VBT: True Target

 

 

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Austin S. Camacho will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Skye Maddox is a contract assassin driven by both personal demons and professional discipline. Hired by grieving father Milo Williams to hunt down the chain of men responsible for his son’s death, Skye takes on a mission that escalates into a war with Washington, D.C.’s most dangerous underworld figures led by a man known only as Hetman. As she climbs Milo’s ladder of revenge, Skye uncovers a web of corruption that links drug dealers, judges, mobsters, and even international crime syndicates.

The story escalates through brutal shootouts, betrayals, and psychological games, as Skye pushes deeper into Hetman’s empire. becoming just another expendable weapon in someone else’s war.

Read an Excerpt

When Jayla stood, Skye raised a palm to stop her. “Yes. Yes, all right. I just finished an assignment, but it was part of a larger contract so I’m feeling like both the situations you mentioned. I’m on the job, and I just took a player off the board.”

Jayla jotted in her notebook. She always collected the euphemisms Skye used for her profession. “So, tell me about this latest assignment. How do you feel about this player you’ve taken off the board? Was it, in your mind, a just action?”

“You always want to go there,” Skye said, shaking her head. “What did I tell you? The first rule of the assassin’s doctrine. The target has got to deserve it.”

“Oh, yes,” Jayla said with a half-smile. “Your job, while criminal, does have rules

“I misspoke earlier,” Skye said, sliding a slim dagger out of her boot. “It’s not a job. It’s a profession. All professions have their rules. For doctors, rule number one is ‘do no harm’, right? For an assassin, it’s that the target has got to deserve it.” Skye began to absently flip the dagger in the air, catching it by its tip each time. “In this case, this bastard kidnapped my client’s son. I don’t know how they got him. My client kept his family totally under the radar. But once he got the ransom demand, the client agreed to pay, and the ransom money was in transit but not fast enough to suit the kidnappers. They killed the boy, I think just to make a point. Just to be snotty. The action took place overseas and no way the police would ever have gotten close to the killer.”

Jayla nodded. “I think I understand. So, you were hired to…”

“Correct the balance,” Skye said, standing.

About the Author:

Austin S. Camacho is the author of eight novels about Washington DC-based private eye Hannibal Jones, five in the Stark and O’Brien international adventure-thriller series, and the detective novel Beyond Blue. His short stories have been featured in several anthologies and he is featured in the Edgar nominated African American Mystery Writers: A Historical and Thematic Study by Frankie Y. Bailey. He is a past president of the Maryland Writers Association, past Vice President of the Virginia Writers Club, and one of the creators of the Creatures, Crimes & Creativity literary conference.

Guest Post

Topic: In the course of writing our books, there is always a fascinating piece of research 

that we stumble on and it may, or may not make it into our stories. Really good research 

should, of course, never be intrusive so here is your opportunity to let that little piece of 

trivia or major research point have its moment in the sun. 

For your post, it would be 

wonderful if you could share a “Fun Fact”. 

I suspect my research has me on some sort of FBI watch list. When I decided to create 

a series about a professional assassin I knew I’d want her to be creative in doing her 

work. That launched a lot of research into how to kill someone. 

I discovered, for example, that you can end a life with a simple shot of the barbiturate 

lorazepam. Of course, if the medical examiner who gets that body is any good at all he 

will notice the puncture wound, and a blood test will reveal the barbiturate. But if you 

want a death to appear to be of natural causes you would have to use a tiny .50-gauge 

needle to inject something like adenosine into the semilunar fold on the inside of the eye. 

But many of the most effective poisons are hard to come by unless you happen to be a doctor. It 

was specifically researching how to get deadly substances and where they come from that I 

stumbled upon a surprisingly common source of one of the deadliest of all substances.

Ricin is a toxic protein Just inhalation of this substance can cause a cough followed by nausea, 

diarrhea, and aches and pains all over the body. If the dose is big enough, say through an 

injection or swallowing the stuff, death will occur from damage to the heart and blood vessels. It 

is feared like nerve agents are feared. Naturally you can’t just pick up ricin at the drug store. But 

as I learned, the source is easy to obtain.

Ricin comes from the castor bean plant. It is in fact a pretty plant. In Africa it is a common 

ornamental house plant. They make castor oil out of the bean of this plant, so it has a commercial 

use. However, those beans also contain ricin. And the beans are not controlled substances in any 

way. In fact, like almost everything else, you can order the seeds of the castor plant on Amazon. 

Of course, a certain amount of work is required to get from those seeds to beans to a liquid 

distilled out of the beans. Following this research down the rabbit hole revealed that it could all 

be done fairly easily with no special equipment. 

I’m not sure how easy it is to own ricin is a “fun fact” but for this thriller writer, it was both 

interesting and useful in my books.

Website: https://ascamacho.com/
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ach success makes her a bigger target.

 

VBT: Bitroux

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GENRE: Science Fiction

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BLURB:

If Merouac ever thought his life’s work would culminate in leading the metal workshops of the Transcontinental Railroad Project, he was sorely mistaken.

Now, his true challenge lies in navigating the other-worldly abilities he’s only beginning to understand—abilities that allow him to tune metal to interdimensional frequencies.

While trying to be a guardian to his niece, Evra, he’s realising she may have more to teach him than he ever expected. At the same time, his decision to help an interdimensional race find refuge underground puts him at the centre of an even deeper mystery.

As reality reshapes itself around him, Merouac faces a growing realisation: the world of Ahm is on the brink of a profound transformation, and everything he thought he knew may soon be shattered.

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EXCERPT:

There was something about that zone of quiet concentration. It was always somewhere in the middle of those quiet moments where the blue light of the Top Hats had started to appear at the edge of his gaze. It had always been hard to see the things directly in his sight; they shifted and moved and always seemed hazy and insubstantial. He wondered if, in those moments, he had drifted into the Maolfi state without realising it.

He kept working. The surges of static came and went, heating his body, and then leaving, giving him a sense that his whole body was buzzing, vibrating. He kept moving, concentrating only on the wood. And things started to shift, but not in the way he had anticipated.

Soon, two piles had been moved and Merouac was starting to feel a welcome feeling of tiredness. He contemplated leaving the last pile of wood for the morning but kept moving instead. Then, something sounded.

He looked up. Nothing. Had anything made a noise at all? He felt sure he had heard something. All was still. What was it that he thought he had heard? Like someone or something was crashing through the trees, perhaps. He shook his head. Nothing unusual stirred, the flickering lights continued and below he could see hummers and their fluorescent markings shimmering in the trees.

Then he realised. He hadn’t heard it. He’d felt it.

He closed his eyes, tried to make his way to the place the Faurin called the Maolfi state. Kii had wanted him to find a place of deep listening. And perhaps what he was just starting to understand was, that you could listen with all your body, and feel sound in other ways than just noise.

After a time, he opened his eyes again and saw spheres hovering in the air, full of something he couldn’t quite comprehend.

Reaching out to touch them, they felt full and weighty and yet his hand could partially pass through them. They were not solid, and yet they were full. Like bubbles being blown by some invisible child, they formed and hung in the atmosphere.

They grew larger, then fuzzier, then collapsed from their own weight, dripping a strange sentience that dispersed back into the atmosphere. Often, they formed again straight away, the same spheres, the same size and colour, the same weight, only to burst and disperse once again.

Some of the smaller ones were only as large as his hand. Others, twice the size. And then hovering at greater height, larger spheres his whole body could have walked through. They shifted and mutated, formed and faded, pulsed and glowed. They were magical.

‘This is different,’ he said out loud, and grinned.

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AUTHOR:

Jordan Harcourt-Hughes is an abstract painter, writer and communications professional. She’s passionate about all aspects of creativity, life-long learning and personal wellbeing. Over the last fifteen years she’s led, coached and developed creative professionals across the Asia-Pacific region.

Jordan’s books, studio workshops, courses, coaching and resources are an invitation to explore the rich landscape of creative experiences open to all.

High Country is Jordan’s second novel set in the world of Bitroux.

Website

Goodreads

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GIVEAWAY:

A randomly drawn winner will be awarded a $25 Amazon/BN gift card

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VBT: These Are Not My Words

GENRE: Poetry

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BLURB:

Echoing Chuck Palahniuk’s statement. “Nothing of me is original. I am the combined effort of everyone I’ve ever known,” this collection explores identity. These poems drift down rivers of old, using histories private and public and visit people that I love and loathe. Through heroes and villains, music and cartoons, literature and comics, science and wonder, and shadow and light, each poem canals the various channels of self and invention. As in the poem, “Credentials,” “I am a collage of memories and unicorn stickers…[by] those that have witnessed and been witnessed.”

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EXCERPT:

Refurbished

Susan taught me that poetic energy lies

between the lines, white noise scratching

and clawing between images, ideas,

       things…

And like a poem,

the chair was molded by my Tio’s hands,

an antique wooden upholstered desk chair.

My Tio moved from Durango, Mexico

to Forth Worth in 1955.

He became a mason and wood worker.

He bricked the stockyards

He built the signs

He died in 2005.

Now,

matted. Worn. Faded floral design. Wood

scarred like healing flesh.

The arms torn, ratted by the heft of his arms

and the stress of the days. The foam peeks

out.

The brass upholstery tacks rusted. I count

1000 of them. With each,

I mallet a fork-tongue driver under its head.

A tap, tap, tapping until it sinks beneath the tack,

until the tack springs from its place.

I couldn’t help but think of a woodpecker.

A tap, tap, tapping into Post Oak,

a rhythm…each scrap of wood falling to the ground

until a home is formed.

Until each piece of wood like the tacks removed

shelter something new.

I remove the staples, the foam, the fabric,

the upholstery straps

until it’s bones.

I sand and stain

until its bones shine.

I layer and wrap its bones with upholstery straps,

foam, fabric, staples and tacks.

New tacks, Brass medallions

adorning the whole, but holding it

all together—

its bones

its memories,

its energy.

 

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AUTHOR :

Donovan Hufnagle is a husband, a father of three, and a professor of English and Humanities. He moved from Southern California to Prescott, Arizona to Fort Worth, Texas. He has five poetry collections: These Are Not My Words (I Just Wrote Them), Raw Flesh Flash: The Incomplete, Unfinished Documenting Of, The Sunshine Special, Shoebox, and 30 Days of 19. Other recent writings have appeared in Tempered Runes Press, Solum Literary Press, Poetry Box, Beyond Words, Wingless Dreamer, Subprimal Poetry Art, Americana Popular Culture Magazine, Shufpoetry, Kitty Litter Press, Carbon Culture, Amarillo Bay, Borderlands, Tattoo Highway, The New York Quarterly, Rougarou, and others.

Website: http://www.donovanhufnagle.com

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

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/dhufnaglepoetry

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/These-Are-Not-My-Words/dp/B0DBMN46M4/ref=sr_1_1

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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE

One randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter will win a $25 Amazon/BN.com gift card.

VBT: After the Red Carpet

 

GENRE: Contemporary Romance

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BLURB:

For fans of Tessa Bailey and Hannah Grace, After the Red Carpet is a feel-good, contemporary celebrity romance about what happens after the fairy-tale beginning as two lovers work toward their own true meaning of “happily ever after.”

After legendary Hollywood star Finn Forrester proposed to philosopher Ella Sinclair on the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival, the couple captivated the press and public with their real-life fairy tale. Now they vow to prioritize their romance and live an adventure of their own making. Ella moves into Finn’s Beverly Hills mansion and must adjust to his world. Finn, secretly afraid of losing Ella, is determined to make everything perfect for his betrothed. Meanwhile, Ella wants nothing more than to retain her own identity as they build their new life together. All the while, she is writing a philosophical treatise on love, exploring the question: when we love so deeply, where do we end and where does the other begin?

In this highly anticipated follow-up to The Location Shoot, will Ella and Finn finally live the life they’ve dreamed of? See how their epic romance unfolds, after the red carpet.

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EXCERPT: 

Finn took her hand and led her upstairs. As they approached the closed double doors, he said, “This is the room I had in mind for your office. It’s empty now, but my decorator is coming by tomorrow afternoon so you two can plan and scheme. When you see it, just remember we’ll redo it from top to bottom, flooring to light fixtures.”

“Oh my God,” she gasped as he opened the doors to a massive room featuring sky-high ceilings and windows to match. “It’s big enough to be a ballroom!”

He smiled. “You spend your life writing about the big topics, the big questions, and I hoped this big space might be inspiring.” She silently let her eyes follow the crown molding around the entire ceiling as she tried to catch her breath. He took her hand and continued showing her around. “There’s a full bathroom over here, and in this corner, there’s a walk-in closet. We could install some built-in cabinets and shelves. But just wait—I think you’ll really love this bit,” he said, leading her to a pair of doors. They stepped outside onto a large, furnished veranda with an outdoor fireplace, overlooking the entire back of the property. He rubbed her fingers and asked, “Do you think this will work for your office, sweetheart?”

“Do I think this will work?” she whispered incredulously, her voice shaking. She turned to him with tears in her eyes. “Finn, this is the nicest room in the house.”

“I think so too,” he said.

“No, I mean . . .”

“What, baby?”

“It’s just lovely beyond words that you would save this for me.”

He kissed her softly. “I’ve been picturing you here for so long, waiting to see how you would make this space your own.”

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AUTHOR :

Patricia Leavy, PhD, is an award-winning, best-selling author. She was formerly Associate Professor of Sociology, Chairperson of Sociology & Criminology, and Founding Director of Gender Studies at Stonehill College. She has published more than forty books; her work has been translated into many languages, and she has received more than one hundred book honors. Her last novel, The Location Shoot, was featured on Ms. Career Girl‘s “10 Perfect Books to Get Your Fall Reading List Started” and was the 2023 Firebird Book Awards 1st Place Winner in 4 categories: Contemporary Novel, Pop Culture Fiction, Romance and Summer Beach Read. Patricia has also received career awards from the New England Sociological Association, the American Creativity Association, the American Educational Research Association, the International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry, and the National Art Education Association. In 2018, she was honored by the National Women’s Hall of Fame and SUNY-New Paltz established the “Patricia Leavy Award for Art and Social Justice.” Patricia lives in Maine. In addition to writing, she enjoys art, reading, and travel.

Website: https://patricialeavy.com/

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INTERVIEW:

* Did you use any of your own experience as inspiration?

After the Red Carpet was very much born from my imagination, but there are always little bits of myself that slip into the pages.

* On average, how long does the writing process take? 

It’s different every time which is why I’m still in love with writing. I have one book that I drafted in ten days, another I have been writing on and off for ten years. Each book is different. That said, it usually takes me one to two months to draft a novel and then I spend ages revising. 

* When did you realize you wanted a career in writing?

From the time I was five or six. My mother recently found some of my first stories, which I also illustrated and bound with old wallpaper and glue to make them look like books. On the back of one, it says I was only six years old. Despite dreaming about being an author for my entire life, I wasn’t brave enough when I was young to pursue it. I didn’t know if I could handle a life full of rejection and critique. Being an artist is tough. So, I took a different career path, became a sociology professor, and found myself writing books anyway, starting with nonfiction. Eventually, I wrote my debut novel and soon thereafter quit my tenured teaching gig and became a full-time author. 

* If you weren't an author, what other career paths would you have taken?

Sociology professor. I enjoyed it. 

* Out of the characters that you created, who is your favorite?

Tess Lee. She’s the protagonist in a series of novels I’ve written called The Celestial Bodies Romances. We’ll be releasing a book each spring. The first book, Shooting Stars Above, comes out March 18, 2025 and is available for preorder. I also really adore Ella Sinclair, the protagonist in The Location Shoot and After the Red Carpet. I think she’s always the coolest person in the room in the best way.

* What advice would you give to someone looking to be a writer?

Develop a relationship with your work that isn’t dependent on anything external. 

* What kind of research (if any) was required for any of your books? 

It’s always different. For After the Red Carpet I traveled to London to do research at a few sites. In one scene the characters attend an awards ceremony at the Royal Albert Hall in London. It had to be there because it’s a real awards ceremony and that is where it’s held. I went and took a group tour. My intention at the time was simply to take notes about what it looked like inside—an in-person experience is always so much more helpful than what you can find online. I thought I’d glean a little tidbit or detail that I’d be able to throw in. Little did I know, the history of the hall actually tied in perfectly to the major theme in my novel. Prince Albert wanted to create a hall to celebrate the arts and sciences, to bring culture to the people. He died before it was completed, and Queen Victoria insisted it should be named after him, which had not been the original plan. They even wove the letter A into the stairway railings and had a pricey, gold memorial statue created outside, across the road from the hall. In After the Red Carpet, Ella tells Finn this history as they are walking into the venue. Finn thinks it’s romantic, but Ella isn’t so sure. She wonders if it would have been better to honor his wishes because seeing someone for who they truly are is far more important than extravagant gifts. So, you see, sometimes when you do research, you discover so much more than you anticipated, and it makes the story even stronger.

*How long after you finish a book do you start another one?

Immediately. I get so depressed leaving a story world. I miss the characters deeply. It feels like the world’s worst breakup mixed with grief. To get over it, I start the next one. Before long, I’m swept away again.

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GIVEAWAY:

Patricia Leavy will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.

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VBT: The Fate of Our Union

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GENRE: Fantasy

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BLURB:

A mountainous thundering bull breaks up battling tribesmen, summoning three struggling youths, as an insidious unseen enemy turns tribes against tribes—pitting rich against poor, sons against fathers, and men against gods. Its insatiable hunger for division threatens to plunge mankind into a dystopian realm ruled by man-eating wolves.

A miraculous seven-headed horse, a symbol of unity, assembles the struggling youths of extraordinary origin into a journey of self-discovery. There Sunu the Saxon Poet, Rufus the Roman Stoic, and Keresaspa the Sarmatian Priestess must overcome pride, aversion, and unforgiveness; there they must learn from historical heroes, philosophers, and amazingly similar gods to battle the unseen monster and its rising wolfmen.

Fated to part ways to face the demons at home, Sunu, Rufus, and Keresaspa must reunite as they bring divided peoples together to fight the source tearing everyone apart. They must heed the divine wisdom of the seven-headed horse and justly wield the seven magic weapons they’ve mysteriously been given to overcome the unseen enemy and understand the higher purpose of the mountainous thundering bull.

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EXCERPT:

Sunu meets the seven-headed, winged horse, Long Ears (CH 4 of The Fate of Our Union).

Sunu’s breath caught in his throat as he stared at a white stallion with seven handsome heads, spreading a glorious pair of wings. It towered at twenty-one hands, and its seven heads encircled its neck like temple pillars; one faced forward, one angled to the left, one angled to the right. A head was on each side, while two in the back angled left and right. “You are the one we’re speaking to,” its pink lips uttered under black nostrils, the words echoing in Sunu’s ears like a divine melody.

“It’s as if all seven were as one!” Sunu imagined the sacred horses merging, gazing breathlessly as they surrounded the seven-headed, winged stallion inside the birch grove. His heart raced in suspense, his eyes wide with wonder, as he awaited its next move.

The stallion’s seven heads repeated, “As one.”

“I’ve heard of a horse with eight legs.” Sunu imagined Woden’s horse, Sleipnir. “But never one with seven heads . . . that can speak . . . and has wings!” Visually high, Sunu gaped at every beautifully mane-draped head under the dreamily feathered wings.

The stallion’s forward-facing head replied in a deep, resonant voice, “It’s time you heard.”

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AUTHOR:

Hildebrand Hengest Hermannson’s deep-rooted fire for Indo-European culture and Western Philosophy ignites his first novel, The Fate of Our Union, the inaugural piece in a planned series. His work draws inspiration from the national epics The Saga of the Volsungs (Norse), Mahabharata (Indian), Aenid (Roman), Odyssey (Greek), Táin Bó Cúailnge (Celtic), and Shahnameh (Iranian), weaving these rich cultures into original stories featuring fantasy world-building, dynamic characters, and intricate plots and themes. His Wild Hunt of thought breathes life into his spiritual, ethical, and cultural interests, inspiring us all to strive for imperishable virtue.

Website

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GIVEAWAY 

One randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter will win a $25 Amazon/BN.com gift card.

Rafflecopter

VBT: The Starlight Motel

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GENRE: Contemporary Romance

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BLURB:

Experienced muralist Kada took charge of her family's Palm Springs motel to give her mother time to grieve. As a grant deadline approaches, Kada must convince her mother to manage the motel so she can return to her art. Late in December, Kada encounters a horseman approaching the property. Dane, the reserved son of a local farming family, is a loyal workaholic with limited spare time or experience outside the valley. When lightning startles his horse, he lingers at the motel and stirs up Kada's emotions about leaving the desert oasis. Wary of mixing business with pleasure, she struggles with her attraction. As New Year's Eve approaches, will the cowboy convince her to chart a new course?

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Excerpt:

“I’m Dane Palmer,” the man on the chestnut horse said. “My family owns the land next door.”

“Oh, thank goodness.” She shaded her gaze. “I’ve heard about you.”

For as long as her family owned the motel, the Palmer family owned the surrounding farmland. Once or twice, the Palmer patriarch offered to buy the Starlight Motel, but Pops resisted and counted the family as friends. They produced the area’s top vegetable crops, cultivated table grapes, and managed fields of fruit trees. Every once in a while, Dane’s mother, Mariah, came by the motel to visit and give her business advice, but Dane and his younger brother remained enigmas. She exhaled. “I’ve met your mother.”

“I’m sure,” Dane said. “She gets around.”

The second man laughed like a rusted pail swinging in the wind.

Dane glanced at the seated cowboy. “This is Walter. He’s the farm’s crew manager.”

Tipping his hat, Walter nodded.

She tented her gaze. “Could you two get down? Between the horses and the low sun, I can’t see you to save my life.”

Hanging his hat on the saddle horn, Dane handed his horse’s reins to Walter. He threw his leg over the horse’s saddle and slid down its side with an easy, athletic grace.

Standing, he was six feet tall, long, rangy, and reserved. He wore boots, jeans, a dark shirt, and a fleece-lined leather jacket that beat back the wind. A hat had smashed his sun-kissed brown hair against his forehead, but he wiped away the mess, cocked his head, and held out his hand.

“Pleasure to meet you,” he said.

Excerpt Two:

Her skin warmed from the heat of his palms. “I can’t afford to sit around the laundry room and gossip with the guests.”

“Trust me, Kada, I’m not here to gossip.”

“You’re ready to pitch in on odd jobs? You’re such a good neighbor.” She swallowed past the dryness in her throat. She had a three-date rule, but if she never started the first date, did the rule apply? “Thanks for helping with Lucky.”

“Any time.” He tipped up her chin. “Are you sure that’s where you want to stop? You brought me your number and rode out into the desert with me, but now you’re skittish?”


Her throat felt parched, but she wanted to lean forward and test his intent. Instead, she kicked her feet against the machine’s vibrating drum. “I’m not skittish, but I’m not into quick romps on a washing machine.”

He raised his eyebrows. “I wasn’t suggesting a quick romp.”

She wanted to test the innuendo behind his offer, but the sequence felt out of order. Before she considered kissing the handsome farmer, she needed dinner, candlelight, and time to breathe.

Her body offered a different opinion. Clearing her throat, she hopped off the washing machine, ducked under his arm, and ran her tongue along her teeth. In the tiny room, his skin smelled like fresh lime, warm spices, and a hint of honey, but his shirt held the leathery undertones of a hard day’s work. He looked handsome, and she wanted to taste his kiss, but she needed a different setup. “Or long romps.”

Excerpt Three:

Kada’s cry of delight bounced off the casita walls. Looking up from the desert pavers, he watched her launch herself into an older woman’s arms. The pair grinned, and their smiles shone brighter than the swaying patio lights. Staying back, he leaned against an adobe wall and watched Kada and Mrs. Ritchie greet each other. The pair did the hug-shake mother-daughter thing he never understood. In twenty years, Kada would be just as beautiful as her mother. She soaked up her mother’s presence like a drought-stricken plant. He envied their connection. His mother gripped him hard, examined him, and spun him back into the world to do good work.

“Just look at you, runnin’ around the desert like Pops.” Ms. Ritchie gripped Kada’s long, black hair and rubbed it between her fingers. “If I hadn’t seen you for myself, I wouldn’t have believed it. I thought you would stay in Los Angeles, but here you are, the queen of the desert!”


He cocked his head and imagined Kada tearing into a sourdough loaf over drip coffee. She would look at home on the winding streets wearing a wrap-tie dress, but he preferred her stained jeans.

“I thought I would stay in Los Angeles, too, but you needed me.” Reaching to the side, Kada shifted into her father’s arms.

Lean by most standards, he sported the small belly that developed from a desk-bound lifestyle.

“Hi, Daddy.”

He kissed her forehead. “Princess. Good to see you.”

Easing off the wall, Dane figured he could slip back into the cantina, take his salad to go, and sink into one of Walter’s tales. The old cowboy had plenty of stories about what went wrong

when a man took his gaze off the land.

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AUTHOR :

Amy Craig lives in Louisiana with her family and a small menagerie of pets. She writes contemporary romance and romantic suspense featuring intelligent heroines. In her spare time, she plays tennis and expands her husband’s honey-do list. Before writing, she worked as an oilfield engineer, project manager, and incompetent waitress. Mm

Website

INTERVIEW:

* Did you use any of your own experience as inspiration?

The Starlight Motel is roughly my tenth romance novel. It’s set in Palm Springs, CA and features Kada, a muralist at a turning point in her career, and Dane, a cowboy farmer who’s master of his domain.

When my husband and I relocated from California to Louisiana with our geriatric dog, we drove through Palm Springs. The agricultural influences amazed me. I always thought of Palm Springs as a 1950s Hollywood resort, but its character goes deeper than Sinatra and desert sands. Don’t get me wrong, those aspects are part of its identity, but I wanted to explore the farms and single-story motels dotting the windswept highways, too.

Kada also has more than one identity. She’s a devoted daughter, an artist who needs to regroup, and a caring, compassionate woman who walks the line between responsibility and self-sacrifice. Dane’s not about to let anyone push him around, but what has he missed by being so hardcore?

* On average, how long does the writing process take? 

Writing takes about 3-6 months. Editing takes about six weeks to three months, depending on the editor’s pace. Formatting and publication can take longer and hang on the publisher’s schedule. For self-published books, you can go live in twenty-four hours!

Most authors have one work in progress (WIP), one manuscript on submission, and one manuscript in editing/publications. If you think juggling three balls is a challenge, start small and hone your first story without worrying about what comes next.

* When did you realize you wanted a career in writing?

I love to write, but I didn’t let myself spend the time to create a novel until I was about thirty. Sometimes, you need life experiences to fill your head with connections and ideas. It’s never too late to write!

* If you weren't an author, what other career paths would you have taken?

When I was an engineering student, I needed another class to stay full-time, so I took introductory Italian (I already spoke a decent amount of Spanish and didn’t want to read Spanish literature). The class was fun and easy. For the last assignment, we created Italian advertisements. My instructor loved mine so much he suggested I should be a creative instead of an engineer. He was probably right, but I stuck with engineering long enough to become a kick-ass project manager. Then, babies. Their sweet, chubby cheeks lured me away from a well-paying job, but they gave me time to write and return to my creative side.

* Out of the characters that you created, who is your favorite?

I love the main characters in THE STARLIGHT MOTEL, but I would have a drink with Randi. It’s not uncommon for minor characters to suddenly demand more attention. Randi, the motel’s best and least predictable employee, is this kind of character.

Originally, I intended her to be a background character who added flavor but didn't draw much focus. However, her unique traits quickly pushed her into the spotlight. A statuesque woman with coiled braids, Randi is obsessed with the placement of microgreens, recites jazz album tracklists by heart, and wears killer heels. Her intricate personality made her impossible to ignore.

Randi's detailed knowledge of local parties and events, coupled with her unpredictable work habits, made her an invaluable foil. Her eccentricity and expertise brought a vibrant energy to scenes that would otherwise be too sweet.

Incorporating Randi more prominently required some balancing. I had to ensure she didn't overshadow the main plot while still allowing her to shine. She humored Chef Benito, Stephanie, and Kada, but she only showed up for half her cantina shifts, adding an element of unpredictability to the narrative. Her presence enriched the story, providing depth and a touch of humor.

* What advice would you give to someone looking to be a writer?

Plan to write more than one book.

* What kind of research (if any) was required for any of your books? 

I didn’t spend a lot of time researching motel management for THE STARLIGHT MOTEL, but I did research creating murals. When I dove into a university’s website about its Printmaking / Art And Art History Program, I found a grammatical typo on the page devoted to attaining a B.F.A. in Studio Art. Being a nerd, I emailed the professor. He responded! I need to go back to the website and see if he fixed the typo.

*How long after you finish a book do you start another one?

The third book in a mafia series, THE BROKEN BODYGUARD, comes out September 3, 2024. It’s the third novel in a Romantic Suspense/Mafia Romance/Corporate Romance series called the Sun Valley Mafia Series. Working with two publishers, The Wild Rose Press and Totally Bound, means release dates occasionally overlap! In THE BROKEN BODYGUARD, which can be read as a standalone novel, a corporate bodyguard finds himself protecting a stubborn cowgirl and untangling windswept land politics in Patagonia, Argentina. Every time I pick up the manuscript, I want to go back to Argentina!

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GIVEAWAY 

Amy Craig will be awarding a $15 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.

Rafflecopter

VBT: Dark Walker Series

DARK WALKER SERIES

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GENRE: Speculative Fiction/Horror/ Dark Sci-fi

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BLURB:

Series Blurb:

When we were children, they told us monsters weren't real. They were dead wrong.

It’s just a closet door with a skeleton key, but when David opens it, he unlocks a gateway to a

sinister world that’s bent on destroying everything and everyone he loves. Some doors are

better left closed.

Embark on a thrilling journey with the Dark Walker Series, and be transported into an

interdimensional tale of monsters, lies and self-discovery. Where the terror of darkness is real

and the line between ally and enemy is as thin as a blade.

"Equal parts coming of age story and otherworldly horror, Gulf probes the depths of loneliness,

loss of identity and childhood trauma. It is a true treat for fans of the genre and had me clutched

in its razor-clawed hands from the first word to the last.” -C.M. Forest author of Infested

Book One Blurb:

Seventeen-year-old David is fading from his world, like a Polaroid picture in reverse. He longs to

feel connected to something bigger.

When his brothers discover the new extension at the rental cottage comes with a locked door,

David finds the key first. Expecting to claim a bedroom, he opens a dimensional gateway

instead, exploring abandoned versions of his world in different timelines, 1960s muscle cars

alternating with crumbling cottages.

Except now the dimensional bridge won’t close, and something hungry claws the door at night.

David scours for clues to break the bridge, but each trip to the other side makes him fade more

on his. Even if he succeeds, he risks severing his connection to his own world, and dying on the

wrong side, forgotten.

Book Two Blurb:

There are doors that open to other worlds, but it’s no fairytale on the other side.

I thought otherworldly monsters bent on devouring my whole world starting with my family

trumped everything. Turns out, I was wrong. My world's only one of thousands facing

annihilation from the maneaters that tried to eat me alive. Charlie saved me, rolled into my life

on a motorcycle, and rescued me.

Problem is, I’m the Embassy’s property now. They’re the interdimensional agency tasked with

stemming the flow of ravenous aliens into our universe, but they seem more interested in

studying me. I crashed a gateway in a way they’ve never seen. The Embassy wants to replicate

that. I think they want to use me as a war weapon.

If I don’t convince Charlie to help me escape, I’ll be an Embassy science experiment for the rest

of my short life, or worse, eternally trapped in the dark hell that fills the spaces between worlds.

 

Excerpt from GULF:

Certain my family is gone, I cross to the five-panel in two strides, twist the key into the lock, and

push the door.

It doesn’t open.

Of course it doesn’t, idiot. It’s still hung like a closet door. It opens out, not in.

I pull.

Mirror.

That’s the first thought that strikes me as I take in the exact duplicate of the living room I’m

standing in. Same green, crushed velvet sofa bed sagging behind me. Identical chipped

melamine cabinets. Same painted windmills on the porcelain tile backsplash—wait.

No me.

No reflection of me. Tentative as Alice in bloody Wonderland, I pull the black skeleton key from

its hole and crane my head through the doorway. No dirty breakfast dishes, but when I look over

my shoulder, there’s still stacks of egg-yolk spackled tin plates beside our sink. Crumpled under

one arm of the hide-a-bed is my plaid blanket, but the one in front of me is empty. Looks dusty.

“What the hell, Everett?” This is creepy. The ole bugger’s built an exact mirror image of the room next door. Where on earth did he find

the twin to that green monster of a couch? There’s even a spring beckoning through the same

spot in the back cushion.

Got an eye for detail, hasn’t he?

Same woodstove too, only this one has a cold, crusty frying pan on it. I can still feel the heat on

my back from ours across the wall.

The pine planking creaks under my next step, and I jump and then smile, but I’m pretty sure it

ends up as a snarl. An odd feeling consumes me whole, the one I had just before Sam Ren and

his gorilla wingmen beat the piss out of me behind the Dairy Queen. A curdled sense of

approaching doom slithers through my lungs.

Get out.

Primal instinct presses me back a step toward the door, but I hold fast there, like a dumbass,

like I waited while Sam Ren eased toward me in the Dairy Queen parking lot.

Shaking out my hands and hissing through my teeth, I scan the room trying to identify what’s

wrong, because something is. Something is very wrong, and it’s not just the duplicate room, or

the draft emanating from here at night. It takes a few seconds to pin it down. The out-of-place

thing. My throat spasms when I see it. I swallow and shift to the balls of my feet.

“Window,” I whisper.

Interview 

On average, how long does the writing process take?

For me, it varies. My debut book took more years to complete than I care to count. Gulf, book one of the

Dark Walker series took 30 days, but that hurt. Book 2, Breach, took five months, but my longer works, I

budget around a year for. I’m generally a slow writer 

 When did you realize you wanted a career in writing?

My sister and I recently found a little pink diary with a lock on it in my mom’s basement. Neither of us

could recall whether it was mine or hers, but when we busted it open, it was obviously mine. Apparently, I

declared at the tender age of eight that I was going to be a famous author someday. I don’t think I’ll ever

get to the point where I’m doing this full time and it pays all my bills, but I don’t mind my part-time day job.

It’s a great balance.

 If you weren’t an author, what other career path would you have taken?

My background is oilfield. I’ve been a plant operator at a sour gas plant so I imagine I would have stuck

with that until the shift work got too excruciating. Currently, I teach First Aid and other oilfield related

courses. The First Aid course comes in handy for characters responding realistically to injuries in my

books.

 Out of the characters that you created, who is your favorite?

Hands down, David, the main character of the Dark Walker series. He deals with all the horrible things I

throw at him with an awkward tenacity and humour that I wish I had.

 What advice would you give to someone looking to be a writer?

Write. Read. People watch. Repeat. Only take the advice that works for you and forget about the rest.

You need creative input to be able to create creative output, so reading is equally important as writing.

Have fun with it. We only live once 

 What kind of research (if any) was required for any of your books?

Well, my writing spans the gamut of sci-fi, fantasy, and horror, so I’ve researched anything from how to

brain tan a deer hide, to the symptoms of a penetrating chest injury, how long can a human survive in

complete vacuum, time dilation derivation, steam engines, beginner mistakes with crossbows, long term

effects of isolation on the human psyche. You know, the usual 

 What are your thoughts on fanfiction?

I’m flattered that folks would love a piece of writing, character, or world enough to want to add their own

spin to it. To me, it signals that they loved the story enough for it to stick with them, and they didn’t want it

to end. There are few higher compliments for an author than that. AI fanfiction, on the other hand, hard

pass.

Would you prohibit fans from writing stories about your book(s)?

Writing them, no. I’d prefer if they had to the courtesy to ask permission first. But, like I said, I’d be

flattered. Selling them, now that crosses a line. I’ve seen a few posts where someone was binding fan

fiction into books and selling them. That’s not flattery. That’s theft. That’s profiting off months or years of

someone else’s hard work. AI writing is doing the same thing. It’s largely trained on materials that authors,

narrators, and artists did not grant permission to use, and it’s putting those same folks out of work. That’s

not a tool. It’s theft, plain and simple.

How long after you finish a book do you start another one?

I usually take a month or two off, then I’m on to the next one. I launched straight into book three of the

Dark Walker series after I finished Breach though. It’ll be out in early 2025. I can wait to share it with you

all! Thank you so much for having me on the blog. I really appreciate the support.

AUTHOR:

At a young age, Shelly Campbell wanted to be an air show pilot or a pirate, possibly a dragon

and definitely a writer and artist. She’s piloted a Cessna 172 through spins and stalls, and sailed

up the east coast on a tall ship barque—mostly without projectile vomiting. In the end, Shelly

found writing and drawing dragons to be so much easier on the stomach. Shelly writes

speculative fiction ranging from grimdark fantasy, to sci-fi and horror. She’d love to hear from

you.

Website

GIVEAWAY

The author will be awarding a $15 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner

Rafflecopter

NBtM VBT: Kissing Kin

by Karen Hulene Bartell

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GENRE: Paranormal Romance 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 BLURB:

Maeve Jackson is starting over after a broken engagement—and mustering out of the Army. No

job and no prospects, she spins out on black ice and totals her car.

When struggling vintner Luke Kaylor stops to help, they discover they’re distantly related. On a

shoestring budget to convert his vineyard into a winery, he makes her a deal: prune grapevines

in exchange for room and board.

But forgotten diaries and a haunted cabin kickstart a five-generational mystery with ancestors

that have bones to pick. As carnal urges propel them into each other’s arms, they wonder: Is

their attraction physical…or metaphysical?

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 EXCERPT:

“Mind if I camp out ’til the roads clear?”

“Under the circumstances?” The clerk shook his head. “Not a problem.”

“Thanks.” He started toward the sitting room and nearly bumped into Maeve, leaning against the

wall. “Sorry, didn’t mean to wake you.”

“You didn’t.” She tossed her chin. “I was cat-napping.”

“Right.” He compared her guarded veneer to her sleeping-beauty persona. Which is closer to

her true self?

“Couldn’t help overhearing.” Gesturing toward the clerk with her chin, she grimaced. “I’m

responsible for you being out tonight--”

“No.” He shook his head. “This is just a freak storm.”

“You don’t have to sleep in a chair.” She took a deep breath and gave a quick, tight-lipped

smile. “My room has two queen beds, and you’re welcome to one of ’em.”

Unsure of the extent of her invitation, he did a double take.

“Just so we understand each other, this is a bunk, a place to sack out. Period. Amen.” She

spoke in a low-pitched, no-nonsense voice. “Nothing more, so don’t get any--”

“Got it.” He covered his disappointment with a laugh. “Thanks, I appreciate the offer, but I’ll be

fine dozing by the fire.”

“Hey, I’ve bivouacked with soldiers in Afghanistan. We do what’s necessary under extenuating

circumstances.” Shrugging, she glanced at the door. “And this blizzard qualifies.” Her face

relaxed into a smile.

Her offer tempting, he compared sitting up all night to stretching out in a bed. Then he glimpsed

the clerk.

“If you’re worried about my reputation, don’t be.” She laughed, the sound like sleigh bells tinkling

on a crisp, wintry night.

What is it about her that conjures thoughts of other times--other eras?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

AUTHOR :

Author of the Trans-Pecos and Sacred Emblem series, Karen is a best-selling author, keynote

speaker, wife, and all-around pilgrim of life, who writes multicultural, offbeat love stories. Born to

rolling-stone parents who moved often, Bartell found her earliest playmates as fictional friends in

books. Paperbacks became her portable pals. Ghost stories kept her up at night—reading

feverishly. The paranormal was her passion. Novels offered an imaginative escape. An only

child, she began writing her first novel at the age of nine, learning the joy of creating her own

happy endings. Professor emeritus of the University of Texas at Austin, Karen resides in the

Texas Piney Woods with her husband Peter and her “mews”—three rescued cats and a rescued

*Cat*ahoula Leopard dog.

Website

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

GIVEAWAY 

A randomly drawn winner will receive a $25 Amazon/BN gift card.

Rafflecopter

NBtM VBT: Fox Tale

 

GENRE: Paranormal Romance 

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BLURB:

Heights terrify Ava. When a stranger saves her from plunging down a mountain, he diverts her

fears with tales of Japanese kitsune—shapeshifting foxes—and she begins a journey into the

supernatural.

She’s attracted to Chase, both physically and metaphysically, yet primal instincts urge caution

when shadows suggest more than meets the eye.

She’s torn between Chase and Rafe, her ex, when a chance reunion reignites their passion, but

she struggles to overcome two years of bitter resentment. Did Rafe jilt her, or were they pawns

of a larger conspiracy? Are the ancient legends true of kitsunes twisting time and events?

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~

 EXCERPT

“Ava, are you all right?”

“Yes…” His anxious eyes cleared my mind like fog lights cutting through mist. “I am all right…no

thanks to you.”

“I deserve that.” His chin dropped on his chest.

“That and so much more.” This time, anger rose in my throat like acid reflux.

After the breakup, I couldn’t mention the bastard’s name for a year. Always questioning what I’d

done wrong, I finally realized his leaving was his flaw--not mine. Then I fantasized telling him off,

rehearsing what I’d say and how I’d say it…

But now, face to face, the bluster left me.

Worry lines radiated from his glistening eyes.

Mute testament to what? Grief? Remorse? Like drops of water eroding stone, what thoughts

etched those furrows? His face was haggard. His looks have changed, but has he?

“Your behavior two years ago was unconscionable.” I pressed five, and the elevator doors

started to close. “I shouldn’t have come.”

He intercepted, and the doors reopened. “Please stay…”

I took a deep breath, debating. Then rather than hold up the car again, I stepped into the

vestibule.

“Can you forgive me?” A deep V showed between his red-rimmed eyes.

“No. Standing me up on my birthday was bad enough, but eloping…That was unforgiveable--

and crocodile tears won’t help.”

“Yet here you are…” A light flickered in his moist eyes.

“I know.” I glared at my nemesis in a silent standoff, annoyed as I stifled a sigh. “What I don’t

know is why.”

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AUTHOR:

Author of the Trans-Pecos and Sacred Emblem series, Karen is a best-selling author, keynote

speaker, wife, and all-around pilgrim of life, who writes multicultural, offbeat love stories. Born to

rolling-stone parents who moved often, Bartell found her earliest playmates as fictional friends in

books. Paperbacks became her portable pals. Ghost stories kept her up at night—reading

feverishly. The paranormal was her passion. Novels offered an imaginative escape. An only

child, she began writing her first novel at the age of nine, learning the joy of creating her own

happy endings. Professor emeritus of the University of Texas at Austin, Karen resides in the

Texas Piney Woods with her husband Peter and her “mews”—three rescued cats and a rescued

*Cat*ahoula Leopard dog.

Website

~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

GIVEAWAY 

A randomly drawn winner will be awarded a $25 Amazon/BN gift card. 

Rafflecopter

VBT: The Earl's Cinderella Countess

 

GENRE: Historical Romance 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 BLURB:

Enjoy this friends-to-lovers romance set in Regency Bath

The one match

She doesn’t want to make…

The Earl of Fleetwood was Eleanor St. Aubin’s first love, but being a mere vicar’s daughter held

her back from admitting her feelings. Now she's a successful matchmaker, and the prospect of

finding Frederick the wealthy wife he needs to settle his inherited debts is a nightmare come

true! But returning from war, Frederick’s facing nightmares of his own. Eleanor feels compelled

to help him, but could she ever be his Cinderella countess?

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

EXCERPT 

Eleanor hesitated. She feared what could happen, how her feelings might escape, if she was

alone with him again.

 “Oh, yes, do,” Penelope urged. “Mary and I shall just chatter on here for a bit, and finish this

wine. You two should go look for the ruins.”

She slowly took Fred’s hand as he offered to help her yo her feet, and blinked as the sun behind

his bright hair dazzled her. They made their way away from the picnic blanket, into the shade of

a narrow pathway that led between trees and flowering shrubs, smelling fresh and sweet in the

warm day. They walked in silence, comfortable, comforting, close together, until they reached a

cliff that looked down on the town between a break in the greenery. It all glowed and

shimmered, just like Fred, just like that moment she had with him.

He seemed to feel it, too, studying the view with a solemn, thoughtful expression on his face. “

‘For whatsoever from one place doth fall, if with the tide unto another brought. For there is

nothing lost, that may be found, if sought.’”

“Such beautiful words of Spenser’s,” she whispered.

“They always make me think of you,” he said, his gaze so very blue and intense as he studied

her. “You are like the fairy queen.”

Eleanor stared up at him, wondering if the sun had dazzled her senses, sent her flying into

another realm. He thought of her as fairy queen. She knew this moment between them, very

still, sparkling, a time out of time, could not last; it would vanish like all dreams. Yet his

compliments, the admiration in his eyes, made her feel so warm and glowing all the way to her

toes.

“Me?” she whispered. “A fairy queen?”

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Amanda wrote her first romance at the age of sixteen--a vast historical epic starring all her

friends as the characters, written secretly during algebra class (and her parents wondered why

math was not her strongest subject...)

She's never since used algebra, but her books (over 100 so far!) have been nominated for many

awards, including the RITA Award, the Romantic Times BOOKReviews Reviewers' Choice

Award, the Booksellers Best, the National Readers Choice Award, and the Holt Medallion. She

lives in Santa Fe with two rescue dogs, a wonderful husband, and a very and far too many

books and royal memorabilia collections.

When not writing or reading, she loves taking dance classes, collecting cheesy travel souvenirs,

and watching the Food Network--even though she doesn't cook.

Website

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INTERVIEW

Did you use any of your own experience as inspiration?

Hello, and thanks so much for hosting me today!! I’m sure I do, though I’ve never lived in Regency Bath

like the characters in “The Earl’s Cinderella Countess,” or in any other time period I’ve loved writing about!

But my experiences with love and dating, with family life, with feeling shy or excited or unhappy, those

definitely come into play with my characters. (And I’ve read “Northanger Abbey” so many times I FEEL

like I’ve been to Regency Bath!)

* On average, how long does the writing process take?

It depends on the story, and on how much I feel like procrastinating at the moment! Usually about 3

months actually writing (more with research)

* If you weren't an author, what other career paths would you have taken?

When I was a kid, I wanted to be an opera singer, until I found out I can’t sing! I also love the idea of

archaeology and interior design

* Out of the characters that you created, who is your favorite?

In this book, I actually loved Mary, the younger sister! She’s everything I wish I could be, full of fun and

outgoing, so I’m happy she’s the heroine of my next book. It’s so hard to pick a favorite ever, but I really

loved Eliza Van Hoeven, the heroine of my book “A Manhattan Heiress in Paris,” who was a musician in

the 1920s

* What advice would you give to someone looking to be a writer?

To read lots and lots! That’s what gave me a love for stories, the spark for creating my own. But I also

got some great advice when I was first starting, BICHOK (backside in chair, hands on keyboard)

* What kind of research (if any) was required for any of your books?

I admit I’m a research junkie! Sometimes (most of the time) it’s hard for me to stop researching and start

writing the story, I love history so much. In this story, I did a lot of reading about the town of Bath in the

Regency period, and what would go into being a matchmaker in a society like this one. (I love “Emma,”

and was inspired by it, but Ella and Mary are much better at this task than Miss Woodhouse!)

*How long after you finish a book do you start another one?

I like to take a break of at least a couple of weeks, more if I can, to refill the creative well a bit and get

caught up on the laundry that’s piled up! I try to set deadlines in order to take a little break…

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REVIEW

It took a couple chapters before I was able to get into the story, but once that happened I couldn't stop reading. I loved the story and even wished I could be Eleanor. From the title, however, I was expecting a more of re-telling of Cinderella.

Rating: 😊😊😊😊