Author Interviews
Interviews with authors
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The Last Post (In Follow Your Star Home) by Caroline Warfield @carowarfield @bellesinblue #RLFblog #HistoricalRomance
Caroline Warfield, 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.The Last Post (novella in Follow Your Star Home) by Caroline Warfield
Genre: Historical Holiday Romance
Book heat level (based on movie ratings): PG13
France, 1919
Love for Rosemarie Legrand gave Harry the will to go on during the horror of trench warfare. Now, army orders trap him in a camp awaiting repatriation. A bout of the Spanish flu lays him even lower, but he is determined not to leave without her. He’ll desert if he has to.
Rosemarie waits for word on her cousin’s farm where she took refuge when war reached the outskirts of Amiens. She wrote to tell him. Has he forgotten her? When the slimmest of information arrives, she sets out to find him.
Can these two lovers reunite before it is too late? How can he marry her if he can’t find her?
Why did you write this book?
The Last Post is a sequel to “Roses in Picardy,” which was in last year’s anthology. “Roses” ended with them happy-for-now in December 1916 with the Great War still raging around Rosemarie’s little cottage near Amiens, and my readers demanded to know how it turned out.
What is your favorite genre to read?
I read historical anything: romance, mystery, non-fiction, literary fiction, children’s books…as long as it is historical, I’ll read it.
Who is your favorite character from fiction (not including your own)?
One! Dorothy Dunnett’s Crawford of Lymond, Mary Balogh’s Duke of Bewcastle, Carla Kelly’s Able Six are some of them.
What are you working on at the moment?
I’m writing another anthology novella, this one set in Bath and culminating in a Valentine’s Day Ball. The hero is a battered old sergeant with a heart of gold. I’m also scoping out the next book in my Children of Empire saga. This one may land in Egypt during a rebellion against the Ottoman Empire.
What books will we see from you in coming months?
I’ll have the first of a new set of three stories for Children of Empire by mid year. I also plan to write the middle passages between Roses in Picardy and The Last Post, and release it as a full length novel.Where to buy Follow Your Star Home
Publisher https://bluestockingbelles.net/belles-joint-projects/follow-your-star-home/
Amazon https://amzn.to/2E0WbrL
Barnes and Noble https://bit.ly/2y0SJbd
iBooks https://apple.co/2ObkLLj
Kobo https://bit.ly/2E26lbw
Smashwords https://bit.ly/2zTlesL
Amazon UK https://amzn.to/2BY6p9t
Amazon AU https://amzn.to/2BXHfrC
Amazon CA https://amzn.to/2zTvJMyCaroline Warfield Social Media
Award winning author Caroline Warfield has been many things: traveler, librarian, poet, raiser of children, bird watcher, Internet and Web services manager, conference speaker, indexer, tech writer, genealogist—even a nun. She reckons she is on at least her third act, happily working in an office surrounded by windows where she lets her characters lead her to adventures in England and the far-flung corners of the British Empire. She nudges them to explore the riskiest territory of all, the human heart.
Website https://www.carolinewarfield.com/
Blog https://www.carolinewarfield.com/authors-blog/
Twitter https://twitter.com/CaroWarfield
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/carolinewarfield7/
Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/warfieldcaro/
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8523742.Caroline_Warfield
Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/Caroline-Warfield/e/B00N9PZZZS/
Newsletter https://www.carolinewarfield.com/newsletter/The Bluestocking Belles Social Media
The Bluestocking Belles (the “BellesInBlue”) are ten very different writers united by a love of history and a history of writing about love. From sweet to steamy, from light-hearted fun to dark tortured tales full of angst, from London ballrooms to country cottages to the sultan’s seraglio, one or more of us will have a tale to suit your tastes and mood.
Website https://bluestockingbelles.net/
Blog https://bluestockingbelles.net/category/teatime-tattler/
Twitter https://twitter.com/BellesInBlue
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/bellesinblue/
Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/bellesinblue/
Newsletter https://bit.ly/2zU7FcwYou May Also Like
London Calling by Dena Garson, Sorcha Mowbray, et al. @DenaGarson #RLFblog #steampunk #romance
Gift of Honor (Knights of Honor Book 8) by Alexa Aston @AlexaAston #RLFblog #NewRelease #medievalromance
Read the new Lacewood by Jessica James @jessicajames #RLFblog #NewRelease #womensfiction
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Mercy by Jane Flagello @MasteringChange #RLFblog #RomanticSuspense
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.Shining a spotlight on the devastating problem of puppy mills and dog fighting is at the heart of Jane Flagello’s new book, Mercy – all wrapped up in a heartwarming story of love and compassion.
Mercy by Jane Flagello
Genre Romantic Suspense
Book heat level (based on movie ratings): sweet
Darby Dratton is a veterinarian who believes in protecting helpless animals. A widow with a five-year-old daughter, Darby wants to grow her animal sanctuary and provide excellent veterinary care. A colleague’s suicide turns into a homicide and thrusts Darby into the ugly world of puppy mills and dogfighting, transforming her peaceful life into hell. Darby digs deep and finds the courage to go against a man who will stop at nothing to keep the money flowing from his secret empire.QUICK
Do you write more than one genre? If so, what are they?…
I write mysteries and romantic suspense. My current project is a 3 book cozy mystery series set in Virginia Beach. Before I retired I had a personal/business coaching practice and was a management professor. Wearing that hat, I wrote self-help and personal growth books. Now, I take many of the lessons I shared as a coach and embed them in my stories.
How do you come up with ideas?…
I keep my eyes and ears open to everything around me. I live at the beach where people are very relaxed. Everywhere I go, ideas for stories present themselves so I can pick and choose which to use. My last three books – Gotcha!, Complicity, and Mercy have centered on social issues that make me angry. My goal was to shine the spotlight on important issues in hopes that people with way more power than I have will work to resolve the issue.
What is the single most important part of writing for you?…
Crafting a good plot that makes sense to readers, has a happy ending, and showcases the issue I want to put in the spotlight is important. Writing is like putting together a giant jigsaw puzzle. I have so many ideas which I work hard to integrate smoothly into a cohesive story that my readers will love.
When did you write your first book?…
My first books were change management and personal development books that I wrote while I was a college professor. In 1998 I wrote a personal development book called Me, Inc. It helped people navigate their life path and chart a course for where they wanted to be. Then I retired and I switched to mystery and romantic suspense – and am loving it!FUN
Leather or lace? Definitely lace
Black or red? Cobalt Blue
Satin sheets or smooth cotton? Smooth cotton – and white
Ocean or mountains? Ocean – I live at the beach. The ocean calms my soul.
City life or country life? Country life but close enough to a city to visit.
Party life or evening at home? Evening at home
Dogs or cats? Dog. He’s just over two – still a puppy – who loves the beach almost as much as I do!Where to buy Mercy
Publisher Zig Zap Press, LLC
Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Mercy-Jane-Flagello/dp/0996123768/Jane Flagello Social Media
Life is to be lived – and lived fully! At least that’s my never to be humble opinion.
I am enthusiastic about life. Every day I get out of bed, put my feet on the floor and say Thank you, God for giving me another day to play! I recently retired from a successful career as a professor, personal coach, business writer, and motivational speaker. Then I looked around and asked myself, “What’s next?”
Next turned out to be a new adventure. Meet Jane the mystery/romance author!
“Stories have the power to reach people and inspire them. Stories help all of us see our lives up close, in 3D. We connect with characters we want to know, want to root for, want to embrace. Stories give us ways to change what we are doing and who we are being”
I hope that my stories will touch your heart. They are stories are about people in transition, facing life’s challenges, people just like you and me. The magic of stories is that they offer you hints about how to accept whatever life throws at you and find the strength and courage to overcome, to live life fully with no regrets.
My other passion is mah jongg. Yes, I am a mahjonggaholic! I teach people how to play mah jongg and how to be more strategic during the game. And, I play in tournaments whenever I can. Look close and you’ll find references to mah jongg in many of my stories.
Website www.janeflagello.com
Blog http://www.janeflagello.com/blog/
Twitter https://twitter.com/masteringchange
Facebook https://Facebook.com/janesternbergflagello
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13689296.Jane_Flagello
Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B000APM4YK -
Read free: Willow Smoke by Adriana Kraft @adrianakraft #FreeBookFriday #Read
It’s #FreeBook Friday on RLFblog! Join us for a collection of free reads and downloads. All genres and heat levels. This week’s featured book is Willow Smoke by Adriana Kraft. Bookmark this site so you don’t miss a thing.Welcome to FreeBook Friday
Each week, you’ll find free books to download and read. Some are straight up giveaways, some Kindle Unlimited, others are Kindle Select, and some are free with newsletter sign up. Always a mix of genres and heat levels. These free deals may be limited in time, so please be sure to check prices before clicking the final buy button.
When you sign up for a newsletter, you are signing up ONLY for that author’s newsletter, not a list of authors who will all then email you. You can unsubscribe at any time, however, please do not mark these emails as spam. When you sign up, you give your permission for the author to email you. Thank you, and enjoy the books!
Willow Smoke (Riders Up #3) by Adriana Kraft
When the chips are down, there’s nobody there. Willowy blond Daisy Matthews has survived the Chicago streets with this mantra but is unprepared for the much older Nick Underwood’s urgent pursuit. The wealthy businessman receives a thoroughbred in payment for a bad debt and is thrust into Daisy’s world.
She teaches him about horse racing; he teaches her about love. When Daisy’s seamy brother-in-law threatens Nick’s safety, she doggedly tries to stop him by herself, but flees to the familiar streets when he attacks. Can Nick find her in time – and if he does, will she still want him?
Celebrate the upcoming Kentucky Derby with a free horse racing romantic suspense from Adriana Kraft – FREE on Amazon April 27-29 only.
Download your free book: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00N0DH13I
Free for a limited time. Get your copy today.
(Always free on Kindle Unlimited)
His Innocent Bride by Kryssie Fortune
Going about her mundane life in a small fishing village, Alethea never dreamed she would end up with a man like the Earl of Deanswood, yet when she caught the handsome gentleman’s eye he wasted no time in making her his wife. Unbeknownst to Alethea, however, her conniving mother has convinced Deanswood that she has no interest in the marital bed. Devastated by his seeming disinterest, Alethea searches for someone to instruct her in the ways of enticing a man.
When a friend informs Deanswood of Alethea’s plans, he decides to train his new bride himself. Soon enough, Alethea finds herself naked, blindfolded, and helplessly bound as she is thoroughly spanked and then brought to one blushing, quivering climax after another. But when Alethea’s life is threatened by her mother’s vicious scheming, can Deanswood protect his innocent bride?
Publisher’s Note: His Innocent Bride is a stand-alone novel which shares the Regency-era setting of Wickedly Used. It includes spankings and sexual scenes. If such material offends you, please don’t buy this book.Download your free book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GLQR2M2
Free on KindleUnlimited
Barbary Lion by Holly BargoOnce a king and now a police detective and always a hunter, Atlas Leonidus dreamed of his mate and knew the instant her foot touched the soil of his country. In order to secure her cooperation, he drugs, kidnaps, and imprisons his mate who had come to Italy for a once-in-a-lifetime vacation. He’s handsome and charming and utterly ruthless: a man who’s 1,600 years old doesn’t thrive for centuries without believing himself superior to everyone else and doing pretty much as he pleases.
Chloe cannot believe what her captor says, though the changes wrought in her own body give evidence to his wild words. Isolated, she becomes depressed. Rebellious, she breaks beneath his autocratic rule. But Chloe’s smart and she’s no doormat. Beneath the veil of meek obedience, she plots and schemes: all it takes is one mistake, one moment of inattention, to escape.
Upon discovering her escape, Atlas realizes what his cruelty has cost. He sends a hunter after her when he fails to find her. Dmitry, the hunter, has been searching for a mate for 800 years; he’s lonely, too. Atlas hopes that Dmitry never learns that he did not complete the bonding ritual and that Chloe can still be claimed.
Download your free book: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00Y218230/
Free on KindleUnlimitedBedazzled by Madison Michael
A Chance Encounter Can Change Everything… Keeli Larsen is second-guessing her decision to support herself as an independent jewelry designer. She has no money, no friends, but she knows she has talent. Leaving her job, she rides the elevator one last time with the sexy man from the penthouse office. That ride and a well placed hand are about to change her life.
Millionaire and hot hunk Wyatt Lyons Howe IV is trapped by generations of family loyalty and tradition until a moment in an elevator rocks his staid world. Wyatt is captivated by Keeli’s beauty and fiery spirit, choosing to pursue her and his dreams. He just needs to rid himself of a scheming fiancé, defy his family, conquer his doubts, extricate himself from his traditional life and, of course, find the elusive Keeli again. Is she Wyatt’s ticket to freedom or is Keeli an opportunist looking for a bankroll? Unsure of her motives, but unable to stay away, Wyatt is bedazzled.
Fans of steamy romances will fall in love with this contemporary retelling of Cinderella, a smart, sexy story, set within the splendor of Chicago’s elite society.Download your free book: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01EUJBPZA/
Free on KindleUnlimitedChaos, Illustrated Quotes of Pietas by Kayelle Allen
Illustrated Book
As king of the immortal Ultras, Pietas ap Lorectic rules his people with an iron fist and a heart of stone. Or so he would have you believe. The man behind the myth is a scientist, deep thinker, brilliant strategist, and passionate lover. He has shared his thoughts on chaos with few. This book is a collection of quotes on the concept by the man known to other immortals as the Bringer of Chaos.
Thirty beautifully illustrated quotes.
You’ll get 3 other free books plus other exclusive content for members only.
Download your free book: https://kayelleallen.com/reader-groups
(requires newsletter sign up)Cover model for Chaos: Nik Nitsvetov (courtesy of DepositPhotos.com)
Bookmark this site and come back for more great books!
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Living with Cancer. Keyword: Living @liviaquinn Livia Quinn #AttackingCancer #Cancer
Livia Quinn shares good news — and statistics that can help.One third or all men and women in the US will develop cancer of some kind. Every year I hear more positive experiences about cancer, people living longer, going into remission or the diagnosis itself making them face difficult decisions that improve their lives and health.
Living with cancer. According to the American Cancer Society “Today, more than 15 million people alive in the United States have had some type of cancer. Some of these people are cancer-free; others still have it.”
And still the main problem seems to be convincing people, particularly women, to be tested. Here are some of the things you may not be aware of about cutting your risks of getting cancer. (Some are still controversial with doctors, like mine who is on the side a one glass of red wine a day. Nevertheless, these are some things you can do to reduce your risk.) We need to face some hard truths about our habits.
1. Obesity is the largest risk factor that is preventable.
2. Get mammograms or tests for your genetic risk factors.
3. Risks increase with age so all the more reason to get other risks factors in check.
4. Don’t stick your head in the sand. Self check. Report ANY changes to your doctor.
5. Breast cancer isn’t always hereditary and around 90% of lumps aren’t cancerous. But that leaves 10%. EARLY DETECTION is imperative.
6. Any alcohol, according to research, increases your risk, even wine.
7. Breast cancer is no longer a death sentence. And one thing about the recent Obamacare laws was to make one mammogram a year and health exam is covered by your insurance. Check to make sure this is still true with yours but for many there is no monetary reason to avoid mammograms.
8. Other risk factors, tobacco, sun bathing in any form, lack of exercise.
Uh,boy. I need to up my game…
This Tuesday my book At Long Last Love releases. Talk about overcoming hereditary challenges and accepting help from your loved ones…At Long Last Love by Livia Quinn
Genre Contemporary Small-town Romance
Book heat level (based on movie ratings): PG-13
Love happens…when you least expect it! And sometimes it brings a long-awaited second chance.
Madison Hart has been in love with Beau Larue for most of her life. When he comes home unexpectedly, Maddie’s traitorous heart leaps at the thought of a second chance. But an accident Beau’s Hollywood movie set has sent him home a changed man, in more ways than one.
Maddie makes a sacrifice that pushes Beau even farther away. Will her love be strong enough for both of them to finally find their happily ever-after?
A series with so much love and heart you’ll be cheering for each couple to get their happily ever after.
Preorder AtLong Last Love and book 6 until release day for $0.99 as well. (7 books in the series)Where to buy At Long Last Love
Publisher Campbell Hill Publishing
Books 2 Read https://books2read.com/atlonglast
Amazon US https://kdp.amazon.com/dp/B07H9M33TB
Amazon CA https://kdp.amazon.ca/dp/B07H9M33TB
Amazon UK https://kdp.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07H9M33TB
Amazon AU https://kdp.amazon.com.au/dp/B07H9M33TB
Ibooks https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1436189314
Nook https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/at-long-last-love-livia-quinn/1129533824
Kobo https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/at-long-last-love-7
It will also be available on Walmart.com
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41962625Livia Quinn Social Media
Livia Quinn is a DC native who lives by the bayou in Louisiana with her husband and Cajun husky, Dusty. She gets her inspiration from the state’s fascinating culture and weather. She loves stories with emotion, family and love of community so you’ll find small towns, humor, quirky characters and lots of love in her stories. She has published twelve books, both paranormal and contemporary romance.
Livia Quinn’s Books2Read Page https://books2read.com/ap/x2gD7R/Livia-Quinn
Website: http://liviaquinn.com
Blog: https://liviaquinnwrites.blogspot.com
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/liviaquinnauthor
Twitter http://twitter.com/liviaquinn
Bookbub https://www.bookbub.com/authors/livia-quinn
Pinterest http://pinterest.com/liviaquinn
Goodreads http://bit.ly/22VXuev
Amazon Author page http://amazon.com/author/liviaquinn
Google+ http://bit.ly/2guNZn9
Instagram http://instagram.com/liviaquinnauthor
Livia Quinn Readers Group http://bit.ly/2gBFQ12
Newsletter http://bit.ly/2J35skU -
Save Lives: Do Annoying Tests and Keep Doctor Appointments Stacy McKitrick #AttackingCancer #Cancer
Author Stacy McKitrick shares a dual story of surviving cancer.Cancer hit Hubby and me three times since 2016. Thank GOD we see doctors regularly and follow through with scheduled but annoying, tests. Because they probably saved our lives.
In January of 2016, Hubby felt a tickle in his throat that wouldn’t go away. He went to his doctor who promptly got him an appointment with the ENT who promptly scheduled surgery. Diagnosis: tonsil cancer. Two more surgeries (and a PET scan) later, Hubby was diagnosed cancer-free. But cancer was apparently hiding. In January of 2017, Hubby felt a lump on his neck. Yep, cancer. The same cancer DNA as the first: HPV. Hubby probably had this in his system for decades and never knew it.
This time around he not only had surgery to remove the lump, but now he needed chemo and radiation. Overall, he lost 100 lbs. Not the best way to lose the weight, but he’s determined not to gain it all back.
While he was recovering from all that, I had my annual mammogram in July of 2017. Results came back wonky and they suggested I have a biopsy. This was not unfamiliar territory for me. I’ve had several wonky mammograms followed by biopsies, cysts drained, and two lumps removed (both fibro abnomas). Even though I was sure I didn’t have cancer, I went along with the biopsy because it’s always better to be safe than sorry.
When the doctor told me I had breast cancer, I really didn’t believe him at first. Thought it was some kind of mistake. Then he went over my choices: lumpectomy w/radiation or mastectomy.
I thought: Holy crap! I have breast cancer.
I couldn’t think. Couldn’t make a decision. I needed Hubby with me (I went alone because I didn’t think he was needed for that appointment!).
I also thought: I don’t want to miss my trip to California!
My dad was getting up there in age (92) and I had plans to see him in October. They wanted to do surgery then.
Getting a mastectomy would have put a stop to that trip, so I chose the lumpectomy. And I’m so glad I did. My father passed away a couple of weeks after I returned home.
Radiation happened during Christmas, but it wasn’t so bad (I’ve seen people get burned) and I was sure I wouldn’t need chemo because the cancer wasn’t found in my lymph nodes. Then I was told about the tests the doctor ran on my cancer to determine the probabilities of it returning in my bones. Seemed I fell into the “no man’s land”: chemo MIGHT prevent it or it MIGHT not. Great. I love when things are vague, don’t you?
As I struggled to make this decision, I discovered one of the many side affects of the chemo was that I could develop another type of cancer. I wasn’t willing to trade the possibility of getting one cancer for the possibility of getting another, so I decided against chemo. Thankfully, Hubby supported my decision.
Hubby and I are doing well now. He got his port removed in August and is at a weight that’s healthy for him. And my last mammogram came back clear, although I’m getting them done every six months for awhile. There’s still the possibility cancer can return, and if it does, I’ll deal with it. Because you CAN beat cancer. Hubby and I are proof.Ghostly Interlude by Stacy McKitrick
Genre: Paranormal romance
Book heat level (based on movie ratings): R
Maggie Russell—legal assistant by day, horror writer by night—gets the scare of her life when she wakes up in a strange café without any idea of how she got there. But if she tells anyone about her sleepwalking escapades, she could lose her grandmother’s house, and she’d fought so hard to keep it.
Dean Parker is a private investigator whose office is next door to Maggie’s law firm. He’s been eyeing the pretty brunette ever since she started working there, but getting involved with anyone isn’t in his game plan. When he finds out she’s been having sleeping problems, he suspects her money-grubbing cousin is involved. Instead, he discovers something worse: a ghost is living with Maggie and it appears another may be possessing her.
Dean is determined to help Maggie rid her home of the uninvited guests. He just never figured his attraction to her would be reciprocated. Keeping his distance is no longer an option, though. If he fails, Maggie could very well be possessed forever.Where to buy Ghostly Interlude
Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079G512CR/
Barnes and Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ghostly-interlude-stacy-mckitrick/1127905938
iBooks https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/ghostly-interlude/id1342321830?mt=11
Kobo https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/ghostly-interlude
Smashwords https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/785988Stacy McKitrick Social Media
Stacy McKitrick fell in love with paranormal romance, decided to write her own, and found her passion in life. She used to work in accounting, now she spends her time with vampires, ghosts, and aliens, and is the author of the Bitten by Love and the Ghostly Encounters series. Born in California, she currently resides in Ohio with her husband.
Website http://stacymckitrick.com
Blog http://www.stacysrantings.blogspot.com
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/StacyMcKitrickAuthor/
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6564751.Stacy_McKitrick
Amazon Author Page http://amazon.com/author/stacymckitrick
Newsletter http://eepurl.com/bCN0Oz -
Like-Hearted Adventurers and a New Life: Lloyd A Meeker @lloydameeker #AttackingCancer #Cancer
Like-hearted AdventurersLloyd A Meeker’s Fighting Cancer Story
In the fall of 2003 I had surgery for stomach cancer. I was living in Washington, DC with the man who has since become my husband. I was in my mid-50s and had never spent a night in a hospital before. I’d been sober for four years and happily partnered for one. A brand new life was unfolding before me, and I was ill prepared for the shock of discovering that I had cancer.
After the surgery, that first night in the hospital, floating on a cloud of morphine (I’m sure I clicked on my dosage button far more times than the dispensing machine would respond) I heard a voice – which sounded a lot like the voice of the therapist I’d worked with while coming out. It said, “You know, you’ve always said you wanted to write novels. Well, you’d better get on it because you’re now on bonus time.”
The next morning I asked my partner to bring in my laptop, and I began work on finishing the story that had been languishing on my hard drive for several years.
Four months later I discovered I had a different kind of cancer in my bladder, much more aggressive. Once again I was challenged to pay attention not only to the fact that I was mortal, but to how I wanted to live. I made changes to how I lived. I resigned from my programmer’s job for a defense contractor, and got a new one working for the Peace Corps.
I’ve always said I’ve been grateful for those experiences with cancer because they forced me to review my priorities and reminded me that I had no time to waste on anything but living the most authentic life I possibly could, surrounded by like-hearted adventurers, challenging myself to live a life of conscious decency and creativity as I understood what that meant.
All my tests since that time have come back negative for any reoccurrence, and I think I’d grown a little soft in my gratitude for cancer — simply based on the assumption that it was far behind me. Earlier this year my annual cystoscopy came back clear just as I had expected, but a week after the exam my urologist called me to inform me that my PSA was over twice what it had been previously. We scheduled a second blood draw. Yesterday he called me again, to inform me that this time the reading was even higher.
So today, less than 24 hours after this news, I am adapting to the possibility that cancer may not be only in my history but a very real part of my present. I am, of course, planning the next steps in my care, but I’ve also done a pretty good job of depressing myself reading about what sex is like for men without a prostate and challenging myself on my ego attachment to functioning the way I’ve always experienced myself to be. I’m actually supposed to be writing to meet my extended deadline instead of doing all that, but I need some processing time to let this news land. Premier League football, Freecell and food seem to have been an acceptable compromise this morning.
But one thing is sure. As soft as I may have grown in my dedication to a life of authenticity as I understand it, that dedication is ferociously hard and sharp again, an unrelenting commitment to being actively present in a world that clamors for peace, begs for compassion and demands social responsibility and environmental stewardship. Once again I have been liberated from obligations that have slowly grown on my heart like barnacles. Once again I’m thankful for what cancer can teach. Regardless of what my biopsy results might be, I’m in a new chapter of my life. Since November 2016 my writing has sought to address issues important to me in diplomatically nuanced ways, but now it will carry a much firmer and direct advocacy for the values by which I live.Traveling Light by Lloyd A Meeker
Ian McCandless is a hospice nurse, training to become a shaman. When his mentor orders him to make peace with his estranged family, Ian reluctantly agrees, anticipating another conflict-filled visit. On their way from the airport, Ian’s older brother Will interrupts a convenience store robbery and is shot. As he dies in Ian’s arms, Will begs Ian to avenge him.
Ian uses his shamanic abilities to track down the killer, but his quest soon becomes a hunt for revenge—forbidden to any shaman. His actions jeopardize his relationship with the spirit-world, endanger the lives of those he loves, and threaten to banish him from the path that gives his life meaning. Ian must choose between vengeance and service to community as the root of his shamanic covenant. Evil or noble, every choice is sacred to the Great Web, and every choice has consequences.Genre Paranormal LGBT Fiction
Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01HKJZODG/Lloyd A Meeker Social Media
A mystic, writer, healer, lover, cancer survivor, father, friend, he writes (mostly) gay fiction featuring all those paths and more. Having led what he describes as a checkered life, he can honestly say he’s grateful for all of it. He’s been a minister, an office worker, a janitor, a drinker, and a software developer on his way to finishing his first novel in 2004. Basically, he’s a psychic empath, a little weather-beaten and still learning how to live in the world just the way it is. He experiences the world as so much more than is generally accepted. That’s the challenge. Writing stories is the best way he’s found to examine and share the questions, the wonders he engages daily.
He and his husband have been together since 2002, married since 2007. Between them they have four children and five grandchildren. They are based in south Florida, where the couple works hard to keep up with the astonishing life they’ve created for themselves.
Twitter https://twitter.com/LloydAMeeker
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/lloyd.a.meeker
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4707581.Lloyd_A_Meeker
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