Featured Author: Rosalee Richland

Rosalee Richland is a pen name for the co-authors of the Darla King series. They say they created the pen name to try and keep all the parts of their careers in order. Co-authors Cyndi Riccio and Rhonda Brinkmann are here today with Great Escapes Book Tours to talk about their first book in the series, Right and Left Grand.

About the book:


In this first Darla King novel, Darla returns to square dancing in midlife following tragedies in both her personal and professional lives. She moves from Florida to Texas and from high-powered investigator to life in a small town and a job as far removed from crime as she can think of—she becomes a square dance caller. But when an unconscious stranger turns up on the ranch of one of her dance club members, her specialized knowledge may hold the key to the identity of his assailants. At first, Darla is concerned that her friend Doug is the target. When the same square dancer is assaulted not once but twice, she realizes something else is wrong. Even more telling is the secretive but disturbingly handsome FBI agent that enters the picture.

Darla didn’t plan it this way, but her curiosity pulls her into the case and she has to use the investigative skills from her past that she thought she’d left behind. She’s inquisitive by nature, and looks for patterns to unravel it all. Patterns like the ones she uses to choreograph a dance. Combined with her contacts as a square dance caller and her square dance knowledge, she’s just the person to fit all the pieces fit together. Darla, along with her close friends from the Clearton Squares Dance Club, ends up in the thick of things—and in danger.

Interview with Rosalee Richland AKA Cyndi and Rhonda

How long have you all been writing, and how did you start?

We’ve both been writing in one way or another since high school or college – and that’s a long time ago! Both of our “day jobs” include writing, more technical than fiction. Writing fiction is more for fun and we are still learning.

How did you come up with the title Right and Left Grand? 

The Darla King series is centered around Darla, who is a square dance caller. “Right and Left Grand” is a square dance move – one of the first learned by new square dancers.  The plan is for each of the titles in the series to be a square dance call.

Cool! How would you describe your book in five words? 

How about four: Square ‘em up, dancers!

How did you create the plot for Right and Left Grand?

It was a natural outgrowth of our square dancing experiences – well, not the mysterious stranger and dastardly villains but the idea of a traveling dance group that enjoys life and each other’s company.

What’s your favorite line from the book?

Oh, you know they’re all our favorites. But two from the chase scene stand out. “I had to smile at Harry’s wrath over being attacked by a couple of women trussed up like calves in a corral.” And “Darla, I hate to break it to you, but your skirt’s in the back with our parasite.”

How do you get to know your characters?

Actually, it’s the other way around. Our characters just seem to walk up and introduce themselves, then they keep talking to us.

Are any of them inspired by real people?

With the exception of the ‘bad guys’ of course, and perhaps the FBI agent, the characters are inspired by people in the square dance community – warm, friendly, supportive of each other, pulling together to help each other out. At the same time, square dancers are all unique, range in age, and walk of life. The people in our books incorporate some characteristics from people we’ve met, but mostly they’re just a figment of our imagination.

If you could be one of your characters, which one would you choose?

Since there are two of us that make up Rosalee, it’s tough to choose just one character. I’d say we’d both like to be in the group of good friends from Clearton Squares, but not necessarily Darla.

How long is your to-be-read pile? 

For both of us, it is probably never-ending. Cyndi is Rosalee in Goodreads, and for sure that list is over the top, with more on the Kindle waiting. Rhonda is in a book club that keeps her busy, and she always has a couple of books waiting.

Where’s home for you? 

We both live in central Texas, fairly close to the familiar and not-so-familiar Texas cities where square dances take place in Right and Left Grand.
   
What do you like to do when you’re not writing? 

When not writing, we both enjoy reading, traveling, meeting readers and fans, networking with other authors, and – of course – square dancing, as well as all other forms of dance.

Would you rather work in a library or a bookstore?

Definitely a library! It’s nice and quiet, and you don’t feel bad about reading the books there in your spare time.

You’re given the day off, and you can do anything but write. What would you do?

Read, probably a cozy mystery, a romance, an epic saga, or a romantic mystery. Or, of course, find a dance nearby.

What are you working on now?  

Right now, the second novel in the series, Load the Boat (also a Darla King square dance book) is in the formatting/editing stage and the cover is in production. Sometime in the next weeks, keep your eyes out for a cover reveal and release date. The plan is for some time in October.


Thanks again for having us on your blog!

You're very welcome. Please come back when Load the Boat is launched.

About the author:

Rosalee Richland is the pen name of two real-life square dancing writers. As Rosalee, co-authors Cyndi Riccio and Rhonda Brinkmann joined forces to create the Darla King cozy mystery series. Darla and her friends portray the best of the square community, the warmth and friendship among people in it, and the enjoyment square dancing brings worldwide. Darla’s curiosity often puts her squarely in the midst of unusual circumstances, and Darla can’t let go until the mystery is solved.

When not writing, Darla’s co-authors enjoy reading, traveling, meeting readers and fans, networking with other authors, and – of course – square dancing. They are learning to blog, and are always working on Darla’s next mystery. If you have a chance, stop in at a book signing and find out which half of Rosalee shows up! In the meantime you can stay in touch with Rosalee and Darla on Facebook, Goodreads, or the Darla King Series blog. Or just search for “Rosalee Richland” anywhere in cyberspace.

Connect with the authors:
Blog | Facebook | Goodreads |

Buy the book:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble |

Featured Author: Sheila Webster Boneham

Author Sheila Webster Boneham has nineteen published books, but she is here today to talk about her newest novel, The Money Bird, an Animals in Focus Mystery #2, the sequel to Drop Dead on Recall, Animals in Focus Mystery #1 (2012), published by Midnight Ink. The book officially launches on September 8, but it's out now! Thanks to Great Escapes Book Tours for bringing her here.

About the book:

For Janet MacPhail, photographing retrievers in training is the perfect way to spend an evening. But a photo session at Twisted Lake takes a peculiar turn as Drake, her friend Tom’s Labrador, fetches a blood-soaked bag holding an exotic feather and a torn one-hundred-dollar bill.

When one of her photography students turns up dead at the lake, Janet investigates a secretive retreat center with help from Australian Shepherd Jay and her quirky neighbor Goldie. Between dog-training classes, photo assignments, and romantic interludes with Tom, Janet is determined to get to the bottom of things before another victim’s wings are clipped for good.

Interview with Sheila Webster Boneham

Sheila, how did you come up with the title, The Money Bird?

Janet MacPhail, the 50-something protagonist my Animals in Focus series, is a professional photographer whose primary subjects are animals, and she competes with her Australian Shepherd in a variety of canine sports. She also has an orange tabby named Leo who is an important part of her life, and a vital character in the books. Each of the books is centered on an animal sport or activity, and the titles are taken from those contexts, but also tied into whatever issue has inspired murder and the mystery.

The Money Bird, book #2, finds Janet and her beau, Tom, at a series of retriever training sessions—Tom has a Labrador Retriever. “Money bird” is a field trial term, but the mystery in this book hinges on illegal trafficking in endangered tropical birds that sell for big bucks, so the title ties them together. The first book begins at a canine obedience trial, and Drop Dead on Recall is a play on an obedience exercise called the “drop on recall.” I’m at work now on the third book and although the title isn’t fixed and I can’t say much, Janet’s Leo suggests you think “cat agility.”

Are you like any of your characters? How so?

You know, I pretty frequently hear from friends that they feel as if they’ve met Janet, my protagonist in the mysteries, and I take that to mean that she’s like me. We are a lot alike, it’s true, but she’s not me and I’m not her. We both love animals, compete with dogs, work in creative fields, need to lose weight, and are way past being devastated by a bad-hair day! But her life is very different from mine, and her personal issues are her own.

With what five real people would you most like to be stuck in a bookstore?

For the sake of not hurting any feelings, I’m going to choose real people who have gone to the great bookstore in the…well, wherever it is! And I have to say that limiting my list to five is tough, although perhaps that’s plenty of people, depending on how long we’re stuck! That said, here’s my list:

Rachel Carson. She wrote books that changed the world, and she stood up to the powers that wanted to silence her. Although a lot of the science is out of date, Silent Spring is still a book that everyone should read.

Rosa Parks. Again, a woman of profound courage who changed the world by a simple yet enormous act.

My grandmother, Harriet Webster. She died when my father was two years old, but his older brother remembered a little about her. She was one of the first women telephone operators in Providence, RI, but left that world with her husband and three young boys to take out a homestead in Alberta, Canada, in the early 1900s. My favorite image of her, from one of my uncle’s stories, is this: he hears a horse gallop up to the two-room school where a teacher has “punished” her eldest son, hitting his palms with a switch until they’re raw; the door flies open, and his 31-year-old mother, her long, dark hair tumbling out of her Gibson-girl upsweep, flies to the front of the room and lays into the teacher with her riding whip. The other teacher had to pull her off. I would like to meet that grandmother.

Jane Austen. Smart, funny—what’s not to like?

Harriet Beecher Stowe. Uncle Tom’s Cabin is a better book than it’s often said to be, and much of that negative heritage came from the loud public grumblings of the male literary establishment. It’s dated, but everyone should, I think, read it, keeping the convention of the time in mind.

I think I detect a theme here! Let’s hear it for brave women!

Here here! Tell us about your favorite scene in the book.

I don’t want to give too much away, but Janet has to make a trip to the emergency room in The Money Bird, and I had a lot of fun writing the check-in scene. It’s a minor event, really, in the narrative, but I felt very warm toward the women in the scene, and I think most women have had the experience of bonding with women we don’t know but whom, at a deep, feminine level, we recognize.

What book are you currently reading and in what format (e-book/paperback/hardcover)?


Just as I’m always working on more than one writing project, I always have more than one reading open, and tend to read different things at different points in my day. When I’m working on a book, I don’t read in that genre, so right now I have no mysteries or thrillers underway. Here’s what’s I am reading in paper form right now: Chocolat by Jeanne Harris – one of my favorite movies, and I never got around to the book—so happy I finally have! Also working my way through the most recent issues of several literary magazines—Tin House, Gulf Coast, Prairie Schooner. Also New Yorker. I listen to Audible books when I walk on my treadmill, and at the moment I’m in the middle of a collection of short stories edited by Neil Gamon. I read some things on my iPad or computer, particularly narrative and several other online journals. And I begin every day by reading one or two poems, sometimes from collections, sometimes online. Pretty eclectic!

Very eclectic! Where and when do you prefer to do your writing?

I write early in the mornings, almost every day, and almost always in a coffee house. I also often write in the early evening at home or, again, at my local coffee house, or at home, very late at night. Evening writing slots depend on what else is going on. Afternoons are my walking and reading time—-real, sink-into-it reading. Other kinds of reading I catch as catch can.

If you could only keep one book, what would it be?

My ginormous dictionary. It has all the tools we need to create new books in English.

You’re given the day off, and you can do anything but write. What would you do?

Go for a long walk – 3-4 hours in a beautiful place. That place could be a long, isolated stretch of beach, or a path into high-desert canyons and hills, or a fascinating city. I might go alone, or with my dog. I might take my camera, but often I don’t because I want to see, not record.

What would your dream office look like?

My dream office would not consist of an interior, but a view. I would love to work by a window looking out at a beautiful view, which could be a beach or rocky coast, or my own garden and birth feeders, or woods, or mountains…

What’s one of your favorite quotes?

“Everyone forgets that Icarus also flew.” – Jack Gilbert

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?

Wow! I have lived in some interesting places – Egypt, Tunisia, Kuwait, and several places in the U.S. I would love to spend a year or two living in Scotland, the west of Ireland, Portugal, the coast of Maine, Santa Fe….make me an offer!

What are you working on now?

I always have multiple projects in the works! As I write this, I am wrapping up the third Animals in Focus mystery, as yet untitled, so that’s my primary focus. I also have a literary thriller underway that has a strong environmental element, and two book-length nonfiction projects, one about traveling the U.S. by train, and the other about—surprise!—dogs.

You're an eclectic reader and writer! Stop by again soon to tell us about your next book.

Excerpt from The Money Bird

Chapter 1

The man with the gun stood half hidden in chest-high brush to the west of Twisted Lake. Drake crouched a hundred yards to the east, gaze fixed, muscles twitching. The only thing obstructing my view of either was the cloud of no-see-ums whirling around my head.

Daylight was dying, and the eastern bank of the lake was already lost in shadows, so I knew I wouldn’t see clearly for much longer. The breeze had all but died in the last half hour and the bright scent of day bowed to darker notes of mud and rot.

The man, Collin Lahmeyer, tucked the 12-gauge under his right arm and picked up an orange canvas-covered training bumper with the other. He let it drop from his fist and bounce at the end of a half yard of thin nylon cord, then swung his arm and let fly toward a small island fifty yards offshore. Drake quivered as he watched. He shifted one foot forward an inch but held his ground when his partner, Tom, murmured, “Wait.”

The cylindrical bumper stalled high in the air, vivid as blood against a bank of charcoal clouds. Drake tracked the object, his focus so tight that he didn’t so much as twitch when the shotgun’s long barrels rose and the gunman shouldered the weapon. A single blast cracked the August dusk and made my eyes blink and my shoulders tighten. I’ve been photographing field dogs in training and competition for years and I knew the shells were blanks, but every blast still somehow caught my reflexes by surprise.

The training bumper plummeted into a tangle of goldenrod, thistle, and bindweed. Tom whispered one magic word – “Fetch!” – and Drake was gone from his side. The big dog leapt from the bank at a full-out run and was swimming before he hit water. His shoulders muscled through the light chop and his thick tail worked like a rudder to keep his heading true. He swam to the island, charged from the lake in a glittering spray, and disappeared into dense brush. Fading blossoms of ironweed jostled one another, mapping his progress. He quartered for five or six seconds, moving back and forth through the brush, searching. The wild swaying of the plants stopped, signaling that he’d found the bumper, then resumed as Drake turned back toward the lake.

The gunner, Collin Lahmeyer, had a better view of the dog than did Tom, his owner and handler. I had the best view of all. I’m Janet MacPhail, professional photographer and lifelong cynophile. I’d been shooting the Northern Indiana Hunting Retriever Club’s practice session since late afternoon, hoping to capture some of those beautiful dogs in photos I could sell to publishers and, often, to the dogs’ proud owners. I peered through my viewfinder, up to my muck-smeared elbows in ragweed and burdock. I didn’t expect to get a decent shot against the dark water and smoldering horizon, but the zoom let me follow what my naked eye would never pick up.

Collin gave a thumbs up, indicating that Drake had his “bird,” the foam-filled canvas bumper, and called, “There’s your money bird!” In a field trial, the money bird is the last bird the winning dog retrieves, the one that brings home the cash prize. There was no cash here, and the bird was made of batting and canvas, but Tom Saunders looked like he might pop his buttons, if there’d been any on his faded U of Michigan sweatshirt. Tom and I had started seeing each other back in May, but we’d had only a couple of weeks before he and Drake headed off for a summer of fieldwork in New Mexico. Tom is an ethnobotanist. He teaches in the anthropology department at the local campus, but he likes to run off to exotic places to do research between terms. We’d developed quite an electronic relationship over the summer, and although I declined all invitations to head west for a visit, I had to admit that I was both thrilled and terrified to have him back in town. As I stood watching the man work with his dog in the sultry dusk, the Janet demon in my head whispered time to jump his bones. Good Janet pointed out that poor proper Collin Lahmeyer might never recover from the spectacle, and besides, the ground was soggy and the mosquitoes ravenous. Romance could wait.

I knew that Drake needed only one more qualifying run to complete his MH, his Master Hunter title, and the way this training session was going, he looked ready to me. Not that I know much about training retrievers that I haven’t gleaned from listening to friends involved in the sport. I have an Australian Shepherd myself, and we pursue other sports. I knew, though, that Drake had been entered in a Hunt Test the end of May and should have finished his Master Hunter title there, but he pulled a shoulder muscle two days before the event. Several people advised Tom to give the dog painkillers and run him anyway, and, gutsy Labrador Retriever that he was, Drake would have worked through the pain if his beloved Tom asked him to. Tom refused – another feather in the cap he wore in my viewfinder. Now, after two months of R and R in the high desert, the dog appeared to be back on top of his game.

I glanced at Tom. He was watching for Drake to reappear from the brush while talking to a man I didn’t know. I looked through my viewfinder again. Drake burst from the brush and was almost back to the water when he veered away from the lake, back toward the west side of the island. The cover there was lower and more sparse than where the bumper went down, but I still couldn’t see what he was after. He was quite a sight, though, his wet coat sparkling in the low-angled light.

“That’s not like him,” said Tom, blowing one long, shrill blast on his whistle. Drake looked over his shoulder, his glossy black coat set off by the orange bumper in his mouth and the black-eyed Susans scattered behind him. I clicked off several more shots. Click click click. Drake held for a pair of heartbeats, then went back to what he was doing. Whatever it was, it was strictly against orders. Tom blasted the whistle again. I glanced at him, and noticed the stranger walking back toward the road, where we had all parked.

The dog turned around and made for the water. I could no longer see the orange bumper, but he had something in his mouth. The water around him fanned into a gilded wake as he swam. Click click. As he came closer, a strip of orange canvas showed in his grip, but most of the bumper was obscured by something else. I tightened my focus and zoomed in on his face, but I couldn’t tell what it was. Fabric?

Drake exploded onto the bank, set his burden on the grass, and shook a thousand water diamonds into flight. I clicked off a few more shots. Drake picked up the bumper and his other find, climbed the low bank, and sat six inches in front of Tom, sweeping the grass with his tail and offering up the bumper and what appeared to be a canvas bag. I swung the camera their way.

Tom reached to take Drake’s gifts, his face aglow with love and pride. But the look was fleeting. The muscles around his eyes and jaw tightened, waking a butterfly of fear in my own chest as I wondered what had put that look on Tom’s face. I zoomed in tight on Drake’s head and sucked in a breath as I saw what Tom had seen.

An erratic crimson trickle wound through the silvered hair of Drake’s lower jaw and fell, drop by drop, onto the darkening ground.

About the author:

Sheila Webster Boneham is the author of 17 nonfiction books, six of which have won major awards from the Dog Writers Association of America and the Cat Writers Association. She is also the author of Drop Dead on Recall, the first in the Animals in Focus mystery series. For the past two decades, Boneham has been showing her Australian Shepherds and Labrador Retrievers in various canine sports. She has also bred top-winning Aussies, and founded rescue groups for Aussies and Labs. Boneham holds a doctorate in folklore from Indiana University and MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Southern Maine's Stonecoast program. She resides in Wilmington, N.C.

Connect with Sheila:
Website | Blog | Facebook | Amazon     

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Cover Reveal for Break It Up

Title: Break It Up

Author: E.M. Tippetts

Expected release: Nov. 12, 2013

Genre: New Adult Romance

Age Group: New Adult

Cover designed by: Sarah Hansen at Okay Creations  

Book Description:

Kyra Armijo is making a few changes in her life. One of them being, she's no longer going to give it up to every guy who looks at her twice. And she's putting her hopes and dreams for her future first. When the aspiring photojournalist gets the opportunity of a lifetime to tag along with international boy band sensation, Triple Cross, she can't pass up the chance. The only problem is that she's in love with one band member, dodging the unwanted attention of another, and desperate to keep her turbulent past under wraps. Triple Cross have "nice guy" appeal, approved of by parents the world over, but have just let go their longtime manager, who controlled their clean image and media exposure with an iron fist. When Zach Wechsler, the object of Kyra's affection, begins to show interest, she has to be careful. Surely one girl can't destroy a band that's been together for ten years... only what if she can? Kyra knows she's one bad decision away from ruining everything she's worked for, and taking the hottest act of her generation down with her.    

About the Author:

Emily Mah Tippetts writes science fiction as Emily Mah and romance as E.M. Tippetts. A former lawyer, she now works by day designing books from the covers to the paperback interiors to the ebook formatting. She lives in New Mexico with her family.


Website | Facebook | Twitter |   

Featured Author: Troy Lambert

Troy Lambert writes heart stopping fiction. He's the author of the Samuel Elijah Johnson crime thriller series. I'm happy to have Troy here today for an interview about himself, books he likes, and his newest book, Temptation, the sequel to Redemption. Broken Bones, a collection of short stories, is his first published work.

About the book:

Sam, a wrongly accused man who obtained his law degree in prison, helped others find Redemption when he won his freedom. Whether through luck, good timing, or his uncanny ability to tell truth from a lie, Sam has won every case he’s taken on. True, they’ve been small time parole hearings or appeals so far. But when his assistant is in an accident, and he has to take on another employee, his luck in the courtroom may be changing. A mysterious stranger and a series of tragedies make his next case the most challenging and tempting of them all. The cast of Redemption and a host of new characters return, each one of them forced to face Temptation in their own way in this fast paced thriller.

Interview with Troy Lambert

Troy, you have three published books so far. How long have you been writing, and how did you start?

I started writing at a young age: 6. I penned my first book, as yet unpublished, titled George and the Giant Castle. It took me about 30 years to figure out how to really be a writer, though.

Do you have another job outside of writing?

I actually just started working at home full time. I do editing, video editing, videography and short films, technical writing, and research. It is the greatest and toughest thing I have ever done.

What’s your favorite line from a book?

One of my favorites is a quote from Heinlein. “Mighty little force is needed to control a man whose mind has been hoodwinked; contrariwise, no amount of force can control a free man, a man whose mind is free. No, not the rack, not fission bombs, not anything — you can’t conquer a free man; the most you can do is kill him.”

Tell us a book you’re an evangelist for.

One of my current favorites is Losing It by Valentine Williams. It tells the story of a woman who killed her children and is imprisoned in a mental hospital. It really gives a genuine voice to insanity, and the reader sympathizes with Jane by the end of the book. It’s hard to say a book has something for everyone, but almost anyone can take something good away from this book.

How do you get to know your characters?

Arthur was a long term relationship. I wrote him years ago, but when I pulled the story out of the drawer (that became the middle for Redemption) I started to realize who he was, and what his motives were. Writing him into Temptation, too, helped me bring some of his issues full circle and resolve them. Sam was a character I just knew. As soon as I wrote his first thoughts, I felt like I had known him for years.

Which character did you most enjoy writing?

I enjoyed writing Sam the most: for some reason I always do. I don’t relate directly to him, but I feel like we are good friends.

Tell us about your favorite scene in the book.

I’ve waited years to write my favorite scene in the book: Peter has a motorcycle accident near the beginning, and the details are based on my own experience in 2001. It never fit in any book or story before. No spoilers, you’ll have to read it for yourself.

No! No spoilers here. Suppose you get to decide who would read your audiobook. Who would you choose?

Sam Elliot and Morgan Freeman would team up, maybe with James Earl Jones. If they had a tickle fight in the studio, it would be the sweetest sound ever.

Well now that's something interesting to ponder! Where and when do you prefer to do your writing?

I do most of my writing early in the morning and in my office. There are days that if I could move my desk outside, I would. Especially in the spring and the fall.

Where’s home for you?

Kuna, Idaho, a small town outside of Boise. I went to college in Boise, and I like the area. We moved here recently for my wife’s work.

Neil Gaiman said, “Picking five favorite books is like picking five body parts you'd most like not to lose.” So…what are your five favorite books and your five body parts you’d most like not to lose?

Top Five: A Prayer for Owen Meany, John Irving. Job: A Comedy of Justice, Robert Heinlein. Eyes of the Dragon, Stephen King. Pillars of the Earth, Ken Follet, and Bird by Bird, Anne Lamont.

Body parts: My hands (I need to type. I’m counting that as two) My head (I need to think) My Left Foot (just because I like saying that) and one other part that shall remain nameless here. Ask me the books tomorrow, and the answer might be different. The body parts are pretty solid.

Great answer! Would you rather work in a library or a bookstore?

Library. If I worked in a book store, I would be broke.

You won the lottery. What’s the first thing you would buy?

A bookstore.

Wow! Another great answer. I thought "a zoo" was a good answer, but bookstore! I'm hitting myself upside the head. Brilliant! Okay...you’re given the day off, and you can do anything but write. What would you do?

Go for a long hike in the woods. Even then, I would have a hard time not writing at all that day. I think I would be counting the seconds to midnight.

Very true. What three books have you read recently and would recommend?

Ties that Bind, Natalie Collins, Parallax View by Alan Leverone, and City of Heretics, by Heath Lowrance.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?

Central Idaho, in the middle of the wilderness by a lake, with a long, windy road that came only to my house. I don’t think my wife would live there with me though. I might have to settle for at least a small town nearby.

What are you working on now?

Currently I am working on the third the Samuel Elijah Johnson trilogy, tentatively titled Confession, the edits of a Halloween piece, and a non-fiction project. Of course, that is in addition to some freelance research and a video project.

Please come back when Confession is published and tell us about it.

Other books by Troy Lambert:

About the author:

Troy began his writing life at a very young age, penning the as yet unpublished George and the Giant Castle at age six. He grew up in Southern Idaho, and after many adventures including a short stint in the US Army and a diverse education, Troy returned to Idaho, and currently resides in Boise.

Troy works as a freelance writer and researcher including for the Wallace District Mining museum, and also edits for Tirgeaar Publishing and others on a freelance basis. He truly loves to write dark, psychological thrillers. His work includes Broken Bones, a collection of his short stories, Redemption, the first in the Samuel Elijah Johnson Series, and his new novel, Temptation, the sequel to Redemption.

Troy lives with his wife of twelve years, two of his five children, and two very talented dogs. He is a skier, cyclist, hiker, fisherman, hunter, and a terrible beginning golfer.

Connect with Troy:
Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads 

Buy the book:
Amazon US | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Smashwords  

Featured Author: Rosalee Richland

Right and Left Grand is Rosalee Richland's first novel in the Darla King cozy mystery series, 
published by Wordsmiths4u
. Fun fact: Rosalee is actually two authors who combine their writing talents.

About the book:

In this first Darla King novel, Darla returns to square dancing in midlife following tragedies in both her personal and professional lives. She moves from Florida to Texas and from high-powered investigator to life in a small town and a job as far removed from crime as she can think of—-she becomes a square dance caller. But when an unconscious stranger turns up on the ranch of one of her dance club members, her specialized knowledge may hold the key to the identity of his assailants. At first, Darla is concerned that her friend Doug is the target. When the same square dancer is assaulted not once but twice, she realizes something else is wrong. Even more telling is the secretive but disturbingly handsome FBI agent that enters the picture.

Darla didn’t plan it this way, but her curiosity pulls her into the case and she has to use the investigative skills from her past that she thought she’d left behind. She’s inquisitive by nature, and looks for patterns to unravel it all. Patterns like the ones she uses to choreograph a dance. Combined with her contacts as a square dance caller and her square dance knowledge, she’s just the person to fit all the pieces fit together. Darla, along with her close friends from the Clearton Squares Dance Club, ends up in the thick of things—-and in danger.

About Rosalee Richland

Rosalee Richland is the pen name of two real-life square dancing writers. As Rosalee, co-authors Cyndi Riccio and Rhonda Brinkmann joined forces to create the Darla King cozy mystery series. Darla and her friends portray the best of the square community, the warmth and friendship among people in it, and the enjoyment square dancing brings worldwide. Darla’s curiosity often puts her squarely in the midst of unusual circumstances, and Darla can’t let go until the mystery is solved.

When not writing, Darla’s co-authors enjoy reading, traveling, meeting readers and fans, networking with other authors, and – of course – square dancing. They are learning to blog and are always working on Darla’s next mystery. If you have a chance, stop in at a book signing and find out which half of Rosalee shows up! In the meantime you can stay in touch with Rosalee and Darla on Facebook, Goodreads, or the Darla King Series blog. Or just search for “Rosalee Richland” anywhere in cyberspace.

Connect with the author:

Goodreads/Rosalee Richland | Facebook | blog 


Buy the Book:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Featured Author: Tiffany Carmel Lake

Tiffany Carmel Lake is here to talk about her epic fantasy, Stelletwal Vengeance & Domination, published by Virtualbookworm Publishing. This is book three in the Stelletwal series. Read on for an interview with the author and an excerpt from the book.

About the book:

The truce between the Elves of the Southern and Western kingdoms has ended, forcing King Rinion and Queen Kaliopy into war against the Southern Clans.  The conflict escalates as the Southern Clans reveal their hidden strategies.  But just days before the battle begins Azuryne, the High Priestess, is hesitant to commit Stelletwal’s magic to the cause as she doubts the foundation of her faith.  Princes Rylan and Chalorys find evidence of an ancient weapon which could alter events further, sending the twins on an adventure far away from their homeland.  As Rinion and Kaliopy turn their attention to the needs of their people, an old foe threatens to resurface.  But there are others who can justifiably lay claim to the throne.  The struggle will not cease after the King is dead. Stelletwal Vengeance & Domination is the sequel and continuing saga, following Stelletwal Deception & Illumination.

Other books by Tiffany Carmel Lake:

Stelletwal Deception & Illumination and Stelletwal Sacrifice

Interview with Tiffany Carmel Lake

Tiffany, this is your third book. How long have you been writing, and how did you start?

I started writing in late January, 2009. Several days prior, a friend of mine encouraged me to start keeping a diary. I put up a lot of resistance to this idea. But later that same evening, I mentioned a childhood dream I had of hosting an elaborate masquerade ball. Rather smugly she teased, “Why don’t you write about it? Spare no expense. Plan your masquerade as though money was no object.” A day or two later, an Apache medicine woman told me that I had Faeries all around me. Again, I was carried back to a time I had forgotten. But this time I recalled how I used to sing to small, colorful orbs in my backyard. I mulled this over for a couple more days before I finally placed pen to paper.  It was a rainy morning. I sat at my kitchen table, in my pajamas, with a steaming cup of coffee and a blank paged subtly ornate journaling book. I did not have any aspirations to write. I never dreamed I’d write one book, let alone begin an entire series. It took filling three of those fancy journals and more than 100 typed pages before my husband asked me, “Do you think this is turning into something?”  I didn’t know. But I couldn’t stop. I was scribbling dialogue on every random piece of paper I could find. I was writing while I was driving (I do not encourage, nor do I support this practice by the way!!!). And I’m pleased to say that my obsessive writing binge has calmed down considerably. So, returning to that rainy morning when Stelletwal was birthed into my awareness…The spark ignited when I thought, “If I am sparing myself the reality of dealing with money, why am I dealing in my reality at all?” Instead of writing from my perspective, I decided to write through the eyes of a Faerie. Kaliopy came to me like a childhood friend, and the masquerade turned into a relatively small aspect of the overall story. To this day, I still love to write while it’s raining.

How did you come up with the title of your book?

Each book has a sub-title, but Stelletwal is a Faerie kingdom and the main title for the series. The name is made up of two words, both meaning “star.” Stelle is Italian and Etoile is French. I put them together and American-ized the spelling so the integrity of the pronunciation would remain more or less intact. Since Stelletwal was founded on the night of a meteor shower, I thought it was a good way to have the star connection without being too obvious.

Do you have another job outside of writing?

I am a professional singer.

That is so cool! What song would you pick to go with your book?

There is no way for me to choose only one song. Yet I cannot simply let this question slip by without an acknowledgment. First of all, I have always thought the main storyline in Sacrifice would make for a wonderful opera. Now that I’ve gotten that out, I can admit that I’ve pieced together entire soundtracks for my books. I’ve even composed music of my own which was inspired by my books. But in a nut-shell, I would like the music to be a blend of Verdi’s Requiem and Trent Reznor. Throw in a hint of Gothic rock, Taiko drums and dramatic classical vocals…I think we’re beginning to get the varied emotional impact I have in mind.

How did you create the plot for this book?

The development for each book’s plot has been a little different. Since Vengeance & Domination is a continuation (Parts 3 and 4) of a larger story, I knew where it needed to begin. What I was not sure of, was how it would (or wouldn’t) end. But two things remain consistent: First, I do not write linearly, so the stories unfold as one might consider putting together a puzzle. And second, I physically feel like I’m a little outside of my body and taking dictation with a lot of vivid images flashing in my head.

What’s your favorite line from a book? Have more than one? What are your ten favorite lines from a book?

…from one of my books or from any book? One of my favorite lines from Vengeance & Domination is contained in Part 4, where the Northern Clan King reminds his son that “…histories are interpreted through the eyes of survivors.” 

Another line I like from the same book is contained in Part 3, when Rinion playfully asks Kaliopy and Rylan (his oldest son), “Where is my other son?  He understands the art of melancholy.”

One of my husband’s favorite lines is contained in Deception & Illumination Part 1, when Rinion announces to his father that he and his wife are expecting a child. Ryshan teases his son by saying, “My boy, that is the way to christen a ship.”

If I had to pick a favorite line from someone else’s book, my first thought goes to Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, “Not all those who wander are lost.”

Tell us a book you’re an evangelist for.

I’ve lovingly gifted many copies of The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. Not only is it a story about following your dreams, but it is about the importance of the experiences during the journey.

Which character did you most enjoy writing?

I fell in love with Skryshayn. Everything about him contains elements of danger and beauty. He is a classic example of someone who often has noble motives, but goes about accomplishing his goals in the most terrible ways.

What would your main character say about you?

She would probably tell me I need to practice more.

If you could be one of your characters, which one would you choose?

When I began writing, I felt like Kaliopy chose me. She is a Faerie Princess, but she is portrayed in the most non-stereotypical manner… She was born into a royal household, but she was trained as a warrior. A part of me understood that polarity. Growing up, I wove flowers in my hair, put on a fancy dress, climbed a tree, and got into a brawl with one of the neighbor boys…all in the same afternoon. As I continued to write, I felt a stronger connection to Chalorys (the younger of the twin princes), as he struggles to discover his life’s purpose and path. But, if I could choose to be anyone, I’d want to be Finyanna from all three books OR Admiral Flarnyan from Vengeance & Domination. Both of these women are strong, confident and they just seem to have it all figured out.

Tell us about your favorite scene in the book.

Again, taking the series into consideration, one of my favorite scenes is in Stelletwal Sacrifice. Near the beginning of the story, Tsavryel and Ryshan are on a ship together.  The sun is just beginning to rise, and Ryshan awakes. He goes onto the main deck to find Tsavryel dancing to nothing but the sound of the water and the gentle creak of the wood and the rigging. It is such a beautiful interaction between the two of them, but there is also so much uncertainty. I loved writing that chapter.

In Vengeance & Domination, I still get wrapped up in the chapter where Setryel is introduced. I see the images as though I’m watching Japanese Anime.

In Deception & Illumination, there is a paragraph when Dalsyus captures a moth and releases it out a window and into the night. Even though he is one of the antagonists in the story, that small action exposes an important, tender facet within his character.

Who are your favorite authors?

JRR Tolkien and Raymond Feist
.

How long is your to-be-read pile?

Strangely, I am not much of a reader. Someday I’d like to read the Harry Potter books, or I have a feeling the George RR Martin series A Song of Ice and Fire (Game of Thrones) would also be right up my alley. But I haven’t been reading (or watching) much of anything since I started writing. 

I hear you! Writing can be all consuming. Okay, let's say you get to decide who would read your audiobook. Who would you choose?

Ian McKellen and/or Claudia Black.

You’re given the day off, and you can do anything but write. What would you do?

Sleep.

You can be any fictional character for one day. Who would you be?

A mermaid.

What are you working on now?

I’m in between opera seasons right now, so I’m collaborating on a couple of other shows/projects with some of my musician friends. As for the books, I’m currently working on the fourth and fifth books in the Stelletwal series. I promised the muses I will continue to write as long as they keep sharing their tales.

Excerpt from Stelletwal Vengeance & Domination

Setryel ran her pale fingers along the dark green and navy blue embroidery which accented her black sleeves. There was no excuse for her sudden chill, but she almost felt numb as she continued down the windowless corridor. For the past couple of years there had been rumor of the souls who haunted the two rooms at the end of this hall on the castle’s upper level. The disappearance of a mighty Faerie sorceress and her half Elfin daughter gave the entire community great cause for suspicion, and the rooms were sealed closed when it was evident they were never going to return. No one truly knew their fates, but the magic the two women practiced caused an eerie presence to linger in the air. While this was enough of a deterrent to keep most everyone away, it was a positively irresistible lure to Setryel.

She was the first maiden born to the kingdom with wings in nearly two centuries, and this display of royal blue, violet and absinthe green distanced her from her peers. Magic had vanished from her society in exchange for darker activities, and she guessed that may have been some of the attraction for a long dead commander named Dalsyus. It was he who brought the Sorceress into their fold, and it was he who nurtured her gifts in exchange for the blood which abundantly flowed through her veins. He had the influential power to commit their army to the pursuit of her desires, but he perished on the night of the first skirmish. Undoubtedly the sacrifices Dalsyus made on Finyanna’s behalf were romanticized over the years, but at their core, the stories were true. The Sorceress became one of the strongest and most powerful women in the kingdom’s history. Now Finyanna and her daughter Kryasa were gone, but their history lived on. Setryel often dreamed of the day when her own talents would be recognized, and her differences would allow her the opportunities to rise to greatness.

Thick black drapes were hung over the chamber doors with the hope the rooms would be overlooked and eventually forgotten. Now, on this hot summer night, the maiden stood in the middle of the hall and wondered how she might gain access past the doors which were so carefully barred. She bowed her head as though she were about to pray. Calling out in her mind, she tried to summon any power which might answer her. Suddenly, she was inspired to address the very being which formerly inhabited the rooms, “Finyanna, I mean you and your belongings no harm. But I seek knowledge and your Divine guidance. May I enter?” Setryel began to lose her balance, but quickly recovered. The hall remained silent. Again, the maiden manifested her plea, “Great Sorceress, I humbly call on you to grant me entry.” Setryel’s head began to pound from the mental exertion. She rubbed her palms against her temples as she ran her fingers through her flaxen hair. Reaching her hands out toward both doors, Setryel called aloud, “I command you to respond.” Still, there was nothing. The maiden opened her eyes and nervously glanced around her. There was no sound and no movement. Her rapidly beating heart was the only rhythm which answered. She hung her head down with disappointment as she tried to consider another tactic. Suddenly, the drapes blew from the walls as an explosion forced them flying into the center of the corridor. Both doors violently swung open from their hinges and slammed against their stone frames with a deafening impact. Setryel fell to the ground in the wake of the blast as fragments of rock and plaster rained over her body, but no harm came to her. Immediately, silence followed and the maiden looked up to see one of the doors ajar under the heavy fabric which still hung from the ceiling.

Gingerly pulling herself to her feet, Setryel pushed back the curtain and stepped through the threshold. The room was not nearly as dark as the hallway, for the night was cloudless and the windows filtered the moon’s silver light into the chamber. She walked to a table and noticed a couple books left behind as though they were still the source of someone’s lessons. She picked up a text and walked toward the window so she might read some of the words. Gently wiping the dust from the page, she squinted to make out what was written. She had hardly deciphered a word when a movement in the shadows startled her, causing the book to tumble out of her grasp and onto the floor. The maiden was paralyzed with fear as the shadow stepped closer and into the light. The form materialized into a woman with thick auburn hair and pale blue eyes, “I do not respond well to commands.” The woman knelt down and picked up the manuscript. She cradled it against her chest as she reverently returned it to its place on the table. “The words preserved within these bindings are more than two millennia old. They should be treated with the utmost respect.” Gently running her fingers over a crystal orb, the ball responded to her touch by sparking to life with a swirl of purple and blue light. As she pulled her hand away the colors dissipated as though they had never been ignited, “Why have you summoned me?”

Setryel trembled, “Finyanna? You are alive?”

The woman measured the maiden standing before her, “Not by your definition. My destiny is no longer a part of this place.”

“But you are here now?” Setryel was still shocked by what was happening, and she could not recall the questions which had burned within her prior to this encounter.

Finyanna smiled softly, “I was born into your world with certain attributes, but those gifts required constant refinement.” She rested her hand on the book once more, “These texts served as a foundation for my studies. When you are ready to advance your skills, seek the Temple library at Stelletwal.”

Setryel shivered as she blinked some of the dust free from her eyes. She was still lying on the floor in the hallway outside of Finyanna’s chamber. Setryel was disoriented, but she tried to stand. She searched for any sign confirming what she experienced. The fragments which had fallen over her earlier were swept clean from the ground and the air seemed as though it had never shifted. Blindly, Setryel reached for the drape which covered the Sorceress’s chamber door. Stepping past the fabric, the maiden found the door to be closed, but the handle twisted easily in her hand. It was as though the seals had never been placed around the entrance. The maiden tenuously peered into the vacant room. It appeared just as it had moments earlier, except a single candle was burning on the table.

Stelletwal Vengeance & Domination, All rights reserved ©2013

About the author:

Tiffany graduated from California Institute of the Arts with her Master's Degree in Classical Vocal Performance. Her love for fantasy, stage combat, costumes and the rich traditions of grand opera have served as the foundations for her episodic legacy called Stelletwal. Her travels have taken her to Europe and Japan where she has gratefully experienced many cultures while communicating through the boundless language of music. Inspired by influential historical figures and timeless archetypes, Tiffany brings new life to Elves and Faeries exhibiting very human qualities while confronting and struggling with universal issues of honor, entitlement and personal growth. She currently lives in Los Angeles, California with her husband and their cat.




Connect with Tiffany:
Website | Website 2 | Vocal Website | Facebook 

Buy the books:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | 

Featured Author: Susan Blexrud

Susan Blexrud is the author of the chick lit novel, His Fantasy Maid, published by Crimson Romance. Chick Lit Blog Tours brings her here today for an interview, and she also brought along an excerpt from the book. WARNING! This one's racy. Proceed with caution...

About the book: 

On the eve of Jake Sinclair’s bachelor party, his best man surprises him with a fantasy maid named Amy. Clad in a bikini, she cleans his house and jump starts his heart. She's beautiful, smart, and compassionate. Why is a woman like this working as a fantasy maid? A few days later, with thoughts still distracted by the enigmatic Amy, Jake crashes his car and wakes in the hospital emergency room where his fantasy maid is now wearing scrubs and wielding a stethoscope. Is she an hallucination, or is his fantasy maid a doctor?

Interview with Susan Blexrud

Susan, how did you come up with the title His Fantasy Maid?

On a trip to Orlando in December 2012, I found a pink notice taped to the front of my townhouse door, which read “Bikini Maid Services, 20 percent OFF.” After removing the notice from the door (and wondering how long it had been there), I tucked it into my purse to share with friends. Surely, only in Orlando would there be a service like this. Up here in the mountains of North Carolina where I live most of the year, it’s too dang cold to wear a bikini. However, after a Google search, I found out there are fantasy maid services all across the U.S. Who knew?

And then I recalled something Carl Hiaasen had said (I’ve seen him speak three times). He writes about some pretty bizarre characters, like an ex-governor of Florida who hangs out in the Everglades and eats road kill. I doubt that character was based on a REAL ex-governor, but nonetheless, Mr. Hiaasen’s contention is, “You can’t make this stuff up.” As a reporter for the Miami Herald, he should know.

This is where I started applying “what if…” to that little pink notice. What if…a brilliant medical student moonlights as a fantasy maid to pay the expenses of medical school? What if…a handsome, yet nerdy, young lawyer is poised to marry a social-climbing bitch? What if…as the preamble to the lawyer’s bachelor party, his best man surprises him with a fantasy maid? What if…this fantasy maid has him re-thinking his marriage plans? And so, a book was born.

Do you have another job outside of writing?

I owned a public relations firm in Orlando, and I’ve been involved in the profession for 35 years. During that time, I’ve worked in hospital communications and public affairs for government. I’ve been a political speechwriter and was director of communications for the City of Orlando. Currently, I still have a couple of public relations clients, and I work part-time.

Give us your best tweet for His Fantasy Maid. (140 characters or less.)

How far will a bright girl go to get what she wants? 

Did you have any say in your cover art? Did you have any say in it?

I am thrilled with the cover, and yes, I had some say. Since Jake Sinclair is NOT an alpha-type hero, I provided a couple of photos of someone I thought looked the part. The super graphics team at Crimson Romance took it from there. ( I think I’ve seen the male model on the cover in a television automobile commercial.)

How do you get to know your characters?

I use a terrific character chart that is available to authors at www.charlottedillon.com. 

When you start a new book, do you know what the entire cast will be?
               
No, I don’t, but I’m a woman who greatly values female friendships, so I always know that there will be secondary female characters who are important to the plot. In this book, Amy’s friend Ellen plays an integral role.

Which character did you most enjoy writing?

I enjoyed writing dim-witted Matt because he has such a good heart, and I’m a sucker for heroes with high emotional intelligence, even when their intellect may be sub par.

I’m constantly on the lookout for new names. How do you name your characters?

Truly, for me, this is one of the easiest aspects of my writing. They float to me on a cloud.

Lucky you! Tell us about your favorite scene in the book.

Jake’s drug-induced dream sequence is probably my favorite scene. And here it is….
The drugs are kicking in big time now.  Goodnight moon.

I’m at the front of the church in my tux, stifling a sneeze. The sanctuary is covered in gardenias, my least favorite flower. I hate their cloying scent. I have a stabbing pain between the eyes. Sam is next to me. My dad and mom are in the front row, and mom’s crying. Maybe the gardenias have gotten to her, too. 

The bridesmaids, in neon blue, take their places, and we all look expectantly to the front of the church for the bride. Claudia wants to walk down the aisle to Pachelbel’s Canon, so I’m surprised when Jason Mraz’s “I’m Yours” begins to fill the church. I look at Sam, who just shrugs like it’s the most natural thing in the world for his sister to change her mind at the last minute.

I flex my hands, and then fold them in front of me. I straighten, locking my knees. I start to teeter, and then catch myself. I’m nauseated. The wedding guests along the aisle have all put on party hats and are blowing noisemakers…to the music. This I find a bit odd.

On her father’s arm, Claudia glides toward the altar. From this distance, I can’t see through her veil. Really, a veil? What is this, the 1950s? When her father hands her off to me, she raises the lace.  It’s not Claudia.  It’s Amy.  And I’m thrilled, ecstatic, on the verge of hyperventilating. In fact, I’m so excited I can barely get through the ceremony. My cheeks hurt from grinning. I keep motioning for the minister to hurry things up. The more I motion, the slower he gets. When the pastor finally pronounces us man and wife, I kiss her quickly, pick her up, and literally run up the aisle. I carry her into a room off the antechamber. It’s the room where the bride and her bridesmaids dress. I know this isn’t proper. We must have a honeymoon planned, but I don’t care. I have to have her this very moment.

She doesn’t object to my urgency. In fact, she points to a settee and starts hiking up her floor length gown. She kneels on the settee. She’s wearing a lace garter belt, shimmery nylons, and the sweetest little thong. Do women still wear garter belts? Amy does. I push aside her diminutive thong. I’ve waited my whole life for this moment, when I claim the woman I love as my own. My cock is the size of Mr. Green Jeans’ prize cucumber. 

Something nudges my shoulder.
“Wake up, Mr. Sinclair. I need to take your vitals.” 
I peel my eyelids open. A nurse is staring down at me, and Amy stands in the doorway.  Someone’s made a tent in my bed. Oh, no, it’s not a tent. It’s my boner, sticking straight up like the main pole in a three-ring circus. It should be obvious that my vitals are, well, vital.

Where’s home for you?

I live in idyllic Asheville, North Carolina.

Oh my gosh, one of my favorite places! Tell us one weird thing, one nice thing, and one fact about where you live.

Asheville is where weird is normal…and normal is weird. No one cares about what kind of car you drive or how much jewelry you have. It’s the town of previously-important people.

Do you ever get writer’s block? What do you do when it happens?

I get it far more often than I’d like…and for weeks at a time. Generally, I just have to push through, and while much of what I write while I’m pushing is unadulterated crap, I can usually find a few kernels that give me hope to carry on.               

Excerpt from His Fantasy Maid

If I believed the adage, “you are what you do,” my self-concept would be in the toilet, so to speak. I clean houses in a bikini or French maid get-up, client’s choice, which contributes little to making the world a better place. As a result, my adage is, “you are what you become,” because I’m becoming a doctor. 

But today, I’m Amy Maitland, fantasy maid.

My best friend and fellow medical resident, Ellen, knows about my undercover life working for Fantasy Maids, but she’s the only one. If word got out at the College of Medicine, I’d be the laughingstock of the University of Central Florida. My five brothers know I work as a housemaid, which they respect as good, honest labor, but they don’t know the fantasy aspect. Protective (and controlling) men that they are, they’d lock me up.

That being said, it’s not the worst job in the world. I’ve been a fantasy maid for almost two years, and so far, none of my clients has tried to assault me. But it’s always a possibility, considering Florida’s propensity for perverts. The company (i.e. Rex, the owner, and a part-time secretary) arms us with pepper spray and an emergency hotline number (Rex’s cell phone), and they screen the customers to make sure no one’s a registered sex offender. They also arrange our appointments, and Rex is good about following up…within four or five days…to make sure we survived the gig. 

Still, being alone with a strange guy in his apartment is enough to get anyone’s adrenalin pumping, and I never go into a new situation without first sending up a prayer. I always let Ellen know where I’m going, and I carry a rosary, even though I’m not Catholic.

Today, I’m heading to a condominium in stylish Winter Park, just north of Orlando. The address alone is comforting. It’s just off Park Avenue in a nice neighborhood, and it’s next door to a church. But, I remind myself, Ted Bundy lived in a nice neighborhood.  Let’s face it; serial killers can look like the boy next door.

About the author:

Susan Blexrud grew up in Orlando, Florida, and now lives in Asheville, North Carolina, with her husband of 27 years, John, who proposed to her on New Year’s Eve 1985 on the Venice-Simplon Orient Express, halfway between Paris and Vienna. Their son Chris lives and works in Manhattan, and daughter Allison is a college junior. Susan has a Chihuahua named Baby and a cockatiel named Romeo. She is an avid reader, and she leads two monthly book clubs in Asheville.  She is a walker and Yoga enthusiast. She enjoys quilting and bird watching (loves hummingbirds), and most of all, writing her next story. 
 
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