INTERVIEW WITH BARBARA WHITE DAILLE!

CC:  Welcome back to the blog, Barbara.

BWD:  Thanks, Caroline.  It’s a pleasure to drop in again! I'm looking forward to chatting with readers and giving away a book. Details on that will be at the end of my post.

CC:  Tell us something about yourself.  How long have you been writing?

BWD:  I’ve always been a storyteller and started writing when I was about four, though in those days spelling and even printing legibly were optional.  My first book was “published” when I was nine, complete with hand-illustrated cover.  I typed “The End” on my first full-length novel when I was in the eighth grade.  This was a mystery with a romance subplot, and it had a sequel.  As I’m now a romance writer, I haven’t strayed far from my roots.

CC:   I “wrote” and illustrated books when I was very young too. As I remember, they all involved a princess (me) in a pretty dress, a knight on a white horse, and a castle. Where do you prefer to work?  Do use a PC or laptop?

Broken laptop

My best place to write is at my office desk, which I think comes from years of being a secretary sitting at a computer.  It’s just a natural place for me to work, and I can write so much faster on a computer than in longhand.  In fact, I write so much, I’ve worn out more than a few laptops and keyboards.  LOL

Old Keyboard with missing letters

When I’m brainstorming or away from a computer—such as in bed in the middle of the night or riding in a taxi—I’m fine with paper and pen, too.

CC:  I have keys that look like those—no letters left on them, but I love a particular type keyboard. My husband keeps a version of this favorite keyboard in reserve so I can change as one bites the dust. Can you tell readers something about what you write?

BWD:  I would love to. And I also love to chat, so I hope your readers will free to leave comments and questions for me if they have any. I'll be giving away an autographed print book, winner's choice of my available backlist, to one reader (U.S./Canada mailing address, please) who leaves a comment by midnight Monday night, May 22nd.

I’m currently writing short contemporary romances for both Harlequin Western Romance and Entangled Bliss.  The Westerns are small-town stories filled with cowboys and ranchers, cute kids, loving yet interfering family members, and nosy but caring neighbors.  The Bliss books all contain the same fun elements, just minus the cowboys and ranchers.

CC:  Congratulations on the release of your new book.  Please tell us about it.

BWD:  Thanks for asking!  The new release is The Rancher’s Baby Proposal.  In this story, the hero, Reagan, returns to his hometown with his young son.  Reagan’s parents have both died and he wants to clear out and sell his family’s ranch so he can put the memories and the town behind him for good.  Unfortunately for him, the heroine wants nothing more than for him to stay in Cowboy Creek—with her.

Here’s the back cover blurb from the book:

HER SECRET COWBOY CRUSH

Ally Martinez has always been known as a fun and flirty kind of gal. But deep down she’s never forgotten the cowboy who left town. When her crush Reagan Chase comes home after a five-year absence, Ally knows this is her big chance. The guy I’ve always wanted. Only Reagan has something different in mind…

Still reeling from his last relationship, Reagan needs a babysitter for his month-old son. With Ally’s help, he can get his family’s ranch ready for sale and get out of Cowboy Creek. The problem? Ally is one seriously cute distraction. But Reagan will do whatever it takes to keep his heart safe. Even if it means losing the only place—and the only woman—he can call home.

CC:  That sounds great!  This book is part of a series, isn’t it?

BWD:  Yes.  It’s the newest story in my Hitching Post Hotel series.  The books are written so that each one stands alone.  The hero and heroine reach their happy ending by the last page of their story, which means the books don’t necessarily need to be read in order.  That’s true of all my books.

CC:  Tell us more about the Hitching Post Hotel.

The Hitching Post is set on a ranch in Cowboy Creek, New Mexico.  Jed Garland owns both the ranch and the hotel, and his granddaughters are in the process of helping him turn the hotel into a destination wedding locale.  The series began as a trio of books with the matchmaking Jed bound and determined to match his three granddaughters with men he’d handpicked for them.  Of course he runs out of granddaughters eventually!  But readers love Jed and his “girls,” and they wanted more stories about all the Garlands and the Hitching Post.  At that point, Grandpa Jed moved on to matching up family friends.  :)

CC:   What about your books for Entangled Bliss?

BWD:  The series is called Snowflake Valley.  This is a tiny town in Nevada nestled between two snow-covered mountains.  It’s also a tourist town dedicated to Christmas, and the first books in the series are all set during different winter holidays, which is making them very fun to write.

The series revolves around sisters who find love in Snowflake Valley—whether they like the idea or not!  Again, these are stand-alone stories.  Book one, Snowbound with Mr. Wrong, was out in November and the second is due to release this August.

CC:  Can you share a sample from The Rancher’s Baby Proposal?

BWD:  I would love to.  And I also love to chat, so I hope your readers will feel free to leave comments and questions for me if they have any. 

I’ll introduce the sample by saying that though the heroine, Ally, is doing a great job with Reagan’s son, she’s only now learning to feel comfortable around children.  This excerpt comes from one of my favorite scenes starring Ally with Reagan’s one-month-old baby.  Hope you and your readers enjoy it!

     Ally attempted to light a tall white candle with a match that bobbed and shook and went out in her hand.

She struck another match and tried again. She had to get these candles lit.

“When you’re planning a seduction,” she told Sean, “you need to set the right mood.” She shot a look across the room at him in his infant seat. “But don’t go getting any ideas, you hear me? You’re way too young to think about seducing a girl.”

Finished with the lighting ceremony, she waved her hand, gesturing at the candles and pewter holder she had brought from home, the china and glasses and silverware she had found in the dining room hutch here and had washed in the kitchen sink, the vase of hot pink and flaming red tulips she had picked up at the L-G Store.

“What do you think, baby? Is it all a go?”

She walked over to stand beside him. To be safe, she had placed his seat on one of the sturdy pine captain’s chairs from the kitchen set, which she had moved far away from the candles on the table.

As she looked down, Sean shifted his arm.

“Oh, you think it deserves a fist bump, huh?” She reached over to touch her knuckles to his tiny hand. “Thanks for the vote of confidence.”

For a moment, her own confidence began to flicker like the flames on the candles. Then she lifted her chin and stiffened her spine. With her arms held straight out at her sides, she twirled once slowly in front of Sean. “And what do you think of this?”

When she looked down at him again, his eyes had closed. He had drifted off to sleep.

“Great,” she whispered. “I hope that’s not your way of telling me what to expect with your daddy.”

CC:  It sounds like Ally is doing a fine job with the baby so far! 

BWD:  To be honest, she’s making much better progress with Sean than with his daddy.

CC:  Thanks again for visiting.  Before you go, can you tell readers a little more about you and where they can find out more about you and your books?

BWD: Absolutely. I'll share my "offiical" bio here and will list some links below. Thank you again for inviting me to stop by!

Barbara White Daille, Author

Barbara White Daille lives with her husband in the sunny Southwest. Though they love the warm winters and the lizards in their front yard, they haven’t gotten used to the scorpions in the bathroom. Barbara also loves writing, reading, and chocolate. Come to think of it, she enjoys writing about those subjects, too!

Barbara wrote her first short story at the age of nine, then typed "The End" to her first novel many years later...in the eighth grade. Now she's writing contemporary romance on a daily basis, with an ongoing series from Harlequin Western Romance (The Hitching Post Hotel) and a new series from Entangled Bliss (Snowflake Valley).  Sign up for her newsletter to keep up with the latest in her writing life:  http://barbarawhitedaille.com/newsletter.

Find Barbara and her books online:

Website  http://www.barbarawhitedaille.com   

Blog  http://www.barbarawhitedaille.com/blog 

Newsletter  http://www.barbarawhitedaille.com/newsletter 

Facebook  http://www.facebook.com/barbarawhitedaille 

Twitter  https://twitter.com/BarbaraWDaille 

Amazon author page  http://www.amazon.com/Barbara-White-Daille/e/B002J6B0QQ 

Harlequin author page  http://www.harlequin.com/author.html?authorid=1244
Goodreads author page

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/529361.Barbara_White_Daille

Find The Rancher’s Baby Proposal at any of these locations:

Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Ranchers-Baby-Proposal-Hitching-Hotel-ebook/dp/B01LLPCDXY/
Barnes & Noble
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-ranchers-baby-proposal-barbara-white-daille/1124564570
Books-A-Million
http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Ranchers-Baby-Proposal/Barbara-White-Daille/Q92625305?id=6809026813830
Harlequin
http://www.harlequin.com/storeitem.html?iid=70354
IndieBound
http://www.indiebound.org/book/9780373757596
Kobo
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-rancher-s-baby-proposal         

DONNA DEL ORO INTERVIEW ABOUT HER SERIES!

The Jake Bernstein FBI series

by Donna Del Oro

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

GENRE:   romantic suspense

Donna Del Oro will be awarding winner's choice of ebook or print copy of A BODYGUARD OF LIES (print - US only) to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

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

BLURB:

A riveting blend of romantic thriller, mystery and WWII espionage that spans sixty years of lies. England’s secret service agency MI5 recruits Jewish-American FBI analyst Jake Bernstein to go undercover and investigate an elderly, naturalized American grandmother, suspected of being a notorious Nazi spy wanted for war crimes during WWII. Jake runs into a series of complications: This spy knows a secret that could endanger the British royal family; Jake’s attraction to the old woman’s beautiful granddaughter; a ruthless and violent Irish neo-Nazi group is tracking him; and a clever, cagey old lady stands in the way of justice. His priority shifts from finding the evidence to staying alive!

Available Now!

Available January 4, 2017!

Excerpt:

Breakfast in the hotel dining room was to be served at 7 a.m.. Next stop: Cardiff, the capital of Wales, then their ferry ride to Ireland. He’d finally looked over the itinerary. The motor coach would be leaving that afternoon, after a tour and lunch in Bath. A quick perusal of the day’s agenda showed him they had the afternoon free to wander around Bath and do some shopping. Maybe he could invite Meg and her grandmother to spend some time with him.

           

Still drowsy with sleep, he looked over at the pillow next to his. Visualizing Meg lying there, her lush hair with all its variegated blonde hues fanned out, stirred him. The erection he’d awakened with grew harder; not surprising, he thought, considering his celibacy of late. Strictly his choice, despite the offers tossed his way.

           

The opportunities had been there and he’d ignored them, stubborn man that he was.  Even late last night, when the two New Jersey sisters had called and invited him to a private party in Hank’s room. He’d declined tactfully.

           

At thirty-two years old, he found himself holding out for more. 

           

Stupid fool, he scolded himself. Or as the Brits would say, sodding wanker!  Or something to that effect. He should learn to take it when it was offered to him on a platter, free of charge.  All he had to do was be nice to a girl for a few hours, promise to call her, and then…

           

Ah, but as Grandpa Nate would say, “nussing is free in dis vorld”.

           

Dreams of Meg had plagued him—rather entertained him—all night. Even now, recalling how her small, plump breasts bounced up and down while she ran alongside him, how her long ponytail swung back and forth, filled him with unbridled lust. The one time they’d stopped at the Roman ruins, they’d let their arms brush together. Neither had pulled away. Just that light touch had flooded his insides with longing. She appeared to feel the same.  She’d flushed to the roots of her hair and after that, had touched him in some small way every chance she got. Each touch was electric, sizzling!

           

What he liked about her was her total lack of coyness or flirtatiousness. Meg was straightforward, without guile; she wasn’t playing games. He could read the honesty in her face when she told him about her breakup with the ex-fiancé and her distrust of men and their empty promises and vows. All lies, she’d mused with just a hint of bitterness. She’d finally come to accept the reality of men.

           

Or some men, she’d amended, adding quickly that she’d apologize if she was offending him. No, he’d said; I agree with you. Most men lie through their teeth. It’s a guy thing.

           

That admission had elicited a small, rueful laugh from both of them. And she’d let her arm brush his again, as if to reassure him. He was different, she was saying.

           

No, I’m not, he’d wanted to say. I’m a liar, an impostor. And you’re going to hate me when this is all over.

   

Author Donna Del Oro

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Donna is a retired high school English teacher and is finally able to fulfill her dream of writing fiction. She lives in Northern California with her husband and three cats. When she’s not writing novels, she’s singing with the Sacramento Valley Chorus or traveling with her husband. Life is good and she feels very blessed.

Visit her on Facebook or at www.donnadeloro.com

www.thewildrosepress.com/Donna Del Oro

Contact her: donna@donnadeloro.com

This tour is featuring the Jake Bernstein FBI Series LIES IN WAIT, Book Two of the FBI series will be out January 4, 2017, and the 3rd book will be attached a few months after.

Amazon buy link:

https://www.amazon.com/Bodyguard-Lies-Jake-Bernstein-Book-ebook/dp/B01F0LGEFI

Barnes and Noble buy link:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/bodyguard-of-lies-donna-del-oro/1107226297

We’re fortunate that Donna Del Oro has been gracious enough to give an interview about her life and work.

Tell readers about your personal life.

I’m married (50 years next year!) and have two grown children, a teacher and a biotech engineer. Growing up, I was definitely a bookworm! You couldn’t pry a book out of my hands if I was engaged. I guess I was a typical nerd. Most of my childhood was spent in the country, either on my grandfather’s ranch or my other grandmother’s farm.

Who are your favorite authors and favorite genres?

My favorite authors are all men, like Daniel Silva, Michael Connolly, Brad Thor, James Patterson, James Rollins, Dan Brown. That’s why I have no trouble writing from a man’s POV in my FBI romantic suspense series. My favorite genre is the spy novel, of which Daniel Silva is a master!

What’s your favorite way to relax and recharge? Hobbies?

I sing soprano with a large, award-winning barbershop chorus. It’s challenging, relaxing and the singing sisterhood is very gratifying! That’s my main hobby besides reading, of course, and spending time with my two grandsons.

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

Yes, absolutely! By Shakespeare: “To thine own self be true/And as surely as the night follows the day/ Thou canst be false with any man.”

How long have you been writing?

All my life, off and on. I wrote as a child little, illustrated books; as a teen, I wrote my first romantic novel, SEVENTEENTH SUMMER; as an adult, I began to write with the intent to get published.

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

I compose on my MacBook Pro on my kitchen counter. I tend to need quiet but I’ll play music to create some mood music for a particular scene. Soft, romantic music if I’m going to write a romantic/sexy scene.

Are you a plotter or a panzer?

I’m a combination of both. I plot in my head, use a Vann diagram to keep straight all the characters’ details, and usually a loose outline of scenes. I have a firm beginning and end for my novel but everything in between is fluid and subject to change, if I feel a scene isn’t going to work or another one is needed. The IN-BETWEEN STUFF IS ALL CREATIVE. That’s what is the most fun to write. I know where I’m going but I’m not quite sure how I’ll get there.

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

A BODYGUARD OF LIES, LIES IN WAIT and WHERE DANGER LIES are all based on or inspired by actual events or people.

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

No, that’s too confining, too anal for me. If the flow stops, I stop.

What do you hope your writing brings to readers?

I’d like readers to learn about the dangers that are really and truly OUT THERE, and that our security rests on a dedicated team of people in the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

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

None. I take each day as it comes. I don’t intend to set the world on fire.

What advice would you give to unpublished authors?

You know what they say, AUTHORS ARE WRITERS WHO NEVER GAVE UP!

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

My favorite TV series is DOWNTON ABBEY! I cried when they shut down the series.

Share something about you that would surprise or shock readers.

I’m a heterosexual female but I love to write from the male’s POV.

Since you’re sharing a series with readers, tell us a bit about the series.

My FBI Romantic Suspense Series features Special Agent Jake Bernstein, as he navigates his way through one dangerous, undercover assignment after another. See the ad for all three books.

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

Read my books and let me know what you think!

Dust Jacket/Promo blurb for promo print copies of LIES IN WAIT;

The exciting sequel to A BODYGUARD OF LIES!

For love of country or love of a woman?

These are two of the choices FBI analyst/undercover specialist Jake Bernstein faces when he goes undercover for the Joint Counter Terrorism Center. His mission in Silicon Valley: Identify the masterminds behind what the JCTC chief believes is a coordinated terrorist plot that may involve five American cities.  Posing as a disaffected  biotech scientist, Jake is recruited and tested in a harsh, brutal way. But slowly, the pieces of a terrorist plot begin to emerge.  To prove his loyalty to radical Islam, he must first pass the ultimate test of total obedience. It is a test so despicable and shocking, Jake doubts he can follow through with it. But if he cannot do this, the undercover operation will fail.  Thousands of lives are at stake!

As the cell lies in wait for the final call to carry out mass murder, Jake must make a fateful choice. Do his duty and stop the terrorist plot? Or save the woman he loves?  Is Jake clever enough to do both?

REVIEWS INCLUDE:

“Lies in Wait is a page turner that'll raise the hairs on your neck. A damn fine read.”-Dee Brice, author of IT TAKES A THIEF.

NYTimes bestselling author Brenda Novak says of A BODYGUARD OF LIES, Book One in the Jake Bernstein FBI mystery thriller series, “The past and the present collide in this intriguing romantic thriller that captures the angst and pain a lifetime of lies can cause… combines politics, romance and history. This story positively captivates!”

Celtic Lady’s Reviews has this to say about  A BODYGUARD OF LIES: “Exploring the the intricacies of human emotion and passion for a cause, A Bodyguard of Lies is a must read…that tells the horrifying story of how much devastation and loss there is in a war and how love perseveres...  There is just the right amount of steamy sex that does not overtake the story... I highly recommend this book…and the entire series with unforgettable hero, FBI agent Jake Bernstein.”

Short Excerpt from LIES IN WAIT

          “I’ll be down to San Diego every weekend,” he said, “or as many weekends as I can manage.” He gazed at her face, devoid of makeup. Her sleepy-eyed expression was sexy as hell. “If you’re free…”

          “Down? You mean, you’ll be up in northern California? On an undercover assignment?”

          “Yeah, but the very devil couldn’t keep me away.” Which was a lie, he thought. His assignment came first and always would. It had to be that way. There was too much at stake. (p. 33)

Another short excerpt from LIES IN WAIT

          How could an old woman’s torment at the very end of her life have satisfied anyone’s sense of justice?

          Mustn’t think about that now. It wasn’t Jake’s fault. He was just doing his job. Like now…

          She sipped more coffee and gazed out to sea. Ten yards beyond the water line, a huge boulder rose from the sand. That’s where Jake would take and dump her.

          What if something went wrong? What if…

          Playing her part, she leaned against Jake’s wide shoulder. Her head went slack and she shut her eyes. She couldn’t bear to see the look of extreme pain on his face. The two men…those Islamic terrorists…on the bluff behind them were watching.

          Her voice took on a hard edge.

          “Jake, after this is over, don’t ever call me again. I never want to see you, talk to you, have anything to do with you. Ever again.”

         

a Rafflecopter giveaway

INTERVIEW WITH LINDA CARROLL-BRADD, AUTHOR OF LACED BY LOVE #MontanaSkyKW

Readers, my guest today is Linda Carroll-Bradd. I’ve only recently met her through our participation in a joint project. She’s a talented writer and lovely person. She’s agreed to let me interview her about her latest release, LACED BY LOVE.

Share anything that lets readers get to know the real you.

I grew up in a northern California moderate-sized city, the middle of three sisters. Any other middles out there? I was so introverted that some of my parents’ friends thought they only had two daughters. I loved to read, to disappear into the world created in the pages of a book. I can remember making my younger sister get on the wagon train I created from the picnic table and a couple of saw horses after reading Little House On The Prairie.

After a life-changing event following eighth grade graduation (doctor said I didn’t have to wear my glasses fulltime), I decided to be more outgoing and in high school, I burst into the social scene. Plus I adopted lots of feminist ideals in college. Nobody has been able to keep me from expressing my opinions since.

Trekking along with my husband’s job jaunts has given me the chance to live three years in central Oregon and twelve years in Texas. We’ve now returned to southern California near 3 of our 4 adult children, and enjoy living in the San Bernardino National Forest while he works for a camp and conference center. Our 4^th child lives in the northern part of California along with her husband and two daughters. Our small cabin is shared with two beloved dogs, Keiko and Phoenix.

I imagine you live in a beautiful setting. When you’re not writing, what’s your favorite way to relax and recharge?

Living in a forest at 6,800 feet gives me a view of all four seasons. (still have a couple of inches of snow in our back yard from a late January storm) Just going onto the deck or taking the dogs for a walk can recharge me. I’m still a lover of reading and can get reenergized by reading a great story.

How long have you been writing?

23 years. On a landmark birthday, I gifted myself with a one-day class in writing romance. And I was hooked. Because I was working fulltime, I stole moments here and there to write and the story developed at a snail’s pace. Twelve years later, I made a sale. My first published story was in a confession magazine. The best thing that I learned in that course was about Romance Writers of America, and I hooked up with a local chapter that introduced me to critique groups.

Why did you choose to participate in Debra Holland’s Montana Sky Series Kindle World?

Debra’s Montana Sky series includes the world where many of my other stories are set-western United States from 1860-1890. I have been involved with Debra’s stories behind the scenes as an editor since 2012 and have come to really love the setting and the characters. I wanted to create people to visit that established setting and interact with the characters she’s created.

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

Most of my writing is done on a PC in an upstairs niche in our small cabin that serves as my work space. I often have music playing in the background and it varies from sing-along music for narrative to instrumentals for the dialogue scenes. I’ve discovered if I’m on deadline, I can write almost anywhere on my laptop.

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

I started out years ago being such a plotter than I needed to know the color of the heroine’s apartment walls before I wrote a single word of the manuscript. Over the years I’ve tried several methods of plotting with varying degrees of success. I gave a presentation once to an RWA chapter describing my attempts and pointing out which manuscripts (finished and not) those methods had produced. Now my method has evolved into a combination of the two. I need to know certain details about the characters (family members, upbringing, personality type (based on archetype), biggest fear, best skill), how the setting impacts the story, and how I envision the ending. What I’ve discovered is I can trust my storytelling sense to bring the characters together at the end with a heartwarming conclusion.

What research did this project involve?

Because of the remote location of Morgan’s Crossing, I figured if people weren’t miners then they must have stumbled onto this town on their way somewhere else. I like finding different professions and the idea of a traveling vaudeville troupe was intriguing. My heroine, Cinnia, performed dramatic interpretations of poems. So I studied what poetry available to her in 1886 was still recognizable today. Each poetic rendition required a different costume, so I also gave her dressmaker skills. (cue research into sewing machines and dress forms)

Originally, I intended the hero, Nic, to be a miner who’d been injured and now worked at a mostly sedentary profession like saddlery. When I started researching tanning methods from that time period, I discovered that Russian leather had been considered the best quality in the late 1700s. (Who knew that?) So much so that spies were sent to Russia to discover the secret formula. That changed the hero’s background, and he became one of three brothers living in hiding spread throughout the West until their father receives a patent on the tanning method.

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

Before I was published, I was much better about word count goals. Now my deadlines set my work schedule. I do more research than needed, but I’ve discovered this method often leads to wonderful little ethnic customs or foods that round out a story well. Although I may not write actual new pages every day, I’m always researching or plotting or revising pages.

Do you write full time or do you have a day job. If you have a day job, what is it?

I call myself a fulltime writer, but my day job is as a freelance editor. So I juggle writing time with editing time, depending on which deadline is pressing the hardest.

Tell us something about yourself that might surprise readers.

When I was starting my family, I lived in a city that was the west coast center for home births. All three of my children were born at home and in a bed within an antique bedframe from the late 1880s.

What is something unusual you learned while researching and writing this book?

That bundles of tanned Russian hides from a 1786 shipwreck of the Metta Catharina were discovered in the English Channel in 1973. They’d been encrusted with mud so that when the bundles were opened, the hides gave off the special, unique odor associated with the technique. (The actual formula was lost when the factories were destroyed in the Russian Revolution of 1917.)

How sad that the formula was lost. What do you hope your writing brings to readers?

I hope my readers get a sense that making the intimate connection of a relationship might be a struggle but the effort is worthwhile. I also want them to end the story satisfied my “people” have achieved their happy ending.

What advice would you give to unpublished authors?

Since I started writing, I have always participated in a critique group—either in person or online. Early on, this is how I learned story structure. Now, my participation is the way I get feedback on if the characters ring true or the situations are believable.

Tell us about your Kindle World novel with a blurb and an excerpt.

LACED BY LOVE Blurb:

Seamstress Cinnia York wants more than performing with a traveling vaudeville troupe—she wants to put down roots. The day after the troupe arrives in tiny Morgan’s Crossing, the manager takes all the money and leaves town. By opening a dressmaker shop, Cinnia hopes to make the home she’s always wanted, but Nola, the older sister who has made the decisions for the orphaned sisters, disagrees.

Leather worker Nicolai Andrusha is living in hiding as Nic Andrews until the patent on his family’s tanning process is approved. Although he’s under a mandate to keep a low profile, he’s intrigued by the red-haired performer. Controversy arises when miners claim they paid the manager for private appointments with the female performers. Will Nicolai defy his family obligation to help the stranded beauty who has caught his eye?

http://amzn.com/B01BL0HL4K

LACED BY LOVE Excerpt:

The empty space looked out onto a gentle incline down to a bend in the river. A variety of trees lined the moving water, and dried grasses waved along the ground.

“Park facing outward between the saloon here and those shops down there.” He pointed toward the fork in the road. “Flynn, the equipment wagon goes closest to the saloon. There’s a slope on the back side so don’t forget to set the blocks on the wheels.”

            “Really?” Nola scoffed. “Doesn’t he realize we’ve done this enough times and in all types of terrain to know the routine?” She shook her head as she angled the wagon to the uphill side of the road.

            Dorrie and Cinnia hopped to the ground to perform their roles as parking guides. They walked near the front wheel and shouted instructions as Nola cajoled the horses to back the showman’s wagon into position. Each driver repeated the action, making sure to allow walking space between the wagon wheels. Soon, the six wagons stood in a straight line, tongues facing the street. This time, their lavender wagon was positioned next to Mr. Thomas’s, who had parked close to a building that looked like a newly constructed shop of some type.

Within minutes, the area was a beehive of activity. Sturdy rope lines strung between the trees and square wooden posts the men hammered into the ground created a temporary corral. The horses were unharnessed and let loose into the grass-covered space.

With a long-legged stride, Nola walked Captain and Skipper down to the river to let them drink their fill after the day-long journey. Other drivers followed her path with their horses. Whistled notes of an unknown tune floated on the late afternoon air.

Arney, the juggler, joined them, rolling a wheelbarrow for collecting rocks to create the fire pit for cooking. Others opened windows to air out the wagons or set out folding stools for evening use.

Dorrie and Cinnia unclamped a roll of wire netting and poles from the underside of the wagon. Working together like they had many times in the past, they set the poles and then wrapped the netting around the outside. Simple cord ties secured the netting to the uprights, and when they finished, a rectangular pen for the dogs stood only a few feet away from the wagon’s filigreed metal steps.

Gigi and Queenie rolled in the grass and chased each other, happy for the freedom after being cooped up in the wagon or restrained by leashes for hours.

Tasks that were everyday and routine to the troupe seemed to be of interest to the townspeople. As Cinnia set out their three folding stools, she heard whispers from the front of the wagon. When she leaned over and looked underneath, she saw five or six sets of small-sized feet. Good. Children were often the best ambassadors of advertisement for the shows, because they pestered their parents to attend. Families always had an enjoyable time because of the variety of the acts—an entertainment for everyone.

What she hadn’t expected was the tall blond-haired man who leaned against a clapboard building just past Mr. Thomas’ wagon. Dressed in a buff-colored shirt and denim trousers held up with suspenders, he looked like a shopkeeper, rather than a miner. But, even from twenty feet away, she could feel the intensity of his gaze as he watched her movements. Different from the leers she often had to endure, she sensed this man’s scrutiny was more curious, like he wasn’t sure what he observed.

The long day of travel undoubtedly had taken a toll on her appearance. Being in the direct sunlight had probably increased the number of freckles dotting her cheeks. Encountering a steady breeze while traveling on the prairie was a given. She slipped a hand up her neck to check for any stray hairs coming loose from her bun. Maybe not too much fixing would be needed to make herself more presentable.

“Who are you primping for?” Nola nudged her with an elbow as she passed.

Cinnia stumbled off-balance then clamped her jaw tight. Leave it to her older sister to be obvious and obnoxious. She picked up a stool to relocate it, taking a peek over her shoulder, only to spy the bare plank wall of the building. Her shoulders slumped.

Her mystery man had disappeared.

How can readers learn more about you and your other books?

Linda Carroll-Bradd, Author

Website           www.lindacarroll-bradd.com

Blog                http://blog.lindacarroll-bradd.com

Facebook        http://www.facebook.com/pages/Linda-Carroll-Bradd-author/440814942635289

Twitter                 https://www.twitter.com/lcarrollbradd

AN INTERVIEW WITH CAROLINE CLEMMONS

Usually I ask about the same questions to my guest authors. Today I thought I would interview—ME. I know, you think you know quite a bit about me already, maybe all you ever wanted to know. Please don’t give up on me. Here I go:

Tell us about growing up:

Whew, glad no one asked whether I was sweet or horrid. My parents moved to the Bakersfield, CA area when I was a baby and then moved back to Texas the summer before third grade, when I was seven. We eventually settled in Lubbock when I was ten, a few months after the birth of my younger brother. (Then he was ten years younger than me, but now he’s passed me and is my older brother. Funny how age works, isn’t it?) 

Lubbock, Texas bills itself as the Hub of the Plains

We were our dad’s second family, and he was a lot older than our mom. Our half-siblings were near our mom’s age. In fact, our eldest half-brother was two years older than our mom.  Our half-siblings and their children live in California and look as beautiful as people who live there are supposed to. Many of them could pass for movie stars or models. I think I’m the only chubby one in the family.

As an adult, Hero and I lived in Oxnard CA one summer and loved it, in Cupertino CA a year and loved that, and in Windermere near Orlando FL for two-and-a-half years. The rest of the time, we've lived in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. Although we currently live on a small acreage, we're selling that (hopefully soon!) and moving into Fort Worth.

When did you decide to write?

I loved reading as long as I can remember. My dad taught me to read when I was very young, four. I think his motive was he wouldn’t have to read me the funny papers every evening. I loved Bugs Bunny.  Yeah, I still do. 

But I didn’t write until I took journalism. Then I didn’t write books until my mother-in-law gave me a grocery bag of romances. That’s when I wanted to become Nora Roberts.  Yeah, I still do.

Nora Roberts

Writing is not quite as easy as reading, but I love both. To date, I’ve written three novellas and thirteen novels that include a time travel romantic suspense, a cozy mystery, a mystery, three contemporary romances, and the rest are western historical romances. All except one novella are set in Texas. Write what you know.

What is your favorite way to relax and recharge?

I love reading, family, getting together with friends, working on genealogy, research (yes, I get lost in it and love it), and travel.   

What’s a quote that sums up how you feel about life?

“Be the change you want to see in the world.” Ghandi

Where do you prefer to write?

Hot tea and a couple of cats for company

I write in what I call my pink cave, which is a lovely room that used to belong to Darling Daughter 2. She decorated it with prints and photos and I’ve added to them with family photos, knick knacks, a couple of plaques from my friend Geri Foster, and assorted clutter. I have all my research books here in my cave. I prefer my PC to a laptop and save the laptop for travel. I like classical music when I’m writing because I believe it adds rhythm to the words. For email, I like Ella Fitzgerald or Carol King or others. We have our house listed for sale, so I hope I'll have a nice cave after we move.

Are you a plotter or a panzer?

Definitely a plotter since I heard Laura Baker and Robin Perini give their “Story Magic” workshop years ago. They saved my life! 

My critique partners are terrific at helping me plot. Darling Daughter 1 recently helped me with a current plot problem. Whew! Nice to have talented friends and family members.

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

I do use some real events as secondary mentions, but not as main events. For instance, in the Men of Stone Mountain series, I mention Brit Johnson being murdered by Kiowas near the site of the book. That’s true, sadly. The closest I’ve come to using real people as characters is basing the aunts in that series on my mom and her sister. I love those two characters because of that connection and happy memories.

Do you set daily writing goals?

Sure I set page counts. Do I make them? Seldom, but then I have spurts where I amaze myself. Life often interferes.

What do you hope your writing brings to readers?

An escape from reality or whatever bugs them and a pleasant way to spend a few hours, that they end each book with a sigh of contentment wishing for my next book.

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

To keep writing as long as I can sit in my desk chair and prop my fingers on the keyboard. LOL I have too many characters in my head begging me to write them for me to give up now.

Would you like to tell us what you’re working on now?

I’m finishing up a novella that is a spin off from the Men of Stone Mountain series. In the third book, there’s a character briefly mentioned named Bear Baldwin.  For some reason, he appeared in my head as a terrific guy who’d written away for a mail-order bride. This is an extension of a short story I wrote, but I’m having lots of fun with my heroine. She’s a substitute for her friend and the hero is a bit miffed he’s been passed off like a pair of old boots. There’s a bad guy—isn’t there always in my books?—after the heroine, so she’s eager to get wed before the cad shows up.  The title is TABITHA’S JOURNEY and it will be out the first week of June, 2013.

 

Tabitha Masterson

After that, I’ll be working on Storm Kincaid’s book, THE MOST UNSUITABLE COURTSHIP. I hope to have it released in mid September and resume the Kincaid series concurrently with the Stone Mountain series.I love both those series. I hope it's all right to say I like my books and characters. I do. I can't expect readers to love them unless I do, too.

Storm Kincaid

Next will be another spin off from Men of Stone Mountain about the first of November, CHRISTMAS ON STONE MOUNTAIN. I haven't narrowed down the cover for it yet. The hero is Buster Parish, the new sheriff of Radford Springs, Texas. 

What advice would you give to unpublished authors?

Don’t let anyone steal your dream! Hone your craft and persevere.

A fun fact readers wouldn’t know about you.

Darling Daughter 2 and I used to have three antique booths. We brought home the best stuff. It's not that we're such bad businesswomen, really, but we love antiques and hate to part with them. We have a new rule that we can't bring anything else home unless we get rid of something. If we won the lottery, though, we’d  each buy a bigger house and get back in the antique business. ☺

Something about you that would surprise or shock readers.

I am afraid of the water and am a lousy swimmer. Even though I'm chubby, I sink like a stone. In spite of that, I love watching water and also boating. Yes, I ALWAYS wear a life preserver.

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

Please sign up for my newsletter on the sidebar

Thanks for stopping by!