Free For All Friday - Meet Author Liz Arnold!

Help me welcome fellow Wild Rose Press author, Liz Arnold today! Her story MESSAGE TO LOVE is one you historical readers don't want to miss:) The links to Liz's website and to purchase MESSAGE TO LOVE are listed below, but take a moment and get to know Liz.

Liz, thanks so much for being here today!

1.Was your road to publication a delightful stroll or a painful jog over hot coals?

My journey to publishing MESSAGE TO LOVE wasn’t an easy trip, but I wouldn’t change a thing that happened. The lessons I learned and the people I connected with along the way taught me many good things that I’m sharing with other writers such as what to do with a sagging middle. The answer is create more trouble!

2.Where is your favorite place to write?

My favorite place to write is in a coffee shop with a pen and a spiral notebook. I’ve tried taking my laptop but it doesn’t work. At home, I have an office jam packed with everything I do: write romance and non-fiction, freelance edit, teach college, and journal. I’m seriously into art journaling now and my office has a lot of art supplies in it besides research books and style guides (MLA, Chicago Manual of Style, etc.)

3.Tell us what’s next for you.

I’m working on an historical set in 1790 pioneer Ohio in Marietta during the smallpox epidemic and the Indian wars. My heroine is a young female “doctor” who travels to the Northwest Territory to find her family and discovers her little sister has been taken captive by the Delaware. Her only hope of finding her sister is with the help of a man known as White Night Tiger, so named after his years as a captive of the Shawnee tribe, but he doesn’t want to go back to that world. There’s a price on his head for killing members of the Delaware.

4.Describe yourself in 5 words.

I…am…a…linear…perfectionist.

(dammit)

***

MESSAGE TO LOVE

LIZ ARNOLD

THE WILD ROSE PRESS

www.thewildrosepress.com

Blurb

Audra Wakely’s father has been seized by Spanish authorities and imprisoned for sympathizing with Cuban rebels. Raising the money to bribe officials if necessary, she sets off for Cuba to rescue her father. She doesn’t bargain on the interference of any U.S. officials—that is until she meets Rollins McBride.

Lt. Rollins McBride of the newly designated U.S. Naval Intelligence service is assigned to track Audra on her journey. He’s to arrest Greg Wakely, a U.S. citizen, for treason and gun smuggling. His mission and his heart are taken by surprise by the feisty beauty who sets a stubborn path toward finding her father and proving he isn’t a traitor—no matter what or who gets in her way.

Sizzle, spice, and intrigue heats up the Spanish American War in MESSAGE TO LOVE.

Excerpt

“It was a dream, just a very bad dream.”

She stepped back out of his hold. Clammy spots of moist heat lingered on her arms where his hands had been.

“I’m all right now.” Audra reached for the door and noticed the sickly sweet odor of liquor on his breath. “You can leave now. I want to go back to bed.” She pulled open the door and gestured into the hall.

“Sorry, but this time you’re going, too.” Rollins strode over to the dresser and pulled out a drawer. “Better pack. We have just under two hours.”

“I’m not in the mood for comedy, Rollins,” she sighed. “I’m really very, very tired. I’ve got to get some rest. Now—”

“Let me make myself clear.” He sounded gruff. “I said we’re leaving, and unless you want to get on a ship bound for Santiago with your shirttails hanging out, better change and get ready.” He made to leave the room. “I hope you have a shawl or something. It’s gotten cooler out, and we have half an hour in a wagon to get to port.” Then he vanished into his own room next door, leaving Audra gape-mouthed in the hallway.

“Who does he think he is?” She growled as she stamped her foot against the cold hard floor. “Infuriating! He is absolutely infuriating!” Audra heaved the door shut with gusto. “These are not my shirttails, either!”

Amazon buy link (print and digital)

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=message+to+love+liz+arnold

The Wild Rose Press buy link (print and digital)

http://thewildrosepress.com/index.php?main_page=index&manufacturers_id=495&zenid=5211e46f5b21103c2a01fe5c9b8df3ee

Liz Arnold is an author, freelance editor, and teacher living with her family in the mid-east.

Please visit my blog:

http://www.lizarnoldbooks.wordpress.com

Thanks, Jennifer!

Free For All Friday - Meet Author Emma Lai!

Hi everyone! I so excited to have my friend and fellow Wild Rose Press author, Emma Lai here today. We're featuring her story, TWICE IS NOT ENOUGH, a great hot read, just the right length for a bed time story;) http://thewildrosepress.com/wilderroses/
I think you will LOVE this story. It has the perfect blend of class and heat!

I had the pleasure of asking Emma a few questions, so grab a cup of coffee and let's get to know her better!

Where is your favorite place to write?

My favorite place to write is at my local Barnes and Noble, where I can get a cup of coffee, grab a table to spread my stuff out and immerse myself in a story world. The type of coffee I get depends on my mood. I drink coffee with a splash of cream when I’m in a serious mood; an iced vanilla latte when writing something spicy; or a cappuccino when I’m feeling a little frivolous.

What is the most difficult for you to write: Characters, conflict, emotions?

I have the most difficulty writing three-dimensional characters. I have to go through a story a handful of times to really bring the characters to life. Each pass adds depth to the character. At least, that’s how I feel.

Do you have critique partners?

Kind of. My writing has been sporadic and I have yet to enter into a commitment with another author. My mother-in-law, who also writes sporadically, offers critique, and my husband and step-father-in-law also read my stories. SFIL catches any grammatical errors Ieft behind after spell check and my own proofreading and hubby and MIL offer suggestions on where the story might need some polishing.

Do you believe in love at first sight?

Yes and no. I definitely believe in lust at first sight. An instant physical attraction so intense you’d do almost anything to have the other person. That’s how I felt when I met my husband. But, there was also something else there, a feeling of possibility. So, it wasn’t just lust.

Lady Minerva Peters, the heroine in my latest release, Twice is Not Enough, available from The Wild Rose Press knows all about lust at first sight.

How likely are people you meet to end up in your next book?

I have yet to write someone I just met into a story. However, many of my characters have traits of people I know.

If you could time travel would you go forward or backward?

Do I have to choose? If so, I’d go forward. I can open a history book for the past, but there’s no guide to the future. Though I would like to visit the English Regency period, which is the setting for Twice is Not Enough.

Twice is Not Enough Blurb:

After several disastrous engagements, Lady Minerva Peters is an expert at suppressing her own needs. Only in the darkness of night does she give in to her wanton desires with a fantasy lover. 

In the middle of a crowded ballroom, she learns her father is not yet ready to let her fade into spinsterhood. Humiliated, she ducks into a dark alcove only to find out she's not alone. Her hiding spot is occupied by a captivating stranger. Before she can escape, the two become voyeurs to another couple’s sexual rendezvous. The atmosphere heats up and so does her body, especially with the tempting offers whispered in her ear. 

Will Minerva deny her needs once again or will she embrace the anonymity of their seclusion and finally explore her basic impulses and the startling attraction to the compelling mystery man?

***

Thanks for being my guest, Emma!

For more information about Emma and her work visit : http://emmalaiwrites.wordpress.com/ 

or http://emmalaiwrites.blogspot.com/ 

Spotlight Wednesday !

MESSAGE TO LOVE  By Liz Arnold

Audra Wakely’s father has been seized by Spanish authorities and imprisoned for sympathizing with Cuban rebels. Raising the money to bribe officials if necessary, she sets off for Cuba to rescue her father. She doesn’t bargain on the interference of any U.S. officials—that is until she meets Rollins McBride.

Buy Now from http://thewildrosepress.com

Spotlight Wednesday!

 Temptation is her profession, seduction in her blood, but when a courtesan falls in love with an impoverished scholar, can she risk her heart and his life?

http://thewildrosepress.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=177_139&products_id=4218 

Free For All Friday - Meet Christine DePetrillo!

Help me welcome my guest today, Christine DePetrillo! 

Christine is a talented multi-published author and her latest novel, ALASKAN HEART can be purchased from The Wild Rose Press http://thewildrosepress.com

And if you leave a comment, Christine is going to have a drawing for an e-book of ALASKAN HEART!

Christine's work earns rave reviews so take a minute and get to know her better, then head on over to her website and check out some of her books:)www.christinedepetrillo.blogspot.com

OK, here we go:
Christine, if you could travel forward or backward in time, which would it be?
Backward, definitely. I would totally dig living off the land like early Americans. I’m pretty sure the future would eat me alive.

                                               

Where is your favorite place to write?
My favorite place to write is out on my patio during the summer months. I don’t have to work at my day job in the summer, so I can just write, write, write, while butterflies and birds keep me company and flowers perfume the air.

What is most challenging for you to write: Characters, conflict, emotions?
Conflict is the most challenging for me to write. I basically get along with everyone, avoid disagreements, and want everyone to be happy. Getting my characters to struggle in meeting their goals is a hurdle every time. I hate torturing them. It keeps me up at night. 

Do you have critique partners?
Yes, and I’d be lost without them. Their feedback is so very valuable. Fresh eyes on your work is vital.

Complete silence or music/playlist when writing?
Either will work for me. If I’m home alone, then silence it is. If I’m not, the earphones go in and the tunes crank. I make playlists for books I’m working on and use them to help me delve deeper into the story.

Tell us your favorite dessert/food.
I’ve never grown out of the pizza phase to be honest. The mere mention of the word “pizza” and I crave it. I want it right now. I could eat it every day.

Thanks for hosting me, Jennifer. Folks can visit me at my personal website at www.christinedepetrillo.blogspot.com and at my group blog at www.apinchofromance.blogspot.com. 

 ALASKAN HEART BLURB:

Alaska is supposed to be cold, so why is Alanna Cormac on fire?

Sent on a dream assignment to Denali National Park, nature magazine writer Alanna Cormac has no intentions of falling in love with Dale Ramsden, sexy Iditarod winner. When Dale, his family, and even his eighteen sled dogs charm their way into her heart, however, Alanna’s fast-track New York instincts crumble. The Alaskan landscape and the caress of a man too good to be true ignite feelings she never had time to explore before. Feelings that have her so blissfully busy she’s unaware she’s being watched. Judged. Targeted.

She’s next.
Love will either save her or swallow her whole. Is there even a difference? 

 ***

Thanks for being my guest, Christine:)

Here are some review quotes for ALASKA HEART:

“This well-written story more than met my expectations. It has all the elements necessary for a good suspense and a great romance.”
Fallen Angel Reviews, Rating: 5 Angels

“If you’re in the mood for a cozy fire, a cup of cocoa and a hot romance, you don’t need to go any further than Alaska Heart.”
Long and Short Reviews, Rating: 5 Books

“This is a great book. Christine DePetrillo really takes the readers on a trip to Alaska, and on a ride on a whirlwind romance. I recommend that you go and buy this book. You won't be disappointed.” Happily Ever After Reviews, Rating: 5 Tea Cups and A Recommended Read!