Welcome to my Fire Sydney! This lovely lady and several other have joined together in a co-operative effort and it was a pleasure meeting and working with her. I hear you are a Mountain Dew fan, so while a grab a few please tell us about you.
I’m not gonna lie, I love Mountain Dew. You know what they say. Don’t date a smoker if
you don’t want to become a smoker. In my case, don’t date a Mountain Dew enthusiast if
you don’t want to become one too.

So who is Sydney Winward?
Thanks for having me around the fire, Donna! I write fantasy and paranormal romance, with the occasional historical romance mixed in. I’m a mom of three cute kids, ages 5, 3, and 1. When I’m not reading or writing, I love doing anything crafty such as sewing, baking, and decorating cakes.

I've met them on Zoom and they are so adorable! What interests besides writing do you enjoy? For instance, what do you read or hobbies you have?
I have a lot of fun buying wedding dresses from the thrift store and turning them into
princess gowns. Playing dress up is fun even when you’re an adult!

I've seen some of Sydney's creations on TikTok. They are Gorgeous!  Who is your network or support system? This would be any groups/authors/friends/family who contributes to your writing career.
I have several great author friends who are super supportive of my writing. And of
course, my husband is my number one. I would not have gotten as far as I have in my
writing career without him.

I get that. If not for my husband I'm not sure where I'd be in my writing career. Who or what books or authors are your inspiration?
Always, I have to name Christopher Paolini as one of my top fantasy inspiration authors.
I also love Kenley Davidson’s writing, as her romance is some of the best I’ve ever read.

Oh, I adore Christopher's work. Do you have any fun or outrageous talent?
Does burping count as a talent? I have never lost a belching contest.

LOL! You don't look like a big belcher. That shows don't judge a book by its cover. What is your neighborhood like? Are there any places you frequent? What makes
them special?

Unfortunately, I live on a busy street which makes going about the neighborhood
difficult. But one thing I do love is taking the kids on a bike ride next to the golf course,
to the park, and up an extremely steep hill that makes me want to die. But at the top, I can
see the entire valley, and it’s one of my most favorite views in Utah Valley.

That sounds lovely. Let's chat about your book Selkie. I've read it and fell in love with the characters and world. Have you written in cooperation with other authors before?
I have written with a co-author before but never in a series like the Mortar and Pestle
Series.

What drew you to this project?
I admire the group of authors I work with and their writing, so I was excited for the
opportunity to team up with them on this project!

What’s the best thing about writing with other authors?
The variety of ideas everyone brings to the table. I love seeing everyone take a concept
and make it their own.

Yin and yang. What’s the worst thing about it?
Uhhh…well, information gets mixed up or lost easily, so keeping track of plans and due
dates is not always easy!

D.V.'s note about the series. Sydney Winward is the creator of all the designs from the covers to all the graphics used. She is amazing and talented and it was a pleasure to work with her on this project. 

Selkie
By
Sydney Winward
No one has ever managed to capture a selkie. Until now…
On their wedding day, Klaus Lovik’s bride is stolen by an enemy chieftain. He will travel to the ends of the earth to find her, and in desperation, he captures a selkie and uses her as a bartering piece. But the selkie’s magic is powerful enough to drown entire islands, and if he’s not careful, he might find himself in a watery grave.
Mayla Brior is gifted with the power to shed her seal skin, enabling her to walk on land. But when a man robs her of the pelt, she is forced to follow his commands, endangering her skin, and preventing her return to the sea.
Venturing into enemy territory, Klaus and Mayla bond, escalating their relationship into more than adversaries. He realizes his pending nuptials are a dreadful mistake. But it might be too late to choose another path, especially when he knows he has to eventually let her go.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BRWZ6K8Q

About the Author
Sydney Winward
https://sydneywinward.com/​
Is a fantasy and paranormal romance author who dabbles in the occasional historical fiction. She loves building complex worlds filled with magic, strong characters, and emotional stories that can make you laugh and cry.
Sydney is the author of The Bloodborn Series and the Sunlight and Shadows Series. When she’s not writing, she’s reading, thinking about stories, or going on adventures with her children. She lives in Utah with her husband and three amazing kids.
​
About the Series
Go on the adventure of The Mortar & Pestle series with international authors of different genres and vast backgrounds who came together and offer this exciting, often humorous series. From world travelers, teachers, bloggers, magazine editors, and award winners, there’s something for everyone in this series.
Here's a link to a free sample book of all the stories in the series  https://dl.bookfunnel.com/b1ytv2r7nq

And because I know you'll want to read all of them https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BS42PKHZ

Thank you for popping in today. I can’t believe the first book in the Mortar & Pestle Series releases next Tuesday with Selkie by Sydney Winward.
Full disclosure here. I’m one of the authors in the series. Sea Hunter is book four. But let me tell you, that doesn’t change my opinion of all these authors. We’ve respected each other’s work which is why we got together in the first place.
Who are we? The Mortar & Pestle is a series with international authors of different genres and vast backgrounds who came together and now offer this exciting, often humorous series. From world travelers, teachers, bloggers, magazine editors, and award winners, there’s something for everyone in this series.
How did this happen? Being an author is often very isolating. We end up in our own little world because, in my case, I don’t have very many writers in my life who are nearby. I met Shirley Goldberg at the Florida West Coast Writer conference a while back, and we hit it off. She knew someone, they knew someone, and the next thing you know, we had a group of seven women meeting on Zoom and hashing out the nuts and bolts of the profession. Trust me, writing the book isn’t the most challenging part.
But what about the series? Somebody at a point said, “we should write a series together.” We sort of laughed because we’re different genres, heat levels, and had other books we were working on. But before you know it, the general idea tightened into a working project.
Was it easy? You know, for the most part, for me anyway, it was. Of course, some issues needed to be worked out, but things tend to work out when you have respect and are willing to compromise.
So what is the series about? This is one of the first things we worked out. The overreaching idea.
A wisp of smoke, a swirl of promise, a breath of destiny…a message within the Mortar & Pestle for those who want to believe.
Throughout time people have sought their heart’s desire. But true love is often elusive.
Carved with ancient Norse runes, the Mortar & Pestle shows paths to happily-ever-afters.
Once you capture the Mortar & Pestle’s scent of magic, you’ll want to read all seven individual romances.

Notes about the series

1. Each book is on sale for .99 until the day of it's release.
2. This is a rapid release series do you don't have to wait. Two books a week until Artist, the final work.
3. There is a free sample of all the stories available for download at dl.bookfunnel.com/b1ytv2r7nq
4. The series link is www.amazon.com/dp/B0BS42PKHZ
5. The series will also be available in Kindle Unlimited.
6. Come back next week. I'll be spotlighting each story individually on it's release day.