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If I Were You by Cesca Major-review, interview & giveaway

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🩷If I Were You by Cesca Major-review, interview & giveaway🩷

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

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date September 24, 2024

Amy and Flynn have been dating for two years. And they love each other. Don’t they?

Only Amy can’t read Flynn’s mind and Flynn can’t read Amy’s. Little do they know this weekend is make or break.

Amy’s nervous older sister is getting married at the world’s swankiest wedding venue in rural Devon and is relying on her younger sister to be the perfect Chief Bridesmaid. Frustrations on the way to the wedding escalate until both Amy and Flynn are shouting at each other in a country lane during a thunderstorm. Why can’t they see things from the other’s point of view? When lightning strikes, Flynn and Amy are thrown to the ground, and when they stand back up they realize—they’ve switched bodies.

Forced to attend the glamorous wedding weekend as each other is surely an impossible task. With spa mornings, exes, flash mob rehearsals, speeches and more, getting through this swap will test their relationship to breaking point. And when they each discover big secrets in the other’s past—it seems that switching bodies could be the least of their problems. Even if they do manage to swap back—can their relationship survive?

•••

REVIEW:IF I WERE YOU by Cesca Major is a contemporary, adult, body-swap, romance story line focusing on Flynn Waller and Amy Norman.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Flynn and Amy) using present day and memories from the past, IF I WERE YOU focuses on the embattled relationship between our story line couple. Amy’s sister is getting married, and our couple is struggling with their own relationship but a sudden rain storm and flash of light results in a body swap between our story line couple. Having to attend the weekend activities in one another’s bodies, secrets are revealed, misunderstanding and miscommunication threaten the breakdown of their floundering relationship.

The world building follows the struggle of two people caught in an unimaginable situation but a situation that reveals a lifetime of secrets and regrets. Flynn is hoping for a future, Amy is battling between head and heart, reconsidering her relationship with our story line hero.

The secondary and supporting characters include Amy’s sister Laura and her fiance Jay, as well as Amy and Laura’s mother Trish, and her husband Geoffrey, and Flynn’s ex Tanya and her boyfriend Eddie.

IF I WERE YOU is a story with a little bit of everything: drama, heart break, humor and fantasy. The premise is entertaining and intriguing but often confusing as the reader had to remember the Amy/Flynn / Flynn/Amy dynamic. The characters are colorful and desperate. There is little to no romance as throughout most of the story line the embattled couple are not themselves, and the world around them is not what they expected.

Copy supplied for rview

Reviewed by Sandy

TRC: Hi Cesca, and welcome to The Reading Cafe. We would like to start with some background information. Would you please tell us something about yourself?

SOCIAL MEDIA: Instagram / Facebook / X (Twitter) /  Amazon Author Page /

CESCA: I live in the UK with my husband and three children in a bungalow – so every time a friend of theirs visits I get asked why we don’t have stairs.

TRC: Who or what influenced your career in writing?

CESCA: I grew up on a diet of Danielle Steele and Jilly Cooper who taught me books could be big and fun and clever and funny and I think that stuck with me. Up until then I’m not sure I thought books could be as entertaining as television, a film or a play and that idea went out of the window.

TRC: What challenges or difficulties did you encounter writing and publishing this story?

CESCA: It transpires writing a body swap novel is hard because you have to constantly try to remind the readers whose head you are in so they can picture what is happening – but do it in a subtle way. I think coming up with twists and surprises in the plot was always going to be a challenge too and I hope I’ve pulled that off.

TRC: Would you please tell us something about the premise of IF I WERE YOU?

CESCA: It’s about a couple – Amy and Flynn – who are in very different places in their relationship. They’re good together but communication is not great. On the way to Amy’s stressed sister’s wedding weekend they get into a huge row in the middle of a thunderstorm. Lightning strikes and they discover they have swapped bodies. They have to survive the wedding weekend as each other as they try to swap back…

TRC: What kind of research/plotting did you do, and how long did you spend researching /plotting before beginning IF I WERE YOU?

CESCA: I always have a detailed chapter outline and try to research as I go along. I interviewed some fancy wedding planners for this one which was great fun and also researched wedding venues with flamingos! I think I probably spend a lot of time (months, sometimes years) thinking about the plot but probably come up with an outline over a few months. It’s a working document and always changing as I write when the characters start to take over and fresh ideas hit you.

TRC: What were your thoughts and emotions when your book was featured on Reese Witherspoon’s book club?

CESCA: Well I was even luckier than most because I was kindly flown out to join the Hello Sunshine team at their annual Shine Away Event where it was announced live – so I got to meet Reese and the brilliant book team. That made it even more surreal and amazing. It’s such an amazing club to be a member of and I have met so many other RBC authors who all feel incredibly lucky to be part of such a wonderful group. The team truly adore books and are serious about lifting up stories by women – I love them.

TRC: Do you have plans for a series focusing on the secondary characters?

CESCA: Oh that would be fun. I think Reggie should get his own dog picture book series for starters.

TRC: Is any of the story line premise based in fact?

CESCA: I stole my son’s friend’s excellent name (Flynn) to be my hero but no the book isn’t based on fact. Some settings are – I lived in Bristol in England for seven years and still love to go back there so enjoyed basing Amy there. And I was born in Devon so enjoyed returning there for the wedding.

TRC: Do you have any interest in writing, or have you ever written for another genre?

CESCA: I have written in a number of different genres – I write darker stuff as C D Major. Those books are always based loosely on something true, or supernatural and I fictionalise them. I love jumping from dark books to lighter books and I’m so lucky I get to be published in both.

TRC: Believability is an important factor in writing story lines .How do you keep the story line believable? Where do you think some author’s fail?

CESCA: This was definitely a concern for a body swap! I think the character’s emotional responses have to be as real as you can make them. So if you know them well, know their back story then hopefully you know how they would specially react in any given scenario. Then I think the reader comes with you. Even if the plot itself is magical.

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?

CESCA: I know we shouldn’t judge by covers but inevitably we do and publishers have teams of people who work really hard to try to get covers to fit the book. I think the IF I WERE YOU cover is just so clever and reflects the tone and story perfectly. I think it’s harder in some genres sometimes to sign post to the reader what a book is and, with so many books out there, I think a cover can be a useful way of telling a reader “you might like this.” I do love shops that cover all books though and get you to choose a date with a book on the description alone. Such Fun.

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

CESCA: I try to control them but inevitably things get completely out of hand.

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?

CESCA: I think we need to know our characters so well to ensure the emotional responses feel genuine, and not hold back on taking the reader with us. I also think balancing the light with the dark helps too. So the reader doesn’t become numb to one emotion. I think some writers struggle to convey any emotion because they are too busy trying to get across the plot. I think that can be fixed in the edit.

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

CESCA: I have to have silence or just background noise. I wish I could listen to music but anything with lyrics is just a total distraction.

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

CESCA: I was a big Nintendo player as a child and appeared on TV aged 9 to compete in a Nintendo Challenge. I took my mascots on the show “Funky and Spunky” and the presenter lost the button on his Mario dungarees halfway through our episode. I lost to an eleven year old and did not take it well.

TRC: What are you currently working on?

CESCA: I’m currently working on another big love story with a hefty dose of magical realism. This time it’s not an established love but first love and focuses on what makes someone perfect for you.

TRC: Would you like to add anything else?

CESCA: Thank you so much for having me and for reading IF I WERE YOU!

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food Any sweet stuff – coffee cake, donuts etc

Favorite Dessert – Lemon Meringue Pie

Favorite TV Show – probably HACKS and I am desperate for the return of SEVERANCE

Last Movie You Saw – I rewatched The Lord of the Rings because I listened to the brilliant What went wrong podcast about the making of it.

Dark or Milk Chocolate – Milk

Secret Celebrity Crush – there is nothing secret about my love for Julia Roberts.

Last Vacation Destination – Cornwall on the west coast of England

Do you have any pets? I have three children

Last book you read – the gorgeous UNDER YOUR SPELL by Laura Wood

 

The Reading Cafe and HARPER COLLINS are graciously offering a paper copy of IF I WERE YOU 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 to USA only

10. Giveaway runs from September 26-30, 2024

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A STORM OF INFINITE BEAUTY by Julianne MacLean-review & giveaway

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A STORM OF INFINITE BEAUTY by Julianne MacLean-Review, Interview and Giveaway

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

Don’t own a Kindle? Download the FREE Amazon Kindle App for your mobile device or pc

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date September 12, 2023

Scarlett Fontaine is a true Hollywood legend—a singer, actress, and beloved fashion icon. But Scarlett dies tragically at just thirty-six years old, leaving behind no children. Or so the story goes…

Gwen Hollingsworth is the curator at a museum dedicated to Scarlett’s life. She’s also sole heir to Scarlett’s fortune as a descendant of the star. But all is not well in Gwen’s world. She’s dealing with a messy marital separation and is struggling to move forward. So when Peter Miller, a biographer and photojournalist, comes to the museum with shocking claims about Scarlett—a life of exile in Alaska, a baby born in secret—Gwen’s whole world is turned upside down. Again.

Determined to uncover the truth, Gwen and Peter set out for Alaska together but soon find themselves on a path toward something far deeper and more meaningful than either of them ever expected.

A Storm of Infinite Beauty takes readers on a breathtaking journey from a lush vineyard in Nova Scotia to a rustic lodge in Alaska where old family secrets are revealed and the quest for true happiness begins.

•••

REVIEW: A STORM OF INFINITE BEAUTY by Julianne Maclean is a stand alone story line of women’s fiction focusing on two timelines, two women, two pregnancies, and a family history ripe in fame, secrets and lies.

Told from omniscient third person perspectives and dual times lines 1963-64, and 2017, A STORM OF INFINITE BEAUTY focuses on Hollywood legend Scarlett Fontaine aka Valerie McCarthy in the year before her life changed in the blink of an eye.

In 2017, former photojournalist turned author Peter Miller is hoping to write the biography of the late award winning, Hollywood legend Scarlett Fontaine, and his search for the truth brings him to Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada where the Scarlett Fontaine Museum is located and housed in a large Victorian mansion. Meeting curator and Scarlett Fontaine descendant Gwen Hollingsworth sets into motion a journey to Alaska where Gwen and Peter will uncover the heart breaking story and beginnings of the woman the world would come to know as Scarlett Fontaine.

In 1963-64, the reader is ‘told’ the story of Valerie McCarthy as she is banished, by her family to Alaska, where she will never come to terms with a perceived betrayal, accepting of the present, and a new direction in life going forward. A secret pregnancy, the Great Alaskan earthquake of 1964, and the death of 139 lives forces Valerie to take on a new role, a new life, and the personification of someone who has it all.

A STORM OF INFINITE BEAUTY is a dramatic, heart breaking, emotional and tragic story of betrayal, unrequited love, dysfunctional family behavior, loss and acceptance set against the real world earthquake and ensuing tsunamis in Alaska in 1964. The premise is edgy, haunting and real; the characters are desperate and impassioned. A STORM OF INFINITE BEAUTY is a journey; a trek into the past focusing on loss, love and taking back control.

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

TRC:Hi Julianne and welcome to The Reading CafĂŠ.

Congratulations on the release of A STORM OF INFINITE BEAUTY.

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

JM:  Sure! I’ve been writing novels for thirty years, and I have a wonderfully supportive husband and a 26-year-old daughter who is currently studying to be a chiropractor. I live in Nova Scotia, Canada.

TRC: Who or what influenced your career in writing?

JM: There have been many influences over the years. I was very lucky to have a mentor early on when I began writing historical romance. I joined a writers’ group in the 1990’s and met the late Jo Beverley, who was incredibly generous in sharing her knowledge. It was amazing to meet a real published author when I was just starting out. Later, when I began publishing novels independently, Bella Andre was an incredible inspiration for me. She’s very smart about the business of publishing and I learned a lot from her about focus and discipline.

TRC: What challenges or difficulties have you encountered writing and publishing your stories?

JM: It was tough to break into the publishing world in the late 1990’s. It took me six years before I landed a contract, so I spent those years writing and submitting — and usually getting rejected! But I have no regrets about that because it forced me to keep improving my manuscripts to become a better writer. I also learned to persevere and not give up, even in the face of rejection.

TRC: Would you please tell us something about the premise of A STORM OF INFINITE BEAUTY?

JM: A STORM OF INFINITE BEAUTY is a dual timeline novel which takes readers back to the great Alaskan earthquake of 1964 (a true historic event), so there’s quite a bit of action surrounding the main character’s emotional journey. I think readers will enjoy the escape to stunning and beautiful Alaska while also learning about what happened there in 1964. And they’ll experience it through the eyes and hearts of the two female leads who each have personal battles to fight in their own lives. There’s also a love story at the book’s core, which readers have come to expect from me. I don’t think I could write a book without a love story, even if it’s tragic or unrequited.

TRC: How do you keep the plot(s) unpredictable without sacrificing content and believability?

JM: That’s a great question, and it’s a challenge to keep things fresh when sometimes it feels like everything in books and movies has been done before. But generally, when I’m plotting a novel, I try to lead the reader down what looks like a predictable path, but then I steer away from the obvious and take a sharp left turn.

In my opinion, whether something feels believable depends on the characters’ thoughts, emotions, and actions. If those feel real and make sense, how they navigate through unexpected events should also feel real and authentic.

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?

JM: I can’t speak for other readers, but for me, the cover image is often what initially attracts me to a book. It’s what catches my eye if I’m simply browsing in a store or online. If it looks like a quality read, and the title is intriguing, then the back cover description becomes the most important element that truly sells it to me.

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

JM: For me, it’s a little of both. I usually have the broad plot points figured out before I begin writing a novel, so I know the main events that are going to happen, but within each scene, and while getting from one major plot point to the next, the characters lead me there. Sometimes I’m not sure what will happen within a scene until the characters start talking and interacting.

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 writers fail in this endeavor?

JM: At the most basic level, I think a good writer needs to write cleanly and clearly, and that’s where craft is important. I’m referring to the use of strong verbs, avoiding passive sentences, repetition of words or ideas, and making sure the structure and length of each sentence is varied so that they all flow together with a pleasant rhythm. (Note that this can be handled during the editing and polishing phase.)

Outside of that, I feel the writer needs to get into the mind—as well as the skin—of the character and strive to feel the emotions as they write. This of course requires the all-important use of imagination. If the character is being chased by a bear or is falling down a mountain, the writer’s heart should be pounding as they imagine and describe such an experience.

The icing on top of all that is the use of all five senses. The writer shouldn’t lose sight of the physical world when his character is moving through a scene. This might be where writers fail in the goal of pulling a reader into the storyline and keeping them there. The writer might communicate the character’s thoughts and feelings very well, but the reader wants to be transported fully into the character’s personal experience. They want to feel what the character is feeling, emotionally and physically as well. For example… Is it raining? Is the character’s skin wet and cold, and is this making him shiver when he’s trying to talk to someone? Or is he drunk and losing his balance? Or is the smell of lilacs reminding a character of her childhood and helping her to make sense of her current situation? So, the bottom line is this: emotions are important, but so are physical sensations. The reader needs the whole experience.

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

JM: I don’t listen to music. I need absolute quiet, or at least white noise. The rhythm of the words is my music!

TRC: Many authors bounce ideas and information with other authors or friends and family.  With whom do you bounce ideas?

My husband is my sounding board for plot ideas, and he’s great at it. My cousin is also my critique partner, and she will let me know if something in my book needs a shot in the arm.

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

JM: I’m not sure, but maybe there’s an expectation that an author should know everything about every single aspect of the world. Sometimes we make mistakes (about a setting detail for instance) because we’re human. It’s not because we don’t care or are too lazy to do research. We’re really trying to do our best. Sometimes even a copyeditor won’t pick up on an obscure detail that a certain reader might notice. Mistakes happen to us all, and it only bothers me when a reader says it ruined the whole book for them and they didn’t bother to finish.  

TRC: What is something that few, if any people, know about you?

JM: I have a weakness for crystal stemware.

TRC: On what are you currently working?

JM: I’m almost finished the first draft of my next book which is due in a few months. It’s set on Sable Island off the coast of Nova Scotia, my home province.

TRC: Would you like to add anything else?

JM: Thanks for having me!

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food – salmon and ratatouille

Favorite Dessert – Crème Brûlée

Favorite TV Show – I have lots of favorites, but I’ll go with Succession today.

Last Movie You Saw – In the theater, it was Oppenheimer.

Dark or Milk Chocolate – Dark

Secret Celebrity Crush – Ethan Hawke

Last Vacation Destination – New York for a Billy Joel concert

Do you have any pets? – No. Our dog Molly passed away in 2020 and I’m not over that yet.

Last book you read –The Undiscovered Self: The Dilemma of the Individual in Modern Society by Carl Jung

Thank you, Julianne, for taking the time to answer our questions.Congratulations on your new release.

JM: Thank you!

Spark Points Studios is offering a paper copy of A STORM OF INFINITE BEAUTY by Julianne MacLean to ONE (1) 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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3. Please LIKE Julianne MacLean on Facebook

4. Please LIKE/FOLLOW The Reading Cafe on FACEBOOK and then click GET NOTIFICATION under ‘liked’ for an additional entry.

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6. Please FOLLOW The Reading Cafe on GOODREADS for an additional entry.

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8. Giveaway open to USA only

9. Giveaway runs from September 11-15, 2023

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The Widow by Kaira Rouda-Review and Interview with the Author

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The Widow by Kaira Rouda-Review and Interview with the Author

 

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N Paper/ Chapters/Indigo Paper /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date December 1, 2022

Jody Asher had a plan. Her charismatic husband, Martin, would be a political icon. She, the charming wife, would fuel his success. For fifteen congressional terms, they were the golden couple on the Hill. Life was good. Until he wasn’t.

Martin’s secret affair with a young staffer doesn’t bother Jody personally. But professionally? It’s a legacy killer. Soon a reporter gets word of this scandal in the making, and Martin’s indiscretions threaten to ruin everything Jody has accomplished.

When Martin suddenly dies, it’s a chance to change the narrative—but the reporter won’t let go of his lead. As the balance of power shifts in the Asher house and on the Hill, it’s time for Jody to take control. And there’s nothing the ruthless widow won’t do to secure the future she’s entitled to. Even if she has a secret of her own.

•••••

REVIEW: THE WIDOW by Kaira Rouda is a stand alone, contemporary, adult political suspense story line focusing on Congressman Martin Asher, his social climbing wife Jody, and Washington Think Tank operator Mimi Smith.

Told from three first person perspectives (Martin, Jody and Mimi) THE WIDOW follows in the wake of the death of Congressman Martin Asher, an elected official facing the downfall of a rapidly building scandal. In the weeks before his only daughter’s lavish nuptials, Martin Asher takes ill and succumbs to his ailment on the day of the wedding. In an effort to keep her position as part of the political machine of Washington DC, Jody Asher invokes the Widow’s Succession Mandate, a little used practice that allows a widow to succeed or run for office upon the death of their politician spouse. Jody, ever the manipulator and power hungry politician’s wife, uses every dirty tactic available at her disposal but Jody has overestimated her popularity and her husband’s reputation on Capitol Hill. Facing down an aggressive,investigative reporter, a Think Tank manipulator whose own secrets are dangerous and dark, and a past shrouded in secrets and lies, Jody must tread carefully, in an effort to get what she believes she rightfully deserves.

THE WIDOW is a story of secrets and lies, betrayal and vengeance, power and control, manipulation and collusion. The fight for control is dirty; power is manipulated and abused; the political machine is deceitful, unethical and unscrupulous. Back room deals are the norm; blackmail is rampant; illegal and controversial deals are an everyday occurrence, and no one is above the ultimate betrayal. THE WIDOW is gritty and intriguing story of fiction; an up close and eye opening look at the what ifs, the probabilities, and the disturbing reality / unreality of the people in charge; the characters are relentless and destructive -politicians are a different breed of people, their humanity and hearts are non-existent.

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

TRC:  Hi Kaira and welcome to The Reading CafÊ. Congratulations on the release of THE WIDOW.

Kaira Rouda:  Thank you. I’m excited about this one, and hope everyone enjoys my first political thriller.

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

Social Media Links: Amazon Author Page/ Goodreads/ Website/ Twitter/ Facebook/ Instagram/

Kaira Rouda: Sure. I live in Southern California with my husband and two dogs. We are lucky that all four of our 20-something kids live in various parts of Southern California, too. I’m a Pickleball fanatic and I’m so happy to be living near the beach.

TRC:  Who or what influenced your career in writing?

Kaira Rouda: My dad is a professor and an author, business books, and my mom is an elementary school teacher, so our home was filled with books. In elementary school, my third grade teacher asked us to write to the person we wanted to be when we grew up. I wrote to Robert McCloskey, of Make Way for Ducklings fame. I knew then I wanted to be an author. My first published book was in fifth grade. My librarian, Mrs. Gardier, lamented my story and put it on the shelf for checkout. I was thrilled.

TRC:  What challenges or difficulties have you encountered writing and publishing your stories?

Kaira Rouda: I’m impatient, and my background is marketing. So the speed of publishing – the very slow process involved in bringing a book to life — is something I’ve struggled with. But I’m so grateful to be doing the career I dreamed of as a child.

TRC:  Would you please tell us something about the premise of THE WIDOW?

Kaira Rouda: The Widow’s premise is based on the tradition of The Widow’s Mandate. When a sitting member of congress dies in office, their spouse is often appointed by the governor (senate) or runs for the seat in a special election (house) to complete the term. The tradition is the way the first women began to serve in congress. In fact, statistically speaking, for women aspiring to serve in congress, the best husband has been a dead husband. I thought that was a good starting point for a political thriller.

TRC:  Are any of the events in THE WIDOW based in reality?

Kaira Rouda: Some of the settings are based on real events I had the chance to attend while we were in DC: The Congressional Dialogue Dinners at the gorgeous Library of Congress, the First Lady’s Luncheon, The Congressional Club. Congressman Asher’s office set up is based on the office my husband had. If you’re referring to the plot points, those are all my imagination. Although I will say Chinese spies are everywhere in DC, and there are a lot of stories about corrupt lobbyists.

TRC:  How do you keep the plot(s) unpredictable without sacrificing content and believability?

Kaira Rouda: I’m a pantser, who writes by the seat of her pants. I don’t plot. So I just let my characters loose on the page and hope for the best.

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?

Kaira Rouda: I do think people judge a book by its cover — thus the expression!

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

Kaira Rouda: The characters are in charge.

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?

Kaira Rouda: Characters, even the killers, need to have relatable traits. I hope my characters are the kind you love to hate, at least some of them. The ones up to no good.

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

Kaira Rouda: No. I write with no music, no noise. I’m not a cafe writer, either. I like to be at my desk, by myself.

TRC:  Many authors bounce ideas and information with other authors or friends and family. With whom do you bounce ideas?

Kaira Rouda: My agents are great first readers, and my friend Andrea Katz of Great Thoughts is a fabulous brainstorming partner.

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

Kaira Rouda: I’m not sure. Do you know? 😀

TRC:  What is something that few, if any people, know about you?

Kaira Rouda: I love to hula hoop. And, I’m afraid of heights. Oh, and I’m shy, but people never think I am.

TRC:  On what are you currently working?

Kaira Rouda: I’m in edits on my next novel, BENEATH THE SURFACE, out September 2023. So excited.

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food
Cheese

Favorite Dessert
Cheese

Favorite TV Show
Just binge watched LOOT. Loved it. Huge fan of Succession.

Last Movie You Saw
A Simple Favor. So good.

Dark or Milk Chocolate
I am one of the few people in the world that does not like chocolate. Halloween was tough growing up!

Secret Celebrity Crush
Cheryl Hines

Last Vacation Destination
Hawaii

Do you have any pets?
Two dogs! Mine is a shipoo named Tucker. He’s thirteen and my right-hand man. My husband’s dog is a crazy bernedoodle named Cali, who is a year and a half.

Last book you read
Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six by Lisa Unger

Thank you Kaira for taking the time to answer our questions. Congratulations on your new release.

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Alice Takes Back Wonderland 1 & 2 by David D Hammons- reviews

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Alice Takes Back Wonderland 1 & 2 by David D Hammons- reviews & interview

Alice Takes Back Wonderland
by David D Hammons
Genre: adult, fantasy, fairy tale reimagined

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / Amazon.au / Chapters Indigo Paper /

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After ten years of being told she can’t tell the difference between real life and a fairy tale, Alice finally stops believing in Wonderland. Only when the White Rabbit kicks her down the rabbit hole does Alice realize that the magical land she visited as a child is real. But the Ace of Spades has taken over Wonderland, and is systematically dismantling all that makes it wonderful. Alice must help the Mad Hatter and all those fighting to keep Wonderland as mad as it’s ever been. To do this, Alice journeys across the stars to unite an army. She discovers that fairy tales are real in the magical world beyond the rabbit hole, but they are not the fairy tales she knows. Alice must overcome the trials of these old stories if she wants to unite the lands against Ace. With the help of Peter Pan, Pinocchio, Snow White, and heroes old and new, Alice may have the strength to take back Wonderland.

•••••

REVIEW:As most of you probably know the story of Alice, you know if the take…..

A young girl who falls into a strange world filled with magical beings. 

But in this authors version, Alice is a young girl with a different story to tell, this is what happens after………

When she returned real world she was diagnosed with ADHD and Schizophrenia. She was then forced to believe that the Cheshire Cat, Mad Hatter and all the other characters she met were all just figments of her imagination. So Alice finally believed them and let wonderland fall into just a memory.

But ten years later the white rabbit reappears and leads Alice back to Wonderland…… But all is not how she remembers  it!! 

The Cheshire Cat is dead and the Ace of Spades is now in charge. (And he’s a tyrant!) Nothing is as Alice remembers it to be. This world resembles the world she just left, it looks far too “normal”! 

The Ace of Spades has decided that the magic/wonder that made this realm special is to be removed. Madness is now forbidden! 

Alice has her work cut out for her, it’s going to take a huge plan to restore this realm back to the Wonderland Alice remembers and loves. 

Alice Takes Back Wonderland is not just a retelling of the Lewis Carrols story.  It’s a lot more, we see the characters from the original book play their part in trying to overthrow the Ace of Spades. 

Bye we also see other characters from fairytales, like Peter Pan, Pinocchio and Snow White. 

It is aimed for a YA reader, but I found it deeply interesting and I couldn’t put it down. 

? Reviewed by Julie B

______

ALICE TAKES BACK WONDERLAND
Alice and the Ice Queen
by David D Hammons
Genre: adult, fantasy, fairy tale reimagined
Release Date: November 25, 2022

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

Alice has returned, and Wonderland is covered in snow. An icy wind pulls Alice and Peter Pan back into Wonderland through a mirror-like portal, trapping Peter in a frozen palace. After Snow White informs Alice that all of Wonderland is in danger, Alice joins forces with Don Quixote, Hanno of Carthage, Long the Dragon, Snegurochka, and many more legends both new and old to save Peter Pan before Wonderland is lost.

••••••

REVIEW: This is the second book in the series, I’d recommend you read book one before opening book two. 

Alice and Peter are together in the real world, living their best lives. Growing up together, life seems too good to be true…..

This one I felt a little older than the first book. It’s a great read, throughly engaging and plenty of action and adventure. I’ll have to admit I did like the first on a little more. But it’s still a great read. 

I did find Alice a little hard going in places, she can’t commit, she won’t look forward to either a future or even tomorrow. When Peter asks her about what she wants to do, she becomes frustrated, and when Snow White asks her to become Queen of Wonderland to unite the realm, Alice doesn’t really want to do it. I understand that for years she was told what to think and feel. 

After Peter is sucked back into Wonderland, Alice has no choice but to rescue Peter. But how can she rescue him when she’s not sure where she is? It looks like Wonderland, but it’s covered in snow…..

Meeting Don Quixote, they set about trying to figure out in which direction they need to go to free Peter Pan. Along the way, Alice explains why Wonderland might be different from when she left it. Don tells her what happened after they left. 

We catch up with Snow White, who tells her that the Ice Queen now controls Wonderland, but it’s worse than that, NeverLand and Grimm are also in danger, it looks like Alice is going to have to battle a new foe! Her friends want her to be queen! She’s not cut out to lead, she o it wants to rescue Peter ad go home. 

We catch up with a few characters from the previous book, we also meet new adversaries and allies in this book. I love Snow White and her dwarves, they have a few lines that will have you chuckling. Battles come thick and fast, a few twists and turns will keep you reading this book well past your bedtime. 

A highly recommended read. 

? Reviewed by Julie B

Copies Supplied for review

TRC:  Hi David and welcome to The Reading CafÊ. Congratulations on the release of ALICE TAKES BACK WONDERLAND 2: ALICE AND THE ICE QUEEN.

David D Hammons: Thank you!

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

Social Media Links:Goodreads/ Website/ Facebook/ Twitter/ Youtube/

David D Hammons: I’m an avid world-traveller and always like to incorporate stories and visuals from the places I’ve been, especially under-appreciated places. For instance, a major character in this book is from a Carthaginian folk tale. We owe so much of our culture to Carthage and the Phoenicians, and they’re almost never talked about. I love bringing to light these previously under-appreciated elements of our shared past.

TRC:  Who or what influenced your career in writing?

David D Hammons: I saw a documentary about Hemmingway and essentially wanted to emulate a lot of what he did, save the last part of his life. I wrote a few stories for a creative writing club at school and people laughed (which was a good thing because they were funny stories). I got hooked on the reaction and the thrill of writing and have been clogging away at it ever since.

TRC:  What challenges or difficulties did you encounter writing and publishing this story? This series?

David D Hammons: Writing this story was a whirlwind. I wrote the first book in 2013, and thought I’d never write a sequel, so it took me back to a lot of emotions. I’d actually written the first few pages around 2015 because my publisher wanted to see them, and I ended up using it. Publishing it was more complicated, though, because the original publisher sold me a lot of lies on what they were going to do and tried to steal from me. The first book was successful, and they even sold the audio rights to it, but never told me about it so I had to fight them to get my portion of the advance they received. I eventually got the rights back after that company essentially went bankrupt, and I decided to take more control of my writing career and stop trying to please these publishers and just write something fun. I essentially hit the reset button on my career by going back to Wonderland.

TRC:  Would you please tell us something about the premise of ALICE TAKES BACK WONDERLAND 1 & 2?

David D Hammons: It started out as a gag, if I’m being honest. I had this idea of parodying all the dark and gritty fairy tale remakes by putting Alice on a poster with a pair of crossed Uzis. But the more I fiddled with it, the more fun the premise became, and so I dropped the parody angle and just did it for real. The original concept was to literally throw every single fairy tale I could into a single story. The problem with the sequel is that left no new fairy tales to pick from, save the ice queen. So rather than use lesser-known European fairy tales, I went with non-European fairy tales that may or may not be popular, but aren’t widely known in the US.

TRC:  What types of research/plotting did you do, and how long did you spend researching /plotting before beginning ALICE TAKES BACK WONDERLAND 1 & 2?

David D Hammons: I might say that I spent about seven years brainstorming it, because my publisher was always asking about a sequel and I never really gave up the idea. I had this premise, and I didn’t really tinker with it much but it never went away. I got my MA in History recently, and that inspired a lot of the stories I used, so I essentially copied my own homework and used that as research.

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

David D Hammons: I have at least one more. I love a good trilogy, and the third one’s gonna knock your socks off!

TRC: Who or what triggered your re-imagination of Alice in Wonderland?

David D Hammons: When I was in elementary school, I was diagnosed as ADHD. I was given pills to ‘control’ it. The result was that instead of acting out in class, I shut down. All my thoughts were forced inward, and I felt zombified while screaming internally at the same time. After a few years of this, I told my parents I would no longer take the pills, and I rediscovered how beautiful life and the silliness of childhood was. This was the metaphor that inspired me. Wonderland has often been used as a metaphor for mental challenges, so I wanted to turn that on its head and say that Wonderland was a good thing, and that taming it was bad. Wonderland was this silly, limitless space of potential, and an outside force came in to sterilize it. For the sequel, I went with a modified version where childhood can’t be used as a crux for some sort of arrested development, and Wonderland faced new internal challenges rather than outside dangers.

TRC: Other than Alice, do any of the original cast of characters join the journey?

David D Hammons: The original cast shows up in the beginning, and Cheshire Cat shows up throughout, because they’re probably my favorite character to write. But most of the journey Alice goes on is taken with brand new characters taken from lesser-known folk tales.

TRC: Believability is an important factor in writing story lines especially stories with a paranormal / fantasy premise-readers like to think ‘what if?’. How do you keep the story line believable? Where do you think some author’s fail?

David D Hammons: I think Wonderland provides a cheat code for this. The reader knows that Wonderland is inherently fantastical, so they just take it for granted that fantastical things happen. Where I had to struggle was tying Wonderland to the real world. That required some clever world building using semi-scientific foundations. I essentially use an ‘if-then’ test, where I tell myself if something I’ve established is true, then what else does that imply? For instance, if these stories are real, then why do we tell them? What about stories that are no longer told? Testing my setting for logical validity is one of the things I enjoy playing with in world-building, and I think too many authors fail at this. For instance, my wife tells me I’m not allowed to do with this with the world of Harry Potter, because apparently the implication that NASA could use magic to settle Mars makes the setting less fun.

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?

David D Hammons: I hate to say it, but yes, the cover matters a great deal. Fantasy is a bit watered down with a lot of bad books. I’ve gotten very picky about the fantasy that I read, because you have to be, so anything an author can do to prove that their book isn’t another crummy machismo sword-and-sorcery the better, and this includes solid cover art.

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

David D Hammons: I’d say the best writing comes when there’s a symbiosis. You know what the characters would logically do, so when you hit them with external motivations, they go along the path you want. Crafting both creates those great story results.

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?

David D Hammons: My agent is always telling me that what matters are the stakes. What happens if the character fails, succeeds, does nothing? Why is that good/bad? Why should the reader care? These basic things sound sterile, but they’re required to get a reader to become invested in a character’s story. Forgetting that every character has the option to do nothing is an easy trap, but a reader can always sense that. A good character does things with intent, even nothing, and every action they choose has consequences. The knowledge of the potential for both good and bad consequences creates that emotional connection.

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

David D Hammons: I love listening to fantasy movies scores while I write. Lord of the Rings is always a go-to, but I love the score to How to Train Your Dragon and Pirates of the Caribbean. I avoid music with lyrics, because they’re a bit distracting, and try to play music with an emotional cue that fits the scene I’m writing. I don’t do this too much, because that would be very distracting, and oftentimes if I just cue up my Lord of the Rings station on Pandora, I’ll get the right mix to keep me focused.

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

David D Hammons: That we don’t like bad reviews. I love feedback, good or bad, and have incorporated some feedback from the first book with the second. For instance, one reader didn’t like how the first book used a lot of guns. I saw it as a unique challenge for Alice to now refuse to use a gun, and that provided some really neat drama and emotionality. An author loves, loves, loves a basic review, even just some stars on Amazon, so if you read this, please rate and review and I might just incorporate your feedback into the third book!

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

David D Hammons: I’ve always wanted a ferret. I don’t care if they’re stinky, I think they’re amazing.

TRC: Who or what influenced your path towards writing?

David D Hammons: It’s a weird thing to say, but cartoons. I loved shows like Ed, Edd, n Eddy and Powerpuff Girls and the like, even the new My Little Pony, which was made by the same people as those two shows. They made me want to create funny, engaging stories like that.

TRC: On what are you currently working?

David D Hammons: I’m currently working on a fantastical version of an epic in my Sevens Prophets universe. If you want to see the early draft material, you can read it on Royal Road!

TRC: Would you like to add anything else?

David D Hammons: I’m going to Egypt this January, as well as Istanbul, and I can’t wait to see what sort of inspiration I’ll get while I’m there for book number 3!

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food
Lasagne

Favorite Dessert
Chocolate torte

Favorite TV Show
Ed, Edd, n Eddy

Last Movie You Saw
The Creeping Flesh (my wife loves old horror movies)

Dark or Milk Chocolate
Dark

Secret Celebrity Crush
Emma Watson

Last Vacation Destination
Hermann, MO

Do you have any pets?
Dante, our Jack-Russell mix.

Last book you read
The God of Forgotten Things by Cameron Johnston

TRC: Thank you David for taking the time to answer our questions. Congratulations on the release of ALICE TAKES BACK WONDERLAND: ALICE AND THE ICE QUEEN. We wish you all the best.

David D Hammons: Thank you so much!!!

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Blue Like Me by Aaron Philip Clark-Review & Author Interview

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Blue Like Me (Trevor Finnegan 2) by Aaron Philip Clark-Review & Author Interview

 

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

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date November 8, 2022

A brutal homicide sets an ex-cop and his former partner on the hunt for an enigmatic killer in a gripping thriller by the author of Under Color of Law.

When former detective Trevor “Finn” Finnegan became a PI, he adopted a new mandate: catch the LAPD’s worst in the act. While on surveillance in Venice Beach, Finn tails two potentially dirty cops: Detective Martin Riley and Finn’s ex-partner, Detective Sally Munoz. Things take a deadly turn when an unknown assailant executes Riley and wounds Munoz. In an instant, Finn goes from private eye to eyewitness.

Munoz needs Finn to help find Riley’s killer, but doing so could blow his cover. She’s an officer shaded by rumors. Maybe she’s still a good cop—but maybe she’s not. Finn’s reluctance ends when his dear “uncle,” an ex-LAPD detective, is murdered, and it might be connected to Riley’s death.

To prevent more bloodshed and avoid becoming the next targets on the killer’s list, Finn and Munoz will have to bury their complicated past, trust each other, and come face-to-face with painful secrets that could destroy them both.

••••

REVIEW: BLUE LIKE ME is the second instalment in Aaron Philip Clark’s contemporary, adult TREVOR FINNEGAN murder, mystery, thriller series focusing on former LAPD Detective turned PI Trevor Finnegan. BLUE LIKE ME can be read as a stand alone but for back story and cohesion, I recommend reading book one UNDER COLOR OF LAW as most of the events of Blue Like Me are as of a direct result from the previous instalment.

NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise, there may be triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from first person perspective (Trevor) BLUE LIKE ME is set in 2016, and follows former LAPD Detective turned PI Trevor Finnegan as he is tasked with tailing two LAPD police officers thought to be involved in $ex trafficking crimes but a new assignment finds Trevor following two more detectives, detective of whom he has personal knowledge but all does not go according to plan when a gunman kills one of Trevor’s targets, and injures the other while on the run. Trevor knows that to get involved means facing the wrath of the department for which he once worked, a department that labelled our hero, just another dirty cop. As Trevor works in tandem with injured LAPD Detective Sally Munoz, secrets begin to reveal a connection to a case long thought buried and gone. While his life as a PI is getting more dangerous and dark, his personal life begins to spiral out of control.

Trevor Finnegan lost his job as a detective two years earlier in the wake a scandal, accountability in law enforcement, and the death of a murdered black academy cadet. Fast forward to present day, Trevor now works as a private investigator but quickly discovers many of his targets are members of the LAPD, men and women for whom he once worked. From dirty cops to murder, evidence tampering and bribery, secrets and lies, Trevor uncovers a trail dating back several decades, decades in which time served resulted in the death of a possible innocent man.

BLUE LIKE ME is a gritty and impassioned story of desperation and reprisal, power and control, betrayal and injustice, exposure and lies. The premise is tragic and dramatic; the characters are desperate, determined and broken.

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

TRC: Hi Aaron, and welcome to The Reading Cafe.

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

Social Media Links: Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads / Website/ Amazon Author Page /

Aaron:I’m a native Angeleno, but I lived on the east coast for twelve years and experiencing both coasts influenced my writing.

I’ve always loved the power of fiction. Before pursuing novel writing, I worked as an independent script doctor revising scripts for clients while working on my thesis. After publishing my thesis novel, I decided to focus solely on fiction. However, I recently returned to screenwriting and found more enjoyment this round than before.

TRC:What challenges or difficulties have you encountered writing and publishing your stories?

Aaron:Admittedly, the road to publication came easier for me than for some. I published with an independent press for my first three novels and then with a larger publisher for my recent books.

TRC:Would you please tell us something about BLUE LIKE ME and the Trevor Finnegan series?

Aaron: Blue Like Me is the second book in the series. Trevor is no longer an LAPD detective and is working as a private investigator whose mandate is exposing crooked cops. Trevor’s character pays homage to the antiheroes of classic noir. He plays by his own rules, and the path of doing the right thing sometimes means operating in a gray area. Right and wrong are subjective, which makes him complicated and someone the reader will route for because he truly strives to do the right thing.

TRC:Is the lead character Trevor Finnegan based on a real person or a mix of people/ law enforcement members?

Aaron: Trevor’s an amalgamation of police officers I knew in the academy and my personal life. In many ways, he’s an ode to Black law enforcement officers who have had to contend with obstacles both within their respective departments and out on the street.

TRC:Are / will any of Trevor’s stories be based on real-life events or a mix of them?

Aaron: I wouldn’t describe the novels as “ripped from the headlines,” but they do crib aspects of their plots from cases I studied in the police academy.

TRC:What kind of research and plotting was involved in the writing of BLUE LIKE ME? How long did you spend researching the premise?

Aaron: It took me two to four months to outline the novel, including researching cases involving the LAPD that inspired aspects of the story. Some cases are well-known, while others are obscure and typically don’t receive media coverage.

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

Aaron: Likely five or six.

TRC:Are the stories stand-alone, or would the reader benefit from reading the series in order?

Aaron: The reader would surely get more out of the series if they read the books in order, but the stories hold up on their own and can be read as stand-alones.

TRC:How do you keep the plot(s) unpredictable without sacrificing content and believability?

Aaron: I spend considerable time ensuring my novels are grounded in reality and authentic police procedure. I don’t have any secret formula, but many twists come from characters’ behavior rather than being heavily plot-driven.

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?

Aaron:The cover image is part of branding and marketing. If a cover is poorly designed or fails to catch a reader’s attention, that could hinder the book’s success unless they’re well-known authors. Debut authors or authors that are publishing with a large commercial publisher for the first time need dynamic covers–it’s a must. Unfortunately, publishers often go with the most cost-effective design, which isn’t always eye-catching.

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

Aaron: It’s 50/50. I set the scenes and plot the narrative, but once the characters begin to take shape and act from their established beliefs and motivations, it’s their show.

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 writers fail in this endeavor?

Aaron: Point-of-view plays a considerable role in eliciting a vicarious experience for the reader. Writing in the first-person or close third can facilitate that connection more seamlessly, depending on the writer’s goal. Keeping a distance from the reader can also prove useful, especially if it’s an unreliable narrator.

TRC:Many authors bounce ideas and information with other authors or friends and family. With whom do you bounce ideas?

Aaron: I tend to complete a draft, then elicit feedback if I think something needs refinement.

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

Aaron: Many people presume you’ve sold thousands of books if you have a New York Times Bestseller. That’s often not true, and the New York Times Bestseller distinction is predicated on a reviewer’s taste. So, I always tell people to support books that interest them rather than be swayed by any trade list.

TRC:What is something that few, if any people, know about you?

Aaron: I’m a classic car enthusiast.

TRC:On what are you currently working?

Aaron: I’m writing a thriller set in the music industry inspired by The Talented Mr. Ripley and other works by Patricia Highsmith.

TRC: Would you like to add anything else?

Aaron: My novel, Blue Like Me, will be published on November 8th and is available for pre-order at Amazon.com.

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food: Lamb Dry Pot

Favorite Dessert: Apple pie

Favorite TV Show: Homicide: Life on the Street

Last Movie You Saw: The Batman

Dark or Milk Chocolate: Dark

Secret Celebrity Crush: Issa Rae

Last Vacation Destination: Hawaii

Do you have any pets? No

Last book you read: The Force by Don Winslow

TRC: Congratulations Aaron on the new release. We wish you all the best.

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Irrevocable (Guardians 1) by AJ Reid-Review, Interview & Giveaway

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Irrevocable (Guardians 1) by AJ Reid-Review, Interview & Giveaway

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

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date July 23, 2022

When Tess nosedives into Ethan, it’s a genuine accident. But when she trespasses? Maybe not so much.

When Tess Williams, a neonatal intensive care unit nurse, finds her fiancé in bed with another woman, she is done with dating. Even if it means she won’t have a family of her own, because trust and honesty are that important to her. Hellbent on avoiding any temptation of the male kind, she makes one devastating mistake: nosediving into the solid chest of a Delta Force operator.

Her second far-reaching mistake? Trespassing.

Ethan Mitchell, only son of a Texas billionaire, joined the Army to turn his life around. Adamant all women are only after money and can’t be trusted, and to keep his past secret, he is only interested in casual flings. Until a stubborn and infuriating five-foot-seven firecracker crashes into him, insisting he is mistaken, and he needs to apologize.

Sure. Like hell he is. And like hell he will.

Ethan may admit he is wrong (about one woman specifically), but will he risk exposing his secrets to keep her in his life? And Tess may give in to the attraction between them, but will she risk her heart for someone who, all too often, is sent on life-threatening missions?

•••••

REVIEW: IRREVOCABLE is the first instalment in AJ Reid’s contemporary, adult GUARDIANS erotic, romance series. This is billionaire/Delta Force operative Ethan Mitchell, and NICU nurse Tess Williams’ story line.

Told from dual third person perspectives IRREVOCABLE follows the turbulent but building romance and relationship between billionaire/Delta Force operative Ethan Mitchell, and NICU nurse Tess Williams. A night out with friends found Tess Williams stumbling into a sexy and brooding but cantankerous man, a man she would meet not once but two more times, several weeks later, where in she would discover our ill-tempered hero is one of her brother’s Delta Force Operatives, and a man who believes women are after him for only his money. A whirlwind affair between Tess and Ethan would end dramatically when Tess catches Ethan with someone else, the end of which Tess will suffer like she had never before. Life as she knows it is about to spiral out of control but Ethan refuses to listen or accept anything Tess has left to offer. What ensues is the building relationship between Ethan and Tess, and the fall-out when Tess walks away, pushing Ethan to close his heart, one final time.

The relationship between Tess and Ethan begins acrimoniously. Ethan believes Tess is a stalker; after his wealth and power; a woman who only sees Ethan as a final payday. Tess, on the other hand, has no idea as to Ethan’s identity, and crossing one another’s paths was nothing more than a coincidence that was about to become something more but Tess doesn’t do ‘army’, having watched from the sidelines as her parents’ marriage imploded. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

We are introduced to Tess’s brother Joshua Williams; fellow Delta Force Operator Hayden Cooper, as well as Tess’s mother, and several co-workers at the hospital.

IRREVOCABLE is a story of mistaken beliefs, accusations and mistrust; jealousy and misunderstand; forgiveness and love. The fast paced premise is intriguing yet heart breaking; the characters are captivating, determined and animated; the romance is seductive but struggles in the face of issues of trust. Saying that, I made every effort to sympathize with our story line hero but his attitude and actions left something to be desired.

I would like to add, I wish there was more insight into the Delta Force operations-most of the missions and events are behind the scenes and off page.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

TRC:  Hi AJ and welcome to The Reading CafÊ.Congratulations on the release of IRREVOCABLE.

AJ:  Thank you so much, and for having me today!

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

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

AJ: I’m an Aussie from Perth, Western Australia and am married to a wonderful husband who still makes me laugh after 24 years. We have two boys, 19 and 17 years old, and 3 dogs. We’ve been living in the US for almost 8 years, and our oldest son is starting university beginning of next year. Our baby, who isn’t a baby anymore, just started his senior year. I honestly can’t believe how quickly they’ve grown up. It feels like yesterday when I was sitting next to the pool writing while they had swimming lessons.

TRC:  Who or what influenced your career in writing?

AJ:During a 10-week work trip to the US in 2006, I joined a library when I had finished all the books I had brought with me and came across a Cynster novel by Stephanie Laurens. I couldn’t put it down, or the next one, or the next. When I was done with every Cynster, Bastion Club, and Cobra novel, I decided to try my hand at writing. I’ve never regretted this decision for one moment.

I initially thought I’d write Regency novels, but while I was researching potential historical events as the backdrop for my first book, I stumbled across the Reivers of the English-Scottish borders. I immediately knew I wanted to not only learn more about their turbulent past and history, but also that I wanted to write their stories. I immersed myself into research for almost 2 years before I started writing the first book.

After many years of research, learning the craft of writing, completing the first manuscript, and moving to the US, I needed a break from the past and returned to my other grassroots love, Contemporary Romance. Once I finish the GUARDIANS series, I plan to return to the 16th century border for their Happily Ever Afters.

TRC:  What challenges or difficulties have you encountered writing and publishing your stories?

AJ:Finding time for writing between my professional career, family, and my other interests like reading and traveling. I have a lot of support from my family which helps tremendously.

TRC:  Would you please tell us something about the premise of IRREVOCABLE and the GUARDIANS series?

AJ:Tess is a neonatal intensive care nurse who has gone through several bad breakups. She really wants a family, but after catching her fiancĂŠ cheating on her three weeks before their wedding day, she’s done with relationships and decides to have a baby on her own when the time is right.

She’s also dealing with the loss of her Special Forces brother during a classified operation, a dad who has put his Army career ahead of his family, and suspects her only remaining brother has just made Delta Force selection which renews her fears she might lose him too.

Ethan is the only son of a Texas billionaire, and had joined the Army to turn his out-of-control life around. He grew up believing that women are only after his family’s money and can’t be trusted, and is only interested in short-term flings to keep his past buried.

When they meet by accident in the hottest “It” lounge in Dallas, Ethan insists Tess is hitting on him. She doesn’t take being wrongly accused lightly. The second time they encounter each other, all kinds of sparks fly between them, but they assume they can ignore all of that because they are never going to see each other again. Which they of course do!

Every book in the GUARDIANS series take place in Dallas with heroes who are stubborn Delta Force operators and heroines who are NICU nurses with wills of steel. There will also always be horses, dogs, and of course, annoying and interfering family members! The main characters of the subsequent books are introduced in the previous ones, but they can all be read as stand-alone.

I should also mention that I don’t sugarcoat the more realistic aspects of neonatal nursing experiences. Where I can’t draw on my own experience, I make every effort to ensure I handle these very personal and sensitive themes with the utmost care.

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

AJ:I have 3 books planned for the GUARDIANS series.

TRC:  How do you keep the plot(s) unpredictable without sacrificing content and believability?

AJ:By making sure the motivations and emotions match the characters’ responses to the unexpected and don’t catch readers by surprise. Foreshadowing is also something I like to use to make sure, even though my characters have no clue what’s coming, that my readers are suspecting a little something.

My critique groups and beta readers are also a huge help to keep me on the straight and narrow, and they let me know when something doesn’t work or is confusing or unbelievable.

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?

AJ:Absolutely. Most of the time the cover is the first thing to draw a reader’s attention and should make them want to read the blurb, which should make them want to read the first few pages, and then the rest of the book. They’re all tied together, and each plays a critical role.

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

AJ:I’ve only once let the characters do the directing, and never again. It was a disaster of epic proportions to sort that plotline out and make sense of things. So these days, I keep them on a short leash!

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?

AJ:It’s key to really understand what the character is going through at that moment. I also consider how I would feel and respond to a similar situation, and then I dig deeper into what the character would feel and respond. There’s a fine balance to ensure the level of detail is appropriate for each scene, otherwise it can completely undo any emotional connection again.

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

AJ:I develop the storyline and characterization first before I compile a playlist, but I don’t always have one. When I do, I listen to the songs while I’m planning the next scene in my head or when I’m driving, and once in a while when I’m writing and am in the mood for music.

This is how I know the hero in the second book of the GUARDIANS series is going to be a handful. I mean, Lady Gaga’s Bad Romance is on that playlist…

TRC:  Many authors bounce ideas and information with other authors or friends and family. With whom do you bounce ideas?

AJ:I have two small, close-knit critique partner groups on Scribophile. We’ve been together for ages and know each other very well. It’s great being able to work with writer-friends who know my writing style, challenge me to take risks, and who I can ask all kinds of questions, anytime. I met some of them in person on a trip to Yellowstone National Park last year, which was fantastic. Yellowstone also lived up to its reputation. It was absolutely stunning!

I’m also part of bigger Scribophile groups where I can get answers for about just anything from doctors, nurses, lawyers, veterans, other Border Reiver gurus, and of course, writing, publishing, and marketing.

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

AJ:That most of us write full-time, and writing is our main/only income source.

TRC:  What is something that few, if any people, know about you?

AJ:I absolutely love everything netball, and recently, started to get into American football. I still love Aussie footy rules, too!!

TRC:  On what are you currently working?

AJ:The second book of the GUARDIANS series which I hope to have out early next year.

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food
Butter chicken with white rice and veggies

Favorite Dessert
Black Forest Cake

Favorite TV Show
The Blacklist

Last Movie You Saw
The Lost City with Sandra Bullock & Channing Tatum and I only have good things to day about it!

Dark or Milk Chocolate
This is a really easy one, milk chocolate all the way, right?

Secret Celebrity Crush
Ryan Reynolds

Last Vacation Destination
On the back of a work trip to the UK earlier this year, I added a few days to hunt down the spirit of the Border Reiver on the English/Scottish border. It was so much more than I ever expected, and I had wonderful conversations with many awesome people who shared their personal stories, love of the border, and their family history.

Do you have any pets?
One Dachshund and two South African boerboels. The boerboel boy is still a puppy which means I’m dedicating a bit of my writing time to teaching the little guy the difference between furniture, shoes, and dog toys. But so far, so good. He’s smart and catching on quickly!

Last book you read
FINDERS, KEEPERS by Chloe Holiday. It’s a short, exceptionally satisfying read and I highly recommend it. The next one on my list is HERS TO KEEP by Avery Samson.

TRC:  Thank you, Janet for taking the time to answer our questions. Congratulations on your new release.

AJ:Thank you again for having me, and for a fun interview!

AJ Reid is graciously offering a signed, paper copy of IRREVOCABLE to ONE (1) USA reader: and an ebook copy to TWO (2) international readers

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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9. Giveaway is open to USA only (paper) and INTERNATIONAL (ebooks)

10. Giveaway runs from October 8-13, 2022

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Fire and Amulet by Helen B Henderson -Review & Interview

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FIRE AND AMULET by Helen B Henderson-Review and Interview

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

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release March 29, 2022

Trelleir is a true dragon whose magic allows him to take on human form. The last of his kind, he longs for companionship. However, his only friend is not only a human female, but a slayer. Sworn to kill all dragons, including him.

Summoned by the village council, Deneas is sent on a quest to kill any and all dragons, and cannot return without proof of her success. Finding the mythical creature and avoiding its deadly talons and fire are not her only problems. Another slayer follows with orders to kill her. As she retraces her slain mother’s footsteps, she learns the world is not what it seems.

••••••••

REVIEW: Deneas is a skilled dragon hunter, so when the council order her to hunt and kill the last dragon, she has no choice.

Trelleir is a dragon (shifter) well actually he’s a dragon that’s shifts into a man (totally different) he’s also the last of his kind. He knew Deneas’s parents, and promised her mother to always look out for her.

This story gives a whole new twist on shifter stories. So I’d say it’s more magic and myth rather than shifter.

It’s also divided into three stories, we have a dragon slayer who’s been sent out to kill Deneas! And Deneas needs to find out what really happened to her parents, and more about the dragons her mother was sworn to kill (and didn’t, her mother was also a slayer before being tried as a witch and killed!)

Written with a very sense of old fashion wordage and tone. It’s slow and sluggish at times, and it does wander around looking a little lost!

I did like the part where Deneas reads her mother’s journal. I’m also interested in finding out if there are any other dragons alive, or is Trelleir really the last of his kind. (Have to admit I cried when he found the nursery empty of hatchlings). It’s not a romance book by any sense of the imagination. No fade to black, no sweet romance, nothing. So if Trelleir wants a mate this book doesn’t give that impression. And the ending…. Well that gave me the feelings of guardianship rather than a grand love!

Left on not really a cliffhanger, but an opening to a series. Which I’m really hoping will happen because I enjoyed the book once I realised there wasn’t going to be any steam.

Copy supplied for review

? Reviewed by Julie B

TRC: Hi Helen and welcome to The Reading CafĂŠ. Congratulations on the release of FIRE AND AMULET.

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

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

Helen: Although the author of several local histories and numerous articles on the topics of American and military history, antiques and collectibles, my first love is fiction. My work in the museum and history fields enables a special insight into creating fantasy worlds. The descendent of a coal-miner’s daughter and an aviation flight engineer, my writing reflects the contrasts of my heritage as well as that of my Gemini sign. My stories cross genres from historical westerns to science fiction and fantasy. In the world of romance fantasy (or if you prefer more romance with your action, fantasy romance), I authored the Dragshi Chronicles and The Windmaster Novels. IMPRISONED IN STONE takes a darker look at magic. A special work of love was a collection of short stories and poems dedicated to those in my family who served in the military. HEARTH AND SAND: STORIES FROM THE FRONT LINES AND THE HOMEFRONT presents a continuity of service from the past to today and into the world of tomorrow of those who served on the battle front, and the stories of the loved ones left behind who preserved the homefront.

TRC: Who or what influenced your career in writing?

Helen: For the Old West call to my soul, Louis L’Amor, because he walked the ground he wrote about. His Sackett series has a special place on my bookshelf. For the worlds of fantasy, there is a special love of Anne McCaffrey, especially her Talents Universe series. Barbara Hambly and Katherine Kurtz influenced my writing with their sharing of magic. Lastly, a pair of authors that have been a large part of writing life, but who I have never met in person have earned a special place in the list. Carol McPhee whose romantic suspenses taught romance to share my works with action. And Judy Griffith Gill whose suggestions improved my craft beyond measure.

TRC: What challenges or difficulties did you encounter writing and publishing this story?

Helen: The most difficult part of the story to write involved Trelleir’s secret. The reader had to be told so they knew his true identity early in the story. My problem came when the secret was revealed. How would Deneas react? Her actions had to be realistic, but the betrayal couldn’t disrupt the desired ending.

TRC:Would you please tell us something about the premise of FIRE AND AMULET?

Helen: Trelleir is a true dragon. Fire and flight are not his only abilities. He can use his magic to take on the shape of a human which is dangerous as dragons and humans don’t always coexist in a peaceful harmony. Trelleir’s family was murdered by slayers. Alone since he cracked his shell, he believed he was the last of his kind and longs for companionship. Even if it is only that of a human female. However, she is a slayer. Sworn to kill all dragons, including him.

TRC: What kind of research/plotting did you do, and how long did you spend researching /plotting before beginning FIRE AND AMULET?

Helen: Most of the research involved collecting images to help me visualize the settings such as Merlin’s Well below Tintagel Castle for Trelleir’s secret glen. Fingal’s Cave on the Island of Staffa, Scotland served as inspiration for the hatching cave. Plotting the storyline was another matter. As a rule, I am more of a plotter than a pantser. A detailed storyline from start to finish never happens. The creation of scene storyboards of various detail from bullet points to full draft invariably gives way to the characters. At that point the storyboard format shifts into full-fledged draft.

TRC: Is FIRE AND AMULET a stand-alone story line? Or if not, how many books do you have planned for the series?

Helen: The tale of Trelleir and Deneas started out as a short story. It nagged at me until it became a full-length novel. Having recently completed a series, there were no plans to make FIRE AND AMULET anything other than a stand-alone. However, due to reader requests, there is the possibility of another one or two books.

TRC: You write both fiction and non-fiction stories. Which genre do you find more difficult to write and why?

Both genre have their own challenges. Non-fiction requires a lot more research. Each fact needs to be verified and re-verified using primary sources. Another issue with non-fiction is finding suitable images to accompany them. The images must be eye-catching and copyright free.

I write fantasy, so research and facts are not as important since I create the world. I do have to be careful not to include contemporary terms or phrases. When I started writing telling a good story was sufficient. Now readers expect more. A challenge for me is making sure the characters change and develop.

TRC: Believability is an important factor in writing story lines especially stories with a paranormal premise-readers like to think ‘what if?’. How do you keep the story line believable? Where do you think some author’s fail?

Helen: There has to be something in the storyline that resonates with the reader. It could be the character’s backstory or his needs. An other-worldly setting has to have some element of reality so that the reader can suspend belief. Creatures and magic are part of legend. People who can shapeshift would not be unreasonable. A reader may not have experienced a night-time blizzard on the planet Hoth, but they can relate. So when Han Solo saved Luke Skywalker from certain death by using a carcass as shelter it is not unbelievable. As long as the reader relates to the characters and their world, they can remain in the tale. Push things too far, make them too outlandish, and you risk throwing the reader out of the tale. They need some anchor.

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?

Helen: A cover can definitely influence a reader’s selection. While all of the covers created for me by Michelle Lee of Stardust Creations have been great, the eye-catching vibrancy of the FIRE AND AMULET cover grabs attention. If you look closely, you can even see the dragon’s tear.

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

Helen: A project starts with a few lines of background for the main one or two characters, a working name for them, and the completion of the following statement. “Character wants to achieve XXX because YYY but can’t because ZZZ.” I think I am in control, I have my character and storyboard forms. It works well for a few chapters. Then the characters start to take over and before I know it the road map I had envisioned for their journey is tossed aside for the character’s telling of the story.

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

Helen: I admit I don’t always have music on when writing. Jotting notes in a doctor’s office while waiting for your appointment or typing on a tablet in the wee hours of the morning isn’t conducive to playing tunes. But that doesn’t mean that music is not part of my writing life. Although each book tends to have its own playlist, certain songs trigger a mood or emotion so that the some tunes transfer from book to book. For FIRE AND AMULET, an old standby, Celtic music where the lilting voices, flute and harp send my mind to a fantasy world where magic rules and dragon fly. Music for a quest, hopelessness, and loneliness is conveyed by the haunting piano solo played at the end of each episode of The Incredible Hulk. Perfect for a dragon impersonating a human. Magical horses are inspired by the light aire of “Garryowen.”

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

Helen: There are so many misconceptions. I think it is a toss-up as to the biggest. It could be that writing a novel is easy, you just toss words on a page and have a best seller. Watchers of the television series, Castle, could believe that all authors are rich.

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

Helen: Let me think. Most don’t know that I originally wanted to be a pilot and even studied for a pilot’s license. But back then women in the right seat, let alone the captain’s chair, were a rarity so I gave up that dream. I have background in two quite different areas: history and computer science. I’ve participated in archaeological digs and directed a local history museum. Stepping out of my comfort zone was attending historical re-enactments in period costume and riding in a World War II-era jeep as part of a convoy of military vehicles. For the one I wore a long skirt and hid more modern items such as camera and keys in a wicker basket. For the other, I was in olive drab military uniform.

TRC: Who or what influenced your path towards writing?

Helen: My mother and both grandmothers taught me a love of reading. Which evolved into storytelling and the creation of my own tales. Although my writing experience includes non-fiction, journalistic pieces, computer software and technical manuals, fiction was my first love.

TRC:  On what are you currently working?

Helen:  I just completed the A to Z Challenge my blog with each post based on the characters and world of FIRE AND AMULET. At present I’m shifting gears and looking to my next project. Two concepts are fighting for dominance at this time. A futuristic scifi and another volume set in the world of Trelleir and Deneas. It may take an executive decision maker (aka a vintage quarter) to see which story goes next.

TRC :Would you like to add anything else?

Helen: I love to hear from my readers and invite them to join me join on travels through the stars or among fantasy worlds of the imagination.

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food Pizza

Favorite Dessert Boston Cream Pie

Favorite TV Show With no time period specified, I won’t consider programs from earlier times in my life, only contemporary shows. And, there are several depending on my mood. NCIS, Hardcore Pawn and Cajun Pawn, Secrets of the Dead and Nova.

Last Movie You Saw The Shadow Riders

Dark or Milk Chocolate Dark, definitely

Secret Celebrity Crush David McCallum in two of his roles, first as Illya Kuryakin then as Dr. Donald “Ducky” Mallard.

Last Vacation Destination It has been so long since I took a real vacation it is hard to remember what the last destination was so I’ll pick one of my favorite spots – a lakeside cabin in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania.

Do you have any pets? An “aristocatic” feline with tuxedo markings ruled my home for over 15 years. While I have no pets in residence at the moment, I often visit a husky who have adopted me as one the pack.

Last book you read MURDER AND MINT TEA by Janet Lane Walters

TRC: Thank you Helen for taking the time to answer our questions. Congratulations on the release of FIRE AND AMULET. We wish you all the best.

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The Killer in Me by Winter Austin-Review & Interview

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The Killer in Me (Benoit and Dayne Mystery 1) by Winter Austin-Review & Interview

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

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date September 14, 2021.

What price is too great to stop a killing spree?

Elizabeth Benoit ran for sheriff to wipe out the corruption in the good old boys network of Eckardt County, but she has yet to break in her shoes when a stranger’s body is found in a ravine. With her ex back in town, a new deputy detective on the edge of losing control, and a crooked ex-sheriff out for revenge, Elizabeth’s resources are stretched thin. And then the second body drops.

Fearing a serial killer on the loose, Elizabeth launches an investigation that lays bare more than one family secret: The Kauffmann matriarch is full of advice, but her progeny have a mean streak that leaves a path of destruction in their wake. The Meyer patriarch has his own agenda, and the Kauffmanns have been a thorn in his ambition for too long.

Elizabeth and her deputies are about to face off against odds that are not in their favor. Only one source can tip the scales, but will she sell her soul for his help?

••••••

REVIEW: THE KILLER IN ME is the first instalment in Winter Austin’s contemporary, adult BENOIT AND DAYNE MYSTERY murder, suspense series focusing on small-town Sheriff Elizabeth “Ellie’ Benoit, and former Chicago police officer Lila Dayne.

Told from third person perspective THE KILLER IN ME focuses on a series of murders in the small town of Eckardt County, murders in the wake of the ousting of a corrupt police department. Elizabeth Benoit’s return to Eckardt County comes with the new position of sheriff, a position in which she is hoping to dismantle years of corruption at the hands of the former people in charge but when several bodies begin surfacing in and around Elizabeth’s jurisdiction, Elizabeth needs all hands on deck in an effort to take down a potential serial killer, taking aim at the people she has sworn to protect.

Meanwhile, former Chicago PD police officer Lila Dayne, arrives in town just in time to jump head first into the first of four murder investigations but informing the families pushes Lila over the edge, bringing with it memories she won’t soon forget. Struggling to move on from a past without any closure, hoping for a much slower pace than her previous assignment, Lila’s ongoing pain and physical reminders, are too often at the forefront on her current investigation.

THE KILLER IN ME introduces the players in Winter Austin’s Benoit and Dayne Mystery series: Sheriff Elizabeth Benoit, Deputy Lila Dayne, Deputy Rafe Fontaine, Deputy Ben Fitzgerald, Deputy Brent Meyer, and Deputy Kyle Lundquist, as well as Elizabeth’s ex-husband, Delta force specialist Joel Fontaine, ME Dr. Olivia Remington-Thorpe, and former Eckardt County Sheriff Kelley Sheehan. The requisite evil has many faces.

Winter Austin pulls the reader into a complex story of betrayal and vengeance, power and control, murder, mayhem, greed and extreme dysfunctional family dynamics. The premise is intriguing, haunting, twisted and tragic; the characters are impassioned and determined. We learn some of the history between Elizabeth, her ex-husband Joel, and his brother Rafe, as well as a little bit about the past events that forced Lila from Chicago to Eckardt County, a past that is likely to follow Lila wherever she goes.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

TRC:  Hi Winter and welcome to The Reading CafÊ. Congratulations on the release of THE KILLER IN ME.

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

FOLLOW: GOODREADS / Website / Twitter / Pinterest / Facebook / Instagram / Tule Author page

Winter:  I’m a long time Midwestern gal with a penchant for the macabre. Always nose-deep in a mystery/suspense or a comic book when I was growing up. I was that girl classmates looked at cross-eyed because I was weird for my small rural town upbringing. If I wasn’t reading, I was writing or dreaming of writing. I have a thing for action movies, especially if the heroine is the kick-butt one holding her own and saving the dude’s life.

 Today, I’ve raised 4 weirdos just like me, and been married over twenty years to a veteran who is now teaching. And my writing has gone from romantic suspense to full on mystery/suspense with female leads.

TRC: Who or what influenced your career in writing?

Winter: The deciding factor in my decision to become an author came about in the fourth grade when I earned a spot to go to a young writer’s conference with a story, that ironically, was a mystery. I was horse crazy kid who found and fell in love with Walter Farley’s THE BLACK STALLION, and upon learning that he’d written that book while in college and became an author at an early age cemented it for me. Fast forward to high school, I returned to that same young writer’s conference, and on the suggestion of an English teacher, I began to pursue that dream. It wasn’t until my twin sons were born and with nothing better to do, I began writing—a mystery. (See a theme here?)

 Over time, lots of self-learning, years of dogged determination, and few writer’s conferences more I made it. I’ve had people tell me, without having ever read a word I wrote, that I couldn’t be a writer/author because it wasn’t a legit job and I wouldn’t earn a living at it. I wasn’t out for the $$, I did it because if I didn’t it would consume me. It was also a great learning tool for my kids, as they watched me struggle through and finally succeed. It taught them to never give up, and never let anyone tell you who or what you could be.

TRC: What challenges or difficulties did you encounter writing and publishing this story?

Winter: Publishing the book was never an issue. When Tule’s editorial team saw the tidbits I had, they wanted it and the series.

Writing the story, however, was a challenge, because I hadn’t done a lot of developing on the story line and the characters, which is something I need in order to write, and that takes time. Sometimes a story needs to stew in my head for a bit before I get all the pieces together. Also, I had just decided to get my long overdue college degree right before I signed with Tule, and that meant juggling college courses along with a day job and family obligations. Then Covid hit. But that gave me more time at home to write when I wasn’t working. Eventually the book came together and here it is today.

TRC: Would you please tell us something about the premise of THE KILLER IN ME?

Winter: The premise of THE KILLER IN ME is about family dynamics, long-standing feuds, and the lines one is willing to cross. It’s the dark, dirty secrets of a rural small town come to life.

TRC:What kind of research/plotting did you do, and how long did you spend researching /plotting before beginning THE KILLER IN ME?

Winter: THE KILLER IN ME is my tenth novel that dealt with police procedure. Most of my research was done long before, but I still consult with law enforcement and forensics personnel all the time as I write. The plot, however, took me way longer than any book has before. Tule contracted the series based on a few pages and an idea of how the series might go. I usually have the ending and the antagonist in mind before I start writing, I had none of that. As I wrote it things began to fall into place for me and eventually, I figured out what I needed. Though there were a few hours lost when I was trying to find out if an ME could figure out if and how long a body had been cold, not frozen, just cold, and how it would mess with the timeline of death.

TRC: Is any of the premise based in reality or fact?

Winter: To be frank, yes it’s both in fact. You see a lot of ID network shows on small town murders and it always stems back to 3 things; Money, Love, and Hate/Envy. I chuckle every time I see some comment online about that isn’t how small towns are, most of this coming from people who have lived in cities all their lives and believe that romance novels and other venues depict how small-town life is like.

Misogynistic/Patriarchal behavior, the likes of which Elizabeth and Lila must deal with in the book, are still on full display even today. And family feuds that date back decades can be found. Murder happens. And so does corruption. We might not be in the deep south or the mountains of the east, but we have our own crime escapades here in the Midwest.

TRC: How many books do you have planned for the series? Will Elizabeth Benoit be the lead heroine in each of the stories?

Winter: Right now, I’m trying to finish book 2 and book 3 is contracted. I don’t know how many books this series will go, I hope a lot, but that depends all on the readers. ?

Elizabeth and Lila Dayne are the main female leads, and they will be leads in all of the books. Book 2 has a surprise new lead, female as well, but I don’t want to give it away who it is.

TRC: Believability is an important factor in writing story lines especially stories of mystery and suspense. How do you keep the story line believable? Where do you think some author’s fail?

Winter: I try to keep it as real as I can. But I also take fictional licence where I want, because I can. Reading is an escape, and just like watching a movie, I want the reader to suspend disbelief and just flow with it. I read a lot in the genres I write in, but I’m really into action thrillers where the lead characters do things that feel and seem impossible, but it works because of who that character is. Oddly enough, that old line, “truth is stranger than fiction” is true. Weird things can happen in real life, but if you were to write it in a book no one would believe you. So, take licence where you can and have fun with it. If I get too bogged down in the minute details of making it all factual, I lose the love of writing what I’m writing. I’m not doing this to teach someone something, leave that for the textbooks. Enjoy! Have fun! And pretend that just for once, a woman can be more than what the world has told her to be.

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?

Winter: Personally, for me, I love a good cover, especially for my own books. But in the end does it drive me toward a book? No. Let the meat of the story be your deciding factor. Does the back cover blurb convey exactly what I want to read? That’s where I think a lot of readers go.

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

Winter: It’s all character. All. The. Time. If I step in and control the story it blows up and dies. Which is exactly what has happened to me in the middle of writing book 2. I got in the way and now I’m having to unravel the mess I made. As much as I love to say my books are mystery and suspense driven, the reality is everything I write is all character driven. They dictate what I do with them.

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 endeavour?

Winter: This is where Voice comes into play. If a writer hasn’t finetuned this part of their writing process it will make the characters fall flat and the reader won’t find a way to connect with them. As a writer, you need to draw on your own life experiences, what were you feeling at this moment, have you ever been in a situation that you’re putting your characters and how did you feel at that moment.

When I’m writing, if I don’t feel the character’s emotions, then I know the reader won’t. Writing action scenes or fight scenes I’m practically buzzing along with the character as they are in a tense situation. I’ve bawled my eyes out during certain scenes in past books and I later learned so did my readers.

As my editor always says, when she gets a draft from me, or opens a Winter Austin book, she expects to be swept right into a Winter Austin experience.

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

Winter: Most of the time I do, and it really depends on what’s going on in that particular scene. I have an eclectic taste in music ranging from instrumental soundtracks from TV shows and movies right up to heavy metal. But there are times I just need silence, those are rare, but they happen.

While writing THE KILLER IN ME I listened to tracts by Tommee Proffit and The Sweeplings. During the editing process I was listening to the soundtracks from Yellowstone seasons 1-3. This is a trend for me, music with singing okay while writing. Instrumental music only during editing. YouTube Music has become my best friend.

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

Winter: That writing is easy. That we just sit around and the words flow right onto the page. We have all the time in the world to just daydream and write. I wish!

Writing is not easy, it’s ugly and stressful. And there are times when you put your heart and soul, blood and tears, life and death into those books, then the check comes, and you just die. Or worse, you find out people are stealing your work in some fashion or another and you just want to scream.

We are not just authors, as in my case, I’m my own agent, publicist, promoter, financer, and secretary. When I’m not working my day job or tending to family obligations, and I’m not writing, I’m promoting that next book. I’m lining up reviews. Working with the publishing team to get places. Then reaching out to potential new readers and enticing them with my books. And somehow in all of that, I need to read my writing partner’s books, and other authors’ books to keep my imagination fuelled.

This is a job. And it needs to be treated as such.

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

Winter: More people are beginning to see it. I play on this card a lot because it drives interest toward my books. My daughter shows cattle. We have long been a 4-H/FFA family and her career is falling into showing and raising cattle. She works on the family farm and is building up a small herd of her own.

We travel all over the state of Iowa to show—as a unit, she, me, and my husband—and soon we’ll be traveling out of state to show. The end goal for her is to show at the Grandaddy of them All in Denver, the National Western Stock Show.

TRC: On what are you currently working?

Winter: I’m writing book 2 for this series, called Hush, My Darling. And working on edits for a second book in another series for another house that is a military romantic thriller.

TRC: Would you like to add anything else?

Winter: THE KILLER IN ME is available now at all retailers for purchase. You can hang out with me at many of the social media platforms.

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food: Pesto, I would eat this on everything if I could.

Favorite Dessert: Peanut Butter Thumbprint cookies—you will be stabbed if you steal one from me.

Favorite TV Show: Yellowstone & Blue Bloods

Last Movie You Saw: Black Widow & Gunpowder Milkshake

Dark or Milk Chocolate: Dark all the way, baby.

Secret Celebrity Crush: Phillip Winchester & Sullivan Stapleton—have to pair them up. ?

Last Vacation Destination: My last official vacation for myself that didn’t include a trip to the Iowa State Fair was Boulder and Denver, CO with my bestie and writing partner.

Do you have any pets? Oh, yes. 2 dogs, 1 inside kitty and a handful of farm cats. Chickens—but they’re not really pets just livestock. And rabbits.

Last book you read: The Lost Ones, by Ace Atkins

Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions. Congratulations on the release of THE KILLER IN ME. We wish you all the best.

 

 

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