Author Spotlight - Q&A with Patty Froese

STEPH: I don't know much about "Perfect on Paper." What's it about?

PATTY: This is a story about Anne, a well known mystery writer, who comes to the small town of Charity Falls to take over a bookstore left to her in her maiden aunt's will. The lawyer in charge of her aunt's estate is the handsome Jake. They are immediately drawn to each other, but they seem to want different things. Jake wants a wife to stay home and have kids. Anne has worked too hard in her career to give it up. When it seems like they should just call the whole thing off, Anne discovers a tantalizing mystery--her maiden aunt wasn't so "maiden" after all... But who was her wartime love, and what happened to him?

In this story I look at what it takes to make a love last forever.

STEPH: How long did it take you to write?

PATTY: I wrote this book in about two weeks, revised it a few times, edited it like a mad woman, and all totaled, I think it ended up being about three months of work. It was worth it, though! I loved this story.

STEPH: How much research did you have to do?

PATTY: This story didn't use a huge amount of research because I drew on a lot of old stories in my own family. I hadn't meant to use, them, but they fit in so well that I left them there.

STEPH: How does the cover reflect the story within?

PATTY: Anne is a writer, so the open book depicts that part of her life. The ring is a wedding ring that her aunt wore on a chain around her neck for years. This is a scene from the wedding at the end of the book (that doesn't spoil it for you, does it?), a winter evening ceremony in an old, drafty church.


STEPH: Anne is the heroine. What are her strengths? Weakness?

PATTY: Anne can be a bit of a workaholic. She's poured herself into her career for so long that she can't conceive of slowing down or changing pace. This determination is also a strength, though, because it keeps her going when times get tough. It keeps her dedicated to the things dearest to her... it's just a matter of getting Jake close to her heart.


STEPH: What does Jake find appealing about her?

PATTY: Jake is smitten, so he finds pretty much everything endearing about her. ;) He's a bit star struck, though. He's never met an author before, especially a well known author, from New York. Being a small town lawyer, he feels a bit daunted in her presence.

STEPH: What is the theme of the novel?

PATTY: What does it take to make love last? This is what both characters are concerned about, and what I examine in this story.

STEPH: As a writer, where do you draw inspiration from?

PATTY: Inspiration comes from all over the place! Sometimes it's a conversation, or a picture, or a Youtube snippet from an opera... Most recently, I asked my Facebook fans what kind of book they'd like to see me write and their answers sparked an idea immediately.

STEPH: Do you have an ebook reader? If so, which one?

PATTY: I used to have a Kobo, but not anymore. I actually prefer to read on my laptop. That way I can be doing a few things at once and use my reading as a break from other things I'm getting done.


STEPH: Fun question: What are your plans for spring?

PATTY: Well, I live in Alberta Canada, so first of all, spring has to come! No, I'm joking. We do have spring now, and my plans include birthday celebrations, walks to the park with my son, our wedding anniversary.... my big goal this year? I'd love to start growing my own herbs. I know, that sounds incredibly dull, but there you have it. ;) The drama in my life is all purely fictional!

Author Spotlight - Excerpt from "The Gambler"

Thank you so much for supporting Jillian during her week in the spotlight. Leave a post today, Saturday and Sunday, and on Monday I'll pick a name from random to receive a PDF copy of Jillian's book "The Gambler" and a mousepad. Don't forget to leave your email so I can get a hold of you if you win. Enjoy the excerpt!

Smiles
Moderator Steph

***********


The man grabbed her by the shoulders. "Whoa there, filly. This ain't no horse race here, Ma'am."

She jerked back from him as if his hands had burned her. "Sorry, sorry."

He didn't let go. If anything, his grip got tighter. "Where's the fire? I want to steer clear of it."

Eden tried to jerk away from him as her two sisters came off the elevator themselves. As soon as the man saw the twins, he let go of her abruptly. She staggered across the lobby trying to catch her balance.

The man looked Lilith and Eve up and down. "My, my, what do we have here? Double my pleasure?" His grin showed his dimples. Very deep dimples that Eden tried to ignore.

Lilith said, "We're Lilith and Eve McGill. Twins, if you couldn't tell." She simpered and struck a pose. She patted her small hat perched over her left eye.

"Lilith and Eve? How interesting." He tipped his hat and bowed. "Your mum and dad disagree on who was Adam's wife?"

Lilith's smile got larger. "They almost caused the Reverend to have a heart attack when they named me Lilith. People think it's sacrilege." She stopped and patted her hair. "Guess the name fits. I'm a little bit sacrilege myself."

Eden had recovered herself and stalked over to Lilith. "Stop it, Lil. Mum will kill me if I let you go wild, child." She took Lilith's arm. "Come on. Let's go and leave this"- she looked the man up and down- "gentleman"- she paused for effect,-"alone."

The man looked down at the shorter Eden. "Who are you? You're too young to be the mother. So, who could you be?" He put his index finger to his chin and tapped it. "Hmm. Maybe the serpent?" He slapped his forehead with his hat. "No. You can't be. The serpent liked to lead people into sin. You seem like the prude of the group." He turned back to Lilith. "Who's the wet rag?"

Eden gasped at his rudeness as Lilith laughed out loud. "That would be the big sister, Eden. Eden, bossy britches, McGill to be exact."

The man laughed louder. "Eden? Really, your parents are a bit insane, aren't they? They couldn't get past Genesis?"



Find me on the web:

http://www.jillianchantal.com
https://twitter.com/#!/JillianChantal

Trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIs6epy_ixY
Buy link:
http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-286/Gambler's-Inheritance-Book-One-cln-/Detail.bok

Author Spotlight - Jillian Chantel casts her hero!

My hero in this story is based on the British actor, Jeremy Northam. This actor first came to my attention in 1995 when he played the villain in The Net with Sandra Bullock. I have this terrible habit of digging the bad guys in the movies (I mean, really, who would want Kevin Costner when you could have Alan Rickman?)

Anyway, back to Jeremy Northam. He was such a sexy, handsome bad guy in that film, I fell in love with him. Soon enough, he played a good guy, Mr. Knightley in Emma with Gwyneth Paltrow. I fell harder for him with that film. A fan was born and I’ve followed his career since then. He has a great filmography and I recommend checking him out.



My Dirk looks like Jeremy in my head. I like the reader to find the hero’s looks in his or her own mind, but when I think of Dirk McSwain, it’s Jeremy Northam I see.


Find me on the web:

http://www.jillianchantal.com
https://twitter.com/#!/JillianChantal

Trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIs6epy_ixY
Buy link:
http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-286/Gambler's-Inheritance-Book-One-cln-/Detail.bok

Author Spotlight - Jillian Chantel shares her thoughts on New Orleans

New Orleans is one of my favorite places to visit and when I started to write The Gambler, I knew I wanted my hero to hail from that city- there is so much to draw from, that I couldn’t resist. The place is replete with history and awesome buildings. It’s the most European city that we have in this country. I live about two and a half hours from it and visit all the time. I’ve always loved the houses on St. Charles Avenue and the surrounding area called the Garden District. In this city, there are cemeteries, shotgun houses (called that because if a gun was shot through the front door, the bullet would go all the way through the house and out the back door), and on Magazine Street, a plethora of antique/junk shops.

This city is full of wonderful restaurants and bars. You can listen to music- blues, zydeco, jazz, etc, any time of the day or night. There’s nothing like the life in this place. There is always something going on. Travel around Jackson Square and have your fortune told, your picture painted, a caricature drawn, ride in a horse drawn carriage, take a vampire tour, or just people watch. It’s a haven for a writer. All the senses are engaged.



Three other not to be missed places are the Café Du Monde where you can eat the delicacies called beignets, the free ferry ride across the river to Mardi Gras World where you can check out all the awesome floats, and last, but not least, the aquarium or the zoo.

If you’ve never been to this city on the Mississippi River, you need to make a trip. It’s a veritable cornucopia of the human race.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIs6epy_ixY

Find me on the web:

http://www.jillianchantal.com
https://twitter.com/#!/JillianChantal

Trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIs6epy_ixY
Buy link:
http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-286/Gambler's-Inheritance-Book-One-cln-/Detail.bok

Author Spotlight - Jillian Chantel shares her thoughts on the Queen Mary

I visited the Queen Mary and spent two nights on board as part of my research for this story, The Gambler. My cousin and I had a wonderful time. We took two tours, the behind the scenes one and the ghost tour. We each had our cameras and caught some orbs on them. One was particularly well defined. There is a story that a child drowned in the pool and haunts the area. We caught an orb in there. We heard a lot of ghost stories on the tour and it was very sad to think that souls may be stuck there.

We had two experiences that may or may not have been paranormal. One, I’m convinced was not a dream and the other was an air conditioner issue that may just be a glitch in the system.

Our room at the back of the ship kept getting colder and colder. It was March so it was still kind of cool anyway in Southern California, but we couldn’t get our room warm at all. I finally called the front desk and they sent down a maintenance man. He walked in, looked around and said, “Oh yeah, this is that room.”


We asked what he meant and he said that no matter how many times they’d come down to fix the thermostat, that it reverses itself. So, in order for us to be warm, we had to turn the air conditioner on the coldest it would go and to be cool, we’d have to turn on the heat. How wild is that?

The other experience was mine. It was about three a.m. I was sound asleep and suddenly, very loud, right in my ear, was a sound, “psst, psst.” I turned over, thinking it was my cousin who was trying to get my attention. Nope. She was sound asleep, facing the other direction with her ear plugs in. So, I leapt up and went in the bathroom. I paced around and then said out loud, “Go away, I don’t have time to talk to you. I need to sleep.” Then I went back to sleep with no other disturbances.

I didn’t tell my cousin about the experience until we were in the airport. She said thank God I didn’t because she would’ve ran out of the room and never went back. I somehow knew that. LOL.


Find me on the web:

http://www.jillianchantal.com
https://twitter.com/#!/JillianChantal

Trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIs6epy_ixY
Buy link:
http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-286/Gambler's-Inheritance-Book-One-cln-/Detail.bok

Author Spotlight - Q&A with Jillian Chantel

STEPH: I don't know much about "The Gambler." What's it about?

JILLIAN: The Gambler is a romance/murder mystery which takes place on the Queen Mary, an ocean liner that sailed the seas from 1936-1967. The ship is beautiful and was the epitome of grace and first class service in her early years. Eventually, she was used as a war ship in World War II and then restored to her former glory and sailed as a luxury liner again. I am fascinated by the old liners as well as the early to mid part of the twentieth century, so I wanted to set a story on this ship. This is the first in a series of three books and this one is set in 1937 when the ship was at the height of its glory and all the rich and famous wanted to be on-board. The story centers around a young man named Dirk McSwain who has a talent for winning at cards. His home is in danger of foreclosure so he books passage on the Queen Mary to win big. He gets more than he bargains for when he meets three Irish sisters and one of the passengers on board dies after an altercation with him.

STEPH: How long did it take you to write?

JILLIAN: The first draft took about a month.

STEPH: How much research did you have to do?

JILLIAN: I had to research the history of the Queen Mary and actually spent two nights on-board the ship in March of 2011. I took the behind the scenes tour as well as the ghost tour. It was very educational but I got a little bogged down when it came time to write the story as I kept trying to weave in too much of the research. I had to finally realize that I needed to let some of it go as the reader didn’t want a map of the ship or a history lesson. Once I let that go, the story flowed better.



STEPH: How does the cover reflect the story within?

JILLIAN: It’s very much like the men’s card room I pictured on the ship. There were ladies’ areas of the ship and men’s areas as well. The classes as well as the sexes were separated a lot in that era. The men had separate rooms for smoking and gambling.

STEPH: Eden is the heroine. What are her strengths? Weakness?

JILLIAN: Eden has strengths she doesn’t know she has. She’s the elder sister by three years of her stunning sisters who happen to be twins. Eden has lived her life in their shadow and has no idea of what she has to offer the world. She also has a psychic gift that has caused her family to treat her as a freak. She has a great wit and is a quick thinker. She’s a champion swimmer and loves to compete.

STEPH: What does Dirk find appealing about her?



JILLIAN: Initially, Dirk is blinded by the beauty of the twin sisters and sees them as targets for his get rich quick scheme- he plans to play cards with them and win some money to help with his dilemma. When he dances with Eden and realizes she is quite intelligent, his feelings start to change. When he realizes she’s got a psychic gift, his admiration for her increases. They eventually team up to solve the mystery of the death of the passenger and grow closer as a result of this work.

STEPH: What is the theme of the novel?

JILLIAN: As I wrote the story, I was surprised to find that the story actually has a Cinderella theme. It’s also a story about acceptance of the gifts God gives to each of us, no matter how much the world at large may think that your gift is not a gift.

STEPH: As a writer, where do you draw inspiration from?

JILILAN: Everywhere. In fact, I have a dear friend right now who is in the midst of new love at age 52 and she is giddy with it. Her new love is so romantic and supportive of her, I’m planning to steal some of the wonderful things he’s done for her for my next book.

STEPH: Do you have an ebook reader? If so, which one?

JILIAN: I have the Sony and I also have the Kindle app on my Ipad as well as Ibooks.


STEPH: Fun question: What are your plans for spring?

JILLIAN: I just got back from the Romantic Times Convention in Chicago. It was fun but exhausting. I met a lot of the Desert Breeze authors there and that was awesome. My only other plans for spring are to travel to Texas for my cousin’s son’s graduation from law school. He’ll be the second lawyer in the family besides me and I’m super proud of him.

Find me on the web:

http://www.jillianchantal.com
https://twitter.com/#!/JillianChantal

Trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIs6epy_ixY
Buy link:
http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-286/Gambler's-Inheritance-Book-One-cln-/Detail.bok

Author Spotlight - Excerpt from "A Discreet Gentleman of Discovery"

Thanks so much for supporting Kris during her spotlight week. Leave a comment on today's post today, Saturday, or Sunday and you'll be entered for Kris's giveaway. Kris is giving away a "Norway is the New Scotland" mug and a keychain from the cathedral ruins in Hamar, Norway. Remember to leave your email with your comment so we can get a hold of you. Enjoy this excerpt from Kris's release, "A Discreet Gentleman of Discovery."

Smiles
Moderator Steph

***********

He had nothing at stake. He and Niels were merely escorting a woman and one or two of her servants around the southern tip of Norway. And earning three hundred dalers in recompense. In addition, he would soon make a profit on the money he spent paying off Skogen's debts.

If he was to be nervous about anything it should be facing his family again after stomping out of their lives eight years ago. He wasn't certain he would even be welcomed. He might be forced to let Niels complete the woman's delivery if his own reception proved hostile.

But he couldn't think about that now.

And he certainly couldn't think about romancing the beautiful widow.

Niels reined the pair of horses to a halt in front of Lady Regin's manor. No -- he must think of her as the Baroness. Or Lady Kildahl. Or Jarl's wife.

Not Regin. Not the woman whose unbowed determination in her desperate situation had touched his heart and gained his respect. Not the glossy-haired blue-eyed noblewoman who stooped to selling eggs in the village market. Not the intelligent beauty who figured out a way to give up her family's estate and regain it through the same action.

Thoughts like those could only lead him down undesirable alleys with no way out.

"Ready?" Niels asked.

In answer, Brander jumped down from the carriage seat. The cousins climbed the steps and Niels knocked on the massive wood door.

The door was opened by a maid dressed in traveling clothes who ushered them into the entry hall. Lady Kildahl stood at the bottom of the staircase. She wore a lavender bodice and sleeves over a long-sleeved linen blouse and a matching woolen skirt. A brown fur-lined hooded cloak waited, draped over the stair railing. Her back was straight, chin high, and hands clasped under her bosom. She appeared controlled and calm.

Until she saw Brander.

The words, "It's you!" rounded her pink lips. Her brow lowered.

Niels made the introduction, and his hand swung around to Brander. Brander gave the lady a deep bow.

"You are Lord Olsen?" The incredulous look on her face hovered on furious. Even so, her hand floated upward toward his. "Why didn't you - when I saw you--"

Brander took her hand and pressed it to his lips. The blisters on her palm surprised him; the reassuring scent of lemon soap did not. He straightened and his eyes never moved from hers.

"Why do you stare at me so rudely?" she demanded. "Will you not at least speak to me?"

Her startled gaze jumped to Niels and rested there a moment. Her cheeks paled, then flushed with disturbing radiance. Brander didn't turn away; he assumed what Niels was saying.

She looked at Brander again with eyes huge and dark.

Her hand covered her throat. "Oh!"

He didn't know how to react so he stood still, rooted stupidly by her surprised consideration.

"You can't hear me?"

He shook his head.

She frowned again. "But you know what I'm saying..."

He touched the edge of his eye, his lips, and pointed to her.

Her features relaxed a little. "You--" She pointed at him. "Watch--" She touched the edge of her own eye and slid her finger down her cheek to her lower lip. "My mouth."

He nodded, pleasantly surprised. No one had ever mimicked him with such respect.

Her head tilted. "And how will I know what you are saying?"

He blinked, momentarily unable to think coherently. She was talking to him. Not to Niels about him. That never happened. When people found out he was deaf, they spoke to his valet and cut him out of their conversation.

They never asked how he would communicate with them!

Brander lifted his hands, palms up and fingers splayed.

"You talk with your hands?" Her expression lightened. "That makes sense."

He clamped his hands together to signal 'and.' Then he mimed writing on his left palm with his right hand.

"Well of course! You write!" Lady Kildahl blushed again. The way the heightened color complemented her eyes made Brander's pulse jump. Steady, man.

*****


Buy link for eBook:
http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-272/Discreet-Gentleman-Book-One/Detail.bok

Buy link for print book:
http://www.amazon.com/Discreet-Gentleman-Discovery-Volume/dp/1469955679/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1332738462&sr=1-3

Find me on the web links:

http://www.KrisTualla.com
http://www.facebook.com/KrisTualla

Author Spotlight - Writing a Deaf Character

Needless to say, writing a deaf character as a hearing person does present some challenges. The first was ignoring what American Sign Language I do know; those gestures didn't exist in the 1700s so I had to make up new signals. Signals that a seven-year-old boy might invent.

Next was remembering that Brander Hansen can't hear. Seems obvious, but I lost count of how many times I started to have him react to something as common as a knock on the door! Of course, I'd also write the heroine Regin Kildahl doing something inappropriate as well. When I caught myself, I would write that into her action: "She lowered her voice until she remembered she didn't need to."

Third, Brander's multiple methods of communicating needed to be conveyed to the reader in an easy-to-follow manner so that I wasn't constantly having to use cumbersome tags and explanations. By Book Two, "A Discreet Gentleman of Matrimony," I'm trusting the reader to know and understand how Brander is communicating without them.

Fourth - and this was an easy one - was explaining my visual code to my publisher. I needed them to know these quirks weren't mistakes, they were intentional. I settled on the following formats:
"Spoken words are always in quotation marks."
Written words are always in italics, whether in dialog or letters.
Brander motioned: When the dialog is gestured, there are no quotation marks.

Fifth - and this was the hardest one - I had to be sensitive to the deaf community and walk the line between 18th-century attitudes toward the deaf, and Brander's own identity as a deaf man. I think I've done well based on early readers' responses.

Here is the silent ASL trailer for "A Discreet Gentleman of Discovery":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzBMPPVdZq8

And here is the traditional trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mjj986aaTR8

Enjoy them both!

Buy link for eBook:
http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-272/Discreet-Gentleman-Book-One/Detail.bok

Buy link for print book:
http://www.amazon.com/Discreet-Gentleman-Discovery-Volume/dp/1469955679/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1332738462&sr=1-3

Find me on the web links:

http://www.KrisTualla.com
http://www.facebook.com/KrisTualla

Author Spotlight - Kris Tualla is on location - part two.

Arendal, Norway is the ancestral home of my fictional Hansen family and is pivotal in the plot of "A Discreet Gentleman of Discovery" (Book One) and "A Discreet Gentleman of Consequence" (Book Three, coming in December). My Hansens have lived there since Viking days, but were very nearly wiped out during the Black Death (1348-1354) ~ until Rydar Martin Petter-Edvard Hansen returned from his family's exile in Greenland. Along with his Scottish wife, Grier MacInnes, he reclaimed the family estate and busily set about reestablishing the family dynasty.

The first thing I noticed was the church in the center of the town, built in the 1700's. Norway's early churches (ca 800ad-1100ad) were of wooden stave construction. When Christianity reached Norway (ca 1100ad) some of them were repurposed. But unfortunately, most of those ancient buildings were torn down and rebuilt. I chose to say that when Rydar arrived in Arendal in 1354, there was a wooden stave church in the center of town.

I placed the heir-disputed Hansen Hall on a rocky bluff west of town, about a one-mile walk from the church. Today that bluff is crowded with homes. The shipping docks of Arendal, a summer vacation destination for many Norwegians, are now used mostly for pleasure boats, upscale shops and housing. But Arendal holds onto its history, with many restored and inhabited 1800s houses!

My trip to Norway was so much fun ~ and I had no problem imagining my Hansen heroes living there so long ago. In fact, I think I saw one of them out of the corner of my eye… ☺

My photos of these places and additional commentary are posted here: http://www.kristualla.com/News___Links.html


Buy link for eBook:
http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-272/Discreet-Gentleman-Book-One/Detail.bok

Buy link for print book:
http://www.amazon.com/Discreet-Gentleman-Discovery-Volume/dp/1469955679/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1332738462&sr=1-3

Find me on the web links:

http://www.KrisTualla.com
http://www.facebook.com/KrisTualla

Author Spotight - Kris Tualla is on location - part one...

I began writing my Norse heroes in 2006. Five years later, in the summer of 2011, I had the privilege of traveling to Norway for about 10 days. What a spectacular trip that was! And I visited places I wrote about, of course.

First, I had the privilege of exploring the fortress called Akershus Castle. Akershus is still a functional military installation ~ which explains why no floor plans were available either online nor in person.

This also explains why my imaginings and reality don't always line up. But, considering that this fortress is over 700 years old, and has been added to and remodeled countless times in the interim, there is every reason to believe that some of the areas might have looked as they do in my descriptions. And some of the descriptions do match!

When I picked the little town of Hamar for Lady Regin Kildahl's home in "A Discreet Gentleman of Discovery" all I knew was that it was the right distance from Christiania (Oslo today) and it didn't have any non-English letters in its name.

I soon discovered there is a cathedral there, built in the 13th century and burned in the 16th century by warring Swedes. I was able to place my hero Brander Hansen at the ruins where a conversation with a priest proves pivotal to his one of his investigations.

Hamar Cathedral wasn't as polished as other great cathedrals, such as the ones in Italy where craftsmen excelled in creating fantastic buildings of marble…

Even so, Hamar remained an important religious and political center in Norway, organized around the cathedral until the Reformation.
Today the cathedral ruins are under a canopy of glass to prevent further deterioration. That also allows the ruins to be used for such momentous occasions as weddings. Can you imagine a more romantic setting?

To be continued…



Buy link for eBook:
http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-272/Discreet-Gentleman-Book-One/Detail.bok

Buy link for print book:
http://www.amazon.com/Discreet-Gentleman-Discovery-Volume/dp/1469955679/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1332738462&sr=1-3

Find me on the web links:

http://www.KrisTualla.com
http://www.facebook.com/KrisTualla

Author Spolight - Q&A with Kris Tualla

STEPH: I don't know much about "A Discreet Gentleman of Discovery." What's it about?

KRIS: This is the story of Brander Hansen, a disinherited son passed over because he became DEAF at age 7 as the result of multiple ear infections. We find him in 1720 Christiania (now Oslo) practicing a trade as a 'discreet gentleman of discovery' - a private investigator. He's saving every penning until he can buy an estate of his own and prove his father's choice wrong. He's on the verge of doing so when the Baroness of that estate writes to him asking for his help in saving her ancestral home from creditors. In actuality, that means saving it from Brander.

STEPH: How long did it take you to write?

KRIS: Generally it takes me four months to write a novel, and a couple more to edit and proof.

STEPH: What was the inspiration for the story?

KRIS: An article in the Romance Writer Report (RWR) which talked about how women are attracted to men who stare at them like they are the only person in the room. I thought, "Who stares like that? Deaf men!"

STEPH: How does the cover reflect the story?

KRIS: A friend of mine offered to be on the cover and grew his hair for 6 months before the photo shoot. His curls and reddish-gold color are perfect for Brander. The background is a photo I took at the cathedral ruins in Hamar, Norway - a location where Brander has a crime-solving epiphany.

STEPH: Brander is the hero. What are his strengths? Weaknesses?

KRIS: Oh, he's brilliant. So strong and capable. And he uses his deafness to solve crimes, especially by reading lips. As he often states: When people find out I'm deaf, they forget I'm in the room.

STEPH: What does Regin find appealing about him?

KRIS: When she first sees him, she thinks he's a creditor come to claim her estate. Later, she is surprised to find out he's deaf; unperturbed, she speaks to him, not to his valet about him. She's fascinated as Brander tracks a serial killer. She feels safe around him - unlike the husband who bankrupted her estate before turning violent.



The glitch is that she doesn't know who Brander really is for the first 3/4 of the book!

STEPH: What do you hope readers take away from reading the novel?

KRIS: That a "disabled" hero can still be a memorable, sexy, and desirable hero! *fans self to keep from swooning*

STEPH: What attracted you to setting the story in Norway?

KRIS: Norway is the new Scotland. It's time for heroes who don't wear kilts! All of my heroes ("A Discreet Gentleman of Discovery" is my 6th novel) and one heroine are Norse. The stories take place in America, Scotland and Norway over 5 centuries. So far.

STEPH: Do you have an ebook reader? If so, which one?

KRIS: My name is Kris and I'm a Kindleholic. Don't cure me.

STEPH: Fun question: Spring is in the air. Are there any spring festivals in your area? How do you embrace spring?

KRIS: I just attended the Highland Games in Phoenix and checked in with my clan: Bell of the Borders. I do love men in kilts even if I don't write about them!


Buy link for eBook:
http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-272/Discreet-Gentleman-Book-One/Detail.bok

Buy link for print book:
http://www.amazon.com/Discreet-Gentleman-Discovery-Volume/dp/1469955679/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1332738462&sr=1-3

Find me on the web links:

http://www.KrisTualla.com
http://www.facebook.com/KrisTualla

Author Spotlight - Excerpt from "The Green Rose"

Thanks so much for supporting me this week. Enjoy this excerpt from "The Green Rose." If you follow me on Twitter, you all know I'm hooked on a good cup o' Joe in the morning. Leave a comment about the excerpt on today's blog with your email address and I'll pick one winner to receive a coffee mug with the cover, a Starbucks gift card, chocolate and various other goodies.

Smiles
Steph

********

Excerpt from: "The Green Rose"

Sonia had never seen a city like Drakon. She pulled the reins of her horse, stopping the mare, and gazed at the city. It stretched out along the northern shore of the Krispin Sea. The smaller buildings were made of stone, brick, and wood, but the taller buildings with the spires appeared either steel or granite. The spires consisted of swirling colored patterns and thick ledges she guessed were made of granite. Several buildings also possessed huge onion domes with wide doors. To the northwest she spied a river. The Volga? It must have been close to a myle wide. Beside the waterway, a tall, sturdy keep framed the city's skyline with two onion domes and two spirals.

Ivánstan pointed. "That's my home, Drakon Castle."

Sonia whistled. "Impressive. I've never seen onion domes or spirals used in buildings."

"King Xeres discovered the onion domes proved to be an excellent size and shape for a dragon's aerie."

"Are they granite?"

"Aye. King Eric the Great of Ravenrock allowed King Xeres to mine a granite quarry near the Ravenrock city of Faroe. The larger buildings of the city have a granite base."

"Where are the dragons?"

Again, Ivánstan pointed, toward the south. "The royal dragons prefer to live in those caves, though it's not uncommon to see them flying overhead."

"Amazing." A sense of awe overcame Sonia. She couldn't deny the exotic appeal of Ivánstan's home.

"I'm only sorry we won't be visiting the castle this time."

"No?"

"I don't think it wise. I know a tavern owner near the docks, Saltier. He can be trusted. We'll rent a room at his inn, rest our horses, and collect supplies for our journey into the forest. Tomorrow morning at first light, we'll continue."

She arched an eyebrow. "Are you embarrassed to show me your keep?"

"Nay, practical. It's not wise to announce our presence in the city. Too many questions would be asked of us and I don't want to scare the citizens into a panic."

She pursed her lips, unable to hide a hint of disappointment. His reasoning and logic made sense, but he could have shared his thoughts with her during today's journey. Then she glanced at her tunic.




"I wear the royal tunic of Tapin and you wear Daháka's."

"We'll make do for now. I'll have Saltier procure us tunics belonging to Cason's banner house so we won't attract immediate attention." He paused and studied her face. "Did I offend you?"

"I do think your plan has merit. I'm tired and I know the horses are, too, but I would have preferred you told me sooner."

His dark eyebrows slanted. "I'm sorry. When I make a decision, I carry it out. I don't often ask for another opinion."

"Then I would appreciate being consulted." She placed a hand on her hip and glared at him.

Ivánstan made a fist and placed it over his mouth as he coughed. "I'm sorry."

She shucked on the reins of her horse and proceeded forward at a brisk pace. Ivánstan quickly caught up. "I have a suggestion."

"A suggestion or an order?"



BLURB:
Eight hundred years ago on the continent of Gaia, war rocked the countries of N'Gasse, Tapin, Daháka, and Ravenrock. The fearsome wyldebeasts of the black east threatened to destroy the known world. King Xeres of Daháka gathered the most powerful magicians of Gaia along with Queen Rhysia of N'Gasse, King Erik of Ravenrock, and Nyla, the High Priestess of Tapin at Komodo Field.

Daháka brought pollen taken from the bees of the Tagrassé Forest. N'Gasse brought sap from the old mahogany trees. Tapin presented dust from falcon eggs. Ravenrock offered a rose. Together, they forged the indestructible green rose, a harbinger of powerful magic.

Using the green rose, the nobles and peoples of Gaia fought the wyldebeasts, led by the dark wizard, Augustin. Once the evil threat was defeated, the Eastern Wall was built along Ravenrock's borders to keep the foul wyldebeasts out of Gaia. Ravenrock was given the responsibility of guarding the 50,000 kilometer granite barrier.

King Xeres feared those who harbored evil in their hearts would seek the green rose. He tasked three witches to guard the flower and sent them into the heart of Tagrassé Forest.

Now, hundreds of years later, the peace of Gaia is once again threatened.

REVIEWS:

Stephenia Mcgee, Author "A Legacy of Lies"
Stephanie Burkhart weaves a delightful blend of action, intrigue and adventure into her fantasy romance, The Green Rose.


Regina Andrews, Author of "Destiny's Designs"
"The Green Rose" reaches the reader on an emotional level that rings very true and very sincere.

Book Trailer:


The Green Rose is available as an ebook only.
BUY LINKS:

PUBLISHER'S SITE
http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-280/The-Green-Rose-Stephanie/Detail.bok

AMAZON KINDLE:
http://amzn.com/B007QUBU2E

BARNES & NOBLE NOOK:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1109853031

ALL ROMANCE EBOOKS:
http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-thegreenrose-769936-143.html

FIND ME ON THE WEB AT:

WEBSITE:
http://www.stephanieburkhart.com

TWITTER:
http://twitter.com/StephBurkhart

FACEBOOK:
https://www.facebook.com/StephanieBurkhartAuthor

GOOD READS:
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4031660.Stephanie_Burkhart

YOU TUBE CHANNEL:
http://www.youtube.com/user/botrina?feature=mhee

Author Spotlight - Game of Thrones

Thank goodness for On Demand TV! Between work, helping my boys with homework and chauffeuring my little men to their extra curricular activities, I have no time for TV. None.

HBO On Demand allowed me to stay up with it's mini-series, Game of Thrones, and I was hooked on the 1st episode.

Westros is a cesspool with a glutton of corrupt characters. King Robert is fat and slow, and while a decent soul, he's worn out from playing the game. He asks his friend, Ned Stark, to help out. Ned's a good guy, the Lord of Winterfell, but doesn't play the game well, either.

Who plays the game of thrones well? Tyrion Lannister. He maybe a dwarf, but he understands human nature and he knows the motivations behind a man – or a woman's – actions. Only his sister, Cersei, is a match for him.

There are outside elements which play into the game. Up in the north, where the wall separates Westros from the others, a threat that threatens to destroy the country looms. Ned Stark's bastard, Jon Snow, takes "the black" to protect the wall.



To the far east, across the sea is the desert land of the Dothraki. Daenerys Targaryen, the last of her line and daughter of the previous Westros king, wanders the land searching for a home and finds her legacy – dragons – instead.

Season 2 of Game of Thrones is on HBO now and I'm loving it. Who's your favorite character in the series? Who plays the game the best?

NOTE: Peter Dinklage, who plays Tyrion, won an Emmy last year for his role.

BLURB:
Eight hundred years ago on the continent of Gaia, war rocked the countries of N'Gasse, Tapin, Daháka, and Ravenrock. The fearsome wyldebeasts of the black east threatened to destroy the known world. King Xeres of Daháka gathered the most powerful magicians of Gaia along with Queen Rhysia of N'Gasse, King Erik of Ravenrock, and Nyla, the High Priestess of Tapin at Komodo Field.

Daháka brought pollen taken from the bees of the Tagrassé Forest. N'Gasse brought sap from the old mahogany trees. Tapin presented dust from falcon eggs. Ravenrock offered a rose. Together, they forged the indestructible green rose, a harbinger of powerful magic.

Using the green rose, the nobles and peoples of Gaia fought the wyldebeasts, led by the dark wizard, Augustin. Once the evil threat was defeated, the Eastern Wall was built along Ravenrock's borders to keep the foul wyldebeasts out of Gaia. Ravenrock was given the responsibility of guarding the 50,000 kilometer granite barrier.

King Xeres feared those who harbored evil in their hearts would seek the green rose. He tasked three witches to guard the flower and sent them into the heart of Tagrassé Forest.

Now, hundreds of years later, the peace of Gaia is once again threatened.

REVIEWS:

Stephenia Mcgee, Author "A Legacy of Lies"
Stephanie Burkhart weaves a delightful blend of action, intrigue and adventure into her fantasy romance, The Green Rose.


Regina Andrews, Author of "Destiny's Designs"
"The Green Rose" reaches the reader on an emotional level that rings very true and very sincere.

Book Trailer:


The Green Rose is available as an ebook only.
BUY LINKS:

PUBLISHER'S SITE
http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-280/The-Green-Rose-Stephanie/Detail.bok

AMAZON KINDLE:
http://amzn.com/B007QUBU2E

BARNES & NOBLE NOOK:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1109853031

ALL ROMANCE EBOOKS:
http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-thegreenrose-769936-143.html

FIND ME ON THE WEB AT:

WEBSITE:
http://www.stephanieburkhart.com

TWITTER:
http://twitter.com/StephBurkhart

FACEBOOK:
https://www.facebook.com/StephanieBurkhartAuthor

GOOD READS:
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4031660.Stephanie_Burkhart

YOU TUBE CHANNEL:
http://www.youtube.com/user/botrina?feature=mhee

Author Spotlight - Dahaka - The Land of Dragons

Dragons are fun to write about. What's not fun? They fly, they breath fire, they're intelligent, and they can be either be bad or good. I hit the books the find out what I could add to my dragons.

While no "fantasy-like" dragons exist today, I discovered that just about every culture from the Aztecs to the Europeans to even the Chinese have extensive dragon myths. I thought that was curious – despite the world in the early development of humans, the dominant civilizations all had dragon myths and the most common element included dragons that flew and breathed fire.

Ivánstan, my hero, is bonded to Draco, the dragon. Draco is a clever one, but needs to stay near water to keep cool since his internal temperature runs hot. The dragons reside in onion dome aeries in the capital of Daháka, Drakon. Draco is loyal to the bone to his bonded human, Ivánstan, but will the fierce dragon defend Sonia, the Tapin princess who has stolen Ivánstan's heart?

QUESTION: What's your favorite fantasy story?


BLURB:
Eight hundred years ago on the continent of Gaia, war rocked the countries of N'Gasse, Tapin, Daháka, and Ravenrock. The fearsome wyldebeasts of the black east threatened to destroy the known world. King Xeres of Daháka gathered the most powerful magicians of Gaia along with Queen Rhysia of N'Gasse, King Erik of Ravenrock, and Nyla, the High Priestess of Tapin at Komodo Field.

Daháka brought pollen taken from the bees of the Tagrassé Forest. N'Gasse brought sap from the old mahogany trees. Tapin presented dust from falcon eggs. Ravenrock offered a rose. Together, they forged the indestructible green rose, a harbinger of powerful magic.

Using the green rose, the nobles and peoples of Gaia fought the wyldebeasts, led by the dark wizard, Augustin. Once the evil threat was defeated, the Eastern Wall was built along Ravenrock's borders to keep the foul wyldebeasts out of Gaia. Ravenrock was given the responsibility of guarding the 50,000 kilometer granite barrier.

King Xeres feared those who harbored evil in their hearts would seek the green rose. He tasked three witches to guard the flower and sent them into the heart of Tagrassé Forest.

Now, hundreds of years later, the peace of Gaia is once again threatened.

REVIEWS:

Stephenia Mcgee, Author "A Legacy of Lies"
Stephanie Burkhart weaves a delightful blend of action, intrigue and adventure into her fantasy romance, The Green Rose.


Regina Andrews, Author of "Destiny's Designs"
"The Green Rose" reaches the reader on an emotional level that rings very true and very sincere.

Book Trailer:


The Green Rose is available as an ebook only.
BUY LINKS:

PUBLISHER'S SITE
http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-280/The-Green-Rose-Stephanie/Detail.bok

AMAZON KINDLE:
http://amzn.com/B007QUBU2E

BARNES & NOBLE NOOK:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1109853031

ALL ROMANCE EBOOKS:
http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-thegreenrose-769936-143.html

FIND ME ON THE WEB AT:

WEBSITE:
http://www.stephanieburkhart.com

TWITTER:
http://twitter.com/StephBurkhart

FACEBOOK:
https://www.facebook.com/StephanieBurkhartAuthor

GOOD READS:
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4031660.Stephanie_Burkhart

YOU TUBE CHANNEL:
http://www.youtube.com/user/botrina?feature=mhee

Author Spotlight - Inspiration for "The Green Rose"

Would you believe the inspiration for "The Green Rose" came from a writing prompt? In 2005, I joined Writing.com in the hopes of "honing" my writing skills. 7 years later I'm still on Writing.com as a Moderator, "StephB." In fact, you can find my older works on the website including my poetry, short stories, and scripts. Several years ago, I was cruising the contests and found one that interested me: write a story involving a spoon, honey, and a flower. The story had a 4,000 word count.




I rubbed my chin and rolled those items over in my mind. What could I do with a flower, honey, and a spoon? Deciding to pen a fantasy story, I wrote a scene where Ivánstan had to claim the green rose from 3 witches. In fact, the essence of that scene is retained in the novel as Ivánstan confronts the 3 witches, Claudia, Atia, and DeBussia in the hopes of acquiring the green rose.

In 2010, I showed the short story to Gail here at Desert Breeze who offered me a contract. How could I say no? Now that I had a contract, I knew I had to have dragons.

Question: What fantasy character would you want to be?


BLURB:
Eight hundred years ago on the continent of Gaia, war rocked the countries of N'Gasse, Tapin, Daháka, and Ravenrock. The fearsome wyldebeasts of the black east threatened to destroy the known world. King Xeres of Daháka gathered the most powerful magicians of Gaia along with Queen Rhysia of N'Gasse, King Erik of Ravenrock, and Nyla, the High Priestess of Tapin at Komodo Field.

Daháka brought pollen taken from the bees of the Tagrassé Forest. N'Gasse brought sap from the old mahogany trees. Tapin presented dust from falcon eggs. Ravenrock offered a rose. Together, they forged the indestructible green rose, a harbinger of powerful magic.

Using the green rose, the nobles and peoples of Gaia fought the wyldebeasts, led by the dark wizard, Augustin. Once the evil threat was defeated, the Eastern Wall was built along Ravenrock's borders to keep the foul wyldebeasts out of Gaia. Ravenrock was given the responsibility of guarding the 50,000 kilometer granite barrier.

King Xeres feared those who harbored evil in their hearts would seek the green rose. He tasked three witches to guard the flower and sent them into the heart of Tagrassé Forest.

Now, hundreds of years later, the peace of Gaia is once again threatened.

REVIEWS:

Stephenia Mcgee, Author "A Legacy of Lies"
Stephanie Burkhart weaves a delightful blend of action, intrigue and adventure into her fantasy romance, The Green Rose.


Regina Andrews, Author of "Destiny's Designs"
"The Green Rose" reaches the reader on an emotional level that rings very true and very sincere.

Book Trailer:


The Green Rose is available as an ebook only.
BUY LINKS:

PUBLISHER'S SITE
http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-280/The-Green-Rose-Stephanie/Detail.bok

AMAZON KINDLE:
http://amzn.com/B007QUBU2E

BARNES & NOBLE NOOK:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1109853031

ALL ROMANCE EBOOKS:
http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-thegreenrose-769936-143.html

FIND ME ON THE WEB AT:

WEBSITE:
http://www.stephanieburkhart.com

TWITTER:
http://twitter.com/StephBurkhart

FACEBOOK:
https://www.facebook.com/StephanieBurkhartAuthor

GOOD READS:
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4031660.Stephanie_Burkhart

YOU TUBE CHANNEL:
http://www.youtube.com/user/botrina?feature=mhee

Author Spotlight - Q&A with Stephanie Burkhart

QUESTION 1: What's "The Green Rose" about?"

STEPH: The story takes place on the mythical continent of Gaia. There are 4 allied nations: N'Gasse, Tapin, Daháka, and Ravenrock. The evil mage, Balthyser, betrays Tapin and the allied nations. Seeking power, he unleashes the fearsome wyldebeasts on Gaia. Sonia of Tapin and Ivánstan of Daháka are tasked to find the green rose in the hopes of harnessing the magic and defeating Balthyser.

QUESTION 2: How long did it take you to write?

STEPH: About 3 months. I started in September and finished in November. It was a very fluid write and the characters really dictated the direction of the story.

QUESTION 3: Did you have to do a lot of research?

STEPH: I did a bunch of research on dragon myths and legends. I also researched falcons and ravens. I learned a lot of interesting things about the birds and I tried to weave the more interesting aspects into the story.

QUESTION 4: Hollywood is calling. Cast the characters.

STEPH: I see Rhona Mitra (from Underworld 3) as Sonia and Kellan Lutz (think Immortals) as Ivánstan. Ian McKellan is my choice for the evil mage Balthyser. Meryl Streep would make a great Queen Rowan and Colin Firth would be my pick for King Talas of Ravenrock.

QUESTION 5: Sonia is the heroine. What are her strengths? Weaknesses?

STEPH: Sonia was told that magic wasn't strong in her so she was raised to be skilled with a sword. Sonia is brave and determined, but after Gabriel's betrayal, she's a lot less trusting. Her weaknesses would be her lack of training in magic and her fear of trusting again. Ivánstan has to work hard to earn her trust.

QUESTION 6: What does Ivánstan find appealing about Sonia?

STEPH: She's just as fearless as him and enjoys a good adventure. That's what he's looking for in a soulmate.

QUESTION 7: How does the cover reflect the story?



STEPH: The green rose is a powerful magical instrument and can influence magical beings. Sonia is the one most affected by the rose. The rose helps her to find the courage to deepen her relationships.

QUESTION 8: Are you a plotter or a panster?

STEPH: A panster for sure! When I start, I plot the first 3 chapters and when I'm done with them I let the characters decide where they want to go.

QUESTION 9: Do you have an ebook reader? If so, which one?

STEPH: I have a Kindle Fire and a Kindle 2. I love my Kindle 2 because it has text to speech and I can listen to it in the car going to work. I love my Kindle Fire for the color, the apps, the games, and the videos.

QUESTION 10: Fun question: Any plans for spring?

STEPH: The California Strawberry Festival takes place 19 & 20 May in Oxnard, CA and I can't wait to go. I go every year. If you love strawberries, you'll love the festival. The strawberries melt in your mouth. There's strawberry everything – shortcake, margaritas, beer, nachos, etc.

Anyone want to share about their local festivals, if they go, and what they enjoy at the festival? There's a garlic festival in Gilroy, CA I'd like to go to one summer. Maybe this year.

BLURB:
Eight hundred years ago on the continent of Gaia, war rocked the countries of N'Gasse, Tapin, Daháka, and Ravenrock. The fearsome wyldebeasts of the black east threatened to destroy the known world. King Xeres of Daháka gathered the most powerful magicians of Gaia along with Queen Rhysia of N'Gasse, King Erik of Ravenrock, and Nyla, the High Priestess of Tapin at Komodo Field.

Daháka brought pollen taken from the bees of the Tagrassé Forest. N'Gasse brought sap from the old mahogany trees. Tapin presented dust from falcon eggs. Ravenrock offered a rose. Together, they forged the indestructible green rose, a harbinger of powerful magic.



Using the green rose, the nobles and peoples of Gaia fought the wyldebeasts, led by the dark wizard, Augustin. Once the evil threat was defeated, the Eastern Wall was built along Ravenrock's borders to keep the foul wyldebeasts out of Gaia. Ravenrock was given the responsibility of guarding the 50,000 kilometer granite barrier.

King Xeres feared those who harbored evil in their hearts would seek the green rose. He tasked three witches to guard the flower and sent them into the heart of Tagrassé Forest.

Now, hundreds of years later, the peace of Gaia is once again threatened.

REVIEWS:

Stephenia Mcgee, Author "A Legacy of Lies"
Stephanie Burkhart weaves a delightful blend of action, intrigue and adventure into her fantasy romance, The Green Rose.


Regina Andrews, Author of "Destiny's Designs"
"The Green Rose" reaches the reader on an emotional level that rings very true and very sincere.

Book Trailer:


The Green Rose is available as an ebook only.
BUY LINKS:

PUBLISHER'S SITE
http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-280/The-Green-Rose-Stephanie/Detail.bok

AMAZON KINDLE:
http://amzn.com/B007QUBU2E

BARNES & NOBLE NOOK:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1109853031

ALL ROMANCE EBOOKS:
http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-thegreenrose-769936-143.html

FIND ME ON THE WEB AT:

WEBSITE:
http://www.stephanieburkhart.com

TWITTER:
http://twitter.com/StephBurkhart

FACEBOOK:
https://www.facebook.com/StephanieBurkhartAuthor

GOOD READS:
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4031660.Stephanie_Burkhart

YOU TUBE CHANNEL:
http://www.youtube.com/user/botrina?feature=mhee

Author Spotlight - Excerpt from "More Than a Job"

Thanks so much for supporting Lynette during her week in the spotlight. Leave a comment on any of the posts throughout the week and I'll randomly pick a winner to receive a PDF copy of Lynette's story, "More Than a Job." Leave your email in the comment so we can get a hold of you. I'll announce the winner here and on the Yahoo Connections Loops.

Thanks
Moderator Steph

**********

Paige put her hand to her stomach to quiet the butterflies. Their kiss had been so right, it had scared her. Serious and funny. Gentle and passionate. Filling her with warmth and craziness. She shut down the thought. She didn't even know him.

Stop. Give it time. What's the hurry?

Despite her caution, something had happened inside her. Maybe the timing was right for a change. She was changing, growing. The world had shifted to a new place; maybe that place had room for a man. Maybe this man.

"All tucked away." Josh scanned the kitchen. "Mind if I wash up?"

Paige backed away from the sink and gestured to the soap. "Help yourself."

She didn't move too far away. Watching him was a joy. The way he scrubbed his hands reminded her of the training she gave to staff. Hands and wrists and nails meticulously addressed, with lots of scrubbing, rubbing away all the germs. She remembered Josh's gentle but professional touch as he'd dressed her scrapes in the parking lot. Something clicked in her mind.

"Are you a nurse?"

"I am. Are you okay with that?" He glanced up briefly, holding his hands with fingertips down, leaving the water running. "Male nurses aren't exactly common. Some people are uncomfortable with the role."

Paige handed him a couple of paper towels and watched as he dried his hands and then used the towels to turn off the faucet. "Doesn't bother me. I've been around a lot of nurses in my time, men and women."

"I'm wondering…" Her voice sounded breathless as she let the word trail away, hoping he'd hear sexy and not flaky. "I'm hoping we can pick up where we left off behind the shed. What do you think?"

She dared to look deep into his eyes and was rewarded by a smile filling those brown depths with light. He had her insides quivering. So this is what it felt like to flirt. She had forgotten the energy of it, the feeling of being a kid on an adventure.

He took one of her hands in his and examined it, rubbing his thumb across her knuckles and squeezing gently before he turned it over and kissed her palm. "I think I can arrange that."

A kind of dizziness enveloped her.

"But first I want to tell you something. Look at me, Paige."

She tore her eyes from their hands and fell into something hot and dangerous in his eyes. They smoldered, and her heart tripped ahead of itself in response.

The intensity in his eyes mesmerized her. She wanted to look away, but couldn't.

"You taste like heaven, and I don't know if I will ever get enough." He leaned in then, moving her hand to his shoulder as he did, angling for another sweet, almost cautious taste. He sighed against her mouth and she pressed into him, wanting to be held as well as kissed.


***************

"Where starting over is the path to romance".

Review Snippets:

I read More Than a Job and enjoyed it so much! I loved the characters, loved her occupation and the way you included the group homes and residents in the story. I'm a retired ER nurse, so I always love stories with health care issues. I've never read anything that had group homes in it, either. You must be so thrilled. I'm definitely reading book 2 when it comes out.

Sheri Humphreys
2012 Golden Heart Finalist
http://sherihumphreys.com

This review is from: Starting Over Book One: More Than a Job (Kindle Edition)
I have not stopped reading since I bought the book this morning. The characters are fun and it is an easy read! Great new author, as this is her first book to be published! Starting Over Book One: More Than a Job , Amazon reader/purchaser.


Available now - Book 1 Starting Over Series: More than a Job

Coming August, 2012 - Animal Instinct
First of the Time after Time Saga with Tami Dee

Coming October, 2012 - Book 2 Starting Over Series: Return of Joy

www.lynetteendicott.blogspot.com
www.lynetteendicott.com
www.twitter.com/lynetteendicott

On Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Over-Book-One-ebook/dp/B007F4D0CO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1332628883&sr=8-1
On Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/starting-over-book-one-lynette-endicott/1109161024?ean=2940013890701&itm=1&usri=lynette+endicott
At DBP: http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-269/Starting-Over-Book-One/Detail.bok

Author Spotlight - Lynette Endicott talks about researching her story

Researching the story - working in the field of disability services, rights and justice

I have had the honor of working in the field of disability services, rights and justice for more than thirty-five years. It is natural that experience finds its way into my stories. For 25 years this work was in rural western Kansas, very similar to the Missouri town where Paige lived. I've also had the chance to visit a lot of other programs both as a consultant and as a quality reviewer. I've seen great programs and a few ugly ones. Not all of the programs I was involved with were residential, and I don't think residential group homes are the right answer for many people. Sharing housing isn't always ideal for adults. At the same time, with costs the way they are here in California, where I live now, I've decided that shared housing is sometimes a good option for single adults, and not so far from the norm.

The most important concept behind any interaction with people with disabilities is respect. Even people who don't speak or who have difficulty controlling their actions deserve our respect. They are individuals with unique characteristics and we need to see each as a person with individual dreams and needs.

Much of my work has been with people with disabilities in the Independent Living Movement. This is an active, exciting and dynamic group of people not just in the States but around the world who work together to achieve Justice for All people. Every disability is represented in this dedicated group of advocates.

While my own disability is invisible, I am aware of the ways our society restricts people with disabilities, and one of these is in the stereotypes of characters. If you write a character with disabilities, remember that the person's dreams, desires, goals and abilities are more like the non-disabled neighbor than different. Writers should beware portraying a person with a disability as a short-cut device for implying evil, and should be just as cautious of writing about people who are superheroes because of "overcoming" their disability. Write real people, living real lives, for whom a disability is a trait or characteristic, but does not define them or provide a short-cut to implying good or evil in a character.

********

Review Snippets:

I read More Than a Job and enjoyed it so much! I loved the characters, loved her occupation and the way you included the group homes and residents in the story. I'm a retired ER nurse, so I always love stories with health care issues. I've never read anything that had group homes in it, either. You must be so thrilled. I'm definitely reading book 2 when it comes out.

Sheri Humphreys
2012 Golden Heart Finalist
http://sherihumphreys.com

This review is from: Starting Over Book One: More Than a Job (Kindle Edition)
I have not stopped reading since I bought the book this morning. The characters are fun and it is an easy read! Great new author, as this is her first book to be published! Starting Over Book One: More Than a Job , Amazon reader/purchaser.
Available now - Book 1 Starting Over Series: More than a Job
Coming August, 2012 - Animal Instinct
First of the Time after Time Saga with Tami Dee
Coming October, 2012 - Book 2 Starting Over Series: Return of Joy
www.lynetteendicott.blogspot.com
www.lynetteendicott.com
www.twitter.com/lynetteendicott
On Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Over-Book-One-ebook/dp/B007F4D0CO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1332628883&sr=8-1
On Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/starting-over-book-one-lynette-endicott/1109161024?ean=2940013890701&itm=1&usri=lynette+endicott
At DBP: http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-269/Starting-Over-Book-One/Detail.bok

Author Spotlight - Character interviews with Paige and Josh from "More Than a Job"

"And you helped me fix up this old house."

Kristen, best friend and former co-worker, interviews Paige


Kristen: So Paige, how long have we known each other?

Paige: When didn't we know each other? We've both lived in our small Missouri town all our lives. I could probably say you are my oldest friend.

Kristen: Thanks a lot! So tell me about a time that our friendship made a difference to you.

Paige: That would have to be the day I was fired from Robinson, Inc. You came into my house -- without my permission, but since I gave you the key I guess I can't complain. You brought me ice cream and helped me through my first crying jag after I was fired.

Kristen: I remember we demolished an entire half gallon of Rocky Road ice cream. Did it help?

Paige: It helped some. Mostly I just needed time to get used to the idea and figure out what to do next, but your kindness definitely took the edge off so I could begin to do that.

Kristen: I saw that awesome written plan, with drawings and everything, on the wall in your office. How did you come up with that?

Paige: Well, you know how we do individual plans with the people we support in services. I followed that kind of thing. Meg helped me put it together.

Kristen: And Meg is?...

Paige: A life coach by trade, the mother of one of the guys served at Robinson, Inc., and a good friend.

Kristen: And what are your plans?

Paige: There are a bunch, including finding a home of my own - which I did when my Grandmother moved out and left me hers -- and getting pets, in the form of two kittens that wandered into my back yard and ... well, you'll have to read the book but let me tell you, I love it when my plan comes together. It's a great life.

*************

Kim, his HR director, interviews Joshua

Kim: Josh, in this harsh funding environment, how often have you had to fire or lay off staff due to the economy?

Josh: Not as often as you might think. I know for-profit owners like my family sometimes get a bum rap because people think for-profit is full of greed, bad.

Kim: And it isn't?

Josh: It doesn't have to be. Think about it - my family wanted to develop our own business, and our heart is in the field of providing good homes to people with developmental disabilities. We won't have homes that are too big. They have to be well-kept and the people living in them have full say about what is their home, including the choice of roommates, the color of paint on the walls, and the temperature setting on the thermostat. To have control and to be able to run it as a family we had to go for-profit. Otherwise a non-profit board could stage a coup and throw us out. It's our business, and we make enough and are happy with our work.

Kim: So how many have you laid off?

Josh: Well, with the acquisition here in Missouri we didn't plan to let anyone go until we'd been operating it for a few months. Unfortunately one of the managers took things into his own hands and fired a very valuable employee.

Kim: You mean Paige?

Josh: I do.

Kim: That had to be hard on your relationship.

Josh: It had the potential to be. But Paige and I had the same goals for our people, the same values, and the manager who fired her didn't. You and I figured out pretty early on that he was the real problem.

Kim: We did. Still, it was water under the bridge. Could you do anything after the fact to make it up to Paige.

Josh: I guess you'll have to read the book to learn the rest of that story.


************

Review Snippets:

I read More Than a Job and enjoyed it so much! I loved the characters, loved her occupation and the way you included the group homes and residents in the story. I'm a retired ER nurse, so I always love stories with health care issues. I've never read anything that had group homes in it, either. You must be so thrilled. I'm definitely reading book 2 when it comes out.

Sheri Humphreys
2012 Golden Heart Finalist
http://sherihumphreys.com

This review is from: Starting Over Book One: More Than a Job (Kindle Edition)
I have not stopped reading since I bought the book this morning. The characters are fun and it is an easy read! Great new author, as this is her first book to be published! Starting Over Book One: More Than a Job , Amazon reader/purchaser.


Available now - Book 1 Starting Over Series: More than a Job

Coming August, 2012 - Animal Instinct

First of the Time after Time Saga with Tami Dee

Coming October, 2012 - Book 2 Starting Over Series: Return of Joy

www.lynetteendicott.blogspot.com
www.lynetteendicott.com
www.twitter.com/lynetteendicott

On Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Over-Book-One-ebook/dp/B007F4D0CO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1332628883&sr=8-1
On Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/starting-over-book-one-lynette-endicott/1109161024?ean=2940013890701&itm=1&usri=lynette+endicott
At DBP: http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-269/Starting-Over-Book-One/Detail.bok

Author Spotlight - Lynette Endicott talks about Animals in her writing

I didn't have pets when I was a child, not ones that were mine. When I married, my husband had no interest in them, either. Then when my daughter was 14 a neighbor cat had kittens in our back yard, and much like Paige, we were quite taken with them. I thought we should take them to an animal rescue place, and when she asked why, told my daughter that her Dad wouldn't want them. She uttered four words that have changed my life. "Why should he decide?"

Three cats, two dogs and a bird later (shared between our households now that my daughter is grown and married)... I am an avid animal lover, but still a novice when it comes to how to live with pets. My latest learning curve has been with Georgie, the cockatiel that landed on my deck last summer. He was underweight, starving, and we couldn't find an owner so I learned about birds.



The cats we adopted when my daughter asked her fateful question are the ones that show up in Paige's back yard in the book. Our third cat shows up in my next release, the Time after Time book, Animal Instinct.

My dog and I have an especially close relationship, because he is a certified therapy dog. He and I volunteer together, and go to a nursing home every week, a hospital every month, visiting the residents/patients. We also visit a library once a week, where children read out loud to Ollie. He lays patiently beside them and doesn't ever correct them, and when they finish he does a trick for them, and they get to give him a treat.

My life is richer with my animals and I will probably always work an animal or two into my stories.


*******
Review Snippets:

I read More Than a Job and enjoyed it so much! I loved the characters, loved her occupation and the way you included the group homes and residents in the story. I'm a retired ER nurse, so I always love stories with health care issues. I've never read anything that had group homes in it, either. You must be so thrilled. I'm definitely reading book 2 when it comes out.

Sheri Humphreys
2012 Golden Heart Finalist
http://sherihumphreys.com

This review is from: Starting Over Book One: More Than a Job (Kindle Edition)
I have not stopped reading since I bought the book this morning. The characters are fun and it is an easy read! Great new author, as this is her first book to be published! Starting Over Book One: More Than a Job , Amazon reader/purchaser.

Available now - Book 1 Starting Over Series: More than a Job

Coming August, 2012 - Animal Instinct
First of the Time after Time Saga with Tami Dee

Coming October, 2012 - Book 2 Starting Over Series: Return of Joy

www.lynetteendicott.blogspot.com
www.lynetteendicott.com
www.twitter.com/lynetteendicott

On Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Over-Book-One-ebook/dp/B007F4D0CO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1332628883&sr=8-1
On Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/starting-over-book-one-lynette-endicott/1109161024?ean=2940013890701&itm=1&usri=lynette+endicott
At DBP: http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-269/Starting-Over-Book-One/Detail.bok

Author Spotlight - Q&A with Lynette Endicott

STEPH: I don't know much about "More Than a Job." What's it about?

LYNETTE: Paige Hamilton loses her job - one she's poured herself into, literally day and night, because she is single and the job includes supervising houses where people with developmental disabilities live, so it is 24/7. Then she realizes there is suddenly room in her life for things she's wanted for a long time, including romance.

STEPH: How long did it take you to write?

LYNETTE: The first draft took a week - I was doing April Kihlstrom's Book in a Week program with a local writing group. It was an intense week, don't get me wrong. I planned ahead with meals and groceries and took a week off work and wrote in several sessions a day, but I finished. Then I worked it through an on-line critique group and, somewhere along the line, put it aside for several years. Maybe I got too busy with work! Another Desert Breeze author, Tami Dee, was in that on-line critique group and one day she sent me an email and asked what I'd done with it because she remembered the story, the characters, and if I could get it to her within the week her Editor would look at it.

STEPH: What was the inspiration for the story?

LYNETTE: So many people these days have lost their jobs and need to start over. I wanted to encourage people that such an event is not the end of the world and can actually be a new beginning.

STEPH: How does the cover reflect the story?

LYNETTE: Isn't the cover great? You know immediately that you are seeing someone who lost her job. She's thoughtful, not just sad, but also looking to what will come next.

STEPH: Paige is the heroine. What are her strengths? Weaknesses?

LYNETTE: Paige is fiercely devoted to the rights of people with disabilities. There are some twists and turns in the story that test her advocacy, but it holds true. Her weakness is that she judges too quickly, which almost costs her some important relationships.




STEPH: What does the hero find appealing about her?

LYNETTE: He loves her sense of adventure, the fact that she is recreating her life the way she wants it, even after her job loss.

STEPH: What do you hope readers take away from reading the novel?

LYNETTE: That we aren't alone as we navigate this life, and when we are willing to trust God and move forward, He will bring good out of our toughest times.

STEPH: Are you a plotter or a panster?

LYNETTE: Both. Usually I map out a rough plot so I have a sense of the story arch. Then I sit and write and the book takes off in new and unexpected directions. In this book, the secret about Paige's uncle was completely unexpected and wrote itself, to my great surprise.

STEPH: Do you have an ebook reader? If so, which one?

LYNETTE: I use the Kindle ap on my iPad. I love carrying LOTS of books around with me, and always have four or five in line, but I only read one at a time.

STEPH: Fun question: Do you have any Easter traditions or customs you'd like to share?

LYNETTE: We are pretty tradition in attending church together. Then there are Easter foods. My college roommate's family from Montana served roast rabbit for Easter dinner, which always seemed a little too harsh to me. Our favorite Easter food is Cadbury Mini Eggs. The whole family shares my love of them. The best is two to one milk to dark chocolate. Perfect!

"Of course my family had Easter egg hunts when we were children."


********

Available now - Book 1 Starting Over Series: More than a Job

Coming August, 2012 - Animal Instinct
First of the Time after Time Saga with Tami Dee

Coming October, 2012 - Book 2 Starting Over Series: Return of Joy

www.lynetteendicott.blogspot.com
www.lynetteendicott.com
www.twitter.com/lynetteendicott

Review Snippets:

I read More Than a Job and enjoyed it so much! I loved the characters, loved her occupation and the way you included the group homes and residents in the story. I'm a retired ER nurse, so I always love stories with health care issues. I've never read anything that had group homes in it, either. You must be so thrilled. I'm definitely reading book 2 when it comes out.

Sheri Humphreys
2012 Golden Heart Finalist
http://sherihumphreys.com

This review is from: Starting Over Book One: More Than a Job (Kindle Edition)
I have not stopped reading since I bought the book this morning. The characters are fun and it is an easy read! Great new author, as this is her first book to be published! Starting Over Book One: More Than a Job , Amazon reader/purchaser.

On Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Over-Book-One-ebook/dp/B007F4D0CO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1332628883&sr=8-1
On Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/starting-over-book-one-lynette-endicott/1109161024?ean=2940013890701&itm=1&usri=lynette+endicott
At DBP: http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-269/Starting-Over-Book-One/Detail.bok