Lorelei Confer lives on a peninsula in the mid-west coast of Florida with her high school sweetheart, now husband, and AJ, her long haired Chihuahua.

      In the fourth grade, she wrote her first story—something about getting a shot at the doctors—that was produced by the teacher for parents and students in an assembly. When she was older, she spilled her guts in a journal every night and wrote long newsy love letters to Viet Nam.

     She is a multi-published author of romantic suspense with two series: The Deadly series and the Saddle Creek series. She also has written numerous novellas and short stories. She loves to hear from her readers so if you want to stay “in the know” visit her website, sign up for her newsletters and contact her.

Lorelei Confer adds a new voice to anthology, Romances on the Range, where a horse breeder meets a sexy baker who discovers a cowboy’s sweet spot.

Beverley: Which genre or genres do you write or prefer to write? And why?

Lorelei: I write romantic suspense. I started writing in the fourth grade and then diaries and journals about real life, glum as it was in rural PA. Then I grew up and wrote about feelings and emotions and what if something terrible happened. A few years ago, I tried writing plain contemporary romance but got stuck about five short chapters in; I added suspense and the Saddle Creek series was started.

Beverley: Who influenced you the most in deciding to become a writer? 

Lorelei: My fourth grade teacher, my seventh grade teacher, my eleventh gr….mostly teachers. It’s what I excelled in. And also it was a way to get my angst about adulting, men, war, etc. out and on paper.

Beverley: What gets your creative juices flowing?

Lorelei: Thinking about my current wip. Currently, I’m working on the 5th book in the Saddle Creek series; the Sheriff’s story. I started writing it in pieces while writing the other four stories in the series but when I sat down to write, I’m a pantster, (writing by the seat of my pants) the story took and an entirely different direction.

Beverley: Do you have a favorite cartoon character? Why?

Lorelei: I’ve always loved the west and “shoot ‘em up cowboys.” My brother and I, as children, would play Roy Rogers and Dale Evans. And then I remember Mighty Mouse (really dating myself here) he always swooped in and saved the day.

Beverley: Who would you love most to meet ‘in person’ and why?

Lorelei: I love Sam Elliott; such a handsome and versatile actor but I think I’d like to Talk to Tom Sellick. I’ve admired his long-term marriage and family-comes- first attitude.

Beverley: If you had an unexpected free day what would you do with it?

Lorelei: Read and anp, much like Easter day. Lol

Beverley: What are you working on now? 

Lorelei: I have five releases this year: two in the Deadly series: Deadly Homecoming and Deadly Gamble, two in the Saddle Creek series: Moonlight Kisses and MugShots and A Christmas Romance and then I have a short story, a spin off from the Saddle Creek series, A Cowboy’s Sweet Spot, is a part of the Romances on the Range.

The two Deadly releases are available now at Amazon for $.99 and Fr$$ for KU. A Cowboy’s Sweet Spot is a part of the Romances on the Range, also $.99 at Amazon, and debuts April 14th with a huge Facebook release party 1pm-1pm. You’ll meet authors like Desiree Holt, Nicole Morgan, Krista Ames, Amber Daulton, and many more. They’re be games, contests, prizes and lots of fun.

Here’s the link to the party: https://www.facebook.com/events/642236899940404/

Moonlight Kisses and MugShots is the Sheriff’s story in the Saddle Creek series and plans to debut mid-August.

And then there’s the second Christmas story in the Saddle Creek Christmas Romance, where all the characters from the series share a special Christmas together and each couple learns the true meaning of Christmas.

I’m also working on another Deadly book, Deadly Intuition, but I’m still in the research process for that one.

I definitely have my work cut out for me, not just the writing and the editing but also the promo. It seems to take more and more time with each new release.

Blurb for A Cowboy’s Sweet Spot

Janelle Franklin arrives in Saddle Creek, WY for a relaxing visit with her childhood friend and new mother. She also wants to fine-tune a secret passion, baking. But when she meets ranch manager, Carter Weaver, passion takes on a whole new meaning.

Carter excels at horse breeding but has a dark past that haunts him. When he meets Janelle, a woman he‘s comfortable with, sparks fly. But his past thwarts their future together and after a heated debate, Janelle leaves without a word taking his heart with her.

When she calls him out of the blue, he rushes to meet her. But will she accept him with his past? Or will they both have to sacrifice a loveless future?

Buy Links for A Cowboy’s Sweet Spot

Amazon Buy Link:   https://amzn.to/2V5rQyt

Social Media for Lorelei

Website:   https://loreleiconfer.com

Twitter  https://twitter.com/loreleiconfer

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

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

Goodreads:  https://bit.ly/2U1jLw9

Amazon Author Page:  https://www.amazon.com/Lorelei-Confer/e/B004HX4G6K/

Newsletter:  https://bit.ly/2UZyQe1

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/lorelei.confer/

Amazon Author Page:  https://authorcentral.amazon.com/gp/books

Get to know Lorelei Confer better by signing up for her email newsletter at the following link:   https://bit.ly/2UZyQe1

Running a little late with the post. I had day surgery yesterday. That was an interesting experience.

It was not elective surgery, so it was still performed even with the corona virus. (Covid19). The hospital is actually shut down. However, on a positive note, the city has a population of almost 100,00 people and only six corona virus cases so far. There are no cases in the hospital.

During this time there is only one entrance open into the hospital. The other entrance has been blocked off and locked. When you enter the hospital there is a guard who direct you into one of are two lanes. In one line you’re only allowed in if you’re there for tests or surgery. No visitors. There is hand sanitizer everywhere. You are given a verbal Covid19 questionnaire, temperature is taken and then you are allowed to go to registration.

The inner lane is for staff. Every staff who enters the hospital, or if they leave and return for any reason, must have an appropriate ID, have their temperature taken, use hand sanitizer and answer verbal questions on the Covid19 virus. The middle of the hospital is barricaded off, so you enter down one side and depart down the other side.

Everything is dark and closed on the main floor. At registration you place your photo id and care card on a tray so the person can see it but not touch it. You are then given your forms and told where to go, but no one accompanies you.

There is only emergency surgery and the day surgery room which holds about thirty or more beds, only had five patients when I was there. Most of the departments are open, Xray, c-scan, mammography, MRI, labs and operating room (OR).

When discharged they take you down to the exit door. No one can come in and up to the floor to pick you up.

As with the rest of the world, everything has changed since the corona virus has it us.

Two writers in one. Daryl Devoré writes hot romances with sexy heroes and strong heroines. Victoria Adams is Daryl’s alter ego when she’s inspired to write sweet romances with little to no heat.

Daryl ( @daryldevore ) lives in an old farmhouse in Ontario, Canada, with her husband, two black cats – Licorice and Ginny-Furr Purrkins – and some house ghosts. Her daughter is grown and has flown the nest. Daryl loves to take long walks on her quiet country road or snowshoe across the back acres, and in the summer, kayak along the St. Lawrence River. She has touched a moon rock, a mammoth, and a meteorite. She’s been deep in the ocean in a submarine, flown high over Niagara Falls in a helicopter, and used the ladies’ room in a royal palace. Life’s an adventure and Daryl’s having fun living it.

Where do My Book Ideas Come From?

This is a question that authors get asked a lot and my usual reply is – my head.

Suddenly an idea pops up. I was riding in the car one day, grabbed my laptop and wrote three chapters of a book that I had no idea I was going to write. That book turned into a trilogy.

I just finished a medieval story with a dragon. Someone somewhere mentioned dragon and suddenly there was one flying around in my head.

For Two Truths and a Lie , there was a suggestion of writing a story centered around a character who breaks the law – an art thief – cat burglar – sort of thing. And I, truly, have no idea how I took that idea and wrapped it into the tale of Robin Hood. I didn’t plan on doing a take off on the legend. I’m a pantser not a plotter. So, I didn’t know my brain had linked my story to The Adventures of Robin Hood until I wrote the last line of the first chapter.

It was great fun writing this story and I did dive into the legend including the line – take from the rich and give to the poor. But I added a slight twist. This is a contemporary version of Robin Hood. With all the wonderful elements of a red diamond, a looted painting, a British manor house, a Lamborghini and to keep everyone on their toes – 2 plane crashes and a car accident.

Blurb for Two Hearts One Love Trilogy

From the author of the Two Hearts One Love Trilogy, multi-published, hot romance author Daryl Devoré’s latest book revolves around deceit, betrayal, passion and the theft of a multi-million-dollar, rare, red diamond.

As if multiple planes crashes, a car accident, and a concussion isn’t enough, carefree Byn and straight-laced billionaire, Mark clash over Byn’s need for independence and Mark’s struggle with guilt pushing him in the opposite direction of love. When an art forger, an art thief and a ninety-five-year-old woman get involved   the chance for true love for Byn and Mark fades.

All is lost until a children’s game is their only hope.

Excerpt from Two Hearts One Love Trilogy

And gloves. We all had to wear white gloves. Who does that?

I’m guessing the host of the party didn’t want us mere peasants touching anything, leaving our filthy germs which he might pick up and then die of some horrible flesh-eating disease. Hey, a person can dream.

But on the bright side, the gloves played right into my hand―so to speak. I didn’t have to figure out how to conceal a pair of latex gloves. I’d wear these white monstrosities, steal the red diamond and not leave a fingerprint in the whole house.

The bus slowed, passed through the open gates then drove around to the back of a large manor house. I’ll admit the house wasn’t as big as the one in Downton Abbey, but it was still impressive. A reddish-brown brick house with several floors, lots of windows and partially covered in ivy which screamed rich person lives here . The land around it extended for acres in every direction. I’d already done my research on the place. I knew every inch of the outside and inside. I had escape routes planned. Although, I had no intention of needing them. I was confident I was leaving the same way as I’d arrived—on this bus.

I knew where I could hide in the house if needed. And I had a back-up plan to my back-up plan. Several people had been paid hefty fees to watch my back. This gem was as good as stolen.

With my head lowered, I followed the others out of the bus. The music clearly inspired the eleven of them to a high level of chattiness. No one spoke to me or, I guess, even noticed me and that was exactly what I wanted.

Think about all the press reports of crimes. The reporter asks the neighbours to talk about the alleged shooter and they always reply, “He was so quiet. Kept to himself.” The fellow officer workers say of the embezzler, “She was as quiet as a mouse. Did her work and went home.” That’s me. The quiet, invisible one. The one going home with a large, valuable gemstone while the rest go home with a meagre paycheck.

Buy Links for Two Hearts One Love Trilogy

Amazon

D2D – links to Kobo, Apple, Barnes&Noble etc

Print Book link available soon.

Pinterest – Two Truths and a Lie

You can find Daryl at:

Blog – Romance – Sweet to Heat

Twitter

MEWE

Instagram

Facebook

Website

Amazon Author Page

GoodReads Author Page

LinkedIn

Pinterest

Book Bub

I had planned on writing about the process of writing and Book-in-A-Week. However, I’m in self isolation because of the corona virus so it’s on my mind a lot.

I wintered in the south of the United States. When the corona virus started to spread across North America, we were told by our government to get home. So, we did. We closed everything up and rove home. We left the warm, sunny south and crossed the Canadian border to freezing temperatures, ice and snow. We drove straight home because the law said that was what we had to do and self-isolate for fourteen days. There also fines for breaking the law and sneaking out to shop or run errands. They start at $1000 and go up. Originally you could go for walks, but a week ago they said self-isolation meant you couldn’t leave your property.

Once the fourteen days are up, we move to ‘stay-at-home’ or ‘shelter-at-home’. This means you can now go shopping for groceries, medications, and emergencies. You can go for walks but must physical distance from anyone by at least 6 feet or 2 metres. The grocery stores have plexi glass up in front of cashiers, the floors in the check-out lines are marked six feet apart. They are asking people to shop alone, stay six feet from other shoppers, do it quickly and only shop once a week. Many stores prefer tap and pay so the cashier doesn’t have to touch your card. They are now suggesting everyone wear a surgical mask when they go shopping or leave the house.

It sounds like stay-at-home is going to be in place for eight to twelve weeks. At least the weather will warm up, spring will get here, and I can go outside for walks or work in the yard. After two weeks of isolation the idea of staying home for months is a little overwhelming. But I also realize this pandemic is serious and many people die. If I follow the guidelines and physically stay six feet from people, don’t gather in groups and wash my hands frequently for at least twenty seconds I could help prevent the spread.

I don’t want to get the virus. Young people are getting it. Sports figures are getting it, healthy, fit people are getting it. I’m not immune. And I don’t want to spread it to anyone. I can’t get my nails done, maybe for months. Sigh… Is that important? No, not with a pandemic. We’re going to have to accept changes in our lifestyle and keep looking at the big picture. The big picture is a viral pandemic and people could die based on how we act.

If you have a comment or story to tell, I’d love to hear it.

Stay safe, stay healthy follow all the rules or guidelines and save lives.

Alana Lorens has been a published writer for more than forty years. Currently a resident of Asheville, North Carolina, she loves her time in the smoky Blue Ridge mountains. One of her novellas,   THAT GIRL’S THE ONE I LOVE,  is set in the city of Asheville during the old Bele Chere festival. She lives with her daughter, who is the youngest of her seven children, two crotchety old cats, and five kittens of various ages.

Character Interview

Beverley: What’s your name? 

Levi: Levi Bradshaw

Beverley: Where did you grow up?

Levi: Northwestern Montana, just outside Whitefish

Beverley: During what time period does your story take place?

Levi: Modern day.

Beverley: What’s your story/back story? Why would someone come up with a story about you?

Levi: Ha! I never thought I would be important enough for a story. I love the forest where I grew up, and it hurts my heart to see commercial logging companies come through and wipe them out in a matter of days. That’s why I became an eco-terrorist.

Beverley: What’s your goal in this story?

Levi: I start out thinking I’ve got my life and monkeywrenching activities under control. But as the supremacist cult infiltrates my organization and I am nearly shot by local Bureau of Land Management agent Caryn Orlane, things quickly spin out of my hands.

Beverley: What conflicts are you facing?

Levi: My “friends’ object to my more peaceful methods and threaten my safety. When Caryn Orlane wants to arrest me, and we really talk, I see what a wonderful woman she is and fall in love with her. Can you really love your enemy?

Beverley: Do you have a plan for resolving them? 

Levi: Honestly, things unfold so fast, I tend to be on the defensive—no time to make a good plan. Maybe that’s why things keep going wrong!

Beverley: Is there anything else you’d like us to know about you? 

Levi: I’m convinced Caryn and I should end up together, and so is she. Hopefully if we stand together against all these obstacles, we’ll come out and find peace on the other side.

Book Blurb for Tender Misdemeanors:

Caryn Orlane has law enforcement in her blood; her father was a cop, and his father, too. She’s a federal agent in northwest Montana, protecting the old forests and keeping the peace.

Levi Bradshaw also believes in protecting the forests, but has a very different MO. He’s the leader of a group of eco-warriors, determined to save the trees of the Bitterroot by legal—and illegal—means.

When they meet in the woods at gunpoint, their encounter ignites a spark of interest, despite operating on opposite sides of the law. When their worlds turn on them, they only grow closer. If they don’t work together, can either survive?

Buy Links for Tender Misdemeanors

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Other: https://www.thewildrosepress.com/

You can find Alana at:

Website  https://wordpress.com/page/alana-lorens.com/21

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

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4829967.Alana_Lorens

Amazon Author Page  https://www.amazon.com/Alana-Lorens/e/B005GE0WBC/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

Email: contact@alana-lorens.com

April Jones has read, written, or edited her way through numerous fictional worlds. When she’s not teaching or writing, she spends her time trying to learn other languages or keeping her mischievous cat from eating the pet fish. She received her bachelor’s in English and her M.F.A. in creative writing.

A Tennessee native, April currently lives in Michigan with her husband and three children. You can find her poems and short stories published in various literary magazines across the internet and in print. You can also check out her debut novel, The Curse Breaker. For more information visit her website   thepathtostory.com

Beverley: Which genre or genres do you write or prefer to write? And why?

April: I’m one of those writers who simply can’t seem settle down with a particular genre. Right now, I’m really into a YA Fantasy, but you’ll also find plenty of poems and literary short stories with my name on them as well. I find that what I love most is telling a good story, but because I like to read across the genres, I also like to write across them as well.

Beverley:  Who influenced you the most in deciding to become a writer?

April: When I was in the 5th grade, I came across R.L. Stein’s Fearstreet series and I could not get enough. I loved the mystery, the characters, the imagination. I wanted to tell stories like that. The ones that capture you from the first page, and keep you reading well past your bedtime. As These days, I’ve been particularly drawn to writers who do retellings. There’s a lot of fun to be had by combining story elements that don’t seemingly go together. For this reason, I find myself reading a lot of Jessica Day George and Alethea Kontis.  

Beverley: What gets your creative juices flowing?

April: A good song. I’m not particular on language, so my writing playlist has Kpop, Spanish ballads, Scandinavian EDM, and plenty of indie American bands.

Beverley: Do you have a favorite cartoon character? Why?

April: Absolutely. There’s a WebToon character named Yumi. She’s ordinary, but in all the ways that make a person special. Check it out! It’s called Yumi’s Cells.

Beverley: Who would you love most to meet ‘in person’ and why?

April: I would love to meet my favorite screenplay writers the Hong Sisters (Jung-eun Hong and Mi-ran Hong). Every screenplay they write is so amazingly good. I would love to chat with them about their writing process and inspirations.

Beverley: If you had an unexpected free day what would you do with it?

April: I would go for a long run with my favorite playlist, and then take a long nap.

Beverley: What are you working on now?

April: I’m working on the second novel in The Curse Breaker series, so I hope you all love dragons because there’s a lot of them in the second book.

Blurb from The Curse Breaker

Eris’s sister is missing, and Magic is definitely to blame! Eris knows only Magic can bring her back, but even as a Light Magic born, is she strong enough to save her sister?

Knox is cursed to spend his days as a corpse and his nights trying to find the prophesized girl who can break the curse. If he can’t find her by his 20th birthday, he’ll stay dead forever.

Eris and Knox will discover there are scarier things in their path other than curses and half-truths. If the Queen of the Underworld has her way, everything and everyone will die. The only thing standing in her way is the curse breaker, and Eris will have to choose between saving herself or everyone she loves.

Excerpt from The Curse Breaker

The Queen paced in front of her blood-red throne. After so many years, she was finally going to meet the thief who had stolen her amulet. And when she did, she was going to slowly sever every one of their limbs, one by one, before feeding their soul to Madame. The thought made her smile a wicked smile. That would teach them to steal from the Queen of the Underworld. Stupid humans were always trying to prolong their lives in the most feeble ways. Tonics, magic, deals. Death was something that could never be avoided entirely, but they didn’t seem to think that universal rule applied to any of them.

Three more months and her amulet would call to her like it always did when she could get free of this place, and then she would have her revenge. Whoever they were, they had been granted twenty years that did not belong to them, and she would make sure they paid for that stolen time. That was part of her job, after all, not that she was complaining.

“I apologize for being late, your Majesty.” Madame hurried in, a little out of breath.

The Queen turned and stared at a slightly disheveled Madame. Normally her long hair was braided and wrapped elaborately around her head, causing her to look like a long-lost ancient queen from the human world.

“We can discuss that in a moment. I called you here because I have a proposition for you.”

“I am but your humble servant, your Majesty.” Madame feigned humility they both knew she did not possess.

The Queen rolled her eyes and continued. “If you can find the insect that stole my amulet before three months are up, I will give you a special treat.”

“I will find the human. I will make it suffer.” Madame smiled.

“No. You will not touch a hair on its head. Bring it to me, and I will deal with it.” Madame looked disappointed but nodded.

The body of a girl suddenly appeared in the air in front of them, along with one of her servants. Madame examined the girl for a moment, but then seemed to lose interest once she realized the girl was neither alive nor dead. The Queen walked over and swept the girl’s long black hair back enough to see her face. She scrunched up her nose at the young girl’s beauty.

Snapping her fingers again brought new servants running. 

“Take her and put her with the rest of the cursed.”

The women gently plucked the girl from the air. The Queen wondered how many bodies lay waiting in the limbo between life and death. Not that she would forgive the vermin that had stolen her amulet, but she would enjoy watching the human be tortured by all the souls it had trapped prematurely in the Underworld. Eternity would not be long enough for all the lives that heartless human had taken trying to break the curse that came with stealing something born from the Underworld’s power. Since the human had not been able to break it thus far, she continued to collect bodies stuck in the in-between, their lives connected to the cursed one’s. When that insect finally died, so would all of those souls, and she would have a lovely new collection of pets.

The Queen smiled to herself as she watched one of the servants wrap her arms around the girl’s legs while the other wove her arms around the girl’s back. Slowly they carried her out, leaving the Queen to her thoughts again

Buy Link for The Curse Breaker

You can find April at:

Facebook:  Facebook.com/editorapril

Twitter:  @akejones

Instagram: aprilkelleyjones

Website:   thepathtostory.com

Augustina Van Hoven was born in The Netherlands and currently resides in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, dog and two cats.   She is an avid reader of romance, science fiction and fantasy.  When she’s not writing she likes to work in her garden or in the winter months crochet and knit on her knitting machines.

Beverley: What’s your name?

Valerian: I am Valerian DuCharme, enforcer for House Tenshire.  House Tenshire is one of the three vampire houses that rule over the Community.

Beverley: Where did you grow up?

Valerian: I grew up on my father’s small vineyard in the Loire Valley in France.

Beverley: During what time period does your story take place?

Valerian: This story takes place in real time.

Beverley: What’s your story/back story? 

Valerian: I was born in 1778 in the Loire Valley in France.  I lived there until I enlisted in Emperor Napoleon Buonaparte’s army. I was turned into a vampire at the Battle of Austerlitz in 1805.  I am currently the enforcer for House Tenshire, one of the three vampire houses that rule of the Community.  The Community is made up of the mythical creature that humans don’t believe in.

Beverley: What’s your goal in this story?

Valerian: I am trying to keep the members of my house safe. I have been assigned to kidnap a horror story writer and question her concerning something that she has written.

Beverley: What conflicts are you facing?

Valerian: The greatest law in the Community is to remain hidden from the humans.  There is information being leaked that is putting all of us in danger.  I have to find the leak and stop it.

Beverley: Do you have a plan for resolving them?

Valerian: The plan to resolve the problem is very simple…find the leak and eliminate it.  I have found out things are not what I thought they were.  It will take all everyone working together to solve the crisis we are facing.

Beverley: Is there anything else you’d like us to know about you?

Valerian: Being turned into a vampire was the last thing I ever wanted.  It destroyed my old life and forced me to make a new one.  I will never forgive the creature who did this to me.

Blurb for The Hidden:

The monsters are real

For most of her life, Lily Montgomery had thought the creatures that inhabited her dreams lived on only in the pages of the horror novels she wrote. Until she was kidnapped by a vampire and forced to go on the run from werewolves and other shapeshifters. And from her emotions. For, against all reason, her heart was also at risk of being captured by the vampire.

Valerian DuCharme had been turned into a vampire against his will. But in the turning, he did not lose his charisma or his caring. Now the enforcer for one of the princely houses of the Community, he tried to ensure the safety of anyone who came within range. And of many who didn’t. But it was all reflex, until he met Lily. And emotions he hadn’t felt for hundreds of years surfaced.

Excerpt from The Hidden

As soon as Valerian cleared the door frame, a large, gray wolf leapt toward them, jaws wide. Lily must have seen it because she screamed, tightened her grip around his waist, and buried her face in his back. A second wolf came around the corner of the house and went headlong after Valerian’s leg. He swerved the bike away from the wolf’s teeth and opened the throttle.

He raced the bike along the dark road. Another wolf ran across a field and joined the other two in pursuit. The road curved and continued under a line of coast live oaks.

Valerian glanced around. He couldn’t assume that the three wolves were the only ones pursuing them. He had no way of knowing the size of their pack and how many they had brought with them. He swerved around a pothole.

How are they tracking this woman?

He adjusted the speed of the bike against the conditions of the road, which was covered with debris from the rainstorm three nights ago. Branches had fallen, and a few larger stones had slid down the raised bank on the left side.

Valerian glanced along the tree line. Nothing yet. He had to get to a more populated area of Santa Barbara. He could lose the wolves there. They wouldn’t risk being spotted by humans. He swerved the bike to avoid a large branch.

With his sharp night vision, he noted a problem ahead. Gravel was strewn across the road, the remnants of a small mudslide. The bank was unstable, and he would need to slow the bike. A quick glance behind him confirmed the three wolves were still on the hunt. He turned around in time to see a fourth wolf break the tree line in front of him and lunge for the bike. The bike’s rear tire slid on the gravel, and Valerian turned the front tire into the slide.

Lily screamed.

The fourth wolf snapped at Lily, trying to latch on to her and drag her off the bike.

Valerian reached back and grabbed the front of Lily’s jacket while he struggled to keep control of the sliding bike. He let the back tire slide toward the wolf, and clipped it.

The wolf gave a blood-chilling cry, echoed by his pack members.

  The bike wobbled. Lily lost her balance and slipped to the right. Valerian swore and jerked her back into position. He shifted to a lower gear and again opened the throttle.

Buy Links for The Hidden

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0852T1L3Z/ref=sr_1_9?crid=2KPLZSCQ5AO3P&keywords=augustina+van+hoven&qid=1582564196&sprefix=augustina+v%2Caps%2C306&sr=8-9

Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/boo

Barnes & Noble:  htt k/id1500280915 ps://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-hidden-augustina- van-hoven/1136528401;jsessionid=8408FDF3ACB5A1A901BA323B5B9AAFD5.prodny_store02-atgap13?ean=2940163897896

KOBO:  https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-hidden-32

https://amzn.to/2Iq3fgF

You can find Augustina at:

Website: https://augustinavanhoven.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/augustinavhoven

FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/Augustina-Van-Hoven/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/augustinavhoven/

Amazon Author page: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=augustina+van+hoven&i=digital-text&crid=UB2V9AGQJ51D&sprefix=Augustina%2Cdigital-text%2C346&ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_9

Bookbub page: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/augustina-van-hoven  

Through a crazy twist of fate, Caroline Clemmons was not born on a Texas ranch. To compensate for this illogical error, she writes about handsome cowboys, feisty ranch women, and scheming villains in a tiny office her family calls her pink cave. She and her Hero live in North Central Texas cowboy country where they ride herd on their two rescued indoor cats and dog as well as providing nourishment outdoors for squirrels, birds, and other critters.

The books she creates in her pink cave have made her a bestselling author and won awards. She writes sweet to sensual romances about the West, both historical and contemporary as well as time travel and mystery. Her series include the Kincaids, McClintocks, Stone Mountain Texas, Bride Brigade, Texas Time Travel, Texas Caprock Tales, Pearson Grove, and Loving A Rancher as well as numerous single titles and contributions to multi-author sets. When she’s not writing, she loves spending time with her family, reading her friends’ books, lunching with friends, browsing antique malls, checking Facebook, and taking the occasional nap.

Beverley: Which genre or genres do you write or prefer to write? And why?

Caroline: So far, I’ve written western historical romance, contemporary romance, time travel romance, and mystery. My favorite is western historical romance, but they usually have a mystery/adventure in them. I credit my dad and my freshman history professor for my love of western romance. My mother-in-law suggested I write romance and at the same time brought me a grocery bag of Harlequin romances to read.

Beverley: Who influenced you the most in deciding to become a writer?

Caroline: My dad and a journalism teacher names Mary Stewart (not the famous one).

Then, when I began trying to get published, writer friends in an RWA group shared their editor’s name and that she was looking for short romances for the ill-fated Precious Gems line at Kensington. But, I sold my book and became a published author and that opened a lot of doors.

Beverley: What gets your creative juices flowing?

Caroline: An article I read or a conversation I hear, or a television news story can spark an idea. Getting a book plotted out gets me enthused, too, and I can hardly wait to start writing.

Beverley: Do you have a favorite cartoon character? Why?

Caroline: Bugs Bunny is my favorite because of the association I have of my dad teaching me to read when I was small. Every day when he came in from work, I’d be waiting to ask him to read the Bugs Bunny comic strip in the evening paper. I know he valued education, but I have said he taught me to read so he could look at his paper in peace.

Beverley: Who would you love most to meet ‘in person’ and why?

Caroline: That’s a difficult question! I’d better not mention an American political figure, so I’ll say Queen Elizabeth II. I admire her and I love visiting Britain. Also, a few years ago she looked just like my late eldest sister who lived in California.

Beverley: If you had an unexpected free day what would you do with it?

Caroline: Read! Writers never get enough time to read because we’re always writing. At least, it seems I am. When I get a chance to read, I take it. I take my Kindle in my purse and read anytime I have a few minutes to spare. I admit I never begrudge delay in a waiting room because I get to read.

Beverley: What are you working on now?

Caroline: I’ve just finished POLKA WITH PAULINE, The Matchmaker’s Ball, book 8 and it will be released March 28. Now I’ll be working on MAIL-ORDER VICTORIA, Widows, Brides, and Secret Babies Series, book 7, which releases on April. I love mail-order bride stories—to write and to read.

Blurb about STUART, Bachelors & Babies Series book 10

He is building for the future . . .

She is escaping the past . . .

Trouble could destroy their family

Stuart McGee needs the bounty from capturing the two men he’s trailing. That reward will allow him to buy the ranch of his dreams. When he encounters the men, he is forced to kill them or be killed. He learns they’ve killed a young couple. The big surprise is there’s a baby in their cabin. What is Stuart supposed to do with a baby girl?

Georgina Potter has to get away from home. Her family treats her as a screw-up. She is determined to prove them wrong. Starting over as a mail-order bride might not be the best way but it’s the only way she can get away from her family. When she arrives, she learns her groom has married someone else. What is she going to do with no money, no groom, and nowhere to stay?

When Georgina and Stuart marry, neither is convinced it’s the right choice. Baby Adeline captures the affection of both. Can working together as parents ignite romance for Georgina and Stuart? When trouble comes, will their fledgling relationship disintegrate or become stronger?

An Excerpt from STUART, Bachelors & Babies Series book 10

         “You’ve done well so far. If you have a rug or blanket Adeline can sit on while she plays, that would be all she needs.”

“Okay, there was a rug on the floor of the cabin. I don’t know if it was for her or the dog.”

He pressed a hand to his forehead. “No, I’m sure the dog’s blanket was the one I used to wrap the bodies for burial. I just laid the dog on top of them in one communal grave.” He scrubbed a hand across his face.

How horrible for him. She couldn’t imagine the scene he’d faced with two dead criminals, the dead young couple, and their dog. And to have to dig a grave large enough for the couple and their dog must have been exhausting physically and mentally.

“What a hard week you’ve had. Mine hasn’t been fun, either.” She turned to the child. “Addie, would you like to bring your baby to the kitchen?” She scooped up the little girl and her doll.

He smiled. “Yeah, we should call her Addie. That’s what her father called her. He said ‘see about Addie’ with his last breath. When she’s old enough to understand, I’ll tell her that.”

He wrapped an arm around Georgina’s shoulders. “No, don’t go sad again. We’re lucky to have this ranch paid for and have enough money to buy furniture and stock up on food.”

“Stuart, you risked your life for that cash. I’m lucky that awful Brick Larson jilted me.”

He chuckled. “We’ll see if you still feel that way after you taste what I rustle up for our supper.”

Buy Link for STUART, Bachelors & Babies Series book 10

Universal Amazon buy link http://mybook.to/Georgina

You can find Caroline on her blog , website , Facebook , Twitter , Goodreads , and Pinterest .

Join her and other readers at Caroline’s Cuties , a Facebook readers group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/277082053015947/ for special excerpts, exchanging ideas, contests, giveaways, recipes, and talking to like-minded people about books and other fun things.

Click on her Amazon Author Page for a complete list of her books and follow her there.

Follow her on Book Bub .

To stay up-to-date with her releases and contests, subscribe to Caroline’s newsletter here and receive a FREE novella of HAPPY IS THE BRIDE, a humorous historical wedding disaster that ends happily—but you knew it would, didn’t you?

A quick update. I followed the old rule “butt in chair” every day and write something. I also went back about two chapter and started editing, not fresh writing which is what I need to do. After editing the two chapters I continued to write toward the finish. It’s slow and the words aren’t flowing, but I am working toward the end and then I can edit everything.

I still write using Word, and I’m also still on Windows 7. The idea of learning Windows 10 I find daunting right now. What is everyone else using? Do you use a writing program like Scrivener?

I tried Scrivener and it looks like it would work. Other swear by it. I found it a little confusing and went back to Word.

I wasn’t sure of the available programs today so I goggled and found the ones listed below at https://self-publishingschool.com/book-writing-software-best/ . I’m familiar with some of them. How about you?

Microsoft Word – Word Processor, $79.99.

Scrivener – Word Processor, $45.

Pages – Word Processor, $28.

Freedom – Productivity Software, $2.42/month.

Google Docs – Online Word Processor, Free.

Evernote – Note-Taking Software, Free.

FocusWriter – Word Processor, Free.

Ulysses – $39.99/year

Hemingway Editor Free

Dropbox Free

Open Office Free

Fast Pencil Free

PauseFor

Grammerly

I think I’m going to research each one and post the information on my upcoming blogs.

    If you’ve used any of them and would like to share your experience that would be great. Or if you a program you’d like me to research – let me know.

Michal Scott is the pen name of Rev. Anna Taylor Sweringen, a retired United Church of Christ and Presbyterian USA minister. A native New Yorker, Anna is a recent transplant to the Southwest and is enjoying the great weather along with her husband of thirty years and their rescue cat, Scully. She has bee n writing fiction professionally since 2003 and had an inspirational novel, Through A Glass Darkly, published in 2008. Her loves of history and romance came together in her first erotic romance novella, One Breath Away, published by Wild Rose Press in 2016. Anna is a member of the Women’s Fiction Association and several Romance Writers of America chapters. In addition to erotic romance, writes as Anna Taylor (inspirational romance) and gothic romance as Anna M. Taylor (women’s fiction and gothic romance). 

Beverley: Which genre or genres do you write or prefer to write? And why?

Anna: I write in three romance genres under three different pen names: inspirational (Anna Taylor), gothic (Anna M. Taylor) and erotic (Michal Scott). I write inspirational romance because dealing with stories where people grow because they wrestle with faith issues. I write gothic romance because the flaws of the more deeply wounded gothic hero appeals to my love for the redemption/second chance romance trope. I write erotic romance because the heat level of erotic stories gets me closer to my life-long goal of understanding and exercising the power of eroticism as I’ve experienced it in the writings of the love mystics of  Begijn   and as articulated by Audre Lorde in her talk Uses of the Erotic: The Erotic As Power.

Beverley: Who influenced you the most in deciding to become a writer?

Anna: I have to give credit to my mother, my mother-in-law and author Mary Buckham. My mother created a voracious reader in me that inevitably led to my writing stories of my own. My mother-in-law’s challenge to write stories about my own characters rather than writing fan fiction led me to join RWA and begin to hone my skills. Finally, the fabulous Mary Buckham encouraged me to believe in myself as a writer before I became published and she continues to push me to be the best writer I can be.

Beverley: What gets your creative juices flowing?

Anna: A favorite piece of music, re-reading a passage from a favorite author or being inspired by a new work I happen across. 

Beverley: Do you have a favorite cartoon character? Why?

Anna: Yes, I do. I don’t know how many people remember Mighty Mouse but his “Here I come to save the day” encouraged me as a little kid. I loved watching something as tiny as a mouse prove to be heroic. If a teeny tiny mouse could save the day, so could a skinny little kid like me. 

Beverley: Who would you love most to meet ‘in person’ and why?

Anna: Michelle Obama. She really shone as a great first lady in the tradition of Eleanor Roosevelt. She’s her own woman, has her own message and picked a partner who needed an equal like her. Her dedication to young people being healthy mentally, physically and spiritually continues to inspire me.

Beverley: If you had an unexpected free day what would you do with it?

Anna: If I were still in New York, I’d go to one of my favorite museums and split the day between a new exhibit and one of my favorites. Now I’m here in the Southwest, I’d find a sunny bench in a park where I could read with the sound of children playing around me.

Beverley: What are you working on now?

Anna: Right now I’m giving Women’s Fiction a try by taking on Richard Wagner’s Ring cycle operas but told from the POV of the female characters as African-American women during the Gilded Age through the first two decades of the 20th century. I’ve completed and am presently revising the first draft of Or What’s A Heaven For, my take on the first opera, Das Rheingold and am working on my outline for A Damned Mob of Scribbling Women, my take on Das Valkyrie.

Blurb for Wife Wanted: Marital relations as necessary. Love not required nor sought…

A brid al lottery seems the height of foolishness to ex-slave Caesar King, but his refusal to participate in the town council’s scheme places him in a bind. He has to get married to avoid paying a high residence fine or leave the Texas territory. After losing his wife in childbirth, Caesar isn’t ready for romance. A woman looking for a fresh start without any emotional strings is what he needs.

Queen Esther Payne, a freeborn black from Philadelphia, has been threatened by her family for her forward-thinking, independent ways. Her family insists she marry. Her escape comes in the form of an ad. If she must marry, it will be on her terms. But her first meeting with the sinfully hot farmer proves an exciting tussle of wills that stirs her physically, intellectually, and emotionally.

In the battle of sexual one-upmanship that ensues, both Caesar and Queen discover surrender can be as fulfilling as triumph.

Buy links for Wife Wanted:

https://amzn.to/2KTaGPH

Social media for Anna:

Website:  www.michalscott.webs.com

Twitter: @mscottauthor1