Author April Fools

Did you know muses love April Fool’s Day? As if authors don’t have enough to contend with, that  claim is true. My Muse certainly does love a good joke, and because I have a lot of writer friends, I know everyone else’s does, too. Why? Because, when they aren’t helping with creativity, every muse that pairs up with an author loves to make its writer look or feel foolish once in a while.

Not every muse chooses April first on which to play pranks—that would make the rest of the year too boring. But, mine happens to have chosen the prankster’s favorite holiday—today—to play a winding and intricate trick this year. And she (I have a smart but very silly female muse who is friends with my very creative but naughty female internal editor) set it up weeks ago!

Thalia, the muse of comedy: my muse's muse!

What’s the dastardly trick, you ask? Let me take you back for one minute to my history of being a great April Fool’s dupe. I might be the easiest person in the world to trick. I never think of the obvious explanation for anything first, and I never remember an old prank so will fall for it multiple times. The best example is that for at least ten years, my son would tape the trigger on my kitchen sink sprayer down and I would turn on the water and get soaked. Every. Year. He even did it a couple of times after he moved out. The sneak.

Fortunately, I’m a pretty good sport. You have to be when you’re a serial dupe. I’ve always wanted to put a chronic fall guy in a book and, so, I included April Fool’s Day in my brand new, soon-to-be-released Sottish Contemporary novel Never and Forever Scotland. I even included a brother who pulled the sink sprayer trick on my hero, and it was darn funny (okay, it was funny to me). Well…the first inkling I should have had that my muse was taking advantage of me being a good sport was when I realized, so sadly, that favored scene didn’t fit into the book. I had to leave it on the cutting room floor.

No worries! April Fool’s Day still played a part. In fact—in a GLIAS exclusive, here is the first line of Never Forever Scotland (an actual thank you, Muse):

“Ewan Portman hated practical jokes.”

Maybe you can see now why that line tickles me! And it sets up our hero Ewan’s receipt of a letter he’s certain is an April Fool’s joke—a letter telling him he’s inheriting a big piece of land in the Scottish Highlands.

Spoiler: it’s not a joke.

My muse dropped her prankster persona while we wrote this story—and we both ended up loving it—adoring it even. But then Ms. Muse picked up her impish mantle again and started leading me toward April Fool’s Day. The first thing I did was pick a release day in mid-March and Muse suggested, “No, wait, the book starts on the first of April—let’s release it on April first!”

Brilliant.

Here are four things that happened: 1) Editing took two weeks longer than anticipated; 2) There were technical issues with the cover; 3) A beta read got postponed; 4) Ms. Muse taped the sprayer down and I got soaked.

Okay, not that last one—but the other three were the writer’s equivalent of getting doused with water, aka, reality. Reality happens to writers.

So it is that Never and Forever Scotland got April Fooled and will not release on April Fool’s Day. Haha—April Fool’s! On a serious note, I just read an article aimed at authors, telling us not to be harsh with ourselves or the world when deadlines, publishing schedules, and writing progress gets changed or thwarted. It’s the world right now—pandemic brain hits authors AND it hits readers. The world is still crazy and not back to normal yet, so we have to continue rolling with the punches. I believe that. We should all be kind to ourselves and others while we get to the end of this stupid time -- and beyond.

BUT! I also believe this: I don’t think my muse has pandemic brain. I think she simply likes messing with me. And in a month—when the book DOES release—I’m gonna get her back!

 Happy April Fool’s Day, everyone! I'd love to know – do you like April Fool’s Day or do you pay it no mind? Have you ever played pranks on anyone? What was your best-ever AFD joke?      

  

 

Down the Rabbit Hole: Authors love research!

Oddly enough, one of the things most authors really do love about crafting a novel is the research we do into the subjects we’re writing about. My fellow writers and I swap stories all the time about the rabbit holes we fall into while researching a fun topic. We joke, too, that it’s often a good thing authorities can’t see our search histories. Imagine what could happen to those of us who Google “what poisons can kill without leaving a trace?” or “where can you buy plutonium?”.

Fortunately, I didn’t have to look into anything too nefarious for my latest release, “Heating Up Paradise.” My biggest research project was learning about the training and lives of smokejumper firefighters, and about the characteristics of wildfires.  I thought I’d share a few of the amazing tidbits I discovered that didn’t make it into the book.  Fun fact: 98% of the information learned on any given subject doesn’t reach the reader—but everything an author learns gives what is in the book its believability. 

At the beginning of "Heating Up Paradise," my hero, Damien Finney, is a rookie smokejumper.  I had a great time learning about everything Damien had to go through in order to make it onto a smokejumper crew--and, boy, was I impressed with these men and women!

We’ve all heard of Hotshots—the amazing firefighters who trek into the heart of wildfires and fight for days at a time. Smokejumpers take wildfire fighting to the next level by parachuting into areas that are burning but are unreachable by foot or vehicle. Currently, there are fewer than 350 certified smokejumpers in the country. Here are a few more smokejumper facts.

“Smokejumping” was pioneered in the United States, and smokejumpers have been active here since 1939. The first women joined the smokejumper program in 1981. 

 Smokejumper training is extremely rigorous, and crew members have to pass the physical tests every year in order to remain on their crews.  The minimum physical training test at one of the biggest bases in the country consists of the following:

            7 pull-ups

45 sit-ups

25 push-ups

Run 1.5 miles in less than 11 minutes

They also must be able to carry 110-pounds of gear a distance of three miles in 90 minutes or less—to prove they can pack out their gear after a fire, sometimes up to 10 miles or more.

In addition to physical fitness, smokejumpers have to have further specialized skills:

Aircraft exiting procedures

Parachute malfunction and emergency procedures

Parachute maneuvering

Parachute and cargo retrieval

Tree climbing

Fire line operations and management.

Smokejumper suits are custom made because they are so specialized—with high collars, heavy padding to cushion landings and friction rings to help them climb up and down trees. Smokejumpers are their own tailors and they also repair all other equipment like parachutes and harnesses.

One of the most important members of a smokejumper crew is a spotter. This is an expert with years of experience who can gauge the fire, wind speed, and geography from the plane so that he or she can coordinate the jumps and make sure the firefighters land safely.

When fire activity nationwide is low, smoke jumpers participate in disaster relief, emergency management, and act as advisors for other fire suppression work. They also help in many situations where parachuting isn’t required—they are the elites of the firefighting world and many have advanced degrees in wildfire management and fire rescue.

One of the things that got me interested in smokejumpers many years ago was reading Nora Roberts’ 2011 book “Chasing Fire.” It's the story of a brilliant female smokejumper wrongfully accused of causing a fellow firefighter’s death. The detail in the book is astounding, and after all my research, I believe it was accurate, too.
That’s one of the reasons writers like research so much—one little thing sparks an interest, takes us “down the rabbit hole” to learn more and, with luck, results in a book we’re proud to share!

I hope you enjoyed sharing a little of my recent research. What books have drawn you in over the years because they contained information on a subject you love or learned to love by reading?

Lizbeth Selvig

Heating Up Paradise -- Book 5 in the Seven Brides for Seven Cowboys series. 

AMAZON     B&N     APPLE    KOBO     

Come find me on FACEBOOK or at my WEBSITE

NEW RELEASE! RETURN TO PARADISE RANCH WITH LIZBETH SELVIG IN "HEATING UP PARADISE"

Hi GLIAS Family!

I’m thrilled to be here sharing my brand new novel, HEATING UP PARADISE, with you. It’s my first new book in a year—and the first “Seven Brides for Seven Cowboys” book in two years. My long “sabbatical” was filled with writing discoveries and a few sweats and tears—but I’m really pleased with the book that resulted and I hope you will be, too.

HEATING UP PARADISE is the fifth of seven books in the Seven Brides saga—the stories of the Crockett sisters, who inherit their family’s 50,000-acre Paradise Ranch in western Wyoming. Each woman left home years before and now has a career and a career path far from ranching. What could possibly convince them, one by one, to stay in Wyoming and change course? Why, true love. What else?

So, the men who become part of Paradise Ranch have to be worthy of the challenge and the legacy. And I truly believe each one is!

The first three books in the series feature the oldest Crockett girls—Harper ("The Bride Wore Denim"); Mia ("The Bride Wore Red Boots"); and Joely ("The Bride Wore Starlight") and their strong, worthy heroes Cole, Gabe, and Alec. 

 The next three books feature (and will feature) the Crockett triplets:  Grace,
Kelly, and Raquel--named for their father's two favorite movie stars!).  BETTING ON PARADISE told Grace and Ty’s story. (Coming early 2022: SEARCHING FOR PARADISE, Raquel’s story.)

But today we're celebrating HEATING UP PARADISE—Kelly and Damien’s story! What could a chef and a smokejumper firefighter possibly have in common? Here’s a little about the book:

She has dreams as big as the Tetons of her home. He can’t unlock the dreams that haunt him. Neither has time for love. But, this is Paradise…

Kelly Crockett longs to be known for her culinary skill. But achieving her dream seems impossible when Fate insists on sabotaging every idea for transforming her award-winning Denver coffee-and-sandwich shop into a top-tier restaurant.

Kelly’s life’s-a-party attitude helps her stand out from her triplet sisters, but it’s useless when a fire at her restaurant sends her appearance on a career-building cooking show up in flames. Devastated, she heads home to vast and beautiful Paradise Ranch where, while helping in her sister’s new restaurant, she conceives a bold plan for rescuing her dreams. But Fate isn’t done throwing obstacles in her path, not the least of which is a gorgeous but troubled man who’s all wrong for her.

Damien Finney believes that after three years as a firefighter, two tours in Afghanistan, and one year in PTSD therapy, he’s ready to leave hell and start the next chapter of his life. After rigorous training, he’s earned a spot on an elite smokejumper crew, but then a failed jump lands him right back on the Devil’s doorstep.

After Afghanistan, Damien found healing at Paradise Ranch in a program that paired veterans with wild mustangs. With his smoke-jumping career in jeopardy, he returns to the ranch and the horses, seeking a miracle cure to save his future. The last thing he needs is a bubbly extrovert-of-a-woman invading his refuge and throwing his plans off course.

Although they fight it, the heat between Kelly and Damien’s opposite personalities builds, but there’s trouble in Paradise: Kelly’s plans cause strife with her sisters. Damien’s past haunts him. And when wildfires threaten the land they both love, each must decide if the heat will forge a new future or tear them apart. Are they brave enough to see that buried beneath the dreams they hoped for is the dream they actually need—one that’s theirs together?

This book is filled with so many adventures as Kelly and Damien struggle to learn what’s important to them. One of the major themes in this book is the healing power of horses. Fun fact: Damien appeared in Book 2 “The Bride Wore Red Boots” as a veteran struggling with Traumatic Brain Injury and PTSD. In that book, his mare Panacea
was his healing grace. Pan and her colt Apollo play huge roles in this new book—and Damien spends a lot of  time looking for Pan’s roots and hoping for more healing strength. I loved writing about the horses again—pure magic. 

 For her part, Kelly thinks she knows exactly what she wants in life – to work with a
Michelin-starred chef and become a top-tier chef herself. She does get her chance and what she learns surprises her and makes her rethink her relationship with her triplet sisters.

I love when my characters teach me something as I write and learn about them. I think HEATING UP PARADISE has lots of life lessons about trust, patience, loyalty and love. But it also has some plain fun moments! I hope you’ll check it out and enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! 

You can find HEATING UP PARADISE in e-book at the following e-tailers. The paperback version will be available within a few days as well!

                 AMAZON        BARNES & NOBLE         APPLE         KOBO

I have a signed, paperback copy of BETTING ON PARADISE, the book that precedes HEATING UP PARADISE. Just let me know below why you read romance novels.  Do simply want to escape into love? Do you like books that touch on important themes? Do love romantic comedy? I’d love to know what makes you fall into a good romance! And I'd love to keep in touch -- here's how to find me practically anywhere!! 

(Be sure to include your email address if you want to be in on the drawing for the book!)

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New from Harlequin Desire!

A new cover design launches six new books from Harlequin Desire! Have you added any of these great books to your TBR stack?

FROM BOARDROOM TO BEDROOM by Jules Bennett
Texas Cattleman’s Club: Inheritance

Sophie Blackwood needs the truth to take back what rightfully belongs to her family. Working for media CEO, Nigel Townshend, is the way to do it. What she doesn’t expect is their undeniable attraction. Will her feelings for her British playboy boss derail everything?


ONE LITTLE INDISCRETION by Joss Wood
Murphy International

After their night of passion, auction house CEO Carrick Murphy and art detective Sadie Slade aren’t looking for anything more. But, when she learns she’s pregnant, they must overcome their troubled pasts for a chance at lasting happiness…


TEMPORARY WIFE TEMPTATION by Jayci Lee
The Heirs of Hansol

To keep his role as CEO, Garrett Song needs to find a bride and fast. And, Natalie Sobol is the perfect candidate. But, their marriage of convenience is rocked when real passion takes over. Can a bargain that was only supposed to be temporary last forever?


BLAME IT ON THE BILLIONAIRE by Naima Simone
Blackout Billionaires

Nadia Jordan certainly didn’t plan on spending the night with Grayson Chandler during the blackout, but the bigger surprise comes when he introduces her as his fake fiancée to avoid his family’s matchmaking! But even a fake relationship can’t hide their real chemistry…


RULE BREAKER by Joanne Rock
Dynasties: Mesa Falls

Despite his bad boy persona, Mesa Falls ranch owner Weston Rivera takes his job very seriously — a point he makes clear to meddlesome financial investigator April Stephens. Stranded together by a storm, their attraction is searing, but can it withstand their differences once the snow clears?


HIS FORBIDDEN KISS by Jessica Lemmon
Kiss and Tell

Heiress Taylor Thompson never imagined her night would end with kissing a mysterious stranger — let alone her reluctant date’s older brother, Royce Knox! Their spark can’t be denied but will family and professional pressure keep them to just one kiss?

If you've read any of these wonderful novels, leave a comment and let me know!

Best friends fur-ever...

DOG PARK SWEETHEARTS

Welsh Sisters #1

Best friends fur-ever...

Autumn Welsh has a full life. Dream job. Loyal dog. Good friends. And a happy family. Or it would be, if she could stop worrying about her dad. He needs to get out, live a little, maybe even find someone special. And she has the perfect woman in mind. With the help of her steadfast, dog-park buddy Noah, she sets out to help her father find companionship just in time for Valentine's day. Little does she guess that her dad won't be the only one finding love...

Restoration expert Noah Contreras was all in favor of Autumn’s matchmaking. His mother was lonely and her father was too. So why not give them a little push toward one another? Besides, spending time with Autumn is always an adventure. From giving art lessons to helping with pet adoption events, she embraces life with an energy and joy Noah finds irresistible. But Noah’s contract is almost finished, and he'll soon have to move on.

Does he dare ask Autumn to be his Valentine, when he might not be around for the rest of the year?

READ A LITTLE, BUY THE BOOK

Sasha Summers grew up surrounded by books. Her passions have always been storytelling, romance and travel--passions she uses when writing. Now a best-selling and award winning-author, Sasha continues to fall a little in love with each hero she writes. From easy-on-the-eyes cowboy, sexy alpha-male werewolves, to heroes of truly mythic proportions, she believes that everyone should have their happy ending--in fiction and real life.

Sasha lives in the suburbs of the Texas Hill country with her amazing and supportive family and her beloved grumpy cat, Gerard, The Feline Overlord. She looks forward to hearing from fans and hopes you'll visit her online.

STAY CONNECTED

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THE ROMANCE INTERVIEW

ANGI: What’s your favorite Valentine gift or have you received it yet? 

SASHA: A handmade present – literally made-up of the handprints of my kids. The older they’ve gotten, the more I love that print.

ANGI: What’s your favorite Valentine flower?

SASHA: Believe it or not, I like white carnations. Does that make me weird?

ANGI: What’s your favorite Valentine/Love saying?

SASHA: I don’t think people say, “I love you” enough. So, I’d say that. I know, I know—it’s not exactly the most original answer.

ANGI: Which Valentine film can you watch over and over without falling asleep?

SASHA: I love the movie Valentine’s Day. It does a wonderful job or addressing all forms of love – at all ages. Let’s face it, we’re never too old for love.

ANGI: What’s your favorite Valentine candy you’d share with friends?

SASHA: I would say a box of chocolates but I’m off sugar now (two years) so I’d have to say berries. Or even a low-carb keto cake or cupcakes.

ANGI: What is your favorite Valentine tradition?

SASHA: Valentine’s cards. It’s all about taking the time to show you care, right? In this day and age of social media and texts, there’s something truly meaningful about taking the time to show you care.

UP NEXT for SASHA:

JACE

Kings of Country #1

Available March 31 2020

Let the music carry you away in this brand-new series featuring the King family and their country music dynasty

Music is all he has...but is it enough to heal them both?

Jace Black went from an oilfield roughneck to an overnight singing sensation. Now he's working on a duet with country music legend Krystal King, and he's determined to earn his way to the top. But the more time he spends with Krystal, the more he finds himself falling for her—and he's beginning to be more interested in her than he is in making a name for himself.

Krystal King grew up on stage and in the spotlight. No matter how golden her life appears, her past left deep wounds. But Jace Black makes her wish things were different. To do that, she'd have to risk letting him in... And that might be too big a risk for her battered heart to take.

 Read a little, Buy the book

PREVIOUSLY RELEASED by SASHA:

SWEET ON THE COWBOY

The Draegers of Last Stand Texas #1

If you can't stand the heat...

Lam Draeger’s deep wounds from the death of his young son and his subsequent divorce were still healing when he was saddled with his running his family’s cattle and rodeo stock ranch and the responsibility of raising his siblings and keeping them out of trouble. His every moment is devoted to running the ranch and business smoothly. He’s had no time to mourn his many losses or try to rebuild his personal life. And romance? Out of the question, no matter how sweet the temptation.

...don't fall in love in the kitchen

Single mom Gwen Hobbs is right back where she swore she’d never be – cooking in the kitchen at the Draeger ranch just like her mom before her. But since her fiancé and the father of her daughters walked out on her, taking all their savings with him, she’s forced to be practical. So she vows to ignore the attraction that hums between her and Lam and to stop dreaming of becoming a chef. But when Lam suggests she audition for a cooking competition, Gwen realizes that not all her dreams are out of reach, and her growing hopes extend far beyond a professionally tricked-out kitchen.

Read a little, Buy the book

 

FALLING FOR THE BILLIONAIRE WOLF AND HIS BABY

Blood Moon Brotherhood #1

 

When Jessa Talbot’s boss offered her a promotion, she agreed—no questions asked. Her family needed the money, but fighting the attraction she feels for her brooding employer is tough. Worse, she instantly bonds with his infant son she’s caring for. But this is a temporary solution and she can’t get attached to either of them.

Finnegan Dean is cursed. He’s a nicely dressed monster, the wolf inside always looking for a way out. But there are two things he and his wolf agree on. They must protect baby Oscar and Jessa—his mate. While the wolf hungers to seal their bond, Finn fights the instinct. After all, if he really cares for her, he’d never doom her to the life he lives.

Read a little, Buy the book

your host, Angi Morgan

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