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Writer Wednesday: Meet J. Arlene Culiner!

Posted on October 5, 2016 by Margaret — 11 Comments ↓

Welcome to Writer Wednesday, that glorious day of the week where we shine the spotlight on a fellow author. We’re so glad you popped in to share it with us.

Today our mini interview features J. Arlene Culiner, author of quirky characters, great romance, and engaging stories! What’s better than that?

Enjoy getting to know J. Arlene and her writing better, and please, leave some love in the comments!

What inspires you to write?

I love stories. I love telling them, hearing them. I love being a fly on the wall and watching other people’s stories unfold. And I love thoughts that begin with, “What if…”

Which type of romance do you love most, and why?

I love romances that are realistic with older characters. I also like rebellious heroes and heroines, the ones who don’t have big fortunes or flashy cars and designer clothes but do things they’re passionate about. And of course the romances I really appreciate have to be well written.

Name one interesting thing you learned in researching/writing your last book:

I learned a lot about archaeology, of course, and I discovered that some very important sites are being deliberately destroyed, covered over by cement and buildings, all in the name of profit.

Name two things people don’t know about you:

I’ve crossed much of Europe on foot — most of the time on my own — and I worked as a translator in Turkey, just like the heroine of my latest release, The Turkish Affair.

What one piece of advice do you wish you’d had when first starting out?

Know that writing and trying to find a publisher or an agent can be heartbreaking. Therefore, you have to take care of yourself, congratulating yourself when you’ve achieved a goal, no matter how small: meeting your word count goal; finishing a story; writing one scene beautifully; sending out queries. Give yourself presents, even little ones like a good cup of coffee and feel proud.

A Bit About The Turkish Affair:

Danger at the ancient Hittite site of Karakuyu:

A top-notch Washington journalist before a liaison with the wrong man implicated her in scandal, Anne Pierson has been hiding in backwoods Turkey and working as a translator. She’s determined to keep her past a secret, to avoid personal relationships. But after meeting Renaud Townsend, her discreet little world is turned upside down.

Archaeologist Renaud Townsend is troubled by Anne Pierson’s refusal to talk about her past, but instinct tells him he can rely on her. Or is it only desire speaking? A lusty love affair for the duration of the summer dig is a very appealing idea.

When Anne’s bad reputation links her to stolen artifacts and murder, the budding romance with Renaud comes to a halt. If they learn to trust one another, her name can be cleared. But is there still enough intensity to give love a second chance?

Published by Crimson Romance

Find The Turkish Affair here:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo Books

A Bit About J. Arlene:

Born in New York, raised in Toronto, J. Arlene Culiner has spent most of her life in England, Germany, Turkey, Greece, Hungary and the Sahara. She now resides in a 400-year-old former inn in a French village of no interest and, much to public dismay, protects all creatures, especially spiders and snakes. She works as an actress, a photographer, a contemporary artist, a musician, writes mysteries, history books and perfectly believable romances. Her heroines are funny and gutsy; her heroes, dashingly lovable; and all are (proudly) over the age of forty.

Want to connect further with J. Arlene?

Thanks so much for being here today, J. Arlene – I’m glad you could be a part of Writer Wednesday!

Writer Wednesday: Meet Courtney Hunt!

Posted on September 28, 2016 by Margaret — No Comments ↓

Welcome back to Writer Wednesday, that delightful day of the week on which I get to share with y’all one of the many fabulous authors I’ve met in this writing journey.

This week, I’m pleased to have Courtney Hunt with us. Courtney is the author of smart and sexy romance (my favorite kind!), including, as she puts it, “smart, funny contemporary romances featuring strong heroines and the sexy heroes who steal their hearts.” Oh, yeah! Sign me up!

So grab that cup of tea and settle in for a minute to read a bit about Courtney and her latest work.

What inspires you to write?

Like many writers, I get my inspiration from anywhere and everywhere–a newspaper article, a snippet of dialogue overheard in the elevator, or an anecdote from a friend. I use Evernote to capture all my ideas until I’m ready to develop them. Right now, I have over 50 different series ideas so I’ll be busy for a bit:-) As for what gets me to write daily, if I don’t write my stories no one else will. My characters are counting on me.

Which type of romance do you love most, and why?

As a lifelong romance reader I love and read all kinds of romance. Any story that contains a happily ever after is fine with me. Some tropes I especially love include second chance, friends to lovers, fairy tale romance, and arranged marriage/marriage of convenience.

Name one interesting thing you learned in researching/writing your last book:

When I was writing Coconut Iced Coffee, the August Cupid’s Coffeeshop release, I learned that the US Virgin Islands are considered national parks. Therefore, it’s illegal to take sand and shells home from the islands. As part of the plot, the heroine’s brother and cousin give her a mason jar to bring back sand and shells in. I ended up having her leave it on the island with the hero as a memento of their island fling.

Name two things people don’t know about you:

Once, when helping my little sister do her homework, I set it on fire–accidentally, of course! The assignment was to create an ancient looking scroll. I thought I’d just burn the edges but that didn’t work out so well and the whole thing went up in flames. Of course, it was late the night before it was due and my sister had worked for days on it. Whoops. My mom wrote a note to the teacher and all was well but I’ve never been allowed to forget it.
I also once won a Harry Potter trivia contest. My sister and I attended all the Harry Potter release parties together. At the one for Half-Blood Prince (the 6th book), the emcee kept trying to stump us with harder and harder questions, but we prevailed. The winning answer? Naming all Hermione Granger’s classes in 3rd year in alphabetical order 🙂

What fellow romance author do you recommend reading, and why?

There are so many amazing writers out there now, especially with the explosion of e-books and self-publishing. Right at the moment, I’m really enjoying reading Jill Shalvis, Marie Force, and Belle Andre. They have creative contemporary plots that I enjoy.

What one piece of advice do you wish you’d had when first starting out?

A writing career is a marathon, not a sprint. It takes time to build up a backlist and that burnout is a very real risk. When I first started publishing, I would get up early and write before work and then write until the wee hours after getting my son down for the night. After I got pneumonia, I learned to be a bit more balanced.

What’s your favorite romance novel of all time, and why?

I’ll pick a sentimental favorite here. Partners by Nora Roberts as it was the first romance I ever read. I snuck it out of my mother’s library bag.

And now, a bit about the latest Cupid’s Coffeeshop, Apple Cider:

September means back-to-school along with crisp weather, ripe apples, and Apple Cider at Cupid’s Coffeeshop.

Single mom Harper Wells has pined for gorgeous Cooper Mason, ever since he moved in next door two years ago. But the widower seemed focused on raising his only son. Neither single parent had any time for romance.

As a fall friendship blossoms between them, can Harper and Cooper find their happily ever after right next door?

Find Apple Cider on Amazon! https://www.amazon.com/Apple-Cider-Cupids-Coffeeshop-Book-ebook/dp/B01GTPSJ9I/

A Bit About Courtney:

Courtney Hunt is the author of the Cupid’s Coffeeshop series, the Always a Bridesmaid series, and the Kindle Scout winner, The Lost Art of Second Chances. An attorney by day, Courtney lives outside Washington, DC. with her husband and son.

Want to connect further with Courtney? Find her here!

Thanks so much for joining us today, Courtney! It was a pleasure to learn more about you.

Writer Wednesday: Meet Susan Ann Wall!

Posted on September 21, 2016 by Margaret — No Comments ↓

Welcome to Writer Wednesday! It’s September 21st – the first day of FALL! I am so excited, as this is my favorite time of year (now if only it’d cool down in Virginia enough to match the season).

I’m ALSO super excited to have with us today the delightful, funny Susan Ann Wall, author of racy, rule-breaking romance and women’s fiction. I met Susan when she and fellow romance author Cheri Allan invited me to participate in a Facebook party with them. They both are such a hoot, and I’m just thrilled to have Susan here today, sharing a bit about herself and her latest release, The Perfect Pairing.

So read on, friends, and then leave Susan some love in the comments section! <3

What inspires you to write?

Ever since I was a kid, I’ve had voices in my head. Walking home from school, I would have complete conversations going on in there. Sometimes the conversations were with real people, other times it was soap opera characters (as I’m rushing home to watch General Hospital), and others it was make believe people who seemed to have a story to tell. I didn’t figure out how to do anything with those conversations until about seven years ago when I reconnected with someone I’d grown up with and found out she was a romance writer. She introduced me to RWA and NHRWA, and the rest is history.

Which type of romance do you love most, and why?

I’m a sucker for a fun contemporary romance. I love stories that I can relate to, that give you hope, and make your heart beat a little faster.

Name one interesting thing you learned in researching/writing your last book:

The last book I finished is Mistletoe Marathon, the story of a woman who is training for a marathon to try and win the attention of the man who tops her “perfect husband material” list, but who ends up falling for her trainer instead. I’m not a runner…honestly, if you see me running, it is because I’m being chased by zombies. So I reached out to my runner friends for input on training for a marathon. The most interesting thing I learned (outside of smelly shoes and protein bars) is that your miles are supposed to get faster as you progress in the marathon, so your first mile is your slowest and your last mile is your fastest. Seems like quite a challenge.

Name two things people don’t know about you:

I’m an open book, so there aren’t many things people don’t know about me, but I’ll share a couple lesser known things that maybe I haven’t shared on a blog before.

My very first job was delivering newspapers to homes around my town. Lots of walking and bike riding, giving me plenty of time to let those voices in my head chatter away.

2. Zombies FREAK ME OUT. I can’t watch anything on TV that has Zombies in it. Hero Husband loves The Walking Dead, so if he watches that while I’m writing, I have to lift the computer up to block the TV screen during the Zombie scenes.

What’s your favorite romance novel of all time, and why?

Waiting on You by Kristan Higgins.

Colleen O’Rourke is a fun heroine and I love stories about second chance at love.

A Bit About The Perfect Pairing, available in the Romancing the Wine set:

She thought she landed the perfect job, but what her sexy new boss offers is the perfect pairing.

Courtney Daniels thought she landed the perfect job, but instead of being the marketing specialist at a local winery, she’s hired by the cocky and cute owner as the front desk receptionist. Courtney’s determined to make an impression on Aiden Black and slide into the marketing role, but her attraction to her new boss sends her down a slippery slope. When Aiden kisses her, and kisses her again, and insists he take Courtney on a date, she breaks all the rules she’s lived by since her teenage years, knowing it is going to burn her in the end. With Aiden’s promise that he won’t fire her when their relationship goes south, Courtney finds the attraction growing into something she isn’t ready for but can’t live without, just like the foster dog who keeps humping Aiden’s leg.

After his father’s death, Aiden returns home to rescue his family’s winery from financial disaster. He needs to run things his way, and on his own to prove to his mother he is capable of keeping the winery afloat. His attraction to Courtney complicates matters, especially when her ideas and marketing savvy set the winery on a path to success. Aiden finds putting his ego aside to do what’s best for his business, and his heart, is a bigger challenge than getting the winery in the black, but he’ll do anything to prove to Courtney they are the perfect pairing.

Find The Perfect Pairing on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01JVAZFZY

A Bit About Susan:

Big dreamer and certifiable overachiever Susan Ann Wall embraces life at full speed and volume. She’s a beer and tea snob, can be bribed with dark chocolate, and the #1 thing on her bucket list is to be the center of a Bon Jovi flash mob.

Susan is a national bestselling, multi-genre author of racy, rule-breaking romance and women’s fiction. Her bragging rights include the Fighting Back for Love series, Puget Sound ~ Alive With Love series, Superstitious Brides Romance series, Sunset Valley Women’s Fiction series, and Devon Taggart Suspense series. She also likes to boast about her three perfect children, two amazing rescue dogs, and a happily ever after that started while serving in the U.S. Army and has spanned two decades (which is crazy since she’s not a day over 29).

In her next life, Susan plans to be a 5 foot 10, size 8 rock star married to a chiropractor and will not be terrified of large bridges, spiders, or quiet people (shiver).

Want to connect further with Susan? Find her here!:

Website: www.authorsusanannwall.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/susanannwall.author

Twitter: https://twitter.com/@susanannwall

Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/susanannwall

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Susan-Ann-Wall/e/B007NZU7X0

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/susanannwall

Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/nQ7wH

Thanks so much for being here, Susan! It was grand!

Writer Wednesday: Meet Michele Stegman!

Posted on September 14, 2016 by Margaret — 2 Comments ↓

Welcome, welcome to #WriterWednesday, that wonderful day of the week in which I host a fellow author for a brief interview – the perfect bite-sized break to go along with that Kit Kat you’re thinking about (or is that just me?).

This week I’m honored to have Michele Stegman, author of warm, sensuous romance, with us. So I’ll duck out of the way while she tells us a bit about herself and her latest work…

What inspires you to write?

Pure and simple, I love to tell stories.

At a party the other day, a friend complimented my necklace. Instead of just saying thank you, I started telling her about the lapis in it, how it came from the misty mountains of Afghanistan, and about Michelangelo grinding up lapis to make ultramarine blue, etc, until I suddenly realized I was telling my friends a lot more than they ever wanted to know about my necklace. They were fascinated, but still, I really need to confine my storytelling to my books!

Which type of romance do you love most, and why?

Historical romance, of course! There is just something about the clothes and the horses and the heroes that attract me. When I visited Williamsburg, VA, they were making a film and I couldn’t take my eyes off the dashing man in 18^th century clothes riding a horse.

I have always, even as a child, loved reading about history, learning how things were made, and how food was cooked and preserved. So now, I am a hand spinner and weaver and live in an 1840’s log cabin surrounded by antiques.

What fellow romance author do you recommend reading, and why?

Please, please can I recommend more than one?

Jo Beverley is a real favorite of mine. Not only are her stories riveting, but her knowledge of history and of the English upper class is spot on.

Madeline Hunter is another I would recommend for historical accuracy. Sometimes I think she cheats and uses a time machine because her descriptions are so real. How could she know all this stuff unless she has been there?

And one more, Roberta Gellis, because I have learned so much history from her books. Yet she works it in without one boring sentence.

What’s your favorite romance novel of all time, and why?

That would have to be Kathleen Woodiwiss’s A Rose in Winter. I like everything about that book, but maybe my main reason is that it is a “beauty and the beast” story, which was my all-time favorite fairy tale as a child.

A Bit About Conquest of the Heart:

In 1067 England, Madeline, a Norman, wants a big, brash, never-defeated-in-battle, Norman knight. What she gets, by order of the king, is a wiry Saxon who once studied for the priesthood instead of warfare. But is this gentle man she is falling in love with entangled in the rebellion now sweeping the land?

Ranulf wants to marry the girl next door. What he gets, by order of the king, is a lush, strong Norman woman who just might be a spy reporting his every move. He wants her in every way a man can possibly want a woman. But can he trust his heart to a woman might have been sent to root out the struggle for freedom his people are engaged in? How can the overcome the distrust they feel to find love?

Find Conquest of the Heart here:

Amazon (ebook) | Amazon (paperback) | Barnes and Noble | Mythical Press (paperback) | Smashwords

A Bit About Michele:

Michele Stegman has always loved history and majored in it in college. As a graduate student, she decided that history papers would be more fun to read if they were about people and their relationships. So she added some romance and started writing historical romance.

She lives with her husband, Ron, and two cats at the end of a dead-end road on 46 acres surrounded by wildlife.

Want to connect further with Michele? Find her on her website or on Facebook!

Thanks so much for being here, Michele! It was delightful to host you.

Writer Wednesday (er, Monday?): Meet Sharleen Scott

Posted on September 12, 2016 by Margaret — 2 Comments ↓

Welcome to Writer Wednesday!

What’s that you say? It’s Monday? Oops. Yup. My bad.

See, much of last week I was at the hospital with a loved one, and, well, I forgot to post dear romantic suspense author Sharleen Scott‘s interview.

I apologize to her (and to you), but am so pleased to share more about Ms. Scott now.

What inspires you to write?

I enjoying sharing my stories. I’m inspired to write romance, specifically, because I love the romance journey. It’s great fun to create characters, conflicts, and plot twists, and tie it all up with a happily-ever-after ending.

Which type of romance do you love the most, and why?

Romantic suspense. I tried writing contemporary romance but my characters’ worlds always seem to contain mysteries and murders. I enjoy building the suspense.

Name one interesting thing you learned in researching/writing your last book.

The hero in Caught in the Spin is a retired champion bull rider and my heroine is a big rodeo fan, so I spent a lot of time reading about bull riding. I discovered that rodeo teams are huge at some colleges, which opened up some interesting backstory for my character. Tom Black was a college rodeo champion while pursuing degrees in business and psychology. Both degrees helped him in my story where he owns a ranch post pro-rodeo career and runs up against a psychotic killer.

Name two things people don’t know about you:

1. I always include plants in my garden to feed the birds when the snow flies. This year I planted broomcorn as well as sunflowers.

2. I’m a genealogy nut. I can spend hours on it.

What’s your favorite romance novel of all time?

There are actually two. First is Nora Roberts’ Irish Trilogy. Three books, I know, but they go together and all are excellent. The other is Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander. Jamie and Claire. Need I say more?

A Bit About Caught in the Spin:

When Tallie Peters lands the job of assistant to Nashville’s’ premier music manager she’s sure things are finally looking up for her and her son. Meeting gorgeous former bull rider Tom Black confirms it. But Tallie’s new life dives into a chaotic spiral with the premature release of her brutal ex-husband from prison. He wants his son and will stop at nothing to take him. Tom offers Tallie and her son refuge behind the gates of the Masterson-Black ranch but soon finds that the best security measures are no match for a determined ex-con with nothing to lose.

Find Caught In the Spin on Amazon!

A Bit About Sharleen:

Sharleen Scott is the author of the romantic suspense Caught series and Tangles, a novel about a family dealing with Alzheimer’s disease. She is currently writing the third book in the Caught series.

Want to connect further with Sharleen? Find her here:

Amazon | Website | Facebook | Twitter

Thanks so much for being here, Sharleen! It was a delight to host you.