Dear Readers, I’m excited about the publication of my book Cowboy Charm School.   It’s been in the works for a long time. I played around with the concept for more than five years before I actually got around to writing it.   Book ideas generally come to me in scenes.  I’ll suddenly visualize someone atop a runaway stagecoach, scrambling over a roof, or running from a burning building and then have to figure out who, what, and why. The scene that popped into my head for Cowboy Charm School was a bride and groom standing at the altar about to say, “I do.”  Suddenly, a tall, handsome stranger runs into the church yelling, “Stop the wedding!”   I finally figured out that the stranger is Texas Ranger Brett Tucker, who thinks he’s saving the bride from marrying an outlaw. He’s mistaken, of course, but his accusations cause the bride and groom to break up.  Feeling terrible for what he’s done, Brett decides to work to bring the estranged couple back together again. God knows he means well.  But as the old western saying goes: When buying a horse, don’t consult a pedestrian; when courting a woman, don’t ask the…

Texas is a big state, and a great many of our male citizens wear cowboy boots and a Stetson or other brand cowboy hat. That doesn’t mean that man is a cowboy. Texas also hosts some huge and amazing rodeos, so especially during rodeo season, everyone togs up in western wear, as though they know which end of a horse is which. So, when I say REAL COWBOY, I’m talking about the men who actually work on a ranch, ride horses, shovel out stalls, plant crops, raise cattle and have a whole different way of looking at life than the city fellows. A real cowboy is generally down to earth, would do anything to help a neighbor, and they have a certain inner confidence that comes across. Gotta love a Real Cowboy. 1) Real cowboys know how to treat a woman. If you have ever loved and been loved by a real cowboy, you wouldn’t have to ask. <g> 2) Real cowboys do not wear baggy, saggy pants, and they do know how to fill out their Wranglers 3) When a Real Cowboy walks into a room all the women know there’s a man in the room…and so do the…

Writes: Elizabeth Heiter writes both psychological suspense and romantic suspense. Her books feature strong heroines, chillingly realistic villains, and psychological twists. She believes every hero or heroine has the right plot waiting for them (and she believes in making them work hard for their happy ending!). About: Elizabeth doesn’t know how to be bored, so she’s had ten books in two genres (plus three short stories) published in the past four and a half years. She can usually be found with a mocha next to her laptop, writing her work-in-progress, editing the book she’s just finished, and researching the one up next. That research has taken her to the FBI’s firing range, the CIA’s headquarters, and a police academy. What I’m looking for in my ideal reader match: Loves the twists and turns of a good mystery. Appreciates a heroine who can take down a man twice her size. Longs for a hero who can charm a strong woman, without being intimidated by her. Wants their heart to pound relentlessly during a great action scene. Believes that anything worth having is worth fighting for. Knows the best villains are as unwilling to give up as the heroes. Craves a book…

When I first set out to write this series – Band on the Run – this was not quite the way I had it planned.  It was going to be a trilogy, but unrelated. For those of you who know me, I’m kind of known more for my family sagas, but the chance to write something a little different fed my creativity in a way that nothing had in a while.  So how did we end up here? After much discussion, it was decided that the music trilogy would be an off-shoot of my Shaughnessy Brothers series. Why? Because Riley Shaughnessy is a rock star whose band is on hiatus. 😊 CUE THE INSPIRATION!! And so the series now had it’s players and its foundation and I have to say, I have loved every minute of it. You see, music plays a large part in my life. I’m married to a drummer. My older son was in a band.  Overall, we are a family who LOVES music, so the thought of writing books set in the music world fascinated me. BUT…I was going to take a different approach to writing about a rock band. I wasn’t writing about life on…

Regular readers of the Magical Cats mysteries have learned that Kathleen Paulson’s parents are actors. Kathleen’s mother, Thea, has a devoted fan base thanks to her appearances on the fictional daytime drama the Wild and the Wonderful, while her father, John’s dancing raisin commercial has become a cult classic. In THE CATS CAME BACK, Kathleen learns that singer Emme Finley, who is in town for the Wild Rose summer music festival, has a connection to Thea. They were both in the musical, Mamma Mia. I confess that I have a soft spot for movie musicals, which, in part, is why I decided Thea had to have acted in at least one. So here in no particular order, and subject to change at any time, are my top ten movie musicals. Mamma Mia. I can sing all the songs. And Meryl Streep. (What else is there to say?) Singing in the Rain Gene Kelly dancing in the rain. Magical. The Sound of Music I know this one is a little dated but it has Julie Andrews whom I’ve loved since Mary Poppins. And Do-Ra-Mi is so much fun to sing. (Kathleen and Hercules are both fans, too.) West Side Story In…

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 Erin Nicholas. Writes:  Playfully sexy, fun and flirty contemporary romance with heroes who are laid-back, dirty-talking charmers, heroines who know exactly how to handle them (and wrap them around their little fingers), and secondary characters that often threaten to steal the scene. Going Down Easy is the first of a hot new series set in New Orleans and will be melting e-readers on August 28th. About: Hopeless romantic who uses naughty words (in her writing and real life) seeking other avid readers who are okay with that and who love a dirty-talking hero with a sexy, southern drawl and a panty-melting grin and who want to see him fall absolutely head over heels for a woman who   …well, also loves all of that but has some pretty high walls for him to bring down before she’ll let him too close. What I’m looking for in my ideal reader match: Someone who finds single dads especially sexy. Someone who has had, or is atleast willing…

WRITES: Strong women, in first person present tense so that you are in their head the whole time life is unfolding. Romantic suspense with high heat level and a lot of action to pump up the intensity, in and out of the bedroom. ABOUT AUTHOR: Born in Poland, but growing up in Canada, Hannah moved to Southern California to pursue her love of single-engine airplanes. Hard Trigger is an action-packed adventure with a female James Bond–type character that is sexy, savvy, intense, and unapologetic. S.L. Hannah lives in Los Angeles, California, with her husband, her garden of succulents, and her feisty little dog-boss. When she’s not writing fiction, she continues to solve the aviation problems of the world. WHAT IM LOOKING FOR IN MY IDEAL READER MATCH: A reader that is not looking for a “typical” romance. My relationships are complex and my heroes have issues that I dare explore and day jobs that I am often uncomfortable exploring. Loves James Bond and has always wondered why there was never a Jane Bond… WHAT TO EXPECT IF COMPATIBLE: A telenovela-style pacing that is full of twists and turns and hot sex. A heroine that is complex and doesn’t “need” a man. An author that will always push…

Hands down one of the most romantic places on earth is a rocky coastal shore or the never-ending line of a sandy beach with white capped ocean waves as far as the eye can see. Add in a sexy as sin hero, working to win over the woman of his dreams, and you have the makings of a happy ever after that will stick with you long after…well…the after. Not that you need convincing, but just in case you haven’t pondered it, here are my 5 top reasons for dallying in a seaside romance! The call of seagulls. The song of these birds has always been an iconic coastal melody for me. It is hard to pinpoint exactly what it is about the sound, but their call leaves me feeling renewed, content, and full of wonder. A feeling of hope and curiosity about what is around the next bend, a feeling that each new day will be filled once again with beauty. I know, I know…it sounds a bit hopelessly romantic, but these are my 5 top reasons. So hopelessly romantic is what you get. Romantic walks along the rocky cliffs. I would say midnight walks…like you might think on…

Conventional wisdom tells storytellers to write what we know. I prefer to write what I want to know more about. For fiction to be compelling, it must be grounded in fact. Since I spend about 50 percent of my writer’s life doing research, I’d prefer to invest that time in learning about things that interest me. That was part of the impetus behind my Sister Lou Mystery cozy mystery series featuring a Catholic sister as the amateur sleuth. [Note: She’s a sister, not a nun. Sisters work in and with the community whereas nuns are cloistered.] I was born and raised Catholic, which means there are things that I know that I don’t understand. There are things that I do, but don’t know why I do them. And I can’t help thinking there are things I should know and should do, but am ignorant of. Writing my Sister Lou Mystery series gives me an outlet for my research into Catholicism. This research is embodied in my amateur sleuth heroine, 63-year-old Sister Louise “Lou” LaSalle. She’s a Catholic sister with a doctorate in Philosophy who left higher education to serve as a member of the congregation’s leadership team. My Sister Lou…

As part of our countdown to Readers & ‘ritas 2018, our Meet the Author interviews help you get to know the authors joining us in Texas on November 9-11. Read on to get acquainted with Nicola Cameron, and purchase your ticket to meet her in person at Readers & ‘ritas! Pitch us your newest book in one sentence. BEHIND THE IRON CROSS (coming soon): In 1925 Berlin, an American heiress, a frustrated songwriter, and a German army officer will have their lives changed when they meet at a decadent nightclub. If you could meet one of your characters in real life, who would you choose and what would you do? I’d probably want to hang out with Lily Nayar from TO MY MUSE because she’s hilarious and we could trade tech writing nightmare stories over Starbucks. What gets your creative juices flowing when you’re brainstorming a new story? Any sort of crafting helps me with brainstorming a new story—making sterling silver jewelry has actually become part of my writing process. Which part of Readers & ‘ritas are you most excited about?  Meeting and having a ball with all the attendees—I can’t pick just one event! We’re all romantics here, so…