Tell us about your current series?

First, Cynthia, thank you so much for having me! I can’t tell you how excited I am about this new series preparing to launch. Within A Captain’s Hold is the debut book in my Captain’s of the Scarlet Night Series. It is currently a trilogy, but I’m thinking the series will run five books before I’m through. My characters are insisting! It takes place during the Golden Age of Piracy, spans two generations of sea captains, and crosses gender lines with one of my pirate captains being a woman. It is loosely based on some very famous women pirates and some key historical events in and around Port Royal, Jamaica from the years 1683 through 1715.

What inspired your latest book?

I’ve always loved pirates and history. The Caribbean is so rich with tales of different pirates and their adventures. When I decided to add historicals to my writing repertoire, it was an easy decision as to which era most called to me.

What is your favorite part of writing?

Writing romance especially, I adore that I can fall in love along with my characters. I can relive the thrill of a first kiss, and slip my feet into my characters shoes (or bucket-topped boots) for a while and escape into another world. But the best part for me, and it has happened with each book I’ve written, is that inevitably, one of my characters will “go rogue” and do or say something that is a total surprise to me.

What is your least favorite part of writing?

I find it very bitter/sweet to hit send on that last round of edits of my books. After all, I’ve played with these characters for months, sometimes years. I go through an odd few days of wandering about. I almost always have some scene or other running through my head, but when I’m done my mind is too quiet. Not that I don’t always have another project lined up to begin, but it takes some time to move on.

Do you have critique partners?

Absolutely! And they are brilliant!!

Was your road to publication fraught with peril or a walk in the park?

This industry is such a rollercoaster ride at times. I wouldn’t say my journey was fraught with peril, but I definitely walked each and every mile, and tripped over my fair share of potholes. But I think it’s made me a better writer. I’ve earned my stripes, so to speak. Yes, the rejections sting (some draw blood!), but they only make the successes that much sweeter.

Having achieved your goal to be a published author, what is the most rewarding thing?

For me, the most rewarding thing is that I never gave up. It took me seven years before my first novel published, and there were times I wanted to add gasoline and a match to my manuscripts. But I had the amazing support of my family and my writer friends, and somehow I knew the only way I wasn’t going to be successful was if I quit. After working so hard for so long, there was no way I was going to quit.

Are you a member of any writing organizations and, if so, have they helped?

I am a member of RWA and NH-RWA. As I mentioned above, without their support and their wealth of knowledge I wouldn’t be here. Attending my first RWA chapter meeting was like stepping off a plane in a foreign land where somehow I already knew the language. The other writers were so welcoming and generous. I’ve learned so much, and I’ve made wonderful friends here I will cherish for the rest of my life.

What’s next for you?

It’s back to pirate land for me! I’m finishing edits on the second book in the Captain’s of the Scarlet Night Series due to release in May 2016, and I’m starting the third. This one takes place in 1692 and will encompass the historical event of the great earthquake that hit Port Royal in June of that year.

One again, thank you so much for hosting me today!

BLURB

Captain Jaxon Steele is a tall, sun-bronzed, fierce-fighting Pirate King. He and the notorious crew of the Scarlet Night are both feared and respected for their ruthless reputation. The Captain’s only love is the open sea and the ship he calls home. When it comes to women, he has three rules: never sleep with another’s wife, don’t take virgins into bed, and most importantly, never bring a woman aboard—that brings the worst luck of all.

Annalise Gatherone has to leave London—tonight! Usually her only concern is the color of her latest gown, but now she’s choosing between life and death. Desperate to escape the clutches of an evil Duke, she stows away aboard the Scarlet Night, hoping she’s bound for Port St. Maria. Winning Captain Jaxon’s affections, she just might sneak by unharmed. But when her plans are altered in ways she never imagined, she must batten down the hatches for a journey into unknown waters…

BUY LINKS

ISBN: 978-161650971-2

Kensington:  http://www.kensingtonbooks.com/book.aspx/31916

Amazon:   http://www.amazon.com/Within-Captains-Hold-Scarlet-Night-ebook/dp/B00U7LIZXG/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1446926658&sr=8-1

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/within-a-captains-hold-lisa-a-olech/1121320025?ean=9781616509712

BIO

Lisa is an artist/writer living in her dream house nestled among the lakes in New England. She loves getting lost in a steamy book, finding the perfect pair of sexy shoes, and hearing the laughter of her men. Being an estrogen island in a sea of testosterone makes her queen. She believes in ghosts, silver linings, the power of a man in a tuxedo, and happy endings.

Author’s photo courtesy of Jenny Sinclair Photography.

AUTHOR LINKS
www.lisaolech.com

Kensington:  http://www.kensingtonbooks.com/author.aspx/31711

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/Lisa.A.Olech.Writer
Twitter:  www.twitter.com/LisaOlech

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/author/show/7478599.Lisa_A_Olech

Rafflecopter Giveaway- Ebook copy of Within A Captain’s Hold
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What genre(s) do you write in and why?

First and foremost, I’m a romance writer. Since I personally love to read about all forms of shape shifters, I’ve chosen to debut my self-publishing career with a paranormal series about Dolphin Shore Shifters. I include enough gunfire, bombs, and bad guys to also qualify as a romantic suspense so that’s my combo-genre: paranormal romantic suspense.

Tell us about your current series.

The Dolphin Shore Shifters live in the Santa Barbara Channel off the coast of California, where the huge pod takes turns shifting into human form for 3 year missions working at their non-profit corporation, Save Blue Water, to protect the oceans. Much of their work is raising public awareness of conservation, and lobbying, but when they’re faced with criminals dumping toxic chemicals into the ocean or spills involving greedy oil companies, SBW sends an alpha shifter from their clandestine field ops team to protect the oceans at any cost. Featuring a different hero and heroine, each book stands alone and they can be read in any order. No cliffhangers.

What inspired your series?

During my research, I reread the Native American Chumash origin story where the mother goddess created a rainbow bridge so her people, overcrowded on a Channel Island, could cross to the mainland. When some people on the bridge became dizzy and fell into the channel, she rescued them from drowning by turning them into dolphins. That story became the foundation of how shape-shifting dolphins came to be, and it decided the Santa Barbara setting. From there, my love of paranormal world-building took off.

How far do you plan ahead?

I am a dyed-in-the-wool plotter.  I make spreadsheets, and a series bible. I glue picture boards and write huge outlines. So after all the (fun) work of world-building, of choosing characters with their physical descriptions, and names, their histories, goals, motivations and conflicts, their personalities and relationships, I would never consider restricting the Dolphin Shore Shifters to a solo novel or even a trilogy. Thus far, I’ve completed three books, am currently writing number 4, and have several more outlined. I plan way out into the future.

Do you have critique partners?

I have one terrific critique partner and we’ve been working together for several years now. She started out writing women’s fiction and has since moved to paranormal with a popular elemental/fallen angels series and she is now a Best Selling Amazon author with her southern ghost series. Despite our different writing methods (she is at heart a panster), we exchange and critique most all of what we write. I also use four beta readers and have a developmental and copy editor.

Do you prefer to read in the same genres you write in or do you avoid reading that genre? Why?

While I’m writing my paranormal suspense books, I tend to read both those genres. It helps put me in a fast-paced mood, especially reading an action-packed suspense novel. Since there aren’t many dolphin shifters in other novels, I can enjoy another author’s paranormal story without any comparisons.

When I want to relax, I read historical romance or contemporary.

 Did you have several manuscripts finished before you published?         

When I finally made the decision to self publish the Dolphin Shore Shifters, I had the first three books of the series completed. The year before, I had signed with a literary agent who loved the dolphin’s story but then couldn’t sell them (from a debut author) to NY. At that time, I also had a contemporary romance with a military hero and a romantic suspense completed.

Was your road to publication fraught with peril or a walk in the park?

My long road to self-publication was fraught with rejections. My first book ever was a contemporary romance with a military hero. I’d spent many years learning my craft, attending numerous workshops, working with two freelance editors, and rewriting that book over and over.

Finally, in late August of this year, I followed in my critique partner’s self-publishing footsteps. While the control self-publishing offers is exciting, and I love holding my book in my hand, love signing them for readers, truthfully each phase of the process has been more expensive than anticipated and I hate formatting.

What is your typical day like?

I write full time. Usually Monday through Friday from 6 am to 4 pm. I’m flexible about work days. I can trade an “errand day” mid week for writing on Saturday.

I wake up around 5:30, make coffee, feed Max, and look at social media and emails. Writing begins at 6 or 6:30. I stop to eat breakfast around 8 am while I text with my critique partner or a friend, then back to writing. Sometimes I look up to discover I skipped lunch. My mind begins to slow down at 3 or 4 and after I make my second typo I stop for the day.

After a walk, I play with Max, talk or email the family, and after dinner, I read or watch Netflix. Living in the woods is wonderful but I have no cable TV, no dish reception, and streaming can be spotty.

I keep little notebooks beside the bed, on my office desk beside the computer, and next to my living room chair to jot down ideas when they strike me.

How likely are people you meet to end up in your next book?

Friends and acquaintances always ask that question! I tend to study people, always have, but rather than write an entire person into my book, I pick and choose traits or habits to use. I sometimes name my characters close to real people’s names.

Or I go for something very different. At SBW the computer used to create the Dolphin Shore Shifters’ fake backgrounds and IDs was the target of an internal practical joke. As a result, some of the incoming shifters have gotten stuck with obscure constellation names, or ones with silly shore references.

The Santa Barbara Channel holds a closely guarded secret… 

She had more than just her mission…

Sy’s rotation on land as a dolphin shifter couldn’t have come at a better time. With her best friend missing and no answers forthcoming, it was time to take matters into her own hands. And with the resources at the Save Blue Water organization, finding her friend would be a whole lot easier. Except …something sinister is going on inside SBW, something deadly, and Sy finds herself at the center of danger.

The last thing he needed was bullets and bombs…

Noah Nelson spent every minute trying to forget the war while fighting his PTSD, but jumping in front of a bullet was second nature. It had nothing to do with the fact the target was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. Or that she was naked. But suddenly he’s caught up in her world, protecting her from unforeseen threats, and falling in love … but Sy’s got a secret that may rip them apart. Forever.

BIO: 

CJ Matthew is the author of paranormal romance suspense series Dolphin Shore Shifters. Her debut novel, Blood Tide, features a pod of dolphins posing as humans that work through their oceanic conservation corporation Save Blue Water, based in Santa Barbara, California, to protect the oceans at any cost.

CJ grew up in an Air Force family that travelled all over the U.S. and around the world. She spent her high school and university years living in California, which inspired her love of marine life and the Pacific Ocean.

A member of Georgia Romance Writers (GRW) Romance Writers of America, CJ lives and writes near a lake in the woods northeast of Atlanta. When she isn’t writing or reading romances, CJ likes to travel and to spend time with her two grown children, a brilliant grandson and a feisty cat named Max.

  LINKS:

Website: www.cjmatthew.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CJMatthew

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

Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/CJ-Matthew/e/B013PUB3NO/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26126836-blood-tide

Goodreads author page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14216343.C_J_Matthew

Before I get to talking about me and my writing I want to thank Cynthia for having me on her blog.  I love her tag line, “courageous women, honourable men.”  In my own writing I’m keen to tell stories about just such men and women.

Was your road to publication fraught with peril or a walk in the park?

Did you have several manuscripts finished before you sold? If so, did you send them out yourself? 

I’ve grouped these two questions together because I’ve got two stories about achieving the status of published author.  I wrote my first manuscript as a total innocent.  I’d been bingeing on Harlequin Romances and my then husband said, “you could write one.”  It took a few years and a couple of moves across Canada before I found myself in a place where I could try my hand at writing.  I knew nothing about the publishing industry, but I was steeped in the Harlequin trope so I plunged in.  The resulting masterpiece was duly sent off to Harlequin —  and duly rejected.  Shocked beyond belief, I sent it to a New York publisher — who bought it.  “Ah ha!” said I and hope rose again.  Over the ensuing months the amount of my advance was whittled down, then cut in half, then reduced again.  In the end, no money ever showed up.  The company declared bankruptcy and that was the end of my fledgling career as a lady novelist.  Oddly, they did print the book, and I’ve a couple dozen copies gathering dust in my closet.

My second publishing story is brighter.  Some years after that first debacle,  I wrote another manuscript that Harlequin rejected, but they suggested I join Romance Writers of America®.  I hunted around and found there was a chapter in my area, so off I went with my pot-luck lunch offering in hand.  I found myself in the company of an amazing group of women, full of knowledge about the art and craft of writing, and the labyrinth that constituted the road to publishing.  These smart, savvy women were more than happy to share their expertise and insights.  I lost my naivety and learned just how hard it was to get published in the traditional way.

But, because I was part of RWA® and my chapter held a conference and invited editors to come to it and asked those editors to judge a contest open only to conference attendees, I got my work in front of Hilary Sares of Kensington Books.  In an unheard of move, Hilary announced publicly at our luncheon that she would buy the top three contest submissions in the historical category.  I was so dazed it wasn’t until the  people around started to congratulate me that I realized I had finally made a sale to one of the big five. So, that’s my second, much happier tale of becoming a published author.

The book that sold to Kensington was The Man For Her, and it’s the book I want to talk about on this blog.

Tell us about your hero.  Give us one of his strengths and one of his weaknesses.

The hero in this story is Sean O’Connor, an Irish immigrant to Canada near the end of the nineteenth century.  He arrives in British Columbia penniless and hungry but with a determination to strike it rich in the gold fields.  He is my hero, so I’m  biased, but one of his greatest strengths is honour, just like Cynthia’s tag line.  He stayed at home in Ireland because he was honour-bound to help his younger siblings.  He treats the heroine with dignity and respect, despite her torn reputation in the town.  He keeps his word to her when he promises to return after a season on the gold fields.  He won’t take if he can’t give back.

His weaknesses?  Well, he’s afraid of heights, but even that turns heroic when he overcomes that fear in order to rescue the heroine’s son.  Perhaps he is too proud, but so is the heroine, so they are well matched. 

Tell us about your heroine.  Give us one of her strengths and one of her weaknesses.

Lottie Graham, known as “Crazy Lottie” in the town of Prospect is the heroine of the story.  Her greatest strength is her love for her son, Michael.  Because of Michael she refuses to give in to gossip, or marauding Indians, or the worst nature can throw at her.  She works tirelessly on her farm, building it into a prosperous haven – all for Michael.  She is also loyal – Michael’s father has been missing for ten years, but Lottie has never given up hope for his return.  Neighbours think her crazy.

Perhaps that loyalty is a weakness, along with her pride – it makes her an outcast, makes her stubborn – makes her a woman a man like Sean O’Connor can love.

What inspired this book?

This is the book of my heart.  I tried to write it as a contemporary, using a trove of letters as a way to tell the historical tale.  The story just didn’t work.  I wrote it from his point of view, from her point of view, I think I even tried using the dog as a character but the story was going nowhere.  I gave up on it and turned to something else, but the character of Lottie stayed in my mind and wouldn’t go away.  That was when I decided to try writing an historical romance.  Up until then I’d only attempted contemporary love stories.  I plunged into research (I majored in history at university) and was soon immersed in the 1880’s and the Kootenay gold rush.  I visited museums, read archival copies of newspapers of the time and holidayed at an historical town site.  That’s when the story came alive.  In my mind, the gold rush town of Prospect is as real as the scene outside my window.  Apart from the hero and heroine of The Man for Her, and the subsequent book, Her One and Only, there is a whole cast of secondary characters who feel like old friends.

What is your favorite part of writing?

Having written!

What is your least favorite part of writing?

That ugly first draft.

What are you currently working on?

A third book in the Prospect series.  Now that I’ve self-published my back list, I’m eager to return to nineteenth century British Columbia.  Characters of that era are larger-than-life.  I just read a memoir of a women of gentle background who followed her husband to the Klondike at the turn of the twentieth century.  The life was hard, demanding, dangerous and lonely, yet she came to love the North and the people in it.  They, like my characters in Prospect, were bold and generous, ready to help a neighbour or test themselves against the elements.  Perfect setting for a romance! 

What genres are you drawn to as a reader?

Romance, women’s fiction, mysteries, historical romance.

What did you want to be when you were a child?  Did you always know you wanted to be a writer?

I wanted to be a stewardess (that’s what they were called then.)  I loved the nifty uniform and the idea of flying all over the world.

Do you have a view in your writing space?  What does your space look like? 

I have a wonderful view from my writing room.  There is a farm across the road with sloping green fields and a stand of fir trees.  Beyond that is the ocean, dotted with islands.

Outside my window the scene is perfect, inside, not so much.  The desk is littered with books and papers, sticky notes, photos, a candle and coffee cups.  I have a big desk so there’s space for the clutter on either side while I have about eighteen inches of workspace in the middle.  I’m also prone to abandon my desk altogether and go to a coffee shop to write longhand in a spiral notebook.  It’s a slow method but I read somewhere that the act of writing by hand actually stimulates more areas in the brain than using a keyboard.  Can’t remember the reference, but it justifies my habit so I’m sticking to it.

Here is an excerpt from The Man for Her  

It takes place part way through Chapter One

A rumble of thunder brought his attention sharply back to the scene before him. He looked again at the pastoral landscape and saw a team of horses with a wagon, plodding around a field of grain. A black and white dog loped along beside. Lottie and a boy were forking stooks onto the wagon but it was slow work. If they were going to beat the storm they needed help. Digging in his heels, he urged his horse forward at a canter. He was within shouting distance of the wagon when Lottie dropped her pitchfork, dragged a rifle from the grain rack and levelled it at his heart.

“Stop right there,” she hollered, sighting down the barrel.

Surprise made him pull so sharply on the reins his horse reared and nearly threw him. “Whoa, easy girl,” he muttered to the mare, squeezing his knees tight and slacking off on the bit. He held his mount in check with one hand while he raised the other in a gesture of surrender. He didn’t much like having a gun pointed at him but he had to admire the grit of the woman holding it. Her fiercely protective attitude toward what was hers found an echo in his own soul. If ever he came across the good-for-nothing snake who had deserted her he’d enjoy handing him a beating he wouldn’t soon forget. “Could you point that thing somewhere else?” he said, sliding out of the saddle and raising his other hand.

The rifle didn’t waver. “What do you want?” she demanded, holding her ground, her finger curled around the trigger.

“A job.” He nodded toward the dark clouds and the field still only half emptied of its crop. “Looks to me like you could use a hand.”

The gun wavered and he knew he’d struck the right note. If there had been no clouds overhead he had no doubt she’d have sent him packing, but her need to save her crop gave him an advantage. She glanced toward the boy then sighted the rifle again. “Who are you?”

“Name’s Sean O’Connor, ma’am.” He touched a finger to his hat brim. “Newly arrived from Ireland. Jed Barclay told me you might be looking for help.” Lightning crackled along the ridge of the mountains, casting an eerie light over the valley. Lottie jumped slightly, her face paling. She’s afraid of the storm, he thought, and unaccountably wanted to take her into his arms, stroke the tangled hair out of her eyes and quiet her fears.

End of excerpt

Bio:

Alice Valdal is a writer of contemporary and historical romance.  She also writes musical plays for her junior choir at church.

Traditionally published by Avalon and Kensington Books, her work is now available in e-book form as well.  She also indulges her love of Christmas in short stories.  The Man Who Loved Christmas, is a collection of short stories originally published in her newsletter, and is perma-free at Amazon.  She also writes a weekly blog at http://www.alicevaldal.com/blog

When not busy at the computer she gardens, knits, plays piano, enjoys Butchart Gardens, and caters to her two demanding cats and her one very supportive husband.

To connect with her visit her website, http://www.alicevaldal.com and send an email, or leave a comment on her blog.  She loves to hear from readers.  You can also follow her on facebook.

a new, free Christmas To receive short story sign-up for her newsletter here.

Buy links: http://www.amazon.com/Alice-Valdal

                 http://www.amazon.ca

                 http://www.amazon.co.uk

How did you get started writing?

About four and a half years ago I decided I wanted to write something. I’d been published in professional journals, so I thought I’d write a book about my husband’s journey to buying our sailboat, a lifelong dream. Well, it turns out that I can’t write about myself and the project quickly fizzled. Then I read an interview that Stephanie Laurens did where she said, “Everyone tells you to write what you know. Write what you read.” A few days later an image of a furious Regency lady started playing in my head. I wrote it down, and told my husband I was going to write a Regency romance. A month later I had a finished book and had to figure out what to do with it.

What genre(s) do you write in and why?

I write Regency romances. I love everything about the era, the fashions, the manners, and the culture. I also find it’s a good fit for my voice.

Tell us about your current series.

The Marriage Game is about a group of male friends who, for one reason or another, have put off getting married and how they each meet the woman who is perfect for them, but not necessarily the woman they thought they’d be happy with.

What is your next project and when will it be released?

I have a couple of projects I’m working on simultaneously. The Worthingtons is my next traditionally published series. It starts with a couple who, between them, have guardianship of their eleven brothers and sisters. Then add two Great Danes. During the Regency it was extremely difficult to be awarded guardianship. Even mother’s didn’t have guardianship unless given it to them by their husbands. So, naturally, Lady Grace Carpenter has no intension of marrying and taking the risk of losing guardianship of her seven brothers and sisters. Mat, Earl of Worthington must convince her that she can trust him not only with her heart, but with her family as well.

Do you or have you belonged to a writing organization? 

I do belong to a writing organization, Romance Writers of America. Through them, I discovered The Beau Monde, the Regency chapter. Research would be so much more difficult without the knowledge of incorporated in that fabulous group of ladies and gentlemen.

When did you start writing toward publication? 

From the beginning. I was a businesswoman, and, even though I love writing, being published validated what I was doing.

Do you have any rejection stories to share?

Oh yes! When I finished my first book, The Seduction of Lady Phoebe, I really had no idea about writing craft or any writing chapters around who could help me. I did find out about the Brenda Novak auction and bid on an agent evaluation. Needless to say, the agent didn’t sign me, but she did tell me she thought I’d be published. That was my first rejection, but when I discovered RWA, that rejection enabled me to join PRO, and find my first critique group. After a great deal of re-writing, I started submitting again, but not to one, two, or five agents. I used the shot-gun approach and submitted to 20. I received a few requests for partials, but it wasn’t until I started submitting my second book that I received requests for fulls and a couple of offers. I think the thing to keep in mind was that I subbed to 40 agents. Which means that, even though I ended up with a wonderful agent, I was rejected 38 times.

Having achieved your goal to be a published author, what is the most rewarding thing?

Having people read my books and love them. Each time a reader tells me she sat up all night and read my book, or that they love the series, it’s like I’m hearing it for the first time.

Will you share some encouraging words for authors still struggling for that first contract?

Write you book, then worry about craft. So many writers get caught up in all the rules that they never finish the book. That is the single most important thing you can do. I know authors who were Golden Heart nominees and still hadn’t finished the book! Once you learn the rules, take them with a grain of salt and go with your gut. That said, there are somethings you won’t be able to get away with, but it’s your story and your voice. Keep track of your queries, I used QueryTracker, and send out your queries to every agent who represents your genre. When I submitted to my agent, it was a Hail Mary pass. She is huge in the business. Imagine my surprise when the next day I had an email saying send me your book. It also important to remember that just like you don’t like every book, neither will every agent you sub to like every book. You need someone who loves your book as much as you do.

What’s next for you?

While I’m working my traditionally published series, I have also begun a self-published novella series based on the children of a very difficult duke. The duke first appears in Miss Featherton’s Christmas Prince, and the books are about how all fourteen of them get out from under him and find love and their own lives.

Excerpt from Miss Featherton’s Christmas Prince

Damon Hawksworth lounged against a convenient pillar in Lady Cowper’s crowded ballroom. A glass of wine dangled from his fingers. Directly across from him, another brittle smile appeared on Miss Margaret Featherton’s normally happy countenance. Her latest suitor, the Earl of Tarlington, was nowhere to be seen and had not been for the past two days or so. Rumor had it that he had gone to the Continent. The only question Damon had was whether she had given the man his congé or if it had been the other way around. He rather thought something had occurred to cause her to break it off with Tarlington. His godmother would know. If anyone knew the inner workings of the ton, it was Almeria Bellamny.

Ever since Rupert, Earl of Stanstead’s wedding, when Damon’s she had introduced him to Miss Featherton, he had developed a fascination for the lady. Her intelligence was sharp, and several times he had seen her hold back a witty retort. Her beauty was not at all in the usual mode. Her mouth was too wide for the current fashion, yet it complimented her high cheekbones and finely arched black brows. Her thick, dark chestnut hair almost begged him to run his fingers through her tresses as they tumbled down. Yet for some reason, the feature he was most fond of was her completely straight nose with a rounded tip. More importantly, she was poised beyond her years. He doubted she had ever been a missish young lady. Even when they had argued over an interpretation of poetry, she had always appeared in complete control and secure in her knowledge.

Now, her polite smile belied the look of despair in her blue eyes. It was as if she was slightly adrift and was only going through the motions until she could retire to the country. Well, with Tarlington gone, Damon wasn’t fool enough to wait until some other gentleman snatched her up. He would gladly rescue her and help her on the path he wished for them. Dancing was a start. She would have held the best sets for Tarlington, and now they would be Damon’s.

Blurb for Miss Featherton’s Christmas Prince

Ella Quinn’s wealthy, titled bachelors think they’re immune to romantic notions. Yet no matter how they try to evade it, love somehow finds a way… 

In the two seasons since her triumphant debut, Meg Featherton’s heart has been tested to its limits. Her first suitor: a criminal. The second, a cur. For her third act, Meg vows to leave love completely out of the marriage equation. She has set her sights on a newly made viscount whom she could take or leave. However, now she must avoid his handsome, roguish, irresistible best friend like the plague. It’s no easy feat, as they are all attending the same house party…

Damon, Marquis of Hawksworth, cannot imagine why Miss Featherton seems so damn disinterested—or why he cares so terribly much. Certainly Meg is a fine wifely prospect for a man in his position, but more than that, he finds he longs for her as he has never done for another woman. She may be determined to protect her heart, but Damon is equally set on winning her over, one delicious kiss at a time…

Buy Links

Amazon http://amzn.to/1FbRDE1

Amazon UK  http://amzn.to/1ZQy5BF

Apple http://apple.co/1LFhzg2

B&N http://bit.ly/1KWU6nE

Google http://bit.ly/1EsPLvs

Kobo http://bit.ly/1FbSi8l

Author Bio

Bestselling author Ella Quinn’s studies and other jobs have always been on the serious side. Reading historical romances, especially Regencies, were her escape. Eventually her love of historical novels led her to start writing them. She has just finished her first series, The Marriage Game, and her new series will start in April 2016.

She is married to her wonderful husband of over thirty years. They have a son and granddaughter, one cat and a dog. After living in the South Pacific, Central America, North Africa, England and Europe, she and her husband decided to make their dreams come true and are now living on a sailboat cruising the Caribbean and North America.

She loves having readers connect with her.

Website: www.ellaquinnauthor.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/EllaQuinnAuthor

Twitter www.twitter.com/ellaquinnauthor

Blog http://ellaquinnauthor.wordpresscom

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How did you get started writing? 

Years ago, I went through a spate where all I was reading were disappointing books.  I thought to myself, “I could do better.”  That led to “Why don’t you?”  It was a pretty big claim for somebody who’d never written anything creative, beyond what was assigned as homework in school.  So I sat down and gave it a try.  That was eleven years ago, and I haven’t stopped writing since.

What genre(s) do you write in and why?

I write contemporary romance, paranormal romance, and erotica (that always ends  up being a romance, too.)  I like variety, and most of my story ideas are in the contemporary and paranormal genres.  I started off writing erotica.  That’s where I was able to enter the marketplace, so it still holds a special place in my heart.

Tell us about your current series. 

My Courting series is about the women and men who work at Luxxor Limited, a high-end escort service.  The company caters to the wealthy by matching them with escorts who are as smart, mannered, and cultured as they are beautiful.  The one limitation in Luxxor’s contracts?  No sex allowed.  Except, of course, if the contact is mutually acceptable.

Was your road to publication fraught with peril or a walk in the park? 

My road to publishing was different than most writers (I’ve since learned).  My first manuscript was Tiger Lily, a gritty erotic thriller.  I sent it off to Black Lace Books in England, and then moved on.  I wrote a short story next called Playing with Fire and sent that into the abyss, too.  A few months later, an envelope showed in my mail.  Those were the days when manuscripts were mailed back and forth – only this envelope was much thinner than the one I’d sent out.  I opened it up and discovered a contract.  A contract!!!  It was so much better than “the call” that everyone talks about.  It was on paper.  It was real, and I could touch it.  Another contract showed up for the short story a week later.  Suddenly, I was an author.

Do you have a view in your writing space?  What does your space look like?

I do!  I’m very lucky.  My house backs up to a creek and woods.  I’ll get distracted by wildlife like deer, red-tailed hawks, red foxes, birds, and squirrels.  They’re fun to watch.

Tell us about your hero.  Give us one of his strengths and one of his weaknesses. 

My hero is Darien Scott.  He’s mysterious, handsome, and  dangerous.   His biggest strength is his commitment to his job.  His weakness is that he’s stayed in the shadows for so long, it’s hard for him to come out into the sunshine.

Tell us about your heroine.  Give us one of her strengths and one of her weaknesses. 

Rielle Sands is quiet, strong, and resourceful.  Her strength is that she’s observant.  She picks up on the littlest clues and reads them.  Her weakness is that she’s been looking over her shoulder for so long, she’s forgotten that she can trust people.

What are you currently working on? 

I’m in the middle of two series, one paranormal and one contemporary romance.  I have several more ideas for my Dream Weavers series about the Oneiroi, Greek daemons of dreams.  I’m also in discussions with my publisher for the next Courting books.  I have lots of writing ahead of me.

What is your writing routine like?

It has to be quiet.  For a long time I wrote at my desk, and that’s still where I do all my editing.  More and more, though, I’ve been writing on my AlphaSmart word processor.  The technology is ancient, and the keys are stiff and clunky.  The strengths are that there’s no Internet connection to distract me and only four lines show on the tiny screen.  For some reason, this keeps me moving forward in the story.  I’ll dump as much into Alphie as quickly as I can, and I get very excited when I run into the “File is Full” warning.  I’ll then transmit everything to my computer and see if it’s gook or gold.

EXCERPT

‘Good evening.’

She wasn’t overreacting. The guy had danger written all over him, in that good-girls-beware sort of way. Tall and strapping, he had closely-cropped dark hair and a rough-and-tumble aura that didn’t go with the tuxedo he was wearing. That wasn’t to say he didn’t look good. He looked damn good. The combination was powerful, and it hit her first in her belly and next in her knees.

Sex appeal oozed from him.

Which, of course, meant he was here for an escort.

His gaze was running over her just as alertly as she’d evaluated him, so Rielle quickly put herself behind her desk. She tucked her barrette behind her phone and fought the urge to run her fingers through her hair. ‘I’m sorry, but we’re closed.’

He cocked his head. ‘The door was open.’

And that had been a mistake.

‘Did you have an appointment?’ She knew very well he hadn’t.

‘No.’ Her question had been sharp, but his blue gaze didn’t flinch. Instead, the lines of his face softened, and she had to lock her knees to keep them from melting. ‘But I’m in a bind. I was hoping you could help me out.’

She lifted an eyebrow. The man might be putting out pheromones by the bucketful, but her brain was still functioning – admittedly better on some levels than others – and she’d begun to sense danger of another sort. The entrapment sort. Luxxor was not a company that took walk-ins. ‘For whom are you looking?’

He walked closer to the desk, and she instinctively gripped its edge. The way he moved, all silent and stealthy. The expensive carpeting absorbed the noise most people made, but the air didn’t even stir at his approach. Her fingers edged closer to the silent alarm, but she didn’t push it.

Not yet.

‘I’m looking for Luxxor Limited. I know I’m late, but I need an escort for the evening.’

Her guard stayed up. She knew they were alone in the office – she was acutely aware of the fact – but her company’s clients knew better than to go spouting off so casually about Luxxor’s line of work. They signed nondisclosure agreements to ensure it. If he was wearing a wire, she wanted to make everything perfectly clear. ‘You need someone to attend an event with you tonight?’

‘Actually, I need someone right now.’

She shook her head. Luxxor went to extremes to satisfy its clients. She’d blush if she thought about how far some escorts went, but there was no way she could accommodate his request. The employees they had working tonight already had their assignments. Even if she did contact someone, the timing was impossible.

And for some reason, that relieved her. ‘I’m sorry, but we don’t have anyone available on such short notice, Mr… I don’t believe I caught your name.’

‘Because I didn’t give it.’ He slid his hands into his pockets. The tuxedo looked good on him, but it was failing badly at taming him. Especially when he winked. ‘Tell me yours, and I’ll tell you mine.’

BIO

When taking the Myers-Briggs personality test in high school, Kimberly was rated as an INFJ (Introverted-Intuitive-Feeling-Judging). This result sent her into a panic, because there were no career paths recommended for the type. Fortunately, it turned out to be well-suited to a writing career. Since receiving that dismal outlook, Kimberly has become an award-winning author of romance and erotica.  She has written for seven publishing houses, both domestic and international, and has recently focused her efforts on the exciting world of self-publishing. When not writing, she enjoys movies, sports, traveling, music, and sunshine. In her mind, a beach, some rock ‘n’ roll, and a good book make for a perfect day.

Buy Links

Kindle US │ Nook │Google Play│ iBook │ Kobo │ All Romance Ebooks

website, blog links

http://kimberlydean.com

@KDean_writer

Interview Questions  (answered by Elle Brookes. Lesley is incommunicado in Yorkshire)

What genre(s) do you write in and why?

I enjoy writing romantic adventure and romantic suspense because that’s what I like to read. Those kinds of movies are also my favorite kind. “Romancing the Stone”, the Bourne and Bond franchise and anything with action, be it Hong Kong Martial Arts or science fiction (time travel in particular). I’m drawn particularly to18^th century England and Yorkshire. I have no explanation for this and there’s the possibility that it might be a “bleed-through” from a previous life; or future, if you don’t think of time as being specifically linear.

What inspired your latest book?

I am very much a fan of the Adam Hall Quiller books and was inspired to try writing something like them. What resulted was anything but Quillerish (to me) but there is a seed of him in the character of Adrian Steele. And there is not much romance in a Quiller novel, the focus is mainly on the Mission. His “love interest”, Moira, is more a half-remembered fantasy where he is a disappointment to her. But it is she who he thinks of when he is in a crisis and close to death.

Do you have a view in your writing space?  What does your space look like? 

I am very lucky in that I live on the top of a hill in the central mountains of Costa Rica with a vast view of the valley below. From the window to my left there is another spectacular view (on a clear day of course) of the Gulf of Nicoya and one of the many islands there. My desk is slightly messy with electronics gear spread around, as well as notebooks and calendar. The desk itself is an American “secretary” desk (read very small!) that dates from the 1920s, in a dark wood. There is just enough room for my laptop.

Tell us about your hero.  Give us one of his strengths and one of his weaknesses.

Adrian Steele is tough, a loyal friend, and very good at what he does, or must do. One of his strengths is that he can get people to trust him, often taking on the appearance of a bookish nerd. He also looks much younger than he actually is. Saber describes him at one point as looking like a “feral choirboy.”  His weakness is letting his frustration with his “handlers” make him say or do the wrong thing (in their estimation). He will often go off on his own without telling “the powers that be” what he is doing. There is a tacit agreement that as long as he delivers the goods, his transgressions will be overlooked.

Tell us about your heroine.  Give us one of her strengths and one of her weaknesses.

Sabinne (Saber) Darrieux, is from a wealthy family. Raised in Provence, France what might have been an idyllic childhood was anything but. (To say anything more about that would be spoilers for the book) When not working assignments for her family’s security corporation, she is an elite translator with a very select client list. One of her biggest clients as a translator is an immensely influential businessman named Hennessey who has more than a passing interest in her personally. She is not interested but he continues his pursuit with light hand but a focused persistence. She is loyal to her family and the global family concerns, but tends to keep her distance from her overbearing father.  She can be reckless in her actions and impulsive in her responses to people, saying things she (maybe) shouldn’t.

Do you write under a pen name?   Why or why not?

I write under a pen name to keep certain aspects of my life separate from each other. (You have your secrets, I have mine…)

What do you have planned for the future?

Right now I’m planning out a second book about Saber and Steele. We’ll see how that goes, they are, both of them, very unruly characters! I expect they’ll have some surprises for me along the way.

 Describe the genre of this particular title, and is it the only genre you write in? 

The Fabergé Entanglement is a blend of romance, suspense, a little bit heist and a little bit Spy-fi. My two other books, Lust. Mechanics. Mini Cooper. and Sex. Coffee. Time Travel. are time travel romantic adventures. Time travel has always fascinated me. (When I was much younger my father was always hinting that I might have been born in the wrong time.)

Having achieved your goal to be a published author, what is the most rewarding thing?   

I suppose the most rewarding thing is that I have the privilege of sharing my observation of a strange world through a stranger lens. To hear that someone has enjoyed my work, that it’s made them laugh, or cry, or kept them up at night reading is a wonderful thing. I am the first to admit that my stories are off-kilter, and often take a little work on the part of the reader. But my characters are difficult, unruly, and they go where they want to go (most of the time).

Blurb

Sabinne ‘Saber’ Darrieux’s father, the billionaire CEO of Frontenac Global Security has been kidnapped. His ransom is not cash in a numbered offshore account, or a briefcase of Bearer Bonds but something utterly unique, incredibly valuable, and until recently, hidden away from the world.

The kidnapper seems to know Saber very well, and knows that the next day, through her work as an elite translator she will be in the same location as the Object. She must steal the Object and deliver it to the kidnapper to ransom her father.

Adrian Steele, a British Intelligence agent has just come off of two harrowing missions. Upon returning to London for a well-earned rest, he learns that his friend and fellow agent, has been murdered in Moscow, but not before he made use of a unique Object as a mobile ‘drop site’ for the valuable intelligence he was carrying.

The drop site is traveling from Moscow to England. Steele insists on completing the mission to honor the death of his friend, Gerry Cornell.

At an ultra-chic quasi-diplomatic gathering in a mansion in Windsor, England, Saber and Steele meet and find themselves faced with a powerful, undeniable attraction. But at the moment, this compelling attraction is very inconvenient.

In reality they are at the mansion to check out the security arrangements — for their own reasons — to steal the Object, a Fabergé egg worth thirty million dollars. But who will get to the egg first?

Fabergé eggs are very famous for their unique surprises. Saber and Steele are about to be very surprised, indeed.

And when Saber clashes with Steele; more than sparks will explode!

Excerpt from The Fabergé Entanglement

He was more striking close up. The wire-framed glasses that had given him that bookish look were gone. As a matter of fact, at that precise moment there was nothing about him that was the least bit bookish. Now he looked more like a feral choirboy.

Saber lowered her eyes taken in by the seductive curve of his jaw, and his lips parted in an expression of amazement that drew her closer, hypnotically, begging to be covered with her own. She pulled herself back, reminding herself why she was there, what she must do. Leaving him to be found by the Sheikh’s security men would be a pity, but she had a job to finish.

She knew her job too, she was slick, professional. Her contribution to the family business was to test the security systems that were installed by Frontenac et Cie. She was always on-call to the “Uncles” between her translation assignments to do this testing. And she was very good at it. When caught in a tight spot, she was focused on the job at hand, holding back emotion, the fear of “capture” pushed away. Her focus was laser-like in intensity. She infiltrated the secured areas of high-security targets, grabbed the “package” then ex-filtrated as invisibly as a wisp of smoke. Reflection and reactions came after, as she wrote up her reports and advised the designers on flaws and vulnerabilities in their systems.

But all this slipped away as she felt the light touch of his hands, feeling their heat through thin black leather gloves. They slid very slowly up her thighs, coming to rest lightly and seductively around her waist. She stifled a gasp as she felt his hot fingers press into her, very much a lover’s caress.

In scant seconds Saber’s focus for the job at hand, the reason that she was there to begin with, melted away as she felt his hands tighten around her waist. Her grip on the gun weakened as a wave of heat suffused through her.

With a swiftness that took her breath away he closed the narrow gap between them. A hot flash of desire surged through her as his lips took possession of hers. Taking advantage of her surprise, he dashed the gun from her hand, sending it spinning away out of her reach. He flipped her over so she was now under him. Saber stared up at him wide-eyed, his lean, hard body on hers evoking a reaction from deep within her that was as intense as it was unexpected. Shocked, confused, she twisted her head away from his, but her eyes still kept a sidewise watch on him.

He bent in closer. Dark eyes flashed dangerously through the long shag of hair that fell over his face. Then, very, very slowly as though savoring every moment, he slid his gloved hand along her arm, around her shoulder, then up her pale exposed throat.

Steele’s hand paused, feeling her pulse flutter wildly under his fingertips, before moving up to thread through her silky raven hair. His grip tightened and he turned her head to face him.

“Mmmm… I can do it, too,” he breathed softly into her ear.

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Bios

LESLEY MERYN

Enjoyed an exotic, adventure-filled childhood, following her anthropologist father and travel writer mother to the farthest corners of the world. She later took inspiration from her Aunt Sophia Francesca and became the author of romantic adventure novels. She alternates her time between Los Angeles, and a family property located in Yorkshire England.

ELLE BROOKES

She is the author of the first two books of the Time Frame Series. Loves travel, discovering new foods to try, reading and writing. She currently lives in the central highlands of Costa Rica with Pixie the Wonder Dog and her hedgehog Quiller.

Buy links

Amazon: http://bitly.com/1DfbHEv
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Website:

www.tymslyder.com

Facebook Author Page

https://www.facebook.com/tymslyder/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel

Please tell my readers a little bit about your book.

PRINCESS AND THE PEA is a sequel, actually. In my first book, A PRINCE OF A GUY, the spoiled, pampered crown princess of a tiny European principality is kidnapped on the eve of her coronation, and a secretary from Brooklyn finds herself impersonating her(as you might have guessed, there is a large dose of humor in these books). Helping Casey Phillips maintain her masquerade, Prince Eric von Lieberhaven also—of course—falls in love with her.

Which was very satisfying, especially since I got to have fun not only with the idea of a commoner impersonating a princess, but the fact that she sets royal protocol on its ear. The only problem was that I left the Princess Cassandra out in the real world where she didn’t know how to survive.

Enter Paul Phillips, on the way to his sister’s wedding and celebrating his own retirement from the shadowy world of espionage. It is Paul who saves Cassandra from her captors. Unfortunately, it seems he’s brought some bad guys with him, and the two end up on the run.

I admit that from the minute Cassandra entered the first book, I wanted to give her her own book. She was such a spoiled brat that I wanted to see if I could redeem her. And bless her, I don’t make it easy. But I’ve come to love my wayward princess and the spy she saves.

Tell us about your hero. Give us one of his strengths and one of his weakesses.

Paul Phillips is tired. He has spent the last fifteen years living in the shadows. He was a good spy, but he is ready to give it up for a normal life. Paul doesn’t wear a uniform, but he is a warrior, always on the alert, adaptable, focused, prepared. He is the guy who runs in when everybody else runs out.

As for his weakness, Paul didn’t have a happy childhood. When he escaped, he left his sister behind. To his shame, he hasn’t seen her since, this child who relied on him. He is attending her wedding to try to mend their rift.

Tell us about your heroine.  Give us one of her strengths and one of her weaknesses.

Crown Princess Cassandra von Lieberhoven has been groomed since infancy to become the next ruler of the tiny, prosperous principality of Moritania in the Alps. She has been pampered her whole life, so that it is only when she is torn from the safety of the palace that she learns just who she is. Cassandra is much stronger than she’s ever thought, smarter, more clever and hungry for real life.

Her main weakness is that she has been so cossetted and pampered, that she is spoiled. Trapped in protocol that is no substitute for love, she spends a lot of time being outrageous, since that is the only way she knows to get attention. It takes a crisis to bring out the real core of steel and compassion that lies beneath all the designer labels and pretense.

Was your road to publication fraught with peril or a walk in the park?

It has definitely not been a walk in the park. From the time I decided that yes, what I wanted to do was be a published author, it took another five years to be published with Silhouette as Kathleen Korbel. During that time I realized two things. One, I tend to write ahead of the curve. The first book I tried to sell was the romance I wanted to read. It was rejected by everyone with the same admonition: “This book has a dead body and a military veteran for a hero. Who wants to read that in a romance?”

Well, I’m nothing if not adaptable. I wrote a lighter book, PLAYING THAT GAME, and that was the one I sold as Kathleen Korbel to Silhouette. And when my editor asked me for another book, I explained I had this book I’d tried to sell without luck. She asked to see it. And forty-eight hours later called me saying, “A suspense! A veteran hero!! How did you know this was just what we were looking for?” That, my second book, was A STRANGER’S SMILE (both of which will be re-released in the next year).

The second thing I realized—and continue to deal with—is that I have a unique voice. And what Jayne Anne Krentz says is that your strongest weapon as a writer is your greatest weakness, and that’s your voice. Your audience will look specifically for you. But first, you have to find an editor who not just responds to your voice, but enthusiastically. Every time I’ve changed houses, I’ve had to deal with that all over again. I have to be careful not to take the first person who wants to buy my work, especially if they say something like, “I love your work. If it were only different….” What you want instead is, “I love  your work. I think I can help you do it even better.”

Do you have a view in your writing space?  What does your space look like? 

I have two views. One out into my back yard, which backs onto a small wood, so that I see birds and trees and flowers, and my next-door-neighbors’ kids playing in their treehouse. And then I can see through my office doorway into the rest of my house. There’s not that much really to see, but I like knowing what’s coming. I tried to turn my office away from the door, and I felt like a spy with my back to a restaurant. So my desk is kind of kitty-corner, so I can see both(alright, and the TV when baseball is on).

What is my office like? Well, actually, I have a writing nook and another small room for business. I have to separate the two or I get nothing done in either. My writing nook, in which I spend most time is a small back bedroom with two windows, an old couch, a sound system(absolutely vital for me), and a desk with my computer. The only vestiges of an office that remain are my research for whatever book I’m working on, and a few pertinent general research books. The majority of that library is actually in my old office(which one of these days when I get around to it will be turned into a media room). The other important things about my office is that first I have a lot of art on the walls, and that those walls are painted a lurid lime green. I obviously like sensory input to create. As for the lime, I also have trouble with winter. I don’t get depressed, I flat out fall asleep. The green is not only a vital color to me, since it makes me remember that spring happens,  but it keeps me awake on the dimmest days in February.

What is your favorite dessert/food?

The shorter list is what isn’t my favorite food. If there is one food I cannot resist, however, is—believe it or not—Irish brown soda bread. I feel a whimper coming on just thinking about a big butter-covered slab of bread rough enough to scrape the roof of your mouth. In fact, I rented a house in Ireland for a couple of weeks once and lived solely on brown bread, smoked salmon, butter and apples. Here’s the secret to picking soda bread. The really good stuff smells like dirty socks. Oh, my mouth is watering….

What is most difficult for you to write?  Characters, conflict or emotions?  Why?

What a great question. If you’d added plot, it would have been easy. I HATE plotting. I have no left brain, which means my linear logic skills are wanting. I’m rather notorious for having outlines that say things like ‘Somehow they find out who the bad guys are.” But of the three you mention, I have to say emotions. Characters come to me fairly easily(even though often they don’t completely explain themselves until about ¾ of the way through the book). And from character comes conflict. And if you have enough conflict, you have the fuel for a book.

The Princess & The Pea by Eileen Dreyer

Excerpt

Her Highness the Crown Princess Cassandra Catherine Anna Marie von Lieberhaven turned away and closed her eyes. Oh, God, she thought, waves of relief and terror still washing through her with equal force. What am I going to do?

No more than three months earlier, she had been standing in St. Cyril’s Cathedral in Braz waiting to be married. Waiting to be crowned Queen of Moritania. The entire country had been there, cheering and waving and singing. The cathedral had shimmered in the afternoon sunlight and glittered with the trappings of ritual and wealth. It would have all been hers—if she’d only married Rudolph and assumed her duties by once again doing what everyone expected of her. Well, no one else had to face living with that pimply-faced mannequin or spending the rest of their days counting curtsies.

By now, Eric would be king. A more popular monarch than she, Cassandra knew in her heart. A more fitting one.

Now she would have to go back to face him…to face her grandmother. Fresh tears welled in her hazel eyes at the thought, but Cassandra squeezed them back. A princess did not show weakness. She did not allow herself the frailties which most humans assumed as their right. Cassandra tried her best to overcome the momentary lapse by concentrating on her rescuer instead.

For a moment, she toyed with the idea of taking a sidelong glance at him. More than just curiosity drew Cassandra. There was something about him that made her feel at once safe and unsure. He would catch her watching, though. He seemed to anticipate her with deadly accuracy.

Her first sight of him had terrified her. She’d thought he’d been one of the terrorists. He’d moved like a jungle cat, a black panther against the harsh illumination of the headlights. He was lean and quick, with thick, sable-brown hair. Long, she realized now as it began to dry, almost to his shoulders, and wild. It looked almost like a mane, giving him a slightly dangerous look. He hadn’t shaved in a day or two, and his eyes were tired.

His eyes. They were so soft, so sweetly blue like a lake in early spring. Cassandra had seen terrible wariness in them at first, then laughter and compassion. Those eyes seethed with life, with energy.

He wasn’t a handsome man. His angles and slightly off-plumb features made him look as if he’d taken his share of knocks—as if the wariness in those eyes had been well earned. All the same, Cassandra reacted to him more intensely than to any of the dandified, educated men she’d known all her life. Just sitting next to Paul in the confines of the small car set her skin humming.

A panther, Cassandra thought once again, finally succumbing to the urge to take just one look. What an appropriate image. What a dangerous one. He wore a black turtleneck and jeans, slung low over lean hips. Cassandra didn’t know whether to feel comfortable with him or at peril. She had only an instinct that this man wouldn’t put her in an even greater danger than the one she’d escaped. And truth be told, Cassandra and her instincts had not really been all that reliable.

One thing was sure. Even though there was no looking forward either, for now she was warm and dry and away from the nightmare she’d stumbled into. And more than anything, right now, she wanted to know about the man who’d rescued her.

Blurb

Moritanian Crown Princess Cassandra leads a fairy-tale existence. Some consider her the most spoiled woman in Europe. Then she is kidnapped.

Retired spy Paul Phillips is a self-made man more at home with flying bullets and fast cars than champagne and caviar. Then he finds Crown Princess Cassandra.

Now speeding through Europe, the pair are ducking enemies and each other. But as sparks fly, they wonder if they might be driving toward a fairy tale ending.

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Bio

New York Times bestselling, RWA Hall of Fame author Eileen Dreyer has published 31 romance novels in most genres, 8 medical­ forensic suspenses, and 10 short stories.

2015 sees Eileen enjoying critical acclaim for her foray into historical romance, the Drake’s Rakes series, which Eileen labels as Regency Romantic Adventure that follows a group of Regency aristocrats who are willing to sacrifice everything to keep their country safe. She is also working on her first non­fiction book, TRAVELS WITH DAVE, about a journey she’s been taking with a friend’s ashes.

A retired trauma nurse, Eileen lives in her native St. Louis with her husband, children, and a large and noisy Irish family, of which she is the reluctant matriarch. She has animals but refuses to subject them to the limelight.

Website: eileendreyer.com

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

Twitter: @eileendreyer

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What is your favorite part of writing?

Actually I have two favorites of writing. The first is the dreaming up the story. This happens most often when I’m lying in bed during those moments of drifting off to sleep or waking up, and while I’m doing normal everyday things like driving or washing dishes. The second favorite part is when the story starts coming together as I write and the words just pour out like I’m a demon possessed.?

What is your next project and when will it be released?

My next project is the third in my Spirited Heart Series which is Grace’s story. I don’t have a title yet, but the bones of the story are in my head. Most likely I’ll release in September 2016, although I would love it if I could manage to release earlier, but I’m not holding my breath.

What is your typical day like?

Ha! Well my typical day involves a lot of different jobs because I don’t have just one. After I walk the dog and feed the cats then I homeschool my thirteen-year-old daughter and her friend while my sixteen-year-old daughter attends community college. Sometimes I can slip in some writing or editing while the girls are working. In the afternoon I write or edit while my daughters go to the barn to ride their horses. They are competitive eventers. Two afternoons a week I’ll go with them and ride too. Of course the evening is filled with all the things I didn’t have time to do during the day.

How has your experience with self-publishing been?

I’ve had an excellent experience self-publishing. Being in control of which stories I write and when, which editors and designers I work with, and meeting all the fabulous readers, bloggers and fellow authors is so liberating and fulfilling for me.  And for what little amount of promo I do, I’ve been very pleased with how well my stories have been received.

Where do you get the ideas for your stories?

My stories come to me as “what if” scenarios. What if a young white girl spent ten years living among the Lakota Indians then returned to the white man’s world? That question is the basis for my first book in my Spirited Hearts Series, Ella’s Choice. What if a woman returns to her hometown only to find the man who’d stole her innocence has returned as well? That is the premise for my second book, Lena’s Courage. Once I begin answering these questions, they lead to other questions and so on until a story develops.

What advice do you have for other authors wanting to self-publish?

Besides reading and writing and writing and reading, be open to feedback. Do not skimp on content and copy editors, cover designers, or proofreaders. Create a book that is as polished and presentable as a trade published book.

Do you have critique partners?

Yes, I do, and I value their input immensely. I bounce ideas off of them when plotting my story and developing my characters. They read my work and give me valuable feedback. They help me work out kinks and battle creative blocks. However they don’t take the place of my content and copy editors. Those people are like the final trial and they put the polish on my stories.

What is your favorite dessert/food?

My favorite food is Mexican. And I love wine. There is nothing better at the end of the day than a glass of Merlot or Cabernet.

What genres are you drawn to as a reader?

I love historical romance especially when it gives the flavor of the time period in which it is set. I’m most disappointed when I read a book labeled as historical romance, which reads as if it is set in the present.

Do you prefer to read in the same genres you write in or do you avoid reading that genre? Why?

I love historical romance because I love history, but I’m hard to satisfy in that genre because I write in it. So, I’ve guess I’ve spoiled it for myself. LOL! But I enjoy reading other romance genres, too—YA, contemporary, western. I read other genres too like mystery, thriller, biography, historical, true-life etc., just about anything if the story captures my attention.

Has your muse always known what genre you would write and be published in?

Always romance but not specifically which genre of romance. For me, it’s about the story. So if the story resonates in present day, I’ll write in present day and vice versa.

EXCERPT

At a rather large step up, Jonah shrugged off her hold and shifted the bag in his arms so he could gauge the height of the step.

She resisted the urge to help him as he planted a foot on the rise then swayed as he scaled it. When she returned her attention to the walk ahead of them, she froze. She couldn’t believe her eyes. No, it can’t be. Ilse had written that he’d moved away months ago, to San Francisco.

Frank Pierce stood, only yards away, talking to another man.

She clutched Jonah to her skirts.

“Mama, you’re squashing me.”

The monster from that awful night turned and walked in their direction.

Terror at what he might do if he saw her again, if he saw Jonah, stole her breath. She pushed her son toward a door and grappled with its knob. Ignoring his questions, she thrust him inside, then followed and slammed the door closed behind her.

Jonah stumbled then fell in a heap at her feet.

A man sitting behind a desk looked up. “Can I help you, ma’am?”

Lena remained plastered against the door as she stared at the well-dressed businessman with a questioning look upon his face. No doubt he was wondering why they’d burst into his office.

Jonah scrambled to his feet, leaving the carpetbag where it laid, his eyes shining. “Are we here, Mama? Is this the Bäckerei?” When she didn’t answer, Jonah turned to the man who now stood. “Are you my Onkel Erik?”

A strange look crossed the man’s face as he glanced at Jonah then moved from behind the desk toward them. He appeared to be no more than thirty, with dark blond hair similar to Erik’s, but he was taller and trimmer, while the line of his clean-shaven jaw was stronger and leaner than her brother’s.

“Mama?” Jonah asked.

The man’s warm hazel eyes shifted back to hers.

“No, this is not Onkel Erik.” Lena didn’t know how she managed the words, given how she was still gasping for breath over the shock of seeing Frank Pierce. She peeled herself from the door and moved to the adjacent window and her heart hammered in her chest. Hand trembling, she pushed aside the curtain and peered out. She didn’t see any sign of Frank. But he was here. He was not supposed to be here in Cheyenne. But he was. What am I to do now? The thought of him finding out about Jonah and Jonah finding out about him… Suddenly, she felt lightheaded and her vision tunneled.

BIO

Ruby Merritt writes historical western romance. Her passion for imagining life and love on the High Plains has its roots in reading and rereading Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House books as a child.

Although Ruby doesn’t call the High Plains her home, she resides in an equally beautiful and rustic locale, The Gateway to the Texas Hill Country.

When Ruby’s not reading or writing, she can be found riding her horse or homeschooling her children who are avid horsewomen and readers as well.

Hey all!  Don’t forget to enter the rafflecopter giveaway at the bottom of the page!  I’m so excited to be here at Cynthia Woolf’s celebrating the release of Wicked Edge!  The hero in Wicked Edge is Daire Dunne, who’s a tough witch enforcer on a Harley…and is totally grumpy.  The heroine is a bit of a surprise.  She’s a wild card who drugs Daire, steals from him, and then likes to rob banks.  Of course, they’re the perfect match!  They just don’t know it right away.

The interview questions were TONS of fun!  Thanks so much, Cynthia!

Tell us about your current series.

This series is basically the Dark Protectors on bikes.  The Realm Enforcers are deadly male witches who go undercover at a Seattle Motorcycle Club in order to hunt down the manufacturer and distributors of a drug that harms both witches and humans.  On the way, they fall in love with some pretty interesting women ranging from a tough cop to a slightly crazy bank robber to a wild musician with a few tricks up her sleeves.  Many of the Dark Protector characters make appearances throughout this series.

Do you have a view in your writing space:

I have an amazing view, and right now I’m looking out at a dark storm with pelting rain over the lake.  The Pacific Northwest is a beautiful place to live, and we’re surrounded by mountains, rivers, and lakes.  We live about half-way up a mountain, so I can see the mountains all the way to Canada.  Sometimes late at night, I can hear train whistles from way up north echo over the mountains.  Here’s a recent picture of the view from my office at our home when it was not raining (no filters or edits on the picture): 

Do you write under a pen name? Why or why not?

I actually write under my real name.  When I was first starting out, somebody said that if your neighbor doesn’t know that you’re writing books, then you’re not marketing well enough.  That made sense to me.  However, and this is just the truth, I never really thought it’d be an issue.  The books have been more successful than I ever dreamed, and I didn’t imagine that I’d be in a position where anybody would know my name.  LOL.

Tell us about your hero. Give us one of his strengths and one of his weaknesses.

Daire Dunne is the hero, and he’s an Enforcer for the Witches of the Coven Nine.  I think one of his strengths is that he has the ability to see people for who they really are, and he has the compassion to see what or who they need to be.  He’s also a deadly soldier and is probably the grumpiest of the Coven Enforcers.  His weakness would be pure stubbornness with a bit of arrogance thrown in.

Tell us about your heroine. Give us one of her strengths and one of her weaknesses.

Cee Cee is a little crazy and a lot determined.  She’s been hit hard in life, more than once, and yet she’s a strategic genius at plotting and planning.  Her family is everything to her, as is her mission.  As a weakness, she’s so determined to succeed on her own that she forgets it’s okay to have help.  Drugging Daire Dunne and stealing from him gets her in more hot water than she’d ever imagined.

Do you have any words for aspiring authors?

Sure.  Don’t ever give up, and right now, spend time working on craft.  Worry about marketing and promotion later.  Right now, character arcs, setting, motivations and conflict need to take up the bulk of your time when you’re not writing.  Most of the time, write, write, write.

What is your favorite part of writing?

I love this question.  The first page, the very blank first page, is my favorite part of writing.  Nothing is there yet, I’m not backed into corners, and I can just sit and write that first meeting between the hero and the heroine.  My editor and I joked the other day that it’s too bad we can’t just publish a book full of first chapters.  I just love first chapters.

What is your next project, and when will it be released?

I’m working on a new series called Scorpius Syndrome.  The first book is MERCURY STRIKING, and it releases in January.  The series is post-apocalyptic, gritty, and very sexy.  The hero is Jax Mercury, who’s a former L.A. gang member turned soldier, who has taken over LA to protect his small group of survivors from a bacterial infection.  The heroine is Lynne Harmony, the former head of the CDC’s Infectious Disease Department.  Oh, and she has a blue heart now.

BIO:  

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Rebecca Zanetti is the author of over twenty-five dark paranormals, romantic suspense, and contemporary romances, including the Dark Protectors, Realm Enforcers, Sin Brothers, and Scorpius Syndrome series.  She lives in the wilds of the Pacific Northwest with her own Alpha hero, two kids, a couple of dogs, a crazy cat…and a huge extended family.  She believes strongly in luck, karma, and working her butt off…and she thinks one of the best things about being an author, unlike the lawyer she used to be, is that she can let the crazy out.

Find Rebecca at:  www.rebeccazanetti.com

Author Website: http://rebeccazanetti.com/

Author Twitter: http://twitter.com/RebeccaZanetti

Author Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/RebeccaZanetti.Author.FanPage

Newsletter: http://rebeccazanetti.com/extras-2/subscribe-to-my-newsletter/

WICKED EDGE:

Release date:  November 10, 2015

Link to Website buy page: http://rebeccazanetti.com/bookshelf/wicked-edge/

Zanetti gives paranormal a sexy MC twist!”—New York Times bestselling author Joanna Wylde

“Zanetti delivers decadently delicious romance in the second Realm Enforcers paranormal motorcycle club romance  … The wild action rarely stops, sweeping readers along in the main plot while allowing a rich and satisfying romance to build between the leads.”- Publishers Weekly STARRED REVIEW

“Zanetti’s Realm Enforcers series is hot with a capital “H”! The characters are real and feel like people whom readers would run across – or hope to – in everyday life. This is a great read to add to your collection.”- RT Book Reviews, 4.5 Stars Top Pick
Amazon Editor’s Pick for November!

*****

If you love the Dark Protectors, these wicked hot Realm Enforcers are for you!

Daire Dunne is more than ready to take a quick break from his duties as a Coven Nine Enforcer. When he spots a sexy blonde across a Titan’s of Fire party, it’s not long before she’s on the back of his Harley on the fast track to his apartment. Unfortunately, one overheated kiss in, the woman drugs Daire and steals valuable files that can’t fall into enemy hands. The second he comes to, the hunt is on…

Now that Cee Cee has the information to take down an enemy that destroyed her family, she can implement her perfect plan for revenge. Nothing will stop her, not even a shockingly sexy enforcer barging into her life. Not even the spectacular, fire-branding sex engulfing them. But if Daire ever figures out who her family really is, all bets are off…

*****

 MERCURY STRIKING

January 26, 2016 print and eBook release

Page for buy links: http://rebeccazanetti.com/bookshelf/the-scorpius-syndrome-series/mercury-striking/

With nothing but rumors to lead her, Lynn Harmony has trekked across a nightmare landscape to find one man—a mysterious, damaged legend who protects the weak and leads the strong. He’s more than muscle and firepower—and in post-plague L.A., he’s her only hope. As the one woman who could cure the disease, Lynn is the single most volatile—and vulnerable—creature in this new and ruthless world. But face to face with Jax Mercury…

Danger has never looked quite so delicious…

“Thrilling post-apocalyptic romance at its dark, sizzling best!” —Lara Adrian

“Nothing is easy or black or white in Zanetti’s grim new reality, but hope is key, and I hope she writes faster!” —New York Times bestselling author Larissa Ione

Wicked Edge Ebook Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tell us about your current series.

The Intrepid Women series is a collection of stand-alone novels with interwoven themes and characters from Meyers Security (a family run security firm), and ETCETERA (a clandestine agency made up of people with various extra-sensory skills).

What is your favorite part of writing?

Getting to know my characters and learning the story as it magically slips from my fingertips to the keyboard and onto the page… and spending all day in sweat pants.

What is your least favorite part of writing?

Marketing. It’s unnatural for me to run around yelling: I’m awesome, my books are awesome, and you should go and buy them. I’d rather just write the next book, and the next, and…

Give us an elevator pitch for your book.

Jake’s investigating the disappearance of a famous racehorse and he’s convinced that Tara is the key, which she is, but she’s been lying so long it feels like the truth. For her, the easy way out involves staying hidden at the cottage with Charlie—her one-eyed cat—but life for Tara is never easy… and she’s having trouble saying no to the sexy PI.

Tell us about your hero.  Give us one of his strengths and one of his weaknesses.

Jake is incredibly kind, and hates giving up control.

Tell us about your heroine.  Give us one of her strengths and one of her weaknesses.

Loyalty is both a strength, and a weakness for Tara.

What genres are you drawn to as a reader?

Romantic Mystery/Suspense. My favorite author of all time is JD Robb. I also love Christine Feehan’s Drake Sister series, Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series, Cherry Adair, and Brene Brown.

Do you write under a pen name?   Why or why not?

When I started to publish, I was still working in Emergency Services and we were forbidden to have an online presence. We had to be untraceable through online searches, so I had to take a pen name. Kathryn Jane was my sister’s choice.

What did you want to be when you were a child?  Did you always know you wanted to be a writer?

I always wanted to be a vet, but instead immersed myself in the horseracing industry, moving through the ranks until I was a trainer. I’ve also done time in the corporate world and that of emergency services.

But throughout it all, the writer in me played until one day, when realizing I was about to turn 50 without anything tangible to show for what I called, ‘the first half of my life,’ I decided to write a book.

I got it done before the milestone birthday, and just kept on writing.

LIES is that first book. Well, the basic story of the first book, but drastically rewritten of course!

Excerpt:

LIES

Chapter 1

May, 2012. Johnsonville International Airport. Aboard Flight XLB317.

 “Not just no, but—”

“Language!”

Tara nearly decked the snippy flight attendant when he grabbed her by the arm. She would not be manhandled or pushed around.

“Your seat assignment has already been changed,” he said in a grating sing-song lets-everybody-be-happy voice that set her teeth on edge.

“And,” he went on, there’s absolutely nothing you or I can do about it, so, if you’d just remove that,” he waved his fingers at her overalls, “smelly stuff, and take your seat.”

Tara stared him down and spat a single word. “Negative.”

His eyebrows shot up for an instant before he managed to school his expression.

He’d started on her the minute she’d stepped from the cargo section into the galley of the passenger area. She was responsible for two horses riding in the back section of the plane—in a travel crate the size of a three-horse trailer—and took her job very seriously.

“I booked and paid for the aisle, which is standard practice for livestock escorts on a combo flight.” The front half of the plane was for passengers, the rear half for cargo.

“You will be in the same row at the back here, and you do have the option of either the window or middle seat. The airline’s security department has bumped you and there’s nothing either of us can do about it because the security rep needs—”

“I don’t really care what he needs. I’m responsible for several thousand pounds of equine capable of taking this plane down if they panic and I can’t get to them. I must have easy access to the cargo deck, and that does not include climbing over some suit with an attitude. I suggest you move one of the other passengers.” Shouldn’t this idiot have some kind of problem solving skills?

Tara turned her back on the annoying man while she plucked the toque off her head and fought her way out of pale gray overalls, then crouched to stuff them in her duffle. The outfit was a requirement, an attempt to minimize allergens coming into the cabin.

“Problem?”

The voice behind her was a couple of octaves deeper than the one she’d been arguing with, and her hand stilled for a split second.

“Yes.” Glancing sideways, she was surprised to see shiny western boots and barely-broke-in denim. Not exactly executive attire. Drugstore cowboy?

Rising, she took in the rest of the man’s outfit. Brown tweed jacket over a crisp white shirt. Or was he a real cowboy all dressed up? Maybe, maybe not, but she recognized sincerity in eyes the same dark blue as his jeans. A wash of awareness slid down her spine, but she shrugged it off.

http://amzn.com/B014CHM8ZQ

http://kathrynjane.com

http://www.amazon.com/Kathryn-Jane/e/B00A58PHKA/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1444683353&sr=8-1