Welcome Author C.B. Clark
Give a warm welcome to CB Clark, author of Cherished Secrets, released October 26, 2016!
Pull up a chair, grab a drink of your choice from the cooler, a Chocolate Chip or Peanut Butter cookie from the plate, and let’s find out a little about C.B., and her romantic suspense with menacing web of secrets, deception and danger.
Oooh sounds like my kind of book. How about you? Now, I have a few questions for you.
What secret do you use to blast through writer’s block?
There’s nothing worse than staring at a blank page and a blinking cursor. If I’m stuck in a story and the words won’t come, I go back and re-read the previous scene. I usually find that I’ve boxed myself in a corner, or I’ve written scenes where I have my characters doing things they’d never do. Once I rewrite the scene, the words usually flow. If that doesn’t work, there’s always a long walk in the woods, or a big glass of red wine.
Did you tell friends and family that you were writing a book? Or did it take awhile to come out and tell friends and family you were a writer?
It took me a long time to admit to others that I wrote. I still struggle with this. I think it’s because I live in a small town where there aren’t any writers’ groups, and I feel alone in my pursuit. Once people find out I’ve written a manuscript, their first question is, ‘Are you published?’ They have no understanding of how hard it is to be published in today’s market. Their second question is, ‘What do you write?’ How often have I cringed as their lips curl and they smirk when I admit I write romance? It wasn’t until I connected with other romance writers on-line and attended conferences that I became comfortable telling others that I write and what I write.
Why do you write romantic suspense?
I love creating new worlds and peopling them with interesting characters and then upping the stakes and watching them scramble to reach their goals. I grew up reading romantic suspense greats like Mary Stewart, Daphne du Maurier, Phyllis Whitney and Victoria Holt. Later, I enjoyed Linda Howard, Suzanne Brockman and Nora Roberts, among others. What’s more exciting than a strong hero and heroine finding love against all odds? Add in a dollop of action, danger, and intrigue and you have the perfect read.
What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
I love the outdoors and spend as much time as I can hiking with my dog through the forested wilderness behind my house. I also enjoy canoeing on a quiet lake or careening through rapids on a wild river. In the winter, I cross country ski and snowshoe. This past year I’ve caught the travelling bug, and along with my husband, I’ve hiked the Inca Trail in Peru, canoed the Yukon River, and cycled through Central America. My next adventure is Vietnam.
WOW, what fun! I like to travel too but we aren’t world travelers. My hubby and I travel the US in our RV as vacation time allows. LOL
BIO:
C.B. Clark has always loved reading, especially romances, but it wasn’t until she lost her voice for a year that she considered writing her own romantic suspense stories. She grew up in Canada’s Northwest Territories and Yukon. Graduating with a degree in Anthropology and Archaeology, she has worked as an archaeologist and an educator, teaching students from the primary grades through the first year of college. She enjoys hiking, canoeing, and snowshoeing with her husband and dog near her home in the wilderness of central British Columbia.
You can find more information about C.B. Clark here:
Facebook: cbclarkauthor@facebook.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/cbclarkauthor @cbclarkauthor
Blog: https://cbclarkauthor.wordpress.com
Goodreads author page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15029617.C_B_Clark
Tell us a little about Cherished Secrets.
Twelve years ago, sixteen-year old Carrie Ann Hetherington, pregnant with the child of a murder suspect, fled the small town of Cooper’s Ridge for the anonymity of Seattle. Now, faced with a family dilemma, she must risk her carefully reinvented life and return to her childhood home.
Eighteen-year-old Declan McAllister’s prom date is found beaten and strangled to death, and he becomes the prime suspect accused of the grisly crime. Now this successful Dallas businessman returns to Cooper’s Ridge to find the true murderer and finally lift the cloak of suspicion he’s faced all these years. In his quest to prove his innocence, he must join forces with the woman who shattered his heart to find a devious killer who will stop at nothing to protect a shocking truth.
Caught up in a menacing web of secrets, deception and danger, they struggle to overcome past betrayals and present danger. Can they tear down the barriers they’ve erected around their hearts and rediscover true love?
How about an excerpt?
Her breath caught in her throat. A small fragment of cloth lay atop her purse, the vibrant colors glowing in the meager, late afternoon light. With a shaking hand, she picked up the cloth. The smooth silk slid between her fingers. Mesmerized, she studied the scrap of torn fabric.
The air in the car was suddenly too thick to breathe. Fingers shaking, she turned the cloth over and jammed her fist in her mouth stifling a scream. Written across the silk in thick, black letters was a single, condemning word. Guilty.
She dropped the cloth as if it burned and gulped air. While she’d been traipsing around the forest looking for where the killer had dumped Skye’s body, someone had been inside her car and left this piece of Skye’s scarf for her to find. The same person could still be here, watching her, waiting.
Her hands shook so much she dropped the keys on the floor twice before finally fitting them in the ignition and starting the car. The engine choked, sputtered and died.
Where can we pickup a copy?
Buy Links:
It was wonderful having you with us today. Please feel free to stop by anytime. Wish you all the best for Cherished Secrets.
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Posted in Authors' Secrets Blog and tagged Murder, Romance, Suspense by Tena Stetler with 23 comments.
Welcome Author Kathryn Knight!
Give a warm welcome to Kathryn, author of Haunted Souls, just released June 1, 2016!
Pull up a chair, grab a drink of your choice from the cooler, a Chocolate Chip cookie from the plate, and let’s find out a little about Kathryn.
What inspired this story?
My sister and I are huge fans of all things spooky, and when she came to Cape Cod to visit me, we went on a “Haunted Historical Tour” of Barnstable Village, which began and ended at the Old Jailhouse, the oldest wooden jailhouse in the country. It dates back to 1690 and many, many prisoners died in the crowded cells. I started thinking about what would happen if one of the ghosts followed us home, and the ghost mystery piece of Haunted Souls was born.
Why do you write what you write?
When I was in grade school, I read one of my favorite books of all time, Jane-Emily by Patricia Clapp. It was a ghost story mixed with a very sweet historical romance, and I read it over and over through the years and even read it to my kids. Ever since then, spooky suspense mixed with romance has been my favorite mix of genres…I love the combination of steamy romance and shivers-up-your-spine, haunting suspense.
Do you see yourself in your characters?
I definitely see myself—and some of my best friends—in the group of friends who reunite in Silver Lake. I based this tight-knit group on our high school group, although I pulled different pieces from everyone, mixed them up, and sprinkled them with a healthy dose of fiction. And thankfully, none of us mysteriously disappeared our senior year, only to return with a message from beyond the grave!
Tell us a little about Haunted Souls.
Four years ago, Emily Shea and Staff Sergeant Brett Leeds agreed to part with no strings attached. Sparks flew during their brief affair, but fate intervened, sending Brett overseas. When an unexpected pregnancy derailed Emily’s own plans, her attempts to locate Brett were soon overwhelmed by the challenges of single motherhood. Now, Brett has returned home, and Emily is forced to share her secret.
Despite feeling betrayed, Brett is determined to forge a relationship with their son, Tyler. As the former lovers battle both their inner demons and their mutual desire, another presence enters their lives—Tyler’s imaginary friend.
Soon, however, the chilling evidence points to a different conclusion: a ghost has formed a dangerous connection with their son. Emily’s attempts to help both a lost soul and a friend in need spiral toward a deadly confrontation, and Brett must race to save Emily before he loses her again—forever.
Ohhh… I love ghost stories! Do you have an excerpt for us?
“No, Emily. I don’t want anything to happen to you.” The words slipped out, but they were true. Not much scared him, but a thread of fear trickled through his veins at the thought of her dangerous plans. Brett suddenly realized he’d do anything to protect her, at all costs.
She cocked her head, lifting her eyebrows. “Really? I find that hard to believe.”
“Stop.” Damn it. She was like some kind of gravitational force, pulling him toward her. He closed the distance between them in three long strides. “You know I care about you.”
She stood, looking up at him, her eyes flashing with challenge. “As Tyler’s mom, you mean.” The old clock on her desk ticked off the seconds as they faced off, the heat growing between them.
He pushed at the chair with a savage thrust, and it rolled away quietly on its wheels. Backing her toward the desk, he grabbed her shoulders. “As Emily,” he growled, now angry with himself. But there was no resisting it. He crushed his lips over hers, allowing his desire to take control. His body needed her—it was as simple as that.
You can find Haunted Souls at:
Kindle link
Nook link
Kathryn Knight spends a great deal of time in her fictional world, where mundane chores don’t exist and daily life involves steamy romance, dangerous secrets, and spooky suspense. Kathryn writes contemporary romance spiked with mysterious hauntings as well as YA paranormal romance filled with forbidden love. Her novels are award-winning #1 Amazon Bestsellers and RomCon Reader Rated picks. When she’s not reading or writing, Kathryn spends her time catching up on those mundane chores, driving kids around, and teaching writing classes. Two of her ghost story/romance titles, Gull Harbor and Haunted Souls, are set on beautiful Cape Cod, where she lives with her husband, their two sons, and a number of rescued pets.
Please visit her at @k_knightbooks on Twitter, or at www.kathrynknightbooks.blogspot.com.
http://kathrynknightbooks.blogspot.com/
https://www.facebook.com/KathrynKnightbooks/
It was wonderful having you with us today. Please feel free to stop by anytime.
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Posted in Authors' Secrets Blog and tagged ghosts, Historical Romance, Suspense by Tena Stetler with 2 comments.
Welcome Author, Chrys Fey
Give a warm welcome to Chrys Fey, author of the Disaster Crimes Series. Seismic Crimes is her second in the series.
Pull up a chair, grab a drink of your choice from the cooler, a Chocolate Chip or Snickerdoodle cookie from the plate, and let’s find out what makes this author tick.
Chrys Fey is the author of Hurricane Crimes, Book One in the Disaster Crimes series, as well as these releases from The Wild Rose Press: 30 Seconds, Ghost of Death, and Witch of Death. She is an administrator for the Insecure Writer’s Support Group and has participated in the Blogging from April A to Z Challenge.
When Fey was six years old, she realized she wanted to be a writer by watching her mother pursue publication. At the age of twelve, she started writing her first novel, which flourished into a series she later rewrote at seventeen.
Fey lives in Florida and is always on the lookout for hurricanes. She has four adopted cats who keep her entertained with their antics, and three nephews who keep her entertained with their antics. You can connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, and through her blog, Write with Fey. She loves to get to know her readers!
AUTHOR LINKS:
Website / Blog / Facebook / Twitter
How about telling us a little about Donovan? He’s the hero in your Disaster Crimes series. Right?
Yes. Donovan Goldwyn, the hero in the Disaster Crimes series, is a monster truck driver. Yes, he’s the tall, dark hottie with a love for adrenaline rushes. He’s also romantic and a tad mysterious. I loved writing his scenes, getting into his head, and learning more about him. One scene I had a blast writing was when Donovan took Beth on a ride in his monster truck. There’s monster truck lingo, skilled driving, and a few stunts.
So, what’s my secret you ask?
Well, when I wrote that scene, I didn’t even own a driver’s license. Long story short, I had a fear of driving, which is funny considering my hero loved driving and went all out in his profession—high speeds, extreme stunts, and potential danger. Another funny thing is I am a huge fan of the Fast & Furious movies. I used what I gathered from movies and research to make Donovan’s driving convincing. But you’ll be proud to know I am driving now. Although I’m just a student. Nowhere near Donovan’s skill level.
What can you tell us about Seismic Crimes?
An Internal Affairs Investigator was murdered and his brother, Donovan Goldwyn, was framed. Now Donovan is desperate to prove his innocence. And the one person who can do that is the woman who saved him from a deadly hurricane—Beth Kennedy. From the moment their fates intertwined, passion consumed him. He wants her in his arms. More, he wants her by his side in his darkest moments.
Beth Kennedy may not know everything about Donovan, but she can’t deny what she feels for him. It’s her love for him that pushes her to do whatever she has to do to help him get justice, including putting herself in a criminal’s crosshairs.
When a tip reveals the killer’s location, they travel to California, but then an earthquake of catastrophic proportions separates them. As aftershocks roll the land, Beth and Donovan have to endure dangerous conditions while trying to find their way back to one another. Will they reunite and find the killer, or will they lose everything?
Ohhh sounds exciting… Do you have an excerpt for us?
The moment she realized Buck was shooting under the cars to hit her, the tire she hid behind blew. She squeezed her eyes shut as she tried to make herself smaller by pressing her body into the SUV. The Morse code of bullets hitting metal started up again. She could’ve sworn she felt the SUV shaking with the continuous beat of bullets slamming into it, except the shaking was below her feet. It started gentle but as soon as she noticed, it became violent.
Earthquake!
She fell backward and struggled to get back up. Her body bounced up and down and rolled from side to side simultaneously, which told her the quake’s epicenter was close. The origin could’ve been beneath the hotel for all she knew. A light came crashing down from the ceiling and slammed into the concrete floor with such power it exploded into a trillion stars. Glass shot out in all directions like the Big Bang. Beth screamed and covered her face with her hands as tiny pieces of glass bit the skin on her arms.
She fought onto her hands and knees and hugged the tire to keep from falling over again. The intensity of the tremors grew. The concrete below her feet didn’t feel solid anymore. It felt alive, as if two gigantic gophers burrowed through the earth. The truck behind her slid with the vicious shock waves and bumped into her, pushing her roughly into the tire. She let out a cry of panic
You can find Seismic Crimes at:
DIGITAL LINKS:
Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon CA
NOOK / KOBO / All Romance eBooks
PRINT LINKS:
Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon CA
Want to get a taste of her Disaster Crimes Series, Hurricane Crimes is on sale for 99 cents.
DIGITAL LINKS:
Don’t forget to enter the GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
It was wonderful having you with us today. Please feel free to stop by anytime.
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Posted in Authors' Secrets Blog and tagged Disaster Crimes, Romance, Seismic, Suspense by Tena Stetler with 9 comments.
Welcome Author, Mariah Ankenman
Give a warm welcome to Mariah author of Love on the Sweet Side released May 11th!
Pull up a chair, grab a drink of your choice from the cooler, a peanut butter cookie from the plate, and let’s find out a little about Mariah.
What inspired you to write?
I’ve always had a vivid imagination. I never needed toys as a kid, just a cardboard box and I was off, sailing the high seas in my pirate ship, zooming to the moon in my space rocket or driving across the country in my racecar. I was making up stories before I could even write. It never felt right that we only get to lead one life so I found a way to live many. Writing lets me experience a thousand different lives in my one lifetime.
Do you see yourself in your characters?
I think every writer puts a little bit of themselves in each of their characters, good or bad. I have a penchant to write very short heroines, as I barely reach past five-foot. I also like to add plenty of sass to my characters. Wallflower has never been a term used to describe me so I tend to write very outspoken characters. Still, I try to write a quite character every now and then. It’s important to step outside your comfort zone and grow as a writer.
Where do your story ideas come from?
Most of my initial story ideas come from my dreams. I have very detailed dreams almost every night. Oftentimes I will dream a scene that sparks an idea for a book. For example, Love on the Sweet Side arose from a dream I had about two people being snowed in at a remote cabin in the woods.
RWA® Golden Heart® Nominated Mariah Ankenman began writing at the tender age of five. Her first book “George and the Green Glob” received high praise from her mother. Many years, and green glob stories later, Mariah received a playwriting degree from the University of Wyoming. After a few years in Hollywood, working in “the biz,” she came home to the beautiful Rocky Mountains. When she’s not writing Mariah loves to read, crochet, and play her ukulele. Mariah loves to hear from readers. You can find her at: http://mariahankenman.com/
Twitter: @MAsbooks
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mariahankenmanauthor/
Tell us a little about Love on the Sweet Side.
Maggie Evans is back in Peak Town, Colorado to take over her grandmother’s cupcake shop, but problems keep arising. Is it rotten luck…or something more nefarious? To top it off, her former best friend/childhood crush, Colton Denning, won’t leave her alone. He’s sexier than ever. But Maggie has no time for love.
When his best friend comes back into town all grown up, Colton finds his feelings for her go far beyond friendship. Unfortunately, the pretty baker only sees him as the town playboy. He plans to convince her otherwise, but may not get the chance when someone starts threatening Maggie’s life.
Whether she likes it or not, Colton plans to take her safety into his own hands. How will Maggie keep her shop afloat with a madman after her? More importantly, how will she keep her heart intact when Colton admits her safety isn’t the only thing he wants in his hands?
How about a sneek peek inside your book?
“Colton Denning, get out from behind my counter this minute,” Maggie admonished and smacked him on the shoulder.
Ouch. The tiny woman packed quite a wallop. He put Jamie down and turned. “Oh come on now, Magpie. I was just caught up in the excitement of the news.”
“Yeah well, catch up on that side of the counter. You’re going to violate my health codes.”
He looked down at himself—dusty, faded jeans that may have been worn one season too long, a relatively clean, long sleeve flannel over a black T-shirt, and cowboy boots caked in dried mud. Okay, she might have a point. Not that he would ever tell her that. One thing Maggie did not need to hear was that she was right, again. Besides, it was much more fun to tease her.
“I’m not that dirty.”
She rolled those pretty green eyes of hers. “You’ve got hay stuck in your jeans.”
A quick glance revealed a short stalk stuck in the waistband of his wranglers. Not surprising. Working on a horse ranch, you were bound to get a stray piece of hay here and there.
“Why, Magpie, were you eying my unmentionables?”
She snorted, a very unladylike snort, but adorable as hell.
“Oh please. You probably put it there on purpose to draw attention to your unmentionables. You’re a shameless flirt, Colton Denning, and you know it.”
“What’s wrong with a little harmless flirting? Especially when it’s with such a pretty lady.”
Well, I can’t wait to get my hands on Love on the Sweet Side. So here’s where you can find her book.
Amazon and The Wild Rose Press –
Thanks so much for stopping by and visiting with us! Please feel free to stop by any time.
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Posted in Authors' Secrets Blog and tagged Contemporary, Romance, Suspense by Tena Stetler with 23 comments.
