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!
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.
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.
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!
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.
Links:
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.
1. I hear you have a cat in the first book of your Romancing the Guardians series. Tell us about the book.
2. Why did you add a cat to this book?
I’ve written a western historical romance series, a time travel romance, and have been included in several anthologies.
I thought up this elderly woman character, Felicity, who was widowed and lived alone, who had a unique way to supplement her Social Security. Her delightfully fluttery personality is cover for scary intelligence. The plot in my mind needed a catalyst, something or someone who could give it a little humor, and be present and perhaps responsible for some of the turning points. A large black cat her late husband had rescued from drowning appeared in my imagination. Thus his name, Lazarus. Then I threw in a romance to add spice and give the plot more dimension. It sort of fell together. Thus Lazarus was already in place for the next book, Dangerous Legacy.
Amazon Buy Links for the Legacy Series (and other Justine Wittich books’) are here: 
Above all, it’s a love story between two very different beings, both of whom have the same wish—to stop a series of murders in the main city of Planet Andaan. Kylie Sanderson is the independent-minded daughter of a wealthy family who wants to do more with her days than play. She has put herself through school, over her father’s objection, to become an exobiologist and police detective with SIRT, the Scientific and Investigative Research Taskforce. When a series of women turn up dead and mutated like lizards, she is assigned the case. Griff is a reptile shapeshifter who is kin to those committing the murders, who wants his brethren to stop what they’re doing because it is wrong.
Funny story. My former husband and I were part of an online RPG [role-playing game] that featured characters of our own making. I had created Kylie and he created Griff as part of our repertoires, and they ended up having a great love story in the RPG. After we had separated, I wasn’t ready to let go of the characters yet. So I dreamed up a plot they could inhabit, and here they are!
1. I hear you have a dog in Miracles from the Heart. Tell us about the book.
“The Christmas Gift” is dedicated to my late Jack Russell, Belladonna aka Belle, the best four-legged friend and shadow I could ever have. She brought me extreme joy and happiness. I’ve had some wonderful dogs in my life, but Belle was extra special. On or off a lead, she stuck by me. We’ve had Basset Hounds, Airedale Terriers, a Doberman, and at one time we had 30 birds–from tiny Finches to Amazon Orange-winged Parrots. [We also had] a house rabbit, several cats, and many, many fish–fresh water and salt.
Second Chance Bride blurb:
I’ve written about 30 or more books. Last Christmas is another book that stars Friday, a rescue dog that was found on a Friday and taken to a shelter. He’s adopted by a small-town police chief.
Someone recently called me a hidden treasure. *LOL* The hidden part is probably correct. There has been so much turmoil in my family because of medical crises that I’ve done hardly anything in years to promote my books. I realized I was becoming invisible to the reading public, so this year I vowed to do something about this. Thank you, Marcia, for giving me that opportunity.
The books I’m featuring here today are Will o’ the Wisp and The Haunting of Laurel Cove. Will o’ the Wisp is contemporary romance with suspense; The Haunting of Laurel Cove is a mystery romance with a bit of the supernatural. Both are published by The Wild Rose Press, and both have animals in the stories.
In The Haunting of Laurel Cove, Jane and her faithful, ragtag companion Pepper come back to Laurel Cove to recover from a vicious attack. She becomes obsessed with an old cabin in the Cove, but Pepper will not let her near it. Jane welcomes her dog’s presence while she discovers answers to the secrets and mysteries of Laurel Cove, while guarding her heart against falling back in love with an old flame, Brendan McGarren.
No Luck At All is a western romance set in the mid-1800s. The story centers around Creel Weston and his new wife, Racine. Creel is a Colorado rancher who went to Boston to obtain a medical degree. They met at dinner party hosted by Racine’s father, who was also Creel’s mentor, and Creel was instantly smitten with her, so much that he decided he wasn’t leaving Boston without her. But unbeknownst to him, Racine suffered deep emotional scars, so much that her father intervened and blackmailed Creel into marrying her, before Creel had a chance to propose. The wedding takes place, and they leave Boston for Creel’s home in Colorado. During an overnight stay in Denver, things come to a head and both realize they have made mistakes and unfairly judged the other…until someone from Creel’s past causes Racine’s doubt to return.
Royce Weston knows firsthand women are exceptional liars, especially the one who has wormed her way into his family’s good graces by claiming amnesia. Since Paige didn’t heed his advice at the poker tables, he reasons a bit of friendly persuasion is needed to send her packing. But when she matches him trick for trick and has his ranch hands jumping to please her, Royce is thoroughly disgusted. A simpering miss she is not. Sassy and daring, if only she’d give him a reason to trust her…
Lucas Weston is living proof of the damage a woman can cause. Determined to keep another miss from running roughshod over his heart, Lucas has garnered the reputation of a man who favors flirting and wild times between the sheets. When he’s roped into escorting Missy back to her home in San Francisco, he isn’t too pleased, until he discovers she uses her poker-playing, whiskey-swilling ways to hide her own fears. What they might be, he doesn’t know, but he’s going to find out. Drawn to her from the start, Missy represents the opportunity for the life fate cheated him seven years ago.
Grief and guilt are as much a part of Jess Jansen as riding herd. Twenty-two years he’s longed for the woman who ran out on him, and now his luck is about to change. Needing a place to hole up during a thunderstorm, the Lazy K looks to be a safe haven. There’s a barn―and a body with soft curves and sapphire eyes he’d know anywhere.