Interview with Celtic paranormal romance author Mary Morgan

Novelist Mary Morgan is here today and we’re chatting about her new time-travelling Scottish paranormal romance, To Weave a Highland Tapestry.

During her virtual book tour, Mary will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble gift card to a lucky randomly drawn winner. To be entered for a chance to win, use the form below. To increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit her other tour stops and enter there, too!

Bio:

Award-winning Celtic paranormal and fantasy romance author, Mary Morgan, resides in Northern California with her own knight in shining armor. However, during her travels to Scotland, England, and Ireland, she left a part of her soul in one of these countries and vows to return.

Mary's passion for books started at an early age along with an overactive imagination. Inspired by her love for history and ancient Celtic mythology, her tales are filled with powerful warriors, brave women, magic, and romance. It wasn't until the closure of Borders Books where Mary worked that she found her true calling by writing romance. Now, the worlds she created in her mind are coming to life within her stories.

If you enjoy history, tortured heroes, and a wee bit of magic, then time-travel within the pages of her books.

Welcome, Mary. Please share a little bit about your current release.
Patrick MacFhearguis, hardened by battles won and lost, desires what he can never have—peace within his heart and soul. Yet, the ever-meddling Fae weave a new journey for him to conquer—a task this highlander is determined to resist.

When skilled weaver, Gwen Hywel, is commissioned to create a tapestry for the MacFhearguis clan, she embraces the assignment. While seeking out ideas, she finds herself clutching the one thread that can alter the tapestry of her life and heart.

A man conflicted by past deeds. A woman with no family of her own. Is it possible for love to unravel an ancient past, in order to claim two badly scarred hearts? Or will the light of hope be doused forever?

What inspired you to write this book?

I felt it was time to give the hero, Patrick MacFhearguis his own “happy ever after.” He’s been a secondary character since my first book and series, Dragon Knight’s Sword, Order of the Dragon Knights. I sensed he was brooding at his home in Scotland. What he needed was a wife and a purpose. In truth, he has been a favorite of mine since he stepped into the first story. I wove his castle, Leòmhann, as the center of this love story, along with an ancient yew tree.


Excerpt from To Weave a Highland Tapestry:

Gwen approached quietly by his side. “Pity. It was a great throw.”

“Aye,” he acknowledged softly. “One of my best. My brother, Adam was a champion at this game. I should have studied him more.”

“Interesting,” she mused.

Straightening, Patrick started forward. “I can help ye pick more mushrooms. Are they for the Midwinter feast?”

“Yes. Apparently, they’re for an onion and cabbage dish. Sounds delicious. I’m amazed at how all the women have managed here in this time-period.”

“I had heard it was a struggle in the beginning for them.” He glimpsed sideways at her. “How do ye find being here? I cannot fathom what ye must miss.”

She shrugged. “There’s simplicity here. I’d almost call it serenity. I’ve learned a lot this past month. Whereas, in my town you can go crazy trying to keep up with everything.” Gwen waved a hand outward. “And don’t get me started on city life. Traffic congestion, speedy drivers, people always on their cell—” She giggled. “Sorry. Too confusing for you.”

Patrick smiled, trying to perceive everything the lass was saying. Each time she spoke, her face would light up. There was a musical lilt to her voice that soothed him. He found her enchanting, regardless of the words spewing forth from her.

Noting a group of mushrooms, he moved away from Gwen.

“Since you have lost, what about my end of the bargain? I believe I can claim something of value.”

Patrick froze in his steps. Glancing over his shoulder, he stared at her in disbelief. “Ye wish to claim a reward?” Hope soared within his heart as if the sun’s rays stoked the emotion.

Her tongue darted along her lower lip. “Absolutely.”

He turned slowly around. “Name your reward.” Tension coiled within his muscles.

She approached him in an unhurried fashion. “You might have requested one kiss as your reward, but I’ll take four—the same number of times you skipped the stone over the water.”

His heart hammered against his chest. His mind refused to understand the magnitude of her words. “Four?” he uttered in a hoarse voice.

“Four,” she affirmed, stepping closer. “Do not keep me waiting.”

In one swift move, Patrick crushed her to his chest. Her soft curves were warm against his body. “Start counting, leannán.”

She never had a chance to respond as he hungrily covered her mouth with his lips.

What exciting story are you working on next?
I’m working on the first book in a brand new series called, The Wolves of Clan Sutherland. I’ve returned home to medieval Scotland and the Orkney Islands. It’s a blend of Norse and Celtic mythology. These men are the elite guard for King William, “The Lion” of Scotland.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I’ve been writing stories since I was a young child—from daily happenings and poems in diaries, to plays for my siblings to perform for our parents.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?

I’m a full-time writer. My day begins at 5:00am. I grab a cup (or two) of coffee and for the next 2-3 hours I tackle the emails and marketing. When I’m done, it’s either a bike ride or walk. After lunch, I retreat to my writing cave and work on the current story until late afternoon. I’ll end my work day checking on emails one last time and then call it a “wrap” for the day.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I have to take three deep cleansing breaths before I start writing. If I don’t do this little quirk of mine before I start, the writing doesn’t seem to flow.

I always begin each story with a brand new leather journal. It has become a tradition to find the one that feels right. This is where I put all the pertinent character(s) information, settings, and any plot ideas. It’s also a form of reference material and word count. I start with a basic outline, but my characters always take me in another direction. I might begin as the “captain at the wheel,” but in the end, the characters are the ones guiding the tale.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I wanted to be an astronaut or a ballerina. Of course, neither came to fruition.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

Only that I feel incredibly blessed to be doing this amazing job of “storytelling.” I get to play every day with my characters in their world.

Links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon Author | Pinterest | Instagram | Bookbub | Audible Author

Buy Links:

Amazon | Amazon CA | Amazon UK | Amazon AU | AppleBooks | Book Page

Thank you for being a guest on my blog!

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Interview with paranormal romance novelist Kate Hill

Novelist Kate Hill joins me today to chat about her new paranormal romance, Mysti and Starr (Wild Witches of Beaver Bay).

During her virtual book tour, Kate will be awarding a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble (winner’s choice) gift card to a lucky randomly drawn winner. To be entered for a chance to win, use the form below. To increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit her other tour stops and enter there, too!

Bio:

Kate Hill is a vegetarian New Englander who started writing over twenty years ago for pleasure. Since 1996, she has sold over one hundred short stories, novellas, and novels.

She prefers to blend genres, and she loves horror and a happily ever after, so her books can be a bit unusual. If you're looking for romance with witches, aliens, vampires, angels, demons, shapeshifters and more, there's a good chance you'll find something to your taste in her backlist.

When she's not working on her books, Kate enjoys reading, working out, and watching horror movies. She also writes under the name Saloni Quinby.

Welcome, Kate. Please share a little bit about your current release.

Mysti and Starr is the first book in the Wild Witches of Beaver Bay series. It’s about a magical family and how certain members meet their soulmates and rejoin the battle against demons who are trying to take over the world. The series is a prelude to my Fangs and Fists series. Here’s a little about Mysti and Starr:

A blazing trail only he can see leads demon-hunting biker Starr Johanson to his destined mate. A blessing placed on her family’s ancestral land summons Mysti Wild to the cabin where she’ll meet the man fated to share her life.

Each fears the other will be frightened by magic they don’t understand, but they quickly learn to trust each other because no one can resist the person they were born to love.

What inspired you to write this book?

I wanted to write about soulmates and magic, but I wanted to make sure the two elements had a strong connection. I also wanted to write about the events leading up to the state of the world in Fangs and Fists. I’m currently preparing for a third series that will tie the two together and conclude both Fangs and Fists and Wild Witches of Beaver Bay.


Excerpt from Mysti and Starr:

“You’re awfully trusting, aren’t you?” Starr asked on their way through the woods.

Mysti grinned. “I thought I was the hatchet murderer?”

“I’m serious this time.”

“I don’t make a habit of walking into the woods with strange men.”

“Then why me?”

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.” If Mysti said that they were destined to be together, Starr would probably panic and she wouldn’t blame him.

“Don’t be so sure,” Starr murmured.

Mysti turned to him, again noting his good looks. She guessed Starr was around six feet tall with a sturdy build. He wore his tawny hair fairly short, but not enough to hide soft-looking waves that she desperately wanted to touch. If not for the scruff covering his jaw, Starr would have been boyishly handsome. Mysti couldn’t decide how old he was. He looked in his early twenties. She had just turned twenty-five and didn’t relish the idea of being with a younger guy, but he seemed relatively mature. She told herself that since they were meant to be, age didn’t matter.

When they reached the campsite, Mysti glanced around. A large tree had crashed too close to Starr’s soaked, wind-tossed gear. “Damn thing could have killed me,” Starr muttered.

Mysti felt sick at the thought. She numbly walked to the edge of a surprisingly steep drop. “Is this where you fell?” she asked.

“That’s it.”

“You seriously could have broken your neck.” Mysti’s stomach twisted again when she considered that Starr might have been killed before they met.


What exciting story are you working on next?

Right now I’m working on Amelia and Orion, the last story in the Wild Witches of Beaver Bay series. Amelia and Orion have appeared in two books already, and they have had a long, fiery friendship. It hasn’t turned to romance yet, but they won’t hold out much longer!

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t creating stories. I didn’t start writing with the goal of publication until I was around sixteen, though.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?

I no longer write full-time. I did for several years, but due to certain circumstances and the cost of living, I work a day job and write on weekends and at night. I use the same method of time management as when I wrote full-time. I have a daily word count goal.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I like to get to know my characters by imagining them with me on a daily basis and thinking about how they would react to basic everyday situations. It might not show an exciting side to them, but I get to know their personality well.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

A writer. For me, that’s been consistent throughout my life.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

I love to hear from readers. I’ve recently started a newsletter that I send with regular updates, including excerpts and other info. I would love it if they would like to sign up for it. There is a newsletter link on my website.

Links:

Website | Author blog | Compelling Beasts Blog | Amazon | Goodreads | Twitter | YouTube

Thank you for being a guest on my blog!

Thank you very much for having me as a guest!

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Interview with mystery author Elka Ray

Novelist Elka Ray joins me today to chat about her new romantic mystery, Divorce Is Murder.

During her virtual book tour, Elka will be awarding a $20 Amazon or Barnes and Noble (winner’s choice) gift card to a lucky randomly drawn winner. To be entered for a chance to win, use the form below. To increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit her other tour stops and enter there, too!

Welcome, Elka. Please share a little bit about your current release.

My latest mystery, Divorce Is Murder, follows divorce lawyer Toby Wong as she moves back to the small town where she was bullied as a kid. It's not long before the meangirl behind Toby's bullying is found murdered. The prime suspect is Toby's attractive client - whom Toby had a hopeless teenaged crush on.

Everywhere she turns, Toby runs into people she'd rather forget. She grows increasingly convinced that one of the kids who tormented her way back when has grown up to be a murderer. As Toby solves the modern-day killing, another mystery is revealed: what traumatized Toby as a teenager?

What inspired you to write this book?

I'm interested in the lasting effects of trauma, especially those suffered in our youth. How do negative incidents - ranging from everyday kinds of hurts, for example always being picked last for softball, to bonafide tragedies - affect us in later life? Why do some of us shrug things off and thrive while others crumble?

Besides the modern-day murder mystery, Divorce Is Murder takes us back to teenaged Toby's stint at an awful summer camp.

Here's an excerpt from Divorce Is Murder:

That noise? Had I imagined the soft tremor of the door, the handle just starting to turn? I must have because the door stayed tight shut, no light around the edges, no eager whisper of my name. I tried to slow my breathing, to be even quieter than I was already, to force my ears to be even sharper.

The floor was cold and hard. My butt hurt, and my knees felt welded in place. It was painful to stretch out my legs. I held onto a table and stood, as stiff and rickety as my Grannie Mei Li, in the hospital, a few days before she’d died. I forced myself to straighten up, forced myself to face the cold hard truth: I’d been waiting a long time. Too long. It was very late. My eyes felt gritty.

He wasn’t coming.

A slow tentative shuffle to the door, my heart as heavy as my footsteps. Why did he write that note but not come? Had he been caught? Surely, if he could have, he’d have come to me.

A slick of silver lead my hand to the doorknob, which felt even colder than my creaky fingers. Cold and smooth. It started to turn but stopped. I tried again. And again. It was no use. The door was locked. It couldn’t be!

What exciting story are you working on next?

I'm thrilled that the Toby Wong Vancouver Island mystery books will become a series. In the second book, a socialite friend of Toby's mom goes missing after falling for a conman she met online. Family loyalty forces Toby into the drama.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I finally felt legit after my last novel, Saigon Dark - a much darker, scarier thriller - got some great reviews from respected authors and book pros.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?

As well as writing fiction I work as an editor. I'm usually at my desk from 8am until at least 3.30pm. I live by the beach in Central Vietnam. My "coffee breaks" involve a dash to the beach for a swim. That's where a lot of the background work happens. Story ideas and characters' voices come when I'm in the ocean.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I'm superstitious. My desk is surrounded by lucky cat statues and lucky crystals. In Divorce Is Murder, Toby is a skeptic and embarrassed by her mom, an old hippie who earns her living reading fortunes. Having been raised by a scientist dad and a much more spiritual mom, I'm constantly torn between skepticism and a desire to hedge my bets.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I thought that everyone smart studied Science. Despite my best efforts, it was pretty obvious my talents lay elsewhere. In sixth grade my teacher told my mom I'd grow up to be a writer.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

As well as writing I'm an avid reader - mostly of mysteries and suspense. Much to my surprise I've found a brilliant book community on Instagram. If you read, write, or have any creative passions to share, please come and meet me there.

Links:

Website | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

Thank you for being a guest on my blog!

Many thanks for having me on!

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Interview with detective/mystery author Austin S. Camacho

Novelist Austin S. Camacho joins me today to chat about his new detective mystery, The Wrong Kind.

During his virtual book tour, Austin will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble (winner’s choice) gift card to a lucky randomly drawn winner. To be entered for a chance to win, use the form below. To increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit his other tour stops and enter there, too!

Bio:

Austin S. Camacho is the author of seven novels about Washington DC-based private eye Hannibal Jones, five in the Stark and O’Brien international adventure-thriller series, and the detective novel, Beyond Blue. His short stories have been featured in several anthologies including Dying in a Winter Wonderland – an Independent Mystery Booksellers Association Top Ten Bestseller for 2008. He is featured in the Edgar-nominated African American Mystery Writers: A Historical and Thematic Study by Frankie Y. Bailey. Camacho is also editorial director for Intrigue Publishing, a Maryland small press.

Welcome, Austin. Please share a little bit about your current release.

The Wrong Kind is the seventh novel featuring Washington DC private detective Hannibal Jones. This time a distraught woman hires him to track down her daughter who has run away, trying to escape the homeless shelter life her mother has come to accept. When Hannibal finds Connie Blanco she is entwined in a gang war and somehow connected to a murder. The corpse is barely cold before a second murder follows and Hannibal finds himself entangled in a complex plot revolving around stolen drugs. To keep himself and Connie alive he needs to figure out who the mastermind of this twisted scheme really is.

What inspired you to write this book?

I like mysteries that don’t start with a murder and I became interested in the growing gang problem in suburban Virginia and Maryland. Then I stumbled upon a unique way to murder someone and the story fell together.

As you can see in this excerpt from The Wrong Kind, finding a missing person doesn’t always work out well for our hero:

            if you take my advice you’ll go back up to Charles County and look in on your mama. It might not matter to you but it will make her feel a lot better.” He stood, leaned forward and offered a hand to help her to her feet.

            And then the lights went out.

            Hannibal spun in the sudden darkness, one hand snatching his Oakleys off his face while the other darted under his suit jacket reaching for his weapon. Before his fingers could manage to grip the gun his head exploded with pain.

            The impact staggered him. The left rear corner of his head. With luck that might be enough of a clue. He whipped his left fist around and back. He hit nothing but air. Then an arm wrapped around his neck. Another arm went under his right arm and he felt the hand at the back of his head. He knew the hold, not a choke in the classic sense, but what television wrestlers called a sleeper hold, cutting off the blood flow in both his carotid artery and jugular vein. He could breathe fine but with no blood going to his brain it didn’t matter. He felt a deeper darkness moving in and his balance deserted him. The arms suddenly came away. Something crashed into his knees. Most likely the floor. His arms were unresponsive, and it felt like he was falling forward. He took a deep breath because he knew the next part was really going to hurt.


What exciting story are you working on next?
My Work In Progress is about a DC-based, African American female assassin named Skye. She has accepted a contract on a mob boss.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I had written three novels by 1999 and submitted them to several agents and publishers. At that point I decided to self publish to see if anyone really wanted to read my stories. The day the first book was purchased by a reader I finally saw myself as a writer.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?
I’ve retired from my career as a Defense Department communications specialist. I’m still an early riser because my wife continues to work outside the home. I generally drive her to the Metro to take a train into Washington DC, then come home, fill a mug with coffee, and write for a couple of hours. It’s important that I work every day but as part owner of a publishing company I also spend time during the day editing other people’s work, and doing marketing work, especially social media. Still, I manage to lay down a couple thousand words of my own novels in the morning, five days a week.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

It may be that I need to picture everything that happens in my stories before I can write it. This often means standing up and going thru the motions of a fight scene to see how it would really work. I know my wife is always amused to see me fighting invisible enemies like a violent mime.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

At first I wanted to be a detective like Batman in the comics I grew up on. By high school that had switched to journalism which I eventually found my way into during my Army time.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

I hope people who read my Hannibal Jones novels can see that the books are about more than solving a crime. Each has a social theme, and the series overall is about the rising and advancing of one man’s spirit. I think Hannibal’s personal growth, what he learns from each case, makes this series different from most others.

Links:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Amazon

Thank you for being a guest on my blog!

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