Once you learn to read you will be forever free.

- Frederick Douglass

Wishing everyone a safe and Happy Thanksgiving! 

- Lynn and HiDee

Love vs. Compatability

My husband and I recently celebrated our thirty-second anniversary. Wow, thirty-two years as husband and wife. Some would call reaching that milestone an accomplishment. I would agree.

Ours was a second marriage for both of us. Blending a family of completely different lifestyles was challenging. My husband and I went through lots of those. Challenges, I mean. The first year I was so nervous that we would become part of the statistics that report second marriages don't last. But we have! Not just survived, but each of us has grown and our relationship evolved. Our relationship is something I'm grateful for every day. For Thanksgiving, it's at the top of the list, along with having wonderful children.

In romance novels, there are no obstacles too big for love to prevail. Not distance, not differing lifestyles, not status, not ethnicity, not different belief systems, not even different solar systems.

In real life, it’s similar. Many of the former restrictions in our society have gone by the wayside. When we meet someone who trips our trigger, we’re typically willing to become involved, regardless of potential obstacles. In romances and real life, not much thought is given to compatibility in a developing relationship. We’re more inclined to follow our heart, believing simply the heart wants what the heart wants, and, of course, the heart isn’t wrong.

But humans are so complex. Is it that simple? Just follow your heart and you’ll find the person who will love you and you will love for a lifetime? Do opposites attract or does love find better luck between two similar people?

I don’t think anyone actually knows the answers to those questions. But according to Carolyn Hack, a relationships columnist for the  Washington Post  no matter what draws a couple together or the character of their relationship, compatibility is key to a workable mutually satisfying relationship.

“…The best way to find out whether you’re compatible is to communicate your needs clearly. And the best way to communicate your needs clearly is to trust them, vs. spinning them in the most favorable way or second-guessing your own normalcy. And the best way to show respect for normalcy as a range, vs. a fixed point, is to treat all (non-destructive) emotional styles and needs as equally valid, just different. Starting with your own. … If you can give each other what each of you needs without taking a chunk out of who you are, then you’re compatible. If you can’t, then you aren’t. Getting this cold calculation right is the secret to warmth that endures,” Hack wrote in a recent column.

Being compatible is not about being different or having similarities as much as accepting the individual as is and loving him or her for being themselves, wrote Marcelina Hardy, MSEd, BCC Board Certified Coach, for Love to Know web magazine.

“You cherish the person for who he or she is and respect his or her differences.”

In book four of my Fierce Hearts Series, Probabilities, were-lynx hero Quinn Arons is attracted to perky, vivacious heroine Tizzy Sands, also a were-lynx. But his life experience as a genius has taught him that average people find him difficult to engage with and reject him easily. He expects the same from Tizzy, because, after all, he’s serious and geekish, while she’s outgoing and normal.

Here’s an excerpt from Probabilities in which Quinn is feeling his differences around Tizzy.

Quinn watched her slip effortlessly into the conversation. He wished he could do it as easily as Tizzy did. A faint whiff of her scent, no perfume, just simply her unique scent with a touch of vanilla-scented soap, wafted to him. Dressed in a deep blue dress that hugged her slim curves and ended just above her knees, she dazzled. Her short blond hair framed her heart-shaped face in a delicate caress. At about five-foot-three inches, she made a petite but powerful package of bubbly personality and strong passion. He’d known her for five years, since she’d joined the colony. Their opposite personalities, his reserved, hers vivacious, made it hard for him to feel as close to her as he’d like. She fascinated him. Made his brain freeze. They were friends, sure, but strong feelings for her had always been there.

But he knew the odds. The probability of her finding him attractive in any way was slim. It wasn’t that he was insecure or lacking in confidence. His brain gave him a broad and rich perspective of the world, and he loved that. He simply was pragmatic and knew it was a challenge for “averages” to connect meaningfully with him.

He didn’t believe she was inferior or stupid. She was an asset to the colony and had proved it many times, especially in the most recent clash with The Nexus Group when they’d kidnapped Casey and gone to war with the colony over the group’s hunting services for trophy animals, animals that had been “hunted” in confined areas. The organization had been a threat to the colony and the community for years, but they had recently progressed to a very dark place of death and destruction. Tizzy had been integral to Casey’s survival during that battle.

She glanced Quinn’s way and lit up his insides with her smile. “Hey, Quinn. Big day for the colony, huh?”

Her hand on his arm sent his mind spinning. “Yeah. Big day.” Doofus. Your mind is racing with thoughts. Say something. “You look nice.”

Despite their differences, as they begin to get to know each other better, they start to appreciate the differing qualities in each other. Tizzy sees that Quinn’s mind is fascinating, and his heart is tender. Quinn sees that Tizzy is self-confident, but also very vulnerable. Whereas he can calculate solutions to any problem instantly and she can’t, Tizzy can easily contain and empathize with a member of colony’s sorrow or despair. A quality that is not Quinn’s strong suit.

Different but compatible? Potentially, if the colony geek and the colony party girl can cherish both their similarities and their differences to form a life-long love.

To acquire the habit of reading is to construct for yourself a refuge from almost all the miseries of life. 

- W. Somerset Maugham

Robyn Bachar Writes Magic and Mayhem

The Write Way Café welcomes Robyn Bachar, an author who loves to combine epic love stories with magic and mayhem.

Your first book is being re-released as part of a boxed set. Tell us about it!
Blood, Smoke and Mirrors is now available from Samhain Publishing as part of the Five Past Midnight boxed set. It includes five tales of suspenseful paranormal romance, each the first book of a series. It’s a really fun read! My favorite in the set is Veiled Target by Robin Bielman. It’s like an action-packed mashup of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Alias.

How did you come up with the title of your book or series?
For the boxed set we settled on Five Past Midnight because there are five stories and most of the paranormal shenanigans happen after midnight.

Tell us a little bit about your cover art. Who designed it? Why did you go with that particular image/artwork?
We have a Kanaxa cover! All of my book covers with Samhain have been designed by Kanaxa. She’s awesome to work with and always does a fabulous job.

Why did you choose to write in your particular field or genre?
I love paranormal romance. It’s always fun to combine epic love stories with magic and mayhem.

If you could change ONE thing about your novel, what would it be?  Why?
Blood, Smoke and Mirrors was my first novel, and I’ve learned a lot since then. I’d definitely fix Lex’s dialogue. He tends to drawl and drop his “g”s, which drives readers insane. I know better now, I swear!

Do you have any writing rituals?
I need noise in order to write. If I’m on the couch with my laptop I’ll pick something bland to have on in the background like a nice, soothing cooking show, or something I’ve seen a million times. If I’m at my desktop I turn on one of my instrumental Pandora stations, otherwise I get distracted and try to sing along with the music.

What is your favorite part of the publishing/writing process and why? What is your least favorite part of the publishing/writing process and why?
Getting author copies! My copies for Sunsinger arrived in the mail recently, and it made my day. My least favorite part of the writing process is coming up with a synopsis, or even worse, the blurb. I have a hard time boiling my stories down into a few words.

Do you read your reviews? Do you respond to them, good or bad? Do you have any advice on how to deal with the bad?
My best advice is don’t read reviews! I only read reviews from review sites, like RT or Dear Author. I feel that readers are entitled to their opinions, and I expect that some of them will hate my books. That’s fine. I know I don’t like everything I read. I focus on the positive and don’t let myself get dragged down by the negative.

Do you have a favorite place or way to meet your readers?
It’s always fun to meet readers at book signings. I’m going to be signing at RT in Vegas!

What can readers who enjoy your book do to help make it successful?
If you like it, recommend it. I love finding new books and sharing them with my BFF Diana. The squee is better when you can squee together.

What question do you wish that someone would ask about your book, but nobody has? Write it out here, then answer it.
Oh geez, this is hard. Hmm… “Do you know who Harrison’s soul mate is?” Yes, yes I do. I’ve had a few starts and stops with writing his book, which will be the last in the Bad Witch series. It’s going to be tons of fun.




Falling in love has never been so deadly.
Five supernatural thrillers packed with action and romance, each introducing you to an exciting series. Honorable heroes, strong heroines and relentless suspense combine to bring you five page-turners you won’t soon forget.

Veiled Target—USA TODAY bestselling author Robin Bielman: Tess wants revenge, but thrust into an inconvenient alliance with her sexy enemy, she must trust the shifter she’s supposed to kill or risk losing everything.

Blood, Smoke and Mirrors—Robyn Bachar: Hunted by a powerful evil, exiled witch Cat must entrust her fate to the man who betrayed her. Now Lex faces the fight of his life to keep her safe. If they both survive.

Slayer’s Kiss—Cassi Carver: Fallen angels Gavin and Julian have been sent to protect Kara, but she’s determined to track down a killer, even when she realizes her target may be the creature hunting her.

Soul Bound—Anne Hope: Jace is no longer human. Something dark and powerful has taken root within him. Something that that could destroy the one woman he’d sacrifice everything to protect.

Phoenix Rising—Corrina Lawson: Everyone looks at firestarter Alec Farley as a weapon. Beth is the only one who sees a hero. But proving that could be deadly.

Warning: Contains shifters, vampires, witches, fallen angels, a firestarter and troublemaking faeries. Watch out for gratuitous violence, gripping emotion, unconventional sex, some foul language, and a love triangle that gives new meaning to the term hot-wings.

Amazon       Barnes and Noble       All Romance eBooks      Kobo       Samhain


Robyn Bachar enjoys writing stories with soul mates, swords, spaceships, vampires, and gratuitous violence against the kitchen sink. Her paranormal romance Bad Witch series, historical paranormal romance series Bad Witch: The Emily Chronicles, and spicy space opera romance trilogy Cy’ren Rising are available from Samhain Publishing. Her books have finaled twice in the PRISM Contest for Published Authors, twice in the Passionate Plume Contest, and twice in the EPIC eBook Awards.

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Tuesday Special: Lynn Crandall - Probabilities

Lynn Crandall

http://lynn-crandall.com/ 

     Bubbly were-lynx Tizzy Sands thought she knew the path of her life: teaching kindergartners, eventually marrying, and starting a family. But when cancer stole her dream of having children, she fell into a dark place where she believes her life would be too short and too empty to engage in a lifelong relationship. As a member of a were-lynx colony that faces constant danger from nefarious The Nexus Group, she focuses on helping the colony defeat them and tunes out any developing feelings for colony mate Quinn Arons.
     With his genius IQ, Quinn isn’t the most socially skilled were-lynx in the colony, and can’t imagine party girl Tizzy could give him a place in her heart. Though his past of molestation as a boy and alcoholism as a young adult haunts him, he cares deeply for Tizzy and can’t accept her attitude that cancer will return and claim her life soon. Instead of persuading her she’s wrong, he patiently shows her life is what you make it.
     When working as partners to prevent powerful TNG from launching its Project Powering and changing the world, Tizzy and Quinn begin to wonder whether their individual paths lead them together or send them apart.

Amazon          Barnes and Noble  


Excerpt:
     "I still have nightmares and want to douse them with alcohol. That’s when I turn to Lara and her healing touch. But times when I’m keenly aware I’m different, I’m back in my childhood when being different made me a target.”
His shoulders hunched over, he still stared at the table, his head in his hands, as he seemed to struggle with regaining his composure.
Tizzy let down her walls and felt the entire room, the whole house, vibrate with energy. It streamed through her, grounding her in the moment alone with Quinn and his pain.
Gently, she touched Quinn’s shoulder. “You’ve been through so much and still you’ve been so very successful at remaining true to yourself. I’m proud of you, Quinn.” She took his hand and pulled him to his feet, then tenderly cupped his face in her hands. “You bring so much good to the world. You’re beautiful.”
Love, the kind that can bear anything, powered through her. Slowly, she leaned up to his face and placed a soft kiss to his lips. She stood back, breathless, and sought his eyes.
Bright and clear, his eyes welcomed her in. Tizzy lifted her lips to his, and he pressed them to hers, hard and needy.
Her legs got weak, but she wanted more of him. Leaning against him for support, she ran her fingers through his hair and savored his presence, so strong yet vulnerable.



Lynn Crandall lives in the Midwest and writes in the company of her two cats. She has been a reader and a writer all her life. Her background is in journalism, but whether writing a magazine or newspaper story or creating a romance, she loves the power stories hold to transport, inspire, and uplift. In her romances, she focuses on vulnerable, embraceable characters who don't back down.

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An opening line should invite the reader to begin the story. It should say: Listen. Come in here. You want to know about this.

- Stephen King

What If... with Lola Karns

The Write Way Café welcomes Lola Karns, who shares "what if" she hadn't been disrupted by a hurricane in working toward a PhD.

When did you first have the thought you'd like to write a book? Was that first thought related to writing romance? 
I grew up expecting to write a dissertation, not a book per se. I was working on a PhD in European History but a hurricane wiped out an archive central to my research on cultural exchange between Germany and Mexico. After some soul searching, I decided not to start over, but rather turn my research into a work of fiction with a female friendship at the core. At the time, Romance Writers of America included Women’s Fiction so I turned to my local chapter. I still haven’t written the dissertation inspired book yet, but one day I will.

What was your path to getting this book written and published? What type of research did you do? 
Winter Fairy was my first published work of fiction and it took about three and a half years. The editing process taught me so much that I’m glad I didn’t rush to publish. As for research, I watched a lot of dance videos and reached out to a few people I know who have danced professionally and asked questions about their career paths. I also read a lot of parenting magazines.

Where did the idea for your story come from? 
Author Yvette Hines challenged me to write a holiday story. I can’t imagine the holiday season without the Nutcracker Ballet, which led to the creation of a ballerina heroine. I had the idea of making my hero a widower as a way to explore the challenges of being a single parent and to exaggerate the sense of being overwhelmed that I think all parents experience.

Why did you pick the setting you did? 
I knew I wanted to set a scene at The Art Institute of Chicago. I love people watching there almost as much as the art. To see people of different ages and backgrounds coming together surrounded by beauty makes my heart sing.

Are your main characters completely imaginary or do they have some basis in real people? Do they reflect aspects of yourself? 
My characters come from real questions and real fears I have. Penelope stands at a cross-roads in her career when we meet her in Winter Fairy, much as I did with my dissertation. Eloise and Carson sprang from a moment when my daughter had a temper tantrum and my husband and I did some tag-team parenting to get her calmed down, which got me thinking about what would happen if I didn’t have a reliable partner. My favorite question in life and writing is “what if….”

Did you face any blocks while writing the book, and if so, how did you handle them? If not, what's your secret? 
Winter Fairy flowed easily, so I was fortunate. I did struggle a bit in sequencing plot events. I played around with post it notes and some blank calendar pages until I found the right combination.

What have been surprises you've encountered while writing the book and after?
For me the biggest surprise has been the positive response from male readers. The cover is so pink! But I’ve heard from a number of men who looked past the cover and then enjoyed the book. I’m honored so many men find Carson relatable.

What did you learn? For instance, what did you learn about yourself, your process, the writing world; a bout six-year olds, and professional ballerinas?
I learned that I love writing kid characters. Their honesty is liberating. I also learned not to be shocked by the initial list of edits. There will be changes, but the story will be better. As far as professional ballerinas, like any top athlete, there are a lot of injuries.

Tell us about your writing space and how or why it works for you. 
I have a small desk so I can’t add too much clutter and I have it facing a gray wall so when I look up, I don’t have many distractions. When I need a nature fix, I can look out the window to see a pond, a marsh and corn field. I wish I had a devoted office, but my workspace doubles as our guest bedroom and craft room so I get kicked out on a regular basis and then spend time organizing and reorganizing the furnishings.

What are some of your favorite books and why? 
I recently reread Jane Wagner’s play The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe, which is one of my go-to books for reaffirming hope. For a classic romance, I love E.M. Forster’s A Room with a View. The playful humor in Jasper Fforde’s books make them must reads for me.

What are you working on now? 
A writing experiment and plotting a new contemporary. I’m playing with ideas for a companion piece to Winter Fairy featuring Penelope’s brother.

Would you like to try your hand at writing a different genre?  Which one and why? 
I’m working on a horror story. I enjoy the genre and wanted to push myself in a different direction. I may never publish it, but I’m learning a lot about setting the scene.

If you were not a writer, what would your dream job be?
Anything? I visited a bunch of National Parks this year. Working for the National Park Service would be nifty. Usually, if I find a job appealing in some way, one of my characters will have that as a career. I was hung up on owning a bakery for a while until I wrote Bad Traveler and researched the reality of the job.

What aspect of writing gives you the most trouble? 
Getting sufficient words on the paper. This is a matter of both weak discipline and my tendency to write short.

Who is your favorite hero/heroine? 
It depends on the day and what I need to get through my daily challenges. That’s sort of a weak answer, but it’s true. Some days, I’m a fierce defender of my family and I channel my inner Katniss. Other days I observe the world around me and find everything as curious as Alice in Wonderland. The beautiful thing about literature is all the variety.

Thanks for inviting me to the Write Way Café.

Winter Fairy is currently available as a stand-alone work or as part of the multi-author Tidings of Love: 7 Holiday Romance Novellas bundle.

Tidings of Love:    Amazon      Barnes & Noble

Winter Fairy:   Amazon       Barnes & Noble



About Lola:  
     Having been a bartender, doctoral candidate, document translator, shipping clerk and more as I moved through Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, New Jersey, Georgia, and Virginia, I decided I needed a portable career. Writing fit the bill.
     I currently reside in Minnesota with my husband, two children, two hairless cats and a fluffy ex-stray cat. My garden is a disaster, but I love experiencing all four seasons. (And yes, we have summer in Minnesota). When not writing, I enjoy baking, reading, drinking coffee and connecting with other book lovers.

Media links:    Website/blog Twitter @lolakarns      Facebook 
Goodreads          Google+ Pinterest

Tuesday Special: Red L. Jameson - With These Wings

Red L. Jameson

www.redljameson.com

     For more than a thousand years Samuella Dís has been a fairy godmother. The fairy title is ironic, since she’s a dís—an ancient society of all-female, winged, immortal avengers who paint their toenails with reckless abandon and have difficulties with real swearwords. However, something’s wrong with Sam’s latest assignment. Her newest orphan is a six-foot-three soldier, who’s indubitably handsome, and a flausching man. Not a boy at all, but a flinging flanging man!
     Luke Anderson is home barely a week when he loses his parents in a drunk driving accident. Already plagued by nightmares from his tours in Afghanistan and Iraq, he’s not sure how much more he can take. And maybe he’s gone a bit crazy because he can’t keep his eyes off one spunky strawberry blonde at his parents’ funeral—inappropriate, right? But she offers so much comfort in those huge amber eyes of hers, and, hey, it’s not like the world would end if he hit on the woman.
     Since the dís are a dwindling species, The Norns, Sam’s bosses, are trying to matchmake Sam and Luke. Only, the last time they played cupids England almost collapsed. Plus, there’s the issue of human men going insane once they’ve had sex with a dís. And Sam could die from a broken heart. Oh, and there’s the little matter of when a dís gets upset she can cause apocalyptic events. But it might be worth it for love. Then again, the Norns have been stalking Oprah lately, and there’s no guessing if they’re merely insane or certifiably brilliant.

Available at:     Amazon         iBooks          Barnes & Noble    And other retail book sellers


Excerpt:
     “I never sleep,” she said.
     “Never?”
     Now she smiled. “Of course I sleep. I mean, I don’t when I’m—I don’t need—I mean, I slept with you.”
     “I noticed.”
     She reached a hand out, almost touching his cheek, but stopped. “Are you okay?”
     He had to refrain from wincing. Again, he was reminded she was here for him because she wanted to comfort him. She didn’t want to get in his pants and see what the hell had inappropriately sprung to life.
     She probably thought him too old. He was too old for her. But as soon as he’d told himself as much, the thought flickered away like a spring butterfly, especially as he looked down at her wide lucid brown eyes.
     He nodded. “Are you okay?”
     “I—” she looked genuinely perplexed. “I never sleep.”
     “You sure about that?” he teased.
     She grinned again. “I sound like a broken record, don’t I?”
     “Do kids your age still use that expression? Do you even know what a broken record is?”
     She laughed. “Hey, I’ve listened to many a Forty-Five in my day.”
     He popped his brows up. “I’m impressed. You even know the lingo. But don’t tell me you listen to records because the sound quality is better.”
     “It is better.”
     He rolled onto his back, flinging his free hand over his eyes. “God, you’re not one of those, are you?”
     She scooted closer to him. Now, she propped herself up on an elbow and looked down at him, but his arm was still under her. “Who are those?”
     “Those people who talk on and on about the difference between digital sound versus…I don’t know…versus anything else.”
     She shook her head. “There’s a huge difference in the sound quality. Can’t you hear it? Or are you too old?”
     He chuckled at her mocking, removing his hand from his face. “Okay. I have to know. How old are you, missy?”
     “Missy?”
     “Yeah, missy.”
     Her smile turned mischievous. “I can’t tell you how old I am.”
     “Why not?” He suddenly swallowed. “Jesus, you are over eighteen, aren’t you? Oh god.”
     She started to laugh as he placed his hand over his face again. “I’m older than eighteen, yes.”
     “Thank god.”
     “I’m quite a bit older than eighteen.”
     “I doubt it.”
     She bit her bottom lip, still not telling him, and in the process giving him a heart attack from worrying she was much too young. Or maybe his heart was spasming because he loved this fun banter they had.
     Deciding to confess his age, he said, “I’m thirty-three. Am I…ten years older than you?”
     “No.”
     “Twelve years older than you?”
     “I’m not twenty-one.”
     “Are you older than twenty-one?”
     “Of course I am.” She rolled her eyes.
     “Twenty-two?”
     She sighed. “Okay, I’ll tell you, but you can’t tell anyone.”
     “Or you’ll have to kill me? Are you a spy? Is your age a national security issue?”
     She giggled, shaking her head. “Ready, Mr. Smarty Pants?”
     He took in a dramatic breath. “I’m bracing myself. Hit me with it.”
     Her smile fell away as she said, “I’m one thousand, seven hundred twenty-six years old.”
     “Wow, that’s—that’s very detailed.”

About Red:
     As a military historian by day, sometimes Red does feel a bit clandestine when she writes romance at night. No one knows that while she researches heroes of the past and present, she uses everything for her characters in her books. Her secret's been safe . . . until now.
     She lives in Montana with her family and far too many animals but never enough books.
     She loves her readers, so please feel free to contact her at http://www.redljameson.com


You can find Red L. Jameson at:
Website        Blog        Facebook        Amazon Author Page
Pinterest        Goodreads       Twitter: @RedLJameson

Ah yes, the head is full of books.  The hard part is to force them down through the bloodstream and out through the fingers. 

- Edward Abbey

The Wander Bug

The Write Way Café welcomes Karen Sue Burns, a lucky woman who uses her many travels as inspiration for her writing.


Not all those who wander are lost.
– J. R. R. Tolkien

It's true. I have the wander bug. And I've been very fortunate in having the opportunity to wander a lot outside of Texas. My first international trip was two weeks in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil thanks to my employer. Some of the the largest out of the USA locations I’ve traveled to include Munich, Dubrovnik, Paris, St. Tropez, Monaco, Frankfort, London, Calgary, Oslo, Rome, Florence, Venice, Dublin, Bath, Cardiff, and Canterbury.

I consider myself a very lucky girl. One of the things I realized after I became serious about writing is that my love of travel is the perfect opportunity to research settings for my books. In fact, in thinking about my process for this post, I realized just how much setting has influenced my choice of characters and then the plot. This was a bit of a surprise as I’ve thought of myself as a “characters first” writer. Apparently, not so much!

My first book, In Hot Pursuit, published by Crimson Romance in 2012, is a good example of this. I worked as a university controller on a liberal arts campus in Houston prior to retiring a year ago. People say write what you know so I decided to base my first story on a college campus. I had to develop a character that would have the wherewithal to venture outside of her familiar campus environment—because I wanted to include Las Vegas and Rome in the story. The desire for settings came way before I had fleshed out the heroine.

On my first trip to Rome in 2007, I had a street map from the hotel and tracked everywhere I walked using the map. I hoped to use my visit to Rome in a book someday. And I did with In Hot Pursuit. It’s the story of the theft of a gift to a Houston university (write what you know!) and the search for the thief. The two main characters, Quinn and Logan, first follow the thief to Las Vegas and then to Rome, as it’s the perfect city for a newly rich thief to ramble around in and feel safe. Plus Rome is the ideal city for the characters to fall in love. Quinn and Logan walked the same steps on the streets of Rome as I did during my trip. They even had a meal at my favorite restaurant at the Piazza Navona in central Rome.

One thing I’ve done during my travels is to purchase a locally produced book on the city or region or monument I visited. I have a long list of vague plot ideas based on specific sites, stories, or local customs. I particularly like books that talk about homegrown ghosts. This is also true for places I visit in the U.S.A. For example: the Bourbon Orleans is my favorite hotel in New Orleans and it has a couple of ghosts so why not have a hotel as the setting for a ghost story? This provided the inspiration for book three in my Texas Ghost Stories series. All the locations are in Texas so I selected San Antonio and then discovered the Menger Hotel, which has a ghost! Plus the hotel is right across from The Alamo, which will provide inspiration for the plot.

This brings me to my current release, Capitol Secrets, and its setting of Washington, D.C. My first visit to D.C. was in 2009 at a writer’s convention. I went a day early to do some touring. I had an ah-hah moment at the U.S. Capitol while walking up a flight of marble stairs from The Crypt to the Rotunda. While turning on a landing for the next flight, I imagined a young woman falling down the stairs and landing at my feet with blood quickly saturating her long blond hair. That picture has stayed with me and finally, I’ve had the time to focus on a book featuring the landscape of Washington, D.C. But naturally, for this first book in the series, the characters and the plot changed from my original idea of a romantic suspense.

And that’s okay. I’ve had the itch to try something not related to romance and Capitol Secrets is the outcome. It’s the first of three books in my political thriller/mystery series, Capitol Intrigue, and has continuing characters. I had a lot of fun writing it. Perhaps I’ve uncovered my writing heart.

One constant is that I’ll continue to use traveling for my writing inspiration. I recently enjoyed my first trip to New York City and took a cruise around the island of Manhattan. Along a spot in the East River a train track with cement pilings crossed the water. My first thought was—“What a great place to hide a body.” Yep, a NYC setting is in my future.

I have many novel ideas based on places I've visited. I just need the time to get them all written. In the meantime, I'll keep wandering and enjoying the beauty that surrounds all of us. No doubt I’ll continue to find excellent locations to hide a dead body!

While giving his third State of the Union address, a U.S. President is shot in the Capitol’s House Chamber via a drone. The first female president is then thrust into the Oval Office without an action plan from her predecessor. Relying on her abundance of grace and intelligence, she’s determined to make her tenure as POTUS meaningful and positive for the American people.

An investigation of the shooting by a political blogger and an ex-newspaper reporter outpaces the work of the federal authorities. Their gamble pays off when the shooter approaches them with an exclusive story. After receiving a second contract request to assassinate the newly sworn in American president, the shooter, along with the unlikely partner he picks up in Las Vegas, returns to D.C. 

Capitol Secrets is a tightly woven tale of an ineffectual and corrupt Washington, and the struggles of a new White House administration attempting to initiate a constructive change to Capitol Hill’s business as usual tradition. Do the American people have any hope that Washington politics will transform and their elected officials actually do the work?

Warning: Strong Language

Amazon

Karen Sue Burns has been a writer since 8th grade. Her former job as a CPA has provided interesting experiences: travel to Rio de Janeiro, London, and Oslo, auditing wine bottle glass molds in California, and taking a helicopter to a drillship off the Texas Gulf Coast. Now she spends her days living out her passion--writing political thrillers, cozy mysteries, and Texas ghost novels sprinkled with romance. She enjoys cooking and creating recipes so her heroines do the same. All of her indie anthologies and novels include one of her favorite recipes. Readers may contact Karen via the Bio/Contact tab on her website. Check out the Recipe tab while you're there!

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Tuesday Special: Evelyn M. Timidaiski

Evelyn M. Timidaiski 

www.evelyntimidaiskiauthor.com

Return to Snowflake

At sixteen, CORBIN DESCHEENE brushes the red reservation dust from his boots and ventures out into world of the white man. He wears the chip on his shoulder like a badge of honor and with each fight; he perfects his bad-ass attitude. He returns to the rez after fifteen years to seeking his Navajo heritage. He discovers much more¬—a son he knows nothing about, and the woman he left behind.

SARA NEZ is proud of her dual heritage. Sara's Navajo father and Apache mother are a true life models for the type of relationship she craves. She remembers the pain Corbin suffered at the hands of his father. She also remembers the anguish of her broken heart when he told her to look elsewhere for the saint she wants as her life mate.
Sara's heart betrays her, when her passion for the man who left resurfaces. Her feelings for him have changed, but can Corbin learn to love her in return or is he only interested in their son?

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EXCERPT:
     Moments later, she found herself alone with Corbin. Nervous, she said nothing and followed him past the waiting room and out into the fresh air. Would he launch into her as soon as the doors closed? She had seen the questions on his face. How had he managed to refrain from asking all morning? The old Corbin wouldn't have waited.
     They sat on a bench under the only tree around, and still he said nothing. She swallowed and prepared for a fight. Any moment, he'd lambast her for keeping knowledge of his son from him.
     "You've done a fine job raising him, Sara."
     His softly spoken words broke into her anxious thoughts. She hadn't seen that one coming. She waited, but he said nothing else. Dammit, she'd prepared for a showdown. The words began to eat at her. She'd bottled them up so long, they burst free.
     "You've been gone for fifteen years and returned to find a son you've never seen, and that's all you have to say? You left me to face my pregnancy alone -- raise him by myself..."
     "I didn't know, Sara. I'm trying to stay calm, but I ... why the hell didn't you tell me?" His voice rose, giving a clue to his banked anger. "I missed all of my son's life and you ... why, Sara?"
     She jumped up, anger surging through every pore. Angry at herself for feeling the way she did. Angry at Corbin for leaving, and now coming back.
     "You left me. You told me to find someone else. I had no way of contacting you. Corbin, what did you expect from me? I did what I had to do. I kept our baby and loved him. I put up with the knowing looks and snide remarks. I worked all the part time jobs so I could be with him -- and I went to bed alone each night because you weren't coming back." She paced the sidewalk, swallowing hard to keep back tears.
     "Why didn't you contact me?"
     "And which bar in what town and in what state was I supposed to contact you? You didn't leave a forwarding address. You forgot to say goodbye, and you sure as hell never called to check up on me!"
     She turned to walk back into the clinic. Strong arms grabbed her from behind. Before she could stop him, he pulled her around and up against his hard lean body. Anger coiled in his body, passion flared in his eyes, and his mouth crushed hers in a punishing kiss. She pushed against him with arms that betrayed her, tightened against the hard muscles of his chest and then crept up to clench in his long hair. The kiss deepened. The heat of anger shifted to something deeper, more primal.
     "Ms. Nez."
     No, not now. So many nights -- dreaming of this. Why couldn't this last forever? She withdrew her arms from Corbin's neck, let them slide gently down his chest, and then turned around.
     The young receptionist stood on the steps gaping. Clearing her voice, she said, "Your son is ready."
     Corbin stood frozen, unable to move. His world had just been rocked. Who would have thought that little Sara would have grown up to be such a hellacious kisser? She'd also developed a few more curves since he'd held her last. Of course, the last time he'd held her with the arms of a sixteen year old. Now, they were both adults and in for quite a few surprises. That is -- if Sara let him kiss her again. He shook his head to clear it and went in after her.

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Evelyn M. Timidaiski is a widow with two grown children and one grandchild. She lives in Lexington, S.C. with her two pups, Fancy and Bitsey and began writing in 2010.  She has just signed with Cherry Weiner Literary Agency and is published with Desert Breeze Publishing. She won 1st in The Golden Palm and 2nd in The Golden Gateway with her Navy Seal Series. She won 3rd in The Winter Rose with her Native American Paranormal Book, Tiponi.  Ms. Timidaiski writes in several genres including Romantic Suspense/Intrigue, Paranormal, and Contemporary. Currently she is mid-way through a new Mystery.
     Evelyn's first book, Holly and Snowflake Christmas, is published with Desert Breeze Publishing. It is available in both Kindle and Paperback at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and anywhere paperbacks and electronic books are sold.