Home Waters by Elizabeth Devlin

      We recently met up with the award-winning Rhode Island author, Elizabeth Devlin, a the renewed Maine Writers Retreat. During one of our chats, Elizabeth graciously agreed to visit the Wild Women blog. In another, she wanted to veer from our usual format and talk about how Home Waters came about.

     So . . . take it away Elizabeth Devlin. . .

When I first got the idea for my novel Home Waters, I was looking out at Narragansett Bay and wondering “what if something threatened to ruin these beautiful waters?” So immediately I began envisioning a romance with an environmental twist.

In typical fashion (I’m known to my friends as the “Research Queen”), my next step was to investigate what would constitute a realistic threat. Since I’m not a scientist, however, at first that proved daunting – WAY too many possibilities! Fortunately, one of the premier oceanographic centers in the world is the URI/GSO (Univ. of Rhode Island/Graduate School of Oceanography) which is located not far from where I live. I reached out to Prof. Steven D’Hondt and he agreed to talk over lunch at an on-campus café frequented by the GSO faculty. That’s when I got really lucky. After a few minutes of Steve and I brainstorming possible threats, other oceanographers at surrounding tables began to chime in. By the end of an hour, at least ten oceanographers were tossing out ideas, fast and furious. Our biggest challenge was finding a threat with a potential (even if problematic) solution.

What the oceanographers and I settled on was this: What if invasive toxic algae (I named it Black Tide) threatened to decimate the entire bay and its surrounding shoreline?

While that question suggests a dark suspense novel—and Home Waters contains some elements of that—at heart it’s a family story. It’s about reclusive oceanographer Becket Fallon trying to stop the toxic algae threat while simultaneously dealing with an urgent family crisis. He needs help from non-profit expert Lainey Carmichael, but she comes at a price. She’ll help get the funding critical to stopping Black Tide, but only if he lets her and 3-year-old twins stay with him for the summer. The twin granddaughters he’s felt duty-bound to avoid.

Home Waters explores the conflicting demands of work to save the bay’s future and a family who needs Becket now. While the characters drive the action, the Narragansett Bay setting permeates every aspect of the story. Anyone who loves the ocean will identify with the feeling the characters get as they live and work on the water.

Instead of telling readers why they should care about the environment, the novel puts readers into the minds and hearts of two people as they wrestle with how to prevent invasive toxic algae from overwhelming the bay. The simultaneous family drama keeps us grounded.

BayWatch, a Save-the-Bay-style organization, plays a key role in the story, but telling exactly how that happens would be a plot spoiler. Suffice is to say that enlisting their help forces the main characters to face some difficult choices. The real-life Save the Bay receives 25% of all royalties from the book, so here’s a way to have fun and do some good at the same time.

To purchase Home Waters, go to https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08MHGWFCG

About Elizabeth Devlin

Elizabeth grew up sailing the waters of Narragansett Bay and never forgot it. After a doctorate from Oxford and years serving in U.S. embassies around the world, she returned to R.I. to teach at the Naval War College in Newport. She left that job to build a house with a view of the water so she could fulfill her lifelong ambition to write stories focused on what fires her passion. Home Waters is her sixth book, but the first she’s “let out into the world.” It was a finalist for two National Excellence in Romance Fiction awards (best mainstream and best first book).

To learn more, go to:

Website:         https://elizabethdevlin.com/

Facebook Profile:        https://www.facebook.com/Elizabeth.Devlin.writer

Facebook Fan Page:        https://www.facebook.com/ElizabethDevlinAuthor/

TV Interview:                https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldrfiXL7wI4

Video interview:    CItywide Blackout

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

Goodreads:            https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55845483-home-waters

BookBub:               https://www.bookbub.com/books/home-waters-by-elizabeth-devlin

 

 

Dragons Walk Among Us by Dan Rice

 At times it’s hard to believe what you see…

 Shutterbug Allison Lee is trying to survive high school while suffering abuse from the school’s mean girl. Her life is often abysmal, but at least her green hair is savage. Her talent for photography is recognized by the school paper and the judges of a photo contest.

While visiting her friend Joe, a homeless vet, Allison's life irrevocably changes after an attack leaves her blind. All her dreams as a photojournalist are dashed as she realizes she'll never see again. Despair sets in until she is offered an experimental procedure to restore her vision. But there are side effects, or are they hallucinations? She now sees dragons accompanying some of the people she meets.

Can she trust her eyes, or has the procedure affected her more than she can see?

 Wild Women Authors is pleased to feature author Dan Rice as he talks about the 2021 release of Dragons Walk Among Us, a YA sci-fi/fantasy under the Fantasy Rose imprint out of the Wild Rose Press. First up is photojournalist Allison Lee.

Welcome, Allison. Tell us a bit about Dragons Walk Among Us. First off, a violent attack leaves me blind. Luckily, cutting-edge prosthetic eyes restore my vision, but there are wild side effects. I can see dragons following some people around. Am I going crazy or what?

What made you choose photojournalism for a career? My dad gave me a used camera when I was ten or eleven. I’ve been taking pictures ever since. I want to turn my passion for documenting social justice and climate issues into a career.

Knowing what you know now, if you had it to do over again, would you stay in high school? Since I am the target of bullying by the mean girl, I’d bypass high school in an ideal world.

What is your biggest fear? Becoming my mother. She is a monster capable of killing in cold blood without remorse. I don’t ever want to become like her. My humanity is the best of me.

Who is your favorite fictional character and why? I identify with Frankenstein’s monster because we’re both misunderstood and misrepresented.

What is the best piece of advice you ever received? My dad always encourages me to lead with kindness. I found that to be pretty good advice.

 Allison, thank you for taking time away from your work and studies to speak with us. Now we’d like to talk to you.  creator, Dan Rice.

Which writer or character[s], from either books or movies, [or both] have had a major impact on your writing? When I was around 11 or 12, I first read Frank Herbert’s Dune. I was swept away by the story and amazed the author created such a real fictional world in a slender volume. After reading that novel for the first time, I decided I wanted to try out this writing thing.

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman and EXO by Fonda Lee influenced my thoughts about Dragons Walk Among Us and The Allison Lee Chronicles series in general. Both YA tales feature protagonists struggling with their identity and loyalties in a sci-fi/fantasy setting, much like Allison Lee’s story.

With regard to research, where did you start for this novel? Did that lead you down different paths, thereby changing the original concept? My research was limited to double-checking my geography. I had visited most of the locations—Seattle, Mount Rainier, the Olympic coast— many times. Since the story is inherently a fantasy, I didn’t feel the need to over research if such a thing is even possible.

A real-life event did inspire a particular theme running through the book. In the opening chapter, the school’s mean girl bullies Allison over her biracial appearance. My biracial son was bullied over his appearance at summer camp while I was writing the novel’s first draft. Although he was initially disturbed by the bullying, he got over the event and eventually, I believe, buried the hatchet with his antagonists. Allison follows a similar character arc.

Tell us a bit about your publisher. How did you hear about them?  I’m published with The Wild Rose Press. I first heard about them years ago through my critique group, The Puget Sound Writer’s Guild. I believe one of the press founders belonged to the group many years before I joined up. At the time, I was trying to write epic fantasy, which I didn’t think The Wild Rose Press would be interested in (and if I’m honest, my writing wasn’t good enough at the time).

What influenced you to submit to them? I was shopping around Dragons Walk Among Us without tons of success, despite feeling confident it was pretty good. I happened upon an ad from Alicia Dean (fellow The Wild Rose Press author and maybe editor) offering editorial services in an email list I subscribe to. I had always hesitated to hire an editor due to the cost, but her discounted rate seemed reasonable. After working with her, my manuscript sparked interest from a couple of small presses. One asked for the full manuscript but ultimately declined to publish it.

I knew The Wild Rose Press was interested in YA from my research into publishers. So after polishing up the manuscript some more, I sent it off to them. About nine months later, my novel was published. I guess my story proves the publishing world is small!

What are you reading right now? The Lost Cord by Lyndi Alexander is a YA Fantasy featuring a protagonist with autism. The Fires of Vengeance by Evan Winter is an action-packed epic fantasy. Empire of the Vampire by Jay Kristoff is a dark fantasy about humanity being subjugated by vampires.

What’s next for you? I just finished up my first round of edits for The Blood of Faeries, book two in The Allison Lee Chronicles. In this adventure, Allison’s friend is seduced by magic and mysteriously disappears. Allison will need to master her supernatural abilities while confronting beings thought long ago extinct and fiends all too human to rescue him. 

 To learn more about Dan Rice and the stories he creates go to:

https://www.danscifi.com/dragons-walk-among-us

·       Facebook

·       Twitter

·       BookBub

·       Instagram

·       Tiktok

 

To purchase Dragons Walk Among Us, go to:

·       Amazon

·       Kobo

·       Barnes & Noble

·       iBooks

 

 

 

The Student in Classroom 6

      Although a faculty member has been killed on campus and the murderer is still at large, English instructor Katherine Holiday never suspects the criminal might be one of her students. In fact, there’s a man in her adult evening class she wishes she could know better. 

     Seeing no need for a college degree, Tyler McHenry, a partner in his father’s successful tree service, writes fiction for his own pleasure. No one at the University needs to know his personal reasons for enrolling in a first-year composition course. Still, he finds himself fascinated by the pretty teacher, who believes his writing should be published.

 Wild Women Authors focus on The Student in Classroom 6, a contemporary mystery-thriller, written by Patricia McAlexander, a current release out of the Wild Rose Press.

 An Excerpt: 

“You know, Ms. Holiday,” Tyler said as he walked with her back to her porch, “it was against regulations to bring you up in the bucket. Only accredited personnel are supposed to go up.” He paused. “Just like it’s probably against regulations for University instructors to get too friendly with students in their class.”

 “It is,” she said, feeling somehow bold. “But if you can break a rule, I can. Would you like to come in for a beer?”

“That may not be so wise. I am an owner of this tree business and an owner of the bucket truck. I was not worried about breaking that rule tonight. I knew it was safe for you when I brought you up in the bucket. That is not the way it is with you and the University.  And you don’t know—” he hesitated.

“Know what?”

He smiled a little, as if joking. “Whether you’d be safe alone in your house with me.”

 

To learn more about Patricia McAlexander and the stories she creates, go to:

 Website: https://patriciamcalexander.weebly.com 

Facebook: facebook.com/patriciamcalexanderwriter/

 Twitter:  https://twitter.com/PatMcAlexWriter

 Instagram: www.instagram.com/patriciamcalexander/

To purchase The Student in Classroom 6, go to:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Student-Classroom-6-Patricia-McAlexander-ebook/dp/B09THQ2FDT/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1648132789&sr=1-1 

Barnes and Noble (includes Nook):  https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-student-in-classroom-6-patricia-mcalexander/1141068087?ean=9781509241750

 

i-books: http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/isbn9781509241767

 

 

Katie's Gamble by Kara O'Neal

           Katie McCord bears much weight on her shoulders–single-handedly running her family’s business, McCord’s Confectionery, and caring for her three younger siblings. And her little shop is in trouble, which forces her to seek help from her brother, Johnny McCord, a notorious gambler living in New Orleans, or lose everything.

Rowdy Denton might be a gambler working for Johnny McCord, but one look at Katie’s sweet innocence tugs at the ache and guilt in his heart. For his peace of mind, he’s determined to get her out of the opulent hotel and brothel kept by her brother and back to the little town in Texas where she belongs—far away from Rowdy.

When Johnny refuses to sell his share to Katie, he sends Rowdy to her hometown to cause her further trouble. But, instead, Rowdy finds himself working as her hired hand and helping her keep everything together.

Katie knows Rowdy has another purpose for being in Echols. He works for her brother, after all, and is a gambler himself. So, why is he helping her? When she discovers the answer to her question, she races back to New Orleans, prepared to make the biggest gamble of her life.

 A note from Kara O’Neal, author of Katie’s Gamble:

I’m excited to introduce y’all to the first book in my Gamblers and Gunslingers series – Katie’s Gamble. This series was born while I was writing Maggie’s Song, book thirteen in my Texas Brides series.

You see, I do this thing where I fall in love with secondary characters. I can’t help it. Once a picture forms in my mind, a story usually follows. And then I just have to write it. Even if the character is a villain. During Maggie’s Song, I met Rowdy Denton. Gambler. Gunslinger. Collector of debts. And he had no give in him. Somehow I felt that underneath the harshness beat a heart of gold. And I had to find out why.

        And that’s how Katie’s Gamble came to be.

Rowdy Denton meets Katie McCord, the sister of his boss, notorious gambler and unfeeling rogue, Johnny McCord. Rowdy ends up having to protect Katie, and while he does his level best not to fall for her, he loses the battle.

I adored giving Rowdy his happy ending, looking through the walls he tried to erect and saving him from being a villain forever. He gets a family. And everything else he could ever want. It’s just so beautiful that I dare you not to cry at the end!

Here’s an excerpt:

Katie McCord paced the space in front of one of the settees, her hands on her hips. Perhaps she could find Johnny herself. She eyed the corridor on the opposite side of the lobby and tried to gather her courage.

While the possible consequences of her hunt played through her mind, a man in a long, black coat, dark green brocade vest, and black trousers entered. He removed his gambler’s hat, and his coat stretched with the movement, revealing the gun belt riding low along his hips.

His dark brown hair fell over his forehead as he paused a moment in the center of the rug to dust off his hat. He had a strong jaw, broad shoulders, and had to be over six feet. He wore a serious expression, instead of the jovial, eager one the other patrons exuded. An energy rolled off of him, as if nothing ever missed his notice, as if he were aware of his entire surroundings, though he hadn’t even assessed the space.

She lowered her arms and bit her lip. She’d made the wrong choice, coming here. A letter might have sufficed, as Mr. Cummings had suggested. She had no idea how to handle the environment in which she had placed herself.

The man looked up, his gaze going directly to her.

She held herself still, afraid to move should any twitch make him want to approach her.

Slowly, he let his eyes travel the length of her, and when his attention returned to her face, his expression was unreadable. But somehow she knew her presence irritated him. He turned away and sauntered to the desk. He spoke in low tones to the lobby attendant, and Katie saw the newcomer’s shoulders tense at the attendant’s answers to his questions. He then glanced over at her, and his eyes narrowed. After saying a few more words to the attendant, the man turned on a heel and strode toward her.

Frightened, she backed up, and her legs bumped into the edge of the settee.

“Miss McCord?” he asked, his voice hard and gruff.

“Y-Yes. I’m Katie McCord.”

He jerked his head at the doors. “You need to go.”

She gulped and curled her hands into fists. “I need to speak with my brother.”

The fellow shook his head. “No. And this is not a place for a lady like you. You need to go before it’s too late.”

To purchase Katie’s Gamble, go to:  https://amzn.to/3txYACc

To learn more about Kara O’Neal and the stories she creates, go to:

Website –  www.karaoneal.com

Bookbub –  https://www.bookbub.com/profile/kara-o-neal

Amazon –  http://www.amazon.com/Kara-ONeal/e/B00FL19TH8/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1465007993&sr=8-1

Barnes and Noble –  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/kara+o'neal?_requestid=845025

Facebook –  https://www.facebook.com/KaraONeal84/

Twitter –  https://twitter.com/KaraONealAuthor

Pinterest –  https://www.pinterest.com/karaoneal7/

Goodreads –  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7278350.Kara_O_Neal

Blog -- http://www.karaoneal.com/blog

Blog – The Story Continues -- http://www.karaoneal.com/the-story-continues

 

A Full Bodied Love by Amber Cross

 Smooth and mellow meets spunky and sweet

        Lisa Kirkpatrick is stubborn, but she's not stupid. If this guy needs a date to evade an unwanted admirer, who is she to object? It's not as if handsome men are lining up to ask her out. Sure, they know there's a woman in the wheelchair, but it would never occur to them that there's a WOMAN in the wheelchair. He notices. This solid, fun, straight-shooting guy ticks off every box on her ideal man list. But why do they call him Slick? ​

Roger Plankey thought his life was full until he walked into the town clerk's office and laid eyes on the woman behind the counter. A spunky, independent woman with a dash of humor and just enough sass to keep him on his toes. She fills that unknown void in his life like she was made for him. But is there such a thing as too perfect?

 Wild Women Authors features Amber Cross’ A Full Bodied Love. Up first is Lisa Kirkpatrick, a Human Resources Director.

Good morning, Lisa. Thanks for taking time away from your duties at the hospital to speak with us. Let’s start with where you’re from: We moved a few times, but mostly in Pennsylvania

Tell us a bit about A Full-Bodied Love: It starts with a fake date that turns into the best date I ever had. By the end of the night, I wanted to pinch myself to make sure it was real. Then I made myself crazy the next day wondering if I’d ever see him again; it was that good.

What did you think the first time you saw Roger Plankey? That he had the prettiest blue eyes on the planet.

Do you feel it was love at first sight? Not love, but attraction.

What do you like most about him? He takes care of his business and his family, but he doesn’t take himself too seriously. He notices things other people don’t. When we’re out together, he notices if I’ll have a hard time closing the door behind me, or if I can’t see something at the back of the table; he closes the door, he lifts the item for me to check it out. He adjusts his pace to mine if needed.

How would you describe Roger? He’s a rock. He’s fun. You can always count on him, and that includes his honesty.

How would he describe you? He says I’m always game for anything, and that’s one of the things he loves about me. He says I shine like a string of Christmas tree lights and light up every room I’m in.

What made you choose to work in human resources for a career? I think I just liked business and having spent a lot of time in hospitals when I was young, I knew something about how they operated, so it was natural to apply for jobs there.

What is your biggest fear? Losing my independence.

How do you relax? I do a lot of yoga, and I have a side business making jewelry. When I’m in my craft room, that’s when I’m really in “the zone,” oblivious to everything else.

Who is your favorite fictional character? Probably Pippi Longstocking because she’s brave.

What is the best piece of advice you ever received? My little sister told me to stop worrying about what other people think and to follow my heart.

Thanks for this, Lisa. Now we’d like to talk with Amber.

What movies or books have had an impact on your career as a writer? K.A. Tucker’s Wild books remind me that a story doesn’t have to be rushed or overly graphic to be a page turner. Linda Howard’s books have always resonated with me because she uses both points of view, and her women and men are both strong.

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 looked into adopting a child with spina bifida. Although that didn’t come to be, learning about the condition inspired me to write about someone with the condition. This is not a book about a medical condition, but it is a love story between two people, one of whom has special circumstances.

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 my publisher. I learned about them at my first Romance Writers of America chapter meeting. Other members in the chapter wrote for them, so I sent a manuscript along and this is the fourth book I’ve written for them.

What book[s] currently rest on your TBR pile? Montana Cowboy Daddy by Jane Porter (book three in a series.)

Lastly, what's up next and when can we expect to see it on the shelves? On July 20 I will have a werewolf romance titled, Pack of Love, coming out as part of an anthology with Ashlyn Chase, Kate Richards, and Temperance Dawn. This is my first paranormal romance.

 

Readers can find me and buy links for my books at:

https://www.amber-cross.com

or visit me at: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorAmberCross

 

 

 

 

Prophecies and Promises by Alana Lorens

 When the ‘good’ man is bad, and the ‘bad’ man is good, how’s a young woman to choose?

      Tamsyn McKiernan thinks her dreams have come true. She’s engaged to a dashing Key West bachelor and finally in her widowed father’s good graces. But in her heart, she knows something’s wrong. She loves the ocean and the quiet pleasures of nature—so what does the aristocratic life she’ll lead truly hold for her? 

Mercenary captain Drake Ashton is neck deep in preparations for the Spanish-American War, running guns and other supplies to Cuban natives who want out from under their Spanish masters. He and his brother Freddie risk their lives daily, focused on saving his friends on the island. Nothing else matters but his mission.

A chance encounter with a spiny sea urchin brings the two together, and neither of their lives will ever be the same again.

 Wild Women Authors is pleased to feature Prophecies and Promises, a recent release out of the historical line for the Wild Rose Press and written by Alana Lorens. With Alana is Captain Drake Ashton who will go first.

Good morning, Captain. Let’s begin with where you are from. I grew up on a small coral rock house on the west shore of the Florida Keys, outside Islamorada.

Tell us a bit about Prophecies and Promises. Well, I haven’t quite finished it yet, but it seems to be a story about me deciding if I can allow love into my life, and whether the woman I love can love me as well.

What did you think the first time you saw Tamsyn McKiernan? We were on the beach and she was perfectly framed by the sunlight; she was absolutely beautiful.

What was your second thought? I was mostly yelling because I'd just been I’d just been stabbed by a sea urchin spine. Unbelievably painful. But Tamsyn dropped everything and rushed to get it out and get me on the road to health once again.

Do you feel it was love at first sight? Yes, especially when I put that together with the obeah woman’s prediction for me.

What do you like most about Tamsyn? She’s brilliant.  She has a wide base of knowledge in natural things, if not so much in all the ways of modern society in 1897. But at the same time, she hasn’t lost a childish curiosity—she wants to learn everything she can. I find that fascinating and compelling.

How would you describe her? She’s young, so she tends to be impulsive, which can be maddening. She loves her father very much, and I know she’s trying to please him as well as the rest of her society, but I can’t imagine that she can make him happy. She’s just as appealing when she’s dressed for a ball as she is with her hair let down, her skirts rolled up to her knees, walking through the tide’s edge, picking up shells.

How would she describe you? She probably thinks I’m a fool, since she’s always having to patch me up after some scrap or other. I probably would have died if she hadn’t saved me after the ambush at Matanzas. She seems happy when she’s around me, so maybe she’d say I bring her joy?

What made you choose being a mercenary captain for a career? I don’t know if I “chose” it as much as it was thrust upon me. When friend that my brother and I had made over the years on the Cuban island decided they wanted to be independent of Spanish rule, Freddie and I just naturally took it upon ourselves to find them weapons and other supplies and supports they’d need to accomplish their goal. Since then it’s grown into a full-time occupation!

What is your biggest fear? I feel like I have to take care of so many other people—I would hate myself if I let them down. They count on me.

How do you relax? I love to sit around an open fire on one beach or another, with my crew, singing and laughing, lubricated with plenty of rum.

Who is your favorite fictional character? Don Quixote. I believe that going after what is important to you, no matter the cost, is the best path one’s life can take.

What is the best piece of advice you ever received? A captain who’s a good friend of mine encouraged me to let loose of my responsibilities in Cuba, now that America has entered the war and is looking out for my people. He told me then I’d be free to look out for what I really wanted—and he knew I wanted Tamsyn.

Thank you, Captain. Now we’d like to chat with Alana.

What movies or books have had an impact on your career as a writer? I’ve enjoyed Anne McCaffrey’s Pern books. She has a way of portraying those who are underdogs as somehow important and watching them achieve success is always gratifying. I hope I do the same with my characters.

Is there an event in your private life that you were able to bring to this story and how do you feel it impacted the novel? Not so much a single event, but I lived just north of the Florida Keys in Homestead, Florida for a number of years and spent many happy hours in the Keys. Much of my worldbuilding here is taken right from things I’ve observed and enjoyed.

Tell us a bit about your publisher: how did you hear about them and what influenced your decision to submit to them? One of the other writers in my critique group. Kathy Otten, had been multi-published with The Wild Rose Press, so I thought I’d give them a chance. This is now my fifth book with them. My editor, Ally Robertson, and I have put out three books together!

What book[s] currently rest on your TBR pile? I’ve slowly been collecting all the new DUNE books written by Frank Herbert’s son. One of these days I’m going to begin at the new beginning (with the prequels) and blazed through the 30 or so volumes,

Lastly, what's up next and when can we expect to see it on the shelves? I’m currently working on another volume in the Pittsburgh Lady Lawyers series that I expect will be submitted sometime this fall. 

Alana brought an excerpt for us:

        It would be better if Drake was happy for Tamsyn’s good fortune. She’d not want for anything material as the wife of Winslow—no doubt, a beautiful house and gardens, a fine carriage, a husband whose future was financially secure.

His own fortunes lay along a much different path.

If Drake were to be caught by the Spaniards, it wasn’t likely he’d live to be tried for the crime back on the mainland. The Spanish were known for their quick tempers and sharp swords. The mercenary trade paid him well, for now, and if the buzzing rumors he’d heard on the Pickham veranda were true, war would come within the year. Guns were a prime commodity in time of war. He always carried rum when he returned from the islands, of course, and sugar and tropical fruits, to cover his real motives. He had not been interdicted yet. As young men often did, he played the odds and planned to beat them.

For the first time, however, that focus was shaken by thoughts of this woman.

What distinguished Tamsyn MacKiernan from the other women he’d met in a hundred different ports? Drake couldn’t put his finger on it. He just knew she appealed to his heart in a way that possessed him. She held an intriguing blend of strength and vulnerability, stomach ironclad in the face of blood yet timid as a lost waif left alone in the midst of the ball. He wanted to know her better.

But she was to be married. Even if he had been able to marry her, even though he had a proper home with a hired woman to maintain it, it was nothing compared with the empire Winslow would command in a few years. Drake knew he had no business thinking Tamsyn might prefer a lonely pirate to the golden boy.

Damnation!

To learn more about Alana Lorens and the stories she creates, go to:

Website      http://Alana-lorens.com

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

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4829967.Alana_Lorens

Amazon Author Page

https://www.amazon.com/Alana-Lorens/e/B005GE0WBC/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

 Bookbub:   https://www.bookbub.com/authors/alana-lorens

 Twitter:  @AlexanderLyndi

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

 Prophecies and Promises__Alana Lorens

 

To purchase Prophecies and Promises, go to:

  https://www.amazon.com/Prophecies-Promises-Alana-Lorens-ebook/dp/B09THTHV6H/ref=sr_1_5?qid=1647885952&refinements=p_27%3AAlana+Lorens&s=digital-text&sr=1-5&text=Alana+Lorens

 

Paperback:- https://www.amazon.com/Prophecies-Promises-Alana-Lorens/dp/1509241442/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1647885952&sr=1-5

 

B&N: www.barnesandnoble.com/w/prophecies-and-promises-alana-lorens/1141068092?ean=9781509241446

 

https://shop.aer.io/TheWildRosePress/p/Prophecies_and_Promises/9781509241446-11180?ni=true

 

Book Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFWs54EUJeU

Life's Too Short for White Walls

        Still reeling from her divorce, Joss Murphy flees to Banjo Bend, Kentucky, where she'd been safe and happy as a child. Weary and discouraged, she talks owner Ezra McIntire into renting her a not-quite-ready cabin in the campground he runs.

      With PTSD keeping him company, Ez thrives on the seclusion of the campground. The redhead in Cabin Three adds suggestions to his improvement plans, urging color and vibrancy where there was none.

      Neither is looking for love, yet the attraction they share is undeniable. Can the comfort of campfires, hayrides, and sweet kisses bring these two lost souls together?

 Wild Women Authors focus is on Life’s Too Short for White Walls by Liz Flaherty, a sweet contemporary romance released by the Wild Rose Press.

 Excerpt: Joss stopped under the canopy of trees that led back to the campground, opening her car window so she could breathe in the scent of early autumn. It was a hard thing for a person as busy as she’d always been to stare the future in the face with no idea what she was going to do with it. She would give herself time to decide, time to take more deep breaths and get over the feeling of dread that seemed to accompany her everywhere. Although she didn’t have enough money to last forever, it would carry her for a while.

She looked up at the trees, noting that the colors of the leaves were already changing and that the air smelled different—it wasn’t just the day’s lack of humidity. It was, she supposed, the scent of things dying, but she wasn’t going to think of it that way. To her, it was going to be all about starting over. Starting new in this beloved place that still felt like home.

 A Note From our Focus Author: I worry a lot about my stories sounding alike, my heroines being paper-doll-cutouts of each other. I’m afraid I’ve written too many heroes with dimples in their left cheeks. Do I have too many people with crooked grins, one raised eyebrow, or a shrug that somehow defines their personalities?

I hope not, but a few of the things that are the same from book to book are starting over, new beginnings, home, friendships, tenderness. And I’m good with that.

They are there in Life’s Too Short for White Walls, when forty-something Joss Murphy and Ezra McIntire find themselves in the same place but searching for different things. They know a few things about themselves by now—Joss is determined she will have color wherever she goes and Ez is committed to always being one step ahead of things that are dangerous or hurtful to anyone around him.

There are no white walls on their journey, but danger and emotional landmines make themselves known. And maybe the things they’re searching for aren’t so different.

 

To purchase Life’s Too Short for White Walls, go to:  

B & N: https://tinyurl.com/yc7xyprw

Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/y4ecw5vh

Apple Books: https://tinyurl.com/yc75va4n

 

To learn more about Liz Flaherty and the stories she creates go to:

Website: http://lizflaherty.net/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/lizkflaherty

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LizFlaherty1

Newsletter signup: http://eepurl.com/df7dhP