HEART PUMPING READS FOR A COLD WINTER NIGHT

There's nothing like a good suspense or thriller to get your heart pumping on a cold winter night. If it has a bit of romance in it, all the better. I thought I'd share a few with you today.

BUY: AMAZON, B&N, INDIEBOUND 

WITH ALL DUE RESPECT

Vicki Hinze

ENTER THE WORLD OF MILITARY INTELLIGENCE...

Can a first-grade teacher from Grace, Alabama stop a terrorist group from its deadly mission?

Can she trust her heart again?

Former Air Force scientist Dr. Julia Warner-Hyde went into hiding three years ago to escape her abusive ex-husband. Her new life as a small town schoolteacher is safe and peaceful-until her old lab partner, Dr. Seth Holt, arrives.

Terrorists have stolen the missile system Seth and Julia designed, and they fully intend to use it. Seth needs Julia's help to find, outwit and halt them, but he and she didn't part on the best of terms. He doesn't know that Julia has a secret enemy who might kill them both. Can she fight that threat and the terrorists-all while keeping Seth in the dark? How can she refuse to try, with millions of lives at stake? Excerpt

This is a good 4 star read. Good blend of military, black box (black ops) research lab, and a villain with a vendetta against the United States and for whom the idea of treason doesn't apply--in his mind. Good character driven story. A good romance played out against the background of treason and devastation. Lots of pressure to figure out who the villains are, their motives, and a race to stop a bomb from being detonated and taking out millions. I thoroughly enjoyed the story. I definitely plan on reading more from this author.

BUY: AMAZON, B&N, INDIEBOUND

WAIT FOR ME

Elisabeth Naughton

A woman without a past…

After a tragic accident left her with no memory, Kate Alexander struggled to fit in with a husband and world that didn’t feel right. She’s had no reason to question what friends and family have told her, not until her husband is suddenly killed and she finds a photo of a young girl in his office. A girl who can’t be anyone but a daughter Kate didn’t know she had.

A man desperate for a reason to live…

Ryan Harrison lost his wife in a plane crash five years ago. To cope with the pain of her loss, he dedicated himself to his job and to raising their daughter. Now a successful pharmaceutical executive, Ryan has everything a man could want—money, fame and power—but he’d give it all up in a heartbeat for just one more day with the woman he still loves.

Two lives about to converge.

As Kate begins to dig into a past she doesn’t remember, evidence leads her to San Francisco and puts her on the path toward Ryan, a man who sees in her the woman he loved and lost. Kate feels a draw to Ryan, one she can’t explain, but is that feeling enough to convince her this is where she’s supposed to be? As Ryan and Kate search for answers, they uncover lies long buried, a passion hotter than either expected and a danger that threatens…even now…when the second chance they’ve both been searching for is finally within reach. excerpt  (HEADS UP FREE ON KINDLE)

In my opinion this is a 4 1/2 star read. Love a good romance with a twist. Smooth and filled with suspense, lots of tension, unexpected twists, and danger. Elisabeth does a great job with romantic suspense (and on paranormal too.) This book was chosen as a nominee for 2012 Best Romantic Suspense--for good reason.

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Speaking of heart pumping reads: yesterday's winner for Colby Marshall's, THE CHAIN OF COMMAND is John Philipp! Congratulations John!

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CHATTING WITH AUTHOR OF CHAIN OF COMMAND--COLBY MARSHALL

       

My guest is suspense/thriller writer, Colby Marshall. Her debut novel is a captivating story of an assassin with an agenda, a government in crisis, a dangerous web of lies and corruption, and as with all good stories—a touch of romance. Being the curious sort, I had some questions for Colby.

How has your own romance colored how you write romance in your stories? Or does it?

I laughed out loud at this question, because my first thought was, “Does your blog have a rating?”  Let’s just say between us girls that some of the love scenes…hmm.  I’d better plead the fifth.  My mom might read this post! 

All joking aside, my husband is actually a brilliant sounding board for my romances, simply because I do write from both female and male points of view.  When it comes to the violence in the story, I've heard many times that I write like a guy. What five-foot-one girl who owns more glitter than your average craft store doesn't have a thing for car chases and knife fights, right?  But when it comes to writing romance from a man’s point of view, I’m sometimes a bit too…tasteful.  My husband reads my work as I write, and he always reminds me to keep my voice in the right place when writing a male POV.

Well, I don’t have the glitter but I’ll admit I love fights, car chases, and action flicks and books 

• You’re a dancer and choreographer. Do you design the dance composition of a piece, like the dance patterns and movements? I’m thinking of the routines they do with Dancing With The Stars?

Yep, that’s exactly what I do.  In fact, not too long ago I was one of the professional dancers for the Dancing Stars of Central Georgia, a charity event modeled after Dancing with the Stars that raised over $200k for the Central Georgia Alzheimer’s Association.  I was paired with a local celebrity, and I created a routine for us.  I trained him for eight weeks prior to the event, where we performed the samba to Lady Gaga’s “Telephone.”  I love flashy concepts and do a lot of choreography for theatres, so of course we dressed the parts as well, complete with glittery lightning bolts on our faces and crazily-teased hair.  What can I say?  The theatricality came out!

Wow! Sounds like a lot of work but fun, too!

I love to read a good thriller although writing one would be tough I think because all of the parts that have to come together to make the story flow and build tension.

• What excites you about this genre?

 

Those things that have to come together are both the most challenging thing about writing thrillers as well as the thing that excites me most about them.  When I’m reading a thriller, I try to solve the puzzles as I go, and if a read keeps me guessing until the end and delivers a resolution that I believe, that author has made a fan for life in me.  That’s why when I’m writing a thriller, I will give myself headaches to make it more layered and complex: I hope to give readers that experience of not knowing what’s coming, but also the ability to read back and totally see how it was coming the whole time.  

• How much do current events play into your writing? 

Current events (and past events) do often give me initial sparks of ideas.  CHAIN OF COMMAND first took root in my head when a few years ago, more women began to appear in campaigns for the White House.  The idea for the new thriller I’m currently working on started when I read about a recent high profile murder case.  My stories are never “based on a true” story type things, as they are entirely fictional, but I do tend to hear news items and think, “But what if that sort of a situation happened with a different twist?”

• What do you like about McKenzie McClendon, the heroine of Chain of Command? What about Noah? 

McKenzie is fearless.  She might not know she’s fearless, but she is.  When she gets an idea in her head, she will chase it down, wrestle it to the ground, and beat it into submission no matter what.  I think her tenacity makes her a fun character to write.  As for Noah, I just love that he is a complete badass.  There’s no way around that phrase to describe him for me.  He’s the type who, in movies, sets off the explosion and walks away without flinching.  They’re both independent, but that mutual boldness is exactly why they bring each other to their knees where no one else can.     

What’s not to love about a badass like Noah?

• Noah is a SEAL and proud of his training (and McKenzie has a rather negative view of SEALS)—what’s their common ground that allows them to work together? 

They definitely don’t have much common ground at all in the beginning.  They end up working together because each has an ulterior motive: Noah plans to use McKenzie to get out of a sticky situation, and McKenzie thinks she can use Noah for a career-making story.  Unfortunately for both of those well laid plans, as they hunt for the truth, the two of them find out the other is a real person and not just a tool to be utilized.

• Now that you’re a new mother how has this impacted on your writing time? 

Balancing a new baby and writing time is a feat.  Sometimes I do it quite literally: I balance the baby on my lap to feed her with one arm and pluck out keystrokes with the other.  The biggest impact on my writing time is that now it is not guaranteed.  When I get settled in to write, I know at any moment I could be interrupted.  A chunk of writing here and there as I can grab it has to work, where before I would make sure my writing environment was more controlled.  Basically, I have had to become one with the chaos.  Luckily, I’m good at multitasking.  (Birthday cake ice cream helps, too.)

• How has being published changed your life? In what ways? 

It’s an interesting change, for sure.  Mostly, I've noticed how things that would before have seemed so “out there” now feel like just part of a running machine.  Recently, I missed a phone call that a few months ago I’d have scheduled my entire day around.  I wasn't able to return the call that day because I was in between TV spots to promote the book, which felt crazy!  I've had people I've been friends with for years ask if they could possibly “get me to autograph” a book for a friend of theirs.  I always want to say, “Are you kidding?  I love signing books!”  I always tell them of course but laugh and say, “But I do hear if you can find a copy that isn't signed, it’s worth an absolute fortune.” 

• What’s coming next from Colby Marshall? 

I’m currently editing the next book in the McKenzie McClendon series, which is about a surgeon providing infants for the black market baby trade.  McKenzie needs an angle on this story to keep her job—and her home.  When her high school sweet heart tips her off that his wife may have been one of the victims, she launches a frantic search to find the killer and her ex’s son.  I’m also working on a new series about a forensic psychiatrist with graphemeàcolor synesthesia—a form of synesthesia in which an individual's perception of numbers and letters is associated with the experience of colors. One half of a vicious team of killers is caught, and she uses her unique gift to hunt down the mastermind still at large.

Hmm, how soon did you say I can read these? I'm looking forward to getting my hands on these!

Colby, thank you for taking  time, out of a very busy life, to answer my questions and sharing a bit about your other loves. 

• A publisher's ARC copy is up for grabs for a lucky commenter today.

BUY:  AMAZON, B&N, INDIEBOUND

The road to the Oval Office is paved in blood… 

The simultaneous assassinations of the President and Vice President catapults the Speaker of the House into the White House as the first female President of the United States. Evidence points to a former Navy SEAL as one of the assassins.

Relegated to writing sidebar stories instead of headlines, journalist McKenzie McClendon composes a scathing story about the Navy training killers, igniting the fury of the alleged assassin’s former partner.

Former Navy SEAL Noah Hutchins doesn’t believe his partner could have committed the heinous crime. They’d endured the horrors of Afghanistan together. His buddy was a hero, not a murderer. 

No one who knows the truth is safe… 

Thrown together in a search for the truth—and a career-making story—McKenzie and Noah must unravel a dangerous web of lies that includes a radical foreign faction, a violent ultra-feminist group, and corrupt politicians willing to kill to keep their secrets. And an assassin who is still on the loose. 

His next targets are already in his crosshairs…Excerpt

 

•  A publisher's ARC copy is up for grabs for a lucky commenter today.

MONDAY MUSINGS: I MISS STORIES RICH IN DETAILS

I love history and always have. I got that from my Dad, I suspect, or at least in part. As a kid, I read a lot of non-fiction history and many of those books belonged to my dad and many more came from our library. He was a big aficionado of the Civil War era. We had many a debate on battles and the politics of the time.

My love was the Revolutionary War era. I loved the contrast and similarities between European politics and structure and what was being created here in the 1700’s. The early battles for something different from what they left behind.

Then I discovered historical fiction (remember John Jakes?) where real history was the backdrop of the story and the fictional characters were woven into that history. It takes a true understanding of the era to weave those characters into existing history. Oh, how I loved reading those books. They were like doors into the everyday life of the time depicted. Rich on details of the politics, battles, and alliances and they weren’t short, quick reads, either. I loved that aspect.

Then I discovered romantic historicals. I was in heaven. There were plenty of battles and political machinations, danger and daring, heroes, spies, and a code of honor and all twined into the rich history of the time. They were long books—500 plus pages. They were great because they transported you to another time so well that who paid attention to the fact they weren’t a 300 page read? The authors needed that extra space to accurately create the world their characters played in. Epics and family sagas.

I think I devoured books like the Roselyn Chronicles, by Roberta Gellis (who was an historian and taught it). The Greatest Knight (and a host of others), by Elizabeth Chadwick, Skye O’Malley series, by Bertrice Small.  The Thornbirds (as well as several others), by Colleen McCollough and quite a few other authors that all wrote fabulous stories that put you in the era they were writing. They all wrote stories that were over 500 pages long. Too long? I didn’t think so and still don’t. They were bestsellers and some were runaway best sellers. Marvelous stories that were like a mini vacation in a time machine.

From there I discovered other authors, who wrote books a bit shorter—about 400 pages but still told a great story. Still rich in everyday life, politics, and beliefs of the historical period but not quite as long. Jude Deverau’s Velvet trio. Catherine Coulter with Rosehaven, and other medieval stories that were over 400 pages, Julie Garwood with Honor’s Splendor and Lyon’s Lady—just a little shy of 400 pages. And then there were Michael and Kathleen Gear’s first North Americans series, Anne McCaffrey’s first dragon books of Pern (I still go to Pern for a vacation and ditto on the other authors listed).

I don’t like many of the historical romance that has been put out recently. They seem to have a good storyline but they don’t really give a flavor of the time they’re set in. They cut out all the rich history reducing the story to actors dressed in period clothes but little else spouting romantic nonsense. The story could be in any era and the only way you can tell is by the clothes they wear and the historical names they drop. There have been some notable exceptions: Grace Burrows, Julia Quinn, and Elizabeth Loupas. All of them write rich stories steeped in the mores, customs, and politics (which is such an integral part of history), of the era they write. Great storytellers!

I think there is a great deal of difference between books that use filler and those that skillfully use historical narrative and information and weave a good story within it. Somewhere along the way authors/publishers started thinking everything must be fast paced action or lose readers. I have news for them; they lose readers, or at least this reader, by condensing everything into a homogenous romantic storyline and slapping historical on it.

I miss those wonderful stories that open a door to the past and let you spend time there.   

What are your thoughts on the past few years of short and fast?

Underground Railroad And The Path Of Freedom

My guest today is historical author,Jennifer Hudson Taylor. Now, I've seen dozens of books featuring the Amish but very few fiction stories set around the Quakers. So I asked Jennifer why she chose that particular group?

My mother’s ancestors were Quakers, and while I did not grow up Quaker, we still have our family reunions in the Quaker church, and I believe many of the Quaker values that came from my great-grandparents were passed onto me through my grandmother and mother. I wanted people to have a better understanding of our American Quaker roots. In the last few years we've learned so much about the Amish and Mennonites through fiction, but have had very little opportunity to learn about the Quakers and how much they have given to our modern society.

Few people understand how much Quakers impacted the movement to abolish slavery, advocated for women’s rights, and fought the justice system to change laws in favor of civil rights. For a quiet, peaceful group of people, the Quakers made history to remember and helped shape us into the America we are today. They were most definitely ahead of their time.

Path of Freedom is about Quakers who commit themselves to helping a pregnant slave couple to freedom on the Underground Railroad in 1858. While the hero and heroine are Quakers who should be devout in their faith and strong mentors, they face many perils that test them.

I named the heroine in my story after my great-grandmother, Flora Saferight, and I set the story in my hometown where Flora also lived. Still, I needed to give my characters personality and life. I never knew my great-grandmother. All I had were the stories my mother had shared with me during childhood, and so I decided to make up the rest. The truth was enough of a basis to get started.

Bruce, the hero, and Flora, the heroine, share a conflicted history that leaves them arguing often and untrusting of each other’s motives. Secondary characters are Marta, a 15-year-old pregnant slave girl who has been through so much, but who wants her baby to grow up in freedom. Marta’s faith becomes a shining beacon to Flora in a time of weakness, in spite of her young years and the hardship of her burdens. Marta and her husband Jim are uneducated slaves, but they have much to teach Flora and Bruce about true love and relationships.

Photo credit

High Point Quakers provided refuge for escaping slaves on the Underground Railroad. Quakers transported fugitive slaves along the Underground Railroad in this false bottom wagon, now on display at the Jamestown Historic Museum at the Mendenhall Plantation House. The wagon in Path of Freedom was a covered wagon, with a false bottom.

Jamestown Historic Museum

In my story, Bruce begins to teach Jim how to read by using the Bible. I enjoyed studying the Underground Railroad. I used the basis of the wagon in which my characters traveled to a real wagon now on display at the Jamestown Historical Museum in North Carolina. The original was actually donated from Center Friends Meeting, where my great-grandmother attended and is buried.

When I discovered the new Quilts of Love line opening up at Abingdon Press, I knew my Quaker story would fit the series. Quakers are known for quilting as much as the Amish, in fact, we have a quilt my grandmother passed on to my mother that means a great deal to us. Quilting has been in my family for generations, and I only wish I had inherited the skill. I remember my mother working hard to finish her mother’s quilt when I was a little girl.

In Path of Freedom, I use the basis of a quilt map for my characters’ travel. I've written a letter to readers at the beginning of the book to explain that there is no historical fact proving that map quilts were used on the Underground Railroad, but I also point out that there is also no evidence to disprove it either. I love the idea as a fiction premise and freely use it in my fiction novel. I hope readers will enjoy Path of Freedom and learn a great deal about Quakers.

PATH OF FREEDOM
Jennifer Hudson


When Quakers Flora Saferight and Bruce Millikan embark on the Underground Railroad, they agree to put their differences aside to save the lives of a pregnant slave couple. With only her mother’s quilt as a secret guide, the foursome follows the stitches through unknown treachery. 

As they embark on their perilous journey, they hope and pray that their path is one of promise where love sustains them, courage builds faith, and forgiveness leads to freedom.

Book Trailer

Jennifer Hudson Taylor is an award winning author of historical Christian fiction set in Europe and the Carolinas and a speaker on topics of faith, writing and publishing. Her debut novel, Highland Blessings, won the 2011 Holt Medallion award for Best First Book. Jennifer's work has appeared in national publications, such as Guideposts, Heritage Quest Magazine, Romantic Times Book Reviews, and The Military Trader. She serves as the in-house Publicist at Hartline Literary Agency and co-owns Upon the Rock Publicist. Jennifer graduated from Elon University with a B.A. in Communications. When she isn't writing, she enjoys spending time with family, long walks, traveling, touring historical sites, hanging out at bookstores with coffee shops, genealogy, and reading.

HOT ROMANTIC READS FOR A COLD NIGHT

For those of you who like to read a good romance I have some selections to snuggle up with on a cold winter night.

Holiday Man

Marilyn Brant

A Romance Over a Year of Holidays...Shannon Quinn is the small-town girl who runs "Holiday Quinn" -- a holiday-themed inn and resort based in scenic Door County, Wisconsin.

One winter evening, wealthy Minneapolis businessman, Bram Hartwick, blows into town along with the fast-falling snow. The sparks Bram and Shannon create succeed in heating up the chilly Midwestern night, not to mention plenty of holiday weekends in the year that follows...

But is their relationship reserved only for special occasions, or might it be the elusive everyday love that neither of them thought could be found? First chapter excerpt

YOURS AT MIDNIGHT

Robin Bielman 

Lyric Whetsone only had eyes for Quinn Sobel’s brother Oliver, until a car crash took Oliver’s life on New Year’s Eve. Then, a moment of shared grief between Quinn and Lyric became something more impassioned, something that frightened Quinn so much he ran from Lyric’s bed and her life, disappearing for four long years.

Now Quinn’s back for another New Year’s Eve, struggling for closure, desperate to leave his grief in the past and make amends with the girl of his dreams.

But Lyric has a secret–one that could drive Quinn from her life forever. Will Quinn run away from the love and acceptance he’s always wanted…or will he claim his New Year’s kiss and make her his at midnight? First chapter excerpt

And for those of you who like your reads really hot and sexy, may recommend a spicy holiday anthology from some of the biggest names in erotic romance.

A VERY NAUGHTY XMAS

Share Me
by Olivia Cunning, NYT & USA Today Best-Selling Author
Lindsey longs for an amazing Christmas Eve with her favorite band, Sole Regret, and spends one snowy night with two generous rock stars who love to share their gifts.

Jingle Ball 
by Cari Quinn, USA Today Best-Selling Author
This Christmas, rocking the office holiday party has taken on a whole new meaning...

Light Me Up
by Cherrie Lynn, NYT & USA Today Best-Selling Author
She’s dreaming of a little sparkle in her stocking this year. He’s planning a night that’s anything but silent…

An Indecent Proposition 
by Stephanie Julian
Two men. One Woman. Half a million dollars. One very indecent proposition. 

Christmas is Coming 
by Raven Morris
The best gifts are all tied up with a bow…

Stay tuned, I have more hot romance coming up this month. 

Friday, January 4th, my guest will be historical author, Jennifer Hudson.

Monday Musings: Happy New Year to all!

Well, the world didn't end. 

I have to say, I was dumbstruck by all the hoopla around this whole calendar date of 12/21/12. The Mayans said it would happen so it was believable? Why? Because they weren't 'Christian' therefore their predictions were more trustworthy? Really? What part of no one knows the day and the hour (or the year) do they not get? Happens every time there is a prediction as to the day, hour, or the year. You'd think people would learn but they don't. 

My personal philosophy about the earth is different. It's like searching and finding the perfect spot and designing the best environment to fit that spot—a beautiful house and grounds. If you take all that time to design it and then build it, furnish it, and set up the best ecosystems to keep it running indefinitely while providing everything needed to sustain life why would you allow all your time and effort be destroyed by renters who don't appreciate it? Wouldn't you simply give notice and remove the unappreciative renters, repair and clean  it and then move in new ones who would take care of it the way the lease reads (and trust me, there would be a lease and a copy of the owner's manual)? I would. I certainly wouldn't consider it a solution drop a bomb, incinerate it, or any number of things 'predicted' to happen to destroy it! To do something like that would say all my time and effort was for nothing. That's my personal opinion based on flawed human logic, but there you have it. 

I hope all of you had a lovely holiday season and have some great plans and goals for the new year. May it be filled with an abundance of love, faith, and happiness.

Happy New Year!

HOLIDAY STORIES: ON THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN

I love this piece by the incomparable Yvonne Lewis. I tried to analyze why it touches me so. I think because it captures the spirit of hope and the magic of the season. All I know is it's a lovely piece for the season. 

ON THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN:

Outside of a shop window,

A boy, clothes all tattered and torn.

His hair a complete mess,

His shoes all dirty and worn.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

He peered into the toy shop window.

His sad eyes were transfixed.

He looked in awesome wonder.

Holding a bundle of sticks.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

It was just coming up for Christmas,

Would he get anything at all?

He nearly jumped out of his skin,

As he heard his mother call.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

"I'm only on the outside looking in" he said.

As he noticed her anxious look.

For they were as poor as church mice,

She couldn't even afford a book.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Christmas Day dawned like any other day.

Cupboard, hardly any food.

Realization showed on his face,

That today was not going to be good.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

During the day a knock on the door,

Santa stood there looking merry.

With food for the two and toys for the boy,

For the mother a bottle of sherry.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

"I was on the outside looking in" Santa said.

As astonishment showed on their faces.

With tears in their eyes, Santa said his goodbyes,

And was whisked off to faraway places.

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