I spent most of my working years as a high school teacher, but I’ve always been intrigued by the idea of running a small business, a place where people gather and community forms—like the quirky bookshop where my Book Nirvana series takes place, or the seaside gelato shop in Gelato Surprise. A small-business setting brings together a close-knit cast of characters who work there. Together with the regular customers, they can form a sort of found family.

I wanted to set this new series in my hometown of Tacoma, Washington, U.S.A. Nicknamed the “Gritty City,” Tacoma boasts lots of funky shops, fun bars and restaurants, and a lively music scene. Bangers Tavern, the series’ center point, is based on several neighborhood bars in our area. I started writing the series last autumn, and then…the pandemic. Bars and restaurants closed their doors, everyone battened down the hatches, and we settled in to wait it out. We’re still waiting.

Mind you, I have worked in a bar, but that was—ahem—many years ago. Instead of my planned visits to a dozen bars in our area, I hit Google, collecting details about how servers serve, how bartenders tend bar, and how bar owners manage their business. Thank heavens for generous people like Casey Clipper, an author and former restaurant manager who shared her expertise. I think—I hope—I’ve captured the crucial details as well as the fun, camaraderie, and delicious, greasy bar food you’d find in Bangers Tavern. And yes, I was thinking of British pub food when naming the place. If your thoughts turn in a naughtier direction, well…I do write steamy romance, so I won’t mind. 
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Tell us about what you write (short stories, novellas, novels, non-fiction)?
I write steamy contemporary romance set in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. My Book Nirvana series centers around a quirky bookshop in Eugene, Oregon. Gelato Surprise is a steamy older woman/younger man beach romance novella. The Bangers Tavern Romance series is set in a neighborhood tavern in Tacoma, Washington, where I live—the town, not the tavern! Each story features a holiday celebration in Bangers Tavern: Christmas, St. Patrick’s Day, Cinco de Mayo, 4th of July, Halloween, etc. During this sad time when so many bars, restaurants, and other businesses are shut down, Bangers Tavern gives me the chance to virtually share the fun, camaraderie, and bar food I miss so much. And each volume includes tasty cocktail recipes I’ve personally tested and tweaked—a tough job, but I do it for my readers (wink).
 
Under my own name, I write cozy mysteries and creepy short stories—think The Twilight Zone—but so far only one creepy short has been published. I’ll get to the rest of them eventually, but right now I’m having too much fun writing romance!
 


Tagline: When two Scrooges unite to save a bar in trouble, a kiss under the mistletoe sparks the sexiest Christmas miracle ever.
 
Back Cover Blurb:
Bartender River Lundqvist has a damn good reason for hating Christmas. Bangers Tavern is the perfect place to lay low over the holidays—until Charlie walks in. His first encounter with the saucy server nine years ago was utter humiliation. Her reappearance stirs up powerful desires and hopes for a new start. But the timing is all wrong.
Back in Tacoma to care for her estranged dad over the holidays, freelance web designer Charlie Khoury braces herself for the suckiest Christmas ever. A temporary job at Bangers Tavern gives her a chance to escape Dad’s criticism and blow off some steam. But why does the hunky bartender seem to hate her?    
A pretend girlfriend is just what River needs to keep his family off his back—until a kiss under the mistletoe flares hot enough to melt the North Pole. When greedy developers threaten Bangers Tavern, River and Charlie must team up to save it. Their sizzling chemistry feels like the real thing—but everyone knows rebound relationships don’t last.
Come to Bangers Tavern for an enemies-to-lovers tale of reconciliation, found family, holiday cocktails, and the sexiest Christmas miracle ever.
 
Short Excerpt
 Her low, throaty chuckle made him want to kiss her again. Though he pretty much wanted to kiss her anytime she was within range.
She laid her hand palm-up on the center console. “The thing is, I’m not looking for a relationship.”
Remembering a bit of Dawn’s wisdom, he nestled his hand into hers. “You never find a relationship when you’re looking for one.”
Her gaze softened, open and vulnerable. “Are you looking?”
Warning sirens blared inside his head. This was a question to answer very carefully. “If you’d asked me a month ago, I’d say, ‘No way.’ But then, I kissed this girl under the mistletoe, and…”
She closed her eyes, lifted his hand, and pressed it to her sternum. Beneath his palm, her heart thudded fast. His pulse sped to match hers. He held his breath.
“I like you, River.” Her whisper matched the brush of snowflakes against the windows.
“I like you too.”
She inhaled deeply, then met his gaze. “Enough to be my friend?”
He nodded, mesmerized.
“Because my life is a mess right now, and I have no idea what the fuck I’m doing.”
Her coarse language stirred up a heady swirl of laughter, sympathy, and arousal. He scooted as near as the center console allowed and placed his lips close to her ear. “I’ll tell you a secret. Me neither.”
Fire flickered in her eyes’ inky depths. Her lips parted. A golden thread wound around his heart and tugged him toward her. His thumb stroked the delicate line of her jaw as he closed the distance.

Link for ARC download page on Bookfunnel: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/caw7o03nb8
Link for ARC download page on Story Origin:  https://storyoriginapp.com/reviewcopies/b509cb13-a6ea-4d03-93d2-e35584992b44
 
 
Buy Links:
 
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08JKW3XR2
 
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/christmas-rekindled-sadira-stone/1137720901?ean=2940162818212
 
Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/us/book/id1532772664
 
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/christmas-rekindled
 
Google Play Books:
 
Goodreads link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55430214-christmas-rekindled
 
Universal book link: https://books2read.com/u/brW5Ok
 
Bookbub link: https://www.bookbub.com/books/christmas-rekindled-a-bangers-tavern-romance-by-sadira-stone

Author Bio:
 
Ever since her first kiss, Sadira’s been spinning steamy tales in her head. After leaving her teaching career in Germany, she finally tried her hand at writing one. Now she’s a happy citizen of Romancelandia, penning contemporary romance from her new home in Washington State, U.S.A. When not writing, which is seldom, she explores the Pacific Northwest with her charming husband, enjoys the local music scene, plays darts (pretty well), plays guitar (badly), and gobbles all the books. Visit Sadira at www.sadirastone.com.
I’d love to hear from you! Please visit me on all the socials.
 
Author Website   Facebook   Twitter  Goodreads   Bookbub   Amazon Author Page   Pinterest   Instagram   Author Newsletter     

Tell us a bit about yourself 
 
I’m a pretty easy-going author with an addiction to peppermint chocolate and Diet Mt. Dew! I grew up in a small town in Ohio in a blue-collar, working-class family. My mother and her friends used to read historical romance, so there was always a thick book lying around the house. I started reading those novels in my late teens, so romance has been a part of my life for a very long time. After marrying, my husband joined the United States Air Force, so I’ve lived in Texas and Arizona. I love to travel and meet new people. After finishing an Accounting Tech degree, I quickly realized I prefer writing over numbers. In addition to writing novels, I also dabble in song writing, singing and poetry. In 1999, I suffered a disability from Guillain-Barre Syndrome which damaged all the nerves in my extremities. Although I wear drop-foot braces in order to walk, my life is full and happy. I’m a survivor above all things who loves to fall in love!
 
 
How do you find time to write?
 
My kids are grown, have lives of their own in different parts of the country, and my husband works, so finding time to write isn’t a problem. I can write in the morning and the evening, but prefer to write when darkness falls and the world is quiet. Sometimes normal life gets in the way, but it’s short-lived. I’m a highly driven personality, so my real problem is knowing when to take a break.
 
What are your publishing tips? 
 
I’ve been running to catch up since October 2018, when my first book launched, “The Rings of Faolan-Emeralds.” I can only say, “Don’t give up and don’t take anything personal.” If you go through a publisher expect some time to pass before your book receives a release date. Editing, cover design, and all the things that go into publishing a book take time. If you’re self-publishing, hire an editor and a great cover designer. You can be a “hybrid” author, or an author who publishes both ways, and there is nothing wrong with this. Marketing your book is its own monster. Plan on spending many more hours marketing than writing.
 
Any promotional and marketing tips? 
 
Social media is your friend, but use it wisely and limit your time. You’ll need reviews and other authors are willing to swap, but this takes away writing time, so be careful how much you take on. I haven’t found any method of marketing/promotion that is full-proof or guaranteed to provide results, but the more your name is out there, the better. Quality ads and creative thinking helps. I use Canva for ads and Wondershare Filmora for book trailers. If you’re going to blog, make sure you blog about something interesting. I am the worst author on the planet for newsletters, but when I do one, I try to create an eye-catching, informative, short, but interesting post. You can sign up for my newsletter or read my blog posts at www.kristalharris.com. I think the best advice I can give is to write a great book then promote your name and your work on all social media outlets as much as possible!
 
Lastly, tell us about your recent book.
 
“The Rings of Faolan-Rubies,” launched May 29, 2019. This book is the second in my werewolf series. Michael Faolan is the eldest brother who meets his destined mate, Natalie Terrence. This pair fight off hunters, a group out to eradicate all Lycan, while facing more challenges and falling in love. The book is set in the scenic Wicklow Forest of Ireland. Michael Faolan is dark, deadly, romantic and humorous. Natalie blossoms into a sexy, alpha female who challenges Michael at every turn. The pair sizzle on the pages! I’m a sucker for a great shifter romance, so the book was a pleasure to write. 

BLURB for The Rings of Faolan-Rubies
 
From the first, Michael Faolan and Natalie Terrence knew they were destined to be Lycan mates, but constant danger in Michael's life keeps them separated. They are stalked by the hunters, a group of men who plan to eradicate all Lycan as vermin. Natalie refuses to acknowledge the bond that she has with Michael until hunters burn down his barn and he is gravely injured. She cannot resist his call, even with the threat hanging over his head.
Michael Faolan has secrets of his own, but he is happy to accept Natalie's ministrations. Their attraction ignites into flames of passion as they continue to fight the hunters. Could his secrets dampen the hunger Natalie feels for her mate, or can they use that desire to build a family and forge a love so strong no man, woman, or beast can tear them apart?
 
 
EXCERPT
Michael stepped closer to the wall when she slipped under her covers. He braced his hands against the stone. Sweat ran down his back and disappeared into the waistband of his loose jeans. The scent of her arousal drenched his body. He soaked it into his pores and his mind. His eyes glowed silver in the darkness. The predator rose to the surface quickly. His canines dropped over his lower lip. His body trembled all over, on the cusp of losing control. He rode the edge somewhere between man and wolf. His teeth snapped together before he collapsed on the floor to embrace the change.
Bones cracked and popped in the darkness. Black fur covered his skin as his body reshaped itself. His face elongated into a black snout. Huge paws formed where his hands and feet had been. Thunder clapped loudly above Heather Ridge. He was thankful for it as his body slammed into the wall. He held on too long before allowing his wolf to emerge. Now the beast was restless and edgy. Natalie’s scent still saturated the air even though she was asleep. His wolf growled low and deep with her so close.
 
LINKS
www.kristalharris.com
https://www.amazon.com/Kristal-Dawn-Harris/e/B07HP1YKMM?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1563414926&sr=8-1
https://twitter.com/Kristal081670
https://www.facebook.com/kristalharrisauthor/?modal=admin_todo_tour
https://www.instagram.com/kristaldawnharris/

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​

Tell us a bit about yourself
Elizabeth is a mom, a wife, and the caretaker of far too many pets, all of whom her children swore they'd take care of. But they went off to college leaving fur babies in their place. She is a multi-published author of women's fiction and romance. She is a contributor for the Really Real Housewives of America blog, a great spot to find cheats for all things home related. She is also an admin for the Insecure Writer's Support Group.

How do you find time to write?
I use Novlr, an online writing program. With it, I can access my files from any computer or my phone. That way, whenever I have a spare minute, I can get words on the page.
What’s your publishing tips?
Never give up. If you love writing, write. I’ve seen a lot of talented writers quit because they think they have to get a big publishing contract and can’t. There is more than one path to bookshelves- use whatever works for you.

Any promotional and marketing tips?
I am horrible at marketing. A wise professor once told me to get advice from people who have succeeded in the job you’re attempting.
That’s not me.
Marketing for me is a crapshoot. Blogs, social media, newsletter…which reminds me…I forgot to send out a newsletter about my new book.
Here’s a tip: make a to do list and consult it often. I should have done that…

Tell us about your recent book.
The short blurb:
Sarah Andrews returns to Dodd, Indiana to heal a broken heart. She’s a topnotch attorney who wins in the courtroom, but she’s a failure at love. First day home, she runs into Rich Cooper, her first love and her first/worst heartache. She begins to regret moving back until she learns that Rich is embroiled in a custody battle for his two girls and needs her help. Even Sarah, who’s grown to distrust love in all forms, can’t help but be moved by Rich’s obvious love for his daughters. He needs her and having him at her mercy for once, is a position Sarah could get used to.

The Official Blurb:
Sarah Andrews is one smart cookie. She’s a top-notch attorney, educated at Stanford and freshly fired from one the best legal firms in Indiana. Her love/win record is 0-3 and as she approaches her thirtieth birthday, she decides she needs a quiet, safe place to regroup. She decides to go home to Dodd. But Dodd, Indiana is far from safe once she comes face-to-face with Richland Conrad Cooper. Rich and Sarah go way back to high school. Rich was teen-girl kryptonite—athletic, charming…persuasive—and Sarah was not immune. She fell hard, certain she'd found true love. But it turned out to be nothing more than the first of her love tries and fails. She thought time had shored up her defenses, but one look at Rich makes her heart do flip flops. It's like the moment where unrequited love gets a do-over, the only problem is...Rich doesn't remember who the hell she is. That hurt, and no matter how hard Rich tries to make up for that initial faux pas, Sarah won’t forget. She has learned—if a guy steals your heart, breaking his is quid pro quo. Only when Rich is served with a custody challenge of his two daughters does Sarah call a truce. Working together, Rich can’t help but totally fall for her. She’s cold and rude, forcefully pointing out their differences and his flaws every chance she gets. But the heart wants what the heart wants, so Rich tries even harder to convince her she isn’t meant for any other guy, but him.

​

Tell us a bit about yourself 

I'm a long time writer for over 15 years but only started getting serious about getting my work 'out there' in probably the last six years. I write steamy to erotic romance and am a self-confessed genre-hopper with contemporary, historical and paranormal stories either written, published or WIPs. I have way too many first chapters of started stories but am trying verrrrry hard to just stick to two at a time and actually get something finished. I'm currently working on a vampire romance for an upcoming box set and Book 1 in a planned contemporary series. 

How do you find time to write? 

I gave up my 'day job' (office manager) four years ago to take up house renovating/flipping. When I have a project on the go, there isn't much time for writing but it's only for a couple of months at a time.  The rest of the time I have no excuses not to write as my time is my own. I am  most productive with a bribery system and with writing in short bursts. I set myself a daily word target and write in 100 word sprints with 'rewards' after completing each spring.  Mind you, a reward might be something like getting the dishes done or doing the supermarket shopping - but when you struggle to get the words out of your head and on to paper, even something like taking the bins out is preferable. Sometimes it'll be a yummy reward like a hot chocolate and a biscuit. I'm easy to please lol.

What’s your publishing tips? 

My main publishing tip relates to self-publishing as with a traditional publisher most things are out of your hands. Getting your book written and online is the easy part. But just having it sitting in Amazon will not sell it. The real work is in marketing and there is so much to learn. There are some excellent online courses and if you're friends with self-published authors, pick their brains about what they do and what works. This is information you really need before you hit 'publish' because effective marketing happens before that point. It's time-consuming and can be expensive but unfortunately an integral part of this journey.

Any promotional and marketing tips? 

I don't know nearly enough yet to give any specific marketing or promo tips but as I'm just re-releasing a story this week I've had to dip my toe in the promo waters. I've become a huge fan of Instagram and have an author account. I ensue that only post writing-related posts but ensure they are a mix of blatant promo, something personal but always tie it into writing somehow, share inspirational writing posts. I have a separate account for anything else I want to share. Learning about how to use hashtags was a great help and I am slowing building followers (whether any of them turn into readers remains to be seen). I don't mind devoting time to Instagram because I enjoy the graphics side of it, creating attractive posts to ensure my grid has a cohesive look. I have the time and the inclination for this, but it mightn't be for everyone. I only have a FB  author page and Instagram as my only author social media and it only takes a few minutes a day to keep them updated.

Tell us about your recent book.

My current release is a shortish steamy contemporary Christmas story which I'm releasing for Christmas In July. Holly James, restaurant manager and temporary Christmas elf, has no time for families. Her own was virtually non-existent and the concept of happy families is something she can't comprehend. When she's stranded in a snow storm, and rescued by sexy widower Ryland Maxwell she has no option but to spend Christmas with the family. Since his wife died, Ry keeps his amorous adventures way from home and away from his young daughter - until he kisses their unexpected elf under the mistletoe. 

I've never had the privilege of a white Christmas, so I enjoyed living vicariously through writing this story. I also enjoyed bringing together two characters who had put their hearts aside and have them overcome their fears. 


Buy link : https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07TCX2P3K

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​Tell us a bit about yourself 
I’m a compulsive writer and insatiable reader. My to-read list is huge and my house is proof to that, with books in every room. There is little more I enjoy than curling up with a good book, a little coffee and chocolate at my elbow, and my sweet puppy napping nearby.
 
How do you find time to write? 
I’ve always been a writer, first as a journalist and now a novelist. Because this is the BEST job in the world, I don’t have a problem sitting down and getting to work at my computer. There is nothing more satisfying to me than creating new worlds and then populating them with characters I love.
 
What’s your publishing tips? 
The best advice I can give aspiring writers is to never stop believing in yourself. This can be a cruel business with so many rejections churned out each day. It’s true, however, that none of those rejections are personal. They don’t necessarily mean you’ve written a bad book. Timing and targeting are everything. Make sure you only submit to editors/agents/publishers who actively seek your genre. Make sure you follow their submission guidelines exactly. Treat each submission like a job application. If a rejection follows, move on as quick as you can and remember why you’re writing. You love it, right? Keep at it!
 
Any promotional and marketing tips?
Ugh. Marketing. So difficult for someone who just wants to write. This was the hardest part for me. I make a list at the start of every year. The first year was about setting a foundation – website and build a social media presence. The second year was learning how to reach these audiences. Every genre is different and you have to find your audience. My best tip is get started somewhere, whether it’s Instagram or a newsletter or Twitter, and be patient while your audience grows. Don’t try to do it all at once.
 
Tell us about your recent book.
My sale book this week is Crime Times Two, which appropriately is my second book and part of my Wild Crime series. The book follows Meredith Lowe, who moved to a small isolated town with an abusive husband. In the wake of her husband’s murder, she seeks to get her life on track. A chance meeting with a man fearful his wife wants to kill him shatters her new confidence. There’s a little of everything in this book: murder, mayhem and romance.
 
Crime Times Two now on a summer sale for 99 cents!

Tagline:
When divorce is out of the question, can murder be forgiven?
 
Blurb from “Crime Times Two”
Meredith knows three things: First, the man in the library begged her to help him. Second, he was afraid of his wife. Third, now he’s dead.
While the evidence first points to a natural death, Meredith is certain there’s more to discover. People are tight-lipped in this small mountain village, and the man’s wife isn't talking either. Then a second death occurs, with remarkable similarities. It’s time to talk about murder. 
As a slow-burning relationship heats up in her own life, Meredith struggles with concepts of love and hate, belief and suspicion, and absolution and guilt. Nothing is clear cut…
She must decide: Is guilt, like evil, something you can choose to believe in?
 
Excerpt from “Crime Times Two”:
Jowls quivered under the man’s weak chin, and Meredith noted the stained and frayed shirt of someone who spent a lot of time alone in dark rooms, sending out a better version of himself into the virtual world. His eyes were anxious and beseeching at her as though she should have a clear understanding of him and his life.
Somehow, over the past hour and a half they’d been sitting next to each other – him playing video games and sharing his life story and her ignoring him the best she could – she had become his confessor and friend.
Meredith gave him what she hoped was an impartial-though-quasi-friendly smile. She reached for her purse and papers and rose from her chair. “Well. Nice talking with you.”
The man was lost in his own train of thought and seemed only slightly aware that Meredith was leaving.
He shook his head, morose.
“To make a long story short,” he summed up, “I think my wife is trying to kill me.”
 
Bio:
Julie Howard is the author of the Wild Crime series. She is a former journalist and editor who has covered topics ranging from crime to cowboy poetry. She is a member of the Idaho Writers Guild, editor of the Potato Soup Journal, and founder of the Boise chapter of Shut Up & Write. Learn more at juliemhoward.com.
Buy Links:
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2VMZlUv
 
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/crime-times-two-julie-howard/1129472600?ean=2940161941164
 
IBooks: https://books.apple.com/au/book/crime-times-two/id1436345028
 
Social media links:
Website: http://juliemhoward.com
 
Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/juliemhowardauthor
 
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18116047.Julie_Howard
 
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B07D6CS4NQ
 
Twitter @_juliemhoward
 

 
 

Tell us a bit about yourself 
I’m Karen Hugg (“Hewg”) and I write literary mysteries and thrillers inspired by plants. I worked as a gardener in the Seattle area for years so my passion and knowledge are rooted (excuse the pun!) in all things green. Plants are these silent, fascinating beings and I want to bring that fascination to the page in exciting ways.
How do you find time to write?
Well, if you’re a mom and/or you have a full-time job, it’s really hard! Luckily, I always worked for myself in my gardening business and was able to carve out hours during the day when my kids were at school. Also, when they were little, my husband would take them away every Saturday morning and I’d focus on writing for a couple hours then. Now, they’re a bit older so I can actually work when they’re home. 
 What’s your publishing tips?
Try to craft as good of a story as you can. Take writing classes. Find writer friends and get feedback. Then, when you’ve gone over the story so many times you can’t see straight, submit it for publication. And brace yourself for rejections. It may take time. For some authors, it’s a hit after a few tries, but for most, it’s a hit after about 100 tries.
One thing I recommend is trying to publish shorter pieces in newspapers or on websites while you’re querying. Because rejection hurts, you need some sort of counter to that. So if you can publish a small thing, that one little “yes” will give you the confidence to keep going with your larger project.
Any promotional or marketing tips?
I would say zero in on why you’re writing, what your passion is, and then share that with the world. If you don’t know, search on mission statements and the OGSM business model for help. There’s a great book called Brand Yourself Royally by Nancy Blanton that I got a lot out of. She helps not only creatives but authors specifically figure out who they are as a public face (or brand) and how to communicate that to the world. It’s an excellent resource.
Tell us about your recent book
My latest novel is called The Forgetting Flower. It’s about a young woman who hides a dangerous plant in Paris. Here’s the description:
Secrets and half-truths. These litter Renia Baranczka’s past, but the city of Paris has offered an escape and the refuge of a dream job. The specialty plant shop buzzes with activity and has brought her to a new friend, Alain. His presence buffers the guilt that keeps her up at night, dwelling on the endless replays of what happened to her sister.

All too suddenly, the City of Light seems more sinister when Alain turns up dead. His demise threatens every secret Renia holds dear, including the rare plant hidden in the shop’s tiny nook. It emits a special fragrance that can erase a person’s memory—and perhaps much more than that.

As Renia races to figure out the extent of the plant’s powers, she’s confronted by figures from her past who offer a proposal she can’t outright refuse. Bit by bit, she descends into a menacing underworld of blackmarket mobsters, navigating threats and fending off abuse to protect the safe peaceful life she’s worked so hard for. Desperate to outwit her enemies, Renia maneuvers carefully, knowing one wrong move will destroy not only the plant, but the lives of her sister and herself.
You can order it from Amazon or through physical bookstores. Also, until I run out, I’m offering free The Forgetting Flower T-shirts to all new newsletter subscribers. There’s more info on my website. www.karenhugg.com. Thank you!

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INSPIRATION – WHERE REALITY AND DREAMS COLLIDE
 
Writers are often asked about their inspiration for their books. I’m not sure the fascination with this, but I expect it’s because it is such a mystery and so different for each writer. Sometimes it might be some big epiphany moment perhaps or from a magnificent dream or they were looking at something one day when, ‘bang’ a thought for a story idea/character came into their mind and they just had to write it. I’ve certainly heard stories from many writers like this – we all know the famous Stephanie Meyers story of having a dream about two teenagers in a field of flowers and she woke up and had to discover their story and that’s how Twilight was born.
 
For me, most of my novels are born out of dreams I have mixed with things from reality.
 
I can dream quite vividly and when a particularly dream occurs, it will often occur again and again, sometimes the same scene or sometimes the scene continues on from the previous night, unfolding more than a scene or a snippet of dialogue or character or place, giving me a sense of story so strong, I have no choice but to write it. Sometimes these dreams have strange inspirations in real life.
 
The dream that started me out on the journey to write my Pack Bound Series for instance, came from an event that happened at the snow many years ago, where a snowboarder ran into me and hurt my leg. There was nothing romantic or happy-ever-after about it – the snowboarder, embarrassed and on a run he shouldn’t have been on, barely checked if I was okay before jumping up and taking off down the slope, leaving me to deal with a hurt knee, being winded and equipment that had scattered everywhere when he smacked into me. However, my mind must have played over that scene in some way, until one night, years later, I had a dream about it happening to someone who wasn’t me and the person who smacked into her was her fated mate. I woke up so excited to write their story and explore them and their world that the words flew from me and before I knew it, I had a book filled with magic and witches and Weres and Shifters, good and evil and overcoming it all in the search of personal fulfillment and love.
 
My new novel, Climbing Fear: Book 1 in the CoalCliff Stud Series, also came from a mixed inspiration of reality and dreams. From the age of 13 to 21, I used to attend a horse riding camp once or twice a year. Up until the age of 18, I was an attendee on this horse riding camp – one of the 40 kids who turned up and had the week of our lives riding through State forests near Anglesea. When I turned 18, I became one of the staff on my University holidays – a tough job wrangling 40 boys and girls ranging in age from 8-17, but one that was worth it if for nothing other than I got to be on the farm and among the horses, riding every day. That of course, was many years ago and I had no idea then that I would write a novel set on a similar horse stud one day. I had no intention of doing so. Until I had a dream about a woman returning to the stud she grew up on and bumping into the boy – now a man – she’d had a passionate fling with before she ran away to get married to someone else. And in the dream neither was happy about the reunion. The dream continued the next night and the next, their pain and passion so real it swept me away with the visceral need of it, mixed with a suspense element that heightened the tension that demanded to be written and made my fingers fly over the keys to get their story out and onto the page.
 
I have no idea where that particular idea of conflict came from, but the fact it was on a horse stud seemed right. Although, when I started writing it, I realised I wasn’t writing about somewhere like the place I’d been to, but somewhere in the Victorian Alps near a town called Walhalla – a place I’d visited years ago when I was tour manager for a theatre restaurant show and we were in Moe and I took the cast on a drive up into the mountains crowding the edge of the LaTrobe Valley and we found beautiful little ex-goldmining town, Walhalla, a magical place that had stuck in my mind and was now finding its way out onto the page in this new, suspenseful emotion-filled story.
 
So, Climbing Fear is part reality, part dream and part muse inspired – that magical mix that so often makes the writing experience so visceral for me and makes me push myself hard to do the best I can by this magical culmination of the real and unreal. I hope everyone enjoys the experience of reading the novels I write as much as I enjoy writing them.
 
Climbing Fear
 
A Coalcliff Stud novel—His beloved home is under threat, and with it the beautiful, haunted woman he's never been able to forget …
X-Treme TV sports star Reid Stratton has everything—until his best friend falls to his death on a climb while shooting their show. In the fierce media fallout, Reid begins to question everything about himself. Crippled by a new fear of climbing, Reid returns to CoalCliff Stud, his family’s horse farm, to recover.
Single mother Natalia Robinson is determined to start afresh, away from the shadow of her past. A job at CoalCliff Stud where she lived as a child is the perfect opportunity to live the quiet life she always wanted. But she is unprepared to see Reid, and is even more unprepared for the passion that still burns between them.
But after a series of menacing events threaten the new home she is trying to build, Nat realises that Reid is the only person she can rely on to keep her and her daughter safe. Together, Reid and Nat must face the pasts that haunt them if they are to survive the present and forge a future of hope.
 
Buy Links for Climbing Fear:
 
iTunes
Amazon Aus
Amazon US
Kobo
Google Play
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Leisl Leighton Author Bio:
Leisl is a tall red head with an overly large imagination. As a child, she identified strongly with Anne of Green Gables. A voracious reader and a born performer, it came as no surprise to anyone when she did a double major in English Literature and Drama for her BA, then went on to a career as an actor, singer and dancer, as well as script writer, stage manager and musical director for cabaret and theatre restaurants (one of which she co-owned and ran for six years).
 
After starting a family Leisl stopped performing and instead, began writing the stories that had been plaguing her dreams. Leisl's stories have won and placed in many competitions in Australia and the US, including the STALI, Golden Opportunities, Heart of the West, Linda Howard Award of Excellence, Touch of Magic and many others.
 
Leisl lives in the leafy suburbs of Melbourne with her two beautiful boys, lovely hubby, overly spunky dogs, Buffy and Skye, and likes to spend time with family and friends. She is addicted to the Syfy channel, and her shelves are full of fantasy and paranormal books and scifi DVDs. She sometimes sings in a choir, has worked as a swim teacher, loves to ski, can talk the hind leg off a donkey and has been President of Romance Writers of Australia from 2014-2017.
 
If you’d like to know more about me, my books, or to connect with me online, you can visit my webpage www.leislleighton.com, follow me on twitter @LeislLeighton https://twitter.com/LeislLeighton, or like my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/Leisl-Leighton-Author-367381126695193
 
My other books are: Dangerous Echoes: Book 1 of the Echo Springs Series. Or if you like your suspense mixed with the paranormal, then you should try my four book Pack Bound series: Pack Bound, Moon Bound, Shifter Bound and Wolf Bound—available now.
 
Buy Links for Dangerous Echoes:
iBooks, Google Play, Kobo, Amazon AU
Or you can buy the four book series, Echo Springs in paperback at Big W, Kmart and online at Angus&Robertson, Booktopia, The Nile, Boomerang Books, Dymocks
 
Buy Links for the Pack Bound Series:
Amazon Here, iBooks Here, Google Play Here, Kobo Here

Tell us a bit about yourself 
I'm an Australian author and I'm an adventurer at heart. I've lived in Argentina, Peru and Canada, and I've climbed some of the world’s highest mountains, worked as a tour guide in South and Central America and travel at every opportunity. I love immersing herself in exotic destinations, cultures and languages but Australia has always been close to my heart.

I host writing retreats for Writers at Sea and present writing workshops around Australia, as well as working on international film projects. I'm a volunteer role model with Books in Homes and ambassador for the Fiji Book Drive. My books explore history, culture, love and grief, and relationships between family, friends and lovers. My books capture the romance and thrill of discovering old and new worlds, and I love taking readers on a journey of discovery. 

My website is: www.allisinclair.com

How do you find time to write? 
I write full time so I write while my kids are at school and when on a big deadline, I am often found writing on my laptop in the car while my kids are off doing their after school activities! Writing is definitely not a nine to five job but I love the flexibility of it. I often have months of intense writing on a project and once it's done, I take time off to refill the creative well (which is very important for all of us!). 

What’s your publishing tips? 
Everyone's journey is different so don't compare yourself to others. It's hard, I know, but this is your journey - no one else's and only you can write your book. Also, it's good to be flexible and open yourself up to opportunities that may lead you down a path you may never have expected. For example, I had never thought about writing for the screen but an opportunity came up and now it's a form of storytelling that I am really enjoying and it fits perfectly alongside writing books (which I love). So if you have an opportunity to, say, have work on an anthology or collaborate with another writer, think seriously about doing it because you never know where it could lead. Another thing I would like to add is to stop every so often and look at what you've achieved. Remember that at one stage writing a book was just a dream - and you did it! Or if you haven't finished a book yet, you've started! That's a huge thing. How times have you heard people say "one day I'll write a book" and they don't? You have been proactive and done something about it - so keep at it! And for those who have been in this game a long time, take a deep breath and have a look at what you've achieved. I imagine you'd be surprised at exactly how far you have come. 

Any promotional and marketing tips? 
Collaborations with other authors is a great thing, especially newsletter swaps. Getting our books noticed is hard so it makes sense to work with other writers who have different readers to help spread the word about your books and theirs. Do a group promotion or give away with one or two other authors - it halves the cost of promotion and also reels in a bigger audience of readers that you may not have reached by yourself. Of course, still work on your own promotion, but it certainly helps by teaming up with other writers who write in a similar genre to you every so often. Plus, it's fun! Writing is such a solitary pursuit so it's nice to share some time with fellow writers. 

Tell us about your recent book
A heart-stirring novel of loss, love and new hope set against the glamorous backdrop of 1950s Hollywood and a small Australian country town.
How far would you go to follow your dream?

Queensland, 1994: When location manager Claire Montgomery arrives in rural Queensland to work on a TV mini-series, she's captivated by the beauty of Starlight Creek and the surrounding sugarcane fields. Working in a male-dominated industry is challenging, but Claire has never let that stop her pursuing her dreams-until now. She must gain permission to film at Australia's most historically significant art deco cinema, located at Starlight Creek. But there is trouble ahead. The community is fractured and the cinema's reclusive owner, Hattie Fitzpatrick, and her enigmatic great nephew, Luke Jackson, stand in her way, putting Claire's career-launching project-and her heart-at risk.
Hollywood, 1950: Lena Lee has struggled to find the break that will catapult her into a star with influence. She longs for roles about strong, independent women but with Hollywood engulfed in politics and a censorship battle, Lena's timing is wrong. Forced to keep her love affair with actor Reeves Garrity a secret, Lena puts her career on the line to fight for equality for women in an industry ruled by men. Her generous and caring nature steers her onto a treacherous path, leaving Lena questioning what she is willing to endure to get what she desires.
Can two women-decades apart-uncover lies and secrets to live the life they've dared to dream?
Pre-order available:
Harper Collins: https://bit.ly/2Cp1ywN
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2DenZ9o
Apple Books: https://apple.co/2FEcIAR
Booktopia: https://bit.ly/2TSL6fp
Kobo: https://bit.ly/2Mhf61G
Google Play: https://bit.ly/2Mlz8IN

Alli’s Bio:
Alli Sinclair, an adventurer at heart, has won multiple awards for her writing. She has lived in Argentina, Peru and Canada, and has climbed some of the world’s highest mountains, worked as a tour guide in South and Central America and has travelled the globe. She enjoys immersing herself in exotic destinations, cultures and languages but Australia has always been close to Alli’s heart.
Alli hosts retreats for Writers at Sea and presents writing workshops around Australia, as well as working on international film projects. She’s a volunteer role model with Books in Homes and is an ambassador for the Fiji Book Drive. Alli’s books explore history, culture, love and grief, and relationships between family, friends and lovers. She captures the romance and thrill of discovering old and new worlds, and loves taking readers on a journey of discovery.
Alli’s website is: www.allisinclair.com
Alli’s newsletter is: https://bit.ly/2RDavNl

​

​Tell us a bit about yourself:
 
I grew up on a small farm in western Pennsylvania (I was one of nine kids), so I had plenty of chores to do around the house all the time. Because I lived further away from school, I wasn’t involved in many activities, but I liked to read (frequented the bookmobile a lot), and I took piano lessons. After college, I worked as medical technologist in a hospital laboratory and started a family. Many years later, I wrote my first children’s book and wanted to write a novel. I’ve always heard that people should write what they know. The idea of writing about a deadly drug spreading across the country came into my head and sounded intriguing, especially since I used to test drugs of abuse when I worked in the lab. This novel has been a labor of love for the past few years. In my free time between writing and author visits with my children’s book, I also work as a church accompanist, musical director, and substitute teacher. I’m never bored.
 
How do you find time to write? 
 
(Laughs) Usually I write when my husband and kids go to bed. I’m often typing away on the computer through the late hours of the night. This schedule makes it rough when I have work the next morning, though. Sometimes I take a day off during the week to sleep in and spend the day typing on the computer when the house is empty.
 
What’s your publishing tips?
 
This is my first novel, so I don’t think I’m very qualified to give any tips, but I’ve been taking close notes from other authors and websites over the past few years, jotting down what they recommend publicity wise. I believe that the writer should be as responsible as possible reworking sections and meeting deadlines to show the publisher they are dependable. Craft a compelling query letter and never give up searching for a publishing company. You only live once so never give up on your story.
 
Any promotional and marketing tips?
 
Marketing is a huge task and I don’t know if you can ever do enough marketing. I’d definitely recommend making connections on social media as much as possible to gain more readers. Also, find as many venues as you can to schedule book signings. Contact stores around your area and state (dare I say nationally?) to carry your books. Plan a blowout book launch. Notify newspapers, community websites, contact newspaper/local online newpaper reporters, TV stations, radio hosts. Many will gladly help promote your book. Make contacts and get your name and book out there. Find book clubs and ask them to consider discussing your book (offer to do a signing mid-way through or at the end of the book’s discussion). No one cares more about your book than you so get out there and promote it!
 
 
Tell us about your recent book.
Finding Euphoria is about a woman who suffered a traumatic past and starts a new life. On the surface, Hailey Langley has it all: a handsome federal agent husband, two beautiful kids, a comfortable home, and a rewarding career in biochemistry. But beneath Hailey’s American dream, a nightmare lurks as she struggles to maintain the love and security of her “new” family, like the one she lost in her adolescence when kidnapping and rape left her orphaned and pregnant. Seeking the best place for adoption, Hailey gave the baby to a couple and worked at a Texas-based national security organization. In time, Hailey closed the door on the past and started a new life on the East Coast, but the secrets of her old life strain her marriage. When a mysterious drug sweeps across Chicago, Hailey’s former partner implores her to hunt for the drug that has put his adopted son—Hailey’s child—in a coma. Hailey is torn between risking her current security to save the son she gave away.
Now her partner is divorced and old sparks fly between them. Drug dealers kidnap Hailey, and her husband, a federal agent, is caught up in the chase. He finds his love for Hailey renewed as he is a part of her rescue. Hailey races against time to save her son, and hopes her marriage can survive the secrets.
 
Anything else you would like to add?
 
I’d like to thank you for having me on your blog today, Olivia. This has been a great experience telling your readers about my new novel. Oh, one last thing to add: Euphoria has a double meaning throughout the Euphoria series. In this first book, the reader learns Euphoria is the drug harvested from a shrub originally grown in the Amazon Rainforest. Hailey and others race to find the drug’s structural formula before the drug spreads worldwide. But the other meaning for euphoria is Hailey’s journey to finding happiness in her life after all the misfortune in her earlier years. Each book in the trilogy will focus on Hailey’s enduring different tragedies and the different drugs discovered from the Amazon shrub’s bark, leaves, roots, and flowers.
 
Finding Euphoria is the first book in the Euphoria Trilogy. The second book takes place six years later and the protagonist Hailey has once again suffered a horrible heartbreak in her life.
 
Tagline: The search is as deadly as the high
 
Book blurb:
 
Hailey Langley refuses to be a victim and has moved on from her traumatic past. But her marriage problems worsen when a deadly illicit drug threatens to draw her into the life she left behind.
Mark Langley has allowed his job to interfere with his marriage, but he never suspected the secrets in Hailey's past might hold the key to solving both of his current investigations.
Together, they must unravel the mystery of the drug called Euphoria and find a way to save not only their marriage, but countless lives, before it's too late.
 
Excerpt (around 500 words):
 
He turned the bottle around in his hand and set it on the end table. “Don’t put me in this position. You know what would happen. Grace is his mother. She’s the one who needs to stay with him.”
Regret tugged at her heart. “I wouldn’t take any time away from her.”
Parker groaned. “Just you being there would make her feel uncomfortable.”
“Why?”
“You know why.”
“But I’ve stayed away for seventeen years,” she whispered.
“That was the adoption arrangement.”
She bit her lip. “I can’t stay away any longer.”
“You agreed to those terms in the contract. You terminated all parental rights.” Parker stood and paced to the kitchen.
“But it’s not fair!” She put down her water and began wringing her hands.
Straightening his arms, he leaned against the bar. “Hailey, please don’t start. I know how you feel…”
“You couldn’t possibly know how I feel. I need to see him.” She fought to control the bitterness in her voice.
“No.”
She rose, knocking over the water bottle. “He’s my son!”
“Not anymore, he isn’t.”
The rebuke stung. “He’ll always be my son!”
“When you gave him up, you promised to keep your distance.”
“I have.”
“Forever.”
The reminder lanced her heart. “You’re being unfair. He’s dying.”
He slammed his fist on the bar. “Don’t say that. He can’t die.” Parker pushed himself up and stomped near the window, raising his hands to rest on top of his head as he faced the curtain.
A muscle twitched in her hand. Her knees buckled. She sat on the edge of the couch, wringing her hands. “I was young. I couldn’t give Justin the life he deserved. I’m not asking to take him back. I only want to see him.”
Rubbing his jaw, he walked back to the couch and sat. The hard lines on his face softened. “The adoption papers were clear. No contact.” He placed his hands on top of hers and stilled them. “If the decision was mine, I would allow it, but Grace would lose it if she found out you’re Justin’s biological mother.”
Her hands squeezed into tight fists. The urge was unbearable. “I wouldn’t tell her.”
Parker ran a hand through his hair. “Argh! Don’t you understand? She’d take one look at your face and know the truth. Don’t forget, you’re the one who wanted us to protect him.”
She stood. “Well, you did a hell of a fine job, didn’t you? You divorced Grace and deserted him. Parenting takes sacrifice, Parker. You were too busy changing careers, and now he’s messed up with drugs. How did that protect him?”
Standing, he reached for her.
“No. You stay away from me.” She extended her hands and backed up a step. “Justin’s dying! Dying, Parker! And I don’t know him…You won’t let me see my own son.”
He wrapped his arms around her.
She pushed him, pummeling her fists against his chest with all her strength.
He silently took his beating.
 
 
 
Buy links:
The Wild Rose Press Finding Euphoria ebook link
Amazon Finding Euphoria ebook link
Amazon Finding Euphoria paperback
Barnes & Noble Finding Euphoria ebook link
Apple itunes Finding Euphoria ebook
Kobo Finding Euphoria
Goodreads Finding Euphoria link
 
To reach C.Becker or get more information about her books:
 
Website address:
http://cbeckerauthor.com/ or C. Becker website
 
Social Media links:
Twitter C. Becker author
Facebook C.Becker Author
Amazon Author Page C. Becker
Instagram C.Beckerauthor
Goodreads C. Becker
 
Author bio:
A native of western Pennsylvania, C. Becker earned a B.S. degree in Medical Technology and MT (ASCP) certification. She has worked in clinical settings analyzing body fluids and testing drugs of abuse. As an author, C. Becker has published multiple stories in various genres.