RAMONA FLIGHTNER'S DEBUT NOVEL, BANISHED LOVE

Banished Love

by Ramona Flightner

 One randomly chosen commenter will win a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card.

BANISHED LOVE Blurb:

Free-Spirited…

Clarissa Sullivan dreams for more from life than sipping tepid tea in stifling parlors in Victorian Boston. She defies her family’s wishes, continuing to teach poor immigrant children in Boston’s West End, finding a much-needed purpose to her life.

Radical…

As a suffragette, Clarissa is considered a firebrand radical no man would desire. For why should women want the vote when men have sheltered women from the distasteful aspects of politics and law?

Determined…

When love blossoms between Clarissa and Gabriel McLeod, a struggling cabinetmaker, her family objects. Clarissa’s love and determination will be tested as she faces class prejudices, manipulative family members and social convention in order to live the life she desires with the man she loves.

Will she succeed? Or will she yield to expectations?

BANISHED LOVE follows Clarissa Sullivan on her journey of self-discovery as she learns what she cannot live without.

BANISHED LOVE Excerpt One:

“If you don’t mind me saying so, Mr. McLeod, you seem quite domesticated,” Savannah said in a haughty tone.

Gabriel laughed. “Like a favorite pet, Miss Russell?” He glanced toward her with humor. “I always think domestication ruins the better part of the beast.”

“But you wouldn’t want a wild dog in your house,” Savannah protested. “And horses must be tamed.”

Gabriel nodded. “I would hate to think you compared me to a horse or a dog, miss. I hope I have better manners than that?” he asked, raising his eyebrows mockingly toward Savannah. “Though, I agree, horses are most useful for our purpose when tamed, but I wonder if they truly enjoy working for us?” He looked toward me, although he did not push me into the conversation.

He let out a long theatrical sigh. “Domesticated cats, dogs. Domesticated women. Wonderful creatures. Wouldn’t you agree, Miss Sullivan?” He looked toward me wickedly. I had bolted so hard in the rocker at his words I had nearly flown onto the floor. I watched him with wide eyes, wondering why he pushed Savannah so.

Savannah replied, “Now you are offensive, sir.” She vibrated with anger.

“Isn’t that what all young women long to be?” Gabriel asked Savannah, setting down the filled mugs with a clunk. “Domesticated. Demure. Tamed to the needs and ways of their husbands?”

“You know perfectly well you are describing the ideal wife,” Savannah spat out.

“Am I?” he asked, sounding unconvinced. “What do you think, Miss Sullivan?” he turned to me. “Is that what you long to be, a domesticated woman?”

“No!” I blurted out before I could stop myself.

“Rissa!” Savannah scolded me, eyes flashing. She had begun to breathe heavily, and I feared she would faint with her tightly laced corset.

I blushed but met Gabriel’s eyes. “No,” I said. “I have no desire to match that description. Slightly less clumsy, perhaps,” I muttered.

“Yes, I agree,” Gabriel said, causing me to worry he agreed with my assessment about my clumsiness. “Domestication is akin to docility which is an unattractive trait in a woman.” He smiled knowingly at me, and I felt a flash of pleasure.

“Do you speak in earnestness, sir, or are you in jest?” Savannah demanded. When Gabriel merely turned to look at her, she continued. “Men want docile, demure women,” she expounded, as though teaching a rudimentary fact to Gabriel.

“Well, pardon me, ma’am, for not learning my lessons well,” he replied, nodding his head deferentially.

I watched Savannah’s face become flushed red with anger and was worried she would erupt. She generally kept her temper under control, but, when it blew, it was a frightening thing to behold.

“I’d actually like to meet a young woman who can think for herself and doesn’t want only what her father or husband wants.” His quiet statement made my pulse quicken.

Savannah scoffed, “That path leads only to misery.”

“Or tremendous contentment,” Gabriel countered.

Savannah stood, knocking into the table with such force she caused tea to spill out of the mugs. “I will not sit here any longer and listen to your insolent beliefs,” she declared. “Rissa?” She turned toward me expectantly, then headed toward the door.

I looked at Gabriel with remorse, wanting to have spent longer time in his company. “I enjoyed our conversation. Maybe we could continue it one day at the school?” I watched him, hopeful he would agree.

He smiled, releasing a sigh of relief. “I would enjoy that very much, Miss Clarissa.”

I had forgotten how his voice could feel like a caress. I closed my eyes for a moment, having missed hearing his gentle baritone. No matter how much I had enjoyed his letters, I had missed him.

Amazon Buy Link: http://www.amazon.com/Banished-Love-Ramona-Flightner-ebook/dp/B00I0TGX4K/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1391384270&sr=1-1&keywords=Ramona+Flightner

Ramona Flightner, Author

Ramona Flightner is a native of Missoula, Montana. After graduating from Tufts University with a B.A. in Spanish, she earned a Masters degree in Spanish Literature from the University of Montana. Her Master’s thesis, Chilean Testimonial Literature: the collective suffering of a people, highlighted her continued interest in the stories of those who were at risk of being forgotten or silenced.

           

She studied nursing at the University of Pennsylvania and graduated with a Master’s in Nursing as a Family Nurse Practitioner. She has worked for ten years as a family nurse practitioner providing care to the poor and under insured at two community health centers, first in Wilmington, Delaware and now in Boston, Massachusetts.

           

An avid reader, she began writing three years ago. She enjoys the demands of research and relishes the small discoveries that give historical detail to her books.

           

Ramona is an avid flyfisher and hiker who enjoys nothing better than spending a day on a remote Montana river, far from a city. She enjoys research, travel, storytelling, learning about new cultures and discovering new ways of looking at the world. Though she resides in Boston, Massachusetts, Ramona remains a Montanan at heart.

          

Her dreams are to see the plains of East Africa, marvel at the wonder of Petra in Jordan, soak in the seas of the South Pacific, and to continue to spend as much time as possible with her family.

           

BANISHED LOVE is her first novel and is the first in the forthcoming Banished Saga.

AUTHOR WEB PAGE: http://www.ramonaflightner.com

TWITTER:  http://twitter.com/ramonaflightner

FACEBOOK:  http://www.facebook.com/authorramonaflightner

PINTEREST:http://www.pinterest.com/ramonaauthor

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AUTHOR MARY A. ADAIR'S CAPTIVE SPIRTIS BLOG BLAST - ENTER NOW!

Aztar is a planet where no one remembers a time of peace. Fear of those who wield a mystical cruelty holds people as CAPTIVE SPIRITS. All that remains is the waning belief in a redemer who will someday come to restore peace to a blood soaked land. Zmeria, an ancient text recovered, brings a Prophecy to life. The leaders of each Region come together with a plan to reunite Aztar's divided people and make way for their redemer. They arm themselves with the recently discovered revelation of peace long past. A dream is born and legends revived as Aztar’s people determine to fight the evil and Reclaim Aztar. The Evil’s grasp is strong on the CAPTIVE SPIRITS of Aztar. Leaders know this battle to free the will and spirit of the people will not be easily won. They decree a King must be chosen. One man of the entire world stands out from the rest. Si, the firstborn son of the house of Volcum, is well known for valor and victories in battle. A kingdom must be established. As the center of his kingdom, Si Volcum decreed an ancient, long deserted castle far to the north that contained the lost records of Aztar’s forgotten glory. He accepted his chosen bride, Alexis, unseen from a house as old as his own. Si ruled and the land prospered for fifteen years while evil silently waited. The King did not know when evil struck it would be personally against him or that the price would be so high. The people of Aztar chose well in their King. Si will not hesitate. The King will pay the price. From his love and chosen path, the Saga of Aztar begins with the legend of her first King, Si Volcum. “Reclaim Aztar,” will be their battle cry.

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Author M. A. Adair

Mary A. Adair is an Amazon best selling author of Native American Romance. CAPTIVE SPIRITS is her first Young Adult Fantasy. It is the beginning to a Young Adult Fantasy series that can also be enjoyed by all adults. Mary's other works include PASSION'S VISION and PASSION'S PRICE, both are Best Selling Native American Romances. Mary did extensive research on several Native American tribes in the time period of her books. One of her many sources for learning about the rich Native American culture of that time period was a book written in the mid. 1700s by one of her husband’s ancestors, James Adair. PASSION'S VISION, is a story filled with romance, excitement and danger. This story features James Fitzgerald, an agent in the court of King George II, and New Moon, sister to Chief Dancing Cloud. PASSION'S PRICE is a poignant love story with a twist of humor. It is a next generation story filled with adventure and determination as well as self-realization and, of course, Romance. PASSION’S PRICE continues with James's and New Moon's daughter, Golden Dawn.

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Book Blast Giveaway

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Ends 4/30/13

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.



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GENEVIEVE GRAHAM AND SOUND OF THE HEART

Readers, today Genevieve Graham is my guest as part of Black Lion Tours. Genevieve Graham graduated from the University of Toronto in 1986 with a Bachelor of Music in Performance (playing oboe). While on a ski vacation in Alberta she met a really cute guy in the chairlift line-up and they skied together for two days. After the second day she decided she had to have him ... permanently. The couple (now husband & wife) subsequently moved to Calgary and brought two beautiful and talented daughters into the world. They have recently settled in a small, peaceful town in Nova Scotia and are loving their quiet life.​
Writing became an essential part of Genevieve's life a few years ago, when she began to write her debut novel, UNDER THE SAME SKY. Her second book, SOUND OF THE HEART was released on May 1, 2012.

Genevieve Graham, Author

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INTERVIEW WITH GENEVIEVE GRAHAM

Caroline: Meeting your husband sounds romantic, but readers will want to know more. Where did you grow up?

Genevieve: I grew up in Toronto, the elder of two daughters, and the one with the least sense of responsibility. I was kind of an outsider, a kind of overweight, striped-polyester wearing, happy girl who specialized in collecting underdogs and abandoned items. Seriously. Not only did I befriend the newest and least popular kids, but I used to walk home after elementary school and drag home any Christmas trees people were done with. I felt so sorry for them I thought they needed a home. My parents put up with it until I had about fifteen in the front yard. Then I think they were very relieved when the garbage men came to pick them up.

My older daughter, Emily, seems to have inherited that weird kind of thing: for a couple of years when she was about seven or so, she picked up any bits and pieces she could find on the side of the road, like bottle caps, plastic buttons, interesting twigs, and incorporate them into what she called "Cork People", making tiny cork statues that she customized and gave to friends. Cute, but I'm really glad that phase is over! Too many little pieces around!

When we were young, my parents had my sister and me signed up for skiing, tennis, skating, and baseball, but I only ever excelled at skiing and tennis. I liked skiing because it was a solo activity, I think, and I loved going fast. That was before the days of mandatory helmet-wearing and the sensation of speeding down a mountain with wind tearing through my hair was such a rush! And I enjoyed tennis because it gave me a chance to really pound the ball, and my dad always seemed so proud when he could see his daughter was strong. My sister did well at everything: school, friends, cheerleading … but I never really felt envious. I was quite content in my own little world and a lot of that world existed within the pages of books.

I met the man I would eventually marry when I flew to Calgary in March of 1992, wanting to visit a girlfriend who was unhappy at having been transferred out there. She promised me a ski day, but when the day came, she had to work. I went alone, determined to sample the Rockies, and I met the most wonderful guy in one of the chairlift line-ups. We skiied together for two days, I moved to Calgary two months after that, and he and I were married the following February. Coming up on 20 years!

Our daughters are now 12 & 14, so we're into those tough hormonal years now. Our girls are both extremely artistic and outgoing. We're really fortunate because they adore each other and are their own best advocates. Our eldest has a real love for animals, and I hope she eventually follows that love into a career. Our baby can do just about anything. Her plan is to be a surgeon—who eventually cures cancer—while being a dancing, singing star on the side.

Caroline: Your daughters have ambitious, but worthy, dreams. Who are your favorite authors and favorite genres?

Diana Gabaldon is my idol and the reason I began to write in the first place. I love Historical Adventure written with intelligence and passion. I'm open to most genres, but I think I'm done with horror. Stephen King did me in when I was in my teens. Now I'm afraid of most shadows, as long as they're written well! I love the writing of Sara Donati, Penelope Williamson, and Jennifer Roberson, among others.

Caroline: I met Diana Gabaldon several years ago and thought she was the most intelligent author I’d ever met, yet she was so personable. What’s your favorite way to relax and recharge? Hobbies?

Genevieve: My family is my escape. I write and edit full-time (I started up an editing business and have been editing an average of two novels per month for the past two years), but when I'm done for the day I kick back with them, either sitting outside or watching movies, a cool glass of Pinot Grigio in my hand.

Caroline: My husband and I just shared a bottle of Pino Grigio. Do you have a favorite quote that sums up how you feel about life?

Genevieve: Well, I like a ton of quotes, but today this one appeals:
"Be yourself. Everyone else is taken."
- Oscar Wilde

Caroline: One of my favorites. ☺ How long have you been writing?

Genevieve: I didn't start writing until I was 42, and I had no idea I'd eventually become an author. So many people say they have always known that's what they wanted to do with their lives, and though I've always loved reading, I never imagined actually sitting down and putting a book together. That always seemed like something unreachable.

Caroline: Where do you prefer to write? Do you need quiet, music, solitude? PC or laptop?

Genevieve: I write on my beloved MacBook Pro, and I need quiet. That means no radio, no telephone, no people. Hard to find that, trust me!

Caroline: Ah, especially with teenagers in the house. Are you a plotter or a panzer?

Genevieve: Pantzer … trying really hard to incorporate Plotter mentality into what I do!

Caroline: Plotting really saved me. Do you use real events or persons in your stories or as an inspiration for stories?

Genevieve: Yes. I love studying history and watching my characters go about their lives in that setting, but for me it really helps to have some kind of a real event to anchor the place in time. My first two novels came from the Battle of Culloden in 1746. The one I recently finished revolves around WW1 and the Halifax Explosion in 1917. I haven't incorporated real people yet, but never say never!

Caroline: Do you set daily writing goals? Word count? Number of chapters? Do you get a chance to write every day?

Genevieve: I write every day, but often that is with editing for other people. I dream of a day when writing for myself pays enough bills to make it possible to dedicate myself full-time to writing. As a pantzer, and also as a researcher, I don't set those kinds of goals because I have no idea how far my research will allow me to go on any given day.

Caroline: What do you hope your writing brings to readers?

Genevieve: I don't want my writing to bring them anything—I want it to take them away! I want to help them escape every day routines and travel to a time and place they've only ever imagined.

Caroline: What long-term plans do you have for your career?

Genevieve: My series books are parallel stories, so they tell different stories happening simultaneously. I would like to finish a fourth book in the series, then maybe complete it with a fifth, which would take place later in the time period, tying all four earlier stories together. I have another series of four I'd like to write (I've written the first but it needs a lot of work!), and I have a few stand-alones both written and planned. It seems I can't stop writing!

Caroline: Readers love series, so that should serve you well. Would you like to tell us what you’re working on now?

Genevieve: I've just finished a WW1 romance telling the story of a Nova Scotia lobsterman who not only survives the war, but also lives through the Halifax Explosion. It's a love story, and it's also a look inside what it might have taken to live through such a tumultuous time in such a poor part of this country. I hope to have news to share on that book soon.

As I said, I'm also working on the fourth book in the "Under the Same Sky" series. Just like the first three books, it will be a Historical Adventure, and I see 18th century pirates in my heroine's future …

Caroline: Let me know when that book is out. I’m sure readers would love to see it featured here. What advice would you give to unpublished authors?

Genevieve: Write for yourself. Write for the love of writing, and don't even think about publishing until you are completely done.

Too many people these days get frustrated at the sheer improbability of being picked up by a major publisher, and because of the ease of self-publishing they end up writing quantity instead of quality. When you have written and rewritten, then edited three more times, then printed it out and marked it in red twice more, find yourself an editor. Make this book the best it can possibly be. Then you'll know that every word matters. That way, whether you end up with a traditional publishing contract or decide to self-publish, you can be proud of your work.

Caroline: Tell us a fun fact readers wouldn’t know about you.

Genevieve: We have seven "exotic" chickens, and I absolutely adore them!

Caroline: My neighbor has some exotic chickens and they are gorgeous. What is something about you that would surprise or shock readers?

Genevieve: I have a Bachelor of Music Degree in Performance, and yet … speaking in front of an audience scares me silly. You'd think I would have gotten over that.

Caroline: Is your book a series? If so, how long? Family saga, other?

Genevieve: SOUND OF THE HEART is the second book in my (so-far) three book series, and they're all considered "companion novels". The first is UNDER THE SAME SKY, and the third (which will be published in Aug/Sept 2013) is OUT OF THE SHADOWS. The books are connected by family members, but their stories are all independent. That means they can be read in any order. The fourth is in the works.

Caroline: Tell us something you learned researching your book that surprised/interested you.

Genevieve: While researching for SOUND OF THE HEART, I learned about the existence of White Slavery, a subject most history books seem to want to avoid. Beginning in the 1600s, hundreds of thousands of white slaves were transported from Great Britain and Europe to the colonies, and I'm not even talking about the many indentured servants who were also sent across to serve others. White slaves were treated as badly as their black counterparts—and often worse—and they were cheaper to buy (in most cases) because they were more disposable. The slaves were mostly put to work in the plantation fields, and while the African slaves were used to the heat, the ones from across the Atlantic couldn't handle it, and often died from the exposure.

I don't shy away from those ugly facts in my books. If they happened, we should know about them, I think. It's yet another horrible black mark in our history, but it would be wrong for us not to acknowledge it.

Caroline: I’m glad you are bringing up the subject of those white slaves. Not many people know about them. Can you give readers a blurb about your book?

SOUND OF THE HEART SYNOPSIS 

From Genevieve Graham, author of UNDER THE SAME SKY, comes a sweeping romantic historical novel of one man’s strange gift and dangerous battles…

      Dougal MacDonnell, a fierce warrior from the Highlands of Scotland, is able to hear the thoughts of other men and dream how the future will unfold. Devastated by the loss of his family during the Battle of Culloden in 1746, he fosters a deep hatred for the English. But when Glenna, the love of his life and a Scottish outlaw, is captured and shipped overseas, Dougal is forced to join an English army made of vanquished Scots. Now fighting on the side of his sworn enemies, he embarks on a journey that will take him across the seas to the colonies. There he will risk everything for the chance to find his true love.

Caroline: Beautiful and romantic cover. Makes me want to step into the scene. How about an excerpt?

Genevieve: Certainly:

SOUND OF THE HEART EXCERPT

Dougal’s cheek still lay in the mud when he woke. He kept his eyes closed, wanting to cry, but lacking the strength. He was tired, always tired these days, but Dougal had never been a man to admit to that. He was frozen and half-starved, as they all were. That weakness had contributed to a lot of the killings today.
Before they'd even stepped onto the frozen marshes of Culloden Moor, Dougal had known the Scots would suffer. He hadn’t needed one of his damn dreams to tell him this battle would not go well. He and the other Highlanders had marched and practically starved for the past two months, and their plaids had been poor protection from the miserable late winter. None of the crofters they had passed on their travels had food to share. The whole of the Highlands was suffering. The men had gone down to London, up to Culloden, back and forth in the miserable winter and spring months, completely at the whim of their chiefs and Prince Charles himself.
Damn Prince Charles. Dougal had pride in his people, sure. But to throw thousands of them away just so one man could settle his well-dressed arse on a throne? Useless. Unforgivable. And if Dougal ever saw Charles, he'd tell him so to his bonny wee face.
“Hey,” he heard from his right side a few feet away. “Help me, man.”
Dougal consulted the stabbing pain in his neck before twisting to see the source of the voice. The man lay nearby and looked to be about the same age as he, with a dark complexion and straggling brown hair pasted to his face. Dougal didn't remember having seen him before, but there had been so many of them it wasn't too much of a surprise. What was one man out of thousands?
“Aye, sir. How do ye fare?” Dougal asked.
“Och, I've the most terrible itch on my nose. Ye dinna think ye could help me a wee bit wi' that, could ye?”
Dougal stared at the man, whose expression was dead serious. For a moment, Dougal was speechless, then he burst into laughter, feeling his lip split with the effort and his head pound in renewed agony. His laughter was an unexpected sound, and a few others glanced over to see what was up.
Still laughing, Dougal said, “We're the lot of us trussed like turkeys, probably set to be hangit, an' ye're fashed about a wee itch on yer nose?”
“Aye, I am,” the man replied indignantly. “I canna reach it.”
“No, I dinna suppose ye can,” Dougal said, trying to stem his laughter. “An' how am I to manage it then?”
“I've no idea. But 'twould be a blessin' if ye'd figure it out.”
Dougal snorted, then, with a flick of one black eyebrow, agreed to try. He rolled to his right side and used his heels to shove his own body, bit by bit, closer to the man. When he was a foot away, he spoke again.
“Ye'll have to do the rest, man. Bring yer damn neb here,” he said. “I canna reach farther.” He wiggled his swollen fingers in illustration. They tingled with strangled circulation from within their rough bindings.
He heard the shuffling of a body behind his, then felt the strange pressure of the man's nose moving against his fingers. Dougal couldn't help himself. He started to giggle. The man behind him moaned with relief.
“Ye're a godsend, man,” he said. “That was killin' me.”
“That was killin' ye? Well, if that's all, then ye're better than most of us. That is one of the strangest things I've ever been asked to do,” Dougal said, still smiling. “All done?”
“Aye, I am. Thanks very much.”
The men rolled onto their stomachs, though Dougal would have greatly preferred to lie on his back. If only their hands had been tied in front. The man beside Dougal gave him a friendly smile and what would have to suffice for a nod.
“John Wallace,” he said. “Yer servant, sir.”
Dougal returned the smile. “Dougal MacDonnell. Good to meet ye as well.”

Caroline: Oh, that brings back the eerie feeling I had when I visited Culloden Moor. Where can readers find your books?

BUY LINKS

Amazon.com:  http://www.amazon.com/Sound-Heart-Genevieve-Graham/dp/0425247341/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1347975008&sr=8-1&keywords=sound+of+the+heart

Amazon.ca:  http://www.amazon.ca/Sound-Heart-Genevieve-Graham/dp/0425247341/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1347975361&sr=8-1

Amazon.co.uk:  http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sound-Heart-Genevieve-Graham/dp/0425247341/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1347975394&sr=8-2

Barnes & Noble:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sound-of-the-heart-genevieve-graham/1104879013?ean=9780425247341

Chapters http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/Sound-of-the-Heart-Genevieve-Graham/9780425247341-item.html?ikwid=sound+of+the+heart&ikwsec=Home

Also available in e-books

Caroline: How can readers learn more about you?

MORE ABOUT GENEVIEVE

Genevieve: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GenevieveGrahamAuthor
Website: www.GenevieveGraham.com
Blog: www.GenevieveGraham.com/Whats-Going-On.html
Twitter: GenGrahamAuthor

Caroline: Is there anything else you’d like readers to know about you?

NEWSLETTERS!

Genevieve: Please sign up for my monthly e-newsletters at www.GenevieveGraham.com

Caroline: And for mine, too! To sign up for mine, click on the white square on the sidebar, the one with many of my covers in a circle. That will take you to a form, which you fill out and submit. Then you’ll recive a verification email. Click and you’re signed up for prizes, contests, and to learn of new releases.

REST OF GENEVIEVE'S TOUR

Dec 11 - Bunny's Reviews/review and interview

Dec 13 - Bookworm Lisa/review and guest post

Dec 18 - Promiscuous Diva/guest post

​Dec 18 (2nd stop) - Books, Books, the Magical Fruit/interview

Dec 18 (3rd stop)- Journey with Books/review

Dec 21 - Black Lion Tour Blog/wrap-up

Thanks for stopping by!

WELCOME PAISLEY KIRKPATRICK

Please help me welcome Paisley Kirkpatrick to the blog today. Paisley and I have been online friends for years and I’ve seen samples of her terrific writing. She is a member of the team blogs Sweethearts of the West and Slip Into Something Victorian, to both of which I belong. My great news to share is that Paisley recently signed a five-book contract with Desert Breeze Publishing and her first book, NIGHT ANGEL, has just been released. Woo Hoo! Let’s hear a round of applause for Paisley!

Paisley Kirkpatrick, Author

Caroline:  I know a good bit about you, but I’d like to know more, and I’m sure readers are eager to “meet” you. Where did you grow up? Give us details, please.

Paisley: I had a great childhood growing up in Santa Rosa, California, which is located about an hour's drive north of San Francisco. My brother is three years younger than me. We had an easy childhood, enjoying rides to Bodega Bay almost every Sunday to play on the beach. I joined Camp Fire Girls early and stayed involved into high school. My hubby and I celebrate our 44th wedding anniversary in December. We've had two daughters, but no grandchildren. Life is easy and laid back for us living in the Sierra Mountains not far from Lake Tahoe.

Caroline: Who are your favorite authors and favorite genres?

Paisley: Historicals have always been my favorite genre. I love to travel and visit the places I've read about. It's fun to learn how life existed in the olden days and try to picture how the people in that time period actually lived and survived the adversities.  Kathleen Woodiwiss actually got me to reading. I fell in love with the characters in her book Shanna and from there read every one of her books I could get my hands on. Julie Garwood and Jude Deveraux were the next two authors who intrigued me. Their stories not only had the history, but humor as well. The combination of the two drew me into wanting to try to write a story of my own.

Caroline: Julie Garwood is one of my favorites, too. What’s your favorite way to relax and recharge?

Paisley: I love to sew. I've been making quilts for ten years now. It's a time to get away from my stories and give my muse a chance to rebuild itself. I've made and given away 37 quilts in memory of our older daughter. Most of the quilts are for babies, made from brightly colored and printed flannel. They are a joy to make and even more fun to see the babies who've received them grow up and still love snuggling in them. I also learned how to put photos on fabric and now make a lot of quilts with family photos, book covers and favorite celebrities on them. This has also led me to making tote bags and pillow cases with a photo or two on them as well.

Caroline: I’ve been thinking of doing a book cover on a tote bag. Do you have a favorite quote that sums up how you feel about life? (I know she does and it’s a favorite of mine, too.)

Paisley: ”When at first you do succeed, try to hide the astonishment."  I love this quote and used it for many years on my signature line. However, when I did get my first offer of publication, I didn't hide my astonishment, I sat in shock saying ”WOW” for the longest time. My reaction is not anything like I expected it would be.

Caroline: Those of us who’ve seen your writing are only surprised it took so long for a contract offer. How long have you been writing?

Paisley: I practiced writing for 22 years before I was offered a contract. It happened on Christmas Eve and was even more than I expected. My editor asked for all five of my books in the Paradise Pines Series.

Caroline: All your friends are so happy for you. I love when good things happen to good people. Where do you prefer to write? Do you need quiet, music, solitude? PC or laptop?

Paisley: I have a main computer on the top floor of our house, but it is usually very cold or very hot up on the third floor because we don't have a heater or air conditioning. We live in the mountains and survive with a pellet stove on the second floor and a wood stove on the bottom floor. Once I got a laptop, my writing time became so much easier. Hubby made a table for me so I can sit on the sofa and pull the computer up to a comfortable writing position. I am trying to learn to write in a quiet house, but prefer white noise in the background. I worked in a busy office with a dot matrix printer next to me and grew accustomed to having a lot of commotion and noise around me.

Caroline: I either write with quiet or classical music. Are you a plotter or a panzer?

Paisley: I have no idea where my plots come from. I am a definite panzer. My muse is very active until I take my characters in the wrong direction or miss an important point. They stop talking and, trust me there is nothing more frustrating than a silent muse. I do have a trick, though. I listen to the music from Phantom of the Opera and it starts them chattering non-stop. Not sure if they are tired of my favorite music and movie or if they like it as much as I do, but it works.

Caroline: Quite a trick. Do you use real events or persons in your stories or as an inspiration for stories?

Paisley: Yes, I have used family members as inspiration for my characters and do have a favorite hero prototype. In fact, the heroine in my first story is based on my great grandmother. She has ended up being my favorite of all my heroines. A lot of my heroes are Scottish and bear a strong resemblance to my favorite actor, Gerard Butler. I can't find a better hero type than Gerry.

Caroline: Do you set daily writing goals? Word count? Number of chapters? Do you get a chance to write every day?

Paisley: I don't set goals. I just write. Usually I spend 8 to 10 hours a day writing because I love doing it. I am either typing or sewing and, when I can, reading.

Caroline: I used to sew, now I just write and read and do family history. What do you hope your writing brings to readers?

Paisley: I recently had a reviewer tell me all the parts of my story she loved. What amazed me was the points she brought up - they happened to be all the points I had hoped a reader would find and like. I write from my heart and I hope a reader can find the same enjoyment with my characters as I do.

Caroline: Not counting making the NYTimes list, what long-term plans do you have for your career?

Paisley: I have a contract for five stories. I hope to add more stories to my Paradise Pines Series. Since we live where the 1849 Gold Rush happened, it is easy to find interesting stories. I love the genre. They don't exaggerate when they call that time period the Wild West.

Caroline: Those who’ve read your articles on Sweethearts of the West know that’s true and that you do a lot of research for authenticity. Would you like to tell us what you’re working on now?

Paisley: I am finishing up the final touches on MARRIAGE BARGAIN, which is a romance on a wagon train. My great, great grandfather kept a journal traveling west in 1849 and I researched a lot of this story from his writings. This second in the series will be released in March, 2013.

Caroline: What a treasure to have his journal, although I believe you said it’s now in a museum. What advice would you give to unpublished authors?

Paisley: My advice to an unpublished author is never give up. It took me 22 years of learning the craft and persistence in trying to write the best story I knew how. It is definitely worth the effort when your dream comes true.

Caroline: Good advice, and don’t let anyone steal your dreams. What’s a fun fact readers wouldn’t know about you.

Paisley: For fifteen years I ran a fan club for country singing artist Kevin Sharp. We spent five summers running his booth at Fan Fair in Nashville and one year I got to stand on the stage of the Grand Old Opry while he sang three songs. It was an experience I will always treasure.

Caroline: That’s a fun fact all right. Something about you that would surprise or shock readers.

Paisley: I had a difficult time with this one so asked my husband. He said people who know me now would be surprised to learn I used to be very quiet. I could be in a room for hours and nobody would know I was there.

Caroline: Sounds like my youngest daughter when she was younger. I know this is a five-book series. Is it a family saga?

Paisley: My book is part of the Paradise Pines Series - sort of a family saga. The first three stories are about the Benjamin sisters who end up living in Paradise Pines. The second two stories bring in the five MacGregor brothers who become active members in the community.

Caroline: I love the fonts on the cover. Can you give readers a blurb about NIGHT ANGEL?

Paisley: Here’s a blurb:
Sassy Amalie Renard, a poker-playing saloon singer, shakes up Paradise Pines, a former gold-rush mountain community by turning the saloon’s bar into her stage. Her amazing voice stirs the passions of the hotel owner, a man who anonymously travels tunnels at night providing help to the downtrodden as the mysterious Night Angel. Declan Grainger agrees to subsidize the building of a music hall to fulfill Amalie's dream, but a bounty for her arrest could spoil his plans. Distrust and jealousy stir flames of malice and revenge threatening to destroy their town. Drawing from past experiences, Declan and Amalie turn to each other to find a way to save the community.

Caroline: How about an excerpt of NIGHT ANGEL?

Paisley: Here you are:
Different colored bottles of whiskey and beer reflected in the mirrors along the wall behind the long wooden bar. Perfect. That's where she'd start her evening.
She slipped off her cape and handed it to Declan. His appreciative gasp brought a smile to her lips. Having men ogle her appearance was hardly new. She'd learned early to use her looks to her advantage. The way Declan's eyes heated with appreciation when he cast a glance at the deep cut of her décolletage reminded her how good it felt to be a woman.
"Now you'll see who I really am."
Declan grabbed her arm. "Don't let them forget you're a lady, Amalie."
She cast him a wicked smile. "The name's Lily Fox. Believe me, honey, Lily's no lady."
She approached a couple of gamblers and leaned over slightly to give them full effect of her daring dress. "Would you mind helping me, gents? I have need of your table for a moment."
The men jumped to their feet in unison, their cards forgotten. Amalie took the nearest man's outstretched palm, stepped onto a chair, over their cards and up onto the long wooden plank bar.
"Good evening, boys." She strutted along the length of wood, avoiding whiskey glasses and kicking away eager hands.
The saloon girl stopped caterwauling. The room went still. She had everyone's attention, just the way Lily liked it.
"Get down, young woman. This ain't no place for you to prance about," the barkeep snarled in outrage.
Ignoring the scowling face with the handlebar mustache, she kicked up her heels. Adding a dance step, she pranced back and forth the length of the makeshift stage. Lily reveled in the whistles and disregarded the uncouth remarks. She was in her element. "My name is Lily Fox and I'm here to entertain you tonight."
With the flick of her hand, she caught the attention of the stunned piano player. "Play something quick and lively, will you, honey?" She glanced around the room of excited faces and turned on her brightest smile.


Caroline: Where can readers find your book?

Paisley: Here are the buy links for NIGHT ANGEL:

Barnes and Noble  http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-333/Paradise-Pines-Book-One-cln-/Detail.bok

Amazon  http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Paisley+Kirkpatrick

Caroline: How can readers learn more about you?

Paisley: Website: http://www.paisleykirkpatrick.com/
Blogs:
Sweethearts of the West http://sweetheartsofthewest.blogspot.com/
Scandalous Victorians http://slipintosomethingvictorian.wordpress.com/
Voices from the Heart http://voicesftheart.blogspot.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1272262167

Thanks for stopping by!

KIMBERLY LEWIS WRITES A WESTERN SERIES

Please welcome an author new to me, Kimberly Lewis, whose book I’m eager to read. In November of 2011, author Kimberly Lewis stepped into the writing world with her first original western contemporary romance novel, WHEN THE HEART FALLS.Today, however, she's talking about her new release, ZANE: THE McKADES OF TEXAS. Here's an interview with Kimberly.

Author Kimberly Lewis

Caroline: Please tell our readers something about yourself.

Kimberly: Well, I grew up on the Eastern Shore of Maryland in the country. We had a farm with horses, cows, pigs, chickens and, at one time, goats. And of course we had dogs and cats as well. I have a younger brother, but I have many cousins who are all around my age and lived right next door—so growing up it was like I had at least ten other brothers and sisters ☺ As far as being a jock or a bookworm...I’d say I was probably a little of both. I loved to read but I really also enjoyed getting outside and playing sports. When I got older, reading won. I am married to the most wonderful man who is caring and very supportive. We have a two year old son and are expecting a daughter the end of this year ☺ And I can’t forget our other daughter...our nine year old Doberman Pinscher.

Caroline: It’s true that our pets are members of our family. Who are your favorite authors and favorite genres?

Kimberly: My absolute favorite genre to read is romance—western romance to be specific. I just love cowboys and how they are tough enough to handle a wild horse or bull but become a complete softy around the woman they love. Some of my favorite western romance authors are Joanne Kennedy and Carolyn Brown. I love the worlds and characters they create.    I also enjoy reading other genres as well. JK Rowling’s Harry Potter series is one of my all time favorites.

Caroline: I am also an eclectic reader, but western romance is always a favorite. What’s your favorite way to relax and recharge? Hobbies?

Kimberly: Gosh, I don’t really get much time to relax these days but when I do get around to having some “me time” I enjoy curling up on the sofa and watching a really good movie or diving in to a good book and getting lost in the story. Besides being a couch-potato and bookworm, I also enjoy horseback riding, baking and crafting.

Caroline: Sounds like you’re busy. Do you have a favorite quote that sums up how you feel about life?

Kimberly: “Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day. You shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense. ”
―  Ralph Waldo Emerson
Caroline: I should post that above my computer! How long have you been writing?

Kimberly: I've been writing ever since I was little, but I never started writing seriously until a few years ago.

Caroline: Where do you prefer to write? Do you need quiet, music, solitude? PC or laptop?
Kimberly: Well, right now my designated writing spot is my dining room table so I guess I’m most comfortable there ☺ One of these days I’d love to have my own office, but that’s going to be quite a ways down the road. I have to have silence in order to write. Some background noise is okay, but I can’t be bothered when I’m trying to write. I get distracted easily. ☺I’m more comfortable writing on a desk top—probably just because I like the raised keys on the keyboard—but I mainly write on my laptop.

Caroline: I do so much better on a desk top,  and save the laptop for when I’m ill or for travel. Are you a plotter or a panzer?

Kimberly: Both, but I’m probably more of a panzer. I get an idea and just roll with it. After I start writing, I start thinking about where I want the story to go so I’ll come up with an outline of sorts. Do I always stick to that? Heck no. I’ll get writing and come up to a scene I have in my outline and completely scratch it because I’ve come up with something that sounds way better all of a sudden. Of course, that little change of manuscript could mean I have to change the rest of the outline as well, but that’s okay. I just save those ideas for other stories where they might work better.

Caroline: That sounds as if you’re a plotzer. Do you use real events or persons in your stories or as an inspiration for stories?

Kimberly: Persons, no. Events, yes. I’ll take events from my real life events, or stories my family has shared and occasionally throw them in my novels. In this particular book, there is a scene at the very end where Zane’s younger brother, Luke, plays a prank on him and Andi. That was an actual prank that my parents’ played on my aunt and uncle.

Caroline: Do you set daily writing goals? Word count? Number of chapters? Do you get a chance to write every day?

Kimberly: I do not set goals for myself, but when I do sit down and start writing I find it hard to stop. Normally I’ll write a chapter or two and then call it quits for the day. I used to have time to write every single day, but that has slowed down a lot now that my son is two and is all over the place. ☺ Now I mainly stay up late on the weekends to write.

Caroline: I like to write late at night, but that’s hard with small children. What do you hope your writing brings to readers?

Kimberly: I just hope that my readers enjoy my novels and want to read more. ☺ I think that’s all any author could ask for.

Caroline: True. What long-term plans do you have for your career?

Kimberly: Well, I’d love to be able to make writing my full time career (aside from being a mother and wife). It’s my dream to be able to wake up in the morning, grab a cup of coffee and head off to my office for a full day of nothing but writing.

Caroline: Oh, I hope you can be a full-time writer soon. Except for being a wife and mom, it’s the best job in the world. Would you like to tell us what you’re working on now?

Kimberly: Right now I’m working on the second novel for my “McKades of Texas” series. This story revolves around Zane’s sister, Norah. I’d love to be able to tell you a little bit about it, but I’m still working out all the details—I’m a panzer, remember? LOL.

Caroline: What advice would you give to unpublished authors?

Kimberly: I always feel like I should have some sort of deep and meaningful answer for this question, but I don’t. I would advise aspiring authors to just go for it. If you have an untold story in your head write it down, have a very close friend or family member read it and give you their opinion (make sure it’s someone who’s going to be honest with you and not sugar coat things). If it’s good, keep writing. If it’s not so good, tweak it and make it better. And just remember that ALOT of famous authors received multiple turn-downs on their manuscripts before someone realized just how good they were. So don’t ever let a denial get you down.

Caroline: You are so right. Once when I was bummed out, my youngest daughter made a list of famous authors who’d had multiple rejections. What is a fun fact readers wouldn’t know about you?

Kimberly: I can draw. For the longest time I wanted to be an illustrator for children’s books and then it switched to graphic arts. Something clicked when I was visiting art schools my senior year of high school and I realized that I didn’t want to be an artist anymore. I still draw, mostly on my computer, but now I only do it for fun.

Caroline: Wish I could draw, especially on the computer. What is something about you that would surprise or shock readers?

Kimberly: I really don’t have an exciting or shocking answer for this question, lol. I guess a couple of things would be that I have never been off of the east coast of the United States and that I never flew in a plane until my husband and I went on our honeymoon.

Caroline: Your book is the first of a series? How many books do you plan in The McKades?

ZANE: THE McKADES OF TEXAS is a series. I have three books planned and they each revolve around the McKade siblings: Zane, Luke and Norah.

Caroline: Can you tell us something interesting you learned while researching for The McKades series?

Kimberly: I think the only amount of research I did was to make sure the town I created for the McKades to live in did not exist:) I know a lot of authors write about actual towns but I feel that no matter how much research I do that I would never do that town justice. So I make up the places I write about (although I do use some actual cities and towns, but only mention them and not go into detail about them). I find it fun getting to create a place from scratch.

Caroline: I do the same thing. Creating the town give an author so much more freedom. Please give us a blurb about KANE:

Kimberly: Here’s a blurb:
Kellan Anderson is in hillbilly hell – or at least that’s what it feels like. After enduring endless accounts of abuse from her now ex-boyfriend, Kellan makes a run for her life and finds herself in cowboy country. Leaving her fancy clothes and expensive lifestyle behind her, she trades in her high heels for cowboy boots and changes her name to Andi Ford. With her painful past threatening to catch up with her, hiding out in this small town seems easy enough – until one blonde hair, blue eyed cowboy steps in the picture.

Zane McKade has sworn off women, determining that they are all liars and cheats – including the new waitress at the local bar. After a rather unpleasant first encounter with the beautiful brunette, Zane’s radar is set to high as he believes this woman is not who she claims to be. When his intimidation methods fail to break through Andi’s barrier he decides to turn on the charm to get her to tell the truth. But Zane’s plan begins to backfire as the more time he spends charming Andi, the more he finds himself breaking his own rules and falling for her.

Caroline: Gorgeous cover. How about an excerpt?

Kimberly: Here’s an excerpt:
Kellan saw the man coming her way and a nervous feeling began to grow in the pit of her stomach. She hadn’t noticed it when he rode up, but he was incredibly good looking. The man had to be a least six two, with long muscular legs leading up to narrow hips that angled into a  very  masculine upper body. He looked like an athlete. He looked…solid. And although his pale blue shirt was soaked with sweat, it somehow added to his overall appeal. He stopped at her table and glared at her. Only then did she realize that this man was not coming over for friendly chit-chat and her mood shifted.
“Is that your red sports car out there?” Zane asked, tilting his head and jerking his thumb towards the parking lot.
“Yes,” Kellan told him.  What’s it to you?  She stared up at him, waiting for him to continue. But when he just stared back, his deep blue eyes shooting daggers at her, she decided enough was enough. “Is there something I can help you with?”
Zane’s jaw flexed. “You could have four miles ago.”
“What?” She was utterly confused as to what mileage had to do with his apparent anger towards her.
“I don’t look familiar to you?” He stared at her, his eyebrows coming together in frustration.
She looked the man over from head to toe. “No, I’m sorry you don’t.”
Zane let out an exasperated sigh. “How about now?” He raised his arms above his head and waved them just like he had done when he was trying to flag her down.
He looked completely ridiculous and she fought back the urge to laugh at him. But the more she looked at him she realized that he did look strangely familiar. Oh my… He was the man on the side of the road next to the pickup truck just outside of town.
“Oh,” Kellan said. “Yes, I do remember you now. I’m sorry I didn’t recognize you with your shirt on.” She loaded her voice with sarcasm and crossed her arms over her chest. If he was going to have an attitude with her, then she was going to give it right back.
Zane’s eyes narrowed. “Well, would you care to explain why you just blew past me like that?”
Kellan laughed, quietly as to not draw attention. “Why did I blow past you? Hmm, let me think. Um, maybe it has to do with the fact that you were partially naked and in the middle of nowhere.”
Well damn. He hadn’t thought about that. He’d been all riled up thinking that some  guy  just ignored him. Now, thinking about it from her perspective, he could see why she didn’t pull over to help him. As it was though, his built up anger from everything that had transpired today got the best of him and he continued with his rant.
“I was  not  half naked,” he said, his voice low as he briefly glanced around the room to see if anyone could hear them speaking.
“Look,  cowboy.” She said the word as though it were an insult and not an affirmation of what he obviously was. “I’m sorry you’re having a bad day, but don’t come over here and take it out on me. I had a good reason for not stopping earlier and I’m not going to apologize for looking after my own safety. You could’ve been a murderer for all I knew.”
Zane knew that he should just man up and walk away, but he just couldn’t do that now after her snarky “cowboy” remark. Why’d she have to go and say it like that anyway?
“Look,  princess,” he said with the same tone she had used. “This ain’t Hollywood. Take your sunglasses off. You’re inside and you look like a damn fool.”
Kellan’s jaw fell in disbelief.
Zane smiled, feeling triumphant that he got in the last word. He turned and started to walk away from her.
“Screw you,  cowboy!” she yelled after him, saying the word exactly as she had before. “And that horse you rode in on.”
And—Whoops!—now everyone in the diner had turned to look at them.
Zane turned around to face her with amusement on his face. “Very original,  princess.”

Caroline: Where can readers find your books?


Kimberly: In Kindle and Print at:

Kindle:  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008TYZK6I?ie=UTF8&force-full-site=1&ref_=aw_bottom_links

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1112416445?ean=2940014827584 

Caroline: How can readers learn more about you?

Kimberly: Try these links:
Twitter: @klewisnovels
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kimberly-Lewis/290011734397673 
Blog: www.kimberlylewisnovels.blogspot.com

Caroline: Is there anything else you’d like readers to know about you?

Kimbely: I just want my readers to know that I appreciate them very much! Without them this whole writing career of mine would be non-existent.

Caroline: Well said. Thanks for stopping by to visit with us today, Kimberly. Best wishes for success in your career so you can quit the day job. ☺

Readers, here is the complete list of stops on Kimberly Lewis's blog tour;

Aug 22 - Black Lion Tour Blog/introduction
Aug 23 - Cait Lavender, Cowgirl Writer/review
Aug 24 - Caroline Clemmons Blog/interview
Aug 26 - A Novel Idea/live interview (airs 1:00 PM MST)
Aug 28 - Coffee Addicted Writer/guest post
Aug 30 - Books, Books, the Magical Fruit/guest post
Sept 7 - MK McClintock Blog/review and spotlight
Sept 10 - Nothing Better than a Book/review
Sept 11 - The Book Nook/review
Sept 13 - Reviews by Molly/review
Sept 14 - Black Lion Tour Blog/wrap-up
​

Thanks for stopping by!

AUTHOR DEVON MATTHEWS STOPS BY

Author Devon Matthews

Please help me welcome fellow author Devon Matthews to the blog. Devon and I met through Jacquie Rogers and her Western site on Facebook and are both members of the Cowboy Kisses blog.

Caroline: Tell our readers where you grew up and all the private, personal details we long to know.

Devon: I was born and lived the first few years of my life right here in Southeastern Kentucky. When I was in 4th grade, we moved to Ohio and that’s where I lived until I married and moved out into the big, wide world. I’m the eldest of five children. I’ve always been considered a bookworm and enjoyed my alone time with my book friends and my imagination. To this day, my siblings think I’m the odd duck in the bunch. After living all over the country, I’m back in Kentucky. I’m very happily married to my personal hero. We have a grown daughter and son, who still live at home with us.

Caroline: Aren’t we lucky to be married to our Heroes? Who are your favorite authors and favorite genres?

Devon: Need you ask, Caroline? LOL! Actually, I started out being a very eclectic reader. I read everything I could get my hands on. Then, in the ‘70’s, I went into a western phase and read every book at my local library written by Zane Grey and Louis Lamour. It wasn’t until the mid ‘80’s that I happened across my first romance and, guess what, it was a western historical. I was hooked! Up to that point, I had played around with writing. It was only when I started reading western historicals that I knew exactly what I wanted to write. Two of my very favorite historical romance authors are Maggie Osborne and LaVyrle Spencer. Sad days when they retired.

Caroline: Oh, I agree. Maggie Osborne’s THE PROMISE OF JENNY JONES is one of my all-time favorites. What’s your favorite way to relax and recharge?

Devon: My favorite way to relax is to just do nothing. Sit on the back porch with hubby and Molly, our dog, and watch the birds, rabbits and squirrels, and talk. We have a gorgous view of open fields with cattle, and there are nothing but hills in the distance. It’s very relaxing. I also paint, crochet, and quilt. I love quilting. Love the feel of the fabric beneath my hands. It makes me feel connected to the past when I used to sit by the fireplace during the winter and watch my grandmother, mom, and aunt quilt around an enormous frame that was suspended from the ceiling.

Caroline: We had a dog named Molly, a sweet golden lab who lived to be at least sixteen. And Hero and I love watching the birds and small small creatures come to our birdseed feeders. Do you have a favorite quote that sums up how you feel about life?

Devon: My favorite quote, or at least the one I live by, would have to be the one from a Bob Dylan song, “I live in hope.” Go figure.

Caroline: Good quote, and probably something we each do. How long have you been writing?

Devon: I started writing when I learned cursive during second grade. At first, I wrote little poems. Eventually, they grew to be epics. Then I started writing stories that never ended, they just kept going. When I think about that now, it’s no wonder my first completed romance manuscript ended up being 170,000 words. That first romance was nearly 15 years ago. Eventually, that whopper of a manuscript got culled down to 92,000 words and became my first published book.

Caroline: Wow, that was a whopper of a book. Where do you prefer to write? Do you need quiet, music, solitude? PC or laptop?

Devon: Several years ago, hubby turned our dining room into my private writing room. I spend a lot of time in here. It’s my sanctuary, my cave. In here, I’m surrounded by books and other favorite things. I have old bridles and western art hanging on the walls. I have a brass spittoon that actually came from the old western era and a statue of John Wayne that I talked the salespeople at the Houston Trunk Factory in Houston into selling, even though he was only for display with their luggage. He’s been standing guard over my writing for the past 27 years. I write on my PC because the large screen gives me more of the big picture. I do have a laptop, but because the keys are so close together, when my fingers get to flying, I end up with gibberish. I prefer total quiet when I write. Any noise, a tv in another room, people talking, or even music pulls me out of my imaginary world.

Carolien: Devon, I feel the same way about my PC and laptop. And I have my daughter’s former bedroom for my pink cave. Are you a plotter or a panzer?

Devon: A little of both. I started out being a total pantser. My published book, ANGEL IN THE RAIN, started from a single recurring image I had of a woman standing in the desert with long blond hair blowing in the wind. Then, a mysterious stranger on a dark horse would ride up and literally sweep her off her feet and onto the horse with him. I ran with that image and built around it until I had the entire story. It worked out but, these days, I leave nothing to chance. When I conceive a story, I know the beginning, middle, and especially the ending. The rest, the in-between parts, I leave fairly loose. I don’t like planning everything down to a gnat’s patoot because I like to leave the door open for those nice surprises that often pop up during the writing process.

Caroline: That makes you a plotzer. ☺ Do you use real events or persons in your stories or as an inspiration for stories?

Devon: No, so far I’ve never used a real person or historical event as a main focus in my writing. I even invent fictional towns for my main settings and set them down in terrain I’m familiar with. That way, I can give my imagination free rein.

Caroline: Right, and that’s why I have trouble when asked who I’d cast as my hero and heroine. They are unique and in my head and don’t compare to living people. Do you set daily writing goals? Do you get a chance to write every day?

Devon: I’m a daily word count junkie. I keep charts to track my daily count. I’m a bean counter by nature, so it’s a comfort thing to watch the numbers grow on paper. I wish I wrote every day. It’s seems a contradiction to the word count junkie thing, but I’ve always been a binge writer. I’ll write like someone possessed for days on end, until I exhaust myself, then I’ll go as long as weeks sometimes without writing a word. My newest goal is to break that habit and write a manageable number of words *every* day

Caroline:  Daily writing is a good habit, but life does interfere, doesn’t it? What do you hope your writing brings to readers?

Devon: Enjoyment. Plain and simple. My goal is to provide entertainment and to leave my readers with a good, warm feeling when they’ve read the final page.

Caroline: Me, too. What long-term plans do you have for your career?

Devon: Very honestly, the only plan I have right now is to finish the next book. And then the next one and the next. If I can do that, then we’ll see how it goes. I would love to have a career at writing. I would love to someday be named as someone’s favorite author. That’s as close to long-term as I can get right now. ☺

Caroline. Those are good goals. Would you like to tell us what you’re working on now?

Devon: Currently, I’m up to my eyeballs in a western historical romance titled “My Wild Texas Rose.” Here’s what I plan for the back cover copy:

Rose Barrett left her home five years ago, taking with her a secret that tore her family apart. Now, she’s back to confront her brother, whose disastrous debts have endangered their survival. Faced with losing her home forever, she turns to the one man who can help her save it—handsome, headstrong Trey Delaney, her father’s former right hand man.

Trey has no choice but to play along with Rose’s plans or he’ll lose his own birthright. With their adjoining ranches legally tied, if her place goes, his goes with it. Together, they must defy her brother, and defeat an unseen enemy bent on destroying them.

With the passing days, what begins as an arrangement of necessity ignites an affair that heats up the Texas cattle country. In Trey, Rose has at last found a man deserving of her love and trust. Can she heal from her past and give him her heart, or will desire turn to dust when the final secret she harbors is revealed?

Caroline: Rats, wish I’d thought of that title. ☺ What advice would you give to unpublished authors?

Devon: I wish I had something new and revolutionary to say. But the best advice has been given a jillion times over and it’s just this--  Keep at it. Set manageable goals. Never give up. Believe in yourself. And write, just write.

Caroline: Maybe it’s not revolutionary, but it’s great advice. Is your book a series? If so, how long? Family saga, other?

Devon: “Angel in the Rain” is a full-lengh standalone and so is the one I’m currently working on. But I do have a series in the works that I hope to get to after this one is finished. I already have the first two books in the series partially written.

Caroline: Tell us something you learned researching your book that surprised/interested you.

Devon: The most interesting thing that happened while researching ANGEL IN THE RAIN, which takes place on both sides of the border, was taking a trip out to Sierra Blanca in extreme West Texas to scout out the location. I could write an entire book about the experiences we had there. It was quite the trip.

Caroline: Sounds interesting and maybe you will elaborate on a later blog visit. In the meantime, how about a blurb of ANGEL IN THE RAIN?

Devon: Here’s the blurb:
After two years of finishing school, Angel Clayton is determined to redeem herself and become a lady like the mother she never knew. But her wild Texas legacy returns to haunt her when she finds herself the unwilling pawn in a battle of wills between her father’s enemy and a sexy pistolero whose reputation makes hers look positively angelic.
Rane Mantorres is a gunfighter with a big reputation and an even bigger score to settle. When he learns his enemy plans to kidnap a wealthy rancher’s daughter, he foils the plot and kidnaps her himself. Now he must dare far more than he bargained as he’s caught between his thirst for justice and a burning desire for his spirited hostage. Will he risk all—his revenge, even his life—for one night of unforgettable passion with an angel in the rain...

Great cover, right?

Caroline: Quite a set up. How about an excerpt?

Devon: Here’s the opening scene—

West Texas – Spring, 1880

The moment she stepped from the stagecoach, cold chills skittered over Evangeline’s skin. She saw nothing out of the ordinary. Nothing that should have made her uneasy in the least. So, why did she feel as though someone had just stepped on her grave?

The Agave Flats relay station looked much the same as a dozen others she’d seen since leaving the train three days ago—a crude blend of rough-hewn wood and adobe, flanked by knotty-poled corrals, standing in the middle of an empty landscape.

“Thirty minutes, ma’am, if you want to stretch your legs,” the stage driver called.

She forced an answering smile. If she “stretched her legs” much more, she wouldn’t be able to fit them inside the coach. With each interminable stop, she found it harder to tamp down a growing feeling of unease. She needed to be home.

A station attendant led away the horses, amid a swirl of dust. Evangeline looked down and slapped at the grit clinging to her fine, fawn wool traveling suit. Aunt Nelda would have a conniption if she could see her standing there without gloves or even a parasol to protect her ladylike pallor from the harsh southwestern sun. She heaved a breath and turned her back to the warm, grit-laden wind.

That’s when she saw him.

Nerve endings jolted when she spotted the dark figure nearly blending into the shadows of the relay station. The man stood with a shoulder braced against the outside wall, his thumbs hooked on the edge of a low-slung cartridge belt. One booted ankle anchored over the other. His relaxed pose stretched dark trousers taut over a long, muscled thigh. The black hat riding low on his forehead hid all but his chin and sardonically quirked mouth. His very posture exuded arrogance and something more. Something so darkly compelling it bordered sinister.

She knew he was staring at her. Right through her, in fact. Though the hat brim concealed his eyes, his gaze raked her with the impact of a physical touch.

Being stared at by men was nothing new to Evangeline Clayton. A woman traveling alone was a magnet for every roué along the pike, and she’d received her share of suggestive winks and leers during the train ride west.

Somehow, this man’s veiled inspection affected her more, probed deeper, as if he knew her very thoughts. She sensed a coiled energy behind his indifference, like a cat poised to pounce. And she had an eerie feeling that she was his prey.

“Miss Clayton?”

The driver’s voice tugged at her. With reluctance, she turned her back on the enigmatic stranger.
“Yes?”

“Just wanted to tell you, there’s coffee inside, if you want to step in out of the wind while we change the horses.”
“Thank you, Mr. Stewart. I just might do that.”

Evangeline watched the driver walk away and worried the inside of her bottom lip between her teeth. Tiny tingles continued to chase up and down her back.

Abruptly, the sensation vanished. She turned, knowing she would find the man in the shadows gone.

Caroline: Ooooh, intriguing scene. I love the phrase "His gaze raked her with the power of a physical touch." Wonderful visual and sensual writing. Tell us where we can find your books.

Devon:  ANGEL IN THE RAIN is available at:

 Amazon –   http://www.amazon.com/Angel-In-The-Rain-ebook/dp/B004Y1QH1M/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1344492855&sr=8-2&keywords=angel+in+the+rain

Barnes & Noble --   http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/angel-in-the-rain-devon-matthews/1100935446?ean=2940012410115

Smashwords     https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/56057

And how can curious readers learn more about you?

Devon: From these links:
Web site    http://www.devonmatthews.net/

Personal blog    http://www.devonmatthews.blogspot.com/

Cowboy Kisses group blog  http://cowboykisses.blogspot.com/ 

Facebook   https://www.facebook.com/devon.matthews.52

Caroline: Is there anything else you’d like readers to know about you?

Devon: Just that I appreciate you all. The notes I’ve gotten and the interaction with some of my readers have made this journey one of the most extraordinary experiences of my life.

Thank you so much for having me on your blog today, Caroline!

Thank you, Devon, for sharing with us today. Your novel is at the top of my TBR on my Kindle.

Readers, please return Friday for an interview with Kimberly Lewis.

Thanks for stopping by!