Burning Desire

What happens when a man and woman are attracted to each other, but he's a non-committer and she's a non-dater?

        Edwina Taylor’s life changed drastically just before her senior year when her parents were killed and she learned her father had embezzled from the company he worked for. Determined to repay the stolen money, Eddie spent all her spare time, studying to become a realtor—and hung her shingle the day after graduation.

Now, a decade later, after selling her parents' home, she must consider selling the one thing that matters: her grandmother’s farmhouse in order to solve her continuing income woes. After a fire damages several rooms, Eddie believes she was to blame. 

New to Laurel Ridge, firefighter Rhett Renoux offers her an opportunity she can’t refuse—to become a partner in flipping houses, starting with repairing and fixing up her grandmother's farmhouse. For the first time in her life, she’s falling in love.

       But then, Rhett begins to learn secrets she’s kept hidden from the entire community all this time. Has she made a mistake letting him in?

 Wild Women Authors welcomes back author, Diana Stout, with Burning Desire, Book 2 in the Laurel Ridge series. With Diana is realtor Eddie Taylor who will go first.

Good morning, Eddie. Thanks for taking time away from your busy office to speak with us. Let’s start with where you’re from.  Laurel Ridge, Georgia

What did you think the first time you saw Rhett? He was at the fire station with a bunch of the other firefighters he works with. I knew he was a newcomer, someone who had moved to the community. At the time, the group was just a bunch of guys who looked good—because they work out—all in their navy-blue pants and navy-blue T-shirts. He didn't stand out and he fit in well.

What was your second thought? It was when I saw him in action, rescuing a child in the street from a speeding car that I really noticed him. He'd put himself in danger to save that child. I was mesmerized. That's when I noticed his build, when the rescuers removed his torn shirt and gave him a clean one. I couldn't help but notice that washboard stomach, his height, his good looks. Immediately, I was attracted.

Do you feel it was love at first sight? Never having been in love, is that what love at first sight feels like?

What do you like most about him? Now that I've been working with him and have been getting to know him, I find him even more attractive. He's kind, generous, thinks of others first, always wants to help. He's interesting. What I like most about him, though? His dimples and his eyes.

How would you describe him? Rugged yet tender. There isn't anything he can't do. He's ambitious and industrious. And he's a caring individual. He holds himself accountable and expects the same from others.

How would he describe you? I imagine he would say secretive, maybe shy. He's had to ask a questions to get any information or reveal much and even then I'm not telling him everything.

What made you choose real estate for a career? I became a realtor out of necessity. My parents died in a car accident a week after my dad revealed he'd been stealing money from the company he worked for. I believed they committed suicide, which wasn't part of the accident report, but no one knows about the theft, so to me suicide made sense. The accident occurred just before my senior year. I was a month away from turning 18. I knew at that time that college wasn't going to happen and because there was no money and little insurance money, I knew I needed a career immediately after graduation. I petitioned the court so I could live in the house as an adult, and then started selling my parents' art collection online and anything else of value so I could stay in the house. I turned away from school activities I had once embraced and focused on studying to become a realtor when I wasn't studying for my senior classes. The day after graduation, I obtained my realtor's license. From the time I discovered what my dad had done, I was determined to pay back every penny. For the last decade, that's what I've been doing.

What is your biggest fear? That others will learn how dishonorable my parents were. How ashamed I was of them because of it.

How do you relax? I can't say that I do. Some may say that I relax by building homes for Habitat, but it was a way for me to work out my frustrations early on by driving nails into the walls. Plus, I work at the animal shelter from time to time only because it wouldn't be fair for me to have a pet. I'm away from home too much, plus it's a cost I can't afford.

Who is your favorite fictional character? Pip from Great Expectations. I can relate to him, his having secrets. His not being sure of his place in society.

What is the best piece of advice you ever received? I realize now, that the best advice didn't come from my parents but rather from someone I discovered was a best friend of my mother: Connie, a long-time waitress in the downtown diner. In the story, she tells me that it doesn't matter what others think. It only matters what I think.

Thank you for this, Eddie. Now we’d like to chat with Diana.

What movies or books have had an impact on your career as a writer? So many books, so many movies. I was always fascinated by the characters of both movies and books—movies especially. What drove them? What make them so desirable, so engaging? What was it about them that captured my interest time after time, especially when I'd watch these movies repeatedly? It was those characteristics that I began discovering in my characters who would spring to life in front of me, never leaving me alone until I've finally written their story and gotten it published.

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 can't say there was any event in my private life that brought these particular characters to life. Rather, Eddie's reluctance to share is the result of many people. Both Eddie and Rhett came to life as I discovered their wounds, their fears, their desires for live.

Tell us a bit about your publisher: how did you hear about them and what influenced your decision to submit to them? I'm an indie publisher. I was traditionally published in the mid '90s when it was the only way to be published. Today, with so many more available options, I decided to go indie, where I got to make the decisions.

What book[s] currently rest on your TBR pile? I'm currently reading Jami Albright's Bride on the Run box set of four stories. They're laugh-out-loud funny. My other secret go-to romances right now are Amish romances. Having researched the Amish for a script I was writing, I feel I could easily live among them, so I enjoy stories in that landscape.

Lastly, what's up next and when can we expect to see it on the shelves? This is the year where I finish writing and am publishing the Laurel Ridge novella series. Arrested Pleasures, #3 in the series is schedule for a July 5 release and can be pre-ordered now, too. The others—#4, #5, #6, and #7—will quickly follow.

To learn more about Diana Stout, go to:

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ScreenWryter13

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

Goodreads:  http://goodreads.com/user/show/43124185-diana-stout

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

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/diana-stout

 To purchase Burning Desire, go to:

amazon.com/gp/product/B09W8ZCHMJ

 

 

    

Ghost Notes by Beth Henderson

           Jace Hastings, rising music star, is presumed dead in a vehicle collision, courtesy of a stalker with deadly designs. Ten years later, P.I. Gaelen Wyndom can’t believe someone wants her to find him.

          Pelham Flannery rejoined the world from ICU, fully aware someone had tried to kill him. To live, he went under the radar, distanced himself from music, and disguised everything that would give away his identity as Jace. After a decade, is it safe to come out of hiding?

          Gaelen, delighted to be trained as a professional investigator by her new husband, continued in her new career after he was killed. Assigned to locate Jace Hastings, she isn’t told who wants to find him, but she puzzles it out. If she’s right, it’s the man who tried to kill him before. Which means she needs to find Jace Hastings and save him.

 Wild Women Authors features author Beth Henderson who is celebrating the release of her latest novel: Ghost Notes. With Beth is musician Pel Flannery who will go first.

 Welcome, Pel. Thanks for joining us today. Let’s start with where you are from. You could say that’s hard to say. I was born in LA. My mother was in the midst of cutting a record (she’s a vocalist) when she went into labor. But as both my parents are on the road separately, I grew up in the D.C. area where I lived with my mother’s parents.

Tell us a bit about Ghost Notes. The title itself is a term in the music world, but it suits well because a decade ago, just as my career was taking off, one where I called myself Jace Hastings, a maniacal stalker tried to kill me to keep me away from the woman I was stuck doing duets and photo ops with. I was trying to shake free of her. And that nearly happened, but not before the stalker rammed a semi into my sportscar. Which she was driving at the time. She was killed, I barely survived, but her death just upped his desire to off me. So, I gave up music. Downsized my life to that of a drifter with all his possessions in a duffle bag and kept on the move. But ten years have gone by. I hadn’t felt the eyes of his pals on me for six months. I still wasn’t going to go back to my life as Jace Hastings, just in case, though. Instead, I funded a jazz club/restaurant in a mostly retired community outside of Phoenix. My mother, C.C. was ready to get off the road but still wanted to be able to sing. We made it her place, I was just the accompanist at the piano and the guy funding and managing it. Then the stalker hired a PI to find me. A beautiful one. I was a goner, whether it was love felling me or the stalker because realized she’d found me. The clock was ticking but toward what, I had no clue.

What did you think the first time you saw Gaelen Wyndom? That just maybe I could be a regular guy again and follow through on the unconscious pull she was broadcasting.

What was your second thought? There was music in her voice, and I should keep my distance for safety’s sake.

Do you feel it was love at first sight? I’d call it down and dirty lust, actually. I’d been celibate for a long time.

What do you like most about Gaelen? That she’s a kind and decent person, that she’s good at her job, and that she wants me as much as I want her. We are both fighting our own demons, so there’s always a chance they’ll best us.

How would you describe her? I’m a guy. Gorgeous, though she doesn’t think so. Sexy as hell even though she dresses to blend into crowds rather than stand out. Except for one particular bright red dress that clings to her like I’d like to.

How would she describe you? I’d sorta hope it was as irresistible. She did, after all, or so she confessed, have a massive crush on me back when she was in college as a music major and I was racking up accolades for the way I arranged old standards for a 21^st century audience. However, she didn’t know I had once been Jace Hastings when we met. I was just a 35 year old music guy disguised as a self-made millionaire who wore expensive custom made suits when he tickled the ivories.

What made you choose music for a career? If you listen to my mother, C.C. Pelham, I was born into it. She’s a frequently nominated but never won a Grammy songstress. Dad, Jay Flannery, is a famous trombone man. And I was nearly born in a recording studio. Being a performer is all I ever wanted to be, though I didn’t want to trade on their success, which is why I came up with a stage name.

What is your biggest fear?  Oddly enough, not that the stalker will kill me, though that’s still a worry. I don’t want Gaelen to walk out of my life.

With all this going on, how do you relax? How else? I sit at a keyboard and play whatever niche of jazz that suits the eats tension away. But honestly, sex with Gaelen works even better.

Who is your favorite fictional character? Hmm… The movie version of Nick Charles, Dash Hammett’s detective, maybe. Odd that it isn’t a fictional musician, isn’t it? But I watched a lot of really, really old movies while convalescing after the first attempt on my life.

What is the best piece of advice you ever received? Forget the music—go win the girl.

Thanks for taking time away from your work, Pel. Now we’d like to chat with your creator, Beth Henderson.

What movies or books have had an impact on your career as a writer? My favorite movies tend to be Marvel movies these days, but I love Indiana Jones, and still replay the CDs of Remington Steele—in fact, that TV series probably feeds some of the romantic comedy as well as mystery that I tend to write, though Ghost Notes isn’t a romantic comedy, some of the same byplay is there. As for books, I loved Elizabeth Peter’s Vicki Bliss mystery comedy series. Currently I’m hooked on Sabrina Flynn’s Ravenwood Mysteries set in San Francisco before the 1906 earthquake.

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? Oddly enough, yes. When I was 25, a lady ran a red light and t-boned my Mustang. I landed in the hospital for three weeks, but as I went into shock in the ambulance, they couldn’t operate on my broken hip until four days after the accident. Four days that I have absolutely no memory of, nor of the accident itself. In Ghost Notes, the backstory has a 25-year-old Pel Flannery getting rammed when the semi barrels through a red light. As the semi was much bigger than the sedan that creamed me, his injuries (though in the passenger seat, rather than the driver’s seat) still take him nearly a year to recover from. My recovery was shorter, but it still required six months on crutches. Probably the frustration at that age of being reduced to depending on others to take care of so many thing you took for granted probably seeped into the story, or at least Pel’s backstory.

Tell us a bit about your publisher: how did you hear about them and what influenced your decision to submit to them? The Wild Rose Press published Ghost Notes in May. Actually, I fell in with them when looking for a traditional publisher interested in American West historical romance with mystery and adventure. The publisher I’d had in the past had either changed what they were looking for or gone out of business, so it was back to the drawing board for a publisher. In 2021 Wild Rose Press released my western historical romance, Until . . ., but Pel and Gaelen’s story was already on the drawing board, and I finished writing it during the pandemic. Fortunately, my wonderful editor at Wild Rose, Nan Swanson, loved it, too!

What book[s] currently rest on your TBR pile? A variety of things: C.S. Harris’s latest Sebastian St. Cyr Regency mystery, Ben Aaronovich’s latest Rivers of London urban fantasy police procedural mystery comedy, Jodi Taylor’s latest St. Mary’s time travel adventure comedy, and I also pulled out an old Nora Roberts’ book to reread, Hot Ice.

Lastly, what's up next and when can we expect to see it on the shelves? Honestly, I’m not sure. I’m torn between another contemporary romantic suspense with a stage magician hero who fears that he might be the serial killer targeting lone women vacationing in Las Vegas because he dreams about each death, seeing it as though he is the one killing the woman. He isn’t, of course. But I’m also toying with another historical romantic mystery adventure set in 1852 in the California Gold Rush. My schedule though has me “booked” to turn in two more urban fantasy stories for my Raven Tales series that I write as J.B. Dane for a different publisher.

 

To learn more about Beth Henderson and the stories she creates, go to:

Website: www.4TaleTellers.com

Facebook: http://bit.ly/2GvFyog

Twitter:  @Beth__Henderson

Pinterest:  www.pinterest.com/bhendbks

 

To purchase Ghost Notes, go to:

Amazon: getbook.at/GhostNotes

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ghost-notes-beth-henderson/1141022856?ean=9781509241798

 

Also available for Kobo, Apple, and GooglePlays

 

Tangled in Taurus by Sadira Stone

 On Day 2 of our Zodiac Encounters visit, Sadira Stone is back with Tangled in Taurus. . .

Headstrong, homebody Taurus plus passionate, freedom-loving Aquarius equals the worst match ever, but their blazing chemistry is unstoppable.

Keeping Jesse Del Toro’s organic farm afloat was hard enough before Gemma Moore returned to Trappers Cove. He knows the bewitching fortuneteller will never settle down in their quirky beach town, but he can’t resist playing with fire.

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.    

 

Sadira brought an excerpt. . .

   “Hey, Jesse.”

   He turned toward her with a quizzical scowl.

   “You know about the Esoteric Arts Expo in Portland next month?”

   “Yeah. Got the extra herbs Zora ordered under a bank of grow-lights.”

   “You’ll be there, right?”

   His dark brows drew together. “At the expo? No. Why?”

   Gemma grasped his arms, relishing the feel of firm muscle through his thick woolen coat. “You’ve got an organic herb farm! You could offer teas, tinctures, potted plants. Give me a list of what you grow, and I’ll write up their magical properties.”

   Jesse snorted, which only made him more bull-like. “Listen, I grow culinary herbs, stuff for tea and home remedies, not magic potions.”

   Yup, bull-headed to a fault. She forced her lips to unscowl. Being judgmental would get her nowhere with his type. He needed practical proof. “How could you ignore this huge market? The esoteric community is hungry for local products with integrity.”

   “My business is none of yours.” With another sexy snort, he loomed over her. “You ever actually worked the land, princess? It’s not airy-fairy spirituality. It’s heavy lifting and dirt under your nails.”

  He held a broad, dirt-stained palm before her face and wiggled his fingers. Immediately, her imagination zoomed to how those powerful hands would feel on her bare skin, their rough scrape raising goosebumps of pleasure. Would he be a forceful lover? Brutal, even? Or perhaps surprisingly tender?

   Giving her head a little shake, she took his hand and inspected his palm. “Interesting Mount of Venus.” She rubbed the base of his thumb. “Nice and fleshy.”

   She had his attention now. People loved being told about themselves. With narrowed eyes, he peered at the spot she was massaging. “Mount of Venus? What does that mean?”

   “Fullness here shows you’re passionate, sensual. And see this mark? Like a little X?”

   He squinted, rumpling his eyebrows adorably.

   “This means you have a lot of love to give.” She was only quoting the many books on palmistry she’d studied, but a skeptic like him would probably assume she was just spouting pickup lines.

   But now, he simply held her gaze for a long, heated moment. His nostrils flared, but whatever snarky comment he concocted remained behind his tightly pressed lips.

   Focus. Plan. Expo. She forced her shoulders down. “So why not share some of that love with Zora and me? You help us with new products for the Esoteric Expo, and we’ll help you with new customers for your herbs.” See? Practical, logical—just the way you like it, stubborn Taurus.

 

A bit 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... 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 belly dance class, or strumming her ukulele, perhaps exploring the West with her charming husband, or cooking up a storm, and always gobbling all the romance books. For a guaranteed HEA (and no cliffhangers!) visit Sadira at sadirastone.com.

 

To learn more about Sadira, go to: 

Author Website   Facebook   Twitter  Goodreads   Bookbub   Amazon Author Page   Pinterest   Instagram   Author Newsletter    

 

To purchase Zodiac Encounters, go to:

Universal Book Link: https://books2read.com/u/bMYOr8

Bookbub Link: https://www.bookbub.com/books/zodiac-encounters-by-mia-london-and-sadira-stone

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60679442-zodiac-encounters

 

Caught Up in Capricorn

 

When the stars align, passion sizzles in the Zodiac Encounters Anthology. 

When the stars align, passion sizzles. Limited time only—grab these 12 steamy, astrology-inspired tales by award-winning authors. From Aries to Pisces, these novellas bring the heat!

 Capricorn: When a confident, control-freak Capricorn is forced to partner with a prickly, seductive Scorpio, their business and their hearts will never be the same.

Aquarius: Free-spirited Aquarius tempts fate to find love. 

Pisces: When a blizzard forces tech mogul, Adam Mayes, to make an emergency stop at a little motel on his way to a business trip, he didn’t expect to meet the fiery Willow. And he certainly couldn’t have anticipated catching feelings for her.

Aries: What happens when two stubborn Aries lock horns? Passion explodes.

Taurus: Headstrong, homebody Taurus plus passionate, freedom-loving Aquarius equals the worst match ever, but their blazing chemistry is unstoppable.

Gemini: Coming soon.

Cancer: Of all the places to meet the man of her dreams, it was crazy to think Samantha may have found him on an app like TikTok. Will the sexier-than-sin cop, Connor, be the silver fox of her dreams or heartbreak behind a sexy smile?

Leo: A laid back Leo claims the woman of his dreams.

Virgo: When perfect Virgo is challenged by his soon-to-be ex-stepdaughter, he’s forced to throw the rule book out the window.

Libra: Coming soon.

Scorpio: A love-at-first-sight romance makes a Scorpio realize her true potential and meeting her match sends sparks flying.

Sagittarius: Fiery Sagittarius collides with her match and sparks fly.

 

Wild Women Authors is pleased to welcome back Sadira Stone, a frequent contributor, with Caught Up in Capricorn: 

When a confident, control-freak Capricorn is forced to partner with a prickly, seductive Scorpio, their business and their hearts will never be the same.

After his head brewer quits, brew pub owner Ryan must learn to get along with snarky, sexy brewer Lilo, whose weird, niche beers are the last thing Salty Dog Brewery needs.

Working side by side ignites long-simmering desire, but a high-stakes beer competition triggers a fierce battle of wills. Can their love and the brewery survive?

Sadira brought along an excerpt:

        Lilo leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms. “You’re pretty transparent with your phony smile and your bedroom eyes. You and I are stuck together professionally. Let’s make the best of it and not muddy the waters with flirtation.”

        “There’s that Scorpio sting Gemma warned me about.”

        “Gemma warned you about me?” Judging by Lilo’s sour expression, Gemma was due for a talking to.

        “She and Jesse stopped by yesterday. She says Scorpios are like coconuts. Hard, scratchy exterior, soft and juicy interior. According to her, Capricorn and Scorpio have a lot in common. She says, with my practicality and your intuition, we’d make a great team.”

        Lilo’s eyes narrowed. “Just what kind of team do you have in mind?”

        “I’m talking about work, of course. Although—” He stroked his chin, weighing his chances. “I wouldn’t object to getting to know you better. You know, on a personal level.”

        Her eyebrows rose, then scrunched. She licked her lips, then clamped them tight. What the hell was going on in that hard head of hers? 

        Finally, she set down her fork and folded her hands on the table. “I’m gonna be straight with you, Ryan. I’m attracted to you.”

        Yesss! “Is that so?”

        “But I’m not the casual hookup type. I have to at least like a guy before getting intimate. And I’m not sure I like you.”

        His jaw fell. “What the hell did I do?”

        She gave a slow, feline blink. “Besides being a schmoozer who doesn’t have faith in my skills as a brewer?”

        “I never said—"

        “Your actions say otherwise, always watching me to make sure I don’t screw up.”

        “Did it ever occur to you I just like looking at you?”

 

A bit about our Focus Author:

Award-winning contemporary romance author Sadira Stone spins steamy, smoochy tales set in small businesses—a quirky bookstore, a neighborhood bar, a vintage boutique... 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 belly dance class, or strumming her ukulele, perhaps exploring the West with her charming husband, or cooking up a storm, and always gobbling all the romance books. For a guaranteed HEA (and no cliffhangers!) visit Sadira at sadirastone.com.

 

To learn more about Sadira Stone and the stories she creates, go to:

Author Website   Facebook   Twitter  Goodreads   Bookbub   Amazon Author Page   Pinterest   Instagram   Author Newsletter    

To purchase Zodiac Encounters, go to:

Universal Book Link: https://books2read.com/u/bMYOr8

Bookbub Link: https://www.bookbub.com/books/zodiac-encounters-by-mia-london-and-sadira-stone

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60679442-zodiac-encounters

 

 

Trevor by S. Hilbre Thomson

           No one believes him. Will it be too late?

Unable to escape his past, Matt Stone heads North leaving behind the memory of his dead wife and son. His journey takes a turn when he comes across his late son's doppelgänger; Trevor Reed. Blinded by the resemblance, Matt becomes obsessed and begins stalking him. Little does Trevor know, he becomes wrapped up in Matt’s delusions. Concerned, Trevor's mom, Jesse, enlists the help of the local authorities to keep him safe. Despite the involvement of police and eventually the inclusion of the FBI and an enthusiastic reporter, Trevor disappears. The Reeds will do anything to get their son back which results in a chase starting in the suburbs of Boston, Massachusetts to an Island on Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire. Will their efforts be enough? Will they find Matt and Trevor? Or will they be too late?

Wild Women Authors is pleased to welcome debut author S. Hilbre Thomson as she celebrates the release of her first novel, Trevor, a current release out of the Wild Rose Press. With author Thomson is investigative reporter Karen Copeland who will go first.

Good morning, Karen, tell us a bit about Trevor. It is a story about a young boy who is being stalked by a man named Matthew Stone. Stone believes Trevor to be his son, Tommy who died at the age of five. While he knows the boy isn’t his son, he can’t help slipping in and out of the fantasy that he found his boy again. As a reporter for a local paper in North Carolina, I follow Matt Stone to Massachusetts and then New Hampshire. Matt wanted to start over after losing his wife in a brutal home invasion and then later his son in an accidental shooting. When he gets to Massachusetts, he spots who he believes to be his son riding on a school bus. He follows the bus to the boy’s house and starts spying on him. Trevor’s family and friends enlist the help of family friend and local cop, Joe, to protect Trevor. Karen follows the story and gets entwined with Joe, Trevor and Matt, as law enforcement tries to catch the man and keep the young boy safe.

What made you choose reporting for a profession? I always loved to write and had an interest in telling true stories. I know that often the story gets told to sensationalize, often at the expense of the truth. I want to tell the real story, and highlight how we can perhaps stop some of the bad things that are happening from happening in the first place.

Knowing what you know now, if you had it to do over again, would you stick with being a reporter or do something different?  I can’t think of anything other than writing or maybe being a private investigator, that I would want to do. In theory, I would have loved to be able to skip some of the more mundane stories I had to write, but they helped me learn my craft and gain patience, which I never really had.

What is your biggest fear? My biggest fear would be getting the story wrong, or someone being hurt by something I wrote.

Who is your favorite fictional character and why? I think most of my friends and I grew up reading Nancy Drew stories and that is where I caught the investigative bug. As I grew up, I found other fictional detectives like Lindsey Boxer from the Women’s Murder Club from James Patterson and Kinsey Millhone from Sue Grafton. They all defy traditional female roles and go get what they want. They also are all trying to set things right and hold people accountable for their actions.

What is the best piece of advice you ever received? My twin brother, Teddy, has never sugar coated anything. He has always told me to stop making excuses and just go do it, whatever it was! I am a master excuse maker, and he doesn’t abide by that.

Thanks for spending time with us, Karen. Now we’d like to chat with your creator, S. Hilbre Thomson.

Which writer or character[s], from either books or movies, have had a major impact on your writing?  I have been an avid reader since middle school. Over the years I have gone from Dean Koontz and Stephen King where the scarier the better, to thriller, murder mystery with authors like James Patterson, John Grisham, Patricia Cornwell and Sue Grafton.

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 hope of making a character that was the protagonist being flawed in very humanizing ways. I wanted my readers to like him and want him to be ok, at the same time be angry and want him caught. As I came up with the idea of him stalking a child I needed to make him likable. He needed to have experienced significant trauma himself. Watching your own wife and child die would certainly mess a person up. Then the other characters needed to be realistic as well, having their own challenges that make them flawed as well. While I wasn’t exactly sure how I was going to tell the story, I wanted to include scenes on Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire. I have been going there for almost thirty years and love the lake and the small towns that surround it as a backdrop for a thriller.

Tell us a bit about your publisher. How did you hear about them; what influenced you to submit to them? I am published through The Wild Rose Press. I found that group through a friend who also published her first books with them, Katheryn Knight. She introduced me to Alicia Dean who became my editor.

How was the submission process; what is the turn-around time from date of query to date of release? Their process and turn around was almost a year to the date of me signing with them, which was what they had stated would likely be the timeline.  I worked with Alicia on several drafts where her direct constructive criticism helped Trevor become a much better version than the one I started with. I was lucky that the first group I submitted to picked up the book!

What are you reading right now? I don’t have as much time during the school year to read for pleasure, for I teach six grade. I have found many books and authors that I love while previewing for my students. Jennifer Neilson and Mary Amato have become favorites with my students and myself.  Over the summer I tend to read James Patterson, John Grisham, and other books in that genre.

What's next for you? I am working on my next book which will feature Karen Copeland as she returns south to try to unravel the mystery of who killed Matthew Stone’s wife, which is what started the poor man on his downward spiral. She will have to dredge up new evidence from this cold case which will lead her down some very dark paths. Joe, the cop from Trevor will play a part as well- they started a romance in the first book, and we are going to see where that goes!

 We have an excerpt from Trevor:

The halls were noisy and there was enough confusion in the school to allow Matt to slip into the hall to look for Tommy’s room. Unexpectedly, Matt saw him being escorted by a short woman to the boy’s bathroom. Matt stood and pulled the fire alarm down as quickly as he could. Startled looks from students and teachers alike. He even heard a teacher say, “What a horrible time for a drill!”

        Teachers called to students to get in their lines. The elfin woman opened the boy’s room door to clear it out as Trevor appeared wide-eyed. Not knowing the full situation surrounding the boy, she sent him next door to his class. “Go with them, I will tell your parents to meet you outside.” She pushed him along and hurried back to the office.

Trevor was the last one in line and followed his class out, keeping his eyes on his teacher.  He didn’t see the man walking up beside him. As they reached the double doors and stepped outside, the man took the boy’s hand. Trevor looked up and pulled away, eyes full of recognition and fear. “Come with me, Tommy, you will be okay.”

“Leave me alone!” He started running even though he knew there was no running during a fire drill, no talking either, but he yelled anyway. “Mrs. Johnson! Mrs. Johnson! Help!”

 To learn more about  S. Hilbre Thomson and the stories she creates go to:

www.shilbrethomson.com

https://www.facebook.com/shilbrethomson  

Amazon link
Barnes and Noble link

S. Hilbre Thomson website

https://twitter.com/hilbre_s

Instagram     @shilbre

 

To purchase Trevor, go to: 

Amazon link

Barnes and Noble link

S. Hilbre Thomson website

 

The Man Across the Alley by Emilie Barage

 Wild Women Authors welcomes debut author Emilie Barage as she celebrates the release of The Man Across the Alley, a contemporary mystery, published by the Wild Rose Press. With Emily is Holly Harrison who will go first.

Welcome, Holly. Thanks for taking time away from the theater you manage to spend time with us. Let’s begin with where you’re from. Originally the suburbs of Chicago but ever since I moved to the city after college, it’s felt like home.

Tell us a bit about The Man Across the Alley. It’s about my obsession with true crime. Well, more like a true crime blog, Murder for Your Thoughts, I’m pretty much obsessed. RJ, the blogger, wrote about a string of kidnappings and they happened to be in my area and basically after I read that, I started to pay attention to my surroundings…which included my new neighbor Luke….he’s very good looking. Anyways, he and I decide to team up when we find a suspect and try and solve these disappearances.

What did you think the first time you saw Luke? The first time I saw him I was pretty angry because he and his roommate decided to move into the apartment next door at EIGHT IN THE MORNING! Do you realize how loud you are when you move? But then I peered through the window and saw his butt in a pair of jeans and I softened up a bit.

A nice set of buns is usually a good ice-breaker. What was your second thought? Later that morning when I got a proper look at him, I was caught off guard by how attractive I found him and how happy I was that we were to share a back porch.

Was it love at first sight? No, not that; but was I smitten? Absolutely.

What do you like most about Luke? He just…he gets me. He seems to know when to calm me down, when to encourage me and his passion for certain things is catching.

How would you describe him? He’s tall with dark curled hair and scruff. I remember thinking he looks like a guy who doesn’t know how good looking he actually is? Like a farmer in a Hallmark Christmas movie- he’s just living life, oblivious to how hot he is. Besides that, he’s smart and considerate and protective which can get annoying but I kind of love it. Also, he’s not a farmer…

How would Luke describe you? Crazy? No I think he would say I’m smart, outgoing, pretty…I mean I’m no slouch in the looks department but he does call me beautiful a lot. I guess he would also say  I’m driven. When I have an idea in mind, I follow it until the end, even if it gets me in trouble.

What made you choose theater work for a career? Oh I’ve always loved theater and I figured if I was going to be doing something multiple hours a day for years, it should be in a field I love. I used to act in college but I’m strictly behind the scenes these days. Maybe one day I’ll run a theater by myself.

What is your biggest fear? A while ago I would’ve said spiders but maybe staring into the eyes of a crazy man is something I should add to the list now.

How do you relax? Wine, cheese and romcoms with my roommate and best friend Kate.

Who is your favorite fictional character? Maybe Sherlock Holmes? Or Irene Adler, the only lady who could best him. Love a good smart and slightly diabolical woman.

What is the best piece of advice you ever received? Think before you act. I should probably listen to that more but it’s helped me out quite a bit.

Thanks for spending time with us, Holly. Now we’d like to chat with Emily.

What movies or books have had an impact on your career as a writer? I’ve always been obsessed with true crime so any documentaries or procedurals like Law and Order: SVU or Criminal Minds has been an inspiration. I also am a huge fan of the podcast My Favorite Murder which definitely served as inspiration. On the romance side, I’m a big Kindle Unlimited reader and love a good enemies to lovers romance. LJ Shen and Eden O’Neil are amazing authors who weave good romances.

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 this book while I lived in the Chicago neighborhood of Lakeview so just living in that apartment served as the basis for the entire setting.

Tell us a bit about your publisher: how did you hear about them and what influenced your decision to submit to them? The Wild Rose Press is a wonderful romance publisher. I found them through a blog, while looking for publishers in general, and really liked their atmosphere when it came to working with new authors. They’ve been amazing at helping me every step of the way and I couldn’t recommend them more to anyone looking to start writing!

What book[s] currently rest on your TBR pile? My pile is too big right now. The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St. James, Troy by Stephen Fry, Depraved by Harold Schechter… They were all on hold while I ran through the entirety of Zodiac Academy  

Lastly, what's up next and when can we expect to see it on the shelves? I actually just finished the first draft of the second book in the Murder for Your Thoughts Series! It’s about a different couple and a different kind of crime but you’ll see some familiar faces and hear some familiar true crime voices…

 To learn more about Emilie Barage and the stories she creates, go to:

Instagram @emiliebarage

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21705538.Emilie_Barage

Website: emiliebarage.com

To purchase The Man Across the Alley, go to:

Amazon, Barnes&Noble, Books A Million, and SemiColon