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Bound (Blood Brothers Book 1) by Samantha Wilde ~ Genre: Romantic Suspense
One of the most dangerous men in the country just became her only ally.
Investigative journalist Lexi Ivanov needs one thing to crack the most important case of her career: the top-secret ledger belonging to Lionsgate Kinship—the organization that murdered her family. And it’s in the possession of Nash Holmes, the elite brotherhood’s enforcer. Fighting her attraction to the man she needs to dupe, she drugs Nash before their romp in the bedroom goes too far. And then, with the ledger in hand, she runs.
Having a woman drug and steal from him is the ultimate shame. Nash fell for the sexy seductress’s trick and now he has to pay the price. To save face and his reputation, as well as protect the brotherhood, he must stop the lying vixen before she sells their secrets to the media. Once he finds her his job is far from over. It’s expected of him to kill her, but something about Lexi strikes a weakness he didn’t know he carried. When a hit is put on her head, the game changes.
Nash quickly learns she has something much greater than what he’s after, and not just a smokin’ body—information so disturbing that he’s forced to investigate. If she’s telling the truth, everything he’s ever known has been a lie.
Samantha Wilde resides in Saskatchewan, Canada, with her husband and two small daughters. Teddy, the family multi-poo, completes her family. Samantha writes steamy, fast-paced, romantic suspense novels in the rare moments she has uninterrupted—even interrupted, she manages to apply words to paper. Aside from her love of writing, her other interests include cooking vegan meals, fantasizing about working out, and eating far too much chocolate.
USA Today and national bestselling author Anna J Stewart writes sweet to spicy romances for Harlequin and ARC Manor’s Caezik Romance. Her sweet Heartwarming books include the Butterfly Harbor series as well as the ongoing Blackwell continuity series. She is also the author of the Honor Bound series for Harlequin Romantic Suspense and contributes to the bestselling continuity series, the Coltons. Her second Butterfly Harbor romance, RECIPE FOR REDEMPTION, was optioned as a TV movie and aired as CHRISTMAS RECIPE FOR ROMANCE in 2019 on UpTV.
Check out our interview on YouTube:
Check out BRIDE ON THE RUN below!
(Click on the cover image to order your copy)
(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.)
Sienna Fairchild never imagined she’d be a runaway bride. Or that she’d stow away on a worn-down boat belonging to handsome tour operator Monty Bettencourt. Monty’s used to navigating rough seas, but Sienna might overturn his whole life, and avoiding drama is tough in such close quarters! If Sienna’s sure she doesn’t know what she wants, then why does running away feel so much like coming home?
Lauren Sevier & A. Smith are long time friends and co-authors from southern Louisiana. Guns & Smoke, their first joint publication, began as a “short” story after having too much wine on girl’s night. Nine years later it is now the first novel in a Dystopian/Western Romance series. The duo has plans to publish several series together in the future. A. Smith spends her time with her two rescue dogs and rescue cat surrounding herself with books and Labyrinth paraphernalia. Lauren Sevier collects antique tea cups and tries to stay sane, though as the mother of a toddler she fails brilliantly most days. She also has a growing collection of crowns and tiaras and likes to act silly on Tiktok. Look for more thrilling novels from The Fools Adventure series in the future!
Describe your writing style. Generally speaking, I have a really lyrical and emotionally grounded writing style. It’s more pronounced in my solo works like my debut YA Fantasy novel ‘Songs Of Autumn’, but there’s a definite lyrical quality to the sections I write. I’m a fan of alliteration with purpose and finding almost musical beats in storytelling. I think just like the composition of a great song, story structure is very similar and that probably has something to do with it.
What makes a good story? Relatable characters with flaws and realistic stakes. I read somewhere that a problem a character can walk away from is a book a reader can put down and I don’t think I’ve ever felt any piece of writing advice so acutely before. The characters don’t necessarily have to be likeable, but they should be relatable. What’s more relatable than a person who isn’t perfect struggling with a problem that seems overwhelming or impossible to solve? I think I’ve felt that way in my own life so often that it just makes sense to me that other people will have too.
What is your writing process? For instance do you do an outline first? Do you do the chapters first? What are common traps for aspiring writers? I am notoriously bad at outlining and having any sort of plan whatsoever when writing. Abbie is actually the one of us who keeps me in line and on track. She usually helps keep timelines on track, and points out when a character’s perspective is missing. Or when we need to accomplish actual plot things in a chapter instead of it being all fluff and nonsense. Honestly, our readers should thank her for the fact that the book isn’t just an absolute mess. LOL! No, but really, drafting for me is all about discovery writing, while editing is where I’m able to tame the story into a believable plot and really make it shine. Abbie helps us to stay on track so that we can draft cleaner and have less overhaul to do in the editing process.
Do you try more to be original or to deliver to readers what they want?Personally, a bit of both. Just like in life, writing is all about balance. We’re conscious of reader expectations but still make decisions based on what feels right for the characters and the story. Overall, we want readers to be satisfied but sometimes that means making decisions that aren’t exactly what they expect. It’s that moment of ‘Oh, I didn’t see that coming’ that will help them keep turning pages and keep being invested in the tale we’re weaving. But to completely ignore your audience and the genre expectations is really just asking for poor reviews. So, we try to balance both as best as we can to deliver a novel that’s familiar but new at the same time. Something that peaks your interest but you can’t predict where it’s going to end up.
What’s the most difficult thing about writing characters from the opposite sex? Lauren has always told me that I am really good at writing men. As a CIS woman, I think one of the most difficult things about writing male characters is getting into the little nuances of being a male that aren’t inherently female. For example, Jesse was almost a little too polished, which is because I like to write male characters in how I would like to see a man. So including genitalia jokes isn’t something that comes naturally to me like it would a man, but it’s those little things that really make a character feel real to readers.
How long on average does it take you to write a book?Drafting a novel together is actually really quick for Abbie and I. We wrote the first draft of Guns & Smoke (it’s current iteration) in less than a month, and the sequel (which is even longer) we cranked out in 26 days. We’re currently working through the first draft of book #3 in the series so that we can hopefully cut down on time between publications for reader satisfaction.
Do you believe in writer’s block?Ha! I’m going to get some heat for this one. Writer’s block doesn’t exist. I thought it did for a really long time. I thought I was stuck in the throes of it for even longer. What I’ve discovered is that you can suffer from lack of confidence in yourself, or you can have an ‘editing block’ where you stop drafting to edit what you already have, psych yourself out, and end up never finishing. Or you can be struggling with ‘imposter syndrome’. Or you can be suffering from not taking enough breaks and refilling your creative well. But the writing is always there. There’s no block to it other than the obstacles you put in your own way. Once I realized that the thing stopping me wasn’t some concept of a ‘writer’s block’ that I couldn’t escape, it was clear to me how to move forward. I won’t say ‘easy’ because I don’t think it’s easy to get out of your own way. In fact, it’s one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. But, it’s clear what path to take when you realize that the only person stopping you is yourself.
What can we expect from you in the future? So much! Guns & Smoke is the first in a four book series. In addition to those four, we have a couple of sequel series, a prequel series, a few novellas and an anthology set in The Fools Adventure world. We also have plans to write a Victorian-esque fantasy romance as well as a paranormal romance series together. Individually, Lauren is working diligently on the sequel to her YA Fantasy debut, Songs of Autumn, and I’m working on a Fantasy Romance novel with the intention to traditionally publish.
Do you have any “side stories” about the characters in Guns & Smoke? There is one side character in Guns & Smoke who pops up out of nowhere. It’s someone who was a big part of one of the main characters’ lives.
Where did you come up with the names in the story?Love this question! So, because this novel is a Dystopian/Western Romance it’s set in a not-so-distant future where the world has been ravaged by the effects of nuclear warfare. It’s the American Southwest and in a lot of ways, society has reverted back to a time much like the chaos of the Wild West from a not-so-distant past. There are themes in this book about history repeating itself and that’s definitely the case with the names of the characters in this book. Bonnie, for example, is literally name after Bonnie Parker of the infamous Outlaw duo Bonnie & Clyde. She explains in the book how she got her name. Jesse is also literally named after a murderous outlaw from the past. Jesse James. Only in his case, his father thought it would be funny to name him after an outlaw from his childhood and his mother lost a bet. Harry, Jesse’s younger brother, is affectionately coined ‘The Kid’ by Bonnie early on in the novel and this completes the main cast of characters, however, there are several other characters who share their fate with having wonderfully outlaw-inspired names throughout the book and the series as a whole.
What did you enjoy most about writing this book? Really delving into romance. While all of the projects I’ve written before have been centered around a romance, I’ve never embraced the genre until Lauren proposed it to me. Being able to fully dive into these characters in an adult genre really made them pop off of the page and come to life.
What is your favorite part of this book and why? My favorite part of the book are the quiet moments, when Bonnie and Jesse aren’t at each other’s throats and they’re actually being vulnerable with one another. There’s just something about two characters that push past their defenses and come together that really touches my heart. There’s this really great scene between Bonnie and Jesse in chapter ten of Guns & Smoke where they’ve just gone through something really terrible. They open up to one another, which leads them farther into the unknown, but also closer together.
Have you written any other books that are not published? Literally tons. I have a novel that I’ve been working on for fourteen years. I have really terrible depression and anxiety, and I continually get in my head about it. The story has literally changed so many times, and it’s still not ready for the public just yet, but get this: a secret society of witches, New Orleans, and romance. I also have more than a dozen works in various planning stages that I cannot wait to write.
Do you read yourself and if so what is your favorite genre? I read almost anything that I can get my hands on! While Fantasy is probably my favorite genre right now, I have always had a soft spot for dystopian literature like Divergent or The Hunger Games. I’m really big into Sarah J Maas right now. I really love her mental health representation, plus Cassian from A Court of Thorns and Roses is basically my one true love.
Do you prefer to write in silence or with noise? Why? Silence is the death of my writing! I have to have music. Lauren and I both will find one song when we’re writing a particular scene that encapsulates the mood and listen to it over and over again. When there’s silence or I have background noise, I struggle to focus, so I plug in my earbuds and just go!
If you could have been the author of any book ever written, which book would you choose? Harry Potter. Because I’d be set for life!
Pen or type writer or computer?Computer. All the way. I’m no good with dictation software and I think I need the textile feel of the keys on the keyboard to get into a good writing rhythm. There are times when I long-hand scenes that I need to sit with and really nurse the words to make them sound exactly right, but that’s when I can take my time with a section. I write a LOT slower than I type, so for initial drafting and not refining or re-writing, it’s always the computer for me.
Tell us about a favorite character from a book. I feel like people are sick of this answer from me, but Kaz Brekker from the Six of Crows duology by Leigh Bardugo is currently my favorite character. He’s almost like the rebirth of the anti-hero in modern fiction and I’m living for it. I have a soft spot for misanthropes and anti-heroes in literature, I seriously fall way too hard in love with them. The amount of character development Bardugo was able to write into his character is still something that astounds me to this day.
What advice would you give new authors? I feel like I give this advice so much, but I feel like it is the one thing that has really helped me: read. Read every single thing that you can get your hands on. You have to study the craft of writing, which doesn’t mean just reading non-fiction craft books. It’s important to read what is big in the market and find the things that you enjoy in those novels and figure out how you can incorporate that feeling into your own work.
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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.
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.
Guns & Smoke (The Fool’s Adventure Series Book 1) by Lauren Sevier & A. Smith
Genre: Dystopian Western Romance
In a world where safety is a luxury and honor is found only among outlaws, two people attempt to outrun dangers lurking around each corner and the tragedies that define them.
Bonnie is an outlaw on the run. Beautiful but dangerous; her dark past stalks her like the crater beasts that roam the desert. As the notoriously cruel outlaw Jones sends his henchmen to track her down and retrieve the gun she stole from him, Bonnie hopes she can stay one step ahead. Because if he catches her, a fate worse than death awaits.
Jesse always dreamed of leaving the farm to explore the ruins of the big cities he’d heard about his whole life. He just never imagined he’d be forced to flee after strange men burned down his rural mountain town and murdered everyone he loved. Responsible for his kid brother and searching for an uncle he’s never met before, he isn’t sure he can navigate the perils of life among con artists and thieves long enough to find him.
Their two paths collide as they find themselves thrown together on the adventure of a lifetime.
Together, they may just discover that life is about more than just surviving.
TRIGGER WARNING: This book contains depictions of graphic violence, language, sexual violence, attempted rape, depictions of child abuse, and depictions of human trafficking.
Lauren Sevier & A. Smith are long time friends and co-authors from southern Louisiana. Guns & Smoke, their first joint publication, began as a “short” story after having too much wine on girl’s night. Nine years later it is now the first novel in a Dystopian/Western Romance series. The duo has plans to publish several series together in the future. A. Smith spends her time with her two rescue dogs and rescue cat surrounding herself with books and Labyrinth paraphernalia. Lauren Sevier collects antique tea cups and tries to stay sane, though as the mother of a toddler she fails brilliantly most days. She also has a growing collection of crowns and tiaras and likes to act silly on Tiktok. Look for more thrilling novels from The Fools Adventure series in the future!
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.
Bluebonnets in the Spring (Perfectly Stated Series) by Kristen Collins
Genre: Western Paranormal Fantasy Romance
Clyde is just a lonely widow cowboy living out his days in peace on his ranch in Texas. Faith is a hybrid reaper on the run from a band of fallen angels.
When Faith stumbles onto his land one night injured, she unwittingly pulls Clyde into a manhunt that could change his life forever.
Two secrets and one fateful night could change everything for them. Was it destiny that brought them together or will the secrets they harbor be their demise?
I’m a Native Texan, born and raised close to the heart of the great Lone Star State. I was born in January of ‘89 and was able to grow up during a great time. I honestly don’t consider myself a Millennial, and really dislike that title. I’m a part-time secretary and a full-time mother and wife, as well as a Lupus Warrior.
Having Lupus means living my life indoors, and the sun is my arch-nemesis, my personal kryptonite. I want to leave a legacy behind, something my kids could one day look back on and say, “yeah my mom did that.”
Thanks to the encouragement of friends and family, I found a passion for writing paranormal romance books. Anything in the realm of fantasy usually suits my novels and tends to be able to reach a large audience in multiple genres. Most of my story ideas come to me in the most unexpected times and places, such as my dreams. They will plague me nonstop until I sit down and write it out.
I like to explore new types of characters such as Sandmen and Boogeymen, for example. I enjoy creating all the facets of their own worlds, such as in A Sandman’s Forbidden Love.
God has blessed me with success that I never imagined was possible, which allows me the freedom to explore and create with intense focus in paranormal fiction. Now, I know Shifters aren’t real but Angels are another story. So Angels are also a part of my focus and research. I will often sit on the computer doing extensive research on both Sandmen and Angels, trying to learn as much as possible about them.
In addition to fiction, I create Art Journals that are cross generational from thirteen to ninety years young. My goal, with these types of books, is to reach people who need that extra encouragement and quiet reflective stillness that journaling can bring into their lives.
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.
Allmother Rising by Elexis Bell
Genre: Dark Fantasy with Straight and LGBTQ Romance
A broken-hearted priestess and a deposed prince team up with a ranger and a rebel with one too many secrets. In the name of The Allmother, they go to war to save their lands.
A coup in a neighboring kingdom brings threats of invasion and fire to Priestess Rising Veliana’s home in the forest. Under the guidance of her goddess, The Allmother, she forms an alliance with the deposed prince, Tyrvahn, and his ex, Garle, the leader of a rebellion that’s been brewing for years. But Garle has many secrets, one of which could unravel Veliana and Tyrvahn’s budding romance and the future of these uneasy alliances. Veliana’s best friend, Kivala, tries to soften Garle with the ways of their fallen homeland, but what she learns chills her to her core. At war with a vicious man twisted by the god of greed, they can’t afford to fight amongst themselves. Can they overcome their differences to save their home and their goddess from the new king? Or will the forests burn over blood-soaked earth?
Fans of magic and grit, high stakes and godly secrets will love this dark high fantasy novel with straight and LGBT romance.
Elexis Bell writes gritty and emotional novels. Born and raised in the midwestern United States, she dreams of a cabin in the woods rather than a house surrounded by cornfields.
She loves writing well-developed characters facing real problems in vibrant, magical worlds. Armed with a degree in psychology and a rollercoaster past, she sprinkles gut-wrenching emotions over high fantasy romance, science fiction, and the occasional thriller.
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Elexis Bell writes gritty and emotional novels. Born and raised in the midwestern United States, she dreams of a cabin in the woods rather than a house surrounded by cornfields.
She loves writing well-developed characters facing real problems in vibrant, magical worlds. Armed with a degree in psychology and a rollercoaster past, she sprinkles gut-wrenching emotions over high fantasy romance, science fiction, and the occasional thriller.
Can you tell us a little bit about the characters in Allmother Rising? There are four main characters, so in order of appearance: Veliana is the Priestess Rising of Kin territory, but Rising to lead her people makes her nervous. And with the new king of Jun threatening to invade, the stakes have never been higher. Shy and struggling to recover from the betrayal of her former love, she carries a lot of burdens into battle.
Tyrvahn is the deposed prince of Jun. Once conceited and wasteful, a near-death experience brought him to the Allmother’s door. She showed him a better way to live. He just has to escape the assassins his uncle sent after him, deal with the recent deaths of his parents, and get his throne back to lead them according to the Allmother’s ways. Garle hates the new king and his nephew. After they led the invasion of her homeland more than a decade ago, killing her parents and running everyone out of their homes, she vowed revenge. Having lived undercover in Jun ever since, working her way into an… acquaintanceship with the royal family in the name of gathering information, her opportunity to kill them and the evil god that twists the hearts of Jun residents has finally arrived. Kivala thinks she’s moved on. Her brothers died in the invasion of her homeland, but it’s been years. She’s safe and sound in Kin with her parents, best friends with the Priestess Rising, and always has a brightside or a joke. But when war comes to her doorstep again, the thought of losing another home and more family pushes her to the front lines.
What did you enjoy most about writing this book? It’s hard to pick, honestly. I’m not sure how to choose between the characters, the world, or the animal companions.
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.
Who designed your book covers? I actually do my own covers. I really enjoy graphic design, and once I get started, it absorbs hours of my life. Of course, I always get feedback from other authors, artists, and readers before finalizing a design.
Did you learn anything during the writing of your recent book? I did end up going down a rabbit hole researching how bears show affection. The book has animal companions, and I have no experience with bears… so my google search history took a surprisingly wholesome turn compared to some of the other things I’ve researched for books.
How did you come up with name of this book? The Allmother is the primary god in the world within the book, and she desperately wants to reach the rest of her people. Aia (her son and thus a lesser god) holds them beyond her reach in a kingdom without the trees that connect the mortal realm to her realm. In Kin, the person in line to lead the territory is called the Priest or Priestess Rising. So, since the Allmother is reaching out to lead the rest of her people home, I combined the two terms and got Allmother Rising.
Are your characters based off real people or did they all come entirely from your imagination? Nope. I don’t base any of my characters off people I know. They pop into my head, and they quickly become their own people, making decisions and thinking things all on their own.
Do the characters all come to you at the same time or do some of them come to you as you write? Most of them come to me as I write. I always have at least two of the main characters before I start writing, but the rest fill in as I go.
What kind of research do you do before you begin writing a book? None. I start writing and figure everything out as I go. If that means stopping to research how bears show affection for half an hour, then so be it. (I actually did that while writing this book.)
Do you see writing as a career? First and foremost, it’s something I love. Whether it eventually pays the bills or not, the joy of writing is enough to continue. But in the future, I’d like to make enough money from my books to be able to quit my day job and write even more books.
Do you read yourself and if so what is your favorite genre? Of course. I’ve actually turned one of the spare bedrooms at my house into my own personal library. I read fantasy and sci-fi, always with romance. The darker, the better, and I prefer character driven books.
Do you prefer to write in silence or with noise? Why? I can write regardless of what’s going on around me, but I prefer music. I make playlists for every book, adding to them every time I hear a song that reminds me of one of the characters, a scene, or just the book as a whole. That’s my preferred soundtrack while writing, but I’ll write regardless.
Do you write one book at a time or do you have several going at a time? I usually have multiple projects going at a time, but only one in the writing stage. At the moment, I’m writing a sci-fi series, editing a dark romantic fantasy and a thriller romance, and releasing Allmother Rising. I just can’t write two books side by side. I get too excited about the characters and worlds, too consumed. And inevitably, one sucks me in, leaving the other project on the backburner until the first is done.
Pen or type writer or computer? Honestly, whatever I have on hand. I’ll type on my phone or my laptop. I’ll write in a notebook or on loose scraps of paper. Sometimes, I come home from work with my entire forearm covered in scenes and conversations that I thought up throughout the day. I work in a factory, and my machine tracks my progress to the tenth of a second, so I don’t have time to dig out paper and write out every detail in my head. Instead, I just jot down the barest bones of what I come up with on my arm, just enough to make sure I remember everything when I get home to type it up.
Any advice for new authors? I have a few pieces of advice that I will always, always, always tell any new writer that asks for advice.
1. As long as the first draft is written, it’s a perfect first draft. Don’t stress over what others will think or whether it’s good enough or whether it’s original or too long or too short. A first draft is perfect as long as it’s written.
2. Writer for yourself. Edit for your readers.
3. NEVER PUBLISH WITH A VANITY PRESS. They’re legal scams. Please, save yourself millions of headaches, infinite heartache, bullying, and thousands of dollars. If a publisher approaches you, unless you’re famous, it’s probably a vanity press. If they call themselves a subsidy press, they’re a vanity press. If a publisher expects you to pay them, it’s a vanity press. (Ingramspark is the exception in that they charge $25-$49 to list your book in their massive wholesale database.)
Please, research every publisher you consider. Ask other authors and check out Writer Beware to see if they list a publisher that seems even the slightest bit suspicious. I was taken in by a vanity press when I first published nearly a decade ago, and it very nearly destroyed my faith in publishing altogether. Spare yourself that trouble.
Describe your writing style. Gritty, lyrical, character-driven, and punchy. My characters drive the plot, and I don’t waste time with unnecessary details. I use a lot of sentence fragments, a lot of dependent clauses and paragraph breaks, all in the name of flow. And I never shy away from the tough subjects my plots demand.
What is your writing process? For instance do you do an outline first? Do you do the chapters first? What are common traps for aspiring writers? I’m what’s known in writing communities as a pantser/discovery writer. Some people prefer discovery writer because it sounds more serious. I prefer pantser because it sounds more fun and writing is supposed to be fun. But regardless of what you call it, I write by the seat of my pants. No outlines. No story bible. No character profiles. I get an idea, and I start writing. Beyond that, I do a lot of things that are commonly preached against in writing circles. Many people say not to edit as you go because it might trap you in a cycle of rewriting/fixing rather than writing the rest of the book. But I edit as I go, and it works for me.
A lot of people say to write every day, but I work 12 hour shifts at least two days a week. I don’t usually get to write on those days.
Do you try more to be original or to deliver to readers what they want? I just let the story be what it needs to be. There’s an audience out there for any book. It’s just a matter of finding them. Yes, writing this way rather than writing to market means that marketing will inevitably be more difficult, but the integrity of the characters and the story means more to me than saving myself a little difficulty in advertising.
How long on average does it take you to write a book? I write somewhat quickly. Despite working full time and maintaining a semblance of a social life, I can usually finish a first draft in about four months. Some books take a little longer, depending on how much overtime I end up with during that time.
Allmother Rising took one day less than four months. The writing started out slow thanks to work, but then Covid happened, and the factory I work at got shut down for two months. So, I still got it done in four months.
However, my current project, The Regonia Chronicles, is an exception. It’s a series that I didn’t know would be a series until I was about 90,000 words in with no end in sight. (Most sci-fi/fantasy novels are between 70,000 and 120,000 words, for reference.) And then, when I started writing what I thought would be book two, I had to go back and add several chapters to book one, which changed the point at which book one ended. Then, book three meant more additions to book one.
So, for this project, I honestly have no idea how long each book is taking because they’re all under construction up until the completion of the whole series. Not to mention the fact that I’ve stopped to write unrelated books a few times, and since I’m making up a complete language for one of the races in the book, I occasionally have to stop writing to fill out their dictionary. But usually, I can stick to an average of four months per first draft.
What can we expect from you in the future? I always have a lot of projects going on at one time, so in addition to releasing Allmother Rising, I’m also editing and writing. All my books are intensely character focused, so their internal struggles are always in the forefront.
My current projects in editing: Second to None, a dark thriller romance with murder, an abusive relationship, star-crossed lovers (not the abusive relationship), and ghost stories. A Blessed Darkness, a dark romantic fantasy featuring a fated couple, blood magic, power that makes even the gods wary, and the dangers of losing yourself in love.
My current writing project: The Regonia Chronicles, a dark romantic sci-fi series full of unethical experiments, genocide, aliens, alcoholism, and a very close look at the ways that families break apart (and break the people within them). Books 1-3 and one of the prequels are written. I’m currently writing book four and the other prequel.
After all that, I have an idea for a second standalone novel in the universe of my last release, a dark paranormal fantasy romance called A Heart of Salt and Silver, as well as several ideas in new worlds.
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.
Love on the Line(Women at Work Book 1) by Kirsten Fullmer ~ Genre: Women’s Fiction, Romance
In this epic and unique love story set in the wild mountains of West Virginia, a young woman and her unlikely friends find their way through multiple job hazards and terrible working conditions to achieve the unexpected.
Andrea never thought she’d live in a camp trailer or work outdoors in inhospitable climates; but eager to leave the stress and tedium of grad-school behind, she sets off with her estranged grandpa, Buck, to build a pipeline through the rugged mountains of West Virginia. She’s determined to understand the man and the family divide that drove him away. Once the job starts, she forms an unlikely friendship with Nick, the rough and tumble foreman of the bending crew. Most of the guys aren’t willing to accept her, and Rooster, the handsome, cocky, tie-in foreman, is determined that she’s a ridiculous distraction.
But building a pipeline is fraught with danger, fatigue, and confrontation as egos collide. Caught up in the all-male social microcosm, Andrea can’t help but understand the pecking order, and she’s at the bottom. Being a woman makes it even more unlikely she’ll be accepted. Buck proves to be a taskmaster, but a kindhearted teddy-bear of a man under a gruff exterior, and Andrea comes to love him, opening herself up to the pain of his past.
Rooster and Andrea are drawn to each other, yet they know an on-the-job romance will only cause problems. Rooster is tormented by his own past, and determined to prove himself to Buck, a pipeline ledged. Messing with the old man’s granddaughter is a line Rooster refuses to cross. But as Andrea shows herself to be a hard worker and a valuable member of the crew, she earns Rooster’s respect and he can’t keep his distance. It seems the couple can’t go back, they can’t move forward, and they can’t let go. Both will have to make sacrifices and take a chance on ruining their credibility in order to be together.
Kirsten is a writer with a love of art and design. She worked in the engineering field, taught college, and consulted free lance. Due to health problems, she retired in 2012 to travel with her husband. They live and work full time in a 40′ travel trailer with their little dog Bingo. Besides writing romance novels, she enjoys selling art on Etsy and spoiling their three grandchildren.
As a writer, Kirsten’s goal is to create strong female characters who face challenging, painful, and sometimes comical situations. She believes that the best way to deal with struggle, is through friendship and women helping women. She knows good stories are based on interesting and relatable characters.
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My latest book, Love on the Line, is the story of Andy, a woman who chooses to work building a pipeline in the rugged mountains of West Virginia. Why did I write about this? I wrote it partly because I was inspired by the experiences of my own daughter who entertained me with many of her personal experiences as a pipeliner. But I also wrote it because I too chose to work in a male dominated field back in the day. Some of the struggles of women in these fields are upsetting, but many are inspiring and funny, thus perfect material for the kind of books I love to write. Just because not many women choose to do it, doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be done, right?
More than any time in recorded history, women are choosing to work in male dominated fields. Every day you come across a woman truck driver, firefighter, or pharmacist. And even though it’s become commonplace, many fields stick with their traditional titles such as policeman, draftsman, and even garbage man. Given this plus the infamous glass ceiling, why would a woman choose to spend their entire career fighting an uphill battle? There are a million reasons, but overwhelmingly, the answer I find is “because I want to” or “because the job appealed to me,” or “My dad and grandpa did it, why shouldn’t I?”
When was the idea planted for women to take the jobs they wanted, even if they were traditionally considered only suitable for men? Some would say with Eve, but both folklore and history are filled with women who not only worked at the jobs they pleased, they ruled societies: Joan of Ark and Cleopatra, to name a few. In Victorian times, women who wrote were forced to use a male pen name or work without recognition. But the women of my grandmother’s generation were forced to work at jobs considered appropriate only for men during world war II. They worked everywhere from factories to the fields. Sadly, after a taste of the liberation a paycheck affords a person, these women were expected to quietly step back into the kitchen once the men came home.
My mother’s generation, were blessed with not only their mother’s experiences, but all manner of modern conveniences which allowed them to clean and cook and generally care for their families in a fraction of the time it took their mothers. Many of these women took it upon themselves to “have it all” and step out into the working world, and not just as nurses and schoolteachers. Their bravery gave the women of my generation the encouragement and conviction that we too could plan a career. However, we quickly learned that we couldn’t be super mom and have a demanding and time consuming career without a shift in attitude, and this shift had to come from the men. The change had to happen not just because of the aforesaid glass ceiling on the job, but because we needed help at home.
Do I think only women who work have value, and somehow women who don’t work away from home are lesser somehow? Of course not! In my lifetime I have been a stay at home mom, a sick in bed mom, a full time student mom, an employed full time mom, and a retired mom. All of those words we put on women are pointless when you realize that we are in this together, and we should be supportive and understanding, no matter what roll you chose.
So, take a moment this summer to grab a copy of Love on the Line. Then curl up in a corner with a cup of coffee and prepare yourself for a heartwarming story filled with feminine strength, challenge, bravery, friendship, and romance.
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Snitch(Something Real Book 2) by Leslie Georgeson ~ Genre: Mafia Romantic Suspense
Pakhan. Head of the mafia. That is my destiny. Nothing can stand in my way. I won’t allow it.
Until she shakes things up. Willow Anthony. I didn’t even know she existed until her voice floated through the trees, singing a melody that captivated me. I had to meet her.
Willow’s not what I expected. She’s shy. Sweet. Innocent. A challenge. I crave her as much as I long to be the king of the entire Russian bratva. I want her to sing for me, and me alone. I want to make music with her in a very carnal way.
She has no place in my world. But now it’s too late. I have to choose: Willow or the brotherhood. To save her, I must become what I swore never to be. How can I protect her and not betray my family? I can’t. The music will stop. And I will lose it all.
***These books contain strong language and adult situations. Recommended for readers ages 18 and up.***
Appearances are everything in my family. We are the Strongs. Fame is our birthright. Music flows through our veins in a continuous harmony. Flaws are unacceptable.
When my parents got a good look at the freak they’d created, I was hidden away, my existence wiped out.
Until they discovered my secret. Now I had something they wanted. Taking it from me didn’t faze them. They believed they were entitled. I was just a boy, unable to fight back. So I did the only thing I could. I vanished. That was nine years ago. Now they are back, and they want something from me again. They send the sexy and oh-so-tempting Mia Bennett to persuade me, and I’m helpless to resist her. Mia seems innocent in my family feud, but is she really? I can’t be sure. All I know is she makes me feel alive again. She gives me the courage to just be me. She’s the new inspiration behind my music, my heart’s own melody. But something dark and twisted lurks close to home, and leaves me questioning who is friend and who is foe. Now I am forced to make a decision that could well break me. How far am I willing to go for the woman I love?
***The books in this series contain strong language and adult situations. Recommended for readers ages 18 and up***
Would you like a chance to win a $25 Amazon gift card? Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!
Leslie Georgeson writes a blend of romance and suspense, sometimes tossing in a dash of sci-fi or paranormal to make things more interesting. From genetically-altered super soldiers (The Dregs) to deceptive, daredevil rescuers (The Pact), her stories are laced with danger, action, and plenty of steam. Music and the mafia combine in her newly released romantic suspense series, Something Real. Book one, FREAK, is now available at all retailers. Look for the next book, SNITCH, in the spring of 2021.
Leslie is an avid reader, a nature and animal lover, a plant enthusiast, and enjoys spending time with her amazing family. She lives with her husband of 25+ years and her teenage daughter on a quiet country acreage in Idaho.
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.
Sunrise(Chasing the Sun Duet Book 1) by Kaci Rose ~ Genre: Contemporary Romance
When you’re labeled as a Hollywood Playboy, you can’t do anything right.
I can’t go out for a simple drink without the press having a field day.
And I definitely can’t help my coworker’s wife home when she gets too drunk without the studio threatening my contract.
My manager decides to send me across the country to a small beach town. He rents out the whole Sunrise inn since it’s the off-season, and I’m told to stay out of trouble.
When a steady relationship seems to be the only way to save my career, can I convince Lin, the curvy bombshell inn owner, that pretending to be my girlfriend will be a great PR move for the inn too?
And to make matters worse, a storm washes out the only bridge, leaving us stuck together on the island.
Too bad my heart didn’t listen that this was just a fake relationship.
With my job in Hollywood and my heart at the Sunrise inn, what the hell am I going to do?
This is a Steamy, Fake Relationship, Small Town, Beach Romance. No Cliffhangers. This is Book 1 in the Chasing The Sun Duet. As always there is a satisfying Happy Ever After. If you love steamy romances with insta love, hot love scenes, a bad boy, small towns, and beaches, then this one is for you.
No matter what I’m not opening up my heart again, even if he’s great at warming my bed.
Jasper blew out of town taking my heart with him. He swore he’d never come back. Last I heard he was some famous chef in a big city.
Then I’m at the farmer’s market and there he is in vivid color. So, I do what any sane person would do, I throw a kiwi at him and leave.
Then a storm blows in washing out the only bridge off this island and now we are stuck together.
To make matters worse? My chef quits and the only option I have is to bring in Jasper per his mother’s suggestion.
Oh, and our mayor is trying to turn our small town into a major tourist spot, my best friend is in a fake relationship with a Hollywood Movie Star, and I just saw Jasper with his shirt off.
How did my life get here?
No matter what I’m not opening up my heart again, even if he’s great at warming my bed.
This is a Steamy, Small Town, Beach Romance. No Cliffhangers. This is Book 2 in the Chasing The Sun Duo. As always there is a satisfying Happy Ever After. If you love steamy romances with insta love, hot love scenes, small towns, and beaches, then this one is for you.
$25 Gift Card to eBook Store of choice (Amazon, Apple, Google, Kobo, Barnes and Noble)Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!
Kaci runs on coffee, chocolate, and Oreos. She loves her book boyfriends with tattoos, muscles, beards, and a little dirty.
Kaci loves romance books and has been jotting down ideas since she was in high school and is now putting the ideas down on paper. She believes in satisfying, happily ever afters with a lot of steam on the way.
She was born and raised in Southwest Florida but is wholeheartedly a mountain girl. She has been reading as many books as she could get her hands on since grade school and loves to travel when she gets the chance.
Nina Soden 