Saturday Snippet: In the Flesh

The  following is taken from my novel, 

Diantha 

Book 14 in the series, 

The Widows of Wildcat Ridge

Upon hearing the next sound that filled the air, Hilaina stopped in her tracks, frozen in place as she listened. A man whistled. The tune sounded like the one Buck used to whistle at her when she started talking too much. He’d tease her into silence by softly whistling the very tune she heard now. Only, it could not be Buck. He worked on a big ranch in northern Colorado, miles away from Wildcat Ridge.

Unable to restrain her curiosity any longer, Hilaina stepped around the wagon until she saw the back of a man clad in denim work clothes squatting on the ground while he hammered at wide rough-cut boards to attach them to a wooden frame. It appeared he was building a large wooden box or bin. She slowly approached as she studied him. He seemed to have the same build as Buck, and wore the same hat. Dare she hope?

The man, wearing the hint of a grin, stood and faced her. For one of the few times in her life, Hilaina found herself speechless. The man who had filled her thoughts the past two and a half months, the man she dreamed about every night, the man she longed for with every ounce of her being stood before her. She swallowed and found her voice. “Buckley John Kramer, that really you?”

She watched his grin widen and a teasing light fill his eyes. “In the flesh, Hilaina Dowd.”

Diantha is now available on preorder. You may read the book description and access the purchase link by CLICKING HERE. Diantha is scheduled for publication on April 1, 2019.

Both Nissa and Diantha are stand-alone novels. However, they also can be read like a duet--a two book mini-series within a series. Please CLICK HERE to find the book description and purchase link for Nissa. 

Valentine Countdown Blitz: MISS DEVON'S CHOICE by Sally Britton

Sally Britton is a bestselling indie author, with four historical romance novels. She contributes to the Historical Hussies blog and teaches a young writer’s class at her local library. Sally received her BA in English from Brigham Young University. She’s always read voraciously and eclectically. 

Sally started her writing journey at the tender age of fourteen on an electric typewriter and she’s never looked back. Sally lives in Arizona with her crime-fighting husband, four children, and their dog. She loves researching, hiking, and geeking out over her favorite books and movies.

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A scarred and lonely viscount and an independent young woman are forced into an arranged marriage. What hope do they have for a happily ever after?

Rebecca Devon lives under the severe eye of her aunt and the iron will of her father. Though she wears what she is told and befriends the people they choose for her, she spends every moment longing to do as she wishes. Knowing freedom will only come through marriage, her hopes for a happy union are stolen away when her father arranges her marriage to a complete stranger.

Christian Hundley, Lord Easton, has learned the hard way that English society won't accept a person who looks or behaves differently than their ideal. He has hidden himself away from scornful eyes for years, until his aging grandfather takes matters in hand and finds Christian a bride. Knowing he must agree to the marriage, Christian shields his heart. If the whole of society cannot accept him, why should his bride?

Rebecca knows she must have love in her life, but Christian is convinced there is nothing so fraught with danger and pain as entrusting one’s heart to another. Rebecca does everything she can to change his mind, but Christian is determined to remain aloof. Can an arranged marriage ever be anything other than a business partnership?

While this is the fifth book in the Regency romance series, Branches of Love, it can be read as a stand-alone romance.

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Q&A With the Author:

·  Tell us about things you enjoy — what you do for fun or personal satisfaction besides writing?

o I have a house full of children, so my favorite thing to do is spend time with them, helping them grow their talents and interests.

·  When did you first realize you were an author?

o I always loved writing and wanted to be an author. But I didn't realize I could actually do it until 2017 when I met a mom just like me who had already published several books. 

·  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?

o This is the craziest thing ever, but I used to write in a historical roleplay game online. I had hundreds of people reading along, not even participating in the game, to see what would happen next. That got me super excited. People liked what I wrote!

·  What is the thing you struggle with the most while writing? And how do you defeat it?

o I really struggle with giving my characters a lot of conflict to overcome. It's difficult to make life hard on them. But stories need conflict, especially to encourage character growth. My critique partners help me get my work where it needs to be.

·  What is the “message” of your writing? (For example, is your purpose to encourage old-fashioned values, encourage romance, or do you have different purposes in different books?)

o My purpose in my romance novels has been the same for a long time, but I spell it out most clearly in Miss Devon's Choice. I want to convey the message that I've always believed in - love is a choice. It's not something that happens by accident, or something we have to wait to fall into our laps. We make the choice to love people, to show them that love. 

·  Are your characters/stories/scenes, etc. based on anything in real life?

o Sometimes there are little things based on real life. There's a line in this story about Rebecca cheating based on an incident from my childhood. And Christian's love for his cousins is how I always felt for mine. Real life inspires all artistic endeavors, after all.

·  What are your future projects?

o I just released a novella as part of a new series called Forever After. I, along with four other incredible historical romance authors, are hoping to build a brand up around this series. I also have one more book to release in the Branches of Love series, and it should be out in May. Finally, I'll be publishing the first book in a brand new series this spring, too. 

To view our blog schedule and follow along with this tour visit our  Official Event Page 
  

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Valentine Countdown Blitz: HEART STRINGS by Donna Hatch

Donna Hatch is the author of the best-selling “Rogue Hearts Series,” and a winner of writing awards such as The Golden Quill and the International Digital Award. A hopeless romantic and adventurer at heart, she discovered her writing passion at the tender age of 8 and has been listening to those voices ever since. She has become a sought-after workshop presenter, and also juggles freelance editing, multiple volunteer positions, and most of all, her six children (seven, counting her husband). A native of Arizona who recently transplanted to the Pacific Northwest, she and her husband of over twenty years are living proof that there really is a happily ever after.

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Fleeing an unwanted engagement, a young harpist follows her music passion to London. Becoming entangled with a handsome violinist who seems too aristocratic for a working-class musician may be more problematic than dodging her erstwhile fiancé, sleeping in the streets, or staying alive when a madman targets her for murder.

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Q&A With the Author:

1.     Tell us about things you enjoy — what you do for fun or personal satisfaction besides writing? I love to sing, ballroom dance, go for walks, try out new recipes, watch historical movies and romantic comedies, and read (for pleasure--not just for research).

2.     When did you first realize you were an author?  I have always liked to write but didn't consider myself a "real" author until I got published. Now, I wish I'd realized that I was a "real" author the moment I finished a rough draft or decided to get published someday.  

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? My blogs get a lot of good feedback because they are primarily dedicated to sharing historical research, but the most positive thing I do is teach writers' workshops. One that I recently taught was Dressing the Regency Lady. It was a lot of fun to cover everything from the unmentionable to the hats and I had a live model that I dressed.

4.     What is the thing you struggle with the most while writing? And how do you defeat it? Self-doubt is constant and I'm not sure there is a way to defeat it--mostly I fight it back each day by writing despite those doubts. Reviewing my goals and the reasons for my goals helps, as does reciting my mantra: I write because I must...because I can't NOT write. 

5.     What is the “message” of your writing? To write beautiful, inspiring stories that give readers hope for a better tomorrow and restore faith in that elusive happily ever after.

6.     Are your characters/stories/scenes, etc. based on anything in real life? The emotions and values come straight from my heart, but all the events and characters are purely fictional.

  

7.     What are your future projects? I'm working on a rough draft of book 5 of the Rogue Hearts series and plotting several others that I plan to write.

To view our blog schedule and follow along with this tour visit our  Official Event Page 
  

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