Tag Archives: the wild rose press

May 5, 2025 · 8:19 am

The Spotlight is on Hywela Lyn & Her New Release: The Matchmaker’s Mare  #Sweetparanormalromance 

Please help me welcome today’s guest, Hywela Lyn…

                           

Giveaway: $10 Amazon Gift Card and ‘Matchmaker’ key chain to one lucky commenter

Who knew a stray pony and a haunted cottage could bring two wounded hearts together?

BLURB:

When Megan Johnson inherits an old cottage in the Welsh countryside, she seizes the opportunity to cut ties with her past life, after a broken romance. Her nearest neighbour, a horse trainer, is also something of an enigma. Single dad Glyn Phillips does his best to balance his love of horses and hard work, with his devotion to his son. When he meets his new neighbour, he knows he should resist any attraction. A feisty pony mare which mysteriously appears on his land adds to his problems, but another, larger problem lies ahead. Two matchmaking spirits find their carefully laid plans may not go as smoothly as they hope.

Excerpt:

Prologue

Near Pentrebont, West Wales, sometime in the distant past.

“Faster Seren, faster.” Leaning low over the pony’s neck the young woman urged her into a mile-eating gallop. The mare’s hooves scarcely seemed to touch the ground as she appeared to fly across the rugged landscape. If only Seren really could gallop through the air, it would make her escape so much easier.

There had been something very special about the filly Rhiannon found as a motherless foal in the mountains and raised until fully grown. She named her Seren, meaning ‘Star’, for the perfect diamond-shaped star on her face. Seren needed no breaking-in or training, but allowed Rhiannon to sit on her back as soon as she was mature enough to take a rider. No one else could ride her, not even Sion Sienco. Now she could only hope the mare would carry her to Sion in time.

She cast one last, swift look over her shoulder at the only home she had ever known. The cottage receded into the distance, appearing forlorn in the soft moonlight before melting into the darkness. She could almost believe the cottage knew she would never return. With a sigh, she turned her head to concentrate on the rough road ahead. 

Thoughts of the injured animals the villagers, or their children, would bring to the cottage for her to heal flashed into her mind, and hot tears stung her eyes. Her spells and herbs could heal most injuries provided they were not too severe. Now she would no longer be able to help them. Nor would she be able to use her gift of matchmaking to help the maidens in the village find their one true love. “Oh Sion,” she whispered, “Sion, where are you when I need you?”

She pushed the mare even faster. “Sion,” she whispered once more. “Sion, please let me find you.” 

Her father’s harsh words rang in her head and a shiver ran through her, which had nothing to do with the chill night air. “It is all arranged. You will marry Gwynfor Pryce. We have already agreed on the marriage settlement and the wedding will take place a week today. There will be no more argument.” 

Rhiannon knew then she must leave the little cottage where she had lived with her father since her mother died five years before. Leaving the dwelling where she’d lived her whole life, the only home she knew, made her heart ache. However, she would not marry a man she hated.

Buy link:

About the Author:

Award-winning U.K. author, Hywela Lyn spent most of her life in Wales, whose beautiful landscapes and wealth of myths and legends inspired her to write. A horse and dog lover, she weaves fantasy romances set in her native Wales, and romantic Science Fiction adventures set in the future. She loves dreaming up characters who overcome the odds, and go on to find deep and enduring love. However difficult the journey, in the end love will always win. She hopes her stories will truly take you ‘out of this world’ and beyond.

She is a member of The Romantic Novelists’ Association and her local writing group, Chiltern Writers. Beloved Enemy, the third book in the Destiny Trilogy, was shortlisted in the Paranormal category of the prestigious Romantic Novelists Association RoNA awards and was a Runner up in the U.S. RONE Awards in 2017. Circumstances prevented her writing since the Release of Beloved Enemy and she is excited to now be able to announce the release of her new novel The Matchmaker’s Mare, featuring her other great love, horses, and the area in Wales where she grew up.

When she is not writing or reading, she can usually be found enjoying the outdoors with Choccy, anything involving horses or dogs, or just eating chocolate!

Website: https://Hywelalyn@hywelalyn.co.uk

Blog:       https://Hywelalyn.blogspot.com

Blue Sky: https://bsky.app/profile/hywela-lyn.bsky.social

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

‘X’:           https://x.com/Hywela_Lyn

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1422651.Hywela_Lyn

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

My pen name, Hywela Lyn, is a combination of my first two names. (I have always been known by my second name ‘Lyn’ and thought it was time my Welsh first name was used as well!) Having been born and raised in Wales living and working there for most of my life, I moved to a small village in England when I married my late husband, Dave, although I have to admit my heart remains in Wales!  A keen animal lover, especially horses and dogs, I live with a terrier called Choccy, adopted by myself and my husband. Choccy rules the house and keeps me sane (nearly

Where did you get the idea for THE MATCHMAKER’S MARE. Why did you choose this genre (is it something you’ve written in before)? Was there anything unusual, any anecdote about this book, the characters, title, process, etc, you’d like to share?

I’ve always loved Science Fiction, Fantasy and stories of the paranormal. My fantasy novella, Dancing with Fate was originally written as part of an anthology featuring the Greek muses, for the Wild Rose Press, who have published all my books to date, including my Science Fiction Romance trilogy, which, like The Matchmaker’s Mare, started out as a short story.

One of the first short tales I ever wrote was entitled A touch of Witchcraft, about a fiery grey Welsh Mountain pony belonging to a white witch.  Years later, I dug that one out and the witch became a matchmaker, and the pony evolved into a chestnut mare, becoming my latest novel The Matchmaker’s Mare. I usually manage to sneak a horse or pony into all my stories somewhere, and this one allowed me to indulge my love of horses more fully.)

I’ve had a passion for horses for as long as I can remember, and I saved up for five years to purchase Flicka, my first horse, who crossed the Rainbow Bridge several years ago and is also featured in The Matchmaker’s Mare, along with Flying T’pau (aka TipTop), although the actual Star (Seren) was a gentle 15.2 hands high bay mare I bred myself, from Flicka, rather than a feisty little chestnut pony, but she did have a perfect star in the middle of her face!

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April 4, 2025 · 10:32 am

Author Interview with Karina Bartow ~ Undercover Babymoon #Mystery

Please help me welcome today’s guest, Karina Bartow…

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

I still live in the same small town in northern Ohio where I grew up. My house is run by a very charming yet opinionated parakeet!

Where did you get the idea for Undercover Babymoon?

A friend, who’s always hitting me up with ideas for stories, suggested I set a mystery on a cruise ship. I don’t really welcome suggestions about what I write unless it’s in a professional capacity, especially from this friend, who doesn’t typically offer the most serious tips! For a change, however, he made me perk up my ears. Instead of mentally discarding the notion, I filed that one away, waiting for the right opportunity to act on it. Since my family went on one voyage years earlier, I had experience I could tap into to make it realistic, which added to the viability of the prospect.

Why did you choose this genre?

This was the fourth mystery I wrote, and I’ve grown to love the genre. I enjoy the opportunity to implement red herrings and twists and turns. I like playing with readers’ minds!

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

With all of my books, I always want readers to be entertained, first and foremost, but I also hope they feel the same emotions as the characters. In The Unde(a)feated Detective Series—which follows a deaf detective—I include a lot of experiences and stigmas disabled people have to rise above, so I hope readers learn from some of those lessons in the process.

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

I’ve considered sci-fi, specifically time travel. Never excelling in science class, though, I doubt I have enough brain power!

If you were stranded on a deserted island and you could have 3 (inanimate) objects, what would they be?

A Bible, jug of iced mocha, and my mp3 player.

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

Robin Williams.

 What do you want your tombstone to say?

She died with her high heels on!

What character in your book are you least likely to get along with?

Camille, the next door neighbor. She’s a nosey phony but a blast to write!

Who is the most famous person you have ever met?

Joey McIntyre of New Kids on the Block.

How did you come up with the title?

I was struggling with it, but I was patient, figuring it’d manifest eventually. A friend was talking about planning a vacation and mentioned a website named Undercover Tourist. Undercover Babymoon clicked right into place!

Thank you for being my guest, Karina…I enjoyed getting to know you. Please tell us about your book…

Excerpt:

Gus rocked back in his seat, as he always did while contemplating. “And if it was, then it’s out of our jurisdiction. That ship’s on international waters, so anything that happens after it docks isn’t even the country’s duty. You guys just need to do what you can here to make sure our people are safe, even if you can’t solve this murder. Meanwhile, I’ll make some calls to the Coast Guard and Border Patrol to alert them of our suspicions about a drug trafficking operation.”

“Logan’s roommate on the ship said they had a few days between voyages, so this would be the ideal time to scope it out,” Cael said.

Minka agreed with his resolution, hoping the feds would uncover something. No detective wanted to accept a case going unsolved, and up to this point, she thankfully hadn’t had to. Now that she was in Homicide, the possibility became greater, and deep down, she figured the day would come.

An hour later, Gus reported that Emmett’s statement about the drugs didn’t give Border Patrol or even the DEA enough to launch an investigation. Neither agency received any other tips about the ship or crew. Plus, Emmett’s condition didn’t give the claim much credence, and even assuming he was correct, the words were uttered on land by men who might not have any ties to the ship.

On their own yet again, Minka and Cael combed through Logan’s phone for something that hinted to drugs or his secret, but the superheroes remained their only grounds for suspicion. With no leads emerging the rest of the morning, they took longer lunch breaks than usual. Minka spotted an issue of The Miracle of Motherhood magazine she’d bought at the café a few days ago and took it with her to peruse it, skimming an article on the latest nursery fashions. After she highlighted a couple of ideas, she flipped to the next write-up, which shared ways to enjoy your second trimester. With Cael seated across from her in the break room, she had to joke with him about it.

“Guess I’m not on trend. Chasing after killers isn’t ‘the thing to do’ during my second trimester.”

“Bogus article!”

She giggled, browsing through what she was supposed to be doing, including indulging in spa days and wellness classes. With the busy life she led, all of the luxurious suggestions amused her. When her eyes crossed the words “Take a Babymoon”, she initially kept her cynicism intact, until an idea occurred to her. She put it down and told her partner, “I need a babymoon!”

Buy links:

Amazon | Walmart | Target | BooksAMillion | Indie Bound | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Google | Books | ITunes

About the Author:

Karina Bartow hails from Northern Ohio.  Though born with Cerebral Palsy, she’s never allowed her disability to define her.  Rather, she’s used her experiences to breathe life into characters who have physical limitations, but like her, are determined not to let them stand in the way of the life they want.  Her works include Husband in Hiding, Forgetting My Way Back to You, Brother of Interest, Wrong Line, Right Connection, Accidental Allies and Undercover Babymoon.  She may only be able to type with one hand, but she writes with her whole heart!

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Goodreads

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March 19, 2025 · 12:10 pm

Author Interview with C. Becker ~ New Release: Embracing Euphoria #RomanticSuspense

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

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

Thank you for having me today on your blog! I grew up with my eight siblings on a small farm in western Pennsylvania, but now live in West Virginia with my husband, daughter, and thirteen-year-old Jack Russell. My three older children have graduated from school and are living on their own.

Tell us a little about your process in writing your book.

When I started writing the Euphoria trilogy, I had never written in the adult genre before. All my other books had been children’s stories. I chose romantic suspense because I like to read romances, and I wanted to see how difficult it would be to write an adult novel. I also thought it would be cool to incorporate medical topics in the book, as I worked in a clinical lab for several years and had a medical background. I honestly hadn’t realized the amount of research writing a book would take, but learning is so satisfying and I wanted to make the story as realistic as possible. The most difficult aspect about drafting the third book Embracing Euphoria was finding the fine line between giving out too much information from previous books in the trilogy and not enough. I had to go back twice to rewrite entire sections. Besides the rewrites, getting the story back into the editor’s queue in their busy schedule takes time. Whoever said patience is a virtue knew what they were talking about! I’m lucky my editor is very patient, too.

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

I keep busy with different jobs. Currently I’m a musician working with two churches as the music director and organist. I also worked as a substitute teacher for over ten years. Before having my family, I worked as a medical technologist in a hospital laboratory. I joke with my sister that I still don’t know what I want to be when I grow up. LOL!

Do you collect anything?

Rocks and Pokémon cards.

What’s the main thing that you could get rid of in your life that would give you more writing time?

Cooking, cleaning, and household obligations. Often people assume when you write you can still spend your time doing everything in addition to your writing. If I worked in an office out of the home, I’d have eight hours of uninterrupted writing. Only in my dreams!

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

My favorite book of all time is “Remember When” by Judith McNaught. I love how she shows emotions like pain and desire in her writing. I also like how McNaught brings in recurring characters from books. My favorite childhood book was The Secret Seven series by Enid Blyton. I read almost the entire series in elementary school. I became a fan of mysteries after reading those books.

Would you rather have a bad review or no review?

No review.

Have you written any other books that are not published?

I’ve written a middle-grade novel, but haven’t had time to pursue a publisher for it yet. The book was recognized last year in a state writing contest. I’ve also written a holiday screen play that I hope to find a home for this year.

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

I’d hang out with the main character Hailey Langley and shadow her in her biochemistry lab analyzing Euphoria. If I were lucky enough, I’d follow her around in an undercover case and then hit the gym with her.

How did you come up with the title?

I used the word Euphoria throughout my trilogy, including this final book Embracing Euphoria. Euphoria has a double meaning . First, it’s the name of the drug used in the first book that gets unleashed into the public. The protagonist in the book Finding Euphoria also longs to find happiness from the guilt she’s had for giving her first-born son up for adoption. In the second book, Saving Euphoria, the protagonist holds on to any happiness she has left after she believes her husband succumbed to a fire. The roots from the Euphoria shrub are used to derive the mind-altering drug she is unknowingly taking, and her scientist friend is trying to save his dying Euphoria plant. In Embracing Euphoria, the protagonist needs to find a Euphoria shrub after she learns the plant’s flowers hold the key to regenerating her husband’s skin. She also convinces her husband to accept his condition and their relationship, even if he can’t be healed.

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

Love and relationships aren’t easy, but you need to continue living and embrace the positive that exists all around you.

Your favorite…

Movie            August Rush

Music            Contemporary Christian

Place you’ve visited        Florence, Italy

Place you’d like to visit             Australia

TV show from childhood         Little House on the Prairie

TV show from adulthood         Guiding Light soap opera

Food              Chocolate cake

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

Board games –Bananagrams and Big Boggle

Thank you for joining me today. I enjoyed getting to know you. Please tell us about your book.

Blurb:

Hailey Langley tries to wrap her mind around the news her husband survived a fire she thought had killed him. Before she can search for him, Hailey has a promise to keep that takes her to Colombia where she must face the drug lord behind her husband’s attack.

Mark Langley is suffering from his own plight and insecurities, including burns and PTSD. Beneath Mark’s scarred exterior is a man seeking acceptance from a wife he refuses to see. Uncertain if he will ever reunite with his family, Mark struggles through his therapies, hopeful an experimental drug from the Euphoria plant will heal his scars.

When another villain from Colombia seeks revenge, Hailey and Mark must learn to trust and love again as they battle their newest threat and find their way back to each other.

Excerpt:

Mark breathed in his wife’s delicate feminine scent, taking in every beguiling curve of her body. Dang! Hailey was sexier than when they first met. Even her soft snores heated his blood. He should’ve brought her here weeks ago. After sharing a bed again, he’d do whatever it took to recover and return home.

The shuttle bus would arrive in an hour. He’d wait another five minutes to calm his erection before he prepped for therapy.

He licked his lips. The sweetness of Hailey’s honeyed kisses the previous night still lingered. They hadn’t made love; the last time he’d slept with Hailey had been almost a year ago. He couldn’t push her. Depending on her response to his disfigurement, that element of their marriage might never happen again.

He raised his gloved hand to touch her cheek but then lowered it. Better take things slowly. For now, lying next to her was enough.

Bruce’s suspicions had been correct about Hailey encountering hardship in Colombia. Twice during the night, Hailey cried out Mendoza’s name.

Mark had comforted her, smoothing her hair, whispering, “I’m here, honey.”

He ground his teeth. He should kill that bastard for tormenting her. Thank God she was safe now. Back in the US, away from the Mendoza family.

Hailey’s eyelashes fluttered, and a smile spread across her face. “Good morning. What time is it?”

“Quarter after eight.” He leaned over and kissed her. God, her sweet lips tasted delicious. He nibbled on her lips again. Like a hummingbird feeding on nectar. “You can use the bathroom first. I’ll ask the therapist to change my pressure garments at the clinic. I leave at nine. I won’t have much time for breakfast.”

She snuggled closer into his arms. “Give me another minute with you. Before the outside world takes over.”

His pulse raced. Maybe their relationship hadn’t changed that much.

Buy links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Embracing-Euphoria-C-Becker-ebook/dp/B0DSG8XQ3X

B&N:  https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/embracing-euphoria-c-becker/1146791353

BAM:  https://www.booksamillion.com/p/9781509259809

The Wild Rose Press: https://wildrosepress.com/product/embracing-euphoria/

Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/pt/book/embracing-euphoria/id6740242033

Kobo: https://www.walmart.com/search/?query=9781509259809

IndieBound: https://bookshop.org/p/books/embracing-euphoria-c-becker/22206508

About the Author:

C. Becker is a romance suspense writer, musician, and lover of crafts. She has a bachelor’s degree in Medical Technology and worked in the clinical hospital setting until she began raising a family. As her children grew older, she never outgrew the attraction of using science in everyday life. She turned to teaching, music, and eventually to writing stories. She considers herself a “jack of all trades,” and readily admits she is a “master of none.” Yes, she even does home improvement projects! Becker has published three romance suspense novels in the Euphoria trilogy, several poems, and over a dozen children’s books (under Colleen Driscoll). Becker enjoys hanging out with her family and Jack Russell, playing the piano, reading, traveling, and gardening.

Contact Links:

Email: cbeckerauthor@gmail.com

Website address: http://cbeckerauthor.com/

Twitter https://twitter.com/cbeckerauthor

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

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

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19026691.C_Becker

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February 22, 2025 · 8:54 am

The Spotlight is on: Tashia L. Fugate & Her Paranormal Fantasy Romance: Silver and Aconite

Please help me welcome today’s guest, Tashia L. Fugate. Her book is fantastic and I have had the pleasure of a sneak peek of Book 2, which is awesome as well and is available for pre-order…

 “When you finally have everything, what would you sacrifice to keep it?”

Blurb:

What do you do when the past you remember quickly morphs into a past you wished would stay forgotten? On the surface, Samantha Walker is your average human, working hard to build her future. But there’s more than one fanged skeleton in her closet and they’re about to be released.

When, in the sleepy town of Glenwood, mystery man, Deacon Vasileios, shows up at her feet bleeding from a gunshot wound, her life gets turned upside down. Something about him isn’t human, but the glow of his icy blue eyes holds all the keys to unlock her past.

People she trusted are lying to her as she struggles to understand her twisted memories. Hunters want use her while an alpha wants her to become his. As the fire sparks between Samantha and Deacon, she must make a choice. Is her life in fate’s hands or is she in control? Choices are dangerous things to make.

Excerpt:

Living is sometimes harder than dying. To choose to fight and push through the callings of death rather than succumb to them is a decision that no person can make for someone else. We must want to live. We must fight as hard as we can, not just for ourselves, but for those we love. It is the people that we cherish more than life itself that make it all worth it. Life is hard, and sometimes sacrifices must be made, but we push through and live. It is days like today that break us down. Today, dying feels easier.

Samantha closed her eyes as she tried to catch her breath and clear the blurriness from her vision. The warehouse was so close, but still so far away. Large raindrops fell in slow succession as she lay on her back on the hard floor of the abandoned school. Lightning streaked through the dark, cloudy sky after every heart-pounding crash of thunder rumbled through her chest. She wanted to scream, to cry out and let go of all her frustrations, but to release them would be the first step to letting go, and she could not do that yet. She was doing the right thing; she knew that now.

With another attempt at a deep breath, Samantha brought herself up into a crouched position. Standing was harder now, and her head spun as she tried to balance herself. She pushed back on the bile that threatened to come up from her stomach. It had been how many days since she ate anything? She couldn’t remember. Time over the past few days seemed strange and distant. She let her breath out slowly as she stood using the aged bricks of the old school’s walls for support.

Her favorite pair of black running shoes were soaked and caked in mud and grass. Two drops of black fell into the pooling rainwater. The drops started to spread out like dark red branches of a tree. She was dying, but she wasn’t dead yet. There was still some fight left in her, and she had to keep going.

Buy links:

Amazon.com: Silver and Aconite (A Prophecy of Blood and Flowers): 9781509258024: Fugate, Tashia L: Books

Amazon.com: Silver and Aconite (A Prophecy of Blood and Flowers Book 1) eBook : Fugate, Tashia L. : Kindle Store

Silver and Aconite by Tashia L Fugate, Paperback | Barnes & Noble®

A Prophecy of Blood and Flowers Silver and Aconite, Book 1, (Paperback) – Walmart.com

Silver and Aconite a book by Tashia L Fugate – Bookshop.org US   (Read Spotted Newt)

Silver and Aconite a book by Tashia L Fugate – Bookshop.org US (The Taleless Dog Booksellers)

About the Author:

Tashia L. Fugate lives in her Kentucky home with her husband. When she’s not reading, she enjoys walking, painting, gardening, music and letting her imagination of its leash with her writing.

From the time Tashia was in high school then to college and off into the work force she’s been a dreamer. She is always inventing characters and new places for their adventures to take place. She’s more than excited to bring those adventures to her readers. With hard work and determination, any dream can become a reality.

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November 26, 2024 · 7:39 am

The Spotlight is on Beth Ford and Her New Release: Love Between Times  #timetravelromance

Please help me welcome today’s guest, Beth Ford…

What would really happen if a medieval knight landed in the 21st century? That was the question that prompted me to write this book. I had seen other media where a medieval knight shows up but there is no language barrier and he immediately understands modern conveniences. That’s now how it would be! I wanted to shout.

So I wrote my own story. When Thomas shows up in the modern day from the 14th century, he can barely make himself understood because the language is so different. I also wanted to capture how the frame through which people saw the world was different. For example, rather than understanding automobiles as mechanical inventions, he sees them through the medieval worldview of god vs. the devil. This of course sets up plenty of conflict between Thomas, the new world he finds himself in, and Ashley, our modern-day heroine.

Part of this idea stemmed from my fascination with the history of the English language. It’s not very often I get to name drop the Great Vowel Shift in a novel. I had a lot of fun writing this book. I hope you will have just as much fun reading it.

Blurb:

When Ashley’s conventional 21st century life falls apart, she returns to England to write the book she shelved years ago, determined to take control of her life.

Meanwhile, in 1377 Wiltshire, Thomas fights his family’s desire that he become a priest and plots to chase his dream of knighthood instead. While Ashley and Thomas search for answers, Thomas suddenly appears in the modern day.

Unable to communicate, his first encounter with Ashley ends with the police demanding his immigration papers. All Thomas wants is to return to the world he understands, but he and Ashley are drawn together again and again. How will they find the answers Thomas needs before the authorities close in without losing each other forever?

Excerpt:

Neither of them said a word. They stood in shock, each assessing the other.

Ashley stared at the young man’s strange clothes. He wore a long, blue shirt over—were those tights?—and oddly shapeless leather boots. Everything he wore appeared homemade. The leather crossbody bag he wore was the only thing he had of decent quality.

She lifted her gaze to his face. His eyes immediately captivated her. They were the most gorgeous shade of blue she had ever seen. His face wasn’t bad either. His hair was thick and a bit long. Even beneath the beard she could tell he had a strong jawline and fine cheekbones. He appeared her age or a bit younger.

Snapping back to herself, she took a few steps backward to put some distance between them. “Sorry,” she said nervously.

The man cocked his head at her like a curious cat trying to figure out what the game was.

“Are you all right?” she finally asked.

He said something that she couldn’t interpret. It was her turn to look confused.

“Are you going to Salisbury?” she asked, since he was headed in the opposite direction she was. Then tried again, “Salisbury?”

“Sarisbury,” he said firmly, correcting her. The middle sound held more of a “r” shape in his mouth instead of an “l.” She couldn’t tell where he was from. The words he had said to her sounded like nothing she had heard before.

But they were getting somewhere. She pointed down the hill toward the city. “Sarisbury,” she said, mimicking him.

He nodded, satisfied. His gaze tracked in the direction she pointed. When his eyes lit on the city, he took a few inadvertent steps back and stumbled over a tree root. Once he was steady on his feet again, he glanced wildly along the horizon. Her eyes darted between him and the view, trying to guess what had surprised him so. Between them and the city, a stretch of highway trailed along the horizon. Nothing particularly remarkable about that. But the man turned pale and crossed himself. When that didn’t improve things in his mind, he pulled a necklace out from under his tunic—she had decided that was the best word for what he was wearing. The necklace was a simple leather cord holding a wooden cross. He rubbed the cross fervently and his lips formed a prayer she couldn’t interpret.

“Are you okay?” she asked again.

He glared at her before he turned and dashed back into the forest.

Ashley hesitated, then followed after him. Despite the fact that running into the woods after a potentially crazy man sounded like a setup for a horror movie, she had to make sure he was okay. She couldn’t just leave him here.

Buy link: https://books2read.com/lovebetweentimes

About the Author:

Beth Ford is a historical fiction author living in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. In addition to Love Between Times, she is the author of the novel In the Times of Spirits and the Cassie Woods, Reporter novella series. Her work has also appeared in a variety of literary journals.

Website: http://bethfordauthor.com

X: @bethfordauthor

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November 18, 2024 · 3:50 pm

Author Interview with AA DaSilva ~ New Release: Periphery / Sci-fi Romance

Please help me welcome today’s guest, AA DaSilva…

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

Thank you, Alicia, for having me on your blog today!

Born and raised in New England, my kids now attend the same schools I did growing up, and I’m happy about that. I enjoy traveling, but New England will always be home to me. After my husband retired from the Army in 2010, we settled into the Massachusetts town we both grew up in and started a family. We are blessed with two sons and a shih tzu named Didi (who clearly thinks she’s a human).  

Where did you get the idea for PERIPHERY?

The idea for Periphery brewed in my mind for decades. Growing up, I read a few books from my mother’s library about near-death experiences, and my father has a degree in philosophy, which led us to engage in a lot of existential conversations under the stars. Once I learned about the concept of the multiverse, my imagination exploded. It was a potential answer to the question I’d often pondered on about whether decision or fate determines our destiny.

Periphery was written to explore the weight of our choices—can changing one choice change everything? With that insight comes a new question to ponder: Are we given different scenarios, different choices, and ultimately different outcomes, that test our character, our strength, our virtue, all during a set of lifetimes within a multiverse? And, with that concept in mind, is it possible to seek and love the same soul across lifetimes?

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

I work as a clinical laboratory technician at a local hospital, and I absolutely love what I do. As a generalist, I work in the hematology, chemistry and microbiology departments where I examine blood films under the microscope, work-up blood cultures, run blood analyses on automated instruments, and perform COVID PCR testing.  Though I work behind the scenes in the laboratory, being part of the patient’s diagnostic care team is both challenging and rewarding.

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

I hope Periphery is will linger in the mind of those who read it, prompting self-examination of our choices, our destiny, and our soul’s journey through life and death. The big takeaway is that our past doesn’t define us, but our ability to love and continue moving forward does.  

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

I’d love to see Ana de Armas as Charlotte Cardoza, Rege Jean Page as Jared Cardoza, Idris Elba as General Mitch Cardoza, and Chris Hemsworth as Simon Donovan.

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

No matter what you’ve been through, it’s never too late to choose a new path in life.

Your favorite…

Movie- Meet Joe Black

Music- I have a huge eclectic playlist ranging from classical to rock to alternative to rap. What I listen to depends on my mood, but I’m a sucker for angsty, moody music.

Place you’ve visited-  Nationally: Fort Lauderdale, Internationally: Israel

Place you’d like to visit-Norway

Thank you, AA…I enjoyed getting to know you…now, please tell us about your book!

A tragic accident. A miraculous resuscitation. A catastrophic secret. One choice can change everything.

When a young widow falls for a mysteriously familiar stranger, she’s targeted by an agency intent on exploiting the ability gained after her near-death experience. When offered a chance to reconnect with her late husband, things get complicated…and dangerous.

Blurb

 Charlotte barely survived the accident that killed her husband four years ago. Resuscitated a savant, she struggles to find meaning in her survival. When she meets Simon, a mysteriously familiar stranger, they are drawn to each other with undeniable magnetism. But Simon is contracted to a black-ops agency.

With the agency on her heels, and Simon claiming her heart, Charlotte’s past and future collide when she’s offered a chance to reconnect with her late husband.

As secrets are revealed, motives uncovered, and alliances are formed, Charlotte must choose…between the fate of the world and the fate of her heart.

Excerpt:

Sy turned to face me, and his gaze went from my eyes down to my lips. “I believe everything, no matter how painful or tragic, happens for a reason. Whether we like it or not, we have to go out and find our own healing, our own happiness, down whatever path the universe opens for us.”

I nodded, his statement resonating deeply with my own tragic story. “So, what’d you do?”

He looked away and shrugged. “I was honorably discharged after that, and Jeff’s now in the reserves.” He laughed. “Now I’m stuck working with him and nearly cutting my arm off in the process because he’s a slob, and forgets to throw away old blades.”

He lifted his arm, now un-bandaged and scabbed over, a far cry from the angry wound I’d cared for last week.

“Wow, Sy. You’re lucky to be alive.”

“I don’t believe in luck.”

“What do you believe in, then?”

“Destiny.” He winked at me and smiled.

This time, it was my gaze that dropped to his lips as he spoke. I took a deep breath, then looked up at him.

He leaned toward me, and I grasped the door handle. “Thanks for today.” I quickly opened the door and nearly stumbled out of the car.

He leaned back into his seat and chuckled. “Anytime, Charlotte.”

After he left, I showered and put on my pajamas, then snuggled into bed deliciously sore from the run. I hugged the covers tight around my body, and fell into a deep dreamless sleep, the type of sleep that had eluded me for the past several years.

Buy links:

AMAZON: https://www.amazon.com/author/aadasilva

B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/periphery-aa-dasilva/1146224882

TWRP: https://wildrosepress.com/product/periphery/

GIVEAWAY!!!

Bookmojo is running the rafflecopter and I’ll be notified who wins 1/31. I’ll mail the package to the winner. Details below:

✦✤✦ Open to United States shipping addresses only. 

✦✤✦ Giveaway ends January 31, 2025 @ 11:59pm EST. The prize will be awarded shortly thereafter. 

✦✤✦ One winner will be chosen to receive a PR box with a signed copy of Periphery by AA DaSilva.

✦✤✦ This giveaway is administered by BookMojo on behalf of the author. The author will be solely responsible for prize distribution.

The giveaway has begun and runs through until January 31st. Giveaway Landing Page Link: https://book-mojo.com/periphery/ 

About the Author:

Born and raised in New England, AA DaSilva holds a degree in clinical laboratory science and brings her love of science and writing together via science fiction. When she’s not writing or identifying cells under a microscope, she can be found with a book in one hand, and a cup of iced coffee in the other. She resides in Massachusetts with her husband, two sons, and pup Didi (who looks suspiciously like an Ewok). Her debut novel, Periphery, is a science fiction love story that explores fate, strength, and the choices that determine our destiny, and was awarded the Literary Titan Gold Award. Book two in AA DaSilva’s Periphery series, titled The Bleed-Through Effect, is forthcoming in 2025 from The Wild Rose Press. For the latest updates on new releases, events, and giveaways sign up for email updates at aadasilva.com and follow her on socials.

x.com/aadasilva1

instagram.com/aadasilva11

Facebook.com/authoraadasilva

Tiktok.com/@aadasilva11

WEBSITE: Aadasilva.com

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/51913414.AA_DaSilva

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October 8, 2024 · 1:20 pm

Author Nikki Knight – This Thing We Do & New Release: Live, Local, and Long Dead  #Mystery #CozyMystery #wrpbks #Hobby #Career #Passion

 Please help me welcome today’s guest, Nikki Knight…

This Thing We Do

“You do this because you can’t do anything else.”

            My first news director, at KDKA Radio in Pittsburgh, said it to me a couple decades ago at the job interview.

            He meant, radio is the only business that would make you happy.

            He was right about me. And I was right about the main character in LIVE, LOCAL, AND LONG DEAD when I gave her the same line.

            While Jaye Jordan is a DJ and station owner, and I’m a New York City news anchor, we both came up through local radio, and we both love it.

            If you didn’t grow up with a local radio station – and a lot of people don’t now – I’m sorry for you. We live in better and healthier communities when we start the day with a familiar voice telling us about what’s happening in town, not just major news stories, but local events. Everything from the fender-bender by the plaza that’s delaying the school buses to the fundraiser for the food bank. The kind of things a national news network, or the TV station in the big city up the road, would never have time or energy for…but matter a lot in a small community.

            Just a typical day at a small local station.

            It’s important on a typical day, but it’s life-or-death in a disaster.

            In theory, when a small radio station is sold and handed over to a satellite feed – usually talk, but sometimes music or other programming – it’s still able to broadcast emergency information for its town. The automation should be able to take transmissions from the Emergency Alert System and send them on to the community. But that’s a big SHOULD when the water is rising or the ice falling.

            And even if the automation does what it’s supposed to do, there’s no live person at the station. No one to take calls from local authorities with warnings, no one to broadcast information about available services. And no one to offer a friendly voice on the battery powered radio that may be a family’s only connection to the world for a while.

            I’ve been that voice, during hurricanes in New York and winter storms in Vermont. And, other than raising my son, it’s the most important thing I’ve ever done. If you’re alone in the dark, you need someone to tell you how long it’s going to last, who’s going to help you, and that you’re going to make it. A confident, informed, and professional voice.

            And a local one.

            Jaye Jordan has the same experience, and the same deep bond with her work and her community. It’s not just a marketing slogan that she calls WSV “Your Hometown Station.”

            Everyone deserves one.

            Jaye’s love for local radio, and mine, shines through LIVE, LOCAL, AND LONG DEAD. And we’re thrilled to welcome you to our hometown station.


GIVEAWAY: One random commenter wins an e-ARC of LIVE, LOCAL, AND LONG DEAD.

In LIVE, LOCAL, AND LONG DEAD, DJ Jaye Jordan returns to look into not one but two murders – one involving her ex and her new man– and get Grandpa Seymour ready for the Senior Prom!

Excerpt:

“It looks like a body in there, Chief.” Sadie’s words left room for doubt, but her voice did not.

“I’ll take a look.” Chief George handed the rock to me because I was closest, and his face hardened from fun day out to on-duty.

And just when you thought it couldn’t get more serious, it did.

I felt something strange and sharp on the underside of the rock through my work gloves. I looked down at it.

It looked back at me.

Well, it would have if there’d been anything in the smooth, empty eye sockets. It seemed to be grinning, a perfectly imperfect smile with a little chip in one of the front teeth.

“Chief?” I asked. “I think we have another problem.”

I figured it was the worst moment of the day.

Famous last words.

Maybe half an hour later, everyone was standing around waiting for the M.E. and the Staties, and whoever was responsible for skulls, and I was still holding the poor thing. By then I had noticed the jagged hole near the temple and come to the conclusion whoever it was had not left this earth easily or willingly.

Chief George had been in the building, and he came out carrying a large, expensive purse…still in good shape, metallic leather, a brand that would have cost me a month’s salary in New York, made even more costly and special by the name engraved on a brass plate on the side. It was below the status logo, so it must have been the name of the owner: Jecca.

“I think I knew her.”

It would have been bad enough if I’d heard one voice saying it in a tone that left no doubt as to how they’d known her.

But it was two. The worst possible two.

David, no surprise, really…and Will.

I looked down at the skull. It was probably a grave sin to break heads with an actual head.

Buy link: Live, Local, and Long Dead – The Wild Rose Press Inc

About the Author:

Nikki Knight describes herself as an Author/Anchor/Mom…not in that order. An award-winning weekend anchor at New York City’s 1010 WINS Radio, she writes short stories and novels, including the Vermont Radio and Grace the Hit Mom Series. Her stories have appeared in Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, Mystery Magazine, Black Cat Weekly, online, and in anthologies – and been short-listed for Black Orchid Novella and Derringer Awards. Active in writers’ groups, she’s served as Vice President of the Short Mystery Fiction Society and is currently Co-Vice President of the New York/Tri-State Chapter of Sisters in Crime. As Kathleen Marple Kalb, she writes the Ella Shane and Old Stuff mystery series. She, her husband, and son live in a Connecticut house owned by their cat.

Website:  https://kathleenmarplekalb.com/nikki-knight

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

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/NikkiKnightVT

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

Other: YouTube: NIKKI KNIGHT’S RADIO STORYTIME – YouTube  

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October 5, 2024 · 10:55 am

Sheila Kell in in the Spotlight with His Chance #RomanticSuspense

Please help me welcome today’s guest, Sheila Kell…

Can he survive saving her?

Excerpt:

On his own, Devon pulled the SAT phone from his pack and dialed Jesse. While waiting for an answer, he slung his backpack over his shoulder and turned in the direction of the cabin. Half walking, half stumbling, he cursed Jesse for not answering.

Tripping over a protruding tree root, he plummeted to the ground with a resounding thud as he hadn’t reacted in time to catch himself. “Oomph.” Sucking wind into his burning lungs and swallowing down the raging throb throughout his body, he wanted to remain in that spot and rest. But, he knew he couldn’t. His stomach lurched at the thought that Chuck and company were probably gone, but he would still check.

“Where the fuck are you, Jesse? I can’t believe I was so stupid to think I could do this without the team,” Devon chided himself.

“By the looks of you, I’d have to agree.”

Devon groaned at his older brother. “How the hell do you do that? I didn’t even hear you.”

A cocky grin split Jesse’s face. “It’s a gift.”

Buy links:

His Chance

About the Author:

Sheila Kell writes about romantic men who leave women’s hearts pounding with a happily ever after built on memorable, adrenaline-pumping stories. Her debut novel, His Desire (HIS Series #1), launched as an Amazon #1 romantic suspense bestseller, later winning the Readers’ Favorite award for best romantic suspense novel.

Having left behind her days in the United States Air Force and as a University Vice President, she can usually be found on the Mississippi coast, where she lives with her cats and all the strays that magically find her front door. When she isn’t writing, you can find Sheila with her nose in a good book, dealing with the woodland critters who enjoy her back patio, or wishing she had a genie to do her bidding. 

For more information….

Sign up for Sheila’s newsletter: http://www.sheilakell.com/subscribe

Find Sheila on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sheilakellbooks

Follow Sheila on BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/sheila-kell

Follow Sheila on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/author/sheilakell

Find Sheila on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/Sheila_Kell

Contact Sheila for information on her reader group, advance teams, and other ways to follow: sheila@sheilakell.com  

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September 23, 2024 · 7:46 am

Author Interview with Mary Ann Jacobs ~ The Berkshire Mystery Series #CozyMystery

Please help me welcome today’s guest, Mary Ann Jacobs with The Berkshire Mystery series: Don’t Mess With Me and Peril in Pitman

Welcome, Mary Ann…please tell us a little about yourself.

I was born in Ohio and lived in Detroit, Chicago, and California. I now live in Kentucky where I raised my two children.

My father was Lebanese, and this background influenced the character of Sadie, who is a refugee from Lebanon and works in her Aunt Florence’s restaurant in Pittman.

I spend my time writing, running a Writers’ Workshop, keeping tabs on my five grandchildren, playing bridge, and participating in many clubs in our area.

Where did you get the idea for the title for Don’t Mess with Me in the Berkshire Mystery Series?

The title for Don’t Mess with Me was based on the character of Sadie who is feisty and stands for all women who are not meek and mild. The title for Peril in Pittman was dictated by the action of the ISIS character who was tracking down former members of the Resistance movement in Lebanon who had settled in this small Berkshire Mountain town.

I picked this cozy mystery genre because I was going crazy during the isolation of covid. I walked, wrote poetry and sent out a poem a day to my friends. I read cozy mysteries because they made me feel good and watched Hallmark mysteries because of the happy endings. I finally decided to try my own hand at the cozy mystery genre.

The most difficult thing about writing a book is finding the time to write for long periods of time. I was used to writing in short periods of time.

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

I have taught all grades from kindergarten to college. I thoroughly enjoyed discovering the uniqueness of the students at each grade level. Just to keep my skills sharp, I will occasionally assess students who though I don’t have much time for that.are struggling to learn and sometimes tutor,

What do you love that most people don’t like and wouldn’t understand why you do?

Now that I’m retired, people don’t understand why I keep so busy. My calendar is fuller than ever, and I love every minute of it, except for doctor appointments.

Do you collect anything?

Just rejections for my writings over the years

What’s the main thing that you could get rid of in your life that would give you more writing time?

Interruptions. I’ve always said I need to go to a quiet secluded cabin in the woods for a month each year.

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

Charlotte’s Web is my favorite book of all time. Any book by Dr. Seuss is a favorite childhood book. The fact that Dr. Seuss had 37 rejections for And to Think that I Saw It on Mulberry Street gives me hope to keep on writing.

What do you want readers to come away with after they read Don’t Mess with Me and Peril in Pittman?

I want my readers to have a sense of accomplishment that they have unraveled a complicated plot with characters who have come to life and grown before their eyes. I want readers to feel that they have been an active part of the Super Sleuths and enjoyed themselves along the way by learning all about the Berkshire Mountains’ many festivals and entertainment and even enjoyed the characters’ hints of romance.

 Have you written any other books that are not published?

I have written many children’s books, including a collection of modern fables but haven’t had any luck with publishing them. I also wrote a book teaching people of all ages how to write poetry called So You Want to Write Poetry.

How did you come up with the title? 

I came up with the title for Don’t Mess with Me because of the main character of Sadie, who is a feisty and accomplished young woman. I came up with the title for book 2 Peril in Pittman because an assassin is stalking people who were in the Resistance in Lebanon and have come to live in the small town of Pittman in the Berkshire Mountains.

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

I have always believed that my characters dictate the story. Unfortunately, they tend to wait until I am asleep to wake me and make themselves known. When I was writing Don’t Mess with me, my muse woke me, so I got out my notebook in the dark so as to not wake my husband. When I woke the next day and went to transfer the story to the computer, I found that I had written on top of another writing and couldn’t decipher the night’s inspiration.

When I was writing Peril in Pittman, I was awakened by my character telling me in no uncertain words that I couldn’t make him my assassin because he was too nice. It seemed so real that I went back the next morning, reread that chapter, and realized he was right. I had to find another assassin because the first one was too likeable.

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

When I wrote the first book, I made a timeline and followed it diligently. When I wrote the second, I cut corners by deciding I didn’t need the timeline, so when my first editors were reading the first draft, they would say things like, “This hasn’t happened yet. The character hasn’t heard about this, etc.” Needless to say, it took me more time to correct the timeline that it would have to create a timeline before writing.

Book 2 in the Berkshire Mystery Series, Peril in Pittman

Fear has engulfed the tight-knit community of Pittman. Join the Super Sleuths as they unmask a thief and not 1 but 3 hitmen. Meet the members of the Geezer Book Club and discover the future plans of the characters you first met and loved in Don’t Mess with Me, Book 1 in the Berkshire Mystery Series.

Excerpt:

Chapter 11

Another Secret

After the fest planning meeting, Lola left the bookstore and went to the town square. She sat on her thinking bench as the cool breezes invaded her lightweight jacket and leaves blew around like a flock of colorful butterflies. She couldn’t enjoy the scene because her mind was reeling, and she was afraid that someone would discover the one secret that she had never shared with anyone.

After Mr. Brump announced that he was an ex-cop from Chicago, Lola flinched. Mr. Brump was staring at her. Lola had first met him in Grant Park in Chicago. She recognized him when he first came into the Bookworm Shop. She didn’t think he recognized her then. Did Mr. Brump recognize her now?

Lola remembered it well. Mr. Brump was one of the officers present when I went to Grant Park to identify my mom’s body. Now I’m in trouble. Does he have any idea about my secret?

Buy links:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dont-mess-with-me-mary-ann-jacobs/1142600182?ean=2940186700777

Peril in Pittman:

Find Mary Ann Here:

maryannjacobsauthor@gmail.com

https://www.facebook.com/maryannjacobsauthor

Website: maryannjacobsauthor.wordpress.com

Twitter: maryann41866

Amazon.com/author/maryann_jacobs-1.2 Amazon Author Page URL

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September 6, 2024 · 8:00 am

Author Interview with  Steve Rush ~ New Release: Lethal Impulse #CrimeThriller #wrpbks

Please help me welcome today’s guest, Steve Rush…

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

My wife and I live in a place one person claimed got hotter after sunset than in the middle of the sunny afternoon—Metro Atlanta, Georgia. Georgian since birth. Family scattered in Georgia, Florida and Minnesota. I enjoy the outdoors and beg for winter, which seems to avoid us most years.

Where did you get the idea for Lethal Impulse?

The idea came from my background of growing up in a minister’s home and tenure investigating homicides and employment in a medical examiner’s office, which led to a forensic consulting job with national travel and investigations and plethora of ideas for novels, including Lethal Impulse.

Why did you choose this genre (is it something you’ve written in before)?

I love crime fiction and suspense/thriller novels and movies. I enjoy writing in this genre for the challenge it offers in adding suspense, red herrings, and unexpected twists.

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

The main character, Neil Caldera, comes from a diverse family, completed forensics and theology majors in college and sought a career at NYPD. Lethal Impulse opens with his officer-involved shooting in which a bullet from Neil’s pistol kills a New York crime boss’s daughter. Fallout led to his move to a small town once named, “The Best Place to Live in Georgia,” and an encounter with a vengeful killer.

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

I am a pantser. I outlined my first novel and changed much of what I had written in the process. I felt it best to let creativity take over. When I reach a sticking point, I ask, What if? I had written about 2,000 words of Lethal Impulse when our consulting business shut down. I wrote 10,000 words a month for seven months. For the effort, I had a finished novel, and carpal tunnel syndrome.

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

I want them to experience the characters’ highs and lows the way I did while writing their story and hope they approve of the way I fulfilled my promises to them. My objective is to transform readers into fans. I’ll do my best to live up to their expectations.

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

The Husband, Dean Koontz.

What is your favorite quote?

“I have a perfect cure for a sore throat: cut it.” ― Alfred Hitchcock

Have you written any other books that are not published?

I have three manuscripts ready for submission. One is the first book one of a planned three-book series. My thriller, After Her Deceit, the sequel in a two-book series is scheduled for release on October 1st. The same publisher has another two-book crime-thriller series planned for release in 2025.

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

Toughest: did not resonate with the characters. Best: great dialogue.

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

I give life to characters and place them in true-to-life situations and watch their reactions and responses. A few I will create based on a person’s unique name. I always ask permission and portray those characters as good people.

How much of the book is realistic?

I’m all-in when it comes to offering readers an impression of reality and adhere to self-imposed standards of authenticity, believability and credibility based on my experience as a forensic investigator. I research settings for accuracy in real towns or ones based on real places.

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

Dean Koontz, a master wordsmith.

Thank you for the interesting interview. Crime Thriller is my favorite genre, and I also love Dean Koontz. And I love that quote from Hitchcock. 😀 Now, please tell us about your book…

Blurb:

He’s riddled with guilt. She’s annoyed with the status quo.

The death of a crime boss’s daughter forces Detective Neil Caldera to leave NYC. He seeks refuge in the tranquil embrace of a small town, where he finds himself entangled in the labyrinth of a teenage girl’s murder.

Tess Fleishman’s pale skin and extreme weight loss portrays a disease she wants others to see. While inside, a compulsion for Neil fuels her passion to have him, or destroy him.

Excerpt:

Neil had observed enough crime scenes to identify the familiar sight and smell of blood. Light revealed blood on three of the four walls and on a few boards overhead.

He strode to the rear space amidst various farm implements. The flashlight beam revealed nothing unanticipated to the right. The light revealed more to him than he foresaw. Happenstance played no role in the display now before him. The artist’s rendition displayed evidence of a warped mind. Malevolence flaunted in the form of a portrait painted with blood.

Neil widened the beam of light with a left twist of the flashlight’s head. Shock jolted him. The likeness on the barn wall stared back at him with remarkable resemblance.

“Holy mother of Moses. I understand why you didn’t want to come back.”

Neil looked at the front and rear doors. Light from an approaching vehicle rose on the front of the barn. Gaps around the door allowed enough streaks of light through to make shadows look as if the light infused them with life. The vehicle continued onward. Every shadow around Neil returned to stationary ominous forms. He half-turned toward the front and listened. The whine of tires on pavement diminished. Silence again filled the barn.

The hinges squawked against Neil’s shove on the right-side door. Chad turned his head in Neil’s direction. He was sitting on the ground with his back to the weathered wood. Knees drawn up, arms wrapped around them and his right hand clamped on his left wrist.

“It’s you.” Chad shuddered, tilted his head toward the barn. “In there. The picture on the wall looks like you.”

Neil glanced inside. The image renewed in his mind. “Is that the reason you called me? To have me look at someone’s depravity smeared on a barn wall?”

Chad shook his head. “No, sir.”

“Then why?”

“I know what you did.”

Buy links:

amazon.com/dp/B0DCC8KC8Y/thewildrosepr-20

Lethal Impulse – The Wild Rose Press Inc

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/Lethal%20Impulse-

http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/isbn9781509258130

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/search?query=9781509258130

https://play.google.com/store/search?c=books&q=9781509258130&c=books

https://www.booksamillion.com/p/9781509258123

https://www.walmart.com/search/?query=9781509258123

https://www.target.com/s?searchTerm=9781509258123

About the Author:

Steve Rush is an award-winning author whose experience includes tenure as homicide detective and chief forensic investigator for a national consulting firm. He worked with the late Joseph L. Burton, M.D, under whom he mastered his skills, and investigated many deaths alongside Dr. Jan Garavaglia of Dr. G: Medical Examiner fame.

Steve’s book Kill Your Characters; Crime Scene Tips for Writers was named finalist in the 2023 Silver Falchion Award for Best Nonfiction and Honorable Mention in the 2023 Readers’ Favorite Awards. Lethal Impulse won the 2022 Public Safety Writing Association’s Writing Competition for an unpublished novel, longlisted in the 2022 Page Turner Awards and joint first prize in the 2020 Chillzee KiMo T-E-N Contest.

He lives in Metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia, with his wife Sharon.

Visit his website: https://www.steverush.org

https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-rush-a20302149/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5217876

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