Rewrites of the Heart

 Her characters jump right off the page—literally.

 Wild Women Authors welcomes Terry Newman and her recent release for the Wild Rose Press: Rewrites of the Heart, a contemporary paranormal romance. With Terry is romance author JJ Spritely who will go first.

Good morning, JJ. Let’s start with where you are from. My legal name is J. Jordan St. Clair and my pen name is JJ Spritely. I grew up in Columbus, Ohio and graduated from The Ohio State University. I also received my masters in American history there. I moved to Bell Wyck, Ohio because I was accepted into the Ph.D. program. And I ended up staying and teaching there, until I resigned to write novels full-time.  

Tell us a bit about Rewrites of the Heart. I’ve resigned myself that Rewrites of the Heart is the story I’ll tell my grandchildren about how the characters from one of my manuscripts came to life. I’m a romance author and Alex Zurich and Blake Teesdale are characters I created for their story Love’s Surprise.

          Well, imagine my surprise when they spring to life one day in my home office. Yeah, it was a bit of a reality check. They adamantly insisted they were the characters I created. And they were on a mission. They thought Kennedy King Cooper, history professor and literary snob, was the man of my dreams. Was he? I didn’t see how could be. He not only hated romance novels, but romance authors as well. You could see how we were incompatible.

          While they’re trying to get me to see the good things about this egomaniac, Alex and Blake discover they can’t make it back home to the pages of their own story. Believe me, it’s not that they didn’t try. I’ll never look at bathtubs in quite the same way again.

What did you think the first time you saw Kennedy King Cooper? My first impression was “Wow. What a handsome man.” We were both standing in front of the history section of a local bookstore, with the Civil Rights Era, and the Civil War staring down at us. I was widowed in my 20s, and still mourned my husband but…

Works for us—something right out of a rom-com. What came next? What a pompous ass. He made a disparaging comment about the romance author signing books at the front of the store. He called romance novels “trash,” and he wondered what kind of person would lower themselves to write the “trash.” He had no idea I was that trash-writing romance author.

Do you feel it was love at first sight? Hardly. He got under my skin something terrible. Of course, if you ask Alex, the heroine from my book, she’d call that love at first sight. But she sees the world through the lens of a romance novel.

What do you like most about him? There’s so much to like about the man. He’s kind and generous and willing to admit his mistakes (like that whole romance novel misunderstanding). But most of all, he’s smart and funny. He keeps me laughing.

How would you describe Professor Cooper? At about six foot, brown hair, and brown eyes, he fills his suit out nicely. But just when you think he’s all business, he flashes a boyish grin.

How would he describe you? Kenn would call me confusing. While he may mention my blond hair and green eyes and even my short stature, confusing is the most descriptive in his mind. He never knows when I’ll get mad at what’s happening to us or when I’ll take in stride.

What made you choose your careers? I was an historian first and perhaps at heart I’ll always be one. I love American history, especially those episodes that hint at conspiracy. And I do love to teach it. It’s satisfying.

          But I also love writing romance novels. Once my first novel sold well, I quit teaching to write full time. Who knew events beyond my control would pull me back into research and teaching.

What is your biggest fear? I think I’ve overcome by biggest fear. It was living without my first husband, who died in a car accident. I lived in fear by withdrawing from the world for far too long. I don’t think much scares me these days.

How do you relax? I wish I could say I take strolls along the beach or watch the sunset, and while I do that on occasion, it’s not typical of me. I make a bowl of popcorn, grab the remote control, and find a sad, romantic movie. I forget about whatever problems I have (including the very real Alex and Blake occupying the same space as me) as I immerse myself in a romance.

Who is your favorite fictional character? You do realize you’re asking this of an author. I have to answer with my own characters. Of all the characters I’ve brought to life, none are more dear to me than Alex Zurich and Blake Teesdale. They’ve taught me so much.

          But if I had to choose a character I didn’t create, I think I’d choose Mosscap, the robot from Becky Chambers’ Monk and Robot series. He’s continually curious and brings a love of life few humans can match.

What is the best piece of advice you ever received? Alex and Blake made me realize that my life is an open book. And I should enjoy the moments I have, regardless of what others may think of me. Life is too short to do otherwise.

Thanks for spending time with us, JJ. Now we’d like to chat with Terry.

What movies or books have had an impact on your career as a writer? In my early years, I read The Happy Hollisters series and that was it. I knew I had to write my own books. But every single book I read influences me in some way, from A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle to The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood.

          Everything I read in some way becomes a part of me and is eventually found in my writing. The Love Hypothesis, by the way, is a fake dating trope. I loved it so much, I’m writing a fake dating story of my own.

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 wrote the original version of Rewrites of the Heart, more than a decade ago. It had a different name. But I wrote it shortly after my husband died. Reading JJ’s story of loss nearly a decade and half after my own, I realize I put a lot of myself into her storyline. I wasn’t in my 20s, but my 50s when my husband passed, but the feelings are the same.

Tell us a bit about your publisher: how did you hear about them and what influenced your decision to submit to them? I first heard about the Wild Rose Press years ago when I attended a local chapter of writing group. They had a representative there. I thought that was so cool. That stuck in my mind. When I searched for publishers, they were tops on my list.

What book[s] currently rest on your TBR pile? I have The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston sitting right beside me begging me to open it. Right behind that I have The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas vying for second place. But I have a virtual TBR list of two soon-to-be-released books: Love, Theoretically, by Ali Hazelwood, and 10 Things that Never Happened by Alexis Hall. I’ll be at the bookstore getting physical copies the days they release.

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

The Wizard of her Heart, releases May 31. It’s part of The Wild Rose Press’s Jelly Beans and Spring Things series. The main characters in this novella are a wizard who casts love spells over jelly beans and his skeptical new employee who thinks he’s, well, deceiving himself and others. The tag line: She’s certain he’s no wizard. He’s sure she’s pure magic.

          I’m currently working on Hearts on the Rocks, a story about two doctoral students who decide to pretend to date so they don’t get set up on blind dates. I’m hoping that will release sometime in 2024.

 To purchase Rewrites of the Heart go to: https://books2read.com/u/mY8NLV   

To learn more about Terry Newman and what she’s up to, go to:

Website: https://terrynewmanauthor.com/

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/tnewmanwrites

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/terry.newman.31521/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@terrynewman614

Steam Tinker by Laura Strickland

 He can repair anything…except her heart

 Wild Women Authors welcomes author Laura Strickland and Steam Tinker, Book 8 in her Buffalo Steampunk Adventures. Up first is Mordred, a steam-powered automaton.

Tell us a bit about Steam Tinker: a Buffalo Steampunk Adventure. This is the story of my master and employer, Lionel Pike, who is the greatest maker and restorer of Steam Units in the city of Buffalo. He operates a shop salvaging, rebuilding and creating steam-powered automatons. As one of those rebuilt automatons, I am proud and honored to work alongside him._

How did it come about that you became Lionel’s assistant? Most automatons in our city do not have a choice of what tasks they perform. Those tasks are invariably assigned by those for whom they work, or those who own them. Being mechanicals, my kind are usually given the very worst of jobs, those that are heavy, dirty, or highly dangerous and unpleasant. Those that humans do not wish to perform.

          After Master Lionel rebuilt me from a heap of scrap left out at the curb, I remained in his workshop. Being a very old unit with a persistent squeak in one wheel—Master Lionel has not been able to chase that squeak no matter how he has tried—I was not considered readily resaleable. Remaining in the workshop, I picked up knowledge from watching Master Lionel work, and became what he likes to call a Competent Assistant.

Knowing what you know now, if you had it to do over again, would you stick with being a steam tinker’s assistant or do something different? I would absolutely remain Master Lionel’s assistant. I consider it a great and almost sacred vocation. And over the years I have been with him, we have done so much good work. You see, I am not the only steam unit Master Lionel has reclaimed from scrap. It is the old units that fascinate him. Those that have served their masters and their families unfailingly for years without reward until—well, until they do fail at last. Then, repairs being so difficult and costly, we are often put out for pickup by the scrap dealers and replaced with newer units.

What is your biggest fear? Shut down. It is the greatest fear of myself and every other steam unit in the city of Buffalo. Do you not see? That is why Lionel Pike is a hero. He sees value in us that others do not see. Why, is he not even now rebuilding a unit for Miss Sophia Gregory, one called Verna, that Miss Gregory considers her best friend? And is he not engaged in building a gladiator unit from all reclaimed parts, to enter in the upcoming automaton fight club contest?

Who is your favorite fictional character and why? I am sorry, interviewer. What is a fictional character? Is it anything like the mechanical intelligence that has been implanted in me?

What is the best piece of advice you ever received? Always keep your water topped up and never, never run out of coal.

Excellent advice, Mordred. Thank you. Now we would like to speak with Laura, your creator.

Which writer or character[s], from either books or movies, [or both] have had a major impact on your writing? Oh my goodness, such a question! There are far too many influences to name. I think every character I’ve ever read has influenced me in small ways. I believe we, as humans (and perhaps as automatons) are made up of all our experiences. Everything we see, hear, and encounter changes and adds to us. For me, that includes my reading from an early age.

With regard to research, where did you start for this novel? Did that lead you down different paths, thereby changing the original concept? Since this is book number eight in my Buffalo Steampunk Adventures Series, it sprang very much from the research I’d done for the previous stories. There was a lot of meticulous research necessary for this project from its inception, from studying maps of Victorian Buffalo, New York, to finding out what businesses were in the city at that time. Though this is very much a made-up world in a Buffalo that never really existed, it has real bones and I wanted to get that right.

Tell us a bit about your publisher. I have been publishing with The Wild Rose Press for over ten years and feel fortunate to have found them. They have given me the very great gift of allowing me to follow my muse which, quite obviously, sometimes leads me in some strange directions. I’ve written everything from Historical Romance to Rom Com for them and I’m grateful they’ve hung in there with me. For new writers, they often have submission calls for series that are ongoing. It’s a great way to break into print. The turn-around process from submission to publication, for me, is generally about one year.

What are you reading right now? I am currently reading The Emerald Fairy and the Dragon Knight by Jennifer Ivy Walker.

What's next for you? As usual, I’m busy working on several things at the same time! There’s another Buffalo Steampunk Adventure coming down the pipeline. My next release will be a novella for The Wild Rose Press’s Jelly Beans and Spring Things series, called White Hares and Midnight Dares.

 To learn more about Laura Strickland and the stories she creates go to: http://www.laurastricklandbooks.com  and …

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000002632317

Amazon page:  http://www.amazon.com/Laura-Strickland/e/B001KHSACW/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

Goodreads page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/760146.Laura_Strickland

Twitter: Laura Strickland Author @LauraSt05038951

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

 For the Book Trailer for the Buffalo Steampunk Adventure series:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_aauK5ob3zI

 

To purchase Steam Tinker, go to:

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Steam-Tinker-Buffalo-Steampunk-Adventures-ebook/dp/B0918YGJ1L/ref=sr_1_1

 

Amazon Canada: https://www.amazon.ca/Steam-Tinker-Buffalo-Steampunk-Adventures-ebook/dp/B0918YGJ1L/ref=sr_1_1

 

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Steam-Tinker-Buffalo-Steampunk-Adventures-ebook/dp/B0918YGJ1L/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0

 

Barnes & Noble:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/steam-tinker-laura-strickland/1139175186?ean=2940162279433

 

Kobo:

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/steam-tinker

  

iTunes:

https://books.apple.com/us/book/steam-tinker/id1561492946

 

 

Passion in the Cards by Sadira Stone

 Headstrong, homebody farmer plus freedom-loving hippie chick equals the worst match ever, but their blazing chemistry is unstoppable.

        Jesse Del Toro struggles to keep his organic farm afloat—hard enough without the delicious, dangerous distraction of Gemma’s return to Trappers Cove. The bewitching vagabond will never settle down in the quirky little beach town he calls home. But once ignited, their fiery attraction sets them on a collision course that could wreck him. 

          Nursing a wounded heart, Gemma Moore hopes a spell in her Aunt Zora’s metaphysical shop will soothe her stormy emotions. But from the moment Jesse walks in, calm is a lost cause. The hunky farmer is frustrating, stubborn, and oh so tempting. One hot night reveals his hidden side—sweet, sensual, and determined to make her his.

          When a harmless secret backfires, Gemma discovers just how deeply she’s wounded the beautiful bull man, and how desperately she wants to keep him.    

 Wild Women Authors welcomes author Rhonda Gilmour who, writing as Sadira Stone, celebrates tomorrow’s release [05/15/23!!] of Passion in the Cards, the first book in her new Trappers Cove series. With Sadira is organic farmer, Jesse del Toro who will go first.

 Hi, Jesse. Thanks for taking time away from the crops to speak with us. Let’s begin with where you’re from. Born and raised in Trappers Cove, Washington, a funky little beach town.

Tell us a bit about Passion in the Cards. I guess it’s the story of how I finally caught the eye of the woman who stole my heart years ago when we met as teens around a beach bonfire. I’m a natural homebody, deeply rooted in my hometown (‘cause I’m an organic farmer. Sorry for the pun.) And she’s a vagabond, always flitting from place to place, so you can imagine how hard it was to capture her interest long enough to make my case. But like my namesake, I’m a stubborn and determined as a bull. Or so Gemma tells me.

What did you think the first time you saw Gemma Moore? I was sixteen, so she must’ve been fourteen. I went down to the beach where some friends from school were having a bonfire. You know—guitars, beers, teens flirting under the moonlight. It was summer, so there was a mix of townies and tourists. And there she was, a slender beauty with the brightest, deepest eyes I’d ever seen. All of nature’s most beautiful elements swam in her eyes—moonlight silver and ocean blue and forest green. From the moment she gifted me a smile, I was a goner. But it wasn’t for another twenty years that I got a shot at getting to know her.

What was your second thought? Well, she left the bonfire with another guy, so I figured that was that—she’s not for me.

Do you feel it was love at first sight? I mean, yes and no? To really love someone is to know them deeply. Let’s say I was enchanted at first sight and never forgot her.

What do you like most about her? Gemma is warm and kind and funny. She’s game to try new things, and when she looks at me, really looks at me, I feel seen like I never have before.

How would you describe her? She’s as beautiful and quick as a butterfly. But don’t be deceived—she’s as stubborn and determined as, well, me! She’s not afraid to get her hands dirty and do hard work, either. I really admire that about her.

How would Gemma describe you? Stubborn. She calls me her hunky bull man. Gotta admit, I love it when she says that.

What made you choose organic farming for a career? I inherited this place from my grandparents. They were hippies and taught me to grow culinary and medicinal herbs the natural way. I’m honored to continue their legacy. Working with plants makes me feel—I dunno—is it too corny if I say “rooted”? Sinking my hands into the soil brings me peace.

What is your biggest fear? Losing Gemma’s interest.

How do you relax? Besides work? I love sitting at the firepit with Gemma, all wrapped up against the coastal chill, watching the stars come out and talking about everything. If a few friends show up, that’s cool too, but when it’s just the two of us…man, there’s nothing like kissing under the stars.

Who is your favorite fictional character? I guess Frodo Baggins? Even though he’s a tiny dude and I’m kinda huge, I can relate to his passion for defending his home and friends from danger.

What is the best piece of advice you ever received? Don’t be too quick to take offense. You never know what other people are going through.

Thanks for taking time away from your herbs, Jesse. We appreciate it. Now, we’d like to chat with Sadira.

What movies or books have had an impact on your career as a writer? Too many to count! I love the banter in the move French Kiss, with Kevin Klein and Meg Ryan. So much crackling sexual tension, combined with delicious, snarky humor. I aim for that kind of banter in my books.

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? Hmm. The bonfire on the beach is right out of my teen years. My friends and I would gather on Manor Beach in Pacifica, CA. Sand like sugar, crackling flames, the soft sigh of the ocean—it was a magical time and place. And, like Gemma, I learned to read palms when I was a teen. People love to hear about themselves, and they usually agree with my assessment of their character. Of course, I dwell on strengths, not weaknesses.

Tell us a bit about your publisher: how did you hear about them and what influenced your decision to submit to them? This book is indie published. Originally published as Taurus in the 2022 Zodiac Encounters anthology, it’s been re-edited and revised to be Book One in my new Trappers Cove series.

What book[s] currently rest on your TBR pile? So many! I recently discovered Jennifer Ashley’s delicious Regency romances. I’ve also got a Jackie Lau book cued up—love her snarky humor!

Lastly, what's up next and when can we expect to see it on the shelves? Book Two in the Trappers Cove series is Passionate Brew, coming in June 2023. It’s an enemies-to-lovers romance between Jesse’s best friend Ryan Lee, owner of the Salty Dog Brewery, and his new head brewer Lilo Eisinger, who can’t stand his smug a** for reasons dating back to childhood. I love it when hostile characters are forced to work together!

 Sadira brought an excerpt for us to enjoy!

         His grin slipped when a stunning woman stepped from behind the wooden screen and froze, her plush mouth open, her eyes wide. A nagging sense of recognition tickled his memory—and his body. Where had he met her before? His skin prickled as he searched her face for clues, eerily certain they’d shared something momentous. Then it clicked.

         The girl from the beach. She was back again—older now, but with the same tawny hair that fell in heavy waves, the same piercing eyes whose colors shifted with the light, the same tilt of her head like a clever bird who saw right through him. His heart gave a powerful thump, then kicked into overdrive.

         Zora followed the beauty, her batik tunic billowing as she trotted toward him.   

         “See, I told you,” she called over her shoulder.

          “Pardon?” He blinked rapidly, his feet rooted to the floor.

          The old hippie mama beamed. “Jesse, you remember my niece Gemma, don’t you?”

          How could he ever forget?

          Like the big, goofy teen he was when they first met, he shifted awkwardly from foot to foot. “You look different, Gemma. Your hair was longer last time, with purple tips, right? And you didn’t have that squiggle tattoo on your hand.”

She peered up at him through narrowed eyes. More green than blue today, they showed zero sign of recognition. That stung.

Stepping closer, she raised her slender hand and tapped the parallel zigzag lines. “Aquarius, my star sign. What’s yours?”

          Her nearness made his tongue thick and his brain sluggish. She smelled of lilacs and lemon verbena, like springtime on his gramps’ farm. His farm now, though six months in, he still couldn’t get used to thinking of it that way.

          “Jesse’s a Taurus.” Zora patted his shoulder, took the delivery from his arms, and set it on the counter. “A classic example. Strong, steady, stubborn, and sensual.”

          His cheeks flushed hot enough to fry an egg.

          “And he has the perfect Taurus name—del Toro.”

          Gemma tapped her pursed lips. “Why does that sound so familiar?” Just like all those years ago, her sexy pout spun his thoughts into a dizzy spiral of want and need.

 Sadira says: “I’d love hearing from readers! I’m active on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Spoutible.”  

https://linktr.ee/SadiraStone

 Pre-order from your favorite online bookseller:  https://books2read.com/PassionintheCards

 

The Light at Corriveau Crossing

 Wild Women Authors is pleased to feature Amber Cross and The Light at Corriveau Crossing, a contemporary romance set in the north woods of Maine. With Amber is Levi Turner, a wildlife conservation officer, who will go first. 

 Welcome, Levi. Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to speak with us. Let’s start with where you’re from. A remote patch of unincorporated territory in Aroostook County, Maine, called Greylock Plantation.

Tell us a bit about The Light at Corriveau Crossing. I ran from The County thirteen years ago and wouldn’t be back now if my father hadn’t had hip replacement surgery, but my sister Savannah promised her son Jake a week at the ocean and I’d do just about anything for my nephew. That means making a left turn beneath the light at Corriveau Crossing when everything inside of me screams to drive on through. That means taking care of my laconic parent for a week; maybe two; three at the most. I just have to keep myself busy until I can escape again.

What did you think the first time you saw Carissa Michaud? She was a pain in the butt. She followed us everywhere we went-me, my sister Savannah, and my girlfriend Julie-and she never shut her mouth. We called her little miss tagalong, or Pudge, and we did our best to ditch her whenever we could. She was terrified of heights so we would hang out at the top of the waterfall or climb the apple tree to get away from her. It didn’t matter. She’d just sit and wait for us to come down. The girl was like a fly on sticky tape.

What was your second thought?  She might have slimmed down and grown up, but she’s still a pain in the butt. I’m not even home for twenty four hours and she’s already throwing down on me and getting all up in my business about staying away. Who does she think she is?

Was it love at first sight? No way.

What do you like most about her? She never gives up. I’ve never known anyone who fights for what she thinks is right, or for the people she cares about, like Carissa does.

How would you describe her? Incorrigible. Thoughtful. Nosy. Caring.

How would she describe you? Terse. Stubborn. Strong.

What made you choose Wildlife Conservation Officer for a career? I grew up traipsing through the North Woods with my father and grandfather, hunting, fishing, camping, and canoeing. I’m not much of a talker, so being alone in the woods has always been my kind of company. After leaving the Marine Corps, it just made sense to merge my military police experience with my love of nature.

What is your biggest fear? Being trapped in Greylock Plantation forever.

How do you relax? Through physical activity.

Who is your favorite fictional character? Sam Gribley from My Side of the Mountain. He’s a boy who runs away from the city and lives with a falcon in the Catskills.

What is the best piece of advice you ever received? “Don’t kill your conscience. She means well.”

Thank you, Levi. Talking with you has been an…experience. Now we’d like to spend some time with Amber.

What authors influenced your writing? I love Linda Howard romance novels, Nevada Barr and Dana Stabenow mysteries, and K.A. Tucker’s Wild series.

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? One of my children spent five years in a wheelchair; Carissa’s mother broke her back and is in a wheelchair. It’s important to me to tell stories about people who “just happen to be….” (fill in the blank) without the people or their story being defined by whatever that unique characteristic is.

What book[s] currently rest on your TBR pile? The rest of Neva Altaj’s Perfectly Imperfect mafia romances, A Time to Bloom by Lauraine Snelling, and Firestorm: A Garrett Kohl Novel, by Taylor Moore.

Lastly, what's up next and when can we expect to see it on the shelves? The Light at Corriveau Crossing is the first in a series. I hope to have the second book, featuring Levi’s friend Caleb, out in 2024.

To learn more about Amber Cross and the stories she creates, go to:

https://www.amber-cross.com/

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorAmberCross/

 

To purchase The Light at Corriveau Crossing, go to: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Amber-Cross/author/B07MB6BNXP?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true

 

 

 

A Deadly Combo by Karen A. Phillips

 Wild Women Authors features debut author Karen A. Phillips and A Deadly Combo, a contemporary cozy mystery starring Raquel, aka Rocky, Nelson who will go first.

Tell us a bit about A Deadly Combo. My twin sister, Bridget, and I retired at age fifty-five from our careers working for the state of California. We had plans to open an acting school for youth, but then she met Steve and they got married.

What made you choose graphic design for a career and boxing for a hobby? I chose graphic design because I always drew or painted. And I chose boxing for a hobby because my dad is a boxer. He taught me the sport.

Knowing what you know now, if you had it to do over again, would you stick with being a graphic artist or do something different? I love being an artist. I wouldn’t change a thing.

What is your biggest fear? I won’t be able to find who killed Wes—and prove my sister is innocent of his murder.

Who is your favorite fictional character and why? Rocky Balboa because he never gives up.

What is the best piece of advice you ever received? Get up and keep punching.

Thanks for taking time out to speak with us, Rocky, and good luck with your career in art. Now we’d like to chat with Karen.

Which writer or character[s], from either books or movies, [or both] have had a major impact on your writing? Author CJ Box. I love his mix of humor and tension. He’s a master of sensory detail. You feel immersed in his books.

With regard to research, where did you start for this novel? Did that lead you down different paths, thereby changing the original concept? I started with the protagonist looking in the mirror after being punched in the face and she has a black eye. I learned having the protagonist looking in a mirror is very cliché. So I changed the first chapter to have action with a great first line.

What are you reading right now? Last Girl Ghosted by Lisa Unger.

What's next for you? Book Two in the Rocky Nelson Boxing Mystery Series

 

To learn more about Karen A. Phillips and the stories she creates, go to:

Website: https://karenaphillips.com/

Facebook: KarenAPhillips/Author

Instagram: kannphillips

Twitter:  @phillips_writes

To purchase, A Deadly Combo, go to:

Amazon: http://ow.ly/GEQu50N7vlF

Barnes and Noble: http://ow.ly/QFLS50N7vlE

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/122869064-a-deadly-combo?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=TssLpLcK0l&rank=1

D2D eBook link: https://books2read.com/u/bwyNRO

Unfashionable Diva by Mia Augustine

 A night to remember...or not.

     Naturally, when Gina Bové wakes up in bed next to a stranger, she is totally freaked out. Especially since she can’t remember a thing from the night before. She has no idea who the man next to her is or how she ended up in this precarious position.
     Anthony Locatelli spent the past decade wondering what happened to the horribly attired woman he’d saved from a nefarious fate ten years earlier. But when his father threatens Anthony’s livelihood, he turns to a specialized matchmaking service for assistance and learns exactly what happened to his mystery bedmate.

 Wild Women Authors welcome Mia Augustine as she celebrates the release of her contemporary short story, Unfashionable Diva. With Mia are the stars of the show, Gina Bové and Anthony Locatelli who will go first.

To start things off, tell us a bit about Unfashionable Diva.

Anthony: It was…a night to remember...or maybe not.
Gina: After I woke up in bed next to a stranger, I totally freaked out. Especially since I couldn’t remember a thing from the night before. I had no idea how I ended up next to him or how I ended up in this precarious position.
Anthony: I spent the past decade wondering what happened to the horribly attired woman I saved from a dangerous situation. It was when my father threatened my livelihood that I gave up and turned to a specialized matchmaking service. Lucky for me, I learned exactly what happened to my mystery bedmate.

Gina, what did you think the first time you saw Anthony? I was terrified, frankly. I had no idea where I was or how I ended up at the Waldorf Hotel in a room, I definitely didn’t walk into on my own two feet.

What was your second thought?  Um… that he was really attractive.

Do you feel it was love at first sight? Of course not! There’s no such thing. Still, there was something. But, I did the right thing. Got out of there as fast as I could. It was the right thing… wasn’t it?

Anthony, what do you like most about Gina? Certainly, not her taste in clothes. I am in the fashion industry. I’ve never witnessed such an aberration.

What do you mean? I am not a designer by any stretch, but I do know my colors. I know what sells. And, oh, my God. That Coach knock-off she carried? Horrid.

How would you describe Gina? All hair.

How would she describe you? Well, she did keep staring at my chest. And, my hair was as long as hers… at the time.

Anthony, what made you choose Locatelli Internationál for a career? My last name is Locatelli. What do you think? My controlling father, of course.

Ah, yes. Of course. What is your biggest fear? Not finding her again. She left. The only thing I knew about her was her name. The address on her ID was in blasted Bloomington, South Dakota. No one lives in South Dakota. What was she doing in New York City?

Mmm. That is the question. Thanks for speaking with us. Now, we’d like to chat with Mia.

What movies or books have had an impact on your career as a writer? I love RomComs like The Philadelphia Story--NOT High Society, even though I adore Grace Kelly. I like Legally Blonde and How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days. Actually, I love movies from the 40s and 80s. Psychological Thrillers with happy endings. How is that for pin point on things?

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? This story was different. However, the emotions are there. I was not a popular child. I definitely feel Gina’s pain and insecurities.

What book[s] currently rest on your TBR pile? I’ve recently started picking up Christina Dodd’s contemporaries. Of course, I love Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Jayne Ann Krentz, Julie James. And a few others. Actually, the list is quite extensive.

Lastly, what's up next and when can we expect to see it on the shelves? This story is the first of the Locatelli siblings. There is a second one out: Revenge’s Sweet Reward, which features Anthony’s youngest sister. The story which features his eldest sister, Catarina, Dangerous Curves, comes out in July. These shorts were fun to write and take a turn from the historicals I usually write.

Here's a bit more about our feature author: Mia Augustine, aka Kathy L Wheeler, loves rainy days, hot chocolate, her dog, and movies with happy endings. Her contemporary stories are edgy, passionate, sometimes dark, but always compelling.

To find Mia Augustine/Kathy LWheeler. go to:

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Instagram: https://instagram.com/miaaugustineauthor

TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@kathylwheeler

Website: https://kathylwheeler.com

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