A Passion for Romance

Writing a series can be daunting, even if it can also be very enjoyable. Today's guest in My Writing Corner brings us the next installment of her Scarred Hearts Series. My guest is author Jennifer Wilck whose latest book, A Heart Restrained has just been released. It is book number three in her series Scarred Hearts.

Jennifer Wilck is an award-winning contemporary romance author who writes for readers who are passionate about love, laughter, and happily ever after endings. She is known for writing both Jewish and non-Jewish romances, and she says her books feature damaged heroes, as well as sassy and independent heroines, witty banter and hot chemistry.

Her books have the ability to transport the reader into the scene, while creating characters that readers fall in love with. Her stories evoke a roller coaster of emotions that hook readers from the beginning.

Jennifer got her start as a writer when she began telling herself stories as a little girl when she couldn’t fall asleep at night. Pretty soon, her head was filled with these stories and the characters that populated them. Even as an adult, she says she thinks about the characters and stories at night before she falls asleep or walking the dog. Eventually, she started writing them down. She says her favorite stories to write are those with smart, sassy, independent heroines; handsome, strong and slightly vulnerable heroes; and her stories always end with happily ever after.

In the real world, she’s also the mother of two daughters and says she is the wife of one of the smartest men she knows. She tells us that she believes humor is the only way to get through the day and does not believe in sharing her chocolate. 

Let's hear more about A Heart Restrained:

She refuses to sell him her company; will she give him her heart?

Caleb Zeno, a wealthy and successful media mogul, refuses to allow emotions into any aspect of his life, especially his entertainment corporation. When his company’s lifestyle website runs into competition from a small boutique company, the most logical solution is to buy out his rival. 

Fiona Hamilton’s lifestyle website succeeds due to her loving and caring treatment of her clients, who have become like family to her. She has no desire to sell to anyone, much less a tattooed, muscled, automaton. 

At odds professionally, Caleb and Fiona come together as a favor for Caleb’s sister. Sparks fly and sexual chemistry abounds. But Caleb can't let go of his abusive past and be the man Fiona needs, and she is unwilling to risk independence and financial security for anything less than a perfect happily ever after.

 

Can they put their differences aside to find a viral kind of love?

Want more? Let's talk to the characters, starting with Caleb:

How did you become so successful in business, Caleb? 

I’m the CEO of WW Media, the number one media conglomerate in the country. I’m logical in my approach, and I excel in identifying a need and then fulfilling it. As consumers’ media needs and desires change, I make sure our company has the tools in place to meet those needs. If my company can’t do something, I buy other companies that can. It’s simple, really.

What frightens you about Fiona?

She’s too emotional for her own good. You can see her thoughts and feelings in her eyes. It’s a terrible thing for a business owner, and it’s even worse as a person. If others know how you feel, they’re going to exploit you and you’re going to get hurt. I’m afraid she’s going to get hurt. Also, she’s the only person who can read me. Somehow, she knows what I’m feeling. I don’t know how she does it, but that scares the hell out of me.

What do you want for your future?

Do you mean in business or in my personal life? In business, I want to improve our market share in our lifestyle website. It’s the only part of our business that is failing. Fiona’s company is better than ours, so I want to buy her out. In my personal life, well, I don’t like to share things about myself with other people, but I like Fiona. She’s smart and warm and funny. If we weren’t like oil and water, I’d want a relationship with her. 

Now let's talk to Fiona:

Fiona, what draws you to Caleb?

Oh, so much! First of all, he’s gorgeous. Tall, broad, and bald, with tattoos. He’s kind, but don’t tell him I said that. He’s got a lot going on inside of him, and he thinks he keeps it all hidden, but I can see what he’s feeling. He’s got depth and intelligence. If he wasn’t trying to buy my company, I’d say he was without fault—almost.

What frightens you about him?

He’s afraid to show his emotions, and it’s impossible for me to be with someone who won’t let me in at all. He’s a “Mr. Fix-It” and I want him to be a “Mr. Feel-It.” From a professional standpoint, I’m afraid I’ll lose my clients if they think I’m willing to sell out to some huge media conglomerate that won’t provide the personal touch.

What do you see for your future?

I see myself continuing to run my business—Love, Laugh, Live. My clients are like family to me, and I couldn’t ever give them up. Personally, I want a happily ever after like I see in my favorite telenovelas—deep and emotional. I’d like to see if Caleb and I could manage to put aside our differences, but I’m not sure it’s possible. 

What worries you about taking a personal risk?

Like anyone else, I’m afraid of getting hurt. I’m also afraid of losing my independence or being used for someone else’s gain. There’s so much to Caleb, I could fall hard. I just don’t know if he’s capable of being my happily ever after.

Very interesting characters! Let's get an excerpt:

“Wouldn’t you enjoy this more if it were in English?” 

She paused and shifted so she faced him, one leg bent under her, the other dangling off the edge.  

“Absolutely not! Telenovelas are so much more emotional than American TV.” 

"Why don’t you at least research online to find a plot summary?”

 

“I’m happy with the way things are,” she said. “I don’t need to hear the words to feel the story.” 

“But...you’re crying.” 

She smiled through her tears and wiped her cheeks. “I know.” 

Staring at her, his heart rate increased, and he tamped the panic her tears caused. At first, he thought pain caused her tears, but her rapt attention to the screen made him realize otherwise. 

Why would she want to do this to herself? And how could she enjoy a show she couldn’t understand? 

He should leave, before she recognized his complete lack of comprehension. But her rapt attention to the screen fascinated him. She was smart—his business dealings with her had proven it. Yet she focused as if she understood her show. 

She stared at the TV screen, but he couldn’t take his gaze off her. Her skin, despite its bruising, was luminous. Her lips were parted, and she gripped the edges of the sofa cushions until her knuckles turned white. This close to her, heat radiated from her body. He could hear a faint sigh. 

If she were this passionate about a television show, how passionate would she be if he kissed her? 

Want more? You'll have to buy the book!  Here are the Buy Links:

Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BS56R4LH

 

 Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-heart-restrained-jennifer-wilck/1142971831?ean=9781509248186

 

 iBooks: https://books.apple.com/us/book/a-heart-restrained/id6445422670

 

 Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/a-heart-restrained

 

 Universal Link: https://books2read.com/u/3k2G5n

 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/86517561-a-heart-restrained?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=YUDEumjVK5&rank=1

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/a-heart-restrained-by-jennifer-wilck

To learn more about Jennifer and her other books, here are her social contacts:

Website: https://www.jenniferwilck.com

Facebook Readers Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/879114386079365

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063739892318

Newsletter: https://www.jenniferwilck.com/contact.html#newsletter

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorjenniferwilck/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/jennifer-wilck

Linktr.ee: https://linktr.ee/JenniferWilck

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5032661.Jennifer_Wilck

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

Spring Dreaming

Spring to me has always meant days of getting to spend outside enjoying the warm days and finding new authors to read. (Well, actually I do that every season) which is why I am always searching for different authors  I can enjoy. Today's guest in My Writing Corner has a new book out that sounds perfect for the next time I want to sit outside on the patio and read. 

Ellen Parker says she was raised in a household filled with books. Because of that, it was only natural that Ellen  grew into an avid reader. She turned to writing as a second career and says she enjoys spinning the type of story which appeals to multiple generations. She encourages her readers to share her work with mothers or daughters – or both. 

Ellen currently lives in St. Louis. When not guiding her characters to their “happily ever after” she’s says she is apt to be reading, walking in the neighborhood, or tending her tiny garden. You can find her on the web at www.ellenparkerwrites.wordpress.com and www.facebook.com/ellenparkerwrites. 

Her newest book is New Dreams and it is available now. Let's get a blurb:

America beckons with opportunity during the 1850’s.  

Louisa Mueller, a baker’s daughter, arrives in Elm Ridge, Illinois with determination to learn English and work as a baker. Since the death of her sweetheart a year ago, she pushes aside thoughts of marriage. However, she’s intrigued by a fellow passenger who tells the most interesting stories. 

Desperate for a fresh start, a young thief takes the name Hans Hoffmann when a look-alike passenger dies during the trans-Atlantic passage. Vowing to be an honest man in America, Hans discovers temptation wears many disguises. Will the pair be rewarded as they attempt their new dreams in a strange land?

Let's hear directly from her characters:

Today I’m with Louisa Mueller and Hans Hoffmann from the historical romance, New Dreams.

Louisa, please tell us what draws you to Hans.

Thank you. When Hans introduced himself to me on the ship, his voice was polite, sincere, and determined all mixed together. I was flattered he asked to become acquainted and decided very quickly to become his friend.

What frightens you about him?

Each time I inquire about his life before boarding the ship he evades the question. Sometimes he responds with a clever story. Often I am not certain if a village he mentions is where he lived or merely traveled through – for I get the impression he moved a great deal after his mother died.

What do you want most in life, Louisa?

I have always been a dutiful daughter and I feel rather lost when not living near family. While events beyond my control have changed my dreams—I want to work, perhaps own, a bakery. I will be patient and trust a husband and family will follow in due time.

What frightens you about your trip to America?

The distance. Letters from America took many weeks to reach our village. Papa and I will be without other family until we arrive in Illinois. I never had need to leave our village until we loaded the trunks, joined a young married couple, and set out for the port. Will I make friends? 

And now, a few question for Hans. Tell us, what do you want to find in America?

America—land of opportunity—at least according to the talk in the taverns I frequent. I want to earn honest pay for my hard work. I want enough money to live in a comfortable room and not worry if I will be able to eat tomorrow.

What draws you to Louisa?

She is pretty—and intelligent. She tells stories of her girlhood filled with kind, generous people—the sort of family and friends a man wants to populate his past.

What frightens you about her?

I repeat—she is pretty and intelligent. I am often fearful I will not be able to contribute anything to her life. She would make a good wife for an educated, professional man. I am a humble person fighting temptation to do wrong.

Thank you both, Louisa and Hans,  for answering our questions, and thank you, Ellen, for being my guest today. Here are Ellen's buy links for her new book and information on how to get in touch with her.

Buy links:

  Kindle:  https://amzn.to/3vWydWE

  Nook:  https://bit.ly/3wR900t

Social contacts:

www.ellen-parker-writes.com   

www.facebook.com/ellenparkerwrites

Do you have any questions or comments for Ellen?

A Successful Relationship with Writing

We all have our different stories about how we have become writers and we have different paths to publication. Today's guest in My Writing Corner brings us another unique journey into the land of publication.

Stella Grae is an unassuming English professor, copyeditor, and copywriter who lives in Lexington, Kentucky. She’s the author of the short story “Power Play” that was originally published in the website erotica journal Oysters and Chocolate. Stella says in her spare time she enjoys sipping on bourbon, nibbling cheesy grits, and philosophizing about love and sex in her blog, “Bone Up,” which can be found on her website: stellagraeerotica.weebly.com …along with other sexy tidbits. Her book featured below, Just Call Me Confidence is Stella's first erotica novel to be published. Let's find out more...

Stella, tell us about your road to publication.

I have been writing for decades, mostly short stories and poetry, and I’m fairly new to erotica. I’ve had some small successes with mainstream short stories, but erotica was a final frontier of sorts. I discovered that I was pretty good at it, and what I liked was that psychological component to it. Everyone has fantasies and what I enjoyed in the writing was living those in my mind, but not necessarily doing them. I enjoy rewriting and editing, so I just kept plugging away and the rest is history, as they say. It’s been a long road to publication, but if you have a good attitude, can take constructive criticism well, and really enjoy the process of writing then success will follow. 

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

One of the most challenging parts of being an author is finding the time to write when inspiration hits. A lot of times, I have to do some quick notes, sketch out characters, conflicts, or other ideas and then return to flesh out details. I try to make some regular time to write, even if I don’t feel like it. 

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

So, this will be an interesting answer because most authors pull some part of themselves into a work, even if it’s just their own personal fantasies. Just Call Me Confidence and its sequel, which I’m working on right now, were both born of a failed relationship. I was lonely in the relationship, but didn’t want to do anything stupid, so I created characters and situations that were based a little on reality, but twisted them to create the kind of relationship that I actually had wished I had had. The relationship fizzled, but the plot sizzled. 

Let's get a blurb:

Jenna Craig is a 40-year-old freshly-minted “hot momma” looking for a little love in her post-divorce life. After a night out with her cougar tribe, she wonders whether she’s still got “it”—the double-takes from the college clowns at the bar quickly put her doubts to rest. Though she may be alone, she knows she’ll never be lonely. 

Jenna’s newfound confidence is buoyed by some swim club eye candy: Travis the lifeguard. Hot trysts in the locker room leave her wondering if she might want something more. When her naughty, new boy toy introduces her to his friend, Collin, Jenna is engulfed with waves of emotion that she thought she might never feel again. With two younger men vying for her heart, will she choose the perfect guy for right now, or the man who could give her another shot at love?

The experienced Ms. Craig is certain of one thing: She better bring the confidence to pull off the choice of her desire. 

Want more? How about an excerpt?

    “I’m glad we’re friends, and that you think nothing of racing to my house to help me with my man woes, and my panties. But you know what I appreciate most?”

    “You appreciate my sarcastic, brutally honest, down-home wit?”

    “No, the fact that you don’t judge me or what I do, or don’t do. You’ve never said you think I’m acting like a whore.”

    Fielding hugs me and doesn’t let go. Patting me on my back she responds, “I’ll never stoop to calling you a whore because you’re simply acting like a woman with a man’s morals.” 

Let's go back to Stella. Tell me, how do you develop characters?

A lot of the characters I’ve created are an interesting amalgam of people I know, read about in the news, or in other books. Of course, when one writes, characters are often shaped by plot, or they take an interesting turn because it just feels like that’s what they need to do. Some of the development is planned, but a lot of it is organic. 

How do you come up with your plots?

I guess I have a crazy good imagination, and I’ve lived a fairly interesting life. So, art imitates life—and maybe a little vice versa! 

What’s your next project? 

I’m working on some poetry right now and a short story called “The List.” In the very near future I’ll dig into the sequel to Just Call Me Confidence, which will be a little darker, but every bit as sensual. I’ve also got some non-fiction pieces in the till that I’d like to get placed. I’m also working with a friend on her memoir. There’s never a time I don’t have multiple projects going; I find that’s a great way to gain perspective on a work, and I very rarely have writer’s block. 

Following are Stella's Buy Links for her book and her social contacts.

Buy Links

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/83767444-just-call-me-confidence

Barnes and Noble:  https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/just-call-me-confidence-stella-grae/1142958506?ean=9781509248223

Amazon: https://a.co/d/iY2aojG

Social Contacts:

Website: https://stellagraeerotica.weebly.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sgraeerotica/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SGraeErotica

AllAuthor: https://stellagraeerotica.allauthor.com/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/159637845-stella-grae

Email: stellagrae@proton.me

Amazon Central Author Page: 

www.amazon.com/author/stellagraeerotica

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