Saturday, December 29, 2012

Cynthia Owens, a passion for Ireland


Welcome Cynthia. Please get comfortable and tell us something about your adventure.
Hi everyone, and thank you so much, Jean, for having me on Adventures in Authorland. I’m so happy to be here to promote Playing For Keeps, Book III of the Claddagh Series, historical romances set in Ireland and beyond.
When did you first consider yourself a writer? Well, I’ve always written down stories, ever since I learned to string a few words together into a (hopefully) coherent sentence, so in that respect, I’ve always considered myself a writer. But on the day I held my first book, In Sunshine or in Shadow, in my hands, smelled that wonderful “new book” smell, saw MY NAME on the cover – that was when I really believed it.

In which genre do you prefer to write and why? I write historical romances because I love to delve into the past of a place and its people. I love the research, love to imagine how people might have reacted to circumstances. Besides, love, real love, is the same, whether in the 19th Century or the present day.
Can you give us some details about Playing For Keeps? I’d love to! Playing For Keeps is the third story in the Claddagh Series. It started with Rory O’Brien and Siobhán Desmond of In Sunshine or in Shadow. Gambler and survivor. Landlord and tenant. A love that couldn’t be denied. It continued with Coming Home, when Ashleen O’Brien showed an Irish-American war hero that you can find a home and a family in the most unlikely place. And now there’s Playing For Keeps, Katie’s story. This half-Irish beauty has finally returned to Baltimore to visit the family she barely remembers…
He fled life in the shadows for a life in the limelight
Never as dutiful as his older brother, Lucas was a thinker, and a dreamer of dreams. When tragedy overtook his family, he fled to the bright lights of the stage. Can he make the Shannon Theatre Troupe a success – or is he doomed to once again be “the other son?”
She sought the past she barely remembered.
Mary Kathryn O’Brien returns to the genteel world her mother left behind – but can Irish Katie ever truly hope to belong? Or will old wounds and new rivalries destroy the threads of family forever?
Lucas and Katie must battle prejudice and buried secrets before they can learn to trust each other. Is their love just a brief intermission, or are they Playing For Keeps?

Do you hear from readers much? What kinds of things do they say? I love to hear from my readers, and connect with them on Facebook whenever I can. I think the nicest thing a reader has ever told me was that she loved my characters. It’s the characters that make the story. You can have the best storyline in the world, but without memorable characters, it’s just that – a storyline. It’s the characters that make the story.
As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up? Writing, or something else? As a child, I loved to read mystery stories, and my favorite character was Trixie, of the Trixie Belden Mystery Stories. For a while I desperately wanted to be a “girl detective.” Once I even used up a whole week’s allowance to buy a “detective kit,” complete with magnifying glass and Sherlock Holmes cap. I guess I was about 10 at the time.
What place inspires you the most? Ireland! I’ve been in love with Ireland and all things Irish forever! The myths and legends, the tragic history and fierce determination to survive despite all the odds. The music, so hauntingly sad, yet with an undercurrent of joy. The magical Irish mist which hovers over the country like a protective, comforting blanket. And the people – the best, most open-hearted folk I’ve ever been privileged to know!
Have you ever cried during a movie? If yes, which one and why? I cried during Titanic. It was during the scene when the Irish mother, knowing she and her family were going to die in steerage, tenderly tucks her children into their bunk and tells them the story of Tir na Nog, the Land of the Ever Young. It’s always been one of my favorite Irish legends, and I found the scene heartbreakingly sad.

Playing for Keeps 

Prologue
Philadelphia, 1850
Luke stared in silent horror as glowing red flames devoured the warehouse.
What have you done this time?
The words resounded through Luke’s brain, condemning and inevitable, in his father’s disapproving tones.
What had he done? He’d secured the warehouses. He had, he was sure of it. He’d made certain all the forges were out.
Hadn’t he? Or had his head been too full of the play he’d been studying in secret, the characters he was determined to flesh out, the pages he’d obsessively filled with his own dreams and interpretations?
Clanging bells and pounding hooves hammered in his ears.
Thank you, God.
But as quickly as relief flared, terror chased close on its heels.
Dear God, was anyone still inside? Tobias, his father’s most trusted clerk—surely he’d left long ago. And the two young men Matt hired last month—hadn’t they spoken of going to The Dancing Horse to spend their first pay packets?
He struggled for breath, the acrid smell of burning wood and molten steel tearing at his throat.
Bleak realization swept through him. It was his fault. It had to be. But it was an accident
Matthew. Matt would take care of everything. Matt always cleaned up his little brother’s messes, covered up Luke’s many shortcomings.
“Mr. Lucas? Mr. Lucas!”
Dazed, Luke stared in disbelief at the normally impeccable clerk. Tobias had lost his coat, his once pristine white linen shirt was torn and covered with soot. Luke’s gut clenched as he took in the other man’s wild hair, the bloody gash slashed cruelly across one cheek.
“Mr. Lucas!”
Luke grabbed Tobias’s arm, his head thudding, his fingers gripping convulsively. Fear struck ice cold in his heart. His entire body shaking, he ran his dry tongue over his ash-covered lips.
“Tobias, where’s Matt?”
The clerk gazed at Luke, pity darkening his eyes. Tears trailed slowly down his soot-blackened face.
“Mr. Matthew’s dead, sir.”

Saturday, December 22, 2012

Meet Loveswept debut author, Wendy Vella


 Hi Wendy, and welcome. Tell us something about your adventure to this wonderful place we call Authorland.

Firstly thanks so much Jean for having me on your wonderful site!

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I don’t know if I consider myself a writer yet but I think I began to feel a bit more comfortable with the title when I received my first contract in the post. It’s a funny occupation don’t you think? It’s not like training to be a Doctor or Architect, people don’t really take you seriously when you say you’re an aspiring writer, but when you’re published they immediately want a free copy of your book!

 What inspired you to write your first book?

Actually it was a competition I was going to enter. They gave you a scenario and you had to begin your book there. Ballroom, handsome lord and a lady with a dangerous past. Funnily enough I never entered the competition but the book turned out well and went on to do great things in the Clendon competition.

What books have influenced your life most?

These Old Shades, by Georgette Heyer was the first historical set in the Regency Era I read. I remember thinking that it was like stepping into a different world (considering my previous reads had been Jill’s Pony Club) and I was pretty much hooked from that moment. I spent a lot of time reading Catherine Coulter but it was The Wyndam Legacy that really got to me. I loved the humour and dialogue and I wanted to write like that. There have been many others, Devil’s Bride - Stephanie Laurens, Fool For Love - Eloisa James, Devil In Winter – Lisa Kleypas and An Offer From A Gentleman – Julia Quinn. I love humour in my books and really sharp dialogue and all these ladies have that in their books.
 
What book are you reading now?

The Escape Diaries – by Juliet Rosetti. It’s a great read!
 How many books have you written? Which is your favourite?

I’ve written two contemporary and ten historical novels. Of course some of these will never see daylight but I think each one has helped me in some way to reach the point of publication. I wrote a book called Inauspicious Beginnings that I like a lot. The characters in this book were fun to create and developed in ways even I could never have imagined.

In which genre do you prefer to write and why?

Definitely historical, although contemporary is fun, I can’t see myself ever being really good at it.
You’ve recently signed with a publisher. Tell us about your writing journey before and after this point.

I had dabbled in sending out work and pitched a few times over the years but it was after I won the Clendon that I decided to get serious about being published. I was lucky enough to meet Sue Grimshaw, my wonderful editor from Random House, at the RWNZ conference in 2011. We got on very well straight away and I had actually done a cold read of a contemporary with her in the morning which she liked. When I pitched to her later, she asked about what else I had written and I told her about my historicals, and she said send me something. She loved THE RELUCTANT COUNTESS. Within two months she had requested the full manuscript and then she told me she wanted to buy it. The journey has been painless in all honesty, she’s very open and each step she’s been there with me. I know that there will be struggles ahead, but for a first book to go so smoothly I think I’ve been incredibly lucky.


From Wendy Vella comes a Cinderella story of whirlwind passion between a dashing earl and a beautiful countess—and the secret that threatens to tear them apart.

Regal, poised, and elegant, Sophie, Countess of Monmouth, is everything that a highborn lady should be. But Sophie is hiding a past that is far from royal. When Patrick, Earl of Coulter, realizes that her story doesn’t add up, he resolves to find out the truth of what Sophie and her sister-in-law are concealing. Although Sophie has every reason to avoid him, the handsome and charismatic Patrick awakens something wicked deep within her soul . . . a powerful need that Sophie must stifle in order to protect her place in society.

Despite Sophie’s humble background, the raven-haired beauty has won Patrick’s heart. But what Sophie needs now is an ally. Viscount Myles Dumbly, the disgruntled former heir of Monmouth, is determined to expose Sophie as a fraud to recapture his lost inheritance. Soon Patrick is drawn into a fight for both their lives. Somehow he must find a way not only to rescue Sophie from poverty once and for all, but to keep her in his arms forever.

Wendy Vella is a lover of all things romantic. She started reading her first Georgette Heyer book at a young age and instantly fell in love with the Regency era. Writing is something she has always found time for; she penned her first novel at eighteen though she says it will never make an appearance further than the closet in which it currently resides.
After having her two children Wendy then joined RWNZ and started honing her chosen craft by entering competitions with some success and attending conferences. Her Clendon and Readers Choice award-winning historical romance THE RELUCTANT COUNTESS will debut in Jan 2013 with Random House in their Loveswept line.
She has an addiction to reading and loves a wide range of genres while her first love will always be historical. She relishes novels steeped in romance and excitement with feisty heroines and delicious heroes, especially when they are set amongst the treacherous waters of London society.
Wendy is a sucker for a happy ending having secured her own. She has been married to her own dark brooding hero for 28 years and shares her home with two wonderful children, two dogs and anyone else who happens to be visiting at the time. Born and raised in a rural area in the North Island of New Zealand, Wendy loves the beaches and lush green rolling hills of her homeland and is proud to call herself a very patriotic Kiwi!
Visit my website: http://www.wendyvella.com/
Email: wendy@wendyvella.com

THE RELUCTANT COUNTESS can be purchased from Random House INC http://www.randomhouse.com/book/221633/the-reluctant-countess-by-wendy-vella


Saturday, December 15, 2012

Please welcome multi-published author, Georgie Lee

Hi Georgie, welcome to Adventures in Authorland. Please tell us about your adventure.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I’ve always considered myself a writer and I grew up writing many different things including poetry, short stories and screenplays. I wrote a short story for a contest in sixth grade. At the time, I was fascinated by Greek mythology so I created a myth about the Greek gods and the creation of the silver swan constellation. The story won first prize.
My professional writing career began at a small cable TV station in San Diego where I wrote marketing videos and public service announcements. I’d always dreamed of being a screenwriter, so I moved to Los Angeles and earned my MA in screenwriting. Despite my best efforts, screenwriting success proved a little elusive (OK, a LOT elusive). I’d always read romance novels and so I thought to myself, heck, I can write a romance novel. So I did. The first draft wasn’t pretty, but I learned a lot during the revision process. That story went on to become Lady’s Wager, a Regency romance and my first published novel.

 What books have most influenced your life most?

There are so many great books which have influenced me but the first was Watership Down. It was the first adult book I read and I loved so much that I read it more than once. I enjoy post-apocalyptic stories and this one has such great characters and such a different kind of post-apocalyptic sense about it that I was drawn in and it has never let go.

Who are some of your favourite authors?

I admire so many great authors, but some of my favourites are classics. I love Oscar Wilde for sharp witty dialogue, W. Somerset Maugham for great insight into characters and D.H. Lawrence for well developed internal monologue.

If you could time travel back, or forward, for one day, where would it be and why?

I’m a major history buff so choosing just one time period is tough, but I have to pick ancient Egypt during the reign of Hatshepsut and Thutmose III. She was the most powerful female ruler in Egypt and they were co-rulers for some time. Once she died, Thutmose became one of Egypt’s greatest Pharaohs. It would be wonderful to see the dynamics that made her reign possible, to watch her rise to power and to know why, so many years after her death, Thutmose decided to remove her from the historical record. Also, I’d love to know more about the ancient Egyptian’s daily lives. Although we know a great deal about their funerary practices, very little is known about their daily lives. I would love to see the court of Pharaoh, to see how he and the noble women spent their days.

If you could have any super hero power, what would it be?

I want the Force. It’s like having so many great powers rolled into one. Also, let’s face it, there are just days when you want to choke someone without having to get out of your chair.

Do you have any advice for new writers beginning their adventure?

Keep trying and don’t give up. There were many years when I was writing and nothing was being published and then all of a sudden, one day, all the hard work began to pay off.  It’s a long term career so you can’t let setbacks make you quit.

BIO:
A dedicated history and film buff, Georgie Lee loves combining her passion for Hollywood, history and storytelling through romantic fiction. She began writing professionally at a small TV station in San Diego before moving to Los Angeles to work in the interesting but strange world of the entertainment industry.

Her traditional Regency, Lady’s Wager and her contemporary novella Rock ‘n’ Roll Reunion are both available from Ellora’s Cave Blush. Labor Relations, a contemporary romance of Hollywood is currently available from Montlake Romance. Mask of the Gladiator, a novella of ancient Rome is now available from Carina Press.

When not writing, Georgie enjoys reading non-fiction history and watching any movie with a costume and an accent. Please visit www.georgie-lee.com for more
information about Georgie and her novels.
 
LINKS:
Buy link for Studio Relations -  http://www.amazon.com/Studio-Relations-ebook/dp/B008RBSNYY/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1354680230&sr=8-2&keywords=studio+relations
Website: www.georgie-lee.com
Twitter: @GeorgieLeeBooks

BOOK BLURB
Studio Relations
By Georgie Lee
Available from Montlake Romance
Vivien Howard hasn’t forgiven Weston Holmes for almost derailing her career five years ago. Female directors in 1930s Hollywood are few and far between, and a man who coasts by on his good looks and family connections can’t possibly appreciate what it took for her to get to where she is. But when the studio head puts Weston in charge of overseeing Vivien’s ambitious Civil War film, she realizes she has a choice: make nice with her charismatic new boss or watch a replacement director destroy her dream.
Weston Holmes doesn’t know much about making movies, but he knows plenty about money. And thanks to the Depression, ticket sales are dangerously low. The studio can’t afford a flop—or bad press, which is exactly what threatens to unfold when an innocent encounter between Weston and Vivien is misconstrued by the gossip rags. The only solution? A marriage of convenience that will force the bickering duo into an unlikely alliance—and guide them to their own happy Hollywood ending.

Thanks for visiting, Here's wishing you many sales.

Jean


Saturday, December 8, 2012

Meet Secret Cravings author, Paloma Beck


Hi Paloma,

Thank you for joining us today. Please share your adventure with us

As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up? Writing, or something else?

A mother. I wanted to have a family to care for. I also considered becoming a teacher because I love to learn. Then in high school, I took a creative writing class and was sold on writing. Who wouldn’t have been? I had the author Wally Lamb as my teacher! I thought then that I would teach English-and write in my spare time-because it was a proper career. I planned to be the first in my family to go to college and I knew becoming an author was a longshot so I opted for the safety of a practical career. Years later when I actually fulfilled my dream of becoming a mother, the writer in me re-emerged.

 What inspired you to write your first book?

The book I consider my first book was actually the third book to be published. Coming Home was written over several drafts during 2010-2011. So many things inspired Coming Home. It has many pieces of me woven in that it feels like an extension of me. What finally inspired me to put the story to paper was getting a box full of old writing notebooks from my parents and realizing I had a dream to catch.

Do you see writing as a career?

Yes. I write full-time, using the time when my sons are in school to let my characters out to play. Though I allow my characters to lead their stories, I do have a general plan. Since writing is my career now, I go to my office five days-a-week… the office just happens to be in my home and I do on occasion work in pajamas! I schedule my time to complete business over coffee and then write at least until I hit my daily word count. Being able to write as a career is going back to the advice college professors give: find something you love to do and then find a way to get paid to do it.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

In my mind, I’ve always been a writer. Since high school, I’ve always had voices *characters* in my head trying to convince me to write their stories. Writing helped me cope with all that high school drama. But it wasn’t until I signed my first book contract that I considered myself an author. And even now, seeing my books being sold can make me pinch myself.

Do you have any advice for new writers beginning their adventure?

If you want to write, write. Don’t talk about it. Don’t think about it. Do it. Write with everything you have inside. Harness your emotion and drive it out through your words. Tell stories. Create characters. Just write. That’s all it takes to be a writer.
    
What book are you reading now?

I read at least three books-a-week, usually one on audio. I’m listening to Thea Harrison’s newest Elder Race book, Lord’s Fall. I’m reading Paula Quinn’s Children of the Mist series, working my way through her Highlanders. And boy, do I wish that was more literal than figurative!

 BLURB
Rachel Porter, a romance writer, has told her three sons tales of finding their true love since they were just boys.  She believes there is just one match for every person.  Now as men, they have yet to discover their soul mates.  That is, until they come home…
Ryan Porter, Rachel’s oldest son, needs a change from his busy city lifestyle.  After five years of living in New York and establishing his own real estate firm, something is still missing.  When a family tragedy brings Ryan back to his family’s rural home, he meets Tyra.  She just might be the catalyst for the change he needs, redirecting the course of his life; but first he has to accept his relationship with his parents and embrace Tyra’s secrets.

Links
SECRET CRAVINGS: http://store.secretcravingspublishing.com/index.php?main_page=book_info&cPath=4&products_id=456
AMAZON: http://www.amazon.com/Coming-Home-ebook/dp/B00AHJDZ4M/ref=pd_rhf_ee_p_t_1
ARE: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-cominghome-1011013-148.html

PG13 Coming Home excerpt

The woman with the fiery red hair tossed a look over towards Henry at the bar, then snuck a look at Ryan and back to Davis. She smiled—a shy smile through her lashes—and Ryan’s heart ramped up. He noticed the shorter brunette standing beside her when she said, “Next game, you’ve got the winner.

“I hope so,” Davis replied, “I do truly hope so.”

Ryan shook his head and blew out a laugh. How did Davis always pull it off so easily with women? One woman, Ryan could handle just fine—more than fine. But a group of women, no way, it felt like a swarm of bees were attacking him to even be in a room with so many women, gorgeous or not. And gorgeous was only the beginning when he checked out the ass on the fiery red head as she bent down to consider her next shot. She turned quickly at the sound of his laugh and the slap of the high-five he exchanged with Davis.
 
Caught. Her eyes jumped to Ryan and he gave her a sly grin when she raised her eyebrows at him. Not as broad as Davis, Ryan met his height at an even six feet. All of his brothers took after their father in their height. But it was Davis who looked most like their father with his darker coloring and chocolate brown eyes. Ryan and Henry had their mother’s lighter skin tone and green eyes. It was those green eyes that locked onto hers when she turned around. Yep, she was looking at him—not lover boy Davis.

Ryan definitely liked what he saw. She was tall, with legs that went on forever until they met with the sweet crossing he knew could bring this boy to his knees. As she bent over the pool table for her next shot, her ass stuck up into the air and swayed just slightly as if teasing him to inspect it further. Her entire body called to him. Shit, he hoped Davis had his sights on any other woman in that group because in his mind, he’d already laid claims on this one. And he wasn’t prepared to share. It had been a long time since he had a little harmless fun.

“Like old times, Ry, seems to me this night might be just like old times,” Davis said, bumping his shoulder when he noticed Ryan’s stare. “Knock it off. Quit the staring. You’re going to scare them away before I make our move.”

“I got news for you, Davis. I got moves of my own. It’s been a long time since I’ve needed you to pick up women for me.”

“Interesting. Hear that, Henry? Ryan says he’s got game,” Davis teased.

“Can’t wait to see this,” Henry snorted as he sat down at the table. They’d made up back in the bunk house but Henry was still sore. He knew how to hold a grudge, damn little shit. But Ryan knew just how to take his mind off his troubles tonight.

Ryan licked his lips, considering how much more interesting the night just got. He certainly liked what he saw and he knew she liked what she saw by the way her eyes roamed from his head to his toes. Ryan was dressed in an old pair of jeans that were tighter than the usual suit pants he wore and a tight black t-shirt he’d pulled out of his old dresser. He didn’t feel like himself but it felt good. Actually, maybe he felt more like himself than he had in awhile—the Ryan before his business became his life.

When Henry poured the beer out, Ryan grabbed up two glasses and headed straight for his target. Her eyes were glazed a bit, definitely looking down and he gave a little cough to catch her attention. Busted—guess they were even now. She blushed and it was beautiful—her flushed cheeks brightened her eyes, mesmerizing. When she reached out to take her beer and their fingers brushed, her hand shot back and some beer sloshed over the glass. Her soft feminine fragrance mixed in with the faint scent of the beer touched his nose and he took in a deeper breath to savor it.

She cleared her throat, seeming as taken in private thought as he was. “Thanks,” she said, giving him an intense stare while a smirk spread across her face right up to her gorgeous blue eyes, “So, you like my ass?”

Ryan swallowed back his surprise. She was forward…this was going to be fun. “Sure do,” he grinned, “And I’m pretty sure you like what you see too.”

Her look of surprise was priceless.

BIO
Paloma Beck is an erotic romance writer in both the contemporary and paranormal realms. Happily married and living a life of total contradiction, Paloma runs carpool service for her three sons and volunteers in PTA. Then in the moments when her characters talk to her, she journals their stories - and they are anything but PG. Paloma believes a daily dose of espresso and a good book make any day better.
BLOG:                                    http://RomanceBeckons.blogspot.com
WEBSITE:                             http://palomabeck.weebly.com
TWITTER:                             https://twitter.com/PalomaBeck
FACEBOOK:                        http://www.facebook.com/PalomaBeckAuthor
FACEBOOK PAGE:            http://www.facebook.com/thePorterBrothers 
GOODREADS:                    http://goodreads.com/PalomaBeck
AMAZON:                             http://www.amazon.com/Paloma-Beck
TUMBLR:                             http://palomabeck.tumblr.com/
PINTEREST:                       http://pinterest.com/PalomaBeck

Thank for sharing your journey today, Paloma, Here's wishing you many sales.
Jean

Saturday, December 1, 2012

Meet Wild Rose Press author,. Mariah Lynne

Hello Mariah

Thank you for joining me. Tell us a little about your writing adventure.

What inspired you to write your first book?

 Writing has always been a part of my life whether it was the play I wrote in grammar school that my class performed, or being selected news editor of my high school paper. Many years later, I wrote weekly entertainment columns and reviews for both of our beach newspapers for over twelve years. I continued to write short stories for fun. Writing a book has always been a goal of mine. When the central character of the gypsy came to me one day, she inspired me to write THE LOVE GYPSY. Raya, the gypsy, is not only kind, but middle aged, beautiful and intelligent.  She does not profess to tell the future but is intuitive making her successful at helping her clients find a soul mate. Her talents do not stop there. She is a time traveler’s friend helping those from another time resolve a problem brought to the present. She does not consider herself a psychic but admits that she possesses the gift of her ancestors. Her primary goal is to find true love for those who don’t expect it. As a beautiful young police detective tricked into visiting her says, she’s “ not like anything I expected.”

As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up? Writing, or something else?

 I always had a vivid imagination. Sometimes, I’m sure my mother thought too vivid. I held tea parties for my dolls and pets and acted out careers that captured my interest. The first was a ballerina. I danced at home struggling to stay on my toes but my chubby feet were too flat to get into proper toe shoes. I was upset when the dance instructor told my mother that I should settle for tap dancing which is wonderful in its own right but her statement just crushed me so I decided on piano lessons instead. Then I thought I’d become an astronaut. I would feign illness to stay home from school and watch the manned space launches on TV. I loved to pretend I was walking on another planet. As I got older I and learned about how our government worked, I was so impressed I thought I’d like to run for office. I would write speeches and practice them using a spoon for a mike but my favorite thing to do was to make up stories… not lies but stories about a doll, my dog and repeat the silly things to anyone who’d listen. I loved telling stories and those stories led me to writing just for fun. Now that I’m older and wiser I understand how difficult it is to tell that story in an interesting and fun way. As a writer, I understand that I must continually learn about the craft that is our passion and improve with each effort.

Do you belong to any non-writing organizations?

Yes. I am a member of a no-kill animal shelter. I had the privilege of serving on their board of directors for three years. I resigned when Hurricane Charley (a category four storm) hit our area. I felt that I had too much at home to take care of to do a good job for them. I am also a member of Ostego Bay Foundation, a marine science center that is a valued part of our island community. The foundation promotes the conservation of our fragile marine eco-system, instructs school-age children about our sea life, while maintaining a separate oil spill co-op for our section of the Gulf of Mexico. They provide tours of the docks central to our shrimping industry and operate an educational day camp for youngsters. I’m a licensed real estate broker so I belong to our local Board of Realtors. Of course I am a member of Romance Writers of America and the Southwest Florida Romance Writers. We have an active and wonderful chapter. Members encourage new writers and the chapter actively provides professional training.

Have you ever traveled to a place and come away with a story unexpectedly?

Yes, but it came to me years later. I am writing a sequel to The Love Gypsy involving an English Duchess from the 17th century who comes to the present. I visited some friends in Derbyshire, England several years ago. We visited Chatsworth, the lovely royal estate of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire. Walking through the massive hallways filled with antiques and original books by Audubon, my imagination became captivated by this lavish yet elegant lifestyle. The rooms were filled with lovely period furniture and silver pieces. The manicured grounds and gardens cover 105 acres. Remembering that lovely estate while curious about its past residents definitely influenced my newest time travel romance.
 
If you could time travel back, or forward, for one day, where would it be and why?

I love the idea of time travel. How wonderful to be able to peek at our future, visit ancient civilizations or witness history in the making. If I had only one day to travel, I would visit ancient Egypt during the construction of the Great Pyramid at Giza. Quite an amazing feat considering how they had to drag and cut the stones to fit as tightly as possible. I read that the Great Pyramid at Giza took 10-20 years to construct so I would visit when it was almost complete.

Share three fun facts about you that most people don’t know.

I’m going to preface my first fun fact, my interest in volcanoes, with the fact that I do not like to see any one harmed or any property destroyed. I live in Southwest Florida and am aware of the destruction a strong storm or natural disaster can cause. I am fascinated by how volcanoes work, what makes them erupt. I am not a scientist but enjoy reading about them as well as watching TV shows on the history channel or National Geographic. My husband attributes this quirky obsession to the fact that my family came to the US from Naples, Italy near Mt. Vesuvius. I’ve visited Naples and Pompei and was amazed by how the lava preserved history in the structures and wall paintings. We flew over Kilauea (Hawaii) in a helicopter while it was erupting. Wearing headphones, we listened to classical music as red hot lava flowed into the Pacific Ocean. My fifth grade geography project was a clay model of the Icelandic volcano that erupted a few year ago. We visited Iceland last summer, enjoying her beautiful scenery of contrasting black volcanic rocks, clear waterfalls and green fields.
The second fun fact, which you probably figured out by now, is that I love to travel. Of course I have to do it around our work schedules and within our budget. We try to visit a different place each year whether it’s our national parks or if time allows another country. Traveling teaches us about other cultures and history as well as having an opportunity to view incredible scenery. We hope to tour New Zealand some day.
 My talented dog is the third fun fact. A shelter adoptee named Max, he does a magic show in which he can decipher a brown cookie from a white one and a red one from a tan one besides other slight of hand. Remember, dogs are colorblind. Even at ten, he still loves to perform.

Bio
            Mariah Lynne always had writing on her radar but it took her a while to get there. Growing up in New Jersey, she graduated from Syracuse University with a degree in English education. After teaching junior high for two years, she went to work for a small daily paper as a copy- reader in the newsroom. She and her husband decided to move to a Florida Gulf coast island while they were still young enough to enjoy the outdoor lifestyle. Jobs were scarce on their island so they each went into business. Mariah opened a video and home entertainment center. She was active in her national trade association serving as a regional chapter president for six years. During that time, she wrote weekly entertainment columns and reviews for two of the island’s newspapers. She also freelanced, ghostwriting autobiographies of successful Realtors for a national yearbook.
She loves where she lives and enjoys watching the dolphin and manatees frolic in the lagoon behind the island home she shares with her husband and ten year old shelter adoptee Max. THE LOVE GYPSY published by The Wild Rose Press, a time travel romance, is her first book.

THE LOVE GYPSY

BLURB:  
Florida homicide detective Brianna Breeze can’t seem to catch a man unless she handcuffs him. So her best friend decides to take matters into her own hands and tricks Brianna into seeing the Love Gypsy, a time traveler’s friend noted for her extraordinary matchmaking skills.
When a tall, muscular man wearing jeans, a black leather jacket, and slicked-back 50s hair bursts in on her first visit, Brianna is bewitched. Despite the gypsy’s warning not to get involved with him, Brianna can’t get him out of her mind—even though she, more than anyone, knows the pitfalls of romancing a stranger.
A present-day murder, a mysterious vintage car registered in the distant past, and a smoking gun complicate the puzzle. Brianna doesn’t know if her lover from the past is a murderer, or a savior, but she’s willing to risk time travel to find out.


EXCERPT:
            “Hey lady,” he whispered. “You’re some kind of knockout. I heard you tell Raya that you’re a cop. Where would you hide a concealed weapon in that dress?”
  


WEBSITE: MARIAHLYNNE.COM





Thank you for sharing your adventure today, Mariah. Here's wishing you many sales.
Jean