Diana Gendarme has spent her life doing for others, so when she moves into her dream cottage, she’s ready for some “me” time. But the cottage is shabby and her new neighbors quite close. One of them makes a din in his blacksmith’s forge all day long yet has the nerve to complain about her beagle’s yodeling. He’s the last sort of man who should attract Diana. So why can’t she resist the absurd dares he persists in issuing?Reg Coltsfoot doesn’t plan on falling for his neighbor. A lifelong charmer, he’s used to women falling for him instead. There’s just something about Diana that has him longing to draw her out of her staid life and into his. Maybe it’s the magic of spring, but Reg will do all he can to persuade Diana she needs his laughter and his love to light her days.
Sydney Thomas doesn’t believe in romantic love. She moved to Zen, Ohio with her young daughter following a dismal marriage and disastrous divorce. Her new boss says he’s a wizard who helps people fall in love by casting spells over jelly beans. The last thing she needs is to get entangled in a relationship. Why can’t she stop thinking about him?Wyatt Ginn is spellbound by the woman he met at the post office when he rear-ends her car. Not a great first impression. When he discovers she’s the social media director hired for his publishing company, the second and third impressions aren’t much better. And she doesn’t believe in magic. So why is he attracted to her?There’s no way they can live happily ever after. Is there?
Coming in the fall 2023 from The Wild Rose Press!!!
It’s never easy to fight a friend. It’s even harder to kill one.
Excerpt:
Kaeden studied the damage, then stared into Liz’s eyes. “That’s a gunshot wound. Fresh.”
He closed down his emotions and dealt with her wound. So, she had finally returned. After two months without a word. They didn’t know where she’d been, when she would be back, or even she had survived her latest job. Kaeden had never met anyone like Elizabeth St. John. She made him madder than anyone he’d ever known. But he also couldn’t get her out of his mind. She was a drink of water in a dry desert.
“She was shot?” Charly grabbed Liz’s arm to look more closely.
Liz stared at Kaeden, and he stared right back.
“Yeah. Fortunately, he had bad aim.”
Kaeden kept his gaze on Liz for a long moment, then pulled out the antiseptic wipes. He grasped her arm and cleaned the gouge up. Kae bit back a grin when Liz gritted her teeth against the pain he knew she had to be feeling as he cleaned, salved, and bandaged her.
“You enjoyed that,” she accused.
“Maybe.” He cleaned up the wipes and bloody wraps.
She shrugged. “I probably deserved that and more.”
Birthdays: Juliet Ward Howe (1819), Arnold Bennett (1867), Louis-Ferdinand Céline (1894), Dashiell Hammett (1894), Rachel Carson (1907), John Cheever (1912), Herman Wouk (1915), Tony Hillerman (1925), Marijane Meaker (1927), John Barth (1930), Harlan Ellison (1934), Edmund Morris (1940), Anthony Pagden (1945), Lisbeth Zwerger (1954), Sharon Bolton (1960), Heston Blumenthal (1966)
Dashiell Hammett is best known for his Sam Spade character as well as Nick and Nora Charles (and their dog Asta)
Rachel Carson’s book “Silent Spring” helped advance the environmental movement.
Herman Wouk won the 1952 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for “The Caine Mutiny”.
Harlan Ellison has won multiple Hugos, Nebulas, and Edgars for his speculative fiction.
Edmund Morris won the 1980 Pulitzer for Biography of Theodore Roosevelt
Quote: “It is a curious situation that the sea, from which life first arose should now be threatened by the activities of one form of that life. But the sea, though changed in a sinister way, will continue to exist; the threat is rather to life itself.” ― Rachel Carson, The Sea Around Us
“A writer is like a bag lady going through life with a sack and a pointed stick collecting stuff.” – Tony Hillerman
Tip: If the big picture of writing an entire book overwhelms you, break it down into smaller bites. Once scene, one chapter, even just one paragraph. Break it down to what you can handle.
Jumpstart: You’re to be substitute host on a late night talk show. Who would your guests be? What would you do for your special segment? What music or musicians would you have on?
Birthdays: Leonard Bacon (1887), Antonia Forest (1915), Edward Whittemore (1933), Sheila Greenwald (1934), Carol O’Connell (1947), Alan Hollinghurst (1954), Simon Armitage (1963), Caitlin Kiernan (1964)
Leonard Bacon won the 1940 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry for “Sunderland Capture”.
Quote: “You’re learning to write a book every time you sit down to do it. I know that sounds a little strange, but in every book you’re presented with new possibilities, new environment, different people, new story lines. You’re learning how to do it all over again.” – Carol O’Connell
“I cannot allow your ignorance, however great, to take precedence over my knowledge, however small.” ― Leonard Bacon
Tip: Don’t use the names of real people for a character unless there’s a strong reason to do so. You could open yourself up to a lawsuit.
Jumpstart: You’ve found a magic mirror. It will tell you one truth about the future. What do you ask it?
A destroyed career, a rundown ranch, and a beautiful horse whisperer come together to jumpstart Hayden Wilcoyt’s dream of using wild Mustangs to create a new breed of horses. His job becomes doubly dangerous after someone starts sabotaging work on the ranch. Complicating things is his relationship with Ginny Hampton, the Native American woman he inherited along with the ranch. As a fourteen-year-old runaway, Ginny was offered refuge by Hayden’s great-grandfather. Having devoted her life to Wilcoyt Ranch, she considers it hers by right if not by bloodline. The tragedy of an abusive past overshadows how Ginny deals with people now and she must learn to overcome her fears before she and Hayden have any chance for a lasting relationship.
Sydney Thomas doesn’t believe in romantic love. She moved to Zen, Ohio with her young daughter following a dismal marriage and disastrous divorce. Her new boss says he’s a wizard who helps people fall in love by casting spells over jelly beans. The last thing she needs is to get entangled in a relationship. Why can’t she stop thinking about him?Wyatt Ginn is spellbound by the woman he met at the post office when he rear-ends her car. Not a great first impression. When he discovers she’s the social media director hired for his publishing company, the second and third impressions aren’t much better. And she doesn’t believe in magic. So why is he attracted to her?There’s no way they can live happily ever after. Is there?
Title: Only the Brightest Stars Author: Andrew Grey Series: Currently a Standalone Genre: M/M
Contemporary Romance/Law Enforcement Release Date: April 11, 2023 Edition/Formats Available In: eBook & Print Blurb/Synopsis:
The problem with being an actor on top of the world is that
you have a long way to fall.
Logan Steele is miserable. Hollywood life is dragging him
down. Drugs, men, and booze are all too easy. Pulling himself out of his
self-destructive spiral, not so much.
Brit Stimple does whatever he can to pay the bills. Right now,
that means editing porn. But Brit knows he has the talent to make it big, and
he gets his break one night when Logan sees him perform on stage.
When Logan arranges for an opportunity for Brit to prove his
talent, Brit’s whole life turns around. Brit’s talent shines brightly for all
to see, and he brings joy and love to Logan’s life and stability to his
out-of-control lifestyle. Unfortunately, not everyone is happy for Logan, and
as Brit’s star rises, Logan’s demons marshal forces to try to tear the new
lovers apart.
Andrew grew up in western Michigan with a father who loved to tell stories and a mother who loved to read them. Since then, he has lived throughout the country and traveled throughout the world. He has a master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and works in information systems for a large corporation.
Andrew’s hobbies include collecting antiques, gardening, and leaving his dirty dishes anywhere but in the sink (particularly when writing) He considers himself blessed with an accepting family, fantastic friends, and the world’s most supportive and loving partner. Andrew currently lives in beautiful, historic Carlisle, Pennsylvania.
Hello Vicky! Thank you for hosting me on your wonderful blog today. What an epic adventure since I signed my first contract ten years ago for Dragon Knight’s Sword (Order of the Dragon Knights, Book 1).
I’ve often been asked this question, “Why Medieval romance? Why not Regency, Victorian, or Western?” In truth, I love them all, but my heart belongs to one. It started when my fingers opened a book about the great Irish King, Brian Boru (941-1014A.D.). His story is legendary, especially with the people of Ireland. King Brian led the Irish to the peak of their Golden Age—from poetry, arts, saints, and scholars. A spark ignited within my soul for more.
I sought out tales of knights in shining armor and folk heroes, delving into a life teeming with richness, though at times harsh and violent. Yet it wasn’t until I devoured the history of Brian Boru that I became immersed in medieval life. From there, I treasured tales of life in castles, traveling on horseback, and studying foods and herbs.
The spark of inspiration and time-period for the Dragon Knights developed years ago. So it made perfect sense to place these knights in a medieval setting. Let me start from the beginning with a land that called out to me…
My love affair with Scotland and Ireland began decades ago. I blame it on my own bloodline—a yearning to return to the land of my ancestors. The land called out to me within the stories of Irish mythology and Scottish history. I’d close my eyes and pretend I was there. When I finally took my first trip to Scotland twenty-two years ago, the birth of a series—the Dragon Knights were born. I was sitting on a boulder in the misty Highlands surrounded by the magic and beauty of the landscape. However, on the second half of my trip, I visited Ireland. As I wandered the soft rolling hills in various shades of green, the land spoke to my soul and urged me to place the Dragon Knights here, too. It would take several years before I decided on both countries—Scotland and Ireland as an essential part of my stories. A perfect solution to a problem I had been debating on for the Dragon Knights.
Of course, there must be a castle in a medieval story, right? I’ve always been drawn to Urquhart Castle, so this was the home I envisioned for my knights. It’s ancient, mystical, and where the Loch Ness Monster dwells within the loch. This site first appeared in historical records in the 6th century. Yet in researching the ownership of the castle, I eventually chose a time when there was a “gray” area of possession—the early 13th century. In June 2017, I spent hours at the ruins of Urquhart Castle and surrounding landscape. I finally made it home to the Dragon Knights. And when I touched the ancient stones, I heard the whispers of these knights telling me I’m not done with their stories.
Order of the Dragon Knights ~
They were an ancient order, descended from the great Tuatha Dé Danann, the Sidhe, or in simpler terms: the Fae. Half-human and half-fae, each knight blessed with mystical powers. Given to them were holy relics from the Fae and guardianship over their Dragons.
They were known as the Dragon Knights.
However, some believed the Order had too much power and they tried to possess it for themselves. They were evil and twisted, and their plan succeeded one fateful night. The brothers of the Clan MacKay—Dragon Knights, fought a battle. Blood spilled onto holy ground, bringing forth the wrath of the Fae. Their relics were taken, and the Order was banished—each name stricken from the hallowed halls of the Fae.
The Clan MacKay is no longer.
The Dragon Knights have scattered across the land.
Yet out of the darkness, they will each fight for redemption, and the women they love.
For a limited time, Dragon Knight’s Sword is on sale for 99¢ from Amazon. Grab your copy today or collect them all! Sale dates: 5.11.23 – 6.02.23
Multi award-winning romance author, Mary Morgan resides in Northern California with her own knight in shining armor. However, during her travels to Scotland, England, and Ireland, she left a part of her soul in one of these countries and vows to return.
Mary’s passion for books started at an early age along with an overactive imagination. Inspired by her love for history and ancient Celtic and Norse mythology, her tales are filled with powerful warriors, brave women, magic, and romance. Now, the worlds she created in her mind are coming to life within her stories.
If you enjoy history, tortured heroes, and a wee bit of fantasy, then travel back in time within the pages of her books.
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