Author Spotlight - Excerpt from Renovations

Thanks so much for visiting the Desert Breeze Blog this week. We hope you have a memorable Thanksgiving. Theresa thanks you for visiting as well. Leave a comment here on the excerpt post today, Saturday and Sunday and I'll pick a winner on Monday to receive a PDF Copy of Theresa's Renovations.

Smiles
Moderator Steph

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Blurb for Renovations --

Was she making a big mistake?

Megan Callaway now owned Green Oaks Plantation, with all of its outbuildings and forest of trees and grass – and problems. She planned on changing it into a bed and breakfast. Yet she didn’t have complete control. She would have to agree on everything with Andy Perry, the president of the local historical group.

The man didn’t want to see anything change on the property.

Megan wanted to demolish all the outer buildings except an old-fashion outdoor kitchen.

Sparks fly every time the two get together.

But it’s not until her past starts catching up to her, things get interesting.

Would Megan really be able to let go?

Excerpt --

A slight grin lifted his lips as if saying, Why are you hiding from me? She fisted her hands together, forcing her fingers away from her glasses.

His grin faded. "Look, I'm trying to tell you I'm sorry for how I acted the other day."

"I accept your apology."

He stepped past her on the stairs, stopping her halfway down them. Eye to eye, she was forced to look directly in to his astonishing brown ones. She'd never seen eyes the color of this man's before, brown with little hints of caramel coloring reflecting brilliant in the harsh light of the stairwell. A woman could never be safe with a man with eyes like his. Mysterious, full of promises. She suddenly wanted to agree to those promises.

No, no, no.

"You're not acting like a woman who has just accepted a man's apology."

Pulling her gaze from his, she slid past him and raced down the stairs.

"Hey?"

Oh, how foolish could one woman be? Part of the reason she'd driven eight hundred miles was to get away from a man who'd promised her the world. She definitely didn't plan to get involved in any way with another one for the same reasons.

She heard him calling her name, but she ignored him. The front entrance came into view as she swallowed bitter tears. Before she reached it, a hard hand stopped her. She jerked out of his grip and turned toward him.

"Are you okay?"

Megan couldn't talk as she fought her tears.

He dropped his hands and backed away from her. "Now I've made you cry."

"No."

His eyes widened at her negative answer. "Then why are you?"

"I don't..." She didn't know what to tell him because she wasn't sure why. "Sometimes women just... need to cry." What the hell is wrong with me anyway? "I'm overwhelmed by all that's happening now."

He looked chastised. "My attitude certainly isn't helping you, is it?"

"No." She blew out a relieving breath. "But I'll be all right."

His steady glance told her he didn't quite believe her.
Buy link

http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-228/The-Sisters-Calloway-Book/Detail.bok

http://www.amazon.com/Sisters-Callaway-Book-Two-ebook/dp/B0067DE6L8/ref=sr_1_4?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1321562080&sr=1-4

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-sisters-callaway-book-two-theresa-stillwagon/1107396598

Author Spotlight - Theresa Stillwagon gives thanks

Today is Thanksgiving.

What am I thankful for?

The past few years have been hard for me and my husband. We've lost so much during this time, but we've also gained. Right now we're living in a partially furnished apartment, living from his paycheck to paycheck until I can find a job. We've no television, or internet access now. We have no bed, not even a mattress and box spring to set on the floor.

Yet --
We have a place to stay.

We have one income.

We live in an apartment close to many businesses, with a library nearby.

We have a comfortable love seat to sleep on for now as well as a bunch of free chairs and a table.

But more importantly, after almost thirty years, we have each other.

May God bless you all this Thanksgiving season.

Author Spotlight - Theresa Stillwagon talks about 2nd Guessing

The hardest part about writing Renovations was getting past my uneasiness about the past.

During a time of repression and sorrow, the wife and youngest daughter of the owner showed unrelenting courage and wisdom. Many enslaved men and women were given a chance at freedom by their actions.

As I started writing about the Richardson ladies' courageous action, I stopped and wondered if I should write it at all. Would it be proper? Would it be right? Would I offend someone by being up the issue of slavery.

That's when Grandmother Ruby's grandmother first spoke to me. Just like Andy said, "You can't pick and chose what parts of history you want to remember. You need to remember it all, good and bad." Grandmother Ruby's grandmother said the same thing.

I fell in love with Grandmother Ruby the moment she stepped onto the page. She -- and her church family -- were the ones tackling the rebuilding of the slave cabins at the back end of Green Oaks.

If Grandmother Ruby was okay with it, so was I.

Author Spotlight - Theresa Stillwagons talks about the inspiration behind her Calloway Sisters Series

The Callaway sisters have been a part of my life since 1995. When I finished the first book about Allie (now in the virtual trash bin), the other three sisters were screaming at me to write stories for them. I'd never even attempted to write a series before so I pushed them away and wrote a few other stand-alone books.

Yet Jessie wouldn't shut up, so I decided to write Saving Pale Moon.

Then Megan started pleading with me, so I had to write her story.

Now it's the oldest sister Liz. She's being patience with me right now, but I feel her gently poking at my back to get on with it already.

A second story for Allie is forming inside my head, using some of the older book. I'm so glad I didn't delete it permanently. There are some good scenes in that one I can rewrite and use in the new story.

Kelly, the fifth sister, was a surprise. When I wrote Jessie's story, I found out her birth father had a daughter. The whole clan took her in as one of their own.

But I think the real inspiration for the series are my sisters. I have five of them, and they're all younger than me. And, no, none of the Callaway's were based on them.

Author Spotlight - Q&A with Theresa Stillwagon

STEPH: I don't know much about Renovations. What's it about?

THERESA: Renovations is the second book in the Callaway series. It's Megan's, the youngest sister. She's tired of her old life, tired of the way everyone treats her, so she decides to buy an old plantation called Green Oaks and renovate it into a bed and breakfast. It takes her a year to finally make her decision to do it, though. She's happy until Andy shows up with his reaction. He thinks she's going to mess up the 'historical value' of the place.

STEPH: What was the inspiration behind the story?

THERESA: I was going to set all the stories in Texas, on the ranch, but I couldn't fit Megan's story there. Right now I live in Georgia, near Savannah, and I'd always been interested in Civil War history. These two things just brought the book together. I had them eat lunch at Cracker Barrel where I used to work a few years ago and I'm familiar with the area. The small town the story is set in is a fictional one.

STEPH: How long did it take you to write?

THERESA: Actually the first draft only took about two and a half months. (Book 3 of the series is taking much, much longer.)

STEPH: Did you have to do a lot of research for the novel?

THERESA: Not really. I used a lot of places I was familiar with like the hotel off Interstate 95 and Cracker Barrel. I did do some research on small towns in Georgia and searched for pictures and information about antebellum plantation.

STEPH: Andy doesn't want anything to change on the plantation. Why?

THERESA: Andy is the president of the local Historical Society, and also a history teacher. He's trying to find proof that the original females who lived on the plantation were teaching their slaves how to read. (The owner of the plantation was considered one of the cruelest men around at the time.) He's afraid Megan will destroy that proof during her renovations if he's not involved with it from the beginning.


STEPH: What do you want the reader to take away after reading the story?

THERESA: I think it's that you can always find good people in even the most depressive situations. And, if you look deep into yourself, you can find the strength to change your life.

STEPH: Why does Megan have a strong desire to change the plantation into a bed & breakfast?

THERESA: Everyone thinks she's just a pretty face, with nothing much else going for her. No one believes she can renovate the plantation, and make it profitable. She plans on proving them all wrong.

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

THERESA: Yes, I have a Kindle. My husband got it for me on my birthday, and I love it. Truthfully, I don't know how I lived without it for all these years.

STEPH: Are you a plotter or a panster?

THERESA: I'm an in-betweener. I think about a story for a long while before I actually sit down and start making notes. I need to know the characters well, and I need to have some structure or the book ends up going off in the wrong direction. I usually have a general idea of how the book will end and a bit about how I'm going to get there. Usually in the middle somewhere I need to stop and rethink my plot.

STEPH: Fun question: What's your favorite Thanksgiving pie?

THERESA: I like Apple Pie. I remember growing up my mom and dad would both make pies, and we had to say which one we liked best. (My father was a cook, in Africa, during World War Two. He loved making pies.)
It was all in fun though.

Author Spotlight week -Excerpt from Saving Pale Moon

When Jessie stepped into the old-fashioned kitchen a half hour later, only Abby sat at the table. A half-eaten slice of pie in front of her.

"I didn't mean to be in the shower for so long."

"Don't worry about it." Abby rose and walked to the stove. "I hope you like your chili hot."

"The hotter the better," she said truthfully. "I love spicy food. It used to drive my sisters crazy."

Abby grinned. "I guess I have something in common with your sisters then."

"You don't like it that way?"

"No." Her grinned widened. "But my husband and sons love it."

"Even Blake?"

Abby looked over her shoulder. "Don't let him bother you, Jessie. Blake's never been the trustful type. It comes from thinking he's like his--"

"She doesn't need to know my history."

"Speak of the devil," Jessie mumbled.

"What do you want?" Abby set a bowl of chili onto the table in front of Jessie, dragging a cooled down plate of cornbread near her seat. "I thought you went back to work in the office."

"I did," he said while sinking down in the chair opposite her. The same chair he'd been sitting in at breakfast. It seemed all families had their assigned seats. Where would she fit in here?

"Then why are you back now?" Abby settled into her seat and lifted her coffee cup. "I've never known you to leave that office until everyone was asleep."
He glanced briefly at Jessie before twisting to stare at his mother. "I just wanted to let you know I changed the appointment for tomorrow."
"This late at night?" Jessie asked. "I would think the lab was closed at this time."

"Kelly works there," he said, still not meeting her eye. "I called Kelly and asked her to change it for Thursday. The lab is rarely busy."

"Oh, you go out with her once, and you think she owes you a favor." Jessie groaned as the hard words filtered through the air, and she sighed in regret. She looked toward Abby and watched as her lips formed into a loose smile. "I'm sorry. I don't know why I said that."

"Don't worry about it."

Jessie would swear she heard a hint of laughter riding in those words. But when she glanced at Abby, the woman's face showed no expression at all.

"I've never heard anyone say anything like that about Blake, though. Now, Nick, that's an entirely different story. The ladies seem to like my eldest son. They'd do anything for him. But Blake is different. Other than Eve's obvious interest in him, that is." Abby glanced at the man. "Blake's not as outgoing as Nick. He's pickier when it comes to women."

"I doubt Jessica wants to hear about that," he said, tightness deepening his gruff voice. Jessie liked his voice. "And, just because I'm picky about who I date, doesn't mean anything. This ranch and the horses keep me way too busy."

"Nick dates," Abby said easily.

Blake seemed angered by her statement. "I just came to let you both know I changed the appointment."

Author Spotlight week -Theresa Stillwagon shares her favorite authors

Hitler's Eagle Nest circa 1945.

How can a person possible pick just one favorite author? I like so many of them. Right now on my to be read shelf are B. J. Daniels, Lisa Childs, J. D. Robb (but not Nora Roberts), Terry C. Johnston, Susan Anderson, Caron Todd, Linda Style, Heather Graham, and Rennie Airth. Of these I guess my favorite would have to be Heather Graham. But really my favorite is whichever one I'm reading at the time. Unless, of course, I can't stand the book.

Right now I'm not reading a fiction book at all, but a history one. I'm reading a book about the Germans during World War Two. It's a scary one. I have to keep telling myself it has already happened.

I love history.
Don't ask!

Author Spotlight week -Theresa Stillwagon shares her favorite movie

I thought about this subject and couldn't com up with only one. (I love so many movies.) I asked my husband what he thought my favorite movie was and he said Grumpy Old Men. I was thinking The Lord of the Rings.

Then it came to me. My favorite movie isn't known except by my family. It doesn't even have a real name. I only call it 'Dad'. It's a mix-match of old 8mm films of my parents and siblings while I was growing up. My sister put them together into a DVD way back in 1992. My father died a few days after Christmas in 1992. After the funeral my mother and sisters and brothers sat together and watched this 'movie'. My dad loved horses, and in the film he was happy riding one of those horses. I couldn't watch it again for almost a year.

My mother went to be with the Lord a few days after Easter in 2001. This is my favorite 'movie' because they are still alive in it.
I still miss them so much.

Author Spotlight Week -Theresa Stillwagon shares her passion for writing contemporary romance

I think I like writing contemporary romance because it's… contemporary. I live in the now, so it's easier for me to write about it. I like history but I don't think I could write in that time period. I don't really like to do research, and historical need to be researched. Research is relatively easy in contemporary. Once I have an ideal of the heroine and hero and know the conflict between them, I can start writing. When I run into the need to research something, I put a comment in the manuscript or I just do the research right then. It stops the flow of my writing and gives me a little break. I don't usually have to do a lot of research stops while writing. It's mostly at the beginning with description and information about one of the character's careers.

I also like to write contemporary because I can use my own experiences and feelings to enhance the story. I know if I'm laughing or crying; the reader will be too. So using my own experiences makes this easier for me. Yes, I know you can do this with all types of romances but to me it's just easier in a contemporary. I can relate to the characters better.

And there's no need to study history or world build. I really like that. I'm basically a lazy writer.

That being said, I'd love to try my hand at an historical romance one day.

Author Spotlight week - Q&A with Theresa Stillwagon

STEPH: I don't know much about Saving Pale Moon. What's it about?

THERESA: Saving Pale Moon is the first story in The Sisters Callaway series. Jessie was adopted by the Callaways as a child. She's been happy until recently. Lately, because of medical and personal problems, she's decided to meet her birth mother. She goes to Texas to find answers; she never expected to find love.

STEPH: Where did you get the inspiration for the story?

THERESA: I've been living with the Callaways for two decades, off and on. I first thought them up in the late 1980s, but I didn't do any thing beyond writing the first book. (I never sold it.) Jessie's story came together in 2006. I wrote it while living in Georgia. It was originally set in that state. When my husband and I spend the winter in Texas, I changed the setting and added the horse. Pale Moon just arrived one day and the story came together.

STEPH: How long did it take you to write?


THERESA: The first draft took about four months. I've been working on it since 2006. The last rewrite happened while doing my edits. I've never had such intense edits before. It is a much better book.

STEPH: What did you think when you saw the cover?

THERESA: I thought, "Wow, its perfect." I was hoping to have a horse on the cover, but the dawn time is also important. Jessie is starting a new life.

I love it.

STEPH: Cast the movie. Who are the leads?

THERESA: I really don't have any ideal who I would cast.

STEPH: Do you have an ebook reader?

THERESA: No, but hope springs eternal. My birthday is next month, and my husband knows I want an ebook reader.

STEPH: Tell us about the place you live?

THERESA: Savannah, Georgia. I love the history surrounding the place. Right now, I'm living in a RV, in a campground, with my husband, Mike, and two cats, Fred and Barney.

STEPH: How did you come up with the title?

THERESA: I'm not really sure. This was the fourth or fifth one, and it just stuck. I didn't like it at first, but it grows on you. Pale Moon is important to the story, so I had to put him in the title.

STEPH: Tell us about your writing space.

THERESA: Space? What space? I live in a 31' RV. LOL I use the table.

STEPH: What country would you like to visit that you haven't been to yet?

THERESA: I've never been to any country. I'd like to visit Ireland or Scotland. I love the history and culture of those countries.

Author Introduction - Welcome Author Theresa Stillwagon to the Desert Breeze Family

STEPH: I'd like to welcome author Theresa Stillwagon to the blog. Her Desert Breeze Release is Saving Pale Moon and will be released 15 April 2011.

Theresa, welcome to Desert Breeze. Tell us a little about yourself. Where did you grow up?


THERESA: I was borned and raised in a small town in Ohio called Conneaut. I lived there most of my life until I went into the Air Force in the late '70s. The older I got the colder it seemed so my husband and I decided to buy an RV in 2006 and start traveling. Right now we're living in Savannah, Georgia. This new lifestyle is both a blessing and a curse, but I'd never change it for the world.

STEPH: Who were some of your favorite authors growing up?

THERESA: I really can't remember anyone specific. I did read a lot though.

STEPH: What genre do you write?

THERESA: I write contemporary romance,

STEPH: You have an upcoming release with Desert Breeze. Can you tell us when, the title, and let us know what it's about?

THERESA: I have a western contemporary coming out April 15, 2011 called Saving Pale Moon. Basically it's about a woman unsatisfied with her life who decides to meet her birth mother. In the process, she also meets the love of her life. He doesn't really trust her. He doesn't understand why she showed up at the ranch twenty years after finding out about her birth mother. Pale Moon is a stallion that she evidently gets to trust her. Watching her with the horse, the hero realizes he can trust her to.
I loved writing this book.

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

THERESA: No, but I want one. The only thing I've wanted for Christmas for the last two or three years is an ebook reader. Maybe this year.

STEPH: Do you have any other books that are available?

THERESA: Yes, I have three other romances out now. I write for two other epubs.

STEPH: Can you tell us a little about the state you live in?

THERESA: I live in Georgia now. I love it here even though it was a culture shock when we first moved from Ohio. After living in the north for so long, it seemed like a completely different country to me. I don't notice that difference now. I love the history of the area around here. Savannah is a beautiful city. My husband and I haven't seen many sites around yet but we plan on traveling around the state in the next year or two.

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

THERESA: It's between Monet and Renoir I'm thinking. Isn't Picasso the guy who paints weird symbolic stuff? If I'm looking at a picture of a tree, I need to see a tree.

STEPH: Are you doing NaNoWriMo this year? Have you done it in the past?

THERESA: No, not this year. I did do it a few years ago. I actually enjoyed it. Nothing like putting yourself under pressure to get some work done. The book may be far from perfect but at least you can put 'the end' on it.

STEPH: Where can we find you on the web?

THERESA:

My website --
http://www.theresastillwagon.webs.com

My blog --
http://www.tstillwagon.wordpress.com