Bonito & Furbaby Friday

I had to write a post recently for Beth Trissel's Furbaby Friday.  Since I no longer have pets, it was easy to travel back in time to the 80s and 90s of the previous century to choose my favorite of all time.  There was also no contest though many contenders. I've been fortunate to have many lovely animals share my life with me, but my hands-down favorite is my Andalusian stallion Bonito VIII.

In the fall of 1980, the same year my son was born, I purchased this 4-year-old stallion who knew much more than I did about the high school movements (going sideways, dancing in place, turning on a hind leg at the canter) and I had to learn quickly to catch up.  I think it took me 10 years.  :-)

I won't go into infinite detail about the Andalusian (as I am wont to do) because this post will become volumes.  The Andalusian was known as the Horse of Kings because most crowned heads of Europe preferred the breed in the Baroque period.  Some of the most famous paintings are Charles I of England on Andalusian steeds painted by Van Dycke. 

Today, my post on Bonito on Furbaby Friday will be live.  I hope you will visit us and learn more about him and the magnificent breed.

My novel about horses and life in the glittering world of competition is now available on audio. Gambler's Choice is a romantic suspense.  A Virginia socialite and an English Baron go head to head and foot to foot over the ownership of a very special stallion in the world of three-day eventers.  Free with your Audible.com subscription.  Gambler's Choice.

Enjoy your Saturday and don't make any butt prints in the sand!  :-)  Unless you're on a sandy beach with a pina colada in your hand.  (Be sure it has one of those cute little umbrellas).

If you are interested in the Andalusian or Lusitano breed, more information is available here:

 

The Story Behind the Story: ONE RED SHOE by Diane Burton

Assassins, killers, and spies. Oh my! My upcoming release does not have paranormal elements, nor does it take place in space. So, no aliens, shape-shifters, or ghosts. I hope you’ll indulge me anyway. Here's the origin of ONE RED SHOE.

Once upon a time, many, many years ago, at a local romance writers meeting (Mid-Michigan RWA), one of the members presented a writing exercise. The only clue was this: you’re on a train platform and someone is running toward you.

The first thing that popped into my head was: the man running toward her on the subway platform wore one red shoe. I wrote as fast as I could until time was up. When we shared our pieces, I was amazed at the variety. One person wrote about a man going off to war, and his sweetheart ran toward him to say good-bye. Another met a friend. And so on. If I recall correctly (and it was years ago) mine was the only one that hinted at danger. You see, the red in the shoe was blood.

That mini-story stuck in my head for years. I wrote, rewrote, and wrote more until I had a complete story. The central theme remained the same: a schoolteacher writer from Iowa rescues a wounded spy in a New York City subway. Daria is a wide-eyed optimist, going to NYC for the first time, ending up there on her own. I remember my first time at a writers’ conference in NYC. I was older and not that naïve. Still, I did play Fan Girl when I met my favorite authors. Consequently, I used some of those feelings for Daria’s emotions.

As the story progresses, the reality of assassins chasing them sinks in, and Daria changes. At first, she lets Sam (the wounded spy) dictate their escape. Each time, the assassins nearly catch them. Dara’s strength emerges as she takes over the rescue. I loved watching (writing) her character arc. Very rewarding.

For several rewrites, the first line remained the same until I went to another writing conference. I’d never ridden on the subway in NYC. Toronto and DC, yes; New York City, no. To make my story authentic, I had to see what it looked like, so I talked a group of friends into going with me, and we rode the subway. At night, no less. I’ll never forget the sights and smells, which I had to include in the story.

Six years ago, I submitted this story to The Wild Rose Press. They accepted and published it. I just received the rights back, and now I’m reissuing it myself. That half-hour writing session turned into one of my favorite books.

Blurb:

It Happened One Night meets Knight and Day

When elementary teacher Daria Mason left Iowa for a writers’ conference in New York City, she didn’t expect to come home with a wounded spy. Sam Jozwiak works for a shadow agency that gathers intel vital to U.S. security. From the moment he steals digital files from a Russian Mafia kingpin, Murphy’s Law takes over. No matter how he covers his tracks, the kingpin’s assassins find him. What’s worse than getting shot in the butt? Accepting help from an Iowa tourist. Thus, begins a road trip that takes Sam and Daria cross country with the assassins right behind them.

Excerpt:

For the second time in her life, Daria Mason came face-to-face with a man pointing a weapon at her. A pervert, with unzipped jeans, wielded a green box knife. Because she’d raced into the restroom without checking out the situation, he now stood between her and the exit.

She was at the end of the proverbial rope. After walking in circles, she finally found a restroom and nobody was stopping her from using it. Especially not someone playing copycat with that guy in the movie who wore one red shoe.

“I am having a really bad day,” she declared in the don’t cross me voice she used on her brothers. As soon as her words echoed off the hideous pink and black tiled walls and floor, she lowered her voice. “You are in the wrong place, mister. Now zip up and get out.” She pointed straight-armed toward the door.

The man shook his head and set the flimsy knife on the counter. “Lady, you have more guts than sense. You are in the wrong place, at the wrong time.” His voice was even softer than hers. He eyed her with a look so dark and intense it paralyzed her like a hawk freezes its prey. She swallowed past the fear in her throat, certain it sounded like a gulp.

ONE RED SHOE will be released on Monday, October 22, 2018. It's available for pre-order:  http://a.co/d/8DH9M5H

Sampling the #SciFi Pets Included in PETS IN SPACE 3 Anthology

Veronica Scott: Thanks for having me back on the blog as a guest! I'm still excited about our release this week of Embrace the Romance: Pets in Space 3 anthology. Although adventure and romance are key components of all the stories, the pets themselves are very important and I sat down with a couple of our authors to find out more about their pets. Wonderful artist Nyssa Juneau brings our pets to the page!

Anna Hackett

I often have plenty of nasty beasties in my action-packed sci-fi romances, so it wasn’t too hard to find one who wouldn’t bite anyone’s head off (well, at least not the good guys!) My story, Desert Hunter, is set in my Galactic Gladiators series, on the distant desert world of Carthago. It also stars Fiend.

Fiend is an alien canine of dubious origins. He’s a big, scruffy ball of tangled fur and he’s rescued from sand pirates in the desert by our hero and heroine, Bren and Mersi. He has a barbed tail, a lolling tongue, and doesn’t like baths…and watch out when he gets riled, because he’s very protective of the people he claims as his.

Pauline Baird Jones

I created a caticorn—a combo cat with a small horse body and a single horn in its forehead.

So technically I picked a cat and then did some ficitonal genetic engineering. (Don’t feel bad for the pets not picked. Somehow most of them managed to force their way into the story in other ways.)

I did have good reasons for going with a caticorn.

I needed a pet that would help, but not be high maintenance for my heroine.

And I needed a pet with secrets. Let’s face it, cats always look like they are keeping secrets—when they aren’t giving you the Puss’n boots “give me what I want” look.

And I needed a pet that could sneak on board the ship, because the caticorn did not get an invite for this trip.

Tiffany Roberts

We looked to some earth creatures for inspiration, particularly semiaquatic mammals like seals and otters, but they weren’t quite alien enough as they were. Some inspirational artwork added the last bits we needed to create the prixxir, a semiaquatic species that lives along the coastlines of Halora. Part otter, part feline, and part fish, the prixxir present something vaguely familiar to Halora’s humans—a faint echo of the dogs and cats that were their ancestors’ companions on another world—while all the same having alien features.

JC Hay

It was my love for dogs, and my fascination with animal-soldiers that prompted me to start writing about the JTF Rangers and their umbra wolf bondmates. I knew I wanted the bond to be something more than just a working relationship, which led to the idea of the wolfbond being a deep empathic connection. From those two pieces, most of the rest of the world-building snapped into place, including the trauma that results when one half of a bonded pair dies.

I knew that I wanted to write a story about Rafe Penzak, the Rangers’ commanding officer, before I was invited to write for Pets in Space anthology. When the invite came I realized Rafe, with his wounded psyche, and the grief over his fallen wolf, would be a perfect match for a book about heroic animals and the people who care about them. Rafe’s pain and his inability to feel have been his defining characteristics in the previous books about the rangers, where he’s the emotionless, brooding commander. Prying back that surface and helping lead him toward his own happily ever after was important to me. Part of his road to happiness is about healing, and it’s an encounter with his past that acts as his first step on that journey.

Alexis Glynn Latner

I modeled my pet dog after a real breed called the Japanese Spitz. Star is a delicately built little creature with a thick coat of clean white fur and bright black eyes. She is an invented breed of dog. Her owner explains, “Star is a Chivvier, the only breed of dog native to Wendis, descended from a noble breed of Twentycent Earth. It’s inborn into Chivviers to find misplaced things or missing people. . . . Star is a nickname. Her real name is Strelka She is named after a famous dog at the dawn of the Star Age, one of the first dogs sent in a rocket into space.”

Wendis is an interstellar space station where the citizens have a distinctive culture with a fascination bordering on reverence for everything about Earth in the distant past Twentieth Century.

And Wendis has Chivviers.

Sure enough, as the story unfolds, Star finds a missing person and, fortunately for my heroine and hero, even more than that.

Cover by Fiona Jayde

Anthology Blurb:

Pets in Space™ is back! Join us as we unveil eleven original, never-before-published action-filled romances that will heat your blood and warm your heart! New York Times, USA Today and Award-winning authors S.E. Smith, Anna Hackett, Ruby Lionsdrake, Veronica Scott, Pauline Baird Jones, Carol Van Natta, Tiffany Roberts, Alexis Glynn Latner, E D Walker, JC Hay, and Kyndra Hatch combine their love for Science Fiction Romance and pets to bring readers sexy, action-packed romances while helping our favorite charity. Proud supporters of Hero-Dogs.org, Pets in Space™ authors have donated over $4,400 in the past two years to help place specially trained dogs with veterans. Open your hearts and grab your limited release copy of Embrace the Romance: Pets in Space™ 3 today!

BUY LINKS

Amazon     iBooks     B&N    Kobo     Google

Website: https://www.petsinspaceantho.com

Pets in Space™ Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/PetsInSpace/ 

Is There Magic in the Everyday World?

 When I watch an old movie, or television show, I try to imagine what life was like then. The plethora

of gadgets and technology we have at our fingertips today weren’t even considered a possibility. 

Some resisted bending their imagination and may have even considered new amazing technology as inconceivable, or sorcery. 

Nowadays, most of us are more accepting of new technology every day. It’s almost as if we expect the unexpected to become part of our lives. Things that we may have never believed were possible in the past, that we may have thought we’d need a little magic to create, have become part of our daily lives. 

My Children Were Amazed

It’s possible that we’ve begun to incorporate magic into our everyday world. A few of these things are so ingrained into our reality that it’s almost hard to imagine that not too long ago, they may have been considered a fantasy. It takes more and more to impress us and stir the wonder we felt as a child. 

My daughters are teenagers. They grew up in this magical time. As children, I could amaze them with my magical abilities. 

•     I could slide open the van door with a wave of my hand, and occasionally I might toss in an abracadabra! (As I secretly pushed the key.)
•     I had eyes in the back of my head and could tell when they were getting into trouble in the other room. This was so convincing that they searched for eyes buried under my hair to no avail. (I viewed their reflection on the television screen or the microwave.)
•     I had the hotline to Santa, the Easter Bunny and all the magical creatures of our world. It came with the parent handbook. (Don’t I wish there was a parent handbook!) 

Now I’m Amazed

As teenager, my daughters, and most people, would find it hard to imagine a world without the technology they’ve grown up with. I find it hard to amaze them anymore, things that may have once been considered sorcery or magic, are expected. Instead I find myself amazed at what magic the world has to offer and can hardly imagine what will be available next.  

•     The way we can instantly connect with people around the world with computers, cellphones or technology in all shapes and sizes. There’s no more busy signal, or waiting for a letter to arrive when there’s email.
•     How my phone seems to know where I’m going and tells me the distance and time to get there or the GPS that’s now part of almost every car.
•      Self-driving cars and gadgets that can mop and vacuum my house are now available. I don’t have either yet, but I hope one day I will.

We Want to Believe in Magic

It’s harder to be amazed and wonder if magic might be responsible, although I think most of us want to. Even as adults we may still flock to movies and stories about extraordinary people and things. We dress up for Halloween and go to parks that let up suspend belief in the world we live in for a bit and escape into the books that we love.

I think even as we grow and mature that magic doesn’t leave us. It’s still around us in our everyday world. We just must open our imagination, look a little closer, or when the world gets too serious we can find it in the pages of our favorite book.

Don't lose your sense of wonder, it's what makes the world wonderful.

What in the World Do You Find Magical?

 

P.S. Like Magic? I’ve got tons of fun this month with lots of spooktacular giveaways and events leading up to my new release. You can find out more about them on my Facebook page, newsletter or author website. 

Author Bio: Maureen Bonatch grew up in small town Pennsylvania and her love of the four seasons—hockey, biking, sweat pants and hibernation—keeps her there. While immersed in writing or reading paranormal romance and fantasy, she survives on caffeine, wine, music, and laughter. A feisty Shih Tzu keeps her in line. Find Maureen on her website, Facebook& Twitter

Be the first to know about Maureen’s book sales and new releases by following her on BookBub, Amazonand/or signing up for her newsletter

October--In Which I Take My Show on the Road by Sorchia DuBois

Welcome to October!!

Not only is this the month of Halloween, the Harvest Moon, falling leaves, apple cider, and Oktoberfest—October is my birth month and the month my first grand daughter is scheduled to make an appearance. It is also the month that will be remembered in the annals of history as marking the first time I left the good old U.S. of A. and journeyed across the pond.

Fair warning to all travelers in Reykjavik, Dublin, and Berlin in the next month! I’m not quite certain if I will help or harm the American image abroad. I’ll certainly try to be a good example but there will be beer.

So, we are a little off the beaten path of writing as a topic, but one of my favorite professors used to say that when the subject is writing, everything is relevant. Of course, all of these adventures will wind up in a book or story.

Anyone who wants to find me as I wander the airports, castles, streets, and pubs of Iceland, Ireland, Germany, and maybe Scotland need only watch for the most touristy of tourists. That person will certainly be me. I will be gawking and taking pictures. I’ll be sampling the local fare and generally making a nuisance of myself as I attempt to order in German. I’ll be using my best Scottish or Irish accent which will make native speakers’ ears bleed. I may even try to dance.

Now, let me say that I am not a seasoned traveler. It’s been at least three years since I even left the state—not because I didn’t want to, but there’s a thing called money which has been pretty scarce around here lately. This trip is being financed by a small square of plastic and will have to be dealt with when I get back.

At this point, the passport is in my possession. The bags have been measured to make certain I can get them on the plane.

• New underwear—check. 
• Laptop adapter—check. 
• Detailed directions for simple household tasks posted in obvious places for spouse and son—check. 
• Cash pinned to inside of bra—check-(If I lose the money, at least I will have had an interesting experience in the process.) 
• Duplicates of E-ticket and printed tickets on phone and in easily-accessible spot—check. 
• Cats fed, house semi-clean, bills mostly paid—check. 

Tips, tricks, travel secrets—all most welcome. Let me hear about your best and worst travel experiences, too.

Any special places in Berlin—which is where I will mostly be staying? Any suggestions for making the trip easier? Any ideas about how to calm my nerves? I’m not afraid of flying—not at all. Flying is great-- It’s the crashing and burning that worry me.

On November 2, I’ll be posting again from Berlin with pictures to show and stories to tell!

What's on Your Author Bookshelf?

Oh, my peeps…September has been an exceedingly chaotic month for me. And exciting! If you’ve read my first book, Prophecy, and wondered what happened next to Gryf and Alexandra, the answer is coming in a little holiday novella I’m working on. It’s a companion story written for my readers, so yes, it’ll make more sense if you read Prophecy first. This novella should be out by, or before, the first week of November.

Anyhoo, all this story writing has had me thinking a lot about what I’ve learned about writing over the past two and half years. Specifically, what books I’ve turned to in my quest to educate myself. Which of them would I recommend to a newbie writer? Or to a not-so-newbie writer with the burning desire to learn more.

Here are a few of the staples on my author bookshelf:

THE EMOTION THESAURUS: A Writer’s Guide to Character Expression (Angela Ackerman & Becca Puglisi)

If you’re a writer and don’t have this, get it! It is a treasure trove of useful phraseology that has inspired my muse. And the good news is that there’s a whole series of these thesauruses: Emotion, Positive Trait, Negative Trait, etc. They’re all writer must-haves, imo, but The Emotion Thesaurus has been the most useful to me.

NAUGHTY WORDS FOR NICE WRITERS-A Sexual and Spanking Thesaurus (Cara Bristol)

No, I don’t write spanking stories, and yes, this is exactly what you think. But, let’s face it, if an author uses the same set of words for all their make out/sex scenes, then the reader might start yawning. This book has inspired me to get creative with the words I use when writing acts of love in my stories.

 

WRITING ROMANCE—The Ultimate Guide on Craft, Creation, and Industry Connections

This compilation of writing advice from members of the San Francisco-Bay Area RWA inspired and motivated me in my pre-published days. The stories and advice are timeless, and I refer to them still.

RIVET YOUR READERS WITH DEEP POINT OF VIEW (Jill Elizabeth Nelson)

This book introduced me to the concept of Deep POV. Deep POV isn’t for every writer, but when I first read this book I knew the style appealed to me. It fit me. I’m not perfect at DPOV yet, but I’m trying. And as an intro to this method of writing, this book has been a tremendous help.

MASTERING DEEP POINT OF VIEW: Simple Steps to Make Your Stories Irresistible to the Your Readers (Alice Gaines)

First, a confession: This book is not on my bookshelf…yet. It’s on my birthday wish list for my family to buy for me (because they always ask what I want and as I get older I find I want/need less and less). So, one way or another I will have it by early November. However, this book is based on an excellent and informative webinar by Alice which I attended, so technically I’m already familiar with the contents.

THE TROUBLESHOOTERS SERIES BY SUZANNE BROCKMANN

If I need to get into the DPOV frame of mind quickly, I pick up one of Suzanne Brockmann’s books, read a random paragraph or two, and suddenly I’m able to crawl into my character’s head and think like them. That may sound weird, but this really works for me. If Brockmann is not your style, try another author who writes DPOV.

So, there you have a small sampling of some of my how-to-write library. If you’re an author, please share with us in the comments which writing books have helped you.

See you all again on Oct. 30^th…the day before Halloweeeeeeen!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

USA Today Bestselling Author Lea Kirk loves to transport her readers to other worlds with her science fiction romance Prophecy series. She’s an avid Trekkie, Gryffindor, and wannabe space explorer. She’s made one foray into paranormal romance with her Magic, NM vampire novella, Made for Her, and hopes to write more stories in this world.

When she’s not busy writing, she’s hanging out with her wonderful hubby of twenty-eight years, their five kids (aka, the nerd herd), and a spoiled Dobie mix pup.

For more on Lea's books (past, present, and future), check out her:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | BookBub | Amazon | GoodReads|  Newsletter

The Sweetest October ~ @MeganSlayer #contemporary #romance #halloween

I've always wanted to write a sweet romance. The idea has been there for a while. This year, I set out to do just that--write a sweet October romance. I believe I succeeded with The Sweetest October. See what you think.

The Sweetest October By Megan Slayer 

Contemporary Holiday Romance

Sweet

Novel

Megan Slayer Publications

Love and Halloween are an odd couple, but they can be the best means to heal a broken heart. 

Allison Prince never planned on leaving her job with the Waite Gazette, but when the chance to discover her past comes along, she can’t say no. She’s determined to learn about her grandmother and make the advice in her column more relatable. With her rescue dog, Woofy, beside her, she sets out to learn as much as she can about Hallowsville, Ohio. 

Erik Greene doesn’t believe in love and isn’t fond of Halloween. He’s convinced his broken heart won’t heal—until he meets Allison and visits the local animal shelter. He doesn’t want a journalist snooping around Hallowsville. But Allison isn’t all she seems and the pup at the shelter proves love is possible. 

Can he open his heart to new opportunities and chase the love of his life? Or is he destined to be the Dandy Devil of Hallowsville all alone? 

Purchase Link(s): 

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GV43J1Q/

Universal Link: https://www.books2read.com/u/3G97vr

BN: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-sweetest-october-megan-slayer/1129446661

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-sweetest-october

iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-sweetest-october/id1434747968?mt=11&ign-mpt=uo%3D4