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.

Author Spotlight - Excerpt from "Nina's Niche"

Thanks so much for supporting Jackie during her week in the spotlight. Leave a comment on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday's blog and you'll be entered to win a gift certificate from Amazon from Jackie. Remember to leave your email contact information. Jackie and I hope you've enjoyed your time with "Nina's Niche."

Smiles
Moderator Steph

**********

Jake hopped out of his Jeep and waded through the snow to the passenger side. When he lifted Nina, she immediately put her arms around his neck. The touch of her soft hands against his skin sent his thermometer raging.

Inside, he placed her on the rug in front of the fire and kneeled beside her. "Where do you hurt?"

"My head. Front and back. Got any aspirin?"

"I don't think you'd better take any drugs yet."

Nina giggled. "Aspirin's not a real drug."

And what would she know about drugs? "I'll get you something to drink after I call your folks." The lights went out.
"Damn." At least he kept emergency supplies -- flashlights, batteries, candles always on hand.

"Naughty, naughty."

"It's good to see you haven't changed. I'm glad you're still a nice girl."

"No way." She ran her hand over his stubble.

He hadn't shaved this morning figuring he wouldn't see anyone. He hoped his bristles didn't hurt her soft little hand. "What do you mean?"

She put her fingers on his lips and he automatically kissed them.

"I'm through being nice." She pressed his fingers against her lips and smiled.

"What the hell do you mean?" He jumped up. He didn't know how to treat this woman if she wasn't his old friend, Nice Nina. Having a friend like her had been the one good thing in his life -- until she didn't go to the prom with him.

He picked up the phone. "Dead. Damn it to hell. And my cell doesn't work here. What am I going to do?"

"Sit beside me." She patted the rug."

Jake dropped next to her. He couldn't go out in the storm and leave Nina alone. He didn't think he could make it to Julian anyway until the roads were cleared.

"Why didn't you stay down in San Diego?"

"Wanted to have an adventure and I am." She turned on her side. "Lie down next to me."

Jake hesitated for one moment, but there was only so much temptation a guy could take when she was offering him what he'd dreamed of. He stretched out facing her and the fire. The flames made a halo around her head, reminding him she was still a nice girl even if she didn't think so. Nothing much would happen. This would only go as far as a few kisses, and they'd done that before.

Nina put her hand behind his neck and pulled his face down to hers.

In an instant he was lost in the taste and feel of Nina.

Visit my website: Jackieleighallen.com and enter my contest for a chance to win a gift certificate to Romano's Restaurant where Nina and Jake have a romantic dinner.

Author Spotlight - Jake from Nina's Niche visits the blog.

Hi, readers, my name is Jake Anderson and yes, I am, or was a bad boy. I cut school, broke the speed limit on my bike—but never when Nina was riding behind me—and got drunk one night like my dad. Once was enough. I fell in love with Nina Jones in high school. She was as opposite from me as you could get. Nice Nina always came to school on time with her homework done, was a cheerleader and taught Sunday School. But Nina was also one of the few people in town that didn’t think I was a loser. She stood up for me when people made fun of my shabby clothes. She studied with me—when I studied—and she loved to ride on the back of my bike. Those were the best times of my teenage years with Nina’s arms around my waist, her front pressed to my back and the wind blowing away all the bad stuff. Of course, as a randy teen I wanted to get into Nina’s pants, but I never got farther than a few fabulous kisses. Fast forward ten years. Nina’s gone through a traumatic engagement and I’ve dated a few women. Now Nina’s sexy and ready to roll, but hey, I’ve had enough of being the bad boy. I want the respect of the town, of Nina’s father and most of all of Nina. So-o-o, even though Jackie likes to write sex scenes, I wouldn’t let her. That’s the secret of why Jackie had to let us wait for the wedding night. Come back tomorrow to see how close we got to making love.

Visit my website: Jackieleighallen.com and enter my contest for a chance to win a gift certificate to Romano's Restaurant where Nina and Jake have a romantic dinner.

Author Spotlight - Jackie Leigh Allen talks about the inspiration behind Nina's Niche

I had always wanted to write a novel with a bad boy hero. Well, don’t we all love bad boys—as long as we don’t have to live with them? So Jake was the starting point for Nina’s Niche. I’ve spent many enjoyable hours in Julian, California, but I’ve also lived in a small town where everyone knows everyone else’s business. It can be a wonderful atmosphere full of friends and helpers, but it can also be a place where no one forgets any mistake you’ve ever made. That’s Jakes’ situation and they weren’t even his mistakes. No one expected much from the son of the town drunk, so he decided to live down to their expectations. After he left town, he didn’t have the same pressures. He went to college and aced his studies. Of course, he couldn’t entirely leave his bad boy persona behind because he did like to ride bikes. He eventually upgraded to a Harley and had a ball riding with the wind blowing past his leathers. Traveling all over the western states, he saw a lot of beautiful places but no place felt like home to him. So he came back to Julian where he’s a proper, well enthusiastic, business man running a Harley agency. Come back tomorrow and Jake will tell you a secret about Nina’s Niche.

Visit my website: Jackieleighallen.com and enter my contest for a chance to win a gift certificate to Romano's Restaurant where Nina and Jake have a romantic dinner.

Author Spotlight - Jackie Leigh Allen talks about the setting in Nina's Niche

In 1869 people found gold in Julian, California.

Today they find treasures of the heart.

That’s the setting for my new trilogy and NINA’S NICHE is the first book. I want to welcome you to the world of Julian, California, or at least the Julian where my stories take place. I’ve changed the main street a little so Carol and Nina can run the Julian Junque Shoppe the way I want them to. I put Jake's Harley Agency on Main Street, too. That’s one reason being an author is so much fun. If I want Carol to sell Double Dutch Chocolate ice cream, she sells it alongside the antiques Carol views as treasures and the flowers Nina loves to arrange.

Every town’s flavor really depends on the people who live there and Julian is no exception. The daughter and nephew of the Julian Hotel’s proprietor were raising money for a trip to Washington, D. C. when I visited. Two walkers took pity on a lowlander and helped me find the elementary school after I mistook the library for a school.

In my Julian, the people shape the town, too. Nina’s father, the pastor of a church I’ve placed in the middle of the town, starts out more concerned for his flock than his family, but learns to bend like we all do in real life. That’s what I like to do in my stories—combine fiction and real life. I hope you will enjoy learning about the hidden gem of Julian where the snow piles up in winter, the daffodils burst with color in spring, the sun brings lazy days in summer and the apples ripen in the fall.
Come back tomorrow and learn more about bad boy Jake.

Visit my website: Jackieleighallen.com and enter my contest for a chance to win a gift certificate to Romano's Restaurant where Nina and Jake have a romantic dinner.

Author Spotlight - Q&A wth Jackie Allen

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

JACKIE: Nina’s Niche is the story of a good girl who wants to become a bad girl (she doesn’t really succeed) and Jake, the bad boy who reforms so he’s worthy of the good girl.

STEPH: How long did it take you to write?

JACKIE: I wrote it in about four months, put it aside and wrote An Officer and a Gigolo then went back and did about two months of rewrite on Nina's Niche.

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

JACKIE: I had fun researching the town of Julian, California. I also learned a little about Harleys because Jake runs a Harley agency.

STEPH: How did you come to settle on the title, Nina's Niche?

JACKIE: Since Nina didn’t like being Nice Nina, she had to find out where she did belong. With Jake’s help she learns her niche is Nice and Sexy Nina.



STEPH: What are Nina's strengths? Her weaknesses?

JACKIE: Nina is concerned about others, a hard worker and good at her job as an accountant until her world falls apart. On the other hand she does try some things she could have thought about a little longer when she’s trying to shed her Nice Nina label.

STEPH: How long have Jake and Nina known each other. What does Jake find attractive about her?

JACKIE: They were sweethearts in high school but she tried to keep it quiet because her father didn’t approve. Jake thinks she’s beautiful, sweet and sexy.

STEPH: Hollywood is calling. Cast the characters.

JACKIE: I haven't been going to many movies lately, but I think Anne Hathaway would make a perfect Nina if we could afford her. As for Jake, well of course I think of Jake Gyllenhaal if he'd dye his hair blond or maybe Matthew McConaughey.

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

JACKIE: I have a Nook and just got an Ipad.

STEPH: Fun question: What's your favorite holiday treat?

JACKIE: Over the long haul it’s been going to A Christmas Carol on stage, but this year I know the best holiday treat will be seeing my three year old grandson.

Visit my website: Jackieleighallen.com and enter my contest for a chance to win a gift certificate to Romano's Restaurant where Nina and Jake have a romantic dinner.

Author Spotlight - Excerpt from "That Syncing Feeling"

Enjoy this excerpt from "That Syncing Feeling" by Michelle Levigne.
Moderator Steph

*****

The airlock signaled all clear, pressure equalized, and something small and dark stepped into the shadows of the airlock. Nureen watched all the sensor readouts, both displayed in front of her and what came through her ship link, straight into her brain. Everything looked good -- at least, nothing had been detected that would endanger her life. That meant nothing, because Rovers knew, better than anyone else, that there were weird and wonderful and terrifying things out there beyond the range of the most modern technology and sensors. Just because the equipment couldn't see or sense something didn't mean it wasn't there.

Okay, I give in, she silently groused. I need some shore leave badly.

In response, the airlock pinged, signaling it was ready to open. She made one more check of the readouts, took a deep breath, and sent through the mental signal to open the airlock.

Two seconds later she nearly went to her knees. Nureen managed to hold back the automatic "awwwww" as she stared down at her visitor.

It was less than a meter tall, with enormous emerald eyes and big tufted ears. Its fur was silver shading toward lavender, and its four arms and four legs were short and chubby and sported four fingers or toes with blunt silver nails.

It was all she could do not to go to her knees and scoop up the creature in her arms to cuddle it.

"Hey, wait a minute." Nureen took two steps back from the goomibah. For good measure, she held her breath, in case the totally mythical, appears-only-in-children's-entertainment-vids-creature gave off mind-altering substances that registered as totally natural. They wouldn't set off red flags in her sensors, even as her brain melted and she lost three-quarters of her intelligence rating.

Oh, I'm so sorry, that buzzing voice said into her brain, without the creature's lips moving. I thought this form would make it easier for you to accept me.

This form? Nureen definitely needed shore leave. Metamorphic creatures were the stuff of legend, just like the goomibah.
We don't have time to discuss history and fable. The Synch is going to catch up with us. Those horrid hive creatures damaged my ship, and I certainly can't leave you out here unprepared. You'll have to trust me.

"Trust you for what?" Nureen dodged sideways, guided by instinct before her conscious mind registered that the goomibah was ... flying, straight at her. Without wings.

She shrieked, biting back a string of curses, when it flattened and wrapped around her neck and shoulders. All right, it was warm and soft and smelled of vanilla and ambrosia apples -- but it shouldn't have been able to do that. And wasn't there a parasitic flying plant on Congress IV that smelled like paradise when it wrapped around its victims' heads, rendering them unconscious before digesting them?

I'm protecting you! that voice insisted. Look outside your ship!

Nureen listened to her gut instinct more than the warm, soft sheet enfolding her, and braced herself for the worst as she looked.

It was worse than the worst. Mostly because she usually only imagined one thing at a time as "the worst." The "worst" she could imagine right now was to see the Talroqi ship bearing down on her.

She was wrong.

The vortex had expanded and was reaching out greedy fingers for her.

It had already grabbed hold of the Talroqi ship and was tearing it apart.

She figured if the vortex had the Talroqi for dinner, she was dessert.

********

REVIEWS FOR: THAT SYNCING FEELING:

Many thanks to Candy at Single Titles for a great review of my Borealis novella, "That Syncing Feeling."



Star Rating: 4.5 Stars


Rover Pilot Nureen Keala’s joy ride comes to an end when she receives an SOS from an alien running away from a Talroqi queen ship. Nureen rescues the telepathic shapeshifting creature named Tessur. The anomaly that captured Tessur suddenly grabs Nureen’s ship and tosses her into an unknown dimension ruled by a dictatorship called the Trans Planetary Protectorate (TTP). The TTP is a corrupt government out to rule their entire universe. Nureen’s appearance lets them know that there are new and unexplored areas of space left to conquer. To keep the TTP from her homeland, Nureen depends on Tessur and a dead hero from her own dimension. Can a simple pilot stop an invasion?

Five years earlier, Tedrin Creed fell into the same anomaly that captured Nureen. Creed hopes Nureen can help him get home. First he must convince her that he is really Tedrin Creed. According to Nureen, Tedrin Creed died fifty years ago during a space battle. Creed must convince Nureen that the anomaly captured him and that he did not die. Creed is a hero to Nureen. He was her grandfather’s best friend. Will Creed convince Nureen of the truth before the TTP can invade their universe?

Michelle Levigne takes a young pilot and tosses her into a situation that will change her life forever. Nureen had a crush on Tedrin Creed and dreamed of fighting aliens at his side. The anomaly presents Nureen with her fondest wish, but she does not trust Creed. He is too young to be the hero of the Talroqi war. The Trans Planetary Protectorate rules most of the known universe and is a brutal dictatorship. Ms. Levigne presents a story with lots of action and a forbidden love that should not be possible. Will Nureen help Creed return home and prevent the TTP from learning how to navigate the anomaly?



Major thanks to Long and Short of it and Night Owl review sites for their very kind words about my SF books.



First off:
Borealis: THAT SYNCING FEELING
New from Desert Breeze Publishing




Here are some snippets from the review:
Rating: 4.5 Books

Reviewed by Foxglove


That Syncing Feeling is a sweet and delightful love story, filled with adventure and humor, and unusual creatures. 

Michelle Levigne has added to the Borealis family with a romantic story of finding love where you least expect it, and with the most unlikely couple. I found this to be a fun filled and action packed adventure, with tongue in cheek humor, sweet first love and lots of danger along the way. 

Nureen Keala is smart, courageous and a bit of a dreamer. She is following in her grandfather’s footsteps, and trying not to disappoint those in command of the Fleet. ... I loved Nureen, with her daring attitude and her sassy remarks. I liked that she didn’t instantly believe Creed was the real deal, but made him prove his identity. ... I like Creed’s determination and his tenacity, and the way he finally was able to come to terms with his feelings for his best friend’s granddaughter.

The secondary characters in this are few but interesting. Tessur is a morphing shape changer, able to become anything that is even remotely organic, and this talent saves the day more than once in this adventure. My favorite comic relief was the addition of three TPP scientists assigned to keep watch over Tedrin Creed, Drs. Moek, Kerli and Lairy. They were clueless as to Creed’s intentions, and his ability to trick them was priceless.

There is a bit of adventure and danger as the trio of Nureen, Tedrin and Tessur make their escape from Borealis, and I was on the edge of my seat through most of the story. Do they make it back to their dimension and find a life together? You’ll just have to read That Syncing Feeling to find out.

Author Spotlight - Michelle Levigne talks about the inspiration behind "That Syncing Feeling"

Like I said on Monday, there were certain elements I wanted to play with. I wanted to have fun and be silly. I wanted a "merry chaos" story, where the main character kept muttering, "Why ME?" as one weird, inexplicable thing after another happened, and no matter how hard she tried, it just all kept going downhill.

I had this shapeshifting character named Tessur that I had created for a series of Star Trek fan fiction stories for the club I used to belong to. Essentially, my character, Lt. Mikara (animal telepath, cultural anthropologist) meets up with Cyrano Jones on her way to join her ship. Yes, that Cyrano Jones, of "Trouble with Tribbles" fame. Poor Cyrano, trying to get rid of this little three-legged stool that could walk ... and Mikara meets Tessur. They torment her captain with things that he's sure he shouldn't see, and Tessur gets Mikara out of trouble when she's temporarily assigned to the Enterprise (she's positive it's a death sentence) and "loses" her landing party team to a planet-wide mental "reprogramming" field.

In "Syncing," Tessur takes on various faces/bodies to get Nureen and Creed out of tight spots, and acts as a translator for her when she lands in an alien dimension. And he drives her crazy the first time she sees him "melt" into new shapes that shouldn't exist.

I torture my characters. It's fun!