Mandy Eve-Barnett talks about The Commodore's Gift and The Twesome Loop

 

Welcome to Canadian author, Mandy Eve-Barnett!

 

Mandy Eve-Barnett is a multi-genre author writing children’s, YA and adult books. Every story has a basis of love, nature, magic and mystery. Her passion for writing emerged later in life and she is making up for lost time. With nine books published since 2011 and another five awaiting the writing and editing process, she indulges her Muse in creative as well as freelance writing.  Mandy regularly blogs at http://www.mandyevebarnett.com ,where she encourages support and networking for writers and readers alike.  She is also prolific on social media. As Secretary of her local writers group, the Writers Foundation of Strathcona County, where she hosts the monthly meetings and creates weekly writing prompts for the website. She has also hosted presentations on a variety of subjects, which are practical, inspirational, interactive and actionable and has a successful freelance business. Mandy is also the past President of the Arts & Culture Council of Strathcona County Council. She lives her creative life to the fullest.

Social Media:

Twitter  https://twitter.com/mandyevebarnett

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

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mandyevebarnett/

Freelance  https://tailoredthemedtosuit.wordpress.com/

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/mandy-eve-barnett-58235250/

Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/mandywordsmith/

Blog https://mandyevebarnett.com/

Amazon author page:   https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B01MDUAS0V

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/search?query=Mandy+Eve-Barnett

Alberta Authors  http://www.albertaauthorscooperative.ca/

Publisher:  Dream Write Publishing. www.dreamwritepublishing.ca

What would you say are your strengths as an author?

I am committed to my craft, giving my characters, settings and story lines a unique voice. I draw from the three continents I have lived on as well as a childlike love of nature and the magical realm. I am a strong advocate for the writing community to support, encourage and mentor.

How often do you write, and do you write using a strict routine?

Unfortunately, I have a day job, which seriously cuts into my writing time! So I write when I can juggle it between normal life commitments, my freelance client’s projects and dog walking. I regularly go on writing retreats, which helps a great deal in giving me time to create. I also do not have a TV – although I do watch movies on the laptop.

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

To still be enjoying the process of creating and publishing novels – I consider it my legacy. Also to continue being involved with my local writing group, Writers Foundation of Strathcona County, as well as growing my freelance business, and growing a cooperative I am part of, Alberta Authors Cooperative, which focuses on Alberta authors. I am looking forward to having more time to write as I retire.

If you could offer once piece of advice to a novice writer, what would it be? 

Find a local writing group, where you are supported and encouraged. Ensure that they accept multiple writing styles, abilities and genres, while offering constructive critique. Be open to learning your craft continually.

What would you consider to be the best compliment a reader could give your book?

That the story transported through my world building to another place and time and that they empathized with the characters and could not put the book down.

What are you working on now?

I am currently writing and editing the first book of a detective trilogy – The Delphic Murders. The series follows three detectives in three different cities in Alberta. Apart from previously writing a sequel due to reader demand, (Rython Legacy follows the story initially written in The Rython Kingdom.) this will be my first series. It has challenged me to become more of a planner rather than a panster – as writers we are always learning that is what makes this creative pursuit so enjoyable.

 

THE COMMODORE’S GIFT

Under the Buldrick Empire’s rule, Owena finds herself fighting alongside a rebel force. Her aptitude for strategy and swordsmanship come to the fore as she fights for acceptance as a worthy comrade. When she meets Galen, not only does she fall in love but becomes even more determined to end the Buldrick Empire’s tyranny side by side with him.

https://www.amazon.ca/Commodores-Gift-Mandy-Eve-Barnett/dp/1988723760

 

THE TWESOME LOOP

Is it possible to change our destiny, break free from the echoes of our past lives? The Twesome Loop is an erotic romance novel with a reincarnation twist.

A picturesque Italian Villa holds a hidden past of a pact that cannot be broken - a secret untold. Passion, pleasure, and pain play their part as seemingly chance meetings reveal secrets and hidden agendas. One dark secret is coupled with a burning desire to extract revenge. It will see four guests re-living their past lives - for love, for lust, and for revenge.

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B075DRWHXN/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i7

 

Liz Butcher releases her new suspense novel Never Never.

 

Welcome to thriller author Liz Butcher!

NEVER NEVER

Suspense at its greatest by critically acclaimed author,

Liz Butcher

More than 20 years after her abduction at the hands of the elusive Pan, Wendy Darling is all grown up and a successful detective. But when a local girl vanishes in the middle of the night, her past comes rushing back.

Grieving the death of her mother, Detective Darling wants nothing more than to throw herself back into work. When the Lord Mayor’s daughter, Rosalie, vanishes, she insists on taking the case, triggering memories of her own past abduction. For years, Wendy struggled with her nonsensical memories of her captor, who she only knows as Pan. Yet the more she uncovers about Rosalie’s disappearance, the more Wendy is convinced her worst nightmare has come true—Pan’s back. Her fears are confirmed when the girl suddenly reappears and Wendy realizes she’s walked straight into Pan’s trap…

Amazon.ca:  Never, Never eBook: Butcher, Liz: Amazon.ca: Books

Amazon.com: Amazon.com: Never, Never eBook: Butcher, Liz: Books

Amazon.au:  Never, Never eBook: Butcher, Liz: Amazon.com.au: Kindle Store

Other Works by Liz Butcher:

LEROUX MANOR

Camille’s father just inherited the family manor from his estranged uncle, forcing her to leave her friends and city life just before her senior year of high school for the small town of Woodville, England. After seeing a strange old woman lurking on the estate grounds, she embarks on a mission to uncover the history of her new home. What she finds is wilder than she could have imagined—the murder of her ancestor, Caleb LeRoux, on the same day his six-year-old daughter vanished without a trace. And an unforeseen connection to Camille herself, as the only female LeRoux born to the family in over two hundred years. With the help of her new school friends, Camille delves into the secrets of the manor, uncovering an all-encompassing truth that will change the entire course of her life—past, present, and future.

FATES FURY

The last thing Jonah Sands expected on his thirtieth birthday was to have his life thrust into the hands of a dangerous, red-haired woman—or to be the only person in the world to survive an encounter with her. As the death toll skyrockets, Jonah and his two best friends, the siblings Tristan and Ava Carter, find themselves at the epicentre of inexplicable phenomena—a stranded ferry transforms into a barge headed for the Underworld; young girls levitate to whisper ancient riddles; technology across the globe is controlled by some unseen hand. And it all seems to lead back to the woman with red hair. When a stranger finds them in the midst of a thunder storm and offers his otherworldly assistance, Jonah finally unravels the truth about who he really is. And what it means for the rest of humanity.

Praise For Liz Butcher: 

“What really sticks out from the very first chapter is just how fast the author takes readers into the action and mystery of this story.” Anthony Avina, Top Book Reviewer Book Sirens 

“Readers will love the larger-than-life characters, mayhem, and magic. I heartily recommend this book and urge you all to grab yourselves a copy if this is your type of story. Or even if it’s not!”   Reads and Reels 

“This is one impressive debut from an obviously gifted artist who knows how to blend human drama with metaphysical fantasy and mythology to create a splendidly unique novel with visceral force. Very highly recommended.”  Grady Harp, Top Shelf Magazine

 About Liz:

Liz Butcher resides in Australia, with her husband, daughter, and their two cats. She’s a self-confessed nerd with a BA in psychology and an insatiable fascination for learning. Liz was previously the former Executive Assistant at the Horror Tree, which is a mainstream resource for authors and has published a number of short stories in anthologies including her own collection, After Dark, in 2018. Fates Fury was her debut novel and LeRoux Manor, her stunning new novel set for release, September, 2020.  More information can be found about Liz at her website:   https://www.lizbutcher.com.au/

To request additional review copies or an interview with Liz Butcher, please contact Mickey Mikkelson at Creative Edge Publicity: mickey.creativeedge@gmail.com / 403.464.6925.    

Diane Bator's latest release All That Shines (Glitter Bay Mystery book 2)

 

Due to a sudden opening in the Escape With a Writer Schedule, I decided to fill it in myself and feature my Glitter Bay Mysteries! The questions are an amalgamation of answers to questions from a variety of interviews I've done over the past couple months. There are a couple of fun surprises if you keep reading to the bottom. I hope you enjoy!

What made you decide you wanted to write mysteries?

I’ve always loved to read them but never actually thought about writing them until I took part in a contest called Mystery in Ink put on by a small publisher in North Bay, Ontario. We had to use a murder mystery party game and write 10 chapters, each from the perspective of a different character. I loved it! And I won! My very first published book was that little novella called Murder on Manitou, which I plan to re-release one day soon. I was hooked!

Do you have a special place you like to write?

I used to love to write in a local coffee shop but I have written practically everywhere! Trying to write with three kids around, I learned to summon the muse wherever I stopped for a minute. Even while I was cooking dinner!

Where do the ideas for your books come from?

Anywhere and everywhere. I’ve had ideas come from dreams, from conversations, from seeing photographs or memes, you name it. My latest play idea hit me while I walked from my office ten feet down the hall to my livingroom. I had it outlined fifteen minutes later. It doesn’t always happen that fast, but when inspiration hits it can be like a runaway train!

What is the first book you remember reading?

I remember having lots of Little Golden books as a kid. Aside from every Hardy Boys or Nancy Drew mystery I could get my hands on, I read a Sidney Sheldon novel, I think it was The Other Side of Midnight, that I was totally absorbed in until the ending. Someone had torn out the last few pages and I was livid!!

If you were friends with a character in this book, what kinds of things would you do together?

Sage loves yoga as well as being active when she’s not working in her vintage boutique. Hanging out with her would involve some sort of outdoor activity. I’d love to walk on the beach and chat with her and ride the trails along the ocean that she’s likely discovered.

What does it mean to you to be called an author?

Even as I write more books, I always find it a thrill to think of myself as an author. For so long, I’ve only ever said “I write books.” With 11 novels published and a lot more social media presence, I’m starting to feel more like an author. That I actually know a little something about writing.

How do you define success as an author?

Deep down, a part of me won’t feel successful until I can write all day and quit my day job! The dream we all dream of! The other part of success is getting letters and reviews from readers who loved a character or a storyline and it made some sort of impact on them. 

There are more great things below! You can also follow me on: Twitter
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ALL THAT SHINES, Glitter Bay Mysteries, Book 2

Sage Miller is knee deep in fashion designers—whether she wants them in her new vintage boutique or not.

One winds up dead.

Another isn’t what he seems.

A third is treasure hunting.

Sage is stuck in the middle trying to solve a murder before the grand opening of Vintage Sage, which involves a fashion show she’d rather not be part of.

Excerpt:

“Sebastian helped to me get away from my ex.” Laken joined me. “Actually, not so much my ex as the paparazzi. Those guys are like wasps. They can hunt you down and swarm like heat-seeking missiles. I couldn’t have escaped Hollywood and settled here with you without his help.”

Only half convinced, I turned on the kettle.

Laken switched it off then opened the fridge. She handed me a well-chilled, half-full bottle of pinot grigio. “You’ll probably want this instead.”

“There’s more?” I gasped as I leaned against the cupboard. While my migraine would prefer the chamomile, my nerves won out. Pinot it was. I couldn’t take any more of Laken’s surprises without a little support.

My sister wasn’t stingy when she filled my glass. It seemed I was in for more revelations. Since she no longer drank alcohol, she filled her glass with sparkling water.

I took a large gulp before I dared to ask, “What’s going on?”

“We need to sit.” Laken half-dragged me back to the living room. She turned off her laptop before we sat in front of the fireplace. “I’m sorry I bought everything without showing you first.” She winced. “Sebastian is… Well, he’s…”

“He’s what?”

Laken chugged her sparkling water then sighed. “He’s part of the package.”

My eye twitched. I grasped my glass with both hands before I did something silly like drop it. “Who is Sebastian and what package is he a part of?”

“He’s a fashion designer who owns House of Hayward. That thirty thousand dollars includes his expertise to help set up Vintage Sage like a shop on Rodeo Drive.”

“Oh no.” I stared at her in the hope she would crack a smile or tell me she was joking. When neither came, I shook my head. “No, no, no, no, no. Send it all back. The cases, the dummies, the snooty designer…especially the snooty designer. We don’t need this, Laken. I’ve done perfectly well without Hollywood intruding.”

 

 

ALL THAT SPARKLES, Glitter Bay Mysteries Book 1

What do a trunk full of vintage clothes, a handsome land developer, and a fifty year old diamond heist have in common?

Laken Miller receives a trunk full of expensive vintage clothing and a stack of newspaper clippings about a fifty-year old diamond heist. Now all she has to do is figure out who murdered Tilly San Vicente before the killer silences her as well.

Buy links:

BWLPublishing 

Amazon 

AND ONE MORE THING!!!

To hear more I dropped by the House of Mystery not too long ago and made it Shine!

Listen now at:  https://shows.acast.com/houseofmysteryradio/episodes/diane-bator-all-that-shines

CHEERS!!

Diane

A Chat with Susan Horsnell about A Waitress for Wade and Eight Letters

 

Welcome to Escape With a Writer, Susan Horsnell!

 

My name is Susan Horsnell and I live in sunny Queensland, Australia. I retired 10 years ago after 37 years of Nursing.

My husband of 46 years, together with our Jack Russell Terrier puppy, Gemma, enjoy exploring the country with our caravan.

When we are at home, we spend our time renovating our home.

I write a variety of stories including Outback and City Australian Romance, Western Historical Romance, Contemporary Romance, Male/Male, Menage and Shapeshifter. Each book has a strong focus on story line with romantic interest building throughout.

I explore real life issues from kids on the streets to motorcycle war and put my own twist on each one.

I hope you enjoy exploring my books and look forward to hearing from you. 

Author Links:

Blog: http://susanhorsnell.com

Web: http://www.susanhorsnellromanceauthor.com/

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

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/susan-horsnell

Newsletter: http://bit.ly/2t5INNB

What would you say are your strengths as an author?

I think one of my strengths is my ability to draw on my experience as a nurse and the wife of a naval officer and weave them into my stories.

How often do you write, and do you write using a strict routine?

I write a little every day but if I don’t, it’s no big deal. Being an Indie, I have no deadlines or pressure. Writing for me is a passion. If I were to place deadlines and expectations on myself it would become a job.

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

I think my writing will be much more polished and creative. Experience will always bring about better and better stories.

If you could offer once piece of advice to a novice writer, what would it be?

Be true to yourself and believe in yourself. Write YOUR story, don’t try and satisfy other’s expectations.

What would you consider to be the best compliment a reader could give your book?

I love it when a reader says they lost themself in my story.

What are you working on now?

At the moment, I am working on a very exciting project with some extremely talented authors. Something very different. The first book will release in January 2022, but we will be launching our books later in 2021.

 

 

A WAITRESS FOR WADE - Sweet Romance

Wade Johnson is a man who runs a cattle ranch, five miles from the small town of Alexandar, Colorado. He’s struggling to raise three children alone after losing his wife in an influenza epidemic two years earlier.

Annalise Hudson is a woman happy in life. She works long hours in the family diner which she inherited when her mama and daddy were killed in a freak accident.

Wade’s eldest daughter thinks it’s about time he remarried, but he’s having none of her suggestion to advertise for a mail-order bride.

Annalise is forced to make a decision she wasn’t ready for when her world is tipped upside down.

Can these two make a life together when their meeting is based on deceit?

Buy Link:  https://www.susanhorsnellromanceauthor.com/awaitressforwade 

 

EIGHT LETTERS - Steamy Contemporary set in Sydney, Australia

Caitlin was used to living in abandoned buildings, or derelict houses.

She didn't expect much out of life.

All she wanted was a better life for her brother, and eight letters.

Sam was a successful architect on his way to the top of the industry.

The last thing he needed was a relationship with a woman in charge of her little brother.

And, what the hell were the eight letters all about?

Buy Link:  https://www.susanhorsnellromanceauthor.com/eightletters

 

Kathleen Kalb launches A Fatal First Night

 

Welcome back to cozy mystery author, Kathleen Kalb who has released her second book!

Kathleen Marple Kalb grew up in front of a microphone, and a keyboard. She’s now a weekend morning anchor at 1010 WINS New York, capping a career begun as a teenage DJ in Brookville, Pennsylvania. She worked her way up through newsrooms in Pittsburgh, Vermont and Connecticut, developing her skills and a deep and abiding distaste for snowstorms. While she wrote her first (thankfully unpublished) historical novel at age sixteen, fiction was firmly in the past until her son started kindergarten and she tried again. She, her husband the Professor, and their son the Imp, live in a Connecticut house owned by their cat.

WHERE TO FIND ME:

Website: https://kathleenmarplekalb.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Kathleen-Marple-Kalb-1082949845220373/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/KalbMarple

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kathleenmarplekalb/

 

Do your characters come before or after your plot?

I’m absolutely character-driven. First, I come up with a group of people I want to spend time with, and then I figure out what to do with them. It often grows out of the characters’ lives and work: A FATAL FIRST NIGHT starts with a backstage murder at Ella Shane’s current production, and the murder trial that reporter Hetty MacNaughten is finally allowed to cover. Most of the twists grow out of the characters’ relationships and their expectations. Not that I don’t spend plenty of time on plot. In FIRST NIGHT, there are two interlocking cases, and (hint, not spoiler!) you don’t know until the very end how everything is connected.

How do you choose a villain and how do you make them human?

All villains aren’t killers…and all killers aren’t obvious villains. Many of the nastiest characters in my work are simply horrible humans, but not necessarily the murderer. I like to think that all of my characters seem real and human, since they are to me, so the killers are often appealing people. Usually, they’re driven by ambition or need, and don’t understand why what they’ve done is wrong.

Do your reading choices reflect your writing choices?

Sure do! I’ve been a history buff since I was a kid, and the Victorian Era was always a favorite. Years before I was writing the Ella Shane series, I was marinating in the time period, and absorbing the details and the mores of the period. More, I grew up on ANNE OF GREEN GABLES and other late-Victorian fiction, and just loved the sense of a big cast of lovable people in a close-knit area. And, of course, the story of the poor orphan girl who makes good with a found family. History is still my go-to read when I’m working on a new project or just stressed. I’m reading Alison Weir’s biography of Elizabeth of York right now!

Which type of characters are your favorite to write?

Actually, as much fun as it is to “be” the main character and see the story through her eyes (I write first person), it’s often most satisfying to create a supporting character, or someone who has a small, but unforgettable role. Those vivid little portraits, like the judge in the trial in FIRST NIGHT, or a bitter retired opera singer in FINALE, are really fulfilling for a writer. I take a lot of joy in creating those folks, whether or not we see them again.

What are you working on now?

The third Ella Shane is in process – coming next year from Kensington. I’m well into a fourth, but I can’t tell you the frame without a major spoiler, so let’s just say that if/when it happens, it will be a lot of fun. Also on my plate, under the pen name of Nikki Knight, is a contemporary cozy set at a Vermont radio station: LIVE, LOCAL AND DEAD is due next spring from Crooked Lane. And, I’m working on an entirely new historical project involving the early silent movie business in New York.

What sort of research do you do for your work?

The backbone of my research is simply a lifetime of reading history. I still devour new books on the Victorian Era and more whenever I see them at my library. That said, when I’m working on a project, there are a lot of little details that have to be nailed down – thank heavens for all the records posted online! Old calendars, baseball schedules, pictures of old jewelry, corset ads, you name it, I’ve spent more time than you’d like to think studying them. And loved every second of it!

 

A FATAL FIRST NIGHT – published 4/27/21: The return of swashbuckling opera diva Ella Shane, an Irish-Jewish Lower East Side orphan made good, opens with a murder in Richard III’s dressing room after the premiere of her new production, The Princes in the Tower.  Ella and friends aren't at all sure about their colleague's guilt -- even though it seems obvious. Meanwhile, newspaper reporter Hetty MacNaughten has finally escaped hats to cover a sensational murder trial. And then her British aristocrat beau shows up with more than romance on his mind. Before it’s over, the cast will have to sort out several interlocking mysteries…and find another Richard III. Will everyone survive to the final curtain? 

BUY: https://www.kensingtonbooks.com/9781496727244/a-fatal-first-night/

 

 

A FATAL FINALE (4/28/20) Ella’s debut, features her singing Romeo when her Juliet dies onstage. The girl’s cousin, a genuine British Duke, comes to New York to investigate and immediately insults Ella – who schools him in a fencing match. Soon, Ella, her “confirmed bachelor” former boxing champ cousin Tommy, and the colorful cast are looking for a killer…and the Duke is hooked.  No spoiler (just tease!) it all culminates in a catwalk duel with the killer – with Ella handling swordplay while the Duke waits in the wings.

BUY: https://www.kensingtonbooks.com/9781496727237/