Monday, December 30, 2019

Peggy Jaeger and A Pride of Brothers: Rick

. . . Elite bodyguard and P.I. Rick Bannerman's job is to protect. He doesn't get emotional with his clients, but when a woman from his past is threatened, his next job becomes personal. Family lawyer Abigail Laine is the target of a client's vengeful husband, but refuses Rick's offer of protection. He walked away from her four years ago, and she swore to forget him.
Now her reluctance to accept his help could cost Abby her life.


Wild Women Authors is pleased to bring 2019 to an end with one of our favorite people, and authors, Peggy Jaeger as she looks forward to the release of Pride of Brothers: Rick, a contemporary romantic suspense, released by the Wild Rose Press in January 2020. She's brought Rick Bannerman with her; he'll go first.
Where are you from? Born and bred in New York City.
What did you think the first time you saw Abby Laine. We met at her sister Kandy and my best friend Josh Keane’s engagement party and when Abby walked into the room my legs got wobbly. All that gorgeous long and jet back hair was falling down and tickling her waist and her beautiful blue eyes were laughing. When we were introduced and shook hands, I swear my arm felt a shock all the way up to my shoulder. This was one gorgeous woman and I wanted to get to know her better and hopefully talk her into bed. 
What was your second thought? That thought to get her into bed flew out of my mind the minute she started talking about going to law school  and how much she wanted to help people. This was a woman who was so far out of my wheelhouse with regards to class and substance, I knew I couldn’t use her simply as a bedmate. She deserved much more than that and I wasn’t the man to give it to her. 
Was it love at first sight? Well, lust at first sight for sure! Looking back now, maybe I did lose my heart at that moment.
What do you like most about Abby? Her sense of self, her fearlessness, her dedication to making the lives of her clients better all make her a formidable and amazing woman. She’s got a few quirks that I just found out about like her OCD and her shoe fetish, but those just make her more human. And the shoe fetish is something I can get behind since she does love her stilettos. I like seeing her wear them…and nothing else.
How would you describe her? Gorgeous doesn’t do it enough justice. Warmhearted, kind, witty, smart as a whip, and still the sexiest woman I’ve ever seen. She challenges me at every turn and I love it! But if you want the physical stuff, she’s about 5 nine without those stilts she loves, has shorter hair now, but still jet black and shiny with enough curls to make a man’s fingers tingle to touch. Her eyes are as blue as the waters in the Caribbean and her mouth, dear God, her mouth. Full thick lips with a perfect bow in the top center. I could kiss those lips – and do all sorts of other things to them all night.
How would Abby describe you? Probably as the biggest pain in the ass she’s ever known. As much as she challenges me at every turn, I give it right back to her and I don’t think she’s used to that kind of pushback from a guy.
What made you choose to become a bodyguard and PI? I was a sniper in the army when I served and the whole military police aspect of the service appealed to me. I’m good with computers and finding stuff, so it made sense I use those investigative skills in a positive way once I left the service. I’ve got a Masters degree in computer programming and research, something I’m proud of, and as far as the bodyguard aspect, well, when you’re built like I am – a tank in sneakers – it makes sense to use that gift to provide protection for people if they need it.
What is your biggest fear? That I will turn into my father one day. He’s been in jail for over twenty years for domestic abuse. He had a gun and wound up killing my mother when the police arrived to arrest him. He claims he didn’t know it was loaded. I’m scared every day of my life that I’ll turn out to be a drunk abuser like he is. Even though I don’t drink, it still scares the shit out of me that I could be like him. DNA will out. Know what I mean?
How do you relax? By working out at the gym for hours, then hunkering down with a good action flick on the tv. I stay away from booze because of my father.
Who is your favorite fictional character? The Count of Monte Cristo. Great redemption story.
What is the best piece of advice you ever received? Don’t sweat the small stuff. Josh’s mother, Deb, told me that.
Thanks for spending time with us, Rick. Now, we'd like to chat with Peg.
What movies or books have had an impact on your career as a writer? The biggest one was Gone With The Wind. I saw the movie first before I read the book and knew, knew I was destined to write a romance some day. As far as books, I read Pride And Prejudice when I was 11. That book made such an impact on me with regards to how not saying something can influence everything and everyone around you almost as much as saying too much.
What event in your private life were you able to bring to this story and how do you feel it impacted the novel? Like Abby, my parents are divorced and I have not seen my father for decades. That sense of abandonment that a child of divorce feels was something that has motivated many of my choices and actions over the years, and I gave that trait to Abby, too. She is a family lawyer, but specializes in helping disenfranchised women with children leave abusive relationships and start new lives on their own. She empowers women like she wished someone had empowered her mother all those years ago.
Tell us a bit about your publisher: how did you hear about them and what influenced your decision to submit to them? In 2015 I submitted three chapters of the very first romance story I had ever written to a contest. I won my division and Rhonda Penders, one of the publishers of Wild Rose Press, was my judge. She sent me an email after the contest and asked if I could send her the completed manuscript for consideration to publish. Long story short- I did, she liked it and I had my first publishing contract. I have never looked back and I hold Rhonda, R J Morris and THE WILD ROSE PRESS in my heart every single day and am thankful for them all hours of the day.
What book[s] currently rest on your TBR pile? Postscript by Ceclia Ahern.
Lastly, what's up next and when can we expect to see it on the shelves? Book 3 in my Match Made in heaven series will be going to my editor this week and then I am starting to work on Pride of Brothers: Dylan, book 2 in the series. I’ve also got a submission to the summer series from TWRP, TWO SCOOPS OR ONE on spec with my editor.


A bit more about this week's guest: 
Peggy Jaeger is a contemporary romance writer who writes romantic comedies about strong women, the families who support them, and the men who can’t live without them. If she can make you cry on one page and bring you out of tears rolling with laughter the next, she’s done her job as a writer!

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, she 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’s created the families she wanted as that lonely child.

When she’s not writing Peggy is usually painting, crafting, scrapbooking or decoupaging old steamer trunks she finds at rummage stores and garage sales. A lifelong and avid romance reader and writer, Peggy is a member of RWA and her local New Hampshire RWA Chapter.

As a lifelong diarist, she caught the blogging bug early on, and you can visit her at peggyjaeger.com where she blogs daily about life, writing, and stuff that makes her go "What??!"


To learn more about Peggy Jaeger and the stories she creates, go to:
Website/Blog: http://peggyjaeger.com/

 Twitter: https://twitter.com/peggy_jaeger

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

 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Peggy-Jaeger-Author/825914814095072?ref=bookmarks

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


Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13478796.Peggy_Jaeger


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


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


You-Tube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDR8RRIlssIyS0FYZWeGqsg/videos?view_as=subscriber


To purchase A Pride of Brothers: Rick, go to:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B081G7WDP4


Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-pride-of-brothers-peggy-jaeger/1135068636


Applebooks ( Itunes): https://books.apple.com/us/book/a-pride-of-brothers-rick/id1488238197

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Monday, December 23, 2019

Forever In a Moment

Wild Women Authors is pleased to welcome back author Charlotte O’Shay and Samantha DeMartino, heroine of her holiday romance from the Deerbourne Inn series novella FOREVER IN A MOMENT who will go first.
Where are you from? New York, New York. And please call me Sam.
Will do. Tell us a bit about FOREVER IN A MOMENT. The author, Charotte O’Shay, shares the story of how Jed Armstrong and I fell in love.
What did you think the first time you saw Jed? He looked like a stern, pissed off angel.
So not love at first sight? Ha ha. I didn’t think so at the time. But I have come to realize, fate played a role in our meeting that night in the blizzard. 
What do you like most about Jed? He’s soft spoken, supremely capable and patient. 
How would you describe him? Rugged, outdoorsy, athletic— the complete opposite of most of the guys I met in the city. 
How would he describe you? Talkative probably. Opinionated. Still, he tells everyone he fell in love with me at first sight.
What made you choose the law for a career? That’s kind of a sore subject with me. I realized I fell into the profession and when I met Jed and stayed in Willow Springs for a while, my dissatisfaction with my career became more obvious to me. I’ve now gone in a different career direction as a financial counselor and an adult ed/high school teacher and I couldn’t be happier.
What is your biggest fear? To die without ever having lived.
How do you relax? I used to find it tough to relax. But Jed and the people I met in Willow Springs have helped me find some balance between work and play. I love to cook and read, I’m learning to ski.
Who is your favorite fictional character? Okay I will admit something here but don’t judge me. My favorite fictional character is Sam I Am from Dr. Seuss’ “Green Eggs and Ham”. There’s a message to that story I finally took to heart.
What is the best piece of advice you ever received?
Don’t postpone joy. It came at the tail end of an argument I had with someone who’s now a good friend.

Thank you Sam. Now it's time to chat with Charlotte.
What movies or books have had an impact on your career as a writer? The Wizard of Oz is my all time favorite. I’m also a Hitchcock fan. I admire how he crafted his movies.
Tell us a bit about your publisher: how did you hear about them and what influenced your decision to submit to them? I was lucky enough to find The Wild Rose Press through research and query. They are a fantastic small press with a wide range of quality fiction.
What book[s] currently rest on your TBR pile?
K. A. Tucker’s Wild at Heart. Lauren Layne’s Passion on Park Avenue.
Lastly, what's up next and when can we expect to see it on the shelves? Another Deerbourne Inn story called HOME IN YOUR ARMS involving Karla Payne and her second chance at love, in 2020. By the way, FOREVER IN A MOMENT is on sale for the holidays.







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Monday, December 16, 2019

Waiting for a Miracle

          Benjamin Cohen, widowed father of six-year-old Jessie, is doing his best to hold it together through order and routine. The last thing he needs is his matchmaker mother to set him up with her next door neighbor, no matter how attractive she is.
          Rachel Schaecter's dream of becoming a foster mother is right within her grasp, until her meddlesome neighbor tries to set her up with her handsome son. What's worse? He's the father of her favorite kindergarten student! She can't afford to let anything come between her and her dream, no matter how gorgeous he may be.
          Can these two determined people trust in the miracle of Hanukkah to let love and light into their lives?


Wild Women Authors is pleased to welcome back Jennifer Wilck as she celebrates the release of Waiting for A Miracle, a sweet contemporary romance published by the Wild Rose Press. Jennifer;s brought Rachel Schaecter, a knidergarten teacher with a heart of gold along for the fun.
Where are you from, Rachel? I live in New York City
Tell us a bit about Waiting for a Miracle. It tells the story of how I met and fell in love with Benjamin Cohen, the father of my favorite kindergarten student, and the son of my neighbor.
What did you think the first time you saw Benjamin: That he was the most gorgeous man I’d ever seen. 
Works for us. And your second thought? It was parent/teacher conferences, and since he’s a dad of my student, he’s off limits.
Did you feel it was love at first sight? I couldn’t let myself consider that possibility, originally. Because, again, he’s my student’s father. And when I first met him, I was dating someone else.
What do you like most about him? He’s kind and loyal and smart. He’s supportive of me and my dream, which is to be a foster parent, and he’s sincere. He doesn’t play games.
How would you describe Ben? Physically? Tall, dark hair, gorgeous blue eyes, and, um, very nicely built. He’s thoughtful and careful, a little too organized, an amazing father. He’s a little shy when it comes to dating, but he was married for several years and dating is new to him. I kind of like that about him.
How would he describe you? Oy. I hate questions like these. He likes my hair. It’s red—it always drove me crazy as a kid, but I like it now. I adore his daughter, and he knows it, so I hope he’d say I’m a good teacher. He also knows I’m crazy about chocolate—he bought me chocolate donuts during Hanukkah when he was trying to let me know he liked me. Isn’t that sweet?
What made you choose teaching for a career? I love kids. I’ve always wanted a bunch of my own, but I can’t have them naturally, and my ex-boyfriend didn’t want them. So for a while, being a kindergarten teacher helped me satisfy my love for children. I love teaching them and seeing the look on their faces when they “get” something. And I love how honest and forthright they are.
What is your biggest fear? You mean other than rats (they’re gross)? That somehow dating Benjamin is going to mess up my chances of fostering a child. But he swears he’ll do everything he can to help me, so I’m a little less afraid now. I still hate rats, though.
How do you relax? I live in New York City so I play tourist and go to museums on my downtime.
Who is your favorite fictional character? Mary Poppins. She’s great with kids, and always happy.
What is the best piece of advice you ever received? Trust myself and work for what I want.
Thank you for spending time with us, Rachel. We'd like to chat with Jennifer.
What movies or books have had an impact on your career as a writer? Jane Eyre started my love of romance and dark heroes. Lynn Kurland is one of my favorite authors—she writes amazing time travel romances filled with emotion. I loved musicals as a kid, so The Sound of Music and Mary Poppins were big favorites of mine growing up.
What event in your private life were you able to bring to this story and how do you feel it impacted the novel? I’m Jewish and I like to write about Jewish characters in every-day life, not necessarily during a holiday. However, I was given an opportunity to write a Hanukkah novella and I took it. Because it takes place in New York City, I could show how Hanukkah fits in with other holidays—the variety of decorations you see during the holidays, how other traditions occur at the same time, etc. So it was nice to be able to show how Hanukkah takes place simultaneously with other religious holidays.
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 fantastic. They are so communicative with their authors and really strive to make the publishing process a collaborative effort. I knew several authors already with them who recommended them to me, and then convinced me to submit to my manuscript to them. I’m very glad I did. They also worked really hard with this novella to get it ready for this holiday season, despite how late in the year I submitted to them.
What book[s] currently rest on your TBR pile? Oh my gosh, too many to mention.
Lastly, what's up next and when can we expect to see it on the shelves? I’m writing and editing several manuscripts, and will be contributing to a multi-author series with my book coming out in the fall of 2020.


Jennifer brought an excerpt from Waiting for a Miracle:

          Six-year-old bodies were good at many things— bouncing, hugging, and racing. Rachel was thankful they were also good at hiding her surprise. Never in her wildest dreams did she imagine her favorite student, and her student’s father, would be at her neighbor’s house the same night she was invited to celebrate Hanukkah.
          She met the hard gaze of Jessie’s father across the room. Eyes narrowed as if he suspected her reasons for being here. His broad shoulders were stiff. His jean-clad muscular legs were spread apart in a solid stance. Square hands fisted at his sides, and one of them held a menorah. Did he plan to throw it or club someone with it?
          Giving Jessie a last pat, she rose. With an arm around Jessie, she extended her other hand to her father. “Happy Hanukkah.”
         “Ms. Schaecter.”

         “Mr. Cohen.”

         “Oh, please,” Harriet said, “Such formality between you two. Rachel, this is my son Benny. I mean Benjamin.”
          Benny. Rachel filed the information away for later, along with his flushed skin at the nickname. Interesting.
          “And Benjamin, this is my neighbor, Rachel. We’re not at a school event. You can call each other by your first names.” Harriet pointed at Jessie, who gripped Rachel’s hand so hard, Rachel’s fingers lost their circulation. “Except for you,” Harriet added. “You have to call her Ms. Schaecter.”
          Jessie giggled. “Yes, Grandma.”


To purchase Waiting for a Miracle, go to:

To learn more about Jennifer Wilck and the stories she creates, go to:




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Wednesday, December 4, 2019

How far will she go to discover the truth?

Wild Women Authors is delighted to feature Wild Crime, Book 3 in Julie Howard's Wild Crimes series for the Wild Rose Press.

"I'm a murderer. I'm a murderer. I'm a murderer." 
Those three repeated words, discovered in an old letter, propel Meredith Lowe into a cross-country pursuit to unveiil her dead mother's murky past. Danger stalks Meredith back to Hay City, Idaho as she peels apart the mystery: who is her father, and did her mother kill him? In finding the answer, will a growing love slip through her fingers? 

 Past merges with the present as this story races to its stunning conclusion.   

 Excerpt:

Her hair fell below her waist, ripped free of its ties and weighed down by the warm, lashing rain. The sky-blue dress, so carefully chosen for this night and tried on so many times in her bedroom, was ruined. One strap had torn from her shoulder and dangled down her back. Mud splattered the hem. Sweet Cantaloupe lipstick, a lovely coral that heightened the green in her eyes, was smeared like a bruise on one cheek. She ran.
The high school gym behind her, decorated in crepe paper and curtains, vibrated with electric guitars and teen-aged hormones. Couples gyrated on the dance floor and then disappeared into dark corners. It was late and the Spring Dance was in full throttle. No one would miss her for hours.
Before her, trees dripped moss, barely visible in the darkness. She envisioned the moss brushing her shoulders, low branches snagging in her hair, the possibility of snakes both at her feet and above; this made her hesitate. It would take one scream, one gasp, and he would find her.

About the author:
Julie Howard is the author of the Wild Crime series, and Spirited Quest. She is a former journalist and editor who has covered topics ranging from crime to cowboy poetry. She is a member of the Idaho Writers Guild, editor of the Potato Soup Journal, and founder of the Boise chapter of Shut Up & Write. Learn more at juliemhoward.com.







To purchase Wild Crime, go to:





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Sunday, November 10, 2019

The Very Thought of You

     A perfectionist equine vet. A gorgeous fireman. An unrequited high school crush blazes hot twelve years later.
Reliable Amanda McNeill’s world toppled last summer when Hollywood invaded her family’s horse breeding ranch.    
     Everyone’s moving onward and upward, but she’s in a massive rut. Weary of her label as the dependable older sister, she yearns to throw predictability to the wind and embrace spontaneity. She can be impulsive, even wild, and a hot fling with Jake Cruz might be the sizzle she needs to jump start her life.
     When firefighter Jake Cruz rescues a dog from a hit-and-run, the nearest vet is none other than his high school tutor, Amanda McNeill. Face to face with his former crush, he finds her to be even more beautiful than he remembers, and her charming blushes and heated glances tell him she notices him this time around. While Jake longs to discover if this Amanda matches the girl who starred in his adolescent fantasies, his desire to become fire captain, and earn his family's pride, requires he focus on work, not passion.
     Could his dream woman become his real love or will his professional ambitions extinguish their chances? Once the smoke clears, will Amanda realize Jake isn’t a fling but her hero after all?


Wild Women Authors is pleased to welcome back author Claire Marti as she celebrates the release of Book 2 in her Pacific Vista Ranch series, The Very Thought of You. With Claire today is equine vet Amanda McNeill.
Where are you from? Los Angeles, California
Tell us a bit about The Very Thought of You: The author, Claire Marti, shares the story of how Jake Cruz and I fell in love.
What did you think the first time you saw Jake Cruz? Back when I was a senior in high school, I tutored Jake in math. He was a skinny, shy little freshman. I thought he was sweet, like a little brother. What was your second thought, as in when you saw him several years later? Wow. When I saw him again this year, he’d changed considerably. Now he’s 6’5 and looks like that actor from [the movie] Magic Mike. You know, the firefighter?
Did you feel it was love at first sight? I’m not sure I believe in love at first sight. But it was definitely attraction at first sight. Butterflies in the belly, tingles up the spine type of attraction.
What do you like most about Jake? He is a sweetie beneath his big strong stoic firefighter exterior. His kindness makes me melt.
How would you describe Jake? Resilient, honorable, sweet, and drop-dead gorgeous.
How would he describe you? He tells everyone I’m his first and only love.
What made you choose veterinary medicine for a career? I’ve always loved animals and I knew when I was ten years old that I wanted to be a vet. When we moved to Pacific Vista Ranch, I fell more in love with horses and here I am.
What is your biggest fear? I’d love to say I’m fearless, but I’d be lying. Jake’s a firefighter and every time he goes on a call, I’m afraid he won’t return. But I can’t control that so, don’t tell him I told you, okay?
Our lips are sealed. So with all this stress, how do you relax? Read a good book, ride my horse Bianca, and snuggle with Jake.
Who is your favorite fictional character? Anne Elliot from Persuasion by Jane Austen
What is the best piece of advice you ever received? My sister Dylan told me to ask Jake out.
Thank you for taking tie out of your busy schedule, Amanda. Now it's time to chat with Claire.
What movies or books have had an impact on your career as a writer? So many! I’m a huge Hemingway fan. A Moveable Feast and The Sun Also Rises are two of my favorites. Nora Roberts helped me fall in love with romance––I love her witty dialogue and characters.
Tell us a bit about your publisher: how did you hear about them and what influenced your decision to submit to them? I decided to publish this series myself, so I’m the publisher.
What book[s] currently rest on your TBR pile? Liana de la Rosa’s To Tame a Scandalous Lady, Michele Arris’ See Me, and Sonali Dev’s Pride, Prejudice and Other Flavors.
Lastly, what's up next and when can we expect to see it on the shelves? The third book in my Pacific Vista Ranch series, For The Love of You, is Dylan McNeill and Gabriel DuVernay’s story. Look for it in January 2020.


To purchase The Very Thought of You, to to: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07YNY6JHS/











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Sunday, November 3, 2019

A Stranger in the Family

Wild Women Authors is pleased to feature Wild Rose Press author Nancy S. Reece who is celebrating the release of A Stranger in the Family, a contemporary romantic suspense out of the Crimson Rose line. Nancy has brought along female protagonist, Lyric McKinney-Takeda.
Where are you from? Originally from Shannon, Ireland, I’ve been living and attending school in the Atlanta, Georgia area for the past five years.
Tell us a bit about A Stranger in the Family. It tells of how I met my husband, Colonel Yuri Takeda of the United Russian Republics Special Forces, and our struggles to move past the nasty polarization that comes from working on opposite sides of the conflict our world finds itself embroiled within. As both of us are engineers at heart, Yuri and I desire to leave the military and its headaches behind to work together on a truly new fighter that can take this planet to the stars. But our families are determined to keep us apart for purely political reasons. In our case, the enemy of my enemy is my true love.
What did you think the first time you saw Yuri Takeda? My first thought on meeting Yuri after a conference at the Georgia Institute of Technology on gyroscopic engines, an important component of space going vehicles, was that he was tall. Given that I’m almost six feet tall myself, it was a relief to meet a man I had to look up to in order to appreciate.
What was your second thought? My second thought was he’s a world-class asshole. And he still is, at times. It took a while to figure out that the coldness and distance was only a way of protecting himself from the outside world. We’ve both grown up in families that put duty to country before family, which left us feeling very alone. That shared life experience, along with our passion for flying, also helped us overcome the initial awkwardness in our conversations. Though we both travel quite a bit for our jobs, text messaging and Facetime calls helped ease the loneliness as well as gave us time to really get to know each other, our dreams and our fears.
Was it love at first sight? I was intrigued at first sight, but given our relative positions in our respective organizations it seemed like madness to try and build anything more than a professional friendship. However, I underestimated Yuri’s interest in me, and by the time I realized this was more than ‘like’, we were headed full speed toward a permanent relationship.
What do you like most about him? Yuri is my touchstone. He keeps me grounded when things begin to fall apart. He’s always thinking five steps ahead, which served us well once our relationship was exposed to the press, and we had to make a run for our lives to escape military tribunals for fraternizing with the enemy. Our rough edges mesh well together.
How would you describe him? Intelligent, compassionate, calculating, and sexy as hell.
Works for us; how would Yuri describe you? On a good day or a bad one? A good day, I’m his every wish come true. On a bad day, I’m an Irish Banshee.
Good one! What made you choose the military for a career? My step-father wanted me to marry for political reasons. The only way to assert my independence and escape a loveless marriage was to join the Allied Forces. Given my background in engineering and flying, Research and Development of Future Vessels was a natural fit. Also, with really pissing off my step-father was a delightful bonus.
What is your biggest fear? Being trapped in a life not of my choosing where I’m a doll to be trotted out for special functions and ignored or berated for my intelligence.
How do you relax? I love to swim, I love to fly, almost any outdoor activity really eases my stress.
Who is your favorite fictional character? Frodo from The Lord of the Rings. A perfect example of how it isn’t the size of the hero, it’s the size of the heart inside that hero. The smallest mouse can bring down the mightiest elephant.
What is the best piece of advice you ever received? Live your own truth. Nothing else will feel natural, and the falseness will eat away like a cancer.
Thank you, Lyric for taking the time away from your career, married life and the new baby. [oops, spoiler alert!]. We'd now like to talk with Nancy.
What movies or books have had an impact on your career as a writer? All the books I’ve read have had an impact on my writing. My mother was a librarian, so I grew up among the stacks and card catalogs. Every story fed my imagination, allowing me to grow my own fantasies. As for movies, the ones I enjoy the most are the ones closest to the actual books. There have been several series where the movies disappointed as they varied so wildly from the books.
What event in your private life were you able to bring to this story and how do you feel it impacted the novel? My father was an Aeronautic Engineer, and a flight instructor in the Army Air Corp during WW2. After the war he worked for United Air Lines for more than 35 years. I took my first flight at the age of three months and have loved flying ever since. The careers of Yuri and Lyric are in honor of him, and our shared love of the open skies.
Tell us a bit about your publisher: how did you hear about them and what influenced your decision to submit to them? My publisher is The Wild Rose Press, and I ADORE them! My first fantasy series was published with a small company and I wasn’t terribly happy with the results. I asked several of my friends who have been published by several houses and got their input based upon what this series is about and the books themselves, and the overwhelming response was TWRP. I love my editor, who is so so patient with me, and has really worked hard with me to help the texting messages in this book show up as this encompasses a large portion of the romance between the main characters.
What book[s] currently rest on your TBR pile? Every year I re-read The Lord of the Rings so they stay on my pile. Lately I been reading a lot of fan fiction online, mainly to get out of my own head and clear out the cobwebs.
Lastly, what's up next and when can we expect to see it on the shelves? The next book in the Family Devlyn series, “The Family Business” is ready for my final editing and should be to my editor within the month. I also have a Paranormal I’m finishing titled “Urban Wolf” about a pack of Lycan’s who live in a high-rise downtown.
To learn more about our feature author, go to:
Email: nancyreece62@gmail.com

Website: www.NancySReece.com

To purchase A Stranger in the Family, go to:
Amazon.com

BN.com

www.thewildrosepress.com/


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Friday, November 1, 2019

Sinners' Opera

          Morgan D'Arcy is an English lord, a classical pianist, and a vampire. He has everything except what he desires most—Isabeau. As the Angel Gabriel he’s steered her life and career choice, preparing her to become Lady D'Arcy. Many forces oppose Morgan's daring plan—not the least of which is Vampyre law.
          Isabeau Gervase is a brilliant geneticist Though she no longer believes in angels, she sees a ticket to a Nobel Prize in Gabriel's secrets—secrets that have led her to a startling conclusion. Gabriel isn't human, and she fully intends to identify the species she named the Angel Genome.
          Morgan is ready to come back into Isabeau's life, but this time as a man not an angel. Will he outsmart his enemies, protect his beloved and escape death himself? For the first time in eternity, the clock is ticking.

Wild Women Authors is pleased to welcome Linda Nightingale, author of Sinners' Opera, a recent release out of the Wild Rose Press and protagonist, Isabeau Gervase.

Where are you from, Isabeau? Beaufort, South Carolina. I now live on lovely, historic Orange Street in Charleston and work as a geneticist at Life Gen, a genetics and stem cell laboratory. I love Charleston. From the Antebellum mansions along the Battery to the cobbled streets that mottle the city, Charleston is a treat. To describe the city would take my entire time. My love affair with an English lord played to the backdrop of Charleston’s famous Battery and to the sound of the waves crashing against the seawall. This time, too, will remain a part of Charleston to me.
Tell us a bit about Sinners’ Opera. You’ve heard the quote, “It was the best of times. It was the worst of times.” This describes my part in our intense love story...ours was a Sinners’ Opera, but I wouldn’t spare the tears to miss the dance. Morgan D’Arcy is beautiful, arrogant, talented, but there is darkness in him. He’s a vampire, a real one, but not a reanimated corpse. He’s a viral mutation of human DNA. The result resembles but is not like homo sapiens. For five months, we lived our idyll on the Battery. Morgan turned my life into a fairytale, and I love him still, will never love another. When the whole thing crashed down, I was shattered. He was my everything. Our story is passionate, sometimes thrilling, witty as Morgan himself, and as much about obsession as it is about the kind of love that comes once in a lifetime. Such love comes only to a man once because mortals are not strong enough to bear it twice.
What did you think the first time you saw Morgan? That he was an angel. Morgan D’Arcy was a man, a beautiful man, playing a grand piano, but he looked exactly like the angel who used to appear to me when I was a child. My earliest recollection of Gabriel was at two when I cried for the light to stay on, but my mother switched it off anyway. My angel turned it back on for me. He asked me not to tell anyone, and he became my imaginary friend.
What was your second thought? That he was the handsomest man I’d ever seen, and in his tux the most elegant and sophisticated. You have to understand—Morgan is a presence, a feast for the senses, and the most talented pianist I’ve  heard.
Did you feel it was love at first sight? Yes. He was my Gabriel. Twenty-five years before that concert, I’d known he was kind, affectionate, and caring. I remembered the feel of that silky blond hair drifting through my little fingers, those eyes so blue they put the July sky to shame. He was my guardian angel, and I loved him already.
What do you like most about him? I’m not sure. He tells me often that I’m beautiful, intelligent, and fun to be with, but now I’m not certain I believe these compliments. My innovative thinking, I suppose, and the fact that I can rub elbows with people from academia to the man on the street. I know he likes the sex.
How would you describe him? He’s 6’2” of gorgeous. He’s blond with long hair, big beautiful blue eyes, and a perfect body. He is a passionate and tender lover, and the easiest man in the world to fall in love with. He will enchant you. When he walks into a room, every woman, from spinster to teenager, stares at him. He makes people smile. He will make you his princess, but he is not always what he seems.
How would he describe you? As the woman he wants to marry, but his reasons behind this trouble me. I know his DNA isn’t human. I haven’t quantified the difference quite yet, but I’m working on it. I call his DNA my ‘angel genome’. Physically, in his aristocratic accent, he’d describe me as 5’8” tall, highlighted light-brown hair, and a quick mind. I know my career has something to do with it, but his purpose escapes me. I don’t believe in coincidence.
What made you choose to be a geneticist? My Angel Gabriel. He predicted one
day I’d hold the basis of life in my hands, that I’d be a geneticist. I love my work,
wouldn’t change professions. I love examining what makes a person the person
they are, from a genetic point-of-view. My career is fascinating, and I don’t regret
my choice at all, but I do wonder why ‘geneticist’ when the field was nowhere near
as advanced as it is now.
What is your biggest fear? That I’ll return to Morgan and our idyll by the sea…or that I won’t. Most of me longs for him, but I must stay away. I lose myself in him, become someone else. I regret leaving, but I can’t go back, you see.
How do you relax? I listen to music, read, or hang out with my friend Kirsty. Music, of course, I like piano. Books I like romance, sci-fi and fantasy. Kirsty has been my best friend since grade school.
Who is your favorite fictional character? Dorian Gray. In a way, Morgan resembles him, but not the seediness or innate darkness of spirit.
What is the best piece of advice you ever received? From Kirsty…Never return to Morgan. He devours you body and soul. I don’t know. She didn’t live as his lover or be the princess in his fairytale. He left me alone to work; never interfered. I just don’t know.
This has been most enlightening, Isabeau. Thank you for sharing your love and your pain with us. It couldn't have been easy. Now, it's time to speak with your creator, Linda Nightingale.
What movies or books have had an impact on your career as a writer?
“Interview with a Vampire”, in part I guess. I liked the surreal qualities and the drama. When I was young, I read the old gothic romances—Mary Stewart, Victoria Holt, Jean Plaidy, for some. I read one super romance about the Doan Boys, Quaker outlaws during the American Revolution, called “Firebrand”, and that book stays with me today. I love to read, be transported to another life and world, put under a spell so that you surface from the book when it is over. That’s what I strive for in every book I’ve written.
What event in your private life were you able to bring to this story and how do you feel it impacted the novel? This book is purely fiction. If my life had anything to do with it, I’ve been left before, and I could write the pain. Oh, and I made my ex-husband the villain though he wasn’t the one who left me. I wrote briefly about the Andalusian horse, as I always do, because I love the breed. I bred trained and showed the Andalusian for many happy years. Sinners’ Opera is a long figment of my imagination.
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 publisher, and I’d recommend them to both writers and readers. They publish between 4 and 5 books per week and are very well known in publication circles. For several years, they’ve won the Best Publisher in the Preditors & Editors Poll. They are currently seeking submissions, and often run special calls. I heard about them from a friend and fellow author Beth Trissel. What she told me about them and what I found out when I did my research influenced me to submit. I don’t regret that decision.
What book[s] currently rest on your TBR pile? A classic old gothic, the Mary Stewart Merlin trilogy; the final in the Game of Thrones series, and the list goes on. Like the old saying, “My eyes were bigger than my belly,” my case is, “My stack is bigger than my eyes.” Between promoting, being fairly active on The Wild Rose Press loop (supportive group of authors), writing, and doing general living things, my reading time is woefully limited. Last week, I joined the Elks Lodge BPOE #1206, and I plan to devote some time to their charitable works. So, I’m now an Elk!
Lastly, what's up next and when can we expect to see it on the shelves? Yesterday, I received my rights to Sinners’ Obsession back from the original publisher. It is the sequel to Sinners’ Opera, but it has yet to even be submitted. I’m working on Mr. Piano Man, a companion story to Sinners’ Opera, starring Morgan, of course. It’s told in a frame, beginning in the roaring 80s in Charleston, flashing back to WWII during the Blitz in England for an entire story; The story then returns to 1989 for the conclusion. When either of them will see light is a ways away. The next probably is Life for Sale, the sequel to Love For Sale. It is at least with my editor! I’ve more ideas than time it seems.

Linda brought along an excerpt for us:

Isabeau halted inches from Morgan, and a wonderful sense of release flooded her. Against a backdrop of stone and fragrant flower, he stood alone. People moved but they were outside the sphere of power he radiated.
“Isabeau.” His voice still enchanted, but his expression twisted her heart.
A band tightened around her chest. Why was he frowning?
Morgan didn’t touch her with his hands. His gaze touched her like a physical caress. “You needn’t go home with him.”
She shook her head. “I can’t just leave him.”
His voice dropped an octave, eyes dark, stormy. “Will you sleep with him?”
The question was too personal for strangers. Yet she wasn’t offended. He took her hands, and he took her breath away. She longed to counter with, “Will you sleep with the brunette tonight?” but, gazing into his eyes, she couldn’t speak.
“You hesitate. Is it such a difficult question? Are you going to bed with him?” He trapped his lower lip between sharp-looking incisors.
She glanced at his hands—cool, strong, elegant—and his grip tightened. “No, not tonight. Nor ever again I think.”
How could total strangers speak vows, ignore polite banter to dive to the heart? But they weren’t strangers, were they? She didn’t know when, but her belief that Morgan was Gabriel had solidified. Too many similarities teased her; coincidence not a word in her vocabulary.
The anger faded from his eyes, again luminescent blue. “Good.”
People scattered to a staccato of rain. A hand at her waist, he guided her into the shadow of an eave, shielding her from the storm. Sheet lightning flashed across the sky. Thunder crashed as the storm gathered momentum. Even in darkness, she could see his eyes. He seemed to have stopped breathing, seemed on the verge of a confession. She waited, trembling inside.
To purchase Sinners’ Opera in print and eBook go to:

https://books.apple.com/us/book/sinners-opera/id1478753329

https://www.amazon.ca/Sinners-Opera-Obsession-Linda-Nightingale-ebook/dp/B07X3RSRXQ

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sinners-Opera-Obsession-Linda-Nightingale-ebook/dp/B07X3RSRXQ

https://www.amazon.com/Sinners-Opera-Obsession-Linda-Nightingale-ebook/dp/B07X3RSRXQ

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sinners-opera-linda-nightingale/1115919206?ean=2940160871097

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/search?query=Sinners+Opera

About Linda:
     After 14 years in Texas, Linda just returned home to her roots. She has seven published novels, four of which are available from Audible.com in audio. For many years, she bred, trained and showed Andalusian horses. So, she’s seen a lot of this country from the windshield of a truck pulling a horse trailer. Linda has won several writing awards, including the Georgia Romance Writers’ Magnolia Award and the SARA Merritt.
     She retired from a career as a legal assistant at MD Anderson Cancer Center to write full time. She has 2 wonderful sons—one in Texas; one in England—and 4 equally marvelous grandchildren. She loves horses, sports cars, music, and piano, and enjoys dressing up and hosting formal dinner parties.

To learn more about Linda Nightingale and the stories she creates, go to:







BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/linda-nightingale





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Sunday, October 27, 2019

The Rancher Needs a Wife

WANTED: Workaholic cowboy needs hardy woman to manage household and motley family. “Girly” widows, with small children, who sell naughty lingerie need not apply.

          Overprotective big brother and ranch owner, Carter Peters, draws the short straw at a contrived family meeting, to buy his stepmom’s sixtieth birthday present. He never imagines while on the present-buying quest he’ll get zapped with cupid’s arrow by a feisty southern belle, single mom, and lingerie shop owner who is so wrong for him and has off-limits written all over her. He has no time for romance—he has a ranch to run and a father who, despite being “retired,” can’t help micro-manage. Dad insists Carter’s new-fangled ways won’t work.
          Lynette Mercer wants nothing to do with the tall, sexy, and slightly bashful cowboy who walks through her door. Okay, maybe just a little. They could be friends. After all, she’s vowed not to date until her four-year old reaches the ripe age of thirty-six. She’s recovering from the death of her husband in a marriage turned bad, and starting a new business.
          With new friends and Carter’s family determined to marry him off, neither stand a chance against cupid or a town full of caring folks.

Good morning, Lynette, Tell us a bit about yourself, starting with Where are you from? A small town near Atlanta, Georgia.

Tell us about The Rancher Needs a Wife, Book two in the Cowboys of Mineral Springs series. Well, I declare. I just moved to Mineral Springs with my four-year-old daughter. I’ve opened a lingerie shop, much needed in this small Colorado ranching town. The local women are flocking through the door—or will be soon. Men, not so much, until a tall, broad-shouldered, Stetson carrying, and a bit bashful cowboy walks through the door. That’s how I meet Carter. And as much as I do not need a man, he is intriguing. Well, glory, the story goes on from there, where we keep running into each other. His sister, four brothers, friends, and step-mom are set on finding Carter a wife. Y’all will have to stop in and see how this all turns out.

What did you think the first time you saw Carter Peters? Mighty handsome, but like a rainbow trout tossed out of the churning creek that runs into the Roaring Fork River, when he walked into the too pink and frilly forbidden territory. A lot nervous. A lot handsome. Man of few words and itching to get away from my shop. But I lured him deeper into the land of nightgowns and what-nots. I have to admit, I was intrigued and set it up so he’d most likely invite me to lunch. Thank goodness my Mama still lives in Georgia, or she’d have been appalled by my brazen behavior. I couldn’t help the flutter in my tummy and my need to get to know a real honest-to-goodness and heavenly handsome rancher.

Un huh. So, what was your second thought? Lordy, my second thought was to hold on to my flaming cheeks and hope he skedaddled right on out of my store. I had no time, nor inclination to get close to any man at this juncture in my life. No siree, none at all. I have a daughter to raise and a business to run and…

What do you like most about Carter? His kindness. He’s a gentleman through and through. And a bit mysterious. Quiet. Not giving much away about himself. And very serious about his family and business.

How would you describe him? I think I’ve done that already. Handsome. Charming in a shy way. A man’s man who treats a woman like a precious stone. But he can get carried away in that protective sort of way. Thinking he has to always do for a woman. Like she can’t do it herself. Annoying, but endearing.

How would Carter describe you? Oh, lordy, I have no idea. I do know he looked me up and down when we first met. I think he liked what he saw, since he blushed and stammered and fiddled with the brim of his Stetson. But truthfully, I think I scared him a wee bit. Especially when he found out I had a four-year old.

What made you choose to sell what some would call naughty lingerie? Oh mercy me, I don’t sell naughty lingerie. I sell beautiful, feminine, make-you-feel-good lingerie. Every woman, whether she’s wraslin’ a cow or dressing for her man needs to feel good, even when no one sees what’s underneath. But, oh my, when that someone special’s eyes cloud over when he sees you in that lime green chiffon…well, never mind the details. You’ll have to wait and see. But back to the question…I grew up working in the family grocery so I know retail. Groceries aren’t all that exciting, but I always loved fabric and color and design. I decided being a clothing designer wasn’t for me, despite the fact I loved it. So, opening a lingerie store, whether selling functional or extravagant wear, seemed the perfect match for me.

What is your biggest fear? Well, truthfully, I have two big fears. Losing those I love. And losing control of my life. By that I mean being controlled or over-protected by someone else. Oh lordy, I just realized both my fears have to do with loss.

How do you relax? Relax? Single mom, business owner, new in town. Oh glory me, I haven’t relaxed since I moved to town several months ago. But spending time with my adorable baby girl, Gaby, is my way of relaxing. And I do love a good party, although being a single mom leaves little time for that. I soon discover the folks in Mineral Springs seem to have a knack for throwing good parties, and they always include the kids.

Who is your favorite fictional character? Barbie. Sorry. Don’t laugh. But she was my childhood inspiration that led me to go to design school. Alas, life got in the way, but my love of fashion (and Barbie) led me to where I am today, the owner of a lingerie shop. But I do love design and, every once in a while, I tend to dabble. If you could see my daughter’s bedroom, and her line-up of my old Barbie’s all dressed in my hand-made designs. Now that I’ve met the Peters family, I may get to dabble in designing for real-life people.

What is the best piece of advice you ever received? My Daddy and Mama, being good southern parents, are full of advice. Here are some of their pearls that I still take to heart. Daddy, always the practical one, used to say “Never leave a mess for the customer to see.” So I live by all the customer services rules of going above and beyond for a customer. When I used to have problems, Daddy would say, “Every team has turn-overs, Sugar. What counts is how fast you get the ball back.” He taught me to own my mistakes and solve problems.
My Mama’s pearl of wisdom about handling an ornery man was, “lemons were meant to make lemonade—sweeten the pot, darlin’.” Us southern women are bred to make a man happy. Although, unbeknownst to the men, we do always keep the upper hand, even while we sweeten the pot to make them forget their mad.

We thank you for speaking with us, Lynette. It's now time to put Delsora under the spotlight. What movies or books have had an impact on your career as a writer? Anything associated with romance, whether books or movies. And pretty much any romance genre. I know way too many authors now, either in person or having discovered them on loops, which means more and more books. I do like to read different genres than contemporary when I am writing my first draft. I guess it’s because it gets me out of my own head and I can get lost in a story unlike my own. I’m one who underlines great lines on my Kindle. I always say I’ll go back to read those lines, but I read so many books, I never do. But it makes me happy to underline and reread a great line while I am in the story. It also helps me see different ways of writing a scene or a character.

What event in your private life were you able to bring to this story and how do you feel it impacted the novel? As with my first book in this series, The Prince’s Son, it is based on an area where my daughter lived, up in the mountains of Colorado. I have a vision of where she lived when I write this series, and I use different locations or events in the area to add reality-based texture to the story. The background of my cover for the second book, The Rancher Needs a Wife, released on October 20, is a photo taken by my daughter. In fact, if you go to my website, you will see lots of photos taken by her. And I have a blog about book one up on my website (originally on Wild Women Authors in April 2019) where you will see more photos taken by my daughter. The organic cattle farm is based on one in the areas she lived in (near Carbondale, CO) and there is a scene in the book about a cattle drive down the main street that my daughter witnessed. I have a great photo that she took of that cattle drive on my website, in a blog about writing small town romance.

Tell us a bit about your publisher: how did you hear about them and what influenced your decision to submit to them? My books are self-published, under the name Beach Plum Publishing, I have a great team with whom I work closely, including two editors, a formatter, and a cover artist. I will have a traditionally published book about a Vermont holiday, which will be out next year.

What book[s] currently rest on your TBR pile? This is an ever changing pile, as I read a lot of books. On my TBR pile is the latest book by Susan Vaughan, Hidden Obsession. Primal Obsession was the first book (and a stand-alone). An excellent romantic thriller. I was on the edge of my chair throughout, and I absolutely loved the romance. I’m almost finished with Jen Gilroy’s latest, The Wishing Tree in Irish Falls, and I can’t wait to see what happens, yet don’t want it to end. Loved her first series, based in Vermont. Then I’m starting It Started With Joy by Cindy Kirk. Right now, most of the books on my pile are holiday books, as I will be doing a blog in November about holiday reads – some authors I will read are Donna Alward, RaeAnne Thayne, Jill Shavlis, Marianne Rice, Roni Denholtz, and Amy Andrews (a new author to me), plus others not yet discovered. One will be a new anthology Romancing the Holidays by eleven authors I have never read, from Australia, New Zealand, England and elsewhere. It will be out in early November.
Lastly, what's up next and when can we expect to see it on the shelves? As mentioned above, I am working on the Vermont sweet romance. I hope to also get out the next two books in the Cowboys of Mineral Springs sometime in 2020. I have a Galway Cove novella series that I would like to start editing and get out in the next year or two. So, lots going on, but never enough time to do it all.

Delsora brought along an excerpt: 
     She finished a dance with Rocky, a cowboy who had grown up on the ranch with Mitch Peters. He left her breathless as he twirled her around the floor in a lively two-step that she finally gotten the hang of. “My, oh my, you have some fancy foot-work.”
     The older man blushed. “Thank you, ma’am. I ‘preciate the dance.”
     “I’m tuckered out.” She fanned her face with her hand. “I’m going to duck out for a breath of air. Thank you again, Rocky.”
     She drifted through the wide doorway, regaining a bit of energy once the cool air hit her warm body. She headed toward the edge of the large yard leading to the ranch house. The music dimmed. Dusk settled around her.
     When she reached the green lawn, she turned and looked back toward the barn. Soft light spilled from the open doors, picking up the glint of pebbles scattered over the dirt drive. The thin line of gray-blue sky outlined the surrounding mountain tops and blended into midnight black above her head.
     She arched her back and swept her hair up in one hand to cool off her neck while she took in the breathtaking display of twinkling stars. The full moon shoved its way free of a drifting cloud to shine bright, casting shadows across the rugged landscape.
     The crisp air and slight breeze brushed over her to dry the perspiration after her exertion on the dance floor. A shiver zipped through her, the night chill in contrast to the heated barn full of moving bodies and pulsing music.
     “You cold?”
     Out of the shadows near the barn came the deep voice she’d longed to hear all night. She turned toward the wide expanse of barn silhouetted against the moonlight. 
     Carter sauntered from the shadows, removing his light-weight jacket. He stopped inches away, his presence sucking the air from her lungs, and draped his jacket around her shoulders. The scent of pine and leather and Carter wafted up to surround her.
     Oh, lordy. She wanted to swoon.

The Rancher Needs a Wife can be purchased at:
Amazon:

and Books2Read books2read.com/u/bxv56d

To learn more about Delsora Lowe, go to:

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