Guest: PAMELA S THIBODEAUX My Heart Weeps #giveaway

 I'm happy to welcome Pam Thibodeaux to my blog today as she celebrates a new release. Be sure to check out Pam's giveaway at the end of the blog. Now, here's Pam to tell you about My Heart Weeps. 

Thank you so much, Diane for having me on your blog today with my new book, My Heart Weeps….

 

Blurb: After thirty years married to the man of her dreams, Melena Rhyker is devastated by her husband's death. Relief comes in the form of an artist's retreat at the Crossed Penn ranch in Utopia, TX. She rediscovers a forgotten dream as her artistic talent flourishes into that of a gallery-worthy artist. Will she have the courage to follow the path she was destined to travel?

 

Garrett Saunders has been on the run most of his life. Abused and abandoned as a child, he escapes the clutches of a past filled with pain and shame, and hides from his calling as a Native American healer. His years as a CIA agent aid in overcoming his childhood and honing his talent and skill as a fine art photographer. 

 

Follow their journey as two people who come from totally different backgrounds, but share gifts of gigantic proportions, find meaning and purpose in the Texas Hill Country.

 

Excerpt (one of my favorite scenes!):  She arrived back at the ranch just as guests started to gather around the wagon for the evening hayride and bonfire. Garrett waved her down.

“Coming on the hayride?”

Melena shook her head.

“Ever been on the hayride with us?”

“Not yet.”

“Then come on. I’ll wait for you.”

She sighed. “I’m really kind of tired.”

A frown creased his brow. Garrett raked a hand through his hair and adjusted his hat. “Won’t take no for an answer. Park your truck and come on.”

“Maybe next time.” She started to ease away.

He slapped a hand on the door to halt her escape. “Melena, don’t make me come after you.”

She looked at him wide-eyed, then narrowed her gaze. “What did you say to me?”

His eyes lit up. That darn dimple danced in his cheek.

“It’s my duty as a cowboy and a gentleman to never let a lady cry for long. You’ve done enough of that for one day.”

How could she refuse?

 

Fun (and not so fun) facts about My Heart Weeps:

My Heart Weeps parallels my journey through grief after my husband’s death in 2009. This book actually took about eight (8!) years to complete – it was just too up-close and personal to get through all at once. However, finishing this project seems to have broken the damn on my creativity. I’ve finished another long-awaited project since and am steadily working on another.

Yes, there really is a Utopia, TX! About 30 miles North/West of Bandera and as Melena works at the Crossed Penn Ranch in Utopia, I lived and worked at the Silver Spur Ranch in Bandera.

The descriptions of the area are pretty accurate and drawn from memory. I’ve actually hiked in the Lost Maples Natural Area.

Deer are prominent in the Hill Country, especially rural areas like Bandera and Utopia. It is not unusual to see a huge herd in your yard. I’ve even seen children playing chase with them!

Horseback riding is one of my favorite things to do when possible. There really is nothing more soothing than the clip-clop of hooves on rock. Try it sometime!

 

My Heart Weeps is on sale for a limited time @ 99cents and FREE on Kindle Unlimited!

Purchase Link: https://bit.ly/MyHeartWeeps

 

Author bio: Award-winning author, Pamela S. Thibodeaux is the Co-Founder and a lifetime member of Bayou Writers Group in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Multi-published in romantic fiction as well as creative non-fiction, her writing has been tagged as, “Inspirational with an Edge!” ™ and reviewed as “steamier and grittier than the typical Christian novel without decreasing the message.” Sign up to receive Pam’s newsletter and get a FREE short story!

 

Links:

Website address: http://www.pamelathibodeaux.com

Blog: http://pamswildroseblog.blogspot.com

Newsletter: http://bit.ly/psthibnewsletter

 

Face Book: http://facebook.com/pamelasthibodeaux

https://www.facebook.com/pamelasthibodeauxauthor

 

Twitter: http://twitter.com/psthib @psthib

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/pamelasthibodea/

Amazon Author Page: http://amzn.to/1jUVcdU

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/pamela-s-thibodeaux

Instagram: https://instagram.com/pamelasthibodeauxauthor

Pam is giving away 1 Ebook, 1 Autographed Print Book, 1 Audio Book, a $15 Amazon Gift Card, a 1-month Audible membership and a SURPRISE Giftpack to 6 lucky people! (1 prize per winner) Names will be collected throughout the tour which ends Sept. 30th. Winners will be notified, and prizes awarded by October 10^th so be sure to leave your EMAIL Address!

 

Blog Tour Dates/Stops:

8/11 Gail Pallotta’s Peering Through Life’s Window

8/13 Liz Flaherty’ Word Wranglers Blog

8/15 Clare Revell’s The Word Can Wait Blog

8/18 Southern Writers Suite T Blog

8/18 Alina K Field’s Simply Romance Blog

8/20 Penelope Marzec’s Bookish Thoughts Blog

8/25 Jana Richards’ Romance Story Board Blog

8/27 Beverly Bateman’s BLOG

9/1 Valarie Goree’s Facebook Page

9/5 D. V. Stone’s Campfire Blog

9/9 Jacqueline Seewald’s BLOG

9/11 Linda Rondeau’s Snark & Sensibility Blog

9/14 Patricia Kioyno’s Four Foxes, One Hound Blog

9/18 Diane Burton’s BLOG

9/22 Alicia Dean’s BLOG

9/25 Jeny Hickman’s BLOG

9/30 Linda Nightingale’s Author…Musings Blog

 

Guest: KERI KRUSPE Today Is Tomorrow's Past #NewRelease #sfr

I'm so happy to welcome a fellow Michigander and Mid-Michigan RWA chaptermate, Keri Kruspe. She has a new novel that came out Tuesday, a science fiction romance--my favorite kind of read. I just started reading this last night. I'm captivated by the concept, and the characters drew me right in.

Here's Keri to tell us a little about her new release.

Why I wrote this book

What can I say? I’m a nerd who lives for romance stories. I love all things weird…aliens, vampires, were-animals, time travel, mystical/mythical creatures and sexy beings that help define who we are as a species. When I created my debut trilogy it had to be a sci-fi romance with all the trappings. 

I’ve been fascinated by the works of Zechara Sitchin and Erich Von Daniken as well as the History Channel’s Ancient Aliens. My underlying question, if those theories were true, what happens when the aliens come back? From there I got the idea to loosely base my newest scifi romance series on that question. That’s when the first book in The Akurn Legacy, Today is Tomorrow’s Past, was born.

Blurb:

Based loosely on the Ancient Alien theory that Earth had been visited by extraterrestrials thousands of years ago, Today is Tomorrow’s Past is a romantic sci-fi adventure based in contemporary times. Filled with intriguing suspense, sensual longing, and heart-pounding twists and turns.

The aliens we thought were long gone are coming back. 

Divorcée Julienne King led a life of stressful chaos that didn’t leave time for anything personal. Immersed in organizing a huge merger for a small bank in Vegas, she uncovers insidious subplots that threatened not only the bank, but appear to have immense ramifications worldwide. With double-crosses at every turn, her next choice for an ally could be her last.

Having just survived a tragic bombing, the last thing Ben Duncan wanted to do was take on a new assignment. However, once he meets the intriguing Julienne, he recognizes there is more to her than anyone knows. But getting involved with the delectable woman is the last thing he’s free to do. His ancestors, the aliens from the planet Akurn, are headed back to kill billions of humans and subjugate Earth. He along with his brothers are targeted to be the first to die.

It’s a race against time. In less than five months, the Akurns will be close enough to invade Earth. Can a banker and a hybrid alien-human overcome their prejudices and not only work together, but learn their love is the key to mankind’s salvation?

Excerpt

At 7:00 on a Monday morning, the bright cloudless sky should have encouraged Julienne King to begin her day with a light heart and an eagerness to start the day. Not stress about going to a thankless, pain-in-the-ass job. Not stress about how she didn’t fit into the life she led. Not stress about her unrelenting urge to search for that elusive something just out of reach—convinced more than ever she was in the wrong place, at the wrong time, while living a totally wrong life. You’d think reaching the pinnacle of Senior Vice President of a small but reputable state bank at the age of thirty-one would cement a soul-satisfying life purpose. Oh no, not her.

Humph. Might as well obsess about her nonexistent love life while she was at it.

She eyed the metal handle of her car door. The stupid thing would be hot. Even this early, it had enough time to soak up the mid-July desert heat of Las Vegas. Using the edge of her suit jacket to protect her fingers, she opened the door. When it flung wide, the inside belched a suffocating, broiling miasma. As sweat broke out, she briefly closed her eyes. Good thing she parked in the shade, otherwise she’d melt into a puddle of messy goo by the time she got to work. Maybe she’d make it there before her makeup liquefied into a Picasso painting. Having been raised in the Vegas foster system, you’d think she’d be used to the scorching heat by now.

Dammit. A quick look in the rearview mirror told her that dream was hopeless. The minute she got to work, she’d have to rush to the bathroom and fix everything that took an hour to put on this morning. God forbid if she dressed there first. Upper management was adamant about bank officers arriving at work professionally perfect.

Well, come to think of it, why worry about what those folks thought? Most of them had already gone. They’d disappeared in a poof of merger-madness. Which, lucky her, made her in charge of what happened to over fifty bank branches statewide.

She turned on the motor of her ten-year-old Subaru. For the umpteenth time, why did she stay at a job that sucked the life out of her? That’s right—because of the three hundred employees whose livelihood relied on the decisions she made. Without her, their fate would be dicey at best.

Julienne’s stomach rolled as the remains of an early cup of coffee sloshed up her throat. Once again, she squashed the urge to drop everything and search for whatever was missing from her existence.  Besides, what was she supposed to do when she found it… whatever it was?

AMAZON/OTHER RETAILERS

About the Author:

Keri Kruspe, award-winning “Author of Otherworldly Romantic Adventures” loves nothing more than to write about romances that feature “feisty heroines who aren’t afraid to take a chance on life…or love”. Her writing career started when she became irritated that most SciFi romances had women kidnapped before they could find love. Determined to create something different, she turned “the alien kidnapping trope upside down” (Vine Voice) and the ALIEN EXCHANGE trilogy was born. 

Keri’s latest SciFi Romance novel, TODAY IS TOMORROW’S PAST, is the first in a five-book series that takes the Ancient Alien motif and mixes it with a romantic twist.  

A native Nevadan, Keri is a lifelong avid reader who currently lives in Northwestern Michigan with her husband and the newest member of the family, a Jack Russell Terrier, Hestia. When not immersed in her made-up worlds, she enjoys discovering the fascinating landscape of her new home as well as pairing red wine with healthy ways to cook. Most of all, she loves finding her next favorite author. 

If you want to know when Keri’s next book will come out, please visit her website at http:/kerikruspe.com, where you can sign up for her mailing list. You’ll get a FREE copy of the prologue to TODAY IS TOMORROW’S PAST as well as keeping updated on the life of a dedicated, obsessed author. 

Links

 Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08FT98KQ8/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=keri+kruspe&qid=1597319913&sr=8-4

D2D: https://books2read.com/TodayisTommorrowsPast

Website: https://www.kerikruspe.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/klkruspe15

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kerikruspe/?hl=en

Twitter: https://twitter.com/keri_kruspe

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/kerikruspe/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/keri-kruspe?list=about?follow=true

#IWSG: September

Sorry, no post. August was a difficult month. Be back in October.

Meanwhile, click here to find others on the Insecure Writers Support Group Blog Hop. Or go to IWSG on Facebook to see who’s blogging today.

Guest: DIANA RUBINO presents DARK BREW

Diana Rubino is back with a fascinating time travel.

DARK BREW

A time travel romance

Learn from the past or forever be doomed to repeat it.

Accused of her husband’s murder, druid Kylah McKinley travels back through time to her past life in 1324 Ireland and brings the true killer to justice.

Two months of hell change Kylah’s life forever. On her many past life regressions, she returns to 14^th century Ireland as Alice Kyteler, a druid moneylender falsely accused of murdering her husband. Kylah’s life mirrors Alice’s in one tragic event after another—she finds her husband sprawled on the floor, cold, blue, with no pulse. Evidence points to her, and police arrest her for his murder. Kylah and Alice shared another twist of fate—they fell in love with the man who believed in them. As Kylah prepares for her trial and fights to maintain her innocence, she must learn from her past or forever be doomed to repeat it.  

An interview with Diana about Dark Brew 

Where did the story come from? 

The story took 12 years from start to finish. I’m a longtime member of the Richard III Society, and in the spring of 2004, I read an article in The Ricardian Register by Pamela Butler, about Alice Kyteler, who lived in Kilkenny, Ireland in 1324, and faced witchcraft charges. After her trial and acquittal, she vanished from the annals of history. I couldn't resist writing a book about her. 

How did you decide to make it a paranormal? 

I’m a believer in reincarnation, and I go on paranormal investigations whenever I can. I’ve gone on several past life regressions. Cape Cod has a lot of history and paranormal activity. I’ve been on many ghost walks and ghost hunts there. I wanted to connect Alice in the past with someone in the present, her reincarnation. 

Was Alice Kyteler famous in 14^th century Ireland? 

Not at all but she was the richest woman in Kilkenny, and for that reason the villagers hated her, especially the men. They accused her of killing her first husband, but she was acquitted. Then they accused her of killing her fourth husband, John LePoer, with witchcraft, the accusations more absurd than those of the 1692 witch hysteria in Salem, Massachusetts. Chancellor Edward de Burgh arrested Alice because her stepsons claimed she had murdered John by casting a witch’s spell with malefecia…and she used the enchanted skull of a beheaded thief as her cauldron. 

She went to trial and her dear friend Michael Artson had her acquitted, but she vanished into the annals of history. According to legend, she went to England. But no one knows for sure. 

Why did you make it a time travel? 

Because my heroine, Kylah McKinley, is a druid and has done many past life regressions, she knows she’s the reincarnation of Alice. So she has to go back and find out what happened to Alice, because too many weird things are happening to her in this life that parallel Alice’s life. 

Kylah lives on my beloved Cape Cod. She’s a druid, a ghost hunter and owns a new age store in a restored Revolutionary War-era tavern. She was also the target of a hit-and-run. Another hit-and-run crippled her husband Ted. That’s no coincidence—she’s convinced someone’s out to get them both. 

She brews an ancient Druid herb mixture, goes back in time and enters Alice’s life to find out exactly what happened and who killed her husband. 

These two months of hell change her life forever. Kylah’s life mirrors Alice’s in one tragic event after another—she finds her husband sprawled on the floor, cold, blue, with no pulse. Evidence points to her, and police arrest her for his murder. Kylah and Alice shared another twist of fate—they fell in love with the man who believed in them. As Kylah prepares for her trial and fights to maintain her innocence, she must learn from her past or she’s doomed to repeat it.  

Have you ever spoken to Pamela Butler, who wrote the article about Alice? 

Yes, we’ve corresponded. She lives in New Mexico, so we’ve never met in person. I asked Pam what inspired her to write about Alice. I’d never heard of Alice until I read her article, “Witchcraft & Heresy. She replied: 

“You asked why I wrote about Alice Kyteler, who preceded Richard by a century-and-a-half. I only wrote it because others on the listserv encouraged me to write about witchcraft, a subject about which I knew very little. I ordered three books from Amazon.com on the subjects of witchcraft, heresy, Satanism, etc. for research reasons. That was my basis, plus I searched the Internet. The Malleus Malleficarum was published in 1487, just two years after Richard's death, so it's almost contemporary. I chanced across Alice in this reading and thought that it was an interesting case. Witch burning was fairly rare in Ireland, and wasn't as bad in England at that time as it had been on the Continent. I wish that the M.M. had never been published; still, the fact that it was published and accepted may reveal the mindset of those times.” 

An excerpt from Dark Brew 

Kylah shut Ted’s den door. She couldn’t bear to look at the spot where he gasped his last breath. His presence, an imposing force, lingered. So did his scent, a blend of tobacco, pine aftershave and manly sweat. Each reminder ripped into her heart like a knife. Especially now with the funeral looming ahead, the eulogies, the mournful organ hymns, the tolling bells . . .

These ceremonies should bring closure, but they’d only prolong the agony of her grief. She wanted to remember him alive for a while longer, wishing she could delay these morbid customs until the hurt subsided.

Throughout the house, his essence echoed his personality: the wine stain on the carpet, the heap of dirty shirts, shorts and socks piled up in the laundry room, the spattered stove, his fingerprints on the microwave. But she couldn’t bring herself to clean any of it up. Painful as these remnants were, they offered a strange comfort. He still lived here.

“I’ll find that murderer, Teddy,” she promised him over and over, wandering from room to empty room, traces of him lurking in every corner. “I’ll do everything in my power to make sure justice is served. Another past life regression isn’t enough anymore. I know what I have to do now. And I promise, it will never, ever happen again—in any future life.”

She inhaled deeply and breathed him in. “Go take a shower, Teddy.” She chuckled through her tears as the doorbell rang. She cringed, breaking out in cold sweat when she saw the black sedan at the curb.

“Not again.” No sense in hiding, so she let the detectives in.

“Mrs. McKinley, we need your permission to do a search and take some of your husband’s possessions from the house,” Nolan said.

“What for?” She met his steely stare. “I looked everywhere and found nothing.”

“Mrs. McKinley, the cupboard door was open, four jars of herbs are missing, and the autopsy showed he died of herb poisoning. Those herbs,” Nolan added for emphasis, as if it had slipped her feeble mind. “Foxglove, mandrake, hemlock—and an as-yet unidentified one,” he read from a notebook. “The M.E. determined it was a lethal dose.”

Sherlock Holmes got nothin’ on him, she thought. 

“Where’s this cupboard, ma’am?” Egan spoke up.

“Right there.” She pointed, its door gaping exactly the way she’d found it that night. Nolan went over to it and peered inside.

“Ma’am, it would be better if you left the house for a half hour or so. Please leave a number where you can be reached,” Egan ordered.

Nolan glanced down the hall. “Where is your bedroom?”

What could they want in the bedroom? “It’s at the top of the stairs on the right. But we didn’t sleep together,” she offered, as if that would faze them. It didn’t.

After giving him her cell number, she got into her car and drove to the beach.

An hour later, she let herself back in and looked around. They’d taken the computer, her case of CDs, her thumb drive, her remaining herb jars, Ted’s notebooks, and left her alone with one horrible fact: This was now a homicide case and she was the prime suspect. 

Purchase Dark Brew

Kindle

Amazon Paperback

B&N Nook

The Wild Rose Press--Paperback & Ebook

Contact Diana

Website

Blog

Facebook

Twitter

Goodreads

#RomanticIdea:

Cook an authentic Italian meal, cheese ravioli with marinara sauce, garlic bread, a salad with Italian olive oil, a fine Italian red wine, and a sweet gelato for dessert. Then put on some Sinatra CDs and dance the night away!

My favorite Sinatra album is Come Dance With Me

We always had Sinatra playing in my house when I was growing up. Nearly everyone from Hoboken or anywhere near Hoboken has a Sinatra story; being from Jersey City, I have a Sinatra story: my great grandmother and his mother Dolly were very good friends. Unfortunately I never asked Great Grandma about what she and Dolly talked about but I’ll bet a lot of juicy gossip went around!

Guest: NANCY GIDEON ~ Rise By Moonlight Book Tour #giveaway #review

It's always a great day when my friend (and mentor) Nancy Gideon releases a new book. I'm excited to have Nancy here and to participate in her book tour for Rise By Moonlight. My review is near the end. Don't miss the Rafflecopter giveaway.

RISE BY MOONLIGHT

Nancy Gideon

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo Books | iBooks

Published: August 3, 2020

Length: 273 Pages

Genres: Paranormal | Romance | Werewolves | Dark Shifter
Giveaway: $20 Amazon Gift Card

Add to Goodreads TBR→

Max and Charlotte return for the explosive conclusion of the “By Moonlight” series . . . and the stakes have never been higher!

He’s the Promised One
A Mobster’s attack dog turned legitimate business powerhouse, Max Savoie is the reluctant leader of New Orleans’ shapeshifter clan. They’ve kept to anonymous shadows, working and living unnoticed by the human world until their new Shifter King’s past draws dangerous outsiders who threaten all.

She’s the Protector
A fiercely determined NOPD detective, Charlotte Caissie has sworn to defend her beloved city and her unborn child from both criminals and otherworldly factions at war. While standing boldly at the side of her mate/husband, secrets from the past return to shake the foundation of her beliefs.

They have a Problem
Walking a marital tight rope between opposite worlds, Max and Cee Cee’s paths place truth and trust at odds when outside threats force enemies to become allies. The time to take a stand for their family and their future is at hand. Time to rise together for the survival of all they love!

“Every delicious word on the page exhilarates with a sensuous ferocity. Hopelessly addicted.” – NYT bestselling author, Darynda Jones

Nancy Gideon Speaks

Thanks for jumping aboard my RISE BY MOONLIGHT Blog Tour, Diane!

As you and I both know, one of the best things about helming your own writing ship is being able to steer into any genre port you wish. Paranormal, contemporary, suspense . . . wherever the muse leads us. We’ve both navigated through gales and smooth sailing over the years but the ability to chart our own course makes those occasional choppy waters worthwhile. Meeting exciting new characters, learning about unexpected worlds with their own special customs and beliefs has kept the sense of wonder and excitement at the forefront of our paths.

I never expected a course I chose ten years ago to begin an adventure that would sustain my imagination through fifteen books in my “By Moonlight” world! But it did and it has in many wonderful ways. I’ve been able to mix and mingle with a cast of intriguing and somewhat dangerous characters. I’ve been at their sides for heartbreaking and sexy times.  I discovered loyalty and passion and manic revenge that got me up at 4:30 a.m. to capture those emotions while fresh in heart and mind. I’ve met a wonderful host of readers and writers and bloggers who’ve assisted in my travels, giving encouragement and lodging, even if just for the day.  I’ve been able to dig deeper than I thought possible, stretch farther than some thought wise, have had regrets and triumphs, and wouldn’t have missed a moment of it.

But all journey’s end, as Max and Charlotte’s must. But it’s been a helluva ride thanks to friends and supporters like you.

Now, on to that next adventure . . . after lingering just a bit longer in the embrace of my paranormal NOLA family.

About Nancy Gideon

Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Newsletter

Follow @NancyGideon

Nancy Gideon is the award-winning, bestselling author of 68 romances ranging from historical, regency and series contemporary suspense to paranormal, with a couple of horror screenplays tossed into the mix. She’s also published under the pen names Dana Ransom, Rosalyn West and Lauren Giddings. She recently retired after 20 years as a legal assistant and, when not at the keyboard, feeds a Netflix addiction along with all things fur, fin and fowl. For more information on the author, her books, or the “House of Terriot” and “By Moonlight” series, visit Nancy on the web.

Diane's REVIEW

5 Stars

When I read that Rise by Moonlight was available, I was so invested in the previous books I had to one-click it. OMG, this book kept me on the edge of my seat (or bed, since that's where I read) as I explored the end of a 15-book journey. Caveat: you don't have to read the previous books to enjoy this one, but your experience will be greatly enhanced if you have.

Even in all those previous books, the reader doesn't know everything about Max and Charlotte. Each revealed secret made me gasp. Little did I know as I read on that I would be gasping a lot. Their friends (and fellow shifters) the Terriots play a large part in this story. Their trials require Max and Charlotte's assistance, the same way Max and Charlotte need the Terriots'. With a cast of not-quite thousands, you might think you would get mixed up, esp. if you haven't read the other books. Not so. Ms. Gideon gives the reader just enough info about each character. The world building is fantastic--the shifter clans plus the flavor of New Orleans. If you like paranormal romance, you have to read Rise by Moonlight.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

#IWSG: Who Chooses the Genre?

Happy Insecure Writers Support Group Day. IWSG is the brainchild of Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh.

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds! Thanks, Alex, for starting this group and keeping it going. We are rockin' the neurotic writing world!

The awesome co-hosts for the August 5 posting of the IWSG are Susan Baury Rouchard, Nancy Gideon, Jennifer Lane, Jennifer Hawes, Chemist Ken, and Chrys Fey!

Have you ever written a piece that became a form, or even a genre, you hadn't planned on writing in? Or do you choose a form/genre in advance?

The form was always a full-length novel. I choose the genre in advance. I started writing in the 1990s. Since romance was so popular then, and I like reading romance, that's what I wrote. Somehow, a mystery always inserted itself into the story. So, my stories became more romantic suspense. After too many rejections to number, I took a break and wrote a science fiction romance for fun. A crazy premise--being kidnapped by aliens by mistake--and I just had fun with it. About that time (early 2000) a friend of a friend started a niche publishing house for fantasy, paranormal, and futuristic romances. She loved my story and bought it. Switched became my first published novel. I've written 6 novels, 1 novella, and am working on my 7th science fiction romance novel.

I also love cozy mysteries. So, I decided to write a cozy mystery series, featuring a female PI. Currently I'm working on the 4th book and my 2nd novella in that series. Remember the romantic suspense? I've published 2 full-length novels in that genre.

In my posts, I often mention my grandchildren, ages 13, 10, 5, and twins 2.5. The older two know about my writing, but since my stories are on the spicy side they aren't reading them yet. So I decided to write an action adventure story for them . . . and any other kid who likes to read space adventures.

As you can see, I choose what I want to write. Should I have stayed in one genre? Maybe. But why? If I don't write what I want, what's the point? I write to make money, but it doesn't pay the bills or exceed my social security. LOL So, if I'm not making a lot of money, I'd better have fun with this crazy career. 

And I do.

Here in Michigan, we're back under a stay-at-home order. With covid on the rise throughout the country, I hope you all are staying safe. Have a great month.

Less than one month left to enter the IWSG Anthology Contest

Guidelines and rules: Word count: 4500-6000 Genre: Science Fiction Theme: Dark Matter Submissions accepted: May 6 - September 2, 2020 How to enter: Send your polished, formatted (double-spaced, no footers or headers), previously unpublished story to admin @ insecurewriterssupportgroup.com before the deadline passes. Please include your full contact details, your social links, and if you are part of the Blogging, Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter IWSG group.

Click here to find others on the Insecure Writers Support Group Blog Hop. Or go to IWSG on Facebook to see who’s blogging today.

#WeWriWa ~ THE SPY: Her First Mission #sfr

Each weekend, the Weekend Writing Warriors share an 8 - 10 sentence snippet. Be sure to visit the other authors. You can find them here.

I'm sharing snippets from The Spy: An Outer Rim Novel. It's the 4th book in my series featuring strong women on the frontier of space.

Because this is a work in progress, suggestions are greatly appreciated.  Because of your comments last week, I added this next section. By the way, I also changed the last sentence, which read: “TAM-247765, you are next in line for liftoff.”

“TAM-247765, you are tenth in line to depart,” Space Flight Control informed her, along with admonitions that even a newbie pilot knew.

Genna shoved thoughts of the Chellian driver and her former boss out of her mind. She had a mission. Excitement filled her, as it had in the commissioner’s office. Her first mission. Find Quin d’Sernin.

And bring him in.

Along with the excitement came fear. Would she have to infiltrate Hallart’s gang? Did she dare?

That was the snippet. Here's a bit more:

Maybe she could find d’Sernin without encountering Hallart. She drummed her fingers on the control panel.

“TAM-247765, you are second in line to depart,” Space Flight Control announced. “Make your way to the liftoff ring.”

Genna taxied to the ring. Within mins, gravity slammed her back into her seat. The five-point safety harness kept her from being thrown around the cockpit while blasting through Bricaldia’s atmosphere. Tamerly’s ship handled the bumpy ride with little jarring.

Be sure to check out the other WeWriWa authors. Stay safe and have a great week!