Around The Fire Book and Author Blog

Each Monday Around the Fire is thrilled to bring you an exciting new book bursting on the scene to help you find your next favorite read.
And then
On Wednesdays I bring you in-depth interviews with writers about their life and craft.
And sometimes
you get little ole me and my musings.

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Around The Fire Welcomes Anastasia Abboud

9/28/2022

Welcome to Around The Fire. We have one more trip this fall to camp in Lancaster PA. Then sadness will ensue until we head to Florida in January. I'm looking forward to catching up with all the Snowbirds we met last year. There's just a few things before we get to today's guest. Starting in October I will have a column in Still Moments Magazine sharing a recipe. Here's the link
stillmomentsezine.blogspot.com/ And signup for my newsletter because I'll be revealing the cover to Sophia's Magic Beans in December as well as announcing the release date for Kisa, Shield-Mates of Dar. mailchi.mp/18125bb60cc5/dv-stones-news-bulletin
Now I know it's almost October but today's guest is bringing us sunshine and flowers and some time travel romance. Welcome to the fire, Anastasia. While I pour us a beverage, please tell our visitors who you are beyond the official bio.

Hi, Donna. Thank you so much for hosting me. I’ve always enjoyed camping and I love the relaxed feel of your blog. While I rather think that the term “simple person” is an oxymoron or, at the least, an exaggeration, I am quite basic. I love my family and friends, my home, my garden. I enjoy the outdoors and nature, especially the mountains. I hope I am a spiritual person. My faith journey is my life’s journey. It is important to me.

That is so sweet of you to say. I think its a great compliment and relax all you want. I see you like flowers, what interests besides writing do you enjoy?
I dabble with so many hobbies! My problem is that there’s only so much time in a day, in a week, in a life! The only hobby I really make time for is gardening. I love it and insist that it is organic and, as far as ornamentals are concerned, largely native. I care about nature. But I enjoy a lot of things – yoga, hiking, cooking, reading (especially romances and cozies), crafts. More important to me than anything else is spending time with loved ones.

That's quite a well rounded list. Who is your network or support system?
Family and friends have been a wonderful support. Am I allowed to name names? My husband and sons are great, but there are three ladies I have on speed dial -- my daughter-in-heart Julia, niece Jessica, and sister-in-heart Micheline – splendid sweethearts, all three. There are also some very special authors who have gone out of their way to guide and help. I’ve known Mary Morgan and Barbara Bettis for many years now, and they have never been anything but gracious, wise, and encouraging. Moreover, they’ve sometimes contacted me even before I had a chance to whine! Love you, ladies! Wonderful new friends include Susie Black, Shirley Goldberg, Maggie Sims (who rejoices in scandalizing me), Kim Ligon, and D.V. Stone, all of whom I’ve met through my new publishing house. I’m so grateful for The Wild Rose Press and everyone there – Rhonda, Lisa Dawn, my editor Eilidh, and all of the wonderful authors. It’s a wonderful, supportive system.

Get out of town. Moi? I do agree with you on the authors. The Wild Rose Garden is tended quite well. Who or what books or authors are your inspiration?
Great romance writers always inspire me. So do nature writers and poets.

Do you have any fun or outrageous talent?
I do not! But I do hope that I put people at ease.

What is your neighborhood like?
We’ve lived in our current neighborhood for almost eight years, which is the longest we’ve lived anywhere. We are surrounded by family – there are at eight households of us within five minutes of each other. It’s the first time we’ve all lived so close and it’s so much fun! It’s a great neighborhood, too, with all the things – neighborhood waterparks, sports facilities, nature trails, lakes… Suburban Texas is very comfortable that way.

Sound wonderful! I've never been to the Lone Star State but hope to someday. If you could eat anything in the world right now, what would it be?
Figs from my father-in-law’s garden in Lebanon. He was a father to me for most of my life and I miss him.

I'm sorry for your loss. My daughter-in-law is half polish and half Lebanese. Would you rather have unlimited international first-class tickets or never have to pay for food in restaurants?
International, first-class tickets for sure!

Recently I bought a checkers board from the flea market and trounce my DH in several games. Do you play board games? Which ones do you like?
I love board games and especially enjoy playing with my grandchildren. Yahtzee and Battleship are fun. We also enjoy chess, although we’re not very good.

Who is the most interesting person you’ve met and talked with?
I find that every person is interesting if you give them a chance.

Everyone has a story. What kind of research do you do, and how long do you spend researching before beginning a book?
I find that last clause – “before beginning a book” equally interesting and alarming! I don’t necessarily do research before. Maybe I should? But I do a ton of research for everything I write. I want everything to be as correct and in-depth as possible.

Do you read your book reviews? How do you deal with bad or good ones?
I don’t have very many yet, so I do read them. So far, they’ve all been good, although I have a few poor ratings. I must admit, I am laughably shocked by anything less than four stars and quite indignant!
Anastasia, thanks so much for joining me today. Will you leave us a bit about your book and where we can get more information on it and you?

Tremors Through Time
Tremors Through Time Series, Book One
by Anastasia Abboud
Time Travel Romance

In the infinite vastness of time—past, present, future, past—love prevails.

She's made mistakes and paid the price, but Deidre Chisolm is no quitter. She'll never again be a fool for a man, not even her gorgeous new neighbor with his haunted eyes and strange accent. She'll be friendly, but nothing more.
Lachlann has to go back to fourteenth-century Scotland. He can't forsake his family, his son. But when a beautiful, kind, funny lady buys the house next door, he's never been so drawn to anyone in his life. Would she believe his story? After years of struggling through nightmares and flashbacks, headaches and illiteracy, dare he ask her to help him return?

Grab a Copy today
Amazon
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More about the Author
For me, playing is the best -- playing outdoors in nature or in my garden, experimenting in the kitchen, spending time with those I love. I also enjoy disappearing into a good book, attempting crafts, learning, writing, exploring, discovering. I especially like to mix it up and have yet to perfect any of it; and I've come to realize that perfection's not the point. It's all wonderfully fun. That's the point!
I prefer authentic and natural, be it food, lifestyle, people. I passionately enjoy both history and science, and certainly sociology to a degree, and I am most truly a romantic.
My husband and I have been married for over forty years. We reside near Houston, Texas, surrounded by loved ones. We have a blast with our little grandchildren.
I thank God for this wonderful life.
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Around The Fire Book Spotlight.

9/26/2022

One foolish thought. One brutal act. One hope for peace ended.

Shifter nation Dar is on the brink of war, and Felice, the youngest royal daughter, carries an accord meant to bind her sister to Abelard, Prince of Argatha–a human–and forge an alliance between the two countries.
Years after her first traumatic shift, Felice still struggles to control her inner panther until an attack by rogue soldiers sets off a chain of events destroying her hard-won control and chances of peace. To save her life, Abelard convinces Felice to become his Shield-Mate, once again giving her power to another.
Responsibility for the dying Emissary lies heavy on Abelard’s shoulders. He is a good soldier, but not, he realizes, a good man. Felice may be the catalyst to become a better son, prince, and husband.
War comes, but not the one expected. An invasion from an old enemy thrusts shifters and humans together—they must unite—or each may fall. Amid treachery and chaos, love blooms, and Abelard and Felice must come to terms with the past. But will tragedies of the past be too much to overcome? Even for love?
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MYD3IO4

Excerpt
Thick fog muffled the horses' hoofbeats on the last leg of their journey toward Sorota. The normal sound of city life was absent. An unnerving silence blanketed them as Felice’s bay mare followed behind Nolan’s dapple gray. There was no noise coming from the city. The hair on Felice’s neck stood up. “Lord Nolan, do you feel something amiss?”
He looked over his shoulder, a bland, patient expression on his face, and said, “Princess Felice, we do not act on feelings. We act on learning and knowledge. Feelings should never enter into diplomacy.”
When they arrived in Sorota, humans escorted them down the narrow, cobbled street, toward the Overseer’s dwelling. Through the thick fog, gas lamps cast shuttered houses and shops along the street in an eerie yellow glow. Other than the soldiers who escorted them, there were no other signs of the population.
Outwardly she assumed a placid demeanor, but she couldn’t tamp down her instincts. The Panther in her hadn’t emerged yet, but Felice’s nerves clawed at her insides. Glancing from side to side, she kept a close eye on the men of Sorota. A bead of sweat rolled down the nearest, though the day was cool and damp. She could smell the anxiety in some of them.
Felice fidgeted, on edge. She couldn’t shake the feeling that something was about to go wrong. Her mare pranced sideways and snorted. Whirls of vapor rose from the horse’s nose into the chilled air.
Nolan glared over his shoulder at her. “Control your emotions, Felice. They are affecting your horse.”
She sat straight in her saddle, focusing her eyes ahead and pushed down the worry. Felice tried to soothe the mare by stroking her neck. The horse’s ear twitched when she leaned forward and whispered, “Easy, Arundel, I feel it too. We will keep our eyes open.”
Nolan, who acted under the security of the king’s authority, never questioned the large contingent of guards when they entered the cavernous hall of Overseer Gedeon. The arrogance of Nolan’s position was their downfall. Not until they were behind the large, barred doors, did his brow furrow in concern. Still, he said nothing. But Felice loosened the strap on her knife and reached behind under her cloak to slacken her sword leather.
After being more herded, rather than led, Felice and Nolan were pushed through a door into the Sorotan’s meeting room.
“That is not Gedeon, but his brother Dunbar,” Nolan whispered into her ear. “Be careful, he is a very dangerous man.”
“Seize them!” Dunbar ordered, and before the Darrians could respond, Nolan was struck down. Several knives pierced his body. Regret was replaced with the glaze of death, and he muttered, “I am sorry, my lady.”
The men in the room turned to her. Their cruel eyes revealed no regard for her tender age when they moved toward her with raised weapons. Shortly after her torment began, Felice’s Panther erupted, and her life changed forever.

D. V. Stone is an award-winning, multi-genre, traditionally and independently published author. She writes books people want to read. Whether romance or fantasy, her stories are about the importance of friends and family. About overcoming obstacles while doing it with humor.
A former Emergency Medical Technician, she volunteered in both New Jersey and Pennsylvania. At the same time, she worked as a professional EMT in a women’s state prison. She was the proprietor of a coffee shop, and a small restaurant/ice cream stand in the years that followed. The years following were as a manager in an animal emergency hospital, while her last position was in a human medical office.
After retiring, she is now a full-time author and incorporates her life experiences into her books. Recently she has become a contributor to Still Moments Magazine.
When not behind the wheel of 2Hoots—a 41 foot long 13.2 feet high 5th Wheel camper, she rambles around town in Northern New Jersey in a white Camaro. She also loves travel and history. D.V. is wife to an amazing husband, mother to one son, and not your average grandma to three beautiful grands. A woman of faith, she believes and trusts in God.
“My greatest pleasures are spending time outside with friends and family, cooking over the open fire, sipping a glass of wine, and reading.”
Hali, her rescue dog, always reminds her to let readers know, “Woof, woof.” Which is loosely translated as support your local animal rescue.”

You can find out more about D. V. by following her on Social Media.
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stillmomentsezine.blogspot.com/

Other Books by
D. V. Stone
Published by The Wild Rose Press
🌈Rainbow Sprinkles
After the storm come the rainbows.
Amazon  Barnes & Noble   iBook’s
👩‍🍳Rock House Grill: A celebrity chef and first responder have the perfect recipe for cooking up a slow-burn romance. (Impact Book 1)
Amazon Barnes & Noble iBook’s Google Books Kobo
🎷Jazz House: International intrigue with a woman on the run. Two men pursue - One for love. One for the hunt. (Impact Book 2)
https://books2read.com/JazzHouse
Coming Spring 2023
Sophia's Magic Beans

Independently published
Mid Grade
Agent Sam Carter Series for the whole family
The Mystery at Branch Lake https://a.co/bb0HlkS
The Mystery at High Pointe Tower https://a.co/bb0HlkS

Coming soon
Kisa, Shield-Mates of Dar Book 2 - Late 2022
Sea Hunter. A Mortar and Pestle Book - Spring 2023

Contributing Author
Australia Burns Volume One: Show Australia Some Love (1)
Amazon

Around The Fire welcomes Regency Author J.L. Buck

9/21/2022

It's a great day for a fire. We recently returned from Hershey Pa and enjoyed one nearly every night. Now that the weather is cooler, especially at night we can really savor hanging out and reading or just talking. My guest today let slip that she turned a certain age and now prefers fireplaces to campfires but that's okay. The coziness of a bit of flame knows no boundaries. Tell us about your favorite place to sit. Is it a fireplace, chiminea, campfire, firepit? Now we move on to today's guest who is new to the fire. Don't you just love meeting new people?

Hey J! What do you say? Sorry, I couldn't help myself. While I pour a cuppa, why don't you tell us little about yourself.
After a career as an attorney working within the Juvenile Justice system, I retired, began writing (assisted by my Siamese cat, Latte), and rediscovered family and friends. I have eight terrific grandchildren and one great-grandson. Just keeping up with their lives is a full-time occupation, including my youngest grandson’s swim meets!

I love the name Latte, for your cat. So here's a drinkable latte. What interests besides writing do you enjoy?
When I’m not visiting with family or writing, I love to travel with friends, read the latest mystery, or watch mysteries on TV (including via services like Britbox). I’m also an avid PBS fan thanks to Downton Abbey.

I love PBS. My favorite is All Creatures Great and Small. Season three can't be here soon enough. You have quite an extended family. Are they your support system?
My family and friends are all supportive of my writing. I have brain-stormed a story with most of them from time to time, and they often purchase a copy of my latest book before I can get them a free one. But I was lucky enough to meet my critique partner, Kath Marsh (a writer of YA fantasy) during NaNoWritMo more than ten years ago. I submit nothing that hasn’t met the test of her read-through first.

How wonderful. For anyone who doesn't know what NaNoWriMo is, National Novel Writing Month. The challenge is 30 days-50,000 words-go. My book Rock House Grill started as one of the challenges. Who or what books or authors are your inspiration?
Too numerous to list them all. I have loved books since I was a small child, and through the years a variety of authors have inspired me—not only to read, but also to write. Tolkien, of course, Agatha Christie, Arthur Conan Doyle, Sue Grafton, Sara Paretsky. Current favorites in my own field of Regency-era mysteries are C. S. Harris and Ashley Gardner.

Do you have any fun or outrageous talent?
Throughout my life I have been a Jack or rather Jill of all trades. I have dabbled in whatever caught my eye from hiking the Grand Canyon to exploring the tombs of Egypt or flying to the Bahamas for the day (it was a spur-of-the-moment tour set up by a local radio station). If I have an outrageous talent, it is getting others to go on these adventures with me! 😊

Wow! How exciting. Egypt is on my bucket list. I just can't figure out how to get my camper there. What is your neighborhood like?
I live in a very quiet, proper suburb of Des Moines, Iowa, with access to groceries, entertainment, nice restaurants, and medical care only minutes away. Five minutes to the west is Saylorville Lake. I enjoyed exploring the trails around the lake with my min pin Ranger before I lost him to old age, and I still love to sit on the dam and watch the sailboats. I have a favorite restaurant nearby where five of us meet every Thursday night.

It sounds wonderful. Sorry about Ranger. Do you have a particular object like a piece of jewelry or a keepsake of some sort? Can you tell us what makes it special to you?
My grandmother Opal died before I was born, but she passed her opal ring down to my mother, and my mother gave it to me. It is a treasured piece.

What is your favorite mug or teacup?
I have my morning coffee in a cup with an unusual wavy shape and the attractions of London etched on its white surface in black and red ink. It’s a reminder of one of my very favorite cities.

I posted a picture of it below. If you could time travel, where would you go and when? Why?
This is an obvious one for me. I’d return to Regency era England (1811-1820) to see how everything was done. It would save me hours or months of research to get the details “right” for my Regency mysteries.

Would you rather have unlimited international first-class tickets or never have to pay for food at restaurants?
Hands down—unlimited international first-class tickets! I’ve been fortunate to do a lot of traveling, but there are always new places to explore and old favorites to visit again. I would love to return to Egypt.

Maybe if I went first class I wouldn't have to worry about taking a camper. What’s the most amazing natural occurrence you’ve witnessed?
The birth of a baby, whether human or animal, is a breath-taking moment.

Do you read your book reviews? How do you deal with bad or good ones?
I don’t respond to reviews, but I do read them. If a reader has taken the time to read and comment on my book, I want to know what they have to say. Of course, we all love good reviews, and I’m extremely grateful for them, but bad reviews – if truly based on the book – may point out issues that need to be addressed. I once changed something in a book due to a reader’s review.

That is a great point. We have to be willing to listen to good counsel. J.L. before you head out on your next adventure, please leave us with some information about your book and where we can find out more.

The Dead Betray None (A Viscount Ware Mystery)
by
J.L. Buck

Historical/Regency mystery
Sweet romance/some strong language appropriate to 1811 men

An aristocratic spy and a highborn lady cross paths over a dead body.
1811 England seethes with discontent. A self-indulgent prince regent sits on the throne of a country at war with France, on the brink of war with America, and facing growing rebellion at home.
Lucien, Viscount Ware, recently home after four years on the Continent as a spy for England, finds life in the haute ton tedious. He secretly agrees to handle a few delicate matters for the Crown's private spy unit at Whitehall. A housebreaking at a country houseparty seems a strange assignment until he discovers that a French cipher, the key to Napoleon's war codes, was among the stolen items. As he follows its trail to London's notorious rookeries and into its glittering ballrooms, he faces a growing threat of treachery from more than one direction.
Lady Anne Ashburn missed her London season while caring for her invalid mother in the north country. A new nurse allows her to visit relatives, where she becomes embroiled in a blackmail plot. To avoid a terrible scandal, she goes to London to face down the scoundrel threatening her family.
The night of the elegant Christmastide Ball, Lucien finds Lady Anne standing over a corpse. What happens after that—the risks they take, the intrusion of a notorious crime lord, society gossip, and good intentions gone awry—sends them spiraling into danger and potential disaster for England’s war effort.
An ever-twisting plot sure to keep you turning the pages.

Grab your copy today at one of these retailers.
AMAZON B&N KOBO GOOGLEBOOKS BOOKTOPIA

Review:
The thieves didn’t just steal a few precious baubles from the guests at Baron Sherbourne’s house party; they may have stolen England’s future. For among the jewels, money, and dueling pistols was a packet of papers that contain the key to cracking Napoleon’s new encryption system. So instead of letting the local constabulary investigate, Lucien Grey, Viscount Ware, is sent in by the British government to take charge of the case. Among the people Lucien questions is Lady Anne Ashburn, whose great aunt was one of Sherbourne’s guests. While Anne might not be involved with the theft, Lucien is convinced she is up to something. This becomes all the more apparent the next time the two meet, which just happens to be over a dead body. Expertly entwining an impeccably evoked historical setting and a compelling cast of characters, Buck launches her new Regency-set mystery series on a high note, making this an easy sell to fans of Anna Lee Huber’s Lady Darby series, not to mention C. S. Harris’ Sebastian St. Cyr books. Booklist, a review magazine of the American Library Association, May 2022

About the Author
After retiring from the legal system, Ms Buck wrote sixteen fantasy books under the pen name of Ally Shields, before turning to Regency-era mystery fiction.
Ms. Buck lives in the Midwest with Latte, a mischievous Siamese cat, who attempts to co-author her writing by taking over the keyboard. When not writing or running two blogs, J L Buck enjoys her eight grandchildren (and a great-grandson), reading (preferably on a sunny deck), travel (USA and abroad), and binge-watching any sub-genre of mystery shows.
She can be contacted through her website, her Ally Shields fantasy website, or social media (twitter: @janetlbuck or her pen name account: @ShieldsAlly)

Around The Fire Book Spotlight Innocent eyes by Gabbi Black

9/19/2022

Welcome to my New Release Spotlight. Today's focus is on In Their Eyes a steamy series whose third book Innocent Eyes debuts October 17th 2022. The subject matter is for adult audiences. If your a fan of the romantic genre you won't be disappointed.

Amber Eyes (Book 1):
School principal Gage Clayton is still grieving the death of his wife and submissive, yet he can't ignore his Dominant needs. As he enters Club Kink, he's inexplicably drawn to a newly released sub with an intriguing proposition and the most captivating amber eyes. But she has disturbing baggage and her expectations prove quite a challenge, one that would necessitate a commitment he's not ready for.
Rielle Reid needs a Dom while she waits for her former Master to return. When she invites a handsome stranger to her home dungeon for a night of play, she's surprised at his gentle dominance—and her response to it. But in the light of day, his demand for equal footing confounds her. After living four years as a twenty-four/seven slave, she has no concept of how to be anything other than property.
Gage must find a way to master Rielle to free them both from the shackles of the past.

Beautiful Eyes (Book 2): 99 cents until Oct 10th
Entrepreneur Smith MacLean is obsessed with Alessandra Soriano, a woman he met briefly who disappeared six months ago. After a shocking reunion at Club Kink, he insists she stay with him. He means to find out where she's been.
Alessandra walked away from her life after making a mistake that cost everything. Her self-imposed penance is living in poverty and doing questionable things with questionable people. Now she's in Smith's luxurious condo, under his hand, and obeying his rules.
He has thirty days to convince her to come back from limbo. She has thirty days to convince him she needs to be forgotten. Unless the flames of lust consume them first.

Innocent Eyes (Book 3): Pre-Release Price of $3.99 until Release Oct. 17th ($5.99)
Hardworking university student Tarah Peters has observed tycoon Sebastian Merrick from her security guard post for weeks. Under his gaze, she experiences desire for the first time in her life, and his unexpected proposition both daunts and intrigues her.
Sebastian doesn’t proposition women but feels compelled to offer Tarah a place to live and money for her schooling while he introduces her to his darkly erotic world. Her naïveté calls to him, but he must maintain an emotional distance while showing her the meaning of submission.
Tarah yearns for Sebastian to admit he wants more than just a Dominant/submissive relationship, that their enthrallment is mutual. Can she convince him this might be more than just an affair?

Series  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B1Z9J7FY
Amber Eyes:
Universal link: https://books2read.com/u/3Ln9PX
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08CZL6XBX
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/amber-eyes-gabbi-black/1137343876
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Gabbi_Black_Amber_Eyes?id=g-33DwAAQBAJ
KOBO: https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/amber-eyes-11
iBooks: https://books.apple.com/us/book/amber-eyes/id1526064524?

Beautiful Eyes:
Universal Link: https://books2read.com/u/3n57Lx
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09C16GHCJ
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/beautiful-eyes-gabbi-black/1139975555
Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/us/book/beautiful-eyes/id1580299905
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Gabbi_Black_Beautiful_Eyes?id=BlVBEAAAQBAJ
KOBO: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/beautiful-eyes-4

Innocent Eyes:
Universal link: https://books2read.com/InnocentEyes
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BB3F6CSB
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/innocent-eyes-gabbi-black/1142024873
Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/ca/book/innocent-eyes/id6443282114
About the author

Even though Gabbi Black is a firm believer in happy endings, she makes her characters work for it in every romance she writes, no matter what the genre. From contemporary to BDSM, they are penned early in the morning in her home in beautiful British Columbia while her trusty ChinPoo dog keeps her company. She also writes gay romances as Gabbi Grey.
I wrote the In Their Eyes trilogy almost ten years ago. I wanted to explore the dynamics of relationships within power exchanges. What I discovered was a trove of damaged souls whose stories clamored to be told. I started with one image – a woman alone in a nightclub. The questions followed – who is she? Why is she alone? Is she pining? For who? What about the hero? What’s his story? Why will he be able to reach her when no one else has been able to? From that one flash, I fleshed out three novels and a quarter of a million words. I wrote the trilogy in just three months. I loved the stories, but I wasn’t sure what to do with them. I was writing other books at the time and didn’t know what I could do with this dark trilogy. The romances had happy endings, to be sure, but the stories involved deep emotional wounds and dark subjects.
In the end, I found a freelance editor who worked with me to refine the stories. My writing was raw and unpolished. That woman assured me the books provided an emotional impact and suggested I submit them to The Wild Rose Press. The first book, Amber Eyes, landed on the desk of an amazing editor who saw the potential for a moving story. She worked with me and eventually we had a book we were happy with. I published it two years ago. Last year, we did the middle book of the trilogy. Different couple, but the similar deep wounds. Next month, the final book is being released.
I’m grateful to this wonderful editor for having taken a chance on me – and for giving this trilogy a home.
Thank you, D.V., for letting me come and share my story with you and your readers.

R! This is as steamy as it can get! And, to share a quick little insider information – I’ve written another book under this pen name set in Buenos Aires that is coming out next year.

Around The Fire Welcomes Back Amber Daulton.

9/14/2022

Seriously? It's the middle of September already? How does that happen? Just the other day it was summer. But really, I don't mind. Fall is my favorite time of year. We just had a wonderful time with family for my nieces wedding and then around the campfire with both old and new friends in the Poconos. Speaking of old and new, my guest is an old friend but she has a new book! So we're going to jump right in. Hi Amber! Welcome back. While I stoke this fire and get us a drink why don't you tell everyone a little about yourself?

I’m a mother to kitties, a wifey to my own personal chef, a reader who doesn’t have enough time to read, and a woman who hates waking up early but always seems to get up at 6 a.m. anyway. What’s up with that?

I get it. When I retired I figured I could sleep in to my hearts content. Nope, when the sun is up so am I. What interests besides writing do you enjoy? For instance, what do you read or hobbies you have?
Outside of writing, I love hiking in the woods behind my house, digging in my herb garden and picking wild blackberries at harvest time, and playing with my cats. I have two furbabies right now—Darby and Pepper—and both of them are now ten years old.

Baby, my cat, is seventeen and she's an outstanding traveling and camping cat who greets yours with a hale and hearty "Meow." Other than you puddy-tats(looney Toons reference) who is your network or support system? This would be any groups/authors/friends/family who contributes to your writing career.
My husband, Greg, is very supportive and always reads my work. I belong to a couple of writing/marketing groups on Facebook, MeWe, and IO Groups. Marketing for Romance Writers is one of the most helpful of these groups, and it’s where authors go to ask for help and bounce ideas off one another.

Who or what books or authors are your inspiration?
I don’t really have any books or authors who inspire me. I read as often as I can, and while I do have reading preferences, I tend to stick to the romance genre and most of its sub-genres.

Other than being a great author, do you have any fun or outrageous talent?
I love creating digital graphics like book teasers and book covers for myself and clients. I opened the doors to my new design company, Satin Rose Designs, in early 2022, and I have several premade ebook romance book covers available for sale. Paperback and audiobook covers can also be ordered. You can learn more here: https://satinrosedesigns.amberdaulton.com
I also like scrapbooking and making jewelry, in particularly beaded bracelets and earrings. I would love to learn how to make candles and soap, but I haven’t tried yet.

I've seen some of your graphic work and it's awesome. I also make earring. Do you have a particular object, like a piece of jewelry or a keepsake of some sort? Can you tell us what makes it special to you?
I have a light-brown, scruffy teddy bear named Scruffus. I got him when I was a little too old to be playing with teddies (I think I was around 12), but he was so adorable that I couldn’t not have him. At the time, I was doing a lot of research into Ancient Roman culture and history, so I named him Scruffus because most Roman male names ended with “us,” such as Brutus, Flavius, and Julius. I guess I was trying to be both mature and still a kid at the same time. (Amber shared a pic w us. Make sure you go to the end.)

My brother still has a stuffed animal from his youth. Fluffy has been all around the USA including Alaska. If you could eat anything in the world right now, what would it be?
Nacho-flavored chips. The price has skyrocketed in the store, even for the off-brands, so I haven’t had it in about two years. I know, I should probably break and buy a bag already, but it’s the principle of the thing.

I get that. Everything is so expensive. What's your worst household chore?
Sweeping the whole house. Sometimes it takes me an hour to do this if several weeks have passed since the last time I cleaned (dang you, writing!), and because I don’t have a vacuum.

I recently bought myself a Shark vacuum. It's the first new vacuum I ever owned. When and if you do get one check them out. Relatively, it wasn't as expensive as some of them. Would you rather have unlimited international first-class tickets or never have to pay for food at restaurants?
That’s a tough one. I’m a vegetarian, so my eating-out options are already limited, but going on vacation enough times to warrant having free plane tickets isn’t in the cards either. So I’d have to go with free food for life and be picky where I eat.

Did you ever win something? What?
Back in college, there was a raffle at every spring fling where DVDs and restaurant gift cards were the prizes. I won a few of them, but the only two that come to mind are Dracula, starring Gary Oldman, and a $10 card to Burger King (this was before my hubby and I turned vegetarian). I’ve also won between $20 and $50 in Bingo a few times.

I just bought a wooden checker and checkers at a flea market. Do you play board games? What games do you like?
I love chess, canasta, Scrabble, and Clue. For those who don’t know, canasta is a card game that’s similar to rummy and was super popular back in the 1950s and ’60s, especially with housewives in the southwestern US. It’s spread all over since then, and I grew up playing it with my mom. I’ve taught my husband how to play, and it’s one of our go-to games when we want something that will take a long time to play through.
My son spent some time in Tennessee and taught me how to play. I loved it, but it's been a while. Next time you come to the fire you'll have to remind me. Amber thank you so much for stopping in. Will you leave a bit about your new release? Also if someone wants to find out more about you where do they go?

Ryan’s Temptation Arresting Onyx (book 2.5)
by
Amber Daulton

August 9th, 2022
Romantic Suspense
Heat Rating: 4 Flames

Wrong place, wrong time. Now she’s running for her life.
Beautician Chanel Leroc can wield a pair of scissors like nobody’s business. After she witnesses a murder and lands on a serial killer’s hit list, she has to figure out how to protect herself—and fast. The killer tracks her down, but her sexy new neighbor, Dr. Ryan Naylor, drives the brute off.
The police dump the pair in a witness protection program, which doesn’t last long. Either the killer has a connection to the police, or he’s far more intelligent than they realize. All Chanel wants to do is get back to her safe life and get to know her neighbor better. Instead, she and Ryan hit the road and try to survive on their own.
How will they stay alive and keep their blooming romance intact with the killer hot on their trail?

After Chanel witnesses a murder, she and her sexy neighbor flee the city with the killer in hot pursuit.

A peek between the covers.
She blew a lock of her hair away from her face. “If your mom shows up, I’m screwed. I have no makeup, and the clothes I wore yesterday need a date with the washing machine. First impressions are everything with a man’s mother. Do you know you’re the first guy to see me barefaced since Jonas?”
Who was Jonas? He clamped his jaw on the question. “Mom will understand. She likes stubborn women who refuse to take my bull. Besides, you look great without all that junk on your face.” He stiffened as she lifted her manicured eyebrow. “But I’m not opposed to it either. Do what makes you feel comfortable.”
She chuckled softly. “Good save.”
He blew out a pent-up sigh. Whew! No doghouse for him. “Who’s Jonas?” Okay, so he asked. At least he didn’t growl it.
“My ex-boyfriend.” She traced the line of Ryan’s whiskered jaw. “We were living together and contemplating marriage when he got a great job offer out-of-state. I didn’t want to move, so he left and took our Corgi with him. I miss Rocky like crazy. Hell, I miss the dog more than I do Jonas.” She fluffed Ryan’s shirt. “I loved him, but it wasn’t that awe-inspiring, ballad-type romance I read about in my books. Anyway, I couldn’t afford the rent on our house, so I moved. I made the right decision to not leave Denver, but I wouldn’t be in this mess if I had.”
They also wouldn’t have met. His gut fisted. “How long were you with him?”
“About three years.”
He tunneled his hand through his mussed hair. “You’re just coming out of a long-term relationship. We should slow down.”
“How long have you been divorced?”
“Two years, but my marriage was over long before that.”
“I’m over Jonas, so I don’t need to take baby steps.” She rested her hands on his chest.
“Okay. If you’re sure?”
She claimed his lips, the passion in her kiss silencing his doubts.

Download Links (---Please choose either Standard OR Hyperlinks---)

https://books2read.com/RyansTemptation
https://amzn.to/3ajZ6MT
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ryans-temptation-amber-daulton/1141713344?ean=2940186609674
https://books.apple.com/us/book/id6443054102
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/ryan-s-temptation
https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=5R54EAAAQBAJ

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58601725-ryan-s-temptation
https://www.bookbub.com/books/ryan-s-temptation-by-amber-daulton

Book Trailer
https://youtu.be/iuDwwCxD_vA

A little more about the Author
Amber Daulton is the author of the romantic-suspense series Arresting Onyx and several standalone novellas. Her books are published through Daulton Publishing, The Wild Rose Press, and Books to Go Now, and are available in ebook, print on demand, audio, and foreign language formats.
She lives in North Carolina with her husband and demanding cats.

You can follow her here
Universal link – https://linktr.ee/AmberDaulton
Exclusive Newsletter (free eBook to new subscribers)– https://bit.ly/amberdaultonnewsletter

Around The Fire New Release Spotlight

9/12/2022

Welcome to my New Release Spotlight. Here's where you'll find the latest books and authors you either love, or will soon come to. I hope to bring you multiple genres whether you like contemporary, historical, paranormal, or even kid-lit to name a few. Bookmark this page and stop in often. Today, Mike Torreano brings you a peek at his September 5, 2022 Historical Mystery.

White Sands Gold
by
Mike Torreano

Mexico Territory, 1890
In a hidden cavern, a treasure trove of  gold bars sits alongside an ancient relic.
To find her treasure-hunting brother, Lottie Durham enlists the help of an easygoing lawman she can’t stand—at first. When a mysterious  woman known only as Ma asks her to join the relic’s guardians, Lottie’s world spins. Should she take on this solemn obligation?
Twill, leader of those secretive guardians,  has sworn a vow to protect the centuries-old religious relic. Regrets bedevil him and his dedication to his oath is repeatedly tested. If he breaks his promise, he’ll fail Ma, the one person he’s never wanted to let down.
Will a looming attack by a band of determined raiders be the end of the guardians, the gold, and the relic?
Rated G

https://www.amazon.com/White-Sands-Gold-Mike-Torreano-ebook/dp/B0B3714RXS
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/white-sands-gold-mike-torreano/1141622239
https://shop.aer.io/TheWildRosePress/p/White_Sands_Gold/9781509244317-11180

Where did you get the inspiration for your book, Mike?
Inspiration for the story came from a conversation with a friend of mine, who said, “I’ve got the idea for your next book.” He then spun a tale of hidden gold, thousands and thousands of bars underneath a mountain north of Las Cruces, New Mexico. He’d been exploring the area for years.
Me: “How’d this gold supposedly get there?”
Him” No one knows for sure, but there are several different theories.”
Me: “When was this supposed to have happened?”
Him: “No one knows that, either, but legend says the gold’s been there for centuries.”
Me: “How come no one’s found it?”
Him: “Folklore says someone did, and brought some of the bars up in the 1930s. But he got shot. No one’s seen anything since.”
Me: “Who shot him and why?”
Him: “Good question.”
I went home and did an online search. When page after page about the fabled gold popped up, I created a few twists, crafted some interesting characters, and had my next novel.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mike Torreano has a military background and is a student of American history and the Old West.
His debut western mystery, The Reckoning, set in South Park, Colorado in 1868, was released in 2016 by The Wild Rose Press. The sequel, The Renewal, also in South Park, 1872, was released in 2018. His third western, A Score To Settle, was released October 2020, also from The Wild Rose Press. White Sands Gold is his latest western mystery, and was just released by Wild Rose. He has a coming-of-age novel, Fireflies At Dusk, set during the Civil War, and his short story, The Trade, a tale of the Yukon Gold Rush, was his first published work in 2014.
Mike’s written for magazines and newspapers for many years. An experienced editor, he’s taught University-level English and Journalism. He’s a member of the Historical Novel Society, Pikes Peak Writers, Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers, Western Writers of America and several other writing groups. He brings his readers back in time with him as he recreates life in mid-to-late nineteenth century America. He and his wife, Anne, live in Colorado Springs.

A Special Around The Fire with C. B. Clark and her Visit to Iceland. Bonus! She has a New Release too.

9/10/2022

Hi Everyone! I have a special Saturday Spotlight for you. I couldn't pass up the chance to bring a fellow camper, adventurer and Wild Rose Press author to you. C. B. took a trip to Iceland and she offered to tell us about it and her newest release. So with no more jabbering from me let me introduce today's guest C. B. I'm so glad you could stop by the fire today. I'm going to hand it off to you while I sit back and sip a cuppa while you tell me all about your trip. Was it fabulous?

My recent trip to Iceland was incredible. It’s impossible to describe the natural beauty of Iceland without using superlatives. Volcanic activity is evident everywhere. Clouds of steam billow from volcanic vents, geysers shoot boiling water high into the air, and natural hot springs are abundant. In early June, the rugged moon-like terrain is covered with purple lupins, and the volcanic crags are home to thousands of nesting birds. Waterfalls, each one more stunning than the one before, are around every corner.
The popular Golden Circle Route takes in Pingviller National Park (a UNESCO World Heritage site) with its numerous waterfalls, views of distant glaciers, and the site of the first parliament in Iceland. At Geysir Thermal Area, hot steam erupts 20 meters into the air from the Great Geyser, while bubbling mud pots of boiling water surround you. Gullfoss (Gold Waterfall) and the nearby volcanic crater are stunning.
The Ring Road led us to the small, picturesque village of Vik. Along the way we visited countless gorgeous waterfalls. At Seljalandsfoss, we were able to walk behind the waterfall. An incredible experience and well worth the soaking from the spray. Sea arches, basalt columns, sea stacks, and sea caves are set amidst black sand beaches that stretch as far as the eye can see.
Snaefellsnes Peninsula, a two-hour drive from Reykavik, is an area where few tourists travel. Hexagonal basalt columns, deep ravines, volcanic craters, cliffs, sea arches, and a beautiful white sand beach are overseen by a towering volcano topped with a massive glacier.
Next, we flew to Eastern Iceland to the tiny fishing village of Borgarfordour. We spent five days trekking in this rugged, pristine area through knee-deep snow, and across steep volcanic slopes with beautiful vistas of snow-covered mountains. Seals frolicked in the aquamarine waters of a small bay, and a herd of reindeer forded an ocean inlet. Hundreds of nesting puffins watched us from their perches on the volcanic rocks.
The local food of fish and lamb and hearty bread was delicious, and the people friendly and generous. Combined with out-of-this world scenery, Iceland is a must-see country.

Well you've wet my whistle for it. My cousin-in-law was married there many years ago and I've had a hankering to visit. My problem? Don't know how I'd get the camper there. I love the pictures you sent. Before you head off into the sunset can you tell us a bit about your September 14, release?

Forging Forgiveness
Can their love survive a killer intent on repeating the past?
by
C.B. Clark

Romantic Suspense

When small-town college instructor Candace Cooper discovers bloody, bare footprints in the snow while running in a state park deep in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, it brings back the horrific nightmare of her past.
Detective Aiden Farrell is determined to redeem himself in his new position in Colorado, even if that means ignoring his growing feelings for the beautiful professor he meets during an investigation. His fear that the footprints she saw are connected to a recent spate of missing teens intensifies when Candace is assaulted on campus.
Aiden and Candace join forces, but as they start unraveling the truth, they get closer to each other—and to a killer who'll stop at nothing to achieve his nefarious goal.
Caught between duty and love, Aiden fights in a race against time to save the woman he loves.

Grab your copy here
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3ASuXim
Barnes & Noble: https://bit.ly/3Rc1Vje
Apple/iTunes: https://apple.co/3BeiN3E
Google: https://bit.ly/3PSWbd3
Also available for purchase at kobo.com and all other major online retailers.

A bit more about the Author
Forging Forgiveness is award-winning author, C.B. Clark’s eighth novel published by The Wild Rose Press. When she’s not busy traveling around the globe or hiking and camping in the wilderness near her home in northern British Columbia, she can be found in front of her laptop plotting her next story.

Find out more by following C. B.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cbclarkauthor/
Blog: https://cbclarkauthor.wordpress.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/cbclarkauthor
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cbclarkauthor/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15029617.C_B_Clark
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/C.-B.-Clark/e/B01BK61TQG/
Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/c-b-clark

Around The Fire welcomes back Terry Segan and her new release Spirit In Tow .

9/7/2022

How could you look at those pictures and not want to know more about the woman? You can't, right? So today we have the pleasure of talking to Terry Segan and finding out- "Who is the woman behind the smile?" Terry thank you so much for joining us around the fire. Why don't you reintroduce yourself by telling us who you are other than your official bio?
Thanks for having me back at your campfire. Besides writing full time, I love being outdoors and exploring whenever I can. I also believe in the motto, “It’s not the places you go but the people you meet.” Chatting with strangers and finding common ground is always fun, as well as learning about new places to visit.

I see you like bike riding. What interests besides writing do you enjoy?
I love to travel. One of my favorite places is the beach, especially on the west coast. Most recently, my husband and I hopped on the motorcycle and took a trip up to the Pacific Northwest and down the coast. We rode through Washington, Oregon and California. One of the highlights was getting to ride through the Chandelier Tree in the Redwood Forest.

Very cool. I've never been out to the coast, though I flew over it on a trip to Alaska to visit my brother. Family are my biggest support, who is your network or support system?
My biggest cheerleader is my husband, who encourages me every day in my writing career. He still hasn’t made it into one of my books as a chalk outline (his request), but I have many stories yet to tell. Another person is my oldest daughter, who has dragged me into the social media arena. I wouldn’t say I went kicking and screaming, but she did meet with some resistance when my brain refused to grasp some of the concepts of how things worked. Her persistence paid off and things are running much smoother (and we’re still on speaking terms). Rounding off the team is my local writer’s group. Their critiques and suggestions have been invaluable to my growing as a writer.

Supporters don't just say I'm behind you, they pull you forward and show how you can be better. Good for her. Who or what books or authors are your inspiration?
Books with dual timelines or relics from the past tied to the present are some of my favorites. I also love a book whose characters make me laugh out loud. Recently, I discovered “The Queen of Klutz” by Samantha Garman. Her character Sibby has a sharp, sarcastic wit which had me rolling at some of her humorous observations.

Books that can make a person laugh out loud are not as common as one would believe. Do you have any fun or outrageous talent?
I’m not sure if it’s actually considered a talent, but I have a knack for seeing humor in most situations—funerals, weddings, grocery shopping. There’s usually something that amuses me. We recently stopped at a local grocery store in a very small town. After seeing some of the other patrons, all I could think of was I’d wandered onto the set of The Walking Dead.

Okay, so we could never sit together at a serious affair. My sense of humor is, shall we say, unconventional. What is your neighborhood like? Are there any places you frequent? What makes them special?
Over the last few months it’s changed. My husband and I are full time RVers, and we spent most of this summer at an RV resort in Salt Lake City. The one thing which made the place special to me was a beautiful bicycle path running right past the resort. The cool mornings allowed me to ride for an hour and not have to dodge traffic. I did have to dodge a few confused squirrels who would run out in front of me and stop. They must have conspired with the ducks where the path followed the Jordan River because they too stopped in the middle of the road.

That's awesome. Pete and I are somewhere in-between fulltime and the usual weekend camper. If they made a movie about your life, what would the title be, and who would play you?
The Voices Have the Best Ideas – Melissa McCarthy would be playing me.

LOL! I'll be your co-star. If you could time travel, where would you go and when? Why?
I would go back to Long Island in the year 1958. My Mom was forty and Dad forty-three when I was born, so I’d want to meet them in their younger years. They’d bought their first house in 1957 when the area had more potato farms than neighborhoods. It would be fun to see my older sister as a child. I’m on the fence whether I’d tell her at the age of nine she’d get a baby brother instead of the pony she was hoping for—then me a year later.

What website or app doesn’t exist, but you really wish it did?
Spouse Translator – I know my husband would love an app which would translate my questions and answers to guy-speak and vice versa.

Hear that app developers. It would make a fortune. Who is the most interesting person you’ve met and talked with?
Most recently, I’d have to say the employee who helped me at my last visit to the DMV. When I told her I wrote paranormal mysteries, she proceeded to tell me about her three past lives. She was awesome! I’m sure the 250 people waiting behind me were less impressed, but I could have sat there all day listening to her amazing stories.

What subjects should be taught in school but aren’t?
Turn Signals: Not Just for Beginners – It would instruct the proper use of the little stick to the left of the steering wheel as well as the appropriate time to engage it.

Mine is signal then brake. Not slam on the brakes and then decide to let me know your plan. What’s the most amazing natural occurrence you’ve witnessed?
Viewing the simplicity of the sun dropping into the ocean at day’s end from a California beach.

Mmm, I love it. Beauty in simplicity. Terry before you head back out on your next adventure will you tell us about your latest book? I hear it's going to be a series.

Spirit in Tow
The Marni Legend Series Book 1
by
Terry Segan
Release September 7, 2022

Marni Legend is about to publish her thirteenth novel. Gus Zuckerman has been hanging around since his death in nineteen-ninety-five. With her deadline looming and her recently deceased mother refusing to move on, can Marni dispatch both spirits and still have time for romance?
Armed with sarcasm and a warped sense of humor, her innate ability to stumble into awkward situations lands Marni in the midst of a car theft ring. As her circle of friends becomes populated with felons and possible murderers, the lines blur around whom she can trust.
Juggling a hot new beau with one hand and rekindling an old flame with the other, she may need to put on the brakes with one. Should she pick the probable criminal who may know Gus’s fate or play it safe with the sweetheart from her past? She’ll need more than her special abilities and quick wit to navigate the twists and turns of this paranormal mystery.

Grab a copy today
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Spirit-Tow-Marni-Legend-Book-ebook/dp/B0B372WLF7
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/spirit-in-tow-terry-segan/1141622246

Good Reads 5 Star rating (for full review go to www.goodreads.com/review/show/4865378854 )
July 31, 2022
Wise-cracking historical novelist Marni Legend has more than spellcheck up her sleeve.
Lots of fun! Looking forward to Book 2!

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS
Author Website: https://terrysegan.com/
Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/AuthorTerrySegan
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/terrysegan
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SeganTerry
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Terry-Segan/e/B087YQGXMD
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/terry-segan
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18604926.Terry_Segan

BIO
Terry Segan resides in Nevada. The beach is her happy place, but any opportunity to travel soothes her gypsy soul. The stories conjured by her imagination while riding backseat on her husband’s motorcycle can be found throughout the pages of her paranormal mysteries.

Around The Fire New Release Spotlight ~The Wild Rose and the Sea Raven

9/5/2022

The Wild Rose and the Sea Raven
by
Jennifer Ivy Walker

Mirror, mirror, on the lake.
Reveal the path the queen will take.
Haunted and hunted. Entwined by fate.
Can their passion and power prevail?

In this dark fairy tale adaptation of a medieval French legend, Issylte must flee the wicked queen, finding shelter with a fairy witch who teaches her the verdant magic of the forest. Fate leads her to the otherworldly realm of the Lady of the Lake and the Elves of Avalon, where she must choose between her life as a healer or fight to save her ravaged kingdom.

Tristan of Lyonesse is a Knight of the Round Table who must overcome the horrors of his past and defend his king or risk losing everything. When he becomes a warrior of the Tribe of Dana, a gift of Druidic magic might hold the key he seeks.

Haunted and hunted. Entwined by fate. Can their passion and power prevail?

Viking Historical Romance
Medieval Historical Romance
Medieval Historical Romance
Published by The Wild Rose Press, Inc
September 5, 2022

Get your copy today
www.amazon.com/~/e/B0B91R2MJZ
www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-wild-rose-and-the-sea-raven-jennifer-ivy-walker/1141977954

The Wild Rose and the Sea Raven's Book Trailer
youtu.be/yoIuBeGhfNI

5⭐️ Goodreads Review
The Wild Rose and the Sea Raven combines whimsical moments that remind you of a fairytale with danger, intrigue, death, and bloodshed. A lovely interpretation of Tristan and Iseult and it's only the beginning. I look forward to the rest of the series to see how the story will play out.

Meet the Author
Enthralled with legends of medieval knights and ladies, dark fairy tales and fantasies about Druids, wizards and magic, Jennifer Ivy Walker always dreamed of becoming a writer. She fell in love with French in junior high school, continuing her study of the language throughout college, eventually becoming a high school teacher and college professor of French.

As a high school teacher, she took her students every year to the annual French competition, where they performed a play she had written, "Yseult la Belle et Tristan la Bête"--an imaginative blend of the medieval French legend of "Tristan et Yseult" and the fairy tale "Beauty and the Beast", enhanced with fantasy elements of a Celtic fairy and a wicked witch.

Her debut novel, "The Wild Rose and the Sea Raven"--the first of a trilogy-- is a blend of her love for medieval legends, the romantic French language, and paranormal fantasy. It is a retelling of the medieval French romance of "Tristan et Yseult", interwoven with Arthurian myth, dark fairy tales from the enchanted Forest of Brocéliande, and otherworldly elements such as Avalonian Elves, Druids, forest fairies and magic.

Explore her realm of Medieval French Fantasy. She hopes her novels will enchant you.

Website
jenniferivywalker.com/
Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/JenniferIvyWalker
Twitter
twitter.com/bohemienneivy
Instagram
www.instagram.com/jenniferivywalkerauthor/

Taking Stock. A moment of reflecting on what was, what is, and what is yet to come.

9/1/2022

I'm taking some time around the fire today to relax and contemplate my everything that is happening. It's a good thing. Sometime you need to take stock. Hah! Stock leads me to my exciting announcement.
Still Moments Magazine has invited me to be a contributor. Starting this fall, I'll be sharing recipes in each issue. All you have to do is click on the Google Drive link that is part of the post.
https://stillmomentsezine.blogspot.com/p/magazine-issues.html

I had a great time at Jazz House's Release party. You can check it out here www.facebook.com/events/362139512766952/ Such fun but I was exhausted. The night before the release, little sleep happened. A book release is nerve-wracking. Facebook parties are nerve-wracking.

I'm doing a blog tour with Silver Daggers. You can start here and enter for a chance to win!
https://www.silverdaggertours.com/sdsxx-tours/jazz-house-book-tour-and-giveaway

It's hard to believe the summer is almost over. We have a few trips left before the year is out, but here's a taste of what Pete and I have been up to. We spent several days in Maine and then Cape Cod. Our camp map is almost filled in for the East Coast. Only Rhode Island and New Hampshire remain. We hope to get there next summer. What's your summer been like? Have you taken any adventures? What books have you read? Here's some pictures of my latest exploits.

What's coming down the line for moi?
So with Jazz House out of the gate, Kisa's off to the editor, Sophia's Magics Beans in galley (hopefully final), I'm working on Sea Hunter which is coming out next March. Orsolo and Rhian are works in progress, and I hope to get started on Honky Tonk House book three in my Impact series.
We do have a few camping trips this fall. The list is the Poconos, Hershey Pa, Lancaster Pa, and finishing up with Virginia's Shenandoah Valley. We'll be home for November and December then off to Florida in 2023.
Phew! Retirement is busy, huh?
Around The Fire has a full roster of Author interviews and Saturday's will be chock full of new releases for you to check out.
I'd like to share love this quote. Not only because fall is nearly on us but because we should all take time to enjoy each day.
“Live in each season as it passes: breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit.” – Henry David Thoreau
Until next time.