Today's Guest: Paranormal Author Bridgette O'Hare

My guest today is Bridgette O'Hare, author of YA paranormal and supernatural suspense with a romantic twist. Her Book Of Dreams Series includes Book #1: Lullaby, Book #2: Silent Night, and Book 3: Dreamwalkers, coming soon. Bridgette is a writerly life form evolved to live off of high doses of chocolate, excessive episodes of Once Upon a Time, and copious amounts of snark. She spends her time in search of sleep, witty co-conspirators, the planet Gallifrey, and ways to unleash evil upon her characters in interesting ways. When she's not torturing imaginary people, you can find her instigating questionable conversations on Facebook. She is the ridiculously proud co-creator of two awesome male human beings with ambitions of being a crazy cat lady if her pursuit of marrying Chris Hemsworth proves futile. Welcome to Adventures in Publishing Bridgette! Please tell us about your Book of Dreams series and the fabulous giveaway you're hosting right now.

Thanks for inviting me to speak to your readers, Marianne. In LULLABY, Book of Dreams #1, Halle Michaels is on the brink of insanity.  She’s haunted by dreams. Dreams that find their way into her reality. Nightmares of death…of destruction. Visions that will uncover the truth – about her abilities, her family’s origins, and her part in a prophecy that could change the world. But when a mysterious book shows up on her doorstep, can those dreams save her from an overwhelming evil? One that has its sights set on Halle. She wanted normal, but normal is overrated. She was born to be so much more. 

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To win Magnets + $10 Amazon Gift Card + Signed ARC paperback of Silent Night enter here.

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Cover Reveal! Tamie Dearen's "A Rose in Bloom"

I'm pleased to help out fellow author Tamie Dearen with the cover reveal for her new romantic comedy A Rose in Bloom.  And here it is!

A Rose In Bloom, a serial romantic comedy, is available to read at no charge on Tamie's blog for a limited time. The beautiful cover was designed by the multi-talented Victorine Lieske. The completed book will be available soon on Kindle, Nook, and iBooks. Like all books written by Tamie Dearen, this is a Clean Indie Read!

Alzheimer's, Literature, and Still Alice

There is no disease that strikes more fear into the hearts of most of us than Alzheimer’s disease, the thief of memory, the robber of human dignity. Over the last two years, I have had the privilege to speak to many people about this disease and the topic is usually met with a shudder, followed by the words “oh, God.”  Some people are unable to discuss the subject at all, tearing up, shaking their heads, and walking away. Alzheimer's is the disease of my generation, affecting our grandparents and parents at an alarming rate, with the number of cases expected to TRIPLE by 2050. Unfortunately, it does not get enough attention through the popular media to educate us about it, to start a public conversation, or to teach us how to prepare for the tsunami of cases coming our way. 

The recent release of the movie Still Alice, based on the bestselling novel by neuroscientist Lisa Genova, has put Alzheimer’s disease in the spotlight. It’s the first major motion picture to take on Alzheimer’s in many years. Although the disease affects an estimated 5.5 million Americans (and 44 million worldwide), it has not yet penetrated pop culture in a meaningful way, so  it’s encouraging to finally see it addressed in the popular media in a way we can easily relate to, in all its emotional and horrific truth.

I didn't read Still Alice when Genova self-published it in 2007 or when Pocket Books (now Gallery Books) republished it in 2009 because I was in the midst of rewriting then publishing my own Alzheimer’s novel, Blue Hydrangeas. But with the release of the film imminent, I finally sat down and read Genova’s book. It is a fine representation of this disease, and one of the few dealing specifically with early onset Alzheimer’s, which strikes before age 65 and affects five percent of those with the disease.

Genova's heroine Alice Howland has just turned 50. Her life is rich with accomplishment and joy. She is a wife, a mother, and a well-respected, internationally known professor of linguistics at Harvard University. She has no reason to suspect that something is wrong with her brain, but a series of incidents in which she gets lost, forgets oft-repeated words in a lecture, and fails to get on a plane to attend a conference she’s well-prepared for frightens her enough to seek medical attention. When the test results come in she’s told she has early-onset Alzheimer’s. Thus begins a harrowing descent into dementia that affects everyone close to Alice and turns all of their lives upside down.

Watching Alice’s decline is heartbreaking and seems too real, because we know the possibility of Alzheimer’s may exist in any one of us. Genova alternates her clinical knowledge with the human side of this illness, giving us sympathetic, believable characters and a number of credible scenes and scenarios.  Her book is both a manual on the how-to’s of the disease – how to get a diagnosis, how to get help, how to cope - as well as an expertly woven story of one woman’s experience of this disease. I recommend Still Alice for anyone interested in learning more about Alzheimer's, whether or not they or a loved one have the disease. 

As a nurse who writes short stories and novels about families struggling with medical issues, I value books like Still Alice and respect authors like Lisa Genova. There are many ways to educate people about a condition or disease. In regard to Alzheimer’s, there are hundreds of books available to explain the disease, advise what to do about it, how to handle it, and offer solutions and support for caregivers. These are all excellent resources. However, as a novelist, I feel stories that enlighten through the careful balance of useful facts and a cast of relatable and realistic characters may be a better way to shed light on this and many other medical issues. This type of presentation enables the reader to get inside the head of the Alzheimer’s patient, their caregivers, spouse, children, and other loved ones. It’s up close and personal, not clinical and removed. 

Throughout my research for Blue Hydrangeas and beyond I've read many novels about Alzheimer's and dementia which I’d also like to recommend. They include: Nicholas Sparks' The Notebook, (also in film), The Almost Moon by Alice Sebold, Untethered: A Caregiver's Tale by Phyllis Peters, Saving Grace by Barbara Delinsky, Still Time by Maria Hoagland, Eric Rill's An Absent Mind, and The Warrior With Alzheimer’s by Stephen Woodfin.

In addition to novels, memoir can also serve as an educational resource with personal insight, bringing the reader closer to the subject than a self-help or how-to book can.  Many such books were helpful to me in my research. I recommend: Elegy for Iris by John Bayley (also in film as Iris), The House on Beartown Road by Elizabeth Cohen, Thomas DeBaggio’s Losing My Mind, My Mom, My Hero by Lisa R. Hirsch, Released to the Angels: Discovering the Hidden Gifts of Alzheimer's by Marilynn Garzionne, Inside the Dementia Epidemic: A Daughter's Memoir by Martha Stettinius, and Nell Lake’s The Caregivers. The recently released Alzheimer's Daughter, Jean L. Lee's account of caring for two parents with Alzheimer's at the same time, brings knowledge and solace to those grappling with this illness (read my review.)

Two new titles on my to-be-read list gaining much acclaim lately are On Pluto by Greg O'Brien and Matthew Thomas' We Are Not Ourselves.

Alzheimer’s is a frightening possibility, but to meet it without knowledge or an understanding of its implications increases despair and hopelessness and strips one of the power to make competent decisions and access necessary supports and resources. Knowledge gained through literature and film can be as practical and useful as any self-help or how-to manual.

Still Alice, the film, has not yet been released in my area. I look forward to seeing it.

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Today's Guest: LDS Women's Fiction Author Maria Hoagland

My guest today is Maria Hoagland, writer of LDS Women's Fiction and author of three novels: Still Time, Nourish & Strengthen, and Family Size, medical fiction with a twist. As soon as I learned Maria had written an Alzheimer's story I had to read it. Maria’s novel, Still Time, published by Sisters Ink, Inc. last July, is an insightful novel that sheds light on the plight of "the sandwich generation,” those among us working, raising children, and caring for a parent (or parents!) with Alzheimer's disease or other serious health concerns. Alyssa and her family relocate a thousand miles to take care of her recently widowed mother-in-law suffering with dementia. The family juggles many issues familiar to most of us: kids in high school, middle school, or church service, all with their own difficulties and frustrations; relocation and the changes inherent, including a new house, community, church, and employment; an aging, ill parent; and siblings unable or unwilling to share in the care of that parent. Ruth, her m-i-l, is uncooperative bordering on abusive, unaware of her condition and not sure why her son and his family are now living in her house or if she even wants them there. The characters are multidimensional, the dialogue and subplots believable, and the writing clear and uncluttered. Well done. I also learned a lot about the Mormon Church, which I haven't had much exposure to.  Still Time is an excellent read for anyone curious about Alzheimer’s or seeking validation of his or her role as caregiver. Welcome to Adventures in Publishing, Maria! Please tell us more about Still Time.

Thanks for hosting me, Marianne. Still Time is a deeply moving story about a woman’s faithful journey into the next phase of her life. Thrust into the chaos of her mother-in-law’s hoarding and forgetfulness, LDS church member Alyssa Johnston wishes she could retreat to a simpler time when her kids were small and almost anything could be fixed with a hug. But reassurance and a quick distraction no longer erase the pain of a missionary son who is struggling, a young teen who is bullied, or a daughter who is distant. As Aly’s own life and relationship with her husband plunge out of control, she wonders if her faith will be enough to keep her family—or herself—from falling apart. You will laugh with Aly, feel her sorrow, and see yourself in this realistic, heartfelt portrayal of a woman’s struggle to keep her family safe and hold back time as long as she can.

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Interview

Writing is a never ending job. How do you relax? Sports? Hobbies? TV? Books?

Of course, reading is the ultimate relaxation for me. My favorite places to do that are in a big bubble bath or by our neighborhood pond under the willow tree. I definitely prefer movies (especially chick flicks) over TV shows (but I do like crime shows)—and pretty much anything with a plot supersedes things without (ESPN and reality shows). As for hobbies—I would ask if cooking dinner counted, but since I don’t actually like doing that, I’ll have to come up with another one. How about spending time with my husband, supporting my kids, running occasionally, and redecorating houses?

What inspires you? Photos? Music? Nature?

I’d have to say photographs, more than music, get me going. And yes, I do share them. You can find my inspiration boards on Pinterest for each of my books. I keep them private while I’m writing, but then make them public after I release the book. I think they’re fun because you can see some of the things I mention and get a feel for what was important to me while writing it. In fact, here’s a link to my inspiration board for Still Time.

I know a lot of authors have cats, including myself.  What about you? Who’s your muse?

I have a cat, Zucchini, who loves to sit on my desk while I write. In fact, my husband and I had to switch desks so that I could have the bigger one to share with Zuch. He has a bad habit of typing for me, especially if I leave my desk unattended for any length of time, and he pushes everything else over the side of the desk! But at least he leaves enough room for me. Usually.

About the Author

When Maria is not writing, she can be found walking barefoot in soft grass, remodeling houses with her husband, and enjoying campfires with their three children. She loves crunching leaves in the fall, stealing cookie dough from the mixing bowl, and listening to musicals on her iPod. Maria earned her degree at Brigham Young University, and although she adores mountain

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Today's Guest on the Adventures in Publishing Blog: Christian Romance Author Melanie D. Snitker

My guest today is Christian romance author Melanie D. Snitker. Melanie has enjoyed writing fiction for as long as she can remember. She started out writing episodes of cartoon shows that she wanted to see as a child and her love of writing grew from there. She and her husband live in Texas with their two children, who keep their lives full of adventure, and two dogs, who add a dash of mischief to the family dynamics. In her spare time, Melanie enjoys photography, reading, crochet, baking, archery, camping and hanging out with family and friends. Welcome to Adventures in Publishing Melanie! Please tell us about your new release, Finding Peace.

Thanks for inviting me to speak to your readers, Marianne. If you like clean romance novels with a dash of mystery and suspense, check out Finding Peace. This is the first book in my new series, Love’s Compass, and is the story of Kentucky “Tuck” Chandler and Laurie Blake.

Book Blurb

Police Officer Tuck Chandler is good at his job. He’s also good at holding women at arm’s length. Jilted by his fiancée for his dedication to his job, he’s not about to open himself up to hurt like that again.

Laurie Blake is a struggling photographer. After growing up in a wealthy family, she’s determined to make it on her own, even if it means doing it the hard way.

When Tuck is assigned to a puzzling burglary involving Laurie’s fledgling photography business, he goes into it with his usual perseverance. He wants to help her – if she’ll let him. As the case unfolds and the mystery deepens, another question arises.

Will the past get in the way of their future?

Book Excerpt

It had been a long day and Laurie was more than happy to be driving back home again. The plastic over the passenger side window flapped in the wind and she hunched her shoulders against the cold. She had to turn up the volume on the radio to hear it.

She smiled as she thought back over the two photo sessions. They had gone extremely well. The next step would be to go through all of the images over the following week and process them. She couldn’t wait to be able to upload the finished pictures so that the families could see them.

A vision of the newborn peeing on his daddy made her chuckle. It was all part of the job and she came prepared. But she had to admit, she was glad it was him and not her.

The day ended with a trip to one of the local ponds. The moon was full and she couldn’t resist taking photos of its brilliance reflected in the water. Now it was late and all she wanted to do was go upstairs to her apartment and slip under the warm quilt on her bed.

Still smiling, Laurie pulled her car to a stop and stepped onto the pavement. The early night air seeped through her jacket. Her feet quickened, thoughts of hot tea an incentive to unlock the door and get all of the equipment from the trunk of her car as quickly as possible.

She reached for the door. Her hand stilled when it swung open a couple of inches before she had a chance to insert the key. Holding her breath, she nudged it open further with her foot. She squinted, trying to make out the shapes in the dark room. 

Had she forgotten to lock the door?

No, surely not. She usually double and triple checked to make sure everything was secure before she left.

Hands shaking, she reached for the light switch. Feeling the plastic with the tip of a finger, she pushed it upward. The light that illuminated her studio made her eyes burn and she blinked as she stepped inside.

Swallowing hard, her gaze flickered from the desk against one wall to the stands supporting her backdrops.

A man stepped away from one of the shadows in the back corner of the room.

Laurie screamed.

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Finding Peace is available on Kindle and in paperback:

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Other Books by Melanie D. Snitker

Calming the Storm

A Christian Romance Novel

A marriage of convenience isn't exactly what Rachel Peters had in mind. 

What else can she do if she wants to raise her young niece, and give her a more stable home than she and her sister grew up in? Rachel is at risk of losing custody of her last blood relative, and she needs to prove she can provide for her niece and raise her in a nurturing environment. 

Professor Brandon Barlow is invested in his college students’ lives, wanting to ensure their success. When it is clear that Rachel is struggling, he takes a personal interest in trying to help her. But can he keep his heart from getting involved in the process? 

Brandon reaches out to Rachel as he tries to break through the walls she has built up over the years. With love and patience, Brandon hopes to help Rachel realize that, even when she experiences storms in her life, she isn't always alone.

Calming the Storm is available on Kindle and in paperback at Amazon.

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Cover Reveal: Keely Brooke Keith's Uncharted Redemption

From the author of The Land Uncharted comes the second book in the Uncharted series, Uncharted Redemption. Written like a historical, set like a scifi, and filled with romance, Uncharted Redemption continues this suspenseful story of life in a hidden land.

Uncharted Redemption

Author: Keely Brooke Keith

Release Date: February 24, 2015

Publisher: Edenbrooke Press

Description: Levi Colburn, resentful of his father, haunted by his mother’s tragic death, and pained by his love for the unattainable Mandy Foster, breaks from the Land’s tradition and begins to build a life of his own. When rebels tear through the village of Good Springs, Levi vows to deliver justice and restore the woman he loves. As tradition stands in the way of redemption and threats from the outside world begin to appear, Levi must learn his greatest battles cannot be fought with his fists. Romantic, suspenseful, and filled with adventure, Uncharted Redemption weaves dramatic new layers into life in the Land. 

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Pre-order signed paperbacks: Uncharted Redemption 

Add Uncharted Redemption to your shelf on: Goodreads, Shelfari, FictFact, and LibraryThing

Have your ebook of Uncharted Redemption signed via Authorgraph

Uncharted Redemption is the second book in the Uncharted series. If you haven’t read The Land Uncharted, it’s best to start here: The Land Uncharted

About the Author

Keely is a bass guitarist and lives on a hilltop south of Nashville. When she isn’t writing stories or playing bass, Keely enjoys dancing, having coffee with friends, and sifting through vintage books at antique stores.  

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Today's Guest: Historical Romance Author Patricia PacJac Carroll

Love cowboys? The romance and allure of the Old West? I've always been a sucker for a good story about the new frontier and the men and women who conquered it. Meet today’s guest, sweet historical romance author Patricia PacJac Carroll, creator of the Mail Order Brides of Hickory Stick series. Welcome to Adventures in Publishing, Patricia!

Hi, I’m Patricia PacJac Carroll. I’m a writer, Christian first, and blessed beyond my imagination. I live in the Dallas-Ft Worth area in Texas with my wonderful treasure of a husband, my spoiled dog, Jacs, and my awesome grown son, Josh. Did I say I was blessed? The PacJac is from my initials and my husband’s. I used it as part of my author name because there were already other Patricia Carrolls on the Internet. I was attacked by breast cancer but have fought back and writing strong. Check out my blog - Invasion of the Booby Snatcher.

I write historical romance set in the American West. I love the freedom of the old West, although life during that period was difficult, especially for women. The stories in my new series Mail Order Brides of Hickory Stick are especially interesting in light of the modern versions of matchmaking, such as Internet dating sites like e-Harmony.

Caroline’s Love is the first of the series. Each novella is a stand-alone story, but the characters and town of Hickory Stick are involved in each of the other stories.

I love the premise of these stories. Thomas J. Connors decided he and his brother needed a wife. In the wilds of Colorado panning for gold, women were in short supply, so he got the idea of sending off for one for him and one for his brother, Jackson.

Everything seemed to be settled and the agency in Richmond, VA. had two women picked out. Thomas was pleased with himself, but failed to tell his brother of his plans. However, as things often go, unbeknownst to Thomas the woman running the agency disappeared and a reporter discovered Thomas’ very touching letter asking for a woman to share his dreams.

The letter went out into newspapers as far away as New York City. Three women made their way to Hickory Stick, all thinking they were going to marry Thomas J. Connors.

You can imagine the fireworks.

Here is the first page.

 Caroline’s Love

Chapter 1

May 1868

Richmond, Virginia

Caroline Lovelace tucked the worn envelopes into the pocket of her beige, traveling skirt. She’d read the letters at least a hundred times. A tear slid down her cheek quickly followed by another as she bade her war-torn state of Virginia good-bye. Although the sound of cannon and rifle had been exchanged for the sound of hammers and building, she could no longer put up with the obnoxious offers from the carpetbaggers. They might have overrun her state, but she’d not give them her future.

She stared at the black locomotive, considering it a rather unlikely steed to ride to her rescue. After brushing a spot of dust from her jacket, she boarded the now chugging train that would take her to her knight who awaited her in a town near Denver in the Colorado Territory.

Hickory Stick.

The temporary stab of fear she’d felt while boarding gave birth to a sharp, piercing doubt. How could she abandon her beloved Richmond and go to a place named for a twig? Her once grand home, now owned by a wealthy coward, along with the haunting knowledge of the graves of her fiancé and father reminded her of the loss and predicament she was leaving.

Her poor love. Robert never even got a shot off at one of those, well, those mean old Yankees. He died of pneumonia shortly after running off to save the cause. Humph, because of that I am alone without even the status of war widow. She’d been forced to join the large number of unmarried, poor women scrapping to survive in the defeated South.

The train pulled out of the station with a cloud of black smoke and a jolt that jerked her head against the metal rail over the green, padded seat. Caroline set her lips in determination to let go of Richmond. She was soon to be a bride. “Mrs. Thomas J. Connors.”

“What?” A sultry voice from the seat across the aisle shook Caroline from her thoughts.

Caroline declined to own up to her oral thinking even though she’d startled her own self when she’d spoken aloud. To cover her error, she smiled at the woman. “Pardon?”

The stranger brushed a fly from her bright yellow gown, a dress far more suitable to a ball than a railcar. “Were you talking to me?”

Annoyed at the woman for intruding on her thoughts, Caroline tugged on the fashionable hat she’d bought with the last of her savings. “No, I. … Well, I wasn’t.”

The woman pointed at Caroline’s skirt. “I couldn’t help notice you had a packet of letters. … My name is Julia Brooks.”

Caroline fanned the air between them. Even though Julia’s gown was exquisite, the bright red lips against her very white skin placed the woman in a lower class. A painted lady, perhaps? Caroline scooted away from the woman and closer to the window. “I’m Caroline Lovelace. Perhaps you’ve heard of my father, Judge Lovelace.”

Julia smoothed the yellow satin ensconced around her. “Yes, I’ve heard of the good judge … and his demise.”

Caroline’s head snapped up. She wanted to wipe the smug grin from the woman’s face. Then again, Caroline had learned to ignore such taunting words. Yes, her father had died under unfortunate circumstances. Very unfortunate. He’d gambled the last of the family fortune in a house of ill repute and lost his life over the hand of a woman. Although Caroline’s mother had been dead for over ten years, Father should not have been caught in such a place, much less been caught dead in the Golden Palace.

A terrible nagging drew Caroline’s gaze to Julia’s necklace. There on the tart’s alabaster neck sat Grandmother’s ivory cameo. An exasperated, “Oh,” escaped Caroline’s lips. Too late to stop the announcement of her discovery, she whirled to once again face the window. However, the passing scenery was not on her mind.

Purchase Caroline’s Love and other books by Patricia PacJac Carroll on Amazon.

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