayson has never lacked for anything. But in return, he must stay subservient to the matriarch of his family—his grandmother—and date the heiress of their largest business partner. The only freedom Grayson has is his architectural designs, which are his true passion.
One day changes Grayson’s future forever…
A lawyer summons Grayson to Maine for the reading of the will of a woman he once knew. He doesn’t expect to be named the father of a five-year-old orphan. Then he meets his newly-discovered daughter—and her incredibly sexy nanny.
While acting as Maddie’s loyal nanny, Thyme develops feelings for her new employer that are more than professional. And after several passionate nights with Grayson, it’s clear the feeling is mutual.
When it’s made evident Grayson sees her as a convenient placeholder, Thyme must push aside her desires and put Maddie above herself—even if it means sacrificing her heart to do it.
EXCERPT:
“I kind of have this love-hate relationship with you.”
The look of shock on his face made her laugh. “Okay. Maybe not such strong emotions. How about like and dislike? One minute you’re sweet and kind and gorgeous and the next minute you’re too caught up in work and image but still working the gorgeous angle.”
“Is being gorgeous good or bad?”
“You seem to work it in no matter what you do. You can’t help it. You’re pretty.”
“Guys don’t want to be pretty.”
“Yeah. They do. But you’re hot, too. Pretty and hot.”
“Can’t you just call me pretty hot and call it good?”
“See, and then you throw in a dash of humor and I’m a goner.”
“Goner? Really?” Grayson set his hands on her waist and tugged her closer. She shivered from the heat, from the chill, from the anticipation.
“It was easier when I thought you were a jerk,” she whispered, her mouth dangerously close to his.
“Why is that?” he whispered back, his breath mingling with hers.
She swallowed, her throat tight and hoarse, and licked her lips. “Because then I wasn’t tempted to do this.” Thyme stood on her tiptoes and gently pressed her lips against his.
Amazon buy page: bit.ly/thencameyou
BIO:
Marianne Rice writes contemporary romances set in small New England towns. When she’s not writing, Marianne spends her time buying shoes, eating chocolate, chauffeuring her herd of children to their varying sporting events, and when there’s time, relaxing with fancy drinks and romance books. You can find her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and on her website at http://www.mariannerice.com
Darkness Unbound by Zoe Forward, Paranormal Romance Novel
When something feels this right, you don’t let it go.
Fun Fact:
My Scimitar Magi series involves Egyptian Mythology…why? I’ve always been fascinated with ancient Egypt and its mythology. I’m not an expert. Creating a paranormal hero group the utilized Egyptian mythology and weaving that into a romance required a tad bit of fascination with the subject and a lot of research. To build this world I read a lot of very heavy books (they actually did weigh a few pounds each) and tried to get a handle on the vastness of the religion, the mythology, the lifestyle, and the magic. What I concluded was that there wasn’t always consensus on the meanings behind myths and symbols. Each expert has his or her own opinion on the surviving hieroglyphics found on tablets and papyri. Then there are the gods…oh my. Did you know there are over 700 Egyptian gods and goddesses? Some had three to five different names. Once you get beyond the sheer number of them they are an interesting bunch. They did a lot of kinky stuff from incest to revenge to killing to curses. Bottom line was after all this research my fascination persisted, but I ended up utterly confused. So, what did I do? I let my imagination play around with the mythology. Use it, but bend it. And focused on my heroes.
A Favorite Line:
“They are gods. We are not. Let’s face it, they’re going to win.”
How My Heart Finds Christmas by Gail MacMillan, Contemporary Christmas Novella
My heart finds Christmas in the warmth of memories and the recounting of these tales.
Fun Fact:
I had difficulty finding a title for this book until, suddenly, one day it came to me. The stories I write about Christmases past awaken the spirit of the Yuletide in me, comforting and reassuring as the warmth and glow of a fire on the hearth. Some ancient cultures believed the heart to be the centre of the soul. Thus the title became instantly fitting.
A Favorite Line(s):
Undulating like mystic spirits gowned in green and white, the Northern Lights rose and rose, then doubled back on themselves to rise again. The heavens danced, alive with their essence.
Author Alicia Dean 