Life For Sale

. . . A sentient, human-like android and his owner race to

stop an insane robot before someone else dies . . .

Wild Women Authors is pleased to feature Life for Sale, a

current fantasy romance release out of the Wild Rose

Press by author Linda Nightingale.

Mayfair Electronics has created life.

But four of their Special Editions—sentient androids indistinguishable from human—have escaped. Rebel, Christian Aguillard and his owner, March, are on the run, but they have a bigger problem than his creator's plan to destroy him. They've discovered that one of the renegades has suffered a dangerous malfunction, threatening them with more than just exposure.

Trapped on a cruise ship in the middle of the Atlantic, March and Christian must stop the insane robot before someone else dies. All the evidence points to March being the killer's next victim.

We recently spent time with Christian Aguillard from Life for Sale. We'll forego the usual routine and let him introduce himself. Hello everyone! I’m Christian Aguillard. I’m a rocket scientist. Please don’t laugh. I am an aerospace engineer, but my job doesn’t define my life. I’m married to a wonderful woman named March, my owner. We don’t have children and never will though we both would like kids. I’m a sentient android created by Mayfair Electronics, Ltd., London. I’d like to say that being an android doesn’t define my life, but I’d be lying. It isn’t about android rights. I discovered the true purpose of Mayfair’s Special Editions in Love For Sale. March and I wrote a sequel, Life for Sale, about our journey since that revelation.

How did you meet March Morgan, since she lived in Houston and you hail from England?

March saw a small classified ad in a women’s journal and booked an appointment to meet the others and me. In the ad, Mayfair discreetly offered “Love for Sale”. She said she was nervous when she boarded a plane to London and even more when it came to signing on the dotted line and almost wiping out her 401K to purchase me.

Since you are sentient and totally human-like, do you have emotions—feelings like the human being you replicate? Yes, very much so. And those feelings can be hurt, just as your feelings can be hurt. For all intents and purposes, we are human.

At birth, a distinct personality is instilled into each of us. When we are adopted, intricate data from a personal questionnaire completed by the applicant is fed into our memory banks, then being incorporated into that personality.

We’re being placed in a process rather like adoption because the populace at large isn’t ready to accept another life form, as it were. If we were public knowledge, there’d be the usual hue and cry, doubtless to say more than the protests against cloning. Companions custom-programmed for love and devotion would threaten the tenuous relationships between men and women everywhere, don’t you think? And the truth—Mayfair never intended us for companions. That was only the test of whether we’d be accepted as human. I almost lost my life when I discovered the true purpose in Love For Sale. In Life for Sale, we take on a powerful new foe—insanity as well as exposure and return to Mayfair to die.

Why didn’t Mayfair launch a high-profile advertising campaign to promote and sell the Special Editions? There must be many who’d love the opportunity to have such a companion programmed for you and you alone. That would be a spoiler for Love For Sale. The real reason we weren’t promoted to the general public is two-fold. We were supposed to prove we could totally pass for human, and the very real fear that we wouldn’t be accepted at all by the populace at large. People might see us as creepy or be threatened—androids taking my job, my girlfriend or boyfriend, husband or wife. It was too risky.

Tell me three words that describe you starting with A, B, and C. Ambitious, Beatiful, and Charming. Beautiful and charming are very subjective, of course. I’ll just take March’s word for it.

Who would you love most to meet 'in person' and why? Ben Skora – He was an American inventor residing in Palos Hills, Illinois who specialized in robotics and electro-gadget automation in homes. He often worked with spare parts obtained from junk yards or discarded by others. In the late 1970s, he built Arok, a humanoid robot that was highly advanced at the time. Arok was able to move in any direction at speeds up to 3 mph, lift 125 pounds and can bend 45 degrees at the waist. The robot could perform routine household tasks, including serving drinks, taking out the trash, and walking the dog.

His home included many of his creations including a drivable motorized easy chair, a soap dispenser that is a retractable hand that comes out of the wall on demand, dressers that slide away to reveal a hallway to another room and a ski slope from the roof.

If you could go back in time, where would you go? Illinois in the late 1970s to meet Ben Skora and Arok.

Will there be more books in your series? Daniel, a brother android created by the same designer, is demanding a book of his own. So, probably yes. Linda is toying with the title of Love for a Song since Daniel is, or was, an opera singer.

What is your favorite part of this book and why? Oddly enough, my favorite part of Life for Sale was a quiet time, but one of the most horrible times. We stood together in the darkness of a moonless night, simply holding each other and letting the disgust of what we’d had to do slide off us.

What is your favorite color? Red with blue running a close second.

What is your pet name for March? I don’t have one. She calls me honey-bunny. Pardon me if I blush.

Do you have a pet? Yes. The cat March had before she and I met. Her name is Mugs. She’s an orange marmalade with long hair and the biggest green eyes.

What’s your favorite place to visit? Because Mayfair is searching for me, I haven’t traveled much. March and I spent a few days in the Turks and Caicos, and it was beautiful. Plenty to keep yourself amused. The snorkeling off Smith’s Reef is spectacular.

If you could relive a day from your past, which day would it be? The day March purchased me. She was so happy and excited. Yet I could read from her body that she was out of her comfort zone. Her happiness infected me, but I’d already fallen in love with her before that module was loaded. In the cab on the way to her hotel, we couldn’t keep our hands off each other. The anticipation and the building passion were amazing. If you’ve ever been in love and known that in minutes you were going to express that feeling for the first time, that’s how I felt. I was a virgin! But we soon remedied that situation.

Thanks, Kat, for allowing me to introduce myself to your readers. It was a pleasure meeting you.

To purchase Life For Sale, go to:

Like Mayfair Electronics, The Wild Rose Press is offering Love for Sale at http://tinyurl.com/nu5jyrl

and at Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Life-Sale-Tomorrows-Angels-Book-ebook/dp/B08D2Z5XLC/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=life+for+sale+linda+nightingale&qid=1595115169&sr=8-1

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LNightingale

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

Web Site: http://www.lindanightingale.com

Blog: https://lindanightingale.wordpress.com/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4839311.Linda_Nightingale

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/lbnightingale1/

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Linda-Nightingale/e/B005OSOJ0U

Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/linda-nightingale

Love, Art, and Other Obstacles

 Wild Women Authors is pleased to welcome back Wild Rose Press author Sadira Stone as she celebrates the release of Love, Art and Other Obstacles. With Sadira is potter and part-time teacher Elmer Byrne who will go first.

Good morning, Elmer, tell us a bit about yourself, beginning with where you are from. I was born in a tiny rural town in Oregon and grew up in various foster homes in Eugene.

Tell us a bit about Love, Art, and Other Obstacles. Margot DuPont and I started out as competitors for an art grant we both desperately needed, since we’re both—well, not starving artists, but barely getting by, you know? It’s hard to break into the art world without a patron. Our mutual friend and surrogate grandmother Maxie encouraged us to sign up for this competition for emerging artists.

     When we met in Book Nirvana, where Margot works, I thought she was cute—but she disliked me on the spot. Not fair, right? She’d seen me flirting with one of her co-workers a while ago and decided I was the trifling, playboy type. Totally not true. I’m a one-woman man. I was just between women at the moment.

     Anyway, our love for Maxie brought us together, then the competition pitted us against each other. When Margot showed up at the youth arts center where I teach ceramics classes, I got to know her a little better. She let her guard down, we went on a few dates, and—wowsa! I’ve never experienced such hot chemistry.

     The trouble is, she had this on-again, off-again relationship with another woman who, by the way, was just using her. Margot didn’t see it that way and thought I was trying to clip her wings. Convincing her otherwise was not easy.

What did you think the first time you saw Margot? I shook her hand and—this is gonna sound cliché, but I felt a spark running right up my arm and dancing in my gut like fireflies. That spiky, pink-tipped hair, those huge indigo eyes, that snarky grin—she slayed me.

Works for us. And your second thought? Then she opened her mouth, and a bolt of snark shot out. I believe my exact words were, “Prickly little shrew.”

Hah! Good one. So it wasn't love at first sight? Nah, because to really love someone, you have to know them. But it was definitely strong attraction at first sight. I was intrigued as hell.

What is it about her that you like the most? Margot’s so bright—in every possible way, you know? Her personality, her spirit, her punk-fairy style, her sharp eyes and sharp, spiked hair and snarky armor. But inside, she’s so soft—generous and sweet and scared to be vulnerable. And she’s—well, a gentleman doesn’t talk about that. Let’s just say she’s an amazing kisser.

How would you describe her? Like I said, she’s a spiky little sprite. She thinks fast, moves fast, talks fast. It takes a lot of patience to get her to drop her armor.

How would she describe you? She calls me Redbeard, like the pirate. She’d say I’m too flirty, and a softie inside. And persistent.

What made you choose ceramics as a career? I love how my art lets me combine form and function. The pieces I make—beer mugs, dishes, even water fountains—let me add artistic surprises to something that feels good in your hand and is useful in your daily life—not just something you hang on a wall and forget about.

What is your biggest fear? We’re not related by blood, but my chosen family is my lifeblood all the same. We hold each other up. Losing them would destroy me.

How do you relax? Besides pummeling clay? I like hanging out with the six artists I share a house with. We play video games, listen to music, cook, laugh—or sometimes I just find a quiet corner and read my sci-fi collection.

Who is your favorite fictional character? It’s corny, but I’d have to say Captain Kirk.

What is the best piece of advice you ever received? Let people be who they are.

And you showed that very well in the book. Thanks for spending time with us, Elmer. We'd like to chat with Sadira now.

What movies or books have had an impact on your career as a writer? I love slow-burn, steamy romances with either friend-to-lovers or enemies/rivals-to-lovers, whether contemporary or historical. Some favorite authors: Tessa Dare, Courtney Milan, Sarah MacLean, Sonali Dev, Beverly Jenkins, Alicia Rai, Alyssa Cole, Olivia Waite… I strive to make my stories as polished and moving as theirs.

What event in your private life were you able to bring to this story and how do you feel it impacted the novel? I love the art world. If time and money were no object, I’d take ALL the art classes—so it was fun to explore two new-to-me art forms in this book: graphic design and ceramics. I interviewed two young graphic designers and took ceramics classes to add authentic details to LAOO.

Tell us a bit about your publisher: how did you hear about them and what influenced your decision to submit to them? Author Marie Tuhart, a friend from my local RWA chapter (Olympia, Washington) recommended The Wild Rose Press as a solid, professional small press. I’ve found them very supportive.

What book[s] currently rest on your TBR pile? So many! Up next: Jasmine Guillory’s Royal Holiday, Robin Lovett’s Toxic Desire, and Adrianna Herrera’s American Sweethearts.

Lastly, what's up next and when can we expect to see it on the shelves? I’m working on a steamy (of course) contemporary Christmas romance set in a neighborhood tavern in my hometown of Tacoma, Washington. This will be my first indie-published book and first in a series of at least four.

To purchase Love, Art, and Other Obstacles, go to:

Amazon Barnes & Noble Apple Books Kobo Google Play

To connect with Sadira Stone, go to:

Author Website Facebook Twitter Goodreads Bookbub Amazon Author Page Pinterest Instagram Author Newsletter

Forever Kind Of Woman

 Wild Women Authors is pleased to welcome back author Susan Payne as she celebrates the release of Forever Kind of Woman, a historical romance out of the Wild Rose Press. First up is physician Tess McLeish.

Where are you from? “I was born in Ohio, traveled to Michigan with my father where I attended medical school, then to Chicago where I trained with my husband the famous Torrey McLeish and then to Forever, Texas.”

Tell us a bit about Forever Kind of Woman. “I went there to marry a doctor in need of a help-mate as well as wife. I wanted to use my training to help women with breast cancer. We are now just beginning to treat these patients with the kind of surgery and pain care they deserve. I want to open a clinic where that can be done.”

What did you think the first time you saw Sheriff Noah Carter? “I was so set on seeing my fiancé waiting for my arrival, I’m afraid I sort of over-looked him. I mean if its possible to over look a man over six feet tall, broad and good-looking. He certainly took my breath away once I did pay attention.” 

And your second thought? “That this man was capable and loyal and deserved a woman in his life.”

Did you feel it was love at first sight? “No, but it didn’t take too long. I was waiting for my fiancé to make up his mind which meant I wasn’t going to jeopardize that for anything or anyone. I needed to marry Dr. Waverly. None of the plan worked without doing so.”

What do you like most about Sheriff Carter? “That he doesn’t take long to form a plan. He does things on the run which is how being a sheriff probably works best. I have more time to come to a decision for the most part. I mean in a medical emergency I work quickly, but there are certain procedures that take over. That must be done under certain conditions. It’s not the same. Plus, people aren’t usually shooting at me as I do my job.”

How would you describe Sheriff Carter? “Physically he’s an excellent specimen of a man. His character is without doubt. His sense of duty strong. His knowledge of right and wrong unstoppable.”

How would he describe you? “Head-strong, definitely will be in there along with capable, determined, knowledgeable…I like to think he’s proud to know me.”

What made you choose doctoring as a career? “I am actually a trained surgeon. Many doctors have never nor will ever perform surgery. It isn’t for the feint of heart, I assure you. Now that Chloroform is being used, there have been more progress. Prior to that, we had to cut into patients wide awake and screaming while others held them down. I am glad there are more humane ways of dealing with such things.”

What is your biggest fear? “That Noah will get hurt and I will be unable to help him or sure him. I guess that’s what love does to a person. Makes them fear losing the thing they love the most.”

How do you relax? “I read, I like to sit quietly under the stars and I knit to keep my fingers nimble for suturing. I guess I’m pretty boring over all. I’m not sure what my stalker found so intriguing about me.”

Who is your favorite fictional character? “Aouda, the woman in Jules Verne’s Around the World in Eighty days. She was married against her will. I suppose I identify her since I, too, married where there was no love.”

What is the best piece of advice you ever received? “To be true to myself, from my father. My husband taught me to be flexible since practicing medicine isn’t a game that follows concise rules. You need to handle the veritable that always occur.”

Thank you Tess for taking time out of your busy practice to speak with us. Now we'd like to chat with Susan.

What movies or books have had an impact on your career as a writer? “All the old west movies that Hollywood could produce. I watched them and absorbed their very essence. No one actor or writer or producer. I watched them all with rapt attention.”

What event in your private life were you able to bring to this story and how do you feel it impacted the novel? “The fact that stalkers are not new. Anyone can become a victim and although they are unpleasant, we can deal with them so much quicker now. So many ways to track someone can be reversed to track your stalker.”

Tell us a bit about your publisher: how did you hear about them and what influenced your decision to submit to them? “I found The Wild Rose Press last year and submitted my Sweetwater Series for self-publishing. Then I submitted some other works and they put me under contract.

Lastly, what's up next and when can we expect to see it on the shelves? “The next out, I believe is the anthology of Regency Christmas stories. Then Rescued By a Highlander and The Texas Ranger and the Professor. A couple more historical westerns, Three Sisters and another Regency, Blind Faith.”

Susan brought an excerpt from Forever Kind of Woman: 

     Tess felt pretty good about her week’s work and sat on the back porch, watching the sun go down. Looking over to the sheriff’s house, she saw he was striped to the waist, washing his underarms then his torso. She was mesmerized by the long strokes he made over his tan skin, the muscles bunching and stretching as he washed then rinsed each portion of his body.

     She realized she was staring when he went to push down his trousers to bare the rest of his body for ablutions. Lowering her gaze, she moved quickly into her darkened kitchen, making her way upstairs feeling the heat of a blush on her face.

     She chided herself for her foolishness. She had seen naked men as cadavers, during surgeries and examinations, at much closer quarters. Why should this man be so much more interesting to her? He was attractive and an excellent specimen of manhood, but would that make her heart beat faster merely thinking of him becoming naked in front of her?

To purchase Forever Kind of Woman go to Barnes and Noble or Amazon Books at:

https://www.amazon.com/Forever-Kind-Woman-Susan-Payne/dp/1509232427

To learn more about Susan Payne and the stories she creates, go to:

http://www.authorsusanpayne.com

authorspayne@gmail.com

https://www.facebook.com/susan.payne.14203

or tweet susan reid payne @ susanreid460

Bloodbond, Book 2, The Bloodborn Series

     Zachariah Degore spent ten years locked under ground as a feral vampire. Now he has to redefine what it means to be healthy and whole. With his human life behind him, he starts anew in the vampire city of Ichor Knell with the vampire shah as his kin. He must prove he is worthy of his place in this new world.

     Laurel Covaci is vampire elite, she would never court a feral vampire. After two hundred years she has yet to find a mate who meets with her satisfaction. She hides the pain of past hurt and abandonment behind a cold façade. Zach is confident that Laurel is the vampire for him, but can he break through her icy walls and convince her he's the mate she's been waiting for?

Wild Women Authors is pleased to feature a new [to us] author, Sydney Winward, as she celebrates the release of Bloodbond, Book 2 in The Bloodborn series. With Sydney is Lady Laurel Covaci who will go first.

Where are you from? The vampire city of Ichor Knell. I was born here, and I will likely die here. After over two hundred years, I’m not at all eager to leave my homeland.

Tell us a bit about Bloodbond. It is a story about learning to love and trust again, about overcoming prejudice and becoming the person you were meant to be.

What did you think the first time you saw Zachariah Degore? I would never choose to associate with a feral vampire. I didn’t care that he was Dracula’s kin. I wanted him exiled from Ichor Knell. For good.

What was your second thought? I begrudgingly thought he was handsome. Why couldn’t he have been an ugly feral vampire?

So it wasn’t love at first sight? Oh no. I hated his guts, if only for the fact that he was feral. As us vampires believe, once a vampire turns feral, they never come back from their savage state. It turns out everything I believed about Zachariah was wrong. I soon became intrigued with his incredible control of his thirst, and when I learned he couldn’t read… My scholar self couldn’t help but step in to become his tutor.

What do you like most about him? His innocence. He was locked in an underground cellar for most of his life and hasn’t had many life experiences. I’ve enjoyed tutoring him and watching him experience some of Ichor Knell’s greatest joys. Not to mention giving him his first love bite. Intimacy is a completely new concept to him.

How would you describe him? Zachariah is very passionate and determined. He is never idle with his time, and instead takes advantage of his new life above ground. Although he is so busy, he is always very attentive to me and my needs.

How would he describe you? Although it wasn’t love at first sight for me, he fell in love with me the moment he laid eyes on me. He was very persistent to court me despite my initial hesitance. He often tells me how beautiful he thinks I am, and how much he enjoys my singing voice. I am simply glad he didn’t give up on me after how much I snubbed him.

What made you choose teaching as a career? I inherited my scholarly mind from my mother, and my grandfather before her. I love learning so much that I couldn’t just keep my knowledge all to myself. I love teaching others what I know, Zachariah being one of my pupils himself.

What is your biggest fear? Abandonment. I have been hurt so many times in my past, both from my father and from those I’ve courted, that getting too close to someone terrifies me.

How do you relax? Curling up with a good book always puts my mind at ease.

What is the best piece of advice you ever received? My brother, Oriel, often tells me to take a leap of faith. I guard my heart so closely that it’s difficult to let others in. But when I followed his advice, my life has been so much better because of it.

Thank you, Lady Laurel for taking time away from your teaching to spend time with us. Now we’d like to chat with Sydney.

What movies or books have had an impact on your career as a writer? Books have had more of an impact on me as a writer. Christopher Paolini helped fuel my passion for writing, while Brandon Sanderson and Sarah J. Maas inspired me to continue writing. Two of my absolute favorite books are The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson and A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas.

What event in your private life were you able to bring to this story and how do you feel it impacted the novel? Like my character, Laurel, I have a hard time allowing anyone to get close to me. I am afraid of getting too close to someone, putting so much effort into a friendship, only for that person to disappear on a whim. Unfortunately, I have been burned too many times to trust people easily. This same fear manifests in Laurel, which is something that impacts many of her decisions and personal relationships.

Tell us a bit about your publisher: how did you hear about them and what influenced your decision to submit to them? During the long and tedious process of researching agents and publishers that fit well with my novel, I came across The Wild Rose Press. Another deciding factor for me was that they made beautiful covers that I would be proud to market. I decided to submit to them, held my breath for about two months, and when I heard back, I was beyond elated.

What book[s] currently rest on your TBR pile? Oh, I have so many books on my TBR pile! Hard Magic by Larry Correia. Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson. Healing Hearts by Sarah Eden. Several from other authors from The Wild Rose Press. Beyond the Fall by Diane Scott Lewis. My First My Last My Only by Denise Carbo. Damned When I Didn’t by Cherie Colyer.

Lastly, what's up next and when can we expect to see it on the shelves? I recently submitted the next book in the Bloodborn Series to my editor, so I’m holding my breath until I hear back! It’s about Dracula and his story before he became the leader of vampires. Lots of snarky attitude and dry humor. Plenty of violence. And an exciting romance.

To learn more about Sydney Windward and the stories she creates, to:

Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads ~ Amazon Author Page ~ Instagram

Diana Stout's Grendel's Mother

      Set in the late-5th, early 6th century in Denmark, Grendel’s Mother is the journey of a girl who dreams of freedom, with a desire to marry the young many she loves, when her father tells her that she'll wed a widower with young children instead. Then, a horrific event changes her life forever. Pregnant and having brought shame to her family and community, she is sacrificed to the dragon for death, but the dragon saves her instead, unbeknownst to her family and the community.

     Grendel’s Mother is the story of social injustice, a girl’s love for Nature where she discovers special skills that enable her to survive, to give birth, and to raise a baby—deemed a monster—in the wild, entirely on her own. From his birth on, she battles to keep Grendel safe from himself and, then later, from others who would do him harm.

     That child is Grendel, and she is Grendel’s mother.

Wild Women Authors is pleased to welcome back author Diana Stout who offers our readers something different from her usual romances: Grendel's Mother, a fantasy novella based on a lone woman's survival against monstrous odds, including the rigid mores established by the society she was born into. Grendel's mother will go first.

Tell us a bit about Grendel's Mother. It's a story of survival. As the only girl in the family, I was treated like a servant and was told who I would marry. My father treated me like property. When I refused to marry his choice, who was a really old man with missing teeth and children older than me, and then was found to be pregnant, I was offered as a sacrifice to the dragon. The entire community rejected me.

     Thankfully, I've loved nature my entire life, so I know her ways. Not all of them, but enough. No doubt, I'll learn more. My mother was respected because of her knowledge of plants and their healing abilities. I was learning her skills. I was secretly learning the skills of my brothers, too. No one had any idea...

      Outside of my mother, women had no real respect or authority. We were only as good as the number of children we could have, how well we took care of the family. I wanted more.

Knowing what you know now, if you had it to do over again, would you stick with the decisions you made or would you do them differently? If I had it to do all over again, I still wouldn't have agreed to marry that old man. Though, if I hadn't gone into the forest that night, I would have had no choice. No matter which way I turned, I had no choice. At least by being exiled from the community, I had the freedom I always wanted. So, actually, no, I guess I wouldn't have changed my actions or decisions.

What is your biggest fear? That my son will kill himself.

Who is your favorite story and why? Time spent around the fire in the big hall during the winter are fond memories for me. After dinner, we'd go to bed, so there was a short period of time where I got to listen to the stories before I'd have to go home with my mother to finish up dinner and get it served before the rest of the family arrived home.

     The stories were about heroes. Brave men who fought the monsters and demons in the forest, the monsters who came out at night to raid the villages. Who knew that I would deemed such a monster?

What is the best piece of advice you ever received? The best advice I ever got came from the dragon. I don't remember much from that first meeting when I was so young. She had said, "Don't show anyone your fear. Once they know you're afraid, you're at their mercy."

Thank you, “Mom”, for spending time with us. Now, we'd like to chat with your creator, Diana Stout.

Which writer or character[s], from either books or movies, have had a major impact on your writing? So many stories to choose from! I guess I'd have to say that any story that can tap into my emotions and make me sigh, get my pulse racing, or keep me turning the page or on the edge of my seat where I find myself gripping the arm of the chair are the stories that impact my own writing. What do they have in common?

These stories show, they don't tell. They ratchet up the conflict, keeping the characters in emotional danger, physical danger, or psychological danger. These are the types of stories I want to tell.

With regard to research, where did you start for this novel? Did that lead you down different paths, thereby changing the original concept? I had a bit of research already done before I ever thought of writing this book. The book's genesis came during a survey class I was teaching in Women's Studies as a grad student, where we were doing presentations on books where women didn't have a voice. I'd studied Beowulf in several classes as a student and realized there was a woman in the book who had no voice whatsoever.

      I went home that night and wrote twenty pages in a couple hours. The concept never changed because I was being true to Beowulf, what little there was of her in there.

     Many readers of Beowulf believe she was a monster, but in truth, she was human. To understand monsters in that time period was to understand that monsters were often The Other. The unexplained, those who were different.

Tell us a bit about your publisher. I am an indie publisher and became one because I got tired of agents wanting me to choose one genre and stick with it. I'm a multi-genre writer. I need that diversity of subjects. I'm drawn by the What if? question for any story and the characters that pop out of nowhere. The writing is about me getting to know them and their story. Grendel's Mother was my first publication as an indie publisher, and to date, it's still my favorite book written so far.

What are you reading right now? The Song of Achilles. It's a wonderfully written book. A page turner, in my opinion. I've noticed that any negative reviews it has received is because of the topic matter, not because of the writing itself. Not all topics are for all readers. Grendel's Mother falls into that arena, I believe.

What's next for you? I'm still working my series of seven novellas, where the couples come and go in each other's story, with an antique car touching every story, and the small town of Laurel Ridge connecting everyone. The first novella, Shattered Dreams is available on Amazon as an eBook. I hope to publish the second one later this year, with the rest to quickly follow. Once all the stories have been published, I'll do a box set and I'll put them all into one hard copy book.

Diana brought along an excerpt from Grendel's Mother for us:

Nearly at the main door of the house, I stop, take a deep breath, pull my shoulders back, straighten my spine, and wipe any and every emotion from my face, Da respects strength, not meekness, so strong I will be.

The boys are still at the table, but now they are at various tasks: arm-wrestling, sharpening a knife, or working leather. The oldest yells out that I’ve returned.

Immediately, Da steps into the room through the second door, the one I originally escaped from. I know better than to wait for his signal. I move over to where he is, my head down in submission, my eyes cast to the floor. I stop in front of him, expecting the worst.

Quickly, I say, “I'm sorry, Da. It was an accident. It'll never happen again.”

“That’s right. At harvest’s end, you wed Angus.”

I look up in horror, “No!” Instantly, I realize I breathed the word aloud, Surely, he wouldn't do that to me. No father can be that cruel. Angus is old, missing most of his teeth, has lost three wives already to childbirth, and has brats for children, Sickly brats and all girls, except for one frail boy. But, he has the most livestock, some of which will become Da's when we marry.

“No?” Da's voice is cold, but firm. I can tell he will not reconsider his decision,

“Anyone but him, please?” I plead. I know it would be a mistake to plead for Erik, one of the poorest farmers in the village. Angus, on the other hand, is one of the wealthiest. Da covets Angus's land, but even he has to know that the land will go to the eldest son, provided he lives to adulthood when his father dies, provided Angus sires a son. The chances for a young boy to make it to adulthood in this land these days is a great plan and a huge gamble, Most all the villages surrounding ours are like us: large on old weak men, with gangling young boys barely into their teens. The battles with invaders extracts a huge toll on our men. Da has told me often enough that none of us control our lives, that all are at the mercy of others. How many times have I heard him say: “You have no power. No one cares about you more than we do.” But, I don’t believe it. He can’t care for me if he’s willing to give me to Angus. No, Da wanting me to have Angus’ son is so that da can control me and the land until the son—if I have one—is grown.

“It'll be Angus or the dragon,” he tells me.

I shiver in fear and take a step back. The dragon that Da speaks of is monstrous, pure evil, and takes his victims easily. A mere bite, not even worthy of a meal. Not the gentle creature of my past. The screams of the people snatched in the claws of the monster, along with the stake they’re tied to fills my ears. Angry that I have no power, I find myself stuttering, but do my best to subdue the anger, “I . . . I'll . . . I'll m-m-m-marry Angus.”

“I knew you’d see reason.”

To purchase Grendel's Mother, go to:

https://www.amazon.com/Grendels-Mother-Diana-Stout/dp/0997422300

(Available in large print, too)

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/grendels-mother-diana-stout/1123590638;ean=9780997422306

https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Grendels-Mother/Diana-Stout/9780997422306?id=7895683858503

https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780997422306

To learn more about Diana Stout and the stories she creates go to:

https://sharpenedpencilsproductions.com/

Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/writerDianaStout

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ScreenWryter13

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

Goodreads: http://goodreads.com/user/show/43124185-diana-stout

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

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/diana-stout

Gelato Surprise by Sadira Stone

 Wild Women Authors is pleased to welcome Sadira Stone as she celebrates the release of Gelato Surprise, a short erotic romance, part of the One Scoop or Two series out of the Wild Rose Press. First up is part-time carpenter, Matteo Verducci.

Good morning, Matteo, please tell us a bit about yourself, beginning with where you’re from. I grew up in Ocean View, Washington, a beach town not far from the Oregon border. I went to college in Seattle and lived there for a while, but now I’m back in Ocean View helping my uncle Salvatore run his gelato shop. Sal’s given me his garage to use as my workshop for my furniture upcycling business.

Tell us a bit about Gelato Surprise. This is the story of the summer romance that turned my life around. I’d come to believe I’d never find the kind of partner I wanted—warm-hearted, passionate, creative, someone who craves a simple, creative life—and she walked right into our gelato shop! She’s a little older than me, so it wasn’t easy convincing her to give us a chance, but—well, I’d better not spoil the ending.

What did you think the first time you saw Danielle? Mamma mia!

What was your second thought? Don’t make a fool of yourself.

Hah, good one. Does that mean it was love at first sight? You know, before Danielle, I’d have told you there was no such thing. Now, I’m a believer.

What do you like most about her? Her quiet strength and her generosity.

How would you describe her? Una dea—a goddess.

How would she describe you? Sweet and horny.

Man, you are full of them. What made you choose furniture upcycling as a career? Don’t get me started! We’re so wasteful, buying up cheap furniture that falls apart after a few years and ignoring beautifully crafted pieces that have gone out of style. I love giving new life by repurposing and redesigning well-loved classics. I get the satisfaction of making something beautiful and practical, something that becomes part of someone’s home.

What is your biggest fear? Getting sucked back into the rat race. It killed my father. I won’t let it claim me.

How do you relax? I live in a beach town, so Mother Ocean is there whenever I need to blank my mind and just breathe.

Who is your favorite fictional character? This’ll sound weird, but maybe Ellen Ripley in the Alien movies. She’s such a sexy bad-ass.

What is the best piece of advice you ever received? My uncle Sal told me, “Nipote (nephew), life is a banquet. Dig in and enjoy.”

This has been great fun, Matteo. Thank you so much. Now we’d like to chat with Sadira.

What movies or books have had an impact on your career as a writer? I love slow-burn, steamy romances with either friend-to-lovers or enemies/rivals-to-lovers, whether contemporary or historical. Some favorite authors: Tessa Dare, Courtney Milan, Sarah MacLean, Sonali Dev, Beverly Jenkins, Alicia Rai, Alyssa Cole, Olivia Waite… I strive to make my stories as polished and moving as theirs.

What event in your private life were you able to bring to this story and how do you feel it impacted the novel? A family member had to be the calm, mature one during her divorce and deal with her irresponsible ex’s revolving stable of girlfriends and attempts to spoil their child.

Tell us a bit about your publisher: how did you hear about them and what influenced your decision to submit to them? Author Marie Tuhart, a friend from my local RWA chapter (Olympia, Washington) recommended The Wild Rose Press as a solid, professional small press. I’ve found them very supportive.

What book[s] currently rest on your TBR pile? So many! I’m reading Sarah MacLean’s Daring and the Duke. Up next: Adrianna Herrera’s American Sweethearts, and C.D. Gallant-king’s Psycho Hose Beast from Outer Space. He writes the most delightful horror-comedy.

Lastly, what's up next and when can we expect to see it on the shelves? I’m nearly finished with draft one of a steamy (of course) contemporary Christmas romance set in my hometown of Tacoma, Washington. This will be my first indie-published book and first in a series of at least four.

To purchase Gelato Surprise: which is on sale for 99 cents 8-28 August 2020 go to:

Amazon Barnes & Noble Apple Books Kobo Google Play Books

To visit Sadira Stone, to to:

Author Website Facebook Twitter Goodreads Bookbub Amazon Author Page Pinterest Instagram Author Newsletter

The Persistent Marquess by Susan Payne

 Wild Women Authors is pleased to welcome back Susan Payne and her latest release out of the Wild Rose Press, a Regency Romance titled The Persistent Marquess. With Susan is Miss Daisy Vincent.

Good morning, Daisy, tell us a bit about yourself, starting with where you are from. “My father is Viscount Waverly and I was born on the manor property north of London. This was my first trip from home.”

Tell us a bit about The Persistent Marquess. “I was very ill-prepared for a season in London even though I am a couple of years older than many of the other young ladies. Everyone is so competitive and almost rude climbing over others to get to the top, receive the most sought-after invitations. My mother being with child at such an age turned many against me, but I can’t understand why. Something to show I may be the same and be good breeding stock. I know I shouldn’t say as much, but that seemed the main reason for having a season at all. The marquess came to my aid and it all turned out well even if I had other ideas.”

What did you think the first time you saw the marquess, William Ashton? “That he wasn’t as angry as he seemed to want everyone to think him. He was actually quite pleasant to be around.”

Interesting. What was your second thought? “That my lord was arrogant, pushy, and a bully. He would do anything to get his own way.”

So it wasn't love at first sight? “Definitely not.”

What do you like most about him? “That he is arrogant, pushy and a bully. I found I like that in a man – I like it very much.”

How would you describe him? “Loyal. Fair. A man born too soon. I think his ideas of how men and women should go on will come about in time. I think he’ll continue to seek a better way for those less fortunate than he is.”

How would he describe you? “He likes me and thinks I can’t stand up for myself – but he’d be wrong. I may not be like other young ladies of the ton but I know what is right for me. What will make me happy.”

What made you choose to marry him? “My grandmother was ill and she seemed to think it was most important that I wed the marquess. I wanted to ease her mind so she would get better and by that time even I could see the need to be a married woman.”

What is your biggest fear? “That I will wake up and I am back home, never having gone to London that fateful winter. Would I be with the man I love anyway? Would love have found a way or would I be a spinster my whole life? It is hard to imagine not being married to William. Have him by my side.”

How do you relax? “I read and like to walk in the countryside. Quiet dinners with my husband and parents.”

Who is your favorite fictional character? “Probably Puck in Midsummer’s Night Dream. He tries hard to make things right and in the end it does.”

What is the best piece of advice you ever received? “My future husband told me to be proud of my parents. That it is very inspiring to know that any marriage could continue for such a time and the couple remain faithful and loving towards one another. I believe you should put all the gossip mongers where they belong - out of your mind. Do not let them turn something that should be poignantly beautiful into compelling you to hide yourself away instead of enjoying your season.”

A man truly ahead of his time. Now, we'd like to chat with Susan.

What movies or books have had an impact on your career as a writer? The books Barbara Cartland wrote decades ago embedded my love for the Regency era. When I think of a romantic gentleman, I have so many to choose from due to her novels. Even if her books are sometimes called ‘fashion porn’ since some readers gush over the jewels and dresses she described so well.”

What event in your private life were you able to bring to this story and how do you feel it impacted the novel? “I had several family members give birth in their forties. Even then people snickered a little and I thought, “wait, isn’t that why people are married? Isn’t it actually beautiful when a couple remain in love with one another after decades? Why is making love to one’s spouse seem wrong and something to hide? I wrote what I knew and how it could have been treated back then in a world where staying monogamous was rare.”

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 has been very good to me. This is my first Regency with them and I’m looking forward to a long relationship. I have an anthology of Regency Christmas stories out in September of this year. Combining two of my favorite things.”

What book[s] currently rest on your TBR pile? “I have so many it is getting embarrassing. I have so many favorites and have come to like even more authors.”

Lastly, what's up next and when can we expect to see it on the shelves? “On August 3^rd, I have a historical western released about a mail-order-bride who is also a trained doctor. She is in need of being married since a single female will not be taken seriously – by anyone. She arrives to find her fiance in-lust with another woman and she remains to see if the man will come around or flit off with his new love. So, she is left to handle everything on her own, meets a good friend who she helps find a husband for, out-thinks a stalker, relies on an alienist to help her and a very handsome sheriff to keep her grounded.

I also have under contract the first of several Texas Ranger novels, another western historical called Three Sisters, a Regency called Blind Faith, and, finally, Rescued by a Highlander.

This book can be purchased through Barnes & Noble as well as Amazon Books at: 

https://www.amazon.com/Persistent-Marquess-Susan-Payne/dp/1509232230

For more information about Susan Payne, please visit:

http://www.authorsusanpayne.com

authorspayne@gmail.com

https://www.facebook.com/susan.payne.14203

or tweet Susan Reid Payne @ susanreid460