UPDATE - The Personal Touch

Great News!    

No Good Deed has been selected as a finalist at Storytrade Awards in the romantic suspense category. Let's wish C.D. good luck!

❤❤❤❤❤

We're getting to the end of summer and as the kids go back to hitting the books, what better time for fiction  readers to hit the books too? Today's guest in My Writing Corner, C.D. Bennett, is here to introduce us to some fascinating new characters and situations that should keep the pages turning. Her latest book is titled No Good Deed.

Welcome, and please tell us a little about yourself, C.D.:

I am an avid reader and nature lover who enjoys adventurous outdoor activities when I'm not busy writing romantic suspense novels. Horseback riding, hiking, kayaking/paddleboarding, and swimming are some of my favorite pastimes. I have even "taken the plunge" with skydiving and scuba diving. I live in rural NW Pennsylvania with my family and a menagerie of animal companions. I am currently working on my third book.

 I am thrilled to be included in today’s blog. I appreciate the opportunity to connect with all of you and introduce you to my upcoming release No Good Deed. A book that, in a small way, took shape from personal experiences. This novel takes place on a family ranch in the rugged mountains of Colorado, a beautiful state filled with breathtaking views and people who share a deep-rooted love of the outdoors. It also happens to be where I spent a lot of my childhood. I got to play among the aspen trees and have ridden through those mountains on horseback. I still miss it. Since I can't hop on a plane every time I get nostalgic, what better way is there to revisit my old stomping grounds than to write about it?

I also included a main character who previously worked as an EMT (just like I did). It is how I put myself through college. Everyone says to write what you know, right? Needless to say, my heroine can handle a crisis. It's a good thing too, because Kiya James couldn't have known that saving the life of a stranger would make her the target of a dangerous unknown adversary. When she joins forces with the victim and his family, she finds herself thrust into a world filled with endless greed and relentless danger. It also opens the door to new love and found family.

I would love to hear your thoughts on No Good Deed!

Let's get a blurb:

No Good Deed…goes unpunished.

Kiya James’ relocation to idyllic Riverton Colorado is disrupted when she discovers a critically wounded man lying in a field near her home. Little did she know that her selfless act to save the man’s life would thrust her into a world of corruption, greed, and danger. As the only witness to the initial attack, and shaken by an attempt on her own life, Kiya is offered refuge with the victim’s family. Together, they struggle to uncover the circumstances that would trigger an unknown assailant to unleash a string of deadly attacks in an otherwise quiet rural ranching community.

Jake McCleary’s world could have been destroyed with a single bullet if it hadn’t been for the quick actions of a stranger. Now, in a desperate attempt to protect her, and his entire family, Jake must fight to defend his home, livelihood, and the woman who was rapidly capturing his heart, against the vicious actions of a criminal that will stop at absolutely nothing to get what he wants. But will they find the answers they need in time, or will they lose everything to the conceit of a madman? And will the bond between his wounded brother and the woman that saved him prove to be too big of an obstacle for Jake to overcome in the pursuit for Kiya’s love?

Let's get an excerpt:

In this excerpt, Jake and Kiya have been spending time together while trying to uncover information about an attack on Jake’s brother, Dylan. Jake starts to realize that his feelings for Kiya aren’t as simple as he thought, but he would never hurt his brother by coming between the two of them:

        Outside, the air had turned chilly causing Kiya to shiver slightly when the wind blew across the yard. Jake immediately wrapped his jacket around her shoulders. He had snagged it from a peg hanging inside the door as they were leaving. “What are you doing running around out here without a jacket?”

        “Thanks, I didn’t need one on my way over, and I wasn’t expecting it to get so cold. The temperature changes fast around here,” she said as she snuggled farther into the jacket.

        They made the short walk to the cabin in relative silence, but as they entered the glow given off by the light near the front door, Kiya stopped and turned toward Jake.  “Thank you for inviting me tonight. It was great getting to see Dylan that way. Even if he still tires easily.”

        “It’s surprising how effortless it is for you to tune in to how he’s feeling. You noticed his change in energy quicker than any of the rest of us.”

        Jake’s words were spoken lightly, but his eyes appeared guarded. Kiya shrugged.  “I know what to look for, that’s all.”

        “I suppose that could be it,” he allowed.

        The wind picked up again causing Kiya’s hair to flutter across her cheeks. Without thinking, Jake reached over and smoothed the silky strands away from her face, but the mental image of his brother’s interaction with her earlier in the evening had him pulling his hand back and shoving it into his pocket. He had been unprepared for his reaction to their almost instant and very obvious bond. He was struggling with the fact that he didn’t like it.

Want more? You'll have to buy the book! Here are the buy links and contact information for today's guest:

Buy Links:

Barnes & Noble 

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/no-good-deed-c-d-bennett/1145264311?ean=9781509255269

Amazon 

https://www.amazon.com/No-Good-Deed-C-D-Bennett-ebook/dp/B0D1VW8FVK/ref=sr_1_1

The Wild Rose Press

https://wildrosepress.com/product/no-good-deed/

Books2Read

https://books2read.com/u/49JY9X

Social Contacts:

Website

https://readcdbennett.wixsite.com/readcdbennett

Amazon Author

https://www.amazon.com/author/c.d.bennett

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090902103529

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/readcdbennett/

Goodreads

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/23250604.C_D_Bennett

BookBub

https://www.bookbub.com/authors/c-d-bennett-318e7889-91ae-45c9-9925-cc8ae405d3f9

Pinterest

https://www.pinterest.com/readcdbennett/

Thank you, C.D.,  for being my guest today. Any comments or questions for our guest?

Uncovering a Family Mystery

It's always great to welcome back a former guest to My Writing Corner.   My guest is Colleen L Donnelly, who has allowed me to feature a number of her books in the past. Today, she joins us to tell us about her newest book, Katie Walsh which tells the story of a young girl forced to solve the mystery of a family history no one warned her about, in order to create a shameless future of her own. We will find out more about Katie Walsh but first let's learn about Colleen.

Colleen was born and raised in the US Midwest but says she ventured to other parts of the country as an adult to experience life from other perspectives. Besides writing, she spends time outdoors, antique hunting, reading, or watching a good movie. Even though she retired from a career in laboratory science, she says she is never bored and always keeping  busy at something. 

What is the book that you are featuring today and how did you come up with the idea to write it?  

Katie Walsh is the book I almost didn’t publish. It wasn’t an idea. It was an experience. 

Every other novel I have written exploded from sudden inspiration, but this historical romantic fiction evolved. My first seven books poured out one after the other, a creative flow I expected to continue, but it suddenly stopped after a life-changing family event. I went from writing about life to living it. And like Job scraping his boils, I merely pecked at my keyboard, lost and confused. 

With time, a “new normal” began to develop in my family, after which my pecking began to take form. Several false starts that resembled stories made it to the Recycle Bin, until one day my creativity returned, inspiration struck, and Katie Walsh was born. As—me! A writer with a lot of living to do before their story could come out. 

Once finished, Katie Walsh was different enough from my other novels, I hesitated to submit it to my publisher. As it went through the contracting and editing process, I kept thinking this book isn’t me; I should withdraw it. But it was indeed me, and it took hindsight’s 20-20 vision to see that Katie was me staying alive when life as I knew it turned upside down and stopped. She and I each had a story inside. But both of our worlds collapsed. Our families were no longer the same, our hearts became broken, and enemies rose up around us. With time we muddled our way through. We survived. We overcame, we found ourselves, and in the end, we lived and wrote our stories. I now love Katie Walsh and her painstaking journey--because she is the character who lived my life on the page. 

Let's get a blurb:

Katie Walsh expects to write a love story someday. The hero resembles her father, and the heroine the deceased mother she never knew but imagines from the longing on her father’s face.

Katie doesn’t expect her father to be murdered, or his will to leave their farm to Guy Knowles, the man she hoped to marry, and order her to another state. Betrayed by the men she trusted, what should have become a love like no other withers and dies.

Until Ted Howard, who doesn’t fit the hole Guy left in her heart. Instead, he fits himself into what she needs—someone who will stay, protect her, and break his own heart for her if needed.

Let's get an excerpt:

When our neighbor, Guy Knowles, began to drop by and take me for long but mostly silent walks across Papa’s pasture, I wondered if my parents had done the same thing and if my excitement mirrored what my mother’s might have been. Did she, like me, translate every quiet step into tender words? Did she see lifelong devotion on Papa’s face then, like I watched for it now on Guy’s?

I expected my love story—the one I would write and the one I would live—to be like theirs. What I didn’t expect was that both stories would begin the day a stranger came to my door and told me my father had just been killed. Killed, not died.

Nor did I expect this tale of “A Love Like No Other” to reach full bloom in a tiny jail cell far away.

Intrigued and want to read on? You'll have to buy the book. Here are the buy links as well as Colleen's social contacts and links to some of her other novels.

Buy Links:

Amazon link: https://amzn.to/45pYv4q

Barnes & Noble:  https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/katie-walsh-colleen-l-donnelly/1145663844?ean=9781509257096

Prior Books & Links by Colleen L Donnelly:

“Mine to Tell” Amazon #1 Bestseller: http://amzn.to/1PNJo4S

“Letters and Lies”  Amazon: https://amzn.to/2yNFGNv

“Love on a Train”   Amazon: http://amzn.to/1m9eYCx

“Asked For”     Amazon: http://amzn.to/1TyflEu

“Sonata Contineo”    Amazon:  https://amzn.to/2I0zzYi  

“Out of Splinters and Ashes”   Amazon:  http://amzn.to/2K0WTHt

“The Lady’s Arrangement”    Amazon:  http://amzn.to/2qj7DE2

Social Media:

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/colleen-l-donnelly

Website: http://www.colleenldonnelly.com/ 

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

Goodreads: http://www.Goodreads.com/colleenldonnelly 

Amazon: http://amzn.to/37vcnO4

Thank you, Colleen, for being my guest today. Any comments or questions for Colleen?

Getting Back into the Writing Spirit

The best thing about doing my weekly blog is getting to meet so many authors who visit My Writing Corner. Every story is different, and I enjoy reading about them all. Today's guest has a wonderful tale to tell. My guest today is author Jules Parker and her new book that has just been released is Bygones Be Damned. Doesn't that title immediately grab your attention?

Jules says she is a longtime lover of action movies, fast cars, and good books. She tells us she picked up her first romance novel at the age of 12 and has been crafting white-knuckle love stories ever since. Having published 10 romantic suspense novels under the pen name J.A. Dennam, she took a short break to focus on health and family, and has now returned with what she says is a fresh set of ways to deliciously "torture her characters." She says her favorite thing to do is to immerse herself within the creative confines of her she-shack, though she says she is also known to ride motorcycles and cuddle chickens.  Let's find out more about Jules.

What do you enjoy about being an author? 

Creating the stories. If I could do that and nothing else, I'd have a million of them written by now.

What do you find is the most challenging part of being an author? 

The social media aspect of connecting with readers. I'd much rather meet face-to-face.

How do you develop characters? 

I don't have a specific formula, but I do have standards that all my characters must meet. They must be strong, they must be driven, and they must be relatable. Most of the time, my characters develop before my very eyes, just from their interactions with other characters.

How do you come up with your plots? 

Always from personal experience. Kidding! Well, sort of. For example, after I recovered from a broken leg, I needed to let out some pent-up energy, so I volunteered to demolish some industrial cabinets for my husband. Smashing stuff felt so good, I developed a heroine who could knock down buildings and climb structures better than any man in her field...including the tough guy who wanted to demolish her! Until she stole his heart, that is.

Jules, tell us about your road to publication. 

I wrote my first romantic suspense 23 years ago out of a deep need to purge it from my brain. It was rough, cursed with plot holes, and wrapped up at a whopping 180K words. Twelve years later, I self-published that book. It's polished now, split into two parts, and it will always be my favorite. After seven years as a hybrid author--having published ten books under the name J.A. Dennam--I had to step away for a while and take a much-needed breather.

Now, I'm starting round two with a bang thanks to my new partnership with The Wild Rose Press. More to come!

What is your book that you will feature today and how did you come up with the idea to write it?

Bygones Be Damned is my first romantic suspense under the pen name Jules Parker. It started out as a sequel to a book I'd published with Start Media a long time ago. Unfortunately, they didn't want the series, so my half-written baby was tabled for a while. Then I decided...what the hell. This couple is too dynamic to waste! With a few tweaks and name changes, Marcelina and Walker's tale came alive with more vigor than I could have imagined. This story led me more than I led it.

Let's get a blurb: 

Facing years in prison, Marcelina Page leaves her fate in the hands of her sexy, tough-as-nails lawyer, Walker Bishop. But she’s holding back a secret past that may ruin her chances in court...and her chances with Walker. When an opportunity to guarantee her freedom arises, she fears there is no choice but to enter the very world of organized crime she has tried so hard to avoid. Walker is used to dealing with difficult clients, but never one that threatens to penetrate his heart the way Marcelina does. Her forbidden mouth captures the unwanted attention of his criminal enemies as well, prompting a deal from the DEA that could work in everyone's favor…if not for his own selfish desire to keep Marcelina for himself.

Want more? How about a short excerpt:

Walker Bishop stopped dead in his tracks. His freshly-shaven face popped out from behind the towel. As soon as he registered her presence, he let out a thick curse and covered his privates. 

“I knew there was more to you than just a stiff suit,” she teased. 

He dove toward the walk-in closet. “Dammit, Marcelina!”

“What?” She cocked her head, soaking in his sculpted posterior before the closet door closed and blocked her view. 

“You broke into my house,” came the muffled reply. “I’m pretty sure that’s a crime.” 

“Your front door was open. Besides, I’m a criminal. It’s in my file, which you probably haven’t touched for weeks now.” 

“Get out of my bedroom!” 

The anger in his tone had turned to annoyance, but Marcelina knew she was safe before walking through the front door. Her court-appointed attorney had a soft spot for her somewhere beneath that tough exterior. She’d seen it in his reluctant smiles, his annoyance and even his anger. It was the only reason he’d agreed to take her case when he clearly wouldn’t win it, sullying his stellar track record. 

With a sigh, she pushed out of the chair and approached the closet. “I’m not leaving, Walker. Not until we talk about my case.” 

What’s your next project or what are you working on now? 

Funny you should ask! I'm currently working on the sequel to Bygones Be Damned, though my next book to be published through The Wild Rose Press is called Whippoorwill Hill. It's a stand-alone, also a romantic suspense, and it's about a land war involving a crooked politician, a small-town sheriff, and an unsuspecting city girl that gets caught in the middle.

What advice do you have for beginning writers? 

Write your stories without rules, without boundaries, and without fear. Your heart will lead you through a wonderful, unique journey that will stand out among others.

Sounds like great advice!  Here are the buy links for Bygones Be Damned and social contact information for Jules:

Buy links:

The Wild Rose Press: https://wildrosepress.com/product/bygones-be-damned/

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D64JJ52K/thewildrosepr-20

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/bygones-be-damned-jules-parker/1145630717?ean=9781509256136

iTunes: https://books.apple.com/us/book/bygones-be-damned/id6503908480

Books-A-Million: https://www.booksamillion.com/p/9781509256136

Social contact info:

Website: http://www.julesparker.com

X: @JParkerBooks

Instagram: julesparkerbooks

Thank you, Jules, for being my guest today.  Any questions or comments for Jules?

A Question of Time

One of my favorite places in the country has long been the Pacific Northwest, and even though I moved away from the area many years ago, whenever I get the opportunity to travel back in that direction, I take it--even if it is in the form of a blog entry. This week's author guest in My Writing Corner is C.E. Brown who has lived most of her life in the Northwest, close to her family and friends. She says she loves to travel and is always searching for magical places to help inspire her creativity.

C.E. notes that she has a very patient and understanding husband, a wildly creative son, and three crazy cats—one steals her shoes, another steals her food, and the third is a sweetly neurotic old man who can’t decide if he’d prefer to be petted or left alone. C.E. says she didn’t find her passion for writing until she began wrangling kids as a school counselor, but then the writing bug bit and she’s been writing ever since.  Let's find out more about C.E.

What do you find is the most challenging part of being an author?

Finding enough time to do everything. Most people believe being an author just means writing a book, but there is so much more. There is developmental editing, copy editing, querying, creating a website, doing a newsletter, setting up Advanced Reader Copies (ARCs), creating and engaging in social media, publishing, etc. All while writing the next book (and often multiple next books in different stages at the same time). Most of us have full-time jobs and families as well. While exciting, it can be exhausting too.

How do you develop characters?

I spend time getting to know them. I don’t just write out their goals and motivations, but I also explore what clothes they like to wear, how they talk, their favorite subjects, hobbies, things they are good at, things that scare them, who they are close to, etc. Do I get ideas from people I know or run into? Absolutely! The cat in Seeing Gray has a lot of inspiration from my late cat, Casper, who was an amazing escape artist. Ideas are everywhere, we just need to open our eyes and ears and pay attention.

Tell us about your road to publication.

I’ve always loved writing, but was unfocused. When COVID hit, I suddenly had two extra hours a day since I no longer had to commute to work. I decided to use that time to write. I wrote three books before I was convinced by a friend to submit my latest book, Seeing Gray, to the PNWA Unpublished Young Adult contest. I placed third and was thrilled. When I went to the PNWA Conference, it came with a free pitch, and I pitched to an acquisitions editor with The Wild Rose Press. They asked to see more, and after seeing the full book, gave me an offer for publication. Since then, it has been a roller coaster of new things to learn, but I love it and am so excited to be on this journey!

What is your book that will be featured today and how did you come up with the idea to write it?

My featured book, Seeing Gray, is a YA Urban Fantasy. I work in schools and enjoy writing about teens and wanted to make sure I touched on topics in my book that aren’t always talked about, like losing a loved one. Zoey, the main character in Seeing Gray, is drawn into the magical world by grief and her need for vengeance against the demon who killed her mother. It’s a world she’d always wanted to be a part of, but was kept hidden from by her parents. Once I had that main idea, I worked on brainstorming more ideas until I had an outline for my story. I used to be a pantser (I didn’t do any prep work first), but I’ve changed my writing style. I now loosely map out the entire book before writing, but I let my characters take me in new directions if they choose.

Let's get a blurb:

 Celestials have been killing Seers for centuries, as prophesy states that a Seer will overthrow Celestial rule. Worried for Zoey’s safety, her parents forbid her from registering as a Seer and interacting with the Celestials, Fae, and Demons who hide among humankind. Zoey is forced to wear a necklace that hides magic from her and conceals her magic from them.

Witness to her mother’s murder at the hands of a Demon, Zoey vows to track down her mother's killer and make him pay. Embracing her magic, Zoey is brought deeper into the mythical world by an unlikely ally and wonders if perhaps her parents were right to keep her out of it.

Will she avenge her mother’s death, or will she meet the same untimely fate?

How about a quick excerpt?

    My heart stopped. Hidden in the shadows was a large shape. No, not large—massive. Hunched over, it was a tight fit under the bridge. The two yellow eyes were set in a mud-brown face with a huge potato nose. Floppy ears topped the head, and an immense belly protruded, as well as two curved tusks. I opened my mouth to say something, and no sound came. I swallowed. A low growl came from under the bridge, shaking the ground I was sitting on. I slipped and slid a few feet before catching myself, my side now covered in mud and my foot stuck in a squelching pile of goo. I hoped it was mud. It smelled awful. I somehow had kept hold of my notebook, but my pencil was long gone. I scrambled up the hill half crawling, fingers digging into the grass, terror making me shake. When I was at the top of the hill, I ducked back under the fence and then stopped, notebook pressed to my chest, and waited. No sounds came from behind me. Hands trembling, I shoved my notebook into my bag, grateful it had remained slung over my shoulder.

No pursuit, no more growls. Should I go back? I debated, but the growl made me think that might be a bad idea. He or she had clearly not wanted me there. Was I breaking some sort of rule and invading its territory? The troll had just appeared. Had they come through a portal? Maybe they were just passing through.

So, trolls. They exist. Check. I’d have to draw it when I got home and record what I knew. God, I wish I wasn’t such a scaredy-cat. Before Mom died, the sight of the troll wouldn’t have terrified me. I used to love to See strange creatures when I caught a glimpse. Now, anything larger than a cat sent my heart racing into overdrive and made me break out in a cold sweat. Not a full-blown panic attack, but close. Damn it. Gritting my teeth, I reached into my bag and grabbed the brownie I’d saved from lunch. Everyone liked brownies, right? I ducked under the fence, put my bag on the ground, and crept back down the hill.

What’s your next project or what are you working on now?

My book, Seeing Gray, can be read alone, but will be part of a trilogy. I’m currently working on edits for book two in the trilogy and the first draft of book three. I hope readers will be as excited to continue Zoey’s journey as I am to write it. I’m also working on a middle grade fantasy book. My son, who is in elementary school and wasn't allowed to read Seeing Gray, asked me if I would write a book for him about a troll and his dog, so I wrote a book called Taming Trouble, which I am working on querying to literary agents.

What advice do you have for beginning writers?

First, writing is a marathon, not a sprint. Once you think you’ve got it, there are twelve more things to learn. Take everything a day at a time and know that everyone’s timeline is different, and that’s okay. My first book, Assassin’s Trade (Seeing Gray was the third book I wrote), took me over a decade to write and will probably never see the light of day, but I learned so much from that experience. Take the time you need to do your best work and don’t worry about everyone else. Second, your first draft likely won’t be a masterpiece and will require a lot of editing. Don’t worry, that is normal. There will be time to improve your book, but you can’t fix what’s not there. And finally, find your writing tribe. They will be there with you for the learning, the struggling, the good days and the bad. Writing can be tough and it’s important to connect with the writing community and be there to support each other (don’t worry, a lot of us are introverts too).

Here are the buy links for Seeing Gray and C.E.'s contact information:

Buy links:

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

BooksAMillion

Social contact information:

Website

Instagram

Goodreads

Email: ce@cebrownauthor.com

Thank you, C.E. for being my guest today. Any questions or comments for C.E.?