Linda Weaver Clarke

Interview with Sweet Romance Author Marie Higgins

2012-01-30T01:00:00.013-07:00

Book Give-Away Jan 30 – Feb 6: To win an e-book, A Walk in Heaven, leave a comment about this interview with your e-mail. International.

Marie Higgins is a multi-published author of romance; from refined bad-boy heroes who makes your heart melt, to the feisty heroines who somehow manage to love them regardless of their faults. Visit her website to discover more about her at http://mariehiggins84302.blogspot.com

Hello Marie! A Walk in Heaven is a Christian Historical Romance. Please tell us about your novel.

Hi Linda, and thanks for having me on your blog! My story takes place in Montana, 1875 on a cattle ranch. This isn’t an ordinary Christian Historical Romance…this has a lot of action, suspense, and family drama. This story, as well as my others, can be found on Kindle and Nook. Soon they’ll be out in print, but I just don’t know when.

“All he wanted was to trust again.” Joshua Grayson is not happy about his new sister-in-law’s visit and he uses the term ‘sister-in-law’ loosely as Careen Kennedy Grayson was a complete stranger. Joshua’s brother, Matthew, left the family ranch in the dead of night to run away and wed a woman he’d never met. The fact Matthew was killed moments after walking out of the church with his new bride merely adds insult to injury. Joshua struggles with resentment and trying not to blame Careen for his brother’s death. But it is difficult not to harbor ill feelings when he knows she’s keeping secrets. Despite his suspicions, Joshua slowly grows attracted to Careen and even starts to like her. Unfortunately, Joshua knows all too well the folly of loving a woman he cannot trust.

Careen Kennedy Grayson was married and widowed within minutes of the other. When her obsessive cousin, Luther, arrives minutes after Matthew’s death, she knows deep down he’s the one who killed Matthew. Luther is arrested and held for trial while Careen takes her husband’s body back to his family. Soon after arriving at the loving Grayson ranch, Careen learns of her mother-in-law’s heart condition. Unwilling to cause undue stress, Careen decides to wait until after Luther’s trial to speak the full truth of their son’s death. Soon Careen grows embedded in family and ranch life, getting closer to the Grayson’s with each passing day. She finds herself unnaturally drawn to Joshua and she knows their budding attraction will only complicate matters… Especially when the family discovers her cousin did indeed kill Matthew.

This story sounds so intriguing to me. Where did you get your inspiration for this book? Do you get any ideas from real life experiences?

Since I never write from real life experiences (yeah, my life is boring!) I use my imagination. My inspiration for this book came after I’d read a few Inspirational stories and found the story lines flat. Because I love writing historicals, I picked a spot for my story – Montana. I’ve never been there, so I let my critique partner and friend help me out (since she lives there). After I plotted out my characters, the story fell into place. The only thing I can say that comes from real life experience is falling in love – or trying not to fall in love with someone.

Since this is historical fiction, what kind of research did you have to do for this novel?

I had to map out the towns in Montana. The bad guy in the story (heroine’s cousin) tries to track her down. So I had to first make sure that town existed in 1875, and if they had a telegraph office, jail, church, etc. I had previously researched clothing, so I was all right on that account. I had to research the weather since there is a blizzard in the middle of the story. But I really enjoy doing research!

I know what you mean. My first 5 novels are historical romances and I had to research the clothing and a blizzard, as well. What does your family think about your writing?

They are very proud of me! Even my husband, if you can believe that. For years he never supported my writing. It hurt. But he was embarrassed to tell people his wife was a romance writer. But now that my books are in bookstores, and people in town are recognizing me as ‘that romance writer’, he has a different change of heart. My daughters, my mom, and my sister love bragging about me. I’m not sure if my brother does, but I know his wife and daughters do!

Thanks, Marie, for this awesome interview. Now it’s time to tell us something about the real you that we’ll never forget.

When I was young, I was extremely shy! There was a time my brother and I were with my parents on a train. I don’t exactly remember what kind of train, but it was for tourists. Anyway, there was a loud commotion and I fell to the floor and stuck my head between my father’s ankles and held on tight. I was so scared! As I grew up, I walked with my eyes to the floor and didn’t talk unless someone said something first. If I didn’t know that person, I mumbled my answer. My 16th year was my turning point. I came out of my shell and no longer was shy. It took my parents completely by surprise and they had a hard time handling that. From that point on, I wanted to be center of attention. I loved making people laugh – still do, in fact! I don’t mind giving writing workshops, or getting up in church to give a talk. Now if you see me on the street, I’m the one usually speaking first! lol

Wow! Who would have ever suspected that you were that shy? Now you’re teaching writing workshops and giving talks all over the place. Thanks for allowing us to get to know the real you!

A Walk in Heaven:

Interview with Sweet Romance Author Don Carey

2012-01-23T01:00:00.029-07:00

Book Give-Away January 23 - 30: To win Bumpy Landings, leave a comment about this interview with your e-mail. International.

Don Carey was raised in the Hawaiian town of La’ie. He is a graduate of BYU-Hawaii, where he met his lovely wife, Kara. During college, he participated in a number of musical organizations, including the Polynesian Cultural Center Brass Band. Don currently lives in a small town outside Fort Worth, Texas with his wife and two daughters. His day job involves writing computer programs, which is almost the same as writing fiction, but with a lot more semicolons.

Ahhhh! A love story from a man's point of view! Hello Don! Please tell us about your new book.

Bumpy Landings is the story of Jordan MacDonald, a recently-returned missionary who has dreams of taking flight and soaring above the majestic mountains of his Hawaiian home. However, he doesn’t dare disobey his mother, who has absolutely forbidden him to fly. Suddenly everything changes when, spurred by the pain of a failed relationship, Jordan begins working toward the coveted pilot’s license. Just as he finds love again, Jordan’s lies start to close in around him, and he soon learns that a life full of dishonesty attracts more turbulence than he’s ever faced in the air. Set against the exotic backdrop of the Hawaiian islands, this tale of romance and self-discovery is a perfect vacation from the average love story.

Where did you get your inspiration for this book?

This story is a mix of real-life experiences and fictional scenarios. At its core, Bumpy Landings is about a young man, Jordan MacDonald, finding integrity, self confidence, and the joy of kissing pretty girls. These are all things that have become important to me in my life, but didn’t come without some serious effort. This book is partially the result of me exploring these areas as they relate to my own life.

Like Jordan, I’m also a student pilot (though still a long way from finishing), worked in a flower shop during college, and developed a number of crushes I was too shy to act upon, with several involving girls who worked at the Polynesian Cultural Center.

Unlike Jordan, however, I have a great relationship with my mother. We have always gotten along well, and both of my parents have been extremely supportive of my interests throughout my life.

What a great answer! This book is set at the Hawaiian Islands. Since you’re originally from Hawaii, did you have to do much research? If so, what kind of research did you do?

Even though the community of La’ie is my hometown I still had to do a lot of research. While the town and university are very much the same as they were when I left in ’92, there have also been many changes. The same is true for college students and the way they interact. (I really could have used social media and a cell phone back in the day.)

A while ago I read that for college and high school students, a relationship isn’t official until it’s a part of their Facebook profile. This was when Facebook was still new and only just opened up to non-students, so I decided to create my own account, just to see what it was all about. It helped me understand the role technology can play in a budding young romance.

I also found that reading personal blogs of students attending school at BYU-Hawaii gave me a treasure trove of information on the kind of things that they did in their spare time. While many of the activities turned out to be the same as in my day, some things—like LAN gaming parties—didn’t exist back then.

Do you consider this novel to be a “sweet” romance and what does your family think about your writing?

Bumpy Landings is really a coming of age novel. However, there is a very solid romantic subplot, since that’s what being twenty-something in college is all about, so it is often considered a romance. And the romance plot would certainly qualify as “sweet.”

My family was very excited about the book, and they all either loved it or were too kind to say otherwise. My sisters took great joy in trying to assign the behaviors and character traits of Jordan’s sisters to each other.

My next novel, currently titled Into The Wind, is a follow-up on Bumpy Landings and I have to admit that the story and plot fall solidly in the romance category.

I would love to read a man’s point of view on romance. It sounds so intriguing. Now it’s time to tell us something about the real you that we’ll never forget.

I don’t get to do this as often as I would like anymore, but I love making flavored applebutter. I have developed a number of recipes—Guavalicious and Wassailbutter being two of my favorites—and built a motorized stirring mechanism that sits on top of our crock pot. Each batch takes nearly 24 hours, but the end results are heavenly. I’ve looked seriously into selling this stuff, but the requirements for a commercial kitchen make that a financially impractical project at the moment. So for now I give away jars as unique and heartfelt gifts to family and friends.

Yum! Your apple butter sounds very delicious. It’s so much fun to learn about a man who loves to cook. I love it! Now we know the real you! Thank you for this interview, Don.

I Am Dreaming of Books!

2012-01-13T00:01:00.164-07:00

Sweet Romance, Mystery/Adventure, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Children's, and Non-fiction.

Whether you win a book from my blog, buy a book, or check a book out from a library, please help the author out by spreading the word to all your friends about their book and post reviews. This is a special way of thanking the author for the book. Please tell what you enjoyed about his or her book. I am a believer in praising the good in what you read.

Children’s Books:

Author: Sherrill S. Cannon
Book: Peter and the Whimper-Whineys
Genre: Children's Picture Book
Synopsis: Peter is a rabbit who whines all the time, and might have to join the Whimper-Whineys. Peter and the Whimper-Whineys is a story that helps parents cope with whining children. Frequently it helps for children to be read fun-stories that illustrate the unpleasantness of bad behavior and ways to correct it. For instance, sometimes children don’t understand how annoying the sound of whining can be. This rhyming book should be read with alternating normal voice and whining voice, according to the character speaking. Children learn that Whimper-Whineyland is not a fun place to be, not just for all the whining and crying that goes on but for all the other bad behavior and unpleasant character traits exemplified!!!
Author’s Website: www.sherrillcannon.com
Open to: U.S. and Canada

Author: Sherrill S. Cannon
Book: The Magic Word
Genre: Children's Picturebook
Synopsis: Elisabeth needs to learn The Magic Word “please”, and to use it every day. Please and Thank you are words that everyone needs to use! The Magic Word is a story about consideration for others, emphasizing the importance of the Golden Rule in making friends, with suggestions such as, “try to treat others the way you would like” and “think more about others and less about you.”
Author’s Website: www.sherrillcannon.com
Open to: U.S. and Canada

Fantasy Novels:

Author: Donna Hatch
Book: Queen in Exile
Genre: Fantasy/romance
Synopsis: Rumors of war hang over Princess Jeniah's peaceful country of Arden, a land that shuns both magic and warfare. Following a lifelong dream, Jeniah forms a telepathic bond with a revered creature called a chayim, who is prophesied to save her kingdom. But when a Darborian knight comes upon Jeniah with her chayim, he sees only a vicious monster about to devour a maiden, and he slays the beast. Devastated by the loss of her chayim, and fearing that her own magic is evil, Jeniah doubts her destiny. When an enemy invades Arden City, they slaughter the people, storm the castle, and execute the entire royal family except the princess. Rescued by the knight who slew her chayim, Jeniah is now heir to the throne of Arden and the only hope for freeing her people from slavery. On the run and hunted by enemy soldiers, Jeniah must place her life and the fate of her kingdom in the hands of this trained killer. Torn between embracing her destiny as queen of Arden, and her love for a mere knight, she must ultimately rely on her magic to save herself and her people from death and tyranny.
Author’s Website: www.donnahatch.com
Open to: US and Canada

Historical Fiction Novels:

Author: Heidi M. Thomas
Book: Cowgirl Dreams
Genre: Western Historical
Synopsis: Defying family and social pressure, Nettie Brady bucks 1920’s convention with her dream of becoming a rodeo star. That means competing with men, and cowgirls who ride the rodeo circuit are considered “loose women.” Addicted to the thrill of pitting her strength and wits against a half-ton steer in a rodeo, Nettie exchanges skirts for pants, rides with her brothers on their Montana ranch, and competes in neighborhood rodeos. Broken bones, killer influenza, flash floods, and family hardship team up to keep Nettie from her dreams. Then she meets a young neighbor cowboy who rides broncs and raises rodeo stock. Will this be Nettie’s ticket to freedom and happiness? Will her rodeo dreams come true? Based on the life of the author’s grandmother, a real Montana cowgirl. It is suitable for both adult and young adult readers. (This story was based upon the author’s grandmother and her life.)
Author’s Website: http://www.heidimthomas.com
Open to: U.S. and Canada

Sweet Romance Novels:

Author: Donna Hatch
Ebook: The Stranger She Married
Genre: Regency Romance
Synopsis: When her parents and only brother die within weeks of each other, Alicia and her younger sister are left in the hands of an uncle who has brought them all to financial and social ruin. Desperate to save her family from debtor's prison, Alicia vows to marry the first wealthy man to propose. She meets the dashing Lord Amesbury, and her heart whispers that this is the man she is destined to love, but his tainted past may forever stand in their way. Her choices in potential husbands narrow to either a scarred cripple with the heart of a poet, or a handsome rake with a deadly secret. When a bizarre mishap threatens her life, Alicia suspects the seemingly unrelated accidents are actually a killer's attempt to exterminate every member of her family. Despite the threat looming over her, learning to love the stranger she married may pose the greatest danger to her heart.
Author’s Website: www.donnahatch.com
Open to: International

Author: Gail Pallotta
Ebook: Love Turns the Tide
Genre: Inspirational Romance
Synopsis: In Love Turns the Tide Cammie O’Shea faces a traumatic split-up with her fiancé and has to leave her family and friends to take a new job in Destin, Florida. Heartbroken and alone, she needs God more now than she ever has. But for some reason she can’t explain she feels more estranged from him. A feature writer, she dreads meeting her new boss, the editor of The Sun Dial, a new newspaper. However, her real source of angst turns out to be Vic Deleona, the influential real estate tycoon she must write about to help get the paper off its feet. While she refuses to open herself to another painful relationship he attempts to court her. Then, break-ins occur at her and her friend’s condos and make her doubt the wisdom of living in Destin even more. Vic comes to their rescue. He even launches his own investigation into the crimes. Just when Cammie sees a different side of him she gets an offer to return home to her old job. Will Vic solve the crimes and win Cammie’s heart or will she leave?
Author’s Website: http://www.gailpallotta.com
Open to: International

Author: Debra Brown
Ebook: The Companion of Lady Holmeshire
Genre: Historical Sweet Romance/Mystery
Synopsis: A foundling infant, Emma, grows to become a housemaid and then companion to the Countess of Holmeshire. Lady Holmeshire sends her for training in the ways of polite society, but when brought along to tea and dinners, snobbish aristocrats cannot get past her life in service. Emma's feelings for the young Earl of Holmeshire seem hopeless due to her class, and he is engaged by arrangement to a London lady. Humorous romantic situations develop amongst the servants. Strange men in tatters attempt to pry their way into Emma's life, a barrister tries to win Emma's love and everything comes together in one big surprise at the end.
Author’s Website: http://authordebrabrown.blogspot.com
Open to: International

Author: Sherry Gammon
Ebook: UNLOVABLE
Genre: YA Romantic thriller
Synopsis: Seventeen year-old Maggie Brown is truly the poster child for Heroin Chic, complete with jutting bones and dark-ringed eyes. But drugs are not Maggie's problem... her mother is. Maggie’s struggling with her growing feelings for the new guy at school, Seth Prescott, and fears he is just another person who will let her down, like everyone in her life has done thus far. Seth Prescott is an undercover cop assigned to Port Fare High, and despite his job, he’s developed strong feelings for Maggie. Seth’s working tirelessly to flush out the sadistic drug peddlers that have invaded the small town of Port Fare, New York, while Maggie fights to stay alive as the search turns deadly.  Seth and Maggie’s romantic journey is one of humor, heartbreak and self-discovery as their world is about to change forever.
Author Website: www.wordpaintingsunlimited.blogspot.com
Open to: International

Author: Caroline Fyffe
Ebook: Texas Twlight
Genre: Western Historical Romance
Synopsis: Fresh out of medical school, John McCutcheon finds his stagecoach under attack by brutal outlaws. With the help of a feisty acquaintance, Lily Anthony, he manages to fend off the assault. Lily is attracted to the charming cowboy-doctor, with his chiseled good looks and teasing ways, then heartbroken to learn he’s engaged to be married. Once settled in Rio Wells, Texas, John tries to ignore the fact that his cousin has taken a shine to Lily. When a bounty hunter shows up looking for a priceless jewel that Lily has found stashed away in her aunt’s belongings, Lily fears her dreams of owning her own shop--and of finding true love--are about to go up in flames...or, could that just be the glow of a beautiful … Texas Twilight?
Author’s Website: www.carolinefyffe.com
Open to: International

Author: E.M. Tippetts
Ebook: Someone Else's Fairytale
Genre: Chick lit/Contemporary Romance
Synopsis: Jason Vanderholt, the hottest actor in Hollywood, falls for Chloe Winters, a college student who hasn't bothered to watch most of his films. It's every woman's fairytale, or almost. Chloe couldn't care less. “Someone Else's Fairytale made it into my Top 5 Books read in 2011.” --Stephanie Asbridge
Author Website: www.emtippetts.com
Open to: International

Author: Caroline Clemmons
Ebook: Home, Sweet Texas Home
Genre: Contemporary sweet romance
Synopsis: Courtney Madison has battled poverty her entire twenty-five years but is determined to make a safe and happy home for her teenaged brother after the recent death of their mom. Her mom’s illness left Courtney with a mountain of hospital bills, her formerly sweet brother Jimmy is now cutting class and hanging with a rough crowd, and she’s just learned she’s being downsized in two weeks. Hanging on by the threads of a fraying rope, she learns she’s inherited two million dollars from a kind elderly man she befriended when he was in the hospital across the hall from her mom. She thinks her inheritance in West Texas is the answer to all her prayers--but Courtney learns that while money improves her life, it doesn’t guarantee happiness. This modern Cinderella encounters problems even a fairy godmother couldn’t imagine.
Author Website: www.carolineclemmons.com
Open to: International

Author: Linda Weaver Clarke
Book: Melinda and the Wild West: A Family Saga in Bear Lake, Idaho
Genre: Historical Sweet Romance
Synopsis: Finalist for “Reviewers Choice Award 2007” In 1896 Melinda Gamble—a very elegant, naïve young woman from Boston—decides to give up her life of monotonous comfort for the turbulent uncertainty of the still untamed Wild West. Driven by her intense desire to make a difference in the world, Melinda takes a job as a schoolteacher in the small town of Paris, Idaho, where she comes face-to-face with a notorious bank robber, a vicious grizzly bear, and a terrible blizzard that leaves her clinging to her life. But it’s a rugged rancher who challenges Melinda with the one thing for which she was least prepared—love.
Author’s Website: http://www.lindaweaverclarke.com
Open to: U.S. and Canada

Mystery/Adventure Novels:

Author: Linda Weaver Clarke
Ebook: Anasazi Intrigue
Genre: Mystery/Adventure
Synopsis: Awards: Socrates Great Book Alert Award!
Stolen artifacts, a nosy newspaper reporter, and mysterious events begin to unfold in this mystery adventure novel. When a devastating flood takes out several homes in a small town, they are shocked by the news of also a possible poison spill that kills many of the fish and neighbor's pets. Julia, the town's newest reporter, begins her investigation but realizes the story is much bigger and more dangerous than she thought! Julia and her husband find themselves on the run trying to save their lives while finishing the story of a lifetime! She never realized that being a reporter could be so dangerous. With artifacts, dead fish, a devastating flood, and miscreants, John and Julia have their hands full.
Author’s Website: http://www.lindaweaverclarke.com
Open to: International

Author: Linda Weaver Clarke
Ebook: Mayan Intrigue
Genre: Mystery/Adventure
Synopsis: The discovery of a priceless artifact puts Julia’s life in great danger! From valuable artifacts to shady businessmen, the Yucatan Peninsula becomes a dangerous vacation spot for John and Julia Evans. While on assignment for the newspaper, the Evans’ try to enjoy a romantic vacation among the Mayan ruins, but when Julia accidentally comes upon a couple suspicious men exchanging an item, she quickly turns and leaves but it is too late. The men have seen her. As a reporter, Julia does not easily give up and her curiosity gets them in a mess of trouble. Before John and Julia realize what is going on, they are both in danger and find themselves running for their lives through the jungles of the Yucatan.
Author’s Website: http://www.lindaweaverclarke.com
Open to: International

Non-Fiction Books:

Author: Anne Bradshaw
Book or Ebook: True Miracles with Genealogy: Volume Two
Genre: Non-fiction, spiritual
Synopsis: In the same way that elegant, old leaves float back to earth and enrich the soil, so ancestors can reach out and strengthen families. Volume Two of True Miracles with Genealogy is crammed with over 56 fascinating and inspiring stories from people who love researching their ancestors. Reading a story a day will guarantee a soaring mood, and unlock new ideas for your own research.

Author’s Website: http://truemiracleswithgenealogy.com
Open to: U.S. paperback/ International e-book

Author: Paulette Harper Johnson
Ebook: Completely Whole
Genre: Non-Fiction, spiritual
Synopsis: In her well-written, resource-filled guide, Harper provides readers with practical and biblically-based solutions to overcome everyday problems. Completely Whole features prayers, meditations, and powerful scripture passages to allow readers to interact with the text and to apply it to their own lives. Harper uses personal experiences and biblical principles to place readers on a path to be in connection with God. This life-changing book will help readers to transform their spirit, soul, and body through Jesus Christ, so they can live a life of peace, joy, and fulfillment.
Author’s Website: www.pauletteharper.com
Open to: International

Author: Janet Perez Eckles
Ebook: Simply Salsa: Dancing Without Fear at God’s Fiesta
Genre: Nonfiction, spiritual
Synopsis: What keeps women from dancing to the freedom God offers? With passion, a bit of sass, a Latina flair and rare sensitivity, Simply Salsa exposes the lies and misconceptions that imprison women with unfounded insecurities and feelings of inadequacy. No matter the degree of adversity or hidden pain, Simply Salsa offers God’s solution. Each chapter exposes secrets women carry. And explores the freedom that comes when we learn to conquer fear. As women in the bible faced tribulations and trials, they sought God’s grace to overcome and reach victory. With colorful examples and riveting illustrations, Simply Salsa illustrates how the same grace plays the melody of significance and success for today’s women.
Author Website: www.janetperezeckles.com
Open to: International

Author: Haleh Rabizadeh Resnick
Two drawings for a Book: Little Patient Big Doctor
Genre: Memoir, self help
Synopsis: A true story which will inspire you and give you practical tips on how to advocate for your health and your children's health. “Must read for any parent.”
Author Website: www.littlepatientbigdoctor.com
Open to: International

Author: Linda Weaver Clarke
Ebook: Reflections of the Heart
Genre: Spiritual
Synopsis: Reflections of the Heart has 13 chapters of inspirational writings such as: The secret of Happiness, Laughter is the Best Medicine, Parenthood – A Great Responsibility, Equal Partners in Marriage, Developing Your Spirituality, and Music Soothes the Soul.
Author Website: www.lindaweaverclarke.com
Open to: International

Author: Linda Weaver Clarke
Ebook: Writing Your Family Legacy
Genre: Self Help
Synopsis: It’s important to teach our children their heritage. Who are your ancestors? What were their traditions? Each of us has a story from our ancestors or even our own story to tell. If these stories are unwritten, then how are your children going to know of their parentage? It’s up to us to write these experiences down. Make your ancestors come alive on paper. Make your family legacy something your children will be proud of.

Author Website: www.lindaweaverclarke.com
Open to: International

Interview with Historical Fiction Author Kevin C. Mills

2012-01-09T01:00:00.002-07:00

Kevin C. Mills is an author and award-winning journalist. He has been a sportswriter for some of the top newspapers in New England over the last two decades. His book Sidelined is an offbeat look at the misadventures and experiences of a sports journalist. His other two books, Son and Daughters of the Ocean and Breakwater, are novels based on the extensive research he has done on his family history. A third book in that series will follow. It is based on the privateering age during the Revolutionary War.

“Our path in life can be dictated by nature. We get caught in the current. We get tossed by the wind. We get swept up in the waves. Sometimes, we need a Breakwater.” –Kevin C. Mills

Hello, Kevin. Welcome back to my blog. What is a Breakwater and what does it do? I don’t live near the ocean, so this is a new word for me.

That’s so interesting Linda because a breakwater has always been part of my life. We have a number of them in Maine but this book is based on one that marks the entrance to Rockland Harbor, on the midcoast. It is pictured on the book cover. The Rockland Breakwater is a mile-long granite structure that extends into the harbor with a lighthouse at the end. The breakwater itself was built to help block the waves from the severe storms. In the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, winter storms would ravage the interior harbor of Rockland and would subsequently cripple or at least hamper business and property. So the breakwater was built to make the harbor more secure and keep the violent seas as bay. It still serves that purpose today while also serving as a great attraction for people who like to walk the breakwater and get a great view of the harbor. This breakwater is also relevant to me and the book because my grandfather was an assistant lighthouse keeper there at one time. Of course, the word breakwater takes on a new meaning in this book, but you’ll have to read it to find out how.

“The storms we face define a lifetime, but beneath the heartbreak lies a search for peace. When two characters, generations apart, seek their calm amidst the storms of life, they discover a truth they’ve longed to understand.” This is an intriguing description. What is your new book about?

Breakwater is based loosely on the life of my grandfather. He faced a great deal of adversity in his life but tried to persevere and maintain faithful to God. In this story, Hal Miller is trying to understand why his life has evolved the way it has. All this contemplation is sparked by a look back into his tragic past while he also deals with his wife’s decline in mental health. Hal’s story is paralleled with that of his grandson Clark, generations later. He’s frustrated with his life but reconnecting with a long lost love changes that. He struggles with his own insecurities while trying to navigate through a complicated relationship.

Breakwater is the follow-up novel to Sons and Daughters of the Ocean. Do you have to read book one to understand this book?

No. When I came up with this idea of writing historical novels based on my own family history, I saw a three-book series unfold. It was inspired by the Civil War trilogy by Michael and Jeff Shaara. Most of Breakwater is dated in the 1970’s and the mid-2000’s. Sons and Daughters of the Ocean was based in the 1870’s. Breakwater is based on the same family but generations later. Hal Miller is the son of Albert Miller, one of the main characters in Sons and Daughters of the Ocean. There are some characters that make a brief appearance from the first book. But Breakwater is not meant to be a sequel. It stands on its own. It is a very different book from the sea-faring tale of the one before it. I recently read the books back-to-back in order. It was nice to follow that family history in that way. But it is not a necessity. Many of the early readers and reviewers of Breakwater had not read the first book and it made little difference to them.

I love it when authors add real life situations to their stories, especially with historical fiction. Do you usually put real experiences in your books?

Absolutely. I say that I write historical fiction that is more like nonfiction. Sons and Daughters of the Ocean was based on family history and also utilized my experiences sailing each year on the three-masted schooner Victory Chimes. So much of that book had a realness to it. Almost all of it is based on real occurrences. Same with Breakwater. I have diaries and memoirs of my grandfather and father that gave me a great perspective on the life of my grandfather when this story was set. I was only five years old when he died. I think that realness brings truth to the story. And since this story is told in the first person, readers can get an in depth feel for who these characters are and how they live. I think being rooted in real life gives great credibility and power to the story. It isn’t something that was just made up. It was real. It happened. I think that makes the story that much stronger when the reader knows that and feels that.

Wow! As you know, I teach people how to write their family stories in workshops all over the U.S. called “Writing Your Family Legacy.” I firmly believe that we are the people we are because of our ancestors. Thank you so much for this wonderful interview, Kevin. Below is an excerpt from Kevin’s book. It will help you understand what a BREAKWATER really does to save a town! Read it! It’s awesome.

Prologue: A Mighty Fortress

A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing;
our helper He amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing.
—Martin Luther

With just one step, it hits you like a fist.

The wind’s roar and the crashing seas hint at the coming fury. I don’t truly absorb the full brunt of its rage until I step clear of the banking that shields me from the ferocious easterly gusts. The wind nearly knocks me backwards with the first potent blow. I solidify my balance and move forward cautiously, but it reaches in and steals my breath away. The rocks are slick and treacherous. By the time I actually reach the start of the granite Breakwater, the angry waves are crashing over, sending spray soaring into the air. I glance out over the stone barrier and watch the sea rumble like a cauldron. The waves rear back and lunge ahead to crash violently into the granite wall before me.

The wind screeches and howls at a frantic volume. Gulls that attempt to fly can only hover sideways and drift helplessly with the wind. The rain pours down, icy and stinging like liquid daggers on my near-frozen skin.

The other side of the Breakwater is nothing but calm. The sea is flat and peaceful. The tormented ocean and the turbulent walls of water are barred from disturbing the tranquility of the harbor. Nestled safely around this quiet haven, the city rests amidst the storm. The Breakwater is like a thousand angels poised to combat the evil intent, the furious force of wind and waves. The barrier breaks the spirit of the storm, one crashing wall of water at a time.

When the storm moves on, the valiant barrier stands proudly in its victory. It makes me wish my heart was as strong, as relentless, and as able to survive the potent powers that destroy. But it isn’t. It is battered and weary from the fight. With each storm, I simply hold on and brace for the next wave.

Interview with Historical Fiction Author April Gardner

2012-01-02T01:00:00.040-07:00

April Gardner has been a military brat, missionary's kid, and military spouse. After 21 years in various countries overseas, April happily resides in Georgia with her USAF husband and two sweet kiddos. In her free time, she enjoys reading, organizing, and DIY. In no particular order, she dreams of owning a horse, visiting all the national parks, and speaking Italian.

“Wounded Spirits is a powerful story of love, loyalty, the effects of war, and faith in God. The writing is vivid and compelling. The characters were so real I felt I knew them, and I was caught up in their lives and compelled to read on. The ending was sweet yet realistic. The story and its characters will stay with me for a long time.” --Author Melanie Dickerson

Hello, April. You have a new series called "Creek Country Saga." Please tell us about the first book, Wounded Spirits.

In 1813, Alabama is called Mississippi Territory and the furthest west Americans dare to go. Those who choose to live there do so at their own risk. Adela McGirth and her family are no exception. They are swept away by fervor of the Red Sticks as the warriors attempt to cleanse their land of encroaching whites.

A loyal warrior, Totka takes scalps with little compunction. When beautiful and courageous Adela is placed in his charge, his hands are already bloody with guilt. He’s certain she could never love him. He’s the enemy, after all, and the source of her grief.

Wow! I love historical fiction. Where did you get your inspiration for this book?

I grew up hearing that my many times great-grandfather was Chief Red Eagle/William Weatherford. Turns out, he’s probably not, but I still cherish the stories of his bravery in the face of Jackson’s overpowering army. It was the story of his extraordinary leap from the bluff that made me wish I could read the account in novel-form. I’d never written more than a high school paper, but I figured that if this particular story was ever going to be written, why not do it myself? Eight years later, I held the book in my hands.

The second book is called Warring Spirits. What is it about?

I’m so glad you asked! Warring Spirits just released in November and is already getting some great reviews. It picks up two years after Wounded Spirits. Here’s the back cover blurb: In 1816 Georgia, escaped slaves control the land just beyond the American border in Las Floridas. Lost somewhere between white and black worlds, Milly follows hope to the only place that can offer her refuge—the place Georgians are calling Negro Fort. The first, sweet taste of freedom convinces Milly that surrender is not an option. Death would be more welcome.

Major Phillip Bailey has orders to subdue the uprising and return the runaways to their masters. Forced to fight alongside Creek warriors—the same who etched the scars into his mind and flesh—Phillip primes himself for battle. But inside, a war already rages—return for the woman he thought lost to him, or concede her to the enemy she loves; follow orders or follow his heart.

A Reviewer wrote, “The adventures are so smoothly crafted, the history so wonderfully woven, it's easy to forget that the story and the characters are fiction.” Another reviewer said, “In Wounded Spirits, author April W. Gardner, brings a little-known American historic period and native people to rich imaginative life. Not enough has been written about the noble Creek and their mighty Confederacy.” What kind of research did you have to do to create this story and keep it accurate?

Years and years of it! LOL! But it was so much fun. I have a huge stack of great books including Pickett’s “History of Alabama.” If there was ever an entertaining history book, this is it. Pickett has such a way of writing that his book reads like a story, and it was written during the lifetime of many of the figures he mentions, so he got his facts straight from the “horse’s” mouth. I have Pickett to thank for quite a few of the interesting accounts in Wounded Spirits.

That’s interesting. Thanks for an awesome interview. Okay, now it’s time to tell us something about the real you that we’ll never forget.

I can solve a Rubik’s cube. It takes me about ten minutes, but I can do it! It’s my only claim to braininess.

Hahaha! That’s really something. My husband tried to figure it out several times and it was so hard. He loves a challenge. We both agreed that it must take a genius to figure that thing out. So now we know the real you! The Rubik’s Cube Genius!

Historical “Sweet” Romance Excerpt!

2011-12-20T08:00:00.002-07:00

Have you ever wondered how "kissing under the mistletoe" got started… Well, mistletoe has been part of European folklore as far back as the ancient Celtic Druids. It was known for its mystical powers. In the Middle Ages, mistletoe was hung from ceilings and over doorways to ward off evil spirits. In Greece, kissing under the mistletoe became part of the marriage rites. In Scandinavia, mistletoe meant "peace" where enemies would declare a truce. Therefore, married couples that were arguing would kiss and make up beneath the mistletoe. During the eighteenth-century in England, they created a “Kissing Ball” made of mistletoe with ribbons and ornaments, which was hung from the ceiling at Christmas time. A young lady who stood under it could not refuse to be kissed. A kiss beneath the mistletoe meant friendship, goodwill, or romance. If a couple in love kissed beneath the mistletoe, it was interpreted as his promise to marry her.

Melinda and the Wild West: A Family Saga in Bear Lake, Idaho

Awards: Finalist for Reader Views “Reviewers Choice Award 2007”

Debra Gaynor, Reader Views: “From the first page I was captivated by this book. I had to continue reading, rushing to turn the page, I had to see what next adventure would catch up with Melinda. The plot is interesting: mixing history with fiction, adventure with romance. Melinda is an endearing character and you can’t help but see things through her eyes. This is good Christian fiction. It is a great honor to highly recommend this book to readers of historical fictions and romance. Ms Clarke, this is a piece to be proud of, well done!”

Christmastime

Melinda sat at the piano and played Christmas carols while everyone lounged in chairs. As they felt the spirit of Christmas, they began to sing one carol after another. After a while, Gilbert stood and walked over to the piano and watched Melinda’s hands dance gracefully across the keys as he sang. His deep, rich baritone voice rang through the room and Melinda was very surprised that this rugged rancher had such a lovely voice. She was learning more about him each time he came over for Sunday dinner, which was nearly every week. For some reason, Aunt Martha had taken him under her wing and he was becoming a regular guest in the home.

When the song came to an end, she turned in her seat and looked up into his face. “You have a lovely voice.”

Gilbert could see the surprise in her eyes and hear it in her voice. He raised his eyebrows and said jokingly, “Thanks. I sing to my cows so they’ll give me more milk.”

Melinda laughed softly at the thought of Gilbert singing to his cows. “Now that’s something I would like to see.”

Gilbert enjoyed her delightful laughter and noticed that her eyes seemed to glow with happiness. Her charm was like a fairy gift from angels. And she had an ethereal beauty about her that made it difficult to stop gazing at her. Was it because it was Christmas that made her seem more beautiful to him? Was it his imagination that she seemed more at ease around him or were they just getting to know one another better? He had noticed his attraction toward her was growing with each visit and he looked forward to every Sunday meal at Martha’s home.

“Mr. Roberts, have you heard of ‘Far, Far Away on Judea’s Plains’?”

“Yes, I have.”

“Did you know that it was composed by a Mormon pioneer from St. George, Utah?”

“Yes, I did.”

Gilbert was amused that Melinda would underestimate his knowledge of music. He did not know the classical composers and music like Melinda did, but when it came to Christmas music he had no competition. Christmas was one of his favorite times of the year. He did know one classical composer, though, and that was Handel because he had written “Joy to the World.”

“In fact, Melinda, I heard that John Macfarlane woke up in the middle of the night with the tune and words in his head. It was so strong that he couldn’t go back to sleep, so he woke his wife up and asked her to help him. He lit a lantern and then began playing and singing the song that came from his heart while his sweet wife helped him write each note and word down on paper. They stayed up all night until they finished the song.”

Melinda’s eyes lit up. “I didn’t know that.”

“He died four years ago in 1892.”

“I didn’t know that, either.” She smiled. “Do you want to sing it with me?”

Gilbert nodded and she turned back to the piano, flipped the page over, and began playing. Gilbert’s rich baritone voice blended beautifully with Melinda’s mellow alto voice. The blend of harmony was so beautiful and each word was sung with such feeling that a hush came over the room as they sang.

Far, far away on Judea’s plains,
Shepherds of old heard the joyous strains:
Glory to God, Glory to God,
Glory to God in the highest;
Peace on Earth, good-will to men;
Peace on Earth, good-will to men!

After they finished the song, the room was still and no one said a word. Melinda could feel the sweet spirit in the room and she turned to look at Gilbert. He had an air of joy and contentment about him and she wondered if he could feel the peaceful atmosphere in the room as she did. When their eyes met, Melinda felt warmth creep into her cheeks. His eyes seemed to be searching hers. But why? Feeling uncomfortable, she quickly averted her eyes and stood.

“Jenny, I have a gift for you because I won’t be here for Christmas to give it to you,” Melinda said.

She walked over to the Christmas tree, picked up a small gift, and handed it to Jenny and then sat down. Jenny’s eyes sparkled with delight as she ripped the paper open. Before her eyes was a lovely blue ribbon.

“It’s for your hair, Jenny. And it’s your favorite color, too.”

Jenny ran to Melinda and wrapped her arms around her neck, hugging her tightly. Melinda sighed and wrapped her arms around Jenny.

Jenny’s voice sounded constricted as she spoke, “Thank you, Miss Gamble.” She looked up into Melinda’s eyes and said lovingly, “I love you.”

Melinda was touched. She had not expected this. In fact, she had not been ready for this sudden display of affection. She had never had a student tell her that before and her eyes moistened; her chest was tight with emotion. These were such simple words, yet they seemed to have an intense effect upon her.

Gilbert watched his daughter and Melinda. He saw how touched Melinda was by his daughter’s affection and he saw his daughter’s love for her teacher. No other teacher had ever affected his daughter like this. In fact, no other teacher had ever cared enough to help his daughter in school before. Melinda, he knew, had done some good in his daughter’s life. In fact, he felt that she had made a difference in his own life, too. He felt alive again, as he had never felt before.

Aunt Martha had watched Gilbert at Thanksgiving and noticed that he seemed to be quite interested in Melinda, so she had made sure he was invited over every Sunday evening for supper. The town called Martha “Cupid” because she enjoyed pairing people up. And that was true. Martha wanted others to have the joy and happiness she had in marriage. So, when she noticed Gilbert’s interest in Melinda, she had decided on a plan.

While everyone had been singing, Martha had put a coffee table just inside the kitchen door, next to the doorway where the mistletoe hung. Then she carefully placed the dessert and plates upon it. When Melinda or Gilbert would get a cookie or brownie, they would be positioned perfectly under the mistletoe. Martha thought her idea was very clever. Uncle William watched Martha studiously and he chuckled. He knew his wife and he knew what she was doing. He sat comfortably on the sofa as Martha came with a plate of cookies for him and for Jenny.

As she handed Jenny her plate, she said, “Sit by the fire and enjoy the warmth while you eat your dessert.”

Then she sat down beside William and handed him his plate with a smile. William whispered in her ear, “Thanks, Cupid.”

Aunt Martha acted innocent. “What do you mean?”

Uncle William whispered, “I’ve been living with you for over fifty years now and I believe I know you inside and out.” He grinned at her as she tried to act innocent and then he kissed her cheek lovingly.

Ignoring his astuteness, Aunt Martha called out, “Dessert everyone! There’s cookies, brownies, and tarts on the coffee table.”

Melinda headed for the dessert table and began filling a plate. As she stood in the doorway of the kitchen, it had not dawned on her why Aunt Martha had put the table there instead of the living room. Gilbert walked up to the coffee table, waiting for his turn. He had noticed the mistletoe, but was not sure if he should say anything or if he should take advantage of the situation.

Martha grinned and said, “Oh, oh. Look at that. Melinda is under the mistletoe. Well, what are you going to do about it, Gilbert? You can’t let her get away without a kiss, especially when it’s tradition. No one can avoid the mistletoe, you know.”

Melinda quickly looked up at the mistletoe in surprise and then jerked her head toward Aunt Martha with a shocked, knowing expression. When she turned to face Gilbert, his soft eyes seemed to glow as he stood before her. Melinda quickly touched her cheek with the tips of her fingers when she felt the warmth creep into her face. She felt so embarrassed. She was nervous and felt uneasy as he gazed into her eyes. She was not sure what to expect.

Gilbert smiled with amusement when he saw her blush a rosy color, and he said in a low and soft tone, “Melinda?”

His eyes held hers as he searched them for an answer. Then Melinda lowered her eyelids and looked down at her hands that were nervously playing with the red satin ribbon at her waist. Gilbert could see that she felt apprehensive and uneasy and he did not want to embarrass her more than she already was. So, as his eyes stayed glued to her expression, he gently took her slender hand into his and lifted it toward his lips. Then he pressed them tenderly against the back of her hand, lingering a bit.

Melinda was surprised at this chivalrous gesture and raised her eyes to meet his. The tenderness of his kiss and the softness in his eyes touched Melinda and a warm glow filled her soul. She was sure he could feel her pulse race as he held her hand and her fingers seemed to tingle from the touch of his lips. It did not take much to turn her face a rosy glow once again. Then, instantly, a strange sensation of joy came over her that she had not expected.

Gilbert let go of her hand as he turned to Aunt Martha and said, “We had better go, Martha. It’s getting late.”

The softness of Melinda’s hand in his and her many blushes seemed to have their effects on Gilbert. His heart had skipped a beat that night and he felt it was time to leave. He was not ready for what his heart was trying to tell him. He had concerns that he was not yet ready to face.

Aunt Martha grabbed their coats and a bag with cookies and roast beef inside and handed them to Gilbert. As she walked them to the door, she whispered, “Don’t worry. She’ll soften towards you. It will just take time.”

After they left, Melinda felt as if she were in a daze as she walked upstairs to her bedroom. Her heart was full and she didn’t know why. For the life of her, she could not figure out why she had reacted in such a way to his tenderness. Gilbert and she were as different as night and day, and yet she felt attracted to him. Why? She remembered his lingering kiss and how warm and tender it had been. The memory of it seemed to linger in her mind. Her heart had raced when he had touched her hand. And when he kissed it, a tingling sensation seemed to start at her knuckles and make its way to her heart.

She tried not to think about it because the following day she would be catching the train to Boston to visit her family for the holidays and she needed her sleep.

(To find out how Gilbert and Melinda met, click on the Melinda and the Wild West book cover on the right side bar.)

For those interested, you may purchase this book for a discount price ($14.95) at Publisher Direct Bookstore.

Interview with “Sweet” Romance Author Caroline Clemmons

2011-12-12T01:00:00.003-07:00

Caroline Clemmons lives with her real-life Hero in rural North Central Texas with their menagerie of rescued pets. Her first made up adventures featured her riding with Roy Rogers to save the West from rustlers and bank robbers. Now she writes historical, contemporary, and time travel romances and contemporary mysteries. When she’s not writing, she loves spending time with family, reading, traveling, genealogy, and browsing antique malls and estate sales. She writes full-time, except when life interferes.

Hello, Caroline. I just love the book cover of this novel. Please tell us about it.

HOME, SWEET TEXAS HOME is a sweet contemporary romance and modern Cinderella story. Heroine Courtney Madison is a strong woman with high morals. When her mother became ill, Courtney became head of household. Now, six months after her mom’s death, Courtney is hanging on to her sanity by a few strands of an unraveling rope. Her mom’s death left a mountain of medical bills. Courtney is guardian of her formerly sweet 15-year-old brother who has become sullen and is hanging with decidedly unsavory pals, skipping classes, and letting his grades drop. Her latest blow is that, due to the huge new chain bookstore down the block from the independent Dallas bookstore where she’s manager, the store’s owner is coming out of retirement to manage his store. In two weeks, Courtney will be out of a job. No savings, no job, no prospects. She’s in a panic. Enter hero Derek Corrigan to tell Courtney she has inherited an estate in West Texas worth over two million dollars from the kind, elderly man she befriended when he and her mom were in the hospital. All her troubles are over. Or so she thinks. But Courtney learns that money solves her immediate problems, but new problems arise. Trouble she would never have imagined.

Derek Corrigan has been betrayed by every woman he’s ever loved. He’s learned the hard way that caring for a woman means he loses a chunk of his heart. He doesn’t need a woman’s interference. He has his two precious kids, Warren and Meg, and they’re the most important part of his life. Never again will he risk his heart by committing himself to a woman.

Where did you get your inspiration for this book?

I grew up in the area of West Texas where this book is set. My parents and I lived in a rural area for three years when we moved back from California, then we settled in Lubbock where I grew up. The weather there is dismal, but the place gets under your skin in spite of anything you can do. The town of Sweet Springs is fictional, but it’s a composite of the little towns in which my family lived before we moved into Lubbock. The sandstorm in the book is one of the things I remember from living there. When I was in junior high, I walked about a mile home from school and I remember walking in that wind and sand. Ugh. There are a lot of things I like about the area, though. The people are nice, on a clear day the sky is so blue, and the sunrises and sunsets are gorgeous.

Ooooh, I remember those good old sandstorms! I remember my very first one. I had to quickly pull over to the side of the road because I couldn’t see beyond my car. I never realized that a sandstorm was so much like a snowstorm. Really! Okay... a reviewer wrote, “Caroline wrote a story that had you laughing, crying, and caring about a group of people that were from different worlds...so many twists you couldn’t wait to see where she took you next.” Do all your books have humor and several twists in them?

Each of my books have twists, and each is about family members that support one another. I suppose the humor is subtle, and not everyone “gets” me. My intention is that each of my books has a combination of emotions from tension to humor, and that the situations are credible--whether the book is contemporary or historical. I do quite a bit of research, even for a contemporary.

I love your description of Derek: “He knows what women do to him--they always leave and take chunks of his heart with them. He's been there, done that, had the vaccination and is cured.” Hahaha! That was great. What do you like most about Derek’s personality?

Derek loves his kids so much that he often works from his home office so he can spend more time with them. He wants them to know they’re important to him and that he loves them. What better hero than a man who’s a great dad? He also does a lot to help others in his community, and that speaks well for him. He’s wealthy, but he remembers when he was struggling.

Derek sounds like a great character. Okay, now it’s time to tell us something about the real you that we’ll never forget.

One of the things I used to do each summer is can vegetables and fruits. Lots and lots of them! I supplied canned goods for both sets of parents and our daughters as well as for Hero and me. I also entered the State Fair and won blue ribbons for my grape jelly, peach jam, and green beans. Judging used to require two jars for each entry--one to taste and one to display. Due to the weirdness of people now, rules were changed so that judges didn’t taste the food and appearance is the only criteria. That’s when I quit entering. What’s the point of winning if taste doesn’t enter into the decision?

I think that's awesome. My mother used to enter her bottled fruit in the county fairs. I can’t believe they took tasting out of the contests. Do you remember the 1945 movie, State Fair? I’ll never forget the tasting contest when the judges tasted the mincemeat…over and over again. It was hilarious. Thank you so much for this wonderful interview Caroline. Below is an excerpt from Caroline’s book. I laughed so hard that I just had to include it.

When Jimmy saw his sister in bed, he rushed over. “Sis, what happened? What’s with the towel and the ice packs?” He frowned at Derek. “What’s going on?”

She opened her mouth to explain, but nothing came out.

Derek figured the bizarre situation defied description. He patted Jimmy on the shoulder. “Don’t worry, she’s okay now. We were at the cemetery putting flowers on Sam’s and Maggie’s graves and your sister got trapped in the bathroom.”

Jimmy shook his head. “I don’t understand. How could that hurt her?”

Courtney sighed. “The knob came off in my hand and I couldn’t open the door. So, I climbed out the window.”

Derek held out his hands to indicate the small rectangle. “A small, high window.”

Jimmy looked from his sister to Derek. “I still don’t understand what happened.”

Courtney snapped, “I got stuck, okay?”

Derek grimaced at Jimmy. “She, um…” He coughed to keep a straight face. “When she tried to go out the window, she got stuck with her head and one arm sticking outside and the rest of her inside.” He stood like a bird with a broken wing to imitate Courtney’s position. A grin spread across his face in spite of all his efforts not to smile.

Jimmy gaped at his sister. “Courtney? But she’s always so sensible. She’s never does anything stupid.” He began to smile also.

Both males burst into laughter.

“Listen, if you two are so amused, go into the other room to discuss my apparently hilarious antics and leave me to suffer in peace.” In spite of her strained muscles and injuries, she threw a box of tissues in their direction. “Go on, get out of here. Now.”

Interview with Christian Author Jessica Zondervan

2011-12-05T01:00:00.009-07:00

In her early twenties, Jessica Zondervan experienced an unthinkable amount of pain and tragedy. During that time, she grieved the deaths of several loved ones, including her mom and dad, her college professor, both of her dogs, her grandpa and grandma, and a very close friend. After years of struggling with grief and depression, Jessica experienced complete healing and now dedicates her time and energy to helping others break free from depression.

“I fell on my face and wept. I prayed for healing. I didn’t want to dwell in my misery any longer. I wanted to breathe again, feel again, live life again.” - Jessica Zondervan

Hello Jessica. I can tell this is going to be a very touching subject for this week. Please tell us about your new book.

Breathing on Purpose: Surviving the Death of a Loved One deals with death: its timing, its existence, and the magnitude of its life-altering impact. In my book, I share my grief-story and how I coped with losing both of my parents, my grandparents, my two dogs, my college professor, and a dear friend - all within a few years of each other. I walk the readers through the challenges that I faced - regardless of how painful, ugly, and unglamorous those challenges were. The beauty that flourished from my many grief-experiences/challenges, allowed me to re-establish my faith in Jesus and the outcome was beautiful healing and complete restoration. (Isaiah 43:1-3)

What inspired you to write this book?

Breathing on Purpose: Surviving the Death of a Loved One was written out of a longing to share my grief-experiences with others who were and who are grieving. I wanted to equip readers with a faith-filled hope that would resurrect their passion for life after surviving the loss of their loved one(s). I’m not necessarily trying to answer a particular question or give a remedy for grief—I’m trying to make a connection. I want to comfort those who read my book as they themselves question their experience with death and their belief in (or need) to find God. I want them to know that they are not alone. There is hope and healing for them in Jesus. Breathing on Purpose: Surviving the Death of a Loved One provides readers with an honest approach and a vulnerable perspective on what it means to walk through the grieving process with peace.

You have touched the lives of many people, Jessica. A Reviewer wrote, “I wish this book had been written when I lost my brother. It would have made my family’s loss a lot easier. I cried a lot of healing tears. Breathing on Purpose is from the heart! It’s a must read for anyone who has ever lost a loved one.” Do you receive letters concerning the way you’ve helped others through your book? If so, can you share any with us?

What a great question. I have received a variety of encouraging and inspirational letters that have moved me to tears. The most encouraging letters I receive are usually from strangers. I once received a letter from a woman – same age as me, who experienced the unexpected loss of her parents – just like I had. Our stories were so similar; God had brought us together to talk about what we had gone through. It’s humbling to know that my story touched the heart of someone else – someone I’ve never met. To this day, I still find myself being comforted by the letters I receive – from both strangers and familiar faces. I know that in the end, the precious Lord has a plan for everything. Losing my parents was part of that plan; my being able to help others deal with their grief has made my journey a lot easier. I know for certain that I am where God wants me to be, and I will forever be grateful for those experiences because they have led me to where I am today. (Jeremiah 29:11)

What does your family think about your writing?

I am extremely blessed to have such a supportive family. In fact, my husband is the one who encouraged me to write. He is my biggest supporter and has believed in me from day one. This book would not have happened without his unending support and encouragement. Before I wrote, Breathing on Purpose: Surviving the Death of a Loved One, my husband would tell me (on several occasions and numerous times each week), that I needed to write down my feelings and put my grief-experiences into a book. After a year or more of listening to his pleas, I gave in and wrote Breathing on Purpose.

Wow! What a wonderful, supportive husband! Yup! He’s a “Keeper”! Okay, it’s time to tell us something about the real you that we’ll never forget.

I love football – both college football (Iowa Hawkeyes) and the NFL (Philadelphia Eagles). There is nothing better than being with my family and friends, eating food and watching football. Family, friends, food, and football = the perfect day for me.

A female author who loves football? Well, how about that! And that’s right… food and family makes the perfect day. Thanks for this wonderful interview, Jessica. I hope you touch many lives with this book.

Interview with Children’s Author Mary Ruth Weaver

2011-11-28T01:00:00.010-07:00

Mary Ruth has lived in Tennessee, Illinois, California, and finally settled down in sunny Arizona. With a degree in English, she has taught kindergarten in Christian schools. She and her husband share five children and 17 grandchildren. Mary Ruth works at Arizona Western College, coordinating and working with the winter visitor population; and her husband, who is a retired Marine, assists her with the activities. They are both active in church and the community. They love to travel and have visited all 50 states throughout the years; and, several of them many times.

Hello, Mary Ruth. I’m so glad that you’re on my blog. We met in Yuma a few years ago and I absolutely love that part of the country. It’s so beautiful in the fall, winter, and spring. Please tell us about your new book.

The Forgotten Trolley is not only a cute children’s story, but it appeals to adults as well. The lesson learned in this book is what to do when life disappoints you. You can either give up on life and be miserable, or do what Al did. He humbled himself, was reborn, and started a new phase of his life as a working café instead of the former transporter of passengers. He learned that when life gives you lemons, make lemonade.

What a wonderful lesson to teach our children… a lesson to remember ourselves! Where did you get your inspiration for this book?

My inspiration for The Forgotten Trolley was inspired by my husband, Gary. He grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and rode the trolleys with his parents during the 1940s. He remembers his mother putting him on the trolley at age five, and sending him across town, by himself, to visit his grandmother! Having heard many stories throughout our 34 years of marriage, and our family visiting and riding on several trolleys housed in trolley car museums, the idea of trolleys out of commission and rusting away in scrap yards prompted me to write a children’s story.

Wow! The inspiration behind a book is so interesting to me. Are there very many cities that still have trolleys?

Some of the trolleys of the past have been refurbished and are in trolley car museums. They are either on display or are working examples that transport passengers around the museum grounds on a limited route. Recently, some cities, such as Phoenix, Arizona, and San Diego, California, have built light-rail systems that are similar to trolleys that transport passengers throughout the city on scheduled routes.

What does your family think about your writing?

My family, especially my husband, has been very supportive of my writing throughout the years. My daughter, Vikki, has been my “go-to” person for any kind of support I have needed. When I finally decided to publish this book, I called her at work and said, “Vikki, I want to be immortalized!” She asked, “So, what do you want me to do?” I said, “Help me find an illustrator for my book.” “Okay,” she answered, “I’ll get back to you.” Forty-five minutes later she called back and said, “Here, talk to Jeff.” “Who’s Jeff?” I asked. “Your new illustrator,” she replied, and the rest is history.

Your daughter sounds like she was just as excited about your new future as you were. Okay, now it’s time to tell us something about the real you that we’ll never forget.

I am a lucid dreamer. My dreams consist of flying, tasting, smelling, vivid colors, and seeing words or sentences written on walls, blackboards, or anywhere throughout my dreams. I can change the way the dream is progressing by changing the storyline myself during the dream. I can make sure the outcome is to my liking by simply willing it so. One of my favorite reoccurring dreams is that of dancing. I will have the whole dance floor or hall to myself, and I will twirl and leap and spin to my heart’s content. My flying dreams allow me to either fly within an airplane, or fly solo, without a vehicle. I have dreamt that I flew alone, just my body, and as I was landing, slowed down my feet, so as to gently land on top of a bookcase! During college, I wrote a research paper on lucid dreaming and not only received an A+, but was asked by my psychology professor and my English professor for a copy for their files. So, I not only enjoy my lucid dreams, and they not only paid off for me during college, but I have written several stories based on ideas I have received in my dreams.

I would love to be in control of all my dreams. That would be great. When I was a kid, I used to have flying dreams and I remember how much I loved those dreams. But when I grew up, I stopped having them. Hmmm! Now I know the real you! A Dreamer, a Child at Heart, and an Author all rolled into one!

Thanksgiving Day & “Sweet” Romance

2011-11-17T00:01:00.032-07:00

Melinda and the Wild West: A Family Saga in Bear Lake, Idaho

Awards: Finalist for Reader Views “Reviewers Choice Award 2007”

In 1896 Melinda Gamble—a very elegant, naïve young woman from Boston—decides to give up her life of monotonous comfort for the turbulent uncertainty of the still untamed Wild West. Driven by her intense desire to make a difference in the world, Melinda takes a job as a schoolteacher in the small town of Paris, Idaho, where she comes face-to-face with Butch Cassidy, a vicious grizzly bear, and a terrible blizzard that leaves her clinging to her life. But it’s a rugged rancher who challenges Melinda with the one thing for which she was least prepared—love.

Page One Literary Book Review: “Linda Weaver Clarke displays an easy and excellent style of writing, blending adventure/romance/history/humor and courage. Melinda and the Wild West is an instant classic and should put this author on the literary map all over the world.”

Debra Gaynor, Reader Views: “From the first page I was captivated by this book. I had to continue reading, rushing to turn the page, I had to see what next adventure would catch up with Melinda. The plot is interesting: mixing history with fiction, adventure with romance. Melinda is an endearing character and you can’t help but see things through her eyes. This is good Christian fiction. It is a great honor to highly recommend this book to readers of historical fictions and romance. Ms Clarke, this is a piece to be proud of, well done!”

Melinda and the Wild West: A Family Saga in Bear Lake, Idaho

THANKSGIVING DAY

Melinda set the table with a lacy tablecloth and as she got the plates out of the cupboard, Aunt Martha said, “Oh, I forgot to tell you. Put on two extra plates today. We’re having company over.”

Melinda smiled. Her aunt and uncle always seemed to find someone to invite over and they enjoyed sharing their food and charity with others.

“We’ve invited that nice young man and his daughter, Gilbert and Jenny.”

Melinda froze. Her heart beat rapidly. She looked over at her aunt with widened eyes and asked, “Mr. Roberts and Jenny?”

Aunt Martha nodded. “I know they don’t have kin close around here and I always like to invite them over whenever we have a special celebration.”

Melinda quickly exited the room and ran upstairs to fix her hair. As she looked into the mirror and primped, she thought, “Why do I care what I look like? He’s just Jenny’s father. He’s nothing to me.”

She tried to ignore the fact that just recently her heart had seemed to flutter whenever Gilbert’s name was mentioned at the table.

As she descended the stairs, she saw Gilbert already sitting on the sofa with Jenny. He stood politely as she walked into the room and he smiled with his hat in his hand.

Melinda nodded to them. “Mr. Roberts. Jenny.”

“Please call me Gilbert. Mr. Roberts sounds so formal. May I call you Melinda?”

She smiled and nodded her assent.

“Melinda, how are you doing?” Gilbert asked with concern. “I haven’t talked to you since the bear incident in October. I’ve seen you in town off and on, but we both seem to be in a hurry and don’t take the time to visit. Are you doing all right?”

“Yes. It took a couple weeks to get over it. I would have nightmares each night and wake up in a cold sweat. I had to take the medicine the doctor gave me just before I went to bed so I could sleep. But I’m all right now. I’m sleeping much better. I have a lot to learn here in the West, don’t I?” She smiled and gave a nervous sigh. “Thanks for asking.”

Gilbert’s heart felt heavy as he listened and knew that it must have been very difficult to overcome such a tremendous fright. He was surprised that she still acted positive about the West, though, and this made his admiration for her grow.

Jenny looked at her father and excitedly announced, “Did you know that the Pilgrims didn’t eat what we’re eating today, Pa?”

“No, I didn’t, little darlin’.”

Jenny blushed furiously and quickly leaned over to her father and whispered, “Pa! Don’t call me that in front of company.”

“Oh, I’m sorry, Jen,” Gilbert said quietly while trying very hard to suppress a chuckle. “So, what did they eat?”

“Well, first, you have to know their celebration lasted for three days. At the feast they had dried fruit, berries, plums, ducks, fish, lob— lob— lob…” She looked up to her teacher with questioning eyes.

Melinda picked up her message immediately and continued, “Lobster, clams, and venison.”

“Really?” Gilbert looked at Melinda with a smile. “I didn’t know that.”

Jenny was excited to tell her father a little more and continued, “Yes. We celebrate Thanksgiving because of President Lincoln. At first, George Washington wanted to make a National Day of Thanksgiving. That was in seventeen…uhm…”

Melinda interjected, “In 1789, but some were opposed to it.”

“Opposed?” Gilbert looked at Melinda. He noticed how beautiful she looked and how her green eyes lit up as she spoke. “Why on earth would anyone oppose such a thing?”

“Well, they had their reasons. President Thomas Jefferson scoffed at the idea of having a day of thanksgiving. The idea brought a lot of discord among all the settlers because many felt that the hardships of just a few Pilgrims did not warrant a national holiday.”

Gilbert’s eyes widened. “Just a few Pilgrims? They sound a bit snooty to me.”

“Yes, I think so, too. As Jenny was telling you, it wasn’t until 1863 that President Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday in November as a National Day of Thanksgiving.”

Jenny’s eyes lit up as she remembered more of what she had learned at school. “And it was all because of perse— perse—” She cleared her throat and blurted out, “Because of religion, Pa.”

Melinda could not hold back and began to laugh softly. Jenny was trying so hard to remember what she had been taught at school. “What she’s trying to say is that it all started because of religious persecution. The Pilgrims were Puritans and had fled their home in England to escape the persecution.”

“Well, I’ll be! A person can never stop learning no matter how old they are.”

That made Jenny burst into laughter. Holding her sides with her hands, she giggled. After getting her breath back, she said, “I thought you knew everything, Pa.”

“Not by a long shot!”

Melinda laughed and then excused herself to help her aunt put the food on the table. Aunt Martha smiled contentedly and said, “Oh, Melinda dear, will you please go into the utility room and fill our large barrel up with plenty of water? I have a couple of buckets sitting beside the sink that you can use and I placed the barrel on the floor. I want us to bob for apples afterwards. It will be so much fun.”

“I’d be glad to, Aunt Martha.” Melinda headed for the door that led into the utility room. It was the place where they did their wash, and dried and bottled fruit.

When Gilbert saw her leave, he hopped up from the sofa. He had been watching her intently from the living room and heard what Aunt Martha had asked of Melinda. He thought he could help, so he nonchalantly walked past Martha and followed Melinda into the utility room.

Melinda looked up and saw him approaching while she was vigorously pumping the water into the first bucket. When she picked it up to move it out of the way, Gilbert appeared beside her and quickly took the full bucket of water from her hand. The sudden movement jolted the bucket and made the water slosh over the edge and onto Melinda’s beautiful pink-flowered dress and upon her shoes, soaking her through from her waist to the floor.

Gilbert quickly jumped back as the water sloshed over the edges, so he would not get wet. Then looking at Melinda’s wet dress and shoes, he began to chuckle. It was quite a humorous situation. He had come out to help her but ended up spilling water all over her instead.

Melinda looked down at her dripping dress and wet shoes in despair and then looked up at Gilbert, who by now was laughing heartily.

With a combination of bewilderment and frustration, she asked, “What are you doing?”

He chuckled, “I thought I would come and help.”

“Help?” The irritation in her voice was obvious. “You’re laughing like a hyena. Look what you’ve done to my dress and shoes.”

“It was an accident.” Gilbert looked her up and down and tried to suppress another chuckle that wanted to burst through. “Did you think I had planned this whole thing so I could make you look silly? I must seem like a very devious person to you.”

His eyes were full of amusement as he grinned at her, trying with all his might to hold back another chuckle.

With an indignant tone, she answered, “No, I didn’t think that at all. I just got impatient because you spilled water all over me and you didn’t even say you were sorry. All you did was just stand there and laugh at me.” She put her hands on her hips and shook her head. “How exasperating you are!”

As Gilbert emptied the rest of the water from the bucket into the barrel, Melinda began to fill the second bucket.

Gilbert was still chuckling as he said, “No, you are wrong there. I didn’t laugh at you. I was laughing at the situation. I had come to help, and in helping I hadn’t really helped at all, but made everything worse. Don’t you see the humor in it?”

Melinda looked up at him and saw a grin on his face. She thought he had a very twisted sense of humor and all at her expense, too. Quickly she picked up the bucket and walked over to the barrel and poured the water in with a sober and irritated look on her face.

“Melinda, you are so independent. Why don’t you just let me help you with the water? You could have been filling one bucket as I dumped the other. We could have gotten this whole business over with a lot faster if you hadn’t stopped to get angry with me. Where’s your sense of humor?”

Melinda glanced up at him and then turned away. “I have a sense of humor.”

“Well, this situation would have been very funny if you would have stood back and looked at it from a distance.”

She glanced at his cheerful face and ignored him. Then she went back to the sink and began to fill both buckets up once more.

Gilbert grinned at her stubborn attitude and asked, “Now may I help you with the buckets this time?”

After filling both buckets full of water and placing them on the floor, she put her hands on her hips and said in a sober tone, “Help yourself.”

Gilbert could see that she was out of sorts with him and he needed to smooth things over. So he walked toward her, looked into her stubborn green eyes and then took her by the shoulders and said, “I’m sorry for laughing. Will you forgive me? That was rude of me and I should’ve apologized for spilling water all over your beautiful dress. You look real nice this afternoon and I spoiled it all. Please forgive me.” When she didn’t respond, he cleared his throat. “I’m sort of eating humble pie right now.”

Melinda looked into his eyes and saw his pleading look. Then she gave a slight smile. “I do have a sense of humor. You just haven’t seen it yet.”

Gilbert smiled, dropped his hands from her shoulders, reached for the two buckets, and headed for the barrel. Melinda looked down at her soaking wet dress and then turned on her heels and walked toward the door.

“I’ve got to get changed.”

As Gilbert dumped the two buckets of water into the barrel, he watched her leave and thought, “I’ve never met a more independent and stubborn woman! We’re as different as night and day.”

As Melinda passed Aunt Martha, she noticed a questioning look on Martha’s face as she saw her dress. Before Martha could say a word, she said, “Don’t ask, Aunt Martha.”

***

After eating a hearty meal, Aunt Martha announced that everyone was going into the utility room to bob for apples. Jenny laughed excitedly as she knelt on the floor. After several tries, she decided to try a new method. She searched for an apple that was just her size. Then with her teeth, she clamped down on the stem of the apple and pulled it out of the water.

Jenny took the apple out of her mouth and grinned. “That’s how it’s done.” Everyone laughed at her ingenuity. “Miss Gamble, it’s your turn now.”

Melinda shook her head vigorously and said, “I’ve already gotten wet once today. No more!”

Gilbert grinned and said, “I’ll show you how it’s supposed to be done.”

He knelt on the floor beside the barrel. Just before he stuck his face into the water, he smiled at Melinda as if he were a schoolboy getting ready to show off. He eyed the floating bright red apples that bobbed on the water and found one that appealed to him. Then guiding it to the edge of the barrel with his mouth and nose, he pressed the apple firmly against the wooden frame of the barrel. With this maneuver, he was able to sink his teeth into the flesh of the apple. After a short while, his face popped out of the water with the apple in his mouth. Everyone cheered as Martha handed him a towel to dry his dripping face.

While everyone was cheering the difficult feat that he had accomplished, Melinda remembered the twinkle in his eyes and his smile just before he went after the apple and she wondered why he seemed so charming. He had a boyish sort of grin and he seemed so pleased when he came up out of the water with the apple in his mouth. When he grinned at her, it seemed to light up the atmosphere.

Interview with “Sweet” Romance Author Caroline Fyffe

2011-11-12T01:00:00.020-07:00

I’m an equine photographer turned historical romance author. I have to say I think I’ve had two of the most enjoyable jobs a person can have. I’ve spent 20 years photographing horses and now I get to write about them. What could be better? I’m married and have two amazing sons, of whom I’m very proud. My oldest has just obtained his MBA and a good job. My youngest is part of the United States Army now serving overseas. A mother could not be prouder. Caroline's website: http://www.carolinefyffe.com/books.html

“Montana Dawn has everything. Readers will taste the dust, smell the gunpowder and feel the passion.” --Cheryl St. John

Hello, Caroline! Your novels are considered “sweet romance” for all ages. Montana Dawn won the Best Western Romance 2010 Award by Love Western Romance. What a wonderful accomplishment! I absolutely love your book cover. In fact, this book is part of a series called "Home Fires of the West" and each book cover is absolutely beautiful. Please tell us about it.

Hi, Linda. I’m very happy to be here with you this week. Thank you for having me! MONTANA DAWN is set in Y Knot, Montana in the late 1800s. The McCutcheons, a cattle ranching family, have carved a dynasty from the wilderness by the sweat of their brow and honorable values. Luke McCutcheon, the third brother and hero of this story, is the only one who was sired by an American Indian, when his mother was taken captive. He’s the trail boss for the once-a-year cattle drive that the McCutcheons make. It’s during the drive that Luke stumbles upon a dilapidated wagon where he meets Faith Brown, in labor and needing his help. After the delivery, he offers to bring her along where one thing leads to another and soon all the trail hands are trying to catch the beautiful new mother’s attention, much to Luke’s dismay. I love stories about big families. I wanted to give Luke as much unconditional love as he needed to battle his own ghosts about his heritage. John McCutcheon, the youngest brother, is foreshadowed in MONTANA DAWN, but you don’t actually meet him until my next book, TEXAS TWILIGHT now available on-line.

I love Western Romances. Sigh! Where did you get your inspiration for this book?

It’s hard to know where the inspiration for my books come from…. It could be they are a result of my growing up around horses and living in El Dorado, California, a little town nestled in the foothills of the beautiful Sierra Nevada Mountains. The famous gold mining town of Placerville was only minutes away, and provided a plethora of fodder for writing westerns.

A Reviewer wrote, “Montana Dawn is not a soft, fluffy, romance. It’s a story of real people, hard times and harder choices. I enjoyed every minute of the book and that’s about as good as a book can get!” What kind of research do you do for your novels since they’re set during the Wild West?

Even as a child I loved everything western. Everything old. Taking road trips with my family I’d ask my parents to stop at the little cemeteries along the way so I could read the headstones. They used to squish a whole lot of interesting things on them in the 1800s. LOL. Also, I read history books about the taming of the west and I always check out museums from any historic place I visit. One little item can be the spark a story is built around.

Wow! So you were born to be curious ever since you were a child. What does your family think about your writing?

They’re all very proud of me for sticking to my guns, so to speak. Besides my husband and two sons, I have four sisters and their families who are all very helpful—if I need a plotting session, a pick me up, or day out shopping—they are there for me. I wrote for a lot of years before getting the call. I quit for about four years sandwiched in-between starting and getting published. But, I found I just wasn’t happy. So, I kept at it….

“Keeping at it” is the secret! Bravo! Now it’s time to tell us something about the real you that we’ll never forget. I love this question because I get to know something new about each author I interview.

Let’s see….I’m the baby, the youngest of five girls. My childhood nickname was Bowie, taken from the popular TV show, Jim Bowie, which ran from 1956-1958. It was set in the Louisiana Territory around 1830. I was glued to the set whenever it was on, and fancied myself the star. As I got older I had to fight to get my family and friends to call me Caroline. LOL. The real me loves cows, almost as much as horses. I’ll take frozen yogurt over ice cream any day…

Hahaha! Now I know the real you! A cowgirl at heart! And by the way, I was a Jim Bowie fan, also. I loved that show when I was a kid. I couldn’t get enough of it. And frozen yogurt? It’s my favorite. Thanks so much for this awesome interview, Caroline.

Interview with “Sweet” Romance Author Ruth J. Hartman

2011-11-07T00:01:00.002-07:00

Ruth is a published writer, as well as a licensed dental hygienist. She and her husband of 29 years, Garry, live in a 100-year-old farmhouse. Two spoiled fat cats, Maxwell and Roxy, grudgingly allow Ruth and Garry to live in the house with them. She has written her memoir about living with severe OCD. Her hope is that the memoir will help others with OCD and depression. Ruth is known for her sweet romances full of humor, hoping to make people laugh and give them warm fuzzy feelings.

Hello Ruth. Welcome back to my blog. Please tell us about your book, Purrfect Voyage.

Purrfect Voyage started out as an idea for a short story and evolved from there. Arthur, the cat in the story, gets stranded on a ocean-bound yacht for two weeks with his owner, Kitty, and a stranger named George. George and Kitty have a hard time getting along at first, never having met, and having such different interests, but as the story moves along, they get closer. Let’s face it, two people would have a lot of time to talk and get to know each other stranded together for two weeks. Oh, and by the way, George hates cats!

Where did you get your inspiration for this novel?

Arthur, a nosy black cat, was modeled after all the cats I’ve had, personality-wise. His appearance and body language were taken from my black cat, Roxy.

A Reviewer said, “I have read thousands of books, most of them romance. But this is one that I will keep in my very small reread section.” This is the greatest compliment an author can receive. If a book is worth rereading, it’s worth buying. Tell us what you think about this review.

I loved this review! I was honored that she liked my book so much. You’re right when you said that’s the greatest compliment for an author. It made my day. ☺

What kind of research did you do for this book?

The yacht voyage takes place on the ocean between Alaska and Hawaii. I did some online research for the logistics, for example, was it possible to do that trip on a small yacht in two week’s time. Also, I wasn’t very familiar with yachts, so I did some research for that. And my sister and her husband have lived in Alaska for twenty years, so they were wonderful sources of information, too.

I enjoy learning about an author’s research. Thanks. I love it when authors add real life situations to their stories. Do you usually put real experiences in your books?

A lot of times, yes. Most of the time the heroine is somewhat based on me. Klutzy, sappy romantic with a goofy sense of humor. The heroes are usually based on my husband. Although for “Grin and Barrett” which was just released in August, that hero, Victor, started out as being way different from my other heroes. But he ended up much more like them as the book progressed.

Thank you, Ruth, for this wonderful interview. I absolutely love the excerpt from your book. When Kitty’s wayward cat by the name of Arthur jumps into a yacht chasing a mouse, she runs after it. After climbing into the boat, she believes Arthur has gone below deck. Read and enjoy, everyone! Here is what happens:

Taking it slow, Kitty inched her way down the stairs. She tried a switch, but nothing happened. Deciding the small lever must have been for a purpose other than turning on a light, she continued on in the semi-darkness. Third step from the bottom, her foot hit the edge of the slick metal step. Her feet flew up, her head swan-dived down. Pain lanced across the back of her head as she thwacked it on the last step. Kitty groaned and rolled into a cat-like ball. As her world faded to black, she whispered, “Arthur, are you even down here?”

****

Art Katz carried two large cardboard boxes and a red duffel bag slung over his shoulder on board the yacht. Two weeks sailing and fishing. Unbelievable. He’d waited all year. Hoped to have formed gills by the time he reached his destination. He chuckled, remembering his dream from the previous night. He, of course, had been a fish. Salmon or halibut? He couldn’t remember. Not that it mattered. But no doubt about it; he’d been a fish.

Deciding to unpack later, he set to prepare the yacht, checking gauges and levels. After a short time, he headed out to sea. He’d spent enough time on this particular yacht to know its quirks. No doubt he could make the journey safely. But not everything in his life was so predictable. Like his business. He worked like a dog. Every weekend. Most evenings. But he still wasn’t making the money he wanted. His employees often called him a slave driver. But hey, you didn’t make money just sitting around.

He flipped open his cell phone.

“Hey, it’s me.”

“Hi,” said John. “Thanks again for delivering my yacht. I still can’t believe your vacation coincided with my move. I owe ya, man.”

“You’d do the same for me. If I had a yacht. Or a place to put a yacht. Or money to buy a yacht.”

“Yeah, yeah. I hear ya.”

“I expect to be treated like a rock star when I get there.”

“You got it. See you when you get here, then.”

“Later.” Art closed his phone and put it in his jeans pocket.

John seemed to have it all. The lucrative medical practice. The beautiful wife and kids. Not that Art had time for the family part. He wasn’t like John. He didn’t have money stashed everywhere. He had to work. All the time. That’s why this trip was so special. He hardly ever left the office.

For the next several hours he sailed, admiring the whipping green waves and diving birds. Eagles and puffins splashed about, more often than not emerging with fishy treasures in their beaks. He envied them. He couldn’t wait to start fishing himself. Although, he’d be using a pole. He wasn’t crazy about biting into raw fish.

A soft sound floated up from below deck. He turned his head.

What?

A meow?

Perfect. All he needed was a stowaway cat for the next two weeks. He’d never been a fan of felines. Far from it. With their tiny, impaling claws and creepy purring sound, he’d been able to avoid most of them.

So far.

Ever since the incident. Putting the yacht on autopilot, he walked to the stairs. His hand reached to the light switch. Nothing. And of course, the light bulbs were in a cabinet downstairs. He sighed and made his way back to his duffel bag. Flashlight in hand, he cautiously made his way down the dimly lit stairway.

Interview with Mystery & Sweet Romance Author Debra Brown

2011-10-31T01:00:00.013-06:00

Debra Brown took up writing later in life after her education in other fields, and after raising her family. Over the years, she enjoyed studying homeopathy and the arts informally and has used them both to enrich her life. She has enjoyed oil painting, had a successful business making jewelry and worked as an assistant in the interior design field. She finds writing to be a satisfying career, and she looks forward to many more books in the English Historical Fiction genre.

A Mystery and Sweet Romance ~ Inspired by Jane Austen and Charles Dickens: “Companion of Lady Holmeshire is such a stimulating good read. It also has the most compelling kick, which can knock you sideways. And let it be known; the outcome could never have been predicted.” --Jann England"

Hello Debra. Your book is set in the early Victorian Era. Please tell us about your new book.

Hi Linda, thanks for inviting me to your blog! My book is the story of a foundling infant girl who grew up to become the companion of a countess after serving as a servant in her Northumbria household. The countess insisted on dragging poor Emma along into London’s snobbish aristocratic circles where she became the unhappy subject of rude remarks. Sweet romantic developments provide comic relief and sighs while mysterious events perplex. My readers report that the ending comes as a great surprise.

Where did you get your inspiration for this book? Do you get any ideas from real life experiences?

I had enjoyed reading English historical fiction as a teenager, and I watched many period movies while making jewelry. I simply wanted more! I decided to write a Jane Austen style book, throwing in some of Charles Dickens type of reality, and greatly enjoyed it. This book does not touch on my life, but my second book, though entirely fictional, does draw heavily on my personal experience with OCD.

A Reviewer wrote, “Gracing the pages of this novel is a cleverly condensed portrayal of a Victorian way of life, inviting you to embark upon one journey after another whilst constantly whispering in your ear who, why, when, how? Reeling you in through the doors of British Aristocracy, legacies start to unfold, each time reminding you of your place in society.” What kind of research did you do to help us feel this time period?

The beginnings of my “research” was to simply enjoy watching many period movies. I watched the entire Upstairs, Downstairs TV series, which amazed me with its strictly structured rules between the late Victorian family and its servants. Being American, I was shocked at how the servants “knew their place” and would never consider themselves equal to the upper class family. I began to do research on the internet and in books from the library. And I truly do continue to rent movies specifically to observe the culture.

With romances, you know the outcome of the plot…that he and she are eventually going to get together. With mysteries, you don’t know what’s going to happen next. You have written a mystery/romance. Is it difficult coming up with a plot for a mystery, one your reader won’t be able to figure out?

I feel that I stumbled into it. I was developing the beginnings of a story based on the upstairs/downstairs arrangement, which does play a large part in the finished novel. However, I needed “something”, and suddenly, the whole story made a huge twist in my mind. From that moment on, it seemed that I could not type fast enough to get it all in print.

Your book sounds very intriguing. Now it’s time to tell us something about the real you that we’ll never forget.

I think that one of the best experiences of my life was studying homeopathy. I went to a homeopath at the insistence of a friend when I was deathly ill, not expecting much. I was shocked at the rapid healing response of my body, and was ravenous for information as to how this had worked. (It is a bit like an immunization, where the body reacts to a minute amount of substance or its electrical properties to promote healing.) At my next visit, the doctor gave me a book, and I devoured it. Before long, I went to work in his office, and he devoted a good deal of time to teaching me about the remedies and how to use them. If it had been formal training, I would now be practicing as a homeopath, but I am very thankful just to be able to help myself and my family with this great kind of medicine.

Of course, this leaves me free to write, and write I will! Thank you very much for the visit.

Thanks, Debbie, for this wonderful interview. I have learned something about you that I didn’t know. It sounds like you have had some trials in your life. I appreciate you sharing this part of your life with me and my readers.

Mayan Intrigue: Mystery and Adventure

2011-10-23T23:48:00.008-06:00

Mayan Intrigue: The Adventures of John and Julia Evans

ADVENTURE...SUSPENSE...ROMANCE...HUMOR...INTRIGUE!

The jungles of the Yucatan, Mayan ruins, looters, a mysterious artifact, and a nosey reporter are focus of Mayan Intrigue. With a blend of mystery, suspense, and Julia's curiosity, John and Julia find themselves on the run once again. The discovery of a priceless artifact soon puts Julia’s life in great danger. From valuable artifacts to shady businessmen, the Yucatan Peninsula becomes a dangerous vacation spot for John and Julia Evans.

Suko’s Notebook Review: “Excitement prevails…this book is full of mystery and suspense… Linda's writing is lively and down-to-earth; she has the ability to make you feel as if you're in these stories, along with John and Julia, trying to decipher the truth and escape from harm.”

Socrates Book Review: "Ms. Clarke’s descriptions easily transports the reader to Mexico. You really feel as if you are part of the story. Her words flow beautifully through each page of the book. Readers learn more and more about the beautiful relationship shared by John and Julia. Their commitment to each other is stronger than ever. With each book, these two become more like friends of the readers instead of book characters. I enjoyed this very much and am looking forward to the third book in this thrilling series."

Chapter 1

Julia strode down the well-traveled path. Her heart was beating rapidly and she had a feeling of urgency as she hurried along. She stopped and looked around. The trees on both sides of the trail were so thick that she couldn't see beyond them, and a canopy of branches overhead was hiding the sun from view. Thick vines and vegetation had crept up the trunks of many trees and were hanging over the limbs. She heard the chatter of monkeys and a few tropical birds communicating with each other, but other than that, it was peaceful and serene. So why had her pulse rate accelerated?

Julia continued on for a ways until she came to a fork in the path. The trail on the right was trimmed and well-worn but the one on the left was less traveled and narrow. Not only that, a large fat snake was hanging from a branch. The snake's head lifted and followed her every movement. This sent a chill up her spine and Julia shivered involuntarily. Snakes had never bothered her before but this one was much larger than an ordinary garden snake. Whether or not it was poisonous, she didn't know.

Julia bit her lip, wondering which path to take. The one on the right seemed more inviting, but she was curious about the other and where it led. After a few seconds, she headed down the well-trimmed path. For some reason, she felt a deep foreboding with each step she took. Had she chosen wisely?

It did not take long until she came upon an opening in the thick forest. Julia's eyes widened at the beauty, so green and lush. A magnificent aqua-colored lake stood out from this forest and peacefulness seemed to rein over this area. As her eyes scanned the beauty of this land, she heard crunching of debris from behind her.

Instinctively, she knew that her life was in danger. Why, she did not know. Julia's heart pounded furiously. Beads of sweat formed on her brow and her chest tightened. Taking a deep breath, she slowly turned and found herself face to face with a large burly man that had an angular scar across his cheek. His piercing dark eyes were hard and cold as he glared at her. His contemptuous smile told her that he had been hunting her like prey.

Julia was helpless. She was in a remote area by herself. When the man saw her fear, he grinned, accentuating the scar along his cheekbone. As he slowly approached her, to her horror, she could not move an inch. She was frozen to the spot. So she did the only thing she could think of. She let out a blood-curdling scream that echoed in her ears.

Instantly, John bolted upright from his bed, his heart pounding erratically as he awoke from a deep sleep. He blinked his eyes a couple times, trying to come to his senses when he finally realized that Julia had awakened him, screaming at the top of her voice. He leaned toward the nightstand, switched on the light, and then turned toward his wife. When he saw how pale she was, John realized she had had a nightmare. Was it the same dream again? He took her hand and squeezed it lovingly as he watched her chest rise and fall in quick breaths. After a few moments, her eyes flickered open and met his. When he looked into her hazel eyes, he knew she was frightened.

"You had another one, didn't you?"

Julia nodded.

"The same one?"

She nodded again, her eyes wide with fear.

"It's been a month now and you've had this same dream once or twice a week. Does it ever vary or is every detail the same?"

"The same," she answered as she pushed her fingers through her rich auburn hair. "There's no variation."

John slid next to her and pulled her into his arms. How he loved this woman, his wife and companion! And it wrenched his heart that she had to endure such dreams. What had caused them in the first place? He wrapped his arms around her in a protective manner as she snuggled in his embrace. She gave a sigh of relief as he tightened his arms around her.

Julia was an investigative reporter for the Dixie Chronicle in St. George, Utah. She was a stubborn, determined woman but her pleasant smile was genuine, which warmed the soul of those she met. She, also, had a deep faith in God but she had her mischievous ways. For fun, she would introduce herself by using her first and middle name, just to see the surprised look on people's faces. What was her middle name? Roberts. That's right. Julia Roberts! In fact, she almost laughed out loud when someone actually asked for her autograph. She didn't even look like the movie star. Not wanting to embarrass the poor man, she gave him her autograph. Julia vowed that one day she would ask her father why she had been given such an unusual middle name.

She was stunningly beautiful, a farm girl at heart with a touch of grace and elegance, when needed. Her husband cherished everything about her, even her strong will and stubborn ways. She was completely opposite from John, which made his life with her even more intriguing. They had been married for twenty-one years. She was forty-one and he was forty-three.

Right now they were in a hotel in Merida on the Yucatan Peninsula on assignment for the Chronicle. Needless to say, they decided to make it a vacation and stay two weeks instead of one.

As Julia heard the deep breathing of her husband, she knew that he had fallen asleep again. She smiled. This vacation was a much-needed one for both of them. John had been working extra long hours lately and she had greatly missed his presence at home.

Julia had longed for his attention and loving ways, even his teasing, for the past six months. She longed for that affectionate kiss as he passed through the kitchen, holding hands during a movie, and words of communication while lying in bed. It sort of rekindled the fire that may have been forgotten from every day life in a busy world of responsibilities.

Julia knew how important it was to keep a romantic relationship with her husband. She liked a romantic evening best when it was spontaneous rather than planned. But who had time to even plan lately?

It had been quite a while since Julia felt her heart beat rapidly as she felt her husband's arms tighten around her waist and she desperately missed it. She felt a need to renew those special feelings as often as possible, to keep their love alive. So, here they were in Mexico, and finally taking time for one another.

The only thing that confused her was why she was having these dreams. They were the same exact dreams every time. As she lay staring at the ceiling, Julia knew that she could not fall back to sleep so she very quietly slid out of bed.

She walked to the dresser and slipped on some clothes, brushed her hair, and put on some makeup. Then she turned out the lamp beside the bed and slipped out the door to take a relaxing walk. It was six o'clock in the morning and not a soul was up and stirring on this Sabbath day. This was a perfect time to meditate and think of all her many blessings, for her husband and their three daughters.

Julia walked out into the cool morning air and breathed in the fresh fragrance. As she slowly strolled down the sidewalk, she thought about her assignment for the Dixie Chronicle. She was supposed to write about the ruins of the ancient people of Mesoamerica. What an exciting assignment! She was so thrilled when her boss had given her this important project, the first one he had ever given her since her promotion as an investigative reporter. She smiled with contentment as she walked toward a bunch of tall thick shrubs next to a park.

As Julia stepped around the shrubs, she saw a short pudgy man with wisps of grayish brown hair surrounding his balding head. He was smiling as he admired something in his hand. The man beside him was an unusually tall Latin. His short sleeves revealed his tanned arms and he had dark curly hair that touched the collar of his white shirt.

As the balding man pulled a large envelope from his jacket and handed it to his companion, he exclaimed, "Beautiful! It's simply..."

His words trailed off when his eyes met Julia's. As if startled by her presence, he froze, staring at her with widened eyes.

Instantly, his companion turned around and looked over his shoulder to see what he was staring at. But it did not take long for the Latin's dark eyes to quickly change from surprise to irritation. Julia noticed that his eyes were hard and cold and his jaw was rigid. A chill went down her spine as a feeling of apprehension crept inside her. Something told her to leave and to leave now. She was not about to question those feelings, so she instantly turned on her heels and strode toward the hotel.

Why had these men acted so strangely? If they had wanted privacy, why did they meet at a public park? But as she thought about it, it was only six o'clock on a Sunday morning. Why would they expect anyone to be wandering through the park at this time of day? What surprised her most was their attitude and the way the Latin had reacted to her presence, as if he were angry.

Feeling uneasy, Julia dared not turn around and see if she was followed but quickly picked up her pace.

* * *

To read more about this series, click on the book covers on the right hand bar.

To purchase Anasazi Intrigue, go to Publisher Direct Bookstore.
To purchase Mayan Intrigue, go to Publisher Direct Bookstore.
To purchase Montezuma Intrigue, go to Publisher Direct Bookstore.

If you have already bought a book from this mystery series, please let me know and I'll email you an ebook: Writing Your Family Legacy.

Interview with Children’s Author JD Holiday

2011-10-17T01:00:00.039-06:00

J.D. Holiday is the author and illustrator of two children’s books: Janoose the Goose and The Great Snowball Escapade. A chapbook of her short stories called, Trespasses was published in 1994 and she has had short stories printed in literary magazines and numerous articles about writing and publishing. JD is a co-host of The Writing Mama Show on Blog Talk Radio. She is a member of both The Society of Children’s Writers and Illustrators, and Small Publishers of North America.
JD’s website: http://www.bookgardenpublishing.net
JD'S Blog: http://jdswritersblog.blogspot.com

“A goose that wears glasses, a fox up to no good, and a barnyard of farm animals make for a story that will delight young readers. Parents, be prepared to read it over and over to your children.” - Author Beverly Stowe McClure

Hello JD. Please tell us about your picture book, Janoose the Goose.

Hi Linda! Thank you for having me on your blog. I'm so happy to be here. Janoose the Goose likes life in the barnyard very much. She is there visiting her cousin, Molly Duck and her baby, DeeDee. Her vacation is over and Janoose must go home because there are no job openings on the farm. When her flight home arrives, the fox has begun a crime spree. Though the farm animals had a farm watch program once, they were no good at it! Janoose is the only one who can stop him.

Your book sounds fascinating. Where did you get your inspiration for this book?

It comes right out of my childhood. My father gave me two nicknames. My first name is Janice and when I was very young, my father would tease me by calling me, Janoose the goose. I actually developed a life for the goose. That is what inspired my story! When I was in my teens my father began calling my JD.

That is so funny. My husband uses rhyming names for our kids, also. I enjoyed the review by Jean S. Eisele. She wrote, “This could be the beginning of the Janoose the Goose detective stories - sort of like the Hercule Poirot sleuth of the barnyard.” Hercule Poirot? I love that series. Tell us your thoughts about this review.

I was surprised and pleased that it was clear that Janoose was a problem solver. In the story, Janoose is trying to figure out why the fox is coming to the farm and chasing her friends around. So she is somewhat of a sleuth herself. I had no intentions of having a series when I wrote Janoose but my 5 year old grandson has encouraged me to write a second Janoose book and I'm in the writing stages now. Janoose will be following the trail of her nemesis, the fox, in this one too.

I think a series like this would be fun. It would be something an adult would enjoy reading to her child or grandchild. You have another book called The Great Snowball Escapade. What is it about?

This story also comes out of my childhood. As a child, every winter day that snow was on the ground I would spend time on the hill in front of the high school near where I lived sledding. I loved sledding!

The Great Snowball Escapade is a chapter book for 6 to 8 year olds. The young girl in it is Wilhemena Brooks. Wil's, as she likes to be called, cousin Bud Dunphry comes to live with her family. Right around Christmas Wil finds her new pink pencil sharpener is missing. And Wil knows Bud has it! Who else would have taken it?

Bud has problems! He doesn’t like girls and in fact, Bud doesn’t like anybody. Wil tries to ignore him but he pulls her friends hair, takes over games at school, and when Bud is in trouble he makes his “you’re going to get it” face at her.

After a snowstorm closes school, Wil and her friends go sled riding. Bud shows up and starts a snowball fight, which lands Wil in her room for the rest of the day for fighting. When her pencil sharpener is found, right where she left it, on the piano, Wil decides she has to try harder to understand her cousin and stay out of trouble. Her mother told her to be nice to Bud and to treat him like she would like to be treated. Wil doesn't think this will work. And if she treats Bud nicely does that mean he'll be nice to her? Of course, you will have to read the book to find out!

I like the message you’re giving your readers, that we should treat others the way we would like to be treated. Okay, now it’s time to tell us something about the real you that we’ll never forget.

I developed the plot line for the published version of Janoose The Goose while shopping for pillows! The original version of Janoose The Goose was a nursery rhyme, and in the 1990's I had begun to think that the old type of nursery rhyme with what the fox was really going to do to the members of the barnyard was not what I wanted children reading my books to have to think about. And while pillow shopping I realized the farm community, especially those who have feathers, had another reason to be afraid of the fox and it gives Janoose the perfect reason to chase the fox away. This might give you a good hint as to what goes on in the story.

I love it! Apparently pillow shopping relaxes you so much that you can think more clearly and come up with great plots. So if you’re ever stumped with another plot, just go pillow shopping! Hahaha! Thanks, Jan, for this fun interview.

Interview with Author Clint G Cox

2011-10-10T01:00:00.009-06:00

Clint Cox owns his own plumbing company, which was voted “Best Plumbing Company in Sanpete County.” But that’s not all, he owns three to four businesses which keep him very busy, but he never forgets that family comes first. He also is very involved serving in numerous capacities for his church. Clint has overcome a few challenges in his life, one of them being Dyslexia, which he struggled with throughout his youth and even now plagues him in small ways. The second challenge was the tragic death of his father. This was a difficult and emotional time in his life. He now uses these emotions in all of his writings. Clint is a loving husband and father to a wonderful family.

"Christmas Notes is an emotional life-pondering story that teaches a grand Christmas message." --Merrill Osmond, Entertainer

Hello, Clint. Please tell us about your new book, Christmas Notes.

I wrote Christmas Notes for my children to save them from the “Holiday Numbness” as I describe through one of the characters of the book. It is a book that is meant to be read every year to help inspire the Christmas spirit. Even the cover was designed with a “present look”. This was to suggest it be placed where people can see it, as a gift to be noticed and read, not to be tucked away on a dusty shelf. This story, of a little orphan girl with her interesting way of communicating, and the young couple, will not only remind you of the things that are most important during Christmas but refresh in your mind the cherished, life necessities all year long.

Where did you get your inspiration for this book?

My inspiration for this book came during the holiday season in 2009. I was very busy worrying about the lack of success of one company and trying to keep up with the rush of another. My mood was anything but joyful like it should have been, given the time of year. I tried to hide my ailing mood from my family but was failing miserably. A couple of weeks before Christmas one of my daughters said, “I am just not very excited about Christmas this year!”

My heart tore into a million pieces, because I knew it was my fault. I was ruining Christmas for my family, and my child of 8 years old was not excited at all two weeks before the biggest day of the year for most children. I had to right my wrong. I wanted to write my feelings down to give them something they could read in future years when they were struggling with the same feelings as I was, that would pull them out of their despair. The Christmas Notes story line came as inspiration to me at two o’clock in the morning and continued till day-break. I had the story outline that night but most of the emotional scenes of this book were written on cut up 2X4’s and ripped up cardboard with a construction penciled. I would later put it onto my computer after everyone else had gone to bed.

Clint uses dynamic, fun and sometimes tragic family experiences to make his story feel real. He told me this helps readers “to connect to the story with not only their minds but their hearts as well.” A Reviewer wrote, “This is not just a Christmas book! It is an emotional inspirational life story which teaches what we should be doing all year long.” Tell us your thoughts about this and what your message to the reader is.

My message for this book is twofold. First, true happiness in this life is centered around family and loved ones. Never ending joy comes from attributes such as, gratitude, forgiveness, hope, love, and knowledge of the Savior, Jesus Christ.

Second, acceptance of one’s faults and trials is key to overcoming them. Working for the solution, instead of dwelling on the problem, is pivotal to making changes in our lives. Enjoying the journey no matter what we had to overcome is a must.

I have lived these principles with my family, faith, and challenges, and what have I learned? First, this kind of happiness, centered around these principals, is lasting and not superficial. Second, I have learned the same thing my wife, editor now, and others reading my book are discovering. Dyslexic people can’t spell worth a darn, but they have a gift for putting together one heck of an emotional story.

I love it. That was a great answer. What does your family think about your writing?

My brothers, having grown up with me and my personal struggles, know that I am a terrible speller and horrible with most aspects of grammar. They are still in shock to the fact that I have written a book, let alone got it published. My mother is elated beyond all measures. My in-laws are very supportive and excited. My wife is so excited to see me overcome my barriers, that to most people would just look at and give up. My children, I say this with a tear in my eye, are so happy for me and want to share every part of this journey together as a family.

Wow! Thanks, Clint, for being a guest on my blog. Now it’s time to tell us something about the real you that we’ll never forget.

I mentioned a little of this earlier, but I am probably the only author that wrote the majority of his book on cut up 2X4’s and ripped up cardboard with a construction pencil. When unexpected inspiration hits on a plumber’s job site, in the middle of the winter with freezing temperatures, that’s about all you can find that gets the job done.

Ha! This is hilarious. Now we know the real you… the plumber who uses his pencil for a dual purpose… for construction use and for an author’s story. This is great! Below is my review of Clint's book. Also, watch his book trailer below.

Christmas Notes Will Touch Your Heart
Reviewed by Linda Weaver Clarke

Bah! Humbug! That is Max’s attitude toward everything, including Christmas. The reason for it is uncertain but it has been building up inside him for a long time. When his wife wants to take an orphan child for one month during the Christmas season, he reluctantly agrees. Feeling inadequate to be a father to an orphan child for a short time and his bad attitude toward the season, he isn’t in the best of moods. After picking up the five-year-old girl from the orphanage, something begins to happen to him. Day by day, his heart begins to soften and his relationship with his wife improves. His attitude begins to change for the better. Could this one small girl affect his life so much? But that’s not all. There’s much more! This precious darling changes everyone’s life.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story. I loved the relationship between Max and his wife. They are such a fun and cute couple. This story is filled with compassion, love, and humor. But make sure you have a hanky ready for those very tender moments. You’ll need it! “Christmas Notes” will touch your heart as it did mine.

Interview with Author Heather Justesen

2011-10-03T01:00:00.003-06:00

Heather Justesen didn’t grow up knowing she would be an author—in fact, she only took one creative writing class in college. Even though she was studying English, she wasn’t going to be a writer. The joke was on her, as she started writing less than a year after she finished her BA. She is now the author of three books with two more on the way. Heather is a lazy gardener, volunteers with her husband for local ambulance service, and is a happy chicken mama. Not only that, she raises geese, ducks, guineas, a tom turkey, two cats and two dogs.

Hi, Heather. Please tell us about your new book, Blank Slate.

You’d think waking from an eleven-day coma with multiple injuries would be enough for anyone to deal with, but Adrianna also ends up with amnesia, the loss of her ability to play the piano—a big deal because she earned her living as a concert pianist—and a fiancé she doesn’t remember and has nothing in common with anymore. When you add to that family members who are anxious for her to remember her past, and her growing attraction to her brother’s business partner, she has a lot to figure out. Just as she does, however, another trip to the ER puts everything she’d built back in the blender again.

Your book sounds fascinating. Where did you get your inspiration for this book?

Actually the nugget of inspiration came from a news report on TV, and I just twisted and played with it until I had something that interested me enough to build on. Also, some of the cooking catastrophes came from stories some neighbors told me. Oh, and when I was a realtor (about ten years ago), I had a client who had to prove he was still alive in order to get his home loan. (Because apparently banks don’t like to lend money to dead people. Go figure!)

That is awesome that you use so many real life experiences in your book. Since one of your characters ends up with amnesia, what kind of research did you have to do?

I did an internet search on amnesia, the causes and after effects, but probably spent more time researching her other injuries, the plastic surgery she went through to fix facial damage from the accident and other medical issues she faces. Though I have a medical background as an EMT, that really only helps me as far as the ER. Once my characters are actually admitted to the hospital, I’m out of my depth!

A Reviewer wrote, “A slow start from the beginning, but once the story starts to unfold it is one book that is beyond hard to put down.” I have read several books like this and found it hard to put down once I got into the story. Tell us your thoughts about this review.

The ‘slow start’ comment makes me shrug, not because I don’t care if my story starts too slow but because my first chapter actually won an award for being a great start to a story. It placed second behind the first chapter for my book Rebound—that was a fun contest for me! A review like this makes me think about how I could have written the first fifty pages differently; if there were things I should have tweaked or cut. And it helps me look at my current projects from a different perspective to try not to get that comment again. But really, how could I possibly not grin when I have someone say that the book is ‘beyond hard to put down’? That’s about the best comment anyone could get, so the review is A-1 awesome in my book because it’s constructive and positive!

I love your reaction to my question. You’re an awesome author. Now it’s time to tell us something about the real you that we’ll never forget.

My dad is one of the handiest people I’ve ever met considering he doesn’t work construction, and he’d passed a lot of that along to me. I’ve installed windows, tiled almost my whole basement, built pantry shelving, and a couple of years ago I needed another coop for my chickens, so I built an 8x8 A-frame coop completely by myself in a day (with the help of a handy nail gun).

Thanks, Heather, for a great interview. I enjoyed this very much. Now I know the real you… I can just picture it… an EMT who can build chicken coops with a nail gun in one hand and an author’s pen in the other.

Interview with Fantasy Author Evelyn Uslar-Pietri and Book Giveaway

2011-09-24T01:00:00.008-06:00

Evelyn Uslar-Pietri descends from a long line of authors, including her mother, father, and uncle, Arturo Uslar-Pietri. The latter - recognized in Wikipedia as one of Latin America’s foremost intellectuals and writers - declared that Evelyn would follow in his footsteps. Pirates Gold: Treasure to Die For is her first novel.

Hello Evelyn. Please tell us about your new book.

Although primarily targeted at young readers ages twelve and up, I think all thrill seekers will enjoy this action packed adventure. It’s brimming with hideous monsters, evil wizards, ancient curses, enchanting nymphs, unimaginable riches, and of course, pirates! I love crafting tales that keep readers unrelentingly riveted and entertained. But for me, a good book should also impart fundamental life lessons, particularly for young people. In Pirate’s Gold: Treasure to Die For, the main character – Captain Johnny B. Wilde – comes to learn the importance of friendship, selflessness, compassion, and just plain doing the right thing!

This sounds like my kind of book. I love adventures. Where did you get your inspiration for this book?

I am an avid reader, a lover of adventure, and a hopeless daydreamer! I’m very much in my element in Disney, so a book that launches readers into exciting new worlds is right up my alley!

“Warning: Pirate’s Gold is not for the faint of heart… It’s a roller coaster of a ride that will plunge you into a world of dizzying adventure.” I love this statement. What kind of adventure are we talking about? I want to know more.

You can read an excerpt at my website: www.piratesgoldtreasure.com! It’ll give you a taste of the adventure! Also please know that when you buy the book you also help those in need - 20% of my earnings go to Hand of Hope and other charitable organizations.

I love your website. It’s so creative and original. What does your family think about your writing?

Thanks, I also think the website is great fun – particularly the About Us section! My family is my great earthly treasure – I thank God for them daily. They’re also my greatest fan club!

Hey, you can’t ask for a better fan club. Now it’s time to tell us something about the real you that we’ll never forget.

Well, I don’t know that you’ll never forget this (lol), but my love of travel probably stems from my childhood. Due to Dad’s work we left Venezuela when I was three and traveled the world: from Taiwan to Turkey, India to Denmark, Romania to France…and beyond! It was wonderful. In Taiwan we went to restaurants where you could pick the snake you wanted in your stir-fry – much like Red Lobster has their trademark lobster tank in the entrance. (No, I never ate snake!) In India, we barely escaped with our lives when, lost in the countryside, we were pursued by a band of ruthless mercenaries – surely one of the longest, darkest nights of our lives. And in Romania we experienced a devastating earthquake but in the process gained life-long friends. These and many other such experiences have fueled my imagination and shaped my writing; I thank God for them all.

Wow! You have had many adventures. You could write about each one and have your readers on the edge of their seats. Some people claim that snake tastes like chicken. Just the thought of it makes me cringe. I bet your autobiography would be so interesting to read. Thank you so much for this interview, Evelyn. For a real adventure, you should visit "Pirates Gold Treasure" at www.piratesgoldtreasure.com.

Interview with Author Steve Miller

2011-09-19T01:00:00.012-06:00

Steve and Cherie Miller love to write, publish, and help fellow authors. Cherie serves as president of the Georgia Writers Association. Steve writes educational resources through his site www.character-education.info and has written numerous books and articles.

“Whether you’re traditionally published or self-published, the author must do the promotion. This book provides solid guidance and is full of valuable tips.” - Publishing authority Dan Poynter

Welcome back to my blog, Steve. Please tell us about your new book.

Great to be back, Linda! Cherie (my wife) and I love to write, but we often find ourselves battling a publishing industry and “buying public” that worship big names and big platforms. Publishers obviously prefer authors who are well known and already have huge followings, because it almost guarantees sales. But what about the ordinary, not famous authors like us, who love to write, but don't have huge platforms? We live in an obscure cul-de-sac in a little town in Georgia and we care for my 105-year-old grand mom. I can't even get out past the mailbox very often. How can people like us, considered nobodies by the world, publish marketable books and see regular, sustained sales?

We've found some creative solutions that we think can help other low profile authors. Back in 1993, I wrote a book called The Contemporary Christian Music Debate, to help church staff and parents navigate the confusing decisions about new musical styles and the church. Yet, I had no platform to write such a book. I didn't have a degree in music. I wasn't a professional musician. I worked as minister of youth at Flat Creek Baptist Church in Fayetteville, Georgia. That's worse than a platform – that's a hole in the ground! Yet, I snagged a first rate publisher – Tyndale House – and the book has gone through several printings and has been translated into Spanish, Dutch, German, Romanian and Russian. It still sells regularly today, over 17 years later.

We've self-published most of our subsequent books, on diverse subjects such as personal finance and writing and even a word game dictionary called BackWords. We're pleased with the sales. We'd like to help other low-profile authors learn what we've discovered about how to get our books out there in the marketplace, see daily sales, and ultimately see people impacted through our writing.

Is this book only for beginners just starting out or can this book help experienced authors?

It's for all authors who want to learn or update their book marketing skills. There are so many great ways to market books these days! The first part is about how to write a marketable book. We also discuss publishing options and how those can impact your marketing. The second half details how we and other low profile authors are successfully selling our books.

A Reviewer wrote, “…a comprehensive guide to marketing a book… that’s loaded with specific tips. Brimming with creative ideas, Sell More Books! should prove to be a low profile author’s best friend.” What are two “specific tips” for promoting your book?

First, we emphasize that each book and each author are unique. What works for one book may not work for another. So forget the five step formulas. Instead, think about where the audience for your book congregates. For my personal finance book, I found the 200 most popular personal finance blogs and e-mailed each of the blog authors, suggesting a timely post related to the book ("Financially Illiterate Graduates") and offering a free copy for review and another for a giveaway. About 50 (one out of four) requested a free copy and about 20 came through with reviews. Thus, 20 popular bloggers were recommending my book to their faithful followers. No wonder my sales tripled, more than paying for the books I sent out. I have an entire chapter telling specifically how I did this. This strategy can work for novels as well as nonfiction.

Second, we emphasize that the best ways to sell your book are often counterintuitive – not what you'd first expect. For example, when I studied low profile authors who sold a lot of books, I found many of them selling tons of books locally. Most advice today centers on reaching people via the Web and social networking, but we overlook the fact that if we get our book into the hands of our next door neighbor, she can tell the world through her social networks. One first-time novelist sold 200 copies of his book in six months through a locally owned restaurant. What if he got his book into 100 such restaurants? We detail exactly what this author did and how others can take advantage of local sales.

What kind of research did you do for this book?

We kept precise records of each of our own marketing initiatives, to learn what was working for us and, just as important, what wasn't working. For example, I was interviewed about my money book on two of the most popular Atlanta TV stations and as far as I could tell, sold no books at all as a result. I discuss what we learned from this. We kept in touch with other low profile authors (personally and in forums) and we told each other honestly what worked and what didn't. We read many stories of low profile authors who sold tons of books. Additionally, we read about 25 books on book marketing and other general marketing books as well.

I've often heard that two heads together are better than one. What is it like to write a book together as husband and wife? Are there any interesting experiences you had while writing this book as a team?

Cherie and I think very much alike, so we seldom have a serious disagreement about content. We write together very well. We do have differences, which round us out as a team. I do deep research, question everything, and get into the technical details. But to have time to dig, I never read news. Cherie reads broadly - The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, etc. - so she keeps me up on cutting edge trends. The synergism between us gives us a much better perspective on things.

I was enthralled by contributing regularly to our blogs and Facebook - for about a month. I became doubtful about the value of certain aspects of social networking for the majority of authors. Then Cherie started a blog that took off and got publicity in major news. Also, she tweaked her use of Facebook in ways that I didn't, making it a much more useful tool. So we revised one of our main chapters on social networking several times based largely upon her experiences, to try to help authors see how some use these tools profitably and others waste tons of time.

I think it's wonderful that you two can work together like this. Do you have any closing remarks?

If you're a new or low profile author and your sales are either dismal or nonexistent, don't assume that you're a bad writer. Typically, books don't sell until you figure out how to market them. I challenge you to dedicate some time each day to learn the business side of writing. Cherie and I love checking (multiple times per day!) to see which of our books are selling on multiple platforms. It's both fun and deeply rewarding to see people buying and reading our books. We want more authors to experience this thrill.

Thank you, Steve, for this wonderful interview. I hope everyone learned something new today.

Interview with Fantasy Author Tika Newman

2011-09-11T08:27:00.004-06:00

Tika is married, living in upstate New York during winter and on a small lake in Pennsylvania the rest of the year. She and her husband share four children and seven terrific grandchildren. They have two Keeshonds named Tyler and Joey. Tika retired from a twenty-two year career as a Real Estate Broker and owner of Heritage Homes Realty Co. When not writing or editing, you will often find her in the kitchen cooking or out in one of her many gardens.

“It's truly a heartwarming story of a young innocent girl coming to terms with an amazing talent and the story of her and her family’s life.” - J. Woodfield

Hello Tika. Please tell us about The Eyes of Innocence.

This popular series depicts the life of an orphaned girl as she grows up displaying an innate way with animals and many surprises for her aunt and uncle. By the age of five, Kalina is showing psychic abilities and the power to heal. The series opens when Kalina is nearly sixteen, and a white horse haunts her dreams. On her birthday, the horse appears. The mare is real, and she is hers.

Kalina's tumultuous life is riddled with unanswered questions. Someone is watching her, and although she is aware of this, she has no fear. When the day arrives that she actually meets these people, she quickly forms a bond with them, much to her aunt and uncle's dismay.

Follow Kalina's escapades, as she matures into a gifted psychic and healer. Her aunt and uncle want her to tone down her abilities, but Kalina is unwilling to do as they ask. If someone needs her, she reacts, especially if a child is involved. People grow suspicious of her extraordinary powers, and try to prove their theories, but haven't been able to uncover the truth....yet. Kalina is unique, as is her story.

Wow! This story does sound unique. Where did you get your inspiration for this book? Do you get any ideas from real life experiences?

My immediate inspiration was from a well known movie that we watched. I didn’t care for it and said I could write a better plot myself. My husband told me to go for it. I started writing The Eyes of Innocence that day.

I would have to say Yes, to getting ideas from real life experiences. The deer in the woods bit is true, the snapping turtle story is true, and as the proud owner of two keeshonds, and past owner of border collies, I know these breeds well.

This is fun learning about how you put this story together. What a coincidence! I, too, got my inspiration for my new mystery/adventure series from a TV show. It was called Hart to Hart. I just loved it. Okay next question. A Reviewer wrote, “The story is compelling... I could NOT put it down. As an avid reader, I found the story unique, definitely not the same old, same old.” Is it hard to make your stories compelling and unique, or do you discuss your plots with a loved one, or does it just come naturally?

My plots come naturally. My mind does not move in a “same old, same old” manner, so creating the stories come pretty easily. The more difficult part is writing them in a coherent fashion and inserting the facts that I research, i.e. when I had to describe the injuries that the little boy suffered when his mother jumped out of a second story window with him in her arms due to a raging fire. He sustained a broken neck and had to be put in a halo vest. What do I know about those two things? Nothing. I very often spend more time researching a scene than I actually do writing it. Many of the scenes and sub-plots are real, such as meeting the deer in the woods, the snapping turtle story, and of course Toby. He is pictured on the back cover of the first book.

I understand what you mean about researching everything so you can make it sound real. You have another book called For the Love of Anne. You have changed genre with this book, moving to historical fiction. Is this a romance? What it is about?

There actually isn’t a lot of romance in For the Love of Anne. There is a lot of information about people from all walks of life and how they immigrated to Chicago in the late 1880’s during the Industrial revolution. The actual history part of the novel is written as part of the story, so readers may not even realize that a lot of what they’re reading is actual U.S. history. For instance, the first serial killer of the United States lived in Chicago during this time and he stumped the Pinkerton Detectives for years. It is believed that the psycho killed over 200 people, mostly women. One of the biggest mysteries was how he got so many people to trust him. It’s really a fascinating story. Oh, and by the way . . . the man was a doctor.

Oooo! A doctor? Oh my gosh! I love historical fiction for the very reason that I always learn something new. Now it’s time to tell us something about the real you that we’ll never forget.

After my family, animals and nature are a huge part of my life.

I grew up all over the U.S. due to my father’s career as one of the first numerical control experts in the country. One year I went to four different schools. Did I like it? No, not at all. I was young and it made me so painfully shy.

During some of my successful years as a Real Estate Broker, I had more money than I thought I needed. For years, I donated food baskets anonymously to local churches for Easter and Thanksgiving. On Christmas Eve I donated breakfast baskets and I loved making those! I bought bacon, sausage, eggs, juice, bread, English muffins, jelly, pancake mix and syrup, butter, Danish, potatoes, etc. They were so much fun to build. I always put something special in them for the kids. The churches knew who I was, but the recipients never did.

I can have a very silly side at times. Two years ago, when I was WAY old enough to know better, I wanted to know if my dog Tyler would follow me up the steps of a tall slide in a playground. He did. When I got to the top, he was behind me when I sat down. I reached around and pulled him onto my lap and went down the slide with him. I landed on my butt and laughed so hard that Bob had to help me up.

Wow! I sure learned some fun things about you today. I enjoyed this visit with you. And your book sounds fascinating. Thanks, Tika, for a wonderful interview.

Review: The Eyes of Innocence written by Linda Weaver Clarke

Kalina is special. She is not the ordinary 15 year old. Kalina has powers that she hides from the world. She has the ability to make friends with animals… when she talks, they seem to understand. She is sensitive to the needs of others and has visions about those who need help. But that’s not all! Kalina has the power to heal.

This story centers around several miraculous events, one of which is the healing of a three-year-old boy who was seriously injured. No one knows for sure whether he will live. And if he does live, he will be a quadriplegic. His father is beside himself with grief. He has already lost his wife… he cannot lose his son, too. When the boy is miraculously healed, everyone calls it a miracle. Will the nurses figure out that Kalina was involved somehow? Or will her powers remain a secret?

This story is intriguing as you follow the everyday life of a teenager, her family, a dog, and her archenemy, Tarrah. As I read about the events of Kalina’s life and the healing of the young child, questions began filtering through my mind. Where did she get this power? Is it a spiritual gift from God? Was it inherited from her ancestors or is Kalina one of a kind? Does the mystery behind her powers come from her heritage? Read the book and find out. This book is great for teenagers and adults alike who love to use their imagination. I read it to my husband and he absolutely loved it.
Visit Tika at http://tikanewman.blogspot.com
Tika’s Facebook: http://www.facebook.com

Interview with Historical Fiction Author Heidi M. Thomas

2011-09-05T01:00:00.013-06:00

Heidi Thomas teaches Memoir and Beginning Fiction Writing in her community and does freelance editing. She is also a member of the Northwest Independent Editors Guild. Heidi lives in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with a wonderful, supportive husband and a pesky cat. She is also the author of two historical fiction novels and is working on a third in her “Dare to Dream” series. Follow the Dream has won the National WILLA Literary Award, named for Willa Cather and awarded by the Women Writing the West organization.

Hello, Heidi. Please tell us about your new book.

Follow the Dream is the sequel to Cowgirl Dreams. Both books emphasize a strong, independent western woman who gives her all to pursue her dream of rodeo competition. As Follow the Dream opens, Nettie seems to have achieved this dream. She’s married to her cowboy, Jake, they have plans for a busy rodeo season, and she has a once in a lifetime opportunity to rodeo in London with the Tex Austin Wild West Troupe.

But life during the Great Depression brings unrelenting hardships and unexpected family responsibilities. Nettie must overcome challenges to her lifelong rodeo dreams, cope with personal tragedy, survive drought, and help Jake keep their horse herd from disaster. These challenges are enough to break any woman, but will Nettie persevere?

Where did you get your inspiration for this novel?

Both books are based on my grandmother who rode bucking-stock competitively in Montana during the 1920s and ’30s. She died when I was twelve, so I did get to know her, ride with her, and knew that she preferred the back of a horse to domestic duties any day.

I love the fact that you based your story on your grandmother’s life. A Reviewer wrote, “I enjoyed this bittersweet novel with its accurate depiction of the lives of cowgirls in 1930s Montana and its tender portrait of a marriage.” Tell us your thoughts about this and why she refers to your novel as bittersweet.

Nettie is torn between her rodeo dreams and her love for her family. The hardscrabble years of the ’30s force them to seemingly abandon their rodeo hopes while trying to survive and keep their horses from starving. She has to make some difficult choices about her dreams when things go in a different direction than she had planned.

Your book sounds intriguing to me. What kind of research did you have to do?

My father told me many anecdotes about growing up with a cowgirl as a mother. I read non-fiction books about the cowgirls of that era, talked to other relatives who remembered my grandmother, and actually found the original homestead where my grandparents lived when they were first married. I also have a scrapbook and photo albums she made.

Wow! I bet your love and respect for your grandmother grew so much as you discovered all the many things about her. Now it’s time to tell us something about the real you that we’ll never forget.

I grew up in isolated rural eastern Montana during the 1950s and ’60s, living a life that was somewhat similar to the way my grandparents lived, so I could understand first-hand what they experienced. I attended a one-room country school with a total of four students, and when I went to high school, I lived in a dormitory during the week and came home on weekends. This dorm, which closed in the 1990s, was, to my knowledge, the last public high school dormitory in the U.S.

Oh my gosh! Only four students? Now that’s small. You can’t get better education than one on one. Your teacher had very little to distract her with only four students. I’ve heard of dormitories for high school in England, but I hadn’t heard of them in the states. Interesting! I learn so many things when I interview authors. Thanks, Heidi, for a wonderful interview.

Interview with YA Author Tracy Marchini

2011-08-29T01:00:00.036-06:00

Tracy Marchini is a freelance writer and editorial consultant. Before launching her own editorial service, she worked at a literary agency, as a children's book reviewer, a newspaper correspondent and a freelance copywriter. She may also be known as the worst kickball player to ever grace her schoolyard. More information about her and her critique services can be found at www.tracymarchini.com.

Hello Tracy. Please tell us about your new book, Hot Ticket.

Hot Ticket is the story of Juliet Robinson, the only sixth grade in John Jay Jr. High (Triple J for short) who doesn’t have a hot ticket. When one of the dorkiest kids in school, Crammit Gibson, gets a hot ticket before she does, she knows that the only way to salvage her middle school reputation is to stop the mysterious ticket dispenser once and for all.

With the help of her best friend Lucy, a Daria-esque Madeline and her semi-crush Crammit, Juliet is determined to catch the ticket dispenser and climb a few rungs on the middle-school social ladder. Unfortunately for Juliet, things don’t quite go as planned…

You list your book as a middle grade mystery, meant for ages eight to twelve. What makes this a mystery novel?

The sixth graders of John Jay Jr. High have been receiving hot tickets for cool things they’ve done all year, and shame tickets for doing something embarrassing, like falling asleep in class or making a bad joke. Juliet hasn’t even received a shame ticket, which is even more frustrating because she does more embarrassing things in one week than most people do in their lifetime. Juliet decides to unmask the ticket dispenser, knowing that solving this mystery could make the ticket system completely pointless. It’s a risk she’s willing to take, especially since she feels she’s being deliberately ignored by the person giving out the tickets.

Juliet’s list of suspects is short, but when the yearbook committee decides to find the dispenser, and the Students for Ticket Preservation start to work against Juliet, it’s only a matter of time before someone else solves the biggest mystery Triple J has ever had.

This sounds like a fun story for the youth. Where did you get your inspiration for this book?

I was working at Curtis Brown and my colleague Amelia said the phrase “Hot ticket” to me one day. I’d never heard it, but I realized that the equivalent when I went to school was to say “Points” when someone did something cool, or “Negative points” when someone did something uncool. So I asked myself, “What would happen if hot tickets were physical things, and someone actually handed out hot and shame tickets?” I became excited at the idea of a physical representation of the “cool points” system, and how one anonymous person could change the whole social hierarchy of their school if they were able to make their system stick. I wrote the first chapter during my lunch break, and sent it to Amelia, who encouraged me to continue. Thus, HOT TICKET was born!

You also wrote another YA story called Effie At The Wedding. What is this book about?

Effie At The Wedding is a funny, contemporary YA short story. Effie has a million reasons why she's not thrilled to be at her sister's wedding -- and the monstrously pink bridesmaid's dress isn't even on the list. When Effie finds herself locked in the bathroom, she thinks she might just stay there. After all, it's better than hearing from her mom about how often she's been to the buffet or how beautiful Ophelia looks in her wedding dress.

As the bouquet is tossed and the cake is eaten, Effie will have to find a reason to celebrate... or get used to her porcelain throne.

Both books sound intriguing to me. I think the youth would enjoy them. Now it’s time to tell us something about the real you that we’ll never forget.

Juliet’s favorite book and movie series is Bailey Bean, Girl Detective, which is modeled after my love of Nancy Drew stories. When I was Juliet’s age, my friend and I tried to read all of the Nancy Drew Case Files that the school library had. (It had to be over 100, and that’s how I earned most of my Accelerated Reader points!) Nancy herself does slip into the book once, when Madeline is trying to convince Juliet to let her help with the case. Juliet wants to work solo, like her icon Bailey Bean, but Madeline says, “I’ll be the George to your Nancy” and is eventually allowed to help.

So you put a little of yourself in this novel. That’s awesome. I think a lot of us do that in our stories. We put a little of our self in one of the characters, giving him or her something that we love or enjoy or even a phobia that we have. It makes the story come alive. Thank you very much for this wonderful interview, Tracy.

Interview with Romance Author Celia Yeary

2011-08-21T18:46:00.002-06:00

I'm Celia Yeary, a romance author who is drifting into Women's Fiction. My life revolves around my husband, our home, grandsons, the community, and our church. Before early retirement, I taught biology to high school students in a private military boarding school. I loved my job, but decided to try something new.

This is Celia's second time back and guess what I found out about her? She is a seventh-generation Texan. Wow! Now how awesome is that? Welcome back to my blog, Celia. Please tell us about your new book.

Thank you, Linda. I'm very happy to be here, once more. My newest book is titled Wish for the Moon, a novel that does not fit any exact genre. It does have a sweet love story, but the center of the tale is 16-yr-old Annie McGinnis who, in 1901, lives on a farm with her family in North Texas. Her life changes when a stranger, Max Landry, walks to their house and asks for work.

During the 3-year span of the story, Annie becomes the caretaker for her big slow-witted brother, her mother until she dies, her widower father, and a local blind man who has no place to go. She even attempts—and succeeds—at rescuing Max from the hangman's noose. Eventually, grown-up Annie gets her wish, the one she asks for every night of a full moon, the one her mother always told her: "Annie, girl, you might as well wish for the Moon."

I love this title and the book cover. Where did you get your inspiration for this novel?

Partly from a coal-mining ghost town in North Texas. When I researched the town, I knew I wanted it in a story, but what kind of story? Instead, I created Annie who wished to see the world, or at least see what lay just over the county line. Then I created Max, who entered her world, and would become the instrument for her to see the next county when he is arrested for murder by the Texas Rangers and taken back to the coal-mining town.

Your website and blog says, “Romance...and a little bit o' Texas.” Are all your stories set in Texas?

Yes, all my stories, historical or contemporary, are set in Texas, the place I know best. My family line goes back seven generations to when Texas was a Republic. And I've lived in several areas of the state. I can't imagine trying to write a story set in, say, Baltimore, or Ogden, or San Francisco. I've visited many, many places, but that doesn't mean I know enough about any of them to use as a story setting. I simply stick with what I know.

That reminds me of Anne of Green Gables when Gilbert told her to write about people and places she knew about. She didn’t like his suggestion at first but eventually realized he was right. What kind of research did you do for this book?

Mainly, I researched Thurber, Texas, the unique coal-mining town in Erath County. It's one county over from Palo Pinto County, where I was born and returned to visit grandparents. I still return to that area because of family. The farm Annie lives on is my grandparent's home, my daddy's birthplace. The house, the well, the orchard and garden, and even the outhouse all come directly from my memory bank of those days gone by. I even used my Granny's rose garden, and the screened-in back porch. That part was very easy.

I love it when authors add real life situations to their stories. Do you usually put real experiences in your books?

Not very much. However, in WISH FOR THE MOON, as I said, I used my grandparent's house for Annie's. They never had running water, and one died in the forties, the other one in the sixties. I use many details in this story from my memory--Granny's big wood-burning stove, the well that had the tin tube to fill with water, and the front porch where Max looks into the front room.

I also mention the "healing water baths" over in Mineral Wells, where my Mother was born and now lives in a nursing home. That entire area is so familiar, and perfect for details in a story.

In MAKING THE TURN, I also use that same house, but updated it a bit in my head so I could use it in the year 2011 for Sara's old homeplace, where her mother remains.
Only these two involve any of my real life experiences. All other stories are completely fictional, although I do know the areas in which I place my stories very well.

Thanks, Celia, for this interview. I know my readers are more enlightened about what kind of author you are. I hope you come back again.

BUY WISH FOR THE MOON at: Willow Moon Publishing and Amazon

Celia Yeary - Romance...and a little bit 'o Texas
http://www.celiayeary.blogspot.com
http://www.celiayeary.com
http://sweetheartsofthewest.blogspot.com

Interview with “Sweet Romance” Author Ruth J. Hartman

2011-08-15T01:00:00.001-06:00

Ruth Hartman is a published romance author and licensed dental hygienist. She lives in rural Indiana with her husband. Ruth’s “furry children” are her cats Maxwell and Roxy. She’s pretty sure Max is German. He likes eating sauerkraut out of the pan.

Hello Ruth. Please tell us about your new book. What happens when a dental hygienist falls in love with her patient?

Grace Hart meets Bruce Gardener when he shows up in her office as a new patient. She’s a smitten kitten from the get-go. But doesn’t think anyone as good-looking as Bruce would take a second look at her.

This sounds like a fun book to read. Where did you get your inspiration for this book?

I have a friend who used to be a dental assistant. She met her husband when he sat in the dental chair where she worked. I thought it was such a cool story, and used a hygienist instead of an assistant.

With the rule of no dating patients, the couple has to find creative ways to meet. A Reviewer wrote, “This brings a lot of humorous scenes to the story. Ms. Hartman keeps Flossophy of Grace flowing with a quick wittiness that made me laugh out loud several times.” Is it difficult to come up with humorous scenes?

Not usually. My imagination is pretty vivid. Weird stuff happens to me all the time, and I use that in my writing. My husband says I find the most unusual things amusing.

So your sense of humor is natural, I take it. What does your family think about your writing?

My husband just shakes his head and calls me a “sap” because I love writing stories with goofy humor and happy endings. My family always tells me they’re proud of me.

Hey, "goofy humor" with happy endings is what makes me laugh. I love it. Okay, now it’s time to tell us something about the real you that we’ll never forget.

My whole house is decorated with stuffed animals. Mainly cats. Anymore, my husband will often get me those instead of flowers for my birthday or anniversary, because he knows I love them so much!

Thank you, Ruth, for such a fun interview. Now we know the real you: The cat lover who writes humorous romance stories! I love it. I would like my readers to read a few paragraphs of chapter one from your book. I love it:

Chapter One

“Ouch!”

That was the fourth time she’d been bitten since lunch. She hoped they weren’t doing it on purpose, but sometimes she wondered. Maybe it was a pint-sized conspiracy. It was fall break for the elementary schools. All the elementary schools. That meant her dental hygiene schedule was crammed full of little people. There were kids yelling in the waiting room. Kids squirming in her patient chairs. She even heard a little girl loudly warbling her ABC’s in the bathroom. She felt like Mr. Rogers. She needed a cardigan sweater. Won’t you be my neighbor?

Grace loved kids. She really did. They were funny and sweet, and loud and annoying. They asked the most interesting, offbeat questions. And she normally looked forward to doing their prophies (cleanings) since their tiny mouths had less square footage than most adults’. But sometimes the little people tended to tell her too many intimate details about their parents she’d rather not know. Ever. And they all seemed intensely hyper today. The hooligans who weren’t bouncing like pogo sticks were playing trampoline on the waiting room chairs. Had their parents given them all ultra doses of Mountain Dew before their appointments? That would be wrong on so many levels. She’d had enough of the little guys for today. It was usually a nice reprieve from a day full of adults, but enough was enough. They had worn her down to a frazzled nubbin. Where was that cardigan sweater?

Since she’d arrived at the dental office at 8:30 a.m., she’d done twelve patient prophies, taken seven sets of tiny x-rays (that’s when the unfortunate biting incidents took place), given ten grape-flavored fluoride treatments, and instructed (or tried to) all of the little darlings how to remove the ick from their teeth with a toothbrush. She also dutifully handed out what seemed like 5,092 stickers. Whether the kids behaved like lambs or hyenas, they all got stickers. Unfortunately, she noticed several of the sticky handouts found their way to the recently painted waiting room wall. In between all of the patients, she cleaned her patient chair areas and helped with getting her instruments ready to be cleaned and sterilized. All in her spare time. She was pooped.

She looked at her yellow cat-face clock on the wall. It was almost time. In forty-five blessed minutes, she’d be finished with her last patient of the day. Thank goodness! It couldn’t come soon enough. Whoever it was, she wanted them done and scooted out the door, toothbrush in hand, as soon as possible. The only thing she knew about her next patient was that it was a man, and that he was fairly new to town. Other than that, she had no clue what to expect. Grace desperately hoped he wasn’t one of those men who thought he was good-looking in his plaid pants, white belt, and bad toupee. She always had a hard time holding back a snicker in those situations. She grabbed the last, lonely chart from the pink plastic holder on the wall and wearily called out the name.

“Bruce Gardener?”

As Grace looked up to greet her new patient, the sight that entertained her eyes nearly knocked her on her size-twelve backside. Good grief, he was gorgeous.

What happens when a dental hygienist falls in love with her patient? Visit Flossophy of Grace.
You may also visit Ruth at her blog: R J Writes.

Interview with Christian Author Janet Perez Eckles

2011-08-08T01:00:00.013-06:00

Janet Perez Eckles writes with no eyesight but with insight to help you “see” the best of life. Her passion for life shines through the stories, included in 15 books and in 20 Chicken Soup for the Soul titles, in the two books she authored and numerous magazines including Guidepost as well as in her keynote messages.

“With a bit of sassiness, a touch of humor, and an amiga-to-amiga style, Simply Salsa encourages women to accept God’s call to dance!”

During tough times in our lives, God will be there for us and comfort us. Blindness and other trials made this author the person she is today. Hello Janet. Please tell us about your new book, Simply Salsa: Dancing Without Fear at God’s Fiesta.

Each insight is drawn from examples from my life, other women today and from biblical times. Grounded in Scripture, they provide practical steps to live a life of freedom from insecurities, confidence to face tomorrow, and joy to savor each moment.

Could you please share one experience from your own life that you used in your book?

Excerpt from Chapter 6 from Simply Salsa:
“…But that night, as I faced the torments of an abandoned wife, Jesus saw my plight. How did I know? Because in order to survive, during the day, I began to soak myself in God’s Word through an audio Bible. Every chance I got, I listened to verses, insights, prom¬ises, instructions. I listened till my ears smoked. God’s truth pene¬trated my very soul. That’s how I knew the Lord was close enough to hear my softest whisper.

“Chicas, I put aside my pride, and Jesus in his tender, gentle way gave me some answers. Not because he found me to be extra wise or cute, but because I was desperate. But, as is often the case, he began by asking me a question: Who is the man you think should fill that spot in your heart?

“Being the quick chica that I am, I responded that it was my hus¬band. The man I wanted to win back. He was the person I loved most. He was the man…”

Wow! That must have been a difficult time in your life. Where did you get your ideas for this book?

The ideas bubbled up in me with each episode I faced and from each triumph I savored. And the topics came from hundreds of women who contact me through my ministry.

My blindness taught me to see beyond obstacles. The murder of my youngest son showed me God’s healing power. The financial setbacks proved God’s immense provision and many others. Colorful examples from other women also add richness to each illustration.

What does your family think about your writing?

They are all very supportive, although I think that when I began writing years ago, they were a bit surprised as I quickly learned to use technology for the blind to write. But the support I value the most is that of my husband. He gave his permission to share intimate details of our marriage, hoping to help other struggling couples.

This book sounds like it can help many women in times of despair. Thank you very much for this wonderful interview. Now it’s time to tell us something about the real you that we’ll never forget.

When it comes to adventure, I’m there! Not long ago, I went parasailing, the view wasn’t impressive, but the thrill was worth blogging about. The fun side of me loves to salsa, to dance the cumbia or move to any rhythmic Latino tune. I dance because it’s in my blood. And I love, love to cruise and savor exquisite cuisine much like I delight in the flavor of God’s Word that feeds my soul.

Thanks, Janet. I know that you will touch many lives with this book. Your life proves that no matter what trials we go through, we may overcome them. The secret is to never lose faith.

Interview with "Sweet" Romance Author Jordan T. Maxwell

2011-08-01T01:00:00.042-06:00

Jordan T. Maxwell always loved to write. One of his favorite authors is Stephen King and this influenced him so much that his first attempt at writing a novel was a horror story. He said, “It was a horror, but not in the way I intended!” Other than that Jordan is a mild mannered paramedic who has spent the better part of the last 25 years “bouncing around in all types of ambulances.”

“Dandyflowers made me laugh, cry, broke my heart into a thousand pieces and by the end had managed to rebuild it completely.” ~ Faith H. Tydings, Author of A Little Yellow Star.

Hello Jordan. Please tell us about your books, Dandyflowers and Dandyflowers - Laura's Diaries.

Dandyflowers is the story of a young woman named Erin who gets engaged. On the following weekend she goes back home so her father Jerry can give her what he calls his “love talk”. During those four days she learns about Laura, his first love and his first wife. Erin also finds out they had two children and the reason why they are no longer together.

Dandyflowers – Laura’s Diaries begins about five and a half years after Dandyflowers ends. In this part of the story Erin has read and reread Laura’s diaries, they were given to her by her father, in an attempt to answer the multitude of questions she has regarding Laura. Then on an unexpected trip to Chicago Erin encounters the two people who can answer the questions the diaries and her father can’t; she meets Laura’s parents. They, like Paul Harvey, tell Erin “…the rest of the story!”

There is a slight overlap between the first and second book. You get to experience Jerry and Laura’s first kiss from both of their perspectives. I actually had a reader tell me that a woman had to have written Laura’s take on the kiss as, “No man can write like that!” I assured her that when I write, I write alone and I did indeed write every word in both books!

Hahaha! That’s awesome! In other words, you feel what the character feels. Is your story considered a romance?

They are considered “romance”, but I hate having that term associated with them. When people hear the term “romance novel” they immediately picture those Fabio laden pulp paper novels found only on a grocery store’s impulse aisles that lead to the cash registers. I prefer the term General Fiction with a romantic twist!

I love your answer about the romance issue. I had the same problem as you. When I wrote my 5 historical romances, I was afraid to list them as such because of the same reason. So I listed them as historical fiction. I have since found out there is a new term called “sweet” romance. Your book would be in that category. I’m curious. Where did you get your inspiration for these books?

I suppose the seeds for these novels were planted sometime in 1979. It was then I began writing my pen pal, Robin. I still have every letter she wrote to me and after nearly 32 years we still keep in touch! I stumbled across some of those letters one afternoon several years before I began writing what would become my first two books and I remember thinking as I reread some of them, “There’s a book in here somewhere.”

There are several incidents in the books that are based wholly or partially on real events. For example, at some point in Dandyflowers Laura cooks Jerry supper and fixes him some beets. Did you know that if you cut the tops off of beets before cooking them all the purple will “bleed” out? Laura didn’t and neither did my mother who did this the first year she and my dad were married!

That's so funny. I bet she was surprised when she saw the pale looking beets. And yes, my mother taught that to me, too. A Reviewer wrote, “I've read many books, but rarely has one moved me the way Dandyflowers did.” What makes your story moving or does that spoil the plot of the book if you tell us?

What makes Dandyflowers and Dandyflowers – Laura’s Diaries so moving is their simplicity, their innocence, their inherent hope that love is all we really need. They are the story of two ordinary people who experience an extraordinary love that many can only dream of experiencing. It is because of this that the reader gets swept up in their story.

I had a co-worker who was so taken by the story and a certain highly emotional part of it that when she returned the draft copy I had asked her to read, she threw the binder at me. She indicated, using just two words, that it was her belief my parents were not married when I was born... then stomped away. It was at that moment I knew I had something people would like to read. It is also the reason why I adapted Dandyflowers into a stage play. I think it has wide appeal.

This has been a fun interview. What does your family think about your writing?

The best compliment I have received regarding the books came from my children when they saw the first book on the shelf at a well known book retailer. When they saw it, they gasped and said, “Daddy, we’re proud of you!” I walked quite a bit taller after that!

My dad is a Depression Era farmer who keeps his emotional cards very close to the vest. After he read Dandyflowers I asked him what he thought about it. He said, “Well, it would bring tears to your eyes if you let it.” High praise indeed!

Wow! What great compliments! Okay, now it’s time to tell us something about the real you that we’ll never forget.

As I said in the bio portion I am a paramedic & have been in EMS for over 25 years. In that time I have delivered (or more correctly “caught”) only one baby. Big deal, right? Well, I saved the best for first as the baby I caught was my son! He came a little faster than his sister had and I had to take off my daddy / husband cap and put on my paramedic hat! I was scared to death, but I survived. That baby just celebrated his 11th birthday in April 2011! I know a lot of dads who play “catch” with their sons, but I guess I am just an over achiever!!!

What an awesome experience! Not every dad can say that. This has been a fun and enjoyable interview. Thanks, Jordan. If this book hasn’t peaked everyone’s interest by the end of this interview, I would be surprised.

My Review of Dandyflowers by Jordan Maxwell

Dandyflowers is a delightful story told by a father to his daughter about his very first love, something he has never talked about before. The story begins at the age of fifteen in high school and tells of Jerry and Laura’s meeting, the many antics in their teenage life, and how they fell in love. It’s a story of innocence, humor, romance, family values, and their courtship and marriage.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I laughed at the jokes they played on one another. I sighed at the romance. I smiled at the beautiful and modest description of their wedding night. I giggled as they bantered with one another… and I wept.

Jordan Maxwell did a wonderful job with this story. But my advice to all readers is to make sure you have a handkerchief handy toward the ending of the book. You may need it!

Written by Linda Weaver Clarke, author of historical “sweet” romances.

Interview with Author Marlayne Giron

2011-07-25T01:00:00.006-06:00

Marlayne Giron loves to be creative, cook, entertain and has a side-business of doing book and promotional trailers for authors and speakers. She is a loving wife, mother of a teenage daughter, and the author of The Victor, a Tale of Betrayal, Love and Sacrifice. Marlayne calls herself “a Messianic Jewish Believer in Jesus.”

Make a Wish Fulfillment Blog
Video Productions

Hello Marlayne. Please tell us about your new book, Make a Wish.

Make a Wish is a compilation of short stories written as gifts for other people where I grant their deepest, most heartfelt wish and they are the “star” of their own story. All of these stories were written as gifts for others either because I was inspired to do so or because they were requested. Some are deeply emotional, heartfelt and inspirational while others are just fun.

What a wonderful idea! Where did you get your inspiration for this book?

Make a Wish had a very innocent beginning. A good friend of mine, Henry, who has been a quadriplegic since the age of 14 (and is now in his early 50s at the time of this writing), was really down in the dumps. He had been stood up for a fishing trip, and because of his condition, he is subject to the schedules and whims of others. He wouldn’t get out of bed, wouldn’t do anything and his wife Vicki had given up trying to coax him. Henry and I had become good friends ever since Vicki reviewed my book, The Victor, on her blog.

I had already spoken with Henry several times before this so I was distressed when I heard how low he was feeling. But what could I do? I lived on the west coast and he lived on the east coast. How could I possibly cheer him up? Then a light bulb went on over my head and I thought, “I can write him a story”…and that’s exactly what I did. I wrote “A Gift for Henry” in about one hour and then emailed it to them that night. The first thing the next morning I checked my email to see what the response was. Well…it was amazing! Vicki had written me and told me that they had wept for 20 minutes after reading it. That it had truly been inspired of God because of the details I put in, which I was not aware that were perfect for Henry. Such as the smell of orange blossoms being his favorite, how he was always trying to wiggle his toes to see if they had started working and that all he wants to do when he gets to heaven is to run, run, run for the Lord. I would have to say that 99% of the stories I have written for people received the same reaction. Everyone has felt as though they have been personally touched by God through their story and even those who don’t know any of the people and have read the book have told me how deeply touched they have been by the book.

Already I’m intrigued with this new book of yours. A Reviewer wrote about the stories in Make a Wish, “While many make you smile, you must have LOTS of Kleenex available, for you will cry rivers after reading some (or, in my case, ALL) of them.” Tell us your thoughts about this.

I am personally amazed at the reactions on the part of those for whom I have written these stories. I pray before I write each one and ask God for inspiration. After 40+ stories I have come to trust the still small voice that puts the words onto the page that it will be just what the recipient needs to hear. I honestly wasn’t sure if anyone would be interested in reading the book who didn’t know the subjects of any of the stories but I have been pleasantly surprised by the reactions and wonderful reviews. The most common reactions are: “How did you know that?” “This had to be inspired by God” and “This was the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me.” I seem to be inspired with specific details for each story that only the person for whom it was written knows about (and I don’t find out about til later). The responses have been intensely emotional; my only regret is that I really never get to be there when they are read; I only get to hear about it afterwards via email so it loses some of the emotional impact of the reaction.

What stories touched your heart the most as you wrote them?

“Three Wishes” is the One that made me cry the hardest as I was writing it. I am a deeply empathetic person so I can ‘feel’ the emotions when I am writing and even when I reread this one I still cry. The other three stories that have special meaning for me are “More Than a Memory,” which was written for the sister of my first love, Barry, who died of a brain aneurysm in 1981 and has been gone for so long that hardly anyone remembers him. The next would have to be “Something New Under the Son” because the wish was for the person to win the lottery. I was very conflicted about how to “answer” this wish. My purpose is not so much to be a literary “genie” but to touch the heart of the person I wrote it for in such a deep and meaningful way that they sense it is God speaking to them. I really struggled with this one and so asked a mutual friend some questions about the requesting person to see if something would spark the needed inspiration. I got it when I found out that she worked at Sun Trust Bank and…well…read the story and you will see what the Lord gave me. I was told that after she read her story it worked a true change in her attitude about life and she stopped trying desperately to win the lottery. The third one would have to be my own true-life wish fulfillment story, which appears at the end of the book called “A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes” (after the Disney song in Cinderella).

Wow! So you wrote your very own “wish fulfillment story” about yourself. How awesome is that! Okay, it’s time to tell us something about the real you that we’ll never forget.

Three years before I met my husband I wrote a story (which I illustrated) for myself where Jesus takes me out on a date and introduces me to the man he has chosen for me. I used to pray for my husband by name (it was always Michael) and had a very detailed list of what I hoped to get in my future husband. The Lord answered my prayers right down to his name, looks and everything on the list. On our first date a total stranger, who was part of our six-some, told Michael and his sister that I would be his future wife. To read the details, they are all in my story “A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes”.

Thank you so much for such a wonderful interview. Okay, Readers! If you would like your own "Wish Fulfillment" story, you may email Marlayne directly at: thevictorbook@sbcglobal.net. She will need to get a short bio paragraph that tells about you, what your wish is and why. If she has any further questions, she will contact you via return email.

Interview with Christian Author Paulette Harper

2011-07-18T01:00:00.002-06:00

Paulette Harper is a native Californian and was the youngest of eight children. She is the author of such books as That Was Then, This Is Now, which was nominated as a finalist in the 2009 Next Generation Indie book awards. She is the co-author of two anthologies, Victorious Living for Women and Victorious Living for Moms. Besides writing nonfiction, she enjoys sports, playing cards and spoiling her only granddaughter. Paulette is the mother of two daughters, is a Christian life coach and Inspirational speaker.

Hello Paulette. Please tell us about your new book, Completely Whole.  

Completely Whole is inspiring, optimistic, hopeful and encouraging while providing a clear-cut, scriptural blueprint for each reader to follow as they allow the Word and the power of God to transform their pain and restore their lives on their road to becoming "Completely Whole." Readers of Completely Whole will find that it is not a book to just read once, but it can be used as a study guide to help one along the way in dealing with some of the issues that block a person from living a life of wholeness, spirit, soul and body.

You show readers how to overcome suffering caused by alcoholism, substance abuse, poverty, and other obstacles that prevent a happy life. Do you have any stories you would like to share where you have helped someone?

One reader made this statement “After reading Completely Whole, I had pages and pages of notes. I felt completely whole after I finished reading it. I'm not saying that after reading this book everything will be perfect in your life. But, it will help you focus on what is important in your life. ‘Regardless of your current condition, there is a better place that God has for you (Chapter 3).’ When I read those words, all I could do was cry and cry. I thank God for using Paulette Harper-Johnson to write a powerful book.” 

What a wonderful comment about your book. What are your suggestions in helping people who have alcoholism and substance abuse problems?

For those having to deal with these life altering issues, I suggest one if not all of the following:

1. Admit that the issue exists and you are willing to seek help from either a spiritual leader, licensed counselor or program.

2. Church support groups are a great way to discuss and find solutions to help one with a step-by-step approach in getting victory.

3. Depending on the severity of the problem, one may want to commit to a program that requires a person to stay for an extended period of time.

4. Determine what in your life triggers those compulsive behavior patterns. Take a look at events, people, and the environment around you that may push you to resulting back to those destructive lifestyles.

That is great advice, Paulette. What does your family think about your writing?

My family is ecstatic about my writing journey. I am the first published author in my family which makes it even more of blessing to have achieved such a tremendous accomplishment.

Thank you for this lovely interview. I know you must be helping many people. Now it’s time to tell us something about the real you that we’ll never forget.

Wow, Linda. I remember when I was about 4, I was very inquisitive about the use of scissors. So I decided to use them to do my first haircut. I cut about 4 inches of my bands off and immediately hid my hair in our family bible for fear of getting a spanking. My mother didn’t spank me and that was the first and last time, until I grew up that I cut my hair. My granddaughter followed in my shoes, she at 4 years of age decided to do her first haircut. She cut her bands as well.

That is so funny. I think we all can relate to that situation in one way or another. Just a while ago, my little granddaughter Amber cut her own hair, but she butchered the whole top of her head…from her bangs to her crown. My daughter, Diana, couldn’t even trim her hair so it would blend in. All she could do was put a hat on her when they went to town. Hahaha! It was sad but funny.

Interview with Christian Romance Author Joanne Troppello

2011-07-11T01:00:00.006-06:00

Joanne Troppello writes inspirational fiction in the genres of romance, mystery and women’s fiction. She is a freelance writer/marketing consultant, located in Pennsylvania. Currently, she has two books published; Shadowed Remembrances is a mystery novel and Mr. Shipley's Governess is a romance novel. Joanne enjoys reading, writing and spending time with her family.

“If you love Jane Austin, then you'll love this.”

Hello Joanne! Please tell us about your new book, Mr. Shipley's Governess.

Sophie Baird is looking for a way to escape the painful reality of her parents' deaths. Unable to live in their home any longer, she takes a job as a live-in tutor to Anastasia Shipley to remove herself from her painful memories and the feeling that God has abandoned her.

Anastasia has an illness that has prevented her from ever attending school and makes her father, Sebastian, over protective. When Sophie first meets Sebastian, she cannot deny the intense attraction she feels toward him. When an unexpected romance begins between them, she starts to rebuild her relationship with God, with the help of a certain little girl.

I love the plot to your story. Where did you get your inspiration for this book?

I am a huge Jane Austen fan and love her classic romantic stories. I wanted to write a contemporary love story with a classic feel.

I, too, am a Jane Austen fan and so are four of my six daughters. A Reviewer wrote, “This novel by Joanne Troppello, will have you enthralled throughout with its delightful characters and combination of humour and heart stopping moments. If you love Jane Austin, then you'll love this.” Why is your book compared to Jane Austen books?

Since Jane Austen is my inspiration for this book, I tried to set the tone of the novel to mirror the classic feel of her stories. Like the characters Jane Austen created, the ones that spoke to me most are Emma Woodhouse and George Knightley from Emma. My characters are witty and the storyline is true to life, yet sweetly romantic. I’ve had readers tell me they felt like they were reading a book from the Regency period, but also knew it was a contemporary story; so I guess I achieved my goal.

Ooooh! I loved Mr. Knightley. He was awesome. Your first book was a mystery/romance. Was it hard to switch from mystery to contemporary/romance? The plot lines are so different because of adding something mysterious.

There were adjustments I needed to make, but there were several years in between writing both books, that it was not too difficult to switch gears. I’m currently working on two manuscripts now, a women’s drama and a romantic suspense novel so I’ve had to switch gears again, but I actually enjoy diversified writing.

I know what you mean. I began with historical/romance and switched to mystery/adventure. For me it was quite a change, though, because I had written 5 romances in a row. Then I turned to mystery as soon as I finished my last romance. It was an interesting change for me. Okay, now it’s time to tell us something about the real you that we’ll never forget.

Ever since I was little, I’ve had a habit of making faces and being very expressive when I talk. When my husband and I were on our honeymoon, we walked through the lobby of our hotel and saw a display of the “many faces of Buddha.” There were different statutes with varying facial expressions. My husband stopped and laughed. He said that they should have “the many faces of Joanne” instead. We chuckled and that little incident made it into my current manuscript, Island Honeymoon.

How fun! I love it. Now we know all the many faces of Novelist Joanne Troppello! You sound like a fun person to be around.

Celebrating the Book Launch of Montezuma Intrigue

2011-06-27T01:00:00.105-06:00

Welcome to my Official Book Launch for Montezuma Intrigue.

ADVENTURE...SUSPENSE...ROMANCE...INTRIGUE...HUMOR!

The search for Montezuma's treasure, mysterious events, a good-looking rogue, and family secrets! When a leather parchment of Montezuma’s map is found in great-grandfather Evans’ old chest, April and the twins know this summer is going to be a memorable one. The girls want to search for it but their father is against it for some mysterious reason. With Julia’s help, she and the girls convince John to go on a treasure hunt. Is Montezuma’s treasure a legend or reality? Whatever the case, John insists on keeping their little treasure hunt a secret. If certain people find out about it, the family could be in danger.

While searching for Montezuma’s treasure, Matthew is trying to get the courage to tell April how he feels about her. How does he tell his kindred friend that she means more to him than just a friend? Oblivious of Matthew’s feelings for her, April is gradually learning the importance of her heritage. Who were her ancestors and why have they kept a certain “secret” all these years?

If you have already bought Montezuma Intrigue, let me know and I will email you 3 free e-books (pdf):1. The Treasure of Isian by Serena Clarke. This is a fantasy/adventure novel with a touch of romance. This story is full of intrigue as you watch Garin and Elani search for the treasure of Isian.
2. Reflections of the Heart by Linda Weaver Clarke, which has 13 chapters of inspirational writings such as: The secret of Happiness, Laughter is the Best Medicine, Parenthood – A Great Responsibility, Equal Partners in Marriage, and Music Soothes the Soul.
3. Writing Your Family Legacy by Linda Weaver Clarke: a booklet that teaches you how to write your family history or autobiography. I travel all over the U.S. teaching this class.

Montezuma Intrigue

The Adventures of John and Julia Evans

Anasazi Intrigue

The Adventures of John and Julia Evans

Socrates Book Review gave Anasazi Intrigue the Socrates Great Book Alert Award: “The first pages grab you right in. When Julia and John fight for their lives, readers will be on the edge of their seats for this one. There’s also romance in the mix. John and Julia’s marriage is strong and they are quite supportive of each other. Even when they have their ups and downs, it’s not for long and they get right back into each other’s arms. It’s nice to see a relationship portrayed this way. Very realistic and believable. In fact, all the characters are portrayed realistically including their three daughters.”

Mayan Intrigue

The Adventures of John and Julia Evans

Suko’s Notebook Review wrote: “Excitement prevails…this book is full of mystery and suspense… Linda's writing is lively and down-to-earth; she has the ability to make you feel as if you're in these stories, along with John and Julia, trying to decipher the truth and escape from harm.”

Anasazi Intrigue: you may purchase a book or an ebook at Amazon.

Mayan Intrigue: you may purchase a book or an ebook at Amazon.

Montezuma Intrigue: you may purchase this book directly from Publisher Direct Bookstore or Amazon.

Interview with Author Karey White

2011-06-20T01:00:00.037-06:00

Karey White grew up in Utah, Oregon, Idaho and Missouri, the oldest of eleven children. She attended Ricks College and BYU. She’s married and is the mother of four children. She sews, has made wedding cakes for several years, and enjoys reading and writing.

Hello, Karey. Being an Idahoan myself, I attended Ricks College and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Please tell us about your new book.

Gifted is a very special book to me. It centers on family, friendship, love and sacrifice. After years of wanting to be parents, Brent and Susan adopt Anna, a beautiful baby whose parents died in a car accident. As she grows they discover there are unusual things about her and they’re torn about how to handle these special gifts. The book is relatable to parents because we all face challenges. We walk a fine line between protecting our children and preparing them for the world. It’s also a great story for teens because of the friendship between Anna and Kelsey, her neglected and abused friend. The story spans sixteen years and we see how Anna’s gifts impact the lives of those around her.

This sounds like a wonderful story. I love the book cover. Where did you get your inspiration for this novel?

Our neighbors had a grand-daughter who was nine months pregnant when she died in a car accident. The doctors were able to save her baby and so my neighbors had to deal with the difficult task of finding a home for this great-granddaughter. I went to bed thinking of them and had an incredible dream about this baby girl. When I woke up, I wrote down the dream. That day, I couldn’t get it off my mind and ideas started coming. This was on a Saturday. When the kids left for school on Monday, I started writing. In the book, Anna’s mother has a dream that helps her understand her daughter. It’s the same dream I had that night.

What are Anna’s gifts and why are they not only a blessing but a challenge, also?

The first gift that Anna’s parents discover is that everything looks better when Anna’s around. The world is more beautiful, things are brighter and clearer. They also discover that people learn better when she’s around. This seems wonderful at first, but once Anna starts school, comparisons are made between classes. With those comparisons come unhappy parents and teachers who are blamed.

Also, Anna doesn’t get sick or injured. While this is a blessing most of us would enjoy, it makes Anna feel like an anomaly and she wants to experience life, even the hard parts.

A Reviewer wrote, “Karey White employs the miraculous to illustrate the impact of one mortal's existence the way Capra did in ‘It's a Wonderful Life.’” I loved It's a Wonderful Life with Jimmy Stewart and how an angel helped him to realize that life was worth living. Tell us your thoughts about this comment. How does your novel compare with this movie?

I’m flattered that someone would think of my book in the same way as “It’s a Wonderful Life” because that is such a classic. I loved this review because it put into words exactly what I hope people take away from Gifted. In the movie, the angel shows George Bailey the impact he had on other people’s lives. In Gifted, we see a special girl and the impact she has on the people around her, and it’s significant. Many people who have read the book have said that it made them think about the effect they can have on others. I think that’s so important—making a positive difference in the lives of the people around us.

A positive difference in the lives of others…what a wonderful concept of life! Now it’s time to tell us something about the real you that we’ll never forget.

I hope my characters are more memorable than me because I’m not sure I’m that memorable. I guess an interesting thing would be that when I was a child, my parents bought and remodeled an old schoolhouse in Wallsburg, Utah and that was our home for almost ten years. We had a gymnasium, a principal’s office and boy’s and girl’s bathrooms. I still miss that house.

AWESOME! You actually lived in a schoolhouse? Wow! And I suppose that you ate in the cafeteria for all your meals? What was your bedroom like? Was it a classroom?

We used the old school kitchen and eating area for the first couple of years that we lived there, then my parents remodeled and put in a new, modern, family-style kitchen. At first I shared a bedroom, but when I turned twelve, I moved into the library and it was my own room. It was a pretty narrow room, but it had floor to ceiling bookshelves. I loved it! It was a perfect room for someone who loved books as much as I did.

What a cool house!!! Thank you, Karey, for such a fun interview. I not only learned about your new book but I learned a few things about you. Now we know the real you! An Author who once had a library for her bedroom! Ha! Wonderful!

Interview with Children’s Author Nancy Stewart

2011-06-13T01:00:00.023-06:00

Nancy Stewart developed an appreciation of stories for young people as a university professor specializing in children's and young adult literature. She travels throughout the world and her love of nature inspired her to write One Pelican at a Time, Bella Saves the Beach, and Sea Turtle Summer.

Hello Nancy. Please tell us about your new book, One Pelican at a Time.

Bella and Britt think it’s so cool living by the beach, and they particularly love the old crooked beak pelican that they’ve known all their lives. (Pelicans live up to forty years, by the way.) But when an oil spill occurs, everyone’s life changes, especially the pelican’s. The girls try to do something. But what?

Where did you get your inspiration for this book? Do you get any ideas from real life experiences?

My husband and I bought a condo on the water in Clearwater Beach, Florida, three years ago. Although I didn’t know it would, that decision had a profound effect on me. I watched the marine life on our daily walks and quickly grew to love it all, particularly the brown pelicans.

Bella’s name came from one of my early morning walks. I noticed a heart drawn in the sand, and the name in the heart was Bella. The tide was just beginning to take it away. About a week later, I saw a beautiful African American child playing in the surf with her parents. Britt! And Pelican was not just a wisp of an idea anymore. It was Britt and Bella, and they were coming to life.

On my beach walks, I’ve heard children ask their parents some really great questions about ecology, particularly during the spill, although Tampa Bay was mercifully spared. Many kids are more educated about green issues than their parents. I suppose there’s both good and bad in that statement.

Each of your books teaches us a lesson about saving nature. In One Pelican at a Time, the children are trying to save the pelicans from an oil spill. What will we learn in Bella Saves the Beach?

In Bella, we learn about beach trash and what a horrible problem it is for coastal areas. Bella and Britt see what’s happening to their beautiful beach and spring into action. Again, I wanted it (and the others) to be a kid empowering book, letting children know they can not only help, but lead by example.

What lesson do we learn in Sea Turtle Summer?

Sea Turtle Summer is quite dear to my heart. In coastal areas, there is so much attention given (finally) to the plight of sea turtles, particularly with their nests being disturbed. Knowing that, it seemed natural to put the girls on the case. And again, it was written with kid empowerment in mind. When the girls see an endangered nest, they take matters into their own capable hands. The lesson? Respect marine life. The sea turtles were here before the dinosaurs. It’s human intervention that is causing their populations to decrease, and ironically, it’s human intervention that can save them.

I think everyone should know that Pelican is in Amazon's Hot New Releases and Most Wished For. Now it’s time to tell us something about the real you that we’ll never forget.

Something about the real me…hmmm. A tough one, but here goes. When I was in Kenya with my family, we were up in the Rift Valley at a place called Lake Turkana. I try to run several times a week, and I wanted to run along the shore. I noticed many crocodiles on the shore, sunning themselves. Our friend, a native Kenyan, had flown us up there in his small plane. I asked him about the crocs, and he assured me they were well fed on Nile Perch in the lake and wouldn’t bother me. So I did it, and he was right. They simply slithered into the water as I ran. Would I do it again today? Probably not. But in the moment, with the sun shining and the birds calling…Well, I was in Africa, after all.

That was great. Wow! You were quite daring, if you ask me. Now I know the real you! The daring author who runs alongside crocodiles without a care in the world!

Interview with Historical Fiction Author Kevin C. Mills

2011-05-31T01:00:00.032-06:00

Kevin C. Mills has been an award-winning journalist for over 20 years, writing for for the Lewiston Sun Journal, The Boston Globe, The Portland Press Herald and the Lynn Daily Evening Item. He is a descendant of lighthouse keepers, shipbuilders and merchant mariners. Two of his ancestors, poetess Celia Thaxter and maritime author George S. Wasson, are integral parts of Maine’s early literary heritage.

Hello, Kevin. So you’re a descendant of lighthouse keepers and mariners. That’s so interesting! Please tell us about your book.

Sons and Daughters of the Ocean takes readers back to the age of sail, where fortunes were made and lives were shaped by the fickle winds that raged across the oceans. It is a historical look at a small coastal village – Brooks Harbor, Maine. Its close proximity to the ocean creates an environment in which the shipping industry is the lifeblood of the town. The community is filled with merchant mariners, shipbuilders and crew. Those that don't earn their keep directly from the sea-faring life either profit or benefit from the shipping industry.

Sammy Jones, Albert Miller and Sarah Dyer are products of that environment. Their families have rich maritime histories and all three characters are about to embark on a distinctive course in their lives that change them forever. They are not only products of their environment but also have their fortunes shaped by the ocean's wake.

Jones works on the harbor docks, eager to follow the sea like his father. Miller works his family farm and feels trapped by its borders. Dyer is the daughter of one of the town’s most prominent sea captains.

All three characters tell their individual stories from a first-person perspective. You feel their joy and hurt with their sorrows. You experience their fear and follow their lives from inside their minds and hearts. You don't just read about the age of sail and the people it evolves around, you live that life and step back in time with each of these characters. It isn’t just a historical novel about sailing. It is a tale of adventure, courage, love and destiny.

I love adventure stories like this. Where did you get your inspiration for this novel?

I had spent a couple years researching my family tree and putting together two volumes of family history for various relatives. When those projects were about complete, I was interested in writing a novel. As a sports journalist, I’ve always stayed true to “Write what you know.” So when looking at subject matter for my novel, the stories from my maritime heritage were still fresh in my mind. They made a nice backdrop to start with. I had a number of experiences from various ancestors to draw from and that provided the framework I needed to build from.

I also had read the Civil War trilogy written by Michael and Jeffrey Shaara. I was interested in writing a historical novel much like The Killer Angels and then follow it with a sequel and a prequel.

Sons and Daughters of the Ocean ended up being that book. I’m currently writing Breakwater, the sequel. It follows the Miller family generations later. Following that, I’ll write Sea of Liberty, a story about Eli Miller and the privateering age during the American Revolution.

I love reading historical fiction because I learn so much, especially about American history. You said that this story is based loosely on your own family history of shipbuilders, merchant mariners and lighthouse keepers. Did you have to do a lot of research before writing this story, and what kind of research did you do?

I already had the family tree with dates and facts. I wanted to go beyond those names and dates. I read through other books and diaries, contacted historical societies, dug through family archives and contacted relatives I’d never met. I sorted through various documents, like wills, census records, real estate transactions, schooner wreck reports and bills of sale for schooners. I asked questions and sought answers to those questions.

I also started sailing on the three-masted schooner Victory Chimes for a week each summer. One of my ancestors built the first three-masted schooner of its kind in the Northeast. That was one of the reasons I chose to sail on the Chimes, which is the last of its kind still sailing the Maine coast. By watching the crew and participating, I learned a great deal about sailing schooners. Those trips also gave me a perspective of the Maine coast I’d never seen before, a glimpse like my ancestors had as they sailed the coast. A number of chapters were written while onboard the Chimes, describing actual scenes from along the coast, including the very harbors, coves, island and channels my ancestors sailed.

I also did a great deal of research through reading books about the age of sail. Among the half dozen books or so I researched, three of them were by my ancestor George S. Wasson. His work not only provided great insight and information on the schooner era but also gave me examples of the dialect of that time.

Wow! You did a lot of research. Leon Garfield said, “The historian, if honest, gives us a photograph; the storyteller gives us a painting.” In other words, a storyteller makes us feel part of the story as if we were actually there, and we can understand what our ancestors went through. Tell me your thoughts about this.

I didn’t know any of these ancestors, obviously. I had plenty of facts and details of their lives but knew hardly anything about their personalities. I took the foundational knowledge of these people and let their characters evolve and develop. It kind of brought these ancestors of mine to life for some of us, I think. But I think these characters serve as models of all people from that era. I think any reader can read their stories and feel as though they’re learning about their own ancestors in that time.

Writing the characters from the first person truly puts the reader in that character. So I think the book provides an accurate portrayal of people during the age of sail. The people I’ve heard from have loved the book. Whether they be related to me or not, I think the style of the book makes the reader feel as though they’re connected to these characters.

Now it’s time to tell us something about the real you that we’ll never forget.

My first experience writing about sailing was while working for a paper in Lynn, Mass. While in college, the co-operative education program set me up with jobs with the Boston Globe and Lynn Daily Evening Item. During the summer, the Item had me cover the sailing beat out of Marblehead. It was akin to sticking the newbie with the least desirable assignment. Much to their surprise, I took a liking to the coverage and spent the summers covering things like Marblehead Race Week and the Finn Class Olympic Trials. I recently ran into the current sports editor at the Item, who told me that they’ve never been able to replace me in the 20 years since I served as their sailing scribe.

Back then, I wasn’t even aware of maritime history of my ancestors. During those summers of covering sailing, I actually knew absolutely nothing about sailing. In fact, the first time I ever went sailing was years later when I had an afternoon sail on a Maine schooner in Penobscot Bay. I suppose it’s kind of like me covering professional hockey for 10-plus years and never having stepped on a sheet of ice wearing skates.

I understand what you mean. Thank you Kevin, for this wonderful interview. For those interested in learning more, you may visit Kevin’s Website and Facebook.

Montezuma Intrigue Book Release Celebration

2011-05-23T01:00:00.197-06:00

ADVENTURE...SUSPENSE...ROMANCE...INTRIGUE...HUMOR!

Today is a special day. I usually interview authors and have a book giveaway every Monday. But today I’m being interviewed by someone special in celebration of the Book Release of my 3rd book in this mystery series.

George (my hubby): Will you please tell us about your new book, Montezuma Intrigue?

This novel is about the search for Montezuma's treasure, family secrets, and a good-looking rogue! How many of us love a good rogue in a story? Haha. When a leather parchment of Montezuma’s map is found in great-grandfather Evans’ old chest, April and the twins know this summer is going to be a memorable one. The girls want to search for it but their father is against it for some mysterious reason. With Julia’s help, she and the girls convince John to go on a treasure hunt. Is Montezuma’s treasure a legend or reality? Whatever the case, John insists on keeping their little treasure hunt a secret. If certain people find out about it, the family could be in danger.

George: What made you decide to write about a married couple as the main characters in this mystery series?

Linda: When I was young, one of my favorite television shows was Hart to Hart, which featured a married couple investigating and solving crimes. The couple was madly in love. You laughed at the humor and sighed at the romance. I wanted to create something similar with a little suspense and adventure. In this series Julia is a reporter for a daily newspaper and John is a professional knife maker. Just like Hart to Hart, because of her curiosity, Julia gets herself into a bunch of trouble. Before long, she finds herself and her husband up to their necks in danger and running for their lives. There is one difference that I include. John and Julia Evans have three teenage daughters. I feel this makes the couple have more appeal to a larger audience.

George: Your new mystery series concerns the ancient American past and artifact theft. Why did you choose this subject?

Linda: I have always been interested in the ancient American Indians and their way of life. We have the Anasazis, the Mayans, and the Aztecs. The first book in this mystery series is called Anasazi Intrigue. I wondered who the Anasazi Indians were because their heritage is right here in my valley in southern Utah. Many people wonder why they disappeared, leaving behind their belongings. Indian art engraved in rock gives us an idea who the Anasazi were, their beliefs and lifestyle.

In Mayan Intrigue, we learn about the Mayan culture, and their magnificent temples and buildings in southern Mexico. Archaeologists don’t understand why they abandoned these huge cities. There are 172 sites open to the public but more than 6500 structures have not yet been uncovered. As I learned about the culture of this people, I was amazed. They knew the constellations and had an observatory. The people were very intelligent. Their sophisticated knowledge of mathematics and astronomy is just amazing. Their calendar was so perfect that they didn’t have to have a leap year like we do.

The search for Montezuma's treasure is one of the themes for Montezuma Intrigue. The question is, does it really exist? When Cortez arrived in America in the early 1500s, Montezuma thought he was the Great White God Quetzalcoatl, who had promised to return one day. It didn’t take long for Montezuma to realize he had made a mistake. After a great battle, the Spanish conquistadors were driven back, but Montezuma was killed. While the Spaniards were taking care of their wounded, the Aztecs quickly bundled up their treasure and took off with it. They had to protect it with their lives because it was sacred. For years, they kept the treasure in honor of their god when he returned. It was estimated at around $10,000,000 worth of gold and jewels.

George: What is it like to switch from historical romance to mystery?

Linda: The writing process between romance and mystery is quite a change with a completely different mind set. With romance, you plan out the plot around the meeting of a couple. As you write, you develop some sort of charisma between the characters, making the reader feel excited that one day they're going to hit it off and fall in love. You, as the reader, know the outcome.

But with a mystery, the reader is in the dark. The author has to come up with a plot that no one knows about until towards the end of the story and hope they haven’t figured it out. In a mystery, you may or may not allow your reader to know who the bad guys are, according to whether it’s just a mystery or mystery suspense. In a mystery, the reader doesn’t know who the bad guys are until the end of the book. With mystery suspense, the reader knows who they are and it makes for a more suspenseful outcome.

George: Now it’s time to tell us something about the real you that we’ll never forget.

Linda: What? Now that’s not fair. That’s what I ask all the authors I interview. You can’t do that!

George: Oh yes, I can! Tell your readers about the time I took you shooting with me and we sat an empty can in a pile of shaving cream and you kept shooting at it. I couldn’t figure out why you couldn’t hit that blasted thing with your little 22. Haha.

Linda: Now wait a minute! Just because it wouldn’t fall on the ground didn’t mean a thing. Something was definitely wrong and it wasn’t my aim. I shot that can six times. How do I know? Because it had six holes in it.

George: That was so funny! It was stuck to the shaving cream and kept twirling around in circles instead of falling on the ground. I laughed so hard. Okay, I have one more question. How does one qualify for an e-gift?

Linda: Watch the videos below and read the short review of each book, then list one thing that grabs your attention. For those interested, click on the book cover on the side bar and read a Sample Chapter.
But that’s not all! If you have already bought one of my adventure novels, then let me know and I will email you 2 free e-books (pdf):
1. Writing Your Family Legacy, in which I teach you how to write your family history or autobiography. I travel all over the U.S., teaching this class.
2. Reflections of the Heart, which has 12 chapters of inspirational writings such as: The secret of Happiness, Laughter is the Best Medicine, Parenthood – A Great Responsibility, Equal Partners in Marriage, and Music Soothes the Soul.

Anasazi Intrigue

The Adventures of John and Julia Evans

Socrates Book Review: Anasazi Intrigue received the Socrates Great Book Alert Award: “The first pages grab you right in. When Julia and John fight for their lives, readers will be on the edge of their seats for this one. There’s also romance in the mix. John and Julia’s marriage is strong and they are quite supportive of each other. Even when they have their ups and downs, it’s not for long and they get right back into each other’s arms. It’s nice to see a relationship portrayed this way. Very realistic and believable. In fact, all the characters are portrayed realistically including their three daughters.”

Synopsis: Stolen artifacts, a devastating flood, a snoopy newspaper reporter, and mysterious events begin to unfold in this mystery adventure novel. When a devastating flood takes out several homes in a small town, Julia realizes the story and investigation are much bigger than she thought! Julia and her husband find themselves on the run trying to save their lives while finishing the story of a lifetime. She never realized that being a reporter could be so dangerous.

Mayan Intrigue

The Adventures of John and Julia Evans

Suko’s Notebook Review wrote: “Excitement prevails…this book is full of mystery and suspense… Linda's writing is lively and down-to-earth; she has the ability to make you feel as if you're in these stories, along with John and Julia, trying to decipher the truth and escape from harm.”

Synopsis: The jungles of the Yucatan, Mayan ruins, looters, a mysterious artifact, and a nosy reporter are focus of Mayan Intrigue. The discovery of a priceless artifact soon puts Julia’s life in great danger. From valuable artifacts to shady businessmen, the Yucatan Peninsula becomes a dangerous vacation spot for John and Julia Evans. Before they realize what is going on, they are both in danger and find themselves running for their lives through the jungles of the Yucatan.

Montezuma Intrigue

The Adventures of John and Julia Evans

Suko’s Notebook wrote, “In the latest book by Linda Weaver Clarke, Montezuma Intrigue, the mysteries continue as this author entrances us with life-like characters and electrifying adventures. The search for Montezuma's treasure is both exciting and memorable. I enjoyed the adventure and suspense in her latest novel, which kept me reading well into the night!”

Anasazi Intrigue: purchase a book or an ebook at Amazon.

Mayan Intrigue: purchase a book or an ebook at Amazon.

Montezuma Intrigue: purchase this book directly from Publisher Direct Bookstore or Amazon.

Interview with Author Anne Patrick

2011-05-16T01:00:00.002-06:00

Anne Patrick is the author of more than a dozen novels of Romance, Mayhem & Faith, including the award-winning and best-selling Fire and Ash, Lethal Dreams and Sabotage. Anne looks at the dark side of life while her alter ego, by the name of Kinzie Monroe, writes Inspirational Romance. Anne’s books may be darker in subject matter, but they all carry messages of hope and faith. Born and raised in Oklahoma, she now makes her home in Kansas.

“Anne Patrick’s heroines are usually strong willed, witty, and often very opinionated … combinations that usually land them in situations where death seems imminent.”

Hello, Anne. Your novel is considered Romance/Inspirational/Suspense. Wow! Now that’s quite a mixture! Just that alone intrigues me. Please tell us about your new book, Sabotage.

Would love to! District Judge Katie McKinley takes her career very seriously. No one knows that better than her old childhood friend and first love, Graham Bishop. Her ruling cost him his family’s ranch. So it’s no surprise, when an attempt is made on her life, the sheriff turns his suspicions to Graham. Katie feels horrible knowing what her ruling cost her old friend, and knows his outburst in her courtroom gave the sheriff every right to suspect him. The Graham Bishop she grew up with would never harm her, though...or would he?

Where did you get your inspiration for this novel? Do you get any ideas from real life experiences?

To be honest I'm not sure what inspired this story. I suppose the inspiration for my heroine came from my experiences while working as a transport specialist. I was part of a two-person team and our job was to transport prisoners to and from court and to correctional facilities. My time spent in the courtroom gave me a healthy respect for our judicial system.

A Reviewer wrote, “A beautiful love story and just the right amount of suspense.” Is it difficult to put suspense in a love story?

Since I'm a suspense junkie that aspect of the story always comes first for me. Then once the characters come to life the romance just sort of comes naturally.

I understand what you mean. This novel is considered Romance/Inspirational. What kind of inspiration do you give the reader…if you know what I mean?

Katie lost her husband in the war in Iraq. Despite her strong faith, she is struggling to find the courage to read the last letters David sent to her and move on with her life. Her journey is similar to the verse in the book of Jeremiah. "The heart is hopelessly dark and deceitful, a puzzle no one can figure out. But God searches the heart and examines the mind. He gets to the heart of the human… God picked up the pieces and put me back together again! He is my Praise!"

That’s beautiful. Now it’s time to tell us something about the real you that we’ll never forget.

I've had the awesome privilege of going on several short-term mission trips out of the country. I've witnessed many miracles in the mission field that left me in awe of our creator. Once in Honduras, our great God sent my team an ice cream truck in the middle of nowhere so we could treat the children at our worksite. The one that stands out the most, though, was a worksite accident where He saved my life. We were working in Jamaica, constructing a new church when a seventy-five pound board came crashing down on me. It struck the left side of my head and sent me head first into a cement wall. Now normally we work in areas where we're miles away from a hospital but this time we were much closer and our driver, who just arrived as the accident happened, was a registered nurse. After two hours in the emergency room, I walked away with a few stitches, a mild concussion and the blackest eye you could imagine. Perhaps the real miracle was the bill we had to pay before treatment, which amounted to $22 US. That's right, only twenty-two bucks! Here in the U.S. it would have been at least a thousand dollars, which we didn't have on hand.

I love hearing stories of faith and miracles. It shows how the Lord is watching over us. Thank you so much for this interview. I thoroughly enjoyed it. To learn more, visit Anne's website and her Blog: Stories of Romance, Mayhem, and Faith. She loves to hear from here readers!

Interview with Author Jill Ammon Vanderwood

2011-05-09T01:00:00.004-06:00

Jill grew up in Oregon and was the third of eleven children. She is the author of five children’s/young adult books. She enjoys writing for kids and hopes to make a difference for this generation. Besides writing fiction she has won several awards for her nonfiction book—What’s it Like Living Green: Kids Teaching Kids by the Way They Live. Her newest work is a teen book, written with her teenage granddaughter, Savanna Peterson—Drugs Make You Un-Smarter. Jill is the mother of four children and has six grandchildren, and one great grandchild. She and her husband have made their home in Utah.

Hello Jill. Please tell us about your book, Through the Rug.

This is a magical adventure series. When Grandma Emma signs up for cooking school, she doesn’t realize she is learning magic. She tries a formula to clean her dog, and turns her black and white dog, Domino, to pink and green. Her dog attracts the attention of a dogcatcher. While her granddaughter, ten-year-old Alyssa, comes to visit, Grandma makes a formula for more days in the week, the formula spills onto the kitchen rug. Grandma slips into the spill and falls through the rug. Alyssa and Domino are followed through the rug by the dogcatcher. They find themselves in a magical place called Wishville, where all wishes are granted.

Readers are invited to follow Grandma Emma, Alyssa and Domino on adventures including a reception where they can eat as much as they wish, without getting full. They visit an island with pirates and Alyssa dances in a professional ballet. Many fun and often-misguided wishes await the reader in Through the Rug.

This series sounds wonderful. Where did you get your inspiration for this novel? Do you get any ideas from real life experiences?

My stories are inspired by my own grandchildren, and ten year old Alyssa is actually my granddaughter. The grandmother is loosely based on my own personality. In the story, Grandma went to the store in her slippers and her granddaughter was so embarrassed. This incident actually happened.

When I was growing up in Portland, Oregon, we had a lake called Blue Lake. One year voters would decide if the city should put blue dye in the water, to make the lake blue. My friends often joked, “I wonder if we will turn blue when we go swimming” or “I wonder if the water will taste like blue punch.” I used this scenario in the story and everyone who goes swimming in the lake turns blue. The water also tastes like punch.

Wow! I love it when an author uses real experiences from their own life. Through the Rug 2: Follow That Dog is the second book in this series. What is it about and will there be more books in this series?

The dogcatcher returns for Domino, or is it the rug he’s after? Grandma and Alyssa follow Domino through the rug, back to Wishville, where all wishes are granted. Domino outsmarts the dogcatcher, and makes sure things don’t turn out well for a bank robber with a bag full of money. Alyssa falls into the nest of a strange bird and Grandma’s most embarrassing moment is broadcast on national television. Rub your return token and come to Wishville, for more fun adventures and magical mishaps. Follow that Dog is a winning recipe for fun.

I’m usually reading Through the Rug to a classroom. I finished reading to a class of sixth graders before Christmas and now I’m reading to a class of fifth graders. The kids are always asking for Through the Rug Three. I have the book about 3/4 finished but I’m not sure when I will finish and release this book. The title of the book is Through the Rug 3: Charm Forrest.

It sounds like you’re kept busy. What does your family think about your writing?

My grandchildren all want to be featured in a book. Through the Rug 2: Follow that Dog includes three more granddaughters. My husband thought my writing was just a phase, at first, but then it continued. I have published a new book each year, since 2006, and still have many ideas brewing. He’s getting use to the idea that this is for real. He was at the League of Utah Writer’s Roundup in 2008, when I won the Writer of the Year Award.

It shows that you’re never too old to start something new. My first book was published in 2006, also. It was the beginning of a new life for me. I’m sure you agree. Now it’s time to tell us something about the real you that we’ll never forget.

This is something my family certainly won’t forget. After publishing my fourth book, What’s It Like, Living Green? Kids Teaching Kids, by the Way They Live, I went skydiving to promote literacy. In the book I encourage readers to “Take a Green Leap” and decide to take my own “Leap for Literacy” I took donations for the Literacy Action Center in Salt Lake City and even made it onto the channel 4 news.

I actually went skydiving twice, because I wanted to make sure I could really go through with it. The first time, I didn’t even tell my husband. For the real jump, he tried very hard to talk me out of it, but that didn’t work. You can see the video of my first jump on my website. It’s in the information section for What’s It Like, Living Green?

Find more information about me and my books at: www.jillvanderwood.com
Through the Rug is available @ amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com.

Thank you so much for this interview, Jill. Now I know the real you! The “skydiving” author, who dares to take a chance at life and do something new…a mother and grandmother who decided to become an author in her later years! Congratulations, Jill, for taking a chance.

Interview with Romance Author Celia Yeary

2011-05-02T01:00:00.015-06:00

Celia Yeary is a native Texan, a former science teacher, and a graduate of Texas Tech University and Texas State University. She is the mother of two, grandmother of three, and wife of a wonderful, supportive Texan. Celia and her husband enjoy traveling, and both are involved in their church, the community, and the university. She is also the author of five books.

Hello Celia. Welcome to my blog. Please tell us about Making the Turn.

I thought you'd never ask! For all the non-golfers out there, "making the turn" means the player has finished the front nine and begins the back nine. The player records separate scores for each of the nine holes, but adds them together at the end. Most players feel as though the 'back nine' is a chance to make a better score, a new beginning, if you will.

Now, before you think this is a novel about golf, let me say it is not. Yes, it begins with four women playing golf, and I've begun each chapter with a golf rule or quote. The story is really about a thirty-nine-year-old socialite from Dallas who loses everything overnight due to the death of her philandering, absent husband. The lower economic level she finds herself in means she must return to her childhood home of Del Rey, Texas, live with her mother, and…gasp…find a job.

This book sounds fun! You call this “Women's Fiction” but you usually write Western Historical romances. What inspired you to write about a 39-year-old woman who is trying to find herself once again?

Well, first I might explain that I am nowhere near thirty-nine anymore, but I remember turning forty. At that age, I felt ready to explore the world outside my teaching position, my nice home, my loving husband, and my grown children. I learned more after the age of forty than I ever did before--such as how to play golf.

The inspiration for this story is my three very close friends I played golf with for many years. I really just began writing a scene about the four of us playing, because we had so much fun. I used the characteristics of my real friends to create the three fictional ones. That's all I intended--write a funny scene about us playing golf.

But I came to a point in the scene where I gave Sara--the main character--a serious problem. Honestly, I didn't know what Sara's problem was until halfway through the scene. By then, I knew I had an entire novel in the beginning stages. I wrote this manuscript almost without stopping. Has this happened to you? It just rolled out, right onto the computer screen, as if it had a life of its own.

One of my real friends sang this song to us at the end of many rounds: "Those were the days, my friend, we thought would never end….." But they did end for my character, Sara, and I sent her on her way to the small farming community of fictional Del Rey, Texas, somewhere southwest of Fort Worth, to begin a new life.

Already your novel sounds intriguing. You have added a cantankerous mother to this story. Does this character add a little humor to your book?

Humor? Yes, you might laugh, or you might want to cry. As I wrote this story, I had my own mother in mind. Even though I used phrases she used when she explained something or scolded someone, the mother in the story--Dorothy--became her own character--not really my mother at all.

Dorothy runs the little community and the church. Other older women depend on her for organization and help. But when Sara comes home, Dorothy realizes she's just an old woman living alone, behind the times, unable to do anything other than those tasks she's done for fifty-plus years. Enter Sara's college-age daughter, Laney, who immediately recognizes that her grandmother Dorothy's cantankerous attitude is due to insecurity, and her mother Sara's insecurity is due to fear of rocking the boat. The young woman, in her unique wise way, becomes the instigator of change for everyone.

So Laney becomes an important part of this story, then. You have also added a “a handsome distraught widower.” It seems that you can’t get away from romance. Would you say this is a romance, also?

Of course, there's a sweet romance in this novel. But the story doesn't revolve around the relationship between Sara Daniels and the handsome widower Dr. Richard St. John. Rick has problems of his own, and yes, he becomes involved with not only Sara, but Dorothy and Laney, as well. We've forgotten another important character--Aaron St. John, ten years old, mourning the death of his mother just as his dad mourns the loss of his wife. Aaron quickly becomes attached to Sara, which creates another source of angst and indecision.

Making the Turn is about five people of different generations, who all need a second chance. I hope I've injected humor along with the atmosphere of "small-town Texas."

Oh yes! A bit of humor with this kind of setting is important. Now it’s time to tell us something about the real you that we’ll never forget.

Okay, I'll confess--I have a "killer instinct." No one knows this, though, unless the person is a close friend. Oh, I think my husband probably knows because he's watched me in action over the years. This revelation is sometimes shocking to those who think they know the real me. Actually, it's just one faction of my personality. Overall, I look like, act like, and am a retired teacher, a Bible lesson teacher, a good grandmother, a loving and loyal wife, a devoted friend to those who love me, and a quiet-spoken average woman with silver hair and glasses. After the age of forty, I learned to play golf enough to win trophies, tournaments, and prizes. Writing is another recent accomplishment, and as with golf, I learned fast. Seems like the killer instinct kicked in midlife because I want to do well--at least I'm never bored.

Now we know the real you: An author with the killer instinct! Thank you so much for this interview, Celia. For those interested, I added an excerpt below from Making the Turn. I instantly became interested after reading it and wanted to find out more:

After a moment of hesitation, he said very softly, “Sara. I apologize. That should never have happened.”

Shaken by the kiss, Sara turned and gripped the door handle without replying. Instead of opening it, she turned back around, holding the cake platter against her chest with crossed arms. Managing to keep her voice under control, she said, “Well, it won’t happen again, that’s for sure. You won’t be seeing me anymore anyway, probably, unless we just happen to run into each other. I start work tomorrow, and besides, I won’t be staying in Del Rey very long.”

“You’re not moving here?” he asked with some surprise.

“No, I told you from the beginning I was visiting.”

At this juncture, Sara stood as stiffly and silently as Rick.

At last, Rick spoke softly. “It’s mainly about Aaron, Sara. Don’t you see? He needs a lot of things, but right now in his life, I’m the one to supply everything for him—physically and emotionally.”

“Oh, I understand,” she began in a low voice and leaned toward him. “Having your life change drastically is traumatic on anyone, especially a child. But we adults can just suck it up, can’t we, Rick? We carry on, no matter whom we lose, or how much the loss endangers our well-being, or how the circumstances destroy our self-concept.” She paused and looked toward the house and bit her bottom lip. “I need to go.”

Sara drove away. She looked in her rear-view mirror and could barely make out Rick through the near darkness, still standing in the driveway with his hands shoved deeply into his pockets, watching after her as she turned onto the highway.

“Damn,” she whispered to herself. “I can’t please anybody. First kiss in over ten years, and the man apologizes.”

Interview with Author Jennifer Walker

2011-04-24T01:00:00.005-06:00

Jennifer Walker is a full-time freelance writer, editor and novelist. She has been published in numerous magazines and websites, and Bubba to the Rescue is the sequel to her first book, Bubba Goes National, which was released in 2010. She owns some beautiful Arabian horses and enjoys writing about her first love… horses! She also has other interests besides horses. Jennifer is a professional ballroom dance instructor.

Hello Jennifer. Welcome back to my blog once again. Please tell us about your new book.

What starts out as a leisurely trail ride turns into a terrifying afternoon when Alex and Leslie see a plume of smoke rising in the trees. After saving the neighbor's horses from a horrible fate, the two teens must run through the burning woods and get back to Green Meadow before it's too late. On the way, they encounter a strange horse wandering through the woods by itself, and it follows them home. Leslie soon becomes attached to "Spark" when she can't find his owner...but will she get to keep him, or will someone come forward to claim the horse she has come to love?

Readers of Bubba to the Rescue will enjoy an exciting story, but they will also learn about the care and showing of horses while they read about Leslie's adventures. Bubba to the Rescue is the second of the Riders of Green Meadow series, which will showcase horses that are unwanted by one person but are another's dream come true. This installment also digs into the problems that today's teenagers face, like boyfriend troubles and a widowed father who remarries.

I know you love horses very much. Where did you get your inspiration for this novel?

If you poll horse owners about what they fear the most, fire will be one of the top answers. We hate it, horses hate it, and wooden barns full of hay are like gigantic matches. On top of that, a lot of horse people live in the country, which means forest fires are always a worry during the dry season. I have been involved in two fire evacuations, and it is scary stuff. I thought it would make an exciting opener for this story.

I always brainstorm my story ideas with my husband (Greg Walker Blogspot) and my mentor (Michelle Devon). Coming up with the ideas is actually my weak point, so they help me come up with great plot lines and dig me out when I get stuck.

Wow! Now that’s real support. What is the difference from a purebred Arabian horse and other horses? Do they have a longer endurance?

There are lots of differences between Arabians and other breeds—they are beautiful, refined and tend to be good at a lot of different things. They tend to have wonderfully personable dispositions (I wrote an article about that here); there is a legend that the Bedouins of Arabia used to keep their most prized horses in the tent with them. While they are able to do pretty much any discipline (the ones in Bubba Goes National and Bubba to the Rescue do Saddle Seat, which is a type of English riding), they are well known for excelling at endurance riding, which is trail riding distances of 25 miles or more. If you look at the results for the Western States Trail Foundation Tevis Cup, which is one of the most grueling and prestigious endurance rides in the country, you will see that the majority of finishers are Arabians.

Thank you. I was wondering about that. What kind of research did you do for this book?

Most of this came from my experience owning horses and working for horse trainers, where I’ve had to take care of a lot of different types of injuries. While I’m by no means an expert, it was a good starting point. Since there were some serious injuries in this book, I had my veterinarian, Linda Lauper of H.A.P.P.E.E. Horses, Inc., read the book to make sure I got all the medical parts right. I’m happy to say she only made minor changes!

This next question can be a fun one. Have you had any amusing or unusual experiences in your life that you would like to tell us about?

Here’s an amusing experience from my childhood horse show days. I was getting ready to ride into an equitation class, which is judged on the rider and you’re expected to be sparkling clean and perfect from head to toe. I was riding toward the in-gate when my horse spooked at an empty puddle (no water, just the indentation in the dirt). He jumped to the side and I didn’t…meaning I hit the dirt in my sparkling clean show clothes.

Before I knew what was happening, four horse show moms (none of which were mine) had me brushed off and back on my horse. I trotted in the gate just in time to make the class and won first place. My mom told me later she had no idea what happened. She was waiting inside to watch the class, and she kept wondering what took me so long to get in there!

What a wonderful story! And you won first place after your little accident! Awesome! Thanks, Jennifer, for this fun interview.

Interview with Author Kaayla Canfield

2011-04-18T01:00:00.024-06:00

At a very young age Kaayla Canfield enjoyed spending a great deal of time outside, close to Mother Nature, planting and tilling their family garden. Years later she started doing “Going Green Seminars” for elementary school children in her hometown of Calgary.

Hello, Kaayla. "Going Green" seems to be of great concern now days and what better time of year to discuss your book than the Easter season and the celebration of Earth Day. Please tell us about your new book.

My book is about teaching people how to go green in simple to implement steps. Breaking it down into baby steps, so people are not so overwhelmed by the prospect of greening their life. I have done a lot of research, and give lots of resource material to people, to help them along their green journey.

I started off writing the book for homeowners, thinking that they would be my target audience, but along the way, I found that children in various grades were very interested in this. That is when I started to give talks in schools, to help the children understand how simple things add up and make a big difference.

Then it was suggested to me, to contact Alberta Education, and submit my book for consideration in Alberta’s curriculum program. It was approved in October 2010, and it should start appearing in classrooms soon.

Where did you get your inspiration for this book?

I have had allergies all of my life, so I was brought up finding ways to look after myself, that were healthy and inexpensive. When I was a little girl, my mother did not buy commercial house cleaners, we used vinegar and water to clean mirrors, counters and many other things.

If a room had an odor, we opened a window for a few minutes in the winter, or placed a bowl of vinegar in the room, which got rid of the odor. Febreez did not exist back then, but I never would have been able to use it anyway.

A few years ago, I was working in a warehouse environment, and I developed asthma. After doing some research, I found that peppermint oil worked at helping to open my airways, and allowed me to breath. I have never enjoyed taking medications, so I always try to find natural ways of taking care of it. I really feel that there are too many drugs out there that have harmful side effects, and they lead to really serious health problems.

I totally agree with you. Dr. Quentin G.R. Schwenke said, “I wish that I had had ‘Simply Going Green’ available to recommend to my patients during my many years of Preventive Medical Practice. It prevents illness. That is true Preventive Medicine.” Tell us your thoughts about this and why it prevents illness.

When you study what all these chemicals do to our bodies on a daily basis, it is no wonder that so many people have health problems. I think people need to take more responsibility for their own health, and find natural ways to heal themselves. My book “Simply Going Green” is chalk full of resources to help people find natural ways of healing themselves. By using essential oils like Peppermint to help open airways or to help take the edge off a headache, you are not adding chemicals to your body, which could bring on other problems. I provide website links, so people do not have to do a lot of research, and instead just need to do some reading. Preventative Medicine, starts with us, and our willingness to look for alternative ways of healing our bodies.

Wow! I didn’t know about Peppermint taking away headaches. That’s awesome! How do you save money by going green?

When we repurpose items and find different uses for them, we are saving money by not spending it. When we make purchases, buy quality items, not stuff that will wear out in short order and leave us spending more money in the long run. Research what products are quality, so you know when you do go shopping.

Also, learn to do things for yourself. Grow a garden, and save money by not spending it on food. Learn to grow herbs in the winter, in containers on a kitchen window ledge. Learn how to do simple maintenance on your vehicle, like checking the tire air pressure so you are getting good gas mileage. Instead of buying new jeans when the zipper wears out, learn how to stitch a new zipper in. Take a good look at what you want to replace, and decide if it has a lot of wear left in it, if you took the time to fix it. If the answer is yes it does have lots of wear left in it, then learn how to fix it. There is usually a family member, neighbor or friend that knows how to fix these things, and will happily show you how to do it.

If you think about it, our grandparents lived on a whole lot less, were healthier, and had a good life. They knew simple green methods for everything, and if we pay attention to them, if they are still alive, then we too can learn how to be a lot greener and save money.

Thank you for your good advice, Kaayla. Now it’s time to tell us something about the real you that we’ll never forget.

When I was a small child, my father used to make homemade wine. One afternoon when it was raining, he was sitting on the covered doorstep outside, and enjoying his wine, and let me have my first sip of the wine. Now, when it rains, I always grab a glass of wine and like to sit outside enjoying the smell of rain and the taste of wine. It reminds me of my father. I guess it is a way of being close to him, even though he has passed on. Wine and rain always reminds me of my father.

It sounds like you have some wonderful memories with your dad. How wonderful! Thank you so much, Kaayla, for this interview.

Interview with Romance Author LK Hunsaker

2011-04-11T01:00:00.007-06:00

LK Hunsaker grew up in the Midwest. She holds a degree in psychology with an emphasis in art and literature. A detour took her to Texas before graduation with her new Army spouse, and then to Germany. During the 4 years overseas, she and her husband had their first child and did some traveling, setting foot in Berlin just after the Wall came down. She is the mother of two children and the author of five books.

Hello Loraine. This novel is a “sweet” romance. Please tell us about your new book and what time period it’s set in.

Hi Linda! Thank you for having me on your blog. I look forward to talking with your readers. Protect The Heart is the story of Abraham Luchner, a farm boy who is the only family his beloved father still has, and an artist. He’s been raised to believe you stand up and do what is right, whatever the consequences, and so he enlists to help in the war cause. His sometimes overzealous friend, Cameron Terry, who comes from an “outsider” family of wealth, joins with him looking for a grand adventure. The main focus, however, is Maura Laerty. She’s also new in the small town and has some ideas that don’t quite mesh with the community. Cameron has claimed her as his betrothed, but Maura isn’t so sure. When Cameron and Abraham leave, she commences writing letters first to one, then to both. The story bounces between the war front and the home front.

The time period is actually undetermined. I wanted an historical feel, with old-fashioned sensibilities and deportment and sometimes stifling restrictions, but I also wanted to pull in some more modern day issues. So it’s a bit of both, and it’s meant to show a timelessness and a rotation of events throughout history. Times may change, but inside, people are the same in each generation.

I like that idea. I’m from Idaho, so the picture on the book and in your video bring back beautiful memories of my home state. Since my ancestors settled there, my first 5 historical romance novels are set in Idaho. Since you were raised in the Midwest and lived in several eastern states with your husband, why did you choose Idaho for your setting?

Idaho is stunning, with its mountains and rivers and canyons, especially to someone who grew up in the middle of flat land and cornfields! I first went to visit back in 1987 with my new husband, who was born and raised in southern Idaho’s Snake River valley. I’m a bit of a photo bug so every time we visited, I had my camera along. The cover photos are ones I took on some of those earliest visits. It never ceased to amaze me that I could look out the back window of his parents’ house and see mountains in the distance.

His family moved, so we no longer take those canyon and mountain visits. I look forward to checking out your books and revisiting the state through your stories.

Thanks, Loraine. Idaho is very dear to me. Where did you get your inspiration for this novel?

Protect The Heart is very much a family-inspired book. My husband is a farm boy turned veteran. Also, I grew up hearing about my great uncles who fought in WW2, and those who joined after the war as soon as they were old enough. One of them is very highly decorated. The other was shot down and didn’t come home. I often thought about his mother who struggled through the loss of her child and the brother who came home when the other didn’t, so there is some of that in the story. I’ve also heard how overzealous my uncles could be. By the time I knew them, they were gray-haired or nearly so the stories brought them back as younger men. Part of that seeped into Cameron as I wrote.

Maura is very much drawn from real experience. She’s not a military spouse in the story, but she is the main support for the two soldiers away from home, as well as for several people who need her at home. Being alone in a new town is reminiscent of how, as an Army wife, I was often the new person in town without family or friends to support me during the rough times. It shows a strength she learns to have that can’t be learned any other way. There’s also an incident that is a take-off of an actual personal event where Maura feels hugely betrayed.

Your book sounds wonderful: full of emotion, love, and sorrow. It sort of reminds me of what our soldiers and families are going through today. What does your family think about your writing?

I have to say at first it was rough going. Writing takes an incredible amount of time, and back when I became serious about putting a story on paper that had been in planning stages since my teen years, my kids were still young and my husband still active Army. So to suddenly pick up pencil and paper and spend every free minute I could grab with this story they didn’t even know was swirling in my head was confusing to them, at best.

Now though, I’m very lucky they’re fully supportive. My daughter often grabs each new chapter I print while it’s still warm and badgers me for the next if I’m not fast enough. My son tells his tons of friends about my books and hands out bookmarks and pencils. And my husband, bless his heart, tells me this is what I should be doing now that I can.

After years of taking care of everyone else and working part time jobs, I’m in a place now to give my stories more attention and the life they’ve been searching for throughout the years. That is a wonderful gift for a writer. I would have a hard time doing this without their support, which also means having quick and easy meals so I can get back to the current book, and overlooking the fact that I have several plots and a bunch of characters in my head and forget to pick up the milk when I force myself to go to the store because a story line or bit of dialogue took over my thoughts. I do feel sorry for a writer’s family, because everywhere you go, your story is right there with you.

I understand completely. Now it’s time to tell us something about the real you that we’ll never forget.

This is hard! What do I want to tell that’s memorable but also open to the public? Hm.... Well, when I was in grade school, I was often one of the top finishers in the spelling bee. One year I went on to county level after winning the school bee. The year after that, when everyone was expecting I’d win again or at least be one of the top three, I knocked myself out early. It was quite a humbling experience, since it was a very easy word and I’m such a horrible chocolate addict, so much so that Mom often called me that when I was little, but I missed the word “chocolate”! I’ve never lived that one down, and I’ve never misspelled it since.

That is hilarious. What a great story! So now we know the real you, the chocolate eating author who will never again misspell “chocolate.”

Interview with Author Ellen F. Feld

2011-04-04T01:00:00.023-06:00

Award-winning author Ellen Feld began writing about horses more than twenty years ago. Her articles have appeared in 8 publications including Young Rider, Just About Horses, and The Appaloosa Journal. Ms. Feld's stories are noted for their realistic portrayal of horses, their behaviors, and the experiences of young riders. To attain this believability, Ms. Feld uses her horses as the basis for the animal characters within her books.

Hello Ellen. Welcome to my blog. This novel is for ages 9-12 and has won the Children's Choice Award. Please tell us about your new book.

“Frosty” is the second book in my ‘Morgan Horse’ series. In the first book, the protagonist, Heather, was very successful showing a Morgan named Blackjack. “Frosty” picks up with Heather going to an auction with a friend and falling in love with a gray Morgan. She is able to buy the horse and has visions of more blue ribbons with Frosty. But Frosty has other ideas and hates ring-work / showing. Heather is disappointed but doesn’t give up. Instead she takes up trail riding and discovers it’s a blast. A friend convinces Heather to take Frosty on a 3-day organized trail ride in Vermont. Heather is quite excited and the trail ride proves to be loads of fun. But on the morning of the second day, Heather and Frosty are up and exploring the camp area well before others have started to get ready. It’s very foggy out. As they explore, they stumble across a deer grazing in a nearby field. Heather gets carried away and asks Frosty to follow the deer. The horse and deer are soon racing through the woods. But once the deer disappears in the fog, Heather realizes that she and Frosty are lost…

Your book sounds like it has suspense. Where did you get your inspiration for this novel?

While my books are all fiction, much of each tale is based on experiences that I, or friends, have had with our horses. All the horses are based on real horses and in fact, my illustrator uses pictures of each when she’s working on the cover art.

In “Frosty,” Heather gets lost in the woods. Thankfully, that never happened to me but I did have a friend who once got lost. I asked her what happened and she told me, “Well, there was this deer…. and it was very foggy…” so I used that in my book. Also, Frosty gets bitten by a snake while in the woods. Again, it didn’t happen to any of my horses, but I have another friend who had a horse get bitten on the nose by a snake. She gave me every little detail of that experience and I took that information and wrapped it into the story. Finally, there’s a sub-plot in “Frosty” where Blackjack gets ill with all these really strange symptoms. The vet in the book is stumped. Well, the real Blackjack did get very sick (he’s fine now!) and the vet couldn’t figure it out. He had to call in a specialist. So I again used that in the book. I condensed the time – the whole event spanned over 6 months – and replaced technical jargon with much easier text that young readers would understand, but otherwise it was true to life. It turned into a nice little mystery plot. I’ve had numerous vets read the book because of the case – it was quite unusual.

Wow! You’ve certainly got my interest. I read Black Beauty as a young girl and thoroughly enjoyed it. The author wanted her readers to understand the importance of treating an animal right…to treat them with love and respect. Did you have anything in mind that you wanted your readers to learn as you wrote this book?

Yes, absolutely. There are so many horse books on the market today that anthropomorphize horses; stories where a young girl befriends a wild stallion and he helps her with some crises. Well, horses don’t do that! It really bothers me to have kids read that sort of story and think it’s real. So all my horse stories are true to life. I have a veterinarian consultant who fact checks all my stories. I’ve used trainers as consultants and I even have a medical doctor who checks my human action. Have you ever read a story/seen a movie where a character gets injured and is up and doing fine in the next scene when you know that’s just not possible? If a character falls off a horse and breaks her wrist, I don’t want her riding the next day. Of course, having said all this, the story must first and foremost be a lot of fun to read! Without a fun story, everything else is irrelevant.

I agree with you. What does your family think about your writing?

They’re used to it and don’t get terribly excited. I’ve been writing for horse magazines for about 30 years so my kids have grown up with a mother who has always written. They do, however, get excited when one of their horses is featured in a book.

It’s so nice getting to know you in this interview. Now it’s time to tell us something about the real you that we’ll never forget.

Um…. How about that I have an Amazon Gray (parrot) named Razzy who is terribly neurotic and has a nervous head twitch? But he talks up a storm and makes everybody laugh.

I love it. I wish I could listen to him talk. Thanks for your time, Ellen.

FREE shipping on any size order of books from the 'Morgan Horse' series when you order during this tour! Just enter code 1717 in the online order form http://willowbendpublishing.com/order_form.htm or mail-in form http://willowbendpublishing.com/paypal.htm.

Interview with Historical Fiction Author Jeff Foltz

2011-03-27T23:07:00.003-06:00

Jeff Foltz received a B. A. in history from Marietta College and an MFA in creative writing from the University of Southern Maine. He lives with his wife, Sue, in Camden, Maine and has three grown children and seven grandchildren. Jeff loves writing and Birkebeiner is his first novel.

Hello Jeff. Your novel is “A story of Motherhood and War.” Please tell us about your new book.

Norway, 1203. A mother’s compulsion to protect her children is timeless and primal. War is insidious and ageless. Birkebeiner is a story of both.

Two years after her son Hakon’s birth, Inga, wife of the Birkebeiner leader, King Hakon, realizes that the Crozier army will overrun her home, the fortress of Lillehammer. Inga is certain the Croziers will kill her child because he is the prince who may ascend the throne and unite the country. To save little Hakon, King Hakon asks his two best warriors to flee with his son for the safety of Nidaros (present-day Trondheim). It’s a long and dangerous journey on skis through two treacherous winter valleys and over a 7,000-foot snow-blown mountain. Willing to risk everything for her son, Inga insists on going with them. For eight harrowing, exhausting days, they’re pursued by a cadre of enemy soldiers bent on killing her child. Magnus, the Crozier’s military leader whom the church and the bishop call King -- and who has lost his own wife and two-year-old son -- must lead the chase.

What an intense novel! Where did you get your inspiration?

The cover of the book is a portrait painted by Knud Larsen Bergslien in 1869. Its title is Skiing Birchlegs Crossing the Mountain with the Royal Child (Norwegian: Birkebeinerne pa Ski over Fjeldet met Kongbarnet).

I’m an avid cross country skier. The first time I skied in the largest cross-country ski race in North America, The American Birkebeiner (8,000 skiers), I saw this portrait. It more than intrigued me. It dragged me in. “These guys are not babysitters,” I said. “Who are they and what are they doing with that kid?”

Inga, the two soldiers in the portrait, Torstein Skevla and Skjervald Skrukka, and the event are revered by modern Norwegians, as are the Birkebeiner. The name Birkebeiner was used by the bishop’s army, called the Croziers, as a term of derision. It means “Birch Legs”. In the early part of the war, the army that opposed the bishop was made up of poor farmers who couldn’t afford horses, mail coats, good weapons, or adequate clothing. The farmers would wrap their lower legs with birch bark to keep the snow out. The Croziers would yell “Run Birkebeiner, run Birch legs”, chiding them as their inept opposition turned tail. But the Birkebeiner army gained experience and got better and, when they started to win their share of the battles, started to call themselves Birkebeiner. They turned a derisive epithet into a proud hallmark that endures in Norway to this day. Some of you may recall that the stadium at the Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway, was called Birkebeiner Stadium.

Roland Merullo said, “Brilliantly researched, fully imagined, and finely written, this story examines both the tenderness of family relationships and the viciousness of war--a mix of human extremes that is achingly timely.” What kind of research did you do?

I traveled to Norway to ski terrain my main characters skied, to see the countryside they saw and to experience the kind of arctic weather they endured. I also researched with Cornell University’s Nordic History Library, spent hours in the Oslo National Library and in the Holmenkollen Ski Museum in Oslo, Norway. I enjoyed every second of it.

What a wonderful story to read! Now it’s time to tell us something about the real you that we’ll never forget.

I love my workouts. They’re part of my lifestyle. In the spring, summer and fall, I scull (row) at 6 AM on beautiful Lake Megunticook in Camden, Maine and in the winter, what else, I wax up the boards and head for the ski trails.

What an awesome thing to do! Sounds fun! Thank you so much for this interview. It was fun getting to know you and learn about your book.

Interview with Author Anne Bradshaw

2011-03-21T01:00:00.008-06:00

Anne Bradshaw was born in Caernarvon, Wales, and grew up in England. She has lived in the United States for thirteen years, and is the author of six published books—Terracotta Summer, Chamomile Winter; Please, No Zits! (YA short stories); Famous Family Nights; DINGO (a teen YA mystery adventure); and True Miracles with Genealogy~Help from Beyond the Veil. Anne has also written countless articles in magazines and on the Internet, and co-authored an award-winning screenplay, and two non-fiction books on writing: Writing Secrets, and Publishing Secrets.

Hello Anne. I’m so glad to have you on my blog again. Dingo is a teen mystery/adventure/fantasy novel. Please tell us about your new book.

The title, DINGO, is actually an acronym for Delivers Information, Navigates, Goes Overseas, which is the name given to a perky little gizmo that works in combination with a black box known as Kahuna Black, to accomplish some pretty amazing stunts.

Fifteen-year-old Zack Novak and three friends, Joel, Erin, and Libby, are introduced to Dingo by a strange English inventor, Hunter MacMurray. The whacky gadget transports them from Connecticut, USA to Cornwall, England, with only a few hours to prevent a bomb attack on Yankee Stadium. The question is—can Zack unravel a mystifying clue fast enough? Or will the impossible task end in disaster? Many lives depend on the toughest decisions Zack and his friends will ever make.

You say that Dingo is a gizmo that transports them from the USA to England. How does it work?

Ah! I'm glad you asked me that question. I wish I knew the whole answer. If I did, I could make a fortune selling Dingos. All I know is that the mechanism Hunter employs to work his Dingo gizmo has something to do with a condition called Carotenemia (a skin problem that comes from eating too many carrots). Dingo has sensors that react to the Carotenemia. It's called the carrot skin factor. Carotene in carrots is a lipochrome that adds yellow color to the skin, but those with dark pigmentation hide it well, as readers will find out when they read the book. The yellow coloring in certain people's skin triggers Dingo sensors into action, allowing them to receive signals from Kahuna Black, which in turn bring about strange and powerful illusions, such as Dingograms, and more.

Wow! Now that’s quite a description. Emma Parker from Ireland, said, "From the very first page Dingo had my attention. It is a cleverly written novel that will captivate all ages. The creativity and the idea behind the book are so unusual and new that I found myself excited about what was coming next.” In other words, this book is a “page turner.” Is it very difficult to come up with new ideas to keep the story moving? Do you lie awake at nights, trying to figure out what the characters are going to do next?

If I do wake up in the night with an idea, I immediately reach out for pen and paper and scribble notes in the dark. It's sometimes difficult to read what I've written in the morning, but I can usually make enough sense out of it to remember. I usually find that ideas for new situations bounce into my head from each previous dilemma faced by my characters. It's almost as if they write the story in some parts. Other times, I struggle to find a way for them to dig themselves out of an impossible situation.

I understand completely. When I was writing my mystery series, sometimes I wondered how my characters were going to get out of a dangerous situation. Where did you get your inspiration for this novel? Do you get any ideas from real life?

All the ideas came from my imagination, although some of the settings are fictitious versions of places I knew in Connecticut and England. Our family loved to visit a place called Bigbury Island, and Bantham Bay in Devon, England. In the book, those places combine and become Goodrich Island and Livingston Bay, Cornwall.

The weird and puzzling clue, Crying the Neck, that Zack and his friends have to decipher, comes from an ancient Cornish tradition, but I can't tell any more about that without giving too much away.

A little secret makes me grin whenever I remember it. Whenever I could fit them in throughout the book, I used surnames of people I know, not necessarily for person names, but towns, and roads, and other such things. Some of my former Sunday School class in Spanish Fork ward are in there, as are many of our grand-children. Names such as Bryce Woods, and Livingston Bay for example. Those who read can discover the rest.

I love the idea of taking names of people you know and give them to streets and towns. That is so clever. What kind of research did you do for this book?

I Googled plenty of information about Connecticut and England—things I'd half forgotten and wanted to make sure were accurate. I did a lot of research about Cornish traditions, and contacted a member of a society in Cornwall who kindly agreed to letting me use one of her photographs in the book trailer. I'm not saying which photo. Readers should be able to work it out after reading the book. If not, let me know and I'll whisper the answer.

Thank you, Anne. It was fun learning about your new book.

For those interested, you can buy a paperback on Amazon - $8.49, shipping $3.99 and Kindle - $1.99.

Interview with Author Liz Parrish

2011-03-14T01:00:00.006-06:00

Liz Parrish had three goals: train her own dog sled team, complete the Iditarod for her 50th birthday, and have fun! Liz and her team finished the 2008 Iditarod in 14 days with 14 dogs, despite being “Iditarod’s Littlest Musher.”

“Read ‘Be the Lead Dog’ and take it to heart! Everything is here that you need to accomplish the impossible in your life. Then go hug your own dog if you are lucky enough to have one and tell them thanks, you now get it.” – Brian Tracy

Hello Liz. You wrote a children’s book called Crimp! On-By!! Please tell us about it.

The full title of Crimp's book is Crimp! On-By!! The True Story of a Most Unlikely Iditarod Lead Dog, and that pretty well sums it up. Crimp is an incredible soul who is named for the crimp in his nose, resulting from a horrific injury when he was only 4 weeks old. When I first met him about 3 weeks later, it was a miracle he was still alive, but clearly so disfigured that he couldn't be a sled dog. Except we all forgot to tell him that. So the book chronicles his life, adventures and coming of age and achieving his destiny to be a lead dog in Iditarod.

I actually wrote this book first, because Crimp was such an inspiration to me as I worked toward my Iditarod dream. He demonstrates that you don't have to be perfect to accomplish your dreams, particularly important to me as I struggled with a bad scoliosis resulting from cancer treatments I received as a child. I felt his message was so important to get out to youngsters today who need inspiration, good role models and to see the results of determination and following your dreams.

Since the book is a true story, it is illustrated with photos, and our book designer did a wonderful job of weaving it all together. The book is told from Crimp's perspective, and his narrative is structured such that 3rd - 5th graders can read it on their own. Younger children love having the book read to them while they look at the pictures, and older youth and adults can go more in depth with sidebars of sled dog and racing information.

You have two books published. Be The Lead Dog was co-authored with Barb Schaefer. Will you please tell us about this self-help book?

Be the Lead Dog distills the essence of decades of experiential teachings that Barb and I have received...from our amazing sled dogs! The dogs have had a profound impact on both our lives -- myself in preparing for and accomplishing and completing the Iditarod to celebrate my first half-century, Barb in preparing her to support her husband's successful battle with stage IV throat cancer. The dogs can do this because their gifts make them perfect teachers for humans: they mirror without judgment, how we are living our lives and the congruency (or lack thereof) between our thoughts, words and actions. Once we realized that the book practically wrote itself. The hard part was picking the stories with which to illustrate the lessons, because there were so many to choose from.

There are “7 Life-Changing Lessons Taught By Sled Dogs.” Will you please share these lessons with us?

Linda, the seven lessons are Trust, Drive, Focus, Patience, Transparency, Self-Assurance, and Perseverance. Let me use Trust as an example. Each lesson is defined, described with both the benefits as well as how the sled dogs embody that lesson, and then Action Tips are provided for the reader to engage with the lesson and apply it to their own life. Barb and I also each provide a story demonstrating the power of the Lesson. My story of Trust is as follows:

The very first year I had my team, I had nine young dogs that I was training from scratch. One of the more experienced dogs was a 3-year-old named Oslo. Oslo was your typical team/wheel dog, always willing to go but lacking the confidence to lead. In fact, Oslo was not a very confident dog at all, either with other dogs or with people. He paid attention to me because I brought his food and his harness, but if I had neither, he was not too interested in me or what I was doing. Since I did not spend any time teaching him to lead, our relationship was limited at best.

That first winter we ran out of snow early, and I did not want to stop training, so I thought up different things to teach the dogs in their dog yard. One of these was learning to jump up on their doghouses. Some dogs loved getting on their houses and lived up there; others thought they would die if their feet left the ground. Oslo was one of those dogs, and you could see the fear in his eyes and body. With nothing else to do, we worked on it daily. I bribed, coaxed, commanded, cajoled, and even physically put him on top of his house. I lured him with treats to no avail (this was the dog who would have easily won the kennel gluttony award). For days, weeks, and months we worked on his fear. Finally, after three months, one day I said “Hup!” and he took the literal leap of faith…and lived! He was so very happy and proud of himself, and I gave him all sorts of praise and treats.

The truly marvelous outcome was the new relationship he and I developed out of this exercise. Oslo had worked it out in his own mind to Trust me, and once he did, I was now somebody important in his life. He relished my attention and praise. He came running when I called. It was amazing to see the change that simply breaking through the fear had made. A few years later when I placed him with a recreational team, he took another huge step, and now leads their team, with gusto and confidence, and is having the time of his life!

What a wonderful example! Can you tell us one of your most interesting adventures with sled dogs?

Picking just one...wow, that's a hard call! OK, well one that comes to mind was earlier in my training. Crimp had by then worn me down and insisted on being a sled dog, and a leader, and we were in our first 200 mile race. We were in some very rugged, high and incredibly mountainous country, and an incredible blizzard blew in -- wind howling, snow swirling, and Crimp was having a blast up front. Problem was, I couldn't find another dog on the team willing to run up front with him, into the teeth of the storm. The dogs were willing to put their heads down and go, so long as someone else did the heavy lifting of facing the storm and picking the trail.

Since the dogs are hooking to the sled in pairs, one pair behind the other, I had no extra spots -- SOMEBODY had to run up front as co-leader with Crimp. I went through all my leaders on the team, one after another, and they all would be fine back in the team, and wilt when I put them up in lead beside Crimp. The storm continued to intensify, more snow fell, blew and drifted, and we weren't making much progress. I ran out of trained leaders and so one of the ways to apply the “Lessons” is to be willing to try something new. So I tried the other dogs on the team too.

Finally, the last dog on the team to try was a little girl named Sandy. I'd occasionally tried her up in lead, but she was sort of an ADHD dog...much better as a cheerleader back in the team rather than shouldering the responsibility of leading, so I didn't really have any expectations she would do it. But I was out of options. So I put Sandy up front -- and it was as if she, and the team, transformed before my eyes. She was as gung-ho to drive into the storm as Crimp was -- kept looking back and smiling as if to say "Can it really be this much fun?" We started moving again, and it was hard work breaking trail through all the drifted soft snow. We finally got through the worst of it up in the mountains, and started to descend to the half-way checkpoint. Since we had broken trail, teams behind us had a much easier time, and one of them caught up with us, passed us, and then stopped when they had to work their way through the soft drifted unbroken trail in front of us. Literally stopped a few feet in front of us -- mutinied on their musher and there was nothing he could do to get them to go. So I called out to Crimp and Sandy "Alright! On-By!!", and we chugged around them and continued on our way, and his dogs gladly fell in right behind my sled. He avoided the embarrassment of having that happen again, and didn't try to pass me all the way to the checkpoint. ;-)

Thanks, Liz. This has been an enlightening interview. I learned so much. I was impressed when I read that you wanted to train your own “sled dog” team and complete the Iditarod for your 50th birthday. You are an example of fortitude. Way to go! Since the Iditarod Sled Dog Race started the first Saturday in March, this week the Iditarod will still be going and the finisher's banquet will be in Nome on March 20th.

To learn more, you may click on the following websites:
Liz Parrish, Iditarod's Littlest Musher
Life...Through Dogs
Showing people of any age how to live their full potential by sharing the life lessons taught by sled dogs
www.LifeThroughDogs.com

Crimp! On-By!! The True Story of a Most Unlikely Iditarod Lead Dog
www.CrimpOnBy.com, an Amazon Bestseller

Be the Lead Dog, 7 Life-Changing Lessons Taught by Sled Dogs
www.BeTheLeadDogBook.com, an Amazon Bestseller

Interview with Fantasy Author Laura Sepesi

2011-03-07T01:00:00.004-07:00

Laura Sepesi is the author of a fantasy series for young readers, ages 8 and up. While in high school, she imagined the story of the Kelmar Trilogy. She began drafting The Guardian of Kelmar the summer she graduated, and continued writing as she worked toward a degree in elementary education. Laura completed this novel at age twenty-one.

Hello Laura. The Guardian of Kelmar is the first of the Kelmar Trilogy. Please tell us about your book.

The Guardian of Kelmar is a fantasy novel that follows the adventures of fifteen-year-old orphan, Carmen Fox, as she journeys through a magical world called Kelmar. Carmen learns to master her powers as a young sorceress as she battles a dark sorcerer named Desorkhan, and his army of followers, who are fighting to take control of Kelmar. The story is fast-paced and action-packed.

From the back cover: Carmen Fox’s life is lonely and insignificant—that is, until the day she stumbles upon an ancient book and a key engraved with five mysterious letters. Suddenly, Carmen is thrust into Kelmar—an amazing new world of magic, where she finds herself at the center of a century’s old war between good and evil. Carmen must undertake sorcerer training if she is to survive the challenges that await her. Can Carmen master her powers and defeat the villainous Magicon alliance? With the help of a fascinating creature named Blaze and unforgettable friends, Carmen begins an incredible journey to discover her destiny.

I know this book will do well because fantasy is so popular. Where did you get the inspiration for your novel?

The initial inspiration for Guardian came from a dream that I had when I was thirteen. In the dream, I was walking through the most beautiful green meadow you could imagine, and there, I met a golden creature named Blaze. We spoke briefly, and then we walked together through this perfect, pure, and magical place that would come to be called Kelmar. The events from the dream became an early scene that plays out between two of the main characters in the book.

Wow! I’ve heard from a few authors that some of their best works came from a dream. The Secrets of Kelmar is the second book in the trilogy. What is it about?

The Secrets of Kelmar continues to follow the journey of Carmen Fox and her friends. In this installment, the world of Kelmar is experiencing dangerous storms and a rise in violence that no one can explain. As the Guardian of Kelmar, Carmen is called upon to restore harmony in the realm.

Best Children’s Books Reviews wrote, “Timeless, magical, brilliantly descriptive and so very much alive. I have a great respect for Laura and the power of her words that flow through her pen. I firmly believe we have an award-winning author here.” Tell us your thoughts about this review.

This was one of the most thoughtful, positive reviews I’ve ever received. The full review, which can be found here: http://ladyd-books.blogspot.com/2010/01/book-review-guardian-of-kelmar-by-laura.html, provides a brilliant overview of the plot without giving away the ending of the story. It’s wonderful to receive such great feedback on my work. As an author, the best compliment you can get is when someone tells you how much he or she enjoyed reading your book and look forward to your next one. It makes the long and difficult process of writing a book worth every moment.

I can totally relate. Whenever I receive positive feedback that comes straight from the heart, I want to shout for joy. Okay, it’s time to tell us something about the real you that we’ll never forget.

When I was in elementary school, I wrote a small book with two other students in my class about a haunted pet shop. We were each responsible for writing so many pages of the story, and then we worked together on the illustrations. One of my tasks was to name the two male owners of the pet shop. I named them Frank and Stein. I should have known then that I would be a fiction writer when I grew up.

Frank and Stein? That is so clever. And you were only in elementary? I love it. That took a lot of imagination to come up with that. Yes, you were meant to write fantasy. Thanks for the wonderful interview, Laura. Watch her video below and enjoy!

For more information, please visit Laura’s website at http://www.laurasepesi.com.

Interview with Author Kitty Gogins

2011-02-21T01:00:00.005-07:00

Kitty Gogins has been fascinated from an early age with her parents’ journey to become Americans. As a school board director for her local school district, Kitty has long been intrigued by her parents’ efforts to shed the prejudicial upbringing of their childhood and believes their journey is relevant to our changing times.

“Olga Wagner and Tibor Zoltai were teenagers in Hungary near the end of World War II. Homeland destroyed, they each fled Hungary carrying only a rucksack.”

Hello Kitty. I really love the title of your book. It takes place during World War II and is about your own parents’ escape from Hungary. Tell us about their story.

My Flag Grew Stars: World War II Refugees’ Journey to America is the story of Olga and Tibor and how they adapted to life-altering changes. Their world destroyed in World War II, they fled Hungary as teenagers. Olga just minutes ahead of advancing Russian troops and Tibor conscripted into the German Army almost died as an American POW. Their experiences on the losing side provide a unique perspective of war, the actions of Americans, and the daily fight of refugees to survive. Immigrating as indentured agricultural servants, they united and embarked on a cultural journey to become Americans. Through perseverance and creativity, they learned how to thrive, Tibor as a world-renowned professor and Olga counseling refugees, earning the title “area immigrants’ patron saint.”

My Flag Grew Stars looks to history to provide an inspiring story on adapting to major upheaval, something many of us face in these challenging economic times.

After arriving in America, was the transition difficult for your parents?

Olga and Tibor came to North America via Canada as indentured agricultural servants. Hoeing sugar beets was backbreaking work, but they considered the opportunity a godsend. It provided a country to call home, a land away from war-torn Europe where food and jobs were scarce, and another war was expected to erupt anytime.

While delighted to be in a new world, they found everything foreign ― the culture, the language, the buildings, the land, and even the food. They knew everyone would speak a different language, but didn’t expect to live in flat, treeless countryside with distances vast beyond their imagination; for buildings to be constructed of flimsy wood, not brick and plaster; for even women to wear trousers, something Olga had never seen before.

Over time, Olga and Tibor began to understand and adjust to deeper differences, like Americans need more personal space, less touch. One difference that particularly impressed them was the U.S. founding principle of ‘all men are created equal.’ Coming from a society that discriminated against Jews and others who were different, this was a new and powerful concept.

This is the first time I’ve interviewed someone who has written their own parents’ biography and I’m so excited about what you have done. This book will be a treasure to your children and grandchildren yet to come. How much research did you do for your book?

My book, while it reads like a novel, bringing history to life, is non-fiction. I spent over a thousand hours on research. I was lucky to have lots of original material: Tibor’s diary, a thousand pages of love letters, and multitudes of official documents and pictures. I supplemented these with dozens of interviews and digging into historical events, so I could recreate their lives ― the events, the atmosphere, the feeling, the tone of conversations.

All events really occurred: Olga’s family crossed the Alps with no supplies, steps ahead of Russian troops; Tibor almost perished from starvation; Olga scared away a car hijacker in Minnesota by yelling at him in her native tongue.

Wow! When I was writing my parents’ biography, I had many love letters written between them and also letters that he wrote to his parents as a missionary. I also had his autobiography so I was able to write their story in story form like you have done. Those letters made his story come to life. I’m impressed with what you have done. Since this story is about your parents, what does your family think about your novel?

My family has been very supportive, contributing documents and memories. They too have been fascinated by the story and want it captured. My father, Tibor, passed away before I began writing, however he would have been ecstatic to see his story published. My mother, Olga, while honored and delighted to help with research, is a little uncomfortable with having her life so public.

What a wonderful legacy! This book is a treasure. Okay, now it’s time to tell us something about the real you that we’ll never forget.

I’m always game for visiting a new place, eating new food ― even if it can still stare up at me ― or trying a new activity. When I turned forty-five, I knew just how to celebrate. I jumped out of an airplane. Granted I did it tandem, strapped to the front of an expert like a baby kangaroo, but I got to feel the air rushing by, the freedom of zigzagging through the clouds, the sensation of dropping at racing speeds. After two weeks of saying, “Could you please repeat that,” since my ears were still plugged from the dive, I acknowledged that I wasn’t likely to do it again. But it was worth it.

Oh my gosh! Now we know the real you! The audacious and daring author who will try new things, including jumping out of a plane and becoming an author! By the way, it seems like nothing could be scarier than being a first time author.

Interview with Author Sally B. Watkins

2011-02-14T01:00:00.006-07:00

Sally B. Watkins has a master’s degree in social work and is a psychotherapist and life coach. She lives in northern California and enjoys camping, sailing, hiking, and cooking healthy food. She is happily married and has two grown sons. Based on her twenty-year psychotherapy practice this book shows women how to create a full happy life with their “normally flawed and imperfect partner.”

“From girlhood we have subscribed to the happily-ever-after myth from Sleeping Beauty, to Barbies, to romance novels, but men have not been socialized to fulfill these fantasies. I’m a big advocate of acceptance and teach women how to change the only one they can change—themselves!” –Sally Watkins

Hello Sally. Your philosophy is: Learn to love what’s right instead of trying to fix what’s wrong. Please tell us about your new book.

I’ve discovered in my own life and those of the many clients I’ve seen in my twenty year psychotherapy practice that our focus on trying to find and create a perfect relationship is the cause of much of our unhappiness. We come by this idea honestly because it is everywhere reflected in our culture—the idea that the perfect partner is out there and if we find our soul mate the relationship will be blissful. This is of course a delusion and we can spend a lot of time being miserable searching and discarding normally flawed guys or trying to perfect the guy we have.

My book is actually about how to develop and empower yourself, something many women don’t think about because their focus is on attracting a man. It helps women understand what it takes to develop a strong inner self and become mature and grounded to be able to weather the normal ups and downs of life and love. Just like the clients who come to me for help, I spell out for the reader how to think about their relationship and themselves and look at what they have in a positive hopeful way. It’s full of exercises that show women how their childhood wounding may be interfering with their current relationship, how they can reactivate their own dreams, and tools for communicating and empathizing with their guy to strengthen the connection between them.

Often when a woman changes her perspective and discovers how to make her life happier her partner is charged by this new energy and the relationship can be improved. Conversely, when a woman focuses on the negative and complains and cries or enlists the help of a counselor to fix him, the relationship can get worse.

What wonderful counsel! Sally wrote, “The purpose of a relationship is not to make you happy—no one person can or should be expected to do that—but rather to help you evolve and grow in character and strength and support your being in the world.” What a wonderful thought! This book will help women solve a wide range of problems. The secret is by changing your mindset. You said that we “will experience a decrease in anger and disappointment” as we learn to understand our self more fully. Sally, where did you get the inspiration for your novel?

I grew up in a home with terrible violence and deprivation and didn’t see a good relationship modeled for me. As a young woman I desperately wanted a prince to save me and looked long and hard for one, and struggled to figure out who I was. I had a lot of therapy, went to many groups, and read hundreds of self-help books. It’s what made me want to be a therapist and go back to school to get an education. I’m grateful for those early problems because I really understand from my own life what women are going through. A college education is important but overcoming my own childhood wounding is what makes me a more credible therapist and now author.

You wrote: Women can help a man be more relational when she realizes that being attuned to her feelings and needs does not come naturally to him. She can remind him of the things that matter to her, prepare him to handle emotional conversations, and not take it personally when he tunes out or shuts down. Do you find this is one of the greatest problems in marriage?

It really is for the simple reason that women want relationship security above all else, more even than financial security. It’s our nature to want reassurance on a daily basis that our guy is still into us and will stay. This is why we read into what he does to decide if he loves us or not. Unfortunately these signs don’t convey love to a guy and he doesn’t come by them naturally. Men were trained to ignore their feelings and not ask for help, and to be tough. Often guys want to please us but need help to know how. It’s a wise woman who helps him be successful in this regard.

The mistake men make is to not understand that talking about everything is how women connect. He sometimes hears her as complaining or criticizing him or their life. He may not get it that she’s trying to bring him into her day and her life and her feelings as a way of getting closer.

You are so right about that. I have six daughters and “talking about everything” is how they connect with one another. My husband has learned that about his girls. Sally, you use examples from your own life in your book. What does your husband think of that?

Warren and I have been married for almost 13 years. Most of the examples in the book predate our relationship. By the time we were married I had learned from all of my mistakes and was in the very best place to make things work out well with us. He is very proud of my book but doesn’t recognize the girl and woman I once was.

Thank you so much, Sally. I have gotten to know you much better in this interview. Now it’s time to tell us something about the real you that we’ll never forget.

My dear husband and I share an office and when I was writing my book I needed to really concentrate. Idle conversation was hugely distracting to me and I would lose my train of thought. So, I made a very special hat out of green fabric and printed many words on it that made it an inspirational writing hat—words like “inspire”, “create”, “imagination”, “enlighten”, “develop” etc. Then when I had my funny green hat on, my husband recognized that I was deep in thought and didn’t say anything to interrupt me. He tiptoed into the office and took his phone calls in another room. Then when I took off my hat I was available for us to talk. It worked like a charm. The hat actually helped me to settle into my writing and it alerted him without words to what I needed from him.

Wow! I love your idea about the green hat. Your husband was so sweet to recognize the fact that you needed time alone, tiptoeing here and there. He sounds like a real sweetheart.

Change Your Mindset, Not Your Man

Book Review by Linda Weaver Clarke

This book is full of wonderful ideas to help a marriage become stronger, to help bond two people with two different backgrounds and ideas. Even if a couple is raised similarly, there is one factor to take into account. A woman is completely different than a man with different needs. Sally Watkins says, “Many women feel that the way to fix a problem is to confront their man, reveal their feelings, and ask for what they want to change.” This simply doesn’t work. We tend to believe in the “happily ever after” stories, believing there is a perfect man out there for us, and that life will be wonderful. Where did this idea come from? Fairytales, romantic novels, and romantic movies! Sally’s first chapter is called: Fairytale Fantasy—Busted.

I love what Sally said in her book. “The purpose of a relationship is not to make you happy—no one person can or should be expected to do that—but rather to help you evolve and grow in character and strength and support your being in the world.” What a wonderful thought! This book will help women solve a wide range of problems. The secret is by changing your mindset, not your man. You “will experience a decrease in anger and disappointment” as you learn to understand yourself more fully.

Valentine's Day Excerpt!

2011-02-08T01:00:00.058-07:00

Have you ever wondered how Valentine's Day began and why it's such a fun celebration? It's not a mystery to Jenny Roberts. She found out from an excellent source. She learned all about it from her teacher: Melinda Gamble! In celebration of Valentine’s Day, read the excerpt for a historical sweet romance novel and listen to the video. All my novels are “sweet” romances for teens and adults. Happy Reading!

Melinda and the Wild West

Awards: Finalist for “Reviewers Choice Award 2007”

Valentines Day

(Gilbert is a widower with an eight-year-old daughter named Jenny. They have been invited to Aunt Martha’s for dinner many times and he has gotten to know Melinda quite well. Jenny adores her teacher and is trying to play cupid.)

Three weeks passed and Gilbert had not seen Melinda at all except in passing at church or in town. He had been purposefully avoiding her because he had concerns that he had to work out before he could court her. Valentine’s Day was coming in less than a week. The community was going to have a Sweetheart’s Dance and Gilbert wondered whether or not he should go. Would Melinda be there? As he fixed supper alongside Jenny, he saw her look curiously at him.

“Pa, are you going to the dance?”

“Don’t know, Jenny.”

“I know you like Miss Gamble, Pa. No need tryin’ to hide it from me.”

Gilbert laughed. “How do you know?”

“It’s in your eyes, Pa. You can’t hide it. I saw the way you looked at her and watched her move about when she didn’t know you were watching.”

“You’re too smart for your breeches.”

“Are you goin’ to give her a valentine?”

“A valentine?”

“Yes, Pa. You always give a valentine to a sweetheart.”

“But, Jenny, she’s not my sweetheart.”

“You could’ve fooled me when I saw you two in the kitchen. You were holdin’ her, Pa. And she blushed. No lady ever blushes unless she likes a man. She’s your sweet-heart and you don’t even know it.” Jenny giggled when she saw her father shake his head as if denying the fact. “Pa, send her a poem. She’ll like it.”

“A poem? Why?”

“Because it’s romantic. Don’t you know anything about romance, Pa? Let me tell you the story about Valentine’s Day. Miss Gamble taught us about Saint Valentine at school. You see, Saint Valentine was a priest in Rome. A bad ruler named Claudius wanted to have a large army but the men wouldn’t join because they didn’t want to leave their wives. So Claudius outlawed marriage so the men would join the army. But Valentine still married couples in secret. Finally, he was caught and thrown in jail.”

Gilbert began setting the table with a couple of plates, cups, and forks as he listened. “So is that how Valentine’s Day got started? Because he continued to marry couples?”

“Not exactly, Pa. He fell in love when he was in prison. The daughter of the prison guard visited him. They would sit and talk for hours and they fell in love. The day he was going to be executed, Valentine left a note for her, thanking this woman for her friendship and love. Then he signed it, ‘Love, from your Valentine.’” Jenny walked to the kitchen chair and picked up her notebook with her notes from school and read, “He wrote that note on the day they put him to death on A.D. February 14th, 269.” She looked up from her notes and said, “He was a hero and a romantic person, Pa. So, that’s why we have Valentine’s Day. Understand?”

Her grown-up attitude and intelligence impressed Gilbert quite a bit. As Jenny turned around to place her book on the chair, Gilbert grabbed his daughter around the waist and playfully tickled her. As she burst into laughter, he asked, “How did you remember so much about this St. Valentine? You’re such a smart little girl.”

Jenny enjoyed her father’s playful ways, but it did not take long until she squirmed out of her father’s arms and bolted into the living room.

Gilbert grinned. “Well? Answer my question.”

As Jenny settled down, she took a deep breath and answered, “I listen, Pa. Besides, Miss Gamble makes us take notes. Sometimes she writes it on the board and we can copy it.”

“I see.” Gilbert nodded as he placed a plate of sandwiches on the table. “So, what kind of poem should I give Miss Gamble?” Then with a mischievous glint in his eyes, Gilbert grinned from ear to ear and said, “I know! How about the poem called ‘My Fancy’ by Lewis Carroll? I’ve read it to you so many times that I have it memorized. That’s a real romantic one, don’t you think?”

Jenny giggled. She remembered it very well. He had read it to her many times and it always made her laugh.

Then Gilbert continued, “It tells all the things that you love about your sweetheart.” He stood at attention and then quoted:

She has the bear’s ethereal grace,

The bland hyena’s laugh,

The footstep of the elephant,

The neck of the giraffe.

I love her still, believe me,

Though my heart its passion hides;

She is all my fancy painted her,

But, oh, how much besides.

Jenny laughed so hard that her sides began to ache. After a while she put her hands on her hips in mock exasperation. “Now, Pa, if you don’t become serious about this, you’ll lose her for sure. I’ve noticed the superintendent has been making eyes at Miss Gamble lately. His name is Henry and when he talks to her, she smiles back at him. Sometimes he makes her laugh.”

Gilbert became sober and stood a while in thought, rubbing his chin. “Hmmm, Henry’s been paying attention to her?”

“Yup.”

“How much attention?”

“Quite a lot, Pa.”

“A lot?”

“Yup. Are you goin’ to write her a poem now? He even made her some fake flowers and gave ’em to her to put on her desk at school and he put perfume all over ’em. They sure stink up the classroom. After he gave ’em to her, Miss Gamble smiled and said thank you all sweet like. You had better give her a nice poem, Pa. And I mean it.”

He gave her a subdued half smile. “All right. I’ll think about it. Right now it’s time to eat and I believe it’s your turn to say the blessing on the food.”

During the rest of the week, Gilbert heard gossip in town all about Henry and Melinda. He heard about how Henry was bragging that they had been dating since December, which annoyed him to no end. Gilbert started to get worried and nervous about it. Then he noticed that he was becoming edgy and ornery with everyday chores. One time he actually kicked the milk bucket. It flew across the barn and hit the wall at great speed, splattering the milk everywhere. When Joseph asked him how his bucket ended up against the wall, he just said, “My foot slipped.”

Why did he feel so jealous about Henry? Melinda was a beautiful woman and it was only natural that others would be interested in her. She had a right to date whomever she pleased. After much examination of his emotions, Gilbert knew that if there had been any doubt of his being in love with her before, there certainly wasn’t now.

Gilbert remembered how Melinda had blushed when Jenny caught him hugging her in the kitchen just as he was about to give her a kiss, and he remembered how her blush had affected him. Gilbert knew that he had to do something if he didn’t want to lose her. He had to write a poem and he had to go to the dance. He also needed to have a long talk with her about something he had held inside for years. Gilbert never cared for dances because he had never learned how to dance. But if Melinda was going to be there, he had to be there too.

Gilbert sat at the table with a pencil in hand and a paper before him. After giving it much thought, he knew what to write. The first encounter they had had was so delightful that he decided to put it into poetry. After an hour of writing, erasing, rewriting, and suffering through a bundle of nerves, he finally finished his rough draft. Then he very neatly wrote his poem on a fresh piece of paper, put it in an envelope, and sealed it. Looking at the envelope, Gilbert breathed a deep sigh, wondering how Melinda would respond to such an unprofessional poem as his. He wrote her name on the envelope and stuck it in his pocket. Immediately he saddled his horse and rode out to Martha’s home. He hoped to surprise her by leaving the poem where Melinda could find it before she arrived from school. His heart was beating erratically from nervousness as he knocked on the door. When Uncle William answered, Gilbert asked for Martha. For some reason, he felt it would be easier to give the envelope to her.

As he stood in the living room waiting for Martha, he noticed a large box of chocolate candies on the coffee table with Melinda’s name on it. Gilbert inched his way over to them and peered down at the box, which read, “Happy Valentine’s Day, from Henry.”

A twinge of jealousy and embarrassment shot through him. Gilbert was giving Melinda a silly poem while Henry had given her a large box of candy. She would surely love the candy so much more. Feeling embarrassed, he was about to slip the envelope back into his pocket and leave just as Martha entered the room.

Before he had time to hide the envelope, Martha spoke. “Is that for Melinda?”

She pointed to the envelope in his hand and he looked down at it. Melinda’s name was written upon it in plain sight. There was nothing he could do about it now. He nodded and gave it to her reluctantly.

Feeling embarrassed and awkward, Gilbert didn’t know what to say, so he turned around to leave.

Martha touched his arm and said with kindness, “She really likes you, Gilbert. She likes you a lot.”

Surprised, he turned around and asked. “Do you really think so?”

“I know so. It’s in her eyes. Whenever I bring your name up at the table, her eyes will sparkle and she’ll listen tentatively. When I bring up Henry’s name, she doesn’t seem to care. And this week when we saw you riding your horse in town and you waved to us as you passed, I looked into her eyes and they were glowing. Gilbert, she’s in love. I can tell.”

He gave a broad smile.

“Gilbert, what are you waiting for? Are you not sure of your heart?”

“Martha, we are so different. That’s what bothers me. She may not be able to handle the West. It’s tough here and she may not be happy after a while. An Eastern lady and a rancher is not a great combination.”

“Do you love her, Gilbert?”

He looked into her eyes and saw tenderness and understanding. He hesitated and then answered, “Yes, I do.”

“Gilbert,” Martha said softly with concern lacing her eyes. “I know that something is bothering you and I don’t know what it is. But I have a feeling that it’s much more than just your differences. What are you afraid of? Why are you worrying so much about Melinda becoming unhappy here in the West or even being tough enough?”

Without thinking, Gilbert blurted out, “I’m not making the same mistake twice.” Then he abruptly turned and walked out the door without further explanation.

(To find out how Gilbert and Melinda first met, click on the book cover on the right sidebar and read the excerpt from the book.)

For those interested, you may purchase this book for a discount price ($14.95) at Publisher Direct Bookstore.