First Two Pages: A Season for Killing Blondes

Posted on August 9, 2016 by Joanne Guidoccio

ASeasonforKillingBlondes_w9101_750 (2) Bestselling author Louise Penny does not mince words. In a recent article, she offered the following advice: “If you’re writing your first work of crime fiction, place the body near the beginning of your book—preferably on the first page, perhaps the first sentence. In later books this won’t be as necessary, but agents and editors like it established early, so readers know what they’re getting.”

Excellent advice, but not always possible, as I discovered during the writing of my first novel, A Season for Killing Blondes. After much deliberation and experimentation, I was able to introduce the dead body on Page 3, close enough to the beginning of the book.

As for the first two pages, I decided to highlight the Italian flavor of the cozy mystery.

Continue reading on B.K. Stevens’ blog.

Spotlight on The Mercenary and the Shifter

Posted on August 5, 2016 by Joanne Guidoccio

Congrats to Soul Mate authors C.D. Hersh on their latest release…

mercenarycdhersh1

Blurb

When mercenary soldier Michael Corritore answers a desperate call from an ex-military buddy, he finds himself in the middle of a double kidnapping, caught in an ancient war between two shape shifter factions, and ensnared between two female shape shifters after the same thing … him.

Shape shifter Fiona Kayler will do anything to keep the shipping company her father left her, including getting in bed with the enemy. But when she believes the man trying to steal her company is involved with kidnapping her nephew, she must choose between family, fortune, and love. The problem is … she wants all three.

Hook

A desperate call from an ex-military buddy lands a mercenary soldier in the middle of a double kidnapping, caught in an ancient shape shifter war, and ensnared between two female shape shifters after the same thing … him.

Log Line

A mercenary soldier lands in the middle of a double kidnapping, an ancient shape shifter war, and two female shape shifters after the same thing … him.

Excerpt

Mike Corritore wheeled up the circular drive of the impressive house on Lakeshore Road and cut the engine on his motorcycle. After a quick glance around, he shouldered the bags containing his clothes, ammo, pump shotgun, and talwar sword. Then he headed for the carved front door. The doorbell echoed inside indicating the mansion had a cavernous entry hall. He searched the entrance stoop for security cameras and found none.

What the heck had he gotten himself into? A rich bitch, with no security on her home, mixed up with a bad syndicate spelled major trouble. With this chintzy level of security, it would take more time than he originally anticipated to make her house and business secure.
After a couple of minutes the door opened.

“Can I help you?” asked an attractive redhead.

“I’m Mike Corritore. Here to see Fiona Kayler. Will you tell her I’ve arrived?”

The redhead looked him over, then braced her legs shoulder width apart and crossed her arms over her curvy bust. “Do you have identification, Mr. Corritore?”

Mike returned her once-over. Her porcelain complexion blushed pink at his bold examination, and she tossed her mane of wavy, mahogany hair defiantly.

Damn, she was gorgeous.

If she thought her insolent pose enough to keep him, or intruders out, she’d better reconsider.

“Hugh sent me.” He stepped forward but she blocked him.

“A driver’s license for your very expensive motorcycle will suffice,” she said, wiggling her fingers at him. When he didn’t comply, she stepped back and reached to the side of the door.

The distinct cachung of a gun cocking sent him flying to the right of the doorway.

“Identification, Mr. Corritore. Please,” she said as she leveled a pistol at him.

Mike dug in his rear pants’ pocket. “Hugh lied,” he said as he held out his driver’s license. “You don’t need protection.”

After inspecting his identification, she lowered her weapon and waved him inside. “For my business, Mr. Corritore. I’m capable of protecting my home, but I can’t draw my gun just anywhere.”

“You should get a conceal and carry license,” Mike said as he entered.

She put the safety on the gun and stashed the weapon in the table beside the front door.

“I take it you’re not the help,” he said, glancing around the entry hall.

She held out her hand. “Fiona Kayler. Nice to meet you, Mr. Corritore.”

“Mike,” he said, taking her hand. Her palm, warm and soft, told him she lived a life of leisure. But her strong grip screamed, No patsy. He held her hand a bit longer than he should have. She wriggled free and waved him to the left.

“Ladies first.”

With a nod, she led him toward a sumptuously decorated room. He followed, his eyes taking in the soft curves of her rear as she sashayed across the marble-tiled floor. Mike’s body reacted to the seductive wiggle of her bottom. She walked as sexy as she looked.

Keep your mind on the job, Corritore. He shifted his gaze away from temptation, searching the ceiling and corners of the entry for security cameras. If she had them, they were well hidden.

The measured click of her high heels on the hard marble tile floor disappeared as they stepped on the thick, white carpet of the living room. This room appeared cozier than the entry. A huge gold, gilt-edged mirror hung over the fireplace reflecting the scene outside the oversized plate-glass window.

She motioned to a seat beside the fireplace. Mike chose a location less exposed to the exterior, where he could watch the entrance to the room. Fiona dragged a side chair across the room to where he sat, positioning it at a right angle to his seat. Two vertical furrows appeared in the carpeting, bisecting their shoe impressions and the vacuumed paths in the thick fibers. Apparently, she didn’t use this room much.

“So, Ms. Kayler—”

“Fiona,” she corrected.

“Fiona, exactly what do you need me to do?” As he said the words, he had a lurid vision of what he’d like to do to this lovely woman. He shook it off. She was Hugh’s friend and in trouble. He had no business screwing around with damsels in distress. They were needy. The last thing he wanted.

“A couple of years ago I had a problem with smugglers. They brought in some hazardous materials which got me in trouble with Homeland Security and the FBI. They cleared me, but my business took a pretty big hit. To keep things afloat, I’ve had to get in bed with some rough characters recently.”

At the phrase get in bed with Mike cocked his eyebrow at her.

“Not literally,” she amended quickly, as a dusky pink blush crept over her pale complexion. “I need my security beefed up so I don’t have a replay of two years ago.”

“Any good security company could upgrade you.”

“I also need someone I can trust implicitly. Hugh vouched for you, and I trust Hugh.”

“We should start with your home security. I didn’t see surveillance cameras at the door.”

“My home is perfectly safe. It’s my business I’m concerned about.”

Fiona crossed her arms over her chest, her body language closing off to further suggestions. Mike followed her motions. As he did, he spotted a red dot on her chest. The dot wiggled.

“Get down!” Mike shouted as he dove for Fiona.

Amazon Buy Links

The Promised One (The Turning Stone Chronicles Book 1)

eBook | Paperback

Blood Brothers (The Turning Stone Chronicles Book 2)

eBook | Paperback

Son of the Moonless Night (The Turning Stone Chronicles Book 3)

eBook

The Mercenary and the Shifters (The Turning Stone Chronicles Book 4)

eBook

Bio

cdhersh 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 four books of their paranormal romance series entitled The Turning Stone Chronicles are available on Amazon. They also have a Christmas novella, Kissing Santa, in a Christmas anthology titled Sizzle in the Snow, with seven other authors.

Where you can find CD Hersh…

Inspiration for Indigo Sky

Posted on August 3, 2016 by Joanne Guidoccio

gailinglisphoto Thank you to fellow Soul Mate Publishing author, Joanne Guidoccio, for inviting me to be her guest blogger today!

Indigo Sky was inspired by Bierstadt’s 1867 Domes of Yosemite. A trip across nineteenth-century America, two men were tied together by a passion of discovery. Words and images of the vast West made news back home. Below, find how it all began.

In 1867 LeGrand Lockwood commissioned Bierstadt for $25,000.

Albert Bierstadt Domes of the Yosemite, 1986 oil/canvas (10’H x 15’W)

Gail Ingis Domes of Yosemite Ode to Bierstadt acrylic/canvas (24″ x 36″)

In the mid-19th century, 1863, LeGrand Lockwood purchased parcels of land in Norwalk, Connecticut and built his sixty-two room county cottage in 1863. He hired artist Bierstadt for $25,000 to paint an American West theme. Painters of the day were producing murals on canvas.
inglisblackandwhite

Domes of Yosemite, 10’H x 15’W hung in the mansion’s Rotunda (ballroom space) in 1867. In the panic of 1873, Lockwood lost his business in shipping, railroads and gold. Four years later he died from pneumonia. Lockwood’s death prompted his wife to dispose of the furnishings and furbishings. Mrs. Lockwood then made an arrangement with Cornelius Vanderbilt to purchase the mansion. The painting, among other Lockwood possessions, was sold to a New York auction gallery for $5000. Three years later Horace Fairbanks, inventor of the platform scale, paid $5100, and trucked the painting up to his family home and business in St. Johnsbury, Vermont. He built a gallery customized to accommodate this huge work. It’s still there to this day! The short story—I called the director of the athenaeum and asked him if he knew the painting once belonged to Mr. Lockwood? He said, “Yes, it is thrilling to be the owners of this treasure. “Shamelessly, I asked if the athenaeum would consider donating it back to the mansion?

Since he, of course, said a flat “NO,” I asked if he would give me permission to paint a copy? He said, “Of course.” A simple straight 4 ½ hour drive north to Vermont took Tom and me to the St Johnsbury gallery in November, 2008. With my photography and materials from the athenaeum, I had solid information to create my painting.

The painting was spectacular, even with the damage caused by extreme temperature changes and humidity. Finally, the gallery was renovated a few years ago. What was it about this painting that inspired me to write my book? Precipitated by Bierstadt’s journey. For the story, visit blog Nights of Passion on Friday 8/5/16 hosted by Stacy Hoff.

indigosky Indigo Sky, now an Amazon eBook, print book and audiobook.

One liner: A dream marriage becomes a trap of addiction, lies and women.

Back Cover: In a whirlwind romance, a lovely New York socialite marries a fêted, debonair author. But beneath the charm is a cheating husband addicted to hasheesh. Her dream marriage turns sour and the simplicity of her life runs amok when a handsome stranger, her husband’s business partner, threatens her staunch loyalty to her wayward husband. When she faces the ugly truth about her marriage, her need to finalize her divorce sends her on mad chase across the wilds of nineteenth century America with a handsome stranger—she learns hard lessons of murder, kidnapping and more that almost destroy her.

Trailer

Where to find Gail Ingis…

Gail Ingis is offering a free eBook download Indigo Sky to one lucky commenter today through Monday August 8st 12:00 p.m.

Small Doses of Inspiration

Posted on August 2, 2016 by Joanne Guidoccio

inspiration1 While I enjoy attending workshops and lectures, sometimes I need inspiration in smaller doses.

During my teaching years, I would pop my head in a neighboring classroom and chat briefly between periods. Those three to five minutes of conversation would be all that I needed to receive (give) encouragement and support.

As a writer, I have to think outside the box if I want that small dose of inspiration. I could call a friend or family member, but the conversation could easily extend beyond five minutes and derail my daily writing practice.

I found the solution in the most unlikely of places—YouTube.

Continue reading on the Sisterhood of Suspense blog.

10 Interesting Facts About Shaun Deeley

Posted on July 29, 2016 by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m thrilled to welcome Canadian author Winona Kent to the Power of 10 series. Today, Winona shares ten interesting facts about Shaun Deeley, the protagonist in her latest release, In Loving Memory.

InLovingMemory_coverLARGE (2)

1. He was born on 12 Nov 1791. When In Loving Memory takes place, in October 1940, he’s chronologically 148 years old. But since he leaped into Charlie’s time (the present) at the end of Persistence of Memory, his physical age is only 33. He’s a little bit younger than Charlie.

2. He’s fearless. If he wasn’t fearless, he would never have ended up in Charlie’s time. And he would never have been able to return to the night of October 14, 1940 to try and save Charlie from dying in the devastation caused by a bomb that destroyed Balham tube station.

3. He’s able to time travel at will. However he doesn’t quite realize it in In Loving Memory. And when he does understand how it works, he’s not very good at it (this kind of thing takes practice). In the bonus short story at the end of the novel, Easy When You Know How, he presents Charlie with a batiste nightgown, explaining that it’s French, and was worn by the Empress Josephine herself. Charlie asks whether he slipped into Napoleon’s chateau and stole it from her wardrobe. She’s joking, but in retrospect realizes it could be quite true.

4. He can play the piano. In the time that he came from, he often stepped in at the Annual Summer Ball when the regular pianist was too drunk to perform with the other musicians. In Persistence of Memory, in 1825, he plays a duet with Charlie on Sarah Foster’s pianoforte. after she teaches him FBI by The Shadows.

5. He met John Lennon in July 1964. You’ll have to read Easy When You Know How, the bonus short story included with In Loving Memory, to find out the details.

6. At the start of In Loving Memory, he and Charlie haven’t actually consummated their love affair, even though they’ve been sharing her cottage since he leaped into her life. By the end of the novel however…

7. His favourite clothes in the present are a pair of very worn jeans, an Italian cotton knit jumper, and light brown, scuffed boots, similar to the sort of boots he’d worn in 1825.

8. He knows how to knit. As he says in In Loving Memory – “I am not without my uses.”

9. He doesn’t mind having a bath in five inches of freezing cold water – and considers the constant hot water in Charlie’s cottage a curious luxury.

10. In 1825, he was the groom at Stoneford Manor. He’s rather fond of romps in the hay in a barn – in fact this may be how his son, Thaddeus Oliver Quinn, was conceived. But you’ll have to wait until the next novel, Marianne’s Memory, to read about his romp in the hay with Charlie!

Blurb

In this mesmerizing romance, a woman out of time falls in love with a man for whom time is running out.

“Kent combines time travel, mystery, and romance in a delightful sequel to Persistence of Memory that’s easily accessible for new readers.” —Publishers Weekly Starred Review

In Winona Kent’s novel Persistence of Memory, Charlie Lowe, a young widow in Stoneford, England, was accidentally transported back to 1825, where she fell in love with Shaun Deeley, a groom employed at Stoneford Manor. They are only back in the present for seemingly a breath before a piece of wartime shrapnel sends them tumbling back through time to 1940, the height of the Blitz. There, they discover pieces of Charlie’s past that counter everything she thought she knew about herself.

Charlie and Shaun have decisions to make—do they interfere in time’s progress to save a man? Do they put their own future at risk by doing nothing? And how much time do these two lovers have left?

Buy Links

Bio

WINONAKENT Winona Kent was born in London, England. She immigrated to Canada with her parents at age 3, and grew up in Saskatchewan, where she received her BA in English from the University of Regina. After settling in Vancouver, she graduated from UBC with an MFA in Creative Writing. More recently, she received her diploma in Writing for Screen and TV from Vancouver Film School. Winona has been a temporary secretary, a travel agent and the Managing Editor of a literary magazine. After a career that’s included freelance articles, long and short fiction, screenplays and TV scripts, Winona has now returned to her first love, novels. She currently lives in Vancouver and works as a Graduate Programs Assistant at the University of British Columbia.

Where to find Winona…

Dare to Think Big

Posted on July 27, 2016 by Joanne Guidoccio

Welcome to my Second Acts Series!

Today, we have author Nancy Raven Smith sharing her rich and varied life experiences.

Here’s Nancy!

nancyravensmith The first stage of my adult life was all about family and animals, animals, animals. The animals included rescued racehorses, cats, and dogs. Luckily, I convinced my husband to move to a farm in rural Virginia against his wishes. At one point we had 28 rescue horses, 12 cats, 10 dogs, and a cow. And it’s not like we were rich. My husband was a Lieutenant JG in the US Navy. I was a stay at home mom raising two young kids, but I soon began running horse shows to help with our finances. We were also very fortunate to have two wonderful teenagers spend their time with us, trading babysitting for riding lessons. They quickly became part of our family.

It was a great life – kids, animals, the outdoors, and competing in area horse shows.

But then came the day that the kids all grew up and we arrived at empty nest syndrome. The fun went out of the animals, the farm and the competitions. I struggled to keep it going, but it wasn’t the same. It all came to an abrupt end when our oldest daughter and I went to a horse show on one of her college breaks. We were warming our horses up for the show when one of us said to the other, “Are we having fun anymore?” It was a shocking question because the answer was no. To this day we don’t remember which of us asked it, but the realization was gut-wrenching. It was the last time we showed our horses.

Our daughter went back to school. I was left with no idea what to do with my life.

So I cried for a year – in grief for the loss of a life I loved, and in fear of an empty future with nothing to replace it. My family was supportive and put up with me. For that year, I kept asking myself, what can I do with my life? I like being passionate and challenged daily, but I had no training for anything specific. Finally at the end of that year, I reversed the question I was asking myself. Instead of “What can I do,” I flipped it to, “If I could do anything in the world I wanted, what would I do?”

With the change in the question, all sorts of possibilities started popping up. The craziest of which was work in film, not as an actor, but behind the scenes. I knew absolutely nothing about how one worked on a film, so I bought books and read avidly. There wasn’t any film work locally, so I fixated on going to Los Angeles. My husband was about to retire, and the change to California mildly interested him. I heard all the “you’re too old to be hired,” (late forties), “you’re crazy,” and from my own mother, “I hope you’ll fail, so you’ll come back to Virginia.” My husband and kids weren’t sure about the move either, but they gave me the encouragement to go for it.

Relocated in LA, I did temp work at first and took film production classes at UCLA. Within a couple weeks I was applying for film jobs. Then I landed one as a production assistant which had over 100 applicants for a nonpaying position. The job got my foot in the door, and I was soon hired on with a salary. It turned out that my running of horse shows as events correlated directly to working on a film. I had had no idea. Other jobs came rapidly after the first one. And then one day I picked up a script and read it. I had always been an avid reader, never considered myself as a writer, but something about the screenplay writing pulled me. I had to face another choice. Go to school to learn screenwriting or continue working on film as a production coordinator. Film projects are demanding. Eighteen to twenty hours a day are not uncommon. If I tried to do both, I would miss the majority of any classes I tried to attend. I could only do one. The writing won. There was something about it that pulled me.

It was back to office temp jobs that were nine to five and let me attend UCLA Extension nightly. I studied, I wrote, I won awards, my screenplays were optioned, but none produced yet. And then came another turning point. My writing mentor from Women in Film suggested I write one idea as a novel. I was starting to feel like I should ask UCLA for a discount, but it was back to school for more classes on novel writing. It was fortunate there was a large amount of crossover between screenplays and books.

What followed was Land Sharks – A Swindle in Sumatra (a mystery/romantic suspense) and The Reluctant Farmer of Whimsey Hill (a family memoir about life on our farm). What also happened was that I found that writing books was the place I wanted to be. The authors I met were great people and truly supportive. I had found my creative happy place. This was where all my steps had brought me and this is where I’m staying.

And my very special family? My husband and oldest daughter have both become writers and our youngest daughter is our greatest supporter.

My advice for those reaching their Second Stages – Dare to think big!

Nancy’s Books

LandSharks-200x314 (2) A fall from grace costs Lexi a position at a top New York financial institution. She ends up in a job at a small private bank in Beverly Hills. But that’s okay, she still gets to work in her favorite field – catching white collar crooks. At least that’s what she tells herself. But when Karista, the daughter of one of the bank’s principal investors, runs into danger while traveling in Indonesia, Lexi’s job comes to depend on her ability to save her. Even worse, Lexi will have to baby sit Steve, her boss’ well-meaning but spoiled son, while going undercover to reach the heiress. Lexi’s cushy tropical assignment soon spirals into chaos as she has to outrun fashion-forward Batak natives, outwit an arrogant FBI agent, help Steve find his stolen Air Yeezy sneakers, and figure out why her ardent former lover and debonair gentleman thief, Andre, is staying at the same resort. Lexi will have to be very good or very lucky to survive it all.

reluctantfarmer In The Reluctant Farmer of Whimsey Hill, opposites attract; for better or for worse. That is what troubles animal-phobic, robotics engineer Smith who just got married. He learns that his bride’s dream is to have a farm where there are lots of animals and she can rescue ex-race horses to retrain and find them new homes. But according to a Meyers-Briggs Personality Test that they took for fun, their marriage is doomed. There is only one problem: the newlyweds took the test after the wedding.

Whether Smith is chasing a cow named Pork Chop through the woods with a rope, getting locked in a tack room by the family pony, being snubbed by his wife’s dog, or unsuccessfully trying to modernize their barn using the latest technology, the odds are stacked against him. It seems like everything with four legs is out to get him. Will the animals win, forcing Smith to admit defeat, or will he fight to keep his family and the farm together?

Enjoy the true, warm, and frequently hilarious stories of Smith’s journey along the bumpy road from his urban robotics lab to a new life on a rural Virginia farm.

Where to find Nancy…

Website | Facebook

Joanne here!

Nancy, thanks for sharing your inspiring journey. How wonderful to live, study and work in L.A. Best of luck with all your future endeavors.

Clean Jokes for Toastmasters

Posted on July 22, 2016 by Joanne Guidoccio

Use one of these jokes at your next meeting.

*********************

A young couple met with their pastor to set a date for their wedding. When the pastor asked whether they preferred a contemporary or a traditional service, they opted for the contemporary.

On the big day, a major storm forced the groom to take an alternate route to the church. The streets were flooded, so he rolled up his pant legs to keep his trousers dry. When he finally reached the church, his best man rushed him into the sanctuary and up to the altar, just as the ceremony was starting

“Pull down your pants,” the pastor whispered.

“Uh, Reverend, I’ve changed my mind,” the groom responded. “I think I would prefer the traditional service.”

*********************

In a hot desert country not long ago, a shopkeeper set up his stall. The man sold ties. He had ties of every variety: thin ones, wide ones, ones with stripes, others with polka dots.

On a hot, scorching day, the shopkeeper saw a cloud of dust in the horizon. As the cloud of dust of approached, the shopkeeper saw it was a man stumbling across the desert.

The traveler said, “I’ve been traveling across the desert and I’m dying of thirst. Do you have any water?”

The shopkeeper said, “Sorry, I don’t have any water. I’m out of water, but would you like to buy a tie. I have wide ones, thin ones, stripes and ones with dots.”

“I don’t need a tie. I’m dying of thirst I need water.”

“I don’t have water but there’s a village about a mile away, and I know it has a restaurant.” So, he sends the thirsty man away.

About an hour later the shopkeeper sees another dust cloud on the horizon. It’s the same thirsty man crawling on his hands and knees.

The shopkeeper asks, “Couldn’t you find the restaurant?”

The thirsty man sighs. “The restaurant wouldn’t let me in without a tie.”

10 Cool Delights ~ On a Budget!

Posted on July 17, 2016 by Joanne Guidoccio

icecreamsundaes2 Last week, I treated myself to a Dairy Queen banana split. I tried not to gasp when the clerk told me the price was $6.77 (CDN). I inquired about the other prices and discovered that, like everything else, Dairy Queen treats had risen in price.

I watched as carloads of families slowly progressed through the drive-through and mentally calculated the minimum and maximum amounts a family of four could easily spend. If they all selected peanut butter parfaits, the cost would be $24.40 (CDN). Four small dipped cones would ring in at $13.00 (CDN). These expenses could add up if summer temperatures soar and humidity levels become unbearable.

While there aren’t too many substitutes for a DQ® Peanut Buster® Parfait, Buster® Bar or Blizzard®, it is possible to create reasonable facsimiles of DQ sundaes and banana splits at home.

Continue reading on the Soul Mate Authors blog.

Changes That Are Out of Your Control

Posted on July 15, 2016 by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m happy to welcome Soul Mate author Tracey A. Wood to my blog. Today, Tracey shares a life-changing story and her new release, Midnight Angel.

Here’s Tracey!

Tracey A Wood (2) I can honestly say that I am not the same person I was over thirty year ago, when I got married. I have always been a bubbly person. Not your glass half empty, kind of person. A few years into my marriage we decided to start a family. It took a while to get pregnant and at first I didn’t think it was going to happen. I conceived my first child and looked forward to my first bundle of joy.

As we all know you carry a baby for forty weeks. At twenty-six weeks I started with pains in my stomach and I was struggling to walk. My husband was due to go to work, as he worked shifts. He kept asking me if I wanted a doctor. I had the pain for hours and eventually gave in. The doctor came and called an Ambulance to take me to the hospital. After a bit of a wait, the hospital doctor examined me and told me that I would have my baby that evening. Everything went through my mind but the first thing to come out of my mouth was “I’m not ready”.

Well, whether I was ready or not, the baby did come that evening. Fourteen weeks early and 950 grams in weight. He was so tiny! He fit in my husband’s hand. His skin was transparent and he was very, very, poorly. He had to stay in the hospital for three months. During this time, we had quite a few close situations where we nearly lost him. He had to have a tracheotomy (which is a tube, in a hole in his neck) and an operation on his heart. Having your first child should be a happy time. It wasn’t, it was very hard but we coped and it made me a stronger person. This kind of thing can put a strain on a marriage but it actually pulled us closer, together.

My son is twenty-eight this year. Oh, he has problems. He has learning difficulties and physical problems. He is mentally like a toddler. But he is alive and he’s happy. That is all that matters. We deal with everything else. This is a change which was out of my control. I believe that every change, in your life, makes you grow as a person. It builds character and makes you a stronger person.

MIDNIGHT ANGEL-Soulmate 805_805x1275 (3)

Blurb

After almost losing her life in a vicious, bloody attack. Kat Shaw, a thirty-something, divorcee, discovers that there are such things as monsters. And the predator who attacked her is not human. She starts to develop unusual skills which have murderous consequences. And is an unwilling witness to multiple, brutal murders, seen through the eyes a killer. Thrown into a battle of Good vs. Evil, she falls in love with two men who are not what they seem. While her attacker stalks her and continues to murder the innocent. She has to find the inner strength to take on and fight the demons from hell. To protect her family and friends while also trying to save her own life.

Buy Links

United States | United Kingdom

Bio

Tracey A Wood has lives in Staffordshire, in the United Kingdom. She has been married for over thirty years and has two children. One of her boy’s lives at home due to being disable the other has flown the coup. She has three cats that are her babies, and she talks to them all of the time. Funny thing is they don’t answer back.

She loves snowboarding, skiing, jumping out of aeroplanes and bungee jumping. Well, that is when other people are doing them. She prefers to have her nose in a book or writing one. She also loves to people watch which her husband is always telling her to stop doing. She has a job that she enjoys and works full time. Although if she won the lottery, that might change! She has also got a very good imagination.

In 2014, she decided to take the bull by the horns and send her manuscript to Soul Mate Publishing. She feels so privileged to have her book published, as this is the first one that she has written. It has made her dream of being a published author a reality. Life really is too short to wait, you’ve got to go for it. She is still working full time and is also working on another book in her limited spare time. Her favourite saying is ‘Everything happens for a reason’ which she also believes is true.

Her books are fast paced and centred on a female lead who finds an inner strength after being thrown into situations that are beyond her control.

Where to find Tracey…