Diane Scott Lewis talks about "Her Vanquished Land"

Welcome to featured writer Diane Scott Lewis!

Diane Parkinson (Diane Scott Lewis) grew up near San Francisco, joined the Navy at nineteen, married in Greece and raised two sons in Puerto Rico and Guam. She's a member of the Historical Novel Society, and wrote book reviews. She's had several historical novels published

Diane lives with her husband in western Pennsylvania.

Tell us about your life outside of writing.

I love to travel. I just returned from a trip to Greece for a navy reunion (I was married there). And a trip to England where I visited fellow author Anita Davison. We’ve been cyber-pals for 13 years, but had never met face-to-face. I also like creating graphic art, wine-tasting with my husband, and playing with our new puppy, Lilly.

Do you have a work in progress?

Yes, a story set in Greece during the 1950s. A romantic-suspense.

Was there a person who encouraged you to write?

It seems I’ve always loved to write. My mom encouraged me, then later my English or Creative Writing teachers. They all said I had talent.

Five years from now, where do you see yourself as a writer?

I hope to have a best seller and a house in the Caribbean. I’m trying new ideas to increase my sales, such as paid publicity.

What are you working on now?

My Greek story, A Spark to Ashes. A runaway wife and a scarred professor collide on the Aegean coast in 1955.

 HER VANQUISHED LAND

When the rebels overrun her home state of Pennsylvania, she flees with her family. Are the people loyal to England welcome anywhere in the burgeoning United States? Rowena struggles with possible defeat and permanent exile, plus her growing love for an enigmatic Welshman who may have little need for affection. Will the war destroy both their lives?

Buy on Amazon 

BEYOND THE FALL

Tamara travels to Cornwall, England and researches her ancestors. In a neglected cemetery, she scrapes two fallen headstones together, faints, and wakes up in 1789, the year of The French Revolution, and grain riots. Farmer Colum Polwhele, a man with his own secrets, comes to her aid. Can a sassy San Francisco gal survive in this primitive time and fall for Colum, or will she struggle to return to her own time?

Buy on Amazon

You can find Diane Scott Lewis at:

Website: http://dianescottlewis.org

Amazon Author page

Bookbub  

FB Fan Page 

Goodreads 

Instagram 

Twitter 

Joan Havelange talks about "Wayward Shot"

Welcome to author Joan Havelange!

 

Good evening, Joan,

Thank you for agreeing to appear on my blog! Can you tell us about your life outside of writing?

I’m an avid golfer, and a traveler, I’ve had the good fortune to visit over 40 countries. I’m also fortunate to have family close by and I get to enjoy my grandchildren growing up.

Do you have a current work in progress?

My next book is set in Egypt, which I visited a few years ago. On a cruise down the Nile. There is a murder in a locked room and a missing passenger.

Oh wow! That sounds interesting.

Was there a person who encouraged you to write?

Yes! My daughter Yvonne Rediger who is also an author

As a writer, where do you see yourself five years from now?

I have more ideas than time I think. But definitely I’ll be writing Cozy Mysteries.

I have that problem too. More ideas than time!

What are you working on now?

As I said my Egyptian Mystery and I have one first draft of another, and one is just an out line.

A Blurb from Wayward Shot:

 When Mabel slices her golf ball into the town cemetery. She and her best friend Violet think the worst that could happen would be a lost ball. That is until they discover a dead body, and it isn't six feet under. Mabel's golf ball lays in the middle of his forehead, it’s murder.

The ladies take it upon themselves to solve the mystery of the dead body in the graveyard. Using the information gleaned from Coffee Row, a collection of eccentric townspeople. Leads them to investigate golfers and relatives of the deceased. Their investigation frustrates a newly appointed RCMP officer, who does his best to put a stop to their interference.

But nothing stops the intrepid detectives. Not the RCMP, a stampede of cattle or even shots fired at them in the dark. They have an uncanny ability to find trouble and dead bodies. Almost getting themselves killed before solving the murders

Sounds like you’re having a great time writing! Where can we find you and your books?

You can find me at http://www.bookswelove.net/authors/havelange-joan-cozy-mystery/ and http://www.facebook.com/mabelmysteries/

Have a great week, readers!!

Round Robin Blog Fest October 19 2019

Welcome to another issue of the Round Robin Blog Fest!

This month's question is:

October 19, 2019: What unique situations have occurred in the writing process of any of your novels? Perhaps, but not limited to, things like where what you planned changed, or the direction you thought the story was on deviated or transmuted?

Years ago, I was given some advice from a fellow writer to set my books in the U.S. so I could sell to a larger market. The funny part is, my books have all been based on Canadian towns yet set across the border.

With my latest work in progress, I’d written a story I loved, packaged it up and sent it to my U.S. agent – who also loved it! What I didn’t like as much was the title and struggled through a couple different options while I outlined and wrote a synopsis for her to submit.

From there she shopped it around to U.S. publishers. One liked the story, but not the writing (Yes, it was rushed to get out there!) Another liked the concept, but… Another liked… And so it went until finally my agent told me to put it on a shelf and forget about it.

I couldn’t.

So, I finished writing the novel, changed the locations from my main character living in Boston and travelling to Washington State to her living in Toronto and flying to the wilds of British Columbia. Then I decided to send it to my wonderful Canadian publisher. Then two things happened:
1)      I saw a Toronto based publisher was accepting unagented novels and, since I’ve joined Crime Writers of Canada a group the publisher is affiliated with, I took a chance and prepared it to submit to them.
2)      I went on vacation this summer to a rustic spot along Georgian Bay on Lake Huron that was everything I’d imagined the location in Vancouver to be. If you’ve never been to one of the Great Lakes, it’s a lot like being at the ocean. Vast!

I finished writing and polishing my first three chapters and submitted them at the beginning of September. Whether or not this new publisher accepts the novel, I have a home for it with my other, smaller publisher and have some great ideas for marketing.

As far as the title, one had rolled around in my head for a long time and after a couple tweaks to the manuscript, the title Written In Stone, suits to a T.  I even have ideas for two more novels set in the same location.

My fingers are crossed this project will get some positive feedback and I’ll be able to do some author events in the same area where the book was written and edited!
 

While I'm off to do some editing, feel free to check out what my fellow authors have to say!

A.J. Maguire  
Connie Vines 
Skye Taylor 
Judith Copek 
Margaret Fieland 
Helena Fairfax 
Dr. Bob Rich  
Rhobin L Courtright 

Eileen O'Finlan with Kelegeen

Welcome to author Eileen O'Finlan!

Eileen O’Finlan’s debut novel, Kelegeen, was released on March 1, 2018 by BWL Publishing, Inc.  Quotes from five star Amazon reader reviews include, “This book grabs you from the beginning…”,  “It’s not an easy book to put down once you start it, but you also don’t want it to end”, “This was probably one of the best books I have ever read.  I would recommend it to all,” “This is what historical fiction is supposed to be,” and the author’s personal favorite review quote:  “I have enjoyed many books which I chose from Oprah’s book club and this is one that would fit on her list. I put Kelegeen in the top three books I have ever read.”  Due to constant demand from readers for a sequel to Kelegeen, the research phase for this next book is underway.

Eileen was born in November of 1963 in Springfield, Massachusetts and has lived in New England all her life.  Both of her parents were born and raised in Vermont, which Eileen considers her home-away-from-home.  Growing up in a history-loving family where dinner conversation often revolved around the American Revolution or the Peloponnesian War, it’s not surprising that she went on to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in History.  She also holds a Master’s Degree in Pastoral Ministry.  A former long time member of the Worcester Writers Workshop, Eileen now facilitates a writing workshop from her home in central Massachusetts.  She lives with her 91 year old mother for whom she cares and her two adorable and rather spoiled cats, Smokey and Autumn Amelia.

Eileen loves to weave stories of historical fiction with strong, but very human, characters who prevail against the odds. Fascinated by the unusual and little-known aspects of history her goal is to create a magical experience for readers in which they encounter the unexpected.  Eileen attributes her interest in the paranormal, which also makes its appearance in her writing, to the facts that she lived in a haunted house at a very young age and that she has a deep Celtic spirituality.

Find out more about Eileen O’Finlan, her books, her cats (who have a story of their own in the works), and her ongoing endeavor to transition her entire front yard into a giant flower garden at www.eileenofinlan.com and https://www.facebook.com/eileenofinlanauthor/

KELEGEEN

Ireland 1846

Meg O’Connor, daughter of poor Irish cottiers, eagerly anticipates her wedding to Rory Quinn. Her dreams of marriage and family vanish along with Ireland’s potato crop when Kelegeen’s inhabitants awaken one morning to find their sole source of food destroyed by blight.

At first Meg and Rory are able to use their skills, hers of sewing and his of wood carving, to provide for themselves and their families. But tragedy and a costly mistake end those means of survival forcing them into more dangerous ventures.

As An Gorta Mór, the Great Hunger, continues to churn through Ireland ravaging the country’s peasantry with no let up in sight, Meg is compelled to make the most difficult decision of her life. What she chooses could be the salvation of the O’Connor and Quinn families or it could separate her forever from all she knows and loves.

 

Eileen O'Finlan

My website:  https://www.eileenofinlan.com/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/eileenofinlanauthor/

Robert Marsh talks about The Frankie Jackson Story: A Life of Crime

Welcome this week to author Robert Marsh!

Tell us about your life outside of writing.

Outside of writing I work 2 jobs and support myself and kids.

Do you have a work in progress?

I just drop my 2 book in the matter of months

Was there a person who encouraged you to write?

Besides my grandparents. I guess my own demons is what push me into the writers light

Five years from now, where do you see yourself as a writer?

Am hoping too use writing as a way too get into Hollywood and learn from the greats writers

What are you working on now? 

I am working on two books for next year and hopefully have them done by December 

The Frankie Jackson Story: A Life of Crime

Frankie Jackson one of Charlotte, North Carolina’s most requested broken between a body of hypocrisy, swindling, and unprincipled. He compromises with the encounters of love and devotion, but jeopardizes the live of people he loves including his companion, Felicity. How will Frankie rebuild from the misery and heartaches around him? From drug rings, to sex trafficking, to gun terrorism, for the love of wealth, Frankie risks it all for a limited good time. His life wins a departure for the worse when he quickly comes trapped in a fantasy full of lies and unbreakable scandals the revenge searches for his family demanding Frankie to pay the price.

Purchase now on Amazon

About the Author

Robert Marsh is the author of Urban True Crime. The author writes nonfiction of horror, nonfiction drama and romance.