One Special Moment

Posted on June 22, 2016 by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m thrilled to welcome back Wild Rose Press author Nina Barrett. Today, Nina shares a special moment in her writing journey and latest release, Renegade Heart.

Here’s Nina!

ninabarrett

In the back of my head, I hear the Beatles singing about a long and winding road that led me here . . .

Yes, it’s been hard and discouraging, but right now I am remembering one special moment. School had begun that fall. I’d returned energized from my first time at the Antioch Writers’ Workshop, but still shy, still having trouble identifying myself as a writer.

But then one day after school I heard two of my friends talking in the room next door and I gathered up all my courage, went next door and started out through something like “I have something to tell you. I went to the writers’ workshop this summer at Antioch because um, I write and I know a lot of people probably would like to be a writer . . .”

I’m getting teary right now thinking about it, but I can still see their faces – surprise, shock and then the words – that’s wonderful, can we read your stories? And I knew they meant it. And they liked them and wanted more, even through the years when my submissions had the instincts of homing pigeons.

But the call came and they probably still don’t realize that I might not have hung in there waiting for it if not for the encouragement they have gave me that day.

My third release, Renegade Heart came out on April 27th.

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Blurb

As if Vegas didn’t have excitement enough, December brings the National Finals Rodeo to the city. Heading the Imperial Hotel’s participation as a host hotel, Kerstin Hennepin is rushing to a meeting when a fall sends her tumbling into a stranger’s arms and he’s in no hurry to let her go.

Jake Aaron is a troubleshooter for the rodeo Or maybe he’s just plain trouble. Their attraction is instant and one close encounter leads to another, but Jake comes with plenty of questions. True he’s busy handing the offstage antics of rowdy rodeo contestants, but does his job also include romancing a young barrel rider and carrying a concealed weapon?

With the finale of the Finals approaching, Kerstin needs answers. But when her search for the truth reveals more is going on behind the scenes than on the arena floor, she and Jake are squarely in someone’s cross hairs.

Where to find Nina…

Amazon | Goodreads

Spreading My Wings

Posted on June 15, 2016 by Joanne Guidoccio

Welcome to my Second Acts Series!

Today, we have Judy Alter sharing her amazing journey from full-time, stay-at-home mom to full-time professional publisher and author.

Here’s Judy!

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“I’ve taken care of others long enough. It’s time to take care of me.” Astonishing words from the father of four children, ages six to twelve. Followed by, “I’ll take the kids, the house, the whole package except you.” Terrible cruelty from the man I’d been married to for seventeen years and had risked family connections to marry. For the past twelve years I’d been a full-time stay-at-home mom, grabbing free time to write when I could, entertaining lavishly at everything from big dinner parties to children’s birthdays. And this was how my first act was going to end?

My second act followed fast upon the end of the first and was, my brother said, “a remarkable case of reinventing myself.” I became a working mom, a full-time professional publisher, and an author. It didn’t all happen that fast, and I had some lucky breaks along the way.

The first thing I did was to find employment outside the house. I took the job of coordinator of community classes at my alma mater, Texas Christian University. From then on serendipity played a part in my career. I shared an office with a man who was slated to become director of TCU Press when the current director retired in a few months. One day, this man looked at me and asked, “Would you like to be editor of TCU Press?” That was my job interview. Yes, thank you very much, I’d like that. In earlier jobs I’d done a lot of PR and editing, and it seemed like a natural.

I was editor for four or five years and loved it. I liked working with the authors, and I loved shaping words. I didn’t always agree with my former office-mate about the manuscripts we acquired, but in general I was happy. And I never wanted to be director, didn’t want all that responsibility.

But when my former office-mate left to take a better-paying job at another university, I couldn’t wait to be named director. I had the requisite Ph.D. so I’m not sure what the holdup was, but it was almost a year before the appointment was official. I served as director for twenty-plus years, and it turned out to be the perfect job for me. I had enough freedom to raise my children the way I wanted. I met authors not only in the office but at conventions and meetings and came to regard several major Texas authors as good friends.

I was trying to boost my own writing at the time, and I found the two interests didn’t conflict at all—they worked together. I published, I won awards, the press won awards. We were producing good and attractive books and people in the region began to notice.

I worked past retirement and finally retired at 71 to pursue my own writing. By then I was well enough known on the regional literary scene that people bought my books, and my writing took off if not like a rocket at a fairly respectable speed. Maybe that is my third act?

What have I learned from this? Find your passion in life—don’t quit or turn back until you’ve discovered the one thing that you really love. For me, it was books and words. And spread your wings—get to know people in your profession, speak up, present talks, make yourself heard.

If I had stayed married I don’t know what would have happened, but I doubt I would have the four wonderful children I do today, and I doubt I would have had as satisfying and rich life. God is good.

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Blurb

Chicago, from swampland to host of the 1893 World Columbian Exposition, as lived by two leading historical figures: tycoon and hotelier Potter Palmer and his activist wife Bertha Honoré Palmer who fought for women’s rights and help for the poor. A story of love, major historical events, class warfare, intrigue, a forbidden love interest, and murder. A history of Chicago’s colorful Gilded Age.

Where to find Judy…

Joanne here!

I agree with your brother – this is a remarkable reinvention story! Best of luck with all your literary endeavors, Judy.

Spotlight on Sasscer Hill

Posted on June 10, 2016 by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m happy to feature author Sasscer Hill’s inspiring journey.

Here’s Sasscer!

Me and a bay horse-1 (2) Back in 1994, I wrote a romantic suspense novel and landed a literary agent. I thought the rest would be a slam dunk! Fast forward sixteen years where, still unpublished, and now two agents later, I’d completed two novels featuring female jockey Nikki Latrelle.

I wrote these books because of my passion for Thoroughbreds and my love for and knowledge of horse racing. One of my mentors suggested I make all my writing like the races I wrote–putting that excitement, that pacing, and those amazing characters that populate this world into every chapter. So I began a third Nikki Latrelle with that in mind, and prayed it would land a New York publisher.

In February of 2010, my favorite author Dick Francis died, I was diagnosed with lymphoma, and my horse farm was hit by the worst blizzard in the history of Maryland. Feeling desperate, I begged a small press owner to look at the first in the Nikki Latrelle series, FULL MORTALITY. He read the manuscript during the blizzard and accepted it the next day.

Miraculously, FULL MORTALITY was published in May of 2010, received rave reviews, and was nominated for both Agatha and Macavity Awards.

The award nominations helped secure a third and better agent with a successful track record. But by the time I finished the third book in the “Nikki Latrelle” series, it was clear that New York publishers weren’t interested in the latest in a series already published by a small press–unless it had humongous sales. A word to the wise: you are unlikely to get humongous sales with a small press.

My new agent told me to start another series. So I did, creating “Fia McKee,” a thirty-two-year-old agent for the real life agency, the Thoroughbred Racing Protective Bureau. I finished the manuscript of FLAMINGO ROAD in 2014 and started the second in the “Fia McKee” series in October that year.

My agent began shopping for publishers in December of 2014. The next spring, we caught the attention of an editor at St. Martins, Minotaur, but she had reservations about readers’ interest in a horse racing novel. I immediately went to work, obtaining statistics on the surprisingly strong popularity of horse racing. Things like NBC’s unprecedented ten-year extension agreement to broadcast rights to the Breeders Cup weekend races as well as the eleven qualifying races that precede that two-day, all-star event. I noted how a recent ESPN poll showed horse racing is the most popular non-team sport, beating out tennis, boxing, and even NASCAR! I sent the report to my agent, who sent it to St. Martins.

Less than a week after this, the Carrie McCray committee gave my in-progress novel, the second in the “Fia McKee” series, their “Best First-Chapter of a Novel” award. Within days, this same novel received a Claymore nomination.

But the brightest star to align that week was a racehorse named American Pharoah. Deep in my heart, I’d believed if the colt could pull off the historical and momentous feat of winning the first Triple Crown in 37 years, it might nudge a publishing offer from St. Martins my way. White knuckled, I watched the final race at Belmont. When American Pharoah blasted around the track on the lead, rocketed down the stretch, and began pulling away from the Belmont field, I almost had a heart attack. When he opened up and won by daylight, I burst into tears. Turning to my husband, I said, “I think FLAMINGO ROAD will get an offer.”

I could feel the bright star that is my love for horses rising over me. Pharoah’s race drew 22 million television viewers, and the subsequent radio, television, and social media attention was phenomenal. Within a week, American Pharoah appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated, and a day later, I received a two-book offer from St. Martins Minotaur.

But I was surprised to learn that the first Fia McKee novel would not come out until the spring of 2017, a wait of almost two years! My last book had been published in 2013, and I surely hated waiting for so long!

I was aware that some publishers are asking their authors to write novellas and short stories to keep these writers in the public eye during the intervals between their full length novels. The obvious answer for me was a new Nikki Latrelle. But as I was under contract to St. Martins, I knew the time slot was very compressed. A novella seemed like just the thing.

I believed the tale of Nikki’s early years would make a poignant and satisfying read. Imagine a fatherless thirteen-year-old girl whose mother dies suddenly. In a sense, this mother has abandoned her daughter, leaving her in the hands of a lewd, malevolent stepfather. Nikki has no family, and when the stepfather forces his way into her bedroom, she flees. Her best times were spent with her mom at the racetrack, so this is where she runs.

Nikki is forced to steal food, sleep in race horses’ stalls to stay warm, and avoid the police and her stepfather who search for her. But just when things seem to be going right for her, Nikki crosses paths with a young man who makes her stepfather seem like a saint.

The novella is out, it’s selling well, and hopefully St. Martins Press will be pleased to see I produced it. This week, I shall begin the third in the Fia McKee series.

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Bio

sasscer hill photo Sasscer Hill, a former Maryland racehorse breeder, trainer, and rider, uses the sport of kings as a backdrop for her mysteries. Her “vivid descriptive” prose about greed, evil, heart, and courage propelled her “Nikki Latrelle” novels to multiple award nominations, including Agatha, Macavity, and the Dr. Tony Ryan Best in Racing Literature awards.

Where to find Sasscer…

Website | Facebook | Amazon

10 Ways to Make It to the Fourth Act

Posted on June 8, 2016 by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m thrilled to welcome author D. J. Adamson to the Power of 10 series. Today, D.J. shares advice and insights gleaned from her life journey.

Here’s D.J.!

djadamson I have passed my second act, and I am on to my fourth. The first act was merely an introduction to get to the twist. I graduated college and taught high school level English for five years. The second act offered momentum, building to the next twist. Moving to California from Oregon, I changed careers from teaching to business. I went into sales and marketing for a commercial publishing firm where I became Manager of Sales and Marketing. Success, however, doesn’t always offer satisfaction. Most audiences expect a resolution to come in the third act. In fact, I returned back to academia, leaving money for treasure, teaching writing to college students. It’s always been about writing, in all my career choices. And now, without the need for an intermission, I have taken the stage for a fourth act.

How grateful I am to get a fourth act. Looking back, the 10 Ways I got here was by:

1. Willing to change. I have found that I don’t control life, life controls me. My greatest successes have come when I let go and went with the flow.

2. Willing to risk. I leave the “What If?” for my protagonists, and instead, whenever I hear the whispered question, I take a breath and answer “Why not?” It’s the beautiful thing about becoming “older.” If not now, when?

3. Willing to set goals. With each book I write, I sit first and write the goals I want to see accomplished at its end. The sale is a minor objective. In fact, I never write the word. Instead, I think of four objectives I want to reach in writing the novel. Four experiences I want to have while writing it. What commitments I am willing to make to get it done. And, this is the most important of the goal writing, the guidelines I am willing to set in order to make sure all prior goals and commitments are reached.

4. Willing to “Act As If”. I never thought I was a good teacher. I never thought I was a good business woman. It didn’t matter whether I held a position or made money. It’s all stinkin’- thinkin’. So moving into this fourth act, I act as if I am a good writer. That I can tell a story. And more importantly for me, I will offer a reader something to relate to or think about that might impact their life. Even if my ultimate goal is to solve a mystery or catch a killer.

5. Willing to learn. I couldn’t be a writer without being a good reader. Stephen King says it best in his book On Writing. And I paraphrase: You need to read to find out what is good. More importantly, you need to read to know what isn’t good, doesn’t work, or left you feeling unsatisfied. Don’t just read a book, deconstruct it.

6. Take the Word TRY Out of Your Vocabulary. Try is really a child’s word. It psychologically gives you an out: But I tried. I’m trying. Either do it or don’t do it. If it wasn’t done well, do it again! Don’t say, I want to write my story or a book. DO IT!

7. Willing to Get Back Up: Many say they don’t like the F-word. I was a girl of the sixties, the F- word was part of my vocabulary. It still is, but I am talking now about a different word F-word: FEAR, FAILURE, FINAL. I needed to quit thinking I was so special, that only I was afraid. Everyone’s afraid of something. Failure has been one of the best steps to take me to success. And Final? Is anything ever really final? Someday, in a technological “salvage” bin, someone is going to find one of my digital books and consider reading it. Just like leaving children behind, my life continues.

8. Willing to stay out of expectations: Life moves toward me as I move into it. Meaning, I don’t want to miss out on the treasure/pleasure because I labeled it as being a bestseller, on television, made into a film, taught as one of the great American Novels. I teach literature and writing. I know most great novelists never thought they would become one…and many died before getting the accolade.

9. Willing to do it for love: Most writing doesn’t pay the bills. I am not saying you won’t make millions, miracles do happen, but again, it’s a long shot. So write because you love to write. Write to say something. Write to offer a new idea or perspective. Write because you love to read. Most importantly, write to be not just a writer, but a GOOD writer.

10. Just BE Willing: It all comes back to risk. Willing to do life differently. Willing to put yourself out there no matter the success or failure. Willing to write down goals, and if not met, critically asking why then writing new ones. Willing to act and say you are a writer, author, even if you still don’t feel like you are. Willing to learn, and learn and learn. Willing to get back up if you fall down. Willing to put yourself out there without expectations. Treasure gratifications. Willing to do what you love to do, and get a day job if needed. Just be willing.

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Blurb

“What did he want to know about me?” “If you were still alive.” Connivers, murder and the international shipment of drugs unites the local PDs and the Federal Government, and drags Lillian Dove into a hailstorm of manipulation and danger; whereby, she is given two choices: Join? Or die trying.

Bio

D. J. Adamson is the author of the Lillian Dove Mystery series and the Deviation science fiction-suspense trilogy. Suppose, the second in the Lillian series has just been released. She also teaches writing and literature at Los Angeles colleges. And to keep busy when she is not writing or teaching, she is the Membership Director of the Los Angeles Sisters in Crime, Vice President of Central Coast Sisters in Crime and an active member of the Southern California Mystery Writers. Her books can be found and purchased in bookstores and on Amazon.

Where to find D.J.

Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

10 Best Travel Moments

Posted on June 1, 2016 by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m thrilled to welcome Soul Mate author Linda Bradley to the Power of 10 series. Today, Linda shares her 10 best travel moments and her upcoming release, Maggie’s Fork in the Road.

Here’s Linda!

1. Italy with my husband in 2013. It was a dream to see the Almalfi Coast. Positano had been on my bucket list and it was absolutely beautiful! A great way to begin a marriage of creative souls.

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2. Ireland with friends, Beth and Deb. The trip across the pond was lengthy due to being stranded in Detroit, Michigan, thanks to a summer storm, but once there, the pubs settled my nerves along with the great company. That trip took me to Dublin, Cork, Galway, Moher, and…yes, I did kiss the Blarney Stone.

3. Montana with my oldest son. I knew I had to get there and with one foot off the plane, I understood why. The air smelled sweet like sage and wildflowers. We spent the week riding, exploring Yellowstone, learning to fly fish, river rafting, and bonding. An unforgettable adventure.

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4. Spain with my mother, in 2000. She’s always been the traveler, the adventure seeker in our family. Growing up she and my dad would take my siblings and me on trips in the family station wagon during summer vacation. We managed to see almost every state.

5. Flying over Kauai in a helicopter to the Magnum P.I. soundtrack. Breathtaking.

6. Flying over the Grand Canyon in a helicopter. No words can describe its grandeur.

7. Cayuga Lake in Ithaca, New York. Family, food, fishing, a secret garden, and Tush Rock. Great place for fireworks, a cocktail, and cultivating ideas. Hope to get the finishing touches on a new manuscript when I visit this summer.

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8. Minneapolis, Minnesota. It was the place that I became mesmerized by the smell of books in a publisher’s warehouse at a very young age, thanks to a family friend. Met some of the great Detroit Tigers after they played the Twins, and learned that the friendship of a WWII buddy meant the world to my dad.

9. England and France. Another trip with my mother and sister. I loved the English country side. I’m a big tennis fan so watching Wimbledon was a dream. My favorite places in Paris were Musée d’Orsay and Montmartre. Nice and Monte Carlo made everlasting impressions upon me.

10. Isle of the Palms. There is nothing like spending the week at the beach with two boys. Crabbing, splashing in the surf, watching fireworks, and exploring Charleston were all part of the adventure.

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Blurb

Maggie Abernathy learns that pesky neighbors, John and Chloe McIntyre are moving to Montana. The only problem is…she can’t fathom living without them now that they’ve stolen her heart. While trying to digest the news and accept John’s decision to leave Michigan, Maggie ventures to Chicago with Chloe to see Chloe’s Hollywood mother in a photo shoot, where the three kindle a quirky bond making it even harder to say goodbye. With the support of Maggie’s meddling mother, best friend Judy, and a surprise visit from Montana rancher, Winston Ludlow McIntyre, Maggie begins to wonder which fork in the road leads home.

Bio

lindabradleyheadshot Linda’s inspiration comes from her favorite authors and life itself. Her women’s fiction highlights characters that peel away outer layers of life to discover the heart of their dreams with some unexpected twists and turns along the way. Her writing integrates humor found in everyday situations, as well as touching moments that make readers connect with her characters. Maggie’s Way is her debut novel, in her Montana Bound Series. Maggie’s Fork in the Road and Maggie’s Montana are Books 2 and 3 in the series.

Linda has an Associates Degree in Interior Design and a Master’s Degree in Reading and Language Arts with undergraduate work in Elementary Education and Fine Arts. She wrote and illustrated a children’s book titled, The Hunter for her Master’s Degree. Linda is a member of RWA, as well as the Greater Detroit Chapter of RWA.

Linda has two grown sons, lives with her husband, and rescue dog in Royal Oak, Michigan.

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Maggie’s Way was a contest finalist for the 2016 Booksellers Best Award and The Romance Reviews Readers Choice Awards–Summer 2016.

Where to find Linda…

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Interview with Romance Debuts

Leave a comment – you could win an e-book of Maggie’s Way.

Top 10 Advantages of Living in a Houseboat

Posted on May 27, 2016 by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m thrilled to welcome back Soul Mate author Ryan Jo Summers to the Power of 10 series. Today, Ryan Jo discusses the advantages of living in a houseboat and shares her latest release, Upon the Tide.

Here’s Ryan Jo!

ryanjosummers1 I have long had a fascination of living in a houseboat, upon the tide. I liked television shows that featured some character living such the dream. However, in feeding my fantasy, I’ve learned a couple key differences between true houseboats and floating homes, which the names are sometimes used interchangeably.

The houseboat, which can be a cabin cruiser, trawler like the one used in the story “Upon the Tide” or a yacht, must meet certain requirements. It has to be capable of leaving the dock under its own power and fulfill the US Coast Guard standard call for having seaworthy hulls, engines, navigational equipment and more. It also needs to have floatation, fuel, electronic and ventilation systems.
Floating homes, by contrast, are not considered a water vessel but a structure built on a floating apparatus–like a raft. It is not necessarily capable of independent movement.

Now, since I would much prefer the actual houseboat, like a cabin cruiser or trawler, here are the top ten advantages of living in one:

Mobility: Usually one rents the slip where the boat is docked. There is no need to pack and unpack if you want to change docks and move to a new neighborhood.

Lifestyle: Arguably one of the foremost reasons people move to the water. No lawn or yard work. Few things beat the serenity and romanticism of feeling the motion of the water and hearing the soothing sound. Sunrises and sunsets are something else to behold.

Investment: Because the supply of houseboats is somewhat limited, compared to land housing, the prices tend to stay high. It is a good return on your investment if you wish to sell later down the line. So a houseboat is a good financial decision if you have the initial funds.

Property: Speaking of funds and finances, boats are not considered real property like a house, so there are no property taxes to pay. There is, however, personal property taxes just like a car.

View: As mentioned before, the sunsets and sunrises are beyond description. And to be able to enjoy them day after day, always different, would be cheaper than all the blood pressure medication people are taking. In addition, you have a constant view of the water that can never be blocked by someone building a house or structure in front of you.

Soothing: In the same realm as health benefits, imagine being rocked to sleep each night by the natural motion of the water. Picture the gentle slap of waves lapping the hull. Imagine the salt tinged smell of sea air. Sunshine, fresh air, and who could ask for more?

Simple life: Space is a precious commodity so by nature you have to put everything in a space. By default, you have less clutter. Keeping personal possessions becomes less important over having a streamlined living space.

Wildlife: Dolphins, whales, otters, manatees, turtles, tropical birds, tropical fish and more can all be your everyday visitors depending on where your boat is installed and where you take your sailing outings to. As a side note, snorkeling and viewing coral reefs could be as simple as stepping off your deck.

Green: It’s natural to become more environmentally conscious living on a boat. You use less resources like water, fuel, paper and electricity and depend on different, greener and natural, cleaning agents. This is better for the planet.

Commute: No traffic to hassle with. Most people either work from the boat or walk/ bike to work or shopping. Therefore, there is usually not a commute to deal with.

Upon The Tide Final (2)

Hook

Tossed together by happenstance, fleeing for their lives and falling in love under the Caribbean sun as paradise turns deadly.

Blurb

New York Fashion designer, Piper Kincaid, just wanted a pleasant visit with her cousin down in Florida. That was before she and handsome beach bum, Kade Wyatt, become the targets of a gang of robbers and killers.

Kade simply wanted some fish for his pet seagull. Now he and the lovely exec from out of town are caught in a deadly game of cat and mouse. He’s busy concentrating on Piper when he should be focusing on keeping them alive.

Fleeing for their lives aboard Kade’s houseboat, ‘The Hightide’, they experience risk, surprises, mystery and romance during the Great Caribbean Boat Chase. However, the biggest surprises are waiting for them back at port.

Excerpt

“Dolphins are pretty nice animals. I like having them around. Sailors say they are a sign of good luck.”

“We certainly need some now. Maybe they’re a sign things will get better.”

Kade pondered that. Right now, it didn’t seem things were all that bad. In fact, it was almost out of a storybook. The water softly slapping the sides of the boat, the gentle rocking motion, the full moon slowly rising above, the twinkling of the stars, a salty breeze stirring around them. They were all conspiring to create a romantic scene good enough for a movie. Where the hero takes the girl into his arms and kisses her.

Kade peeked over at Piper, noticing the blush in her cheeks, the hooded way she was watching him and wondered if the same thoughts were also going through her mind. Was it possible?

First the dolphins, then the moonlight skipping along the water, the stars shining, the water playing tricks. They were a lethal mixture for one’s heart. At least his. He felt like he was falling overboard.

Inspiration

Years ago I loved the tv show ‘Riptide’ with Perry King and Joe Penny. Later it was Don Johnson in Miami Vice. What drew me to the weekly series was mostly the boats. In both cases one of the main star’s characters lived on houseboats. I thought that was the most incredible way to live. I don’t recall much about the plots of the shows but I remember those boats. Then country music artist Dierks Bentley arrived on the music scene, and he lived on a houseboat. Why did these guys have all the luck?

Thinking it so unfair, I created a character, Kade Wyatt, and had him living on a houseboat called ‘The Hightide’. I fell in love with that trawler and went aboard as frequently as possible in my dreams.

Now, since I work security for a fashion retailer, I am exposed to fashion and clothing to the point of almost being force fed it. However, that does have it advantages. I created a heroine who lived and breathed fashion and clothing as much as my work environment did and plunked her into Kade’s world. A fish out of water? In the Caribbean.

Interestingly, work became helpful for dressing fashion conscious Piper. I was working on a beach dance scene and took a break to go to work for the afternoon. Walking into the back area, I spotted some dresses hanging up, staged to be stored. Literally, I stopped. Immediately I envisioned Piper wearing one of those dresses at the beach and what it would do to poor Kade. I wrote that scene that night when I got home and the beach party is still one of my favorites.

Bio

Ryan Jo Summers is a North Carolina author who specializes in writing romances with a twist. Love stories blended with inspirational, paranormal, suspense or time travel–or several at once. She also writes non-fiction for regional periodicals. Ryan’s dad is a songwriter and his aunt wrote poetry so she claims she came by her writing skill honestly. Apparently it’s in the genes.

Her hobbies include bird-watching, houseplants (50 ish and growing), poetry and yard work. She loves to gather with friends, hike in the forest with her dog, paint ceramics and canvas and work on wiggly word find puzzles. She lives in a 1920 cottage with a menagerie of pets. Living in the mountains, she dreams of the shore and frequently uses the water as scenes for her stories.

Where to find Ryan Jo…

Website | Blog | Facebook | Amazon

10 Thoughts on Writing and Life

Posted on May 25, 2016 by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m thrilled to welcome Wild Rose Press author Nina Barrett to the Power of 10 series. Today, Nina shares her favorite quotes and her latest release, Renegade Heart.

Here’s Nina!

ninabarrett

1. Just don’t give up what you’re trying to do. Where there is love and inspiration, I don’t think you can go wrong – Ella Fitzgerald.

2. You have to expect things of yourself before you can do them – Michael Jordan.

3. Don’t let the noise of others opinions drown out your own inner voice – Steve Jobs.

4. Continuous effort – not strength or intelligence – is the key to unlocking our potential –Winston Churchill.

5. Success is not final, failure is not fatal – it is the courage to continue that counts.

6. There is only one way to account for things – to tell the whole truth about them, holding nothing back, the reader the way it truly happened, the ecstasy and sorrow, the remorse and how the weather was, and with any luck the reader will find his way to the heart of the thing itself – Ernest Hemingway.

7. Dream no small dreams for they have no power to move the heart – Goethe.

8. Every writer ever published has a suitcase full of unsold manuscripts under the bed – Sue Grafton.

9. You can’t let praise or criticism get to you. It’s a weakness to get caught up in either one – John Wooden.

10. Finish the book. Write another book. Write another book – Nina Barrett.

RenegadeHeart_w10326_med (2)

Blurb

Where to find Nina…

Amazon | Goodreads

Spotlight on Linda Pennell

Posted on May 24, 2016 by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m happy to feature Linda Pennell and two of her novels: Al Capone at the Blanche Hotel and Confederado do Norte. Both books will be on sale for 99 cents, starting May 20th. I’m including an excerpt from a recent interview with Shelley K. Wall.

Here’s Linda!

Why do you write?

I write because I find the creative process to be pure joy. Writing allows me to play “let’s pretend” all day. What’s not to like?

What’s your favorite genre? Do you have a favorite author?

I have three favorite genres: mysteries, historical fiction, and women’s fiction. I don’t have a current favorite author. It changes with whomever I’m really enjoying at the moment.

To be successful as an author, what do you see as the main goal?

Sometimes the simple answers are more difficult in the execution. The main goal for me is to write the best novel I am able. Easy to say, but damned hard work.

What advice would you give to the youth of today (not just authors)?

Reacting spontaneously and in the moment can be great fun for the casual portions of life. When it comes to life altering decisions and major events, however, reviewing all of the facts, considering and evaluating all of the options, planning for the future, and understanding that failure is a normal part of life are critical to one’s mental and emotional well-being. There is no such thing as overnight success. Success requires hard work and tenacity.

On sale for 99¢…May 20 to May 27!

alcaponebook Al Capone at the Blanche Hotel tells a story of lives unfolding in different centuries, but linked and irrevocably altered by a series of murders in 1930.

Lake City, Florida, June, 1930: Al Capone checks in for an unusually long stay at the Blanche Hotel, a nice enough joint for an insignificant little whistle stop. The following night, young Jack Blevins witnesses a body being dumped heralding the summer of violence to come. One-by-one, people controlling county vice activities swing from KKK ropes. No moonshine distributor, gaming operator, or brothel madam, black or white, is safe from the Klan’s self-righteous vigilantism. Jack’s older sister Meg, a waitress at the Blanche, and her fiancé, a sheriff’s deputy, discover reasons to believe the lynchings are cover for a much larger ambition than simply ridding the county of vice. Someone, possibly backed by Capone, has secret plans for filling the voids created by the killings. But as the body count grows and crosses burn, they come to realize this knowledge may get all of them killed.

Gainesville, Florida, August, 2011: Liz Reams, an up and coming young academic specializing in the history of American crime, impulsively moves across the continent to follow a man who convinces her of his devotion yet refuses to say the three simple words I love you. Despite entreaties of friends and family, she is attracted to edginess and a certain type of glamour in her men, both living and historical. Her personal life is an emotional roller coaster, but her career options suddenly blossom beyond all expectation, creating a very different type of stress. To deal with it all, Liz loses herself in her professional passion, original research into the life and times of her favorite bad boy, Al Capone. What she discovers about 1930’s summer of violence, and herself in the process, leaves her reeling at first and then changed forever.

Take a look at the real Blanche Hotel and other actual locations featured in Al Capone at the Blanche Hotel here!

On sale for 99¢…May 28 to June 3!

confederatobook Confederado do Norte, 2015 Honorable Mention in the RONE Awards, is on sale for 99¢ May 27- June 3!!

Set during the aftermath of the American Civil War, Confederado do Norte tells the story of Mary Catherine MacDonald Dias Oliveira Atwell, a child torn from her war devastated home in Georgia and thrust into the primitive Brazilian interior where the young woman she becomes must learn to recreate herself in order to survive.

October, 1866.

Mary Catherine is devastated when her family emigrates from Georgia to Brazil because her father and maternal uncle refuse to accept the terms of Reconstruction following the Confederacy’s defeat. Shortly after arrival in their new country, she is orphaned, leaving her in Uncle Nathan’s care. He hates Mary Catherine, blaming her for his sister’s death. She despises him because she believes Nathan murdered her father. When Mary Catherine discovers Nathan’s plan to be rid of her as well, she flees into the mountain wilderness filled with jaguars and equally dangerous men. Finding refuge among kind peasants, she grows into a beauty, ultimately marrying the scion of a wealthy Portuguese family. Happiness and security seem assured until civil unrest brings armed marauders who have an inexplicable connection to Mary Catherine. Recreating herself has protected Mary Catherine in the past, but this new crisis will demand all of the courage, intelligence, and creativity she possesses simply to survive.

See scenes from Brazil and other locations featured in Confederado do Norte here!

Bio

“I have been in love with the past for as long as I can remember. Anything with a history, whether shabby or majestic, recent or ancient, instantly draws me in. I suppose it comes from being part of a large extended family that spanned several generations. Long summer afternoons on my grandmother’s porch or winter evenings gathered around her fireplace were filled with stories both entertaining and poignant. Of course being set in the American South, those stories were also peopled by some very interesting characters, some of whom have found their way into my work.

As for my venture in writing, it has allowed me to reinvent myself. We humans are truly multifaceted creatures, but unfortunately we tend to sort and categorize each other into neat, easily understood packages that rarely reveal the whole person. Perhaps you, too, want to step out of the box in which you find yourself. I encourage you to look at the possibilities and imagine. Be filled with childlike wonder in your mental wanderings. Envision what might be, not simply what is. Let us never forget, all good fiction begins when someone says to her or himself, Let’s pretend.”

Linda resides in the Houston area with one sweet husband and one adorable German Shorthaired Pointer who is quite certain she’s a little girl.

Where to find Linda…

Website | Facebook | Twitter

10 Things I Learned by Attending a Writer’s Retreat

Posted on May 23, 2016 by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m thrilled to welcome Soul Mate author Julie Doherty to the Power of 10 series. Today, Julie shares her retreat experience and her latest release, Scattered Seeds.

Here’s Julie!

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1. There may be something wrong with me.

Not everyone would call sitting at a desk for five days straight a “vacation,” but when you’re a writer with responsibilities, it can be tough to carve writing time out of your day. Booking a retreat means giving yourself the gift of time—large blocks of it!—and shutting out the world.

The non-writers in my life would cock a brow if they knew how I spent valuable vacation days last week. I think it’s fairly obvious by my pasty skin that I didn’t go to the beach. I didn’t bring back postcards or foreign foods, and I’m not emailing a new European pen pal. If anyone asks where I was, I might blush to admit I shut myself away in a Christian retreat center to type 9,000 words. Maybe I’ll just say I helped a German widow recover her loved ones from Indian captivity and leave it at that. Technically, that’s no lie.

2. There really is something wrong with me.

Eh-yeah, the glazed eyes in many rooms taught me I’m not a brilliant conversationalist and not everyone enjoys research. I’m afraid I’m going to have to accept that as a writer of historical fiction, I shall always be the most boring gal at the dinner party. I can’t tell you what movies just released (or released last year, or the year before), and if you paid me twenty bucks to name more than three candidates in this year’s presidential election, I couldn’t do it. But, darlin’ I can tell you which plants are edible and how to make “pocket soup” from the 18th century. Trust me, when zombies attack, you’re going to want to know me. Then, I’ll bore you. A lot.

3. Sunrise is beautiful.

I don’t see it often. ever. I personally believe waking before 8:00 a.m. is some kind of sick torture. I’m required to rise early, of course, because I have a day job and a one-hour commute. You can imagine my surprise, then, when I awoke at 6:00 a.m. (without an alarm!) every day at my retreat. Yes, I was that excited to get back to my story.

4. I excel! (at wasting time)

Like many writers, I spend a fair amount of time blaming everything—and everyone—for my lack of writing time. So, what’s the first thing I did after check-in? I connected to Wi-Fi. Yep, there I was, scanning social media and checking my Amazon rank on the hour. (NEWSFLASH: doing so does not improve your book’s rank.)

5. Drones sound like giant bumblebees.

Not going to lie to you. Some weird stuff happened at this retreat, including having a drone hover outside my bedroom window. Creepy. Of course, because I was at a writing retreat, I began to imagine how I could use it in a plot. I’m pretty sure I could have hit it with my longbow. Too bad I left that at home.

6. I write more words when held accountable.

The theme of our writing retreat was “It’s All About Me.” The coordinator advised ahead of time that if I wanted to just chill out all week, that was fine. There was no pressure to produce at this retreat. But, of course, we’re writers. We thrive on pressure, and most of us are pretty competitive. I certainly didn’t want to show up for dinner with zero words under my belt.

When I became tempted to nap, the thought of everyone else working hard kept me on task. It paid off. I managed to write over 9,000 words at that retreat, bringing my work-in-progress up to 30,000 words.

7. Hotel patrons can be really inconsiderate.

We shared our venue with a Greek wedding, a men’s retreat, and a very large “couples retreat.” The latter group was super loud, and for some reason, they liked to do laps in our hallway and gather in the stairwells closest to us—to maximize the echo, I believe. They were aware of our reason for being there, because one of them shouted (just outside my door), “There are writers in this hallway. They are writing!”

Um, check that, fella. They were writing until you showed up on Wednesday with the rest of The Louds.

It worked out well for me, because I was writing some fairly violent stuff this week. When you get to the part where people die, blame the folks in the hallway.

8. Left to my own devices, I am a swarm of locusts.

I took a giant box of my favorite snacks, and not the healthy kind. By the third day, I had devoured a full-size bag of Middleswarth BBQ chips, a pack of Nutter Butters, half a big bag of M&Ms, some fruit roll-ups, and almost an entire giant box of Pepperidge Farm Goldfish.

Holy. Smokes.

9. Drunk people will swim in anything.

We’re having a very cold spring here in Pennsylvania. In fact, I witnessed snow flurries outside my hotel window. Did that stop two drunken wedding guests from stripping to their underpants and diving into the swan pond? Nope!

Probably being treated for giardia and pneumonia this week.

10. I love where I live.

The drive from my home in Juniata County to the retreat center in Ligonier, Pennsylvania always makes my jaw drop. The roads cut through the ridges and valleys of the beautiful northern Appalachians here. I took the time to savor the views and stopped at the historical markers, like this one, which had me scratching my head:

Shadow of Death (2)

The ridges are steep here with rock outcrops jutting out over a natural ravine. It would have been the perfect place for Shawnee warriors to ambush white settlers and traders. I suspect the name Shadow of Death has its roots in Psalm 23: Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me.

I loved the idea so much that when I got to the retreat, I included something about it in my current work-in-progress:

The journey back to Carlisle had been uneventful except for small bands of Indians encountered past Fort Shirley in a ravine called Shadow of Death by the locals. He went several miles out of his way to avoid a group of them gathered around a campfire only to meet five warriors hauling home a freshly killed bear. Luckily, they took no pains to remain silent, and he was able to hide with his horse in the thick laurel along Aughwick Creek until they passed.

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Log Line

A father/son duo trades poverty in Ireland for the harsh Pennsylvania frontier in an all-or-nothing attempt to recover fortune and lost love.

Blurb

In 18th century Ireland, drought forces destitute Ulstermen Edward and Henry McConnell to assume false names and escape to the New World with the one valuable thing they still own–their ancestor’s gold torc.

Edward must leave love behind. Henry finds it in the foul belly of The Charming Hannah, only to lose it when an elusive trader purchases his sweetheart’s indenture.

With nothing but their broken hearts, a lame ox, and the torc they cannot sell without invoking a centuries-old curse, they head for the backcountry, where all hope rests upon getting their seed in the ground. Under constant threat of Indian attack, they endure crushing toil and hardship. By summer, they have wheat for their reward, and unexpected news of Henry’s lost love. They emerge from the wilderness and follow her trail to Philadelphia, unaware her cruel new master awaits them there, his heart set on obtaining the priceless torc they protect.

Book Trailer

Bio

Julie is a member of Romance Writers of America and Central PA Romance Writers. When not writing, she enjoys antiquing, shooting longbow, traveling, and cooking over an open fire at her cabin. She lives in Pennsylvania with her Glasgow-born Irish husband, who sounds a lot like her characters.

Where to find Julie…

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon Author Page

A Cheat Sheet to Help Remember Your Innocent Perspective on Life

Posted on May 20, 2016 by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m thrilled to welcome The Wild Rose Press author Brenda Moguez to the Power of 10 series. Today, Brenda shares lessons and insights from her life journey and her recent release, Nothing is Lost in Loving.

Here’s Brenda!

brendamoguezauthorpix There isn’t a guidebook to yourself. Finding you is more like an unexpected journey and less like a passage to India with a seasoned escort who arranges and pampers. I suppose there are those who are gifted with the latter and step purposely through life without ever taking a wrong turn or suffering the anguish of a questionable mishap, but not me. I’ve chartered my course and had the occasional setback.

A few days after my thirteenth birthday, I stumbled upon free will, choice, and reckless abandonment. It occurred to me that rules were scripted by others who had their best interests in mind and not mine. It was only a notion, fuzzy and not within my grasp, but I had this vague sort of feeling that life wasn’t preordained and was mine to plot out however I saw fit. Back then I was fearless and suffered from ignorance is bliss syndrome.

My new awareness saw me breaking rules, curfews, and other assorted minor infractions, which resulted in bedroom imprisonment, suspension of human rights and coveted liberties, including but not limited to, denied access to electronic devices or hanging out with besties. There were other ramifications but nothing so painful or restrictive to keep me from exploring life outside of the boundaries my parents had drawn.

brendamoguezpix1 It wasn’t until later did I come to realize there was a cost associated with living life outside of the lines. I would also come to understand all too painfully and rather annoyingly that for each action there was an equal if not greater reaction. It became heartbreakingly clear that individual choices could/would effect, and in some cases, hurt others, irrevocably. Others—friends and lovers, strangers and random encounters—could and would influence my decisions, my life, break pieces of me away, steal both my friendship and love, unhinge and nearly break me. But there were those who would give and gift, so abundantly I’d conveniently forget any associated negative byproducts.

Along the way, I left chunks of me on the side of the road. I found some pieces were not needed or just too heavy to carry along. Life, I learned, had a peculiar way of teaching lessons and extracting payment. I took notes on my journey and unconsciously created a cheat sheet to help me remember my innocent perspective on life.

1. Don’t be surprised if and when you force yourself to walk away from a dream for someone you love, even after a long a laborious decision and paying a hefty cost.

2. Be prepared to sacrifice a piece of your heart for a passion you might fail to realize.

3. Have a contingency plan—a safe harbor to retreat to—when your flights of fancy take a nose dive.

4. Always operate heavy machinery responsibly. In other words, limit alcohol intake following any disasters or breakups.

5. All rules, biblical, constitutional, parental, and self-written, are subject to interpretation and thoughtful introspection before rewriting or breaking.

6. Have faith in your choices, regardless of the outcome.

7. Leave your ego at the door. Having humility in moments of grandeur will yield long-term benefits, as will shouldering your defeats with dignity. Both extremes require measured reserve.

8. Throw caution to the wind and live for the rush knowing life holds absolutely no guarantees regardless of invested effort or skill. Accept that life is a pinch of hard work and luck in equal measure. Sometimes the latter carries more weight than the former.

9. Refuse to accept defeat.

10. Remember there is no such thing as failure. It’s only fear of regret and defeat holding you on the safe side of a decision.

And you, when did you dive into the abyss of chance, giving way to chance?

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Blurb

There is a saying in Spanish that goes something like this, “No hay mal que por bien no venga.” (Roughly translated) “There is no bad thing that is not followed by a good thing.”

When Stella Delray unexpectedly loses her job a week before Christmas, which happens to be the anniversary of her husband’s death, she is forced to come to terms with her loss, stop talking to his ashes, which she carries around in a sports bottle, and get her life back on track for her son’s sake as well as her own. She never expected posting an ad on Craigslist would send her into the arms of not one but two men, one of which is her former boss, Jack Francis. It’s because of him she’s working as an admin for a retired Broadway star, bookkeeping for an erotic video production company, and writing love letters for the mysterious Oaklander. Adding to the craziness of her new life, her monster-in-law resurfaces and the father-in-law Stella’s never met shows up on her doorstep.

With her best friend, Bono, to guide her, Stella will learn to redefine the rules she’s always lived by. Her new extended family comes with plenty of drama, and the ghosts of her dead husband’s past are knocking down her door. Will Stella be able to find her footing in her eccentric life, discover nothing is lost in loving, and have the family she’s always dreamed of? One thing is certain: Stella will learn that happily ever after doesn’t come in one size fits all.

Find out how Stella manages her monster-in-law and takes on romance again. You can find her story on Amazon.

Where to find Brenda…

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Google+