DARKEST HOUR by Nike Chillemi Interview

A petite widow, medical secretary and sole support of her young son and grandparents, is framed for the murder of her boss. Wealthy village residents conspire with the DA to indicte her and stop further investigation. The medical examiner thinks the shooter was a tall individual. When his report is shoved aside, he starts his own side-investigation trying to clear her and in the process he falls in love with her.

Lucinda Byrne lost her husband and parents at sea. When she discovers the body of her boss, his A-List society finacee, backed up by her powerful family and a corrupt DA, acuses Lucinda of murder. She struggles on shielding her five-year-old son, her feisty grandfather and arthritic grandmother from the ugliness of her situation. She mistrusts the dapper ME, thinking he's a ladies' man, but soon realizes he may be the only one in her corner.

Hank Jansen, the county ME who's had his share of pain and loss, doesn't know if this little widow was in on the murder, but he knows by the trajectory of the bullet she's too short to have pulled the trigger. His professional opinion ignored, he begins his own investigation and at least one cop accuses him of an ethics violation. He certainly can't deny he's fallen head over heals for the accused, and also is crazy about her son. A huge problem is there's a leak inside the investigation and the murderer is always one step ahead of them.

 

Interview Questions: chose two or three to go with the blurb and cover

Q: In DARKEST HOUR, your heroine Lucinda Byrne isn't as feisty as your previous heroines have been. Can you comment on that?

A: Lucinda Byrne certainly is strong, but she doesn't shoot from the hip the way my other heroines did. She's much more careful. I think a woman can show strength in many ways. Lucinda is a widow, the mother of her five-year old son, and the sole support of her grandparents. Her strength comes through as she handles her responsibilities with courage and grace while powerful individuals in the village seek to destroy her. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy writing spunky heroines, but in this story, I wanted Lucinda to have poise and dignity, first and foremost. Still, she can and does stand up for herself to the village detective and to Hank Jansen, the medical examiner, who she's falling in love with in spite of the fact that she doesn't know if she can trust him.

Q: You include older parents and/or grandparents in your novels who hail from another country. They're often the stabilizing, faith-based, characters who give support to the heroine. Is there something about Lucinda's grandparents that make them unique?

A: I like to capture the richness of the ethnicity in my older characters. I'll add an accent. I'll research the cuisine and customs of whatever country they come from. With Lucinda's grandparents I tried to capture the poetic beauty of the Irish soul. One scene I'm particularly fond of is when the grandfather is telling Lucinda's young son not to cry. That they're men in this family. His wife reminds the old man they're also Irish. The grandfather then admits to the boy that many an Irish man has openly wept and that there's no shame in crying.

Q: Is there anything that happened in the writing of this novel that surprised you?

A: I thought my heroine Lucinda Byrne had two sweet grandparents who would stay in the background and just...well look sweet. However, Nellie and Daniel Walsh took me by surprise. I hadn't planned on Mrs. Walsh having crippling arthritis and on that illness becoming a subtheme in the novel. So, I had to research how severe arthritis was treated in the 1940s. As his wife's role in the novel grew and blossomed, Mr. Walsh also made himself known as an elderly gentleman of honor and dignity with quite a backbone. Then I began to depict them engaging each other as a married couple. They weren't content to remain in the background. They insisted on coming to life.

Q: When we first meet Hank Williams it would never occur to us he'd take any personal risks to help a young woman he hardly knew. How did you create this character?

A: That's right. Hank wouldn't be seen as a man to go out on a limb for anyone. It's not that he's cowardly. He's got a backbone. It's just that he's been so hurt in the past he doesn't extend himself for other people. He's as surprised as anyone when he decides to help Lucinda Byrne. Perhaps it's because his professional opinion has been ignored, and the one thing he's got left is his career. Then he begins to see her as someone who's being unjustly hurt. He can certainly identify with that.

 

Q: How did you develop the plot for DARKEST HOUR and how did you come up with the name?

Nike: In my Sanctuary Point series, one novel flows out of another. Main characters in one novel will appear as subordinate characters in the next one. Hank Jansen, the Nassau County Medical Examiner, first appeared in my Christmas/New Year's novel in the series, GOODBYE NOEL. Then he popped up at the murder scene in PERILOUS SHADOWS. I got to like him and thought he'd be a terrific hero. He is the most flawed of my heroes, but like all my others, he seeks to right injustice. So, he needed a heroine, but I wanted a gal who would be put off by him at first. So, I created a widow with a young son who is dignified and protective of her family. At first she thinks Hank is a ladies' man and too cavalier for her taste. Then, of course, he grows on her. It helps that he's practically the only one who thinks she's innocent of murder. The name DARKEST HOUR came to mind because things in this story get so scary for the heroine.

 

 

 

 

Excerpt:

From Chapter one…

A black coach resembling an ambulance drove into the lot. An older man in overalls pulled a collapsible gurney out of the back and raised its bed to hip level. Its chrome gleamed.

The night orderly and two nurses getting off the night shift stopped to watch.

The brown-haired man pointed to the gurney and his voice carried. "They finally allocated some funds my way. Makes transporting much easier. Oscar and I used to carry them on a stretcher. My back sure is grateful to the board of supervisors."

The detective laughed. "Don't you county guys have all the dough you want?"

"Who're you kidding?"

The gurney's wheels rumbled across the gravel parking lot. The older man pulled on the straps of his overalls."Hank, you ready to move the body?"

The stylish man nodded. "Let's do it." They lifted the body onto the gurney and the man in overalls covered Dr. McCloud with a white sheet. Blood seeped through and began spreading.

Lucinda gasped, took another step back, stumbled, but managed to keep her footing. She straightened her spine. She still had to go into that building and work a full day. She had a son to support.

The detective nodded toward the body. "By the size of the hole in his chest, I'd guess he was shot with a pistol, maybe at close range. I need to have the bullet as soon as you recover it."

"Then by all means, you'll be my guest at the autopsy."

"Gee, thanks." The detective shook his head.

The debonair man chuckled, turned, and approached Lucinda.

A tremor ran down her back. More questioning, and all she wanted to do was run and hide. She sniffled and wiped her nose with the side of her index finger.

He reached into his inside pocket and offered her a folded white handkerchief. "It's rough if you've never seen anything like this. I'm Hank Jansen, the medical examiner, by the way."

Lucinda's gaze followed the gurney to the black coach. "He was my boss."

"You work at the hospital for Dr. McCloud?"

"Yes. I... I'm his secretary... was, I mean. And Dr. Hinsey's too." She couldn't believe the doctor's life had ended this way.

Detective Daltry barked, "Hank, can I speak with you?"

"Excuse me." The medical examiner stepped away.

"Wait." Lucinda quickly refolded the handkerchief and handed it back to him. She didn't know this man. Wouldn't begin to know how to return the white cotton cloth. "Don't forget this."

"Take it with you. The day's not over. Things could still get rough." He smiled.

"No, I can't take your hankie."

"Listen, I'll pick it up the next time I'm at the hospital. You say you work for Dr. Hinsey?"

"Hank," the detective called, impatience sharp in his tone.

"Yes, Dr. Hinsey is the head of the maternity ward. I'll launder it and have it ready for you."

The medical examiner nodded and smiled. "It's a date. I mean, I'll stop by and pick it up." He turned and trotted toward the detective.

Lucinda slipped the handkerchief into her purse. She headed for the main entrance of the hospital, bent and picked up a fountain pen in the gravel lot.

She pivoted and advanced toward the two men.

The detective made a chopping gesture with his hand and raised his voice. "I'm not fooling, Hank. Don't go putting another notch in your belt. She's a witness."

"Can't a fellow do a simple act of kindness?"

"I'm warning you, stay away from her." The detective spun around and nearly collided with Lucinda.

Heat rushed to her face, and she couldn't meet either man's gaze. If the ground would only open and swallow her. She held the pen out to Detective Daltry. "Uh...I…I'm sorry. I think you dropped this."

Purchase Links:

Amazon/Kindle. http://amzn.to/1bWg3F1

Barnes and Noble/Nook. http://bit.ly/17Kh6mg

 

 

Author Bio:

Like so many writers, Nike Chillemi started writing at a very young age. She still has the Crayola, fully illustrated book she penned (penciled might be more accurate) as a little girl about her then off-the-chart love of horses. Today, you might call her a crime fictionista. Her passion is crime fiction. She likes her bad guys really bad and her good guys smarter and better.

She is the founding board member of the Grace Awards and is its Chairman, a reader's choice awards for excellence in Christian fiction. She　writes book reviews for The Christian Pulse online magazine. She was an Inspy Awards 2010 judge in the Suspense/Thriller/Mystery category and a judge in the 2011 and 2012 Carol Awards in the suspense, mystery, and romantic suspense categories. BURNING HEARTS, the first book in the crime wave that is sweeping the south shore of Long Island in　The Sanctuary Point series, finaled in the Grace Awards 2011 in the Romance/Historical Romance category. GOODBYE NOEL, the second book in the series released in December, 2011 won the Grace Award 2011 in the Mystery/Romantic Suspense/Thriller category. PERILOUS SHADOWS, third in the series released July, 2012, and DARKEST HOUR, the fourth in the series released in February, 2013. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and the Edgy Christian Fiction Lovers (Ning). http://nikechillemi.wordpress.com/

Interview with BJ Robinson Suspense Writer

Interview with southern romantic suspense writer B.J. Robinson. She talks about herself and her latest work - Weeping Willows and Southern Supersitions available on Amazon - http://everything-dave.com/?cat=8

Newest Release: Serenity Through the Storm by B. J. Robinson

Newest Release! Second novella in Storms of Life Series. A man loved it and can't wait for the final one in the series. A woman loved it and can't wait for the next one. Men and Women readers for my novels. Only $2.99. Journey with the char...acters from Calm Before the Storm as new storms threaten their lives in Serenity Through the Storm. Vera, Douglass, Mark, and Serenity have to work together to plow their way through this one. Douglass and Mark are construction workers. Serenity is a nurse. Mark and Serenity honeymoon in TN but when they return from their honeymoon, Mark has to face a job he doesn't like. No way does he want to spend the rest of his life as a paper pusher, but what can he do about it with one leg? He's been assigned to a desk job, and he hates it. His once tanned and calloused working-mans hands are now smooth and white, a constant reminder that he's not the man he used to be. Will he ever be again? Is he man enough to protect Serenity from the new storms that weather their lives? His heart pounds when he sees her red Impala flying through the air. "Dear God, Please don't take this one, too." http://www.amazon.com/Serenity-Through-Storms-Novella-ebook/dp/B00DQVCMGA/ref=sr_1_12?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1373323452&sr=1-12

Sneak Preview of New Book Covers for Upcoming Books

A Facebook friend, Kendra R. LaLonde, loves making book covers and has made enough to keep me busy all summer for my Dead Lake Mystery Series. This summer series will be set in the small town of Wewahitchka, Florida, and on a real lake there, Dead Lake. Cypress trees with trunks like huge bowls adorn the scenic route along the shores of the lake. Locals say fishing is good, and you'll find crappie, blue gills, shell crackers, large mouth bass, white bass among other types of fish. It's fresh-water fishing, and you can use worms or shiners. Dead Lake is a 6,700 acre lake off the Chipola River near the town of Wewahitchka. A local bait shop close by also sells swings, wooden recliners, and tables. If you enjoy relaxing fishing with beautiful scenery and like to catch various types of fish, you might want to try fishing on Dead Lake. That is, if you're up for it. Notice the cover of one of the books. The boat is empty. What happened to the fishermen? How did Dead Lake get its name? Find out in this series of novels by author B. J. Robinson. The first book in the series will release this summer. Kendra is great at making covers, loves it. She good and she's fast. If you need a cover, talk to her. She's on Facebook. I love the ones she's made for me. Browse down and take a look. Any cover with a Dead Lake title is one she made for me. The first in the series is coming this summer. Watch for them. Thanks so much for the wonderful covers, Kendra. You're a sweet blessing.

The second book in my Storms of Life series will also be out this summer, Serenity through the Storm. The first novel in the series, Calm Before the Storm, is available through Amazon for only $2.99. Readers say they can't put it down, and I packed a lot into it. Check it out.

Contest to Win New Release

New Release only $2.99. First in a series of three Storms of Life Series.
Vera Minette lost too many loved ones in her life, and she wanted answers. Was it God's timing, someone playing God, or hospital error? This 18 chapter novel... explores these questions when Vera returns to a small town she fled during the threat of a hurricane because her sister is ill and hospitalized. Jesus is our refuge through the storms of life, and Vera, her loved ones, and friends go through many in this inspirational romantic suspense. If you're a fan of humor, romance, suspense, mystery, or inspirational novels, enjoy this one for only $2.99.

Vera Minette Brady left Louisiana six short years ago and never looked back. There were times she missed Lake Pontchartrain, but not enough to return after her high school sweetheart ripped her heart asunder. She hadn't counted on a hurricane and her sister's illness to lure her back. She hated hospitals and wondered why a feeling of déjà vu iced through her veins and overpowered her each time she entered one. The truth was she knew why. She just didn't want to think about it.

Douglass Stevens, the owner of a construction company, discovered something more important he'd love to construct besides buildings. He wanted to rebuild the relationship he once had with Vera. Why did it seem something always got in the way? When Vera returned to see her sister, he planted himself at the hospital to support her, determined not to let her get away again.

Together, their path is littered with obstacles, and they have to decide if it's God's will, hospital error, or someone playing God as they helplessly watch loved ones die. Will Douglass be strong enough to provide the support Vera needs through this storm in her life? Can their love weather the storms that rage against them both? http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BJWSF5A

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BJWSF5A

For an opportunity to win a copy of this beautiful new release, sign to follow the blog. You may also win other books or ebooks.

Calm Before the Storm only $2.99 by B. J. Robinson

Vera Minette Bradley lost too many loved ones in her life, and she wanted answers. Was it God's timing, someone playing God, or hospital error? This 18 chapter novel explores these questions when Vera returns to a small town she fled during the threat of a hurricane because her sister is ill and hospitalized. Jesus is our refuge through the storms of life, and Vera, her loved ones, and friends go through many in this inspirational romantic suspense. If you're a fan of humor, romance, suspense, mystery, or inspirational novels, enjoy this one for only $2.99. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BJWSF5A

The Next Big Thing Blog Post

Ten Interview Questions for The Next Big Thing:


I was nominated by Rita Garcia for The Next Big Thing Blog Post.

Today it’s my turn to talk about my upcoming book Calm Before the Storm. At the end of the post, I’ll nominate another writer who will post their own answers about their book next week.

What is the working title of your book?

Calm Before the Storm

Where did the idea come from for the book?

The storm of illness that hits and destroys so many families. I lost my youngest sister to an eating disorder.

What genre does your book fall under? Christian inspirational romantic suspense.

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

Roma Downey and Kirk Cameron

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

Vera Minette Bradley was the first woman to fight off the pain medication and the only one to leave the hospital alive.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency? Self-published or published by a publisher, but at this point, probably self-published.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript? It is still in the works, but I expect to complete it this spring.

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre? I don't know of any in my genre, but I do know there are many books published on the topic of eating disorders. However, my novel is not focused on eating disorder, though it is one topic.

Who or What inspired you to write this book? The loss of my mother and sister six years apart.

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

Vera tried to fight off the shot as the nurse thrust the needle at her hip. She'd fought them in the ambulance, too, but there were too many of them, too many arms holding her down. She tried to tell the nurse she'd had a pain shot en route to the hospital, but to no avail. She felt the sharp prick of the needle and prayed before she went under.

Three years later, Myrtle tried desperately to open her eyes. She wanted to awaken one more time to see her youngest daughter's big brown eyes. She had to say goodbye.

Six years later, Bridgett made her last telephone call.

Eight years later, Glory went into a deep sleep and never woke.

What did all these women have in common? They'd all had pain medication at the same hospital. Was someone playing God, or was it truly their time to go? The story of five women. Only one leaves the hospital alive.

My published novels include Last Resort, Southern Superstitions, Whispering Cypress, and One Rainy Summer. They are available through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Sony, and Christianbooks.com. You may check out all my available titles on Kindle at this link http://www.amazon.com/BJ-Robinson/e/B007DNJIKU

Naomi Musch is nominated to discuss her upcoming book next week. Stay tuned.

 

 

A Ragdoll Christmas

I'm thrilled to be a part of the fabulous showcase of twenty-five talented authors for the Grace-Filled Christmas Blog Tour. I want to wish a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all my readers, Facebook friends, and family. As we remember the reason for the season, may God bless you and yours with a heart-warming, safe holiday season. Jesus is the reason for all seasons.

A Ragdoll Christmas and Other Short Stories hold precious Christmas memories, though all are not so happy. "The Little Pink Washing Machine" brings back days of happily walking to town with my father, and I treasure those precious memories. It is an excerpt from a work-in-progress, and "Growing up on Fairytales," is a prequel to that same work. Once completed, you'll find other Christmas stories included as well as stories of growing up in a small town. The book itself is not a book of only Christmas stories, but a book young adults will enjoy that tells the story of a gutsy girl who lost her father at four years old on Christmas Day in Southern small-town America. Autobiographical, nonfiction Christmas stories.

 

As we celebrate Christmas this year, let's remember the reason for the season, the birth of Jesus, and understand that while some are happy and celebrating, others may be going through a Ragdoll Christmas. I've had my share, but I'm thankful to God for the precious memories and the lessons learned about life through all the joy, heartache, pain, and sadness. God has His plans, and good comes shining through even in dark situations, though we may not always see it as we're in the midst of the storm. Sometimes, it may be years later, after the storm clouds have dissolved, before we realize our rainbow of blessings.

No, I'm not having a fancy fiber-optic Christmas this year. You'll understand when you read the story about that one. I'm having a simple Christmas at home. I pray all of my readers have a blessed Christmas season with many rainbow blessings to come and that you enjoy my writing. Thank you for taking a chance on it and supporting my work as an author. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

A Cozy Fireside Christmas

A Cozy Fireside Christmas

 

I remember a cozy Christmas spent in a Holden cabin in the woods with a roaring fire, hot chocolate, and a rocking chair by the fireside. A cedar tree decorated the picture window. The lights on the tree flickered and glowed with the flickering firelight. Christmas music filled the air, and I listened in peaceful solitude as I rocked by the fire.

My son Rodney was about twelve and those were the days, the days of enjoying my son and shopping for his Christmas gifts. We lived in the woodlands of Holden, Louisiana, and he wanted a tent for Christmas that year. He got his tent among other gifts. Reflecting back, I can still see him camped out on the hillside behind our cabin in the woods, the cabin I used to call my Walden. For, I always said, if a man could have his own cabin in the woods, his own Walden, why couldn’t a woman? As Henry David Thoreau had his Walden, I, too, had mine.

Christmas was kept simple, but simple was good enough for us. Enjoying the simple things in life can bring the greatest pleasures. Life is about learning how to enjoy the simple things and taking advantage of them. When I look back on days gone by, sometimes I wish I could go back to the past instead of back to the future for just one day and relive some of those days. I would know to enjoy them while I had them the second time around, wouldn’t I?

Now, Christmas decorations are no longer so simple. We no longer go into the woods and chop down a cedar tree. This year, I have the newest style going, a fiber optic Christmas tree. A simple star no longer adorns the top. A fiber optic angel has taken the place of the star. My son is now grown and gone with kids of his own. They live in another state, so I don’t get to see them for Christmas. My yard is the best decorated it has ever been, but my baby boy is not here to share it.

Simple is better. A fancy decorated yard is empty without children to share it. If I could trade it all for the simple times, I would do it in a blink. Appreciate the simple things in life, because they are the best, the things that money can’t buy, the things that you can’t get back once they are gone.

Some of the best years of my life were when my son was about twelve, but I didn’t know it then. Why are we always in such a hurry for everything? I spent my days in a hurry to obtain my education, in a hurry to do everything. In life’s hustle and bustle, in my haste, I forgot to take the time to enjoy the simple things while I had them. I was in such a hurry to live life that I really didn’t live life. I let life live me.

Don’t let life live you, or it will pass you by. Live life and enjoy it to its fullest. Enjoy each day and take each day one day at a time, being thankful for the day you have.

While I will never be able to go back and see my twelve year old son camped in a tent on the hillside, perhaps I will see my grandsons’ faces lighted with joy as they someday receive a tent from grandma for Christmas. Perhaps, it is meant for grandparents to get to relive the days of rearing their children through their grandchildren, a chance to do better and appreciate it more the second time around.

Now, there is one thing that could still make this fancy fiber-optic Christmas special, if only my grandchildren could see my fancy decorated yard. Somehow sharing it with them from another state, with only pictures, is just not the same as being able to see shining eyes and glowing faces. Though my youngest son is now a grown man, being able to share it with him would make it special again. Decorations and presents don’t make Christmas special. People do.

Christmas today is a yard of blow-ups: Santa, Snowman, Grinch, Reindeer, Santa and Reindeer, but no real live children and grandchildren to share it. Somehow, blow-ups are just not as warm and welcoming as warm hugs from loving family. Yes, I’d trade all this fancy fiber-optic, blow-up Christmas for a simple, traditional family-filled Christmas in a flying reindeer, if I could. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but I say, a thousand words coming from family and friends are worth a thousand pictures.

So, as I try my best to be positive and enjoy my blow-up, fiber-optic Christmas, empty of family, those of you who have your children and grandchildren with you, just know you have the best Christmas of all. You don’t need fancy decorations. You need the gifts that money can’t buy! Those are the best gifts in the world!

I won’t be rocking by the fireside with a cozy fireside Christmas this year. I won’t have a twelve year old son to watch, as he rips open a tent with shining eyes and a glowing face. Instead, I will have Florida sunshine in the Sunshine state and a fancy blow-up, fiber-optic Christmas, but make no mistake, as I enjoy my fancy fiber-optic Christmas, I am thankful, and I do appreciate it, thankful for all those simple, traditional family memories that time and fancy decorations can’t replace. I am thankful that I can still enjoy Christmas and the holiday season and sending my loved ones, who live in another state, Christmas cards.

Enjoy your times together while you have them and enjoy the simple pleasures life has to offer; for, they are the most precious and valuable gifts on this earth, and they are true gifts from God.

Interview about Sunrise on Alligator Lake

We are blog hopping our way through some new reads. For those who aren’t familiar with a blog hop, it's like a treasure hunt to find new authors and books. Once you find something on one blog you hop on over to the next one to discover more treasure, a wealth of new and exciting books. Some are still being written, some are just being released. Either way, for fiction lovers, it’s a treasure. I’d like to thank  Brenda K. Hendricks for tagging me to participate.

In this particular hop I answer 10 questions, and you get to learn about my current WIP (work in progress), my new Christmas book of short stories, Ragdoll Christmas and other Short Stories, which releases Wednesday, December 5.

I am tagging the following five authors to continue the blog hop: Naomi Musch, Rita Garcia, Regina Andrews, Nike Chillemi, and June Foster.

What is the working title of your book? Sunrise on Alligator Lake

Where did the idea come from for the book? My husband and I go fishing on the lake which has gorgeous sunrises, and I was inspired to write a romance novel using it as the setting.

What genre does your book fall under?
Southern Christian Inspirational Romance

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

John Dye with Roma Downey or Meg Ryan with Tom Hanks.

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book? A divorced woman escapes an abusive husband to live a life of peace and contentment in a trailer park on Alligator Lake and learns to enjoy the sunrises in her life until her world spirals out of control when she comes face-to-face with her past.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

I have books published by Desert Breeze Publishing, Inc. out of California, but this one is going to be a novella, and I plan to self-publish it.

 

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript? It's still in the works, but I plan to finish it within a four to six month time span since it's a novella. Ragdoll Christmas will be released Wednesday and available at Amazon for the Kindle.

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre? Eva Marie Everson has a Cedar Key Series, and the first novel, Chasing Sunsets, is about a divorced woman who seeks a new beginning. My debut novel, Last Resort, is about a woman who escapes an abusive boyfriend.

Who or What inspired you to write this book? Domestic abuse rears its ugly head far too much in society. I have been inspired to write a story of how God uses bad for good, one to show victims they can have a new, fresh beginning just like a fresh new sunrise on Alligator Lake. God and the sunrise on Alligator Lake inspired me to write this novella because of the glorious view that seemed fresh, like a renewal, or new beginning.

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest? It's set on a real lake in St. Cloud, Florida, and I have pictures to post on a blog taken on the lake. The heroine has been through the wringer and come out on the other side to rainbow blessings.

 

 

The Haunting of Alligator Lake by B. J. Robinson

Just published and only 99 cents for a short story set in St. Cloud, Florida, on a real lake. Visit a quaint diner and enjoy another alligator tale by B. J. Robinson. Are all those white alligator tales and ghostly mermaid stories true? Find out in a few seconds with instant delivery.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A9U9JEE

One Rainy Summer New Release B. J. Robinson

My mind ran rampant with thoughts of Matthew. What had gotten into me? I'd never thought of him other than a good friend. We'd lived in stifling hot, muggy-buggy, mosquito-infested,cattle-ranching, timber-raising, and citrus-growing Holopaw our entire lives, right next door to one another. You had to experience a place like this for yourself. I loved how riding my four-wheeler down the rutted dirt paths reminded me of bunny hops on a roller coaster. I'd ridden all the coasters in Florida from The Hulk and The Dueling Dragons at Universal Studios to the newest ones at Busch Gardens in Tampa. I shook my head in wonder when I thought about what a rich and diverse area we lived in. I couldn't help but love it. There was never a dull moment, always something to do. Lost in thought, I let Matthew take the lead, and he strode ahead down the winding trail that lead to Sandy's. I gazed at his lithe figure and wondered when things had begun to change between us. When did I begin to think of him other than just the boy next door? Did he think differently of me, too, or was it all one-sided on my part? I didn't want to let him know how I felt, just in case. Only time would tell.

 

A story of old and new love. Granny has a secret. Hope falls for the boy next door. Her grandmother rekindles a relationship her family didn't approve of years before. Hope finds an old picture of her Grandma clutched in the embrace of a man with icy blue eyes. Who is he? Hope scoots out the door and back to her own room, dashes to the window, and peeks outside. The moonlight reveals a funny sight. Her beach-ball granny climbs a ladder like the prince climbed Rapunzel’s hair. A man stands at the bottom and holds it. He gazes up at Hope's window, and she shivers and lets the curtain drop. Grandma is a grown woman. Why is she sneaking around with this mystery man? What's going on? Why is my honest, respectful, Bible-reading granny slipping out her bedroom window in the middle of the night like some teen?

s lures work for them, but shiners do, too. Your grandpa always used shiners, and I went fishing with him long enough to know."

"How long's Sandy been there?"

"'Bout the last five years." Granny rested her chin on her hand. "Felt sorry for him. He had no place to go."

"Doesn't he have any family? Why doesn't he work?"

"His family all died in a horrific car accident when he was young. He's always lived off the land. Never got much of an education. Used to grow vegetables and sell them when he lived at his mom's. Now, he has no land to farm, but he manages to make out living on the lake."

"With your help?"

"Now, Hope, don't you go ratting me out to your mother. She'd have a hissy fit if she knew he was even around."

"Who is this man and how did he get into our lives?"

"He's just a kind old soul. If I ever need help, I know I can count on him."

"Was he a friend of Grandpa's?"

"No, they never really knew one another. Your grandfather passed before he moved here."

"What if Mother drives up one evening and finds him sitting on the porch swing visiting you?"

"That won't happen. He rarely shows himself, and I know when to expect her."

"You never know." I looked Granny straight in the eye before I asked my next question. "Why didn't he ever marry and have kids?"

I knew he had, but I wanted to see if his story matched Granny's.

"Hope, I do declare, you ask too many questions. He was married once, but his wife died in childbirth. That was many years ago."

"What happened to the baby?"

"He put her up for adoption because she was a girl. Said he wouldn't know how to take care of her." Granny's eyes took on a faraway look like she was in another world, probably another time and place, I thought.

So far, so good. "Does he ever see or visit her?"

"Heavens, no, child. That baby doesn't even know who her true father is. She was raised in a much different lifestyle than his. Sometimes, I wonder …" Granny's voice faded away.

This is a work of fiction that released October 21 by Desert Breeze Publishing, California, and it's available through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Sony, and Kobo, etc. I hope people will enjoy reading this novel as much as I had fun creating it. Tucked into a Southern corner of the world is a quaint little town residents are proud to call home. Charming shops, restaurants, antique stores, and thrift shops line the streets. Orange trees blossom in groves. Small town St. Cloud is conveniently located not far from Orlando, Florida, the nearest large city. My favorite local restaurant for Italian food is Chimento's. Their chicken salad is, as locals say, to die for, and it's actually called chicken salad salad because they put it in a salad of greens and tomatoes with their special house dressing of sweet basil vinaigrette. You'll adore the picturesque paintings that adorn the walls of antique buildings lining the streets. On the outskirts of Kissimmee, in Orlando, is vacationland, the home of theme parks Disney World, SeaWorld, and Universal Studios. Hectic lives are left behind when you step into another world with a slower pace and sample country living in Florida, a way of life. http://www.amazon.com/One-Rainy-Summer-ebook/dp/B009TVTZ0C/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1350806847&sr=1-1&keywords=One+Rainy+Summer

Inescapable by Nancy Mehl

Inescapable is the first novel I've read by Nancy Mehl, but I'm sure it won't be my last. Published by Bethany House Publishers, copyright 2012, it's twenty-five chapters that literally take the reader to another world. I loved the characters and Lizzie's daughter's name, Charity. I could identify with falling in love with a town and its wonderful people as well as a certain restaurant, and I loved the old restaurant and could just picture Lizzie's cozy apartment above it. In this wonderfully-woven tale, Elizabeth must make a choice between a boy she's known since childhood and the father of her daughter as well as a choice to remain in Kingdom or leave it for Seattle. She depends upon God for guidance with her decision.

Set in a Mennonite town in Kansas, Kingdom is the place Lizzie ran from at eighteen and the place she runs back to five years later when her new life falls apart. On the verge of rebuilding a life in Kingdom, one she and Charity come to love, she finds herself facing a decision to run again, this time to Seattle with Clay. Yet, she knows her heart will remain in Kingdom with Noah. She'd do anything for her daughter, even forsake her own happiness. Charity sees Noah as the prince her mommy's waited for so long, but Lizzie can't help but think God has sent Clay back into her life to give Charity the father she wants and needs. Will Lizzie run from Kingdom again to Seattle with Clay, or will she stop running for once in her life? She's run from her problems since she was eighteen years old. Will she discover some problems are inescapable no matter how long and far she runs? What will God guide her to do in the end?

Nancy Mehl has written a powerful story rich with detail into the way of life of a Mennonite town. Raised Baptist, I found it interesting to read of the beliefs and traditions, and I was able to identify with how changes in tradition can be hard to take, even when change can be for the best. From buggies to cars and trucks, from dark dresses and black head coverings to lighter ones, the author lets the reader become a part of the changes in lifestyle. I couldn't help but root for Lizzie's mother and was glad to see a change for the better in her life in the end and not just from an outhouse to an inside bathroom. An interesting read to say the least, and a great read that tells the tale of Lizzie's life as well as that of her mother's. For young women as well as grandmothers, there's heart-touching reading for all as Lizzie gradually finds her faith again.

Available wherever fine books are sold. Five stars for a novel that illustrates God is inescapable.

 

Southern Fried Women by Pamela King Cable

Southern Fried Women by Pamela King Cable is a book of short stories that can't help but evoke readers' emotions. I laughed, and I cried. It begins with "Southern Fried Women," which was one of my favorites. "Beach Babies" and "Coal Dust on my Feet" were my two other favorites," sad, but awesome stories. Ms. Cable showcases the South in honesty and realism and for characterization, you'll stumble upon a few swear words, but some stories have none. If you like Southern reads with real Southern flavor, she delivers a book you won't be able to put down. Once I started reading it, I didn't want to do anything else but finish it. Her writing is humorous and real. She knows the South, and her writing shows it, so I had to give the book the five stars it so well deserves. I'm glad I didn't miss this one.

Denise Hunter's The Convenient Groom

The Convenient Groom by Denise Hunter was a delightful unexpected read. A neighbor gave it to me, so it was my first read by this author, but it won't be my last. Kate finds herself jilted at the altar and her entire career depends on her wedding. Lucas Wright becomes the stand-in groom. Kate's written a book about how to find Mr. Right, and it releases on the same day of her wedding. Ironically, she weds Mr. Wright who is so totally opposite and does everything she advises against in her book of advice, but she's broken-hearted and backed into a corner. When he offers her a way out of the mess her life has become, she accepts. She thinks he's marrying her so she'll help him with his mom and dad's marriage in return, but she's in for quite a surprise. When her ex, Bryan, wants back in the picture after realizing he's made a huge mistake, what will Kate do? Will she choose Bryan, the one who left her stranded at the altar and forgive him, or will she choose Luca, the one her knowledge and common sense says is all wrong for her even if she did marry Mr. Wright. To add to the turmoil, his family lives right next door and there's a big, hairy dog she has to contend with. Sure, Lucas warned her he had a dog, but she expected a small one, especially when she saw the size of his small place. His mother doesn't like her. Lucas knows why and finally shares the reason with her. Then, a leggy redhead enters the picture, and Kate is forced to deal with feelings that crop up and ask why she should even care. To top it all off, he enjoys sailing, and she gets seasick. What else could possibly go wrong? She did marry Mr. Wright, after all. An enjoyable escape for a summer or beach read.

Whispering Cypress by B. J. Robinson Releases August 11

Whispering Cypress by B. J. Robinson releases August 11. See what early readers are saying. View the video/book trailer. Take a look at author interviews.

You'll never have peace here. Leave the past where it belongs, or it will ruin you.

Spring Showers stared at the cutout newspaper letters pasted on a sheet of typing paper. Her heart pounded harder than any nail gun, and she placed her hand over her chest as if to still it. Nothing about the rundown campground prepared her for such a threat. Who could possibly care if she restored it?

After a decade of no contact, she purchases the campground a man from her past dreams of owning and hires him to repair and remodel the cabins. She still has feelings for him, and the sparks are still there -- smoldering like embers from a left-over campfire. A male friend from the city visits and trouble brews.

o      Dr. Rita Garcia says of B. J. Robinson's Whispering Cypress, "Spring, follows the rocky terrain of her chosen path, and reawakens a love of nature in the hearts and minds of the readers. B. J. Robinson really knows how to weave a great story. Her novels are the perfect read for a bright summer day or curled up next to a warm fire on a blistery day.

Valerie Strawmier says, "A campground you'll want to return to again and again with those characters. Author B. J. Robinson has a way of immediately drawing you to the characters. She writes great stories that draw readers in quickly, constantly throws in twists and turns, and doesn't let go."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFSVAPKrmKU&feature=youtu.beWhispering Cypress Book Trailer

http://tomblubaugh.net/barbara-j-robinson/#more-1196 The Write Trail Interview by Tom Blubaugh
http://junefoster.blogspot.com/2012/08/welcome-author-bj-robinson.html?spref=fb Interview by The Traveling Writer, June Foster, a retired schoolteacher who travels and writes from her RV.
http://5020genesis.wordpress.com/2012/08/01/write-to-the-point-with-b-j-robinson/ Write to the Point Interview

http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-329/Whispering-Cypress-BJ-Robinson/Detail.bok Buy link if you'd like a PDF file copy from the publisher that you can read on your laptop or computer. You may also view more book details and a free excerpt here.

http://www.southernwritersmagazine.com/july-gift.html Whispering Cypress Sneak Preview of Bookcover
https://www.facebook.com/barbara.robinson.773?ref=tn_tnmn#!/AuthorBJRobinson Author Page on Facebook
http://www.amazon.com/BJ-Robinson/e/B007DNJIKU Amazon Author Page

http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-template/BJRobinson/Page.bok Desert Breeze Publishing Author Page
http://fliterary.blogspot.com/2012/08/what-i-love-about-writing.html?spref=fb WHAT I LOVE ABOUT WRITING
http://www.acfw.com/blog/?p=4808 Characters Make the Novel

http://www.acfw.com/blog/?p=2222 Creat a Unique Take to Present a Villain

Rivet Your Readers With Deep Point of View by Jill Elizabeth Nelson

BJ ripped the package open. A sigh escaped her lips. Such a small book. How can it help me? She flipped through the eight chapters. The last one on DPOV hooked her. She read it first and thumbed through three more before placing it on the table. 

I discovered a great book that focuses on deep point of view by Jill Elizabeth Nelson, RIVET YOUR READERS WITH DEEP POINT OF VIEW. At first, I was disappointed when I opened it because it was so small, but it's 59 pages of very useful instruction, and I'm glad I found it. In fact, I like it because it's small and makes an easy to use resource. There are eight easy to read and understand chapters. The last one focuses on first person DPOV.

River Rising by Athol Dickson

Athol Dickson's River Rising was the best summer read out of all the books I read. It's said to be Louisiana's To Kill a Mockingbird, and I believe it after reading it. Set in Louisiana in 1927, it's a novel that takes you back to slavery in a way you never anticipate. Reverend Hale Poser is the main character. He seems to rise out of the mist looking for his roots. Reared in an orphanage, he's searching for his past. When a child goes missing, he refuses to give up the search though others say it's no use. With nothing more than an old, leaky pirogue, he continues the search alone through the Louisiana swamp and bayous.  This is a book I'm glad I didn't miss. If you haven't read it, check it out. You won't be sorry. I loved it. No, it's not a romance novel, Kendra J. Published by Bethany House. Available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble.com. I bought a beautiful hardback book for only one cent. The shipping cost more than the book. Barnes and Noble still has the hardback for one cent, so take advantage of it. June Foster said Athol Dickson is the author she'd most like to meet. If you would like this beautiful book, grab it for a penny. It's a beautifully woven story and a beautiful book inside and out.

Interview with June Foster from an RV Office

I'm happy to have June Foster with us today. She's sharing what it's like to be an author who travels in an RV. Both of her books are available at Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble.com, Kobo, Sony, etc.

Please check out Junes Author Page at Amazon and like it. You'll learn more about her there. Thanks. http://www.amazon.com/June-Foster/e/B007ISUMPK/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1344200980&sr=1-2-ent

Tell us about something that has just happened or is about to happen in your life that you would like to share.
Thank you for having me today, BJ. Though I'm not a sweet southern belle like you, I am from Texas.  I can tell you what has just happened. I think you know that my home is on wheels. My husband and I RV full time and I love it. However…... there are drawbacks.  As you know, a writer depends heavily on the internet. Though I have a Sprint air card, it doesn't always work everywhere. We are in a tiny town in Colorado called Coaldale.  When I found I wasn't picking up the internet at all, I panicked and drove my poor husband crazy. Now I'm spending my days in the RV office and using their wifi. The owner even gave me my own table, but the trick is remembering everything I need from my RV. It's worth the hassle of hauling my computer back and forth every day. My husband's doing the cooking. Yea.

What is the name of your most recent book and if you had to sum it up in 30 or less words, what would you say? A Hometown Fourth of July is my latest. It is a story based loosely on the real life situation of my husband's brother. The story charts a young adopted man's journey to finding his identity, not in his birthmother but in the Lord. Oops. A little over 30 words.

Tell the readers about your office and how you write best. Well, I never thought I'd be telling you about my temporary office here in the RV park headquarters. There are food items, souvenirs, cold drinks, and DVD's for sale. And behind the counter, the owners have a computer, a phone, and a desk.  Oh yeah. You meant my office in my RV. (smile) My dear husband took the couch out and replaced it with a table and two file cabinets on either side. The upside to this office is my view out my window changes monthly. I write best with quiet which I don't get in the RV or this office.

Do you have plans for a new book? Is this book part of a series? I'm finishing up Book three in the Bellewood Series, Deliver Us. Give Us This Day came out February 1, As We Forgive will be released September 1 with Desert Breeze, and the final book comes out April 1, 2013.

What books have influenced your writing? I think Plot and Structure by James Scott Bell and Donald Maas's Writing the Breakout Novel have helped me. Fay Lamb, the moderator of Scribes at ACFW, has taught me so much and influenced my writing.

Is there an Author that you would really like to meet? Yes, I'd love to meet Latayne Scott and Athol Dickson.

Do you prefer ebooks, paperbacks or hardcover? Since I don't have much room in my RV, reading ebooks on my Kindle is a god-send.

What book are you currently reading and in what format (ebook/paperback/hardcover)? I'm reading Dave Bond's A Time to Build published by Desert Breeze. It's in ebook format.

Do you have any advice for other writers? My advice is don't give up and try not to take rejections and criticism personally. Those are a few things I had to learn the hard way.
Below are links for both of June's books through Amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/Bellewood-Book-One-Give-ebook/dp/B0073NE9KO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1344200800&sr=8-2&keywords=june+foster

http://www.amazon.com/A-Hometown-Fourth-July-ebook/dp/B008GI61GU/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1344200910&sr=1-1&keywords=june+foster

Relentless Pursuit by Kathy Herman

You've all heard of saving the best for last. Well that's exactly what Kathy Herman has done. Her latest novel Relentless Pursuit: A Novel (Secrets of Roux River Bayou) is her best yet. I loved the first two in the series, but this one was the best, the way a series should be. I read it right before a vacation to Grand Isle, Louisiana. When you read the book, you'll see how that might get you thinking. My son told me to bring water with us. That was before I'd read the novel. All I can say is it was profound. I don't want to provide any spoilers, but you can't help but care about these characters. You can't help but put yourself in their place and think how you'd feel and how the problems in this novel could affect you and yours. You'll connect and identify, so be sure you don't miss this one. A Cajun-flavored South threatened by a bio-terrorist will keep you turning pages. Reading this novel will make you think twice. It's five stars for sure.