As of Oct 2, 2020, reviews and interviews are now found at
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Friday, October 2, 2020
Thursday, October 1, 2020
Interview with urban fiction author Kruze
During her virtual book tour, Kruze 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:Kruze was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Although she always enjoyed writing poems as a way of expressing the things she didn’t feel comfortable saying out loud, she didn’t decide to seriously become a writer until after she graduated from high school.
She started Urban Legends Publishing & Media as a way to create good literature for readers to enjoy. A self-described urban author with an erotic flare, Kruze wrote and published Cap-Poetry, a collection of poems about life, love, and sex from the viewpoint of a Capricorn as her first project. In November 2016, she released Lock and Load, a novel she co-wrote with Ace Capone, an author she signed to Urban Legends Publishing. Next up, is her novel, Is Blood Thicker, which was made available 8/4/2020.
Kruze has several single and joint projects coming out in the future, including another book of poetry, Letters to my Exes, and several novels, including Sins of the Father, Domain High, and The Money Team. She is always working, always striving for self-improvement both in her personal and professional lives. Be on the lookout for Kruze Hatch and Urban Legends Publishing & Media.
Welcome, Kruze. Please share a little bit about your current release.Have you ever looked at your circle and wonder if the people in it are really down for you? That’s the question Ceasar constantly asks himself. In his eyes betrayal is a worse crime than murder, so think twice before crossing him.
Daquans’s was life was filled with what he considered to be normalcy. He is completely devoted to his wife, Aviana, and their son. But how deep does his loyalty run? Can he stay with Aviana when her past catches up with her, attempting to collect an unpaid debt?
Nolan is a prominent member of his family, but he’s also the only one who managed to make it out of the hood. His family looks to him for all type of assistance, including money, because he doesn’t have the heart to tell them enough is enough. Maybe it’s the guilt he feels from his secret that keeps him digging in his pocket for his loved ones.
Join us as we dive into these strangers lives to explore their inner circles. Lies will be told, secrets won’t be kept, and graves will have to be dug. Take this ride with us, and maybe you could answer the question, is blood thicker?
What inspired you to write this book?
I was thinking one day that families go through so much and sometimes outsiders have no idea. Some of these scenarios I either experienced or know someone who has.
Excerpt from Is Blood Thicker:It was Christmas morning, and Daquan watched as his son slept in Symone’s bed. This isn’t how we should be celebrating, he thought. He felt guilty. He blamed himself for Zahir waking up to no gifts, no tree, but most importantly, no Aviana. Symone hadn’t returned from looking for Aviana, so Daquan didn’t know how to feel. Did they find her yet? Is Aviana dead? What am I gonna tell Zahir? He thought.
Excerpt from Is Blood Thicker:It was Christmas morning, and Daquan watched as his son slept in Symone’s bed. This isn’t how we should be celebrating, he thought. He felt guilty. He blamed himself for Zahir waking up to no gifts, no tree, but most importantly, no Aviana. Symone hadn’t returned from looking for Aviana, so Daquan didn’t know how to feel. Did they find her yet? Is Aviana dead? What am I gonna tell Zahir? He thought.
Zahir began to move around but was still asleep. Daquan prayed that he wouldn’t wake up. He hadn’t figured out what to tell Zahir about why Aviana wasn’t there or why they were at Symone’s house.
“I have to make something happen,” he said to himself.
Daquan was his son’s hero, so letting him down wasn’t an option. Daquan headed to the kitchen and searched the cabinets and refrigerator for something to cook. He soon found out that Symone didn’t keep her house stocked with groceries.
“How does she survive like this?” Daquan questioned aloud, still searching for food.
“I don’t need much to survive,” Symone answered, startling him.
“Why are you creeping up on me?” Daquan questioned.
“How am I creeping in my own house?” Symone asked.
“You know what I mean,” Daquan said and closed the refrigerator. “You hear anything about Aviana?”
“Not yet,” Symone regrettably answered.
“What am I gonna do?” Daquan plopped down at the kitchen table. “It’s Christmas, and I have to tell my son I have no idea where his mom is.”
What exciting story are you working on next?
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I didn’t consider myself a writer until 2014, which was the same year I decided to start my publishing company, Urban Legends Publishing. It’s when I decided to take it serious and learn everything I can about my craft.
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?
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 have a full time job as an administrative assistant. My writing time varies, but I make sure I carve out time because I do not want to work for someone else for the rest of my life.
What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
My writing quirk is weaving many storylines together at the end. It allows me to give my readers a lot of content and make it all connect at the end.
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to be a doctor up until the seventh grade. After that I didn’t have a particular career aspiration, I just wanted to be wealthy.
Links:
Website | Instagram Author | Facebook Author | Instagram Novel | Facebook Novel
Links:
Website | Instagram Author | Facebook Author | Instagram Novel | Facebook Novel
Thank you for being a guest on my blog!
Friday, September 25, 2020
Interview with fantasy author V. S. Holmes
Bio:
V. S. Holmes is an international bestselling author. They created the REFORGED series and the NEL BENTLY BOOKS. Smoke and Rain, the first book in their fantasy quartet, won New Apple Literary's Excellence in Independent Publishing Award in 2015. In addition, they have published short fiction in several anthologies.
When not writing, they work as a contract archaeologist throughout the northeastern U.S. They live in a Tiny House with their spouse, a fellow archaeologist, their not-so-tiny dog, and own too many books for such a small abode. As a disabled and queer human, they work as an advocate and educator for representation in SFF worlds.
Welcome, V. S. Please tell us about your current release.
Blood and Mercy is the final book in my Reforged series and follows Rih, a Deaf soldier-turned-rebel-general and Keplan, a broody, queer, teenage god. While Rih juggles life in a foriegn country and marriage to a man she condemned, Keplan struggles with addiction, visions, and murder.
You can check out the description below!
Saving the world may have doomed them all
Keplan reels in the wake of grief and guilt at the blood on his hands. Outside the city walls, however, winter grows fiercer and droughts longer. Alea reforged the fractured world twenty years before--so why is it withering before his eyes? Then, just as he masters being a monarch, a prophet arrives spouting scripture about a One True God. Keplan’s own mother killed the last gods, yet this one matches his description perfectly--and its wrath is about to fall upon Athrolan.
Isolated within the same cold, marble walls as Athrolan’s murderous king, Rih struggles to plot her rebellion leagues away from everything she has ever known. With an unexpected ally, she may have finally found a way to the Mirikin Hetmir--until tragedy strikes. With religious fanatics at their walls, blight in their fields, and a king floundering from addiction, Athrolan spirals out of control.
Now Rih must choose between a mad king’s life and her own revolution.
What inspired you to write this book?
Fantasy is filled with farmboys who become heroes and princesses, and I chose to subvert those tropes. This is the finale of a series that focuses on broken heroes and terrible choices, a theme I wanted to keep in this installment. I also explored the political machinations behind war and whether the end justifies horrifying means. I began this book years ago, but while finalizing it for publication I realized there were familiar notes of rebellion, climate change (though this one has divine roots), and corrupt governments, both openly so and secretive.
With Rih I wanted to show a stubborn and dedicated woman, surrounded by as many--if not more--enemies than friends as she navigates a world she cannot hear. With Keplan, I delved into concepts of sexuality and gender with a mind that hears too much.
Link to an excerpt from Blood and Mercy: https://vsholmes.com/news/weve-got-a-release-date
What exciting story are you working on next?
I’m a multi-project author, so I’ve got a few in the works! I’m drafting Heretics, the fourth book in my lesbian archaeologists in space series, the Nel Bently Books, which take place in the shared Starsedge scienc fiction universe.
I’m also outlining my next fantasy, Dagger’s Dance, the first in an all-new series set in the Blood of Titans world.
Lastly, I’m sandboxing a third unrelated project which I’m not at liberty to share just yet, but it promises to be dark, complicated, and utterly delightful!
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I’ve always written, but I first began taking it seriously in a professional manner in university (partially as an escape as well as in retaliation against my narrow-minded creative writing professor) and dove into the querying world in 2013.
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 do write full time, though I also have a seasonal day-job as a contract archaeologist. This means I travel a lot during the summer and fall, writing early in the morning and after we finish off our hotel parking lot drinks in the evening. Most of my winter months are spent writing as the ground is too frozen for consistent digging. My schedule is unpredictable, but I find incredible inspiration in the people and places I encounter!
What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
Brooding and psychological characters who we’re never certain are actually good. Also, I cannot write scenes in chronological order, despite heavily outlining!
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
An astronaut/ astrophysicist like Ellie Arroway or evolutionary biologist/paleontologist. Also, a dragon.
Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
If you’re interested in checking out my work for free, you can snag a copy of Disciples, a Nel Bently short prequel or The Tempest, a fantasy survival story and glimpse at the Blood of Titan’s world from an entirely new perspective!
The Tempest: Frigid waters, monstrous leviathans, and seven other heirs lie between her and the crown. https://vsholmes.com/tempest.html
Disciples: Can Lin save their lives when she’s forbidden to get involved?
Links:
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads | Bookbub | Universal Preorder (only $.99, price goes up to $5.99 after release weekend!)
Thanks for joining me today.
Thursday, September 24, 2020
Interview with horror writer John C Adams
Dark fiction author John C Adams is chatting with me about Blackacre Rising.
Bio:
John C Adams is a nonbinary writer of fantasy and horror fiction. They are also a reviewer with the British Fantasy Society, the Horror Tree and Schlock! Webzine.
John has had short fiction published in Swords and Sorcery Magazine, Sirens Call Magazine, the Horror Zine, Devolution Z Magazine, Lovecraftiana Magazine and many other small publications. You can also read their short fiction in anthologies from Lycan Valley Press, Horrified Press, Fantasia Divinity and Jersey Pines Ink.
Longlisted twice for the Aeon Award, John has also been runner up for the Enrico Charles Literary Award. They have a Postgraduate Certificate in Creative Writing from Newcastle University.
They are an Oxford graduate and non-practising solicitor, living in Northumberland UK but conducting the ultimate long-distance relationship with their boyfriend in Pennsylvania.
Please tell us about your current release.
Blackacre Rising is the sequel to my debut novel Souls for the Master. It starts off exactly where the prequel ended, with the resistance betrayed by one of their own and the three key characters forced to flee the Metropolis. Gerald takes Don and Ivy north to his cousin Brett Flint's farmhouse at Blackacre, but they soon discover that unique perils await them under its ancient roof. Gerald heads back south, hoping to confront Janus and persuade him to rejoin the resistance, but en route he's captured by members of the old regime, the authorities whose power crumbled when the resistance rose up and challenged the Master. As they wait for help from Gerald that may never arrive, Don and Ivy explore the farmhouse and build an uneasy alliance with the powers that reside within its walls. It isn't long before they both set off on missions of their own, each one fraught with danger.
What inspired you to write this book?
Souls for the Master ended on a note of betrayal, threatening everything that the resistance had just achieved. I've been itching to explore the consequences of Janus's weakness ever since finishing Souls for the Master. I wanted to really get into the tensions it would engender within the remaining resistance membership over how to counter his abandoning everything they had fought so hard to build. I also wanted to see how the heroes of the first book would respond to their plans spinning out of control. Would they be resilient, or would losing everything they'd worked for bring them to an irreversible point of cynicism where they accepted that their hope of building a better world without the overweening power of the Master was a futile dream?
Excerpt from Blackacre Rising:
Twenty-three-year-old trainee surgeon Gerald Flint pressed his foot on the accelerator as soon as they were clear of the Metropolis. Angry at the betrayal that had seen his group flee the capital, he slammed the pedal to the floor. Now that he was through the capital’s suburbs, his black car would devour the miles as they sped north.
Dusk softened the May evening, and he revelled in a blast of warmth as he wound down his window. Exhaustion sank down into his body in a dull ache deep in his muscles, but joy at being away from the Master's Thought Control thrilled his soul. Not even his terror of being rounded up and shot could obliterate his relief at being free at last.
The three of them were out of the city, Gerald reminded himself, but he, Don and Ivy were far from safe. Janus Fidens would be celebrating back in the Metropolis along with the rest of the resistance, and Gerald had intended to be there until he overheard Janus's plans for his closest allies. It was shocking that someone who fought tirelessly to overthrow the authorities could be so easily corrupted by power, but Janus wasn't the first. Others had fallen prey to this very temptation.
Ivy Spires stared out of the passenger window, mesmerised by the bushes and trees flashing past. She'd grown up in the urban wasteland of West Metropolis. The eighteen-year-old twisted the ends of her long black hair around her slender fingers. Her dark-purple nail polish was chipped, and there was dirt under her fingernails. Her high-boned face was inscrutable as she internalised her response to Janus's behaviour. The aroma of the perfume she'd worn to the celebration party after the resistance took control of government lingered, and its allure penetrated Gerald's mind as he drove.
Even as he longed to know her inner thoughts, he didn’t push her to talk. She’d come with him despite her wariness in trusting him, but they barely knew each other. Working for a common goal had brought them closer in the past few days, but he was asking her to believe someone she’d known for years was a traitor to the very cause they fought for. He decided to give her whatever space she needed to work through that she could trust him. Survival instinct saved her when she was growing up in the Metropolis, and it hadn't let her down now. She'd agreed to come with him and convinced Don to join them. Let that be enough for now, he thought.
Don Allwood was asleep in the back seat. The lad’s head lolled onto his skinny chest, and his straw-blond hair fell across his pasty face. He snuffled into a snore, mumbling in a strange, unrecognisable language.
The poor kid was drained by the combat of the past forty-eight hours. The fifteen-year-old took far greater risks than anyone else in the resistance until his loyalty was rewarded with betrayal. He was the key to everything, and, wherever the trio ended up, his safety must be paramount. If anything happened to him, they were finished.
END OF EXCERPT
What exciting story are you working on next?
I write both horror and fantasy, and I am generally pretty inclined to alternate between the two. After launching Blackacre Rising I'll get back to the first draft of my next fantasy novel. It's about halfway through at present, but of course fantasy novels are never short in length and even after the first draft means there's still a lot of work left to do. I haven't worked on it in some time, and I'm starting to really miss the characters, so it'll be good to be back in a fantasy universe instead.
The novel is the third in a fantasy series I first published back in 2016 with Aspatria. The sequel Dagmar of the Northlands came out in 2019. This third novel is inspired by a Russian-themed Medieval universe.
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
At fourteen I won twenty pounds in a writing competition for a diary I wrote during our school cruise to the Mediterranean. I found out then I could get paid for doing something I loved so much I'd have done it for free. I wish I'd continued with it, but real life intervenes and for me that meant university and then working. It was only when I was a full-time parent and carer that I began writing again just to carve out some space for myself. When my daughter was old enough to start nursery I dug out some of the writing I'd done as a teenager, read it, winced at how bad it was and then rewrote one of my favourite stories into a novel. Since then I've done a Postgraduate Certificate in Creative Writing, which I found really helpful, and learned the practical side of writing through submissions reading and reviewing. In some ways that sort of hands on experience is more useful than a writing course, in my opinion.
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 wish! Like most budding writers I have a day job as well. Mine is to be a full-time carer for a severely brain damaged relative who lives with our family. It's exhausting work but very rewarding. Finding time to write isn't easy under the circumstances, but you just have to be resilient and determined to carve out the hours required. Most writers struggle to do that after a long day at work so I'm not alone. Just now, my boyfriend is over from Pennsylvania for six months while he works on his own novel, so I do have someone to give me a hand and, perhaps most importantly of all, nag me into sitting down and getting some writing done. And of course stand over my shoulder and point out that I'm putting the commas in all the wrong places.
What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
Most of my preparation for a novel is done through lucid dreaming. Most writers flinch at the idea of letting the characters, plot, description and dialogue roll around your head often for months without writing any of it down. You just have to trust that it'll sink down into your memory and the subconscious will find it again at the appropriate time. It works for me, though I understand this writing technique is not for everyone.
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I'm still working on the growing up part, which is interesting given that I turn fifty in a few months. I actually wanted to be a vet. Not sure what happened to that ambition, given that I ended up becoming a lawyer instead. And of course now I'm a writer. Life's a journey. One day I'll learn to take it more seriously, I promise.
Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
I'd be delighted to give away twenty copies of Blackacre Rising via Smashwords code to download ebook or Mobi for Kindle versions.
Links:
Thanks for being here today!
Wednesday, September 23, 2020
Interview with crime thriller author Dwayne Clayden
Crime thriller author Dwayne Clayden joins me today to chat about his new novel, Speargrass-Opioid.
Welcome, Dwayne, please tell us a little bit about yourself.
I was born and raised in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. In my 42-year career in emergency services, I served as a police officer, paramedic, tactical paramedic, firefighter, emergency medical services (EMS) chief, educator, and academic chair.
My first novel, Crisis Point, was a finalist for the 2015 Crime Writers of Canada, Arthur Ellis Awards.
I love to speak at conferences and to writing groups on writing realistic police, medical, and paramedic procedures.
I am the co-author of four paramedic textbooks and have spoken internationally at EMS conferences for the past three decades.
Please tell us about your current release.
Speargrass-Opioid is set in Great Falls, Montana, and on the fictional Indian Reservation, Speargrass.
Rodeo champion Franklyn Eaglechild finds his life upended when his bull-riding injuries force him into a new line of work as the Tribal Sheriff in Speargrass, Montana. His damaged health leaves him with a pill-popping problem and a dim future of lost dreams. While coping with his personal defeats, Franklyn quickly discovers not everyone in Speargrass is thrilled to have a new Sheriff in town looking into their business—especially not the drug dealers.
Franklyn makes enemies in high places when he refuses to play by the Tribal Chief’s rules. Friends are scarce. Lucky for Franklyn, he has at least one friend he can rely on—his adopted brother and DEA Special Agent Riley Briggs in Great Falls.
As an opioid crisis spirals out of control in and around Great Falls and Speargrass, Franklyn and Riley realize they need to join forces if there is any hope of putting an end to the destruction.
What inspired you to write this book?
There were three reasons I wanted to write this novel. First, I was directly involved in the carnage the opioid crisis has created.
Second, based on my experience working on a First Nation, I saw first-hand addictions, death, and destroyed families.
Third, I am a big fan of Craig Johnson and his Longmire novel series, and the TV show. I saw the opportunity to create my own characters and world. In Speargrass, Franklyn and Riley are protagonists 1a and 1b. They share equal time in the novel, in their own sphere, but come together to solve a critical problem.
Excerpt from Speargrass-Opioid:
Franklyn Eaglechild slumped on the examination table, legs over the edge, and stared at the row of X-rays.
“Remind me, how many previous fractures?” the doctor asked.
“About fifty.”
“All from rodeo?”
“No, some from hockey.”
The doctor sighed. “The body wasn’t meant to take this abuse. I’m amazed you’re still walking.”
“About that … the pain pills aren’t doing a lot. I need something stronger.”
The doctor turned and sighed. “Look, Franklyn, Oxycontin is all I can prescribe. I shouldn’t be doing that anymore.”
“What’s the option?”
“You gotta stop rodeo. Your next argument with a two-thousand-pound bull could be your last. Any subsequent fractures might not heal. Besides, you can hardly move. How would you dodge a bull?”
“Don’t ride bulls anymore.” Franklyn smirked. “Just steer wrestling.”
“Oh great, so you jump off a speeding horse to wrestle five hundred pounds of steer to the ground.” The doctor shook his head. “What could possibly go wrong with that?”
“Come on, doc, it’s all I know.”
“Why do you sell yourself short? A month ago, you said you were applying for a job. What happened with that?”
“It’s back on the rez.”
The doctor leaned against the wall and crossed his arms. “What’s wrong with that?”
Franklyn shrugged. “I haven’t been on the rez for twenty-five years.”
“But it’s home. You got folks there?”
“Nobody close. My parents died a long time ago. Grandparents, too. Don’t know if I’d recognize anyone.”
The doctor pushed off the wall and stepped over to Franklyn. “As I told you a month ago, rodeo is in your past. If you jump off another horse, you could be crippled for life.”
“No options?”
The doctor rolled his eyes. “What about the job?”
“Speargrass Tribe advertised for an arena manager.” Franklyn grinned. “But they offered me the job of sheriff.
“Are you kidding me?”
“Nope.”
“You got any experience?”
“Some,” Franklyn said. “I worked the Montana Highway Patrol. Primarily winter months after rodeo season.”
“That’s better than continuing rodeo and being crippled.”
“I didn’t think I’d get the job.” Franklyn held out his shaking right hand. “Will I be able to hold a gun?”
“You’ll be able to hold it, but I can’t guarantee you’ll be able to pull the trigger too many times. And you might not be accurate.”
“About the pain?”
“I’ll give you a two-month prescription for Oxy. But you must stop rodeo and take care of your body. Maybe try yoga.”
“Are you insane?”
“Hey, pro athletes swear by it. Give it a try.” The doctor grinned. “Lots of women go to yoga.”
Franklyn’s head jerked up. “Lots of women?”
“Lots.”
What exciting story are you working on next?
Crisis Point, OutlawMC, and Wolfman is Back are the first three novels in the Brad Coulter Crime Thrillers series.
The fourth novel in the series, 13 Days of Terror, is now back from my editor, and I am making the final changes before sending it for proof-reading. It will be released in November 2020. I am working on the fifth novel in that series, Goddess of Justice, which will be released in early 2021.
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I have always loved reading. My earliest memories are of my mother reading the Hardy Boys to me. Then I read every one. In high school, I wrote Mad Magazine type spoofs and Saturday Night Live skits. In 2010 I started my first novel, Crisis Point. I realized I was a writer when I held the full printed proof in my hands for the first time.
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 am a full-time writer. My days start with coffee, the news, then to my writing cave. Around nine, I check emails and social media, and then by ten, I edit for the rest of the morning. After a lunch break, I then work on new chapters in the next novel. My most productive time for writing new material is from after lunch to midnight. Sometimes, after Valerie goes to sleep, I will write into the wee hours of the morning.
On a new novel, my goal is to write between 3-5,000 words a day for the first draft.
What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I use a lot of Post It Notes. My cave is covered with small notes, and large poster-sized notes with research, photos, and reminders. I still edit with paper (full of Post It Notes) and pen (a Bic four-color pen).
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
High School Physical Education Teacher/Football Coach/Police Officer
I did two out of three—a cop and football coach.
Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
13 Days of Terror—4th in the Brad Coulter Crime Thriller series—Launching in November.
My next novel is in final edit.
Monday morning. A man drops dead in the parking lot of a car dealership in downtown Calgary. No one knows where the shot came from. No one knows why the victim was targeted. The shooter? Invisible.
An hour later, another body hits the ground. Random victim, random location.
A sniper is terrorizing Calgary.
Detective Brad Coulter has just returned to work after a long leave of absence. He is thrown directly into the fire and tasked with stopping what is rapidly becoming one of the city’s deadliest killers. The shooter leaves no evidence behind but taunts Brad with notes addressed directly to him. As the death count rises, city-wide panic ensues.
It is a race against time. But how can Brad hunt a ghost?
Links:
Thanks for joining me today!
Tuesday, September 22, 2020
Interview with romantic suspense author Maggie Clare
During her virtual book tour, Maggie 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 her other tour stops and enter there, too!
Bio:
Maggie Clare is the pen name of award-winning speculative fiction author Tabitha Lord.
When channeling Maggie, she writes all the naughty things! Her Tactical Solutions International romantic suspense series features hot hunky heroes, smart sexy gals, and nail-biting narratives.
Count on Maggie to pair great story-telling with an erotic edge.
Please share a little bit about your current release.
Lost and Found is the 3rd book in the Tactical Solutions International romantic suspense series, but it can be read as a stand-alone. You’ll meet a few characters who’ve starred in the earlier books, and you’ll get a sneak peek of some who’ll be featured in the future, but this book has its own complete story.
Tactical Solutions International is a private military contractor and security firm co-founded by the main character of Lost and Found, Cam Taylor. The series focuses on the founders, the operatives they’ve hired, and the folks they fall in love with. All have a healthy dose of suspense - from serial killers, to human trafficking rings, to the creepy stalker in Lost and Found. All have a happily-ever-after, though, I promise!
Here’s a brief summary of Lost and Found…
When a disturbed admirer sets his sights on Dr. Lissa Morgan, former SEAL Cam Taylor vows to protect her. Although Cam has run from intimacy his whole life, the more time he spends with the sweet, sexy doctor, the faster his defenses crumble. When the stalker strikes, he’ll do whatever it takes to save the woman who’s slowly healing his wounded soul.
What inspired you to write this book?
As I mentioned, Lost and Found is the third book in the Tactical Solutions International series, but I actually wrote parts of it first. I’d just finished the final draft of a science fiction novel, and I needed to take a break from that story for a little while.
As often happens, key scenes from a new story will take shape in my mind, choreographed out like action sequences on television. There is one scene in Lost and Found where Lissa is trying to escape from the stalker. She sprays him with a bottle of bathroom cleaner and runs through the house, only to find all the doors padlocked. Even though there wasn’t much of a story yet, this scene was pulse-pounding and terrifying enough that I really wanted to keep it!
After just a few weeks of working on my new idea, I had to return to writing my science fiction series, and Lost and Found sat in my files for about a year. When I eventually began developing the TSI series, I dusted off that partial manuscript, gave Cam a new and better backstory, and turned this into the third book.
Excerpt from Lost and Found:
Cam woke with a splitting headache and no idea where he was. For a few seconds, before his foggy brain cleared, he simply stared at the white ceiling overhead. He ran a hand over the soft blanket covering him, and turned his head carefully to the side. A glass of orange juice, a bottle of pills, and a note sat on a coffee table. His cell phone, keys, and wallet were in a neat pile next to the glass.
Cam woke with a splitting headache and no idea where he was. For a few seconds, before his foggy brain cleared, he simply stared at the white ceiling overhead. He ran a hand over the soft blanket covering him, and turned his head carefully to the side. A glass of orange juice, a bottle of pills, and a note sat on a coffee table. His cell phone, keys, and wallet were in a neat pile next to the glass.
Snapshots of memory flashed back into his head, coming in reverse order, like a videotape rewinding. Liss suturing his head. Her friend bringing supplies. Cam sitting outside her door, getting drunk while he waited for her to come home.
He reached for the note, licking his dry lips and squinting past the pounding in his head.
Things you may do: 1. Drink this juice and take some Tylenol. 2. Take off your bloody clothes and leave them in the basket. 3. Shower – the sutures won’t dissolve. 4. Move into my room for more sleep. Things you may not do: 1. Leave – doctor’s orders.
He grinned, hearing Lissa’s voice in his head as he read her instructions. His smile faded when he remembered what had driven him to her doorstep in the first place. He couldn’t think about that right now. He considered sneaking out before Liss returned from wherever she’d gone off to, but he discarded the idea pretty quickly. He needed the pills, the shower, and more sleep.
What exciting story are you working on next?
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I’ve been writing since I was a little girl, and I’ve always been told I was a ‘good writer.’ But, there’s a big difference between writing a solid paper in college, creating content for work, or even dabbling with story ideas, and completing a full-length novel. This was the part I never felt I could do. Once I’d written the first draft of my first novel, I allowed myself to finally admit I was 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?
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 am a full-time writer. As my kids got older and began leaving for college, I felt like it was time for a career change. When I wrote my first novel, they were all still living at home and I was working a full-time job.
The manuscript was a labor of love for sure, but I learned I was capable of completing a full-length novel, and further, I really enjoyed the process. My husband was super-supportive, and at that point in our lives, we could afford for me to take a chance on my writing.
I tried to imagine what it would be like to be a full-time writer. Would I write only novels? Would I write articles for blogs or magazines? Short-fiction? Would people actually pay me to produce content? I really didn’t know. Turns out, I do all of the above, and I do get paid to produce content!
My writing career is a mix of things. In addition to novel and short fiction writing, with two platforms to support since Maggie was born, I’m also the managing editor of a writer’s blog, and a partner for an online author review/interview site. I will occasionally take on editorial projects that really interest me as well.
My work days vary, depending on what kind of projects I’m working on. When I’m drafting a new manuscript, I tend to need hours of uninterrupted time each day. But, if I’m working on blog posts, editing, or marketing and sales work, I’m more flexible.
What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I talk to myself while I’m working. I’m not sure if this would be considered a writing quirk, but it’s certainly a habit that drives my family crazy. They never know if I’m speaking to them or not!
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Oh, so many things - an archeologist, an astronaut, a doctor, and definitely a writer. Now I can research and write about all the things I’m still interested in!
Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
Each one of my books contains some darker elements. This makes for good storytelling and creates dramatic tension, but I am also aware that some of the themes can be triggering. In Lost and Found, in addition to the stalker plot line, the main character, Cam, has suffered a terrible trauma that he’s kept secret for years. When I add something like this to my stories, I try to do it with great care. While I aim to give all my couples a happily-ever-after, I also want to show that trauma has far-reaching consequences. Love helps heal, certainly, but it doesn’t erase everything.
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