Category Archives: Wild Rose Press Authoe

May 1, 2016 · 1:12 pm

A necessary Evil…Reviews

As a writer,  just like any artist, you can live or die by the reviews of your work. I’ve had 5 books published since March 2015 and many reviews. Nearly all of them have been positive, but there have been a few that have stopped me in my tracks.

First, a disclaimer: I’m going to be honest and tell you I really don’t care all that much about reviews. I know you’re probably thinking I sound conceited or snobby or even elitist, but when all is said and done, I write stories for myself. I’ve said before if I’d never been published I would have been fine because I still would have written down all the stories in my head, despite the fact no one would ever see them but me. I write for me.  Me. The fact that other people like reading what I write is a humongous bonus to my ego, but in the end, I’m my biggest fan and critic.

Okay, that really does sound conceited, but I don’t mean it to!

So, on to the clunkers.

My Valentine’s Day book 3 WISHES was a simple boy meets girl-misunderstanding story. Chloe thinks Matt is taken and, to boot, has a baby on the way. A miscommunication that drives the story. Part of the plot included the issue of Chloe’s father’s affair with a much younger woman. One reviewer gave me a one ( 1) star rating because she said I wrote the wrong story. I should have centered the plot on the affair and not on Chloe and Matt and that it detracted from the story I wanted to write. Okaaaaaaaaay. How dumb does that sound? The book was a ROMANCE, not a woman’s fiction novel about infidelity. Now, a one star rating sucks, no mistaking that. But the real issue was the statement I’d written the wrong story. That one made me mad. It was my story. I wrote it the way I wanted. If this reviewer wanted a story about a cheating husband, SHE should have written one.

Okay, rant over.

Another reviewer for the same book said that it wasn’t funny “at all.” I put that in quotes because that’s exactly what she said. Okay, I realize not everyone gets every joke, every innuendo, every nuance of a pun.  People’s funny bones are tickled by different things, I get that. But she’s the only one who mentioned the humor in a negative way. All the other reviewers stated it was  funny and filled with amusing moments and thoughts. I guess my humor just didn’t work for her.

It’s a good thing my skin is thick, my ego solid, because there’s no such thing as a perfect review for every book you write. I’ll admit that even some of my favorite authors have written books that I didn’t like, but I didn’t put up negative reviews about them, and second guess their talent or story telling. I simply held my tongue and continued reading their newest books when they were released. One very real fact of life my mother drilled into me growing up is that if  you don’t have something nice to say, don’t say anything at all. Keep your mouth shut and  your opinions to yourself. SHUT THE  **** UP, in other words.

Not everyone is like going to like everything you write. Fact of life as an artist. But do you really have to tell the world how much you didn’t like something? Have we become a society that just panders to the negative, degrading and insulting one another’s work?

I sure hope not.

Now, having gotten all that off my chest, I’m going to open my ego for another round of  – hopefully – nice comments and let you know that my newest book THE VOICES OF ANGELS, is a Netgalley offering this month. If you are a  Netgalley member you might want to check it out. Click here for the link.

And, please, if you do read and review it – be constructively kind, not maliciously cruel. My ego is intact, but it’s still fragile at times. Thanks for  listening to me b***h.

 

 

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April 29, 2016 · 8:58 am

Almost Showtime…

I bet you were thinking this was going to be another blog entry about Keene DANCING WITH THE STARS. Wrong!  The showtime I’m referring to in the title is my own showtime – or more specific – my new writing schedule.

Today is my last day of work AGAIN!!! and from 5 pm tonight onward I get to live my dream AGAIN!!! of being a full-time writer. You all know I retired last year, and within 4 months got asked to “fill in”  because the girl that took over my job…well, let’s just say she didn’t work out. Because I had designated 2016 as the year of “yes” (Thank you, Shonda Rimes and insert the sarcastic tone right here) I felt I couldn’t say  no to my old employer because, 1. it was the year of saying yes and not the knee-jerk no’s I always gave; 2. I didn’t want my former patients to suffer, 3. this is, after all my husband’s business and it didn’t feel right to say no, and 4. it was only supposed to be for a few weeks until they found a replacement.

Fast forward 4 MONTHS – yeah! 4 -freakin’-months – and I finally said “no more.” It was a little more forceful than that, and may have been peppered with an expletive or two…or ten… but today I am done. Finito. Basta. No more.

So, starting bright and early tomorrow morning ( and by that, I mean the middle of the night because I still suffer from that damn chronic insomnia) I get to spend the days, all the glorious days, writing once again. And thank you, Jesus, it’ just in time because I’ve got three deadlines for this year all lined up with actual DATES!! Heaven help me.

If you don’t hear from me for a while, don’t worry. I’m fine. Just chained – intentionally – to my desk, my fingers splayed across the laptop keys, my brow grooved into two lines resembling caterpillars on my forehead, deep, deep, in writing mode.

The zone is calling and 5 pm can not get here soon enough…

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April 17, 2016 · 4:31 pm

A visit with Joyce Holmes

On this beautiful April Sunday, I am very pleased to introduce you to  another of my Wild Rose Press sistahs, author Joyce Holmes.  Joyce hails from British Columbia and is living the writing dream. She recently “sat” down with me for an indepth interview and graciously gave me – and now you!  – a glimpse at her newest release, Visual Effects.

Here’s Joyce.

Joyce – The Writer Questions

  1. What drives you to write? I love telling a story – creating believable characters, giving them tough emotional issues to deal with and then helping them find their way to a happy place.
  1. What genre(s) of Romance do your write, and why? I write contemporary romance, partly because I enjoy dealing with real people in real-life situations, and partly because I’d have no clue how to write anything else.
  1. What genre(s) of Romance do you read, and why? I’m a voracious reader. I read all romantic genres and every type of other fiction, as well. I even occasionally read non-fiction. And cereal boxes, bus advertising…
  1. What’s your writing schedule? Do you write everyday? I don’t follow a schedule unless I’m under deadline. I’d love to write every day, but sometimes real life doesn’t let me. I do ‘writer stuff’ every day, though. Promotion, social media, research, whatever is the priority at the time.
  1. Give us a glimpse of the surroundings where you write. Separate room? In the kitchen? At the dining room table?Years ago, I converted my smallest bedroom into an office and that’s where I write. My laptop sits on an old desk and there’s a small table next to it, where I keep notes and research papers that aren’t on the computer. Two tall bookshelves, overflowing with books, and a filing cabinet take up most of the remaining space.
  1. Are you the kind of writer who needs total quiet to compose, or are you able to filter out the typical sounds of the day and use your tunnelvision? When I had kids at home, I was quite good at filtering out the noise, but I’m noticing more often now, noise distracts me and I need quiet, especially if the scene isn’t going well.
  1. Do you listen to music while you write, and if so, what kind? If not, why not? I listened to music on occasion when I first started writing, but not for some time now. Sadly, it’s become another noise that distracts me.
  1. How did you come up with the plotline/idea for your current WIP? I had just come back from a trip to LA, so I had the film industry on my mind, and that’s the backdrop for my story. As for the plot, it evolved as it went along. A few of the plotlines were taken from my life experiences and given their own twists.
  1. Which comes first for you – character or plot? And why? Usually the characters come first. I have to know them quite well before I can put them into any given situation, although their personalities sometimes make a bit of a transformation to suit the plot as it develops.
  1. What 3 words describes you, the writer? Slow, slow, and slow. Oh, that’s only one word? Okay, then, slow, methodical, and obsessive.

Joyce, The Person Questions:

  1. Tell us one unusual thing about yourself – not related to writing! I’ve climbed Grupo Nohoch Mul, a pyramid in Mexico. I have bad vertigo and it’s quite the climb, so it’s a proud accomplishment for me.
  2. Who was your first love and what age were you? His name was Guy James, and I was thirteen. It was only puppy love, but it lasted a long time. My first real love was my hubby, at age eighteen, and it’s lasted a lot longer.
  3. If you could relive one day, which one would it be? Think GROUNDHOG DAY, the movie for this one – you’ll have to live it over and over and…. My first date with Hubby. It could use a do-over or three
  4. Do you like a guy in boxers, briefs, or commando?Boxers, but not the baggy kind.
  5. If you had to give up one necessary-can’t-live-without-it beauty item, what would it be? This is going to sound weird, but I don’t use many beauty items. About the closest I could get is my facial cream.
  6. What three words describes you, the person? Tenacious, loyal, softhearted.
  7. If you could sing a song with Jimmy Fallon, what would it be? Something silly, like Call Me Maybe.
  8. If you could hang out with any literary character from any book penned at any time, who would it by, why, and what would you do together? I’ve read many great characters, but no particular one jumps readily to mind. So, at the risk of sounding narcissistic, I’d love to spend time with my current character, Jesse Devlin. I think he’d be a lot of fun to hang with. He could take me sightseeing in his vintage Porsche, stopping for a stroll along the Santa Monica Boardwalk; maybe go dancing…

Bonus round

I love the Actor’s Studio show on Bravo, so this is my version of it:

  1. Favorite sound: A child’s laughter
  2. Least favorite sound: Knuckles cracking
  3. Best song every written: Imagine by John Lennon
  4. Worst song ever written: All those rap songs full of swear words and nasty lyrics.
  5. Favorite actor and actress: Keanu Reeves (Because of his looks, not his acting) and Julia Roberts (Because she’s so real)
  6. Who would you want to be for 1 day and why? ( It can be anyone living or dead): My little dog. I’d love to know what she thinks and what she sees.
  7. What turns you on?: Tenderness
  8. What turns you off?: Negativism
  9. Give me the worst 5 words ever heard on a first date ( here’s mine: “Is that your real hair?”): “Sorry I’m late. I forgot.” (Needless to say, that first date was also our last.)
  10. What’s your version of a perfect day?: Getting all my kids and grandkids together with my hubby and me, and doing something fun. Hearing them laugh and watching them enjoy being with each other.

 

Blurb:

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Drey Winston is a fierce competitor who enjoys challenging her mind and body. But when it comes to her heart—no one ever gets close enough to compete for it. Having grown up believing she was an unwanted burden to her parents, she prefers to keep her feelings well hidden. Just when her hard-fought goals are finally within reach, the audacious Jesse Devlin comes along to breach her carefully guarded defenses.

After a disastrous marriage early in life, Jesse Devlin prefers strings-free relationships. Confident and outgoing, he gets along well with women, but his natural charm can’t seem to penetrate Drey Winston’s aloofness. While attempting to win her over, he’s the one who ends up losing his heart.

Can this commitment-phobic bachelor convince the stubbornly independent woman he loves that his feelings—and hers—are the real deal?

Excerpt:

Jesse leaned against a tree to draw in a few deep breaths. As he straightened, he plucked his ball cap off his head and wiped his forearm across his brow, then hooted a victory cheer. “Hard work’s over. Time for the reward.”

He dropped the cap onto the sand and emptied his pockets into it. Then he pulled his T-shirt over muscled shoulders, dropped it onto the sand on top of his cap, and made quick work of his footwear. Drey stared in disbelief as he beelined down the beach and ran straight into the low surf. When he was hip-deep in the water, he slipped smoothly beneath the surface. He reappeared several feet out and turned to wave.

“Join me,” he called. “The water’s great.”

“Not a chance. The ocean is cold in summer, I can only imagine how frigid it must be today.”

“Wuss,” he scoffed and splashed water in her direction.

Shivers that had nothing to do with feeling chilly shot through Drey as she watched him emerge from the water a few minutes later. Rivulets ran down his chest, following the ridges and planes of his brawny body. Wet shorts clung to muscular thighs.

He ran his hands over his face and then shook himself like a playful pup. “You don’t know what you missed. Nothing like a dip in the salt chuck to get the heart pumping. Well, almost nothing.” He stalked deliberately up the beach toward her, and the look on his face made her back away, but she didn’t react fast enough. He caught her up in his arms, laughing at her shrieks of protest.

“Lemme go, Jesse. You’re cold. Come on, Jesse, lemme go. You’re getting me all wet.”

“That’s the whole idea. Get you wet and me warm.”

She gave him a firm push in the wrong direction as she sprinted down the beach. “Not if you can’t catch me,” she threw over her shoulder as she went.

Buy Links:

Wild Rose Press      Amazon          B&N

 

Author Bio:

Holmes_Headshot

Joyce Holmes lives with her husband and very small dog in the beautiful Okanagan region of British Columbia. The award-winning author is happily living her dream of being a stay-at-home writer. Photography and blogging about her travels are two of her passions, along with visiting her kids and grandkids. When she’s not dreaming up stories in her head or planning her next great adventure, she’s off enjoying the great outdoors.

You can find Joyce here:

Website // Facebook // Twitter // Goodreads // Amazon 

 

 

 

 

 

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April 8, 2016 · 8:27 am

A visit with author M.S. Spencer

Today is a real treat for me because I get to introduce you to a prolific writer and a very interesting woman, M.S. Spencer . Ms. Spencer recently stopped by for the Peggy grilling ( read: nosy interview!) and her answers are as fascinating as her bio. Stick around because she’s giving us a view of her latest book The Penhallow Train Incident, and you’ll want to read this gem.

Here she is:

M.S. Spencer, The Writer :

  1. What drives you to write? As anyone knows who writes, it’s unavoidable (although Samuel Johnson thought anyone who wrote except for money was an idiot). I can’t go for long without writing something, even if it’s poetry.
  1. What genre(s) of Romance do your write, and why? Romantic suspense/murder mystery. I like a plot-driven story with some twists rather than just a straight romance.
  1. What genre(s) of Romance do you read, and why? When I read any fiction, it’s usually mystery or humor. When I’m writing (which is every day) I read history and biography. Otherwise I get confused J
  1. What’s your writing schedule? Do you write everyday? I write every day for several hours, in the morning (about 9 to 11:30) and then late afternoon. In between I generally waste time.
  1. Give us a glimpse of the surroundings where you write. Separate room? In the kitchen? At the dining room table? My study. I live in a Florida bungalow. While most of it is white and blue and red, my study has all the antiques—a beautiful mahogany desk, Dutch sink, and grandfather clock. It looks out on a tiny patio with a fountain. I can see the sunset over the Gulf of Mexico while working!         M. S. Spencer Study

 

  1. Are you the kind of writer who needs total quiet to compose, or are you able to filter out the typical sounds of the day and use your tunnel vision? Yes, once I buckle down—usually about an hour before cocktail time.
  1. Do you listen to music while you write, and if so, what kind? If not, why not? No. I am easily distracted and like to concentrate on the story.
  1. How did you come up with the plotline/idea for your current WIP? My current WIP, The Ghost Hotel, is a mystery/romance set in Sarasota, Florida. While rummaging around on the internet I came across a news story about the “ghost hotel”—a Ritz-Carlton started in 1926 by John Ringling (of circus fame) and never finished. It sat in ruins from 1926 to 1964 and was—naturally—dubbed the ghost hotel. What better to find there than a ghost?
  1. Which comes first for you – character or plot? And why? Actually, setting comes first, then plot. The characters have to fend for themselves until about the third chapter, when they can make a good case for both what kind of people they are and what their names should be.
  2. What 3 words describe you, the writer? Distractable, flexible, odd.

M.S. Spencer, The Person :

  1. Tell us one unusual thing about yourself – not related to writing! Just one? Lessee—I studied Arabic for seven and a half years & just barely scratched the surface of the hardest language to learn there is.
  2. Who was your first love and what age were you? I’d say Steve Schreiber in 6th grade—he convinced me to take my hair out of the braids (it fell to my thighs) and taught me sign language.
  3. If you could relive one day, which one would it be? Think GROUNDHOG DAY, the movie for this one – you’ll have to live it over and over and…. Not counting my wedding day (which could have used a little makeover)? Probably the day I galloped my roan stallion Farid across the Egyptian desert under what would be the nose of the Sphinx.
  4. Do you like a guy in boxers, briefs, or commando? Boxers—a little mystery is nice & it makes his legs look thin.
  5. If you had to give up one necessary-can’t-live-without-it beauty item, what would it be? I don’t use much makeup (70s type) so there’s nothing I can’t live without.
  6. What three words describes you, the person? Introvert, curious, generous.
  7. If you could sing a song with Jimmy Fallon, what would it be? Believe me, he wouldn’t want to sing with me—even my baby granddaughter doesn’t want me to sing.
  8. If you could hang out with any literary character from any book penned at any time line, who would it by, why, and what would you do together? OMG no question—Elizabeth Bennet from Pride & Prejudice—I’d just sit and listen to her speak those perfect sentences.

Bonus round

I love the Actor’s Studio show on Bravo, so this is my version of it:

Favorite sound: A coloratura soprano singing an aria (Lucia di Lammermoor’s murder scene)

Least favorite sound: Rap beat.

Best song ever written : Nessun dorma (Puccini, Turandot)Worst song ever written

Worst song ever written:  Puberty Love from Attack of the Killer Tomatoes

Favorite actor and actress :  Peter O’Toole and Judi DenchWho would you want to be for 1 day and why? ( It can be anyone living or dead)

Who would you want to be for 1 day and why? ( It can be anyone living or dead: )Benjamin Franklin because he was at the center of the incredible, exciting, amazing foundation of America.Benjamin Franklin because he was at the center of the incredible, exciting, amazing foundation of America.

What turns you on?: Good manners.What turns you off?

What turns you off? : Bad manners.

Give me the worst 5 words ever heard on a first date ( here’s mine: “Is that your real hair?”) I almost married your sister.

What’s your version of a perfect day? Two different days—one sunny & beautiful at the beach; the other very rainy where I can sit and write all day.

The Penhallow Train Incident

Penhallow Train Incident by M. S. Spencer

A corpse on a train, hidden treasure, and the search for the Queen of Sheba’s tomb make for romance and adventure on Penobscot Bay.

In the sleepy coastal Maine town of Penhallow, a stranger dies on a train, drawing Historical Society Director, Rachel Tinker, and curmudgeonly retired professor, Griffin Tate, into a spider’s web of archeological obsession and greed. With the help of the victim’s rival, they set out to locate the Queen of Sheba’s tomb. Their plans are stymied when a war erupts between the sheriff and a state police detective who want to arrest the same man for different crimes. It’s up to Rachel to solve a mystery that includes two more murders, if she wants to unlock the soft heart that beats under Griffin’s hard crust.
The Penhallow Train Incident is set in the fictional town of Penhallow. Midcoast Maine sits right about where the state begins to change from heading due north to “down East.” The land is quite different from the southern beaches or the North Woods. Fronting Penobscot Bay, it is a region of lakes, farms, small villages, and lobstermen. Most people have lived there for generations, and refer to anyone who moves to Maine from elsewhere as “from away.” Our heroine Rachel Tinker and her hero Griffin Tate are both from away, but when a series of murders roils their adopted town, they spring into action.

Excerpt:

Without thinking, Rachel blurted out, “Are you after the money?”

Noreen’s eyes opened wide. “Me? Money? What money?” Her expression morphed into sly. “Nah. I broke up with John back in Belize. He wouldn’t share. Said I’d run through all his cash, but I didn’t believe him.”

“So why did you come up to Maine?”

Noreen dropped Rachel’s arm. “It’s here. I can feel it. His stash.”

I’m thinking consistency is not her strong suit.

As if sensing Rachel’s sentiment, Noreen shook her head. “I had nothing to do with any robbery anyway. John told me he’d inherited the money. I’m entitled to half his stuff, you know. I’m his wife.”

“What about Hannah Sundstrom?”

“She’s dead, ain’t she?”

The fact that Hannah wasn’t yet dead when Noreen married Pinkney didn’t appear to enter into her calculations. She’s waded so far into the swamp of lies she doesn’t know she’s drowning. “What about John?”

“John? He’s still in the slammer, ain’t he? I have a free hand.” Her face darkened. “Or I did, until you and your precious Marx started sticking your honkers where they don’t belong. Damn you! Now I’m on the sheriff’s radar again.” She reddened. “If he lets John out, I’m screwed.” The woman grabbed her arm again and squeezed painfully. “It’s all your fault. Why couldn’t you just let well enough alone?” Her voice rose. “Why are you persecuting me? I never did nothing to you. You Yankee snobs and your self-righteous hi-de-hos. I hate all of you.”

Rachel took a step back and Noreen lunged forward, baring her teeth. “Don’t you run away, bitch. You need a lesson in minding your own business, you do.” She drew closer, her hands balled into fists. Rachel took another step backward, but her right heel hit a stack of wood and she fell over. As she tried to push off from the rolling logs, Noreen loomed above her. “This’ll teach you.” She drew her arm back and smashed her fist into Rachel’s nose.

Everything went black.

Buy Links: Wild Rose Press // Amazon // iTunes //ARe //Bookstrand // Kobo 

 

About the Author

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Although M. S. Spencer has lived or traveled in five continents, the last thirty years were spent mostly in Washington, D.C. as a librarian, Congressional staff assistant, speechwriter, editor, birdwatcher, kayaker, policy wonk, non-profit director and parent. She has two fabulous grown children and a perfect granddaughter, and currently divides her time between the Gulf coast of Florida and a tiny village in Maine.

Here’s where you can find M.S. Spencer

Blog// Facebook // Twitter // Google+ // Goodreads // Pinterest //Amazon Author page //

 

OTHER BOOKS BY M. S. SPENCER

Romantic suspense and mystery, they are available in ebook and print from The Wild Rose Press, I Heart Book Publishing, and all fine on-line book stores. For more information, visit http://msspencertalespinner.blogspot.com/p/my-books.html

Dear Philomena: Love, Lust and Murder on Chincoteague Island

Mai Tais & Mayhem: Murder at Mote Marine (a Sarasota Romance)

Triptych

Coming soon from The Wild Rose Press:

The Mason’s Mark: Love and Death in the Tower (an Old Town Romance)

Artful Dodging: The Torpedo Factory Murders (an Old Town Romance)

Whirlwind Romance

 

 

 

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April 7, 2016 · 9:20 am

A visit with Kat Henry Doran

Today I have the pleasure of introducing you to a fabulous author. Serendipity introduced us, and it’s been a real pleasure getting to know her and her writing work. Kat Henry Doran recently sat down and got the Peggy grilling ( read: nosey questions!). Kathy_LCRW_2

Author Interview Questions:

Kat, The Writer, Questions

  1. What drives you to write? Creating a logical and intriguing story based on the age-old question, “What if . . .”
  1. What genre(s) of Romance do your write, and why? For the last few years I’ve stuck with straight [meaning no suspense or mystery or h/h in jeopardy], fairly sweet [meaning no overt sex acts but plenty of tension] romances. For me they are fun and take me out of myself.
  1. What genre(s) of Romance do you read, and why? Romantic Suspense. I want to see how the experts like Nora Roberts and Sandra Brown plot things out and create plausible endings.
  1. What’s your writing schedule? I write when I can which is not everyday. Plus, I need to feel the compulsion to write and that unfortunately doesn’t strike very often anymore.
  1. Give us a glimpse of the surroundings where you write. In the living room on my love seat with files of notes, reminders and magazine or newspaper articles beside me. The TV is running so I can watch my favorite shows or old faves in videos. Right now I’m on the seventh or eighth rerun of “Spotlight”. The plot and actors captivated me from the first viewing. Each time I watch it I see something new.
  1. Are you the kind of writer who needs total quiet to compose, or are you able to filter out the typical sounds of the day and use your tunnel vision? See my response to #5.
  1. Do you listen to music while you write? It depends on the story and charcters. With one novella I wore out a Best of Gershwin CD. With my WIP I’m doing Motown girl groups.
  1. How did you come up with the plot line/idea for your current WIP? It was during a visit to one of my favorite places on earth: Saranac Lake, NY, a small tourist town in the Adirondack Mountains, best known for successful treatments and cures for Tuberculosis prior to the development of anti-tubercular meds and is a few miles from Olympic history [1980 Miracle on Ice]. I drove around to familiarize myself with favorite haunts, took more than a few pictures and realized I had to set my next book in this place. Within hours I’d found the perfect location for the heroine’s home and place of work, a few secondary characters, and places for her and the hero to dine, shop and take their son to play.
  1. Which comes first for you – character or plot? Characters. Always. Because if I don’t fall in love with them and respect them, there’s no reason for a book. For me, everything else is built around the characters.
  1. What 3 words describes you, the writer? Imaginative, dreamy and driven. (Peggy here: love that description!)

Kat, The Person, Questions:

  1. Tell us one unusual thing about yourself – not related to writing! I am a retired nurse-paralegal, currently recovering from total hip replacement surgery. I could not walk without the aid of a cane and heavy duty pain killers for most of 2015. Today I can do almost anything—except dance the samba—and am completely pain free. It is wonderful and I’m so grateful.
  2. Who was your first love and what age were you? His name was Bill and I was 15.
  3. If you could relive one day, which one would it be? The day Bill and I broke up. It’s been 50 years or more and I still think of him. We’ve seen each other over the years—family weddings and funerals—and he’s as attractive now as he was then. I would explain what went wrong, why it happened, then ask him to forgive my thoughtlessness.
  4. Do you like a guy in boxers or briefs? Boxers never fail.
  5. If you had to give up one necessary-can’t-live-without-it beauty item, what would it be? My nightly facial mask.
  6. What three words describes you, the person? Sober. Loving. Relentless.
  7. If you could sing a song with Jimmy Fallon, what would it be? Who is Jimmy Fallon?
  8. If you could hang out with any literary character from any book penned at any time line, who would it by, why, and what would you do together? Vince Flynn, now deceased, wrote political thrillers featuring an ongoing character named Mitch Rapp. The way Mr. Flynn’s mind worked intrigues me. I’d have a long discussions with him on my three chief concerns:
  1. Mitch’s wife turned into a real buzz kill shortly after they married and began issuing ultimatums left and right. She needed to die much sooner than she did.
  2. Mitch’s attitude needs a major league adjustment—either from the POTUS [President of the United States] or the Director of the CIA.
  3. Mitch needs a woman in his life. Someone with a brain and a mouth. Maybe an ER or ICU nurse who values her career as much as he does his and who is comfortably living on her own without the need of a man with a super ego, yet offers the great Mitch Rapp exactly what he needs. Maybe she could deliver the needed adjustment. Actually, I’ve just described myself back in the day. Sigh.

 

Bonus round

I love the Actor’s Studio show on Bravo, so this is my version of it:

  1. Favorite sound. My grandchildren just goofing around.
  2. Least favorite sound. My grandchildren whining.
  3. Best song every written. Rhapsody in Blue.
  4. Worst song ever written. It’s a Small World After All
  5. Favorite actor and actress. Currently it’s Liev Schreiber, with Daniel Craig a close second, and Dame Judy Dench.
  6. Who would you want to be for 1 day and why? The Pope. I’d fix a few Cardinal wagons over in the Vatican, you betcha.
  7. What turns you on? My husband’s smile.
  8. What turns you off? Persons in power abusing those in a lesser position.
  9. Give me the worst 5 words ever heard on a first date. “And then I did this.” OR “Did I tell you I . . .”
  10. What’s your version of a perfect day? Sleeping late and waking on my own not to an annoying alarm clock. Coming to the living room and finding a pile of crossword puzzles to work on. Having an unending supply of fresh, dark roast iced coffee at my elbow. The Food Network or Say Yes to the Dress are playing on TV.

 

VENGEANCE IS MINE, Kat’s newest book

Blurb: 

Vengeance_front

            Ever fantasize about going back to study hall to confront the school bully? The mean girls? The brainless jocks who made your life miserable?

For Dru Horvath, former gypsy orphan turned Pulitzer Prize winner; Rafe Archangeli, the Scourge of Summerville who is the recently appointed head of a multi-million dollar trust; and Fiona “Fat Aggie” Thorpe who recreated herself with an A-list modeling agency, the opportunity to exact vengeance is too good to pass up.

            Will they find vengeance against those who tormented them?

Or something more important?          

Buy Links

Create Space:             www.CreateSpace.com/5939143

*Amazon:                  http://www.amazon.com/dp/1522757694

http://www.amazon.ca/dp/1522757694

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1522757694

http://www.amazon.de/dp/1522757694

http://www.amazon.es/dp/1522757694

http://www.amazon.fr/dp/1522757694

www.amazon.it/dp/1522757694

 

 

Biography:

Legal nurse consultant, forensic nurse examiner, victim advocate. Kathy Cottrell has been there and done that, many times over. Writing under the pseudonyms of Kat Henry Doran and Veronic Lynch, she travels to the wilds of Northern New York State, the wonders of mother nature at her best on the shores of Lake Ontario and the Saint Lawrence River to create stories of strong women and the men who love them.

When not writing she’s sewing – and occasionally serving as chauffeur to the four best things in her life: Meredith, Ashlin, Owen and Kiernan.

Join Kathy, Veronica, and Kat at:

email: WildWomenAuthors@yahoo.com

blogs: www.WildWomenAuthorsx2.blogspot.com

www.ApronsWithAttitude2.blogspot.com

www.Goodreads.com/author/show/4496125.VeronicaLynch

http://www.Goodreads.com/author/show/2905614.Kat_Henry_Doran

Facebook: www.Facebook.com/profile.php?id=100007251675720

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March 31, 2016 · 9:06 am

Truth in Fiction…good or bad?

Yesterday I visited my lovely and talented Wild Rose Press sistah Angela Hayes with a blog piece about reality. Well, it was my reality, really. I wrote a piece about the birth of my daughter, the accident I’d had on the day she was due and how I used that little piece of reality to drive the plot of my new book The Voices of Angels.

This got me to thinking…how much personal information is too much when you’re using it as a springboard to your fiction?

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Case in point. Using one of my books again, First Impressions, I wrote a simply heartwrenching scene about the death of a much-loved family pet. It took me three days to write because every time I sat down to do it, I started bawling. My editor even wrote me after reading it to tell me she thought it might be too emotional for readers and might turn them off to reading the rest of the book.  She thought I might want to temper it a little. I had to give that some serious, serious pondering and consideration time. In the end, I left the scene written as I had originally for two reasons. 1.) I knew that any reader who had a pet could and would sympathize with the feelings the heroine was experiencing from the death, and 2.) my own 18-year-old cat had recently died, so I knew every emotion I wrote was real and raw. Just this week I had someone I know who’s read the book tell me they were bawling their eyes out on a beach on vacation when they read that part. I asked how did they really feel about the scene. Did it turn them off? Make them not want to read ahead? And was told “I kept imagining my own cat dying. The scene was so real! I felt every emotion Clarissa did. I finished the book that night!”

Manna from heaven to a writer.

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Now, I’d never use something grossly personal about myself or someone I know in my writing – too much potential embarrassment, not to mention lawsuits, could come of  doing that. But there have been things have had happened in my life that I will slip into a scene or a plot. I think in some way doing this lends more credibility to the work. Truth in fiction stories always seem to grab me by the throat and not let go until I finish the book.

truth

So, writer friends….how much is too much reality for your fiction? Truth in fiction…good, or bad? Let’s discuss….

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Filed under Author, Contemporary Romance, Family Saga, First Impressions, Life challenges, Literary characters, MacQuire Women, research, Romance, Romance Books, The Voices of Angels, The Wild Rose Press, WIld Rose Press AUthor

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March 29, 2016 · 1:11 pm

I’m not complaining…really!

I may be MIE for the next few weeks, so my blog entries will dwindle a tad.

I can hear you asking right now, “Doesn’t she mean MIA, not MIE?”

No, peeps. I mean MIE  – Missing In Edits.

I just received 2 – count em’ 2  – books back from editors, chock full of edits and changes needed. And I’ve got deadlines. Lord help me, deadlines! I’ve never had those before and it’s a little daunting and lot of scary.

But….

This is what I wanted when I retired, what I planned for, and what I’d hoped would happen. I’m really not complaining when I say I’ve got all this work and a limited time frame to do it. It means I’m productive and editors want my words. That last part is so soul-enriching I can practically hear my insides growing with pride.

So, I’ll put up posts when I can, and maybe even recycle a few of the earlier ones – like from 2014 – but I will, as the Terminator says, “be back.”

Just say a prayer or 2 for me that I meet my deadlines without becoming, well, dead in the interim!!

And while you wait for the next two to hit the press, here’s the latest.

THE VOICES OF ANGELS

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The last thing Carly Lennox is looking for as she sets out on her new book tour is love. The independent, widowed author is content with a life spent writing and in raising her daughter. When newscaster Mike Woodard suggests they work on a television magazine show based on her book, Carly’s thrilled, but guarded. His obvious desire to turn their relationship into something other than just a working one is more than she bargained for.

Mike Woodard is an ambitious man-and not only in his chosen profession. He wants Carly, maybe more than he’s ever wanted anything or anyone else, and as he tells her, he’s a patient guy. But the more they’re together, Mike realizes it isn’t simply desire beating within him. No. Carly is the missing piece in his life. Getting her to accept it-and him- may just be the toughest assignment he’s ever taken on.

Available here:

Amazon /// TWRP /// Kobo /// Nook

Find me:

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March 25, 2016 · 9:05 am

A funny little thing about dialogue…

So my new editor ( and don’t I still love saying that!!) sent me an email asking me to change a few things in my next book. No worries. Her suggestions make a ton of sense and I know I can pull them all off successfully. One of the things she asked me to do was turn up the sensuality level a little. Usually, this wouldn’t be an issue for me. I can write sensual. I like writing sensual. It pleases me to write sensual.

dialogue

Here’s my problem. Without giving away the plot, the hero is someone totally forbidden to the heroine, or so she thinks. These two would never have sex. EVER, EVAH!!! Not until the revelation scene would she even consider it. So. How can I turn up the heat level without, you know, them doing sensual and sexual…. things?

Well, the best way I’ve found is to  amp up the dialogue between them. Flirty, innuendo-filled speech will certainly spice up a scene or two, no? Especially when my girl is so conflicted about the whole thing. She is trying to fight her mounting feelings for the guy because she really truly believes he is forbidden fruit in every sense of the term. You will see why when you read the book!! No spoilers here AT ALL!! Words have a great deal of power and our spoken words to one another can do wonders for a scene.

Hidden meanings, hidden agendas, using terms in a different way in which they are supposed to be used can all increase the tension and the sensuality in a scene.

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So, today I wrote 27 pages of mostly dialogue. I won’t use it all, heavens knows. But most of it is pretty good and serves the purpose it was intended for. At least I think so. Hope my editor does, as well.

Until this new one is released into the book reading world, here’s my newest for your enjoyment!

THE VOICES OF ANGELS

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The last thing Carly Lennox is looking for as she sets out on her new book tour is love. The independent, widowed author is content with a life spent writing and in raising her daughter. When newscaster Mike Woodard suggests they work on a television magazine show based on her book, Carly’s thrilled, but guarded. His obvious desire to turn their relationship into something other than just a working one is more than she bargained for.

Mike Woodard is an ambitious man-and not only in his chosen profession. He wants Carly, maybe more than he’s ever wanted anything or anyone else, and as he tells her, he’s a patient guy. But the more they’re together, Mike realizes it isn’t simply desire beating within him. No. Carly is the missing piece in his life. Getting her to accept it-and him- may just be the toughest assignment he’s ever taken on.

Available here:

Amazon /// TWRP /// Kobo /// Nook

Find me:

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March 23, 2016 · 8:37 am

What I meant to say…..

In my never-ending desire to improve the way I write, I’m reading a fabulous  little gem titled How to Write Dazzling Dialogue by James Scott Bell.

Now, I’m known for good dialogue. I make it a daily habit to listen to the conversations going on around me, and yes, that means I’m nosey! But it’s not just for nosiness’ sake.

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Every conversation I eavesdrop on teaches me something new about syntax, style, word choice, personality, and character. I use all of that info into creating the best character dialogue I can.

Recently, I spent over two hours on three lines of dialogue between two characters. I wrote it every which way I could think of, making it more complex with each word I eliminated, and finally deciding it was perfect as stood.

The next day I changed it all around and you know what – it was even better!

nosiness

Scott Bell’s book is filled with motes of dialogue genius like this: “Every word, every phrase that comes out of a character’s mouth is uttered because the character hopes it will further a purpose. The character has, in short,  an agenda.”

WOW!

I truly have never looked at it that way. I mean, I knew it was true, and hoped I could pull it off on the page, but seeing it so succinctly and eloquently put has turned this little gem into literary gold for me!

Knowing what dialogue is supposed to convey in the scene you are writing is another important facet to think about. None of us wants to be accused of writing tired coffee-talk dialogue. You know: the kind where you write,” Hey, what’s new?”  “Nothing. You?” “Same old same old.” “Yeah.”

Can you spell BORING??!! Dialogue should amp up the scene, convey what you want the characters to convey, and make the reader want to read further.

So to my writing friends out there – and you know who you are – how are you at dialogue? Good? Lousy? Always looking to improve? What are the ways you can guarantee your dialogue does what it’s supposed to? let’s discuss…..

And since we’re talking… here’s my newest:

THE VOICES OF ANGELS

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The last thing Carly Lennox is looking for as she sets out on her new book tour is love. The independent, widowed author is content with a life spent writing and in raising her daughter. When newscaster Mike Woodard suggests they work on a television magazine show based on her book, Carly’s thrilled, but guarded. His obvious desire to turn their relationship into something other than just a working one is more than she bargained for.

Mike Woodard is an ambitious man-and not only in his chosen profession. He wants Carly, maybe more than he’s ever wanted anything or anyone else, and as he tells her, he’s a patient guy. But the more they’re together, Mike realizes it isn’t simply desire beating within him. No. Carly is the missing piece in his life. Getting her to accept it-and him- may just be the toughest assignment he’s ever taken on.

Amazon /// TWRP /// Kobo /// Nook

Find me:

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Filed under Author, Characters, Contemporary Romance, Dialogue, Family Saga, Life challenges, love, MacQuire Women, Romance, Romance Books, Strong Women, The Voices of Angels, The Wild Rose Press, WIld Rose Press AUthor

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March 21, 2016 · 8:35 am

So it turns out, I didn’t need a wingman afterall!

Whew! Yesterday is a bit of a blur. If you’ve read the blog post before this one, you know I was an emotional wreck about my appearance at the 2016 Monadnock Women’s Expo. I was going to solo and terrified. Turns out, I didn’t need to be.

Way over 600 + women showed up of all ages, backgrounds, cultures and socio-economic status. A lot of them I had a passing acquaintance with, either as teachers of my daughter, or parents of her friends; patients of my husband – and I’ll admit, of mine -, and women ,who knew women, that I knew, personally. What’s that old saying? “Everyone you meet is a real or potential friend?” Yeah, that’s the way it felt.

I’ll be honest – I was afraid I wouldn’t sell one book, have one person stop at my table, and would have wasted over 5 hours of a weekend day. Turns out, I didn’t need to be afraid at all. I sold a lot of books ( A LOT!!!!), and hundreds of women stopped to chat. Of course the fact I was giving away free M&M’s if  someone stopped at my table might have helped, but…whatever. WItht hose M&Ms I was also giving the flat/postcards of my books, so they were getting candy and I was introducing them to my work. We both scored!

My take away from this event, because if I don’t learn something when I conquer my fears, what’s the point? That it’s good to challenge yourself, do something that initially makes you uncomfortable, and face your fears. I wasn’t walking around naked for all the world to see my body; I wasn’t facing a firing squad for crimes against humanity; I wasn’t being judged. I was simply sitting at a table trying to sell some books and get my name “out” in the universe of my target audience: women.

So, wingman not needed.  Now, let’s see what comes next…..

THE VOICES OF ANGELS

Blurb:

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The last thing Carly Lennox is looking for as she sets out on her new book tour is love. The independent, widowed author is content with a life spent writing and in raising her daughter. When newscaster Mike Woodard suggests they work on a television magazine show based on her book, Carly’s thrilled, but guarded. His obvious desire to turn their relationship into something other than just a working one is more than she bargained for.

Mike Woodard is an ambitious man-and not only in his chosen profession. He wants Carly, maybe more than he’s ever wanted anything or anyone else, and as he tells her, he’s a patient guy. But the more they’re together, Mike realizes it isn’t simply desire beating within him. No. Carly is the missing piece in his life. Getting her to accept it-and him- may just be the toughest assignment he’s ever taken on.

 

Amazon /// TWRP /// Kobo /// Nook

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