Witch Hunts on the Internet by Yvonne Walus

Who causes friction is the story?

The villain in "Witch Hunts on the Internet" (Echelon Press, 2008) is a 40-year old man posing as a 16-year old in teenage chat rooms. He is chiefly after their photos (for his own nefarious purposes), but he wouldn't refuse a face-to-face meeting, either.

Do you prefer bad guys or bad gals?

Generally, I find bad guys are a lot more fun (e.g., Sawyer in LOST), but the one in "Witch Hunts on the Internet" is bad through and through. He's an example of a villain you truly despise.

How do you use your bad guys?

Bad guys are like spices: too little makes a bland mix, too much is unpalatable. I try to aim for an interesting mix with enough conflict and pace... and, of course, a moral at the end of the story.

Do you enjoy writing the bad guys or do you find it difficult?

It's easier than writing good guys. Good guys are boring.

Whether you enjoy writing them or hate writing them, we'd like to know why you feel that way?

No matter whether your villain is a thief, a murderer or an abuser, the reason behind his personality makeup always fascinates me. What made him the way he is today? Why can't he change? Does he want to change? What are his secret dreams and hopes?

Who is your favorite bad guy in any of your books? Which bad guy and which book are they in?

I have a lot of sympathy for the Boss Out Of Hell in "Murder @ Work". It's honestly not his fault his temper is quicker than the speed of email transmission. And he is dead for most of the book, too!

http://www.echelonpress.com/direct/buy-yw-maw.htm

Who is your favorite fictional bad guy -- that's not in your books?

Sawyer from LOST... ok, I'm repeating myself here, but I do find him hot. That whole bad-boy-makes-good aura makes my toes curl! Of course, it could simply be that he looks like Josh Holloway...

Is there anything else about your bad guys that we need to know? Feel free to share.

Sometimes the good guy (or gal) have to do things they are not too proud of in order to stop the villain. That's certainly the case in "Witch Hunts on the Internet", where the protagonist has to ask herself the following poignant question: "How far are you willing to go and what rules are you willing to break in order to protect your child?"

Please provide your website link.

http://yewalus.kiwiwebhost.net.nz

What is the link to buy your book?

http://echelonpress.netfirms.com/Echelon/nfoscomm/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=445&osCsid=dda12e13d4dfb931da8112d20306716e

Meet Marilyn Meredith's Heroine from Kindred Spirits

Tell us about your heroine --- the female lead in your book.

What's her name?

Tempe Crabtree

Why did you pick that name?

Tempe Crabtree was my great-grandmother's name, unlike my great-grandchildren, I never had the privilege to meet her, though I did write about her in a book and heard many stories about her from my father. It seemed like the perfect name for my heroine.

Give us a brief description of how she looks.

Tempe is Native American, part of the Yanduchi branch of the Yokut Indians. (Yokut is a real tribe--Yanduchi is a made-up name though close to another tribal name.) She has long dark hair she wears in a single braid that she pins to the back of her head when working as a deputy. She's tall, 5' 8", smart and intuitive.


Is there anything unusual about her appearance?

Though she has dark skin and hair, she has blue eyes.

Who does she love? Why?

Tempe is very much in love with her husband, Hutch Hutchinson who is the pastor of the local church. Tempe was a widow raising a teenaged son when she met Hutch. He filled a huge gap in both hers and her son's life.

Of course she also loves her son, Blair, who she raised as a single mom from the time her CHP husband was killed when Blair was only 3.


Does this person love her?

Hutch was a widower and also lonely when he met Tempe. He loves her very much and is a true helpmate. He worries about the dangers of her job. And he often has a difficult time when she uses Native American mysticism as a means to find out the truth about someone or when she does something like calling back the dead.

Tell us about her family.

Her parents are no longer alive. But her Indian grandmother had a great influence on her life when she was a child. Now her family life revolves around Hutch and Blair, though Blair is away at college.

Where is she from? She was born and raised in Bear Creek, a mountain community in the Southern Sierra. (Sierra means mountain.) When her husband was killed, she returned to her home town, went to the police academy and became a deputy--eventually becoming the resident deputy of Bear Creek and its surroundings.

Does her hometown affect her behavior, thoughts and attitude?

Bear Creek is a small community and she knows most of the people who live there although more and more folks are moving up from Southern California--in some cases bringing big city crime along with them. As a teenager, she faced prejudice because of her Native American background. This prejudice she learned in an earlier book had been the reason she hadn't embraced her heritage.

What does she want out of life?

To be the best deputy she can be, to keep the citizens of Bear Creek safe, and to help the detectives find the person who committed the crime.

What's her biggest secret?

She doesn't have a single big secret. Often she keeps things from her husband in order to keep peace in her marriage--which often backfires.

Did you write more than one story about her?

Kindred Spirits in number eight.

How would she describe you? As a sweet little old lady who is a good listener. I've done ride-alongs with female police officers who have bared their soul to me and some of their problems have become Tempe's problems.

Is there anything else about your heroine that we need to know? Feel free to share.

The detectives she often has to work with think that because she's an Indian, she can find out anything from other Indians. In Kindred Spirits they send her to Crescent City to interview relatives and friends of a murder victim she was a Tolowa even though Tempe has never heard of the Tolowa people. This drives her crazy, but is also the reason she gets involved in so many cases.

Please provide your website link.

http://fictionforyou.com

What is the link to buy your book?

http://www.mundaniapress.com

It was wonderful to meet her. Thank you for bringing her to meet us.

Thank you, Nikki, for having us. Marilyn

NEW! Visit my blog at http://marilynmeredith.blogspot.com/
and the Stiletto Gang: http://thestilettogang.blogspot.com/

A Female Point of View for Green Stone of Healing Series

1. What is the name of the book where we would meet you? What genre is it?

You meet me in the first books of the Green Stone of Healing(R) epic fantasy
series. These novels include The Vision, Fallout, and The Scorpions Strike.
My story extends to several future books as well.



2. Who wrote the series?

C.L. Talmadge, who believes that she lived a past life as me.



3. What do you think of the author? You can tell us the truth.

She lets me be myself in the book, and I appreciate it. She's a bit of a
puzzle to me because she doesn't care nearly as much as I do about what
other people think of her. I find that strange.


4. Tell us a little about yourself. How would you describe your appearance?
That's more than just really cute or drop dead gorgeous. Give us enough
detail to get a clear idea of how you look.

I am more than six feet tall with large, steel blue eyes, a voluptuous
figure, and long, wavy coal-black hair that is fine yet very full. My skin
color is a cross between the two races in my society: not as deep red as the
dominant Toltecs, yet not as pale as the subordinate Turanians. I look very
much like the half-breed I am.


5. What character are you in the book? Are you the hero, the best friend,
the side kick, the hero and heroine's child or someone else?

I am Helen Elizabeth Andros, the first-generation heroine.


6. Is there a specific reason why you're in the story? Don't give us any
story spoilers, but you can share some teasers if you want.

The entire plot revolves around the fact that I exist and the political
consequences of the discovery of my unknown father's identity. That is why I
am in the story.


7. What time period do you live in?

I live in what you might consider an alternate distant past in a society you
might consider just a myth.


8. Where are you from?

I was born in a desert country called Khemyt.


9. Do you live in the same place now?

No. I live in the island nation where my parents were born. It is called
Azgard.


10. Tell us about your hometown and your current home.

Memphys, the town of my birth, is a huge metropolis at the center of world
trade. It is a multicultural city with people of all races and nationalities
making a living from commerce and agriculture along the banks of the Great
River that flows north to the sea. It is the nexus that connects East and
West in my world.



11. Tell us how your hometown or your current home affects you, the things
you do and how you feel about life?

Because I am a half-breed, I am an outcast in Azgard, my home since age 11.
After living in a place where no one gave much thought to my mixed-race
heritage, I was shocked and wounded to find that in Azgard, that's pretty
much all people see in me. Although my aunt (my mother's younger sister) and
her husband love me, I cannot feel it. I cannot feel any love for myself or
pride in who I am or what I do because there is so much prejudice and
bigotry in my world.


12. What special skills or abilities do you have?

I studied very hard and earned a full scholarship to the one institution of
higher learning in all of Azgard. I attended college there and then earned a
medical degree. But science-based medicine has never fully satisfied my
curiosity about healing, and I spend a lot of my time researching
alternative approaches to healing in an obscure book called the Arkana.


13. How do those affect your part in the story?

My medical training and abilities play a critical role throughout my story.
My skills at healing are what recommended me for a dangerous assignment that
launches all the action.


14. Are you happy with the story?

I am satisfied that the author is telling it like it was. But that was a
harsh life and I wouldn't relive it again for all the money in the
universe-unless I could know what I know now and retain the ability to act
on my hard-earned wisdom.


15. Do you have some ideas that the author should consider about the story?
You can share them with us. We're all friends here.

I want her to continue as she has started-telling the true tale of the life
I once lived.


16. Tell us about your past. Can you share one really good experience
and/or one really bad experience? I know that bad experience can be tough,
but it would tell us more about what you've been through.



Bad experience: During my first days at the Sacred Academy of Kronos, where
I completed all of my higher education, I made the mistake of entering the
chapel for weekly services. The enraged priests beat me because, as a
half-breed, I was not allowed on ground consecrated to Kronos. No one told
me about it.



Good experience: Cracking jokes and taking long walks with my best friend
from my medical school days, Lord Matthew Shinar. We bonded like siblings
and remained close throughout my life.


17. Who is the most important person in your life? Tell us about them.

The most important person in my life turns out to be the one I did not meet
until I was an adult-my father. He holds a very high and powerful political
office and is extremely wealthy. As a person he is intense, immensely loyal,
and not given to suffering fools lightly. Even without meeting him, I have a
lot of his mannerisms-so much so that those who know him and meet me often
wondered whether there might be a relationship between the two of us. He
works long hours to hide the anguish and loss he felt when my mother refused
to marry him and disappeared from his life.


18. Is that person in the story we're talking about?

Very much so, and plays a key role in the first four books of the series.



19. How does that person impact you and your life?

Learning his identity and meeting him turns my world completely inside out.



20. Do you have any children?

Not yet.


21. If you do, tell us about them. If you don't have any children, you can
tell us why not - but, only if you want to tell us.

Eventually I become pregnant by three different men, although not all of
those pregnancies end in childbirth.


22. What do you see in your future?

A few triumphs and a lot of heart-break. There's an old Chinese curse that
says, "May you live in interesting times." Well, I had an "interesting"
life.


23. Do you think your author is going to write another story about you? Or,
are you part of a series?

A stated, I am part of a series.


24. Do you like being a character in a book?

I like being remembered. It helps me feel as though all the hell I
experienced has some meaning because it is forgotten no longer.


25. If someone ever decides to make a movie based on your story, who should
play you in the movie and why?

Gabrielle Reese has my height and physical strength/agility, but I am not
certain she has the acting skills to play me. I suspect the film producers
would have to find an unknown actress to pull off the role of playing me.

It's been great to talk with you. If you want to tell us anything else, feel
free. Also, tell us about a website where we can learn more about you and
where we can buy the book. If you have a picture of yourself, feel free to
send it.

More about my story: www.greenstoneofhealing.com.


Browse for free through the entire first three books at:
http://www.greenstoneofhealing.com/browsebooks.shtml


Book buying links:

eBooks: www.healingstonebooks.com


Paperbacks:


The Scorpions Strike-Green Stone of Healing(R) Series, Book Three

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbninquiry.asp?ean=9780980053753


Fallout-Green Stone of Healing(R) Series, Book Two

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbninquiry.asp?ean=9780980053746


The Vision-Green Stone of Healing(R) Series, Book One

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbninquiry.asp?ean=9780980053739

Friction in the Green Stone of Healing Series

We want to hear about the bad guys, bad gals and villains in your book. Even
if you don't have a murderer, thief or other "bad guy" there should be some
negative force.

Who causes friction in the story?

There are multiple causes of friction in my epic fantasy, Green Stone of
Healing(R) series.

In the initial books, one source of discord between the heroine, Helen
Andros, and her newfound father is the distrust and hurt between the two.
They cannot tell each other that they love each other because both of them
have been so wounded by the seemingly inexplicable, secretive behavior of
Helen's mother.

A second source of conflict is various political factions vying for power in
the vacuum created by the monarch's incapacity. Helen's father is a leader
of one of these factions, and those who oppose him jump all over the
revelation that he has an illegitimate, half-breed daughter in the hope of
tearing him down.

Conflict that develops as the series progresses includes war between Azgard
and other nations, as well as civil war within Azgard between varying
political factions.

There is also a lot of personal conflict between wives and husbands, parents
and children, siblings and cousins, even lovers. Think of the characters as
members of one very large, extended dysfunctional family whose business
happens to be running the most powerful, wealthiest nation in their world.


Do you prefer bad guys or bad gals?

I don't prefer either group. Each plays a role in the kind of genre fiction
I write.


How do you use your bad guys?

Without the villains, it's much tougher to perceive or appreciate the good.
I use the contrast in motives and actions to delineate the differences
between the characters' character, bad and good.

The bad guys/gals also make a storyline much more interesting. Multiple
villains throughout the series are convinced that they should rule the
island nation where the story is set, and some want to impose the law of
Azgard on the entire world. The villains are always plotting some way to
steal power/influence and/or money in my series. Never a dull moment.

Do you enjoy writing the bad guys or do you find it difficult?

It is not difficult at all to write about the bad guys/gals. Sometimes it
gets disgusting when they pull of their dastardly deeds or cause havoc and
pain in their attempts. But the bad guys and gals are an integral part of
the story and cannot be airbrushed out just because they are often
unpalatable.


Whether you enjoy writing them or hate writing them, we'd like to know why
you feel that way.

As I have noted, villains provide character contrast and propel the plot
with their antics. They also provide what I'll call depth and texture for
lack of a better descriptor. A story without a villain-or at least without a
good guy/gal who makes mistakes-is monotone at best.


Who is your favorite bad guy in any of your books? Which bad guy and which
book are they in?

There are so many bad guys in just the first three books of my epic fantasy
series that I hardly know where to begin. But two of the slimy devils come
to mind right away. The first is the heroine's second cousin on her father's
side of the family. His name is Griffin Mordecai. He would be far more
effectively evil if he had the brain power to realize his intellectual
limitations. Translation: Griffin is dumb as a stump but he has friends in
high places who keep promoting him way beyond his capacity. The second
villain is a member of the Brotherhood of Kronos named Lucan Silenas. The
extent of this priest's evil will not become known until much later in the
series. For now he seems to have the goods on every one of his fellow
priests and is plotting to do away with his boss so he can become Supreme
Lord of the Temple of Kronos. From there, his ambition will know no bounds
or scruple. He is totally amoral in his quest for ultimate power.


Who is your favorite fictional bad guy -- that's not in your books?

Baron Vladimir Harkonnen in the Dune franchise. He's over the top as a bad
guy and wonderfully fun to read about. I'm not quite sure whether Frank
Herbert took him seriously or meant him as satire (maybe a bit of both), but
the baron is a most engaging villain who is unabashedly pleased with his
evil ways and means. It's always good to enjoy one's avocation, however
nasty it might be.


Is there anything else about your bad guys that we need to know? Feel free
to share.

One of my bad guys is truly a vile piece of work. He becomes the
first-generation heroine's father-in-law and proves to be her worst enemy.
He almost destroys her soul. Others are the way they are due to their own
emotional and spiritual wounds and limitations. I try to set their villainy
in context and provide some explanations, even if it takes a few books to do
so.


Please provide your website link.

http://www.greenstoneofhealing.com

What are the links to buy your books?

eBooks: http://www.healingstonebooks.com

Paperbacks:

The Scorpions Strike-Green Stone of Healing(R) Series, Book Three

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbninquiry.asp?ean=9780980053753

Fallout-Green Stone of Healing(R) Series, Book Two

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbninquiry.asp?ean=9780980053746

The Vision-Green Stone of Healing(R) Series, Book One

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbninquiry.asp?ean=9780980053739

CL Talmadge - Heroine from the Healing Stone Novels

Tell us about your heroine --- the female lead in your book.

What's her name?
Helen Elizabeth Andros

Why did you pick that name?
She told me her name. All of my characters tell me about themselves. Some
are more willing to communicate than others, but eventually even the
reluctant ones let me know them and their inner/outer lives. In some cases
they end up telling me far more than I want to know about them. (There are
some really nasty characters in my fiction.)

Give us a brief description of how she looks.
Helen is more than 6 feet tall. Skinny from an eating disorder. Blue-black
hair that is fine and full, with ice-blue eyes.

Is there anything unusual about her appearance?
Helen is obviously a cross between the two races who populate her society.
That makes her an outcast.

Who does she love? Why?
She loves her commanding officer, Col. Jackson Orlando. Because she finds
him to be as kind and decent as he is physically attractive--the tall, dark,
silent handsome type.

Does this person love her?
Yes indeedy. He adores her from the first time he meets her. But he does not
think he has the right to pursue her, for a number of reasons.

Tell us about her family.
Helen's mother was falsely accused of a crime and chose exile rather than
being forced to reveal the name of her baby's father. She does not know most
of her mother's family and her father's is hidden.

Where is she from?
Helen was born in a desert land called Khemet, but returns to the nation of
her parents at age 11. This country is called Azgard.

Does her hometown affect her behavior, thoughts and attitude?
Helen is a rootless wanderer, and never really feels she has a home
anywhere.

What does she want out of life?
What she cannot have. She does not even dare hope for what she actually
could have, provided she did some healing and growing herself.

What's her biggest secret? (Only share if it isn't a spoiler in the story.)
The real identity of her father. It's a secret even to her until the first
book in the series.

Did you write more than one story about her?
I am writing a multigenerational fantasy saga with Helen as the
first-generation heroine.

How would she describe you?
Puzzling. I don't seem to care as much about other people's opinions of me
as she does their opinions of her.

Is there anything else about your heroine that we need to know? Feel free to
share.
She's got a ribald sense of humor and a passion for justice that gets her
into trouble because she also can't seem to keep her mouth shut when it
would be prudent to do so.

Please provide your website link.
www.greenstoneofhealing.com

What is the link to buy your book?
Paperback versions of the series' first three books are available at any
online bookstore plus in ebook form at www.healingstonebooks.com

Forever Tonight by Tarra Newlands

Who causes friction is the story?

Theodore who is a bad ass alien with attitude.

Do you prefer bad guys or bad gals?

I like write bad guys and girls at times. I think its a release for the shadow self we all sometimes have.

How do you use your bad guys?

In my books, I use bad guys different ways. In my first book the Dream King, Jonathan whose the bad guy is also a man flawed and looking for redemption. In Forever Tonight, I painted Theodore as a soul less creature who would kill you as soon look at you.

Do you enjoy writing the bad guys or do you find it difficult?

I find it hard at times, but then my shadow self pitches in. Its the old saying 'meet a jerk get to work'.

Whether you enjoy writing them or hate writing them, we'd like to know why you feel that way?

I think writing bad guys is a release from acceptable behaviour.

Who is your favourite bad guy in any of your books? Which bad guy and which book are they in?

I like Jonathan in The Dream King. He's bad, but with a reason and searching for a way to redeem himself.

Is there anything else about your bad guys that we need to know? Feel free to share.

Bad guys can be sexy, but dangerous. Look, but don't touch. LOL

Please provide your website link.

http://www.authorsden.com/taranewlands or http://www.myspace.com/taranewlands

What is the link to buy your book?

http://redrosepublishing.com/bookstore/product_info.php?cPath=23_73&products_id=187http://www.fictionwise.com/eBooks/eBook70906.htm?cache

Tears and Tales: Stories of Human and Animal Rescue

1. What is the name of the book where we would meet the animal? What genre is it?

A. The name of the book is Tears and Tales: Stories of Human and Animal Rescue. The genre is pets, non-fiction and it consists of the various animals the author has met during his lifetime. Some of those rescued animals are still with him and some have even saved him from himself when spirits were low and he was contemplating suicide.

2. Who wrote the book?

A. Russell A Vassallo wrote Tears and Tales and has had the distinguished honor of receiving three awards for his work. One reviewer felt the book rated more than five stars.

3. What would the animal think of the author?

A. Since there are several animals mentioned in the book, it would be difficult to answer this question briefly. Sweet Pea would be flattered. After all, she was a waif without a home who found permanent residence with the author and his wife. Spunky, on the other hand, would slobber you with affection and ask for a treat. The mere wrinkle of plastic sets him drooling. Several of the animals have gone to their great beyond which gives the author rise to lament their passing and inspire others to appreciate their pets with deeper love.

If I had to single out the most eligible to speak , it would be Sweet Pea and she probably wonder how he found out all those things about her and then recall that she told him a good deal about her past life. And she’d be grateful for being rescued by him and probably say that he is a kind and loving man who sometimes suffers from depression and is not always happy. She loves when he plays with her and especially when he rubs her belly. She would probably say that it took a lot of time for him to accept her and for her to win him over, but that now, they have a bond between them and she is happy being loved.


4. Tell us about the animal. How would you describe their appearance?


A. Sweet Pea is exactly like her name, kind, loving, fond of children. She has deep, expressive eyes and she skitters away from farm machinery because her left rear leg was broken when she was hit by one. Pea is a small, white dog with light brown patches, head like a border collie and a habit of raising her front leg when she is on the scent of something. She is a better mouser than any of our cats and she has a natural herding instinct.



5. What part does the animal play in the book?

A: The story, “Git”, is based on true events and speaks from the animal’s point of view. It is the story of a man deeply grieved by the loss of his Dobe, Tribute, and unwilling to suffer the same heartbreak again. He fixes on a feral cat he is coaxing to come and take food. When the food starts disappearing without the cat being around, he lays in wait to find the culprit only to find a ragged, starved young dog, recently birthed, standing in his driveway eyeing the food dish.

The characters play themselves. There are no heroes. The villain is whatever family so mistreated this dog and then abandoned her after taking her pups away. In a sense it is a story of a man searching for peace and comfort and a young dog seeking a home.


6. Is there a specific reason why the animal is in the story?

A. Without Sweet Pea there would be no story. She is the central character. Whether or not she finds the home she is seeking, and whether or not the grieving pet owner permits her to stay is something the reader can discover by reading Tears and Tales. The book is one to be read and reread dozens of times. I have read it more than fifty time during the editing process and it never ceased touching me.

However, this is a collection of short stories so there are many animal characters within its pages. Sweet Pea is not the only animal spoken of. There is Spunky, the shar pei/pit bull mix, and Lonesome Dart, a horse with a loving heart, and Willie, a talking horse, and Tribute, and Frenzy (some of the names have been changed in the stories but they are all real animals.


7. What time period does the animal live in?

A: Most of these stories occurred after 1992 and continue to the present time.


8. Where is the animal from?

A. Sweet Pea was born in Casey County, Kentucky. This is rolling and hilly farmland cut from English and Irish stock. In all probability she was born on a farm and kept as a potential hunting dog. However, she was gun shy and of no hunting use to the owner. When she came into heat and became pregnant, the owner had no use for her and did not want additional dogs. He waited until she gave birth, destroyed the pups and abandoned her on a rural road not far from the author’s farm. But as I said, she is not the only animal contained in this book. Most of the others also came from Casey County. One of them came from much higher up. (The Cardinal).

9. Does she live in the same place now?

A. Most of the animals contained in my stories still reside with us on the farm. Some have gone on to their reward and to that place where they wait for us to join them.


10. Tell us about the place where the animal lives.

A. Their location is a 240 acre farm in south central Kentucky. About sixty acres are cleared and the animals have a good deal of land to roam upon. The dogs are permitted to run loose because they never leave the property. The horses have paddocks that range from two acres to twenty. There are running, spring-fed creeks that supply them with water and high ridges that protect them from harsh winds.

11. What special skills does the animal have?

A. Sweet Pea is just great with children and she’s not bad on mothering our pit bull/ shar pei. She is really a very amiable animal, capable of taking care of herself and a loyal companion. When I was in the hospital recovering from colon cancer it was reassuring that she’d be home waiting for my wife and ready to protect her if anything was amiss. Above all, she is a survivor. The other horses are used as trail horses and as companions.


12. How do those skills or abilities affect the animal’s part in the story?

A: I don’t think Sweet pea would have survived in the wild if she weren’t a survivor. She seems to possess a natural skill to hunt and find food. There are days when I still see her burying an extra doggie bone, just in case. Pea isn’t one to waste energy. She knows when to rest and she knows when to hunt. She’s a natural companion in the field and there is nothing she loves better than gong out on the trail with the horses.


13. Tell us about the animal’s past. Can you share one really good experience and/or really bad experience? I know that bad experience can be tough, but it would tell us more about what they’ve been through.

A. Sweet Pea suffered an injury to her right rear leg that was never treated. Although she is active and unparalleled in the field, she tends to run with the leg up when she is over-active. It is speculated that she was hit with some kind of farm implement and it broke her leg. The bone never mended properly.


14. Who is the most important person in the animal’s life? Tell us about them.

A. My wife Virginia has grown very close to Sweet Pea. When I was in the hospital recovering from colon cancer surgery, Sweet Pea was always there, waiting for Virginia when she arrived home. It was comforting to Virginia to have an animal accompany her into a dark house. It was comforting to me knowing she had some kind of protection.

15. Is that person in the story we’re talking about?

A: No. The story revolves around my first contact with Sweet Pea. At that point in time Virginia had never seen the dog and my contact was limited to noticing my cat food disappearing in huge quantities, given the fact there was only one cat. I was actually watching to see if it were a possum or a raccoon stealing the food. It turned out to be Sweet Pea. I actually did not take readily to her. I had just lost my favorite Dobe and did not want the heart break of another dog. It took her time to wear me down.


16. How does that person impact the animal’s life?

A: Sweet Pea and Virginia walk at least twice per day. On occasion Virginia will mount up and ride the trail, with Sweet Pea right behind. At night they sit together on the couch watching television. Virginia is the primary caregiver, doling out the medications and monitoring Pea’s feeding habits. And, on occasion, Sweet Pea rewards her by bringing home a mole or a baby possum.


17. What do you see in the animal’s future?

A: Well, we’ve had her for ten years and estimate she is about twelve. In her present condition I don’t see any reason she can’t make it to twenty. And a dog could not be happier anywhere.


18. Is the author going to write another story that includes the animal? Or is this book part of a series?

A: Tears and Tales is not part of a series. But the author is working on a second animal book in which Sweet Pea appears again. He hopes to have this book out some time in 2009 as he has just completed his third book, Street Wise: Mafia Memoirs due out in August of this year.

Hunting the Egret by Bryn Colvin

1 - Tell us a bit about your book.
‘Hunting The Egret’ is an erotic paranormal tale. Some of the eroticism is quite dark, exploring what happens when a BSM relationship becomes abusive. The book is set in Gloucestershire, England.

2 - Tell us about the best friend - gender, age, appearance, how they came to be with the hero or heroine and anything else we need to know about them.
My central character, Verity, is an odd soul. She doesn’t really connect very well with people and as a consequence pours her heart out to an aged hawthorn tree that grows near her house. However, the hawthorn tree does talk back, and Verity, being a rather magic creature herself, is able to hear that subtle voice.


3 - Who does the "best friend" help in the book?
The hawthorn tree offers advice and companionship. Verity is a very lonely person, and this gentle voice makes a lot of difference in her life.

4 - Does the best friend have a specific purpose in the book?
I tend to write about loners and misfits. The trouble is, it’s difficult to explore a character if they don’t have people to interact with. I needed a few entities my heroine could interact with – aside from her rather peculiar family. The purpose of the hawthorn tree is to give Verity something to talk to in times of distress.

5 - How does your hero or heroine feel about the best friend?
Deep affection. However, there’s a lot you can’t do with a tree, and as the Hawthorn itself is keen to point out, she does need human contact as well.

6 - How would your hero or heroine handle their problems or difficulties with the best friend?
It’s not the kind of relationship where there could be problems.

7 - Are there problems between the best friend and your main characters?
No.

8 - Do you see the best friend ever having their own story?
Not really. Although I am tempted by the idea of writing about dryads, so I might have a more central tree character one of these days.

9 - Was the best friend inspired by anyone you know?
I have one or two friends who are trees. Seriously. I’ve always talked to trees myself. Visually this one’s inspired by a hawthorn I met in the Malvern Hills.

10 - Is there anything else about the best friend that we need to know? Feel free to share.
For people who find the idea of talking trees hard to get to grips with, please do bear in mind this is a paranormal book, there’s a witch, a goddess, two shapeshifters… in which context talking trees may not seem so odd!

11 - Please provide your website link. http://www.myspace.com/brynneth_n_colvin

12 - What is the link to buy your book?
http://www.loveyoudivine.com/index.php?main_page=document_product_info&cPath=28&products_id=337&zenid=e8fb5f33a911b999e381b72512589bd7

The Villain from Hunting the Egret

Who causes friction in the story? Without wanting to give away too much of the plot, there’s a very sadistic and controlling former lover on the loose.

Do you prefer bad guys or bad gals? I’ve said in previous contributions to this blog that gender matters less to me than convincing motivation. I try to give my villains a bit of depth, but this one is, admittedly, just a bit of a psycho.

How do you use your bad guys? In this tale, one of the characters has a history of being abused, and of willingly submitting to it. It’s by confronting the violent former lover that they are able to move away from that very damaging past.

Do you enjoy writing the bad guys or do you find it difficult? I enjoy it – if I didn’t enjoy it I wouldn’t be doing it. The trouble is, I’m far too good at it. The villain in ‘Hunting the egret’ is a truly horrible piece of work.

Whether you enjoy writing them or hate writing them, we'd like to know why you feel that way? Probably says far too much about me – but I figure it’s better to write it than do it. I’m probably safer to be around for getting to turn my demons into stories. I have a very dark imagination, I’m capable of a lot of rage and righteous indignation, and worse. This way I get to vent it all and no one gets hurt.

Who is your favourite bad guy in any of your books? Which bad guy and which book are they in? Gardar in ‘On Borrowed Wings’ remains my favourite. He’s a singularly selfish and egotistical person, capable of making people fall in love with him even while he’s doing dreadful things to them. That said – this new villain has a certain something – the amorality, and again the selfishness and the unshakeable self confidence. One of the features of my bad guys is that they do tend to think they’re wonderful people and they don’t doubt themselves.

Who is your favorite fictional bad guy -- that's not in your books? I remain very fond of Severus Snape from the Harry Potter books (although his status as a bad guy is complicated.) ‘Rebecca’ from Du Maurier’s book is an awesome villainess.

Is there anything else about your bad guys that we need to know? Feel free to share.

When I was working on ‘Hunting the Egret’ I consulted with BDSM author JJ Giles as to what kinds of things would be considered unacceptable behaviour by people in that community. She told me. What I’ve written in this book is very much not what most Doms would consider doing. This villain is a sadist and an abuser and not a representation of BDSM lifestyle.

Please provide your website link. http://www.brynneth.org.uk

What is the link to buy your book? http://www.loveyoudivine.com/index.php?main_page=document_product_info&cPath=28&products_id=337&zenid=e8fb5f33a911b999e381b72512589bd7

Qwana from The Last Priestess Series

Tell us about your heroine --- the female lead in your book.: Qwana is the heroine of The Last Priestess trilogy set in ancient Peru. She is the last priestess to the Moon Goddess in a time when religion turned to sun worship. Those who worshiped the moon practiced a gentle, nurturing religion. Those who worshiped the sun practiced ritual sacrifices, terrorizing the populace of Loa, a city on the Nazca Plain.

What's her name? Qwana

Why did you pick that name? I have no idea. I was in a rock shop and the proprietor had a holey stone (it had a hole in it, considered to be very powerful by crystal enthusiasts) from her trip to South America on the counter. I picked it up and must have linked into the story at that point, because I was compelled to write this history about a woman who lived on the Nazca Plain and who became the last priestess in the temple of the Moon Goddess.

Give us a brief description of how she looks. Qwana is beautiful in the eyes of her people: short, compactly built, with dark eyes and hair. Her nose is hooked, her skin is dark and she is dressed in fine, brightly colored garments woven from the wool of llamas and vicuna. Qwana would probably not be considered beautiful in our culture where thin, blonde beauties are the ideal.

Is there anything unusual about her appearance? Not really. Other than the fact she may have richer garments than the common woman of her time due to her special position, she looks like any woman who might have lived in that time and place.

Who does she love? Qwana loves the Moon Goddess and although she is the only young woman of her generation destined to serve in the temple of the moon, she believes it is the proper thing for her to do. She loves the two remaining elder priestesses: Aruz and Mix’la who taught her the rituals of the temple. She also loves Rowland, a visitor from the planet Deesa who has come to this world to see the wonders described by his father, who was also a galactic traveler. She also loves and protects a baby she found abandoned in the Andean foothills.

Does this person love her? In that culture, it was believed the Goddess loved all of her children. The two older priestesses love Qwana as their daughter and are proud of her, although they worry about her solitary state. Rowland, who grew up hearing stories about the wonders of Earth, loves Qwana from first meeting – although she resists his love – believing that she will betray the Goddess if she offers her life and love to the visitor from a world beyond the stars.

Tell us about her family. Qwana’s family does not figure into this tale, she is dedicated to the temple of the Moon from birth. Her “family” are the people who love and depend on her.

Where is she from? Qwana is born in Loa, a city situated on the Nazca Plain, near the foothills of the Andes Mountains.

Does her hometown affect her behavior, thoughts and attitude? The people of Qwana’s city have been swayed to the bloody rituals of the Sun God. They are mesmerized by Xilpu, the high priest of the temple of the Sun. Xilpu is cruel and practices a brutal religion that strips families of their young men and women who die in agony on the stones of the temple. He leads a virtual army of priests that he uses to keep the city in line.

Qwana believes that these bloody rituals are wrong, and while she is forced to witness these brutalities, she longs for a way for the people to be rid of the high priest who uses her as a sexual slave, even though the priestesses of the Moon are supposed to be virgin.

Qwana feels fear and horror at the way Xilpu treats those who follow the religion of the Sun God, but she is powerless to correct the situation and convince the people to return to the worship of the Moon. She wonders if the gentle religion will die if no new girl children are dedicated to follow her in the temple of the Moon.

When Rowland arrives from the planet Deesa, the high priest sends Qwana out on the plain to examine the fallen star, hoping she and her elders will die from exposure. Bewitched by the young priestess, Rowland follows her back to the city, where he witnesses the brutal rituals that honor the Sun God and swears he will release the people from their bondage to the religion that requires a sacrament of blood.

What does she want out of life? Qwana wants to do her duty and serve the Moon Goddess. She is dedicated to this task and believes it to be her life work. Although her initiatian vision indicates she will mate the condor, she believes this to be a prediction of her victory, and not the true ending her story reveals.

What's her biggest secret? Qwana is much stronger than she might have believed. She grows as she protects the elders as they flee from Loa and she comes to understand that true love is an appropriate thing for even the last priestess.

Did you write more than one story about her? Qwana’s story is told in three books: The Last Priestess, Nazca Star and Bride of the Condor.

How would she describe you? I imagine Qwana would see me as a sorceress who is able to record stories in strange boxes and send them out for the world to share. She would probably be shocked at the sort of clothing and lack of reverence exhibited by today’s woman.

Is there anything else about your heroine that we need to know? Qwana is like all of us who are placed in difficult conditions and learn the true depths of our courage.

Please provide your website link. http://www.terrylwhite.com

What is the link to buy your book? www.ebooksonthe.net, or www.Amazon.com in the Kindle section. The Last Priestess Series are also available at Fictionwise, All Romance Ebooks, and other venues.

NOTE: This is a new edition of The Last Priestess story, and is available only as ebooks at this time

Hero from The Girl Who Fell

What’s his name?

Guile

Why did you pick that name?

A fair few of the names in my Estraguil setting have literal meanings. Guile tends to mean cunning – in a slightly pejorative way, but it also gives us ‘beguiling’ which he certainly is.

How does he look?

Guile has bright red hair, high cheekbones, an expressive mouth and large eyes. He’s lean and good looking, with a touch of innocence about him.

Is there anything unusual about his appearance?

He has a forked tongue.

Who does he love? Why?

Guile loves his friends, and is drawn to the enigmatic Jehanne. He finds her mysterious, compelling, and beautiful.

Does this person love him?

Jehanne loves Guile’s musical trio.

Tell us about his family. Are they important to him?

Guile left his family to train as a musician. He went to Tirol as an apprentice when very young, and considers the trio to be his family.

Where is he from?

Guile is Strafian, a kith group that lives in the hills, farming and trading. They have a strong tradition of musicians and story tellers.

Does his hometown affect his behaviour, thoughts and attitude?

Being a Strafian, Guile prizes musicianship very highly indeed.

What does he want out of life?

Guile has no grand plans. He’s doing what he loves most and moves from one day to the next, taking it as it comes and making the best of it.

What’s his biggest secret?

Guile has no secrets. He’s open, honest and straight-forwards.

Did you write more than one story about him?

No, nor do I feel any need to.

How would he describe you?

A decent enough musician with a good singing voice and a fair knack for creating stories.

Is there anything about your hero we need to know?

He has lost his memory.

Please provide a link to your website

http://www.myspace.com/brynneth_n_colvin

What is the link to buy your book?

http://www.whiskeycreekpress.com/chapters/TheGirlWhoFell_BrynnethColvin.shtml

Best Friend From The Girl Who Fell

1 - Tell us a bit about your book.
“The Girl Who Fell” is a fantasy novel, set the Forest of Estraguil.

2 - Tell us about the best friend - gender, age, appearance, how they came to be with the hero or heroine and anything else we need to know about them.
Guile has two dear friends, and the three of them play music together, traveling through the forest as bards. Tirol is the eldest of the three and has mentored the younger musicians. He’s stern and serious, and plays an instrument akin to a marimba, but made of bone. Luthian is melfate – neither masculine or feminine, but something else. A talented percussionist with a keen sense of humour and a compassionate nature.


3 - Who does the "best friend" help in the book?
Guile is very much supported by his two close friends – the three of them support and aid each other.

4 - Does the best friend have a specific purpose in the book?
The trio create the musical magic that runs through the very heart of the narrative..

5 - How does your hero or heroine feel about the best friend?
Deep friendship and attachment, which endures even when memory has been stripped away.

6 - How would your hero or heroine handle their problems or difficulties with the best friend?
With patience and a determination to find the right way through any conflict.

7 - Are there problems between the best friend and your main characters?
There are, but I’m not prepared to post any plot spoilers!

8 - Do you see the best friend ever having their own story?
No. ‘The Girl who Fell’ is a very self contained book and I don’t plan to revisit any of the characters in it.

9 - Was the best friend inspired by anyone you know?
Not consciously, but the trio bear an uncanny resemblance to the band a friend of mine was in some years ago. The first gig of theirs I went to was very strange – because I knew them and had spent a couple of months writing about them, without having met them. I’d seen a few pictures, but they hadn’t been consciously on my mind when I was writing.

10 - Is there anything else about the best friend that we need to know? Feel free to share.
Nothing I could add without giving too much away.

11 - Please provide your website link. http://www.myspace.com/brynneth_n_colvin

12 - What is the link to buy your book?
http://www.whiskeycreekpress.com/chapters/TheGirlWhoFell_BrynnethColvin.shtml

The Girl Who Fell by Brynneth Colvin

What’s his name?

Guile

Why did you pick that name?

A fair few of the names in my Estraguil setting have literal meanings. Guile tends to mean cunning – in a slightly pejorative way, but it also gives us ‘beguiling’ which he certainly is.

How does he look?

Guile has bright red hair, high cheekbones, an expressive mouth and large eyes. He’s lean and good looking, with a touch of innocence about him.

Is there anything unusual about his appearance?

He has a forked tongue.

Who does he love? Why?

Guile loves his friends, and is drawn to the enigmatic Jehanne. He finds her mysterious, compelling, and beautiful.

Does this person love him?

Jehanne loves Guile’s musical trio.

Tell us about his family. Are they important to him?

Guile left his family to train as a musician. He went to Tirol as an apprentice when very young, and considers the trio to be his family.

Where is he from?

Guile is Strafian, a kith group that lives in the hills, farming and trading. They have a strong tradition of musicians and story tellers.

Does his hometown affect his behaviour, thoughts and attitude?

Being a Strafian, Guile prizes musicianship very highly indeed.

What does he want out of life?

Guile has no grand plans. He’s doing what he loves most and moves from one day to the next, taking it as it comes and making the best of it.

What’s his biggest secret?

Guile has no secrets. He’s open, honest and straight-forwards.

Did you write more than one story about him?

No, nor do I feel any need to.

How would he describe you?

A decent enough musician with a good singing voice and a fair knack for creating stories.

Is there anything about your hero we need to know?

He has lost his memory.

Please provide a link to your website

http://www.myspace.com/brynneth_n_colvin

What is the link to buy your book?

http://www.whiskeycreekpress.com/chapters/TheGirlWhoFell_BrynnethColvin.shtml

The Girl Who Fell by Bryn Colvin

1 - Tell us a bit about your book.

“The Girl Who Fell” is a fantasy novel, set the Forest of Estraguil.

2 - Tell us about the best friend - gender, age, appearance, how they came to be with the hero or heroine and anything else we need to know about them.

Guile has two dear friends, and the three of them play music together, traveling through the forest as bards. Tirol is the eldest of the three and has mentored the younger musicians. He’s stern and serious, and plays an instrument akin to a marimba, but made of bone. Luthian is melfate – neither masculine or feminine, but something else. A talented percussionist with a keen sense of humour and a compassionate nature.

3 - Who does the "best friend" help in the book?

Guile is very much supported by his two close friends – the three of them support and aid each other.

4 - Does the best friend have a specific purpose in the book?

The trio create the musical magic that runs through the very heart of the narrative..

5 - How does your hero or heroine feel about the best friend?

Deep friendship and attachment, which endures even when memory has been stripped away.

6 - How would your hero or heroine handle their problems or difficulties with the best friend?

With patience and a determination to find the right way through any conflict.

7 - Are there problems between the best friend and your main characters?

There are, but I’m not prepared to post any plot spoilers!

8 - Do you see the best friend ever having their own story?

No. ‘The Girl who Fell’ is a very self contained book and I don’t plan to revisit any of the characters in it.

9 - Was the best friend inspired by anyone you know?

Not consciously, but the trio bear an uncanny resemblance to the band a friend of mine was in some years ago. The first gig of theirs I went to was very strange – because I knew them and had spent a couple of months writing about them, without having met them. I’d seen a few pictures, but they hadn’t been consciously on my mind when I was writing.

10 - Is there anything else about the best friend that we need to know? Feel free to share.

Nothing I could add without giving too much away.

11 - Please provide your website link. http://www.myspace.com/brynneth_n_colvin

12 - What is the link to buy your book?

http://www.whiskeycreekpress.com/chapters/TheGirlWhoFell_BrynnethColvin.shtml

A Meeting With the Abbot Rutilius

My Lord, Cardinal Benedetto Gaetano, from your servant, Captain Luigi Barozzi.

I hope this letter finds you in good health, my Lord, I pray too that God guides your hand protects you from the envy of others. I wish to commend to you, my Lord, a cleric whom I met by chance as I returned from my pigrimage to the Shrine of the Black Madonna. God has not, so far, been pleased to cure my sickness, the wound continues to afflict my health and I write this epistle to be sent on by courier since I must ride slowly.

I met the Abbot Rutilius and his acolyte on the road at Narbonne. Like me, they were spending a night at an inn there; they on their way to the shrine of the Virgin at Montserrat, I on my way back.

I thought it worthy of writing to you, my Lord Cardinal, to tell you of these two. They solve crimes that baffle others, misdeeds and felonies are as clear to them as spring water.

The Abbot Rutilius had just finished his evening repast when I came into the common room. It was busy and at his invitation, I sat and shared his table. He recommended a local wine and he joined me in a glass as we spoke. The Abbot has an imposing stature, somewhat above average height and far more than average corpulence. His complexion is a marvellous collection of colours with reds and mauves predominating.

“And where do you go?’ he asked me. ‘There are but two ways from here, one south, one north.’

‘I go north, m’Lord Abbot. I go home.’

‘I might guess you’ve been to one of the shrines, then,’ he suggested. ‘Montserrat perhaps, perhaps even to Compastela?’

‘Montserrat…’

He nodded. ‘I noticed you favour your left leg and that your complexion is pale. You’ve been to pray to La Moreneta?’

I smiled, nodded. ‘An old wound that gives me pain. And you?’

‘Montserrat. I have work to do there.’

‘Work? I thought it might be a pilgrimage?’

‘I oversee the tithes and the taxes to his Holiness. I make certain St. Peter’s Pence is gathered in.’

‘Ah.’ This surprised me. ‘A counter of monies.’

The Abbot chuckled. His stomach, which I may have mentioned was not inconsiderable, shook with good humour. ‘My visits are not always popular but generally, I see things that others miss and put them right, it eases the pain of taxes.’

I must have frowned in puzzlement here for he explained.

‘There may be schemes afoot, schemes that defraud the abbey. I notice and put a stop to it so, although Papa Martinus gets his share, the establishment is often better off than before.’

‘A fraud investigator too?’

He finished his glass of wine and I poured more.

‘Not just frauds, either.’ He winked, lowered his voice and leaned across the table conspiratorially. ‘There have been murders too.’

‘My Lord…’

‘Rutilius, please.’

‘Rutilius. You find murders? In monasteries?’

‘Holy places have their share too.’

‘Incredible. Tell me, how did you come to be a counter of money and an investigator of crime?’

‘Mistakes and happenstance.’

‘Now you must tell me more. Landlord,’ I spoke loudly and held up an empty jug which was quickly replaced. ‘Mistakes, you said.’

Again he chuckled. ‘May I – if you’ve finished?’ I nodded and he helped himself to a chop at the side of my plate. ‘Meat. This past year I have come all the way from Avignon through the villages of southern France; meat is not to be had by the country folk, it’s a rarity. Once, in Carcassonne I was given a decent meal and now, here.’

‘This inn,’ I waved my knife around, ‘this place caters to a wealthier class than most; meat may be had, at a price. You mentioned mistakes.’

‘I did, I did. I’m not used to wealth, Sir. My father was a fisherman in Naples till he disappeared – maybe he fell overboard or maybe he just ran away from us, a large family. I was soon found work, at the Bishop’s palace; I discovered a library of books and scrolls there, something I had never imagined ‘till then. My employer forthwith set about teaching me to read,’ Rutilius the Abbot smiled sadly, remembering his younger days I suppose. ‘To make the story short, the Bishop saw me educated and I went to Pisa where I was introduced to mathematics.’

‘A mistake,’ I said, trying to bring the Abbot back to the point.

‘Ah yes, the mistake. I came to Avignon where my task master mistook mathematics for arithmetic. Thus, I was put in the counting house.’

‘I see, I think. And happenstance?’

‘Happenstance, because I notice things that don’t add up. Bills don’t tally to what they’re supposed to, goods are wrongly valued. In a case earlier this year, the scriveners were idle; there was no paper, no vellum. The money had been spent on opulent decoration.’

I nodded, understanding. ‘Murder, I remember you mentioning.’

‘I give you but one example. A monk had stolen from abbey funds; he killed another and assumed his identity merely by shaving his beard and claiming to be the dead man.’

‘So much sin in such holy houses.’

Rutilius shrugged. ‘I must give credit to my assistant. A young man whose mind is sharp enough to see things I miss. We discuss these inconsistencies, we notice and we draw conclusions.’

‘Not with you tonight?’

‘Ah, he’ll be about. Probably making sure our donkey is fed. A beautiful boy, eyes like black olives, fingers like a musician’s. For one so young, he is an accomplished swordsman and has saved my valuables as well as my life on occasion.’

I had seen such a boy, by the kitchen door, talking with a maid. ‘You’re sure it’s the donkey, then? Not the serving maids?’ I joked.

‘William? The farthest thing from his mind.’

The jest passed Rutilius by like the Levite in the parable of the Good Samaritan. I held my piece and, grinning, poured more wine.

Rutilius was obviously not used to such strong drink and told me tales of detection that had my eyebrows raised until he went to his bed. I met the boy too; we discussed the finer points of the French sword and how the English, lacking finesse, merely hack at their opponents.

The Abbot imagines that William, the youngster, will eventually enter holy orders but this, I fear, may be one of his rare mistakes. However, believe me, my Lord Cardinal; either or both would make a useful addition to your staff.

Look for them at Avignon, have them come to see you.

Your servant, Captain of your Guard, Luigi Barozzi.

* * *

The Abbot and the Acolyte is planned to be a series of medieval mysteries set in real abbeys and other locations. Death and Taxes is the first book in this series; it is published by Libros International and is available in paperback from Amazon. Read about it at www.DavidBColes.co.uk.

David Coles and Jack Everett

Bartlett's Rule by Chelle Cordero

Okay – it’s time to tell us about that hunky hero in your book.

What's his name?

Lon Bartlett

Why did you pick that name?

I always look up names (usually under baby names) for their meanings. In this case “Lon” means “ready to do battle”; the name Lon also reminds me of a Lion (without the “I” of course!). The Bartlett surname appears many times throughout history (politicians, publishers, racecar drivers, sports figures, philosophers and writers) and is also used for a collection of quotations. Besides, the title Bartlett’s Rule just seems to roll off of the tongue comfortably.

Give us a brief description of how he looks.

I picture Lon as a big (maybe about 6 foot to 6’2”) man and yet graceful. More to do with image and less to do with vanity, I picture him working out and keeping trim and fit. Because of his public image, he probably has his hair professionally styled and his clothing personally tailored. All in all, he is very comfortable “in his own skin”.

Is there anything unusual about his appearance?

He definitely is the type of man who would attract stares from most women.

Who does he love? Why?

His romantic love interest is Paige Andrews. In the beginning he believes his love for Paige stems more from a need to protect her but then he comes to realize that he admires her strength and appreciates how she makes him feel. He also has a very deep and friendly love for his publicist, Shell, who once was a romantic liaison and now is simply his best friend.

Does this person love him?

Yes, Paige loves him even though her love and need for him scares her.

Tell us about his family. Are they important to him?

While his family is only mentioned in the story, it is obvious that his closeness with his parents and the way he was raised is a big reason for the self-confidence he has.

Where is he from?

Lon has settled in the very urban and bustling New York City.

Does his hometown affect his behavior, thoughts and attitude?

Lon is very “metropolitan” and used to the hectic pace. He is also used to fine restaurants, doormen, and public scrutiny.

What does he want out of life?

He wants Paige in his life. Lon also wants something more than the shallow relationships that have helped to promote his image.

What's his biggest secret? (Only share if it isn't a spoiler in the story.)

All I can say is that Lon learns he has no regrets for his actions if it means protecting the ones he loves.

Did you write more than one story about him?

So far Bartlett’s Rule is the only story with Lon Bartlett. Who knows though? That could change.

How would he describe you?

Lon respects me for being a strong-willed woman who is not afraid to voice my opinions.

Is there anything else about your hero that we need to know? Feel free to share.

Lon truly adores women. Of course he enjoys sex but he also is thrilled when he can engage in intelligent conversation with a woman.

Please provide your website link.

http://chellecordero.blogspot.com/

What is the link to buy your book?

The most direct link is the publisher’s site at http://shop.vanillaheartbooksandauthors.com/main.sc although there will be others including Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Borders, Target and more.

It was wonderful to meet him. Thank you for bringing him to meet us. By the way, do you have a picture of him that you'd like to share?

I have attached the book cover where he appears with Paige, but you only see their backs – it helps to keep him “mysterious”.