Everything Happens for a Reason

Posted on May 2, 2014 by Joanne Guidoccio

I am pleased to welcome Soul Mate author and editor Char Chaffin. She will be sharing her insights on tempting fate (or not) and chatting about her latest release, Jesse’s Girl.

Here’s Char!

Everybody knows what ‘tempting fate’ means. Change this, fix that. Remain stubborn when a certain path is the better way. Do your best to trod a different road even if it goes against every other instinct you might have.

“If I had it all to do over again, I’d do . . .” And then you start listing stuff that in reality probably wouldn’t have made a difference. Some call it fate, a kind of karma, a set journey; that no matter how you progressed in your life, nothing would alter certain truths. Up to a point, I agree.

Some of it is obvious: after all, that ‘left turn at Albuquerque’ made all the difference to Bugs Bunny. He lost his way to Pismo Beach (and all the clams he could eat) because he went right. Then again, he ended up in Aladdin’s Cave, dripping in diamonds and swimming in solid gold coins. Not too bad of an alternative for a wascally wabbit.

I was recently asked what I would change in my life if I could go back. It took but a moment to respond with, “Nothing.” Because sometimes the smallest changes mean everything.

In 1968, my widowed mother had the chance to move us to California. I was thrilled at the thought. At loose ends, we could technically live anywhere, and cousins on my father’s side wanted us to move to Anaheim to be near them. My older brothers were married and settled; nothing was really holding us in our little home town. My fourteen-year-old head was packed tightly with all the marvels of the “Golden State” ever since I’d first heard The Beach Boys and then The Mamas and the Papas sing about it. I had actually started packing up my room when she came to me with the sad news: we wouldn’t be leaving New York after all. It broke my heart. Well, at the time, that is. I mourned the loss of California for a lot of years, even after I met the most amazing man in the world, and married him.

Then, I got to thinking one day: what if? Sure, I believe in fate. But there are things even fate can’t necessarily beat against. If, at age fourteen I had moved to California, I wouldn’t have been in the right place at the right time, to meet the guy who changed my entire life. In this case, Fate wouldn’t have had an opportunity to intervene. Everything that came after would have been affected. Here’s why: I walked into a honky tonk bar, late in the evening, just as my future man was walking out. One minute later and I’d have missed him. But he saw me, decided he liked what he saw, chose to turn and walk back in, sit down and wait to see if I was meeting someone. Then he made his move on me. Boy, did he ever. ::le fond sigh::

None of that would have happened, even if Fate had found a way to wrangle me back to New York at that time in my life. Because I’d have returned an entirely different person and probably wouldn’t have walked into a honky tonk on a bet. And because he already had an off-again, on-again relationship going on, there’s every indication that had we not met, my love would have married someone else shortly after that night. It just so happened that we met when he was on the ‘off.’

The chances of me even going to that bar that night were ridiculously slim, too. The friend I was with wanted to go there, but I was tired and longed for home. She talked me into one more stop. Not only that, but I personally hated country music, so it took some convincing on her part to coax an, “Oh, all right” out of me.

Everything happens for a reason.

All the places my husband and I have lived, each small or big milestone or event, both good and bad, have led us to this very moment in our life together. They link tightly like the precious metal of a necklace; the “gold” of California that I never got to experience back when I was fourteen and about as sharp as a sack of wet mice. Alter a link, alter a path. Change an event, change it all.

So I stayed in New York and swung into a smoky bar in the fall of 1974, late at night. One dance and three months later, I married my guy, a military man. We lived a kind of nomadic existence until the day we ended up in the state where our daughter grew and flourished, then met her soul mate and settled happily. One tiny, small alteration in our plans along the way would have affected so much for her.

Most sobering of all: if I had moved to California, I wouldn’t have had her. Just thinking about it makes me shaky.

Therefore, when asked what I’d have changed if I’d been afforded the opportunity to go back and do anything over, my response was a loud, definitive, “NOTHING.” I wouldn’t change a single second. Not a breath.

Coincidentally, the question of tempting fate also came up when I was writing Jesse’s Girl, my latest release. The story of Tim and Dorothy hinged firmly on the events of a nightmarish time in their lives that changed everything. Tim has his moments of pondering, thinking that if only he’d never left town; if only he’d fought harder, that he’d have gotten his Dorothy a heck of a lot sooner. But that’s not really true, because Tim needed seven years away from Skitter Lake, and Dorothy wouldn’t have abandoned her mother, Jesse’s parents, or his memory. Seven years had to happen just as it did, for everything else to align into the platform that brought Tim back to town, ready to fight for his love. For the scales of impotent misery to tip just enough to push Dorothy into Tim’s arms when she needed him most.

Everything happens for a reason, better believe it.

My current novel, Jesse’s Girl, is set in 1965 Ohio, in a small town called Skitter Lake.

Here’s the blurb:

In 1965, Tim O’Malley returns to his home town of Skitter Lake, Ohio, to clear his name and get the girl: Dorothy Whitaker, the love of his life since eighth grade. Blamed for a destructive fire he didn’t set, only Tim and Dorothy know the truth; that Jesse Prescott, Tim’s best friend and Dorothy’s boyfriend, did the deed that changed an entire town. But Jesse died in that tragedy and seven years later, Skitter Lake still honors him as a hero, rather than Tim, the boy from the seedy side of town whose father was a drunk . . . and whose quick actions saved six people from perishing in that horrendous fire.

In trying to set the record straight and finally claim Dorothy as his own, Tim—and Dorothy, too—will discover that in some small towns the legend often outweighs the truth . . . and their family and friends will forever see Dorothy as “Jesse’s girl.”

Bio

Char Chaffin writes mainstream and contemporary romance filled with family, rich characters and engaging plots. For her, it all comes back to the love.

From crafting Victorian-style poetry to writing short stories and novellas, Char finally settled on romance novels as her true passion. Over the years she worked a variety of jobs, from farm hand to costume designer to fiscal accountant, before deciding a writing career was her desired focus.

In addition to writing, Char is also an Acquisitions Editor for Soul Mate Publishing.

A displaced Alaskan, Char currently divides her time between Fairbanks, Alaska and an Upstate NY, sixty-acre farm with husband Don. Their extended family is scattered all over the Lower Forty-Eight and Alaska.

When she’s not pounding away at her keyboard, sneaking away to the Last Frontier or burying her nose in books and her beloved Kindle, she edits manuscripts and helps Don
maintain their farm.

Where to find Char…

Website | Amazon | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Joanne here!

Thanks for dropping by, Char. BTW…I enjoyed reading Jesse’s Girl.

How Katie O’Boyle Got Her Wings

Posted on April 30, 2014 by Joanne Guidoccio

Welcome to my Second Acts Series!

Today, we have Soul Mate author Katie O’Boyle talking about the perfect storm that inspired her second act and her debut novel Stepping Up to Love.

Here’s Katie!

As a young teen I passionately wanted to teach English, because I loved language, loved writing and wanted everyone to love literature. My first three years teaching in a tough public school convinced me I was a failure as a teacher, so I searched for a more practical, promising career. It was the early 1970s and women were making inroads in the new field of computers. I picked up degrees in Library Science and Computer Science and worked for fifteen years as a software engineer. The deeper I got into technology, the farther away I was from the users—schools, libraries, people. When my company offered an “Engineers into Education” deal, I jumped at the chance to get my doctorate in Education with an emphasis on technology.

Unfortunately, I leapt into the perfect storm. The stress and uncertainly of a career change precipitated a health crisis which forced me to stop working entirely, and I had to spend my entire life’s savings to get back on my feet. When the flood waters receded I had: my doctorate; a chronic health problem; the beginnings of a second career as a professor, consultant and technology planner; and an entirely new network of professional colleagues. I worked as hard as I could in my new field for twenty years and enjoyed every aspect of my work—teaching teachers, consulting with schools and colleges, and writing and speaking at conferences everywhere. And I still enjoy it, but in smaller and smaller assignments.

In the past two years I’ve resurrected my love of writing fiction and begun to publish the Lakeside Porches romance novels. I’m not so much “Dr. Kate” anymore, as “Katie O’Boyle,” and I’m loving my new act as an author. Writing is the most important work that I do now, and it doesn’t feel like work.

Looking back, that perfect storm that engulfed me as I jumped from “heavy techie” to Dr. Kate taught me a lesson that I practice to this day: value your network and keep it strong and current. My transition from Dr. Kate to Katie O’Boyle has taken two years and I continually work at my personal friendships, my connections to the colleagues who will be part of my network after retirement and to the wonderful new colleagues and friends I’m making as an author.

When I was struggling terribly to recover from illness and get my second act off the ground, I saw an inspiring bookmark that said:

Sometimes you have to take a leap and build your wings on the way down.

Scary job! But I wasn’t doing it alone. Faith and Hope were working along with me, insuring success. And my friends were cheering me on. With that change of perspective, the hard work became less of a nightmare and more of a thrill.

Blurb

When her boss Joel Cushman catches her using the spa shower at The Manse, junior accountant and graduating college senior Manda Doughty comes clean about the alcoholic drinking that has led her into a disastrous relationship with a predatory professor. Joel, who is also a trustee of the college, is faced with more problems than a beautiful, naked woman in his shower. While he’d rather make love all night with funny, brainy Manda, Joel knows his desire for her has no future if Manda cannot stay sober, grow up, and face her problems. While Manda immerses herself in AA, Joel uncovers harassment and embezzlement that threaten the existence of the college his ancestors founded. Can he fix the problems at the college without exposing Manda to public humiliation? Can Manda clean up her mess and trust the love she feels for Joel? The odds may not be in their favor, but miracles happen for those who are willing to change their lives and open their hearts.

Where to Find Katie…

Amazon | Website | Twitter | Facebook

Joanne here!

I am in awe of your strength and courage, Katie. And I can easily visualize you flying higher each day. I enjoyed reading Stepping Up to Love and look forward to the next book in the series.

Claiming Fantasy Hen Lit

Posted on April 26, 2014 by Joanne Guidoccio

It’s officially mine.

After Googling “fantasy hen lit” and discovering my picture, the book cover of Between Land and Sea, and several images from my website on the first page of search results, I claimed the new sub-genre as my own.

A bit of history…

I never intended to write fantasy. I avoided books that featured werewolves, vampires, witches and other dark creatures and am probably one of the few people on this planet who could not read past Chapter 1 of the first Harry Potter novel. But after participating in a series of science fiction workshops, I decided to try my hand at light and breezy fantasy with inspirational elements. Whenever I described my work to other writers in the workshop, they would frown and ask, “But what genre is that?”

Continue reading on Katie Teller’s blog.

Happily Ever After: In Fiction and In Life

Posted on April 25, 2014 by Joanne Guidoccio

Welcome to my Second Acts Series!

Today, I am thrilled to feature a couple, Catherine and Donald Hersh, aka Soul Mate author C.D. Hersh.

Here’s C.D.

FIRST ACT

Our first act has always had writing in it, both personally and professionally, just not in the same manner as it has now. Over the years at work, Donald had become proficient at writing instructional manuals and documents for the technical work he did and was recognized for his writing by a national organization in his field. Winning the Blanche Witte Award – a highly prestigious award in his career field – was one of the highlights of his career. The award included a paid trip to Fort Worth, TX for the presentation in front of a national gathering of his peers. Catherine got to go, too.

During this time Catherine was becoming skilled at writing for the local papers with non-fiction news stories, interviews and advertorials. She branched out from the paper and started writing articles and stories published in the Cincinnati Magazine, and writing for children at Standard Publishing.

We were both involved in the drama group at church, even contributing a few short skits that were performed. One year the drama director came to us with a request to write a Christmas play they were developing as a re-creation of Bethlehem at the time of Jesus’ birth. We took a go at it, writing the play as an interactive, living diorama with the audience walking through the set as travelers looking for a place to stay. The church put the play on four out of five years running at Christmas with thousands of people coming through by the end of the run. We were even able to sell the script to churches across the country.

From this we learned we could work together (without killing each other), create a good story, and even have fun while writing. Another play we have finished is currently in the Ohio Community Theater library waiting for a local community theater to discover. We also have several more WIPs plays and musicals that, due to our second act, may never get finished.

ACT TWO

Act Two began when Catherine gave Donald a romance book to read while we were on vacation. She thought it was a good action romance he would enjoy. Well, Donald slogged through the book and when finished, he promptly threw it away. In Catherine’s presence, he declared the male characters were weak and that we could write better characters.

As Catherine was never one to turn down a challenge she said, “Let’s do it!”

So, on the trip home we cast around for ideas to base a story on and found one along the side of the road: A sign announcing an upcoming attraction at Turning Stone Resort and Casino in New York.

After bouncing several ideas off each other about what the meaning of “Turning Stone” might entail, we began to develop our world. The Turning Stone Society is a shape shifting group that lives among us. Members have a magical blood stone ring that changes them into other personas: male, female and animal, with a few twists the usual shape shifting worlds don’t have. From there on as the old saying goes is “the rest of the story,” which has developed into a five-book series called the Turning Stone Chronicles.

Currently, the first book in the series, The Promised One, is published in both Kindle and paperback. The second book, Blood Brothers, is due out this summer. Below is a cover reveal for Blood Brothers, the blurb, and an excerpt.

Blurb

When Delaney Ramsey is enlisted to help train two of the most powerful shape shifters the Turning Stone Society has seen in thousands of years, she suspects one of them is responsible for the disappearance of her daughter. To complicate matters, the man has a secret that could destroy them all. Bound by honor to protect the suspect, Delaney must prove his guilt without losing her life to his terrible powers or revealing to the police captain she’s falling for that she’s a shape shifter with more than one agenda.

The minute Captain Williams lays eyes on Delaney Ramsey, he knows she’s trouble. Uncooperative, secretive, and sexy, he can’t get her out of his mind. When he discovers she has a personal agenda for sifting through all the criminal records in his precinct, and secretly investigating his best detective, he can’t let her out of his sight. He must find out what she’s looking for before she does something illegal. If she steps over the line, he’s not certain he can look the other way for the sake of love.

Excerpt

Harry Williams paused at the entrance to Alexi’s ER room, hand hovering over the doorknob, uncertain when he heard the voices inside. Did she have company? He peeked in through a crack in the window curtain. The only people he recognized were Alexi and Rhys. He moved from the door, planning to return later.

“Captain,” Rhys called as he opened the door. “Come in.”

“I’m not intruding?”

“No. Alexi will be glad to see you.”

Harry stepped into the room. Going immediately to her bedside, he set the small vase of flowers he’d brought on the nightstand. “Didn’t know what kind you liked.”

Retrieving the vase, she held the flowers to her nose and inhaled. “These are gorgeous, Captain. Thank you.”

Tubes stuck into his favorite homicide detective’s arms. She seemed so helpless hooked to the equipment. Not at all like the fearless woman he knew. “You going to be okay?”

“I’ve got to stay in for a few days, but then I should be fine.”

He glared at Rhys. “How did you let her get mauled by a panther?”

“She ran in ahead of me … like she always does.”

“Headstrong woman,” Harry said to Alexi.

“That’s what makes me so good,” she replied with a smile that lit her drawn face. Alexi directed his attention toward the older man.

“This is Eli McCraigen, an old friend of Baron’s, and this,” she said, pointing to the woman, “is Delaney Ramsey. Our boss, Captain Harry Williams.”

Giving Eli a cursory nod, Harry then turned toward Delaney. A pair of turquoise eyes shown out of a china doll face, with the slightest hint of a middle age crease around her cupid bow mouth. A minute past before he found his voice. “Ms. Delaney, nice to meet you,” he said with a squeak. He hadn’t jumped octaves like that since his teenage acne cleared.

Smiling, her face lit. Amused, no doubt, by him. His gaze swept over her. She had a body a man could lose himself in. When she caught him enjoying the view, she blushed and returned the favor.

The once-over caused him to respond faster than he thought possible. A woman had not made him react like that in a long time. Women were a distraction. One he’d only dallied with occasionally since his wife left him. They all ran the minute they heard he was a career cop.

Bio

Putting words and stories on paper is second nature to co-authors C.D. Hersh. They’ve written separately since they were teenagers and discovered their unique, collaborative abilities in the mid-90s. As high school sweethearts and husband and wife, Catherine and Donald believe in true love and happily ever after.

Together they have co-authored a number of dramas, six which have been produced in Ohio, where they live. Their interactive Christmas production had five seasonal runs in their hometown and has been sold in Virginia, California, and Ohio. Their most recent collaborative writing efforts have been focused on romance. The first book of their paranormal romance series entitled The Promised One (The Turning Stone Chronicles) is available on Amazon. The second book in the series Blood Brothers is coming this summer.

Where to Find C.D. Hersh…

Joanne here!

Thank you Catherine and Donald for sharing your uplifting life story. I enjoyed reading The Promised One and look forward to the other books in the series. BTW…the storyline for Blood Brothers sounds intriguing.

From Comfort Zone to Stretch Zone

Posted on April 23, 2014 by Joanne Guidoccio

Welcome to my Second Acts Series!

Today, we have Soul Mate author Tina Susedik describing the many hats she has worn throughout her life.

Here’s Tina!

I came across a saying that I believe exemplifies life: “We plan, God Laughs.” No matter how we organize our lives, think we know where we’re going, life takes us in different directions. Sometimes good, sometimes bad, but always a learning experience.

First Act: I grew up in a poor family. We moved a lot, never spending much time in one house. Through this I learned to adapt and love living in the country.

I worked my way through college, getting a degree in Business with a minor in Journalism. I met my future husband the day before classes started my Freshman year. We married three years later. Defying all those naysayers who said we would never graduate, we both got our degrees.

Then we moved – and moved a lot as my husband’s jobs changed and improved. At best count I have lived in thirty-three different houses or apartments in my sixty-two years.

Two children came along with the decision to be a stay-at-home mom. I babysat, sold Tupperware and MaryKay, sewed clothes for others and enjoyed my children. I went back to school and earned two degrees in education and began teaching, a profession I thoroughly enjoyed.

One of our moves came after school started, and I was unable to get a job. I found an ad in a magazine for courses in writing for children. I applied and was accepted, starting my love for writing.

Another move had us in Canada, where again I couldn’t teach. I continued writing children’s books, but dabbled in writing romance. I had no idea what I was doing.

After moving back to the States and once again not having a full-time job, I started substitute teaching. It was during my drive home from a small town up the road from us that someone hit my car from behind. After a few years of struggling to teach through the pain (I did get a full-time position teaching fifth grade), I finally had to face the fact that I could no longer do what I love and needed to find something I could do.

In hindsight, I can now see how this accident helped me end up where I am today. Through the help of our state’s rehabilitation program, I was set up with a desk-top publishing business. This also afforded me time to continue writing romance.

One day I received a phone call from a town clerk from a nearby township. They needed someone to write a history of their township for their centennial celebration. Even though I had no idea how to do this, I agreed. I fell in love with interviewing, researching and writing their story. This 300-page book began a new career. I went on to write three more township books, a city history book and three military books, while learning more about writing romance.

Second Act: My husband and I bought a tax and accounting business. During tax season my writing time was curtailed, but I managed to get in as much as I could. During the “off season,” besides sitting for my grandchildren two days a week, I write full time. It’s something I can’t not do.

When I turned fifty-nine, I decided it was time to do something with the manuscripts I’d written and buried. I pitched, submitted, wrote and rewrote. I attended conferences and conventions about romance writing. I was determined it was my time.

Two years ago, everything fell into place. Within two weeks, I was asked for full manuscripts for two different books from two different publishers. “Riding for Love” was published last May with Soul Mate Publishing. This year I have another book coming out with Wild Rose Press under a pen name. I don’t have a final title or publication date yet. I’ve pulled out two of my children’s book manuscripts, brushed them off and found illustrators. They will be published this year, too.

My advice for anyone planning to pursue a second act is to be flexible and never stop learning. Looking back I can see where life was sending me, but during those years, I had no idea why things were happening as they did.

Affirmations

It doesn’t matter how old or young you are when your dreams come true. Had I wished I was published at a younger age? Yes. But I am where I’m supposed to be at this point in my life and I’m loving it.

Quotes

I always tell my grandchildren: “Never give up, never give up.” I have two quotes that follow this mantra: “It’s always too early to quit,” Norman Vincent Peale. “A professional writer is an amateur who didn’t quit,” Richard Bach.

Blurb

Eve Dayton, owner of a riding ranch, rose above her childhood past and overcame the emotional damage her boyfriend caused when he married another woman. When someone starts sabotaging her ranch, Eve is desperate to find the culprit before she loses everything. Is it a coincidence or is the return of Denton Johanson tied to the mystery?

Divorced Denton Johanson returns to his hometown to help convict the embezzling controller of the family business. When he runs into Eve, he realizes his feelings for her are still strong enough to try and win her back. His fear of horses won’t get in the way of his goal and decides the only way to be near her is to take riding lessons from her. Can he convince her that his love is real and he is not behind the mystery surrounding the ranch?

Eve Dayton’s former boyfriend returns to town just as problems start arising at her horse riding ranch. Can she believe his declaration to be part of her life again? Will she overcome the suspicion that he is part of the problem and accept his help in catching the culprits? Find out how Denton Johanson triumphs over his fears to win back her love.

Where to find Tina…

Joanne here!

Tina, you are a wonderful role model for all of us. I am impressed by your ability to skillfully navigate the many challenges you have faced. Riding for Love sounds delicious…I’m putting it on my TBR list.

When Change Comes Knocking

Posted on April 16, 2014 by Joanne Guidoccio

Welcome to my Second Acts Series!

Today, we have Soul Mate author Maggie Mundy talking about her transformative journey across two continents and her debut novel, Hidden Mortality.

Here’s Maggie!

Describe your first act.

Being asked to write this made me realise how different I am compared to the person who started out so long ago. I now live in Australia which is literally a world away from where my first act started.

I grew up in Bristol, England. They say write what you know and it so happens to be the setting for my book Hidden Mortality. My parents were devout Irish Catholics and we would visit family in Ireland every year. Waterfall House in the book is also my grandparent’s house and you can still go there on a farm stay. I always yearned to travel and wanted to join the navy, but my parents talked me out of it. Then I wanted to be a policewoman. I know, I must have a thing about uniforms. I eventually ended up a nurse. It was what my mother wanted and it has served me well over the years.

I married at twenty-one to a man who I knew wanted to emigrate so I think the yen to travel had not left me. I think I also believed I needed to move away from my family to really be me. My parents worked hard to give us what they could but it was not an easy home to grow up in. We moved to Australia and had two girls who are now in their twenties and the most wonderful daughters a person could have.

What triggered the need for change?

What triggered the need for change for me was that my parents both died within two years. I think when something like that happens you start to reassess. All the things you have put to the back of your mind while you get on with life come to the front. I remember being at work in the operating room and thinking is this it. In thirty years’ time will it just have been more of this. I was in my forties so mid-life crisis, I know. When people die you often mourn not only their loss but also the loss of what might have been. I decided at didn’t want to grow old thinking I could have done more.

Where are you now?

After I picked myself up and brushed myself off I decided to go on a journey. For me that was to go to university. I had done my nurse training in a hospital so I had never experienced this type of study before. I did a degree and majored in English, Drama and Creative Writing. I took eight years to do it while working and getting my kids through high school. I loved every minute of it.

I had never considered writing but when asked to write a one-person, one-act play something clicked. It is still hiding on my computer. I found once I started writing I could not stop. The characters in my head kept telling me I had to write them down. I still work as a nurse but I found my true love in my writing.

I have also changed other things in my life. I am no longer a Christian but follow the Buddhist philosophy and have become vegetarian. I am also passionate about our planet and what we are doing to it as humans. I believe in equality, and try not to judge people on their race, gender, religious beliefs or sexual orientation. This is all a million years away from the little girl who went to the convent school. I like her though.

Do you have advice for anyone planning to pursue a second act?

I think if it is meant to happen it will. Life is all about choices. If the time for change comes knocking on the door, you have a decision to make. Do you stay where you are or embrace what you could become? It can be scary I know. Once you start on the second act there is no going back. You will discover fantastic things about yourself you didn’t even know.

Any affirmations or quotations you wish to share?

Life is not a rehearsal, so live it.

Blurb

In Bath in 1850 a witch is murdered in a ritual granting longevity to four men. What they are not aware of is that she has bestowed the same power to another called Seth to avenge her death.

Cara is a descendant of the witch and fills her days with food with her Irish themed catering business. Her nights are another matter; they are full of erotic dreams of a mysterious lover, or nightmares with mutilated bodies. So this wasn’t the best time for her Nana to tell her she is coming into her power.

Of the original four immortals, Vincent is the only one left and to stop his own long life fading he needs another witch to kill. Seth was meant to protect the witch’s descendants from a distance, but with Cara he can’t stay away. He has to make a choice to love Cara, or avenge the original death and possible die himself. Cara has the fight of her life on when one man comes to kill her, and another to love her.

Where to find Maggie…

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest

Joanne here!

Thank you for sharing your inspiring journey, Maggie. Hidden Mortality sounds intriguing. I’m putting it on my TBR list.

Trailer Tuesday: Jill Urbach

Posted on April 8, 2014 by Joanne Guidoccio

Welcome to the Trailer Tuesday series!

Today, I am pleased to feature a trailer from Jill Urbach

Two-Room Flat is a sweet romance about second chances and learning to forgive, set in one of Jill’s favorite cities and a great place for a fresh start…London! Two-Room Flat was a finalist in the Pacific Northwest Writers Association Literary Contest. It has also been nominated for a RONE Award.

A fun fact about the trailer: “Polly”, who you’ll see at the very end, is Jill’s eldest daughter. According to Jill, she’s much friendlier in real life! 🙂

Enjoy!

Where to find Jill…

Website| Facebook| Twitter | Pinterest

An Unexpected Path

Posted on April 2, 2014 by Joanne Guidoccio

Welcome to my Second Acts Series!

Today, we have Soul Mate author Karen Lopp talking about the rich and colorful experiences that led her down an unexpected path.

Here’s Karen!

First Act

I was raised in a small farming community, where almost half of the town were relatives. No kidding. Talk about not getting away with anything as a teenager! If you didn’t know about cows, pigs, and how to drive a tractor you were just not “with it”. The big event for the town was the Friday night football game. Even though we usually lost, it was the social gathering place.

After high school, I started a career in computer programing, loving the challenges and problem solving. I’d have reams of paper strung out on the floor, pouring over lines of code, just to find the one mistyped character that threw the whole sequence off. Fun times. But after years of the 8-5 grind I made my first big change. We started a family and I became a stay-at-home mom.

Shortly after, my husband changed jobs and off we went on a brand new adventure. We moved around several times, eight to be exact, and during those years we homeschooled our children. That is a story for another time, but, suffice to say, I loved every minute of it.

Second Act

The transition to an empty nest was a new challenge for me. I had invested so many hours to being a teacher, mentor, and all around life coach, that after the last kid went off to college I knew it was time to get serious about a new path. I had already been dabbling in writing fiction and had a couple of stories stuffed in a notebook, but me an author? Well why not? So I pulled out that dusty notebook, took some online classes on writing, and attended a few classes at the community college.

Becoming a writer had not been a long time dream of mine. I had visions of traveling, starting a bakery, or several other small business ideas. But time and finances tended to get in the way. But once bitten with the writing bug, I could never go back. The road to publication has been frustrating at times and exciting. I have a wonderful base of supporters and cheerleaders. It must be in the blood, because my grandmothers wrote little stories about their lives and always reminisced about it. And my mother taught me how to be a voracious reader.

Writing about history came naturally, so my first two books are set in the Southwest in the late 1800’s. I love cowboys, the pioneer life, and wide open spaces. Being an action junkie, I also write romantic suspense and my first novel in that line will be out in May.

My advice to anyone is don’t be afraid to try something new. You may have never thought you’d like it, but until you try you will never know. Achieving lifetime dreams is wonderful and fulfilling, but when you stumble upon a venue you never considered before, doors to many different paths are opened and the adventures renew or awaken a jest to start a second act.

Good luck with whatever path you choose and remember to enjoy every step along the way.

Karen’s Books

SHOTGUN BRIDE

A surprise inheritance brings Kathleen Barnes a host of dangers, an unwanted husband, and a chance to start over.

Saddled with a bride he didn’t choose, who has a knack for landing in the middle of trouble, Mike Baca is forced into a private war.

Is this a forced marriage doomed to fail, or will this be an opportunity for both to have a shot at a new life together?

EFFIE’S OUTLAW

Boston heiress Effie Sheridan takes matters into her own hands when her fortune is being stolen. The last thing she expects is to be kidnapped by a gang of train robbers. Forced to pretend to be an outlaw’s lover to stay alive, she questions her sanity when she is drawn to the gruff, yet charming bandit who risks everything to save her.

U.S. Deputy Alex Marshall is mad enough to spit nails when the beautiful, city-bred girl lands in his arms. Unable to abandon her to the cruelties of the gang, he searches for a way out of the responsibility. But her courage and sweet kisses begin to chip away at the bitterness inside his heart and he must choose between revenge on the gang that slaughtered everyone he loved or redemption for saving a woman he can never have.

SPLINTERED LIES (Coming May 2014)

Detective Rissa Marten sacrificed her only chance for a normal life to put a drug lord behind bars. Now, her life in the shadows has to be brought to life to save the man she has secretly loved for years. With a price on her head can she risk letting him know?

Detective Jerah Qassem has built his career as an undercover agent in the dangerous world of drug cartels. But when a ghost from his past is resurrected can he overcome his bitterness in time to save her life?

Where to find Karen…

Website | Twitter | Facebook

Joanne here!

Thank you for sharing your experiences, Karen. Effie’s Outlaw is on my e-reader, at the top of my TBR list. I will be adding your other books–they sound delicious!

Transitions are a B*$^%!

Posted on March 28, 2014 by Joanne Guidoccio

Welcome to my Second Acts Series!

Today, we have Soul Mate author Roz Murphy giving us her take on transitions.

Here’s Roz!

First Act: Imagine it’s 1985, Manhattan, a rainy night in late September. All the sane people have fled midtown and huddle in their suburban homes. Hurricane Gloria howls around the creaking skyscraper where, on the eighteenth floor, you and a band of merry accountants (yes, accountants! and, yes, merry!) hustle to put the finishing touches on a report due in Congress tomorrow morning. Deadline pressures, tension, teamwork, worrisome groans from the surrounding building, occasional gusts of laughter…you don’t know it, but this is one of the peaks of your life and your career in corporate communications.

Second Act: Quiet and isolation. The frozen waters of a Finger Lake stretch in every direction outside your kitchen window. Siberia could not own more snow, or be more deserted.

So, how does someone move from Act I to Act 2? I wish I could say a little Tinker Belle sprinkles fairy dust and wafts you effortlessly from one place to another. But noooooo… that would be way too easy. My transitions usually involve pain and loss, heartbreak and fear, which is why I always say–”Transitions are a B#%@$!” As for deets, try divorce, job loss, deaths, multiple relocations, and The Great Recession.

For some reason, we don’t hear much about the destructive power of the Recession, but it was all too real, and it plays a major role in the opening of my debut novel, Bob at the Lake.

This novel explores, in a very light-hearted way, how we survive–and triumph–in the face of adversity. Survival tools include family, friends, writing, Fred Astaire movies, a moderate amount of loopiness, red geraniums, and chocolate. Lots of chocolate…

If I had to pick a couple of motivational quotes that I’ve held close to my heart over recent years, I’d select the following. I don’t know who said the first one, but it goes something like: “Every ending is a beginning. You just don’t realize it at the time.…” The second quote comes from Winston Churchill, who led England through the bloody and battered years of World War 2: “Never, never, never give up!”

I never will.

Blurb

Bob at the Lake narrates the humorous chronicle of a crabby ‘woman of a certain age’ who moves to the wintry shores of a New York lake—and gets a ghost. And not just any ghost, mind you. Bob’s a plump, middle-aged ghost from 1920s Manhattan who swans around in a silk smoking jacket and drinks far too many martinis. Stir the good-looking grape grower who lives up the hill into this mix and you get a pretty potent screwball cocktail!

Where to find Roz…

Amazon | Twitter | Facebook

Joanne here!

Thanks for sharing your transitions, Roz. The storyline for Bob at the Lake sounds intriguing…I’m putting it on my TBR list.

Take Two or Three…

Posted on March 26, 2014 by Joanne Guidoccio

Welcome to my Second Acts Series!

Today, we have Tara Coulter sharing the many acts of her extraordinary life journey.

Here’s Tara!

Act One

Sometime during high school, I decided that I wanted to be a lawyer. The guidance counsellor’s advice that girls couldn’t succeed in law school (I kid you not) could not stop me from pursuing this path.

I worked in Lake Louise, Alberta during the summer after my second year of university and this experience awoke a deep connection to nature that would influence my life’s direction. With no word from my law school applications, I accepted my failure with resignation. There was a lengthy mail strike that summer and when the mail resumed, my acceptance letter from the University of Windsor was delivered. I should have been excited, but I wasn’t.

Sitting in the Calgary airport watching the fading light over the mountains change from blue to indigo, I was tempted to get back on the Brewster bus and return to Lake Louise. By the time the plane landed in Toronto, I had decided not to pursue law school, much to the shock of my family. Confused and disillusioned, I completed the last year of my degree and went backpacking in Europe to find myself. I found a lot of other lost people and churches – lots and lots of churches.

Act Two

While in Europe, I reflected that the thing that brought me the most joy was anything that required creativity – theatre, singing, writing, making things with my hands. I also recognized that living in a natural setting was core to my happiness. Back to school I went, this time to study Arts Management. The program provided me with strong administrative and project management skills and prepared me for work in major arts organizations in Canada. I felt like I was back on track.

The pull of the Canadian Rockies brought me to the Banff Centre and eventually back to Lake Louise where I fell in love and married. Through all of this, I wrote small articles for newsletters and the local paper. After ten years in the mountains, we decided to make the move to a small community on Vancouver Island.

Acts Three through Four

Small communities are wonderful places to live, but tough places to launch a career, especially in arts management. I enjoyed a successful career working as a Realtor only to learn that you can be very good at a job only to find out that the job isn’t right for you. I burnt out and my health suffered.

While trying to get healthy, I discovered natural therapies and became trained in reflexology, aromatherapy, Bowen Therapy and Reiki. I worked for the next 10 years in a spa. I learned so much during this time about our connection to spirit and how absolutely everything in our lives is mirrored in our cells.

Act Five

The decision to sell everything and move aboard a sailboat was my husband’s. However, we both wanted more from life and were looking for adventure. Moving from an acre of land into 200 square feet of bobbing living space is all about adventure. We originally planned to circumnavigate, but we soon discovered that neither one of us was particularly interested in doing passages – we were curious to see beautiful, wild places and could do that here in British Columbia. I have grown so much through this experience and share this information in my blog.

Act Six

I am still debugging old programming that says your success is determined by what you do. I think our success is determined by who we are.

We have recently moved back on land after 10 ½ years of living aboard our sailboat, but our sense for adventure is still strong. We have moved our boat back to our old marina and look forward to summer sailing.

Act Seven

Writing has been the common thread that weaves my disparate acts together. Writing is my lifeline. I want to write a book. I have wanted this for some time now and in spite of encouragement by friends and mentors, I have not completed it. Perhaps that is why I enjoy blogging so much because there are small completions every week. The book is 50% complete and is written in the young adult fiction genre. I am looking forward to sharing it with you.

Tara’s advice for anyone planning to pursue a second act…

• Do not become attached to your plans.

• Practice stillness; it is here that you can hear your soul’s voice.

Shakedown Cruise with Liz, Katy, Angela and Tara…