Sunday, November 25, 2018

Learning to Love by Jennifer Wilck

Wild Women Authors is pleased to feature Learning to Love, a contemporary romance by Jennifer Wilck, due for release on November 28, 2018 by The Wild Rose Press. 
First up is heroine Dina Jacobs.
Where are you from? I grew up near Princeton, NJ and now I live in Morristown, NJ. Did you know that Princeton is supposedly named after King William III, Prince William of Orange of the House of Nassau?
How interesting. Tell us a bit about Learning to Love. I guess you could say it’s the story of how I met Adam Mandel, and how we both rescued each other. I never pictured myself as needing rescuing, though, and certainly not by someone who looks like he stepped off a cover of GQ Magazine. By the way, did you know the first men’s magazine, Esquire, was published in 1933?
We did not. Thank you for that. What did you think the first time you saw Adam? I thought he was Mr. Flashypants—all style, no substance. And I couldn’t believe he wanted anything to do with me, but somehow, he keeps coming back.
Works for us. What was your second thought? I found out he had a soul. And that was a problem. Because it’s a lot easier to ignore a shallow guy than it is a guy with depth. And I’m about to fall head over heels for him. Actually, I should say heels over head, since that’s how the term originated in the 14th century.
Dina, you are a veritable fount of information. Was this love at first sight? I don’t believe in love at first sight, so no. Besides, he’s totally wrong for me and I’m completely not his type. He dates models and society girls, not librarians with frizzy hair, like me.
What do you like most about him? For one thing, he keeps coming back no matter how many times I push him away. And he appreciates me for who I am and doesn’t try to change me or use me, despite our bargain.
How would you describe Adam? Aside from the fact he’s gorgeous—dark blond hair, moss green eyes, and shoulders, oh, his shoulders—he’s got a lot more depth than anyone gives him credit for. He makes grand gestures. He’s honorable and admits his mistakes. I think he’s afraid to show his real self, but I can see it, so I trust him. Even though I know at some point, he’s going to realize we really are better off as friends and he’s going to leave.
How would he describe you? For some weird reason, he loves my hair, so I think he’d spend a lot of time talking about it. Honestly, it’s dark and frizzy and drives me crazy, so I can’t figure out what he likes about it, but every time I think about changing it, he runs his hands through it—how they don’t get stuck is beyond me—and tells me to leave it alone. I’m curvy and my boobs are big, which he also seems to like. He keeps telling me how perfect I am, which makes it harder not to fall in love with him. He likes how smart I am—other than my family, no one has ever appreciated that unless it was to cheat off one of my tests in school. I make him laugh, which he needs to do more often.
What made you choose library science for a career? I love books. I’ve always felt more comfortable between their pages than anywhere else and if I can teach others to love them as much as I do, then I’d consider myself a success.
What is your biggest fear? I don’t know that I have any right now. Growing up, I had a really hard time because I was always smarter than everyone around me and it was impossible to fit in. But I have a career I love, I have a few good friends and I can disappear into my books when life gets tough. And, now it appears, I have Adam. I guess you could say right now, my biggest fear is that once our agreement is over—once I help him improve his standing at his law firm and he takes me to my class reunion—he’ll realize he doesn’t need me anymore. And that’s going to hurt because as I’ve said, I’ve fallen in love with him. I never pictured myself as a woman living for a man, though, so I don’t want losing him to be my biggest fear in life. But for the moment, yeah, I guess it’s losing him.
That's a big one. With all this going on, how do you relax? With a stack of books. I’m a speed reader, so I read about five or six every weekend.
Who is your favorite fictional character? You cannot ask a librarian that question! It’s like asking a mom to pick her favorite child!
What is the best piece of advice you ever received? To be myself. My parents are amazing and taught me to be independent. It hasn’t always been easy, but I’m finally in a place where I can do just that.
This has been an experience, Dina. Thanks for spending time with us. We'd like to chat with Jennifer now.
What movies or books have had an impact on your career as a writer? My favorite romance of all time is Jane Eyre. I love the tortured hero tropes, so all of my heroes have a bit of Mr. Rochester in them, I think.
What event in your private life were you able to bring to this story and how do you feel it impacted the novel? For this one, I think it’s the setting. I live near Morristown, so I was able to use real locations and describe them in the story.
Tell us a bit about your publisher: how did you hear about them and what influenced your decision to submit to them? The Wild Rose Press is a fantastic small press. I’ve heard about them for ages, can’t really remember how I did first, but I sent the manuscript for the first book in this series—Addicted to Love—to them and they’ve been my publisher ever since. They are wonderful to work with and communicate really well with their authors.
What book[s] currently rest on your TBR pile? I’m about to start a novella by JM Madden. She writes military romance and I love her work.
Lastly, what's up next and when can we expect to see it on the shelves? Learning to Love comes out November 28, although it’s available for pre-order now. After that, Addicted to Love is going to be on audio. And I’m currently working on a few manuscripts that are still in the draft stages, so I don’t have a clear answer on that. But I’m rarely not writing, so I’ll have more soon!


To purchase Learning to Love, go to:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Learning-Love-Serendipity-Book-3-ebook/dp/B07J49V5SP


Apple: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/learning-to-love/id1437725668?_bbid=10834501&mt=11


Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/learning-to-love-jennifer-wilck/1129734280?ean=2940161918258


To learn more about Jennifer Wilck and the stories she creates, to to:
Website: http://www.jenniferwilck.com


Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Jennifer-Wilck-201342863240160/


Facebook Readers Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2055470311366345/


Newsletter: https://www.jenniferwilck.com/contact.html#newsletter


Twitter: https://twitter.com/JWilck


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


BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/jennifer-wilck









Tuesday, November 20, 2018

Let's Soar Like an Eagle


One soars like an eagle. One strikes like a thunderbird. But for both hearts, revenge can be deadly when it's nourished.

          Anomaly Defense Director and shapeshifter Bert Blackfeather doesn't need a boss with no experience. So what if she's beautiful or gives him a jolt when she shakes his hand? He never plans to get seriously involved with another woman―not in this lifetime.
          Phoebe Wagner, an empath with psychometric abilities and an advocate for the deaf, gets more than she bargained for with Bert. One touch and she relives his IED injuries. So what if he's handsome and hot? She doesn't need to add his secrets to her own. Phoebe's are bad enough.
          When his niece goes missing from Hotel LaBelle, Bert goes to Montana to help―and Phoebe insists on going with him. Can these two hard-headed people share their darkest secrets in order to work together? It may be the only way to save an endangered child―and their own hearts when Bert's past rears its ugly head.

Wild Women Authors is pleased to feature Eye of The Eagle, a contemporary fantasy romance by Sharon Buchbinder out of The Wild Rose Press. First up is Bert Blackfeather.

Where are you from? I was born and raised on the Crow Reservation in Montana, an hour away from Billings, Montana. My father died in Viet Nam when I was a toddler and my mother died from cancer when I was in high school. My sister, Emma, and I were lucky because our grandmother took us in. Without our grandmother, we probably would have been separated and placed in foster homes. Emma and I have an extraordinary connection―she knew when I lost my legs in Iraq and I knew when she was in danger when a killer drone shot at her.
What did you think the first time you saw Phoebe Wagner? Beautiful, remote, haughty Ice Queen born with a silver spoon in her mouth.. Totally unprepared to be Under Secretary for Homeland Security.
Uh huh. And your second thought? Very capable in her own way. She attended Gallaudet University and Georgetown Law School. She even won a Fulbright to work for deaf children in Mexico. None of which has anything to do with Homeland Security. Her mother, Senator Wagner, got her the job. She’s beautiful, smart, sassy―and has no right being Under Secretary for Homeland. She won’t last long. My plan? Lay low, avoid her like the plague, and wait for her to quit. After that, she won’t be my boss and I’ll ask her out for a good-bye drink. See where that goes.
As that “first drink” entailed a drag queen competition, did you feel it was love at first sight? Well, I definitely felt a jolt when we shook hands. Damn near shifted into my eagle right on the spot. Not love. But a connection I’d never felt before with any other woman.
What do you like most about Phoebe? She’s smart, sassy, feisty. I really admire how she takes no crap from anyone―not even a hard ass like me. She’s sexy as hell and makes my eagle want to take her on flying lessons when we touch.
How would you describe her? Determined. Persistent. Maybe stubborn. But in a good way.
Works for us. How would she describe you? Determined. Persistent. Maybe stubborn. But in a good way. We are a lot more alike than I first thought.
What made you choose law enforcement―specifically Director of the Anomaly Defense Division of Homeland Security as a career? It chose me. I went into the military after law school, became a JAG. Lost my legs to an IED in Iraq. In my division are remote viewers, empaths, telepaths, precogs, jinni hunters--you name the psychic or paranormal talent, my division has someone with it. Like me, many, but not all, come from previous roles in law enforcement. Psychic spies and soldiers used to be under the CIA and DOD. After 9-11, based on the top-secret recommendations of the Senate Intelligence Committee and the House Committee on Homeland Security, those units were consolidated and moved into my division. I manage these talented agents and deploy them on missions to protect our country from acts of terror, both foreign and domestic.
With all that going on, what is your biggest fear? Losing a family member. Even though I’m in DC, my ties are close to everyone back home in Montana. We are connected in so many ways. We watch out for each other. And when one of us is in danger, we all go to work.
How do you relax? I like to go the gym and swim laps, do some bench presses, and other core and upper body workouts. But even more than that, I love to go flying in my eagle form. There is nothing more freeing than being in the sky riding an updraft, arrowing down to grab a fish, or lazily circling the clouds.
Who is your favorite fictional character? We have so many great warriors who are real, like Chief Plenty Coups, it would be hard for any fictional characters to live up to them.
What is the best piece of advice you ever received? My sister, Emma, said, “Remember, bald eagles mate for life, but when one dies, the survivor takes a new mate. Don’t let your eagle die of loneliness.”

Bert brought along an excerpt from Eye of The Eagle:
          His heart stuttered and heat flushed his face. “You sure you’re ready to see me―in the daylight?”
          She frowned and pursed her lips. “Do I look like someone afraid of taking on a challenge?”
          “No. You look like a kick ass heroine named Thunder Heart, and I would be honored and privileged to share your bed.”
          “You promised me flying lessons.”
          “And you shall have them. Now, where did we leave off?”
          She stood, placed her hands on the sides of his chair and leaned in for a long passionate kiss. He closed his eyes and gave her a preview, taking her with him in his memories, soaring over the hotel, and then swirling and swooping down to the river to grab a fat flopping trout in his talons.
          She pulled back, breaking the connection, blue eyes wide, her full red lips agape. “Amazing. I want more.”
          “Advanced flying lessons require both of us to be naked—and in bed, as close as two people can get.”
          Phoebe stood back. “What are you waiting for? Let’s get going.”
          He chuckled. “Well, you are my boss. I don’t want anyone to say you coerced me or I forced you. Do we need to put this in writing?” 
          She tilted her head and gave him a puzzled look. “A legal document perhaps? I, Phoebe Wagner, hereby enter into consensual sex freely and without coercion with one Bert Blackfeather…”
          She stomped her foot. “Give me your phone.” 
          He handed her his cell.

To purchase Eye of The Eagle, go to:
The Wild Rose Press https://catalog.thewildrosepress.com/all-titles/6251-eye-of-the-eagle.html?search_query=eye+of+the+eagle&results=2

Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07HLSGYW6

Barnes & Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/eye-of-the-eagle-sharon-buchbinder/1129689525?ean=2940161597996

iTunes https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/eye-of-the-eagle/id1436346614?mt=11

Bookstrand https://www.bookstrand.com/eye-of-the-eagle

KOBO https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/eye-of-the-eagle-3
Google

Thanks for spending time with us, Bert. We'd like to chat with Sharon for a moment.

What movies or books have had an impact on your career as a writer? Katherine Neville’s The Eight, a cult classic about a magical chess set, was told in contemporary and historical times. I was fascinated by both story lines and wanted to become a great story teller like her.
What event in your private life were you able to bring to this story and how do you feel it impacted the novel? Many would say it should have been easier to write than the first two books in the series, but in fact, it was my most challenging to write. The reason is that out of all my books, the heroine in this story is my most personal. Phoebe Wagner, who is deaf, is based on my deaf grandmother, Bessie T. Engelman, who gave me unconditional love when I needed it most. She taught me that the most important of all abilities are persistence, hope, compassion, and love. I know she is my guardian angel, always looking out for me and my family. Eye of the Eagle is my love story for my grandmother, inspired by her love for me.
Tell us a bit about your publisher: how did you hear about them and what influenced your decision to submit to them? I’ve been with The Wild Rose Press for over ten years. They were willing to work with new romance authors and to help them develop. I am very grateful to TWRP for everything they have done for me.
What book[s] currently rest on your TBR pile? My Kindle, desk, and audiobook stack is teetering with non-fiction. I’m in the middle of working on the 4th edition of a textbook and researching my next book in the Hotel LaBelle Series, so it’s a mountain.
Lastly, what's up next and when can we expect to see it on the shelves? I’m starting to work on the fourth book in the Hotel LaBelle Series, which is tentatively titled Cry of the Wolf. I hope it will be out in 2019. Here’s my blurb:
. . . . The raven-haired Chief of Tribal Police on the Crow Reservation Jacob Graywolf with quicksilver eyes is a wolf shape-shifter and keeps it very much to himself. His nearly perfect clearance rate is due, in equal parts, to his unique tracker skills and to his education and training as a police officer.
. . . . When a task force crossing tribal and non-tribal law enforcement officers is convened to investigate the disappearance and murders of indigenous women in Montana, Jacob is called upon to work with other local and state law enforcement agencies. When a Crow woman is found dead on the reservation, as the first officer on the scene, the case belongs to Jacob. But when another woman is found killed in a similar manner in on non-tribal lands, Jacob and his Billings Police Force colleagues suspect they have a serial killer on their lands.
 . . . . Forced to call in the FBI, Jacob is shocked that the agent sent in to help them is neither Native American, nor a male. With her red hair, green eyes, and petite frame, Special Agent Zena Adalwolf is the physical antithesis of everything he expected. He’s also disconcerted by the fact that she has a master’s degree in Legal Anthropology and a JD with a focus on Native American Rights. What Jacob has yet to discover is his distractingly attractive new colleague has some paranormal abilities up her sleeves.
 . . . . Can Jacob and Zena work together to bring the serial killer to justice? Or will the killer get to one of them first? The clock is ticking, and no one knows who will be next―their lives or their hearts.

A bit more about our featured author:
          Sharon Buchbinder has been writing fiction since middle school and has the rejection slips to prove it. An RN, she provided health care delivery, became a researcher, association executive, and obtained a PhD in Public Health. 
          She is the author of the Hotel LaBelle Series, the Jinni Hunter Series, and the Obsession Series.When not attempting to make students and colleagues laugh or writing, she can be found fishing, walking her dogs, herding cats, or breaking bread and laughing with family and friends in Baltimore, MD and Punta Gorda, FL.

To learn more about Sharon and the books she creates, go to:
Amazon Page https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B001IODIE2

BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/authors/sharon-buchbinder

Facebook: Sharon Buchbinder Romance Author https://www.facebook.com/sharon.buchbinder.romanceauthor

Twitter ID @sbuchbinder https://twitter.com/sbuchbinder

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sharon_buchbinder/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/sbuchbinder/

Blog http://sharonbuchbinder.blogspot.com/

Website http://www.sharonbuchbinder.com/index.html

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4417344.Sharon_Buchbinder

Link to sign up for Newsletter http://www.sharonbuchbinder.com/contact.html#newsletter

Thursday, November 15, 2018

Focus: Regeneration by Toni V. Sweeney

Regeneration, Book 8, the final entry of The kan Ingan Archives
Part 2 of The Arcanian Chronicles

          After the loss of his wife, home, and family, a position as Chief Researcher on the TerraFormation colony on Élysée seems a good way for Miles Sheffield to regain a normal life.
          Aric kan Ingan sees becoming Head of Security on Élysée as an attempt at closure after the deaths of his wife and two eldest sons.
          Neither counted on being the only men in a colony of fifty-three women.
          Two men seeking redemption…a jungle sending eerie messages…a whispered word, the scent of a dead woman’s perfume…intrude into their psyches, offering metaphysical rebirth and a final chance for happiness.
          …if a threat from Earth doesn’t destroy everything they’re regaining.

Excerpt:

It got darker as the sun set but he didn’t turn on the lights. The robot maid hadn’t reset the kelvin beams before she left, so the wall was still open, letting in sounds from the jungle…a soft chirping like that of crickets…here and there a faint cheep as if birds were calling to each other, and the occasional harsh croak of a bullfrog. He wondered how much water was nearby. Was there a river or lake where frogs lived among lily pads while cranes waded in its current hunting for fish and other birds flew overhead?
Am I getting fanciful or what?
Aric never considered himself to be one for flights of imagination. Being a margrave usually drove out creativity except in ways to wage war or conduct intrigues, but looking out at that green darkness…
He could see the shapes of trees, vines draped and swaying in a slight breeze. There was the rustle of branches brushing together. The wind brought a faint scent into the suite, lily-like and clean, like…freesia. Wasn’t that the name of the flower Susan had liked so? The fragrance changed, becoming the silvery bittersweet of parsilflowers,
Pallas’ perfume.
Aric breathed in the fragrance, feeling his body react as it always had when he smelled it…with longing. Could flowers native to Terra or Arcanis also be found on this planet?
Abruptly he was very weary, wanted to do nothing more than immerse himself in the clear water in the pool, just float for a little while and sip his wine, then go to bed. He had no idea how late it was but six o’clock would come soon enough and he wanted to be alert and on his toes for his first day in his new life.
It would probably be a bit of a madhouse, getting the children ready for school, fighting off eager females... Would he be expected to go with the children or would Net take care of that? He should’ve asked but he didn’t want to reactivate the droid now.
Let her recharge. She’ll need every bit of energy she can absorb for tomorrow. Another thought struck. I hope to the gods Michael behaves himself.
His eldest son was beginning to worry him. So far RD wasn’t a problem except when he tried to emulate his older brother.
I suppose I should be grateful neither was old enough to tag along with Riven and Auric. Otherwise I might’ve lost a third son, too.
Setting the goblet on the edge of the pool, Aric went to the cabinet Net had indicated.
For once, I’m not going to worry, he decided. I’m not going to have a plan set up and mapped out. I’m going to adopt some of that lackadaisical Milky philosophy…let it come as it comes and if tomorrow’s disorganized, so be it. Work can be as regimented as possible. My private life can be chaos. I welcome it.
He hoped he knew what he was talking about.
The cabinet reminded him of his shirt chest at Lindenscraig, having six shelves behind its double doors. Instead of shirts, however, it held stacks of neatly folded towels fashioned of sheet-sized fluffy-napped white bamboo-based fabric. He took one out, opening it. It was big enough to wrap around his body. He dropped it over the back of a nearby chair and standing on one foot and then the other, pulled off his boots, then began to undress, placing his clothing in the chair.
At the end of the pool there were tile steps leading into it. Picking up his goblet, Aric slid naked into the water. He wondered again why the pool was built inside the house. As he waded to the far edge, the answer came to him in the form of a memory, a fresco he’d seen in the newly-opened Museum of Alien Studies in Aljansur City. There was a depiction of something called a Roman bath and it looked very similar to the way the pool in his own living room was set up.
This isn’t simply a swimming pool. It’s a social medium…a place where one invited guests. The exhibit said several territories on Terra used such places, where people gathered together, enjoying each other’s company, even talking business, while floating in sun-warmed water. That’s why the pool was divided by the wall. Inside was for socializing, outside was only for swimming.
Of course.
He doubted if he’d be doing much socializing of any kind, however. He certainly wasn’t going to be getting into the water if all his guests were female. Aric’s Arcanian heritage forbade men and women swimming at the same time. He wondered if he’d be able to overcome that prejudice if there were more men inhabiting the colony, especially if they were Terran men who thought nothing of swimming with members of the opposite sex.
Of course, if it did happen, he’d have to invest in what the Milkies called swimsuits.
Right now, however, for him inside was going to be for thought and reflection. The water was warm enough to make him drowsy. There was a gentle current as it was pulled by the drains through a filtration system and recycled out again. It gurgled loud enough to make a monotonously soothing sound.
One arm along the pool’s edge, Aric leaned back and allowed himself to be lulled.
Here I am…just Miles and myself, two men in a colony of fifty-three women. Whenever I use the word he from now on, I’ll be referring to Miles and no one else. Our sons don’t count. Can we really make this work?
Remembering how women pursued him when he was an Exile, he had no doubt it’d happen again. Even with all the other men on Pyras, they’d singled him out because he was untouchable. And here? No matter what rules were laid down, he was certain he and Miles were going to be viewed as prizes in a contest between all the females, whether they were encouraged or not. As Delia said, they were all in the race.
He hoped there’d be no problem between him and Miles.
Please gods, don’t let any woman cause dissention between us.
They’d never had any on Pyras. For part of the time there, Aric had been under the vows of celibacy enforced by his Exile, while Miles’ post-adolescent hormones sent him running rampant among the younger women in the colony. Then Miles found Becky and Aric admitted he loved Susan.
Now, we’re both older, though perhaps not wiser. Let’s say more cautious
Anyway, what did it matter? As long as the women managed to keep a professional demeanor during working hours…
who the Hell cares what happens once the office doors close?


BUY LINKS:

About the author: 
         Toni V. Sweeney has lived 30 years in the South, a score in the Middle West, and a decade on the Pacific Coast and now she’s trying for her second 30 on the Great Plains.
          Since the publication of her first novel in 1989, Toni divides her time between writing SF/Fantasy under her own name and romances under her pseudonym Icy Snow Blackstone. In March, 2013, she became publicity manager for Class Act Books (US) .    She is also on the review staff of the New York Journal of Books and the paranormal Romance Guild. In 2016, she was named a Professional Reader by netgalley.com.

Find out more about Toni at:
Amazon Author’s Page: https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B002BLQBB8

Twitter: @ToniVSweeney






Saturday, November 10, 2018

Wild Women Feature: Legacy of Magic

          Divorced, jobless, and homeless, Cory Bishop moves to Connecticut to begin anew. She gets lost along the way and causes a car accident which does not bode well for the next chapter in her life. However, the reconnection with her great aunt provides her with direction and purpose.
          While solving a mysterious family secret, she is pursued by a charming lawyer and her exasperating neighbor who thinks arguing is a form of foreplay. But those circumstances are the least of her problems.
          Cory soon discovers she is a witch and must learn to control her new-found powers. An ally, a confidant, and a surprise supporter guide her, but she is almost out of time. An immortal evil wants her powers and will stop at nothing to obtain them. When the battle lines are drawn, Cory must choose who is friend and who is enemy. Will love save her or endanger her even more?

Wild Women Authors welcomes Denise Carbo and Cory Bishop of Legacy of Magic a new release out of the Fantasy Rose line, Wild Rose Press. As usual, we'll begin with Cory.
Where are you from? Originally, upstate New York, up until recently New Jersey. Now I live in Connecticut with my great aunt Addy.
Tell us a bit about Legacy of Magic. It’s about my journey after divorcing my cheating husband, getting let go from my job, and moving out of New Jersey. You’ll learn how I found out I’m a witch and the legacy left behind by my ancestor. A few rather intimate details of my relationship with Finn. Oh yeah, and how there’s an immortal evil that has been after my family for centuries. Good times.
Since we read the book, we agree on the “good times”. Tell us what you thought the the first time you saw Finnegan O’Dorsey. Considering he had just run me off the road, my thoughts were full of expletives and rather unkind adjectives.
Works for us. And your second thought? He’s a handsome, blue eyed devil.
Was it love at first sight? Definitely not!
What do you like most about Finn? I know I can trust him with my life, and have, in fact.
How would you describe him? Tall dark and handsome
Also works for us. How would Finn describe you? Depending on his mood and mine? He calls me Princess or Red. He’s used some other phrases that I’m certainly not going to repeat.
Not that we'd mind in the least since they are likely some of our favorite words, but what made you choose working at a garden center for a career? I think it chose me. I’m a witch who derives her power from the Earth. Plants are my magic.
Very cool. Coming from those with black thumbs, what is your biggest fear?
That those I love will be harmed because of who and what I am.
How do you relax? Gardening, of course.
Well, duh. Who is your favorite fictional character? How about Samantha in Bewitched? Rather telling I loved watching the reruns of the show when I was a kid.
What is the best piece of advice you ever received? My friend Melanie once told me not to be afraid of making a mistake, that some of the most interesting and amazing things in life are a result of a mistake, like penicillin.
This has been a lot of fun, Cory. Thanks. Now we'd like to chat with Denise.

What movies or books have had an impact on your career as a writer? I love Nora Roberts (who doesn’t?), Sherrilyn Kenyon, Karen Robards, and so many more. As for movies, I share my kids’ appreciation for superhero and sci/fi movies which probably makes sense for my penchant for the paranormal and fantasy.
What event in your private life were you able to bring to this story and how do you feel it impacted the novel? I lost my father six years ago and understand how the loss of a parent can impact our lives in so many ways for years to come. There’s a scene in “Legacy of Magic” which touches on this.
Tell us a bit about your publisher: how did you hear about them and what influenced your decision to submit to them? I heard about The Wild Rose Press from Romance Writers of America. I did a lot of research and found only positive things. I’ve been very happy with them.
What book[s] currently rest on your TBR pile? “Stygian” by Sherrilyn Kenyon
“Shadow and Ice” by Gena Showalter.
Lastly, what's up next and when can we expect to see it on the shelves? I just signed a contract for “Scent of Betrayal,” the sequel to my first book, Bloodlines. It should be released next year.

Here's an excerpt from Legacy of Magic:
     His normal blue jeans were replaced with black. The customarily tight T-shirt was now a blue, button down shirt opened at the throat. Damn, it matched his eyes.
     Eyes that were making a very slow, thorough, perusal of her before meeting her gaze. "Must admit, I thought you might stand me up."
     Now why hadn't that occurred to her?
     "The thought never crossed my mind. I follow through when I say I'm going to do something. Although, technically I don't think I actually accepted your invitation."
     "Sure, you did. You said 6:15. That implied acceptance."
     Cory rolled her eyes. "We both know if Aunt Addy hadn't been there, I would've said no very clearly."
     "Maybe, but then we'd both be left wondering what the two of us together might be like. Personally, I prefer a more direct approach."
     Her foot began to tap. "Oh really? Maneuvering me into a date is direct? And for the record, I wouldn't be wondering about anything. You and I are not going to get together." Her hand waved back and forth between them. "We can't even be in the same room for a few minutes without arguing."
     Finn laughed. "This isn't arguing."
     "Oh really, what would you call it?"
     He leaned towards her and whispered, "Foreplay."

To learn more about Denise Carbo, go to:

To purchase Legacy of Magic, go to:




Friday, November 9, 2018

Focus: Space Stud by Toni V. Sweeney

     Twenty-eight years ago, Miles Sheffield spent a week at Aljansur City’s Pleasure Dome, unaware he left behind a single wild oat that sprouted and became the Dome’s most famous employee.
     Now, he’s once more on Arcanian soil and face-to-face with the fact that he has a son who’s the star attraction of the planet’s largest brothel. Gaining Tam‘s custody, he takes him to Terra and a “normal” life but this errant seed can’t seem to stay out of trouble.
     Shortly after they arrive, Tam and half-brother Mark are abducted by blackbirders. Taken to the Fringes in the outer reaches of the galaxy, the two are sold as sex slaves…and an adventure begins which neither will ever forget, as they struggle to survive, stay together, and find their way back to Earth.

Wild Women Authors focuses on: Space Stud (Book 7 of the kan Ingan Archives, part 2 of the Arcanian Chronicles)by Toni V. Sweeney.

(WARNING to the Prospective Reader: This novel contains frank and erotic language and scenes; this excerpt does not, however.)

Here's an excerpt:

Are you certain of who he is?” Tam asked, as Cati gave him a stumbling explanation. “Aimee’s gotten her facts wrong before.”
~ * ~
There had been a lot of excitement in the city lately. Even in his later years, after having ruled us for so long, His Majesty was still able to startle his people. A few days before, visitors arrived from Terra, shortly after a shocking announcement was made.
It seems that during that awful time time of civil war, when the margrave, who was then only the First Officer of the planet, and his wife, who was the actual ruler, were thought killed when their warship crashed during a spacebattle, they’d actually been rescued by a Terran First Aid vessel.
The Clara Barton brought vaccine to our plague-infested planet. Since they were now considered refugees because the surviving members of TAS had seized control of the plague-wracked planet, the royal couple were offered asylum on Terra. They were headed there when Her Majesty died bearing his son.
Overcome with grief, Lord Aric took his child and returned to Arcanis, succeeding his wife and becoming margrave. What wasn’t told to anyone at the time was that the Lady Pallas also gave birth to a second child, a daughter. In his agony at losing the woman he loved, Lord Aric gave custody of that child to the man in charge of the mercy mission. That man took her to Terra and raised her as his own.
Are you with me on this? Can you guess the punchline here? Wait for it...
That’s right. That man was my father.
Now, nineteen years later, His Majesty had decided he wished to see the daughter he’d so unceremoniously given away. So, the Warrior accompanied the Lady Barbara to Arcanis, where she was reunited with her real father, while mine was blissfully unaware his own child existed only a few miles away.
A few days later, when a young Terran came to the Dome with a special reservation from the margrave himself, Aimee saw the resemblance immediately. His surname was the same as my father’s, so she checked the information he gave the computer against that in the archives. My sister fit the specifications he requested, and of course, she and Aimee jumped to the most obvious conclusion.
I preferred not to believe the gods would smile on me so. That this similarity of names was merely a coincidence. Who knows how common my father’s last name is on Terra?
~ * ~
Of course I’m sure,” Cati answered, in a loud whisper. She didn’t appreciate Tam’s persistent disbelief, expecting him to be as excited as she. “I asked him. He confirmed he’s the Warrior’s son. There’s no reason for him to deny it, Tam.”
Why’s he sleeping so long? You didn’t give him something, did you?”
Don’t be stupid. He doesn’t need anything, believe me. He’s sleeping because he’s exhausted.” Cati laughed and there was a smug note in her voice. “He’s a very athletic young man.”
Must run in the family. ”
Tam remembered his mother telling how the Warrior fucked her to exhaustion. He bent over the sleeping figure again, staring at his face. He appeared several years younger than Tam. “What’s his name, anyway?”
At that, the young man opened his eyes. Tam recoiled, staggering backward.
I’m Mark Sheffield,” he said, and frowned as he demanded, “And you are...?”
I... Uh...” Tam recovered and stood still, staring at him as he sat up. “I-I’m not certain how to answer that.”
It’s simple,” Mark answered. He started to throw back the sheets, then hesitated.
Oh, get up,” Tam said.Hell, this is a whorehouse. Nudity’s the dress code.”
Mark got out of bed, yawned, and stretched.
You just say, my name is…and fill in the blanks,” he went on.
It’s not that easy.” Tam shook his head. That made his hair, styled into those bothersome curls…which he secretly loathed though they’d become his trademark… bounce around his face and shoulders.
I think you’d better make it easy,” Mark answered, voice turning hard. “Before I complain to the management and have you thrown out of here.” He raised his head slightly as if looking down his nose at Tam, which wasn’t easy to do since they were the same height. “After all, I’m a guest of the margrave and he might not appreciate someone barging in on me like this.”
Not going to happen.” Tam laughed and called out, “Lights at eighty per cent.”
Immediately, the room was illuminated, and now it was the stranger’s turn to take a step backward as he got a good look at Tam’s face, seeing past the make-up covering it. Past the pastels shadowing his eyes, the subtle blending of blush on his cheeks, and the scarlet gloss outlining his lips, and not believing what he saw. It was plain, by the way his eyes widened and he blinked.
My God…y-you look just like…” His voice trembled. “…like me.
Tam shrugged, affecting a nonchalance he didn’t feel. He didn’t want this mirror-image to see how much he was touched by what was happening as he said the words he never believed he’d hear himself speak.
I suppose I should. We have the same father.”
~ * ~
I never thought blood could leave a person’s face so fast. In the blink of an eye, he went absolutely white. Four seconds later, he fainted dead away.



A bit about our focus author:
Toni V. Sweeney has lived 30 years in the South, a score in the Middle West, and a decade on the Pacific Coast and now she’s trying for her second 30 on the Great Plains.

Since the publication of her first novel in 1989, Toni divides her time between writing SF/Fantasy under her own name and romances under her pseudonym Icy Snow Blackstone. In March, 2013, she became publicity manager for Class Act Books (US). She is also on the review staff of the New York Journal of Books. In 2016, she was named a Professional Reader by netgalley.com.

In 2015 and 2016 Toni was voted one of the Top 10 authors of those years by Preditors & Editors Readers Poll. In 2013, the Paranormal Romance Guild’s Reviewer’s Choice voted The kan Ingan Archives (Part Two of the Arcanian Chronicles) a Special Mention, and the following year, named the individual novels The Man from Cymene, and Space Studs, from the same series two of the Top 8 SF/fantasy novels of 2014.


As of 2018, Toni currently has 55 novels in print, including 3 series, and 3 trilogies.

To find out more about Toni, go to:


Amazon Author’s Page: https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B002BLQBB8

Twitter: @ToniVSweeney

Wednesday, November 7, 2018

Wild Women Focus: Hope's Dream by Peggy Jaeger


Wild Women Authors is pleased to focus on Hope’s Dream , a Deerbourne Inn novella by Peggy Jaeger.

          Hope Kildaire gave up her dream of becoming a nurse practitioner when a car accident killed her father and left her mother an invalid. Working two jobs and caring for her mother leaves the twenty-seven-year-old with no time for fun or relationships. When a law firm representing her paternal grandparents sends her several letters, Hope ignores them. She despises the family who disowned her father and wants nothing to do with them.
          Lawyer Tyler Coleman's job is simply to obtain Hope's signature on a legal document. Getting it is harder than planned, though, when an unexpected attraction blossoms between them. If Ty is honest with Hope about why he's in Willow Springs, he'll fulfill his assignment but may risk hurting her.
           The opportunity to have everything she's ever desired is at Hope's fingertips. Will her dream come true at the expense of Tyler's love?

Here's an Excerpt:
          Hope stood behind the bar, filling two glasses with draft beer. She hadn’t spotted him approach, so he took the moment to observe her unawares.
          A reserved smile graced her face as the guy waiting for his order chatted her up. Early twenties by Tyler’s guess, the kid stared at Hope with a serious case of attraction. He knew how the younger man felt.
          During their lesson her hair had been woven into a braid. In the lodge, when she’d removed her hat, he’d likened the colors to butterscotch and honey. Now with it unbraided and freely floating down past her shoulders, the colors burst into life. Gold and red highlights shimmered from the waves framing her face, as if each strand had been hand painted for emphasis. In the tavern’s subdued lighting, Hope was a bright, vibrant beacon, sparkling with health and life.
          Tyler was drawn to her light, her vitality, as if he’d spent his existence until that moment in perpetual darkness.
          Hope turned, reached for something behind her, and caught his eye.
          For a moment her body froze, her hand still outstretched, her eyes widening in surprise when they lit on him. She dipped her chin and regarded him from under her eyelashes as she finger-swiped the hair falling across her face behind her ear. A quick head bob his way indicated she’d be right with him.
          With an expert’s finesse she uncorked a bottle of Jameson’s, poured a thimbleful each into two shot glasses, then added them to beer-guy’s order. He slid a bill into her hand and then waved off the change she tried to give him back. He scooped the drinks, then carried them back to his table. Hope slid the change into one of the jelly jars behind the bar marked with several names, hers among them, and made her way over to him.
          “Hey, New York.” Sweet laughter warmed with surprise rang in her voice. “How are the legs?”
          Tyler groaned and stretched them out in front of him. “Better after a long, hot soak, but I’m betting they’re gonna feel worse in the morning.”
          She tossed him a quick, sympathetic look. “Make sure you take some kind of analgesic before going to sleep tonight. It’ll help. Trust me.”
          “Will do.”

           “What can I get you?”

           He spurted off the name of one of the draft beers.
           She pulled it and then brought it back to him.
“Anything to eat? I know the inn doesn’t serve dinner.”

          He glanced up at the selection board again and asked, “What do you recommend?”

          “The soup’s hot and fabulous. Comes with a salad or fresh bread. The burgers here are always great, but I’m biased.” Her open smile charmed him.
          “Sold.”
          “So,” he said after she came back from placing his order, “you’re a woman of many talents. Ski instructor. Bartender.”
          The brighter colors in her hair glistened when she shook her head. “We in the business prefer the term mixologist.”

To purchase Hope’s Dream, go to:

The Wild Rose Press:



A bit about our focus author:
         Peggy Jaeger is a contemporary romance writer who writes about strong women, the families who support them, and the men who can’t live without them.
         Family and food play huge roles in Peggy’s stories because she believes there is nothing that holds a family structure together like sharing a meal…or two…or ten. Dotted with humor and characters that are as real as they are loving, Peggy brings all topics of daily life into her stories: life, death, sibling rivalry, illness and the desire for everyone to find their own happily ever after. Growing up the only child of divorced parents she longed for sisters, brothers and a family that vowed to stick together no matter what came their way. Through her books, she has created the families she wanted as that lonely child.
          Tying into her love of families, her children's book, THE KINDNESS TALES, was illustrated by her artist mother-in-law.
          Peggy holds a master's degree in Nursing Administration and first found publication with several articles she authored on Alzheimer's Disease during her time running an Alzheimer's in-patient care unit during the 1990s.
 
          In 2013, she placed first in two categories in the Dixie Kane Memorial Contest: Single Title Contemporary Romance and Short/Long Contemporary Romance.
 
          In 2017 she came in 3rd in the New England Reader's Choice contest for A KISS UNDER THE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS and was a finalist in the 2017 STILETTO contest for the same title.
          In 2018, Peggy was a finalist in the HOLT MEDALLION Award and once again in the 2018 Stiletto Contest.
          A lifelong and avid romance reader and writer, she is a member of RWA and her local New Hampshire RWA Chapter.

To learn more about Peggy Jaeger, go to:



Amazon Author page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00T8E5LN0





BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/peggy-jaeger