Interview C.B. Clark Author of Healing Hearts
Give a warm welcome to C.B. Clark, Author of Healing Hearts. Pull up a chair, grab a drink of your choice from the cooler, a Chocolate Chip or Peanut Butter cookie from the plate, and let’s find out a little about C.B. and her Healing Hearts!
Thanks so much for hosting me on Author’s Secrets, Tena. I always enjoy my visit.
Always a pleasure C.B.!
There’s nothing I like more than camping. Each year as soon as the snow melts, my husband and I head out on the back roads in our truck and camper. One of my favorite places to camp is the Chilcotin area of north central British Columbia. The Chilcotin plateau, with its rolling grassy range lands, stunning views of the snow-covered Coastal Mountains, and hundreds of clear, isolated lakes has everything we like and plenty of opportunities to hike, canoe, and fish. Visiting this rugged, wild area is like stepping back in time. That’s the reason I set Healing Hearts, my newest romantic suspense novel (with a Western flare), in the Chilcotin.
Love of camping is something we have in common. Maybe someday our paths with cross on the trails!
SPEED ROUND FOR A LITTLE ADDED FUN:
Speed Round (one word only answer): Yep, I know torture for a writer!<evil laugh>
Leather or Lace: Leather
Black or Red: Red
Satin sheets or Smooth cotton: Flannelette
Oceans or Mountains: Mountains
City life or Country life: Country life (I love small towns.)
Party life or Evening at home: At home reading a good book
Dogs or Cats: Dogs
What’s under your bed: Dust bunnies
Camping or hotel: Camping
Road trip or Staying at home: Road trip
Shopping or Not: Not, though I do have a weakness for shopping on line.
Picnic or Restaurant: Restaurant
Bath or Shower: Bath
Bicycle or Walk: Walk
Watch a movie in a theatre or Home TV: Home TV
Swimming Pool or Lake: Lake
Dance or Not: Dance
Sing or Not: Sing, though Lord help anyone who has to listen to my creaky, off-tune voice.
Tell is a little about Healing Hearts.
Reeling from loss and heartbreak, Stella King is desperate to escape painful memories. The position of nanny on an isolated ranch in British Columbia’s rugged Chilcotin Plateau seems the answer to her prayers.
Cattle rancher, Dawson Wheeler, has worked hard to overcome grief and build a predictable world for his young daughter. The last thing he needs is the all-too-attractive Stella disrupting the smooth running of his ranch, especially now that disturbing incidents are happening on his property.
Defending his land against those who want to gut it will be a challenge, but the biggest threat of all may be to his heart.
Nook (Barnes & Noble), Amazon, itunes, and Kobo
Also available at Walmart and Google Books.
A sneak peek between the pages of Healing Hearts!
Damn it! He should be home in bed instead of driving on this godforsaken, sorry excuse for a road in the middle of the night.
A dark shape darted out of the thick bank of pine trees and sprang onto the road. A pair of eyes glowed in the glare of his approaching headlights.
He cranked hard on the steering wheel, avoiding the deer by inches.
The animal, white tail flashing like a flag, bounded into the ditch and vanished into the forest.
Dawson Wheeler released a breath he hadn’t been aware he was holding and eased his foot off the accelerator. Crashing into a deer or moose wouldn’t make this day any better. He rolled down his window and inhaled the sweet-smelling, rain-washed air. The sky had cleared after the morning’s rain shower, and a thin sliver of moon cast a faint glow over the dark wilderness, the trees silhouetted against the velvety sky. In the distance, a dusting of fresh snow glimmered on the jagged peaks of the Coastal Mountains.
Why had he agreed to this crazy idea? He had enough to do at the ranch without having to babysit some pampered know-it-all, especially with that damn mine business hanging over his head.
He slowed as he approached Spirit Falls. The bus stop was nothing but a widening of the road with an old wooden bench set amidst weeds and wildflowers. Glancing at his wristwatch, he grimaced. Mack Hicken, the cantankerous old bus driver who’d driven the route between Hosten and Spirit Falls for what seemed like forever, prided himself on keeping to his schedule in spite of flat tires, knee-deep snowdrifts, and mud-filled ruts.
The bus would have dropped any passengers off an hour ago, but not a single man-made light broke the darkness. The rain and accompanying high winds had delayed Dawson, but the person he was there to pick up should still be waiting. Where would she go? It wasn’t as if a coffee shop was open down the road, or that she could catch a ride in a passing vehicle.
Traffic was sparse on the old logging road at this time of night. Spirit Falls’ heyday had fizzled with the bust in the lumber market, and most folk had moved on long ago. The town consisted of a few boarded-up buildings and a broken gas pump. Jim Svenson ran a small general store for locals, but Jim’s daughter had just had twins, and the proud grandpa had taken an extended vacation to Hosten to meet his new grandsons.
The woman Dawson had come more than a hundred kilometers to pick up must have taken one glance at the desolate emptiness of Spirit Falls and refused to get off the bus. She was probably on her way back to the bright lights of Hosten right now. If she’d bailed, that meant he was off the hook.
Smiling for the first time that day, he pressed down on the gas pedal and sped away from the bus stop. A flicker of white on the shoulder ahead caught his eye, and he slammed on the brakes. The truck skidded to a stop, his seatbelt digging into his shoulder. Catching his breath, he peered through the mud-spattered windshield.
A woman sat perched atop an oversized suitcase. Long, wavy strands of golden hair glowed in the sweep of light cast by his headlights and formed a halo around a face that wouldn’t be out of place on the cover of a fashion magazine. Her full lips lifted in a tentative smile, and she waved.
He frowned and tugged the photograph of the woman he was supposed to meet from his coat pocket and squinted in the glow of the dash lights. The lined, grandmotherly face beamed at him. He glanced at the gorgeous blonde watching him from the roadside. A sinking feeling settled deep in his gut. He removed his cowboy hat, ran his fingers through his hair, and tossed the hat onto the passenger seat. Maybe she was waiting for someone else.
About the Author:
Award-winning author, C.B. Clark, has written six romantic suspense novels published by The Wild Rose Press. She has worked as an archaeologist and an educator, and enjoys hiking, canoeing, and snowshoeing with her husband and dog near her home in the wilderness of central British Columbia.
Social Media Links:
Instagram: Blog: Twitter: Facebook: Goodreads: Amazon Author Page:
It was wonderful having you with us today. Please feel free to stop by anytime. Good Luck with Healing Hearts!
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Posted in Authors' Secrets Blog and tagged C.B. Clark, Contemporary Romance, Healing Hearts by Tena Stetler with 13 comments.
For The Love Of You by Author Claire Marti
Give a warm welcome to Clarie Marti, author of For The Love Of You. Pull up a chair, grab a drink of your choice from the cooler, a Chocolate Chip or Peanut Butter cookie from the plate, and let’s find out about the inspiration for your latest release For The Love Of You!
I had two primary inspirations for the third installment in my Pacific Vista Ranch series. First, I’ve wanted to write a French hero for a while because I’m half-French. Growing up, I was lucky enough to spend summers in the South of France and Corsica with the French side of my family. My father played soccer in France prior to immigrating to the United States, so soccer was a big deal in our family. Who doesn’t love a charming, athletic Frenchman? Gabriel DuVernay was born. His middle name is René, which is my father’s name. I dedicated the book to my dad, but I hope he doesn’t read the steamy scenes.
Second, I love the fake engagement/marriage of convenience trope, but it usually seems to be more appropriate for historical romances. I wanted to explore how a fake engagement would work in a modern setting. Gabriel’s family owns one of the oldest wineries in France and is slightly old-fashioned, so they play a major role. I had so much fun writing this story and I hope it makes readers smile too.
Tell us a little about For The Love Of You.
For a French soccer icon, and a gifted artist, a fake engagement is the perfect solution for their current dilemmas. But when last summer’s fling slips from lust to love, their pretend relationship becomes too hot to handle.
Gabriel DuVernay is heir to one of the oldest wineries in France, but his passion is playing soccer, not tending vines. When he signs a multi-million dollar deal with the Los Angeles Galaxy, he’s able to postpone his unwelcome duties and help his younger sister convince their old-fashioned father she should be their family’s first female winemaker. Another bonus of moving to California is reuniting with the striking redhead who snuck out of his apartment after the hottest night of his life.
Last summer, artist Dylan McNeill’s life on her family’s Southern California horse-breeding ranch was thrown into chaos and she escaped to Paris. One electrifying night with a gorgeous playboy athlete helped her forget her problems. She’s never forgotten Gabriel, but aspiring artists trying to break into the elite art world don’t have time for romance. She’s determined to get discovered without trading on her family’s famous name.
When Gabriel suffers a career-shattering injury, he needs to buy some time to figure out how to remain in America and choose his own future. His influential mother can open important doors in the art world and help Dylan fulfill her dreams ––for a price. A fictitious engagement seems like the simple answer until living at Pacific Vista Ranch and pretending to be in love starts to feel real.
Can last year’s one night stand and this year’s fake engagement turn into true love forever?
Buy Links (including Goodreads and BookBub)
Amazon, B&N, Kobo, iBooks, Bookbub, and Goodreads:
My thoughts on For the Love of You (Pacific Vista Ranch book 3)
A year ago, Dylan, an aspiring artist, fled to Paris to avoid a devastating situation at the family ranch in California. She met Gabriel, a French soccer icon, and they had one fantastic night together. She’s never forgotten Gabriel. Now he’s signed a million dollar deal to play for the Los Angeles Galaxy soccer team. They reconnect and their chemistry sizzles hot as ever.
When he sustains a career-ending injury his father expects him to return to France and take over the family winery. That’s the last thing he wants to do. Dylan and Gabriel become cohorts in crime for their own reasons. As the ruse continues their make-believe world becomes all too real. No spoiler’s here.
Claire Marti does it again. She weaves a fantastic tale with characters and descriptions that leap off the page and make you feel like you are part of the story. I love that about her writing. Dylan and Gabriel dared to dream and worked to make their dreams come true. For the Love of You is a pager turner and a feel good tale you must read.
5 Stars
A sneak peek between the pages of For The Love Of You.
Hands linked, they ascended a single flight of broad wrought iron stairs. When he opened the large door, her lips parted in wonder at his home’s simple classic beauty. Wide honey-colored plank flooring set off the soaring ceiling, stark white walls, and midnight navy couch and loveseat. Nothing distracted from the main attraction: enormous glass doors revealing the unobstructed view of the wide golden sand beach melting into the cobalt blue Pacific Ocean.
“Wow. So I guess you signed on the dotted line the minute you saw this view?” Dylan drank in the beauty of the late afternoon sky.
Gabriel’s laugh was a low purr in his throat. “Exactly. Come.” He slid the French doors open and led her out to an immense deck.
Immediately, the warm, salty breeze caressed her skin and the shriek of seagulls filled the early twilight sky. Streaks of mauve and raspberry and tangerine turned the horizon into a watercolor tableau worthy of its own canvas. She leaned against the white wooden railing and sighed with pleasure.
“This is amazing. When did you arrive and do you get to spend much time here?” The Major League Soccer season ran from March to December. Professional athletes didn’t get much downtime, even in the off-season.
He was close enough that the clean fresh scent of soap and shampoo tickled her senses. His hair held a hint of curl and glints of chestnut and caramel. He angled his head toward her. “The transfer came through a few months ago, but I finished up my contract with Barcelona. I was at practice the morning after I arrived. So, no, I haven’t spent enough time here yet.”
“Thanks for sharing it with me.”
He reached for her hand again, lacing their fingers together. “Let’s have some wine and choose something to order for dinner. What are you in the mood for?”
“Italian or maybe French?” Her cheeks flamed. No innuendos there at all. Nope, not a one.
He waggled his eyebrows. “That can be arranged.”
Before she could react, he pulled her into his arms and lowered his head. He paused a few inches from her lips and slid one hand up her back to clasp her head. His minty breath mingled with hers and her lips parted in anticipation. His pupils dilated, his eyes black. With a growl, he captured her mouth and stroked and swirled his tongue with hers.
She melted against him, her knees buckled, and only his powerful embrace saved her from sliding to the deck in a boneless heap. She wove her arms around him, gripping the thin material of his t-shirt.
“Get a room!” A shout from the boardwalk below doused them like a bucket of freezing water. Gabriel’s hold softened and Dylan stepped back.
She exhaled a shaky breath and smoothed back her hair. Worked to slow her thundering heartbeat and gather some composure. When she’d agreed to come over to his house, she’d been anticipating flirtation and conversation, but nothing could have prepared her for experiencing the intensity of their chemistry again. They’d only spent one night together, but he’d left an indelible impression on her. Apparently, it was mutual.
Gabriel flashed a cheeky grin. “I’ve got several rooms inside, care to join me?”
“Aren’t you the clever one? Maybe we should slow things down and have that drink. And I am hungry.” Everything about him was seductive and she was inexorably drawn to him. If she didn’t at least gently tap the brakes, they’d be in bed before dinner. Or instead of dinner.
About the Author:
Claire Marti started writing stories as soon as she was old enough to pick up pencil and paper. After graduating from the University of Virginia with a BA in English Literature, Claire was sidetracked by other careers, including practicing law, selling software for legal publishers, and managing a non-profit animal rescue for a Hollywood actress.
Finally, Claire followed her heart and now focuses on two of her true passions: writing romance and teaching yoga.
Her award winning debut novel, Second Chance in Laguna, was a Finalist for Best Contemporary Romance in the prestigious Stiletto Contest, won best unpublished contemporary romance in the Heart of the Molly and third place in the Maggie. Book two in the Finding Forever in Laguna series, At Last in Laguna, and Book three, Sunset in Laguna, are available everywhere. Sunset in Laguna was a Golden Quill finalist.
Claire’s exciting new Pacific Vista Ranch series set on a horse-breeding ranch in exclusive Rancho Santa Fe, California, launched in September 2019.
When Claire’s not writing, she’s teaching yoga. You can find her teaching at studios in sunny San Diego or enjoy fifty online classes on the international website www.yogadownload.com. A breast cancer survivor, Claire is a sought-after speaker on the power of yoga and meditation. She’s been published in numerous magazines with articles on wellness and is the author of a memoir, Come Ride with Me Along the Big C, on her experience beating breast cancer.
Claire is a member of the Romance Writers of America, Contemporary Romance Writers, and the San Diego Romance Writers.
WEBSITE & SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:
Website: www.clairemarti.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ClaireMartiAuthor/
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/clairepmarti
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clairepmarti
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8203678.Claire_Marti
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/claire-marti
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Claire-Marti/e/B01N9VOWLL
It was wonderful having you with us today. Please feel free to stop by anytime. Good Luck with For The Love Of You!
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Posted in Authors' Secrets Blog and tagged Claire Marti, Contemporary Romance, For the Love of You by Tena Stetler with 2 comments.
A Vampire’s Unlikely Alliance #MFRWhooks
For #MFRWhooks this week a tale about the luck of the Irish A VAMPIRE’S UNLIKELY ALLIANCE – Not what you’re come to expect from a Vampire tale. Join Stefan and Brandy on an exciting Romantic Fantasy that begins in Glacier National Park, winds through Australia. Will they make it to Ireland in time or will the Irish folk tale control their destiny? What happens in between their travels will keep you turning pages. Pssst… Also available in Audiobook.
So pull up a chair and get comfy, grab a drink of your choice from the cooler, a Chocolate Chip or Peanut Butter cookie from the plate, and let’s find out a little about A Vampire’s Unlikely Alliance!
Click on the cover to read more or purchase.
A bit about A Vampire’s Unlikely Alliance:
Stefan is a Native American vampire, former assassin for the Vampire Council. In a twist of fate, he now DJ’s the midnight shift for a small radio station in Whitefish, Montana, on the edge of Glacier National Park where his secret is safe until…
Born in Ireland, Brandy now works as a park ranger and trail guide in the park. During a full moon, Stefan and Brandy’s paths cross in a near physical collision on a trail. Their attraction is immediate and undeniable, almost as if fate demanded it.
Their union was foretold long ago in Irish folk tales where vampires and gryphons, warlocks and demons, witches and faeries must work together for the good of man and magic kind. Is a trip to Ireland the key to unraveling secrets and returning the magic? And even more importantly, will their love survive the trip?
A sneak peek between the pages of A Vampire’s Unlikely Alliance:
It was nearly midnight when he cut across the Sun Road to another trailhead, so intent on his goal that he nearly collided with an attractive young woman. He skidded to a stop, spraying gravel, rocks, and small twigs down the road in front of him. A pinecone dislodged and bounced along the road past her. Tall and slender, she had miles of fiery-red hair that hung down her back in a cascade of curls. Intense emerald eyes stared back at him as he attempted to regain his composure, not to mention balance. What the hell was she doing here at this time of night?
“Whoa.” She stepped lightly to the side to avoid the flying debris. “You really should watch where you’re going, especially at that speed.” Her voice scolded, but the smile on her lips teased. “Someone could get hurt.”
Pretending to pant, he shrugged, holding his palms up in surrender. “Just trying to get my run in before work. Stefan Talltree, at your service.” He stepped closer, leaned over in an exaggerated bow, and caught her hand, brushing his lips over the palm and wrist, inhaling her sweet scent. AB negative with a pulse of adrenaline. Perfect. Her pulse beat a tattoo against his lips. He backed away.
Her heart thundered as she drew her hand from his grasp. “The name’s Brandy. Pleased to meet you, Stefan.” Her smile reached up into her bright eyes as they swept over him with an appreciative glance, an experience he enjoyed.
Her voice had a hint of Irish lilt to it. He liked that too.
“Where do you work that requires you to report in at—” She glanced at her watch. “—midnight?”
Nostrils flaring, he paused. Blood? Not hers. The sound of Brandy’s voice brought his attention back to her and the situation at hand. “Oh, shit, I’ve gotta go!” He sprinted off, leaving her standing alone.
As he started down the trail, the tree branches swayed in the silvery moonlight, casting eerie shadows across the trail’s edge. The breeze brought with it the coppery scent of fresh blood mixed with sulfur. He turned for one last look at her as she wrinkled her nose before silently creeping into the wind, tracking the source of the stench.
Pssst… While you’re here, don’t forget to check out my paranormal romance/mysteries click here.
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Posted in Authors' Secrets Blog and tagged A Demon's Witch Series, A Vampire's Unlikely Alliance, Paranormal Romance/Mystery, Tena Stetler by Tena Stetler with 8 comments.
A Demon’s Witch by Tena Stetler – #MFRWhooks
For #MFRWhooks this week I have one of my favorite books and the beginning of the award winning series by the same name. A DEMON’S WITCH, a best seller and award winner. WooHoo!
So pull up a chair and get comfy, grab a drink of your choice from the cooler, a Chocolate Chip or Peanut Butter cookie from the plate, and let’s find out a little about A DEMON’S WITCH!
Best selling A Demon’s WItch is the first book in the award winning A DEMON’S WITCH SERIES! It was also my debut novel back in November of 2015. Since then the series as grown to five books with the sixth one coming to fruition as we speak.
A Demon’s Witch, was born in a hair salon from a song. What if the hairdresser is really a ruggedly handsome demon overlord. What if a powerful witch breezed into his salon and the attraction was undeniable? What if the salon is multi-species catering to mortals and paranormal creatures alike is located in Washington DC? Adds a new dimension to our concept of DC, doesn’t it? Join the adventure of Bruce and Angie, an entertaining escape from the ordinary world! This spicy romance has it all intrigue, humor, thrills, danger and a splash of magic to keep you on the edge of your seat.
Click on the cover to read more or purchase!
A bit about A Demon’s Witch:
Keeping a lid on all the paranormal beings inhabiting Washington D.C., is a daunting job. Bruce, a six hundred year old demon and the Territory Overlord of the Western Hemisphere, keeps his finger on the pulse of DC’s power players through the activities at his highly successful Wycked Hair Salon. His movie star good looks and body builder physique keeps his dance card full and the rumor mills running. Within these walls, his anonymity is safe, mostly.
Bruce’s world spins out of control when Angelique, a pint size, gorgeous witch, with an attitude breezes through the doors of his salon. She is the younger sister of Tristian, Bruce’s long time trusted enforcer, whose professional skills are second to none. Tristian is furious at the relationship between Bruce and Angelique, a dangerous situation, but something darker awaits them all. Yet undeniable attraction between demon and witch promises to tear apart both their professional and personal worlds.
A sneak peek between the pages of A Demon’s Witch:
A feeling of dark foreboding, like storm clouds forming on the horizon before a violent storm, washed over Bruce as he maneuvered the SUV into the parking lot behind The Krystal Unicorn.
Tristian was already there and it wasn’t to give his report. Bruce could feel the fury in Tristian’s magic signature hanging in the air. A silver tipped arrow penetrated the windshield, split the arm securing the rearview mirror, and stuck in the headrest a quarter inch from Bruce’s neck. Blue liquid oozed from the tip and a stream of red mist escaped from the other end of the arrow.
“Hold your breath and don’t open the door or windows. The influx of fresh air will spread the poison.” He hissed though his teeth not daring to take a breath.
Air pressure inside the vehicle changed, Angie’s head felt like it was going to explode. “Bruce.” She whispered into his mind, a benefit of being mated.
“I know, just a few seconds more, I’ve got it handled.” His deep smooth voice floated reassuringly in her mind, as he reached over caressing her shoulder.
The pressure eased and the red mist sucked in on itself disappearing along with the oozing liquid. He pulled the arrow from the headrest, fingering the hole in the upholstery.
Through gritted teeth, Bruce growled. “His first mistake was that he missed me. His second deadly mistake was he risked your life. That is unforgivable.” Those two things also told Bruce that Tristian wasn’t thinking clearly, fury was coloring his judgment. That gave Bruce an edge, though the attack caught him off guard. He hadn’t expected Tristian’s attack to put his sister at risk.
The console between them lowered to seat level. He hoped to add fuel to the fury burning inside Tristian. Bruce put his arm around Angie’s waist and pulled her against him, his lips pressed against hers then gently covered her mouth as his tongue traced the soft fullness of her lips. He drew back, touched his lips to hers again trailing them down to the pulsing hollow of her neck and whispered, “You’re going into the shop now, Willow is waiting just on the other side of the door. Please stay there, you’ll be able to remain in my mind just don’t interfere. I need your presence there as a calming one. Willow can help you.”
“I don’t understand.”
“I know, there wasn’t time to explain how everything works and I’m not exactly sure myself. Only that I can feel you in my mind and I assume you can feel me in yours.”
“Yes, it’s a weird sensation,” Angie said a tremor in her voice.
“We’ll learn together to use it to our benefit, now is as good a time as any to practice.”
She snorted, “Sure, our lives are on the line. No big deal.” She threw up her hands.
Pssst… While you’re here, don’t forget to check out my paranormal romance/mysteries click here.
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Posted in Authors' Secrets Blog and tagged A Demon's Witch, Demons, Paranormal Romance/Mystery, Series, Tena Stetler, Vampires, Witches by Tena Stetler with 14 comments.
