Morning Tryst by Ellen Parker

 For a few short minutes, as the sun inches above the horizon, the day is full of hope and promise.

During a San Francisco visit, photographer Serena Carter sights arresting potential in the hotel bartender and invites him to model. Later, in San Diego, they meet at a beach, and she discovers his personality as fascinating as the images her camera captures.

Self-made millionaire Zack Sans usually avoids cameras. He prefers the world of scientific laboratories and engineering students. But something intrigues him about the petite photographer.

When realistic Serena accepts an opportunity to photograph Missouri State Parks in all seasons, she expects the budding friendship to die. Will Zack’s ties to Missouri overcome cyberstalking, a wildlife encounter, and opposite views of family?

 

Wild Women Authors welcomes Ellen Parker as she celebrates Morning Tryst, a contemporary romance, recently released under the Sweetheart Rose imprint for the Wild Rose Press. With Ellen is photographer Serena Carter who will go first.

Good morning, Serena. Let’s start with where you are from. I was raised in Los Angeles. After twenty years in the US Navy, I’ve settled in San Diego.

What did you think the first time you saw Zack Sans. I caught a glimpse of a port-wine stain on his neck. I felt compelled to find out if it was real.

What was your second thought? He’d make a good photography model with well-defined cheekbones and chin. And luscious hair--can’t forget mahogany, collar length hair.

Did you feel it was love at first sight? No, I’d use the word intrigued.

What do you like most about him?     Zack is a man of many talents and surprises. At times, I think he even surprises himself.

How would you describe him? Physically, Zack’s tall and thin with dark hair and changeable grey eyes behind wire rimmed glasses. Personality wise, he’s rather withdrawn and does not enjoy a crowded room. He does best either one-on-one or in a small group.

How would he describe you? I’m confident he’d comment on my lack of height. I expect another item on the list would be long, dark hair. If he ever described my personality, I’d expect comments on putting family first and my love of the outdoors.

What made you choose photography for a career? At age nineteen, when I enlisted in the Navy, they assigned me to film school. It was a good fit. By the time I left the Navy, I could not imagine a better way to make a living.

What is your biggest fear?   I have a difficult time if I miss major milestones in my family. If I’m not able to hold my mother’s hand and bid her a proper “farewell” at her death, I’ll be devastated.

How to do relax? Reading. My favorite types of books are biography and history. My book shelf contains several volumes by David McCullough.

Who is your favorite fictional character? Oh, dear, let me think a minute. I’ll say Meg Murry from A Wrinkle in Time. I’ve worn out or lost two copies so far and still re-read the story every two or three years.

What is the best piece of advice you ever received? That would have to be the unofficial motto of our boot camp group: Live with gusto—and soar.

Thank you for this, Serena. Now we’d like to chat with Ellen.

What movies or books have had an impact on your career as a writer? It’s very difficult to pin down any one influence. I’ve always read a lot of different types of books. After my divorce, I started reading Jude Deveraux and she rekindled my love of the romance genre.

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? Years ago, a friend and I visited Charleston, South Carolina. One morning we got up early and watched the sunrise over the ocean. It seemed natural that my photographer would love to capture dawn.

Tell us a bit about your publisher: how did you hear about them and what influenced your decision to submit to them?    Morning Tryst is the third book I’ve had published by The Wild Rose Press. I first heard of them at my local Romance Writers of America chapter. Everything from members who had either submitted or been published by them was positive.

What book(s) currently rest on your TBR pile? Louise Penny’s two most recent Chief Inspector Gamache novels, several of Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton stories, and more of Robyn Carr’s Virgin River books. But I’m sure this list will be interrupted by new releases from author friends or something from TWRP which catches my eye.

Lastly, what’s up next and when can we expect to see it on the shelves? I have recently signed a contract with TWRP for a historical set in 1850’s Illinois. I’m hopefully that we can put in on the shelves during 2023.

 To Find Ellen, go to:

(20+) Ellen Parker | Facebook

(20) Ellen Parker (@eparkerwrites) / Twitter

 

To Purchase Morning Tryst, go to:

Amazon:  https://amzn.to/35gH37S

Nook: https://bit.ly/3IQfFeG

Arrested Pleasures by Diana Stout

           Can Cutter Logan, the bad boy womanizer of Laurel Ridge, ever win the heart of game warden Annie Martin, who'd rather see him in handcuffs?

Cutter Logan has been in love with Annie Martin since when they were kids, but after one disastrous high school date, she's been keeping him in the friends-only zone. At least, they have an honest relationship or so both believe based on the Truth or Dare game they play.

Cutter's reputation is that he takes little seriously. As an area game warden, Annie has worked hard to build a career and the last thing she needs is a jokester like Cutter to tarnish that career. Then she discovers a life-changing event that took place early in her life that turns her life upside down and inside out.

Is Cutter really the only one who can help her find the answers she needs? Is anything true anymore?

 Today, Wild Women Authors welcomes back Diana Stout to talk about Arrested Pleasures, the 3^rd book in her fabulous Laurel Ridge series. With Diana is hunting guide Cutter Logan who will go first.

 Good morning, Cutter. Thanks for taking time away from your many … pursuits to speak with us. Let’s begin with where you’re from. Laurel Ridge, Georgia.

What did you think the first time you saw [current] game warden, Annie Martin? I saw her on the playground in grade school. I fell in love the moment I saw her. We were probably seven.

Works for us. What was your second thought? That I wanted to marry her when we grew up.

Was it love at first sight? Definitely. The only time I could see her was during recess or during lunch because we were in different classes, but as we grew older and were in the same class, I always made sure I sat somewhere behind her so I could watch her.

What do you like most about her? She’s sassy! She’s the only girl who has ever told me no. She’s cute, too. Not pretty like other girls. Just cute. As we grew older, I liked that she was short. At least if I didn’t grow tall, I’d still be taller than her. And, I am.

How would you describe her? Cute, exasperating at times, fun to tease, fierce, loyal, and feisty, never afraid to go after a bully.

How would she describe you? Probably a loser, considering how often I’ve gotten into trouble. But, honestly, it’s rarely my fault. I like to help people and in helping, well, it doesn’t always go well. My intentions are always good, though. She’d call me a friend, too.

What made you choose hunting guide for a career? It was born out of a hobby. I’m happy I don’t have to endure the typical nine-to-five boring job. I love being outdoors, living with and in the elements. I love being able to teach others how to shoot, how to hunt, how to live off the grid.

What is your biggest fear? That Annie will never fall in love with me, never see who I really am.

How do you relax? Being out in nature, providing hunting junkets for clients or sitting on my back porch, watching the action in the acreage behind my house. So many wild animals and birds in the natural landscape.

Who is your favorite fictional character? James Bond because he always gets the girl.

What is the best piece of advice you ever received? Advice that comes from my two buddies: Mason (from Shattered Dreams #1) and Jefferson (from Tangled Passions #5), from a discussion we have at the end of Arrested Pleasures. Their advice is backed up by Connie, the long-time diner waitress who mothers us all. She overhears our discussion and adds more advice to theirs. I guess you’ll have to read my story to learn what they tell me.

Thanks for this, Cutter. We hope you’ll come back—especially after the mystery of the sunken VW bug is solved. Heh heh. 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 travel with a crowd. As an intuitive, there are those who have crossed over, but it’s the voices of characters whose stories I still must write who are talking the loudest. They’re relentless! And, they follow me everywhere, even riding with me in the car.

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? No. This was a book based on the men who recognize they’re strong males without having to announce their status. That it's not about their status; that it's really about how they love and in how they can become better partners.

Tell us a bit about your publisher. I'm an indie publisher, working through my company, Sharpened Pencils Productions.

What book[s] currently rest on your TBR pile? I'm currently reading Strangers Among Us by Ruth Montgomery.

Lastly, what's up next and when can we expect to see it on the shelves? I expect to finish revising the rest of Laurel Ridge novella series and publishing them this year. I'm now working on Buried Hearts #4 and can be pre-ordered soon; I’m still working out those details. The other novellas—#5, #6, and #7—will quickly follow. A print book that will contain all seven stories will be published in early 2023.

To learn more about Diana Stout and the stories she creates, 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 Arrested Pleasures, go to:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09Y4HQF9H

 

 

 

Prosecution's Protection by Michele Leech

 Falling in love with him was easy. Keeping him alive wasn't.

After prosecuting attorney Desmond Graves is targeted by an aggressive, violent stalker, Remi Archer is hired to keep him alive, whether he wants it or not. As tempers clash and danger escalates, Desmond and Remi start to grow closer—and so does the stalker.

Falling in love among a backdrop of threats, courtroom theatrics and gunfights wasn’t part of Remi’s plan but Desmond is the exception to her ideas of love. Drawing each other out of their self-imposed isolation and into the eye of danger, they must work together to survive, even if it means putting the other at risk.

 Wild Women Authors welcomes author Michele Leech as she celebrates the current release of Prosecution’s Protection for the Crimson Rose imprint with the Wild Rose Press. With Michele is Prosecuting Attorney Desmond Graves who will go first.

Good morning, PA Graves. Thanks for taking time out of your busy court schedule to speak with us. Let’s begin with where you are from. Born and bred in Corner City. For better or worse.

Tell us a bit about Prosecution’s Protection. After I was attacked, and my friend hired some…assistance. My bodyguard, Remi Archer, was more of a hindrance than a help. At first. But we grew to tolerate one another. Then, a bit more than tolerate.

What did you think the first time you saw Remi? Who the hell is this pain in the ass?

Good one. And your second thought? I didn’t want protection, and she was far too willing to tell me exactly what she thought about me and my situation. It had been a long time since anyone said that kind of nonsense to my face.

Do you feel it was love at first sight? Absolutely not. She was a complication. A violent, cursing, blunt, and unnecessary complication.

You have described Remi exactly. So what do you like most about her? Eventually, I liked her honesty. I liked being able to take everything she said at face value. She never lied to me.

How would you describe her? Remi is…controlled chaos. No one ever knows what she’s going to do, except her. But I know that she would always go out of her way to help when she could. That being said, she wouldn’t hesitate to lay someone out. I’m a little jealous of her freedom to do so.

How would she describe you?      A pompous, arrogant, pain in the ass with a martyr complex. I know, because she told me.

What made you choose law as a career? Too many years of watching people break them. [Laws, I mean.] Watching people get away with things they deserved to be punished for. But really, I got into law because of my father. And that is not a compliment.

What is your biggest fear? Turning into someone my father would respect.

Interesting response, Desmond. How do you relax? I enjoy playing the piano. Most of my day is spent talking and around people, so I just enjoy the quiet.

Who is your favorite fictional character? I’m a fan of Mercutio, from Romeo and Juliet.

What is the best piece of advice you ever received? Do what’s right, not what’s easy.

Thanks, Des. Now we’d like to chat with Michele.

What movies or books have had an impact on your career as a writer? The Lioness Quartet by Tamora Pierce is what got me into writing from the beginning. Strong female leads, fantasy and magic, romance and action. It was everything I wanted. The Mummy (the 1999 classic) showed me that genres are just a suggestion, and how to show strong characters in a variety of ways.

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’ve dealt with anxiety and panic attacks for most of my life, though I spend most of my day in front of people, talking. Being able to bring that to a classically strong character like Desmond was cathartic. It doesn’t make him any less, and I still find him to be an impressive character with it.

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 was a suggestion from a writing friend of mine. She mentioned submitting to them, and another friend separately told me that I should take a chance. I’d gone the self-publishing route before but wanted to take a chance on a smaller, more personable publisher. It was the best decision I could have made.

What books currently rest on your TBR pile? This Savage Song and Our Dark Duet, by Schwab. I love her poetic phrases, and devoured Vengeful and Vicious. Highly recommend.

Lastly, what's up next and when can we expect to see it on the shelves? I have two in the works currently. One is a pirate romance, and one is a modern Cinderella, with a bit of a twist.

 To learn more about Michele Leech and the stories she creates, go to:

Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/view/msmicheleleech

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/MsMicheleLeech

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

 

To purchase Prosecution’s Protection, go to:

Amazon:

mybook.to/ProsecutionsProtection

 

https://www.amazon.com/Prosecutions-Protection-Michele-Leech-ebook/dp/B09W95DQ9T/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=michele+leech&qid=1652758407&sr=8-1

 

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/prosecutions-protection-michele-leech/1141265337?ean=9781509242511

 

Double Dipped by Terry Korth Fischer

            Accepting second d best is good for her career but first-grade teacher Retta Curt delays singing up for the disappointment. Given two weeks to reconsider her contract, she retreats to her Gram’s cottage on Moon Lake, the last place she felt contentment. But the cottage is derelict; her cousin, Julie, is distant; childhood beau Dean is bitter; and Sweet Picks, the family ice cream stand, is in danger of folding.

        Magruder, a surly newcomer, is buying, then neglecting properties until nothing remains of the idyllic lakeside community Retta remembers. When vandals target Sweet Picks, Retta’s dreams to recapture her happy childhood collapse, and the return to Mook Lake becomes a decision worse than accepting the teaching contract.

        Star-crossed, can she save the family business and rediscover happiness, or is Retta destined for a second-best future?

 Wild Women Authors is pleased to welcome back author Terry Korth Fischer as she celebrates the today’s release of Double Dipped, part of the One Scoop or Two series for the Wild Rose Press. With Terry is elementary school teacher, Retta Curt who will go first.

Good morning, Retta. Thanks for taking time away from Sweet Picks to chat with us. Tell us a bit about Double Dipped. I had a wonderful childhood, spending every summer vacation at my Gram’s cottage in Moon Lake, Wisconsin. My cousin, Julie, and I worked at the family's ice cream concession stand, Sweet Picks, where we were the envy of our friends. Free shakes and hours of carefree adventures were among the benefits. As an adult, I longed for the same idyllic contentment. So when my teaching contract changed, I decided to return to the lake and reevaluate my life choices before accepting the new assignment. As it turned out, Moon Lake wasn’t the same place I’d enjoyed as a child. There was a new man in town, and Sweet Picks was in danger of going out of business—if it even opened for business that summer season.

What made you pick teaching as a career? It wasn't about teaching. On the contrary, I love children and enjoy being around them. Kids, especially the younger ones, are spontaneous and innocent. Their eyes light up with discoveries, and they have an earnest willingness to share. Teaching allowed me to be part of that wonderment.  

Knowing what you know now, if you had it to do over again, would you stick with being an educator or do something different? I would still feel the same way about kids, so I’d do it again. But maybe in a different place, somewhere closer to home and those I love.

What is your biggest fear? Failure. I made a mess of my life before I returned to Moon Lake. I certainly don’t want to make that a tradition.

What is the best piece of advice you ever received? Gram always said, “Roll with the punches.” She meant, be satisfied with what you have. So I needed to stop comparing my adult woes to my childhood pleasures. It turns out I have plenty of adult happiness and a parcel of caring people with which to share the experiences.   

Thanks for this, Retta, and good luck with the new road in your career. Now we’d like to spend a bit of time with Terry.

Which writer or character[s], from either books or movies, [or both] have had a major impact on your writing? I absolutely love the Dick Francis crime novels written between 1970-2010. His writing entertained me with unusual professions and unfamiliar situations by employing descriptions and dialogue that rendered them completely relatable. I strive to accomplish a similar familiarity between my characters and readers. 

With regard to research, where did you start for this novel? Did that lead you down different paths, thereby changing the original concept? Double Dipped started as a short story and grew into a novella. The original version contained many of the same characters. However, it had a much different mystery and outcome. I needed to research after deciding to give Cousin Julie prosopagnosia, the inability to recognize human faces. Individuals with prosopagnosia know they are looking at someone but cannot recognize them by their facial features, even people they know well. I thought it would make an exciting flaw and create a bit of intrigue.

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, and what is the turn-around time from date of the query to date of release? The first two books in my mystery series, Rory Naysmith Mysteries, Gone Astray, and Gone Before, were published with The Wild Rose Press. I couldn’t have asked for a more supportive, responsive, or dedicated team, so when I learned TWRP had a summer-read series, One Scoop or Two, I wanted to jump on board.

What are you reading right now? I usually read for pleasure or distraction. Right now, The Midnight Library by Matt Haig.

What's next for you? Rory Naysmith Mysteries, book 3, Gone Crazy, is almost complete. I hope to have it out in early 2023. Your readers should know the audio version of Double Dipped, narrated by Susanna Barbetta, is available. It was so wonderful to hear this manuscript read—or should I say performed—that I’ve fallen in love with audiobooks. Perhaps I’ll give Rory this opportunity.

To purchase Double Dipped, go to: Amazon, Barnes & Noble

To learn more about Terry Korth Fischer and the stories she creates go to:

Website: https://terrykorthfischer.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/terryiswriting

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

Amazon Author Page: www.amazon.com/author/terrykorthfischer

Goodreads Author: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14349440.Terry_Korth_Fischer

BookBub Author: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/terry-korth-fischer

Newsletter: https://tinyletter.com/TerryKorthFischer

 

                                                           

 

A Glimpse of Music by Sydney Winward

 If fate gives you a third chance, would you take it?

        Joel Harrington has been in love with the same woman for as long as he could remember. But he had to watch her court his best friend, and then marry his king. Now that she’s once more unattached, he refuses to let her slip through his fingers for a third time.     

Darkness torments Nyana’s memories, and even after her cruel husband is killed, he still haunts her from the grave. When her past refuses to leave her alone, it puts not only her, but her daughters in danger. She has no choice but to lean on the man she has called a friend for the past eight years, a friend whose charms she tries hard to resist.

But along with the growing threat to her family, she keeps an even more dangerous secret—a secret that could change her life forever.

 Wild Women Authors welcomes back author Sydney Winward who is celebrating the release of A Glimpse of Music, a romantic fantasy, book 3 in her Sunlight and Shadows series. Up first is Nyana Everdon.  

 Good morning, Nyana. Thank you for speaking with us. Let’s begin with where you are from. I am from Heulwen, the capitol of the Sun Kingdom. I was born and raised here, though half of my family still lives among the forest folk.

Tell us a bit about A Glimpse of Music. It is about healing, finding yourself, and learning to accept love from those who care about you. After a traumatic marriage that left Nyana in shambles, she must learn to overcome her past, heal in her present, and accept a happy future.

What did you think the first time you saw Joel? The first time we met, I had snuck onto Joel’s family orchard when I was only fifteen years old. I was quickly taken by his wit and his friendliness, and we became the best of friends. It wasn’t until years later when I started to develop feelings for him.

What was your second thought? Joel always managed to make me laugh. I didn’t grow up in a happy home, and his family became my second family. He made me feel safe, secure, and wanted.

Do you feel it was love at first sight? Not for me. I was in love with his best friend for many years before I noticed Joel as something more than just a friend.

What do you like most about him? His talent for making people smile. He so easily brings out someone’s laughter, easing their burdens with a joke or a few trills of his flute.

How would you describe Joel? He is the best friend, the best father, and the most loving and caring person I know. Not only is he handsome and strong, especially when he labors in an orchard, but he gives you his full attention when you speak to him. He lights up a room and has this easy way of making someone feel comfortable.

How would he describe you? Plenty of people have made me feel small and weak, but he often comments about how I’m the strongest person he knows. He tells me what a good mother I am, how dedicated, loyal, and responsible I am toward my family. For him, it was love at first sight. I only wish I could have seen him in a romantic light far sooner than I had.

What is your biggest fear? I have so many fears, but my biggest might have to be losing my two daughters. It’s not easy to protect them when the world is so big and I am not as strong as I would like to be.

How do you relax? I enjoy sitting down with Joel and listening to him play his flute. The magic he weaves with a few notes is incredible. It’s so calming to cuddle up to his side and watch the stories he creates through his music.

What is the best piece of advice you ever received? It is all right to lean on others when you need help.

Thank you again, Nyana. Now we’d like to speak with Sydney.

What movies or books have had an impact on your career as a writer? I have always admired Christopher Paolini’s writing and Brandon Sanderson’s world-building. I also really enjoy the tv show Merlin. They include so many details in the show that really put you in the story, and I try to reflect that same care when writing my books.

Is there an event in your private life that you were able to bring to this story and how do you feel it impacted the novel? I have children of my own, which made it easier to bring my experiences, fears, and trials as a mother into A Glimpse of Music. I hope that Nyana’s love for her children feels genuine and emotional to my readers.

What book[s] currently rest on your TBR pile? Who doesn’t have a TBR pile a mile long?? In my immediate pile, I have Red Winter by Annette Marie, That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon by Kimberly Lemming, and Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerri Maniscalco.

Lastly, what's up next and when can we expect to see it on the shelves? I have Through Wylder Meadows, coming out July 6, 2022; Bloodbane, book 4 in the Bloodborn Series, is coming out August 24. 2022; and I’m currently working on a novella set in the Viking age about a selkie who falls in love with the human who captures her.

 Sydney brought along an excerpt for us:

     The faintest, jaunty whistle echoed down the path leading to the house. She immediately recognized Joel’s carefree demeanor within the tune. She prayed he wouldn’t notice her. But the whistling stopped abruptly. Joel inhaled sharply, followed by quick footsteps headed her way. “Nyana. Are you hurt?”

After a slow sigh, she shook her head, keeping her face buried in her knee. “I just want to sit here for a moment.”

A pause. And then something heavy and warm draped over her shoulders. Joel’s coat. Shock stiffened her limbs when she inhaled the warm scents of cinnamon and apple, mixed with something uniquely Joel’s. Gold and mystery and emotion. Something like…like…

Music.

But music couldn’t possibly have a smell. Could it? 

He didn’t ask about the hens or the ominous message. He didn’t ask about her position on the ground. Nor did he touch her. Rather, he lowered himself to the ground beside her, sitting with his back against the broken chicken coop.

She slowly inhaled a breath of Joel from the coat wrapped around her and breathed out a river of comforting, companionable silence. Comforting. The foreign feeling shocked her. She could not remember a time when the presence of a man had been comforting.

Joel pulled a flute out of his pocket, lifted it to his lips, and a beautiful melody streamed out of the thin instrument.

Followed by golden magic.

She watched, eyes transfixed, as shimmering, golden tendrils floated in the air around them. Slivers of gold wove around her before they blossomed into magnificent flowers. They sparkled and shimmered as if continuing to sprout on a golden vine.

When she reached out to touch one of the flowers, it exploded into golden glitter and dusted her feet with its radiance. Almost like a sunbeam. Beautiful. Breathtaking. Magnificent.

Her gaze shifted from the golden magic to Joel’s serene expression as he played. His fingers moved deftly over the flute holes, his eyes half-closed as if playing brought him a measure of peace. It was as if his magic transferred to her, helping to calm the storm brewing within her. 

 To purchase A Glimpse of Music, go to:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Sydney-Winward/e/B08273JR7V

 

To learn more about Sydney Winward and the stories she creates go to:

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19712442.Sydney_Winward

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/sydney-winward

Website: https://sydneywinward.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SydneyWinward

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

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sydneywinward

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

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