Get Lost in Pipe Dreams and Ashantay Peters

Get Lost in a Story Readers, I’m delighted to introduce to you Ashantay Peters.  I had the lovely opportunity to meet Ms. Peters a few years back. She’s charming and fun, and I know you will love her, too. She’s also a romantic suspense author with the Wild Rose Press, and as you will soon learn she also dabbles in fantasy and PIPE DREAMS. Let’s get to know her further, want to?

 ABOUT PIPE DREAMS:

 Abigail Stephens left her past behind or did she? When she moved to Blue Peak, she expected to find sanctuary and a new start. Instead, her new home includes a hippie, a ghost with a mission, and a sexy coffee house owner who undermines her plans.

Carlos Young quit teaching when his fiancée left him for another professor. He’s avoided dating, but his mother’s demand for grandchildren is unceasing and more attractive once he meets Abby.

She resists his overtures...for now. Can an intrusive mother, a reticent ghost, and a run-down house bring Abby and Carlos together or will they continue to live pipe dreams?

 

Excerpt

         “So are you the new owner of this wreck?”

         Her hands clenched, along with her jaw. “I’m the proud owner of what will soon be a lovely home.”

         He snorted. “You planning to have this in shape any time before winter? Because from where I’m standing, you’ll need more than a mop.”
         Abigail’s ears heard echoes of Rich. “I have power tools, and I know how to use them. You have an issue with that?”
         “No, I don’t have an issue. You’ve got work ahead of you. Just sayin’. I guess you’ll be hiring a crew for the big stuff, right?”
         Abigail threw her shoulders back. This guy sounded exactly like Rich. Bossy. “I can handle it.” She’d already sub-contracted the larger jobs, but that wasn’t his business.
         His mouth drew into a tight line, his hands fisted on his hips. “Sorry to bother you. I stopped because it looked like you might need a hand. Guess I misunderstood.”
         Dropping his hands, Carlos turned to leave, looking back with a frown. “Good luck with this place. Come on, Henry, we’re not needed here.”
         Henry paused, allowing her to ruffle his fur. He broke into a run, following the pissed-off man. An imp on her shoulder prodded her to call after him, “Bye, Henry. You can come visit anytime.” Sotto voce she added, “But leave your human home.”
         The dog’s owner kept walking with his shoulders up around his chin.
“Men,” she huffed under her breath. “Just a bunch of know-it-all jackasses. And the good-looking ones are the worst.”

~~~  AND NOW, LET'S MEET ASHANTAY PETERS!

 

DONNELL:  Ashantay, welcome. What an intriguing blurb and excerpt, and why are the good-looking ones the worst ;) I love that we’re in your heroine’s point of view and we see she’s comparing Carlos to Rich. I immediately felt sympathy for Abigail. These two are going to have their work cut out for them to get to the happily ever after. Conflict is hard for some writers. How about you?

ASHANTAY: Hmm. Okay, I’ll fess up. My first books were way too nice. Bo-ring, right? Then I learned to do nasty things to my characters for their own good. Ha! Now, late at night after putting my protagonists through the wringer, I rub my hands together and cackle.

 DONNELL:  Blue Peak. I take it this is fictional? Is this based in North Carolina?  You live in such beautiful country.  Is this where Blue Peak is based?

ASHANTAY: Good guess, Donnell. Blue Peak is a fictional town filled with quirky, down-to-earth folks, and based on a small town in my area. I live south of Asheville, North Carolina, not far from a section of the Blue Ridge Parkway. The Appalachians aren’t as rugged as the Rockies, but are truly “purple mountain majesties” at dusk.

 DONNELL:  What is your favorite thing about writing? Do you love the first draft, the revision process, creating the characters…?  Do you outline or plot?

ASHANTAY: I enjoy the whole writing process, though sometimes I’d like to throw my keyboard through the front window. You know, those times when nothing seems to work and the 30k words you’ve sweated out seem meant for the waste basket. Then I take a break and fewer words meet the delete key than expected. Do I outline?  I’m one of those strange hybrids of pantser and plotter. I start with a general story line then allow the characters to flesh it out themselves. Ooh, yes, I hear voices. Insistent voices.

 DONNELL:  When you’re not writing, where will we find you?

ASHANTAY:  In the garden. I love to play in the dirt. If I’m not there, you’ll find me volunteering at the local library or reading. Or eating. Eating is good.

 DONNELL:  What is the most interesting thing you have in your closet?

ASHANTAY: Hang on, I’ll have to look. Oof! Ouch! Clatter. Bang! Let’s see. I’ve got some cool shoes, a handmade pieced and painted silk tunic, and two etched cranberry glass vases that came to me from my mother. (Yes, I cheated and listed more than one thing.) (I am not ashamed.)

DONNELL:  Who inspired you to write, and do you have a book you’ve read over and over again?

ASHANTAY: Gosh, that’s a difficult question. Agatha Christie was an early inspiration, along with Carolyn Keene’s Nancy Drew stories.  I’ve read many--let me stress many--books more than once.  Sometimes a girl just wants to curl up with an old friend.

 

I LOVE THAT, ASHANTAY. I REREAD BOOKS TOO FOR THE SAME REASON. READERS, ASHANTAY WILL BE ENTERING COMMENTERS IN A DRAWING TO WIN PIPE DREAMS.  AND HOW ABOUT ANSWERING THIS QUESTION:  DO YOU READ BOOKS MORE THAN ONCE?

  

Web site -www.ashantay.com

Email - ashantay.peters@gmail.com

Facebook – http://www.facebook.com.ashantay.peters

https://www.amazon.com/author/ashantaypeters

 Buy Links

The Wild Rose Press – http://www.wildrosepublishing.com/maincatalog_v151/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=195&products_id=6139

Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Pipe-Dreams-Ashantay-Peters-ebook/dp/B00U00CT4K/ref=sr_1_8?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1426516733&sr=1-8&keywords=pipe+dreams

 

 

RITA AWARD WINNER CAROLINE LINDEN

LOVE in the 

TIME of SCANDAL

the Scandals series, book #4

Avon

Penelope Weston does not like Benedict Lennox, Lord Atherton. He may be the suave and charming heir to an earl, as well as the most handsome man on earth, but she can't forget how he abandoned a friend in need-nor how he once courted her sister, Abigail. He's the last man she would ever marry. If only she didn't feel so attracted to the arrogant scoundrel…

Once upon a time, Benedict thought he and Penelope got along rather well. But, though he needs a wealthy bride to escape his cruel father's control, spirited Penelope just doesn't suit his plans for a model marriage—until a good deed goes awry, and scandalous rumors link his name to Penelope's. She might not be the quiet, sensible wife he thought he wanted, but she is beautiful … beguiling … and far more passionate than he ever imagined. Can a marriage begun in scandal become a love match, too?

Read a Little, Buy the Book

CAROLINE LINDEN knew from an early age she was a reader, but not a writer. Despite an addiction to Trixie Belden and Nancy Drew, she studied physics and dreamed of being an astronaut. She earned a math degree from Harvard College and then wrote software for a financial services firm, all the while reading everything in sight, but especially romance. Only after she had children, and found herself with only picture books to read, did she begin to make up a story of her own. To her immense surprise, it turned out to be an entire novel--and it was much more fun than writing computer code. Eleven years, fourteen books, three Red Sox championships, and one dog later, she has never been happier with her decision. She lives with her family in New England.

THE SCANDALOUS QUESTIONS

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

CAROLINE: Not often enough! While writing a book, I usually read research books. Then I binge-read between books but that time is getting shorter and shorter.

ANGI: Can you tell us about a real-life hero you’ve met?

CAROLINE: I will say my grandfather, who served as a medic in Italy during WWII, then came home and raised my wonderful dad and aunt. And also my grandmother, who married him a few weeks before Pearl Harbor and then hardly saw him for the next four years.

ANGI: What do you like about the hero of your book?

CAROLINE: The hero of my book, Benedict, has been through a lot, with an abusive father, yet he’s still determined to be a decent—if scarred and flawed—human. I made his mother and sisters very important to him, to give him love and sympathy in his childhood.

ANGI: Benedict Cumberbatch or Chris Pine?

CAROLINE: Benedict Cumberbatch all the way

ANGI: Hiking Boots or Dancing Heels?

CAROLINE: More boots than heels.

ANGI: Would you rather be in a Fairy Tale or Action Adventure?

CAROLINE: Can’t I have both? ;-)

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

CAROLINE: Hmm. Hard to choose one, but SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE is one I can watch over and over.

ANGI: What's your most favorite thing to do in your state?

CAROLINE: We have a lot to do here in Massachusetts! Catching a game at Fenway is usually fun (some years more than others), and walking the Freedom Trail is always interesting for its visits to the real places where the American Revolution started. Then there’s the re-enactment of the Battle of Lexington and Concord. We also have skiing and fabulous museums and great restaurants and whale watching cruises… But I think my single favorite thing is spending a few days on the beach, especially on Martha’s Vineyard. It’s quiet and beautiful even if the water is always too cold to go into.

ANGI: What’s your favorite meal?

CAROLINE: Steak Frites, with a good red wine. Mmmm.

ANGI: If you could have your favorite movie star for one day, what would you do?

CAROLINE: Mostly just ask questions, about how he/she chooses a script or thinks a role feels right; how good actors end up in bad movies; what it’s really like as a profession… And then I’d made sure to get a thousand photos of us together to fill my twitter page with.

ANGI’S GOTTA ASK: Hey Caroline, since you live near Boston (and love baseball), I thought I’d take advantage of your experience. My daughter will be traveling to Boston in the fall for a weekend. (She also loves baseball.) Besides visiting Fenway…what’s your favorite touristy sight and favorite romantic place?

CAROLINE’S GOTTA ANSWER: You have to visit the Boston Public Garden. It’s right downtown, and so beautiful, if you can go when the weather is nice. And of course in summer you should take a ride in the swan boats. Across the street is the Boston Common, full of history, but also where you can have a picnic on the grass and, depending on the day, see costumed Colonial guides or a musical performance or just play catch. A few subway stops away is Fenway Park, where you can see the Red Sox in person (er… tickets may be freely available, unless the team starts pitching better soon) or hang out at one of the local restaurants with the game on the giant screens.

For romance… I suggest dinner somewhere on the Seaport waterfront. Nothing is better on a fine summer evening.

FIND CAROLINE

Contact    Website     Facebook     Twitter @Caro_Linden

Goodreads   Pintrest   Previously on GLIAS

UP NEXT for CAROLINE

LOVE IN THE TIME OF SCANDAL     

Scandalous series #3

Read a little, Buy the book 

PREVIOUS RELEASES by CAROLINE

ALL’S FAIR IN LOVE and SCANDAL

a Scandals novella, book #3

Read a little, Buy the book

IT TAKES A SCANDAL

Scandal series, book #2

Read a little, Buy the book

LOVE AND OTHER SCANDALS

Scandal series, book #1

Read a little, Buy the book

CAROLINE is giving away 1 copy of IT TAKES A SCANDAL

CHOOSE: North America Readers or International giveaway

Note: COMMENTERS are encouraged to leave a contact email address to speed the prize notification process. Offer void where prohibited. Prizes will be mailed to North America addresses only unless specifically mentioned in the post. Odds of winning vary due to the number of entrants. Winners of drawings are responsible for checking this site in a timely manner. If prizes are not claimed in a timely manner, the author may not have a prize available. Get Lost In A Story cannot be responsible for an author's failure to mail the listed prize. GLIAS does not automatically pass email addresses to guest authors unless the commenter publicly posts their email address.

ANGI'S back next Monday with

Kimberly Kincaid

UP NEXT ON GLIAS:  It's A Mystery

~Angi Morgan

Get Lost on Goodreads, Facebook

or @GetLostInAStory  #GetLostStories

CAROLINE WANTS TO KNOW: What book would you most like to see turned into a movie?

PHYLLIS BOURNE JOINS GLIAS for the day

MOONLIGHT KISSES

Espresso Empire, book #2

Harlequin Kimani Romance

Desire is more than skin-deep

It's just Sage Matthews's luck that the man stirring her dormant passions wants to buy her cosmetics company. Cole Sinclair inherited the kind of success Sage is working hard to build, and after almost ten years away, he's back to save his own empire. Takeover bid: denied. But in the bedroom, their rivalry morphs into sizzling chemistry. And Sage is falling dangerously fast for the wild streak beneath Cole's designer suits.

Sage's up-and-coming company is a thorn in Cole's side. If they can't agree to terms, both will be eliminated by the competition. From Nashville to sultry Milan, he's using all his seductive powers of persuasion. But the kind of partnership Sage craves takes compromise and trust—and the courage to go beyond the surface to find what's real…

Read a Little, Buy the Book

A former newspaper crime reporter, PHYLLIS BOURNE writes romantic comedy to support her lipstick addiction. A two-time Romance Writer’s of America Golden Heart finalist, she has also been nominated for a RT BOOKReviews Reviewer’s Choice Award and won the prestigious Georgia Romance Writer’s Maggie Award of Excellence. When she’s not at the computer, Phyllis can be found at a cosmetics counter spending the grocery money. 

THE MOONLIT Q&A

ANGI: How often to you get lost in a story?

PHYLLIS: Every night. LOL!  I read myself to sleep, so my poor husband is always rolling over on my Kindle.

ANGI: What’s your favorite cartoon character?

PHYLLIS: Bart Simpson. His character is so well written, I often forget he’s a cartoon.

ANGI: Benedict Cumberbatch or Chris Pine?

PHYLLIS: Benedict Cumberbatch! I’m a sucker for brainy men. While I don’t actually know if Benedict is one, he plays a super-smart hunk on Sherlock. That’s good enough for me.

ANGI: What is your best wish come true?

PHYLLIS: Seeing my first book, A Moment on the Lips (February 2006), on a bookstore shelf for the first time was the very best dream come true. It was an amazing moment. My husband made so many sacrifices so I could have it, I was thrilled to make him proud.

ANGI: What’s your favorite rerun on television?

PHYLLIS: The Simpsons. It’s hilarious, and I never get tired of it. Once they were a category on Jeopardy, it was the only time I nailed every question.

 

ANGI: What’s your favorite meal?

PHYLLIS: Salmon and avocado sushi roll from Whole Foods.

ANGI: What is your biggest vice?

PHYLLIS: I’m a make-up and Post-it note junkie! I can spend hours cruising the aisles of Sephora and Office Max. At the grocery store, I’ve been known to come home with bags filled with lipsticks, mascaras and Post-it notes. No food.

ANGI: If you could have your favorite movie star for one day, what would you do?

PHYLLIS: Lenny Kravitz. I’d spend the day trying to get some of his ageless cool to rub off on me.

ANGI’S GOTTA ASK: Hi Phyllis, your bio mentions you were a crime reporter. Is there a story you can share?

PHYLLIS HAS GOTTA ANSWER: A big story had broken, which sent the entire newsroom into a frenzy of activity. Editors were shouting orders and phones were ringing off the hook. Every reporter in the office had to drop what they were doing to either work the phones or hit the streets to cover every angle of it. This was serious business, folks. In the midst of the chaos, an editorial assistant answered the phone and shouted above the ruckus: “Phyllis, Barnes & Noble is on the phone. They said The Viscount Vagabond just came in for you!” The newsroom went silent as everyone turned to stare at me. Part of me wanted to fall through the floor, but mostly I wanted to head to B & N to grab my book!

FIND PHYLLIS

Website     Facebook     Twitter  @PhyllisBourne     

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 Sign Up for Phyllis’ Newsletter

UP NEXT for PHYLLIS

HEATED MOMENTS

Espresso Empire, book #3

December 1, 2015

PREVIOUS RELEASES by PHYLLIS

FALLING INTO FOREVER

Wintersage Weddings, book 1

Read a little, Buy the book

EVERY ROAD TO YOU

Espresso Empire, book 1

Read a little, Buy the book

SWEETER TEMPTATION

Kimani Hotties

Read a little, Buy the book

PHYLLIS is giving away a signed copy of Moonlight Kisses and a $10 Amazon card. (North America Readers)

Note: COMMENTERS are encouraged to leave a contact email address to speed the prize notification process. Offer void where prohibited. Prizes will be mailed to North America addresses only unless specifically mentioned in the post. Odds of winning vary due to the number of entrants. Winners of drawings are responsible for checking this site in a timely manner. If prizes are not claimed in a timely manner, the author may not have a prize available. Get Lost In A Story cannot be responsible for an author's failure to mail the listed prize. GLIAS does not automatically pass email addresses to guest authors unless the commenter publicly posts their email address.

ANGI'S back tomorrow with

CAROLINE LINDEN

~Angi Morgan

Get Lost on Goodreads, Facebook

or @GetLostInAStory  #GetLostStories

PHYLLIS WANTS TO KNOW: What's one of your embarrasing moments?

E.E. Burke's BEST OF THE WEST featuring Holly Bush

Today, I have a new BEST OF THE WEST guest, Holly Bush. She writes layered, emotional stories, tackling tough subjects and wounded souls--just the kind of books I love to read. You might recall Holly is listed as one of blogger/reviewer Kim Rocha's top picks in Western Historical Romance for her book Train Station Bride. Today we're featuring the next in the series, Contract to Wed.

1891 . . . Jolene Crawford Crenshaw, heiress and Boston socialite, went from her family home directly to Landonmore upon her marriage, the mansion she shared with her handsome and charismatic husband. She’d never in her life worried in the slightest over anything as crass as the dollars required to maintain that home or the lifestyle she’d been born to.  Her extensive yearly wardrobe, the stables and the prime horseflesh within it, even the solid silver forks and knifes that graced her table, were expected and required to maintain the social standing that she’d cultivated over the years. But suddenly she was a widow with little money and just her pride and her secrets to keep her upright.

Max Shelby made his fortune in oil wells and cattle, but lost the love of his life the day his wife died. Now, his happy, carefree daughter needs instruction and guidance as she grows into a young lady and his dream of becoming a Senator from his adopted state of Texas seems out of reach with few political or social connections. The right wife would solve both problems. As it happens, his sister knows of a woman, a recent widow, charming, beautiful and socially astute, but in reduced circumstances, who may want to begin again. Max signed the wedding contract sight unseen.

Will Jolene be able to shed her sorrows, anger and fears to begin anew away from the censure and hidden tragedy that marred her life? Is her new husband, confident, strong and capable Max Shelby, the man, the only man, to see past her masks to find the woman beneath?

Here's an excerpt:

Boston, October 1891

Prologue

Jolene Crawford Crenshaw sat on one of two chairs just feet from the burial plot. Graveyard attendants held the ropes suspending the casket above a deep hole in the ground and began to let loose their ends, inches at a time. Jolene watched the casket disappear as it was slowly lowered into the ground. Her husband’s mother shuddered when the box was no longer visible above the grass, then lurched forward, and sobbed aloud.

Jolene sat back in her chair and stared straight ahead while her brother-in-law knelt on the ground to embrace and comfort his mother. Jolene listened to the drone of the minister’s final words. The netting on her hat whipped against her face as mourners moved away and the wind was free to chill her.

“Come, Jolene,” her sister Jennifer said. “Turner’s brother will attend Mrs. Crenshaw. Come away, dear.”

Jolene looked up at her younger sister, giving direction to her, and very nearly corrected Jennifer aloud. But that would not do. No one must think her as anything but a grieving widow. She nodded at Jennifer, stood, and allowed her father, William Crawford, to wrap one arm about her and hold her other arm, as if she were going to crumble at any moment. They were stopped, almost immediately, by Evelyn Prentiss. She clutched Jolene’s hand.

“My dear, I am so terribly sorry about this, especially considering . . . well, I’m just terribly sorry.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Prentiss,” Jolene said. “We are bearing up as best we can.”

“Of course you are,” she said and looked away for a brief moment. “Where is Jane? Where is your mother today?”

“Not feeling well, I’m afraid,” her father said. “We didn’t think this chilly weather would be good for her. She is, of course, devastated that she was unable to attend.”

Evelyn Prentiss nodded. “I will wait a few days and call on her then.”

“She will be happy for the diversion, Mrs. Prentiss,” Jennifer said.

Her father turned to the waiting carriage and handed her and her sister inside. Jolene leaned her head back against the tufted leather seat and closed her eyes. How long until she was in her own rooms and able to shed this façade?

“Will you be checking in on Mother before you go home to Landonmore?” Jennifer asked. “She has letters and telegrams that have arrived for you.”

“I won’t have time to visit with Mother,” she said. “I’ll be accepting visitors this afternoon and imagine there will be a significant number of them.”

“There will be, I’m sorry to say,” her father said. “Even with Turner’s sometimes curious behavior as of late, his Boston connections are sterling. There will be some from Washington, as well.”

“What time should I arrive, Jolene? I’m going to stop in to see Mother and then will make myself available to you. Are you coming, Father?” Jennifer asked.

“If Jolene wants me there, I will,” he said and faced her. “What would you prefer?”

She would prefer that she was far, far away from the questions. That she was somewhere no one knew her. She could not take the pity, she thought, with some anger. She could not! Jolene took deep breaths to calm her racing heart and looked at her sister.

“You’ve no need to trouble yourself, Jennifer. Certainly there is something you would prefer to be doing other than holding my hand, and making dreadfully repetitive small talk.”

Jennifer stared at her incredulously. “Jolene,” she said softly. “You are my sister, and your husband has just died. A young man, no less, a tragedy. I will stay with you while you make your greetings to Turner’s friends. Julia would as well if she were able to be here.”

Julia! Their sister Julia would as likely poison her wine as comfort her or share the burden of greeting guests. “Highly unlikely, Jennifer.  Julia would pay me no kindnesses, as you well know.”

Jennifer shook her head. “That is not true.” She looked to their father for affirmation, but he was determinedly staring out the window of the carriage.

The coach was silent until Jolene heard Jennifer sniffle, and she watched her sister wipe her eyes. “Turner is with little William now, and of that, I am glad,” Jennifer said.

There was a buzz in Jolene’s ear so loud that she could not think for a moment. Did not remember that she was to be the grieving widow. She leaned forward, the muscles in her face tight and pinched, and she was uncertain if she would be able to speak. But she found her voice, albeit strident and cruel, even by her own standards.

“Do not mention my son’s name in the same sentence as my husband’s ever again. In fact, do not ever say my son’s name again, you silly, ugly girl. Such sentimental drivel is, no doubt, why you are still unmarried.”

Jennifer blinked furiously, and her lip trembled. She looked away, and Jolene settled back in her seat. She was surprised when Jennifer spoke again.

“You may push away anyone that loves you, Jolene, for as long as you want. I love you, you see, and so does Julia. And I loved little William with all my heart. I will mourn him, choose to think of him, and speak about him when I wish. I was not his mother and could not imagine the pain you were, and are in, but grief is not a thing to guard jealously, as if you are the only one to feel it.”

The carriage rolled to a stop, and Jolene barely waited for the servant to help her step down. Her hands shook and her stomach rolled over as she entered the marbled foyer of Landonmore. She yanked the black satin ribbons of her bonnet and dropped it as she climbed the stairs. She entered her sitting room, dismissed her maid, locked the door to her apartments, and tore at her black jacket till buttons flew and it was off. Jolene dropped to her knees and struggled for breath.

She pictured her son William, at three, running and laughing, his chubby little legs churning. She could still feel when he climbed onto her lap, when they were alone and held her face still with his hands. He would say, “Mother! Look at me. Mother!” And Jolene would pretend to look elsewhere until they both dissolved into giggles.

Jolene crawled to a trunk near her reading chair and pulled a key on a ribbon from within the folds of her dress. With shaking hands, she unlocked the trunk and pulled a worn blanket from inside. She buried her face in William’s blanket and breathed deep. Jolene rocked back and forth on her haunches and held the tattered wool to her nose. 

Meet Holly

Holly Bush writes historical romance set on the American Prairie, in Victorian England and recently released her first Women’s Fiction title. Her books are described as emotional, with heartfelt, sexy romance. She makes her home with her husband in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.  Connect with Holly at www.hollybushbooks.com and on Twitter @hollybushbooks and on Facebook at Holly Bush.

E.E.: What’s your favorite movie of all time?

Holly: Ang Lee’s 1995 Sense and Sensibility is my all-time favorite. From the music to the casting to the costumes to the script. The acting was superb as was the cinematography. Is there a more nuanced depiction of love and love’s foes, money and power, ever told? Emma Thompson’s screenplay triumphs. I have a top ten movie list compiled and haven’t had a change on it for some time.

E.E.: Do you read reviews of your books? If so, do you pay any attention to them, or let them influence your writing?
Holly: I do read reviews of my books. I also make a conscious choice to not let the best and the worst of them take me too high or too low. But when someone has taken the time to write about what they cared about and what didn’t work for them, it can be very valuable to me as a writer. Sometimes I’m very surprised at what hit a reader emotionally or what made them understand a character more fully. If I can approach reviews unemotionally, there are often plenty of learnings to be had.

E.E.: What dreams have been realized as a result of your writing?

Holly: I’ve always worked full time and have been in my current job for about six years, although I’ve been working for the same company for many more than that. I actually love my job, although some days I want to bang my head against a wall as I’m sure everyone wants to do once in a while. I write technical manuals and training documents in addition to managing regulatory compliance for a large farming company and have the greatest boss I could have ever asked for. Last fall the income from my writing allowed me to go to four days a week and I’m hoping to go to three days next year. Having three full days to write has been a dream of mine for a long time and it finally came true!  

E.E.: What drew you to write in the genre(s) you do?

Holly: While I am thrilled that more women in the world have control of their own sexuality, and their bodies, and I’m fond of penicillin and modern medicine, I nonetheless love to read historical works of fiction and non-fiction above any other. I imagine that is why I love to write them. Thankfully, I don’t have to describe the lack of modern plumbing or any of the many really icky or uncomfortable realities of life in the 1800’s, unless of course I want to. What does draw me is my perception of mores and modesty common at the time.

E.E.: What is your hope for the future of romance publishing? 

Holly: The romance community is wonderful place for writers. The readers are voracious, and the writers are supportive and willing to give a leg up to a new writer. Other genres do not have this type of community and many writers I know have said how much more difficult it is to connect with readers without the easy communication we have with blogs, writer’s groups, romance book sites, and conventions. I hope the romance community continues this way, and we’re able to get past the inevitable ugly moments, and stay focused on our commonalities, and stories of love. 

E.E.: What has been your most rewarding publishing moment? 

Holly: Hmmm. I’ve had a few, maybe because I really didn’t expect any of them. Many of the books I’ve published over the last three years were written years ago and I wrote query letters for them and researched publishers and agents for hours on end. Many, or most, did not take email submissions, so I printed each query, along with a SASE, crossed my fingers and mailed them off. Some took years to be returned, most took months, and they were all rejections, mostly because the stories I wrote did not fit in any publishing house’s categories. It was a massive leap to self-publish, knowing at that time that self-published authors were never picked up by a publisher or agent. But with the encouragement of my husband, I took the plunge and my books started to sell. I was stunned, and when I realized that people, lots of them, were buying and reading my book, it was a real affirmation that after twenty years of rejections my stories were appealing to a wide audience. Lately, I’ve begun to get a pretty steady amount of feedback from readers by email and through my website. It is gratifying beyond words to talk to readers about my books.

Today, Holly will give away her books, Train Station Bride and Contract to Wed, to one lucky commenter. Just answer the question and enter the drawing.

Put yourself in the past for a moment. What would induce you to sign a contract to wed "sight unseen?"  

a Rafflecopter giveaway