Author Spotlight - Excerpt from "The Seekers"

Thank you so much for supporting Sadie & Sophie Cuffe during their week in the spotlight. Leave a comment today, Saturday, and Sunday along with your email and on Monday I'll pick one lucky poster to win a PDF copy of their novel, The Seekers.

Moderator Steph
Enjoy this excerpt:

*******
Rachel shrieked as she landed in front of the captain.

Lawrence locked his arms around her in a vise grip, immobilizing her flailing upper body. He kneed the horse forward, past the city lights, and galloped up the road toward Belle Fleur.

She must be out of her mind with fear. He should say something to calm her, but his tongue was three sizes too big for his mouth, and his brain ten sizes too small.
He did the only thing he could think of. He hummed his favorite hymn and urged the horse up the hill like a madman. With each lunge of the hooves, Rachel's body relaxed against him a little more.

Sudden inspiration struck him and with it the ability to speak. "I won't hurt you, Miss Hawksley. I'm merely seeing you home to Belle Fleur." He forced the words to come out slowly and mimicked Emilie's drawl.

Her body tensed again. "How do you know who I am?"

He turned the horse up the drive and prayed no one would be watching when they got to the house. "I know your cousin."

"But how?"

He ran out of inspiration and words just as he ran out of lane. Lawrence pulled the horse to a stop slightly back from the house, slid down using the horse as a shield from prying eyes, and ignored the ripping noise that accompanied the move. He held up his hands and Rachel Hawksley turned and dismounted neatly on the opposite side.

Should I say something?

Before he could decide, she ducked under the horse's head and stood before him.
"I bid you goodnight, Miss Hawksley." He sounded as much a Virginia gentleman as Frederick Davis.

Her palm slapped his cheek with enough sting to make him blink, and then she turned and ran to the house.

He vaulted onto the horse, wheeled, and rode down the lane under the deep shadows of the trees.

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and anywhere fine e-books are sold.

Author Spotlight - Sophie Cuffe talks about finding Inspiration.

While touring The Hermitage (Andrew Jackson's home) in Nashville a few years ago, I inadvertently whacked my head into the Plexiglas room divider. (In my own defense, at the Roosevelt Cottage on Campobello Island, there's no Plexiglas so you can stick your head into the rooms for a better view.) It is, indeed, a mansion, in my humble Yankee rural root opinion.

I'd noticed all these little outbuildings in the fields on the way there, and learned they were slave quarters - totally blew my mind to see the living proof I'd only read about in the classroom. I remember feeling shame that any person could think they had the right to own another human being, yet over 150 slaves worked on the Jackson property alone.

There's a story printed there, and I can't do it justice because I don't remember the specifics that well, about a foreign visitor to the Hermitage questioning Alfred, Andrew Jackson's personal slave. The visitor pointed out how good Alfred had it - a kind master, a roof over his head, food to eat, clothes to wear, etc, so what was all the fuss about slavery anyway. To which Alfred responded, "Would you like to trade places, sir?"

I think that's why I identify with Rachel Hawksley in THE SEEKERS. The concept of slavery is so repulsive to her, she keeps trying to help "the help" and, in doing so, realizes she can cause more harm than good. I like the scene where she asks if she can make some taffy for the children, and the cook says, "You cookin' in this kitchen? No white woman's ever cooked in here, leastways not since I been livin'. Not in my kitchen, no how, and I'm not sure how Missus Dawson would take it."


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and anywhere fine e-books are sold.

Author Spotlight - Character Interview with Rachel Hawksley

S&S: What brings you to Richmond, VA?

RH: I’ve come to find my brother, Ben. He’s a captain in the Union forces and he’s been missing since Gettysburg.

S&S: Isn’t it dangerous for a Yankee woman behind enemy lines?

RH: Yes, but when I didn’t find my brother’s name on the injured or death lists, I couldn’t shake the notion he's a prisoner of war. I’ve already lost one brother to this war and I'm not about to sit around doing nothing while my remaining sibling's in jeopardy.

S&S: So you snuck into the Confederate capital?

RH: Actually I rode in bold as brass in a horse-drawn carriage, but only because my southern cousin agreed to take me into her Richmond home. I guess our family ties are stronger than this war.

S&S: What have you found in Richmond?

RH: The grace of God brought me this far, and I pray He’ll lead me to Ben. But I believe God has a deeper purpose. There’s a slow-witted man here named Sawyer, who needs me to stick up for him. And little Letitia and Jedidiah are sweet as can be, but every time I try to befriend them, I end up getting all of us in trouble. I truly don’t understand how a person’s skin color convinces folks to pretend one individual is inferior to another.

S&S: How will you accomplish this deeper purpose?

RH: I haven’t got it completely thought out yet, but I do aim to teach Sawyer his letters and let those two children know Mr. Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation and they are free. It’s not going to be a cake walk, but I’ve got a Colt revolver hidden under my skirts and I’m not afraid to use it.



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http://www.amazon.com/The-Wainright-Trilogy-Book-ebook/dp/B008JMCBDK/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1342067108&sr=8-1-fkmr1&keywords=THE+SEEKERS%2C+Sadie+%26+Sophie+Cuffe

and anywhere fine e-books are sold.

Author Spotlight - Sadie Cuffe asks: Is love blind?"

I love this story, and it’s not just because I heart the Civil War era. Ironically, before publication, someone said our heroine was “dumber than Lois Lane” -- UGH! That’s the author equivalent of getting stung by a killer bee and going into anaphylaxis writing shock. While in the ER of my brain, I ran down the vitals of the book and gave myself mental CPR (not easy, but so far I’m still alive).

We take any critique seriously, because it makes us better, so I looked at our heroine through a microscope as I thought about Lois Lane. There’s nothing LL doesn’t dare to do. She’s been around for decades and is still a gutsy heroine who’s an American icon. She thinks for herself, she’s a confident woman who dares to speak up, and she’s always helping people. We’re in good company.

Unfortunately, I know the critic wasn’t talking about Lois’ accomplishments. All of us want Lois to get together with Superman, but do we really want her to know he’s Clark Kent? It’s part of the intrigue of the romance. Her heart constantly nudges her to confront Clark, but maybe LL wants Clark as a friend (as in no Daily Planet workplace romances) and Superman as a boyfriend. Since LL isn’t our character, we can’t know. But whoever coined the phrase “love is blind,” wasn’t far off the mark.
Sophie and I bought a used car once and thought it was immaculate. We loved it at first sight. After we got it home we noticed scratches on the window, little burn marks in the seat – but we still loved it. So if our heroine looks with her heart and not her eyes, we like to think she’s entitled, because, like LL, we’ve all been there and done that.

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and anywhere fine e-books are sold.

Author Spotlight - Q&A with Sophie and Sadie Cuffe

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

S&S: "The Seekers" is about romance, deception, and betrayal. It's set during the American Civil War where Union Cavalry Captain Lawrence Wainwright has one goal: to make sure his horse survives the war. The Almighty has another goal for Lawrence, and, in order to accomplish it, God brings him face to face with the commander-in-chief. Lawrence finds he can't say no to the President of the United States, even if it means saying no to his heart. But when he becomes Abraham Lincoln's spy, he assumes the identity of a slow-witted boy/man and suddenly he's undercover protector to an aging slave and his two young grandchildren, as well as Rachel, a stubborn Yankee woman on a mission of her own. As Lawrence and Rachel get entangled in the subterfuge of Confederate secrets and double cross, the safe circle surrounding them shrinks with each passing hour. In a deadly game where no one is who they seem, and even brothers turn against one another, Lawrence chafes at his alter ego. He longs to come out swinging and be himself, but if he gives in to his instincts, he'll jeopardize not only his mission, but those he's sworn to protect. Rachel steals his heart, but if she discovers his true identity it just might get them all killed.

STEPH: How long did it take you to write?

S&S: It took about three months, but the edit was a killer. We had some other projects going off and on during that time, so sometimes "The Seekers" sat on the back burner of our brains for awhile.

STEPH: How much research did you have to do?

S&S: Sadie's always been in love with the Civil War (who knows why) and since she's wanted to write a Civil War novel forever, we already had some facts and figures. But we did a decent amount of research on everything from how long it takes to travel by horse and carriage from Washington, DC, to Richmond, VA; to whether they sold ice cream in 1863, and all that battle and troop movement stuff -- just keepin' it real. We also read authentic letters and diaries from soldiers and families involved in the conflict. It sucks you in, but it also slows down the writing process. Many times, one of us did research while the other one wrote, so we could make the deadline. Compared to "Gone with the Wind," it's not an epic historical novel, but we like to think we slipped in some cool facts with the fiction and created a story that captures the heart of the era and will capture the readers' hearts, too.

STEPH: How does the cover reflect the story within?

S&S: The cover is beautiful but somber. With its contrasting Union and Confederate battle flags arched over a stark stone home with a lone horse, it defines the drama and heartbreak of ordinary lives caught up in a battle for their identity, their family, and their homeland. It aptly reflects the passion, faith, and heart of the hero and heroine in their struggle to hold onto a sense of normalcy and integrity under the demands of loyalty for country. (It also has red and blue, which are our favorite colors).

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

S&S: Rachel has great resiliency and doesn't let fear or inexperience get in the way of attaining her goals and dreams. She also has a sense of humor about herself, and is a woman who isn't afraid to think for herself, even if it means going against the social taboos and prejudices within her family. She's also very trusting, very rural, and likes to believe everyone's as truthful to her as she is to them. These traits make her vulnerable to deception and betrayal, but they also give her the capacity to completely and honestly open her heart.

STEPH: What does the hero find appealing about her?

S&S: Lawrence is attracted to Rachel's compassion for everyone she meets, her ability to meet each new challenge and disaster without completely freaking out, and her intense loyalty for those she loves.

STEPH: What is the theme of the novel?

S&S: Both the hero and heroine are put in circumstances designed to stretch their concepts of trust, honesty, and integrity. Although they take on the role of someone else and wear a false face, they each must decide if that means they'll compromise their integrity and character. In masking their true identities and their feelings, they discover how critical it is to remain true to their faith, their values, and their loves.

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

S&S: It sounds trite, but our inspiration comes from living life -- our day-to-day experiences in rural Maine, snatches of conversation at a church supper, an encounter with a stranger on a hiking trail… and always throwing the question – what if? -- into every situation.

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

S&S: Yes! Sophie recently won a Kindle (yay!) and is just discovering the art of e-reading. Sadie's a bit behind the curve (as usual), but perhaps Sophie will someday let her touch the new Kindle (we can hope).

STEPH: Fun question: What is your favorite football team?

S&S: The Patriots, who else? They have red and blue on their uniforms (our favorite colors), and our 83-year-old mom is a big football fan.

Find us:
blog: http://cuffesisters.com/off-the-cuffe/

website: www.cuffesisters.com

facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sadie-and-Sophie-Cuffe/184904781607548

pinterest: http://pinterest.com/cuffesisters/

twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/SadieandSophieC

Purchase links:
http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-320/The-Wainright-Trilogy-Book/Detail.bok

http://www.amazon.com/The-Wainright-Trilogy-Book-ebook/dp/B008JMCBDK/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1342067108&sr=8-1-fkmr1&keywords=THE+SEEKERS%2C+Sadie+%26+Sophie+Cuffe

and anywhere fine e-books are sold.

Author Spotlight - Excerpt from "Faith in the Shadows"

Thanks you so much for supporting Sophie & Sadie during their spotlight week. Leave a comment on the excerpt post today, Saturday, and Sunday and we'll pick a winner on Monday to received a PDF copy of their story, Faith in the Shadows.

Smiles
Moderator Steph

***********


Hawk angrily dashed away the moisture on his cheeks. He had made it through the past year without family, he would do it this Christmas as well. He marched out into the weather and quashed the tempting thoughts of life with those he loved and those he longed to love. He fixed his mind on the future. Regardless of the hardships ahead of him, someday he would come home.

Hawk made it to the far edge of the paddock before he whirled around and trudged back to the barn. What ailed him? To forget his pack only showed the state of his addled brain. He must leave now, before Alice returned. It would be kinder for her this way. She would be hurt, but she would heal. Some day soon, he would walk up to this house, or maybe even ride up on a horse as fine as Thunder. He would take the stairs two at a time, no falling and stumbling ever again. Alice would be waiting in the doorway for him. He'd lift her off her feet and just stare at her face until he got his fill. Then they would walk together in the woods. He'd pick her wildflowers and properly ask her to be his wife.

"Soon," he muttered. "Please, God. Soon." In the dim winter light, he felt around at the foot of the cot for his errant pack. He snagged it with his searching fingers just as footsteps ran lightly into the barn.

"Hawk!" her voice trapped him. "Mama sent me to--" Alice's words halted, but only for an indrawn breath. "Mother said you were to help me cut the Christmas tree before the snow came. Will you?"

She knew. Hawk could tell by the disappointment in her voice. He slowly released his grip on his belongings and turned to face her. "I don't believe you need me to help you choose a Christmas tree," he protested, but he'd already broken her heart. He yearned to gather her close and mend it, but he clenched his fist tighter around his walking stick. "You don't need me," he muttered.

"I believe I do," Alice said. Her voice trilled and Hawk recognized the note of forced gaiety. She had used the same false tone at Pinehurst when extolling Joshua's virtues. The memory rankled and he waited for her to berate him for playing the coward once more. When she spoke again her voice strengthened with each word. "If I don't have help, I usually wander in the woods over into the next county. I'm gone for a fortnight. I love looking at trees. I can't help myself."

The soft confession melted his angry resolve. She took his hand and it trembled in his. He gripped it tightly.

"Come along." She gave him an insistent tug. "You can be back here and resume your business within the hour, if it's so important to you."

Hawk offered no resistance. Surely he could give them both this one memory. They moved as one out of the barn, through the gate, and into the upper pasture. The snow hit his face and melted like tears on his cheeks. He blinked away the moisture and his steps dragged. She slowed their pace but never stopped. "Alice," he finally said.

"Watch your step," she said.

Hawk stood stalk still and resisted her gentle pull. The sheep mobbed them, bumping at their knees. The stink of wet wool and the infernal baaing surrounded them. "Move along, Anna. I don't have a treat for you today, Dolly." Alice's scolding turned to laughter. The press of the woolly bodies squeezed closer; the volume of cries rose and deafened him. "I'm sorry," she apologized. "Dolly knows I always have some crackers or biscuit crumbles in my pocket and she won't let me go until I give them all a little something."

"She sounds spoiled to me." The normalcy of the moment broke through his pain but rubbed his emotions raw.

Alice burst into laughter again. "You're quite right. But just wait until spring lambing and see if you can resist the newborns."
"I don't know," Hawk began, but Alice continued on in a rush.

"Lawrence and I can teach you about lambing," she said. "Every year a few orphaned or weak lambs spend some time in a box by the kitchen stove. Dolly was one of my orphans." Her hand guided his down and a wet questing nose thrust between their hands. "That's Dolly," she said.

His lips curved up as she caressed the pet without letting go of his hand.

"Go on now," she said and clasped his hand tighter. Alice slowly towed him through the press of bodies. "We need to sneak out," she directed. He heard the clack of the latch and followed as they sidled through the north gate. The sheep snuffled and hooves scraped on the frozen ground, then their cries receded and nearly stopped. "We're headed up," Alice said. She tugged on his hand but he balked. "Alice," he said gruffly. "I won't be here for the spring lambing."

"I know," she said softly. "But won't you stay for Christmas?"

"I can't."

purchase links for FAITH IN THE SHADOWS:

http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-225/The-Wainright-Trilogy-Book/Detail.bok
http://www.amazon.com/Wainright-Trilogy-Book-One-ebook/dp/B0067D6N6E/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1321791291&sr=1-2

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-wainright-trilogy-book-one-sadie-cuffe/1107396596?ean=2940013446342&itm=2&usri=faith%252bin%252bthe%252bshadows

We hope everyone will stop by www.cuffesisters.com every now and then to keep in touch. Thanks for hosting us, Stephanie - it's been wicked fun!

Author Spotlight - On Writing by Sadie Cuffe

In our high school English class we read, "The Sun Also Rises" (Hemingway). I don't remember many details about the book, but I can't forget the exchange I had with the teacher over one of the lead characters. I thought the heroine gave in too easily and gave away her self respect. Mrs. Perry responded, "Remember, you can't judge characters by your standards." Then she added, "But I agree with you."

After all these years, I realize the wisdom of that statement in my writing and my life. It helps us work together well (mostly) because I let Sophie be Sophie and she lets me be me. I think it's slightly more difficult for Soph, because, well I'm me, and she's type AA (but she always tolerates my upside-down notes and around-the-corner arrows with grace!)

But in the world of writing, this English teacher gem opens up a blank page of possibilities beyond personal reserves and even past our imaginations. It helps us create villains, saints and sinners who aren't cookie cutters of Cuffes (say that three times fast!). And, in the creation of heroes and heroines, particularly in historical settings like FITS, it motivates us to get outside our heads and into theirs. Hawk and Alice aren't exactly how we thought they'd be after we typed the first sentence.

We thought Hawk would be tougher, but in his toughness on himself, he emerged a more sensitive and conflicted human being. And Alice, fortunately, refused to let herself be eclipsed beneath our whimpering mental and emotional block. Characters take us on a journey of the mind and soul if we let them be who they are and not who we are. Sure they're just a bunch of letters pushed together on a screen, but they're individuals.

Author Spotlight - Sophie Cuffe talks about Sisters and Christmas

When my daughter was still living at home, she, Sadie, and I would rent "White Christmas" from the video store, then eat our way through it, making fun of the characters, and repeating the dialog along with them. Our favorite song was "Sisters" and Annie and I used it to audition for one of the local theatre's musical productions. Sadie and I have always been "disgustingly close" (as we've been told a time or two) despite the six-year age difference (yes, I'm older...RHIP [rank has its privilege]), so maybe that's why the song is so special. Our sisterhood reaches beyond our blood bond to include daughter, daughter-in-law, and all the girls who "get" what being a true sister is all about. They're the ones who love you when you're most unloveable and give you metal slap-upside-the-head when you question why they even like you. "Sisters, sisters, there were never such devoted sisters..."

Author Spotlight - Christmas Memories by Sadie

What is it about Christmas that brings out such intense memories? As a kid, I'd always wanted to have a farm of my own when I grew up. I realized that dream and for me there's always something special about being in the barn and feeding the animals on Christmas Eve. One year my parents were up visiting on Christmas Eve. I was going back to their home for a family get together the next day.

Before I left home on Christmas morning, I went out to feed the livestock. When I opened the grain bin, inside was a smooth metal scoop with a red ribbon tied to the handle. The note with it proclaimed it was from the animals, but the strong bold printing was my dad's.

Dad grew up in California during the depression. He was the youngest of a large family and, as far as I can figure, they never had a tree or the stockings and presents we loved and took for granted during our growing-up years. He was a generous man, but wasn't that much into trimming the tree or gift buying, relying on us and our mom to buy gifts for him to give.

Mom told me the scoop was his idea and he did his own shopping.

Our dad is no longer with us, but we still use his scoop every day. And, as I stand in the barn on Christmas Eve this year, surrounded by the animals contentedly chomping hay, releasing the scents of green fields drenched in drowsy summer sun, I won't feel the early winter darkness or the sharp cold creeping in under the door -- I'll feel the rough calloused warmth of his big hand in mine and know he's still holding my hand watching over us. Thanks, Dad. Merry Christmas.

Author Spotlight - Q&A with Sadie & Sophie Cuffe

STEPH: I don't know much about "Faith in the Shadows." What's it about?

SOPHIE & SADIE: Set in the period right after the American Civil War, the story is about Alice, an independent woman of faith, and Hawk, a man who feels he lost not only his vision but his self-respect on the battlefield. The world around them is changed, and their lives are changing, too. Alice's brother will soon marry, and she feels the pressure to move out of the family home. Hawk feels the stress of providing for himself and not being a burden on anyone.

In 1866 society circles, the purple splotched birthmark on her cheek brands Alice a spinster. When a gentleman courts her, she jumps into a loveless engagement to Joshua, a braggart in desperate need of cash.

His groom, Hawk, knows Joshua's dirty secrets, but as a blind war veteran he has few choices. His employer's threats make it clear he'll be on the street if he breathes a word of the truth to Alice.

But when Joshua bullies Alice at their engagement party, Hawk steps out of the dark and becomes her champion. Torn between honor and need, Hawk comes to work for the Wainwright family. Alice and Hawk share the same vulnerability and pride. When friendship quickly turns to love, each is blinded by a dark secret. Joshua's interference plays on their insecurities and threatens their future together. Can they face the truth about themselves and each other before they're torn apart?


STEPH: How long did it take you to write?

SOPHIE & SADIE: Probably about three months. FITS was written in-between our real life of family, farming, freelance jobs, and work, so it wasn't completed all at once. It's also been sitting in the shadows for awhile and has undergone several changes over the years, which amounts to another three months of tweaking.

STEPH: What was the inspiration behind the story?


SOPHIE & SADIE: Sadie loves the Civil War and post-war era and has always wanted to write about it, and Sophie finally agreed. Originally, we wanted the story to be of a Yankee girl caught in a spy scenario. Alice didn't turn out to be a spy, and wasn't involved in the war, her life and passions are more like we imagine we would've been in that time period. Since FITS is the centerpiece in the trilogy, the spy story will be coming up next in the tale of Alice's brother and Hawk's sister. (The Seekers- release date 7/11/12)

STEPH: Alice is the main character. What are her strengths? Weaknesses?

SOPHIE & SADIE: She's intelligent and kind, has a quick wit and a good sense of humor. She possesses undying family loyalty and isn't afraid to try her hand at any kind of work or dare. Her weaknesses spring from her strengths. Alice is so independent she won't accept others' help or advice. Her stubborn streak causes her to doubt her strengths and question the love of her family and friends. She sets impossibly high standards for herself. Alice believes beauty is only skin deep for the entire human race, with the exception of one person -- herself.

STEPH: What does Hawk find attractive about Alice.

SOPHIE & SADIE: He loves her honesty, her sense of humor, her warmth, generosity, kindness, her courage, and friendship.

STEPH: What do you want readers to take home after reading the novel?

SOPHIE & SADIE: FITS and the Wainwright trilogy carry a theme of being deceived by appearances. This novel, in particular, shows us how often we project what we feel and think on others. We'd like the reader to come away from FITS with a realization of the dangers of trying to read other's minds, and a determination to be all God designed them to be, embrace the gifts He gave them, and not spend their lives keeping a low profile and living in the shadows.

STEPH: Hollywood is calling. Cast the lead characters.

SOPHIE & SADIE: As you can probably tell, we're way past our twenties and thirties and…so we aren't that in tune with the latest move stars. Our casting would be a blast from the past with Stephanie Zimbalist as our heroine and John Schneider as our hero.

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

SOPHIE & SADIE: No, not yet, but maybe someday.

STEPH: What's your writing space like?

SADIE: At this time of year, it's more of a mess than usual, if that's possible. I have snippets of dialog and notes everywhere. My favorite Thesaurus is buried under a bunch of research booklets, but I can still see my favorite photo of my grandparents for inspiration. On my desk, I have a couple of heart rocks from the nearby beach, a wooden acorn to remind me "Even a blind pig (and a struggling writer) finds an acorn one day," and an old Babba Louie figurine from my childhood so I won't forget my roots. I also have a leather giraffe and a fake miniature Jack-a-lope sitting on my tower that help hold up a piece of poster board as a makeshift shield because the sun is at such a low angle right now it hits me in the eyes in the afternoon.

SOPHIE: I'm ashamed of my side of the office. The stack of papers on my desk was so high I moved it to the kitchen table to weed it out. It's still there, with even more on top, and I've got another pile on my desk that's steadily growing. grrrr. But the wall behind my monitor is plastered with photos, one of me and big brother beside the old family Nash when I was 5 (I still have the same bangs!). My favorite photo, though, is my daughter with her sleeping baby in the fleece baby sling I made for them. Kiwi looks like a little pea in a blue pod.

STEPH: Fun question: What are your favorite Christmas foods that you like to bake.

SOPHIE & SADIE: Christmas bread – our Aunt Mert used to make it for the entire family every year and we hope we do her justice in trying to carry on the tradition. This doesn't exactly qualify as baking, but our Aunt Shirley used to make her own hand-dipped candies and fudge, and Sophie's inherited the ability to make that same great fudge. We also love to make Chex party mix, our own beef jerky, and caramel popcorn balls. That's why we'll always be BMWs (Big Maine Women) and proud of it! For a copy of the Christmas Bread recipe, visit our website at www.cuffesisters.com under Cuffe Stuff.

DB Authors Speak up! What they were for Halloween

Enjoy this fun post as several DB authors talk about Halloween.




SADIE & SOPHIE CUFFE
Authors of: Arrow that Flies
"Sadie and I decided to dress up as farmer/writers, just for the day. hahaha. If we wore costumes, the goats would freak out! Although it would've been fun to dress up the goats... hmmmm, I'm thinking Nigerian Dwarf Unicorns. LOL."





CELIA YEARY
Author of: Texas Promise and Texas True
"I'm going to be a woman with silver hair sitting in my jammies with my feet up on my recliner, with a glass of red wine, my Kindle open to a Western Historical romance, and watching--half-heartedly--whatever we decide to watch on TV. P.S.We live in the country--it's dark as a dungeon out here--no street lights--our house sits back in trees--no Trick-or-Treaters come to our house."



BARBARA SCOTT
Author of: Talk of the Town and West of Heaven
"This year I have door duties. so I will not be anything. My most memorable Halloween was when I was Miss Piggy. I could not wear my glasses due to the pig nose and to stay in character. I was going to a party at a co-worker's I'd never been to before. I arrived and did not recognize anyone at the party. I was given a drink. Everyone complimented me on my costume. It wasn't until 20 minutes later when no one who came in was familiar that I finally realized I was at the wrong house. My co-worker lived three houses down the street!"




STEPHANIE BURKHART
Author of: Danube in Candlelight and Victorian Scoundrel
"I was going to go as Spongebob (and I still might because time is not on my side) But I got everything I need - including a blonde wig - to be Daenerys from Game of Thrones. I even got the dragons."




JILLIAN CHANTEL
Author of: Redemption for the Devil
"I'm going as a 1920s Gatsby girl. We're dressing up at work. I actually told a friend I got a great Gatsby dress and then realized my unintentional pun. Lol."






DANIELLE THORNE
Author of: The Privateer and By Heart and Compass
"I'm going as a voodoo witch, or Tia Dalma, from Pirates of the Caribbean. I dyed
my hair brown and rolled it in dreadlocks. Crazy, but fun. We "act" at our
neighborhood Haunted Mansion which also features pirate ships and now a swamp
with Tia Dalma's hut."







MARION KELLEY BULLOCK
Author of: Christmas Stranger and He Wants Me Dead
"Several years ago, I was "Bashful, the clown," stretchy face and all. In our parade, I I danced in the street. Can't manage that now. It almost did me in back then. But it was fun!"


So...fess up. What were you for Halloween?
Smiles
Steph

Author Spotlight - Excerpt from Arrow That Flies

Enjoy this excerpt from "Arrow That Flies." Sadie & Sophie are giving away a basket full of Maine goodies. Items include a jar of blueberry jam, some maple drop candy (yum!), a sachet that smells like Christmas trees, and other promotional goodie. All you have to do is read the excerpt and leave a comment between now, Sat & Sun. I'll pull a name out of the hat on Monday 12 SEP and announce the winner here on the blog in this thread and on the Connections Yahoo Group. Don't forget to leave a good email so we can get in contact with you.

Smiles
Moderator Steph

******


Jackie closed the door of Brad's office and let the roar of the rain on her helmet swallow up his angry voice. She looked over the hazy mass of charred boards and blackened equipment to where RJ leaned on a tall twisted spruce at the periphery of the lumberyard.

As she watched, a sheet of smoke and rain blew across and obscured the man. "Not this time," she muttered. She flung herself down the stairs, nearly falling as one heel of the big boots fetched on the bottom step. She slewed in the mud and sawdust but kept her head down and fought forward toward her objective. She thought she heard someone shout her name, but she kept moving.

She squinted ahead at the now-empty space underneath the trees. "Jackie!" a familiar voice called through the downpour as a hand touched her shoulder. She spun around to face RJ Adams. Hunched under a hooded poncho, his face and eyes looked out at her, graver than a tombstone. His cold finger stroked the curve of her cheekbone. His feather light touch lingered at the corner of her eye. "I thought you weren't going to get into the thick of things," he said. "Your face tells me you got too close."

Jackie backed away from the tender voice. She swallowed hard before she launched into her confession. "Look at you," she began. Her voice trembled, whether from emotional or physical stress, she didn't have the strength to examine the cause. "You don't have a bit of soot on you."

He held up his finger, the tip as black as sin from where it traced its way across her grimy cheek. "They used to call me the Teflon man," he said. He stepped close, put his arm around her shoulders and propelled them back toward the emergency vehicles with his purposeful stride.

Teflon man -- nothing sticks. But that was yesterday. Today was a different story. She stopped short and he immediately looked down into her eyes. "I saw you this morning," she said, in a voice husky from too much smoke and unshed tears. "Here, near the planer's shed. There'll be an investigation. I have to tell the Fire Marshal what I saw, but I--"

"It's okay," he murmured.

The words tumbled out faster. "I wanted to give you a chance to tell me what happened first," she continued.

RJ gave her a somber smile. "I've already talked to the cops. It'll be okay. Trust me."

How she wanted to do just that, but...

Author Spotlight - Character interview by S Cuffe, featuring Jackie Duncan & RJ Adams

SC: What brought you to the town of Stellar 's Ford?

RJA: Ladies first, I insist.

JD: Thanks so much. I volunteered to be the forester on this logging project because I have connections to this place. When I was a kid, my dad and I came every fall and helped shut down Grania Mountain State Park for the winter.

RJA: That's funny, I don't remember you. My family always vacationed in our mountain cabin. The word is you're here to take my family's land and cabin to clinch this "lumber deal". I'm here to see that doesn't happen.

JD: That's not true, I have other priorities.

RJA: That's an interesting phrase.

SC: Excuse me, Guys. Let's keep this about information, not about your feelings for each other. You both love these mountains, but you're obviously on opposite sides. There was an incident by East Pond. Can you tell us about it?

JD: I was marking trees with the mill boss when we found someone had spiked a pine.

RJA: Hey, you ought to warn your victim -- you could start a bonfire with that look. Yes, I was there, but I had nothing to do with the tree spiking. It was amateurish sabotage. I'm more concerned about the arrow that nearly hit you.

JD: It was just a hunter with poor aim.

RJA: You can try to brush it off, but that wound on your cheek is real enough. These woods aren't safe anymore.

JD: You'd know more about that than I would. I hear you're organizing an environmental protest. I won't allow anyone to hurt this community.

RJA: Neither will I.

SC: Unfortunately, we're out of time, but we'll open it up to your readers. Is there anything you'd like to ask our hero and heroine?

Author Spotlight - On Writing & Sisterhood by Sophie Cuffe

On being a sister. I was six years old, smack in the middle of two brothers, when Sadie was born. She immediately became my best friend and, lo these many years later, she still is. She's such a cheerleader! She actually started writing before I did (professionally, that is. Technically I could write before she was born, LOL), and encouraged me to give it a try. We both wrote for God's World Publications for a few years in the 90's before they closed their doors to freelancers. And we've had separate newspaper columns, so it was a natural to put our heads together when we decided to write fiction. It's great having a writing partner who shares your brain, so when she says, "give me a word that means all the same color," and I say, "monochromatic," it's actually the right word. And when I need a slam-bang finish for my column, she's got the perfect ending. She tells me if I have something stuck in my teeth; I tell her when her hair's standing up straight. That's what teamwork and sisterhood is all about. And she lets me have the blue flash drive. It's that good.

Author Spotlight -Writing Inspirational Fiction by Sadie Cuffe

An editor once told us in no uncertain terms (wouldn't want to meet her in a dark alley), we don't write romance. So we hedge a little bit on our genre ID and usually call it Inspirational Women's Fiction. We like to write what we know and, hopefully, give our characters an authentic voice. We also like to write about women who aren't drop-dead gorgeous, or a size 2, or who can dismantle a car and fix it in the morning and put on an LBD and host an intimate dinner party with homemade French cuisine that night. (We wouldn't know about that!) We like to create ordinary places, characters, and storylines that not only reflect our roots but give voice to all the other rural gals out there who are living their own stories. Most real women don't wilt and swoon when a guy takes our hand. We can think for ourselves in a crisis and pack a verbal punch when necessary. Real life is stranger than fiction, if you can only capture it on paper.

We also like the freedom that comes with creating Christian characters who struggle to do the right thing and who don't have a pat, saccharine answer to all of life's challenges, but never give up their faith and never give up period. What do you think makes a great story? Check out our website at www.cuffesisters.com, or drop us a line at cuffesisters@myfairpoint.net. We'd love to hear from you!

Author Spotlight - Q&A with Sadie & Sophie Cuffe

The Cuffe Sisters

STEPH: I don't much about "Arrow That Flies." What's it about?

SOPHIE & SADIE: "Arrow That Flies" is an inspirational romantic suspense novel. The heroine, Jackie Duncan, is a forester and an undercover officer in the state environmental task force. Her mission: to take down environmental eco-terrorist, Rand Adams. The hero, Robbie Adams, thwarts her investigation at every turn because he's also looking for his brother, Rand, who's been kidnapped. Forced to think quick, Robbie assumes the identity of his identical twin brother and sparks fly when his type-A personality collides with Jackie's type-Z ride-by-the-seat-of-her-pants nature. Robbie and Jackie get into some scrapes and tight spots, including protests, fire, and an unknown predator archer who stalks them both.

STEPH: Where did you find the inspiration for it?

SOPHIE & SADIE: We've always lived in rural areas in a blue collar world and our writing reflects that background. Some of our manuscripts have been rejected by editors for being non-authentic in terms of small town culture and happenings. Our inspiration came from wanting to portray rural people as the smart, funny, hard working, strong individualist, and believers they are, true to themselves, regardless of the current fashions and fads of NYC or Paris. We also wanted to create a heroine who could be both feminine and rural woods-smart, and that inspiration came from generations of rural women across the country.

STEPH: How long did it take you to write?



SOPHIE & SADIE: The initial manuscript was written in probably a three month period. It's hard to pinpoint the exact timeline as we both sandwich our novel writing time in between other tasks. Also, "Arrow That Flies" wasn't an instant darling with publishers, so the rewrites took years! (Years to whittle and hone, and years off our life doing it!)

STEPH: How important is setting to the novel?

SOPHIE & SADIE: The setting of the northern woods is essential to the novel because it takes place in a small community dependent on logging for its survival. That way of life is quickly disappearing from our national landscape, so we hope we've captured this fragile moment in time.

5. Did you have to do a lot of research for the novel?
For many years we lived in a county with more trees than people. There were wood turning mills, shingle mills, and small lumber mills around every corner and at the foot of every hill. When we got the idea for the story, we researched the changing face of wood harvesting, collected local and state newspaper articles on the subject, and witnessed firsthand in our community the passing of an era as the wood turning mills shut down and workers with chainsaws and peaveys were replaced with big harvesting machinery.

STEPH: Hollywood just told you they want to make a movie of your novel. Cast the leads!

SOPHIE & SADIE: We're going to show our age here because we don't know that many younger stars, but if we suspend the Hollywood age stigma, we'd pick Lorraine Bracco for our heroine and Jack Scalia as our hero.

STEPH: What do you want people to take away from the novel?

SOPHIE & SADIE: We'd like them to take away a satisfied feeling from a compelling story with a good ending. And we hope we've passed on the knowledge that faith makes a difference -- in giving you the confidence to live life to the fullest and succeed at being the unique, gifted individual God designed you to be.

STEPH: Are you a plotter or a panster?

SOPHIE & SADIE: Sophie's a plotter. Sadie's a panster. Because we come from opposite ends of the personality spectrum, we work well together. Occasionally we try to shift roles and it's never pretty!

STEPH: What's your writing space like?

SADIE: Chaos, I'm ashamed to admit, not even organized chaos. I have stacks of research, snippets of paper with ideas and bits of dialog on every flat surface and in every cubbyhole. Notes are crammed onto old envelopes and there's a computer here somewhere on a tiny oasis in the middle. I also have a photo collage of Sophie and me through the years -- the wrinkles have set in but some things never change. Our office is compact and Sophie's desk backs mine so we can pass off flash drives in seconds, confer about anything and everything, wheel over the sleeping dog, and occasionally whack each other.

SOPHIE: Organized chaos. My files are alphabetized (and yes, even the subfiles). My pencils are all sharp and handy in a "No.1 Mom" mug on my desk. I have a messy stack of papers I'm working my way through, but they're in a semblance of order, too. My wall is peppered with photos of my kids and grandkids, and a motivational Garfield poster that reads "My office, my rules." Kinda true, at least on my half. LOL. We're surrounded with beautifully hand-crafted wooden bookshelves and desks, compliments of our father and grandfather. We have a way-cool office.

STEPH: Tell us a little about the state you live in.

SOPHIE & SADIE: Other than our perpetual state of confusion? LOL Maine is unique. We have impenetrable forests, rugged mountains, blueberry barrens, family farms, black bears, moose, loons, bald eagles, whales, seals, thundering surf, and secluded coves. The end (or the beginning) of the Appalachian Trail is located here on Katahdin, a rocky peak just shy of a mile high. It's a great place to hike. We have a million lakes and rivers, some very remote and pristine. We also have over 3,000 miles of coastline with small fishing villages, lighthouses, and rugged cliffs. There are islands and island communities off the coast, accessible by ferry and they're fun places to bike. Acadia National Park is located on the Downeast coast and brings together mountains, coastal terrain, and islands in one place. The southern part of the state is more populated and mainstream. The rest of the state is rural with vast stretches of uninhabited territory, but you won't find a more caring people anywhere on earth.

Our Writing Space - by Sadie & Sophie Cuffe!

Sadie and I have an office in the daylight basement of our mom's log cabin, where we've been staying since our dad passed away two years ago. The windows look out on our pasture, over a brook to wilderness - not another house in sight. Our writing space is surrounded with handmade bookcases, desks, and filing cabinets crafted by our dad and our grandfather. Our chairs are back-to-back, so we can easily spin around and view each other's screens. Our mostly-Australian shepherd dog, Henry, has a bed in front of one bookcase, and our cat, Emeril, has an empty-cardboard-box bed on Sadie's desk. Our other cat, Harriet, feels free to noodle around either desktop, intent sometimes on having her own say on the keyboard. Unfortunately neither one of us is skilled in translating cat to English. Besides, it's already been done. LOL.

Our atmosphere is always light hearted with much laughter, usually resulting from misinterpretations of what we're saying to each other due to our age-related hearing issues. Part of which must be genetic, as our dad thought "There's a bad moon on the rise" was "There's a bathroom on the right," and "Sound of Silence" was "South of Thailand."

We take our writing seriously, though, and we are so blessed to be able to work from home. We love the long Maine winters with the woodstove cranking out the heat as we can devote more time to writing. We squeeze in writing whenever we can during the summer days which are devoted to haying and maintaining our farm of goats and chickens. It's a wonderful life!

****
what's your writing space? Tell us!
Moderator Steph

Author Introduction - Meet Sadie & Sophie Cuffe!

1. Welcome to Desert Breeze Sadie & Sophie. Tell us a little about yourself. Where did you grow up?

SADIE & SOPHIE: We grew up in mid-coast Maine in a small rural community where everybody knew everybody. For fun we played neighborhood pick-up games, hockey on the back pond, and built secret hideouts in the woods. A blind date matched up our Californian Dad with Maine farm girl Mom, so every few years they’d load up the VW bus, pack the canvas tent along with us and our two brothers, and we’d travel west as gypsies, cementing our love for road trips, camping, hiking, and our brothers. Today we reside in downeast coastal Maine , where we still enjoy doing sister things together (including writing) and look forward (mostly) to whatever surprises today brings.

2. Who were some of your favorite authors growing up?
Sophie: Laura Ingalls Wilder and Madeleine L'Engle, and every Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys books she could get her hands on. Oh, and Cherry Ames books.

Sadie: Laura Ingalls Wilder, Jean Little, Donald Sobol, Marjorie K. Rawlings, Fred Gipson. .

3. What genre do you write?

SADIE & SOPHIE: What genre don’t we write? Since there are two of us, we make the most of us, writing in all the genres we enjoy -- currently women’s fiction, inspirational suspense, cozy mystery, historical, inspirational mystery, juvenile fiction, nonfiction, scripts, and one screenplay

4. You have an upcoming release with Desert Breeze.

SADIE & SOPHIE: Can you tell us when, the title, and let us know what it's about? Arrow that Flies, release date August 2011, is about Jackie Duncan, a fly-by-the-seat-of-her-pants investigator for the state forest service, and Rob Adams, a former environmental activist who’s a bit too tightly wound. Jackie comes to Stellar’s Ford to investigate threats against a logging deal that involves state park land and environmental terrorist, Rand Adams, Rob's twin brother. Rob is drawn to the small sawmill town by a kidnapper’s threat against his brother. In a jumble of mistaken identity, clashing personalities, and secret friendships, the beauty of the North woods becomes a hiding place for a killer with a dark agenda. But through the test of fire and blood, Jackie and Rob forge a bond that unites them forever. Move over Joan Wilder!

5. Do you have an ebook reader? If so, which one?

SADIE & SOPHIE: No, we don't, and, to tell the truth, we know nothing about them, so it's rather ironic our first novel is coming out as an ebook, don't you think?

6. Do you have any other books that are available?

SADIE & SOPHIE: Not yet ,but hopefully more to follow soon, if we could just get those agents and publishers to heart us. Sadly, we've had more face-to-face encounters with moose than with publishers or agents. lol.

7. Can you tell us a little about the state you live in?

SADIE & SOPHIE: Maine, the way life should be! The rising sun strikes the USA first on the rocks of Maine . We have more than 3000 miles of coastline, counties with more trees than people, and the end (or the beginning) of the Appalachian trail, with some of the greatest hiking in the east. We have small, close-knit rural communities, family farms, islands with year-round ferry service, and country churches that have old fashioned public bean suppers. A good part of Maine is off the beaten track and considered out of the cultural mainstream, but we have our moments.

8. Just for fun: pick your favorite: Monet, Picasso, or Renoir?

Sadie: If I had to pick one of these guys, I’d pick Picasso, but if I could pick any dead artist, I’d go with Dali and the melting clocks, a metaphor for my life! S

ophie: May I pick Grandma Moses, because when I grow up I want to be like her.

9. Are you doing NaNoWriMo this year? Have you done it in the past?

SADIE & SOPHIE: Actually hadn't heard about it until we got this question. Googled it - wow. It could be crazy fun but we don’t have the time this November (see melting clock answer above). Also November is wreath making season in Maine. Instead of 50,000 words by Nov. 30th, it’s 50,000 wreaths and garland!!! Any spare time (laughing hysterically) will be devoted to editing Arrow that Flies. How's that for dedication!

10. Where can we find you on the web?

SADIE &SOPHIE: Our website is currently under construction, but we're on facebook (sscuffe) and always looking for new friends.