PERSONAL THOUGHTS

The Certain Hope by E.C. Jackson

E. C. Jackson began her writing career with the full-length play Pajama Party. For three and a half years she published the Confidence in Life newsletter for Alpha Production Ministries, in addition to writing tracts and devotionals. 
 
Teaching a women’s Bible study at her church for eleven years naturally led to her current endeavor of writing inspirational romance novels and teen and young adult fiction. Her mission: spiritual maturity in the body of Christ through fiction.

~ Facebook ~ Amazon ~
  
Love at first sight. It’s every girl’s dream. 
 
But Tara Simpkins is finding out it’s not as easy as it seems. Is this truly the man God sent to be her husband, or is she just desperate to escape her loneliness? The recent loss of both parents has left her reeling, and close friends don’t think she’s in any position to make major life decisions. 
 
 
She and her new-found love are convinced they can live happily ever after in the home of their dreams. His family thinks he’s moving way too fast and might disappoint the kind-hearted woman he’s fallen head over heels for. And then there’s Leah. Leah is supposed to be part of his past, but what if she decides she’s his future? 
 
 
Tara’s match made in Heaven may be over before it truly begins.

 

Q&A With the Author:
1.
Tell us about
things you enjoy — what you do for fun or personal satisfaction besides
writing?
a.
I am an avid
reader and enjoy doing jigsaw puzzles. Contrary to upcoming answers, I like a
lot of alone time.
2.
When did you
first realize you were an author?
a.
I’ve enjoyed
penning stories since elementary school. The spark to write grew along with me,
and unlike other ideas I’ve had, no obstacle I encountered quenched the desire.
3.
Have you done
anything writing-related, but besides actually writing your books, that seemed
to get a lot of positive response? Something that encouraged you?
a.
Years ago, I
wrote and produced the play Pajama Party,
which was adapted into the young adult book Pajama
Party: The Story, a companion book to A
Living Hope. Knowing that people enjoyed what I wrote kept hope alive.
There is something heartening in other people appreciating what you do.
Also, The Certain Hope audiobook and hardcover
version are due in March. Audiobooks on my other books will come in spring. It
seems that each item I added to my repertoire encouraged me to branch out
further. When I added hardcover versions to my book format is a prime example. 
4.
What is the thing
you struggle with the most while writing? And how do you defeat it?
a.
I read a lot of
regency romances and have to resist the urge to have my contemporary characters
speak with formal dialogue. Each character draws me into their story and
stymies writer’s block. I haven’t ever experienced it. May it never come.
5.
What is the
“message” of your writing? 
a.     “The Write Way: A Real Slice of Life” is the
slogan on my website and Facebook author page. If every person reading my book
feels connected to the characters, my job is done.
Spiritual maturity is the message. In
my opinion, spiritual maturity teaches us how to weather life’s storms and
thrive with the victory. Realistic characters with everyday problems is the
goal with each book.
 
6.
Are your
characters/stories/scenes, etc. based on anything in real life?
a.
For me, observing
human nature is a part of true living. So, fully developed characters have
found a place inside each story. I love to write about everyday life. Those
little decisions we overlook can have long-reaching consequences.

 

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Monk’s Bride by Caroline Clemmons

 


Through a crazy twist of fate, Caroline Clemmons
was not born on a Texas ranch. To compensate for this illogical error, she
writes about handsome cowboys, feisty ranch women, and scheming villains in a
tiny office her family calls her pink cave. She and her Hero live in North
Central Texas cowboy country where they ride herd on their three rescued indoor
cats as well as providing nourishment outdoors for squirrels, birds, four feral
cats, a fox, a raccoon, and two possums. 


The books she creates in her pink cave have made her an Amazon bestselling
author and won several awards. She writes sweet to sensual romances about the
West, both historical and contemporary as well as time travel and mystery. Her
series include the Kincaids, McClintocks, Stone Mountain Texas, Bride Brigade,
Texas Time Travel, Texas Caprock Tales, Pearson Grove, and Loving A Rancher as
well as numerous single titles and contributions to multi-author sets. When
she’s not writing, she loves spending time with her family, reading her friends’
books, lunching with friends, browsing antique malls, checking Facebook, and
taking the occasional nap.

A destitute widow; a reformed con man;
the danger that links them…
 
Betsie Galloway Hirsch has escaped
Memphis with her son. Her gambling husband tricked the wrong people and they’re
demanding Betsie pay his debts—or else. She’s come to Kincaid Springs to stay
with her mother and seek a safe place for her son. Being so far from her former
home, she feels secure. That is, until danger confronts her.
 
After 34 years alone, Michael “Monk”
Magonagle is falling in love with Betsie and is fond of her son. Monk is
certain she is not free of the men her late husband cheated. Although he is not
a violent man by nature, Monk is willing to fight for Betsie’s safety. He and
the men of the Kincaid family prepare to meet the enemy.

How can Betsie and Liam be protected
from the approaching danger? Will she and Monk be able to forge a love that
endures or will one of them be silenced forever? What toll will the enemy exact? 
 

  
~ Universal Amazon Link ~ 
   
Q&A With the Author:
1.  What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
Most
of my waking time is spent writing. When I’m not writing, I read, spend time
with my husband who I call Hero, lunch with friends, browse antique malls with
my daughter, and may even take a nap.

2. What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I
need two things that help my muse: Cherry Dr Pepper and chocolate, usually
M&Ms. Not healthy, but they truly do help me.

3. Do you have any suggestions to help budding authors become better writers?
If so, what are they?
My
most important suggestion is that you absolutely do NOT let anyone discourage
you! Grow a thick skin so you can take criticism of your work without losing
faith in yourself. Hone your craft. Find a good critique group of same genre
authors who are skillful enough that their critique of your work is credible.
Read and, if you particularly enjoy a book, go back and analyze why. Be
disciplined and keep writing.

4. Where do you get information and ideas for your books?
In my
office I have numerous research books I can use as reference. In addition, I
use online sources while keeping in mind not to have blind faith in what I read
online.
Ideas pop into my head all the time—I can’t stop them. I love that
this happens. I used to worry that I would run out of ideas but now I see that
I’d have to live to be at least two hundred to write all the story ideas I have
now. If someone is having difficulty capturing and idea, look through non-fiction
books available for an idea.
 
5. What do you think makes a good story?
A hero and heroine who make you care what happens to them and an
ending that leaves you with a smile. 
 
6. Tell us about your favorite summer vacation? Or what do
you like to do in the summer?
I’m not a summer person and get sick from the heat. I stay inside
and write in the summer. My favorite summer vacation was a guided tour to
Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and England at the end of summer one year. If I could
go to only one of those, I’d choose Ireland.

 

 

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Digiprove sealCopyright secured by Digiprove © 2019 Margaret Margaret

Virginia’s Vocation by Zina Abbott

 

My name is Robyn Echols. Zina Abbott is the pen I use for my historical novels. I’m a member of Women Writing the West and Western Writers of America. I currently live with my husband in California’s central valley near the “Gateway to Yosemite.”I love to read, quilt, work with digital images on my photo editing program, and work on my own family history.

I am a blogger. In addition to my own blog, I blog for several group blogs including the Sweet Americana Sweethearts blog, which I started and administer.

 

Will Virginia’s chosen vocation
fill the empty spaces in her heart?
It is 1858. With both parents dead,
Virginia Atwell lives with her older brother, Jefferson, and his family in
Booneville, Missouri. Under the pseudonym, V. A. Wellington, she secretly has
been submitting articles to a well-respected investigative journal about
controversial topics. To her dismay, she learns her family plans to buy new
farmland in the wilds of central Kansas Territory, making it almost impossible
for her to continue her clandestine article submissions. More importantly,
Virginia is terrified of the prospect of living so close to hostile Indian
tribes and dying by their hands because they resent white Americans moving onto
their traditional buffalo hunting grounds.
Virginia persuades her brothers to
give her a share of their parents’ inheritance so she may attend one of the few
colleges in Ohio that accepts female students. There, she finds Avery Wilson,
one of her professors and fellow boarder at Bettina Calloway’s boarding house,
resentful of female students, conceited and annoying, especially after his
criticism and resentment directed towards the author, V. A. Wellington, whose
articles are published while his submissions are rejected.
Virginia’s publisher insists V. A.
Wellington meet with him in person in St. Louis to discuss a new assignment.
When her landlady insists she cannot travel alone, Avery, curious about
Virginia’s secretive meeting and unable to resist his growing attraction to the
irritating but brilliant student, offers to escort her.
Once the editor discovers his star
contributor is a woman, he refuses to send her to write about conditions on the
Kaw reservation and the proposed treaty the government intends to impose on the
natives. Hoping to favorably impress the editor, Avery offers to pose as
Virginia’s fiancé in order to accompany and protect her on her assignment. Her
heart goes out to the Kaw, but what can fill the empty spaces of her heart?

Virginia’s
Vocation is also part of the author’s Atwell Kin series

 

Q&A With the Author:
1.
What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
I enjoy reading (that is a given),
quilting, and touring, especially in the mountains.2. What would you say is your
interesting writing quirk?

I track my word counts completed each
writing day, and I try to reach a goal of 2,000 to 3,000 words per day when I
can fit in a whole day devoted to writing. When I really need to buckle down
and finish a novel, I move my laptop to the loveseat in my bedroom and work in
there.3. Do you have any suggestions to help
budding authors become better writers? If so, what are they?

First, you need to find a writing
set-up that works for you. You do not need an entire room for an office, unless
you have the extra room and that is your thing. I sit on a couch or loveseat
and prop a laptop on my knees to write. I keep my physical research books and
notes organized by writing project in baskets I buy at JoAnn’s. When I am not
using them, they are on a bookcase or credenza. When I am using them, they are
on the couch next to me. I use T.V. trays for extra “desk” surface. Will that
work for everyone? No. Find what works for you.
Second, give yourself permission to
devote time to writing. Your writing is just as valuable, if not as profitable,
as salaried work. It is okay with God to develop the talents He gave you, even
if it means you sometimes need to occasionally say “no” to others (especially
outside the family) who make demands on your time.4. Where do you get information and
ideas for your books?

Sometimes my story ideas are prompted
by the theme of a book series for which I am writing. Sometimes my research
exposes me to new information that gets my mind working. Sometimes I’ll visit a
historical locality or read something and think, “Hey, I could turn that into
an interesting story.” I get the nugget of an idea, chart/calendar things out,
and then the characters in my story tell me how the plot is going to progress
no matter what I originally had in mind.
5. What do you think makes a good story?
Besides a good
plot, characters and setting, I want the story to include some decent ACTION.
Every story needs real and believable CONFLICT. He loved me yesterday—oh no,
today he doesn’t, so what can I say or do so tomorrow he loves me again? No,
no. To me, that is not action or meaningful conflict. Even a romance reader
like me who knows the story will have a “happily ever after” ending, wants to
have the hero and heroine get into some kind of trouble—often at the hands of
others—that leaves me asking, “How are they going to get out of that mess?”
6. Tell us about your favorite summer
vacation? Or what do you like to do in the summer?

 

For several
summers, hubby and I have toured the Western states with an RV. A couple of
years we took some adult children and grandchildren. The grandkids quickly
learned if they vacation with grandma, they visit historical sites, museums,
and book stores. I also like to work in some book events or author conventions. 
 

 

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Digiprove sealCopyright secured by Digiprove © 2019 Margaret Margaret

Chronicles of the Stone by Fiona Ingram

I am a children’s author, but up until a few years ago, I was a journalist and editor. Something rather unexpected sparked my new career as an author—a family trip to Egypt with my mother and two young nephews. We had a great time and I thought I’d write them a short story as a different kind of souvenir…. Well, one book and a planned book series later, I had changed careers. I have now published Book 3 (The Temple of the Crystal Timekeeper) in my MG adventure series Chronicles of the Stone, with many awards for the first book, The Secret of the Sacred Scarab, and a few for Book 2, The Search for the Stone of Excalibur, and one already for Book 3! I also teach online novel writing for aspiring authors and I find that very satisfying. Relaxation time finds me enjoying something creative or artistic, music, books, theatre or ballet. I love doing research for my book series. I love animals and have written two animal rescue stories. I have two adorable (naughty) little dogs called Chloe and Pumpkin, and a beautiful black cat called Bertie.

 A
5000-year-old mystery comes to life when a scruffy peddler gives Adam and
Justin Sinclair an old Egyptian scarab on their very first day in Egypt. Only
when the evil Dr. Faisal Khalid shows a particular interest in the cousins and
their scarab, do the boys realise they are in terrible danger. 


Justin and Adam
embark upon the adventure of a lifetime, taking them down the Nile and across
the harsh desert in their search for the legendary tomb of the Scarab King, an
ancient Egyptian ruler. They are plunged into a whirlpool of hazardous and
mysterious events when Dr. Khalid kidnaps them.  With
just their wits, courage, and each other, the boys manage to survive … only to
find that the end of one journey is the beginning of another! 

 This is a must-read for Middle Graders keen on action, adventure, and
Arthurian stories! 
 
Cousins Adam and Justin Sinclair are
hot on the trail of the second Stone of Power, one of seven ancient stones lost
centuries ago. This stone might be embedded in the hilt of a newly discovered
sword that archeologists believe belonged to King Arthur: Excalibur. 
 
However,
their long-standing enemy, Dr. Khalid, is following them as they travel to
Scotland to investigate an old castle. Little do they know there is another
deadly force, the Eaters of Poison, who have their own mission to complete.
Time is running out as the confluence of the planets draws closer. Can Justin
and Adam find the second Stone of Power and survive? 

A plane
crash! Lost in the Mexican jungle! Will Adam, Justin, and Kim survive long
enough to find the Third Stone of Power?
With
only a young boy, Tukum, as their guide, the kids make their way through the
dense and dangerous jungle to find the lost city of stone gods, where the Stone
of Power might be located. River rafting on a crocodile-infested river and
evading predators are just part of this hazardous task.
 
Of
course, their old adversary Dr. Khalid is close behind as the kids press on.
But he is not the worst of their problems. This time Adam will clash with a terrible
enemy who adopts the persona of an evil Aztec god, Tezcatlipoca, and is keen to
revive the ancient tradition of human sacrifice.  Will they emerge
alive from the jungle? Will Dr. Khalid find the third Stone of Power before
they do?
   
 
 
Q&A With the Author:
1.     What is your favorite book that is not yours?
That’s such a hard question
that I can’t answer it. I have a number of favourites in a variety of genres. I
keep rereading them. That worries me a bit… I am busy rereading an old
favourite by Michael Crichton, titled Prey.
2.     Do you write in multiple genres? Which genre is
your favorite to write?
I have a lot of fun writing
Regency romances (historical) under a pseudonym, Arabella Sheraton. Arabella is
not just a pseudonym; she has emerged as her own personality (also a bit
worrying) and is a very prolific writer (8 books!) – more so than ordinary old
me. She has had umpteen interviews and I am obliged to do all her marketing.
Arabella’s books are a lot of fun – romantic romps, lots of witty repartee and
many extraordinary capers that heroes and heroines of yesteryear are involved
with.
3.     When did you write your first book and how young
were you?
Apart from writing nonsense
poetry for family members and short stories when I was a kid, my first real
book was The Secret of the Sacred Scarab and how I wish I had
started it years earlier … but my nephews wouldn’t have been born and they
wouldn’t have been there to inspire me.
4.
If you could meet any author, past or present, who would it be and why?
Terry Pratchett, the author
of The Discworld series. I have read them all, many times, and his creativity
never ceases to inspire and amaze me. Plus, his subtle dry wit is also
hilarious. He was a great observer of human behavior. I was devastated when he
passed away. The world has lost a great writer.
5.
How long does it take you to write a book, and what was your fastest book to
write?
My first book/s (including
Arabella’s) took a couple of years. Now I am better at organizing my research
and writing so a Middle Grade adventure takes about 18 months, with research
and editing etc., and a Regency romance takes about 8 months. My fastest MG book
was my most recent one The Temple of the Crystal Timekeeper. My fastest Regency
romance was Married at Midnight.
6.
What is your favorite thing to do in the summertime?
I like to enjoy the
sunshine, the good weather, the feeling of being relaxed, sitting on the patio
with something cold and delicious to drink, and a book, of course!

 

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Digiprove sealCopyright secured by Digiprove © 2019 Margaret Margaret

Blackquest 40 by Jeff Bond

 
FTC: I received a free copy of this book from Partners In Crime in exchange for my honest review. I received no other compensation and the opinions expressed in this review are one hundred percent true and my own.
Blackquest 40 by Jeff Bond was an interesting book and I loved that the main character is female.  I always love when books like this one have the main characters as females because it isn’t something that happens a lot in the thriller genre.  I was a huge fan of all of the gadgets that Deb had with her at work and I loved that she made them all herself.  I do wish that more authors would write books like this because I think it would make more women want to go into the tech industries.  I really wasn’t the biggest fan of any of the guys that were there running Blackquest and I am sure that is what the author was going for.  I didn’t find that this book was super suspenseful for me and from time to time I did put it down because I would lose interest in it.  I do think that this book would make a good movie because as I was reading this book, I just kept thinking that it reminded me of movies that most people enjoy.  I just keep thinking that it reminded me of “Mission Impossible” but I never did see any of those movies, so I am not sure if that is the best comparison to make. I am pretty sure that if you love action novels with strong female characters that you would enjoy this book.

About The Book

Genre: Thriller Published by: Jeff Bond books Publication Date: May 15th, 2019 Number of Pages: 348 ISBN:9781732255227 Deb Bollinger has no time for corporate training. Her company’s top engineer at just twenty-seven, Deb has blocked off her day for the one project she truly cares about: the launch of Carebnb, an app that finds spare beds for the homeless. When she’s told all employees must drop everything for some busywork exercise called Blackquest 40, it’s an easy no. Trouble is, her bosses aren’t really asking. Blackquest 40 is the mother of all corporate trainings. A near-impossible project to be completed in forty straight hours. No phones. No internet. Sleeping on cots. Nobody in, nobody out. Deb finds the whole setup creepy and authoritarian. When a Carebnb issue necessitates her leaving the office, she heads for the door. What’s the worst that could happen? Armed commandos, HVAC-duct chases, a catastrophic master plan that gets darker by the hour – Blackquest 40 is a fresh take on the Die Hard formula, layering smart-drones and a modern heroine onto the classic action tale.

About The Author

Jeff Bond is a Kansas native and graduate of Yale University. He lives in Michigan with his wife and two daughters, and belongs to the International Thriller Writers association.

Catch Up With Jeff Bond On: jeffbondbooks.com | BookBub | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook!!

Buy A Copy

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Let’s Be Friends

Praise for Blackquest 40:

“Deb’s first-person narrative is brisk, gleefully snarky, and filled with indelible metaphors… A clever, spirited tale with a brainy, nimble heroine at the helm.” ~ Kirkus Review

“Bond weaves an entertaining story filled with deceit, robots, Russians, and tech entrepreneurs that all combine to give the reader a reason to flip pages furiously to find out what might happen next… BLACKQUEST 40 sparkles with imagination. Code flies from keyboards, setting off ingenious flying devices, hatching plots and subplots and, ultimately, giving heroes the chance to help the good guys win. This book is a delight, and one readers should download right away.” ~ IndieReader’s 5 star review

Enter To Win

This is a rafflecopter giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours for Jeff Bond. There will be one (1) giveaway winner.  One winner will receive one (1) Amazon.com Gift Card. The giveaway begins on May 13, 2019 and runs through July 15, 2019. Void where prohibited.

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Read An Excerpt

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Cover Reveal: Bloodsucking Lawyer by Nadia Diament

Cover Reveal for BLOODSUCKING LAWYER by Nadia Diament
Brought to you by Forever Write PR

 

 

We are excited to share the super sexy cover for debut author Nadia Diament’s BLOODSUCKING LAWYER. Keep reading to take a closer look at the cover, and don’t forget to add BLOODSUCKING LAWYER to your Goodreads TBR shelf!

 

 

About BLOODSUCKING LAWYER

 
Title: Bloodsucking Lawyer
Author: Nadia Diament
Release Date: June 18, 2019
Publisher: Limitless Publishing
Series: Tucson Underworld, Book 1
Genres: Paranormal Romantic Comedy

 

Emma left her career in corporate law to pursue her passion for criminal defense, but she can’t seem to catch a break. So when she lands an interview at a small law firm, she’s more than thrilled. But she has no idea what she’s in for.

 

Turns out it’s not just any law firm, and Henry—her new boss—isn’t exactly, well…human.

 

Apparently he drinks blood instead of coffee, and his client list consists of creatures that go
bump in the night. But, the way Emma sees it, if she can get through law school, she can
handle a few pothead werewolves and shoplifting witches. So she stays.

 

There’s just one thing she didn’t count on, and that’s catching feelings for her new vampire
boss. Henry and his fangs become a temptation too hard to ignore, and no matter how hard
she tries, she still falls for him.

 

Problem is, everyone knows office romances have the tendency to crash and burn. But when your boss is a bloodsucking lawyer, odds are it’s a disaster waiting to happen.

 

Add to Goodreads Now!

 

Goodreads → http://bit.ly/2YJD0rX

 

Author Nadia Diament:


 
Nadia Diament writes paranormal and contemporary romance with equal servings of heat and humor. No stranger to a U-Haul, she’s lived in Arizona, South Dakota, and Washington, DC. She currently lives with her husband in Chicago, where she tinkers with fountain pens and loiters in coffee shops. Bloodsucking Lawyer is her debut novel.

 

 

 

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 Digiprove sealCopyright secured by Digiprove © 2019 Margaret Margaret