Welcome, Gerri. I’m so happy to have you here today. Why don’t you tell us a little something about yourself?

I was born and raised in Connecticut where I attended Central Connecticut State University, majoring in English Literature. I lived on the west coast for several years, but relocated back to Connecticut, where I presently lives with the two pugs, Mimi and Milo and the cats, Louise and Harry.

We have something in common — I majored in literature as well. Tell us about your latest book.

According to Legend, when the spirit of the Tribal Princess is born again and she holds the enchanted stone in her hand, the lovers will be reunited . . . even through time.

Pam Hastings, an advertising agent, lives a boring life until she comes into possession of an enchanted dream catcher, which through her dreams, draws her back in time and into the arms of the handsome Warrior Chief, Moheeladeck.

Pam discovers the stones entwined within the dream catcher hold special powers and are also the key to a secret cave, rumored to contain untold riches. When Pam is followed and her house broken into she realizes she needs protection. That is when she meets the handsome and charming dog breeder, David Conner, who gives her Half-Breed. But Half-Breed is no ordinary dog, and has secrets of his own.

With the village burning and the tribe under attack, Moheeladeck is torn between his duty to protect his tribe in his time and his desire to protect the woman he loves in hers. David is torn between his love for the same woman and the destiny he was born to fulfill . . . her destruction. Pam finds herself caught in a love triangle between these two men; a love triangle that spans into both realms of time. With rivals in both the past and present pursuing her to control the power of the stones and the treasures in the cave, who is really behind it all? Who can she trust? With two warriors who profess their love for her, who will capture her heart? We find out only in her dreams.

Sounds wonderful! Why do you write?

I write because I love to. I have been writing ever since I can remember, and long before I ever dreamed of becoming published. Now that I have been published, I still write because I love to, but now I write in hope my readers will love reading my work just as much as I loved writing it.

Have you always dreamed of writing?

No. For me writing was always part of my life. When I was a girl I wrote in spiral notebooks and never dreamed of being published. Honestly, I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t writing and I can’t imagine my life without writing.

What drew you to write historical romance?

I have always been interested in certain times in history. It seems I was drawn to them. In my “day” job I am a paralegal and have been for years so research is second nature to me. I find that the periods of history I’m drawn to seem to be the periods I write about.

Another commonality — I’m a lawyer by day. When you’re working on a manuscript, what motivates you? What frustrates you?

When I’m working it seems as if the story is pouring out of me. It’s as if the characters are pushing me to tell their story. What frustrates me is self doubt.

Self doubt is something I think all writers deal with, even best-selling multi-published writers.

What are you working on now?

I’m working on a series which is new for me.

We have a lot in common. I, too, am working on a series, which is a first for me.

What advice would you give aspiring authors?

Believe in yourself and your work and never, never, ever give up.

What do you like to read?

I like to read romance and read many prior to writing, however now that many of my friends are authors, I tend to read more genres.

If you could, what deceased author would you most like to meet, and why?

Probably William Shakespeare so I could ask him if he really wrote it all or was it Bacon.

I wonder if he’d tell you if he didn’t. ( : 

Describe your perfect Sunday.

I sleep until I wake up naturally. Then while having coffee, I check my email. In the afternoon I go visit my son, his wife and my grand-daughter. Sunday is my day with family and I adore spending time with my 9-month old sweetie.

Couldn’t be more perfect.

Excerpt

“Do you happen to remember the names of the tribal Chief and his Princess?” I asked.

Mrs. Warren reluctantly handed the dream catcher back to me. Her expression softened and became melancholy as she smiled, a sweet smile as if she were a million miles away remembering another time. “Ah,” she said. “One of my fondest childhood memories.” Her unfocused gaze stared somewhere over my left shoulder. “Chief Running Wolf, which in the Aloscotay dialect is, Moheeladeck,” she said as she closed my fingers around the artifact in my hand.

The instant my fingers closed around the catcher, its magic enticed me toward it—toward him.

Takshawee . . . come to me. The deep timber of his voice, a whisper in my mind. My head spun and fog swirled as I felt drawn. I tightened my grip on the catcher. It’s luring me to him. My breathing quickened as its magic beckoned me. I attempted to deny its pull. Try to focus on what Mrs. Warren is saying. The old woman’s voice sounded so far away.

“His love was called Princess Loving Doe, which in Aloscotay is  . . .” She stared into my amber eyes as her voice trailed off to a hoarse whisper. “Takshawee.”

Takshawee . . . I am waiting for you. My Warrior’s whisper swirled through my mind, tugging at my very soul.

Unable to resist his call, I collapsed.

Wonder where you can find this book? It just so happens to be on sale (half price) at Amazon.

If you want to know more about Gerri and her books, please visit her at:

Website www.gerribrousseau.com

You can also find her on Facebook. She would love to hear from you. 

The desire in his eyes scorched her skin like flames licking her body. He lowered his body to hers, nuzzling her neck, unbuttoning her blouse, his warm hands on her skin inflaming the passion.

He grabbed her writs, cuffing them above her head. “Let me.” With each button he opened, he placed a kiss on the newly exposed skin. “I want to worship you.”

Today, please help me welcome Wareeze Woodson. Wareeze, why don’t you tell us a little something about yourself?

Writing historical romance was a hobby of mine until recently. Now I’m an excited published author. I am a native Texan married to my high school sweetheart. I have traveled all over the US and beyond.

Tell us about your book.

My first book under my pen name, Wareeze Woodson was released by Soul Mate Publishing on Amazon May 3, 2013. I’m thrilled. I already have a 5 star review. Conduct Unbecoming of a Gentleman is a Regency novel in which a lovely young widow must fight to stay in her young son’s life. To complicate matters, the man that killed her husband is after her as well. Will her son’s new guardian hold fast to his prejudices against beautiful woman or will he help her before she meets the same fate as her husband?

Congratulations on the release of your first book and on the 5-star review!

Why do you write and have you always dreamed of writing?

I have always been an avid reader but I never seriously considered writing. Changing some parts of those books always intrigued me and one day I wrote my thoughts down on paper. No computer at the time. After joining RWA, I’ve taken classes, attended meetings and joined a critique group. Now I am a published author. YEAH!

What drew you to write Regency era novels? 

I love the Regency era and have read 100s of books set in that period. Actually, most historical romances whatever the era fascinate me.

When you’re working on a manuscript, what motivates you? What frustrates you?

Drifting away to another time and place is always thrilling, especially when I can manipulate the scene and situation. When the phone rings or my sweet husband wants to ask me a question, my chain of thought is broken. The thread MIGHT have been perfect for the story too. The frustrating moment always seems to occur when the hero is on the verge of kissing the heroine or facing some direr catastrophe.

I can so relate! What are you working on now?

My present manuscript is based around the same time period. The hero is a diplomat and he marries a girl in Latvia. He must return to England to attend his father’s deathbed. The heroine will follow in a few weeks only to be trapped in Latvia during an uprising. After a few years, she escapes on the way to her husband’s loving arms. He is told his wife is dead and after years of grief, he moves on with his life. On the night he plans to announce his betrothal to another, his wife and son arrive on his doorstep. Their story is 3/4 down on paper only waiting for the ending to hurry and arrive.

Sounds exciting! What advice would you give aspiring authors?

Everyone out there with a dream, keep writing. Hard work, hard work, write, write, write and you’ll finally get there. Keep reading your favorite authors and learn from them what works and what doesn’t.

What do you like to read?

I continue to read Regency but I also enjoy contemporary as well. Always romance because there must always be a happy ever after ending. I’ve long admired Elizabeth Thornton and all of her work. Her characters seemed real and she could always touch the emotions of the reader.

Describe your perfect Sunday.

On a perfect Sunday, after church we go out to eat lunch. Although I like to cook, I always appreciate going out for a meal, especially on Sunday afternoon. If possible, a nap is nice or a visit from some of my children.

Sounds like a lovely, relaxing Sunday.

Book Blurb

Furious that the widow would abscond with his ward, Lord Adron Gladrey rescued Jamie, determined to protect him from a selfish mother able to persuade men to do her bidding and uncaring enough to expose her son to untold danger. After seeing her beauty for himself, he believed every word against her. He vowed she would soon learn he was not so easy to manipulate.

Complicating her life still further, a villainous jewel thief committed murder for a rare blue diamond she had no idea was in her possession and he would kill again. After many twist and turns, she must fight for her life. Will her son’s guardian put aside his prejudices against beautiful women in time to help her or will she follow her husband to an early grave?

Thank you for joining me today. You can buy Conduct Unbecoming of a Gentleman at Amazon. You can find more on Wareeze Woodson and her books at:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/wareezewoodson

Website:http://www.wareezewoodson.com/

Twitter: twitter@wareeze

This week’s six takes us to a dramatic scene in The Promise of Change.

Screams erupted, followed by deafening sirens. Sarah lost her grip on the handle and her world seemed to turn on its side. There was a sickening crack as her head hit the seat behind her. Just moments after landing on the floor of the train, someone fell on her, forcing the air out of her lungs with a whoof.

Her last thoughts were of Alex, and regret. She wished she’d kissed him goodbye.

Today, my Soul Mate guest author is Meggan Connors. Welcome, Meggan.

Hi Rebecca. Thanks for having me here today.

Why don’t you tell us a little something about yourself?

Well, I’m a wife and a mom of two early elementary-aged kiddos. I have a day job as a speech pathologist, working with little ones (3-6) with autism, and older elementary-aged students with mild to moderate intellectual disabilities. It can be challenging, but it’s totally worth it.

Other than that, I live out West, and, if I’m not writing or working or at some event for the kids (or the PTA), I like to go hiking and camping. Well, not actually camping—I don’t tent camp. I went with some friends some years ago, and I woke up with a mouse about an inch from my face. Since I’m a little on the phobic side with mice, it wasn’t an experience I cared to repeat. So, yeah, I’m the gal that sleeps in the back of the trucks. I’ll leave the mice and the being eaten by bears thing to everyone else.

I’m with you! I wouldn’t want to wake up with a mouse in my tent, much less in my face!

Tell us about your latest book.

My latest book is called Jessie’s War, and I describe it as a western steampunk romance. It’s a bit of an alternative history (the Civil War has lasted ten years, and Lincoln still isn’t dead), mixed in with some paranormal elements, as I incorporated local Native American lore into the storyline. Here’s the blurb:

She’s about to become a pawn in a brutal game between nations…

The American Civil War has raged for more than ten years. The outcast daughter of a famous inventor, Jessica White has struggled to salvage what little remains of her life. Then, one cold winter night, the lover she’d given up for dead returns, claiming the Union Army bought the plans for her father’s last invention. But he’s not the only one who lays claim to the device, for the Confederacy wants the invention as well. Both sides will kill to have it.

…And only he can save her.

As an agent for the Union Army, Luke Bradshaw is a man who will use whomever and whatever is at his disposal in order to complete his mission. An attack by Confederate soldiers ensures that Jessie will turn to him for help, but Luke can’t help but wonder about the secrets she keeps—and if those secrets will ultimately prove fatal.

Sounds exciting. I love the Civil War period, and I love your take on it. Why do you write?

I think I write because it’s a creative outlet I have, and sometimes I need the escape. Life can be so busy with kid activities and work. I can’t stop the child with autism from tantruming or biting me on the shin (if I’m not fast enough) because he can’t process his transitions very well, and today is an off day. You can’t get mad at that, because it’s not his fault. I can’t always keep my own little one with sensory processing issues from throwing a massive fit in the middle of the school I work at. I can’t even stop myself from being horrified by it, even though I understand why it’s happening better than most people, and I work with this type of behavior all day long.

Writing lets me forget that I can’t control everything. It’s where I get to be the author goddess, and everything will go the way I want it to. Sometimes, that’s what keeps me from snapping because I’m wound so tight. Ask any teacher of special education who’s been doing it for a long time—we all have our coping mechanisms, or we quit. My friend plays the most competitive volleyball you’ve ever seen. Another one does crazy power yoga. Another friend run marathons, and let me tell you, the training for that is intense.

I don’t have the luxury of leaving the house for hours on end, and I have neither the wherewithal nor the stamina for power yoga. So I write instead.

Also, I hate running. Unless I’m being chased by killer clowns, running is not going to happen.

I think the more intense the caseload, and mine can be very intense, the more you need some sort of outlet. So that’s why I do what I do.

Everyone needs a creative outlet. Have you always dreamed of writing?

Since I was in fifth grade, yes. ( :

What drew you to write steampunk?

Well, I started out in Victorian-era historicals, but I’ve always been a fan of the ghost story, and I’ve loved the gothic horror stories of Frankenstein and Dracula. I think that the desire to write a steampunk naturally came out of that. See, I didn’t realize that I was writing a steampunk when I first started writing Jessie’s War, because I had always felt that steampunks were set in England.

But as I wrote, and I incorporated more and more technology—because I really did intend to write an alternate history with paranormal elements, and I needed cool guns and airships to explain why the Civil War had lasted so long—my friends kept saying, “You know this is steampunk, don’t you?”

Steampunk is the perfect mash up of genres I’m in love with. It’s the Victorian era, it’s got alternate technologies and histories, and, if you want, throw in a ghost or a zombie or a vampire. It’s all good. And that’s what makes steampunk great.

When you’re working on a manuscript, what motivates you? What frustrates you?

When I write, I need music. Every manuscript I’ve ever written has had a song attached to it, and if I can’t find a song that fits, I have a hard time finishing the manuscript. Jessie’s War had This is Why We Fight by The Decemberists attached to it before I even started writing. As the story progressed, I started listening to Dead Letter and the Infinite Yes by Wintersleep on continuous repeat.

When I started writing my next manuscript, I couldn’t find a song that fit. And I couldn’t finish the manuscript. 70 pages in, and I abandoned it in favor of my current manuscript, which I’m almost done with. I’m this close!

Other than that, I usually find it difficult to write sex scenes. I almost always do write them, because I love reading them, but they’re not my favorite to write. ( :

What are you working on now?

Right now, I’m just finishing up a manuscript I’m calling Highland Deception, which is about a wanted man, who, upon the death of his twin, takes on the role of laird of the clan… as well as the wife his brother didn’t want.

What advice would you give aspiring authors?

Nothing that I’m sure they haven’t heard before. Never give up, and keep writing. If you need a break, take a break—nothing good can come of work that is forced. But don’t give up. After all, writing is like a muscle, and if you don’t use it, it becomes weak. And we all hate it when our writing is described as weak, right?

Absolutely! What do you like to read?

I’ll read anything. I’ve read steampunk, literary fiction, science fiction, nonfiction, books on behavior, memoirs, scientific journals (usually related to ASD and related disorders, but I branch out into nutrition and neuroscience), urban fantasy, historical romances, horror (but I’m not into zombies), romantic suspense, and contemporaries. You name a genre, I’ve read it. And I’ve probably liked it, too.

If you could, what deceased author would you most like to meet, and why?

I have this weird, encompassing fascination with Christopher Marlowe, and I have since my junior year in high school. Or Sir Francis Drake. I’m sure they weren’t as awesome in real life—after all, adventurous, pirate types never are (real life pirates are not nice), but the romanticized version would be cool. I’d take that.

And given their hygiene, or lack thereof, they probably didn’t smell that great. ( :

Describe your perfect Sunday.

My perfect Sunday would be that I wake up, husband makes me coffee (which he does almost every Sunday), then we have breakfast (it would be better if I didn’t have to make it, but I have dietary restrictions, so no one wants to cook for me). Then we—the fam and me—go up into the mountains and go hiking. The weather would be a beautiful 72 degrees with no wind (because it’s always windy here). At the end of the day, we come home, have a nice dinner (take out would be lovely), put the kids to bed, and sit outside and drink a glass of wine or some coffee. After that, I would have a super productive writing session, and go to bed. That sounds like the perfect day to me.

Sounds good to me.

Or… I’d be on the beach in Bora Bora, no kids, and some super handsome, shirtless dude named Fabian or Maurice or Claude gives me a massage. Maybe Maurice could fan me while Fabian gives me the massage, and Claude could feed me grapes and fetch me drinks? Um, yeah, that’s totally how it happens. Later, I’d lounge on the beach with the husband and eat some decadent dessert. I wouldn’t have to worry about gaining weight, and I would know I look fabulous in my bathing suit because, well, people tell me I do. After all, I’ve never had to see myself in it under fluorescent lights, because fluorescent lights in changing rooms are banned in my world. And while Husband and I are lounging in our bathing suits, looking super hot (because we’re like Brad and Angelina, only we’re us), we watch the sun set over the Pacific.

Yeah, that would rock, too. It’s SO not going to happen on SO many levels, but it would rock.

I’ll say it rocks! Where do I sign up? Thanks for joining me today, Meggan. To learn more about Meggan, visit her website at: www.megganconnors.com or on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Meggan-Connors/120715354695518

Jessie’s War - Excerpt

Her cheeks heated and she sniffed. “I wouldn’t try the patience of my very generous benefactor, if I were you. I might also mention a bath could make your presence a little more tolerable. You’re lucky I didn’t sic Muha on you.”

Luke looked at the wolf, who thumped her graying tail in eager canine devotion. “You wouldn’t bite me, would you, old girl?” Scratching her head, he caught Jessie’s eye. “See, she still loves me.”

“Well, that’s one of us.”

“Right.” He dug into the pocket of his vest, removed a small, folded envelope, and extended it to her. “I brought you something.”

The paper trembled, and it took Jessie a moment to realize his hands shook.

She folded her hands in her lap. “I don’t want anything from you, except your promise that tomorrow you’ll leave and you won’t come back.”

“Can’t promise you that, but I can give you this.” He shoved the envelope at her.

“Don’t overstay your welcome, Bradshaw.”

“I always do.”

A nervous laugh escaped before she could stop it, and she took the letter from Luke’s outstretched hand. It was well worn and wrinkled, the edges charred, as if it had been rescued from a fire.

She ran her hands over the paper, and she sensed smoke and the heat of flames.

With shaking hands, she opened the envelope. She wasn’t sure what she had expected to find, but it wasn’t this. It wasn’t a photograph and a flood of memories.

Two young men. Union soldiers. Luke, clean-shaven and an older version of the boy she remembered, smiled broadly at the camera, his free arm around the shoulders of the young man standing next to him.

Gideon. His black hair and eyes, skin and high cheekbones showed the native blood he and Jessie shared. His mouth was set in a somber line, but she recognized the mirth in his eyes. Luke had never failed to amuse her brother.

On the bottom of the photograph, written in Gideon’s strong, precise hand, was, Me and Luke. October 28, 1867.

The day he died.

She put the photograph down beside her and turned to the second piece of paper, and her throat tightened as she began to read.

Jessie,

We leave for South Carolina today. Luke and I are assigned to different airships, but we’re both expected to be there by this afternoon. We don’t expect much resistance. There are rumors the Rebs have developed a weapon against our airships, but I’ve been working on something with Pop’s blue silver alloy. If it works, the Rebs will never be able to take us out of the sky. I only wish Luke were on my ship.

Don’t worry about us. Any day now, and we’ll be back where we belong. Luke sends his love. I’ll take care of him for you—don’t you worry. You take care of yourself and Pop.

–Gideon

The letter they’d received from Gideon’s commanding officer had assured her father that her brother had died quickly when his ship had plummeted to the earth and burst into flames. She had pretended to believe the lies for her father’s sake.

She traced Gideon’s words with the tip of her finger, trying to feel some remnant of her brother’s presence in the strong lines of his penmanship. New pain built in her chest when she realized her efforts were futile—his energy wasn’t there. His letter contained his words, but no trace of him.

“I always meant to come back.” Luke’s voice sounded rough. “I walked all the way back to the crash site, looking for him or something of his. I was given this. I’ve carried it ever since. I always meant to give it to you.”

She set the photograph in her lap. She memorized this last image of her brother, dressed as a solider with his best friend by his side.

Luke put his hand on her shoulder.

She flinched. “Don’t. You should have sent this when you found it.”

He dropped his hand. “I wanted to give you the letter in person.”

“Go away.” The words came out strangled.

“Jessie—”

“I wish you had been the one to die that day.”

This one small memento of her brother ripped her open and tore out her heart all over again. The pain was as raw as the day she’d learned of his death.

“You have no idea how many times I’ve wished the exact same thing.”

He slid his hands down to her waist, untying the sash, slipping his hands inside her robe. His breath left him in a soft hiss when he encountered the bare skin underneath. “I have rather fond memories of this robe.” So alluring in a simple cotton robe. He swallowed hard when he imagined her in a lacy bit of nothing.

All this month and part of next I’ll be featuring fellow Soul Mate authors, who’ll drop by to tell us a little something about themselves and their latest books.

My first guest author is Becky Lower. Welcome, Becky!

Thanks for having me, Rebecca.

Why don’t you start by telling us a little something about yourself?

I grew up in small-town Ohio, and left as soon as I could. I never married, and the only things I’ve needed to take care of were my pets, so together, we’ve roamed the country. I’ve lived in Michigan, Washington, DC, Virginia, West Virginia, Arizona and Texas. When I got ready to retire, I returned to—you guessed it—small-town Ohio. It’s a different small town, but nonetheless…I live in an eclectic college town with my current pet, a puppy-mill rescue dog named Mary.

Tell us about your latest book.

I’m quite excited about my latest book, Blame It On the Brontes, since it’s my first contemporary. I had the title in mind for another story about three sisters named Charlotte, Emily and Anne, but nothing came together for me until I took a class in jewelry making one evening and heard the instructor talk about her experiences in collecting sea glass. This book is essentially three love stories bound by an overriding plot line. It was challenging to write and I have to thank Soul Mate for agreeing to publish it as one work, instead of breaking it into three novellas, which everyone else wanted to do.

I love collecting sea glass! Isn’t funny where inspiration comes from?

Why do you write?

To quiet all the voices in my head. I’ve been woken up from a sound sleep with a character stomping around in my brain. I’ve learned that no sleep will come until I go downstairs to the computer and get his/her essence or the scene down on virtual paper. Then, and only then, can I go back to sleep.

You have those, too? Huh. Have you always dreamed of writing?

I’ve always used writing to express myself, but there were many years when I was more of an audio book than a print one. I’d tell great stories about my colorful family and everyone would say “You should write that down, because you can’t make this stuff up,” but I refrained for years. Now, when I’m developing my cast of characters for each of my books, I use snippets of family life in all my stories.

What drew you to write contemporary romance?

I didn’t have a clear idea of what genre I wanted to concentrate on when I started taking myself seriously. I love reading Regencies, but didn’t want to get involved in all the rules and titles of English society. So, my first books were contemporaries. While in a critique group a few years ago, someone offhandedly mentioned that my contemporaries sounded historical, so I thought, England’s not the only place with a history. I began writing a 9-book series set in America in the 1850s, and I’m pleased to say four have already been accepted for publication. Even though they’re not set in England, there’s still a large amount of research to do for each one, so I take a break from them and write a contemporary in between. Blame It On The Brontes is my first published contemporary.

When you’re working on a manuscript, what motivates you? What frustrates you?

I’m a linear fast-draft writer. I love putting a manuscript together and seeing where my characters lead me. And, it’s great fun when my research cooperates with my timeline. I’m working now on another contemporary set in Nebraska. I had a hero in his mid-thirties to early 40s, a cowboy kind of fellow, and I wanted to give him a unique name. When I started to dig, I discovered that June 3, 1980, is known as The Night of The Twisters in Nebraska. So, I thought what more appropriate day for him to be born? The timing worked, since he’d be 34 now. And everyone who is a Nebraska native would understand when they heard his birth date why his mother named him Cyclone. That kind of coincidence happens to me frequently in my writing, and it’s so much fun.

The frustrating part of writing is going back once the first draft is done and fill in the holes. I go back through it once to add words to flesh out scenes and add color and description. Then, I’ll go back again and just read it to make certain it all makes sense. When I’ve done those two read-throughs, I pull out my check list and make certain I’ve got enough of the senses in each scene, and, of course, I check for the seven words you’re never to use—The Seven Deadly Sins—and make sure they’re eliminated as much as possible. It’s boring, tedious and time-consuming when I’d much rather be creating something new.

What are you working on now? 

I’m working on my Cyclone story, getting that wrapped up. Then, it’s on to the next historical in my series. And, I’ve got a time-travel that I’ve been working and reworking for a while now. I need to rewrite the beginning of it again. It’s a project that will never leave my desk for long.

You sound like a busy woman. What advice would you give aspiring authors?

Listen to your voice and learn to trust your own instincts. Critique groups and contests are good up to a point, since they do give you an audience to bounce ideas off, but learn to take what you agree with and leave the rest of the chatter behind. I’m rewriting my time-travel because it was entered into a lot of contests, and I paid attention when the judges said change this, change that. Then, I submitted what I thought was a final version, with all comments taken into account, and was told the life had been sucked out of it. The back half was fine, because no contest judge had messed with it. But the front? It’s in serious need of a transfusion.

What do you like to read?

I love historicals, both American and British. Julia Quinn is a particular favorite. But I also love a good, spicy contemporary romance that makes sense. I don’t want to read about Navy SEALS falling for 23-year-olds, because I don’t think that’s realistic. I also don’t like books where the sex takes place within a half-hour of the first meet. That may have been the case back in the 60s, with sex, drugs and rock-n-roll, but does that really happen today? I want to read about real-life situations.

If you could, what deceased author would you most like to meet, and why?

Ernest Hemingway. I’d been fascinated by his life since reading The Paris Wife. I don’t think I would have liked him much as a potential partner, but I would have loved to be able to delve into his mind. And his circle of friends were the most creative group ever. So I’d just want to hang with him.

You should see the movie, Midnight in Paris! 

Describe your perfect Sunday.

Warm, but not hot. I’d like to work in the yard a bit, pruning my rose bushes and maybe cutting some flowers to bring into the house. Sit on the screened porch with my computer and start a new story. End the day working a Sudoku puzzle with my dog in my lap.

Sounds lovely. Thanks for letting us learn a little something about you. Becky’s latest book is Blame It On the Brontes. 

Sisters Charlotte, Emily and Anne Bronson, each in her forties, are in Puffin Bay, ME for their mother’s funeral and to sink their claws into the fortune each expects to inherit. But their mother has other plans. Her substantial fortune won’t be divided until the trio return to their childhood home and live together for a year.

It’s a request that pits sister against sister but could unite them in a common goal to find the friendship they shared as children, to create a family jewelry business and to win over the men of Puffin Bay. They have a year to figure it all out.

To learn more about Becky, you can find her at:

Sarah hadn’t planned on seducing anyone during her stay in England, so she didn’t have any lacy lingerie to slip into. Remembering Oxford, she put on the same robe she wore that night . . . and nothing else. Hopefully he would remember, too, since the robe itself was about as enticing as a flannel nightgown.

She was anxious. Why did it seem longer than the promised fifteen minutes? Had he changed his mind?

Sonnet 116 makes an appearance in my novel, The Promise of Change.

Sonnet 116

Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments. Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove:

O no! it is an ever-fixed mark
That looks on tempests and is never shaken;
It is the star to every wandering bark,
Whose worth’s unknown, although his height be taken.

Love’s not Time’s fool, though rosy lips and cheeks
Within his bending sickle’s compass come:
Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,
But bears it out even to the edge of doom.

If this be error and upon me proved,
I never writ, nor no man ever loved.

And finally, another favorite:

 Sonnet 18

Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate;
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,
And summer’s lease hath all too short a date;

Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,
And often is his gold complexion dimm’d;
And every fair from fair sometime declines,
By chance or nature’s changing course untrimm’d;

But thy eternal summer shall not fade,
Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow’st;
Nor shall Death brag thou wander’st in his shade,
When in eternal lines to time thou grow’st:

So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,
So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.

Thus ends the celebration of National Poetry Month. I hope you enjoyed my favorite love poems.

She cut off his words with a kiss. She didn’t know what happened. One minute they were talking the classics, and the next she was grabbing his face and kissing him. She’d acted completely on impulse. And instinct.

At first, his arms remained unresponsive, but he quickly recovered from his shock at her inexplicable behavior, dropping the book to the floor with a thwack, and wrapping his arms around her waist.