Are you interested in the environment? Have you heard of the Climatarian Diet? I hadn’t and when I read this article I thought I’d share it. It came on a Weight Watchers letter. It was written by Ashley Linkletter.

Changing eating habits to be more climate-friendly is not only good for the environment and for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, it can also have an overall positive effect on our health. Choosing locally grown produce, fewer packaged items, and better-quality meat, eggs, and dairy are all habits that can lead to weight loss or maintenance as well as contributing to an overall feeling of nutritional wellbeing. What makes the climatarian diet so appealing is its lack of firm rules, which means you can incorporate as few or as many of the following suggestions as you would like.  

– Eliminate or reduce the consumption of beef and lamb. Cattle that have been raised for milk, meat, or manure are responsible for roughly 65 percent of livestock emissions of greenhouse gases. If you’d still like to enjoy beef, buy it less often and look for local, organic options that come from reputable farms with a focus on animal welfare.

– Choose sustainable seafood, meaning it comes from an abundant, well-managed source. Look for the Ocean Wise Canada label wherever you buy seafood or browse the online directory for recommendations on buying in-season, responsibly harvested fish and shellfish.

– Opt for locally grown, seasonal produce whenever you can. Signing up for a weekly CSA (community supported agriculture) box or shopping at the farmers market is not only beneficial for your health and the well-being of the environment, it’s also an impactful way to support the local economy.

– Cut down on food waste as much as possible. A 2017 study examining food loss in North America found that Canadians wasted 396 kilograms of food per person each year (the research accounted for food waste at all stages of the food supply chain.) Ideas for reducing food waste include buying only the food you need, following a strict grocery list, not grocery shopping while you’re hungry, and learning how to properly store and freeze leftover food.

– Learn how to dispose of food in a more environmentally friendly way. From urban composting to finding municipal recycling depots that accept food packaging and other flexible plastics, there are plenty of ways to rethink how common food waste is traditionally discarded.

– Be mindful of disposable products. Decrease your carbon footprint by bringing your own reusable cup to the coffee shop, keeping a stash of cloth grocery bags in the glove compartment, switching to washable cloth rags instead of paper towels, storing food in jars and resealable containers, and carrying a refillable water bottle with you at all times.

                         I’d love to hear your comments on this.  

Janice Seagraves grew up with a deep love of science fiction and adventure stories. Always the consummate artist, she traded in her paintbrush for a desktop to write breathless life-affirming novels that celebrate enduring love.

Blurb for Exodus Arcon Book 1:

Planet Arcon is in trouble. Before their planet tears itself apart, The Arcons built three colony ships to take them across the stellar reaches of space… towards Earth their new home. But, only the ruling class and the most brilliant minds can come. The rest must take their chances with the lottery.

One family cheats.

Excerpt from Exodus Arcon Book 1:

Breathing hard, Blade swung away from her. “I’d better go.”

“No, don’t go.” She gripped his arm. I must do this.

“You don’t want me.” He kept his head turned from her.

“I made a promise,” she blurted before she could stop herself.

“To whom?” He yanked his arm away.

I can’t tell him, I promised Ynyr.  “To…Keefe.” She looked quickly at her mate and he nodded, but wore a confused expression.

“You must come,” Paz told Blade. “We are the only three of our family unit healthy enough to make the journey.”

“Why is that, youngling?” Blade glared at him.

“Ynyr is dying,” Keefe shouted. “And Lug, our podling, is fading.”

“My two podlings aren’t allowed to come either.” Paz’s voice rose to a squeak. Tears streamed. “You’ve got to come, Blade, you just have to.”

Keefe gave his triplet a long stare. “We three and Aziza need to go on.”

Clutching Blade by his wrist, she said, “Come on, bite me. I know you want to.”

As her pheromones filled the room, their scent like pod blossoms in the springtime, the males sniffed the air.

“My heart, what are you doing?” Keefe asked in a tense voice.

“I’m keeping my promise.”

Blade closed his eyes and moaned. “That’s a dirty trick.”

Paz sprang from his seat to tug his other arm, forcing him to look at Aziza. “Do it. I want you to come with us, and this is the only way.”

“And you, my podling?” Blade met Keefe’s eyes. “Do you really want to share your mate with me?”  

Buy Links for Exodus Arcon Book 1:  

Social Media Links

Website: https://janice-seagraves.org/bio/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/janiceseagraves

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

Janina Grey has been writing since she could hold a crayon, and there has been no stopping her since. Journaling, short stories, poetry, newsletters, news, feature, columns, Op/Eds, and press releases have kept her busy her whole life. But it was the sweet romances she read in her downtime that stayed forever in her heart and gave her the inspiration to write her own.

Growing up on Long Island and living periodically in Tennessee as a youth has given her the opportunity to meet many different types of people and experience many different lifestyles. After moving from Long Island to settle in upstate New York with her family, she found the support needed to pursue her writing endeavors.

When Janina is not writing, she may be marching for women’s rights, kayaking, camping, drumming, or dancing around the fire.

With her two children grown, she and her husband, David, share their 110-year-old Mohawk Valley farm house homestead with a few resident spirits and a very squawky murder of crows.

Author Interview

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

Janina: Contemporary romance is my most recent focus as my publisher says I’m good at it! I have a time travel series I plan to pick back up when the Earth and Sky series is finished. I recently read someone’s tagline as “Joyfully Jumping Genres.” I wish I’d thought of that, as that’s what I’d like to do, but I was told a few years back that writers should stick with one genre when first starting out.

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

Janina: I would have to say my Uncle Anthony influenced me the most in my writing journey, although he doesn’t write romance. He writes mystery thriller types of stories. My first writing endeavors began with poetry, which he also inspired, and it sort of grew from there.

Beverley: What gets your creative juices flowing?

Janina: A hot cuppa Lady Grey tea, the early morning sun filtering through the trees, and my earbuds piping whatever music is associated with the project I’m working on is how I get my creative juices flowing. For TEN BUCKS AND A WISH it was anything Fleetwood Mac. For LOVE IN THE FOREST it has been Elton John’s Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy (especially the songs Writing and Bitter Fingers). For Book Two of the series, LIFE IS FOR LIVING, it was anything by Coldplay. The third book in the series, currently untitled, it’s Grateful Dead.

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

Janina: At the moment, my favorite animated series character would have to be a toss between She-Ra and Katra, from the She-Ra: Princesses of Power series. Both are very strong young women who come from a childhood filled with trauma. Katra is affected in a negative way, but I’m hoping her character arc will bring her peace. The other, She-Ra, struggles to correct the wrongs of her world, and hasn’t quite grasped her own power, but she’s getting there. It’s an amazing series with tons of great characters, and a message of inclusivity and empowerment for all, but especially the LGBTQ community and women.

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

Janina: Stevie Nicks, from Fleetwood Mac, and Elton John would be two people I would most love to meet in person. Growing up is rough, and I had my fair share of teen angst. Their music gave me a place to escape to, and hope that in the end everything would turn out all right. And it has. I would like to thank them for giving me a place to hide and to heal when things got overwhelming.

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

Janina: If I had an unexpected free day handed to me I would write, of course. Guilt free, focused, and unabashedly imagination-driven prose would stream from my fingertips. Or I’d get distracted and clean the house. Those two To-Do’s are always at the top of my list.

Beverley: What are you working on now?

Janina: I’m currently working on marketing LOVE IN THE FOREST, which was released on June 2, by Soul Mate Publishing. When I need a break from that, I’ve been wrapping up my final read-through of LIFE IS FOR LIVING before I send it off to Soul Mate. These are Books One and Two in the Earth and Sky series, set in the Adirondack Mountains, and are very different from my first romance published with SMP, TEN BUCKS AND A WISH, a Long Island based contemporary romance.

Blurb for LOVE IN THE FOREST:

Step into the mystical and magical forests of Upstate New York, where Earth and Sky camp photographer Brooke Meadows has taken refuge from the demons of her past as she uses her ability to communicate with the dead to heal loved ones left behind.

Unable to cope with the loss of his wife and daughters three years prior, Josh Quinn, CEO of the number one dating site Quirkyflirt.com, is ordered by his board president to take a break from his Big Apple Headquarters. He finds himself at Earth and Sky Retreats, where confronting his grief has led him to experience a life-altering transformation and re-evaluation of reality.

Will Josh leave behind his fast-paced, high society life in the concrete mountains of New York City, for the magical, bewitching world Brooke reveals to him in the foothills of the Adirondacks?

Will Brooke acknowledge and accept her own journey of transformation and healing as she and Josh explore the winding paths and summits that lead them to find love in the forest?

Excerpt from LOVE IN THE FOREST

“See? I told you.” Brooke laughed as they ended a very fast-tempoed rhythm beat out on two djembes they had selected from the music closet in the rec room.

“You’re good. I never would have thought I could do this.” Josh stared at his hands resting on the drum head.

“You have to trust me. Trust yourself. Trust the drum. And trust your heart.” She stared at him, suddenly uncomfortable as his gaze turned to her lips while she spoke. Even after she stopped talking, his eyes never moved. “It’s what I tell all the kids I teach when they’re here. Trust your heart. It’s good advice.” Trying to explain herself only made it worse.

As she babbled on, Josh offered a lopsided grin. “Uh-huh. I see.”

“Yeah, well. I don’t think you do.” The flush of her cheeks was spreading to the rest of her body.

“Thank you.” Josh put down his drum and pocketed the sunglasses he had placed on the seat beside him. He leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees, sharing her personal space as he stared into her eyes.

“For?” Her breath caught as she noted, being this close, that his baby blues might actually be baby teals, something she’d never noticed before now.

She scooted her metal folding chair backwards, then beelined to the storage shelves. Pausing for a second, she shook her head to clear the crazy thought he’d been about to kiss her. Her drum made a solid thud as she set it on the shelf. After finding the nearest window and opening it, she scanned the wall for the overhead light switch by the door and headed in that direction. The room had darkened considerably as another storm blew in from the southeast.

“Teaching me how to drum. Reminding me what it’s like to feel again. I haven’t felt anything in a long time.” He rose from the folding chair and carried his drum to the shelf Brooke had placed her drum on. After setting the djembe next to Brooke’s, he joined her by the door.

She watched his every move; the graceful way he unfolded himself from the chair; the casual yet commanding way he sauntered across the rec room; to the way he studied her face, his eyes settling on her lips as he halted by her side.

Her heart pounded wildly and her breathing lost its normal flow as he reached for the wall switch and shut the lights so they stood in the shadows once more. “Thank you. For teaching me how to drum,” he said, his voice barely audible.

“You’re welcome,” she said in a breathless whisper. She cleared her throat and continued. “It’s getting dark. Storm’s blowin’ in.” Brooke’s voice cracked and she swallowed thickly. “We should go.”

“We should, shouldn’t we?” His words came softly, cloaked in a husky timber.

“Yes.” She answered too quickly as he took another step closer.

He had a regal profile and in the shadows his silhouette appeared as though an artist had traced him, a soliloquy of perfection. Her legs grew wobbly as he filled her personal space with a velvety soft reality she’d not known in an awfully long time. He was so close she picked up his scent, like a heady incense. He smelled of fresh air, and rain . . . and man.

A rumble of thunder rolled around the mountains, and the lunch bell rang out in the distance, far off and faint. His eyes were warm and inviting. He smelled so good.

“Brooke?”

Reality returned with the sound of her name. She blinked and noticed he was studying her with an intensity that turned her insides to melted butter. His dimples cut deep and his teal blues were bright with amusement.

“Uh. Yeah?” She practically grunted, unable to speak.

“Lunch?” A corner of his mouth turned up on one side ever so slightly. “Unless you prefer to stay here in the darkness.”

At first, she thought he was mocking her, but his energy didn’t seem chiding at all.

“We better get going,” Brooke said, leading the way by putting as much distance between them as possible, without waiting for him to follow.

BUY LINKS for LOVE IN THE FOREST:

Soul Mate Publishing soulmatepublishing.com/love-in-the-forest/

Amazon: amazon.com/gp/product/B09233R53Q

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS

Website: www.janinagrey.com

Facebook: facebook.com/janinagrey

Goodreads: goodreads.com/author/show/18967836.Janina_Grey

Instagram: @janinagreyauthor

Twitter: @janina_grey

Bookbub.com: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/janina-grey

Award-winning author Seelie Kay writes about lawyers in love, sometimes with a dash of kink.

Writing under a nom de plume, the former lawyer and journalist draws her stories from more than 30 years in the legal world. Seelie’s wicked pen has resulted in nineteen works of fiction, including the new paranormal romance series Donovan Trait, as well the erotic romance Kinky Briefs series and The Feisty Lawyers romantic suspense series. She also authored The Last Christmas, The Garage Dweller, A Touchdown to Remember, The President’s Wife, The President’s Daughter, Seizing Hope, The White House Wedding, and participated in the romance anthology Pieces of Us.

When not spinning romantic tales, Seelie ghostwrites nonfiction for lawyers and other professionals. Currently, she resides in a bucolic exurb outside Milwaukee, WI, where she enjoys opera, the Green Bay Packers, gourmet cooking, organic gardening, and an occasional bottle of red wine.

Seelie is an MS warrior and ruthlessly battles the disease on a daily basis. Her message to those diagnosed with MS: Never give up. You define MS, it does not define you!

Seelie can be reached at www.seeliekay.com, www.seeliekay.blogspot.com, or on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook. 

Interview

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

Seelie: I have always been a mystery buff. I get lost in those kinds of stories. I also was a big fan of the “Hart to Hart” series, which so easily married suspense with a little romance. So it was very easy to write romantic suspense. It’s how I think.

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

Seelie: My parents were teachers and former award-winning college journalists. They encouraged me to write early and often. I won my first national essay contest in third grade and more followed. Writing has always been my preferred form of communication. The notes I wrote to my mom at four are quite entertaining!

Beverley: What gets your creative juices flowing?

Seelie: (Laughs.) It doesn’t take much! My imagination is unrelenting and unrepentant. I see a person, a news story, overhear a conversation, see something odd, have a vivid dream, and my imagination takes off. Of course, good chocolate keeps the ideas flowing.

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

Seelie: Winnie the Pooh. I had a stuffed Pooh when I was a child and loved those stories. There is one quote from one AA Milne story that stays with me. “You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” There is a lot of wisdom in those tales.

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

Seelie: Benjamin Franklin. He was quite the rake, but brilliant and entertaining. I imagine I could chat with him for years.

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

Seelie: Bake something luscious, like Pain au Chocolat or triple chocolate mousse cake.

Beverley: What are you working on now?

Seelie: I getting to the finish line with Book 2 in my Donovan Trait series, “Ye Gods! The Law is an Ass.” Donovan and his turned vampire bride, Shirley, are on the run when she unintentionally falls pregnant in violation of an agreement with the Vampire Coalition. The couple winds up on a mysterious island of vampire nuns and from there, well… You have to read the book!

Blurb for Bovine Tricks:

Lady Annabelle Trask is missing. Unfortunately, MISix doesn’t know if they’re looking for a woman, a cow, or something in between!

Is it real or is it fantasy? That’s the question MISix Agent Mathilda Honoria Spencer struggles with on her latest assignment. Tasked with discovering the whereabouts of Lady Annabelle Trask, Tillie is thrust into the world of Hucows and other human animals. It’s a world that raises serious questions about sexual fetishes, intentional physical enhancements, and even pornography, but in the end, Tillie has only one mission—to rescue and return Lady Annabelle to the Queen. However, as she and her partner, Agent Abdul Ali, attempt to find Lady Annabelle and keep her out of the clutches of terrorists bent on destroying the monarchy, they must also wrestle with their feelings for each other. Can they draw the line between their duty to the Crown and their relationship with one another? Or must they embark on separate paths to continue to serve the Queen?

Excerpt from Bovine Tricks:

Tillie’s face reddened. Suddenly, she felt quite queasy. She started to speak, but her superior held up his hand.

“There’s more. This is a human-animal auction. It is not limited to Hucows. There will be Hupigs, Huhorses, and maybe even, Husheep. Fortunately, you are to focus on the cows. That is where we believe Lady Annabelle will be found.”

Tillie gazed at him. “What if she isn’t there? What if she has changed…er, species?”

“I suggest you cross that bridge when you come to it.”

“And what am I to do if I find Lady Annabelle? How do I extract her?”

“You purchase her at the auction. You have been given sufficient funds to bid up to one million Euros.”

Tillie’s eyes grew wide. “Criminy. That much?”

Lord Ryder nodded. “These cows are well-trained and well-treated. The females are pampered—weekly manicures, hair treatments, and such. A happy cow is a happy milker, as they say.”

Tillie’s eyes widened. “Lady Annabelle could be there willingly? She is not necessarily a captive, forced be a Hucow?”

“Exactly. And that is our dilemma. While the Queen hopes that she is there willingly, several factors are at play. Lady Annabelle may have freely joined a farm to become a Hucow, or she may just have danced on the wild side and somehow wound up at auction. In the alternative, she may have been kidnapped and forced to become a Hucow, or she may have been forced and now enjoys the lifestyle. There are all sorts of reasons she could be there and all sorts of reasons she prefers to stay. Our only mission is to get her out.”

Tillie frowned. “Why would they put her up for auction? Isn’t that a way to get rid of unproductive or uncooperative cows?”

“Not necessarily. Some farms simply raise and train Hucows, then sell them. Given their going rate, it is a lucrative business. A great way to supplement the income from a regular farm. Human cows bring much more lucre than actual farm-raised cows.”

Tillie sighed. “For just one day, I would like to forget that there is a whole lot of people engaged in activities that far surpass my imagination.”

Lord Ryder’s mouth curved up into a wry smile. “Then we would be out of a job.”

Tillie tapped her jaw, considering. “You know, this might be a better job for the Yanks. They are a kinky bunch. I believe there was a recent study that found them to be the kinkiest country in the world.”

Lord Ryder snorted. “If you were the Queen, would you want that bunch of kinksters to know your relatives are participating in like behavior? Why their intelligence services would find a way to use it against us for decades.” He shook his head. “No. This we do alone.”

Book Trailer:

Buy links for Bovine Tricks:

Extasy Books: https://www.extasybooks.com/978-1-4874-3237-9-bovine-tricks /

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09289R52L

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/bovine-tricks-seelie-kay/1139217151?ean=2940165239656

Kobo:   https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/bovine-tricks

Social Media links:

Website:  https:// www.seeliekay.com

Blog:  https://www.seeliekay.blogspot.com

Twitter: @SeelieKay https://twitter.com/SeelieKay

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/seelie.kay.77

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/seeliekay51/

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Seelie-Kay/e/B074RDRWNZ/

BookBub:  https://www.bookbub.com/authors/seelie-kay

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16492565.Seelie_Kay

Newsletter sign-up:  https://rb.gy/w69pim

Rhobin has come up with another thought-provoking topic. In your writing how do you recognize and overcome plot problems or failures?

Recognizing plot problems is usually fairly easy. You write yourself into a corner, or you hit writer’s block.

You sit and stare at the screen and try to force one, or more, of your characters to do something that goes against their philosophy or goal, and they refuse. The story doesn’t move forward. You decide you shouldn’t be a writer. 

Overcoming plot problems can be a challenge. One of the first things I do when I realize I’ve hit a wall and don’t know how to get over it, is take a break. Going for a walk sometimes works. It clears the mind. Listening to music. Brainstorm with a writing friend. One thing that often works for me is before I go to sleep, I think about my problem. What’s wrong with the plot? What can I do about it? Sometime before I wake up in the morning my mind will often solve the problem and when I wake up I have at least one idea on how to solve the problem. I may even have more than one possibility.

Worst case scenario is the plot isn’t working, because that’s not the way the story is meant to go. It’s not the story the characters want to tell. So, you delete, and cut, and go back to the beginning and start over.

I’m looking forward to reading how other authors handle their plot challenges.

Marci Baun http://www.marcibaun.com/blog/

Skye Taylor http://www.skye-writer.com/blogging_by_the_sea

Connie Vines http://mizging.blogspot.com/

Diane Bator http://dbator.blogspot.ca/

Judith Copek http://lynx-sis.blogspot.com/

Dr. Bob Rich https://wp.me/p3Xihq-2lz

Rhobin L Courtright http://www.rhobincourtright.com

Shiela Stewart is a paranormal suspense author with a writing history that stems back to her youth.  Always a dreamer, wondering if her stories would ever reach an audience, she was finally published in 2006 and hasn’t stopped since.  It is rare to find a stand-alone book as she prefers series stories. Her longest running series to date is her Darkness series, which is a vampire romance.

Her joy for scary suspense is evident in each of her books. She has had several accomplishments, including fighting for the top spot in the rankings with author Stephanie Myers, receiving glowing reviews as well as interviews on local television and reviews and interviews in The Romantic Times Magazine.

When not writing, Shiela spends her time with the love of her life, William, and their children and grandchildren. Her strong affection for animals is evident in the many cats she cares for.

Her favorite time of the day is at sunset.

2020 Character Interview

Beverley: What’s your name?

C.J.: Hi, my name is C.J. Dowling and I’m a medium. For those that don’t know what a medium is, I can communicate with the dead.

Beverley: Where did you grow up?

C.J.: I was born and raised in Vancouver, British Columbia.

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

C.J.: It mostly takes place in modern time, with glimpses into the early 1900’s.

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

C.J.: How many mediums do you know? It’s not something most people talk about. When I was approached with the idea for the book, I jumped at the opportunity. I first discovered my ability at a very young age. As you can probably guess, no one believed me. I’ve spent practically my entire life being laughed at or accused of being a fraud. By sharing my story, I hope others with my type of ability will feel comfortable using their powers and not listen to the nay-sayers.

Beverley: What’s your goal in this story?

C.J.: To tell the truth about several innocent lives who were prey to a sick man’s desires. He was a prominent doctor who used his licence to prey on innocent people.

Beverley: What conflicts are you facing?

C.J.: I can’t give too much away, but I can say an angry spirit is the primary conflict. 

Beverley: Do you have a plan for resolving them?

C.J.: Originally I planned to go in, help usher the spirits to their peace and leave. Case solved. I wasn’t prepared for what I discovered.

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

C.J.: I can be very stubborn and persistent. I won’t stop until everything is resolved, no matter what stands in my way.

Blurb for Secrets of the Dead :

Jessica Coltrane is a die-hard sceptic who believes that ghosts and paranormal activity are nothing more than a figment of an overactive imagination. That is until she finds herself locked inside a haunted house with the enigmatic paranormal investigator C.J. Dowling.

Born with the ability to see and speak to the dead, C.J. Dowling thought investigating a haunted house would be a job like many others. He’s prepared for anything—except smart and sexy Jessica.

Working together in close quarters, C.J. and Jessica discover it isn’t only negative tension between the two, but sexual as well. Giving into their desires seemed like a good idea at the time, until they wake and find the spirits thought otherwise. Trapped with the ghost of a child long forgotten, an amorous entity that is threatening Jessica, and a powder keg of a spine-tingling mystery that might just be better left buried.

Excerpt from Secrets of the Dead :

Something tickled her nose. Using her hand, she tried to swipe it away and felt the brush of hair against her knuckles. Planting her hand, she felt the warm flesh beneath her palm.

Recognition hit and woke her with an angry slap. Eyes shooting open, she sat up quickly and instantly regretted it when the room spun wildly around her. Laying back down, closing her eyes, she waited out the dizziness the hangover caused. Her mind raced to the night before.

The soft ache in her loins reminded her of what she’d done. Carefully opening her eyes, she turned her head to see a naked C.J. beside her.

“Oh, God.” She looked over his naked body, remembering how good it felt having him inside her. She hadn’t been that drunk that she couldn’t remember the event, and lord, what an event it had been. They had literally torn each other’s clothing off. She’d been an animal, which was so not like her.

What did they do now? Would they go on as they had been, sniping at each other, treat this as a one-night fling and move on? In truth, the guy irritated the hell out of her, yet he’d made her feel so incredible the night before. How was she supposed to respond to him now, after sharing something so intimate?

“Dowling,” she spoke quietly. “Dowling.” When he moaned, she slapped his chest. “Dowling!”

“Jesus.”

“Wake up.”

“I’m awake.” He looked at her with a smile. “Morning.” Then his eyes went wide. “Holy hell.” He bolted upright and jumped to his feet, nearly knocking her over. “Oh, my God.”

“What the hell?” The sofa stood on its end, two sitting chairs slammed up right against it, all pushed against the window. The coffee and end tables stood one on top of the other, in front of the fireplace.

Carefully, Jessie stood up, waiting out the dizziness. She had to rub her eyes to make sure she wasn’t seeing things. It looked like a hurricane had blown through. “How…”

“I need to check my equipment.” He flew off, still nude, and she got one hell of a look at his ass.

She saw her shirt by the fireplace, straps torn. She couldn’t exactly wear it in its condition. Spotting his shirt hanging over the couch, she grabbed it and put it on. It barely covered her, but would have to do for now.

“This is incredible. The meters went off the scale. The temperature recorded several degrees below freezing at one point. It didn’t last long, though, as it rose exponentially. And we slept through it all. Damn, I have never seen anything like this before. It’s phenomenal.”

“You’re naked, you know?”

“What?” He didn’t even look up.

“You’re naked.” She tossed him his jeans, hitting him square in the face.

Unaffected by it, he grabbed the jeans and slipped into them using his free hand.  It amused her to watch him shimmy into his tight jeans, jumping from one foot to the other. “The cameras!” He rushed to the video equipment as he did up his pants. “Do you know what this means?”

“That you were a busy boy last night.”

He looked at her, confused. “Beg pardon?”

“I don’t know how you managed it all alone, but I give you credit for a job well done.”

“You think I did all of this?”

“No, I know you did all of this. Boy, you’ll do anything to make me a believer.”

His eyes narrowed and his voice dipped an octave. “You think I did all of this just to make you believe there are ghosts here?”

  “Well…yeah.”

“Fine.” Walking to her, he grabbed her arm and led her to the camera.

“Let go of me.”

“Not until you see this.” Taking her by the shoulders, he turned her to face the monitor attached to one of the cameras. “Watch.” He pressed play.

Folding her arms across her chest, Jessie glared at the screen. He’d recorded them having sex.

“Oh my God, you taped us making out? How could you?”

“I have my cameras set on timers that begin taping on their own. I didn’t know we were going to go at it like rabbits last night. Watch.”

“You will erase those tapes,” she insisted, then grunted when he turned her face back to the monitor. “What the hell?”

“Keep watching.”

She couldn’t pry her eyes away if she tried. The furniture lifted in the air, spun around wildly before they slammed in front of the fireplace and window. “Oh my god!”

“My sentiments exactly. I need to check the rest of the house.” He left her mesmerized in front of the TV.

Buy Links for Secrets of the Dead:

Apple Books https://books.apple.com/us/book/seducing-the-darkness/id1050480128

Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Shiela-Stewart/e/B002BLN95E%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share

Barnes and Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/seducing-the-darkness-shiela-stewart/1014485332?ean=2940152679007

Kobo https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/unsupported/ieversiondetected

Decadent Publishing http://decadentpublishing.com/secrets-of-the-dead/

Social Media links

Website: www.shielastewart.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shiela.stewart

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ShielaSue  

I was researching for some background information, and I remembered a conversation I had with a friend. She wrote historical romance. I said I couldn’t write historical because it took too much research. She laughed and said she didn’t write contemporary romantic suspense because she thought it took too much research. My conclusion is that all writers do research, for all genres. You do it for your books. Sci-fi and futuristic novels take a different type of research, building a new world. Fantasy is another genre which still needs research.

Before Wi-Fi and the internet research was a lot more difficult. You spent hours at the library, taking notes and photocopying and checking out library books. You bought books on synopses, scene and structure, and character building. You read and made notes. It took a lot of time and a lot more effort. It also costs money. If you’re reading this blog, you have access to the internet.

You might also attend a workshop if your writing chapter offered one or if it was within travel distance. It cost money to pay the fee and maybe the travel. Nowadays r ich or poor you can do your research and adjust it to your lifestyle.

Now you probably spend a lot of time on your laptop, tablet or phone on everything, your life, your health, your family, your pet, anything. You can get reliable, trusted information from medical institutions, well known foundations (Cancer Institute) Heart foundation, arthritis, qualified individuals. You can also research your resource to make sure they are valid. Research is easier and also more fun these days.

Online classes are easily available and cover the craft of writing as well as resource topics and instructors on all genres. It’s easier to research whatever genre you write, but with it comes more responsibility. People read books, all genres, to learn so as a writer you need to make sure that the information in your novels is accurate and informative.

Enjoy your research.

I think marketing is probably the hardest part of writing. If you’re starting on your marketing journey, I have a few tips for you. When you’re preparing, work within your comfort zones, If you hate Facebook, you don’t have to use it. Also, set a time limit for the amount of time per day or week that you want to spend on marketing.

The first thing people recommend is to have your own website, even if your book isn’t published yet. You can hire someone to do this for you or you can do your own. If you’re not up for a website, then have a blog site. You can set this up yourself on Blogger or WordPress. There are also lots of information on how to set it up and classes on WordPress. These will help build your mailing list.

A mailing list is another marketing tool. You can use your website, newsletters, and giveaways to develop your mailing list.

In your byline or logline, always include your website or blog and your latest book.

Next, have your book cover professionally designed. An eye-catching cover is a great marketing tool and you can have it displayed on your website or blog.

Write a great book blurb. It will be on your book cover, but you can also use it on your website or blog and in social media posts.

Which brings us to the next marketing tip, use social media. Set up an author page on Facebook and an account with Twitter. You can also use Pinterest, Instagram, Triberr, Tumblr, and others. Post on your own accounts but also follow others and like and share their posts. It’s helpful to observe what types of posts get the most likes, shares, and retweets. Use this information to improve your own social media.

The next marketing tip is to get reviews for your book. The quickest and easiest way to get a review is to request one from a reviewer who reviews your genre. Contact them with a free copy and a request to review your book. You can look up reviewers on Amazon’s top reviewers, by Googling ‘book reviewers’, or they are listed on some writing loops.  

You can also do ads. Google and Amazon both have ads for authors. You can join Goodreads Author Program, use Amazon’s Book Promotional Tools and Programs, and use book discounting sites like Bookbub and Book Gorilla.

Good luck with whatever works for you.

An Ojibway from Northwestern Ontario, Maggie Blackbird resides in the country with her husband and their fur babies, two beautiful Alaskan Malamutes.  When she’s not writing, she can be found pulling weeds in the flower beds, mowing the huge lawn, walking the Mals deep in the bush, teeing up a ball at the golf course, fishing in the boat for walleye, or sitting on the deck at her sister’s house, making more wonderful memories with the people she loves most.

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

Maggie: I write a contemporary and historical romance about Canada’s Indigenous People.  I write contemporary and historical because those are the stories I’m most drawn to write.  Much can be done in contemporary and historical romances.

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

Maggie:  My two favourite authors:  Johanna Lindsey and Rosanne Bittner.  I love reading their books, so I wanted to be able to write stories just like they do.

Beverley: What gets your creative juices flowing?

Maggie:  Music. Music is my biggest inspiration.  I can easily dream up stories and ideas just by listening to a song.

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

Maggie:  I can’t say I have one in particular, but I do love the Muppets, especially the Electric Mayhem Band.  Why?  They rock.  What’s not to love about puppets playing in a rock band.

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

Maggie:  This is an interesting question.  I haven’t thought about this one too hard before.  I’d say Jake E Lee.  He’s my fave guitarist.  As for why, because in his interviews, he comes across as a very nonchalant and eccentric guy.  He’d be fun to talk to.  I love people who don’t live by society’s standards, but find their own path to take.

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

Maggie:  Go golfing.

Beverley:  What are you working on now?

Maggie: I ’m doing self-edits and getting ready to submit a time travel/historical romance to my publisher starring a university student from this time period who meets her Ojibway ancestors of the past and the warrior she’s dreamed about since she was a young girl.

Blurb for Knight Moves:

After receiving his grade twelve diploma and marking his eighteenth birthday, René Oshawee cannot fight the temptation seventeen-year-old high school junior Billy Redsky blatantly offers now that what they share has become taboo.

When their secret romance is blown into the open, Billy’s foster parents send René to Toronto to complete the last of his schooling under the supervision of a family friend, leaving Billy behind at their Ojibway community.

Now Billy and René must make the biggest decision of their lives—fight for the true love they know they’ll never find with anyone else or go their separate ways.

Excerpt from Knight Moves:

The waitress wove her way through the crowded restaurant. She held a slice of birthday cake. Under the dim lighting, people dined at the many tables covered in white cloths and the chairs outfitted in red felt coverings.

René curled his fingers together and set his elbows on his place setting. The flickering candle in the yellow holder caught the glow of Billy’s smooth skin. He was seventeen but passing for nineteen because the hostess, at the beginning of their meal, had asked if they’d wanted anything from the bar.

With his hair cropped over his ears and light spikes to his bangs gelled slightly to the side, there was a true maturity to Billy now. The sprinkling of whiskers above his mouth offered a masculine depth to his boyish looks.

“Here you go. Happy birthday,” the waitress announced.

“Thanks.” Billy flashed her his cheeky grin. “Great meal. The best prime rib I’ve ever had.”

“I’ll be sure to tell the chef. Now, are you sure you don’t want anything from the bar for an after-dinner drink? You turned nineteen today.”

“It’s okay,” René replied. “Some coffee would be nice, though.”

“Right away.” The waitress left.

“C’mon, we could’ve had some beers.” By the twinkle in Billy’s dark eyes, he was jesting.

“You’re driving. Neither of us is old enough. With the luck you generate, the bartender would’ve told her to card us, anyway. Coffee’ll suffice.” An itch to reach across and take Billy’s hand crawled along René’s palm. God, this sucked having to hide what they felt for each other.

In the past, he hadn’t minded. Why playing closet this evening irritated him, René wasn’t sure. “Your present.” He reached insides the breast pocket of his suit and withdrew the small, wrapped package.

“You did have it on you.” Billy moved his chair in closer since they sat on opposite sides of the table instead of adjacent from each other. Another way to hide their secret. “Let’s see.”

René placed the package down.

Still grinning, Billy scooped up the gift. He peeled away the blue paper the clerk at the jewelry store had used for wrapping.

The intensity of René’s beating heart was his foot triggering his kick drum in the basement.

Next, Billy cracked open the white box. His lips formed into an O. He gaped at the black velvet case.

A hint of sweat rose at the nape of René’s neck.

sing his thumb, Billy tipped back the lid, then slapped his hand over his mouth. “What the…?” His fingers held the sterling silver chain. The locket in the shape of an army dog tag dangled in the air. “What is…?”

“See for yourself.” Gushes of delight sprinted through René’s veins.

“Seriously? You got me this shape ’cause of—”

“You did say we were good little soldiers in Oshawee Army, didn’t you?” René couldn’t help the supple laugh gliding from his throat.

The waitress strode over carrying their coffees. Bad timing. Heat of annoyance gathered on René’s face.

“Oh…a present.” The waitress giggled.

“Um…yeah…” Billy palmed the gift.

Once she’d left, he clicked open the locket. His reddish-brown skin morphed to the shade of pink excitement. “It’s…it’s us. This was taken at Christmas. Downstairs. In the rehearsal room. Moxy took it.”

“Yeah. I asked her to give me a copy when she got the film developed.” Pride filled René, pure satisfaction over Billy loving and understanding what the gift meant.

“Is that why you rested your chin on my shoulder? I see the metal horns you flashed are missing. It’s only our faces.” Billy kept inspecting the locket.

“C’mon, she would’ve wondered why I leaned in the way I did.” Again, the urge to stroke Billy’s hand and caress his fingers impaled René like a sword.

“I’m putting it on right now.” Billy unfastened the clasp. Even with a collar, he managed to secure the chain around his neck. Regret flickered in his gaze, as if he loathed tucking the locket beneath his navy-blue shirt.

“Remember, it stays hidden.” The same regret hovering around their table coated René’s tongue with its bitter essence.

“I understand.” Billy rubbed his chest where the locket lay. “They’d wanna check out whose picture is inside. I…” His eyes finished what he couldn’t say in the restaurant. I love you .

“Me, too,” René whispered. He lifted his coffee. If only the world was different and they could behave like a true couple.

He glanced around at the straight couples holding hands, gazing lovingly at one another, sitting adjacent with their knees brushing. Longing tugged at his heart.

Buy Links:

Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B092VBYGWR/

Kobo:  https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/knight-moves-13

Devine Destinies:  https://www.devinedestinies.com/978-1-4874-3242-3-knight-moves/

Social Media Links

Web Site:   https://maggieblackbird.com/

Facebook Page:   https://www.facebook.com/maggieblackbirdauthor/

Twitter:   https://twitter.com/BlackbirdMaggie/

Goodreads:   https://www.goodreads.com/maggieblackbird

BookbBub:   https://www.bookbub.com/profile/maggie-blackbird

Linked In:   https://www.linkedin.com/in/maggie-blackbird-032798169/

Amazon Author Page:   https://www.amazon.com/Maggie-Blackbird/e/B07KQP1FFG

eXtasy Books Author Page:   https://www.extasybooks.com/maggie-blackbird/

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