How old were you when you started writing? I was 38 when I started my first book. I had no intention of being an author when I started; I simply wanted to see if I could finish a book. I found a community of like-minded people and learned a ton about the creative process and the business side of writing. Once I finished that first book, I wondered if it was publish-worthy. It wasn’t. So I wrote another and another. My third book—after being rewritten a half-dozen times—finally sold. I didn’t enjoy writing in high school and college. My teachers had a way of destroying the pleasure of putting words on paper. I wrote to please them, not myself. What’s the most difficult part of being a full-time writer? What’s the most rewarding? Self-discipline. I write a novel every six months. I plan out my weeks of research, writing, and editing. I must stick to my schedule, or else I find myself in a stressful rush for the last month or two. The current book is always hanging over my head—it’s a cloud that never leaves. When I turn the book in, it’s immediately replaced by the next book. I…

The last homework assignment has been completed. The last drive line has been driven. And the last school bell has rung…until August. Mom’s across America are breathing a sigh of relief— until next week when they have to scramble to entertain the bored kids. I have a few mysteries for you to enjoy during the short window of unabashed joy your kids are experiencing from the freedom of school responsibilities. For those teachers out there, enjoy the silence—you deserve it! ROCKETS’ DEAD GLARE by Lynn Cahoon Tourist Trap Mystery As sunny South Cove, California, gears up for their annual Fourth of July celebrations, a local murder threatens to kill the fireworks . . . South Cove’s local businesses are up in arms after volunteer fire chief Barry Gleason threatens to shut down anyone who doesn’t comply with the fire code. But when Barry schedules a training burn in an old abandoned barn, he is the only one who doesn’t come out alive. Jill Gardner—owner of Coffee, Books, and More—smells murder in the ashes. She’ll have to work quickly to nab a killer with a short fuse—or else everyone’s holiday will end with a fizzle . . . Mystery Woman Sleuth…

My father was a Vietnam veteran who suffered from PTSD. A part of me always grieves for him, for how he suffered and how his illness affected our family. And a part of me will always grieve for the little girl whose father came back from war a stranger, and for the relationship we never got to have. His illness took him away from me, from his family, from the man he was before. When I was nineteen, I went camping with him and my brother in the Ozark mountains in Arkansas. I’d only seen him a few times since I was a young girl. We went rafting in rapids filled with snakes, brown water moccasins slithering around the sides of the river, me so scared my hands hurt from gripping tightly to the sides of the raft so I wouldn’t fall in. We went horseback riding. And again, I was afraid, but determined. I climbed up on a beautiful brown mare, massive and strong. My father said, “Don’t let her know you’re afraid. She’ll feel it.” So high, so far from the ground. She felt my fear. “Debbie, what are you waiting for? Give her a little kick to…

The latest from FierceBeyond50, a lifestyle blog from NY Times Bestselling author, Marie Bostwick. Female hand writing letter on white office paper on wooden desk.[/caption] REVIVING THE LOST ART OF LETTER WRITING Remember when we used to send and receive hand-written letters instead of using email or social media or texting? Sure, it takes longer, but it’s so much more special! Here’s why the lost art of letter writing is making a comeback. HOW TO BEAT THE BLUES WITH NATURAL REMEDIES THAT WORK We’ve all had those days. Call it the blues, the doldrums, or the depths of despair. Part of being fierce is learning to deal with those occasional struggles. Here’s how to overcome anxiety, stress, and mild depression with natural, drug-free strategies you can do at home. One of the sure-fire ways? Pick up a book. REV UP THOSE OVENS Cookies, muffins, banana bread, oh my! Here are a few of my favorite baked goods to make and share as well as a roundup of the best baking cookbooks in my kitchen. Because sometimes life calls for sugar. And carbs. And butter. And joy. PRETTY PLANTER IDEAS FOR SPRING When spring arrives, the urge to dig in the…

I can’t believe I can finally share my second book in my Bravo Team WOLF series with the world! As some of you may know, I’ve been writing military romance for years. Joining my love and respect for those who serve with my love of paranormal romance has been a dream come true for me. Although each of these books standalone, they introduce you to a team of wolves who not only protect and defend their pack, they also strive to work for the greater good. In the case of Cage, he went in for a mission. On that job, he met Bianca, a woman brave enough to try to save a child when she is kidnapped in the jungle by guerillas. Although she’s human, this particular woman already shows she’s got the heart of a wolf… but is she in the process of changing physically? For me, writing military romance is all about giving happy ever afters to those who are willing to give it all in defense of their country. Wolves, as those who love the genre know, are equally loyal, dedicated to pack above all else. Passionate, powerful, and dedicated—these are three great qualities when it comes…

Everyone loves the beach. Though I live in Montana, I’m fortune to spend my winters at the beach in sunny California. My writing space looks out on a boat channel that leads to the harbor so I watch the tide go up and down several times a day. A bicycle-ride away, a sandy beach slopes down to the water where a frothy tide rolls in and out, the perfect place to talk a stroll at the end of a long day or just dig your toes into the warm gritty sand. For me, there is no better way to spend an afternoon than lying in the sun on a bright-colored beach towel, straw hat shading your face while you read a delicious, page-turning novel. The rhythmic curl and tug of the waves is the perfect backdrop, lulling me into the story, shutting out the day-to-day troubles of the world, if only for a little while. As a writer, lying half-asleep in the sun, listening to the soft rush of the wind and the cry of seagulls, is a great way to get story ideas. Too often I get stuck when writing a novel (I refuse to call it writer’s block,…

Harvard Summer Workshop. Advanced Novel Writing Class. Professor Haviaras raises his bushy eyebrows and surveys his classroom of future authors with a withering stare. He says in his Greek accent, “The most important thing to do before beginning your first novel? To find your voice.” That advice helped me polish my first manuscript, the one I had brought to the workshop. A few months later, MADEMOISELLE VICTORINE was acquired by Random House. It was even translated into many foreign languages I can’t speak. I began writing my latest novel YOU LUCKY DOG, pub date June 6th, by recalling the dictum, “Find your voice.” I felt the voice should be in the first person. I mean, first dog. I got the idea for this book a few years ago when a good friend lamented that she wished she could find a man who loves her as much her dog does. “He’s always happy to see me. When I come home from work, he rushes to greet me at the door. And he senses when I have the blues. He lays his head on my lap and looks up at me with those soulful eyes. It’s unconditional love. Why can’t I find…

Instead of trying to find your perfect match in a dating app, we bring you the “Reader Match” where we introduce you to authors as a reader you may fall in love with. It’s our great pleasure to present Jennifer Probst. Writes: Sexy and erotic contemporary romance. My books are chock full of humor, banter, family drama, kick-ass heroines who always challenge my alpha hero, and of course, rescue dogs. Sometimes, even a rescue chicken…My newest release is THE START OF SOMETHING GOOD, the first in the brand new STAY series which releases this month. About: I wrote my first book at twelve years old. I bound it in a folder, read it to my classmates, and haven’t stopped since. I hold a masters in English Literature and live in the beautiful Hudson Valley in upstate New York. I have two sons and a rescue dog who keep me active, stressed, joyous, and sad my house will never be truly clean. I’m passionate about horse racing, Scrabble, rescue dogs, Italian food, and wine—not necessarily in that order. What I’m looking for in my ideal reader match: A reader who likes to laugh out loud at the antics of the hero,…

by Annetta Sweetko Nora Roberts’ SHELTER IN PLACE will pull out every emotion inside you and leave you speechless. That is precisely what happened to me. Very rarely does a book hold me in its spell like this one did and even fewer keep me reading until 3 a.m. SHELTER IN PLACE is divided into three parts with the first taking place 14 years prior with “Innocence Lost.” In this part we begin with three girlfriends at the mall going to the movies, though Simone Knox’s heart isn’t into it as her boyfriend of seven months had just dumped her. Simone had no idea what true devastation really meant until that night. Reed Quartermaine worked at the mall, but at the time was currently trying to get Angie to go on a date with him. He receives a maybe for the late movie, so he is happy and then it happens. Gunfire, people screaming, running. Simone in the bathroom hides and calls 911, Reed going back to work is in the midst of the chaos and finds himself inside of a kiosk with a lost little boy and calling 911 with Angie’s blood on his shoes. Life changes for so…

Growing up in Grafton, Illinois, situated between the Mississippi River and the limestone bluffs carved from it eons ago, the legend of the Piasa Bird is well known. There is even a rendering of the Native American bird on a bluff wall on the National Scenic Byway (or as we like to call it, the River Road). The “Piasa” is a birdlike monster as large as a calf, with horns like a deer, red eyes, a human face, the body covered with green, red and black scales, and a tail so long it passed around the body. The creature was given its name by the Illini Indians, “The Piasa,” a bird that devours men. Well, I thought about legends, and how some have a basis of truth or religious belief attached to their stories. That got me to thinking about all the bedtime stories, campfire recollections, and folklore of the area, including the Piasa Bird. Now, wouldn’t it be cool if there really was some truth to the shifter tales we read about? So, I picked one area, Native American legends, and focused on that for my research. I learned about power animals or “spirit guides” that many tribes believe…