Numbers Game

           Former pro football player and coach Duncan "Hatch" Hatcher fumbled his career and marriage. Now divorced and ready to tackle his future, he has an opportunity to redeem himself as coach of his college alma mater's football team. But how can he turn the team's losing streak around and keep the secret of his downfall buried when the school agrees to a documentary that will allow a lovely journalist to dig her way into his past...and into his heart?

Olivia Grant's ex-husband almost wrecked her journalism career while he definitely did a number on her self-esteem. The documentary on Duncan Hatcher is the perfect way to rebuild both. As a freshman in college, she'd had a crush on the senior football hero, but he hadn't known she existed. She never expects the sparks that fly between them as they work on the project nor the struggles they must face if they both want to win.

 

Wild Women Authors welcomes author Liz Crowe as she and her writing partner, Desiree Holt, celebrate the release of Numbers Game, a contemporary romance for the Scarlet Rose line of the Wild Rose Press. Up first is former pro quarterback and now college coach, Duncan Jerome “Hatch” Hatcher. As always our feature character will go first.

Good morning, Coach, thanks for taking time away from your busy schedule to talk with us. Let’s start with where you’re from. I was born and raised in Avon, Michigan.

Tell us a bit about Numbers Game. This is a book co-written by Liz Crowe & Desiree Holt. It’s about how I get to redeem myself after screwing my life up royally, basically. I’m back in Avon, head coach of my alma mater’s football team where I got my start, Lakeview U. and I’ve agreed to let a journalist and her crew follow me and my team around for the first season so she can make a documentary about me. But I’m here to tell you that the moment I laid eyes on her…oh, wait, that’s in the next question, sorry!

What did you think the first time you saw Olivia Grant? It’s probably not fit for family consumption if you know what I mean. But let’s just say I was immediately obsessed by the thought of everything about her.

Works for us. And your second thought? Ha, okay I see what you did there. Let’s see…my second thought about Olivia was that I wondered if she liked sleeping on the left or the right side of the bed.

So, was it love at first sight? No, I don’t believe in that. I’ve been married. I’ve seen those puppet strings. What it was? A very strong physical attraction and one that we acted on, uh, pretty quickly I guess. But it turned into something else, something even better.

What do you like most about her? I love her legs a lot. But I also adore her attitude, her courage, and her willingness to put up with me.

How would you describe Olivia? Sexy, smart, sassy, a bit of a smart ass in a way I appreciate, an amazing cook, a fun date, and she loves sports. I think I hit the jackpot this time around, really.

How would she describe you? Caveat: we had an argument this morning about me wanting to get a dog and her not wanting that responsibility so TODAY she might describe me as mule-headed and a giant pain in the ass who has a hard time hitting the laundry basket with his dirty drawers. But overall I think she’d call me devoted to my team and the kids and coaches I work with, a great kisser, a decent fix-it guy, and a man devoted to her happiness.

Awwww. But we digress. What made you choose football coaching for a career? I’ve played football from the moment I was old enough to figure out what it was. I don’t know life without it. And I really love coaching. The x’s and o’s really drive me. And while I was nervous at first about being in charge of and responsible for so many young men and futures, whether it involves more football or just graduating from college, I really love it now.

What is your biggest fear? Not being able to get that dog I want, dang it. Seriously though, I do fear all the dangers inherent in this game. I won’t pretend that it’s 100% safe. I know too many of my fellow pro players who’ve retired with injuries including concussions. My biggest fear would be anything involving a debilitating injury for one of my players.

How do you relax? I watch baseball. It’s boring on one level, but also a statistical challenge on the other. And it’s one of Olivia’s favorite sports to watch. So we relax together.

Who is your favorite fictional character? I’m a huge fan of Jack Reacher. Love that guy.

What is the best piece of advice you ever received? From my high school coach: Don’t take this too seriously. It’s game. But you’re only as good at as you want to be so put in the time and control what you can control.

Thanks for this, Hatch. Now we’re going to switch and chat with Liz for a moment.

How did it come to be that you and Desiree came together to write Numbers Game? I helped with a huge fundraiser for my kids’ school (Pioneer High) which is located across the street from The Big House, where Michigan plays football. Desiree is a Michigan alum and a fan of their football team. We invited the (then new) coach Jim Harbaugh and his brother John (my favorite NFL coach) to attend a Pioneer Hall of Fame Induction dinner and auction—John actually graduated from Pioneer and played on their football team. We had these cool commemorative footballs made and signed by both coaches so I made sure to get one for Desiree. I sent it to her as a total surprise which was my first lob over the net to get her to write a book with me!

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 first book with The Wild Rose Press. Desiree has been with them awhile so we are thrilled that they agreed to publish it.

What book[s] currently rest on your TBR pile? Right now, I’m judging books in the Orange County RWA contest so I have 4 books to read for them, but other than that, I’ve got “You Had Me at Hello” by Mhairi McFarlane ready to go, as well Queen Move by Kennedy Ryan, and the sequel to Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo.

Lastly, what's up next and when can we expect to see it on the shelves? I’ve got a new, second chance romance releasing in July, Backup Offer. It’s the final book in a long-running, super popular Stewart Realty series but is 100% stand along since it’s a “ten years later” look at a relationship between a pair of teens that fell apart. They’ve drifted apart as much as possible considering their families are so close but are destined to be together! Also, I’ll have a duet of chick lit novels coming from The Wild Rose Press in the fall PLUS a new installment of my Detroit Sports Network series: G.O.A.T.

 To purchase Numbers Game, go to:  https://books2read.com/NumbersGame

 A bit more about our feature authors:

Liz Crowe is a Kentucky native and graduate of the University of Louisville living in Central Illinois. She's spent her time as a three-continent expat trailing spouse, mom of three, real estate agent, brewery owner and bar manager, and is currently a social media consultant and humane society development director, in addition to being an award-winning author. With stories set in the not-so-common worlds of breweries, on the soccer pitch, inside fictional television stations and successful real estate offices, and even in exotic locales like Istanbul, Turkey, her books are compelling and told with a fresh voice. The Liz Crowe backlist has something for any reader seeking complex storylines with humor and complete casts of characters that will delight, at times frustrate, and always linger in the imagination long after the book is finished.

to contact Liz, go to:  

https://twitter.com/LizCroweAuthor

http://www.facebook.com/lizcroweauthor

https://www.instagram.com/lizcroweauthor/

https://www.bookbub.com/authors/liz-crowe

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4350864.Liz_Crowe

https://www.amazon.com/Liz-Crowe/e/B00573TC7M

http://www.lizcrowe.com

https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/r2a2q5

A bit about Desiree Holt:

USA Today best-selling and award-winning author Desiree Holt writes everything from romantic suspense and contemporary on a variety of heat levels up to erotic, a genre in which she is the oldest living author. She has been referred to by USA Today as the Nora Roberts of erotic romance, and is a winner of the EPIC E-Book Award, the Holt Medallion and a Romantic Times Reviewers Choice nominee. She has been featured on CBS Sunday Morning and in The Village Voice, The Daily Beast, USA Today, The (London) Daily Mail, The New Delhi Times and numerous other national and international publications. 

www.facebook.com/desireeholtauthor 

www.facebook.com/desiree01holt 

TWITTER  @desireeholt

 Pinterest: desiree02holt

 Google: https://g.co/kgs/6vgLUu www.desireeholt.com www.desiremeonly.com 

 Follow me on

BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/search?search=Desiree+Holt 

 Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Desiree- Holt/e/B003LD2Q3M/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1505488204&sr=1-2-ent 

 Signup for my newsletter and receive a free book:

https://desireeholt.com/newsletter/

Bloodscourge

            Fate has given her a second chance. The only things Elisabeta knows how to do is lie, cheat, and swindle. When her brother learns of a treasure worth kingdoms lying in the heart of Ichor Knell, the great vampire city, he sends her to steal it. However, the key to the treasury is safeguarded by the captain of the guard, a brute named Dracula.

`        Dracula cannot resist the beautiful and mysterious Elisabeta. As danger erupts in Ichor Knell, he is forced into a precarious position to resist the evil within the city and to protect his family and the woman he cares for immensely.

Despite the connection he feels for her, the secrets she hides could be deadly to them both. Will the truth tie them for eternity or set them on a path of destruction?

 Wild Women Authors welcomes Sydney Winward back to our blog with the latest in her Bloodborn series: Bloodscourge, a current release out of the Black Rose line for the Wild Rose Press. First up is professional thief Elisabeta Trelles.

Good morning, Elisabeta. Thank you for spending time with us. Let’s start the interview with where you are from. Northbury. It’s extremely snowy and cold, and not at all a pleasant place to live. I never stayed there, and instead live on my brother’s ship.

Tell us a bit about Bloodscourge. It is about a brother/sister duo looking to steal a treasure from deep within the vampire city of Ichor Knell. But as humans among vampires, it’s a dangerous feat. Elisabeta goes in alone to try to steal the treasury key from the captain of the guard, a vampire brute named Dracula. But as she gets to know him and makes friends within the city, she realizes she has to choose between Dracula and her brother. However, the choice becomes much harder as danger erupts in Ichor Knell and she’s caught in the crossfire.

What did you think the first time you saw Dracula? He was nothing like I expected. When I first arrived in Ichor Knell, I expected to find an ugly brute of a vampire. Instead, when I first saw him, I was immediately smitten with his good looks and formidable height.

Oh, yeah. Tall, handsome men. Right up our alley. And your second thought? My attraction to him made things more complicated. I came to Ichor Knell to steal from him, nothing more.

So it wasn’t love at first sight? Dracula was a means to an end. At least at first. I never expected to fall in love. That came later.

What do you like most about him? I love how invested he is in family. If he considers someone family, he will protect them until his very last breath.

How would you describe him? Brutal. Brutally honest. Flirty. Irresistible. Though, I’m afraid if he found out I was actually a human and not a vampire, he might eat me for breakfast.

Interesting picture you paint. How would he describe you? He would say I often get under his skin. But I know he actually loves it.

What made you choose thieving for a career? My brother, Miles, and I grew up on the streets. There is no honest work for orphans trying to provide for themselves. We had no choice. While Miles grew to love thieving, I hated it, but I could never find a way out of the life.

What is your biggest fear? Being left behind. Although I don’t like the pirate life, there’s nothing else I know how to do. Miles is the only family I have, and I fear he will leave me behind while he pursues something greater.

How do you relax? Sparring with a sword in my hand or sitting around a bonfire.

What is the best piece of advice you ever received? Being honest and truthful has always been a struggle of mine. Nicolae Covaci taught me that if I begin a path of honesty, everything else will fall into place.

Thank you for this, Elisabeta. We now have a new slant on a figure from ancient lore. Now, we’d like to chat with Sydney.

What movies or books have had an impact on your career as a writer?Christopher Paolini’s Eragon had a huge impact on my desire to become an author. It was one of the first books I completely fell in love with, and it made me want to become a writer myself. Other things that have made an impact on me is the tv show Merlin and Sophie Jordan’s Firelight series.

What event in your private life were you able to bring to this story and how do you feel it impacted the novel? I have experienced two miscarriages, and I think this impacted the novel in one of the most heartbreaking scenes in the book.

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 during the querying process for my first novel, Bloodborn. Several things that influenced my decision to publish with them is their incredible author support, the amazing network of authors to connect with, and their beautiful covers.

What books currently rest on your TBR pile? Bone Crier’s Moon by Kathryn Purdie, The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, and Darling, There Are Wolves in the Woods by L.V. Russell

Lastly, what's up next and when can we expect to see it on the shelves? I have a novella coming out in the Wylder West series with The Wild Rose Press called Through Wylder Meadows, likely releasing sometime this year. Also watch out for a fantasy romance series in the works!

 Sydney brought an excerpt for us:

     “Now look what you did,” he said quietly. “You just broke the rules.”

      Panic clutched her from the inside out. “What? I thought the Game had no rules.”

      “Not that game,” he said, rolling his eyes. Her breath hitched as he trailed his thumb across her bottom lip. “This one. Distracting me in battle.”

      She trembled beneath his touch. He had never looked at her that way before, with an intense passion seeping from his eyes. Warmth spread from her toes to her fingertips to her heart and to her lips that desperately wanted to be kissed. Right then, seducing him no longer mattered because she couldn’t do it. She didn’t want to use him for her own personal gains. But what did matter was how close he was, close enough to feel his breath on her skin. 

      “Kiss me,” she breathed, not able to handle the tension anymore.

      “Dear Elisabeta,” he grinned wickedly, “that’s not how this game works. There are rules.”

      He kissed her below her ear, and her heart nearly collapsed as the tension thickened. It was all she could do to force out her words. “I don’t like rules.”

      “I’ve noticed,” he whispered in her ear.

 To purchase Bloodscourge, go to:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08TW5TGW4/

Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/us/book/bloodscourge/id1550787905

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/bloodscourge-sydney-winward/1138678093?ean=2940162304104

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/bloodscourge

 

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SydneyWinward

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

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

Website: https://sydneywinward.com/

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

 

 

Crimson at Cape May

            Imagine risking your life to right a major wrong only to lose everything as a result. Exposing his town’s ugly secret cost Darrell Henshaw—teacher, coach and paranormal sensitive—his job, his girl and his dignity. So, the offer to coach the summer football camp in Cape May came at just the right time. The resort town, with gorgeous beaches, rich history and famous Victorian mansions, might be just the getaway Darrell needs.

         Only, no one told him Cape May is the most haunted seaport on the East coast, launching his gift of seeing ghosts into overdrive. One resident ghost, the Haunted Bride, stalks him, begging for help.

         Darrell can’t refuse.

Joining forces with Cassie, a street-wise teen and another sensitive, he investigates the bride’s death and discovers an even darker secret. Can Darrell and Cassie expose the bride’s killer and expose the shocking truth before they’re targeted?

 Wild Women Authors is pleased to feature Crimson at Cape May, a contemporary paranormal thriller, its author Dr. Randy Overbeck, and Darrell Henshaw, teacher, coach and paranormal sensitive.  

Good morning, Darrell, let’s begin with what made you choose teaching for a profession? For me, teaching and coaching is more than a career, it’s my life. I’m still young, but I plan to dedicate my life to helping young people become the most positive versions of themselves. I believe it’s the best job in the world. On the other hand, my paranormal gift is just something I put up with, not something I asked for.

Knowing what you know now, if you had it to do over again, would you stick with being a teacher or do something different? I’m very lucky. Even when I was growing up, teaching was what I’ve always wanted to do. To tell you the truth, I can’t imagine doing anything else. When I’m working with young people and I see that lightbulb go on, I’m certain I’m exactly where I need to be.

What is your biggest fear? I’ve got a few fears. First, I’m a little embarrassed to admit it, but I suffer from OCD, that’s Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Early in life, I had a few problems and I still carry a lot of baggage. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed and OCD is how I try to cope with it. But my greatest fear comes from my gift. You see, I see ghosts, at least the ones who want me to see them. They have unfinished business and they ask me to help them. What I fear is that I won’t be able to help them…or I’ll get myself killed trying to find justice for them.

Who is your favorite fictional character and why? I’m a big lover of historical fiction and I’ve encountered several memorable characters in my reading. I truly enjoyed Mr. Schuyler, the fictional biographer for the second US Vice President in the novel, Burr, by Gore Vidal. I think I’ve read the book three times. Through the words of this young, naïve journalist, Gore gives readers a very different view of early America, before and after the Revolution. Even though Burr is a fictional novel, it was based on considerable research. I gained more real knowledge about colonial and early America through the pages of this novel than any textbook. I recommend it to my students.

What is the best piece of advice you ever received? “Life is too short to be squandered doing something that doesn’t matter.” I don’t remember who shared that saying with me but it really hit home. I’m convinced teaching matters and every time I help some lost soul cross over, I hope that matters as well.

Thank you for spending time with us, Darrell. We’d now like to chat with Randy.

Which writer or character[s], from either books or movies, [or both] have had a major impact on your writing? I’d have to admit I’ve been fortunate enough to learn and benefit from several great writers. From best-selling author, S. J. Rosan, I learned the importance of using my writing—even in fiction—to tell a truth. Edgar award winner, William Kent Krueger, has taught me how important it is to craft memorable, credible characters and to weave critical details of the settings into my narratives. I hold their professional works of fiction as something to strive for. With every page I write, I aspire to the quality of their remarkable work—and I’m still working on it.

With regard to research, where did you start for this novel? Did that lead you down different paths, thereby changing the original concept? The novels in my Haunted Shores Mysteries series—Crimson at Cape May is the second entry—have several features in common. First, each originates in a unique beautiful resort location, so that’s where my research started. After traveling to a number of towns, I chose Cape May because of its remarkable history, its tradition of ghosts and the gorgeous architecture of the town, unlike anyplace else. Next, even though my stories take place more than twenty years in the past, each tale addresses a current, urgent social issue. For Crimson, that issue became human trafficking. So I conducted research in this area to be sure I could write the truth and weave it believably into the narrative. Third, I did my research of the ghost traditions and legends of the area around Cape May, reputed to be the haunted seaport on the East Coast. Together these areas of research contributed to making the narrative credible and, I hope, more readable.

Tell us a bit about your publisher. How did you hear about them; what influenced you to submit to them; how is the submission process; what is the turn-around time from date of query to date of release? When I was researching publishing outlets for the first book in the series, Blood on the Chesapeake, I was hoping to find an agent who’d recognize my vision for the series and see its potential and who would pitch the project to a major publisher. I queried scores of agents and several expressed initial interest. However, in the end, none decided to take me on. Then I turned to small presses, whom I had also researched. I selected three and queried each. Two offered me contracts and I signed on with the Wild Rose Press. I found WRP to be very professional and easy to work with. For the first book, the turnaround time was a little more than a year—though I had some personal issues which extended the time a bit. For Crimson, the second book, the turnaround time shrunk to about seven months.

What are you reading right now? I’m a very eclectic reader. I read mysteries (of course), thrillers, sci-fi, historical fiction, self help books and even some chick lit, especially romantic suspense. I just finished Ghostly Interference by Jan Stiles, Against All Enemies by John Gilstrap and A Column of Fire by Ken Follett. Right now, I’m in the middle of The Rising Sea by Clive Cussler and Graham Brown and The Rope by Nevada Barr.

What's up next for you? This is really great timing. I’ve just submitted the third entry in the series, Scarlet at Crystal River. This story follows my protagonists, Darrell and Erin, on their honeymoon to the Gulf Coast of Florida to another charming town where they get to swim with manatees. And, of course, Darrell is stalked by another ghost, actually two ghosts, the spirits of two young Latino children. You can be sure I address another social issue, this time illegal immigration. Just to make it more fun, this tale is a Christmas mystery. No release date is set yet, but we’re looking for some time late fall.

 To learn more about Randy Overbeck and the stories he creates go to:

http://www.authorrandyoverbeck.com

@OverbeckRandy

FB: Author Randy Overbeck

randyoverbeck@authorrandyoverbeck.com

You Tube Channel: coming soon

To purchase Crimson at Cape May, go to:

https://www.amazon.com/Crimson-Cape-Haunted-Shores-Mysteries/dp/1509231633/ref=sr_1_2?crid=1BCBKCDPQRK3L&dchild=1&keywords=crimson+at+cape+may&qid=1599856137&sprefix=Crimson+at+Cape+May%2Caps%2C163&sr=8-2

 

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/crimson-at-cape-may-randy-overbeck/1137088608?ean=9781509231638

 

https://www.bookbub.com/books/crimson-at-cape-may-by-randy-overbeck

 

 

 

 

 

 

Until . . . by Beth Henderson

           The day Talmadge Hammond drifts into the ramshackle Idaho mining camp and back into Noletta Kittridge’s life is the one she begins covered in another man’s blood, accused of his murder. Once, they vowed to love each other until… Will brushing off his dusty law degree be enough to save Letty since she refuses to name the true killer?

The noose is her reward for sinning to stay alive. She believes redemption can only come from saving the person who accidentally killed the man. They have the will to live, which even Tal’s reappearance in her life can’t supply. Death is the price she will remit, but it is a debt he is determined to keep her from paying. To do so, Tal must solve the mystery of who did kill the victim.

If he fails, he and Letty will reach that unvoiced destination beyond until...

 Wild Women Authors features Until . . .,  a western historical romance set in the mining camps of Idaho territory. A recent release out of the Wild Rose Press, Until. . . is written by Beth Henderson and features Noletta Kittridge who will go first.

Good morning, Nolette. Let’s start with where you’re from. Boston, Massachusetts

What did you think the first time you saw Tal Hammond? I was pleasantly surprised that he was so personable considering I’d decided sight unseen that even if he was a short, fat toad, that because my parents were set against him because he was making waves in the legal field but also that he wasn’t of our class or from Boston, I intended to meet the man I thought sounded far from dull. He was quite the opposite of a toad, being tall, well turned out, charming and quite amused that his name was already on my dance card for a waltz.

Works for us. What was your second thought? That it didn’t matter what my parents and society at large considered proper, he was the man of my choice.

Again, works for us. Was it love at first sight for you? Love, no, but attraction, most definitely.

What do you like most about Tal? That he is a man who lives by his principles. While the firm he works with is unhappy about the number of pro bono cases he takes on for the lower class, and frequently gets them reprieves, that doesn’t stop him from standing up for those unfortunates. There are very few in the upper class I was born into that feel for these people or who even care what happens to them. Sadly, his strong feelings took him away, avoiding the conflagration of the war between the Union and the newly formed Confederacy. He believes the differences should have been settled through compromise, not open warfare. As he cannot condone the actions of either side, and I lack the courage to follow him, two years ago he stole from the city, though not without giving me the love token of a pearl and emerald ring that I dare not wear.

How would you describe Tal? Handsome, without a doubt. He is tall, his hair dark. His eyes are a shade that has made the sapphires in my jewel box my favorite accessories because they remind me of him. In Boston he affected nicely trimmed muttonchop whiskers but in the wilderness of Idaho Territory, he is as ungroomed as the other miners. The once well-tailored suits of the city have been replaced with rougher clothing. Spurs ring at his heels. A pistol is holstered on his belt and a knife strapped to his thigh. His hat is no longer that of a gentleman but of a man living in and off the wilderness as the rain and sweat mars on it show.

How would he describe you? No doubt as a coward. I have, after all fallen far from the pedestal I was expected to stay safely upon. No longer the debutante with a tempting dowry, I am now a woman forced by circumstances to inhabit the lowest possible profession, though also the oldest. A woman whose only talents are being charming and pouring tea for her elders, has no other option in the western wilderness when stranded among men who have only one use for women with no household habits. I should have followed Tal. Instead, I am now accused of murder and due to be hanged. Though he is insistent that he can prove my innocence, it is not something that will come to pass. Because I plan to accept death rather than name the person who did kill the man whose blood I wore, Tal no doubt also sees me as stubborn and foolish. The willowy blonde socialite he fell in love with ceased to exist months ago.

What made you choose prostitution for a career? I did not choose to become a prostitute but was forced by circumstances – the loss of the family fortune, the death of my brother who was also my protector – to accept this life and the protection of the brute who kept me safe but sold me.

What is your biggest fear? My biggest fear is actually two-fold. I fear I will break and name the person I vowed to protect, in whose place I will go to the gallows. But I also fear that losing this case – a case that is impossible to see to any conclusion other than that of my being found guilty – will break Tal. We lost each other once. This time will truly be the final time.

How do you relax? I am accused of murder in a small mining camp and will be hanged for the entertainment of those who live here when the verdict of guilty is leveled. There is nothing that I find relaxing about the hours of my life dripping away.

Who is your favorite fictional character? Young ladies of society are not encouraged to read fiction. Only poetry is promoted as proper for women of my class, and frankly, even that is tedious. From things I’ve overheard other women mention of the fiction they have read, it sounds like the worst melodramatic foolishness.

What is the best piece of advice you ever received? Every piece of advice I’ve ever been given has proved to be false in this wilderness, so I must confess that I doubt there is a best piece of advice that exists.

Thank you for spending what little time you have left on this earth to chat with us. Now we’d like to spend time with Beth Daniels, your creator.

What movies or books have had an impact on your career as a writer? Weirdly, I’m inclined to say comedy although Until . . . is not a comedy, as you could probably tell from Letty’s comments above. History class was always my favorite class. I would love to say creative writing followed that, but as we didn’t have creative writing classes back in the Jurassic age (before computers), I can’t say that they had an impact on my career as a writer. I learned to write by reading voraciously. I love movies where things blow up and snarky dialogue is common. I read historical adventure, romantic comedy, romantic suspense, urban fantasy (though not paranormal shifter romance), Steampunk, Gaslamp fantasy, and mysteries of all sorts (except for serial killers, whom I have no truck with). However, I write American West historicals with romance, partly because I grew up watching westerns with my dad, and I love a 19^th century man with a gun on his hip and a slouch hat tilted low over his eyes. They probably all look a lot like Tom Selleck in Quigley Downunder though they probably sound more like Sam Elliott.

What event in your private life were you able to bring to this story and how do you feel it impacted the novel? I don’t put things from my private life in my character’s lives usually, though I have given a heroine my emergency appendectomy, and the hero in the current WIP was in a car accident that gave him a limp, though his injuries were much worse than mine when a lady ran a red light and killed my car. The only thing I might have in common with the characters in Until . . . is Tal’s playing with the way he phrases things occasionally. Otherwise, nothing of a personal nature contributed to this story. Actually, I’ve never even been to Idaho either!

Tell us a bit about your publisher: how did you hear about them and what influenced your decision to submit to them? While Until . . . is my 8^th historical, it is the first that will be with The Wild Rose Press. For awhile it was difficult to find publishers interested in Old West adventures with romance, the trend being more toward inspirational and prairie, which was not my “scene” in the least, so I shifted to Weird West Steampunk. That didn’t mean I didn’t still have some story ideas that weren’t speculative based fantasy though. Because I loved Tal and Letty’s story, I kept looking for somewhere willing to do a historical romance that had a lot of mystery in it. I confess, it was not always easy to work the romance in considering my heroine spends nearly the whole book confined in a jail cell.

What book[s] currently rest on your TBR pile? Basically a wide variety, though the latest Veronica Speedwell adventure from Deanna Raybourn was consumed not long ago and I’m looking forward to time with C.S. Harris’ latest title in her wonderful Sebastian St. Cyr Regency mystery series. Keeping an eye out for another Ravenwood Mystery from Sabrina Flynn. Otherwise, there’s some romantic comedy and lots of urban fantasy with male lead characters – but then, that’s the sort of urban fantasy I write under a different name, the type where snark and magic rule the day.

Lastly, what's up next and when can we expect to see it on the shelves? Actually, I have a short story set in 1881 Tombstone, Arizona Territory in an anthology that releases July 1^st from Dark Owl, Something This Way Wicked Rides. My story is a “The Tombstone Affair.” It’s sort of a historical fantasy fall back to my North Pole Security urban fantasy (without a city) short stories about Santa Corp, which I write as J.B. Dane. I’m also working on a 4-book paranormal mystery comedy set that I plan to do a rapid release on as an Indie series as Beth Henderson beginning (hopefully) later this summer. Otherwise, who knows what will surface yet in 2021. The 3^rd book in my Raven Tales urban fantasy series is set for a 2022 release (also written as J.B. Dane).

 Where can visitors to this blog learn more about you and the stories you create? You can find me and all my currently available new and backlist titles under all four of the names I write under at www.4TaleTellers.com, or email me at bhendbks@yahoo.com (use Wild Women in the subject line). I can also be found on Facebook at http://bit.ly/2GvFyog and on Twitter @Beth__Henderson.

 Where can readers go to purchase Until . . .?You can head straight to Until . . . on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Until-Beth-Henderson-ebook/dp/B08XV12YWY/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Until+.+.+.+beth+henderson&qid=1614943779&sr=8-

 

Beth brought an excerpt from Until . . .

Although the men dragged the half-clad woman along, their grips tight and threatening, she wasn’t fighting or resisting them physically or verbally. She looked beaten, not in body but in spirit. And yet, when she stumbled, the toe of her wear-marred but neatly laced-up boot catching in the cloying mud, pitching her forward out of the men’s custody, the crowd gasped. Some stepped farther back to avoid physical contact. The carrion seekers in the mob pressed nearer, set to rend her vulnerability.

They hurled insults at her. She suffered the name calling, if it could be called such. The style of her clothing—or lack of it—and the building itself proclaimed the truth of her profession. She was the whore they called her.

Then he heard the new word, the word that was at first only whispered before it gained a more daring voice: murderess.

One of the men yanked her upright, uncaring whether he hurt her or not. It was only then, when she raised her head, her chin, in a manner any grand dame reared in the top tier of Eastern society would recognize, that he knew her.

It couldn’t be.

And yet, when she swept the gathered crowd, the gaze she turned on them was the one she had learned at her mother’s knee. At her grandmother’s table and at enumerable dinners, balls, and afternoon teas in Boston.

Tal watched in stunned amazement as the once Honorable Miss Noletta Kittridge shrugged free of the man’s hand and with a back straightened by years of deportment, stepped from the meager shelter of the porch, moved beyond the hungry, insult-hurling crowd, and strode on her own toward the camp jail.

She looked at no one, met no eye, taking comfort in the inborn dignity of the class into which she had been born.

Her class, Tal thought, heart sore. He’d never been a true part of it, merely a hanger-on, a climber. A friend to her brother.

And that friend had called him a traitor to his country.

But Letty… What was she doing in Idaho Territory? She should be enjoying the comforts of Boston, being fêted by the officers who managed to make it home and the wealthy industrialists who paid other men to take their place in the infantry lines.

If she hadn’t stridden down the sorry muddy excuse of a street with her blueblood holding her above the rabble, he might have doubted his eyes. Even so, it was difficult to believe Letty Kittridge and the prostitute with blood and mud drying on her scant clothing were one and the same.

The show over, the crowd dispersed around him. Before they could all disappear, Tal tapped a blurry-eyed man in a threadbare suit coat on the shoulder.

“Pardon, friend,” he said. “Could you tell me what that was all about?”

“Gal shot her man, from the looks of it,” the fellow said. “Not surprised it happened, just that it took Pearl this long to do it.”

“Pearl?”

“The dove they arrested.”

“You sure she’s the one that did it?” Tal pressed.

“Wearing Rosser’s blood, isn’t she? Why the interest, mister?”

Tal gave the man what he hoped passed for a harmless grin. “Just making sure no other gal or man’s like to shoot my fool head off while I’m here.”

“Gold brought you, then?”

“Brought everyone else in town, too, I’d say,” Tal observed, his smile widening.

“You’re right,” the man agreed and chuckled. He offered his hand. “Ebner Melton, mayor of this little burg.”

“Adam Cain,” Tal said easily and pumped the mayor’s paw. He’d been using the alias for too long now to ever stumble over offering it. It was more difficult to remember his life as Talmadge Hammond back in Boston.

Did Letty feel the same?

“Where do you hail from, Mr. Cain?” the mayor asked.

“Anymore, the last gold field that called to me,” Tal admitted. “’Fore that, Canada and points beyond.”

“And might I ask what you did before you came down with gold fever?’

The mayor was treading on dangerous ground now, wanting to know what sort of man he’d been back East. But considering events at this gold strike, Tal decided the truth needed to be let out at least one last time.

“I was a lawyer, Mr. Mayor. One with a knack for defending the innocent.”