Pets in Media – Author Quotes

Marcia James' Website Posted on by 27

This month’s blog post is a collection of interesting quotes from some of my author friends. I asked them what their favorite book, TV show, or movie was that featured a pet. I included my favorite, too.

I love learning about these things. For example, I’ve never seen Will Trent, but I’ll definitely check it out now that I know the show’s hero has a cute dog. Here are the quotes:

“My favorite TV show is Will Trent, featuring a gifted detective with an adorable Chihuahua named Betty. Will Trent is based on a great [book] series by Karin Slaughter.” — Becky Barker, Contemporary Romantic Suspense Author, http://www.BeckyBarker.com

“My favorite movie with pets is 101 Dalmatians, which I’ve seen in both the live-action and animated versions. I love it because the villain is so villainous and gets her comeuppance in such a satisfying way. And the puppies are so adorable. I’ve always thought Dalmatians were the most improbable dogs with their coats looking like someone slopped black paint on a white canvas.” — Alice C. Early, Women’s Fiction Author, www.AliceEarly.com

“My favorite pet–themed book is Incredible Journey about the two dogs and a cat trying to get back to their owners. When I read it as a child, I was crying so hard at the end that I couldn’t see to keep reading.” — Kathy Elasky, Children’s Book Author, www.KathySElasky.com

“Well, first of all, who doesn’t love Betty on Will Trent, right? My next T.V. dog love would be the dog in the CBS show FBI: International–a black Giant Schnauzer named Tank. Tank’s real name is Green. Tank is a real bad ass and catches terrorists on the international level with his superior nose and sharp teeth. Sic’m Tank! Oh, and Tank’s teammates are pretty easy on the eyes!” — J. Paulette Forshey, Romance Author, www.JPauletteForshey.com

“My favorite TV show of all time is Charmed (the original series). In the first few seasons, they had a Siamese cat–because witches and cats/familiars, of course. The cat’s name was Kit who, it turns out, was a witch in disguise, helping other witches learn their craft.” — Shea Gibson, Middle Grade and Young Adult Books Author, https://SheaGibson.com

“My favorite movie featuring a pet is K-9 featuring James Belushi, who stars as a police detective assigned a drug-sniffing German Shepherd as a partner. ‘Jerry Lee’ is a total nemesis to Belushi’s character, Dooley. Hilarity ensues during several mishaps as they work to find common ground and put the bad guy behind bars.” — Tabitha Gibson, Romantic Suspense and Erotic Romantic Suspense Author, https://www.linktree.com/gibsonbooks

“I enjoyed watching Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey with the kids when they were young. Two dogs and a cat traveled across the country to find their family. That was a good story.” – Linda Hoover, Author of Faith-Filled Books, http://linktr.ee/lindahooverbooks

“I have too many favorite pet-filled books, TV shows, and movies to choose. But one of my favorites was Frasier, which featured a great Jack Russell terrier. I also loved the Thin Man movies, which also had a talented Jack Russell terrier.” – Marcia James, Hot, Humorous Romances, www.MarciaJames.net

“One of my favorite series is the British Midsomer Murders. From 2011 to 2016, the new DCI Barnaby had a dog named Sykes. That little black-and-white Russell was so cute and acted as Inspector Barnaby’s counselor while he mulled over clues in the kitchen.” — Barbara Lohr, Women’s Fiction and Sweet Romance. http://www.BarbaraLohrAuthor.com

“My favorite TV show with a pet is Will Trent. I just LOOOOOVE Betty!! She is so cute! And yeah, I’ve read all the books in that series, too. They aren’t paranormal, but do have a bit of romance. And I always love suspense.” — Stacy McKitrick, Author of Paranormal Romance and Alien Romance, http://www.StacyMcKitrick.com

“My latest favorite book with a pet is Savannah Blues by Mary Kay Albert. Weezie’s rescue dog Jethro plays a huge part in her hilarious adventures.” — Justine Wittich, Contemporary Romantic Suspense & Mystery Author, https://tinyurl.com/2v8dz4h9

COMMENT CONTEST: In this blog post’s comment section, share your favorite book, TV show, or movie featuring a pet and be entered to win a stuffed dog + jewelry!

Kathy S. Elasky

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1. I hear you have animals in your children’s book. Tell us about the book, which you both wrote and illustrated.

Pudgy Possum and the Porcupine is my first book. In this book, Pudgy is fascinated with Peter Porcupine’s quills. Pudgy figures out a way to put fake quills on his back. But, when Felix Fox shows up, things don’t go very well. Just being yourself is the lesson Pudgy learns from this experience.

Pudgy Possum and the Porcupine Amazon Buy Link: https://tinyurl.com/26nc4jve

I now have 4 “Pudgy” books, and I’m working on number 5, which is 2/3rds done.

{NOTE FROM MARCIA: If you’d like to check out Kathy’s other “Pudgy” books, here’s the link to her Amazon Author Page: https://tinyurl.com/mrx5ftzj}

 

2. How did you come up with the idea of a possum and porcupine for your book?

I had written a story about Pudgy years ago when I was taking a correspondence course in children’s literature. We were milking goats at that time. One morning when I opened the grain can, I found a possum inside. I’m not sure who was more surprised, the possum or myself. So Pudgy and I have been friends for a long time. On my own, I created several Pudgy books for my grandchildren. I was very excited to get this one professionally published. I’m not sure where the porcupine idea came. Maybe it was because of the alliteration with Pudgy’s name.

Once I get the main idea for a story, the story seems to write itself. The hardest part is editing the story down to 500 words. Pudgy Possum and the Porcupine’s grandkid version was 1,500 words, so I had to do a lot of cutting. The final version was much better, so it was worth the effort. I have a list of titles for future Pudgy books, so I guess that’s where my ideas start.

 

3. Do you have pets and other animals on your farm?

Skyrocket

I grew up on a small farm with dogs, ponies, and sheep, so I have always loved animals. My sister and I had to help buy our first pony, Skyrocket. I was 5 at the time and took half of my life savings, $1.50, for my share. My pony and my dog were my best friends. I’ve written stories about both of them, again for my grandkids.

Blue

After my husband and I got married, we started collecting animals, mostly dogs in the beginning. Once we moved to our farm, we added most farm animals that you can imagine. Someday I plan to write a novel about that whole process. It will be hysterical, because we really learned by trial and error. We had dogs, cats, horses, chickens, geese, ducks, goats, pigs, a sheep, calves, and probably something else I’ve forgotten.

Now that we are older and our kids are grown, we have downsized. We only have two dogs at the present time. But our yard is overrun with rabbits, squirrels, and even the occasional possum. My husband was tired of trying to keep the fences in good shape, so he said no more horses. In spite of the fact that I had had a horse or pony since kindergarten, I said, ‘Okay.’ But, I told him we would always have a dog. I can’t imagine life without a dog. This is Blue, not my first dog but the best:

 

4. Why did you decide to write children’s books?

I have always loved writing. I started my first book when I was in 4th grade. It was called Mystery at Sandy Beach. I’m not sure what happened to it, but I know I never finished it. I would love to find it. I’m sure it would be a hoot to read. We had a Carnegie library in the town I grew up in. I loved the library and read extensively. I can close my eyes and still feel myself right there.

I wanted my children to love reading too, so I read to them all the time. My son was in a book club when he was 5. He got a book in the mail once a month. One of the books he got was really stupid. I’m not telling the name of it, but I thought if someone could get that book published, I ought to be able to publish one. So I took the correspondence course I mentioned earlier. Not long after that I went back to teaching.

Having a fulltime job, three children, and all those animals left little time for writing. Laura Ingalls Wilder, author of the Little House books, is my hero. She didn’t start publishing until she was 65. I figured I had time to become an author in the future. Once I retired from teaching, I started working at writing more seriously.

During the years I was teaching elementary school, I read many books to my students. That was actually my favorite part of the day. That gave me a lot of exposure to all kinds of children’s books, which I’m sure has helped my writing. The first book I ever sold was to one of my former 4th graders! Getting grandkids was definitely an inspiration to get stories written and books made. That all led to where I am today.

 

5. Tell us about your kudos or reviews.

I will never forget when I got my first book award. I was a finalist for the Feathered Quill book awards. I was so amazed that someone liked Pudgy Possum and the Porcupine that much. I remember thinking maybe I really am good at this. I don’t always win an award when I enter my books, but I have often enough to keep my confidence up. I still have to tell myself that I am a real author. I especially appreciate my friends who wrote reviews for the back of my books.

{NOTE FROM MARCIA: Kathy just won another contest and is now a “Story Monster Approved Winner” — https://tinyurl.com/3wbj7vte — and has wonderful reviews!}

Marketing is not my strong suit. Luckily, my publishing company, Monday Creek Publishing (www.MondayCreekPublishing.com), does a wonderful job helping all of its authors with that. This is a sample of what my publisher does to help with marketing. She is awesome!

 

I do enjoy going to book fairs and meeting some of the people who like my books. I especially like the times I have gotten to go to schools to talk about being an author. The kids make me feel like a rock star.

One year at church camp, I was going to use one of my books. One of the boys there got excited, because he said that author had been to his class. He had missed meeting her because he was out sick. I was so happy to tell him I was that author. He missed the day at school but got to spend a whole week with me.

Another time I told the students that if they wrote to me, I promised to write back. Three teachers used that for a class assignment. It was two weeks before school was out. I had nearly 90 letters to answer before the end of the year, as I had no other addresses [for the students]. I did manage to get the letters finished.

 

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

Like I said earlier, marketing is not my strength. I do have a Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100094002676469), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/kathyelasky/), and Amazon Author page (https://tinyurl.com/mrx5ftzj) for Pudgy, but I’m not good at keeping them updated, something for me to work on. I am also available on Barnes and Noble. Doing a web search for Pudgy or me should get you to us. I did a search once and was surprised about all the places that offered my book. I’m not sure how that works, but I’m delighted for people to have access in any way possible.

I am happy to have people email me at kathyelasky@yahoo.com or call me at 740/541-1363. I promise to respond, just maybe not 90 emails in two weeks. If you contact me about mailing you a book, I’d be happy to sign it.

 

WIN a Pudgy Possum and the Porcupine book!

Kathy will gift one lucky commenter on her interview a copy of her first book. So don’t forget to comment!

 

MARCIA: Thank you, Kathy, for being my May interviewee!

MONTHLY BLOG EBOOK CONTEST! 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 blog 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!

Pat J. Wheeler

Marcia James' Website Posted on by 11

Bella

Bella

 

1. I hear you have your dog Bella in your upcoming book, Bella’s Nose Knows.

Bella is our pandemic dog. She was adopted at the local shelter from a batch of 7 pups. We suspect a breeder of American Staffordshire Terriers didn’t want the pups because when we had her DNA assessed we found out that she is half Staffordshire terrier back at least 3 generations. The shelter told us she was a Lab, but there was no Lab in her genes. There was some German Shepherd but mostly she’s All-American!

 

2. Why did you add Bella to this book?

I love observing her on our daily walks, and I thought her power of smell would make an educational story for kids. There will be lots of facts for kids who like to find out about animals.

Inky

Then last summer, Inky the cat adopted us. She was so tiny and bony when she showed up on our deck, I just had to feed her some of Bella’s bites. And she stayed. The vet said she was about 3 months old. We brought her in the house, and she mostly slept on my lap for days.

Bella and Inky

Bella was curious at first, and Inky didn’t seem to notice her for a while. Slowly she gained weight and became part of the family. Now they act like sisters, teasing each other, laying by each other occasionally, mostly playing until one or the other has enough and runs off.

And since Inky arrived just as the book was getting going, she has to be in Bella’s Nose Knows, too.

We have adopted a number of dogs and cats over the years, but these two are the best so far. When Inky jumps on a lap for a treat, Bella has to come over and get one, too.

 

3. What other books have you written?

Bella is also in my first book, Winnie Acts Up. In that book, Winnie wants to audition for a part in her first play, but she’s a bit shy. The book follows her as she learns theater vocabulary like downstage and backstage and costumes. But she also has to learn her part, and this is where Bella helps; Bella is a good listener as Winnie rehearses.

Winnie Acts Up Blurb:

Winnie Acts Up introduces the art of theater and encourages oral presentation to primary grade students. Winnie is a shy child in an unfamiliar environment who gains confidence as she meets new friends in a children’s theater camp setting. Colorful illustrations enhance Winnie’s challenge to learn lines, while a repetitive phrase, “You will remember on Friday,” holds kids’ interest and contributes to a satisfying ending. Unique theater vocabulary is highlighted throughout. Ages 6-10.

Where to buy Winnie Acts Up:

You can see Winnie Acts Up on my website: www.patjwheeler.com and order there if you want a bargain price. Winnie is also at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com//dp/B0CH2D2FVV

 

4. Tell us about your kudos or reviews.

I found out that Winnie Acts Up won a 2024 Firebird Award for Arts and Entertainment. It also has some great reviews on Amazon and Goodreads. It came out just before I found out that I needed to have my shoulder replaced…probably part of all the writing time and computer use. So I had to rest for a couple months. Now I plan to launch both of the books at a double launch in June.

NOTE from Marcia: Here are examples of several of the book’s reviews…

“Parents and teachers wanting to introduce children to the art of theater need to look no further. WINNIE ACTS UP is a delightful story about overcoming stage fright (or shyness, in general). It can double as an educational resource for beginning thespians, as well. I enjoyed the contemporary and fun dialog of the compassionate children that attend theater camp with Winnie. Pat Wheeler has decades of experience with children’s community theater. Her expertise is apparent on each skillfully paced page turn. I have only high praise for the illustrations in WINNIE ACTS UP. Marlon at Get Your Book Illustrations captures the full essence of this story’s import and action. The book takes the reader on stage.” – by DK

5.0 out of 5 stars Great children’s book: “This book teaches kids about the theater while entertaining them. It also shows that it’s ok to be shy and you still do what you’re passionate about, even if you’re shy. Pat put theater vocabulary in the front of the book and some fun theater games in the back of the book. Yes, Winnie Acts Up is a wonderful book for any age who is interested in learning about the theater! I’m 54 years old and I extremely enjoyed this beautiful book!” – Amazon Review

 

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

I’m not much for social media yet. I do send out a blog to my email list and a sign-up can be found on my website if anyone would like to sign up.

 

NOTE from Marcia: To get on Pat’s email list, go to her website (www.patjwheeler.com), then scroll down to the email sign-up form at the bottom of the page. It looks like this:

Thank you, Pat, for being my April interviewee! I love books featuring pets, and it’s wonderful that you included your own pets in your books.

I hope visitors to this pro-pet blog will share photos of their pets or comment on the interview. Each month, I’ll randomly pick one of the blog commenters to win one of my ebooks! Go Pets!

Dorothy A. Day

Marcia James' Website Posted on by 10

1. I hear you have a dog in one of your anthologies. Tell us about the books.

I have written for and edited two anthologies.

Battles: Glimpses of Truth does not have any bits about my pets. It’s a book that honors the military and other people who have faced significant struggles in their lives. It has two WWII Prisoner of war stories, one a diary.

Battles: Glimpses of Truth can be purchased on several sites, including in ebook, paperback, and hardback on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/BATTLES-Glimpses-Barbara-G-Gaddy-ebook/dp/B0D82HZQ85?ref_=ast_author_mpb

 

Ordinary Miracles is another of the anthologies. This is the one that contains stories about Lady, my dog. Lady was a very good therapist for me and for others. You can read about her therapy in this collection of stories, poems, and essays.

Keep in mind, I was a marriage and family therapist, so I know what I am talking about. She could make a crying client laugh.

This book attempts to honor those who are so faithful and serving in our everyday lives. The great anthropologist, Margaret Mead, stated that civilization began when the bones showed signs of a healed fracture. The healed bone indicates an attempt to serve another human being. This was prompted by the service others have provided me. I have a debilitating muscular disease called inclusion body myositis. This disease has robbed me of my ability to stand, to walk, to be an athlete, to type (with only four fingers currently) and to attend to other activities of daily life. I am almost to the point of being bedridden. But that’s another story.

Lady lived thirteen years with us and was greatly loved.

Ordinary Miracles Blurb:

Inspirational stories, essays, and poems by seasoned and novice writers provide glimpses of everyday miracles.

“Live your life as if nothing is a miracle, or everything is a miracle.” — Albert Einstein

Hindsight helps us see the miraculous more easily than the present moment. We venture a trip to the beach and experience the natural world as beautiful with soothing sounds and sand gnats, rip tides, overcrowding, and feet blistered by contact with hot pavement. The 28 Southern writers (Is Australia south?) who contributed stories, vignettes, memories, and poems regale us with events, places, and people to remind subjectively of the wonders of life. Laugh, cry, or embrace the reality and poignancy as each shares an ordinary miracle.

Ordinary Miracles Buy Links:

You can buy Ordinary Miracles in ebook, paperback, and hardback at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Ordinary-Miracles-Dorothy-Day-ebook/dp/B0CL115QR7

Or you may purchase Ordinary Miracles through IngramSparks: 9798988615446;9798988615453;9798988615460 Ordinary Miracles

Or (PREFERRED) Get a signed copy by using PayPal to send $18.00 to @ddaypathways@icloud.net or to dotdaypathways@gmail.com

 

2. Why did you add your dog to these Ordinary Miracles?

Lady

I’m always delighted to have the opportunity to talk about my dogs. I wanted my readers to know how special Lady was. She was a rescue from a shelter, a mixed breed. We called her a Bitza (stolen from author Clare Mackintosh) because we could see bits of a smooth coat collie, retriever without a love for water, a husky, and, of course, a wolf. Lady was a five-month-old rescue when we brought her home from the shelter. and she had a puncture in her left flank. She was afraid of gunfire, fireworks, the vacuum cleaner, our leaving her, and various other noises.

Dempsey

If we asked someone to tend to her when we were gone for a length of time, that was six hours, or so, she hid in our closet. She would come out if there was a special treat and then go outside to do her business. Our adult daughter gave us a Christmas present of a musical recording on a feedback loop that continued to play while we were gone. It helped her with her anxiety, and we used it every time we left the house.

However, if we were home and welcomed someone to our house, she greeted strangers eagerly and fulsomely. In my upcoming book, Godly Advice from a Dogly Point of View, I am using the first-person point of view. It’s as if Lady were instructing a younger dog, Dempsey, our miniature Aussie Schnoodle, in godly principles as she relates some of her history.

It has a devotional aspect with a Bible verse in its instruction. Look for it this summer.

 

3. How do you promote your books?

Like many Indie authors, my marketing skills are not that great! I have promoted my book through Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Face–to–face events have been my best selling possibilities. Several of the small–town locations have helped me with this. I also purchased an ad in a magazine featuring Dempsey, my dog, trying to get into a box of books with the caption saying, “Get into a good book.”

Dorothy A. Day’s Bio:

A Mississippi woman by birth and choice, Dot Day found other writers who saw the impact of God’s work in their lives. She sees the abundant life despite being mobility challenged a quarter century ago. She spends16 hours daily in her power wheelchair. She writes slowly with the help of others: her husband Charles Day, her smart typist/editor/friend Barbara Gaddy (see their second anthology: Battles: Glimpses of Truth), and her dog Dempsey.

She was a daughter of the soil in that her father like generations before him was a farmer (See Memories of the Sharecropper’s Family, Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Memories-Sharecroppers-Family-Ainsworth-History/dp/1522986375). She left a life of hard physical work behind and taught high school English for 25 plus years, practiced marriage and family therapy for twenty plus years. Special miracles were her two daughters, their husbands and four grandchildren. Life itself is an ordinary miracle.

NOTE: Free Signed Book from Dorothy A. Day!!

Dorothy is offering a free signed book to one lucky reader! To be in the running for the free book, she said, “All you need to do is send me your email address to one of the PayPal addresses above.”

 

MARCIA: Thank you, Dorothy, for being my March interviewee!

MONTHLY BLOG EBOOK CONTEST! 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 blog 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!

 

Stacy McKitrick

Marcia James' Website Posted on by 13

1. I hear you have a parrot in your latest novel, Ghostly Protector. Tell us about the book.

The parrot, Bailey, is the comic relief in my latest book, Ghostly Protector. He belonged to the ghost. Like I showed in previous books, pets can see the departed, so Bailey is no different. Well, except he can talk. Sort of. Very frustrating for the ghost. A hoot for me to write.

Here is the blurb for Ghostly Protector:

He finally found his long-lost love, but will he have to arrest her for murder?

Adam Fox is a detective with the Chicago Police Department. He’s solved every murder case assigned to him, with a little help from the newly departed. No one on the force knows he can communicate with ghosts, and he wants to keep it that way. His latest case brings him face-to-face with his teenage love—and the murder victim’s roommate—Evie. He’s more than ready to close this case and rekindle what he lost, but for one minor technicality: the ghost doesn’t know how he died.

Evelyn Harper can’t believe her eyes when she opens her door to Adam. She never forgot their brief encounter and regretted they didn’t exchange last names and phone numbers before she was urgently pulled away. Now he’s in front of her, telling her that her roommate was murdered. If that wasn’t bad enough, signs indicate she’s the guilty party. How can she prove her innocence before she’s arrested for the crime?

Adam has dreamed about Evie ever since that summer night eleven years ago. He’s not willing to let her go again and will do all he can to prove she’s not guilty. But the ghost is also in love with her, mad that she’s implicated, and won’t move on until she’s safe. And when the ghost is mad, the building can shake. How can Adam clear Evie and help the ghost move on before disaster strikes?

Here are the buy links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D77YC3L2
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ghostly-protector-stacy-mckitrick/1145822606
Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/ghostly-protector/id6504463321
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/ghostly-protector
Google: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=-M0OEQAAQBAJ
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1578573

 

2. Why did you add a parrot to this book?

A friend has a grey parrot (really named Bailey) as a pet, and she would tell me all these funny stories about him. I told her one day I would write a book and put Bailey in it. She thought that would be fun. So…Ghostly Protector was the next book I was writing, so in went Bailey. FYI: I have never met Bailey, so I’m hoping that I did right by him. He was fun to write about in any case.

As for me and pets, we lost our last pet in 2001 and haven’t replaced him. We travel too much and that just wouldn’t be fair to a pet (or to anyone we managed to get to babysit said pet). One day will come when our travel days are through, and Hubby and I both said that we’d probably get a cat then. Maybe. Our best friend is allergic, so who knows? I’m hoping that’s a long time down the road!

 

3. What other books have you written?

 

Ghostly Protector is the third book in the Ghostly Encounters series (you don’t need to have read the first two to read this one). I also have six books in the Bitten by Love series (vampire romances). But my next book will be an alien romance (titled Alien Desires), which I hope will be released by this summer.

None of my vampire romance books have pets, but Ghostly Liaison (book 1) does have a chocolate lab (which was featured on your blog before). I wish Barnaby was a real dog. I love him.

You can find all my books and their buy links on my web, http://stacymckitrick.com

 

4. How do you promote your books?

I’ve tried promoting on Book Bub, but that didn’t work out so great. I’m still struggling on how to promote. I do love to attend book conventions (if I’m selected), so I can meet readers face-to-face. I’ll be at Indy Author Event on April 26, 2025 in Carmel, Indiana and Literary Love Savannah on July 9-13, 2025 in Savannah, Georgia.

 

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

Website: http://stacymckitrick.com
Blog: www.stacysrantings.blogspot.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6564751.Stacy_McKitrick
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StacyMcKitrickAuthor/
My Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/723076717851931
Amazon: http://amazon.com/author/stacymckitrick
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/stacy-mckitrick
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stacymckitrick/
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@stacymckitrick
Bluesky: @stacymckitrick.bsky.social

I do have a newsletter. If you sign up (it’s a double-whatchamacallit so you have to verify your email), you will be sent a link to receive a free e-book of my short story, Savannah’s Destiny. It’s where I mixed up the two series. It has a vampire. It has a ghost. Sadly, no pets, but it was a lot of fun to write. Here’s the link to subscribe: http://subscribepage.io/ZPkJgC

Thanks for the interview, Marcia! Hope your readers are interested in light-hearted, semi-steamy, paranormal romances!

 

MARCIA: Thank you, Stacy, for being my February interviewee! I love your romances!

MONTHLY BLOG EBOOK CONTEST! 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 blog 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!

Cindy Freland

Marcia James' Website Posted on by 14

1. I hear you have animals in your children’s books. Tell us about the books.

My books are about the animals of the Chesapeake Bay, including crabs, jellyfish, osprey, oysters, and more. They teach children to be kind, brave, resourceful, and forgiving. Three out of the 15 books are Macy the Mermaid, Jordan the Jellyfish, and Curtis the Crab.

Macy the Mermaid blurb:

Liam leads an exciting life as the son of a 4th generation waterman. He and his dad, Sean, make their living catching fish, crabs, and oysters on the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland using their boat, Alyssa’s Mermaid. There is beauty and bounty in the Bay, but there is also something mysterious. What could be in the water below?

 

 

Jordan the Jellyfish blurb:

Jordan the Jellyfish is lost and needs to find her way home from Sandy Point State Park to Mayo Beach, Maryland. She encounters danger and fun with her friends in and above the Chesapeake Bay. Her friends include Arthur the Anchovy, Curtis the Crab, and Olivia the Osprey, and they help protect Jordan and help her find her way home.

 

 

Curtis the Crab blurb:

Curtis the Crab is off on an adventure to find four musicians who will play in a concert in Crab Alley Bay, Maryland, to help bring more crabs and oysters to the Chesapeake Bay. The musicians are Oakley the Oyster, Bethany the Bass, Sampson the Seahorse, and Jordan the Jellyfish.

 

 

2. Why did you add animals to these books?

I love animals, and I have always had a dog or a cat. But I especially love Akitas, and I have had three, named Sumo, Seiko, and Athena. They were big, awesome dogs. Because of my love of animals and the Chesapeake Bay, I constantly wonder what lives in the bay under the sparkles. So I researched online to find there are 12 species of shark, and I learned about many other wonderful animals who live in the Bay. Since I wanted my stories to be fun and educational, I did a lot of research to find each animal’s friends, foes, habitat, and what they like to eat. I also found photos of the animals to be sure the illustrators got them correct.

 

3. What other books have you written?

A few more of my books are Mud Pies and Vandi the Garden Fairy. These are not about the Bay but are fun books. Mud Pies is about 26 ways to use mud. Vandi the Garden Fairy is a 70-page chapter book about a fairy that cannot fly. I have self-published 15 children’s books through Ingram Spark. I started out with Mud Pies in 2013 and then Jordan the Jellyfish, which was the first story in the Chesapeake Bay Adventure series. When I wrote Jordan, I never intended it to become a series. But the story ideas just kept coming.

 

Mud Pies blurb:

Have you ever felt cool, squishy mud between your toes or watched a butterfly puddling in mud? Kids play in mud while animals stay cool in mud. People put it on their face and some even bathe in it. Children will learn 26 ways people and animals use mud.

 

 

 

Vandi the Garden Fairy blurb:

Lily lives on a tropical island and goes to an all-girls school. She always carries a hunting knife and knows survival skills. She hunts, makes her own clothes, cooks, and grows her own food. Vandi is the quirky garden fairy who helps Lily overcome bullying and shyness. But can they help each other with secrets, like what happened to Lily’s father and why do the butterflies act strangely?

 

 

4. Tell us about your kudos or reviews.

Three of my books, Jordan the Jellyfish, Macy the Mermaid, and Chester the Chipmunk have won awards from Story Monsters. I try to submit at least one book each year to see if it will win an award. I received a certificate for donating eight of my Bay books to the Maryland State Library for the Blind in audio version. The books are available to patrons of the library.

 

5. How do you promote your books?

I sell my books in person at festivals, book signings, and schools. I also sell wholesale at gift shops and libraries. I promote my books on eight Facebook pages, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X (formerly Twitter). I purchase ads in print magazines, newspapers, and websites. Blogs, television, and radio shows are also great to help promote my books. Amazon sells my books, and my own website is great too. I teach self-publishing classes at the local library and senior center.

 

NOTE: Readers can learn more about Cindy’s books, find their buy links, and connect with her online at these sites:

Facebook: facebook.com/cindyfrelandauthor
Chesapeake Bay Adventure Book Series: cbaykidsbooks.com
Amazon Author Page: https://tinyurl.com/29dyrwkh

 

MARCIA: Thank you, Cindy, for being my January interviewee! I look forward to recommending your books to my family and friends who have children!

MONTHLY BLOG EBOOK CONTEST! 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 blog 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!

Alice C. Early

Marcia James' Website Posted on by 10

1. I hear you have a dog in your debut novel, The Moon Always Rising. Tell us about the book.

I call my debut novel Moon for short, and I can’t refer to her as an “it.” She feels like a female to me.

Moon is set partly in the Scottish Highlands and mostly in the Caribbean Island of Nevis, where I’ve spent part of every year (except COVID) since 1996. It’s the story of Eleanor “Els” Gordon, a feisty and ambitious Scottish investment banker, who loses everything that matters to her through tragedy or her own willfulness. Bereft of her fiancé, beloved father, and family estate and wealth, she impulsively quits her job and flees to Nevis. After impulsively buying a derelict plantation house and its neglected garden and sinking her remaining savings into renovating them, she finds she is co-habiting with the jumbie (ghost) of the former owner, Jack Griggs.

Els and Jack strike a testy bargain: she helps him make amends with the women he most wronged in his Casanova life while he nudges her to discover why her estranged Italian mother abandoned her at two. Jack’s agenda includes matchmaking between Els and his best buddy, a local charter captain with his own tragic history and commitment issues. The story is rich in local color and characters and pursues themes of exile, second chances, finding home, redemption, and the power of forgiveness.

The Moon Always Rising buy links:

The Moon Always Rising is distributed by Simon & Schuster and is available in paperback, e-book, and audiobook wherever books are sold.
Amazon for paperback, e-book, and audiobook: https://www.amazon.com/Moon-Always-Rising-Alice-C-Early-ebook/dp/B07VFS477K
Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/Moon-Always-Rising-Alice-C-Early-ebook/dp/B07VFS477K/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr
Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/books/the-moon-always-rising/9781631526831
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/The%20Moon%20Always%20Rising
Walmart: https://www.walmart.com/ip/The-Moon-Always-Rising-9781631526831/662302945
Apple Books for e-book and audiobook by searching the title.

 

2. Why did you add a dog to this book?

I have always been a dog lover with a soft spot for strays and rescue critters. As a writer, I know that giving a pet to a reticent, even unsympathetic character creates opportunities to humanize her for the reader by enabling her to voice her inner turmoil, thoughts, and emotions. Who doesn’t talk to their beloved pets? If she’s alone, as Els often is, she can do this without seeming crazy.

Also, I wanted Moon to be authentic to my own experience of Nevis. There, as on most Caribbean islands, feral dogs and cats abound. My dear friend and landlady on Nevis is so well known for her work in adopting or finding homes for unwanted dogs of all ages that people frequently leave boxes of unwanted newborns at her gate.

In Moon, when the charter captain and Els have a spat, his way of apologizing is to give her a female “Island dog” mongrel puppy that needs bottle feeding. Fortunately, Els isn’t put off by this, having loved the companionship of the family hunting hounds in Scotland where there was always a whelping box in the kitchen. The puppy becomes critical to the plot and contributes to Els’s newfound rootedness and courage.

 

3. Tell us about your work-in-progress?

My second novel, entitled Posthumous after its book within a book structure, is about Darius Gould and Helena Kraus, a New York literary power couple with secrets from each other and the world. When Darius’s betrayal and Helena’s death trigger the untangling of their ruses, Darius loses the power and reputation he’s worked so hard to attain. Desperately adrift and alone, he moves to the end of Long Island where he adopts Lulu, a traumatized shelter dog. Summoning what he learned as a young man about gentling thoroughbred horses, he slowly wins Lulu’s trust, and they help each other heal.

My late husband once owned and trained racehorses. It was fun weaving that experience into the story. Like Moon, this second novel is cross-genre, combining elements of literary fiction, mystery, and poetry.

 

4. Tell us about your kudos or reviews.

To date, Moon has won 11 awards:

Winner, New Fiction, 2022 Firebird Book Awards
Winner, Women’s Fiction, 2022 Firebird Book Awards
Winner, Cross-Genre, 2022 Firebird Awards
Winner, Magical Realism, 2022 Firebird Book Awards
Silver Winner, General Fiction, 2021 IBPA Benjamin Franklin Awards
Distinguished Favorite, Women’s Fiction, 2021 NYC Big Book Awards
Winner, Women’s Fiction, 2020 14th Annual National Indie Excellence Awards
Winner, Cross-Genre Fiction, 2020 American Fiction Awards
Finalist, Chick Lit, 2020 Next Generation Indie Book Awards
Finalist, First Novel, 2020 Next Generation Indie Book Awards
Finalist, Paranormal, 2020 Next Generation Indie Book Awards

Because Moon is cross-genre, I struggled to find an agent and publisher because everyone wanted a book that would be easy to slot and market. When Moon won industry awards shortly after publication, I was relieved and gratified that some were for cross-genre. Despite the hangups of agents and publishers, readers seem to accept cross-genre stories easily. The initial awards meant so much to me as a newbie because they helped me throw off writer’s imposter syndrome and transition from “writer” to “author.”

I am grateful to everyone who posted a review and honored that so many have taken the time to do so. In the era of AI, here’s how Amazon AI summarizes my 100+ reviews posted there: “Customers find the story enthralling, fascinating, and spellbinding. They praise the writing quality as excellent, lyrical, and fluent. Readers also appreciate the well-developed, colorful, and modern characters. They describe the book as an unusual blend of locales and cultures.”

NOTE FROM MARCIA: Here are a few of the very impressive reviews of The Moon Always Rising:

“Early’s prose is tight and lyrical, confidently capturing her characters and their emotional landscapes… The enchanting portraits of Nevis―and of…Scotland―help make this an unexpectedly memorable beach read.” ―Kirkus Reviews

“Complicated and memorable… The Moon Always Rising finds a woman remaking her life abroad and a ghost repairing old rifts.” — 4 star Foreword Clarion Review

“There are so many elements to this story; family drama, a ghost story and a subtle love story in more ways than one.”–Reedsy

“Early is a consummate writer who so stunningly draws us into the very texture of her story that we can feel the humid tropical air and interior lives of her characters… We are fortunate that [her] rich tapestry of both characters and narrative creates a much-needed refuge during these challenging times.” ―Martha’s Vineyard Times

 

5. How do you promote your books?

Simple answer: not enough. Publishing at the height of COVID meant that Moon didn’t get the launch I’d envisioned. I’ve relied on a personal approach, with as much social media outreach as I can stand. It has been huge fun for me to hand-sell Moon at conferences and festivals. I LOVE talking with book groups, either virtually or in person. I hope readers and book groups that might enjoy a page-turning story that sweeps them away to Scotland and immerses them in tropical Nevis will consider reading Moon together and share their impressions and questions with me.

 

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

I love hearing from readers.

My website: https://www.aliceearly.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alicecearlyauthor/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alicecearly/
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19738864.Alice_C_Early
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alice-c-early-929716/
Amazon Author Central: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Alice-C.-Early/author/B0858B13GZ?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true

 

MARCIA: Thank you, Alice, for being my December interviewee! Your award-winning debut book sounds fascinating, and I look forward to reading it!

MONTHLY BLOG EBOOK CONTEST! 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!

Cindi Handley Goodeaux

Marcia James' Website Posted on by 10

1. I hear you have a cat and other animals in your children’s books. Tell us about the books.

Yes, I have a deep love for animals, which is why they feature so prominently in my children’s books. One of my favorite series is The Jellibean Adventures, which stars a rainbow-hued cat named Jellibean who loves to explore and travel. In addition to that series, I’ve written other books that introduce young readers to more unique creatures, including an elephant, sea turtles, and even a porcupine pufferfish.

Jellibean Adventures started as a poem I wrote for my two six-year-old nieces, who live in different states, far away. Creating Princess Jellibean was my way of staying connected with them and sharing a bit of joy across the distance.

 

2. Why did you add a rainbow-hued cat to these books?

Oliver Twist

The idea of a rainbow-hued cat felt natural because her name, Jellibean, was inspired by the colorful candy. I wanted her to be vibrant and full of life, just like the adventures she goes on. I based her on a calico cat, and I did a lot of research on that breed to ensure that her personality and traits would feel authentic to readers. What’s funny about having a cat as the main character in my series is that I’m allergic to cats! I absolutely love them and all things furry, but I can’t have one myself. Instead, I have a rescued chiweenie named Oliver Twist, who keeps me company and inspires a lot of my love for animals:

 

3. Tell us about some of the other animal characters in the series?

Jellibean’s world is full of animated animal characters, like a bear who’s a baker, some playful parrots, and her best friend, Lady Jane, a cheerful dog. One of my favorite books in the series is Mama’s Map, where Jellibean meets Penelope, a shy possum who’s lost her way home. Together, they follow clues to help Penelope reunite with her family, all while teaching kids the basics of reading a map.

Mama’s Map Blurb:

Shy Penelope Possum is lost, and she’s not sure how to find her way home. Luckily, Princess Jellibean is ready to help! Together, they embark on a heartwarming quest, following clues and discovering more than they expected. In this second book of the Jellibean Adventures series, join Princess Jellibean and Penelope for a journey filled with friendship, fun, and surprising discoveries—because the best adventures are always just around the corner!

Mama’s Map: http://myBook.to/Jellibean2

Another one of my favorite books is Bunky & Lulu: Find Their Place, which tells the story of a clown and his elephant best friend. After retiring from the circus, they get bored and start looking for odd jobs together—with hilarious results! A word of caution: elephants should definitely not serve ice cream! There’s plenty of silliness as they stumble through different roles, until they finally find the perfect job where their unique talents shine, helping others in a way only they can.

Bunky & Lulu: Find Their Place Blurb:

Bunky the clown and Lulu the elephant are ready for a new chapter after their circus days, but retirement just isn’t exciting enough! Together, they set off to find the perfect job—though they quickly learn that not every role is a good fit (hint: elephants and ice cream don’t mix!). Join Bunky and Lulu on a hilarious adventure as they discover where their unique talents truly belong!

Bunky & Lulu: Find Their Place: http://myBook.to/BunkyLulu

My most recent book, Fish Patty, is the first in a new series called Fish & Fin. It’s about a young girl who dreams of becoming a marine biologist. The story follows her as she navigates her parents’ divorce and adjusts to life in a small town after moving with her mother. Along the way, she forms a special bond with a fish at her uncle’s shop. When that fish disappears, she meets a new friend who shares her passion for marine life. The story introduces kids to some fascinating fish species, and I spent six months researching marine animals to bring authenticity to the story!

Fish Patty Blurb:

Eight-year-old Patty has big dreams of becoming a marine biologist, but life hasn’t been easy. She’s had to navigate her parents’ divorce and adjust to a big move to a small town where everything feels unfamiliar. Eager to make a friend, Patty finds companionship in the most unexpected place. But when her new friend suddenly vanishes, Patty embarks on an emotional journey, discovering powerful lessons about friendship, love, and learning to let go.

Fish Patty: https://mybook.to/FishPatty

 

4. Tell us about your kudos or reviews.

There have been many wonderful reviews on Amazon, Goodreads, and Readers Favorite websites. My book, Ishkabibble Unafraid, received Honorable Mention in the 2023 Purple Dragonfly Awards. It also received the Bobos Babes Heart Award Seal! My book, Kai the Loneliest Palm Tree, received Honorable Mention in the 2022 Purple Dragonfly Awards. My book, Grandpa Moon, won First Place under the Family Matters Category in the 2021 Purple Dragonfly Awards.

 

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

Links:

My website: WriteCute.com

Instagram.com/WriteCute_Stories

Facebook.com/WriteCuteStories

Publisher page: https://www.crimsoncloakpublishing.com/cindi-handley-goodeaux/

Amazon author page: amazon.com/author/cindigoodeaux

 

MARCIA: Thank you, Cindi, for being my November interviewee! I look forward to recommending your books to my family and friends who have children!

MONTHLY BLOG EBOOK CONTEST! 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 blog 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!

Becky Barker

Marcia James' Website Posted on by 24

1. I hear you have horses in your novels.

Hi, everyone and thanks for stopping by to visit. Normally, people don’t think of horses as pets, but I’ve always been fascinated by the big, majestic animals! I went to local horse shows in my younger days and rode my cousin’s ornery pony.

For the past few years, I’ve enjoyed following my granddaughter’s quarter horse competitions, but mostly I love creating stories about ranches where horses are bred and raised. Fun fact: Did you know that some large equine facilities actually have “ride though” Starbucks pickup windows?

 

2. Do you have horses or pets of your own?

Over the years, my family has had a menagerie of pets. We’ve raised cats, dogs, sheep, calves, rabbits, pigs and one crazy goat named George who thought he was a watchdog. He grew into a very large goat, with big curling horns. He was a friendly (sometimes too friendly) animal. He liked to climb into the cabs of UPS and FedEx trucks. Startled a few delivery guys, but he was harmless. He’d follow me anywhere for marshmallows.

 

3. Tell us about your books.

I write contemporary western romances and romantic suspense. I’ve written over 20 books, had them translated into more than a dozen foreign languages, published in large print hardcover, used in anthologies, and produced in audiobook format. I have to admit that audio is my newest love.

Here are the blurbs for the three Bridleton books:

Drea’s Homecoming, Book 1: Andrea Bartell is an international model whose jet-set lifestyle kept her from her Texas home for five years. Noah Courtland is the man she left behind after a bitter breakup. He’s in charge of her beloved Bridleton, and it’s at the root of their emotional warfare. Neither wants to rekindle the flames of their relationship, yet the desire hasn’t diminished. It burns hotly, forcing them to deal with their pain and heartache. The unveiling of old promises and secrets might save their relationship, or it could destroy any chance of a future.

Chey’s Cowboy, Book 2: Trace Mitchem is the foreman at Bridleton and a confirmed bachelor whose main goal in life is to build a ranch he can call his own. Cheyenne Bartell is the youngest heir to the Texas ranching dynasty. What she lacks in self-confidence, she makes up for in spirit and determination. Trace and Chey have known each other for years and worked side by side to save Bridleton. He’s prefers to keep a safe distance between them. She wants to explore the smoldering attraction they share. It’s a standoff until an unexpected accident changes everything. Suddenly, Chey is the wary one, and Trace is demanding so much more. Until something happens that changes everything again….

Zack’s Ranch, Book 3: Zack Bartell is a strong, determined Texan who knows what he wants and is willing to fight for it. What he wants most in life is Meredith Courtland and a chance to develop his share of the family ranch at Bridleton. Meri has experienced the deep heartache of a lost love. She’s emotionally wary and unwilling to risk her safe, secure position at Bridleton by having an affair with the incredibly desirable Bartell heir despite the fact that he’s a walking, breathing temptation. But when her volunteer work with wounded veterans tangles the threads of their relationship, they work together to defuse the threat to their lives and happiness.

Buy Links for the Bridleton series and other books by Becky Barker are listed here: BeckyBarkerAmazonAuthorPage

 

4. Tell us about your kudos or reviews.

I’ve been honored and humbled by some of the wonderful reviews my work has garnered. Zack’s Ranch, the third of my Bridleton series, won the PenCraft Award from AuthorsReading.com. Hanchart Land won a 5-star blue ribbon award from romancejunkies.com, and another western that incorporates more humor, Chameleons, won the National Reader’s Choice award sponsored by the OKRWA [Oklahoma Romance Writers of America chapter].

 

5. How do you promote your books?

Since engrossing myself in the audiobook industry, I’ve started promoting my work on Facebook and Twitter (or X) by establishing #FridayFreebies where I offer free Audible audio codes each week. Here’s a link where readers, who have Audible, can take their pick of Audible audio codes: BeckyBarkerAudio I also have a very infrequent newsletter via MailChimp.

 

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

Website: BeckyBarker.com
Bookbub: My Bookbub Profile
Newsletter: MailChimp Contest/News
Twitter: www.twitter.com/BeckyBarker
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/BeckyBarker
Goodreads: Goodreads
Amazon Author Page: BeckyBarkerAmazonAuthorPage

 

WIN A BECKY BARKER EBOOK OR PRINT BOOK!

One lucky person who comments on Becky’s interview will be picked to win one of her ebooks or print books! So don’t forget to comment!

 

MARCIA: Thank you, Becky, for being my October interviewee! I’ve really enjoyed reading your romances and recommend them!

MONTHLY BLOG EBOOK CONTEST! 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 blog 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!

Lyn Horner

Marcia James' Website Posted on by 13

1. I hear you have a cat in the first book of your Romancing the Guardians series. Tell us about the book.

Yes, indeed, there is a black-and-white kitty named Penguin in Rescuing Lara, book one in this 8-book series. The little dickens gets in trouble on page one, making Lara’s Irish housekeeper mad. Temporarily confined to a wheelchair after a car crash that badly injured her leg, Lara Flewellen, alias Spenser, is grateful for the older woman’s help.

 

2. Why did you add a cat to this book?

First, I thought a pet would show the heroine’s softer side. She found Penguin meowing on her back stoop in a rain storm and let the poor baby in.

Second, I love cats. My husband is also a cat person. We’ve shared our home with one or more of the little darlings through most of our married life. Many were strays we took in, just as Lara does. Currently, we have three: Katy, Sandy and Lady. My husband also feeds a tribe of community cats in our back yard.

Some years ago, I published a memoir titled Six Cats In My Kitchen. Yes, there really were six cats ruling the roost at that time. Each one held a special place in our family and in my heart.

 

3. What other books have you written?

I’ve written a western historical romance series, a time travel romance, and have been included in several anthologies.

My new release is Rebel Mine, an Irish historical romance. Set in 1798 during an Irish rebellion against British rule, this book took me two years and many, many hours of research to write. The hero and heroine are traditional enemies, he a son of the Anglo aristocracy, she a daughter of Irish peasants, but circumstances unite them in a patriotic fight—and in a love for all time. You will also find some beautiful, fiery horses in the story.

Rebel Mine blurb:

In the winter of 1798, Ireland is on the verge of rebellion against British rule. Colin Wainwright is a son of Anglo-Irish aristocrats and a former captain in the British Army. He is torn between loyalty to the crown and the Irish people.

Brenna O’Hanlon is a daughter of tenant farmers. As a young girl living on the Wainwright estate in Ulster, she adored Colin from afar. Now she’s a spy for the United Irishmen, who seek freedom for Ireland.

When Colin meets the new housekeeper—Brenna hired under a false name by his father, he judges her too young for such a post and accuses her of being his father’s latest doxy. Her temper flares, yet she’s attracted to him. Colin hatches a plot to thwart the squire’s wicked plans for her. Romance develops between them, and Colin ends up helping Brenna with her mission. Intrigue and violence lead to love, but will it survive in the midst of war?

 

4. Tell us about your kudos or reviews.

I have received awards from the Paranormal Romance Guild, Big Al’s Books and Pals, and InD’Tale Magazine. If your readers wish to see my award badges, I invite them to visit my website. My books have also received a number of great reviews. Here’s a nice one for Rescuing Lara:

“This book had it all, it was a fast read and I read it in less than one day. Lara and Conn are wonderful characters, as well as Dev who I hope to read more about. The book has love, sex, suspense, prophecies and violence. . . There are six more Guardians out there and I can’t wait to read the next story in the series.” ~ Paranormal Romance Guild

 

5. How do you promote your books?

To be honest, I’ve never been very good at promoting my books, but I recently hired an online assistant who is busy social networking for me. She also added my new book, Rebel Mine, to BookFunnel, a site for readers who get free books in exchange for posting reviews. I’ve also joined a book club where I can talk about my books, and I hope to engage in more personal appearances. Being an introvert, this is really a stretch for me.

 

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

My Website, Lyn Horner’s Corner: https://lynhorner.com
Newsletter: https://lynhorner.myflodesk.com/newsletter
Amazon Author Central page: https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B004CY506Y
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lyn.horner.author
Instagram: https://instagram.com/lynhornerauthor
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4639926.Lyn_Horner

 

MARCIA: Thank you, Lyn, for being my September interviewee! I’m looking forward to reading your books!

MONTHLY BLOG EBOOK CONTEST! 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 blog 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!