Q&A with Cindi Myers, Running Out of Time

The Tactical Crime Division is a specialized unit of the FBI. Did you do any research before writing about this type of fast-paced, high-adrenaline lifestyle? 

A: I didn’t read this specifically for this series, but I did recently read Secrets of the FBI by Ronald Kessler. He has a section in his book on TacOps teams in the FBI, which gave me a feel for that kind of operation. And because Running Out of Time deals with an incidence of medication poisoning, I read a lot about the Tylenol poisoning case in 1982. Writing mystery and suspense takes you down so many interesting paths!

The Tactical Crime Division series includes four books written by four different authors; what was it like to collaborate with other authors and how did you decide who got to write each storyline?

A: Harlequin assigned each author to a particular storyline. Since each story is stand-alone, we didn’t all work together closely, though I really enjoyed getting to know Carla, Liz, and Nichole a little better as we emailed back and forth about this project. We were all excited to have been chosen to write these stories. I worked most closely with Nichole since the heroine of Midnight Abduction, Anna Sophia Ramirez, also plays a prominent role in Running Out of Time. 

Can you share a recent book you have read that you would like to recommend?

A: So many good books – so little time! And too little space here. Right now, I’m reading Stephen King’s 11/22/63, which deals with time travel and the JFK assassination – fascinating stuff. And I just finished Julie Miller’s Target On Her Back, which I loved.

Q&A with Shannon Stacey, More Than Neighbors

What was the romance novel that got you hooked on the genre (or: What was the romance novel that inspired you to become a romance author?)

I don’t really remember a time I didn’t love romance novels, but Plain-Jane Princess by Karen Templeton (a Silhouette Intimate Moments from 2001) is the romance novel that renewed my determination to become a published romance author. Not only does it remain one of my all-time favorite reads, but getting to know the author online taught me that it was possible to juggle kids and a home and writing and inspired me to keep trying.

Please share in your own words what it means to experience That Harlequin Feeling

No matter what I’m in the mood for—from a small town single mom to a billionaire business mogul—I know I can reach for a Harlequin romance and read an emotional, positive story that will give me the happily ever after ending I love so much.

What was the name of your first published novel, and tell us a bit about that experience?

There was a lot of variety in my publishing journey before I settled on contemporary romance, but selling Exclusively Yours to Carina Press and seeing the Harlequin name across the top of my contract was a dream come true. More Than Neighbors is my 29th title under the Harlequin umbrella and ten years later, it’s no less of a thrill. And being published by Harlequin Special Edition was another longtime dream come true, so I took myself out to lunch to celebrate (I had the most amazing grilled cheese and bacon sandwich I’ve ever had).

About Shannon Stacey

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Shannon Stacey lives with her husband and two sons in New England, where her two favorite activities are writing stories of happily ever after and off-roading with her friends and family. You can contact Shannon through her website, www.shannonstacey.com, as well as sign up for her newsletter. 

In Service to Love: Living on the Edge of Creation by Darlene Green

In Service to Love began the morning of December 26, 2017. When I awoke, I felt immediately overcome with Love, appreciation, and enveloped in the rich, palpable presence of the sacred divine. I could feel and see the exquisite, brilliant light of Masters, and the Elohim before me. I could do no other than sob. An invitation was extended to sit with the Masters of the Council of Light as Scribe for one year in collaboration. I said, “Yes!” I knew in an instant this was the mission I had always felt at the depths of my being and was so sacredly kept I dared not even utter the words. And “Day 1” poured through my fingers.

I have always been deeply empathic, intuitive and sensitive. This created a chasm between what I sensed and the physical reality I saw. I became an avid student of spirituality and pieces of the puzzle started lining up. I never thought of myself as a writer. My natural inclinations are as a healer and teacher. In 2015 I connected powerfully with my own history as Scribe with profound events at sacred sites in Southern France. I began to practice reaching for the fine frequencies that contain inspiration. It was both beautiful and frustrating as the experience required developing adeptness at sensing my own inner realms. Following a car accident in February of 2017, all work stopped as I turned deeply inward for healing. Then December 26, 2017 occurred.

As I sat down each day to write In Service to Love, I was guided by the Council of Light to what I can only describe as a field of fine, exquisite frequency that contains depth, concepts, pictures and colors. Each day was written from a different frequency even as my mind struggled to understand the process. Sometimes full concepts landed in my awareness as a picture that contained all the information then, my work was to interpret the picture I was given utilizing words that were a frequency match. Some days I was invited to expand my reach as the Council of Light moved into even finer light realms. Other times there was no thinking at all as the words flowed like honey onto the keyboard. 

I continue to live a Master’s class in accessing original thought. At times I work to reach the space of connection and ultimately realize there is some limitation I am taking into the space that clouds my vision. My personality left to its own devices is fraught with doubt. So, my goal is to access my unlimited divine knowing by raising my awareness and frequency. In those moments in meditation I ask, “What may I release that I may see clearly?” Mostly what shows up are ways I discount myself. When I release my limitations, the air clears as I reach my truth unfettered by the beliefs of my personality. An expansive sense of freedom and delight ensues.

Two of the keys to access my most potent creativity:

1) Immaculate presence in the Now: I visualize myself within a series of concentric circles, with my center-most point being the exquisite stillness of the present moment. When my attention is in the outer-rings I am highly distracted, so, I watch myself walk to my center. There I experience the absence of thought. I take a deep breath and allow. 

2) Willingness to not know: Accessing my greatest innovative capacity only occurs as I move beyond what I already know. Potent creating is not about rearranging what already has been, it is about accessing my own high frequency field where innovation arises in my awareness only in the Now moment.

Central messaging of In Service to Love invites us each to consider our own innovative capacity. Not as something that is unreachable, or only for a few of us, but as something that is deeply, intrinsically connected to our soul’s voice. As we connect to our own heart’s essence, we become the contribution we each intend. I continue to lean into the unknown to move beyond my own limited perceptions as I write daily. I feel the time we are in now requests our best to show up. With works inspired through the lens of our essential Self, how could we be anything else? 

I am hoping the works of In Service to Love invites a new perspective for the reader. One that resonates powerfully with their own exquisite truth. Enlightenment is not a state to be earned; it is a natural process where we claim our wholeness. When we gently release the burden of who we are not, who we are shines brilliantly.

About the Author:

Highly sensitive, a natural empath, healer, teacher and scribe, Darlene Green has followed her heart's direction in discovery of the sacred in life. After many years of spiritual practice and study, Darlene experienced an invitation by the Masters of the Council of Light to sit with them as scribe, daily, for one year and one day. The result is the extensive body of work that is In Service to Love, relayed through three books: In Service to Love Book 1: Love Remembered, In Service to Love Book 2: Love Elevated and In Service to Love Book 3: Love Now. For more information, please visit https://darlenegreenauthor.com and follow Darlene on Facebook and Instagram.

Q&A with BJ Daniels, Ambush Before Sunrise

What was the romance novel that got you hooked on the genre (or: What was the romance novel that inspired you to become a romance author?)

BJ: The first romance that I ever read was THE FLOWER AND THE FLAME by Kathleen Woodiwiss. I was hooked. I read all her other books before I discovered romantic suspense. I loved the romance and the mystery. I knew that was what I wanted to write. I was delighted when Harlequin started its Intrigue line. It was like they’d been thinking of me. ☺  I sold the very first book I wrote to them, ODD MAN OUT.

Please share in your own words what it means to experience That Harlequin Feeling

BJ: That Harlequin Feeling is curling up with a new book on a rainy day and getting lost in another world. You know you’re going to get characters you can love, a trip to another place and that happy ending. It’s that adventure just waiting for you to turn the page. There is nothing more exciting that starting a good book. It’s That Harlequin Feeling.

What was the name of your first published novel, and tell us a bit about that experience?  

BJ: When I sold my first novel, I was over the moon. It was something I had dreamed of for way too long. I was working at the newspaper as a reporter and editor and writing short stories for Woman’s World – that the editor kept telling me I had too much adventure in them. ☺

My first novel was Harlequin Intrigue ODD MAN OUT. It is set outside of West Yellowstone, Montana where I grew up. It’s filled with places I love and some adventures that I know only too well. ☺ It’s about a woman torn between two men, the love of her life and her best friend. Like all my heroines, Denver is strong and capable. Love only makes her stronger. It is still one of my favorite books.

Learning Together: 4 Fun At-Home Activities For Building Life Skills by Kat Kronenberg, award-winning author of The Live Big Trilogy

Albert Einstein says, "Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better."

My favorite natural fact is that we are all made of “star-stuff.” It lives above us, around us, and within us all. It is from the beginning of time with the power to overcome darkness of any kind! Just think about that for a moment: we are all made of stardust. I play on this fun truth in my books, The Live Big Trilogy, and use our beautiful world as a mirror to show us our lives, our choices, and the ways we relate to one another. 

These books are ones that I needed as a little girl. Books can help lay an emotional and social foundation so that when life gets dark or scary, children have the tools to find the light. We can do that at home, now, together. 

While we are all stuck in quarantine, let's have some fun with our hearts made of stars and the fact that every one of us is precious! Here are four fun and easy activities to make the most of this uncertain time, along with fascinating scientific facts to accompany them:

1. CREATE YOUR CATCH-M (YOUR SMILE!)

In my Live Big Trilogy, CATCH-M is the name the African animals have given a smile and the power it has to change our day and make it better all along the way. So take this time to get to know your smile: draw it on paper, socks, shirts, or your thumbs for thumbs-up-fun with CATCH-M. The possibilities are endless!

Draw your CATCH-M on the sidewalk for neighbors to enjoy, put it in your mailbox to encourage your mailman, send it to health care folks with an encouraging note, or even to your amazing teachers.

You can send your CATCH-M on an adventure by mailing your CATCH-M to a loved one and having them mail your CATCH-M on to the next person. Then create a map to keep track of all the places your CATCH-M went and all the friends it got to meet and make happy. You can make a CATCH-M filled mural, where you put everyone's CATCH-M’s together, either at home with your family, or do a project with your class to create when you all can come together again. 

The point of spending time together with our S.M.I.L.E. is it’s a way to See Miracles In Life Every day.

(Science: Stars, for the most part, are simply two hydrogen atoms fusing to make helium. In my Trilogy, our smiles are how we invite the hydrogen atom either above us, around us, or within us to come party with the star stuff in our heart, the second hydrogen atom. We have a heart full of these brilliant treasures just waiting to light up our lives. So use your smile to build fortune-filled treasure chests for all! :)

2. CELEBRATE THE 3 G'S - GOALS, GRATITUDES, & GIFTS

To learn to live our best lives like the animals in my Trilogy, we can take this time to get to know ourselves better. Each of us was born extraordinary, with gifts only we have to share with the world. You are the only you who will ever be. We are all kings and queens meant to lead and share our gifts with the world.

So take time every day to get to know you. In the morning, set a Goal, to know all your different smiles, to learn something new, play a new game, try a different skill, read a new book… the list goes on! To make it fun and find success on your Goal Quest, we need to use the other G's too. 

The next G is Gratitude. Grab a box, a can, or another container (we made a "Love Can" out of an old can of beans that we decorated). At the start of every day, fill it with a card that you write with your child about what your family is grateful for and your child’s goal for the day. Aesop said, "Gratitude turns what we have into enough." Gratitude is our reminder to never strive from a place of fear, need, or want. 

The next G is Giving. Each night, fill the container you created with another gratitude. Help your child identify their best individual act of giving for that day, and your family's best gift to the world for that day. There is a gift in giving, a fullness of heart experienced.

3. THROW AN ABUNDANCE CELEBRATION

There is nothing better than a party to build connection, communication, and cooperation – three things that we can all use more of right now! For your celebration, first have your family create a Coat of Arms, which is a fancy term for your family's symbol that represents who you are, what you like, where you live, etc. Get the kids involved in creating this!

Add your Coat of Arms to homemade crowns (any type will do!) to remind your children that they are the only them there will ever be. You are a King! A Queen! You are extraordinary, full of possibilities. You can also add them to capes (try a shirt tied around your neck or a ripped up old sheet) to remind children that one person can change the world – and it can be them.

During the party, everyone can decorate the 3 G box, make drums, pom-poms, write songs, create riddles, write encouraging notes, or play games like:

1. Dung Beetle's "What Do You Do With A Do-Do Dilemma Game" 

(Science: Dung Beetles are born in doodoo, and instead of complaining, they "do good" and have fun making balls out of the poop. As a result, they become leaders, heroes of the savanna because they fertilize the grass so the animals can eat).

This game is like Duck, Duck Goose, but you play with different key phrases. Instead of "Duck," you say "You Can." Instead of "Goose," you say, "Do Good!"

2. Kudu's "No Bad Buts Game" 

(Science: Kudus are born with nothing on their heads, but as they mature, they grow two fabulous twisting horns that represent the good choices they made when faced with hard twists in fate.)

This game is like Simon Says, but you play with different key phrases. When the leader playing Simon says the phrase, "YES, I can… stand! YES! I can sit," everyone should follow. If Simon says, Yeah, but I can't… stand. Yeah, but I can't sit." The people who follow these instructions are out. This game builds confidence in kids while having fun.

3. The Honey Bee's "A-Bun-Dance Game" 

(Science: Honey Bees show us abundance is an attitude as they shake their booties in gratitude. They dance to celebrate life, create connection, and communicate so they can work hard together to build a home filled with a "sweet" treat called honey. Their booty dance create maps to tell their hive, where to find flowers to collect nectar to make honey.

Honey Bees are vital to our world's survival. I think it is because they celebrate ABUNDANCE together every day. So let's play “The A-Bun-Dance Game" to fill our homes with "sweet" memories, not fear or misery! To play wear capes, crowns, fun clothes, pound drums, shake pom-poms, sing songs, and get as silly as possible with your booty-shaking “a-bun-dance.” Make drum circles, choreograph a family dance, and to end the game come together and shout out, "Our lives are full of A-BUN-DANCE!" We can't help but laugh and remember that abundance is a choice and a gift. 

4. WRITE STORIES: CIRCLE UP AND SHARE

At your family party, circle up and share stories. There is no right or wrong way to do it: You can use a pen and paper with words, you can tell your story with drawings, sons, dance, a musical instrument, or by acting it out. 

Next try telling Mythological Fables, origin stories with a takeaway. Have everyone pick their favorite animal and research the animal to find out as much information about them as possible: where it lives, what it eats, its qualities, characteristics, social etiquette, and more. Then create the story of how and why the first animal of its kind came to live its best life. You can use the framework of The Hero's Journey in the “Learn” Section of my website or write it any way you choose.

For the last round of writing or storytelling, you can also tell your Memoir Backwards. Walt Disney says, "First, think. Second, dream. Third, believe. And finally, dare." If we take time to think about and write out our best life, who knows what great things we can accomplish – especially if we share our dreams so that others can help us along the way. I know I would not be writing this without having dared to share my dream with my family.

Home is a place where we can learn to light our heart stars, lay a strong foundation to help us live our best lives together, make some great memories along the way together while we’re in quarantine. For more fun activities, educational worksheets, writing exercises, fascinating scientific facts and more, visit www.katkronenberg.com. 

Kat Kronenberg’s life story and ability to inspire audiences has positioned her as a coveted keynote speaker, presenter at schools, and Austin Business Journal’s Profile in Power Winner, Central Texas Women of Influence. She is also a Mom’s Gold Choice Award Winner, Family Choice Winner, Writer’s League of Texas Discovery Prize Winner living in Austin, Texas. 

THINK BIG (Greenleaf Book Group) is now available for preorder from Amazon, Book People, and booksellers nationwide, and will officially be available for purchase on May 12, 2020. Part of the proceeds from the book will support WE, Grameen America, and teachers who want to bring classroom dreams to life via Donors Choose.

Kronenberg is available for virtual speaking opportunities. More information can be found at www.katkronenberg.com, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube. 

Moving Beyond Trauma by Ilene Smith

In my early forties, after a career in banking and real estate financing, I returned to school for a master’s degree in mental health counseling. I truly had no idea that this path would lead me to my greatest passion in life thus far. 

During my internship to complete my degree, I was introduced to Somatic Experiencing for trauma healing, a modality developed by Peter Levine, PhD. What distinguishes Dr. Levine’s work from other trauma-informed therapies is the importance of bringing the body into the therapeutic process. I had spent years in talk therapy, which was effective in bringing awareness to my issues and their origins, but I still felt an underlying dysregulation in my nervous system. I was anxious and continued to battle my eating disorder demons. 

When I incorporated SE techniques into my own life and my clients’ therapeutic processes, I saw our nervous systems move towards more balanced states in only a few sessions. Marriages improved and depressions lifted. As a result of less stress and anxiety in my body, my eating disorder behaviors began to quiet. 

SE uses a “clinical map” to access the physiological states of survival known as fight, flight, and freeze and helps release the self-protective and defensive responses we hold in our body. It includes talking, but the talking is used to track body sensation and meaning attached to experiences, rather than bring the individual back into the event of the trauma. 

I wanted to bring the possibilities of Somatic Experiencing to a larger audience; I wanted more people to understand that while our perception of trauma and healing is often associated with cognition, in order to heal on a cellular level, we need to invite the body into the process. And so, the task of creating Moving Beyond Trauma: The Roadmap to Healing from Your Past and Living with Ease and Vitality began. 

Buy on Amazon | Audible | Barnes and Noble

I knew that if I was going to impact the audience, I needed to empower people to take charge of their own healing. As my ideas took shape, I realized it wasn’t enough to explain the benefits of SE. Readers needed a way to customize the information to meet their unique needs, and so the book evolved into a roadmap for healing the nervous system and creating a personalized healing lifestyle. 

Almost a year-and-a-half after I began work on the book, I answered my doorbell to find the box of 50 author copies of Moving Beyond Trauma on my doorstep. As I opened it, adrenaline rushed through my body. I was overcome with excitement, but also fear. I believe the book carries an important message about trauma and healing, and I also know that any time we stick our necks out for our beliefs, criticism often follows. 

However, my desire to carry the message of this work outweighs my fear. I believe the general public doesn’t have enough information about the mind-body connection in the healing process and many aren’t aware of how small changes can bring the nervous system back into balance. 

The book includes six assessments to help the reader better understand how trauma impacts their nervous system and day-to-day functioning. Many psychologists focus on “fixing” patients’ problematic or maladaptive behaviors. Researcher Sarah Melancon, PhD, and I set out to develop tools that assess the current functioning of a patient’s nervous system so that they can create their own intentional plan to increase its health and functioning, which will “fix” the problem behaviors organically. 

Dr. Melancon and I spent months developing these assessments, along with detailed instructions on how to use the information. After finishing the book, we took our work one step further and went on to complete a study on SE and eating disorders, which we hope to see published later this year. 

For those struggling with mental health issues, I hope that Moving Beyond Trauma motivates them to take charge of their healing. After they complete the book, I anticipate that they will begin to feel differently and more grounded in their physical experience, or “embodied.” When we feel the physicalness of our bodies we can be more present. Presence allows us to be more curious about ourselves and the world around us. It gives us a richer experience of life and a deeper sense of safety, both of which are key for creating a sustainable healing lifestyle. 

The process of birthing a book is like no other, and it has certainly been one of my greatest challenges thus far. It asked me to uplevel my self-care. I had to slow my nervous system down even further. I minimized my travel schedule, recommitted to my yoga practice, and made sure I sought support from trusted friends. Routine, discipline, and connection with friends and family were key in helping me stay in my creative flow. 

Creating Moving Beyond Trauma required me to use all the tools I write about! I am pleased to report they worked as well as I imagined they would. I hope that you’ll invite me into your own healing journey and pick up a copy of Moving Beyond Trauma should you feel so called. 

About the Author

Ilene Smith is the author of Moving Beyond Trauma: The Roadmap to Healing from Your Past and Living with Ease and Vitality. She is a certified professional coach and Somatic Experiencing practitioner who is passionate about helping others explore life with curiosity and exuberance. Her research into Somatic Experiencing and eating disorders has contributed to the importance of Somatic Experiencing and body-based therapies in recovery. Ilene has also worked extensively with patients suffering from addiction. With master’s degrees in exercise physiology and mental health counseling, Ilene blends talking, touch work, and movement to create synergy between a client’s body and mind. In addition to her private practice, Ilene has developed a series of trauma healing workshops and lectures, which she hosts worldwide. She lives in Arizona. For more information, please visit http://ilenesmith.com/ and follow Ilene on Facebook and Instagram