Review and book giveaway of Shadows of Montsegur: A Tale of the Cathars by J. Sowards

Be sure and visit my Facebook page and enter the book giveaway for a chance to win a new copy of Shadows of Montsegur: A Tale of the Cathars. I’ll pick a winner on March 2nd!

In Shadows of Montsegur, Andreva de Beringer, caught amid the terror of the Inquisition, leaves the safe life of the monastery to be with her remaining family members—her grandmother and uncle. But when she arrives home—to the beloved village of Lavelanet, France, near the ill-destined Chateau of Montsegur—she finds life anything but safe. Andreva struggles with inner battles concerning faith and loyalty while at the same time fighting outward battles for the safety of her and her family. And what of the handsome farmer who promises love despite his lower station in life?
The author takes us on an amazing journey in this well-researched historical romance—one that teaches of history and faith and love. We experience a seldom-spoken-of incident in the medieval period through the young Andreva’s eyes. We tread the stony paths of Lavelanet with her, hover in fear as Inquisitors pound on her door, and feel the flood of relief in the arms of the man who loves her. The descriptions are vivid; the history transports us and the characters so real you will turn some pages with tears, some with joy. Thank you, J. Sowards, for his beautifully told story.

You can find Shadows of Montsegur: A Tale of the Cathars at amazon.com. And be sure and visit my Facebook page for a chance to win a new copy. A winner will be announced on March 2nd!

Review and Book Giveaway for A Dangerous Affection by Wanda Luce ~ Published by Walnut Springs Press

Be sure to visit my Facebook page and enter to win a new copy of A Dangerous Affection – deadline is January 11th!

In Wanda Luce’s new novel, A Dangerous Affection, Nicholas Beckett, the Earl of de Rothesay has been driven for months by one purpose—to prove Lady Anne Fitzroy’s father a traitor responsible for his brother’s death. When Anne returns to England after her father’s murder, she is as driven as Nicholas to prove her father’s innocence and clear his name. When Anne and Nic meet and match their wills, sparks fly. But are all the sparks fueled by anger?

Anne is an intelligent, courageously strong woman who will disregard the Regency Period’s social protocol to reinstate her father’s good name and protect her family. She is also a beauty, with gardenia-like skin hard for a young man to ignore . . . even Nic. With a physique as powerful as his determination and as strong as his character, Nic is well sought after by female society. Even Anne can’t evade the effects of his masculine scent—musk and orange with a hint of cinnamon. When these two bold characters set out to defy each other, a battle ensues matched only by the inner battle each fights against their ever-increasing attraction for the other.

Luce works her magic once again in A Dangerous Affection by treating the reader to a Pride and Prejudice-like experience of watching Anne and Nic, at once enemies, find compassion and understanding for each other. When Anne and her family are threatened by her father’s accusations, she and Nic join forces to uncover the truth, whatever it may be and solve a riveting, heart-thumping mystery. Will romance follow? Curl up with this beautifully written and engaging story and find out!

You can find A Dangerous Affection at Amazon and Deseret Book. And be sure to enter the book giveaway on my Facebook page. January 11th I’ll pick a winner.wandapict

Thanks, Wanda, for another must-read Regency Romance 🙂

Review of Code Name Scorpion by Donna Gustainis Fuller ~ Published by Walnut Springs Press

Be sure and visit my Facebook page to enter the book giveaway for a chance to win a new copy of Code Name Scorpion – deadline July 18th!

Trevor Willis, an FBI consultant, has a huge target on his back. Having put one of the most powerful heroin dealers in the country behind bars, Trevor has the dealer’s father—drug lord Don Francisco Morales—after him and pretty much anyone he’s ever said “hi” to. This ruthless vendetta on the part of the Morales Cartel begins a fast-paced sequence of events that keeps Trevor, and the reader, on their toes.

Fuller captures the chaos one would image would come about when a drug lord is really ticked off, at times feeling like a Jason Bourne don’t-blink-or-you’ll-miss-something experience. The reader is taken to the cool climes of the Pacific Northwest and then plunged into the mysterious, dank jungles of South America—indicative of the abrupt about-faces Trevor must make to avoid Morales and those paid to kill him.

Woven through the telling of this frenzied pursuit, though, is a tender love story between Trevor and his assistant, Dani Carpenter. Few couples are required to test their loyalty as Trevor and Dani, and their relationship provides both poignant and humorous moments of relief in this fast moving tale. Other loyalties are tested as both Trevor and Dani must learn who they can trust and who they must protect at all cost—namely the young daughter of one of Trevor’s employees. With guidance from the Spirit—something Trevor is newly acquainted with as a recent convert to the LDS church—Trevor learns a lesson even all his FBI training hasn’t taught him . . . how to trust God.

If you are left wanting to know more about the interesting characters in Code Name Scorpion—good news! Though this is a stand-alone novel, many of these characters are introduced in Fuller’s previous novel, A Strand of Doubt. But will Trevor and Dani have more adventures? I hope so—they don’t seem the type to just settle down to a quiet life.

I’m so happy to have Donna visit my blog and answer a few questions:

1. What was your inspiration for this novel and these interesting characters? [Having been bitten a few times by a scorpion, I’d have to say “Scorpion” is the perfect name for Morales] Many of the experiences with the Scouts and the police officer stopping Trevor were based on real events (but definitely fictionalized). Along with that, I would have to say that much of the inspiration for this novel came from places that I love. My husband and I just moved from the Pacific Northwest and fell in love with the area. We spent time in Puerto Vallarta and love the people there. There are so many who have so little, but give so much. Finally, Pine is a magical place for my family. My husband’s great grandfather settled the small town on the Mogollon Rim in Northern Arizona. The home that Trevor and Dani find themselves at is modeled after the old family homestead.

2. I have to ask—do you know someone who works for the FBI? No, but there are unsubstantiated rumors flying around Scout troops in two states that my husband may be working for the FBI, but he assures those scouts that he is not, nor has he ever been, employed by the Bureau. ; )

3. With several characters in Code Name Scorpion having been introduced in your previous novel, A Strand of Doubt, was this novel a planned continuation or simply characters that wouldn’t “leave you alone?” A Strand of Doubt started as a short story I wrote many years ago. By the time the book was finished, the characters took on a life of their own and almost demanded a continuation of the adventures. Code Name Scorpion is the continuation of that story. So, I would have to say that my characters wouldn’t leave me alone until I wrote their story. In fact, one way that I advance the plot is by interviewing the characters.

4. As an award-winning author, what advice would you give beginning writers? It’s never too late to follow your dream. Learn what you can from others and get as many people to critique your work as possible. Take advantage of writing conferences and retreats such as LDStorymakers and ANWA. Most of all—keep writing, writing, writing!

5. Will Trevor and Dani settle down or will we get to experience another story involving these two great characters?
I am contemplating a third novel in the series, but I also have a very rough draft of a historical fiction novel (with some suspense thrown in there). If people want a continuation of the story, let me know and I’ll do my best. I’m pretty sure Trevor and Dani would be glad to share their next adventure.

Thank you, Donna, and we all look forward to your next project – and I, for one, would like to know what happens next for Trevor and Dani.

You can find Code Name Scorpion at Amazon and Deseret Book. And be sure to visit my Facebook page for a chance to win a new copy of Code Name Scorpion – deadline is July 18th!

Monument Ward chooses Changing Worlds for Book Club

ChangingWorlds_Front_RGB (1)A big thank you to DeeAnn Royer and the Monument Ward Book Club for featuring my first novel, Changing Worlds, for their June Book Club! DeeAnn went way out of her way to make this a special evening. With word scrambles, word searches, crossword puzzles, pasta salad, fudge and mint chocolate chip ice cream, it was all things Changing Worlds! And everything adorned with red geraniums . . . Miss Ally would be so happy. It was so wonderful meeting with these lovely women – thank you all for such a fun evening!