Rag Lady A Holly Swimsuit Novel
by
​Susie Black
Release Date November 15, 2023
Contemporary Women's Fiction
Recent college graduate Holly Schlivnik dreams of being a writer, but fate has other plans. A family crisis throws her into an improbable situation and her life will never be the same. Determined to make her own luck when things don’t happen the way she plans, the irrepressible young woman takes a sledge hammer to the glass ceiling and shatters it to smithereens. The wise-cracking, irreverent transplanted Californian takes you on a raucous, rollicking rollercoaster ride of her hysterical adventures as a ladies apparel sales rep traveling in the deep South as she ends up finding herself along the way. 

https://www.amazon.com/Rag-Lady-Holly-Swimsuit-Book-ebook/dp/B0CHG62W5V​
www.barnesandnoble.com/w/rag-lady-susie-black/1144031749

Advance Reader Copy (ARC) Review
Nanasbookreviews 
Rag Lady by Susie Black is the prequel to the Holly Swimsuit series. This is the story of how Holly Schlivnik became a successful sales executive in the ladies' swimwear industry. In this book, we saw Holly's dream of becoming a writer shuttered and how a new opportunity that was given to her changed her life. If you've read this series then you're familiar with the quirky main character and her family. So the snarky commentary and the hilarious moments aren't a surprise. We also met some new unique characters that shaped Holly's character. What I truly appreciated in this book was the life lessons. My favorite scene was at her birthday. P.S. If you're a sentimental person there is a scene that will make you tear up. If you are looking for an entertaining story then you need to read this book. I will rate it with 5 stars.

Thank you all for joining me Around the Fire. Today’s guest I met via our mutual publisher, The Wild Rose Press. I’m excited to bring this debut author to you. Welcome, Chelsey! I hear you are a Diet Dr. Pepper fan. My hubby is too. But since you also love a hot chocolate and it’s a bit chilly today, I’m going to mix up a batch while you introduce yourself.
Thanks for having me, Donna. My name is Chelsey, and I am a mom and teacher who often forgets she’s no longer eighteen - that’s probably why I write YA and New Adult.
 
Here you go, a steaming cup of chocolatey goodness. I love Young Adult and New Adult. There's something about the storytelling and world-building that appeals to me. Tell us more about you.
I am an amateur baker. I love baking desserts for family Sunday dinners. I also pour my heart into three birthday cakes a year: my children’s, of course. Out of all the cakes I’ve made over the past decade, I’m the most proud of a unicorn cake I made for one of my daughter’s fourth birthday, and a Minnie Mouse cake I made for my other daughter’s second birthday. Since starting my full-time teaching career three years ago, free time to bake has decreased. But I always try to make an effort during the fall because I always want to make pumpkin cookies, a pumpkin poke cake I found on Pinterest, and pumpkin cheesecake.
My deep love is ballroom dance. I competed and performed for ten years in my youth. My dream was to travel the world on Brigham Young University’s tour company in college, then become a pro on Dancing with the Stars. That obviously didn’t happen, but I still enjoy watching it. And I’m living vicariously through two of my characters who are professional ballroom dancers.
 
**Note to other guests: Pictures of Chelsey's cakes and dancing are below.**
​
​Recently my kitchen was renovated and I’m rediscovering the joy of baking, especially bread. The pumping cookies sound delish. Ballroom dancing is beautiful, the grace and athleticism is awe inspiring. What do you like to read when you get the chance?
As a reader I read all sorts of genres. My favorites are fantasy, romance, historical fiction, biographies and memoirs. When it comes to inspiration for my own writing, the Harry Potter series, Beautiful Creatures series, Witches of East End series, and Vampire Diaries series all inspired my world-building. Rachel Hollis’ self-help inspirational books convinced me to even try writing and send my book out to publishers. Right now, I really look up to Helen C. Johannes and Sarah J. Maas. All of my published and unpublished fiction takes place in modern-day America. I would love to try my hand at creating a completely new land with its own history, culture, etc. That kind of world-building is something I aspire to.
 
Well with your first book under your belt and published, I’m sure you’ll attain your dreams. Most of us have a support or supporters that we can’t imaging being without. Who are your cheerleaders?
My family has been so supportive of my writing journey. I was really surprised when my husband jumped on board right away when I started writing fiction. I’ve been blogging for ten years, and he hasn’t been a fan - but he hasn’t stopped me. He’s very private and doesn’t want “the world to know our business.” But writing fiction? He wants the world to read my stories. I’ve learned that I’m very lucky in that aspect. One webinar I attended, the presenter said that close to 50% of writers she interacts with have unsupportive partners! I think that is so sad. If you love someone, you should support their dreams and aspirations. My parents have been supportive in taking care of my kids when I have an editing deadline or an in-person event. I love my family so much and am so grateful for their support. My very first book, Bondwitch, released two days ago; and I couldn’t have done it without my family’s support.
  
My husband, Pete, is my rock. He’s the first reader of my books. He also brags about me and has handed out more bookmarks to strangers than I can count. I call him my gorilla marketer. I’m so glad your DH has your back. Tell me, what’s your little corner of the world like?
My neighborhood is a hidden gem in our town. It rests between the businesses on Main Street and the train tracks and farmland behind that. There is a park around the corner, and I enjoy working in my garden when the weather is nice. I grow strawberries, raspberries, cantaloupe, zucchini, yellow squash, cucumbers, green beans, and carrots. I gave pumpkins a shot, but my garden is too small. I’ll just buy from the local farmers in the future.
 
Let’s chat about the craft. What are the most important websites, podcasts, or programs for writers to subscribe to?
The most important thing you can do is find some type of advice/critique/support group. On Facebook, I’m part of the ProWritingAid community. There is the main group and three sub-groups: Fantasy Writers’ Fellowship, Romance Writers’ Group, Crime Writers. I’m in the main group, and the fantasy and romance groups. I’m also a member of the Nebo Novelists, a chapter of the League of Utah Writers. We meet twice a month, read excerpts, and provide comments. It’s really fun. I’ve met a lot of talented local authors.
I’m also subscribed to “Hello Future Me” on YouTube. The host, Tim Hickson, makes lots of videos about writing.
 
I had to edit a whole chapter out of Rock House Grill. What did you edit out of this book?
One major thing, and one minor thing. In a very early draft, Marianna was the main antagonist. As I wrote and got to know her, she wasn’t working as an antagonist. So, I tried to work the beginnings of a redemption arc; but even that wasn’t working. So, I rewrote the beginning, making Marianna a secondary protagonist.
I used to have a scene where Annamaria and Marianna use magic to talk to their dead parents. It was purely meant to be a relationship building moment. But as I plotted the remaining books, I realized being able to talk to the dead just opened up a can of worms. The dead could just solve all the mysteries and problems by being able to see everything and relay the information to the main characters. So, I took that magical ability away.
 
Do you want each book to stand on its own, or are you trying to build a body of work with connections between each book?
Bondwitch is the first of a series that will need to be read in order. Back when I was preparing to query, I read that new authors should advertise their book as a stand-alone with series potential - or at the very least, the first book should end complete and resolved. There was no way I could make Bondwitch end truly complete. The main plot does get resolved, but it’s clear there’s more to come.
 
What was your hardest scene to write?
Fight scenes. Always fight scenes. Giving the reader the perfect visual and sensory experience is very difficult for me.
 
If my neighbors peeked in my window, they’d think I’m crazy. I have swords and pretend I’m fighting. I’ll also stand with my eyes closed and imagine the scene. Do you Google yourself?
Yes, twice. The first time was when I was applying to teaching positions. I wanted to know what my potential bosses would see if they chose to Google me. My social medias showed up first, and another Chelsey Ortega. I wasn’t concerned because it was obvious which Chelsey Ortega they should be looking at.
The second time was when I was trying to figure out what I wanted my author name to be. Chelsey Ortega? Chelsey Mae Ortega? Chelsey M. Ortega? C.M. Ortega? Turns out there are a lot more Chelsey/ea Ortegas online than when I was applying for teaching jobs. So I threw in my middle initial, and that narrowed things down quite nicely. And I’m glad. I’m very proud of my middle name. My great-grandma, my grandma, myself, and my oldest daughter all share that middle name.
And because I was asked this question, I just Googled myself for a third time. The top results are still my socials, plus a few review sites like Goodreads and Readers’ Favorite.
 
Do you have a particular object, like a piece of jewelry or a keepsake? Can you tell us what makes it special to you?
I have a wooden wand necklace I got about five or six years ago from an Etsy shop. The creator is a Canadian carpenter who sells wooden toys on Etsy. He has a small collection of wand necklaces. I’m a huge Harry Potter fan, and have wanted a wand necklace for years, but I didn’t want a character wand. I wanted my wand. I’m not big into jewelry, but I wear this necklace everyday along with my wedding ring, and a pair of earrings.
 
If you could only choose one song to play every time you walked into a room for the rest of your life, what would it be?
I’m choosing to answer this question because my administration made me choose a “walk-up song” for our faculty retreat in August, so I already have one ready to go. Levitating by Dua Lipa. That song is a Samba, and I really want to choreograph a Samba to it. I also just really enjoy the fantastical elements to the lyrics.
 
Chelsey, by the way I have a niece with the same name and spelling, thank you for spending time Around the Fire with me. You’re a fun person with a great outlook. I love your TikToks. Before you head off, will you leave us information about your book and where we can learn more about it and you? 

Bondwitch
by
Chelsey M. Ortega
Teen and Young Adult Paranormal Romance
Released October 16, 2023
​
About
Eighteen-year-old Annamaria Lyons has never left her small hometown of Harrison, Wyoming. She has lived with her aunt, Trinity, since her parents died when she was two years old. Trinity has been a wonderful guardian with one exception—she won’t allow Annamaria out of the house after sunset. That is, until the night of senior prom. Annamaria’s long-lost sister arrives, bringing with her a world full of hidden family secrets and the supernatural. 
Forced to flee her childhood home without a proper goodbye to her human life and first love, Annamaria immerses herself in the magical world. New friends and a new suitor challenge her original dreams for the future, and when she finds herself caught in the middle of a centuries-old conflict, Annamaria must decide to rise above it or give in to the darkness.
Grab your copy today!
https://www.amazon.com/Bondwitch-Chelsey-M-Ortega-ebook/dp/B0CF6H8NYC
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1143894193?ean=9781509251940
 
What others are saying.
"Chelsey M. Ortega has crafted an excited new YA filled with suspense, mystery, and a sense of magical discovery...immersing readers in a richly imagined realm of magic and intrigue that is more than just visual but multi-sensory in the experience, waking up all corners of the imagination” - Readers’ Favorite

www.chelseymortega.com 

More about the author.
Chelsey M. Ortega is a teacher by day and award-winning author by night. History is her first love, and any story involving magic and romance, her second love. She especially loves witches and is still awaiting her acceptance letter to a well-known school. Chelsey received her Bachelor’s in History Teaching from Brigham Young University. In addition to writing, Chelsey teaches high school U.S. History and ELD. She lives in Utah with her husband, three children, and two cats.
Follow Chelsey at www.chelseymortega.com.

Don't forget! This weekend is the Big Event. It even made The Boston Globe! Check it out.
www.bostonglobe.com/2023/10/15/arts/readers-are-invited-fall-love-with-romance-marlborough-book-conference/

A note from D. V.
Hi, everyone. I had the pleasure of meeting today's guest while in Florida. Randy was doing a book signing for his book Scarlet at Crystal River, where I scored a signed copy. I also enjoy his Podcast Great Stories about Great Storytellers. 

Cruel Lessons
by 
Randy Overbeck
Mystery/Ameteur Slueths
Released October 11, 2023

Four kids dead. Can Assistant Superintendent Ken Parks unmask the drug dealer poisoning his
students before more kids die?

On a school camping trip, fifth graders experiment with a dangerous new hallucinogen and die
in a horrific accident, their deaths shattering the quiet town. Assistant Superintendent Ken
Parks, hoping to redeem a fatal mistake from his past, grasps the opportunity to conduct the
district investigation of how students are getting the drugs. Almost before he begins, the cops
make a stunning arrest. But Parks battles on, convinced the real pusher is still out there,
poisoning more kids until he receives an anonymous threat: if he continues, those close to him
will pay. Is Parks willing to risk those he loves for a chance at redemption?
A peek inside the cover.
From the bend, the road descended quickly and Amanda felt the car picking up speed as
gravity and its powerful engine propelled it downhill. As she approached the next turn, she
realized she was coming in a little too fast. She slid her foot to the brake. Her concentration on
steering the twisting road ahead, at first it didn’t register. She dared to take her gaze off the road
and look down at her feet before she understood. When her right foot depressed the brake, the
pedal glided all the way to the floor. No friction. She pulled her foot back and slammed on the
brake again. The pedal slid all the way down. Unbelieving, she pumped it, again and again.
There was nothing there.
She jerked her eyes back. The hairpin turn hurtled at her. On instinct, she kept jamming on
the pedal. It was supposed to work. She turned the wheel wildly. The big car shuddered as it tried
to negotiate the turn. The two rear wheels slipped off the pavement, spinning in space. With the
front wheel drive, the front two tires managed enough traction to catch. The car veered around
the curve and headed down the next straight incline. The heavy vehicle rolled faster again as
gravity pulled it down the hill.
Amanda’s mind reeled. What was she supposed to do?
Struggling desperately to force her mind to think, Amanda tried to consider her options. It
was all happening too quickly. The next treacherous turn came at her fast. She had no way to
slow down. White knuckles gripped the steering wheel.
The bend ahead showed a hard curve to the right, not quite as tight as the last one, but
steeper. And she felt the car accelerating, though she hadn’t touched the gas pedal. Right before
the car hit the curve, Amanda spun the steering wheel. The car lurched around the bend. The
driver side of the car lifted up. Halfway through the long bend, Amanda watched the hood tilt in
the turn until it was almost vertical. No seat belt on, she was catapulted down the leather seat,
crashing into the passenger door.
“Hell!” she cried, reaching to grab her bruised shoulder.
She froze as the two wheels still on the ground shuddered in the gravel, sliding off the small
road. Slammed against the side door, she heard the tall weeds and low branches whip against the
body. But the car didn’t slow. Blood streamed from a gash on her forehead. For an instant she
lay there stretched across the passenger door, holding her breath.
Then she sensed the car teetering. The front tire bumped something hard. Amanda stared,
unbelieving, as the car began to flip. As the Regal made the first revolution, she screamed.
Grab your copy today.
https://www.amazon.com/Cruel-Lessons-Peril-Book-ebook/dp/B0CDJ6GL5W
www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1143862801

Dr. Randy Overbeck is an award-winning educator, author and speaker. As an educator, he
served children for more than three decades and has turned that experience into captivating
fiction, authoring the bestselling series, the Haunted Shores Mysteries, winner of nine national
awards. This fall, the Wild Rose Press will release his newest work, an atmospheric amateur
sleuth mystery, CRUEL LESSONS, the first installment in a new series set in schools, “Lessons in
Peril.” He is the host of the popular podcast, “Great Stories about Great Storytellers,” which
reveals the unusual and sometimes strange backstories of famous authors, directors and poets.
He is also a speaker in much demand, sharing his multi-media presentations, “Things Still Go
Bump in the Night,” “A Few Favorite Haunts,” and “Everything You Wanted to Know About
Publishing” with audiences all over the USA. As a member of the Mystery Writers of America,
Dr. Overbeck is an active member of the literary community, contributing to a writers’ critique
group, serving as a mentor to emerging writers and participating in writing conferences such as
Sleuthfest, Killer Nashville and the Midwest Writers Workshop.
Follow the author.
www.authorrandyoverbeck.com
www.authorrandyoverbeck.com/podcast
www.facebook.com/authorrandyoverbeck
twitter.com/OverbeckRandy/media
www.instagram.com/authorrandyoverbeck/
www.bookbub.com/authors/randy-overbeck
www.goodreads.com/author/show/4825632.Randy_Overbeck
www.buzzsprout.com/1924616/10983135
www.amazon.com/Randy-Overbeck/e/B07QQHW7DM

Let us know what you think in the comments. 

And Don't forget if you are in the area the amazing FILNE conference. 

Welcome to Around the Fire’s weekly in-depth author interview.  I’m so excited for today’s guest.  I was just telling Pete that Barbara is one of my favorites.  Since becoming a Wild Rose Press author, she has been a stalwart cheerleader, encouraging everyone, not only me.  Her sweet heart is kind and oh-so comforting.  I’ve received personal notes from her that have lifted me out of author doldrums.  Now, I’m eager for you to know more about this lovely lady.  ​

Barbara, thanks for joining us today.  I know you enjoy both coffee and tea.  
Thank you so much for hosting me today, Donna.  I know you love camping and we’re meeting around the fire, so I come bearing spray and citronella candles because I’m a mosquito magnet.  But for you, my friend, I’ll be brave.  Coffee and tea.  It’s really a toss-up, depending on the morning and the mood.  I grew up in the country and each morning Mother fixed tea with loose leaves brewed in a stoneware pot with its own stoneware leaf holder (whatever that’s called.) But my grandmother, who lived in a nearby small town, was a coffee hound and when I was young, I loved to sit at her table with her and her next-door neighbor during their morning coffee time.  My g/mother filled my cup with milk and a splash of coffee, and I felt mighty grown up.  So I’ve always been indecisive!

I have a teapot I’ve been wanting to use, so while I brew, why don’t you introduce yourself to our other visitors?
I’m kind of reserved, quiet, until I know people pretty well.  And I hope I have a sense of humor.  I enjoy outings with my friends—we try to do something every week.  But…in my heart, I’m a Broadway star.  I love the theatre and was active all through high school and undergrad, and then in community theatre.  Trouble is, I can’t sing worth a hoot.  Truly.  As the old saying goes, I can’t carry a tune in a bucket.  But I did act and loved to direct.  These days though I settle for attending productions.  We have an excellent regional theatre here, as well as quite a good opera company and symphony.  And, of course, the movies.  In addition, I love hanging out with my grandchildren.  We manage to catch movies or watch DVDs when they are over.
 
I’m a sit back and observe person myself.  Quiet until you get to know me, or I put on my “stage” persona for public events.  What interests besides writing do you enjoy?  For instance, what do you read or hobbies you have?
I love to read, and I love to research for my books.  I can get on a topic and go right down a rabbit hole for hours.  Crazy, right?  I’m very interested in archeology, ancient civilizations, myths, legends.  But on an average day, I read historical romance, often rereading favorite books.  And I try to keep up with stories published by my friends who write other than historicals too.  I occasionally edit books for indie and hybrid authors.
 
I often go off on a rabbit trail of research.  My book Sea Hunter took me all over the Northeast and Google.  Who is your network or support system?  Who contributes to your writing career?
I am blessed with a wonderful writing network that includes super on-line crit groups, three delightful authors with whom I Zoom every week, and a local author’s group of supportive fellow writers that meets monthly.
 
One of the benefits of the Internet is being able to meet with people around the country and the world.  Good for you for being so active.  Who or what books or authors are your inspiration?
Oh, goodness, I have so many writers whose work I admire now, I hate to name names for fear of leaving someone out.  However—before I ever thought of writing romance, my go-to authors to read included Georgette Heyer, Mary Balogh, Jo Beverley, and Mary Jo Putney—all Regency books.  Then I discovered Anne Stuart’s and Christina Dodd’s medievals.  (In college, I read Jane Austen, Charlotte and Emily Bronte, so that set the stage!)
 
Do you have any fun or outrageous talent?
I have no talent, fun, outrageous or otherwise.  I can’t keep green plants alive, can’t sew a straight line, never learned to knit, can crochet only a single line, always knotted my embroidery thread, can’t sing, can’t play an instrument, my cooking has deteriorated now I live alone.  Good grief, I’m boring.
 
I wouldn’t say boring at all.  I’ll say you have a talent for making people comfortable and smile.  What is your neighborhood like?  Are there any places you frequent?  What makes them special?
I live in a settled, quiet and small neighborhood of patio homes.  Tea rooms, coffee shops—several in a three-mile radius.  Love it here.
 
It sounds lovely.  Does writing energize or exhaust you?
Yes.  (Depends on the day.)
 
What are common traps for aspiring writers?
Comparing yourself to others.  Don’t.  Your writing is unique.  Your voice is unique.
 
Big trap.  You are so right especially about voice. Each writer is unique.  Do you want each book to stand on its own, or are you trying to build a body of work with connections between each book?
Each books stands on its own, but I grow so attached to characters that I end up writing books about them, so most books are connected in that way.  The Western, of course, is different.
 
If you didn’t write, what would you do for work?
I taught for many years, so that would be it.  Otherwise—I always longed to be an archeologist.  Honestly. But I finally realized I don’t have the patience for it.
 
Somehow, I should have known that with your nurturing spirit.  How long, on average, does it take you to write a book?
Way too long.  I’m a very slow writer.
 
Ugh, me too.  Barbara, before you slap that mosquito, please tell us about your book, where to find it, and more about you.

Last Stop, Wylder
by
Barbara Bettis
 
 A western frontier, historical romance.
Gunman Morgan Dodd is headed to a new life in California, where no one knows his name. Or his reputation. Just one last job to raise money for his fresh start—gunhand for a railroad agent in Wyoming. Easy enough. Until he meets the woman who could change everything. 
After ending her engagement, Emily Martin longs for independence. She sets out for Wylder, Wyoming, to help her brother with his newspaper. But when she arrives, she finds he’s off investigating a story. Well, then. She’ll simply publish the paper herself until he returns. Emily’s prepared to face challenges, but not the dangerous stranger who ambushes her heart. The same man hired to destroy her livelihood. 
When a common enemy threatens, Morgan and Emily must find a way to defeat danger and save their budding love. But a gunman’s word is his bond, and a lady’s trust can shatter
Grab your copy today!
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Last-Stop-Wylder-West-ebook/dp/B0B7KH6D86/
B & N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/last-stop-wylder-barbara-bettis/1141875393

More about the author.
Award winning author Barbara Bettis has always loved history and English. As a college freshman, she briefly considered becoming an archeologist until she realized there likely would be bugs and snakes involved. And math.
She now lives in Missouri, where by day she’s a mild-mannered English teacher, and by night she’s an intrepid plotter of tales featuring heroines to die for—and heroes to live for.
She loves hearing from readers.

Follow the author.
Website/Blog/Newsletter – http://www.barbarabettis.com
BookBub – www.bookbub.com/authors/barbara-bettis
Facebook – www.facebook.com/barbarabettisauthor
Twitter (now X) – www.x.com/barbarabettis

The Fog Lades: Date with Death
by
Susan McCormick
Cozy Mystery
Amateur Sleuths
Release October 2, 2023
  
About
The Fog Ladies are at it again, spunky senior sleuths and an overstressed young medical resident solving murders from their elegant apartment building in San Francisco. They join a senior dating group, and romantic intrigue soon turns to murder. Graham Parselle, lady killer extraordinaire, plunges off a cliff on a Senior Singles outing. Did one of his dates pitch him over? Or is Olivia Honeycut’s new beau to blame? 

Grab your copy today of Book 4 in this award-winning series, but can easily be read as a stand-alone. 
https://www.amazon.com/Fog-Ladies-Francisco-Murder-Mystery/dp/1509249818
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1143832976

​Inspiration for the story.
When I was little, I wanted to be a doctor by day, a ballerina by night, and a writer all the time. My ballet days ended at age four when my first curtsy took out the backdrop and crashed it to the floor. Being a doctor took many years and a stint in the Army to pay for medical school, but being a writer took longer. Now I’m on Book 4 of The Fog Ladies series, with other books thrown in as well. With the older characters, my books have themes different from most cozy mysteries, such as what to do with your remaining years, parenting as a grandparent, love in your seventies, a beau who calls you by his dead wife’s name, a dog who is too big to handle, poor vision, poor hearing, and no filter. The Fog Ladies see each other through, and now, rather than becoming a ballerina, all I want is to be a Fog Lady. 
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Great quality of cozy mystery

​I love chatting around a campfire. This past weekend was spent in lovely Lancaster County Pennsylvania. Ronks to be more specific. Longtime friends joined us, and we talked about the familiar as well as found out things we never knew about them. Also, when that fire is lit you never know who will show up. We met folks from Maine to North Carolina and a few local campers too. Campers love to sit around and shoot the breeze. Today’s Around the Fire is welcoming back an old friend, J. Arlene Culinar all the way from across the Atlantic in France. Bon retour, mon ami.
Thank you so much, Donna, for having me back as a guest on Around the Campfire.
 
What can I pour as we spend some time conversing about life, love, books, and writing?
In the early evenings, I walk through a delicious green valley surrounded by prehistoric caves and end up in rather luxurious local hotel four kilometers away. There, I can drink the most delicious mojitos. This is my go-to end-of-the-day reward.
 
Well, my camper, 2Hoots is a little magic and I’m sure we can find the ingredients to do a comparison. While I rummage through will you share who are you other than your bio?
I tend to be a loner. I’m rarely chatty in a crowd. I prefer observing and listening for a while, then I always go home early. I love walking on my own, crossing countries on my own, doing intensive archival research, and traveling on my own. However, I do enjoy having a partner, and cooking for friends.
 
I respect that. I tend to be quiet in crowds. What interests besides writing do you enjoy? For instance, what do you read or hobbies you have?
As well as being a writer, I’m a contemporary artist. I create tiny sculptures and critical/satirical scenes of daily life, as well as cartoons. Although I’m no great shakes as a musician, I honk away with great determination, and play with different bands and orchestras. My instruments? The oboe, the English horn, the baroque oboe family (the taille, baritone, oboe d’amore), the tuba, the flute, and recorders.
 
How intriguing about the art! And wow about the range of instruments you play. Who is your network or support system? Who contributes to your writing career.
It’s a complicate situation. I write in English in a French-speaking country and this certainly has disadvantages. Bernard, my partner doesn’t speak or read English therefore, although I use him as a sounding board for much that I write, I have to translate. However, I do take his advice seriously when I’m tackling a manuscript and need news ideas, a different way of seeing situations, historical change, and complicated characters. For the rest, I depend upon my publishers and editors.
 
It's wonderful to have such a person in your life. Bonjour Bernard! Who or what books or authors are your inspiration?
I am particularly passionate about non-fiction writers: Robert A. Rosenstone, Kapka Kassabova, Jonathan Raban, Neal Acherson, Bill Bryson.

Now that we’re sipping Mojitos, tell us more about your neighborhood? Are there any places you frequent? What makes them special?
I live in a tiny village, and here are pictures of the countryside that I walk through every evening. In one photo, you can see a green lane. The European countryside is crisscrossed with these deep lanes that once ran from one farm to the next, and still lead between villages. This valley was inhabited by cave-dwelling people 25,000 years ago. Much later, local peoples used these green lanes to hide in before attacking Roman soldiers. You can imagine how historically thrilling it is to be walking here every day.

One day I hope to visit Europe. My husband and I often visit historical sites, but the history runs so deep over there. Let’s chat a bit about writing. What kind of research do you do, and how long do you spend researching before beginning a book?
I do intensive research in libraries and archives for all of my books. This is necessary when writing non-fiction, but it is also true for my romances. My book, A Room in Blake’s Folly demanded quite a bit of research for it to be historically correct, since it begins in 1889, and progresses to the present day.
 
How do you select the names of your characters?
They generally select their own names.
 
I’ve had a few do that. What is the most difficult part of your artistic process?
Sitting myself down and actually getting work done! I’m very easily distracted (by playing music, reading, walking, talking to the dog, eating, reading, sitting around and thinking, reading, lurking, dreaming).
 
How long, on average, does it take you to write a book?
For non-fiction, it can take me anywhere from six to twelve years or more. For fiction, at least a year until I’m satisfied.
 
J. Arlene let’s do a quick Q&A to see your more personal side. If you could eat anything in the world right now, what would it be?
A Caesar salad. I could eat a good Caesar salad for breakfast, in the middle of the night or any time at all. I could eat two or three Caesar salads in one go. Of course, they’d have to be authentic, not made with bottled salad dressing, packaged parmesan cheese or other dreadful things.
 
Worst household chore?
I hate any household chore. Bernard and I have a cleaning blitz about once a month. The rest of the time, chaos runs my life.
 
Would you rather have unlimited international first-class tickets or never have to pay for food at restaurants? 
Food, please. I’m a slow traveler: I take trains, I go on foot. But I do love to eat.
 
What was your first job?
I was a camp counselor and I hated it. I hated taking care of kids, amusing them, watching them. I hated sports, I hated games, I hated communal singing, and I hated any enforced activities. In the end, my non-compliance was accepted, and I was allowed to go do things on my own. So I went to visit bears, found snakes to watch, and enjoyed myself. I’m really not cut out for the working world.
 
What was the best money you ever spent as a writer?
Buying an external hard drive and keeping it plugged in. My computers have conked out so many times, but I’ve never lost a manuscript.

I love our fireside chats. You mentioned A Room in Blake’s Folly . Can you tell us a bit more about it?

A Room in Blake’s Folly
by
J. Arlene Culiner
​Historical, Western and Frontier Romance

If only the walls could speak…
In one hundred and fifty years, Blake's Folly, a silver boomtown notorious for its brothels, scarlet ladies, silver barons, speakeasies, and divorce ranches, has become a semi-ghost town.
Although the old Mizpah Saloon is still in business, its upper floor is sheathed in dust. But in a room at a long corridor's end, an adventurer, a beautiful dance girl, and a rejected wife were once caught in a love triangle, and their secret has touched three generations.
Grab your copy today
Purchase Links: https://books2read.com/BlakesFollyRomance
Trailer for A Room in Blake’s Folly: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wt3VkYUTVNk
 
What others are saying.
Rich detail and scintillating dialogue transport the reader through the decades between 1889 and 2022 of this surprising saga. With flowing descriptive phrases ("... the walls had a yellowish hue that only time could bring") Culiner effectively intertwines the characters and descendants of Blake's Folly. And although overhunting and pollution mean environmental change, the charm of this old world community remains intact. Cheers for this book!
Lisa McCombs for Readers' Favorite
The author drops us off at various points over the past hundred-and-thirty years and allows us to meet some of the inhabitants—some are self-serving and devious—but all have the gritty determination that enables them to survive. The messages running through this saga are hope and resilience. And I'm left with a memory of the cigar smoke lingering in that top floor room of the Mizpah Saloon.
Whispering Stories
J. Arlene Culiner’s original historical novel A Room in Blake’s Folly is a delight. Through research or intuition (probably a combination of both), she manages to bring each era in Blake’s Folly to life, both via language and through period detail. Her characters are distinctive individuals, many of whom are somewhat at odds with society – outcasts, outsiders, and survivors. A Room in Blake’s Folly is a skillfully crafted tale about love and chance, history and family. I recommend it highly.
Lisabet Sarai, author

More about the Author
​Born in New York, raised in Toronto, Jill Culiner set out to have a life of adventure and discovery, not one of security and comfort. She has since crossed much of Europe on foot, travelled, by bus, train, car or truck throughout North and Central America, Europe, and the Sahara, has lived in a Hungarian mud house, a Bavarian castle, a Turkish cave-dwelling, on a Dutch canal, a lonely, and a very haunted stone house on the English moors. Such a lifestyle has meant staying flexible and taking up any sort of work that presents itself: belly dancer, fortune teller, b-girl, translator, fashion model, storyteller, radio broadcaster, actress, social critical artist, photographer, and writer. She now resides in a 400-year-old former inn in a French village of no interest and protects all creatures, especially spiders and snakes. She particularly loves incorporating into short stories, mysteries, narrative non-fiction, and romances, her experiences in out-of-the-way communities with their strange characters, and very odd conversations.
Follow the author
www.j-arleneculiner.com
www.jill-culiner.com
Storytelling Podcast: https://soundcloud.com/j-arlene-culiner
Author Links: https://linktr.ee/j.arleneculiner

The Axe
by
Linda Griffin
From the author. Rated R for language and descriptions of violence. 
Released September 27, 2023
Mystery, Thriller, Short Read
​
About
Sweethearts Eric Leidheldt and Desiree Chauveau are spending a weekend at his uncle's cabin when they encounter two strangers cutting wood. Eric is knocked unconscious, and Desi is viciously attacked. The following day two police officers come to their apartment to arrest Desi. Her assailants are dead, murdered with an axe, and her fingerprints are on it. She confesses—but is she really guilty? Eric is determined to stand by her, but the physical and emotional effects of the attack severely challenge their relationship.

Grab your copy today from your favorite retailer.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CC6VYT7B
https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-axe/id6451422365
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1143801552

What inspired the author.
The initial trigger was a single line, quoting one of the assailants. I wrote the beginning, and the characters took it from there. Although the plot involves violent crimes, I always wanted the focus to be on Eric and Desi’s relationship. The violence doesn’t appear on the page and is further distanced from the reader by having the story told from Eric’s viewpoint. Although Desi’s descriptions are not explicit, they might still be triggering for some readers. The Wild Rose Press published my other books, but even though they have a suspense division, they are primarily a feel-good romance publisher. I never imagined they would want to publish a story like this. I submitted the first 500 words to the Hooked on a Book Competition, where it placed second. One of the judges—Morena Stamm of the Wild Rose Press—asked to see the full manuscript, and next thing I knew it was under contract!
Review
5.0 out of 5 stars THRILLING SHORT MYSTERY
Reviewed in the United States on September 29, 2023