I am so fortunate to have made some tremendously important connections with other writers since deciding to become an Indie Author. If you had told me a year ago that I would be part of a select group which included the talents of Nick Russell, Russell Blake, Colleen Hoover, and a host of other talented writers, I’d probably have laughed in disbelief! But I am! I’m a member of a unique group in which about sixty of us interact and share the business of writing with one another on a specialized forum. I have the privilege of chatting with these people on a daily basis and learning from their success.

   A while back, Nick Russell interviewed everyone in the group. He has posted my interview on his blog today and I can’t stop grinning! I was literally in awe over the fact that he wanted to interview me in the first place, and I’m so humbled by this sweet, supportive man. He has given me a lot of encouragement and treated me with utmost respect despite the fact that I’m still a “Newbie”.

   I invite you to go to Nick’s blog to check out my interview. It really is a testament to Independent Publishing. How wonderful it is to be an Indie! It would have taken me years to get where I am today if I had gone the traditional route!

   Thanks so much Nick, for your friendship and patience!

 

  Another talented Author takes center stage today for our Saturday Author Shout Out. Suzie O'Connell has been featured on this site before and it's no surprise that she has made it through the first round picks for Amazon's Breakthrough Novel Award! Her hometown Montana life sets the scene for Suzie's Angel Series and I know you'll be just as pleased with the excitement and adventure in these books are you are with the romance!

SUMMER ANGEL (Angel Series, Book Two)

Five years ago, Sheriff’s Deputy Ben Conner killed a man.  If that were the worst of it, he could have swallowed the guilt, but the man had a son—an eleven-year-old boy who was now no one’s son.  Ben buried himself in shroud of self-loathing and pushed away everyone, even his best friend June Montana, the one woman who might have been able to help him.

The last time Ben talked to June, she told him he could show up on her doorstep at any time.  When he returns home to Northstar in a last-ditch effort to flee his guilt and nightmares, he prays he can reconnect with June, because her friendship is the only thing that can help him find peace.  He knows it won’t be easy, but he also knows now that he can’t save himself.

Instead of the escape he hoped for, Ben is reunited with the boy he orphaned.  He will have to face the consequences of that fateful night, or risk destroying his friendship with June.

With June’s help, and her son’s, Ben seizes the chance to finally forgive himself, but before he can begin to understand how his relationship with June has changed, an entirely new and disturbing problem arises.  Someone from June’s past wants revenge for a broken heart… and he’s willing to kill to get it.

Set in the breathtaking mountains of Montana and spiced with a balance of humor, suspense and characters that will steal your heart, Summer Angel is a classic story of friendship and love.

http://www.suzieoconnell.com/store/

  Sometimes life is crazy! Sometimes it betrays us. And sometimes it brings a breath of fresh air that makes everything new! 
 
  March is going to be one crazy month in the Bourget household, and my life is going to be beaver-busy with three birthdays, one wedding anniversary, two house warming’s (as the result of both my kids making major moves), and a trip to Texas for a week! 

  Big deal you say? It is to me! Maybe if I explain, you’ll see what I mean.

  My granddaughter turns one this month, and I’m turning fifty. Both milestone birthdays to say the least. 

  My son-in-law also has a birthday this month, and he and our daughter will celebrate their second wedding anniversary the very next day. They just moved to Texas from Alaska as Scott’s in the Air Force and has been reassigned. My husband and I will be traveling to Texas in about a week and a half to see them, and I can’t wait!

  Our son is moving into his first apartment. Although he moved away from home and into a shared living space several years ago, this is a big step for him. He’s finally making it on his own and proving that Mom and Dad didn’t really screw up with that one after all! ;)

  You’re probably still saying, “Get over yourself! This is the stuff of life and everybody deals with it!” And you’re right. But that’s my point! I’m excited over the fact that I’m still here. “I’m still kicking”, as my mother used to say.

  I’m not afraid of turning fifty. There was a time when I didn’t think I’d live to see it! And I know, I know, women aren’t supposed to reveal their age! But I’m proud of mine! I’ve earned every one of those freakin’ years and I’m claiming them! They’re the backbone of my existence, the stuff that makes me, me.

  They haven’t been easy. They’ve left a lot of scars and quite a few wrinkles in their wake. But they’ve also left some deep grained happiness, tremendous memories, and a lot of love. A few black balloons don’t scare me!

  Who started that anyway? Is it just to symbolize the death of your youth? I’m sorry, but to coin a phrase, “youth is wasted on the young”! I’m not just saying that because mine is swiftly becoming a thing of the past. I mean, I wasted so much of mine worrying about nonsense, so that half the time, I wasn’t really living!

  To say that youth is vain and beauty is deceitful is an understatement! I don't wish to offend any of you young whipper snappers out there, so forgive me. Chalk what I'm about to say up to my getting old if it makes you feel better. But now I get what the older generation was talking about all along! Oh how I wish that I had spent more time focused on relationships, love, and the people in my life, rather than what I was wearing, driving, listening to, or any number of other time wasters, that pull our focus from the things that are really important! There are so many things that keep us from really living when we're young and we think that we’ve invincible. The funny thing is, we don't even realize that they are stealing our youth, and our lives, right out from under our feet! We think we have it all, that our lives are the best they'll ever be. How wrong we are.
 
  I’m not saying that older people don’t focus on trivial things. Just because we’re in the over fifty crowd, doesn’t mean we’re dead! Most of us still care about the way we look, but we aren't as self conscious as we used to be. We feel more liberality in our skin. For most of us, things like shape, size, and age don't matter that much. We are no longer trying to hold onto that twenty-something body, so we feel more comfortable in our own.

  We still like to cruse around in sexy sports cars, but we're more excited about where we're going, and who we're going with, than how we'll get there. Reliability means more to us than a sweet ride, in both our relationships and our car choices! ;)
 
  I'm not saying that all young people don't have the right focus in life. I'm just saying that youth and all that comes with it, can blind us. We all know that hormones play a big part in this. 

  I'm saying that my focus  has shifted with age and I no longer care so much about “what”. My focus is on “who”. 

  Little Lizzy is important to me, and I plan on being there when she smears that first birthday cake all over everything in sight! I’m not worried about what I’ll buy her, or what I’ll wear. Sure I want to get her something special and I want to look nice, but my focus is on being there. Kissing her chubby little face and celebrating the blessing that she is to us all.

  Naomi and Scott mean the world to me, and I plan on enjoying every minute I get to spend with them. I won’t be focused on what we’ll do together, or the places we might visit. I’m focused on them. I’ll be spending my time in letting them know how proud Francis and I are, that they are wonderful parents. How much we admire their love for one another and how grateful we are, that Scott is part of our family. I want him to know that I’m proud of him for serving our country, for the sacrifices that he has to make every day, and for the way he is providing for our daughter and their child. I want Naomi to know that she’s a beautiful and valuable woman. That I admire her, and that she is a wonderful mother. This is where my focus will be.

  I’m making sure that our son, Uriah, knows that we are proud of him too. That even though we joke about him being dropped too many times on his head, or tease him about being too gullible, we are very proud of the man he is becoming. I want him to know that I’m sharing in his excitement over getting his own place, and that I’m confident in his ability to be independent. I’m not spending my days fussing over what he should or shouldn’t be doing. Kids don’t listen to all that anyway, and besides, he’s smart. He’ll figure it out. I don’t want him to remember Mom’s nagging; I want him to remember Mom’s encouragement. I’m not crying over the fact that he doesn’t “need me anymore”;I’m rejoicing over the fact that he doesn’t “NEED me anymore”!

  So bring on those black balloons! I’ll pop every one of ‘em! But not before I paint them all with hot pink smiley faces!

  Life has had it's craziness, and yes, a few betrayals, but for the most part, it's just beginning! There's a spring in my step that I never noticed before. I don't lament the fact that it wasn't there thirty years ago as much as I look forward to it growing over the next thirty years! Hey, isn't that a country song?

  I hope your life is focused. Time is too short for it not to be.

  Happy March. I hope you’re looking forward to spring!


 
 

 
  It’s Wednesday, and that means it’s time for another writing tip. This week’s tip comes from Author Bobbi Johnson Holmes (aka Anna J. McIntyre). Bobbi has published a plethora of works, ranging from crafting books and kid’s stories, to Romance and a real life story of the tragic broken dream. Bobbi even writes greeting cards! This woman does it all, so it’s no wonder that she has a sensational tip for us in regards to getting that manuscript ready for publication! Pop on over to the Buzz From The Best and check out what Bobbi has to say, you’ll be glad you did!

Don't forget to visit Bobbi's website, Mid Journey, when you're done!

Happy Writing!

  People are dying in Southwest Virginia, their bodies ripped open, each missing a vital organ. The only clue? Year-old, dead human tissue left at each crime scene. Det. Frank Taliaferro is on the case, but he has to deal with a pesky
reporter from the local newspaper – a woman who begins to get under his skin in more than one way. Murder, an ancient evil, and … romance? CLAIMING MOON.

  John Peters offers up plenty of thrills in his horror books. I'm not a huge fan of this genre, but John does it right. If you're looking to have the wits scared out of you, John's books are for you! His fiction has appeared in numerous publications, including the
Stoker-nominated anthology series The Horror Library (volumes 1 and 3); Night
Terrors 2; the Australian magazine Midnight Echo; the British publication
Spinetinglers; the Canadian magazine Dark Recesses; and a host of other markets.

  Would you recognize a serial killer if you met one?  Talked to one every  day? Artist Lia Anderson doesn’t, and neither does anyone else who  frequents the Mount Airy Dog Park. Lia spends her mornings at Park with her two rescues. It's her personal refuge. At least it is until the dead body shows up.

  Then Detective Peter Dourson is convinced that an apparent suicide at the  dog park
is not what it seems, and as he digs deeper, memories stir.  What’s a killer to do?
A  SHOT IN THE BARK (A Dog Park Mystery ) is Carol Ann Newsome's best, with plenty of thrills and mystery to keep you entertained!

   This weeks Author Shout Out is all about chills and thrills and these two amazing writers will certainly deliver! I hope you'll check out their books and give them a try! Happy reading.

  Today's writing tip comes from Mystery writer Lee Hanson, Author of The Julie O'Hara Mystery Series, including Castle Cay, Swan Song, and Mystral Murder. Her novels, featuring body language expert Julie O'Hara, have been called "the answer to a mystery addict's prayer", a line that makes the author smile...and keeps her writing.. 

  It's interesting to note that the body has a language all its own, and that we
communicate with our eyes, hands, facial muscles, etc., just as much as we do
our voice. When one knows what to look for, one can discover all kinds of things not being said verbally!

  This unique twist on writing has gained Lee popularity with her readers and she has started to blog about the importance of body language and how it helps one to read another person's motives; a skill that would indeed be pertinent for a mystery detective! Be sure to pop over to Buzz From The Best and see what advice Lee has for the would be mystery writer. Remember, if you like what you read and find it helpful, pass it on! Leave a comment for the contributor! They appreciate knowing that they are helping fellow writers.

Today's Author Showcase goes to Dale Roberts and Donna McNicol, and both of these Authors have just released new books!

Dale Roberts began writing his psychological  thriller The Following long before the popular TV show hit the scene, and although the two are not related, Dale's book packs just as much punch when it comes to excitement and intrigue.

When eager, young journalist Tyson Palmer interviews the occupant of a torched building, a reputed lunatic who blames the blaze on a cult with ties to terrorism, Tyson believes he might have just found the story that will launch his career. Only this is, he has nothing to go on but the ramblings of a paranoid conspiracy theorist.

Much to the chagrin of his mother and his best friend, Tyson decided to infiltrate the group and get the story from the inside.

Armed with his formidable denial of vulnerability, and as much information as he can find on the group, Tyson slips in undetected, or so he thinks. He plays the part to perfection, becoming one of them, until he encounters the one thing he hadn't counted on; Krista.
 
As this beautiful, intriguing woman woos him into dropping his guard, he falls deeper and deeper the under the control of a charismatic leader  with a dark political agenda.  By the time Tyson learns the truth, he knows too much to ever be allowed to walk away. 

Donna B. McNicol is fairly new to the book world but far from new to the writing scene. She maintains several blogs that she started about eight years ago, and has also had experience writing for a travel magazine.

Donna's new Klondike Mystery Series is proving out to be  a real gold nugget! 
Not a Whisper, the first book in the series, is getting rave reviews and I'm sure we'll be seeing this one rise to the top  of the Bestseller list before long!

When Cherie Marshall catches her fiancé and best friend in a compromising position, she cancels her upcoming wedding and jumps at the chance to escape to quiet Klondike, Pennsylvania to care for her elderly aunt. She thought her biggest issue would be adapting to life in the middle of a National Forest, so very different from her upbringing in the deserts of Arizona.

But that was before she met State Trooper Fire Marshall Jamison "Jazz" Maddox at the scene of a mysterious fire. As they both become acquainted with the close-knit Klondike residents, things get complicated as Cherie and Jazz find themselves in the middle of a local crime wave where arson, kidnapping, embezzlement and a decades old murder are just the tip of the iceberg.

Be sure get your free copy of the Klondike Kompanion from the author's website and read the "Meet the Characters" interviews.

Be sure to keep checking back each Saturday as I share more  great Authors with you! Happy reading!