Throughout the Shifter Wars series, there is one character that is in the background, coming forward when needed, and providing support to the shifters. Shoshannah is the shifters’ ancestral spirit. She lives in the Cave of Whispers and usually visits any shifters that come to talk to her. Shoshannah takes the form of a white light that evolves into whatever shifter form is needed at the time. She’s been a giant white bear, a mountain lion, a wolf, a bird, and even a tiger. She gives advice to shifters seeking guidance, but similar to the Oracle at Delphi, what she says isn’t always clear to the recipients. What exactly does it mean to hear that a character will change the world? One thing we do find out is that Shoshannah doesn’t know everything—and doesn’t know how the future will play out. She’s involved in the shifters lives from before they are born until they die. The ceremony at the lake to grieve and honor the dead in the war is led by Shoshannah and though she isn’t a god, the shifters revere her. She’s become an integral part of the mythos of Deep Creek, and when she’s threatened by outside…

On Sunday at 5:30 a.m. CST but 12:30 p.m. per WAT, Brandon cleared security and walked across the tarmac toward the next, much smaller plane. Harrison was at his side. Neither had said a word since arriving in Africa. Brandon had slept on the plane. If he could sleep on those US military cargo carriers, he could sleep anywhere. He presumed Harrison caught some Zs as well. Both knew what needed to be done, and they realized how important the job was. It was even worse that Bullard was the one in trouble. It was always harder when a friend or family member went missing. With Merk and Stone already over here, Brandon and Harrison knew they’d be met and debriefed as soon as they landed. But, in the meantime, traveling was a bitch. Before boarding the transatlantic flight, Harrison had brought out his laptop and said, “We’ll need to download some information first.” He quickly copied files onto a USB key and handed it to Brandon. “Just a little light reading. Make sure you’ve got it all down before we land.” Once the pilot finally gave the go-ahead to move about the cabin and to use the tray tables,…

A Review of S.T.A.G.S. by M.A. Bennett S.T.A.G.S. by M.A. Bennett, is a fast-paced mystery that kept me on the edge of my seat wanting to know more. The story starts off with the main character, Greer MacDonald, coming to a private school named S.T.A.G.S. She finds herself alone, with no friends in a school that is much fancier than her last, but she’s managing fairly well during the first part of the school year. Then during Justitium, the school’s mid-term break, Greer gets a letter slipped under her door from one of the Medievals, the most popular group in the school, inviting her to spend Justitium at Longcross Hall—the home of the most popular Medieval, Henry Warlencourt. Is this invitation like any old invitation to a birthday party or special event, or is there a hidden story behind the listed events of “Huntin’ Shootin’ and Fishin’“? M.A. Bennett knows how to organize and compose a novel to make the reader feel like she is truly a part of the story. From the first word of page one, I knew this was going to be a book that kept me up at night secretly reading. I could never stop reading….

Spring is in the air, (hopefully) and so is our desire to get into shape. But instead of thinking seasonally when it comes to your health – think long term. I’m going to give you three bits of advice so that you can be independent for the rest of your life: Move every day. Eat well. Sleep well. At the ripe old age of 82 I have done it all. I lost 50 pounds twenty years ago and kept it off. Tom and I walk every day. Rain, snow, or shine.   Tom and I walk every day with our neighbor Ed, a former WWII Navy Vet. Ed is turning 93 in a few days. Yup, you read that right. 93. Ed walks every single day, except when it’s slippery. He is truly an inspiration. Our friend Ed, 93 and going strong!   Youth is a forgiving time, but when you treat it poorly, the consequences catch up to you eventually. That’s why it’s important to get out there and walk the walk. I say that metaphorically. If you have a treadmill at home, do that every day. If you enjoy swimming, make it happen. The point is to stay active, just…

My two favorite elements of historical romances are the settings and the heroes. The settings, because there is nothing like escaping into a different time and place. I love immersing myself in Regency and Restoration England, and of course, the Scottish Highlands. Now the heroes *happy sigh*. They just make the romance, don’t they? When it comes to John, the hero in my new book, HOW TO ENSNARE A HIGHLANDER, I combined two of my favorite types of heroes. Highlanders and Highwaymen. There’s just something about those highwaymen…well, the Robin Hood types at least. Gallant, hearts of gold, but with a healthy hint of danger that gives those handsome rogues their alluring edge. Add that sexy Scottish brogue and a kilt flapping in the wind, and I’m sold. Here are my Top 5 qualities for a lovable Highland rogue. A heart of gold – if we’re talking highwaymen, then I’m definitely more for the Robin Hood type. Sure, he might rob your carriage, but he’s doing it to help the poor and is more likely to charm your socks off than steal them. Or, while he steals them, perhaps. 😉 A dangerous side – I’ll admit it, I’m a sucker…

Kensey Deaton, the heroine of my newest book, THE BIG BAD WOLF, is a bit of a rule breaker. She’s strong, opinionated, and refuses to be stuffed into an archaic mold created by the werewolf patriarchy. There are a million reasons that I’m Team Kensey. Here are the top five. Fashion sense. Kensey is a flannel, T-shirt, and jeans kind of girl. Comfort above the painful style that most pack daughters embrace. She has a passion for quirky T-shirt sayings that make me jealous of her wardrobe. Case in point one that says, “If ya can’t beat em, join em—then beat em.“ She knows who she is—and embraces it. Kensey is the kind of girl who knows herself. She knows what she wants and won’t stop till she gets it. She’s never fit in with the other pack daughters and that’s fine with her. While they keep the most primal parts of their wolves chained and buried away, Kensey is shameless and free, enjoying who—and what—she is. She’s not a pushover. When pushed, Kensey Deaton pushes back. So many people in her life think they know what’s good for her. Where she should go, what she should eat—who she should…

Everton, PA is the fictional setting for my latest release, NIGHT OF THE FLOOD – a collaborative “novel in stories” featuring contributions from Rob Brunet, Gwen Florio, J.J. Hensley, Jennifer Hillier, Shannon Kirk, Sarah M. Chen, Wendy Tyson, E.A. Aymar, Jenny Milchman, Angel Colon, Mark Edwards, Alan Orloff, Hilary Davidson, and an introduction from Hank Phillippi Ryan. Here are a few reasons you might want to steer clear of Everton: The dam broke – and it wasn’t an accident: After Maggie Wilbourne became the first woman in modern times to be executed in Pennsylvania (for killing her rapists), a group of activists protested her execution by blowing up the dam. “The Daughters,” as they’re known, wanted to send a message – and they did, because now the whole town is going underwater. Things are scarier in the dark: As the water slowly submerges the town over a period of twenty-four hours (during which all the stories are set), the electricity is going out, too. The residents of the town have two choices: hunker down and try to wait it out, or make a break for it, in canoes or kayaks or even a big-rig truck. But without electricity, it’s harder…

One of the key elements when writing either suspense or comedy is the use of the reversal twist. It needs to be foreshadowed, so the reader will believe it when it happens, but it must also come as a surprise. Depending on the genre, this surprise will either cause laughter or fear/tension. This twist often comes when the main character discovers information he/she did not know before. Naturally, this makes amnesia or some form memory loss ideal if you want to raise the level of suspense. Here are a few examples of why amnesia is a great plot device. * Please note that since reversal twists often take place near the end of a story, some of these examples will include spoilers. Surprise Endings: One of my favorite examples of memory loss is seen in Grace in The Others (movie, 2001). She believes that the house she lives in is haunted, but she can’t convince anyone else. Creepy events ensue until you’re absolutely sure that Grace is right. There are ghosts in the house. In fact, you’re so convinced this is true that it’s hard to see the surprise twist coming—Grace and her children are actually the ghosts. They have…

Young adult authors are sometimes accused of writing unrealistic narratives—teens who save intergalactic worlds, start revolutions, or end The Hunger Games. Where are the parents? We’re asked. Where is the trademark teenage apathy? Where are the cops? Wouldn’t these characters wait for help? Well, maybe they’re tired of waiting. In the first book of the Anastasia Phoenix series, PROOF OF LIES, Anastasia dives into the criminal espionage world that her late parents thrust upon her. She searches for her missing and presumed dead sister on her own, after all the adults in her life tell her she’s wrong and she should give up. She doesn’t. It’s an adventure story, with a lot of action and romance, and I admit the plot can be viewed as unrealistic. A teen fighting spies? A teen who can speak four languages? A teen going after a corrupt organization? But as I look at the world today, as I watch the news, I think maybe us authors in the young adult community are getting it right. I’m not surprised one bit by the activism I’m seeing, by the articulation of a long-needed message, by the change that will undoubtedly be brought to our country by…

I’m a Southern girl, and in the South we love to feed people. In good times and in bad, food is often the currency we use to demonstrate our affection or concern. A homemade pie can say, “Thank you!” A full meal can say, “I know you’re going through a hard time and I want to help.” I love to cook and entertain friends and the heroine in my upcoming release Beneath the Surface, Leigh Weston, definitely got that from me. Leigh and I are kindred spirits when it comes to expressing our love with an open door and lots of tasty treats. Most of what Leigh cooks is from scratch with no recipe, but one of her go-to desserts can be whipped up in a jiffy with just a few ingredients that she keeps on hand. The fact that it’s the favorite dessert of Ryan Parker, the hero in Beneath the Surface, made it a no-brainer for Leigh to serve to the men and women of the Dive Team who need to use her lakeside home’s dock for an investigation. They loved it! Better Than Anything Cake Ingredients: 1 prepared German Chocolate Cake in a 13×9 pan 1 14…