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Sci Fi Secrets: How Carmen Webster Buxton created the #SciFi book Alien Bonds @CarmenWBuxton #RLFblog #romance
Carmen Webster Buxton, welcome to Romance Lives Forever. I’m Kayelle Allen, author and owner of this blog. Happy to have you here! Please tell us about your book.Alien Bonds by Carmen Webster Buxton
Genre Science fiction romance
Book heat level (based on movie ratings): R for subject but no steam on the page
Welcome to Wakanreo where no one is judged by their looks or their partner in life.
A story of two very different people from two very different cultures, a sort of Avatar combined with Pride and Prejudice. In Alien Bonds, two lives are changed in an instant. Industrial chemist Dina Bellaire travels all the way to the planet Wakanreo to advance her career. Her carefully planned life goes up in flames the second she meets Kuaron Du, a Wakanrean who makes his living singing ancient songs in a dead language. Both of them know they can’t go back to the way they were before they met. They just have to convince the rest of the universe that what happened to them is real.
What species/races of people are in your book?
There are humans, Milorans (very large humanoids), Shuratanians (rather small humanoids) and Wakanreans, large, furred humanoids.
Do you have non-sentient creatures or animals in your story? If so, what are they?
There is a mention of small Wakanrean animals kept as pets but they are not really featured as important.
Language and Culture
This section describes languages and culture in your story world.
What languages are spoken in your story universe?
Most of the galaxy speaks a language called Standard but on Wakanreo, most of the native population grows up speaking their local language of which there are several.
If you created a language for the story, what is it called?
I created a local dialect called Wisutan, for the region around the city of Wisuta.
Please give us a few words in this language and their translation.
Na ha ibum! – Stop that behavior!
In the culture of your story world, what is different from ours?
Wakanreans are the only known sapient species that mate from biology rather than choice. When two people who are unmated and have compatible pheromones come near each other, there is no stopping the process, which is known as shahgunrah. This had made their cultures more egalitarian, as they cannot control who pairs off with whom and thus have no real class system. It has also made them more tolerant. Because sex is not a conscious choice, it is not associated with immorality or sin.
What special laws are important to your story world?
Because the mating process known as shahgunrah has shaped Wakanrean cultures so thoroughly, Wakareans fear to change it. For this reason, research into how shahgunrah works is prohibited on Wakanreo.
What rights (such as equality) are challenges for your characters?
Equality is not an issue on Wakanreo, but Dina, our heroine, does have to prove she is sane before she is allowed to return to live with Kuaron, the Wakanrean she finds herself mated to.
Story Setting
Writers usually know more about their story world than they can say in a book. This is your chance to show off things you couldn’t say or had to imply rather than state.
Wakanreo will always be different from other worlds because its people are so different. One way in which the difference is obvious is that looks don’t matter. If one person in a mated pair is beautiful and the other is homely as sin, no one pitied the beautiful partner or considers the plain one lucky. Likewise, in careers, looks don’t help you advance.
Describe one of the worlds where your story takes place.
The story takes place entirely on Wakanreo, the birthplace and home of Kuaron Du, the hero of the story, It’s a world that is very similar to earth as far as size and gravity, but it is a little colder, which might be why it’s dominant species still has fur.
What makes this world unique?
Wakanreo is unique only because its dominant species mates for life through a biological process called shahgunrah.
Tell us about the age of the culture in your story, i.e., are the people part of an ancient civilization, a newly formed group within an established culture, pioneer colonists, etc.
Until they were discovered and contacted by the Third Confederation of Planets about 70 years before the story starts, Wakanreans were isolated on their world. Their civilization is well established and they are known for their excellent use of chemical technology.
What food or drink is available to your characters?
Wakanreans reject technology when it comes to food. Although synthesizers are available, they prefer to prepare food manually, cooking over a stove or in an oven, as it is important to their culture. They make good use of vegetables but also eat meats. A favorite treat is a sea creature similar to a shrimp but it is served with a garnish of mold.
In what ways was it helpful to have a map (or sketch of one) for your story? (Provide a link to an image, if available)
I made a rough sketch of the continent on which the story takes place so I would know where cities were in relation to each other, but I did not use it that often and did not keep it.
Character Physiology
Whether your characters are humans on a new world, aliens on our world, or something in between, this section discusses their physical nature.
What are the physical characteristics of the race/species of your main characters?
The heroine is human but the hero, Kuaron Du, is Wakanrean. Wakanreans are a little taller than humans. They are humanoid in shape, but they are a little taller, and are covered in fur and have retractable claws on their fingers; the claws on their toes do not retract,
What physical differences exist in the way your characters communicate (i.e., telepathy, empathic abilities, etc.) with each other?
Wakanreans speak aloud, as humans do, but when shahgunrah happens, the mated couple are empathic, but only with each other.
Optional:
What differences, if any, exist in the way your characters reproduce?
Although the selection of a mate is different, reproduction happens the same was for humans and Wakanreans, They are actually very similar because like us, their genetics are based on DNA, just as ours are.
Are there more than two genders in your story world and if so, what are they?
There are only two genders, but as same-sex shahgunrah (mating) sometimes take place, Wakanreans have always been tolerant of it; everyone knows there is no choice involved in shahgunrah.
Sharing World Building Expertise
This section lets you share things you learned while writing.
Please give us three tips you find helpful when creating a story world:
Try to think of something that’s different about the world—gravity, atmosphere, land masses, etc. 1) Ask yourself questions about the geography of the planet: Does it have oceans? Does it have continents or maybe only islands? 2) Then think of how the geography would influence the creatures who live there, intelligent and otherwise. 3) Next decide on who or what lives on this world? Does it have a dominant, sapient species? If so, what are they like and how advanced are they, technologically. Consider on the impact that contact with other species will have on this world.
When you researched for your story setting, what kinds of things did you learn?
I thought about making Wakarean eyes have vertical pupils, like cats’ eyes have, but researching it, I discovered that only species that are near the ground when they walk tend to have those kinds of pupils. Ergo, I rejected it; it actually worked better for them to have similar pupils to humans have them, because it made one less thing to account for in having hybrid human and Wakanrean individuals.
What things should writers avoid when building a science fiction world?
Don’t make it totally uniform! Think about all the different cultures we have on earth. There should be similar differences on a made-up world, depending on how far apart areas are geographically. Also, don’t ignore the effects of whatever physiology you choose to give your aliens. That could influence a culture; for example, a species with a highly developed sense of smell could have taboos about using strong scents such as perfume or incense.
Share a resource you found helpful when researching for your story.
The web in general is useful. Google is a good start for finding sources. The actual source will depend on what information you’re looking for.
What’s your advice for writers who want to create a solid background for their story world?
Think it through before you start plotting your story, or at least before you finish deciding on the outcome. Try to imagine living on the world you’re creating. What would strike you as different?
Where to buy Alien Bonds
Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07959BHM4
Carmen Webster Buxton Social Media
Carmen writes science fiction, fantasy, YA, and romance. She had a peripatetic childhood, as her father was in the US Navy. She has lived in eight different states, but no matter where she lived, she was always reading books. Her tastes were eclectic, ranging from mysteries to science fiction to romance. Having raised two wonderful children, she has settled in Maryland with her husband and a beagle named Cosmo.
Website https://carmenspage.blogspot.com/
Blog https://carmenspage.blogspot.com/
Twitter https://twitter.com/CarmenWBuxton
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/carmenwebster.buxton
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4770583.Carmen_Webster_Buxton
BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/authors/carmen-webster-buxton
Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/Carmen-Webster-Buxton/e/B004V8MM8U -
Sci Fi Secrets: How Lyndi Alexander wrote Triad #RLFblog #SciFi #SpaceOpera
Lyndi Alexander, welcome to Romance Lives Forever. I’m Kayelle Allen, author and owner of this blog. Happy to have you here! Please tell us about your book.Triad by Lyndi Alexander
Genre science fiction, space opera
Book heat level (based on movie ratings): G
Being at war doesn’t stop the pain of old secrets, the joy of love, or the black hearts of space pirates, as three women commanders discover in Triad, from Dragonfly Publishing.
On the planet Induna, Trezanna Len leads the Solarii, a small colony of beings, human and otherwise, who believe in the right to pursue a peaceful life free from interference from others. She’d never intended to be the one people counted on, but after she’d been dismissed from her unit at Space Force, she’d drifted along till she found this place mostly populated with travelers from the Terran Diaspora. She’d been welcomed and made comfortable; now she believes the Solarii should do the same for others seeking shelter.
Of course, no situation is free from trouble. The thorn in Trezanna’s side is another group on a neighboring planet, Miramar: Dragonfleet. Always contentious, this group has become even more aggressive after the ambitious climb to power of Estrella Drake. The unbalanced and self-centered Estrella has lost many of the former Dragonfleet members disillusioned with her petulant rule, including an organized splinter faction called the Khimeyr, who left five years ago.
Trezanna has been able to handle Estrella’s little incursions into her space, marking them up to the price to co-exist. The exercise keeps her pilots and fighters in good practice. This turns out to be a blessing when the well-armed Arkosian space pirates decide they’d like to take the sector that includes both Miramar and Induna. But Trezanna’s Solarii cannot handle this attack on their own.
The last time the pirates entered this area of space, Dragonfleet and the Solarii stood together to repel them, but that’s when cooler heads ruled at Miramar.
Help comes from a most unexpected source, but one that has its own hidden agendas. Three women, Trezanna, Estrella and Catava Rolon, must work out their differences if they are to defeat the pirates and survive.
What species/races of people are in your book? Descendants of Terran humans; Eponans, who are humanoid, but squat, hairless and witty; the Viorn, a lavender-skinned humanoid with feline characteristics and markings, eyes solid black with no iris
Language and Culture
This section describes languages and culture in your story world.
What languages are spoken in your story universe?
Most of the groups speak Terran English, whether Australian, American or British descent. Rumadan, the Viorn rolls her r’s like a cat purring.
In the culture of your story world, what is different from ours?
I’d like to say the fact they live in a constant state of war, but I guess that’s not so different from our world at the moment.
What rights (such as equality) are challenges for your characters?
The Solarii, the Khymehr, Dragonfleet, and the Arkosian space pirates are all fighting over the same bit of space, claiming they have the right to control it.
Story Setting
Writers usually know more about their story world than they can say in a book. This is your chance to show off things you couldn’t say or had to imply rather than state.
Describe one of the worlds where your story takes place.
Miramar is the home of Dragonfleet, and its climate borders on desert. Parts of the planet are more livable, and Estrella Drake’s headquarters are there. On the whole,
Dragonfleet tends to be a raucous, lawless group, subject to frequent power grabs and overthrows by combat. Many are more interested in internal politics, and less at being farmers, so the land is barely cultivated. This makes for a society conducive to scavenging and taking what others have, rather than make a heartfelt effort to improve conditions for themselves.
Tell us about the age of the culture in your story, i.e., are the people part of an ancient civilization, a newly formed group within an established culture, pioneer colonists, etc.
Trezanna Len and the others are the remains of a colony dropped on the planet Induna in the past few decades. War with the space pirates has cost them dearly in attrition over the years, and ensuing squabbles with other small colonies has only exacerbated this.
What food or drink is available to your characters?
The Solarii are able to grow some imported Terran fruits and vegetables that they brought with them, but mostly they deal with canned and potted goods traded with other small colonies around the area.
Character Physiology
Whether your characters are humans on a new world, aliens on our world, or something in between, this section discusses their physical nature.
What are the physical characteristics of the race/species of your main characters?
Most are humans, descended from Terran stock. The Space Force regulated the Diaspora, opening doors for those moving to the outer worlds with the aliens who inhabited these places. Most tend to cling to their own kind, though.
What physical differences exist in the way your characters communicate (i.e., telepathy, empathic abilities, etc.) with each other?
Because there are different species as described above, they’ve settled on Terran English as a standard language. Other than that, they use the standard tech for communication, that has translation software built in.
Sharing World Building Expertise
This section lets you share things you learned while writing.
Please give us three tips you find helpful when creating a story world:
Building a large enough cast to tell several stories simultaneously–this gives an author the opportunity to show many different facets of the world/society
The devil is truly in the details–let your reader hear, smell and taste what your characters do.
In speculative fiction, the sky (and beyond!) is the limit–step out of the box!
What things should writers avoid when building a science fiction world?
Making it too cookie cutter. Find something unique and interesting about each one of your cultures and characters.
Share a resource you found helpful when researching for your story.
Some of the Star Trek resource books–I’m no rocket scientist, but it’s helpful to have a general blueprint of what systems are inherently constructed in spaceships and what you can do with them.
What’s your advice for writers who want to create a solid background for their story world?
Think beyond the surface story line. For example, listen to the news for a day–they talk about economics, politics, food, culture, opinions and who makes them, all of which might not matter at this moment to your pilot flying his shuttle into a spaceport, but which probably impact his life in big-picture ways over the course of your entire tale.
Where to buy Triad
Publisher http://www.dfpbooks.com/dfp/lyndialexander.html
Amazon Paperback https://www.amazon.com/dp/193638132X/
Barnes and Noble http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/2940014113014
iBooks https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/book/triad/id505663131?mt=11
Kobo https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/triad-4
Smashwords https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/129399?ref=dfpbooksLyndi Alexander Social Media
Lyndi Alexander always dreamed of faraway worlds and interesting alien contacts. She lives as a post-modern hippie in Asheville, North Carolina, a single mother of her last child of seven, a daughter on the autism spectrum, finding that every day feels a lot like first contact with a new species.
Website https://lyndialexander.wordpress.com/triad/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/lyndialexander13/
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13490585-triad
Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/Lyndi-Alexander/e/B005GDYPU2 -
An Agent for Lydia by Caroline Clemmons @CarolinClemmons #RLFblog #NewRelease #historical western romance
Caroline Clemmons, welcome to Romance Lives Forever. I’m Kayelle Allen, author and owner of this blog. Happy to have you here! Please tell us about your book.An Agent for Lydia by Caroline Clemmons
Genre historical western romance
Book heat level (based on movie ratings): PG
When Lydia Wood is left at the altar, she believes something beyond her groom’s control has happened. Two years with no word have hardened her heart. She has to get away from her parents’ constant urging her to choose an acceptable husband and wed. Becoming a Pinkerton agent suits her plans.
Pinkerton Agent Jake Hunter has recovered from injuries that put him in a coma and a long convalescence. He realizes Lydia would have been injured had she been with him. He vows to distance himself from the one person who means the world to him to protect her.
When they are paired for an investigation of bank robbers they must follow the trail to a dangerous hangout of men on the run. Can the two successfully pull off their charade and capture the robbers or will this trip confirm Jake’s worst fears?
Why did you write this book?
I was invited by Christine Sterling Bortner, creator of the series. This is my second book in this popular series and I find them fun to write because they’re a bit different. Virginia McKevitt created the covers for the series.
What is your favorite genre to read?
Historical western romance set in the mid to late 1800s
Who is your favorite character from fiction (not including your own)?
Taylor Stapleton from Prince Charming by Julie Garwood.
What are you working on at the moment?
I’m so glad you asked, Kayelle. I’m writing A Bride for Luke, Proxy Bride Series. This is also one of Christine’s multi-author projects. This is my second book in this series.
What books will we see from you in coming months?
Stuart, a Bachelors and Babies book releases in March. I look forward to creating awkward situations for bounty hunter Stuart McGee after he rescues a baby. Mail-Order Victoria is in April. Somewhere in here Christine Bortner has a new series set in the Civil War, a book for each state involved. My state is Louisiana. I like writing in her multi-author projects because she is well organized and it’s easy to work with her. In July, Desperate In Delaware for a new series called Yours Truly: Lovelorn.
Where to buy An Agent for Lydia
Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B083MVRDM7
Caroline Clemmons Social Media
Through a crazy twist of fate, Caroline Clemmons was not born on a Texas ranch. To compensate for this illogical error, she writes about handsome cowboys, feisty ranch women, and scheming villains in a tiny office her family calls her pink cave. She and her Hero live in North Central Texas cowboy country where they ride herd on their dog and three rescued indoor cats as well as providing nourishment outdoors for squirrels, birds, and other critters.
The over fifty titles she has created in her pink cave have made her an Amazon bestselling author and won several awards. She writes sweet to sensual romances about the West, both historical and contemporary as well as time travel and mystery. Her series include the Kincaids, McClintocks, Stone Mountain Texas, Bride Brigade, Texas Time Travel, Texas Caprock Tales, Loving A Rancher, and Pearson Grove as well as numerous single titles and contributions to multi-author projects. When she’s not writing, she loves spending time with her family, reading her friends’ books, lunching with friends, browsing antique malls, checking Facebook, and taking the occasional nap.
Website http://carolineclemmons.com
Blog http://carolineclemmons.blogspot.com
Twitter https://twitter.com/CarolinClemmons (no E in Caroline)
Facebook https://facebook.com/CarolineClemmonsRomances
Pinterest https://pinterest.com/caroclemmons
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/458092.Caroline_Clemmons
BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/authors/caroline-clemmons
Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/Caroline-Clemmons/e/B001K8CXZ6/
Get to know Caroline Clemmons better by signing up for her email newsletter and receive a free e-book for subscribing.
https://carolineclemmons.us5.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=0a24664c906875718d975ad7b&id=7c2e488a51 -
Know the Heroine from Burning Bridges by Dee S Knight writing as Anne Krist @DeeSKnight #RLFblog #romance #secondchance #vietnamwar #Navy
Welcome Anne Krist (aka Dee S Knight). Happy to have you on Romance Lives Forever. I’m Kayelle Allen, author and owner of this blog. We’re excited to find out more about your heroine, but first, tell us about the book.Burning Bridges by Dee S Knight writing as Anne Krist
Genre Romance
Book heat level (based on movie ratings): R
Consider the role of strangers in our lives. An unknown postman in Virginia hides a bag of mail in his shed one day. His simple action sets in motion untold consequences for many others–strangers–all over the country. How many bridges were burned in that forgotten mail pouch?
Sara Richards’s world is rocked when three love letters from 1970 are delivered decades late. The letters were written by Paul Steinert, a young sailor who took her innocence with whispered words of love and promises of forever before leaving for Vietnam. Sara is left behind, broken hearted and secretly pregnant, yearning for letters she never received.
Then he died.
Now, years later, she discovers the betrayal wasn’t Paul’s, when her mother confesses to a sin that changed their lives forever. How can Sara reveal to Paul’s parents that they have a granddaughter they’ve missed the chance to know? Even worse, how will she find the words to tell her daughter that she’s lived her life in the shadow of a lie?
Picking her way through the minefields of distrust and betrayal, Sara finds that putting her life together again without burning any bridges will be the hardest thing she’s ever done.
Know the Heroine from Burning Bridges
Here are some fun questions to help us know your heroine.
It’s late, she’s bored. What does she do?
If it’s during the week, she hops in her car and drives to Charleston to take her daughter to a surprise lunch. If it’s not day time, she bakes and then takes the goodies to her mother’s house. Or she reads. But as a business owner, she doesn’t often have boring moments.
What kind of food would she impulse buy if hungry?
Pizza. She doesn’t eat it often because she likes to keep her weight in check, something she’s found to be harder the older she gets. And put pizza in front of Sara…? She’ll eat the whole pie!
Describe the kind of clothes she prefers to wear.
Sara lives in Beaufort, SC, where the winters are mild and the summers are hot, so she dresses comfortably. Usually that means loose clothes, and generally cotton. At work she’ll wear a top over slacks or a skirt, or a dress, with sandals or pumps. At home, she’s in shorts and tee shirt, or cargo pants. She wears hats because every Southern woman knows not to expose her complexion to the sun!
Does she know how to fix things?
Oh yes! She moved to South Carolina at seventeen, when she told her parents she was pregnant. She moved in with her spinster Aunt Barbara, who taught her that it was good to have a man to rely on if things needed fixing, but better to rely on yourself. Sara learned her lesson well. Before her dad died he helped her with problems around the house, because he wouldn’t take “No,” for an answer. Sometimes her friend and occasional lover, Marine Lieutenant Colonel Matthew Abrams, helps out now because when a gentleman wants to help, a lady must consider allowing him.
She tried to do something and it went badly. Tell us about it.
Sara adopted a lie about her background when she went to South Carolina to have her daughter. The lie grew to the point that even she believed it. But as we all know, lies are usually found out at some point, and when this one is revealed, Sara realizes that she’s hurt everyone she knows–and maybe destroyed the person she loves most in the world.
How does she act around children she doesn’t know?
Sara loves children. She never found a man to love well enough to marry, so she never had another child, but she likes kids and being with them.
What is she like first thing in the morning?
She’s one of those hard to deal with people who enjoys getting up each morning. She loves her town and her job and her house and… Suddenly bluebirds are singing in the trees! Disgusting, really.
Can she use chopsticks?
Yes. She’s lived near a Marine base for many years and is exposed to many customs from around the world. But she doesn’t see the point. Food doesn’t taste any better with chopsticks than with a fork.
Does she drink coffee? If so, how does she take it? If not, what does she drink instead?
Coffee is a necessity, of course, and she drinks it black. However, like most people in the south, sweet tea is really the drink of choice except for the morning.
What apps would she have on her phone?
Sara isn’t one for apps. She likes something relaxing like solitaire or a brain-teaser app that stretches her mind, but other than that she has Google and a news app. That’s it.
Android or iPhone?
iPhone
Earrings or unpierced ears?
Pierced. And since she’s good friends with local artisans, she has a spectacular earring collection.
Tattoos or unadorned skin?
Unadorned. Matthew has a tattoo of the Marine emblem, but she doesn’t find tattoos attractive, so she wouldn’t be drawn to a man with sleeves or too many drawings.
Personal vehicle or public transport?
She’s able to walk or bicycle to work, and she lives close enough to town to shop without a car, so she doesn’t drive that much, or take public transportation.
Recycle or toss?
Recycle.
Thanks for helping us get to know your heroine!
Where to buy Burning Bridges
Amazon https://mybook.to/BurningBridges
Dee S Knight writing as Anne Krist Social Media
A few years ago, Dee S Knight began writing, making getting up in the morning fun. During the day, her characters killed people, fell in love, became drunk with power, or sober with responsibility. And they had sex, lots of sex. That’s how Dee spends her days. Her nights? Well, she’s lucky that her dream man, childhood sweetheart, and long-time hubby are all the same guy, and nights are their secret.
After a while, Dee split her personality into thirds. She writes as Anne Krist for sweeter romances, and Jenna Stewart for ménage and shifter stories. All three of her personas are found on the Nomad Authors website. Also, once a month, look for Dee’s Charity Sunday blog posts, where your comment can support a selected charity.
Website: https://nomadauthors.com -
Read the new Dancing in the Dark by Cheryl St John @_cherylstjohn_ #RLFblog #romance
Cheryl, welcome to Romance Lives Forever. I’m Kayelle Allen, author and owner of this blog. Happy to have you here! Please tell us about your book.Dancing in the Dark by Cheryl St John
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Book heat level (based on movie ratings): PG
He’d had his own baby. Without her.
Dusty Cavanaugh has loved Kendra Price since she walked into the school cafeteria and captured a dozen boyish hearts with the sweep of her stormy gray-green gaze and the lift of her chin. College, marriage, and children had been the plan. But then Dusty made a mistake.
Kendra Price had never wanted to be rich, but she’d wanted to be comfortable, which she was. She’d never wanted to be famous, but to live her passion to the fullest and dance, which she did. She’d wanted to marry Dusty, have babies and live happily ever after. It would never happen.
She’d wanted to dance, get married and have babies…all she had left was dance.
He had everything a man could want–except her forgiveness…There had been no road map for life apart. Will love be enough to guide them back?
Describe the perfect vacation.
My favorite vacation isn’t likely to be everyone’s cup of tea. I don’t want to go to Disneyworld or on a cruise or relax on a beach. I simply love to head out with a very loose itinerary and a final destination, such as a tulip festival or a flea market. Thankfully my husband and I agree, so we don’t stress over a schedule. He loves museums and old architecture and I like to visit historic homes. When we spot a sign indicating an antique store, we veer that direction and browse for hours. Ideally, I’d have a large enough vehicle to shop and haul the purchases home. I’m a collector, so finding something I’ve been searching for is a thrill. Recently I found an original set of Trixie Belden paper dolls.
Tell us about your favorite toy as a child.
As a child, I loved paper dolls. I had several purchased sets, plus I drew and cut additional clothes for their wardrobes. I cut all the babies and children from Sears catalogs, so my paper doll couples had children. When my cousin and I got together and combined dolls, we created houses that took over entire rooms, and we dreamed up scenarios for our paper characters. It was a fantasyland I fully embraced. No wonder I became a writer—I still make up stories and fictional scenarios.
What are your hobbies?
My husband and I used to upcycle furniture and items for ourselves, and now we upcycle to sell. It’s part business and part enjoyment for me to find items and choose colors and hardware. He does the labor, and then I sell the finished products. We keep a photo album of all our before and after projects.
I read a lot. I love to bake. I dabble at crafts. It’s taken me years to accept that gathering items for crafts and actually doing the crafts are two different hobbies.
What kinds of things do you read when you’re researching a new book?
I start a three-ring binder for each book, and part of its content is research material. I’m still a paper person. I like to read and highlight and flag and have information at hand, so I print what I’m going to need later. I read about occupations and everything involved in a character’s job. Then I find articles or books about people with the same job and, if possible, find someone to interview.
I study up on the things my character likes to do and their interests. I read about the location and its history. Quite often I research situations, and I find information about factual people and circumstances. Most recently I’ve done a lot of research on child kidnapping survivors and the psychological effects of having been a kidnapping victim.
I also try to read a new author or recent popular fiction, but nothing with the same subject matter, because I want to be inspired, not influenced. However, I never let researching take the place of productivity. If I’m not producing pages, I’m only stalling, so I write—and research as I go.
If the hero of your latest book called you on the phone, what would be a perfect ringtone for him?
Perfect by Ed Sheeran. The line “Baby, I’m dancing in the dark, with you between my arms” was the inspiration for my title. I create a playlist for each new book. I don’t listen while I’m writing—I need quiet to write—but I listen often and add or remove songs as I’m moved to do so. The song plays a part in the book, so it will always remind me of Dusty and Kendra.
Where to buy Dancing in the Dark
Publisher: Aspen Gold Books
Universal link: https://books2read.com/u/4XZxe9
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dancing-in-the-dark-cheryl-st-john/1133927035
iBooks: https://books.apple.com/us/book/dancing-in-the-dark/id1482159995
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Cheryl is the author of more than fifty historical and contemporary romances. Her stories have earned numerous awards and are published in over a dozen languages. In describing her stories of second chances and redemption, readers and reviewers use words like, “emotional punch, hometown feel, core values, believable characters and real-life situations.” Her bestselling non-fiction books, Writing With Emotion, Tension & Conflict and Write Smart, Write Happy by Writers Digest Books are available in print and digital.
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Read the new book The Turkish Affair by J Arlene Culiner @JArleneCuliner #RLFblog #RomanticSuspense
J Arlene Culiner, welcome to Romance Lives Forever. I’m Kayelle Allen, author and owner of this blog. Happy to have you here! Please tell us about your book.Hello, Kayelle. Thanks for inviting me to be here, on your blog. The Turkish Affair takes place on an archaeological site in a dangerous part of Turkey.
When archaeologist Renaud Townsend discovers translator Anne Pierson wandering around the ancient Hittite site of Karakuyu outside of official hours, his interest is aroused. He likes the way she moves, the swing of her hair, and the tilt of her eyes. But priceless artifacts have been disappearing, and he knows he shouldn’t be attracted to a woman he knows nothing about.
Anne Pierson has been hiding her past for years, moving from one country to the next. Now settled in Turkey and working as a translator, she has given up dreams of romance — what man would be interested in a woman once notorious for her extra-marital affair with an embezzler? But after meeting Renaud Townsend, all thoughts of self-preservation vanish. Her fingers long to reach out, caress the hardness of his chest, and the lazy tones of his voice turn her butter soft.
But no matter how strong the attraction between Renaud and Anne, a short fling is out of the question. Here, in eastern Turkey, the police are corrupt, religion rules daily life, and Anne’s bad reputation can put them both in danger.
The Turkish Affair by J Arlene Culiner
Genre : Romantic Suspense
Book heat level (based on movie ratings): Sensual
Love and Danger at the ancient Hittite site of Karakuyu
Priceless artifacts are disappearing from the ancient Hittite site of Karakuyu in Turkey, and the site director has vanished. Called in to solve the mystery, archaeologist Renaud Townsend is hindered by both his inability to speak the language and the knowledge that the local police are corrupt. His attraction to translator Anne Pierson is immediate, although he is troubled by her refusal to talk about the past and her fear of public scandal. But when murder enters the picture, both Anne and Renaud realize that the risk of falling in love is not the only danger
QUICK
Do you write more than one genre? If so, what are they?…
I mainly write Small Town Romance and Romantic Suspense, but I also write unromantic mysteries, and non-fiction history and biography.
How do you come up with ideas?…
I’m often inspired by a view, but usually a story slowly takes shape in my mind, Most of the time, I have no idea where it comes from or when it will grow into a complete tale.
What is the single most important part of writing for you?…
The excitement of working on the second and third drafts, because I now refine the language, develop the characters, and enlarge the scenes. It’s the most interesting part of writing.
When did you write your first book?…
Like many writers, I wrote my first book when I was very young — perhaps fourteen or fifteen. I have no idea if it was any good, because my mother threw the manuscript in the garbage when I was away at summer camp.
FUN
Leather or lace? Definitely lace.
Black or red? Both are wonderful
Satin sheets or smooth cotton? If I have a choice, I’d prefer those heavy old linen sheets from a hundred years ago. They are collector’s items, and I have a whole stack of them. They are just wonderful to sleep in.
Ocean or mountains? Neither. Give me a flat plain or a desert, and I’m in seventh heaven.
City life or country life? Country life. I hate cities.
Party life or evening at home? An evening at home. At parties, I keep looking at my watch, wondering when I can leave.
Dogs or cats? Both, please.
Where to buy The Turkish Affair
Publisher The Wild Rose Press https://www.thewildrosepress.com/authors/j-arlene-culiner
Amazon https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0823B18Z3/
Barnes and Noble https://tinyurl.com/yx2lyg6v
iBooks https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-turkish-affair
Kobo https://tinyurl.com/yx2lyg6vJ Arlene Culiner Social Media
Writer, photographer, social critical artist, musician, and occasional actress, J. Arlene Culiner, was born in New York and raised in Toronto. She has crossed much of Europe on foot, has lived in a Hungarian mud house, a Bavarian castle, a Turkish cave-dwelling, on a Dutch canal, and in a haunted house on the English moors. She now resides in a 400-year-old former inn in a French village of no interest and, much to local dismay, protects all creatures, especially spiders and snakes. She particularly enjoys incorporating into short stories, mysteries, narrative non-fiction, and romances, her experiences in out-of-the-way communities, and her conversations with strange characters.
Website http://www.j-arleneculiner.com
Blog http://j-arleneculiner.over-blog.com
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Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/author/jarleneculiner-quirky-romances
Sound Cloud Storytelling Podcast: https://soundcloud.com/j-arlene-culiner
