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Sharon Biggs Waller – A Mad Wicked Folly – Review and Interview

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Sharon Biggs Waller – A Mad Wicked Folly – Review and Interview

 

A Mad Wicked FollyLinks to order A Mad Wicked Folly: 
Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / The Book Depository

Description:
Welcome to the world of the fabulously wealthy in London, 1909, where dresses and houses are overwhelmingly opulent, social class means everything, and women are taught to be nothing more than wives and mothers. Into this world comes seventeen-year-old Victoria Darling, who wants only to be an artist—a nearly impossible dream for a girl.
           
After Vicky poses nude for her illicit art class, she is expelled from her French finishing school. Shamed and scandalized, her parents try to marry her off to the wealthy Edmund Carrick-Humphrey. But Vicky has other things on her mind: her clandestine application to the Royal College of Art; her participation in the suffragette movement; and her growing attraction to a working-class boy who may be her muse—or may be the love of her life. As the world of debutante balls, corsets, and high society obligations closes in around her, Vicky must figure out: just how much is she willing to sacrifice to pursue her dreams?

Review:

I am still in AWE after reading A MAD, WICKED FOLLY by Sharon Biggs Waller.  I love England and its rich history.  I was so impressed with the amount of research that went into writing this rich and unique novel concerning the Suffragette Movement in England that afforded us modern day women with so many opportunities. 

Our main character, Vicky is strong willed and vibrant.  She wants to be an artist more than anything in the world.  After posing nude at her illicit art class, she is expelled from her French Finishing School and shipped home to England in disgrace.  She was only taking her turn during class and what’s the big deal?  In Edwardian England, it was enough to ruin her chances for a proper marriage and her rights in society.  Her father made his fortune in toilets and her parents don’t want their position in society threatened!   Ironic, isn’t it?  They quickly find a “younger son” to marry Vicky and they work hard to repair her reputation.  Vicky doesn’t care about any of this and she only wants to go to the Royal College of Art.  She works hard on her portfolio and finds herself involved in the Suffragette Movement. 

The events captured this time in England splendidly.  I felt like I was with the women as they sang and marched to Parliament demanding equal rights.  Time after time, Vicky is saved by a police constable named Will Fletcher.  She is drawn to him and uses him as her art muse.  You know that Vicky’s world is going to come crashing down!  Society was very strict and her chances of becoming an accomplished artist are slim.  Will Vicky marry a man that she doesn’t love to please her family or will she work hard at achieving her dreams?  The women in the Suffragette Movement and a certain police constable are on her side! 

This is a brilliantly written novel, I felt like I was part of this great moment in history.  The world was changing, but it came at a high price for some women.  As a fan of a certain television program based on this time period, I have to say the details in A Mad, Wicked Folly are more accurate.  I know that my great, great grandmothers worked in America on getting equal rights for women.  Knowing the hardships that these women had to endure made me teary eyed in some parts of this novel.  Well done Sister Suffragettes!  I highly recommend this novel to all women and the men who love them! 

Reviewed by Jules

Copy provided by publisher

Interview

Hi Sharon.  Thank you for taking the time today, to answer some questions for our members at The Reading Café.  We are always looking forward to reading about the author behind the book.

Sharon:  Thank you!  It’s so nice to be here.

TRC:  Would you please tell us something about yourself?

Sharon:  Sure! I’m a freelance writer for magazines and newspapers and I’ve written three non-fiction books about horses.  My latest is called THE ORIGINAL HORSE BIBLE.  I’m a dressage trainer and rider and I live on a ten-acre hobby farm on the southernmost tip of Lake Michigan in northwest Indiana, just outside of Chicago.  I have two horses, five dairy goats, five geese, 35 chickens, a beehive, two dogs and four cats!  My husband is British, a former Metropolitan mounted police officer, and I met him when I interviewed him for an article. I lived in England with him for six years before we moved home to build our farm.  A MAD, WICKED FOLLY is my debut novel.

TRC: Did you always have an interest in writing?  When and how did you first start writing?

Sharon: I’ve loved writing ever since the first grade when I wrote a story about a little witch and her cat.  My teacher told my mother about it during a parent teacher’s conference and she came home and told me how much she loved the story.  I remember thinking how neat it was that I could make my mom smile like that.  I was an extremely bookish child and I hated not having a book with me. I was always happy when it was free reading period.  I never thought about writing books of my own until I had shoulder surgery in my 20s and my surgeon suggested another occupation besides training horses.  I’d written when I was a park ranger, so I started writing young adult and middle grade novels.  In the meantime I thought it would be great to get some publishing experience so I started querying magazines.  I’ve been writing for 17 years now.

TRC: Your first novel, A Mad Wicked Folly, was released in January.  How did you come up with the idea of this book?

Sharon: When I lived in England I used to walk past Emmeline Pankhurst’s statue in Victoria Gardens near Parliament.  It made me think about what it took to fight for rights when women were so restricted.  And then I thought about being a teen during that time.  What would it take to break free? FOLLY was originally a short story in a bigger novel that wasn’t working.  I loved the protagonist so much that I decided to spin her off into a story of her own.  It took me three years to research and write Vicky’s story.

TRC: Can you please give us a brief description of A Mad Wicked Folly?

Sharon: The story is about upper class Victoria Darling, an Edwardian teen who longs to become a fine artist but is restricted by society.  When she’s caught posing nude for an illicit art class, she’s expelled from her French finishing school and sent home in disgrace.  Her humiliated parents try to tame her by taking away her art and arranging a marriage to a wealthy young man.  Unwilling to give up her dream, Vicky tries to get into the Royal College of Art, despite the obstacles.  When she falls in with a group of suffragettes and meets a handsome young police constable who becomes her muse, and maybe the love of her life, Vicky has to decide whether to remain in a world where she feels safe or to step out into an unknown world where her voice is heard and her opinions matter.

TRC: This is considered a Young Adult genre. Can you please tell us what made you decide to do a Y.A. novel?

Sharon: I love this age group; it’s such an amazing time of life.  It’s when you’re discovering who you are and trying new things and really forming your own opinions.  I love writing for young women in particular because they have so much to say and so much to give.  They are important and wonderful, and I want them to know they should never dismiss themselves.  Who they are is so important.

TRC: Can you please tell us what you working on now, and what you have upcoming in 2014?

Sharon: I’m revising an 18th century/contemporary mash-up, and researching a mid-Victorian.

TRC: What is your writing process?  Do you like to outline your story before you start? Do you have a specific place you like to write?  Is there a special time of day that works best for you?

Sharon: I have a writing studio in the back of my house that my brother just restored for me.  We brought it over from England with us and it needed some work, so he finished that in the fall.  Otherwise I write in my library in front of a window that looks out onto my farm fields.  I have to have a window when I work because half the time I’m staring out into space!  I try to write in the morning for two hours (I set a timer) at least. But I’m constantly living with the story in my head, mulling plot lines over and thinking about my characters.  After I work I head out into the woods near my house to walk.  I live on the border of a national park and there’s a four-mile walking trail that hardly anyone uses apart from me.  So I take the dogs and put in my iPod (usually set to the story soundtrack I’ve made) and start walking.  It’s such a great way to sort through ideas and issues I’m having.  I also daydream and imagine scenes, which is really fun.

As far as outlining goes, I do outline a bit, nothing formal, but there are “signpost” scenes that I know will be in, and it helps me think about how I’m going to reach the scenes.  I also have a pretty good idea about the story before I start. I have to know where I’m going, and what my characters want.  I also keep a notebook where I jot down plot ideas, maps, characters, brainstorms, etc.  It helps to hand-write things.  After I write the first draft I make a scene tracker and a plot planner and hang those on the wall.  I use stickies and I can move scenes around and see where the fit.  This is a Martha Alderson thing, and I highly recommend it.  It stops you getting lost in your book.

TRC: Many authors have friends or family, that they bounce ideas and information back and forth.  Do you have anyone you like to discuss your story with? 

Sharon: Great question.  I have some friends in New Jersey, Jennifer Salvato Doktorski, Lisa Reiss, and Melissa Azarian, who are fabulous critiquers.  They are amazing writers (Jen has published two YA novels) and I know I can trust them to push me when I need it!  I also have a nice group of SCBWI writers here in Indiana that I meet with a few times a year who are very supportive.  But I also work with Martha Alderson, the plot whisperer.  She wrote several books on plot and she does phone consultations.  She is simply amazing.  I worked with her a lot with FOLLY and she really helped me deepen the story.  She’s a writer’s oracle, she really is.  And of course there’s my awesome agent, John M. Cusick.

TRC: On your website you talk about your love of horses, and that you do horse training, and specialize in dressage.  You write magazine articles and have written non-fiction books pertaining to this. Are you still active in training, and what does dressage involve?

Sharon: Dressage is a French word meaning “training,” and it elevates the communication between rider and horse to an art form.  The highest example of dressage is the Spanish Riding School of Vienna.  It’s also one of the three Olympic equestrian disciplines (eventing and showjumping are the other two). I train very rarely now, only the occasional student.  Before I moved to England in 2000 I used to ride around eight horses a day and work with a trainer every week. Dressage is a discipline much like ballet where you have to work at it daily, and right now my writing and my farm take up a lot of my time. But I know I’ll get back to it again someday.

TRC: Would you like to add anything else?

Sharon:  I’d love to hear from readers, so if anyone has a question or comment please feel free to drop me a line.  There’s a contact me form on my blog www.sharonbiggswaller.com. Also there are lots of background and behind the scenes stuff about FOLLY on my Friday blog post called Folly Friday.

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food: Gotta love pizza!

Favorite Dessert: Cake—especially red velvet.

Favorite TV Show: Anything on Masterpiece Classic and the Big Bang Theory.

Favorite Actor & Actress (TV or Movies):  Carey Mulligan & Colin Firth

Last Book You Read:
Fiction: FAULT LINE by Christa Desir
Nonfiction: CAT SENSE by John Bradshaw

Favorite Fictional Character (not your own):  Gosh, this is a tough one. For adult books I love Jamie Fraser from the OUTLANDER series by Diana Gabaldon.  For juvenile fiction I’ll choose Sara Crewe from Frances Hodgson Burnett’s Little Princess.

Milk or Dark Chocolate:  Both, but I tend to lean toward milk.

Dog or Cat:  Both, but if I could have only one animal (perish the thought) I’d choose cat. But it would be a really hard choice.

TRC: Thank you Sharon, for taking the time to answer our questions.  We wish you the best of luck with A Mad Wicked Folly.  Please keep us informed about your upcoming new releases, as we look forward to working with you again.

Sharon: You’re welcome!  Thanks for having me.

 

about the author

FOR JACKET - Sharon Biggs Waller author photo - credit Edda Taylor
Sharon Biggs Waller grew up around artists and developed a passion for Edwardian history and the Pre-Raphaelites when she moved to England in 2000. She did extensive research on the British suffragettes for her novel, A MAD, WICKED FOLLY when she wasn’t working as a riding instructor at the Royal Mews in Buckingham Palace and as a freelance magazine writer. She also writes non-fiction books about horses under her maiden name, Sharon Biggs. She is a dressage rider and trainer and lives on a 10-acre sustainable farm in Northwest Indiana with her British husband, Mark.

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Grave Destinations by Lori Sjoberg-Interview, Review and Giveaway

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Grave Destinations by Lori Sjoberg-Interview , Review and Giveaway

Grave Destinations Banner

Grave Destinations
Grave Series #2
by Lori Sjobert
Genre: Paranormal, romance, erotic
Release Date: January 2, 2014

Grave Destinations

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GRAVE DESTINATIONS (Grave Series #2) by Lori Sjoberg

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date January 2, 2014

She’s sexy-fierce, resourceful—and will do anything to protect victims as innocent as she once was. But this kick-ass reaper never bargained on meeting her not-quite-human match…or putting their very souls on the line.

A luxury Caribbean cruise is Ruby Dawson’s idea of hell even under the best circumstances. Too many bad memories bubble up—especially of the wrenching injustice that made her a reaper. It doesn’t help that Jack Deverell is making this routine soul-collecting job twice as difficult with his devilish good looks and not-so-innocent questions. Now, as several unscheduled, unexplainable deaths throw passengers and crew into a panic, Jack becomes the prime suspect. The only way Ruby can save him is to challenge the decades-old curse threatening his soul. And as a malevolent unstoppable force turns their immortality into a fatal weakness, Ruby and Jack must risk their fragile humanity to save Fate’s delicate balance and their own unexpected destiny…

••••••••••••••••••

REVIEW: GRAVE DESTINATIONS is the second instalment in Lori Sjoberg’s contemporary paranormal Grave Series but can be read as a stand alone-the first two stories are not connected although one or two characters will overlap. The premise focuses on Ruby Dawson-a reaper-whose latest assignment is to ‘reap’ a soul on board a cruise ship but when a second death occurs within a short time period, Ruby knows something is wrong.

Enter Jack Deverell- Ruby’s prime suspect-and the man who would steal her heart. But when a third unexpected death happens, Ruby must call in reinforcements who will make Jack’s life a little more difficult on board the ship.

The relationship between Jack and Ruby is one of instant attraction-both looking for a no-strings attached night of passion but one that brings into focus the who and what that is Ruby and Jack. We learn their back stories and histories; their heartbreak and regrets. And we also learn that Jack is a little more than what he appears to be. Not quite human, Jack holds a secret that could very well end in everyone’s death.

The secondary characters are colorful and play an active role in the storyline especially Ruby’s immediate superiors. You know there is a potential for a few more storylines when Ruby says goodbye to the man who has always had her back.

GRAVE DESTINATIONS is a fast paced, interesting storyline focusing on reapers and the souls they direct into the afterlife. There is a little bit of mystery; a little bit of sex; and a little bit of humor all rolled into a story about death and crossing over. If you like a paranormal storyline with a strong heroine who knows a thing or two about surviving, then Grave Destinations is the story for you.

Copy supplied by the publisher through Netgalley.

Review by Sandy

Interview blue:black

FOLLOW Lori: Website / Goodreads/ Facebook/Twitter

TRC: Hi Lori and welcome to The Reading Café. Congratulations on the release of GRAVE DESTINATIONS.

Lori Sjoberg Lori: Thanks! And thanks for having me here today!

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

Lori: Certainly! I write paranormal romance for Kensington Publishing. Grim Reapers are my specialty. My debut, GRAVE INTENTIONS, was released last January, and the second book in the series, GRAVE DESTINATIONS, came out a little over two weeks ago. When I’m not writing, I’m spending time with my husband and four-legged fur baby.

TRC: GRAVE DESTINATIONS (January 2014 release) is the second storyline in your Grave Series. Would you please tell us something about the premise of the series? Of Grave Destinations?

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Grave DestinationsLori: The Grave series follows a group of reapers working in the central Florida area. To atone for their sins in life, reapers serve Fate by harvesting the souls of those who died from unnatural causes. In GRAVE DESTINATIONS, that means going on a luxury cruise. Sounds great, doesn’t it? Not for Ruby, the reaper assigned to the task. Being on an ocean liner serves as a painful reminder of why she became a reaper in the first place. Her routine soul collection turns into anything but when she encounters Jack Deverell. Not only does he make her heart race, but he also asks too many questions. And when unscheduled deaths start happening on board, Jack becomes the prime suspect. Now Ruby must decide if Jack’s responsible, or if there are darker forces lurking on board.

TRC: Are all of the storylines interconnected or can they be read as stand alone novels without too much confusion?

Lori: Each story can be read as a standalone novel, but each book gives a little more information about Fate and her band of reapers.

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

Grave Intentions

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Lori: My contract with Kensington was recently extended to four books, but I planned on the series running for five to six books.

TRC: What or who was the influence (if any) behind the series and the leading characters?

Lori: I’ve had a soft spot for reapers ever since I read On A Pale Horse years ago. I hadn’t thought of writing about them, though, until I watched the series Dead Like Me. As for my characters…well, I’ve always loved strong female characters like Sarah Conner and Buffy Summers, and that played a hand in the creation of Ruby.

TRC: If you could virtually cast the leading characters in this storyline, which models or actors best represents your ideal image?

Lori: Oh man, do I have to tell? I’d hate to ruin the image someone’s already built in his or her mind!

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

Lori: When deciding where to take my stories, I try to avoid the easiest path while keeping the characters in character and their actions consistent within the parameters established in the worldbuilding.

TRC: Are you a plotter or a panster (write by the ‘seat of your pants’)?

Lori: When I started writing, I was a total panster, but now I’m a bit of both. When I start a new novel, I write scenes as they pop into my head. After I reach a certain point, the plotline begins to solidify in my mind and I’m able to organize things chronologically.

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

Lori: In the beginning, the characters direct the writing. It gives me a chance to slip inside their minds and see what makes them tick. But once they become fully developed, I take the reins and go from there.

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?

Lori: If characters don’t feel genuine and relatable, they won’t come alive in the minds of readers. To accomplish that, I delve deep into the emotions and perspectives of my characters. That way, readers can understand and sympathize with their actions. If that connection isn’t made, the character fails to resonate and come across as two-dimensional.

TRC: Writer’s Block is a very real phenomenon. How do you handle the pressures and anxiety of writer’s block?

Lori: For me, writer’s block is a sign that I’m taking the story in the wrong direction. When it happens, I take a long look at what I’m writing to figure out where I’m going wrong. If that doesn’t work, I take a break and pick up a book. Reading usually relaxes my mind and allows me to look at things from a fresh perspective.

TRC: What challenges or difficulties (research, logistics, background) did you encounter writing this particular story?

Lori: World building! In particular, keeping the world building consistent with what was established in book one of the series.

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

Lori: I bounce ideas off my husband all the time. He looks at things from a completely different perspective and has given me some fantastic ideas. I also have a critique group and several author friends who are always happy to lend an ear or give feedback.

TRC: On what are you currently working?

Lori: At the moment, I’m working on book three of the series. The working title is Grave Vengeance and features Dmitri, the former spy-turned reaper. And let me tell you, I’m having a great time putting his character through the proverbial ringer. *grin*

TRC: Would you like to add anything else?

Lori: I’d just like to thank you again for inviting me to stop by!

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food – Peanut butter and marshmallow fluff sandwich

Favorite Dessert – Anything involving chocolate

Favorite TV Show – The Big Bang Theory

Last Movie You Saw – Catching Fire in the theaters; Man of Steel on DVD

Dark or Milk Chocolate – Dark chocolate

Secret Celebrity Crush – I take the fifth. Hubs will be reading this! LOL.

Last Vacation Destination – Montrose, Scotland

Pet Peeve – People who drive ten miles under the speed limit in the passing lane!

TRC: Thank you Lori for taking the time to answer our questions. Congratulations on the release of GRAVE DESTINATIONS.

Giveaway-Blue:Black

Kensington Books is offering an ecopy of GRAVE DESTINATIONS to one lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe.

1. Please register using the log-In at the top of the page or by using one of our social log-ins.

2. If you are using a social log-in e.g. Twitter, please post your email address along with your comment.

3. Giveaway open USA only.

4. Giveaway runs from January 20 to January 24, 2014

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An Interview and Giveaway with Jenn Bennett

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An Interview and Giveaway with Jenn Bennett

Bitter Spirits Banner
The Reading Cafe is happy to welcome Jenn Bennett as our guest today.

Jenn Bennett

Jenn is here to discuss her book, Bitter Spirits, which was released last week, and is the first book in her Roaring Twenties series

Our review of Bitter Spirits is below this post.

Let’s meet Jen.


Interview

Hi Jenn!  Thank you for taking the time today, to answer some questions for your fans at The Reading Café.  We are always looking forward to learning more about the author behind the book.

TRC: Would you please tell us something about yourself?

Jenn:  It’s my pleasure to be here, so thank you for having me! For those who don’t know, I write the Arcadia Bell romantic urban fantasy series for Pocket Books (the fourth book comes out in May). BITTER SPIRITS is the first book in my new 1920s paranormal romance series with Berkley Sensation. In addition to writing, I’m also an artist. And I currently live in Atlanta with my husband and two (very) bad pugs.

TRC:  Did you always have an interest in writing?  When and how did you first start writing?

Jenn:  A few years ago, I decided I wanted to write a book. A year after that, I’d written a couple more, signed with a literary agent, and sold two books to a major publishing house. I’ve since sold six books and never looked back. I don’t think my story is the typical path to traditional publishing, but I like to think all the daydreaming I’ve done over the years finally got put to good use. Writing feels like what I was meant to do.

TRC:  You have a new series, Roaring Twenties.  How did you come up with the idea of this series? Any particular reason that drew you to the 1920’s as opposed to other historical time periods? Tell us a little something about the premise of this series…

Jenn: I’ve always been attracted to the 1920s, especially in America—Prohibition, flappers, jazz… But from a writer’s point of view, the most interesting thing is that it was a decade in which women broke social barriers and ventured into institutions that were previously regarded as Men Only. Women got their hair bobbed at the barbershop, smoked cigarettes, and sat at the bar alongside men. They moved to big cities to find work. Drove cars. Voted. They were pioneers, learning how to be independent, and that’s exactly the kind of heroine I like to write. And though I’ve seen a few romances written in 1920s New York, my series takes place in San Francisco, where the hills and fog and Pacific Ocean give things a very different flavor.

Bitter SpiritsTRC: BITTER SPIRITS, which was released last week, is your first book in this series.  Can you please give us a brief description of the book?

Jenn:  Spirit medium Aida Palmer channels the dead on stage at the Gris-Gris speakeasy. She meets Winter Magnusson—a scarred, brick wall of a man known around town as the “Viking Bootlegger”—who is haunted by the ghost of a murdered Chinese prostitute and enlists her help to exorcise it. The mystery of why he is haunted draws the two of them together and takes them through foggy San Francisco, from luxury homes to the backstreets of Chinatown—during which, they fall wildly in love. It’s spooky, thrilling, erotic, and terribly romantic. (At least, I think so!)

TRC:  How many books are you planning for your Roaring Twenties series?

Jenn: Hopefully three, at least, and they all center on the Magnusson family. BITTER SPIRITS is Aida and Winter’s story, and GRIM SHADOWS is Lowe and Hadley’s story (Winter’s archeologist brother and a museum curator). The third will feature Bo and Astrid (Winter’s baby sister, who is secretly in love with his assistant).

TRC:  The bootlegging culture was such a business of intrigue and back alley deals, what kind of research did you do to get such a great understanding of the business back then? And have you ever been to a modern-day speakeasy?

Jenn:  Aside from the countless hours I’ve spent online looking through San Francisco archival photos, I’ve amassed a small library’s worth of 1920s research material, including both original material (1920s magazines and maps of San Francisco) and secondary sources (books and films about Prohibition). Though gangsters like Al Capone snagged all the splashy headlines, I’m more interested in people like Roy Olmstead, a former Seattle cop known as “the Good Bootlegger,” who didn’t dilute his liquor or mass-murder his rivals to make a buck.

And yes, there are a couple of speakeasies here in Atlanta (Prohibition in Buckhead, Edgewood Speakeasy), but I’d really love to visit PDT in New York or Bourbon and Branch in San Francisco. Who’s up for a cocktail?

TRC:  You have written Urban Fantasy and now Paranormal Romance.  Do you have a preference of either genre?  Are there any other genres you’re itching to try? 

Jenn: The bootlegging culture was such a business of intrigue and back alley deals, what kind of research did you do to get such a great understanding of the business back then? And have you ever been to a modern-day speakeasy?The bootlegging culture was such a business of intrigue and back alley deals, what kind of research did you do to get such a great understanding of the business back then? And have you ever been to a modern-day speakeasy?For me, it’s all about romance, no matter what I’m writing. My urban fantasy is a May-December love story between a magically gifted bartender and a sexy Earthbound demon, told over several books, with an HEA at the series’ end. The Roaring Twenties series is one couple/one HEA in each book. One day, I’d like to try my hand at contemporary romance. As long as I can write characters that fall in love, I’m happy.

TRC:  Please tell us what you working on now, and what you have upcoming in 2014?

Jenn: I have three books out this year: BITTER SPIRITS, BANSHING THE DARK (Arcadia Bell #4, May), and GRIM SHADOWS (Roaring Twenties #2, June). I’ve recently written a sexy contemporary young adult romance—no paranormal!—and am currently working on a 1940s young adult mystery/romance.

TRC:  What is your writing process?  Do you like to outline your story before you start? Do you have a specific place you like to write?  Is there a special time of day that works best for you? Or how about writing fuel? Candy/coffee/cereal?

Jenn: I only need to know two things before I start a book: how it begins and ends. I outline a few chapters at a time and readjust the story as I create the characters. I do all my writing in my office, day and night, with lots of tea and Fox’s Glacier candy.

TRC:  Many authors have friends or family, that they bounce ideas and information back and forth.  Do you have anyone you like to discuss your story with? 

Jenn:  My husband. He’s a copywriter, smart and creative, and he’s a terrific brainstormer. I occasionally use beta readers after I’ve written a first draft, but not always. My agent, Laura Bradford, is also hands-on with editing after the first draft and her feedback is invaluable.

TRC:  Your website details your extensive travels. What are some of your favorite places you visited?

Jenn:  Taipei, Taiwan. I love that city; it’s given me great stories about drunken karaoke with transsexual bar owners and insane, near-death cab rides. I also love Hong Kong—it’s vibrant and exciting, day or night.

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food: Prosciutto, olives, and tater tots—but not necessarily all at once!

Favorite Dessert: Cake with French buttercream frosting

Favorite TV Show: Twin Peaks

Favorite Actor & Actress (TV or Movies): Cary Grant and Irene Dunne

Last Book You Read: SHADOWDANCE by Kristen Callihan

Favorite Fictional Character (not your own): Lyra Belacqua

Milk or Dark Chocolate: Both, but I’m snobby: no Hershey’s!

Dog or Cat: My pugs are in earshot…so I’ll choose dog.

Thank you Jenn, for taking the time to answer our questions!  We wish you the best of luck with BITTER SPIRITS.  Please keep us informed about your upcoming new releases, as we look forward to working with you again!

If you want to learn more about Jenn, you can reach her at the following links:
Website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads


giveawayJenn and her Publisher, have graciously offered to give One member of The Reading Café a copy of her new release, Bitter Spirits.

1.  Please register using the Log-In at the top of the page, or by using one of our social log-ins.

2.  If you are using a social log-in e.g. Twitter, please leave your email address along with your comment.

3.  Giveaway open US only.

4.  Contests runs from January 15 to January 19, 2014

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Catching Up with C.L. Wilson

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Catching Up with C.L. Wilson

 

CL WilsonThe Reading Cafe is thrilled to have C.L. Wilson as our guest today.  Having loved her Tairen Soul series, many of our members have been waiting for her next novel.  Today Cheryl is here to discuss her upcoming new release The Winter King, as well as answering some of our questions regarding our heroes from the Fading Lands.

Let’s catch up with C.L. Wilson (also known as Cheryl to us die hard fans).

Hi, Cheryl.  Thank you for taking the time to visit us at The Reading Café to discuss what you are currently working on and what we have to look forward to.

TRC:  What was your reaction to the phenomenal success of your Fading Lands series?  Did you expect such a response?

fading lands

C.L.:  No, I really didn’t.  The overwhelmingly positive response came as such a surprise and such a boost.  And a little scary too, because with each successive book I was worried about disappointing people who’d been waiting (and already coming up with their own ideas of what should happen).

But, I have to say, I am so lucky to have so many wonderful people supporting me and my books.  I’m truly grateful—especially for everyone who has been patiently waiting for my next book.  After the end of CROWN, I went through a couple of pretty tough years, and I needed the down time to spend with my family and refill the well.

I am back to writing on a very regular basis now, and am actually doing more writing faster than I ever have before – without spending all day every day chained to the computer, so I’m super happy about that.  My focus the last few years has been to find a balance I can live with, and I think I’ve come up with something that will work for the long run.

The Winter KingTRC:  Your diehard fans have been waiting to find out when we can expect your next book, The Winter King.  We are thrilled to note that you do have a date…. August, 2014.  Will you please give us a brief description about the premise of Tthe Winter King?

C.L. I love this book.  It was so much fun to write.  I actually started writing it after finishing TAIREN SOUL (my manuscript which became LORD OF THE FADING LANDS and LADY OF LIGHT AND SHADOWS).  I wasn’t having much luck getting editors to take a chance on my manuscript, so I decided to start something a bit smaller in scope and a little more focused on the romance than the fantasy.  I set it aside once TAIREN SOUL sold, and didn’t get back to it until after I finished CROWN.

Anyways, to answer your question, THE WINTER KING is set in a world of weathermages and is about a fierce king from the North and the wild, rebellious Southern princess he takes as his bride.

Wynter Atrialan, the Winter King, once lived in peace with his southern, Summerlander neighbors, but when the prince of Summerlea steals Wynter’s bride and murders his young brother, Wynter calls upon a dangerous Wintercraig magic called the Ice Heart and marches against Summerlea.

After three bitter years of battle, a victorious Wynter arrives at Summerlea’s royal palace to issue his terms of surrender. The prince of Summerlea stole Wynter’s bride and slew Wynter’s Heir. He wants the loss replaced. The Ice Heart is consuming him. Wynter hopes holding his own child in his arms will rekindle the warmth in his heart before he becomes the monster of Wintercraig legend, the Ice King.

The Summer King has three very precious daughters whom he loves dearly. Wynter will take one of them to wife. She will have one year to provide him with an Heir. If she fails, he will send her to face the mercy of the mountains and claim another princess for his wife. And so it will continue until Wynter has his Heir or the Summer King is out of daughters.

The plan is perfect—except for one small detail. The Summer King has a fourth daughter. One of which he is not so fond. And she is a fiercely passionate creature, with a temper as volatile as the forces of her weathergift, the power of storms.

The book has a very Norse/Ragnarok feel to it, and I love the sparks that fly between Khamsin (the heroine) and Wynter (the hero).  He is truly scrumptious (I can’t write a book if I don’t fall madly in love with the hero), and Khamsin was a lot of fun.  I love how well they mesh together.

Link to preorder The Winter King: Amazon / Barnes & Noble

TRC:  Is The Winter King a standalone book, or will this be a new series?

C.L.: It’s a standalone book, but I’m hoping to write other books set in the same world, featuring different characters.

TRC:  At some point, you discussed going back to the Fading Lands and doing stories on two of your heroes…Belliard and Gaelen.  Is this your plan?  Will we go back to the Fading Lands?

one enchanted seasonC.L.:  Oh, yes.  Bel’s book was my NaNoWriMo project this year.  I had to set him aside to finish up my novella the for the magical holiday anthology, ONE ENCHANTED SEASON, that I self-published with my friends and fellow authors, Erica Ridley & Elissa Wilds.  But I’m back to working on Bel’s book already.  It’s so great to be back in the Fading Lands, and I’m having the best time seeing things have changed since the end of the second Mage War.

And—whew!  There are definitely some interesting times in Dharsa these days!  Poor Bel.  He isn’t going to know what hit him! LOL.

TRC:  Would you like to share with us on what you are currently working and what else you have planned for the future?

C.L.:  Well, Bel’s book will probably take a good bit of next year to write (I actually can write initial drafts relatively fast now—for me—but revising still slows me way down).  While I’m working on Bel’s book, I’m also going to be working on a second Weathermages of Mystral book.  While writing THE WINTER KING, two characters jumped up and demanded that I tell their story.  I’m not actually sure which book will come out first, but rest assured, Bel’s book is in the works! 🙂

After that, well, Gaelen vel Serranis has been incredibly (and surprisingly) patient, but I have a feeling he won’t be patient for much longer!  I am really, really looking forward to his book!

And of course, I’ll be checking in on Lillis and Lorelle, Kieran and Kiel, and Nicolene, Melliandra and the babies in both Bel & Gaelen’s books. 🙂

TRC: This is very exciting news for all of us who have fallen in love with your wonderful characters of the Fading Lands.

TRC:  You have open a new site for all of your Fading Lands fans known as Tairen’s Lair which is an online resource for Tairen Soul merchandise. How did you come up with the ideas for the merchandise?

C.L.:  After the first two Tairen Soul books came out, wildlife artist Heather Carr picked them up.  She saw the tairen on the back cover of LORD OF THE FADING LANDS and was intrigued because, when she was in high school, she used to enjoy drawing & painting bat-winged jaguars (ie, tairen before I called them tairen J).  She contacted me, showed me her fabulous art, and started painting other scenes from my books.  Tairen’s Lair (www.tairenslair.com) grew from that.   She and I work together to decide what merchandise to offer, etc.  We also host a booth at DragonCon in Atlanta, GA every year over the Labor Day weekend, and since Heather’s in Denver, we’re starting to attend the Denver conventions as well.

Our newest (and bestselling) items are tairen plushies – stuffed tairen toys.  We did a limited edition of Hallah (sold out), and now have Ellysetta-Azreisa and Rainier-Eras tairen.  We’re hoping to do a Steli sometime soon, too.

I’d like to get some new T-shirts made with the Tairen’s Lair logo, which I love.  And the Steli “I take mine roasted” coffee mugs are currently on sale.

You can find some of these fabulous official C.L. Wilson merchandise, featuring art, gifts, t-shirts and more based on scenes and characters from the Fading Lands novels.

Here is the link to check out these items:  http://tairenslair.com/

TRC:  Would you like to add anything else?

C.L.:  Just that I am so appreciative of all my fans and readers.  I really hope you will enjoy THE WINTER KING, and I hope to have good news on my next book soon!  In the meantime, I hope my readers will pick up my self-published anthology of magical holiday romances, ONE ENCHANTED SEASON, which features my novella Upon a Midnight.  Upon a Midnight is about the absolutely yummiest Guardian Angel ever to flutter a wing, and the mortal Lightkeeper he was created to love and protect.  I really enjoyed writing it, and I hope my readers will enjoy it too!  It’s available in digital format and trade paperback.  And it features a bonus sneak peek at THE WINTER KING!

Thanks so much, Barb, and everyone at the Reading Café, for inviting me to do this interview.  Ya’ll are the best!

Cheers, and Miora Felah (joyful life!)

TRC:  Thank you, Cheryl for giving us an update on “The Winter King”, as well as what we can look forward to in the future.   It was a pleasure having you visit us.  We look forward to your return to The Reading Cafe in August to help promote The Winter King.

C.L.:  I look forward to seeing you again then 🙂

If you want to learn more about C.L. Wilson, you can find her at the following links:
Website / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads / Blog / Tairen’s Lair

 

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Catching Up with Sandy Williams

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Catching Up with Sandy Williams

The Sharpest Blade banner 2

 

SandyWilliams

 

The Reading Cafe is happy to welcome back Sandy Williams. Sandy is is here today to discuss her new release, The Sharpest Blade, the final book in her Shadow Reader series. Our review of The Sharpest Blade is below this post. Sandy will also tell us what she has in store for us in 2014.

Let’s talk to Sandy.

 

 

 

TRC: Hi, Sandy.  Thank you for taking the time to visit us at The Reading Cafe, to discuss your upcoming new release “The Sharpest Blade”, as well as to give an update as to what you have upcoming in 2014.

TRC: You have just released the 3rd and final book in your Shadow Reader series.  For those who many not have read this series, would you please give us a brief description of the premise?

Sandy:  Sure! The Shadow Reader series follows the life of McKenzie Lewis, a human who not only has the ability to see the fae, but she can track them as well. This ability is crucial in the Realm, where fae can fissure (or teleport) from place to place. For ten years, McKenzie used this skill to track the king’s enemies, but in the first book, The Shadow Reader, she was abducted by rebels who were determined to overthrow that king. She’s basically a pawn in the war for control of the Realm, and at times, she resents this, and the way it interferes with her attempt to live a normal human life.

The Sharpest BladeTRC: The Sharpest Blade will be released in a few days, would you please tell us about the book?

Sandy: The Sharpest Blade picks up a few weeks after the events in The Shattered Dark. McKenzie is back in our world and attempting to live a normal life, but she’s constantly thinking about what’s going on in the Realm, and she worries about Kyol and Aren. When she finally does make it back to the other world, she finds that things aren’t better than when she left. Lena might still hold the palace, but a new enemy is gathering strength. McKenzie is determined to help Lena track down this person and bring a real and true peace to the Realm, but the cost of that peace might be more than she can endure.


Links to order The Sharpest Blade:
Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / The Book Depository

TRC: How does it feel to have reached the end of this series, as it was your debut series?

Sandy: So many mixed feelings! I’m proud of this series, and I love McKenzie so much. I kind of feel like I’m losing a friend since I’m not currently planning any more books in this world. But I think the ending is satisfying, and I love how everything turns out. I hope readers love it, too!

TRC: I know, as I am one of them, but fans have been having a heated guessing game over who will win McKenzie……Kyol or Aren?  No spoilers here, but how do you feel about creating two heroes, who have developed their own teams?  One will be disappointed.  Though I am prepared for the worst……I am totally Team Aren.

Sandy:  Poor Kyol. He gets so little love.  But it’s awesome that readers love Kyol and Aren so much. I adore both men, and I want them both to be happy. But, of course, I want McKenzie to be happy, too, and the only way for that to happen is for her to settle down with one of them. 

TRC:  You write Urban Fantasy romance.  Do you have any desire to write in another genre?

Sandy:  I’m currently working on a science fiction romance, or as I like to call it, an urban fantasy romance set in space.  Everything I write is character driven fiction, and my stories will always have a strong romantic subplot. I’m a huge fan of space – spaceships and aliens and beautiful stars and supernovas. I think it’s an awesome setting and that the stories set in these high-tech, planet hopping societies can have all the elements that normal urban fantasy has. That’s why I’m excited about my current project. But sometime soon, I plan to return to urban fantasy. I have an idea brewing that I can’t wait to write.

TRC: Would you like to share with us what you are currently working on, and what you have in store for us in 2014?

Sandy:  Well, technically, The Sharpest Blade is a January 2014 release.  Unfortunately, I’m not contracted for any more books at this time, but I definitely plan to release something, whether that’s a short set in the Shadow Reader world or a fun side project. I’ll be sure to let you know!

TRC:  Oh please, Sandy, a novella with our favorites, whom we have come to love would be awesome.  🙂

TRC: Would you like to add anything else?

Sandy:  I just want to say thank you for having me here and for your support of The Shadow Reader novels. No one would have heard of McKenzie’s story if it wasn’t for bloggers and readers like you.

Also, for a limited time, my publisher is running a sale on the first Shadow Reader novel. The ebook is $1.99 from now until January 3rd, so if your readers haven’t had a chance to start this series, now is the perfect and most affordable time. 🙂

TRC:  Trust me, TRC members, this is a great chance to get the book that starts this fabulous series at a reduced price.

Links to order The Shadow Reader: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo

TRC:  Thank you, Sandy for giving us an update on The Sharpest Blade, as well as what we can look forward to in the future.  It was a pleasure talking with you again.  We wish you good luck with The Sharpest Blade, and we hope to catch up with you again in 2014

If you would like to learn more about Sandy, you can visit her at the following links.
Website: http://sandy-williams.com/
Twitter:
Facebook:
Goodreads:


BLUEANDYELLOWGIVEAWAY
Sandy has graciously offered to give one member of The Reading Café a chance to win a copy of their choice of one book from her Shadow Reader series: The Shadow Reader, The Shattered Dark or The Sharpest Blade.

1.  You must be a member at The Reading Cafe. If you are not a member, please register using the Log-In at the top of the page, or by using one of our social log-ins.

2.  If you are using a social log-in e.g. Twitter, please leave your email address along with your comment.

3.  Giveaway open Internationally

4.  Contest runs from December 26 – December 30, 2013.

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Daniel Sobieray-Interview with the Cover Model and Actor

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Daniel Sobieray-Interview with the Cover Model and Actor

Daniel Sobieray

ABOUT Daniel: Daniel Sobieray is a California native, born in Newport Beach, California. He currently resides in Los Angeles. Daniel grew up in Colorado and was very active in sports from an early age. After accepting a scholarship to Michigan for Ice Hockey, Daniel graduated with a B.A in Finance and Economics. Daniel was approached by a top talent agency to model for many well known designers in Europe and was a regular on the runway from 2006-2009. In 2010, Daniel was asked to be in the popular day time soap All My Children.

 

Follow Daniel: Twitter/ Facebook /

The Reading Cafe would like to introduce Daniel Sobieray!

TRC: Hi Daniel and welcome to The Reading Cafe.

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

Daniel: I grew up in Colorado and was very active in all sports as a child.

Daniel Sobieray pic 1

TRC: What were your dreams and aspirations growing up as a child?

Daniel: I wanted to play in the NHL as a child growing up.

TRC: Your image was first brought to our attention by way of the ‘romance covers’ so many of us read and review. How did you get started in the
cover model industry? Do you remember the first novel where your image appeared?

Daniel Sobieray collage

Daniel: I started modeling in college and when I was done with school I moved to Europe to continue modeling. I was in many fitness magazines and did many runways shows in Europe then was offered to work on a soap opera All my Children so that brought me back to Los Angeles. I have been on so many covers of books and magazines I can’t remember the date or the 1st cover but it was when I still was in college. A girl in a class of mine had it and asked if it was really me? I thought that’s was so cool.

Daniel Sobieray coversTRC: The romance novel industry has dramatically increased in popularity over the past few years. Do you think the cover illustrations and ‘hero depictions’ have pushed the industry in such a way, that the reader’s imaginations can be fueled by the representation on the cover?

Daniel: I think that with the computer and the ability to build backgrounds the cover possibilities are endless. They give a set up to the story so the reader can put a face to the characters they are reading about. Also you will see many more videos are being made with the cover this to help show the reader the characters and set up the story before they even but the book.

Daniel Sobieray 3TRC: Do you know on how many romance covers your image has appeared?

Daniel: I am not sure but a lot more than 50 I would guess.

TRC: Nudity in the modeling industry can be very controversial. Photographs can range from sensual and sexual to bordering on pornographic. What is your opinion regarding nude photography?

Daniel: This is all art in a way so I feel that if you are comfortable to do the job being asked then go for it. I am not big on shooting nude for myself but for the right project anything is possible.

First ContactTRC: What advice would you give to young and up and coming models in the industry about nude photography?

Daniel: Trusting your instinct will be your best guide. Don’t do anything you feel isn’t right and just remember there will be many more jobs, so don’t take it ‘as the only job I can do or if I don’t so this it won’t lead to more work’. Not true; be yourself; work hard and love what you do and you should be just fine.

 

TRC: Many photographers and models travel to exotic locals and destinations for shoots. What has been your most memorable shoot and why? Good or bad?

Daniel: Oh man, haha, the bad ones are always more memorable. I have had too many bad experiences but one time we shot on a huge yacht and it broke down in the ocean and took 12 hrs or so to get going. That was a very long day.

Daniel Sobieray pic 2TRC: Who is your ‘go to person’ for inspiration and support?

Daniel: My mother

TRC: What do you do when you are not modeling? e.g. hobbies, work-related.

Daniel: I like to surf and play the piano. I also have a really cool garden that I like to spend time working on .

TRC: On what are you currently working?

Daniel: The TV show Days Of Our Lives and a film in December called November Ice.

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food
Steak

Favorite Dessert
All of them

Favorite TV Show
Game of Thrones

Last Movie you saw
Iron Man 3

Dark or Milk Chocolate
Milk

Last vacation destination
Santa Barbara California

Favorite Car
Corvette

Pet Peeve
Impatience

Secret Celebrity Crush
Miley Cyrus

TRC: Thank you Daniel for taking the time to answer our questions. It is always a pleasure to meet the ‘face and image’ on the cover of the novels we read and review. Congratulations on all of your success.

Daniel Sobieray 5

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Catching Up with M.A. Abraham

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Catching Up with M.A. Abraham

M A Abraham Banner

The Reading Cafe is happy to welcome back M.A. Abraham. M.A. is is here today to discuss her new release, Embracing the Light. She will also tell us what she has in store for us in 2014.

Interview-Blue

 

TRC: Hi M.A.  Thank you for taking the time to visit us again at The Reading Cafe, and to give us an update on your new releases, as well as what else you may have upcoming in 2014.

M.A.:  Thank you for having me Barb, always uplifting to be here.  I have a full year planned and it looks like it will be one filled with Elves … I am working on a few new ideas, but they will be for 2015 so not a part of this.  My release list for 2014 is as follows ‘Return of the Legend’ Book 5 of the Elven Chronicles Feb.11/14 … ‘Guardians of the Future’ Novella on the Children of the Elven Chronicles Apr. 23/14 … ‘My Darling, Janice’ Historical Romance June 20/14 … ‘Champions’ Scifi/fantasy Aug 1/14 … ‘King’s Daughter’ Book 6 of the Elven Chronicles Sept 20/14 … ‘Lúthien’s Song’ Book 7 of the Elven Chronicles Nov. 3/14 … ‘Living in the Light’ Dec. 7/14 Novella on the children of the Elven Chronicles.

I know it sounds ambitious, but most of it is written already.

TRC: You have just released a holiday novella, Embracing the Light, which is part of your Elven Chronicles series. Can you please give us a brief description of this story?

Embracing The Light.Dec 3:13jpgM.A.:  Embracing the Light is a novella on the Elven toddlers, yes they are getting older, and so mischievously cute.  It starts in the morning on the day of the celebration and has Gabriel and Eden taking care of the little tykes… and they are a bundle of energy, all 24 or so of them… The story runs through attacks on mom and dad in bed first thing in the morning – to tickle times – to food fights – to fun in the snow – and later in the day the celebration with a few surprises for the little ones and visits from other Elves for the others.  In all there is no other word that suits this story than it being a romp – though I do use the words pandemonium and hedge on using riot at times. 

If you have not read last year’s wonderful Christmas novella, Celebration of LIght, it is now free on Amazon & Barnes & Noble

TRC: How many books are you planning for the Elven Chronicles?

M.A.:  At this time, after ‘Lúthien’s Song’ I have 2 full novels in mind, and approximately 4 novellas.  ‘Tratchars’ Book 8 of the Elven Chronicles … ‘Eärwen’s Song’ Book 9 of the Elven Chronicles.  The novellas will probably be as follows: 2 of the novellas about the celebration while the other 2 will be about S’Larea and Larien, but things have been known to change.

Theory in DepthTRC:  Last month, you released a standalone book, Theory in Depth.  Can you give a brief description of this book, and how did you come up with the premise of this novel?

M.A.:  I wrote the main storyline for ‘Theory in Depth’ when I was 16 after watching a documentary on artificial insemination.  (And yes I know how much of a geek that makes me sound.) I was fascinated by the concept and this is what came out of it.  I can’t tell you how much I researched to find out more about the subject and how often I came up empty.

The storyline revolved around the thought… “As man was created from the depths of the seas, it is logical to assume that someday man should be able to return.”  The question that followed was; what if evolution was given a push?  What if mankind could find or develop a formula that proved it could be done?  What if someone connected the genes from specific mammals to create a living person who was capable of living both on land and in the sea, only to find out that there were others like her?  When a scientist does that and realizes what he has done, he is faced with not only the results, but the ramifications.  He cannot tell anyone because mankind does not respond favorably to things like this, and lets face it, he has played God, and that is not a good thing. He raises her alone for 15 years, then realizes they can’t hide forever and puts her in the care of his brother and her cousin thinking she will be safe as she learns how to cope with the world around her, what follows is 3-4 years of discovery where she learns about the others as well as a world where she will never fit in.

TRC:  In this past year, you have written quite a few books. How do you come up with all these ideas, and what is your writing process (time, where,etc)?

M.A.:  I borrow a few from my past, but most I have written fresh.  They just tend to pop up, and crowd into my mind… making that part of my anatomy very uncomfortable to have on my shoulders sometimes.  I will write at any time of the day, or night as the inspiration strikes. I can be talking to a family member about where I am in the book I am currently writing on and be at an impasse, and the story keeps going as I talk, I suddenly know where I am headed and how to get there.

TRC: What are you currently working on now? Also, would you like to share with us what you may have upcoming in 2014?

M.A.:  ‘Return of the Legend’ is finished and already in book form.  I am finished ‘Guardians of the Future’ and it is in edits.  I am writing ‘King’s Daughter’, ‘Lúthien’s Song’, and by the time anyone reads this I will be finished ‘Living in the Light’. I am also working on another that I call ‘Tantalus’ but that is a whole new series destined for either 2015 or 2016.  At this time, however, I am saying please, only one year at a time, lol.  A taste of each?

‘Return of the Legend’

Elrohir threw back his head and burst out laughing.  He loved the irony of the situation.  All the great scholars of his Kingdom strutted around like a flock of peacocks at the honor the ancients had trusted them with, and the ancients were now telling them that this was not how it was at all.  This was the ancient’s way of showing them how to insert a little humbleness in their lives, that they were no better or worse than any other Elf.  He could live with that, but he wondered how many of the others from the High Kingdom would take the news.

Elrohir got himself back under control and began to read anew.

“The library is not to be moved from the fortress, this is the ancestral location of the scrolls and if you attempt to relocate them you will destroy the spells that keep them fresh and legible.  Remember this always.  We have surrounded our work in stone to keep them safe from discovery.  The beauty that you expected from the world that was reputed to surround the scrolls are not in the building that surrounds them, but the city that surrounds the fortress.  We have left the plans open for viewing so that our vision of grace and beauty can be rebuilt in years to come. 

We know the first things the Demons will destroy when we are gone will be the homes we loved.  They will not want us to dwell in beauty.  Their belief is that by destroying all that we value they can destroy our spirit.  They do not understand that there is no value in things, only in the light that guides our souls. 

I am Lothrariel, Warrior King of the Ancients.  And to my sons, and their sons, I bequeath this trust.  Keep our faith.”

‘Guardians of the Future’

Gabriel tossed Marious a sour look and replied.  “I seem to remember one Elven diplomat who was more than happy to join in with a portion of the spell the second time around.”

“Not denying it and my contribution to your class is in line with the others.”  Marious added with a cheeky grin.

“Good, you can help with the training.”  Gabriel quickly decided.

“We have lots of help.”  Larek informed Gabriel.  “Any of the parents who are not otherwise occupied have been ordered to teach.  We are to take turns so no one suffers from the newly allocated classes.”

Gabriel merely grunted as he took note of several of the parents standing watch over the children.  Something had triggered this order over the last three days and he wondered what it was.  He didn’t have to ask.  Marious knew exactly what was going through his mind.

“It started with wolf races, escalated with a Unicorn stampede and ended with them skinny dipping at the river.”

Gabriel winced as he glared at his sons.  They were standing at attention at the head of the first four rows.  They noticed and immediately turned a guilty shade of red as if they knew their father wasn’t happy about something they had done.  They also knew there would be no defense they could come up with that would save them from what he was about to put them through.  They were dead Elves.

‘My Darling, Janice’

“An eighteen year old, school room Miss?”  Jeremy scoffed with an exaggerated air of disbelief.  He had three sisters of his own and he was of the firm opinion that younger sisters were nothing more than complete nuisances.   

Martin knew all this, but remembering his favorite sister’s character, he felt compelled to disagree.  “Perhaps I should enlighten you as to what my sister is like Jeremy, for in all fairness, you should not meet her with a biased opinion of the female sex.  Not only has Janice been out of the schoolroom for over two years but she is fluent in five languages.  She is quick witted, intelligent, charming and graceful.  Last year she was the undisputed toast of Viennese society.  I am personally looking forward to her visit.”   

These gems of information caught the attention of the young master Jeremy and he leaned forward to quiz his host.   

“So why is this paragon of virtue coming to London?”   

“One,” Martin held up a perfectly manicured finger to emphasize his first point, as well as to start a count.  “To see me.  Two,” He held up another finger in continuance, “because this year, our baby sister will be introduced into society.  As Janice refused every offer for her hand last year father decided it better to send her away, rather than risk the embarrassment of having two daughters as rivals.”

‘King’s Daughter’

Aredhel didn’t have time to make a sound as a hand snaked across her mouth.  At the same time another arm wound around her mid-drift to pull her back against a solid body of muscle and steel.  Before she recovered from that surprise she found herself turned around and pressed against the rock wall of the cave.  She moved as if to object and all her objections were silenced with a kiss.

Aredhel’s initial objection died quickly.  How could any man feel as hard as steel, yet kiss with lips so soft?  A million questions cascaded through her mind.  Who was he?  What did he want from her?  Why was he kissing her?  What did he look like?  Did she know him?  Why did he hide himself in darkness?  She wanted to know these things and more.  She moved her lips from his to ask, but was quickly warned not to speak.

“Shh, Aredhel.  If you say anything we are dead Elves.”  Liessen warned.  His voice was no more than a breath in her ear, letting her know how desperately serious the threat around them was.

‘Lúthien’s Song’

The darkness moved closer and Lúthien stifled a fear-filled whimper.  She could see the Elves who were carrying the danger closer and she felt a need to reach out to the one who was infected with the malady.  Even from where she stood she could tell he was in serious shape and her heart filled with sorrow.

“Haylo,” Lúthien didn’t realize she spoke aloud until Haylo stood by her side and clasped her hand.

“I am here, Lúthien,” Haylo assured the frightened healer.  “We can do this together.”

“His body needs as much healing as his mind.  He will need both of us in the beginning.”  Lúthien spoke as her eyes followed the progression of the group of Elves carrying the liter.

As the bearers of the body grew closer Lúthien began to hum very lightly and a quiet light seemed to shine from her.  She would have to be careful.  She could see the bandages that covered her patient’s eyes.  He had been kept from the healing rays of the sun for a long time.  It would take a miracle to bring him back.  She was determined not to fail.

‘Living in the Light’

“I almost feel guilty about messing that up.”  Branith admitted in an uncharacteristic statement.

“Well I certainly don’t.”  Eden answered with a chuckle as she shouted a challenge to everyone in hearing distance.  “Last Elf to the top is a rotten egg.”

As quickly as she spoke the words Eden sprinted off towards the top of the hill with most of the rest of their group in hot pursuit.  About half way to her destination she did a quick check over her shoulder to see how everyone was doing and noted Gabriel and Marious standing at the bottom, where they had started off.  Lifting her face to the sky as she continued to lead the pack Eden yelled so they could hear.

“That includes both you and Marious, Gabriel.  Remember, rotten eggs sleep where no one can smell them.”

Marious and Gabriel could not only hear Eden’s taunt, but Tamarak’s laughter.  They exchanged a grin and sprung into action.  They wouldn’t be left in the cold and Gabriel knew that if he didn’t move fast enough Eden wouldn’t only hold to her threat, but the Sentinel would reinforce her declaration.

TRC: Snoop, your cat is almost as famous as you?  Does Snoop help you when you are writing.  🙂

M.A.:  Snoop likes to curl up beside me when he gets the chance and purr, especially if I decide to sit up in bed to write.  Better yet, he likes to drape himself across my shoulders or on my shoulder as I try to write.  Barring the preferable places he will satisfy himself with my lap, or beside me, as long as I have a blanket where he can be covered to keep warm.  As for being as famous as I am, that is a fallacy… he is MORE famous… and he would be the first to tell you so.  He is THE pussycat and the star of my blog. Lol.

TRC: Would you like to add anything else?

M.A. It is always a pleasure to be on your site, enjoy the feeling of camaraderie and welcome.  I would also love to wish everyone the best of the season, and Elven blessings in 2014, may it be filled with health, happiness and wonder.  May the light guide your spirit and fill your soul with love.

TRC:  Thank you, M.A. for giving us an update on what we can look forward to in 2014, and we wish you the best with both Theory in Depth & Embracing the Light.


GiveawayM.A. has graciously offered to give one lucky member of The Reading Café a signed arc of her upcoming novel, Return of the Legend.

1.  Please register using the Log-In at the top of the page, or by using one of our social log-ins.

2.  If you are using a social log-in e.g. Twitter, please leave your email address along with your comment.

3.  Giveaway open U.S. or Canada Only

4.  Contests runs from December 14 to December 17, 2013

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The Twelfth Night Wager by Regan Walker-Review and Interview with the Author

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The Twelfth Night Wager by Regan Walker – Review and Interview with the Author

The Twelfth Night Wager

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk/ Barnes and Noble /

About the book: Release Date November 4, 2013

THE REDHEADED RAKE
It was a dull day at White’s, the day he agreed to the wager: seduce bed and walk away from the lovely Lady Leisterfield, all by Twelfth Night. This holiday season, Christopher St. Ives, Viscount Eustace, planned to give himself a gift.

THE INNOCENT WIDOW
She was too proper by half—or so was the accusation of her friends, which was why her father had to find her a husband. But Lord Leisterfield was now gone a year, and Grace was at last shedding the drab colors of mourning. The house felt empty, more so during the coming Christmastide, and so tonight her coming out would begin with a scandalous piece of theater. The play would attract rogues, or so promised her friend the dowager countess. It would indeed. The night would bring about the greatest danger—and the greatest happiness—that Grace had ever known.

Review:

The Twelfth Night Wager begins with Hugh Redgrave and Christopher St. Ives at White’s discussing Hugh’s “praise for his wedded state” and, in Hugh’s words, Christopher’s “tawdry existence” as a rake. Christopher is a little taken aback at Hugh’s description of his lifestyle and thinks there is nothing wrong with the way he chooses to live his life when it comes to women. So, Hugh entices Christopher with a little wager to test his methods of handling said women. The wager? He must seduce, bed and walk away from the beautiful Lady Grace Leisterfield by the twelfth night. Any other outcome will see Hugh as the winner. Christopher always did like a good wager……..

Grace is coming out of her mourning period. Her elder husband died suddenly a year ago and now is the time to put away the mourning wardrobe and step out into the ton. And who better to aid her than Mary, Hugh’s wife, and the dowager countess. They have several events planned and Grace looks forward to attending them all. And, of course, Christopher will be attending as well. Once Grace and Christopher are introduced, the attraction begins. The one problem? All of the single ladies of the ton are hoping they are the one to whom Christopher and Hugh have laid their wager on. So, in order to not set tongues wagging, and to keep Grace’s identity unknown, Christopher must spread his attention around. Another problem that he hadn’t counted on was his growing attraction to Grace. Maybe Hugh was onto something…………And, once Christopher realizes that someone is trying to blackmail Grace with some information about her dead husband, that if made public, would damage her reputation, as well as her stepson’s, he vows to help her no matter the cost and leave behind his rakish ways.

Regan Walker has once again written a beautiful story filled with a little mystery, a little fun and A LOT of romance. She has, in a very short time, become my favorite author in this genre. You will swear you can see the streets of the cities from long ago that she writes about. There is no unnecessary dialogue and no filler. She does a phenomenal job of making the reader feel as if they actually know the characters and you actually care what happens to them. We also get peeks into characters’ lives from previous books to see how they are faring as well. And, here I thought the dowager countess was the only match maker in this series. Who knew that Hugh would set things in motion that would warm our hearts? I, for one, can’t wait for the next installment. Well done, Regan Walker, very well done.

Copy supplied by the author.

Reviewed by Vickie M.

__________________________________

Interview beige

TRC: Hi Regan and welcome to The Reading Cafe. We would like to congratulate you on the success of 2013 and the recent holiday release of The Twelfth Night Wager.

Regan: Thanks! I’m so happy to be on The Reading Café. You have given my books some lovely reviews and I always appreciate your thoughtful comments!

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

FOLLOW: Goodreads / Website / Twitter/ Facebook /

Regan WalkerRegan: Sure. I grew up in California and had a career as a lawyer for many years that included several stints in government, which gave me a feel for the demands of the “Crown” on its subjects. So, not surprisingly, my first novels, all set in the Regency era, involve a demanding Prince Regent who thinks of his subjects are his private talent pool. I love to weave history and real historic figures into my stories. It makes them more real to me. My first novel in the Agents of the Crown trilogy, RACING WITH THE WIND, was published by Boroughs Publishing Group in 2012, and my second, AGAINST THE WIND was published in March of this year. WIND RAVEN, the third in the trilogy, will be released in early 2014.

I am a member of the Beau Monde and San Diego chapters of Romance Writers of America and frequently can be found at the Romantic Times Convention.

TRC: Do you believe your travel experiences and law degree have helped with your storyline premises and historical accuracies?

Regan: Oh yes. Having experienced the countries I am writing about helps me have a visual feel for the places. And the idea of delving into the past for my research is not new to me. I love it. Digging for the facts is a part of who I am. I can’t write the scenes until I have the setting and the history lined up. Also, my undergraduate decree is in field biology and that has helped me numerous times with flora and fauna, even wild beasts.

TRC: What was the deciding factor pushing you into the world of romance writing?

Regan: A good friend’s advice (after hearing me talk about alternate endings for some of the novels I was reading). She told me I thought like a writer and she could see me as having published novels. (She actually had a dream in which she saw nine of them on her bookshelf!)

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

Regan: A bit of both. I let history lead me to the scene, but once I get a feel for my characters I know what they would say and do and they “speak” on the page.

TRC: Are you a plotter or a pantster?

Regan: Again, a bit of both. I usually have the beginning and sometimes the ending in my mind before I begin to write. The first scenes come easily, but the middle is all pantster and it’s my greatest challenge. I never liked to outline in school, so I suppose my somewhat carefree approach comes naturally. I like structure but only when it comes to me as I write the story.

TRC: Has their ever been one of your characters that you would have liked to have re-written, perhaps change up the personality or characteristics-good or bad?

Regan: Funny you should ask. I have always wanted to write a real bodice ripper with an alpha male who is a tortured hero and only softened by the heroine. It may be coming in TO TAME THE WIND (the prequel for my trilogy) in 2015. But it’s hard to write those bad boys when you prefer gentlemen in real life. Most of my heroes are alpha males with a bit of an edge. If I were to change anything, I’d make them more edgy. My heroines are strong enough.

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?

Regan: I imagine how I would feel as that character experiencing what she/he is experiencing. If the tears would fall, then my character cries. If I would hold it tightly inside trying to deny her emotions, then so does my character. But always I am in the character’s head so even as I try and conceive of how I would react, it’s not me; it’s her (or him). Some emotions are more easily felt than others. Anger is one of those.

As to how some authors fail, I think they are acting too much the narrator, distanced from their characters. A writer cannot do that. Too, I think there is pressure in some quarters to make the beginning of a romance cute, giving it a “hook” for hook’s sake, if you will. You can recognize them because the rest of the story doesn’t match up. I’m an avid reader of historical romance and I know when I pick up a worthy tale that I have to settle in and wait for the story to evolve. It might grab me on the first page; it might not. You have to slowly build the characters like leaves of an onion to make me cry with them when the sad part comes. I must be invested.

TRC: Your stories tend to revolve around actual historical events. How much research goes into that process? How do you keep the plot unpredictable without sacrificing content and believability?

Racing with the WindRegan: Hundreds of hours. To give you an example, I’m writing a medieval now, THE RED WOLF’S PRIZE, set in 1068 in England. The prologue is set five years earlier in the County of Maine (France today). It’s a wolf attack described in two and a half pages. I spent three days researching that one scene. I had to know if a lone wolf would attack a man and, if so, under what circumstances; whether they had wolves in France in the 11th century; if red wolves were found in the area; what kind of horse a knight would ride once off the battlefield (it’s not a destrier!); and what was the weather that winter (if I could find it). Oh, yes, and I had to know what William, Duke of Normandy was doing that year so I’d have his knights returning from the correct battle.

I can’t explain how history and my fictional story weave together but they do. I don’t let history dominate. Rather, it permeates in a subtle way. Sometimes I am led by the character who may be an historic figure. I want to portray him (or her) as best I can based on what we know of that person. In RACING WITH THE WIND, Germaine de Stael is a character. I spent days researching her and her books to get a feel for how she would speak and what she would say.

TRC: How do you handle the pressures and anxiety of deadlines?

Regan: My publisher is very reasonable on deadlines. We negotiate them. Still, if I know I have one coming up, I may pass on a friend’s invitation to write. And then there’s the fact that, as a lawyer, I am used to deadlines. I never missed one. Shows you how compulsive I am.

Against the WindTRC: What do you believe is the biggest misconception about you?

Regan: I appear more intimidating than I really am. My dearest friend tells me I’m a “mushball” inside. How pathetic is that?

TRC: Who is the first person you think about when you need someone to talk with and why?

Regan: Aside from God, it would be my dearest friend, who sadly, moved several states away and now we have to have our tea together via Skype.

TRC: If you could be a contestant on a reality television program, which program would you chose and why?

Regan: I never watch reality TV shows. I really do prefer to read. But if I was forced, it would be one set in a historical period like that one I heard about called the Regency House Party.

TRC: On what are you currently working? Planned for 2014?

Regan: My pirate Regency, WIND RAVEN, will be released in spring of 2014 and I’m very excited about it. I had such fun learning all about schooners of the period (even did a ride on one), and my historical pirate, of course, who was a real historic figure. But that one is in the can, so to speak. Right now, I am writing the medieval I mentioned earlier. It’s a bit of a detour for me. THE RED WOLF’S PRIZE is a William the Conqueror romance set two years after the Conquest. I was fascinated by the effect on Saxon England of all those Normans stomping over their country. And what would a Saxon maiden do who was given to a Norman knight? Read it and see!

TRC: Would you like to add anything else?

Regan: I just want to say how much I appreciate the Reading Café and all my readers who stay in touch (and especially those who write reviews. One of my readers suggested a scene to me for WIND RAVEN—and I used it (for which she will receive the novel free!).

LIGHTNING ROUND:

Dog or Cat: Dog (I have a close personal relationship with a Golden Retriever, but I include cats in my stories for my readers who love them)

Roses or Tulips: Roses (I am such a romantic)

Iron Man or Thor: Iron Man (love his brains)

Winter or Summer: Summer (unless I’m in the desert)

Last Movie you Saw: If on the big screen, it would be The Hobbit

Pet Peeve: Having to wait when I have an appointment (I post my reader pet peeves on my blog!)

Secret Celebrity Crush: Gerard Butler (a Scot, of course, and he’s tall!)

TRC: Thank you so much Regan!!

Regan: Ah, you’re welcome. I enjoyed your questions!

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