Today's guest is author Lyndi Alexander who always dreamed of faraway worlds and interesting alien contacts. She lives as a post-modern hippie in Asheville, North Carolina, a single mother of her last child of seven, a daughter on the autism spectrum, who finds that every day feels a lot like first contact with a new species. Welcome Lyndi. What’s your preference, coffee, tea, cocoa, wine? The camp fridge is like the Starship Enterprise. You speak it, you get it.
You have anything in the way of a hard cider? Maybe something with havafruit?

​Hava I got a fruit for you. 😂 While I convince the camp fridge I'm serious why don't you tell us about and adventures you've had
I do like camping. We used to camp in the Florida Keys a lot while I was a reporter and then a law student in Miami. I’ll never forget the case of Pennoyer v. Neff, now that I read it going over the Seven Mile Bridge (and I hate bridges!)  It was always a good time…and I love the smell of an outdoor wood fire. Like yours.

I know, right? Can't top the charm of a wood fire crackling away, however I can do without the "smoke-eye" We haven't made it to the Keys yet but they are on my to-do list. So, tell us about your latest project and what’s on the horizon. 
 Sixshooter is the latest to come out, a science fiction romance set in a galaxy only far away, not far FAR away.
I’ve been thinking about writing this book for five or six years, but various other writing commitments have put it off. The concept comes from an old RPG I used to play in, and a love triangle that was created. Nik, our genderfluid alien, however, is a new addition. The actual writing and editing took about six months. All that rumination must haver given me a jump start!

LOL! Love the reference. Do you have a tagline? Life Motto?
The tagline for the book is Like space, love has no boundaries.
My personal motto is “Pee first.” Especially as I get older. 😊 

Are there any mentors, authors, or books you would like to give a shout-out to?  
Very grateful to the other authors in my critique group, the Fellowship of the Quill in Erie, PA. Talented, open, honest and supportive—they’re a great bunch

Oh, I love the Erie area. We've camped near there and look forward to doing it again. What does literary success look like to you?
Geez, I’d really like to have some regular royalties come in. I used to be all “Oh, I just hope people like my books!” But at some point, I think some monetary success would be great. 

Amen to that sister. I am now officially retired and would be grateful for supplementary income. Do you have any Life Hacks?  You know, tips, tricks, or anything you specialize in that you would share with others. I’m also interested in how you have been managing your life and writing with COVID-19.
For me, the only good thing that came out of the pandemic was the movement of my crit group onto ZOOM. Since I moved to Asheville, NC, I have missed their support and great feedback—and suddenly it was there  again! They’ll be going back to in person meetings this summer, and we’re hoping to keep some form of ZOOM participation alive. A good critique group is invaluable, in my opinion. Every writer should find one.
 
Now the fun questions 
Do you have a special object like a piece of jewelry or keepsake of some sort? Can you tell us what makes it special to you?  
I have a polished stone with a spider inscribed on it I got in Taos, New Mexico. I have always thought of the spider as my spirit animal—a spinner of tales!—and so I keep it near on the desk always.

What is your favorite mug or teacup?
Last year one of my daughters bought mugs that said “Best Mom Ever!” for me and for her sisters who are moms, then coordinated photos of all of them for Mother’s Day. It was so very special.

If you were an animated character, who would you be and why? 
If I were animated….hmm. I’d leave behind my broken physical body….so I think I’d be the Tasmanian Devil. My mind is always going faster than I can make this body work, so I could really keep the two spinning madly, simultaneously.

What do you think the headlines will read 40 years from now?
I really wish the headline would read that we have conquered climate change, that humans have learned to be kind and respect each other, and that someone has found an unlimited resource of good coffee. Sadly, humans being what they are, I’m afraid the headlines will be blaming one faction or another for the downslide of humanity and the environment. ☹

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?
DEFINITELY the Imperial March (Darth Vader’s theme) from Star Wars

Favorite childhood book?  
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle

Lyndi, thank you so much for stopping by and spending time with us today. Before you leave and you give us a peek at your book and where to find out more?

Happy Saturday, Campers! I'm so glad you could join us today. Camping season is in full swing and I can't wait to leave on our big trip. Hali's bag is packed and she's more than ready to hear the word "Load".  Today 2HOOTS is in the shop getting new tires for our trip to Florida. There's a couple of things you should never skimp on- tires, brakes, and always get the best coffee you can afford. So get your favorite mug or beverage. Now that we're all settled, please help me welcome today's guest. Hi, Patricia! What’s your preference, coffee, tea, cocoa, wine? The camp fridge is like making a birthday wish except you speak it, you get it.
Red wine. How about Merlot? I mention it in one of my novels.
​I love Merlot! Let me pop the cork while you tell us, about your favorite  camping trip, adventure or vacation. What made it special to you?
I have camped, but perhaps my favorite adventure was canoeing in Georgia’s beautiful Okefenokee Swamp, paddling past beautiful flowers, birds—and crocodiles.

Gulp! 😲 Never thought about canoeing with crocs. I am looking forward to camping in Georgia though. Tell us about your latest project and what’s on the horizon.
My new release, Shadows of Doubt, is about a young man who fell into drug dealing in college, but got out of it by leaving school and going to work on his uncle’s North Caroline farm. He returns to a different college to get a degree in agriculture, and there is forming a relationship with a young woman when his old drug supplier finds him and wants him to begin dealing again.

Oh, that sounds like an interesting premise. Can you give us the tagline?
 Despite warnings, should she take a chance on him? On the horizon is a novel about a teacher and student tentatively titled The Arborist. (I change my mind about titles.)

How long did it take you from conception to publication? How did you do it so quickly, or what circumstances drew the process out?
I actually began a version of Shadows of Doubt in the 1980s when I’d taken a year off from teaching. I meant it to be a YA and so the main characters were in high school. But I went back to teaching, and not until about two years ago did I pull out the old, yellowed, literally cut-and-pasted-on typescript. I re-read it and thought it had possibilities. I rewrote the novel, making the main characters college students and adding the drug dealer elements for stronger drama.
​
Are there any mentors, authors, or books you would like to give a shout-out to?
One mentor is my sister, Dorothy Altman, who has always been one of the first readers of my fiction. Another is Kaycee John, my Wild Rose editor. I have learned a lot from her—from being sure I infuse more descriptions of characters’ emotions into crucial scenes to presenting action before dialogue to identify the speaker rather than using tags. Finally, a book that really helped me—recommended by Kaycee—was Revision and Self Editing by James Scott Bell.

I have a sister named Dorothy too. I'm also looking forward to meeting Kaycee at the Ignite Your Imagination conference in Tampa. Every author has their own idea of what being a successful author is. What does that look like to you?
A friend emailed me that she’d finished Shadows of Doubt. She’d just begun reading it earlier that day. I commented, “You read fast.” She wrote back, “I couldn’t put it down.” Without obsessing on sales, that’s what success looks like to me.

Do you have any tips, tricks, or anything you specialize in that you would share with others. I’m also interested in how you have been managing your life and writing with COVID-19.
A “trick”: I, like many writers, keep a piece of paper and pen by my bed. When I get an idea for my current writing project during the night I turn on the light and jot it down so I won’t forget it. I’m retired, so my life during Covid did not change drastically. However, I found I could remedy the boredom and stress of the Covid year by escaping into the world of my fiction. 

Now the fun questions 
Years ago, there was a commercial that talked about a “Kodak Moment.” It’s a moment in time you catch in a picture. One you never want to forget. What is yours?
My Kodak moment is literally a photo of me with my sister when I was maybe five and she three. We are sitting in a field of grass, her head is leaning against me, and I seem to be comforting her. It epitomizes the close relationship we’ve always had.

Teach me something I don’t know in two sentences.
​Lay takes a direct object: Chickens lay eggs. Lie does not: I like to lie on my couch and watch tv. (Apologies; you probably know that, but I so often see those verbs used incorrectly, even in novels, that I had to seize the chance to vent with this answer.) (I'm always trying to figure out which to use, so thank you.)
What’s your favorite fairy tale?
Cinderella, because I like romance and the idea of a Prince Charming.

Favorite childhood book?
The Wizard of Oz

What weird talent do you have?
I type very fast with only two fingers. 

Patricia, thank you so much for stopping by the campfire today. Can you leave a little more about your book and where to find out more about you?​

Shadows of Doubt
by
Patricia McAlexander

5.0 out of 5 stars Suspenseful to the End!
McAlexander's story is about a universal dilemma: knowing who people really are, not how they appear to be. 

Former grade school bully and, later, amateur drug dealer Jeff Hudson turns his life around and is pursuing a degree in agriculture. His future, as well as a budding relationship with fellow student Sandy Harris, is threatened when a former dealer threatens to expose Jeff's past to university authorities if he doesn't rejoin the ring. Realizing that Jeff is no longer an angry, misunderstood boy, Sandy must take a stand against her family and friends who swear he is no good and will only cause her unhappiness. Together, can they escape the past in order to forge a future?

Need more?
“Sandy—I need to tell you something about him.”
“I don’t want to hear it. You’d better take me home.” 
Bill abruptly turned around in a parking lot he was passing and headed back toward her house. His expression was grim, almost angry. “I’d be better for you, Sandy. Your mother thinks so, too.” 
Anger replaced her anxiety. “How do you know what my mother thinks? I hope you and she didn’t discuss this!”
“Just a little, last night before you came downstairs. She didn’t say much, but I could tell how she felt.” He pulled up in front of her house. “We both worry about you with Jeff. It’s not just that we think this won’t last…” 
“Why else should you worry?”
Bill hesitated. “For one thing, he has a temper. He may physically hurt you. Remember how he was even as a kid.” 
Her anger notched up higher. He was sounding just like her mother, expressing unfounded, outdated fears. “It was years ago that he got in those fights. He’s not like that now. I’m sorry, Bill, but I think it would be better if you and I don’t see each other for a while.” She got out of the car and slammed the door. 
Bill started to pull away, then stopped, lowered the window, and called out to her. “Just remember, if you ever need me, I’ll be here.”

Convinced? Here's the links.

https://www.amazon.com/Shadows-Doubt-Patricia-McAlexander-ebook/dp/B08XTN863F/ref  
https://www.amazon.com/Shadows-Doubt-Patricia-McAlexander/dp/1509235426/ref 
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/shadows-of-doubt-patricia-mcalexander/ 
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/shadows-of-doubt-patricia-mcalexander/1138919956  
http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/isbn9781509235438 


If you're looking for more about Patricia and her writing
Patricia McAlexander is from upstate New York, the setting of Stranger in the Storm (2020), but she's also lived in Colorado, Texas, and Wisconsin. She has a bachelor's degree from the University of New York at Albany, a master's from Columbia University, and a doctorate from The University of Wisconsin, Madison, all in English. Patricia now lives in Athens, Georgia, with her Southerner husband, whom she met when they were graduate students in Wisconsin. After retiring from teaching at the University of Georgia, she's had had more time to garden and travel while renewing her interests in photography, history, and, most of all, writing fiction. Her second novel, Shadows of Doubt (2021) is set in Athens.
Website: https://patriciamcalexander.weebly.com  
Email: mcalexanderpatricia@gmail.com
Facebook: http://facebook.com/patriciamcalexanderwriter/
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/PatMcAlexWriter 
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/patriciamcalexander/​

​Good morning (or afternoon)Campers! I'm so glad you joined us at the fire today. Before I get to today's special guest I want to give a big shout-out to my DH Peter. We're celebrating 27 years of blissful marriage. Never had a fight. Never got mad at each other. Never stormed out of a room. I write fiction, can't you tell. Marriage has it's ups and downs but I wouldn't trade one minute of it. Here's to the next 23. We have a 50 year contract and then reenter negotiations. LOL. ​

Gone Astray
by
Terry Korth Fischer
www.amazon.com/Gone-Astray-Terry-Korth-Fischer/dp/1509235256

​A heart attack sends detective Rory Naysmith reeling. Too young to retire, he accepts a position in small-town Winterset, Nebraska. Handed an unsolved truck hijacking case, with the assistance of a rookie, Rory sets out to prove he is still able to go toe-to toe with younger men. When the body of a Vietnam veteran turns up, he dons his fedora and spit-shines his shoes. But before he can solve the murder, an older woman disappears, followed closely by a second hijacking. He doggedly works the cases, following a thread that ties the two crimes together.  But can Rory find the mental and physical strength to up his game and bring the criminals to justice before disaster strikes and he loses his job?

More about Terry
From Cash Register Programmer to WriterI began writing short stories in 1996. My sister, Holly, with a degree in creative writing from Ohio's Bowling Green State University, offered a fiction writing challenge.  A short story a month for a year, to share and critique.  We imposed monthly deadlines to force putting pen to paper while life's demands left few hours to pursue writing aspirations. At the time, I was submerged in a technology career and happy to participate in the joint, creative distraction. 
​Over the years I have attended writer conferences, participated in writing groups, and joined literary organizations. I've signed-up for on-line classes and led writing workshops. What started as a lark, took on a life of its own. From the initial challenge conception, twenty years ago, I continue to enjoy the daily ritual of creative writing. 

Website: https://terrykorthfischer.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/terryiswriting
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TerryIsWriting
Amazon Author Page: www.amazon.com/author/terrykorthfischer
​

Today the Campfire is coming to you from a favorite place. On the outskirts of Lancaster is New Holland, PA. One of the things about campfires, is campers are like moths to the flame. One year we were in Florida and not allowed to have our normal blaze. I'm sorry but it didn't feel like we were camping. Work around time. We used our hibachi grill and stuck in a Duralog. Bam! problem solved. And like I said, next thing we had a few folks haul their chairs around and chatted the night away. Everyone brought their favorite beverage. Some water, others a can of soda, or cuppa. My DH is a Sam Adam's guy. Today's guest saw the flame and are strolling in so lets get to it. We have a special dual interview I'm sure you will enjoy. So cozy up to the flame with your favorite drink and join the conversation.

• Greeting Campers! Grab a chair and make yourself comfy. What’s your preference, coffee, tea, cocoa, wine? The camp fridge is like candles on a birthday cake. You speak it, you get it.

LIZ: I’m going for the wine unless you have some bourbon.    
DES: I’m with Liz on the bourbon, although special coffee gets second place.

Last year hubby and I took a camping trip to Kentucky. I believe I have a lovely bottle tucked away in here. While I pour can you tell us, have you ever camped, or as I call what I do, Glamp? If you’re not the camping type, tell us about your favorite adventure or vacation. What made it special to you?
LIZ: I like to tell my husband of nearly 30 years that the 30+ years he has spent trying to convince me to camp in any whatsoever might pay off someday. He’s even trying to bribe me with an RV (which I think he only wants because he is a car guy, loves to drive, and wants to drive one of those giant things). I’m not really inclined unless there is, indeed GLAMPING involved. Some of the places on Airbnb that call themselves “glamps” look like the kind of cabin resorts I can get behind. As for vacays, we’ve taken a lot of them, because we’ve been lucky to live all around the world. We did this with our small kids, and so wherever we went, they went. I think my favorite one of these was when we lived in England and drove up through York and to Scotland, where we rented a farmhouse with another family/friends of ours and took day trips from there for 10 solid days. It was an actual farm, and one day one of the horses got out of its paddock and was standing, calmly staring into the kitchen window one morning, which scared the living daylights out of me. It was typical weather those 10 days, a peek of sun every day but mostly grey, so we named the 2 horses Windy & Rainy. It was a blast. The time we got our passports stolen in Spain but still had a great time anyway since it meant an unplanned trip to the U.S. Embassy in Valencia comes in second.
DES: Well, camping isn’t in my genes, BUT I grew up in Maine, and we had a cottage on a lake that we went to over the summer that I loved. I guess that’s close to camping!  When I got older, I used to do beach days at Bar Harbor with my friends, and I miss those. But I’ve traveled to a lot of places—Spain, England, lots of places in the Caribbean, South America. All adventurous and interesting. And I’ve traveled to a lot of places in Canada, which I love.

You have an exciting project. What can you tell us about it and what’s on the horizon?
LIZ: We wrote a book together called NUMBERS GAME that is a second chance sports romance about a couple who are a  bit older than the usual romance characters, both divorced, both laser-focused on reviving their respective careers—he as a D1 football coach after an ignominious fall from grace in the pros which is part of his secret backstory and she as a sports reporter/documentary producer after her divorce from a powerful bully of a husband who was in charge of a network. When they find each other, he, as the subject of her documentary about their mutual alma mater’s return to football glory, things heat up right away, surprising them.  But they both have baggage that has to be unpacked and demons to outrun, which they do, eventually, together.
 
Do you have a tagline? Life Motto?
LIZ: If life gives you lemons, cut them up and throw them in a  glass of vodka & tonic.
DES: the best surprised some when you least expect them.

What was the timeline from conception to publication?
LIZ: Numbers Game was a project that took longer since we had to work around our respective schedules doing our back-and-forth writing thing. I think it was about a year and some change from the start to get it ready for submission. But it was fine since Des and I are both pantsers. We gave each other the time needed to bring each of our characters to life. She wrote in the female perspective, and I wrote in the male one.

Are there any mentors, authors, or books other than yours you would like to give a shout-out to?
LIZ: Well, naturally, I wouldn’t be here talking about this project if one of my mentors/friends/author heroes had not agreed to write with me! I’ve learned a lot through this process, but I also think we learned from each other at every stage, from conception to promotion.
DES: And I really want to give a shout-out to our editor Diana Carlisle, who “gets” the book and helped us turn it from a story into a winner. She is pure editorial gold.

What does literary success look like to you?
LIZ: To me, it’s that moment when I can get up in the morning, have coffee, write for a few hours, talk to my agent and publicist about my next signing or speaking, negotiate the sale of my latest series to Netflix. After that, then take a walk on the beach outside my door before settling in to write more in the evening.
DES: Well, sort of like that. But to me, it’s the moment when a new book of mine releases and people are clamoring to buy it/review it, and I have to weigh the different film/video options. Oh, and if any of them were made into a movie/series and it starred a young Sam Elliott!

Life Hacks from Authors. Tips, tricks, or anything you specialize in that you would share with others. Please try and keep this tight. I’m also interested in how you have been managing your life and writing with COVID-19.
LIZ: I come at this from a unique perspective since I took a huge step away from both writing and promoting (or being on social media generally) for about three years prior to COVID. I wrote with Des during this time which quite literally revived my Muse, prompting me to write 4  books in 2020 alone, all of them in the second half of the year. My secret is not something that I necessarily recommend for writers to do—I write in marathon sessions. Once I wrap my mind around a concept and characters, I will write during every spare minute I have to get it done. And I’ve been known to complete a 60k word book in 2-3 weeks. But then I will go for weeks or more without writing a word.
DES: COVID-19 really only impacted my life marginally because my routine already was to write/edit 6-8 hours a day. I am a disciplined writer, and my routine is: social media for two hours, then write/edit/rewrite until 6:00 PM. While I watch TV at night, I review that day’s pages and make notes for the next day.
 
 
Now the fun questions pick at least

If they made a movie about your life, what would the title be, and who would play you?
LIZ: “Beer Wench” is the title, and Alison Janney plays me.
 
Do you have a special object like a piece of jewelry or keepsake of some sort? Can you tell us what makes it special to you?
DES: A heart bracelet that I always wear. My late husband gave it to me on our first anniversary.
 
Years ago, there was a commercial that talked about a “Kodak Moment.” It’s a moment in time you catch in a picture. One you never want to forget. What is yours?
The moment I saw my great-granddaughter for the first time.
 
Teach me something I don’t know in two sentences.
LIZ: The ingredient that makes beer taste bitter or dry is “hops.” They are added to the brew (the “wort”)  during three different stages of brewing, depending on what you want them to provide: aroma, flavor, or simply “bitterness.”

Which superhero would you like to be existing or you make up?
DES: Wonder woman. She was my hero ever cine I read the first comic book. Nothing stops her.
 
What’s your favorite cartoon, and why?
LIZ: I love Big Mouth on Netflix. It’s terrifically vulgar but incredibly realistic about puberty, hormones, and family life in general.
 
What’s your favorite candy or cookie?
DES: chocolate chip cookies. YUM!

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?
DES: Sweet Caroline
 
Last movie you saw? 
LIZ: the last movie I saw in an actual theater was “Uncut Gems” back in February 2020. It was amazing, including the shocking ending.
 
What weird talent do you have?
LIZ: I can tell you what beer you might like based on what wine you prefer and vice versa, and am almost always right.

Last thing you googled? Why?
LIZ: How to add my books to one of those book – box subscription things, because we authors are ever-seeking new ways to find new readers.

Ladies, thank you for popping by the fire. I'm amazed at how authors can work together and put out a book. Before you head out can you share a little more about the book and how folkes can find out more?