Reserved Yearnings, Laurel Ridge #6

 Will the discovery of a life-long secret be the end of love before it ever begins?

 Wild Women Authors focus on Reserved Yearnings, book 6 in the Laurel Ridge novellas written by Diana Stout.

About the book: 12 years ago, William Stuart and his best friend made a decision to keep the secret behind how William's ’69 VW Beetle ended up at the bottom of the local watering hole. 12 years later, after that same car is pulled out of the depths of Whippoorwill Lake, William worries that once his friends hear the whole truth, they will never trust him ever again. Then a stranger arrives in town to photograph local sites and he realizes life will never be the same. 

     Motorcycle riding photojournalist Charli Davidson has harbored her own secret her entire life. Though she’s instantly attracted to William, she fears he'll feel only disdain once her truth is revealed. Her head tells her to run, but her heart tells her to stay. For the first time in her life, she's willing to risk her heart.

     Can they rise above these long-held lies, or will this new love be ruined forever?

To purchase Reserved Yearnings, go to: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0C7FL1ZC6

Laurel Ridge--Day 3

 Laurel Ridge, a small-town southern community where, after a 1969 Volkswagen Beetle is fished out of the local lake, a storyline thread involving 7 romances, 7 couples, and 7 conflicts all within the span of 15 days comes to life. Classmates, best friends, residents, and strangers walk in and out of all seven stories.

About Buried Hearts, Book 4 of the series:

          When archeologist Clint Anderson meets balloonist Gabby King, he is immediately smitten and unexpected emotions flare when this straight-laced, hyper-organized academic finds Gabby’s footloose and fancy-free lifestyle . . . interesting.

          By circumstance, Gabby becomes involved with Clint’s current restoration project—a VW Beetle that's been underwater for a decade and was recently fished out of a local lake. After she finds an expensive bracelet hidden under the floor mat, the two uncover another part of a mystery surrounding the Bug which sparks a host of questions around this tight-knit community.

As Clint and Gabby get better acquainted, emotional walls crumble and buried hearts are exposed. Can two eccentrics handle a discovery of unexpected love and allow those walls to finally fall?

 

About Tangled Passions, Book #5 –When Georgia State Senator Jefferson Jackson first meets Madison Butler, he's immediately smitten. But getting involved with a lobbyist could be trouble, and the last thing he wants is a scandal while in office. Besides, after being betrayed by his last serious relationship, he's sworn off all but casual dating.

Madison isn't about to let Jeff deter her from meeting with him to pitch her company’s product. At stake is her job, one she can ill afford to lose. Heading her off at the pass, he tells her she's been lied to by her employer, then almost dares her to ‘check it out’.

When they meet again, can he trust that she isn't involved with anyone else, despite what he's seen and heard? Can he finally put a past filled with lies behind him so he can find love once again?

 

Welcome to Laurel Ridge, Day 2

      Welcome back to Laurel Ridge, a small-town southern community, where a 1969 Volkswagen Beetle is fished out of Lake Whippoorwill and sets off a storyline thread involving 7 romances, 7 couples, and 7 conflicts all within the span of 15 days. Classmates, best friends, residents, and strangers walk in and out of all seven stories.

Book 2: Burning Desire features the once a bubbly teenager, Eddie (Edwina) Taylor who, in her senior year withdrew from everyone, spurning all attempts to reach out in order to keep a secret that she feared would destroy her. Now a decade later, when firefighter Aaron Rhett Sinclair Renoux—a man who hates liars—launches an investigation into a fire in her grandmother's farmhouse, Eddie becomes guarded—fearing Aaron has the potential to blow up her world.

Book 3: Arrested Pleasures tells the story of Cutter Logan, the bad boy womanizer of Laurel Ridge, has been in love with Annie Martin since they were kids. But after one disastrous date in high school, she relegated him to the friends-only zone.

He has a reputation for taking little in this life seriously. As the area game warden, she has worked hard to build a career. The last thing she needs is a jokester like Cutter tarnishing that career.

Both of these books are available on Amazon.

 

 

Introducing Laurel Ridge, Day 1

Wild Women Authors is trying something new. . .

Throughout the remainder of 2023, we will periodically welcome multi-published authors, some from the traditional route, others who elected to go independent, who are known for long long-standing series. As we were invited to review these stories, with the release of the latest in the series, we became intrigued enough to want to feature the entire series over the course of a week.

This week we are delighted to focus on multi-published author Diana Stout, PhD as she celebrates the release of the last two books in her charming Laurel Ridge series. We wanted to go back in time and take a second look at this small-town southern community which is the baseline for a set of stories offering a diverse number of tropes from former classmates, best friends to lovers, love at first sight, and second chance romances. Underlying all of the stories is a mystery involving a 1969 Volkswagen Beetle. Seven couples, seven conflicts, and seven different romances.

Today, we offer #1 in the series: Shattered Dreams. Former high give school sweethearts, Mason Baylock and Shelley Willis, meet after 12 years apart. The sparks still fly for the now local judge Mason, but Shelley won't cooperate. He persists; she resists. The judge however isn’t about to give up and slowly wears her down—aided and abetted by any number of local, colorful denizens of Laurel Ridge, including the ’69 yellow VW bug dragged from the bottom of Whippoorwill Lake.  

Soon, both Shelley and Mason are shocked to learn the truth behind their breakup just before he left for college—as well as who was responsible. Problem is: it might be too late to rekindle the love they once shared—or see their dreams shattered forever?

Tune in for tomorrow’s post on Burning Desire, #2 in the series.

 

A Sour Note by Jill Piscitello

 When murder provides a welcome distraction . . . 

Wild Women Authors welcomes author Jill Piscitello as she celebrates the release of A Sour Note, a contemporary cozy mystery, part of the Crimson Rose line for the Wild Rose Press. With Jill is event planner Maeve Cleary who will go first.

Good morning, Maeve. Thanks for spending time with us.

Let’s begin with where you are from. Hampton, a small beach town in southern New Hampshire.

Tell us a bit about A Sour Note. After ten years of living out of state, I am now residing in my childhood home while rebuilding my financial situation and recovering from the demise of my engagement. The discovery of a corpse outside my mother’s music school provides something else to focus on.

What made you choose event planning for a career? I’ve always loved a good party and found I actually have talent when it comes to planning functions.

Knowing what you know now, if you had it to do over again, would you stick with being an event planner or do something different? I am sticking with the job title but moving in an entirely new direction with the role. Instead of planning lavish events for wealthy adults, I now set up at local, small-town venues for music students. Ask me in six months how it’s going because this is a new venture.

What is your biggest fear? Failure. I’ve already had my share of low moments and am aiming for more success in life. But this time around, I know that success doesn’t have to equate to glitz, glamour, and big city living.

Who is your favorite fictional character and why? Beth Dutton from Yellowstone is a force to be reckoned with. I love that she is unapologetically herself. Kelly Reilly is a phenomenal actress. Beth wouldn’t be Beth without her in that role.

What is the best piece of advice you ever received? When you look better, you feel better. Although these words are true, I tend to favor more casual attire. But my mother is always insisting I step up my fashion sense. She has a point, but I loathe shopping and can’t say I’ve fully absorbed and adhered to her advice.

Good point—about mothers. Thanks for this, Maeve. Now, we’d like to chat with Jill.

Which writer or character[s], from either books or movies, [or both] have had a major impact on your writing? I find it difficult to narrow influential authors down to just one. But I’ve always found it fascinating how some authors such as Nora Roberts and Stephen King, to name a few, can churn out such a large number of unputdownable books. Where does that constant state of creativity come from?

With regard to research, where did you start for this novel? Did that lead you down different paths, thereby changing the original concept? After decades spent visiting Hampton Beach, NH, I am very familiar with the location. However, I conducted quite a bit of research regarding police procedures and the healing properties of plants and scents. I was not led down new paths but definitely could get lost in all of the interesting information.

Tell us a bit about your publisher. How did you hear about them; what influenced you to submit to them. When researching publishers for my first manuscript, I noticed many positive statements online shared by authors from The Wild Rose Press. My first book was rejected by them, but the editor was generous enough to offer invaluable feedback. I used every bit of advice when drafting a novella for their Christmas Cookies anthology and was thrilled that they accepted the story. A Sour Note is the second book they’ve published, and I can’t say enough about how lucky I am to work with such an incredible editor and publisher.

What's next for you? I’m currently working on the sequel to A Sour Note.

 To learn more about Jill Piscitello and the stories she creates go to: https://jillpiscitello.com/

Website ~ Twitter  ~ Facebook ~  Instagram  ~ Amazon ~ GoodReads ~ BookBub

 To purchase A Sour Note, go to:

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ ITunes ~ Google Books ~ Walmart ~ BooksAMillion ~ Indie Bound  ~ Kobo

 

 

Choices Meant For Gods by Sandy Lender

 When their god needed a protector, she chose yes.

         Not even the gods noticed when Amanda Chariss was born with the mark of The Protector. Now she and her wizard guardian hide from a mad sorcerer in a household full of false hope and whispered secrets. The same god who watches over the family school sheltering Chariss will soon reveal her role in an impending war.

When a wizard’s ward sets aside a lifetime of running and fear to accept the responsibilities of guarding an arrogant deity, can she face the trials in the prophecies they uncover? Will Nigel Taiman of her latest refuge dare to use his dragon heritage to bind her to his estate or to help her in her duty?

 Wild Women Authors features author Sandy Lender who is celebrating the recent release of Choices Meant for Gods, book 1 in The Choices Trilogy. With Sandy is Henry Bakerson who will go first.

Good morning, Henry. Thank you for taking time out of your schedule to chat with us. Let’s start with you telling us about Choices Meant for Gods. The short and sweet answer is Choices Meant for Gods is an epic fantasy tale set in a world burdened by a curse [which] The Dragon set in place about three thousand winters ago. I didn’t pay too much attention to the gods in our world until Nigel—he’s my best friend from childhood—snagged himself this lovely young lady who happens to be tasked with watching over one of them.

          Now we have Miss Chariss, and her wizard guardian, [who is] working to protect us all from the machinations of a powerful sorcerer and a jealous goddess, [as well as] war mongering humans who’ve set deals with demons. It’s turning everything inside out and no one knows how the latest prophecy is gonna mess up Chariss’s chances at saving us.

What made you choose to ship goods for a profession? Nigel and I signed up for Arcana’s navy when we were lads. His ogre of a father put a stop to that for him—couldn’t stand to see Nigel making a name for himself, you know. That ol’ Godric Taiman was content to see Nigel drinking his way through the taverns in Arcana City and getting into fights and all manner of trouble, but the minute he signed up for the navy with me, Godric put his lies in the middle of it and Nigel was expelled. So, I went through training without my best friend to help me get into trouble. That meant I had to buckle down and learn and do a good job of it. I actually learned a trade, if you can believe that. When my two winters were up, I went out on the Meredore on a merchant ship as a deck hand and moved up to captain in short order. Short order, I tell you. I took over and worked directly with the merchant’s man to ship goods from Onweald to Bellan and vice versa. Back and forth all spring, growing, and harvest seasons. During the rough winter seasons, I’d ship goods around the Southlands.

Knowing what you know now, if you had it to do over again, would you stick with being a sailor or do something different? If it wasn’t for moving goods for that blasted sorcerer Drake, I’d not be of any use to Chariss. She wouldn’t have pulled me into her confidence and let me be part of this adventure. This is the best job I could’ve picked. And that training for two winters with the Navy? It was perfect.

What is your biggest fear? I don’t think I should say. Because it happened.

Who is your favorite fictional character and why? Folks out there in the [real] world won’t know who Moyra Dane is, but I’m real fond of her as a fictional character. She’s the sweet young gal in the play the actors put on for folks on Arcana City’s stage. Moyra Dane and the Last Waltz. It’s kind of a sad story but the character of Moyra Dane is as sweet as she can be. She’s one of those young ladies who honors her father and works to help her village. Just a good role model for the folks watching the play. She’s real sweet.

What is the best piece of advice you ever received? I’d have to say the best advice given directly to me came from my father. He once told me that a successful family like ours, one with a shop that can pull in a decent living, can attract a wife for a man. I’m fairly certain he was telling me I could find a wife in our world where women are scarce and building a family is difficult to do, but I took his words to heart and when I got the chance, I joined Arcana’s navy and got myself out of town away from any would-be wives. You’re not pinning me down as a married man. I can’t get myself tied down to one family in one port while there’s a whole ocean to navigate.

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

Which writer or character[s], from either books or movies, [or both] have had a major impact on your writing? Charlotte Bronte, Chaucer, J.R.R. Tolkien, and Terry Goodkind are probably the biggest author influences on my writing. I especially blame Charlotte for my liberal use of em dashes and ellipses. My great grandmother and Aunt B weren’t writers, but they influenced me greatly as well.

With regard to research, where did you start for this novel? Did that lead you down different paths, thereby changing the original concept? Different novels of mine have required different research over the years, but Choices Meant for Gods began with Amanda Chariss, the MC, appearing to me when I was in junior high. I was daydreaming during chemistry class, sitting at one of those black laboratory tables that your fingerprints smear on, and she came to me. She stood like a queen with her arms holding back thick, luxurious curtains to greet a pair of morning suns in a fantasy world of medieval sounds. I didn’t know why such a beautiful woman on the balcony of a fortress would be crying. I didn’t know how a human could have an amethyst embedded on her cheek, near her eye. But I knew one thing for certain: I would write her story.

          That was in the early 1980s, so you can imagine how much changed about the original concept. I took a few Old English-related courses in college that assisted with research. I read like a fiend about fantasy worlds, dragons, different magic systems of different authors so I could make up my own, and so on. I wanted my world of Onweald, which is an OE word meaning “power,” to be something comfortably familiar, yet brand new to readers. And I wanted it to support this epic story of good versus evil and “a chosen one” versus freewill. The concept morphed as I grew over the years until one fateful day in 2005 when I sat down with the person who turned into my first publisher.

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? This answer is complex so let me break it down in two parts. Choices Meant for Gods was originally published in 2007 by ArcheBooks Publishing, which I heard of when I was a member of the Naples Press Club (NPC) in Southwest Florida. I was attending the NPC annual writer’s conference and I signed up for a pitch session with Bob Gelinas, the publisher at ArcheBooks. He liked what I had to say about the story and characters—and how I kept it together even when a friend walked up during the pitch and interrupted us with a question—and he requested the manuscript. A few weeks later, he sent me a contract. That was autumn-going-into-winter 2005. The book was released in 2007 in time for my first book signing at Barnes & Noble June 9. That’s a bit over a year for turn-around.

ArcheBooks Publishing had some corporate changes and a move to a new state and closed their doors in 2019. My books went out of print and my rights returned to me. The current publisher is someone I met because of Choices Meant for Gods.

Back in 2009, I spoke at a convention in Ohio where I served on a panel with spec fic author, Stephen Zimmer. We exchanged books to read and review—and I remember us joking that books should be currency. Years later, I “ran into” Stephen online again to discover he had a publishing company and had started an annual convention for creatives. His energy and drive to help creative people network spoke to my soul. When I asked if he’d help me re-issue the Choices series, his answer was a resounding “yes.” He was game to put new covers on the trilogy while I revised, added new scenes, fixed some problems, and beefed up the storytelling with beta readers assisting. It turned into a project! I had everything submitted to him by autumn 2022. Here we are with the release in summer 2023 in time for the 10-year anniversary of the Imaginarium Convention. That’s about ten months.

What are you reading right now? I’m currently re-reading Sword of Shannara and reading The Word & The Void by Terry Brooks in preparation for an interview with him. I can’t believe I haven’t read his Word & Void and I’ve got to fix that before I get on a stage and look like a fool in front of his fans.

What's next for you? [Upcoming release, current project] The next release is a novella from the Choices world of Onweald titled Della and the Dragon’s Sword, which is in the Enchanted Realms boxed set from Jumpmaster Press. An anthology with an Onweald short story titled Bitter Fruit is in editing somewhere. The Canadian publisher Feybreak Books is releasing a YA fantasy in the Choices world soon. That manuscript, Eden and the Most Precious Stone, won second place in the Write Fighters 3-Day Novella Contest in 2022, so it’s due to happen anytime. It’ll be a happy surprise when it’s ready! Then I have a full-length satirical paranormal romance titled Have Yourself a Faerie Little Christmas being released in time for the holidays. It’s book four in my Faerie Holidays series, which has nothing to do with dragons. Does my day job stuff count? Because I edit a construction magazine that publishes every month. It also has nothing to do with dragons.

 To purchase Choices Meant for Gods, go to:

Amazon/print: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C91DKFWC/

Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C92P26YY/

Nook: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/choices-meant-for-gods-sandy-lender/1008500550?ean=2940160838670

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/choices-meant-for-gods

Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/us/book/id6450601537

 

To learn more about Fantasy Author Sandy Lender and the stories she creates go to: www.SandyLenderInk.com.

https://twitter.com/SandyLender

https://www.pinterest.com/SandyLender

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoJu4DdGhh7OFofRYl8R1Zg (@SandySaysRead)

 

The Vampire's Retribution by M. Flagg

 Dreams are often hidden desires… even if they are terrifying.

        Michael Malone, a mystically enhanced vampire, destroys three immortal sorcerers and takes on their vengeful army of hell-beasts in an unprecedented battle. Poisoned and captured, his body is exsanguinated and left to rot in a cell beneath the city. Guided by the heavenly entity known as Helena, he spins a fantasy full of deep love and devotion to the one woman he treasures and his mystically-human, very troubled son. Helena focuses Michael’s fading mind through emotional twists and unexpected turns, through passionate highs and very realistic lows.

Is there deliverance or the end to his immortal existence at its conclusion? Each revelation offers hope. Yet Michael’s last words doggedly remain “Let me die.” His original reasons for the singular battle are noble. One is retribution. The other is love.

 Wild Women Authors feature author Micki Flagg and The Vampire’s Retribution , released by the Wild Rose Press out of the Black Rose line. With the author is vampire Michael Malone who will go first.    

Good morning, Michael Malone. Let’s begin with where you are from. I was born in London, England in 1663. I was sired at the age of twenty-seven in 1690 in the British Colony of New York.

Tell us a bit about The Vampire’s Retribution. I had a very personal reason for destroying three evil sorcerers, which is how the first book in The Champion Chronicles’ Series begins. They then opened a portal to flood the human world with hell-beasts. Needless to say, this didn’t sit well with me. So I battled them, and finally, when the portal closed, I was deviously poisoned and held in a cell deep below the city streets. As my sanity slipped away I was guided by a heavenly entity who allowed me to fantasize about redemption. Eight days later, my beloved Guardian took my human son under her protection and then she rescued me.  

What did you think the first time you saw Alana? Ah, an interesting question. I watched my Guardian called at the tender age of sixteen to her mystical mission. My first thoughts were to protect the new Guardian of Souls during her ten-years of mystical service to the Georgians. But Alana was different. Much different. She was stronger than any Guardian gifted with mystical strength. What I didn’t expect was to fall deeply in love with her. Didn’t expect that at all.   

What was your second thought? That Alana was unique among women. Also, unique among other mystical warriors who destroy vampires as well. And this intrigued me. She came off very bright yet stubborn. I liked those qualities, and she wore them in a fascinating way.

Do you feel it was love at first sight? Yes, absolutely. Yet I dismissed my attraction to her for five years. I simply could not justify loving her.   

What do you like most about her? There is nothing about Alana that I don’t like. What I like most is that she is a loving woman, a genuine person. 

How would you describe her? My Guardian is like a Mediterranean princess, a beautiful Italian woman with lovely hazel eyes full of depth and wonder. She often describes herself as a few inches above five foot tall and full of curves. But it is her inner beauty that captures my very soul.  

How would Alana describe you? I suppose Alana would describe me as a commanding vampire who masters the beast-within me. Of course, I am the anomaly, mystically enhanced. Other than that, she is aware of my arrogance, often alluding to my eyes as dark-espresso and my features as handsome.   

What made you choose protecting innocents for a career? Career? It is more likely the solitary purpose to my existence. Since I mastered the beast-within my soul in 1890 I have protected innocents slated for death by other vampires. I suppose this is why the Georgian Council considers me a Champion.  

What is your biggest fear? I fear very little with one exception… and it is not the wooden stake or silver sword. It is the loss of Alana or Lukas, my human son.   

How do you relax? There is little downtime for one such as I. Yet I suppose spending time with Alana and Lukas would be the best answer.

Who is your favorite fictional character? I have read many novels and plays throughout the centuries of my existence. It would be too difficult to choose one, although many of Shakespeare’s flawed heroes remain my favorites.

What is the best piece of advice you ever received? Be true to oneself.

Thank you for this time, Michael. Now we’d like to chat with Micki.

What movies or books have had an impact on your career as a writer? There are many books that have had an impact on my career as a writer. I love the long, languid writing found in the Outlander Series by Diana Gabaldon as well as the scruffy descriptions and snappy dialogue in J.R. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood Series. Going back further, I was totally intrigued by Anne Rice’s Interview with a Vampire, and not by Lestat. I was drawn to Louis. Other story tropes left an impression on me, going back to reading Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights. I’m skipping all over the decades here, aren’t I? Books leave a lasting impression on me, more so than movies. It’s the writing styles of so many wonderful authors that make an impression on me.   

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? Well, obviously the whole vampire thing is my imagination. All of my life impacts the stories I write. The sad times, devastating moments and the joys I’ve experienced. Marriage, motherhood, the relationship with my parents and my sister… it all fills my heart when I write a story.          

       And just as different relationships leave a lasting impression on us all, I hope to represent many facets of love and acceptance in my novels. Michael experiences the ups and downs of being a good parent, the importance of true friendships as well as romantic love with Alana. These are all part of life. I tried to explore the depths of emotion in someone who shouldn’t be able to feel them. And Michael’s journey will continue into very uncharted territory in the next few novels in the series.  

Tell us a bit about your publisher: how did you hear about them and what influenced your decision to submit to them? In 2006 when I wrote the first version of Michael’s story, I queried dozens of agents and publishing houses. A lot of it was snail-mail back then. Months later, three publishing houses expressed interest in my first novel. I went with The Wild Rose Press because I liked the feedback and the personal tone of their original request for a full manuscript. My editor, Callie Lynn Wolfe, was very supportive, a great collaborator. She answered every question with patience. We hit it off well and she took on a very green writer who hung on her every comment. By the third novel in 2010, I knew what I was doing. As the novel released, I was on a different career path as a school administrator. Promoting paranormal romance didn’t quite jive. Then my rights reverted back to me years later.

          I wasn’t writing novels anymore. Didn’t write again, in fact, until a year after retirement in 2020. It took a while to clear my head, especially after my first bout with COVID. I started a story featuring one of the minor characters in Book I. Martine literally had one line of dialogue. That she was now in her thirties started me thinking. Then I hit a major snag and closed the word document.

          Frustrated, I started to revise Book I, and then it hit me. Michael’s son Lukas would also be in his thirties now. Then, all the interesting what ifs started to slam into my brain. Book IV of The Champion Chronicles was born. But the original trope had to change a bit. While updating the first three novels, I queried Night of the Crescent Moon with TWRP. I also emailed Callie… after well over a decade. When she asked for the manuscript, I worked off my nerves by revamping the previous books with the hopes of releasing them with fresh titles and new covers.

          Still with me here? I truly hope so because I received contracts for all four novels. It made sense to start over with Book I to expand the paranormal world I built. There are also four more novels in The Champion Chronicles to submit for publication.

          After well over a decade without one creative sentence about vampires, mystical warriors or witches, I finished three new novels in a year and I’m currently working on Book VIII. TWRP feels like home to me, and it is a true blessing to continue to collaborate with my original, fantastic editor Callie Lynn.

What book[s] currently rest on your TBR pile? I’m an eclectic reader. I can finish a book in two days or take weeks reading only a chapter at a time. I just finished J. R. Ward’s Lassiter, which was heavenly. I have various TWRP books on my Kindle.  

Lastly, what's up next and when can we expect to see it on the shelves? Mystical Consequences, Book II in The Champion Chronicles should be slated for release soon. Covers for all four novels by the extremely talented Rae Monet can be found on my website, http://mflagg-author.com and His Soul to Keep is in galleys.

Micki brought an excerpt for us:

Alana held up a set of expensive, black silk pajamas. “You like?”

Michael’s reply was an annoyed scowl.

She longed to sit close to him, but instead, settled into the upholstered Queen Anne chair. Angled next to the bedside table, only a few feet separated them, because touching him would be a temptation. Touching him would be her undoing. She folded the black silk pajamas on her lap as their gaze locked once again.

Was it the history, both bad and good between them? The temptation to only be a breath away? To reboot a romance, which ended years ago on such a terrifying note? Love for one another was a given. They both knew it to be true. But history is history. It doesn’t change. Michael was vulnerable now. So was she. Maybe more than one type of healing had a second chance. She cleared her throat. “So, is it a yes or a no?” He shook his head stiffly, from side to side, but his finger tapped the mattress. “You want me to sit next to you?”

“Yes,” came out of his pale lips, a whispered rasp. Was his rich baritone voice gone forever? 

 “You know why I can’t do that.”

His brows knit, turning the glare into a glower. “Say it, my Guardian.”

She sighed, long and slow, as her body sank deeper into the chair. “Where do I begin? And why relive what can never be changed?”

“Say it.”

“If this is a test of wills, I win this round.”

“You held me… in your arms last night.”

“You were unconscious, Michael.”

“And now?”

“It’s not right.”

“Why?”

“Because you are awake,” she stated, unwilling to give anymore.

“I love you.”

She closed her eyes, letting those three words sink deep into her soul. The memory of that terrible September night, almost seven years ago…

“Do not ignore me,” he added, with an attempt to muster the old, peppered arrogance he often wore.  

“Close your eyes,” she said in a tender tone to deescalate the situation, “You need rest.”   

To learn more about author M. Flagg and the stories she creates, go to:

Facebook:    (1) M. Flagg | Facebook

Twitter: Michele Flagg (@flagg_michele) / Twitter   https://twitter.com/flagg_michele

Instagram: Mickey Flagg (@mickeyflagg) • Instagram photos and videos https://www.instagram.com/mickeyflagg

 

To purchase The Vampire’s Retribution, go to:

Amazon: Amazon.com: The Vampire's Retribution (The Champion Chronicles Book 1) eBook : Flagg, M.: Books

Barnes & Nobles: The Vampire's Retribution by M. Flagg, Paperback | Barnes & Noble® (barnesandnoble.com)

 

 

The Twenty-One Year Contract by L. B. Griffen

 Wild Women Authors feature L. B. Griffen and The Twenty-One-Year Contract, a 2022 Vintage Rose release out of the Wild Rose Press. With author Griffen is fashion designer Kathleen Gray who will go first.

Good morning, Kathleen. Thank you for speaking with us. Let’s begin with where you are from. I used to live in Somerset but ran away to London when I was fourteen. 1950s London is so different to rural Somerset, but I’ve settled in. Luckily, my lovely Uncle Jack understood why I ran away, and has supported my desire to become a fashion designer, and in London!

Tell us a bit about The Twenty-One-Year Contract. I was adopted as a baby. It’s the 1950s and I had no idea who my mother was, but my family were wonderful, and my life in rural Somerset was idyllic. I always wanted to find out about her, but the law doesn’t allow it.

          I guess I was thought of as a bit of wild-child. I loved to climb trees, and got up to mischief, but I also loved fashion and sewing. It was something I excelled at. My adoptive mother ran her own sewing business and including me in all of it. Then, my family were in a tragic traffic accident and they were gone. I felt abandoned all over again.

          My lovely Uncle Jack lives in America and works across the world. He tried his best but he needed to get on with his life. That’s when I decided to run away to London. Where else better than to build a life in fashion. I got a job in a posh London atelier. I mixed with the rich and famous and have even made clothes for  the infamous Dorian Craddock. She’s a dangerous gangster. Watch out Dorian, you never know what is going to happen to you.

          Now I’m planning to try and find my mother, but there’s so much more between all of these pages I would love to share with you. Please, join me in my world. I will welcome you with open arms.

What did you think the first time you saw Harriet Laws? Harriet was lovely, sweet, and for some reason when I met her quite by chance in the library, I felt a connection. Then, as coincidence had it, she came to the Atelier where I worked and guess what—I made her a cocktail dress. Harriet and I became the best of friends. We are so much more than that now though.

What was your second thought?  Harriet was genuine and strong, but I worried about her when she met CJ. He mixed with Dorian Craddock, you remember I mentioned her earlier. She is dangerous. Her father was hanged for murder. CJ Rutherford was just as unscrupulous, and it seems his designs on Harriet worked. They married and I didn’t even know about it. Now she’s gone missing. I really don’t know what to do.

Do you feel it was love at first sight? No, not for Harriet. I think CJ swept her off her feet. But when I met Alex? Yes. Definitely.

What do you like most about Alex? Alex is an upcoming back bencher. He’s wonderful, my ying to his yang. Without him keeping my feet on the ground I wonder what might have become of me. He’s so supportive and has brought the issues of the homeless to light in the commons. We do the soup kitchens together on a Sunday. Where else might you find someone so dedicated and supportive?

How would you describe Alex? Honest. Reliable and totally committed to a cause he believes in. If you had him on your side you would know you were in safe hands.

How would Alex describe you? Oh, dear. Maybe he would be kind. He loves me, that’s so clear. He might say I am a little difficult, wild at times, and I guess a little eccentric, but he keeps me grounded.

What made you choose fashion for a career? That’s an easy answer. I seem to have a knack of seeing fabrics and working with my clients to design something that is flattering and fashionable.

What is your biggest fear? Losing Harriet. Losing Alex. Losing my baby.

How do you relax? Well, I loved to go to all the parties Dorian used to throw, but I grew out of that. It seems the seedy side was getting more dodgy. Now, I listen to music and when I get a chance go for walks and dancing.

Who is your favorite fictional character? My Uncle Jack is first. Though I love Dorian Craddock. I love to hate her.

What is the best piece of advice you ever received? Take a deep breath and identify what to do next.

Thank you again, Kathleen. Now we’d like to chat with L.B. starting with what movies or books have had an impact on your career as a writer? I love You ave MailHave Mail. It’s a tearjerker, and I adore a good romance. Will they won’t they. In fact, I’m in the middle of writing a contemporary romance at the moment. I also love Of Mice and Men as my stories are about the underdog. I want them to win. I want them to survive. I like to draw on issues that some people might find a little challenging. Like Harriet, in Secrets, Shame, and a Shoebox who has difficult marriage. Like Kate, who was born out of wedlock and was adopted and the feelings around abandonment and the final coming of age and acceptance.

          Then, of course, I adore One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest for the description, the flavour of the time, the humour. Nurse Ratchet is my Dorian Craddock. Nasty. I love writing nasty. I like my antagonists to shine and make them someone you love to hate. But I also love writing the lighter side of life after all it is woven throughout.

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? Absolutely. In fact I would say everything I write is based on experience of life. Adoption was not uncommon when I grew up in the 50s – yes, I’m that old. Also, I saw the Dorian Craddocks. The not so nice world. But I was lucky and side-stepped people like that. Later, during my working full-time paid jobs I met a wonderful array of people. Each with their own stories that blew me away. I would never have imagined the lives they led. They were survivors. My stories are filled with surprises and survival, to mark and respect each and every one of them.

Tell us a bit about your publisher: how did you hear about them and what influenced your decision to submit to them? I loved the notion that The Wild Rose Press set up in business to support upcoming authors. The CEO has experienced the difficulties and saw it a way forward. I did tons of research to discover who was open for submission and in the genre I wrote. It’s the only way. Unless they come to you.

What book[s] currently rest on your TBR pile? Goodness I have a stack. I’ve just read Corinne LaBalme’s Summer People. Great fun. Totally recommend. I have Where the Crawdads Sing. I watched the film and wanted to read how she wrote the story as there’s so many gaps in the film. I’ve got Re-Writes of the Heart by Terry Newman on my list, just put it down and reviewed. Brilliant, clever, and fun. There’s a ton more, but I won’t bore you.

Last, what's up next for you and when can we expect to see it on the shelves? My WIP is a contemporary romance. I hope to have it on the shelves by early next year. It’s an exciting project, and as its in first person different to my others. It is still a story of survival, but it has much more humour.

 To purchase The Twenty-One-Year Contract, go to: mybook.to/twentyone

 To learn more about L. B. Griffen, go to:

www.wifeinthewest.com – a blog for budding writers and highlighting authors

www.instagram.com/lynngriffinauthoruk 

www.Facebook.com/lynngriffinauthor/

www.twitter.com/lbgriffinauthor

www.wifeinthewest.com

 

 

Venus Rising by Tammy D. Walker

 Wild Women Authors features author Tammy Walker and Venus Rising, a cozy mystery set on a luxury cruise liner and published by the Wild Rose Press. With Tammy is ship librarian Amy Morrison who will go first.   

Welcome, Amy. Thank you for joining us. Let’s start with you telling us about Venus Rising.  I serve as the ship’s librarian aboard The Cullinan Diamond, a luxury British ocean liner.  As we sail from London to New York City, with the assistance of other staff members, I unravel the mystery of a sixty-year old painting, a memoir by the artist the publisher won't allow anyone to read, and the whereabouts of the artist after she goes missing. 

What made you choose to become a librarian? I was one of those English majors who, honestly, didn't have a great plan for life after college.  Well, I knew that whatever I did would involve books, and I'd hoped it would involve travel. Also, in college, I was known as a matchmaker.  Not between potential romantic partners, though.  Between people and a good book.  I'd read widely enough that I could figure out the right book for someone at the right time.

          So maybe it shouldn't be surprising when a professor asked me if I'd ever considered being a librarian.  Aside from being a book matchmaker, I was pretty well suited for the job given my love of research as well as my organizational and computer skills. As for travel, well, that happened mostly via books.  Until I got my job aboard the luxury ocean liner, The Cullinan Diamond.  It's really the best of both worlds for me!

Knowing what you know now, if you had it to do over again, would you stick with your chosen career or do something different? I definitely would have been a librarian again.  It's given me the chance to work with books and with a lot of amazing people, both back in my hometown of Dawville, Texas, and aboard the cruise ship. 

          If I could change anything about my career, I would have taken more risks.  Don't get me wrong--I wouldn't change my twenty years at the Dawville Public Library for anything.  But I would have done more to bring in the adventure I'd craved.  I would have held more events for our patrons, maybe bringing in more big-name authors.  I don't know how well the sort of chic galas I host aboard ship would have worked in tiny Dawville, but I think I might have had fun finding out.  And, more importantly, our library patrons might have enjoyed them, too!

What is your biggest fear? It is that I've taken the safe route too often.  For instance, I stayed in a marriage too long, hoping my husband would finally see me for who I am, not for who he thought I was. When I started my job as librarian aboard The Cullinan Diamond, I was afraid that I couldn't handle the glitz and glamour hosting author galas on ship required.  Finding friends in Penelope and Richard, the retired professors lecturing aboard ship, Gemma, the art curator, and Kevin in IT, helped me not only solve a mystery, but also solving the puzzle of who I can be.  I've taken the safe route so many times.  Good friends help you take the good risks in life.  And often, those good risks help you discover that you're capable of so much more than you thought.

Who is your favorite fictional character and why? I've read and loved so many characters over the years, but I think my absolute favorite has to be Jo March from Little Women.  I remember reading the book first when I was in junior high and getting swept up in the world that Louise May Alcott created. It wasn't until I reread the book in college that I realized how Jo's choices demonstrated her integrity in spite of the difficulties she faced.  I think Jo March knew deeply who she was and what she valued, and that's admirable.

What is the best piece of advice you ever received? It came from my sister Stacey, who lives on a farm in Dawville with her family.  When I was first going through a divorce, she reminded me about how our parents, who owned a small farm equipment repair shop in town, always found the good in something that seemed broken.  Even if something can't be fixed, you can find some part that you can use to repair something else.  Or make something new from. 

          Okay, so, maybe that's not the most comforting thing to hear when your two-decade marriage is breaking up, but I needed to hear it.  Stacey reminded me that even though my marriage had broken up, I myself was still fine.  I wasn't broken.  I needed to hear that to move on and embrace the adventure that I had no idea was coming.

 Thank you for your candor, Amy. Now we’d like to chat with Tammy.

Which writer or character[s], from either books or movies, [or both] have had a major impact on your writing? I've always been a fan of British mysteries on PBS, so watching shows as far ranging as Midsomer Murders, Lewis/Endeavour, Father Brown, Hetty Wainthropp Investigates, and so many others gave me a good grounding in mystery structure.  I've always been drawn to characters such as Hetty Wainthropp, Miss Marple, and the women in The Bletchley Circle--they definitely shaped how I saw the potential of these sleuths.

          In the last decade, I've read more mysteries, too.  Agatha Christie, of course, but also Louise Penny, whose Three Pines taught me so much about how to craft community.  Kate Atkinson's Jackson Brodie series gave me so much to think about with regard to characterization.  I learned more about cozies in particular by reading books by M. C. Beaton, Joanne Fluke, Dorothy Cannell, and dozens of others!

          I'm also a poet, so I think a lot about language as I'm writing and revising my mysteries.  I was delighted to find out that Cecil Day-Lewis, who was poet laureate of TK, also wrote detective novels.  I haven't tracked down his Nigel Strangeways mysteries from the 1930s-1960s yet, but they're on my list.

With regard to research, where did you start for this novel? Did that lead you down different paths, thereby changing the original concept? Venus Rising was definitely a pandemic book.  My family and I were staying home, of course, so we watched a lot of travel videos.  I saw these amazing libraries on board cruise ships--every detail was gorgeous, and the shelves held these beautiful leather-bound volumes. 

          I'd also been reading more mysteries during the pandemic.  So, while watching yet another cruise ship tour video, I thought, "I'd really love to read a mystery about a cruise ship librarian."  And then I thought, "I''d really love to write a mystery about a cruise ship librarian." And thus, Venus Rising began.

The original concept didn't change much, but I did realize that I'd need to both read more cozies and get a better feel for genre conventions before I got too deep into the draft.  My other books are poetry collections, so it was a bit of a jump in genre.  I've been a long-time reader (and viewer) of mysteries, though, so not a huge leap!

Tell us a bit about your publisher. Working with The Wild Rose Press has been wonderful! I found them while searching online for small presses accepting manuscripts, and I liked their range of books: a good mix of mysteries, romance, and fantasy among others. The submission process was quite similar to other presses I've submitted to, and the turnaround time from query to publication was a little over a year. 

What are you reading right now? I travel through fiction, so I love to read regional British mysteries of various kinds (along with a lot of poetry!).  As far as fiction goes, I just finished A Dirty Death by Rebecca Tope, and I enjoyed the mystery as well as being immersed in farm life.  Right now, I have just started reading Postman's Knock by J. F. Straker.  And since I read poetry at the same time, I just read Naming the Ghost by Emily Hockaday, and I'm about to start Climacteric by Jo Bratten.

What's next for you in terms of an upcoming release or current project? My current project is a novella set in small town north central Texas.  Two cousins reunite when they inherit their grandmother's boutique, and they realize that they don't know as much as they thought they did about their grandmother--or each other!

I'm also working on a follow-up novel to Venus Rising.  Amy Morrison and her friends aboard The Cullinan Diamond are dazzled by a poet who boards the ship in Miami.  When Lucia, valet and poetry lover, tells Amy that she thinks something is odd about the poet's reading, Amy works to solve the mystery of the poet's identity before he disembarks in Buenos Aires to claim a multi-million-dollar prize. 

          In this follow-up novel, Amy explores more of her adventurous side as well as her feelings toward Kevin, the IT manager aboard ship, and her ex-husband Neil, who has begun to send her cryptic emails.  They're off to Argentina, so, of course, Amy learns to tango!

 To learn more about Tammy D. Walker and the stories she creates, go to:  https://www.tammydwalker.com

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

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Tammy-D-Walker-Cozy-Mystery-Writer/100091886321062/

 

To purchase Venus Rising, go to:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Venus-Rising-Tammy-D-Walker-ebook/dp/B0BKYG5J6Q/

B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/venus-rising-tammy-d-walker/1142600228

Books-a-Million: https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Venus-Rising/Tammy-D-Walker/9781509247080

BookShop: https://bookshop.org/p/books/venus-rising-tammy-d-walker/19256882