Romancing the West

As someone who grew up visiting uncle's and cousins' ranches, I have always enjoyed reading romance novels set in the West. My parents' romance started on a ranch in Colorado and one of the first romances I wrote featured a city woman in love with a cowboy. Naturally--like my mom and dad--they got their happy ending.

As a result I'm always looking for engaging western romances -- like the latest release by Devon McKay. She is my guest author today in My Writing Corner. Devon writes romances with a western flair for The Wild Rose Press. She says when she is not writing, she is either working on her stained glass projects or walking her dogs in the woods.  

Her newest book is titled, Betting on Kincade, and it sounds like a real winner. I know that cover grabbed my immediate attention!

Everyone Cassie Wilcox loved is gone. And now, thanks to her drunken stepfather, her house and family business will be taken from her, too, unless she can find a way to buy back the ranch from the new owner. With less than two months to come up with money she doesn’t have, her options are running out, and apparently, her common sense as she rents out rooms to an eclectic group of strangers.

Returning home for Dalton Kincade is bittersweet. Not a damn thing has changed. Two years on the rodeo circuit weren’t able to shake free the memory of the feisty redhead who’d broken his heart into a thousand pieces. Nor the sting of her parting words…"Never trust a Kincade."

Winning her beloved ranch in a drunken bet is the last thing he expected to happen, but at least he saved it for her. Now, he has to figure out how to break that news to a woman who never wants to see him again. Renting a room in the house he now owns might be a risk, but it’s nothing compared to betting his heart on winning back the love of his life.

Now doesn't that sound like a sure bet for a wonderful story?
Here are the buy links:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Betting-Kincade-Devon-McKay-ebook/dp/B01MQXJWK9

TWRP:

http://catalog.thewildrosepress.com/paperback-books/4921-betting-on-kincade-paperback.html


Thanks, Devon, for being my guest.  Any questions or comments for Devon?

New Romantic Fun with Old Friends

This is the month for romance and it is always fun to find new fun with a romantic couple who made us fall in love with them the first time around. Joining me today in My Writing Corner is Anita Kidesu, who last year gave us the Candy Hearts romance, Surprise Me.  She is back with the characters from that book, Josie and Carson,  in a new romance, Surprise Me Again.

Charged with trespassing and indecent exposure on Erik Stenson's private beach, Carson and Josie Sandberg return to South Padre Island to take care of the ticket. However, their reunion with Erik is not what they expected.  An invitation for a drink turns into a weekend of passion that fulfills fantasies and leaves all parties wanting to explore a threesome outside the bedroom.

Will time, distance and family issues stand in the way , or will they be surprised again?  

I enjoyed this couple so much the first time around I had to ask Anita for an interview with them.

Carson, the two of you have have been together for a while. What do you like best about Josie?

Her inner strength. It wasn’t easy moving her and the boys across the country. She had to leave her job, find a place for us to live, and deal with our sons’ anger at having to switch schools their senior year of high school. She did this mostly on her own because I had to focus on my new job.

What do you like least?

The fact that she doesn’t realize she has this inner strength. At times she lacks self-confidence. For instance, she hid the fact that she was writing a romance novel. Didn’t tell me or Eric until she’d received a contract. I’m proud of her.

What makes your special relationship work?

Love. Commitment. Laughter. I couldn’t imagine my life without her at my side. Once we met Eric, it was if a piece of me settled into place. I love making Josie happy, and our being with Eric does that.

Josie, what first drew you to Carson?

I hate to admit it because it sounds shallow, but his looks drew me to him. Then when I finally got the courage to talk to him, it was his sense of humor. I love a guy with a sense of humor. One who doesn’t take himself seriously. I’ve met so many guys who thought they had to be bad boys or to be cool meant they couldn’t laugh or smile. Ugh. A man’s smile and laugh are sexy.

What do you secretly wish you could change about him?

Yikes. That’s a tough one. I guess it would be that he could be more handy around the house. After the first time he nearly burned our house down fixing a lamp, and fell off  a ladder cleaning out the gutters, I decided I’d just get my father to do the odd jobs.

For both, or either:  Tell us about your latest adventure.

That would be when we went to South Padre Island armed with a candy heart that said “Surprise Me.” My mother-in-law urged us to spice up our lives by surprising each other. We ended up getting into trouble with the law and had to return to court to clear things up. That’s when we met up with Eric again.

What’s special about Erik?

Josie: Here’s the shallow me again, but his looks attracted me. But there was something about him. I don’t know if it was charisma or what but a spark lit when he approached me. I appreciated that he backed off when he realized I was married. I also liked it that he cares about me and Carson. 

Carson: Eric is like a brother to me, one who loves Josie as much as I do. I’m happy to know that if something were ever happen to me, Eric is there to take care of Josie. He was burned by relationships in the past, but was brave enough to take on Josie and myself.

 What’s ahead for the two of you?

Keep living the way we are with Eric in our lives. Get our boys through college. Enjoy life while we wait to become grandparents, which hopefully won’t happen for many years. Travel.

Thank you both, and thank you, Anita for letting me talk to your characters.

Here are the buy links if you want to get a copy of Surprise me Again.

The Wild Rose Press: http://wildcatalog.thewildrosepress.com/all-erotic/4932-surprise-me-again.html

Amazon: http://a.co/gMls8RO

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/surprise-me-again-anita-kidesu/1125549612?ean=2940157556693

Here are the social media links if you would like to contact Anita.

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AnitaKidesu

Web: www.anitakidesu.com

Blog: www.anitakidesu.wordpress.com

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/AnitaKidesu/

Newsletter link: http://anitakidesu.us15.list-manage.com/subscribe…

Any questions or comments for Anita?

 

Romance with a Billionaire

We're moving into February, which means my search is on for wonderful romantic reading.  There's nothing quite like finishing off the winter with some great love stories.  I have to admit an affinity for that new trend toward billionaire romances. Who wouldn't want to find a hot guy with lots of money to spend and with just one weakness--a woman!


Today's guest in My Writing Corner is Jean Adams. She's an award winning romance author from New Zealand, who says she loves happy endings. That makes her a perfect romance writer and she has won several writing contests that also illustrate her skill in doing just that. She is a former airline employee who has travelled extensively so her knowledge in that regard also comes through in her work.


Her newest book  Billionaire romance book, Honey's Greek Billionaire. 
Here's the blurb:

In an effort to stop his embarrassing flirtations, Honey Preston jokingly asks her billionaire boss, Paris Magdalinos, to marry her. Much to her surprise, he accepts, and no amount of wriggling on her part will induce him to let her off the hook. Besides, she doesn't believe she's good enough for him.

Paris has his own agenda. He's using Honey's innocent proposal to help him out of a sticky situation. And their marriage will only be for a short time...until he kisses her and discovers she's the woman he's been seeking. She's perfect for him, and he wants to stay married. But Honey's beliefs are hard to shake.

Here are the buy links:

The Wild Rose Press
Amazon.com


For more information on her books and to reach Jean, here is her web page link:
http://www.jeandrew.co.nz/index.html

Any comments or questions for Jean?

Old Experiences, New Stories

Often when I go looking for a new story idea I find myself thinking back on old experiences or some old event. I've found that more often than not I can find something rattling around back there that gives me a new perspective or a new idea I can pull into the present and write about.  Either that or I can use it as a basis for a new story.

I've old written about how I used a simple statement my mother once made the first time she saw my father. She was just a pre-teen then, but she knew he held the key to her future. "I'm going to marry that man someday," she said. It took years and a separation by war before they were eventually able to get together but it happened, and they shared 48 years together. I used that statement in my romance novel, :Home Fires Burning."

Later in college I had a crazy experience in an old company store in the Colorado mountains. The place was supposed to be haunted and a man supposedly died there and his bloody handprint on the wall. That has become the basis for my Dead Man series.

Old stories, past events, old memories can still bring up new ideas.  In the fall I spent an afternoon at Fort Bent, the old trading post that has been renovated to its original setting by the National Park Service along the Santa Fe Trail. 

Sitting in the quiet shade on a hot afternoon, I was taken by the thoughts of the old wagons that might have come rolling through the gates. After reading a couple of stories about some of the people who came to Fort Bent, I found myself wanting to write my own short story about the promise, the fears and the dangers that some of those people faced. I am currently working on that.


Next week I'll be boarding an Amtrak train for a trip through the Colorado mountains. I've never done that in the winter, but I bet I meet someone who will have a story idea for me.  The first time I took the trip I came up with a good mystery idea when the lights all went out as we went through the Moffatt Tunnel. That story still isn't written, but it's out there in my TBW file. (To Be Written) Who knows, I may write it as I sit aboard the train next week.


Look for those ideas.  They're all around you, even on a silent afternoon or in a dark tunnel.

A New Journey for the New Year

The beginning of a new year always holds a lot of promise for me as both a writer and a reader. It means buckling down and starting a new project but it also means looking for new books to read. It also means finding new authors with exciting stories to tell. This year starts off with a new book and a visit from author C. J. Fosdick.

Tell us a little about your publishing journey.
 

My "genesis moment" began in 5th grade. I won a writing contest and was an instant celebrity in Show and Tell, especially after I shared the candy I bought with my $5 prize.

Years later I was feature editor of my high school paper and also wrote a teen column for a community paper in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Moving to Rochester, Minnesota as a young wife and new mother, I only had time to pursue writing freelance articles, short stories and the occasional newspaper feature for years. By the time our nest was empty, I was bursting with novel dreams.


What do you like most about being a writer?

Besides traveling to the sites I write about, I love the play and dialog between characters, and twisting the plot in unexpected knots. I also LOVE basking in the sunshine of great reviews and awards.

Tell us about your latest book. 

My new novel, The Accidental Stranger, will be released worldwide January 6, 2017. It is part of the Accidental Series that began with an award-winning debut, The Accidental Wife.

The Accidental Stranger was a particular challenge to meet with two POV’s, dual continent settings, two eras and a strong current of suspense. I’m loving the feedback on it so far. This novel is really about finding a place in life…and time, and how the transforming power of love is the greatest agent of all.

Though each book in this series will stand alone, the lead characters will form a chain linking subsequent characters to subsequent stories. The Accidental Wife is the first link that starts the saga, but each novel will have scattered "refreshers" to clarify the genealogy. For instance two of the characters in The Accidental Stranger will spin off as protagonists in book 3, The Accidental Heiress, which takes place in Ireland.


Have you ever had a character twist that surprised you?


I often have open discussions with my characters. My hubby thinks I'm talking to myself. I love unique plotting but great characters drive stories. I relate to my opinionated red-haired heroine and her green-eyed heroes. I am a redhead, my hubby has green eyes. Any novelist who  denies projecting themselves in some of their work is not being honest. Attempting to steer clear of stereotypes, my least favorite characters are the hardest to write.


How about a blurb?

Jessica Brewster is being watched...and things go missing from the remote Wyomin home she shares with her toddler. In a freak accident, she shoots the grizzled thief stalking her before she recognizes the mesmerizing green eyes that belong to the only man she ever loved. Has Mitch bridged time to find her? In a race to save his life and change hers forever, she takes him into her home and heart. But his memory loss and puzzling clues curry doubt and danger.


Is he truly her son's father or an irresistible stranger in her arms?


Order   Cj's Books     
  See  Cj's Website   

  Get  Cj's Newsletter   

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

Celebrating the Old Year

This is the time of year when I usually take stock of things I did and didn't get done in the past year in preparation for making up a list of things I want to do in the New Year. (I don't usually check on last year's list--in case I didn't get everything done.






Usually I do this in terms of my writing and whether or not I got a book done or something published. Unfortunately I came up empty on the fiction front this year, but I did manage to get two non-fiction booklets published with my co-author Sue Viders. (see Let's Write a Story blog). Editing on the third book in the series should be done in the next week.




And while I did a lot of writing I am sad I didn't totally finish anything, but I have several stories on the verge of having The End written.




So what are my accomplishments? Well, one of the things I like to note in my writing classes on setting is to set the mood, know the location. One of the ways I do that is first hand observation.

This year I spent a lot of time first-hand observing in a series of trips that often were totally unexpected. They were not only fun but continue to give me pleasure as I get to write about them. 

The spring took me to Washington state and Vancouver, BC, which I hadn't visited in several years. Driving north of Seattle took me back to the fictitious location of Redfern Manor, and brought me new ideas for a story set in the Northwest. A spectacular sunset on a Vancouver beach provided all the inspiration I needed. While my sister took pictures, I was coming up with story ideas and new possibilities for a sequel.

A summer trip to southern Colorado took me back to my roots and an early morning visit to Trinidad, Co,  where I am setting a western historical romance. You can totally plot a story while traveling across 100 miles of empty prairie and being part of the location can really pull you into thoughts of the past and wagons struggling to roll across the land.

My final trip of the year took me to New Mexico, where my Dead Man series is set and just driving across the country there also gave me new ideas for the final book, which I am just in the process of finishing.  Again, there is a certain feel for the landscape and talking to and listening to the people of the region that you often only get through real interaction. I spent quite a bit of time simply wandering around and soaking in the flavor of the city, and doing some writing of a scene set in Santa Fe.


As it turned out, I guess when I look back I did accomplish a lot of things in the past year. Between research and editing I have several stories that are almost ready for an editor.


Bring on 2017!

A Holiday Romance from Across the Sea

Today I am continuing my quest for holiday themed romances with one from another time in a different realm. My guest today in My Writing Corner is Mary Morgan, the award-winning author of the Dragon Knights' series.

Mary, where do you get such great story ideas?

Where do I begin? Inspiration comes to me in so many forms--from my love of history, romance, travels, and life. These are all powerful sources of motivation for me. In truth, I've always had a story inside my head. On my first trip to Scotland, the Dragon Knights were born. I was sitting on a boulder in the Highlands during twilight. The inspiration for their stories began to unfold. I'll never forget the feeling.

Tell us about your writing process. Do you plot carefully or wing it?


I'm definitely a plotter in the beginning. Since I write medieval romances (my love of history), I have to "feel" the ancient. Therefore, I start all my stories by writing down as much as I can in a leather journal--from character descriptions, environment and general outline. However, once I get started writing on the computer, the character inevitably take over the story. I'm hardly ever in control, especially at the back end of a story. It's similar to a freight train and the words fly across the pages.

Tell us about your latest book and what made you want to write it?


A Magical Highland Solstice was inspired by my love for the holidays. After finishing the Order of the Dragon Knights series, I wanted to wrap up the year with a holiday-themed romance. It was a labor of love to write this story. I took a major secondary character from my series, Cormac Murray, a true and loyal friend to the Dragon Knights and gave him his "happily ever after." He deserved his own book.
 
What do you like best about your hero?


I've always admired Cormac's steadfast loyalty to the Dragon Knights, especially after the death of their sister, Margaret MacKay. He never judged them. In addition, he had a great sense of leadership when it came to taking care of his clan and people--qualities I truly admired in this character. He jumped out at me from the very first story.


What about your heroine?


Eve was such a joy! She was giving, supportive, and she was putting other's needs before her own. I wanted to be her best friend.


How about a blurb?


Laird Cormac Murray has witnessed how love destroyed his own father after the death of his mother, and he vows to never take a wife. Yet, when he comes upon a bewildered lass traveling alone, he finds his heart will no longer listen to his mind. In the end, Cormac risks everything to claim the love of a woman not of his time.


Eve Brannigan loves helping others and baking. After winning a contest, she is stunned to learn that the Clan Murray has requested her assistance to cater to their guests during the holiday season. When a lost path in Scotland leads her to a handsome but gruff Highlander, Eve fights the temptation to allow love to enter her heart for the first time.


Can the Fae and the magic of the Yule season bring together two souls who have forsaken love? Or will tragedies from the past separate the lovers forever?


That sounds like a wonderful romance for the holidays--perfect for a calm evening of reading after wrapping presents.


Buy links:


Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Magical-Highland-Solstice-Mary-Morgan/dp/150921125X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1482355984&sr=8-1&keywords=Mary+Morgan


Barnes & Noble:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-magical-highland-solstice-mary-morgan/1124809203?ean=2940156815203


AppleBooks:  https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/a-magical-highland-solstice/id1164090401?mt=11


All Romance ebooks: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-amagicalhighlandsolstice-2150328-143.html


The Wild Rose Press:  http://catalog.thewildrosepress.com/all-titles/4714-a-magical-highland-solstice.html




How can readers get in touch with you?


Website: http://www.marymorganauthor.com
Blog: http://www.marymorganauthor.com/blog
Twitter: http://twitter.com/m_morganauthor
Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/mary.morgan.564


Thank you, Mary, for bringing us this week's holiday romance.  Any comments or questions for Mary?