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In celebration of Musa Publishing's 3rd Anniversary !!! ON SALE TODAY ! HIGH STAKES - 30% OFF
$3.49 NOW UNTIL OCTOBER 31, 2014 ONLY at MUSA PUBLISHING.COM ! http://musapublishing.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=266
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This year's RONE Awards were announced July 11th during the huge RomanceNovelConvention (http://romancenovelconvention.com/ ) held July 9 - 13th at the Golden Nugget Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. While I was unable to attend, I heard the staff of InD’tale created a spectacular event. And while my book, High Stakes, didn't win a trophy, it was still an incredible honor to be nominated and make it into the finals. I'd like to offer my congratulations to all the 2014 RONE Award Winners! Way to go and well-deserved! I’m pleased to welcome author Rain Trueax to this series of interviews with the writers of Rawhide 'n Roses – A Western Anthology. My short story in the anthology, Rawhide 'n Roses, is ‘Connie’s Gift.’ I took characters from my Arizona historicals and updated their lives a few years late. Connie was a natural psychic and healer who had a part in Tucson Moon along with her gambler husband, Del. I thought it’d be interesting to explore a bit more about what that can mean, the struggles of being a seer as well as its risks wherever there are those who see such as from the Devil. I also liked the idea of writing a romance about a long-married couple, who were still passionately in love. Blurb: In 1889, psychic, healer Connie Sicilla has been following her gambler husband, Del from boom town to boom town. In a small mining town in California's Sierra's Connie faces a threat to her life and that of her beloved husband as some come to fear she is a witch. Although it wasn’t winter and the high Sierra air wasn’t that cold, Connie Sicilla shivered. She moved to the wall where she’d not be seen as the shouts continued for long moments. “We know what to do with your kind!” “Get out of town!” Was that voice a child’s. Somehow that seemed even more frightening. She was unsure how long it went on as she tried to find peace through meditating and not hearing the hateful words, some with curses accompanying. After what seemed long moments, she realized the voices had stopped. She gritted her teeth against the temptation to cry, got her dustpan, went down on her knees, and carefully retrieved all visible shards of glass. How would their landlord regard the damage? Would he expect Del and her to pay for it? Sounds like Connie’s in a dangerous predicament. Readers love to see how – and if - characters get out of trouble. Rain, do psychic gifts and spirituality/mysticism figure in other works you’ve written? Yes. My most recently published eBook is the novella, When Fates Conspire, set in Billings, Montana. This is a story with mysticism that came from one of my own dreams. I expanded it into a story about spirit guides, fate, influences on us, and soul mates. It is a love story but goes beyond that to the question of what life is about—what such relationships are about. To me, life is a mystery that it exists at all—after that there are so many possible aspects to the why. Have other authors ever inspired you? If so, who, and in what way? Until When Fates Conspire, I had never used quotes by others to start chapters. As soon as I had finished its rough draft, I had this feeling I wanted words by others regarding the meaning of life. Surprising me, I found all I needed written by one author. Durante degli Alighieri, known more popularly as Dante, was born 1265 and died 1321. His poetry and books spoke to all the things I was writing about. I am glad I hadn’t found his words first, or I might’ve thought he influenced my story. As it was, he just highlighted it perfectly. “In that book which is my memory, On the first page of the chapter that is the day when I first met you, Appear the words, ‘Here begins a new life’.” Dante Alighieri Do you have an overall theme you enjoy exploring or hope to impart to your readers with your growing body of work? Growing up on a farm at the edge of wilderness and writing since childhood impacts my view of life as well as my creative work. All my romances emphasize the values of self-worth, hard work, nature, and community. Through my characters, I especially like to show how our choices, good and bad, have consequences. Some of our greatest growth comes through our intimate relationships where the challenges can be the most painful or joy-filled. Please tell us a little more about yourself. Married with two grown children and four grandchildren, I work from our Oregon sheep and cattle ranch, a Tucson desert home, or on the road in the inter-mountain west. I have now published eleven contemporary and two historical romances along with two novellas (plus three as yet unpublished Oregon historical romances). What are you working on right now? Currently I am working on a western romance set in 1899 with characters from the two earlier historicals as well as a new romance. Setting it in that period led to some interesting discoveries in my research. I always put my stories in places I have spent time, know pretty well, and areas I already know a lot of the history. No matter how much I think I know before I start writing, I learn more as I explore it through the eyes of these characters. Where can we find out more about you and your books?
Links: http://raintrueax.blogspot.com/ http://rainydaytrailers.blogspot.com/ My books: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B006UX64X8 https://twitter.com/RainTrueax https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rain-Trueax/200584236675973 Thank you, so much, Rain, for being here today. Today I’m very lucky to be interviewing Simone Beaudelaire, author of one of the short stories in Rawhide ’n Roses - A Western Anthology. Let me start off by talking about my contribution to the anthology
The story was written in honor of my own church's music minister, who has been a widower for several years. He doesn't know it though, so don't spill the beans ;) Aha! – does that mean there might be someone who’d like to catch his attention? I have no idea. Not me. I’m married. I just like for people to have happy endings. Readers often wonder how much of a story springs from an author’s imagination, and how much is borrowed from real life. It looks like, at least some of the time, you may use a kernel of real life in your stories? I often use a kernel of truth in my stories. If you read them, you’ll notice how often I write about shy girls. Guess who’s shy! Some are more true to my life than others. In When the Music Ends, Erin is very much like I was when I was younger. The Naphil’s Kiss is less true to me, more to things I like to daydream about. Do you prefer to write solely within one genre, or do you like to change it up? I write romance. I made one brief foray into children’s lit, in honor of my daughter. I’m not sorry I did, but I don’t think I’ll do that again. Within romance, I have written contemporary, paranormal and historical (Victorian and Western). I don’t have a favorite sub-genre. It’s whatever I feel at the time. What draws you to this genre or genres? I’m a romantic girl. I like love stories, especially the steamy ones. ;-)
idea, making this a race of semi-angelic warriors who protect mankind. Their natural enemies are the succubae, daughters of the demoness Lilith, who prey on men's sexual energy and by so doing drain their will and make them into slaves. Then Lucien meets Sarahi, a succubus who is so much more than just a mindless sexual predator. The passion between them is undeniable, but the consequences of their forbidden affair may just bring about Armageddon. Intriguing premise. Sounds like you do a lot of research for your stories. Do you enjoy the research process or find it distracts from actually writing? I’m a bit of a nut for accuracy, so I research, but yes, it does interrupt the flow of the writing. One nice thing about paranormal… I can make stuff up. But I do a ton of research for historicals, and even quite a bit for contemporary. I also struggle with description. I like to research a photo of a place so I can describe it better. Why did you change the title of this book? What were the challenges (research-wise, literary, psychological, or logistical) in bringing The Naphil’s Kiss to life? I changed the title because several of my most trusted writer friends suggested the original title did not sound like a romance. I changed it to The Naphil’s Kiss so it would sound more romantic. That and the whole messy situation around which the story revolves starts with a forbidden kiss between Sarahi and Lucien, who is supposed to remain chaste. The main hang up I had writing this book was that at first it was a collaboration. A friend and I dreamed up the idea together. But then we decided we wanted to go in different directions. Since our parts were interwoven more than integrated, we were able to split them up. I’m not sure what he did with his part, but mine became the novel we’re discussing. The process of uncoupling, if you will, made the process of the novel writing quite slow. What other works have you written? I have a long list of published works. In paranormal romance, I have “Watching Over the Watcher,” “The Naphil’s Kiss” “His Cross to Bear” (my only non-steamy one) and a collection of shorter stories called “Amor Maldito.” In contemporary romance, I have “Si tu m’Aimes (if you love me)” and my contemporary series, The Hearts in Winter Chronicles. Book 1, “When the Music Ends” and book 2 “When the Words are Spoken” are available, along with a spinoff called Caroline’s Choice. Books 3 and 4 are due for release before summer. I also have three historicals. Two are Victorian: “Beautiful Rose” and “Keeping Katerina”. The other is a western, “High Plains Holiday” which is book 1 in a series. The other books are waiting to be written. Have you ever collaborated with another writer? Yes. I have four published collaborations, all with my writing partner Guy Bailey: “Pacific Fire,” “Bridge of Souls,” “Wallflower Girl” and “Haunted Hook-up.” I’m also working on two collaborations at the moment, both paranormal/fantasy romance. One, tentatively titled “Ocean Eyes” or maybe “The Silver Torc” is with my friend Sandra Martinez, who is a master of fantasy. The other is tentatively titled “Sacred Ground” and is with Edwin Stark, who writes the most amazing satire and dark comedy. They’re both going very well. I also have taken part in three anthologies: “The Writers’ Stuff”, with some Facebook friends, “Rawhide N Roses,” of course, and “Into the Darkness,” a Halloween collection my best writer friends and I created for charity. Do you have an overall theme you enjoy exploring or hope to impart to your readers with your growing body of work, or do you prefer that each work stand on its own? I think the theme I most enjoy exploring is how we should always pay it forward in life. In reality, nice people don’t always get treated fairly. There are bullies, users, and just plain mean folks always ready to take a bite out of the tenderhearted. So I like to write about supportive, loving romances AND friendships. People who look out for and help each other. I think that is my most consistent theme. Well, that and bullies getting what they deserve. What can you tell us about your background and why you write? You might guess from some of my previous answers that I was the shy girl who got picked on as a kid. I invented many of my plots and characters in middle and high school to help me escape from my reality. Where can we find out more about you and your books?
I have a web site, http://simonebeaudelaireauthor.weebly.com/ I even update it sometimes. I’m fairly active on twitter (https://twitter.com/SimoneBeaudelai) but by far I’m the most active on Facebook. I also participate in discussions on Amazon’s Meet our Authors forum. My author page on Amazon is at http://www.amazon.com/Simone-Beaudelaire/e/B00CIUPNWK/ref=la_B00CIUPNWK_pg_1?rh=n%3A283155%2Cp_82%3AB00CIUPNWK&ie=UTF8&qid=1396470393, but it’s probably easier just to search for my name or one of my titles. Thank you so much for being here and sharing with us today, Simone. Thank YOU, Chad. I'll pass you the reins, Sue! I have been invited here to Chad’s blog to talk about the anthology of short stories, myself and 15 other Western Romance Authors, are currently working on. The anthology Rawhide ‘n Roses was released on March 15. Each story in the anthology will be a showcase of the authors’ individual writing style and will hopefully encourage the reader to purchase full length novels of the authors they like. Every story will have a Western Romance theme but there will be everything from old west romance to time travel and contemporary. Something to suit every western reader’s taste. It will also give the reader an opportunity to discover some new authors. I am privileged to be associated with the very best of western writers and I know readers are going to be very impressed by the high quality of this work. The anthology came about from a comment I inadvertently made on a Western Romance Writer’s forum. From this comment the idea snowballed and I found myself nominated in charge of pushing the project forward. I cannot believe I am in such esteemed company and I am very grateful for the opportunity to work with such talented authors. Authors will be blog hopping to promote this anthology and their own work up to the release date and shortly following. I hope readers will keep an eye out on blogs and social media for cover release and official release. The best part? The culmination of this hard work by so many talented people – The Anthology – is just $2.99! Sit back, grab a coffee and enjoy the excerpt from my short story: Petticoat Patrol “Sissy, for heaven’s sake. Stop that damn wagon!” Lily screeched at the top of her voice. She crouched low over her galloping mare’s neck, reins in one hand and mane grasped in the other. As she drew alongside the wagon, which carried her sisters, she stood up in the stirrups and yelled again. “Stop that wagon now or so help me… Melissa, also known as Sissy, pushed her feet down hard to balance as she pulled back hard on the bay gelding’s reins. They all drew to a stop. Lily lifted the hat from her head and swiped impatiently at the sweat on her brow. It was so hot she thought, if the damn dog was chasing the cat, they’d both be walking. “Why didn’t you stop when I called out?” “How am I supposed to hear you with the sound of Buck’s hooves and these two tittering in my ear?” Sissy retorted. The ‘two’ she referred to, as she flung her arm in the air, were their sixteen year old twin sisters – Amy and Emily. They had just discovered the appeal of two local boys and had been excitedly chattering. “Why are you here, anyways? You’re supposed to be helpin’ Ma put a basket of food together. We gotta spend the night out with Pa watchin’ for rustlers and you know we get hungry.” Sissy pouted. She hated it when she thought her big sister was sent to watch over her. At eighteen years old she felt she was more than capable of doing things without being ‘chaperoned’. “Ma sent me because she forgot a couple of things when she wrote out the list. It’s taken me all this time to catch up with you.” “What else does she need?” Sissy enquired. Lily pulled the list from her pocket and thrust it into her sister’s hand. “I might as well come with you now. It’s only another mile to town and I can help with the supplies.” Sissy nodded before slapping the reins to get the big gelding moving. Lily urged her mount forward and they began walking at a leisurely pace. They were in sight of town when a loud crack heralded something had gone terribly wrong on the wagon. Sissy brought Buck to a stop and glanced at her older sister in despair. As Lily dismounted, the other girls jumped from the wagon. While the older two checked on the suspect wheel, Amy and Emily hovered nervously. Lily crouched down and shook the wheel. It was looser than a whore in a cathouse. “Almost snapped clean off the axle,” she grumbled as she pushed herself to stand. “Sissy, unhitch Buck and we’ll walk the rest of the way. I’ll drop the horses at the livery and see what I can do about getting it fixed while you pick up the supplies. Sissy did as requested and the girls began the short trek to town. Check out the cover of Susan's newest release, Saving Annabel Please tell us a little something about yourself, Susan ... I was a Nurse, a career that spanned more than 35 years. During my career I specialised in caring for people with Alzheimer’s type Dementia, an area that fascinates me despite how heartbreaking it can be. My dear father-in-law is unfortunately afflicted with this disease and now resides in a Nursing Home. In the not too distant future I am hoping to pen a novel incorporating some of the stories I have heard from these amazing people. Part of my career was with the blind and I also cared for severely disabled children for a while too. When I retired 4 years ago I decided it was time to get the stories out of my head and onto paper. From there I just hoped my stories were interesting and well written enough to attract readers. I am married to the love of my life, we have 2 wonderful adult boys, and 5 amazing grandchildren. We also play substitute Mum and Dad to a beautiful, adopted young lady. We reside in sunny Qld, Australia in the midst of a Blackbutt Forest. We are surrounded by the peace and quiet of Mother Nature and wildlife abounds. It is a dream come true location for us. For more information about me, I can be found at: Amazon Author Page: https://authorcentral.amazon.com/gp/profile Blog: http://susanhorsnell.com Web: http://horsnells.wix.com/susan--1 Twitter: @susanhorsnell A great big Thank You to everybody who voted for High Stakes in the RONE Awards! Your support is greatly appreciated!
I'm very pleased to introduce my first official guest of this series of articles getting to know the authors of the great stories in this superb western romance anthology. My first guest is award-winning author, Lyn Horner. Welcome, Lyn! Hi, Chad. Thank you for having me here today. How did you begin writing? I’ve always enjoyed writing although my formal training was in the visual arts. After art school, I worked as a fashion illustrator and art instructor, but quit work when my children were small in order to stay home with them. However, I soon needed a creative outlet. As a longtime fan of historical romances, it came naturally to try writing one. That led to years of scribbling on notepads and hiding my little “hobby” from family and friends – because I was afraid to admit I liked reading and writing hot love scenes. Silly, I know. Now I regard a beautifully written, passionate love scene as a work of art. Who is your favorite author? Diana Gabaldon, without a doubt. I love her Outlander series. The historical settings are so real that I feel like I’m actually there in 18th century Scotland, France and colonial America. As for her main characters, Jamie and Claire, they are like members of my family. Their love story is wrenchingly sad at times, hilariously funny at others and always entertaining. Diana is my idol! What is the hardest part of writing your books? Putting my butt in the chair and actually writing! I am easily distracted and there are so many demands on my time, especially since I’m self-published and must do all my own book promotion. I’d like to be three people! Where do you research for your books? I used to do all my research in libraries, but over time I’ve amassed quite a collection of books on history, geography, fashion, and you name it. Nowadays, though, most of my research is done on the internet. It saves loads of time. Are you a plotter or a pantser? Why? I used to be a pantser, but my characters had a habit of running off on side trips far afield from their intended destination. Then I’d have to haul them back kicking and screaming and set them on the right path. This took up way to much time. I’m now a confirmed plotter, although I do welcome some unexpected twists along the way, as long as the end goal remains in sight. Do you use a pen name? If so, how did you come up with it? Yes, I decided to use a pen name for the sake of my family’s privacy. Lyn is a nickname. My husband started calling me that almost from our first date -- a century or so ago. Horner is my maiden name. I chose it to honor my parents. I know you’ve published a series of historical western romances. Please tell us about them. Glad to. Set in the 1870s, the series is titled Texas Devlins. It’s about a trio of Irish-American siblings, each blessed with a rare psychic gift. White Witch, a prequel novella, offers a dramatic enactment of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, seen through the eyes of Jessie Devlin, who possesses second sight and “sees” the fire before it happens. Darlin’ Irish takes Jessie west in search of a man she has seen in a prophetic vision, who she believes she’s fated to love. But will her quest lead to happiness or into a deadly trap? Dashing Irish spotlights Tye Devlin’s empathic talent, the ability to literally “feel” others’ emotions. His encounter with a feisty Texas cowgirl spells trouble. Big time! Dearest Irish stars baby sister Rose Devlin. Gifted with the power to heal with her mind, Rose is meek and mild, surely no match for a tough half-breed cowboy. Or is she? I’m thrilled to say Dearest Irish has been nominated for a Rone Award by InD’Tale magazine, in the American Historical category. Voting is open, either on the site for subscribers: http://www.indtale.com/2014-rone-awards or email: anasmith@indtale.com Congratulations, Lyn! I’m also nominated for a Rone Award. Exciting times! Now please share an excerpt from your nominated book. My pleasure, Chad. This excerpt is from chapter four of Dearest Irish. Choctaw Jack has kidnapped Rose in a desperate attempt to save his dying mother. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Rose regained her senses slowly. Feeling herself rock to and fro, she groggily recognized the loping gait of a horse beneath her. But how could that be? She forced her eyes open, taking in the starlit sky and the dark landscape passing by. Blinking at the sight, she realized she was seated crosswise on the horse – in a man’s lap. Just like that, the scene in her bedroom with Jack came back to her, and she knew whose chest she leaned upon and whose arm was locked around her. She forced her eyes open, taking in the starlit sky and the dark landscape passing by. Blinking at the sight, she realized she was seated crosswise on the horse – in a man’s lap. Just like that, the scene in her bedroom with Jack came back to her, and she knew whose chest she leaned upon and whose arm was locked around her. Panicking, she cried out in fright. Pain lanced through her jaw, reminding her of the blow her teacher-turned-abductor had delivered just before she’d sunk into oblivion. “Easy now,” the brute murmured. “You’re all right. Nobody’s gonna hurt you.” She threw her head back to see his shadowed features. “I’m not all right, ye . . . ye kidnapper!” Cupping her painful jaw, she demanded, “Take me back this instant!” “Can’t do that, Toppah.” “But ye must! Tye and Lil will be looking for me.” Catching the odd word he’d spoken, she repeated it. “Toppah? What’s that?” “It’s you. It means yellow-hair.” “Oh. Well, don’t be calling me that again. Now turn this horse around and take me back,” she again demanded. “Nope. We’re heading for the Nations. You might as well relax and enjoy the ride.” “Enjoy the ride, is it? You’re daft!” She pushed at his steely arm and attempted to twist free, but, although his hold caused no pain, it was unbreakable. Feeling smothered and panicky, she shoved at his chest, managing to create a small space between them. “Be still,” he ordered sharply. “Do you want to fall off and break your neck?” Before she could reply, another man’s voice sounded nearby, speaking in an unfamiliar tongue. Unaware of his presence until that moment, Rose uttered a frightened cry and instinctively shrank against Jack. His arm tightened around her for a moment. He said something to the other man then spoke softly to her. “Don’t be afraid, Poe-lah-yee. That’s only Tsoia. He is my friend, my blood brother. He won’t touch you as long as he thinks you’re mine.” “Yours! I’m not yours!” she shrilled, once more stiffening against him. “You might not want to let him know that.” Available in ebook and print: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CK9LGA2 http://tinyurl.com/l64ctss (Barnes & Noble) Find Lyn Here: http://lynhorner.com https://www.facebook.com/lyn.horner.1 http://www.amazon.com/author/lyn.horner.award-winning.books https://twitter.com/LynHornerauthor Lyn Horner resides in Fort Worth, Texas – “Where the West Begins” – with her husband and several very spoiled cats. Trained in the visual arts, Lyn worked as a fashion illustrator and art instructor before she took up writing. This hobby grew into a love of research and the crafting of passionate love stories based on that research. Lyn’s Texas Devlins trilogy blends authentic Old West settings, steamy romance and a glimmer of the mysterious. This series has earned Lyn several awards, including two Reviewers Choice Awards from the Paranormal Romance Guild. Her most recent release, Dearest Irish, is nominated for a Reader’s Choice Award on BigAl’s Books and Pals. Thank you, Lyn, for dropping by and being my first official guest. I wish you continued success with your work!
If you've read and enjoyed High Stakes, I hope you'll vote this week! Here's how: Send an email to: anasmith@indtale.com Subject Line: RONE Award Vote Include in your email the genre, book title, and author: GENRE: American Historical BOOK: High Stakes AUTHOR: Chad Strong My book is open to votes during this week only – Monday, March 10th through Sunday, March 16th Thank you very much! You can also check out InD'tale at http://www.indtale.com/ and subscribe for free and register your vote under "Fun Stuff". I'd like to introduce a talented group of authors who have teamed up to create a brand new anthology of original western romance short stories. Many of these great writers you'll already know and love, and maybe you'll find a few more whose work you'll enjoy. So, let's settle in and meet each one as they join us to introduce themselves and their work. Gold Mountain by Alison Bruce
There’s more than one way to mine for gold, as May Travers well knows, and Marshal Ben Jessup is about to find out. A Gentle Touch by Celia Yeary Adam Taylor tames mustangs with a gentle touch, but would the same method calm a frightened abused woman? A Midnight Clear by Simone Beaudelaire A lonely widow finds a new opportunity for love during an icy Christmas in modern-day Wyoming. Houston McClintock by Caroline Clemmons Houston McClintock is on his way home when an attack by vicious robbers redirects his life onto a surprising path to love and fulfillment. Marrying Jenna by Charlene Raddon Branch McCauley and Jenna Leigh-Whittington’s wedding day arrives at last, so why is Jenna riding hell-bent out of town wearing her wedding dress and a gun belt? Something’s up, and it doesn’t look good. Will the wedding ever take place? Connie’s Gift by Rain Trueax The gift of second sight, which Connie no longer believes she possesses, becomes a deadly threat to her and the man she loves. Stable Hands, Stable Hearts by Chad Strong When 17yr old Scott thinks he spots the girl of his dreams, will his feelings for her distract him from winning? Gunslinger’s Angel by Margaret Tanner Gunslinger Cal Devereaux is saved by an angel, but is she a heavenly creature or a warm blooded woman? Petticoat Patrol by Susan Horsnell When a man has no son, he calls on his daughters to help protect his ranch. When Love Arrives by Carol A. Spradling A stowaway’s past and future collide on the Santa Fe Trail. Bluffing the Marshal by Paty Jager Nellie Preston not only wants to keep her brother from hanging, she wants to become the marshal’s wife. The Lawman’s Lady by Lyn Horner A prickly schoolmarm sets a handsome lawman’s teeth on edge until the day he starts to wonder what she’d look like without her specs and with her hair down. Yellowstone Proposal (A Yellowstone Romance Series Short Story) by Peggy L. Henderson Willing to face dangers only told in legends, Evan risks everything to find the woman who captured his heart. Much Ado about Misfires (A Hearts of Owyhee short-short story) by Jacquie Rogers A cowboy on rollerskates and an old flame with a new beau—can Reuben lasso the woman he loves? Destiny’s Kiss by Cheri Kay Clifton She gave up life in the present to find her destiny in the past. Available now from Amazon – http://amzn.com/B00IRPWDNM and soon from other popular outlets. |
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