Hi, my name is D. V. Stone. I am a multi-genre author who also enjoys reading across genres. On this page you'll meet a great group of writers and get an insider's view into their lives and books. I hope you enjoy this special peek and find new and exciting reads.
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Who – Hi, my name is Amber Daulton. I write contemporary, historical, and romantic suspense. My latest series Arresting Onyx is currently a five-book set about five sexy men—brothers in blood and in life—and the stubborn women they can’t live without. I’m writing two novellas to squeeze in between a few of the novels, but I’ll be sharing more about those later in the New Year. Interests – Other than reading and writing, I enjoy binge watching Star Trek TOS and TNG, Supernatural, and Fraser. I like to garden, hike, play with my cats, and do scrapbooking, though I’ve slacked off on the latter in the past few years. Network – I’m a member of Marketing for Romance Writers, Rom-Critters, and my publisher’s groups. I’ve met several wonderful authors over the years, and I’m proud of the way we support each other and help one another grow. Desk – I can’t concentrate on writing if I’m surrounded by clutter, so I always keep my workspace clean and organized. Outrageous – I’m a pretty boring person. Not much happens to me, and I live through my books. I do, however, have one source of constant entertainment—my cats. Darby and Pepper are loud, weird, lazy, and spontaneous all in a span of a few short hours. You never know what they’re gonna do. They’re both eight years old (from different kitty parents/litters) and grew up together. I used to joke to my hubby, Greg, that we weren’t the only married couple in the house. For a time, Darby and Pepper were an item. Why they always had sex in plain sight, I don’t know, but it wasn’t a fun thing to see. Thank goodness they finally stopped after about two years. Now they’re like brother and sister, as they were originally, or they’re amicably divorced. You decide. ☺ Window – My office window faces the backyard, the barn, the fence that my hubby and his dad built, and the forest. I live in the country in an old country house, so it’s pretty peaceful out here. Deer, wild turkey, and sometimes coyotes come around. I’ve heard a few black bears huffing and stomping in the woods, but I’ve never seen them. Check out the picture, which I took a few years back. I love all the snow, but it’s a much prettier scene with flowers and blackberry vines along the fence. Arresting Jeremiah Series: Arresting Onyx (book 2) Romantic Suspense Heat Rating: 5 Flames Injured Parole Officer Jeremiah “Jim” Borden never expected Calista Barlow, the sassy blonde waitress he’s craved for months, to ring his doorbell. She slips into his heart—and his bed—but he’s obsessed with a gangland investigation that threatens his career and maybe even his life. Calista doesn’t trust easily, not with a daughter to protect and the stalker who keeps calling her. After her violent ex-boyfriend returns, she finds solace in Jim’s arms. Jim may have to forego his need for answers to protect the ready-made family he adores, but how will he and Calista escape an unseen enemy that is always one step ahead of them? Add to Goodreads Check it out on BookBub Purchase Links Amazon Barnes and Noble Apple Kobo Google Play Universal Buy link Official Book Trailer Can’t see the video? No worries. You can go HERE! Love freebies? Then join my Amber Daulton Romance Newsletter. Click HERE! Who Good question. It depends on who you ask. I’m the best friend and wife of a South Texas Lawman. Mother of five, mother-in-law to five, grandmother to eight. My family says I’m more than a little crazy. I think I’m an eclectic taste. Interests When I’m not busy embarrassing my children or grandchildren by dancing in the middle of a country road during a rainstorm, I can be found running around with my camera creating visual art. Network My support system, outside of my family, includes a number of authors and members of the Facebook group, 10 Minute Novelists—an amazing group of people who are always willing to help another writer no matter the skill level. Desk My desk is in a corner of Darlin’s knife shop. We really enjoy spending time together even if we are working on separate projects. The walls surrounding my plastic folding table are covered ceiling to floor with white boards. Two windows allow me to stare out at the trees and brush when I’m stuck. The table is covered by a desktop computer, two laptops, and three external hard drives plus two printers and a Cricut. Outrageous Once upon a time ago, I used to build and race quarter-mile drag cars. We put a V8 engine in a 1974 Chevy Vega. Then I had my first child. I had to decide which was more important—kids? Cars? Kids? Cars? The kids won. Window Outside my window is seventy-five acres of mesquite trees, wildflowers, prickly pear cactus, and red dirt inhabited by rattlesnakes, bobcats, road runners, coyotes, badgers, and the occasional mountain lion. Broken Toys “His life is perfect. Too bad it’s built on a lie.” Texas Ranger Noah Morgan has his life together—with a great job and the girl of his dreams. Too bad it's all based on a lie. A single phone call threatens to bring it all crashing down. After an irate citizen complains shoddy workmanship has left him with a booby-trapped driveway, and the local sheriff's office is too busy to respond, Noah takes the call. The investigation of local scam artists uncovers a human trafficking ring, Noah fights to avoid being swept back into the sights of his murderous family—people he escaped at the age of seventeen. Can he keep his past a secret or will his carefully crafted life come to a violent end? Excerpt: “While we wait for the mobile crime scene lab to arrive from Austin, I need you to sign this consent-to-search form. Next, Ranger Trammell and I will photograph the scene to preserve it in situ—as it currently is.” “Now you wait one cotton-picking minute,” the old man growled. “How long will all that take? What if I don’t want to sign your verdammt form? I need my car. The old lady has several doctors’ appointments in San Antonio this afternoon.” Noah lifted his hat again and brushed sweat off his forehead before it rolled into his eyes. “Tell you what. Sign this piece of paper giving us permission to search your driveway, and as soon as we finish the photography, Ranger Trammell and I will change your tire. Then you can pull your car out of the driveway. If you don’t sign it, we will have to find a judge and get a warrant. Going the warrant route will delay things considerably.” Noah shrugged. “The choice is yours. Either way it goes, you won’t be able to pull back in for some time. We’re going to have to tape off your driveway and process it as a crime scene. Is there somewhere you could stay for a few days?” “Crime scene?” Mr. Schmidt crumpled as if he’d been kicked in the solar plexus. Bewilderment flooded his features. For the first time since the rangers arrived, the man looked old. “My driveway is a crime scene?” “I’m afraid so, sir,” Noah said, using the tone he reserved for scared kids, grieving family members and sagging old men who hadn’t tasted sweet tea in more than sixty years. “Hip implants, bits of bone and teeth are not normally used for road base. It looks like someone may have disposed of a body in your driveway.” Order link: https://www.thewildrosepress.com/books/broken-toys Bio: A sixth-generation Texan with Scottish roots, Glenda Thompson can 'bless your heart' with the best of them. As a former emergency medical technician married to a south Texas Lawman, she's used insider information from both their careers as inspiration to build her Broken world of Texas Rangers with hidden pasts and dark secrets. When she's not busy embarrassing her children or grandchildren by dancing in the middle of a country road during a rainstorm, she can be found huddled in her writing cave with her law enforcement technical adviser/husband working on another story in her Broken universe. You can keep up with the future crazy cat lady's hi-jinks at www.glendathompson.com or follow her on Twitter @PressRattler or Facebook @Glenda Thompson, Author. Social Media Links Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Amazon http://glendathompson.com Thank you, D.V., for having me on your blog today! I’m excited this is Wild Crime’s one-year anniversary. The release of this mystery/domestic suspense wrapped up a three-book series that follows the story of Meredith Lowe, an abused wife and mother, who fantasizes about killing her husband. When he is found murdered, she becomes the likely suspect. In this third book, Meredith discovers a shocking letter from her late mother, one that reads: I’m a murderer. She must discover the truth behind those words. There is much more to this series, however: Quirky characters in a small town, a search for the truth about her past, and yes, a fair bit of romance. Who: I was a journalist for years and have always loved writing stories. People are fascinating, aren’t they? When I left my career, I eagerly turned to fiction writing. The idea for the Wild Crime series began with my earlier move from California to Idaho; the idea had been brewing in my mind for a long time. Talk about feeling like a fish out of water. Idaho is a mostly rural state, with vast and rugged wilderness areas. At first, I was a bit overwhelmed. Pretty quickly, though, I was bowled over by the stunning beauty of the mountains and lakes, and the kindness of people here. Now, it’s been my home for twenty years and I can’t imagine living anywhere else. Interests: Like many writers, I’m an introvert and love to read. As a child, I spent soooo many hours in the library. But I also was a bit of a tomboy. I loved to ride horses and play softball. My softball days are behind me, but I still love the outdoors. This past year I bought a kayak and spent wonderful days paddling some of Idaho’s beautiful lakes. I enjoy traveling the world and look forward to a time when those travels can begin once more. My favorite interest is my family – two kids and two grandkids. I am so lucky! Network: One of the best things I’ve done is create and join writer groups. I surround myself with others who feel the same way I do about writing. While we don’t meet in person at the moment, we do still meet online. I find a great deal of support and inspiration, as well as advice, from fellow authors – and I enjoy helping them too. Desk: These days, I’ve set up shop in my formal dining room. I have an upstairs office, but with so much quarantining, I need to have some bustle around me. From my dining table, I have a view of the front sidewalk and can watch neighbors out on walks or with their dogs. I also can see the delivery trucks arrive – online shopping in my household certainly increased this year. Outrageous: I’m not afraid of failing at things. I’m willing to try most activities at least once, from rock climbing to ziplining to windsurfing. Many people tell me they’ve always wanted to write a book but weren’t sure they could. How would they know if they hadn’t tried? I certainly didn’t know if I could do it, but worked hard at the process. The worst thing that could happen was my ego getting bruised, but after a career as a journalist, I’ve developed a thick skin. Window: Out my window is my raised planter garden where I love growing vegetables and flowers. Spring through autumn, I have more than a dozen types of veggies under cultivation, from cucumbers to tomatoes to eggplant. This time of year the beds lay under a layer of snow. We all deserve a rest, don’t we? My garden works very hard the rest of the year. Wild Crime by Julie Howard "I'm a murderer. I'm a murderer. I'm a murderer." Those three repeated words discovered in an old letter propel Meredith Lowe in a cross-country pursuit to unveil her mother's murky past. Danger stalks Meredith back to Hay City, Idaho as she peels apart the mystery: who is her father, and did her mother kill him? In finding the answer, will a growing love slip through her fingers? Past merges with the present as the story races to its stunning conclusion. Excerpt from Wild Crime: Her hair fell below her waist, ripped free of its ties and weighed down by the warm, lashing rain. The sky-blue dress, so carefully chosen for this night and tried on so many times in her bedroom, was ruined. One strap had torn from her shoulder and dangled down her back. Mud splattered the hem. Sweet Cantaloupe lipstick, a lovely coral that heightened the green in her eyes, was smeared like a bruise on one cheek. She ran. The high school gym behind her, decorated in crepe paper and curtains, vibrated with electric guitars and teen-aged hormones. Couples gyrated on the dance floor and then disappeared into dark corners. It was late and the Spring Dance was in full throttle. No one would miss her for hours. Before her, trees dripped moss, barely visible in the darkness. She envisioned the moss brushing her shoulders, low branches snagging in her hair, the possibility of snakes both at her feet and above; this made her hesitate. It would take one scream, one gasp, and he would find her. Amazon: https://amzn.to/2W8j0Pt iBooks: https://books.apple.com/us/book/wild-crime/id1482591716 Barnes andNoble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/wild-crime-julie-howard/1134112545?ean=9781509228638 Google: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Julie_Howard_Wild_Crime?id=xjzADwAAQBAJ Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/wild-crime About the author: Julie Howard is the author of the Wild Crime series, and Spirited Quest. She is a former journalist and editor who has covered topics ranging from crime to cowboy poetry. She is a member of the Idaho Writers Guild, editor of the Potato Soup Journal, and founder of the Boise chapter of Shut Up & Write. Learn more at juliemhoward.com. Website: http://juliemhoward.com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/juliemhowardauthor Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18116047.Julie_Howard Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Julie-Howard/e/B07D6CS4NQ/ Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/julie-howard?list=author_books Twitter: https://twitter.com/_JulieMHoward Who: By day, I’m a mild-mannered pre-school aide. By night, I’m a wild, wanton… er, no. At night, I’m a mild-mannered mom and author of time travel and small-town witch romances. I’m not one of those writers who knew what they wanted from the time I learned my ABCs, but I always loved to read. I started writing when my kids were babies and I needed something not baby-related to occupy my mind. I dumped every trope I’d ever liked into that first book, lol. Thankfully, I got involved in some writer groups, took a lot of writing classes, and researched the industry before trying to sell that monstrosity. I rewrote it half a dozen times before publishing with The Wild Rose Press in 2013. I discovered my passion and never looked back. Interests: Reading, writing, but definitely not arithmetic. When not reading or writing, one of my favorite activities is to go on hikes with my family. We bought a travel trailer several years ago so we could bring our dog on vacation and enjoy the great outdoors (boarding a large dog is seriously expensive and we love having her with us!) The trailer has made us take more vacations (even if just weekends away) than we would without it. You can’t own something like that and not use it (though sadly Covid has forced us to stay home for the time being.) Network: My family is very supportive, especially my mom (though she would prefer my characters stop swearing.) But I rely mostly on my three writing partners, Ruth A. Casie, Lita Harris, and Nicole S. Patrick. We don’t meet as often as we’d like (especially now) but I can always count on them for a quick brainstorming session or pep talk. Desk: A hot mess. My desk is in a corner of the living room and, theoretically, can be closed up when not in use. That never happens because I’d have to clean it up first. I like to think if I had more room, I’d have everything neat, organized, and in its place, but I doubt it, lol. Outrageous: My family always marvels at the way all our pets congregate around me. No matter where I go, they soon follow. When I come home from work, my husband will laugh that he hasn’t seen the cats all day, but the second I walk through the door they’re demanding attention. I don’t think it’s all that mysterious—Guess who feeds them? Window: Nothing too exciting, just a (mostly) quiet neighborhood. My favorite part is the cat perch my husband and kids built and attached to the window ledge. It’s right next to my desk and usually occupied by one or both cats soaking up the sunshine. Time After Time When Sophia Segarra, the owner of Time After Time Antiques in Havenport, finds a packet of love letters from the 1920s in her shop, she can’t help but fantasize about what it would be like to find a love like the one described in those letters. But even though she’s told the pearl necklace from her Halloween costume will bring the wearer to true love, she never imagined they’d transport her back in time to the Roaring Twenties. In 1928, Liam O’Connell is writing an article on the Main Street Bandits for the Havenport Herald while investigating the disappearance of his brother. He’s not having much luck with either and a trip to Tilly’s speakeasy on Halloween is about to make life more interesting. Liam’s reporter instincts tell him Sophia’s hiding something, and he’s determined to find out what. Will her secret keep them apart, or will they come to realize that time after time, love overcomes all obstacles? (Time After Time is the 6th book in the Witches of Havenport series. While it is a stand-alone story, some readers might prefer to read the series in order. In particular, characters from book number 5, Tricking the Beast, play a significant role in this story. The entire series is available to read on Kindle Unlimited for free.) Excerpt: Sophia stepped out onto the back deck of Royce’s and shivered in the chill night air. A set of steps led down to the dock. Laughter and music spilled out from the tavern, and twinkling orange lights lit up the surrounding area. What a night. Going straight home held no appeal, so she took a walk on the dock. A quick glance at her watch showed just shy of midnight. She’d at least stay out until twelve before calling it a night and heading back to her lonely apartment. A giggling pair of lovers leaned against the railing. Cleopatra and Marc Antony seemed familiar. She tried to get a good look without staring and finally recognized Reina Mills and Keenan O’Connell. She rushed by without saying hello. She’d gotten to know the pair quite well over the past year. Keenan was almost as fascinated by her antiques as she was and came into her store fairly often. And, loving history as she did, his family story intrigued her. He was a descendant of the Lovers of Havenport. Those star-crossed lovers who disappeared in the Roaring Twenties never to be heard from again. All that was left of them was their portrait in Havenport’s Seaport Museum. Keenan had given her a little insight into his ancestor’s story and she’d eaten up all the details. His version differed completely from what the Havenport historians thought. She loved being in the know on such an epic tale. But seeing Reina and Keenan entwined as they were made her think of Mia and her “true love” spell. She twisted the pearls around her fingers and gazed up at the gorgeous full moon. She envied the lovers she’d just passed. What she wouldn’t give to have someone to share this beautiful evening with. A passage from the love letters came to mind. I wished for you one lonely night but never did I dream that you would come to me, my love And set my heart alight. Oh, she wished all right. A sudden gust of wind roared in her ears. Heat engulfed her body. A flash. Then everything went black. Buy Links: Amazon Amazon Witches of Havenport Series Page Personal links: Website: www.emma-kaye.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/emmakayewrites Twitter: www.twitter.com/emmakayewrites Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/emmakayewrites Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/emma-kaye email: [email protected] Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Emma-Kaye/e/B00G2J21IC Who I am: I’m a novelist, and to explain how I got here, I’ll say, I picked up my purse at work one day in 2015 and walked out the door, never to return. My only sibling, who is eleven years older than me, was in a nursing home suffering from early-onset dementia. His wife was in a different nursing home stricken with early-onset Alzheimer’s. We (their children and I) were trying to move them into the same facility. At the time, I worked for a rude woman. One day she disparaged me in front of our consultants and something inside me snapped. I realized working for her wasn’t worth it. My husband had been telling me to quit my job, I was a writer, so on that day, I decided to do what I always wanted to do: quit my full-time job as a grant writer/administrator and write novels. Three years later, I published my first two novels, The Suicide Gene (The Wild Rose Press) and Dream Wide Awake (Kindle Direct Publishing.) Since then I published Project Dream in 2019, Friends Who Move Couches in 2020 and am currently editing, Don’t Mind Me, I Came with the House. Interests: Family, writing, running, traveling, and people. I love spending time with my three adult children and my sweet granddaughter when I’m able. (Two of three children and my granddaughter live out of town.) I am also blessed to have several friends with whom I run, walk, and travel. (Well, we will travel again once this pandemic is over!) Network: Since Friends Who Move Couches is “Almost” a memoir, readers will find I have a large network of “friends who move bodies” in my life. (You must read Friends Who Move Couches to understand how lucky that makes me.) For writing, several of these friends, along with a few acquaintances compose my Beta readers. Desk: I write from my front office (next to two windows) or my screened-in back porch while I’m in my new home in Wendell, North Carolina. I moved to Wendell a year ago, but still spend summers and fall in the town I grew up in, Erie, Pennsylvania. When there, I write on a deck at a campsite on Presque Isle State Park and spend afternoons walking, running, biking or kayaking with my husband, Jeff, and our good friends. To sum it up, my desk is mobile and messy. (I’m the most unorganized person I know.) Outrageous: I have had visions and premonitions in my life that people often find unbelievable, frightening, interesting, or outrageous. My Dream series books are based on people who have a sixth sense and several incidents in these books were inspired by real events. Chapter one in Project Dream was stirred by a vision I had in a little chapel. Chapter three in Dream Wide Awake was inspired by something that happened to me when I was three years old and sleeping in the attic of my grandparent’s home. Window: Outside my window is a world filled with puzzles. Beyond the sunshine or darkness filtering through my glass, I see love, life, and souls. No matter where I sit while writing, in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, or occasionally in California where my granddaughter is, I gaze out the window and my thoughts wander past the setting. To me, outside my window, is a magnificently huge puzzle just waiting for me to piece it together into stories. Bonus Content! Here's a link to an online interview with CJ youtu.be/6H1tqVqFv7M Friends Who Move Couches www.amazon.com/Friends-Who-Move-Couches-Zahner-ebook/dp/B0874BNHG7/ Nikki Grey's idea of living dangerously is not wearing a seatbelt, yet calamity always seems to find her. Married to a workaholic, mothering three rebellious kids, and feuding with neighborhood friends, Nikki forgets her problems one afternoon by smoking marijuana. That blunder ignites a lifelong yet dormant medical condition, and she loses her driver’s license. Suddenly stranded in her home, she’s forced to stare out the window at women who have ostracized her. Her true friends encourage her to concentrate on her health, but Nikki is her own nemesis. She embarks on a scheme to win back neighborhood friends and plunges into efforts that only end in muddying her reputation. She becomes the butt of neighborhood jokes. Foolishly, her ache to mend her broken relationships escalates. Not until her two-timing husband asks her a question that catapults her frivolous suburban life into a tailspin is she forced to stop reaching for others and stand on her own. If you like novels about family struggles, friendship wars, quieting your inner critic, and surviving rejection, you’ll love Friends Who Move Couches, a laugh-out-loud yet insightful story every woman can relate to in some way. Exerpt “I can’t drive.” “Oh, c’mon, it’s six blocks. It’s not like you’re going to run someone over.” “I could, you know.” I remove my keys from a hook in the kitchen and stomp toward the front door. “There are a lot of kids in this neighborhood.” “You’re such a pansy. Have you ever done anything wrong in your entire life?” “In case you forgot, I smoked dope the other day, Hux.” What am I doing? Trying to impress my kid? I’ve lost more than my license. I’ve lost my mind. “Yeah and that’s what got you into this mess. It’s not my fault you lost your license. Bring me my lunch. It will take less than three minutes.” He’s right. This isn’t his fault, and I am cowardly. I’m a law-abiding pansy. My idea of breaking the law is jaywalking. “Just because you break the law all the time—” “You’re such a prude,” he interrupts. “What did you call me? I’m your mother, for God’s sake.” “Mom, you’ve driven to school thousands of times. What do you think is going to happen this one time?” He’s attempting to guilt me into this. I know. But it’s working because I never do anything I’m not supposed to, and I’m sick and tired of the dull-and-boring Nikki I’ve aged into. That’s probably Mark’s annoyance with me, too. “There’s no excitement in our life,” he complains, relentlessly. “Is that Hux’s lunch? I can drop it off,” Evy says. Hux hears him. “There, if you’re chicken shit, have Evy bring it.” “What?” My blood boils. I head out the front door and hurry toward my SUV. “You little s--t.” I’ll be mortified later that I swore at one of my kids, but he’s being such a spoiled brat right now I don’t care. I pull my mouth away from the phone. “Evy, can you please keep an eye on the girls for a minute?” Then I holler into the phone again. “I’m getting you out of bed tomorrow at seven-thirty, you hear me?” “You’re not supposed to drive,” Evy scolds as I get in the car and turn on the ignition. “Seven-thirty? I start at eight-thirty. It takes less than ten minutes to walk here. I don’t know why you won’t let me take your car, anyway. It’s not like you’re driving it.” “Naggy,” Evy hollers. “You’re not allowed to drive.” “You wrecked my car, Hux. That’s why your father had to buy me a new one.” I turn around and gaze out the back window because my old car didn’t have a camera, and I forget my new one does. I step on the gas, giving it more than expected. I feel a jolting motion and hear a crunch. My first thought is, my God, I’ve run over a kid. I shove the car into park and run to the back. Evy beats me there. “Oh, darling, please tell me that’s D-Amy Everglade’s bike and not Gianna’s. It would be sweet justice in so many ways.” I glance at the mangled bike lodged beneath my back bumper. The front door opens, and Amy Everglade lets out a scream that sends our dog, Furgy, scurrying out the door and down the street. Evy opens the car door and grabs Hux’s lunch. “I’ll drop this off and find the dog. You might want to call in the pit crew, Mario.” My plan to win more friends might not be working as well as once thought. To find out more about CJ here's the links www.cjzahner.com https://www.instagram.com/cjzahner/ https://twitter.com/TweetyZ http://bit.ly/FBcjzahner https://www.linkedin.com/in/cyndiezahner/ http://bit.ly/gProjectDream http://bit.ly/BBProjectDream |
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October 2021
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