Crushed Promises by Linda Trout

           Rebecca Walker loves searching for lost treasure but puts her plans on hold to fulfill her sister’s dying wish of performing on Broadway. She returns home when her father has a severe stroke. While there, she’s determined to achieve her father's lifelong quest for hidden Confederate gold, rumored to be buried nearby.

Former army ranger Roy Maddox blames the accident that took his fiancée’s life on her sister, Rebecca. Now Rebecca is back, pretending to care about the father she left behind to pursue her dreams. Despite their differences, they’re drawn to each other.

Will they locate and retrieve the gold, or will they be blind-sided by an outside force who is intent on taking the treasure, destroying them both?

 Today, Wild Women Authors features author Linda Trout as she celebrates Crushed Promises, a contemporary romantic suspense, recently released by the Wild Rose Press. At Linda’s side is Rebecca Walker, an up and coming Broadway star who will go first.

Good morning, Rebecca. Thanks for joining us today. Let’s begin with where you are from. I grew up in the small town of Rock Ledge, Arkansas. I love this town and all the people in it. I currently reside in Manhattan due to my work, but I look forward to the day when I can come back home.

Tell us a bit about Crushed Promises. I had to walk away from the life I loved to fulfill my sister’s dying wish. I learned to live in the concrete jungle, but my heart yearns to come home to stay. But in the meantime, I have to deal with my dad’s illness and a man who blames me for all of his problems. I’m still trying to forgive myself for one fateful night that changed everyone’s lives.

What did you think the first time you saw Roy Maddox? As he was my sister’s fiancé, I initially looked at him as nothing more than a future brother-in-law. That was before the accident, though. After that, things changed drastically.

What was your second thought? My second thought was I didn’t blame him for his hatred. He blamed me for my sister’s death, and he’d be right.  

So it wasn’t love at first sight? Definitely not. We had to warm up to each other, learn to respect each other. It was a major process, one I’d gladly do again, no matter how painful.

What do you like most about hin? Roy is extremely loyal to my father, and everyone in town loves and respects him. The fact he keeps coming to my rescue at the farm has changed my mind about him. He isn’t as hard-hearted as I thought after the accident.

How would you describe him? He’s definitely a heartthrob in looks, but his opinion of me was nothing short of contempt. I think he hated the world for awhile and that’s why he joined the army and became a ranger. I was surprised to find he’d moved back to Rock Ledge.

How would Roy describe you? Selfish. He thinks I walked away from the one place I loved willingly. He eventually realized he was wrong. I have to admit, it took a long time to get there, though.

What made you choose acting for a career? I didn’t choose it. In fact, it was the farthest thing from my mind, but when my twin sister pleaded with me before she died to make her dream of a Walker starring on Broadway come true, I couldn’t refuse her.

What is your biggest fear? Letting my family down. I want to be here for Dad, but I promised my sister I’d go to Manhattan in her place. Which is more important? How do I choose? It’s a battle that’s ripping my heart out.

How do you relax? That’s easy. Crawling around in caves is what centers me, what makes me happy. Since I was a kid, I think I’ve crawled under half of Arkansas, and I’d love to crawl under more. There’s nothing more relaxing, or exciting, than discovering a new cave.

Who is your favorite fictional character? Bat Girl. Probably because bats live in caves and I love caves. Plus, she has super powers. Who wouldn’t want to be able to crush the bad guy?

What is the best piece of advice you ever received? I’m not sure if it was Mom or Dad who told me this, but they said that no matter what life throws at you, you push through it and keep going. That’s what kept me going while I was all alone in New York City.

This has been great, Rebecca. Thank you for giving us insight into your hopes and dreams—and the love of exploring caves. Now we’d like to chat with Linda.

What movies or books have had an impact on your career as a writer? Every book I read by Linda Broday, Jodi Thomas, Marilyn Pappano, Justine Davis and Ashlynn Pearce inspires me. Each author has her own unique style and I find I can’t put their books down. I strive to capture the essence of their stories and emulate it to a small degree.

Is there an event in your private life that you were able to bring to this story and how do you feel it impacted the novel? The idea for this story came to me while I sat in a hospital room after my father had a massive stroke. I even based the dad in the story after mine. I wanted to bring his strong-as-an-ox character alive and show his strength. Having this character in the book showed the love the heroine has for him and enriched the family dynamic.

Tell us a bit about your publisher: how did you hear about them and what influenced your decision to submit to them? I publish through The Wild Rose Press and couldn’t be happier. After meeting the owner plus my editor at a conference, I saw how professional, yet personable both women were. It impressed me enough to trust my work with them.

What book[s] currently rest on your TBR pile? I’m currently reading Dead Man’s Hand by B.J. Daniels and Jordan Valley Rescue by Susan Spess. In my TBR pile is: Last Rites by Sharon Sala, Colton’s Montana Hideaway by Justine Davis, Talulah’s Back in Town by Breanda Novak, and Faking a Fairy Tale by Teri Wilson. Like most authors, there’s a ton more than that, though.

Last, what's up next and when can we expect to see it on the shelves? I’m working on the fourth book in the Rock Ledge series, Abandoned Promises, which deals with human trafficking. I’m also working on a straight romance – my first foray into something that doesn’t have suspense in it. We’ll see which one I finish first.

Linda brought along an excerpt for us:

“I asked what you’re doing on my father’s farm after dark?”

“Not that I owe you any explanation, but feeding the calves.”

“Don’t give me that! I haven’t been gone that long. You turn them out with their mothers.”

He gave her a dead-pan face that indicated she was an idiot. “They’re orphans.”

“What?” She drew back, then paused as his words sunk in. Good grief, she was an idiot. “Oh.”

“Yeah, oh. They have to be bottle fed.”

He started to turn away from her when the last fifteen minutes caught up with her and she began to shake violently. Shoot. Why couldn’t she get a grip on herself? The last thing she wanted to do was fall apart in front of Roy Maddox. But he saw.

“Hey. Sorry I scared you. I can announce my presence from now on if you want.” He didn’t sound sorry at all, but at least he apologized.

She crossed her arms over her chest to steady her racing heartbeat and shook her head. “No, it—it isn’t that. Someone tried to run me off the road a few minutes ago. Someone driving a truck a lot like yours hit me from behind a couple times before driving off.”

“Run you off the road?” He looked confused. “What are you talking about?”

“What I said. They almost succeeded, too.” Horrified to show weakness of any kind, she found her knees giving way, and she crumpled to the ground.

 

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

Website:   http://LindaTrout.com

Facebook:   http://facebook.com/LindaTroutAuthor

Instagram: http://instagram.com/LindaTroutAuthor

Twitter (X):   http://twitter.com/LindaTrout2 

Goodreads:   https://www.goodreads.com/author/Linda_Trout

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

To purchase Crushed Promises, go to:

Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/2s3kc4a6

Barnes&Noble: https://tinyurl.com/ycyrjsbw

Goodreads: Crushed Promises (Rock Ledge) by Linda Trout | Goodreads

BookBub: Crushed Promises by Linda Trout - BookBub

Revenge Hit by B Davis Kroon

 The others fit his agenda. But that first victim? Most likely that one’s personal.

A brilliant but oddball football fanatic witnesses a player die on the gridiron—thanks to an official’s screw-up—and the agony of his childhood takes over. Weeks later, some part of him is killing football officials. And Ben Leit is dragged into a road trip search for the anesthetic killer.

 Wild Women Authors welcomes author B Davis Kroon as she celebrates the release of Revenge Hit, Book 2 in the Ben Leit Series. With the author is the man himself, former pro football player, current sports website mogul, occasional TV sports commentator, Ben Leit, who will go first.

Welcome, Ben. Please take a moment to tell us about Revenge Hit. Man, revenge isn’t good for the soul, you know? I thought I was done with killing. After losing Dad, and nearly losing Mimi, the last thing I wanted was hunt down another killer. But I saw John Brown die, you know? And figuring our sports website could ID the killer, what else could I do but take on tracking down Beacham.

What made me choose investigations as a career? Would I change what I do? My football career went in the toilet after I got knocked out on the playing field—out for ten minutes. The Giants dumped me and, you know, what career? Logical thing was for me to shift over to sports commentator and I started doing that. Not really my thing, but what was I gonna do, sit around?

Then these threats started rolling in against football officials and security for the officials came to me for help. Why me? Well, people remember me for catching my Dad’s killer. I keep telling ‘em I’m not a detective. And Mimi would have a cow if I started down that road again. But one thing leads to another. And we did stop Beacham. And, thinking about how things went so wrong for the guy, I think we’re on to something really worthwhile now.

What is your biggest fear? I have a couple more years before my doctors can say whether I’m dying because of my old head injury. I guess my fear is, either one day I’ll start stumbling and can’t feed myself —that’s how CTE shows up—or Mimi will end up caretaking me while I drift off into la-la-land. I try not to go there. I mean, what good does that do?

Who is your favorite fictional character? I read history, 1850s to 1870s, so I read a lot about Lincoln and his cabinet.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve received? It’s the team, buddy, they’re the ones make it work.

Thank you for taking time away from your busy schedule to speak with us, Ben. Now we’d like to chat with Barbara [aka B Davis Kroon]

Which writer or character[s], from either books or movies, [or both] have had a major impact on your writing? Poet Theodore Roethke, for sure for his poetry and sense of the real. Nonfiction writer for his way of making complicated process both accessible and interesting. The BBC series Tinker, Tailor, Soldier Spy – again for that combination of complex plot and grit. And (it surprises me but) I’m reading the Thursday Murder Club series and loving it.

With regard to research, where did you start for this novel? Did that lead you down different paths, thereby changing the original concept? Revenge Hit is book two in the Ben Leit series but the basic plot—a man killing football officials—was my initial idea which hatched one day at a very frustrating football game. Book one, Trap Play, covers the why and how that Ben Leit football hero ends up being an amateur detective and meeting Mimi [Fitzroy]– that story needed to come first. The nature of the killer in Revenge Hit changed radically as I began to think about what was behind that drive to kill.

It seemed to me it had to be much deeper and more painful than merely winning or losing a football game. In thinking about that and working to keep some focus on the risk of head injury in football, Beeker [Beacham] became the sad and ruined character he is.

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? Revenge Hit is my second fiction book. Both of my suspense books have been published by The Wild Rose Press. I’m a member of the Pacific Northwest Writers’ Association, which has a major writers’ conference each year. At that conference, writers have the opportunity to pitch various agents and editors, either in person or via zoom. I pitched my manuscript for my first book, Trap Play, to Ally Robertson, an agent for Wild Rose Press and she asked me to send her the whole manuscript. During the publisher review process, they asked that I cut one chapter. That meant a certain amount of rewriting (which I freely admit made the book stronger). As a newbie in the publishing world, my editing passes took longer to complete than a more experienced writer might encounter. I sent my full m/s to them in November, it was accepted (after the change in chapters) and it was published in March 2020 (yes, right at the crunch of Covid).

What are you reading right now? The Marsh King’s Daughter by Karen Dianne; The Body, a Guide for Occupants by Bill Bryson; Your Plantation Plam is Not Okay by Kelly McWilliams and [just finished]: Transplanted by Birgit Lennertz Sarrimanolis.

What’s next for you? I have two books in process and another on a back burner. In process is an untitled book 3 in the Ben Leit series and is set in San Francisco. The Truth Of It, a  stand-alone women’s fiction is about how white collar crime ruins a family. On the back burner is Harmony, a stand-alone mystery where a sweet farm town isn’t as sweet as it seems.

To learn more about B. Davis Kroon and the stories she creates go to:

https://www.bdaviskroon.com/

https://www.facebook.com/bdaviskroon

https://www.instagram.com/bdaviskroon/?hl=en

To purchase Revenge Hit, go to:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/revenge-hit-b-davis-kroon/1143898783?ean=9781509249565

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=revenge+hit+kroon&i=stripbooks&crid=2M265A0UXUBY7&sprefix=revenge+hit%2Cstripbooks%2C151&ref=nb_sb_ss_fb_1_11

https://catalog.wildrosepress.com/bookpage.php?TitleID=17408

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/revenge-hit

https://play.google.com/store/books/details/B_Davis_Kroon_Revenge_Hit?id=5NrbEAAAQBAJ

https://books.apple.com/gb/book/revenge-hit/id6459510661

https://www.target.com/s?searchTerm=9781509249565

https://www.booksamillion.com/p/9781509249565

https://bookshop.org/p/books/revenge-hit-b-davis-kroon/20403270?ean=9781509249565&ref=https%3A%2F%2Fcatalog.wildrosepress.com%2F&source=IndieBound&title=Revenge+Hit

 

 

Accidental Allies by Karina Bartow

 Wild Women Authors features Karina Bartow and Accidental Allies, a contemporary mystery and current release out of the Wild Rose Press. With Karina today is Orlando police officer Gus Channing who will go first.

Good morning, Gus. Thanks for joining us. Let’s start with you telling us a bit about Accidental Allies: The novel follows one of my detectives, Minka Avery, as she returns to Orlando PD after a six-year hiatus. My decision to rehire her following such a lengthy absence wasn’t popular with some of the top brass, and when the courthouse was bombed, that investigation put us all under the microscope. The case took many twists and turns, but Detective Avery proved her time away from the department didn’t diminish her skills by any means.     

What made you choose law enforcement for a profession? I wanted to help people. While there are many ways to do that, I’ve always been aware of the crookedness in the world and viewed joining the force as the means to combat it.

Knowing what you know now, if you had it to do over again, would you stick with being a police officer or do something different? Even though I hate the politics that come with the job, I have no regrets. In Accidental Allies, I was forced to consider other options, but nothing seemed to fit. It’s a part of me.

What is your biggest fear? From a philosophical perspective, I’d say it’s being unable to provide for my family. In general, however, it’s potato chips. Call me crazy, but I’m just weirded out by the texture and everything. 

Who is your favorite fictional character? Frank Reagan, from the television series “Blue Bloods”. The show first premiered when I was a young detective, and as I pursued moving up in the ranks, he was my role model as a commanding officer. He expects the respect owed to him as a commissioner, but he’s fair and kind in his duties. 

What is the best piece of advice you ever received? Don’t judge a book by its cover…unless, of course, it’s Accidental Allies!  

Excellent way to end the interview. Thank you, Gus. Now we’d like to chat with Karina.

Which writer or character[s], from either books or movies, [or both] have had a major impact on your writing? I didn’t realize it until recently, but Shawn Spencer, from the television series “Psych” and the overall writing on that show has really influenced my style. I loved Shawn’s kooky methods and the way they twisted the mysteries in such an unexpected and insane manner. It made me want to challenge readers’ minds while still making them laugh.  

With regard to research, where did you start for this novel? Did that lead you down different paths, thereby changing the original concept? My main research pertained to the bombing itself—much to my mother’s chagrin, I may add! I also researched the surrounding area of the courthouse, as I’d never been in that part of Orlando until after I finished my first draft. When I learned there was a diner across from it, that coerced me to make it a key role in the plot, especially since one of my friends in high school ran a diner and inspired a fun character to incorporate.  

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?  I’ve enjoyed the privilege of working with The Wild Rose Press for my past two novels. Since they published Brother of Interest, the forerunner to Accidental Allies, I hoped they’d like it, and to my thrill, they did! It was the first time in my career that I only sent out one query. I initially submitted it in late January, and it came out yesterday, ten months later.  

What are you reading right now? Pink Lemonade Cake Murder by Joanne Fluke

What's next for you? I’m working on another novel in the Unde(a)feated Detective Series, as well as two mini-installments in the form of short stories that Author TG Wolff will feature on her Mysteries to Die For podcast.

 

To learn more about Karina Bartow and the stories she creates go to:

Website

Blog

 Goodreads

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

 

To purchase Accidental Allies, go to:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Accidental-Allies-Unde-feted-Detective-ebook/dp/B0CHWKQ98F

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/accidental-allies-karina-bartow/1144069605;jsessionid=D196D6EF2F76C613F15D81D65BCDF7D5.prodny_store02-atgap06?ean=9781509252077

Books-A-Million: https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Accidental-Allies/Karina-Bartow/9781509252077?id=8973185582242

Walmart: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Unde-a-Feated-Detective-Accidental-Allies-Series-3-Paperback-9781509252077/5087500511?from=/search   

 

 

Rag Lady by Susie Black

Today, Wild Women Authors features author Susie Black as she celebrates the release of Rag Lady, a current contemporary release out of The Wild Rose Press. In place of the usual character/author interview, Susie has agreed to speak about her writing process.

Which writer or character[s], from either books or movies, [or both] have had a major impact on your writing? I studied a number of  authors to learn timing, comedic skills, how to use my voice, the use of snark, how to make characters zany, but not cartoonish, as well as how far I could take their zaniness, how to make characters irreverent, but not obnoxious, how to use physical comedy in writing, and how to make characters inept, but not stupid. My books feature zany, irreverent, and at times, inept characters. I studied the characters of these authors to create mine and I credit them for the development of my distinct writing style:

Donald E. Westlake is the undisputed King of inept characters. In Jimmy the Kid, Westlake’s career thief, John Dortmunder, and his hapless gang proved that they couldn’t pull off the simplest caper if their lives depended on it.

Tim Dorsey is the master of physical comedic mayhem and zany characters. His series protagonist- local historian and spree killer, Serge A. Storms, is the classic model for taking zaniness to the nth degree. Dorsey’s Hammerhead Ranch Motel is nothing short of laugh-out-loud Southern fried mayhem.

Joan Hess is the Professor Emeritus of poking fun at the hypocrisy of society and people via snark. Her series protagonist, Police Chief Arly Hanks, is the Queen of irreverence and one of the characters I patterned Holly Schlivnik, the protagonist of The Holly Swimsuit Mystery Series after. In Miracles in Maggody, Hess spares no one, and gleefully makes mincemeat of the foibles of both good guys and bad guys alike.

Carl Hiaasen is the expert in creating complicated, kooky characters with oddly memorable traits along with a moral compass. Hiaasen’s protagonist Skink in Stormy Weather is who I patterned some of Holly Schlivnik’s quirky personality traits after.

With regard to research, where did you start for this novel? I started my research for this novel by referring to the daily journal I have kept since I started my successful ladies’ apparel sales career. All of the characters in this story are based on people I encountered and chronicled in my journal.

Did that lead you down different paths, thereby changing the original concept? No. Actually it solidified the original concept of a fictionalized autobiography.

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? My publisher is The Wild Rose Press. I heard about them from an author colleague. The Wild Rose Press is owned by two women who were authors before going into publishing. Having a publisher that was female-led and had been authors themselves was a major influence in my submitting to them. As a female who has succeeded in a historically male-dominated industry, it was important to me to write about the apparel business from a woman’s point of view. I was confident this particular publisher would support me in that goal, and they have.

For my initial submission I sent a query letter via their website and was then asked to submit a synopsis and the manuscript to the editor assigned to me for consideration. The turn-around time from date of query to date of release was about ten months.

What are you reading right now? I am reading a hilarious cozy mystery: Margaritas, Mayhem, & Murder-by Mary Cunningham.

What's next for you? I have submitted the manuscript for Death by Jelly Beans, the sixth book in The Holly Swimsuit Mystery Series, and have been informed that it has been submitted for a contract. I am also working on the first book in a prequel series to The Holly Swimsuit Mystery Series. In this new series, the protagonist, Holly Schlivnik, is a high school newspaper reporter who has an uncanny nose for murder. Recently, a sister author colleague and I mapped out a collaborative plot that brings my continuing cast of cozy mystery characters together with her cast of paranormal romance characters. The plot is both a mystery and a paranormal romance. We are quite excited about this.  

To learn more about Susie Black and the stories she creates go to:

www.authorsusieblack.com

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/susieblack.com

Facebook:    https://facebook.com/TheHollySwimsuitMysterySeries

Instagram:   Susie Black (@hollyswimsuit) • Instagram photos and videos

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/authorsusieblack-61941011

Pinterest:  https://www.pinterest.com/hollysusie1_saved/

Twitter:    http://twitter.com/@hollyswimsuit

To purchase Rag Lady, go to:

Book Bub:  Rag Lady (Holly Swimsuit Series Book 1) by Susie Black - BookBub

Goodreads: Rag Lady by Susie Black | Goodreads

Amazon: Amazon.com: Rag Lady (Holly Swimsuit Series Book 1) eBook : Black, Susie : Kindle Store

Barnes & Noble: Rag Lady by Susie Black, Paperback | Barnes & Noble® (barnesandnoble.com)

 

 

Flame & Shadow by AK Nevermore

 Wild Women Authors feature AK Nevermore and Flame & Shadow, book one of The Dae Diaries, a contemporary urban fantasy, recently released by The Wild Rose Press. With AK today is the female protagonist who goes by several different names but today we’ll address her as Envy.

Tell us a bit about Flame & Shadow. It’s pretty much an account of how I got screwed over into becoming fae. I mean, not that dying would’ve been better, but I could seriously do without the drama. Or the groupies. They seriously suck. You’d think they’d have video games to play or something.

What did you think the first time you saw Brennan? Um, drool? Because I totally did. Have you seen him? Dae-licious. As in puts a big “O” in hot.

What was your second thought? That he was a di—um, jerk, for kidnapping me. Saving me, whatever. I didn’t like him or his stupid rules.

Do you feel it was love at first sight? Is that seriously a thing? No. And who told you I loved him? I mean I do, most days, but— Ugh! Whatever. Next question.

What do you like most about him? Is this a family show?

How would you describe him? Like I said, dae-licious. 6’ 2”, clean-shaven, seriously cut, raven black hair that gets all mussy and falls over his stormy grey eye…mmm…and that frickin’ European accent of his… How long did you say this was going to take?

How would he describe you? Gorgeous, duh. Like you can’t see I’m pin-up perfect.

What is your biggest fear? That JD’s will close and I won’t be able to get garlic aioli with my waffle fries. That stuff is to die for. Like, seriously life changing.

How do you relax? Beer, Brennan, and bed, in that order. Did I say he puts a big “O” in hot? Yeah, that O, because he totally does.

Who is your favorite fictional character? Psh, easy. The Scarlett Witch. She can change her reality to whatever she wants. I’m thinking beach, cocktail, and some cabana boy role playing right about now.

What is the best piece of advice you ever received? Not to bargain with a fae. What? I didn’t say I followed it, but it’s solid. That’s like betting against the house. Yeah, you might come out on top, but trust me, it will screw you in the end, and won’t be the fun kind.

Envy, we appreciate you taking the time to speak with us. Now, we’d like to chat with your creator, AK Nevermore.

What movies or books have had an impact on your career as a writer? I read voraciously, so it’s hard to point to just one, but I would say all those old-school female SFF writers, Andre Norton, Mercedes Lackey, Marion Zimmer Bradley, and the like. It was awesome to see women out there creating all of those worlds I loved to get lost in and it lit a fire under me that I could do it too.

Is there an event in your private life that you were able to bring to this story and how do you feel it impacted the novel? I think it’s more of Envy’s the attitude than anything else. Externally she has this kick butt attitude where nothing gets to her, but inside she’s a mess. I can absolutely relate to putting on a brave face to do what you have to do, which is one of the reasons I write my newsletter, Nevermore News. There’s a lot of “crap, guess what I screwed up now” because I think it’s important for people to see others out there struggling but still attaining their goals. Owning your less than ideal moments is just as important as crowing about the awesome ones.

Tell us a bit about your publisher: how did you hear about them and what influenced your decision to submit to them? Flame & Shadow is published is The Wild Rose Press. I hooked up with them through the RWA’s Romance Authors Mentorship Program, so it wasn’t a conscious decision to send them my stuff, but it worked out. I wish I had some grand plan, but that’s usually how I fall into things. The important take-away is just to put yourself out there.

What book[s] currently rest on your TBR pile? My Kindle is constantly cycling through dark romance and urban fantasy. I read a stupid amount of books, but I guess the ones that have lingered there the longest are The Bone Clocks and the latest JR Ward novels. I’ve been on a mafia romance kick, so my usual go-to reads have been gathering dust.

Last, what's up next and when can we expect to see it on the shelves?

Flame & Shadow just came out and is available here. The next book in the series, Air & Darkness is in production. I think we’re looking at having that out sometime in 2024, and a third book is in the works. If your readers want to know what the world is all about, I have a free download, One Night in Bliss, available. You can check out all of them, along with my dark SFF romance series, on my website, https://aknevermore.com/

 

 

Christmas at Solace Lake by Jana Richards

 It’s Christmas time at Solace Lake Lodge, but a series of thefts threatens everyone’s holiday spirit.

 Wild Women Authors focus on Christmas at Solace Lake, a contemporary small-town romance, book 4 of the Solace Lake series written by Jana Richards, released in October 2023.

An emergency brings Drew Barnes to Solace Lake Lodge, an inn deep in the Minnesota woods owned by his aunt and uncle. He’s sure desperation is the only reason they’d allow him to fill in as their bookkeeper. No one in his family has believed in him since his mistake got him fired from his previous job. Soon after he arrives, Drew is disheartened to discover thefts and financial irregularities. The last thing he wants is to be put in the middle of another crime.

Sous chef Celeste Bishop has made a good life for herself and her nine-year-old daughter in the three years she’s worked, and lived, at Solace Lake Lodge. After being unfairly fired, this was the only job she could get, and she’s grateful her gamble on the lodge paid off. The only sticking point is the isolation since she never learned to drive. How can she show her daughter independence when she’s always relying on others?

Drew sees Celeste’s frustration and offers to teach her to drive. A powerful attraction ignites between them, and soon deeper, stronger emotions blossom. Drew is all in, but Celeste resists her feelings. She’s nine years older than Drew. An interracial relationship didn’t work for her parents. And loving Drew feels like a betrayal of her deceased husband.

As Christmas approaches, the thefts escalate. Can Drew stop the thief and redeem himself in his family’s eyes—and his own? And can he convince Celeste they deserve the gift of a happily ever after this Christmas?

Find Christmas at Solace Lake at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Solace-Lake-Love-Romance-ebook/dp/B0CH5DTYNS

 

Love is Silent by Toni V. Sweeney

 Wild Women Authors features Toni V. Sweeny’s Love is Silent, an historical romance and current release out of the Wild Rose Press. With Toni is teacher Anna Leighton who will go first.

Good morning, Anna. Thank you for spending time with us. Let’s begin with where you are from. My home is Little Riversreach in England. It’s a small village where my father is the resident physician. The name means “view of the river.” Going to Mayfield Village where David…that is, Lord Mayfield, lives, was my first time away from home, other than living at the McAdam Academy for the Deaf as the other teachers did.

Tell us a bit about Love is Silent. It is the story of my very first adult pupil. I’m a teacher of the deaf but until the moment I was hired to teach David Wood, Lord Mayfield, I had only had children as pupils. Needless to say, I was nervous about teaching an adult, and after I met His Lordship and realized what was expected of me and the challenge it represented, I was even more than anxious. You see, David’s cousin had petitioned the courts to have him declared incompetent so he could receive the title and family fortune and David’s sister, Lady Eleanor, hired me to teach him to Sign, to communicate, so they could prove the accusation a lie. That was bad enough but then the courts changed the time of the hearing, and instead of six months, I only had six weeks to perform what some would consider a miracle. Plus—and I blush as I admit this—in the meantime, David and I fell in love, so you see the entire story is fraught with very much emotion and anxiety.

What did you think the first time you saw David, Lord Mayfield. Actually, the first time I met David, I thought he was a groom. There I was, banging on the front door with my fist, when he came riding up on his horse. I must admit, he was definitely a disturbing sight, for he was…well, actually, he was only half-clothed, wearing only riding breeches and boots. It was rather embarrassing. To me, anyway. I mean, I’d seen young men without their shirts before…the farmers often worked in the field without their shirts, but I’d never been so close to anyone like that, and well…I admit, it was rather breath-taking. When I discovered he couldn’t answer my questions because he was deaf, I thought perhaps Her Ladyship would want me to teach her groom as well as her brother to Sign and it wasn’t exactly an unpleasant thought. Oh, that sounds so awful of me, doesn’t it?

What was your second thought? My second thought was to wonder if someone who worked with animals would really need to communicate with people, if perhaps he was happier not being able to have the real world intrude into his own.  

Do you feel it was love at first sight? It was more like misunderstanding at first sight! He thought I was the new housemaid and as I said, I thought he was a groom. When he found out I was to teach him, he equated me with the many doctors he’d seen, and how they’d poked and prodded and declared he’d never hear again, and he had a bit of a tantrum. One of Lady Eleanor’s flower vases had a terrible demise in the front entryway, his usual way of expressing his anger.

What do you like most about him? His determination. Once David realized what was needed of him. That he had to learn to communicate because so many people on the estate depended on his continuing to be Lord Mayfield, he buckled down and did his best to learn everything I could teach. He also used that determination to break down my rather stiff defenses. Once David declared he loved me, there was no arguing with him about it. Not being aware of the various stations in Society, he saw absolutely nothing wrong with his wanting to marry a school teacher, and he said…well, he didn’t know how to curse, but he got his point over very well of what he thought world could do if it objected. The one problem with David is that once he gets an idea into his head, he runs away with it…even now. It certainly keeps life interesting, to say the least.

How would you describe him? Handsome, spoiled, determined, loyal, curious, lovable. There were so many unanswered questions buzzing around in that handsome head—some of them childish, some of them very serious—and he expected me to give him answers to all of them. Being five at the time of his accident, he could read and write and do a bit of cyphering, but he was unable to actually ask about the things that intrigued him. When we were able to communicate, I became his source for all those questions.

How would he describe you? I’m not certain. I’d hope he would say I was competent and did my job well, but I fear he’d become a little more poetic and fanciful. Though it makes me blush, I’ll quote this compliment he once gave me:  “I love Anna’s blue eyes…like sky…Love her lips…sweet as strawberries…cheeks so pretty…angel’s hair… You’re an angel…taking me to heaven…” See? I said, he got fanciful.

What made you choose being a teacher of the deaf for a career? At age fourteen, my younger sister, Maisie, was stricken with a bout of red measles rendering her deaf. Papa had heard of the McAdam Academy for the Deaf, but being a small-town doctor,  he was unable to afford the tuition and fees the school required, having earlier just that year finished paying the tuition enabling me to graduate from the Dinsmoore Normal School in preparation for being a secondary studies teacher. As luck would have it, there was an opening at the Academy for an assistant instructor. I applied for the position and was accepted. Within two years, I was certified as a teacher, and the first thing I did upon returning home for holidays was to begin teaching Maisie to Sign.I guess I did a fairly good job. Later, Maisie had a suitor, a local lad, and they’re now married and very happy.

What is your biggest fear? I’m afraid I don’t have any actual fears. Does that make me odd? As long as I have David’s love, and the love of the people around me and my family, I’m very secure…and happy.

How do you relax? I love to play the piano. In fact, music helped bring David and me together, because I discovered that, although he couldn’t hear the music, he remembered how to play the piano from lessons he’d had before his accident. The first time he sat beside me at the piano and began to pick out a tune without hearing it, I was actually dumbfounded.

Who is your favorite fictional character? I daresay it would have to be one of Miss Jane Austen’s heroines. They’re so very plucky and determined.

What is the best piece of advice you ever received? “Do what you think is right.” I really questioned that when David and I fell in love but I determined to keep going, hoping, no, praying, that in the end, everything would turn out exactly as it did.

Thank you, Anna, for spending time with us. Now we’d like to chat with Toni.

What movies or books have had an impact on your career as a writer? I generally gravitated toward mysteries or paranormal movies/novels, so Love is Silent is an extreme departure from those. I guess I have a deep-set romantic streak, however, because once I got the idea for this story, I knew I had to write it.

Is there an event in your private life that you were able to bring to this story and how do you feel it impacted the novel? Not for this novel, I’ve used some life episodes in other novels, but this one is pure fiction.

Tell us a bit about your publisher: how did you hear about them and what influenced your decision to submit to them? In 2008, The Wild Rose Press was one of the first publishers to release one of my novels. They eventually published several of my books, and now, after a long interval, are publishing those listed below.

What book[s] currently rest on your TBR pile? I currently have two: Gregory Ashe’s The Girl in the Wind and Lyndsey Sands’ The Bad Luck Vampire, which is another in the Argeneau family vampire series.

Last, what's up next and when can we expect to see it on the shelves? The Wild Rose Press has also contracted for two other novels of mine, Mask of the Beast  and Evil Lives After, as well as the series The McCoys.

          Mask of the Beast is a romance set in Biblical times incorporating the Beauty and the Beast story with the story of the Moses and the Golden Calf. It’s set for release on December 27^th of this year, which is also my birthday, so… celebrate my birthday by buying my novel!

          Evil Lives After is a romance with paranormal overtones concerning an abandoned farmhouse and the tragedy that happened there. It’s set in my home state of Georgia, in a small south Georgia town called Hahira which is a real place, though I doubt anything such as this story ever happened there. Release date on that hasn’t been set yet.

          The McCoys is a historical family saga about a family during the 19^th century, of an Irishman named Quinton McCoy and his three sons and daughter and their lives and loves.

For more information on Toni V. Sweeney and the stories she creates, go to:  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Welcome-to-the-ToniVerse-1900908046884512/?modal=admin_todo_tour

Amazon Author’s Page: https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B002BLQBB8

Twitter:  @ToniVSweeney

Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/epicfantasywriter

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/579429.Toni_V_Sweeney

 

 

 

Sweet Slow Sizzle by Sadira Stone

 Wild Women Authors focus on Sadira Stone and Sweet Slow Sizzle, a Bangers Tavern Romance.

 Loving him means risking the only family she has left.

      Bangers Tavern’s hunky bouncer Jojo Williams has been flirting with server Lana Lopez for three years, but she dismisses him as a trifling joker. Determined to penetrate her prickly defenses, he plunges into the hot mess that keeps her from dating. If he screws this up, his heart and hers won’t be the only ones broken.

     Orphaned by a car wreck at twenty-two, Lana must keep her teen brothers on track and together in the home they grew up in. One more slip-up, and her interfering tías will separate the boys. The last thing Lana needs is a big goof like Jojo meddling with her fragile family. But when the teens’ shenanigans land them in trouble, Jojo may be the only person who can save them from the wrath of the tías. Lana’s growing attraction to the gentle giant makes it harder and harder to shut him out, but loving him is a gamble that could cost her everything.   

     Come back to Bangers Tavern for a slow burn, sizzling hot, friends to lovers workplace romance full of laughs, steam, and the glorious chaos of 21^st century family—the ones we’re born into, and the ones we gather to our hearts. 

 An Excerpt:

While Rosie waited for a frozen blue daiquiri, she tilted her chin toward the bouncers’ station at the door. “What did you say to Jojo?”

“Nothing. Why?”

“He looked like a kid who dropped his ice cream.”

Lana huffed. “I just declined his offer to talk some sense into Pedro.”

Rosie folded her inked-up arms. “Don’t you want more healthy male role models for your brothers?”

“It’s hard enough to keep those two focused on school. What’s gonna happen if I bring over a musclehead who spews jokes all day? Leo’s already in trouble for cutting up in class. Kenny’s the kind of role model he needs, not Jojo.”

“Hey, Jojo’s a sweetheart. He’s”—Rosie ticked off on her fingers—“educated, employed, good to his mama, and he’s totally sweet on you.”

Lana stabbed cherries and orange slices onto a cocktail pick. “Come on, he’s sweet on anyone with boobs.” She dropped the garnish into a tall rum punch. “Wait…you met his mom?”

“Last week when I dropped Eddie off for Jojo’s bootcamp-slash-torture dungeon. She came by to ask for his help with something, and he was a total puppy. Adorable.”

A high-pitched yelp from a nearby table jerked Lana’s head around. Some baby-face guy in a college hoodie was trying to snatch tater tots from a woman’s platter while his knucklehead buddies laughed.

“Oh, goodie,” Lana whispered to Rosie. “I love this part.”

Smooth as a shadow, Jojo slid through the crowd to confront the tot raider. She couldn’t hear whatever he growled at the thief, but the way he puffed out his massive chest and clenched his fists gave her shivers. Those corded forearms, those powerful shoulders! Ungh! She bit her lip.

Jojo jerked his chin toward the door.

Hands raised in surrender, the frat boy withdrew.

Rosie gave a low whistle. “Impressive, isn’t he? If I weren’t already spoken for…”

As if he could sense Lana’s lustful stare, Jojo glanced their way, and his rock-hard expression melted into a goofy smile. Rosie had nailed it—he really did look like a puppy, an oversize, muscle-bound pit bull eager for a belly rub. She blew out a shaky breath and forced her attention back to her friend.

“Handling two male egos keeps me busy to the max. What would I do with a third?”

About Sadira Stone:

Award-winning contemporary romance author Sadira Stone spins steamy, smoochy tales set in small businesses—a quirky bookstore, a neighborhood bar, a vintage boutique. Set in the U.S. Pacific Northwest, her stories highlight found family, friendship, and the sizzling chemistry that pulls unlikely partners together. When she emerges from her writing cave in Las Vegas, Nevada (which she seldom does), she can be found in dance class, strumming her ukulele, exploring the Western U.S. with her charming husband, cooking up a storm, and gobbling all the romance books. For a guaranteed HEA (and no cliffhangers!) visit Sadira at sadirastone.com.

 

Visit Sadira at:

https://linktr.ee/SadiraStone

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SadiraStone

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18568049.Sadira_Stone

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/sadira-stone

Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/Sadira-Stone/e/B07KWK5FBX

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/sadira0641/

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

Author newsletter: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/q7x4c6

Tiktok: https://tiktok.com/@saidrastone

 

Sweet Slow Sizzle can be purchased at:

Universal Book Link: https://books2read.com/SweetSlowSizzle

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B3W8R99S

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w?ean=2940185575178

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/sweet-slow-sizzle

Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/sweet-slow-sizzle-bangers-tavern-romance-4/id6443405062

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61752357-sweet-slow-sizzle

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/sweet-slow-sizzle-bangers-tavern-romance-4-by-sadira-stone