Q&A with Sarah Morgan author of FIRST TIME IN FOREVER

First Time in Forever is the opening book in your brand new Puffin Island series. What inspired you to write this series?

I knew from the start that I wanted the link between the characters and stories to be a strong friendship. I write romance, but I also love exploring the other relationships in my characters’ lives, including family and friends. I had finished my O’Neil Brothers series, which was set in the beautiful mountains of Vermont, and I wanted a completely different setting for my new series. I decided on an island, a coastal retreat where three friends could escape when life was hard. I want readers to dive in, breathe in the sea air, taste the fresh blueberries and the smooth chill of ice cream and take a beach holiday while they read. 

What is the title in reference to?

The title was chosen by my publisher but it’s perfect for the story because for my heroine, Emily, it is a summer of firsts. Like many of us, she lives her life well within her comfort zone. She thinks she has control of everything but life has a way of shaking up that theory and overnight her life changes. Suddenly she’s forced to do all the things she has been avoiding and by pushing herself she discovers she is capable of more than she thought. For Emily, it really is ‘First Time in Forever’.

Can you tell us a little about best friends Emily, Brittany and Skylar?

I love these characters, and their friendship is a constant theme flowing through all three books. They met in college and formed an instant bond that has deepened over the years. Theirs is a deep, authentic friendship. They know each other, accept each other without judgment and they’re always there for one another. In a crisis, they’ll be on the phone – they may not always agree, but they always support. They encourage, laugh, listen and forgive. They share history, secrets, and they always want the best for each other. 

All three girls are very different. Emily is the more cautious of the three. She’s guarded, but very loyal to her friends. After a difficult childhood, she protects herself emotionally by keeping tight control over her life. She lives well within her comfort zone, avoiding responsibility for anyone but herself. When she finds herself responsible for a child, everything changes for her.

Brittany is an archaeologist, a cross between Lara Croft and Indiana Jones (but nothing annoys her more than being asked if she owns a whip!). She is smart, adventurous and given to impulse. At the age of eighteen she married island bad boy, Zachary Flynn. It lasted all of ten days. Since then she has travelled the world and put that relationship behind her. Brittany’s story, Some Kind of Wonderful, will be out in September in the US, but readers who would like to meet her early can find her in Playing by the Greek’s Rules, a story I wrote for Harlequin Presents, which is out now. 

Skylar is a jewelry designer, an artist with a dreamy streak and a wicked sense of humor.  She’s a free spirit, a trait that causes conflict with her family who are continually hoping she will choose a more conventional career path. Skylar is romantic but she doesn’t dream of weddings, she dreams of love.  

How do you decide which character to write about first? 

I’d had Emily’s story in my head for a while, and she was my starting point for the whole series. What I didn’t have was the setting or the other characters. I started to think about what had happened to her (finding herself guardian to her half sister’s child when she’d made a life decision never to have children) and how she’d react. Even though it was never her choice to have Lizzy, she is a very responsible person so I knew she’d do anything and everything within her power to keep the child safe. I’d already decided that she would have close friends, so I decided the three women would have somewhere they always went in times of trouble. Castaway Cottage is owned by Brittany, and all three women treat it as a sanctuary. Once I had the friends and the island, all I had to do was build a warm, wonderful community who would gradually ease Emily out of her shell. And populate it with hot men of course!

What is the central theme of First Time in Forever?

The central theme is courage. We all have a tendency to avoid the things that scare us, and that is what Emily has done. Her whole life has been constructed to avoid her biggest fears and suddenly she is forced to meet them head on. She is determined to protect herself and not make herself vulnerable so taking that leap with Ryan is huge for her. She’s known loss, so now she chooses to keep people at a safe distance. In the end Emily faces her fears and triumphs. Love and making yourself vulnerable, requires courage.

What made you choose the Puffin as the island bird? 

I spent a long time researching the various islands around Penobscot Bay, Maine. Although I prefer to have a fictitious setting, it’s important to me to make it as authentic as possible so I was focusing on the national park and the wildlife of the area. I discovered that although Puffins are not an endangered species, they are rare in Maine and there are projects to reintroduce them to the islands. 

I first saw Puffins in the north of England and they are the most amazing sea birds. As I was researching, one of the facts that stayed with me was that although they spend most of their lives at sea, they usually return to breed on the same island where they were hatched. This fitted well with my idea that Puffin Island would be a sanctuary for the three friends. Emily, Brittany and Skylar each live busy independent lives but when they need a safe retreat, they return to the island. In the books, the Puffins actually live on Puffin Rock, which is a small rocky outcrop to the north of the island. They don’t like humans to get too close!

The names that you chose for the island and the cottage are so lovely - how do you come up with them?

Picking the setting for a new series is very important because I’m going to be spending so much time there myself during the writing process. It has to be somewhere that captures my imagination, and I need to fall in love with it myself before I create a word that hopefully the reader will love too. I knew I wanted to set the series in Maine, but I am lucky enough to have readers all around the world, so the place I chose had to work for them too. As part of my research, I was looking at seabirds in the area and decided that calling it Puffin Island would work for readers all over the globe.

The cottage is a sanctuary for all three women and I wanted the name to reflect that. It’s somewhere they can escape to when life is difficult, so ‘Castaway’ seemed like the perfect name. I wanted it to be secluded but also warm and welcoming and in the end I fell in love with the cottage. I’d move there tomorrow!

Were you involved in the cover design process?

I’m very lucky because the team in the art department at HQN do a wonderful job with my covers. My editor and I make sure they have as much information about characters and setting as possible, to help them design a cover that reflects the feel and tone of the story. My agent and I do see early concepts, and feedback our ideas too. I love the cover for First Time in Forever. It conveys that warm, summery, beach feeling that matches the tone of the book.

Without revealing too much, what is your favorite scene in the book?

That’s a tough question. I enjoyed writing the beach picnic scene because it represents a real challenge for Emily, but also for Ryan who is equally out of his comfort zone. A woman with a child isn’t on his wish list and this is the scene where he realizes he isn’t as in control of his feelings as he’d like to be. 

What first attracts Ryan to Emily and vice versa?

Ryan first meets Emily because he is asked by their friend Brittany to check on her. At first he is simply fulfilling a duty, but he senses that she has secrets and he’s intrigued. Ryan loves a mystery and, of course, he’s very attracted to her. Once he finds out more about her, he wants to help her. Ryan pushes her out of her comfort zone and with him she starts to do things she hasn’t done before. In helping her, he is forced to take a long hard look at his own life. 

Emily has been playing it safe for most of her life, but now she is right out of her comfort zone, not only because of the responsibility for Lizzy, but also because of her feelings for Ryan. He makes no secret of the way he feels about her. He is strong, persuasive and insanely hot! The relationship is very sexually charged, and she isn’t used to that. She doesn’t know how to handle it. At first she resists but gradually he nudges her out of her shell and persuades her to open up to him. Also, he has experience in the area she feels most vulnerable – caring for a child. It’s through his dealings with Lizzy that she sees his true character. 

Your character Emily has a terrible fear of the ocean. Why did you choose to include this in the book?

Overcoming fear is a theme of the book, and Emily’s fear of the ocean mirrors her fear of emotions. She is afraid of being swamped, of losing everything. She is torn because on the one hand Puffin Island is the perfect place to hide away, but it also means confronting her worst fears. When she visited the island with her friends she was able to stay indoors and inland and think only of herself, but now she has Lizzy, who wants to play in the sand and swim in the sea. She is forced out of her comfort zone and it’s difficult for her. I love challenging my characters and watching them grow, and that’s the case for Emily.

You have a strong connection to the ocean. What are your fondest seaside memories?

I love the ocean. I live close to London, so escaping to the sea is nothing more than a dream for most of the year. I have two sons and some of our happiest holidays have been spent by the beach. Every summer we hire a house near the ocean and like many families, we have our own routines and rituals that we often repeat each holiday. If we’re feeling energetic we brave the freezing waves to go body boarding and walk miles along the coast path. If we want a more leisurely day we explore the tide pools, delving beneath rocks and through fronds of seaweed to find hidden treasures. We build the most amazing sand sculptures and of course we eat! Beach picnics are always fun and sometimes we’ll take a fishing trip and cook what we catch. There’s nothing quite like the taste of freshly cooked fish eaten on the beach as the sun goes down. And no beach holiday would be complete without ice cream (my current favorite flavors are pistachio and vanilla). It’s no coincidence that ice cream plays a role in First Time in Forever. I had so much fun dreaming up Summer Scoop and the whole family (and my readers on facebook!) helped pick the flavors.

What do you like to do when you’re not writing

I love spending time with family and friends.  I’m a sociable person and people are the antidote to long hours spent in front of the computer. Having friends over is a favorite pastime, and I love cooking. 

I also try to spend time outdoors whenever I can. Writing is a mostly sedentary, indoor job so when I’m not tied to a deadline I like to walk and ride my mountain bike (but only in the summer I confess). 

When I want to flop, I read (of course!) and I’m addicted to various TV dramas (The Good Wife, Scandal, House of Cards, The Big Bang Theory are among my favorites).

Who would play Emily and Ryan in First Time in Forever, the movie?

Emily Blunt could be Emily, and Chris Pine would be Ryan.

Are you a seat of your pants writer or do you plan out the story idea beforehand?

I’m definitely seat of my pants, but I do have a rough idea of where I'm going before I start. I know the characters and the conflict, but the detail evolves as I write. I do find it helps to think hard about the ending right at the beginning of the process. If you know where your characters are going to end up and how they will change over the story, it forces you to think hard about what decisions they might make, and lessons they might learn, to affect that change.

What are you currently reading?

Sarah Addison Allen’s First Frost. I love her work. One of my favorite books is The Peach Keeper.

Are there any quirky rituals/habits you have during the writing process?

I use a lot of sticky notes and I don’t throw anything away until the book is finished. I make a playlist but I don’t usually write to it. Music is a wonderful way of evoking emotion, and finding exactly the right track can make a scene easier to write. It’s very personal. I’m not sure that a reader listening to a playlist would necessarily enjoy the music unless it was played in exactly the right place in the story, but it really helps the thinking process for me. 

Who are some of your favorite authors?

This is such a difficult question because there are so many authors whose work I enjoy and I love discovering new authors. I read a lot. Among my top favorites would be Nora Roberts, Jill Shalvis and Sarah Addison Allen. 

What advice would you give to an aspiring writer?

Read
Write every day
Stay off the internet
When you’re stuck, keep going
Read more
Make your characters as human and real as possible
Join a writing organization such as Romance Writers of America
Put your work aside and don’t be afraid to revise. Revisions are part of writing.
Read it aloud for rhythm
Develop resilience.
Find at least one good writing friend.
Every time you’re knocked down, get up again.
READ

What are you working on next?

I’m in the middle of the third book in the Puffin Island series, Skylar and Alec’s story, called Christmas Ever After. Sky is a really fun character to write and the tension with Alec is electric. It’s one of those stories where life keeps throwing boulders at the characters (a bit like real life!) and it’s interesting to see them fighting their way out. I love this couple. Their relationship borders on adversarial but they have off the scale chemistry and plenty of humor so it’s fun to write. And it’s a Holiday story, so there is all the extra frosty sparkle I always enjoy.

About Sarah Morgan

Sarah Morgan is a USA TODAY bestselling author who writes hot, happy, contemporary romance, and her trademark humor and sensuality have gained her fans across the globe. Described as “a magician with words” by RT Book Reviews, she has sold more than 11 million copies of her books. She has been nominated three years in succession for prestigious RITA® Awards from the Romance Writers of America and won the award twice: in 2012 for her book Doukakis’s Apprentice and in 2013 for A Night of No Return. She also won the RT Reviewers’ Choice Award in 2012 and has made numerous appearances in their Top Pick slot.

About First Time In Forever

Windswept, isolated and ruggedly beautiful, Puffin Island is a haven for day-trippers and daydreamers alike. But this charming community has a way of bringing people together in the most unexpected ways.

It’s been a summer of firsts for Emily Donovan. From becoming a stand-in mom to her niece Lizzy to arriving on Puffin Island, her life has become virtually unrecognizable. Between desperately safeguarding Lizzie and her overwhelming fear of the ocean–which surrounds her everywhere she goes–Emily has lost count of the number of “just breathe” pep talks she’s given herself. And that’s before charismatic local yacht club owner Ryan Cooper kissed her.

Ryan knows all about secrets. And it’s clear that newcomer Emily–with her haunted eyes and the little girl she won’t let out of her sight–is hiding from something besides the crazy chemistry between them. So Ryan decides he’s going to make it his personal mission to help her unwind and enjoy the sparks. But can Puffin Island work its magic on Emily and get her to take the biggest leap of trust of all–putting her heart in someone else’s hands?

Q &A with Vivian R. Probst author of DEATH BY ROSES

What inspired you to write Death By Roses?

It had something to do with my older sister’s death from Lou Gehrig’s disease, which had occurred six months before the story began.  I had grown up deeply introverted with an intense fear of death that never relented until I wrote this story.  Somehow, I think my sister’s passing started this story, as if she was telling me to relax, enjoy my life, and not take death so seriously. My older sister had always watched out for me. Perhaps, even now, from her heightened perspective, she knew how to help.

Mae Rose’s pride and joy is her antique VW Beetle. Are you a fan of antique cars? What are your top three favorite models?

I am not a fan of antique cars—furniture, yes; cars no. I want maximum protection like airbags; navigation that tells me where I am and how to get where I’m going; full warranties, and many windows. A chauffeur would also be nice.

Our family, however, spent a lot of time inside VW Beetles as I grew up.  As a child in a family of six people, riding around the country in a VW Beetle was NOT my idea of a good time.  But the affection for VWs was prevalent and in tribute to my sister, who eventually owned a yellow VW Beetle, I couldn’t help but include one in the story. I didn’t understand the important role the VW would play until the story developed.

Mary Lee Broadmoor, the screenwriter known as Scary Mary, interacts with her daughter in the complete opposite way that Mae Rose treats her own children. Do you think that Mary Lee has any regrets in how she treated her daughter Allie?

Mary Lee has masked any possible regrets inside her caustic personality.  Years of brutality toward her daughter and massive doses of narcissism make regret virtually impossible until Mae Rose’s energy “moves in.” My guess is that Mary Lee’s upbringing was pretty brutal and that her self-absorption was longstanding. After Mae Rose begins to notice Allie and admire her, Mary Lee appears to soften.  But I don’t believe she is able to face her regret until she passes into her next life and has an opportunity to explore her attitude toward her daughter.  

What was the biggest challenge while writing Death By Roses?

Keeping up with the story. Once it started, DBR wanted to take over my time in a more aggressive way than I could handle in time/space reality. I own my own national consulting business and life kept giving me this amazing work to do in the affordable housing industry so I could not always just “give in and write.” But I got the time I needed over the course of the five years that the story developed. I also believe that life knew I was not ready to be a published author back then—I had a lot of growing to do. So life took care of me during this entire time until the story was complete. But it was hard sometimes to share my life between my work, my writing, and my family. I’m still writing and facing that challenge but it helps to know that this story is complete and making its way in the world.

---

VIVIAN R. PROBST is an author and entrepreneur, whose first novel, Death By Roses, explores her fascination with the comedic side of worldly and otherworldly events. Probst has been writing fiction for the past 14 years, and has built a successful national consulting practice. Her company provides training to major investment firms that work in the affordable-housing industry. She submitted her manuscript for Death By Roses to the When Words Count Retreat literary competition where it won first prize. 

About Death by Roses

Mae Rose McElroy never imagined that she would die while sitting on a toilet. At the sight of her totaled Volkswagen Beetle, her unfaithful husband, and the bouquet of yellow roses, Mae Rose careens into a fit of rage and dies in her bathroom.
 
Mae Rose’s humiliation at being found dead on the toilet is carried into her afterlife. While in Heaven, she is shown all the possible happier outcomes her life and marriage could have taken. Armed with this knowledge, Mae Rose can’t keep herself from interfering in her family’s affairs from Heaven. Her unsanctioned meddling earns Mae Rose a ticket out of Heaven and traps her spirit in the body of Mary Lee Broadmoor, a cantankerous writer and director of horror movies known as “Scary Mary.” Mary Lee knows she is dying of cancer and wants only one thing before her lifeline is cut: to win an Oscar. 

Can these two formidable women learn to share the same body? Will Mae Rose get a second chance with her husband? Will Mary Lee get the Oscar she so craves? While untangling a complicated web of relationships at the core of their lives, Mae Rose and Mary Lee must learn to make the most of their second chance—or die trying in DEATH BY ROSES. 

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How I Became a Writer by Amelia Ford

I've always loved reading but writing is something I have come to relatively recently.  A few years ago, I had just read Twilight and whilst I wasn't big into vampires, I loved the sense of all-consuming, yet forbidden love between the two main characters and was totally hooked.  After trawling Amazon trying to find my next read and not having much luck, I decided I would have a go at writing the kind of book I was looking for.  When I started, I found I couldn't stop and Tagan's Child was born. I loved everything about writing; the story-making, how the characters come to life, and the totally absorbing nature of the whole process.  It was a real turning point in my life and now I can't imagine doing anything else. 

I grew up reading Enid Blyton, Roald Dahl, C.S Lewis, Hans Christian Anderson and read all the time.  These authors were masters of storytelling and wrote stories that draw you in, the characters are flawed and real and they have the ability to transport you to another time and place and influenced me hugely.

When I started writing, the biggest challenge for me was self-doubt.  Would anyone find my stories interesting?  But in spite of this I carried on writing.  I decided that if no-one ever read my books it wouldn't matter, what mattered was that I had something that I was completely passionate about.  My writing journey has been an almost vertical learning curve but I have loved every second of it.  I read this quote the other day, "To get closer to perfection you have to practice imperfection."  I love this, not only could it apply to anything in life, but it completely sums up the writing process for me.  I write every day and I learn every day.

About Amelia Ford

Amelia Ford lives in Kent, UK with her husband, three children and a variety of four legged and feathered friends.  Tagan's Child is her debut novel.  She is working on her second novel due to be released later this year.

You can reach Amelia via: Facebook | Twitter

About Tagan's Child

10 Reasons to Become a Murder Mystery Writer by Lauren Carr

You tried writing erotica, but things went really wrong during research and now your husband is in traction. Now, he refuses to help you do research for that genre anymore, so you need to find a genre that is less dangerous.

OR--

You have a really bad boss, but you can’t quit your job, so the only option you have is to kill him. But you don’t want to go to jail because— you’ll miss too much work, 
and then you’ll get fired, in which case you might as well have quit your job instead of killing your boss. 

Therefore, you need to kill your boss and know how to get away with it. You have come up with the perfect murder.

OR--

After having committed the perfect murder, you have to brag about it! But if you brag about it: everyone will know you killed your boss, and then you’ll go to jail, and then you’ll miss too much work, and get fired.

In which case, you might as well have quit your job instead of killing your boss. So, how do you brag about committing the perfect murder without getting caught? Become a mystery writer.

OR--

You want to be a detective, but your husband refuses to be married to a detective who will lure crazy revenge-seeking killers to your home because they will stain the carpet with blood and put bullet holes in the drywall. So, you’re murder mystery thinking is confined to your mind.

OR--

You’ve been hearing and seeing some strange things going on next door and you’ve been documenting it. Now that you’ve been going over your notes, you can see that this would make some really interesting reading!

OR--

You’re friend’s supposedly amicable divorce suddenly turned bad and you’re a really good friend. Really good friends don’t just help you move—they help you move the body. After all the research you’ve done to help her, why not publish it to help others?

OR--

You’re a psychopath, but the sight of blood and gore in real life makes you queasy. So you can only be a psychopath in your own mind.

OR--

You’re a psychopath, but you’re sane enough to know that if you act on it that you’ll go to jail & you don’t want to go to jail.

OR—

The economy is hurting everyone—even the mob—who has laid you off as a paid assassin. So, you might as well put what you know to work in another forum—murder mystery writing.

OR--

Just in case your husband suddenly turns up missing, you need to a reasonable explanation for why you have been visiting all these strange websites.

About Lauren Carr

Lauren Carr is the best-selling author of the Mac Faraday Mysteries, which takes place in Deep Creek Lake, Maryland. Three Days to Forever is the ninth installment in the Mac Faraday Mystery series.

In addition to her series set on Deep Creek Lake, Lauren Carr has also written the Lovers in Crime Mysteries, which features prosecutor Joshua Thornton with homicide detective Cameron Gates, who were introduced in Shades of Murder, the third book in the Mac Faraday Mysteries. They also make an appearance in The Lady Who Cried Murder.

Three Days to Forever introduces Lauren Carr’s latest series.

The owner of Acorn Book Services, Lauren is also a publishing manager, consultant, editor, cover and layout designer, and marketing agent for independent authors. This year, several books, over a variety of genre, written by independent authors will be released through the management of Acorn Book Services, which is currently accepting submissions. Visit Acorn Book Services website for more information.

Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions. She also passes on what she has learned in her years of writing and publishing by conducting workshops and teaching in community education classes.

She lives with her husband, son, and three dogs on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.

You can reach Lauren via: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

About Three Days To Forever

In this latest Mac Faraday Mystery from best-selling mystery author Lauren Carr, readers will embark on a rollercoaster adventure with old friends (including the Lovers in Crime team of Prosecutor Joshua Thornton and Homicide Detective Cameron Gates), but also meet new ones as Mac Faraday’s daughter Jessica Faraday and Joshua Thornton’s son Murphy Thornton join the team in the race to get the love birds to the altar!
With three days left to the year, Deep Creek Lake is hopping with holiday vacationers and wedding guests pouring into the Spencer Inn for Mac Faraday and Archie Monday’s huge wedding ceremony which is being touted as the social event of the year.

But droopy flowers and guests who failed to RSVP are the least of Mac’s and Archie’s problems when a professional hit squad hits Spencer Manor to send the groom, Joshua Thornton, Archie’s mother, and Gnarly running for their lives.

With time running out to the big day, Mac Faraday and Spencer’s small police force have to sort through the clues to figure out not only who has been targeted for assassination, but also who is determined to stop everything … FOREVER!

Taking Control: Being Both A Traditionally Published & Self Published Novelist by Miguel Lopez de Leon

Before I started writing fantasy novels, I wrote short stories. Over thirty of them were traditionally published in various literary magazines and anthologies. When I wrote the first novel of my fantasy trilogy, Galadria: Peter Huddleston & The Rites of Passage, I was traditionally published as well. For the first edition of this novel, I went the usual route and sent a list of publishers a query letter. One publisher was interested, and after they read the whole manuscript, they offered me a contract and published the book.

Since the first edition of my first novel was published, a lot has happened. After the completion of the initial run of the first edition of Galadria: (Book 1) Peter Huddleston & The Rites of Passage, I then published the entire trilogy myself, including Galadria: (Book 2) Peter Huddleston & The Mists of the Three Lakes, and Galadria: (Book 3) Peter Huddleston & The Knights of the Leaf. 

My current book, Galadria: Peter Huddleston & The Knights of the Leaf is the third and final book in the Galadria YA fantasy trilogy. The entire series is about the magical adventures of Peter Huddleston, a young boy who finds out that he is the heir to the throne of another realm! In Galadrian culture, each noble carries around their own enchanted weapon, drinking healing honey tea is very popular, dancing flowers and watermelon sized ladybugs are an everyday occurrence, and one could choose to be friends with serpent priestess, paper-thin tree nymph, political fairy, fierce werewolf, or screeching harpy alike!

Once I took over the handling of my fantasy trilogy, I really learned a lot about book design, promotion, pricing, eBooks, and all the details that come with publishing and marketing a book. In the last few years, the publishing industry has changed so much. These days, publishing your own books isn’t a cliche anymore, in a lot of ways, for a lot of writers, it’s more practical. For myself, I enjoyed the process of taking control of my own books, just as much as being traditionally published. One is not better or worse than the other, it just depends on what you want, and what you are able and willing to do.

What constantly surprises me about the publishing industry is the way it is constantly changing. With eBooks, POD, online retailing, the evolving of social media, and the way most people are completely dependent on technology (Their phones!) for everyday life, the way books are thought of has changed as well.

Books need to be just as convenient to find and buy online as any other product, which has led to a growing shift to eBooks, online editors, online book promoters, and every other online author service you could think of. The playing field between self published authors and traditionally published authors is evening out considerably.

About Miguel Lopez de Leon

Miguel Lopez de Leon is a prolific fiction writer with over 30 short stories published in a variety of international literary magazines and anthologies. De Leon, who prefers to write in the mornings, began working on his first novel as a hobby. That first book blossomed into the Galadria trilogy. “One part of the writing process I really enjoy is writing the first draft of a novel…For me, it’s the time when you can lose yourself in the story the most.” De Leon lives in Los Angeles and enjoys reading historical biographies and collecting vintage comic books.

You can connect with Miguel via: Website | Facebook | Twitter

About the Book

In book three of Miguel Lopez de Leon’s Galadria fantasy series, GALADRIA: PETER HUDDLESTON & THE KNIGHTS OF THE LEAF, Peter and his family command a mystical cast of powerful, exciting new characters in their war against the blood-thirsty tyrant, Knor Shadowray.

In book one of the trilogy, GALADRIA: PETER HUDDLESTON & THE RITES OF PASSAGE, 12-year-old Peter leaves his friendless, uneventful life in the suburbs and suddenly finds himself spending the summer chomping down magical chocolates and tossing around an enchanted boomerang at Hillside Manor, the 3000 room home of his aunt Gillian Willowbrook. While there, Peter learns he is the next in line to the throne of a magnificent realm called Galadria where his aunt is queen. His position is being challenged by a ruthless nobleman, Knor Shadowray.

Book two, GALADRIA: PETER HUDDLESTON & THE MISTS OF THE THREE LAKES shows Peter struggling to play the role of a prince. After being accepted as the heir of the Golden Realm, his new challenge is to gain command of Galadrian princely etiquette and survive dangerous adventures with his fearless white tiger, Rune. At a parade held in his honor, Peter and his aunt are violently ambushed by a band of screeching monstrosities and a merciless dark army led by the fiendish Knor Shadowray.

In the final book in the Galadria series, GALADRIA: PETER HUDDLESTON & THE KNIGHTS OF THE LEAF, the story continues where book two left off: Knor Shadowray’s relentless attack on the ruling Willowbrook family. In a desperate attempt to save her kingdom, Queen Gillian Willowbrook sends Peter and his grandfather to the Forests of Fernell to recruit a multitude of diverse warriors to defend the crown. Populated with serpent priestesses, nature-loving knights, magical weapons, paper-thin tree nymphs, and political fairies, the final installment of the Galadria trilogy shows the Galadrian populace at their breaking point as the realm explodes into a full-fledged civil war. A flurry of riotous battles are fought against the villainous Knor Shadowray’s ambitious attempt to capture the crown of Galadria.

De Leon developed the GALADRIA series out of a love of the fantasy genre and the thrill of creating “new worlds, creatures, and story lines…enhanced with magic and otherworldly mystery.” The trilogy also tells the coming-of-age story of a boy as he learns to accept himself and discovers the family he never believed he would have. “The Galadria trilogy is mainly about a lonely boy who, through overcoming obstacles, finds out who he really is. I think everyone has an element of the extraordinary in them, and I hope Peter’s story shows that,” de Leon says.

Q&A with B.J. Daniels author of WILD HORSES

WILD HORSES is part of your Beartooth, Montana series and the first book featuring the six Hamilton sisters as the main characters. Have you wanted to write about the Hamilton sisters for a while now or was this a new idea?

I mentioned the Hamilton sisters in earlier books. They were the young women that local men wanted to date, but were reluctant given that the sisters’ father is Senator Buckmaster Hamilton. Not to mention that the young women themselves are…particular when it comes to their men.

What is the significance of the title, WILD HORSES?

I like to believe there is some wild horse in each of us. With the Hamilton sisters, who were raised with the run of the huge ranch, they are definitely free spirits. That’s why I knew it would take a special man to get any of them to settle down.

The family structure of the Hamiltons has all the classic elements of a fairytale (i.e. mother dies young and father remarries a difficult woman). Do you often find yourself revisiting classic fairytale themes in your books?

Not purposely, but I think those themes are so universal that all writers tend to find them in their work. Also, I don’t think that everyone is built to be a stepmother. Angelina Broadwater Hamilton definitely wasn’t. 

Will Sarah Hamilton (their biological mother’s) story be explored at all?

The over-arcing mystery in all six books has to do with Sarah, the biological mother who’s been gone for the past twenty-two years. I’m fascinated with her character. She keeps surprising me, which is always good. So, yes, Sarah is in all six books.

Each sister has her own solid identity. Did you create a character sketch of each sister or was it a spur of the moment decision? 

Because I am one of those writes-by-the-seat-of-her-pants kind of writer, I get to know my characters as they show up on the page. It is great fun because the sisters are all different. 

Livie Hamilton is the most headstrong of her sisters. Was there a particular reason why Livie Hamilton’s story “spoke to you” first before her other sisters?

The only reason Livie’s story is first is that I saw her driving along a narrow two-lane in the middle of nowhere in the middle of a blizzard. I’ve done that before so I know how scary it can be. You can’t see a dozen yards in front of your vehicle. You often can’t tell where the road is. And if there is no other vehicles around, that often means that the road has been closed to all but emergency traffic. That means if you go off the road, no one will be coming along to help you. I’ve also made rash spur-of-the-moment decisions that I have regretted. Haven’t we all. But this decision is about to cost her everything.

Cooper Barnett is the resident horse whisperer and a determined cowboy – what made you choose horse handling as Cooper’s profession?

I believe men who are good with horses are also good with gentling women.  Livie needs to be gentled. She’s headstrong. She doesn’t think she needs a man. But she wants Cooper, who is equally headstrong and independent to a fault. Obviously, they are going to have to work some things out before they can really get together.

What is the dynamic between the Hamilton sisters and their father, Senator Buckmaster Hamilton?

The sisters are very loving toward their father. He has given them free run of the ranch – and anything they’ve ever asked for. He realizes that was probably a mistake, but he only wants them to be happy. He feels bad that they’ve never had a real mother since their biological mother died and their stepmother wants little to do with them. But father and daughters are very close in these books. He’s like all of us parents who look back and wish we had done a few things differently. 

The story centers around one small mistake and what it costs the main character. What inspired this theme?

Rash decisions can cost you. Especially if you get angry and take off to get caught in a blizzard on a lonely road in the middle of nowhere. 

I’ve been on those roads, in those blizzards, and wished I hadn’t left home when I did. But there is no turning back often because the road behind you is possibly worse than the one you are on. You’re basically trapped because there are no towns to pull off in and often no ranch houses or anything else for miles. Also the snow is often deeper at the side of the road so you can’t even pull off and wait out the storm.

You just keep going and pray you don’t go in the ditch because you could be there for a very long time and if it is really cold out, you might not make it before someone comes along.
You can see why I love writing about Montana and what I know. 

You dedicated this book to your father and his love for Montana. How did growing up there influence your writing?

My father was the major influence in my life. He always told me I could do whatever I wanted to do when I grew up. He encouraged me always and got to see me published before he died, something I am very thankful for.

But he also gave me Montana. We moved here when I was five. He loved it and he passed that love on to me. It will always be home.

Here’s a cover art question. Which do you prefer: an illustration of a cowboy or the real thing?

As long as the cover conveys the feeling of the book, I would be happy either way. I have been very lucky to get some wonderful covers. The WILD HORSES cover is beautiful and it has that feel of being away from it all.

Without giving away too much, what is your favorite suspense scene in the book?

I would have to say the opening. What is worse than going off the road in a blizzard in the middle of nowhere, thinking you will freeze to death before morning, and then you see headlights through the falling snow. Someone is coming. But are they really going to save you?

Was this story inspired by any films you’ve watched or books you’ve read?

I don’t think so. As writers everything we see, hear, touch or smell – let alone imagine – can end up in our books and we have no idea where it came from.But my father loved old murder mystery movies and westerns so I’ve watched a lot of them. And I love Hitchcock.

Who would play Livie and Cooper in a movie?

I have to admit I’m not up on the younger actors. So I’d have to leave that up to my readers to decide. I watch a lot of old movies. 

What is the steamiest romance scene in the book?

Now if I told you, I’d have to kill you. No, seriously, you’d want to flip to that part of the book. Sorry, no spoilers.

How was the writing process different for this book than for past books you’ve written?

They all seem like they are going to be easy when I start a book. I’m excited and hopeful. But there is always a point where I think I will never finish the book. I swear it is like trying to walk through quicksand at times. I write and write, but the book doesn’t seem to get longer. This one was tough because it’s the first one. Once it is in print, there is no changing any of the setting, characters, past events. So especially with the other sisters, you have to be sure you didn’t say anything you will regret. 

How do you deal with the pressure of deadlines?

I treat writing like a real job. Except without weekends. I write every day. It keeps me in the story and makes it so much easier to pick up where I left off the day before. I also write myself little notes when I can see the next scene or two. Sometimes the deadlines get to me when a book is being difficult. But I’m pretty good at meeting them. I think the latest I’ve ever been is two weeks – and that’s after more than 70 books.

What is Flat Cowboy up to these days?

 Flat cowboys are the bookmarks to my Cardwell Ranch series for Harlequin Intrigue. One of the lovely editors at Harlequin saw a bookmark and thought I should have a cowboy one like it. That started something. A reader began calling the bookmarks Flat Cowboys and another reader began to take photographs of each Flat Cowboy wherever she went. The first reader put up a site for other readers to post where they’d been with their Flat Cowboys (The Adventures of Flat Cowboy on Facebook)

So yes it took off and it’s been a whole lot of fun!

When can we expect the next Montana Hamiltons story to come out?

LONE RIDER will be out the end of June followed by LUCKY SHOT the end of September. The next three, still untitled, will be out the end of February, June and September in 2016.

What are you working on next? 

Right now I am finishing up LUCKY SHOT. I am having great fun with the characters. As I said, the over-arcing mystery deals with Sarah Hamilton, the biological mother of the sisters who vanished from their lives twenty-two years ago. Is she the loving mother she pretends to be? And where has she been the past twenty-two years? 
It is all great fun.

B.J. DANIELS, a USA Today and New York Times bestselling author, wrote her first book after a career as an award-winning newspaper journalist and author of 37 published short stories. That first book, Odd Man Out, received a four and a half star review from Romantic Times magazine and went on to be nominated for Best Intrigue for that year. Since then she has won numerous awards including a career achievement award for romantic suspense and numerous nominations and awards for best book. Daniels lives in Montana with her husband, Parker, and two springer spaniels, Spot and Jem. When she isn’t writing, she snowboards, camps, boats and plays tennis. She is a member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, Thriller Writers, Kiss of Death and Romance Writers of America.
 

About Wild Horses

It took only one impulsive moment on an empty two-lane highway to cost Livie Hamilton everything. In WILD HORSES, (Harlequin, $7.99) one fateful mistake isn’t the only secret Livie is keeping from her fiancée, Cooper Barnett—a headstrong cowboy with a talent for taming horses. Victimized during a treacherous blizzard by a man she thought she could trust, she’s pregnant—but unsure who the father is.
 
When Livie receives blackmail notes threatening to expose her, she must confess to Cooper and trust he’ll still protect her. What she doesn’t know is that Cooper has already made many sacrifices in the name of love. When a stranger’s twisted vendetta threatens the happy ending they should’ve had long ago, their relationship is put to the ultimate test.