Thursday, July 28, 2016

SIZZLING SUMMER CASH GIVEAWAY!



sizzling summer giveaway
Sizzling Summer $250 Cash Giveaway
July 27th to August 16th
An Awesome Group of Authors and Bloggers have joined with me to bring you 1 fabulous prize!!


We’re giving away $250 in Paypal Cash! Or alternately you can choose a $250 Amazon.com Gift Code!


Sponsor List


I Am A Reader
Jennifer Faye ~ Romance Author
Caroline Clemmons
Simple Wyrdings
Lori's Reading Corner
Aubrey Wynne: Vintage Romance for Today
Deanna Lynn Sletten, Author
Glistering Bs Blog
Diana's Book Reviews
Krysten Lindsay Hager author
Leora Krygier Author
A Journey Without Map
CoolCatMysteries
B. Kristin McMichael
Laurisa White Reyes, Author
{A Leisure Moment} A Casual Conversation About Our Love For Literature
Erin Unger- Writer of Killer Romance
Darcus @ Rainy Days and Pajamas
Every Free Chance Books
Julie Reece
Pauline Creeden, Author
The Late Bloomer's Book Blog
Julia E. Antoine
Author Mary Ting/M. Clarke
Suzi Love


Giveaway Details


$250 in Paypal Cash (alternately the winner can choose a $250 Amazon.com Gift Code)


Ends 8/16/16


Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use money sent via Paypal. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the authors, bloggers and publishers on the sponsor list. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.


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Wednesday, July 27, 2016

CORPORATE RAIDER MEETS HIS MATCH -- ALL IN



All In
by Simona Ahrnstedt

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GENRE: Contemporary Romance

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ALL IN Blurb:

In the cutthroat world of Sweden’s financial elite, no one knows that better than corporate raider David Hammar. Ruthless. Notorious. Unstoppable. He’s out to hijack the ultimate prize, Investum. After years of planning, all the players are in place; he needs just one member of the aristocratic owning family on his side—Natalia De la Grip.

Elegant, brilliant, driven to succeed in a man’s world, Natalia is curious about David’s unexpected invitation to lunch. Everyone knows that he is rich, dangerous, unethical; she soon discovers he is also deeply scarred.

The attraction between these two is impossible, but the long Swedish nights unfold an affair that will bring to light shocking secrets, forever alter a family, and force both Natalia and David to confront their innermost fears and desires.



ALL IN Excerpt:

“No, I am busy. And I would never dream of trying to avoid you. You’re my best friend. Although I do have other friends, you know. Maybe tomorrow? My treat.”

“Busy doing what, if I might ask?” Åsa said, not letting the possibility of a free lunch tomorrow distract her.

Natalia didn’t say anything. She looked down at her buried desk. Now would be a good time for one of her phones to ring, or maybe the fire alarm could go off, she thought.

Åsa’s eyes widened as if she’d had a realization. “Aha, who is he?”

“Don’t be silly. I’m just going to eat lunch.”

Åsa’s eyes narrowed to two turquoise slits. “But you’re acting so weird, even for you. With who?”

Natalia pressed her lips together.

“Natalia, with who?”

Natalia gave up. “With someone from, um, HC.”

Åsa furrowed her light eyebrows. “With who?” she stubbornly demanded. She might have made a good cult leader, but she also would have made a terrific interrogator, Natalia thought. All that blond bimbo fluff was misleading.

“It’s just a business lunch,” she said defensively. “With no agenda. He knows J-O,” she added as if the fact that her lunch date knew her boss explained everything.

“Who?”

She capitulated. “David Hammar.”

Åsa leaned back and beamed at Natalia. “The big guy, huh?” she said. “Mister Venture Capitalist himself. The biggest bad boy in the financial world.” She cocked her head. “Promise me you’re planning to sleep with him.”

“You’re crazed,” Natalia said. “Sex-crazed. I actually wish I could cancel it. I’m really stressed out. But one of the things I can’t find in this mess is my cell phone, which has his number on it,” she added. How could you lose a phone in an office that was smaller than forty square feet?

“But for God’s sake, woman, why don’t you get yourself an assistant?”

“I have an assistant,” Natalia said. “Who, unlike me, has a life. Her kids were sick, so she went home.” Natalia glanced at the clock. “Yesterday.” With a sigh she sank into her desk chair. She closed her eyes. She couldn’t look anymore. She was really done. It felt like she’d been working nonstop for ages. And there was so much paperwork she was behind on, a report to write, and at least five meetings to schedule. Actually she didn’t . . .

“Natalia?”

Åsa’s voice made her jump, and Natalia realized she’d been dozing off in her uncomfortable chair.

“What?” she asked.

Åsa looked at her seriously. Her mocking expression was gone.

“Hammar Capital isn’t evil, no matter what your dad and your brother think. They’re tough, yes, but David Hammar isn’t Satan. And he’s really hot. You don’t need to be ashamed if you think it’ll be fun to meet him.”

“No,” said Natalia. “I know.” But she’d been wondering what Hammar Capital’s legendary CEO wanted with her. And maybe he wasn’t Satan, but he had the reputation of being hard and inconsiderate even by financial industry standards. “No, I’m just going to have lunch and get the lay of the land,” she said firmly. “If he has business with the bank, he’s going to want to deal with J-O, not me.”

“But here’s the thing. You never know with Hammar Capital,” Åsa said, gracefully standing up. “And you’re underestimating yourself. Do you know anyone as smart as you? No, exactly.” She ran her hand over her completely stain- and wrinkle-free outfit. Even though she was wearing an austere suit (Natalia happened to know that this specific Prada suit had been tailor-made for Åsa), a simple silk blouse, and light-beige pumps, she looked like a glamorous movie star.

Åsa leaned over the desk. “You know very well you shouldn’t care so much what your father thinks,” she said, as usual putting her finger right on the sore spot and pushing. “You’re brilliant, and you’re going to go far. You can make your career here.” Åsa gestured to the building they were in, the Swedish headquarters of one of the world’s biggest banks, the Bank of London. “You don’t have to work at the family company to be worth something,” Åsa continued. “They have the world’s least progressive view of women’s rights and you know it. Your dad is hopeless; your brother is an idiot, and the rest of the board wins the male chauvinist pig prize of all time. And I should know, because I work with them.” She cocked her head. “You’re smarter than all of them put together.”


Simona Ahrnstedt

Simona Ahrnstedt was born in Prague and is a licensed psychologist, a cognitive behavioral therapist, and most importantly, a bestselling author. As her novels have swept bestseller lists in her native Sweden, she has become a spokesperson for books by women, for women, and about women. Her provocative women’s fiction has been sold in multiple languages as well as audio format.  She lives outside of Stockholm, Sweden, with her two teenagers.

Buy Links:







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Monday, July 25, 2016

INTERVIEW WITH LYN HORNER -- TOUCHING CHARLOTTE

One of the fun parts of having a blog is that I get to introduce readers to my friends. Lyn Horner and I met about fifteen years ago at a Romance Writers of America local chapter in the Fort Worth-Mid Cities area. We have been friends ever since. Lyn has agreed to let me grill her here. I’ve read both her series and have to admit this new one is my favorite. I look forward to each book.

Please tell us about growing up, Lyn. Share anything that lets readers get to know the real you.

Caroline, Let me first thank you for inviting me back. Visiting you is always a pleasure.

As for my childhood, I was an only child, born in San Francisco but raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota. A bit of a tomboy as a youngster, I became a bookworm in my teens. I was shy around boys and didn’t date until my senior year of high school, when a girlfriend goaded me into inviting a classmate to the Sweetheart Swirl, a girl-ask-boy dance that culminated our school’s Sadie Hawkins Days. After the dance, my date, Ken, invited me to the senior prom. Four years later, we married. We have two grown children, a boy and a girl, and nine grandkids – two biological, four by marriage, and three adopted. Our family is a messy, joyous melting pot!

Ken and Lynda


Aren’t you glad you invited Ken to that dance? Who are your favorite authors and favorite genres?

Diana Gabaldon is my favorite author. I never tire of reading and now watching her Outlander series. Of course there are many other authors I admire, including you, my friend. Western historical and Scottish romance, as well as certain types of paranormal are my favorite genres. Lately I’ve also come to enjoy the mysteries of Faye Kellerman.

When you’re not writing, what’s your favorite way to relax and recharge?

I enjoy reading, gardening and watching good movies. Oh, and cuddling my three furry babies. Err, cats that is. Naturally, I also love cuddling my youngest grandbabies.

Jax, Emerson, and Kira
December 2015

I have three cats, too. Alas, no grandchildren. How long have you been writing?

A long time! Some thirty years ago we moved from Minneapolis, our home town, to Chicago. Giving up my career in the visual arts, I stayed home to raise our kiddos, the youngest of whom was still in diapers. To keep from going bonkers, I took up writing, soon finding that I enjoyed historical research and crafting a passionate romance. Still, my new love remained only a hobby until years later, after two more transfers brought us to the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Following many false starts, I finally published my first book in 2010.

We were both late bloomers to publishing, weren’t we? My first book was published in 1998. Where do you prefer to write?  

When I’m actually writing, not keeping up with social media and marketing my books, I prefer to shut myself in our bedroom with my laptop, story outline and notes. Sometime I’ll tune in a music station on TV, one with instrumental tracks, especially Irish or Native American flute melodies.

I listen to instrumental music also. Are you a plotter or a panzer?

I’m a plotter except for the first two or three chapters of a new book. I like to get acquainted with my imaginary people in that opening section before plotting their path.

Do you do your research before you begin a new project, or as you go along?

I do basic research about the setting before I start a project, but hunt up details as I go. Often, I don’t know what details I need until reaching specific points in the story.

Tell us about your writing schedule. Do you set goals? Do you write daily?

LOL I don’t have a set schedule unless you count sitting down and opening my laptop immediately after feeding the cats their breakfast and grabbing my first cup of coffee in the morning. Barring errands or interruptions, most of my day and part of the night is spent typing. Not all on writing, of course. Social media, blogging and answering email messages take up a fairly large chunk of my time.

Tell us something about yourself that might surprise readers.

Hmm, let me think. I love mint chocolate chip ice cream. In fact I’m addicted to it. J

Chocolate and ice cream—always a good combination! What do you hope your writing brings to readers?

In each of my books, I try to lead readers on an exciting adventure and immerse them in a passionate, highly emotional romance. Additionally, I hope to leave them wondering if the psychic gifts my characters possess might really be possible.

And we both know they are, don’t we? What advice would you give to unpublished authors?

First, learn your craft. Join a writers group, attend workshops, listen to advice from experienced authors and, if possible, join a critique group.

Second, in order to build name recognition before you publish, establish a presence on Twitter, Facebook and other social media. Also consider starting a blog where you post about interesting, helpful topics. You might offer to host guest bloggers and/or conduct interviews as Caroline is doing for me.

Third, be patient and persistent. Don’t expect fame and fortune overnight, and don’t give up on your dream if it takes a while to come true.

Excellent advice, Lyn. Tell us about TOUCHING CHARLOTTE.

My latest release is TOUCHING CHARLOTTE, Romancing the Guardians, book four. Combining romantic suspense with paranormal elements, the series carries readers from Ireland to Texas, to other far-flung locations. This book is set mainly in New York City and Long Island’s gold coast (Great Gatsby country.) NYC cop turned celebrity chef Tristan Jameson meets empathic nurse Charlotte Dixon, who can’t stand to be touched. Teaching her the right man’s touch can bring joy instead of pain is Tristan’s goal. At first, he makes progress, but frightening surprises await. Please be aware this is an adult romance.



TOUCHING CHARLOTTE Excerpt:

He rested his hands on his hips, studying her. “Have you ever been touched by a man and actually found it pleasant?”
She blinked, pivoted partially away and hugged herself. “No, but there was a boy once,” she said softly. “We were ten years old, in the same grade at school. He was sweet and his touch never hurt. Then his father caught us holding hands and yanked Robbie – his name was Robbie – away from me. He called me bad names and told me never to come near his son again or he’d make me sorry.”
Tristan swore, wishing he could make the man sorry for frightening a young girl. “Why did his father not want him near you?”
She laughed bitterly. “He thought I was touched in the head or maybe a witch, like most of the townspeople believed.”
“Because of your gift?”
Char faced him, rubbing her arms. “Yes. My mother made me wear long sleeved clothes to school no matter how hot it was. She told me to avoid touching others as much as possible and not to let on if I felt things. But I picked up flashes of emotion constantly and being just a kid, I couldn’t control my reactions. Sometimes I’d start laughing or crying for no apparent reason in the middle of class. When I babbled about what some boy or girl was feeling, he or she would want to kill me and the teacher would send me down to the office, again.” She sighed. “Being different was a curse.”
“I can see that. And since Robbie, there’s been no boy, no man in your life?”
Her eyes fled his. She shook her head, auburn hair swinging back and forth. “I can’t let anyone close.”
“You’re willing to shut yourself away, always afraid to touch and be touched? To love and be loved? You’re a sweet, kind person, Char. It’s not fair for you to have to live like that.”
She stiffened and he could almost see a curtain drop over her features. Fisting her hands at her sides, she stared past his shoulder. “It’s the only way I know to survive without being crushed by the pain of someone else’s emotions. I didn’t choose this kind of life. It chose me and nothing can change that. I’ve accepted it.”
She lifted her chin, shoulders thrown back. “Thank you for showing Marilee a good time today, but now you need to go.”
He’d pushed her too hard. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to criticize you.” He retrieved his coat from the chair where he’d tossed it and shoved his arms into the sleeves. Not bothering to button it, he strode past her into the hall. Halting, he drew a deep breath. He refused to leave her like this. She deserved better. Turning, he said, “I hope you’ll let me see you again. I’d like a chance to show what pleasure the right person’s touch can give you. At least allow me to be your friend.”
She hugged herself again, watching him. “Just go. Please,” she said, smoky voice tight with emotion. Was it regret?



Lyn Horner, Author

Lyn Horner resides in Fort Worth, Texas "Where the West Begins" with her husband and several very spoiled cats. Trained in the visual arts, Lyn worked as a fashion illustrator and art instructor before she took up writing. She loves crafting passionate love stories, both historical and contemporary. Lyn also enjoys reading, gardening, visiting with family, and cuddling her furry, four-footed children.

The author's Texas Devlins series blends authentic Old West settings, steamy romance, and a glimmer of the mysterious. This series has earned multiple awards and nominations, including the Crowned Heart reviews and a Rone Award nomination from InD'Tale Magazine.

Jumping from the 19th century American Old West to the present time, Lyn is now hard at work on her romantic suspense series, Romancing the Guardians. These books combine her trademark flashes of psychic phenomena with Irish folklore and a chilling apocalyptic sub-theme. Along the way, readers are treated to thunderous action, terrifying suspense, and sizzling romance. 

Amazon Author Page:  US     UK     CA     AU

Social links: Website   Twitter   Facebook   Goodreads   Google Plus   LinkedIn





Friday, July 22, 2016

LINDA McLAUGHLIN SHARES A #Romanticidea

Linda’s Summer #RomanticIdea

“A Jug of Wine, a Loaf of Bread—and Thou” - The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám

I love that quote, and it makes me think of romantic summer picnics—at the beach, by a lake, in the mountains or a park—whatever location works best where you live or vacation. But what to pack? Wine, bread, meat and cheese are a given, but don’t forget the summer fruit—ripe red strawberries, lush juicy peaches or crisp apples. There’s nothing like a taste of fruit to sweeten a kiss.

Lady Elinor's Escape
by Linda McLaughlin
Sweet Regency Romance 

Lady Elinor Ashworth always longed for adventure, but when she runs away from her abusive aunt, she finds more than she bargained for. Elinor fears her aunt, who is irrational and dangerous, threatening Elinor and anyone she associates with. When she encounters an inquisitive gentleman, she accepts his help, but fearing for his safety, hides her identity by pretending to be a seamstress. She resists his every attempt to draw her out, all the while fighting her attraction to him

There are too many women in barrister Stephen Chaplin's life, but he has never been able to turn his back on a damsel in distress. The younger son of a baronet is a rescuer of troubled females, an unusual vocation fueled guilt over his failure to save the woman he loved from her brutal husband. He cannot help falling in love with his secretive seamstress, but to his dismay, the truth of her background reveals Stephen as the ineligible party

Buy links:



LADY ELINOR’S ESCAPE Excerpt:

Elinor looked around her. “Where shall we have our picnic?”
“I have a particular place in mind.”
A few minutes later, he reined in the horses near a small pond with a few ducks paddling on the surface. He put his hands on her waist and swung her down from the curricle. His hands lingered for a moment longer than necessary as he stared into her eyes. His were a dark liquid amber, like honey, and the warmth in his expression set her heart to racing.
Alarmed by her reaction, she stepped away from him. Oh my, this very private picnic might not have been a wise idea at all.
After tethering the horses, he spread a blanket under a nearby oak, and then produced a picnic basket. While Elinor lowered herself onto the blanket, removed her gloves and bonnet, he dug into the basket. The picnic turned out to be a hearty repast of cold chicken, cheese, bread and butter, cider and sweet, fresh strawberries.
Elinor did not realize how hungry she was until she took the first bite of chicken. Before she knew it, she had devoured a bit of everything, aware of Stephen watching her the entire time.
“I did not mean to eat so much,” she said, feeling a bit embarrassed.
“As you are so slender, I had not expected you to have such a hearty appetite,” he remarked with a smile. “I approve.”
“Everything was delicious.”
“I’ll pass your compliments on to Mother’s cook. She kindly provided the food.”
“You mean you cajoled her into it,” Elinor teased him.
He flashed her a boyish grin. “Cook always did have a soft spot in her heart for a hungry boy.”
“You must have had a wonderful childhood.”
He shrugged his shoulders. “Fairly typical, I should imagine, except for my habit of bringing home stray and injured animals. I was the despair of my mother.”
Elinor laughed softly. “Then you have not changed much, only now you collect stray females. What does your mother think of that?”
Again he shrugged. “If only I were to marry one of them, she would not object at all, or so she says.”
“I see.” So he was under familial pressure to marry. But he could hardly consider a liaison with a seamstress. Was he pursuing her as one last fling before getting married?
“There is one strawberry left.” He held it out to her.
She leaned toward him and bit into the sweet pulp. A trickle of juice ran down her chin. With one finger, he captured the moisture, and then licked it off, all the while holding her gaze. Her eyes widened at the intimacy of the gesture as heat rose to her cheeks. She was in over her head here.

Linda McLaughlin, Author


Linda McLaughlin grew up with a love of books and history, so it's only natural she prefers writing historical romance. She loves transporting her readers into the past where her characters learn that, in the journey of life, love is the sweetest reward. Linda also writes steamy to erotic romance under the name Lyndi Lamont, and is one half of the writing team of Lyn O'Farrell.

You can find her online at:
Twitter: @Lyndi Lamont https://twitter.com/LyndiLamont



Wednesday, July 20, 2016

MARY JO PUTNEY'S NEW RELEASE -- ONCE A SOLDIER




Once a Soldier
by Mary Jo Putney



GENRE:  Historical Romance



ONCE A SOLDIER Blurb:

ROGUES REDEEMED

As heir to a title and great wealth, Will Masterson should have stayed home and tended his responsibilities. Instead he went to war. Now, after perilous years fighting the French, he intends his current mission to be his last. But all his plans are forgotten when he arrives in the small mountain stronghold of San Gabriel and meets her.

Knowing herself to be too tall, strong, and unconventional to appeal to a man, Athena Markham has always gloried in her independence. But for the first time in her life, she finds a man who might be her match.

Two of a kind, too brave for their own good, Athena and Will vow to do whatever it takes to vanquish San Gabriel’s enemies. For neither will back down from death, and only together can they find happiness and a love deeper than any they'd dared imagine...





 ONCE A SOLDIER Excerpt:

She stared at him, feeling as if time had stopped. She was sharply aware of the sweeping valley and mild breeze, the sunshine warming them both, his tanned complexion.

The bleak impossibility of what he was saying. “Forgive me if I’m misunderstanding, but are you actually proposing courtship?”

“Indeed I am. A courtship of two wary but wise adults.” He hesitated before continuing, “It’s possible I am too old and jaded to ever be fit for marriage again.”

“You’re not that old,” she said firmly.

He smiled a little. “Perhaps not. But I have seen too much of the world and made too many mistakes.”

“I often feel the same,” she said. “Perhaps that is why I interest you?”

“Very likely. I have trouble imagining myself making conversation with the typical well-bred young lady back in England.”

“No more than I could converse with an English country gentleman, the sort who cherishes delicate females,” she said wryly. “Which is one of several reasons I’ve sworn never to marry.”

“‘Never’ is a very long time. We change with age. Things that seemed implausible can come to seem desirable.”

“True in theory, but I’m settling happily into eccentric spinsterhood,” she retorted. “I doubt I’d change my mind.”

“But you do concede the possibility of changing your mind.” He smiled. “I can work with that.”

She couldn’t resist smiling back. “You’re very persistent, Will. But you haven’t much time to change my mind.”

“True,” he said thoughtfully. “Are you willing to experiment? My brother’s wife is full of interesting thoughts and theories. She said that courting couples meet under such artificial circumstances and see so little of each other that it’s far too easy to choose one’s life partner very badly.”

Mary Jo Putney, Author

Mary Jo Putney is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author who has written over 60 novels and novellas. A ten-time finalist for the Romance Writers of America RITA, she has won the honor twice and is on the RWA Honor Roll for bestselling authors. In 2013 she was awarded the RWA Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award.  Though most of her books have been historical romance, she has also published contemporary romances, historical fantasy, and young adult paranormal historicals. She lives in Maryland with her nearest and dearest, both two and four footed.  Visit her at www.maryjoputney.com





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Monday, July 18, 2016

LAND OF MY DREAMS TAKES READERS TO SCOTLAND



Land of My Dreams
by Norma Gail

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GENRE: Christian romance

Norma Gail will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble Gift Card to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour.

Norma Gail has graciously granted an interview I know you'll enjoy. 

Share with readers about your life:


I grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico with three younger sisters and over 20 first cousins, aunts, uncles, and we gathered at my grandparents’ house every Sunday afternoon. Built during WWII, I think the builder saved money on the foundation by using a concrete swimming pool as the basement. However, the house only took up about half the pool, leaving a big concrete hole in back with huge steps leading into it. It provided a safe place for little kids so they couldn’t wander into the irrigation ditch that ran alongside. It had a spooky old basement where the older cousins took delight in scaring those of us who were younger.

Norma Gail's extended family at her grandparents' old home

Every other summer we visited family who lived in Idaho, near Yellowstone, and in Montana near Glacier Park. We camped, hiked, fished, went swimming, and waterskiing. It was a perfect childhood.

I have been a bookworm from the moment I learned to read. No one ever wanted me on their team for anything, except possibly spelling. During the summer, my mom constantly had to send me outside because I sneaked in and sat in my favorite chair with a book. I sometimes took my book and crawled under the overhang of a large climbing rosebush where I could escape detection for a while.


I have been married to my very best friend and the love of my life for 40 years. We have two adult children and a daughter-in-law. 

Dirk and Norma Gail's family


Who are your favorite authors and favorite genres?


I love classic literature! I still read books that everyone else in school hated, Charles Dickens, the Brontë sisters, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Mark Twain, and Louisa May Alcott. We visited The House of Seven Gables in Salem, Massachusetts a couple of years ago and found it fascinating. I love romance and romantic suspense, either historical or contemporary. Some of my favorite Christian authors are Susan May Warren, Dani Pettrey, Liz Curtis Higgs, and Michael Phillips.  

What’s your favorite way to relax and recharge?


Reading is probably number one. I led women’s Bible studies for 21 years, and individual study is still one of my favorite things. I love researching my family history, and have gone back 14 generations on one side. We live in the mountains, but we also love to vacation in mountains, especially with one of our Jeeps and some 4x4 trails.

Do you have a favorite quote that sums up how you feel about life?


The quote that means the most to me came from my own book, LAND OF MY DREAMS, perhaps because it sums up a truth I have experienced in my own life.

Sometimes the greatest blessings come when you leave the familiar behind and take a step of faith.”

How long have you been writing?


I have been writing since I learned to write. I have always made up stories and poems, most of which still exist in a box that was buried somewhere in the attic when we moved. I didn’t write much when my kids were growing up. I was too busy being a homeschool and soccer mom. When the kids left home and I ended up in a wheelchair with a broken foot, I began to write my first novel. That was in 2008 and I have enough ideas in my head to last the rest of my life.

Where do you prefer to write? Do you need quiet, music, solitude? PC or laptop?


I prefer the songs of birds, squeaking of squirrels, and trickling of the fountain in the yard to music when I am writing. However, there are times when I need to increase the emotion I experience in order to write well. Then I find the songs on the playlist I have created for that particular project and play it to help me delve deeper into the mood. I love taking my laptop out on the patio and writing outside. 

View from Norma's desk
(I'd never get any writing done for
staring out the window) 


Are you a plotter or a pantster?


I am a total pantster who is sometimes forced into plotting to make the conflict come in the right places and ensure that the events are in the best possible order. I love sitting down at the computer and letting ideas flow.

Do you use real events or persons in your stories or as an inspiration for stories?


I often choose actors to help me visualize my characters. One of my favorites came from a woman I saw in the grocery store in the small mountain town where I shop. I have a historical trilogy floating around in my mind and real family stories, as well as photos of my ancestors, which hang above my desk, are the inspiration for that.

Do you set daily writing goals? Word count? Number of chapters? Do you get a chance to write every day?


I am a rather undisciplined writer. The daily goals I set have more to do with getting household chores and shopping done, along with minor details like fixing meals. If the ideas are coming, I’m writing. I have been known on occasion, to be in my pajamas at the computer with no lights on and no dinner fixed when it’s time for my husband to arrive from work. I usually manage to get dressed before he gets home, but it’s no secret.

What do you hope your writing brings to readers?


I want my readers get so caught up in the story that they can’t put it down. I also hope to show my readers how God works through the circumstances of our lives to reveal His love and care and direct our steps. I want my books to draw readers closer to God.

What long-term plans do you have for your career?


I am working on the sequel to LAND OF MY DREAMS. It’s taking longer than I intended because life gets in the way sometimes. I am writing a romantic novella, which I hope ends up being part of an anthology with other members of a blog group. I have the historic trilogy I mentioned earlier. It is based on real-life stories of my pioneer ancestors. There is no shortage of ideas. 

No, there is never a shortage of ideas. The shortage is time to write them.What advice would you give to unpublished authors?


Attend writer’s conferences. Network with other writers. Have critique partners. Learn your craft. Don’t automatically assume that because a couple of friends or family members liked your story that it is good enough for publication. Start a blog and grow a platform, a group of people who read your blog, authors on Facebook and other social media, who will help promote your book. Have your book professionally edited before you submit to a publisher or agent and take their advice. Don’t assume you have the next bestseller.

Poster promoting LAND OF MY DREAMS


Share a fun fact readers wouldn’t know about you.


I love Jeeps. We have owned 6 over the years and there are two in our garage now. I have health problems that prevent me from taking long hikes but I can go places I could never walk to on 4x4 trails. If there is a sheer drop off on one side of the road and it’s impossible to see beyond the front of the Jeep, the more I love the challenge. I drive; my husband rides and reads signs and maps. One time, we topped the 13,000-foot high Imogene Pass in Colorado as a thunderstorm hit. On the downhill side, we came upon two women hiking toward the summit in spite of the storm. They were quite amazed to discover I was the driver.

Norma Gail's children and husband Dirk
at Imogene Pass, Colorado


Share something about you that would surprise or shock readers.


I was an RN on a 64-bed orthopaedic unit. One Sunday, when I was charge nurse, I refused to take an order from the medical director of the hospital. I felt it would not be in the best interest of my patient. He insisted he would have my job, but instead, they placed him on a leave of absence and I kept my job.

Is your book a series? If so, how long? Family saga, other?


LAND OF MY DREAMS is an approximately 400 page contemporary inspirational romance. The sequel is in progress. It is a romantic suspense with the same characters as the first book. I don’t have a contract for it yet, but I do have an invitation to submit it to the publisher. 

Can you give readers a blurb about LAND OF MY DREAMS?


Alone and betrayed, American professor, Bonny Bryant longs for a haven of peace. She accepts a position at a small Christian college in Fort William, Scotland, craving escape from her painful past. The passionate love which develops when she meets fellow professor and sheep farmer, Kieran MacDonell, is something she never anticipated.

Kieran harbors a deep anger toward God in the face of his own devastating grief. When Bonny’s former fiancé reenters her life, Kieran’s loneliness draws him to a former student.

How will Bonny decide between her rivals? Can they set aside the past to make way for a future, or will it drive them apart?

LAND OF MY DREAMS spans the distance between New Mexico’s high desert mountains and the misty Scottish Highlands with a timeless story of overwhelming grief, undying love, and compelling faith.

How about an excerpt of LAND OF MY DREAMS?


Misty’s hooves slogged through the mud and wet grass as fast as Bonny could make her go. Four days of heavy rain left everything dreich and drookit. The gray clouds hung low and heavy. The snow had begun. Heavy, wet flakes, sticking to the ground as the temperature dropped. A blustering wind raced across the pasture, rippling the grass and heather in its wake. The sheep turned their backs to the impending storm.


She stopped, wondering which trail he followed, when a gunshot sounded from due north. Stifling her fear, she headed up a hill where they had seen the old stag a week ago. Within a mile, she saw blood in the fresh snow and the signs of a large man dragging himself.

“Kieran! Kieran! Where are you?” She began to call his name, frantically, the shotgun ready in case the poacher still lurked in the area.

She stopped to listening, hoping, hardly daring to breathe.

The mist-shrouded hills were silent. The snow fell harder now, and she knew that soon any tracks would be covered. She walked further up the trail where they had spotted the stag a few days ago.

At last, she heard a weak voice calling her name. Rounding a thick stand of trees, she saw him lying in the snow at the end of a trail of blood.

“For once I’m thankful you don’t follow orders.” His voice sounded weak, punctuated by quick, shallow breaths. “It’s in my abdomen, love. I grazed his leg as I fell to the ground. He scared Storm away and headed east on an ATV toward the A87. I need help fast.”

Running to his side, she unzipped his coat and opened his shirt to see the wound, her stomach turning as she realized how much blood he had lost. “Don’t you die on me, Kieran MacDonell. We have a wedding in four weeks and nothing will stop me from marrying you this time.” She ran to her saddlebags for the first aid kit.

“Can you ride?” She noted the ashen gray of his skin. He was shivering, whether from pain, shock, or cold, she wasn’t sure. If only she had remembered a blanket.

He shook his head. “I can’t get up. I used my strength shoutin’ to get your attention. How did you find me?”

Bonny tore open the packages of gauze and pressed them against the wound, propping him against the rock to wrap an ace bandage around him. “When I reached the big rock where the trail splits, I heard a shot and began looking in this direction. I followed the trail we were on the other day. I’m going to bring Misty over and see if we can get you up on her back.”

“I shot into the air—I think I’m going to pass out.”

He felt stronger after she urged him to take deep breaths. With her help and a large stick for a cane, they succeeded in getting him up on a large rock, enabling him to drag himself onto Misty’s back.

“Hold onto my saddle horn. You’ll be grateful for my Western saddle.” Bonny took the reins and led Misty back toward the house. With his strength ebbing fast, his eyes were sunken, his stare blank, and he had trouble staying on the horse.

“Honey, we’re getting close, hold on tight.” When he made no sound, she turned, horrified to see him lying forward on Misty’s neck. What would I do if he fell off?

Bonny exhaled with relief when the house came in sight with the constable’s car in front. “Call for the rescue helicopter. He’s been shot in the abdomen.”

One constable came running to help as the other got on the radio. By the time the copter arrived, Kieran was unresponsive, his breathing shallow. The constable took over putting pressure on the wound after Bonny packed it with as much sterile gauze as Maggie and Eleanor had. She didn’t know how much blood someone could lose and still live, but he must have reached a critical point.








Is there anything else you’d like readers to know about you?


My husband and I spent our 30th wedding anniversary in Scotland. From the moment the plane landed, I felt as if I belonged. I did not begin the book for two years, but the dream that sparked the story came while we were researching and preparing for our trip. I have Scottish ancestry from three sides of the family and my love of all things Scottish was sparked by a note in a family tree indicating my heritage when I was very young. We stood at the Loch Garry overlook for a total of about 15 minutes, marveling at the amazing likeness of its shape to a map of Scotland. Had I known it would become the setting for a book, I would have spent much longer. My dream is to return and sit on the porch of a guesthouse, watching the place where I have spent so much time in my dreams.

Dirk and Norma in Scotland on their 30th anniversary


Book Links:
Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas Bookstore: http://store.lpcbooks.com/product/land-of-my-dreams/

LAND OF MY DREAMS will be $0.99 during the tour.



   
Norma  Gail, Author


Norma Gail is the author of the contemporary Christian romance, Land of My Dreams. A women’s Bible study leader for over 21 years, her devotionals and poetry have appeared at ChristianDevotions.us, the Stitches Thru Time blog, and in “The Secret Place.” She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Romance Writers of America, and the New Mexico Christian Novelists. Norma is a former RN who lives in the mountains of New Mexico with her husband of 40 years. They have two adult children.
Connect with Norma:


GIVEAWAY INFORMATION:

Norma Gail will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble Gift Card to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway