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On Fractured Ground by Subject BGD-Review & Interview

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ON FRACTURED GROUND (The Shattered Lives Chronicles #1) by Subject BGD-Review & Interview

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date April 1, 2019.

There are no heroes here. Only survivors.

As a child, Tylar Daislea was abandoned at Cellar Institute. A despicable fortress with just one directive: to brainwash, train and traffic women. Introduced to her first trainer at sixteen, she excelled through the initial two years of skills. Until one fateful afternoon, when it all fell apart.

When Tylar leads a second skill trainer to ruin, Corbin Manning receives the call. His father’s unsolved murder left him in charge of the illicit facility his family established decades ago. Forced to return to an underground world he always loathed, Tylar’s behavior threatens to drive him past the brink of his tolerance.

Thrust into the middle is Corbin’s most trusted employee, Chase Tiburon. Faced with a distasteful decision, Chase must return to his former life as a skill trainer or take on a task that will haunt him for the rest of his life.

ABOUT THE SERIES:

Welcome to the universe of Shattered Lives. Dare to take a glimpse into the dark world of the Manning Bloodline. A patriarchal extremist family known for being reclusive in life and ruthless in business. Raised with disregard for everything except bloodline reputation, preservation of genes and success, their heirs are shrewd and without remorse. Over the past three hundred years, all marriages have been arranged and only men have been sired. The leading cause of death is each other.

This series is not for the weak of stomach or the soft of heart. It will challenge the crux of nature versus nurture, as it explores the extremes the mind will go to ensure survival and quality of life.

On Fractured Ground is just the beginning…

*** THIS SERIES IS DARK. IT CONTAINS GRAPHIC CONTENT AND POTENTIAL EMOTIONAL TRIGGERS *** It is unsuitable for readers under the age of 18. Sexual content is frequent, but the story is not formulated erotica and should not be considered romance.

•••••••••••••

REVIEW: ON FRACTURED GROUND is the first instalment in Subject BGD’s contemporary, adult THE SHATTERED LIVES CHRONICLES dark, psychological thriller focusing on Tylar Daislea, Corbin Manning, and Corbin’s best friend Chase.

NOTE: Due to the story line content including sexual slavery, assault, rape, non-consensual acts and murder ON FRACTURED GROUND may contain triggers and that may not be suitable for all readers.

Told from several third person perspectives including Tylar, Corbin and Chase ON FRACTURED GROUND follows Tylar Daislea throughout her ‘training’ as a sexual slave. Left at the Cellar Institute as a young child, Tylar would begin a lifetime of discipline and instruction on how to be an obedient sexual slave. Having never known anything other than the ‘guidance’ and instruction of her proctors and trainers at the Cellar Institute Tylar Daislea is coached and indoctrinated into the illegal world of sexual slavery, setting the groundwork for her sale to an unknown buyer. Stripped of their humanity, the ‘slaves in training’ are brainwashed, mentally and emotionally abused in preparation for a world they know nothing about. Having defied her ‘handlers and trainers’ on more than one occasion, our heroine Tylar Daislea must endure solitary confinement, isolation and deprivation for having questioned and disobeyed the people in charge. If not for the desperate act of the reluctant Cellar Institute owner Corbin Manning, and his right hand man Chase, Tylar’s life may have been forfeited months before.

Tylar Daislea is drawn to a man who makes the life and death decisions at Cellar Institute. Power and control, discipline and obedience, form the basis of the Institutes drive to succeed in an attempt to provide a service to the rich and well-connected but Corbin Manning keeps secret the truth about Tylar’s connections to the Cellar Institute, a connection that prevents Corbin from relinquishing total ownership and control.

ON FRACTURED GROUND is a well written, sweeping and detailed, dark, gritty, raw and bleak look at the lengths some people will go to in order to control and destroy the lives of the most vulnerable; a sick and twisted game in order to break the strong, and weed out the weak. The premise is blunt and heart breaking; the characters are broken, damaged, fragmented and torn.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

TRC: Hi and welcome to The Reading Café.

Congratulations on the recent release of ON FRACTURED GROUND.

Subject BGD: Thank you!

TRC: We would like to start with some background information. Would you please tell us something about yourself?

Follow: Twitter / Facebook / Amazon Author Page / Goodreads / Website

Subject BGD: Born and raised in Western Washington, I grew up with horses, and dirt bikes. As an adult, I’m huge into gaming. Tabletop games dominate my non-writing life, though video games also hold a special place in my heart. My favorite mechanics are resource management and worker placement. Party games are fun, but I’m not a huge fan of social deduction. I never turn down a game of 7 Wonders, with our without expansions. Always down for a night of Dungeons and Dragons, or a weekend of Kingdom Death Monster. When console gaming comes into play, it’s usually Borderlands, Destiny, Witcher, Dragon Age, or Skyrim.

TRC: Subject BGD is a mysterious choice for your author name. Would you please address the use of Subject BGD, and any significance it has to the series?

Subject BGD: Due to the theme of the Shattered Lives Chronicles, I wanted to keep my real name separate from the series. I thought it would be neat for my penname to foreshadow a reveal in Book 3, Broken by Blood. Gayle Schnaber is also a pseudonym, since Facebook would not allow me to create a profile as Subject BGD. Not every FB group will allow authors to join as pages, and they are full of great resources. A reoccurring character, readers will meet the inspiration for Gayle in On Fractured Ground.

TRC: Who or what influenced your career in writing?

Subject BGD: The series was as an outlet for tragedies that struck throughout my life, and it was never intended to be published. It helped me work through everything from childhood hospitalizations, assaults, DV, emotional abuse, an earth-shattering discovery about my family, and even a miscarriage. I “finished” the story in 2008, but rewrote it whenever I felt devastated. I would alter reality to make things 10x worse for my characters, and force them to be stronger than I ever could. I cursed Corbin with the ability to shut down, though at the price of sometimes exploding. I granted Tylar the courage to stand up for herself, no matter the risk. And I gifted Chase with the level head I never had, but not the sense to avoid working for a corrupt establishment.

TRC: What challenges or difficulties did you encounter writing and publishing your first novel?

Subject BGD: Writing was easy, I pantsed the entire series (in Layman’s, no outline or mapped plot, though I did create a retroactive timeline to keep everything straight). The challenge came when a friend read part of the story in 2018 and convinced me to publish. Luckily, she offered help with marketing and editing (she has experience with both). But I had to learn to identify and remove passive voice, and change telling to showing. At over 1,000,000 words, the story also had to be split into volumes. Rewriting to fix pacing has been no small task, but the reward of reading a tighter manuscript is exhilarating. I’ve been thrilled by the reaction from readers!

TRC: Would you please tell us something about the premise of ON FRACTURED GROUND and the Shattered Lives Chronicles?

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Subject BGD: Most people find a way to normalize atrocities when they feel powerless. It’s a survival mechanism, and it is prolific in victims of long-term abuse. Corbin’s psychological abuse began at birth; Tylar’s when she was 4-years-old. On Fractured Ground introduces what they endured, demonstrates how it made them who they are as it continues to shape their lives, and reveals its impact on the people around them. This is NOT a story about heroes. It’s a tale of survival, and the cost is different for each of the 3 main characters.

TRC: There are a number of potential ‘triggers’ for more sensitive readers. What would you like to say to the readers to address their fears?

Subject BGD: Although the settings, events, and people are fictional, the situations that compelled me to write them are real. My self-administered therapy is not suitable for all readers, but creating an adaptation of devastating experiences saved me from suicide more than once. It was how I survived sexual assault by an ex, and another by a coworker a decade and a half later. The Shattered Lives Chronicles was the only means of escaping my darkest hours. I hope others can find the strength I did through Tylar, Chase, and Corbin.

 TRC: How many books do you have planned for the series?

Subject BGD:The finished story will be divided into 5 or 6 novels. Remaining Shards will be the final installment for this story in the Chronicles, though I have a second that takes place 19 years later. At 371,285 words, it focuses more on the Texas Mannings and delves a little deeper into the realm of eugenics. I have no idea how it ends, so it’s hard to tell how many books it will add. Probably another 3 to 5.

 TRC: From where did you get the idea for ON FRACTURED GROUND?

Subject BGD:Sexual frustration and too much daytime TV. It was supposed to be a short erotic fanfic based on General Hospital in the early 2000s. Next thing I know it’s a GH-less monstrosity with sex included, although no longer the focus. Oops?

TRC: What kind of research/plotting did you do, and how long did you spend researching /plotting before beginning ON FRACTURED GROUND and the Shattered Lives Chronicles?

Subject BGD: I wrote first and asked questions later. When reading back through, I dug for plausibility on certain scenarios that might seem outlandish. Since the story deals with experimental psychology, fact-checking dropped me down a number of conspiracy theory rabbit holes. These always lead to some aspect of the modern-day interpretation of the Illuminati. Yes, I know their real history (way more boring than what people think of them nowadays). No, the series does not contain their theories or ideology. They are mentioned in passing by a character in Book 3. It’s a nod to the conspiracy theorists and to make fun of myself for spending too many hours reading myths about world domination.

TRC: What was the most challenging scene to write?

Subject BGD: Tylar’s extreme naiveté was often a difficult thing to portray. Cellar Institute censors education, reading material, music and videos. Its students can count and tell time, but do not know simple math and have never seen money. Though taught enough to be conversational, they are undereducated to a degree that makes them seem “dumb as a pile of rocks” to outsiders. As someone who benefitted from formal education, I had to rack my brain over what they would or wouldn’t know. Then came the task of figuring out how an intelligent woman raised under such conditions would make deductions the others wouldn’t. Later in the story, I had to give her a believable train of thought for learning the impossible. It was a very interesting challenge.

TRC: Do you believe the cover image plays a deciding factor for many readers in the process of selecting a book or new series to read?

Subject BGD: Yes. It’s a reader’s first impression when browsing online or in bookstores. They say you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but truth is most people do.

TRC: When writing a storyline, do the characters direct the writing or do you direct the characters?

Subject BGD: I sit down with an idea, a beverage of choice, and the best of intentions. Everything that happens from there takes on a life of its own. Things do not always go my way and most plans fly out the window. It’s another reason I run with ideas, instead of outlining. Too much work for something the characters and plot will deviate away from.

TRC: The mark of a good writer is to pull the reader into the storyline so that they experience the emotions along with the characters. What do you believe a writer must do to make this happen? Where do you believe writer’s fail in this endeavor?

Subject BGD: In Dnd, we call it ‘character vs. player knowledge’. The Author must know their character inside and out, and be able to put themselves in the situation AS that character. Fleshing this out goes so much deeper than a simple character description sheet (those are a great start, though). You need to know exactly what your character would do in any given situation, which often means living as your character for a time. It means rewriting, and backstories. Side fiction also helps A LOT, because it gives the opportunity to flesh out not just who they are, but WHY they are.

I’ve read a number of books where the characters are either underdeveloped, or I get yanked from the story when they do or say things that don’t align with their values/personality.

TRC: Do you listen to music while writing? If so, does the style of music influence the storyline direction? Characters?

Subject BGD: I need complete silence when creating. If people are moving about the cabin, it pulls me out of the universe and I get irritated. However, there is a story arc involving a band called Tight Merge, and I created a soundtrack for the series in Spotify. So, music is still an important part of the process!

TRC: What do you believe is the biggest misconception people have about authors?

Subject BGD: That we are what we write. Sure, most of us pour our souls into our manuscripts, but we are still a separate entity. After reading what my series was about, a friend said: “I didn’t know you felt that way about men.” The story doesn’t reflect my views on men or women. My devastated brain gave birth to a work of fiction, which developed a personality of its own as it grew.

TRC: How should authors measure a book’s success?

Subject BGD:By how the inspires its readers to feel. We create a way for people to escape their everyday lives. For a novel to be truly successful, it must transport its reader to another universe and allow them the opportunity to be someone else for a time.

TRC: What is something that few, if anyone, knows about you?

Subject BGD: I am an extrovert who suffers from a social anxiety that often feels debilitating. Whenever I reveal this, people are shocked. Apparently, I hide it very well.

TRC: Who is your favorite author (living or dead)?

Subject BGD: Brandon Sanderson, hands down. Before I discovered him, it was Dan Simmons.

TRC: On what are you currently working?

Subject BGD: Rewriting Book 2: Fragmented Past. Hoping to have it ready before April, 2020!

TRC: Would you like to add anything else?

Subject BGD: I have a free flash fiction backstory for the Shattered Lives Chronicles available on my website, and I plan to write more. At less than 1,000 words, ‘Collared’ recounts the day Corbin’s parents met in Sicily. Unrelated to Cellar Institute, this 5-minute read can be enjoyed as a stand-alone for those who have not yet read On Fractured Ground. If you have read the first installment of the series, it provides some insight and has an Easter egg for Book 4: Malunion.

I’ve written another short stand-alone called ‘Pixies in the Night’, which uncovers some of the mystery behind Tylar’s parents. It’s been submitted for publication in an online flash fiction magazine. If it’s accepted, I’ll post its link to my site!

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food
Sushi

Favorite Dessert
DQ Blizzard

Favorite TV Show
I’d probably have to say Rick and Morty. I own a number of their board games, as well.

Last Movie You Saw
Mortal Engines

Dark or Milk Chocolate
Milk Chocolate, all the way!

Secret Celebrity Crush
Ian Somerhalder

Last Vacation Destination
Japan (spent 3 days in Tokyo, and 3 in Okinawa).

Do you have any pets?
I rescued a Siamese kitten 7 years ago, and trained her like a dog. She knows ‘no’, ‘come here’, ‘get down’, and comes to her name.

Last book you read
A post-apocalyptic novella called “Life after the Fall” by G.J. Ogden. It’s a prequel to his Planetsider series. I’m currently reading the next installment, aptly named ‘The Planetsider’. I’m also listening to the Harry Potter series on Audible.

TRC: Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions. Congratulations on the release of ON FRACTURED GROUND. We wish you all the best.

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Kept Hidden (The Hidden Series #2) by Leigh Fleming-Review & Guest Post

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KEPT HIDDEN (The Hidden Series #2) by Leigh Fleming-Review & Guest Post

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date March 6, 2019

Recently fired from a Dallas TV station, reporter Vanessa Barczak’s career languishes in a small West Virginia town until she witnesses an abduction—a child is snatched directly in front of her. She desperately wants to get back to the big time, and this story might be the one to do it. But the crime stirs up past memories she’d hoped were long buried.

Up for a promotion in Chicago, FBI Special Agent Bo Azar needs to solve this case. Vanessa Barczak gets in his way, insinuating herself into the investigation and into his head. After she witnesses a second abduction, he realizes she knows more than she’s letting on. Now he’s forced to depend on her to help catch the kidnapper, but she’s not talking.

Determined to get justice for the young victims, Vanessa and Bo grow closer as they unravel the truth behind the crimes. Through the mountainous terrain and surrounding forests, they stumble onto a scenario neither could’ve imagined, forcing them to open up to emotions they’ve Kept Hidden.

•••••••••

REVIEW: This is an exciting crime/romance story by Leigh Fleming. This author is very talented and builds an exciting story quickly and yet develops the romance naturally and slowly. It’s very well written with a page turning plot.

Vanessa Barczak is a reporter for a local paper in West Virginia. She’s doing articles on old courthouses and other mundane things to have a job. She was fired for exposing a Senator’s ring of sexual favors for hire in Texas without enough proof. She hopes to get back to the big city and more exciting assignments someday.

When a young girl is abducted right in front of her, the FBI is called in to help the local police find the girl. While she was filming the courthouse, she inadvertently caught the abduction.

Special Agent Bo Azar is supervising the investigation. The attraction between the two characters is immediate, but neither of them wants to admit it or handle the complications of a relationship, at this time. They verbally spar and the sparks begin to fly.
The case continues and then the plot takes an unexpected turn, in true Fleming style!

That’s the setup, I won’t spoil this wonderful story for you. Just be sure to grab a copy to read for yourself. You won’t regret it, it’s thrilling and marvelous with a lot of unexpected revelations! Enjoy, I certainly did!

Click HERE for Georgie’s review of book one-STAY HIDDEN

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Georgiana

The Secret Behind The Hidden Series

The Hidden Series is a romantic suspense trilogy set in my home state of West Virginia, in which each book features a heinous crime, an FBI special agent male protagonist, and a strong, determined female protagonist.

I wish I could tell you I’m a former FBI special agent with working knowledge of law enforcement and mad crime-solving skills. I wish I could tell you I’d spent months holed up in my office sweating and eating chocolate, meticulously planning the characters and plots of each novel in the series. I wish I could say that I had witnessed at least one of the crimes mentioned in the stories. Nope—nada—nix. There was no special sauce to making these books compelling, hard-to-put-down reads. The secret was my vivid imagination and luck.

I write the contemporary romance Whatever series. Each of the books’ titles begin with the word Whatever, which I later learned was the least favorite word in the English language. (Perhaps I should research titles more thoroughly in the future.) There is a minor character in the first three books—Derek Bronson—for whom some of my readers became fixated. In one day alone I had five different readers tell me that Derek needed his own book. Maybe it was because he is a hunky, blond Adonis who happens to be an FBI special agent. A big, bright light flashed in my mind. Good suggestion readers! I had a new hero for my next book. Now I needed a heroine.

In the third book of the series, Whatever You Say, I introduced Riley Smith—a quiet, unassuming young woman who lives next door. She had a small part, but I’d always wondered about her backstory. (Yep, my characters come alive when I’m writing.) So, when I decided to write Derek’s story, Riley was an easy choice for the heroine. They just fit together in my mind. I had my protagonists! However, I had a problem. Up until that point I’d only written lightly-steamy, contemporary romance, but Derek was a special agent. I had to show him doing special-agent-y things. Thus, Stay Hidden was born.

In Stay Hidden, Derek works on a team with two other agents, hunting the man who killed his father in a bank robbery. He meets Riley, to whom he is very attracted, and they spend a passionate week together until he sees her face in a convenience store surveillance photo that identifies her as an accomplice in the murder.

I hadn’t immediately set out to write a series, but as I developed the other agents, Alex and Bo, I knew I had to give them their own stories as well. Plus, I’d entered Stay Hidden in a writing contest (this is where the luck part came in) and it won! One of the judges offered me a publishing contract with Soul Mate Publishing and immediately asked about the next book in the series. Thankfully, I had the rough draft of Kept Hidden handy. It features Bo and Vanessa, a broadcast journalist recently fired from a Dallas TV station who witnesses a child abduction that conjures up painful memories.

Openly Hidden, the third book in the series, will be released in September 2019. Its hero is Alex and its heroine is Olivia. Olivia comes to West Virginia to investigate the disappearance of a college student and finds out there are three others who have also mysteriously vanished.
It’s possible that all of these books were inspired by something I’d heard in the news or on a talk show, or simply came to me in a dream (which has happened to me before.). I can’t specifically point to how the stories were born. I have no expertise in police work or journalism or private investigation or floral design, the careers of the main characters. What I do have knowledge of is small town West Virginia—the lifestyle, the mindset, the food, and the interesting people that make up the fabric of a close knit community.

So, there you have it. I confess there’s actually no secret to my writing process. My stories are a mix of captivating characters, unique settings, and my lively imagination. So far, Stay Hidden and Kept Hidden have been well received by several people in the publishing industry, as well as my core fan base, and I hope you get a chance to read them. Thank you in advance if you do!

Twenty years ago Leigh Fleming vowed to write a book someday and her goal finally came to fruition in 2013. Since the day she first sat down at the computer to write, she has been hard at work creating unique characters facing life’s challenges, but who are always rewarded with their happy ending. When she’s not writing in her windowless office, she enjoys reading, travelling, scrapbooking, and spending time with friends.

Leigh is a member of Romance Writers of America and the Washington Romance Writers chapter. She lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia, with her husband, Patrick, and her deaf French Bulldog Napoleon, and is mom to adult children, Tom and Liza.

Contact Leigh at leigh@leighfleming.com. Follow Leigh on Facebook at www.facebook.com/leighhflemingauthor and on Twitter www.twitter.com/leighhfleming1

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The Good Ones by Jenn McKinlay-Review, Guest Post & Giveaway

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The Good Ones by Jenn McKinlay-Review, Guest Post & Giveaway

 

 

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Description:
Ryder Copeland is an accomplished architect and one heck of a father…not to mention tall and sexy. He’s everything a hero should be, and Lord knows, Maisy Kelly has read enough of her great-aunt Eloise’s romance novels to recognize one when she sees one. But like all fairy tales, Maisy can’t help but wonder if this Prince Charming is too good to be true…

Ryder is drawn to the shy, curly haired professor who hires him to convert the Victorian house she’s inherited from her aunt into a romance bookstore. Attracted to a woman for the first time since his divorce, Ryder finds himself wishing for a future with Maisy that he knows is impossible. Ryder has never wavered from his plan to leave the small town of Fairdale, North Carolina, so he can give his daughter the life she deserves. But suddenly he’s not so sure. And the closer he gets to Maisy, the harder it’s going to be to walk away…

 

Review:

The Good Ones by Jen McKinlay is the first book in her new Happily Ever After series.  This was a fun sweet romance, with a wonderful couple and outstanding secondary characters.

We meet our heroine Maisy Kelly at the start, as she awaits the arrival of the architect to arrange for improvements to the house she inherited from her great aunt, who recently was deceased.   Maisy is coming off having quit her job as a professor, when her ex boyfriend betrayed her by working behind her back to steal the promotion she expected.  When her ex tries to convince her to stay on the job working for him, she refuses.  Instead, Maisy plans to renovate the mansion to create a romance book store, as the house is full of romance books.

Ryder Copeland, our hero, is an architect, and a single dad, with a teenage daughter.  Ryder wants this job to renovate the old sturdy mansion, and then plans to take a job out of town, as he arranges to send his daughter, Perry to an expensive school.  Ryder does a double take when he meets Maisy, who was in her sloppy casual work clothes looking extremely young.  Ryder will learn later on the Maisy is close to 30 and an accomplished woman.  When Maisy meets Ryder, who is wearing a cowboy hat, she can’t take her eyes off him; he looked like a hot handsome cowboy from many of her romance books. 

Maisy was a wonderful heroine, who was fun, spunky, and independent. I loved her, and the other savvy great friends of hers that we got to love too.  Major kudos to McKinlay for giving us such great women, such as Maisy, Savy, Jeri and Hannah. I also loved Ryder’s daughter, Perry, who quickly became close to all the women.  King George, the little kitten who brought them all together was such a sweet plus to the story.

What follows is a fun, amusing story, with Maisy and Ryder slowly falling for each other, despite Ryder’s determination that he is too old, not to mention he is moving away.   They were a fun couple, with hot chemistry, that had us rooting hard for them to stay together.  Jenn McKinlay also gave us some enjoyment with various mentioning of famous authors or book titles, during the renovation of the home, making it a fabulous book store with a turret and calling it ‘Happily Ever After’.

The Good Ones was a wonderful story, with the backdrop of the creation of the romance bookstore; a wonderful couple in Ryder and Maisy; the daughter and the adorable kitten, and a fantastic group of secondary characters.  If you enjoy a sweet fun pure romance, you need to read this book written so very well by Jenn McKinlay.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

 

 

When Jake took off his cowboy hat and pulled her close, Claire wrapped her arms around him and the two became one. When they kissed she knew they were making each other a promise for today, tomorrow, and forever. Clare sighed. For the first time in her life, she knew that no matter what happened this man, who was her partner and her best friend, would be by her side. For all time.

Maisy Kelly closed the book and pressed it to her chest and sighed. Jake Sinclair, the perfect man, why did he reside only in the pages of a book? It wasn’t fair. She was twenty-nine and none of the men she’d ever dated had been even remotely as caring or charming as Jake Sinclair.
Knock knock knock.
Maisy blinked. Someone was at the door. No, no, no. She had a book hangover and she didn’t want to deal with the world right now.
Knock knock knock.
They weren’t going away. Maisy rose from where she’d been seated on the bottom step of the stairs. In theory, she was supposed to be cleaning out her Great Aunt Eloise’s house, in reality she was binge reading Auntie El’s hoarder’s trove of romance novels. It wasn’t making the task, which was heartbreaking to begin with, any easier.
Knock knock knock.
“All right, all right,” Maisy grumbled. “I’m coming.”
She strode to the door and yanked it open. Probably, if she had bothered to glance through the peep hole she would have been prepared, but she hadn’t and she wasn’t.
Standing on her front step, looking impossibly handsome and imposing, was a cowboy. Maisy glanced down at her book. On the cover was the artist’s rendering of Jake Sinclair, in jeans and a white shirt, leaning against a split rail fence, with a brown cowboy hat tipped carelessly over his brow. Maisy could practically hear the cows mooing in the background.
She glanced back up. Jeans, white shirt, and a cowboy hat. This guy had it all going on, except where the artist had left Jake’s face in shadow and not clearly defined, this guy was a full on 3D HD of hotness, with full lips, faint stubble on his chin, and quite possibly the bluest eyes Maisy had ever seen this side of the sky. She had a sudden urge to poke him with her pointer finger to see if he was real.
“Mornin’, Miss,” the man drawled, drawled!
Miss? Huh, she hadn’t been called “Miss” since she’d started teaching at Fairdale University. Why would he…she glanced down.
She was wearing her favorite floral Converse All-stars, ripped up denim shorts, and her old Fairdale University sweatshirt, the one with the sleeves that hung down past her hands, oh, and she had on no makeup and her hair was held back by an enormous pink headband. She probably looked like one of her college students, possibly a freshman.
In that brief shining moment, she was certain if it was possible to die of embarrassment, she would expire in three…two…one. She gave it a second. Nope, still standing. Damn it.
“Listen, I’m sorry, sir, but whatever you’re selling, I’m not interested—,” she began but he cut her off.
“Oh, I’m not selling anything,” he said. He looked confused. “This is three-twenty-three Willow Lane, right?”
“Yes, it is. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to get back–,” she let her voice trail off, hoping he’d get the hint. He didn’t.
“I have an appointment with a Ms. Kelly,” he said. “Or Mrs. Kelly, I’m not sure.”
Maisy knew she didn’t have any appointments today. That was why she’d indulged herself in a good long reading sesh. This guy was probably a hustler, trying to con her to buy some property insurance or new windows. Ever since she’d inherited this monster of a house from Auntie El she’d had all sorts of scammers climbing out of the cracks in the sidewalk, trying to get her to refinance or buy a security system. It was exhausting.
The man met her squinty stare with one of his own. He shrinkled up one eye and mimicked her look of disbelief right down to the small lip curl. The nerve! Then she saw the twinkle in his one open eye, and Maisy couldn’t hold it. She burst out laughing.
He grinned at her and her ire diminished as she noted the cowboy had a sense of humor. Okay, she decided to give him a break and at least take his name and number.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “What was your appointment with Ms. Kelly about?”
“It’s about the house, actually,” he said. “My name’s Ryder Copeland. I’m a restoration architect, and you are?”
“Ryder Copeland?” Maisy’s eyes went wide. “But our appointment isn’t until tomorrow, you know, Tuesday.”
“Today is Tuesday,” he said.
“No, it isn’t,” she said. “It’s Monday.”
“Sorry, it really is Tuesday. Wait,” he said. “Our appointment? You’re Maisy Kelly?”

In Defense of Romance

An interesting thing happened when I was writing THE GOOD ONES, a story about an English professor, Maisy Kelly, who inherits an old Victorian stuffed with romance novels from her Aunt Eloise and decides instead of pitching the books to hire architect Ryder Copeland to remodel the place into a bookstore. While fictionally sorting through years of romance novels with my heroine Maisy, I was reacquainted with the many brilliant and talented writers who I had sadly forgotten over the years. There really is some phenomenal writing in romance, just as in all genres, but romance, I believe, is the most frequently dismissed, which is a shame.

The character of Aunt Eloise, Auntie El, in the Happily Ever After books is that of a woman who was widowed in middle-age, losing the love of her life without ever having had children. In the dark days after losing her husband, she turned to romance novels to pull her through her grief and they became her comfort. Let me say here that there have been a lot of rough patches in my life where the only thing that pulled me through the bad, sad, mad days was a well crafted romantic comedy.

It occurred to me as I wrote THE GOOD ONES that I was inadvertently becoming an advocate for the genre. I have absolutely no problem with this since romance novels have been truer to me in my life than most of my boyfriends. And, in fact, when the drudgery of wife-ing and mothering is too much, romance novels do some of the emotional heavy lifting for my Hub and our hooligans.

Why? Because on a regular Tuesday, or any day but we’ll go with Tuesday, I wake up to the alarm clock’s flashing light and hit the ground running. It’s breakfast for two teens, two dogs, and three cats. Then it’s laundry, dishes, and a quick calendar check of everyone’s schedule. Things need to be bought so there’s an errand, oh, then there’s work stuff to do that doesn’t include writing. Done. Now it’s writing time. Ten pages a day must be accomplished or I’ll fall off deadline. On a good day, it’s done while everyone is out. On a bad day, and there are a lot of bad days, work is stopped by orthodontist appointments, gym workouts, school activities, and homework checks. Then it’s family dinner. And back to the writing for however long it takes to grind those final pages out. Finally, it’s time to curl up with a book and read. At this point in my day, I am emotionally exhausted. I’ve given all I’ve got to everyone I love. I am done.

This moment. This moment is when I reach for a romance novel. Asking the Hub to refill my dry emotional well is a Herculean task to dump on a man, who also hit the ground running and partnered in the chores, obligations, and responsibilities of the day. Plus, his football team probably lost so he’s happier unconscious at the moment. Sliding into a world where the heroine has her own struggles, where she can be sassy and smart, strong and brave, where she can fall in love and have someone fall in love with her in all her quirky weirdness in return, floods the wasteland of my emotional reserves and I am restored. When the alarm goes off the next morning, I am duly prepared to face another day and this is why I think everyone should read romance. Truly, it’s like medicine for the emotionally bereft.

Wishing you nothing but happily ever afters!

XOXO, Jenn McKinlay

 

 

Jenn McKinlay’s publisher,  is offering a paper copy of THE GOOD ONES to ONE (1) commenter at The Reading Cafe.

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Jake’s Redemption (Angel Eyes Series Prequel) by Jamie Schulz-Review & Interview

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JAKE’S REDEMPTION (The Angel Eyes Series Prequel) by Jamie Schulz-Review & Interview

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.au / Amazon.uk / B&N /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date February 1,2019

In a broken world, he faced a future full of pain. Will one daring woman be his last chance for love… Before time runs out…

Jake longs for the life men lived before war destroyed everything and women enslaved them. When fate forces a temporary reprieve from torment and imprisonment, escape becomes his primary objective. Until his new captor sparks hope, and something far more passionate, in his lonely heart.

After giving up on romance, Monica dedicated herself to sheltering unfortunate souls from a harsh new society. But then destiny delivered a desperate man to her doorstep. A man she soon discovers she cannot ignore and would do anything to save.

Will Monica be able to free Jake from the vicious woman who wants to break him? Or will Jake be forced to leave Monica behind to save himself?

••••••••••

REVIEW: JAKES’ REDEMPTION is the first instalment and full-length prequel in Jamie Schulz’ post-apocalyptic, dystopian, erotic romance series focusing on a world controlled and ruled by women. This is former rancher and slave Jake Nichols, and ranch owner Monica Avery’s story line.

WARNING: Due to the nature of the story line there are numerous triggers including rape, torture, abuse, non-consent, slavery and imprisonment that may not be suitable for more sensitive readers.

Told from dual third person points of view (Jake and Monica) JAKE’S REDEMPTION follows Jake Nichols spiral into the darkness, and the building relationship between our broken hero, and rancher Monica Avery. Several years earlier a catastrophic war destroyed cities and towns throughout the world, and ‘changed the social order’ between men and women. In the ensuing aftermath, a second civil war between the sexes resulted in women becoming the dominant and controlling sex, while men were slaves to be used and abused. Jake Nichols, and his best friend Bret Masters hid in the mountains only to find themselves captured by raiding parties and sentenced to servitude and slavery for the rest of their lives.

Jake Nichols is a broken man; shattered by months of sexual abuse at the hands of his Mistress and owner Darla Cain, and her equally cruel and abusive friends and council members. When rancher Monica Avery offers Jake a chance at temporary ‘freedom’ from Darla’s barbarism, Jake is sceptical about Monica’s intent. What ensues is the slow building relationship between Jake and Monica, and the potential fall-out as Jake’s time with Monica comes to an end.

The relationship between Jake and Monica struggles in the face of Jake’s imprisonment and torture by Darla Cain. Fractured, and unable to trust, Jake battles the memories, the fears, the humiliation, and the possibility of returning to Darla’s hold, fear that controls every aspect of his life. Monica’s attraction to Jake is met with uncertainty as Jake’s trust has been destroyed by betrayal, abuse and torture.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful secondary and supporting characters including Jake’s friend Bret Masters; Monica’s best friend Angel Aldridge and her head guard Michelle, as well as Monica’s ranch hands and guards- Shawn Brohm, Rosa Santos, Kristine, Trevor and Kara, and Section Council member Jewel Stewart; Darla Cain, and Carrie Simpson. Angel and Bret’s story line is next.

The world building looks at the aftermath of another world war, and the consequences of corrupt power. Not all women are cruel or vindictive but those that are have destroyed any sense of peace for the men that survived.

JAKE’S REDEMPTION is a heart breaking, emotional, dark and gritty story of survival wherein recovery is next to impossible; and memories control the present and the future.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy 

TRC: Hi Jamie and welcome to The Reading Café.

Congratulations on the recent release of JAKE’S REDEMPTION.

Jamie: Thanks!

TRC: We would like to start with some background information. Would you please tell us something about yourself?

Follow: Facebook / Website / Goodreads / Amazon Author Page

Jamie: I have been writing on and off for thirty-odd years. Working on this series much of that time, but other stories as well. Including short stories for friends when I was in school.

TRC: Who or what influenced your career in writing?

Jamie: Hum…Well, there are a few things that influenced me. I always really loved to read. My first favorite author was Tolkien. I loved the scope of his writing, the worlds and cultures he created enthralled me. I wanted to do the same. In high school, I had a notoriously difficult English teacher who was the first to comment on my raw talent and encouraged me to write every day to keep improving…and I did…mostly.

Thirdly, thanks to my cousin, I discovered romance novels in my early teens. I’d always made up stories in my head, used to fall asleep at night dreaming them up. After reading my first romance—Shanna by Kathleen Woodiwiss—I wanted to write my own.
And lastly, I’ve always loved cowboys and been a country girl at heart, if not entirely in life. In the Angel Eyes Series, I wanted to bring that out, mixed in with some other things (genres) to come up with something different and intriguing. I think I did that. Hopefully, readers will too.

TRC: What challenges or difficulties did you encounter writing and publishing your first novel?

Jamie: Oh, my, there were so many and I had so very much to learn to do it all! One was just finding the time to write. Another was finding good editors. Editing was arduous, but ultimately very worthwhile. Then getting reviews…Ah! All the research and details that go into this and all the other aspects of marketing are exhausting. Even more so when you’re doing it on your own. The cover design took me forever too, but everything worked out in the end. Now, I’m getting ready to do it all over again with my next novel.

TRC: Would you please tell us something about the premise of JAKE’S REDEMPTION and the Angel Eyes Series?

Jamie: Well, basically it’s about characters who’ve survived devastating wars, global destruction, and the restart of civilization, only to end up living in an oppressive, reversed society where women rule what is left and men have been subjugated. The main characters must struggle to overcome the harsh rules in order to be together permanently before their enemies can tear them apart.

TRC: There are a number of potential ‘triggers’ for more sensitive readers. What would you like to say to the readers to address their fears?

Jamie: Yes, there are some disturbing scenes—two dream scenes in particular. The society’s harsh rules are what make this a dystopian world. But it is also a romance, and there are some very steamy scenes between the main characters as they learn to trust and fall in love. The strongest themes in the story include love, trust, friendship, and family; about overcoming obstacles and working together to do so. (There is some contemporary cowboy romance in that.)

I asked some early readers to give me three words to describe the story after they finished the book. The three that came up the most were Romantic, Hopeful, and Intriguing. One reviewer also recently said that the story is “uplifting and lets the reader know that if you surround yourself with the right people, you CAN get through” anything. That was what I was hoping to accomplish.

TRC: How many books do you have planned for the series?

Jamie: Currently the plan is for six books (all a continuing story) and this one prequel. There is also a contemporary short story about how the two male characters discussed in Jake’s Redemption first became friends. People who buy the book will get a link to it at the end. I’m considering doing two or three other stories for other characters, but that’s still undecided right now.

TRC: From where did you get the idea for JAKE’S REDEMPTION?

Jamie: History is where I get a lot of ideas in general. The very first idea for this series came to me in high school history class. We were studying the American Civil War. I remember thinking, “What could be worse than living as a slave?” The idea grew and morphed as my friends and I discussed the topic. Especially after I brought up two questions:
1. “What if slavery wasn’t about race, but, instead, about gender?”
2. “What if women were the ones in control and they weren’t all that nice?”
Those ideas sparked a long, interesting conversation, which encouraged me to put pen to paper. Over the years, lots and lots of notebooks, napkins, parchment—you name the paper there’s a good chance I used it—were filled with outlines and notes and chapters for this long tale.

History is where a lot of the societal base and the inequality in the story comes from, both older and more contemporary. Jake’s story came to light about two years ago, when I felt, that because he plays such an important part in the lives of the main characters in the series, that he needed his own story told first. Once that thought struck me, I sat down and started to write.

TRC: What kind of research/plotting did you do, and how long did you spend researching /plotting before beginning JAKE’S REDEMPTION?

Jamie: I’d usually have a specific idea and think about it for a while, often making a quick outline or notes about it before starting a book. Then, once I have a basic idea of what I want, I start writing. I’m a bit of a pantser but I’m also a plotter, so I guess that makes me a “plantser”. I will sometimes stop writing for a day or two to think about the story and/or to read up on whatever scenario that “just came up” or that I feel I’m not knowledgeable enough to get the meaning or image across to the readers accurately. As I said, a lot of the story comes from history, so I did a lot of reading about the past. I researched slavery and the human reaction to trauma among other things. I actually started writing the main part of the series first, so I’ve done a ton of research on all kinds of things, including farming, ranching, construction and more, so it’s hard to put an amount of time on how long I spent.

TRC: There is a fine line between romance, erotic and erotica fiction. What do you believe are the differences? And where should the author draw the line?

Jamie: Hum…well, I haven’t thought a lot about this, but in my humble opinion they are very similar. The major difference that I’ve seen is that erotic romance involves two characters getting together for more than just sex (but with a lot of heat in the sex that is depicted and more of it), whereas erotica can often have many partners and with the main focus of the story being on the sex.

To me, romance is about more than just great sex. Sure, it’s a big part, but I’m more about the emotional connection that, which when there, makes the sex out of this world (and I’m not talking aliens here).

I find the human condition and how we handle/react to things in our environment and lives very interesting, but I think there are some authors that go to extremes in their stories and there are some things that I personally just won’t read. I have read both types of books and there were a few I didn’t finish simply because I didn’t like some aspect of the story or the characters themselves for whatever reason.

That said, I feel authors should write the story inside them, but keep in mind that people shouldn’t have to hurt to be with someone and I’m not talking about consensual BDSM here, if you know what I mean.

TRC: What was the most challenging scene to write?

Jamie: The boring ones. Okay, I’m only partially joking. I like writing almost all scenes. I’ve found that I want to rush through some of the less central parts and get to the good stuff where the characters get together. But I also like building the world and the suspense so that when they get together it’s meaningful.

Later in the series, there is a rather violent scene that was very hard to write and may get whittled down a bit before publication. That one was definitely the hardest one to write that I can recall.

TRC: Do you believe the cover image plays a deciding factor for many readers in the process of selecting a book or new series to read?

Jamie: Oh, yes, absolutely. I will often skim through covers and check out ones that catch my eye, but titles and subtitles are also important too and I look at those as well. If those two things are interesting enough, I’ll read the synopsis and buy if it sounds good. That said, I encourage everyone to read the synopsis before you buy. I’ve found some wonderful stories with not so wonderful covers simply because I bothered to read the synopsis.

TRC: When writing a storyline, do the characters direct the writing or do you direct the characters?

Jamie: I’d say a little of both. I usually have an idea of where the story needs to go. I call them milestones. The characters determine how the story travels to get them to each predetermined scene. Sometimes those milestone have to change because the character has changed, grown, and the scene needs to show that in their reactions.

TRC: The mark of a good writer is to pull the reader into the storyline so that they experience the emotions along with the characters. What do you believe a writer must do to make this happen? Where do you believe writer’s fail in this endeavor?

Jamie: Oh, wow, this is a deep question and one I struggled with when I first started. I feel that a writer must show how characters are feeling to draw the reader in. There are lots of ways to do this such as body language and dialogue, as well as descriptions of inner physical and emotional sensations that readers will intuitively understand and pick up on and, thus, be drawn into the character’s world and emotions.

So many of us storytellers make mistakes in this by simply telling the story. I’ve done it, but I’ve also learned a lot since I first started too. Hopefully, my readers will feel the same.

TRC: Do you listen to music while writing? If so, does the style of music influence the storyline direction? Characters?

Jamie: I used to do this a lot and I do for some stories, but lately I haven’t been. I’ve preferred to have quiet or to sit outside with the sounds of nature. But that may change for the next book, I never know.

Going by my previous experience with music and writing, I can’t say it influences the storyline or characters all that much. However, I have a story where I used quotes from songs to introduce a chapter because it hinted at what was going on and how the characters felt. In that way it may have had some influence, but my swirling brain did most of the work.

TRC: What do you believe is the biggest misconception people have about authors?

Jamie: That we make good money. Most authors, especially Indie authors, have full time jobs, many have families, and they all can only write when they are free of those responsibilities. Usually early in the morning or late at night and on weekends if nothing else is going on.

The other is that Indie authors are not really published authors. If people knew how much work goes into publishing a book, not to mention doing it on your own—and I’m not even talking about writing the thing—they’d have a whole new respect for Indie authors.

TRC: How should authors measure a book’s success?

Jamie: This depends on the author and what they want to accomplish. What is their idea of success? For me, it’s a series of steps. Get the book written. Get the book edited. Get the book published. Market the book. Advertise. Get sales. Get more sales. Make it to the Amazon bestsellers list, then USA Today, and then work on the next one, NYT, etc.

TRC: What is something that few, if anybody, knows about you?

Jamie: I like sauerkraut.

TRC: Who is your favorite author (living or dead)?

Jamie: I have several, but the top three are: Tolkien, Karen Robards, and Kathleen Woodiwiss

TRC: On what are you currently working?

Jamie: Editing Masters’ Mistress, Book 1 of the Angel Eyes Series and trying to finish Book 5 of the same series, Masters’ Betrayal

TRC: Would you like to add anything else?

Jamie: I am very thankful to everyone who has helped me with this project in some way. From friends and family, to my editors, to my beta readers, and to all those who take a chance to read and spread the news about a new Indie author like me. Thank you!

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food
French Fries

Favorite Dessert
Almost all of them

Favorite TV Show
Don’t watch a lot of TV, but I do love Supernatural

Last Movie You Saw
In the theater, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom
At home, Extinction

Dark or Milk Chocolate
Both… Depends on my mood

Secret Celebrity Crush
Jensen Ackles

Last Vacation Destination
Montana

Do you have any pets?
Yes.

Last book you read.
I just finished three…
Jock by Jacob Chance
After We Fall by Melanie Harlow
A Husband’s Regret by Natasha Anders
All were quite good.

TRC: Thank you Jamie for taking the time to answer our questions. Congratulations on the release of JAKE’S REDEMPTION. We wish you all the best.

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The Highland Renegade (Lords of the Highland #5) by Amy Jarecki-Review, Guest Post & Giveaway

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The Highland Renegade (Lords of the Highland #5) by Amy Jarecki-Review, Guest Post & Giveaway

THE HIGHLAND RENEGADE
Lords of The Highlands #5
by Amy Jarecki
Release Date: January 8, 2019
Genre: adult, historical, Highland, romance

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / Chapters Indigo / Google Play

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date January 8, 2019

She is the daughter of his sworn enemy.
Famed for his fierceness, Laird Robert Grant is above all a loyal Highland clan chief. But when redcoats capture his rival’s daughter, he sets aside their feud and races to her rescue. Aye, Janet Cameron is beautiful, cunning, and so very tempting, but a Cameron lass is the last woman he should ever desire.

He is her one hope of happiness.
Janet refuses to meekly surrender, not even when surrounded by foes. She takes every chance to escape, first from the English soldiers and then from the wickedly handsome Robert. Yet with each day they spend together, his unexpected gallantry chips away at her reserve little by little. As danger and treachery loom, can she trust him enough to choose love over vengeance?

••••••••

REVIEW: This well written and imaginative story begins in 1712, late October in the Highlands, Inverlochy livestock auction. Janet Cameron is being escorted by her brother Kennan. She is delivering knitted goods to the Highland Benevolent Society to be distributed to the needy. Her brother will attend the livestock auction and Janet plans to do a little shopping and attend the dance later.

Robert Grant, Laird of Clan Grant, has also come to the livestock auction. He’s lost over sixty head to thieves and believes some in Clan Cameron are the ones who stole them. The evidence is only circumstantial, but there is a long running blood feud between the Cameron and Grant clans.

Robert and Janet exchange glances and glares, each feeling an attraction for the other, but denying it, even to themselves. This is a summary of the beginning and certainly not as well done or as interestingly complete as the author did. I don’t do spoilers and believe the details of the story are something a reader should discover for themselves. That in mind, the intense action begins when at the dance later the villain Lieutenant Cummins, of the Queens Dragoons, is very in his cups and insists on Janet dancing with him. She declines, and he grabs her arm, turning she slaps his face.

That sets up her rescue by Robert Grant and the reason they spend time together. Each learning and trying to deny their attraction, but love is inevitable. But loving between feuding clans is not a clear-cut course.

I thoroughly enjoyed the descriptive language, the wonderful and fully developed characters, and the situations the author created. I will be reading many more stories from this author. I thought the story was thrilling, informative and wonderfully romantic. In fact, I fell for Robert Grant as much as Janet did! If you love highland romance, this is a must read. Be prepared for a wonderfully powerful, sometimes frustrating, romance. Enjoy!

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Georgianna S

Research for Amazing Story Lines
by Amy Jarecki

Any novel requires a fair bit of research regardless of its genre. I write historical romance which, to do well, entails an inordinate amount of world building. Fortunately, I love history and discovering nuggets of factual data to weave into my stories.

When I’m at home, the first place I go is non-fiction books. My shelves are lined with volumes about the time periods in which I write. The Lords of the Highlands series takes place in the early 18th Century during the reign of Queen Anne and I read a very dry 600-page volume about her life before I started writing. Even though the queen and her court only have small roles in the books, she was the monarch and my characters were greatly affected by her rule. I’ve written over twenty Scottish historical romances, and most of my research books are about historical Scotland including, costume, clans, kings, flora and fauna, complete history and notable battles. I even have a two-volume set of books about herbal remedies, and one of my funniest references is The History of Underclothes by C. Willet and Phillis Cunnington.

I also cannot discount online research. Wikipedia is a great place to start, especially if I only need a tidbit of information. I almost always can find historical maps in the British archives, and official clan websites can lead to a wealth of information. Most castles have websites with historical information page that can be windows to more ideas. And genealogy charts are priceless when writing about figures from the past—their decedents often add notes to the chart adding color to the character’s biography.

But my favorite part of research is visiting the places I write about. It is amazing how ideas flow when standing in the midst of a ruined castle in the Highlands or alone on a secluded beach in the far north of Scotland. I’ve driven and hiked through the Scottish Caringorm Mountains. I’ve slept in 400-year-old manors. I’ve hiked through a dense forest to find an old ruined castle visited by William Wallace, and I’ve stood atop Arthurs Seat and looked out over the stunning city of Edinburgh and the Firth of Forth beyond. My bi-annual adventures to Scotland fill my tank with descriptions I could never get from a book or find online.

Below is a picture of Dunrobin Castle I took on my way up to Thurso and Orkney.

And one not-so traditional form of research is karate! I weave a great deal of action and adventure into my stories and, with it, may come a myriad of fight scenes. Almost three years ago, I embarked on a journey to make my fight scenes more realistic and enrolled in a local karate school. At the time, I thought I might take classes for six months and that would be the end of it, but two-and-a-half years later, I traveled to Salt Lake for my State black belt test. This was no easy feat. There were a series of five grueling three-hour tests before I qualified for State. I’m the oldest person in the school and I mostly train with teenagers who are far more flexible and less breakable that me. But I’ve learned so much, and hope it shows in my stories.

Receiving my black belt from my sensi in Salt Lake.

There is a critical fight scene in THE HIGHLAND RENEGADE where Robert Grant is fighting a duel of honor against Janet Cameron’s brother Kennan. The men are from opposing clans with a feud that has endured for generations, and their hatred is inbred and deep. As Janet watches them fight, Robert gains the upper hand and, just as quarter is called, Kennan lashes out with a hidden dagger and slashes the Grant laird across the cheek. Before Robert can retaliate, they are surrounded by dragoons and accused of an illicit gathering. An all-out brawl erupts with Janet in the middle. But who spirits her away? None other than her father’s greatest enemy, Grant himself.

THE HIGHLAND RENEGADE releases on January 8th and you won’t want to miss this wild ride as Janet and Robert face a devastating blizzard while they climb higher into the Highlands to elude a retinue of hostile dragoons.

Amy Jarecki is a descendant of an ancient Lowland clan and adores Scotland. Though she now resides in southwest Utah, she received her MBA from Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh. Winning multiple writing awards, she found her niche in the genre of Scottish historical romance. Amy writes steamy edge-of-your-seat action adventures with rugged men and fascinating women who weave their paths through the brutal eras of centuries past.

Website  /Facebook /Twitter /Goodreads

 

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The Highlander’s Welsh Bride (Hardy Heroines #5) by Cathy MacRae & DD MacRae-Review, Guest Post & Giveaway

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THE HIGHLANDER’S WELSH BRIDE (Hardy Heroines #5) by Cathy MacRae and DD MacRae-Review, Guest Post & Giveaway

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / Amazon.au /

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release DateDecember 27, 2018

From the sweeping mountains of Wales where Prince Llywelyn made his last stand against the English, to the treacherous Isles of Scotland where Vikings and pirates rule the waters, comes a tale of betrayal and loss, deceit and passion. An epic tale of honor and the redeeming power of love.

It was over. Prince Llywelyn was dead, his soldiers fleeing before King Edward’s army. Carys, a distant cousin to the prince, herself a princess of Wales, had picked up arms alongside her husband more than a year ago in the fight for Wales’s independence. Now homeless, her husband buried beneath the good Welsh soil, she seeks shelter in the north, far from the reach of Longshanks’s men.

It was time. Birk MacLean has been ordered to take a bride and produce an heir. He grows weary of the lasses paraded before him, women of delicate nature and selfish motives. He desires a wife strong enough to help lead one of the most powerful clans in Western Scotland.

One like the Welsh woman sitting in his dungeon, arrested for poaching MacLean deer.

Can Birk convince Carys marriage to him is preferable to a hangman’s noose? And will the heard-headed Scot be worthy of a Princess of Wales?

••••••••••••

REVIEW: THE HIGHLANDER’S WELSH BRIDE is the fifth instalment in Cathy MacRae and DD MacRae’s adult, Highlander, historical romance series. This is Baron and Laird Birk MacLean, and Princess Carys Wen, filia Pedr’s story line. THE HIGHLANDER’S WELSH BRIDE can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous instalment is revealed where necessary.

NOTE: THE HIGHLANDER’S NORSE WELSH takes place approximately thirty years after the events of The Highlander’s Norse Bride.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Birk and Carys) THE HIGHLANDER’S WELSH BRIDE follows Carys in the aftermath of war as she journeys, along with her brother Hywel, to safer land. Pirates and a storm at sea find Carys one of only two survivors of a shipwreck that claimed the lives of everyone she loved, a shipwreck that would place her in harm’s way once again. Enter Baron/Laird Birk MacLean, the man with whom Carys would fall in love. What ensues is the marriage of convenience, and building relationship between Carys and Birk, and the potential fall –out as secrets and lies continue to follow our story line couple.

Baron Birk MacLean is a widower with two young daughters, and is desperate to find a wife equal to his power and charm. Hearing about a ‘warrior’ woman aboard The Seabhag from its’ captain Murdoc Ferguson, Birk was shocked when the woman found hunting on MacLean lands turns out to be the woman he believed would be a perfect mate for a widower like himself. Carys lost her family to war and the sea but meeting Birk MacLean meant a second chance at a happily ever after but second chances came with a price. Once a prisoner, now Lady of the Manor, Carys is a strong willed, fierce fighter and protector of the people she loves.

The relationship between Carys and Birk begins acrimoniously as Carys is held prisoner in our hero’s dungeons. Drawn to the woman that would steal his heart, Birk makes Carys an offer of marriage, in exchange for her life. The $ex scenes are limited but passionate and seductive.

There is a large ensemble cast of secondary and supporting characters including Birk’s daughters Abria and Eislyn; Captain Murdoc Ferguson and his son Tully, and Carys’ brother Prince Hywel. We are reintroduced to Birk’s mother Hanna (The Highlander’s Norse Bride 3.5), and his half-sister Gillian.

THE HIGHLANDER’S WELSH BRIDE like the previous instalments blends historical facts and fiction as the author weaves a wonderful tale of secrets, lies, second chances, and love. The premise is intriguing and lively; the characters are sassy, strong and spirited; the romance is provocative and energetic. THE HIGHLANDER’S WELSH BRIDE is an enthralling and animated story line that is sure to please. Fair warning-there is plenty of Gaelic and Norse prose throughout the story.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
Highland Escape
The Highlander’s Viking Bride
The Highlander’s Crusader Bride
The Highlander’s Norse Bride
The Highlander’s Welsh Bride

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

Historical accuracy in historical romance by Cathy & DD MacRae

The Highlander’s Welsh Bride is the 5thbook in the Hardy Heroines series, stories created to showcase the power of women in a medieval setting. Each book begins with a historical challenge, and in the back of each you’ll find our notes for the research on that particular story. Does every author accept historical fact into their tales? Undoubtedly, many—or even most—do. However, with accurate information often sketchy from ancient times, we’ve found that historical facts are either verbatim on multiple websites due to the ‘copy and paste’ that is so easy to do, or possibly wildly divergent depending on who’s viewpoint you’re doing research from.

For example, in The Highlander’s Norse Bride, the Battle of Largs had very different meaning and context to Scots and the Norse. A Norse saga praises King Haakon for commanding the largest armada ever seen, sent to Scotland in righteous anger over King Alexander II’s attempt to wrest control of Western Scotland from Norwegian rule (https://deremilitari.org/2016/09/the-norwegian-invasion-of-scotland-in-1263/). Scottish accounts show a young king wily enough to stall the powerful Norwegian king until fickle Scottish weather destroyed King Haakon’s advance.

Yes, being historically accurate has its challenges. Here are some points of note from The Highlander’s Welsh Bride. We liked the possibility of our hero, Birk MacLean, marrying a woman from Wales, but what would it take to bring the two close enough to meet when an entire country separated them?

The setting became 1283, Wales. Prince Llywelyn was dead, possibly betrayed by his own countrymen, though accounts differ. From a war-torn land, we created Carys Wen, filia Pedr, a young woman who took up arms against the English when King Edward Longshanks rode against the Welsh. She is widowed, her family dead or scattered, and in danger should she, a cousin of the prince, be captured. What should she do?

Sail to Scotland, of course.

We loved researching the shipping routes, timing, currents, etc. Actually, DD is more into ships than I am, but we put together the circumstances that would allow her to sign on as an oarsman (in disguise, of course) and flee Wales.

Towns are also scrutinized for historical accuracy. Carys and Birk visit Campbelltown in The Highlander’s Welsh Bride, but in the 13thcentury, it was called Kinlochkillkerran. Character names are always of interest to us, as well. I prefer names that are easy to pronounce, and tend to suggest names that haven’t been over-used. You’ll note most of the names in this book are rather unusual, but all are as accurate as we can make them.

One cool twist to the story (imho) was the discovery of the Corryvreckan whirlpool which lies between the isles of Scarba and Jura. It’s the 3rdlargest maelstrom in the world, and lies along the sailing route I’d planned for Birk and Carys to travel on their trip to Kinlochkillkerran. I believe my thoughts went something like: “maelstrom—birlinn (sailing ship)—pirates—oh, my!” And the rest of the story was born.

Do we twist historical accuracy to fit our stories? Typically, no, though I adjusted the timeline in The Highlander’s French Bride to include an intriguing historical figure. I gave full disclosure at the beginning of the book, and readers appear to be okay with that.

In an upcoming book slated to release late 2019, we plan to take an historical figure from one of the Hardy Heroines stories and give him a HEA. History will tell you he died by poisoning at the hand of his wife during a political struggle, but we thought he deserved better than that.

Do you expect complete historical accuracy in historical romance? Do you enjoy an ‘alternate’ history if you are told up front the historical facts have been changed to suit the story?

Thanks so much! It’s been a pleasure being here today!

~Cathy & DD

 

Follow Cathy: Twitter / Goodreads /Website / Facebook

Cathy MacRae lives on the sunny side of the Arbuckle Mountains where she and her husband read, write, and tend the garden—with the help of the dogs, of course.

You can visit with her on facebook, or read her blogs and learn about her books at www.cathymacraeauthor.com. Drop her a line—she loves to hear from readers!

••••••••

D.D. MacRae enjoys bringing history to life and considers research one of the best things about writing a story! With more than 35 years of martial arts training, DD also brings breath-taking action to the tales. You can connect with DD through Cathy’s website.

Cathy MacRae is gracious offering an ebook copy of THE HIGHLANDER’S WELSY BRIDE to ONE (1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe.

1. If you have not previously registered at The Reading Cafe, please register by using the log-in at the top of the page (side bar) or by using one of the social log-ins.

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8. Giveaway is open internationally

9. Giveaway runs from December 26-December 31, 2018

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Indian Paintbrush (Carson Chronicles #3) by John A Heldt-Review, Interview & Giveaway

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INDIAN PAINTBRUSH (The Carson Chronicles #3) by John A Heldt-Review, Interview & Giveaway

Indian Paintbrush
Carson Chronicles #3
by John A Heldt
Release Date: November 26, 2018
Genre: adult, historical, time travel

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date November 26, 2018

Arizona, December 1943. After surviving perilous six-month journeys to 1889 and 1918, the Carsons, five siblings from the present day, seek a respite in their home state. While Adam and Greg settle down with their Progressive Era brides, Natalie and Caitlin start romances with wartime aviators and Cody befriends a Japanese family in an internment camp. The time travelers regroup, bury old ghosts, and continue their search for their missing parents. Then old problems return, new ones emerge, and a peaceful hiatus becomes a race for survival. In INDIAN PAINTBRUSH, the sequel to RIVER RISING and THE MEMORY TREE, seven young adults find love and adventure as they navigate the home front during the height of World War II

••••••••

REVIEW: INDIAN PAINTBRUSH is the third instalment in John A Heldt’s adult, historical, time-travel series focusing on the Carson siblings-Adam, Natalie, Greg, Cody and Caitlin. INDIAN PAINTBRUSH can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty although I recommend reading the series in order for backstory and cohesion.

Note: Indian Paintbrush, the favorite flower of Caitlin Carson, is a short-lived, wildflower found in forest clearings and grasslands across the Western, and Southwestern United States

Told from several third person points of view INDIAN PAINTBRUSH follows the Carson siblings, a family of time travellers, as they go in search of their missing parents Tim and Caroline Carson. Months earlier, the siblings discovered their parents were missing but an itinerary of places and timelines found the family on a journey of their own. Starting in 2017, the siblings travelled back in time to 1889, 1918, and presently in the tumultuous era of 1943-44. Adam and Greg, having fallen in love, would bring their new significant others along for the ride.

When the Carson siblings entered the portal in 1918, they had no idea what to expect in 1943 Arizona, an era fraught with the uncertainty of war. The 1941 bombing of Pearl Harbor resulted in the forced internment of Japanese, Americans, at the Butte Camp in Rivers, Arizona , as America prepared to go to war. Struggling to locate their parents, always one step ahead or behind, Natalie, Cody and Caitlin would each discover love, but not all loves are meant for a happily ever after.

John A Heldt’s pulls the reader into a turbulent past; an era of distrust and anxiety; the unpredictability of war; and the knowledge of what was, and what would never be. Secrets revealed, and threats from the past force the siblings to, once again, run for their lives but along the way, the Carson clan would welcome two new travellers on their voyage of discovery and love.

INDIAN PAINTBRUSH is a complex story line awash in colorful facts, historical fiction, and the possibility of what might have been. A contemporary family caught up in the past, the Carson siblings, know that to interfere in history, could mean a different outcome for everyone concerned. Knowledge is a powerful tool but to reveal what was and what will be places everyone in danger including the people they love. An amazing storyteller, John A Heldt pens a story of survival, loss, history and love.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
River Rising
The Memory Tree
Indian Paintbrush

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

TRC: Hi, John, and welcome back to The Reading Café.

Congratulations on the recent release of INDIAN PAINTBRUSH.

For anyone who doesn’t know John A. Heldt, would you please tell us something about yourself?

Follow John: Goodreads / Facebook / Website/Blog/ Twitter / Amazon / Instagram / Tumblr

John: I’m a married father of two grown daughters and a son and, as of August 15, the grandfather of a delightful little girl named Stella. Before turning to novel writing in 2011, I worked as a sports writer and editor for several newspapers in Oregon and Washington, where I was born and raised, and several more years as a reference librarian in Montana. I love traveling around the western United States, watching sports, cooking, and experiencing the great outdoors. I currently make my home in the Las Vegas, Nevada, area.

TRC: What challenges or difficulties did you encounter writing and publishing your first novel?

John: Like most authors starting out, I faced several. When I created The Mine in 2011 and early 2012, I did so without any formal knowledge of novel writing, publishing, or selling books in a competitive market. So I sought help where I could find it. Several friends and family members, including my (then) 17-year-old daughter Amy, provided much-needed help and guidance. With their assistance, I managed to produce a novel that is still selling today.

TRC: How did publishing your first book change your writing process?

John: I became much more disciplined and methodical. I evolved into a plotter who set time aside for specific tasks, outlined chapters in advance, and enlisted the help of others. I did what I could to learn from my mistakes and streamline the process of putting out a novel.

TRC: Would you please tell us something about the premise of INDIAN PAINTBRUSH and the Carson Chronicles series?

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca /

John: The series is a family saga with a time-travel twist. In book one, River Rising, Adam Carson, a 27-year-old Arizona engineer in 2017, discovers that his missing parents are not victims of foul play but rather secret time travelers who became stuck in 1888. Armed with the knowledge he needs to find them, Adam convinces his younger siblings — Greg (25), Natalie (23), and twins Cody and Caitlin (17) — to join him on a rescue mission, which soon becomes a perilous life-changing journey that takes the travelers from the 1880s to 1918 and beyond. Indian Paintbrush is series’ third book. Set primarily in Phoenix, Arizona, in 1944, it focuses less on the search and more on the siblings as they get on with their lives in their grandparents’ time. Adam and Greg start families with their Progressive Era wives, Natalie and Caitlin strike up romances with wartime aviators, and Cody fights injustice as a regular visitor to an internment camp for Japanese Americans.

TRC: How many books do you have planned for the series?

John: I plan two more books. Number four will be set in Boulder, Colorado, in the fall of 1962, during the height of the Cuban missile crisis. Book number five will be set in Maine in the summer of 1983 and be based on my own experiences as a camp counselor.

TRC: From where did you get the idea for the CARSON CHRONICLES?

John: I got it from reading John Jakes’ family sagas. He is the author of Kent Family Chronicles and the North and South trilogy. I love the way he tells stories.

TRC: What drew you to write a ‘time-travel’ series?

John: I did not decide to write any series until long after I published my first book. When I released The Mine in February 2012, I did not intend to write another book. I wrote The Mine primarily to check off an item on my bucket list. Then came a surprising number of sales and positive reviews. I reevaluated the situation and decided to keep going. Because I liked viewing history through modern eyes, I stuck with the time-travel theme and published The Journey (2012), The Show (2013), The Fire (2013), and The Mirror (2014) in short order. I also built on The Mine story by writing two novels (The Show and The Mirror) that completed a Smith family trilogy within a five-book series. I so enjoyed putting together the Northwest Passage series that I continued with the American Journey and Carson Chronicles series. I hope to create at least one more time-travel series before moving on to other things.

TRC: What kind of research/plotting did you do, and how long did you spend researching /plotting before beginning the CARSON CHRONICLES series?

John: I am a plotter of the first order. I spend dozens of hours researching and outlining books and series before I write a single word. I do this mostly for practical reasons. I want to get from Point A to Point B without getting lost or painting myself into a corner. When writing time-travel novels, authors must pay particularly close attention to detail and the established norms of the genre. To do otherwise is to invite unnecessary trouble.

TRC: Does historical accuracy play a large role in the CARSON CHRONICLES series? Do you believe an author should follow historical accuracy when writing a book or series about the past (regardless of genre)?

John: Yes to the first question and mostly yes to the second. I am a history buff who goes to great lengths to achieve historical accuracy in my works. On occasion, I will even change things that most readers would not notice or even care about. For example, when writing The Mine, I removed a reference to Glenn Miller’s “Chattanooga Choo Choo” from a chapter set in July 1941 because the song did not hit the airwaves until weeks later. That said, I understand the need to bend the rules on occasion. Though I believe authors should strive for historical accuracy as often as possible, particularly when presenting the big picture, I also think they should have some latitude when presenting the smaller stuff. I know I have strayed from the “rules” a few times. For example, in several of my works, I have set up humorous, sometimes poignant, encounters between my time travelers and celebrities. Scenes like these are what separate historical fiction from the just-the-facts-ma’am history most of us read in school.

TRC: What was the most challenging scene to write?

John: Without a doubt, it was the first chapter of Hannah’s Moon, the fifth and final book in the American Journey series. Based on a wrenching personal experience, it portrayed a young childless couple in a hospital room following the birth of their stillborn son. I spent more than a month working on that chapter because I wanted to get it right.

TRC: Do you believe the cover image plays a deciding factor for many readers in the process of selecting a book or new series to read?

John: Yes. Readers are a lot like people looking for a new house. They first judge a product on its curb appeal and then decide whether to investigate what’s inside.

TRC: Do you believe the self-publishing industry hurts the traditionally published author, or publishing industry as a whole? If so, how or why not?

John: Yes and no. Some indie authors still publish poorly written works that reflect badly on their peers and the industry as a whole. Many others, however, do not. They make important contributions to the market by producing works — solid works — that might not have seen the light of day ten to fifteen years ago. They are writing books that readers want but could not always find in the past because of restrictions on genre, length, and content.

TRC: Do you listen to music while writing? If so, does the style of music influence the storyline direction? Characters?

John: No. I need quiet when writing. I simply cannot write or edit in an environment where there are distractions or background noises. That said, I listen to music — relevant music — when planning a book, plotting storylines, and creating characters. For example, when laying the groundwork for Class of ’59, a novel set mostly in a South Pasadena, California, high school in the spring of 1959, I compiled a soundtrack of 1950s songs and listened to it for hours. I wanted to get a feel for the times before writing the book.

TRC: What do you believe is the biggest misconception people have about authors?

John: I imagine it’s that our work is very exciting. In fact, it can be very boring. Writing a novel is a pedestrian exercise that requires gobs of time, quiet, and solitude. On the plus side, we have the chance to meet a lot of interesting people, particularly when marketing our books, and sometimes travel to interesting places when researching them. I have traveled to the primary settings of more than half of my thirteen novels and enjoyed every trip.

TRC: How should authors measure a book’s success?

John: I don’t know about other writers, but I measure a book’s success by the impact it has on readers. If a novel prompts people to read the next installment in the series, it has succeeded. If it does not, it has failed. As an author, I can tell you that there is no better feeling than producing something that complete strangers want to read again and again.

TRC: What is something that few, if anybody, knows about you?

John: I was a triple major as an undergraduate at the University of Oregon in the 1980s. I could not decide whether to major in journalism, history, or political science, so I attended school an extra year and earned a bachelor’s degree in all three disciplines.

TRC: On what are you currently working?

John: I am currently working on converting some of my early books to print. Almost all are available only in Kindle and audio format. I plan to market Indian Paintbrush in December and January and then turn my full attention to writing book four in the Carson Chronicles series. I expect to have the next book out by the summer of 2019.

TRC: Thank you, John, for taking the time to answer our questions. Congratulations on the new release. We wish you all the best.

John A Heldt is graciously offering the first three ebooks (mobi, epub or pdf) in the CARSON CHRONICLES Time Travel Series to ONE (1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe

1. If you have not previously registered at The Reading Cafe, please register by using the log-in at the top of the page (side bar) or by using one of the social log-ins.

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9. Giveaway open internationally

10. Giveaway runs from December 13-18, 2018

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Imagine (Black Raven #4) by Stella Barcelona-Review, Guest Post & Giveaway

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IMAGINE (Black Raven #4) by Stella Barcelona-Review, Guest post & Giveaway

IMAGINE
Black Raven #4
by Stella Barcelona
Genre: adult, contemporary, romantic, suspense
Release Date: October 30, 2018

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / Amazon.au /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date October 30, 2018

One cruise ship. Multiple kidnappers. In the dark waters of the South China Sea, a handful of Black Raven agents are the only hope anyone has of living to see Christmas.

From the back cover:

Seventy-five of the world’s wealthiest gamblers are ringing in the holidays with a high-stakes, three-day tournament aboard the Imagine. As the ultra-luxury cruise ship departs from Macau, financial risks are enormous and security is tight. Agents Sylvia (Leo) Leon and Adam (Ace) Evans lead Black Raven’s on-board team. Months earlier, they gave into feelings that caught them both by surprise. Now, Leo wants nothing more than to ignore what Ace is dying to confront.

While adversaries execute a seemingly perfect, diabolical plan, Leo and Ace operate in stealth mode to save the Imagine’s passengers. As danger tests the limits of their training and expertise, and their simmering chemistry hits a boiling point, their chances of living to see Christmas narrow. For these two best friends, the Imagine job could change everything…in more ways than one.

•••••••••

REVIEW:Imagine begins with Agents Sylvia (Leo) Leon and Adam (Ace) Evans in New Orleans celebrating Halloween. The two have been best friends since joining Black Raven. Nothing has ever threatened that friendship until that night and that one unforgettable kiss…….. As they come to their senses, Leo wants nothing more than to forget that ever happened. Ace, however, has other ideas……….

Flash forward about six weeks or so, and we see Leo, Ace and a whole lot of other Black Raven agents in a meeting planning their next job. This is the first time the two have seen each other since New Orleans and the job sounds easy enough, until they find out they’re going undercover as an engaged couple. Once they are on board the ship, they play their respective parts to a tee, as do the other agents who have gone in undercover. During a break before the night’s festivities, Leo and Ace head to their room in order to get ready for the night. Ace confronts Leo about what happened between them and the feelings it has stirred within him and wants to know if she feels the same. She tries to shut him down, but gives into their mutual attraction. Ace then awakens a little bit later, or so he thinks. When he sees the time, he knows they’re in trouble. Knowing they’ve been gassed, he drags an unconscious Leo out onto their balcony so that they can get some fresh air and, hopefully, recover quickly from the affects of the gas. It doesn’t take either of them long to determine that the ship has been hijacked and spring into action. It also doesn’t take them long to figure out that they are up against a foe that is willing to do anything to get what he wants……

Imagine is a superbly written tale that draws you in from the very beginning. Leo and Ace have a chemistry that jumps out at you from their first words, but when the feelings heat up, the chemistry reaches out and grabs you and doesn’t let go. Their backstories add to the complexity of their friends to lovers story, but it’s Ace’s who will tug at your heart. The mystery and suspense is very well written and keeps you guessing, and gasping, until the end. If you’re a fan of friends to lovers, with a lot of suspense and action thrown in, along with scorching chemistry, you will never go wrong with any of the Black Raven novels. Well done, Stella Barcelona! Very, very well done!

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
Deceived
Shadows
Jigsaw
Concierge
Imagine

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Vickie K

Thank you for inviting me to The Reading Café. Your question – how do I keep focus while writing my stories – is a great question, because the truth is that keeping focused is difficult. Like everyone, I’m busy. Apart from writing, I have a legal career. I also have a family – humans and furry ones. To maintain my health, I have to exercise, stay reasonably fit, and eat the right things. The list goes on and on! I’m not complaining. It’s simply reality, and I’m grateful that my days are so full.

Are you wondering when I’ll focus on your question? Right now, I promise!

Part of my method of keeping focus involves eliminating all the distractions that I just mentioned (and more!) from the precious time that I’ve carved out of the day for writing. I use a mixture of plotting techniques, but the most important tricks I employ for focus are daily writing, eliminating distractions when writing, and writing early in the morning. Here’s a bit more about each one of these “habits:”

First, when working on a first draft, I try to write a bit every single day. No exceptions! If I skip a few days between writing sessions, I lose focus on the story. Plus, when I write every single day, my subconscious mind is better able to keep the story in play throughout the time that I dedicate to tasks other than writing.

In each writing session, I aim for two to three hours of writing time. However, I don’t beat myself up if I don’t have that much time; the important thing is sitting in the chair and thinking hard about the story, even if I only have a half hour.

Second, at home, I have a quiet office with two desks. One desk is dedicated to fiction writing, and nothing else. I don’t even conduct the business of being an author at that desk – it is dedicated solely to creating stories. There is no temptation to look at social media there, or do online shopping, or anything else, because I DON’T allow myself to do it. I think having a desk and chair dedicated to creativity helps me slip into writing mode the minute I sit. I also wear noise reduction headphones when I’m in my writing chair and I turn up music, which helps me focus.

If I’m in first-draft, daily-writing mode when we’re traveling, I find a place to write and, even if the place isn’t that quiet, using the headphones with music playing helps me focus on writing and eliminate distractions.

Third, I’m most creative in the early morning, so that is when I write. Procrastination until the end of the day kills my creativity and destroys my determination to write every day. I don’t always love pulling myself out of bed at 4:30 a.m., but once I’m in my writing chair I’m always glad that I did it!

I can’t say exactly why, but these three habits seem to work for me. Thanks again for inviting me to The Reading Cafe!

~~ Stella ~~

Follow Stella: Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook

Stella Barcelona, author of romantic suspense novels, has always had an active imagination, a tendency to daydream, and a passion for reading romance, mysteries, and thrillers. From her early days of reading, when she first escaped reality through the pages of a well-written novel, she knew that her daydreams needed an outlet, and she knew that her outlet would be writing.

In day to day life, Stella is a lawyer and works for a court in New Orleans, Louisiana. Currently, Stella lives minutes from the French Quarter, with her husband of sixteen years and two adorable papillons who believe that they are princesses. Stella loves to hear from readers on her Facebook page and can also be contacted through her website, www.stellabarcelona.com, where there’s information on appearances, her next release, and exciting contests that you won’t want to miss! While she doesn’t have a lot of free time with her legal and writing careers battling for her every minute, she does enjoy any chance she and her husband get to go out on their boat. In addition, she attends conferences, workshops, and retreats for writers. She is a member of Romance Writers of America and the Southern Louisiana Chapter of the Romance Writers of America.

Stella is graciously offering a $25 Amazon Gift Card, and a signed copy of Stella’s debut release that introduced the Black Raven series DECEIVED  to ONE (1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe

1. If you have not previously registered at The Reading Cafe, please register by using the log-in at the top of the page (side bar) or by using one of the social log-ins.

NOTE: If you are having difficulty commenting after logging onto the site, please refresh the page at the top of your computer.

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8. Giveaway open to USA only

9.. Giveaway runs from December 1-6, 2018

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