The Second 100 Kisses by Danielle Bannister

 Wild Women Authors is pleased to feature author Danielle Bannister with a return visit to us as she celebrates the release of The Second 100 Kisses, Book 2 in the Practice Makes Perfect series. This time we get to chat with Liam McGeary.

Welcome, Liam. Let’s start with where you’re from. I was born in Massachusetts, but my parents moved to Gorham, Maine when I was young. I now live in Portland.

Tell us a bit about The First 100 Kisses. Yes. Well, that is something Chloe came up with. That phrase. I was having some trepidation about an upcoming date. I was a bit rusty. Chloe, who happens not only to live in the apartment just diagonally from mine, is also my best friend. Because she has more dating experience than me, I asked her if she might instruct me on the proper way to kiss a woman. My date, Angel, you see, was my high school sweetheart. I’m not the most personable individual. I asked Chloe for some help. That’s where the first 100 kisses came in. She assured me that once I’d had my first 100 kisses, I wouldn’t feel nervous about kissing any more. So, I took her up on her offer to help.

What did you think the first time you saw Chloe? That she was going to throw her back out lifting boxes that way. We met seven years ago when she moved in. I offered to help her finish moving in.

What was your second thought? That she was beautiful, but I knew she wouldn’t care for someone odd like me.

Did you feel it was love at first sight? There was attraction on my part, for sure. Chloe didn’t see me that way. Well, not at first anyway. Our friendship was the thing that grew first. Love came some time after that.

What do you like most about Chloe? Her strength. Her tenacity. But also, her honesty. She’s the only person who tells it to me straight. Let’s me know when I’ve put my foot in it. She’s helped teach me social cues I never quite understood before.

How would you describe Chloe? I suppose the traditional answer for a man to give is beautiful, kind, and smart. And while she is all those things, she is also so much more. While she is my opposite in a variety of ways, she is the thing that has been missing. My anchor. She is my person. And I am hers.

What made you choose Financial Planning a career? I grew up quite poor. I remember lots of nights going to bed hungry. I did not want that for myself. So, I decided to learn everything I could about money. How to manage it, save it. Invest it. A career where I could help others navigate it seemed only logical.

What is your biggest fear? Not being able to provide for my family. I suppose before meeting Chloe, the fear would have been never having a family. But with her, I can now see a future for myself. Something I never thought I’d get to have.

How do you relax? Holding Chloe. Or cooking if she is not around.

Who is your favorite fictional character? Chloe would probably like me to say Claire Fraser, but I’m quite fond of Detective Pepperwood from the Pepperwood Chronicles, by Nick Miller.

What is the best piece of advice you ever received? The proper way to kiss a woman. I’m sure that will make Chloe happy.

Thanks, Liam. Now we’d like to speak with Danielle.

What event in your private life were you able to bring to this story and how do you feel it impacted the novel? The character of Liam is actually based on a friend of mine. Loosely, of course, but his speech patterns I stole, with his blessing, of course. He actually helped me with both drafts to perfect the unique way in which Liam speaks. I think it brought about an authenticity I wouldn’t have been able to achieve otherwise.

Tell us a bit about your publisher: how did you hear about them and what influenced your decision to submit to them? This series is self-published because too many publishing houses wanted the POV to be in third person, and I just couldn’t do it with this story. It felt important to me that Chloe be in first person. We needed to be fully inside her head and feel her insecurities for the story to play out the way I wanted it too.

What book[s] currently rest on your TBR pile? Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning. I’m a little late to the game on this series. Better late than never?

To purchase The Second 100 Kisses, go to Amazon.com

To learn more about Danielle Bannister, go to:

Newsletter http://bit.ly/DanielleBannisterNewsletter

Website     https://daniellebannister.wordpress.com/

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

Fan Group http://bit.ly/WriteAllTheWordsDanielle

Twitter       https://twitter.com/dbannisterbooks

Amazon     http://bit.ly/DanielleBannister

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

BookBub   http://bit.ly/BookBubAuthorPage

Goodreads http://bit.ly/DanielleBannisterGR

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The First 100 Kisses

 Wild Women Authors is pleased to feature Danielle Bannister and The First 100 Kisses. Up first is waitress Chloe Clark. We’ll have her go first to explain what’s going on with this fun, steamy romantic novella.

 Good morning, Chloe. Thanks for joining us today. Let’s start with the basics, like where you’re from. I’d love to tell you someplace warm and exotic, but southern Maine. Born in Saco, but I live in Portland now. Maine still. Not Seattle. That would be cool though!

Tell us a bit about The First 100 Kisses. Okay, so here’s the thing. I live next door to my best friend. Liam. Weird, I know. But we’ve lived beside each other for, like seven years, and in that time, you get to know a person. Liam and I are totally platonic. Like brother and sister, you know? Yeah, sure, he’s gorgeous, but he’s also really awkward. Most people avoid him. He just doesn’t know how to people. I dig his weird. Anyway, he gets this call from his high school sweetheart, wanting to go on a date, to catch up. That sort of thing. Which is cool for him. He doesn’t really get out, you know. Homebody. Likes his routine, that sort of thing.

          But one night while watching Outlander, a show we LOOOVE, he asks me for help. No BEGS me to help him. Get this. He needs help with kissing. The guy is completely clueless. He hasn’t kissed another woman since this Angel chick he’s going out on a date with. Liam is super stressed about it. He wants me to give him some pointers. No. Correction. He wants me to SHOW him some pointers. He wants to practice his kissing on me. Well, what’s a bestie to do? You have to help your friends out, right? He just needed the first 100 kisses under his belt, and he’d be an old pro. Of course…it would probably be a bad thing if I liked it, huh?

Sure. Whatever you say, but let’s go back to the beginning. What did you think the first time you saw Liam? Honestly, it was ‘Damn. He is fine.’ I was moving in and he came up to help me lift some boxes.

Yeah, so what was your second thought?  Did he just tell me the proper way to lift a box? Ha. I totally thought he was mansplaining things, but actually, it was just Liam being Liam. Like I said, he’s a bit odd, socially. Never really says the right thing.

What do you like most about Liam? Besides his kisses? I kid, I kid, but those are hot, let me tell you. What I like most about Liam is his honesty. He doesn’t have a filter, you know? Which can sometimes be jarring, but you also know where you stand with him. If he says something, he means it. And that’s kind of a novelty for me.

How would you describe him?  Well, the man is attractive. There’s no getting around that. But he’s also hard working, smart, like way smarter than me, loyal, honest, open, curious, brave…should I go on?

No, that’s okay. How would Liam describe you? Ha! An absolute basket case? Honestly, I don’t know what he sees in me. We are total opposites.

What made you choose waiting tables as a career? I’m not sure it was much of a choice or much of a career. It was supposed to be a temporary job while I tried to get some money to pay for college. It was never supposed to be the thing I was still doing in my thirties.

Oh, yeah, we get that one. What is your biggest fear? Oh, that changes day to day. I guess, today, it’s that Liam will realize I’m not the woman he wants to be with. Wow. That’s all kinds of pathetic. How about we say spiders instead. Less Freudian abandonment issues with spiders.

How do you relax? What’s that? Ha. I guess a hot bath. Or binging Friends.

Who is your favorite fictional character?  James Alexander Malcolm Mackenzie Fraser, obviously.

What is the best piece of advice you ever received? You don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone.

Thanks for spending time with us, Chloe. We appreciate it a lot. Now we’d like to chat with Dannielle.

What movies or books have had an impact on your career as a writer? If it wasn’t for the Twilight Saga, I wouldn’t be a writer today. Ten years ago, I picked up those books, and I haven’t stopped writing or reading since then. Odd how one book can change the whole trajectory of your life. But books can be that transformative. I wanted to move someone the way those stories moved me.

What event in your private life were you able to bring to this story and how do you feel it impacted the novel? Well, I think Chloe’s self-doubt rings true for not just me, but for everyone when they are putting themselves in such a vulnerable place as daring to love someone. It’s scary stuff so I suppose that insecurity. That doubting the other person could ever feel the same. Obviously, for Chloe, I had to raise the stakes of her doubt, because that’s what we do as authors. We write our characters up a tree and throw rocks at them.

Tell us a bit about your publisher. This series is self-published because too many publishing houses wanted the POV to be in third person, and I just couldn’t do it with this story. It felt important to me that Chloe be in first person. We needed to be fully inside her head and feel her insecurities for the story to play out the way I wanted it too.

What book[s] currently rest on your TBR pile? Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning. I’m a little late to the game on this series. Better late than never?

Lastly, what's up next and when can we expect to see it on the shelves? Funny you should ask. The sequel to The First Hundred Kisses is coming out on April 27^th so now is the perfect time to read book 1! The sequel is called The Second Hundred Kisses.

To learn more about Danielle Bannister and the stories she creates go to:

Newsletter http://bit.ly/DanielleBannisterNewsletter

Website     https://daniellebannister.wordpress.com/

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

Fan Group http://bit.ly/WriteAllTheWordsDanielle

Twitter       https://twitter.com/dbannisterbooks

Amazon     http://bit.ly/DanielleBannister

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

BookBub   http://bit.ly/BookBubAuthorPage

Goodreads http://bit.ly/DanielleBannisterGR

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Honor Bound by Katherine Grey

                         When honor meets temptation…

     California “Callie” St. John learned the hard way just how much one night of rebellion can cost. Determined not to repeat past mistakes, she tries to be the perfect daughter by volunteering with various charities and keeping everyone at arm's length. After narrowly escaping a car bombing, she is forced to accept help from the one man who can get past her defenses, making her long for the impossible -- letting him into her life...and her heart.

     Lieutenant James “Hawk” Hawkins, a member of a Special Ops unit of soldiers with unusual abilities, is known for keeping his cool in any situation. Acting as a bodyguard to the daughter of one of DC’s mover and shakers is just one more mission like any other. When an enemy from his past targets the spoiled socialite, Hawk realizes she is more than she seems.

     With his reputation on the line, he’s willing to risk everything to keep her safe. But succumbing to temptation isn’t an option…no matter how much he wants to give in.

 Wild Women Authors is pleased to feature author Katherine Grey as she celebrates her first indy release of Honor Bound, a contemporary military thriller with romantic elements. First up is Lt. Jimmy Hawkins.

Good morning, Jimmy, tell us where you’re from. Most recently Washington DC. I moved around so much as a kid, I’m not sure where I was born.

Tell us a bit about Honor Bound.  There are numerous attempts to kill California St. John, the daughter of the former secretary of defense. Calling in a favor, her father requests a member of Echo Team, an elite military unit, to act as her bodyguard. Much to my chagrin, I’m the lucky guy who gets the assignment. When we first meet, we’re like oil and water.

What did you think the first time you saw California St. John? I thought she was a spoiled high society brat.

Uh huh. And your second thought? That she wasn’t all what she seemed.

So was it like love at first sight? Ha ha. Anything but. We couldn’t stand each other.

What do you like most about Callie? Her compassion and empathy for others.

How would you describe her? She’s probably the kindest, most selfless person I’ve ever met. Once you get to know the real person behind her wealthy socialite façade, she’s like the girl next door and not all like the person she pretends to be.

How would she describe you? After we first met, she told one of my team mates I was the king of idiots. After everything we went through, her opinion changed. I hope she’d describe me as someone with a deep sense of honor, someone willing to do whatever it takes to complete a mission no matter what it might be.

What made you choose the military for a career? My father served as well so I decided to follow him into Navy as soon as I turned eighteen.

What is your biggest fear? Letting my team or Callie down.

How do you relax? Kicking back with a beer and watching a game on TV.

Who is your favorite fictional character? Not really sure I have one.

What is the best piece of advice you ever received? Treat your pistol the same way you’d treat your mother.

Good way to end one of your favorite things: interviewing with a woman. Now we’d like to chat with Katherine.

What movies or books have had an impact on your career as a writer? I love any movie or book that tugs at my emotions. I aspire to be able to do that with my own stories.

Tell us a bit about your publisher: This is my first indie published book. I like having control of when a book will be release, in what format, and the pricing of the book(s) and when it will go on sale.

What book[s] currently rest on your TBR pile? At the top of my TBR pile is Jackson by Emily March, right below that is Ten Things I Hate About The Duke by Loretta Chase and below that is Chilled To The Cone by Ellie Alexander – this is the 12^th book in Ms. Alexander’s Bakeshop mystery series.

Lastly, what's up next and when can we expect to see it on the shelves? Next up is Promises to Keep, the second book in the Echo Company series. It is scheduled to be released on June 1^st.

To purchase Honor Bound, go to www.amazon.com/dp/B091D25S63

 

To learn more about Katherine Grey go to:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/AuthorKatherineGrey

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/katherine_grey

Amazon Author Page: www.amazon.com/Katherine-Grey/e/B005PMMHUO

You can also contact her at Katherineg425@yahoo.com

Katherine brought along an excerpt for us:

William St. John turned to his daughter. “After tonight’s events perhaps now you’ll take the threats against you seriously.”

“Those things could have happened to anyone. Before tonight any of them could have been a coincidence.”

Jimmy stared at her. Nobody could be that naïve. “There’s no such thing as coincidence.”

California St. John glared at him, her eyes sparking with anger, showing exactly what she thought about the situation. “As I seem to have no option but to have you follow me around like a lost dog, let me be clear. I will not be changing my daily routine. You will be unobtrusive and remain in the background when I’m in public.” She ticked off her rules on her fingers.

Jimmy crossed his arms over his chest and waited for her to finish. Her slight British accent made her sound as though she was royalty giving orders to the peasants.

“Your presence won’t be needed when I’m at home or with friends. Understood?”

He took a step forward. “You listen to me, Duchess--”

“I’m not a duchess. If I were, you would address me as ‘Your Grace.’” She sounded even haughtier if that was possible.

“I’m charged with your safety. I will be the one laying the ground rules,” he continued as if she hadn’t spoken. “So until any threat to you is removed, I’ll be sticking closer to you than your panties on a hot July night. Got it?”

Love Leads the Way

. . . She coaches him in team leadership, but do they both need lessons in love?

Wild Women Authors focus on: Love Leads the Way, a sweet contemporary romance, written by Margot Johnson and published by the Sweetheart Rose line for the Wild Rose Press.

Single mom Tessa Shore runs a successful leadership program at work and supports a mother with dementia. She can handle any challenge in her jam-packed schedule as long as nothing spins out of control…especially her feelings.

Engineer Mark Delaney is an expert on pipelines at the same company, but his interpersonal skills need a makeover. Advancing to an executive job requires enrollment in a leadership course he doesn't think he needs.

When their professional and personal issues entangle, life at the office gets a lot more complicated. Romance is impossible…or is it?

 

Excerpt

Pacing around Crescent Park in moonlight trimmed with stars, Mark breathed fresh air and slowed his erratic heartbeats from the shock of Tessa’s invitation. Apparently, the woman who directed the class with the precision of an air-traffic controller could flex…at least, a little. She wanted to spend extra time with him, and he couldn’t refuse.

“I didn’t think we’d bump into other participants at this late hour.” She hugged tighter her windbreaker against the cool breeze. “We won’t mix business and pleasure. I’m strictly off duty, and so are you.”

“Okay, Tessa, whatever you say.”

 

Buy links:

 

LOVE LEADS THE WAY

 

LOVE TAKES FLIGHT

 

About the author:

Margot Johnson grew up in a family of writers and has always loved books and writing. She is the author of LOVE TAKES FLIGHT and her new release LOVE LEADS THE WAY. Before turning her focus to the fun writing life, Margot held leadership roles in human resources and communications. Her motto is "Dream big and work hard."

When not writing, she loves to connect with family and friends, volunteer with SK Writers Guild, and walk at least 10,000 steps a day (except when it's minus 40!) She lives in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada with her amazing husband and adorable golden retriever.

 

Social media links:

Margot Johnson Author

https://twitter.com/AuthorMargot

 

 

 

If Only for Today

           Jared Langford is a happy man. The desk clerk at the Deerbourne Inn knows everyone in his cozy town in Vermont. He is accepted and loved by the community, but he's missing someone special in his life. Devastating news has brought journalist Xander Fortier to Willow Springs for some much-needed rest. He's photographed every major conflict in the world for the last ten years, but being stateside has forced him to reassess the solitary life he's been living. 

         Something in Xander's gruff demeanor calls to Jared's caring nature. Soon the men are spending time together, but Jared's kisses might not be enough to keep Xander from leaving. Can the men find a happily ever after if they only have today?

Wild Women Authors welcomes author Gabbi Grey who celebrates the release of If Only For Today the latest offering from the Deerbourne Inn series offered by the Wild Rose Press. With Gabbi is photo-journalist Xander Fortier—who will start us off.

Good morning, Xander. Tell us a bit about yourself, starting with where you’re from. Louisiana – Bayou county.

Tell us a bit about If Only for Today. I head to a small town in Vermont to take a break from my intense career.  Unexpectedly, I meet a man who catches my attention.  He’s persistent, and we start spending time together.  I know I have to leave soon, but I keep seeking him out just to be in his company.

What did you think the first time you saw Jared Langford? To be honest, I barely noticed him. I was tired, cranky, and he was the desk clerk at the inn where I was staying.  I remember handing him my credit card and noticing his blue eyes.  That’s it.

What was your second thought?  When he came up to my room?  That he was cute.  And pretty soon he was checking me out and then I was checking him out.  When we both realized the other was gay, we agreed to go to dinner.

Did you feel it was love at first sight? No. I mean, I’m a cynic about everything, and I certainly don’t believe in love at first sight.  Lust?  Yes.  Love?  Nah.

What do you like most about him?  Jared is, bar none, the most delightful man I’ve ever met.  Even though he loves musicals, I’m still attracted to him.

How would you describe him? The sweetest and possibly most naïve man I’ve ever met.  Well, until I got to know him.  Once I learned his secrets, I saw a whole new depth.

How would he describe you? Jared is a charitable soul, so he would say I was a talented photographer.  If pushed, he might say I’m cranky.

What made you choose photojournalism as a career? First I wanted to get as far away from Louisiana as I could so I studied at NYU.  Just after I graduated I shot some great photos of a riot.  A newspaper in DC offered me a job and I agreed – as long as I could go overseas as much as possible.

What is your biggest fear?  People seeing me as weak.

How do you relax? Who has time to relax?  There’s always a war for me to cover.  That being said, I do enjoy immersing myself in the culture of foreign lands.

Who is your favorite fictional character? I don’t read fiction.  My greatest hero is Hemingway.  Does he count?

Sure. What is the best piece of advice you ever received?  To keep moving.  I’ve been going for ten straight years, moving from conflict to war in every corner of the globe. No grass ever grows under my feet.

 We thank you for taking time away from your schedule to speak with us. Now we’d like to chat with Gabbi.

What movies or books have had an impact on your career as a writer? I’m going to take the easy way out and start with Jane Austen.  My world opened up when I read Pride and Prejudice and seeing the mini-series with Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle changed my life.  About the same time a good friend gave me a Harlequin.  I don’t remember the title, but I fell in love.  I’ve read thousands of romances since. Finally, at the behest of a friend I read Into Deep Waters by Kaje Harper.  My first gay romance.  I haven’t looked back.

What event in your private life were you able to bring to this story and how do you feel it impacted the novel? A few years ago I rescued a ChinPoo.  Twelve pounds of canine love.  Her trust in me is breathtaking, and I wanted my hero to feel that kind of love when he went to an animal shelter to rescue a special furry creature.

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 fourth book with The Wild Rose Press.  A good friend works there and she encouraged me to submit.  Turned out to be a great move for my writing career.

What book[s] currently rest on your TBR pile?  Finding Ian by Riley Hart, Bossy by N.R. Walker and Third Party by Danika Bloom.

Lastly, what's up next and when can we expect to see it on the shelves? I write m/f BDSM dark erotic books under the pen name Gabbi Black.  My next book, Beautiful Eyes, should be out in the fall.  And my next gay romance, Ginger Snapping All the Way is scheduled for Christmas.

Here's a bit more about our featured author:

Gabbi lives in beautiful British Columbia where her fur baby chin poo keeps her safe from the nasty neighborhood squirrels. Working for the government by day, she spends her early mornings writing contemporary, gay, sweet, and dark erotic BDSM romances…and while she firmly believes in happy endings, she also believes in making her characters suffer before finding their true love.  She also writes m/f romances as Gabbi Black.

To Purchase If Only for Today, go to:

Amazon US:  https://amzn.to/3fOsviy

Amazon CA:  https://amzn.to/31LG1LP

KOBO:  https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/if-only-for-today

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/if-only-for-today-gabbi-grey/1138919955

iBooks:  https://books.apple.com/us/book/if-only-for-today/id1556170342

 

To learn more about Gabbi Grey and the stories she creates, go to:

Website: https://gabbigrey.com/

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/gabbi-grey

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15456297.Gabbi_Grey

Amazon Author Central: https://www.amazon.com/Gabbi-Grey/e/B07SJVFX1M

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

Facebook (page): https://www.facebook.com/AuthorGabbiGrey

Twitter: https://twitter.com/GabbiGrey

 

 

The Earl's Error

 . . . Lorelei Grey, the countess of Kimpton, can’t trust her husband. Not only did he exile her brother from England without a word to her, but she’s since learned he fathered his ex-mistress’s unborn child. She had only one stipulation for their marriage…to treat her with respect.

. . . Thorne Grey, the Earl of Kimpton, wants his wife, craves his wife. When she threatens to leave, he panics and offers to pay her to stay with him. He’s bought himself two weeks and prays it’s enough time to find her missing brother and prove he’s not the scoundrel she believes.
. . . Neither is able to ignore the explosive passion between them, but in their search for her brother, they encounter a threat that could not only destroy their relationship, but their very lives.

 Wild Women Authors is pleased to feature author Kathy L Wheeler as she celebrates the reissue of The Earl’s Error, part of the Rebel Lords of London series. As an added attraction we are talking to Lady Irene Ennis, Lord Kimpton’s daughter, Lorelei Gray’s step daughter.

Good morning Lady Irene, please tell us where you are from. I’m from London. 

Tell us a bit about yourself: Well, I’m eight, but I raised my younger sister Celia.

Can you tell us why you are whispering? My father’s not a nice man.

Okay, tell us please what you thought the first time you saw your father, Lord Kimpton? He was very dashing. And strong.

Interesting. What was your second thought? He should have a baby.

What do you like most about him? Well… our governess threatened to sell my sister and I if we told anyone the things we saw. But Lord Kimpton made her go away.

Yes, We can see why you’d like him. But what about Lady Kimpton? She’s frightened of babies.

And that makes you smile? Oh, no! I mean, um, yes. I-I had to show her how to hold Nathan. He’s a newborn. She didn’t even know how to change his nappies.

How would you describe Lady Kimpton? She is very proper, but she is all mush inside.

How would they describe you? I’ve heard them talk. They think I’m old inside. That doesn’t make sense to me. I’m eight.

What is your biggest fear? Losing my mother. I’m afraid she’s dead.

Thank you Lady Irene; we’d like to chat with Kathy Wheeler now.

What movies or books have had an impact on your career as a writer? I love romantic comedy. I think it’s fun to see if I can find the turning points. It keeps my husband entertained. He thinks I’m the best writer ever. I hate disappointing him.

What event in your private life were you able to bring to this story and how do you feel it impacted the novel? Irene is a side character this book, but I was a single parent from the time my own daughter turned two. And, I always felt my daughter had an old soul because it was just the two of us. I didn’t remarry until she was twenty.

What book[s] currently rest on your TBR pile? I read and re-read anything Jayne Ann Krentz, Teresa Medeiros, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, so I preorder all my favorite authors.

Lastly, what's up next and when can we expect to see it on the shelves? This book is a reissue (meaning my publishing company went belly-up and returned my rights.) I wrote a prequel to help quick start the entire series, which I’m happy to say is completed and up for pre-order. That is a very exciting feeling. 

The Series Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08WRJMJF8

Enchanting the Earl (a free prequel)

The Earl’s Error – 4/6

The Marquis’s Misstep – 5/4

The 7^th Son – 6/8

The Viscount’s Vendetta – 7/6

 

 Kathy brought along an excerpt for us:

Despite her best judgment, Lorelei turned her face up to a rare sun-filled day, eyes closed. The snippy air required a shawl, but the sun warmed her shoulders through it. She smiled, reveling in the small pleasures surrounding her. Cecilia giggled, having enticed Liza to a footrace about the garden, while Irene issued serious instructions to Corinne on the best method for relieving Nathan of bubbles in his small tummy after a sound feeding.

Ever the gracious lady, Irene positioned herself primly between Lorelei and Corinne. “Lady Kimpton?” Irene adjusted the blanket that swaddled Nathan, folding it just right about his face. Satisfied that it allowed him suitable air and sunshine, she turned those serious eyes to Lorelei. “Is there any word on my mother?”

Lorelei’s heart dipped as she clasped Irene’s small hand and shook her head. “I’m sorry, darling. I’ve had no word. My promise holds, however. Never fear.”

Irene leaned close to Lorelei, raising eyes identical to Ginny’s but for their color. “I expect she’s dead.”

“Nonsense,” Lorelei said firmly, silently appalled. “We would have most certainly have heard something to that effect.” She made a mental note to demand answers from Thorne. Today.

Irene cast her gaze around the gardens. “It’s lovely here, isn’t it, Lady Kimpton?”

Lorelei followed her gaze. “It is indeed.”

“I suppose it’s sinful to say so, but if Mama is dead, I would not mind living here with you and Lord Kimpton.”

Lorelei swallowed the sudden lump in her throat, unable to squeeze words past it. She nodded.

Flowers bloomed along the garden’s edge. Thick ivy snaked in and around the garden gate, up and over the bricked fence.

Where was Ginny? What had she endured the night Lorelei had taken ill? Her happiness in the moment faltered. Why hadn’t Ginny tried contacting her, asked after her girls? And now that she thought on it, there’d been no word from Lord Maudsley either. If something had happened to her friend that would leave these two wonderful children in the earl’s sole care… Lorelei suppressed a shudder. Ginny treasured her daughters more than her own life. She feared Irene might be right about her mother.

 To purchase The Earl’s Error, go to: 

Amazon ~ iTunes ~ Kobo ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Draft2Digital ~ Smashwords

 To learn more about Kathy L Wheeler and the stories she creates, go to:

 https://kathylwheeler.com

 https://www.amazon.com/Kathy-L-Wheeler/e/B07C87Y2GK

 https://kathylwheeler.com

 

https://facebook.com/kathylwheeler

 

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https://pinterest.com/kathylwheeler

 

https://bookbub.com/kathy-l-wheeler

 

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5804151.Kathy_L_Wheeler

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shadows of Doubt by Patricia McAlexander

           Former grade school bully and, later, amateur drug dealer Jeff Hudson turns his life around and is pursuing a degree in agriculture. His future, as well as a budding relationship with fellow student Sandy Harris, is threatened when a former dealer threatens to expose Jeff's past to university authorities if he doesn't rejoin the ring.

Realizing that Jeff is no longer an angry, misunderstood boy, Sandy must take a stand against her family and friends who swear he is no good and will only cause her unhappiness. Together, can they escape the past in order to forge a future?

 

Wild Women Authors is pleased to feature Patricia McAlexander who celebrates the release of Shadows of Doubt, a contemporary romance, released out of the Crimson Rose line for the Wild Rose Press. With Patricia is Sandy Harris who will go first.

Good morning, Sandy. Tell us a bit about yourself, starting with where you’re from. I grew up in Athens, Georgia and graduated from the University of Georgia’s School of Journalism.

Tell us a bit about Shadows of Doubt.  The story describes the developing relationship between a new UGA transfer student, Jeff Hudson, and me when we were students there. I was from the first very attracted to him, but others warned me about his past—my childhood friend, one of his old girlfriends, and most troubling of all, my mother, who had been his teacher in grade school and suspected he had come to no good. So in spite of my feelings for him, I began to have doubts and to wonder whether I should break off the relationship.

What did you think the first time you saw Jeff? I must admit, I was impressed by his muscular good looks.

What was your second thought? When he misunderstood my role at his father’s  house, where I was babysitting, I was angry.

Did you feel it was love at first sight? No, more the opposite—but there was definitely chemistry.

What do you like most about him? Besides that chemistry between us, his bravery in the face of physical danger.

How would you describe Jeff? Physically? He is very good-looking. I love his hazel-gold eyes, thick dark hair, the cleft in his chin.

How would he describe you? I guess, once he got over his first mistaken impression of me, he would describe me as sort of an All-American girl.

What made you choose photojournalism as a career? I love both photography and writing. I took pictures and wrote stories for the college newspaper and the local town paper. I’ve admired women reporters on television news programs.

What is your greatest fear? Having the direction of my life determined by others.

How do you relax? Reading, writing, taking photos, hiking, swimming, kayaking or canoeing.

Who is your favorite fictional character? Elizabeth Bennett in Pride and Prejudice. Like me, she had doubts about a man she was attracted to and had to work them out.

What is the best piece of advice you ever received? My Aunt Mary, whose first husband was abusive, at first told me to be wary of sudden infatuation, the kind she thought I felt for Jeff. But what I consider her best advice came later, indirectly: she suggested I follow my heart when she admitted, “Love is not always wrong.”

Thanks for taking time out of your day to talk to us. Now, we’d like to chat with Patricia.

What movies or books have had an impact on your career as a writer? Two particular works directly influenced my two Wild Rose Press novels. John and Ward Hawkins’ 1957 thriller Floods of Fear inspired an early an early version of my first novel, Stranger in the Storm. Jane Austen’s 1813 novel Pride and Prejudice plays a role in Shadows of Doubt.

What event in your private life were you able to bring to this story and how do you feel it impacted the novel? My father’s death when my sister was in high school and I was a freshman in college impacted Shadows. We watched my mother, a teacher and in many ways a strong woman, cope with this loss. She turned to us, her daughters, for comfort, company, and support, as Mrs. Harris turned to Sandy after her husband died. Also, occasionally Mom did not approve of our boyfriends, so I understood the kind of tension portrayed in Shadows.

 Tell us a bit about your publisher: how did you hear about them and what influenced your decision to submit to them? Someone in a writer’s group I’m a member of mentioned that the Wild Rose Press was her publisher, and I thought, “Ah, maybe that would be a place to submit Stranger in the Storm”—my first novel. I read some books Wild Rose had published and was impressed. Their website gave good directions on how to submit—they asked for the entire manuscript. I took the plunge, sending it to the “Crimson” line, the one for thriller-romances. Editor Kaycee John read and annotated the first several pages and suggested that I revise, recommending that I read Revision and Self-Editing for Publication: Techniques for Transforming Your First Draft into a Novel That Sells by James Scott Bell. I found that book very helpful, especially in suggesting how to work in backstory and ramp up drama. Wild Rose accepted the revision, and Kaycee was a wonderful guide as we went through the complete editing process. She was an equally good guide with Shadows of Doubt.

What book[s] currently rest on your TBR pile?  Now sitting on my TBR table is Erik Larsen’s The Splendid and the Vile, about Winston Churchill during World War II, and Betty Jean Craige’s Ruminations on a Parrot Named Cosmo—about her pet parrot whose amazing language skills show emotions and thoughts like a human’s.  And after reading a fellow Wild Rose author’s vampire novel (Sydney Winward’s Bloodbond), I’ve downloaded the prototype vampire novel, Bram Stoker’s 1897 Dracula, on my kindle.

Lastly, what's up next and when can we expect to see it on the shelves? I have a draft of another thriller-romance tentatively titled The Student in Classroom 10. But Shadows of Doubt is so fresh off the press that I really haven’t had time to think about finalizing and submitting another for publication, much less seeing it on the shelves. Besides, I need to give my editor a break.

Patricia brought an excerpt for us:

“Sandy—I need to tell you something about him.”

“I don’t want to hear it. You’d better take me home.”

Bill abruptly turned around in a parking lot he was passing and headed back toward her house. His expression was grim, almost angry. “I’d be better for you, Sandy. Your mother thinks so, too.”

Anger replaced her anxiety. “How do you know what my mother thinks? I hope you and she didn’t discuss this!”

          “Just a little, last night before you came downstairs. She didn’t say much, but I could tell how she felt.” He pulled up in front of her house. “We both worry about you with Jeff. It’s not just that we think this won’t last…”

“Why else should you worry?”

          Bill hesitated. “For one thing, he has a temper. He may physically hurt you. Remember how he was even as a kid.”

Her anger notched up higher. He was sounding just like her mother, expressing unfounded, outdated fears. “It was years ago that he got in those fights. He’s not like that now. I’m sorry, Bill, but I think it would be better if you and I don’t see each other for a while.” She got out of the car and slammed the door.

Bill started to pull away, then stopped, lowered the window, and called out to her. “Just remember, if you ever need me, I’ll be here.”

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

 Website:   https://patriciamcalexander.weebly.com

 Facebook: facebook.com/patriciamcalexanderwriter/

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/PatMcAlexWriter

Instagram: www.instagram.com/patriciamcalexander/

 

To purchase Shadows of Doubt, go to:

Amazon kindle:

https://www.amazon.com/Shadows-Doubt-Patricia-McAlexander-ebook/dp/B08XTN863F/ref  

Amazon: paperback:

https://www.amazon.com/Shadows-Doubt-Patricia-McAlexander/dp/1509235426/ref

Nook:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/shadows-of-doubt-patricia-mcalexander/

Barnes and Noble paperback:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/shadows-of-doubt-patricia-mcalexander/1138919956 

ibooks

http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/isbn9781509235438