Mariah Lynne

Marcia James' Website Posted on by 15

1. I hear you have a dog in your novel. Tell us about your book…OR let your dog do the honors. 😉

Hi everyone. My name is Sam, and I’m the dog in Mariah’s latest romance, Paws For Christmas. As you can tell by my photo on the cover, I’m big, furry, and very happy. Mariah named me for her late, real-life dog Sam, who she said was so sweet she loved him to pieces! Like my namesake, I’m lovable, smart, and can sniff out when someone needs love.

When the book opens, I’m lost and need help finding my owner. I must be the luckiest dog ever, because I wander into Jessica Munroe’s yard as she is putting up Christmas decorations. I am dirty and cut up because I had wrangled my way out of my master’s car after a bad crash. I ran from the accident because the flashing lights scared me.

Jessica Munroe is a beautiful freelance writer, but she looks sad and distracted. One look at me, and I sure took care of that. I later found out that just two weeks earlier she had had to put her best friend–her dog Mazy–to sleep and her ER doctor fiancé had left her for his nurse.

My story takes place just before Christmas on a small, beautiful Gulf Coast island just like the one Mariah lives on. Despite visiting tourists, the island is just a small town where everyone knows each other.

Jessica takes me to her vet where they find an ID tag while combing out my matted fur. I get a nice bath, and Jessica’s vet exams me. She suggests I be put in a shelter until my owner can be located. Jessica will not hear of it, especially right before Christmas, so she takes me home and we do some computer research of our own. Well, she does all the research; I just lay at her feet and stare up at her in love. Once she finds the name of my owner and what happened to him…well, let’s just say, it’s up to me to give this story a happy ending!

Love,
Sam

P.S. Side effects of reading Paws For Christmas are a happy heart, an uplifted spirit, new confidence in the future, and a smile on your face!

Paws For Christmas Buy Links:

Amazon: Paws For Christmas – Kindle edition by Lynne, Mariah. Literature & Fiction Kindle eBooks @ AmazonSmile.

Barnes and Noble: Paws for Christmas by Mariah Lynne | NOOK Book (eBook) | Barnes & Noble® (barnesandnoble.com)

 

2. Mariah, why did you add Sam to this book?

I’m a dog lover and animal lover. [See photo left with a sled dog puppy.] All my heroines–no matter what genre–have pets. I served as a director for a county-wide no-kill shelter for three years and always remember the sage advice my brother gave me when I was a girl: “Always try to save a life by adopting a shelter pet.”

We adopted our Sam [see above right] when he was just under one year old, and he must have felt completely lost like the Sam in the story because his owners had abandoned him. I’d like to tell you more about him.

My dog Sam was part German shepherd, part Golden Lab, and part comedian. From the moment his golden brown eyes met mine, I knew I was in for a heck of a ride. Sam was ninety pounds, full of energy, curiosity, and spunk. He didn’t have a mean bone in his body unless, that is, you threatened to harm his family. I watched him lick a baby’s feet and swim in a lake with baby ducklings.

I thought I’d share a short Christmas memory:

We alternated years visiting family for Christmas, and that was our year to cook. It was a beautiful snowy day, the kind Sam loved to frolic in. After I stuffed the turkey and put it in the oven, I asked Sam if he wanted to go outside again to play. But evidently the aroma coming from that roasting pan sent Sam’s nose and stomach into a frenzy. He kept sniffing the air and stayed in the kitchen, not wanting to miss anything turkey.

When it was time to eat, I placed the wonderful food into serving dishes. Sam watched attentively, but since he’d had a hearty breakfast, I was sure it was just curiosity. As my husband carved the turkey, we heard loud slurping noises coming from the kitchen. I got up to see where the noise was coming from. Did I leave the water running? Was something dripping? No, but I did leave the turkey pan on the extended oven rack to cool.

I walked into the kitchen to see him slurp up the remaining juices in the roasting pan. Thank goodness I had already strained the small bones to make gravy. He looked at me with those huge brown eyes and wagged his tail, not skipping a second of slurping. I didn’t know whether to laugh or scold him. You guessed it. I laughed and gave him a big hug. My husband always said I would make a terrible dog obedience trainer.

Sam lived to be fifteen, enjoyed a happy life, and we shared many more wonderful memories together. That’s why he was my inspiration for the character of the dog in Paws for Christmas.

 

3. What other books have you written?

I write contemporary romance, cozy mystery, and Time Travel adventure. My latest cozy mystery, A Gem Of A Murder, is set on a Gulf Coast island called Seabliss Island and has a dog in it named Spike.

A Gem Of A Murder Blurb:

A sleepy Florida Gulf Coast beach town suddenly comes alive as two best friends–local merchant Mariah Linley and island psychic Moonbeam–find themselves in the middle of some pretty strange business. The two novice sleuths are drawn into a web of murder, deception, and drugs that stretches as far west as Mexico and as far south as the Keys.

A Gem of a Murder is a cozy mystery set in 1986 and laced with a little romance. With a backdrop of stunning locations, the story will take you on a memorable vacation without ever leaving home! So grab your sunscreen and park that imaginary lounge chair in the sand under swaying palm trees. But watch your back. There’s a murderer on the loose!

Amazon Buy Link For A Gem Of A Murder: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09SVSPC83

My last Time Travel adventure-romance is The Duchess’ Necklace, and the story also has a dog.

The Duchess’ Necklace Blurb:

Amelia Augusta Ethrington, 18th century Duchess of Abbington and fourth in line to the English throne, is considered by society an old maid at thirty-two. She refuses to marry and relinquish her authority to a husband. Instead, she finds romance in trysts with strangers. Amelia’s claim to her duchy is embodied in the form of an intricate, valuable necklace, The Abbington Jewels. But an unscrupulous time traveler seduces her and snatches the necklace.

Amelia risks everything to time travel with a gypsy seer to find the scoundrel and retrieve her necklace before her jealous male cousins lay claim to her duchy. Complications arise after she meets Ryan Redstone, a museum appraiser sent to acquire the jewels. Amelia finally falls in love but knows she must focus on her quest to regain both her necklace and title. The Duchess is faced with the most difficult decision of her life. Love in the present? Or defending her honor in the past?

Amazon Buy Link for The Duchess’ Necklace: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0728LH88J/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i4

 

4. Tell us about your reviews.

One Book More review of Paws for Christmas:

“Jessica and Trey are both kind and sincere and have such positive outlooks on life even when things aren’t going their way. I also like that they are both so caring and selfless. Jessica takes in a stray dog (Sam), gets him medical attention, and then looks for Sam’s owner. Sam is so sweet and charming! He has a jubilant and playful personality that endears everyone he meets. A sweet contemporary romance with a wonderful holiday spirit, Paws for Christmas is a heart-warming story…it is a light and fun read.”

Nana’s Book Reviews: A Gem of a Murder:

“This is a very unique cozy mystery, set in 1986 in a small town. The plot is interesting and engaging. The characters were quirky and when they joined forces they did great surprising things… My favorite parts were Moonbeam’s interactions with the spirits. This is a lovely cozy mystery perfect for those who love this genre. I highly recommend this and I will rate it 4 stars.”

The Paranormal Romance Author’s Guild’s 5-Star review of The Duchess’ Necklace:

“This is a story with an unexpected twist. The Duchess’ Necklace tells of true love that surpasses time. With a mixture of romance, history, and fiction, this is a fast-paced and engaging story. It is a story that takes you through time, on an adventure of love and excitement.”

 

5.Tell us more about yourself.

A graduate of Syracuse University, I reside on a beautiful SW Florida Gulf Coast island. My island lifestyle and scenery serve as the backdrop for all of my stories. Before writing fiction, I owned the first video store on our island like my character in A Gem of a Murder, and became active in my national trade association, meeting many Hollywood celebrities.

I inherited my love of good stories from my parents, and writing is my passion. I love to create memorable characters and–since pets are my other passion–all my heroines have pets like Sam, Duchy, or Spike. When not writing, I enjoy watching movies, traveling (even though we were stranded in beautiful Australia for 8 days at the start of the pandemic), swimming, reading a good story, and always spending time with my wonderful husband, Jerry.

 

6. Where can readers learn more about your books?

My website: https://mariahlynne.com

My Amazon Author Central page: https://www.amazon.com/Mariah-Lynne/e/B00AYH099G/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_ebooks_1

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MariahLynneAuthor

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/mariahlynneauthor

Twitter: @MariahLynne1

Mariah Lynne e-mail: MariahLynneauthor@yahoo.com

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/dashboard?ref=nav_profile_authordash

 

From Marcia: Thank you, Mariah, for being my August interviewee! I love discovering romances that feature pets and look 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 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!

J. ARLENE CULINER

Marcia James' Website Posted on by 11

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

Pets make an appearance in almost all my books. In my latest release, A Room in Blake’s Folly, we see a Nevada town evolve from a silver boomtown to a semi-ghost town in six different stories. All six are romances even though some don’t turn out the way we expect they might.

In the second story–the romance between a brothel owner and a silver baron (set in 1927)–we meet the dog Russ, one of the many animals left behind in the early 1900s when people abandoned dying boomtowns and headed further west.

In the fifth story, one that takes place in 2021, several dogs as well as snakes and spiders steal the limelight. So do my hero and heroine Lance and Lucy who are both (unsuspectingly) linked to that earlier brothel owner and silver baron; there are often genetic surprises in small communities!

A Room in Blake’s Folly blurb:

If only the walls could speak…

In one hundred and fifty years, Blake’s Folly, a silver boomtown notorious for its brothels, scarlet ladies, silver barons, speakeasies, and divorce ranches, has become a semi-ghost town. Although the old Mizpah Saloon is still in business, its upper floor is sheathed in dust. But in a room at a long corridor’s end, an adventurer, a beautiful dance girl, and a rejected wife were once caught in a love triangle, and their secret has touched three generations.

Buy Link: https://books2read.com/BlakesFollyRomance

 

2. Why did you add animals to this book?

Osselot

I add animals to my stories because I can’t imagine life without them. My dogs and cats all come from pet shelters (or else I find them along the road), and they are usually settled in near me when I write. They’d never forgive me if I didn’t mention them.

Osselot, a very stubborn twelve-year-old, was living with an elderly woman who could no longer care for him. My vet asked me to take him in.

Yellow

Yellow was a nine-year-old I found wandering along the road. She had been abandoned by her owners who had chopped off her tail—why do something so stupid and cruel—and the stump was still bloody. She was a wonderful dog and lived to the age of eighteen.

Virgule—I found him at the local dog pound—was a terrible monster when young, chewing up anything that was plastic (my telephone, computer transformer, plugs). He calmed down after I adopted Yellow. He’s now twelve and very staid.

Virgule

As for snakes and spiders, those creatures so hated by many, I appreciate their beauty and the role they play in maintaining a balanced environment. I hope, with my stories, I can convince a few people to take a more sympathetic look at these beasties.

Lucy Barnes, the heroine of the fifth story in A Room in Blake’s Folly, particularly loves spiders. And one day, when she’s photographing one, she happens to meet Lance Potter, the hero. Here’s how:

Lance saw the woman doubled over in the dirt road, her legs bent backward and to each side of her in what looked to be an exceedingly painful position. Had she been hit by a car? Probably not: few enough cars passed this way. She might have had an attack of some sort. He loped toward her, thinking only of rescue and alleviating pain, because that’s what a veterinarian’s job is all about, and humans happen to be animals, too.

He was less than ten feet away, when she raised her head and glared at him with fury. The look, as toxic as a poison arrow, halted him in his tracks. She certainly didn’t look as though she needed his help. She didn’t look as though she’d ever need anyone’s help.

“Um…I’m sorry. I saw you down there, in the road, and I thought…” He saw her fury seep away, transform into visible regret.

“You chased it away.”

“Right.”

Swinging her bent legs into a more reasonable position, she stood up without using her hands. For someone who wasn’t young, she looked to be in perfect shape. Or at least she had maintained an admirable flexibility. What was her name? Lucy something…oh yes, Lucy Barnes. For the first time, he noticed the camera.

“Look, I thought you had fallen or…”

“Yes, I realize that’s what you thought.” She didn’t look as though she were about to forgive him for it either.

“You were taking a photo?”

“Yup.”

“Of what?”

“A Xysticus.”

“A what?”

“Oh, sorry. A ground crab spider.”

“Of a ground crab spider?”

She relented slightly. “They’re called crab spiders because they look and move like crabs.”

“Yes,” he said dryly. “I think I’ve worked that one out.”

“Right.”

“What for? Why were you taking a photo?”

“Because I like them. I like macro photography. I like taking photos of spiders, and this particular spider was very pretty.”

“Pretty. Got it.”

She looked annoyed again. “Veterinarians don’t consider arachnids worthy of notice?”

“Did I just tell you that?” he said a little too defensively because she was right: he never noticed them. Okay, he never killed them either, because he knew how useful they were, but that was as far as things went. “What was particularly pretty about that one? I mean spiders look like spiders to me. I never thought aesthetics came into it.”

“Really?” She even looked surprised.

“Really.” Inwardly, he sighed, regretting his attempt to maintain chatty conversation. It was always the same when you dealt with nuts, cranks, and fanatics: they couldn’t understand how normal people functioned.

 

3. What other books have you written?

I have two other books that take place in Blake’s Folly, Nevada, and they are filled with animals. In one, All About Charming Alice, my heroine is a herpetologist, a woman who studies snakes, and she also rescues abandoned dogs.

In the other, Desert Rose, the rescue dog Noodle makes an appearance (although Rose is, at first, a very reluctant dog owner). However, I don’t have the new covers for these new editions, so we’ll just have to wait for a month or two.

However, I also have a rescue dog in my romantic mystery, The Turkish Affair, and he plays a very important role when my heroine finds herself in a very nasty situation.

The Turkish Affair blurb:

Love and Danger at the ancient Hittite site of Karakuyu

Priceless artifacts are disappearing from the ancient Hittite site of Karakuyu in Turkey, and the site director has vanished. Called in to solve the mystery, archaeologist Renaud Townsend is hindered by both his inability to speak the language and the knowledge that the local police are corrupt. His attraction to translator Anne Pierson is immediate, although he is troubled by her refusal to talk about the past and her fear of public scandal. But when murder enters the picture, both Anne and Renaud realize that the risk of falling in love is not the only danger.

Buy link: https://books2read.com/TheTurkishAffair

 

4. Tell us about your kudos or reviews.

For those who want to read a lovely review and analysis of A Room in Blake’s Folly, it can be found here: https://lisabetsarai.blogspot.com/2022/05/review-tuesday-room-in-blakes-folly-by.html

Other than that, I have won awards for my non-fiction (the Tanenbaum Award for Canadian History) book about Romanian immigration to Canada, and was shortlisted for the Foreword Magazine prize.

 

5. How do you promote your books?

I try to guest blog as often as possible, and I give Zoom conferences about my non-fiction books. I also have guests who will leave recipes on my own blog, Food for Love, and that should be fun for everyone.

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

Author Website: http://www.j-arleneculiner.com
Blog: http://j-arleneculiner.over-blog.com
Storytelling Podcast: https://soundcloud.com/j-arlene-culiner
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/j-arlene-culiner
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JArleneCuliner/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jarlene.culiner/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7158064.J_Arlene_Culiner
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/jarleneculiner
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jarleneculiner/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/JArleneCuliner
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/jarleneculiner-quirky-romances

Thank you for interviewing me (and my animal and insect friends) on your blog, Marcia.

From Marcia: Thank you for being my July interviewee! I love discovering romances that feature animals and look 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 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!

Karen McCullough

Marcia James' Website Posted on by 14

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

Falling for the Deputy is a fish-out-of-water, an enemies-to-lovers and a second-chance romance story, where a Boston banker moves to a small town in Georgia after a series of personal tragedies. The move is good for her career, and she hopes it will give her time to recover in a different environment.

Blurb: After losing at love twice, Barbara Wilton needs a change, some place far from her home in Boston, so she takes a position as manager of a small branch bank in Willow Ridge, Georgia. She’s done with relationships and ready to concentrate on her career. The experience in Willow Ridge will help her move forward in the banking industry, but she doesn’t plan to stay there permanently. Nevertheless, an invitation to join the Hopeless Romantics book club, a position on a planning committee, helping a little league team that needs coaching, and being adopted by a stray dog begin to wind her into the community.

Chris Harper was a police officer in Charlotte until his marriage fell apart. With his mother and elderly aunt in deteriorating health, Chris returns home to Willow Ridge to help them and takes a job as chief deputy to the local sheriff. The wound left by his failed marriage is still raw and, despite his mother’s nagging, he’s not interested in pursuing any relationship, even with the attractive new bank manager.

Fate, helped by a few local residents, conspires to push Barbara and Chris together. They meet during a false alarm at the bank and then he assists her with a car problem. But when his aunt receives a foreclosure notice on her house, Chris is angry with Barbara for not warning him that his aunt was behind on her payments.

She agrees to help him work out the problem with the bank, but the deeper issues between them keep flaring. Can two wary, wounded people learn to trust again and find happiness together? Find out in this sweet, second chance, enemies to lovers romance.

The Hopeless Romantics of Willow Ridge series are sweet, small-town contemporary romances. Each book is a standalone and can be read individually or as part of the series.

Buy Falling for the Deputy here.  (It’s also free to read in Kindle Unlimited)

The entire Hopeless Romantics of Willow Ridge series is here.

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

Mookie

Part of Barbara’s embrace of life in small-town Willow Ridge comes when she finds a stray dog. She can’t abandon him, but when she learns the local shelter isn’t a no-kill one, she knows she can’t leave him there either. Despite her ignorance of caring for pets, she agrees to foster him. To her surprise, she finds in him a warm companion and comfort in hard times.

Gremlin

In some ways, her relationship with Mookie mirrors Barbara’s adjustment to the town of Willow Ridge: hesitant approach at first, willing to try to make the best of it, starting to get attached, the realization of the virtues, and finally a full embrace of the town when she decides to adopt the dog.

I used to have pets: a dog, Gremlin, that I adored, a cat, a parakeet, a rabbit, and numerous hamsters. The dog was mine, but the rest of them belonged to my children. They’re all long gone now.

3. What other books have you written?

I’ve written a lot more books than have been published, but since my first book came out from Avalon books in 1989, I’ve had somewhere around three dozen novels and novellas published (some under a pen name).  I write across many genres, including mystery, fantasy, romance, paranormal, and romantic suspense. Many of my books can be categorized in more than one genre. My romances generally include a mystery and my fantasy and paranormal novels include romance and suspense.

   

My most recent books before Falling for the Deputy include three short romances that are part of the No Brides Club Series, and the second book in the Market Center Mysteries series, Wired for Murder. (The third book of that series, Playing at Murder, was originally scheduled for this month but has been pushed back to fall.) I also have had a number of short stories in various anthologies and various genres.

You can learn more about my books at my website: https://www.kmccullough.com

4. Tell us about your kudos or reviews.

Over the years, I’ve been a semi-finalist in the Writers of the Future contest, a finalist in the Daphne, Prism, Lories, Epic ebook awards (four times), Rising Star, Dream Realm, and International Digital Awards. I’ve won an Epic ebook award, Vixen award and most recently, the Bould Award for best short story.  My books have a lot of five-star reviews and my short romance, No Time for Surprises, was an Amazon number #1 Bestseller.

5. How do you promote your books?

Badly. I do have a presence on social media and I actively promote (in a low-key way) on Facebook, Pinterest, and my own blog. I used to do a lot of Amazon advertising, but lately the cost has risen so much it’s hard to get a decent return on the investment.

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

Website: https://www.kmccullough.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KarenMcCulloughAuthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kgmccullough

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/kgmccullough/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kgmccullough12/

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Karen-McCullough/e/B0043TJ870/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/karen-mccullough

Blog: https://kmccullough.com/kblog/

 

From Marcia: Thank you, Karen, for being my June interviewee! I love discovering romances that feature pets, so I look 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 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!

Sadira Stone

Marcia James' Website Posted on by 10

1. I hear you have a cat in your Book Nirvana series. Tell us about the series.

As a lifelong bookworm, how could I not want to write a romance series set in a quirky bookshop? Of course, the fascinating women who work there provide a cast of heroines for the series. And as a lover of erotic literature and art, I had so much fun researching the books Clara Martelli, widowed owner of Eugene, Oregon’s Book Nirvana, keeps in a luxurious little room behind a red door. I didn’t invent any artists or writers—every name mentioned in the book is worth Googling if you’d like to see the racy pictures for yourself!

Blurb for Book Nirvana 1: Through the Red Door:

Letting him inside could be her salvation…or her undoing.

Clara Martelli clings to Book Nirvana, the Oregon bookshop she and her late husband Jared built together. When rising rents and corporate competition threaten its survival, her best hope is their extensive erotica collection, locked behind a red door. In dreams and signs, her dead husband tells her it’s time to open that door and move on. When a dark and handsome stranger’s powerful magnetism jolts her back to life and he wants a look at the treasures of that secret room, she can’t help but want to show him more.

Professor Nick Papadopoulos is looking for historical erotica. Book Nirvana’s collection surpasses his wildest dreams, and so does its lovely owner. A widower, he understands Clara’s battle with guilt, but their searing chemistry is too strong to resist. Besides, he will only be in town for two weeks, not long enough for her to see beyond the scandal that haunts his past.

Buy Links: https://books2read.com/u/bxnz0P

Blurb for Book Nirvana 2: Runaway Love Story:

Fierce passion or long-cherished dreams…she can’t hang onto both.

High school history teacher Doug Garvey is trying to enjoy his last few weeks of summer vacation, but receiving his final divorce decree hits him harder than expected. After a brief fling fizzles, he fears love just isn’t in the cards for him. If only he could find someone who’s real, someone interested in something beyond herself…maybe a new running partner who can keep up with his more carnal appetite. When sexy, straight-talking Laurel runs across his path, he dares to hope again.

Fired from an art gallery, Laurel Jepsen shelves her pursuit of an art career in San Francisco to help her beloved great aunt Maxie move into assisted living. While out on a morning run, she’s harassed by a group of teens until a tall, broad-shouldered hottie steps in, pretending to be her boyfriend with a kiss that makes her wish it were true. But she’s only passing through, not looking for a relationship.

Their fierce chemistry burns up the sheets—and the couch, the shower, the forest—but falling in love would ruin everything. Laurel can’t stay in Eugene, and he can’t leave. Doug’s only hope is to convince her the glittery life she’s after could blind her to the opportunities already in her path.

Buy Links: https://books2read.com/u/mqrGQe

Blurb for Book Nirvana 3: Love, Art, and Other Obstacles:

She’s a free spirit. He’s a one-woman man.

Rejected by her family for her bisexuality, graphic artist Margot DuPont yearns for a life with no fences, no limits, and no family ties. Between college, work at Book Nirvana, and an art competition, she barely has time for her part-time girlfriend, much less a flirtation with her competitor.

Dumped into the foster system at a young age, ceramics artist Elmer Byrne craves a big, loving family of the heart. His artist family almost fills that need, but something is missing…until Margot. But when he offers his heart, her thorny defenses shatter him.

Thrown together in an art competition that could jump-start one artist’s career, but not both, their irresistible attraction forces them to reconsider the meaning of success.

Buy Links: https://books2read.com/u/bar2RP

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

King’s Books’ Herbert

Alas, I have no pets at the moment, though I do spend lots of time with my granddogs, a pair of long-haired miniature dachshunds named Elle and Mila. I love both dogs and cats, along with fish and birds. I’ve had Westies, a shepherd mix, a bitey cat, a ginormous pair of mated Oscar fish, a pair of zebra finches named Fred and Wilma, and a lovely Mexican red knee tarantula named Lucretia—because, you know, poisonous lady.

I’ve met quite a few bookshop cats over the years, and my favorite is Herbert, a huge, friendly floof who greets customers at Tacoma, Washington’s King’s Books—when he’s not snoozing on the book displays.

3. What other books have you written?

All my books so far are steamy contemporary romance set in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. If you like your romance on the spicy side with lots of humor and a bit of family drama, check out my Bangers Tavern Romance series, set in a neighborhood bar in my former hometown of Tacoma. I’m writing book four now.

4. Tell us about your kudos.

I’ve won a few awards, including the 2020 IDA award for Best Erotic Romance Novel for Love, Art, and Other Obstacles and Best Erotic Short for Gelato Surprise, a standalone older woman/younger man beach romance novella. Runaway Love Story was a finalist for the Stiletto Award for Contemporary Romance, and Christmas Rekindled was a Rone Award finalist.

5. How do you promote your books?

I spend far too much time on social media, so you’ll find me pushing my books on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

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

I’d love to hear from you! Please visit me on all the socials:

Author website: https://sadirastone.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sadirastone/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SadiraStone

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18568049.Sadira_Stone

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/sadira-stone

Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/Sadira-Stone/e/B07KWK5FBX

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/sadira0641/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sadirastone/

Author newsletter: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/q7x4c6

Sign up for Sadira’s newsletter and get a FREE steamy seasoned romance novella: Cupid’s Silver Spark: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/43zaw5wntq

Thanks so much for letting me visit today!

 

From Marcia: Thank you, Sadira, for being my May interviewee! I love discovering romances that feature pets, so I look 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 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!

Ilona Fridl

Marcia James' Website Posted on by 11

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

Golden North is the second book in my Dangerous Times series. There are three altogether, but I wrote them so they could stand alone. The story is about the two Shafer brothers, Josh and Zeke, who move to Juneau, Alaska in the early 1920s. Josh had purchased the old gold rush era opera house to fix up. Where the pet comes in: Zeke’s wife Addy decides they have to do something about the mice in the building, so she gets a calico cat named Chloe from a restaurant owner who has cats to keep mice out of the food storage. Chloe later plays into a murder mystery.

Golden North blurb:

Josh Shafer has purchased an old run-down theater and bar in Juneau, Alaska Territory, to get away from his abusive father. He invites his brother Zeke and Zeke’s new wife Addy, who are on the run from a crime family, to come and help him.

Muriel Giovanni, Addy’s cousin, was married into the crime family until her husband was killed in a shootout with the police. Then she learns the Giovannis want her new daughter. With the help of her parents, the young widow takes her baby and follows her cousin to Alaska, where hopefully the crime family won’t find her. Or will they?

Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.com/Golden-North-Dangerous-Times-Ilona-ebook/dp/B003ZYEY96/ref=sr_1_1?crid=20VDJMLDDD8MI&keywords=ilona+fridl&qid=1647282957&sprefix=%2Caps%2C411&sr=8-1

2. Why did you add a pet to Golden North? 

Animals can add so much to a story. They are their own characters, and you can use them as such. I love cats and dogs equally, but for this story, I thought a cat would work well. Our last pet was a dog. I don’t have a picture in my files, but Kayto was a mix. She looked like a Border Collie with black, white and tan markings. She lived to be almost eighteen years old. We didn’t get another pet after she passed for various reasons.

3. What other books have you written?

I have published eight books. Golden North is second in the Dangerous Times series along with Silver Screen Heroes, and Bronze Skies. Most of my books are historical, but I do have a woman’s fiction set from the 1960s to the 1990s.

Silver Screen Heroes blurb:

What happens when a motion picture studio in 1920 is taken over by a crime family? Addy and Zeke, a stunt double and a director’s assistant, work with the police to bring the gangsters to justice. But Addy’s cousin has married into the crime family. When Addy is given a key to bring down the family and the studio, will she use it?

Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.com/Silver-Screen-Heroes-Ilona-Fridl-ebook/dp/B002NGO50A/ref=sr_1_9?crid=20VDJMLDDD8MI&keywords=ilona+fridl&qid=1647284197&sprefix=%2Caps%2C860&sr=8-9

Bronze Skies blurb:

When her plane-crazy high school sweetheart goes off to join the Army Air Corps, Pam Wright writes him often but is disappointed that he doesn’t reply to every letter. She’s lonely, hurting from his seeming lack of interest, and dances with someone else one Saturday night. By the time Pearl Harbor is attacked, Lieutenant Tom Shafer has been home on leave, explained how busy he’s been with officer training, and made sure Pam will be waiting for him after the war. He’s also had a fight with the guy who won’t leave her alone after that one dance. But is it safe to leave her in the same town with this obsessed bully? How can Tom fulfill his promises to protect both his country and the love of his life?

Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.com/Bronze-Skies-Ilona-Fridl/dp/1601549318/ref=sr_1_2

4. Tell us about your reviews.

“SILVER SCREEN HEROES has it all. Suspense, romance, mystery, history.…I found myself drawn into the story on several levels.” ~Night Owl Romance Reviews Top Pick (4.75 Stars)

“Ilona Fridl’s GOLDEN NORTH is truly an adventure worth joining. Take an armchair travel opportunity to go to Alaska. This wild state is a wonderful backdrop for such a great novel.” ~Night Owl Reviews Top Pick (4.75 Stars)

“[BRONZE SKIES is] a quick and enjoyable read that drew me in from the first page to the last even without reading the first two books…There was romance, some laughter, lots of angst, and a few tears. There was family, friends, history, battles, casualties, injuries, a stalker, mystery, and suspense.” ~Romancing the Book (4 Roses)

5. How do you promote your books?

Because I am in a wheelchair and housebound, it’s almost impossible for me to get out to signings and conferences. I have to rely on the internet to get the word out on my books.

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

Website: http://www.IlonaFridl.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/IFridl
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100062913266892
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3416410.Ilona_Fridl

 

From Marcia: Thank you, Ilona, for being my April interviewee! I love discovering romances that feature animals and look 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 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!

 

 

Gayle M. Irwin

Marcia James' Website Posted on by 12

1. I hear you have a Pet Rescue romance series. Tell us about it.

Yes, I do! This is a sweet series weaving pet rescue and adoption into the love story. Rescue Road is the first novel, about a woman (Rhiann) who moves to Montana from Washington state to set up an animal rescue sanctuary. She meets EMS captain Levi Butler, who claims the land Rhiann purchased belongs to him. Enter another person who desires the property, and you have a bit of drama mixed into the story. The book is available in both paperback and e-book formats on Amazon and other platforms:

Buy Links for Rescue Road:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2W7fpBe

Draft2Digital Universal Link for Barnes & Noble, Kobo, etc.: https://books2read.com/u/4DE9Oe

Rescue Road Blurb: Freelance writer Rhiann Kelly shelved romance for years. Her dream of starting an animal sanctuary takes deep roots after finding the perfect location in southwestern Montana and purchasing the property for back taxes. Emergency medical technician Levi Butler knows his elderly friend left the ranch to him in his will. Levi anxiously awaits the probate to be complete so he can plan his retirement and begin his dream of raising and selling horses. When Rhiann and Levi find each other at the ranch simultaneously, sparks fly–and not the romantic kind. Yet their mutual attraction deepens, especially after Levi finds Rhiann injured in an accident.

Meantime, land developer Dallas Patterson sets his sights on charming Rhiann to obtain the land. Can Rhiann and Levi work together to detour Patterson and find a solution in which neither needs to give up their dream, or will the fence line of their hearts–and the property–separate them forever? Can their broken paths weave their hearts together as they travel the rescue road?

Other books follow Rhiann and Levi, including a Christmas novella published last year. Paws-ing for Love also brings in some drama as Rhiann experiences a significant health issue and the community of Colter, Montana, where Rhiann and Levi live, experiences the loss of a special community member. Rescue dogs and cats are part of the story as well. Readers can find Paws-ing for Love on Amazon and other platforms, again either in paperback or e-book format.

Buy Link for Paws-ing for Love: https://books2read.com/u/3RJdPj {this includes Amazon}

Paws-ing for Love Blurb: Christmas Hope or Heartbreak? Colter, Montana waltzes in brilliance during winter, with glistening snow on mountain peaks and diamond-like frost on trees and rivers. Romance and dreams flourish in this Christmas card setting. However, news of friends missing after a raging blizzard and a later accident and subsequent illness disrupt the lives of Rhiann and Levi Butler, who operate a horse ranch and pet rescue sanctuary. Will the joy of Christmas be silenced or strengthened after a pair of stray animals take refuge at the Butlers’ property? Can a cat named Mina and a Corgi christened Maverick deliver hope, or will they add more heartache for a couple and community struggling with fear and sorrow?

 

2. Why did you add rescue pets to this series?

Jeremiah

I have a heart for rescue animals. My husband and I adopt our pets, dogs and cats, from various groups. We currently have an English Springer Spaniel named Sadie, whom we adopted in 2019 from English Springer Spaniel Rescue, and a puppy mill survivor, a Shih Tzu named Jeremiah.

In fact, Jeremiah is the model for a dog in both Rescue Road and Paws-ing for Love (in the stories the dog’s name is ‘Jax.’). Our two 17-year-old cats are sisters whose pregnant mom was rescued, and we adopted two kittens from the litter. Our pets delight our hearts!

I volunteer for various rescue organizations, helping transport dogs and cats either into rescue from animal shelters or transport to their adoptive families. I once helped transport a Great Pyrenes mix going from Colorado to Canada! (A short story about her appears in an edition of Chicken Soup for the Soul.) I also donate a percentage of book sale proceeds to rescue organizations and animal shelters.

 

3. What other books have you written?

I began my author career as a children’s book writer. I wanted to inspire children to face difficulties in life with courage and perseverance. At the time, I had a blind English Springer Spaniel named Sage; she became blind over time due to Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA). I knew she could be an inspiration to kids, and so I wrote Sage’s Big Adventure: Living with Blindness; the book published in 2007. The next year, we began school and library visits. Sage was amazing! Kids loved her and enjoyed her story.

I wrote several more children’s books about the next springer my husband and I adopted after Sage’s passing. Her name was Mary. I wrote three books about her, teaching kids about kindness and about nature. Now that we have Sadie, adopted six months after Mary’s passing, I envision a children’s book titled Sadie, the Smiling Spaniel, a book joy and gratitude in little–and big–things, like watching butterflies, listening to birds sing, finding friends, and having a loving home. Sadie is a joy-filled dog, and her big spaniel smile delights my husband and me! Readers interested in my children’s books can find them all on Amazon. Here’s a link to my Amazon Author Page: https://amzn.to/37WMk0V

 

4. Tell us about your kudos or reviews.

I’ve won several awards from Wyoming Writers, Inc., the state-wide writers’ group in Wyoming, where I live. One of the awards was for the education my children’s books provide, for I often put activities in the back of the books, especially the three ‘Mary’ books. My romance series is well-liked also, with people leaving reviews that include “should be a Hallmark movie!”, “What a delightful book!”, “If you love dogs, you will love this book!” and “What a clever idea for a sweet, clean romance.”

 

5. How do you promote your books?

I’m on social media promoting my books and the works of other authors I enjoy, and I use Book Funnel group promotions. Joining Book Funnel group promotions has helped bring greater awareness to my romance novels (I haven’t yet tried with the children’s books), and I love being part of such a community of similar authors. The most recent one I joined was called “Animal Sidekicks,” in which several romance authors and mystery book writers joined.

Speaking of Book Funnel, anyone interested in reading the prequel to the series, titled Rhiann’s Rescue, can do so for free by going to Book Funnel and downloading the book. The story is about Rhiann and her grandmother and what set Rhiann on the path to establishing an animal sanctuary in Montana.

Here’s the link to the FREE story: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/g828yqfh5h

I also do speaking engagements for various groups, and I guest on other author blogs, like this one. I am grateful to authors like you hosting authors like me!

 

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

There are several ways people can follow me online and learn more about me and my writing:

My author Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/GayleMIrwin

I’m also on Twitter: https://twitter.com/wyoauthor1

I joined Pinterest and hope to become more active on it this year: www.pinterest.com/gaylemirwin

I have a new website, as I’m garnering freelance writing jobs with magazines and newspapers, and I’m promoting that part of myself as a writer through this new website: https://gaylemirwin.com/. I blog on my website twice a month, and people can sign up for a twice-monthly newsletter on my website as well.

Here again is my Amazon Author Page: https://amzn.to/37WMk0V

Thank you for hosting me on your blog! I appreciate the opportunity!

 

From Marcia: Thank you, Gayle, for being my March interviewee and for offering a FREE story! I love discovering romances that feature animals and look 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 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 Renaud

Marcia James' Website Posted on by 43

 

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

Blurb for Mermaids Marry in Green:

Caltha Dooran is the toughest, fiercest shape-shifting mermaid in the western seas. She has three Clans to rule, and no time for romance. But when a warlock, Jonty, turns up and asks her to come with him to London to capture an afanc, a water monster, she can’t say no. In London, away from her duties, her attraction for Jonty grows…and they soon fall under each other’s spell. But will his past and her responsibilities pull them apart, or can they find the only true magic, the one that binds two souls together?

Drawing by Grant Herbert

The afanc is a mythical Welsh water monster, which has the head of a crocodile, and the body and paws of a beaver. He is rescued by the heroine, Caltha, and becomes her devoted companion. He helps to bring the hero and heroine together so plays an important part in the story.

Buy Links for Mermaids Marry in Green:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08FCQQ75P
Books2Read: https://books2read.com/u/3LglAN

 

2. Why did you add this unusual pet to this book?

Tabitha

I love animals, and I also love Welsh myths and legends. (My mother is Welsh, and I spent all my childhood holidays in Wales.) Welsh legends are full of weird and wonderful creatures. As well as the afanc, there is the Ceffyl Dwr, the Water Horse, and the Giant Cat of Anglesey. Now that’s a feline I’d like to meet!

My favourite pet is indeed the cat, or The Cat as I’m always tempted to write, because The Cat is an animal that would definitely write its name in capitals if it could write (and maybe they can but are hiding it from us). We don’t have a Cat at the moment, since our last pet went to the great basket in the sky, so I content myself with the neighbours’ and family’s Cats, like Tabitha, my aunt’s tabby, shown here staring at the neighbour’s feline:

 

3. What other books have you written?

Mermaids Marry in Green is the third book in the paranormal romance “Sea of Love” series, which follows the lives and loves of three young shifter merfolk. Each book is a standalone story featuring a different couple.

Blurb for A Merman’s Choice, book 1 in the “Sea of Love” series:

For centuries the shape-shifting mermen of the Morvann Islands have lived incognito among humans. But one of them, Yann, has developed some bad habits. Like rescuing humans, even when doing so risks revealing his true nature. When he fishes Alex out of the sea, he doesn’t expect her to reappear eight months later, and turn his life upside down by asking him to be her guide. Over the course of a few days, Yann and Alex grow close. But some mermen hate humans. Their hostility, and Yann’s secret, threaten to tear the couple apart just as they are discovering that they are soul mates. Can Yann overcome the obstacles in his path and make the right choice?

Buy Links for A Merman’s Choice:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2QglyeI
Books2Read: https://books2read.com/u/31xw7a

Blurb for Music for a Merman, book 2 in the “Sea of Love” series:

Rob Regor knew that humans were trouble. All the shape-shifting mermen of the Morvann Islands knew it. And human women were double trouble…especially when they were lying on the road in front of a digger.

Rob has a mission. Go to the mainland. Work as a policeman. Spy on humans. Report back to his father, the head of the Regor Merman Clan. It should be easy. Until he has to arrest Charlie. Rob can’t fight his attraction to the sexy eco-warrior, and it puts him on one hell of a collision course with his family and his Clan. Will he break the rules–or break her heart, and his?

Buy Links for Music for a Merman:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2ZkU5wR
Books2Read: https://books2read.com/u/mdG7Bw

 

4. Tell us about your kudos or reviews.

Both Mermaids Marry in Green and the “Sea of Love” series won their categories in the Paranormal Romance Guild Reviewer’s Choice Award 2020. All the books have garnered lots of 5-star reviews, which can all be found on Amazon, Goodreads and Bookbub.

 

5. How do you promote your books?

I promote my books mainly on social media, in blogs, and on Bookfunnel. I have also recorded podcasts and published videos of me reading excerpts of my stories. My publisher, Black Velvet Seductions, has a newsletter which you are very welcome to sign up to, to get the latest news, deals, and freebies!

 

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

Social Media Links:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AliceRenaudAuthorRomance/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/alicerauthor
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18670218.Alice_Renaud
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/alice-renaud
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Alice-Renaud/e/B07L52P17B
Website: https://nomadauthors.com/alicerenaud/alicebooks.html
Newsletter: @BVSBooks

First to get freebies! Deals! And latest news! Hot and steamy! Soft and tender! Romance you will love! Become an Insider, sign up to our newsletter. https://blackvelvetseductions.com/?page_id=2472

COMMENT & WIN! I am offering a free ebook of Mermaids Marry in Green to one lucky person who comments on this blog interview! So don’t be shy! Tell me about your pets, and post pictures if you like.

 

From Marcia: Thank you, Alice, for being my February interviewee! I love discovering stories that feature unusual pets—especially paranormal ones!—and I look 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 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!

McKenna Dean

Marcia James' Website Posted on by 19

1. I hear you have a Jack Russell Terrier (JRT) in your paranormal romances. Tell us about the series.

Yes, I do! The “Redclaw Origins” series is set in the 1950s, and the main characters have a Nick and Nora (from the 1930s Thin Man movies) vibe to them, so I thought it would be fun to add a little terrier, much like their dog Asta. Of course, being a paranormal romance, nothing is simple! And Captain is not a normal dog…he’s a shapeshifter! The only one of his kind. What he shifts into is a surprise, so you’ll have to check out the story to find out what his other form takes, but I have to say, the dichotomy between my own little JRT’s cuteness and his ferocity when faced with prey was a factor in my deciding on Captain’s shifted form!

In Bishop Takes Knight (“Redclaw Origins” book 1), we meet former socialite Henrietta (“Rhett”) Bishop as she struggles to find work with her unusual skill set. A misread address and her own pluck win her a job at Redclaw Security, but the new job isn’t what it seems. Mechanical devices seem to have a mind of their own, and Rhett’s new co-workers are a little strange. When she takes down a dangerous intruder in the office, Rhett gets promoted to field agent—and is let in on the secret: Redclaw Security is an elite paranormal agency that investigates matters in the hidden shifter world. One of the unit’s primary functions is to collect a series of mysterious, powerful artifacts and remove them from of the public sector.

The problem is Redclaw Security isn’t the only organization searching for such items.

Enter Dr. Peter Knight: a former nuclear scientist embittered by the murder of his wife. He wants no part of any secret organization, despite having a talent for working with the strange technology. But Rhett convinces him to join Redclaw, and together they become society’s darlings as well as Redclaw’s newest agents. Along with the shapeshifting dog, Captain, and a sentient ray gun bonded to Rhett, they are a force to be reckoned with. It’s Bringing Up Baby meets Warehouse-13 in this award-winning series debut!

Buy Links: Amazon    Barnes and Noble     Apple     Kobo

The adventures continue in Bishop’s Gambit, when Rhett and Peter pose as a married couple in a posh 1950s suburban community while investigating a series of deadly paranormal events. After the debacle of their first mission, Rhett has a lot to prove to Redclaw and seeks to carry out her assignment without the distraction of a budding relationship with Peter Knight.

Too bad there’s only one bed in the new house! Or that in Forest Grove, malice is served with a slice of apple pie and a smile.

It’s Leave it to Beaver meets The X-Files in this award-winning installment of the Redclaw Origins series!

Buy Links:  Amazon and these other retailers.

The “Redclaw Origins” books explore the beginnings of the Redclaw Security firm. Set in the 1950s, the romance is closed door, and the emphasis is on the investigations. Rhett is an unconventional woman of the time, having been raised by a much-beloved father who took her on all his adventures around the world. Being relegated to a desk, when she’s a much better shot than she is a typist, was trying for her until she found her place at Redclaw.

 

2. I heard you have another series featuring the Redclaw Security firm.

“Redclaw Security” is a steamy contemporary paranormal romance series with the emphasis placed on shifters and their mates, along with the dangers facing Redclaw Security agents. Each story can be read as a standalone, though there are cameos of characters from previous installments, and characters getting their own stories are often introduced in the one before.

 

The Panther’s Lost Princess, which is the first in the “Redclaw Security” series, is available on Amazon and KU.

Ghost of a Chance, which is the “Redclaw Security” book 2, is available on Amazon  Barnes and Noble  Apple  Kobo

I have plans for a spinoff series that focuses on a single team within the Redclaw agency which solves Major Shifter Crimes in case-based stories. The “Better off Red” series is on the back burner for the moment. If only I didn’t have a demanding day job!

 

3. Why did you add a dog to this series?

I work with animals for a living, so I include them in almost every story I write. Dogs, cats, horses, you name it. Animals are such an important part of my life. I can’t imagine not having a pet be a character in a story! I think my animal background is why I’m drawn to shifter stories as well.

As I mentioned earlier, Bishop and Knight have a real Nick and Nora vibe with their banter as they solve cases, and that alone made me want to include a spunky little dog to the series. But I also inherited Captain, my mother’s little JRT, when she died, and I’ve fallen completely in love with him! I’d never had a small dog before—all my other dogs are German Shepherds. I was worried Captain wouldn’t fit well into our household at first. But he was the BEST addition ever. He meshed in with our family as though he’d always been a part of it: sleeping with the cats, playfighting with the big dogs, and worming his way onto our bed and into our hearts. When I decided to give Rhett a little dog in the “Redclaw Origins” series, I knew Captain was perfect for the role.

 

4. What other books have you written?

I’ve also recently begun writing a series of small-town cozy mysteries (so far, nothing paranormal!) under the name M. K. Dean, featuring house-call veterinarian/amateur sleuth Ginny Reese and her trusty German Shepherd, Remington. I am having a LOT of fun with this series, and there are lots of animals in those stories too!

The first book, An Embarrassment of Itches, was released in July 2021, and the next installment, The Dog Days of Murder, will be out in early 2022. It’s Diagnosis Murder meets All Creatures Great and Small!

An Embarrassment of Itches is currently available only on Amazon, but will be coming to other retailers in the near future.

 

5. Tell us about your kudos or reviews.

Readers and reviewers have been very generous with their praise of my stories! The “Redclaw Security” series won Third Place for Best Romance/Paranormal/Fantasy/Vampires & Shifters in the Paranormal Romance Guild 2018 Reviewer’s Choice Awards.

Ghost of a Chance was also a finalist in the 2019 Bookseller’s Best Awards.

Bishop Takes Knight is a Top Pick at The Romance Reviews and a Crowned Heart of Excellence recipient at InD’Tale Magazine and has been nominated for a RONE Award! Bishop Takes Knight was voted Best Paranormal/SFF Romance in the 2020 New England Reader’s Choice Awards, Best Light Paranormal Romance in the 2020 PRISM awards, and is a Bronze Medal winner in the Royal Palm Literary Awards for Blended Fiction.

Bishop’s Gambit was named a Top Pick by The Romance Reviews! Kirkus Reviews describes it as “thoroughly entertaining and witty, with a nicely judged mix of genres.”

Bishop’s Gambit also placed Second in the 2021 Daphne du Maurier Awards for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense and placed Second in the 2021 PRISM Awards for Light Paranormal Romance.

An Embarrassment of Itches is a Crowned Heart of Excellence recipient from InD’Tale Magazine and is a finalist in the 2021 N.N. Light’s Book Awards.

 

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

The easiest way to find me is to go to my linktree! There you can choose which pen name/Amazon author page/BookBub/Facebook accounts you wish to follow. There’s a link for my website (which you can also follow) and my newsletter signup as well. I have an Instagram accounts (where I share a LOT of pet pictures), and I’m toying with the idea of joining TikTok, though I haven’t yet. I’m rarely on Facebook, but I post to Twitter a LOT. I tend to post slice-of-life stuff to the website blog most weeks, and almost never send out newsletters, though I hope to get a bit better about that in the future! But if you follow my Amazon author accounts or my BookBub accounts, you’ll always get notification of any new releases.

McKenna Dean/M.K. Dean: https://linktr.ee/McKenna_Dean

 

From Marcia: Thank you, McKenna, for being my January interviewee! I love discovering stories that feature dogs and look 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 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!

 

Margot Johnson

Marcia James' Website Posted on by 13


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

In Love Takes Flight, dogs bring Erin and Drew together. Erin owns a golden retriever and runs a dog kennel business. A daring jet pilot, Drew leaves his Border collie at her kennel but soon gets stranded there in a huge, prairie blizzard. Forced together, Erin and Drew overcome an icy start, but secret fears threaten to keep them apart.

In Love Leads the Way, Tessa and Mark clash at work when his boss forces him to enroll in the leadership program she manages. They both own golden retrievers, and at first, a love of dogs is the only thing they share in common. But both are single parents and have mothers with dementia…and even though she’s his coach, maybe they both need lessons in love.


2. Why did you add dogs to these books?

I’ve always loved dogs because they are cute, funny, and loyal, and I like people—and characters—who also love dogs. I think it’s a sign of a good heart. In a book, dogs add fun, love, and connections.

On a windowsill in our home, I display a little plaque that says, “Home is where the dog is,” and I believe it’s true. One of our walls is decorated with quirky artwork featuring dogs. Over the years, I’ve owned three golden retrievers and a Border collie, and all were a big part of our family. My daughters joked that sometimes they thought I liked the dog better than them. (The dog definitely listened better!)

Our thirteen-year-old golden retriever, Sophie, inspired the golden retrievers in my books with her gentle, friendly nature, her ability to sense moods, and her endearing habit of carrying soft objects in her mouth. We said a sad goodbye to our Border collie, Jake, when he became ill two years ago. Our house is definitely calmer and quieter without him, but we still miss him.

 

3. What other books have you written?

I write feel-good stories about women who chase their dreams and bump into romance along the way. They live in small communities near my home in the Canadian prairies, and they count on an eclectic mix of family and friends (and often dogs) to make their lives interesting and fun.

As well as Love Takes Flight and Love Leads the Way, I have a new release, Let it Snowball, a Christmas novella that’s part of The Wild Rose Press Christmas Cookie series. It’s the first book in a planned, three-book series. A Sweetheart Tour adventure (led by Merilee, the heroine from Let it Snowball) is in the works right now, and I hope it will be released in time for Valentine’s Day. Merilee doesn’t yet have a dog, but maybe someday she’ll realize what she’s been missing!

In Let it Snowball, Merilee shares her famous cookie recipe for chocolate snowballs. Maybe you’ll want to add it to your Christmas baking list.

Merilee’s Famous Chocolate Snowballs:

Ingredients:

3/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1/4 cup 2% or whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup baking cocoa
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Icing sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.

Add egg, milk, and vanilla and mix well.

Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.

Gradually add to creamed mixture. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Shape into 1 inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets and bake until tops crackle (7-8 minutes).

Remove to wire racks and cool. Roll in icing sugar.

Enjoy! 


4. Tell us about your kudos or reviews.

I’m really excited about this review from New York Times bestselling author Mary Balogh:

“I loved Let It Snowball. From the first page I wanted to book a place on Merilee’s nightly Season’s Eatings Christmas tour bus with its three stops at cookie shops to sample and buy. On the last page I wanted to book ahead for the Valentine’s tour! Margot Johnson has a way of making a festive atmosphere seem very real. Combine that with a warm and gentle love story that feels truly authentic, and you have a winner of a story.”

I love hearing feedback from readers. I hope everyone who reads Love Takes Flight, Love Leads the Way, and Let it Snowball will post a review.


5. How do you promote your books?

I promote on Facebook, Twitter, and through author blogs and websites. Local media were great about covering the launch of my first two books because of the local setting.


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

I’m online on Facebook and Twitter, and I’d love to have readers visit my new website and sign up for email updates so we can stay in touch.

Book Links:

Let it Snowball

Love Takes Flight

Love Leads the Way

Website: margotjohnson.ca

Facebook: MargotJohnsonAuthor

Twitter: @AuthorMargot

 

From Marcia: Thank you, Margot, for being my December interviewee! I love discovering stories that feature dogs and look 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 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!

 

Neil Plakcy

Marcia James' Website Posted on by 15

1. I hear you have a Golden Retriever mystery series. Tell us about the series.


In Dog We Trust (https://amzn.to/2YyBfmF) is the first book in the series.

BLURB: Semi-reformed computer hacker Steve Levitan returns to his hometown of Stewart’s Crossing with his tail between his legs after a brief stay as a guest of the California penal system for computer hacking. When his next door neighbor is killed while walking her golden retriever puppy Rochester, Steve takes the leash and joins forces with the big, enthusiastic dog to find her murderer. Rochester’s nose for crime has taken them through twelve full-length novels and a collection of short stories.

 

2. Why did you create a mystery series featuring a dog?

When we adopted a golden retriever puppy in 2000, we already had a Yorkie who had firmly established my husband as his human. So Sam was left to bond with me. Years of long walks, belly rubs and tug-of-war cemented our relationship until I was certifiably puppy-whipped. I wrote the first book to celebrate him, and when he passed, I kept his memory alive by continuing the series. His replacements, Brody and Griffin, are sweethearts, but they don’t have the same personality quirks that endeared Sam to me. They do give me endless opportunities for research, though.

3. What other books have you written?

My first published mystery novel, Mahu (https://amzn.to/3C1XXCf), is a police procedural set in Honolulu. I’ve written twelve in that series, because even in the sunshine dark shadows can lurk.

I also write an adventure series (Book 1: Three Wrong Turns in the Desert: https://amzn.to/3FYCBZ7 ) about a pair of bodyguards who travel the world and rescue clients from dangerous situations.

And to round things out, I also write contemporary and historical MM (Male/Male) romances.

 

4. Tell us about your kudos or reviews.

I was delighted to receive a Lefty award for best police procedural from the attendees at the Left Coast Crime fan convention in Hawaii for the second in my Mahu series, Mahu Surfer. I’ve also been a four-time finalist for the Lambda Literary Awards. But my favorite reviews are those from fans who have enjoyed my books or have fallen in love with my characters. (I’m looking at you, Rochester.)

5. How do you promote your books?

I love to attend mystery fan conventions, such as Bouchercon, Malice Domestic and Left Coast Crime. I lower the prices on my books occasionally and advertise them through paid newsletters like BookBub and Ereader News Today, and I also communicate regularly with my newsletter subscribers.

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

My website is http://www.MahuBooks.com, and my Amazon author page is http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B001JP4EL6.

Additional links:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/neil.plakcy
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/126217.Neil_Plakcy
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/neilplakcy/boards/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NeilPlakcy

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/neil-s-plakcy

 

From Marcia: Thank you, Neil, for being my November interviewee! I love discovering mysteries that feature dogs and look 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 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!