Jane Austen Lied to Me by Jeanette Watts

Tags

author giveaways, humor, humorous novels, independent publishing, Jane Austen, new releases, Regency

Author Jeanette Watts has graciously agreed to submit to our Q&A before sharing her blurb and an excerpt of her latest release.

What is your greatest temptation:

In men: Shoulders. I love strong-looking shoulders. And brunettes. I have only had crushes on three blondes in my entire life: Michael York, Dirk Benedict, and this guy I knew in college.

[OOH, and I am the exact opposite.  I love blonds!] says Linda

In food: Yes. I love food way too much. Donuts, chocolate, strawberries, pasta, mangoes, bread, it’s all a weakness. And my stomach doesn’t have a shut off valve, so if I sit there at a party I will just keep nibbling from the bowl of M&Ms in front of me.

In clothes: Jackets and sailor outfits. I own way, way too many jackets. There’s a cute one at the thrift store, it comes home with me. I get an idea in my head, I have made a winter coat that stops traffic, makes friends, and gets me out of parking tickets. Then my mother-in-law clued into my weakness, and she gets me a new, fun jacket every year for Christmas. As for sailor suits, it’s a summertime thing. I have so many outfits with a nautical theme, I could be my own Japanese anime show. I own a necklace and earrings that are little silver anchors, to go with all my sailor outfits.

And to top it all off, I do own a jacket that has a nautical look to it. Found it at one of those outlet malls. Didn’t need it, but of course when it tied into two fetishes at the same time, there was no way I was leaving without buying it. I even had a hat to match.

What is your greatest weakness (example: buying shoes)? Practical jokes. I will go to insane extremes for a practical joke. I flew to Madison Wisconsin one Christmas for a friend’s caroling party, just so I could casually walk in when I wasn’t expected. When I played Grace O’Malley, the Pirate Queen at the local Renaissance Festival, I played a joke on my “nemesis” the sheriff almost every day. One day I posted Wanted posters with his photo on them and a list of his misdemeanors. Another time I bought him from his wife. The poor guy must have lain awake at night wondering what I was going to do to him next.

My latest practical joke has upped the ante considerably. I convinced eight of my friends to help me construct 4 Swiss Guard uniforms, and one man’s Renaissance doublet and trunk hose and hat. It took about 9 months of sewing, and the men had put together pole arms, and my husband bought these amazing helmets, and we found nun’s costumes for the ladies on Amazon.  When we had everything together, we went to the Tennessee Renaissance Festival and paid a visit to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth (played by a close friend of mine). Four guards marched in, guarding the emissary from the Pope, followed by all the nuns, and delivered a message to Queen Elizabeth from the Pope, telling her to repent and return to the true faith!

If you could have any kind of car, what would it be?

A convertible! I may be a redhead so I required a lot of sunscreen, but I love driving a convertible with the top down. My husband has a Mazda Miata, he lets me drive it sometimes. It’s ironic that my husband ended up with my dream car, but sadly I’m a pragmatic person who always owns a hatchback. You can’t haul Christmas trees and sound equipment and furniture in a convertible. I have put more things in the back of my car…I’m always a little astounded when I buy something that won’t fit.

Your dream home – mountains or ocean?

Both! If you haven’t been to Greece, I highly recommend it.

What inspired you to become a writer?
I’m a natural born storyteller. While I’m told most people hate writing, I love it. I get these characters that come into my head, and they just sort of take me over. The story is secondary to the characters. If you stay true to the characters, the story will tell you where to go. I never get writer’s block, I have trouble keeping up with my brain. It tells stories so much faster than my fingers can type, and then there’s that whole process of revising and revising until it’s “ripe.” I never let anyone read my writing until it’s been through several drafts. So many things change in the first several drafts!

Do you have a daily writing routine? If so, please share.

I would love a daily writing routine! Maybe when I finish moving to Charlotte, North Carolina, I can get settled into a daily routine. I’ve never had one before. I will go on week long writing retreats, or a weekend, or an extra day tagged onto the end of a trip when I hide in a pretty place with my laptop. But I’ve never had a regular schedule.

What is your favorite book?

Well, I usually say Gone With the Wind, but that’s becoming a hot button issue right now. I’m thoroughly and passionately a Yankee girl, I admire Margaret Mitchell’s writing immensely. She was a very nuanced writer. A lot of people miss the pro-abortion messages buried in the book…

My other favorite books are Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House books, Shelby Foote’s series on the Civil War, and anything written by David McCullough.

What is your favorite movie?

Ouch. I have a Master’s Degree in Cinema-Television. There is no such thing as one favorite movie. I love silent movies, I guess my favorite is Douglas Fairbanks’ Mark of Zorro, 1920. My favorite director is Michael Curtiz, my favorite movie of his is Casablanca. My favorite actors are Errol Flynn and Jimmy Stewart, my favorite movies of theirs are The Adventures of Robin Hood (also directed by Michael Curtiz!) and Shop Around the Corner. My favorite living actor might be Hugh Jackman in Australia. My favorite foreign film is Amelie. My favorite science fiction movie is Star Wars.

Who is your favorite historical figure?

For men, Ulysses S. Grant and William T. Sherman. I mentioned I’m a Yankee girl…? These two men had moxy beyond anyone else in their time. Grant was a guy who had failed a few times. He was fallible. He had a drinking problem. And when things got tough, he had no fear of failure. Other Union generals would lose a battle, and turn around and go home. Grant would win a battle, and press forward. He’d lose a battle, he’d march his men into a new position, and do battle again. He wasn’t there to win a battle. He was there to fight a war. He thought on a different scale. Sherman was his best friend, his second half, and he, too, saw the big picture. Sherman is the man who coined the phrase “War is hell.” He didn’t enjoy it, but he understood it. He was the one who understood that a war is fought by a society, not just by the soldiers holding the guns and carrying out the orders. He would have understood World War II, and in contrast, Vietnam.

My favorite women in history are Alva Vanderbilt and Eleanor Roosevelt. Both of them were amazing women. Alva Vanderbilt would have been a hell of an architect, had she chosen to go to architectural school. But she single-handedly changed the way the world saw America with one blowout party. And Eleanor Roosevelt? Do I have to say any more?

In your books, who is your favorite hero and please introduce him?

Hm… my new book Jane Austen Lied to Me doesn’t have a hero, per se. Or it has several. Depends on how you see it. If we count the book as having multiple heroes, I guess my favorites are Professor Jacobson and Lon.

Professor Jacobson is based on one of my friends from Graduate School. He’s a professor now, just qualified for tenure, I believe! The professor in my book is just like him: kind, gentle, has a nice sense of humor, is the sort of person who would be the first to help out in a crisis. The all-around best word for him is lovable.

Lon the Floor Nerd is smart, dependable, generous, and serious. I think he’s still looking for his sense of humor. We get hints at the end of the book that he’s been finding it over the course of the three years that the book takes place.

If you’re asking about my favorite hero from every book I’ve ever written, I’d go with Thomas from Wealth and Privilege.  He’s far more flawed than these other two gentlemen. And the way he loves Regina, I would forgive him any and every fault he’s got.

Who is your favorite heroine and please introduce her?

The heroine of my new book is Lizzie Barrett. She is the all-American college girl. She’s smart, but can be dumb. Or you could say she’s dumb, but she can be smart. She’s generally a kind person. She’s going through all the teenage angst that is part of the stresses of trying to figure out who you really are. She’s boy crazy, but things never seem to go her way. She’s still very innocent, in a worldly sort of way. College is very complicated. I’ve seen plenty of adults smile indulgently at college students’ stress, but they don’t remember what it’s like to be 18. Somehow I’ve never forgotten.

 

New releases anytime soon?

Yes! Jane Austen Lied to Me is coming out at the end of this month! I’m available through Amazon, CreateSpace, and also through my webpage.

Where can eager fans find you?

My webpage is http://www.JeanetteWatts.com, the Facebook page for the book is https://www.facebook.com/Jane-Austen-Lied-to-Me-342613389485243/

BLURB:

What college girl doesn’t dream of meeting Mr. Darcy? Lizzie was certainly no exception. But when Darcy Fitzwilliam comes into her life, he turns out to be every bit as aggravating as Elizabeth Bennett’s Fitzwilliam Darcy. So what’s a modern girl to do?

Jeanette Watts’ satire pokes loving fun at Jane and all of us who worship the characters who shall forever be our romantic ideals.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Excerpt:

This afternoon I got further confirmation that I’ve been seeing an awful lot of Michael.  I was wandering back to the apartment, when Lon hailed me from one of the couches inside the lobby doors.

“I have a message for you from your boyfriend,” he said, kind of stiffly.

I looked at him stupidly for a moment.  “My what?”

“Your boyfriend was here.  He said his phone was dead, so he couldn’t call or text you to tell you that he can’t stick around for dinner tonight.  He has a late meeting with a new client and he had to rush back to the office.”

I was still having trouble with the boyfriend thing.  “Wait – do you mean Michael?”

“If that’s the guy you’ve been seeing the last couple of months,” Lon said with a shrug.  “The one you’re always having dinner with.”

“He’s not my boyfriend,” I protested.  “He’s an old friend of the family.  We grew up together.”

Lon’s head was back at his computer screen.  “Boyfriend, friend.  The guy who kisses you goodnight all the time after he takes you out for dinner.  He’s not coming tonight.  I’ve delivered my message, that’s all I’ve got.”

Right then Allie walked up.  “Hey, Lizzie!  Waiting for Michael?”

“No, he’s not coming tonight.”  I headed to the elevator with her.

“That’s a shame.  I know how much you enjoy having dinner with him, even if he does aggravate you a lot.”

“Yeah.  It’s kind of a love-hate relationship,” I agreed.

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Jeanette Watts had been writing historic fiction when the inspiration for Jane Austen Lied to Me hit her on the drive home from the Jane Austen Festival. The idea was simply irresistible, and she put aside other writing projects in order to focus on writing a satire, thinking it would be a “mental vacation.” It turned out to take every bit as much research to write a modern story as it does to write a historical one.

She has written television commercials, marketing newspapers, stage melodramas, four screenplays, three novels, and a textbook on waltzing.  When she isn’t writing, she teaches social ballroom dances, refinishes various parts of her house, and sews historical costumes and dance costumes for her Cancan troupe.

Links:

Webpage

http://www.JeanetteWatts.com

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/jeanette.watts.94

https://www.facebook.com/Jane-Austen-Lied-to-Me-342613389485243/

Twitter

@JeanetteAWatts

AUTHOR GIVEAWAY!

Jeanette Watts will be awarding a doll dressed in Regency clothing, handcrafted by the author (International Giveaway) to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

For more fun excerpts and more chances to win, follow the author on tour:

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Bianca Swan Releases 3 New Books!

Tags

Andalusian horses, angels, Bianca Swan, controversial books, demons, erotic romance, fantasy romance, horses, Lot's Cave Publishing, new releases, novellas, taboo reading

Yesterday, Lot’s Cave Publishing released:

Celestial Sin:

(no longer available from The Wild Rose Press or on Amazon)

 

 

 

 

 

Hot Spanish Nights: 

(no longer available from The Wild Rose Press or on Amazon)

 

 

 

 

 

Her Brother’s Wife:  No book video as yet.

Blurb:

From birth, Alain and Alina Alastair are a scientific phenomenon—identical male/female twins—a biological impossibility.  Wishing to avoid notoriety, Lord and Lady Alastair whisk their miracle children to their island home isolated by a two-hour ferry journey from the mainland of England.  It is at Alastair Keep that their destiny unfolds to the constant percussion of a restless sea.

As a young man, Alain craves escape from the seclusion while Alina more willingly follows her heart.  Unaware, they courageously struggle with a genetic proclivity, the Gemini Factor, that will lead them down forbidden paths. The secrets at Alastair Keep will undermine the foundations of their world and threaten their very lives.

The Anointing: Gemini Factor is a dark psychological novel dealing with a controversial subject in a fantasy setting.

Bianca’s Lot’s Cave Author Page: http://www.lotscave.com/ebooks/author/bianca-swan.php – ALL THREE BOOKS AVAILABLE THROUGH LOT’S CAVE PUBLISHING

 

Dark Genius by H. Peter Alesso

Tags

author giveaways, fantasy, general fiction, new releases, virtual book tours

GENRE:  Fiction

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB:

To the insatiably curious—science is the greatest adventure. So, when scientists at CERN announced the discovery of the ‘God’ particle in 2012, all the world wondered, “How did they find it?”

A decade later, despite his past academic failures and egregious family circumstance, Andrew Lawrence embarked on a journey of discovery, competing against rival scientists to be the first to solve the greatest unsolved mystery of the universe—dark matter—and win the ultimate prize; the Nobel.

Emma Franklin, a PhD candidate at Harvard, developed software for detecting particle reactions using a quantum computer. To the amazement and excitement of the scientific community, her work revealed two possible bumps in the energy curve that were not predicted by any established theory.

At MIT, Lawrence created a model that predicted the scattering processes of a dark matter supersymmetry particle. Though his early work was disparaged, he improved his theory and found that it predicted the data Emma had discovered. Their professional collaboration deepened into a personal relationship, but when critical data was stolen, Emma found evidence that incriminated Lawrence. Though she withheld the impeaching material from the authorities, she felt she could no longer trust him.

Despite their troubled partnership, and notwithstanding the complexities of nature, Lawrence and Emma persevered against the egos, jealousy, and envy of rivals, on their exhilarating quest to find the ‘Holy Grail’ of physics

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EXCERPT

I thought all was lost—now I have a second chance.

With a profound sense of relief, Andrew Lawrence slide his tablet into his shoulder holster and walked briskly along the Boston sidewalk. His past academic failures and egregious family circumstances were behind him. He was ready for a fresh start.

Tall, slender, and dark-haired, he listened to the clicking and clacking of shuffling shoes on the pavement as students jostled alongside him. The hint of autumn from the cool morning air brought a frenzy of activity to the sprawling campuses of both MIT and Harvard which nurtured a flourishing rivalry among their ambitious students. He could feel the undercurrent of tension for the start of the fall term.

By the time he crossed Longfellow Bridge, his adrenaline was pumping. He noticed several eight-man sculls already rowing down the Charles River, their school colors plainly visible. Squinting his eyes against the glare, he could make out the MIT and Harvard boats vying for the lead, stroke by stroke.

Striding across the rambling campus, his lips concealed a secret smile as he contemplated a revolutionary solution to a problem he had been daydreaming about. When he swung around a corner, he ran smack-dab into a young woman. Her armload of books, papers, and assorted technology flew into the air and scattered across the walkway.

“Sor . . . sorry.”

“You should be,” the woman said, her face screwed into a tight scowl. “Your head was in the clouds.”

Lawrence opened his mouth, but before he could speak, she pointed down and said, “See what you’ve done?”

She stooped and frantically tried to corral her absconding belongings.

“Let me help,” said Lawrence, grasping some loose papers about to blow away.

Spying her tablet on the grass, she exclaimed, “Oh no! All my work.”

Carefully, she picked up the device and turned it on, tapping her fingers impatiently until the screen lit up. She heaved a sigh and looked Lawrence directly in the eyes. “You’re lucky. Sooo . . . lucky.”

Lawrence mumbled another apology and helped her pick up the last few books.

As she struggled to reorganize her treasures, Lawrence brushed a strand of hair away from his eyes and for the first time cast an appraising glance at the young woman.

She was attractive.

It wasn’t that she was a striking beauty—though her smooth white skin, olive green eyes, and classic profile complemented the hazelnut hair that cascaded over her shoulders. Nor was her carriage especially eye-catching, though she displayed an appealing youthful vitality. No, what seemed most appealing was her confident determined poise, as if she possessed a special hidden talent.

“You really should use a backpack.”

“The lining ripped,” she retorted.

Seeing the logos on her tablet’s screen, Lawrence asked, “Harvard? Math?”

“I can tell by your tone that you’re MIT,” she said, her eyes flashing.

Lawrence grinned, “Physics.” As an afterthought, he asked, “What are you doing on this campus?”

“Well, Mr. Physics, that’s none of your concern.”

Something in the way she said it, caused him to laugh.

They faced each other in a stand-off for a long moment—saying nothing.

Then the young woman heaved a sigh, gathered her possessions to her chest, and brushed past him.

Lawrence watched her figure disappear into the crowd.

Damn. I didn’t get her name.

As he turned to leave, something shiny on the ground caught his eye. It was a flash drive.

Picking it up, he spun around and called, “Wait!”

But she was gone.

He looked at the memory stick, thinking . . .

I’ll have to crack her password, if I’m going to see her again.

 

BUY LINK:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075HVG2Z9

 

About the Author:

As a scientist and author specializing in technology innovation, H. Peter Alesso has over twenty years research experience at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). As Engineering Group Leader at LLNL he led a team of scientists and engineers in innovative applications across a wide range of supercomputers, workstations, and networks. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy with a B.S. and served in the U.S. Navy on nuclear submarines before completing an M.S. and an advanced Engineering Degree at M.I.T. He has published several software titles and numerous scientific journal and conference articles, and he is the author/co-author of ten books.

Email: h.alessocomcast.net

Website: http://www.hpeteralesso.com/Default.aspx
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/413852.H_Peter_Alesso

Tweets by hpeteralesso

https://www.amazon.com/H.-Peter-Alesso/e/B001HCY45M/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_3?qid=1482982330&sr=1-3

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE

Peter will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

For more chances to win and more intriguing excerpts, follow Peter on tour:

https://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2017/09/book-blast-dark-genius-by-h-peter-alesso.html

 

Release Day!! Break out the Champagne!! Here’s to Gylded Wings

Tags

99 cent sales, Amazon, angels, author giveaways, blogs, dark fantasy, demons, fallen angels, Lucifer, new releases, rafflecopter giveaways

Today, my 5th The Wild Rose Press novel, Gylded Wings, released on a sale of only 99 cents at Amazon.  I thought I’d tell you a little about the birth of this dark fantasy and share the book video created by author Toni V. Sweeney:

Here is the prologue, which I believe is the best bit of writing I’ve ever done:

My restoration to Grace plunged Heaven and Hell into civil war.  The day the earth stood still, I watched from a rock ledge above a field choked with the great armies.  Sunlight glinted on the golden helms of the Righteous and the silver helmets of the Damned.  Prophecy echoed in the thud of mortal feet and the beat of a thousand wings.  I folded my wings around me.  This slight movement drew an immediate reaction.  As one, the winged combatants turned to stare at me.

Winter wind ruffled the holy raiment draped about my shoulders and blew on me the scent of bitterness.  I could taste their disgust and distrust.  But I would not bow my head, unless or until I was forced to do so.  If I’d possessed a soul, it would have shrunk inside me, but like my celestial brothers, I am soulless.

Let me introduce myself.

I am Ha-Satan, the Adversary, once Heaven’s Prosecuting Attorney.  I have been called the Father of Lies, the Master of Temptation, Lord of Hell.  I am the one you’ve been taught to fear, who hides beneath your bed to steal your soul.  I am the most fearsome and the most beautiful angel.

My existence began as the first light emanating from the Thought.  He said to me on the day of my creation, “I make you closest to me, of all the powers, Master and Mirror of my might.  I create you beautiful in bliss and name you Lucifer, Bringer of Light.”

And so, my friends, I, Lucifer, would like to set the record straight.  If ever I did Fall, I have been forgiven.

Many of the angelic host, who remained loyal during my rebellion, were incensed that the prodigal son had asked for forgiveness and angry that it had been granted.  Thus, the Second War in Heaven, the only war I’d ever unintentionally caused, began and the airy corridors ran red with blood.  Finally, the conflict had spilled down to Earth.  The brave soldiers I’d once led in a bid to regain Heaven were now poised to fight Michael and his formidable army.

I, the mightiest of the Host, was forbidden to lift a finger in this battle, and my brothers were waiting to see what I would do.  A tremor of anger coursed through me.  I smiled and spread my wings to their full, resplendent span.

Look then, Fallen and Righteous, and take courage or be discouraged by the very sight of me.

Here and there amongst the gathered host, I met a gaze.  Gabriel, Uriel, Michael and Rafael guarded the Four Corners.  It was a done deal, over before the first blow was struck.

The wail of bagpipes shattered the tension.  Peacock wings arched proudly, Paimon, regal in a Royal Stuart tartan kilt, piped the Legions of Hell into battle.  He reached the end of the line of soldiers, wings shadowing Men in modern regimental dress, turned and snapped me a smart salute.

Paimon, ah my Paimon, do your eyes accuse or invite?

I bowed low, my hair sweeping the ground.  Whether this gesture pleased or angered my old friend, sadly enough, I couldn’t sense.  All Hell broke loose, so to speak, when the mortal troops saw me.  Their knees knocked.  Horror contorted their faces.  Swords forged in Hell’s own fires clattered against supernatural shields.  The blare of Gabriel’s golden trumpet shook the ground.  A silver-voiced trumpet answered the challenge.

Paimon unfurled his wings and bent to his pipes.  Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound. How fitting, how ironic that the Fallen—the stubborn, the proud, the doomed—would march into battle to that beautiful old hymn!

On the horizon black clouds coagulated as if the spilt blood of angels had leaked through Heaven’s floor.  Daggers of lightning stabbed the sky.  A pall of total darkness fell.  In one breath, the entire earth went dark.  Absolute silence gripped the universe.  Then, as it had happened on the First Day, Heaven parted the Darkness with Radiance, a spotlight on the Final Act.

Nice touch, Father.  I couldn’t resist a wry smile.

The din of the great armies’ embrace arose, a choir of broken bones, slashed flesh and death rattling in the throats of Man.  Into this symphony of chaos as had been foretold, the Sons of Light took flight against the Sons of Darkness.  When I, Lucifer, fell two-thirds of Heaven’s Legions followed me into exile.  I found myself weeping—hot tears on cold cheeks—as friends so recently become enemies clashed with enemies now compelled into a fragile friendship.  I suffered as I was meant to suffer.  Even angels are sometimes blind to the shape of things to come.

~*~

Gylded Wings began life as I, Lucifer.  I started writing the book years ago in Miami and used to read the Prologue at open mics.  By the second line, people had stopped talking to listen. I’m grateful to editor Callie Lynn Wolfe of The Wild Rose Press for helping me bring it to life.

Help me celebrate today at:  https://princessofthelight.wordpress.com/2017/09/13/happy-release-day-to-gylded-wings-by-lnightingale-romance-paranormal-wrpbks/   There’s a rafflecopter giveaway!!

And here and now:  I’ll give one commenter an ebook from my back list (your choice) for helping me to celebrate here.  Pass the champers!

Meet Author Simon Williams!

Tags

author interviews, fantasy novels, new releases

What is your greatest temptation:

In women:

Not really sure how to answer that. Personal stuff isn’t something I really think about much anymore- bit old for that kind of thing and it’s not healthy to contemplate pointless distractions that don’t lead anywhere!

In food:

I love most foods so it’s difficult to say. I’ll eat most things apart from offal and anything overly sweet. That said, I seem to mostly live on hastily made sandwiches and lots of Coke.

In clothes:

I’m one of those people who think of clothes as a bit of a chore- something one has to wear living in a cold country at a relatively high latitude. I have a few pairs of jeans and several t-shirts and that’s pretty much what I wear day in day out- that way I don’t have to think too much about clothes, just grab something and put it on.

What is your greatest weakness (example: like mine cars)?

Probably food. Oh and daydreaming when I should be doing something meaningful.

 

If you could have any kind of car, what would it be?

I’d have a very expensive one, so I could sell it and get some decent money. I’ve never owned a car nor had the spare money for driving lessons so if I did miraculously acquire one I would (a) be very very suspicious, and (b) try and sell it immediately. I’m used to public transport for longer journeys, and if it’s less than around 10 miles I generally walk.

 

Your dream home – mountains or ocean?

Probably somewhere near the sea, as long as the town has decent train or bus services

 

What inspired you to become a writer?  To write this book?

I’ve always written stories, pretty much from as soon as I could string words together. It’s the one thing I felt that I could do reasonably well, and that was borne out by my school qualifications, which were not great. I wasn’t really cut out for the world of being a corporate drone and the daily grind, although oddly that’s what writing does sometimes feel like- a bit of a grind- when the inspiration isn’t there. But it turns up eventually.

 

Do you have a daily writing routine?  If so, please share.

I just try to do as much as I can- whether that’s number of new words written or pages edited or a mixture of the two. I try not to set unrealistic targets but at the same time I do try to push myself to do a reasonable amount. I’ll never be one of these people who take part in these “Nanowrimo” competitions to see who can churn out a hundred thousand words in a month. I know I’ll get there eventually so I try not to stress about the time it takes.

 

I have no particular method. I write, I write some more, I keep writing, some of it’s good and I keep it, some of it’s bad and I scrap it, some of it’s ok and I edit it. Sometimes it’s a struggle to wade through the “creative mire” as I call it, and at other times I just sit down and it kind if happens without my really knowing.

That messy, chaotic way of working won’t work for everyone, so I can’t necessarily recommend it. It works for me though.

What is your favorite book?

That’s a difficult one as I have several that really moved me or affected me in some way.

Alan Garner’s “The Weirdstone of Brisingamen” is the one that, when I read it as a child, made me realise that yes, I would be an author. It kind of made that decision for me. Others that had a profound effect include Clive Barker’s “Weaveworld”, C J Cherryh’s “Chronicles of Morgaine”, and everything that Cecilia Dart-Thornton has ever written.

 What is your favorite movie?

Much easier. Blade Runner. The idea of what it truly means to be human is of endless fascination to me, and Blade Runner is a stunning piece of work for that and many other reasons.

 

Who is your favorite historical figure?

Difficult to pick one, but I’d probably pick a classical author- George Orwell or Aldous Huxley. I also admire the works of philosopher Bertrand Russell so he might be a good choice as well.

 In your books, who is your favorite hero and please introduce him?

Heroes are pretty think on the ground in the Aona books, but let’s pick Vornen- a failure of a man, a drug addict, a self-pitying loner… who despite all his own attempts to do otherwise, helps to make a stand against the twin evils that threaten the world.

 

Who is your favorite heroine and please introduce her?

Again, she’s not really a heroine, but Nia is a multi-faceted, complex young lady and far more than she initially appears to be. Despite spending much of the story across the five books frightened out of her wits, she still has an acid tongue (not literally, although that would also be useful) and a sharp wit. You may or may not warm to her- but she’s my favourite of all my characters.

 

What do you have out now?  Excerpt, blurb, book trailers

The complete Aona series (five novels), Summer’s Dark Waters (YA fantasy / sci-fi adventure) and Disintegration (collection of short stories I’ve written over the years)

My Amazon page has links to the individual books and reviews: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Simon-Williams/e/B00P0ZZYS8/

 

What’s coming?

My main two at the moment are the sequel to Summer’s Dark Waters (my YA fantasy / sci-fi adventure) – currently titled The Light From Far Below- and a standalone novel for adults which I just *know* I’m going to have trouble with in terms of putting it into a genre. But I’m quite excited about it so far (36,000 words in) – as it doesn’t feel like anything else I’ve ever written or indeed that anyone else has (to my knowledge). So I’m enjoying crafting this one.
The Light from far Below will be illustrated by the same artist I collaborated with on Summer’s Dark Waters. I’m fortunate to have someone who seems to share my vision for the characters and scenes in my work!

 

Where can we find you?  (Social media, web site, etc.)

Website – www.simonwilliamsauthor.com

Amazon page: http://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B00P0ZZYS8

Facebook fan page: https://www.facebook.com/simonwilliamsauthor

Twitter: @SWilliamsAuthor

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6094097.Simon_Williams

 

Summer’s Dark Waters:

Amazon UK:

Amazon US:

Oblivion’s Forge (Book I in the Aona series):

Amazon UK:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Oblivions-Forge-Aona-Book-1-ebook/dp/B0082XW04G/

Amazon US:

 

 

 

 

 

The Chocolatier’s Wife and The Chocolatier’s Ghost by Cindy Lynn Speer

Tags

Amazon, fantasy, Fantasy Mystery, ghosts, new releases

GENRE: Fantasy Mystery

BLURB:

The Chocolatier’s Wife: ROMANCE, MAGIC, MYSTERY…. AND CHOCOLATE

A truly original, spellbinding love story, featuring vivid characters in a highly realistic historical setting.

When Tasmin’s bethrothed, William, is accused of murder, she gathers her wind sprites and rushes to his home town to investigate. She doesn’t have a shred of doubt about his innocence. But as she settles in his chocolate shop, she finds more in store than she bargained for. Facing suspicious townsfolk, gossiping neighbors, and William’s own family, who all resent her kind – the sorcerer folk from the North — she must also learn to tell friend from foe, and fast. For the real killer is still on the loose – and he is intent on ruining William’s family at all cost.

The Chocolatier’s Ghost: Married to her soul mate, the chocolatier William, Tasmin should not have to worry about anything at all. But when her happily ever after is interrupted by the disappearance of the town’s wise woman, she rushes in to investigate. Faced with dangers, dead bodies, and more mysterious disappearances, Tasmin and William must act fast to save their town and themselves – especially when Tasmin starts to be haunted by a most unwelcome ghost from her past…literally.

The Chocolatier’s Ghost is an enchanting sequel to Cindy Lynn Speer’s bestselling romantic mystery, The Chocolatier’s Wife.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Excerpt:

Chocolatier’s Wife 1

Time was, in the kingdom of Berengeny, that no one picked their spouses. No one courted—not officially, at any rate—and no one married in a moment’s foolish passion. It was the charge of the town Wise Woman, who would fill her spell bowl with clear, pure water; a little salt; and the essence of roses, and rosemary, and sage. Next, she would prick the finger of the newborn child and let his or her blood drip into the potion. If a face showed in the waters, then it was known that the best possible mate (they never said true love, for that was the stuff of foolish fancy) had been born, and the Wise Woman could then tell where the future spouse lived, and arrangements were made.

For the parents of William of the House of Almsley, this process would turn out to be less than pleasant.

The first year that the baby William’s finger was pricked and nothing showed, the Wise Woman said, “Fear not, a wife is often younger than the husband.”

The second, third, and even fifth year she said much the same.

But you see, since the spell was meant to choose the best match—not the true love—of the heart the blood in the bowl belonged to, this did not mean, as years passed, that the boy was special. It meant that he would be impossible to live with.

On his seventh birthday, it seemed everyone had quite forgotten all about visiting the Wise Woman until William, who knew this of long habit to be a major part of his day–along with cake, a new toy, and a new set of clothes–tugged on his mother’s skirt and asked when they were going. She stared at him a long moment, tea cup in hand, before sighing and calling for the carriage. She didn’t even bother to change into formal clothes this time, and the Wise Woman seemed surprised to see them at all. “Well, we might as well try while you’re here,” she said, her voice obviously doubtful.

William obediently held out the ring finger on his left hand and watched as the blood dripped into the bowl. “She has dark brown eyes,” William observed, “and some hair already.” He shrugged, and looked at the two women. “I suppose she’ll do. I’m just glad ‘tis over, and that I can go on with my life.”

“For you, perhaps,” his mother said, thinking of what she would now have to accomplish.

“Do not fret, mother, I shall write a letter to the little girl. Not that she can read it, anyway.” He petted his mother’s arm. He was a sweet boy, but he was always charging forward, never worrying about feelings.

The Wise Woman rolled out an elegantly painted silk map of the kingdom and all its regions, his mother smoothed the fabric across the table, and then the Wise Woman dipped a brass weight into the bowl. Henriette, William’s mother, placed her hands on William’s shoulders as the Wise Woman held the weight, suspended, over the map.

Henriette held her breath, waiting to see where it would land. Andrew, her younger son, had his intended living just down the street, which was quite convenient. At least they knew what they were getting into immediately.

The plumb-bob made huge circles around the map, spinning and spinning as the Wise Woman recited the words over and over. It stopped, stiffly pointing toward the North.

“Tarnia? Not possible, nor even probable. You must try again!”

For once, William’s mother wasn’t being stubbornly demanding. Tarnia, a place of cruel and wild magic, was the last place from whence one would wish a bride. They did not have Wise Women there, for anyone could perform spells. The Hags of the North ate their dead and sent the harsh winter wind to ravage the crops of the people of the South. Five hundred years ago, the North and the South had fought a bitter war over a cause no one could quite remember, only that it had been a brutal thing, and that many had died, and it led to the South losing most of its magic. Though the war was long over and the two supposedly united again, memory lingered. “I have cast it twice.” The Wise Woman chewed her lower lip, but therewas naught else she could do.

“Not Tarnia, please?” Henriette, usually a rather fierce and cold woman, begged.

“I am afraid so.” The Wise Woman began cleaning up; her shoulders set a little lower. “I am sorry.”

William, staring out the window at the children playing outside, couldn’t care less. What did it matter where anyone was from? She was a baby, and babies didn’t cause that much trouble.

“Only you, William,” his mother said, shaking her head. “Why can you not do anything normal?”

This was to be the tenor of most of their conversations throughout their lives.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Cindy Lynn Speer has been writing since she was 13.  She has Blue Moon and Unbalanced published by Zumaya.  Her other works, including The Chocolatier’s Wife (recently out in an illustrated hardcover to celebrate its 10th anniversary) and the Chocolatier’s Ghost, as well as the short story anthology Wishes and Sorrows.  When she is not writing she is either practicing historical swordsmanship, sewing, or pretending she can garden.  She also loves road trips and seeing nature.  Her secret side hobby is to write really boring bios about herself.  You can find out more about her at http://www.cindylynnspeer.com, or look for her on Facebook (Cindy Lynn Speer) and Twitter (cindylynnspeer).

https://www.amazon.com/Cindy-Lynn-Speer/e/B001JOVNP2

*****

One randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter will win a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card.  a Rafflecopter giveaway

FOR MORE FUN AND CHANCES TO WIN, FOLLOW CINDY ON TOUR:

http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2017/06/virtual-book-tour-chocolatiers-wifethe.html

Lilly – Angel Series 3 – by Tracy Lorraine

Tags

99 cent books, Amazon, angel, book series, boxed sets, fantasy novels, new releases

Tracy will be promoting the boxset for only .99 pennies until Lilly releases on the 25th August!!!

Lilly

By Tracy Lorraine

Blurb:

Lilly’s life has been shattered by her ex. Few people know the truth about what happened that day. Lilly is trying to put the past behind her but everyone around her is moving on with their lives and it’s a constant reminder of what she’s lost. Lilly throws herself into university and her part time job as a distraction. What she doesn’t expect is for an unwanted promotion to once again send her world into a tailspin.

Will she be able to let her guard down, open her heart once again and fight for the happiness she deserves?

Lucas could never have imagined that his life would turn out like it has. Supportive parents, a powerful job and more money than he knows what to do with. On the surface he looks like the perfect businessman but Lucas is not only hiding his past but also who he really is. The only thing missing is something he swore he never wanted. When he finds a broken Lilly in his sanctuary will he be able to push his fears of love aside and be the man she needs?

Individually they have a lot of demons that have the potential to break them but will they be strong enough together to face them?

Available at the following retailers!

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2uBXruK

iBooks: https://goo.gl/obY87M

B&N: https://goo.gl/jdFhqM

Kobo: https://goo.gl/8NM6JT

Please Note: 5 days after release Lilly

will be exclusive to Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited

New to the Angel Series?

Don’t Worry! You can catch up on the series.

Get the Angel Series Box Set (Books #1-2.5)

Only 99 Pennies until 8/25! Check it out!

http://amzn.to/2v1vopi

SNIPPETS:

Snippet 1

I’m unattractively sobbing on the sofa when I suddenly hear a throat clearing behind me. I jump up from my seat in panic and turn around to see who’s walked in.

My eyes run from his spotlessly polished shoes, up his perfectly pressed trousers and over his waistcoat and crisp shirt until I reach his eyes. They are dark and staring daggers at me. His glare renders me motionless but my heart starts to race. A huge part of me wants to run, run as far away and as fast as I can from this situation. I’ve barely had this promotion two hours and I’ve already screwed it up.

I square my shoulders and stand up. I wipe the tears from my cheeks with the backs of my hands as I wait for the ear bashing I’m about to get for slacking on the job.

Only it doesn’t come.

As I stand looking at him I see his eyes change. They started off hard and vicious but as the seconds have ticked by they seem to be softening. I must be mistaken though because there is nothing about the man stood in front of me that’s soft. He is a ruthless businessman who tramples on anyone who gets in his way. I have no reason to suspect he’s going to go gentle on me just because I’ve shed a few tears. I raise my chin slightly to him as I prepare for him to tear a strip off me.

He opens his mouth to say something but what comes out shocks the hell out of me. “Are you okay?” His voice comes out different to what I’ve heard before. There is no harsh demanding tone instead there’s concern. Weird.

“I’m…uh…” I stutter because this is so unexpected. I thought I’d already be on my way home with my P45 in my hand by now. “I’m fine. I just received some news and I…” I don’t continue because I realise that he really doesn’t care, he’s just trying to be kind. I appreciate that but I’m here to do a job. “I’ll just get on with it,” I say gesturing to the room.

I pick up my phone and go to walk past him. I don’t make eye contact. I’m scared he’ll return to his usual self once I get back to work.

I go to step past him but I’m frozen to the spot when he moves and clamps his hand around my wrist. I daren’t look up at him. Firstly because I don’t know what I might find looking back at me and also because he really doesn’t need to see the fresh tears in my eyes.

“If you need to go and have some time,” he says.

I’m so shocked by his words that my eyes snap up to his. Close up they look bluer than I thought they were from a distance.

“It…it’s fine, honestly,” my voice quivers as I say this showing that I’m anything but fine really.

“Well, if you’re sure,” he says hesitantly. I can only presume that being in the presence of an emotional woman isn’t the norm for him.

He holds my eye contact and I’m powerless to look away. There are only inches between us. I’m surrounded by his scent and his kindness touches me. Then I do something so unlike me and so utterly stupid that I can’t even comprehend it.

I lean forward and kiss him. I actually kiss him!

Snippet 2

I let out a huge sigh and crack on while trying to put all memories of last night and this morning behind me. Obsessing over them will not help me in the slightest.

It’s a shame that my little pep talk doesn’t help because I’m totally lost to the feeling of his lips on my body when a throat clearing behind me makes me jump. I drop the bathroom cleaner and sponge I had in my hands in fright. I spin around and gasp at the sight. My heart starts racing and my temperature instantly increases.

Lucas is stood in the doorway wearing a black hoodie with the hood up over his head and a pair of grey jogging bottoms. The hood comes down to his eyebrows and the shadow it causes makes his eyes look even angrier.

I swallow down a lump that’s formed in my throat. He looks dangerous, like he could seriously hurt someone, weirdly I have no fear though. I know he won’t hurt me. This shocks me because after everything I’ve been through I’d have thought this would set me on edge.

“I need to use the shower,” he states coldly.

“Uh…right…yeah.”

I gather up my stuff and get out. I can’t stop myself from turning back to look at him as I walk away though and of course he catches me. And just to torture me further he pulls his hoodie off exposing that stunning tattoo to me. Frustratingly he doesn’t shut the bathroom door so as I go about dusting the bedroom all I can picture is the water running over his hard muscles.

I need to get a grip.

It’s only a few minutes before he appears with a towel wrapped around his waist and water droplets running down his chest.

“Lucas, can we talk a minute.”

“No, I’m busy. Just do your job, Lilly. It’s what I pay you for.”

His vicious words cut me. They actually hurt.

“I thought you took the morning off,” I say with as much strength as I can muster because I don’t want him to see that he’s affecting me.

The look I receive in response to my question instantly has me cowering away. Now that’s the Mr. Dalton I knew of before I started working up here. A ruthless and powerful arsehole. As much as it hurts that he’s reverted to that when he’s never been anything but kind to me actually grounds me a little. This is what I was expecting; this is how it should be.

Snippet 3

Some of his memories must have been lingering in the background though because when we get back to our hotel room he drops the bags he’s been carrying on the floor before disappearing into the bathroom.

I listen as the water starts running. I argue with myself about what to do. Do I stay here and wait for him to reappear or do I go and join him?

In the end I decide to strip out of my clothes and head for the shower. My breath catches in my throat when I get there. He’s stood with his head bent forward with the water cascading down his back.

The opening of the shower door catches his attention and he looks up at me, but it’s not with the kind of heat in his eyes that I’m used to. I don’t think he even notices that I’m naked.

I step inside and pull the door shut behind me. I stand right up against him and place my lips to his. Just like earlier it takes a few seconds but he soon responds and within a minute he has me backed up against the tiles with my legs wrapped around his waist.

By the time he’s finished the shadows have totally lifted from his eyes and I have my Lucas back. I hate the idea of him hurting so much when he thinks about the past but we will have to talk about it at some point.

Author Bio:

Tracy Lorraine is a M/F and M/M contemporary romance author. Tracy has recently turned thirty and lives in a cute Cotswold village in England with her husband, baby girl and lovable but slightly crazy dog. Having always been a bookaholic with her head stuck in her Kindle Tracy decided to try her hand at a story idea she dreamt up and hasn’t looked back since.

Social Media:

newsletter link https://www.tracylorraine.com/newsletter

Goodreads link https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14879450.Tracy_Lorraine

Amazon link http://Author.to/TracyLorraine

Twitter link https://twitter.com/Tracy_L_Author

Facebook link https://facebook.com/tracylorraineauthor/?ref=bookmarks

Instagram link https://www.instagram.com/tracy_lorraine_author/?hl=en

Pinterest https://pinterest.com/tracylorraineau

BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/profile/tracy-lorraine?list=author_books

Reader group https://www.facebook.com/groups/1629820390650094/

 

[promosimple id=”bec3″]

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With These Wings by Wendy Knight

Tags

alien abductions, angels, demons, giveaways, Love Kissed Promotions, new releases, rafflecopter giveaways, Young Adult Fantasy, young adult novels

With These Wings

By Wendy Knight

Blurb:

Seventeen-year-old Phoenyx was taken by the aliens who were supposed to save humanity. But Phoenyx didn’t die. She escaped.

Changed, different. Terrifying.

Now she protects the people she used to call neighbors and friends, despite the fact that they don’t trust her. She looks like the aliens—beautiful, strong, and winged. And that’s why those she protects want her dead.

She doesn’t blame them.

All the while, she’s searching for Cole, the boy whose arms she was ripped from the night she was taken. When he shows up at their compound with a new love, everything Phoenyx has been fighting for is turned on its head, and she has to figure out what side she’s really on and who she really is before she loses herself completely.

Never trust beautiful things.

Available on Amazon!
http://amzn.to/2ttPsjP

Snippet:

Nyx scooted closer to the rocky precipice, and then just a bit further, so she could curl her toes around the edge. The wind howled, jerking at her hair and loose, black dress. She stared down, trying to estimate the drop. It was so far she couldn’t see the bottom in the darkness, but then, the moon wasn’t giving her much light tonight. She spread her arms wide, embracing the emptiness, and tumbled forward.
She fell so fast that the mountainside blurred around her and the scream of the wind in her ears almost, almost, drowned out the roar of adrenaline. The ground raced up to meet her, seemingly hungry for her blood, aching for her death.
Not today.
Her wings shot out, jerking her to a stop mid-air, her feet almost grazing the ground that had moments before been a demon about to devour her alive.

Bio:

Wendy Knight is the award-winning, bestselling author of the young adult series Fate on Fire and Riders of Paradesos. She was born and raised in Utah by a wonderful family who spoiled her rotten because she was the baby. Now she spends her time driving her husband crazy with her many eccentricities (no water after five, terror when faced with a live phone call, no touching the knives…you get the idea). She also enjoys chasing her three adorable kids, playing tennis, watching football, reading, and hiking. Camping is also big—her family is slowly working toward a goal of seeing all the National Parks in the U.S.

You can usually find her with at least one Pepsi nearby, wearing ridiculously high heels for whatever the occasion. And if everything works out just right, she will also be writing.

The award winning author of Feudlings. Check out my newest series, Toil & Trouble! https://goo.gl/tZ2heG

Sign up for my newsletter and get a free ebook! https://goo.gl/5EVAKb

Social Media Links:

Blog: www.wendyknightauthor.blogspot.com

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/wjk8099

Instagram: http://instagram.com/wendyjo99

Wattpad: http://wattpad.com/WendyKnight

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2sqtCJd

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Sinbad Sails Again by Toni V. Sweeney

Tags

book series, Class Act Books, new releases, science fiction, space opera

In this last entry in the Sinbad series, Sinbad sh’en Singh, abruptly growing tired of the younger generation’s condescension, kicks over the traces.  Taking his youngest son and a grandson on a journey to the places he and wife a Andi visited on that fateful journey over half a century before, he prepares for one last adventure…

…which doesn’t go as planned, when son Mal is abducted and find himself on the way to the Slave Pits in the Fringes.

Since this is the last novel in the series, I wanted to tie up any loose ends and answer any question left dangling in the other novels…that’s the reason for the rather lengthy story—as well as weave an adventure worthy of a final curtain call for my hero.

Bringing in characters from other stories, some now as advanced in age as Sinbad but no less active and still as adventuresome, as well as introducing some new one who are also a bit of a challenge, I’ve woven a story that I will is a great finale for this series.

I think when all’s said and now, the reader will feel satisfied with how the story ends, and will consider all his questions answered…along with having a Happy Ever After ending (for a change).

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 

Toni V.Sweeney lives in Lincoln, NE where she writes SF/fantasy novels under her own name and romances under her pseudonym, Icy Snow Blackstone.  She is also promotions manager for Class Act Books and reviews books as a certified professional reader for the New York Journal of Books Online.

Sinbad Sails Again is available from the publisher’s website: www.classactbooks.com, and also amazon

Review of Hunks to the Rescue–Breaking the Rules

Tags

anthology, best selling authors, new releases, romance

I thoroughly enjoyed this book of novellas which lives up to its name of Hunks to the Rescue.  The gents in these stories will keep your attention and libido on peak.  One of my favorites was Breaking the Rules by Katie O’Sullivan.  I liked the writing style. There were interesting turns of phrase that built both the character and the tone of the story.  Jake, the hero—an undercover cop—is quite the hunk coupled with a spunky heroine. I found O’Sullivan’s setting in detail in the restaurant trade refreshing and different.  I learned a bit about the hierarchy that achieves those beautifully presented dishes.  This romantic suspense is spicy and intriguing enough to please Abbie’s ideals. You can watch the hero Jake overcoming a few blots on his reputation, and you just get the feeling he’s a good cop—but not your average guy!  This book of novellas resided on my bedside table for a short time—I just couldn’t put the book down!