Interview with sci-fi romance novelist Linda Nightingale

Novelist Linda Nightingale is in the hot seat today, and she’s chatting with me about her new sci-fi romance, Life for Sale.

During her virtual book tour, Linda will be giving away a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble (winner’s choice) gift card to a luck 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:

After 14 years in Texas, Linda returned home to her roots in South Carolina. She has 8 published novels, four of which are available from Audible.com in audio. For many years, she bred, trained and showed Andalusian horses. So, she’s seen a lot of this country from the windshield of a truck pulling a horse trailer. Linda has won several writing awards, including the Georgia Romance Writers’ Magnolia Award for Excellence, the Raven Award in Anthologies, and the SARA Merritt. Sinners’ Opera is a finalist in the 2020 Raven Awards. She loves horses, sports cars, music, reading, writing, and piano—oh, and dressing up and hosting formal dinner parties.

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

Life for Sale is a sci-fi romance that probably leans more to the sci-fi than the romance. The book is Book II in the Tomorrow’s Angels’ series. The first is Love for Sale, which begins the journey of the main characters, Christian, a sentient android, and March, a human and a dreamer. It is, as one review said, a ‘study of a chaotic mind, albeit lab created’. Christian and March race to stop an insane killer—one of his kind—trapped on a cruise ship in the middle of the Atlantic.

What inspired you to write this book?

Four years after Love for Sale was released, I came to feel Christian’s and March’s story wasn’t told, wasn’t complete, that there was something else I needed to say. Christian was telling me the story, but I needed a villain. Kind of a requirement! One day as I was rereading what I’d written, a what if moment struck me. What would happen if one of the almost invulnerable androids malfunctioned? I had four suspects. Not Daniel, he had a story coming. Not Trevor because I hardly knew him. Monica II was perfect. The sexy android hadn’t found anyone to love her, and she wanted someone badly enough to kill anyone who had him. Long answer to short question. The long and short of it is, Love for Sale inspired this story.


Excerpt from Life for Sale:

“Why are you here? To spout more nonsense?” Spitting mad, Monica reared up in her enemy’s face.

“Not at all.” March’s hand flashed, almost too rapidly for Monica to see, and came down hard below her nose in a Judo-like attack.

Shocked and in pain, she stumbled back, switching modes as she pushed off the bed. “That’s it, whore. You’re a dead woman.”

“I don’t think so,” her rival gritted out, hands braced on her hips, her expression as cold and hard as her mediocre brown eyes. She shook her head. “Look, Monica, I know you’re aware of your actions. I’m going to give you a chance. You must deactivate until we can safely transport you to Dr. Cross for testing. Surely, you know something is wrong.”

“As they say in the films, you and whose army?” She squared her shoulders, preparing to strike without notice. “I didn’t do anything to that bloody dog. I didn’t do anything to you, fool.”

 “You didn’t mention Anne.” The other woman seized Monica’s arm. “What did you do to Anne?”

Claws out, Monica lunged. March darted beneath her guard, stabbing at a spot beneath her left earlobe. Monica shoved her back. “Looking for my off switch, fool? It’s well hidden, like where Ms. Goodie Two Shoes wouldn’t even think about going.”

Her insane human rival stood at the locked door, her stance as much as saying to leave Monica would have to get past her. No prob. She stalked toward her rival, murder in her eyes. March didn’t move. When Monica threw a punch at her eye, she moved by the gods.

The American whore lurched back, crossing her arms across her face, anticipating Monica’s next attack. Forearm struck forearm. A human bone should break, but March stood her ground, her limb intact. She recovered too quickly, dealing Monica a hard blow beneath her cheekbone, barely missing her eye, slamming her back against the wall.

“I don’t know what you are, March Morgan,” she sneered. “But it’s not going to save your butt.”

“No, but I am.” Looking like an avenging angel, Christian—in a Houston t-shirt and khaki shorts, his long hair disheveled—had somehow appeared behind March without either of them hearing.

What exciting story are you working on next?

I’m actually trying to choose between two. My contemporary western must come first. I have an approval in hand. Afterwards. I can work on the sequel to Sinners’ Opera, a vampire paranormal, titled Sinners’ Obsession. If not Sinners’ Obsession, then my centaur book where the hero is a golden palomino centaur who dazzles a Dystopian girl when she discovers a time portal from a ruined Earth to his idyllic home.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

When I got a high grade on a story I’d written instead of a book report in 9^th grade. The rest of the world wasn’t as sure.

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

I do write full-time, but I can only write well when I’m in my zone. Interruptions pull me out of the story, and that’s that for the day. I know that sounds temperamental but past experience like throwing away a ton of pages has taught me it is true.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I must be totally alone to get into the space where I am transported into the story, living it with the characters, seeing what they see and hearing what they hear. It’s a wonderful place to be, but a fragile bubble that can be shattered by the ringing of the phone.

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

An auto mechanic. My dad was always tinkering with our cars (maybe he wanted to be an auto mechanic, too), and I was right there with him under the hood. To this day, I wish I could work on cars. For fun and profit. I love cars, particularly sports cars.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

I love you. I mean really. I write for you and me. You’re the biggest part of my passion for writing—to have someone appreciate my work, to enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it. That’s a good feeling. Every time I get a five-star review, I happy dance. Thank you.

Links:

Twitter | Facebook | Website | Blog | Goodreads | Pinterest | Amazon | Book Bub

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Conversation with paranormal fantasy romance author Debbie Peterson

Paranormal/fantasy romance author Debbie Peterson is here chatting about writing, and her new novel Bound by Oath and Honour.

During her virtual book tour, Debbie will be awarding a $15 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!

A little bit about Debbie:

Debbie is an author of paranormal and fantasy romance because she has a soft spot for fairy tales, the joy of falling in love, making an impossible love possible, and happily ever after endings. She loves animals of every persuasion, music, art, beautiful sunrises, sunsets, the smell of rain, and thunder storms.

When she is not busy conjuring her latest novel, Debbie spends time with the members of her very large family in the lovely, arid deserts of southern Nevada, where some of those spectacular sunsets occur. She also pursues her interests in genealogy—which she also teaches—mythology, and history.

A little bit about Bound by Oath and Honour:

Fresh from her photo shoot in Northern England, wildlife photographer Tala Westbrook makes a promised stop at the family manor in Staffordshire, desperately in need of renovation. Though she didn’t plan to stay longer than it took to find a contractor, she is caught up in an ancient paranormal war. Despite the danger all around, she finds herself falling for the handsome, enigmatic man assigned to protect her.

Micah Berrington, elite guardian from the realm of the Bewitan Fierd, is used to protecting men of strength in the greatest of peril, not a female looking for someone to repair her home. Yet the assignment is far more than it seems and so is the beautiful woman destined to capture his heart, regardless of the cost.

Excerpt from Bound by Oath and Honour:

After he chambered a round in his rifle, he placed a finger against the trigger. He faced Tala with lifted hand and palm out. “Wait here while I check out the second floor.”

She gazed at him for several moments as if he had quite lost his mind. “I think not. In case you have forgotten, this house belongs to my family, Micah, not yours.”

“I will not debate the issue with you right now. Either you can wait here as directed, or I will throw you over my shoulder and carry you back to the cottage. I’ll then lock you inside for the remainder of the night. The choice is yours.”

She sucked in a breath while her mouth dropped another notch. “You wouldn’t—”

“Oh, but I would,” he whispered as he leaned in close to her face.

In evidence of his staunch determination, she gritted her teeth. She turned her head to the side. Once again, she refused to meet his gaze. “Fine.”

The dreaded “fine” escaped her lips for the second time in less than ten minutes. This one had a bit more oomph and resentment behind it than did the first. He ignored it. Instead, Micah turned his attention away from her little snit fit and focused on the task ahead.

Conversation:

Every now and again I’ll be reading a book or watching TV when out of the blue a character, minor or main, beloved or not, does something unbelievable. I mean really—as in the character I’ve come to know would never, ever say or do that—unbelievable. Has that ever happened to you? Were you puzzled like “where in the heck did that come from?” or just plain annoyed?

How about when in the beginning of a movie or book, a character says he’s an only child and then far later talks about an experience with a sister or brother? Movie goers are quick to pick out these flaws and inconsistencies. Once found, they gleefully list them on various websites. Book lovers are quick to do the same. In succinctly written reviews, they’ll happily mention such mistakes for all the world to see, and ridicule, never mind the story might be positively awesome.

Ouch…

In light of that fact, I believe creating a character bios is kind of an important part of writing a book. You wouldn’t want to say Richard has velvety brown eyes in the first few chapters of your book and then toward the end say his “emerald green eyes flashed with anger.” Believe me, readers notice the mistake.

So what’s important to know when creating each character besides name, age and gender? I’ll mention just a few.

A complete physical description which includes far more than the obvious height, build, eye, hair, and skin color. Does this character have dimples? Tattoos? Scruff, mustache or beard? Full face freckles or just a smattering across the nose? How about that nose? Sharp, rounded, bulbous?

Temperament. Is this character easy going or quick to anger? Patient or impatient? What are his or her qualities and weaknesses? Does he or she carry a grudge?

Where (location) and under what circumstances did your character come from? What about his or her family? What led this character to the here and now?

What are his or her values, beliefs and goals? Does he or she have any quirks either endearing or downright annoying?

What does your character feel about other characters he or she encounters? Why?

These are just a few things a writer should know about each created character, whether the information makes into the book or not and whether an editor edits it out or not. (I’ve had that plenty of times.) If you know, really know your character well, you won’t have to wonder how they’ll react in any given situation. If your characters are anything like mine, they’ll stubbornly veer off in an unplanned, unmapped direction. When they do, and they need to react, you’ve already got their back!

Thanks for being here today, Debbie.

Thanks for inviting me over Lisa! I’ve enjoyed every minute.

Links:

Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | AmazonAuthor Page | Pinterest | Goodreads

Buy Links:

Amazon | The Wild Rose Press

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Interview with historical fiction novelist Linda Bennett Pennell

I’m chatting with historical romance novelist Linda Bennett Pennell today about her newest book, Casablanca: Appointment at Dawn.

During her virtual book tour, Linda 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, Linda. Please tell us a little bit about yourself.

I have been in love with the past for as long as I can remember. Anything with a history, whether shabby or majestic, recent or ancient, instantly draws me in. I suppose it comes from being part of a large extended family that spanned several generations. Long summer afternoons on my grandmother's porch or winter evenings gathered around her fireplace were filled with stories both entertaining and poignant. Of course being set in the American South, those stories were also peopled by some very interesting characters, some of whom have found their way into my work.

As for my venture in writing, it has allowed me to reinvent myself. We humans are truly multifaceted creatures, but unfortunately we tend to sort and categorize each other into neat, easily understood packages that rarely reveal the whole person. Perhaps you, too, want to step out of the box in which you find yourself. I encourage you to look at the possibilities and imagine. Be filled with childlike wonder in your mental wanderings. Envision what might be, not simply what is. Let us never forget, all good fiction begins when someone says to her or himself, "Let's pretend." 

I reside in the Houston area with one sweet husband and one adorable German Shorthaired Pointer who is quite certain she’s a little girl.

Favorite quote regarding my professional passion:  "History is filled with the sound of silken slippers going downstairs and wooden shoes coming up." Voltaire  

Please tell us about your current release.

Casablanca: Appointment at Dawn is set in 1943 in the weeks leading up to the First Allied Conference. It features Kurt, an OSS officer, whose very unique talents take him into the back allies of Casablanca and across the north African desert chasing spies, double agents, and a Nazi plan to disrupt the conference. Through no fault of her own, Sarah, an army nurse, is also sucked into this vortex of intrigue and danger swirling around Kurt. Neither of them expected nor wanted a wartime romance, but love is sometimes found in the most unusual of circumstances.

What inspired you to write this book?

I have always loved World War II history. Originally, I had planned a book about a ninety-day-wonder, as WWII Army Air Corps pilots-in-training were known, and an army nurse. It was to be set at the training facility at Hialeah, Florida, but it just wasn’t working for me. During the research phase, I was in communication with a WWII pilot and fellow author. He mentioned having a friend who was stationed in Casablanca during the war. My pilot became an OSS officer, while the nurse moved to Casablanca as well. Romance among spies and double agents makes for much more exciting reading, don’t you think?


Excerpt from Casablanca: Appointment at Dawn:

“I’m Heinz. What do you want?”

“Oh. It’s you.”

“Yeah?”

“From the restaurant on New Year’s Eve.”

Kurt was silent for a moment, then it came back to him. “I remember. Sarah, right? You’re the girl who refused to dance with me.”

A red flush crawled from her throat onto the apples of her cheeks. “Yes. I’m sorry if I was rude.”

“I’ve been cut dead before. I got over it.”

The girl’s eyes glittered. “I’m sure you did. Are you going to keep me standing here on the doorstep for everyone to see?”

“Why? I’m not expecting company. Would it be a problem?”

“It certainly might if the people who tore my apartment apart followed me here.”

Kurt looked into her eyes with complete attention for the first time since opening the door. Whatever had happened to this girl, she looked terrified and angry. Not a particularly good combination for the covert activities he and Phelps were up to.

Kurt made a quick decision. He stepped back and pulled the door wide while raising his voice. “You better come inside and tell me why you think what happened to your apartment has anything to do with me.”

When they stepped into the living area, Phelps had disappeared. Kurt gestured toward the sofa and the girl sat down. Propping himself on the sofa’s arm, he looked down into her frightened eyes.

“Now tell me how I can help you, Miss, uh…”

“Barrett, Sarah. US Army. RN.”

“Well, Nurse Barrett, what can I do for you?”

The girl stuck her hand in her coat pocket and whipped out a scrap of paper that she waved in his face. “By telling me what’s on this paper and why it’s so important that somebody took a knife to my furniture.”

What exciting story are you working on next?

My work-in-progress is set in Miami and Havana. Told in alternating historical and contemporary timelines, it features my history professor, Liz Reams, from Al Capone at the Blanche Hotel. This time she is chasing Meyer Lansky, the Mob’s Accountant and a founding member of Murder Incorporated.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

When I completed the first draft of my first novel, I decided writing was something that I would get immense pleasure from for many years to come.

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 divide my time between writing, singing with the Texas Master Chorale and my church choir, and volunteering with local arts organizations and my church. I also occasionally act as a substitute administrator for the local school district. I make a conscience effort to write something nearly everyday. It may not always be on my next novel, however. I enjoy the blog, History Imagined, which two other historical fiction authors and I run. I also enjoy doing posts for other people’s blogs.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I suppose it might be that I can write anywhere, anytime. It is a testament to my particular brand of ADD. When I am in full-on writing mode, I think a pistol could go off next to me and I might not notice.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
When I was very little, I wanted to be a cowboy, tomboy that I was. Later on, I went through the usual phases: model, equestrian, pop singer, lawyer, and finally teacher…you know, the kind of stuff that appeals to young girls.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
Nothing more than to say thank you so much for hosting me today!

Links:

Facebook | Website | Twitter | Blog  

Buy link for Al Capone at the Blanche Hotel from Soul Mate Publishing

Buy link for Confederado do Norte from Soul Mate Publishing

Buy link for When War Came Home from Real Cypress Press

Buy link Casablanca: Appointment at Dawn from The Wild Rose Press

You’re welcome. Thank you for stopping by!

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Interview with romance author Linda Nightingale

Romance author Linda Nightingale is here today to talk about writing, and her new novel, Love for Sale.

During her virtual book tour, Linda will be awarding a sterling silver and genuine turquoise earrings valued at $45 as well as author-signed swag (US/Canada ONLY, an international winner will receive a choice of one digital book of Linda's) 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:

Something of a gypsy (actually nothing quite so romantic!) born in South Carolina, Linda has lived in England, Canada, Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, Atlanta, and Houston. She’s seen a lot of this country from the windshield of a truck pulling a horse trailer, having bred, trained and showed Andalusian horses for many years.

Linda has won several writing awards, including the Georgia Romance Writers Magnolia Award. She is the mother of two wonderful sons, a retired legal assistant, member of the Houston Symphony League and enjoys events with her car club. Among her favorite things are her snazzy black convertible and her parlor grand piano. She loves to dress up and host formal dinner parties.

Welcome, Linda. Please tell us a little bit about this book.
Love for Sale is a sci-fi romance that began as a short story. The short story won its category in the Houston Writers Guild contest. Then languished in my computer for years before an author friend encouraged me to make it into a book.

What inspired you to write this book?

I begin any book with one character—typically the hero. He starts the story then other characters enter to tell their tale. I am definitely a punster.


Excerpt from Love for Sale:
“Inane? I find you with another woman in the bedroom, and this conversation is silly? Oh, no, Christian. Did you invite her here?” Why couldn’t she stop hurting herself and let him go, lock the door and email Mayfair for a courier pickup?

Folding his arms across his chest, he leaned against the door. “She knocked. I answered and kept her outside until it started to rain. She was talking about the club and telling me, again, that I’d be a success as a male dancer. Being a success at something would be a bloody miracle. At any rate, half-jokingly, I asked her to teach me to dance. The End.”

“Not quite. Why did you slip her out behind my back?”

“I wished to avoid a scene like this.” His voice shaded deeper, darker. “And I didn’t want to hurt you.”

“There, it’s said. You can come back in now and stop pretending you’re leaving.” She waved a hand, half-heartedly beckoning. “You’ve got nowhere to go.”

He inhaled sharply as if she had punched him in the stomach. “I’m quite aware of that fact. I do not like seeing you this upset. Please call Mayfair tomorrow. I’ll voluntarily deactivate. They will dispatch a FedEx pickup for me.”

She raked a hand through her hair. “Oh, my God, what have you done and why? What have I done? Paradise Lost.”

“Why can’t you trust me?” His sad expression pierced her heart.

Nearly human. Though he didn’t have a heart, his emotions could be damaged.

“Because I don’t trust men.” An angry sob caught in her throat. When she could again speak, she croaked, “In general. Well, almost. I learned that lesson at my mother’s knee.”

“I’m not even almost any man.” He lifted his hands in a pleading gesture. “Return me to Mayfair for reprogramming. I don’t care. I only want to stay with you.”

“You have a funny way of showing it,” she said in a lethal whisper, her voice then rising in outrage. “If I’d been earlier or later, would I have found you bucking in bed?”

Looking stricken, he stood silent and straight, a bare-chested god with ice blue eyes.

What exciting story are you working on next?

My next book is way out of my paranormal realm. But I raised, trained and showed Andalusian horses for many years. I LOVE horses. Gambler’s Choice is about the equestrian set. A wealthy socialite goes to England in search of the perfect horse. Instead she meets the perfect man—a baron with the manor house, the title, but not the money. He is darkly handsome and mysterious, but danger surrounds him. Could Becca lose her heart as well as her life? Available soon from The Wild Rose Press.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

When my first book was published in 2012. Because of its controversial nature, I never expected Gemini Rising to be published.

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 retired from a career as a Legal Assistant in February last year to write full-time. I write in the mornings, generally, or late at night. I’m now a Content Strategist for an advertising agency, working contract, part-time.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I write by the seat of my pants. I like to drink Pellegrino while I’m writing.

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

A writer. Or a brain surgeon. Maybe a rocket scientist. Hum. Maybe a street cleaner or garbage collector. Well, perhaps, a wife and mother—achieved that!!! Hum. There are so many choices. A race car driver.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

I love them. Like all authors, readers are paramount. My dearest wish is to transport them, immerse them, in the worlds of my imagination. I’d like for them to love the characters chattering in my head. Am I schizophrenic? No, just a writer.

Links:

Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Buy page

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