• Character Insider,  Gay or MM

    Get the inside scoop on Aidan Greene from Three Wrong Turns in the Desert by Neil S Plakcy @neilplakcy #RLFblog #MMRomance #WriteLGBTQ

    Get the inside scoop on Aidan Greene from Three Wrong Turns in the Desert by Neil S Plakcy @neilplakcy #RLFblog #MMRomance #WriteLGBTQWhen Aidan Greene spies handsome ex-SEAL Liam McCullough showering naked behind a bar in Tunisia’s capital, his only thoughts are of lust. But when Liam needs his help to track a nomadic tribe through the Sahara, can that emotion carry him on a wild ride, chased by corrupt cops and confronted with a terrorist training camp?

    Neil, welcome to Romance Lives Forever. I’m Kayelle Allen, author and owner of this blog. Happy to have you here! Please tell us about Three Wrong Turns in the Desert.

    Three Wrong Turns in the Desert by Neil S Plakcy

    Genre MM romance/adventure
    Book heat level (based on movie ratings): R

    Introducing the “Have Body, Will Guard” series – a thrilling gay romance adventure following bodyguard Liam and ESL teacher Aidan as they team up to chase terrorists through the Sahara desert, falling in love along the way. With action-packed plot twists and steamy romance, this book will keep you on the edge of your seat as Liam and Aidan navigate dangerous situations and yet still find time for romance. Travel by armchair from the bustling streets of Tunis through the scorching Sahara. This story will take you on a wild ride of love, action, and adventure.

    Insider Information about Character Name

    Welcome! We’d like to know more about you. Please add info you’re comfortable sharing.

    Age: 31
    Gender: Male
    Birthplace: Trenton, NJ
    Profession: formerly a teacher of English as a second language, now a close protection agent (aka bodyguard)

    Please provide a physical description of yourself.

    Under the tutelage of my love interest/partner, I’ve begun building up my muscles, though I’ll never be as Adonis-like as he is. I’m six feet tall with brown hair and eyes. Though I’m not really a street fighter, I’d gladly grab the balls of an assailant and squeeze.

    What are your pronouns?

    He/him/his

    How well does your name fit your personality?

    As a Jewish baby, I was named after my grandfather Aaron, though my parents wanted a more mainstream name for me, so they picked Aidan. I wouldn’t have minded that name, and I’m kind of sorry that my grandpa shorted the family name from Greenberg. I’m proud of who I am and I wish my name was more reflective of that.

    Do you believe in love at first sight?

    Was it love, or simply lust, when I first spotted Liam McCullough? He was showering naked in the courtyard behind a bar. Then a day later when he came up to me at that same bar and began to make conversation, I was completely smitten. You can imagine how I felt when I realized he’d mistaken me for someone else! But circumstances brought us together and that early impression I had hasn’t change.

    What is your MBTI type?

    Sensing/Intuition. Years of working with immigrants struggling to learn English has helped me make connections with people of all cultures and backgrounds. That comes in handy in close protection work.

    What is your astrological sign?

    I’m a Virgo, organized and pragmatic. Liam approaches everything based on his training as a US Navy SEAL, but he says he appreciates my ability to think outside the box because I don’t have that focus.

    Do you enjoy dressing up or prefer to dress casually?

    You really have to hold me down to get me to wear a tie—I much prefer microfiber fishing shirts or one with tropical prints, and I will wear shorts every day if the weather merits.

    Can you:

    Swim? Yes. I learned the SEAL technique for moving smoothly through the water from Liam.
    Use chopsticks? Awkwardly.
    Roller skate? Not since I was about six!
    Ski? I learned when I was in college, but living in Tunisia, and now the French Riviera, I don’t get much chance to practice.
    Fly a plane? Nope.
    Ride a horse? No. I have been on camels, though.

    How good are you with technology?

    I’ve had to learn, because so much of protecting our clients is proactive—being aware of what threats are out there and how to outwit them using technology.

    If you called your author on the phone, what ringtone would play?

    “Jimmy Dreams” by Jimmy Buffett.

    What type of music do you like?

    I have a real weakness for disco, especially Donna Summer and The Village People.

    What is your favorite book?

    A Separate Peace by John Knowles. The understated romance between Phinny and Gene really spoke to my heart.

    What is your favorite movie?

    I love the madcap humor of With Six You Get Eggroll with Doris Day, Brian Keith and George Carlin.

    If you could choose a theme song to play when you entered a scene, which one of the following would fit best:

    Stirring march
    Gentle melody
    Hard rock
    Uplifting and breezy
    Somber and dark

    What color best describes you?

    Well, with a last name like Greene…

    Who is the one person who can convince you to do something you know you shouldn’t?

    My husband Liam.

    Where to buy Three Wrong Turns in the Desert

    Universal Buy Link https://books2read.com/threewrongturns

    Amazon https://amzn.to/3ZwqBqC

    Neil S Plakcy Social Media

    Author of over fifty cozy mystery, gay mystery, and MM romance novels, Neil S Plakcy lives in south Florida with his husband and two rambunctious golden retrievers. During the great lockdown of 2020 he honed his skills as his own barista.
    Website https://www.mahubooks.com
    Blog http://mahubooks.blogspot.com
    Twitter https://twitter.com/NeilPlakcy
    Facebook https://www.facebook.com/neil.plakcy
    Pinterest http://pinterest.com/neilplakcy/boards/
    Instagram https://www.instagram.com/neilplakcy/
    Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/126217.Neil_Plakcy
    BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/profile/neil-s-plakcy
    Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/~/e/B001JP4EL6
    Get to know Neil S Plakcy better by signing up for an email newsletter at https://www.mahubooks.com


    Romance Lives Forever Blog (RLFblog) is closed as of Dec 1, 2023. Comments prior to 2021 have been deleted. This site will remain online until July 2025.


     

     

  • Bucket List,  Erotic

    Bucket list of Jaxon Cooper from Advantage: Home Team @piamanning3 #RLFblog #Romance #Contemporary

    Bucket list of Jaxon Cooper from Advantage: Home Team @piamanning3 #RLFblog #Romance #ContemporaryDeputy Sheriff and Dominant Rick Sanders loves control. Free spirit Piper Thomas hates rules. Deputy Jaxon Cooper wants to share Piper with Rick – as their forever woman. What could go wrong? Find out in Pia Manning’s new release, Advantage: Home Team Caveman Creek 3.

    Pia, welcome to Romance Lives Forever. I’m Kayelle Allen, author and owner of this blog. Happy to have you here! Please tell us about Advantage: Home Team Caveman Creek 3

    Advantage: Home Team Caveman Creek 3 by Pia Manning

    Genre Erotic Romance
    Book heat level (based on movie ratings): X

    New junior high teacher and girls’ basketball coach, Piper Thomas, is brimming with enthusiasm and can’t wait for school to start. She wants to connect with her students and help them achieve their goals. One student, Maddie, struggles with her mother’s death and her father’s emotional collapse. Piper desperately wants to help Maddie. The last thing she needs is a romantic entanglement.

    Pinecone Creek Deputy and dominant, Jaxon Cooper aches to find his forever woman-one that he and his best friend, dominant Deputy Rick Sanders, can share. The second he sees Piper, Coop’s heart knows she’s the woman for them. Rick isn’t so sure. Rick is all about control, and Piper is a free spirit who doesn’t need anyone’s rules – well, except when it comes to sex. Piper’s last relationship fizzled because she wanted to explore, and her traditional-minded lover couldn’t handle her needs. Can Rick and Coop give Piper what she craves?

    Deputy Sherriff and Dominant Rick Sanders loves rules and needs to be in charge. Free spirit Piper Thomas hates rules. Deputy Jaxon Cooper wants to share Piper with Rick – as their forever woman. What could go wrong? Find out in Pia Manning’s new erotic romance Advantage: Home Team Caveman Creek 3.

    Let’s meet Jaxon Cooper from Advantage: Home Team. Welcome to Romance Lives Forever. I’m Kayelle Allen, author and owner of this blog. Happy to have you here! Please tell us about Advantage: Home Team.

    New junior high teacher and girls’ basketball coach, Piper Thomas, is brimming with enthusiasm and can’t wait for school to start. She wants to connect with her students and help them achieve their goals. One student, Maddie, struggles with her mother’s death and her father’s emotional collapse. Piper desperately wants to help Maddie. The last thing she needs is a romantic entanglement.

    Pinecone Creek Deputy and dominant, Jaxon Cooper aches to find his forever woman-one that he and his best friend, dominant Deputy Rick Sanders, can share. The second he sees Piper, Coop’s heart knows she’s the woman for them. Rick isn’t so sure. Rick is all about control, and Piper is a free spirit who doesn’t need anyone’s rules – well, except when it comes to sex. Piper’s last relationship fizzled because she wanted to explore, and her traditional-minded lover couldn’t handle her needs. Can Rick and Coop give Piper what she craves?

    When someone dies, we say they “kicked the bucket.” Therefore, a list of things that a person wants to accomplish, places to go, situations to experience, and so on has become known as a “Bucket List.”

    Meet Jaxon Cooper

    Age: I’m 28
    Gender: Male
    Birthplace: Superior, Wisconsin
    Profession: Law Enforcement
    Ethnicity: Caucasian

    Please provide a physical description of yourself.

    I’m 6 ft 1 inch tall, with sandy blond hair and hazel eyes. I’ve been told I have a muscular build.

    Please tell us a little about yourself.

    I’ve been a deputy sheriff for Pinecone Creek for three years. Working in a small town like this and helping the people here, well, I’m living my dream! Martial arts are also an important part of my life-I teach karate at my friend, Rick Sanders’ dojo. The kids’ enthusiasm makes them fun to work with.

    My dad died when I was twelve and left behind my mom, me, and five younger siblings. We all felt her love, but she didn’t have an easy time of it! That’s why sharing my forever woman with my best friend, Rick Sanders feels right. Our wife, the mother of our kids, will never be left by herself.

    Who is the significant other in your life?

    Piper Thomas is my most significant other. She’s the woman who has agreed to share her life with Rick and me. I can’t wait to start a family, find a house, get a big dog and live our happily ever after.

    If you haven’t made a bucket list before, perhaps now would be a good time. Who knows? It might inspire another book. While you’re at it, how about telling us about some of your other favorite things? Here are the questions.

    The official bucket list of Jaxon Cooper: Marry Piper Thomas (hopefully sooner rather than later!); Learn to make homemade pasta noodles; Set up an aquarium with tropical fish (and the fish live); Plant a garden; Ride a rollercoaster; Homestead in Alaska; Go on a cruise-to anywhere; Hold a tarantula without screaming; Watch the Packers win the Superbowl-at the game; Fish for salmon on Lake Superior.

    What is your birth order?

    I’m the oldest, so I’ve always been the one who looked after the other kids when my mom worked. That’s where my love of law and order comes from! Only one person could be in charge, and that was usually me.

    Tell us about your favorite toy as a child.

    I’m not sure if it counts as a toy, or transportation, but my bike. It got me to school, and work. Even more, some days I needed to get away from everyone, so I’d hop on and peddle for all I was worth-wind in my hair, bumping along-it was great. Sometimes I’d pretend my bike was a horse and I’d roll down the street searching for bad guys with my cowboy hat tied around my neck while it slapped against my back.

    Describe your favorite food and how it’s prepared.

    Spaghetti and meatballs! I’m good with any kind of sauce-extra basil, mushrooms, garlic-whatever. The meatballs need parmesan cheese in them too. A nice salad, and garlic bread! I’m there!

    Tell us about your best friend.

    Piper is my best friend. She’s a free spirit with a compassionate heart. In some ways, she and Rick are alike-they both rely on a gym to help them through a bad day. But Piper uses what she’s learned through sports and competition to build confidence in herself and her decisions. When she’s happy she smiles and laughs, when she’s mad, she scrubs greasy grills! I can be myself around Piper. I don’t have to hide what I’m feeling.

    I have two best friends. Deputy, and black belt Rick Sanders is the other. He’s reliable, loyal, by the book, and always in control of himself. Rick doesn’t like to talk about, or show, his emotions. I think that’s why he likes to work out at the studio. Physical exercise helps him get rid of negativity in a healthy way. But I know he always has my back.

    What are two places you would like to visit before you die, and why?

    Lake Superior is probably the next best thing, but I’d like to visit an ocean. I don’t care which one-east or west-but I’d like to bury my toes in the sand, maybe collect a few seashells. Utah, Arizona or somewhere out west is my second choice. I loved playing sheriff as a kid! It would be fun to see if my imagination matches the reality of a desert landscape.

    Where is a place you would never like to return, and why?

    Hmm-I’m not really comfortable in big cities-take your pick of any. No privacy, crowded, noise-lol, cities remind me of my house growing up.

    Who is someone you would like to meet, and why?

    Wyatt Earp! Best sheriff ever! The way he faced down those bad guys-he had real swag.

    Who is someone you would like to avoid, and why?

    My sixth-grade teacher! Man, she was one tough lady. I couldn’t get away with anything in her class. She’d stand by the blackboard and stare down anyone that dared to talk. She’d make a great Wyatt Earp!

    If you could time travel to any date, what would it be, and what would you do there?

    I’d go back to the old west in the 1880’s-be a sheriff with a big badge and a great horse! Ride around, tip my ten-gallon hat to the ladies-yep, that would be fun!

    Meet Pia Manning

    Why did you choose this character for the interview today?

    I’ve always written character interviews for my heroines. I thought the heroes deserved a little love too! I had a lot of fun exploring Jaxon Cooper’s childhood. Knowing that his dad passed and he spent time riding herd on his siblings made it easy to understand why he’s in law enforcement and believes in menage marriages and families.

    Are any sequels planned for this book?

    But of course! Creek 4 is on the clock! Nurse Practitioner Emily Slater moves into Pinecone Creek hoping she has found her forever home. Emily fancies herself a DIY type of woman! We’ll see…

    What genre(s) would you like to write that you haven’t tried yet?

    I love horror stories-creepy, spooky, shivery kinds of tales. My scary stories aren’t erotic romances, so for me, it’s a very different style of writing. A couple of them have been accepted by horror anthologies, but I’ve never written an entire horror novel. You could say that’s on my bucket list.

    What would your readers be surprised to learn about you?

    I’m a monarch farmer. Really! I collect monarch caterpillars, feed and keep them safe in an aquarium with a screened lid until they form a chrysalis. Once the monarch emerges I release it. I’ve posted about it on my website on the North of Hwy 8 page (2022 In Search of Monarchs). There are even pictures!

    Where to buy Advantage: Home Team Caveman Creek 3

    Publisher SirenBookstrand https://www.bookstrand.com/book/advantage-home-team-mfm

    Pia Manning Social Media

    Website https://www.piamanning.com
    Twitter https://twitter.com/piamanning3
    Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pia.manning.71
    Amazon Author page https://www.amazon.com/Pia-Manning/e/B08WYTXRZM

  • Secrets

    Discover secrets behind Advantage: Home Team Caveman Creek 3 by Pia Manning @piamanning3 #RLFblog #Romance #Contemporary #SmallTown

    Dominant Rick Sanders loves control. Piper Thomas hates rules. Deputy Jaxon Cooper wants to share Piper with Rick – as their forever woman. What could go wrong? Find out in Pia Manning’s new release, Advantage: Home Team Caveman Creek 3.

    Pia, welcome to Romance Lives Forever. I’m Kayelle Allen, author and owner of this blog. Happy to have you here! Please tell us about Advantage: Home Team Caveman Creek 3

    Advantage: Home Team Caveman Creek 3 by Pia Manning

    Genre Erotic Romance
    Book heat level (based on movie ratings): X

    New junior high teacher and girls’ basketball coach, Piper Thomas, is brimming with enthusiasm and can’t wait for school to start. She wants to connect with her students and help them achieve their goals. One student, Maddie, struggles with her mother’s death and her father’s emotional collapse. Piper desperately wants to help Maddie. The last thing she needs is a romantic entanglement.

    Pinecone Creek Deputy and dominant, Jaxon Cooper aches to find his forever woman-one that he and his best friend, dominant Deputy Rick Sanders, can share. The second he sees Piper, Coop’s heart knows she’s the woman for them. Rick isn’t so sure. Rick is all about control, and Piper is a free spirit who doesn’t need anyone’s rules – well, except when it comes to sex. Piper’s last relationship fizzled because she wanted to explore, and her traditional-minded lover couldn’t handle her needs. Can Rick and Coop give Piper what she craves?

    Tell us a secret!

    Fill us in on a quirk or background info about your main character that you might not have revealed in the book.

    Piper Thomas enjoys cooking, but most of the time, her creations end up in the trash. In the book, there is a scene where she pulls off a great apple strudel, but that’s because she followed her grandmother’s recipe. Most of the time she runs out of patience and just wings it! Or sometimes she substitutes ingredients… no sugar? No problem. Pancake syrup is sweet too That’ll work. Right? Lol.

    What quirk of your own is written into one of your characters?

    Lol. Love of coffee…Every one of my characters, male or female, are coffee connoisseurs. Piper almost growls at her java maker in one scene as the coffee isn’t filling the carafe fast enough. She even contemplates the possibility of coffee grounds for lunch! Of course, after some internal debate, Piper decides to go grocery shopping instead.

    Without naming names, tell us about a character quirk that is patterned after someone you know.

    The setting: Naptime at the preschool/daycare. The lights are dim, the little ones are settling on their cots or mats. Here and there a teacher sits beside a restless child and rubs their back, soothing them into slumber. Other teachers have managed to sit on those low-to-the-ground plastic chairs that ring equally low-to-the-ground tables, and are prepping the materials for their next lesson or craft project. They’re also talking about their lives, and their loves. I’m not sure if doling out relationship advice qualifies as a quirk, but those scenes felt so real to me that I could almost smell the construction paper and glue, and hear the low murmur of their voices again!

    A secret about you. What flaw makes you a better writer?

    I’m a pantser. Make a detailed outline? Who me? Aaand sometimes that gets me into trouble. I tend to wander off and meander, which makes the plot go around in circles, or veer off. Sometimes though, I discover something new and wonderful when I hang a left instead of going straight, and that makes for a book that is richer in detail and adds depth to the characters and plot.

    Where to buy Advantage: Home Team Caveman Creek 3

    Publisher SirenBookstrand https://www.bookstrand.com/book/advantage-home-team-mfm

    Pia Manning Social Media

    Website https://www.piamanning.com
    Twitter https://twitter.com/piamanning3
    Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pia.manning.71
    Amazon Author page https://www.amazon.com/Pia-Manning/e/B08WYTXRZM

  • Stressing the Hero

    Stressing Reid Hunter from the Adventure Romance Stone Of Heaven @Lesannsartor #RLFblog #Adventure #Romance

    Stressing Reid Hunter from the Adventure Romance Stone Of Heaven @Lesannsartor #RLFblog #Adventure #RomanceReid Hunter is down to rubbing two pennies together, but that can all change if he finds the fabled blue jade called the Stone Of Heaven. But first he has join forces with the twin sister, Tori, of his ex-partner who he knows doesn’t trust him, and maybe she shouldn’t.

    Let’s meet Reid from Stone Of Heaven, an Action Adventure Romance, by LA Sartor. 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 latest book.

    Stone Of Heaven by LA Sartor

    Genre Action Adventure Romance
    Book heat level (based on movie ratings): 3

    A treasure hunter goes missing in the Yucatan jungle. Her inexperienced city-girl twin rushes to the rescue. What could go wrong?

    Content with her simple life creating jewelry and living on a train, Tori Carswell is nevertheless edgy. Her adrenaline-junkie sister’s promised check-in call is overdue.

    Treasure hunting is in Reid Hunter’s blood and if he finds this fabled prize, he’ll be a rock star, able to pay his bills and salvage his reputation. But plans go horribly wrong, as the blue jade is more powerful than imagined.

    Rescuing her sister involves conquering fears Tori can’t face, let alone act on. She must rely on her twin’s Southern gentleman without-a-conscience, ex-partner Reid for help.

    Will he put riches before life…and love?

    If you liked Romancing The Stone and The Adventures of Indiana Jones, then you’ll love Stone Of Heaven – Book One in the Carswell Adventure Series.

    Stressing Reid Hunter

    Every hero has a story. He has a background, a history, and a past. This interview allows us to meet a hero and get to know him better, by focusing on how he handles being relaxed, as well as how he handles stress.

    Please tell me about your hero.

    Age: 30’s
    Gender: Male
    Birthplace: The Deep South
    Profession: Treasure Hunter
    Ethnicity: White

    What does your hero look like?

    Green eyes, with a quirky smile. Blond, close cropped hair he loves his leather fedora. Always slightly scruffy (think day-old beard) and bears himself with a self-assured air even if it’s bluff some of the time. Deep rich laugh that I adore.

    Who is the significant other in his life?

    As the book opens, nobody, although Abby, Tori’s twin sister who was his partner, seemed to be a perfect match, has fallen for another dude. Tori, the total opposite of her twin intrigues him.

    The Hero’s Relaxed Side

    This hero is at a party. Considering his story, describe the party.

    Reid is not a black tie type of guy, a good BBQ with interesting people who tell engaging stories, good simple food with a good ale or beer fits him to a T.

    How does the hero feel about being this particular party, and what body language is he displaying that gives it away?

    This party is at a dig site for a colleague, not Reid’s dig. So he isn’t on guard that someone will try and trick him to revealing information about his current quest, whatever that might be.

    Is he more likely to mingle or remain aloof?

    As the party gets a little more involved, he’ll move to the edge and simply watch everyone, sip his brew and wonder what life would be like to be more like them.

    If he drinks, what is his drink of choice at this party?

    Beer, Ale, maybe champagne in celebration. Though celebrating a dig success has been lean the past while

    How much drink is his usual?

    He doesn’t over drink and can nurse it for a long time because he spends time studying his fellow guests.

    The hero figures out where the hiding places are and then goes there. Is it to hide, to avoid someone, or to go drag a friend back to the party?

    Reid would never hide unless it’s planned to work a gig. But he need a moment to himself and would use this place to regroup, rethink and then rejoin the festivities.

    Is he likely to latch onto a friend and stay with him/her and ignore others, or is he the friend that others latch onto?

    Reid, while easy natured and charming to most people, he doesn’t make friends easily or trust people enough to love. So, he’d move from group to group once he decides to mingle again.

    If someone picked a fight at this party, how is the hero going to handle it?

    Reid would stay away unless it involves him and then he’ll try to smooth talk his way out, but he’s really good at fighting and would do so if absolutely necessary.

    Is the hero the one most likely to get tossed out of the party, or the one who does the tossing?

    To be honest, he’d likely leave before it came to that. Life is too short unless it’s about treasure, then all bets are off

    Will he know when to leave, or stay late and make a nuisance of himself?

    He’d know. He reads people well.

    The Hero’s Stressed Out Side

    How does the hero handle it if the cops or some other authority figure pulls him aside when he was blameless in a situation?

    It’s happened many times in his sometimes dubious profession. Usually he sweet talks the person into letting all go. But honestly, Reid avoids authority figures.

    How does the hero react to hearing a scream?

    He’s a snake and a Southern Gentleman. So, he’d help and then perhaps see if he could get something from it. In the nicest possible way, of course. People love him, yet those who know him best distrust him.

    If he sees someone being assaulted, what is the FIRST thing that crosses his mind?

    Help the person if that person isn’t a bad guy.

    If he sees someone being assaulted, what is the FIRST thing he does?

    Assess the situation is an instant find a way to rescue the person and get the heck out of the situation

    This hero attempts to rescue someone and realizes that he is in over his head. The odds are against him and there is no way out. He is going to get his butt handed to him. What does he do?

    He fights until the end.

    The hero runs into the one person from his past he wanted to avoid. He can’t get out of the situation and must interact in some way. What does he do?

    He’s cold, distant and if provoked will want to deck the person.

    Someone younger than the hero is in charge of the situation, and they are handling it badly, perhaps bungling things. How does the hero deal with it?

    Reid is gentle unless the person is trying to outwit Reid, then watch youngster and learn.

    The hero is in physical pain but must bear up under it and keep going. What does he tell himself in order to get through the situation?

    This happens to Reid in Stone Of Heaven. It’s a very interesting thread through the story, so no spoilers.

    What mentor’s words come to mind in a bad situation?

    Not so much words, but images of his Grandmother—tall and angular with auburn hair always pulled into a messy topknot and manners born and bred of Georgia—fill his mind. This God-fearing woman, who chased adventure then as he did now, had often left him in the care of nannies, but when she was home, she’d told him amazing stories and taught him how to handle a rifle, pleased as punch when he hit a nickel glued to a tree a hundred yards away.

    His reward for such a feat was to be taken on his first adventure—a tomb in Egypt.

    Maybe it wasn’t the ideal childhood for most, but it had been perfect for him.

    What lesson from his past gets him through a stressful situation?

    Thoughts of his Grandmother, her strength and her love for him.

    What one thing would you like readers to know about your hero?

    Reid is imperfect, but his backbone is strong. It’s just that he lets in so few people that most people think he’s cocky, dangerous and takes too many risks. He’s always out to prove himself and this adventure may prove to be too much even for him.

    Where to buy Stone Of Heaven

    Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CVZFBV0/
    Barnes and Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/stone-of-heaven-leslie-ann-sartor/1115375086?ean=2940016442501
    iBooks https://books.apple.com/us/book/stone-of-heaven/id652994646
    Kobo https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/stone-of-heaven-1

    LA Sartor Social Media

    I started writing as a child, really. A few things happened on the way to becoming a published author, specifically, a junior high school teacher who told me I couldn’t write because I didn’t want to study grammar.
    That English teacher stopped my writing for years. But the muse couldn’t be denied, and eventually I wrote, a lot, some of it award winning. However, I wasn’t really making a career from any of this.
    My husband told me repeatedly that independent publishing was becoming a valid way to publish a novel. I didn’t believe him, I thought indie meant vanity press.
    I couldn’t have been more wrong.
    I started pursuing this direction seriously, hit the keyboard, learned a litany of new things and published my first novel. My second book became a bestseller, and I’m absolutely on the right course in my life.
    Please come visit me at www.lasartor.com, see my books, find my social media links, and sign up for my mailing list. I have a gift I’ve specifically created for my new email subscribers.
    Website https://lesliesartor.com/
    Blog https://anindieadventure.blogspot.com/
    Twitter https://twitter.com/LesannSartor
    Facebook https://www.facebook.com/LASartor.Author
    Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lesann415/
    Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6535151
    BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/authors/l-a-sartor
    Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B0091XR9VK
    Get to know LA Sartor better by signing up for an email newsletter https://lesliesartor.com/contact-me


    Romance Lives Forever Blog (RLFblog) is closed as of Dec 1, 2023. Comments prior to 2021 have been deleted. This site will remain online until July 2025.


     

  • Contemporary,  Fiction Furbaby

    Fiction Furbaby: Meet Stanley from Take a Chance on Me by Jana Richards @JanaRichards_ @RobsRescues #RLFblog #Pets

    Fiction Furbaby: Meet Stanley from Take a Chance on Me by Jana Richards @JanaRichards_ @RobsRescues #RLFblog #PetsLove at first sight goes awry in Take a Chance on Me, a contemporary romance by Jana Richards and book 2 in the Victorian Mansion series. When Darcy discovers Nick plans to tear down her beloved Victorian to build a condo complex, she vows to fight him, despite the attraction between them.

    Jana, welcome to Romance Lives Forever. I’m Kayelle Allen, author and owner of this blog. Happy to have you here! We support all furbabies, real life or fictional. We want to know all about your Fiction Furbaby, but first, please tell us about Take a Chance on Me.

    Take a Chance on Me by Jana Richards

    Genre – contemporary romance
    Book heat level (based on movie ratings): PG13

    Teacher Darcy Ferris loves travel almost as much as she loves her Toronto neighborhood. But no matter how far she roams, she always returns to the genteelly shabby Victorian mansion where she grew up, the last place her father lived. Darcy’s world is turned upside-down when the Victorian is slated for demolition.

    Since the death of architect Nick Cummings’ mother, his father has retreated from his real estate development business, and from life. In a desperate attempt to interest him in something once more, Nick buys a beat-up Victorian mansion and draws up plans to replace it with a Victorian-inspired condo. He hopes his father’s old spark will return if he helps him build the new condo. But he doesn’t expect such opposition from his new tenant, Darcy Ferris. Nor does he expect to fall in love with her.

    Nick and Darcy must come to terms with the past before they can forge a future together. And they’ll need to take the biggest chance of all – on love.

    Meet Stanley from Take a Chance on Me

    Full name: Stanley

    Nickname: n/a

    Gender: male

    Species: Pure bred Pug

    Physical description: scrunched-up face and nose, short legs, curly tail, tan body with black around his nose and ears.

    Relationship to main character: Stanley belongs to Jenny Ferris, Darcy’s grandmother. Darcy is looking after Stanley temporarily while her grandmother’s leg is in a cast.

    Relationship to the villain/antagonist: Stanley takes an instant dislike to Nick when he moves into the Victorian mansion. What does he know that Darcy doesn’t?

    Where this furbaby came from: When Stanley was rescued from a puppy mill, Darcy’s grandmother Jenny adopted him.

    What inspired you to create this character?

    My dog Lou. She was a pug/terrier cross, not a pure-bred pug like Stanley, but she had a lot of Stanley’s quirks. Like her love of food, her stubbornness, and her absolute loyalty. But unlike Stanley, Lou never growled at anyone in her life. She loved everybody!

    What does the main character think about this furbaby?

    Darcy likes Stanley and is happy to look after him while her grandmother recovers, but she knows his heart belongs to Grandma Jenny. He merely tolerates Darcy because she feeds him. Darcy is grateful to the little mutt because it was his frantic barking that alerted neighbors when Jenny tripped and broke her ankle.

    What does the villain/antagonist think about this furbaby?

    Nick has never had a dog, so he’s wary of Stanley’s growls and barks. For some reason, the dog has it out for him. If they’re going to get along, Stanley’s going to have to learn who’s the alpha dog in the Victorian mansion.

    What does this furbaby eat?

    Just about anything! Again, I modeled Stanley’s appetite after my dog Lou’s. She loved food and had a particular fondness for vegetables such as raw carrots, broccoli and cauliflower. But she REALLY loved fruit, especially strawberries. More than once I caught her in our garden raiding the strawberry patch! As she got older, her stomach wasn’t quite as strong as it had once been and we had to give her smaller meals, three times a day. If too much time passed between meals, she’d throw up. I gave Stanley the same delicate stomach and love of raw carrots!

    What does this furbaby add to the story?

    Stanley adds humor. His antics are funny and a little silly. But he also allows Nick an opportunity to grow and learn what it’s like to have a pet. Nick’s mother was allergic, so he didn’t grow up with animals in the house. He doesn’t know what to make of Stanley when he barks and growls at him. But when Darcy needs him, he takes control and gets over his apprehension about spending time with Stanley.

    What about this furbaby will readers like, and why?

    I think readers will enjoy the humor Stanley brings to the story, and because he’s based on a real dog, readers will find him true to life. And really, who can resist an adorable pug!

    Describe a humorous incident involving the animal character.

    Darcy first meets Nick on the front porch of the Victorian mansion as she and Stanley arrive home from a walk. Darcy is instantly attracted to Nick, but she senses there’s something he’s not telling her. Stanley senses it, too, and, to Darcy’s embarrassment, he pees on Nick’s leg!

    Fiction Furbaby: Meet Stanley from Take a Chance on Me by Jana Richards @JanaRichards_ @RobsRescues #RLFblog #Pets

    About Layla and Leelou

    This post is called Fiction Furbaby, but perhaps your own pet does not have fur. If you have a pet that has fins, wings, scales, or other features, please tell us about them here.

    What do your pets do when you are writing?

    Layla and Leelou are two senior calico cats that we recently adopted. When I’m writing, Layla will sometimes sleep on the mat I put down for them in my office, but if she’s hungry, she will paw at my leg, as if to say, “Jana. Jana. Jana. Feed me! Feed me now!” Leelou always demands attention. She’ll jump up on my desk and stand on the keyboard, or crawl onto my lap and make herself comfy. I’m constantly covered in cat hair. It’s not easy to work when they’re around, especially if they’re hungry. But I wouldn’t have it any other way!

    Where did you find your pet?

    Actually, they found us. Their original owner passed away, and they were taken to the Humane Society. My daughter’s friend had only eight days to find them a new home or they’d be surrendered to the Humane Society permanently. She asked us if we’d be interested in adopting them. Considering their age (they were 13 at the time and are nearly 14 years old now) and the fact that these two sisters had been together all their lives, we felt we had to take them in. We didn’t feel confident that anyone would want to adopt two such senior cats together. Despite the cat hair everywhere, we haven’t regretted our decision. These ladies belong in our home!

    Describe a toy or favorite item your pet loves.

    After Christmas, my local pet store had Christmas-themed catnip toys on sale. I picked up a Christmas stocking-shaped toy and brought home for the ladies. They went nuts over it! When they started fighting over the toy, I ran back to the pet store and purchased another one!

    Where to buy Take a Chance on Me

    Amazon https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07KNBM8G3
    Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B07KNBM8G3
    Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07KNBM8G3

    Jana Richards Social Media

    Jana Richards has tried her hand at many writing projects over the years, from magazine articles and short stories to full-length contemporary romance, paranormal suspense and romantic comedy. She loves to create characters with a sense of humor, but also a serious side. She believes there’s nothing more interesting then peeling back the layers of a character to see what makes them tick.
    When not writing up a storm or dealing with dust bunnies, Jana can be found pursuing hobbies such as golf (which she plays very badly) or reading (which she does much better).
    Jana lives in Western Canada with her husband Warren and two senior cats named Layla and Leelou. You can reach her through her website at http://www.janarichards.com
    Website https://www.janarichards.com
    Blog https://janarichards.blogspot.com
    Twitter https://www.twitter.com/JanaRichards_
    Facebook https://www.facebook.com/JanaRichardsAuthor
    Instagram https://www.instagram.com/janarichards155/
    Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2892274.Jana_Richards
    BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jana-richards
    Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/stores/Jana-Richards/author/B002DEVWWG
    Get to know Jana Richards better by signing up for an email newsletter
    https://www.janarichards.com/contact.html#newsletter

     

    Shout out to Rob’s Rescues – founded by a 9-year-old animal activist

    Rob’s Rescues is a non-profit organization in Georgia helping people in need care for and feed their pets. It was founded in 2014 by a then nine-year-old boy. Rob’s Rescues is dedicated to collecting pet food for people in need to reduce shelter surrenders, and to advocating for the adoption of shelter pets. Rob writes monthly articles advocating for shelter animals in the Around About Local Media magazine publications. His column was first published in 2014. He also has pet food collection sites for people in need in the community and interviews amazing people. His interviews appear online once they are published in his column.
    Rob volunteers for Pet Buddies Food Pantry, the Cherokee County Animal Shelter and Cobb County Animal Control and collects pet food for these organizations and the communities they serve. He also wants to bring attention to smaller, rural shelters. Mostly he wants to get kids to be Rob’s Rangers to teach kids that they can help shelter animals. Rob has also talked to kids in a classroom setting.
    Rob’s Rescues is a Non-Profit Corporation and all donations are tax deductible.
    Website http://www.robsrescues.com/
    Facebook https://www.facebook.com/robsrescues/
    Twitter https://twitter.com/RobsRescues

  • Historical,  Know the Hero,  Suspense

    Know the Hero from Carnal Transgression by Faye Hall @FayeHall79 #RLFblog #Historical #RomanticSuspense

    Know the Hero from Carnal Transgression by Faye Hall @FayeHall79 #RLFblog #Historical #RomanticSuspenseWhen Constance’s life comes under threat in Faye Hall’s new Historical Romantic Suspense, Carnal Trangression, Seamus has to choose between following the law and protecting the woman he loves from a killer.

    Faye, welcome to Romance Lives Forever. I’m Kayelle Allen, author and owner of this blog. Happy to have you here! We’re excited to find out more about your hero, but first, tell us about Carnal Transgression.

    Carnal Transgression by Faye Hall

    Genre Historical Romantic Suspense
    Book heat level (based on movie ratings): M

    Constance Dunbar is desperate to discover who killed her sister. Her plea for help is ignored by the local police, so she advertises for a private investigator. Seamus Tynedale answers the ad, and she immediately recognizes him as the friendly stranger whose arms held her so tenderly as she wept after her sister’s death.

    Seamus longed to be reunited with the dark-haired beauty who’d kissed him in the churchyard. When he ends up working for her as a private investigator, he knows that his position as a police constable needs to remain a secret due to her mistrust of the department.

    As Seamus hunts for the murderer, he finds himself lured into a den of secrets and lies tracing back eighteen years to Ireland, and it all seems to be connected to Constance. Seamus delves into Constance’s past, hoping to understand the secrets she’s so intent on keeping hidden. What he finds is a passion that ignites his heart and captivates his senses.

    When Constance’s life comes under threat, Seamus has to choose between following the law and protecting the woman he loves from a killer. Will he be able to safeguard Constance, or will he lose her to the evil that seems to have followed her to Australia?

    Know the Hero from Carnal Transgression

    Here are some fun questions to help us know your hero.

    It’s late, he’s bored. What does he do?

    Go for a walk.

    What kind of food would he impulse buy if hungry?

    Fresh bread.

    Describe the kind of clothes he prefers to wear.

    Jeans and cotton shirt.

    Does he know how to fix things?

    Yes, he’s very skilled.

    He tried to do something and it went badly. Tell us about it.

    He’s been having trouble solving a case and he’s getting quite frustrated, so a walk in the cool night air usually helps to clear his mind and collect his thoughts.

    How does he act around children he doesn’t know?

    He keeps to himself mostly.

    What is he like first thing in the morning?

    Usually in need of a coffee.

    How does he handle things when in a “proper” social situation?

    Quietly yet politely.

    Valet or takes care of himself?

    He takes care of himself.

    Necktie/cravat or open shirt?

    Open shirt unless he’s in uniform.

    Sleeves buttoned or rolled up?

    Rolled up unless he’s in uniform.

    Powdered wig or natural hair?

    He has natural reddish hair.

    Carriage or horseback?

    Probably horseback, but he’s very capable of driving a dray wagon when needed.

    Where to buy Carnal Transgression

    Publisher https://4thavenuepress.com.au/product/carnal-transgression
    Kobo https://www.kobo.com/au/en/ebook/carnal-transgression-1

    Faye Hall Social Media

    Faye Hall is an author of steamy Australian Historical Romantic Suspense novels, including the Sins of the Virtuous series. Born and raised in North Queensland, Australia, she uses the tales of local history, and the struggles and adventures of her own family, to bring her characters to life in a uniquely, rural setting.

    Website https://www.fayehall.com.au
    Twitter https://twitter.com/FayeHall79
    Facebook https://www.facebook.com/fayehallromanceauthor
    Pinterest  https://www.pinterest.com/fayehall79/
    Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21249189.Faye_Hall