Marcia James' Website

1. I hear you have a pet in your novel, No Escape From Love. Tell us about the book.

Hi Marcia, I’m delighted to share that I have not one, but two books with pets in them (and a third, which is a work-in-progress). Here’s a little bit about them (they both involve cats):

No Escape from Love Blurb:

Will the demons from their past tear them apart?

After personal tragedy strikes, Mohini Kapoor runs away from the city to her grandparents’ home in a village in Punjab. Though she manages to pick up the pieces of her broken self, and even builds a life for herself, the horror of her experience is difficult to forget. She buries it deep down inside her subconscious mind until the arrival of a stranger threatens to resurrect the old demons.

Reputed photojournalist, Aalok Ahuja, has to hide out for a few days to escape circumstances beyond his control. When his friend recommends Tejopur, a remote village in Punjab, Aalok expects life to be simple there and, perhaps, even boring–instead, his world is thrown into chaos by a woman more desirable, and vastly more complicated, than any he has ever known.

When their destinies collide, attraction flares, but secrets threaten their new-found feelings.

Buy link: http://getBook.at/NEfL

A Christmas Conspiracy Blurb:

Christmas has never been more complicated!

Goldie Gill works in a recruiting firm in Toronto and has had it with his mother’s single-minded desire to see him married off to a nice girl. Goldie has no wish to find himself a nice girl–he is perfectly happy living the single life and hanging out with his cat, Billy.

It takes a chance encounter with a dusky, doe-eyed, scatter-brained beauty, just before Christmas, for Goldie to seriously reconsider his plans. But he soon learns that his meeting with the girl isn’t a happy coincidence–somebody has been meddling. What is the conspiracy and how is Goldie going to get to the bottom of it considering that the girl has disappeared?

Buy link: http://mybook.to/CC2019

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

It may sound strange to some, but I include pets in my stories even though I am not myself a pet person. That’s because I adore people who keep pets and are good parents to them. My son has a cat named Billy, who is a rescue–and a very central member of his family. Billy, thrilled to be featured in A Christmas Conspiracy, is a vociferous supporter of my writing and pops up to endorse my books on Instagram and Twitter from time to time. You can say hi to him here after he is done with his Me-Time.

In No Escape from Love, Tiger is Mohini’s cat, also a rescue, who loves the great outdoors. Much to Mohini’s dismay, Tiger takes to the mysterious man who invades their quiet existence in the village of Tejopur. Mohini, suspicious of the man’s true intentions, is torn between trusting her own instinct or taking a cue from the faith that her cat reposes in the interloper.

3. What other books have you written?

From the two blurbs shared, it’s easy to guess that I write romance–contemporary and imbued with humor and passion–the heat level varies from sweet to hot. There is no pet in Satin and Sapphire, but it is my first romance with a turbaned hero and I adore the cover–so, do have a look at it:

Satin and Sapphire Blurb:

Danger meets delight in Asar Kalan!

Dr Danvir Sandhu has been dealt a cruel hand–his house of cards comes tumbling down when he loses, one by one, all the things that bring meaning to his life. He has barely found equilibrium when a serendipitous event brings Latika Anand into his orbit, and he struggles to stay aloof even as his heart yearns for a future with the maddeningly enticing fashion designer.

Considerably bruised after a break-up that is as unexpected as it is callous, Latika is thrown into an even more precarious situation that threatens her life. Both experiences convince her to return to her roots and tackle old demons even if it means denying the attraction she feels for a certain utterly fascinating physician.

Buy link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07YLBP4N6/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i2

4. Tell us about your kudos or reviews.

I’m sharing two reviews each for my books with pets:

No Escape from Love:

jazz singh

5.0 out of 5 stars Love this HEA!

The long wait for Reet Singh’s next has ended. No Escape from Love doesn’t disappoint. Aalok and Mohini, both damaged and fighting personal demons, meet and chemistry flares between them. She’s fiery and volatile, he’s damnably logical. Can love be far behind? As always, Reet’s characters are real and reel you into their topsy turvy lives. And yes, he’s as sexy as hell!

Leena

5.0 out of 5 stars A great entertainer!

Written in pristine language, with understated elegance and tongue-in-cheek humour, this was a breezy romance with all the tropes in place. It was lucid, just like the characters who were unabashed in displaying their emotions 😉 All of it sautéed with Punjabi tadka, made it all the more entertaining.

The hot and cold skirmishes between Mohini and Aalok were quite interesting and the confusion and drama that ensued with the arrival of more characters was downright hilarious at times. It reminded me of the classic comical capers or even the comedy of manners. Tiger the cat and Raja the teddy-bear were adorable, and were as much a part of the tumultuous interaction. And so was Mohini’s daughter Ria who added all the sweetness required to make a lovely story.

The rustic village in Punjab and the charming old house with its garden was a perfect backdrop. The description showed how much the author loved writing about something very close to her heart.

A great entertainer, Reet. I hope you come up with more!

A Christmas Conspiracy:

Ruchi

5.0 out of 5 stars Really cute love story 🙂

The author handled both humor and romance fabulously in this short, hilarious story. For the first time I loved the secondary characters in a romance more than my hero and heroine. Waiting to read more from the author.

Adite Banerjie

5.0 out of 5 stars A special treat

Christmas, coffee and a surprise date…what’s not to love! My fave character though is the wily matchmaking mom with the cutest name. Don’t miss out on this festive read.

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

Here’s where I can be found:

Facebook

Twitter

My Website

Goodreads
Amazon author page

Instagram

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

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

1. I hear you have horses in your novels. Tell us about your Horses Heal Hearts series.

Horses Heal Hearts is a five-book contemporary romance series in which the hero and heroine meet in an equestrian setting.

Book #1, Dressage Dreaming, is dressage:

A once in a lifetime horse, but only one of them can have him.

For very different reasons, Michael Stafford and Jessica Warren need the right horse to fulfill their dreams to compete in international dressage, and the black stallion Tempest is that horse. When Tempest’s owner requires them to compete head-to-head for Tempest, they discover the tension between them is not just about the horse, but about the strong attraction neither of them can deny.

Amazon buy link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B079Q5Z3S1/

Book #2, Racing Toward Love, is horse racing:

Ian Stafford is a former British Special Forces war veteran who still has nightmares of a friend dying. When he sees a woman being threatened, he intervenes, and the woman escapes. But Ian accidentally stabs an attacker, who dies. Ian is charged with manslaughter, and the woman who can exonerate him has disappeared.

Megan Brady never imagined the thoroughbred colt her family raised would become a British Triple Crown contender. When the Irish mob approaches her brother with a bribe to lose the most important race of his career, he refuses. Megan tries to thwart the mob, but they attack her. If it hadn’t been for the man who saved her, she could have been killed. She must come out of hiding to exonerate Ian, but then the mob would find her. Meanwhile the date of the big race approaches.

Can Megan’s courage in the face of overwhelming odds help Ian come to grips with his grief and allow himself to live and love again? Will Ian be able to trust Megan with his heart?

Amazon buy link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07KTDLWQD

Book #3, Lionel’s Leap of Faith, is set in the world of international show jumping:

He doesn’t know the mob has him in its cross hairs.

Lionel Hayes is shocked to discover a world-class jumper among the abused horses he rehabilitates. Unfortunately, the only man with the talent to ride that horse is not only the man of Lionel’s dreams, he has also been recruited by the mob to frame him.

One fateful decision had destroyed Lionel Hayes’ life and led to the death of his longtime partner and lover. But through his work rehabilitating abused horses, and the trust of one special horse, he realized he had to take responsibility for his actions. From that day forward, Lionel vowed to restore his image and resume the career he loved. In the process, he found the horse of a lifetime, Gideon’s Rainbow.

Monty Campbell was a rising star on the international show jumping circuit until he lost his horse to injury. Desperate for a replacement, he learned of Gideon’s Rainbow. To his surprise, the horse’s owner is also a perfect match for him, although the man stubbornly refuses to acknowledge it. How can Monty convince Lionel they were meant for each other? And will the sinister force that seeks to destroy Lionel destroy Monty as well?

Amazon buy link: https://www.amazon.com/Lionels-Leap-Faith-Horses-Hearts-ebook/dp/B07XK9FZ16

Book #4, Her Forever Love, focuses on Therapeutic Riding and will be released by Soul Mate Publishing on August 5th. Book #5 in the series will be about polo.

2. Why did you create a series featuring horses?

Ever since I can remember, I have loved horses. I wore out 4 rocking horses before I was 5 years old, and as I got older, I read every horse story in print, from Black Beauty to The Black Stallion. It wasn’t until I got my first job as an attorney for the federal government, however, that I could afford to buy my first horse, and I haven’t been without at least one ever since.

I have been riding and competing in dressage for several years and have earned my United States Dressage Federation Bronze Medal. When I wasn’t reading about horses, I was reading romance novels, and my favorites always involved an alpha male hero riding a magnificent horse. Now I have found a way to combine my love of horses with my love of romance by writing my own version of equine-facilitated happily ever afters. I truly believe that Horses Heal Hearts.

In addition to horses, I have always been a dog person, but since my recent divorce, when my ex-husband took custody of our two adopted off the track greyhounds, I’ve decided to adopt a cat from a local rescue. Wish me luck!

3. What drew you to writing fiction?

I have always been a planner, so my approach to writing is to outline my plot before I even begin to put pen to paper (figuratively)–I’m all about my laptop and word processing. LOL. I enjoy learning about the craft of writing and am always taking classes to improve my skills as a writer. I think if you read my entire series, you would see the quality of the writing improve over time. As I said above, I work full time, so my writing time is evenings and weekends primarily. I try to release at least one but hopefully two books in a year.

4. Tell us about your kudos or reviews.

My favorite review is of my first book, Dressage Dreaming, from Uncaged Book Reviews:

“I’m always happy to read a book when it centers around horses and this one did not disappoint. The characters are well developed and the romance develops nicely between our two main characters. For different reasons, both Michael and Jessica need a horse named Tempest, a talented stallion that could bring their careers back to the International level, and the seller agrees to send the stallion to Michael’s farm for both him and Jessica to work with before he makes the decision who to sell to. But neither counted on falling in love…”

5. How do you promote your books?

My books are available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble, and I also offer audio book versions of all my currently printed titles. You can get free promo codes for my audiobooks at http://www.freeaudiobookcodes.com Just search the titles.

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

My website is the best place to learn more about me and about my books: http://www.KimberlyBeckett.com

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

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

1. I hear you have a dog in your series featuring a rookie cop heroine. Tell us about the series.

Hi, Marcia, thanks so much for having me. I’m thrilled to be here and always happy to talk about two of my favorite things…books and dogs!

My Savage Cinderella novella series is based on a book I published back in 2012, Savage Cinderella. In the novel, readers are introduced to eighteen-year-old Brinn Hathaway, who has survived on her own in the High Country of North Georgia since she was left for dead in a shallow grave by the man who kidnapped her as a child. When a young nature photographer, Justin Spencer, catches the wild girl on film and the two form a tentative friendship, Brinn must decide if coming out of hiding is worth the hope—and the danger—that may await her.

A mix of literary fiction, romance, suspense, and coming of age, it was one of those stories that didn’t quite fit onto a specific bookshelf, which is why I decided to self-publish it. I wasn’t sure if the story qualified as Young Adult (YA) or the relatively new (at the time) sub-genre of New Adult fiction. A fellow author once described the “agent pitch” as Veronica Mars meets Nell. Or A Child Called It meets Nancy Drew.

There’s no overt sexuality or language issues, but the subject matter is gritty, and Brinn’s age sets her just outside the YA market. A 2010 Sheila and Golden Palm finalist and a 2013 NERFA and HOLT Medallion winner, Savage Cinderella went on to become a hit on Wattpad with almost four million reads. It was then I decided to continue Brinn’s journey through a series of novellas.

Each 30k “episode” has a crime to solve, a relationship issue to overcome, and a powerful step in Brinn’s personal journey of recovery and healing after all she’d endured as a child. There are now five books in the series: Finding Hope, Lost Boys, Sacred Ground, Broken Angel, and Liberty’s Promise, all of which have social justice themes—and yes…a dog named Eliot.

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

When I first came up with the idea for Savage Cinderella, I was hiking in the woods with my dog, Zak—a golden lab/husky mix who I rescued as a six-month-old pup and who was as devoted to me as any living being on the planet had ever been. He was my constant companion for twelve years and the best hiking pal a girl could want. On this one walk, just like every writer with an overactive imagination, I started daydreaming. I wondered what it would have been like to grow up in the wild and have been raised by wolves. But when I ‘saw’ Brinn running through the woods, she wasn’t running with wolves.

In the original novel, Brinn befriends a bear—yes, a bear—and names her Kitty. This may seem like a stretch, but in Brinn’s lonely world of isolation and survival as a ten-year-old, rescuing a cub who had lost its mother and developing a bond with the animal is what helps her survive cold winter nights and the myriad of dangers she faces throughout the story. It was also symbolic of her own loss, believing her parents were dead and that no one wanted her—a lie that her captor ingrained in her during the two years he’d kept and tortured her. Even after Brinn returns to the world, she and Kitty remain friends and this character comes back in Broken Angel, when Brinn returns to her mountain cabin and is confronted by drug dealers.

For the series though, Brinn needed a sidekick who could accompany her in the real world, and Eliot fit the bill. A gift from Justin, Eliot (named after the author T.S. Eliot) is a loveable yellow lab who is as much an emotional support dog as he is a partner in crime-fighting. He failed out of his first round of canine police training because of his overly independent nature (a characteristic he shares with Brinn).

Eliot doesn’t appear in all the books, but he is always on her mind and a valued friend who keeps her grounded. I enjoyed writing him, and I think well-drawn animal characters can add an incredible depth to our heroes and heroines. Kristan Higgins writes amazing pets into her stories, making them an integral part of her characters’ journeys and offering a reflection in some way to the characters themselves.

Zak is no longer with me and it’s been hard to imagine replacing him, but maybe someday, another dog will come along and find me. Until then, I’ll keep writing them into my stories!

3. What other romances have you written?

One of the best parts of self-publishing is not being pinned down to one genre. I’ve written three contemporary YA romances, Heaven Is For Heroes, On Thin Ice, and Pieces Of Love, all part of what I call The Girls of Thompson Lake Series, since all the characters are friends and live in a small fictitious CT lake town. Each novel is a standalone story, but the friendships and settings overlap. Sami’s Christmas Wishlist is an accompanying novella that brings all the girls together for a heartwarming holiday story.

I also have a dystopian trilogy called The Chronicles of Lily Carmichael; a series RT Book Reviews called “An action-packed read with a strong female lead.” I’m particularly proud of this series as it’s won several awards and was especially fun and challenging to write. You can read the prequel, Soul Redemption on Wattpad or download it free as a thank-you gift for signing up for my newsletter.

Waning Moon, Western Desert, and Healing Waters make up the rest of the trilogy—in which, in the year 2057, in a post-apocalyptic world where three quarters of the population has been wiped out by a global pandemic, and a polar shift threatens the remainder of Earth’s inhabitants with extinction, sixteen-year-old genetically enhanced teen, Lily Carmichael, faces bigger challenges—escape capture by a rogue government agency, save her family, and avoid falling in love.

I know…cheery stuff, right? Despite the desperate and apocalyptic setting, there is a teen romance, a ton of action and adventure, and as with all my stories a “hopefully ever after” ending. It also has a couple of pet wolves—my first introduction to writing animal characters.

4. How do you promote your books?

Promoting me and my books has been one of the greatest challenges for me as an author. I know this is true for many of us. Writers are—by nature—introverts to some degree. We spend a lot of time living in our heads with make-believe characters. I love the writing process (even with its alternating ups and downs of creative euphoria and doubt-filled exasperation). But the selling process and treating my writing as a business—not so much. I have a particularly difficult time balancing writing and promoting simultaneously. I enjoy engaging with readers, but it’s sad and a little scary to leave the writer’s cave and face the real world again, lol.

When my head is in a story, I need to stay in that creative space, and marketing and promotions require a whole different mindset. I’ve avoided doing much marketing for the series the past two years as I’ve been writing the five novellas, but now that the series is in a good place to call it complete, and I don’t have any immediate plans for another story, I’m shifting gears. This is, after all, a marathon and not a sprint. A dozen books published in eight years is a good bit of writing. So, now it’s time to devote some effort to sharing them with the world.

I’ve created a marketing plan and a promotions list of to-dos over the next six months that will include getting out to bookstores, visiting libraries, and speaking at schools. I also need to focus on garnering reviews and being more consistent with content creation for social media. Once summer comes, I’ll do more book fairs and farmer’s markets.

One of the most consistently successful things I’ve done with my online community is multi-author events. Cross-promoting with others is fun, not that much work, and usually gives me a good return on my investment, whether through increased sales or a jump in new followers. There is so much that can be done, we can make ourselves crazy. Finding what works for you, that you enjoy—or at least don’t mind—and that gives you a solid return on your investment is the key. And not everything is worth doing. I rarely recoup my costs when I do those short-term sales and pay for advertising on a bunch of cheap sites. I’ll get a bump in numbers sold which is good for a temporary boost in Amazon rankings, but it never pans out enough for me to see a return on investment (ROI). The same with Facebook ads. Some people do great with them, but you need to spend money to make money. Unless you’re fortunate enough to get a BookBub ad, or you have a huge advertising budget, paid advertising has been a bust for me.

I think the best advertising is still word-of-mouth. Getting out and talking about our stories, meeting readers, and creating connections is probably one of the most important things we can do to promote ourselves and our books. That’s why I’m here visiting with you! Thanks again for having me.

Leave a comment on this blog and be entered to win a signed copy of Savage Cinderella!

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

Readers can find me at all the places I hang out…

Website: http://www.PJSharon.com
Follow PJ on Twitter: @pjsharon https://www.twitter.com/pjsharon
“Like” PJ on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pjsharonbooks
Find PJ on Amazon’s Author Central page: http://www.amazon.com/PJ-Sharon/e/B005ONR4IY/
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/PJSharon
Read FREE chapters on Wattpad: http://www.wattpad.com/user/pjsharon
Signup for PJ’s Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/bm7rj5

Author Bio:

In addition to her day job as a massage therapist, PJ Sharon is an award-winning author, fitness guru, lover of kind spirits, and sometimes lost in imaginary worlds. Whether PJ writes contemporary YA, NA, or a dystopian trilogy, there is always a romance at the heart of the story, healing for a troubled soul, and a hopefully ever after end to look forward to.

A black belt in the art of Shaolin Kempo Karate, former figure skating and power skating coach, and singer of Italian art songs, PJ has two grown sons and lives with her brilliant engineer husband in the Berkshire Hills of Western MA where she writes, kayaks, and plays in the dirt as often as possible.

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

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

1. I hear you have a cat in your novel, Cleo’s Web. Tell us about the book.

A few years ago, hubs and I moved into one of those over 55 “active lifestyle communities.” At the time, a few of my new neighbors told me I didn’t look old enough to live here. (Even though I was.) I got to thinking, but what if someone wasn’t old enough and needed to slip in under the radar? And cat-sitting a cat who hates her was part of the gig? But she got caught? Thus, Cleo’s Web was born.

Cleo’s Web Buy Links:

Amazon short link: http://amzn.to/2dyvRT7
Universal Link via D2D: https://books2read.com/u/bP1L7j

Blurb:

Unconvincing disguises, reverse stripteases, and an uncooperative feline…

Itching to start over, Cleo Ward is preparing to leave her bad choices and troubled past behind. A temporary gig cat-sitting will benefit her relocation fund. All she has to do is blend in with her aunt’s retirement community.

Easier said than done when Daniel “Web” Webster, the sexy property manager shows up… Nothing gets by Web, especially an intriguing too-young-to-be-a-resident female masquerading as a senior citizen. But since it’s for a noble cause, he might be able to overlook Cleo’s rule-breaking for a favor—or two.

But what happens when Cleo becomes more entangled with Web than she intended? Does she even want to escape the invisible threads he’s woven around her?

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

Winnie

I used to be more of a cat person, but now I’m more of a dog person. We always had cats during my childhood, and hubs and I had two when we were first together. Then we had kids and got a dog, and I guess we became dog people. We found her at the SPCA shelter two years ago. Winnie is like a slightly smaller clone of our dog Pepper, who we had lost the year before. Winnie’s such a lady, who even crosses her legs:

A lot of my friends have cats, and they tell such funny stories about them. My daughter has two cats—one she adores and one who is the bane of her existence. I needed Cleo to have more than one good reason for sneaking into her great-aunt’s community and trying to fly under the radar. Having to care for a cat who despises her made for some funny moments. Also, the cat, whose name is Poe, adores the hero, which irritates Cleo even more.

3. What other romances have you written?

I won’t list them all, but more recently I released the first book in a stand-alone connected series (Red Bud, Iowa) entitled If You Knew. A former adult film actress relocates to a small Iowa town and becomes the target of a nasty political campaign. She’s recently widowed and is pregnant, and…the hero has a past he’s not proud of as well. Next up is the second book in the series, If You Dare, which features If You Knew’s villain as the hero.

If You Knew Buy Link: https://books2read.com/IfYouKnew

Blurb:

In a town filled with lies, is there room for one more?

Widow Devonny Campbell arrives in tiny Red Bud, Iowa, determined to make a new life for herself and the child she carries. But when her former career in adult films is uncovered, she becomes the catalyst for a nasty political campaign which creates a tornado of controversy.

High school coach and guidance counselor Luke Bradshaw knows one strong wind will collapse the house of cards he’s built to contain his demons. He’s falling hard for Devonny in spite of her past. And she might be what trips him up and exposes everything he’s kept hidden.

But Devonny and Luke aren’t the only citizens of Red Bud forced to face the judgment of their peers. As the campaign turns vicious, deeply-buried truths are revealed and lifelong relationships are shattered. Can Devonny and Luke stick together? Or will too much truth tear them apart?

White Roses in Winter is a shotgun wedding story, which features a struggling college-age hero, an overly controlling father who is determined to teach his daughter a lesson she won’t forget, and a jealous frenemy with an axe to grind.

White Roses In Winter Buy Link: https://books2read.com/u/4EDekO

Blurb:

The princess. The pauper. And a shotgun…

The only thing Jason is focused on is getting through his last year of college. But the instant attraction between him and Kerrie leads to one unforgettable night together.

When Kerrie’s wealthy, overly-protective father learns she is pregnant, he arranges a temporary marriage to teach her a lesson about choices and consequences. Jason reluctantly agrees to keep his participation in the plan a secret, because it’s the only way he can safeguard his future and his family.

Kerrie is blinded by her romantic fantasy and doesn’t suspect she’s been set up. Meanwhile, Jason guards his heart and vows that when Kerrie leaves with their baby, he won’t beg her to stay.

Just when it seems a future together is possible, lies, betrayal and deceit threaten to separate Kerrie and Jason forever. Faced with losing each other and their baby, will their fragile bond be strong enough?

4. Tell us about your kudos or reviews.

Here is one of the best reviews I received for If You Knew:

Review 4/1/19:

https://romance4thebeach.wordpress.com/2019/04/01/if-you-knew-by-barbara-meyers/

“Little did I know this book would make me confront my own biases and prejudices, and learn the importance of acknowledging that who a person is now is often more important than who they once were.”

I love this site [Romance Novels For the Beach] in particular because the reviewer is brilliant at analyzing why a book works or doesn’t. She posts the reviews with memes, and they are such fun to read. And, as the name of her site suggests, she only reviews romance novels.

A *****Five Star Review of White Roses in Winter from the GeeA Gaylene Atkins’ blog: https://gayleneatkins.wordpress.com/2018/03/15/book-review6-white-roses-in-winter-author-is-barbara-meyers/

“White Roses in Winter is definitely a romance in my view; but it comes with much more grit and reality than your average romance genre read. There is suspense. There is action.”

What I loved about Gaylene’s review [above] is she really got what I was trying to convey with White Roses in Winter. That doesn’t always happen.

5. How do you promote your books?

I’m admittedly terrible about promotion. I’m trying to be more active on social media, especially Instagram and Facebook, but I enjoy the creative process of writing so much more. I’d rather write books than talk about them!!

This year, I’m doing monthly giveaways for my newsletter subscribers themed around a holiday or season. The first was for Valentine’s Day. A basket with Starbucks coffee (because I work there part-time), a mug, one of my books, a gift card, chocolate. Who knows what else? Other goodies, for sure. I want to reach out to followers and subscribers who enjoy what I write. And I love giving stuff away to loyal readers. Next one will be for St. Patrick’s Day. J Sign up is via my website.

I’m giving away a free ebook of Cleo’s Web to a randomly chosen person who comments on this blog!

Here are my links:

Web Site: http://www.BarbaraMeyers.com
Draft2Digital: http://books2read.com/author/barbara-meyers/subscribe/1/33163/
Blog: http://barbarameyers.com/blog/
Facebook Author Pages: https://www.facebook.com/BarbaraMeyersAuthorPage and https://www.facebook.com/AJTillock
Amazon Author Page: http://amazon.com/author/barbarameyers
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/barbmeyers1/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/barbmeyers/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/barbmeyers
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbara-meyers-5b581842/
Twitter: @barbmeyers and @ajtillock
Twitter URL: https://twitter.com/barbmeyers
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/barbara-meyers
Lakeland Ledger Article: http://www.theledger.com/news/20160313/auburndale-author-finds-success-with-amorous-tales
Alison Nissen Podcast 7/17: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7O9gHayvU8&feature=em-share_video_use

Marcia James: Thank you, Barbara, for stopping by my Go Pets blog and offering to give away an ebook! I look forward to reading your romantic novels!

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

1. I hear you have a dog in your Heroes of Westhorpe Ridge series. Tell us about the books.

Each book features a former military man building a civilian life in the small North Carolina town of Westhorpe Ridge. Although linked, they each can be read as a sexy, stand-alone romance.

Check them out for a marriage of convenience, a spy story, a second chance romance featuring a secret baby, and rip-roaring adventure when those pesky mobsters reappear.

Amazon author page link: https://www.amazon.com/Kryssie-Fortune/e/B00J5AQOBU?

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

As a child, I thought dogs ruled the universe. I once asked a butcher friend for seven bones so I could give one to every dog on our street. Not sure how he felt, but the dogs loved me.

I had a Welsh Terrier called Moxenville Laurence. (We called him Larry.) His pedigree stretched for ages. For those who don’t know, a Welsh terrier is a sort of miniature Airedale crossed with a teddy bear.

A typical terrier, Larry was as fierce and as loyal as they come. He was the runt of the litter, and the breeder said he’d never amount to anything. We fooled ‘em.

Raised on love, Larry thrived. Dog breeders offered us lots of money for him, but he was part of the family. No way would we part with him. He was as bright as they come. Every day, at 2pm he brought my mother his lead. I’m not sure who took who for a walk, but the pair of them loved it.

When I wrote the first book in my Heroes of Westhorpe Ridge series–Marriage, Mobsters, and the Marine, I needed a reason for the local sheriff to walk on the beach. My solution, give him a dog. It needed to be loyal, intelligent, and well behaved. I plumped for a Border Collie and called him Duffy (after Homer Simpson’s favourite beer).

In my second Heroes of Westhorpe Ridge book, Sex, Scandal, and the Sheriff, Duffy’s owner gets his own story. A former SEAL, he tries to run my heroine out of town. Of course, as the sheriff, he thinks he has a good reason. Fortunately, Duffy charms my heroine and ensures she interacts with his owner.

Duffy comes into his own in my third Heroes of Westhorpe Ridge book, Desire, Deceit, and the Doctor. His owner’s on holiday but Ben, son of the single parent hotel owner, is looking after him. Only someone’s out to kill Ben and his mother. Duffy saves Ben’s life. So does Adam, a former army doctor and–although he doesn’t know it–Ben’s father.

3. What other books have you written?

There’s a fourth Heroes book–Submission, Secrets and the Soldier. Duffy doesn’t feature much in this one, but it is my favourite of the four. Perhaps because I got to research PTSD to explain Luke’s character. The heroine has a bit of me in her in that she’s eager to please. People have used her, but despite his own problems, Luke helps her find her own way.

I’ve written paranormal, contemporary, and historical books. My original publisher, Loose id, decided it couldn’t compete with Amazon and closed its doors. My book rights reverted to me, and most of my books are available on Kindle Unlimited.

Fortunately, found a new home with Stormy Night Publications. They’ve published my two extremely naughty historicals–Wickedly Used and His Innocent Bride. These were my first books to make the top 100 on Amazon. That was a huge deal for me. I was so excited I screamed–and woke my husband who I’d left in bed. He shot into the front room thinking someone was attacking me!

My paranormal book, Taken as Theirs, made number ten on Amazon. Cue more screams and me jumping around like a loon. It’s a sexy paranormal adventure set in a post-apocalyptic world where werewolves are the dominant species.

Blurb: As a breeder–one of the few fertile women left in a ruined, plague-ravaged world–Cassie would fetch a handsome price at auction, and selling her to the highest bidder was exactly what her captors had in mind…until two fearsome beasts decided to take her for themselves.

Eli and Dane have chosen Cassie for their mate, and when she makes a foolish attempt at escape, she quickly ends up tearfully promising obedience as her bare bottom is soundly and shamefully punished. Her body’s response to their stern dominance cannot be denied, however, and it isn’t long before she is screaming out her intense, helpless pleasure as she is roughly and thoroughly claimed. But will Eli and Dane’s pack accept a human girl or will Cassie be an outsider forever?

Publisher’s Note: Taken as Theirs includes spankings and sexual scenes. If such material offends you, please don’t buy this book.

Buy links:
Amazon USA: https://amzn.to/2AB4Z3l
Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2s95Q6O
Amazon Canada: https://amzn.to/2GZLI1f
Amazon Australia: https://amzn.to/2RvViwV

Or READ FOR FREE ON KINDLE UNLIMITED

4. How do you promote your books?

I’m active on social media and I’d love to hear from you:
Website: http://kryssiefortune.wixsite.com/kryssie
Blog: http://kryssiefortune.blogspot.co.uk/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KryssieFortune
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KryssieFortune
Pinterest: http://bit.ly/1OGFnjc
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2kxqabJ

5. In addition to the above links, where can readers learn more about your books?

Since the majority of my books are available on Kindle Unlimited, they are only available on Amazon. I’d love you to check out my Amazon Author Central page: https://www.amazon.com/Kryssie-Fortune/e/B00J5AQOBU?

Marcia James: Thank you, Kryssie, for stopping by my Go Pets! I look forward to reading your romantic novels!

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