PJ Sharon
1. I hear you have a dog in your series featuring a rookie cop heroine. Tell us about the series.
Hi, Marcia, thanks so much for having me. I’m thrilled to be here and always happy to talk about two of my favorite things…books and dogs!
My Savage Cinderella novella series is based on a book I published back in 2012, Savage Cinderella. In the novel, readers are introduced to eighteen-year-old Brinn Hathaway, who has survived on her own in the High Country of North Georgia since she was left for dead in a shallow grave by the man who kidnapped her as a child. When a young nature photographer, Justin Spencer, catches the wild girl on film and the two form a tentative friendship, Brinn must decide if coming out of hiding is worth the hope—and the danger—that may await her.
A mix of literary fiction, romance, suspense, and coming of age, it was one of those stories that didn’t quite fit onto a specific bookshelf, which is why I decided to self-publish it. I wasn’t sure if the story qualified as Young Adult (YA) or the relatively new (at the time) sub-genre of New Adult fiction. A fellow author once described the “agent pitch” as Veronica Mars meets Nell. Or A Child Called It meets Nancy Drew.
There’s no overt sexuality or language issues, but the subject matter is gritty, and Brinn’s age sets her just outside the YA market. A 2010 Sheila and Golden Palm finalist and a 2013 NERFA and HOLT Medallion winner, Savage Cinderella went on to become a hit on Wattpad with almost four million reads. It was then I decided to continue Brinn’s journey through a series of novellas.
Each 30k “episode” has a crime to solve, a relationship issue to overcome, and a powerful step in Brinn’s personal journey of recovery and healing after all she’d endured as a child. There are now five books in the series: Finding Hope, Lost Boys, Sacred Ground, Broken Angel, and Liberty’s Promise, all of which have social justice themes—and yes…a dog named Eliot.
2. Why did you add a dog to this series?
When I first came up with the idea for Savage Cinderella, I was hiking in the woods with my dog, Zak—a golden lab/husky mix who I rescued as a six-month-old pup and who was as devoted to me as any living being on the planet had ever been. He was my constant companion for twelve years and the best hiking pal a girl could want. On this one walk, just like every writer with an overactive imagination, I started daydreaming. I wondered what it would have been like to grow up in the wild and have been raised by wolves. But when I ‘saw’ Brinn running through the woods, she wasn’t running with wolves.
In the original novel, Brinn befriends a bear—yes, a bear—and names her Kitty. This may seem like a stretch, but in Brinn’s lonely world of isolation and survival as a ten-year-old, rescuing a cub who had lost its mother and developing a bond with the animal is what helps her survive cold winter nights and the myriad of dangers she faces throughout the story. It was also symbolic of her own loss, believing her parents were dead and that no one wanted her—a lie that her captor ingrained in her during the two years he’d kept and tortured her. Even after Brinn returns to the world, she and Kitty remain friends and this character comes back in Broken Angel, when Brinn returns to her mountain cabin and is confronted by drug dealers.
For the series though, Brinn needed a sidekick who could accompany her in the real world, and Eliot fit the bill. A gift from Justin, Eliot (named after the author T.S. Eliot) is a loveable yellow lab who is as much an emotional support dog as he is a partner in crime-fighting. He failed out of his first round of canine police training because of his overly independent nature (a characteristic he shares with Brinn).
Eliot doesn’t appear in all the books, but he is always on her mind and a valued friend who keeps her grounded. I enjoyed writing him, and I think well-drawn animal characters can add an incredible depth to our heroes and heroines. Kristan Higgins writes amazing pets into her stories, making them an integral part of her characters’ journeys and offering a reflection in some way to the characters themselves.
Zak is no longer with me and it’s been hard to imagine replacing him, but maybe someday, another dog will come along and find me. Until then, I’ll keep writing them into my stories!
3. What other romances have you written?
One of the best parts of self-publishing is not being pinned down to one genre. I’ve written three contemporary YA romances, Heaven Is For Heroes, On Thin Ice, and Pieces Of Love, all part of what I call The Girls of Thompson Lake Series, since all the characters are friends and live in a small fictitious CT lake town. Each novel is a standalone story, but the friendships and settings overlap. Sami’s Christmas Wishlist is an accompanying novella that brings all the girls together for a heartwarming holiday story.
I also have a dystopian trilogy called The Chronicles of Lily Carmichael; a series RT Book Reviews called “An action-packed read with a strong female lead.” I’m particularly proud of this series as it’s won several awards and was especially fun and challenging to write. You can read the prequel, Soul Redemption on Wattpad or download it free as a thank-you gift for signing up for my newsletter.
Waning Moon, Western Desert, and Healing Waters make up the rest of the trilogy—in which, in the year 2057, in a post-apocalyptic world where three quarters of the population has been wiped out by a global pandemic, and a polar shift threatens the remainder of Earth’s inhabitants with extinction, sixteen-year-old genetically enhanced teen, Lily Carmichael, faces bigger challenges—escape capture by a rogue government agency, save her family, and avoid falling in love.
I know…cheery stuff, right? Despite the desperate and apocalyptic setting, there is a teen romance, a ton of action and adventure, and as with all my stories a “hopefully ever after” ending. It also has a couple of pet wolves—my first introduction to writing animal characters.
4. How do you promote your books?
Promoting me and my books has been one of the greatest challenges for me as an author. I know this is true for many of us. Writers are—by nature—introverts to some degree. We spend a lot of time living in our heads with make-believe characters. I love the writing process (even with its alternating ups and downs of creative euphoria and doubt-filled exasperation). But the selling process and treating my writing as a business—not so much. I have a particularly difficult time balancing writing and promoting simultaneously. I enjoy engaging with readers, but it’s sad and a little scary to leave the writer’s cave and face the real world again, lol.
When my head is in a story, I need to stay in that creative space, and marketing and promotions require a whole different mindset. I’ve avoided doing much marketing for the series the past two years as I’ve been writing the five novellas, but now that the series is in a good place to call it complete, and I don’t have any immediate plans for another story, I’m shifting gears. This is, after all, a marathon and not a sprint. A dozen books published in eight years is a good bit of writing. So, now it’s time to devote some effort to sharing them with the world.
I’ve created a marketing plan and a promotions list of to-dos over the next six months that will include getting out to bookstores, visiting libraries, and speaking at schools. I also need to focus on garnering reviews and being more consistent with content creation for social media. Once summer comes, I’ll do more book fairs and farmer’s markets.
One of the most consistently successful things I’ve done with my online community is multi-author events. Cross-promoting with others is fun, not that much work, and usually gives me a good return on my investment, whether through increased sales or a jump in new followers. There is so much that can be done, we can make ourselves crazy. Finding what works for you, that you enjoy—or at least don’t mind—and that gives you a solid return on your investment is the key. And not everything is worth doing. I rarely recoup my costs when I do those short-term sales and pay for advertising on a bunch of cheap sites. I’ll get a bump in numbers sold which is good for a temporary boost in Amazon rankings, but it never pans out enough for me to see a return on investment (ROI). The same with Facebook ads. Some people do great with them, but you need to spend money to make money. Unless you’re fortunate enough to get a BookBub ad, or you have a huge advertising budget, paid advertising has been a bust for me.
I think the best advertising is still word-of-mouth. Getting out and talking about our stories, meeting readers, and creating connections is probably one of the most important things we can do to promote ourselves and our books. That’s why I’m here visiting with you! Thanks again for having me.
Leave a comment on this blog and be entered to win a signed copy of Savage Cinderella!
5. Where can readers learn more about your books and connect with you online?
Readers can find me at all the places I hang out…
Website: http://www.PJSharon.com
Follow PJ on Twitter: @pjsharon https://www.twitter.com/pjsharon
“Like” PJ on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pjsharonbooks
Find PJ on Amazon’s Author Central page: http://www.amazon.com/PJ-Sharon/e/B005ONR4IY/
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/PJSharon
Read FREE chapters on Wattpad: http://www.wattpad.com/user/pjsharon
Signup for PJ’s Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/bm7rj5
Author Bio:
In addition to her day job as a massage therapist, PJ Sharon is an award-winning author, fitness guru, lover of kind spirits, and sometimes lost in imaginary worlds. Whether PJ writes contemporary YA, NA, or a dystopian trilogy, there is always a romance at the heart of the story, healing for a troubled soul, and a hopefully ever after end to look forward to.
A black belt in the art of Shaolin Kempo Karate, former figure skating and power skating coach, and singer of Italian art songs, PJ has two grown sons and lives with her brilliant engineer husband in the Berkshire Hills of Western MA where she writes, kayaks, and plays in the dirt as often as possible.
Marcia James: Thank you, PJ, for stopping by my Go Pets blog! I look forward to reading your novels!
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!
Renee Wildes
1. I hear you have pets in your novel, A Guardian’s Destiny. Tell us about the book.
A Guardian’s Destiny is Book 5 in my 7-book Guardians of Light series published by Champagne Book Group. (Each book is stand-alone, while also fleshing out the same fictitious, magical world.) It follows the epic journey of Verdeen, a newly graduated elven shieldmaiden who was once Queen Dara’s lady’s maid (from Book 1, A Guardian’s Heart), But Verdeen wanted more, and Queen Dara allowed her to attend the warrior academy. But sometimes fate takes you in unexpected directions:
Not even a Prince of Thieves can prevent love from stealing his heart…
On what should have been Verdeen’s proudest day, she is blocked from advanced warrior training because no war mare chooses to bond with her. Burning with humiliation, she accepts a lesser assignment to the Isle of Ice, serving as bodyguard to human riever, Daq Aryk.
Verdeen’s never paid much attention to men, so focused was she on her training. But she quickly realizes hieing off into a distant wilderness with Aryk is a bad idea. He makes her lose all focus and perspective.
Aryk faces a difficult task: molding six warring clans into a peaceful whole. He’s got nothing against women warriors, but Verdeen is young and inexperienced, her beauty a potentially fatal distraction. She’s a shield-maiden, not a bedmate. But the way she melts at his every touch erodes all his good intentions…and sense.
One kiss unleashes the kind of feverish desire that should occur only once in a lifetime—with a mate. But as their quest takes ever more dangerous twists and turns, their bond could be the one thing that unites a nation. Or make Aryk’s worst nightmare a blood-soaked reality.
Warning: Contains fire and ice, never-gratuitous sex and violence, sword play and self-play, spying and lying, noble intentions and betrayal. In other words, a rollicking good roll in the proverbial hay.
2. Why did you add pets to your book?
Because the love of pets unites us all into a commonality, and how we treat those smaller and weaker than ourselves reveals what kind of person we are. They enhance our existence and teach us a lot about ourselves. They do the same for m
y characters, allowing my readers to identify with characters made that much more real and sympathetic and believable.
I have three cats, a dog, and a horse. All seniors with health issues, all rescues. I am my vets’ best client. They are family and I would do anything for them.
My oldest cat Chandra is a sweet calico, 18 & deaf, with a heart murm
ur & kidney failure. My gray Morab mare Sassy is 15 and retired after insulin-resistant metabolic disorder caused her to founder severely a year ago. Both of my male tabby cats are 7 and afraid of anyone not family. Riley is additionally burdened with neurological issues and recurrent dental disease.
My black Chow Abby is 10 with arthritis of the spine and a lifelong special diet after almost dying from bladder stones.
Aryk would do anything for his dog, Fiske, as well. (Picture a red Akita) Here’s a snippet of a scene of a mountain rescue:
Rounding a clump of boulders like scattered marbles, Aryk paused and frowned at the path ahead. A fine latticework of ice crystals covered the surface, as if it had melted and refrozen. He crouched, pointed to a jagged line transecting the snow. Valkyn studied it as well and nodded.
“What?” she whispered.
“Partial thaw,” Aryk said. “Might’ve weakened this area. We cross above that line.”
“Spread out,” Valkyn advised.
They proceeded with caution. Fiske’s fur stood on end as he sniffed the air and paced back and forth, staying close to Aryk. Snow creaked and crunched underfoot, as if the Horn groaned at their intrusion. Ominous clouds crept across the sky. The dim light crushed her spirit. The Horn no longer seemed benign. It waited
A sharp crack and Fiske’s startled yelp were the sole warnings as the snow collapsed beneath the dog’s paws, and he dropped. Verdeen screamed as he disappeared into the ground.
Aryk hurled himself to the snow, clutching the line. He wound the line around his hands, drawing the dog back up with every coil.
She didn’t dare move, scarce dared breathe, as Valkyn crept forward on his belly to the edge of the crevasse and snagged Fiske’s harness when the dog came within range, hauling him back onto solid ground. The shaking, whimpering dog tottered to Aryk, who yanked off his gloves and hauled the dog close enough to bury his face in Fiske’s red fur.
Her heart thundered as Valkyn eased away from the treacherous opening. They’d nigh lost Fiske. She’d gotten attached in a few days. How much worse for Aryk, who raised him from a pup?
How can Verdeen resist a guy like Aryk?
3. What other books have you written?
In addition to the seven Guardians of Light titles (A Guardian’s Heart, A Guardian’s Hope, A Guardian Revealed, A Guardian’s Dream, A Guardian’s Destiny, A Guardian Betrayed, and A Guardian Redeemed), I have a paranormal romance, Marek’s New World, and a science fiction romance, Seditious Hearts. I am working on a sequel series to the Guardians of Light that I’m calling Daughters of the Guardians. I also want to do a sequel to Marek and one for Seditious Hearts as well.
4. Tell us about your kudos or reviews.
I am a 3-time Epic finalist, a 2-time Ecataromance Reviewer’s Choice Award winner, a 2-time WisRWA Reader’s Choice finalist, an LRC Best Of runner-up for fantasy romance, an OTFS winner, an Ignite the Flame runner-up & a Sheila finalist.
Here’s what Lilly’s Book World https://lillysbookworld.com/2019/10/13/book-tour-reviews-guardians-of-light-series/ thought of A Guardian’s Destiny:
So much magic, so many twists and turns and so many strong heroines! “A Guardian’s Destiny” does not disappoint at all. Verdeen’s pride is wounded, when she is forced to accept a lesser mission. Little did she know the dangers she would face. Aryk also has to face his own pride, when having to trust a woman, as a warrior.
Business set aside, they learn the connection they share runs beyond the field of battle. They will discover the passion one kiss can unleash. Is this enough for them? The world is full of dangers and they have to face a lot!
I don’t know if this is exactly the “crown jewel” of the series, because I have enjoyed all of them. But I do believe this is yet another one full of lies and intrigue. With a twist I never saw coming, I was completely hooked into this world.
After reading this entire series, I can say I’ve missed this feeling of devoting my time to 5 books! I loved the combination between magic, at certain levels, magical beings and shifters and romance. I was hooked and I still am! I plan to revisit the series and follow the author closely!
Here’s what the Library Journal had to say about A Guardian’s Destiny, back when it was first published with Samhain as Riever’s Heart:
After a bloody battle with his fellow Isadorikjans, Daq Aryk decides to travel to the south to get help in uniting the tribes of the frozen north. Aid comes in the form of Verdeen, a feisty Elven champion who is struggling with balancing the warrior of her personality with the awakening woman. As they journey toward Aryk’s home, they must contend with Verdeen’s skepticism, the elements, and enemies, to say nothing of the growing heat between them. This historical fantasy romance steams its way through a traditional hero’s journey home. Readers will enjoy the layers of lovemaking that are balanced with an exciting story line. Between the bloodsport and the intense relationships, there is really something for every romance or fantasy enthusiast here.
Verdict If you like your icy landscapes with some hot love scenes, this is the book for you! Well-drawn characters with lots of facets placed in exciting situations; a fun page-turner.—Emily Thompson, MSI, Ann Arbor, MI
5. How do you promote your books?
Mostly through Facebook & Twitter and the occasional interview and guest blog.
6. Where can readers learn more about your books and connect with you online?
Website: http://reneewildesromance.com/
Publisher: http://champagnebooks.com/store/185_renee-wildes
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Renee-Wildes/e/B003ZMXWQE?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_2&qid=1584293973&sr=8-2
Blog: https://reneewildes1.wordpress.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ReneeWildes1
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ReneeWildes
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/reneewildes/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2465877.Renee_Wildes
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wildesrenee/?hl=en
Marcia James: Thank you, Renee, for stopping by my Go Pets blog! I look forward to reading your novels!
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!
Barbara Meyers
1. I hear you have a cat in your novel, Cleo’s Web. Tell us about the book.
A few years ago, hubs and I moved into one of those over 55 “active lifestyle communities.” At the time, a few of my new neighbors told me I didn’t look old enough to live here. (Even though I was.) I got to thinking, but what if someone wasn’t old enough and needed to slip in under the radar? And cat-sitting a cat who hates her was part of the gig? But she got caught? Thus, Cleo’s Web was born.
Cleo’s Web Buy Links:
Amazon short link: http://amzn.to/2dyvRT7
Universal Link via D2D: https://books2read.com/u/bP1L7j
Blurb:
Unconvincing disguises, reverse stripteases, and an uncooperative feline…
Itching to start over, Cleo Ward is preparing to leave her bad choices and troubled past behind. A temporary gig cat-sitting will benefit her relocation fund. All she has to do is blend in with her aunt’s retirement community.
Easier said than done when Daniel “Web” Webster, the sexy property manager shows up… Nothing gets by Web, especially an intriguing too-young-to-be-a-resident female masquerading as a senior citizen. But since it’s for a noble cause, he might be able to overlook Cleo’s rule-breaking for a favor—or two.
But what happens when Cleo becomes more entangled with Web than she intended? Does she even want to escape the invisible threads he’s woven around her?
2. Why did you add a cat to this book?
Winnie
I used to be more of a cat person, but now I’m more of a dog person. We always had cats during my childhood, and hubs and I had two when we were first together. Then we had kids and got a dog, and I guess we became dog people. We found her at the SPCA shelter two years ago. Winnie is like a slightly smaller clone of our dog Pepper, who we had lost the year before. Winnie’s such a lady, who even crosses her legs:
A lot of my friends have cats, and they tell such funny stories about them. My daughter has two cats—one she adores and one who is the bane of her existence. I needed Cleo to have more than one good reason for sneaking into her great-aunt’s community and trying to fly under the radar. Having to care for a cat who despises her made for some funny moments. Also, the cat, whose name is Poe, adores the hero, which irritates Cleo even more.
3. What other romances have you written?
I won’t list them all, but more recently I released the first book in a stand-alone connected series (Red Bud, Iowa) entitled If You Knew. A former adult film actress relocates to a small Iowa town and becomes the target of a nasty political campaign. She’s recently widowed and is pregnant, and…the hero has a past he’s not proud of as well. Next up is the second book in the series, If You Dare, which features If You Knew’s villain as the hero.
If You Knew Buy Link: https://books2read.com/IfYouKnew
Blurb:
In a town filled with lies, is there room for one more?
Widow Devonny Campbell arrives in tiny Red Bud, Iowa, determined to make a new life for herself and the child she carries. But when her former career in adult films is uncovered, she becomes the catalyst for a nasty political campaign which creates a tornado of controversy.
High school coach and guidance counselor Luke Bradshaw knows one strong wind will collapse the house of cards he’s built to contain his demons. He’s falling hard for Devonny in spite of her past. And she might be what trips him up and exposes everything he’s kept hidden.
But Devonny and Luke aren’t the only citizens of Red Bud forced to face the judgment of their peers. As the campaign turns vicious, deeply-buried truths are revealed and lifelong relationships are shattered. Can Devonny and Luke stick together? Or will too much truth tear them apart?
White Roses in Winter is a shotgun wedding story, which features a struggling college-age hero, an overly controlling father who is determined to teach his daughter a lesson she won’t forget, and a jealous frenemy with an axe to grind.
White Roses In Winter Buy Link: https://books2read.com/u/4EDekO
Blurb:
The princess. The pauper. And a shotgun…
The only thing Jason is focused on is getting through his last year of college. But the instant attraction between him and Kerrie leads to one unforgettable night together.
When Kerrie’s wealthy, overly-protective father learns she is pregnant, he arranges a temporary marriage to teach her a lesson about choices and consequences. Jason reluctantly agrees to keep his participation in the plan a secret, because it’s the only way he can safeguard his future and his family.
Kerrie is blinded by her romantic fantasy and doesn’t suspect she’s been set up. Meanwhile, Jason guards his heart and vows that when Kerrie leaves with their baby, he won’t beg her to stay.
Just when it seems a future together is possible, lies, betrayal and deceit threaten to separate Kerrie and Jason forever. Faced with losing each other and their baby, will their fragile bond be strong enough?
4. Tell us about your kudos or reviews.
Here is one of the best reviews I received for If You Knew:
Review 4/1/19:
https://romance4thebeach.wordpress.com/2019/04/01/if-you-knew-by-barbara-meyers/
“Little did I know this book would make me confront my own biases and prejudices, and learn the importance of acknowledging that who a person is now is often more important than who they once were.”
I love this site [Romance Novels For the Beach] in particular because the reviewer is brilliant at analyzing why a book works or doesn’t. She posts the reviews with memes, and they are such fun to read. And, as the name of her site suggests, she only reviews romance novels.
A *****Five Star Review of White Roses in Winter from the GeeA Gaylene Atkins’ blog: https://gayleneatkins.wordpress.com/2018/03/15/book-review6-white-roses-in-winter-author-is-barbara-meyers/
“White Roses in Winter is definitely a romance in my view; but it comes with much more grit and reality than your average romance genre read. There is suspense. There is action.”
What I loved about Gaylene’s review [above] is she really got what I was trying to convey with White Roses in Winter. That doesn’t always happen.
5. How do you promote your books?
I’m admittedly terrible about promotion. I’m trying to be more active on social media, especially Instagram and Facebook, but I enjoy the creative process of writing so much more. I’d rather write books than talk about them!!
This year, I’m doing monthly giveaways for my newsletter subscribers themed around a holiday or season. The first was for Valentine’s Day. A basket with Starbucks coffee (because I work there part-time), a mug, one of my books, a gift card, chocolate. Who knows what else? Other goodies, for sure. I want to reach out to followers and subscribers who enjoy what I write. And I love giving stuff away to loyal readers. Next one will be for St. Patrick’s Day. J Sign up is via my website.
I’m giving away a free ebook of Cleo’s Web to a randomly chosen person who comments on this blog!
Here are my links:
Web Site: http://www.BarbaraMeyers.com
Draft2Digital: http://books2read.com/author/barbara-meyers/subscribe/1/33163/
Blog: http://barbarameyers.com/blog/
Facebook Author Pages: https://www.facebook.com/BarbaraMeyersAuthorPage and https://www.facebook.com/AJTillock
Amazon Author Page: http://amazon.com/author/barbarameyers
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/barbmeyers1/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/barbmeyers/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/barbmeyers
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbara-meyers-5b581842/
Twitter: @barbmeyers and @ajtillock
Twitter URL: https://twitter.com/barbmeyers
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/barbara-meyers
Lakeland Ledger Article: http://www.theledger.com/news/20160313/auburndale-author-finds-success-with-amorous-tales
Alison Nissen Podcast 7/17: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7O9gHayvU8&feature=em-share_video_use
Marcia James: Thank you, Barbara, for stopping by my Go Pets blog and offering to give away an ebook! I look forward to reading your romantic novels!
READER INVITATION: Would you like to win a Marcia James’ ebook in addition to Barbara Meyer’s 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!
Lyncee Shillard
1. I hear you have pets in your novels. Tell us about them.
I do. I love animals–all animals. Even those that aren’t meant to be pets. I feel it’s really important that animals are allowed to “be.” For example, if you love cats, go to the local shelter and adopt one; don’t smuggle a tiger cub out of the jungle. My books reflect this message.
In my latest release romance adventure–Taking A Risk (available at https://books2read.com/u/3npgqe)–is all about this message.
Blurb: If Leigh Ronaldson is one thing, it’s predictable. What’s wrong with having a routine? Apparently, it makes her boring or so her ex-boyfriend claimed as he dumped her. And her best friend agrees.
She decides to prove them wrong and books an extreme adventure in Ecuador. The hiking, kayaking, and camping she signed up for. She didn’t plan on the hot guide who by just looking at her made her squirm with desire and definitely not the drug cartel who wants them dead.
Nick Greco’s golden rule is never to touch a client. NEVER. But rules can’t be broken. Regardless of how hard he is.
Once the local drug cartel starts hunting them, he knows it will take all his skill to get out of the Amazon jungle alive. And if your life is hanging in the balance, even golden rules can be broken…
My Christmas romance–The Christmas Reunion (available at https://books2read.com/u/mVBJEM)–is set on an animal rescue reserve. So it’s a mix of pets and wild life that has rescued.
Blurb: Five years ago, Joleigh Nelson turned her back on the only man she’d ever love to save her father and unborn son’s lives. Now that man may be the only one who can save her home, the New Forks animal reserve.
Spencer Thompkin has spent the last five years in an emotional wasteland. Unable to let anyone in after Joleigh disappeared without a word. On a routine foreclosure of an animal reserve, he finds not only Joleigh but a son he never knew about.
Can he get over the feelings of betrayal and help Joleigh save her home–the animal reserve? Or will the heartless lawyer part of him prevail leaving Joleigh homeless and without her son?
A Christmas Reunion may not even be enough to save the animal reserve and restore their love.
In my Halloween romance suspense–Murder and Treats (available at https://books2read.com/u/3nYk7B)–there is pet hamster that is a strong secondary character…that is key in solving keeping Lila alive. Mr. Bosworth is cute but don’t let that fool you.
Blurb: Lila Maxwell is coaxed into attending All Treats, a Halloween speed dating event by her best friend. Instead of the soul mate promised, one Halloween ghoul after another appears at her door until Cowboy Bill.
Jax Carlson has spent the last year focusing all of his attention on starting his own business. Hiring Lila Maxell over the Internet as his project manager was the final piece to his prefect plan. Set to open for business in three days, Jax plans on spending a couple of days on his boat relaxing. However, his friend Erik has a different idea–a speed dating Halloween party.
Jax has spent the night plotting the best revenge possible for Erik until Sally opens the door. The woman dressed in the pale lavender Harem costume ignites a fire that Jax thought was impossible without the aid of his formulated dating list.
After a night of mind-blowing sex, Lila sneaks out before they exchange real names, believing it was no more than a one-night stand.
Lila’s first day is full of surprises, the biggest being Cowboy Bill is actually her new boss, Jax Carlson. She thinks keeping her hormones in check while convincing Jax that love doesn’t follow a formula is complication enough until she learns the participants of the All Treats speed dating event are being killed.
My upcoming release–Ethan–has a little yorkie with a BIG attitude.
2. Why did you add pets to your stories?
I think they are amazing characters! They have their own personality, love unconditionally (as a romance writer, how can you NOT use that?), and are an excellent way to reveal your hero/heroine’s personality. Pets make great sounding boards for my characters (and me. My dog–Gunther–is my main planning partner 😊)
I’m a dog person (allergies sort of has determined this). Writing is a solo thing and the great thing about Gunther is that he’s silent, yet there. He’s also a venting source (most of my characters use their pets, their friend’s pets, or the jungle animals for this.)
When we aren’t writing, we enjoy long walks on the beach…even in the winter.
3. What other romances have you written?
I have written a couple paranormal suspense. A Mermaid’s Wish (no animals in this at all, which is weird for me), available at https://books2read.com/u/4AYAeA
Treasure Hunt (a pirate paranormal–no pets but a magical Siberian Tiger named Esmeralda), available at https://www.amazon.com/Treasure-Hunt-Lyncee-Shillard-ebook/dp/B003K16VFY/ref=sr_1_3?qid=1579915138&refinements=p_27%3ALyncee+Shillard&s=digital-text&sr=1-3&text=Lyncee+Shillard
5. How do you promote your books?
One of the key promotions is Charity Sunday and other animal organizations. For example, I donate a part of my sales from Treasure Hunt to a big cat rescue located in Wisconsin. (Esmeralda was based on Memphis.)
For Taking a Risk, I plan on donating part of my sales to the Amazon Wildlife foundation. My pets have given me so much and ask so little in return that I really feel that is a small thing I can do.
I’d love to hear if any of your readers have a favorite animal charity.
[NOTE: Visitors can use this blog’s Comments section to let us know about your favorite animal charity.]
6. Where can readers learn more about your books and connect with you online?
I live in the cold Northern Michigan (the place of four seasons–they lie! It’s just different levels of winter) with my husband. Our children have begun their own adventures, and just as I got into the swing of empty nest, then my grandson came to live with us. Now I’m doing 8 again…they argue everything, just case you forgot. And I now remember why I eat doughnuts and drink vodka 😊
When I’m not hanging out with the 8-year-old, I’m writing, reading, crocheting, and making self-care products. I’m a planner babe and vodka wizard. I also enjoy taking pictures. I’m not claiming to have a talent; it’s just something I like to do.
Come and hang out with me…we will talk doughnuts, vodka, and planners…
Website: https://LynceeShillard.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/lyncee
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LynceeS/
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3344793.Lyncee_Shillard
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Lyncee-Shillard/e/B007WGBKYK/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1534257851&sr=8-1
Marcia James: Thank you, Lyncee, for stopping by my Go Pets! I look forward to reading your romantic novels!
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!
Kryssie Fortune
- I hear you have a dog in your Heroes of Westhorpe Ridge series. Tell us about the books.
Each book features a former military man building a civilian life in the small North Carolina town of Westhorpe Ridge. Although linked, they each can be read as a sexy, stand-alone romance.
Check them out for a marriage of convenience, a spy story, a second chance romance featuring a secret baby, and rip-roaring adventure when those pesky mobsters reappear.
Amazon author page link: https://www.amazon.com/Kryssie-Fortune/e/B00J5AQOBU?
2. Why did you add a dog to this series?
As a child, I thought dogs ruled the universe. I once asked a butcher friend for seven bones so I could give one to every dog on our street. Not sure how he felt, but the dogs loved me.
I had a Welsh Terrier called Moxenville Laurence. (We called him Larry.) His pedigree stretched for ages. For those who don’t know, a Welsh terrier is a sort of miniature Airedale crossed with a teddy bear.
A typical terrier, Larry was as fierce and as loyal as they come. He was the runt of the litter, and the breeder said he’d never amount to anything. We fooled ‘em.
Raised on love, Larry thrived. Dog breeders offered us lots of money for him, but he was part of the family. No way would we part with him. He was as bright as they come. Every day, at 2pm he brought my mother his lead. I’m not sure who took who for a walk, but the pair of them loved it.
When I wrote the first book in my Heroes of Westhorpe Ridge series–Marriage, Mobsters, and the Marine, I needed a reason for the local sheriff to walk on the beach. My solution, give him a dog. It needed to be loyal, intelligent, and well behaved. I plumped for a Border Collie and called him Duffy (after Homer Simpson’s favourite beer).
In my second Heroes of Westhorpe Ridge book, Sex, Scandal, and the Sheriff, Duffy’s owner gets his own story. A former SEAL, he tries to run my heroine out of town. Of course, as the sheriff, he thinks he has a good reason. Fortunately, Duffy charms my heroine and ensures she interacts with his owner.
Duffy comes into his own in my third Heroes of Westhorpe Ridge book, Desire, Deceit, and the Doctor. His owner’s on holiday but Ben, son of the single parent hotel owner, is looking after him. Only someone’s out to kill Ben and his mother. Duffy saves Ben’s life. So does Adam, a former army doctor and–although he doesn’t know it–Ben’s father.
3. What other books have you written?
There’s a fourth Heroes book–Submission, Secrets and the Soldier. Duffy doesn’t feature much in this one, but it is my favourite of the four. Perhaps because I got to research PTSD to explain Luke’s character. The heroine has a bit of me in her in that she’s eager to please. People have used her, but despite his own problems, Luke helps her find her own way.
I’ve written paranormal, contemporary, and historical books. My original publisher, Loose id, decided it couldn’t compete with Amazon and closed its doors. My book rights reverted to me, and most of my books are available on Kindle Unlimited.
Fortunately, found a new home with Stormy Night Publications. They’ve published my two extremely naughty historicals–Wickedly Used and His Innocent Bride. These were my first books to make the top 100 on Amazon. That was a huge deal for me. I was so excited I screamed–and woke my husband who I’d left in bed. He shot into the front room thinking someone was attacking me!
My paranormal book, Taken as Theirs, made number ten on Amazon. Cue more screams and me jumping around like a loon. It’s a sexy paranormal adventure set in a post-apocalyptic world where werewolves are the dominant species.
Blurb: As a breeder–one of the few fertile women left in a ruined, plague-ravaged world–Cassie would fetch a handsome price at auction, and selling her to the highest bidder was exactly what her captors had in mind…until two fearsome beasts decided to take her for themselves.
Eli and Dane have chosen Cassie for their mate, and when she makes a foolish attempt at escape, she quickly ends up tearfully promising obedience as her bare bottom is soundly and shamefully punished. Her body’s response to their stern dominance cannot be denied, however, and it isn’t long before she is screaming out her intense, helpless pleasure as she is roughly and thoroughly claimed. But will Eli and Dane’s pack accept a human girl or will Cassie be an outsider forever?
Publisher’s Note: Taken as Theirs includes spankings and sexual scenes. If such material offends you, please don’t buy this book.
Buy links:
Amazon USA: https://amzn.to/2AB4Z3l
Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2s95Q6O
Amazon Canada: https://amzn.to/2GZLI1f
Amazon Australia: https://amzn.to/2RvViwV
Or READ FOR FREE ON KINDLE UNLIMITED
- How do you promote your books?
I’m active on social media and I’d love to hear from you:
Website: http://kryssiefortune.wixsite.com/kryssie
Blog: http://kryssiefortune.blogspot.co.uk/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KryssieFortune
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KryssieFortune
Pinterest: http://bit.ly/1OGFnjc
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2kxqabJ
5. In addition to the above links, where can readers learn more about your books?
Since the majority of my books are available on Kindle Unlimited, they are only available on Amazon. I’d love you to check out my Amazon Author Central page: https://www.amazon.com/Kryssie-Fortune/e/B00J5AQOBU?
Marcia James: Thank you, Kryssie, for stopping by my Go Pets! I look forward to reading your romantic novels!
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!
Linda O’Connor
1. I hear you have a pet in your novel, Perfectly Christmas. Tell us about the book.
Thank so much for inviting me to your blog! I’m so excited to be here to put Tuck, Dr. Quinn Malone’s golden retriever, in the spotlight. Tuck is the cutest character in Perfectly Christmas! He’s a gentle, calm, smart dog and spends his day at the clinic with Quinn putting patients at ease. He’s so adorable (both Quinn and Tuck :D)! The only person who raises an eyebrow at having a dog at the clinic is Dr. Madison Hayes, the new surgeon in town. But she comes around and falls in love when Tuck nudges up to her for a cuddle. The perfect way to anyone’s heart!
Here’s what Perfectly Christmas is about ~
On the first day of Christmas, his true love said to him, “Sorry, I have to work.” That’s the life of a surgeon, and Dr. Madison Hayes wouldn’t have it any other way.
Dr. Quinn Malone has another priority. In the countdown to Christmas, he needs to convince his old flame that there’s more to life–and love–than the job itself. This time, his heart is in it for the long haul. Really.
Romantic and…complicated–it’s Perfectly Christmas!
Ebook Buy Link (only 99 cents for the month of December–Merry Christmas!): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MYW5T7X
2. Why did you add a pet to your book?
I’m definitely a dog person, and I wanted to give a nod to all the service pets out there. They help in immeasurable ways. I wanted to create opposites in my main characters–Dr. Madison Hayes is an uptight, go-by-the-rule-book, Type A new surgeon in town, and the town’s beloved Dr. Quinn Malone is an easy-going, laid-back, go-with-what-works family doctor/anesthetist who brings Tuck to the clinic with him. The folks in small town Strathaven ask for Tuck just as much as they ask to see Dr. Malone.
3. What other romances have you written?
I have 11 published romantic comedies–most of them feature doctors as the main characters. I’m a physician and work at an Urgent Care Clinic, so I like to weave the best parts of medicine into my stories. Perfectly Christmas is the fifth of six books in the Perfectly Series. All of the romantic comedies in the series are stand-alone stories, but the previous characters pop in for a visit and an update. I’ve also written four medical romantic comedies for my In the Game Hockey Romance series, and Time for the Doctor, a medical romantic comedy and one of eight romances written by an awesome group of authors and set in the same small town, Copper Mills.
4. Tell us about your kudos or reviews.
Perfectly Christmas has achieved bestseller status on Amazon–number one for medical romance in Canada and USA (Woohoo!). These are my favourite reviews–thank you so much to the awesome readers who spend a moment to write a review:
“I totally love this series! I read a lot of romance novels and I’ve already read everything by Nora Roberts, Debbie Macomber and Sophie Kinsella (my other favourite authors) so I was really excited to find another series I love just as much! …Characters are realistic and funny, and I love that you keep seeing characters again from previous books so you can find out what happened to them.”
“A Perfect read for Christmas. I read it sitting by the fire and drinking hot chocolate, just like the characters in the book. I loved the story in the small town where everyone looks out for each other. A Christmas story set in a Northern Ontario town where hockey, ice-skating and sleigh rides are part of the winter activities. The medical references are so detailed that you can tell this was written by a talented doctor.”
“This is a heartwarming Christmas romance that has it all. It is a great read that I couldn’t put down. The love story between the two characters is exquisite and the humour is wonderful. I found myself laughing out loud several times… ‘Extra large – just saying’ :)”
5. How do you promote your books?
I visit other authors’ blogs to meet new readers! I love interacting with readers, and I’m active on Twitter and Facebook.
6. Where can readers learn more about your books and connect with you online?
I’m always happy to meet people. Drop by and say hello!
Website: https://www.LindaOConnor.net (.net as in networking :D)
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LindaOConnorAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LindaOConnor98
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Linda-OConnor/e/B00S7CNLEA
Newsletter sign-up: https://lindaoconnor.net/contact/
And not only is my Perfectly Christmas ebook on sale this month for only 99 cents, but I’m offering one free ebook to a lucky blog commenter!
Marcia James: Thank you, Linda, for stopping by my Go Pets! blog and giving away an ebook! I look forward to reading your romantic comedies!
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!
Laura Ashwood
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!
Sandy Wickersham-McWhorter
1 I hear you have pets in your novel. Tell us about the book.
My first novel, Cottonwood Place, received 4 and 4.5 star\heart reviews and is about Ian, Megan, her extended Navajo family, and the people who really run Megan’s inn, Orion, her Shepherd-husky mix dog and Cassiopeia, the white long-haired cat. Here’s the back-cover blurb:
Megan MacCloud knows before meeting him that Ian Hunter is the neediest of the troubled guests she and her desert inn has helped. Estranged from God, neither she nor Ian believe He can bring them the love they crave. Ian says he couldn’t resist driving across the country to her after her face on a brochure “hypnotized” him.
Because of Megan’s past abuse, her attraction to him is dashed when she learns he drinks. Megan resists loving Ian, but her family and mostly-human pets bond with him immediately, proving he’s good. Megan, her Grandma, and the pets resolve to help Ian stop drinking and be a doctor again.
He helps solve major problems with guests and saves several lives as Megan and her mysterious Navajo-and-White family show him religious and lifestyle philosophies foreign to him, yet truly American.
When she’s kidnapped for unknown reasons, Grandma says that to find Megan, he must first “find himself.” What does that mean? Can God use Megan’s family, their Navajo ceremonies, and the police to find Megan and help her and Ian “walk in beauty” before it’s too late?
Ebook Buy Link: https://pelicanbookgroup.com/ec/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=68_31_42&products_id=105
Print Book Buy Link: https://pelicanbookgroup.com/ec/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=34&products_id=42
2 Why did you add the pets to your book?
Sheena
Since I’ve been animal lover all my life, especially birds, I had to have animals in all my books. I protect animals on the road by swerving to miss squirrels; I stop to take turtles to the other side of the road when I see them by a river I drive over every day, and stop to see the sandhill cranes that now hang out by that river. YES, I am an animal rubbernecker!
When it came to my writing, I had to have animals as characters. For Cottonwood Place, I use the dog and cat to maintain the mysterious bewitching aura that draws people to Megan’s inn, Cottonwood Place, for healing and peace. Who better than my Sheena to play Orion? Sheena died in 2011 of a ravenously deadly and rare cancer. I needed almost 5 years to recover from losing her, the only living thing I loved at that time. I’m so glad I immortalized her in the book. I’ve always wanted a cat since the only one I ever had, Rascal, a beautiful black male, died of severe kidney failure in 1976. He was the first Valentine’s Day present my husband bought me. What better way to give myself a cat than in my first novel?
3 What other romances have you written?
I have two other romance novels. The first is The Winds of Fall, which received 4s and 5s of five book reviews from LASR (Long and Short Reviews site). The Winds of Fall was my second published novel, and the “book of my heart.” Combining two dreams from my teen years lead to this sci-fi romance about Skye and Joe. Both are aliens living on Earth; Skye doesn’t know she’s an alien who was stranded here, but Joe immediately knows what she is when he sees her hand entering one of his artworks in a gallery. This cover includes my other loves: sailing and deep water. Here’s the back-cover blurb:
Unknown to Skye Worthington, the people most important to her are keeping unearthly secrets from her. If not revealed and faced, these secrets will cause death for untold billions of people, Skye included.
Rebelling against his family and their deadly but necessary secrets, which keep him a recluse in a Caribbean paradise, Joe Allen meets Skye. They fall into a love forbidden to Joe until now.
Can two people with unimaginable secrets—and more in common than either know—overcome a force capable of entering dreams and taking humans through outer space without life support to other planets? This is the dilemma facing Skye and Joe as she fights to keep her sanity and her identity as a human being.
My last novel is The Diamond Road, based on The Ice Road Truckers History Channel series. I just found a 5-star review for it on Amazon from Janna S. Here’s blurb:
Devoted to her family and God, American trucker Connie Williams decides to run the ice roads to earn money to pay her beloved father’s mounting bills as he fights kidney failure. Losing him will destroy her. Subconsciously, she feels inadequate because she never went to college like her siblings and still lives life like a teenager.
Canadian professor, rancher, and ice-road trucker Jake Baxter runs the ice roads for money to keep his ranch out of his greedy siblings’ hands. He clings to the ranch because it’s the only thing keeping his parents alive in his heart; their deaths are too fresh in his mind, too overwhelming. He blames God for his parents’ deaths and hates seeing any living creature die.
During Yellowknife, Canada’s ice road season, they will face two truckers fixated on murderous revenge. Connie and Jake and their friends have three short months to solve the mystery of who their attackers are and stop them, or die.
Connie is a rare-breed of woman, a trucker, one familiar with all trucks and driving them to deliver supplies to the people of Great Falls, Montana. Determined to save her family, she finagles the right to drive her father’s big-rig to Yellowknife, Canada, where she is befriended by Faith Embleton of Embleton House B&B (a real place and a real friend I made while researching Yellowknife) and a host of other Yellowknifers.
Jake, though disillusioned with life because of his family’s treatment of him after their parents die, loves Connie almost immediately and helps her survive the ice-road season while fighting off an embittered ex-ice road trucker who tries almost successfully to kill her to get revenge on her father for him being banned from the ice road for the rest of his life. Connie and Jake marry in the Winter King’s ice castle and return to Great Falls together.
Soulmate Publishing ebook: http://soulmatepublishing.com/the-diamond-road/
Amazon print book: https://www.amazon.com/Diamond-Road-Sandy-Wickersham-McWhorter/dp/1619352044/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
I’d like to mention my latest book: a chapbook of science-fiction poetry based on my long love of the stars and outer space since age 5, and later of Star Trek. I never thought I’d EVER write poetry, let alone publish some! I’ve had single poems published and been in two anthologies, one this spring to support the planetarium at Ball State University in my home town of Muncie, Indiana.
This chapbook was just released last month from Bloodstone Press. This cover combines all the things I love: sunsets on water and the stars.
Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/Sci-Fi-Dreams-Little-Girl-Chapbook/dp/1793259011
4 Where can readers learn more about your books and connect with you online?
Willie
This is my website: http://www.sandywick.com/
And this is my Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/sandy.wickershammcwhorter
Also, I will give away a free autographed copy of Cottonwood Place to a commenter on this blog post. You can tell me a story about your favorite pet–one you’ve loved and lost or one you have now that means everything to you. Or you can post a photo of your pet or just comment on my interview. In early November, I’ll randomly choose one commenter to win a novel.
Finally, here’s a photo of my current pet, Willie, asking why he can’t go for a ride since he’s obviously in the car and ready!
Marcia James: Thank you, Sandy, for stopping by my Go Pets! blog! I look forward to reading your books!
READER INVITATION: In addition to Sandy’s offer to win one of her novels, 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!
Barbara White Daille
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!
Jessica James
1. I hear you have a pet in your latest novel. Tell us about the book.
My new novel, Lacewood, is a blending of all the things I love to read: history, mystery, and a love story (actually TWO love stories), all of which are blended together in a small Southern town. Two things that most of my books contain are characters who are in the military or veterans—and at least one animal. The pet featured in this book is a German shepherd named Zeke, who is an emotional support animal for one of the main characters who has PTSD.
Lacewood Blurb:
A love story that spans centuries…
Two people trying to escape their pasts find a connection through an old house—and fulfill a destiny through the secrets it shares. Part love story, part ghost story, Lacewood is a timeless novel about love and loss, roots and belonging, and spirits of the past that refuse to be quieted.
With emotion and vivid storytelling, the book conveys the heartache of war, the tragedy of loss, and the fulfillment of destiny…even when souls are separated by centuries.
Lacewood takes readers on a journey that connects the past with the present—and the present with eternity.
Buy Links:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PW8BQJ4
Apple Itunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1447749646
Universal Link https://books2read.com/u/mYoj2P
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/lacewood-jessica-james/1130038190?ean=2940156236220
Video Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHEHQjD5Vac
2. Why did you add a pet to this book and your other books?
I never really planned it this way, but I have pets in every book I’ve written. I guess that’s because I can’t imagine a life without pets, and I can’t imagine the characters that I create being without an animal in their lives.
It’s interesting that the “pets” I’ve created have become some of the most memorable characters in my books. I can post a picture of a black horse on my Facebook page and ask readers who it reminds them of, and they all still remember his name from my novel, Shades of Gray: Justus. That book came out 12 years ago!
My love of animals is not on a surface level. My first career was working as a surgical veterinary technician in a state-of-the-art equine hospital. I have “rescued” stray animals all my life and currently have three cats who found my house at different times. (And they are all now between 15 and 17 years old).
I lost my German shepherd about 3 years ago at the age of 13 and still haven’t replaced her. (But I’m looking!)
3. What other books have you written?
I started my writing career in the historical fiction genre with Civil War novels. Shades of Gray (and the re-written version, Noble Cause, which has a happily-ever-after ending), followed by Above and Beyond, Liberty and Destiny (Revolutionary War), and The Lion of the South.
Then, I began to write romantic suspense and thrillers with the award-winning novel, Meant To Be, and the Phantom Force Tactical Series: Deadline, Fine Line, and Front Line.
Historical Fiction:
Noble Cause: Gallantry and chivalry are put to the test when Colonel Alexander Hunter discovers the woman he promised his dying brother he would protect is the Union spy he has vowed to his men he would destroy. https://books2read.com/u/mdNJl5
Above and Beyond: A raging war. An unexpected love. A selfless sacrifice. Charismatic Confederate cavalry commander Douglas Benton would much rather flirt with a woman than work with one. But Rebel spy Sarah Duvall soon teaches him that faith is more important than glory—and love more important than life. https://books2read.com/u/bza7jL
Liberty and Destiny: The spark from a single candle can light a sacred flame. Two patriots show their devotion to freedom as they struggle to survive in a war-torn country full of deceivers and spies during the American Revolution. https://books2read.com/u/mgrJl0
Romantic Suspense:
Meant To Be: What do you do when the person you most want to protect is the one risking everything to make sure you survive? It started as a chance encounter on the beach, and ended 24 hours later when they parted to go their separate ways. Or so they thought. https://books2read.com/u/4AwDKK
Thrillers:
Deadline: A resolute journalist and a Navy SEAL turned homicide detective collide as they strive to get to the bottom of a puzzling series of deaths. But what happens when sparks start to fly? A dynamic romantic thriller! https://books2read.com/u/3J0LQA
Fine Line: With a new wife and a successful career as the co-owner of Phantom Force Tactical, retired U.S. Navy SEAL and former homicide detective Blake Madison thinks he has it all. But when his wife disappears from their bed while he’s taking a morning job, Blake has to figure out if it’s someone from her past as an investigative journalist or his as a combat veteran and police officer. https://books2read.com/u/b5MnZk
Front Line: Nicholas “Colt” Colton thought the radical extremist he captured years ago was locked away for good. Unfortunately, a new classified mission reveals that the threat is still very real, and corruption within the U.S. government runs deep. In this finale of the Phantom Force Tactical series, Colt joins forces with another counter-terrorism agent to stop a terrorist attack in Washington, D.C. after Mexican drug smugglers unite with ISIS terrorists to infiltrate the U.S. https://books2read.com/u/mVZ9VJ
4. Tell us about your kudos or reviews.
I am very honored to be a three-time winner of the John Esten Cooke Award for Southern Fiction, as well as a gold medal from the Military Writers Society of America, and more than a dozen other literary awards. However, I’d have to say that some of the emails I get are even more special than the awards. Here’s a sample:
“My house is a mess, my sink is piled high with dishes and my husband ate watermelon for dinner because I could not put down Shades of Gray. Could. Not. Put. Down. Honestly, this book completely captivated me and left me emotionally drained. I loved it!!!”
“I’ve not been much of a reader and was given Shades of Gray. I’ve read it five times and fall in love every time I read it. Because of you I have developed a love for reading.”
“It is now 1 a.m. cause I couldn’t put down my I-pad with your delicious novel. Thank you for the pleasure you afforded this 81 year old.”
“Wonderful, fabulous book! I seldom reflect back on a book, but this one has haunted me since I finished it at 2 a.m.”
“Lost a lot of sleeping reading this one. Too good to put down! Made me laugh. Made me cry. Awesome book!”
“Oh my, I let the world go on around me and could hardly put it down. Every free moment, every break at work. LOVED IT!!!”
“I was completely lost and spellbound by the realistic story. Without hesitation I must say this now ranks equally with Gone With The Wind.”
“I stayed up until 2 a.m. two nights in a row because I couldn’t put it down. It was a book that I couldn’t wait to read, yet I didn’t want it to end!”
“This book has touched me more than any other I have ever read. I cried, laughed, and then cried some more. Thank you for such an amazing and touching story.”
“If someone said I could only ever have one book for the rest of my life either of these [Shades of Gray or Noble Cause] would be my pick. Thank you.”
”This book absolutely ripped my heart out. Superb. Thank you for such a moving, believable love story.”
5. Where can readers learn more about your books and connect with you online?
Website and Social Media Links:
Website: https://www.jessicajamesbooks.com
(Sign up for my newsletter and get a copy of From the Heart: Civil War Love Letters)
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B001IYTXOG
BookBub : https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jessica-james
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/southernromance/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/586216.Jessica_James
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RomanticHistoricalFiction
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorjessicajames/
Marcia James: Thank you, Jessica, 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!