Garden Interview with Karen Michelle Nutt

Hello Karen

Welcome. Tell us about you and your books.

What are your current projects? Mermaid Cove and Seaside Sundaes, which will be part of the One Scoop or Two series with The Wild Rose Press. I just signed the contract and have begun edits. So exciting! The legend of the Merrow (Irish mermaid) has always intrigued me. I couldn't resist intertwining the myth about the red cap, the magical essence of the Merrow, with my seaside story of romance and second chances.  

Heart and Soul, my third book in the Paranormal Rock Star Romance series, will be released July 25, but you can pre-order it now for only 99¢. There are ghosts, a mystery, a possible reincarnation and other mayhem involved. (All tales are stand-alone romances.)

In the audio world of books, Two Worlds Collided is in production! It will be released at the end of July 2020.

Do you have set times during the day that you write? I like to write in the morning when everyone is still asleep. I make my cup of coffee and go from there.

Do you have to travel researching your book(s)? With the internet, I don't have to travel to research my material for a book, but it's much more fun if I visit the place I write about in my tales. I took a tour of St. Michans in Dublin, Ireland, where there are mummified bodies beneath the church. This tour inspired my tale, Lost in the Mist of Time. Sometimes, it's just visiting a place that sparks my imagination, and a story begins to form before I head back home. 

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers? 

Writers can never live without readers. The novel doesn't only belong to the writer; it belongs to the reader as well. Without the reader, the story is just ink on paper and nothing more. Opening the book, reading those first words, this is where the true magic begins. I love readers! Thank you so much for loving books.

Do you have any advice for other writers?

Be true to yourself. Write every day, even if you don't feel inspired. Sometimes your quick thoughts can blossom into something more.

Do you have a favorite quote?

"Books are an uniquely portable magic." 

 ― Stephen King

I love that quote. It's so true!

What is your favorite drink?  Hot: Almond milk latte with cinnamon steamed in the milk. Cold: Peach Ginger Nectar tea. 

What is your favorite time of year and why? 

Autumn is my favorite time of the year. I love Halloween and like to decorate the house with fall flowers and leaves, along with all the hauntingly fun Halloween decorations.

Have you ever found true love? I've been married for thirty-five years. I believe I have. J

Has the dog ever eaten your manuscript? Not my manuscript, but my daughter's dog decided to eat one of my research books. I still have the book, missing pages, dog slobber and all.  

What did you want to be when you grew up?

A belly dancer. Well, I was about four years old when I announced my career choice to my parents. I really meant I wanted to be a ballerina. My mother had read the book Ballerina Bess by Dorothy Jane Mills to me. See Bess dance. So of course, I wanted to also. 

When I was twelve, my cousins and I planned to start a rock band. We were going to call ourselves the Crystals. I'm not sure how we came up with that name now. My parents lived right behind Knott's Berry Farm (an amusement park in California), where they had the Good Time Theater. We would purchase tickets to see bands and bigtime performers. We were convinced this is where we'd make our big debut. However, our plans for rock stardom never left my parents' garage. 

That's when I decided I wanted to be a writer. 

I started writing down my stories when I was about nine or ten because I thought it was fun. I wrote plays at first. My fifth-grade teacher let my friends and I perform one of them too. It was exciting for a ten-year-old. 

Later, I jotted down stories in notebooks. I still have those early writings. They were written in ink, not on a computer. So' spell-check' wasn't available. I couldn't erase or add words if they were needed. They were definitely rough drafts. Lol My daughters, when they were young, loved those stories and read them over and over again. 

Where can we find you online?

http://www.kmnbooks.com

https://www.facebook.com/authorkarenmichellenutt

https://twitter.com/KMNbooks

See all of Karen's books at https://www.amazon.com/Karen-Michelle-Nutt/e/B002BLLBPE

Download Magic of the Loch from Amazon. Also available in print and audio!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008VF36OI

Garden Interview with Linda Nightingale

Welcome Linda

tell us about you and your books.

Do you plot or let the story unfold as you write? Oh, I let the story unfold as I write. The danger is that often I write myself into a corner and have to go back to square one. I’ve thrown away many a page. Usually, I do have a loose idea where I’m going with the book, but in Sinners’ Opera, the ending came to me in an odd place and quite frankly surprised even me.

Have you ever cried while writing a book? I cried at the dark moment of Sinners’ Opera when Isabeau is forcing Morgan to leave even though it breaks her heart and his to make him go. I cried in another book when the heroine was told she had cancer and a finite time to live. I’d had stage 2 breast cancer, and I’m so grateful I didn’t have that horrible prognosis.

How did you do in English as a kid? I did very well in English. Math definitely NOT, but I was in the top percentage in English in school.

Do you have trouble saying goodbye to characters? I hang on to the bitter end.

Do you research your sex scenes? Definitely. In great detail.  Just kidding.  😊

Do you have set times during the day that you write? Just whenever my Muse whispers in my ear.

What are your current projects? I’m working on a fantasy romance called Stealing Heaven. The hero is a centaur in a Dionysian society, and the heroine is a young woman from post-Apocalyptic Earth who finds a time-space portal to his planet, resulting in the rape of his civilization by humanity. I’d liken it to the invader’s treatment of the native peoples in the Great American West. I can’t share how they get together or it would be a major spoiler!

When you wrote this book, did you have an idea of how it would end at the beginning? I didn’t. I got the title from a billboard of a band, Sinners’ Opera. The ending was written on a napkin while waiting for a friend in our local pub, and, at The End, the sentence was exactly as written in that bar.

And for a little fun…

Who do you see as a hero/heroine in your life? My father. He was a champion of a man. When I was little, I used to stick my head beneath the hood with him when he was tinkering with our car. All my friends loved him. He was kind, considerate, and denied me very little.

Do you have a favorite quote? From Oscar Wilde, a quote that seems to be singularly applicable to my life: “The world was my oyster but I used the wrong fork.”

You can erase one embarrassing experience from your past. What will it be? The night my skirt fell off at the reception desk of a crowded restaurant. My friend and I were talking with 2 handsome realtors while we waited for a table, and the elastic broke in the waist of the skirt. Down it plummeted! Luckily, because it was chiffon, I wore a slip.

Do you laugh at your own jokes? I don’t tell many jokes. My humor tends to be dry and sometimes sarcastic. I’m good ha-ha material—such a klutz.

Have you ever found true love? Yes, but it wasn’t to be. I met this dashing, charming Englishman at an English Civil War Re-enactment in Staunton, Virginia. I was riding with the Royalist cavalry, and he was a Roundhead soldier. We overcame that major hurtle pretty quickly. He was good-looking but not knock-‘em-dead gorgeous, but when he walked into a room, a light surrounded him. People loved him. I did, too, and he loved me, but, though a psychic had predicted his arrival, as I said, it was not to be. He stayed in England, and I stayed in Houston. I haven’t loved another as much.

Are you jealous of other writers? I must confess that I’m sometimes envious of other writers, particularly a turn of phrase or a book I wish I’d written, or if they get a glowing review and the reviewer pans my book. If my sales are sagging, and another’s is soaring, that’s pretty tough. I try to overcome this, but it does exist.

Where can we find you online?

http://www.LindaNightingale.com

https://www.facebook.com/linda.nightingale.52

https://twitter.com/LNightingale


Download Sinners’ Opera on Amazon and other online retailers.

https://www.amazon.com/Sinners-Opera-Obsession-Linda-Nightingale-ebook/dp/B07X3RSRXQ

New Romance and Fiction from The Wild Rose Press

New Romance and Fiction In The Garden Click on covers for more information and to purchase

When it comes to husbands, Madison Clark's track record is the thing of nightmares. Twice widowed, she's given up on happily ever after. Still, with two young boys to raise, a stable family life is all she really desires. Cop turned movie idol, Adam Pride longs for a family of his own, not the irresistible woman and her two sons who are quickly working their way into his heart. But when Madison unknowingly lands in a desperate killer's cross-hairs, Adam puts his career—and life—on the line to save her. Can he protect her from a deadly threat and win her heart? Or will a shocking revelation destroy their fragile love?

IT specialist Claire Holmes begins her stay at Deerbourne Inn to rejuvenate after her sister's tragic death. In a week, she'll start her dream job and embark on a whole new journey. But a leaky pipe leads to an unexpected reunion with the sexy plumber she had a blind date with a year ago. His dominant air calls to her slumbering submissive side. Vowing to be bold, she invites him to lunch...in hopes of maybe a little more. Dominant Josh Hawkins has it all—a successful hardware store and the beginnings of a new BDSM club. He doesn't realize he's missing someone to share it with until Claire bursts into his world and shows him that her submissive tendencies are just what he needs in his life, even if for only a week. His risky proposal to explore the spark between them could ignite an inferno that neither can quench…

The Kaius vampires have long relied on Mikhail's empathic skills to help maintain the peace. Incessantly pummeled by the vibes of his bloodline, Mickey teeters along the narrow wall separating his emotions from those of his hauntmates. Preoccupied with preserving the harmony of the haunt, he's never been drawn to a woman…until now. Audra Verdi, a psychologist pulled from the bloodslave quarters, finds herself straddling a thin line herself—between the ingrained ranks dividing the vampires from the women in their sphere. She fights to survive and establish her place in a world she's determined to change. The sensitive vampire intrigues her mind…and her heart. When one of their own is captured by human authorities, Audra joins the hauntmates on a cross-country rescue mission. Will she find the real Mickey underneath all the swirling feelings or will the archaic customs of vampire society send her running?

HVAC tech, Janet Zwingel has too much on her plate to clutter her life up with a man. Her daughter is engaged, and with a mortgage due each month, she has to maintain her job status quo. Police detective Rich Taylor lost his wife two years ago. His friends are urging him to date, but he's not interested. Well, not until he meets the intriguing woman who fixed his A/C. Just when he thinks anything is possible, life throws him and Janet a curve-ball. And a dead body could keep them from having a future together.

In 1885, Emelia Stone and her sister must learn to operate their deceased parents' bakery in a small town in Pennsylvania. A large mortgage looms on their family home. When her sister leaves town, Emelia is forced to handle the bakery and burden alone. The Pennsylvania Railroad is searching for the perfect dessert for its passengers. Joe Sawicki, owner of Sawicki Brothers Ice Company, is certain Emelia can win the contest and the hundred- dollar bonus if she creates a special ice cream to accompany her popular huckleberry pies. He has loved her since they played hooky in grade school to explore the company's ice cave. Can Emelia find courage to stand up to the town's bully to win the competition? And will Joe have the mettle to express his undying love and win first place in Emelia's heart?

Garden Interview with Katja Desjarlais

Welcome Katja

Tell us about you and your books.

Do you plot or let the story unfold as you write?

I'm a pantser through and through, going in with little more than a single character name and a general idea of what paranormal idea I'll be working on. My book outlines are twenty incoherent words or song titles, my series outlines are a playlist on my phone. This has backed me into a few tough corners as I've gone further into a series, but researching my way out is half the fun.

Does working to deadline inspire or annoy you?

I thrive on deadlines and expectations. Left to my own devices, I'll meander my way through edits and chapters, but when given a due date, I'll do anything I can to be early.

How do you get past those bumps in the narrative that slow down your writing?

I've learned if I hit a major slowdown in my writing, it means I took the wrong path. As much as it kills my soul, I have to back up and delete everything to the point it stopped flowing. Sometimes it's a few pages, sometimes it's a few chapters. Either way, if I try to push through, it ends in nothing but a wall.

What are your current projects?

I'm currently reworking the first in a new series, writing the last book of the Haunt Vault, dabbling in a holiday piece in the Haunt Vault world, and editing the second in the Junkyard trilogy. Love those deadlines!

When you wrote this book, did you have an idea of how it would end at the beginning?

PERCEPTION is the second book in the Haunt Vault series. I knew the end of the series with the first line one the first book, but I have no idea how I'm getting there until I get there. The love interests in PERCEPTION weren't supposed to match. That pairing is on them, not me!

For a little fun...

What did you want to be when you grew up?

As a child, I wanted to be a teacher. In high school, I decided I wanted to be a Las Vegas show girl, but would go to university until I was of legal age. I received my teaching degree at 21. At 23 I received a phone call asking me to join a hypnotist's show in Reno, NV as a dancer. I turned it down and instead went on a date with the man I married 15 years ago. No regrets.

Do you have a favorite quote?

"And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music" - Nietzsche

What song would best describe your life?

Bullet With Butterfly Wings by The Smashing Pumpkins. Writing helps soothe my restlessness and frustration when it peaks.

Have you ever found true love?

My first book, CONNECTION: The Haunt Vault, is dedicated to my soul mate, my husband. With twenty years together, our sixteenth wedding anniversary this summer, three kids, 35,000 miles travelled, and a thousand challenges behind us, we're back-to-back 24/7.

What makes you cry?

What do you have? Commercials? Yes. Movies? Yup. Books? Yeah. Memes? Uh-huh. Little Mars rovers being sung to sleep? Of course. Sad kiddos? Definitely. The Jurassic Park Theme? You bet.

Where can we find you online?

www.katjadesjarlais.wordpress.com

www.facebook.com/katjadesjarlais

Twitter: @thehauntvault

www.goodreads.com/author/show/15277228.Katja_Desjarlais

Download PERCEPTION: The Haunt Vault Book Two

on Amazon and other online retailers.

https://www.amazon.com/Perception-Haunt-Vault-Book-2-ebook/dp/B087YZXMQ2

Garden Interview with Linda Carroll-Bradd

Hello Linda

Welcome. Tell us about you and your books.

Do you plot or let the story unfold as you write?

I used to be a detailed plotter. But a couple years ago, I realized I’d written enough stories that I trusted myself to work out the plot as I write. Usually by the end of the third chapter, I see how the last scene should be and I write a paragraph or so or even the final line. Now, I have a place to write to.

Are your characters based on real people?

All I’ll admit is that I give characteristics of people I’ve known to certain characters. J

What is your favorite book you’ve written and why?

My favorite story is a historical I’m still writing. I wrote a twenty-page short story in 2004-2005 that I’m still expanding. I love these characters and their struggle so much that I knew I needed to be a better and stronger writer to give the plot the justice it needs.

How do you get to know your story characters better?

I figure out three secrets each doesn’t want known or dreads telling the other. All three might never appear in the story, but I’ve made my characters vulnerable and they become more real.

How do you get past those bumps in the narrative that slow down your writing?

Jump ahead to the next scene of action. I struggled sometimes with finishing a character’s few paragraphs of introspection when I really want to have that character interact with someone. Sometimes, that next conversation needs to happen so I can go back and give the character anticipatory thoughts about how that conversation would go.

How much of the book is realistic?

I strive to create historically accurate story worlds. I do tons of research for my historical stories to make sure everything included in the world or how the person traveled to that new place existed in the month and year of the setting.  I don’t have my character ride on a train cross country in 1866 before the Transcontinental Railroad was built or have someone use a phonograph in 1870 when it wasn’t invented for seven more years and wouldn’t have been available to the general public for at least another year.

And for something fun…

What did you want to be when you grew up?

I scored high on an eighth grade vocational test that said I’d make a good librarian, which I thought was cool. Instead, I graduated college with a business degree and worked administrative assistant jobs. Then after I had my second child, I operated a child care business in the home for 15 years, and now, I have been a freelance editor for two decades.

You can erase one embarrassing experience from your past. What will it be?

Fainting and taking the podium down with me after giving an oral report in a college business class where I was the only woman student.

What makes you cry?

Situations in a movie, book, or even a well-directed TV commercial that make me empathize as a mother. Tug on my Mom heartstrings, and I weep. When my kids were younger, they used to lean forward in the movie theater seats to watch me. Now, my granddaughters do it.

What is your favorite time of year and why?

Fall. But the reasons why have changed. When my kids were young, I welcomed it because they returned to school. Now, I like the arrival of the cool weather which lets me drag out the yarn and I can crochet again without being too hot.

Who's more fun, bad boys or perfect gentlemen?

Bad boys are more fun to write about because I can put them into improper situation but I don’t want one in my life.

Where can we find you online?

http://blog.lindacarroll-bradd.com

https://www.facebook.com/linda.carrollbradd

https://www.twitter.com/lcarrollbradd

https://www.bookbub.com/authors/linda-carroll-bradd

Download Freedom’s Path, Deerbourne Inn series from Amazon and other online retailers.

https://books2read.com/FreedomsPath

Welcome Barb Warner Deane to our Garden Interviews

Welcome Barb

Tell us about you and your books.

Do you plot or let the story unfold as you write?

Both – I develop my initial ideas into a detailed couple of pages of story, and a timeline. Once I have that, and some basic character sketches, and sometimes reference photos, for my main characters, I start writing and see where it takes me.

Have you ever cried while writing a book?

I cried when I wrote a dark scene in my first book, On The Homefront, and have gotten teary a couple of other times. Those are the times when I know the characters are controlling what’s happening, not me.

How did you do in English as a kid?

I was always good at writing in school, whether in English classes in high school and college, as well as  all of my classes in law school. I was even asked to be a teaching assistant to my legal research and writing class. But still, I always thought of my writing as more of a hobby than a career choice.

Did you have to research forensic science or criminal psychology for your latest suspense?

For my latest published suspense, And Then There Was You, I researched child-trafficking, the psychology of adoption, and music festivals. For my current work-in-process, the 3^rd romantic suspense in my Harper’s Glen series, I’m researching ballistics, ammunition, veterinary science, and militia groups. Research is one of my favorite parts of writing.

Do you have to travel researching your book(s)?

Yes. For my historical novels, I have traveled to many of the sites of World War 2 history, as well as the National WW2 Museum and multiple other smaller museums dedicated to specific aspects of WW2.
For my romantic suspense books, I take advantage of my trips back home. Harper’s Glen is a fictional town set next to my hometown of Watkins Glen, NY. When I spend time at our cottage on the lake there in the summer, or visit family there over the holidays, I always take time to drive around the area, take photos, and get locations set in my mind for whatever is about to happen in the series.

And for a little fun…

What did you want to be when you grew up?

When I was very young, I wanted to be a writer. Then I moved on to teacher, but I started college in the late 1970s, when teaching was not a strong field to enter and my parents encouraged me to look elsewhere, even though they were both teachers. I got an undergraduate degree in hotel administration, but soon realized I didn’t want to be working on holidays or when everyone else in the world was on vacation. I liked business law, so I went to law school, but after 5 years of practicing law, realized it wasn’t for me. I’ve had many jobs in my life, but finally got to circle back to writing.

Do you enjoy giving interviews?

I do. I love to talk to strangers, whether in the grocery store line, the dentist’s waiting room, or passing on the street. This got me some dirty looks when we lived in Germany, as the Germans generally don’t appreciate it when a stranger speaks to, even smiles at, them. Unless you need help, and then they’re quick to give assistance.

Are you fun to go on vacation with?

I think so! I love to travel and have visited, so far, 47 states and 42 countries on 6 continents. I’m always up for seeing new places or even revisiting favorite spots. We lived in Frankfurt, Germany for 2 years and traveled as much of Europe as we could during that time. My first book, On The Homefront, was inspired by our visit to Normandy, France during that time. We also lived for 2 years in Shanghai, China and saw more of Asia than I ever thought I would. I’d like to go back to Australia and visit New Zealand, but other than exploring more of our national parks with my husband, there aren’t too many places I really want to see that I haven’t visited yet.

Have you ever found true love?

I was lucky enough to find true love the first night I met my husband. We were both 18 and freshmen in college. We dated for 3.5 years and got married the day before graduation. This May is our 37^th anniversary, we have 3 incredible daughters – more true love for me – and have a very happy life together.

Do you have any hobbies?

Other than giving historical presentations about the roles of Women in WW2, which is really an extension of my writing, my main hobbies are photography and genealogy. I have traced our family tree back to Governor William Bradford, from the first crossing of the Mayflower, to King Henry I, Charlemagne, and, just recently, to Catherine Parr, the 6^th wife of Henry VIII.

Where can we find you online?

https://www.barbwarnerdeane.com

https://www.facebook.com/barbwarnerdeane/

https://www.twitter.com/barbdeane/

https://www.bookbub.com/authors/barb-warner-deane


Download And Then There Was You on Amazon and other online retailers.
https://www.amazon.com/Then-There-Harpers-Glen-Novel-ebook/dp/B07QQLR625

Welcome Author Shirley McCoy to our Garden Interviews

Hello Shirley

Tell us about you and your books.

Do you plot or let the story unfold as you write? I always plot my story out first using note cards and a character building document. Then, as I write, the story does unfold a bit as I add, subtract, refine. I will say, I do have a clear vision of where I want to end up, the basic steps to get there and what I want to say.

Do you have set times during the day that you write? If at all possible, I write in the morning. I work my day job four days a week so I generally get up pretty early and write when my mind is fresh and I feel most creative. This works for me, but everyone I think has their own favorite time of day 

What is your favorite book you’ve written and why? My favorite is The Crystal Flame because I love the idea of fire and ice and I also feel my writing has improved over time. I have been able to refine my skill and that makes me proud.

What tips would you give a new writer? I would simply like to pass on the best advice I have run across over the years. To paraphrase Nora Roberts, you can fix a bad page. You cannot fix a blank page. So, write. Also, I once heard, and I cannot remember who said this first, but you should write the book you want to read. I myself would say to simply persevere and if writing fulfills you, keep at it. It’s a long and sometimes hard road but so rewarding. 

What are your current projects? My current project is called Mirror World and is a book about a girl trapped in an alternate world behind the mirror and the one guy who sees her and helps her escape. I can’t wait to finish it!

And for a little fun...

If you were going to commit the perfect murder, how would you go about it? So, I could not resist this one! I once got to hear Mary Manheim, a forensic expert, speak to a group of writers including myself. Of course, because we are writers, this very question was asked. She said, do it out in the woods or some other very isolated place if at all possible and leave the body. Then, and this is the most important part, TELL NO ONE. Not nobody, not no how. Telling someone is how many people get caught. So, the goal is to do as much as you can to make sure the body is not discovered for as long as possible because the longer it goes undiscovered, the less forensic evidence there obviously is. So, if I were ever going to try to commit the perfect murder I would follow this advice from an expert in the hopes of not getting caught. 

Do you laugh at your own jokes? I do! Everyone who knows me personally knows that I laugh at my own jokes, which are sometimes funny, other times not so much. Often my friends laugh with me, mainly because I am amused by my own jokes. 

What makes you cry? When I see others hurting, be they family, friends, strangers, animals, I get very upset. I hate to see others in pain, especially emotional but also physical. I often even cry over fictional characters because I empathize. Often this happens because I see something in their situation that I can relate to in my own life, this situation could be a very happy or very sad one. For example, (spoilers to follow) I bawled over the season finale of Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist! It was so sad and I felt so much for the characters.  

If you came with a warning label, what would it say? My warning label would say: Caution, she’s sweet… until she’s not. I can and will be the sweetest person you ever want to meet until you do something I do not like. It takes a whole lot to make me angry, however, and it is almost always justified, so on the rare occasions when I do get angry, I get really angry. 

Who's more fun, bad boys or perfect gentlemen? Or Bad Girl or a lady? Like L.M. Montgomery’s Anne Shirley, I like guys who could be bad but aren’t. I like that little bit of danger and power, but I want someone intrinsically good.

Where can we find you on social media?

https://shirleypmccoy.com/

https://www.facebook.com/shirlmccoy50/?ref=bookmarks

Twitter: Shirley McCoy@Scifigirl20

And on ACX as a narrator! https://www.acx.com/narrator?p=A389FFH4R2PNCX

Download The Crystal Flame on Amazon and other online retailers.

https://www.amazon.com/Crystal-Flame-Shirley-McCoy-ebook/dp/B073MR7482/

Garden Interview with Jean M. Grant

Welcome Jean

Tell us about you and your books

Are your characters based on real people? Sometimes. The good, the bad, and the ugly. AJ Sinclair in and her son (Will) and husband from Will Rise from Ashes are based off my life. I wrote the first draft as an outlet, to get it all out and “write what you know.” But then I fictionalized the heck out of it and made it truly AJ’s (and not Jean’s) story. Even so, I know her journey as a special needs parent, a woman with anxiety, and a woman who has lost love ones all too well. I’ve also included snippets from real life in all my books: complicated family dynamics, experiences and trips, memories, and people who have impacted me in some way.

Do you research your action/fight scenes? Yes! I love researching as much as writing. It probably goes back to my science background. I started writing in the historical romance genre so there is a lot of research involved with that. I even watched YouTube videos on sword fighting. There are a lot of fighting/battles in the historicals. But even for the action sequences in my contemporary books, I’ve needed to do some research. In Soul of the Storm, I consulted Vermont State Police and a canine search and rescue unit to understand SAR procedures and rescues. Sometimes the contemporary research is more demanding than the historical.

What was the hardest book to finish and why? Will Rise from Ashes, which is women’s fiction, was my hardest. Probably because version 001 was just me getting feelings out on paper. It was my first book in first person point of view, and my first contemporary novel. Eight versions and three years later, it reached my editor’s desk greatly transformed and loaded with invisible blood, sweat, and tears. A typical book takes me 6-12 months to write and revise before it’s ready to be seen by editors/publishers. And then another year of editing to polish. This one took 3 years.

How much time do you spend writing every day? Hehe, a fun question with no answer. Anywhere from 0 to 8 hours, and everything in between. Nooks and crannies all the way. I’m home full-time, but my kids are still young, so if they are not in school, they are here. That includes pandemics, sick days, snow days, summer, vacations…I juggle and I’m great at tuning out when needed. I try to write more in the morning. Nowadays, weekends have become writing time, along with some evenings. When in the throes of the creative muse, I can write for several hours a day, every day, until it’s done. Since the time my children were babies, I’ve adopted the nooks and crannies and multi-tasking mentality. I try to not be hard on myself if I don’t hit a daily goal. I look at the marathon over the sprint.

What are your current projects? I just wrapped up the final galleys and edits on my third historical romance (with a paranormal angle) in my “hundred” trilogy, It’s called A Hundred Lies. I am delighted (and a little sad) to bring this medieval series to a close. But it’s bittersweet. It did not start as a trilogy. In fact, the first book is the middle book! Then I wrote the prequel, and now sequel. Each can be standalones, too. I start to wonder if I should write side stories about the secondary characters…Up next though, another contemporary romance that’s been in the works.

Do you have to travel researching your book(s)? I don’t have to travel to research, but if I can, I do. I love to travel. It’s my middle name. Nature is my muse. I love hiking and exploring. I’ve been to Scotland, Vermont, and Yellowstone National Park, all in the name of research—and well, vacations. I went to New Zealand for my honeymoon. I visited Guatemala on a mission trip (though I’ve yet to use that locale in a book). I love the National Parks and the world around us—nature and history, art, architecture. I visit museums, interview people, and do whatever I can to make my stories authentic. I look forward to the next adventure, wherever it may be. I live in New England, so I’ve also set books here, too.

And for something personal...

Has the dog ever eaten your manuscript? No but a cat typed on my computer and I missed a HUGE typo in the title of my science thesis in graduate school (in the field of microbiology and immunology). That error is forever branded on the hardcover book and on the title page. Non-science people would not notice it, but I still do. Like, the TITLE. Not on a page, but the printed title on a 300-page hardbound book. I must have edited my thesis more times than I do a book manuscript (okay, maybe not that much, but a lot) and I totally missed it. I blame the cat.

What makes you cry? Too many things. I am a waterworks gal over here. When my children struggle. When I experience grief and loss. When I get frustrated or overwhelmed or feel unappreciated or unheard. When I watch sappy movies.

What is your favorite comfort food? Cheese, and shape or form. Mild or strong. I love it all.

What is your favorite time of year and why? Summer! Though I used to love spring before I moved to New England. Our springs are just an extension of a very long winter. I love summer because all my gardens come into bloom. Flower gardening is an obsessive hobby for me. The beauty of each and every flower brings me such joy. Lupine, phlox, day lilies, hydrangea, peonies, irises, sage, catmint, daisies, black-eyed susans, petunias…so many! And now I have raspberry bushes (oh, they rock!), blueberries, strawberries, apple trees…and drum roll, my first year with a veggie garden. Wish me luck!

If you were stranded on a desert island, what three things would be the most essential for you? Aside from the usual food, water, shelter, knife, and family: Lip balm, The Rock (Dwayne Johnson – just to help us wrangle wild beasts, build things, and for some humorous entertainment), and coffee.

Where can we find you online?

Website ~ Twitter  ~ Facebook ~ Instagram

Download Will Rise From Ashes on Amazon and other online retailers

Buy link: Amazon