Barbara Monajem confesses her love for the OXFORD Dictionary #historical #interview

Imagine: your second RWA conference and your first KOD Death by Chocolate event and you meet a nice lady sitting next to you, little knowing this person would be a friend since. 

Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you 

Barbara Monajem!!!

Barbara Monajem is the award-winning author of the Bayou Gavotte paranormal mysteries, Sunrise in a Garden of Love & Evil, Tastes of Love & Evil, and Heart of Constantine, as well as several Regency novellas. Her latest novel, Lady of the Flames, is a Regency romantic suspense with magic. She lives near Atlanta, Georgia with her husband and an ever-shifting population of relatives, friends, and feline strays.

Lord Fenimore Trent’s uncanny affinity for knives and other sharp blades led to knife fights, duels, and murderous brawls. Five years ago, he faced a choice: marry Andromeda Gibbons, the woman he loved, or find a safe, peaceful use for his blades by opening a furniture shop—an unacceptable occupation for a man of noble birth. The choice made itself when Andromeda turned to another man. The furniture shop prospered, but now Fen’s partner has been accused of treason. In order to root out the real traitor, he may face another unpalatable choice—to resort to the violent use of his blades once again.

Once upon a time, Andromeda Gibbons believed in magic. That belief faded after her mother’s death and vanished completely when Lord Fenimore, the man she loved, spurned her. Five years later, Andromeda has molded herself into a perfect—and perfectly unhappy—lady. When she overhears her haughty betrothed, the Earl of Slough, plotting treason, she flees into the London night—to Fen, the one man she knows she can trust. But taking refuge with Fen may mean far more than getting help. 

Can Andromeda learn to believe in love, magic, 

and the real Andromeda once again?

Find an excerpt from Lady of the Flames at: Excerpt

Find Lady of the Flames at: Amazon   Barnes and Noble

And now for the Fun!!! QUESTIONS:

Vicki:  I’m a huge handbag girl. What is your favorite accessory? Barbara: Do socks count as an accessory? I adore socks – thick, thin, short, long, wildly colorful or purely practical. The only item on my bucket list is to become successful at knitting socks. Since I hardly ever get any time for knitting, I’m not sure I’ll ever succeed, so maybe this is just a way of staving off the inevitable…?

Vicki: Okay, you ca get by with the socks especially since you crafted them. I love warm wool socks (hint-hint)!

Vicki: How often do you get lost in a story?  Barbara: Every day! (Whether I’m reading or writing one.)

Vicki: What was the first story you remember writing? Barbara: I wrote one about apple tree gnomes in third grade. An embarrassing number of years later, I still put little magical creatures in my stories, even though they’re adult romances these days.

Vicki: That is so cute. 

Vicki: Be honest, when reading...do you put yourself in the heroine’s role? Barbara: Yes, to some extent. Often I think, I would never have the guts to do that! or, What, is she crazy? Sometimes, I fall in love with the hero, but just as often, I think he’s a great guy for the heroine but wouldn’t do for me. 

Vicki: Is writing or story-telling easier for you? Barbara: Writing. I don’t enjoy talking. I have an occasional, unpredictable stammer, which makes talking sort of nerve-wracking and too much work.

Vicki: If you couldn’t be a writer anymore, what profession would you take up? Barbara: Retirement? LOL. Actually, I’m a total nerd about words—their origins and meanings and how they change over time—so I would love to work on the Oxford Dictionary. That was always my dream job.

Vicki: Wow, Barbara, that would be interesting.

Vicki: What’s the first thing you do when you finish writing a book? Barbara: Jump eagerly into writing the next one.

Vicki: If you were given a chance to travel to the past where would you go and specifically why? Barbara: It depends on whether I could also be invisible if I chose, invulnerable to disease, and could beam myself back to the future anytime I liked. (I’m a wimp, so danger wouldn’t work for me.) Anyway, to answer the question, I’d like to see Anglo-Saxon England. This is due to reading lots of historical novels about that era. The ones that spring to mind are the Saxon Chronicles by Bernard Cornwell. Ancient Rome and Roman Britain would be great, too. Again, it’s because of books I’ve read: The Eagle of the Ninth and other stories by Rosemary Sutcliff, and the Marcus Didius Falco mysteries by Lindsey Davis.  Also, after reading The Doomsday Book by Connie Willis (time travel to the mid-1300s) and The Vizard Mask by Diana Norman (17^th Century), I would like to try either of those eras when the plague was raging. I know it sounds ghoulish, but for some weird reason it fascinates me. I’m pretty sure I would come home in a hurry because seeing the suffering and being unable to help would be so horrible. OK now, enough dark stuff for today…

Vicki: What do you do to unwind and relax? Barbara: Duh! I read, of course.

Vicki: Do you read reviews of your books? If so, do you pay any attention to them, or let them influence your writing? Barbara: Yes, I read them. If they’re complimentary, I’m happy. If they’re not, oh well. And sometimes I learn something helpful, so why not?

Vicki: What are the next five books on your ‘to be read’ pile? Barbara: The Soldier’s Dark Secret by Marguerite Kaye (Regency romance). Wicked My Love by Susanna Ives (Victorian romance). Why Kings Confess by C.S. Harris (Regency mystery). An Early Wake by Sheila Connolly (contemporary mystery--in Ireland). Night at the Vulcan by Ngaio Marsh (a reread of a mystery by one of the greats). There’s not one paranormal in the lot, so that’s what I’ll be looking for after that.

Vicki: What drew you to write in the genre(s) you do? Barbara: I enjoy romance, mystery, and magic (which can be anything paranormal). I love writing stories that combine all three. J

FIND Barbara Monajem at:

Email     Website   Facebook  Twitter   Goodreads   Pinterest   Blog

UP NEXT: It will be an anthology in the summer, but I don’t have a final cover yet. The title is Passionate Promises, and the authors are all from the Embracing Romance bloggers.

PREVIOUS RELEASES: The Christmas Knot, my Regency Gothic mystery romance novella (I admit, I really have a hard time sticking to one genre at a time), is in the boxed set, Captivated By His Kiss, which is still available for 99 cents (but not for much longer).

WILL YOU HAVE A DRAWING FROM THOSE LEAVING COMMENTS?

 A drawing would be good. I will give away a Regency novella duet (two related novellas) OR one of the Bayou Gavotte paranormal mysteries, winner’s choice. E-books only, Amazon or Barnes & Noble. Please leave your email address in the comments to be eligible. 

Thank you, Barbara, for being my guest today 

and many hugs!

Romancing The Highwayman

What is it about the roguish Highwayman that kindles our imaginations? 

Perhaps it has something to do with Alfred Noyes’s romantic poem, The Highwayman. 

Do you remember reading that poem in school? “The moon was a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas…”  Sigh. 

I do. I fancied myself the innkeeper’s daughter leaning out my window, “plaiting a dark red love-knot into her long black hair.”

If you haven’t read it in a year or two--you must! You really must. Here is a link to it on my website: Alfred Noyes Poem.

Oh, the mystery and romance of the Midnight Rider and his dark deeds. My latest traditional Regency novella is a tribute to that poem, with a fun twist. I’m sure you’ll guess what it is from this excerpt.

EXCERPT:

     His mouth was a pawn’s length from hers. She held her breath, unmoving. Afraid to hope. Afraid not to hope. Heaven above! Where was her sword when she needed it? If she had her sword, she might hold him hostage and extract everything she desired from him, all the lost words and missed touches. She would rob him of every kiss he owned, if only she had her sword. Instead, she was his hostage. Held captive by his nearness, his lips, his intoxicatingly masculine smell, and startlingly blue eyes that made long dead flames burn again.

His lips moved in a husky whisper. “I believe I will collect, now.”

“Collect?” She gulped air, breaking the simple word into too many throaty syllables. Heat crawled up her neck and blazed onto her cheeks.

“Yes.” His dimples deepened. “On your part of the bargain, of course.”

He did not give her a chance to debate. He covered her mouth with his, softly stealing away four years of want. She opened to him, allowing him to fill her miserly heart with warmth. And now, she would have one more memory with which Lucifer would taunt her when she made her final journey to Hades.

Trace hugged her to his chest. “Lizzy, Lizzy, how I’ve missed you.”

A tear escaped its mooring and glided down her cheek, sliding, falling, like the last leaf of autumn. Glistening, it twirled down to crumble and rot beneath the tree, alongside the dreams that had fallen there four years ago.

     She’d made her choice, chosen a path that would divide them forever. Good from evil. He was an honest man. A gentleman of his word. She was a criminal. A thief. A liar. She had no future, save that which rightfully belonged to a hangman.

Humorous Highwaymen?

Okay, well that excerpt was pretty serious. But can highwaymen be funny? I hope so. As with all my stories, I tackle the subject with tongue in cheek and a cast of characters fit to inhabit an Oscar Wilde play. 

Back to our original Question. What is it about pirates and highwaymen that makes our pulse gallop with them across the purple moor, and inspires poets and writers to romanticize them? 

I think it is his untamed nature that we find so intriguing. He is fearless. The highwayman is not bound to anything except the open road. He roams the forests and byways completely unfettered by responsibilities. The pirate or roguish sea captain is much the same. He belongs to the sea. These reckless rogues blow a wistful wind across our staid everyday lives, awakening our own desire for freedom on an almost mystical level.

Here’s a music video that aptly captures this mystical romanticism. The Highwayman sung by The Highwaymen (Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, and Kris Kristopherson)   

What about you? Have you read Alfred Noyes’s poem. Fess up. Did you ever daydream about the mysterious highwayman and the innkeeper’s daughter who loved him?

I’ll be giving a FREE eBook of The Highwayman novella to everyone who comments today. 

PS: If your blogger profile doesn’t include your email be sure to post it in your comment if you would like the gift Amazon eBook.

Until then, Happy Reading!

Get Lost in Cathy Perkins Honor Code

Get Lost in a Story Readers:  I'm thrilled to bring back to our blog the fabulously talented Cathy Perkins

 

 

About Honor Code: 

In a small southern town where everyone knows each other’s
business, veteran detective Larry Robbins must solve the disappearance of eighty-year-old widower George Beason.

 

When evidence arises that Beason may have left town on his own, it would be easy for Robbins to close the case, but his gut instinct tells him more’s at stake. As he uncovers clues about Beason’s deceased wife and his estranged daughter, Robbins must untangle conflicting motives and hidden agendas to bring Beason home alive.

 

With HONOR CODE, award-winning author Cathy Perkins delivers a mystery NOVELLA linked to her mystery novel, THE PROFESSOR.

 

Cathy Perkin’s Honor Code is a tense police procedural whose hero is a taunt mix of weariness and optimism. The book begins with the kidnapping of the old man and as the mystery unravels the layered strands of family disfunction, fading communities and fractured marriages reveal a cop whose seen it all but still strives to make a difference. The crime and its solution are riveting, but not as compelling as the detective at the center of book. – Beachside Reviews

The opening scene is powerful in its imagery and emotion… the secondary characters added layers to the story that made me forget I was reading a novella - Renee Rearden

DONNELL: Welcome to Get Lost in a Story!  Time for Readers to learn all about you…well, sort of.  Honor.  Such an important part of characterization in our stories and in life.  Give us an example of when honor was critical in your life.

 

CATHY:  Whew, heavy question before I finish my first cup of coffee. I rarely think about honor in connection with a specific event. For me, it’s more about core values that impact a hundred small decisions every day. It’s how you chose to live your life. When you’re consistent with those core beliefs, the same values provide the strength to deal with major challenges.

I just realized this is another theme that often shows up in my stories. The novel I’m getting ready to turn in also revolves around a character’s attempt to live by a code of honor (except in that story it leads to disaster). Thanks Donnell, I hadn’t seen that before. J

 

DONNELL:  Ha!  It was intentional.  If you pick up a book, what genre is it generally?  Are Mystery/Thrillers primarily what you write?

 CATHY: I’m a voracious reader. Mysteries and thrillers are my ‘go-to’ stories, but I also enjoy literary, fantasy… I’ve been on a women’s fiction binge lately. So many of those stories delve deeply into relationships.

My stories are predominately mystery/suspense, but I tend to make them more character-driven than strictly action-oriented. I enjoy the way the character’s conflict play into the external plot.

 

DONNELL:  This is your second release.  Did you experience second-book syndrome?

 

CATHY: Hmm… not sure what you’re referring to. I’ve written two novels since I finished The Professor. Both are out on submission, so cross your fingers that the editor loves them.

Honor Code was a gift from the muse – delivered up nearly intact. I’d wake up in the morning with a scene vivid in my imagination. I’d scramble to write it down and was always delighted when it still sounded good when I edited it later. Don’t you love it when that happens?

 

DONNELL:  Describe your office.  Is it organized, cluttered?  Would I want to trade you?

 

CATHY: How about organized chaos? I telecommute to my day job. I converted a bedroom into an office for it. Since I’m always working on multiple projects, there are (ahem) a few piles of paper.  On the floor, the credenza.

Since I want to keep my writing separate from my day job, I generally write at the dining room table. Of course, those windows have an eighty-mile view to the Blue Mountains – inspiring!

 

DONNELL:  Writing a sequel to The Professor, how hard was that?  Or was it like reuniting with an old friend?

 

CATHY:  Honor Code isn’t really a sequel, although Detective Larry Robbins was a secondary character in The Professor. Honor Code is Robbins’ story. In a way it was like visiting an old firend since I “knew” his character. I felt there was more to explore with him. I love that a reviewer said about Robbins: “The crime and its solution are riveting, but not as compelling as the detective at the center of book.”

 

DONNELL:  What is the most unusual thing you have in your closet?

 

CATHY: Oh my. {Peeks into closet and slams door} Err… let’s try another one. The pantry! Here’s something unusual: a tea-set awarded to my husband’s great-great-grandfather for his actions when the mine exploded and collapsed (back in Wales). The engraving on the tea-pot is lovely.

 

DONNELL:  If you could go back in time, to what era would you travel, and who would you meet?

 

CATHY: I love visiting other times and places in stories. May I dabble a bit with this question? I’d like to visit the Renaissance and discuss art and science with Leonardo da Vince; watch the first Guggenheim Bible slide out of the press; carve cylinder seals with Mesopotamian artisans; see the first cave woman figure out how to make thread and the Scotsmen learn to knit. Talk with Clara Barton about the Red Cross; share recipes with the Benedictine monks. Oh, I could go on forever…

 

Cathy, now it’s your turn.  Time to ask the reader a question.  And READERS, THIS JUST IN.  CATHY'S BOOK IS FREE ON AMAZON KINDLE TODAY http://www.amazon.com/Honor-Code-Mystery-Novella-ebook/dp/B009STQQIE

 

CATHY:  Have you ever found yourself thinking about a character – after the story is finished? What makes you think about them? The character themselves or the situation he or she was in?

 

Cathy's links and contact information.

www.cperkinswrites.com

Twitter

Facebook

Amazon - Available in both eBook and paper

 

Happy New Year! Donnell

 

You too, friend.  Thanks. Cathy for being our guest!!