Get Lost with Lark Brennan's IRRESISTIBLY YOURS

I'm so happy to welcome Lark Brennan a Golden Heart sister--Lucky 13 to GET LOST IN A STORY! Now you can learn more about her fascinating Durand world!

Don't forget to comment for a chance to win a copy of Lark's IRRESISTIBLY YOURS.

MEET LARK BRENNAN
Lark Howard's love of reading, writing and travel has led her to a string of colorful jobs and a well-worn passport – as well as a few years spent sailing and diving in the Virgin Islands. Her travels have inspired the Durand Chronicles, a romantic suspense series with a psychic twist, which take place in some of her favorite places--the British Virgin Islands, Paris, New Orleans and Scotland. Dangerously Yours and Irresistibly Yours, are the first two books of the Durand series. Recklessly Yours will release in early 2017. When not traveling, she lives in Texas with her brilliant husband and her two adorable canine children.
Nan: I can see the love for your travels in the books!

Let's talk about IRRESISTIBLY YOURS.

THE STORY BLURB

Adrien Durand, one of the most powerful telepaths in the world, was born for a life of action and intrigue. But his father’s sudden death forces him to return to Paris to take over his family’s business empire and control the source of the Durand family’s psychic abilities. When American empath Tate Fulbright walks into his world, he suspects she's a spy for the Durands’ enemies. Even more disturbing, however, is the mysterious energy that flows between them, forming a psychic link he’s powerless to break.

Adrien’s life begins to unravel when an unknown enemy tries to abduct Tate, and threatens his family and his freedom. Just as it seems Adrien and Tate might have a chance for a future together, the danger gets up close and personal—and deadly.

READ A LITTLE 

Tate’s smile wilted as Adrien led her through the gallery of stuffed animals to reception. He was sorry to disappoint her but the sooner she was gone, the better. What had passed between them when he touched her was out of his control, and nothing in this place could ever be out of his control. That was who he was and what he was.

“Thank you,” she said. You and this enchanted place are what I’ll remember of Paris.

He’d read her thoughts and his instincts went on high alert. She sensed too much. “Would you like to have lunch?” he asked.

“I wish I could. I’m due at the convention center at one.”

“Tomorrow, perhaps? Here at twelve thirty?”

Her eyes lit up and he was rewarded with a lovely smile.

“I’d like that.” She stroked the horse’s neck on her way down the stairs. “It was nice meeting you, Maurice. Au revoir, Mr. Durand.”

His reply lodged in his throat. “Bye,” he managed as she disappeared down the stairs.

When the door below closed he whirled on the horse. “Maurice? How the hell did she know your name?”

The horse’s ear twitched. A good guess?

“I don’t think so.” He turned so he could address the room. “What’s going on here?”

Louis, a huge African lion, replied. Don’t you like her?

“I don’t even know her. And anyone showing up here with empathic abilities that strong is suspect. What if she’s a Dissembler?”

She isn’t, Maurice replied. She’s completely untrained and unguarded. You know that. You were in her head the entire time she was here.

“Forget it. I’m not looking for a woman.” Especially an empath.

The llama replied, Tate is different. She felt us. She likes us.

“That is not good. Even if she isn’t a spy, someone sent her here.”

Victor appeared in the doorway. “So who was the empath?”

“Some American tourist,” Adrien snapped.

“What’s your problem?”

He’s taking her to lunch tomorrow, a cheetah confided.

Victor grinned. “Really?”

Adrien groaned. “You’re on my side. Humans stick together.”

“She looked pretty hot to me—in a wholesome sort of way.”

“Drop it. What do you have for me?”

Victor handed him a business card. “His camera crew is due at two o’clock to plan the video shoot. In the ballroom.”

Adrien chuckled. “Then let’s go put it in order.”

They entered the ballroom and Victor leaned against the wall, awaiting directions.

Adrien crossed to the center. He stood among the stuffed animals and breathed deeply, focusing on tapping into the power of the Source below. The energy swirled and pulsed until the air crackled. Soon the power surged through him, growing, pounding, expanding until it filled his body and mind with light. Slowly he lifted his arms.

The energy flowed from the Source through him to the Guardians, pure spirits who had taken possession of the stuffed bodies over the past three centuries.

The animals began to move.

I love the Guardians in the book and your pictures. I hope we get to see more of them!

BUY THE BOOK

Available at: Diversion Books

A LIGHTING ROUND OF Q&A WITH LARK BRENNAN

NAN: How often do you get lost in a story?

LARK: All the time! Too often I crawl into bed with a book at 8:30 and don’t notice the time until midnight! That happen this week with Susan Elizabeth Phillips’ FIRST STAR I SEE TONIGHT. Love her books!

Nan: Yes. I I was up til two with FIRST STAR!

NAN: Fairy Tale or Action Adventure?

LARK: I’m definitely an action adventure kind of girl. Some of my favorite movies are the Fast and Furious series. Ditto the Bourne movies. I’m also a sucker for the Marvel superheroes—Ironman, Thor (Loki, too), Superman. Pretty much anything with lots of action is on my watch list.

Nan: Your books reflect this!

NAN: What’s your favorite movie of all time?

LARK: I’d have to say REVENGE starring Kevin Costner, Anthony Quinn and Madeline Stowe (not the TV show of the same name she starred in). Costner plays an American pilot who falls in love with Anthony Quinn’s young wife. Quinn is a Mexican don who cannot let his wife run off with his friend. Things go bad for everyone. It’s a great study in human nature with some of the best secondary characters of any movie I’ve ever seen.

Nan: Oooh - I haven't heard of this one.

NAN: Who’s your favorite villain?

LARK: My favorite book villain, Rehvenge of the Black Dagger Brotherhood series is also one of my favorite redeemed romantic heroes. He’s a drug dealer, pimp and nasty character in several books then finds redemption with a woman he falls in love with. Can’t beat that!!

Nan: Love JR Ward's character development.

NAN: Which of your characters would you most like to invite to dinner, and why?

LARK: Definitely Mark Durand, one of the Durand cousins and the hero in the final book of the Durand Chronicles. He’s very ambiguous and super-alpha—always willing to sacrifice himself for the greater good even when he’s forced to do bad things for good reasons. I know ‘damaged’ is used to describe a lot of heroes, but this guy really is! And I like his sense of humor, which is often dark. I can’t wait to write his book!

Nan: I was hoping Mark was next. :-( 

NAN: High Heels or Hiking Boots?

LARK: High heels, the taller the better. I have the most fabulous collection of 5” hand-beaded Donald Pliner pumps and I wear them almost every day!

Nan: Ouch ouch ouch!

NAN'S GOTTA ASK: Who's your celebrity crush and why?

LARK'S GOTTA ANSWER: Chris Hemsworth and if you have to ask why, you’ve never seen him. He’s gorgeous and funny and gorgeous whether he’s fierce-faced or grinning. Did I mention he’s gorgeous?

Nan: Oh yeah!

UP NEXT FOR LARK

RECKLESSLY YOURS

Nan: Can't wait.

PREVIOUS RELEASES

DANGEROUSLY YOURS 

Nan: Loved it!

FIND LARK BRENNAN

Contact: lark@larkbrennan.com

Website: www.larkbrennan.com

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

Twitter: @larkh

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/1SFjQZA

Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/larkh/

Nan: Thanks for joining the crew today! I know it's not quit sailing in the BVI, but we have a good time!

LARK  WANTS TO KNOW:    Adrien Durand is a powerful telepath, Tate is an animal telepath, and all the Durands have psychic abilities. If you could have any ability what would it be and why?

Lark will be giving away a copy of IRRESISTIBLY YOURS to a lucky commenter.

Paint the Town Dead with Nancy Haddock

Hey, Get Lost in a Story Readers, I’m popping in to say hey, and to interview National Bestselling Author Nancy Haddock whose second book in her Silver Six Crafting Series will soon hit bookstores and cyberspace. Poor Nancy and her character Nixy only thought they had they hands full during Basket Case. Looks like that scenario has turned into juggling. Please welcome back Nancy Haddock to Get Lost in a Story!

Leslee Stanton Nix—aka “Nixy”—thought moving to small-town Lilyvale, Arkansas, would be about as thrilling as watching paint dry. But keeping up with her retired Aunt Sherry and her housemates—collectively known as the Silver Six—has proven to be as exciting as it is exasperating.

To kick off the grand opening of their craft shop, the Handcraft Emporium, Nixy and the Silver Six invite Doralee Gordon to teach a gourd painting class. Nixy isn’t happy when Doralee’s ex crashes the class with his new fiancée, but things really get messy when the bride-to-be later turns up dead.

Now it’s up to Nixy and the Silver Six to use their melons to find the killer—before someone else gets painted out of the picture...

Please welcome the wonderful Nancy Haddock! 




DONNELL:  Hey, Nancy, first welcome back, and I just have to ask, what the heck is gourd painting?

NANCY: First, thank you for having me, Donnell! It’s always great to be with GLIAS, never mind hanging out with one of my favorite people!

Blue Gourd

Now to your question. The gourd family includes fruits such as pumpkins, melons, and squashes. Hard-shell gourds, used for practical items such as bowls and vases, come from a different family. When gourds are properly dried, artists can paint, etch, burn, and otherwise decorated them. You can paint gourds pretty much the same way you’d paint wood using acrylic or oil paints. The gourd can be all one color, or the paint can be layered. Or an artist can start with a solid color and then decorate with additional designs – graphics, flowers, whatever. I have a half dozen very small gourds I need to clean and then paint. Soon as I get time!

Painted Gourds at Art Fair

DONNELL:  Now, I know you and your husband are originally from Tulsa, and now live in Florida, so why on earth did you set your story in Arkansas?

NANCY: Grins, Donnell! My dad and his family were originally from the Fort Smith, Arkansas area, and he, his sister, and his parents ended up in Sapulpa, Oklahoma, a small town southwest of Tulsa. I don’t remember the story of why or when they moved, but I remember visiting family and friends in AR when I was young. My folks also had a neighbor and friend who grew up in Magnolia, Arkansas. She is a gracious lady with such a pretty accent, I decided to model my fictional town after Magnolia.

Besides, every time I tried to move the story to Florida, the characters completely rebelled.  

Etched and Polished Gourd

DONNELL:  You have six elderly characters who decide to live together, while Nixy tries to rein them all in. I’m always astonished that someone outside of the group gets murdered and not someone within. I’m going to put you on the spot – Out of all of these characters, which one is your favorite, and is there one you’d like to smack?

NANCY: LOL, Donnell! I’ve seen a few cozy authors kill off a character “close” to the prime protagonist, but it doesn’t happen often. Plus, in a small town setting, it gets dicey to kill residents right and left.

Seriously, I’ve never had the urge to smack these characters. They all entertain me, although my favorite among the Silver Six is probably Fred. He came to me so clearly, and yet he continually says things that surprise me and make me laugh. My tie for favorite isn’t a Silver Sixer. She’s the next door neighbor, “Old Lady Gilroy.” I thought Bernice Gilroy would be more or less a walk-on, but she quickly established her place in the books. She’s as feisty as Fred, but an enigma to the main character, Nixy. I have a blast writing the visits between these two!

DONNELL:  Tell us about Nixy and the hunky detective Eric Shoar. Does Eric have any competition in his future? Will he leave Nixy heartbroken?

NANCY: Being that Lilyvale is a small town without a plethora of eligible men in Nixy’s age range, Eric doesn’t have competition other than Nixy’s riding herd on the Silver Six and managing the Handcraft Emporium. Eric will definitely not leave her heartbroken, and their relationship will strengthen even more in the third book. He’s an upstanding, small-town guy, and a good cop. And hey, he remembers Nixy’s favorite Dairy Queen drinks, and he dotes on her pets! Definitely a keeper!

DONNELL:  This is a craft-based series, and you provide recipes for your readers. Are you crafty, and if so, what is your favorite craft. Considering that I am the world’s worst cook, what recipe would you like me to try?

NANCY: I have been crafty in my past, but don’t indulge nearly as much as I used to. I’ve crocheted, needlepointed, arranged artificial flowers, made wreaths large and small. I’ve even painted, mostly with acrylics, although my creations are primitive at best. It’s freeing to sweep brush strokes on canvas board and know if I turn out a horror, I can always paint over it. :)

As for recipes, I gave up cooking a long while back. Hubby is the cook and baker in the family now. That said, I have made the chicken artichoke casserole recipe that appeared in Basket Case. It’s a process, but it isn’t difficult. The recipe for pear bread is in Paint the Town Dead. I haven’t made that yet, but it seems easy enough. I don’t recommend tackling the fried okra recipe unless you (1) adore fried okra and can’t get it anywhere else, or (2) you love cooking and don’t mind cleaning up the frying mess. Honest, aren’t I? 

DONNELL:  You absolutely are! When you’re not pounding away at the keyboard where will we find you?

NANCY: Sometimes you’ll find me tending my container plants. I’ve put plants in the ground, but most of them have gone nuts. A case in point is my hibiscus. That sucker is ten feet tall, minimum. So container gardening – with weeds also contained – is more my speed.

I used to walk the beach at least a few times a week, but haven’t done that in a while. Since the beach is only a three-minute walk away, and I moved here for the beach, not walking it is a crime. I want to get back to that.

Otherwise, I’m reading, reading, reading!

DONNELL:  This is your second series.  Your first was a humorous vampire series. Now you’re dealing with senior citizens. Do vampires ever try to slip into the plot? How do you keep them at bay;)

NANCY: I have no trouble keeping vampires out of the Silver Six, but ghosts want to sneak in now and again. I alluded to Nixy “seeing” her spunky ancestress in an upper story window once, but she has her hands full with the Six. She doesn’t need a ghost complicating life. (Although it would be fun to see what Fred would say about a ghost!)

I am working on a senior vampire story that might be a scream, and on several others featuring ghosts. 

NANCY, NOW IT’S YOUR TURN.  Time to ask readers a question, and here please let me know if you’d like to do a book give away.

I’m giving away signed copies of both Basket Case and Paint the Town Dead to one commenter. US only, please.

Readers, here are two questions for you: You can answer either or both! Inquiring minds want to know!

First, what art or craft do you love doing? Have you been at it long?

Second, I know of a lot of seniors who’ve long stopped worrying about what others think. They may be perfectly polite about it, but they aren’t shy about saying and doing what they want. Do you have a senior in your life who keeps you guessing, and/ or who keeps you in stitches?

About Nancy Haddock: the award-winning and national bestselling author of the Silver Six Crafting Mysteries. Basket Case debuted in 2015, and the second book in the series, Paint the Town Dead, is a Sept. 2016 release. Nancy draws on historic wealth, southern culture, and the plain old quirkiness of places and people for her books. Learn more about her and her books at www.nancyhaddock.com

Website Facebook   Twitter: @tikinancy or @nancyhaddock   Goodreads

End of Summer GIVEAWAYS!!!

Hello, everyone!  I don't know about you, but I'm glad summer is winding down.  I live in Texas, and there's only so much heat a body can take!

I'm moving soon, and am trying to clear off some of my shelves to make packing easier.  To that end, I thought it might be nice to have an end of summer giveaway!  I've got copies of most of my books up for grabs, so scroll down and check things out.  Enter one giveaway or enter them all--it's up to you! (US only, please.)

As always, happy reading!

3 copies of DEADLY CONTACT

It's a race against time—and a fatal outbreak—in this thriller of a debut 

In one passionate night Special Agent James Reynolds and scientist Kelly Jarvis went from friends to lovers. Then Kelly walked away with only an apology. Now James is charged with solving a bioterrorist attack—and Dr. Jarvis works at the suspected lab. 

Is Kelly an accomplice or a victim? Just what are her secrets that drove her from James's bed? Soon one thing becomes clear: The ghosts of her past have nothing on the terrorists targeting her and Washington, D.C. Another threat bathes the city in red alert, and now there are lives at stake, in addition to hearts….

a Rafflecopter giveaway 3 copies of FATAL FALLOUT

Torn between duty and desire, two strangers must risk all for love 

Nuclear physicist Dr. Claire Fleming has one rule: never get close to anyone. But when her colleague is murdered and she's targeted next, she must place all her trust in FBI agent Thomas Kincannon. Soon Claire forgets her tenet as she fantasizes about Thomas's touch. 

Thomas is wildly attracted to Claire. But his life and his job are too complicated for any romantic entanglements. Despite this, they share a mind-blowing kiss, and there's no turning back. When Thomas's niece is abducted, the stakes become dangerously higher as Claire insists he trade her for the child. Somehow, Thomas must find a way to rescue his family and protect the woman who let her protective walls down just for him.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
3 copies of KILLER EXPOSURE

Toxic chemicals and instant chemistry in this tale of murder, medicine and combustible attraction! 

One minute Hannah Baker is a quiet science professor. The next, a possible murder suspect. Six victims, one per week, all poisoned with the same exotic chemical Hannah once worked with. Now she's wanted by Houston detective Owen Randall—but is it to enlist her help, or arrest her? Owen knows the prim Hannah is hiding something, but he isn't sure she's a killer. Especially after some unfortunate incidents. Is she the next victim of the chemical killer? Torn between duty and his growing feelings, Owen only knows he has less than a week to save her…

a Rafflecopter giveaway 3 copies of COLTON BABY HOMECOMING

An abandoned baby in danger brings together the Coltons of

Texas in this gripping series 

Someone has left a baby on the porch of search and rescue expert Ridge Colton's log cabin. Who? And why? A loner, Ridge knows nothing about caring for an infant. But when the woman who broke his heart years ago shows up to help, he's reminded of everything he once almost had. 

From a wealthy family, Dr. Darcy Marrow was dissuaded from loving the man whose name meant one thing in town: shame. But with a dangerous thug trying to kidnap the baby, Ridge discovers how far he'll go to protect the little one, Darcy…and his long-guarded heart.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
3 copies of ENTICED BY THE OPERATIVE

The lives of a beautiful surgeon and her DEA agent protector are at stake in this thrilling tale!  

On a medical mission to South America, Dr. Olivia Sandoval hardly expects to be threatened by a drug cartel. To save lives, Olivia agrees to transport drugs for them. When DEA agent Logan Murray appears as her partner-in-crime and rescuer, Olivia's relieved…and drawn to her knight in shining armor. 

Logan jumps at the chance to guard a beautiful woman and bring down a drug ring. After all, neither he nor Olivia are looking for forever love—just justice. But one kiss changes that as they go on the run. When taken hostage in the jungle, they must not only defeat the enemy—but also escape with their lives!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Get Lost with Debut Author Sheri Humphreys and A HERO TO HOLD!

I'm so excited to have debut author and one of my Golden Heart finalist friends joining the crew today! Please welcome Sheri Humphreys. She's here to talk about A HERO TO HOLD, which just received a starred review from Kirkus!  (That's fabulous!!) Here's a quote from the review--An enthralling, nontraditional romance accented with a little mystery.  Whoo hoo!

Before we get too far--I want to make sure you know that Sheri is giving away an ebook copy of A HERO TO HOLD. So keep reading!



MEET SHERI HUMPHREYS

After a satisfying career as an Emergency Room nurse, Sheri Humphreys closed the book on her diverse nursing experiences and followed a lifelong love for writing and historical romance to a new vocation as a writer. She lives with a Jack Russell mix rescue, Lucy, in a small town on the central California coast.




Let's find out more about A HERO TO HOLD.


THE STORY BLURB

Viscountess Charlotte Haliday has lost her illusions. Scandal took her position in Society and the husband she thought she loved, and his mysterious murder followed shortly thereafter. But now is the time to return to London, time to find whatever small portion of happiness remains to her.

The first step will be proving she is her own person, unafraid of the lies and deceit that came before. Then she will defy her father and all others who try to take away her independence. Never again will Charlotte have a husband or seek the perfect marriage of her best friend Jane, but perhaps she will dare the wrath of the gossip-mongers and indulge her tiniest desire. To do so will bring her face to face with a stranger in an alcove. It will lead to learning Mr. David Scott is not only a war hero soon to be awarded the Victoria Cross, but also the most formidable man she has ever met. Broken in every way except the ones that count, he just might make her believe in love. And only she can show him that he is not alone.

Nan: I've only just gotten past the alcove scene and already love the characters!

READ A LITTLE

David’s heart lurched as the viscountess collapsed. “Chetney!” he barked. His secretary jumped, dropped the envelope he held, caught Viscountess Haliday and laid her down on the small, upholstered divan. David watched, never more aware of his inability to stand and capture the lady himself. Even after nearly two years, he wasn’t fully accustomed to others acting in his stead.

“Get some water,” David instructed as he wheeled himself to the divan.

She seemed unnaturally pale. He removed her hatpin and hat and brushed wavy dark hair from her forehead. Her cold, clammy skin worried him. He’d seen bleeding men shiver, seen their teeth chatter, and associated such pale, cold skin with serious infirmity. He glanced at her narrow waist, wondered if he should loosen her corset. To do so would necessitate removing her bodice, and he certainly didn’t want to do that.

Her eyelids fluttered and relief eased his tenseness. They lifted, revealing her incredible violet eyes. In the days since the ball, he’d convinced himself he must have imagined their color, since he’d never seen anything like them. But they were just as beautiful as he recalled. They were also a bit hazy and unfocused.

He tugged off one of her gloves and found her skin dry, though it remained cool. He held her hand and rubbed his thumb across her palm. “Lady Haliday?”

As if following the sound of his voice, her head turned toward him.

“Ma’am? Are you all right?”

Her chest rose; her fingers wrapped around his thumb. “I feel so silly,” she murmured. “I didn’t eat today. My stomach was just too jumpy.” She blinked and gradually her expression sharpened. Her gaze rose to his face, fell to his wheelchair, and returned to his features.

She’s too shocked to hide her feelings, he thought, and clamped his teeth together. Her fingers grew lax and released his thumb. She sat up, swinging her feet down in the same motion. 

“You’ve been injured?” she asked.

He hadn’t been in his chair at the ball. Slowly, he shook his head. “It happened two years ago. I’m unable to stand or walk.”

He caught a glimpse of stark pain before her gaze dropped. Her fingers, trembling, pressed against her mouth. Silently, he swore. He’d yet to sicken a female with his useless legs, but Lady Haliday appeared to be the exception. He remembered the hunger of her mouth on his. This woman had populated more than one of his dreams since then.

“Chetney,” he yelled. Where in hell was the man?

Chetney hurried in, a glass in one hand and what looked to be brandy in the other. They exchanged looks.

“I don’t know where you got it, but it’s not a bad idea. See if you can locate a biscuit or two also, would you?” The brandy should get her blood flowing and warm her up. David took the glass from Chetney and offered it to the viscountess.

“Drink a little of this. It should make you feel a bit stronger.”

She took the glass and obligingly swallowed a sip. “I’m sorry to cause such bother.” Her eyes lifted and the compassion he saw in their purple depths almost knocked him over. She took another drink—a larger one this time—and coughed.

Anger gripped him and he rolled his chair back, putting a couple of feet between them. The first woman who’d breached his defenses, and she pitied him. How dare she—how dare she pity him? “What are you doing here?”

“If you’re Mr. Scott, then I’m to work for you.”

Nan: Nice way to force them together!

BUY THE BOOK
Available Now: ARe | Amazon | B&N |iBooks | Kobo | Smashwords |

A LIGHTING ROUND OF Q&A WITH SHERI HUMPHREYS

NAN: How often do you get lost in a story?

SHERI:  I’m a voracious reader. I’m single and retired, which leaves me with lots of time to indulge. I usually read romance, although I sometimes read nonfiction and general fiction. I keep track of my reads and want-to-reads on Goodreads. In 2015, per Goodreads, I read 179 books. That doesn’t include all the books I re-read, so the number must have been closer to 200.

I usually read in the living room on my easy chair, legs on the ottoman, dog Lucy cuddled beside me. Here I am (still) in my pajamas, Lucy dozing beside me. Note all furniture is Lucy-protected. During the day I’ve got a laptop. At night I switch to my Kindle. :D

Check out the view from my easy chair. I look right out my ceiling-to-floor windows at a magnificent oak tree that must be over a hundred years old. I call it my zen tree. Everyone who sees it is amazed and awed. Last year I had some special lighting installed, so I can enjoy the tree at night, too.

Nan: Love this tree!

NAN: What was the first story you remember writing?

SHERI: I started writing poetry in first grade. By fifth grade I was trying to write novels. These examples survived. Even then I was writing historicals! You can see I was into self-publishing. LOL

Nan: Can you say hybrid author?

NAN: What’s the first book you remember reading?

SHERI:  The first? Maybe The Little Princess (Sara Crewe). When I dug into the cedar chest to retrieve my early writing efforts for you, I found these two beauties. Like many girls of my era, I read the Nancy Drew and Cherry Ames series.

Nan: Ahhh The Little Princess. Love it.

NAN: What’s next on your reading list?

SHERI: : I have 350 books on my Goodreads “to-read” list! But ones I’ve purchased and are near the top: The Empty Throne, Bernard Cornwell; What We Find, Robyn Carr; Into the Whirlwind, Elizabeth Camden; The Girl on the Train (Paula Hawkins); The American Earl, Joan Wolf. I’m also planning on a re-read of Anything for You by Kristan Higgins. (I’ve actually been thinking about doing a marathon re-read of ALL Kristan’s books!) Book I just finished: Reaper’s Fire by Joanna Wylde.

Nan: I re-read books and series ALL THE TIME!

NAN: How do you come up with ideas for your books?

SHERI:  I worked for thirty-seven years as a nurse, twenty-five of those in the Emergency Department. And there’s always something of that part of me in every story.

In my upcoming Nightingale Series, all the heroines are former Florence Nightingale nurses, who worked in the British military hospital in Turkey during the Crimean War. There are numerous patient stories in each book.

 A Hero to Hold isn’t about a nurse, but the patient advocate part of me is alive and well in the story. Because the hero is disabled. I wanted to portray a disabled man as capable, sexy, attractive, wonderful. I wanted the reader to forget he was disabled and find him thoroughly desirable. To regard him exactly the same as they would any able-bodied man. The day I wrote, “David strode to the door,” I knew I’d succeeded. I’d forgotten David couldn’t walk! There’s also a medical crisis in the book—I just can’t keep them out!

Nan: I love the premise of the next series!

NAN: Is writing or story-telling easier for you?

SHERI: Story-telling. Definitely. It’s funny you asked, because I recently gave this some thought. Have you ever read a beautifully written story, full of gorgeous prose, that was…well…boring? And have you ever read a story that had almost terse writing that you raced through and loved? I have. I think my first example is a book by a writer who is not much of a story-teller. And the second writer is a story-teller who doesn’t add much description or anything unnecessary to the story.

I think I’m more of a story-teller. But I spend lots of time futzing with the writing. I want my books to be yummy—brimming with wonderful prose, emotion, and story. 

FIND SHERI :

Contact: sheri@sherihumphreys.com

Website:   http://sherihumphreys.com 

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

Twitter: @Sheri_Humphreys

Goodreads: Goodreads

Blogs: Sheri’s Blog

UP NEXT

The Unseducible Earl, first book of the Nightingale Series, should be available from Boroughs Publishing Group, Fall 2016.  Two more will follow in short order: By the Light of a Christmas Moon and The Seduction of Cameron MacKay.

SHERI WANTS TO KNOW:  

What’s the last book you read that you’d recommend? One lucky commenter will win an eCopy of A HERO TO  HOLD.