Interview - Ashe Barker

I hope you'll help me welcome Ashe Barker. We've both agreed to write a book in the interconnecting series the Order of the Black Knights for Dreamspinner Press. Her book Gideon is the flagship and came out yesterday. She graciously agreed to answer my questions.

Amberly:  Hi Ashe, thank you for agreeing to this interview. The Order of the Black Knights launched yesterday, starting with your book Gideon. Can you tell me about the series and why you decided to be a part of it?

Ashe:  Hi Amberley, and thank you for inviting me over for a chat.

Gideon is something of a departure from my usual writing, but when I was asked to contribute a story I was delighted to join the series. I found the premise intriguing – hot and dominant men, the Black Knights - who have lived again and again down the ages, always unaware of their previous incarnations but doomed by an ancient curse to repeat the same mistakes with each lifetime. It was my first paranormal story but won’t be my last. 

Here’s the series blurb…
Order of the Black Knights
Every century has its knights, but they are not always seen. Some of them do what must be done – getting their hands dirty when no one else is willing. Assassins and antiheroes who work from the shadows, they are called the Black Knights. From the time of the society’s creation in the 1100s, these men are cursed to repeat their lives of bloodshed. But for each knight there is one who can bring out the man that waits inside and break the cycle. The question is whether or not the knight will kill his true love before he figures it out.

Amberly:  I haven't even started Benedict's story but am super excited to see how everyone else spins their tale. What do you think draws readers to stories of anti-heroes? And can you tell us a bit more about Gideon?

Ashe:  Well I’m dying to read Benedict, so get on and write his story FAST. I have read Thianna Durstan’s Vespar though (due out in January next year) and he is one seriously sexy dude, a real badass but with a soft(ish) centre.

Next up after Gideon is Matthias (Alexis Duran) who we get to meet in the flesh, so to speak, in November, and Evalise Archer’s Jaegar will be here in February or March next year. Some real treats in store there and I’m honoured to be in such fabulous company. This is a fantastic series.

Right, what is it about an antihero? If I could come up with a decent answer and bottle it I expect I’d be famous, but all I can really tell you is that bad lads have a uniquely wicked appeal. I grew up on stories of pirates, outlaws, tattooed bikers and they all have some mysterious magnetism that I find irresistible. Perhaps it’s the challenge they offer. Perhaps they awaken my deep-seated desire to peel away the layers to find the decent, caring man beneath, the belief that love will overcome even the hardest heart. I am an erotic romance writer, after all.

Gideon is a complex man, one of the most difficult characters I have created I think. He’s not especially likeable, certainly not at first, and that’s exactly how he wants it. But still he fascinates. He is wealthy and powerful and he uses those advantages to the full whilst he is also skilled and fiercely intelligent, the best at what he does. He’s ruthless, a quality he had hones to a sharp point, and can set his conscience aside at will. Gideon disguises his feelings, shows no emotion and certainly no remorse, though that is not to say he feels none of it. He has a tough outer shell and it will take a lot to make a dent.

Enter Michael, his nemesis. Then the sparks really fly.

Amberly:  We both have teenage daughters, mine are 13 and 15. How does your daughter feel about you being a writer? Has writing romance made it easier to talk about love and sex with her?

Ashe:  Ah, now that’s a tough one. My daughter is 18, and I’ve been writing since she was about 14 so she’s always known the sort of stuff I write, though she doesn’t tend to read it. I don’t prevent her from seeing my work, she just prefers other genres. Her friends though, now that’s a different matter. I think she’s quite proud of my success, modest though it is, and I know several of her friends have followed me on social media. In the past I used to watch out for that, my blog etc. are strictly for adults, but I’m more relaxed now.

I like to think we’ve always been able to talk about most things pretty openly. I try to be tolerant, though there are times I am quite baffled by the issues which concern her. Relationships are a minefield, though not usually because of sexuality. Peer pressure is massive to young people and seems quite relentless because of ever-present social media. I try to convince her to be kind to others, to trust herself and her judgement, and to be accountable for her mistakes. I don’t think there’s much more we can do as parents, and it is vital to lead by example.

Some years ago I was given a piece of advice that I’ve found invaluable. Try it. All you need to do is cast your mind forward to a point in the future, maybe sixty years from now. By then all of us will be long gone, and our kids will be elderly themselves. Imagine our children talking to their grandchildren about us. What will they be saying? Will they describe us as good parents, people who made time for them, who listened, who left a lasting good impression and who showed their children that they were the most precious and important people in the world? If you want those glowing obituaries then what you do here, now, today will dictate what you get then. Don’t leave it too late.

Amberly:  Sound advice indeed. Thank you so much for chatting with me! To wrap things up, tell us what you are working on now and what you have coming out next.

Ashe:  Right now I'm working in a historical set in the Scottish Highlands in the 1400s which features a blind heroine. My next book to come out will be a self-published novella. The title is Rough Diamonds and it's a sort of erotic romance mystery. Next to write? Could be another historical (Vikings - yum) or I have an idea for a sci-fi which I've been thinking about for a while now. Whatever, there's plenty more in the pipeline.

Make sure to connect with Ashe on her website, Twitter, or on Facebook. And get your own copy of Gideon here.

Waking Jamal - Back Cover

Artist Maria Fanning

Their physical and mental survival depends on them bonding.

Jamal Zumati joins the military, determined to repay the country that fed and housed him. But during his Hamask activation, his senses go offline and he enters a berserker rage. The United States Hamrammr Program, or USHP, has only one option: put him into hibernation.

Despite his extraordinary ability to read and manipulate situations, Vargr Lt. Rum Walker has stepped on one too many brass toes, and the USHP demoted him back to teaching new candidates. Rum is one paranoid thought away from self-destruction when he is recruited for a covert mission: pull Jamal from hibernation.

The problem is, no one has ever survived a berserker fury—at least not officially. If Rum is to challenge the military stereotypes, he’ll not only need to wake Jamal—he’ll need to get him to agree to bond as a Hamra Pair, the ultimate supersoldier team.

When Jamal and Rum team up with an FBI Hamra Pair to stop the terrorist group Dios Provee, Rum thinks he’ll show Jamal their true potential lies in an equal partnership, but Jamal is convinced Rum should take the lead. Will Rum stop Jamal from going berserk again and destroying both of their futures?

Coming March 25, 2016

Cover Reveal - Waking Jamal

Coming April of 2016!
A huge thank you to DSP and my cover artist Maria. This rocks!

I've got a bunch of stuff I'm working on. Here's an overview, in case you are interested. Valhalla Initiative Book One - Waking Jamal will be out this spring. Book Two - Saving Wick is almost ready to go to my critique partner and beta reader. I've agreed to write a short for an Idaho Author Anthology. Then I'll be finishing Built to Spec which is the third book in the Rise of the Amazon series. Then the top secret project....shh, Order of The Black Knights.

On a fun note:
My latest blog post on Everybody Needs a Little Romance
http://wp.me/p2FGqy-4QY

Holiday Traditions

I live with a Grinch. He growls at the sounds of Christmas music which are band from the house until the week before. My kids 'practice' their holiday songs before he gets home. He waits until the last minute to buy presents, usually online with overnight shipping so he doesn't have to go into stores. And he would happily not decorate at all except for the afore mentioned kids, and some times not even for them.

So what is my favorite Holiday tradition? Finding new ways to torture my Grinch. No just kidding.

He is amazingly good at Christmas giving. He buys me paper and tells me he believes in my writing. He remembers my favorite type and color of pen and picks them up like flowers for his love. He kisses our kid's foreheads when he comes home late after spending ten hours at the office and six at school. And he always makes sure there is milk in the fridge, something he often went without growing up.

So he can growl and grumble and we'll always know, he might dislike Christmas but he will always love us.

Deception of a Highlander - An Interview with Madeline Martin

Recently I had the chance to interview author Madeline Martin about her book Deception of a Highlander.

Madeline, thank you so much for agreeing to this interview. I recently read Deception of a Highlander. I want you to know first off that I lost sleep over your book. It was a willing sacrifice on my part because I just couldn't put it away to go to bed. High praise? Perhaps, but deserved. Mariel Brandon is a spy for a shady man named Aaron who sends her to Scotland with the hero Kieran MacDonald. For once the heroine is the more damaged of the two characters. What inspired this book? Why Scotland and why a female spy?

Madeline Martin: That is high praise! Thank you so much, Amberly - I'm so glad you enjoyed Deception of a Highlander! When this book idea first came to me, it was Mariel who burned the thought into my mind. I wanted to know what would go through the mind of a female spy/assassin - a woman who could externally demonstrate considerable strength and skill, but whose subconscious was mired in constricting desperation at her own situation. 

Why Scotland? When I was on maternity leave with my first minion, I let myself fall into Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series and I was in love! I had Scotland not only on the brain, but on the heart - and it's never faded.

Me: Oh that sounds lovely. The reader finds out early on about Mariel's mission from Aaron. Plenty of pages to speculate yet I was just as surprised as Mariel to find out the truth. (trying to avoid too many spoilers) The book deals with physical and emotional abuse. What do you think makes those topics so easy to relate to for readers?

While you work out that tough question, let me ask you an easier one. I love books with kick ass women. One of my favorites is by Jackie Ivie called Lady of the Knight. In Deception, Mariel is skilled in hand to hand and with knifes. If you could be superskilled, what would be your area of expertise be and why?

Madeline: If I could have any area of expertise, I'd love to be super badass skilled at hand-to-hand combat. I'd never need to worry about having a weapon on hand, and I'd probably be in such great shape, I wouldn't feel so guilty about having a handful (or two!) of M&M's.

The other question is a tough one!! With physical and emotional abuse, both leave one feeling beaten down, worthless, and helpless. While all of us may not have been subjected to abuse, we all know what it's like to feel those emotions and can relate to how debilitating they can be. Great questions, BTW!

Me Plain or peanut? I'm a firm believer that the protein level in peanut M&Ms make them a healthy snack. I agree that it's not whether or not we had the same experience but if we have felt the same emotions. You have other books based in Scotland; are they in the same series? Do any of the books contain characters from this first book?

Madeline: Peanut butter M&M's, actually. Those things are addicting!!

The other two books are part of the first in that they are the other men's stories. Possession of a Highlander is Colin's story and Enchantment of a Highlander (coming out January 19th) is Alec's story. They can all be read independently. 

Me:  I really like Alec as a character and can't wait to read more about his past. Enchantment is going on my Christmas list. You mentioned earlier that you have minions. My daughters are 14 and 12. What do your kids think about you being a published author? If they grow up to write, what do you want them to learn from you?

Madeline: Thank you. Aw, I bet your girls are so sweet! I have two daughters too! Mine are 6 and 9. They are my biggest fans. Every time we meet someone new, YoungestMinion digs a bookmark out of my purse and asks the person to please buy my book (I swear I didn't put her up to that!!!). LOL

Every time I get a new book out, they ask for bookmarks to pass out to the staff at school - it's so sweet. Once I was apologizing for my release day being busy and YoungestMinion said, "Don't feel bad, feel proud! We're proud of you!" Melt my heart.

If they grow up to be writers (OldestMinion is already treading the path!) and it makes them happy, I'd fully support them. My biggest piece of advice would be for them to always appreciate what others do for them. Writing is almost a community effort these days - not just with an editor and an agent, but also fellow authors and, of course, readers.

Me:  That is amazing! Best minions ever. As one of your readers, I'm glad to be part of your community. In fact you acknowledge quite a few people at the end of the book for their help in making all this possible. One name that jumped out at me was Margie Lawson. She came to Boise in 2008 (I think) for a Master Class. Brilliant. With community increasing and interaction with your readers a greater possibility, do you think that brings more pressure to the writing life?

Madeline: Thank you - I definitely think my minions are pretty special and I totally agree with your assessment of Margie - brilliant! I did one of her immersions last year and it was amazing. I already want to do another one! I recommend her to every new author who asks me for advice.

The reader interaction brings more pressure, but it's not a social pressure as much as it is a time-limiting one. I love my readers and interacting with them daily makes me smile. They are a wealth of knowledge and humor and suggestions. I feel so fortunate to have gotten to know so many wonderful people because of it. But it does take time and that starts to cramp sometimes when things get busy. Fortunately, everyone is also very understanding and I've never had anyone seem offended when I am running late on replying to a post or I say I need some time off for a while.

Me: Before I ask my last question, I just want you to know it's been a pleasure to interview you. I think if we met in person we would totally get along. You have an epilogue of sorts and the book has a happy ending, all good romances do. What was the hardest part of the book to write and why?

Madeline: I totally agree! If you go to San Diego this year, we need to meet up for a cocktail.  
The hardest part to write was the travel from England to Scotland. Probably not what you expected. Long travel scenes are so hard to write. They can be tedious if not done right or too "what the heck just happened?!" if too quick. But in a historical, it's a constant necessity since everything was by horseback. I wrote and rewrote that trek to Scotland and deleted TONS of unnecessary words to keep it trimmed up. It was a total pain to deal with. LOL

Thank you so much for taking the time to interview me. I enjoyed your questions and have had fun chatting with you. Hopefully you'll be in San Diego and we can meet in person. Have a wonderful holiday season and a fabulous new year. 

You can get your own copy of Deception of a Highlander here. Also, follow Madeline on Facebook or visit her website.

If you'd like to be interviewed, it's tots fun, drop me and email with a link to your kickass book.

Sailing for Trouble - An Interview with Brenda Hammond

Recently I had the chance to interview author Brenda Hammond about her book Sailing for Trouble.

Brenda, thank you so much for agreeing to this interview. I recently read Sailing for Trouble. Alexa Lloyd has just arrived in South Africa for the first time and has plans to find her father's treasure and care for her loved ones back home in Canada. The whole book has wonderful, rich descriptions of the country and it's people. Yet the opening scene especially draws a vivid view of the docks, boats, and streets of Cape Town. Have you been? Or do you've got an affinity for google maps?

Brenda Hammond:  Hi Amberly, So happy that you asked me, and thanks for the kind words about Sailing for Trouble... and for reading the novel! Yes, I lived in Cape Town for fourteen years, and spent many Christmas holidays (summer in the Southern hemisphere!) in a cottage on Leisure Isle. So I became familiar with the lagoon, its tides and treasures. I got to visit again last February and it's still one of my favorite places. As to google maps, I have a story to tell. On our way back to Canada from the States one summer, we stopped at a small town for gas. Waiting to pay inside, we stood behind the Google guy -- his special car was parked outside -- who asked 'Can you please tell me where I am?' His cell phone battery was dead, so he had no means of knowing!!

Me: What a great story! You spotted the mythical creature, a man that will ask for directions. It sounds like you've traveled extensively and have been exposed to many different cultures and racial issues. As a firm advocate of diversity and accurately representing people in fiction, I was pleased to see your story handle these issues intelligently without getting too preachy. So, Alexa is a strong independent woman, who will chase after muggers and save herself from boating accidents. Without giving too much away, she has to be plucky to stop the 'bad guys' and help her long lost brother. What do you think makes Alexa so driven and so likable as a character?

Brenda:  I'd say it's her adventurous and indomitable spirit, but also that, underneath it all, she has a kind heart. Also, her curiosity and longing to deepen her understanding of her late dad, his roots and background, so foreign to her, is like an insatiable need. This plays into her eagerness to experience as much as she possibly can during her short time in the Cape, South Africa. Plus, of course, who wouldn't want to find a long-lost and never-met half-brother??

Me:  Yes, her love for her father drives her forward. I noticed you've written for Harlequin. What was that like? Why did you switch to Indie Publishing?

Brenda:  I enjoyed writing for Harlequin because I love writing humor... different from my South African set stories. At Your Service, Jack did well for me. A second romcom was in the works when the Temptation line ended. She's the Boss is now published under my pseudonym, Alice Bramley (amongst a couple others), which already kind of explains my decision to go indie. It was my editor at Harlequin who suggested I try a submission to the new Bombshell line, although that too was nixed fairly soon. However, this was what brought Alexa into my life! She was my Bombshell heroine and she hung around persistently until I eventually gave her my full attention.

Me:  Pesky characters, always wanting their stories told. I'm glad your blazing the Indie path. It gives us so much choice and responsibility. Which intentionally leads me to my next question. What is up with this cover? It isn't bad but I almost didn't read it because of the cover. Thank goodness I did or I would have missed a terrific story. And yes, sorry if you or your second cousin's niece made the cover, but it reminds me of teen romance novels in the early 90s. There is so much going on here than romance.

Brenda: Well, I'm chuckling here re your remarks about the cover. No need to apologize, though. One of the great benefits of being a writer is that you have to learn to take criticism. Anyhow, it was supposed to appeal to the new adult market, so in a way you're right. My budget at the time was minimal. And even now I'm struggling to find a suitable cover for my novel Cape Town, published here in Canada, but I retain rest-of-the-world rights. I hope to put it up soon as Dance to Freedom. Also, talking of covers, I have to confide that, as pretty much a feminist, I freaked when I saw mine for At Your Service, Jack. So there we have the dilemma. For me as a mid-list author, trad publishing has its advantages and disadvantages and so does Indie. Simply writing, on the other hand, brings me great pleasure and keeps me interested in people, the world, and life in general.

Me:  Yes, seeing the world through our writerly eyes...I love that thought. Now that you mention it, Sailing for Trouble would appeal to the New Adult market. Early twenty somethings on grand adventures, still figuring out a few hard truths about life. For my last question, what are you working on now? What's next book wise for you?

Brenda:  I'm actually working on two manuscripts. This week has been final revisions on a women's fiction all about what happens to three different couples when they attend a wedding in Vermont. Next week it's back to South Africa for my companion novel to Cape Town. Many readers asked for a sequel. My response? 'Sequel? There's no sequel.' But then an idea took hold (you'll know what that's all about, I'm sure) and I began to explore what was happening in the life of one of the other dance students. The first draft is about two thirds done, and I'm loving the way the story is revealing itself to me. But the process will take another few months before I reach the end and achieve a draft that's as good as I can make it.... So that's it from me. Many thanks again, Amberly, and especially for the thought-provoking questions and insightful responses.❤

Me:  It's truly been a pleasure! Thank you for answering my questions.

You can get your own copy of Sailing for Trouble here. Also, follow Brenda on Facebook or Twitter.

FREE BOOK - Counting Down - Some Assembly Required

My book Some Assembly Required will be out this Friday on Amazon in both print and ebook. To celebrate, the first book in the Rise of the Amazons series Bravery Not Included will be FREE for a limited time.

Rise of the Amazons book 1

Rise of the Amazons book 2

Bravery Not Included

Amazons are real. Not bullets-and-bracelets Wonder-Woman real, but really real.

Once facing extinction and scattered across the world, women with the rare genetic makeup for super-strength and lightning reflexes have re-emerged through HOAX—Home Of the Amazon eXchange—a website Liesel Grant developed to connect with other freaks like herself.

Then Amazon children start disappearing, the website and their super-strength the only thing they have in common. Desperate families hire Private Investigator Jim Griffon to find the missing kids. Jaded, manipulated and used by powerful women in the past, Griffon refuses to work with Liesel to uncover the kidnappers.

The danger escalates when Liesel's search uncovers evidence that the Amazons aren't the only "secret human race." Instead of scattering and trying to blend in, the Mightys became a secret society of power. When their next patriarch, Jordan Matthews, goes missing, they'll leave only dead bodies in their wake to find him.

Can Griffon put his trust in a woman? Has Liesel's hunt for truth exposed her people to even more danger? Can they find and stop the kidnappers in time? And when Griffon discovers Liesel is an Amazon—stronger than he could possibly imagine—can they find love?

Go get Bravery Not Included for FREE before times up.

Lies That Bind - An Interview with Kathy L. Wheeler

Recently I had the chance to interview author Kathy L. Wheeler about her book Lies that Bind.

Hi Kathy, thank you so much for agreeing to this interview. Your book, Lies That Bind, is a sequel to Quotable but completely stands on it's own. I was intrigued reading the excerpt how it would tie into the previous books. Turns out it's a pair of friends and a pair of brothers. Do you have any more books planned for this series? Will we get to see more of the Gentrys?

Kathy L Wheeler: Thank you. There is one more big planned and started. Little Kenny's story. 

Me: Ah, being secretive, okay. I'll get more out of you on the next question. Alex, the rich hero of Lies that Bind, asks Kelly, our heroine, to go to Colorado under false pretenses, is angry about her bringing her daughter (Taylor), is pissed that she is so attractive--he is very much a romance alpha. What are his redeeming qualities? Also, what about alphas appeal to you?

Kathy: Eeek. Sorry. Didn't mean to be so secretive. Emily, Alex's sister is the heroine in the fourth book. She is a spitfire too. Regarding Lies, Alex actually has some great redeeming qualities. He just finds himself stumped when he specifically asked Kelly to leave Taylor behind. He's pissed because it's dangerous. Taylor throws him for a loop. He has no idea how to talk to or interact with an outspoken 5 year old. But he comes through for sure.

Me: Absolutely, Taylor is a huge catalyst for Alex's character arc. She is precocious and very determined. It sounds like you have a full series planned out. What do you love about reading and writing series?

Kathy: I love how very different the characters are. Genna, the introverted brainiac; Lorianne, the sexy, yet insecure loyal friend; Kelly, devoted single parent, with a bite; Emily, a spitfire. And that's just the heroines...

Series are fun because the characters don't have to stop with "THE END". It seems as if my Cinderella Series will never end! Its already five books, with at least one more to go.

Me: Yes, it is absolutely difficult to say goodbye to characters you've invested so much time and energy to. So this is a spoiler question - Kelly's emotional struggle involves Alex telling her she has to make the first move when her rapist said she came on to him. Talk about a black moment! What inspired Kelly's backstory? How does she heal?

Kathy: I'm not sure what inspired her backstory, except possibly the opening line when Taylor asks Alex if he's gonna be her dad.... Her healing process comes through trust as most do. And when he handed her an envelope she had returned to him unopened from the attorneys of Smith and Jones. That sealed it for her. She knew he loved her then.

Me: Okay, one more tough question and we'll move to the easy stuff. You've got a cat (in real life) not in the book. I've got a pair of cats and they fill my life with so much joy. Why'd you name your cat Carly?

Kathy: Let's see if i can explain this from my phone, properly... my husband saved this cat one night a few years ago. It was really cold and rainy. She had a big hole in her side and almost died. I didn't find out about her for about a week because he took her to the vet. And so when I learned about her I said "So, we have a cat now?" He said, "Well, until she's well enough to be adopted." I said, " We're not giving her away. You saved her effing life." So, we had a cat. Then one day it's still very cold and he's walking down the hallway, (i was working on the Lorianne story  at the time) and he asked me if I'd gotten his email. I check my email and there were lists of names. He's going to these different cat websites to see what a good name would be. I forgot to say that in the beginning I asked him what he named her. And he said he had to come up with something that would be good for a girl or a boy because he didn't know what she was. So he named her Jo. I didn't really like Jo {as a name} for a long-time. So he had this list of names: Ginger, Stormy, Ally Callie, cetera et cetera. Ally was too much like Al which is his name. Callie was too much like Cal, his brother in law. I didn't want anything like Stormy or Ginger. Carly was on the list too. So we decided on Carly. 6 months later he said, "I don't think she seems like a Carly." I rolled my eyes and said, "Her name is Carly. And she knows her name." I mean she really does she acts like a dog. My husband is a little OCD. Sometimes it's really entertaining and sometimes it's really irritating but overall it cracks me up and makes a good story.

Me: It does make a good story. Quiet the heroic advantage your husband had. Okay, final question. If you got a chance to send a message to the you before Lies that Bind, what would you tell the slightly younger you?

Kathy: I'm not sure. Because that story is very dark. And a younger me might not have been able to write a story like that. At least from the heroine's standpoint.

Me: I think we reveal to ourselves inner truths with each book. Alright, that ended on a down beat. Lies that Bind was emotionally intense but pulls off the all important Happily Ever After at the end. Thank you so much for answering my questions. Please let me and my readers know when book four of the Bloomington Series comes out!

Kathy: Will do. Thank you so much for your interest!

You can get your own copy of Lies That Bind here. Also, follow Kathy on her website or Twitter.

Some Assembly Required - Excerpt and Blurb

Some Assembly Required will be out November 6th!

Two weeks and counting!

Blurb:

Rise of the Amazons book 2

Amazons are real and meeting in Las Vegas.

Renowned photographer Dianne Fender was too late to save her Grandma Maggie. Now, no matter what she has to do or suffer, she is determined to control her psychic abilities so she can protect Liesel Grant, the new Amazon Matriarch. The odds are against her since Liesel has been shot at, kidnapped, robbed, and generally pissed off by the Mightys—a secret race of superhuman men.

Doctor Sergei Sky must find a cure for the harsh Amazon gene mutations to help his family and others. Dianne, a double Amazon, is his best bet to test his early research. Plus, once he teaches her how to use her powers, she can find Liesel’s stolen codex—an ancient record of the Amazons.

Together they travel to Las Vegas for the first International Amazon conference. Assassination attempts, all you can eat buffets, a Harvest Team out to slaughter those who would expose the Mightys, and a Vegas wedding— Amazon style. Yep, things are totally going as planned.

Excerpt:

Chapter 1

Dianne Fender’s thoughts, and those of the hundreds of people in the church, flipped through her mind like a slide–show set on extra fast. She knew, even before she left the hospital, that her grandmother was dead. The new goal—keep Liesel Grant alive.

Grandma Maggie should have been buried in an Indian ceremony, not this grand-scale chapel and graveside service. Dianne was pretty sure that thought was hers. With little effort she could take a mental survey on A) how many people felt the ‘service was lovely’ or B) those who wished there’d been candles instead of the brightly lit overhead electric chandeliers. Option C) that Maggie had never died in the first place. Dianne choose that one.

At least the pallbearers would be Amazons.

Hero Status - An Interview with Kristen Brand

Recently I had the chance to interview author Kristen Brand about her book Hero Status.

The White Knight & Black Valentine Series Book 1   

Hi Kristen, thank you so much for agreeing to this interview. I first came across your latest book Villainous and was intrigued by the cover and premise. Once I saw it was a sequel I jumped over to Hero Status to read it first. I truly enjoyed reading it. You've written a book with a solid balance of humor and action and tied a who-done-it bow around the whole thing. The story is based in Florida, specifically Miami and takes place during a Superhero convention. One of my favorite things about the story is the diverse backgrounds and ethnicity of the characters. Dave, aka the White Knight, is at least half Cuban. What inspired this cast of characters and do you feel diversity in fiction is important? Why?

Kristen Brand: Hi Amberly. Thank you so much for inviting me to do an interview!

I’m a fan of the advice “write the book you want to read,” so that’s what Hero Status was for me. I’d say the characters were inspired by the state of superhero comics at the time I wrote the novel. Spider-Man had sold his marriage to the devil (No, really.), and the DC universe had rebooted and erased Superman and Lois Lane’s marriage along with many others. Everybody was young and single again, and I wanted to read about a superhero who was allowed to grow old and be in a committed, drama-free relationship. Plus, I’ve always been a fan of the Dating Catwoman trope, so that’s how I ended up with Dave, a retired superhero happily married to his former nemesis. 

Dave interacts with a lot of characters throughout the novel, and I think it would be boring and unrealistic if they weren’t diverse. The world is a diverse place, and fiction should reflect that. Everyone deserves to be able to see themselves in the characters they read about, and I’ll take this chance to point to the awesome people at http://weneeddiversebooks.org , who do an excellent job of showing why this is so important.

Me: Spider-Man's One More Day! My husband has ranted about that story line. I can see the appeal of a drama-free relationship, as long as external factors keep them in the action. One of the scariest scenes in your book involves two suspects in a sex club using mind control. To be that vulnerable and manipulated, and worse, to forget later what had been done. I think I would feel like my body had been broken into and ransacked. What is your worse fear and how do you use that in your story or writing?

Kristen: I don’t know if I should put my worst fear out on the internet. I feel like that could backfire on me someday, haha. I’m afraid of bugs, so if one of my characters ever fights a giant bug monster, that would be why. In all seriousness, though, I think my worst fear isn’t something bad happening to me, but something bad happening to someone I care about, and I definitely use that in my writing. Dave isn’t afraid of any of the villains he fights in the novel. He’s afraid he won’t be able to save his wife, and that his daughter will lose her mother. Keeping his family safe is his driving motivation throughout the story, which I think is relatable to a lot of people. (And he hasn’t had to fight any giant bugs. Yet.)

Me: Good point about being vulnerable on the internet, your nemesis would find it. Yes, great! Fictional characters, whether they have superpowers or are extraordinary in some other way, are best when they have relatable issues. I can't lift a car but I will always make sure my family is safe. Next question. It's obvious that your a fan of comics, why tell your story in a novel instead of a graphic novel or comic?

Kristen: That’s a really good question. I don’t think I ever considered going the comic book route with this story. Both comics and novels have their own advantages when it comes to storytelling. Comics definitely win when it comes to visuals, but I think prose can more easily put the reader into the main character’s head. For Hero Status, I wanted the reader to connect with Dave and see his thought process. Plus, I like being able to describe not just visuals, but what he’s hearing, feeling, smelling, etc. Details like the way Dave’s old superhero costume made him sweat in the summer or the citrus smell of his wife’s shampoo help ground the story in reality a little bit—which is important when your story is about people with fantastic superpowers.

Me: Good point. Everyday elements to offset the supernatural ones.

At different time Dave seeks out safe-houses his wife has set up around Miami. They have clothes and ID and money and weapons. He is appropriately grateful for his wife's paranoia because it makes hiding and regrouping easier. If you had a secret lair, where would it be and what would you have in it?

Kristen: I would have to go with a private island for my secret lair. It would be somewhere tropical and have a submarine for quick escapes. Having money and weapons there would be smart, but I’d settle for a well-stocked kitchen and a room to write in—something with a nice big desk and an ocean view. And since this is sounding less like a secret lair and more like a dream vacation home, I’ll throw in some trained guard sharks to keep out my nemesis.

Me: With laser vision! Okay, this has been a lot of fun but lets wrap things up with my last question. Tell us about the sequel to Hero Status and what you are working on now. *considers rewording to make it an actual question instead of a command* *decides to leave it*

Kristen: Yeah, I don’t think sharks with laser vision are too much to ask for.

The White Knight & Black Valentine Series Book 2

For Villainous, the sequel to Hero Status, I’ve switched to Val as the narrator. Basically, Dave’s in a bit of trouble after all the laws he broke to rescue her in Hero Status, so she makes a deal with the government to keep them from pressing charges against him. In exchange, she has to bring them enough evidence to arrest a certain supervillain she has a history with. It was fun writing from Val’s point of view, because while violence is a last resort for Dave, she’s much more willing to maim, murder, or mind-control people who get in her way. 

Right now, I’m working on a prequel serial from Dave and Val’s pre-retirement days which will hopefully go up on my website early next year. Then it’s back to Dave’s point of view for book three in the series, Almost Invincible.

Me: I hope both Villainous and Almost Invincible have more of Dave and Val's daughter, lots of potential for emotional and humor moments there. Well, thank you so much for doing this interview with me.

Kristen: Thank you so much for having me!

You can get your own copy of Hero Status here. Also, follow Kristen on Twitter or her website. 

A Writer's Go Bag

Fellow writer Janis McCurry has some great ideas on preparing the perfect Go Bag. Good writers are always prepared to write.

A “Go Bag” is called by many names, some of which are Bug Out Bag 72-hour kit, a grab bag, a battle box, a Per-sonal Emergency Relocation Kit (PERK), a GOOD bag (Get Out Of Dodge). Per Wikipedia, this is a portable kit that normally contains the items one would require to sur-vive for seventy-two hours, when evacuating from a disas-ter (however some kits are designed to last longer periods of time than just 72 hours). The focus is on evacuation, ra-ther than long-term survival, distinguishing the bug-out bag from a survival kit, a boating or aviation emergency kit, or a fixed-site disaster supplies kit.

Cities have Go Bag websites for natural disasters so people can take items that will be needed if they have to evacuate. This NYC site which shows how to put one together. The commonality in all these bags is they STAY in the bag, so you don’t have to go searching for an item that you also use when in your house. In other words, double up items if you have to, but do not TAKE anything out of your Go Bag for your regular use. In a disaster, you might not have the luxury of time.

Writers are a peripatetic lot. We like to think all we need is our laptop/tablet and we can write anywhere. Maybe, but we could make it a lot easier on ourselves. I submit that a writer’s go bag would save you time and grief. How nice to be able to grab your bag from the closet and go. This is what I would keep in my Go Bag, assuming the only thing I would have to put in it was my writing device.

Flash drive

Notebook

Post-its

Pencil/Pen/Highlighter

Power cord/extension cord (what if your cord can’t reach the outlet?)

Portable power battery. You might be in the park or waiting for your child to finish sports practice and your battery runs out. (Zagg makes a great one that lasts at least 8 hours for those times there is no wall power source)

Snack, chocolate, whatever, just in case

$5 because you never know when you might want that Carmelizer!

What would you put in your Writer’s Go Bag?

Intrigued by the question I had to go and make my own virtual bag on Pinterest. My real bag isn't far off, just add my Chromebook. Best thing about this post though? Janis is the one that got me my writer's bag. You rock Janis!

I miss - Malcolm Reynolds

I'm not a huge television watcher but when I do watch, I can be a complete fan girl. I look for gifs and fan fiction and Facebook Pages and tell all who will listen about my new character obsession. This reoccurring post is all about characters that have taken a permanent spot in my creative playground.




Malcolm Reynolds is the captain of the Serenity from the television show Firefly. The whole cast is nuanced and brilliantly created by the creative power force that is Joss Whedon. Toss in the superb acting chops of Nathan Fillion and you get a character who is fun, rebellious, and loyal.





I met several cosplay brown coats at Salt Lake City Comic Con a couple of weeks ago. It's loads of fun to chat them up and clue them into the comic books that they're missing out on. Specifically the ones that deal with the 'Hands of Blue, Two by Two' during the time between the television show and the movie.

Finding Reasons to Celebrate

Today is National Coming Out Day and October is Queer Romance Month. Both great reasons to celebrate.                              

Invitations: To recognize, celebrate, and advocate love is love, Queer Romance has a whole site with great blogs and stories. Check it out. 
Also, I request the honor of your presence. Stalk me by liking/following my Author Fan Page on Facebook, or GoodReads, or Amazon. Three more places to party.

Party Favors: G.I. Joe Holiday, my Navy SEAL Christmas story where Declan Mathews comes out to his family, is free on Smashwords. Don't use  Smashword? No problem, comment below with the file type and I'll send it to you.

Toast: *thunks side of glass* I want to thank you all for coming. I was speaking to a mentor this morning about reoccurring themes in my writing. She says I write about outliers. The Amazons, Mightys, Blue Hairs, Navy SEALS, Bi-Sexuals, Gays, uptight accountants and rugged adventurers...People who are trying and succeed at finding their place in life, but only after they are brave enough to say, "I deserve, have earned, a right to a Happily Ever After. This is who I am and I'm proud." Let's give these brave souls around of applause.

Parting Gift: Bravery Not Included is now just $2.99 at these fine retailers. Amazon and Smashwords. The print version will be available by the end of the month.

Go forth and enjoy your gifts and thank you for coming.

Bravery Not Included - Excerpt

Bravery Not Included launches my Amazon series. Here is the excerpt:

Being an Amazon didn’t automatically make you a morning person. “Whose idea was it to go so f’ing early?” Liesel Grant turned her head so her little sister wouldn’t see her stifle another yawn. She could always attribute the moisture in her eyes to the glare of headlights from other cars. Harriett saw anyway and laughed, the dork.

“It’ll give us more time to talk.” Harry grinned at her sister, annoyingly chipper and fully awake without the aid of caffeine. “This once-a-week get together has been canceled twice.”

 Liesel could hear the hurt in her sister’s voice. “I really am sorry I canceled last week.”

 “You’d better be. And you can prove just how sorry by buying breakfast.” Harriett kept her eyes on the road.

“Crap, Harry. I’ll do better—”

“What? Like it’s just you?” Her baby sister flipped her golden hair off her shoulder to look at Liesel. Then Harry looked back at the road and sighed. “How long since you’ve seen Karma for anything but babysitting? She doesn’t return my calls and I’ve not seen her for over a month.”

Liesel didn’t want to fight. The sun had to be up before people could fight. It was a rule. And if she tried to defend their older sister Karma, they’d fight. It wasn’t that she didn’t agree with Harriett. She did. But you stuck up for your sister.

Headlights flashed in their eyes again as they took the sharp corner. A Suburban ignored the twist in the road, popped the curb, hit the canal’s guardrail and kept going. The sound of steel folding like aluminum foil, ground down Liesel’s spine as the Suburban pushed through the metal barrier. The sound, like a fucking dog whistle, had all her senses on full alert. It switched Liesel to ready mode.

Marriage Most Convenient - Excerpt

LUKE HAD to choose. He could wear the white polo shirt he’d mistaken for his towel and was covered in blood from his nose. Walk in to meet Tom looking like a horror movie. Or he could wear the team scrimmage shirt that showed off his stomach.

Travis from sales had dived elbow-first at his head, the
ass, and Luke’s nose had finally stopped bleeding fifteen minutes ago. Luke gripped the white, now mostly red, polo and looked down at his flat stomach. He’d worked hard to finally get the abs he’d always envied in others. With any other guy he wouldn’t think twice about covering them up. But this was Tom.

With little effort Tom would pull him into his latest adventure or scheme. A smile and his slow drawl and Luke would happily embrace danger. He’d never been hurt, not physically. He never regretted. But he worried and craved.

Luke rolled his shoulders. The scrimmage shirt made him feel exposed.

Tom had said it was urgent, and a round trip home meant forty minutes and a waste of gas. Luke climbed out of his car and looked down the row at Tom’s battered ’85 Land Cruiser. Definitely not the magazine-pretty version of a Jeep some people drove, but it looked like Tom had gotten the plywood replaced with an actual door.

The coffee shop was close to a Gold’s Gym and the playing fields. The clerks wouldn’t be bothered by his exposed abs. He tugged at the shirt anyway and adjusted his cutoff sweats so they weren’t too low on his hips before he walked into the shop.

I Miss - Danny Mahealani

I'm not a huge television watcher but when I do watch, I can be a complete fan girl. I look for gifs and fan fiction and Facebook Pages and tell all who will listen about my new character obsession. Often they are minor characters that steal the show, who are clever or loyal or gorgeous.

Sometimes they don't stay on the show or the show is done, even though it lives in the hearts of fans. Here is a character I'm missing. Feel free to let me know about your favorite characters.

Keahu Kahuanui(as Danny Mahealani) from MTV's Teen Wolf.

Another Chance to Read

The rights to G.I. Joe Holiday, a Christmas short story, reverted back to me so I'm indie publishing it. This will give new readers a chance at it's fine pages. Deck and Mason hold a soft spot in my heart because they were my first published work. I sold it a month before Do Ask, Don't Tell was repealed.

Here's the blurb:
G.I. Joe Holiday by Amberly Smith

Declan Mathews has two objectives after surviving Navy SEAL Hell Week: keep his secrets hidden and enjoy what may be his last Christmas with his family. But Deck’s holiday plans are shot to bits when his commanding officer orders him to sit for artist Mason Cartwright. How in blue
blazes is Deck supposed to stay safely in the closet when there’s a gorgeous, funny man staring at his ass for hours on end? It will take a Christmas miracle.

Here is an excerpt. Available, at the awesome price of $0.99, at Amazon.

G.I. Joe Holiday Excerpt

DECLAN MATHEWS was raised on bad omens. His mom had once found a dead wren on the front porch, and the next morning a tornado shredded the house like confetti. His mom had said the wren was a sign, though Deck figured that being stationed in Kansas had been the bigger heads up. His parents saw it as a bad omen that he was born with blue eyes. That he, even from the beginning, had been different.

Today’s bad omen was from Chief Petty Officer Davis, who, like a judge about to deliver a verdict, wouldn’t look at the SEAL training class. Here came the chopping block.

Deck stared down at his hands, looking at the blisters and crusty red scabs. They looked better than his feet did, and there were no red and white lines up his arms to indicate infection, which was good. He was starting to feel dry along his shoulder blades, which meant it was time to go out to the surf and get “wet and sandy” before one of the cadre noticed and yelled at him to do it. The sand had chaffed his inner thighs as he ran the miles up and down the beach. A layer of calluses and a bowlegged gait worked to diminish the pain.

“We’re almost done,” Spencer, aka Speck, said next to him. He squinted at the wall clock, one eye swollen, a casualty of a log roll earlier that day.

“Still day six,” whispered Lowman, swaying back and forth in his chair. Deck didn’t think he was aware of the movement.

Happy Release Day

Marriage Most Convenient is now available from Dreamspinner Press!

Here is the author's letter, I wrote for the book:

When I first started working on Tom and Luke’s story, gay marriage was legal in less than ten states. It has been such a heart-rending experience to watch, to hope, to feel disappointment and victory as justice spread across America. Each time a state came to the right side, I watched and cried for those first couples in each place who got married. Idaho, where I reside with my family, finally granted the right to express your love through legal commitment for another person, no matter their gender, on October 15, 2014.

I considered rewriting the story, again, to align with the new laws in my state, but Tom and Luke refused. Stories are supposed to include a view of the time they were written; a reminder of where we have been, how far we’ve come. Tom and Luke would like to congratulate each newly married couple, no matter the gender pairing. Tom reminds you to be spontaneous, and Luke advises you plan for retirement. Me? After eighteen years of marriage, I can tell you it takes work, but it’s worth it. I get to wake up each day with my sexy best friend, the man who thinks I’m more amazing now than ever before.

Available now at: Dreamspinner, Amazon, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, Google Play and All Romance Ebooks

Artwork by Reese Dante

Reese Dante did a beautiful job with my newest cover. Marriage Most Convenient will be out the end of August. Check back next week for an excerpt!