A Simple Cookbook for Busy People

         Those who follow Wild Women Authors know for the last few months author Diana Stout, who is published in several genres and lengths. To end her current run with us, she’s brought her very own cookbook. To lure her into this venture we promised to try as many of the recipes as we could and can verify each one was a winner in this house. So . . . here’s Diana to talk about The Super Simple Easy Basic Cookbook.

 What made you decide to write a cookbook? Basically, I wanted a hardcopy of all my favorite recipes and one I could share with my two girls, passing down recipes that had become favorites of theirs as well.

What was easy about writing a cookbook? I didn't have to do much research. I had all the recipes at hand, plus I had already tested them all, many times over.

What was difficult? The many drafts I had to edit. There were 49 drafts total—meaning I had to go through the entire book 49 times--and most of those drafts were about formatting, making sure the recipes were uniform in structure and measurements. For example, one draft could be going through and making sure the measurements all read the same. One draft was just to check the punctuation. Another draft was looking for misspellings, missing words, or unclear meaning. Another draft was to make sure everyone's names were spelled correctly, and so forth.

What do friends not know about this cookbook? That they are mentioned in the book. That I used their list of ingredients (which is not copyrighted), then wrote my own directions (which is copyrighted).

        Like Peg Bracken used to do with her cookbooks in telling stories—some that could occupy several pages—I'm doing the same but keeping my stories short, reporting the genesis of the recipe if I could remember. When I had no origin story, I sometimes spoke about why I included the recipe.

        A number of these recipes were used or created during my first marriage when I was on the farm, raising my two girls. I did a lot of canning and freezing back then. I had chickens for a couple years and our beef was homegrown. Those were the days of family get-togethers, meetings with potlucks, holiday and birthday celebrations with friends and family.

Do you have any favorite cookbooks? I do. I have two, both with dog-eared and yellowed pages, and with pages following out. The first is a yellow hardcover three-ring binder-type book, The New Pillsbury Family Cookbook. It was a wedding gift.

        The second is a soft-cover book called, Let's Cook Microwave! by Barbara Harris. Microwaves were brand new at the time, and I had just bought one, not knowing how to make the best use of it. Our county's home extension department did a seminar demonstrating different recipes using paper plates. Back then, that was amazing! There were less than a dozen of us and we were dumbfounded at the simplicity of cooking in a brief time.

Are you using your own cookbook? All the time! Right after I published the cookbook in March of 2018, that summer I was diagnosed with celiac and discovered I was allergic to milk and casein, along with a host of other favorite ingredients. That meant I could no longer use grains, dairy, and those allergen foods. That said, I turned to my favorite recipes and started making substitutes such as almond, tapioca flours, and non-dairy milks. I found a butter-flavored (without butter) shortening I could use in banana bread where the butter flavor was critical to the bread's overall taste.

        I now have a couple Paleo and plant-based cookbooks on my shelf, so they help give me ideas for substitutes.

Will you write these substitutions as a new cookbook? Probably not. I doubt I could create enough recipes to fill a new book. However, as I write this, I got an idea... I could create a cookbook page on my website where I could share some of these substitutions. I wonder if anyone would be interested?

What's next for you? I'm continuing work on 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'm getting closer to being able to publish the second in the series. Once all seven stories have been published, I'll do a box set and I'll put them all into one hard copy book.

To learn more about Diana Stout and the stories she creates go to:  https://sharpenedpencilsproductions.com/

 

Buy links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Super-Simple-Easy-Basic-Cookbook-ebook/dp/B07BTVVYRK

Indie Bound: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781986910194

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-super-simple-easy-basic-cookbook-diana-stout/1128495469?ean=9781986910194

BAM: https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Super-Simple-Easy-Basic-Cookbook/Diana-Stout/9781986910194?id=7895683858503

Social media contacts:

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

 

Sample Recipes:

Win Shuler Mock Cheese Spread

Marshall, Michigan, where I grew up and have lived for many years, is home to the infamous Win Schuler’s restaurant and pub. Its cheese spread was popular and eventually was marketed and is sold in supermarkets.

This recipe duplicates that wonderful flavor and was provided by a Tupperware dealer, back when Tupperware parties were the parties to host. Four decades later, I still have that Tupperware and this recipe.

Ingredients:

1 lb Velveeta cheese

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup horseradish sauce

Directions:

Melt cheese in microwave or double boiler. Add mayonnaise and horseradish sauce, stirring well. Cool.

Serve with crackers.

 

Red Pepper Cream Cheese Seafood Dip

 The first time I ever tasted red pepper relish was during a small reunion of high school classmates with whom I shared a number of classes in the secretarial track and with whom I ate lunch with every day.

 Betty (Crapo) Renner introduced me, all of us actually, to the red pepper relish. Ever since, I’ve become a fan of both the red pepper relish and red pepper jelly.

 The taste is addicting! This recipe makes a great holiday appetizer.

  Ingredients:

1 8-oz package cream cheese softened

1/2 cup sliced green onions (can use chopped regular onion)

1 can crab meat, drained

9-oz red pepper relish

crackers, your choice

 

Directions:

Mix the cream cheese, onions, and crab meat thoroughly. Mound on a plate, then pour the red pepper relish over the top.

Place crackers around the plate and serve.

 

Diana’s Easy Stuffed Green Peppers

KHD:  this was a winner at our house!!!

I prefer stuffed peppers with hamburger; I know others who prefer to use only rice or macaroni. Basically, a pepper can be stuffed with any food you desire. Experiment until you find what you or your family likes best.

 Ingredients:

4 green peppers, large with tops and seeds removed

1 lb hamburger

1 small onion, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped (about 1/2 cup)

1/2 cup instant rice

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup catsup

salt & pepper, to taste

 Topping:

1 8-oz can of tomato sauce

1/4 tsp of sweet basil

1 tsp sugar

 

Directions:

In microwave or on top of the stove, cook the meat, onion, and celery until done. Drain. Add the rice, water, catsup, salt, and pepper, mixing it all together.

Spoon the mix into the peppers, which are already placed into a 2-qt casserole dish, or an appropriate-sized dish if one bigger is needed. Fill the peppers.

Mix the topping ingredients together in the sauce can, then spoon half of the mix over the peppers. Bake at 350° for about 30-40 minutes, uncovered. Spoon the remaining sauce on top of the peppers during the last 5-10 minutes of cooking time.

Quick version: Instead of baking whole peppers, cut up the peppers and cook with the hamburger and onions. It becomes a one-pot meal then.

 Jiffy Mix Corn Casserole

Roger Brown, a math professor I worked with. is a great cook. During the winter, he often brought this corn casserole to our potluck lunches, and it was always a huge hit.

 KHD—another winner at our house—even the notoriously picky eater asked for the recipe so she could take it to her work for upcoming parties. Huge compliment to Diana!!

 

Ingredients:

1 can corn, whole kernel and drained

1 can cream corn

1 cup (8oz) sour cream

2 eggs

1/2 cup (4-5 Tbsp) butter, melted

1 small box of Jiffy Corn Muffin mix

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese – optional

 

Directions:

Combine all except cheddar cheese in a bowl. Pour into a 2-quart casserole dish and bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes.

Top with cheese either before baking or after baking, if desired.

This dish can be made using a slow-cooker, as well. Spray or grease slow cooker generously. Add mix. Cook 3 1/2 – 4 hours on low or until a knife inserted into middle comes out clean.

 

KHD—one of the nice things about this book is the way Diana arranged it by appetizers, drinks, soups, main entrees/meat and fish, desserts and a special one to us—Mixes as in make your own bisquit mix or cookie mix.  Several are simple enough for that tweener who is just testing their skills in the kitchen. A few basic ingredients—like the Easy Bed and Breakfast Rolls on page 53—and voila, your kid or grandkid has something neat and easy to share with their pals when they’re over for study dates or toenail painting party.

For a family get together [outdoors, of course, to maintain social distancing] try:  

the Best Barbeque Pork recipe on page 125. It is simple—we used the crockpot—is absolutely delicious and, depending on the number of people served, makes enough for leftovers. One of the nice things about this recipe is the different “flavorings or seasonings” which can be increased, decreased or switched out per personal or family tastes. The meat comes out fork tender and very moist. I chose to serve it with soft Italian rolls, but it’d work over mashed potatoes or noodles or rice.

 Wouldn’t this be a fun gift for a drive-by bridal shower?   

Star Smuggler: The Last Voyage

                                    He's a criminal. She's far from it.

Together, they’re Earth's last hope... they just don’t know it yet.

        Sinbad sh'en Singh had everything. A thriving smuggling career, his hologram on wanted posters on eleven planets, and plenty of women. Then she walked into his life.
        Andrea Talltrees, member of a backwards cult not believing in space travel or anything else invented after the Twentieth Century. She wants him to find her husband, a fugitive accused of being an Albegensian spy, the planet currently at war with Earth.
        He doesn’t want anything to do with an Earther, but a massive culture clash and a heavy dose of instant attraction get in the way, sending good sense flying out the viewport.
        They'll brave some very unsavory characters, maybe even prevent a second interplanetary war...if they can stop arguing.

 

Wild Women Authors is pleased to feature author Toni V. Sweeney, writing as TS Snow, and her latest sci-fi venture, Star Smuggler: The Last Voyage, a May 2020 release out of Aethon Books. Instead of the usual character interview, we asked Toni to talk about this intriguing new venture: 

 

Space Opera versus Soap Opera

        When I wrote the series Star Smuggler, I didn’t think of it as a “space opera.”  I considered it a “romantic adventure.”  Studying it now, I realize that’s exactly what it is…just one gigantic soap opera set in the future on a planet far, far away. The publisher calls it Star Wars Meets Firefly, and fans of those two entertainments know what that means: Emphasis on fun and adventure rather than technology and rocket ships.

        The introduction to this sudsy space saga might go something like this: . . .Welcome, dear reader, to Star Smuggler, Book 1: The Last Voyage. This may prompt someone to ask, “If this is the last voyage, how can it be the first book?”

        A better question would be: Can a halfbreed human-hating smuggler find happiness with an adopted Navajo in spite of threats from the United Terran Federation and many of his nefarious criminal cohorts? 

        This novel introduces Sinbad and Andi, the most mismatched pair in the universe, and is set partly in the remains of lower California after a gigantic quake sends much of the state into the Pacific, leaving only Angel City (a remnant of the late, great, Los Angeles) and Baja California, and partly on other planets of the galaxy.

        Andrea Talltrees is a member of the Naturals, a group who don’t utilize anything that wasn’t around in the early to mid-twentieth century, and they definitely don’t go flying off into space in rocket ships. 

        Sinbad is a half-Felidan smuggler, resembling a man-sized feline.  He’s big, he’s beautiful, he’s sexy, and he hates humans with a passion because they framed his father, a Terran soldier, and killed him.

        Sin’s way of life naturally clashes with Andi’s beliefs, and when she isn’t preaching to him about the immorality of his ways, and he isn’t laughing at her attempts to reform him, they reach a rapport that gradually blossoms into something that might be love, though neither will admit it.

        They spend most of the novel arguing while visited various dens of iniquity trying to find Andi’s husband, Tran,  who is accused of being a spy and has lit out for parts unknown…and then a secret is discovered that threatens the Earth and the Federation and demands a sacrifice neither wants to make.

 

Toni brought an excerpt for us:

Andi’s food arrived, a huge dish of something. She took one look at her plate and swallowed rapidly to keep from gagging, struggling to quell nausea as the heap of very large, very red worms continued squirming. One actually wiggled from the plate onto the table.

“I’m not as hungry as I thought.” Andi took one of the bright yellow apples from the centerpiece. “I’ll just eat this.”

Nodding, Jaafra removed her plate from the table and took it away.

“I’m sorry,” she told Sinbad. “I just don’t like to chase my food all over the table.”

She waited for him to make some caustic remark. Just then, Jaafra returned with Sinbad’s order. With an amused grunt, he picked up his fork and began to eat.

Andi took one look at what the plate held, gulped and looked away.

“Talltrees…” He chewed a moment, swallowed, then said, “There’s something we need to get settled. Now.”

Frowning, she looked at him. He sounded like her father when he was about to deliver a lecture.

“Look, you have to eat, I have to eat…it’s more convenient if we do it at the same time, but if you’re going to go sick every time you see me eat a piece of meat…” He stabbed another morsel and held up the fork, gesturing with it.  A single drop of blood dripped from it, spattering the edge of his plate.

Andi swallowed loudly.

“That’s what I’m talking about. I don’t particularly like watching you eat food that’s been inundated with microwaves ’til it’s the consistency of a charcoal briquette, but I don’t turn green when you bite into it.”

Andi hadn’t realized her eating habits might as easily disgust him, and that made her ashamed of her behavior. Naturals taught the equality of all species, a fact once getting them on the Fed’s Suspect List, and here she was...

“You’re right, Mr. sh’en Singh, and I’m sorry.”

He didn’t answer, just ate with great relish as she bit into her apple and discovered it tasted like a banana. Sinbad dipped his knife into a bowl of red sauce and smeared it on what looked like a slice of raw potato.

“What’s that?”

“Don’t ask,” came a mouth-filled mumble. There was sauce on his fingers. He licked it off. “That apple isn’t going to go far. Would you like a couple of these beetles? I’ve enough to share.”

“Beetles?”

He gestured at what she thought were green peas. “Antillan fig beetles...high sugar content, full of Vitamin C. They’ve been dehydrated. Not alive, I promise.”

“No thanks.” She shuddered.

He scooped four off the plate and tossed them into his mouth, crunching loudly.

“Well, maybe one.” She selected a beetle and bit cautiously into it. It had a blackberry flavor.

 

STAR SMUGGLER: The Last Voyage is available in Kindle and paperback and will soon be available in audio book.

https://www.amazon.com/Last-Voyage-Star-Smuggler-Book-ebook/dp/B08BYT192S/

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

        Toni V. Sweeney was born in Georgia after the War between the States but before the Gulf War. She has lived 30 years in the South, a score in the Middle West, and a decade on the Pacific Coast and now she’s trying for her second 30 on the Great Plains.

        Toni has several pseudonyms and write in various genres, and now is adding “TS Snow” to the list with the publishing of the Star Smuggler series.

To Heal a Heart by Jana Richards

 Wild Women Authors is pleased to welcome back long-time Wild Rose Press author, Jana Richards as she celebrates the release of To Heal a Heart, a contemporary romance set in North Dakota. With Jana is veterinary tech Blair Greyson who, as usual, will go first.

Good morning, Blair. Tell us a bit about yourself, starting with where you’re from: I was born in St. Paul, Minnesota. Before my recent move to North Dakota, to my school there to become a veterinary technician, and after I finished college, I worked at a veterinary clinic in the city. But my heart’s been in Masonville for a long time. My brothers and I spent every summer there with our grandparents for years. 

           When my grandmother suddenly died and I discovered that my grandfather’s health wasn’t good, I was really worried about him. Then a job came up at the Masonville Veterinary Clinic and I saw it as a sign that I should move to Masonville. Living with my Granddad means I can look after him, at least as much as he’ll let me. If nothing else, I can make sure he eats properly. It’s also given me the chance to move my two rescue horses to Granddad’s farm from the stable where I previously housed them. It’s a win-win-win for all of us.

Tell us a bit about To Heal a Heart. It’s about overcoming heartache and trauma, and realizing that you’re worthy of love and family, and that you deserve good things to come into your life.

What did you think the first time you saw Garrett Saunders? I thought that he was a big, scruffy bully. I thought he was the reason his horse was emaciated and abused. His horse had welts all over his body and it infuriated me. I can’t stand the idea of anyone abusing an animal. So I let him have it. I told him exactly what I thought of someone who would hurt a defenseless animal, and I threatened to call the authorities on him.

As any animal rescuer extraordinaire worth her weight in oats and barley would. Your second thought? That maybe it wasn’t such a smart idea to call someone out on a deserted road, especially when that someone is twice your size and angry. I also thought that there was something familiar about him that I couldn’t put my finger on. Later, when I discovered who he was and found out that he’d rescued his horse Harry and wasn’t the person who abused him, I had to eat some crow. I sucked up my courage and apologized.

So it wasn’t what some would call love at first sight? Hardly! I think I can safely say that Garrett didn’t feel that way about me either. He thought I was a pain the ass! But once we got to know each other, we began to like and respect each other. Our feelings grew, but because both of us were damaged by past tragedies, neither of us felt we deserved someone so wonderful in our lives.

What do you like most about Garrett? So many things. He’s trustworthy, honest, honorable. He’s the most honorable person I know. If he makes a promise, he keeps it. Or at least he’ll try, and if he can’t, he’ll do his best to make up for it. He’s a wonderful son, brother, uncle and friend, and the most loving man I’ve ever known.

How would you describe him? Beautiful, inside and out.

That is so sweet! Here’s the kicker: how would Mr. Beautiful, inside and out, describe you? Aside from being a pain in the ass? I hope he’d describe me as a caring person. He knows family is the most important thing to me – my grandfather and my brothers mean everything to me. I hope he’d describe me as a good person. Even if I don’t deserve that title.

What made you choose veterinary technology as a career? I love animals and I wanted to make a difference in the health and welfare of as many animals as possible. I work alongside veterinarians in preventing disease when we can and treating animals when they’re sick. In my spare time, my passion is rescuing homeless and abused horses. I currently have two rescue horses and my hope is to rescue more in the future.

What is your biggest fear? That Garrett will find out about Eve and know I didn’t keep her safe. That’ll he’ll hate me for it. I don’t want to talk about it.

How do you relax? By spending time with my horses. Horses are naturally empathic, and I’ve found myself telling them my troubles on more than one occasion.

Who is your favorite fictional character? Probably Anne of Green Gables. Even though she had her share of heartaches in her young life, she never lost her optimism or her sense of wonder. I wish I could be more like her.

What is the best piece of advice you ever received? My grandfather told me to quit holding on to the past. He told me I had nothing to feel guilty about. I didn’t believe him at the time, but now I wish I could let go of my guilt because I know it’s keeping me from having a future. I want to move forward, but in a weird way I’m comfortable with my guilt. I wish I could take Granddad’s advice.

Blair, thank you for taking time away from all your obligations to spend time with us. This has been very interesting. Now we’d like to chat with Jana.

What movies or books have had an impact on your career as a writer? Probably every book Mary Balogh has ever written has had an impact on me as a writer. Even though we don’t write in the same romance genre, the emotion she packs into her writing has always affected me. I always feel something when I read one of her books – anger, pity, sorrow, joy – and that’s what I want to give to my readers. I want to take readers on an emotional journey.

What event in your private life were you able to bring to this story and how do you feel it impacted the novel? That’s a tough question. I have no one in my life who has been affected by PTSD or has had an amputation. I didn’t have the kind of loveless childhood that Blair and her brothers experienced. I’m fortunate that war has not touched my life directly. Aside from my father serving in the Canadian military in World War Two, I don’t have any close association to military life. He rarely talked about it, so war was a long ago and far away thing for me growing up.

      But I like to think of myself as an observer of human nature and a person of empathy. I’m also a consumer of news and books and I’ve read quite a bit on all these subjects. I can certainly feel for people who have gone through war and have come out damaged, either physically or mentally. I can also feel the hurt and the lasting damage of people who have had abusive childhoods. So, I guess the answer to your question is no one event informed this story. The events and the emotions of this story are a result of observing, and empathizing.   

Tell us a bit about your publisher: how did you hear about them and what influenced your decision to submit to them? This is my eighth book or novella with The Wild Rose Press. I know it’s been a while since I became aware of TWRP because the first time I read a call for submissions from them it was on MySpace! That’s eons ago in the tech world. In any event, I made that first submission and was accepted (after several rewrites), and I’ve always been happy to work with them.

What book[s] currently rest on your TBR pile? I just looked at my Kindle and I have about 30 unread books in there. I keep buying books that interest me, but I haven’t read them yet. I have to admit that during the pandemic I haven’t always felt like reading. It’s weird because I love reading, but I’ve found myself watching more TV instead. And I used to listen to books when I went to the gym, but now that I’ve stopped doing that, I haven’t listened to a book since March. However, I just finished reading a romantic historical book in print called “The German Heiress” that I really enjoyed so I hope that means I’m getting back into the swing of reading once again.

Lastly, what's up next and when can we expect to see it on the shelves? I’m currently doing edits on the next book in the Masonville series. This is Ben’s story. He’s Blair’s eldest brother, a widower and single father to his two young stepdaughters. Ben is focused on caring for his kids and making sure he retains custody. He certainly isn’t expecting to fall in love so that’s why I call this story “Unexpected”.

     Once I whip this story into shape, I’m going to begin on the fourth and final book in the Masonville series, which has the working title of “Strong Enough”. This is Damon’s story, Blair’s other brother. His love interest is Charlotte, who is Garrett’s sister. Nothing like keeping it all in the family!

     With any luck, “Unexpected” will be out sometime in 2021. If you’re interested in receiving news about new releases, subscribe to my newsletter at https://www.janarichards.com/contact.html#newsletter

 You can also check out my latest news on my social media!

Website:  http://www.janarichards.com

 Blog:  http://janarichards.blogspot.com

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

 Twitter:  http://www.twitter.com/JanaRichards_

 Amazon Author Page:  http://www.amazon.com/author/janarichards

 Amazon UK Author Page: http://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B002DEVWWG

 Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2892274Jana_Richards

 BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jana-richards

 Buy Links for TO HEAL A HEART:

The Wild Rose Press: https://www.thewildrosepress.com/books/to-heal-a-heart

Amazon.com: https://www.amazon.com/Heal-Heart-Masonville-Book-ebook/dp/B0875SLGK6

Amazon.ca: https://www.amazon.ca/Heal-Heart-Masonville-Book-ebook/dp/B0875SLGK6

Amazon.UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Heal-Heart-Masonville-Book-ebook/dp/B0875SLGK6

Amazon.de: https://www.amazon.de/Heal-Heart-Masonville-Book-ebook/dp/B0875SLGK6

Amazon.fr: https://www.amazon.fr/Heal-Heart-Masonville-Book-ebook/dp/B0875SLGK6

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/to-heal-a-heart-jana-richards/1136868654?ean=2940162717966

iBooks: https://books.apple.com/us/book/to-heal-a-heart/id1508639914

Kobo US: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/to-heal-a-heart-7

Kobo CA: https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/to-heal-a-heart-7

Walmart: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/to-heal-a-heart-7

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Jana_Richards_To_Heal_a_Heart?id=zNDpDwAAQBAJ

 

 

Rocked By Grace by M.J. Schiller

 Wild Women Authors is thrilled to welcome back long-time friend and fellow author M.J. Schiller as she celebrates the release of Rocked By Grace, book 1 in her new Love and Chaos series. With her is Zane Sanders who will go first.   

Welcome, Zane. Tell us a bit about yourself, starting with where you’re from. A little-known town in Missouri called Stanton. It’s mostly farmland, rolling hills, and trees.

Now tell us a bit about Rocked By Grace. It is the story behind the videos that hit the Internet when I pulled a fan from the audience at one of Just Short of Chaos’ concerts. The dancing that ensued was so…incredible, no one would believe me when I told them it was spontaneous.

          I don’t know what possessed me to do it. I’d never done anything like that before. But something about Grace drew me to her. And within minutes of pulling her on stage, I knew I’d made one of the best decisions of my life. Since our drummer Devin’s overdose, I’d felt dead inside. Perhaps for even longer than that. But Grace was fun, sexy—and as I would discover later—good and selfless. And an irresistible magic surrounded us that made me feel alive again.

That is, until I blew it. In classic Zane style. Funny thing is, when I first got Grace up on stage, I had no idea what to do with her. Now I have no idea what I’ll do without her. In the end it comes down to whether she’s willing to extend me grace, undeserved forgiveness. I’m counting on her big heart and depth of sympathy.

What did you think the first time you saw Grace? Wow. I wish I could tell you. I just…there was something about her. I mean, I know what it is now, but I don’t know what told me then. She was just a face in the crowd. Pretty? Yes. Sexy? Definitely. But…there were others in the audience that night that might have come close to her physically. If I believed in… “auras,” or whatever that is…maybe there was something emanating from her. I was simply taken by her, drawn to her, and even as I was questioning myself for doing it, I was inviting her up on stage. 

What was your second thought? Umm…does this blog have one of those warning things? Ha, just kidding. To be frank, she turned me on. Like no other woman had before. And I was probably wondering who the person was that she was bringing out in me.

Did you feel it was love at first sight? Yes. Absolutely. I think… There was definitely something there, right from the start, but I’m not sure I can put a name on it.

What do you like most about her? Oh, man. I mean…she’s just great. Funny, warm, kind, selfless, and she really makes me feel loved and appreciated for who I am. Who I really am. 

How would you describe Grace? Beautiful. Inside and out. And strong. Incredibly strong but loving.

How would she describe you? Oh, man. A raving lunatic, at times. But the man who loves her and would do anything for her. And we have fun together. I think she’d mention that.

What made you choose making music and performing for a career? Rock star or musician. It chose me. It allows me to be someone else. Music frees me. It makes me forget about my…insecurities and step outside myself and really have fun.

What is your biggest fear? Disappointing the people I love. The people who count on me.

How do you relax? Relax? What’s that? You know…one of my favorite things to do now is stay at home. Just stay at home, with Grace and her brother Jamie. And they’ve got me into fishing. That’s about as relaxed as you can be. Watching a string in water.

Who is your favorite fictional character? Holden Caulfield. He’d hate the music business. It’s filled with phonies. The phoniest of phonies.

What is the best piece of advice you ever received? Own your mistakes and learn from them. Rafe told me that. He plays lead guitar for Just Short of Chaos.

After reading Rocked By Grace, we can see that you paid attention to that good advice and practice it on a regular basis. Thank you for sharing a bit of yourself with us. Now it’s time to chat with M.J.

What movies or books have had an impact on your career as a writer? That’s a hard one to answer because I think a lot of times you take things away subconsciously. But, probably Pride and Prejudice, Wuthering Heights, A Tale of Two Cities. Oh, definitely Stephen King’s On Writing.

Oh, yeah. Mr. King knocked it out of the park with that one. But what one event in your private life were you able to bring to this story and how do you feel it impacted the novel? Not the cave scene. I assure you, not the cave scene. Umm…I visited the pizza places. I do karaoke. The trick for getting fish off the hook I got off YouTube.

Hah! Good one. Tell us a bit about your publisher: how did you hear about them and what influenced your decision to submit to them? This is a self-pubbed book, but I’ve worked with both ePublishing Works! and Crimson Romance. Crimson was under the Adams Media umbrella, who produces Publisher’s Weekly, so I figured they knew what they were doing. ePW! I learned about through a friend. I liked the things they had done for her and followed some of their interactions over social media.

What book[s] currently rest on your TBR pile? Oh, my gosh. So many. I’m really looking forward to reading another book from Kara O’Neal. I love her Pike’s Run Series. And RT Wolfe’s next book in the Island Escape Series.

Lastly, what's up next and when can we expect to see it on the shelves? Well, my publisher has the seventh in my chick lit Devilish Divas Series, Hell Hath No Fury, scheduled to be released in January. I’d like to try and get the second in my Love And Chaos Series, Rocked By Love, out before that, but life gets crazy sometimes.

 To learn more about M.J. Schiller and the stories she creates, go to:

Website: www.mjschillerauthor.blogspot.com

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/m-j-schiller

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/MJ-Schiller-Romance-Author/286382241460365?ref=hl

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/mjschiller/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/mjschiller

Tumblr: http://mjschilz.tumblr.com/

Instagram: http://instagram.com/mjschiller

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6479377.M_J_Schiller

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/M.J.-Schiller/e/B009JOQFQQ/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

To purchase Rocked By Grace, go to:

 Amazon:  http://mybook.to/RockedByGrace

 Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/rocked-by-grace-m-j-schiller/1137187473?ean=2940162636427&fbclid=IwAR32dS2T6Fn_7cNDe4hIG-9kJvBqRx_Y0bVbzWI-XCJusQalL9lC980q888

 Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/rocked-by-grace

 iTunes: https://books.apple.com/us/book/rocked-by-grace/id1519022301 

 

Murder Unrehearsed

 The pain of betrayal. The price of truth. The mystery of love.

      When aspiring young actress Heather Shelton jumps in the car with her dog, Bear, and flees to her family’s mountain cabin to escape an untidy romance, all she wants is peace and time to study for auditions. What she gets is murder. The only witness of a savage killing – and squarely in the crosshairs of a ruthless assassin – she is injured and left for dead.

       Heather knows handsome men are bad news, but hottie lawman Matt McCrae’s smile gets her every time, until he leaves her hanging out as bait to trap the killer. McCrae promises to protect her, but fails, and she faces killer alone, with only Bear to help.

 Wild Women Authors is thrilled to feature author Roxanne Dunn and Murder Unrehearsed, a recent mainstream mystery out of the Wild Rose Press. With Roxanne is mystery man Matt McCrae who will go first.

 Good morning, Matt. Tell us a bit about yourself, starting from where you are from. I live in Seattle’s fun, funky, Fremont neighborhood, across Lake Union from downtown, home to a great little repertory theater named Viva! and peppered with eclectic shops, restaurants, and street art. Locals call it the Center of the Universe, and that works for me.

Tell us a bit about Murder Unrehearsed.  Heather Shelton has man problems. An unfaithful lover, a mysterious stranger, and a psychopathic assassin. That pretty much covers it.

What did you think the first time you saw Heather? That I was in trouble.

Hah! Good one. And your second thought? I couldn’t get involved. Even my mother doesn’t know who signs my paychecks, and it’s better that way.

Hmm. Mystery man. So . . . was this love at first sight? More like awe. I’d seen her at the theater, and I’d been too chicken to go backstage meet her, and all of a sudden there she was, right in front of me, and I was talking to her.

What do you like most about Heather? Her spunk. She did something no law man had been able to do. That, plus the fact that when she’s angry, she tells you exactly what’s wrong with you. No question about where you stand.

How would you describe her? Smart, funny, brave, intensely loyal. Beautiful, even with her hair scorched off. A treasure.

Aww. That’s sweet. How would she describe you? I can’t even guess. But I know she likes my homemade chocolate sandwich cookies, and she loved my fresh strawberry ice cream.

What made you choose law enforcement as a career? I was studying chemical energy at MIT when a man in a gray suit tapped me on the shoulder and said Uncle Sam wanted me to work for him.

Good evasive answer, my man. What is your biggest fear? That I will have to kill someone.

Ahh. Wasn’t expecting that one. How do you relax? I bake. Cookies, cakes, breads. And make ice cream in an old-fashioned maker with a wood bucket that you pack with ice.

Another side of you we weren’t expecting. Who is your favorite fictional character? Hercule Flambeau, G. K. Chesterton’s flamboyant thief in the Father Brown stories. He pulls off brilliant heists and has great fun hoodwinking everybody.

What is the best piece of advice you ever received? Left is loose. Right is tight. And there’s no free lunch.

Another zinger. Thanks, Matt. This has been great fun. Now we’d like to chat with Roxanne for a bit.

 What movies or books have had an impact on your career as a writer? Though African Queen and Casablanca are my all-time favorites, I’ve loved Nora Ephron’s movies, especially You’ve Got Mail and Sleepless in Seattle. It’s unfair that Nora died. I always hoped I’d write a book that she would make into a movie. As for books, there are too many to count. Currently, I’m re-reading all of Elly Griffiths’ Ruth Galloway series in order. I’ve read all of Louise Penny’s except the last one, which I’m saving for a moment when I need a boost. Other writers I’ve read and re-read include Philippa Gregory, Candace Robb, Eric Witchey, Lawrence Sanders, Janet Evanovich, Sue Grafton, and Jacqueline Winspear, to name just a few. 

What event in your private life were you able to bring to the story and how do you feel it impacted the novel? When I was a kid, I loved car trips to the Canadian Rockies, staying in little lake-front cabins or mom-and-pop resorts like the one in my novel. Later, I spent summer vacations with friends at Lake Chelan, Washington State, where we passed the evenings telling scary stories, and I started to wonder what would happen if I were there alone and witnessed a murder. 

What was the germ for Murder Unrehearsed? I like to imagine that Heather Shelton’s quiet, safe vacation community exists in a world parallel to, but separate from, a world populated by thugs, assassins, and thieves. So when murder invades her peaceful part of the planet, it is as if she is thrown into a foreign universe, and she must learn how to survive there—or die.

Tell us one more interesting fact about Roxanne Dunn: I like a challenge. Soon after I got my pilot’s license, I rented a little Cessna and took off all by myself. While I was flying, a strong, gusty wind picked up. As I came in over tall trees to land, the air became so turbulent I could barely control the plane. Sweating, gripping the yoke with all my might, and wishing I had stayed on the ground, I managed to put all three wheels down on the tarmac without breaking anything. The second I knew I was safe, I wanted to do it again.

Now let’s talk about your publisher. How did you hear about them and what influenced your decision to submit to them? I first heard about The Wild Rose Press (TWRP) at the Pacific Northwest Writers Conference (PNWA) in Seattle and was intrigued because the wild rose is the provincial flower of Alberta, Canada, where I grew up. Then, at the Killer Nashville conference in August 2019, I met Dianne McCartney, who was signing copies of her first mystery, The Daughter of Death. She had many good things to say about working with TWRP. What stuck right in the front of my brain was that they responded quickly to her query and to all her questions and concerns. So, a few weeks later, when the PNWA conference came around again, I pitched to both of the editors who were there. That was one year ago, and I have discovered that Dianne was right. TWRP is a dream to work with.

What book[s] currently rest on your TBR pile? Ruth Bader Ginsberg’s My Own Words, Erik Larson’s The Splendid and the Vile, Cara Black’s Three Hours in Paris, Philippa Gregory’s The Boleyn Inheritance, Candace Robb’s A Choir of Crows, Dianne McCartney’s The Road to Justice, and Susan Orlean’s The Library Book are stacked up beside my chair, waiting for me to get to them. I have a lot more on my Kindle.

Lastly, what's up next and when can we expect to see it on the shelves? I’m hoping to get my next mainstream mystery, Murder Unsuspected, ready to submit early in 2021. In this book, Viane Thibaudet, darling of a quaint hilltop town in the south of France has been getting away with murder, but in Brittany Ann Thornton, newly minted behavioral psychologist from Seattle, she meets her match.

 Murder Unrehearsed is available in print and for e-books on Amazon, at thewildrosepress.com, or via my website, www.roxannedunn.com. Please stop by for a visit. I plan to post Matt McCrae’s chocolate sandwich cookie recipe as soon as I wrestle it out of him.

 For more information on Roxanne Dunn, go to:

Twitter:  @roxanne_dunn

Website:  www.roxannedunn.com

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/roxanne.dunn.127  

 

 

 

 

 

The Haunted Purse by Kimberly Baer

Wild Women Authors is pleased to feature The Haunted Purse, a YA paranormal by Kimberly Baer , a recent release out of the Wild Rose Press. Up first is Liberty “Libby” Dawson, a fifteen year-old genius with a talent for scoping out thrift shops and . . . other things. . . with some help from her band of pals and an old denim tote with a mind of its own. Or maybe someone or some thing else’s mind?   

 Good morning, Libby. Tell us a bit about The Haunted Purse. It’s about a girl, a purse, and a dark paranormal journey. Oh, and by the way, I’m the girl! The craziness started back in the spring of 2018, after I bought an old purse at the local thrift store. Stuff kept disappearing out of it—like my homework, for instance. And strange items kept turning up, including an old photo of a girl holding the same purse. Eventually I figured out that those items were clues to a twenty-year-old mystery, and I was supposed to solve it. Of course, I had no idea what I was getting myself into.

Knowing what you know now, if you had it to do over again, would you have bought the purse? That’s a question I’ve thought about a lot over the past two years. Do you believe in parallel universes? Sometimes I imagine what my life would be like in a world where I never bought the purse. The Libby in that world would have avoided all the horrors I had to face. All the heartache. Still, I’d say yeah, if I could go back to that fateful day at the thrift store, I’d probably buy the purse all over again. Because as bad as the bad stuff was, there was a lot of good that came about because of that purse.

What is your biggest fear? Being alone. Losing people I love.

Who is your favorite fictional character and why? I’d have to say Harry Potter. I know, I know—me and six billion other people, right? The thing is, I identify with Harry in a way that not everybody can. He spent his formative years unloved, neglected, and even abused by the people who were supposed to be taking care of him. Same with me! I read the HP books when I was, like, nine, and they gave me hope. Harry got out of that bad situation. He turned out fine despite his early struggles. I wanted to believe I would, too.

And we couldn’t agree more!! Now, what’s the best piece of advice you ever received? “Lock your door.” That’s what my neighbor in the inner city used to tell me when he saw me coming home. He knew I lived alone, and he wanted to make sure I stayed safe. I took his advice to heart, and I’m glad I did. I can’t tell you how many times I heard somebody rattling my doorknob late at night. Probably some low-life checking all the doors, looking for an easy victim. Thanks, Mr. Owens! You just might have saved my life.

This has been great, Libby. Thanks for talking to us. Now we’d like to chat with your creator, Kimberly Baer.

Which writer or character[s], from either books or movies, [or both] have had a major impact on your writing? Too many to name! When my kids were growing up, I started reading the fiction books they brought home from school, and I fell in love with the middle-grade and young adult genres. I’d never written a book-length manuscript before (aside from a totally pathetic novella I penned at age fifteen), but suddenly my mind was exploding with ideas for novels, and they were all geared toward younger readers. Some of the MG/YA authors who influenced my focus were Louis Sacchar (Holes), Neal Shusterman (The Schwa Was Here), Katherine Hannigan (Ida B), J. K. Rowling (Harry Potter), and Suzanne Collins (Hunger Games). But there were lots more, too. I have an idea or two for an adult novel, but most of my story ideas continue to be geared toward younger readers.

With regard to research, where did you start for this novel? Did that lead you down different paths, thereby changing the original concept? The only change I made based on research had to do with time frame. I can’t reveal too much here, but certain elements of my story had to line up with historical developments that occurred in the real world at a particular time. Other than that, I didn’t have to do much research relating to the main plot, because—let’s face it—there’s no information out there about haunted purses!

Tell us a bit about your publisher. How did you hear about them; what influenced you to submit to them. I was lucky to find a truly wonderful publisher: The Wild Rose Press. I heard about them from my best friend’s sister, who published a book through them a couple of years ago. She had a great experience, so I decided to give them a try. This is a small press, and what I love about them is their warm and welcoming approach. They’re so helpful! And they have a robust group of authors who go all out to promote one another’s books.

How is the submission process? What is the turn-around time from date of query to date of release? The submission process was smooth. I don’t recall the exact turn-around time, but I’d say things progressed fairly quickly with The Haunted Purse. 

What are you reading right now? Our House by Louise Candlish. It’s about a woman who comes home from a short trip, only to find another family moving into her house. The other family insists they bought the house fair and square, so this poor woman has to try to get to the bottom of things. As a reader, there’s nothing I love more than an intriguing premise and a strong plot, and this story delivers. It’s full of twists and turns.

What's next for you? I’ve been putting the finishing touches on a middle-grade novel, Mall Girl Meets the Shadow Vandal. It’s about a girl who lives in a shopping mall (literally!). When somebody starts vandalizing stores late at night, she’s the logical suspect. She and her friends set out to catch the real vandal, and their sleuthing leads to some astounding discoveries.

 

To purchase The Haunted Purse, go to:  Amazon  |  Barnes and Noble  | Bookbub  | Goodreads |  Google  |  Kobo

 Book trailer for The Haunted Purse

 

To learn more about Kimberly Baer and the stories she creates go to: www.kimberlybaer.com.

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