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My guest author today brings a story she started out writing for a college thesis, similar to my own Undying Love (original thesis title: Traces). And both of us kept working with those stories until we got them where we want them. Please help me welcome, author Tara Conrad!

Tara Conrad is a collared submissive and married to her Dominant, George. They are high school sweethearts who are still madly in love. Tara has always loved reading and was encouraged by her husband to start writing. Tara writes a little bit of sweet romance and a whole lotta steamy romance. It’s been an incredible journey so far and it’s just starting. She hopes to share many more stories with readers.

Author Social Links: Facebook | Instagram

Betty: What inspired you to write the story you’re sharing with us today?

Tara: Submitting to Him was born from two places: my story with my husband and it was also my thesis novel for my MFA program. I wanted to write a novel about the BDSM lifestyle that didn’t depict it in a sensational way but showed more of what a true-to-love Dom/sub relationship might look like.

Betty: What, if any, new writing skill did you develop while working on this story?

Tara: I learned the importance of letting myself be vulnerable while I’m writing. To not hold back or be afraid when I’m putting words on paper—the magic will happen. I also learned that my characters have a mind of their own and some of them can get pretty loud and demanding at times.

Betty: Did you struggle with any part of this story? What and how?

Tara: I struggled with Natalie. She struggles with self-confidence and people pleasing. It was a fine line to walk between making her a pushover and accurately showing how she struggles and is easily controlled by her parents, from an unending desire to please them. It’s something I know many people struggle with. I wanted her character and her personal story line to reflect that and to show her growth throughout the story.

Betty: Which character(s) were the easiest to get to know? Why do you think?

Tara: Viktor. He wasn’t supposed to be anything other than Alex’s driver but somehow his voice got very loud, and his story became crystal clear. He was so easy to get to know.

Betty: What kind of research did you need to do to write this story?

Tara: Because this story started as my MFA thesis, I had to research EVERYTHING!! I’m certain I got some interest from the FBI for my internet searches. LOL I had to research everything from Russian history and human trafficking all the way to can motel doors have a broken safety latch?

Betty: How many drafts of the story did you write before you felt the story was complete?

Tara: A LOT. There were at least three or four while I was in school. Originally this book was published through a small publisher, when I got my rights back, I did a big re-write. I’ve honestly lost count of how many drafts I wrote.

Betty: How long did it take for you to write the story you’re sharing with us? Is that a typical length of time for you? Why or why not?

Tara: Because this was for school first, I spent close to two years working on it while I got my degree. It took a lot longer than my books take now. I usually get a book written in about four weeks. Then, it goes to my beta readers and editing. After that all comes back, I spend one or two weeks polishing it, so in total about six weeks to have a book ready for publishing.

Betty: What rituals or habits do you have while writing?

Tara: I don’t know if this counts, but I read every draft to my husband. He takes notes of problem areas as we read. For some reason, he started writing them from the bottom right corner of the page and working up to the top. Now, it’s just become a “thing” we do.

Betty: Every author has a tendency to overuse certain words or phrases in drafts, such as just, once, smile, nod, etc. What are yours?

Tara: Just, that, and really. LOL

Betty: Do you have any role models? If so, why do you look up to them?

Tara: My son, Jacob. He’s on the autism spectrum. He was diagnosed when he was four. We were told he probably would never talk, let alone read and write. He’s struggled all his life with schoolwork and social situations. As his mom, it was so hard to watch. Today, he has a college degree and a full-time job. He still has barriers, but he doesn’t let them stop him. There are days he gets frustrated and discouraged, but he always picks himself up and destroys anything that tries to stop him!

Betty: Do you have a special place to write? Revise? Read?

Tara: I love to sit at my desk, which is in front of a big window. I have a hummingbird feeder there—which often ends up in my being distracted watching those little wonders.

Betty: Many authors have a day job. Do you? If so, what is it and do you enjoy it?

Tara: Other than being an author, I’m a stay-at-home mom to 4 young adult children and a wife/submissive to my husband.

Betty: As an author, what do you feel is your greatest achievement?

Tara: I was super excited to get a publishing contract for my Fire and Ice series, but soon learned not all publishers are honest and fair. It was a very difficult time for me. These books were my heart and soul. Literally blood, sweat, and tears. I had to fight to get my rights back and to regroup from that mess. I could’ve thrown in the towel and walked away, but I didn’t. So far, my greatest achievement is fighting for my books back and taking my career into my own hands. With my husband by my side, I’ve done major rewrites on the first three books in my series. My husband (Dominant Designs) designed all new covers and did the interior formatting. Together we self-published (re-published) the first three books in my series: Submitting to Him, Fighting with Him, and Living for Him. After getting those back to us and published, I’ve gone on to write several more books. Have had multiple Barnes and Noble signings and am living the life of my dreams!

Betty: What is your favorite genre to read?

Tara: Romance- I love a good happily ever after!!

Betty: Success looks different to different people. It could be wealth, or fame, or an inner joy at reaching a certain level. How do you define success in terms of your writing career?

Tara: I’m not going to lie, a big part of this career, for me, is to earn money. I’m hoping to earn enough that my husband can quit his full-time job. Aside from that, I want to continue to write books that people love to read.

An act of betrayal, a call to 911, and a note from the brother she lost give Natalie the courage to embark on a journey of self-exploration.

Unknowingly set up by their friends, Alex and Natalie spend the evening together at New York City’s Fire and Ice BDSM club.

Neither one is looking for love, but their chemistry is too strong to ignore.

They agree to a Dom/sub contract with an expiration date—the insurance policy both believe will keep their hearts safe.

Distance makes the heart grow fonder, or so they say.

Forces outside their control seek to pull them apart, but they find their way back to one another.

The couple’s connection is stronger than ever until tragedy strikes Natalie’s family.

Mistakes are made. Words that can’t be taken back are uttered.

Sometimes it takes the love of friends to pick up the pieces.

Can two broken souls find their way back to one another?

Buy Links: Books2Read

Tara, thank you for emphasizing how your contemporary novel included researching to ensure the details are accurate. Sometimes, people think only historical novels require research, which is far from the truth Thanks for stopping by and sharing your story!

Happy reading!

Betty

Award-winning Author of Historical Fiction with Heart, and Haunting, Bewitching Love Stories

Visit www.bettybolte.com for a complete list of my books and appearances.

Subscribe to My Newsletter to learn the inside scoop about releases and more!

Buckle up, folks! And help me welcome self-proclaimed smart…guy Steven Mayfield to the guest author interview hot seat! Let’s dive right in, shall we?

Steven Mayfield is the award-winning author of Howling at the Moon, Treasure of the Blue Whale, and the upcoming Delphic Oracle, U.S.A. He lives and writes in Oregon.

Author Social Links: Facebook * Twitter

Betty: What inspired you to write the story you’re sharing with us today?

Steven: I was working on two short stories and realized that the protagonists lived in the same town. I then searched my “Ideas” file and found several other characters in search of a home. The result was Delphic Oracle, U.S.A., a small town in Nebraska that is home to some oddballs.

Betty: What, if any, new writing skill did you develop while working on this story?

Steven: I finally, at long last, stopped going off on tangents with minor characters.

Betty: Did you struggle with any part of this story? What and how?

Steven: There are two timelines, separated by nearly ninety years. Keeping the reader in two moments was a challenge that I addressed by allowing a first-person narrator to tell the story from both his own observations and experiences and those gleaned from his great-grandmother’s memories.

Betty: Which character(s) were the easiest to get to know?

Steven: Probably July and Maggie, the star-crossed lovers of the 1920s time setting. I knew who they were from the start and neither changed much.

Betty: What kind of research did you need to do to write this story?

Steven: I researched the oracles of Delphi and Plutarch’s Parallel Lives. I read a lot of Shakespeare, searching for quotes, and used A Midsummer Night’s Dream as a basis for the last chapter of the book.

Betty: How many drafts of the story did you write before you felt the story was complete?

Steven: Umptygazillion. The original draft was 185,000 words. With the help of novelist and editor, Mary Rakow and my Regal House editor, Jaynie Royal, it was trimmed down to a tidy 89,000. There was a lot of fat on the bone. Did I mention tangents and minor characters? You get the idea.

Betty: How long did it take for you to write the story you’re sharing with us? Is that a typical length of time for you? Why or why not?

Steven: I began the book in 2008, but because the structure (two timelines) was so challenging I frequently had to set it aside and published two other books before finally completing an acceptable draft in 2020. That is not typical for me. Treasure of the Blue Whale (Regal House 2020) and “The Penny Mansions” (Regal House 2023) both took about a year. I have another book, tentatively entitled “Sixty Seconds,” which is half done four months into the project.

Betty: What rituals or habits do you have while writing?

Steven: I try to write every day, even if it’s just a few words. I begin by revising what I wrote the day before, which often results in significant expansion. Then, I write new words for the next day.

Betty: Every author has a tendency to overuse certain words or phrases in drafts, such as just, once, smile, nod, etc. What are yours?

Steven: This is a better question for my editor, although in first drafts, I invariably overuse “that.” When I go to a second draft, I first do a “Find” for “that” and delete about 80% of them.

Betty: Do you have any role models? If so, why do you look up to them?

Steven: I’m too old to have role models. As a young man in medicine, I had some wonderful mentors, Ed Bell and Ed Clark at the University of Iowa among them. One man stands out: William Oh, my Neonatology fellowship director at Brown. I’ve dedicated “The Penny Mansions” to him. Among writers, I’ve been influenced by Mark Twain, O. Henry, Charles Dickens, Sinclair Lewis, John Steinbeck, John Cheever, Muriel Spark, Agatha Christie, John Irving, and Jean Shepherd. My work is about 10% an effort to be them and 90% smartass.

Betty: Do you have a special place to write? Revise? Read?

Steven: I have a study where my guitar and piano are nearby.

Betty: Many authors have a day job. Do you? If so, what is it and do you enjoy it?

Steven: I did have day job. I was a neonatologist for twenty-five years and enjoyed it, although the sleep deprivation caught up with me, forcing an early retirement.

Betty: As an author, what do you feel is your greatest achievement?

Steven: Accepting what I am: a yarn-spinner.

Betty: What is your favorite genre to read?

Steven: I don’t have a favorite. I like to read different things, which I is why I enjoy the Regal House catalog. There’s so much diversity in content and style among their authors; e.g. I just finished In Search of the Magic Theater by Karla Huebner, which is about two young women on parallel courses that eventually converge. Before that, I read Barbara Quick’s What Disappears, which is about ballet and fashion in Russia and Paris of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century and Michael Bourne’s Blithedale Canyon where a recovering addict can’t seem to go straight. Right now, I’m on Phillip Hurst’s Regent’s of Paris. Like me, Phillip writes about small towns and is a bit of a smartass. I feel right at home.

Betty: Success looks different to different people. It could be wealth, or fame, or an inner joy at reaching a certain level. How do you define success in terms of your writing career?

Steven: Being traditionally published has been gratifying. It’s nice to know that someone other than one’s friends and family has found value in my work. Because, let’s face it, your friends will never tell you that your butt looks big in EVERYTHING! Editors are less bashful, making me a shameless supplicant for their approval.

It is 1925 when a love affair between enchantress Maggie Westinghouse and con man July Pennybaker upends the small town of Miagrammesto Station, tumbles it about, and sets it back down as Delphic Oracle, Nebraska. Will their love fulfill its destiny? The narrator of this wry, entertaining novel, Father Peter Goodfellow, weaves back and forth in time to answer that question. Along the way, he introduces the Goodfellows, the Penrods, and the Thorntons—families whose members include a perpetual runaway, a man with religion but no faith, a man with faith but no religion, a boy known as Samson the Methodist, a know-it-all librarian who seems to actually know everything, a quartet of confused midsummer lovers, and a skeleton unearthed in a vacant lot. Funny, poignant, and occasionally tragic, their histories are part of how a place at the confluence of the Platte, Loup, and Missouri River Valleys became home to the long-lost Oracle of Delphi.

Buy Links: Regal House Publishing  *  Annie Bloom’s Books *  Barnes & Noble

Sounds like a rollicking read, Steven! Thanks for sharing it with us.

Happy reading!

Betty

Award-winning Author of Historical Fiction with Heart, and Haunting, Bewitching Love Stories

Visit www.bettybolte.com for a complete list of my books and appearances.

Subscribe to My Newsletter to learn the inside scoop about releases and more!

My guest today explores the ramifications of an accident on a family, an accident that could have been avoided. Please help me welcome author Susan Beckham Zurenda! Let’s peek at her background and then learn more about her writing process and inspiration.

Susan Zurenda taught English for 33 years on the college level and at the high school level to AP students. Her debut novel, Bells for Eli (Mercer University Press, March 2020; paperback edition March 2021), has been selected the Gold Medal (first place) winner for Best First Book—Fiction in the 2021 IPPY (Independent Publisher Book Awards), a Foreword Indie Book Award finalist, a Winter 2020 Okra Pick by the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance, a 2020 Notable Indie on Shelf Unbound, a 2020 finalist for American Book Fest Best Book Awards, and was nominated for a Pushcart Prize for 2021. She has won numerous regional awards for her short fiction. She lives in Spartanburg, SC.

Author Social Links: Website * Facebook * Instagram

Betty: What inspired you to write the story you’re sharing with us today?

Susan: Bells for Eli is inspired by a real-life first cousin’s tragic childhood accident in the late 1950s when he swallowed Red Devil Lye just before his second birthday. His father was blowing up balloons for his son’s party with the lye and left it in a Coca-Cola bottle. Danny picked up the bottle and drank. Inspired by Danny’s accident, the novel explores how one misstep changes the trajectory of a young boy’s life and creates immense conflict in the lives of those around him in a time and place of supposed innocence, the small-town South of the 1960s and ’70s.  

Betty: What, if any, new writing skill did you develop while working on this story?

Susan: The genesis for Bells for Eli was a short story that won the South Carolina Fiction Prize many years ago. In that story, I chose a third person limited female narrator, but in the novel, I wanted a more intimate voice to connect with the reader. What I learned in creating Delia’s voice was not to force it. Almost from the beginning it didn’t feel like I was creating the voice so much as it felt like Delia speaking to me. It was much like listening to a girlfriend or one of my daughters talking, but instead of her talking to me, it was through me. I wrote Delia’s dialogue the way I heard her speak inside my head.

Betty: Did you struggle with any part of this story? What and how?

Susan: Eli’s father, Gene Winfield, was one of the most difficult characters for me to write because I didn’t like him. He is the person responsible, at least indirectly, for Eli’s accident. He’s also alcoholic and volatile. Yet, in his own dysfunctional way he loves his son, and some of his difficulties are rooted in guilt. It wasn’t until I wrote a scene in which Gene intercedes in an attempt to protect his son from bullying by other boys in the schoolyard on a Halloween afternoon that I began to feel sympathy for him. And I was so glad because Gene is human, neither all bad nor all good.

Betty: Which character(s) were the easiest to get to know? Why do you think?

Susan: Delia, my protagonist, is the easiest to get to know because she’s the first person narrator and she expresses her feelings openly.

I liked creating all the characters. I missed them a great deal when I finished writing the book. I particularly liked watching Mary Lily, Eli’s mother, come to life because I’ve never known anyone quite like her. But I guess if I’m pressed, I feel closest to my main characters, Delia and Eli, because I experienced everything with them.

Betty: What kind of research did you need to do to write this story?

Susan: Because I came of age in the 1960s-70s, I thought I would remember everything. I was wrong. I researched language, music, cultural icons, among other things. It was so much fun to go back to this time.

Betty: How many drafts of the story did you write before you felt the story was complete?

Susan: I wrote the initial manuscript of Bells for Eli in about a year. After my agent accepted the novel in its initial form, I wrote a subplot (the story of Francie) and wove it into the novel. It was the exact right thing to do.

Betty: What rituals or habits do you have while writing?

Susan: Most authors write in the mornings, but I typically write in the evenings. I am too distracted and self-critical during the day, but once night approaches, my inner critic goes to sleep, and I can relax and write for hours.

 Betty: Every author has a tendency to overuse certain words or phrases in drafts, such as just, once, smile, nod, etc. What are yours?

Susan: In the drafting stage, I tend to have my characters “glare” too much and put their hands on their foreheads too often. Thank goodness for editing.

Betty: Do you have any role models? If so, why do you look up to them?

Susan: I love so many authors, especially Southern authors. There are certain books like The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald and Member of the Wedding by Carson McCullers that I consider near perfect pieces of writing.

Betty: Do you have a special place to write? Revise? Read?

Susan: I love to write outside when the weather permits. Mostly, though, I write on an aged desktop computer in my crowded office. My favorite place to read is the bathtub.

Betty: Many authors have a day job. Do you? If so, what is it and do you enjoy it?

Susan: I taught English for 33 years and loved my career. During this time, I published a lot of short fiction, but I didn’t start my debut novel until I retired from teaching and began working part time as a book publicist.

Betty: As an author, what do you feel is your greatest achievement?

Susan: Bells for Eli has been well received and has won several awards. I am grateful. But when a reader tells me he/she has read the novel more than once or is still thinking about the characters and the story, that’s the highest honor I could ever hope for. In a letter to his friend ErnestHemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald once wrote, “The purpose of a work of fiction is to appeal to the lingering after-effects in the reader’s mind.” This is my purpose in Bells for Eli: for my characters’ lives to resonate with readers after the novel ends.

Betty: What is your favorite genre to read?

Susan: Literary fiction.

In the 1960-s and ’70s fictitious small-town of Green Branch, SC, two first cousins, Eli and Delia, grow up across the street from each other in a relationship illustrating the extraordinary depths of tenderness and friendship in Susan Beckham Zurenda’s debut novel, Bells for Eli. After a life-altering childhood accident compromises Eli physically and makes him the target of bullying, Delia becomes his great defender. Later, in adolescence, the outer appearance of Eli’s accident gone, the cousins’ relationship grows into one with deeper, more complicated feelings. Though Eli dates every girl in town and eventually falls in love, Delia is never far away. At every turn he assumes the role of her protector. His wounds of the heart from childhood never leave, however, and are the catalyst for decisions that bring this novel to a staggering conclusion, and Delia discovers a shocking family secret that reveals truths about Eli she has never known.

Buy Links: Amazon * B&N * Bookshop

This sounds like a very powerful story, Susan. Thank you for sharing it with us!

Happy reading!

Betty

Award-winning Author of Historical Fiction with Heart, and Haunting, Bewitching Love Stories

Visit www.bettybolte.com for a complete list of my books and appearances.

Subscribe to My Newsletter to learn the inside scoop about releases and more!

Today’s guest has a unique view of the world, one I think you’ll enjoy. Please help me welcome Lynda Rees to the interview hot seat! First a glance at her background before we move on to find out more about her writing process and inspiration.

Lynda is an award-winning storyteller living on a Kentucky horse farm. Born in the Appalachian Mountains the daughter of a coal miner and part-Cherokee Indian, Lynda grew up in northern Kentucky when Newport prospered as a gambling, prostitution, and sin mecca under the Cleveland Mob. Her fascination with history’s effect on today’s lives works its way into her written pages.

Having traveled the world working with heads of industry, foreign governments, and business managers during a corporate career in marketing and global transportation, this free-spirited adventurer with workaholic tendencies followed her passion for writing.

Both debut novels are award winners. Gold Lust Conspiracy is her award-winning historical debut novel. RITA finalist and debut romantic suspense Parsley, Sage, Rose, Mary & Wine, Book 1 of The Bloodline Series, is set in Kentucky horse country, followed by books 2-10. Operation Second Chance, also set in Kentucky, was an Imaginarium finalist.

Lynda’s middle-grade children’s books, Freckle Face & Blondie and The Thinking Tree, are co-authored with her granddaughter Harley Nelson. Lynda has also published several non-fiction books and a children’s picture book NO FEAR.

She hopes you enjoy her stories and you become life-long friends.

Lynda Rees, The Murder Guru

Love is a dangerous mystery. Enjoy the ride!©

Author Social Links:  Twitter * Facebook * YouTube

Betty: What inspired you to write the story you’re sharing with us today?

Lynda: Fans of The Bloodline Series asked for a favorite character, FBI Agent Reggie Casse, to have her own love interest and series. So, I wrote Hart’s Girls, Reggie Chronicle 1; and U.S. Marshal Shae Montgomery entered the sleepy, rural, horse country town of Sweetwater, Kentucky, and the Reggie Chronicles was born. Hart’s Girls was such a success, I followed it with Heart of the Matter, Reggie Chronicle 2 launched 6/1/22 and Magnolia Blossoms, Reggie Chronicle 3 launched 7/1/22.

Betty: What, if any, new writing skill did you develop while working on this story?

Lynda: I studied abduction and human trafficking with an FBI Agent and learned a lot about the industry as well as what organizations like the FBI and U.S. Marshal’s office are doing to combat the despicable crimes. It’s fascinating and has many legs. Through romance and suspenseful entertainment, these books are my way of helping the public learn about what’s going on in their neighborhoods, regardless of where you live; and how they can recognize the signs, prevent it from happening to loved ones, and help victims of such crimes recover.

Betty: Did you struggle with any part of this story? What and how?

Lynda: Yes. Reggie is a wacky, irreverent character who loves to flirt and prank. She’s also hell-bent on saving women and children from criminal activities. As such a strong character, finding a man who would appreciate her personality and career was difficult. Shea Montgomery is just the opposite of what she thought she needed, but he’s perfect for her. They both have issues to get through and over, but in the end, they are meant for each other.

Betty: Which character(s) were the easiest to get to know? Why do you think?

Lynda: I adore strong women and portray them that way in all my books. Strong women need strong men. It takes a man with lots of confidence to appreciate my gals. They’re all so fun to create, and I have enjoyed learning them down to their very core.

Betty: What kind of research did you need to do to write this story?

Lynda: As I said earlier, I worked with an FBI agent in order to understand the criminal organizations—not just what they do but how and why. I delved into the psychology of the criminal mindset, and discovered why they are so successful, who their prime targets are and why they’re so vulnerable. I learned what punishments are levied for the varying types of activities, how the FBI and other organizations I mention in my books combat these crimes, and what is done to help victims. Recovery is a long, difficult battle, but it’s achievable for victims to ultimately have happy, productive lives.

Betty: How many drafts of the story did you write before you felt the story was complete?

Lynda: About seven. I write the story in my head. Then I outline the chapters and sequence of events. I write the chapters. I read and rewrite them. I share with my critique groups and incorporate revision. I share with beta readers, then incorporate revision. I do a final edit then send to an editor. I revise with editor revisions. Then I do another final edit.

Betty: How long did it take for you to write the story you’re sharing with us? Is that a typical length of time for you? Why or why not?

Lynda: Yes, it’s a typical length of time for me. Putting the first draft on paper took about a month. I let it sit for almost a year while completing another project, then pulled it out again. It took about three more months to complete and submit it for publication.

Betty: What rituals or habits do you have while writing?

Lynda: Nothing special. I normally listen to audiobooks while marketing, doing social media and answering emails. When I write, however, I need quiet. I have a glass of ice water, a cocktail or glass of wine. Then I sit alone in my office and put hands on the keyboard.

Betty: Every author has a tendency to overuse certain words or phrases in drafts, such as just, once, smile, nod, etc. What are yours?

Lynda: My pet peeve is overuse of words. I am extremely conscious of it, something I’ve learned over the years. Those that irritate me most are: then, the, very, just, about, down, up, almost. I have a complete list of what I call “edit-out words” available for download at my website under the For Authors tab. It’s at:  http://www.lyndareesauthor.com

Betty: Do you have any role models? If so, why do you look up to them?

Lynda: My father was the most courageous man I knew. He always told me I could do anything I set my mind to. I owe my achievement to him. His parents, my grandparents, showed me what love and marriage should be like. My grandfather taught me to read at the age of four with the Bible, while sitting at his side on the porch. We read together every day, and his patience at my continual questions never wavered. From him I learned a passion for reading, learning and for stories.

Betty: Do you have a special place to write? Revise? Read?

Lynda: I write in my office unless I’m traveling. Then, anywhere comfortable works. I listen to audiobooks in my office while doing work other than writing. I read in my comfy chair in the living room or on the swing out back under the pines.

Betty: Many authors have a day job. Do you? If so, what is it and do you enjoy it?

Lynda: I’m a retired Marketing Operations Manager and Global Transportation Manager from Procter & Gamble, having spent thirty-six years traveling the globe for them. I did enjoy it. It was fabulous meeting and working with other cultures, governments, and heads of industry. Now, I enjoy writing full time, my family, many critters and farm life.

Betty: As an author, what do you feel is your greatest achievement?

Lynda: Finishing and getting published my first two novels. Both won accolades from contests. Gold Lust Conspiracy is an historical romance set in 1890’s Alaska. It took over two years of research to write. My first romantic mystery, Parsley, Sage, Rose, Mary & Wine, Bk. 1 of the Bloodline Series, also won awards, and launched the same time as Gold Lust Conspiracy.

Betty: What is your favorite genre to read?

Lynda: I love romantic suspense, rom-coms, cozy romance, and hardcore suspense and mysteries; and I occasionally read time travel.

Betty: Success looks different to different people. It could be wealth, or fame, or an inner joy at reaching a certain level. How do you define success in terms of your writing career?

Lynda: I have achieved a comfortable financial status in my life, due to my corporate career and from writing. It’s great to have that stability. As far as defining success, getting good reviews or letters from fans is the most satisfying part.

Thank you so much for taking the time to interview me. I greatly appreciate you and what you do. I can’t wait to meet your readers and fans.

A corpse with a strange tattoo and a kidnapping at their wedding lead FBI Agent Reggie Casse and U.S. Marshal Shea Montgomery to an international ring selling items money shouldn’t be able to buy.

Stephanie Plum meets Alex Cross in rural Kentucky racehorse country. Janet Evanovich and James Patterson are my favorite two authors.

Buy Links: Amazon * B&N * KOBO * Apple

I love stories set in the horse world in one way or another. Thanks for sharing with us, Lynda!

Happy reading!

Betty

Award-winning Author of Historical Fiction with Heart, and Haunting, Bewitching Love Stories

Visit www.bettybolte.com for a complete list of my books and appearances.

Subscribe to My Newsletter to learn the inside scoop about releases and more!

Okay, folks, I’m going to make a small confession: my next guest author is in Skye, Scotland and I wish I could be there, too! What a beautiful place and so inspiring! Let’s meet Mary Karlik who writes as Mary J. Wilson and find out more about her inspiration and her writing process.

Mary Karlik combines her Texas roots with her Scottish heritage to write happily-ever-after from Texas to Scotland.

Honoring her Scottish roots, Mary is writing her new series under her mother’s maiden name, Wilson. This Sweet Contemporary Romance series is set in the Celtic music world of Scotland.

You can find her Texas roots in her indie published, Contemporary Young Adult romance Hickville series. She brings her two worlds closer together than ever in her latest novel—Hickville Crossroads—when a young, up-and-coming Scottish teen heartthrob goes undercover in a Texas high school to research his latest role.

She is traditionally published in Young Adult Fantasy with her Fairy Trafficking series set in the magical world of Scotland. The audio version of Magic Heist, the second in the series, was nominated in 2019 for the One Voice Award for “Best Fiction Novel UK Voices Only.”

Mary is currently studying Scottish Gaelic at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig in Skye, Scotland. She also earned her MFA in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University, has a B.S. degree from Texas A&M University, is a certified, professional ski instructor, and a Registered Nurse. 
Mary is an active member of Contemporary Romance Writers, Romance Writers of America, Young Adult Romance Writers of America and Dallas Area Romance Authors.

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Betty: What inspired you to write the story you’re sharing with us today?

Mary: Jenny got a raw deal in the last book and I wanted to give her a happy ending. I’m moving into the adult world of Romance and since my new contemporary series is set in Scotland, I thought it was the perfect way to wrap the Hickville High series as I segue into the new world of contemporary Scotland.

Betty: What, if any, new writing skill did you develop while working on this story?

Mary: I am always working to improve my writing. But the skill I worked on the most was making sure my Scottish characters sounded Scottish. I don’t use “dinna” and “canna” that many authors use. I spend a lot of time in Scotland, I’m working on a degree in Scottish Gaelic at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig in Skye, and while I do hear those words, it’s not the standard. To make my characters sound authentic, I tried to capture the cadence of the speech. I also used common phrases that are different from the US. For example, Scotts will say half six rather than six thirty, or at the weekend rather than this weekend.

Betty: Did you struggle with any part of this story? What and how?

Mary: Yes! The ending is always my biggest struggle. I wanted to have a big black moment resolution, but it was kind of over the top. I added the epilogue to tone it down a bit. I’m still not sure I got the resolution quite right.

Betty: Which character(s) were the easiest to get to know? Why do you think?

Mary: I knew Jenny from the previous book, so she was the easiest. But I also found Frasier easy. I knew I liked him the minute he appeared on the page. It was almost like he was there in my imagination waiting for his chance to appear.

Betty: What kind of research did you need to do to write this story?

Mary: I am very lucky because one of my closest friends husband is a movie producer. They were great at answering questions about behind the scenes movie stuff as well as legal issues with child actors.  It was really her husband who gave me the idea. He mentioned that when they were shooting Spiderman, they put Tom Holland in an American high school. As far as the Scottish location goes, one of my closest friends is from Alford near Aberdeen. It was only natural that I use that small village as Frasier’s home town.

Betty: How many drafts of the story did you write before you felt the story was complete?

Mary: Is one million a valid answer? I am a hard core pantser which really means I write a really bad first draft and then revise, revise, revise, and then revise. I have no idea how many times because I’m not that organized.

Betty: How long did it take for you to write the story you’re sharing with us? Is that a typical length of time for you? Why or why not?

Mary: HAHA! I have no idea. Maybe 4 months. I should know these things. I write fast first drafts and then everything slows. I think 4-6 months is usually the time it takes me. Again, I should know this.

Betty: What rituals or habits do you have while writing?

Mary: I have a play list. I always write with music. I am very distractable and the playlist helps me focus. I also write the same time every day and I keep track of how many words I’ve written. I set goals for myself based on the previous day’s word count. I usually try to beat the day before, even if it’s by one word. Sometimes, I really have trouble focusing so I have to set a timer for like 10 minutes. If I can write for 10 minutes without getting out of my chair to see if my sock drawer needs straightening, I can take a 5 minute break. Usually, I end up getting into the groove before the 10 minutes are up. If I’m really struggling, I will ask a friend to sprint with me. I’m really competitive so always manage to write during a sprint. The most important ritual I have is “BUT IN THE CHAIR. FINGERS ON THE KEYBOARD.” I write Monday–Friday and sometimes on the weekend. It’s my job and I treat it like one.

Betty: Every author has a tendency to overuse certain words or phrases in drafts, such as just, once, smile, nod, etc. What are yours?

Mary: Atmosphere, stomach clinches, and loads of others.

Betty: Do you have any role models? If so, why do you look up to them?

Mary: My close writing friends like Pricilla Oliveras and Madeline Martin. It’s been fun to watch their journey. Not only do they work hard to write great books, but they are generous, joyful people. That’s what I want to emulate. And then there are role models I don’t know but love their work like Emily Henry and Jenny Colgan. I am currently obsessed with Emily Henry. Her descriptions are so unique and fun it’s hard to describe. Jenny Colgan is a fun read. I enjoy her Little Book Shop Series, but I love the Muir series. She is a master at creating a world you want to visit.

Betty: Do you have a special place to write? Revise? Read?

Mary: I write and revise in my office at my desk. I’ve tried writing outside but it’s too distracting for me. My eyes are so tired after 8–10 hours in front of a screen, I listen to audibles more than I read. I listen while I’m doing chores or driving anywhere. I also listen while I’m running or walking unless I’m having trouble with a plot, then I listen to my playlist.

Betty: Many authors have a day job. Do you? If so, what is it and do you enjoy it?

Mary: I am very, very fortunate that I do not have a day job. I did for many years. I worked as both a nursing instructor and as a hospital administrator. Those jobs were great, but my passion has always been writing.

Betty: As an author, what do you feel is your greatest achievement?

Mary: Writing the book that is currently with my agent. It is the first book in my new series and I love it more than any book I’ve written. I think it’s the best I’ve ever written. But the best before that is Hickville Crossroads.

Betty: What is your favorite genre to read?

Mary: Romance! Romance! Romance! I love a happy ending.

Betty: Success looks different to different people. It could be wealth, or fame, or an inner joy at reaching a certain level. How do you define success in terms of your writing career?

Mary: Hmm. To be honest it’s writing the best I can. But not because I’m all woo woo it’s about being the artist. It’s because if I write the very, very best I can, I have a better chance of people reading my books. At the end of the day, I want to write books that take people on a journey, books that make them feel excitement, sorrow (sorry but I have to have a black moment), relief, joy, and happiness. If I can make someone smile at the end of the book and at the same time anxious to read the next one, that is success. Should I mention my secret, bigger-than-life dream? I want people to feel the joy and passion I have for the music and traditions in the Scottish Gaelic culture. Eeek Spoiler.

Frasier Anderson is one of the hottest teenage actors in the UK, but he’s virtually unknown in the US. Now he’s landed the leading role in a big-budget Hollywood film that could make him an international star.

So how do you prepare a Scot for a role as a Texas high school student? Embed him in a Texas high school. He only has to follow three rules:

No drama. No girls. And no telling who he really is.

Jenna Wiley is smart, funny, and has a few no-drama, no-dating rules of her own. Her friendship with new kid Ethan Smith is perfect and might even lead to something more. Except for a few things that don’t add up. Like his mom being afraid to have company. Or their house, which looks more staged than lived in. Or his sister, whom nobody talks about.

It all comes to a boil when Frasier’s biggest secrets hit the tabloids and the paparazzi swarm Hillside with Jenna in their sights.

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Thanks for stopping by, Mary! I think your new book sound intriguing, mainly because I’m into Scotland and music, too.

Happy reading!

Betty

Award-winning Author of Historical Fiction with Heart, and Haunting, Bewitching Love Stories

Visit www.bettybolte.com for a complete list of my books and appearances.

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