Marcia James' Website

1. I hear you have a pet in your debut novel. Tell us about it.

Pets are so amazing. I can’t imagine life without them and so it’s only natural that I would give my novel characters pets as well. My debut novel, Romancing the Royal, is book #3 of a multi-author series that is actually centered around corgis! Each book in the “Celebrity Corgi” series was written by a different author and contains a celebrity who has a spoiled corgi, with the corgi actually having a front and center role in the book. The corgi in my book, Gatsby, belongs to Prince Dorian of Avington. He was modeled slightly after what I’ve read about Queen Elizabeth’s corgis, and he has quite the personality. The books I’m working on now all have dogs in them, too–a Chihuahua in one and a litter of lab puppies in another. Expect to see a variety of pets in all my books.

Romancing the Royal blurb: Emmie Walker never wanted to be a royal canine companion for the Crown corgi of Avington, but she needs some way to pay the bills until her dream of opening her own service dog training facility can become a reality. Now the best chance of making that happen is to spend the better part of her time looking after the spoiled royal corgi, Gatsby. Gatsby, however, comes with strings attached. Namely a leash that leads right to the Prince of Avington, Dorian Tennesley.

Prince Dorian leads what appears to be an enviable life, but behind his stately façade lies a man who longs for more than mere pomp and circumstance. When the unlikely trio heads to America for a taste of real adventure, Emmie and Dorian find they have more in common than either could have ever imagined. With the help of Gatsby, might these two find themselves falling head over heels despite what it could cost them both?

Amazon buy link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/108199293X

2. Why do you add pets to your books?

I truly believe pets make us the best versions of ourselves. They are 100% the definition of unconditional love. I’ve had pets my entire life. Cats when I was younger and dogs now as an adult and, much to my husband’s chagrin (it’s mostly an act though…don’t let him know I’m onto him), will never be without one.

We currently have a German Shorthaired Pointer and two Chihuahuas. The Chihuahuas are my constant companions. They follow me everywhere (I haven’t gone to the bathroom by myself in over 9 years. LOL). The grey/tan one (the color is technically blue/tan) is 9 & 1/2 years old and his name is Pippin. The yellow one was supposed to be a purebred longhair, but as you can see he is an elusive wire-haired bearded Chihuahua and his name is Gus. He is 3 & 1/2 years old. I can’t imagine life without them.

3. What other romances have you written?

Romancing the Royal is actually the first book I’ve ever written. I was blessed to have been chosen by Sweet Promise Press to write in that series. I am working on a sweet/inspirational contemporary for them, as well as a sweet historical pioneer romance. Additionally, I have another sweet historical pioneer romance to write as part of another series. All will release in 2020. I plan to continue to write both sweet/inspirational contemporary and historical novels going forward.

4. Tell us about your kudos or reviews.

Being that my book was just released in July, it has no awards, but the reviews have been very good.

5. How do you promote your books?

Book promotion is something I’m still learning. I don’t have a large marketing budget, so I rely on as much free promo as I can find and that includes Facebook parties, newsletter swaps, and blog features (thank you).

6. Where can readers learn more about your books and connect with you online?

My website is www.LauraAshwood.com and there is a link to sign up for my newsletter there. Subscribers get exclusive content, a chance to enter a monthly drawing, and get to vote on things like character names. My Amazon page is https://www.amazon.com/Laura-Ashwood/e/B07D2HNHBN. My social media: Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook. I have a storyboard for all my books (the one published and ones I’m working on) on Pinterest.

Marcia James: Thank you, Laura, for stopping by my Go Pets! blog! I look forward to reading your Romancing the Royal and the rest of the “Celebrity Corgi” series!

READER INVITATION: Would you like to win a Marcia James’ ebook? Visitors to this pro-pet blog can join in the fun, comment, and/or share photos of their pets for a chance to win one of my ebooks! Each month, I’ll randomly pick one commenter to win. To leave a comment and/or a photo, click on the word “Reply,” which is just below the social media icons for THIS interview. (Don’t scroll past this interview to the next interview.) Go Pets!

1. I hear you have a pet in your novel. Tell us about the book.

Hi, Marcia, and a big thank you for inviting me to the blog! Though I love all the books I’ve written, I have to admit this first one I’m mentioning holds a special place in my heart. It’s the story of a hero who suddenly becomes a daddy to a four-year-old girl, a child he’d never known he’d fathered—a child he can’t communicate with because she speaks only in sign language.

Little Becky forms a special bond with a puppy who shows up in her yard as unexpectedly as she has appeared in her daddy’s life.

A Rancher’s Pride is book one in the Flagman’s Folly series. This is the blurb from the back cover:

His Whole World Is In Her Hands

Sam Robertson’s life just changed. In one short day, he found out that he’s a daddy; that his beautiful little girl, Becky, is deaf; and that her aunt, sign language teacher Kayla Ward, intends to fight him for custody.

There are plenty of reasons Sam shouldn’t fall for Kayla. A city girl like her has no place on his ranch, particularly when she’s his ex-wife’s gorgeous sister. But thanks to the judge’s orders, Sam’s spending a lot of time with Kayla, trying to give Becky the stable home she’s never known.

Despite their ongoing custody battle, Sam and Kayla’s love for Becky brings them closer than they ever expected, and Sam knows that no matter who wins in court, he could still lose—Kayla or his daughter.

Here are some of the places you’ll find A Rancher’s Pride:

Amazon http://bit.ly/Amazon-ARanchersPride-BarbaraWhiteDaille 
B&N http://bit.ly/BN-ARanchersPride-BarbaraWhiteDaille
Harlequin http://bit.ly/Harlequin-ARanchersPride-BarbaraWhiteDaille
Books-A-Million http://bit.ly/BAM-ARanchersPride-BarbaraWhiteDaille
Kobo http://bit.ly/Kobo-ARanchersPride-BarbaraWhiteDaille

2. Why did you add a pet to A Rancher’s Pride?

In the case of A Rancher’s Pride, I didn’t have much choice! 🙂

Sam’s life may have changed drastically, but so has Becky’s, and naturally she’s a bit lost and confused. When a mixed-breed puppy bounds into Becky’s new backyard, she’s thrilled to make a friend and immediately “adopts” and names the pup. No spoilers here, but. . . the name Becky gives the dog is tied into his description and relates to her character. She and I both just fell in love with the little guy. : ) Here’s a peek at him through the heroine’s eyes:

Kayla moved over to the screened door and saw Becky outside with one of the ranch animals, a puppy. He looked like a Labrador-Shepherd mix. His body and nose were dark, his face tan. A large dark patch of fur completely circled one eye, giving him a permanently startled expression.

3. What other books have you written?

I write short contemporary romance, usually on the sweeter side, though some have been called “sensuous” by reviewers. Although many of the books are in series, all my books are standalones in that the hero and heroine of each book reaches their Happy Ever After by the end of their story.

There’s a printable list of my books at my website (under the Books tab), and I’ll share a bit about a few of the stories below.

My current series from Harlequin is The Hitching Post Hotel, which includes The Cowboy’s Little Surprise, A Rancher of Her Own, The Lawman’s Christmas Proposal, Cowboy in Charge, The Cowboy’s Triple Surprise, The Rancher’s Baby Proposal, and The Rancher’s Family.

The Rancher’s Family, my first clean romance from Harlequin Heartwarming, celebrates its book birthday this month!

“Are you my new mommy?”

She certainly hopes so…

After a devastating loss, Cara Leonetti’s dreams of a husband and children are on hold. But Cowboy Creek’s local matchmaker thinks otherwise! And Cara finds herself unexpectedly entangled in the day-to-day family chaos of widower Wes Daniels and his two small children. She’s falling hard, but the strong, silent rancher doesn’t trust in love. Can Cara put her own fears aside and show Wes that they’re stronger together?

Amazon http://bit.ly/Amazon-TheRanchersFamily-BarbaraWhiteDaille
Barnes & Noble http://bit.ly/BN-TheRanchersFamily-BarbaraWhiteDaille
Books-A-Million http://bit.ly/BAM-TheRanchersFamily-BarbaraWhiteDaille
Harlequin http://bit.ly/Harlequin-TheRanchersFamily-BarbaraWhiteDaille
Kobo http://bit.ly/Kobo-TheRanchersFamily-BarbaraWhiteDaille

The Flagman’s Folly series includes A Rancher’s Pride, The Rodeo Man’s Daughter, Honorable Rancher, and Rancher at Risk.

Rancher at Risk features a deaf heroine who is related to both Kayla and Becky from A Rancher’s Pride:

A Fresh Start

After the loss of his family in a tragic accident, Ryan Malloy has been given one last chance to change his life. His boss sends him to Flagman’s Folly, New Mexico, to run his ranch, but unfortunately, Ryan’s troubled attitude lands him in hot water with the locals, especially the ranch’s manager, Lianne Ward.

Deaf since birth, Lianne has never let her disability define who she is. But, she’s yet to meet a man who treats her as an equal. Ryan seems different…that is, when they’re not butting heads over the ranch’s new school for disadvantaged boys.

Forced to work together, Lianne and Ryan discover an unexpected attraction beneath their quarreling. But will Ryan’s painful past drive them apart…permanently?

The Snowflake Valley series from Entangled Books includes the holiday stories Snowbound with Mr. Wrong and One Week to Win Her Boss.

One Week to Win Her Boss:

Single mom Amber Barnett loves family, kids, Christmas…and unfortunately, her boss, confirmed bachelor Michael DeFranco. It’s a crush she really needs to get over. Except, when she’s temporarily forced from her apartment, her only option is to stay at Michael’s private ski lodge, where she’s the housekeeper. No problem. Her handsome boss rarely visits Snowflake Valley unexpectedly, plus he’s spending the holidays with his family. Or so she thinks…

A stormy Christmas Eve reunion leaves Michael seeking the solitude of his lodge, where he finds Amber in residence—and in trouble. Attempting to save her from her matchmaking family, he announces they’re a couple. His good deed backfires when they’re instantly included in each and every holiday event in town. So much for solitude.

Only the more time he spends with the beautiful, cheery brunette, the more he yearns to make things real between them. But he and Amber want different things, and Michael could never be the family man she’s looking for.

Entangled:  http://bit.ly/owep2l85mN
Amazon:  http://bit.ly/ow2l9Detp

Last but not least, Family Matters is a book about a heroine whose full-time job appears to be rescuing one member or another of her large and crazy Irish family. And The Sheriff’s Son and Court Me, Cowboy, my first two published books, are set in Dillon, Texas.

Court Me, Cowboy:

Not The Present He’d Expected This Christmas

Three weeks. Gabe Miller’s marriage ended in divorce so fast it had hardly begun. Which is why he couldn’t quite believe his luck—or his “ex”—when she returned a few months later with the news that legally they were still husband and wife. And that the child she was carrying was his son.

It looked as if Marissa might bolt again, making a custody battle his only option—unless he could turn back the clock and woo her the way he should have during their whirlwind affair. But even with his boy’s future at stake, mending fences with a woman—especially the one he loved—wasn’t something the strong, silent type found easy to do….

4. Tell us about your kudos or reviews.

My books, short fiction, and works-in-progress have won or received nominations for awards such as the RT Book Reviews Reviewers’ Choice Award and the CataRomance Reviewers’ Choice Award. They also have won or reached finalist standing in a number of Romance Writers of America chapter and other, non-romance, contests. Several of my books received TOP PICK ratings from RT Book Reviews.

The Lawman’s Christmas Proposal, one of the Hitching Post Hotel books, was included in USA TODAY’s Happy Ever After Best Romances. A review of the book says, in part: “[Daille] deftly offsets tension and drama with the antics of an interfering family, and builds to a happy ever after that resonates with healing and hope. Say ‘I do’ to The Lawman’s Christmas Proposal—you’ll be so very glad you did.”

5. What made you become a writer?

This question is always one of my faves! When I was a little girl, I used to see my mom sitting at our kitchen table with something she called books. She taught me these volumes held wonderful stories, and soon after she started reading children’s books aloud to me, I began “writing” stories of my own. These were scrawled in crayon on construction paper because I couldn’t read or write.

We often visited our local library, where the rule was that to get your own library card, you had to be able to write (or print) your name on the application. That day came for me when I was about five or six years old and barely tall enough to reach the top of the librarian’s desk to hand over my paperwork. That was one of my proudest days ever, and libraries have always been among my favorite places. My hope as a writer is that my books will give as much enjoyment to my readers as other authors’ books bring to me.

6. Where can readers learn more about your books and connect with you online?

Readers – I hope you’ll check out my website, consider signing up for my newsletter, and look for me at my blog or on social media:

Website  https://www.barbarawhitedaille.com
Newsletter  https://www.barbarawhitedaille.com/newsletter
Facebook  http://www.facebook.com/barbarawhitedaille
Twitter  https://twitter.com/BarbaraWDaille
BookBub  https://www.bookbub.com/authors/barbara-white-daille
Goodreads  http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/529361.Barbara_White_Daille
Amazon  http://www.amazon.com/Barbara-White-Daille/e/B002J6B0QQ
Harlequin  https://www.harlequin.com/shop/authors/23759_barbara-white-daille.html
Entangled  http://entangledpublishing.com/category/barbara-white-daille/

Also, leave a comment or question or share a pet story or photo in the comments below my blog post, and during the first week of October, I’ll pick a winner to receive an autographed print copy of one of my available backlist books. (Open to US/Canada mailing addresses only, please, and based on book availability at the time the winner’s name is announced.) Check for my comment here at the blog after the first week of October to see if you’ve won!

Marcia James: Thank you, Barbara, for stopping by my Go Pets! blog! I look forward to reading your books!

READER INVITATION: Want to win a FREE Marcia James’ ebook? Visitors to this pro-pet blog can join in the fun, comment, and/or share photos of their pets for a chance to win one of my ebooks! Each month, I’ll randomly pick one commenter to win. To leave a comment and/or a photo, click on the word “Reply,” which is just below the social media icons for THIS interview. (Don’t scroll past this interview to the next interview.) Go Pets!

1. I hear you have your dog Duchess in one of your latest novels. Tell us about the book.

Thanks so much for having me here today!! I just love talking about Duchess! Yes, I know, what pet-owner doesn’t love talking about their fur-babies! LOL! But first you asked about the book she’s in…

The book is actually a series of books in which Duchess is one of the characters. It’s called The Ladies’ Wagering Whist Society (series) and is a “traditional” (sweet, no bedroom scenes) Regency romance.

The first book of the series is A Hand for the Duke. It’s about a young woman, Tina Rowan, who was born “on the wrong side of the blanket” (she’s illegitimate) and a stuffy, but handsome and lovable, duke. She’s being blackmailed by her foster-father and needs to become a successful dressmaker in London fast (in order to pay him the money he expects or else he’ll tell the world that she’s illegitimate and who her real mother is). Her mother is a well-respected lady of society who needs to keep that secret to herself.

The duke, Warwick (that’s his title and what he’s called), is bringing out his younger sister into society and needs her dressed properly (cue the dressmaker!). His sister is the sweetest, most shy and insecure person, and really isn’t so sure about this whole society business; but she’s got to find a husband and get married, or else she’ll lose her inheritance.

The ladies of the Wagering Whist Society, headed by Tina’s mother, get together and play whist (a precurser to bridge) every week. Usually people played for money, but these ladies play for secrets! The person with the fewest number of points at the end of two games must tell their deepest, darkest secret. They’re also a wonderful, caring group of women who are there to help each other out of difficult situations and give a needed shove to a romance to make sure everything works out the way it should.

You can find A Hand for the Duke wherever you buy books online:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Q822RKS
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1131086919?ean=2940156472598
Apple: https://itunes.apple.com/book/id1458372099
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/a-hand-for-the-duke-1
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Meredith_Bond_A_Hand_for_the_Duke?id=0UeQDwAAQBAJ

2. Why did you add your pet to these books?

Duchess

So where does Duchess fit into all this fun? Well, in real life, she’s my dog (see picture). She’s the sweetest, most affectionate Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. The breed is known for being very loving, and Duchess is an excellent example of this. She loves everybody and, whenever we go out for a walk, trolls the streets of the city where we live for pets from willing strangers. How could I not put such a dog into my book?

In all of the books of The Ladies Wagering Whist Society, Duchess belongs to Mrs. Aldridge, one of the members of the society. She brings little Duchess with her just about everywhere she goes. Duchess provides solace to those who are upset for any reason and happily gets the attention of the ladies when one person has an announcement to make to them all. She is also a cause for unrest among the group because one member, an actual duchess, does not like dogs and especially doesn’t like overly friendly dogs who rub their dirty little faces on her beautiful gowns. The mix-up between people calling the dog and the duchess can get rather funny at times, must to the lady’s chagrin!

3. What other romances have you written?

A Hand for the Duke is the first of the Ladies’ Wagering Whist Society. The second book, Jack of Diamonds, is also available and the third, The Games She Played, was published June 14th. Here are quick descriptions of them:

Jack of Diamonds:

Can a young woman with a dark secret allow light and love into her heart? Can a Robin Hood be the man to do it?

He’ll steal from the rich to feed the poor, but he’s powerless when a beautiful young woman steals his heart. But she can’t let her love for a gentleman thief distract her.

It will take the love of a gentleman thief to help Lydia, but it’s the assistance of The Ladies’ Wagering Whist Society John needs to win his diamond.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07RVQ8RVM
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1131189466?ean=2940156498635
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/jack-of-diamonds-6
Apple: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/jack-of-diamonds/id1459252079

The Games She Played:

Diana and her father race horses, but when a heart-attack fells him, a physician is needed. The charming lord doctor is so very distracting while Diana is trying to make good on a bet her father made.

Lord Colburne only wants to saves lives. The possibility of winning the heart of one of his patient’s daughter just adds to his determination.

Delve into the world of Regency horseracing and medicine in this sweet romance where it will take the efforts of the Ladies’ Wagering Whist Society to have a healthy outcome.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Games-Played-Ladies-Wagering-Society-ebook/dp/B07RDB14ZL
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-games-she-played-meredith-bond/1131490771?ean=2940156596850
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-games-she-played
Apple: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1462583110

The Ladies’ Wagering Whist Society is the third series of Regency romances I’ve written. The Merry Men series (of nine novels and novellas) deals with people trying to fit into Regency society (including an Anglo-Indian lord, an American, a young woman raised in Spain, and a trio of sisters raised on an archaeological dig in Greece), and The Storm Series (four novels) combines fantasy elements (magic!) with Regency romance. You can find them all wherever you buy books online or read more about them (including excerpts) on my website: MeredithBond.com.

4. Tell us about your kudos or reviews.

One reader wrote about A Hand for the Duke:
“What an exciting read! Being such a fan of royal historical novels, I love getting lost in your characters and settings. Your writing is the perfect escape for me at the end of my hectic day. I keep a list of ‘must have re-reads,’ and you have quickly climbed to the top of that list! I can’t wait to read more!”

Another reader said:
“The plot and characters are well developed. It is a heartfelt story filled with lots of twists and turns that held my interest throughout. It’s a story that’s well worth reading.”

About Jack of Diamonds:
“Another winner by this author. Beautifully written and era appropriate, with an entertaining story and engaging characters, this book entranced me. I was hooked from the first chapter and couldn’t put it down. Although it is part of a series, it reads perfectly well as a standalone novel. Once again we are given an incredibly intriguing story, full of twists and turns, with a storyline that reads slightly different from the standard historical romance fare.”

Another reader said:
“Adore Merry’s books, adore this series. Just felt overwhelmed reading this, brought on so many emotions. Couldn’t tear myself away from Jack of Diamonds…such a magnificent storyline n the way it’s so cleverly ties into the first book.”

5. How do you promote your books?

I promote my books through Amazon ads and making appearances on blogs like this one! It’s really word-of-mouth that sells books. Writing a great book and then asking people to share it.

6. Where can readers learn more about your books and connect with you online?

I am everywhere online! LOL! But if you really want to connect with me (and I would love for you to do so!!) “Like” my Facebook page and sign up for my newsletter. Thanks!!

Website: http://www.MeredithBond.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/meredithbondauthor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meredith_bond/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/merrybond
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/merrybond/
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/meredith-bond/69/a64/647/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/847484.Meredith_Bond
Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/merrybond
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Meredith-Bond/e/B001KI1SNE
Newsletter signup: http://meredithbond.com/subscribe/
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/meredith-bond

Marcia James: Thank you, Meredith, for stopping by my Go Pets! blog! I look forward to reading your books!

READER INVITATION: Want to win a FREE ebook? Visitors to this pro-pet blog can join in the fun, comment, and/or share photos of their pets for a chance to win one of my ebooks! Each month, I’ll randomly pick one commenter to win. To leave a comment and/or a photo, click on the word “Reply,” which is just below the social media icons for THIS interview. (Don’t scroll past this interview to the next interview.) Go Pets!

1. I hear you have dogs in your novels. Tell us about the books.

I do! Here’s three of my books that prominently feature dogs:

Chill Out

Renata Cabral needs to hide for the weekend. Her cousin’s Valentine’s Day wedding means she’ll face embarrassing questions from her large, extended family. Questions like “Why aren’t you married yet?” Since the breakup of her last relationship, she’s not ready to answer that question. She invents a work-related excuse and escapes to a friend’s lakeside cottage.

Noah Brownlee has been hiding for two years. But now he’s ready to come home and mend his broken relationship with his brother. When a friend offers the use of his lakeside cottage, Noah arrives in the middle of a blizzard with his English Mastiff, only to find the place is already occupied. With her big brown eyes and quirky sense of humor, Renata stirs feelings he thought long dead.

As the blizzard rages, the candy hearts predict love. Can Valentine’s Day work its magic between them?

Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/Chill-Out-Candy-Hearts-Romance-ebook/dp/B018L29ZUY

Take A Chance On Me

Teacher Darcy Ferris loves travel almost as much as she loves her Toronto neighborhood. But no matter how far she roams, she always returns to the genteelly shabby Victorian mansion where she grew up, the last place her father lived. Darcy’s world is turned upside-down when the Victorian is slated for demolition.

Since architect Nick Cummings’ mother’s death, his father has retreated from his real estate developing business, and from life. In a desperate attempt to interest his father in living again, Nick buys a beat-up Victorian mansion and draws up plans to replace it with a Victorian-inspired condo. But he doesn’t expect such opposition from his new tenant, Darcy Ferris. Nor does he expect to fall in love with her.

Nick and Darcy must come to terms with the past before they can forge a future together. And they’ll need to take the biggest chance of all – on love.

Buy link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07KNBM8G3

Child Of Mine

Lauren didn’t intend to sleep with her brother-in-law Cole on the day of her husband’s funeral. But now that she is pregnant, she’s not sorry. Cole’s given her a baby, a long-wished-for miracle. He’s been her friend forever, though she never told him or anyone else how unhappy her marriage to his cheating brother was. And she’s afraid to tell the small town that considered her husband a hero that the baby isn’t his.

Cole’s been in love with Lauren since he was sixteen. It kills him that everyone believes the baby is his dead brother’s. All he wants is to claim the baby, and Lauren, as his own. Though she marries him, will Lauren’s heart ever be his?

Lauren must tell the truth or risk losing Cole. Is her newly-discovered love for him greater than her fear of scandal in her hometown?

Buy link: https://www.amazon.com/Child-Mine-Masonville-Book-1-ebook/dp/B07MBVK9LY

2. Why did you add dogs to your books?

Indigo

Mainly because I love dogs. Giving a character a dog and showing how he/she relates to that animal tells us a lot about the person. The dogs I’ve featured have really become major characters in their stories.

Like Spike in Chill Out. Spike is a mastiff, and he was inspired by Indy (short for Indigo), a colleague’s mastiff. Like Spike, Indy was a rescue dog, and she was a very chill dog, a real gentle giant. She was friendly, loving and sweet, with some quirks, like demanding to sleep under the covers in my friend’s bed. I don’t think I ever heard her bark. I wanted to give Spike some of those traits, and I think he comes off as real, because he was based on a real dog.

Another fictional dog inspired by a real dog is Stanley the pug in Take A

Lou

Chance On Me. Stanley was inspired by my own dog, Lou. Even though I made Stanley a pure-bred pug and my dog Lou is actually a pug/terrier cross, they have the same attitude. And I mean attitude! I never knew how much I loved dogs until Lou came into our lives. She’s old now – sixteen and a half – and she’s certainly slowed down. But she’s still the same loving dog she’s always been.

Though I’ve never owned a Labrador retriever, I featured one in my latest release, Child Of Mine, because I’ve always thought they were wonderful dogs. Brady is featured on the cover of Child Of Mine and is owned by Cole, the hero of the book. Though Cole is his master, Brady falls head over heels in love with Lauren when she moves in. So much for man’s best friend!

3. What other books have you written?

I primarily write contemporary romance, but I love many other romance genres and have tried my hand at writing a few.

Seeing Things is my romantic suspense with a dash of the paranormal:

When psychic Leah McKenna “sees” the abduction of a small boy, she knows she must help find him, no matter the danger to herself. David Logan, the boy’s uncle, doesn’t believe in psychic phenomenon. He believes Leah knows who kidnapped his nephew and plans to stick close to her to discover the truth. As they search for Jeremy, they uncover truths about themselves and the way they feel about each other. Can Leah convince him her visions, and her love for him, are real before time runs out for all of them?

Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/Seeing-Things-ebook/dp/B004I6E7YM

I love stories set during and around World War Two. Here are a couple of my novellas set during that tumultuous period. Both are available as audiobooks:

Flawless

France, 1942. The world is at war. The Nazis have stolen the infamous blue diamond, Le Coeur Bleu, intending to barter it for weapons that will destroy the Allies. Jewel thief Hunter Smith is given a choice; help the French Resistance steal back the diamond and avenge the death of his best friend, or stay locked up in an English prison. He chooses revenge.

Resistance fighter Madeleine Bertrand’s husband died when he was betrayed by Hunter Smith. How can she now pretend to be married to the arrogant American? How can she betray Jean Philippe’s memory by her passionate response to Hunter’s kisses? Neither is prepared for the maelstrom of attraction that erupts between them. To survive they must uncover the mysteries of the past and conquer the dangers of the present. But first Madeleine must decide if her loyalties lie with her dead husband and the Resistance or with the greatest love of her life.

Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/Flawless-Jewel-Night-ebook/dp/B004I438QW

Home Fires

Anne Wakefield travels halfway around the world for love. But when she arrives in Canada from England at the end of World War Two, she discovers the handsome Canadian pilot she’d fallen in love with has married someone else. Heartbroken, she prepares to return to London, though she has nothing left there to return to. Her former fiancé’s mother makes a suggestion: marriage to her other son.

Badly wounded and scarred during the war, Erik Gustafson thinks he’s a poor substitute for his brother. Although he loves Anne almost from the first time he sees her, he cannot believe she would ever be able to love him as he is – especially as he might be after another operation on his bad leg. Anne sees the beauty of his heart. The cold prairie winter may test her courage, but can she prove to Erik that her love for him is real?

Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/Home-Fires-Love-Letters-ebook/dp/B008MBM7CS

4. Tell us about your kudos or reviews.

Last year I was lucky enough to win best contemporary romance in the “I Heart Indie” contest for Lies And Solace, book one in my Love at Solace Lake series. Book three in the series, Truth And Solace, won a Paranormal Guild’s Reviewers Choice Award, as did the whole series. I’ve been very happy with the reception my indie series has received!

For a complete list of my books with reviews, excerpts and formats (ebook, print and audiobook), go to my website at https://www.janarichards.com/books.html

5. Where can readers learn more about your books and connect with you online?

I’m glad you asked, Marcia!

Website: http://www.janarichards.com
Blog: http://janarichards.blogspot.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JanaRichardsAuthor
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/JanaRichards_
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/author/janarichards
Amazon UK Author Page: http://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B002DEVWWG
Newsletter Signup: http://janarichards.com/contact.html#newsletter If you sign up to receive my newsletter, I’ll send you a copy of Take A Chance On Me free!

Marcia James: Thank you, Jana, for stopping by my Go Pets! blog! I look forward to reading your books!

READER INVITATION: Want to win a FREE ebook? Visitors to this pro-pet blog can join in the fun and share photos of their pets for a chance to win one of my ebooks! Each month, I’ll randomly pick one of the pet photos to win and to feature on my social media pages and in my reader newsletter. To leave a comment and a photo, click on the word “Reply,” which is just below the social media icons for THIS interview. (Don’t scroll past this interview to the next interview.) Go Pets!

1. I hear you have amazing equines in your fantasy romances. Tell us about the books.

In most fantasy worlds, horses and sailing ships are two of the most common means of transportation, besides flying on dragon back, of course. But the horses in the Dragshi Chronicles and the Windmaster Novels are more than just animals. They are characters who happen to be able to gallop. They are the seidheirn of the Dragshi Chronicles and the falaire of the Windmaster Novels, magical creatures of intelligence, with unusual speed and stamina. A toss of their mane or stomp of their hoof communicates as clear as spoken words. They also have their own unique personalities. If a groom isn’t available (or is unwilling) to open a stable door, a smash of the hoof will achieve the goal. But they will look sheepish afterwards and explain, “I couldn’t find anyone to help me. So I helped myself.”

What I liked best about the falaire and the seidheirn is their loyalty and friendship to their chosen riders. The mounts were more than transportation, they were confidants and their stolid nature provided comfort. In the case of Talann and Glyn in Hatchling’s Mate and Hatchling’s Vengeance, the emotional support was especially needed. Everyone expected Talann to be a dragshi and be able to take on dragon form. But no dragons sang a welcome at this birth. And Glyn had a secret that no one could every know. The loyalty and fighting ability of the seidheirn was recorded in a tune sung in Dragon Destiny called the “Battle Hymn of the Seidhern.” The tune was not used to inspire men before a battle, but to quiet rioting animals who panicked during a wall-rocking winter storm.

Earth magic allows the equines to gallop without leaving behind the sound of hoof falls and presents the image that they are nothing more special than a slightly large horse. A special talent of some falaire was the ability to boost their human friend’s magic with their own earth magic to make the mage’s spell even stronger. There are legends told of falaire who swim with shipfish in the deep oceans and soar with the birds. I won’t say what the head stallion Taerneach did, but the truth of one of the legends appears in Windmaster Legacy after a leap from a cliff.

About the Dragshi Chronicles: The dragshi are two beings, one human, one a dragon, who can change forms with the other at will. However, freedom of the skies comes with a price. Excerpts and more at https://helenhenderson-author.blogspot.com/p/the-dragshi-chronicles.html.

Dragon Destiny: https://books2read.com/Dragon-Destiny
Hatchlings Curse: https://books2read.com/HatchlingsCurse
Hatchling’s Mate: https://books2read.com/hatchlings-mate
Hatchling’s Vengeance: https://books2read.com/Hatchlings-Vengeance
First Change: Legends From The Eyrie: https://books2read.com/FirstChange

About the Windmaster Novels: Cast off and fill the sails for love and adventure. However be warned. Destiny cannot be avoided –especially when love controls the journey. Excerpts and more at https://helenhenderson-author.blogspot.com/p/the-windmaster-novels.html.

Windmaster – Revenge set Ellspeth and the archmage, Dal, on the path to her destiny, but prophecy controlled the journey. Adventure, magic, and the search for a hidden treasure in an epic fantasy. http://books2read.com/Windmaster

Windmaster Legacy – Dal must make an impossible decision—Rescue Ellspeth, save his mother, or thwart Bashim’s plans. As archmage, he might be able to survive killing the future of magic, but as a man could he live with the knowledge he caused the death of a loved one. http://books2read.com/Windmaster-Legacy

##NEW RELEASE – Windmaster Legend – A forbidden love. An impossible quest. Threats to life and career. If love survives, there is one more challenge—the accusation of witchcraft. https://books2read.com/windmaster-legend/

2. Why did you add the equines to the series? Have you had pets that inspired you?

For more than fifteen years, my house was ruled by a tuxedo cat. During our walks around the neighborhood on harness and lease, he ignored the barks of dogs or greeted them with a sophisticated meow giving his name as, “Cat…Tighe Cat.”

During my childhood, collies helped corral sheep and cows, and sometimes children. However, at this point in my life, my household is without a ruler who prefers to walk on four-feet and chase birds. A cat or dog wouldn’t fit the lifestyle. As a caregiver, we’ve worked too hard to eliminate the granny shuffle. But with an animal around, the shuffle is needed to ensure no one is blocking your path. And no cat likes to have his tail stepped on.

That doesn’t mean I’m without animal companionship. I am an adopted member of a pack that consists of a Siberian Husky, a Golden Retriever, and their human family. When I visit, Shadow, as the self-perceived alpha female, races over and garrulously greets with demands for pets and polite inquiries as to our day. Haley walks over more sedately as befitting her years. There is a comfort to the weight of a dog on your feet (at least before circulation stops) and a sense of being loved when they sit with their head on your lap.

For this post, the pet I’ve chosen is not a dog or a cat, but a magical equine. I have a personal connection to horses. When growing up, there was Fury, Flicka, Scout and Silver, Tornado, and of course, Trigger. (If the names don’t ring a bell, an online search will educate.) A Shetland pony graced our farm. No small creature, he was large enough to be ridden by an adult. And I broke my first bone because of him. Note to self—don’t ride without a saddle. An occasional ride on wooden trails when on vacations has kept the interest in horses alive. A bucket list item would be a horseback glamping trip in Wyoming or Montana.

3. What other romances have you written?

Besides the two fantasy series, I’ve also written a dark fantasy/romance. Imprisoned in Stone. For the crime of healing without payment, the Brethren imprisoned Dylan’s soul in stone. Centuries later, he felt the touch of another’s mind and hope for escape from his eternal prison soars. However, his potential savor’s only knowledge of him comes from an eerie message on the wall and nightmarish dreams. And, she is unaware of her latent magic–the power needed to free him.

A spell kept secret for generations.
A brotherhood thirsting for power.
Demands that cannot be obeyed.
A woman who stands to lose everything.

Imprisoned in Stone –
Excerpts: helenhenderson-author.blogspot.com/p/imprisoned-in-stone-excerpt.html
Buy Link: https://books2read.com/Imprisoned-in-Stone

While the work isn’t a romance, several stories in the collection Hearth and Sand: Stories from the Front Lines and the Homefront are a love story or have a romantic element. Hearth and Sand are twelve tales of those who served on the front lines and the stories of loved ones left behind who preserved the homefront. Set universes apart and separated by decades in time, the stories in Hearth and Sand reflect a continuity of service from the past to the present and into the world of tomorrow. The tales cross genre from contemporary to historical, and science fiction to poetry. Although the events are fictional, the voices captured within these pages came from historical notes, veterans’ own words, letters left by their ancestors, or contemporary events. Pen was put to paper while watching fighter planes land in the Philippine Islands and in the shaded woods of a stateside farm.

More about Hearth and Sand – http://helenhenderson-author.blogspot.com/p/hearth-and-sand.html. Available at https://books2read.com/Hearth-and-Sand.

4. Tell us about your kudos or reviews

Kudos and reviews, that’s a hard one for someone who prefers to be in the background. However, here are a few kind words acquired not by me, but the stories and characters whose tales I’ve had the privilege of presenting.

The tales of Captain Ellspeth and Lord Dal as recorded in the Windmaster Novels have been described as “A great read by an author with magic in her veins.” Comments about Windmaster include, “This beautifully crafted novel is filled with fascinating characters, both two- and four-legged” and “An intriguing fantasy that kept me riveted from the first page.” Windmaster Legacy was described as “a beautifully written, powerfully evocative sequel.”

For those who prefer to fly with dragons rather than hang out with mages, there are the Dragshi Chronicles. What has been said about the books is, “one of the best dragon shifter stories I have ever read,” “a fascinating fantasy world with engaging characters,” “An enjoyable fantasy read, especially for fans of dragons,” “Any fantasy lover would enjoy this epic tale!” and “a very unique story with a truly exceptional plot.”

And perhaps the best comment, “a true keeper.”

5. What is one thing readers might be surprised to know about you?

In a past life, I was a correspondent and feature story writer. Among the topics I wrote about were history (including military history), antiques, and military weapons. People who see me in a suit giving a lecture on how to create a novel notebook would not recognize me at a reenactment with a reporter’s pad and press badge hung low on my fatigues or in hoop skirt and wide-brimmed hat carrying a basket with my camera and recorder covered beneath a piece of gingham material. The historical research and additional backgrounds in creating computers and running a museum provide an unusual insight into building not just worlds of the past, but of the future.

6. Where can readers learn more about your books and connect with you online?

Helen invites you to join her on travels through the stars, or among fantasy worlds of the imagination. Connect with her online at her blog: helenhenderson-author.blogspot.com, as well as:
Facebook—https://www.facebook.com/HelenHenderson.author
Twitter—https://twitter.com/history2write
Amazon—https://www.amazon.com/Helen-Henderson/e/B001HPM2XK
Goodreads—https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/777491.Helen_Henderson

Marcia James: Thank you, Helen, for stopping by my Go Pets! blog! I look forward to reading your books!

READER INVITATION: Want to win a FREE ebook? Visitors to this pro-pet blog can join in the fun and share photos of their pets for a chance to win one of my ebooks! Each month, I’ll randomly pick one of the pet photos to win and to feature on my social media pages and in my reader newsletter. To leave a comment and a photo, click on the word “Reply,” which is just below the social media icons for THIS interview. (Don’t scroll past this interview to the next interview.) Go Pets!