Winner of the Holt Medallion, Maggie, Daphne du Maurier, Reviewer’s Choice and Epic awards, Barbara Monajem wrote her first story at eight years old about apple tree gnomes. She published a middle-grade fantasy when her children were young, then moved on to paranormal mysteries and Regency romances with intrepid heroines and long-suffering heroes (or vice versa).

Barbara loves to cook, especially soups. She used to have two items on her bucket list: to make asparagus pudding and succeed at knitting socks. Asparagus pudding proved to be pretty horrible, and she is too fumble-fingered to make socks. Now she just sticks with writing books. She lives near Atlanta, Georgia with an ever-shifting population of relatives, friends, and feline strays.

 

Excerpt from The Redemption of the Shrew

A clandestine meeting, particularly where nakedness is involved, is best arranged for a moonless night.

Or so Gloriana Warren told herself, for her mother would never have uttered such a scandalous dictum. Unfortunately, it was tonight or never. Tomorrow, the man she had sworn to love forever would leave Lancashire and return to London—without her. They wouldn’t be able to marry for years because of his stupid scruples about money.

Men and their tedious pride! She and the Marquis de Bellechasse loved one another. They shared the same lofty ideals. She had a substantial dowry. Marrying now made sense. Not only that, her mother would die happy.

So Gloriana was taking matters into her own hands. She had planned the upcoming encounter in glorious detail—every word, every gesture. As she emerged from the summerhouse to greet him, he would stand and stare at her, transfixed by her beauty.

“Darling Philippe,” she would say, reaching for him, offering herself without reserve. “Love is eternal. It cannot, must not be denied!”

“Ah, ma belle,” he would respond, his hand on his heart, his voice throbbing with desire. “I adore you. What a fool I was to think we could wait for years. Even another minute is too long. Tonight, I shall make you mine!”

She would fling herself into his waiting arms, swept away on the tide of his passion.

She wasn’t sure exactly how it would go after that, apart from plenty of kissing, but judging by her previous experience of Philippe’s kisses, it would be the most thrilling experience of her life.

She sneaked out the French doors, arms full of blankets, and glanced back up at Garrison House. Not a glimmer of candlelight showed in the windows. She hurried through the rose garden and skirted the lawn, keeping to the bushes and out of the moonlight. In the secret room under the summerhouse, she and her darling Philippe would be safe. Tomorrow they would announce their engagement to Mama. They would send for a special license and be married within a week.

Ten minutes later, she had set up a makeshift bed under the summerhouse and removed all her clothes. Shivering more from excitement than from the chilly night air, she waited for Philippe to arrive.

Tonight would be the most perfect night of her life.

~~~

The Marquis de Bellechasse left his horse in a convenient copse and made his careful way forward, pausing at the edge of the trees. Garrison House was reassuringly dark, but moonlight reflected off the ripples on the lake. The summerhouse gleamed white on its little knoll, exposed on all sides. He paused, listening. No sound disturbed the darkness except a nightjar complaining from a nearby oak. He hoped and prayed no one else was up and about tonight. He couldn’t afford to get caught with Gloriana Warren, but nor could he bring himself to ignore her passionate plea to see him once more before they parted.

He loved her—to the point of folly, judging by his current behavior. He had already said farewell, and yet here he was, trespassing on her brother’s estate at midnight to say it again. He dreaded her inevitable tears.

The door to the summerhouse stood wide open, which meant Gloriana was here already. Fine. Best to get it over with now. He took a deep breath and set out across the lawn.

He had almost reached the doorway when she came into view, rising from out of nowhere, her face pale, her hair loose around her bare shoulders. He halted, staring, his heart thundering. She continued to rise, her breasts round and luscious in the light of the moon. His eyes slid helplessly down the curve of her hips to the darker patch at the apex of her thighs . . .

Mordieu. He shook his head and began to back away. “No, chérie. We must not do this.”

She set her feet on the floor—she must have emerged from a trapdoor—and beckoned with those sweet arms, smiled with those lush lips. “Philippe, my darling, please come to me. I love you so much.”

“No, ma belle, I cannot.”

“But love—” She faltered, then continued toward him, arms wide. “Love is eternal. It must not be denied.”

Sacrebleu, she was declaiming like a shoddy actress on the stage. The thought revolted him. Surely his idealistic Gloriana could not cheapen herself so. Anguished, he put up his hands to fend her off. “It is not possible, Gloriana. Not yet. It would not be right.”

She hurried forward, her breasts jiggling enticingly. “Truly, we mustn’t delay. My mother may not have long to live, and seeing me married well is her dearest wish.”

He didn’t care in the least about old Lady Garrison, who was the worst sort of snob. He shook his head. “No. To wait is best.”

“Philippe, I cannot wait. I need you now.” She reached for him, her nakedness inches away.

He gritted his teeth and took another step backwards. His imbecile cock was reacting to her, but he had long ago gained control over its demands. “I am sorry, but I must go.” He turned away.

She wailed, a sharp, keening sound, and immediately a shout came from nearby. Her brother? No, he was in London. A gamekeeper?

Whoever the man might be, he was lurking here on purpose. So much for love, Philippe thought. Gloriana was just another lust-crazed woman trying to trap him into marriage. He turned and ran. Pursued by shouts and then shots, he reached his horse and galloped away.

Buy Link for The Redemption of the Shrew

Amazon Buy Link

You can find Barbra here:

Facebook: facebook.com/barbara.monajem

Twitter: twitter.com/BarbaraMonajem

Goodreads: goodreads.com/author/show/3270624.Barbara_Monajem

Website: BarbaraMonajem.com

Barbara has some wonderful prizes to giveaway during the tour. Please be sure to enter with the Rafflecopter below. There is an opportunity every day to enter for your chance to win one of the fabulous prizes. So join us for a fun blog tour journey and be sure to enter every day for your chance to win. You may find all the blog tour locations here .

Here are the links that are embedded just in case you have any trouble with them.

Blog Tour Schedule Here…. https://reviewsbycacb.blogspot.com/p/blog-tour-barbara-monajem.html

Amazon Buy Link   https://amzn.to/2Nqsa4q

a Rafflecopter giveaway http://www .rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/801c221b71/

First, I’d love to have you check out my website,  https://www.beverleybateman.com/   It has an update on my News for August. Also, I’d love to have you sign up for my newsletter, which I’m hoping to start in the fall. It will only be sent out about four times a year.

Next I tend to be a bit of an eclectic person so I’m going to make Tuesday blogs a little more eclectic. My focus is still to find readers for my books and for other authors and their new books.  But I may through in a few food hints, crafts, book reviews, maybe even gardening tips, as well as writing hints and marketing tips. Hopefully you’ll find something that interests you.

And today I’m sharing a few tips on Branding from my conference. Hope they help if you’re working on your brand.

– Have a great book. Yes, everything always starts out with that one  

– Identify the unique message points about your book

– Be sure your book and message points evoke some emotional response. This one I hadn’t thought about.

– Build your brand equally across your whole platform

– Be consistent in your branding

– Deliver on the expectations your brand sets forth

– Continue evaluate and refine your brand

Check covers of some of your favorite authors and see how they brand.

Nancy Lee Badger grew up in Huntington on New York’s Long Island. After attending Plymouth State in New Hampshire, she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Art Education and met and married her college sweetheart. They raised two handsome sons in New Hampshire and when the children had left the nest, and shoveling show became a chore, she retired from her satisfying job as a 9-1-1 Emergency Medical Dispatcher and moved with her husband to North Carolina, where she writes full-time.

Nancy is a member of Romance Writers of America, Heart of Carolina Romance Writers, Fantasy-Futuristic & Paranormal Romance Writers, and the Triangle Association of Freelancers. She loves to travel and attend Scottish Highland Games and is never far from her laptop. She finds story ideas in the most unusual places.  

 

I am excited to announce my latest book, and the first one to take place in North Carolina , my adopted home . Beverly asked for me an interview of my heroine, Kenzie Mackintosh. Let the interview begin!  

Beverl ey: What’s your name?

Ke nzie: Kenzie Mackintosh. Can you tell I am of Scottish descent? Mom was a Lindsay, the daughter of my Scottish grandmother, Maisie. I call her Grams.

Beverley: Where did you grow up ?

Kenzie: In the Blue Ridge Mountains of western North Carolina. After my parents died when I was eight, my grandmother’s cabin became my refuge. I love the ocean and visited my cousin’s beach house in Rodanthe, but those memories faded. Until recently.

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

Kenzie: Everything happens in present-day North Carolina, but I meet a man who claims to be from 19th century Paris, France, and I can’t get rid of him!

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

Kenzie: As I said, I had to grow up fast. I have always art and dabbled in painting as well as quilting. I turned this love into a profession. I am head curator at the Raleigh Museum of Art. I guess the author, also an artist, thought I would be a good ‘fit’.

Beverley: What’s your goal in this story?

Kenzie: Staying alive. Supposedly a demon wants to take over my body in order to rule the world.

Beverley: What conflicts are you facing?

Kenzie: My need to stay clear of a former lover and a demon as well as an untimely attraction to a naked Frenchman who appeared at my museum the night before the grand opening.

Beverley: Do you have a plan for resolving them?

Kenzie: Hah! I am out of my element when faeries, demons, and naked Frenchmen arrive while I am trying to impress my boss that I have everything under control.

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

Kenzie: There is a secret about my heritage Henrí keeps assuming I know. I don’t and trying to stay alive proves harder as the demon closes in…on me!

Blurb fo r Heaven-sent Warrior

Henrí Chevalier’s last memory, before stumbling naked into a museum’s moonlit garden, was Auguste Rodin and his dusty Paris studio in 1886. To escape his broken heart, Henrí volunteered to sleep inside a statue until needed. Expecting

to die, he discovers he must learn to use the unexpected powers Heaven has given him. Without them he will fail his mission against otherworldly creatures, such as demons and faeries.

Kenzie Mackintosh, a dedicated art museum’s curator, spies a naked man hiding

among bronze statues. A quick glance ignites desire within her, but she is too tied-up in work to act on it. Unaware of her fae heritage, their relationship heats up as he disrupts her job. While Henrí tries to process modern buildings, cars, and a broken elevator, a demon attacks and forces Henrí and Kenzie to enlist

the aid of her powerful fae relatives. When the demon possesses the body of her ex-lover and threatens to kill him, then use her to take over the world, Henrí and Kenzie must learn to trust each other, even if Kenzie’s death might be the only answer to the world’s salvation.

 

 

Excerpt for Heaven-sent Warrior

Kenzie’s gaze flit toward the door, then back to him. “Are we safe?”

“The spells I neglected to use are now in place. Whatever fell down those stairs ran off. Tomorrow, I shall return to the museum and search for its human host.”

“You can do that?”

“I felt the warning as it approached. I have confidence I will feel it tomorrow, but my instincts are . . . unsettled.” Standing in front of her, Henrí cupped her cheek with one hand and placed the other on her waist.

“Um, was there something else?”

“Preparedness is best fashioned in solitude, but I do not want to say good-night.” Henrí’s eyes drew nearly shut as he leaned closer. “Lie with me.”

Is he serious?

Kenzie couldn’t get her mouth to work, but she knew the second he’d read her thoughts, because he nodded, then kissed her. She strove to be fearless and confident, but everything flew out the door when he slipped his tongue into her mouth. In the next two seconds, she’d either sink into his embrace and never stop kissing him back, or run.

“Stay with me tonight, mon ange ,” he whispered.

He’d drawn his luscious mouth back a few inches, but his words sounded . . . familiar.

“It means my angel , since you have the look of the heavens in your lovely hair and exquisite eyes. You taste like ambrosia.”

“The mythical food of the gods?” she asked. She wanted to fan her face, but she’d locked her hands around Henrí’s neck.

“There is only one true God, mon ange .”  

Kenzie nodded as her fingers tangled in his hair and pulled his mouth back down to hers. Anything to keep from considering the circumstances.

She withdrew, sucking in a breath. Circumstances? She had her tongue down a stranger’s throat after someone, whom Henrí called a demon, had nearly broken into her home. The feelings, sweeping her better judgment away, were foreign.

“Oui, I am French,” he whispered.

“Stop doing that.”

“Pardon?”

“You’re spooky.”

Actually, he’s too close, too enticing, too . . . male.

Henrí chuckled, then lifted her into his arms. At five feet ten inches, she was close to his height, but he didn’t so much as wheeze as he carried her to her bedroom. He lay down on the bed and snuggled up beside her, without taking his hands off her body.

What am I doing? This is wrong on so many levels.

 

Find all Buy Links for Heaven-sent Warrior here : https://nancyleebadger.blogspot.com/p/books.html

Connect with Nancy Lee Badger Website       Twitter      Facebook      Amazon Author Page

Blog       BookBub      Goodreads

 

Toni Sweeney was born in Georgia. Her writing career began during an extended convalescence following an automobile accident. Since her recovery, she has survived hurricanes in the South, tornados and snow-covered winters in the Midwestern United States and currently lives amid the sunshine, earthquakes, and forest fires of Orange County, California.

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

Toni: I write mostly in space opera and fantasy with romance thrown in. My excuse for focusing on these genres is that in either, you can make up worlds, characters and customs, and if it’s in another dimension or on another planet, no one can really claim you’re incorrect in what’s you’ve said.

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

Toni: I had some very good teachers both in elementary school and in college. My seventh grade teacher, Lucille Comer, encouraged all her students to write and we’d have sessions where we’d read aloud stories we’d written. 

In college, I had two professors, Wilson Snipes and Mae McMillian, who were equally influential. I’ve dedicated books to all three.

Beverley: What gets your creative juices flowing?

Toni: It can be anything…a word, a scene from a movie, a line in a book.

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

Toni: I’ve always been a fan of Bugs Bunny.  The character has toned down quite a bit from the original in which he was truly “buggy.” Nowadays he’s more laid-back and smart.

His line, “I must’ve taken a wrong turn at Albuquerque,” has gotten him into all sorts of adventures but he always manages to come out on top. I’m terrible at driving to new places and I’ve used that line a lot myself.

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

Toni: I’ve thought this over many times and can’t come up with anyone. I think it’s because I’m inherently shy and if I did meet someone who was well-known, I’d probably clam up and they’d think I was stupid or I’d stutter all over the place and they’d still think I was stupid!

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

Toni: I’m retired, so I have plenty of “free days” as it is.

Beverley: What are you working on now?

Toni: I’m currently working on a fantasy called The Childless King . It’s a kind of fairy tale and I’m writing it in casual form, with a “Once upon a Time” narration.

Blurb for The King’s Swordswoman (Book 2 of the Lovers of Leonesse ):

The King is dead; How Long will the New King Live?

Sickly Crispin of Leonesse isn’t expected to long survive his coronation…and then swordswoman Janel Redhu becomes his bodyguard.

Smothered by the Queen Mother and his physician, Crispin is an odd combination of feeble body, rebellious spirit, and frightened child. In spite of that, king and guard become close friends.  When Janel overhears what she thinks is a conspiracy by Crispin’s brothers to seize the Throne, she does the only thing she can.

She carries her sovereign to safety in the neutral country of Sudelain.

When the two runaways come across an  enemy scouting party, Janel believes Crispin is killed, and lets herself be captured as punishment for failing to protect him. 

What follows is a tale of suffering and love as a boy transforms into manhood and a young woman helps him meet his planned destiny. 

EXCERPT for The King’s Swordswoman ( Book 2 of the Lovers of Leonesse ):

“So you’ve finally arrived,” Carel greeted his brother brusquely. He flicked a glance at me. “And is this the Lady Comaunder’s choice?” He sounded as if he couldn’t believe it.

“Linus, who is this person?” Lady Mathilde didn’t give her next-to-youngest a chance to answer his brother.

“This is the soldier Comaunder Mariah sent to guard Crispin,” Carel answered for Linus.

“He seems young.” Standing, she bustled over to me, peering into my face. Abruptly, she recoiled. “Carel, this is a girl!”

“Astute of you to notice, Mother.” Carel didn’t attempt to keep his answer respectful. “Comaunder Mariah’s daughter, as a matter of fact,” he went on.

Lady Mathilde stared at her eldest, plainly upset, more than a little angry. “She can’t guard His Majesty,” she stated, in a don’t argue-with-me tone.

“Why not?” Linus spoke up, doing just that.

“She’s a female—” Lady Mathilde began, giving him a glare saying much about a son daring to question his mother’s opinions.

“So?” Carel interrupted. Not letting his mother finish a sentence earned him a scowl.

“Crispin’s guard has to be with him every minute of the day and night. This girl can’t possibly sleep in the same room with His Majesty. It wouldn’t be proper.”

“Janel’s a devotee of the goddess, Madame.” Carel’s reply was clipped as if attempting to control his anger. A faint rose fragrance hovered in the air. “DeOsse requires chastity of her followers. You needn’t worry about her climbing into bed with him.”

Linus stifled a chuckle.

“Nevertheless…”

“Nevertheless, nothing! I asked the Comaunder for her best soldier and Janel’s her choice. She stays.”

There was a sigh and a creaking of the leather straps supporting the mattress. A sleepy murmur, sudden movement from the bed, a body straightening and rolling over.

“M-Mother?” The voice was so shaky and hollow it sounded like an old man rather than a seventeen-year-old boy.

“Yes, my angel.” Mathilde was distracted from further argument as she rushed bck to the bedside.

“W-we have a v-visitor?” It was asked breathlessly.

Crispin sounded as if he’d run a race and couldn’t get his wind. Oh, goddess, and he stutters , too. I felt my heart dip with pity.

He leaned forward slightly. “Who are you, soldier?”

“The guard sent from Sword Squad,” Carel began.

I started to supply my name.

  “—A female,” Mathilde didn’t let either of us finish. “I’ve told him she isn’t acceptable.”

Oh no. She’s going to talk him out of it. For some reason, the Queen Mother didn’t want her son to have a guard. I imagined she had enough influence with him to have me sent away. Well, that’d be no reflection on me or my abilities, but it would be an insult. To myself as well as to the Lady Comaunder, my mother, for her choice.

“Why not?” It was the whining query of a child being told he couldn’t do something.

“See? Even His Majesty sees there’s no problem,” Carel pointed out, not trying to hide how this pleased him.

Mathilde ignored him, turning back to the bed. “Because your guard must be here at all times. Think about that. You don’t want a female here while you’re being bathed, do you? Seeing you naked? Or watching you relieve yourself into a chamber?”

Crispin cringed. There was no other way to describe the sudden movement the figure behind the draperies made.

“She wouldn’t look…” His voice went up so quickly it became a squeak. There was a loud gulp as he attempted to return it to a more kingly timbre. The shadowy head turned in his elder brother’s direction. “Carel, s-surely she wouldn’t…”

“Of course not. Whenever you’re being bathed, Janel will turn her back. And she’ll never be in your company when you perform your other functions. Will you, Prive?” He directed this last question at me so suddenly I nearly jumped.

“C-certainly not, sire.” I grimaced at that brief tremble in my voice. I hoped no one thought I was mocking my king’s stammer. “I swear His Majesty’ll have privacy.”

  “Come closer, Prive.” A hand wavered through the draperies. It was waxen-pale, large but bony, almost as white as the lawn sleeve covering it. “What are your orders concerning us?”

I stepped forward and seized Crispin’s hand. It was as chill as a piece of alabaster, not like a living thing at all. Dropping to one knee, I pressed the cold fingers to my forehead. “I’m to protect you, Your Majesty, and keep your enemies at bay.”

The hand withdrew, pulling me to my feet as it disappeared back inside the sanctuary of the bed. “Then it’s all right. She can s-stay, Mother.”

Buy Links for The King’s Swordswoman ( Book 2 of the Lovers of Leonesse ):

Paperback from the publisher’s website: http://classactbooks.com/cat- romance/cat-fantasy/the-king-s-swordswoman-57-detail

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Kings-Swordswoman-Lovers -Leonesse- Book-ebook/dp/B01J2SBPUY/

Learn more about Toni at:

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

Amazon Author’s Page: https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B002BLQBB8

Twitter:  @ToniVSweeney

I’m back from Denver. Met up with friends attended workshops and had fun. The first workshop was with the ATF, which is the Bureau Alcohol, Tobacco firearms and Explosives.   They come under the jurisdiction of the Department of Justice.   It was an all day workshop and we had seven different members of the ATF speak to us and answer questions during the day. It was a very educational day.

The agents who presented during the day were with the Denver office.  The Denver Field Division covers large area which includes Colorado, Montana, Wyoming and Utah. According to the speakers, Wyoming has the lowest crime rate after Rhode Island. Utah has the highest crime rate, especially in the Salt Lake City area.

The first speaker was Special Agent in Charge (SAC) Debbie Livingston. The training academy is is S. Georgia. Training takes seven months and includes 100 hours of firearms training, including low-light shooting. They also train in arson, explosives, understanding fire dynamics, breaching doors, etc. The physical training includes push-ups, sit-ups, pool swimming and rope climbing as well as documentation in law, like writing subpoenas. They don’t hire people over 37 years of age except for some exceptions, such as persons with military or law enforcement backgrounds. Physical fitness testing isn’t required after hiring and training. It’s voluntary but comes with a one hundred dollar incentive. (But most of the speakers look in very good condition) Everyone must score 80% in all areas to pass.

That’s a quick introduction to the ATF. There’s more to come. Check back for more info, including accelerant and explosive sniffing dogs.  

Off to Denver

I’m heading off to Denver.  I probably won’t be blogging next week. If I get a chance I’ll try and update you on how the conference is going.

When I get back I hope to have a few pictures to share and lots of information on what’s going on in publishing and especially indie publishing.

This week is a little hectic. I’m getting ready to head to Denver for the RWA National Conference.

It will be a busy week, but I get to meet up with old friends and make some new ones, plus, hopefully, I will learn something to improve my writing or my marketing. If I do, I’ll share with you when I get home.

Tuesday my online chapter, Kiss of Death is presenting a workshop. The Denver Field Office of the ATF (Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms) will be sending Special Agents knowledgeable in many of their areas to the workshop. We’ll be able to ask lots of questions, especially related to our WIP’s. Just some of the areas they will cover are criminal profiling, firearms and ammunition technology, explosives, firearms trafficking, financial investigative services and the K-9 program.

Wednesday we have a board meeting and our awards ceremony, Death by Chocolate. And yes we have so much chocolate. We also have many pubbed authors, editors and agents attend.

Thursday the RWA workshops begin. About two years ago they finally recognized Indie authors and started to provide some workshops for them. They have some interesting ones this year, besides the building characters and basic writing tips here are a few that I’m looking at, from where I am in my career. I’ve done very little advertising or promoting so that’s one of my aims to learn more about that. Make Your Ads More Effective, A Walkthrough of How to Set Up a Facebook Ad, a BookBub Ad and an AMS Ad Speaker: Mark Dawson, Grow Your Global Sales with Kobo,   and Making Good Money in Self-Publishing. There are a few others that interest me, Conflict Is Key, Because You Said So! Creating Your World for Series Success and since I write westerns, There’s Something about a Cowboy.

If anyone has any particular topic they have a question about, let me know and I’ll see what I can find out.

Sherry Derr-Wille lives in a mid-sized Southern Wisconsin with her husband of 46 years, Bob, whom she deems a saint for putting up with a crazy writer.

With three children, seven grandchildren, more book signings than she can sometimes handle, she puts out four to five books a year and loves writing in her hot pink office.

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

Sherry: WOW! That’s a loaded question. I love writing Time Travel, Historical, Native American, Futuristic, Murder Mysteries, Crime, Older Heroines, in other words, everything I write.

And why?

I love what I write when I’m writing it. I don’t write what people tell me to write I write what I want to write.

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

Sherry: M y Sophomore English teacher in high school, Earl Brockman. On the first day of class, he gave us a test. If you got an ‘A’ you could sit in the back of the room and write for a year. I wanted that ‘A’ and got it. 45 years later I learned I was the only one who liked the assignment and since no one ever told me to stop the assignment, the rest is history.

Beverley: What gets your creative juices flowing?

Sherry:  I used to try to write 1,000 words a day, but I’m getting older and I have to be in the mood. Unfortunately, last year my muse went on vacation to the South Pacific for over a year and didn’t even send me a post card. Guess she didn’t want to have to deal with the cancer I was going through. Just recently she came back and I’ve been averaging about 6K a week.

Beverley: Do you have a favorite cartoon character?

Sherry: I’m old school. I love Buggs Bunny and Elmer Fudd.

Why?

They are the cartoons I grew up with. Back in those days they were the cartoons they showed in the theatres. They weren’t on TV until much later. Add to that is the fact we didn’t get TV until I was already in grade school and they didn’t show many cartoons at that time.

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

Sherry: Sandra Hill – I love her Vikings and time travel books.

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

Sherry: I have a lot of free days because I’m retired. I love spending my time with an author I mentor, friends from high school and grade school, or just meeting new authors and talking about writing.

Beverley: What are you working on now?

Sherry: The working title is The Return of the Ancients . It’s based on the ancient alien theory. In this book, people come from outer space to 3 planets where they helped civilizations to begin. 1/3 of the population went to Seros, 1/3 to Earth, and 1/3 to Nalo. Ragnar goes to Seros, leaving the woman he loves as she, Nina, goes to Earth. The book follows Nina and Ragnar as they build new lives, but since all communication with the contingency to Nalo is nonexistent, both parties assume they have become lost and never made it to Nalo.

I can see that the end is in sight on this one, but last year when my muse went on her little trip, I left my poor little aliens in the Santa Fe airport from March of 2017 until just recently. I love my characters and can hardly wait to see where they take me next.

 

Blurb for Mistaken Identity:

Katelyn Devereaux needs a vacation. More than a vacation, she needs to put Denver behind her as well as the man who wants her as his wife and the birth family who is insisting on finding her.

Seth Miller knows the reason that he mistook Katelyn for Genean is his knowledge that his best friend’s wife was adopted by strangers at birth. Of course he can’t change the facts that Genean and Katelyn are sisters, especially after he learns that the company she wants to visit in Wisconsin is owned by Genean’s brother, Randy, and her husband, Brad.

Excerpt for Mistaken Identity :

Sunlight shimmered across the lake and it glistened as though it had been scattered with diamonds. As she stood there in awe, taking in the beauty from the cottage, the dock invited her into the picture of beauty. Taking her sketch pad and pencil with her, Katelyn Devereaux walked across the lawn and sandy beach until she reached the pier. Settling into the deck chair, she gazed out across the water.

It was such a beautiful morning. She was so glad she’d taken the advice of her friends and accompanied Suzie Branch to this secluded Wisconsin lake. She certainly needed a vacation and could think of no place more relaxing than this quaint cottage hidden away in a different world.

In the distance a loon called to its mate, waited for a few moments for a reply and called again. This was the kind of peaceful exchange she had not taken the time to listen for in months. She knew nature was all around her back home, but there never seemed to be time to sit and listen for it. In Denver she was nothing more than a machine pumping out sketches for her clients, and on occasion, playing the gracious hostess for Martin.

No, I don’t want to think of the daily grind of running the Devereaux Agency, nor Martin Collier’s marriage proposal. I need this time to figure out just who Katelyn Devereaux really is.

Katelyn turned away from the peaceful scene before her. Why can’t my life be this peaceful?

You know why, Katie. The sound of her father’s voice within her head caused a tear to escape from the corner of her eyes. She’d lost both of her parents at Thanksgiving and never really gotten over their deaths. The only thing that kept her from going completely over the edge was work, work and more work.

I don’t think I can do this, Daddy. I don’t love Martin. I haven’t even given him an answer concerning his proposal. Maybe I’m not cut out for the wife thing. Even if I did marry Martin, I wouldn’t be a wife, not in the conventional way. With him gone so much, life as his wife would be no different than life by myself.

    Katelyn’s thoughts came as a shock. Never before had she admitted her true feeling for Martin. More than anything else in the world, she wanted to be a little girl again without all the problems of being a responsible adult. Back home in Denver, her life had become too complicated to allow her to rest. For the past eight months she’d been running the Devereaux Advertising Agency, and then there was Martin Collier’s marriage proposal. The fact she had just learned of the fact she was adopted, only added to the crazy quilt her life had become over the past few months. Perhaps if her parents had told her the truth the shock wouldn’t have been so profound but they hadn’t. She’d learned of her adoption only days after their funeral.

Buy Links for Mistaken Identity :

Publisher’s website: http://www.classactbooks.com/component/virtuemart/cat-murder-mystery-suspense/mistaken-identity-252013-04-29-03-34-26-detail?Itemid=0

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Mistaken-Identity-Sherry-Derr-Wille-ebook/dp/B019DHOIXA/

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/mistaken-identity-sherry-derr-wille/1007570905?ean=2940152524833

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/600615

I finished the damn book.   And it’s off to the editor.

I thought I’d finished weeks ago, but kept going back and making changes and reading it over and over. Every time I’d find something new. Here are some of the self-editing I did in no particular order.

I had a couple of names that were very similar. It could be confusing to the reader so I went back and changed them. Thank heavens for find and replace.

I also used find and replace for those lovely words like – as – just and – the ings.

I cut and moved sections so the book flowed better and it fit the timeline.

I checked for spelling, both with spell check but also by reading it through.

I checked for grammar and punctuation. My grammar is good (I think) but my punctuation is my weak point. And I find Word and I sometimes disagreed on what I thought it should be.   We’ll see what the editor says.

I made notes and went back to check eye color stayed the same for each character, if one man drank scotch and the other whisky, I made notes and made sure it stayed the same through the book.

I went back and read each person’s journey to make sure it made sense and I made sure the conflicts between the characters was resolved by the end.

And I’m listening to the reading of the book. People have suggested three different methods of doing this. I’m going to try all three and see which works best for me.   The ones recommend were Autocrit, WordPress and Office 365.

I’d love to hear what other people check for when they self-edit.

The child of a painter and a psychic dreamer, Saloni Quinby feels spirituality and storytelling go hand-in-hand. She loves the scent of gardenia, the sound of wind chimes and the taste of honey. By listening to what isn’t said, she creates works based on unspoken desires. Saloni prefers blurred gender lines and many varieties of romance. In a world where passion must at times be restrained, she believes erotica is a pleasure to be shared. With her stories she would like to make her fantasies yours and hopes you enjoy the ride. She also writes under the name Kate Hill.

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

Saloni: I enjoy writing paranormal romance because that is the type of story I love to read.

Beverley: Who influenced you the most in deciding to become a writer?   Saloni: Anyone who has ever written a book influenced me. When I was a kid I loved reading more than anything and I always wanted to have a story published.

Beverley: What gets your creative juices flowing?

Saloni: Just about anything can inspire me. Sometimes it’s people or places. A different source of inspiration can hit me at any given moment.

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

Saloni: That’s a hard question because I like a lot of cartoon characters. I’ll go with Scooby Doo because the mysteries are so much fun.

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

Saloni: Do you mean a fictional character? I’d go with Scorpius from Farscape, but only if he couldn’t hurt me!

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

Saloni: I would probably do yard work.

Beverley: What are you working on now?

Saloni: I have the rights back to several novels and I’m preparing them for re-release.

Weapons of Redemption:

Five men, enslaved by a vampire pirate and forced to do his bidding, rebelled against their master and earned the wrath of a monster. Now, while plotting to destroy the man who, centuries later, still thinks he owns them, they use their powers to protect other victims.

Whips and Chains: In a seedy underworld of sex and violence, a serial killer is stalking men and Guy is called upon to find the murderer. Ryan, a professional Dom known as the Beast Tamer, specializes in meting out pleasure and pain to oversized men. Is the sexy young man with a mysterious past the next victim — or the killer?

Sword and Shield: Rule coped with his abduction by the vampire pirate Tarun by cutting off his emotions. After centuries of self-control through punishment, he found a man who finally reached his heart. Now it’s up to Rule to save his former lover, but once he sees Joel again, will Rule be able to resist him?

Cloak and Dagger: When police detective Bryce Tarunson arrests a man who looks just like his lover from two thousand years ago, he’s pulled closer to the vampiric master he hates. The bond between Bryce and Shane forces them into a battle that might end in the destruction of the Weapons of Redemption.

Marksmen: Ansley and Brayden were stolen as boys by the hated vampire pirate, Tarun, to work aboard his ship. As men, their friendship blossomed into a deep, undeniable love. In the final battle between the vampire pirate and the Weapons of Redemption, Ansley and Brayden’s love for each other will either save or destroy them.

Fangs and Floggers: To lure his rebellious blood children back into the fold, ancient vampire Tarun abducted the hunter Adrian. He hadn’t bargained on his human prisoner being a match for him in every way — including his darkest desires. Though Tarun warns Adrian he won’t like what he hears, the hunter is determined to uncover the secrets of the vampire’s twisted past.

Publisher’s Note: Weapons of Redemption includes the previously published novellas Whips and Chains, Sword and Shield, Cloak and Dagger, Marksmen, and Fangs and Floggers.

Excerpt from Weapons of Redemption:

Guy released a breath as he let his whip fly. It struck his old friend, Ruliff, or Rule, as he preferred to be called. Rule stood, his hands suspended from manacles dangling from chains overhead.

Even if Rule screamed, no one would hear him, deep in the cellar of this mansion owned by their vampiric kin, Ansley and Brayden. Rule wouldn’t scream, though. It wasn’t in his nature to show what he believed to be weakness. To drag more than a groan from Rule, Guy would be forced to practically kill him and his sessions weren’t meant to cause permanent damage. They had already been at it for longer than usual, even for someone with a supernatural constitution.

Five more times Guy struck him with strategically placed blows before he paused and approached Rule. Using the handle of his whip, he traced an especially fierce-looking welt on Rule’s sweat-slicked back. Rule had a tremendous capacity for pain. Always had.

Guy recalled the days when they, along with Brayden, Ansley and the fifth member of their “family,” Bryce, had sailed with Tarun, a genuine monster. The five men had shared a strange and violent past, one that could have destroyed them, but together they had overcome it. Still their days at sea with the vampire pirate — the master who had tried to mold them in his image — had left scars on their souls as well as their bodies. These sessions with Rule reminded Guy of how strong yet vulnerable they all were, even if they refused to admit it.

Rule could be stubborn to the point of stupid.

Guy tightened his hand around the whip and struck Rule again with a blow that would have had most men screaming. A strangled groan escaped the tall, dark-haired man and Guy curled his lip in disgust.

He loved the whip and was an expert with it. Like his vampire kin, he had taken what he’d learned about pain and battle from their hated master and made it a form of expression. They had ultimately used their skills to fight back, not only for themselves but for victims who crossed their path. Each of the five men had mastered certain weapons. Guy’s obsession was the lash. From bullwhips to floggers, all were slaves to him, bringing pleasure or pain as he saw fit. His love of leather had melded into every part of his life, including sex. He used his floggers to pleasure and punish, sometimes separately, sometimes both at once.

Long ago, Guy had honed his skills on his willing brothers, except for Bryce, who refused to submit to anyone, even for fun. Only Rule to this day came to Guy for regular sessions. Guy decided this one had gone on long enough. He knew Rule would push himself past his limits. He needed a strong but sensitive Dominant who knew when to stop.

Glancing at Rule, Guy noted that he seemed to be in a trance. His blue eyes were narrowed to slits, his lips parted and his breathing shallow. Wet black curls clung to his perspiring forehead and neck. Blood trickled from his lower lip where he’d pierced it with his fangs.

“Our session is over for today,” Guy said without room for argument.

Rule ignored his authoritative tone and said in a deep, hoarse voice, “More.”

“Your name might be Rule, but you don’t rule here,” Guy said.

“Fine. Release me then.”

“Not until you calm down.”

“I am calm.”

“You forget how well I know you.”

Rule’s cool facade snapped. Bellowing, he yanked at his bonds.

Now he screams, Guy thought, but he knew it was probably a good thing. Rule wouldn’t allow Guy to comfort him like some clients enjoyed after a session. Guy worked mainly with supernatural beings — vampires, wizards, and even an occasional werewolf paid well for him to tease and torment them with his leather and chains. But even those creatures had a tender side. Rule’s was buried deep and Guy hoped that eventually someone would reach it.

Despite Rule’s impressive strength, he couldn’t break the chains. Guy’s survival often depended on knowing how to properly bind supernatural beings.

Guy placed his whip next to a heavy purple flogger on a table covered in red plastic. He’d clean his tools later. He was about to clean Rule’s back when his cell phone rang.

He knew who it was by the ringtone.

He picked up the phone and said, “What’s up?”

“It’s Bryce. I need your help. It’s business.”

Although the five men had different careers in the human world, their true purpose was to protect those in need. The weapons they had once used as criminals were now their means of redemption.

Bryce worked as a police officer in the city. Sometimes he called upon his brothers to help him resolve crimes in which the human world could offer no justice.

“What does he want?” Rule asked, having ceased his rampage when the phone rang. “Is there a case for us? Let me go!”

“Do you have Rule strung up in the dungeon again?” Bryce asked.

“Yes. I’m putting you on speakerphone.”

“You don’t have to. I can hear him quite well,” Rule said, straining to look at Guy over his shoulder.

Though keen senses were an advantage of vampirism, the speakerphone would make a three-way conversation easier.

“I’ve been working on what we believe are serial killings,” Bryce said. “You’ve probably heard about them. The media calls them the Bodybuilder Murders. We’ve found a common denominator and, Guy, I believe you can get the evidence I need. Will you help?”

“You have to ask?” Guy said.

“Can you use me?” Rule asked.

“Right now this is a one-man job,” Bryce said. “But thanks.”

Rule looked a bit disappointed, but with all the trouble in the world, he was sure to have another case to work on soon.

“Guy, can you meet me in an hour?” Bryce asked.

“Absolutely. Where?”

“Stay put. I’ll come to you.”

Buy Links for Weapons of Redemption:

Ebook: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Changeling Press / kobo / itunes

Paperback: Amazon

Find out more about Saloni at:

●     kate-hill.com

●     twitter.com/katehillromance

●     twitter.com/compbeastsblog

●     facebook.com/compellingbeasts/

●     facebook.com/katehillsaloniquinby/

Saloni is offering a $15 Amazon GC to one lucky winner during the tour. The winner will be chosen by Rafflecopter. Please use the Rafflecopter below to enter. Remember you may enter every day for a chance to win so be sure to follow along with the blog tour. You may find the locations for the rest of the tour here . http://reviewsbycacb.blogspot. com/p/blog-page_75.html

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