I'm excited about today's guest. However, before we settle around the campfire, I have some news for you. Rainbow Sprinkles release is right around the corner. Since I didn't have a release party for Rock House I'm planning on celebrating the two. So, on July 8th at 7 pm I am having a real at my house, as well as a virtual party on Facebook. I would love for you to join us. There will be giveaways, games, and a special guest interview with my friend Andy who was the inspirations for John, a character in Rock House Grill, as well as my sister to who Rainbow Sprinkles is dedicated. I hope you can join me and my friends. Here's the linkhttps://www.facebook.com/375747643036438 I hope to see you there.
Now, let go of what's distracting you. Deep breath in. Smell the fire? Let go of your worries and troubles for a bit. Let your imagination go. Remember summers as a kid? Outside cooking? The sounds of children playing? Splash! Someone just canon-balled into the lake. Hear the birds? Come on. Have a seat around the fire and relax. That's what the campfire is for.

​Today I’m welcoming Sadira Stone to the Campfire. Sadira and I are both in the Rose Garden of Wild Rose Press. We jokingly call each other cousin. (Stone and Stone, you get it) What can I get you? The campfire pantry and fridge is like Hemione Grangers bag, it has everything.
I’d love a coffee laced with Kahlua and a S’more!

I love Kahlua! So, tada! Here you go. Tell us have you ever camped. Where and what was your experience? Tent, camper, RV? Or if not, what’s your greatest outdoor adventures? This could be a good or bad experience.
I did lots of camping in France during the twenty-seven years I lived in Germany. French camping is a very civilized affair: grass plots separated by hedges, with a camp shop and café where you can get an adult beverage and crispy pommes frîtes (fries) while watching the kids play mini-golf or splash in the pool. My favorite camping trips were in the Loire Valley, where everyone who was anyone built a château during the Renaissance. Lots of wineries there, and the best farmers’ markets!

Ahh, that sounds wonderful. We are not rustic campers any longer. Wineries are usually in our itinerary wherever we travel. Let's talk about something a bit serious for a moment. How have you been handling events of the recent pandemic? Has you writing been affected? To what extent?
I’m finding it hard to concentrate. Whereas B.C. (before Covid-19) I could write 2,000 to 3,000 words on a good day, now it’s a good day if I pass 1,000 words.

Many of us are struggling with the same issue. Often I feel like Doug from the movie Up. Squirrel! It's good to have others to talk and commiserate with. Please tell us a little about your project.
My publisher, The Wild Rose Press, put out a call for beachy summer reads involving ice cream. I immediately remembered a scene from Würzburg, Germany. There’s a lovely formal garden behind the Baroque palace, and in summer an older Italian gentleman sold gelato there. He’d always greet my daughter and me with a hearty “Ciao, bella!” 
That was the genesis for Gelato Surprise, a steamy contemporary romance novella about a divorced mom who must spend her annual beach vacation alone for the first time—after her dastardly ex whisks the kids away on a Disneyland trip, leaving her stuck with the full cost of their rental in a (fictional) kitschy Washington State beach town. In her favorite gelato shop, she meets the owner’s Bellissimo nephew, and…Mamma mia! The trouble is, she’s 42 and must return to her suburban drudgery. He’s 31 and has only two weeks to convince her that their age difference doesn’t matter, and the spark they share is so much more than a summer fling.

The One Scoop or Two is a wonderful series. I'm a firm believer in age doesn't matter as long a both are adults and there is a connection. My hubby is a  younger than me. Do you have a tagline or life motto?
Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we’re here, we might as well dance.

One of my favorite songs is by  John Michael Montgomery called Life's a Dance. You've several titles under your belt. What kind of tips, tricks, or anything you specialize in that you would share with others?
When it’s time for your final edit/proofread, print out your manuscript, grab some pencils, and go read it aloud in a totally different setting from where you usually work. I like to proofread outdoors, and the neighbors or park-goers get to listen to me reading dramatically, with different voices for each character. Doing this, I find problems I never would have noticed on my computer screen. It’s fun too!

That's great advice. Every time I get my manuscript back from my editor Elf, she tells me READ IT OUT LOUD.
Now the fun questions. 

• If they made a movie about your life, what would the title be and who would play you?  Oh Yes I Can! Starring Susan Sarandon
• 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 wear a little quartz Buddha around my neck. He reminds me to chill out and breathe through life’s troubles, big and small.
• What is your favorite mug or teacup if neither T-shirt with graphic or Meme

          Hubs gave me a big ol’ mug with a dragonfly, my spirit animal.

• What weird talent do you have? I have an amazing memory for song lyrics—which is odd, because I can’t retain details from books, TV shows, or movies.
• Most campers play board games. What games do you like? Our friends Michael & Diana Barks taught us a wonderful card game called Blitz. It’s very simple and fast-moving. You can get pretty sloshed and still play well.

​LOL! Be careful with Kahlua. My hubby says it'll make you fat before it makes you tipsy. Do you have a favorite recipe or food that would translate well to outdoor cooking? Even if it’s something on the grill.
​
Chicken Shwarma on the grill: 
Marinate boneless, skinless chicken thighs for at least a few hours in lemon juice, olive oil, minced garlic, salt, pepper, ground cumin, paprika, a little turmeric, a pinch of cinnamon, and red pepper flakes to taste. Throw in some thickly-sliced red onion too. Grill, then slice and serve with the usual kebab fixings: pita bread, tahini sauce or yogurt-garlic sauce, chopped cucumber & tomato, olives, chopped parsley, feta cheese, hummus, harissa, etc. Also good on rice. 

My goodness, that sounds wonderful. You know I've never cooked with tumeric and hear wonderful things about it. I'll have to add it to my spice rack. Sadira, thanks for being part of the Campfire. Please leave us some information about you and you book.

​

Forty-two-year-old divorcée Danielle Peters ends up alone on her family's annual beach vacation. Maybe time to herself is exactly what she needs. That and gelato from her favorite ice cream shop. But when the owner's intoxicating, young nephew offers more than sweet treats, she's tempted to indulge in a hot, summer fling before returning home.

Thirty-one-year-old Matteo Verducci craved a fresh start to mend his broken heart, and he's found almost perfection in Ocean View, where he scoops gelato by day and crafts furniture by night. But when a sexy older woman stops to sample his wares—Mamma mia! He only has two weeks to convince her their passion is more than a delicious surprise.


​Buy Links: Amazon       Barnes & Noble    Apple Books    Kobo    Google Play Books

​About Sadira
Ever since her first kiss, Sadira's been spinning steamy tales in her head. But it wasn't until 2017 that she tried her hand at writing one. Now she's a happy citizen of Romancelandia, penning contemporary romance and cozy mysteries from her home in Washington State. When not writing, which is seldom, she explores the Pacific Northwest with her charming husband, enjoys the local music scene, belly dances, plays guitar badly, and gobbles all the books.
Twitter: @SadiraStone
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Sadira-Stone-Romance-Author-235562980536651/

Today I’m welcoming Gayle Irwin to the Campfire. What’s your preference, coffee, tea, cocoa, wine? The camp fridge is like the Star Ship Enterprise, you speak it, you get it.
Today, I feel like a glass of Pinot Grigio – it’s a warm Wyoming day!

Pinot is one of my favorites. Let’s pop that cork. Tell us have you ever camped, or as I call what I do, Glamp?
My parents and I camped often when I was a child. Dad invested in a pickup truck and over-the-cab camper after we tried tent camping when I was three and four years old. The end of sleeping on the ground came after a major rainstorm flooded the tent. Now, I’m more into “glamping” – staying at the cabin my husband and I own or staying in cabins in other settings, such as around Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks  or other places we enjoy visiting, including Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in southern Utah. ​Today, I don’t camp very often – but my husband and I are blessed to own a cabin on some forested acres in the mountains of Wyoming. We use a woodstove for the chilly nights, and the flames from the fire not only warm my physical body, but also my heart and mind. Hearths and campfires play important roles in my romance novels, Rescue Road, released last fall, and Finding Love at Compassion Ranch, which released in May 2020.
Campfires – I grew up with them. During my childhood years, my parents and I camped every summer! Whether locally in Iowa or on major vacations out-of-state and into Canada, camping and campfires were a significant part of my world. 

Tell us about your latest project. What’s the title and genre?
Yes, and you can see that scene on the cover. Finding Love at Compassion Ranch is the story of Erin and Mike, who knew each other in high school. They haven’t seen one another since, which is more than 30 years. Both lost their spouses and after they connect once again at Compassion Ranch, which is a sanctuary for former research animals, sparks ignite. This is a second-chance romance story, and of course the animals at the sanctuary also receive a second chance – in fact, Erin ends up adopting two cats (I put that in specifically when I decided to release the book around June 1; June is National Adopt-a-Shelter-Cat Month). Both books, Rescue Road, which released last year and is the first book in this line I call the Pet Rescue Romance series, and Finding Love at Compassion Ranch, are clean, contemporary western romances.

Rescue is a passion of mine. All my furbies have been adopted. My doggo, Hali came to us last year from a rescue run out of Mississippi. Do you have a tagline?
A ranch like no other …

For some authors like me the time spent in a manuscript is quite extensive. How about you? How long did it take you from conception to publication?
Whereas Rescue Road took a few years to complete because I changed ideas mid-stream, Compassion Ranch only took me three months to write because I knew the direction I wanted to go after Rescue Road released. My primary female character, Erin, is a secondary character from Rescue Road; she’s the sister of that book’s primary character. The story takes place five years after the end of the first book. Erin has lost her husband and has been visiting her sister in Montana. While there, she learns of Compassion Ranch, a sanctuary for former research animals, and she decides to volunteer in route to her home in Florida. The story is based on an actual place called Kindness Ranch, located in eastern Wyoming (I place the sanctuary in western Wyoming near Yellowstone National Park, as I’ve planned for the first four books in the series to be set in that area). My husband and I have visited and stayed at Kindness Ranch, and it’s one of the animal rescue organizations I support financially with my book sales. I wanted to highlight the unique and incredible work done there while creating a second-chance romance story.

What a inspiring story, Gayle. Here's the link if anyone wants to check it out. www.kindnessranch.org/ I have a myriad of projects at various stages of development, how about you? Anything you’re itching to get to?
I’m working on a Christmas novella for the series titled In the Shadow of Mount Moran, taken from the name of one of mountains in the Teton range of western Wyoming near Grand Teton National Park. Again, I’m using a secondary character (very secondary!) from Rescue Road, a woman named Rachel who rescues dogs, and I’m placing her at a dude ranch during the holiday season where she embarks upon adventures such as snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. After her 20-year marriage dissolves due to her husband’s infidelity, she seeks refuge in the winter wonderland near Grand Teton National Park where she meets a tour guide and finds a lost dog. After all, it is a pet rescue romance!

Life Hacks for Authors. Gayle, do you have any tips, tricks or anything you specialize in that you would share with others. 
I’ve started doing Facebook Live readings. Due to book event cancellations, like Wild Deadwood Reads in South Dakota (I had planned to go there this month for the first time but because of COVID-19 the event cancelled) and bookstores not having author signings, I’m taking to online readings and events. I plan to host my next one, which I’m calling “Visit Yellowstone Virtually with Author Gayle M. Irwin” on Monday evening, June 29 at 7 pm Mountain time. I find these readings fun and I love to introduce people to my work through this medium!
Also, connect with other writers whether online or through a local writer’s group. This is a great way to bounce ideas off other people and receive feedback on your work. Sometimes you may even glean a new idea for a chapter or scene. That happened to me with Finding Love at Compassion Ranch – because of another writer’s suggestion, I incorporated horse therapy into Erin’s healing process, something I never thought of before my friend suggested the idea.

Those are great ideas! I'm definitely  going to check it out on the 29th. Please shoot me an email with the link the day of so I can share on my social media. Now on to the fun questions

• If they made a movie about your life, what would the title be and who would play you?

I love Hallmark movies – especially since they started adding pets to some of their movies. I think my life would be a Hallmark movie titled “Writer to the Rescue,” incorporating my work as a writer and my passion for pet rescue and adoption (I also sometimes serve as a transporter for pet rescue organizations) and I LOVE a great rescue and adoption story! I would hope one of these two Hallmark move actresses would play me: Erin Krakow or Jen Lilley.

• 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 three jewelry pieces that are dog-related: 2 bracelets, one which was given to me by a friend for my birthday this year, and a necklace. I wear them frequently and wear one of the pieces when I do a dog transport.

• What is your favorite mug or teacup if neither T-shirt with graphic or Meme

I have a coffee mug given to me by a friend several years ago which says “Rescue Mom” on it. I use that a lot, especially when I’m writing during the morning hours.

• 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 parents’ 25th wedding anniversary. My folks have never been much for going out to dinner, so my dad surprised my mom by taking her to a fancy restaurant. She knew they were going, but she didn’t know I would be there (we live in different states) nor that a small group of friends would be there. Plus, he continued the surprise by giving her 25 red roses. I actually have that moment captured in a photo. I cherish it.

• Favorite childhood book? Or writing that inspired you to become an author.

I read many books when I was a child, especially books about animals, like Black Beauty and Follow My Leader, a story about a boy who becomes blind and the dog who became his guide dog. However, the books which inspired me the most were the creations of Laura Ingalls Wilder. I’ve visited many of the sites where she lived,  including in Minnesota, South Dakota, and Missouri, and the books remain special to me to this day.

Gayle, thank you so much not only for joining us today but for the important rescue work you're part of. Please let us know where we can find your books and learn more about you and your passion for animals.

 

Here’s a campfire scene excerpt from that story:
That evening, Mike and Erin rode horses into the high pasture. Shadow tagged beside Cisco, who carried two saddlebags. Their dinner was packed on one side, consisting of baked chicken, roasted zucchini, and cucumber salad. Mike also had slipped in a bottle of Pinot Grigio and utensils, along with stoneware dishes and glasses, all wrapped in cloth napkins. A blanket awaited in the other saddlebag for comfort while sitting on the ground.
 

 


Excerpt
A fire crackled amid the ring of rocks Mike had gathered. As Erin sat next to him, gazing upon the meadow, warmth enveloped her. The horses stood nearby, munching on grass. Shadow lay to her right. The blaze took the chill from the late summer evening, but Mike’s presence, with his arm draped across her shoulder, also warmed her physically and emotionally. The meal and wine filled her stomach as well as her heart and mind. Erin realized she hadn’t felt this relaxed and comfortable in more than a year, since Daniel’s diagnosis. Now, here she was, in a beautiful part of the world amid an animal rescue sanctuary, doing positive work and experiencing the love of a kind, caring man.
            Mike’s whisper close to her ear disrupted her thoughts.
            “See that?”
            She looked at him and then in the direction on which he focused his eyes. A herd of ten elk, cows, and calves captured her attention. Her eyes widened as she inhaled deeply.
            “Oh, wow!” she whispered.
            Shadow responded either to their voices or to the smell of the animals, for she suddenly sat up.
            “Easy, girl,” Mike said in a low, but firm tone. “Stay.”
Erin captured the dog’s leash, affixed to her red collar, in her hand.
“Thanks,” Mike acknowledged, still speaking in a soft voice. “We’re seeing females with their young. The males will start coming out, and they will be bugling soon.”
            “What does that mean?” Erin asked in a quiet voice.
            “Usually in early September the bulls, male elk, come into what’s known as the rut – the mating season. They make this incredible noise, called a bugle, that announces to other bulls it’s time to fight for females. It’s an amazing sound and an incredible experience to witness.”
            “I’d love to see that sometime.”
            Mike’s gaze turned to her. “Whenever you want to come back in September, I’ll bring you back up here, and we’ll do just that.”
            She smiled and snuggled into his shoulder. After a quick pat to Shadow’s head, Erin returned her gaze to the majestic wild creatures. A contented, soft sigh escaped, and she felt Mike’s embrace tighten around her.
  
And here’s an outdoor scene from Rescue Road:
Rhiann sat across from Levi at a bistro-style table. She marveled at how he arranged this so quickly—candlelight, a bottle of Pinot Grigio, Italian food, table and chairs, white tablecloth. The nearby stream hummed a melody while the stars and full harvest moon cascaded a natural chandelier. Her ankle-length denim skirt, the three-quarter-sleeve-length blue and green blouse overlaid with a cobalt cardigan helped keep the night chill at bay.
She looked at Levi dressed in black jeans that hugged his frame, a red long-sleeved shirt with a black and silver bolo at the collar, and a woolen black and gray jacket. Stylish, rugged, and handsome, Rhiann thought, admiring Levi for the hundredth time tonight. Thoughtful, kind, romantic, genuine—how did I get so lucky? I wouldn’t trade this for any evening with Dallas Patterson, and I’m thankful I didn’t.
She smiled. He must have noticed, for she heard him say, “Are you enjoying yourself?”
“How could I not?” she responded, looking into his eyes. “You did all of this for me.”
“For us,” he said, his hand enfolding hers. “We met here. I thought it would be nice to come back, but in a special way. And we have a dog, a different one, but one to help bridge the memory[1]  of three weeks ago.”
She watched him look down at Jax, laying on a blanket at their feet. Rhiann shook her head in wonder. “You are something, Levi Butler.”
He kissed the top of her hand. “So are you, Rhiann Kelly.” He raised his wine glass and, upon withdrawing her hand from his, she followed suit. “To us, wherever that journey takes us,” he said.
She simply smiled and clinked her glass to his. After they each sipped their wine, Rhiann took a few more bites from her food.
“Wherever did this delicious lasagna come from?”
“Marnie’s—it’s one of her specialties.”
“She makes wonderful food,” Rhiann said.
“She was a chef in Baltimore,” Levi stated. “Once she discovered Montana, she sold her business back east and stayed. That was twenty years ago, from what I’m told.”
“I can see why. I’ve been here less than a month[2]  and I’m already hooked.”
“Hopefully, that also has to do with the company you’ve been keeping the past few days?” His gray eyes twinkled.
“Oh, I love spending time with Trisha. She’s been such a joy to reconnect with,” Rhiann responded, trying to sound nonchalant.
“Trisha, uh? No one else?”
“Umm, let me see. Oh yes, there’s this EMT guy …”
“Do I know him?”
Rhiann grinned. “You might have heard of him—Phil Kimball. He keeps a great dog named Max and is training him to be a therapy dog.”
“Oh yes, I have heard of that guy. I hear his supervisor is a pretty fine fella, too.”
“Really? I might have to meet him sometime.” Rhiann’s eyes sparkled at him

Author Bio:
Gayle M. Irwin is an award-winning author and freelance writer, being recognized by Wyoming Writers, Inc., and the Wyoming Press Association for several of her works. She is a contributor to seven Chicken Soup for the Soul books and the author of many inspirational pet books and stories for both children and adults. Her first novel, a clean, contemporary pet rescue romance titled Rescue Road, released November 8, 2019; the second book in that series she calls Pet Rescue Romance is titled Finding Love at Compassion Ranch – the book released in May 2020. Gayle subtly weaves important life lessons within the lines and pages of her stories, including the importance of pet rescue and adoption. An animal advocate, she volunteers for various dog rescue and humane society organizations and donates a percentage of all book sales to such groups. Gayle resides in Wyoming with her husband and their adopted animals. Learn more about the author, her writing endeavors, including a weekly blog, and her pets, and receive free stories and resources by visiting her website: www.gaylemirwinauthor.com.
 
Purchase Links
For Finding Love at Compassion Ranch:
Kindle: https://amzn.to/2AM7sLk
Print: https://bit.ly/2XhZbq3_CompassionRanchPrint
 
For Rescue Road:
Kindle: https://amzn.to/2W7fpBe
Print: https://amzn.to/2MCklLl
 
 Social Media Links:
My website:
www.gaylemirwinauthor.com
 
My Author Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/GayleMIrwin/
 
Twitter:
@wyoauthor1
 
Pinterest:
www.pinterest.com/gaylemirwin
 

​​Today I’m welcoming Viviana MacKade back to the Campfire. I remember you’re a fan of Earl Grey, and since the weather is warmer there’s a blender of Margarita’s in the fridge. Unless you’ve got a new favorite, and the campfire fridge is like Hemione Grangers bag, it has everything.
I do, actually… It’s not a new favorite, really, as much as me being high maintenance these days. Can the tea be decaff, and the Margarita virgin? Waiting on a little girl here… it’s no coffee and alcohol time.

Oh my goodness! Congratulations! It's a life changing event whether the first or fifth. Tell us have you had any new camping adventures? If I recall you thought you may venture out again.
We, South Florida, *could* go out but as I’m A) almost 7 months pregnant and B) immunocompromised (I have MS), it’s still stay at home for us. My husband is the one venturing out for grocery shopping and work, but we do go to the beach or hiking. We just do it when there’s less people around. And my husband and boy do roast marshmallows outside sometimes. Does it count?

Absolutely! My neighbor just this week had a little girl. I can appreciate your concerns especially with extenuating circumstance. You need to by hyper-vigilant.  Viviana, how have you been handling events of the recent pandemic? Has you writing been affected? To what extent?
Writing was hit hard. With my kindergartener to homeschool and generally at home, my time was cut in less than half. One hour a day. Way less than half. Then there’s the emotional side of it. I tried, but honestly my mind is just not there no matter how hard I push myself. So, sadly, there has been no writing. I wanted to finish the first draft of my current story before my girl arrived, but it didn’t happen. The damn bloody virus happened. I did a lot of plotting thought, so when I’m back (after baby girl), I’ll have stories to either finish or start. I’ll have work!!!

I'll bet there's many reading who are nodding in agreement, and cheering you on. The circumstances of the past few months are weighing heavily on people. My heart goes out to you. On a brighter side, a little bird mentioned you have big genre news. Tell us about your latest project. What’s the title and genre? What challenges have you faced, or has it been easy to change gears?
I stepped into fantasy from the home-sweet-home suspense genre. I have no title yet for the story. It’s very loosely based on Norse mythology and there’s a lot of adventure in it. And I also have a trilogy that I’m burning to start, no title as well. Plus, two stories made of 2 books each (different characters, one long story) to edit.

As a fan of the fantasy genre, I'm looking forward to you finishing and publishing. Do you have a tagline or life motto?
A very Elvis-inspired one: a little less conversation and a little more action. Too many people spend way too much time talking and talking. Blah blah blah, oh my lord. Nothing gets gone that way. So, you think it (through and fast), and then you do it. It has made my current stalling situation very hard, but from it I learned that sometimes life is bigger than you and the only thing you can do is damage control (hence, all the plotting) and wait.

Thank, Vivian, now I have an ear-worm, LOL! I guess it could be a lot worse than Elvis.  Do you have any tips, tricks, or anything you specialize in that you would share with others?
I’m a hybrid, meaning I’m in between a plotter and a panster. Whatever you are, the book that helped me in a way that’s too big to say is Foolproof Outline by Christopher Downing. It changed my game. I’m plotting my trilogy with it, and it’s a whole new level. I advise all to buy it and use it all or in part. Personally, I don’t go too much in details because I like letting the character lead the way, but I love having a big picture drawn so I know where and what they move within. Just like Scrivener, it’s a solid investment.

Perfect. I'm going to look into the book. Now here are some getting to know you, getting to know all about you... Anyone get the reference? 

If you could eat anything in the world right now, what would it be?
A stake. Rare. I can only have overcooked meat now and I used to eat it raw, cool in the middle… Lord, I’m drooling….

Worst household chore?
Unloading the dishwasher.

If you could time travel, where would you go and when? Why?
I’ve always said I’d go back and meet some of my heroes. Churchill, Cavour, Boudicca… Now? I want to jump a year from now to see how we got over this mess.

What ridiculous thing has someone tricked you into doing or believing?
My husband, who knows me way too well, knows he can make me do a lot of things by triggering my curiosity. The latest was try to do a Brazilian wax. Which, of course, I did because at that point I wanted to try. The first time was a nightmare. I swore I’d never do it again. But. (Damn buts). It was kind of comfortable… so I started do it myself at home. So much better.

Most campers play board games. What games do you like?
I don’t like board games. There. I said it. I despise Monopoly and Risiko, and everything that belongs to the family. I think I’d like Trivial Pursuit though.

Who is the most interesting person you’ve met and talked with?
My husband. I wouldn’t have married him if he wasn’t just that. We might fight, and sometimes I might not like him 100%, but he’s the only one who stimulates my mind and never bores me.

What subjects should be taught in school, but aren’t?
Taxes, and how health insurances work.

Viviana, thank you again for joining us at the campfire. I wish you all the best with your little ones. It is a trying time for many but I think more so for folks trying to bring a new baby into the world. I hope and pray the things happening now, will be a springboard for a new and better future. And before you go, we'd appreciate knowing more about you, your books, and where to find both.

GUNS FOR ANGELS by Viviana MacKade
 
Ann
My sister was all the family I had. She was taken from me and now, someone wants me dead, too. Not sure why.
I’m sure I’m not going to give my life up, though. I’m not going to let them get away with my sister’s murder.
The new me will try, anyway.
You see, when she was alive I could live in brightness and peace. Now I have to accept the darkness within me. After all, isn’t life about balance? Ironically, the man who can teach me how to embrace the shadows is broken, hopeless, and angry. Mark is also the only one I trust to lead me through my heart’s night, and back into the light.
The one I trust to keep us alive.
 
Mark
A favor to a teammate: pick up two girls in trouble, take them to the Team’s safehouse. Should have been easy. It was not.
Then someone killed one of my team, one of my brothers. Now it’s personal.
They want me, too. I can deal with that. But they want Ann. The only person who cut through me, who woke me, who grabbed my hand and guided me back into life one smile at the time.
I’ll be damned if I let them have anything.
Not. One. Damned. Thing.
 
From NY to sunny Miami, Ann and Mark run into a maze of lie, betrayal, and death, where love is the only, terrifying certainty. And when truth unravels, they will have to risk all to survive.
 
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07RYY569C
 
Excerpt
They entered a narrow hall, its bare walls painted in a subdued magnolia. At their left, an old, dark wooden staircase led upstairs. The veil of dust on the handrail carried fresh scars where hands had touched not long ago. A strange smell saturated the house, one Ann didn’t have a name for. It was out of place and mean. It reminded her of the last moments in her house, when those men had broken in shooting and screaming. Could fear smell? Could death?
At the end of the corridor, a door opened into a tiny bathroom. At its side, another door was ajar. The afternoon sun filtered through the crack, as if the room strained to contain all the light in it.
Mark’s face was detached, set into a mask as he prodded the door with his fingertips. More light poured into the hall.
Her heart rate rocketed as they waited at the door’s side. Ann wanted to scream to fill the silence.
Seconds ticked away. Drenched air mingled with fear ran down her neck in rivulets of sweat. Mark gestured her to stay and took a step inside the room.
She peeked from behind him, saw it was empty. A laugh crawled through the ball of fear at the base of her chest, asking to be freed, but her elation didn’t live long.
“There’s trouble in this house,” Mark told her in a tense whisper after looking around in the empty room. He walked out, moved toward the stairs with light strides.
Lightheaded, Ann followed him holding the piece of paper he’d given her as if her life depended on it. Funny that it might just be the case.
And they say paper and ink are useless, nowadays, she mused to herself.
At the top of the staircase, Mark opened the door with his foot; when nothing happened he stepped inside. Ann stayed behind him.
The upstairs was as big as the whole house. Ann let her eyes run over the filing cabinets, all lined up like little soldiers along the low walls, dutifully closed against prying eyes. An open skylight looked up into the blue sky where a lonely cloud plodded away, but no air came in from it to ease the heat. The walls were plain white up here, amplifying the light and the room’s emptiness.
A body lay on the floor. It swam in blood.
Ann’s mind didn’t recognize it at first, didn’t understand it, but at some point her brain caught up with her eyes. Her senses floated away to the sound of her own blood withdrawing from her head, the outline of her surrounding faded into white. A commanding, familiar voice called her but it was muffled, and too far away. When the white completely closed in, she let go.
Ann. It was Mark’s first thought when he saw Mouse’s body.
When he turned to take her away, to spare her other memories she shouldn’t cash in, it was too late. He would protect her from any harm but he had no power against what she saw.
She paled, her eyes lost focus, and then she went down

Author bio and links:
Beach bum and country music addicted, Viviana lives in a small Floridian town with her husband and her son, her die-hard fans and personal cheer squad. She spends her days between typing on her beloved keyboard, playing in the pool with her boy, and eating whatever her husband puts on her plate (the guy is that good, and she really loves eating). Besides beaching, she enjoys long walks, horse-riding, hiking, and pretty much whatever she can do outside with her family.
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The best way to know me is through my website (and the books I host):
http://www.viviana-mackade.blog/
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