A Romantic Adventure in Time

Summer has always been one of my favorite seasons for reading--whether on vacation or just sitting inside with a great book. (When I was young, I spent my summers at the library checking out several books every week.) We're halfway through the summer and many people are looking forward to vacation or just sitting around the house and beating the heat by sitting inside reading a book. (Just as I still do!) That's why I'm always watching for new authors to read. My guest today in My Writing Corner, Janie Emaus,  brings us a book that sounds as though it's perfect for summer reading.

Janie says she believes when the world is falling apart, we’re just one laugh away from putting it together again.  She has always wanted to be a writer and gained inspiration and confidence from her biggest fan: her sister. She is the author of the blended holiday picture book, Latkes for Santa Claus, a 2022 International Book Awards finalist, and the forthcoming Matzo Balls & Easter Eggs, coming out in 2023.  The Time Traveling Matchmaker is her first adult book. Her essays, stories and articles have been published in numerous magazines, anthologies, and websites. In 2016 she won an honorary mention in the Erma Bombeck Writing competition. But no award is more important than her family.   

Tell us about your road to publication.

I’ve been writing all my life with the goal of someday having a book on a shelf in a bookstore.

That dream came true in 2020 when my debut picture book, LATKES FOR SANTA CLAUS, was published. That book took almost two decades to sell and then sold very quickly after a Pitmad event.  And wouldn’t you know, my debut came out during a Pandemic! But I made the best of it.

After that I sold my debut adult novel, THE TIME TRAVELING MATCHMAKER to The Wild Rose Press, releasing July 25th and next year I have a follow-up blended holiday book, EASTER EGGS AND MATZO BALLS.

To quote The Beatles it’s been a “long and winding road.” Along the way, I’ve published articles and essays in various newspapers and online.  I’ve had several agents, all which ended without any sales, but brought me one of my best friends. 

But through all the “this story isn’t right for us” and “I didn’t love it enough” rejections, I kept on believing in myself and my stories.  It’s all about perseverance. 

How do you come up with your plots?

I write all the time while walking. In my head, of course. Ideas come from everywhere. Snippets on the news. Eavesdropping. My crazy, complicated life.  I usually start with a character. Someone who starts talking to me, telling me about some event which just took place in their life. As I start writing, a story begins to take shape. But I have to admit, plots don’t always come easy for me. I have a great friend/critique partner and we brainstorm a lot.

When I get stuck, I’ll write a blog which directs my brain down a different path. This seems to clear out the clutter and I can get back to my novel. 

What is your latest book and how did you come up with the idea to write it?

My latest book is THE TIME TRAVELING MATCHMAKER. I’ve always loved time travel stories. This book started off as a YA novel, then went through many transformations until landing in this final version. 

The first nugget of the story came after reading about a girl who had disappeared. I began thinking what if she had been picked up by a time traveling matchmaker and was living happily ever after in another time.  

I’m more of a Pantser than a Plotter. I know where the story is going, but not how it’s actually going to get there. My editor suggested the epilogue, but the book definitely leaves some threads open-ended for a sequel. 

Let's get a blurb:

In The Time Traveling Matchmaker, love takes on a new meaning when soulmates are brought together through time and space.

 

Like every goal-oriented twenty-something, Jessica Singleton, an aspiring filmmaker, is obsessed with finding her future as quickly as possible. What she doesn't know is that the future is obsessed with finding her, too. Renn Porter, an agent with Time Traveling Matchmaker's Inc, blasts back in time - and into her life- in order to transport Jessica to the soulmate who has paid for this service...in the future. But things turn dangerous when it's revealed that Renn has been sent after his own soulmate.

 

Caught between two times, Jessica and Renn must struggle to stay alive. Falling in love is the biggest risk either of them has ever taken - because, as they are destined to learn, the very existence of Time Traveling Matchmakers, Inc. rests in Jessica's hands.

Tagline: A young screenwriter meets her soulmate, only to discover he is from the future and must return in order to save her life. 

How about an excerpt?

    Renn was coming toward me now and our eyes met. Fireworks went off inside my chest. He wasn’t avoiding me this time. This time I would learn the truth. 

    I raised my hand in a small wave. 

    “Watch out!” A bicyclist shouted as he sped down the sidewalk, completely out of control. 

    He clipped Renn’s shoulder, pushing him up against me. Renn’s coat got caught on the buckle of my purse. I heard a rip. No, more than that - I felt a rip down the center of my body, jagged like a piece of broken glass. Beneath my feet, the sidewalk tilted, and I lost my balance. 

    A strong a wind kept me from falling. Once steady, I turned to find Renn. 

    This all happened in a less than a second. And in that second Renn was gone. Vanished. Just like that. All that was left was his lemony scent. And the memory of his hand on my arm.  

    I didn’t see him in either direction. My head throbbed as if something heavy kept knocking into it. 

  

    A minute later a mother with her little girl walked past me. I knew before she stopped, that the little girl was going to bend down to tie her shoe. Time was going to repeat itself. Again.

    She giggled, just like before. “Thanks, Mommy,” she said. “Tomorrow I can do it myself.”

    I held on to the desire I had seen in Renn’s eyes, wondering about my tomorrow.

What is your next project?

I’m working on a humorous women’s fiction, as well as another picture book. If the Time Travel book does well, I’ll probably write a sequel. And I’m always writing articles and blogs.

What advice do you have for beginning writers ? 

The best advice I have is to not ever give up.  Believe in yourself.  I’ve been a member of several critiques groups, all very beneficial. Make sure you join a group of like-minded writers. But always listen to yourself first.

And read alot. Not just in the genre you’re writing.  

As I said, it took me twenty years to sell my debut book. Those years were filled with hundreds of rejections. I even followed advice which took me further from publication. There was a lot of heartache. But I never gave up.

The three most important aspects of getting published: Perseverance. Perseverance. Perseverance. 

                                                            *****

Thank you Janie for being my guest this week on My Writing Corner.  Here are Janie’s buy links and social contact information to learn more about her writing.

BUY LINKS:

Short Amazon

https://amzn.to/3vPTbqO   

B&N https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-time-traveling-matchmaker-janie-emaus/1141389591?ean=9781509241019

 

Bookshop

https://bookshop.org/books/the-time-traveling-matchmaker/9781509241019

SOCIAL CONTACTS:

https://www.facebook.com/janie.emaus

https://www.facebook.com/Janie-Emaus-Books-Blogs-473633136036884

https://twitter.com/Janie_Emaus

https://janieemaus.medium.com

https://www.instagram.com/janieemaus/

https://www.janieemaus.com

 

Does anyone have any questions or comments for Janie?

Flying High

As authors, don't we usually gravitate toward writing stories in the genres that we absolutely love to read? That's true of today's guest in My Writing Corner, Chloe Holiday. She is a military physician who  says her favorite books are  steamy stories  about ordinary people who find themselves in extraordinary circumstances.  She enjoys reading about smart heroines and men who aren't jerks.

Chloe is a military physician-turned-novelist. She wants readers to feel the thrill of a smoldering gaze or the barest brush of fingertips, the shocked gasp at the underhanded villain, the angst of heartbreak, the joy of reunion, and of course, happily ever after!

She also says she enjoys delivering a sneak peek into intriguing scenarios, drawing from her background (military personnel, medicine, aviation) as well as other cultures. She says she finds it fun to live vicariously and go sailing, diving, or rock climbing. A bit of danger always gets her going, she tells us, so many of her romances have a suspense subplot, but she also loves humor and embarrassing situations!

Chloe tells us she hates to read the same old thing, with only the names and places changed, so her goal is to bring folks a fresh, fun, NEW story every time, with NO CLIFFHANGERS!

More than anything, she wants to craft a rollicking, great story readers can’t put down, one where love prevails in the end, one that will whisk people away from their own tribulations.

You can learn more about her at http://www.chloeholiday.com/!

Tell us about your road to publication.

I’m the sort who doesn’t want to wait by the phone, so I decided to self-publish and it’s been fantastic in terms of speed and making my own calls—I very much want each of my stories to be alive and vibrant and different. That said, I am excited to be joining The Wild Rose Press for an upcoming project. Being a hybrid author is the best of both worlds!

What do you enjoy about being an author? 

I love to write, and to “be the change I want to see in the world.” Who knew Gandhi was talking about Romance novels? It’s important to me to craft stories which open up new worlds for readers, whether that be the perspective of a Deaf heroine, or what it’s like to scuba dive, and to bring new knowledge in a fun, non-preachy way.

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

Visibility. One can write a wonderful story, but if no one sees it, it will languish. 

How do you come up with your plots? 

Sometimes, the story demands it: Desire in Deutschland is for the Passports to Pleasure Series from The Wild Rose Press, so it required an American to travel somewhere for a romantic entanglement. For A Boy & his Dog, “boy” was required in the title, and it was perfect for a veteran bomb tech trying to reunite with his former K9 companion—whose current owner doesn’t want to let him go.

For others, it’s a “what if” moment that comes to me at all hours of the day and night. The ones that won’t let go make great stories. And I’m also afraid there’s a little masochism involved, too—at times, I find myself challenged to create a certain type of character, or to invert an old trope to be fresh.

What is your latest book and how did you come up with the idea to write it?

Fly Boy is part of the All American Boy Series, which features stand-alone novellas (mine’s just a few words short of a novel) with each installment set in a small town. The series required that “boy” be part of the title and this seemed like a fun take on it. Plus, I love to bring my own experiences into my work for realism, and as a pilot, this was my chance!

Fly Boy is a steamy second chance, enemies-to-lovers story about a crop duster and a woman who wants to sell the plane he’s leasing, so that she can save the farm she inherited.

How about a blurb?

Travis burned her once, but now Tricia’s the one in power.

Flame him, or forgive and forget? Maybe he’s changed.

But … what if all the rumors are true?

Photographer Tricia Carlisle inherits her beloved grandmother’s orchard and leaves Chicago for her Texas roots, steeling herself to be immune to the charms of the small town—and those of Travis Walker, who stood her up on prom night seven years ago. Worse, she arrives only to find Nana’s place is in foreclosure. To have any hope of saving it, Tricia has no choice but to sell down assets—including her grandfather's crop duster.

Travis Walker loses his last true friend when Nana Carlisle passes. Will his handshake deal to buy her crop duster survive now that Tricia is taking over? She’s cash-strapped and probably still hates his guts. He needs that plane—it’s his ticket out of this small town that sees him as a crook—but it’s on Tricia’s radar now.

Fly Boy is a steamy, stand-alone second-chance novella in the All-American Boy Series. It's set in Deacon, Texas—home to sexy country boys and sassy, tough women. Warm, lazy afternoons in a hammock and swimming holes in a shady creek. Hot, heavenly Tex-Mex and even hotter kisses.

Come on down, y’all!

Now, let's get an excerpt:

Tricia poured a dollop of shampoo into her palm, thinking about today’s agenda. 

She'd gone over and over the shoot itself in her head: lighting, angles, everything … Everything except thinking about a nearly-nude Travis, which was stupid. It’s not like he affected her in any way, not really. It was a business arrangement to him, and they’d done fine up to now. Friendly, if not back to true friends yet, but that might be possible in time. At the very least, it was fun to have him around to keep her from taking things too seriously.

Tricia closed her eyes and lathered her hair, imagining photographing him. It would be fine. She’d just remain professional and get it done—it would only be ten minutes, tops. Besides, she’d seen him naked at the creek, front and back. If she could handle that surprise, she could surely manage a brief, scheduled session she’d prepared for. But the fluttering in her stomach said otherwise.

Tricia rinsed and swathed her wet hair in a towel. She dried off and wrapped another around herself, tucking the end in to stay in place, and hurried out of the steamed-up room. She’d taken to blow-drying her hair in her bedroom so as not to hog the only upstairs bath.

She froze at the oncoming sight of a shirtless Travis, his tee draped over one shoulder, head down as he fiddled with an iPod connected to earbuds. He padded forward, between Tricia and her bedroom door. He was … something—muscles upon muscles and a sprinkling of chest hair that merged into a dark line that disappeared down the front of his jeans. 

Hot as a stolen tamale.

He lifted his head and stopped a few feet away. The corners of his mouth twitched. “Mornin’.” He drew in a slow breath, like a wolf testing the wind.

Her mouth dried. “Hi,” she managed, as if half her body weren’t on display.

Travis pulled out an earbud, his eyes never leaving hers, and stepped closer. “Well, now.” His teasing smile appeared. “Looks like lucky timing.”

Her breath caught and she lurched to the right to get around him instead of tasting the salt on his skin from his workout—just as he stepped to his left. They both hopped to the side again in an awkward dance. 

Tricia halted, skittish as a colt, and flattened herself against the drywall, cool on her bare shoulder blades, to allow him to pass. It only made her more conscious of the way her breasts pressed together, half-exposed yet bound by the towel.

Instead of continuing down the hall, Travis pivoted to face her, nostrils flaring as if to catch her scent, and his gaze dropped to her lips. He reached to remove the other earbud. The tinny squawk of outlaw country music filled the space between them, but not enough to drown out the heartbeat pounding in her ears. The cord dangled from his fingers, and they twitched as his eyes slowly traveled down to the top of her towel.

Just a single tug would be all it took. Her nipples tingled and butterflies swirled in her stomach.

Lord have mercy. She was just standing there, almost like she was hoping … She shook her head, denying it. “I have to get dressed,” she whispered.

His eyes snapped up, and his hungry gaze morphed into a cocky smile. “Better go, then.”

Back in control, she hurried down the hallway toward her bedroom, clutching the towel to her chest.

“But Tricia …”

She paused, afraid to turn around, and his mocking rumble reached her.

“Don’t start anything you don’t want me to finish.”

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

I’m finishing final revisions on No Easy Match, an enemies-to-lovers medical/billionaire romance about a transplant surgeon and the enigmatic CEO who hires her to set up a program for him in The Bahamas. As a military physician-turned-novelist, I enjoy bringing realistic military and medical themes to my stories. It’ll come out in late summer.

Thank you, Chloe, for being my guest today! Here are the buy links for Chloe's books and how to read more about her.

Buy Links (paperback and ebook):

https://storyoriginapp.com/universalbooklinks/ad570414-7296-11ec-8ec3-273d38c177af (this is a universal book link)

https://tinyurl.com/ycy7nzre (this is a shortened UBL)

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Fly-Boy-All-American-ebook/dp/B09Q52GY99/

Audiobook links:

AB sample: https://soundcloud.com/user-952009500-464673904/fly-boy-sample?utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

AB Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/Fly-Boy-Audiobook/B09XHZ9MNL?asin=B09XHZ9MNL

AB Wide: https://storyoriginapp.com/universalaudiobooklinks/9d1583be-b792-11ec-9357-a3a673c5c883 (this is a UBL for audio; individual links follow in case that's preferred)

Apple: https://books.apple.com/audiobook/id1618517691

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/audiobooks/details?id=AQAAAED86VapuM

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w?ean=2940175493666

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/audiobook/fly-boy-3

Chirp: https://www.chirpbooks.com/audiobooks/fly-boy-by-chloe-holiday

Audiobooks.com: https://www.audiobooks.com/audiobook/x/586395

Scribd: https://www.scribd.com/audiobook/568636265

Authors Direct (no membership required): https://shop.authors-direct.com/products/fly-boy-all-american-boy-series

Author links:

Website:  https://www.chloeholiday.com/ (they can sign up to my mailing list and get the novella Finders, Keepers free there)

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/fly-boy-the-all-american-boy-series-by-chloe-holiday

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Chloe-Holiday-Writer-102345001394478

CH Amazon page: https://www.amazon.com/Chloe-Holiday/e/B0875SGW6J?ref

Instagram: https://instagram.com/chloeholiday27

Does anyone have any questions or comments for Chloe?

Time for Sweet Story Treats!

We're reaching the heart of Summer so that means we can all look forward to some sweet summer treats, and I am not just talking about ice cream! Don't we all want to stretch out at the beach or lounge by a lake in the mountains?  Yes! This is the time to sit in a cool spot with a hot book. My guest today in My Writing Corner brings us just such a summer story. Visiting today is Virginia Barlow, and she's here to tell us about her new book, which is one of The Wild Rose Press stories in the One Scoop or Two series. The book is Smore's Siren Song, and it has just been released.

Welcome, Virginia! Please tell us about yourself:

I have been married to my best friend for thirty-nine years. I enjoy knitting, crocheting, and quilting. My favorite flower is the rose, and my favorite dessert is lemon meringue pie. I have two large dogs who keep me company while I plot. I don't know what I would do without them. I like to throw story ideas at my family when I write myself into a corner. They have been my greatest support and I appreciate each one of them for listening and throwing ideas back at me.

What got you started on your road to publication?

I have always been an avid reader, and a few years back I decided to try my hand at writing. I bought books on how to compose stories and began to write. I believe I wrote four different drafts for my first novel. When I finished, I read up on how to write a synopsis and how to submit. I sent out fifty of sixty queries and received a lot of rejection. I will never forget the day Rhonda emailed me and asked for my entire manuscript. I nearly dropped my phone. This journey had been incredible, and I am forever grateful for the experience. 

What do you enjoy about being an author? 

I enjoy putting my stories down on paper. For years, I have had stories rolling around in my imagination and seeing them in print is very satisfying.

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

I think the most challenging part of being an author is the marketing. It’s tough to be mom, writer, and promoter at the same time. Each job has a wealth of entities needing your attention. 

How do you come up with your plots? 

I think the most helpful advice I have been given when plotting a story line is asking “What could go wrong?” You are only limited by your imagination at that point.

I understand you have 2 books in the Wild Rose Press One Scoop or Two Series. Today we are featuring S’Mores Siren Song, published on July 6, 2022.  How about a blurb?

Adysson Townsend spends her nights as a siren and days as a human. She owns an ice cream parlor along the waterfront and challenges a big fishing company over their illegal activities. But she’s almost out of time. On her twenty-fifth birthday, she must decide which form she’ll keep. It’s simple until a handsome officer comes to town and steals her heart.

Commander Benjamin Yeates volunteers for the job in Maine. Ever since he spotted a mermaid as a youth, he’s been curious about Mystic Cove. Now a marine biologist, he jumps at the chance to find out if they’re real. He falls hard and fast for Addy before he discovers there’s more to her than meets the eye, depending on the time of day…. 

Now how about an Excerpt: 

    The boat turned around and hummed away from shore.

    Adysson sucked in a much-needed breath of relief. She’d deal with the rumors of a mermaid later. Right now, the importance of clothes outweighed anything else. She glanced at the beach and found it deserted. Making a beeline for the chest holding her terry robe before any more prying eyes spied her, she stepped from the water, retrieved the garment, slipped her arms through the sleeves, and cinched the belt.

    Relieved, she turned and walked right into a human wall adorned with black wavy hair and sultry blue eyes.

    “Oh! I…uh…didn’t see you there.” Her voice quivered with tension. Damn! Damn! Damn!

    “I would say it’s pretty obvious.” His dark gaze roamed over her too hot face to her bare toes and back

up.  “Nice, uh, robe you’ve got there.” He glanced up and down the beach. His gaze fell to the waterproof bin at their feet. “I didn’t realize Mystic Cove had a nudist beach.”

    Her gaze shot up to his. “We don’t. This beach belongs to me. See the No Trespassing sign?” She pointed at a sign next to them and waited for his reaction.

    He stood a head taller and wore a navy shirt open at the neck and navy trousers. A grin crossed his face. “What’s the penalty for skinny dipping here?” His amused expression did a once over her body before gazing into her eyes.

    Heat flamed her face. “A thousand bucks and up to six months jail time. Do you plan to turn me in?”

    His gaze darkened and dropped to the V in her robe. “No.”

    Adysson swallowed and shifted her feet. She’d never been this close to such an attractive man before.

    “The fine varies up and down the coast.” He gazed at the water behind her head for a moment and then returned to her face. His voice dropped to a sexy drawl. “Since this is a private beach, I’ll let you off with a verbal warning.”

    Confused, she frowned. “What?”

    He took a leather billfold from his front shirt pocket and flipped a badge at her. “I’m Coast Guard

Commander Benjamin Yeates. My friends call me Ben.”

    Adysson groaned. Her knight in shining armor arrived to slay Marshal International, and she stumbled into him naked. “Adysson Townsend. My friends call me Addy, but I don’t think we qualify as friends.”

    He chuckled. “Oh, I don’t know. I’ve seen more of you than most, I’m betting. So I’d say we were friends.”

    She chose to ignore his comment. “Can you arrest me? I thought your authority ended at the shore.”

    “I can go anywhere as long as it’s tied to my investigation.” A gleam entered his dark eyes. He

leaned closer. “Do you want me to arrest you? I’ve got a set of cuffs in my truck, but I can think of a better use for them than taking you in.” His breath brushed across her cheek, and desire glittered in his eyes.

What is your next book and how did you come up with the idea to write it?

My latest book is Devil’s Dominion. I am finishing up edits and should have news of a release date soon. I came up with the idea one day when my son and I were talking about a school assignment and some of the demons he researched for his project.

Do you have another project planned?

My next project is about a lady gambler in the 1700’s. I am about halfway through the writing, and I’ll admit, I’m in love.

Thank you, Virginia, for being my guest on My Writing Corner.  Following are her buy links and social contact information.

Buy Links (including Goodreads and BookBub)

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Smores-Siren-Song-One-Scoop-ebook/dp/B0B1Z649P3/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3EYMNIV2H7P15&keywords=smores+siren+song+in+books&qid=1654391487&sprefix=smores+siren+song+in+books%2Caps%2C397&sr=8-1

Barnes and Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/smores-siren-song-virginia-barlow/1141502780?ean=2940185824528

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61220671-s-mores-siren-song

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/s-mores-siren-song-one-scoop-or-two-by-virginia-barlow

Social Media Links:

Website: https://www.virginia-barlow.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Virgini35142126

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/virginiasromancenook/?hl=en

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/3046288755596817

Does anyone have any questions or comments for Virginia?