I am Simone Francis. I write very naughty erotic fiction in which my glamorous heroines find themselves subjected to all sorts of spankings, bondage and myriad of other fetishes. There is sex in my books, a lot of sex, but there are always bad guys and girls to overcome, trials to endure, and mysteries to solve as the gripping story carries you along. My short stories tell you tales of women caught up in erotic situations and reveling in new experiences.
All of my books and stories follow confident, sexy women who only completely submit when the right man – or woman – appears in their lives.
My first full length book has just been published by Black Velvet Seductions
Tell us about yourself.
I am approaching retirement age but not yet ready to be put out to grass. In the past I have run businesses including a photography studio and gallery. For the last twenty years I had a job which gave me the opportunity to travel around the UK. A lot of my work involved the public so I have had the chance to meet and observe all sorts of people. All good material for an aspiring writer.
When did you know you wanted to be an author?
Being an author crept up on me. I used to write articles to accompany photographs plus we produced photographs for several erotica and BDSM publishers. I decided to do an Open University degree in English Language and Creative Writing to improve my writing. I had just graduated from this when I was furloughed from my day job. I suddenly found I had a lot of time, so I set myself the target of actually finishing and submitting a book. I had written several unfinished manuscripts but, I read a publisher’s specifications for the type of book they were looking for and started The Bookshop from scratch. Two months later I submitted it and within forty-eight hours it was rejected. I resubmitted it to the next publishers and, fortunately, Black Velvet Seductions accepted it.
What genres do you like to read? Are these the same genres you write in?
To relax I read crime or thrillers. I find I can sit up until two in the morning reading just a couple more pages of a Lee Child or Boris Akunin book.
I read a lot of adult erotica, especially if it has a good and believable plot. Partially because this is the genre I write in and partially because I am always looking for tips as to how other authors describe sex scenes – and who doesn’t like a good naughty book.
When I was younger I used to read a lot of science fiction but now I like to read a lot of modern contemporary authors. I have missed bookshops being open as I like to pick up something interesting rather than have a website recommend forty-three other titles on the same theme.
Is your book for adults, young adults or children?
Definitely for adults.
What is your current release or project?
The Bookshop has just been released. It dives into underworld of the aristocracy in Edwardian London. I had to do a lot of research from the type of underwear people wore to the sexual mores of the time. I was not surprised to find that there were brothels where men went to be spanked, but was more intrigued to find there were also establishments where men went to spank women and also women to spank women. We might think that BDSM is a modern idea but it is just that it is more out in the open now. This is one reason I set The Bookshop in Edwardian times; I needed some of the characters to be secretive. Also, modern forensics would probably have solved some of the mysteries quite quickly.
Tell us about the key characters
The story is told almost exclusively from Amelia Slone’s point of view. Amelia is a bright, resourceful and daring young woman but her middle-class upbringing in Victorian Britain has meant that she has had very little experience of the world. Now she is twenty-four, it is the Edwardian era, and she is a widow. Her husband, an army officer, was killed in a distant part of the Empire two years ago. Despite having a couple of lovers she is very inexperienced, especially sexually, but willing to try anything once and do it again if she likes it.
Konrad von Schellenberg is from the Prussian aristocracy. I will not tell you too much about him as his character is revealed in the plot. Let’s just say he is good looking, a man of action – somewhere between an Edwardian James Bond and Erast Fandorin.
What is your blurb or synopsis of the book?
It’s 1908 and Amelia Slone is bored until her friend Frances disappears. The bookshop and the haughty, arrogant Prussian Konrad von Schellenberg are her only clues. Determined to find her friend, her search leads her into a world of sexual submission, kidnapping and murder that seethes just below the surface of Edwardian London. Desperate to find her friend, it seems romance will have to wait, or will the new passions awakened in her help her find love as well?
Share an excerpt
The room was sparsely furnished. A writing desk and chair stood under the window. Almost in the centre was a chaise longue upholstered in maroon velvet. Its left hand end was open and the right hand side curved up to a rolled arm.
‘You must be prepared for what you will face and what you will administer. Take off your skirt’
‘What?’ Amelia heard herself squawk.
‘Take off you skirt and bend over the back of that chaise longue,’ von Schellenberg said calmly.
‘To gain access to the order you must at least appear to be a disciple of discipline. In order to be a disciple you will need to have experienced it. Later we will train you in administering it. Now take off your skirt and bend over.’ His voice suddenly acquired a hard edged note.
Amelia unbuttoned her jacket and, folding it carefully placed it on the seat of the chaise. Her shirtwaist revealed her naked arms but leaving it on to at least preserve some modesty she unbuttoned her skirt and slid it down over her petticoat. She folded the skirt in half and then half again before placing it on top of the jacket. She turned to face von Schellenberg.
‘And the petticoats,’ he sighed.
Amelia obediently slid down her petticoats and began to carefully fold them.
‘When I give you an instruction I expect it to be obeyed immediately, with alacrity, do you understand?’ Von Schellenberg barked.
Amelia turned, deep within her a memory stirred. She had never been beaten on the behind at school but slaps across palms with rulers or canes had been common and she could remember the stinging pain. Now she could feel herself pouting like a naughty schoolgirl and she was aware that only her draws and chemise covered her lower half.
‘Remove your drawers.’
‘What,’ Amelia stuttered.
Von Schellenberg picked up a leather strop from the table beside him and tapped it almost silently across the palm of his left hand.
‘Your drawers,’ he said quietly.
Amelia untied the cord at her waist and slid the cotton drawers down thankful that her chemise hung down to mid-thigh level.
‘Turn around.’
Amelia complied; every movement slowed with anticipation as if the air around her had suddenly thickened into the consistency of oil. She realised that part of her mind was fearful of what was about to happen, but a small but growing part of her brain seemed to tingling with excitement. She had only witnessing a caning once at school. The girl had wriggled and screamed but the display had stirred something deep inside her. In the following days she had even found herself daydreaming of what it would be like to be in the girl’s place. Now as an adult it seemed that she was about to find out.
‘Raise your chemise and bent over onto the head of the chaise longue.
‘What! No.’ Amelia half turned towards von Schellenberg’s voice.
There was the merest swish and a crack. Amelia felt a stinging sensation across her rump.
‘Do as you are told girl.’
Amelia’s hand moved to the left cheek of her bottom. There was another crack as the strop contacted with the still exposed right cheek. Amelia scrabbled at the hem of her chemise and. pulling it up to her waist bent forward.
There was silence. She was acutely aware that her naked behind was now on view to a man she had only met a few days before.
Do you have a favorite scene?
Yes, well two. One where Amelia indulges in administering discipline for pleasure and begins to recognize her bisexual urges and the action scene at the end. I won’t say more as they are both integral to the plot.
What advice would you give a beginner?
Write every day and write about everything from what you had for breakfast to the vase of flowers on the table. Observe people and make notes. Remember a photographer can show what a scene looks like but only a writer can describe how it tastes, smells and how a character feels when they see it.
Ed Pacheco is a Dad, Husband and Entrepreneur. The idea of this story started about 20 years ago, while tucking his children into bed. His youngest daughter, recently completing elementary school prompted him to finish his work. In his spare time, Ed also does various charitable work in his community and in collaboration with his Masonic Brothers from Quittacus Lodge, in New Bedford, Massachusetts. He resides in Dartmouth, MA .
Tell us about yourself.
I’m a married dad of 6 daughters. A small business owner and a College student . I’ve been working on this book for over 20 years in 1 way or shape.
When did you know you wanted to be an author?
The idea of being an author for me was never a definitive idea, It’s been a matter of being since I was a child. I would always be scribbling some story other down to keep myself entertained.
What genres do you like to read? Are these the same genres you write in?
I like nonfiction, historical pieces . One of the books I read recently which i really enjoyed was Killing Patton. Great history piece. My first piece is obviously in the child lit genre, and I’m not sure I would step outside that box.
Is your book for adults, young adults or children?
This is a great Share book for kids and adults. Even if an older sibling wanted to read it to a younger one it would be very user friendly.
What is your current release or project?
Little Lamb Shenanigans drops for pre order April6 and Publishes May 6 on Amazon and Barnes and Noble .com.
Tell us about the key characters
The main character is Jenna Marie. She is a typical 9 year old girl, Smart, great in science and Math, caring, friendly , helpful. Her one issue is getting ready for bed at night. Such a procrastinator… Her parents , grandparents and sisters and cat are all really supporting cast here. lol She is the star.
What is your blurb or synopsis of the book?
Great Kid, Lousy bedtime routines. lol
Share an excerpt
Every child has a certain way that they get ready for bed at night. For some children, before bedtime, they take a bath or a shower and floss and brush their teeth. Some may spend some quiet time listening to music or saying their prayers. Others just race right to bed after they have been told 10 times that it is past their bedtime! However, it is almost a universal fact that most girls and boys love a bedtime story and to be tucked in. (At this point the story starts with the main character) This is a story about a little girl name Jenna Marie. During the day, Jenna is your usual little girl. She gets up in the morning, eats breakfast, gets dressed and even makes her own lunch, before leaving for school. That’s pretty impressive for only being 9 years old!( from here it rolls into story…
Do you have a favorite scene?
My favorite scene is when JM finds out a secret about her Dad. Her face is priceless and really reflects the innocence that kids have about their parents as children.
What advice would you give a beginner?
Lots of things. First, Join the IBPA. They are such a great resource for new writers. I met my publishing assistant and illustrator through them . Do not compromise on your standards for expediency.
Social media links:
Facebook TheRealEdPacheco
TwitterThe Real Ed Pacheco (Ed Pacheco 20)
Instagram TheRealEdPacheco
Other Fuzzybearpress.com/Therealedpacheco@gmail.com
Janice Tremayne is an Amazon bestselling and award-winning ghost and supernatural writer. Janice is a finalist in the Readers’ Favorite 2020 International Book Awards in Fiction-Supernatural.
She is an emerging Australian author who lives with her family in Melbourne. Her recent publication, Haunting in Hartley, reached number one on the Amazon kindle ranking for Occult, Supernatural, and Ghosts and Haunted Houses categories, for hot new releases and bestsellers.
Janice is well-versed in her cultural superstitions and how they influence daily life and customs. She has developed a passion and style for writing ghost and supernatural novels for new adult readers.
The concept of writing the Haunting Clarisse series was spawned over a cup of coffee many years ago, and she has not looked back since. Her books contain heart-thumping, bone-chilling, and thought-provoking ghost and paranormal experiences that deliver a new twist to every tale.
Tell us about yourself.
Janice is an emerging Australian author who lives with her family in Melbourne. Her recent publication, Haunting in Old Tailem reached number one on the Amazon kindle ranking for Occult, Supernatural, and Ghosts and Haunted Houses categories, for hot new releases and bestsellers.
Janice is a finalist in the Readers’ Favorite 2020 International Book Awards in fiction-supernatural and was awarded the distinguished favorite prize for paranormal horror at the New York City Big Book Awards 2020.
Janice is well-versed in her cultural superstitions and how they influence daily life and customs. She has developed a passion and style for writing ghost and supernatural novels for new adult readers. Her books contain heart-thumping, bone-chilling, and thought-provoking ghost and paranormal experiences that deliver a new twist to every tale.
When did you know you wanted to be an author?
I have always wanted to be an author. As a child, I always enjoyed writing short stories and I had a vivid imagination. Later on, in life, my work career and family took over and it left me with hardly any time to think about writing. I started writing professionally 18 months ago when I took a break from work. I completed a writing course and refined my craft by writing a series of supernatural suspense novels.
What genres do you like to read? Are these the same genres you write in?
I like to read horror stories and particularly those with a religious bent or undertone. The DaVinci Code and The Exorcist are some good examples and books by Stephen King. Because of my profession previously I also read business books on self-help and improvement for example.
Is your book for adults, young adults or children?
My books are for adults; however, I would categorize it as ‘new adult’ in terms of audience. Having said that, some of my best fans are older and retired people.
What is your current release or project?
I am working on a new suspense thriller series (The Zack Bolder Suspense Thrillers) Each book is set in a real Australian ghost town and I study the history of the town before I start writing.
Tell us about the key characters
The key character in the series is Clarisse. She is a brave and inquisitive spirit hunter that has been blessed with supernatural talents at a young age. The only problem is that demons and ghosts know about her abilities and follow her around. In every book, she encounters a new ghost town, another demon entity and a battle for supremacy.
What is your blurb or synopsis of the book?
An Australian ghost town. A resident demon and a local Shaman. A confrontation with evil awaits.
Clarisse realizes that running from evil is not a bad idea until she figures out you can’t hide. When some ghosts get tired of hanging around, they latch onto you. At the centre of the war on evil is a historic Church that carries dark secrets within its walls. After she meets with the local Shaman, Clarisse discovers secrets with evil consequences by digging too deep into the town’s past. When matters become complicated, she visits a circus of young performers on the outskirts of town triggering unexpected paranormal events and unleashing memories of a one-hundred-year curse. After being caught in the crossfire of a battle for evil supremacy, Clarisse confronts Little Charlie as he rallies the town’s ghosts into an impeccable evil stronghold.
Can the local Shaman and townsfolk rally in her quest to defeat the evil incarnate or will the town succumb to Little Charlie and his evil crew?
Haunting in Old Tailem is the third book of the Haunting Clarisse Series. If you like spine-tingling, chilling, creepy and spooky supernatural thrillers, then you will love this story by 2020 USA Readers’ Favorite International Book Awards Finalist in Supernatural Fiction, Janice Tremayne.
Share an excerpt
She heard a flurry of steps run across the graveyard as stones flicked off the ground and crushed, dried-out weeds propelled into the air. Tiny steps that she had encountered once before—in Hartley. Was it Little Charlie?
Then another ominous sound. Children laughing and giggling while the faint sound of a circus tune played in the background. Da, da, da, da, da …
She immediately turned around to find four children, each one standing next to an unmarked grave.
One little girl, no more than ten years old, with a black ponytail, knee-high cotton socks, and a white frilled dress, played with her hula hoop. She swung it around in motion and with the equilibrium of an expert. She smiled as her, dark eyes with thick, black eyeliner resonating toward Clarisse.
Next to her was a young boy, no more than eight years old, playing hopscotch between two graves. His knee-length shorts, long socks, and blood-stained shirt, held up by suspenders, were ragged and worn out. He looked like he had been in a terrible accident and dragged across the ground, oblivious to any pain. While playing hopscotch, he balanced three small balls in the air like a juggler, quite a trick and well-coordinated.
Next to him was Little Charlie, sitting on a gravestone with his rope lassoed and legs crossed. He swung his lasso repeatedly and flung it toward an empty can as his target. He liked showing off his prowess to Clarisse, even though he couldn’t say any words, throwing his hands up in the air each time he conquered his target.
Another girl, albeit younger than the first, stood behind Little Charlie on an unmarked grave. She was wearing a crimson dress with frills and brown, country-style boots. Her dress was tainted red in parts from bloodstains, and her face was white as snow. It accentuated the eyeliner around her black eyes and sculptured face. She tilted her head slightly to the side as her red hair was tossed around in the slight breeze while holding a Raggedy Ann doll next to her face. She looked directly at Clarisse, smiling while caressing the doll.
The Raggedy Ann doll smiled one thoughtful expression, blinked its right eye two times rapidly, and then nodded before going back to its original posture
Do you have a favorite scene?
My favourite scene is the first chapter because it sets the context for the book. It a powerful ghost scene inside a Church in the town of Old Tailem. Here the protagonists confront the evil for the first time and there is an interaction between them.
What advice would you give a beginner? My first advice is to learn about book marketing if you are going to self-publish. I wrote my first book in the series without understanding a clue about establishing a readership or following, building a newsletter and how to market the book in the context of a series. How to establish which genre or subgenre to write, editing, book covers…the list goes on. You will save lots of money by not making expensive mistakes and have an established plan.
Violet Fox is a lover of foxes and the colour purple…
When she’s not writing about werewolves, vampires, and faeries, she can be found watching cute fox videos online, or drinking a ridiculous amount of tea and coffee.
Tell us about yourself.
I am an author from Liverpool in the UK, and currently I am working on my series Fae Incarcerated under Violet Fox. Under K.L. Rymer, I have written Merlin’s Supernatural Academy, and under Kaylee Rymer, I’ve written Her Ugly Monster, a Beauty and the Beast retelling.
When did you know you wanted to be an author?
When I was 12. I made a book out of treasury tags once and a hole puncher, and starting writing a fairytale about a mermaid.
What genres do you like to read? Are these the same genres you write in?
Yes, I love paranormal romance, fantasy romance and young adult. But I do read in a variety of genres.
Is your book for adults, young adults or children?
Fae Incarcerated is for adults since it has some steamy scenes. Merlin’s Supernatural Academy can be read by older teens, and her Ugly Monster can be read by teens.
What is your current release or project?
I try to aim for every 6 to 8 weeks at the most.
Tell us about the key characters
The key characters in Fae Incarcerated are Gossamer, Levington, Conan, and Drystan. It’s a reverse harem with a fae, a vampire, and a werewolf. Since I liked reading about all three, I wasn’t sure which supernatural race I wanted to write about first, so I just decided to create a harem with all three.
What is your blurb or synopsis of the book?
Here is the blurb below…
Want to hear a joke? A fae, a werewolf, and a vampire walk into a bar…
Well, it turns out I’ve forgotten the rest of the joke, but do not despair. My life has become one big joke right now, and I’ve got the pretty gossamer wings to prove it.
There I was on the streets, stealing whatever I could get my hands on so I could feed my sister, and then I was arrested and sent to Fairborn Reform for Unruly Fae.
Fairborn is the last stop before prison. Fae of all kind are given a second chance to become upstanding citizens for a bunch of mean vampires who think they’re better than us. To make matters worse, the school is run by a vampire jerk by the name of Levington Straus, along with his broody werewolf companion Conan Grey.
But when I meet Drystan Wildflower, a rebel fae who plans to free the school, my hopes are lifted. With Drystan’s help, maybe I can escape and reunite with my little sister.
That’s if I don’t do something stupid first, like falling in love with the dean and his grumpy werewolf companion. Oh, and don’t forget to add a pretty rebel fae to the mix too.
Yeah, I’m doomed.
Share an excerpt
Dean Levington proceeds with his boring lecture, and all the while I can feel Bryony’s probing gaze.
She’s out for my blood, just like someone else I know.
At least she’s not looking at the dean right now, who’s breathing a cloud of sparkling faery dust.
Wait. That’s my faery dust.
It spreads from his mouth like a contagion, and now the dean throws a hand over his mouth, muttering, “Shit…”
People start whispering, turning my way. I try to hide under my desk, wishing I could die or something.
I guess it’s true what they say about glitter. It does get everywhere.
Hooded Girl seems to be pleased with me, however. So for that, I’m proud. I just don’t know what I’m supposed to be proud of.
So Levington has my faery dust inside his lungs? Big deal.
Bryony seems to think it’s a big deal, and once again she looks as if she wants to vanquish me.
“Fuck!” the dean snaps, and it looks as if he’ll have to get a surgical facemask lest he wants to spread my glitter everywhere.
With his hand pressed to his mouth and nose, he turns to the class. “I guess class is dismissed. I seem to be exuding some strange, sparkling substance…”
He sweeps out of the room, and the class falls absolutely silent. No one knows what to do. We all just remain in our seats.
Suddenly, the class breaks into a round of applause, cheering and hooting like a pack of wild chimpanzees, and now they all congratulate me.
Despite my embarrassment, I smile.
Have I just surpassed phase two?
…
I have no idea why my feet urge me. After all, they’re taking me in the direction of the dean’s office.
For some reason, I felt compelled to check on him.
Conan must be wandering the halls looking for me but who cares. I have a vampire to look for.
I’m not sure why, but I feel a little guilty about making a fool out of him in front of class. It’s his fault after all. He was the one who decided to prey on me in the first place, and now he’s breathing my faery dust.
Still, it can’t be good for his lungs.
What am I saying? He’s the monster who threatened to hurt my little sister; he deserves everything he’s about to get.
I arrive at his office, taking a few moments to compose myself. If I can just turn back now and go and find Conan, then I can forget all about this and let that monster suffer alone with my faery dust.
Yet why do I knock on his door?
“It’s open…” a dark voice comes from inside, and I shiver.
There’s just something off-putting about that voice, but at the same time, it’s… inviting. Now I’m finally starting to understand why women fall prey to these beasts.
They exude sexuality. It’s in their DNA.
Slowly, I enter the room, and a gasp leaves me instantly. My glitter hovers through the air like dust motes. It settles on bookshelves, and on the dean’s shiny desk.
The vampire stands before the window, silhouetted against the light like a shadow. I blink.
How is he not bursting into flames? That’s daylight. It’s bad for vamps, right? All I can see of him is his gleaming red eyes, and every fiber in my body is telling me to run.
It’s a predator after all. It’s dangerous.
But when I see that venom dripping from his pointed fangs, I let out a small, helpless moan, and my body betrays me.
I gush inside my panties, hating myself for being turned on by a vampire of all things.
They’re monsters. His venom could kill me!
The dean hisses, breathing out a cloud of faery dust, and then he shoots across the room. He presses me against the door, and those dripping fangs are inches from my face.
My wings flippity-flap behind me as he crushes me with his body, and he really is strong. One snap and I could break.
Yet the thought only delights me further, and now I throw my head back, offering him my neck.
I will surely regret this tomorrow, but deep down I know I have won. After all, his breath is warm on my neck, and vampires are cold-blooded.
It seems I’ve changed the very essence of this beast.
Do you have a favorite scene?
The scene above. It was the moment I started to see the attraction between the two characters, Gossamer and Levington. I had a crazy idea about a vampire falling for a faery and, well, I decided to write it. I was worried it would come across cheesy and stupid, but so far, I’ve received good feedback.
What advice would you give a beginner?
The only way to get through writers block is to just write. Sounds hard, but it’s the only way to beat it I’ve found. At the end, you’ve overcome a block and written something, even if it’s not the best. You can always edit it when your brain is in a better state.
And just write your ideas, even if they seem dumb. Someone may enjoy them too, you never know.
For three decades, I was a university professor who taught classes and wrote textbooks on “nerdy” subjects centering on computer systems in healthcare.
But a decade ago, informed by my experience in a male-dominated area, I started my practice as a leadership coach to help women break the glass ceiling and fulfill their leadership and economic potential. Consequently, during the past ten years, I transitioned from writing textbooks to motivational books on creating environments where people flourish through better leadership.
About a year ago, I was on a conference call discussing concepts of what makes a fulfilling life with fellow life coaches. Bang! Like a thunderclap, I had an insight. What would it be like to help people understand the concepts of a flourishing life in a story instead of through a motivational book or text? After all, I thought, storytelling has been the most compelling form of communication for thousands of years. As far as I could recall, none of the great prophets fed up learning objectives and multiple-choice questions to their followers. No! They got their message across through stories.
Motivational books and textbooks give frameworks, theories, and ideas, but they don’t immerse us in the human experience. They don’t show us how others face challenges, embrace their passions, overcome sorrow, celebrate achievement, quash self-doubts, develop positive emotions and relationships, handle betrayal, or act on aspirations.
Storytelling ignites our imagination and emotion. We experience being part of the story rather than being served up a platter of facts, exercises, and information.
This eye-opener was enough for me to take on the challenge of novel writing. My passion is to help people catapult beyond concepts and theories and jump into the wonderment of imagination in designing a flourishing life for themselves. Storytelling does this best.
Happily, as a fiction writer, I have jettisoned learning objectives and test questions. Ah…the freedom makes me feel as light as a balloon on a summer breeze.
Tell us about yourself.
I like to view myself from the perspective of the constellation of positive strengths that impact my behaviors and how I feel and think. My calling has been to devote my personal and professional life to help people fulfill their potential and be their best selves. Beyond my work as a college professor, life coach, and small business owner, I’ve taken my calling and applied it to writing women’s fiction. I like to write about the human experience, showing readers how ordinary people tackle challenges, live through sorrow and betrayal, struggle with doubt, and act on their aspirations to achieve flourishing lives. I hope that stories help my readers be their best selves too.
When did you know you wanted to be an author?
My first recollection of writing fiction was when I was about ten years old. What inspired that effort was a picture that hung in the dining room of my parents’ home. It was a moon-lit lake scene that screamed out that mystery lurked among the shadows cast from the trees on the shoreline. At the time, like most young girls in the 1950s, I was into Nancy Drew books. So, my first attempt at fiction involved some type of scary adventure along the shores of a secluded lake. Although I had minor attempts at writing short stories in high school, my fiction writing career was interrupted by authoring nonfiction works related to my career in health information systems and leadership.
What genres do you like to read? Are these the same genres you write in?
Although I enjoy reading mysteries and biographies, my favorite genre is women’s fiction and nonfiction. I love women’s diaries and letters, published and unpublished. A sampling of women’s nonfiction on my bookshelf: Letters of a Woman Homesteader by Elinor Pruitt Stewart, Army Letters from an Officer’s Wife 1871-1881 by Frances M.A. Roe, Covered Wagon Women, Diaries and Letters from the Western Trails, 1850, and Women’s Diaries of the Westward Journey by Lillian Schlissel. One of the favorite women’s historical fiction I’ve read the past year is My Dear Hamilton by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie.
Is your book for adults, young adults or children?
At first, I thought Blackhorse Road was for adult women. However, my Beta readers and the feedback I’m getting from readers say that the story is for everyone age fifteen and older. The following is an email I received from a grandmother who read the book with her seventeen-year-old granddaughter:
“I’ve been wanting to get back to you to tell you how much my granddaughter enjoyed your book. We’ve had a little time to discuss it, and I know that she especially enjoyed the fact that the main character was a young woman – strong-willed, like my granddaughter, dealing with a difficult parent, falling in love. She has passed it on to one of her friends.”
And a grandfather wrote: “Blackhorse Road should be required reading by every teenage boy and girl and the parents of every teenage boy and girl. Blackhorse Road not only entertains, it teaches. It shows how beautiful and how special young love can be, what true friendship is and the importance of having supportive friends, that setbacks in life can be overcome . . .”
What is your current release or project?
The current release (2020) is Blackhorse Road. My focus in writing fiction is to tell a story of a protagonist’s journey toward a fulfilled self and flourishing life. I introduce strong secondary characters that are as memorable as the protagonist, and the villain must be a worthy opponent—no sissies or milk toasts for my heroes!
Tell us about the key characters
As I wrote the story, I formed a relationship with all the characters in Blackhorse Road. I was amazed at how the characters surprised me as they evolved from my computer keyboard. I found myself challenging them with questions. Luci, you did what? What were you thinking, Chris? Berry, that was heavy! Sean, you were brilliant! Marie, how could you go so low? I also fell in love with characters I would never have anticipated, and I was unpredictably torn between love interests—pure satisfaction that made me smile as the words tumbled across the computer screen!
The character who fascinated me the most is the protagonist’s mother, Marie, who is the most complicated. There is a mystery about Marie that engaged my developmental editor and my beta readers as well as myself. In the focus group with my beta readers, Marie is the character that took up the most space and intensity of the discussion. She fell on the extremes of the spectrum between compassion and disgust.
Several of the characters stole a piece of my heart—I call them Luci’s informal therapists and guardian angels. These are Lucinda, Sam, Barry, the gang of Nerds, Chris, and Genevieve. It’s often said that it takes a village to . . . . These characters are Luci’s village. I hope that my readers don’t just read how Luci grows, but, through the help of the supporting cast, feel and see her maturation as she faces her life’s challenges.
What is your blurb or synopsis of the book?
It’s the turbulent mid-1960s, and Luci, an eighteen-year-old Southern California girl, is on the quest for self-determination and new beginnings. Three powerful forces influence her values: the grit of her Irish great-grandmother, Lucinda McCormick; the philosophy of choice of her father, Sam; and the 1960s ideals of equity and altruism. But potent foes thwart Luci at every turn. Her budding romance with a handsome United States Air Force Academy cadet sets the stage for conflict and deception that last for two decades. When Luci discovers how her autonomy and love affair were hijacked, she struggles with anger and bitterness. But from a surprising source, she finds a forgiveness path that restores her well-being and hope and, in the end, faith in herself.
Share an excerpt
Prologue
The cranky engine revved as the driver shifted gears, and the military bus crawled forward exiting the Air Force base. Along a narrow and dark roadway, the vehicle increased its speed and left the MPs at the gate standing immobile and mute in the glow of the rising moon. Drifting through the open windows the Southern California desert air blew like pixie dust across the faces of the thirty young women who were headed home. A few hours ago, they were preening and adjusting their bouffant hairdos, reapplying creamy pink lipstick, and placing the last twirls of mascara on their eyelashes preparing for a street dance with cadets from the elite Air Force Academy. Then, the atmosphere buzzed with gossip, chatter, laughter, and anticipation. Now, the glimmering night sky created the perfect backdrop to lull each into a contented silence to fanaticize about the handsome men they had met.
Luci Bartolino closed her eyes and rested her head against the vehicle’s window frame. As the driver navigated the empty highway, the herbal desert smells floating on the dry air wafted into Luci’s thoughts. June 10, 1966. Like the transformation of a cocoon to a butterfly, the routine day had metamorphized into an enchanted evening leaving Luci feeling like Cinderella. Although the night heat permeated the bus, emotional chills skipped across Luci’s arms and neck as she daydreamed of the cadet with the electric blue eyes. She sighed, and a smile of wonderment and gratitude danced across her face. Thank you, Lucinda McCormick, for giving me the courage to conquer my self-doubt.
Do you have a favorite scene?
One of my favorite scenes is when Luci transitions from her “black moment” and allows herself to forgive a grave transgression that caused her to lose something precious that she can never recapture. Forgiveness and mercy are not my top strengths! So, to write about forgiveness, I had to go beyond writing about what I know. I needed to know about what I wrote—and that meant doing a lot of research on what forgiveness is and what it is not. In the end, Luci taught me so much about forgiveness, and to give readers a hint, I’m happy to share the following scene from the book, modified a little to not give the story away. Hopefully, it will help others struggling with forgiveness too.
I keep asking myself, what is forgiveness? Forgiveness is not pardoning. It is not overlooking or justifying someone’s transgression and the hurt his actions caused. I am relieved that I don’t have to condone, excuse, reconcile, or even forget his behavior to forgive him. What is forgiveness . . . forgiveness is choosing to reject resentment and embrace compassion.
What advice would you give a beginner?
When I started writing fiction, I took two pieces of advice before pounding the keyboard—write about what you know and know what you write. Blackhorse Road blossoms from my imagination and is influenced by my experience, perspectives, and observations to give the story authenticity and sensitivity, helping readers connect with the characters and feel their joy, disappointment, sorrow, and happiness.
But Blackhorse Road is enriched by the backstories that set the context for the characters and events in the story—historical incidents, politics, economics, philosophy, religion, and psychology that influence the values of the characters and ultimately the consequences of their actions. I uncover these backstories from usual fact-checking and readily available historical references to know about what I write. The sources that I like best to enhance my novel’s pallet are diaries and letters and mementos from special events such as graduations, weddings, and funerals. These provide a personal perspective to establish a context that helps form a relationship with the reader.
Bestselling Author Bernadette Marie is known for building families readers want to be part of. Her series The Keller Family has graced bestseller charts since its release in 2011. Since then she has authored and published over thirty-five books. The married mother of five sons promises romances with a Happily Ever After always…and says she can write it because she lives it.
Obsessed with the art of writing and the business of publishing, chronic entrepreneur Bernadette Marie established her own publishing house, 5 Prince Publishing, in 2011 to bring her own work to market as well as offer an opportunity for fresh voices in fiction to find a home as well.
When not immersed in the writing/publishing world, Bernadette Marie and her husband are shuffling their five hockey playing boys around town to practices and games as well as running their family business. She is a lover of a good stout craft beer and might have an unhealthy addiction to chocolate.
Tell us about yourself.
I am the happily married mother of five sons. An entrepreneurial spirit controls me, as I have been in business for myself since I was twenty. I am a publisher, an author, and of course I have two other businesses, because like I said, the entrepreneurial spirit controls me.
When did you know you wanted to be an author?
When I was thirteen, I began writing letters in a spiral notebook with my friends. We would pass it around during classes. The unique part to it was that we wrote as characters. Eventually, after having fallen in love with mini-series that were based on books, I thought I could take the letters my character wrote and I could write a book. This was my passion for the next twenty-seven years—writing that story, even submitting it when I was sixteen.
What genres do you like to read? Are these the same genres you write in?
Aside from contemporary romances, which is my favorite, I enjoy reading biographies and paranormals. I write in contemporary romance.
Is your book for adults, young adults or children?
Adults
What is your current release or project?
Kennedy Devereaux is the first book in my new family saga series, The Devereaux Family. Each book follows one of the siblings and is named for that character.
Tell us about the key characters
Kennedy is entrepreneurial as well. The ownerof a fashion boutique, she loves all things pink and feminine. But, don’t let the pink fool you. She’s a strong and independent woman.
What is your blurb or synopsis of the book?
Kennedy Devereaux, owner of Kennedy Devereaux Designs, is a sight to behold in her signature pink colors, accented with custom designed jewelry. Intriguing enough that Joel Kingsley, the man building the new business next door, can’t help but keep coming around, just to get to know the woman in the designer clothes. He finds she’s not such a mystery, and his charm easily wins her over–until she finds that he’s forgotten to let her in on the secrets of his past.
Share an excerpt
Pink doors, crystal light fixtures, white shelves. Joel cupped his hands around his eyes to get a better look at the feminine interior of the store he stood in front of. Kennedy Devereaux Designs, the lettering on the door said. Costume jewelry, purses, and a few pieces of clothing were elegantly displayed on uncluttered shelves. He could see a small sitting area toward the back of the store with white chairs on a plush pink rug.
When he stepped back from the door, he inhaled. Could he even smell the store and all of its femininity?
“Can I help you?” A soft voice had him turning to see a woman, as feminine as the store, standing behind him.
She was the smell—sweet and floral. Soft golden hair framed a delicate face, and her lipstick matched the soft pastel pink of the doors he’d been looking through. Sharp blue eyes watched him as he stared at her.
Joel Kingsley was no idiot around women, but this one seemed to render him speechless.
“We don’t open for an hour, but if you’re looking for something specific, I could help you with that,” she said as if to wake him from the trance that he’d fallen into.
“Sorry,” he said, tucking his fingers into the front pockets of his jeans. “I was just looking in the window. New to the neighborhood and wanted to check out who else was here.”
“New to the neighborhood? You just moved in?”
Joel nodded to the building next door. “New business neighbor.”
The woman looked past him to the old building which had once been the post office, then was broken down into retail businesses. They were about to reopen the space and make it grand again.
“You’re putting a business in the building next door? Which part?”
“All of it,” he said rocking back on his heels. “We’re gutting it and starting fresh. When we pulled back the dry wall on the north wall, we even uncovered all the old mailboxes. They’d just walled them up.”
Her eyes were wide. “You’ll be doing a lot of construction?”
“Of course. Ideally now is when we’d like to be opening. Spring and summer are great times for this kind of business. But permits took a lot longer to pull than we’d imagined. We’d like to be open by August at the latest, but with construction, you just never know what can happen.”
A line formed between her brows. “You’ll have crews here all day?”
And then it hit him. She was worried about what that was going to do to her business—the soft pink, feminine business that happened just beyond those doors under crystal lights. Joel looked down the street. Her neighbors included an antique shop, florist, holistic healing, and a bakery on the end cap. Something told him he was going to be met with the same lack of sensitivity from each of them as well.
But his father always taught him to keep to his convictions. He believed in what he was doing, and nothing was going to stop him. So, he was going to inconvenience people for a while, but he was also about to bring in three times the number of customers to the quaint little square.
Holding out his hand he began to introduce himself. “Joel Kingsley.”
The woman hesitantly took his hand and shook it. Her nail polish matched the door and her lipstick.
He’d expected a weak little shake, but he got a full on business handshake, and it lit something inside him.
“Kennedy Devereaux.”
“Kennedy Devereaux Designs, that’s you.”
“Of course it is.”
Do you have a favorite scene?
I think my favorite scene is the one I shared where Joel meets Kennedy. The set up of femininity was fun to create, and her use of Kennedy Pink is my favorite.
What advice would you give a beginner? Never give up. Never quit writing. Don’t over edit. Make sure if you are going traditional, research the agents and publishers first. Make sure they are trustworthy. Also, make sure you know what they are looking for. As a publisher, most rejections happen because the author never read our guidelines. If Independent Publishing is in your future, find an excellent content editor. Put out quality work, and you’ll have more success.
George Milton is the CEO of Failure Is Not The Problem, LLC, a consulting company that specializes in leadership development and training, life coaching, and motivational speaking. He is a United States Army Retired, Colonel who has over 30 years of experience as an internationally known Communicator, Coach, Mentor, Trainer Intuitive Counselor, Teacher, Inspirational Speaker, TV Co-Host and Author. George connects with people of all ages on all levels. He is a former University Assistant Professor who has extensive experience working with the federal government but also has a tremendous background in working within city government and community organizations. In his role as a Senior Staff Officer at European Command in Stuttgart, Germany he routinely briefed and spoke with Ambassadors. He has experience speaking to and training foreign government officials and delivering oration to foreign public entities. As the Division Chief of the Civil Partnership Division, at European Command, he led on an annual basis, a group of staff members to Oxford University, in Oxford, England on a two week trip to study and learn how to properly” Partner” with civilian agencies in support of military organizations.
George Milton’s straight-from-the-heart, passion and high-energy, motivates audiences to step beyond their limitations and into their greatness in many ways. Over the past decade, George has used his role from keynote speaker to Master Trainer, creating the kind of workshop learning experience that got him committed to personal-and-professional development. His charisma, warmth and humor have transformed ordinary people into extraordinary achievers by using his own life, and his in-depth study of others’ challenges, to build an understanding of what works, what doesn’t work, and why.
He is a Certified Trainer in Success Principles, successfully completing the competency examination, and adoption of the Canfield Code of Ethics.
When did you know you wanted to be a writer?
I’ve always wanted to be a writer, but it really became clear that I had a strong desire to write when I was working on my first master’s degree. I was assigned to write a story on the birth of Jesus; Mary and Joseph from a modern perspective.
What genre do you write and why?
Motivational/Inspirational/Leadership. I have spent most of my adult life as a leader, coach, mentor, trainer and in these roles, I have been able to help people become strong and effective leaders. For me it’s all about helping people become all that they are meant to be in their lives.
Tell us about your latest book.
My latest book is entitled, Failure Is Not The Problem, It’s The Beginning Of Your Success. It’s all about changing a person’s mindset to understand failure is simply an experience. I engage and challenge the reader to embrace failure as the greatest resource to get her/him from where they are to where they are meant to be, on their way to becoming successful. During my research I found out that most people hate to even broach the topic of failure. Therefore, in conjunction with my book, I wrote a workbook and a journal to help ease as well as introduce my readers to the topic of failure and the positive aspects, rather than the negative expectations of failure.
My name is Ina Carter. I was born in Europe and moved to the US in my early twenties. I live in California with my husband, two kids, and one rescue cat named Rose. I graduated from college with a degree in Psychology and Social Studies, and later when my kids were born, I went back to school to study Graphic Design. I always had a creative side, and writing was part of it. I started writing as a teenager, but for many years it was just a hobby. This year I finally made the decision to share two of my novels with the world. Both Crimson Snow and my romantic comedy Big Gray were released in May 2020 through Amazon KDP publishing. I am still finding my way as an independent author and trying to navigate the marketing side of promoting my books.
When did you know you wanted to be an author?
My first published work was a love poem I wrote when I was eleven. My sixth-grade teacher caught me scribbling verses in class and not paying attention to his lecture. He “confiscated” my notebook, and the next day told me I had a talent, based on the creative essays I wrote for his class and the poems in my journal. He encouraged me to submit my work to a young writer’s magazine, but I was too shy to give it a try. He submitted one of my poems behind my back, and to my shock, the magazine published it. It didn’t go well with my parents, who were strict and conservative, and didn’t think writing about my first crush was an age-appropriate subject. Even though I didn’t follow my dream when I was a teenager, I collected ideas that I wanted to put on paper one day. I write in multiple genres, but to this day, romance is my favorite. To me, Love is the strongest force in the Universe.
What genres do you like to read? Are these the same genres you write in?
I’ve always been an avid reader, and I read books in all genres. As a kid, I devoured all of Mark Twain’s and Alexandre Duma’s books and spend hours in the library engrossed in the fantasy worlds created by Tolkien, Isaac Asimov, and Alexander Belyayev. I still enjoy a good fantasy and paranormal story and read the whole “Game of Thrones” series, as well as all Charlaine Harris and J.R. Ward’s books. I also love comedy, and to this day, my favorite authors are P. G Wodehouse and Kurt Vonnegut. I discovered my love for romance through the novels of Nicholas Sparks and Nora Roberts. Those are epic love stories, centered on the premise of long-lasting love, and are not about relationships based purely on physical attraction.
I try not to read too much in the genre I am writing because you can always tell if an author reads too much romance. My book ideas come from personal experiences, and I don’t follow the market trends. Staying somewhat detached from the popular books in my genre is a way to maintain certain originality to my plotlines and stick to my own writing style without unintentionally copying some fellow author’s ideas.
Is your book for adults, young adults or children?
Crimson Snow is a New Adult novel, but it’s not typical for the genre. Adults would love it too, considering it has a literary feel, and my two young protagonists are intelligent and mature for being in their early twenties.
What is your current release or project?
I am currently in the editing stages of my next novel, “The roots of Love.” It’s a follow up on “Crimson Snow,” and it tells the story of one of my secondary characters from the first book – Liam Tanner. I am also half-way through the rough draft of the second book from my romantic comedy “In the dark.” My next release is coming in early 2021 and is a new paranormal romance series. The first book is called “The Sodalis Prince” and is in the final editing stages.
Tell us about the key characters
The main characters in Crimson Snow are Lauren Wilcox (who used to be Julie when she was a missing child) and Kevin Tanner.
Julie grew up in a trailer park in rural Texas, and when she was eight years old discovered that her mother stole her from the hospital as a baby, and she was returned to her biological parents. They were rich but cold and distant people and never accepted her as part of their family. They changed her name to Lauren, which was the name they gave her when she was born. Lauren became a rebellious teenager and ran away from home when she was sixteen. For years she suffered from PTSD because of the trauma she experienced as a child, and her only mission in life was to find the little boy from her childhood – Kevin, who she believed then was her half-brother. Kevin disappeared without a trace, and twelve years later, Lauren found him by pure coincidence, only to realize that he is now a popular athlete in the college he went to.
Kevin also had a painful childhood. His mother abandoned him when he was only one year old, and he was raised by his abusive alcoholic father. When he met his half-sister Julie, she became his best friend and the center of his small world. The two of them hid from their miserable life in the library, and from the books they read, they found out what lies outside their small town. When Julie was taken away, Kevin’s life changed when he was adopted by his high-school baseball coach at age fifteen. He took his adoptive family last name Tanner, and this is why Lauren never found him.
Crimson Snow wove together the past and the present of the two heroes and follows the development of their relationship after they are reunited twelve years later. It’s a story about the many forms of love you can feel for one person and how the two heroes overcome their painful past.
What is your blurb or synopsis of the book?
The Greeks had seven words for LOVE. I felt all of them for ONE MAN…
My name is Lauren, and I was a stolen baby. They found me in a trailer park in rural Texas when I was eight years old. My childhood wasn’t perfect, but then I had Kevin. He was my everything…
When they returned me to my biological parents, we were torn apart. My new family desperately tried to fix me, make me forget him… My father kept me on a short leash and controlled every aspect of my life. The one thought keeping me afloat was to find Kevin, but he vanished without a trace.
I searched for him for twelve years, but the man I found was not the boy I lost. He is a college baseball star, tattooed, moody, and dark… And he hates me.
Can Kevin help me defeat my demons, or does he have too many of his own?
Share an excerpt (up to 800 words).
“The Greeks had seven words for Love, Laurie. And somehow, I know I’ll experience all of them with you… Philautia is the only selfish love and for a long time I didn’t love myself. When I doubted myself, I remembered you, and how you used to look at me. To you, I was a giant, someone who could move mountains and conquer dragons. Even now, you look at me the same way, and I feel stronger in your hands, and want to be a better man…”
He was telling me things that were making my heart hammer in my chest, but at the same time, his fingers were burning fire on my skin, because with every button he undid, he caressed the skin underneath. Kevin was seducing me with his words, and I was melting under his fingers.
“When we were kids, my love for you was Philia – a brotherly love, that innocent feeling you have for a friend. It might have been platonic, but just because you are small doesn’t mean your capacity to love is less. In fact, a child’s love is unbridled, unconditional, the purest form of emotion I can think of… And you and I will always have that… To this day, I feel Philia for you, and I always will.”
Kevin then leaned and placed a kiss over his name on my chest, leaving an imprint more permanent than the engraving on my skin.
“Philia, baby, is also the love of the mind, and it is what makes us feel safe in each other’s presence. With you, I am not afraid to share any of my struggles, and you freed me. I carried so much pain internally, but you took it away…”
….. He moved away to look at me, and his nostrils flared with the big intake of breath he took. The way he looked at me was like a physical touch, like a scorching caress of fingers leaving marks everywhere. I saw myself through Kevin’s eyes, and there was no doubt in my mind that at this moment, I was beautiful. I understood what gave confidence to a woman – it was the man who looked at her like Kevin was looking at me.
“What I am feeling right now, babe. This is called Eros. You have always been the most beautiful girl I’ve seen, but now… This is how I want to remember you the day I have to leave this world. Because you are exquisite. I wish I had flirted with you, experienced Ludus – that easy playful love when you slowly fall for someone, but like everything with you, it was intense and not easy. Ludus is fun love, and maybe we can do that later, when I don’t want you so desperately that I hurt. On that day when I saw you dancing in the kitchen, I felt not Thunder, Lauren. It was like a meteor that struck the earth and shattered me. I wanted to kiss you so badly, to consume you… Maybe that’s why I didn’t talk to you for a while because I needed time to sort my feelings. It was never innocent for me. When I touched you – I burned, when I held you to me, I had to cover the fact that I was hard as a rock. After the first night I laid with you in your bed, I had to stay away because I was not able to control myself. Right now, I am at the end of my wits, prolonging the torture because I am afraid, I’ll frighten you with my need and the thing I want to do to you…”
At the end of the book, when he proposes to Lauren, Kevin elaborates further on the same concept, and speaks of the other types of love that the Greeks described, which he wishes to experience with her as they grow old together.
….. “See, I tried to write something down because I knew I would choke, but then it was all too simple, and I have to say something more… I’ll try not to mess this up, so bear with me, okay!… Lauren, I love you in so many ways. As my friend, my lover, my love, but the truth is, nothing seems to satisfy my need for you. I want to experience Pragma with you – the mature love that comes after years of relationship, that is about companionship and deep understanding. I want to share with you Storge – the love for our children, that is unconditional and giving. I want to be your little birdies’ father, and love and cherish our ugly sparrows before we send them strong and free into the world. You make me so happy like a kid on Christmas, babe. So, what’s Christmas without snow?”
Kevin threw the paper shreds above me, and they fluttered in the air, glittering like real clear frozen snowflakes. Beautiful and pure. I grabbed one and held it between my trembling fingers. I looked at the words, and my heart expanded. “Will you marry me?” it read.
“It’s magic, remember?” Kevin smiled, but his hand holding mine was shaking.
Do you have a favorite scene?
Even though the book is a heavy emotional journey, one of my favorite scenes is lighter and funnier. It is the moment Lauren realizes she might have feelings for her best friend. They are on their way to the library, and the topic of conversation is not helping Lauren’s predicament not to show her attraction to Kevin. His speculations about women’s preferences in books and the conclusions he draws about their sexuality are hilarious.
…. “We got in his car, but there was silence between us. Kevin broke it, and his voice sounded light, completely at peace.
“You know I always loved libraries…” He said matter of fact. I exhaled the breath I was holding because this was something we had always shared, and it was good to bring the conversation back to normal friend stuff.
“Me too, Kev. I could stay for days in a library if I had the option. It’s so quiet, especially when you find an empty room where no one can disturb you, and get lost in a book…” I said wistfully.
“Really, Lauren? In the library? I know some people totally do it, but you?” He smirked.
Jesus! I was about to kill him. I reached over the dash and slapped his chest, not finding this funny.
“Shut up, Kevin. I don’t masturbate in libraries. Books are not a fetish for me.” I fumed. He was leading my mind in the exact direction I was trying to avoid. I was totally overreacting because, in the last few weeks, I discovered that Kevin had a dirty mouth, and said provoking things all the time. Just a few weeks ago, I wasn’t reading anything into them, it was simply a friendly banter between us.
He was totally enjoying watching me this flustered, and his grin widened. “I personally like to watch… People in the library, I mean.” He kept going with the innuendo, “You can tell a lot about a person by their reading choices.”
“Really, like what? Avoid every girl who reads Jane Austen and drools over the book since she is obviously a clinger?” I hit back because this was a game two could play.
“Why not? If the girl likes Darcy, it means she might be into the silent type, so it works for me,” he countered me.
“You are not always the silent type, Kevin. And honesty, I am not a big fan of Austen.” I lied, “The way she sees love is too trivial. Human relationships are a bit more complicated than suddenly have a change of heart and fall for a man you hated a few pages ago. Elizabeth Bennet is a total gold digger if you ask me. Bookcase, in fact.” I was totally projecting my feelings into Austen, who I didn’t hate at all. I think she captured the history of her time perfectly and was a social critic of the English higher class, but I was trying to prove a point to Kevin.
Kevin started laughing, giving me a side glance. “You want to hear my theory behind people’s reading choices and sexuality?” he asked.
“Okay, go ahead. Enlighten me.” I waved a hand, wondering what other buttons he might push.
“So, here is my theory – if a girl reads nonfiction – she is totally grounded in reality and curious about the world, but still not my type because she might lack imagination in bed. Whimsy is like a big checkbox on my list. If she is into a murder mystery, possibly means she has a boring life and is looking for a thrill, which can be a fun wish to fulfill. I still won’t risk it though. There is always the possibility she might be plotting an actual murder and is reading the book as a reference.” He paused because I couldn’t help it and started laughing. His speculations about people’s choices in literature were actually hilarious and typical Kevin.
“Keep going. I need to hear about horrors?” I urged him.
“Oh, that girl I might like a lot. If she is not afraid of monsters, I won’t scare her when she sees my…” He grinned, not finishing his sentence, totally leaving it to interpretation. And considering where my mind went, a sound between a growl and a moan escaped my lips.
“You are either bragging about your dick or overcompensating, so either way, it explains why you won’t do underwear ads.” I did go there, and this time he squirmed, his hand tightening on the steering wheel.
“Keep on going, Kevin. Why did you stop?” I kept pushing him; this was not innocent whatsoever, but totally entertaining.
“You want to hear what I think of a girl who reads romance novels? If she reads those books in a public library, she is totally into smut in private, and I am all in,” he blurted.
“What happened to being a relationship guy?” I teased him.
“I didn’t say I was a good boy. Those are not mutually exclusive things,” he said quietly.
“Oh, and there you go, movie Mr. Darcy. I hope your quirky Bridget Jones is waiting for you in the library.” I nodded towards the building in front of which we had just parked.
“I’ll make sure to be on the lookout,” he joked. “How about you? What books are you picking up today?” He turned the table on me.
“Oh, you know me. Whatever falls off the shelf. I am totally indiscriminate towards books because there is something valuable in each one. As I was telling you earlier – people are more complicated than being put in a box, and you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. In your case, literally.” I said in a bit more serious tone because the question of what books I liked after the sexual innuendo was dangerous territory.
“If we leave the jokes aside, I can tell you one thing I do notice about a person. The book in their hands doesn’t matter. It matters if they smile, or cry, or feel anything while reading it. People show their true emotions when they are engrossed in a story. Books reveal a lot about who we are inside, especially when we think we are not being observed.”
He was saying this to me since I noticed he’d been watching me when I read a book. His admission tugged a string in my heart that sang a familiar melody. Kevin saw under the surface, cared for my emotions, and wanted to know who I was deep down.”
What advice would you give a beginner?
The advice I would give to a beginner is to write stories that you emotionally connect to. Emotions bleed through the pages. When readers reached out to me and shared what scene in my books made them laugh or cry, I realized those were the exact scenes that made me chuckle or bawl my eyes out while I wrote them.
Once you feel like you have a complete manuscript, hire an editor! Even if you an English major and trust your editing skills, having a professional editor is a must! I had good and bad experiences with editors, and it takes time to find the right people you trust with your work. It’s not about cost – I didn’t spare expenses, but the quality of the edit was not always the best. If you don’t know where to start, join a writer’s group and ask fellow writers for personal references. For one of my novels, I found my editor on Reedsy. On their website, you can find professionals that edit novels in your genre and read reviews about their work. Most offer a sample edit, so you can get a good idea of their editing style.
Personally, I realized that the best editors are the tough ones. It’s great when you get compliments, but it is so much better if they offer constructive criticism and improve your writing.
Another piece of advice is that after a developmental and copy edit, hire at least two independent proofreaders. When you and your editor have read your manuscript multiple times, you become somewhat “blind” to some typos or mistakes. The proofreaders should be able to take a fresh look at the book and fine-tooth comb through the issues.
When you have an edited manuscript, the decision of whether to go with a traditional publisher or self-publish your novel is up to you. Just keep in mind that even if you are querying agents with your manuscript, don’t submit unedited material. Impressions matter, and if you already have a good professional edit, your chances to secure a good book deal a much higher.
Self-publishing gives you more creative control, and this is why I chose that route for my novels, but you need to understand the demands of self-promoting your books and spending a lot of money not just on editing but marketing and advertisement.
For me, it was a bit easy because I have a second college degree in Graphic Design and didn’t have to spend money on book cover design, websites, or marketing materials.
Good luck on your journey, and be yourself!
Ina Carter will be awarding a $50 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
T. Melissa Madian is the Chief Fabulous Officer at TMM Enablement Services Inc. As a mechanical engineer, she loves taking the science of what is possible and imagining stories around the impossible. She is a storyteller, mom to a precocious cat, and auntie to her human nephew. She hopes that this book serves as a reminder to people – adults and children – that even the weirdest and most unusual creature just wants and deserves to be loved.
Tell us about yourself.
I am a Mechanical Engineer by background and have spent the past 25 years in the corporate world. I am currently Founder and Chief Fabulous Officer at TMM Enablement Services Inc. I was one of the first people to pioneer the “sales enablement” role within an enterprise corporate structure and am maniacal about championing a positive sales and customer experience; so much so, that I wrote a book about it: Enabler? I Hardly Know Her! How to Make the Sales Experience Not Suck. When I’m not focused on my consulting firm, I love to write and tell stories; It came from the SCIENCE LAB!!! is my first children’s book! I love cats, champagne, wine and my husband (in that order). I’m reasonably active on Instagram, if anyone wants to follow my shenanigans!
When did you know you wanted to be an author?
Some of my earliest memories as a child were writing poems or stories about silly characters getting into far-fetched adventures. When I was in grade school, I wrote and illustrated a series of comics about a sardonic mouse… so I guess that means I have always been a writer! When I entered the corporate world, most of my writing was focused on business. I decided to write this children’s book when I found my old story notes during a basement clean-up and my passion for fiction writing was reignited… now it’s all I want to do!
What genres do you like to read? Are these the same genres you write in?
I am a fan of science-fiction, adventure and fantasy novels; especially ones that have a humorous angle to them. It came from the SCIENCE LAB!!! is a little bit of science-adventure, but I wouldn’t say that I write exclusively in the genres I enjoy reading. I do write for business, and have just released a book related to my consulting firm’s expertise; but my plan is to continue to write adventure books for children and young adults.
Is your book for adults, young adults or children? It’s for children, or for adults who would like to read to their kids (or grandkids!) My hope is that the tale of Bartholomew Blob will inspire children to get excited about STEM (Science-Technology-Engineering-Math) as a place to explore their creativity. And to appreciate that even if someone is odd or weird, that they have a place in this world. Any profit I make from this book will be donated to STEM charities.
What is your current release or project?
In addition to It came from the SCIENCE LAB!!! I have published a book related to my consulting business: Enabler? I Hardly Know Her! How to Make the Sales Experience Not Suck. It’s a fun read for anyone who is interested in how to make their sales teams more effective in their role. Next up: My husband and I have a 1-year old cat named Pickle who is a furry little hooligan. We think he’d make a fantastic character for a children’s book, so that is my current project in development.
Tell us about the key characters
Bartholomew Blob turns the concept of a “monster” on its head – he is a character born of a scientific mistake who is curious, innocent, and thoughtful. A character who is interested in learning and exploring, not destroying. He changes color when he feels or touches things, which motivates him to investigate using his senses. He has no gender or specifically human features, which makes him different from those around him. He really just wants to fit in and be accepted for who he is. As humans, our instinct might be to fear or to ostracize Bartholomew; but this book shows that with a bit of compassion and interest, anyone can make friends.
What is your blurb or synopsis of the book?
It was business as usual at the Acme Science Lab, until one day a massive explosion sent the scientists fleeing for safety.
But out of the smoke and chemicals emerged an amazing new creature… Bartholomew Blob!
With the lab destroyed, Bartholomew leaves the comforts of the only home he has ever known in search of new friends and a place to live.
As he travels through golden fields his body changes color with every emotion he feels.
Life can be lonely for a blob, but Bartholomew discovers there’s kindness and love to be found in every adventure.
Share an excerpt
Smoke and chemicals mixed, and strange sounds came from the now empty lab. Sounds like… gurgling and burping? The door of the lab smashed open and out came…
… a small, roundish shape! It was midnight black and had the size and form of an upside-down cereal bowl. It slithered instead of rolled. It looked like melted dark chocolate but had a perfume like smell.
Suddenly, two roundish holes opened and turned pale blue. It had eyes! It could see! What in the world could this creature be?
Why… it’s Bartholomew Blob!
Do you have a favorite scene? My favorite scene is when Bartholomew is created from a science experiment gone wrong. Typically in fiction, when science experiments are performed, disaster happens. The explosion of colors and his confusion is so bright and wonderful that it makes me happy Bartholomew was created.
What advice would you give a beginner? Create a plan. A plan of who and what your story is about. Who is the protagonist? What journey do you want the protagonist to experience? Do they come out better or worse at the end of that journey? Is there an overall theme, or are you just having fun with the story? A plan will help you to shape your story and set a course for you to write it, so you don’t end up with nowhere to go.
Growing up with a fascination for space and things that fly, Jamie turned that love into a career as an Aerospace Engineer. Combining her natural enthusiasm for Science Fiction and her love of reading, she now spends a lot of her time writing Middle Grade and Young Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy.
Jamie lives in St. Louis, Missouri with her husband, Andrew, their son, and their dog Rogue (after the X-men not Star Wars although she loves both). When she isn’t being a Rocket Scientist by day and a writer by night, she can be found catching up on the latest sci fi TV, books, and movies as well as spending time on Twitter (maybe a little too much time :-P). And no, the rocket science jokes never get old!
Through Snowy Wings Publishing, Jamie is the author of Tracker220 (October 2020). She also has two female in STEM short stories published in the Brave New Girls anthologies and two engineering-centered nonfiction pieces that published in Writer’s Digest’s Putting the Science in Fiction.
Tell us about yourself.
I’m an Aerospace Engineer by day and a writer by night. I’m a sci fi and fantasy nerd. I love to watch it on tv, read it in books, see the latest movies, and even cosplay at cons. I’m an active volunteer and participant in the Society of Women Engineers and do whatever I can to support women in STEM. And I spend entirely too much time on Twitter so don’t hesitate to reach out there.
When did you know you wanted to be an author?
I think a lot of people knew from childhood they wanted to be an author, but I am not that person. I actually hated to write growing up. I used to sit at the kitchen table and cry because my ideas were dumb and spent entirely too much time fretting over what to write for assignments in school that were likely supposed to be fun. I didn’t start seriously writing until I was well into my 20’s. And it as only after reading a lot that the ideas started flowing. After finding some critique partners and joining some writing organizations I finally decided I wanted to publish. And here I am about 10 years down that road.
What genres do you like to read? Are these the same genres you write in?
Yes I pretty much read what I write. MG and YA sci fi and fantasy as well as paranormal and the occasional adventure book.
Is your book for adults, young adults or children?
Young Adults. The recommended age range is 13-18 but other than some mild swearing and some light romance (kissing only) there’s no explicit content.
What is your current release or project?
I just released my first YA sci fi TRACKER220. I’m also in the middle of a MG STEM sci fi book.
Tell us about the key characters
Kaya Weiss – 16 year old artist in a world where paper is disappearing due to tracking chips in everyone’s heads that allows you to communicate and look things up in the blink of an eye. She’s strong, she knows what she wants, but she’s struggling to find her Jewish Identity especially when it conflicts with her tracker.
Harlow Green – Kaya’s boyfriend. He’s a tall, muscular soccer player, who goes along with the gang.
Bailen Overland – 17 year old techie nerd. He is part of the Ghosts, a rebel organization that opposes the tracker technology
Peyton Overland – a literal female badass who doesn’t take any shit from anyone. She fixes flying motorbikes and could make you question the things you are most sure about with a single look.
What is your blurb or synopsis of the book?
When everyone has a brain-interfacing tracking chip, one glitch threatens the entire network. Kaya Weiss is that glitch.
Through thoughts and blinks, Kaya can access anyone or anything on the tracker network. But the authorities monitor everything—where Kaya goes, who she talks to, and what she searches. And without the ability to turn it off, Kaya and her family can’t observe a tech-free Shabbat. To fix the glitch, the authorities slice into her skull to reset her tracker, leaving Kaya to question more than the system’s invasion into her faith.
Kaya won’t be a lab rat again.
Evading the authorities requires some serious tech skills the rogue underground Ghosts can offer. But Kaya’s not sure she can trust them—even if their top tech wiz, Bailen, has interest in her running deeper than her bum tracker. Kaya must decide if gaining freedom is worth losing her tracker’s infinite knowledge—because to take down the tracker network, she must betray the only tech she’s ever known.
Share an excerpt
“Come on, Kaya. You know you want to.” The black box in Troy Ackerman’s hand flirted with me like a bad boy. Half thrill ride, half arrest warrant.
We were going to get caught. No question about it.
Masking your tracker signal got you a date with the authorities at best, and at worst… I didn’t want to think about it. I wasn’t lucky enough to stay out of trouble. I was never that lucky.
Troy held the radio wave generator between his thumb and index finger as if he were expecting me to take it at any moment. While his bulky torso was slightly intimidating, his height wasn’t.
The buzz from falling off the tracker grid—pure silence and vision devoid of popups and apps—wasn’t worth the risk of losing control, losing the connection and security of the network. If the authorities showed up, brain probing us to check for tracker glitches would be the least of our problems.
Troy waved the box in my face. “You sure? It’s such a rush!”
I shivered despite the bonfire blazing in front of us. “I’m good. I don’t need a record.”
“Wasn’t it just Yom Kippur or something? You should be good on the sin front for a while.” He thrust his hips toward the box and my best friend Lydia let out a quick giggle, batting her long lashes at him.
Ugh! Of all the boys why did she have to be into him? “You know that’s not how it works.”
That little box was trouble. Worse than Pandora’s. My muscles tensed at the thought of all the chaos about to be unleashed. At least if I refused to disrupt my tracker signal, I wouldn’t have to lie about breaking the law.
Trekking into the woods to watch everyone attempt to beat the record for longest signal disruption was insanity. Why couldn’t we hang out at the fly-in theater instead? Anything other than pursuing a one-way ticket to tracker juvie.
But the guys loved the thrill of tempting fate—the ultimate game of chicken. At best, they had about five minutes of interrupted tracker signals before the network alerted the authorities.
I leaned into my boyfriend, and he put his arm around me wafting the comforting sea breeze scent of his aftershave in my direction. Harlow would never ditch me. But most of his friends wouldn’t hesitate to use me as authority bait if the agents showed up. Not if—when.
“Looks like your girlfriend’s afraid of getting caught.” Troy should have known by now his taunts wouldn’t work.
And yet, my insides warred. I twisted my hair back into a stubby ponytail wishing I hadn’t recently chopped off ten inches. By the time I let my hair go, the rule-follower piece of me prevailed like always. “I’ll watch for now.”
“Maybe after you see how it’s done?” Harlow squeezed my shoulder, making my muscles tense more. Their stunts were dangerous enough without him dragging me into it. Last time, we’d spent an hour trying to evade the authorities and nearly missed curfew.
I shook my head.
“She’s a wuss.”
“Stuff it, Troy. If you want to scramble your brains, fine. I’m out.” It shouldn’t be a fight to do the right thing.
“It’s just a little signal interruption. But if you want to be a wimp about it…”
A blinking chat bubble appeared in the lower left-hand corner of my vision with the initials H.G. for “Harlow Green.” I thought about the message and blinked twice in rapid succession to open it.
H.G.: You don’t have to if you don’t want to.
There wasn’t a chance Troy could talk me into it. But Harlow’s support gave me extra confidence, even if it only came through private chat. He cared too much about his image to say anything in front of the guys.
As I minimized the message to save it for later, a second icon appeared to the left of Harlow’s message, with the initials T.A.
I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, then let the message enter my mind. As the message opened in my line of sight, an image of a chicken emerged. It flapped its wings and ran in circles.
Instead of collapsing and disappearing like normal, the image of a bomb exploded, obliterating the circling chicken. When the fake dust cleared, the picture was nowhere to be seen.
Laughter drew my attention to the crowd.
Great. That wasn’t so private.
Do you have a favorite scene?
Definitely the flying motorbike chase underneath the St. Louis arch. It’s fast passed, has some great tension, and it’s explosive (literally).
What advice would you give a beginner?
Write something that you’re excited about. Just put your butt in the chair and write until you finish it. Don’t worry if it’s good or not just finish it. Then find some critique partner to help you polish it up.
