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You'll Find this Wonder Woman with a Cozy Mystery

12/27/2017

Good Morning, Booklovers!

Welcome to the last Coffee Chat of 2017! I hope you're having a fantastic holiday season, and that 2018 will be filled with wonder and a stack of incredible books. Meanwhile, let's settle in for a coffee break and meet another new author. This week's guest is mystery writer Avery Daniels.
Pull up a chair, Avery! What may I get you to drink?

AD: When I drink coffee, I use vanilla creamer, a pinch of cinnamon and a dash of Cayenne. Lately I've been drinking more tea.

Ally: Your choice. My magic pot can prepare anything. Tea? Okay, coming right up. While I prepare it, please introduce yourself to readers.

Bio:

Avery Daniels was born and raised in Colorado, graduated from college with a degree in business administration and has worked in fortune 500 companies and Department of Defense her entire life. Her most eventful job was apartment management for 352 units. She still resides in Colorado with two brother black cats as her spirited companions. She volunteers for a cat shelter, enjoys scrapbooking and card making, photography, and painting in watercolor and acrylic. She inherited a love for reading from her mother and grandmother and grew up talking about books at the dinner table.

Something unique about you that isn't in your regular bio: "I am short at 5 ft 1 in, and I can't sing in tune for anything."

Author Contacts:

Website: http://www.Avery-Daniels.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/Avery-Daniels
Newsletter for exclusive offers: http://eepurl.com/c2DgfT

INTERVIEW:

Ally: What types of mysteries do you write?

AD: Iced, a Resort to Murder mystery, is a Cozy Mystery with mild heat, mostly tension.

Ally: Describe your writing process. Schedule, goals, etc.

AD: I am getting my rhythm down. I managed to get the first draft of the second in the Resort to Murder series completed in two and a half months. Now I am in edits and revisions. I am working to get the process to a few months for each book. Fingers crossed.

Ally: Who is your main character and why will the reader care about her?

AD: My main character is Julienne. She got the opportunity to receive on the job training in Resort management so she skipped college to work her way into managing resorts world wide. Her mother died when she was pre-teen and her dad tried his best. She has a gregarious and crazy aunt, uncle, and cousins who - along with dad - want to see her married and providing babies. When she is the prime suspect for murdering the pastor, she is also under pressure to just forget her dreams and job and settle down. I think we either know somebody working hard for his or her dream or may be that person and let's face it, family is often challenging.

Ally: Writers often find inspiration in all kinds of places. Who or what inspired you to write fiction?

AD: I am an avid reader and have been from a young age. I read fiction the entire time from gothic suspense and mysteries to historical fiction, fantasy, and Sci-fi. I was a teen when I wrote a short story about a young girl nursing an injured deer. Writing has been a desire for a good long while.

Ally: If you could have one supernatural power, what would it be and why?

AD: Fly! It would cut down on any commute &/or drive time, and what a sense of freedom.

Ally: What is your next writing project? Anticipated release date?

AD: NAILED is the second in the Resort to Murder mystery series and I hope to release it in February 2018 and I am editing a draft of a political thriller, THE SOCIETY, with release date hopefully in March 2018.

Ally: Now it's time for a few rapid-fire questions.

a. an author (living or dead) you'd love to take to lunch: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
b. an item on your bucket list: Visit Stonehenge for Summer Solstice and Glastonbury, England.
c. Last book that made you laugh: Say No Moor (A Passport to Peril Mystery) by Maddy Hunter.
d. Your pets: Two black cats, short haired. They are brothers who have never been parted. I adopted them from a cat shelter and they are my sweet boys.
e. favorite after-five drink: When I imbibe I enjoy Margaritas and Mojitos. When I am bad, I have a Mud Slide (soooo like dessert). I do enjoy a good German Riesling wine too.
f. If you couldn't write anymore, what would you want to do? Painting and photography, I love the creative side.
g. a fantasy being/person you'd like to be: Wonder Woman of course!!!

Ally: It was a pleasure to meet you, Avery. I wish you a wonderful 2018. Before you leave, please show us the book that you'd like readers to add to their reading list for the new year.

ICED (A Resort To Murder Mystery Book One)
Genre: Cozy mystery

Julienne has her ideal job as an event planner at a prestigious resort. During a luncheon event she coordinated, a renowned celebrity pastor is killed next to the buffet. All eyes turn to her as the suspect. If she wants to stay out of jail or even keep her job, Julienne needs all the help she can get to solve the crime.

She has her work cut out for her with a vengeful high school rival now reporter, the public demanding she be fired, plus family who knows what's best for her, and a boyfriend who doesn't understand her. She turns to friends and a new ally to uncover who wanted to put the pastor on ice.

Julienne goes undercover and investigates a local swingers group as she follows the trail of clues before they go cold. Can she gather enough suspects and motives to convince the police to widen their investigation? Can she do it before the killer sets his murderous sights on her? Will her personal life ever be as simple as unveiling a murderer?

Trailer Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkE1sZ0KeXw

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/ICED-Resort-Mystery-Avery-Daniels-ebook/dp/B071LFD6JV
B&N: https://m.barnesandnoble.com/w/iced-avery-daniels/1126467939
IndyBound: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780999031803
Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/Mysteries-Thrillers/Iced-A-Resort-to-Murder-Mystery-Audiobook/B074FC3T1G

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Christmas Eve in Olde Town, updated version

12/24/2017

2 Comments

Christmas Eve in Olde Town

Twas the Night Before Christmas, and all through Olde Town,
Not a creature was stirring nor making a sound.
The werewolves were running all night through the woods,
The demons were hiding their faces in hoods.

The elves all were dancing; the dwarves were so merry,
The nymphs were excited and so very cheery.
With Ari, Andreas and Rayne altogether,
The town was all settled, snug in the cold weather.

When out of the sky with a light pure and bright
Came a dragon so bold glowing gold and pure white.
Ari dashed across town, stopped on a dime,
If the dragon was hostile, she couldn't get there in time.

The children were gathered in the town square
Singing and dancing, their thoughts without care.
When what did their wondering eyes behold
But the dragon that stories had once foretold.

With scales of pure gold, and eyes oh so green
They knew in a moment it was the Dragon's queen.
She'd come to bring presents, to those old and young,
To recapture the stories that once had been sung.

Of a beautiful princess who had fallen in love
With a handsome dragon from the clouds far above
And every Christmas she brought back her joy
By sharing her gifts with each girl and boy.

When Ari arrived, Rayne and Andreas close by,
The queen pulled out a bag and undid the tie.
She dropped all the toys at Ari's feet
So they could surprise every child with a treat.

Then blowing snowflakes out of her nose,
The dragon winked boldly, or so the story goes,
And spreading her wings, she rose to the sky
"Merry Christmas to all, and I bid you Good-Bye!"

Ally Shields (2013, updated 2018)

Thanks for reading my yearly Christmas fantasy post with the characters from the Guardian Witch series.
Wishing you and yours a wonderful holiday season!

2 Comments

Cozy Mysteries with an Edge

12/20/2017

Welcome to the Coffee Chat!

This week's guest interviewee is mystery writer Judy Penz Sheluk, showcasing her book, Skeletons in the Attic.
Good morning, Judy. What may I get you to drink?

JPS: I don’t drink anything with caffeine – but I’ve become addicted to Tetley’s Warmth herbal tea, a blend of rooibos and cinnamon. I think it may only be available in Canada, more’s the pity if you can’t find it.

Ally: But I have my magic pot, so anything is possible. While I prepare our drinks, please introduce yourself to readers.

Bio:

An Amazon international bestselling author, Judy Penz Sheluk’s debut mystery, THE HANGED MAN’S NOOSE: A Glass Dolphin Mystery, was released in July 2015. SKELETONS IN THE ATTIC, the first book in her Marketville Mystery series, was first released in August 2016, and re-released in all formats in December 2017. Sequels for both series are scheduled for Spring 2018 and early 2019. Her short fiction appears in several collections.
Judy is a member of Sisters in Crime, International Thriller Writers, the Short Mystery Fiction Society, and Crime Writers of Canada, where she represents Toronto/Southern Ontario on its Board of Directors.
She lives in a small town northwest of Toronto with her husband, Mike, and two-year-old Golden Retriever, Gibbs.

Something unique/unusual that isn't in your regular bio: "I can only write when I’m listening to talk radio. Music (mostly country), I can write blog posts, that sort of thing, but when I’m writing fiction… it has to be talk radio."

Author Contacts:

Website: http://www.judypenzsheluk.com
Facebook Author: https://business.facebook.com/JudyPenzSheluk/?business_id=736294013145101
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100004284258678&ref=bookmarks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JudyPenzSheluk
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ca/judypenzsheluk/
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Judy-Penz-Sheluk/e/B00O74NX04
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8602696.Judy_Penz_Sheluk

Interview:

Ally: What will readers discovered when they open the cover of your book?

JPS: An amateur sleuth with an edge: there’s the requisite small town, no overt sex, violence or bad language, but there are also no cats, crafts or cookie recipes.

Ally: Talk about your writing process. Schedule, goals, etc.

JPS: After I finish a book, it takes me a couple of months to get back to another one. I want to get right back at it, but I feel emotionally drained. I’ll dabble, play around with short stories, but a book just seems too daunting. And then, gradually, the voices come back to me, and I know it’s time to start again. Once I get going in earnest, I try to write every day, including Sundays and holidays, even if it’s only for a few stolen minutes, though my goal is always to write a chapter a day. I try to leave each chapter with a bit of a hook, so I’m keen to come back the next day (and hopefully, I’m creating something that makes readers want to keep turning the pages). My first draft takes three to four months. I do edit as I go along, so my first drafts are pretty clean, but they are by no means polished enough to submit to a publisher. The magic is in the revision… you can’t edit a blank page.

Ally: How do you choose and name your characters?

JPS: It depends. With Emily Garland (the protagonist in The Hanged Man’s Noose: A Glass Dolphin Mystery), my favorite childhood book was Emily Climbs by L.M. Montgomery (of Anne of Green Gables fame). Emily Starr of New Moon wanted to grow up to be a writer, and I wanted that, too. It seemed only fitting to name the protagonist in my first book Emily. And I was named after Judy Garland.
In Skeletons in the Attic: A Marketville Mystery, the protagonist is Calamity (Callie) Barnstable. In my day job, I’m the Senior Editor of New England Antiques Journal and I’d just read about some old photographs of Calamity Jane, a Wild West frontierswoman, that had come to auction. And I thought… Calamity, that’s a great name, Callie for short. Initially, I thought Callie Barnes, but somewhere along the line I added the ‘table.’
Another character in Skeletons is Leith Hampton, the lawyer who tells Callie about her inheritance. He started life as Craig Leith (there is a town in Ontario, Canada, called Craigleith), but I couldn’t warm to it. Then I thought, Leith as a first name would work, and Hampton, like the Hamptons in New York, sounded like a good surname for a well-heeled lawyer.
I keep a notebook of possible name ideas – I watch end credits on TV shows and movies and might get a first or last name from those. Then I couple it with something that fits the character I’m writing about.

Ally: How did you select the title of the book you're featuring today?

JPS: Books seem to title themselves. I always start a project as “Book 2” or “Book 3” and I don’t force the title. The Hanged Man’s Noose is the name of a pub in Lount’s Landing, a town named after Samuel Lount, a real life Canadian politician who was hanged for treason. As soon as I named the pub, I knew I had my title.
With Skeletons in the Attic, Callie Barnstable is charged with finding out what happened to her mother when she disappeared thirty years before, when Callie was just six. When she goes into the attic, the first thing she sees among the old trunks and boxes is a skeleton in it. The minute I wrote that scene, I knew I had my title.

Ally: What is your next writing project? Anticipated release date?

JPS: I’m excited to say that A Hole in One, the second book in my Glass Dolphin mystery series, will be released in March 2018. The sequel to Skeletons is scheduled for early 2019. I’m currently working on sequels to both sequels.

Ally: None of us can write all the time. What is your favorite non-writing activity?

JPS: Golf. I’m passionate if not particularly good. I live in a golf course community and I play in two nine-hole ladies leagues. I don’t have the time or patience for 18 holes, though I will play in best ball charity scrambles. Where I live (north of Toronto), our season only goes from mid May to mid October, which is probably just as well. Fall and winter are my most productive writing times. I also enjoy running, though these days, I’m more of a 5k (three mile) sort of runner. I have completed several half marathons and four full marathons in the past. I sometimes think I’d like to do another full marathon. Then sanity sets back in.

Let's try a few short-answer, get-to-know-you questions.
a. an author (living or dead) you'd love to take to lunch: John Sandford. Not only is he prolific, he paces a novel better than anyone living or dead. Then again, I’d probably be too nervous to eat anything. So maybe Sue Grafton. I’ve been reading her since G is for Gumshoe, backtracked to A, and have followed her to Y. Then again, maybe I’d be too nervous to eat anything… you see where this is going. I’m a writer, but I’m a fan first and foremost. My list of favorite authors just keeps growing!
b. favorite tv show: Gilmore Girls. I’ve seen every episode a dozen times, and the Netflix four-part series twice. #TeamLogan.
c. favorite movie: This is a tough one, but I’m going to say I have three oldies but goodies (sorry, I can’t just pick one). The Sting – it was made in 1973 but it holds up as if it were made last week. It’s just a great story, well cast and acted to perfection. Primal Fear – Edward Norton should have won for Best Supporting Actor, and Richard Gere is sublime as the lawyer. For pure silly fun, The First Wives Club. I just re-watched this with my husband, and found myself saying the lines with Goldie Hawn, Bette Midler and Diane Keaton. My hubby was like, “why are you watching this again? You know every line.” And I’m like…”that’s WHY I’m watching it again. It’s like visiting an old friend.”
d. Your pets: I’ve owned four Golden Retrievers as an adult, and a Golden mix as a kid. In order, they were: Sandy, Einstein, Ranger, Copper, and my current two-year old, Gibbs, who was named after Mark Harmon’s character, Leroy Jethro Gibbs, on NCIS. Semper Fi!
e. typical breakfast: A cup of cinnamon rooibos tea and a banana blueberry smoothie made with one banana, one cup of frozen blueberries, one scoop of whey protein powder, and one cup of water. I can’t “eat” until about 10:30 or 11:00, so drinking a smoothie is my compromise.

Ally: Thanks so much for spending this morning with us, Judy. I hope you'll come back to see us again in the new year. Have a terrific holiday! But before you go, please show us your featured book, Skeletons in the Attic.

Skeletons in the Attic
Genre: mystery

Calamity (Callie) Barnstable isn’t surprised to learn she’s the sole beneficiary of her late father’s estate, though she is shocked to discover she has inherited a house in the town of Marketville—a house she didn’t know he had. However, there are conditions attached to Callie’s inheritance: she must move to Marketville, live in the house, and solve her mother’s murder.

Callie’s not keen on dredging up a thirty-year-old mystery, but if she doesn’t do it, there’s a scheming psychic named Misty Rivers who hopes to expose the Barnstable family secrets herself. Determined to thwart Misty and fulfill her father’s wishes, Callie accepts the challenge. But is she ready to face the skeletons hidden in the attic?

“A smartly constructed mystery in the good old-fashioned and highly readable sense.” —Jack Batten, The Toronto Star

“Mystery readers will find Callie a compelling protagonist, the plot a fine, winding investigative piece that redefines the concept of ‘dirty laundry.’ A vivid production that translates to thoroughly engrossing reading right up to a completely unexpected, thought-provoking surprise conclusion.” —D. Donovan, Senior Book Reviewer, Midwest Book Review

Amazon buy link: https://www.amazon.com/Skeletons-Attic-Marketville-Mystery-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B078HD3WH2

Buy Links for all Judy's books:

Barking Rain Press: https://barkingrainpress.org/judy-penz-sheluk/
Amazon : https://www.amazon.com/Judy-Penz-Sheluk/e/B00O74NX04
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/search?query=Judy Penz Sheluk&fcsearchfield=Author
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/sheluk?_requestid=462623
GooglePlay:
https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Judy_Penz_Sheluk_The_Hanged_Man_s_Noose?id=8-5CCgAAQBAJ&hl=en
iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/author/judy-penz-sheluk/id1023241568?mt=11
Audible:
https://www.audible.com/search/ref=a_search_c4_1_1_1_srAuth?searchAuthor=Judy+Penz+Sheluk&qid=1509387400&sr=1-1

Skeletons in the Attic
is also available in Audible.

Three Stories by Caroline Clemmons to Brighten Your Holidays!

12/13/2017

Welcome to another holiday Coffee Chat!

My author guest this week is Caroline Clemmons, who is featuring a sweet western historical, Mistletoe Mistake, suitable for all ages.
Nice to meet you, Caroline. What may I get you to drink?

CC: I’ve never learned to like coffee (don’t hiss and boo, please. ☺) I drink hot tea each morning—Bewley’s Irish Breakfast. Since we live in the South/Southwest, we have iced tea with lunch and supper year round. In cold weather, we often drink hot chocolate with marshmallows in the evening while watching television movies.

Ally: There are a lot of tea drinkers among authors, so my magic pot has developed a knack for fixing it. While I grab some mugs, please introduce yourself to readers.

Bio:

Through a crazy twist of fate, Caroline Clemmons was not born on a Texas ranch. To make up for this tragic error, she writes about handsome cowboys, feisty ranch women, and scheming villains in a small office her family calls her pink cave. She and her Hero live in North Central Texas cowboy country where they ride herd on their rescued cats and dogs. The books she creates there have made her an Amazon bestselling author and won several awards.

Something unique/unusual that isn't in your regular bio: "When 9/11 happened, Hero and I were in Edinburgh, Scotland on the loveliest tour we’ve ever taken. We weren’t certain we would be able to come home when the tour finished so we came up with alternatives. By the time the tour ended, though, we were able to board a flight for Dallas."

Author Contacts:

Find her on her blog, website, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, Google+, and Pinterest.
Click on her Amazon Author Page for a complete list of her books and follow her there.
Follow her on BookBub.
Subscribe to Caroline’s newsletter here to receive a FREE novella of HAPPY IS THE BRIDE, a humorous historical wedding disaster that ends happily—but you knew it would, didn’t you?
She loves to hear from readers at caroline@carolineclemmons.com

INTERVIEW:

Ally: Who or what inspired you to become a fiction writer?

CC: I used to write long, long letters to my family and include little anecdotes from things the children, my husband Hero, and I had done. On one visit, my mother-in-law brought a grocery sack filled with romances. She said, “I know you could write these because of the letters you send.” Reading those romances did inspire me, plus Hero encouraged me (and he still does). My first attempt was pretty awful because I didn’t know about character arc, point of view, scene and sequel, or other key components of a good novel. Joining a chapter of Romance Writers of America and attending their workshops made all the difference. Now I don’t think I could stop writing because it’s become too much a part of me.
.
Ally: How do you pick the names for your characters?

CC: I keep a list of names I’ve used ever since I discovered I’d used the same ones twice—Beth and Riley. For historical novels, I choose carefully to insure the name is period correct. I love unusual names and search for those. Many of the names come from my family history, such as Parmelia, so I know in what era they were popular. For contemporary novels, I use names I hear on television and in conversation.

Ally: Does your real life show up in your writing? In what ways?

CC: I don’t think we could prevent life intersecting our writing, do you? Each of us is a composite of all his or her experiences—good and bad. We draw on these experiences to relate emotion, choose qualities from people we’ve met to fill in a character, pick this or that trait to make each character different from the others.

Virginia Woolf said, “Every secret of a writer’s soul, every experience of his life, every quality of his mind is written large in his works.”

Ann Lamott was less charitable, “You own everything that happened to you. If people wanted you to write warmly about them, they should have behaved better.”

Ally: How much research do you do?

CC: Each book requires unique research, some more than others. My father used to tell captivating stories of when his family came from Georgia to Texas in 1876 and their struggles up through his childhood. I’m sure that’s why I love writing historicals set in that time period. I draw on some of his stories for my work. Books requiring the greatest were The Most Unsuitable Wife, Gabe, and O’Neill’s Texas Bride.

General research is cumulative. For instance, the train travel research for The Most Unsuitable Wife has proved useful for other books for myself and has been shared with friends. Since most of my books take place in Texas or Montana, learning the era customs once is all that’s necessary and then available for many books. Research I haven’t used again is the circus information for Gabe, the coal mining details for O’Neill’s Texas Bride, and the archeology particulars for grant me the moon.

Ally: Tell us about your next book release.

CC: I’m writing Daniel, book 4 of the McClintocks. In book 3, I left poor Daniel paralyzed from the waist down—which resulted in reader complaints that I’d better write his book soon and he’d better be all right! ☺ I’ve extensively researched treatment, including talking to a man who was paralyzed and now walks perfectly. Early physical therapy, which was called mechanotherapy and by other names, has been difficult. In fact, even though I’m enjoying writing this book, doing so is a serious challenge. I anticipate release in January and already have a gorgeous cover.

Let's wind down our interview with these short answer questions:

a. favorite book: I have three: Prince Charming by Julie Garwood, Lord Perfect by Loretta Chase, and Fallon by Louis L’Amour—I re-read them about once a year to re-study descriptions and techniques. Plus, I always enjoy them.
b. Do you believe in love at first sight? Definitely—it happened to me!
c. favorite quote: “Be the change you want to see in the world.” Ghandi
d. Your pets: Three rescued cats: Sebastian-a black tuxedo cat who weighs 20 pounds, Max-a small mischievous Manx, and Jasmine-shy and sweet long-haired Siamese. We lost our little dog, Webster, but will be getting another rescue after the holidays. We favor adopting rescue animals so they won’t be euthanized.
e. favorite place to write: I write on a desktop in my office. The room’s walls are pink and my family calls it my “pink cave”. My computer is on a V shaped desk with a traditional desk beside that. I just got a new monitor I love, which is really the bedroom television set we didn’t use. (Jacquie Rogers gave me that idea.) There are bookcases along one wall. The room is small (7’ by 10’) and crowded, but I am very happy there in my own little writing world.

Ally: It's been a pleasure to have you visit. Before you go, please show us your featured book, Mistletoe Mistake.
(And perhaps just a quick peek at your two Christmas novellas, Angel for Christmas and Stone Mountain Christmas.)

Mistletoe Mistake
Genre: sweet historical western

(Originally included in the anthology Wild Western Women… Mistletoe, Montana.)

Shannon Callahan worked hard to become a physician. In New York, she meets resistance to a woman doctor and feels she is no more than a midwife. When the opportunity arises for her to go to Montana and be the only doctor in the town of Mistletoe, she grabs the chance.

Riley McCallister is sheriff of Mistletoe. When he learns the new doctor is a woman, he is shocked and vows never to let her treat him—no matter how beautiful she is. Slowly, Shannon’s skill wins his respect—and more. Shannon’s expertise and dedication during a measles epidemic convinces the town she is a good doctor—but does their acceptance come too late?

Amazon buy link: http://a.co/gAkI0x7

EXCERPT:

Outside the store, a crowd of running children barreled into her and she grabbed the wall to stop a fall. “Whoa. Where are you going so fast?”

“They’re running from me.” The sheriff strode toward them carrying the saddest looking dog she’d ever seen.
Poor dog was filthy with several shades of brown hair. He was far too large to be toted around in the sheriff’s arms.

“Is that your dog?” She reached out to scratch between the creature’s ears. He ducked as if he thought she’d hit him.
After putting her parcel more securely under her arm, she caught the dog’s muzzle in her hands. “Poor boy, has someone been mean to you? I won’t hurt you.” She stroked his head and scratched between his ears.
The dog’s eyes lost their fear and he licked her hand. The crowd of children chose her distraction to run away.

“That Doan horde probably didn’t intend to be mean, but they were terrorizing this animal. Five of them fighting over him and pulling him first one way and then the other. They’re lucky he didn’t bite one of them.”

“Whose is he?”

“Never saw him before. Looks as if he’s missed a lot of meals.”

“And baths.” She smiled at the lawman. “I guess you have a dog, Sheriff. What are you going to name him?”

The sheriff shook his head. “He’s not mine. I just don’t want him harmed or frightened.”

“Or hungry or dirty or lonely. You definitely have yourself a dog.”

He leaned toward her and spoke over the dog, “I tell you, I don’t.”

Shannon crossed her arms. “Think not? Put him down and walk away and you’ll see.”

Shooting her a glare, he set the dog on the boardwalk. When the sheriff stepped away, the dog stayed at his heels.

Shannon laughed. “You’d better feed your dog, Sheriff. And name him.”

His eyes held mirth even though he pretended to be angry with her. “I should call him Shannon, but I guess I’ll name him Sylvester. I imagine I can get some scraps from the café.”

“Now you have someone to make rounds with you each day.”

He stopped and stared at the dog. “Hear that, Sylvester. Guess you’re the new deputy.”

Still chuckling, Shannon walked toward her new home. Getting out on such a nice day lifted her mood. She’d even had a halfway decent conversation with the sheriff. And his dog.

Amazon Buy links for the novellas:

Angel for Christmas (contemporary) at http://a.co/d7U0toP
Stone Mountain Christmas (historical) at http://a.co/ae47MN7

She Believes in Love at First Sight

12/6/2017

Welcome to another holiday Coffee Chat!

Today's guest is contemporary romance writer, Jean Joachim, featuring her book, Break My Heart.

Nice to have you visit, Jean. What may I get you to drink?

JJ: I drink tea, not coffee, the British way – with milk and sugar.

Ally: No problem. My magic pot can fix anything you want. While I brew something up, please introduce yourself to our readers.

Bio:

Jean Joachim is an award-winning, international best-selling romance author, with books hitting the Amazon Top 100 list in the U.S. and abroad since 2012. She writes mostly contemporary romance, which includes sports romance and romantic suspense. Jean has 43 books, novellas and short stories published.

Dangerous Love Lost & Found won 1st place in the suspense category in the 2015 Oklahoma Romance Writers of America International Digital Awards contest. The Renovated Heart won Best Novel of the Year from Love Romances Café. Lovers & Liars was a RomCon finalist in 2013. And The Marriage List tied for third place as Best Contemporary Romance from the Gulf Coast RWA. To Love or Not to Love tied for second place in the 2014 New England Chapter of Romance Writers of America Reader’s Choice contest. She was chosen Author of the Year in 2012 by the New York City chapter of RWA.

Married and the mother of two sons, Jean lives in New York City. Early in the morning, you’ll find her at her computer, writing, with a cup of tea, her rescued pug, Homer, by her side and a secret stash of black licorice.

Something unique/unusual that isn't in your regular bio: "I studied piano for three years. I was dropped by my piano teacher when I refused to do the recitals as they made me too nervous."

Author Contacts:

Sign up for her newsletter, on her website: http://www.jeanjoachimbooks.com
Or on the Facebook link below, and be eligible for her private paperback sales.
https://www.facebook.com/Jeansbooks/app/?sk=app_100265896690345

Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/Jean-C.-Joachim/e/B001ITRQKY/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/334810.Jean_C_Joachim
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/jeanjoachim/

Interview:

Ally: Who is your main character, and why should readers care about him or her?

JJ: Breaker Winslow is a male model extraordinaire. He runs with the rich, fast crowd. He sleeps around, has millions, owns a townhouse in NYC, and has a non-stop career. Until a fire destroys everything, including his looks.

You might say, why should I care about him? Because after he loses everything and has to rebuild his life from ground zero, he learns what’s really important in life. He thinks that all he wants is to get his old life back. Then, by a twist, he has the opportunity to do that. Will he? Will it be everything he thought it was?

Ally: But how well do you really know him? Can you answer these questions about Rick "Breaker" Winslow?

a. age, gender – male, somewhere in his mid thirties.
b. color of hair and eyes – dark hair, almost black, and piercing, Caribbean blue eyes
c. level of education and/or training – Rick went to college but never graduated because he was traveling all over the world modeling.
d. favorite color – Being the egotist he is, Caribbean blue, the same color as his eyes is his favorite color.
e. style of clothes – Expensive. Italian suits made to order, designer jeans, only the top-of-the-line for everything. Until he moves to the country. Then he gets into flannel shirts and old, beat-up jeans.
f. pets – Oliver, formerly known as Scruffy. A pug, of course.

Ally: Since this blog has strong paranormal ties, I have to ask one woo-woo question. Here is yours. If you could have one supernatural power, what would it be and why?

JJ: I’d want to fly, like Superman. I think it would be so great to soar with birds, see the world from above and get about without driving or taking public transportation. I’d get to investigate all those nests up on high you see from the ground and make friends with eagles.

Ally: Tell us about your favorite hobby (non-writing).

JJ: It has to be photography. I love art and taking pictures. I’m very visual. Capturing something beautiful to look at whenever I want is awesome. Creating artistic pictures and advertisements for my books, as well as the occasional cover is my go to relaxation and quiet joy place. I love fooling around with art.

Ally: Have you thought about one of your books being made into a movie? Who would play the parts?

JJ: Yes. Break My Heart would make a good movie. I think Tom Ellis, who plays the title role on Lucifer, would be ideal as Rick Breaker Winslow.

Ally: Are you ready for some short answer questions? Go!

a. favorite book – Pride and Prejudice
b. book you're currently reading – Flow – a hockey romance by V.L. Locey
c. an author (living or dead) you'd love to take to lunch – Jane Austen
d. manicure or pedicure – Pedicure. My hands are too busy to keep a manicure.
e. favorite tv show – Designated Survivor or Face Off
f. favorite accessory (jewelry, scarves, shoes, etc.) – scarves.
g. Do you believe in love at first sight? Yes. And I write about it, too.

Ally: Thanks for spending time with us, Jean. Best of luck with your books. Before you go, let's take a peek at Break My Heart.

Break My Heart
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Men envied Breaker Winslow and women wanted to sleep with him. As a top cover model with a budding acting career, he embodied every man’s dream. Living in a townhouse in Manhattan, Rick Breaker Winslow had everything he ever wanted.

When fire ripped through his home, trapping his beautiful golden retriever, Breaker pushed firemen aside to rescue his beloved dog. While heading for the stairs with the canine in his arms, a falling beam crushed them, killing the animal and scarring Breaker’s face.

Life, as the famous Breaker Winslow, disappeared. With his career finished, Rick appealed to his friends –who turned their backs on him.

Broken, despondent, and alone, he takes refuge in a decrepit farm house in rural Pine Grove. Can the man who had success and love around every corner rebuild his life or is escape the only answer?

Buy Links:

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076N541Y5
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B076N541Y5
Amazon Canada: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B076N541Y5
Amazon Australia: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B076N541Y5
Barnes & Noble: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Jean_Joachim_Break_My_Heart?id=CG4-DwAAQBAJ
KOBO: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/break-my-heart-2
Google Play:
https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Jean_Joachim_Break_My_Heart?id=CG4-DwAAQBAJ
iTunes/Apple Books: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1313043574
Print: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1979727066

Thanks for stopping by. See you next week!

A Christmas Books Spotlight

12/2/2017

Christmas Under the Stars

November 1858, Utah Territory
Edie Meredith strives to keep her temper and her tongue under control as she heads west with her brother to California. Raised in an itinerant preacher family, she promises she will never marry a man of the cloth.
Tom Aiken, drover of the wagon train, longs to answer his true calling: to preach, and while he realizes not every woman would choose a preacher for a husband, he hopes to soon find his help-meet.
Suspicious ‘accidents’ plague their journey. Is someone trying to keep them from reaching their destination? Or will misunderstanding and circumstances keep them apart?

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Under-Stars-Donna-Schlachter/dp/1943688389

The Mystery of Christmas Inn, Colorado

Matthew returns to Christmas Inn to celebrate his fortieth anniversary alone, intending to take his own life so he can join his beloved Sarah, who passed on to glory the previous January. Not certain how—or if—he will go on without her, Matthew learns on his arrival that the old inn will close its doors on New Year’s Eve. A developer has purchased the building and intends to tear it down and put up a chain hotel. Determined to keep his memories and his connection to Sarah alive, Matthew embarks on a harebrained scheme to keep the inn open.
Edith Cochrane, a widow, comes to Christmas Inn because she has nowhere else to spend the holidays. Her children are angry with her because she refuses to choose to live with one of them. Edith and her husband enjoyed a long marriage and a long mission-field ministry, but ever since his passing the previous year, Edith has found herself at loose ends. She comes to Christmas Inn to spend some time thinking about her options.
Can Matthew and Edith save the old hotel—and themselves—or will they run out of time?

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Mystery-Christmas-Inn-Colorado/dp/1943688400

Both Books:
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2ci5Xqq
Smashwords: http://bit.ly/2gZATjm

About Donna:

Donna lives in Denver with husband Patrick, her first-line editor and biggest fan. She writes historical suspense under her own name, and contemporary suspense under her alter ego of Leeann Betts. She is a hybrid publisher who has published a number of books under her pen name and under her own name. Her recent releases include The Mystery of Christmas Inn, Colorado and Christmas Under the Stars. Donna is also a ghostwriter and editor of fiction and non-fiction, and judges in a number of writing contests. Donna loves history and research, and travels extensively for both. Donna is proud to be represented by Terrie Wolf of AKA Literary Management.

Author Links:
www.HiStoryThruTheAges.wordpress.com
www.HiStoryThruTheAges.com Receive a free ebook simply for signing up for our free newsletter!
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/DonnaschlachterAuthor
Twitter: www.Twitter.com/DonnaSchlachter

You'll Find this Wonder Woman with a Cozy Mystery

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Christmas Eve in Olde Town, updated version

Cozy Mysteries with an Edge

Interview:

Three Stories by Caroline Clemmons to Brighten Your Holidays!

INTERVIEW:

She Believes in Love at First Sight

Interview:

Thanks for stopping by. See you next week!

A Christmas Books Spotlight

Both Books:Amazon: http://amzn.to/2ci5XqqSmashwords: http://bit.ly/2gZATjm

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Both Books:
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2ci5Xqq
Smashwords: http://bit.ly/2gZATjm