Liz Flaherty Brings Color To Her Writing!

 

I'd like to welcome to the stage friend and fellow Romance Gem, Liz Flaherty! Liz agreed to answer some questions for me and tell us about her latest release...

Thanks for having me here today, M.J. It seems as if I’ve been all over the place with the first two books of Colors, the Harper Loch Trilogy. Both Pieces of Blue and Patches of Red are on sale for 99 cents for the next few days, so I hope your readers will give them a look! 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GXNQNJ1P

I had fun answering the interview questions. I always feel as if I come to know myself better in an interview. I’m not exactly sure what that says about me, but there you go.

When did your love for writing start?

I have two answers for that question, and they’re both accurate. When I was nine, I read Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women and realized that I was Jo March. I didn’t have a garret to write in, nor did I sell a story until many, many years later, but I knew. I knew.

The other answer is that, also when I was nine, my aunt let me type on her portable Royal typewriter—I think to get me out of her hair and shut up for at least five minutes. It took me all afternoon, but I wrote a story and dreamed up an entire adult life comprised of living in the city apartment with a doorman, writing books, and being fabulously rich.

One of three isn’t bad.

I'm sure that doorman is just around the corner. :) What is something you struggle with when you write?

I think this will sound a little goofy … not to mention self-serving … but it might be something some others identify with. What I struggle with most these days is the limitations I put on myself because of my age. Let’s be honest here—some of my grandkids are plenty old enough to be romance novel main characters. While I love every single thing about them, we don’t even speak the same language. Our core values mesh, pretty much, but our methods are poles apart. I not only can’t speak their language, I usually don’t understand it. Which means I can’t begin to write it.

I love writing later-in-life romance and women’s fiction, but even then the dramas are different, the angst is different, and I’m no longer sure the audience is there. Doesn’t mean I’ll stop looking for it, but … yeah, struggle.

 

Let's hope we discover some of that audience today. Where do you live? Where would you love to live?

I live in the country in Indiana, where I have lived my whole life. Politics and other difficulties aside, I love it here. What I’d love to do is be able to take off on a trip whenever I wanted to. Since my husband doesn’t like to travel, my options are kind of limited, but sometimes there are girlfriend getaways and visiting the kids in other states. It’s all good.

What is your concept of a fruitful day?

I love this question! First, waking up feeling rested and then working in my office until I’m ready to stop—ending the day with more words in the WIP than I started with. Talking to family and friends, spending quality time with the guy in the other recliner, and going to bed tired but pretty content.

That sounds wonderful! Name your favorite children’s story.

There were a lot of them, but my sister had a full set of the Raggedy Ann and Andy books and I loved them. Just as I became Jo March later, I became the doll with the candy heart when I first learned to read.

That’s what I hope for when I write grownup books—that the reader will either want to become the main character for a few hours or just be glad to spend some time with her.

I sure do! I enjoyed PIECES OF BLUE so much that I purchased PATCHES OF RED! I can't wait to get at it! Thanks for joining us, Liz! I enjoyed your answers to my questions! Now let's find out more about PATCHES OF RED...

Blurb~

He’s handsome but can’t even remember her name. She’s pretty, but her finickiness drives him crazy.

After twenty years as a nurse practitioner in the same practice, Ellie Wentz gives notice. When office politics interferes with her job, it’s time to get a new one. When her son and daughter-in-law buy her house and she has sold and given away everything else that’s not attached to her heartstrings, she packs up what remains and goes to Harper Loch to spend time with her best friend. She’ll decide what to do and where to go from there. No matter how much the handsome friend of her friends annoys her.

Jesse Grant comes to Harper Loch to help out his niece for a few weeks. He’s retired from the navy, his boys are grown, and he’s at loose ends. But he really likes the little lake community in Michigan—he thinks he might stay. Long widowed, he has no interest in getting married again, and neither does the redhead he can’t seem to avoid. And yet ...

Excerpt~

“You have all new days in front of you,” he said now. “If a chance doesn’t work out, take another one the next day until something sticks.”

“In theory, I agree,” she said after a moment. “In reality, I think I have some missing pieces. I need to find out what they are.”

He nodded. “Understood.” He’d never found his, just stitched up all the torn places and gone on. But he remembered feeling just like she did now. The memory made a painful ache.

They stood in her doorway, leaning against opposite sides of the frame. Her arms were crossed and she’d put on some kind of sweater thing over the long dress she wore. The sweater was a creamy color … not quite white … and it looked soft. How could a woman who was completely covered up and had her hair in a braid look so sexy?

He realized he didn’t know how to leave any more than he and the boys knew how to say goodbye on the phone. He and Ellie weren’t dating, although they were spending time together. They weren’t hooking up, because it didn’t feel right. At least, not yet.

But he still wanted to stroke the sleeve of her sweater to know if it was as soft as it looked, to feel the texture of her skin through the thin fabric. He wanted to touch the long braid to see if it still held the warmth of the day’s sunshine in it. He thought it probably did.

He wanted to make her feel better.

He was out of practice, he guessed. There weren’t a lot of single women in his age group in the area, and none that had captured his imagination beyond being friends. There were several he enjoyed talking to, a few he’d shared casual meals or trips to movies in Willoughby with, but somehow things hadn’t clicked.

He hadn’t wanted to touch the sleeves of their sweaters. The thought made him chuckle, and then he shrugged, because he didn’t know how to explain it to Ellie’s questioning gaze.

She smiled at him. “Thanks for the tour. I really did enjoy it.”

“Me, too.”

When her arms came around his neck, her sleeves touched his skin. They really were soft. So were the hands that linked at his nape and tunneled into his hair. When she raised her face to his, he met her halfway, meeting her soft lips in a long and sweet greeting and farewell-for-now.

Things definitely clicked.

He didn’t try to stop her when she drew away, but he didn’t take his hands from where he’d set them on her hips as they kissed. “Well,” he said.

“Indeed,” she said.

“Thank you.”

“You, too.” She smiled at him, although uncertainty flickered in the expression.

He bent his head, kissing her again. Gently. More quickly. Just as a promise. Sort of. Because it was too soon for promises, and he thought maybe neither of them was the promising type.

Had this been the reason for his anxiety earlier? It didn’t make sense. Or did it? He didn’t do relationships. He wasn’t good at them. And yet whatever was growing between him and the woman with the soft sweater was … something. It lent an air of … well, something … to his days and sometimes his nights. Unease, like he’d thought?

Or anticipation. Maybe.

“I’d better go,” he said, releasing her reluctantly and stepping away. “See you later, Evelyn.”

“Ellie.”

Uh-oh!

 

To find out how Jesse gets out of this scrape, buy PATCHES OF RED here:

Amazon: https://a.co/d/09fZR7nt

D2D: https://books2read.com/u/mZ98YJ

Bio~

Liz Flaherty thinks one of the things that keeps you young when you quite obviously aren’t anymore is the constant chances you have to reinvent yourself. Her latest professional incarnation is as a fledgling women’s fiction author and she is enjoying every minute that she’s not scared to death.

​
Website: https://www.lizflaherty.net/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/lizkflaherty
Amazon page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Liz-Flaherty/author/B001J919R4

 

Thanks so much for entertaining us today, Liz! I hope you'll return with Book Three of Colors, The Harper Loch Trilogy, SHADES OF GREEN.

 

 

I'm Holding Out for a MR. PIERCE'S HERO! from #RomanceGems Author Kara O'Neal

Please welcome back one of my favorite authors, Kara O'Neal, with her newest release, MR. PIERCE'S HERO. She's brought along with her Mr. Pierce himself! Let's get to know him...

Tell me about yourself.

I’m a lawyer, which caused tension in my family. My parents wanted me to be a doctor, and I attended a medical college at fifteen, but I had reasons to quit that I’d rather not reveal as it’s too painful. I needed a law degree. At seventeen, I left the Medical School at the College of Philadelphia to attend Harvard. My father was furious, but I had plans to save my brother and no one was going to stop me.

 

What was your family like, and how does your upbringing affect you now?

My parents desired nothing more than power and status. We lived in Philadelphia and were quite wealthy. They had high expectations for me and made demands I eventually rebelled against. They were not kind parents, but because of my brother’s difficulties, I managed to learn compassion, which has made me the man I am. Hopefully, a good one, but I’m not always sure.

 

How did you meet Corinne?

I first saw her sitting on a platform next to the mayor as he made a speech to dedicate the new library. I couldn’t take my eyes off of her. I saw in her what I felt inside myself. The sense of being trapped, caged. I was immediately drawn to her. I didn’t get to meet her until she interrupted a gathering at a friend’s house. She ended up needing my advice at how to protect a secret she’d harbored for eleven years.

 

What do you like about Corinne?

Her bravery. She fights her foe with a firm grace that astounds me. She does what I was never able to do, and I’m amazed by her.

 

If you had an unexpected free day, what would you do with it?

I’d have a friendly spar in a boxing ring with my brother-in-law, then help Corinne in her garden.

 

 

Blurb ~

Pike’s Run, Texas, 1882


Corinne Taylor has a secret. And it must be protected. If her mother discovers what Corinne has been hiding, Hell will not describe the place in which she will find herself. Beulah, Corinne’s mother, has proclaimed herself “queen” of Pike’s Run, and no one crosses her, especially not her daughter.



And while Corinne does what she can to guard her secret, her best efforts aren’t enough. War comes to Pike’s Run and the Taylor household when Beulah learns of her daughter’s betrayal. The battle that ensues forces Corinne to seek help from a new arrival.



Jonathan Pierce, a successful lawyer, has come to Pike’s Run looking to find solace from his past. When Corinne asks for his support, her innocence and bravery call to the needs within his broken spirit, and he can’t turn her down. She is capturing his heart, but if she ever learns of his cowardice, she will reject him, killing any hope he has left of finding love.

Excerpt ~

Once Jonathan had crossed the bridge over the stream, he caught sight of a figure walking down the road, heading toward him and away from town. His senses came alive when he recognized Miss Taylor. He gritted his teeth and tried to foster indifference to her appearance.

She faltered in her steps when she saw him, but then picked up the pace. “Mr. Pierce,” she hailed.

Hadn’t he given her permission to call him Jonathan? He stopped in the road near a copse of maple and sprawling live oak and waited for her to reach him. Perhaps she didn’t remember that he’d asked her to use his given name. Until she did, he wouldn’t use hers. It was too intimate, and by the way his body reacted to her swaying hips and smooth complexion, he needed distance. “Afternoon, Miss Taylor.”

She halted five feet from him. Her gaze searched his face, scanned the area around them.

She looked confused. Or uncertain.

“Is something wrong?”

He saw her swallow, and the need to shield her and knock the teeth out of the person who dared upset her came over him. How anyone could torture this lovely creature escaped his reason. He took a deep breath and tried to rein in his fury on her behalf. Her fight was not his.

“My m-mother intends to use my garden tomorrow.” Her eyes went wide with fear.

Her gaze pleaded with him, but what did she want him to say? He’d already advised her on what to do. “I’m sorry.” He didn’t know how else to respond.

“I have to tell her she has no right to,” she rasped.

He inclined his head once, easily detecting the tremble in her, and he wanted to slay her dragon for her. He would have no problem telling the woman any interference would be considered trespassing, but…this was not his war.

Miss Taylor’s shoulders slumped, and she pressed two fingers into each temple. “I can do it. I can stand up to her.”

The words sounded like a litany she repeated to herself. They weren’t an assurance for him. “Of course, you can,” he offered, but he really had no idea of the stuff of which she was made.

She let out a slow breath then drew in another deeply. After a few moments, she lowered her arms to her sides and lifted her chin. “Would you like to see it?”

“Your roses?”

She nodded.

“Of course.”

Aware she gave him an opportunity only a handful of others had experienced, he didn’t dare turn down her offer. He should, though. In fact, he should be going on his way, putting distance between himself and a woman who tugged at his basic needs and protective side.

But instead of heeding good sense, he followed her. She headed into the lush trees to his right, and he lifted his brow in surprise. He’d stopped near the path that hid her handiwork? He hadn’t even realized it. Stunned with how well disguised the trail was, he checked his surroundings in case he needed to get his bearings on the walk back.

He had to duck under sprawling branches, and if he hadn’t had the owner leading him, he would have missed the footpath buried under fern and ivy. They wound among the trees, the forest thick enough that they had to walk single file.

When hedgerows appeared, she unlatched a gate and let him in. He hadn’t gone two steps before amazement struck him. He stopped in his tracks and stared at the beauty.

Was it acceptable to even breathe amidst this labor of love? The blooms were open to the five o’clock sun streaming in. The bright orange light danced off of shades of purple, pink and red. Yellow dazzled the eye, along with peach and white.

He felt a nudge at his elbow. He looked down, and the smile directed up at him put the flowers to shame.

“You can walk around. You won’t hurt them.”

The teasing glint in her eyes made his mouth tip up at the corners. He couldn’t stop himself from glancing at the luscious curve of her lips. Warmth spread through him, but he turned away, avoiding the lust curling inside. Instead of a reply, he went down the stone walk, allowing the glory of her handiwork to delight his eye.

He paused at different varieties, noting the shape of the petals or how they lay against each other. Their fragrance wafted around him, making him want to sit and soak up their loveliness. Which was odd.

When he reached the center, he turned and found her several paces behind him. She hadn’t said a word as he’d explored. He could only describe the expression on her face as one of pleasure. She seemed glad she’d shared her haven with him.

“You did all this?”

She nodded, a blush staining her cheeks.

Even standing amidst the evidence of her talent, modesty enveloped her. He couldn’t help the slight smile that formed. “It’s magnificent.”



Book Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/md7qay



Bio ~

Born and raised in Texas, I had to make the state the setting for my first series. From the food to the fun, like floating the rivers, it is the fire in my blood that inspires me. My family and friends take center stage in my books. My sisters and best friends are my heroines, and my husband created my favorite hero. Love and family are the point of my stories, and I seek to entertain, relieve stress, and inspire people. Books can take one on a journey that one can relive over and over. I am extremely grateful to those authors who did that very thing for me. I learned and I fell in love with their words and characters. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

FIND KARA HERE:

Website – www.karaoneal.com

Bookbub – https://www.bookbub.com/profile/kara-o-neal

Amazon – http://www.amazon.com/Kara-ONeal/e/B00FL19TH8/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1465007993&sr=8-1

Barnes and Noble – http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/kara+o'neal?_requestid=845025

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/KaraONeal84/

Twitter – https://twitter.com/KaraONealAuthor

Pinterest – https://www.pinterest.com/karaoneal7/

Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7278350.Kara_O_Neal

Blog -- http://www.karaoneal.com/blog

Blog – The Story Continues -- http://www.karaoneal.com/the-story-continues



Thank you, Kara, and Mr. Pierce, for joining us today and sharing your stories!

~ The Maureen Bonatch Book That You Won't Forget ~ FORGET ME NOT! ~

Isn't this a lovely teaser Maureen created? She's gonna put me out of business! ;) Please help me welcome back the wonderful Maureen Bonatch with her newest release--a book I'm very excited about--FORGET ME NOT! Wait 'til you hear the setup for this one! But first--I'm such a tease (but again, that's what I do)--Maureen answered a couple of questions for me...



Maureen, what is the best thing you’ve learned about writing and/or the publishing business?

I’ve been amazed by the support and encouragement of other authors. I hadn’t expected to make so many new friends, and learn so much, just from helping each other to succeed. It’s been a beautiful, heartwarming experience. 



I agree whole-heartedly! What is something you struggle with when you write?

I like to call it, ‘the shiny syndrome.’ This disorder has resulted in four WIPs festering in my computer as I work on them until a new, shiny idea pops into my head! I shove the WIP aside to start something new that’s surely better, more fun. The new story entices me to devote all my time to it—which I do, until something else ‘shiny’ comes along to distract me. 



Ahh...sounds like a pretty serious condition. Perhaps there's some elixir out there that could help. But in the meantime, share with us a little bit more about you, personally. Where do you live? Where would you love to live?

I live in Western Pennsylvania (PA to us locals).  I love my beautiful state. I spend as much time as I can walking, bicycle riding or cruising with my hubby on his motorcycle to take in the sights of the forests I love, and the rolling hills.



Sounds heavenly! Now, just for fun...what was one of the best Christmas presents you ever received?

When my twin girls were younger, probably around six or seven, they had an old Polaroid camera they lovingly dubbed ‘old noggin’ (who knows why? Lol) One Christmas, before selfies were a thing, they took a selfie of the two of them and wrapped it up as a gift for me.

Maureen's cuties!

The thoughtfulness behind this gift warms my heart. I still cherish the photo and have it hanging in the room where I spend the most time. Unfortunately, that room is the laundry room.

Ha! I hear you! Now...if you owned a CB radio what would your "handle" be?

Mz Hyde. I’d choose that handle for several reasons. It’s a song I love by Halestorm, and I have it as my license plate. Plus it suits my personality. In my day job I work in nursing administration and have to follow the rules, be serious and whip out structured policies with ease. In my author role, I can’t abide by an outline, write by the seat of my pants and live in a fantasy world.



Old Lzzy Hale of Halestorm. It's kind of funny you brought that up because I was just discussing how a local band played Halestorm and I was surprised, as you don't hear them covered very often. What is your concept of a fruitful day?

Ahh…there’s never enough hours in the day. The days I feel like a superstar are ones when I am at home and can start at 4:30 and plow through a bunch of emails, do online marketing, put in a little writing time and then get the girls off to school, tidy up the house, get dinner started and return to write for the afternoon. By the time the family is home I’m not fretting about my endless to-do list and can relax and watch a movie in the evening with my family. 

That email can get crazy, can't it? Well, thanks so much for sharing some of yourself with us. Let's find out more about FORGET ME NOT!

Blurb ~

The car accident totaled Sabrina Post’s convertible and reinvented her memories. She can't recall dumping Cole Dawson ten years ago. What her new clairvoyant visions tell Sabrina is he’s her husband. Any practical girl would question her sanity. But if Sabrina wants to make this imaginary future a reality, she'll have to regain Cole’s trust and eliminate her rival, the coffee shop waitress who’s pegged Cole as husband #4. To prove she’s foreseen their destiny, Sabrina stirs Cole’s interest by revealing specifics about him she couldn’t have otherwise known. Unfortunately, the one detail he vividly remembers is the pain when she left him and their "rinky-dink" town in her rearview mirror.


If Cole can't believe she's a changed woman, can Sabrina accept the only second chance she has at love exists in her memories? 

Excerpt ~

The boxes of candy hearts Julie forgot spilled across the floor. 

Cole hunkered down and gathered the papers. His mouth formed a hard line as he glanced at Sabrina’s leave paperwork with the end date prominently circled. He replaced it on the table under the keys.

“No really, I can do it. You stay, Cole. I’ll be right back.” Sabrina caught her reflection in the mirror on the wall. The quest for a coat resulted in her hair looking as if she’d stuck her finger into an electrical outlet. Her appearance matched her desperation. She ran her hands over her head, but the static filled strands resisted smoothing.

“I need to check on Dad anyway, and it’s on my way. I’ll take Josie.” Cole extended his elbow, and Josie latched on like a lifeline, her fingers digging into the leather of his jacket. She skittered across a few of the remaining candies, crushing Be Mine and Love Me on the floor. “Thanks again for dinner, Marge.”

“Cole wait.” Despair leaked into Sabrina’s plea.
He glanced toward the papers on the table and sighed. “I waited for years, Rena. It’s you who waited too long.”

As the door closed behind him, so did the future with Cole that she’d imagined. Her shoulders fell. She knelt to collect the candy hearts scattered on the floor. Forget Me Not and Hug Me taunted her with their cheerful words. Lacking a garbage bag, she shoved a handful of the candies into her jacket pocket. Several hearts were trodden into tiny pieces, like her own.

Author Bio ~

Maureen writes stories in the beautiful state of Pennsylvania that boast laughter, light suspense and something magical in the hope of sharing her love of finding the extraordinary in the ordinary world. She writes Paranormal Romance and Fantasy.

You can find Maureen here:

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Maureen-L.-Bonatch/e/B00KHY1KK8/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

The Wild Rose Press: http://www.wildrosepublishing.com/maincatalog_v151/index.php?main_page=index&manufacturers_id=658

Twitter: https://twitter.com/mbonatch

Blog: http://www.maureenbonatch.com/blog/

Website: http://www.maureenbonatch.com

Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/1AV4L

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/maureenbonatch/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maureenlbonatch

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3103486.Maureen_L_Bonatch

You can buy FORGET ME NOT here:

Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Forget-Not-Candy-Hearts-Romance-ebook/dp/B018L3GFAG/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1448985548&sr=1-1-fkmr0&keywords=forget+me+not+maureen+l+bonatc



The Wild Rose Press:

http://www.wildrosepublishing.com/maincatalog_v151/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=195&products_id=6581



Barnes and Noble:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/forget-me-not-maureen-l-bonatch/1123082907?ean=2940157816650



Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/forget-me-not-93



IBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/forget-me-not/id1067612795?mt=11

I tell ya, any excerpt that can work in candy hearts is good by me! Love it! And, with Maureen, there is even more! Not only do you get the snazzy teaser, the cute cover, the intriguing excerpt...Maureen is also offering a...

Giveaway ~

Rafflecopter for a $20 Amazon Gift Card (contest runs from January 6^th until January 27^th).

a Rafflecopter giveaway




And Maureen's not finished yet...she's got one more thing for you...




Check out her Pinterest Board with all of the Candy Heaarts Books & Extras for Valentine's Day!




https://www.pinterest.com/maureenbonatch/valentines-day-ideas-the-candy-hearts-series-featu/