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It’s true that hockey players break hearts. Sometimes, it’s their own.
Taylor Ranford has three immediate goals: have a blast on her birthday cruise with her sister, help Team USA win the international cheerleading title, and earn enough money to put her through grad school. Not part of the plan: her sister getting sick and sending her best friend—and Taylor’s longtime crush—in her place. She can’t face the only guy she’s ever had feelings for treating her like she’s his little sister when she really wants so much more.
After a big blow to his career—and his ego—and with no immediate plans for the next season, Kingston Brewer jumps at the opportunity to go on a last-minute cruise with the bouncy-ponytailed cheerleading coach. Taylor had always been there when he needed her most, and he holds a soft spot for her in his heart. But after a few days on the ship, Kingston begins to see Taylor as more than just his best friend’s little sister.
Just when he thinks they can explore a future together, Kingston gets THE call from his agent. Now he has to make one of the most difficult choices in his personal and professional life. Will he give up the professional chance of a lifetime for a chance with the girl he’s fallen head-over-skates for?
Kerry Evelyn is a native of the Massachusetts SouthCoast. She loves God, books of all kinds, traveling, taking selfies, sweet drinks, boy bands, and escaping into her imagination, where every child is happy and healthy, every house has a library, and her hubby wears coattails and a top hat 24/7.She is an instructor, mentor, and speaker, author of the Crane’s Cove series, small town romance set in Downeast Maine a Guest Author for the Cat’s Paw Cove Romance world, and several short stories.
Win a hockey-themed swag bundle with a $25 Amazon gift card!
Includes: $25 Amazon gift card, cheer bow, sea-themed journal, Sea World shell ornament, bottle of seashells, anchor-shaped soap, mermaid magnet, Seaworld playing cards, Dream Big ornament, Orlando Solar Bears towel, Happy Planner notebook, desk hockey game, Bolts trading card, Take a Shot! glass, Palmer City Voltage puck and magnet, NHL Fresh Ice wax melts, and an I Love Hockey sticker.
Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!
Laurisa White Reyes is the author of sixteen books. Her middle grade novel THE STORYTELLERS won the 2015 Spark Award from The Society of Children’s Books Authors & Illustrators (SCBWI) and her young adult novel PETALS received the 2017 Spark Honor Award.
In addition to writing, Laurisa also is the founder and Senior Editor of Skyrocket Press, which publishes quality fiction and non-fiction for a variety of readers. She also teaches English composition at College of the Canyons in Southern California. To subscribe to Laurisa’s monthly newsletter, visit her website at www.LaurisaWhiteReyes.com
Mission Specialist Adán Fuentes awakes from cryo-hybernation and discovers that he is one of seven survivors of the shuttle Carpathia’s crew. The shuttle’s been damaged, and they are on a distant planet, way off course from their intended destination and purpose. When they are attacked by some unseen creature, the crew must race against time to figure out where they are, how they got there, and how to defend themselves – if they can. Think The Martian meets Alien.
What inspired you to write Sand and Shadow?
When I was kid, one of my favorite movies was Forbidden Planet, about a scientist on a distant planet who somehow taps into the deepest recesses of his psyche and unleashes a monster. I watched the video over and over for years and have always been fascinated with the plot. I watched it a few months ago. The movie is very hokie by today’s standards, but the premise still holds up. I wanted to create a new story with new characters but based on a similar idea: that humans and the human mind are capable of both great good and profound evil.
Most of your books are either fantasy or contemporary young adult. What motivated you to delve into science fiction/horror?
I’m a sucker for horror fiction. Every summer, I read nothing but horror. I’ve read a lot of zombie and haunted house books over the years. Most of the short stories I’ve written are either horror or speculative in nature. Even a couple of my novels have elements of psychological suspense. So, I was destined to eventually write something seriously hard core like Sand and Shadow. I would love to write more in this genre. I’ve got some good ideas.
What was the writing process like for this book?
I began writing the first draft in 2012, the year my very first novel was published. By then, I’d already written a dozen other manuscripts, each of which has taken about eight years on average from start to publication. Writing is a long process for me. I muddle over details for years before I ever begin to write. I finished the first draft of Sand and Shadow in about a year, but then it sat on the back burner while I revised and published my other books. Eventually, I came back around to it. I spent all of 2020 revising and polishing it, and most of this year on everything else it takes to publish a book.
Besides writing, how do you spend your time?
Writing is on and off, depending on which project I’m working on. I just finished the first draft of a historical novel that I’ve been working on for about five years. So, I’m not writing anything new at the moment. I’m currently focused on promoting and marketing my backlist, which is like a part-time job. I own my own small press, and we’re actually publishing our second contest winner this fall, a memoir called A Sacred Duty: How a whistleblower took on the VA and won by Paula Pedene. So, I’m spending time editing and designing that book as well. When I’m not writing/editing/designing, I spend the rest of my time with my thirteen-year-old son (he’s my youngest of five kids – the others are all adults now). I homeschool him and transport him to his many activities: scouts, horseback riding, theater, piano, voice lessons. I volunteer with scouting and theater as well. Oh, and I also teach college composition part-time, take care of my home and family, and I read. A lot.
What sorts of books do you enjoy reading?
I’ve always been an avid reader. As a kid and teenager, my brothers would spend Saturday afternoons outdoors pulling weeds and doing yardwork for my dad. I’d be lying in bed devouring a book. I read between 30-50 books a year in a variety of genres. Summers are devoted to horror fiction, especially zombies and supernatural thrillers. But I also love historical non-fiction, young adult, suspense, and mysteries. The only genre I won’t touch is romance. Blech. I’ll read a book with some romance in it but never a straight up romance novel. Some of the best books I’ve ever read include:
Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
Lilies of the Field by William E. Barrett
Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
Angels & Demons by Dan Brown
What do you enjoy most about writing?
Most novelists can tell you that something magical happens while you’re writing a first draft. When you get really into the story, the real world seems to dissolve, and you’re transported into a world of your own making. My husband and kids joke that they can ask me anything while I’m writing, and I’ll just nod my head and have no recollection of what I’ve agreed to. And then somewhere along the line, it’s hard to explain, but the story takes on a life of its own. Like you’re not writing the story but it’s writing itself, and you as the author are the conduit rather than the creator. The characters become, in some sense, real beings, and the writer’s job is to be faithful to those characters and the story. That’s why I love writing first drafts. It’s the creative, magical experience that is so remarkable. But then later, the real work begins with editing and revising. It’s a completely different mental process, and I enjoy that too but in a different way. Editing, to me, is like shaping clay on a potter’s wheel, molding the material that is already there into something really beautiful.
What kind of research goes into your writing?
I love research. I’ve spent countless hours researching for each of my novels: reading non-fiction books, newspapers, magazines, online studies and websites, conducting interviews, and even on-location travel. For my novel Sand and Shadow, I had to learn about cryogenics, habitable planets, ESP, light speed calculations, and a bunch of other stuff. My dad was a computer programmer for Jet Propulsion Laboratories working on deep space craft like Voyager and Ulysses. He first introduced me to the idea of planetary colonization and deep space travel. What we’ve always considered science fiction is, in reality, within reach. I didn’t want the book to sound too futuristic but something that could happen within the next few years. The secret to good research for any book is for the information to be so smoothly incorporated into the story that the readers don’t notice it. Like the beams and bolts make up the structure of a building. It should be invisible to the naked eye.
Katherine Brown is a Texas girl with books in her blood. She has been reading as long as she can remember and has been “making books” from the time she was a child. Her first few were of a non-traditional binding – cardboard & wrapping paper stapled with handwritten pages in the middle & a ribbon closure! Her love of books runs deep and she hopes to encourage readers of all ages to explore and use their imagination by helping them fall in love with books just like she did.Katherine is married to a wonderful man, Patrick, and has a spunky, smart, amazing step-daughter Lexi. Lexi is the biggest fan of this author’s first published series, School is Scary, and is constantly asking when the next book will be finished so she can read it too. When not writing or reading, you can often find Katherine eating chocolate or enjoying time with family.
Do you try to be more original or to deliver to readers what they want?
I saw this question posed and was at odds on how to answer it. The truth is, I feel like my writing is original because it all comes to me little bits at a time during brainstorming, or driving down the road and a random bit of dialogue that goes with no story I’ve written yet pops into my head and so on, thus making it very original to me. I don’t feel like I write cookie-cutter stories. In fact, sometimes I’m afraid I don’t even follow the rules of writing very well.
As a reader myself, I love a good trope. You know, the amateur artist turned sleuth will always get her bad guy; the man and woman on opposite sides of an issue will fight and fight until they realize they actually don’t want to fight but, rather, have fallen in love, the best friend has a secret crush, etc. I never get tired of them. Give me ten Beauty and the Beast retellings and I’ll love at least eight of them. Yet, as a writer, I find it difficult to follow a tried and true trope pattern absolutely and with no alterations. I don’t know if it is because it feels like copying, or if it is the fear that my story won’t live up to those stories, but somehow I always feel like my story is slightly different or unconventional in the way I tell it. In fact, I sometimes chastise myself because when I finish writing, I’m not sure I even know how to pick the correct genre to describe my book because I didn’t hit every single best-selling trope or expectation out there. Is that a good thing? A bad thing? I couldn’t really say. I have readers who leave beautiful reviews on how much they enjoyed the stories and characters especially. I have other reviews huffing that there is far too much fluff taking up the pages.
All readers are different so I think it is fine when stories are something different, as well.
However, I still feel like I try to give readers what they want: characters they can know and be invested in, and a story that draws you into it until the last page. A memorable scene. A funny line. All the feels. You be the judge; I can’t wait to hear readers’ thoughts on The Librarian’s Treasure.
Can you tell us a little about The Librarian’s Treasure?
Of everything that I’ve written, this story has taken the longest. I whipped out a beginning in no time flat, falling in love with the idea of an orphaned librarian getting wrapped up in intrigue and adventure. And then, I stopped. For whatever reason, it just felt like nothing I wrote was good enough.
A year or so later, I picked it up and tried once more. This time, it was Drake who refused to cooperate. Was he a spy? An assassin? A love interest? A messenger? Writing him felt incomplete as I couldn’t decide what his future in the book would be. So, I stopped. Again.
And then, after another almost two years, the story resurfaced in my stack of unfinished projects and I knew I wanted to give it breath and life and wings to fly into the world, your world, readers. I still loved my idea and I was ready to sit down and do the hard work of erasing and starting over fresh. No more picking up in the middle. It was hard. I hate erasing. Or backspacing, as the case may be. But I did it. And oh! I’m so glad that I did. Raegan and Drake and the League are even better than I ever imagined them (with lots of encouragement from my editor to embrace a little more fantasy for the first time). I hope that you enjoy spending time with Raegan and Drake and getting to know them as much as I did. It was so refreshing to finish this story, that I jumped right into writing the prequel; another something I never thought I would do….write books out of order lol, but I didn’t know it needed a prequel until the story ended and Raegan had some unanswered questions.
Thank you again for spending time with me today! Happy reading.
How long have you wanted to become an author / why did you become an author / is being an author your chosen career?
Forever. No, really. I started “making books” from cardboard and paper and ribbon as a little girl. My parents were always happy to read my scribbles. As a pre-teen, I even “self-published” a newsletter from our desktop computer and printer, charging my (married) parents separately to read about school or poems that I’d written and jokes from my little sister. I love words. The possibilities of words. The evasiveness of words. The magic that is making your words say something that brings a picture to life for you or others when those words are read.
Now, don’t get me wrong – some days my words are bogged down and written in a fog of exhaustion and they come out as low-bar as you can imagine. I have so much room for improvement, as do most people in most careers if they are honest, but I thoroughly enjoy writing for the creativity of it. I became an author when I looked up from my day job one day and remembered my dreams; those dreams as a girl and teenager of seeing a book with my name on it, they came rushing back as I sat angrily at my desk annoyed at some coworker or customer for yet another ridiculous request. I knew that I wanted to at least take a shot at doing something that brought me happiness instead of ulcers. Even if it meant that I failed. I haven’t failed yet because I’m still pursuing this passion of weaving words together and seeing them hit the page to create a story that nobody has ever heard before. Now, I’m not a best-seller or financially at peace with my author career at this point, but that is okay because my theory is that you have to start at the bottom of any corporate ladder and work your way up; I’m willing to do the work.
I hope that readers who find my books find friends in the characters, find adventure in the pages, and find something beautiful or unique in the scenes. If they do, I’m a success already.
What does your writing process look like?
I typically can only write when my little girl is at naptime so it is a quick and quiet time of putting as many words together as I can. I have on occasion used a Disney playlist as background music, but honestly, even before my baby girl was born, I have always preferred to write in silence. The tapping of keys on my laptop is all of the noise that I need. It is literally the sound of success, being productive and getting the story out. It encourages me to think and type quickly. In fact, I can’t write nearly as well or fast using dictation. When typing, the words (a lot of the time, yes I get stuck, too) simply flow out of my fingertips.
I do like to have a snack and either water, tea, or lemonade nearby when I’m writing as well. Typically, the snack takes the form of mini M&Ms, dark chocolate chips, or peanut butter protein balls.
Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!
*Prize #1:*
Book tote, bookmarks, One shamrock charm bracelet, & an ebook copy of The Lady & the Leprechaun (prequel to The Librarian’s Treasure)
*Prize #2:*
Bookmarks and an ebook of The Lady and the Leprechaun
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. That means, when you purchase a book using an Amazon link on this site, I earn an affiliate commission. All commission earnings go back into funding my books; editing, cover design, etc.
Politically blacklisted detective Luke Campbell’s last chance in law-enforcement is a job with the police department of rural Granton, Vermont. It’s a beautiful town, home to a beautiful, intriguing girl who’s caught his eye, and it’s a chance at redemption. Even if his new boss seems strange, secretive, and vaguely sinister, Campbell is willing to give this opportunity a shot. And no sooner does he make that decision than the first in a series of murders is discovered, starting a chain of events that will change the lives of everyone in this once-quiet town.
Brandon Barrows is the award-nominated authors of the novels Burn Me Out and This Rough Old World as well as over fifty published stories, selected of which have been collected into the books The Altar in the Hills and The Castle-Town Tragedy.
He is also the writer of nearly one-hundred individual comic book issues.
He is an active member of both the Private Eye Writers of America and International Thriller Writers.
Would you like a chance to win a $20 Amazon gift card? Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!
Hi. I’m Brandon Barrows. Maybe we’ve met before. Maybe you know me from my previous novel Burn Me Out, or from stories of mine that have appeared in various magazines and anthologies. Burn Me Out and many of those stories are lodged firmly in the noir category of crime fiction, so Strangers’ Kingdom is something a little different for me: a true mystery. It’s also a police procedural set in rural Vermont, which was harder to write than it sounds.
So it’s something different for me as a writer. So what, you might think. Well, I’ll tell you: because it’s a novel I put a tremendous amount of effort, heart, and hopefully you’ll agree, soul into that I know you’ll enjoy.
Let’s start with the basics – the blurb.
Politically blacklisted detective Luke Campbell’s last chance in law-enforcement is a job with the police department of rural Granton, Vermont. It’s a beautiful town, home to a beautiful, intriguing girl who’s caught his eye, and it’s a chance at redemption. Even if his new boss seems strange, secretive, and vaguely sinister, Campbell is willing to give this opportunity a shot. And no sooner does he make that decision than the first in a series of murders is discovered, starting a chain of events that will change the lives of everyone in this once-quiet town…
How does that grab you? Interested in knowing a little more, hopefully?
Well, the setting came first. While the town of Granton is fictional, the area where the book is set, Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom, is very real. In fact, it’s where my mother grew up and a place I still have family. Being in a sort of triangle between two states and Canada, there’s a lot that goes on up there, probably more than we’ll ever know. Despite everything that can happen in such a setting, though, for most people, a rural town is a very small world and that’s certainly true of the main character, Luke Campbell. Luke grew up in Vermont, but lived most of his adult life in Albany, New York before coming to Granton. Because of that, it’s less a homecoming for him than it is a brand-new world, something both he as the protagonist and I, as the writer, were continually discovering while I wrote it.
So why a police procedural mystery? Truthfully, it didn’t start out that way. It began as a rural noir, like many of my short stories, but I discovered early on that it just wasn’t working for me. I couldn’t tell the story the way it needed to be told if I stuck to that and I liked the ideas I had for this book so much, I wasn’t willing to create something I felt inferior, so I played around with the format, switched it up, and ended up creating an entirely new protagonist to go along with the new format.
And you know, I really liked Luke Campbell, right from the start. He’s had a rough go of it, and he’s still trying to make the best of it, while going out of his way to help people—like a lonely, bullied little boy and his mother, both of him Luke comes to care about deeply—even though he’s got every right to be bitter about his situation.
Of course, he’s just one of the characters, but he is the main character and I like to think he both embodies the central theme of the novel and recognizes it for himself in the course of the work: that there are no “bad guys” or “good guys” out there, just people. Everyone does terrible things at some point in their life—whether intentionally or not—and not one of us is completely “bad”. Everyone is just trying to get along and do the best they can. Sometimes we fail at that. There are certainly criminals in this novel, but everyone in it is guilty to some extent and everyone has their good qualities, too. I always try to infuse my work with emotion, and this is something that really hit me as I was writing Strangers’ Kingdom, so I hope it’s something that comes across to you, the readers.
As I said, this is a book I put a lot of effort into. It took me nearly three years, off and on, to write – longer than any of my other novels, by far. But it was worth it. I’m very happy with it and I hope you will be, too. So do us both a favor and give it a read, will you? If you like mysteries, crime, and small-town stories about people doing their best I know you’ll love it as much as I do.
Kerry Evelyn is a native of the Massachusetts SouthCoast. She loves God, books of all kinds, traveling, taking selfies, sweet drinks, boy bands, and escaping into her imagination, where every child is happy and healthy, every house has a library, and her hubby wears coattails and a top hat 24/7.She is an instructor, mentor, and speaker, author of the Crane’s Cove series, small town romance set in Downeast Maine a Guest Author for the Cat’s Paw Cove Romance world, and several short stories.
All my life! I started writing novels in October of 2015. I was challenged to write and finish a book. I didn’t finish that first one, but the second one, Love on the Edge published in December 2017, and I haven’t stopped since!
Do you read yourself and if so what is your favorite genre?
I do! I read pretty much everything except horror and erotica. I also write widely—my imagination is all over the place, and I keep the stories fresh and interesting by writing them differently. But almost all of my books connect to each other.
Advice you would give new authors?
Read dozens of books in the genre you want to write so you can get a feel for the structure and nuances. Readers have expectations, and if your romance doesn’t have a happily-every-after, or you kill off a pet or child, or you miss certain story beats, it’s going to feel off to the reader. We are wired for story, and the brain science of it is fascinating. I recommend Story Genius by Lisa Cron. She breaks it down and explains it. So fascinating!
Join a professional writer’s group. Plug into a writing community, preferably in your genre, and learn from people who are at the various stages you will be hitting on your way to your goals.
Take a LOT of writing classes. Books are great, but you need live instruction and critical feedback from people who know what they’re doing. Ask questions, be brave and share your work for feedback—you’ll learn a lot!
Attend reader and writer conferences. Meet people, network, and spend time with the authors who are where you want to be.
NEVER ask for free advice or to pick someone’s brain, UNLESS you have already established a friendship. Our time and hard-earned knowledge is valuable. We want to give back, but we’re selective because we repeat the same things over and over and only a fraction of prospective authors ever listen. Most authors charge consulting fees. Ask about that. I suggest reading one of the author’s books before starting a conversation, unless you want to hire the author, then just book and appointment.
Have thick skin. Don’t take criticism personally. We all start out as immature writes, and we get better with time.
Remember, not everyone is your audience. The trick is to find the right audience for your story. When you do, magic happens, and the love fest begins (from both sides)!
What are common traps for aspiring writers?
Reading too many how-to books. Every writer’s process is different. I suggest experimenting with processes that interest you on short stories. Then, when you find a groove, write a longer story. The short, if it relates to the novel, can be used as a reader magnet to build your newsletter list prior to your book’s publication. Then, you’ll have hundreds or thousands of potential buyers on release day!
What is your writing Kryptonite?
Big revisions! If I have to delete or move something I am attached to, I put if off as long as I can.
If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?
Start sooner and save EVERYTHING! Do not quit that writing class before the last assignment just because you’re moving out of state. Push though and FINISH. And don’t wait 13 years to get back to it!
What’s the most difficult thing about writing characters from other genders?
Writing guys can be hard. I have to put myself in their heads – and that can be a scary place, haha!!
How long on average does it take you to write a book?
Depending on the length, 2-3 months for the first draft. Then 2-3 more months of critique partners, beta readers and editors before it’s ready to be published.
Do you believe in writer’s block?
Yes, and no. I do get stuck. The fix is knowing your characters. If you know what’s going to harm them or trip them up, send that thing their way. They’ll keep busy for awhile trying to work it out!
I’ve always been a hockey fan. No Sweet 16 party for me – I dragged my friends to a hockey game! Several of the players were friends of mine, and I loved to watch them play. When I moved to Florida, I couldn’t find anyone to go to games with me. It was such a bummer! A couple years ago, I decided to write a short romance story, Love on the Ice, and during my research I discovered hockey romance was thing! I read a Kat Mizera book and was hooked! That story went on to become finalist in the Florida Writers Association’s Royal Palm Literary Awards and is my bestseller to date. It was time to make it into a series!
What can we expect from you in the future?
I read wide, and I write wide! This fall, look for How to Binge Write Your Novel from Writers’ Atelier Books and The Believer’s Journal for Everyday Faith from Orange Blossom Publishing. This holiday season I’ll release the next Palmer City Voltage Book, Christmas on Ice. A Voltage novella, Breaking the Ice, will be featured in the Late to Love, a Charity Anthology next February. All proceeds go to support my friend Teri, who helps run the Space Coast Book Lovers conference every summer, on her breast cancer journey. Twenty-five authors who know and love her are getting together for this one. You don’t want to miss it!
Do you have any “side stories” about the characters?
So many! My characters are constantly making appearances in others’ books!
Can you tell us a little bit about the characters in Cruising on Ice? How did you come up with the concept and characters for the book?
My daughter has been asking me for years why I haven’t written a cheer story. We both love the sport, and Taylor has been in my head for a long time. As has Kingston—he was a side character in Love on the Ice, and I developed him completely when I wrote that story. I thought the two of them would be good together, as more than friends, and it was time to write their book. Since cheer comp season ends around the time of the hockey playoffs, I knew it would have to take place over the summer. The idea to put them on a cruise ship came to me when I was planning one of our family cruises. Their room has the layout our family had on the Disney Dream, and I pulled my favorite things from other ships, like the ice rink.
Where did you come up with the names in the story?
They just popped into my head! Poof! I rarely have trouble naming characters. They come to me with names and backstories all the time!
What did you enjoy most about writing this book?
Everything! It was so fun to bring these two characters to life on a cruise vacation! It made for some many romantic moments, and I also really love writing hockey scenes.
How did you come up with the title of your first novel?
It was originally On the Edge. My characters were dealing with PTSD and staying at resort called the Cliff Walk in Downeast, Maine. A main scene takes place near the edge of a cliff. I loved that “edge” represented many things in the story. However, that title didn’t hint at the genre. While at an industry conference in July 2017, I mentioned that to my favorite Regency author, Anabelle Bryant, and she suggested simply adding Love to the title. So, Love on the Edge it became!
Who designed your book covers?
Chris Kridler of SkyDiary Productions did my Palmer City Voltage covers. Aren’t they gorgeous?
If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?
Nope! I love every word I wrote in Cruising on Ice! The freedom of publishing it myself come s with hiring an editing team that helps my vision come to life instead of trying to fit it to what’s trending in the market. Also, I love my ensemble cast! If I’d have pubbed it traditionally, I’m sure many of my side characters would have been cut.
Did you learn anything during the writing of your recent book?
I learned how much I didn’t know about hockey! I had the sport down but the contracts and expansion draft minutia – yeeesh! Luckily, I have some superfan friends and dear friend in the Florida Panthers organization who helped me get it all right. My Panther guy was especially helpful with the epilogue scene logistics, and when I sent him the finished version, he loved it! it was an awesome moment for me
If your book was made into a film, who would you like to play the leads?
Oh, gosh—great question! I’m not sure, but I’d definitely want actors who could skate and fly in cheer stunts!
Anything specific you want to tell your readers?
Please leave a review! Reviews let authors know what you loved, what you didn’t, how to improve, if you identified with a character, and the impact it had on you. No need to summarize—we just want to know how it made you feel. The quantity of reviews helps us sell more books, and your words help us keep writing, even on the hardest days.
How did you come up with name of this book?
I wanted “ice” to be in the title to keep the branding consistent. The original title was Love Off the Ice to mirror the prequel Love on the Ice, but I changed it as I developed the series.
What is your favorite part of this book and why?
Oh gosh…so many favorite parts! The game show, where Kingston and Taylor feel that warm and fuzzy shift…their first kiss…the epilogue…yeah, definitely the epilogue!
If you could spend time with a character from your book whom would it be? And what would you do during that day?
I would love to have a VIP pass to the arena to watch Kingston play! I could sit with Taylor and the Wags (wives and girlfriends) and cheer my heart out!
Are your characters based off real people or did they all come entirely from your imagination?
Entirely from my own imagination! However, I did pull some traits and memories from hockey players and cheerleaders I’ve known over the years. I was a cheerleader in high school, and when our hockey team advanced to the state championship, we rode on the bus with them. I will never forget the stench riding home with that equipment! My daughter did all-star cheer for several years, and we spent a lot of time watching all the teams practice and perform. Two of her tumbling coaches were on the 2019 USA cheer team, and several cheered in college. They were amazing and inspirational. One of my friends makes cheer bows, and she was especially helpful with developing Taylor’s business.
Do your characters seem to hijack the story or do you feel like you have the reigns of the story?
Oh no—no matter how much I plot and plan, they do what they please, and I love being surprised!
Have you written any other books that are not published?
Just one! The first book I started back in 2015 was a World War 2 historical. I entered it into a contest and scored super high, but I got stuck on a few plot points that weren’t realistic. I do plan to go back to it someday, when the time is right.
If your book had a candle, what scent would it be?
Ocean Breeze! But I also have a very cool set of wax melts called Fresh Ice that smells like a rink!
What did you edit out of this book?
A lot of backstory and description! If you have any questions about anything, blame my editors for making me cut it! Haha, just kidding! Without them, the pacing of the book would have been much slower. I love how they guide me in the sculpting and polishing of my stories!
Is there a writer which brain you would love to pick for advice? Who would that be and why?
I would love to chat with Lucy Maud Montgomery, the author of Anne of Green Gables. She made a living as a writer a century ago, and wrote what she referred to as “bread and butter” stories to pay the bills. I can’t seem to find the discipline to write anything I’m not excited about, and would love to know how she did it, and did it so well.
What are your favorite hockey teams?
My favorite teams are the Boston Bruins, Tampa Bay Lightning, and my hometown Orlando Solar Bears!
Do you have a favorite hockey player?
Don’t laugh, but my assistant asked that question recently, and I named off 15 players! Here they are, in ABC order by last name: Noel Acciari, Ray Bourque, Blake Coleman, Yanni Gourde, Wayne Gretzky, Spencer Knight, David Krejci, Nikita Kucherov, Pat Maroon, Cam Neely, Bobby Orr, David Pastrnak, Brayden Point, Luc Robitaille, and Tyler Seguin.
How did you choose your pen name?
My grandmother, Evelyn, was my best friend and greatest encourager. She died while I was writing my first book. Now our names are linked together on books, swag, social media; everywhere! I miss her so much.
Can you, for those who don’t know you already, tell something about yourself and how you became an author?
I’ve been an avid reader since I borrowed Boy Crazy Stacy from my friend Kate in fourth grade! I’ve always been a writer; at three years old I wrote letters to my nana in heaven. By middle school, Zelda inspired me to draw my own fairyland maps and write stories about the characters who lived there. In high school, I wrote a children’s book and wrote for the school paper, and was co-editor for a year. I wrote feature articles for my college’s newspaper, and when I graduated, I wrote children’s stories for the kids in my elementary school classes. I was always the one to offer to write the newsletter in the groups I belonged to. But it wasn’t until 2015 I decided to give writing a novel a go. I always wanted to, but I lacked the skills and confidence to do it. When I was challenged to put on my big-girl pants and butt-kickin’ boots and do it already, I decided to take some classes and give it a try. Six years later, I’ve published eight novels and over a dozen short stories. I pinch myself daily.
What is something unique/quirky about you?
I put ketchup on my mac-n-cheese. I really love the tomatoey sweetness on melted cheddar. It’s not so weird, I think – lost of people put ketchup on cheeseburgers, haha!
What is your biggest pet peeve?
People who drive in the rain without their lights on. It’s the only way to see a white car in a snowstorm and a silver car in a steamy Florida summer deluge!
Where were you born/grew up at?
I grew up in Dartmouth, on the SouthCoast of Massachusetts. It’s a charming college town on Buzzards Bay, halfway between Providence Rhode Island Cape Cod. It’s got everything – farms, a state park, beautiful beaches, a mall, and Padanaram, a gorgeous historical village right on the water. Across the peninsula is Clark’s Cove and the city of New Bedford where I lived and taught elementary school for a couple years. The Covewalk, “floating” lighthouse, and coastal geography partially inspired my fictional town of Crane’s Cove.
If you knew you’d die tomorrow, how would you spend your last day?
If I was healthy, I’d take everyone I knew to Disney World and spend the day soaking in all the magic, until the last firework fizzled out. If I was bed-ridden, I’d want to be on a balcony overlooking the ocean, with my family and friends holding my hands and praying over me, and drift off to the peaceful sounds of the waves.
What kind of world ruler would you be?
I’m a Hufflepuff, so I’d need a second-in-command to keep me from ruling with my emotions, which would end in disaster.
What do you do to unwind and relax?
I like to just sit. With a book, with a drink, with a person, with my laptop or notebook, etc. Just sit and enjoy the peace of being content.
How to find time to write as a parent?
Every year has been different! At first, I’d write while my kids were napping or after they went to bed. Then, while they were at school. Now I’m the study hall monitor at their school, and I get a lot of writing done while I’m watching the kids!
Describe yourself in 5 words or less!
Takes the road less traveled! I never do anything status quo. I felt Dumbledore’s words when he spoke about choosing what is right versus what is easy.
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I’ve been writing my whole life. I had work published in high school publications and wrote for the school newspaper and became co-editor-in-chief my junior-senior year. I always thought I would go into journalism, but it was too heart-wrenching for me. I wrote feature articles for my college paper, and took a children’s writing course when I graduated. Teaching elementary school gave me a ton of opportunities to make up stories and curriculum, and for a while it was enough. In 2015, after being challenged at a conference, I decided to finally write that novel I’d always aspired to create.
Do you have a favorite movie?
Depends on the day! My top two are The Sound of Music and Gone with the Wind!
Which of your novels can you imagine made into a movie?
Oh, any of them! They’re all such feel-good stories. But I think Love on the Edge would do the best in the theaters. The added element of suspense combined with my characters’ emotional wounds and kickass determination to get the bag guy would translate awesomely to film!
What literary pilgrimages have you gone on?
Every place I travel to is a literary pilgrimage! If it’s not a place I’ve already written, I treat it as a future setting. I read all the things, visit all the things that interest me, and make note of everything I love about it for possible future reference.
As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal?
Definitely a swan! My grandmother, Evelyn loved swans. They’re beautiful, full of grace, and mate for life. Perfect for a romance novelist!
Win a hockey-themed swag bundle with a $25 Amazon gift card!
Includes: $25 Amazon gift card, cheer bow, sea-themed journal, Sea World shell ornament, bottle of seashells, anchor-shaped soap, mermaid magnet, Seaworld playing cards, Dream Big ornament, Orlando Solar Bears towel, Happy Planner notebook, desk hockey game, Bolts trading card, Take a Shot! glass, Palmer City Voltage puck and magnet, NHL Fresh Ice wax melts, and an I Love Hockey sticker.
Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!
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Café Reads (A Multi-Genre Anthology) by Casia Pickering
Teasing Over Turnovers The Custom Wetwork One Cut A Day in Thornfield Hall Bloodlust Forever After Marooned in Missouri Love’s Cry Through the Veil The God of the Forest
A gentleman adopts a young girl and questions his decision. A woman joins a production of a well-loved play only to find her enemy is there too. An ancient being of a forest is dying until a single woman chooses to make a sacrifice.
In these eleven stories, Casia Pickering dives into different worlds of romance, fear, and sacrifice. Featuring stories originally published in Perfectly Poisoned Anthologies and Enchanted Anthologies, Café Reads is a multi-genre anthology that welcomes the reader to enjoy a cup of coffee and sit for a story.
Even though she claims she can write anything, the biography remains to be Casia’s arch-nemesis. Despite this, Casia has used her Writing degree to craft stories in over ten anthologies, maintained a book blog for more than a decade, and has begun to write novels. A multi-genre author, Casia Pickering, is incapable of keeping to one thing. Every story has a piece of her personality that she treasures and shares with her readers. She currently lives in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia with her biggest supporter and helper, her son, affectionately known as Bug. Previous works are under the name, Casia Courtier.
Hi. I’m Brandon Barrows. Maybe we’ve met before. Maybe you’ve read my previous novel Burn Me Out, or the one before that, This Rough Old World or possibly a story of mine in various magazines and anthologies. Maybe you’ve already ordered my next novel, Strangers’ Kingdom are eagerly awaiting the chance to dive into it. If so, my sincerest thanks.
But I’m here today to talk about something else, something all three of those novels—and honestly, most of my work, has been afflicted by at some point in the past: writer’s block.
Some people don’t believe writer’s block is real. I believe those people either have never tried writing anything or are just really, really insanely lucky to have never experienced it. All three of my published novels mentioned above have suffered from it at some point or another in the writing process.
This Rough Old World took two years and more than a dozen drafts, beginning as a twenty-five-thousand-word novella and ending up as an eighty-three-thousand-word novel before it was done. In between drafts, I often went weeks or even months without touching it simply because I had no idea what came next. The same is true of Strangers’ Kingdom, but it was even longer: three years. I got stalled at around the seventy-thousand-word mark and realized I had no idea how to end the book. It sat, completely untouched, for a year and a half before I was able to beat it into submission.
It’s frustrating. It makes you doubt yourself, your ability, the worthiness of this pursuit. You wonder, could I be doing something better with my time? But I never quit. Even when I wasn’t working on this books, I was working on something else, because I just had to. Not writing is pretty unthinkable and to be perfectly honest, the times when I can’t write hurt. It’s a kind of ache that’s almost physical, knowing you should be producing but not being able to. And eventually, you just find a way to get going again because there’s no other choice.
A lot of people say they think they have a novel in them, or they want to write a book someday, and just never get around to it. A lot use writer’s block as an excuse. That’s okay, if you’re okay with it. Absolutely no judgment.
But that’s what separates writers from regular folks: no matter how hard it is, no matter how much it hurts, you keep going, because you have to. To do anything else is unthinkable.
That’s what it was like writing Strangers’ Kingdom. I knew how the story started, but had no idea how it ended and it took me a lot of brain-wracking and soul-searching and just plain forcing myself to get it done. But I did it. And when it was done, I felt great, even though I knew there were parts I would need to rewrite. But that’s part of the process, too. The first draft is just you telling yourself the story. The guts of writing comes later, in the revising and the editing stage. It doesn’t really matter what goes into that first draft, so long as there is a first draft. That’s what I kept telling myself and that’s how I learned to break through the writer’s block.
Writer’s block still happens, of course, but learning how to deal with it is something you just have to do if you want to write. And once you do, trust me, you’ll feel great.
Time management, well, to make this simple, time management sucks ass. It does. And I suck at time management. That said, it makes juggling life an exciting roller coaster of a ride.
I recently juggled my first full-time job (I used to work part-time and was predominantly a house-mom), going through the legal uphill of a divorce, being a mom, and writing. That means setting aside my writing. I set myself tiny writing goals and try to meet those, but I am nowhere near where I want to be.
In my ideal time management writer life, I wouldn’t have the legal stuff. Instead, I would be charging toward a full-time author deal. I already know that juggling the Bug, my son, and writing wouldn’t be an issue. If anything, the dude would be a nuisance making sure I get my writing done.
Juggling my time with him and writing isn’t a chore. Bug makes it his job to ask me if I’m writing. He likes to tell everyone in his school that his mother is an author, he likes having my stories on his bookshelf, and he is already planning out my merch store. No, I don’t have merch. He wants that to happen. I know I’m spoiled by this kid.
If you are a writer and a parent, but finding it hard to juggle the time for both, try to include your child in what you’re doing. Tell them they get to kick your butt if you don’t write. One time, Bug forbade me Oreos until I had a set number written. I still haven’t had an Oreo. Is he evil? Quite possibly, but he is my son, and I encouraged this method of accountability.
Ultimately, don’t beat yourself up. Choose what is more important, do those things first, and if you have time to do the less important- there you go. For me, Bug is the top priority. Therefore, for right now, it is the legal stuff and full-time work that have to be the head of the train with writing being in the caboose. Bug is my conductor, and he’s doing a great job at it.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. That means, when you purchase a book using an Amazon link on this site, I earn an affiliate commission. All commission earnings go back into funding my books; editing, cover design, etc.
In ancient times on earth, there lived a race called Dragonors. Following in a tradition to gain status and recognition in the village, those able would compete in rigorous games of cunning and abilities. Tournaments culminated into a weapon battle to the death or submission while riding a dragon; at its end, the winner was given status within the village.
In this event, a blacksmith named Luken intended to win and gain the regard necessary to ask for Talulah’s hand in marriage from her father Ephenio, lord of the village, competed in the challenge. Luken, who had no dragon or experience dragon-riding or battling, had no choice but to win against all the other competitors for his love. The final contest pits him against the worthiest aggressor. He is fortunate to use the more aggressive dragon of his true love, Talulah, that carries the battle and allows him a most unlikely victory.
Over time the happiness of Luken and the Dragonor princess turned to despair as men invade their once pristine swamplands. The earthlings eventually caused the death of Talulah, and the great Lords of the Dragonors decide to leave the earth instead of destroying men.
Dragonors run into unlikely allies in their new lands, the Mejuarian, and the two different groups in all ways and mannerism develop friendships and a familial bond. This closeness compelled the valiant dragon riders to assist the king of the Mejuarian in the recovery of his missing mewlings.
As luck would have it, King Teloby also discovers a new diminutive race interested in a friendly alliance with both the Mejuarian and Dragonors. A meeting with Marina, Queen of the Arvunglies, revealed that she has found one of the three missing nests and treasures it as a colorful bauble. The little queen agreed to return the nest happily. Still, she told them that rescue of the other two could prove a challenge. To retrieve the babies, they had to venture and most likely defeat a rogue dragon that attacked their small village from time to time.
On earth in 1960, Ren discovers two nests while exploring by a lake. His father, a veterinarian, drew an interest in them and took them back to his facility for further investigation. Ren feared they were UFOs with body-snatching capabilities. Ren’s fears soon disappear when his father indirectly hatched the two creatures in his incubator and discovers they are lovely, intelligent creatures that reminded him of some rare species of puppies.
Unaware that the missing nests fell to earth off the airship on their way to the Dragonor land, king Teloby prepared himself. For the next day, the three groups would head out for the dubious task of entering and searching the dragon’s lair for his missing mewling.
Born in Florida, I am a resident of the US, but now I reside on a lovely island in British Columbia Canada with my mother and two dogs, and one cat. During the early years of my life, I worked in the business industry, thus reaching my goal of obtaining my degree in Business Management.
I love to read, and over my lifetime, I have probably read hundreds of books. Now that life has given a bit more time to concentrate on my personal life, I am following God and writing fun, fanciful fiction stories, which blend over into the fantasy realm.
I hope that each time I put words on the paper, it makes you want to read it. I always hope someone has fallen in love with my words and want to continue reading them.
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As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. That means, when you purchase a book using an Amazon link on this site, I earn an affiliate commission. All commission earnings go back into funding my books; editing, cover design, etc.
Alcasia has been a hunter since a very young age. She hunts the most dangerous animal in the Great Forest of Rhent. The huge beasts skin hardens into a substance called brontum which is necessary in this world where iron is very rare. When taxes are raised, she ventures further than any other hunter to try and keep her family secure. This is when she accidently runs across an invading foreign army clad in steel. After escaping from this force she returns home to find these strange invaders have destroyed her village and kidnapped her brother and sister. As the village discusses rebuilding, Alcasia teams up with several friends to attempt a rescue.
Alcasia, Robyr and Trepuk lead a small band of villagers on this long mission to save their loved ones. The villagers head east toward the cities of the Plain. Alcasia will face the bigotry that people have to shadow trackers like herself as well the might of this great army of steel.
Alcasia and her band travel from the village on the edge of civilization and into the midst of a war. Alcasia moves among the armies to try and protect her loved ones. While she is known for hunting monsters, she finds herself facing a far greater monster.
Jonathan E. Barnett grew up in Stevens Point, WI. After spending a year in a seminary in St. Paul, MN, he transferred to UW-La Crosse. He graduated with a Bachelor’s in History and a minor in Economics. Upon graduating, Jonathan was commissioned as an Officer in the Wisconsin Army National Guard and deployed twice to Southwest Asia. After his second deployment, he graduated from University of Wisconsin Law School. Jonathan is now a practicing attorney and author in Central Wisconsin.
Nina Soden 