Kim McMahill grew up in Wyoming which is where she developed her sense of adventure and love of the outdoors. She started out writing non-fiction, but her passion for exotic world travel, outrageous adventures, stories of survival, and happily-ever-after endings soon drew her into a world of romantic suspense and adventure fiction. Along with writing novels Kim has also published over eighty travel and geographic articles, and contributed to a travel story anthology. Kim currently resides in Colorado, and when not writing, she enjoys gardening, traveling, hiking, and spending time with family .

Beverley: Which genre or genres do you write or prefer to write? And why?

Kim: I write romantic suspense and action adventure novels. I’ve always read books and watched movies almost exclusively in this genre. I love the adventures in far-flung locations, fast-paced action, and of course all good stories need at least a touch of romance.

Beverley: Who influenced you the most in deciding to become a writer?

Kim: My high school creative writing teacher wrote on one of my papers that with a little more character development my story could be a novel. My first novel, The Lodge, was based on that paper. From there, I’ve worked hard to grow as a writer and I hope my progression is evident in my work.

Beverley: What gets your creative juices flowing?

Kim: I get a lot of inspiration from an exciting trip, whether domestic or abroad. Every time I travel, I see settings for a novel, situations to embellish, and physical and personality traits in strangers that I need to incorporate into a character.

Beverley: Do you have a favorite cartoon character? Why?

Kim: As a kid, I loved Scooby Doo. I guess I’ve always enjoyed an adventure or a bit of mystery.

Beverley: Who would you love most to meet ‘in person’ and why?

Kim: Actually, I recently had the opportunity to meet James Rollins at a discussion and book signing. He was interesting and entertaining. I’ve read every book he’s written under James Rollins and I aspire to write such captivating and suspenseful novels. He was definitely the top writer on my list to meet.

Beverley: If you had an unexpected free day what would you do with it?

Kim: Get a massage. Between my job and writing, I spend way too much time at a computer. Even though I have a standing desk that I use often, I still have a lot of aches and pains I would love to work on.

Beverley: What are you working on now?

Kim: A Foundation of Fear, book 3 in my Risky Research Series, was released May 17. There’s always a lot to do when a book comes out, which is an exciting time, but very time consuming.

Beverley: What’s next?

Kim: I’ve recently submitted, A Measure of Madness, book four in the Risky Research Series, to my publisher. I’m especially excited about this novel because my characters have found an excuse to head to South America, which takes me back to some of my early exotic action adventure novels. Book 5 is still in my head, but hopefully I’ll soon find the time to get it all on paper.

Blurb for A Foundation of Fear:

FBI Special Agent Devyn Nash is obsessed with taking down Coterie, a deadly group out to control the multi-billion-dollar diet product industry. The FBI’s plan to expose Coterie places Devyn’s best friend and her partner’s fiancé in the crosshairs of this ruthless organization. Can Devyn protect her friend and bring the coldblooded killers to justice before they strike again while distracted by injury, a sexist bully, and a long-distance relationship with a handsome Wyoming sheriff?

Lobbyist and Coterie assassin Sofia Wilks wants nothing more than to regain control of her life. Sofia knows Agent Nash is nipping at her heels, but the FBI agent isn’t the worst of her fears. She is drawn to a man who has the power to destroy her.

Buy Links :

Amaz on: https://www.amazon. com/dp/B07PVL4391

Barnes and Noble Buy Link: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1131000069?ean=9781522398547

IT unes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/a-foundation-of-fear/id1457767041

You can find more about Kim at:

Blog: http://www.kimmcmahill.blogspot.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kimmcmahill

Face book Page: https://www. facebook.com/KimMcMahillAuthor/

Instag ram : https://www.instagram.com/kimmcmahill/

Goodreads author page: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/849945.Kim_McMahill

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Kim-McMahill/e/B007IK0EJW/

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/kim-mcmahill

Although she has lived or traveled in every continent except Antarctica and Australia (bucket list), M. S. Spencer has spent the last thirty years mostly in Washington, D.C. as a librarian, Congressional staff assistant, speechwriter, editor, birdwatcher, kayaker, policy wonk, non-profit director and parent. Blessed with two fabulous grown children and an adorable grandchild, she has published ten romantic suspense/mystery novels. She now divides her time between the Florida Gulf coast and a tiny hamlet in Maine.

Thanks so much for having me today. I’d like to talk about my cozy mystery/romantic suspense, The Mason’s Mark: Love and Death in the Tower and let your readers in on a brand new excerpt.

Old Town Alexandria, founded 1749, is a thriving Colonial-era city, complete with cobblestones and Federal-style row houses. Laid out in a well-ordered grid, King Street runs in a straight line from the Potomac River to the George Washington National Masonic Memorial, where most of the action in The Mason’s Mark takes place. To its south lie Prince and Duke Streets and to the north Cameron, Queen, and then Princess. The mystery of how Cameron had come to insert itself between a King and his Queen is unclear.  

Alexandria is very much a southern city—with all the charm and dilatoriness of that wonderful region and a perfect venue for the intrepid duo Claire calls the Marples.  

Complicating the affairs of both our hero and heroine, but also of the villains, are two unlikely characters. Letitia Canfield, Claire’s mother, meets Andromeda Miller Bliss, Gideon’s mother, in Paris and they immediately hit it off. Being naturally inquisitive and terrible snobs, they take charge of both their victims’ love lives and the mystery. 

Blurb for The Mason’s Mark: Lov e and Death in the Tower : 

In both the best and worst first day at work ever, docent Claire Wilding meets the man of her dreams, but her carefully rehearsed guided tour of the George Washington National Masonic Memorial collapses when she discovers a body and

is drawn into a dark world of black ops and Italian renegade masons, of secret cabals and hidden treasure .

Also cloaked in mystery is handsome Gideon Bliss, a George Washington expert who haunts the Memorial, his manner evasive. What is his secret? Claire fears she’ll fall in love with him only to learn he’s a thief or even a murderer. Juggling two eccentric mothers, an inquisitive sister, and an increasingly smitten detective, Claire must find answers to a complex web of intrigue, including who to trust and who to love.

The Mason’s Mark: Love and Death in the Tower ( an Old Town Romance)

In this excerpt we find Letitia eating raspberries with her daughter (our heroine) Claire, and revealing the results of she and her friend Andromeda’s sleuthing.

Excerpt (G): Raspberries and Revelations

The small box of scarlet berries took up most of one shelf in the mini refrigerator. When Claire returned with a bowl and napkins, Letitia took up arms again. “Andy believes—and I agree—that if we keep up the pressure on Dorcas she’ll have to cave. What woman wants a mother-in-law who hounds her constantly?”

Claire took a raspberry and nibbled on it. The tart sweetness burst on her tongue. “What do you think she wants anyway?”

“Dorcas? I’m not sure. After all, her lover has apparently been in touch with her.”

Claire stared open-mouthed at her mother. “How did you know?”

Letitia’s half-smile would have put Mona Lisa out of sorts. “You are always staggered by my powers of observation, aren’t you, my dear? I know because I saw him.”

“That day we were in Vermilion?”

“Of course.” The old lady ate another berry. “Andy says he’s the man she left Gideon for.”

“Andy?”

“Andromeda. We’ve been indulging in a little sleuthing since our luncheon.”

Nuts. Just what we need—two Miss Marples on the case.

“They met in Argentina.”

“Argentina?”

“Dorcas comes from a distinguished and well-to-do Spanish family. They own a large ranch in the pampas a few hundred miles from Buenos Aires and breed racehorses. Andy says she spends several months a year there.”

The words of Lieutenant Angle came back to Claire. “Everyone assumed that the lodge dissolved after Perón fell, but it didn’t. Scordato kept it going with help from a mysterious reserve of funds.” They’d theorized that Scordato had used the money from the sale of Perón’s hands, but could those funds have come from Dorcas instead? Could she be mixed up with P2? Could her lover have drawn her into the gang? Or the other way around? White said the BSO had lost touch with their man Peel. She conjured up the exquisite, shatterproof face of Gideon’s wife. The face that launched a thousand ships. Yes, she could see Dorcas as the ring leader. Claire decided to pump her mother for as much information as possible.

“How did Mrs. Bliss know what Dorcas’ lover looked like?”

Letitia stopped with the raspberry halfway to her lips. “What? Oh, you seemed lost in reverie for a minute there—I do hope you weren’t daydreaming about Gideon.”

“No, Mother. You were saying?”

She popped the raspberry in her mouth and, with a reproving look, went on. “When Andromeda first arrived in Paris, she went to the embassy for help in locating her daughter-in-law. She says the ambassador was most kind and offered the services of his first secretary.”

Claire kept the facetious remark to herself. Her mother’s obvious gratification at the deferential treatment of her friend couldn’t have been more endearing.

Letitia continued, “As she was leaving the secretary’s office, she saw Dorcas in the hall. He was with her.”

Let’s just see how much our lady sleuths know. “Did she learn his name? His profession?”

“He goes by Simon Peel, but we think that’s an alias. He’s definitely too bland to be anything other than a spy. And anyway, Dorcas wouldn’t find him attractive otherwise.”

“He couldn’t be a reclusive billionaire?” Or a P2 confederate?

“Dorcas wouldn’t care about money. She’s extremely wealthy in her own right. No, according to Andy, she craves danger and sex, preferably in combination.”

“Er…are you talking about dominance? Sado-masochism?”

Letitia’s faded blue eyes opened wide, feigning shock. “My heavens, Claire. You certainly didn’t learn about such things from your parents!” She plucked the last raspberry from the bowl and swallowed it. “However, Andromeda confided to me that she suspected Dorcas’s…inclinations…lay along those lines. If our current theory is correct, a spy with latent violent tendencies would be just her cup of tea.” As if to underscore her point Letitia held out her glass. “Speaking of…”

Buy Links for The Mason’s Mark: Love and Death in the Tower :

 

TWRP: http://www.wildrosepublishing.com/maincatalog_v151/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=191&products_id=6805

ITunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/masons-mark-love-death-in/id1104823156?mt=11

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-masons-mark-m-s-spencer/1118052638?ean=2940157863760

AllRomanceEBooks (pre-order): https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-themason039smarkloveanddeathinthetower-2017038-149.html

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Masons-Mark-Love-Death-Tower-ebook/dp/B01DHAJXWK

Bookstrand: http://www.bookstrand.com/the-masons-mark-love-and-death-in-the-tower-0

Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/the-mason-s-mark-love-and-death-in-the-tower-2

Indigo: https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/the-masons-mark-love-and/9781509207671-item.html

Google: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/M_S_Spencer_The_Mason_s_Mark_Love_and_Death_in_the?id=qfsbDAAAQBAJ

Walmart: https://www.walmart.com/ip/The-Mason-s-Mark-Love-and-Death-in-the-Tower-eBook/942869047

Contacts for M. S. Spencer: 

Blog: https://msspencertalespinner.blogspot.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/msspencerromance

Twitter: www.twitter.com/msspencerauthor

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/m-s-spencer

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/msspencerauthor/

GoodReads: http://www.goodreads.com/msspencer

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/msspencerauthor/

Linked in: www.linkedin.com/in/msspencerauthor

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/msspencerauthor/

Author Pages:

My calendar of events can be found here: Romance Books 4 Us: http://romancebooks4us.com/Romance%20Author%20M.%20S.%20Spencer.html OR http://bit.ly/1d6ehz

Amazon Author Page:http://www.amazon. com/M.S.-Spencer/e/B002ZOEUC8/

Award-winning author Judythe Morgan was an Air Force daughter then an Army wife and a one time-Department of Army Civilian employee. She’s seen a lot of the world.

An antiques dealer, teacher, former mayor’s wife, and sometimes-church pianist, who recently added Sacred Harp singing to her resume, she’s had some wild experiences.

Finnegan MacCool, an Old English sheepdog named after the legendary Irish character, and a Maltese named Buster are her constant companions. Together they’ve had some crazy adventures.

Beverley: Which genre or genres do you write or prefer to write? And why?

Judythe: I write what I call love stories because I slide between straight contemporary romance and women’s fiction with a more literary, than contemporary voice.

Beverley: Who influenced you the most in deciding to become a writer?

Judythe: Rather than a who my decision to become a writer grew from my love of reading and storytelling. Along the journey, I’ve been greatly influenced by teachers like Donald Maass, Margie Lawson, Mary Buckham, and so many other great writer/teachers.

Beverley: What gets your creative juices flowing?

Judythe: So many things churn my creative juices – hearing snippets of conversations, new stories, personal life experiences. Just about everything that happens gets stored in my writer’s mill and flows forward into my stories.

Beverley: Do you have a favorite cartoon character? Why?

Judythe: I love most cartoon characters. In fact, I buy a Sunday paper so I can read the Sunday funnies. I have always loved Peanuts cartoons and lately The Family Circus have made me laugh and smile.

Beverley: Who would you love most to meet ‘in person’ and why?

Judythe: I would love to spend some one-on-one time with Nora Roberts. For me, she’s the icon of romantic fiction.

Beverley: If you had an unexpected free day what would you do with it?

Judythe: I’d love to say I’d hike or climb mountains, something adventurous but, truth is, I’d probably sit on the porch swing and read.

Beverley: What are you working on now?

Judythe: I’m excited to be working on a romantic suspense.

Evie is a forty-something widow raising her grandson after his parents die in a car crash that wasn’t an accident. There’s a kidnapping, and an ex-cop hero, who’s a decade younger than she is.

Working title is Seeing Clearly. It’s fun and a challenge. Release date to be announced.

Blurb for PROMISES TO KEEP

David Sands lost his wife three years ago. Debra Hughes was his wife’s best friend and business partner. Debra and David have been friends for years. They both made promises to his wife before her death.

He promised to sell their condo and donate the proceeds to their foundation that support families of MIA and POW soldiers. Debra promised to look after David. They’ve comforted each other in their grief now as they work together to close out the wife’s estate, their bond grows into mutual attraction. Will keeping their promises open their eyes and hearts to a future together?

Promises to Keep is book four in the PROMISE series. All the books are standalone stories.

BUY LINKS for PROMISES TO KEEP :

Amazon:https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07K5Y4F79/

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/promises-to-keep-66

iBook Store:  https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1441214863

B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/promises-to-keep-judythe-morgan/1129916388

Besides her fiction, Judythe writes a weekly blog with her urban farmer daughter. You can follow their adventures at www.judythewriter.com

You can also sign up for her free newsletter at www.judythemorgan.com to keep up with her latest news and receive subscriber-only sneak peaks.

And Friend her on Facebook and Goodreads and follow her on Twitter

Seelie Kay is a nom de plume for a writer, editor, and author with more than 30 years of experience in law, journalism, marketing, and public relations. When she writes about love and lust in the legal world, something kinky is bound to happen!  In possession of a wicked pen and an overly inquisitive mind, Ms. Kay is the author of multiple works of fiction, including the Kinky Briefs series, the Feisty Lawyers series, The Garage Dweller , A Touchdown to Remember, The President’s Wife , and The President’s Daughter.   

When not spinning her kinky tales, Ms. Kay ghostwrites nonfiction for lawyers and other professionals. She r esides in a bucolic exurb outside Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where she shares a home with her son and enjoys opera, gourmet cooking, organic gardening, and an occasional bottle of red wine. Ms. Kay is an MS warrior and ruthlessly battles the disease on a daily basis. Her message to those diagnosed with MS:  Never give up. You define MS, it does not define you! 

A n Interview with Seelie Kay: 

Beverley:  Why do you write romance?

Seelie: Because I am fascinated by the games people play to find and secure a lasting relationship, which is not always love. There’s the chase, the courtship, the falling, the surrender. That’s what I try to capture in my stories.

Beverley:  Do you prefer a certain type of romantic hero?

Seelie: I adore smart, dashing gentlemen who aren’t afraid to live on the edge. They can be a bad boy, a billionaire, a prince, or a secret agent. That hint of danger just hooks me! However, I also love strong, independent women who aren’t afraid to fight for what they want, even love.

Beverley:  Why did you write “Cult?”

Seelie: For two reasons. First, I have done extensive research on a religious cult a family member was involved in many years ago. There is specific type of personality that succeeds as a cult leader. They offer something others aren’t finding in their real life or through mainstream religion. Their grip on others is daunting. In many instances, however, a cult leader is nothing more than a con man with a great sales pitch. I wanted to explore that. Second, when I was in college, I had friends who got involved in cults. They gave up all of their worldly goods and submitted blindly to one man. And once in, they couldn’t get out. Fortunately, some did finally escape, but they were forever changed.  

As I was doing my research, I realized that many cults treat their members as slaves, a form of human trafficking. Their free will has been taken away. Someone else does their thinking for them. As long as they submit and obey, they receive the basics—food and shelter. However, the consequences of nonconformance can be dire–physical abuse, incarceration, even death. It was not a story I could ignore.

Beverley:  How does your former profession as a lawyer impact your writing?

Seelie: My friends say I am obsessed with justice and I guess that’s true. After 30 years, the law and the legal world are so firmly embedded in my brain that I can’t flush them out. That has become the lens through which I view the world and that naturally guides my characters and plots. Injustice infuriates me, but it also leads me to great stories! 

Blurb for Cult:

It’s supposed to be a simple assignment. A quick trip to a South American country for an “in and out” fact-finding mission. Unfortunately, the cult has other ideas. 

When college students begin disappearing from American campuses, a notorious cult, God’s Delight, is the primary suspect. God’s Delight has been hosting shows featuring sex, drugs, and rock and roll around the country, and young people are flocking to them.  

Among the missing is the President’s goddaughter, and he wants answers. When he asks Agent Cade Matthews, a member of a secret covert organization, to find her, the mission appears fairly straightforward. Find the God’s Delight compound, determine whether a welfare check on American cult members is warranted, and get out. Simple. Clean. Easy.  

Cade sends newly-married Agents Dianna Murphy and Anders Mark to the University of Wisconsin to follow the trail to God’s Delight, but when they wind up in Bolivia, things go sideways. Suddenly, what appeared to be nothing more than a simple in-and-out could cost Dianna her life. When an Agency extraction is ordered, chaos erupts, and the question becomes, will anyone survive?

 

Excerpt from Cult:

“But everyone can leave when they want, right?”

Tillie cocked her eyebrow, clearly amused. “Of course. But why would they? This is paradise.”

“It is indeed, darling Miranda,” drawled a deep sultry voice. A tall, well-built man dressed in a white cossack, a thick wooden cross draped around his neck, wrapped his arms around her and kissed her cheek. His loose, long blonde hair framed a tan, handsome face with a strong nose and a wicked, full-lipped grin. He turned his piercing blue eyes toward Dianna and smiled. “Hello,” he said.

The man studied her, his expression predatory.

Dianna shifted uncomfortably. So, Tillie is using another name. Meaning she’s undercover. Noted. Dianna stuck out her hand and said. “Hi, I’m Bennie. I’m one of the students from Wisconsin working over at the orphanage. You were kind enough to allow us to stay here.”

The man took her hand and stroked it, his expression suddenly thoughtful. “Tell me, Bennie from Wisconsin , what do you think of my paradise?” His hand moved to her lower arm.

Dianna flushed. My paradise? Is this Reverend John? “It’s beautiful. Peaceful. But hot. And humid. Really humid.” She gazed up into the man’s eyes, somewhat stunned at the lust she found there. My God, he looks like he wants to devour me. Dianna quickly looked away.

The man chuckled. “You get used to it. But we keep the air-conditioning on in the dormitories for the newbies and limit their time in the sun. And of course, we all take a siesta during the hottest part of the day if we need one.” He released her arm. “We worship at day’s end when the air begins to cool. Otherwise, things get a little…sweaty.” He leaned down and kissed her on the cheek, gently tugging her hair. Then he walked away. Dianna’s gaze did not leave him as children followed him, playfully competing for his attention. Just like Jesus.

Buy links for Cult:

Publisher: http://www.extasybooks.com/978-1-4874-2538-8-cult/

Coming soon:

Hope (Part Four, Feisty Lawyers): TBD  

You can find Seelie at:

www.seeliekay.com

www.seeliekay.blogspot.com

Twitter: @SeelieKay https://twitter.com/SeelieKay

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/seelie.kay.77

Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/Seelie-Kay/e/B074RDRWNZ/ 

Do you do newsletters? Do you think they are worth the effort?

Do you enjoy getting newsletters? Do you read them?

I just finished doing my newsletter for June.

I’ve only just started sending out newsletters. So far not many people have unsubscribed.   Hopefully that’s a good sign.

I did research newsletter but there are so many different kinds.  I decided to

start my newsletter with what I did (or didn’t) do last month. Then I tell the readers what I’m doing and where I’ll be this month and include the links.  

This month I included a few paragraphs from   my work in progress, the fourth book in a series.

And for the first time I’m giving away a copy of the first book in the series. To enter people have to give a short critique of the draft paragraphs.

I have a guest author each time and a simple recipe I hope people enjoy.

I try to use lots of photos.

If you’d like to get my newsletter, let me know.

And I’d love to hear your thoughts on newsletter and maybe what you do in your newsletter. 

I love our group blog and the questions Rhobin manages to come up with. This month it’s ‘what would you like to tell your readers to take from your novels and their purpose?’

It would be so easy to say the purpose is to entertain the reader, take them out of their world and into mine. And that is actually one of the things I do want to do.

I started writing because I have all the stories in my head and I wanted to share them. I wanted to tell stories people would want to read, but I also wanted readers to learn something from my writing. I hope my readers learn about life and death situations they might not otherwise think about. Or have them learn about people and things they might not otherwise consider, like what makes a serial killer. It would be nice if a reader learned something from each book. And if a reader, or maybe someone they know, is ever involved in one of those situations maybe they’ll consider how they might escape from that situation.

In The Foundation series women help to save other women. While you might not be trained in ways the heroines are, if you’re aware of some of the situations maybe you can help by telling someone your concerns or offering to help someone.  Women being physically or mentally abuse is a theme that often occurs in my stories. Here’s an excerpt from Gabe’s Story in the Hawkins Ranch series.

The front door closed.

Amy checked the clock. She had an hour, maybe more.

She perched motionless on the edge of the bed focused on the clock.

 

Don’t come back to check on me today, please.

The clocked ticked slowly. Amy continued to sit, not moving a muscle. 

An hour passed.

He hadn’t come back. With luck, she had a few hours at least until he checked on her.

Amy hurried away from the bed, pulled a bag from under a board at the back of the closet. She opened her bag to make sure she had what she needed, at least for a few days. In the kitchen she shoved the small bag through the medium-sized dog door. Her heart rate hit mega points. She kept listening for the front door to open.

He might suspect something and come back early.

She took a couple of deep breaths – still no sign of his return.

Amy scrunched down and started to wriggle through the pet door. Her hips stalled her process. Even with her weight loss she had to twist sideways and back wiggle back a little and change direction before she suddenly slipped through the door. Outside she stood up and took a deep breath.

This was what freedom smelled like.

Don’t waste time, Amy. Get moving. He’ll be after you in a few hours. This time he’ll kill you.

She grabbed her bag and started to run. She had four to five hours max before he checked on her and found her missing. She couldn’t go back. She’d rather die and probably would if he found her.

She ran, and kept running.

In Gabe’s Story an abused woman has finally escaped, but many abused wives return home or their husbands/partners find them and may even kill them. Readers may not be aware of this.

I look forwards to reading what the other authors have to say about their books and their purpose. Please check them out for their thoughts.

Diane Bator http://dbator.blogspot.ca/

Skye Taylor http://www.skye-writer.com/blogging_by_the_sea

Victoria Chatham http://www.victoriachatham.com

A.J. Maguire  http://ajmaguire.wordpress.com/

Fiona McGier http://www.fionamcgier.com/

Dr. Bob Rich https://wp.me/p3Xihq-1BC

Connie Vines http://mizging.blogspot.com/

Rhobin Courtright http://www.rhobincourtright.com

Iris Blobel  was born and raised in Germany and only immigrated to Australia in the late 1990s. Having had the travel bug most of her life, Iris spent quite some time living in Scotland, London, as well as Canada where she met her husband. Her love for putting her stories onto paper only emerged a few years back, but now her laptop is a constant companion.

Iris resides west of Melbourne with her husband and her beautiful two daughters as well as their dog. Next to her job at a private school, she also presents a German Program at the local Community Radio.

Character Interview

Beverley: What’s your name?

Hollie: Hollie Anderson

Beverley: Where did you grow up? 

Hollie: On a farm about 20 kms from Launceston, Tasmania

Beverley: During what time period does your story take place?

Hollie: Current time

Beverley: What’s your story/back story? Why would someone come up with a story about you?

Hollie: I have those dreams about another woman who is being hurt and it hurts me at the same time. To figure out who this woman is and why on earth I’m dreaming about her, my friends give me a ticket to Ireland for my birthday. And so my journey begins …

Beverley: What’s your goal in this story?

Hollie: To figure out who this woman is that I’m dreaming off and why I do dream of her.

Beverley: What conflicts are you facing?

Hollie: Not only do I travel to the other side of the world, but I’m supposed to find one woman in Dublin, a city with a population of a few million people.

Beverley: Do you have a plan for resolving them?

Hollie: Yes, I’m desperate to get this sorted.

Beverley: Is there anything else you’d like us to know about you?

Hollie: Oh, yes. I’ve also just met this really nice guy. Jeremy is the perfect partner, however, he’s no t without flaws.

Blurb for Journey to Her Dreams: 

There must be a reason for her dreams…

Hollie Anderson , a young woman living in Tasmania, is content with life, even more so since she has met Jeremy. However, she has been having a recurrent dream that impacts her daily life, as well as her relationship, a dream that eventually takes her on a journey to Ireland.

Samantha Shaughnessy  enjoys the success as Head of Advertising for a popular magazine in the Irish capital Dublin. Married to Padraic, she thinks she loves her husband, but when she meets Hollie under unusual circumstances, she needs to face the truth–and not just about her marriage.

When both women meet and find they share an unexpected tie to the past, will they finally be able to move on into relationships with the men they love?

Excerpt for Journey to Her Dreams: 

Hollie stared at the sliding door but didn’t dare to move any closer. So, this was Dublin. She had been glued to the window since the plane started descending. It didn’t appear all that different from Tasmania. There were fields upon fields of green paddocks, divided by hedges and rocks, sometimes in even squares and sometimes, it seemed, just randomly. She even spotted a few double-decker buses from way above. Overwhelmed by the thought that she was about to set foot on Irish soil, she hesitated.

“Hollie. What are you waiting for?” Davo was already outside, but his movement set off the sensor and the door opened in front of her.

She shrugged. “I don’t know.”

He came back in, took her hand, and led her outside. “I’ll be there all the way. We’ll find whatever is worrying you. I promise.”

Grateful, she intertwined her fingers with his and slowly followed him outside — onto the streets of Dublin.

She had known Davo, or David Richard as his mother called him whenever he was in trouble. Though she’d never been as close to him as with Alex, he’d always been a part of her life. Whenever his circle of friends grew, hers grew as well. He had always been there for her, but she only realised as she walked through that door how much she had taken him for granted, how much he had always been there, and she never truly appreciated it. In a way she did, but more as a mate than an actual close friend. She turned to him and her lips twitched into a smile as he walked ahead in his old casual track pants and his worn-out T-shirt, which he must have bought at the same rock band concert as Ben.

Buy Link for Journey to Her Dreams

You can find Iris at:

www.irisblobel.com

My books on Amazon

When you’re editing your book and trying to make it tighter, you should be checking for “crutch words”, among many other things. These are words clutter up our book with stuff that doesn’t matter. They are the words and phrases that don’t add anything to your book. We all know about them.

Some common “crutch words” are; went, quite, is/was/were, very, actually, really, have/had, so anyway could/should/would, and almost. Often these words are also repeated throughout the book.Not sure if you’re using them?Do a word check, or when editing read your draft or read it out loud, you’ll notice those that keep showing up. You may find after reading them several times they become irritating to you, much like they would to your readers.

Once you become aware of the “crutch words” go through the book and look at each one. Are they adding anything to the meaning of the sentence? Do they enhance the story? Can you remove the word without changing the story? Can you replace it with an active verb?    In most cases, for me, I find I can delete it and nothing in the story changes. Or I may be able to replace it with a more descriptive word, something that might add to a description or an action.When you’re finished your book should be a few words shorter and a little tighter.

I’d love to hear if you use “crutch words”and how you handle them.

Brenda G. Bradley was born in Ayden, North Carolina to African American parents. Her family moved to Baltimore, Maryland in the 1950’s. She attended public schools in Baltimore and later attended Morgan State University where she received a B.S. degree in Community Mental Services. She married her high school sweetheart and they’ve been together for more than forty years. They have two wonderful sons who were lucky enough to marry the women of their dreams. They’re a close knit multi-cultural family, and Brenda is looking forward to the future.

Character Interview

Beverley: What’s your name?

Silver: My name is Silver Adams

Beverley: Where did you grow up?

Silver: I grew up in London, England.

Beverley: During what time period does your story take place?

Silver: It is a contemporary (2018) story.

Beverley: What’s your story/back story? Why would someone come up with a story about you?

Silver: I was abandoned as a toddler in London. I have no idea who my biological parents are. Lucky for me, I was adopted into a  close-knit multi-cultural family. I have a story about finding love with an exciting fireman in Baltimore City who has issues with fire. Together we have to find a missing painting that the Nazis claimed was destroyed during World War Two.

Beverley: What’s your goal in this story?

Silver: My goal as a private investigator and security consultant is to find the painting and get paid. I have employees that are depending on me to keep my security business operating.

Beverley: What conflicts are you facing?

Silver: I’m attracted to a man who lives in Baltimore, Maryland, and I live in England. I sometimes have to lie to get the information I need, and he hates anyone who lies. Besides, he wants me to find out who killed his half-brother. I find missing and stolen objects. I don’t find killers.

Beverley: Do you have a plan for resolving them?

Silver: The man I’m falling for is going to help me find the painting and together we will search for his half-brother’s killer.

Beverley: Is there anything else you’d like us to know about you?

Silver: My family and friends are quirky and unique. It is interesting to see how a Baltimore City fireman adjusts to London and my crazy relatives.

Blurb for The Burning Heart

Wolfe, a Baltimore City firefighter, is crushed when his half brother, Larry, is found dead, floating in the Loch Raven Reservoir.  Larry had lost his way years ago and had earned his living by being a professional thief. Wolfe wants to know who killed his brother .

Silver is a private investigator from London. She’s been hired to find the missing art treasure that Larry stole and secreted to the United States. Wolfe and Silver try to find the treasure and explore their growing attraction to each other.

Buy link for The Burning Heart

You can find more about Brenda at:

Website https://www.brendagbradley.com/

Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/Brendagbradleynovels/? eid=ARCltdVaobXFmkshF1ZzAkZQMLWLKWCp_Nb_ C4IHeQV7Hf4g7ehmPFF9bDqFOSICnhncoMxpp0om5fMJ

Twitter https://twitter.com/bgtds