• Contemporary

    1920s Romance: 4 Authors Share Their Passion @kathylwheeler #RLFblog

    Rebellious
    by Amanda McCabe 
    Before they introduce their stories, the four ladies have a question
    for readers:
    Amanda McCabe: What
    era do you enjoy reading most?
    Alicia Dean: Do you
    enjoy reading shorts/novellas or do you prefer complete novels?
    Krysta Scott: Do you
    prefer paperback or ebooks?
    Kathy L Wheeler: Do
    you ever re-read your favorite books?
    Before we dive into their stories, the four ladies want to share
    a fun fact:
    Amanda McCabe: When I told my dad I was majoring in English Lit,
    then mastering in Elizabethan Poetry, he demanded to know what I would do with those
    degrees. I told him, “I’ll write romance!”
    Alicia Dean: I normally only write contemporary, but I recently
    released a Vintage romance set in 1957, and now I have this 1920’s story. Quite
    a departure for me.
    Kathy L Wheeler: I just love a hero that has to work his tail
    off for the heroine, because she deserves the best. In all of my stories, even when
    the heroine needs saving, she’s usually saved herself just as the hero is busting
    down the door.
    Krysta Scott: I am a science fiction geek. A dystopian world,
    science mishap or paranormal creature are usually the subjects of my novels. Writing
    about the twenties was quite a stretch for me. Amanda, Alicia and Kathy have been
    quite gracious dealing with my lack of historical knowledge. I had a lot of fun
    writing this story.
    Amanda McCabe, Alicia Dean, Kathy L Wheeler and Krysta Scott
    have a unique friendship. Yes, they are all romance writers, and at different stages
    in their writing careers. But every Friday night, schedules permitting, they meet
    at the Martini Lounge in Edmond, Oklahoma where they chitchat, plan retreats to
    get away and for just a general get away. Over a period of time the idea to create
    a series of stories where the Martini Lounge would serve as a backdrop—well, as
    writers, that was inevitable. So here we are with our first go at it. Welcome to
    1920s New York City where four young women run away from England excited to make
    their own way in a new world.
    All four stories are now available for the pre-order price of
    $0.99 until February 26, 2015, the official release.

    Rebellious: Martini Club 4 Series – The 1920s

    Amanda McCabe
    Can an aristocratic lady melt the cold heart of a Russian gangster?
    Lady Jessica Hatton fled her high-society London debutante life
    for one of investigative journalism in New York—only to be relegated to the fashion
    pages. Searching for a juicy story leads her to Club 501, the city’s most glamorous
    speakeasy—and its handsome, mysterious owner, Frank Markov. But his past of war
    and revolution puts their hearts—and their lives—in danger…

    About the Author

    Amanda McCabe wrote her first romance at the age of sixteen–a
    vast historical epic starring all her friends as the characters, written secretly
    during algebra class (and her parents wondered why math was not her strongest subject…)
    She’s never since used algebra, but her books have been nominated
    for many awards, including the RITA Award, the Romantic Times BOOK Reviews Reviewers’
    Choice Award, the Booksellers Best, the National Readers Choice Award, and the Holt
    Medallion. She lives in Oklahoma with a menagerie of two cats, a Pug, and a very
    bossy miniature Poodle, along with far too many books.
    When not writing or reading, she loves taking dance classes,
    collecting cheesy travel souvenirs, and watching the Food Network–even though she
    doesn’t cook.

    Buy This Book

    Amazon http://amzn.com/B00RICWBC8

    Author Social Media

    Ruined: Martini Club 4 Series – The 1920s

    Alicia Dean
    Ruined
    by Alicia Dean
    Blurb: She vowed she’d be no man’s doxy, but fate had other plans…
    After the Earl of Goodwin attempts to force himself on her, housemaid
    Eliza Gilbert flees England for New York, hoping to build a better life. But the
    land of opportunity proves as harsh as the London docks, and she finds herself in
    a situation more dreadful than the one she escaped.
    Former boxer, Vince “The Fist” Taggart dreams of marrying,
    having a family, and living a quiet, peaceful life. But when a girl he’s known since
    childhood disappears, he heads to New York in search of her and meets Eliza, a woman
    with a less than honorable reputation. Inexplicably captivated, Vince can’t force
    himself to stay away, especially when he learns Eliza is the key to finding his
    missing friend.

    About the Author

    Alicia Dean lives in Edmond, Oklahoma. She has three grown children
    and a huge network of supportive friends and family. She writes mostly contemporary
    suspense and paranormal, but has also written in other genres, including a few vintage
    historicals.
    Other than reading and writing, her passions are Elvis Presley,
    MLB, NFL (she usually works in a mention of one or all three into her stories) and
    watching her favorite televisions shows like Vampire Diaries, Justified, Sons of
    Anarchy, Haven, The Mindy Project, and Dexter (even though it has sadly ended, she
    will forever be a fan). Some of her favorite authors are Michael Connelly, Dennis
    Lehane, Lee Child, Lisa Gardner, Sharon Sala, Jordan Dane, Ridley Pearson, Joseph
    Finder, and Jonathan Kellerman…to name a few.

    Buy This Book

    Amazon http://amzn.com/B00RICLM2I

    Author Social Media

    Runaway: Martini Club 4 Series – The 1920s

    Krysta Scott
    Can she prove her innocence before more than her dreams are destroyed?
    Runaway
    by Krysta Scott
    After escaping an arranged marriage, Lady Charlotte Leighton
    lands on a new shore, determined to realize her dream of opening her own bakery.
    But her plans are shattered when her former fiancé follows her to New York. Now,
    she finds herself in a fight for her freedom.
    Haunted by a string of failures, Detective Felix Noble is determined
    to solve his latest case. But his efforts to find a murderer are jeopardized by
    a forbidden attraction to his number one suspect. While he’s certain Charlotte Leighton
    is keeping secrets, instinct tells him she’s not the murderess he first believed.

    About the Author

    Krysta Scott is a family law attorney in her false life. After
    years of writing and winning contests, she is now taking the plunge into publishing.
    A fan of sci-fi and dark stories surrounding people in crisis, she also enjoys way
    too much TV including Vampire Diaries, Breaking Bad, and Sherlock. Runaway is her
    breakout story.

    Buy This Book

    Amazon http://amzn.com/B00RIFHGPC

    Author Social Media

    Reckless: Martini Club 4 Series – The 1920s

    Kathy L Wheeler
    Lady Margaret turned Lady Bootlegger…
    Singer Margaret (Meggie) Montley needs money…fast. Her friend
    is in a dire situation with nowhere to turn. While Meggie is on the brink of stardom,
    it’s not soon enough to save her friend.
    Harry Dempsey is out to avenge the deaths of his father and brother
    at the hands of a ruthless gangster. But trouble spirals out of control when Meggie
    Montley shows up the night he meets his nemesis to settle the score. Saving the
    impetuous woman from a crime lord might be easier than saving her from her own reckless
    behavior.

    About the Author

    Kathy L Wheeler (also known as Kae Elle Wheeler) writes both
    Contemporary and Historical Romance. She was born in Presque Isle, Maine. How she
    ended up in Texas, then Oklahoma is as much a mystery to her as anyone. She graduated
    from the University of Central Oklahoma with a BA in Management Information Systems
    and a minor in Vocal Music.
    She is published through The Wild Rose Press. She loves to travel.
    Ports of call include a three week stint in Europe covering Madrid, Barcelona, Avignon,
    Paris, Koln, Amsterdam and London. Other exciting places she’s visited are Grand
    Cayman, Puerta Vallerta, Mexico, Vancouver, Canada, and roaming from one romance
    writing conference to another nationwide. You may have met her in Seattle, Dallas,
    San Francisco, San Diego, New York or Atlanta. She is a member of the Oklahoma RWA
    Chapter, Dara, and The Beau Monde. Kathy lives with her musically talented husband
    in Edmond, Oklahoma. They have one grown daughter and one bossy cat, Carly!

    Buy This Book

    Amazon http://amzn.com/B00RICW0G0

    Author Social Media

  • Character Sketch,  Contemporary

    Character Sketch: Kelly Mancer from Lies That Bind @kathylwheeler #RLFblog #contemporary

    Lies That Bind 
    Genre Contemporary Romance
    Author Kathy L Wheeler
    Book heat level (based on movie ratings): R
    A modern day woman shouldn’t have to marry for convenience to
    protect the identity of her daughter. So how exactly does Kelly Mancer find herself
    exactly in that situation? She doesn’t want a man. Any man. Danger has a way of
    changing a woman’s mind.
    Alex Gentry needs Kelly, but convincing her to help him pluck
    his younger sister from a dangerous enemy would not be easy. Soon the tables turn
    and Kelly becomes the prey. Alex may save his sister, but at what cost?

    Buy This Book

    Amazon http://amzn.com/B00G83MO0W
    Barnes and Noble http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/lies-that-bind-kathy-l-wheeler/1117341532?ean=2940045370042

    About the Character

    Name: Kelly Mancer
    Age: 28
    Gender: Female
    Birthplace: Dallas,
    Texas
    Profession: Bookstore clerk
    Ethnicity/Species (if not human):
    Describe his/her body build, skin tone, height and weight. Include
    any unique features such as dimples, freckles, or scars: slight build, olive complexion,
    tiger-like eyes, long, black, thick, straight hair.
    Who is the significant
    other in your character’s life?
    Alex Gentry
    Does she scrape by, live
    comfortably, live extravagantly?
    Kelly lives frugally. She scrapes by due to circumstances beyond
    her control. She doesn’t ask for much, and she certainly doesn’t expect much.
    Does she have children?
    Kelly has been blessed with a most precocious five year old daughter,
    who is much too old for her age. The child tends to spout out the most inappropriate
    words believing no one hears them, until Alex Gentry finally enlightens her. Her
    response? “Are you gonna tell on me?”
    What past event causes
    your character the most fear?
    The corporation Kelly originally worked for was the target of
    a major takeover by Gentry Acquisitions. When Alex Gentry (lead takeover) had to
    leave town for a meeting on a Friday afternoon just before the end of the merger,
    it left Kelly in a vulnerable situation that not only caught her by surprise but
    changed her life dramatically.
    What is your character’s
    biggest need at the beginning of the story?
    To provide for her daughter, Taylor; keep her safe.
    What is your hero’s biggest
    hopes and dreams?
    She doesn’t want much. Perhaps a small house with a big enough
    bathroom to accommodate a bathtub with large clawed feet.
    When (if) he lies or is
    upset, what gives him away?
    What a most apropos question. This whole story is based on the
    lies connected between all the players. Why does Alex insist Kelly and he marry?
    In current times, marriage is not a criteria to have children. In their case, however,
    the crux is much more crucial.

    About Your Writer: Questions for your character to answer about you.

    Was there anything your
    writer discovered about you that was a surprise to one or both of you?
    Not so much about me, specifically, as Taylor. Taylor
    must have given her fits on more than one occasion. She set Alex on his heels too.
    It was a most entertaining journey.
    Why do you think your
    writer loves to write?
    I believe she truly loves to write. In some cases the words have
    flowed from her fingers to the keyboard in a most impressive fashion. Just ask Lorianne
    of Maybe It’s You, the previous Bloomington Series story. She wrote it in four months.
    What do you wish your
    writer would write next?
    Well, I wish she complete book four, Little Kenny’s story. He
    has a fascinating history. I know she has a really strong start.
    Is there anything you’d
    like to say to your writer?
    Thank you so much for bringing Alex and me back together. I couldn’t
    have chosen a more perfect father for Taylor.
    Now, if only his mother would respect our boundaries regarding a dog.

    Author Bio

    Kathy L Wheeler, born in Presque Isle,
    Maine, actually grew up in the Dallas, Texas
    area. She migrated to Boulder and Longmont, Colorado
    for high school. So how she ended up in Oklahoma
    is as much a mystery to her as anyone. She graduated from the University of Central Oklahoma
    with a BA focus on Management Information Systems and vocal music minor.
    Kathy is an active member of the Oklahoma Romance Writers. She
    has served as Pres-Elect, President and recently completed a four year stint as
    the Vice President of Communication. She has nine published books and remains active
    in her publishing pursuits. Her critique partners vary from an internationally published
    author of Harlequin, Grand Central and NAL to a current editor of The Wild Rose
    Press. Kathy loves the NFL, holds NBA Thunder season basketball tickets, adores
    musical theater, reading and writing—and just to round things out—karaoke.
    Besides belonging to her local RWA Chapter, OKRWA, Kathy belongs
    to other chapters of the national organization as well: The Beau Monde and DARA.
    Kathy lives in Edmond,
    Oklahoma with her musically-talented,
    attorney husband, Al. They have one grown daughter and one bossy cat, Carly, who
    acts as if she was the rescuer rather
    than the rescue-ee

    Author Social Media

    Blog http://kathylwheeler.com/blog-right-sidebar/