Double Dipped by Terry Korth Fischer

            Accepting second d best is good for her career but first-grade teacher Retta Curt delays singing up for the disappointment. Given two weeks to reconsider her contract, she retreats to her Gram’s cottage on Moon Lake, the last place she felt contentment. But the cottage is derelict; her cousin, Julie, is distant; childhood beau Dean is bitter; and Sweet Picks, the family ice cream stand, is in danger of folding.

        Magruder, a surly newcomer, is buying, then neglecting properties until nothing remains of the idyllic lakeside community Retta remembers. When vandals target Sweet Picks, Retta’s dreams to recapture her happy childhood collapse, and the return to Mook Lake becomes a decision worse than accepting the teaching contract.

        Star-crossed, can she save the family business and rediscover happiness, or is Retta destined for a second-best future?

 Wild Women Authors is pleased to welcome back author Terry Korth Fischer as she celebrates the today’s release of Double Dipped, part of the One Scoop or Two series for the Wild Rose Press. With Terry is elementary school teacher, Retta Curt who will go first.

Good morning, Retta. Thanks for taking time away from Sweet Picks to chat with us. Tell us a bit about Double Dipped. I had a wonderful childhood, spending every summer vacation at my Gram’s cottage in Moon Lake, Wisconsin. My cousin, Julie, and I worked at the family's ice cream concession stand, Sweet Picks, where we were the envy of our friends. Free shakes and hours of carefree adventures were among the benefits. As an adult, I longed for the same idyllic contentment. So when my teaching contract changed, I decided to return to the lake and reevaluate my life choices before accepting the new assignment. As it turned out, Moon Lake wasn’t the same place I’d enjoyed as a child. There was a new man in town, and Sweet Picks was in danger of going out of business—if it even opened for business that summer season.

What made you pick teaching as a career? It wasn't about teaching. On the contrary, I love children and enjoy being around them. Kids, especially the younger ones, are spontaneous and innocent. Their eyes light up with discoveries, and they have an earnest willingness to share. Teaching allowed me to be part of that wonderment.  

Knowing what you know now, if you had it to do over again, would you stick with being an educator or do something different? I would still feel the same way about kids, so I’d do it again. But maybe in a different place, somewhere closer to home and those I love.

What is your biggest fear? Failure. I made a mess of my life before I returned to Moon Lake. I certainly don’t want to make that a tradition.

What is the best piece of advice you ever received? Gram always said, “Roll with the punches.” She meant, be satisfied with what you have. So I needed to stop comparing my adult woes to my childhood pleasures. It turns out I have plenty of adult happiness and a parcel of caring people with which to share the experiences.   

Thanks for this, Retta, and good luck with the new road in your career. Now we’d like to spend a bit of time with Terry.

Which writer or character[s], from either books or movies, [or both] have had a major impact on your writing? I absolutely love the Dick Francis crime novels written between 1970-2010. His writing entertained me with unusual professions and unfamiliar situations by employing descriptions and dialogue that rendered them completely relatable. I strive to accomplish a similar familiarity between my characters and readers. 

With regard to research, where did you start for this novel? Did that lead you down different paths, thereby changing the original concept? Double Dipped started as a short story and grew into a novella. The original version contained many of the same characters. However, it had a much different mystery and outcome. I needed to research after deciding to give Cousin Julie prosopagnosia, the inability to recognize human faces. Individuals with prosopagnosia know they are looking at someone but cannot recognize them by their facial features, even people they know well. I thought it would make an exciting flaw and create a bit of intrigue.

Tell us a bit about your publisher. How did you hear about them, what influenced you to submit to them, how is the submission process, and what is the turn-around time from date of the query to date of release? The first two books in my mystery series, Rory Naysmith Mysteries, Gone Astray, and Gone Before, were published with The Wild Rose Press. I couldn’t have asked for a more supportive, responsive, or dedicated team, so when I learned TWRP had a summer-read series, One Scoop or Two, I wanted to jump on board.

What are you reading right now? I usually read for pleasure or distraction. Right now, The Midnight Library by Matt Haig.

What's next for you? Rory Naysmith Mysteries, book 3, Gone Crazy, is almost complete. I hope to have it out in early 2023. Your readers should know the audio version of Double Dipped, narrated by Susanna Barbetta, is available. It was so wonderful to hear this manuscript read—or should I say performed—that I’ve fallen in love with audiobooks. Perhaps I’ll give Rory this opportunity.

To purchase Double Dipped, go to: Amazon, Barnes & Noble

To learn more about Terry Korth Fischer and the stories she creates go to:

Website: https://terrykorthfischer.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/terryiswriting

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

Amazon Author Page: www.amazon.com/author/terrykorthfischer

Goodreads Author: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14349440.Terry_Korth_Fischer

BookBub Author: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/terry-korth-fischer

Newsletter: https://tinyletter.com/TerryKorthFischer

 

                                                           

 

A Glimpse of Music by Sydney Winward

 If fate gives you a third chance, would you take it?

        Joel Harrington has been in love with the same woman for as long as he could remember. But he had to watch her court his best friend, and then marry his king. Now that she’s once more unattached, he refuses to let her slip through his fingers for a third time.     

Darkness torments Nyana’s memories, and even after her cruel husband is killed, he still haunts her from the grave. When her past refuses to leave her alone, it puts not only her, but her daughters in danger. She has no choice but to lean on the man she has called a friend for the past eight years, a friend whose charms she tries hard to resist.

But along with the growing threat to her family, she keeps an even more dangerous secret—a secret that could change her life forever.

 Wild Women Authors welcomes back author Sydney Winward who is celebrating the release of A Glimpse of Music, a romantic fantasy, book 3 in her Sunlight and Shadows series. Up first is Nyana Everdon.  

 Good morning, Nyana. Thank you for speaking with us. Let’s begin with where you are from. I am from Heulwen, the capitol of the Sun Kingdom. I was born and raised here, though half of my family still lives among the forest folk.

Tell us a bit about A Glimpse of Music. It is about healing, finding yourself, and learning to accept love from those who care about you. After a traumatic marriage that left Nyana in shambles, she must learn to overcome her past, heal in her present, and accept a happy future.

What did you think the first time you saw Joel? The first time we met, I had snuck onto Joel’s family orchard when I was only fifteen years old. I was quickly taken by his wit and his friendliness, and we became the best of friends. It wasn’t until years later when I started to develop feelings for him.

What was your second thought? Joel always managed to make me laugh. I didn’t grow up in a happy home, and his family became my second family. He made me feel safe, secure, and wanted.

Do you feel it was love at first sight? Not for me. I was in love with his best friend for many years before I noticed Joel as something more than just a friend.

What do you like most about him? His talent for making people smile. He so easily brings out someone’s laughter, easing their burdens with a joke or a few trills of his flute.

How would you describe Joel? He is the best friend, the best father, and the most loving and caring person I know. Not only is he handsome and strong, especially when he labors in an orchard, but he gives you his full attention when you speak to him. He lights up a room and has this easy way of making someone feel comfortable.

How would he describe you? Plenty of people have made me feel small and weak, but he often comments about how I’m the strongest person he knows. He tells me what a good mother I am, how dedicated, loyal, and responsible I am toward my family. For him, it was love at first sight. I only wish I could have seen him in a romantic light far sooner than I had.

What is your biggest fear? I have so many fears, but my biggest might have to be losing my two daughters. It’s not easy to protect them when the world is so big and I am not as strong as I would like to be.

How do you relax? I enjoy sitting down with Joel and listening to him play his flute. The magic he weaves with a few notes is incredible. It’s so calming to cuddle up to his side and watch the stories he creates through his music.

What is the best piece of advice you ever received? It is all right to lean on others when you need help.

Thank you again, Nyana. Now we’d like to speak with Sydney.

What movies or books have had an impact on your career as a writer? I have always admired Christopher Paolini’s writing and Brandon Sanderson’s world-building. I also really enjoy the tv show Merlin. They include so many details in the show that really put you in the story, and I try to reflect that same care when writing my books.

Is there an event in your private life that you were able to bring to this story and how do you feel it impacted the novel? I have children of my own, which made it easier to bring my experiences, fears, and trials as a mother into A Glimpse of Music. I hope that Nyana’s love for her children feels genuine and emotional to my readers.

What book[s] currently rest on your TBR pile? Who doesn’t have a TBR pile a mile long?? In my immediate pile, I have Red Winter by Annette Marie, That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon by Kimberly Lemming, and Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerri Maniscalco.

Lastly, what's up next and when can we expect to see it on the shelves? I have Through Wylder Meadows, coming out July 6, 2022; Bloodbane, book 4 in the Bloodborn Series, is coming out August 24. 2022; and I’m currently working on a novella set in the Viking age about a selkie who falls in love with the human who captures her.

 Sydney brought along an excerpt for us:

     The faintest, jaunty whistle echoed down the path leading to the house. She immediately recognized Joel’s carefree demeanor within the tune. She prayed he wouldn’t notice her. But the whistling stopped abruptly. Joel inhaled sharply, followed by quick footsteps headed her way. “Nyana. Are you hurt?”

After a slow sigh, she shook her head, keeping her face buried in her knee. “I just want to sit here for a moment.”

A pause. And then something heavy and warm draped over her shoulders. Joel’s coat. Shock stiffened her limbs when she inhaled the warm scents of cinnamon and apple, mixed with something uniquely Joel’s. Gold and mystery and emotion. Something like…like…

Music.

But music couldn’t possibly have a smell. Could it? 

He didn’t ask about the hens or the ominous message. He didn’t ask about her position on the ground. Nor did he touch her. Rather, he lowered himself to the ground beside her, sitting with his back against the broken chicken coop.

She slowly inhaled a breath of Joel from the coat wrapped around her and breathed out a river of comforting, companionable silence. Comforting. The foreign feeling shocked her. She could not remember a time when the presence of a man had been comforting.

Joel pulled a flute out of his pocket, lifted it to his lips, and a beautiful melody streamed out of the thin instrument.

Followed by golden magic.

She watched, eyes transfixed, as shimmering, golden tendrils floated in the air around them. Slivers of gold wove around her before they blossomed into magnificent flowers. They sparkled and shimmered as if continuing to sprout on a golden vine.

When she reached out to touch one of the flowers, it exploded into golden glitter and dusted her feet with its radiance. Almost like a sunbeam. Beautiful. Breathtaking. Magnificent.

Her gaze shifted from the golden magic to Joel’s serene expression as he played. His fingers moved deftly over the flute holes, his eyes half-closed as if playing brought him a measure of peace. It was as if his magic transferred to her, helping to calm the storm brewing within her. 

 To purchase A Glimpse of Music, go to:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Sydney-Winward/e/B08273JR7V

 

To learn more about Sydney Winward and the stories she creates go to:

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19712442.Sydney_Winward

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/sydney-winward

Website: https://sydneywinward.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SydneyWinward

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

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sydneywinward

 

 

 

 

 

 

Home Waters by Elizabeth Devlin

      We recently met up with the award-winning Rhode Island author, Elizabeth Devlin, a the renewed Maine Writers Retreat. During one of our chats, Elizabeth graciously agreed to visit the Wild Women blog. In another, she wanted to veer from our usual format and talk about how Home Waters came about.

     So . . . take it away Elizabeth Devlin. . .

When I first got the idea for my novel Home Waters, I was looking out at Narragansett Bay and wondering “what if something threatened to ruin these beautiful waters?” So immediately I began envisioning a romance with an environmental twist.

In typical fashion (I’m known to my friends as the “Research Queen”), my next step was to investigate what would constitute a realistic threat. Since I’m not a scientist, however, at first that proved daunting – WAY too many possibilities! Fortunately, one of the premier oceanographic centers in the world is the URI/GSO (Univ. of Rhode Island/Graduate School of Oceanography) which is located not far from where I live. I reached out to Prof. Steven D’Hondt and he agreed to talk over lunch at an on-campus café frequented by the GSO faculty. That’s when I got really lucky. After a few minutes of Steve and I brainstorming possible threats, other oceanographers at surrounding tables began to chime in. By the end of an hour, at least ten oceanographers were tossing out ideas, fast and furious. Our biggest challenge was finding a threat with a potential (even if problematic) solution.

What the oceanographers and I settled on was this: What if invasive toxic algae (I named it Black Tide) threatened to decimate the entire bay and its surrounding shoreline?

While that question suggests a dark suspense novel—and Home Waters contains some elements of that—at heart it’s a family story. It’s about reclusive oceanographer Becket Fallon trying to stop the toxic algae threat while simultaneously dealing with an urgent family crisis. He needs help from non-profit expert Lainey Carmichael, but she comes at a price. She’ll help get the funding critical to stopping Black Tide, but only if he lets her and 3-year-old twins stay with him for the summer. The twin granddaughters he’s felt duty-bound to avoid.

Home Waters explores the conflicting demands of work to save the bay’s future and a family who needs Becket now. While the characters drive the action, the Narragansett Bay setting permeates every aspect of the story. Anyone who loves the ocean will identify with the feeling the characters get as they live and work on the water.

Instead of telling readers why they should care about the environment, the novel puts readers into the minds and hearts of two people as they wrestle with how to prevent invasive toxic algae from overwhelming the bay. The simultaneous family drama keeps us grounded.

BayWatch, a Save-the-Bay-style organization, plays a key role in the story, but telling exactly how that happens would be a plot spoiler. Suffice is to say that enlisting their help forces the main characters to face some difficult choices. The real-life Save the Bay receives 25% of all royalties from the book, so here’s a way to have fun and do some good at the same time.

To purchase Home Waters, go to https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08MHGWFCG

About Elizabeth Devlin

Elizabeth grew up sailing the waters of Narragansett Bay and never forgot it. After a doctorate from Oxford and years serving in U.S. embassies around the world, she returned to R.I. to teach at the Naval War College in Newport. She left that job to build a house with a view of the water so she could fulfill her lifelong ambition to write stories focused on what fires her passion. Home Waters is her sixth book, but the first she’s “let out into the world.” It was a finalist for two National Excellence in Romance Fiction awards (best mainstream and best first book).

To learn more, go to:

Website:         https://elizabethdevlin.com/

Facebook Profile:        https://www.facebook.com/Elizabeth.Devlin.writer

Facebook Fan Page:        https://www.facebook.com/ElizabethDevlinAuthor/

TV Interview:                https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldrfiXL7wI4

Video interview:    CItywide Blackout

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

Goodreads:            https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55845483-home-waters

BookBub:               https://www.bookbub.com/books/home-waters-by-elizabeth-devlin

 

 

Dragons Walk Among Us by Dan Rice

 At times it’s hard to believe what you see…

 Shutterbug Allison Lee is trying to survive high school while suffering abuse from the school’s mean girl. Her life is often abysmal, but at least her green hair is savage. Her talent for photography is recognized by the school paper and the judges of a photo contest.

While visiting her friend Joe, a homeless vet, Allison's life irrevocably changes after an attack leaves her blind. All her dreams as a photojournalist are dashed as she realizes she'll never see again. Despair sets in until she is offered an experimental procedure to restore her vision. But there are side effects, or are they hallucinations? She now sees dragons accompanying some of the people she meets.

Can she trust her eyes, or has the procedure affected her more than she can see?

 Wild Women Authors is pleased to feature author Dan Rice as he talks about the 2021 release of Dragons Walk Among Us, a YA sci-fi/fantasy under the Fantasy Rose imprint out of the Wild Rose Press. First up is photojournalist Allison Lee.

Welcome, Allison. Tell us a bit about Dragons Walk Among Us. First off, a violent attack leaves me blind. Luckily, cutting-edge prosthetic eyes restore my vision, but there are wild side effects. I can see dragons following some people around. Am I going crazy or what?

What made you choose photojournalism for a career? My dad gave me a used camera when I was ten or eleven. I’ve been taking pictures ever since. I want to turn my passion for documenting social justice and climate issues into a career.

Knowing what you know now, if you had it to do over again, would you stay in high school? Since I am the target of bullying by the mean girl, I’d bypass high school in an ideal world.

What is your biggest fear? Becoming my mother. She is a monster capable of killing in cold blood without remorse. I don’t ever want to become like her. My humanity is the best of me.

Who is your favorite fictional character and why? I identify with Frankenstein’s monster because we’re both misunderstood and misrepresented.

What is the best piece of advice you ever received? My dad always encourages me to lead with kindness. I found that to be pretty good advice.

 Allison, thank you for taking time away from your work and studies to speak with us. Now we’d like to talk to you.  creator, Dan Rice.

Which writer or character[s], from either books or movies, [or both] have had a major impact on your writing? When I was around 11 or 12, I first read Frank Herbert’s Dune. I was swept away by the story and amazed the author created such a real fictional world in a slender volume. After reading that novel for the first time, I decided I wanted to try out this writing thing.

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman and EXO by Fonda Lee influenced my thoughts about Dragons Walk Among Us and The Allison Lee Chronicles series in general. Both YA tales feature protagonists struggling with their identity and loyalties in a sci-fi/fantasy setting, much like Allison Lee’s story.

With regard to research, where did you start for this novel? Did that lead you down different paths, thereby changing the original concept? My research was limited to double-checking my geography. I had visited most of the locations—Seattle, Mount Rainier, the Olympic coast— many times. Since the story is inherently a fantasy, I didn’t feel the need to over research if such a thing is even possible.

A real-life event did inspire a particular theme running through the book. In the opening chapter, the school’s mean girl bullies Allison over her biracial appearance. My biracial son was bullied over his appearance at summer camp while I was writing the novel’s first draft. Although he was initially disturbed by the bullying, he got over the event and eventually, I believe, buried the hatchet with his antagonists. Allison follows a similar character arc.

Tell us a bit about your publisher. How did you hear about them?  I’m published with The Wild Rose Press. I first heard about them years ago through my critique group, The Puget Sound Writer’s Guild. I believe one of the press founders belonged to the group many years before I joined up. At the time, I was trying to write epic fantasy, which I didn’t think The Wild Rose Press would be interested in (and if I’m honest, my writing wasn’t good enough at the time).

What influenced you to submit to them? I was shopping around Dragons Walk Among Us without tons of success, despite feeling confident it was pretty good. I happened upon an ad from Alicia Dean (fellow The Wild Rose Press author and maybe editor) offering editorial services in an email list I subscribe to. I had always hesitated to hire an editor due to the cost, but her discounted rate seemed reasonable. After working with her, my manuscript sparked interest from a couple of small presses. One asked for the full manuscript but ultimately declined to publish it.

I knew The Wild Rose Press was interested in YA from my research into publishers. So after polishing up the manuscript some more, I sent it off to them. About nine months later, my novel was published. I guess my story proves the publishing world is small!

What are you reading right now? The Lost Cord by Lyndi Alexander is a YA Fantasy featuring a protagonist with autism. The Fires of Vengeance by Evan Winter is an action-packed epic fantasy. Empire of the Vampire by Jay Kristoff is a dark fantasy about humanity being subjugated by vampires.

What’s next for you? I just finished up my first round of edits for The Blood of Faeries, book two in The Allison Lee Chronicles. In this adventure, Allison’s friend is seduced by magic and mysteriously disappears. Allison will need to master her supernatural abilities while confronting beings thought long ago extinct and fiends all too human to rescue him. 

 To learn more about Dan Rice and the stories he creates go to:

https://www.danscifi.com/dragons-walk-among-us

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To purchase Dragons Walk Among Us, go to:

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The Student in Classroom 6

      Although a faculty member has been killed on campus and the murderer is still at large, English instructor Katherine Holiday never suspects the criminal might be one of her students. In fact, there’s a man in her adult evening class she wishes she could know better. 

     Seeing no need for a college degree, Tyler McHenry, a partner in his father’s successful tree service, writes fiction for his own pleasure. No one at the University needs to know his personal reasons for enrolling in a first-year composition course. Still, he finds himself fascinated by the pretty teacher, who believes his writing should be published.

 Wild Women Authors focus on The Student in Classroom 6, a contemporary mystery-thriller, written by Patricia McAlexander, a current release out of the Wild Rose Press.

 An Excerpt: 

“You know, Ms. Holiday,” Tyler said as he walked with her back to her porch, “it was against regulations to bring you up in the bucket. Only accredited personnel are supposed to go up.” He paused. “Just like it’s probably against regulations for University instructors to get too friendly with students in their class.”

 “It is,” she said, feeling somehow bold. “But if you can break a rule, I can. Would you like to come in for a beer?”

“That may not be so wise. I am an owner of this tree business and an owner of the bucket truck. I was not worried about breaking that rule tonight. I knew it was safe for you when I brought you up in the bucket. That is not the way it is with you and the University.  And you don’t know—” he hesitated.

“Know what?”

He smiled a little, as if joking. “Whether you’d be safe alone in your house with me.”

 

To learn more about Patricia McAlexander and the stories she creates, go to:

 Website: https://patriciamcalexander.weebly.com 

Facebook: facebook.com/patriciamcalexanderwriter/

 Twitter:  https://twitter.com/PatMcAlexWriter

 Instagram: www.instagram.com/patriciamcalexander/

To purchase The Student in Classroom 6, go to:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Student-Classroom-6-Patricia-McAlexander-ebook/dp/B09THQ2FDT/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1648132789&sr=1-1 

Barnes and Noble (includes Nook):  https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-student-in-classroom-6-patricia-mcalexander/1141068087?ean=9781509241750

 

i-books: http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/isbn9781509241767

 

 

Katie's Gamble by Kara O'Neal

           Katie McCord bears much weight on her shoulders–single-handedly running her family’s business, McCord’s Confectionery, and caring for her three younger siblings. And her little shop is in trouble, which forces her to seek help from her brother, Johnny McCord, a notorious gambler living in New Orleans, or lose everything.

Rowdy Denton might be a gambler working for Johnny McCord, but one look at Katie’s sweet innocence tugs at the ache and guilt in his heart. For his peace of mind, he’s determined to get her out of the opulent hotel and brothel kept by her brother and back to the little town in Texas where she belongs—far away from Rowdy.

When Johnny refuses to sell his share to Katie, he sends Rowdy to her hometown to cause her further trouble. But, instead, Rowdy finds himself working as her hired hand and helping her keep everything together.

Katie knows Rowdy has another purpose for being in Echols. He works for her brother, after all, and is a gambler himself. So, why is he helping her? When she discovers the answer to her question, she races back to New Orleans, prepared to make the biggest gamble of her life.

 A note from Kara O’Neal, author of Katie’s Gamble:

I’m excited to introduce y’all to the first book in my Gamblers and Gunslingers series – Katie’s Gamble. This series was born while I was writing Maggie’s Song, book thirteen in my Texas Brides series.

You see, I do this thing where I fall in love with secondary characters. I can’t help it. Once a picture forms in my mind, a story usually follows. And then I just have to write it. Even if the character is a villain. During Maggie’s Song, I met Rowdy Denton. Gambler. Gunslinger. Collector of debts. And he had no give in him. Somehow I felt that underneath the harshness beat a heart of gold. And I had to find out why.

        And that’s how Katie’s Gamble came to be.

Rowdy Denton meets Katie McCord, the sister of his boss, notorious gambler and unfeeling rogue, Johnny McCord. Rowdy ends up having to protect Katie, and while he does his level best not to fall for her, he loses the battle.

I adored giving Rowdy his happy ending, looking through the walls he tried to erect and saving him from being a villain forever. He gets a family. And everything else he could ever want. It’s just so beautiful that I dare you not to cry at the end!

Here’s an excerpt:

Katie McCord paced the space in front of one of the settees, her hands on her hips. Perhaps she could find Johnny herself. She eyed the corridor on the opposite side of the lobby and tried to gather her courage.

While the possible consequences of her hunt played through her mind, a man in a long, black coat, dark green brocade vest, and black trousers entered. He removed his gambler’s hat, and his coat stretched with the movement, revealing the gun belt riding low along his hips.

His dark brown hair fell over his forehead as he paused a moment in the center of the rug to dust off his hat. He had a strong jaw, broad shoulders, and had to be over six feet. He wore a serious expression, instead of the jovial, eager one the other patrons exuded. An energy rolled off of him, as if nothing ever missed his notice, as if he were aware of his entire surroundings, though he hadn’t even assessed the space.

She lowered her arms and bit her lip. She’d made the wrong choice, coming here. A letter might have sufficed, as Mr. Cummings had suggested. She had no idea how to handle the environment in which she had placed herself.

The man looked up, his gaze going directly to her.

She held herself still, afraid to move should any twitch make him want to approach her.

Slowly, he let his eyes travel the length of her, and when his attention returned to her face, his expression was unreadable. But somehow she knew her presence irritated him. He turned away and sauntered to the desk. He spoke in low tones to the lobby attendant, and Katie saw the newcomer’s shoulders tense at the attendant’s answers to his questions. He then glanced over at her, and his eyes narrowed. After saying a few more words to the attendant, the man turned on a heel and strode toward her.

Frightened, she backed up, and her legs bumped into the edge of the settee.

“Miss McCord?” he asked, his voice hard and gruff.

“Y-Yes. I’m Katie McCord.”

He jerked his head at the doors. “You need to go.”

She gulped and curled her hands into fists. “I need to speak with my brother.”

The fellow shook his head. “No. And this is not a place for a lady like you. You need to go before it’s too late.”

To purchase Katie’s Gamble, go to:  https://amzn.to/3txYACc

To learn more about Kara O’Neal and the stories she creates, go to:

Website –  www.karaoneal.com

Bookbub –  https://www.bookbub.com/profile/kara-o-neal

Amazon –  http://www.amazon.com/Kara-ONeal/e/B00FL19TH8/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1465007993&sr=8-1

Barnes and Noble –  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/kara+o'neal?_requestid=845025

Facebook –  https://www.facebook.com/KaraONeal84/

Twitter –  https://twitter.com/KaraONealAuthor

Pinterest –  https://www.pinterest.com/karaoneal7/

Goodreads –  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7278350.Kara_O_Neal

Blog -- http://www.karaoneal.com/blog

Blog – The Story Continues -- http://www.karaoneal.com/the-story-continues

 

A Full Bodied Love by Amber Cross

 Smooth and mellow meets spunky and sweet

        Lisa Kirkpatrick is stubborn, but she's not stupid. If this guy needs a date to evade an unwanted admirer, who is she to object? It's not as if handsome men are lining up to ask her out. Sure, they know there's a woman in the wheelchair, but it would never occur to them that there's a WOMAN in the wheelchair. He notices. This solid, fun, straight-shooting guy ticks off every box on her ideal man list. But why do they call him Slick? ​

Roger Plankey thought his life was full until he walked into the town clerk's office and laid eyes on the woman behind the counter. A spunky, independent woman with a dash of humor and just enough sass to keep him on his toes. She fills that unknown void in his life like she was made for him. But is there such a thing as too perfect?

 Wild Women Authors features Amber Cross’ A Full Bodied Love. Up first is Lisa Kirkpatrick, a Human Resources Director.

Good morning, Lisa. Thanks for taking time away from your duties at the hospital to speak with us. Let’s start with where you’re from: We moved a few times, but mostly in Pennsylvania

Tell us a bit about A Full-Bodied Love: It starts with a fake date that turns into the best date I ever had. By the end of the night, I wanted to pinch myself to make sure it was real. Then I made myself crazy the next day wondering if I’d ever see him again; it was that good.

What did you think the first time you saw Roger Plankey? That he had the prettiest blue eyes on the planet.

Do you feel it was love at first sight? Not love, but attraction.

What do you like most about him? He takes care of his business and his family, but he doesn’t take himself too seriously. He notices things other people don’t. When we’re out together, he notices if I’ll have a hard time closing the door behind me, or if I can’t see something at the back of the table; he closes the door, he lifts the item for me to check it out. He adjusts his pace to mine if needed.

How would you describe Roger? He’s a rock. He’s fun. You can always count on him, and that includes his honesty.

How would he describe you? He says I’m always game for anything, and that’s one of the things he loves about me. He says I shine like a string of Christmas tree lights and light up every room I’m in.

What made you choose to work in human resources for a career? I think I just liked business and having spent a lot of time in hospitals when I was young, I knew something about how they operated, so it was natural to apply for jobs there.

What is your biggest fear? Losing my independence.

How do you relax? I do a lot of yoga, and I have a side business making jewelry. When I’m in my craft room, that’s when I’m really in “the zone,” oblivious to everything else.

Who is your favorite fictional character? Probably Pippi Longstocking because she’s brave.

What is the best piece of advice you ever received? My little sister told me to stop worrying about what other people think and to follow my heart.

Thanks for this, Lisa. Now we’d like to talk with Amber.

What movies or books have had an impact on your career as a writer? K.A. Tucker’s Wild books remind me that a story doesn’t have to be rushed or overly graphic to be a page turner. Linda Howard’s books have always resonated with me because she uses both points of view, and her women and men are both strong.

Is there an event in your private life that you were able to bring to this story and how do you feel it impacted the novel? I looked into adopting a child with spina bifida. Although that didn’t come to be, learning about the condition inspired me to write about someone with the condition. This is not a book about a medical condition, but it is a love story between two people, one of whom has special circumstances.

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 my publisher. I learned about them at my first Romance Writers of America chapter meeting. Other members in the chapter wrote for them, so I sent a manuscript along and this is the fourth book I’ve written for them.

What book[s] currently rest on your TBR pile? Montana Cowboy Daddy by Jane Porter (book three in a series.)

Lastly, what's up next and when can we expect to see it on the shelves? On July 20 I will have a werewolf romance titled, Pack of Love, coming out as part of an anthology with Ashlyn Chase, Kate Richards, and Temperance Dawn. This is my first paranormal romance.

 

Readers can find me and buy links for my books at:

https://www.amber-cross.com

or visit me at: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorAmberCross