Romance

Interview with Author – Rusty Blackwood

Interview with Author – Rusty Blackwood

Canadian born Blackwood, whose brand is ‘images in word that will leave you breathless’, chose her plume de nom by combining both the colour of her russet hair with her estranged husbands’ great, great Scottish grandmother’s maiden name, grew up on her paternal grandfather’s farm in southwestern Ontario, Canada where she developed her love of writing while still in grade school, entering numerous competitions and writing exhibitions throughout her area, and attributes her love of writing to her late father James, and to the late Gladys Carroll, her elementary teacher. Although unprofessionally trained in the field, Rusty has always had an affinity for the written word, a gift to express it, and has demonstrated this talent many times since becoming a serious writer in 2001.

Miss Blackwood is a bronze medalist winner in the 2006 Annual International Library of Poetry, sponsored through PoetryPoem.com for her 2005 poem, “Desire”.

She has written an eclectic array of contemporary and traditional poetry, publishing her first collection in October of 2009, entitled, “Feelings: A Rhythmic Journey in Thought,” which was later re-released in a second collection with additional content in 2011 under the title, “Impressions: A Poetic Rhythm in Emotion”. Feelings was followed in April of 2010 by a collection of assorted short stories for children, as well as the young at heart, entitled, “Young Minds,” which was later re-released as a second collection with additional content in 2012 under the title, “Through the Eyes of Innocence.”

In March of 2012 Rusty released the short-story comedy, “The Misadventures of Derwood Tugbottom”.

Following a previously hard fought, misguided, and misleading publishing road into the competitive world of main-stream fiction with her first two-part romance drama, “Passion in Paris” – Connections to the Past’ and Directions of the Heart’ respectively – Rusty was finally given the chance to accomplish what she had originally set out to do, and this exciting reprieve can be found within the pages of her grand scale, 4-star, heart-touching romance drama, “Passions In Paris: Revelations of a Lost Diary,” which she released in 2013.

“Passions in Paris” is followed by the official release of the riveting 5-star award-winning romantic fiction drama, “Willow’s Walk”. This page turner has been given a 5 star rating by Readers’ Favorite while still in pre-release, so be sure to check it out.

In July 2017, Miss Blackwood released her second installment in the Derwood Tugbottom comedy series, titled, “Derwood Returns”, and currently released the third installment in the series, entitled, “Derwood Goes Caribbean”, on January 27, 2019. Do watch for the fourth installment in the ongoing series, “Derwood Comes Home”, expected in early 2020.

Rusty’s third novel, “The Perils of Autumn”, is a 5-star award-winning romantic fiction drama set in the early 1970’s at Landon Lawns Stables, a fictional thoroughbred racing stable in the posh community known as The Meadows located just outside Lexington Kentucky. This enthralling story centers around heroine Autumn Leeves, a twenty four year old newly graduated RN, who is sent on assignment to Landon Lawns to care for the terminally ill wife of English equestrian master, Cyril Landon. However, once there, Autumn encounters a world filled with intrigue, wonderment, and a well kept secret. The Perils of Autumn was released on January 17, 2019 and is available in paperback, hardback, and Kindle editions at all Amazons, and in Kobo at Chapters. Paperback, and Hardback editions may also be ordered at all Chapters, Coles and Indigo. “The Perils of Autumn” is now a 2019 FINALIST in both the International Book Awards, and American Book Fest Best Book Awards. Rusty is currently writing the follow-up novel to the 5-star awarded “The Perils of Autumn”, entitled, “Return to Autumn”, and is expected to release in the late spring of 2020.

The 5’1″(154.94 cm) spunky redhead is often asked how much of herself is found in her heroines, and she has been noted to say a fair amount, adding that most writers inspiration comes from many different aspects of life experience and reaping from them all that one can to use to one’s best advantage, so in that respect she would have to say that many sides, aspects, and flavours of her heroines derive from her own personality and life.

Rusty has always loved the Arts in their many unique forms and this is demonstrated in the two Interior Decorating and Design diplomas she holds, as well as her many years spent on the south-western Ontario stage performing with her family’s country music band, The Midnight Ramblers, and the country – rock – blues band, MIRAGE respectively as an accomplished vocalist, bassist, and rhythm guitarist.

Rusty firmly believes in going after what she wants, doing whatever is required to make it happen, and turning a deaf ear to anyone who says it cannot be done. She has faced many challenges throughout her life, emerging more determined with each, but make no mistake about her methods, for she is a firm believer in Karma and the adage that whatever you put out in life revisits you, so be sure your intentions are proper.

Miss Blackwood is also a 3-time Nominee in The Author Show’s Top Female Author for the years 2017, 2018, and 2019.

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Interview with Author – Mary Gant Bell

Interview with Author – Mary Gant Bell

Mary Gant Bell began her writing career about fifteen years ago to give voice to the ideas rattling in her brain. She started with genealogy books and later Christian fiction romance novels. She married a man who craves adventure. Together they parent one daughter and a gaggle of attention-seeking cats. When Mary is not writing, she quilts or cleans seashells from her latest trip to the beach. She never learned to cook, so don’t show up at dinner time. She’d much rather chase her characters from chapter to chapter than preheat the oven.

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Interview with Author – Linda S Rice

Interview with Author – Linda S Rice

As a child, I was mesmerized by storytellers and my mother always made sure I had a supply of books close at hand while I was growing up. Sitting on her lap and listening to her read to me is one of my earliest memories. I remember drawing pictures and then making up stories to go with them, and as I got older, my stories became longer and more fanciful. At age ten, I began to write them down, and when I was twelve, I wrote my first “book,” all handwritten. I wrote during rainy days in gym class when we all had to stay in the locker room and sit on benches. I had a small cult following of friends who waited for me to finish each page which I would then pass down the row. When I got a typewriter for my thirteenth birthday, I typed up my “masterpiece” and put it in a 3-ring binder then hid it away. The story was actually quite silly. Having a typewriter, however, made it possible for me to write even more, which I did on almost a daily basis.
But, as happens to many young, aspiring writers, reality grabbed me and when I graduated from high school and headed to college then into the workforce, the dream of becoming an author washed away. It wasn’t until I turned 62 and experienced my 3rd job layoff that I decided to try and make my writing dream come true.
Writing has since become an addiction to me, and I’m finding that ideas for numerous scenarios and characters keep flooding my brain, with the characters screaming, “Write about me! Write about me!”
And, that’s what I intend to do.

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Interview with Author – Kris Bock

Interview with Author – Kris Bock

Kris Bock writes novels of romance, mystery, and suspense. Her Furrever Friends Sweet Romance series features the employees and customers at a cat café. Watch as they fall in love with each other and shelter cats. Get a free 10,000-word story set in the world of the Furrever Friends cat café when you sign up for the Kris Bock newsletter.

Kris also writes romantic suspense set in the Southwestern U.S. If you love Mary Stewart or Barbara Michaels, try Kris Bock’s stories of treasure hunting, archaeology, and intrigue in the Southwest.

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Interview with Author – J. Arlene Culiner

Interview with Author – J. Arlene Culiner

Writer, photographer, social critical artist, musician, and occasional actress, J. Arlene Culiner, was born in New York and raised in Toronto. She has crossed much of Europe on foot, has lived in a Hungarian mud house, a Bavarian castle, a Turkish cave-dwelling, on a Dutch canal, and in a haunted house on the English moors. She now resides in a 400-year-old former inn in a French village of no interest and, much to local dismay protects all creatures, especially spiders and snakes. She particularly enjoys incorporating into short stories, mysteries, narrative non-fiction, and romances, her experiences in out-of-the-way communities, and her conversations with strange characters.

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Interview with Author – Dana Pratola

Interview with Author – Dana Pratola

God has blessed me with a wonderful husband and three dynamic children, all of whom are destined to make wide, colorful splashes in this world. We reside in northern New Jersey where we have four seasons and three dogs. I have no hobbies to speak of unless you include writing. I don’t.

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Interview with Author – Brenda Tetreault

Interview with Author – Brenda Tetreault

Brenda Tetreault was born in a small town on the southern Oregon coast. Growing up, she found herself easily bored with the books available to her and found they did not hold her attention for long. By the second grade, she had figured how to put together a story and says, “I started writing the kinds of stories I wanted to read but couldn’t find.” Her school years were populated with fanciful stories and many drafts, but it would many years until her dream of being an authorwould come to life.

Brenda graduated high school, and then enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, where she would serve foreighteen months as an Aircraft Structural Maintenance Specialist, working on cargo planes. She met and married her husband during this time. After her discharge, she and her husband, Mark, were stationed in Japan and at various bases in the United States. Their family expanded with the birth of their son in 1996.

Brenda now lives in Dover, Delaware with her husband and grown son.

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Interview with Author – Angela Ford

Interview with Author – Angela Ford

Angela resides in Nova Scotia – Canada’s Ocean Playground. Inspired by sunsets, the ocean, her family, and books. A bestselling and award-winning author who has been in the top fifty, Readers’ Choice Awards and ScreenCraft. She has over 50 published works in paperback, eBook, audiobook, and foreign translation. An Award of Distinction sparked the idea for her first book ‘Closure’ that hit Bestselling Action & Adventure. In between mysteries, Angela writes short contemporary romance and small town romance. She loves to connect with her readers!

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Interview with Author – Alexa Aston

Interview with Author – Alexa Aston

Award-winning, internationally bestselling author Alexa Aston’s Regency and Medieval historical romances bring to life loveable rogues and dashing knights and the strong women who tame them. She uses history as a backdrop to place her characters in extraordinary circumstances, where their intense desire for one another grows into the treasured gift of love.

A native Texan, Alexa lives with her husband in a Dallas suburb, where she eats her fair share of dark chocolate and plots out stories while she walks every morning. She enjoys reading, Netflix binge-watching, and can’t get enough of Survivor or The Crown.

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Interview with Author – Ava K Michaels

Interview with Author – Ava K Michaels

New York Times & USA Today Bestselling Author, Ava K Michaels lives in Bonnie Scotland, spending her time with family, pets, and writing. Always dreaming of the next time she can get away from the dreary weather to some sunshine. She hates rain and snow … which is most days in Scotland … hence her dreaming of her next vacation. When she’s not thinking of flying away on holiday, she’s writing … everything from hot Alpha shifters, to smoking hot Vampires, with Dragons, Angels, and everything else her imagination can come up with.
She has a weakness for chocolate (who hasn’t) and has been known to scavenge for her favorite delights in moments of weakness. Her writing companions, who keep her company every day, are Luna, her German Shepherd, and Jinx, a black Lab. She’d be lost without them at her feet, even if they interrupt her, sometimes at the most inopportune times.

Ava took up writing later in life and is always thinking of the next story to indulge herself in. She loves reading, although doesn’t get a lot of time to do so now, Rosé wine … and those precious trips to the sun. She adores her homeland with a passion, but wishes she could pick it up and place it down somewhere hot!

She writes under A K Michaels and Ava K Michaels and is also CEO of a small publishing company, Hot Box Publishing, in partnership with Bella Roccaforte, which specializes in publication of anthologies.

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Interview with Author – Dianne McCartney

Interview with Author – Dianne McCartney

My first romance novel, Just One Night, will be released on April 3, 2019 with my second novel due out late this year.
Both are published by The Wild Rose Press.
I’ve won fifty writing awards from contests in Texas and Oklahoma. I also enjoy judging writing contests as it allows me to help new writers with their own goals.

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Interview with Author – Linda Griffin

Interview with Author – Linda Griffin

I was born and raised in San Diego, California and earned a BA in English from San Diego State University and an MLS from UCLA. I began my career as a reference and collection development librarian in the Art and Music Section of the San Diego Public Library and then transferred to the Literature and Languages Section, where I had the pleasure of managing the Central Library’s Fiction collection and initiating fiction order lists for the entire library system. Although I also enjoy reading biography, memoir, and history, fiction remains my first love. In addition to the three R’s—reading, writing, and research—I enjoy Scrabble, movies, and travel.

My earliest ambition was to be a “book maker” and I wrote my first story, “Judy and the Fairies,” with a plot stolen from a comic book, at the age of six. I broke into print in college with a story in the San Diego State University literary journal, The Phoenix, but most of my magazine publications came after I left the library to spend more time on my writing

My stories have been published in Eclectica, The Binnacle, The Nassau Review, Orbis, Thema Literary Journal, Verandah Literary & Art Journal, Short Story America, San Diego Writers’ Monthly, The Storyteller Anthology, I-70 Review, 34th Parallel, and the anthologies Short Story America, Vol. 2 and The Captive and the Dead. Four stories, including two as yet unpublished, received honorable mention in the Short Story America Prize for Short Fiction contests. The Wild Rose Press published Seventeen Days in 2018 and will publish The Rebound Effect in July 2019

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Interview with Author – Jerilee Kaye

Interview with Author – Jerilee Kaye

Jerilee Kaye was born under the sign of Leo in the year 1979. She graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Legal Management from De La Salle University. She has post-graduate qualifications in the fields of Product Management, Project Management and Procurement. She is a Certified Senior Professional in Supply Management from NLPA, Pennsylvania and is currently working her way to an MCIPS certification from CIPS UK.

She manages a global supplier portfolio for multi-national and government entities in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. She is also an entrepreneur, managing a photography and printing company with her husband.

She is married to her first love, Sam, who she’s been dating since she was 16. They are blessed with two beautiful angels, MarQuise Justine Jerilee and Sir Alfred IV.

When she’s not buried under stacks of paper at work, or engrossed with her writing, she spends some down time playing golf, kicking her husband’s butt on a judo match and learning to play the piano.

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Interview with Author – Vivianna Waters

I love to spend time in nature in order to focus on creating the perfect plot. My favorite days are often spent on the beaches of California in order to gain inspiration. Escaping from the city life helps me dive into new projects (as well as silencing my phone when working). I recently published my first internationally available book called Melting The Model’s Heart and have never felt so proud in my life.

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