My Wild Rose Press sistah, C.B. Clark is visiting me today and we’re talking about her new release, TWISTED LIES and the new addition to her family! Check this out!!! Leave her some love after you read the post.
Thank you for hosting me on your Blog, Peggy. I’m thrilled to be here.
Twisted Lies is my seventh romantic suspense, and my first book with a dog as a central character. When we lost our beloved, fifteen-year-old pooch, the house felt empty, so my husband and I decided we needed another dog.
I thought I remembered what a puppy was like, but I was wrong…so wrong. Penny’s a Brittany, a sporting dog, bred to run and point at game birds. She’s high energy and requires LOTS of exercise.
The first months were challenging. We had to house train her, stop her incessant mouthing and chewing, and teach her to come on command. It was exhausting. I hadn’t counted on how much attention she’d need and how little writing was possible during those first months. It’s a miracle I completed Twisted Lies.
Time moves on, and Penny’s settled down. She still needs a good run every day and lots of ball throwing, but she’s made our lives so much better. Her joy of life helped eased the stress of these past challenging months and forced me to focus on things other than the state of the world. That may be why the heroine in Twisted Lies has a beloved pet to help her though the difficult times.
Athena Cooper’s tragic past drives her to seek solace in a bottle. The addiction threatens her legal career, and she risks spiraling out of control. When her dog engineers a meeting with an all-too-handsome hunk, it’s lust at first sight…until she discovers his identity.
Businessman Russell Crawford is desperate to find the woman who cheated him out of his inheritance. His shock when she turns out to be the gorgeous red head he had a brief encounter with is only surpassed when she claims his father was a murderer.
Athena and Russ declare a truce and join forces to investigate the mystery of her parents’ disappearance from an isolated island off the rugged Northwest Coast of British Columbia. Russ promises to be her safe harbor as they uncover long-buried secrets that rock her very foundation. Can she overcome a lifelong distrust and open her heart to love?
How was it possible? After all these years? The past she’d been running from had found her. The nightmare was back. The envelope fell from her shaking hands. Her legs wobbled as she rose and stumbled out of the living room and down the short hall to the kitchen.
Afternoon sunlight streamed through the window above the sink. The cozy kitchen, with its walls painted a cheerful butter yellow, and the well-scrubbed laminate countertops, gleamed. The steady hum of the refrigerator and ticking of the antique clock on the wall were the only sounds in the silent house. The pungent smell of fried onions and roasted garlic from last night’s homemade spaghetti sauce hung in the air.
The efficient kitchen, with its breakfast nook and view of the tidy, fenced backyard and the rolling, grassy foothills and snow-crested Rocky Mountains beyond, was the reason she’d bought the small rancher. This was her favorite room—the place she sought refuge when life overwhelmed her. How many times had she sat there in the evenings after work, sipping a glass of chilled white wine, watching the birds at the feeder on the back porch, breathing in the sweet smells of flowering Saskatoon bushes, regrouping until she was ready to face the world?
These days, her drink of choice was a cup of herbal tea or unsweetened apple juice. Alcohol was off the table…had been for twenty-one unendurable days.
Twisted Lies is award-winning author, C.B. Clark’s seventh novel published by The Wild Rose Press. When she’s not busy traveling around the globe or hiking and camping in the wilderness near her home in northern British Columbia, she can be found in front of her laptop plotting the next story.
Peggy here: Penny is such a cutie – and hubby and I also adopted a Covid-times puppy!!! I haven’t had a dog in over 21 years so I feel you when you say you thought you remembered what a puppy was like, but NOT!! Hee Hee
This weekend, my WIld Rose Press sistah Marilyn Barr is celebrating the SPUMONI FESTIVAL with a post and the release of her One Scoop or Two novella from WRP SMOOTHER THAN SPUMONI
Do you like your ice cream by the slice? If so, this weekend is the Spumoni Festival across the globe. From its home in Naples, Italy to its commercial center in New York City, USA, the tri-colored ice cream is celebrated. Flavor combination taste testing, largest cube contests, and fastest scooping races are just some of the fun activities at Spumoni Festivals. Even my small town in Kentucky is celebrating with an ice cream toss for prizes. How many times could you volley a scoop of ice cream from cone-to-cone in the late August heat? I know my number…it’s 5.
The festival ends on 8/23/2021 which is the release date for Smoother Than Spumoni. Allow me to introduce you to Susie Larkin, the dolphin shifter in the Strawberry Shifters spin-off novella. Dolphins can’t eat ice cream so what is the connection? Susie is the heiress to Larkin’s Dairy Dip on Seagrass Island and our main character in Smoother Than Spumoni, part of the One Scoop Or Two series. Susie may be pedaling ice carts on the beach this summer, but once she has her MBA – she is building a frozen confection empire.
Susie has her eyes on the prize and it is in the opposite direction of the fated-mate meat market. While her friends are batting their eyelashes at every shifter of age, Susie is studying dairy prices and flavor trends. She is laser-focused until she meets Frank Paulino, an intern from the Strawberry pack. Here’s a snippet from Smoother Than Spumoni that will melt your heart:
“You put your sign away before I could read your flavor choices. Do you have spumoni by chance?”
“I-I,” I stammer. A decade of childhood speech therapy is reversed in milliseconds. With each syllable, my face boils from heat not related to the sun. Where is confident, professional Susie? I need my educated side to wake up and say something intelligent. Like…like…
“What’s a spumoni?” Oh, my goodness gracious, say anything but that. Of course, I know spumoni is an ice cream flavor, I have been making ice cream since childhood.
“Spumoni is an Italian flavor combo of ice cream. My mom makes it all the time and I thought I could ward off homesickness with it,” he says with a shy smile. Awww, he misses home. Could he be any cuter?
Okay, my turn to talk but my mouth fails to work. Scoop something, scoop something. “Here is Neapolitan,” I say, pointing the scoop into the case. “It is almost spumoni.”
He crinkles his nose at me, and I swoon like a doofus. “Neapolitan isn’t spumoni. Where are the dried fruit, the nuts, the Italian flag?”
“Of course, the Italian Americans ditched the patriotism for marketability when they substituted chocolate for the vanilla portion of the flag.” Phew, now I sound more like myself.
“Exactly, you can’t begrudge an American their chocolate. It is an instant moneymaker. A chocolate dessert boosts our profits by five percent at the restaurant back home.”
“Our chocolate ice cream flies out of the case during the busy season. If I were in charge, we would be packaging it to sell in grocery stores. A safe flavor would be a soft launch though,” I say, waving the scoop at him.
Is spumoni related to Neapolitan? The answer can be found in 1870s Americana when spumoni was first brought from Naples, Italy. Spuma is Italian for foams and Spumoni is its plural form. The original recipe had three ice creams of cherry, vanilla, and pistachio, all topped with whipped cream (foam) mixed with dried fruit and nuts. The dessert was sliced like ice cream cake (still is in Italy and Argentina). (from National Spumoni Day Facts).
As you can guess, America went wild for sliced spumoni even after the foam was removed for ease of eating. Imagine walking down a New York street with your slice of pizza in one hand and your slice of spumoni in the other. Having the foam would be a messy affair! The greater the popularity, the more the spumoni makers experimented. Chocolate was swapped out for vanilla to capitalize on America’s favorite flavor by 1880.
Spumoni is the grandfather to all tri-flavored ice cream, including Neapolitan. In 1885, you could purchase a slice of a Neapolitan Box which was three flavors of the day frozen side-by-side. They started with the traditional spumoni flavors but later added coffee, strawberry, and orange. With success came wild flavors like pineapple, black current, brandy brown butter, and tea. No matter what combinations were created, the classic strawberry, vanilla, and chocolate Neapolitan was the best seller. As the ice cream industry changed from slices to scoops around 1900, the Neapolitan box became the tri-flavored scoops we know today. (from Good Eats Ice Cream)
Today, spumoni festivals have taste testing of the wildest new flavors. How about Dragon’s Breath (cayenne chocolate), Unicorn (cotton candy), and Elf Ears (egg nog)? When my family visited a spumoni festival in Little Italy, my favorite was a floral combination of lemon thyme, strawberry rose, and orange blossom. My son surprised me by picking lavender, blueberry lemon, and orange crème as his favorite combination. I thought the Dragon’s Breath would have been a winner.
My mother and grandmother still serve their spumoni sliced with foam filled with pistachios, dried cherries, and chocolate chips. I’m the rebel who scoops hers. I also make mine with bourbon-soaked cherries. I do live near Louisville, Kentucky after all. While I have inspired you to drive to your local ice cream parlor, I need to get back to Smoother Than Spumoni. Here’s another snippet from Susie and Frank:
“Listen to me babble on about pasta and cheese prices while the rain has started falling,” he says, raking his fingers through his hair leaving a curl standing up. I must resist making a fool out of myself by smoothing it down. My hands twitch as I watch it wave at me from his head.
“No, the price of dairy is the driving force, beyond petroleum pricing, behind our price points in the ice cream world too,” I say to reassure him. I love studying commodities but somehow the subject becomes captivating when delivered in his soft, velvet voice.
“To take on the dairy industry for price points, you must really believe in your chocolate ice cream. I believe I’m sold,” he says. I’m too busy mooning over him to realize I’m supposed to be selling. We stand there for a moment with my scoop in midair. I am releasing the dry ice at the bottom of the case. Soon I will be the only frozen part of this operation.
Aww, nerd love. Will Susie and Frank put their ambitions aside long enough to give their relationship a chance? Once you finish that slice of ice cream, check out Smoother Than Spumoni, a sweet, new adult shifter romance with the summer lovin’ of Grease and the environmental conspiracy of the Pelican Brief.
Susie Larkin is a dolphin shifter and heir to the humble Larkin’s Dairy Dip on Seagrass Island, FL. Pedaling ice cream from bicycle carts on the beach is just a stepping-stone for this future CEO of a frozen confection empire—or so she hopes.
Frank Paulino Jr. receives his first taste of freedom from Strawberry, KY in a summer internship at Bart’s Oyster bar. His pasta creations save the restaurant when red tide poisons the fresh fish of the bay, making him the most popular werewolf on Seagrass island.
Frank and Susie uncover a conspiracy that threatens not only the wildlife of the area but also their lives. Can these two shifters put their ambitions aside long enough to give their relationship a chance, or will Frank pay the ultimate price to protect Susie and the island she loves?
They move quickly, efficiently, and silently, only stopping to check over their shoulders every few minutes. When the exchange is complete, the truck starts again. Even though it is dark, without headlights they navigate unerringly through the native swamp.
“That was weird. You thought it was weird right?”
“Yeah, I want to know what is in those barrels.”
“Let’s leave it alone. We have been gone for months and have no idea how this area has changed. Let’s go home and ask our parents or Wilson.”
“Why? When one look at the label will answer all our questions? Besides, the truck has already left.”
“They could return.”
“As shady as they were acting, they aren’t coming back. Come on—”
“No way, Susie Q. We are going home.” Her voice shakes as she lays down her ultimatum. She can’t abandon me here in case I succumb to Red Tide on the swim home. However, tears have already started rolling down her cheeks. My bestie is terrified.
“You are right. Let’s go ask,” I say calmly. Why upset her more when I can bring a braver companion tomorrow? Surely a demon-slaying werewolf won’t be scared of a few barrels?
Marilyn Barr currently resides in the wilds of Kentucky with her husband, son, and rescue cats. She has a diverse background containing experiences as a child prodigy turned medical school reject, published microbiologist, special education/inclusion science teacher, homeschool mother of a savant, certified spiritual/energy healer, and advocate for the autistic community. This puts her in the position to bring tales containing heroes who are regular people with different ability levels and body types, in a light where they are powerful, lovable, and appreciated.
When engaging with the real world, she is collecting characters, empty coffee cups, and unused homeschool curricula. She is a sucker (haha) for cheesy horror movies, Italian food, punk music, black cats, bad puns, and all things witchy.
Christmas RekindledCool off with a little mistletoe magic! Christmas Rekindled (ebook) is just 99¢ throughout July 2021
Tagline: When two Scrooges unite to save a bar in trouble, a kiss under the mistletoe sparks the sexiest Christmas miracle ever.
Blurb:
Bartender River Lundqvist has a damn good reason for hating Christmas. Bangers Tavern is the perfect place to lay low over the holidays—until Charlie walks in. His first encounter with the saucy server nine years ago was utter humiliation. Her reappearance stirs up powerful desires and hopes for a new start. But the timing is all wrong.
Back in Tacoma to care for her estranged dad over the holidays, freelance web designer Charlie Khoury braces herself for the suckiest Christmas ever. A temporary job at Bangers Tavern gives her a chance to escape Dad’s criticism and blow off some steam. But why does the hunky bartender seem to hate her?
A pretend girlfriend is just what River needs to keep his family off his back—until a kiss under the mistletoe flares hot enough to melt the North Pole. When greedy developers threaten Bangers Tavern, River and Charlie must team up to save it. Their sizzling chemistry feels like the real thing—but everyone knows rebound relationships don’t last.
Come to Bangers Tavern for an enemies-to-lovers tale of reconciliation, found family, holiday cocktails, and the steamiest Christmas miracle ever.
Excerpt
Her low, throaty chuckle made him want to kiss her again. Though he pretty much wanted to kiss her anytime she was within range.
She laid her hand palm-up on the center console. “The thing is, I’m not looking for a relationship.”
Remembering a bit of Dawn’s wisdom, he nestled his hand into hers. “You never find a relationship when you’re looking for one.”
Her gaze softened, open and vulnerable. “Are you looking?”
Warning sirens blared inside his head. This was a question to answer very carefully. “If you’d asked me a month ago, I’d say, ‘No way.’ But then, I kissed this girl under the mistletoe, and…”
She closed her eyes, lifted his hand, and pressed it to her sternum. Beneath his palm, her heart thudded fast. His pulse sped to match hers. He held his breath.
“I like you, River.” Her whisper matched the brush of snowflakes against the windows.
“I like you too.”
She inhaled deeply, then met his gaze. “Enough to be my friend?”
He nodded, mesmerized.
“Because my life is a mess right now, and I have no idea what the fuck I’m doing.”
Her coarse language stirred up a heady swirl of laughter, sympathy, and arousal. He scooted as near as the center console allowed and placed his lips close to her ear. “I’ll tell you a secret. Me neither.”
Fire flickered in her eyes’ inky depths. Her lips parted. A golden thread wound around his heart and tugged him toward her. His thumb stroked the delicate line of her jaw as he closed the distance.
Ever since her first kiss, Sadira’s been spinning steamy tales in her head. After leaving her teaching career in Germany, she finally tried her hand at writing one. Now she’s a happy citizen of Romancelandia, penning contemporary romance from her new home in Washington State, U.S.A. When not writing, which is seldom, she explores the Pacific Northwest with her charming husband, enjoys the local music scene, plays darts (pretty well), plays guitar (badly), and gobbles all the books. Visit Sadira at http://www.sadirastone.com.
Tell us about what you write (short stories, novellas, novels, non-fiction)?
I write steamy contemporary romance set in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. My Book Nirvana series centers around a quirky bookshop in Eugene, Oregon. Gelato Surprise is a steamy older woman/younger man beach romance novella. The Bangers Tavern Romance series is set in a neighborhood tavern in Tacoma, Washington, where I live—the town, not the tavern! Each story features a holiday celebration in Bangers Tavern: Christmas, St. Patrick’s Day, Cinco de Mayo, 4th of July, Halloween, etc. During this sad time when so many bars, restaurants, and other businesses are shut down, Bangers Tavern gives me the chance to virtually share the fun, camaraderie, and bar food I miss so much. And each volume includes tasty cocktail recipes I’ve personally tested and tweaked—a tough job, but I do it for my readers (wink).
Under my own name, I write cozy mysteries and creepy short stories—think The Twilight Zone—but so far only one creepy short has been published. I’ll get to the rest of them eventually, but right now I’m having too much fun writing romance!
There is nothing I like better than when myWild Rose Press sistahs come for a visit and tell me about their new books. Today is no exception as I host one of my favorite writers ( and human beings!)) Mary Morgan.
Hello, Peggy! I’m delighted to be on your lovely blog today. Thank you for allowing me to share a few teasers why your readers should read my upcoming new release, RORIK, The Wolves of Clan Sutherland, Book 2.
8 Reasons You Should Read RORIK
1. The Vikings had their ancient laws, but you will also learn the Wolves of Clan Sutherland had their own called the Nine Noble Virtues of Wolf Lore.
2. You’ll get to meet a powerful Seer and wise woman from the Orkneyjar Isles who does not get along with a certain wolf in the elite guard.
3. You learn several ways how Rorik can shift magically into a wolf—from swiftly and quietly, to uttering a chant and transforming into the animal.
4. You’ll have a chance to revisit characters from the first book, Magnar.
5. Find out the other magical gift Rorik possesses.
6. Experience a Viking sporting game over a raging river.
7. Learn what happens when Rorik surrenders control to his inner wolf.
8. Norse Mythology comes alive within the pages of this story, and when you’re done, you’ll feel transported into Rorik and Ragna’s world.
Blurb:
The Dark Seducer is known throughout Scotland as a man who charms many women into his bed. Pleasure is his motto as he obtains information for his king. Yet Rorik MacNeil harbors one secret buried beneath his heart of steel. An unfulfilled conquest plagues both man and his inner wolf, and Rorik would rather suffer death’s sharp blade than confront his greatest fear.
As the Seer for the Orkneyjar Isles, Ragna Maddadsson confronts an unknown destiny when she travels across the North Sea to Scotland. In her quest to deliver a message from a powerful vision, she fears the warrior will not listen. If Rorik ignores her warning, Ragna must find a way to forestall his impending death. If unsuccessful, she risks having her heart cleaved in two.
To unravel their true fates, Rorik and Ragna must trust in the power of the wolf.
Sneak preview from Rorik ~
“Have you been eating the fresh berries in the meadow, Ragna?” asked the male voice behind her. The man rolled her name off his tongue, sending shivers down her back. She knew him well, often staring at him while she traveled into the nearby village of Kirkjuvágr.
Doing her best to compose herself, she wiped the palms of her hands down the front of her gown and turned around. “I have yet to find any. Why do you ask?”
Rorik stepped forth from the shadow of a tree. His smile came slowly as he approached her.
She tried to control the fierce beating of her heart as the man loomed over her with a dark and hungry gaze.
“Your lips are as red as the berries that grow in abundance in the meadow,” he stated softly.
“’Tis only an apple I have been eating.” Unable to move away, Ragna studied the man’s features—from his deep green eyes to the dimple hidden within the dark facial hair covering his chin. To suppress the urge of twining her fingers into his long ebony hair, she dug her fingers into her gown. She thought the warrior had to be chiseled from the Gods.
Rorik lifted his hand and gently pressed his thumb against her bottom lip. “Beauty.”
An ache grew within Ragna. His nearness made her weak and without breath. When his hand slipped around her waist, she collapsed into his embrace, placing her palms against his broad chest. “What are you doing?”
“I want to taste your lips, Ragna. I have thought of nothing else these long summer days.”
She tried to breathe, finding it difficult within his strong embrace. “Why me?” she blurted out on a gasp.
Award-winning Celtic paranormal and fantasy romance author, Mary Morgan resides in Northern California with her own knight in shining armor. However, during her travels to Scotland, England, and Ireland, she left a part of her soul in one of these countries and vows to return.
Mary’s passion for books started at an early age along with an overactive imagination. Inspired by her love for history and ancient Celtic mythology, her tales are filled with powerful warriors, brave women, magic, and romance. It wasn’t until the closure of Borders Books where Mary worked that she found her true calling by writing romance. Now, the worlds she created in her mind are coming to life within her stories.
If you enjoy history, tortured heroes, and a wee bit of magic, then time-travel within the pages of her books.
Today’s backlisted book isn’t that old, but since it isn’t new, either, I figured it would be a goodie to add.
If you like ice cream, summer vacations, and sweet romances, VANILLA WITH A TWIST ( One Scoop or Two series) is for you. Set in the fictional New Hampshire seaside town of Beacher’s Cove, this novella was a pleasure to write – especially since I had to do a lot of research on ice cream flavors…hee hee
Tandy Blakemore spends her days running her New England ice cream parlor, single-parenting her teenage son, and trying to keep her head above financial water. No easy feat when the shop’s machinery is aging and her son is thinking about college. Tandy hasn’t had a day off in a decade and wonders if she’ll ever be able to live a worry-free life. Engineer Deacon Withers is on an enforced vacation in the tiny seaside town of Beacher’s Cove. Overworked, stressed, and lonely, he walks into Tandy’s shop for a midday ice cream cone and gets embroiled in helping her fix a broken piece of equipment. Can the budding friendship that follows lead to something everlasting?
Excerpt:
For a few moments, she regarded him with a look his mother would have called insightful. The corners of her eyes narrowed, she dipped her chin a hair, and she pulled her mouth into another appealing pout he was tempted to kiss.
“I bet,” she said after a long, drawn-out sigh, “you were the kind of kid who took apart clocks and fans and vacuum cleaners to see how they worked.”
“It was more washing machines and lawn mowers and anything with a motor, but yeah. I was.”
She shook her head, her own lips forming a lopsided grin. “Your poor mother.”
“She survived.”
Tandy rolled her eyes and shot her hands to her hips. “So it’s working again?” She thrust her chin at the ice cream machine.
“For now.”
“Okay, well, I can live with for now. And you think you know the real reason it’s been acting up?”
“I definitely do. But like I said, the water to the machine needs to be shut off to fix it.”
“Okay. Well, we close at nine.”
“I’ll come back a little before then. Get things ready. Is that okay with you?”
“I guess it’ll have to be.” She bit down on the inside of her cheek as her brows pulled together. “And you’re sure you want to do this?”
“If I weren’t, I wouldn’t offer, Tandy.”
Why her reluctance to have him help was such a turn-on was something he considered while he waited for his ice cream.
Another one of my fabulous Wild Rose Press sistahs is joining me today for a sit-down interview! Please give a warm welcome to Mary Morgan. Mary has a new historical book out just in time for the Holiday gift giving season!!! She’s giving us a little preview of it today and I’m sure after reading the blurb and excerpt you’re gonna head right over and click on one of the buy links! Here’s Mary.
Mary: The Writer
What drives you to write? The passion of my stories. They demand to be told, and I love weaving a good tale. It’s the Irish bard within my blood, and writing is another way for me to breathe.
What genre(s) of Romance do yourwrite, and why? Historical, Paranormal, Time Travel, Fantasy. It’s a mixture of everything I love—from Celtic Mythology, history, and a yearning to return to the past. Often times, I’ve stated I’m a woman in the wrong century.
What genre(s) of Romance do you read, and why? I’m an eclectic reader, and it depends on my mood. During the spring, it’s regency romances. Summer is a mixture of fantasy, contemporary, and non-fiction reads. Autumn is mostly paranormal (I love a good vampire romance). And during the holidays and winter, it’s mostly short holiday/winter romances, in particular the Harlequin seasonal historical. They’re short and a perfect way to keep me in the spirit of the season. It’s a ritual I started when I worked for Borders Books. The retail industry can put a damper on anyone working during that time of year.
What’s your writing schedule? Do you write everyday? I write every day. Monday-Saturday, my day begins at 5:00am. I tend to all the business side of writing—from checking emails, writing blog posts, and scheduling social media blasts. At around 9:00, I go for a walk, bike ride, or yoga. Not only do I get in exercise, but also I’ve found this to be a good time to plot out scenes for the day. It’s what I call, “my character round table.” I’m listening to where they (my characters) wish to go. My writing hours are generally from 11:00 (thirty minutes for lunch) until 5:00-5:30pm (I turn into a pumpkin after 6pm). On Sundays, I print out what I’ve written during the week and do line-edits on the couch. I love looking at my book this way. It’s a wonderful time to edit, add, delete, and really read the story. I call this my “down time.” Recently, I’ve challenged myself to write seven to eight hours one day a week. It’s phenomenal. I shut out the real world and dive into my story early in the morning.
Give us a glimpse of the surroundings where you write. Separate room? In the kitchen? At the dining room table? The magic happens in the corner of my bedroom overlooking my garden. My writing desk is an antique (approximately 300 years old). To my right is my father’s desk he had as a child. Books on writing, history, and Celtic mythology surround me. Ancient maps, stones (from my travels in Europe), and crystals are tucked into nooks within the desk. In addition, I’ve become a collector of blades—from owning a claymore to a small sgian dubh, a Scottish small, single-edged knife.
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? Yes, I require a quiet environment. However, I’m usually in my room with the door closed. I envy those that can go to coffee places to write. There’s too much energy, and I wouldn’t be able to focus on my writing.
Do you listen to music while you write, and if so, what kind? If not, why not? Music is my muse, especially Celtic music. I have a huge collection of instrumental music on my computer. It fuels the emotions. The only time I don’t listen to music is when I’m doing edits from my editor. I need total concentration.
How did you come up with the plotline/idea for your current WIP? Desmond O’Quinlan first appeared in Dragon Knight’s Axe, Order of the Dragon Knights, Book 3. He’s one of Fiona’s (wife of Dragon Knight Alastair MacKay) brothers. He kept tapping me on the shoulder (and sometimes yelling), requesting his story. Apparently, he had unfinished business with Alastair MacKay and was harboring resentment toward the Dragon Knight for leaving his sister. I loved returning home to Scotland, the Dragon Knights, and their families.
Which comes first for you – character or plot? And why? The character. I see them all standing in a Great Hall within a castle, demanding their story. Usually, there’s a sequence of events that will place one before the other, but I’ve found that when the strongest character will voice his/her reasons, I’ll listen and go from there.
What 3 words describe you, the writer? Passionate. Romantic. Bard. (Peggy here: LOVELOVELOVE that!)
Mary, The Person:
Tell us one unusual thing about yourself – not related to writing! I’m a Beauty and the Beast fan. The television series (late 1980’s) starring Ron Perlman and Linda Hamilton.
Who was your first love and what age were you? A boy in my history class and I was thirteen.
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…. Summer Solstice 2000 on the Isle of Skye in Scotland. Mystical, magical, and one that remains with me.
Do you like a guy in boxers, briefs, or commando? Definitely commando. 😉
If you had to give up one necessary-can’t-live-without-it beauty item, what would it be? My hair products. I have curly hair. Enough said. (Peggy here: I sososososo relate!)
What three words describes you, the person? Optimistic. Loyal. Generous.
If you could sing a song with Jimmy Fallon, what would it be? “Lean on Me,” by Bill Withers.
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? Morgaine from “The Mists of Avalon.” I love this tale of her. She’s often portrayed as dark and evil, but this story spun a different perspective of the legend. We would spend the time together wandering the hills of Avalon.
I love the Actor’s Studio show on Bravo, so this is my version of it:
Favorite sound: Children’s laughter
Least favorite sound: Children crying
Best song ever written “The Celts,” by Enya
Worst song ever written “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer.” It has a catchy tune, but I can’t stand the lyrics. (Peggy here- you would not be surprised how many authors have told me this in their interviews! this is a very not-liked song)
Favorite actor and actress Richard Armitage and Maureen O’Hara
Who would you want to be for 1 day and why? ( It can be anyone living or dead) Queen Victoria. Regardless of her sheltered life prior to becoming queen at 18, she was an extraordinary woman.
What turns you on? A man’s smile.
What turns you off? Rude behavior.
Give me the worst 5 words ever heard on a first date (here’s mine: “Is that your real hair?”) I’ve only dated one man, and he was the perfect date. My husband. (BEST ANSWER EVAH!!!!)
What’s your version of a perfect day? Walking along the beach with my husband.
Hi Peggy! Thanks for having me on your wonderful blog today! I’m excited to share my new release, A Highland Moon Enchantment. I’ve returned home to Scotland and the Dragon Knights this holiday season.
When the O’Quinlan brothers entered the story in Dragon Knight’s Axe, Order of the Dragon Knights, Book 3, I knew each would demand their own story. Desmond O’Quinlan kept tapping my shoulder (and yelling in my ear), requesting a rematch with Dragon Knight, Alastair MacKay. Apparently, he had unfinished business with Alastair for leaving his sister, Fiona. In truth, I sensed a deeper meaning behind Desmond’s foul mood and growing anger at the Dragon Knight. However, Ailsa MacDuff will become his greatest challenge, and the real reason for his bitterness will be exposed.
The light of a Midwinter feast and the glow of a Highland full moon will weave its magic over these two warriors.
A HIGHLAND MOON ENCHANTMENT
Blurb:
You first meet this warrior in Dragon Knight’s Axe, Order of the Dragon Knights, Book 3
Irish warrior, Desmond O’Quinlan has never surrendered his heart to any woman. He has no wish to have his soul tortured by love. Yet, the moment he locks gazes with Ailsa, his fate is destined for an adventure he never fathomed. He may have battled alongside a Dragon Knight, but his greatest challenge will come from within his own heart.
Ailsa MacDuff, a warrior among her clan, has no desire to have a man chain her to a life of obedience. However, that is before she meets Desmond. The temptation to allow this warrior inside her heart is a risk she dares to take, but one that could lead to a future of emptiness and sorrow.
When betrayal looms from within, the battleground of love is no match for these two warriors. Can the power of a Highland full moon be strong enough to unite or destroy them?
Excerpt
His mind screamed to stay rooted in his chair, but his body betrayed him. Standing, he reached for her hand.“I will escort ye to your chamber.”
She eyed him with curiosity and stood. “Nae. Take me to the north wall. I hear the view of the loch is one that steals the breath from your lungs.”
“Done.” When her fingers slipped into his, Desmond fought the urge to crush her to his chest.
Placing her soft hand in the crook of his arm, he led her quickly out of the hall and up the stairs. Bending to the left, he took her along a corridor and up a narrow circular pathway. The torches flickered as he approached the door leading to the north wall.
A cold draft blew by them, and she shivered. Instantly, regret filled him realizing he had not considered to bring a cloak for her.
Desmond paused by the door. “Ye should not venture out into the biting cold without a cloak.”
Her eyes narrowed. “I simply wish to capture a quick look, not spend the night sleeping out there.”
Shaking his head, he pushed open the massive oak door. Brittle air slapped at his face while they made their way up along the wall.
“’Tis cold,” she muttered, but chuckled softly and hugged his arm. “But ye are
warm.”
“We shall not tarry long,” he assured her and placed a warm hand over hers.
“Oh, sweet Goddess. Look at the moon, Desmond. Her light shimmers over the water. I have now witnessed the charm of the loch in sunlight and moonlight. Though our rivers are stunning on their own, they cannae rival this view. As I have told ye, our island is shrouded in mists, so ye cannae see verra far out into the sea.”
Desmond’s focus was not on the moon, but the beauty standing beside him. To take what he dared not possess. He marveled at her delight of the striking scene.
Ailsa turned toward him. “Thank ye, Desmond, truly.”
Her nearness was overpowering, seducing him in a way he had never known. Desmond cupped her chin. Her eyes widened, and her lips parted in invitation. Moonlight and lust danced within her eyes. No longer did he battle with his mind and body, and he slowly lowered his head.
And under the silent whisper of a full moon, Desmond captured her soft lips within his own. He
could taste her sweetness mixed with the wine, and desire shot through his veins. His hands shook as he placed them securely on her waist. As he deepened the kiss, she placed her hands around his neck. Desmond groaned, crushing her body against him.
Award-winning Scottish paranormal romance author, Mary Morgan resides in Northern California, with her own knight in shining armor. However, during her travels to Scotland, England, and Ireland, she left a part of her soul in one of these countries and vows to return.
Mary’s passion for books started at an early age along with an overactive imagination. She spent far too much time daydreaming and was told quite often to remove her head from the clouds. It wasn’t until the closure of Borders Books where Mary worked that she found her true calling—writing romance. Now, the worlds she created in her mind are coming to life within her stories.
If you enjoy history, tortured heroes, and a wee bit of magic, then time-travel within the pages of her books.
Visit Mary’s website at http://www.marymorganauthor.com where you’ll find links to all of her books, blog, and pictures of her travels.
I lovelovelove when I get to find out a little more about my Wild Rose Press author sistahs! Today, authorK.K. Weil pays me a visit and she’s talking about herself ( yay!) and her new release Some Whisper, Some Shout, from WRP. Sit back and learn a little about this talented author
K.K., The Writer
What genre(s) of Romance do your write, and why? So far, I’ve written contemporary romance and romantic suspense. I didn’t set out to write in these genres. I just wrote whatever stories were in my head, and they happened to fall within those parameters. But I’d love to write a dystopian novel, too. I’ve got one looming in my head and have started fooling around with it, so maybe one of these days.
What’s your writing schedule? Do you write every day?I used to write every day, but this year I went back to teaching, so I’m juggling both. It definitely takes more time, but I love doing both, so it’s worth it.
Give us a glimpse of the surroundings where you write. Separate room? In the kitchen? At the dining room table?I write in my family room, sitting on the same spot on the couch every time. Eventually, there will be a big dent in the cushion, but it’s not there yet.
Do you listen to music while you write, and if so, what kind? If not, why not? I like certain background music when I write. I actually have a playlist with songs from about 6 albums that I shuffle every time I write. They’re all somewhat mellow – jazz, blues, Nora Jones, Alicia Keys.
How did you come up with the plotline/idea for your current WIP? I love writing about important topics. For this book, I knew I wanted to write about the homeless. There are so many organizations doing wonderful things to help the homeless, I wanted to incorporate that in my book. Jolie’s creperie offers a buy one-donate one program, where people can help feed the hungry if they want to.
Which comes first for you – character or plot? And why? It depends. For Some Whisper, Some Shout, the plot came first because I knew I wanted to write about this topic. But for my book Shatterproof, I fell in love with one of the characters from my previous book, At This Stage, and I just had to create a story around him so for that one, character came first.
What 3 words describe you, the writer? Pantser, creative, grateful (that I get to do this thing I love so much) (Peggy here: I lovelovelove those 3 descriptions!!)
K.K., The Person
Tell us one unusual thing about yourself – not related to writing! I always eat my pizza crust first, because I like it the least, but I leave a tiny piece in the middle to use as a handle while I eat the rest of the slice. Now my daughter does the same thing. I think I corrupted her.
Who was your first love and what age were you? Kirk Cameron from Growing Pains. I had his name scribbled all over my binder in junior high.
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…. The day my son was born. My daughter came 3 years before, but there were complications and she was in put in the NICU (which obviously put a damper on the day). She ended up fine, thank goodness, but the day my son was born went seamlessly, and I compared it to my experience with my daughter, so I was just ecstatic for days. I wish everyone could have an experience like that.
If you had to give up one necessary-can’t-live-without-it beauty item, what would it be? Mascara. I love long lashes. Maybe one day I’ll give in and experiment with falsies.
What three words describe you, the person? Serious, creative, principled
If you could sing a song with Jimmy Fallon, what would it be? Oh God, no one would want to hear that. But if I had the opportunity, I’d sing The Devil Went Down to Georgia. I love songs with stories. Besides, we could each be/play a character.
I love the Actor’s Studio show on Bravo, so this is my version of it:
Favorite sound – Ocean waves crashing
Least favorite sound – Whining
Best song ever written Nights in White Satin, Moody Blues
Worst song ever written So many, but maybe Baby by Justin Beiber
Favorite actor and actress So hard to choose. Maybe Colin Firth. Meryl Streep and Jennifer Lawrence
Who would you want to be for 1 day and why? ( It can be anyone living or dead) Any author with complex novels, because I’d love to be able to see their thought process, like Ayn Rand, Tolstoy or J. K .Rowling
What turns you on? Dry humor
What turns you off? Selfish behavior and bragging
What’s your version of a perfect day? Being in a foreign country with my husband, exploring the places the locals go all day and night and having a delicious dinner with a couple glasses of wine.
Peggy here: It’s been fun getting to know K.K. a little better. And now for some more fun stuff. Here’s the blurb and an excerpt from her recent novel Some Whisper, Some Shout.
Blurb: Some Whisper, Some Shout
Devices. Jolie’s got tons of them. Coping mechanisms that ensure she’s not falling victim to the mental illness that’s taken hold of both her brother and father. Helping the homeless gives Jolie much needed consistency. But when a stranger struts into her Jersey Shore creperie, writing cryptic songs on napkins and then disappearing, her world becomes anything but routine.
Reed can play the soul out of his saxophone, but he’s hiding something. Why else would he reveal so little about himself, or plan one secluded, albeit eccentric, date after another? And what’s in that backpack he carries everywhere? Then again, with her distressed brother missing, an estranged mother returning home, and a feisty grandmother acting weirder than usual, Jolie can’t decipher whether her suspicions are valid or dangerous delusions.
When inexplicable slashings of the homeless occur in her otherwise safe town, Jolie’s devices begin to fail.
Excerpt:
Reed’s bag sat on the floor next to me. I wasn’t in the habit of snooping. I’d never wanted to pry into the life of a guy I was dating before. Then again, I’d always gone in with my eyes open and my information gathered.
And no one else had been so intentionally evasive.
I scooted a few inches on the couch toward the bag. It was zipped shut so I couldn’t even sneak a peek. I’d have to very intentionally open it. I leaned over, a centimeter at a time, as if someone was recording me and I was trying to be sly. In my own home. How silly. My hand fell to my side, closer to the bag. My nail scratched at the couch, creeping its way toward the zipper. My stomach knotted into itself and my palms got clammy. I wiped one against the couch. This was very unlike me. Besides, I wasn’t even sure what I was looking for or if I wanted to know the answer.
Before my hand could make its descent from the couch to the backpack, the bathroom door opened. My hand flew into my hair and I sat up straight. Rigid even.
“Forgot my stuff.” Reed strutted toward me, in all his shirtless glory, with his shorts undone and hanging. He leaned over, scooped the backpack, and withdrew to the bathroom. He didn’t notice the plank of wood rammed down my back or the word guilty scribbled across my forehead.
I should have been disappointed. My snooping opportunity had passed. Instead, a cool ocean breeze seemed to blow through the room. I guess I didn’t want to know as much as I thought.
K.K. Weil grew up in Queens, but eventually moved to New York City, the inspiration for many of her stories. Weil, who attended SUNY Albany as an undergrad and NYU as a graduate student, is also a teacher. She enjoys writing her own dramas and lives near the beach in New Jersey, where she is at work on her next novel.
Today I get to introduce you to another of my wonderful, talented, and prolific Wild Rose Press sistahs, Karilyn Bentley. Karilyn writes in a genre I am ashamed to say I don’t know much about: Urban Fantasy. But I’m going to rectify that today because the little snippet of her current work she’s talking about today sounds amazeballs! Come and meet Karilyn….
Karilyn,The Writer Questions
What drives you to write? The stories and characters in my head keep talking to me and I have to put them on paper or go nuts!
What genre(s) of Romance do you write, and why? Currently, I write urban fantasy. I started off writing paranormal and fantasy romance, but something about the urban fantasy genre drew me in. I love to write in first person with a snarky female heroine.
What genre(s) of Romance do you read, and why? Historical, paranormal, mystery, and urban fantasy are my favorites. I like to be taken to a different place when I read, and of course, I need the HEA.
What’s your writing schedule? Do you write every day? I try to write every day but oftentimes am not successful. I work mornings at the day job, so I try to write either in the afternoons or the evenings.
Give us a glimpse of the surroundings where you write. Separate room? In the kitchen? At the dining room table? We moved last year and prior to that, I had my own office. When we moved, my desk went into the room where my hubby works from home, but instead of using that desk, I now write at the kitchen table. The view is prettier. And I don’t have to listen to hubby’s conference calls. J
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? I need almost total quiet. I can’t even put on headphones or listen to music. Spoken words distract me when I try to write. (Peggy here: me, too!!! I should live in a sound booth that keeps all noise out!)
Do you listen to music while you write, and if so, what kind? If not, why not? Nope, no music. Too distracting!
How did you come up with the plotline/idea for your current WIP? It’s part of my urban fantasy series so I am trying to wrap up plot threads. J But, the original idea for the series was a cross between an old TV show and a nurse who has problems. I wanted it to be a little funny, a lot snarky, and have a bit of a mystery.
Which comes first for you – character or plot? And why? Usually plot, but for this series, the main character came to me first. I wanted to tell Gin’s story. But now that I have her character in my head, it’s the plot that comes for the other books in the series.
What 3 words describe you, the writer?
Slow. As in, I’m one of the slowest writers ever!
Pantser hybrid. As in, I have to know where the story ends but nothing else.
Creative.
Karilyn, The Person
Tell us one unusual thing about yourself – not related to writing!
I can’t leave the house until the bed is made. (Peggy here: oooo! Me, too!!)
Who was your first love and what age were you?
I was in love with a little friend from the time I was 3 until I was 12. Yeah, crazy. As far as men goes, I’d have to say it was my hubby. J
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….
Oh wow. I have no idea. But that’s a great question! There are a lot of things I’d like to do again (as in places to travel to) but I’m not sure about one day.
Do you like a guy in boxers, briefs, or commando?
Briefs
If you had to give up one necessary-can’t-live-without-it beauty item, what would it be?
Lipstick
What three words describe you, the person?
Funny, a good friend, likes to listen (Okay, so that’s more than three. I’ve never been good at math. Ha!)
If you could sing a song with Jimmy Fallon, what would it be?
I can’t sing!!
If you could hang out with any literary character from any book penned at any time line, who would it be, why, and what would you do together? Claire and Jamie from Outlander. They always seem to be having an adventure, so I’d go along with them.
I love the Actor’s Studio show on Bravo, so this is my version of it:
Favorite sound — My windchimes
Least favorite sound – I know it’s cliché, but anything that sounds like fingernails on a chalkboard (am shivering just thinking of that noise!)
Best song every written – Too many to pick just one!
Worst song ever written – I don’t like country/western, but not sure it’s the worst ever written.
Favorite actor and actress – I love Harrison Ford and Robert Redford. Not sure about the actress, I like several of them.
Who would you want to be for 1 day and why? ( It can be anyone living or dead)
A guy, just to see how the other half lives. (Peggy here – this is one of the best answers EVAH to this question!!!)
What turns you on?
Umm…
What turns you off?
Rude people
Give me the worst 5 words ever heard on a first date (here’s mine: “Is that your real hair?”)
I can’t believe someone asked you that on your first date! Here’s mine: “Let’s go to Hooters. They have good wings.” (they do have good wings, but let’s face it, that’s not why the guy wanted to go)
What’s your version of a perfect day?
Sleeping in late, drinking several cups of coffee while sitting on my deck and reading a book.
DEMON CURSED
Blurb:
Gin Crawford, the world’s newest demon huntress, just wants to enjoy a football game, but finds herself hunting a serial killer minion instead. When his victims turn out to be the local football star’s female fans, she must determine if the player has joined forces with the minion, but her efforts lead her deeper into danger. When her mentor, Aidan Smythe, is attacked, Gin resolves to go to any lengths to save him, even if it exposes her most tightly held secret. Minions and demons, however, aren’t the only terrors she faces. Will she realize the greatest danger lies within—before it’s too late?
Excerpt:I shake my head at him before straightening my shoulders. And slapping a hand over my mouth and nose. Yuck. Hours-old death in humid Texas weather makes for a smelly situation. At least I’m not the only one with their hand, or handkerchief, over their mouths.“What happened?” Smythe meets the gaze of each guard and the hyperventilating janitorial women who clearly found the body.One of the women points to where the body lies in front of the Dumpster, flat on her back, hands resting in classic death pose on her bloody stabbed chest, a red rose clasped in her fingers. Her open eyes stare into the night, her mouth curled into a grimace of pain and death. Her clothes look like she came from a club: tight, short, and low-cut, with spiky heels. At one time, I would’ve been jealous of her hot-to-trot figure. Now all I notice is the pain and terror stamped on her face and the unfurling anger deep in my core.Fucking murderers. I might be a fancy-assed demon huntress, but I destroy minions, not human killers. Lucky for me, I can tell which type of kill this scene belongs to with little effort.
Closing my eyes, I start to take a deep calming breath, think better of it, and focus on activating my minion sensors. Tapping into the power of the entity lying along my nerves, I open my eyes to a tactical grid display of reds and oranges, a clear indication of a minion’s presence at the scene.
Looks like I’ll get my wish to annihilate the bastard who killed this poor woman.
Karilyn Bentley’s love of reading stories and preference of sitting in front of a computer at home instead of in a cube, drove her to pen her own works, blending fantasy and romance mixed with a touch of funny.Her paranormal romance novella, Werewolves in London, placed in the Got Wolf contest and started her writing career as an author of sexy heroes and lush fantasy worlds.Karilyn lives in Colorado with her own hunky hero, a crazy dog nicknamed The Kraken, a silly puppy, and a handful of colorful saltwater fish.Connect with Karilyn here: Website // Newsletter // Facebook // Twitter //Blog // Goodreads // Pinterest //AmazonPeggy here: Karilyn, it has been such a privilege and joy getting to know you, today! Much luck in all your future endeavors! Keep writing.
Today, I get to introduce you to another of my wonderful and talented Wild Rose Press sistahs, Judith Sterling. Judith writes medieval romances, and I’ll admit, I haven’t read a lot of that genre. But after reading a little about her new release, The Cauldron Stirred ( Guardians of Erin, nook 1) I am certainly going to rectify that!! Meet Judith and then stick around for a little sumthin’ sumthin’ from The Cauldron Stirred.
Judith, the Author
What drives you to write? An instinctive urge that’s always been with me. I wrote my first story when I was three years old. By age nine, I was writing chapter stories and elaborate scripts for my dolls to act out. Of course, I played all the parts!
What genre(s) of Romance do your write, and why? I write medieval romances, The Novels of Ravenwood. During college and grad school, I studied in England, Scotland, and Sweden. I jumped on every opportunity to explore castles, monasteries, and other medieval buildings throughout Europe. The older the structure, the better! In ruin after ruin, the whispers of the past seduced me; in particular, 12th-century England. There’s also a touch of romance in my young adult paranormal fantasies, the first of which is The Cauldron Stirred.
What genre(s) of Romance do you read, and why? Mostly historical romance set in the British Isles. I love England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, and my first degree was in history.
What’s your writing schedule? Do you write everyday? I write most weekdays but try to devote my weekends to family and relaxation. It’s good for the soul and for my lower back!
Give us a glimpse of the surroundings where you write. Separate room? In the kitchen? At the dining room table? I write in front of a window in my bedroom. When I need a break, I look outside at the 17th-century Witch House across the street. Salem, Massachusetts isn’t a bad place to write. This is Hawthorne country!
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? I prefer quiet, but with 13-year-old twin boys, that’s a rare luxury!
Do you listen to music while you write, and if so, what kind? If not, why not?Sometimes I listen to music—film scores mostly—but I also like quiet. It might sound strange, but oftentimes, music plays in my head without the need for an outer source.
How did you come up with the plotline/idea for your current WIP?The Cauldron Stirred (the YA paranormal fantasy) was partly inspired by travel in Ireland and paranormal events in my own life.
Which comes first for you – character or plot? And why? Plot, and I always use old-fashioned pen and paper for brainstorming and outlines. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly how and why inspiration strikes. If I sit in front of blank paper with my pen poised above it, images and ideas just start to flow. Sometimes they’re connected to my own experience; other times, not. But sitting there ready and waiting seems to signal my muse.
What 3 words describes you, the writer? Passionate, empathetic, wistful.
Judith, The Person
Tell us one unusual thing about yourself – not related to writing! During grad school, my Hindi professor loved the sound of my voice. He recorded me singing, then took the tape home to India, where he played the songs for his family and his pet cow. Does that qualify as unusual? If not, I can tell you I’ve always been a magnet for the paranormal. And I’m cool with that!
Who was your first love and what age were you? I was infatuated with a classmate when I was 10 years old, but in terms of real love, I’d have to say my husband! We met when I was 31—and he was 25—and from day one, we knew we belonged together. He was well worth the wait!
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….That’s hard to answer, but off the top of my head, I’m torn between two: (1) my first day in Killarney; (2) the day (night, actually) when my family and I investigated the paranormal in Gettysburg.
Do you like a guy in boxers, briefs, or commando? Boxers.
If you had to give up one necessary-can’t-live-without-it beauty item, what would it be? I rarely wear makeup anymore, so I guess I’d say moisturizer.
What three words describes you, the person? Loving, compassionate, adventurous.\
If you could sing a song with Jimmy Fallon, what would it be? Either “Bring Me to Life” by Evanescence or “Come Sail Away” by Styx.
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? Nancy Drew, and we’d solve a spellbinding mystery together. I loved those books when I was younger!
Bonus round
I love the Actor’s Studio show on Bravo, so this is my version of it:
Favorite sound – howling wind
Least favorite sound – motorcycles
Best song every written – a tie between Mozart’s Symphony #25 in G minor and “Carry on Wayward Son” by Kansas
Worst song ever written – Hard to say, but I’m not fond of country music.
Favorite actor and actress – Christopher Lee and Katharine Hepburn
Who would you want to be for 1 day and why? ( It can be anyone living or dead) – Eleanor of Aquitaine. She’s a fascinating figure from the High Middle Ages, and I’d love to see her world through her eyes.
What turns you on? Halloween, the sound of rustling leaves, stormy skies, ruins, ancient stones, classic movies, intelligence, humor, contemplation of the unknown, travel, foreign languages, and delicious food!
What turns you off? Violence, bigotry, false accusation, hot weather, and reptiles.
Give me the worst 5 words ever heard on a first date ( here’s mine: “Is that your real hair?”) I’ve had fewer first dates than most of my friends, and probably most women! I honestly don’t remember.
What’s your version of a perfect day? Exploring a historic site on a cool, cloudy day with my loved ones, followed by good food and a great movie.
The Cauldron Stirred
Ashling Donoghue never dreamed moving to Ireland would rock her perception of reality and plunge her into a mystery that brings legend to life.
At seventeen, she’s never had a boyfriend, but she feels an immediate connection to Aengus Breasal, the son of the wealthy Irishman who’s invited her family to stay at his Killarney estate. For the first time in her life, a guy she likes seems attracted to her.
But Aengus is secretive, with good reason. He and his family are the Tuatha Dé Danann, ageless, mythical guardians adept at shifting between this reality and the magical dimension known as the Otherworld. Evil forces from that world threaten the Breasals, the Donoghues, and all of Ireland. Ashling must open her heart, face her fears, and embrace a destiny greater than she could ever have imagined.
Excerpt:
The night air was deliciously cool. Moonlight and darkness held equal sway over the backyard thanks to the shifting clouds. I dashed across the lawn and halted in the exact spot where Aengus had stood. Panting, I looked around, willing some kind of clue to materialize.
The ruins in front of me darkened as large, heavy clouds swallowed the moon whole. The wind tugged at my long, loose hair and pajamas. Tiny raindrops spattered on my nose and cheeks. I turned my palms to the sky, and cold rain pelted them.
“Great.” Intending to return to the house, I swiveled around.
I gasped. My right hand flew to my chest. “Aengus?!”
The man himself stood an arm’s length in front of me. “Why are you here?”
“You scared the crap out of me!”
“Whisht!”
“What?”
“Shush!”
Pop!
The strident sound came from the ruins. I whirled around and stared at the dark keep.
Aengus grabbed me from behind. He pulled me to him and wrapped his arms around me. I reveled in the feel of his taut body, of his warm flesh against mine.
Suddenly, everything changed. The rain stopped. The wind died. The entire landscape was bathed in the soft hue of twilight. Breasal Castle looked brand spanking new, just as it had during the bizarre dream in which I brought Aengus to the cottage. But this time, I knew I was awake.
Dumbfounded, I gawked at the medieval magnificence before me. I had no idea what had happened and no desire to pull away from his embrace.
His lips brushed my right ear, sending a shiver down my spine. “This way.”
His right arm released me, and his left slid down to my waist. Maintaining body contact the entire time, he steered me toward the stand of oaks on our right.
Once sheltered by the trees, he turned us around so we faced the castle.
“Are we hiding?” I whispered.
“We are.”
“Why? And what just happened?”
“I can’t say.”
“Can’t or won’t?”
“Both.”
Until that moment, I’d forgotten I wore pajamas. Now I was acutely aware of it. Satin was pleasing to the touch, but something told me my attire had nothing to do with his grip on me.
I looked up at him. “Not that I mind, but why are you holding me so close?”
His hand tightened on my waist. “It’s necessary.”
“I don’t suppose you can explain that, either.”
With his gaze locked on the castle, he shook his head. He pressed his right forefinger against his mouth in a silencing gesture. Then he pointed up at the keep.
High on the battlements, the black-haired woman from my dream—and from Branna’s painting—paced back and forth. Her hair whipped about her pale face and slender frame.
She paused beside a gap in the crenelated wall and glared down at the fairy mound. Her colorless lips curled into a sneer. Then her human form morphed into a dark shadow, which fragmented into what seemed a million black particles. They swarmed into the air and shot across the twilit sky, disappearing into the distance.
I took a deep breath. “So she’s real.
He nodded. “She’s real, to be sure. Come.” With his arm still hooked around me, he led me out of the woods and toward the fairy mound.
Judith Sterling’s love of history and passion for the paranormal infuse everything she writes. Flight of the Raven and Soul of the Wolf are part of her medieval romance series, The Novels of Ravenwood. The Cauldron Stirred is the first book in her young adult paranormal series, Guardians of Erin. Written under Judith Marshall, her nonfiction books—My Conversations with Angels and Past Lives, Present Stories—have been translated into multiple languages. She has an MA in linguistics and a BA in history, with a minor in British Studies. Born in that sauna called Florida, she craved cooler climes, and once the travel bug bit, she lived in England, Scotland, Sweden, Wisconsin, Virginia, and on the island of Nantucket. She currently lives in Salem, Massachusetts with her husband and their identical twin sons
Today is a treat for me. Not only do I have a great interview with one of my Wild Rose Press sistahs, DEVON MCKAY it’s also the release day for her new book BETTING ON KINCADE, a romantic western featuring a feisty redhead ( my favorite kind of heroine!) So sit back, meet Devon, and stick around because she’s giving us a little taste of her western flair in Betting on Kincade.
Devon, The Writer
1. What drives you to write?
Usually it’s a phrase I can’t get out of my head. Or a character I think needs their story told. Mostly at 3 a.m.
2. What genre(s) of Romance do your write, and why?
Contemporary Western. Love those cowboys!
3. What genre(s) of Romance do you read, and why?
I read anything I can get my hands on. I love to read. However, I prefer to read stories that end with a happy ever after.
4. What’s your writing schedule? Do you write everyday?
I try to. Sometimes life gets in the way.
5. Give us a glimpse of the surroundings where you write. Separate room? In the kitchen? At the dining room table?
I have a “me” room. The space is dedicated to writing and my stained glass art projects. It’s awesome. I don’t have to share.
6. 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?
Quiet please. Too many things going on will make me lose my mind!
7. Do you listen to music while you write, and if so, what kind? If not, why not?
No music. I need complete silence. I tend to get distracted easily.
8. How did you come up with the plotline/idea for your current WIP?
My current WIP is a historical western about mail order brides. I’m fascinated with the Wild, Wild West, so a story about the era is always in the back of my mind.
9. Which comes first for you – character or plot? And why?
Character. Always a character first. I’m not sure why. I guess I have to picture the person first.
10. What 3 words describes you, the writer? Romantic. Passionate. Inquisitive. Devon, The Person
– Tell us one unusual thing about yourself – not related to writing!
I’m super shy. An introvert. I live vicariously through my characters.
– Who was your first love and what age were you?
Gavin Montgomery from the Velvet Promise by Jude Deveraux. I was twelve, maybe thirteen, and just discovered the world of romance novels.
– 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….
I’ve been really blessed in my life. I’ve had many great days. But I guess the one I’d relive would be the day my first story was accepted.
– Do you like a guy in boxers, briefs, or commando?
Boxer briefs.
– If you had to give up one necessary-can’t-live-without-it beauty item, what would it be?
Any kind of makeup. I don’t wear much of it. However, I can’t live without Chap Stick.
– What three words describes you, the person?
Kind. Compassionate. Trusting.
– If you could sing a song with Jimmy Fallon, what would it be?
Come On Eileen. I think he’d make it even more fun and silly.
– 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?
Oh my. This is a tough question. Any one of Stephen King’s characters. And we’d plot a murder, of course.
I love the Actor’s Studio show on Bravo, so this is my version of it:
4. Worst song ever written :The Mcdonald’s mcpick two jingle.( Peggy here: Now that’s a new one on me!!!!)
5. Favorite actor and actress : At the moment Mandy Moore and Milo Ventimiglia from the tv show This Is Us.
6. Who would you want to be for 1 day and why? ( It can be anyone living or dead) :Elvis
7. What turns you on? : A positive attitude. A smile can go a long way in brightening someone else’s day. It’s contagious.
8. What turns you off? : Negativity or mean people
9. Give me the worst 5 words ever heard on a first date ( here’s mine: “Is that your real hair?”)
So, what’s wrong with you?
10. What’s your version of a perfect day? : I’m a homebody. The perfect day would be spent in my jammies, drinking coffee, surrounded by my dogs and writing.
Betting On Kincade by Devon McKay
Blurb:
Everyone Cassie Wilcox loved is gone. And now, thanks to her drunken stepfather, her house and family business will be taken from her, too, unless she can find a way to buy back the ranch from the new owner. With less than two months to come up with money she doesn’t have, her options are running out, and apparently, her common sense as she rents out rooms to an eclectic group of strangers.
Returning home for Dalton Kincade is bittersweet. Not a damn thing has changed. Two years on the rodeo circuit weren’t able to shake free the memory of the feisty redhead who’d broken his heart into a thousand pieces. Nor the sting of her parting words…Never trust a Kincade.
Winning her beloved ranch in a drunken bet is the last thing he expected to happen, but at least he saved it for her. Now, he has to figure out how to break that news to a woman who never wants to see him again. Renting a room in the house he now owns might be a risk, but it’s nothing compared to betting his heart on winning back the love of his life.
Excerpt:
“Are you going to play or just sit there?” Gary Evans slurred in drunken angst as he kicked back his chair and leaned over the table. Not waiting for a reply, he picked up the crisp piece of paper lodged between them, waved it in the air, and then, slammed the deed to the Wilcox land back down on the hard pressed wood.
Cautiously, Dalton stationed a deadly stare on the intoxicated fool and noted the shimmering of glee highlighting the steel gray of the man’s eyes. Tapping the top card, he slowly trailed his finger along the swirled red print.
He was a loser no matter the outcome. Should’ve just walked away. Ignored Gary’s foolish bet and the taunts that followed once the hook had been set. It wasn’t as if Cassie would appreciate his effort anyway. Regardless, he couldn’t walk away and let her lose it all.
Clenching his jaw, he folded his fingers around the squared edges and paused before picking up the pile.
“Read ‘em and weep,” Gary squealed gleefully as he tossed his cards next to the deed. “Four deuces.” He stumbled from the end of the table, closing the gap between them in one stride, before managing to shove a quadruple of stubby digits in front of Dalton’s face. “Four.”
Dalton studied his hand with guarded fury, then stifled the drunkard’s premature victory with a flick of his wrist.
Devon McKay writes contemporary romance with a western flair. If she’s not writing, she’s busy with chores on her small ranch, working on a stained glass project or walking one of her three dogs through the woods. Her greatest joy is putting a smile on a reader’s face and hearing from fans.
Peggy Jaeger, Author 