Tag Archives: the wild rose press

March 20, 2023 · 9:34 am

Author Interview with Stella Grae ~ New Release: Just Call Me Confidence #eroticromance #wrpbks #blog

Please help me welcome today’s guest, Stella Grae…

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

I’m an English professor living in Lexington, Kentucky, but grew up in Tennessee. I’m a bibliophile and absolutely love teaching literature. I’m not married, but have a great partner who is very supportive of my writing. While I don’t have any pets, I do have books—shelves and shelves of books in my house. I’m thinking of getting a cat, but we’ll see. I’m still on the fence about that one. Cooking and trying new bourbons are my creature comforts right now, and I’m convinced that there’s nothing that cheese grits can’t make better!

Is there anything in particular you want to share about Just Call Me Confidence?

So, this will be an interesting answer because most authors pull some part of themselves into a work, even if it’s just their own personal fantasies. Just Call Me Confidence and its sequel, which I’m working on right now, were both born of a failed relationship. I was lonely in the relationship, but didn’t want to do anything stupid, so I created characters and situations that were based a little on reality, but twisted them to create the kind of relationship that I actually had wished I had had. Instead of doing the wrong thing I wrote it. The relationship fizzled, but fortunately, the plot sizzled.

What is the most difficult thing about writing a book?

For me, I think the most difficult part of writing any book is allowing the character to evolve organically, which is why I’m not a writer who outlines. I open a vein and let it pour out; I’m a pantser all the way! With erotica, the challenge is writing the love scenes. Not only do you have to find different words for different “things” or acts, but you endeavor to have some variety—just like in real life. I experiment a lot to make sure I’m getting it right—wink, wink.

What book have you read that you wish you had written?

I love, love, love Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. That is a hell of a piece of art. I’ve read it multiple times and every time I’m floored with jealousy. It’s a great example of how an author can completely intertwine all the points of view into one crazy, beautiful, creepy narrative. Adore Flynn as a writer!

What do you want readers to come away with after they read Just Call Me Confidence?

I’d really like for my readers to come away with the idea that you can rebrand and refine your confidence at any point in your life, especially if you’ve endured a rough patch. Sex appeal (like beauty) is in the eye of the beholder, so don’t get caught up in looking young; get caught up in being confident with who you are. It’s never too late to go after what you want!

What is your favorite quote?

My favorite quote, by far, is when Fielding, Jenna’s BFF, is comforting her after an unusual break up. Jenna is worried how Fielding and other people will see her. Fielding says, “I’ll never stoop to calling you a whore because you’re simply acting like a woman with a man’s morals.” That’s a perfect quote to me because even in 2023, sometimes women are held to different standards. Jenna and Fielding aren’t having any of that nonsense!

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 🙂

Hands down I would hang with Jenna’s BFF Fielding. She’s fun, flirty, dirty-minded, smart as hell, compassionate, and kind. She’s the kind of woman I’d like to be, and the kind who would take you to the adult bookstore for a toy if you didn’t have one—no shame in her game. Of course, she’d also hold you and feed you pizza and beer if that’s what you needed. I can imagine that if we spent the day together we’d hit a bar with great food for lunch (and dinner!), then spend time hiking, and try to go to a concert. It would be an epic adventure!

What is the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment?

I think the toughest criticism has always been any rejection—for any reason. As an author, you spend so much time preparing your book for the world and you dream big, then…rejection. One of the worst rejections came from an editor who said I should stick to writing what I know, which I think is awful advice because think of all the books that would never have come to be! The absolute best compliment came from an acquisitions editor for a very well known publisher (she’s acquired books that have sold millions of copies—squeal!) and she loved Just Call Me Confidence. She read it all, told me she loved the story and the characters, and said it reminded her of Sex and the City, but it was too spicy for the publisher’s line. It was a great compliment though! I don’t think I’ll ever forget it.

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

Oh, they definitely are based on real people, but my characters usually end up being an amalgam of different people—reality mixed with fantasy to fill in the gaps. Of course, you don’t want to be sued, so you do have to take what you create and mold it enough so that doesn’t happen. I’m not sure I could entirely create a character without a real-life inspiration.

Who is the most famous person you have ever met?

I’m not really into celebrities, but I could totally be a stalker when it comes to famous authors. I once met Silas House at a book fair and was on cloud nine for like two weeks. He was very cordial and accommodating. He spoke to me a little bit about writing and signed my book.

How did you come up with the title?

Just Call Me Confidence originally had another title that was pretty naughty, so my editor said, “Look, the book will be thrown into the dungeons of Amazon if we don’t change the title.” So, I read and re-read the first couple of chapters and sketched out title after title until I honed in on that idea: confidence. I liked that the protagonist was kind of sassy and it just all came together. I penned the new title on a piece of scrap paper and I knew it was the one!

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

The most important message is just to be confident in who you are and don’t look back. Don’t have regrets, don’t yearn for a past time, just live in the now, in the moment, and love where you are.

How much of the book is realistic?

There are definitely some love scenes that I derived from experience, shall we say, but the relationships are totally fantasy, not to say it couldn’t happen. The most realistic parts are the scenes between Jenna and Fielding. That is best friend love at its finest. There’s a lot of comedy, too—laughing at the pains in life, which for me, is very realistic, and something I highly recommend.

With two men vying for her heart, Jenna Craig is ready to reclaim her confidence, but is she ready for Mr. Right or Mr. Right Now?

Excerpt:

I hold my breath and walk into the club. My skin swells with goose bumps and I hear the catch in my own nervous voice.

Inside these four walls I could meet my fantasy, my desire, and maybe even my destiny. Or, maybe just a really good time–just for tonight. I can do whatever I want to do because tonight, I’m free–in so many ways.

The bass pumps through my body while I scan the men and women, grinding in slow motion waves. A fever breaks out all over my body with a sudden mist of sweat collecting in the small of my back and between my breasts. I want that to be me.

My mind suddenly takes a Debbie-Downer side trip: Am I still young enough, hot enough, and savvy enough to start over? I know I’m not the prettiest woman out there, but that’s not what entices a man and keeps him coming back for more. It’s strength and substance, and those can only come from confidence, which is derived from experience. I have interesting sports stories. I can intelligently discuss, and have an opinion about politics, economics, and social issues. I’m educated; I have a real job. I’ve traveled, and I can cook. I’ve had a wide variety of experiences, which makes me interesting, and sexy-as-hell confident.

Of course, it doesn’t hurt that I can screw without hang-ups, unlike many of my younger sisters-in-arms. And apparently, that makes me hot, especially to the under-thirty-and-male crowd.

The guys here are too young to understand the difference, though, but I think, that’s kinda liberating…no explaining my past, no worry about the future. It’s all about the here and now. YOLO…

I laugh and smile, getting a secret thrill out of the college-aged guys sitting behind my friends and me, rubbernecking on us. The brown-haired clown in the group hijacks me with his hazel eyes and mouthes, “Call me.” Keep the drinks coming fellas, maybe you’ll get lucky, and you’ll definitely go broke trying.

My face aches from smiling so much. I think tonight proved something I’ve forgotten about myself. When I get a whistle or a double-take, or even a lingering look, I know I cannot deny it: For better or worse, I still have it. Just call you, huh, baby? Just call me confidence.

Buy links:

Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/83767444-just-call-me-confidence

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/just-call-me-confidence-stella-grae/1142958506?ean=9781509248223

Amazon: https://a.co/d/iY2aojG

About the Author:

Stella Grae is an unassuming English professor, copyeditor, and copywriter living in Lexington, Kentucky. She’s the author of the short story “Power Play” that was originally published in the website erotica journal Oysters and Chocolate. In her spare time she enjoys sipping on bourbon, nibbling cheesy grits, and philosophizing about love and sex in her blog, “Bone Up,” which can be found on her website along with other sexy tidbits.  This is her first erotica novel.

Website: https://stellagraeerotica.weebly.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sgraeerotica/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SGraeErotica

AllAuthor: https://stellagraeerotica.allauthor.com/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/159637845-stella-grae

Email: stellagrae@proton.me

Amazon Central Author Page:

https://www.amazon.com/author/stellagraeerotica

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February 22, 2023 · 11:30 am

Author Lee Renwick Steele ~ New Release: GRISELDA RELLA #Fantasy #Blog #WRPbks

Please help me welcome today’s guest, Lee Renwick Steele, with her fabulous novel, Griselda Rella…

A fairy-blessed gift, an inherited burden, and a scheming stepsister… Cinderella reimagined.

Blurb

Sixteen-year-old Griselda and her father have a secret—fairy sight, a trait punishable by death. Her world is upended when her father is killed, her mother remarries, and her new stepfather dies of illness. Griselda must grapple with her scheming stepsister, the burden of fairy sight inherited from her father, and a pair of fairy-blessed slippers. A young-adult fairy story, GRISELDA RELLA is a reimaging of the Cinderella story, by Charles Perrault, with the heroine and adversary characters reversed.

Excerpt:

I strode across the dandelion dotted yard scattering chickens, robins, and fairies in my haste, an open-ended basket swinging from one hand, a pair of clippers clenched in the other, my mind whirling like a storm. No one could replace my father, not for me, not for my family, not for the kingdom.

Reaching the flowers bordering the yard, I threw the basket and clippers on the dirt near the dried-up hyacinths and daffodils. “Stupid bandits,” I sobbed, snot dripping from my nose. “Stupid, stupid bandits.”

The sun, now one-quarter of its journey through the sky, warmed my face but not my heart. I brushed past the flowering red azaleas and pink rhododendrons, skirted around Isabella’s arbor-covered garden bench, angled through the freshly sprouting vegetable and herb gardens, and stumbled my way past the sheds to the fallow field about an arrow’s shot from the cottage.

I threw my black-clothed self to the ground and glared back at the cottage. How could my mother marry this man, Lord Rella, not yet two months after my father’s death? He was wealthy to be sure, but the man had very little sense—I was sure of it. And he would never be a father to me.

Also available here:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/griselda-rella-lee-renwick-steele/1142858033?ean=9781509244089

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Griselda-Rella-Paperback/2852737985

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/75655554-griselda-rella

https://www.bookbub.com/books/griselda-rella-by-lee-renwick-steele

About Lee:

Lee Renwick Steele lives with an orange and white kitty in a small home situated near red maples, rhododendron shrubs, and abundant avian wildlife: juncos, robins, white-crowned sparrows, towhees, and the occasional flicker pecking in the attic. She has an MFA in Creative Writing for Children and Young Adults and is a member of her local writers’ association and SCBWI. She enjoys reading, writing, traveling, long walks, spending time with family and friends, and moments of quiet. GRISELDA RELLA is her first novel.

Website

www.LeeRenwickSteele.com

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February 17, 2023 · 9:44 am

“10 Moments That Changed My Life” by Susie Black ~ New Release: Death by Pins and Needles #WRPbks #Blog

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

  1. 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. 
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. 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.
  9. 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.
  10. 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.)

https://www.dropbox.com/s/7lerp4cy1al2j0l/CHOOSING%20THE%20RIGHT%20%20SWIMSUIT.pdf?dl=0

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?

Buy link(s):

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Death-Needles-Holly-Swimsuit-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0BPLHRWJ7?tag=namespacebran246-20&keywords=death

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/death-by-pins-and-needles-susie-black/1142836329?ean=9781509246779

Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/search?search=Death+by+Pins+and+Needles

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/search?q=Death+by+Pins+and+Needles&qid=GqIgEv6TpY

8-11-22

About Susie:

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.

Looking for more? Contact Susie at:

Social Media Links: https://linktr.ee/susieblack.com

Website: www.authorsusieblack.com

E-mail: mysteries_@authorsusieblack.com

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January 17, 2023 · 9:48 am

Zelda Benjamin with her new release: Shortbread Cookie Princess & a Yummy Recipe! #Blog #WRPbks

Please help me welcome today’s guest, Zelda Benjamin…

Secrets of Star Bakers

Trial and error, time and a good reason are all you need to perfect your baking. Research for Shortbread Cookie Princess, the first book in my Highland Falls series was my reason to perfect my haphazard baking skills. Baking research was tasty as well as the most rewarding of all my fact-finding adventures.

Trial and error means that sometimes your recipe will fail. I watch a lot of baking shows and see professional bakers make amateur mistakes that often have me talking to the TV. They should know that cake is not cool enough to frost. Of course, time is often not on the bakers’ side in a competition. I once gave myself a time limit to bake a batch of cookies and failed miserably. 

Tip-don’t rush the process you’ll have a better chance of succeeding.


My cakes are most often semi-home sponges that I make ahead of time and put in the freezer. I make everything from log rolls to multi-layers with a simple recipe I found while doing my research.

RECIPE

Tip-Always preheat before starting 
Preheat oven to 350 

Tip – Have all your ingredients ready to go – butter needs to be softened and eggs may need to be at room temperature.
Sometimes I’m all set to go and realize I don’t have enough sugar or eggs. My husband’s a good sport about going to the supermarket for anything I forgot, but he’s not always available. I also prepare my pans by spraying with a non-stick spray then cover the bottom with parchment paper.

Ingredients


1 BOX ANY FLAVOR CAKE MIX All commercial brands work for this recipe, but my favorites are Duncan Hines yellow, white or devil’s food.
These companies have been making these mixes for decades and have it down pat. However, this recipe doesn’t follow the list of added ingredients on the box. Instead, I add the following. 

6 eggs beat on high until lemon color (if using a yellow cake mix)

add  1/2 cup of water

1/4  cup oil I like the hint of olive oil in chocolate cakes

For yellow and white I use canola oil


Add cake mix

The recipe states-bake for 15-20 min until the center springs back.
Depending on your oven, the type of pan and altitude, baking time is definitely a trial and error moment.

Hope you enjoy the recipe. Thanks for taking time to read the blog.

Zelda

 Leave a comment for a chance to win an amazon gift card. Winners will be picked randomly from the mixing bowl.

A Whisk is a Baker’s Paint Brush

Modern day meeting of Cinderella and a handsome Highlander

Excerpt:

“Who knows how many scraps of plaid have been preserved in mothballs and hidden away in family attics?”

His low voice held an edge of seduction. Sophia stepped closer. The underlying sensuality of his tone captivated her. In all the times she had dusted over the fabric, she never got close enough to inhale the faint scent of mothballs. She wrinkled her nose.

“You’re very lucky to have it.” Ian ran an index finger over a thin red line woven vertically down the plaid. “Highland dyers and weavers were highly skilled. It’s evident in pieces like this. Run your fingers along this line. Do you feel the thickness? The fabric was mended many times, perhaps torn by a sword or knife thrust.”

“Or it could have been caught on a rock.” Sophia reached out and touched the coarse wool.

“It’s possible.” Ian laughed. “If we settle for the simple explanations, we might never learn the history of the people who owned these valuable pieces. He placed a hand over her fingers, guiding her touch along the uneven weave. “This can likely date back before the British banned the wearing of kilts.”

Zelda Benjamin. “Shortbread Cookie Princess.”

Buy link https://tinyurl.com/47pxj2ap

I write sweet sassy stories where there’s always a Happily Ever After.

For more information follow me.

https://www.facebook.com/zeldabenjamin.7

https://twitter.com@zeldabenjamin7

https://instagram.com/love_by_chooclate_romance

website www.zeldabenjamin.com

Author Interview:

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

Thirty years ago I moved from NY to S. Florida. My children are grown. I live with my husband and a very active two-year old Lab mix.

Any questions you’d like to answer that are specific to the book you’re promoting 

The idea for Shortbread Cookie Princess came to me when I was watching a show on ancestry. What if someone doesn’t want to know about their past?

What is the most difficult thing about writing a book? Organizing my time is usually the most difficult for me when I start a book. Once the story takes shape I schedule writing time.

What was the most difficult thing about this one in particular? Doing research was difficult when writing Shortbread Cookie Princess. Ancestry research is very interesting. I spend too much time reading people’s experiences.  Also, I had a craving for shortbread all the time.

Are there any tricks, habits or superstitions you have when creating a story? I’m usually busy in the morning so I set a schedule to write by 2pm. I’m not a prolific writer and I set a goal to write a minimum of 1-2 new pages a day.    

Do you collect anything? I collect yarn for crocheting projects and odds and ends for a shabby-chic dollhouse I’m working on.

What do you want readers to come away with after they read [your book]?   I want readers to come away with a good feeling.

What is your favorite quote?  “Perfection comes in little moments.” John Dutton on Yellowstone

What is the toughest criticism given to you as an author? For years I worked as an ER nurse and developed a tough skin. I take criticism and turn it into something constructive. What has been the best compliment? A reader told me that while reading one of my books she felt like she was talking to my characters over a cup of tea. I loved hearing how she was drawn into their lives.

Are your characters based off real people or did they all come entirely from your imagination? My characters are a combination of real people and my imagination.

What character in your book are you least likely to get along with? In Shortbread Cookie Princess, Sophia has an evil stepmother. I would never be her friend. I don’t like mean, unkind people. I try to avoid them in real life but villains are necessary to a story. I give them some redeeming quality. 

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January 3, 2023 · 10:35 am

#HobbyCareerPassion: Author Dan Rice – #Photography in my New Release: The Blood of Faeries ~ #WRPbks #Blog

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

I’m pleased to introduce today’s guest, Dan Rice…

Author Dan Rice – Photography in my New Release: The Blood of Faeries

sports image

Since college, I’ve been passionate about photography—specifically, anything nature-related. The photo bug bit me while visiting Arches National Park near Moab, Utah. I recall being impressed by the refined beauty of Delicate Arch, which is often seen on postcards and advertisements promoting the area. But what blew my mind was a book I picked up at the visitor center, Our National Parks by Ansel Adams. I was addicted.

This was in the early 2000s, so digital photography was relatively new. I spent several years shooting slide film and scanning slides with a film scanner. Not the ideal workflow, let me tell you. The scanners weren’t the best back then, and dust was a great annoyance. Switching to digital was a godsend, although it didn’t eliminate the dust problem. Every time you change a lens on the camera, there is an opportunity for dust to invade. However, the overall workflow is vastly improved with digital photography, and the cost of film is eliminated.

I’ve had great fun hiking and traveling with my camera. In the summer of 2021, my older son and I visited Yellowstone and the Tetons. Both are superb locations for landscape and wildlife photography. It was a memorable trip for both of us. At the time, he was trying out photography for himself and was obsessed with snagging photos of a bear and a wolf. He got his wish, capturing both in Yellowstone.

In my novels, Dragons Walk Among Us and The Blood of Faeries, the protagonist, Allison Lee, is a high schooler with dreams of becoming a photojournalist. She shoots photos for her school’s online news source and rarely leaves the house without her camera. In Dragons Walk Among Us, her photography plays an essential role in the plot as she attempts to capture photographs of antagonistic characters who might not be from this world. In the sequel, her photography doesn’t play a prominent role in the plot, but it is still central to her characterization.

I decided to make Allison a photo bug because I believe in writing what you know. Photography is an activity I know quite a bit about, so it’s easy to impart that characteristic to Allison. She spends most of her time behind the camera photographing high school basketball, her squad, and a street protest. I’ve never photographed a basketball game, but I have taken thousands of snaps of my sons playing soccer. The protest Allison photographs is far and away wilder than anything I’ve experienced. However, a few months before the pandemic resulted in a lockdown in my neck of the woods, I participated in and photographed a woman’s march. It’s not my typical photographic event, but it was invigorating to document it.

Writing about photography in my fiction is a fantastic way to share my passion with more people. Also, it adds a sense of verisimilitude to Allison that would otherwise be difficult to achieve without time-consuming research. For the busy author, time is a priceless currency. 

Sometimes there’s no going back.

Blurb

Allison Lee wilts under the bright light of celebrity after being exposed as a shape-shifting monster. She’d rather be behind the camera than in front of it. Being under the tooth and claw of her monstrous mother is even less enjoyable. All she desires is for everything to go back to the way things were before she discovered her true nature.

But, after she accidentally kills a mysterious man sent to kidnap her, she realizes piecing her old life back together is one gnarly jigsaw puzzle. When Allison’s sometimes boyfriend Haji goes missing, Allison and her squad suspect his unhealthy interest in magic led to his disappearance. Their quest to find Haji brings them face-to-face with beings thought long ago extinct whose agenda remains an enigma.

Excerpt:

“This is the Seattle PD,” booms an announcement from a loudspeaker. “Do not attempt to breach the police line.”

Like everyone else, I turn toward City Hall. I stand on my tiptoes but can’t see much. The vanguard of protesters is within feet of the police line. When I turn back to where I expect to find Drake, he’s gone. The march has slowed almost to a stop. People gather in small groups chanting and dancing. Sunlight glinting off her copper scales, Mauve towers above the crowd off to the left at least twenty feet behind me.

“We the people demand the mayor take measures to make Seattle carbon neutral now!” someone shouts into a bullhorn. “Come on, everyone. Let’s make sure Mayor Andretti hears us! Carbon neutral now! Carbon neutral now!”

The chant reverberates through the crowd, growing into a roar. I join the chanting and shoot pictures of young people screaming and waving signs. I dart between people, desperate to take photos of the action up front.

“In fact,” roars the voice from the bullhorn, “we want Seattle to be carbon negative! We want Seattle to be the capital of carbon capture technology! Invest in carbon capture technology now, Mayor Andretti! Before it’s too late!”

The mob repeats: “Carbon capture! Carbon capture!”

I weave between clusters of protesters, occasionally brushing against people. The screaming and sign waving are riotous near the frontline. I stop and snap more photos, zooming all the way out to 20 mm and getting up in peoples’ screaming faces. A couple people give me offended glares, but most are too caught up in the moment to notice me. As I continue onward, I review the photos on the camera’s LCD. A few are wicked. I can see teeth and spittle and tongues and wild eyes while still having a view of the seething mass all around. I smile when I break through the crowd to the frontline.

A handful of brave souls are yelling in the faces of stoic riot police lined up on the lower steps leading to City Hall. A tall man with a bushy beard, reflective aviator sunglasses, and a red bandanna wrapped around his head shouts into a megaphone, leading the crowd in climate protest mantras. Off to the left are the drummers, frenetically thumping on their instruments. I start shooting and keep shooting until my SD cards are full.            

Buy link(s):

dcrheadsot_master

Bio:

DAN RICE pens the young adult urban fantasy series The Allison Lee Chronicles in the wee hours of the morning. The series kicks off with his award-winning debut, Dragons Walk Among Us, which Kirkus Reviews calls, “An inspirational and socially relevant fantasy.” 

To discover more about Dan’s writing and keep tabs on his upcoming releases, join his newsletter: https://www.danscifi.com/newsletter. 

 

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December 13, 2022 · 6:22 am

#HobbyCareerPassion: Author Wendy Kendall  – George’s Best Friend & New Release: Heart of Christmas Cookies and Dreams ~ #WRPbks #Blog

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

I’m pleased to introduce today’s guest, Wendy Kendall…

George’s Best Friend

beagle

George loves his career as a chef at an assisted living facility, and he loves his family. Phil is his family, and what a tail-wagger he is. Once these two lost souls teamed up, they never looked back and a corner of the world became a brighter place. After therapy training together, this beagle and his partner enthusiastically serve up emotional support and nourishing meals for the facility residents who delight in Phil. When this dear beagle with the pudgy silhouette and low-to-the-ground amble enters a room, all eyes immediately fall on him and coo’s encourage him from every direction. His whispered “arf” stirs laughter, and his celebratory howls are legendary. This doggone beagle’s company is a treat, and George’s heart skips a beat as he savors the relief and delight Phil brings to others. His own life is brightened by their caring gift.

Researching this noble endeavor of animals and their owners was a labor of joy. I learned so much and met wonderful people and dogs. A therapy dog is a dog that offers affection, comfort, and stress relief to a group of individuals. These dogs are commonly seen in nursing homes, schools, courtrooms, and hospitals. These dogs help multiple people throughout their day. They do not solely provide comfort to their handlers. These dogs are usually certified and evaluated by therapy dog organizations. Therapy dogs are trained to master certain skills and must have a very good disposition. Therapy dog handlers are only allowed to enter public spaces with permission.

A husky/german shepherd adorable mix named Leela is the inspiration for adorable Phil. The beauty of Leela’s soothing temperament and personality embraces compassion and empathy around any troubled spirit. Leela, and Phil, are filled with the heart of Christmas. They jump in joy and run with ribbons of love.

    perf5.000x8.000.indd                 

Ribbons of love run through the heart of Christmas

            Blurb:

Liz buried her hopes three years ago when she buried her husband. She hides under a corporate desk, struggling for time with her young son and his grandmother Violet.

George is chef at the assisted living facility where Violet recovers from an accident. He loves his adopted beagle, Phil. This tail wagger is George’s only family. They are a therapy animal team for the patients.

Juggling work, her son, and Violet is complicated for Liz. Continual collisions with meddling George irritate, and intrigue her.

Violet plots a cookie bake, as matchmaker and to reunite her family. She conspires with George as chef, not realizing it puts his job at risk. Could baking together soften Liz’s heart?

Phil’s sudden disappearance interrupts plans. George is desperate to find his dog. The search leads him into a surprising twist of fate, and accidentally pulls Liz along with him.

Excerpt:

She approached the car and noticed the back tire. Flat. She rolled her eyes and groaned. She put her hands on her hips and paced back and forth next to it. She gently kicked the rubber, but it squished against the rim, confirming no air inside.

She crouched down and pulled her wallet out, searching for her road-assistance card. Phil walked around her and licked the back of her hand. “Thanks, Phil, but that won’t help me get to work on time.”

She stood up again and turned around to see George. His hands on his hips. “Flat tire? Can I help?”

“Thanks, but I’ll call somebody.”

“Do you have a spare?”

“Yes, in the trunk.”

He grinned. “Assuming your spare is in good shape, I can get this changed faster for you.” Her mouth dropped open. Someone willing to help.

“Really? I couldn’t put you to the trouble.”

“No worries. Lunch is over, and we came outside for a break.”

“This isn’t a very nice break, but I’d really appreciate it.” She unlocked the trunk.

George took off his black chef shirt, putting it on the front seat of the car. He rolled up the sleeves of his blue shirt, revealing toned forearms. Liz’s glance lingered. She called her assistant to have the VP of Sales step in to host the client. Disaster avoided. Someone else could help.

She felt like celebrating. She scratched Phil’s tummy, talked nonstop to George about his cooking, baking, and recipes, while she stole admiring glances at his physique, including his broad shoulders and flat stomach.

When he finished, he put the jack and flat tire into the trunk. “You’re all set to drive.”

“I don’t know how I can thank you, but I’ll find a way. This was really nice of you.” Impulsively she hugged him. The warmth of his arms wrapped around, then her phone rang. They broke apart, and Phil barked. She looked into George’s brown eyes.

He grabbed his shirt off the driver’s seat. “I’m happy to help.” He turned toward the building and called Phil. She glanced at her phone screen and let it go to voicemail. Had she misjudged George? She’d actually felt comfortable talking with him. She hadn’t talked about baking in years. It felt good. When she hugged him, she’d surprised herself. What a pleasant embrace.

She drove across the lot to the exit, smiling to have all tires turning. She waited for a chance to turn onto the road, one problem solved. Maybe today she could dream of a little dream? In the rear-view mirror, her back window was fogged. She turned onto the road with an unfamiliar feeling of hope, although she had no idea what might be around the corner.

Buy link(s):

Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63017864-heart-of-christmas-cookies-dreams?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=wu7HTncoKA&rank=1

Amazon – https://www.amazon.com/Heart-Christmas-Cookies-Dreams-Kendall-ebook/dp/B0BGCRBNDJ/ref=sr_1_1?crid=156ZT4688XQWK&keywords=heart+of+christmas+cookies+and+dreams+by+wendy+kendall&qid=1667896150&s=digital-text&sprefix=heart+of+christmas+cookies+and+dreams+by+wendy+kendall%2Cdigital-text%2C193&sr=1-1

Barnes & Noble – https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/heart-of-christmas-cookies-dreams-wendy-kendall/1142332243?ean=2940186597766

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Bio:

The result of Wendy Kendall’s passion for purses, mystery and romance is the intriguing In Purse-Suit Mysteries. Kat Out of the Bag introduces Katherine Watson purse designer/sleuth.  As Kat moves from designer bags to body bags, she’s uncovering clues to a murder. The prequel, Purse-Stachio Makes A Splash delves into a chilling cold case. Finalist for Best Romantic Suspense at Killer Nashville, Snow Kiss Cookies To Die For creates a tangle of mystery and love and raises suspicions about Desiree’s romantic new sweetheart, Leo. A summer read that will keep you on the edge of your beach towel, Cherry Shakes In The Park blends danger, divas, and frothy delights. And ribbons of love run through Wendy’s newest book, Heart of Christmas Cookies and Dreams. Wendy enjoys investigating the Pacific Northwest life, and she leaves a trail of her own clues as a blogger, YouTube podcaster, speaker, project manager, and syndicated columnist.

            Website – WendyWritesBooks.com

            Facebook – WendyKendallMysteries

            Twitter – @wendywrites1

            Instagram – wendyekendall           

 

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December 10, 2022 · 7:05 am

The Spotlight is on…   L. M. Gonzalez’s Chocolate Swirl Cookie Christmas ~ #WRPbks #Blog

Please help me welcome today’s guest, L. M. Gonzalez…

She didn’t believe in true love.

He vowed never to love again.

Excerpt:  

The place was decorated with twinkle lights and red, green, and gold garland. And then her eyes settled on Ray. Her breath caught in her throat as she glimpsed the bracelet of a gold watch at his wrist. He seemed a different man than the one at the Adult Center and the one in jeans who’d gone to her house. He seemed charming and sexy and likeable.

“They have a variety of entrees,” Ray said.

“Oh.” She hadn’t looked, so she opened her menu.

“What do you like?”

Jennifer stared, mesmerized with him. Oh, I don’t know—you. He grinned, and embarrassment filled her. He probably knew what she was feeling. And she

would not feel that way, not with him. Especially not with him.

“I’ll eat salad. I’m not very hungry,” she said.

“Umm…eating dinner together is the first step of the foreplay to romance, didn’t you know?”

“Romance isn’t sex.” She glared at him.

His smile didn’t falter. “Eating can be an aphrodisiac. Feeding each other can be very romantic.”

Jennifer swallowed hard at his words. “I’m not feeding you anything.”

“Jenny, this isn’t going to work if you don’t cooperate.” Ray winked at her.

Her nipples peaked at his wink, and she was glad  she’d worn a scarf. She picked up her glass of water.

“My name is Jennifer, not Jenny.”

“You don’t like nicknames?”

“Not from you.”

“I think I know now why you’re blocked in the love-and-romance thing. You’re tight. You need to loosen up.”

Buy link(s):

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/chocolate-swirl-cookie-christmas-l-m-gonzalez/1142331370;jsessionid=BFF4C52033403F74F472A5BE23FC9DB8.prodny_store01-atgap13?ean=2940186597636

Bio:  

L.M. Gonzalez writes about the loves and lives of Latinas and the challenges of romance the second time around. Her stories, set against a backdrop of strong Latino culture blended with an American lifestyle, are refreshing and capture the essence of everyday Hispanic life.

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December 7, 2022 · 9:13 am

Author Interview with C.B. Oresky ~ New Release: The Warlock’s Curse ~ #WRPbks #Blog

Please help me welcome today’s guest, C.B. Oresky…

Hello C.B., please tell us a little about yourself, where are you from? Where do you live now? Family? Pets?

I grew up in suburban New Jersey. Over the years, I have collected a wheelbarrow full of degrees. I have a passion for plants and can grow just about anything. I currently live in a small town in Connecticut that most people have never heard of called Gales Ferry. I have a body-builder husband, a naughty Scottie dog and cat, ten chickens, and a magnificent perennial garden.

Where did you get the idea for The Warlock’s Curse?

My debut novel all began as a dream… I sailed a white ship on a pristine sea of whispering turquoise waves. The inhabitants of this alien watery world, mystical whales, surrounded my vessel, their eerie voices lifted in song. I made a story out of this…and other magical dreams.

What is your favorite scene in The Warlock’s Curse

There are many wonderful scenes in The Warlock’s Curse, but my favorite occurs when Captain Claudius Grace brings his twin granddaughters on an oceanic journey to encounter magical whales. He hopes the massive leviathans will open the portal to their birthplace: the realm of Oceana where the wise Master lives. Far beneath the rolling waves, The King and Queen of the Whales sing a haunting song. A massive ethereal whale appears swimming right before Claudius’s approaching schooner. The phantasm of a whale opens its yawning maw. Claudius’s schooner hangs momentarily on the edge of the watery precipice of light, then slips straight down the monster’s wide-open chasm.

How did you come up with the book’s title?

I kept the title to my book short as suggested by my diligent, hawk-eyed editor. Of course, the title also had to do something with the story. My original title for my novel was The Master, The Captain, The Warlock, and The Warrior, however this was longer than a flight to the moon. I therefore shortened the title to The Warlock’s Curse, as the story is about twin sisters going on a perilous journey to remove an ancient curse.

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

The theme in my life is software developer by day, writer by night. I do like writing code…it’s like composing a symphony. However, if I could, I’d prefer to write full time.

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

It may sound weird, but I dislike shopping… I’m not into running after a bunch of stuff that just doesn’t make me happy.

What’s your favorite childhood book?

I love C.S. Lewis’s Narnia series, especially The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe. This quick-moving adventure is full of amazing imagery and sensory delights. In The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, I feel the soft fur coats as the children jostle through the wardrobe. I hear the snow crunch under their feet and shiver in the bitter cold as they traipse through the forever frozen land the White Witch has enchanted. Finally, I love the deep magic found in Narnia: the mystical, speaking animals that are so believable…the written wonders that whisk me off to a place so real—I never want to leave.

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

A monkey, two Siamese cats, dancing whales… Wait! This actually is a really good question. I’ve always thought that if my book were made into a movie, I’d like it to be cast by unknown actors with loads of talent. It gets tiring to see the same people over-and-over again in films. I believe in giving someone new a chance.

What is your favorite quote?

My favorite quote is from J.R.R Tolkien’s The Fellowship of the Ring, where Strider, secretly Aragorn the true king of Gondor, appears to be a mere Ranger.

“All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.”

This quote is for all those that run against the wind and holds a message about ceasing judgement on outer looks alone. From the moment one is born, the busy bees of society are whispering in your ear…how to act, how to be. Many are followers, attracted to the flash…a rolex or bmw gives one a certain status. But what about someone with purpose and inner goodness…all that is beautiful and true, existing without glitter. Someone who wanders their own path, following their own internal calling, may be seen as a fool, but may truly be a queen or king. To be true to one’s own calling involves strength and perseverance in the face of darkness and strife.

Your most prized material possession? Why?

My Scottie dog, of course. Scottie dogs are so adorable, loving, and intelligent…they keep me on my toes for sure.

What do you want your tombstone to say?

So long and thanks for the food…

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

I would spend time with Phileus, The Bliss, a joyous, magical creature who transmits healing light, loves nature, and only takes what little he needs. I would explore his enchanting underground home full of plants, gardens, flowers, and relaxing pools of hot water. On this adventure I would certainly enjoy listening to his words of wisdom about cherishing the natural world.

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

There are a few important messages in my novel… The importance of caring for our good Earth. Also, no matter how bad life gets, there is always someone out there who will lend a helping hand. Finally, Magic exists and is everywhere.

Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?

I idolize J.R.R. Tolkien, the father of fantasy. I love how Tolkien’s artistry with words, masterfully paints scene after scene about a magical world where creatures talk and everything from the trees to the mountains seem alive. The Oxford English scholar could do it all when it came to world building: he created his own languages, geography, unique races, and relatable characters who fought for justice and those they love. I find myself easily swept away into his ingenious books and totally connected to the characters.

Twin sisters on a perilous journey to remove an ancient curse…

Clara and Angelica Grace have never met ghosts. They’ve never sailed on a tall ship, ridden wild unicorns, or fought with magical weapons. Instead, the teenage twins have a wretched existence, ignored by their troubled parents in a rundown home and tormented by the town’s snobs.

Everything turns topsy-turvy all of a sudden when discovery of an ancestor’s hidden journal with an odd key to an unknown door leads them into an entirely different realm.

The girls go on a thrilling oceanic voyage to search for mysterious whales, train with a seasoned warrior, and are befriended by a wise Master. But all is not a bouquet of lovely lilies…they are hunted by a cunning warlock and must rid themselves of The Warlock’s Curse.

Winner of The Literary Titan Gold Award

Excerpt:

     “Help! Please help!” Angelica cried, turning toward the direction the voice had come from.

     Veils of darkness greeted her eyes.

     Suddenly, a strange sight seized both girls’ attention. The oddest-looking creature the girls had ever seen emerged from the gloom, waddling along a curved path near the pool’s edge. Its shape gradually came into view.

   The squat creature stood about two feet tall, an amethyst stud adorning its short nose, its long face crowned by a single lock of fair curly hair. In place of normal clothing, a grasshopper-green mossy material covered its small hands and feet, while an amber mesh filament, appearing like thinly braided laces, swathed its arms and back. It eagerly flew toward the girls, appearing like a goldfinch, its smooth, translucent body quivering like firm jelly and glowing as the shimmering sun. The creature’s unforgettably deep eyes were grave and dark and splashed with touches of ocher, like glossy black beetles.

     Clara trembled in her well-worn boots, imagining the approaching creature as a monster in some horror movie. She wrapped her wool cape more tightly about her, wishing it might somehow guard her from harm. 

     Angelica also eyed the peculiar-looking being fearfully and staggered back a step.

     The golden creature stopped just short of them. 

     “It smells good…like meadow grass and flowers,” Clara whispered.

    “Hummmmmm, Hummmmm,” its melodious voice buzzed, like bees flitting over flowers. The odd creature licked its rubbery lips.

Buy link(s):

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Warlocks-Curse-C-B-Oresky-ebook/dp/B0B7KHB2RB

B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-warlocks-curse-cb-oresky/1141875759?ean=9781509242887

Shepherd.com: https://shepherd.com/best-books/fantasy-filled-with-so-much-magic-and-wonder

Universal Link: books2read.com/u/brXY9e

Bio:

Fascinated by the works of Tolkien and C.S. Lewis, award winning author, C.B. Oresky, began writing her own fantasy novel, The Warlock’s Curse, after dreaming of being whisked off to an alien realm. Besides her debut novel, she has seen four of her short stories published in a small, national literary press: Conceit Magazine. When she’s not writing, she can be found wandering through the woods, dancing flamenco, or planting flowers in her garden. She currently lives in a small town in Connecticut with her bodybuilder husband, their exceptionally naughty Scottish terrier and Siamese cat, ten chickens, and a yard filled with majestic flowers.

Social Media Links

www.facebook.com\thewarlockscurse

www.twitter.com\@cbOresky

http://www.tiktok.com\@cbOresky

www.instagram.com\cbOresky

Web site link

www.cbOresky.com

Other Links:

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62200898-the-warlock-s-curse

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/the-warlock-s-curse-by-c-b-oresky

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December 3, 2022 · 7:02 am

Author Interview with Anastasia Abboud ~ New Release: Tremors Through Time #WRPbks #Blog

Please help me welcome today’s guest, Anastasia Abboud…

Thank you for joining me, Anastasia. Please tell us a little about yourself, where are you from? Where do you live now? Family? Pets?

We live in Texas! My husband and I have been married for over forty years. We have two sweet sons, one beloved daughter-in-heart, and two precious grandchildren. Our home is nestled in a suburb southwest of Houston, surrounded by family. Our younger son and his family, our brothers and their families, my husband’s sister and her husband, a nephew and his family, plus more extended family and close friends are all within a ten-minute drive or closer. It hasn’t always been the case and while I would love to live in a rural area, better still, in the mountains, I don’t know if I ever will – at least not full time. This is so much fun, not to mention convenient.  Our younger son and his family are five minutes away. Our elder son just recently moved out of the neighborhood, but he still lives close by.

Where did you get the idea for Tremors Through Time? Why did you choose this genre (is it something you’ve written in before)?

I’ve always loved historical romance. Once I became acquainted (and in love) with time travel romance, I thought it might be fun to write one myself. But there are so many great stories out there. I decided to take a chance on a slightly different twist, having the hero fall forward in time rather than the heroine fall back. Lachlann’s not a typical hero, either – neither a chieftain nor warrior, possessing neither magical powers nor education. He’s a farmer, albeit a gorgeous one.

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

I’m so glad you’ve asked! There are a couple of things I’m downright eager to share. The most important is about the ending. Dear Readers, it surprised me, too. The characters wrote it. It was the most startling feeling. They took over, and I honestly felt there could be no other way to end the story. At the same time, I count it as a happy ending. The main characters get their HEA. Trust me, there’s more coming, and I believe you will love it!

As for the process, I wrote the book before ever traveling to Scotland. I did sooo much research. So much! I like to say that I stopped jumping down rabbit holes and just tunneled from one to the next. When my husband and I visited that beautiful country for the first time this past fall, I was enormously pleased to see how accurate my research had been.

What is the most difficult thing about writing a book?

For me, delegating time to write is the very most difficult thing.

What was the most difficult thing about this one in particular?

Just time, nothing more, nothing less.

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

I have a few, but if I’m going to name just one, it’s Quo Vadis by Henri Sienciwicz.  It has history, romance, religious faith, and perfect symmetry.           

What’s your favorite childhood book?

Again, there are a few options. Today, at any rate, I think I’ll go with Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder.

What do you want readers to come away with after they read [your book]?

I hope that they come away thinking about time, love, and the ties that bind, and that they care about the characters and want to spend more time with them.

What is your favorite quote?

Love never fails. – 1 Corinthians 13:8

If you could be a character in any of your books, who would you be?

I would be Deidre from Tremors Through Time. She loves gardening and the simple life, is a medieval history professor, and she’s in love with a delicious, medieval farmer who’s in love with her. She’s also tall and curvaceous, which I’d like to be one day (when I grow up).

What do your friends and family think of your writing?

They’ve shown me so much love, support, and encouragement. I am deeply grateful for them and to them.

How did you come up with the title? 

It got a little hair-raising! It was funny, really. I originally called it simply Tremors — in reference to the earthquake that occurs in the story. When The Wild Rose Press picked it up, I was informed that I had to change it because there’s a movie by the same name. Apparently, the movie involves giant, omnivorous worms — not a good connect! But since I’d used the word “tremors” several times in the story (as a play on words in addition to seismic tremors), I wanted to keep it as part of the title.  For a few weeks, there was a lot of Tremors this and Tremors that in my conversations and random phone calls to family and friends, and running through my head while I was driving, and, of course, as I tried to fall asleep at night.

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

Yes! There are a couple of themes that run through all my novels:

There is much more to a person than what you see on the surface.

Love conquers all.

And for Tremors Through Time in particular:

Time is more fluid than we might realize one might think and love is timeless.

In the infinite vastness of time – past, present, future, past – love prevails.

Excerpt:

Lachlann sauntered across Deidre’s driveway just as she was locking her front door. She turned toward him, smiling. He froze. She was wearing a saffron-colored leine, or tunic, underneath a blue, fitted surcoat. He should have known! She was a woman from his own time. His heart and head began to pound as he stared at her.

“Lachlann?” Deidre’s voice reached him, soft and hesitant. “Don’t you like my costume?”

Costume. Of course, it was a costume. He struggled to regain his voice as his heart rate calmed. “It’s great,” he managed, giving himself a mental shake. Fool!

“Thank you,” she replied, her voice still uncertain. She looked at him inquiringly. “I surprised you, didn’t I? I’m sorry. I should’ve warned you. I like to wear something fairly authentic in case I run into some of my students.”

“You do look authentic.” He managed a wink. “Bonnie as well.”

She blushed. “You’ve probably seen lots of costumes like this in Scotland.”

“Not so many, and none in Texas.”

It was a wonder to him that he was still standing. Her costume, as she called it, was perfect. She might have fallen through time like himself. It was an even greater wonder that he had not yet carried her off to bed. He’d never wanted anyone as he wanted her.

Now, dressed in such a familiar manner, she suddenly seemed more tangible than ever. She looked magnificent, the clothing emphasizing her generous breasts and hips, her deep red tresses flowing freely down her back.

His mouth went dry as he wondered how he might persuade her to dress like this more often.

Their eyes met. To hell with time.

He stepped toward her.

Buy links:

Amazon

Goodreads

BookBub

Website

B&N

Bio:

For me, playing is the best — playing outdoors in nature or in my garden, experimenting in the kitchen, spending time with those I love. I also enjoy disappearing into a good book, attempting crafts, learning, writing, exploring, discovering. I especially like to mix it up and have yet to perfect any of it; and I’ve come to realize that perfection’s not the point. It’s all wonderfully fun. That’s the point!

​I prefer authentic and natural, be it food, lifestyle, people. I passionately enjoy both history and science, and certainly sociology to a degree, and I am most truly a romantic.

​​My husband and I have been married for over forty years. We reside near Houston, Texas, surrounded by loved ones. We have a blast with our little grandchildren.

​I thank God for this wonderful life.

Website

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FaceBook

Twitter

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November 29, 2022 · 7:41 am

#HobbyCareerPassion: Author Barbara Bettis  – Frontier Newspapers & New Release: Last Stop, Wylder / Historical Western #WRPbks #Blog

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

I’m pleased to introduce today’s guest, Barbara Bettis…

 

 Emily and I Share a Fascination with Newspapers

cheyenne frotn pag 1875 (2)

When I decided to write a story for The Wild Rose Press series Wylder West, the choice of a major plot element was almost a given.

There was no question of what my heroine would do. Work at a newspaper of course. The fictional town of Wylder is set in 1870s Wyoming, some fifteen miles from Cheyenne.

Nearly every frontier town had a newspaper of one kind or another. Daily, weekly, twice-monthly—didn’t matter. Having news and information available to residents was considered almost a necessity. News reports from around the world that could be accessed by newspapers were sent via telegraph, although news organizations like The Associated Press charged a fee and contracted with only one paper per town (at that time).  Formed May 22, 1846 by five New York newspapers, the AP is still in operation.

Back to frontier news—not every paper that came into existence lasted long. In fact, papers had a tendency to pop into existence and then out again fairly regularly. On the other hand, some produced both daily and weekly editions. Editors of course were influential.

In the1870s, real Cheyenne newspapers flourished. It seemed easy to have a weekly paper nearby. And of course, Emily should have a contact there—actually, her brother had just purchased the Wylder Sun a year or so before Emily decided to visit him and give him a hand with the operation.

She was a natural for the job. In Kansas City, where she lived with her parents, she periodically wrote an opinion column for the fledgling Kansas City Star. Of course, she published under her initials and last name so none would know the author was a female.

Respectable females didn’t write political comment that doubled as opinion columns. Respectable females would never allow their names to be used in such a manner. If they wrote at all, it might be a society piece that reflected a women’s place in the home. They all had pen names of some sort.

(You’ve undoubtedly heard the old saying that a lady’s name should appear in newspapers only three times during her life: birth, wedding, and death.)

Emily’s career as a columnist came a few years before the famous Nelly Bly went to work for the Pittsburgh Dispatch and ultimately did a tremendous job of enlarging the role of women in newspaper reporting and writing.

Emily, as my first Western heroine, was rather doomed to become a newspaper lady because that’s what I was every day of my life for twelve years before I went into teaching. And after that, every other summer during my teaching career. (Alternate summers I worked on my doctorate). Throughout the year, as a stringer, I occasionally did stories for the local daily news. I taught newspaper reporting and editing at an area four year college, and I firmly believed—and still do—the  discipline demanded practice in order to keep up with the changes in the industry.

Yes, I am saddened at the demise of many newspapers now that technology makes television and internet news so available. But both have a place in the news business.

The ability of newspapers to do thorough, often lengthy, investigation into topics is one that most electronic organizations don’t duplicate.

Although retired, I still share with Emily a passion for getting accurate, objective, complete reports out to readers.

In Last Stop, Wylder, her passion for newspaper writing is central to her personal story. I hope you enjoy reading, as well, how it plays a part in her romance with Morgan.

 

Last Stop, Wylder, bestA gunman’s word is his bond, and a lady’s heart can shatter.

Blurb:

Gunman Morgan Dodd is headed to a new life in California, where no one knows his name. Or his reputation. Just one last job to raise money for his fresh start—gunhand for a railroad agent in Wyoming. Easy enough. Until he meets the woman who could change everything.

After ending her engagement, Emily Martin longs for independence. She sets out for Wylder, Wyoming, to help her brother with his newspaper. But when she arrives, she finds he’s off investigating a story. Well, then! She’ll simply publish the paper herself until he returns. Emily’s prepared to face challenges, but not the dangerous stranger who ambushes her heart. The same man hired to destroy her livelihood.

When a common enemy threatens, Morgan and Emily must find a way to defeat danger and save their budding love. But a gunman’s word is his bond, and a lady’s trust can shatter.

Excerpt:  

The stranger had winked, cool as you please. Should she be insulted? Angry? Oh! She’d neglected to thank him. Now she was embarrassed.

Her brother had much to explain. And I have a lot to learn. More than she’d imagined.

Tommy unwrapped the reins, unlocked the brake, and the horse clopped forward. “Where to, ma’am?”

She straightened her back, firmed her shoulders, and waved her hand in front of her nose to dispel engine fumes. “The newspaper office, please.”

The reins jerked and the horse stopped. The youth’s face beamed red again.

“That wouldn’t be such a good idea, ma’am.”

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Last-Stop-Wylder-West-ebook/dp/B0B7KH6D86/

B & N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/last-stop-wylder-barbara-bettis/1141875393

Me-snapshot

Bio:

Multi-award-winning author Barbara Bettis can’t recall a time she didn’t love adventures of daring heroes and plucky heroines. A retired journalist and college English and journalism teacher, she lives in Missouri where she tries to keep her grandchildren supplied with cookies. When she’s not editing for others, she’s working on her own stories with heroines to die for– and heroes to live for.

Author Links:

Website/Blog – http://www.barbarabettis.com

BookBub – www.bookbub.com/authors/barbara-bettis

Facebook – www.facebook.com/barbarabettisauthor

Twitter – www.twitter.com/barbarabettis

 

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