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I'm glad you stopped by. I hope you'll stop by again.

Monday, November 28, 2016

Cyber Monday and the Crazies

Have you been going crazy with all the ads and sales? Did you join the frenzied crowds on Black Friday? And here it is Cyber Monday.

I hate shopping. Even more than that, I hate crowds. So I was not one of the frenzied shoppers last Friday or even on Saturday. Today is different. I'll check out the deals on my favorite sites. I already know what I want to give my family members and dear friends.

If you like science fiction romance, check out this site.

http://smschmitz.com/promo
My first published book, Switched, is in the $.99 group. Be sure to check it out.

In other news, I sent out my Holiday Newsletter this morning. If you haven't subscribed yet, email me at dmburton72@gmail.com and I'll send you a copy.

I joined the BIAW (book in a week) challenge that starts today. I have to report my word count each day. Now that's an incentive. LOL The last time I did this, I wrote over 8500 words. My goal this week is to write 10,000 words (that's 40 pages) on The Case of the Meddling Mama. I'll report next Monday.

Have a great week and try not to stress.




Saturday, November 26, 2016

#WeWriWa #8Sunday - Bygone Brother


Welcome to Weekend Writing Warrior and 8 Sentence Sunday, the weekly hop for everyone who loves to write! Writers share an 8 to10 sentence snippet. Be sure to visit the other writers. You can find them here.

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving. I'm continuing with a snippet from my PI mystery, The Case of the Bygone Brother, a contemporary cozy, that takes place in a small Lake Michigan resort town. Alex (Alexandra) O'Hara has taken over her dad's investigation agency, struggling to keep it going.  This snippet picks up with the older client in Alex's office.

When Mrs. Yoder finally took the visitor’s chair, I breathed a silent prayer of thanks. She was convinced her husband was running around on her—no wonder she nearly bolted out the door. Her perception of Nick and me playing hanky-panky in the office must have been a painful reminder of what she thought her husband was doing.

“Can you check the bank and credit card statements?” I asked.

“That seems so . . . underhanded, like I don’t trust him.”

I gave her a long look until she said, “I guess I don’t trust him if I’m coming to you.”

“What time does he leave so I can follow him?”

“F-Follow him?”

What? Did she think I’d look into my crystal ball and ‘see’ her husband fooling around?



Alex O’Hara finally gets a case that will give her bottom line a much needed boost. She might even be able to change her diet from ramen noodles to prime rib. All she has to do is track down a man who’s been missing for over ten years. Piece of cake . . . until an old flame arrives and a mugger roughs her up with orders to back off.

Amazon ~ iTunes ~ Kobo ~ ARe ~ Barnes and NobleSmashwords ~ Amazon UK
 



Monday, November 21, 2016

Happy Thanksgiving



It’s too bad many of us only think about what we’re grateful for at Thanksgiving. We should be thankful every day. We live in a land of plenty when people in other parts of the world go hungry, have no homes, no freedoms, and live with fear every day.

As we sit around a table laden with enough food to feed two or three times as many people, we give thanks for our many blessings. Here are a few of mine.

Grandchildren who make me laugh and fill me with good cheer.

Children who’ve grown into responsible, caring adults.

My husband who’s a quiet presence in our home, always supportive, a good man.

A family who takes care of each other.

Friends who love us and care about us.

Our house that shelters us, in a neighborhood of genuinely nice people.

My talent as a writer where I can entertain readers by giving life to the characters in my head.

Supportive writing friends.

Fans who are enjoy my books.

Books that have always been my friends.

My list could go on and on. Even though I mentioned him above, I am most grateful for the man I married 44 years ago on Thanksgiving.

Safe travels to all who will be on the road this week. 




What are you grateful for?


Saturday, November 19, 2016

#WeWriWa - #8Sunday: The Case of the Bygone Brother


Welcome to Weekend Writing Warrior and 8 Sentence Sunday, the weekly hop for everyone who loves to write! Writers share an 8 to10 sentence snippet. Be sure to visit the other writers. You can find them here.

The snippet this weekend is from my PI mystery, The Case of the Bygone Brother, a contemporary cozy takes place in a small Lake Michigan resort town, similar to the one where I live. Alex (Alexandra) O'Hara has taken over her dad's investigation agency, struggling to keep it going. Last week, she fell off the filing cabinet and landed on top of Nick. A potential client came in. This snippet picks up a few minutes later.
 
Mrs. Yoder, an attractive woman in her mid-seventies who hadn’t let age keep her from being trim and stylish, lingered in the doorway to my office, disapproval fairly shouting from her. “I believe I have made a mistake.”
I put on the matching jacket to my gray skirt, saying, “Ma’am?”
“The, uh, scene I interrupted . . .” She pursed her lips, giving me that ‘you Jezebel’ look, yet I saw hesitation in her expression, too, and uncertainty.
“I apologize, I fell off the cabinet and he caught—” Pop’s caveat zinged through my brain, never explain, never complain. “Appearances aren’t always what they seem, but I will understand if you choose to go elsewhere.” Please don’t, I need the work.


Alex O’Hara finally gets a case that will give her bottom line a much needed boost. She might even be able to change her diet from ramen noodles to prime rib. All she has to do is track down a man who’s been missing for over ten years. Piece of cake . . . until an old flame arrives and a mugger roughs her up with orders to back off.

Amazon ~ iTunes ~ Kobo ~ ARe ~ Barnes and NobleSmashwords ~ Amazon UK
 




Friday, November 18, 2016

Who's For Dinner with Linda Carroll-Bradd


My guest today is Linda Carroll-Bradd. Besides sharing who she'd like to have dinner with, she's celebrating the release of her newest book. Welcome, Linda.


I’d love to spend time with Jane Austen, one of my top three favorite authors. I’ve imagined the circumstance both ways—me in her time or her in contemporary time.


Not only would I be fascinated by what she’d think of a dinner at one of America’s popular chain restaurants like Applebee’s or Carrabas, I believe I’d have to steer the conversation. Trying hard not to be a fan girl about all things Austen, I would keep my questions centered on her work.

Did you realize the extent of social commentary you layered into your work?
Which of your heroines is your favorite?
Who is your favorite hero?
Did writing about women who had little say about the direction of their lives relieve personal frustration?
If you’d known that your books would still have an audience two hundred years later, would you have written them any differently?



The influence I’ve gained from reading her works makes me include a bit of resistance in each of my heroines. They are always wishing for something that is against what someone else expects. I guess you could say each has a little bit of Lizzie Bennett in her personality.

That would be a fantastic dinner, Linda. I wonder how Jane would feel seeing her books turned into movies. Congratulations on the just released, Silent Signals, part of the A Cowboy Christmas series. I'm excited to learn more about it.

Title:  Silent Signals, A Cowboy Christmas series
Author:  Linda Carroll-Bradd
Publisher:  Prism Book Group
Release Date:  11/18/16 (24,431 words)

Blurb for Silent Signals:
After losing half his herd in the Great Blizzard of 1886, rancher Konrad Werner needs to safeguard his cattle. Tomboy Anora Huxley trains the Australian Shepherds and Kelpies that run the family’s sheep herd. Although cattlemen and shepherds are at odds, the pair discovers common interests. A threat is overheard, and Konrad rides out to Anora’s ranch to protect her. The tense situation reveals their true feelings. Will Anora be swayed by family loyalty, or will she listen to her heart that responds to Konrad’s silent signals?

Tagline for Silent Signals:
Will the valley’s feud between cattlemen and shepherds keep them apart?

Purchase Links:


Excerpt from Silent Signals:
Twirling her finger like a tornado, Celina grinned. “Turn so I can see from all angles.”

“And I can move.” First, she bent over to touch her toes. “See?” Then, with hands on her waist, she leaned from side to side. She was just finishing the last quarter of her second spin to display her outfit when the bell over the door tinkled.

“Gaelle, you about ready to leave?” a deep voice asked.

At the familiar sound, Anora gasped. She dropped her hands to her sides at the same moment she came to a stop at the sight of that man filling the doorway. Her skirts swished around her legs a couple of times before settling.

“Yes, I’m ready.” Gaelle was quick to answer.

His eyes widened as he ran his gaze down her length from head to toe and then flicked to the table where her underthings lay. With a slow move, he dragged his hat off his head and pushed the door closed behind him. A quirk pulled at one corner of his mouth.

Beard-stubbled, the man had been good looking. Clean-shaven, he was downright handsome. Heat flashed in Anora’s cheeks, and she panted, not taking in enough air. Certainly this breathlessness had to do with the corset, and not with the appearance of this attractive but arrogant man. Her gaze caught his dark one, the color of hot cocoa, and her stomach leapt, like when she took a tumble. She had to look away.


Stifling a squeal, she dashed forward, bunched the garments together, and stuffed them under her coat. Then she whirled and pinned him with a hard stare. “What on earth are you doing here?”



BIO
With interests as widespread as baking, crocheting, watching dog agility matches, and reading thrillers by Swedish authors, Linda is the mother to 4 adult children and grandmother to 2 granddaughters. She currently lives in the southern California mountains with her husband of 37 years and their two much-loved dogs.

WEB CONTACTS
Goodreads  http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1806413.Linda_Carroll_Bradd


Cover Contest Finalist
Also, voting is open until November 20th for the winter cover contest sponsored by Still Moment Magazine. I'm proud that Silent Signals is one of ten finalists. To vote, leave the title or the #9 in a comment on the magazine’s Facebook page.




Monday, November 14, 2016

Progress or Not

No. Not a commentary on the election. Rather I'm updating my writing progress. 

It’s amazing what a person can get done when they have deadlines. No surprise there. I admit it. I’m a procrastinator. Waiting until the last minute to write a blog is my usual. That’s why I write my Monday Morning Musing post on—you guessed it—Monday morning.

Yesterday was my turn at Paranormal Romantics. Plus it was Weekend Writing Warrior (WeWriWa) time. Consequently I had to have two posts prepared. For Paranormal Romantics, the group had discussed writing about traditions. (Love when I’m given a topic.) Since family traditions differ by culture, I wondered about traditions in alien cultures. And why that would be important. For WeWriWa, a weekly post, I’m leaving excerpts (8-10 sentences) from my first PI mystery, The Case of the Bygone Brother. Love the comments. If you missed either of those posts, click on the links above.

Writing progress. I am making progress, very slow progress, on The Case of the Meddling Mama, 3rd Alex O’Hara mystery. I’m more than halfway through. Yay. I had to take out time to write a short story for The Roses of Prose holiday online anthology. As many of you know, each December the contributors to RoP write short holiday stories that are serialized over two or three days on the blogsite. The twist to this is that each story will begin with the same sentence. This year’s is: This was the absolute last time she kissed anyone under the mistletoe. Since my story last year ended with a kiss under the mistletoe, I happily continued the story from there. Is that serendipity or what? Same characters from Alex O’Hara’s Lake Michigan resort town. Contrary to my usual way of getting things done, I finished the short story more than a month ahead of time. My story will run from December 26-28.

I need to devote this week to Meddling Mama. My deadline to finish is/was November 30th. Will I finish in time? Maybe I should have joined NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) that when writers from all over the world determine they will write a 50k word novel in 30 days. That’s a little too intense for me. More power to those who participate. Next Monday, I’ll let you know about my progress.

Enough musing. Time to get to work on that mystery and think about Thanksgiving. Our niece is having dinner at her house this year. How delightful that the baton has passed to the next generation. I’ll only have to decide what dish I’m bringing.



Saturday, November 12, 2016

#WeWriWa - #8Sunday - The Case of the Bygone Brother


Welcome to Weekend Writing Warrior and 8 Sentence Sunday, the weekly hop for everyone who loves to write! Writers share an 8 to10 sentence snippet. Be sure to visit the other writers. You can find them here.

The snippet this weekend is from my PI mystery, The Case of the Bygone Brother, a contemporary cozy takes place in a small Lake Michigan resort town, similar to the one where I live. Alex (Alexandra) O'Hara has taken over her dad's investigation agency, struggling to keep it going. When Nick Palzetti, son of her dad's partner, returns, he finds her lying across the top of a filing cabinet and tries to help her down.

         “Gotcha,” Nick said, a half sec before we tumbled to the hardwood floor. He must have twisted because I landed on top of him, which had to hurt--with my height, I’m no light-weight.
“Another fine mess you’ve gotten me into,” I said as I hooked a hank of hair behind my ear and propped my elbow on his chest. 
"Hel-lo?” an older woman’s voice warbled from the outer office, “Is anyone here?”
My one o’clock was early. Don’t come investigating, lady, I prayed as I scrambled to my feet. When my stocking-clad foot slid on the polished floor, Nick grabbed me to keep me from falling, and I flopped face down on top of him instead of the floor.
“Oh, dear. Am I interrupting something?”

Alex O’Hara finally gets a case that will give her bottom line a much needed boost. She might even be able to change her diet from ramen noodles to prime rib. All she has to do is track down a man who’s been missing for over ten years. Piece of cake . . . until an old flame arrives and a mugger roughs her up with orders to back off.

Amazon ~ iTunes ~ Kobo ~ ARe ~ Barnes and NobleSmashwords ~ Amazon UK
 





Friday, November 11, 2016

Who's For Dinner with Jessica E. Subject


My friend Jessica E. Subject is here to share who she'd like to have dinner with. Also, she's celebrating the release of her new book, Cosmic Sutra. (Love that title.)

Here's Jessica.


First of all, I want to give a big thank you and hug to Diane for having me back on the blog.
***
It took me a couple of days to figure out who I would want to have dinner with. At first I thought of retired Canadian Astronaut Colonel Chris Hadfield. But then, I started thinking a little closer to home. You see, one of my grandfathers passed away when I was only two years old. 

I don’t remember him, but from what I’ve been told, he had a lot in common with my husband. Even though my grandmother married another wonderful man, who has made her very happy over the years, I still think about my grandfather, what it would have been like with him around. I know my mother thinks of him often, too, his birthday and the anniversary of his death depressing times for her.

I wouldn’t have any specific questions for him. It would be more about spending time with him, getting to know what he was like, and finding out if we share any similarities. Perhaps my weird sense of humor.



I really don’t know if he has any connection to my writing. Perhaps the open-mindedness—reflected in my stories—that I learned from my mother came from him. I know he preferred to be outdoors, and some of stories take place in the woods or on a lake. Or, like my new release, on the other side of the universe.

COSMIC SUTRA

by Jessica E. Subject

Release date: November 7, 2016

Genres: Romance, Science Fiction, Lesbian, LGBT, Sensual

Ebook ISBN: 978-1-988428-02-4

Cover artist: Fantasia Frog Designs

# of pages: 58 ebook
# of words: 20,400

BLURB:

When Victoria is offered a scholarship to attend Thanh Academy for her last year of university, she jumps at the opportunity. Nothing could be more practical in her psychology studies than to travel to the other side of the universe and live amongst the life forms she strives to learn from.

Upon her arrival, she is met with hostility. Convincing the other students she is not like those from Earth who came before her takes time, but eventually she is embraced by a small group of friends, including a sexy female alien she fantasizes about on a daily basis.

Based on past experience, will Victoria keep her lust hidden deep inside to prevent losing a friend? Or will she confess her feelings to Kaye and possibly find her one true love?

Please note: This story was formerly part of the First Ladylove anthology.

EBOOK BUY LINKS:

Amazon US | UK | Canada | Germany | Australia


EXCERPT:

Victoria headed to the dining hall, empty except for two greys at the table farthest from the buffet. They eyed her and whispered to each other behind their long, spindly-fingered hands. She grabbed what looked to be a sandwich with purple bread and green toppings—nothing fuzzy, so she set it on her tray and hurried back to her room. No point in sticking around where she wasn’t wanted.

While she ate, Victoria studied the class textbook on her tablet. Their first lab was to study various cognitive reactions to differing objects. Kaye had already decided they were going to study the heart rate of individuals in their reactions to various races at the school. Sure her partner just wanted to prove how much everyone hates Terrans, Victoria agreed anyway. No point in arguing. She’d already observed plenty of other cues indicating their disdain for her.

Fifteen minutes before the scheduled lab time, she left, heading to the psychology wing. The hall lights had been dimmed compared to the daytime and gave the place an eerie glow. Though the greys had denied ever abducting anyone from Earth, Victoria might have believed otherwise if she happened to meet one along the way. Her pulse raced as she eyed the numbers on each door, trying to locate the correct one.

“C’mon, already.”

Victoria gasped, placing her palm on her chest.

“Oh, come on. Don’t tell me I managed to scare a Terran.”

“My name is Victoria.” She’d had enough of being referred to by her home planet, as if everyone on Earth was related and possessed the same personality and motivation. “And you just caught me off guard. It’s late, and I’m tired.”

“That’s strange.” Kaye held the door open as Victoria ducked into the room. “I thought your kind thrived at night.”

She surveyed the area, rubbing her arms. “Not me. I just want to get this over with and return to bed.” A wave of sleepiness washed over her at the thought.

“Fine.” Kaye’s antennae stood straight up rather than curving forward like they normally did. She’d lost her six inch glass claws, her exoskeleton only covering her arms down to her knuckles like a pair of fingerless gloves. “You go into the closet and record the results. I’ll stay out here to welcome our test subjects and hook them up, okay?”

Victoria cocked her head to the side. For the first time since they’d been partnered, Kaye had actually asked her opinion. “I guess.”

“It’s just that if they see you before the test, it will skew the results. I can’t help it if everyone feels that way about your kind. It’s just the way it is.”

With a nod, Victoria entered the cramped smaller room, not much bigger than a broom closet. If she didn’t know any better, she would have believed Kaye felt bad about the discrimination. Was the leabu beginning to soften? She could only hope.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Jessica E. Subject is the author of science fiction romance, mostly alien romances, ranging from sweet to super hot. Sometimes she dabbles in paranormal and contemporary as well, bringing to life a wide variety of characters. In her stories, you could not only meet a sexy alien or two, but also clones and androids. You may be transported to a dystopian world where rebels are fighting to live and love, or to another planet for a romantic rendezvous.
When Jessica isn't reading, writing, or doing dreaded housework, she likes to get out and walk with her giant, hairy dog her family adopted from the local animal shelter.
Jessica lives in Ontario, Canada with her husband and two energetic children. And she loves to hear from her readers.

AUTHOR LINKS:




Thursday, November 10, 2016

Crystal Collier's TIMELESS Blog Tour



I'm happy to host Crystal Collier on her TIMELESS blog tour. I love the cover of her new release. 

Let's welcome Crystal who's here today to share her new book and some medieval funnies!

In 1771, Alexia had everything: the man of her dreams, reconciliation with her father, even a child on the way. But she was never meant to stay. It broke her heart, but Alexia heeded destiny and traveled five hundred years back to stop the Soulless from becoming.

In the thirteenth century, the Holy Roman Church has ordered the Knights Templar to exterminate the Passionate, her bloodline. As Alexia fights this new threat—along with an unfathomable evil and her own heart—the Soulless genesis nears. But none of her hard-won battles may matter if she dies in childbirth before completing her mission.

Can Alexia escape her own clock?


BUY: Amazon | B&N

GUEST POST


Thank you Diane for having me here today!

Food. We all love it. Or hate it. Or both. (Hey, as long as there's cheese, I'm there!) One thing I've learned while researching multiple time periods for my books, is that the human condition has always been the same. We have always loved (or hated) food. TIMELESS, the third book in my Maiden of Time trilogy, is based in medieval times, I thought I'd share a few funnies about FOOD and medieval times. (A story of time travel, battles, monsters, knights, and an epic love story.)

Prepare to be enlightened (or mildly entertained).

A drink to go with your cheese?



And how will you prepare your eggs?



In case you decide making your own meal is just too much work,
how about a drive through...I mean boat through?


Before you go out, you had better get dressed up.


Now that you've had a chuckle (or smirk--tell me you at least smirked!?!), go buy my books, eh?

What is one food you couldn't live without? What is the biggest thing you would miss if you had to live out your days in medieval times?

Crystal Collier is an eclectic author who pens clean fantasy/sci-fi, historical, and romance stories with the occasional touch of humor, horror, or inspiration. She practices her brother-induced ninja skills while teaching children or madly typing about fantastic and impossible creatures. She has lived from coast to coast and now calls Florida home with her creative husband, four littles, and “friend” (a.k.a. the zombie locked in her closet). Secretly, she dreams of world domination and a bottomless supply of cheese. You can find her on her blog.

(Email address is required for awarding prizes.)

Monday, November 7, 2016

#Vote


Voting is a right and a privilege. 

All our votes count. 

Be sure to vote tomorrow. 



Saturday, November 5, 2016

#WeWriWa - #8SentenceSunday - The Case of the Bygone Brother


Welcome to Weekend Writing Warrior and 8 Sentence Sunday time, the weekly hop for everyone who loves to write! Writers share an 8 to10 sentence snippet. Be sure to visit the other writers. You can find them here.

New month, new book. The snippet this weekend is from my PI mystery, The Case of the Bygone Brother. It's a contemporary cozy that takes place in a small Lake Michigan resort town. Alex (Alexandra) O'Hara has taken over her dad's investigation agency and is struggling to keep it going. 

“Hello, gorgeous.”
I whacked my head on the display shelf. Well, what would you do if you were lying across the top of a four-drawer lateral file cabinet, and your arm—yardstick attached—was wedged between the wall and the cabinet, trying to retrieve the license renewal application that if you mangled, crushed or couldn’t get would mean the end of your business, and the ex-love-of-your-life stood in the doorway looking at your butt?
As I wiggled back and sideways across the long cabinet, I felt my skirt ride up. Of all days to wear a skirt. With my foot, I searched for the desk chair I’d climbed to get on top of the cabinet. I’d kicked off my high heels before standing on the chair, probably the only smart thing I’d done so far.
In that loose-limbed, cocky manner I once thought scary, sexy, and so cool, Nick Palzetti stood in the doorway to the spare office. He even dressed the same in a black leather jacket, black knit shirt, and jeans that molded his hips. Lordy, he could still make my mouth go dry.
“Red panties, you naughty girl.”


Alex O’Hara finally gets a case that will give her bottom line a much needed boost. She might even be able to change her diet from ramen noodles to prime rib. All she has to do is track down a man who’s been missing for over ten years. Piece of cake . . . until an old flame arrives and a mugger roughs her up with orders to back off.

Amazon ~ iTunes ~ Kobo ~ ARe ~ Barnes and Noble ~ Smashwords ~ Amazon UK
 






Thursday, November 3, 2016

Meet Author Ed Hoornaert


I'm always happy to have someone new on my blog. Today, I'd like you to meet Ed Hoornaert, or Mr. Valentine, as he's sometimes called. He has a crazy cat called Effing Feline who helps Ed write. Ed participates in Weekend Writing Warriors, where I hang out on Sundays.


Welcome, Ed. Tell us about yourself.

What kind of guy writes romance? A guy who married his high school sweetheart a week after graduation and still lives the HEA decades later. A guy who’s a certifiable Harlequin hero—he inspired Vicki Lewis Thompson’s Rita Award finalist Mr. Valentine, which is dedicated to him.
Ed started out writing contemporary romances for Silhouette Books, but these days he concentrates on science fiction romance. He’s been a teacher, principal, technical writer, salesman, janitor, and symphonic oboist. He and wife Judi live in Tucson, Arizona. They have three sons, a daughter, a mutt, and the galaxy’s most adorable grandson.

That is so cool about marrying your high school sweetheart. Not so sure about you having the galaxy's most adorable grandson. My grandkiddies are pretty adorable, too. LOL 

Where can readers find you? 

The best place is my blog: http://eahoornaert.com.  I post at least once a week, while my other social media presences may be hit or miss.           

If you could give the younger version of yourself advice what would it be?

Two things:
·         You’re a creative person, you idiot, so don’t be afraid to embrace your creativity.
Despite being a mostly-amateur symphonic musician for years, I honestly didn’t realize how dominant my creative juices were until I was nearly forty.  Before then, I was determinedly ‘practical’, which I think is a pretty common working-class response to life.
·         That woman you love—you know, the high school sweetheart you married a week after graduation?  Ditch her for a woman with a degree in marketing.
I say this tongue in cheek, obviously, but the three richest indie authors whom I personally know all have spouses with marketing or PR backgrounds who’ve been able to give up their day jobs to promote their loved ones’ writing.

That's what I did wrong. I married an engineer. LOL

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

For a long time I considered myself a musician (I play the oboe), and I was approaching middle age before I wrote two programming books for children.  The first book was a timid experiment to see if I could actually write a book, but then I yearned for something more creative.  My wife suggested I write a romance because “Anyone can write those.”  It’s not that easy, believe me!  After I wrote one horrid disaster, my second novel sold, and I was hooked.  There’ve been some major hiatuses when I wrote nothing, but for the most part, I’ve been hooked ever since.

How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?

How many?  That’s hard to say, actually.  Fifteen have been published, but there were some unpublishable duds along the way.  My published books include:
Two introductory programming books for children.
Three Silhouette contemporary romances.
Five traditional science fictions.
Five science fiction romances.
My favorite?  Newborn, my latest release, has the psychological depth that I admire in other writers.  I think it’s pretty darned successful, and I tend to be my own harshest critic.

If I was a first time reader of your books, which one would you recommend I start with and why?

If you’re into science fiction romance, I’d say either my newest release, Newborn, or The Guardian Angel of Farflung StationGuardian Angel is a novella with lots of action, so you can decide quickly whether you want to continue to its sequel, Escapee.

If you prefer more traditional science fiction, start with The Trial of Tompa Lee or The Guardian Angel of Farflung Station.  The former originally came out in hardcover through a traditional publisher, and it’s still my best selling book.  (Excluding the Silhouette romances; those things sold like hotcakes.) I know I recommended Guardian Angel for SFR lovers, but it also contains more hard science than any of my other books.

Tell us about your latest release, which will be released tomorrow, November 4th.

Thought you’d never ask.

Newborn is a near-future science fiction romance that was born out of my perverse streak that looks at common writing trends and say “I’m gonna do the opposite.”


You see, in many books and scripts, created creatures like robots, cyborgs, or clones, are supermen with powers beyond normal people, as though it’s easy to improve on human beings.  Think Arnold Schwarzenegger in the original Terminator movie.

Newborn’s heroine is sort of based on Schwarzenegger, except Jo is a petite female assassin clone rather than a beefy assassin robot.  While she does have supernormal physical abilities, she also has severe social limitations: she’s the most naĂŻve assassin ever.  Her programmers intended her to live just a few hours, kill, and then die, so she lacks the background needed to live longer.  When her life is unavoidably prolonged, Jo compulsion to kill wars with an urge to learn about life and love; to become fully human.  This powerful internal conflict is compounded by the fact that she falls in love with the bodyguard of the alien fugitive she’s supposed to kill.  Nothing’s easy for poor Jo.

Buy links:

Ed, this sounds like a great story. I preordered my copy.