Finding Home

Finding Home is the second book in the Willow Bay series which promises to be another series I will follow. The story is set on the Pacific Ocean. With the sound of surf and the ambience of a small town it is one of my favorite settings. Willow Bay is a character in itself and maybe even a hero. The story opens with Gladys, the town’s ‘street’ lady, coming across a ragamuffin going through the pizza place’s garbage.  I love this character. Every town or community should have one like her. The main characters, Bernie, owner of the Square Peg known as ‘the place’ to get pizza’s, Jen a teen run-a-way and Paul the Child Protective Officer sent to find Jen, are all extremely strong characters. Bernie sees herself in the run-a-way child and vows to keep her safe until someone listens to her.  It doesn’t take long for Bernie to form a bond with Jen. But the growing attraction between the handsome Child Protective Officer and herself complicates an already complex situation. Especially when it’s evident that Jen is in danger from her step father who has custody of her. The plot has emotional twists and turns that had me turning pages.  A great summer read. Or for that matter an any time of year read.

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The Bride Said No

I know it’s been a while since I last posted. The truth is that I haven’t been writing all that much. I hate to use the excuse of Covid and can’t understand with all the shut-in time why I wouldn’t use the time, but I just couldn’t get motivated. 

Right now, The Bride Said No is one of three stories that should be out sometime this year. And following true to form for me all three are different sub-genres or romance. 

All that said, The Bride Said No is released in ebook and should be out in print soon.  It is a 1800’s historic romance with a love triangle twist and is set in a fictional town just above Seattle Washington. 

To avoid an arranged marriage Angelina DePalma accompanies her unwed and pregnant childhood friend Ella O’Hara to Seattle. Ella is answering a mail order bride ad in the newspaper. She is scared to death as she has been less than honest with the prospective groom.  

Angeline doesn’t like her part in the deception she’s helped Ella with, but is more frightened of staying and being forced into a marriage that her stepfather is planning for her.  Bolstering each other the best they can, the two women set out on the long journey west. 

With women still a scarcity in what some call the wilderness, Lars Swenson, a wealthy Pacific Northwest entrepreneur, resorts to placing an ad for a wife in an Eastern newspaper. When his bride arrives, he gets more than he expected. Not one, but two women, descend from the train and it is Angelina, not Ella, that awakens Lars’ heart. 

Angelina, Ella and Lars struggle to sort out the mess they find themselves in and a love triangle of loyalty, friendship, and commitment renders the growing love between Lars and Angelina an impossibility.  

The Bride Said No is available at most online stores. 

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Someone Else’s Daughter

I subscribe to BookBub.  I’ve mentioned it on my blog before.  I can’t say it better than they do so here is an “About” excerpt from their site at https://www.bookbub.com/home/

About Us

BookBub is a free service that helps millions of readers discover books they’ll love while providing publishers and authors with a way to drive sales and find new fans. Upon joining, members receive unbeatable deals selected by our expert editorial team, handpicked recommendations from people they trust, and real-time updates from their favorite authors. BookBub works with all major ebook retailers and devices, and partners with thousands of the industry’s leading publishers and authors to promote their books. BookBub was founded in 2012 and is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.

Recently I got “Someone Else’s Daughter” from BookBub. And, I have found a new author that I plan to follow. It’s a Romantic Suspense. One of my favorite genre’s. This is the first in the series and introduces the characters.

Miranda Steele is a damaged heroine that has been through hell. Thirteen years ago her husband, stole her three-week old daughter and said he adopted her out. Then literally threw Miranda out like garbage. She reinvents herself and over the years spends every resource she has looking for her daughter.

Wealthy (really wealthy) PI Wade Parker is a fantasy hero. He has it all. Money, looks, social status, oh and did I mention looks. We all need these bigger than life hero’s from time to time and he fills the bill.

Linsey Lanier has created strong characters and woven in a page turner plot.  Miranda gets information that her daughter might be living in an upscale town. She immediately travels there and stumbles into the path of a serial killer who is strangling young girls her daughters age in what looks like a bizarre ritual.

Like I said, I got this book through BookBub which directed me to Amazon. While looking at Ms. Lanier’s backlist I noticed it was still offered at no cost but that might have changed. I also purchased two more of her books in this series and can’t wait to read them.

Wishing you Happy Reading.

Lavada

 

 

 

 

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Beach House Memories

This is the kind of book I wish I would have written.  I loved it and wanted to pass it on to you, though if you’re like me you have a massive ‘To Be Read’ pile.

News here is that I have a Western Historical out to Carina press. So in the wait stage for that one.  About finished with the first draft of a Romantic Suspense set in Sedona. And, restarted on a story I started a few years ago and dropped.  Going back and reading what I had written made me excited to work on it again.

So book review of Beach House Memories:

We recently purchased a condo in North Myrtle Beach South Carolina.  I’d never been there before we flew down to look at the unit and I love the area. This book is set on the Isles of Palms which is 95 miles from North Myrtle Beach so perfect timing for me to read it.

It opens with Lovie (Olivia Rutledge) again at her beloved beach cottage. She is an old lady and in the last stages of cancer. The story is designed like a sandwich with the first and last chapter in the present and the rest of the book mainly about the summer of 74 at the beach. A plus is the sub-plot where they study loggerhead turtles and the newly hatched babies. We saw some nesting spots when we were in Florida. These creatures are amazing.

Lovie finds love this summer and she truly finds herself. We all face crossroads in life. Some us face more than others, but  I think we all wonder what our life would have been if we had taken the other road.

As I read this story I thought that everyone over maybe 60 should read this book. Choices were made that changed the course of life, and in the end, if you believe in soul mates you can believe that these two will meet again.

Maybe it’s where I live, but I seem to be more aware of the life journey than I once was.  Here it’s 55 and older, and there have been a lot of changes on our street.  One couple downsizing to an apartment, another moving to a local assisted living, another choosing to move across the state to be closer to their daughter and they also chose assisted living.  One lady described it to me as turning to a new chapter.  This book made me look back and see more clearly the chapters of my own life story.

A recommended read for sure.

 

 

 

 

 

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First Family

Wow just finished this book and the only negative thing I can say is don’t start it if you have to be somewhere or do something. I couldn’t put it down.

I’m a big fan of David Baldacci’s stories and I think this is one of his best.  From the first when the daughter of the First Lady’s brother is kidnapped to the end when the plots come together it never slows down.

It might seem like a lot of plot twists but Baldacci does it so well you can’t help but be amazed at his imagination and storytelling skills.

Former Secret Service agents King and Maxwell are bigger then life when at the request of the First Lady they investigate the kidnapping that is off the charts and find horrendous secrets.

A father’s love propels the story as he spends his life avenging his daughter. The innocent pay a high price to bring a justice that he seeks.

I envy those of you that haven’t read First Family. You are in for some good reading.

 

 

 

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Energy

I don’t know if it’s age, the time of year, laziness or what, but I don’t seem to have a speck of energy. In fact, the picture on the left looks like I feel.

So what to do about it? I could just wait and maybe even enjoy the downtime but that doesn’t seem to be working. And there’s the risk of depression. I’m not prone to mood swings. I have, at least in the past, been able to ward them off, but why risk it.

So, a project. Ummm, maybe?  A trip, now I like that idea. A lot — but I’m already planning a get-away in May so guess that won’t work. Writing works but right now I’m just finishing a story and I’m in the process of putting together the submission packet.  I always have to work to stay motivated at this point in the process.

I did a little research about human energy and it’s a pretty complex subject so maybe I’ll just practice a little ‘mind-over-matter’.  Starting with the picture. What if you comb the hair, wash the face, brush the teeth and put on make-up. Better? For sure. Now sling on a feel-good outfit. No… not old stretched out sweats. But, nothing fancy either.  Feel better?

So going into these next few weeks and hoping for sunshine I’m going to get up and get dressed in the morning. And, I’m thinking spring house cleaning.  I always feel energized after a bout of activity. Maybe a trip or two or three out to the nursery.

I’m feeling better already.  What about you? What do you do to dig out of the winter blahs?  

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Survival Book #1 in the Earth Legacy Series

Survival is the first book in a new series, Earth Legacy. I just finished reading it and couldn’t put it down.  Think, of our world on the edge of extinction. It’s been one hundred years since the Great War where Earths magic was taken. Magic you might say, but magic is all around us. Again think, visualize spring when earth awakens with blooms that have lain dormant.  Now think, what if spring never comes. This is the world of Survival, a fantasy rich in emotion with characters you’ll remember and action that will keep you turning pages.

Earth is dying and Rianth Royan is the only one left that can free the healing magic that will save it and mankind. The story takes you through her journey of love, betrayal, hope, and courage.

If you enjoy stories like Divergent, and Hunger Games you won’t want to miss the Earth Legacy series.

Enlightenment, Earth Legacy book #2 is available for pre-order.  Can’t wait for my copy.

 

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December Blog

Ho Ho Ho, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. I love this time of year and what a fun way to end a year.  Only 10 more days until we see 2019.

Today is the first day of winter and we have been getting some nasty weather.  Twice, in as many days, we have lost power.  Not good, but at least it’s at night so I can go to bed with warm blankets and a good book.

Speaking of good books….  I found Noelle Adams with Bookbub. I’m not sure if Hired Bride was free or on sale but a definite find. I hadn’t read anything of Noelle Adams but have since purchased another book.

If you are an author you might want to note the excellent branding that Noelle has. I love marriage of convenience plots and it’s looking like that is the main plot points in her stories.  She also writes in series, but stand-alone books.  I get caught up in her characters so I know I will be picking up stories to follow her secondary characters.

Hired Bride is part of the Beaufort Brides series. There are 3 books in this series. I just started Part-Time Husband (Trophy Husbands) and I love it.

I’ve been watching a lot of Christmas Hallmark movies and the tag I’d attach to Noelle Adams books is “Hallmark story with heat”.  The stories are predictable and sweet but ….,  there certainly is an erotic element in them.  Of course, this is only the second one I’ve read so far and Part-Time Husband is hotter than Hired Bride so I may revise on the heat level as I read more.

Buy yourself a good book for Christmas. It’s a gift you’ll love.

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Cracks In The Sidewalk

First of all I owe an apology.  Looking at my blog I realized that it has been over a year since I’ve posted anything.  Every time I’ve done this I swear that I will post on a regular schedule.  I love writing especially the creative side when the story comes together. I hate marketing and promoting, no wonder I’m horrible at it.

With that said, this blog isn’t about me. In fact I’m cheating a little in that it is a cross post. I am a member of the Over The Backyard Fence bloggers group where almost all of the blog members are authors.

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Cracks In The Sidewalk is a story based on true life. The author, Bette Lee Crosby interviewed the Grandparents extensively.  It’s an amazing story of courage, love and forgiveness.  It might not be an inspirational genre, but it was for me as in the end I found myself thinking, “God is Good.”

It’s a story that was thought provoking. For one thing I’m afraid I wouldn’t or couldn’t be so forgiving.  And, yet you could see how the mother and grandparents always put the children first. It was unselfishly never about them.

I hate to risk putting in spoilers but nothing I can say takes away from the impact of the story.  When the daughter, Elizabeth, is pregnant with her third child she is diagnosed with a terminal cancer.  Instead of supporting and caring for her, her husband uses the children to extract financial funds from her father. The grandfather, after financing the son-in-laws failing business for over $100,000 finally says enough.

Elizabeth is forced to move in with her parents when her husband refuses to let her come back home and eventually stops bringing the kids to see their mother and grandparents.

Elizabeth is fully aware that her condition is terminal and wants more than anything to instill in her children that they are loved. She wants to leave them with memories that will insure they never feel abandoned. The bravery of Elizabeth is amazing. As she fights to stay alive and see her children, her parents are right there with her.  Finally with no other recourse they take the fight to court where Elizabeth’s husband is ordered to comply to visitation.

You see the best and worse of humanity in this story. Sometimes it’s so horrible on the ugliness of the husband that it’s hard to believe it isn’t fiction. Can people really be so cruel?  The husband with a failed business and unpaid bills disappears with the children and for years the grandparents don’t know where they are. Not only have they lost their beloved daughter, her children are lost to them too.

This story ends well.  It brings tears, but also in the end you regain faith in humanity.

This is the first time I have read a story from this author and I might have missed it if not for Bookbub.  I joined a few months back and would highly recommend it. I get a list of books everyday. Some are free and others at discounted prices. There is nothing I’d rather shop for than books so I start my day with a cup of coffee and Bookbub selections for the day.  It doesn’t get much better than that.

I’d love to hear from you. If you have a minute leave a comment or drop me an email.

Lavada 

 

 

 

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Indie Author Fringe

I know those of you who follow this blog are both writers and readers and I try to do posts that speak to both. However this one is for authors or those who might be entertaining the idea of writing.

Indie Author Fringe is an online workshop put on by the Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLI). They are putting on the next event this coming Saturday, June 3. It starts at 10:00am Eastern time. But the good thing about Fringe is that you can view the workshop sessions anytime. And you can pick which ones you want to do. I usually try to do one session a day sometimes skipping a day.

There is a wealth of information in the Fringe sessions and on the ALLI website itself. I can’t say enough about the value to Indie authors this group provides.

I will look forward to hearing from anyone who attends. If you have time please get back to us with your comments.

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