Meet an Author

Discover more about an author in this quick interview.

  • Meet an Author,  Regency

    Meet Ruth A Casie @RuthaACasie Author of The Lady and the Rogue #RLFblog #RegencyRomance

    Meet Ruth A Casie @RuthaACasie Author of The Lady and the Rogue #RLFblog #RegencyRomanceDeceptions, lies, and a timeless kiss forge an unbreakable bond between two unsuspecting people in Ruth A Casie’s new timeless Regency romance, The Lady and the Rogue.

    Ruth, welcome to Romance Lives Forever. I’m Kayelle Allen, author and owner of this blog. Happy to have you here! Please tell us about The Lady and the Rogue.

    The Lady and the Rogue by Ruth A Casie

    Genre Historical Romance
    Book heat level (based on movie ratings): PG13

    In the shadowy depths of London, Lady Euphemia Brandt, a renowned concert pianist, is mistaken by an English nobleman for his intended rendezvous. She defends herself, losing her reticule in the process. Reluctantly, she takes coins from her attacker and secures a carriage home. Their eyes lock, and they share a searing kiss, altering their lives forever.

    At an affair honoring the Prime Minister, Euphemia discovers that the rogue who accosted her is a much sought-after, wealthy member of society. Struggling to resist his attraction, she battles memories of their kiss.

    Cayden Whitford, the Duke of Thornton, seeking a woman with vital information, mistakes Euphemia for his contact and is surprised by her swift blow and the ensuing kiss. Intrigued, he vows to find her. At a dinner party, Thornton learns she is the daughter of a trusted advisor and masquerades as a suitor to discover her allegiance.

    As Thornton unravels Euphemia’s wit, logic, and passion, his initial mission falters. He’s fallen in love with her.

    Feisty and passionate. He’ll enjoy making her fall in love with him… or die trying.

    Tell us about yourself as a person.

    What makes you different from other people?

    I speak to my characters. Sometimes I have entire conversations with them. I reprimand them for not cooperating, and they quickly point out what I have overlooked.

    What is your personality type?

    People may think I’m an extrovert, but in my heart of hearts, I am an introvert. I am creative and enjoy challenges. I’m a logical thinker… to a point.

    What was your favorite childhood game?

    I’m the very youngest of three. My sister is fifteen years older than me, and my brother is ten years older than me. My sister was very involved in her school sorority. She went to formal affairs and wore gorgeous evening gowns. One Saturday afternoon, she came into my room loaded down with them, at least four or five. One by one, she dressed me in the gown, and we played fairy queen/princess or whatever. we played dress-up. My brother played chauffeur, think of a large box, or the prince.

    Fast forward to 2011. I called my sister to tell her I had written a book, and it was published. Her comment…I’m not surprised. You always had a story in your head!

    What is your favorite subject to talk about?

     

    What is your favorite book?

    Anything written by Julie Garwood.

    What is your favorite meal?

    Roast leg of lamb with sweet potato souffle, green beans, and a tossed salad. Finish it off with cherry vanilla ice cream and a cappuccino and I am set.

    Tell us about yourself as a writer.

    What made you want to be a writer?

    I never planned to be a writer. I was helping someone else who was writing when she convinced me to write my own story. Now if that sounds as if I was getting in her way, you may be correct. Anyway, we were two months into our project when she could not continue. She was training for the New York Marathon. She convinced me to continue writing. That was Knight of Runes, my first book. It was digitally published by Carina Press, and the print copy was published by Harlequin.

    What are your favorite books for writing advice?

    Sin and Syntax: How to Craft Wickedly Effective Prose by Constance Hale

    On Writing by Stephen King

    Goal, Motivation & Conflict by Debra Dixon

    Save the Cat! by Blake Snyder

    Writing a Romance Novel for Dummies by Leslie Wainger

    When you go to a convention, what kinds of things do you take along?

    I have a list that I keep with my ‘convention’ materials:

    1. Comfy shoes.
    2. A sweater with pockets
    3. Business cards
    4. A water bottle
    5. Business casual outfits
    6. A sturdy notebook, several pens, and sometimes highlighters
    7. Tylenol
    8. Extra suitcase of duffle bag for books and swag

    If I’m signing at the conference:

    1. Books are usually sent in advance
    2. Table runner
    3. Business cards
    4. Bookmarks
    5. Door hangers
    6. Information about my series
    7. Signed by Author stickers
    8. Packing tape
    9. Small picture stands for the books
    10. Newsletter sign up information – my contact info is all in a QR code people can download
    11. My favorite Pentel pen for signing
    12. More Tylenol

    What’s your best advice for a new writer?

    The best advice I ever got was… write the next book. The best way become a better writer is to read, read, read, and write, write, write.

    What are your writing goals for the next year or so?

    I challenged myself this year by writing four novels and three short stories. Next year I’m under contract to write two books for Dragonblade Publishing’s Lyon’s Den connected world. I have plans for a new six-book Regency romance series, Barrington’s Brigade. That should keep me busy until the first quarter of 2025.

    Where to buy The Lady and the Rogue

    Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CDM498WL/
    Universal Buy Link https://books2read.com/u/brBWwE

    Ruth A Casie Social Media

    Ruth A Casie is a USA bestselling author. She writes historical adventures from the shores of medieval Scotland to the cobblestone streets of Regency London. Her stories embrace strong woman and the men who deserve them. Within the pages you’ll discover ‘edge-of-your-seat suspense, mind boggling drama, and heart melting emotions. Grab your favorite cup of tea, or an ale if you prefer, and join her heroes and heroines as they race across the pages to find their happily ever after.  Ruth hopes her stories are your next favorite adventures!

    Website https://ruthacasie.com/
    Blog http://www.ruthacasie.blogspot.com
    Twitter https://twitter.com/RuthACasie
    Facebook https://www.facebook.com/RuthACasie/
    Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/ruthacasie/
    Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4792909.Ruth_A_Casie
    Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/Ruth-A.-Casie/e/B005V0YEVU/
    Newsletter http://ruthacasie.com/contact.html#newsletter


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


     
  • Meet an Author,  Suspense

    Meet Stella Ann George @stellaanngeorge Author of Note by Note #RLFblog #RomanticSuspense

    Meet Stella Ann George @stellaanngeorge Author of Note by Note #RLFblog #RomanticSuspenseA fateful flight from Sydney to Tasmania is just the beginning of a worldwide adventure in Stella Ann George’s new romantic suspense, Note by Note. Will a billionaire and a music teacher find love while searching for answers to their mysterious circumstances?

    Stella, welcome to Romance Lives Forever. I’m Kayelle Allen, author and owner of this blog. Happy to have you here! Please tell us about Note by Note.

    Note by Note by Stella Ann George

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

    For Finn Cooper, being a billionaire has the usual perks – fine dining, jet setting around the world, and beautiful women. However, no woman is going to break through his wall; he won’t allow himself to be that vulnerable again. But when the plane he is piloting crashes, an independent and capable woman leaves him questioning all he thought he knew about love.

    For Jessica Turner, a fateful flight from Sydney to Tasmania turns her world upside down. Surviving in an isolated cabin with a well-known playboy is just the beginning of a journey that tosses the music teacher out of her safe, secure life. Falling for his charm is easy; guarding her heart is another matter.

    In a search for answers about their mysterious circumstances, Finn and Jessica find themselves in an increasingly dangerous world neither of them could have imagined. Staying one step ahead of deadly outside forces makes falling in love a little … complicated.

    Tell us about yourself as a person.

    What is your personality type?

    I’m definitely a Type A personality, mostly when it comes to my work and writing. I’m a perfectionist. Even before I sent Note by Note to my editor, I was fretting over the first chapter. There comes a time when you have to let it go. But with others, , my friends and family, I’m more of a Type B, very patient.

    What is your favorite subject to talk about?

    Besides books and writing, music is probably number one. I’ve been a piano and guitar teacher for 37 years. And I have favorite artists that I listen to – Donny Osmond, Rick Springfield, Barry Manilow, Air Supply, and basically any music from the 80s.

    What is your favorite book?

    There are so many. It’s probably easier to tell you my favorite authors, Alyssa Day and Sandra Brown. I read Sandra’s books when she was writing for Harlequin. I loved her style. Still do. And she inspires me with her blend of romance and suspense.

    Tell us about yourself as a writer.

    When you go to a convention, what kinds of things do you take along?

    I haven’t done any conventions yet. But I am trying to get out there in my local area to meet as many people as I can – I go to craft shows and coming up, there’s a street festival which will be featuring local authors so that’s exciting. I take my books, bookmarks, business cards, brochures with the blurb and QR code for Note by Note and Memory by Memory. A few decorations like candles, ribbon, music confetti, anything to make the display fun.

    What’s your best advice for a new writer?

    I am a new writer. I just started on Amazon’s Kindle Vella serial site in July 2021 and released Note by Note as an ebook, paperback, and hardcover in the summer of 2022. I think the best advice is to keep writing, get the words on the page. Find a good editor. And don’t put your dreams on hold. I’m getting started pretty late at age 58, but better late than never.

    What are your writing goals for the next year or so?

    I started another book in the series following Note by Note called Memory by Memory. It’s currently being serialized on Amazon’s Kindle Vella serial site as I write it. I would like to finish it and have it published within the next year and continue on with a group of books with the same group of family/friends, giving them each their own story. I also have a direct sequel to Note by Note featuring Finn and Jess. I couldn’t seem to let them go at the end so I want to continue their story.Meet Stella Ann George @stellaanngeorge Author of Note by Note #RLFblog #RomanticSuspense

    Where to buy Note by Note

    Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Note-Stella-Ann-George/dp/B0B71QN3GF

    Stella Ann George Social Media

    Stella Ann George is a part-time romantic suspense author and piano teacher living in southeastern Pennsylvania with her husband of 22 years, daughter, 19, son, 21 and her adorable long-haired chihuahua, Holly. She has been an avid reader all of her life. Her love of writing began in 4th grade when her teacher would post a picture in his classroom every Monday morning. By Friday, everyone had to write a story about it. She also loves to travel and has been around the USA, to Europe, and Australia and New Zealand.
    Website https://www.stellaanngeorge.com
    Blog https://www.stellaanngeorge.com/blog
    Twitter https://twitter.com/stellaanngeorge
    Facebook https://www.facebook.com/stellaanngeorge
    Instagram https://www.instagram.com/stellaanngeorge
    Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61382053-note-by-note
    Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/stores/Stella-Ann-George/author/B0B5F9Q7JH
    Get to know Stella Ann George better by signing up for an email newsletter https://www.stellaanngeorge.com

  • Contemporary,  Meet an Author,  Small Town Romance

    Meet Gabbi Powell @powell_gabbi Author of The Luminosity of Loriana Harper #RLFblog #SmallTownRomance

    Meet Gabbi Powell @powell_gabbi Author of The Luminosity of Loriana Harper #RLFblog #SmallTownRomanceWhat’s better than love in the beautiful Cedar Valley in British Columbia, Canada? Find small-town romances with a touch of angst, a bit of heat, and a lot of heart…
    Gabbi, welcome to Romance Lives Forever. I’m Kayelle Allen, author and owner of this blog. Happy to have you here! Please tell us about The Luminosity of Loriana Harper.

    The Luminosity of Loriana Harper by Gabbi Powell

    Genre: small-town contemporary romance
    Book heat level (based on movie ratings): R

    Loriana Harper is the head librarian of the Mission City Public Library. She considers herself a matchmaker in this little town in British Columbia—especially for her employees. When a gorgeous technician arrives to update their computers, she can’t help musing about who might be his perfect match. Except, the more time she spends with Mitch, the more she wants him for herself.

    Mitch Alexander left in disgrace from a good job in California. He’s come to this small town to make a new start where no one knows him. Although he has no plans to get involved with anyone, he’s drawn to the nosy, vivacious librarian who makes him smile. The local matchmaker might go overboard, but she has good intentions. Except he’s not in the market for any match, unless it’s with her.

    When Mitch’s past catches up with him, and the police come calling, he has to decide if he’ll stay with Loriana or leave to save her from the taint of being associated with him. Loriana’s not ready to let her new man go without a fight—but maybe this is a match that wasn’t meant to be.

    The Luminosity of Loriana Harper is an older-woman age-gap interracial romance with a touch of angst and a large cat named Plato. The book is the first in the Love in Cedar Valley series set in a small town in British Columbia, Canada.

    Tell us about yourself as a person.

    What makes you different from other people?

    My mind. I know, everyone would say that, but if I told you about my dreams and my waking imaginings you’d think I needed help. Well, maybe I do. But those flights of daytime fancy and nights of wild dreams translate into some pretty awesome stories. I’ll never run out of things to write about because my imagination is always going a hundred miles an hour.

    What is your favorite subject to talk about?

    Writing. I love talking about writing – the books I’ve read and loved, the books I’ve read and loathed, and about my books as well (sorry, not sorry). Now, beyond writing, I love talking politics. Fortunately, most of my family are of the same political bent, so the debates are nuance and not down and dirty name calling. I grew up in a political city and have watched results come in for every election night for as long as I can remember. And have voted in every election and referendum I was allowed to dating back again, as far as I can remember. Some people shy away from tough subjects…I’m willing to go there.

    What is your favorite book?

    I’m a huge fan of the old Harlequin Superromance category romances. I read voraciously and wrote my books much to the length and quality of those books (around 85,000 words). My favorite authors included Jean Brashear and Janice Kay Johnson. When I was learning to write, I read their books over and over to dissect what I liked. I aimed to replicate and I think I’ve done a pretty good job. My favorite book out of all of those, though, is Tara Taylor Quinn’s The Promise of Christmas. I loved that book for so many reasons and have read it almost a dozen times. I want my readers to have the same satisfaction and enjoyment when they read my book that I got from Ms. Quinn’s.

    What is your favorite meal?

    My first instinct is to go with something wickedly bad for me – Canadian pizza (yes, that is a thing) or honey garlic chicken wings or a Big Mac. When I think about it, though, if I could choose anything, it would be rosemary chicken with whipped mashed potatoes, carrot slices marinaded in butter, and asparagus sprinkled with parmesan cheese.

    Tell us about yourself as a writer.

    What made you want to be a writer?

    I think I’ve always been a writer. Even at an early age, I was good at telling tall tales – both in my mind and out loud. I had a poem published in my yearbook in the sixth grade and that felt awesome. In the eight grade, I sat down to write my first book. A romance, of course. About a doctor named Jesse and her trusty nurse Misty and how they were overseas in Libya. Jesse was reported killed and her boyfriend moved on without her, but she came back from the dead. Even at twelve, my mind went to dark places.

    What are your favorite books for writing advice?

    The Creative Academy for Writers has a series of books they’ve put out to help writers including Build Better Characters, Create Story Conflict, Full-Time Author, and Build Better Settings. My favorite, though, is Strategic Series Author. I read it from cover to cover while I prepared to launch my Love in Cedar Valley series and I think I’m in a much better place than if I’d tried to go it alone.

    What are your favorite reference books?

    The Emotional Wound Thesaurus by Becca Puglisi and Angela Ackerman. The women (Writers Helping Writers) have a 9-book series of thesauruses. I own every one and use them frequently. My favorite is the emotional wound book. I tend to write stories with moderate angst because this is how my characters talk to me. But not all characters come with their wounds fully formed. Sometimes I need help to get the character in the right headspace for the stuff I’m going to throw at them. A mentor once asked, “what’s the worst thing that can happen to your character? Great – make that happen. What’s the next worst thing? Make that happen too.” This might seem brutal to an outsider who doesn’t want to know how the sausage gets made, but it makes for fully developed characters who are three-dimensional.

    What’s your best advice for a new writer?

    Finish the damn book. I started writing my first serious romance in my senior year of university. I never finished it. I started several other projects over the next fifteen years. I’d write for a few days, then tuck the file away. I’d try again later, adding some, but never quite get through an entire story.

    When I turned forty, and had a breakdown (unrelated to hitting that milestone), I decided the time had come to take writing seriously. I finished the book. I polished it off and sent it in for consideration to a major publisher. And while I waited for the acceptance (that I was certain would arrive any day), I wrote the next book. And the next. And the next. In the end, I got my rejection (very long story for another day). In that intervening two-and-a-half-years, I wrote fourteen full books. Now, they’re messy and need editing, but I taught myself to write by repeating the process over and over again. That book the publisher rejected? The Making of Marnie Jones – one of the two books I’m releasing today.

    My other piece of advice? Perseverance. I had to come a long way and, eventually, publish the myself, but Marnie is out for the world to enjoy. Final piece of advice? Find a good editor to work with. I won’t hit publish on anything that hasn’t gone through someone extremely competent. If I put my name on something, you can be guaranteed it’s well edited.

    What are your writing goals for the next year or so?

    Having three pennames means writing and publishing content under each. One penname is for dark erotic BDSM romances. One is for gay romances. One is for contemporary small-town romances. Within those three genres, there isn’t a lot of overlap. Some authors manage multiple genres under one penname, but sometimes their readers get confused. I don’t want someone who is looking for a mid-heat mid-angst romance to snag one of my BDSM books with power exchanges and bondage.

    I don’t regret having chosen this unique publishing path. I wrote over half-a-million words last year and I aim to do the same this year. I’ve got books under all three of my pennames being published this year. I hope to keep interacting with readers and helping new booklovers find my novels. If I manage to pull that off, I’ll be very happy.

    Where to buy The Luminosity of Loriana Harper

    Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BVL3X4JZ

    Gabbi Powell Social Media

    Gabbi Powell has been a lover of romance since she first put pen to paper in the eighth grade to write her first romance. She writes her novels while living in Beautiful British Columbia with her trusty ChinPoo dog a as companion. She also writes gay romances as Gabbi Grey and contemporary dark erotic BDSM novels as Gabbi Black.
    Website http://gabbipowell.com/
    Twitter https://twitter.com/powell_gabbi
    Facebook https://www.facebook.com/gabbi.powell.9/
    Instagram https://www.instagram.com/authorgabbipowell/
    Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21065056.Gabbi_Powell
    BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/profile/3142441314
    Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/stores/Gabbi-Powell/author/B08T8NTQNY
    Get to know Gabbi better by signing up for an email newsletter https://sendfox.com/gabbipowell


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


     
  • Contemporary,  Interracial,  Meet an Author

    Meet Maggie Blackbird @BlackbirdMaggie Author of His Proposition #RLFblog #ContemporaryRomance

     

    Meet Maggie Blackbird @BlackbirdMaggie Author of His Proposition #RLFblog #ContemporaryRomanceHer biggest dream’s offered on a platter, but the clincher is, she has to marry a perfect stranger.

    Maggie Blackbird, welcome to Romance Lives Forever. I’m Kayelle Allen, author and owner of this blog. Happy to have you here! Please tell us about His Proposition.

    His Proposition by Maggie Blackbird

    Genre Interracial, contemporary romance

    Book heat level (based on movie ratings): PG13

    When her employer offers the no-nonsense Shannon Nadjiwon the position of chauffeuring Séamus Daugherty, she jumps at the chance. To work for one of Toronto’s most powerful families means she can make her biggest dream of owning a fleet of limos come true, something her female relations tooling away at her Ojibway community want badly for her, and she won’t let them down.

    His reckless need for speed cost Séamus Daugherty his license. If he doesn’t marry, as demanded by his overbearing father, he will lose not only his lucrative job with the family business—the only positive aspect in Séamus’ gilded cage life—but everything Daugherty.

    The unpretentious and gorgeous Shannon will make the perfect bride, and Séamus is ready to strike a deal with her, one that will ensure he keeps everything he holds dear if she puts a wedding ring on her finger. However, they face three big obstacles: His family, her family, and a marriage neither truly wants, leaving both wondering if the sizzling sexual chemistry and cozy rapport they share is enough to create a happily ever after.

    What is your favorite subject to talk about?

    Golf. I’m a golf junkie

    What is your favorite meal?

    I’m a quirky sort of person and would rather eat burnt popcorn for a meal than steak or pizza LOL.

    What are your favorite reference books?

    Anything by Basil Johnston. I love his books.

    Where to buy His Proposition

    Publisher https://www.extasybooks.com/His-Proposition
    Amazon https://www.amazon.com/His-Proposition-Maggie-Blackbird-ebook/dp/B0B9MB8FJL/
    Barnes and Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/his-proposition-maggie-blackbird/1142010304
    iBooks https://books.apple.com/us/book/his-proposition/id6443282683
    Kobo https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/his-proposition
    Smashwords https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1160749

    Maggie Blackbird Social Media

    An Ojibway from Northwestern Ontario, Maggie resides in the country with her husband and their fur babies, two beautiful Alaskan Malamutes. When she’s not writing, she can be found pulling weeds in the flower beds, mowing the huge lawn, walking the Mals deep in the bush, teeing up a ball at the golf course, fishing in the boat for walleye, or sitting on the deck at her sister’s house, making more wonderful memories with the people she loves most.
    Website https://maggieblackbird.com
    Blog https://maggieblackbird.com/blog
    Twitter https://twitter.com/BlackbirdMaggie/
    Facebook https://www.facebook.com/maggieblackbirdauthor/
    Instagram https://www.instagram.com/maggieblackbirdauthor/
    Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/maggieblackbird
    BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/profile/maggie-blackbird
    Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/Maggie-Blackbird/e/B07KQP1FFG
    Get to know Maggie Blackbird better by signing up for an email newsletter https://eepurl.com/gJu2VL

     

  • Meet an Author,  Sweet or Inspirational

    Meet Vida Li Sik Author of Remember Us #RLFblog #SweetRomance Second-chance romance

    Meet Vida Li Sik Author of Remember Us #RLFblog #SweetRomance Second-chance romanceGroveling is the key to repairing relationships in Vida Li Sik’s new sweet second-chance romance, Remember Us. Can she get back what she lost?

    Vida, welcome to Romance Lives Forever. I’m Kayelle Allen, author and owner of this blog. Happy to have you here! Please tell us about Remember Us.

    Remember Us by Vida Li Sik

    Genre Sweet second-chance romance
    Book heat level (based on movie ratings): Mild

    Is about a woman who put her career before her family and turned to alcohol when the going got tough. Now sober, she sifts through the wreckage of her broken relationships to win back her husband and daughter.

    Broken hearts. Can she get back what she lost?

    Alcohol never hurt her career, but it destroyed her family.

    Now sober, Paula lives with regret at the havoc she caused her ex-husband and now-estranged daughter. They haven’t forgiven her. Paula knows that’s true when Emma plans to get married and neither she nor Jonah tells her. As she struggles to piece together the wreckage of her life, groveling might be her saving grace. But will it be enough?

    Jonah carries emotional scars from his turbulent marriage. He returns home to South Africa after spending three years in Australia. All he wants is peace and to look for new career opportunities.

    When circumstances force him to “play house” with Paula once more, unwanted feelings of love resurface.

    Can he trust she’s changed, or will she break his heart once more?

    Tell us about yourself as a person.

    What makes you different from other people?

    As a mixed-race woman I find it easy to relate to people from different backgrounds and can fit in everywhere because people think I’m “one of them”. I’ve had a couple of encounters where people addressed me in their language and were amazed to learn I’m not “one of them” when I responded in English.

    What is your personality type?

    What was your favorite childhood game?

    What is your favorite subject to talk about?

    Movies. I relived my childhood through my children and loved watching fairytales, and classic movies like The Sound of Music, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and the Star Wars Trilogy (not the ones added afterwards). We know the dialogue off by heart and often throw it into conversations around the house. I find movies an easy conversation starter; you are bound to find at least one you can discuss with someone.

    What is your favorite book?

    What is your favorite meal?

    Pizza. It’s an easy meal that can be as healthy or unhealthy as you like. My current favorite is one made with a cauliflower base, and toppings that include bacon, chicken, avocado and sweet piquant peppers. Yummy!

    Tell us about yourself as a writer.

    What made you want to be a writer?

    I have a very active imagination and can easily think of the beginning and end of a story. As a child, I used to write school stuff from the front of the book and draw and write my own stuff from the back. As you can imagine that habit didn’t make me popular with my teachers. My language teachers encouraged me to write essays, and the rest is history.

    What are your favorite books for writing advice?

    It’s not a book, but Janice Hardy’s website—The Fiction University.

    What are your favorite reference books?

    The Emotion Thesaurus and The Negative Trait Thesaurus by Becca Puglisi and Angela Ackerman. These books should be in any writer’s arsenal no matter your level of experience.

    When you go to a convention, what kinds of things do you take along?

    What’s your best advice for a new writer?

    Make time to write whenever and wherever you can. Even 20 minutes on your phone during your lunch break can help you reach your writing goal. I used the following quote by Doris Lessing, “Whatever you’re meant to do, do it now. The conditions are always impossible” as a motivator to finish my first book.

    What are your writing goals for the next year or so?

    I’m planning a small-town series with ordinary men and women from diverse cultural backgrounds who will all get a second chance at love (this is one of my favorite tropes).

    Where to buy Remember Us

    Publisher Vida Li Sik

    Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Remember-Us-Sweet-Second-chance-Romance-ebook/dp/B0BNJK48KM

    Universal Buy Link https://books2read.com/u/md1vol

    Vida Li Sik Social Media

    Vida Li Sik is a wife, mother, award-winning journalist and multi-genre author. She grew up in a small town, Nigel, in sunny South Africa, and now lives with her family in Johannesburg, the City of Gold. She has no pets and has yet to find a weird and wonderful hobby. In the meantime, she loves to write about people, real ones and imagined.
    Website www.vidalisik.com
    Facebook https://www.facebook.com/vidalswriter
    Instagram https://www.instagram.com/vidaandcoffee/?hl=en
    Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17580238.Vida_Li_Sik
    BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/authors/vida-li-sik
    Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B078R8G2BC/
    Get to know Vida Li Sik better by signing up for an email newsletter https://www.vidalisik.com/contact

  • Christmas or Holiday,  Contemporary,  Meet an Author

    Meet Nan Reinhardt @NanReinhardt Author of The Fireman’s Christmas Wish #RLFblog #SmallTownRomance #ChristmasRomance

    Meet Nan Reinhardt @NanReinhardt Author of The Fireman's Christmas Wish #RLFblog #SmallTownRomance #ChristmasRomanceA nursery school teacher is determined to help her former crush, a grumpy fireman, rediscover his holiday joy in Nan Reinhardt’s new small town romance, The Fireman’s Christmas Wish, book 3 in the Lange Brothers trilogy.

    Nan, welcome to Romance Lives Forever. I’m Kayelle Allen, author and owner of this blog. Happy to have you here! Please tell us about The Fireman’s Christmas Wish.

    The Fireman’s Christmas Wish by Nan Reinhardt

    Genre Contemporary romance

    Book heat level (based on movie ratings): PG

    Her heart is wide open, but he’s nailed his shut.

    Preschool teacher Harley Cole has always viewed life through rose-colored glasses. With a career she loves, friends she enjoys, and a home that is her haven, there’s only one thing missing—finding her soul mate. As the holidays approach, Harley is inspired to help her former high school crush rediscover his holiday joy. It’s just a good deed…until the feelings she thought were gone come rushing back.

    Fire Chief Becker Lange returns home to River’s Edge with a heavy heart. His divorce has emotionally ravaged him, leaving him more confused than ever about what women want. So to protect himself from another failure, he closes his heart. And then Harley Cole makes him a flirty dare that she can help him overcome the holiday blues. Beck’s not sure he wants to, but Harley’s a hard woman to tell no.

    Can the magic of Christmas and a sweet stray kitten bring these two lonely souls together?

    Tell us about yourself as a person.

    What is your personality type?

    I’m pretty laid back and easy, but I’ll fight for those I love. I’m whatever is between an extrovert and introvert—I can step up if I need to, but I’m happier in the background.

    What is your favorite subject to talk about?

    Besides my darling Grandboy? France or writing—either one. I loved, loved Paris when I went there several years ago and would go back in a heartbeat. And getting together with other writers to talk craft is one of my very favorite things to do.

    What is your favorite book?

    Whatever one I’m currently reading—I have way too many favorites to pick just one.

    What is your favorite meal?

    Warm French bread and a charcuterie board that contains meats, cheeses, fruit, and fresh veggies. Maybe chocolate. Oh and wine… ;-)

    Meet Nan Reinhardt @NanReinhardt Author of The Fireman's Christmas Wish #RLFblog #SmallTownRomance #ChristmasRomance

    Tell us about yourself as a writer.

    What are your favorite books for writing advice?

    Stephen King’s On Writing is excellent, and Lani Diane Rich’s How Story Works is absolutely fabulous!

    What are your favorite reference books?

    I love Angela Ackerman’s One Stop for Writers website and all her books—she’s an amazing resource. I’m also a freelance copy editor, so I’m devoted to the Chicago Manual of Style for all things grammar, spelling, and style related.

    What’s your best advice for a new writer?

    Read, read, read and then read some more in the genre you’ve chosen to write in. Know what the expectations are for contemporary romance or Regency or whatever you’ve chosen. And then write every day, even if all you get in are 100 words, write every day. Don’t be afraid of criticism. It’s how you grow as a writer.

    What are your writing goals for the next year or so?

    To write the last book in the Weaver Sisters trilogy for Tule Publishing and then to start the new series that I’m contracted for with Tule. I want to grow the town of River’s Edge—my little fictional town on the Ohio River and to keep working on editing gigs because they are my bread and butter.

    Where to buy The Fireman’s Christmas Wish

    Publisher https://tulepublishing.com/books/the-firemans-christmas-wish/#order
    Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09YFH87XD
    Barnes and Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-firemans-christmas-wish-nan-reinhardt/1141372530
    iBooks https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-firemans-christmas-wish/id1620215901
    Kobo https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-fireman-s-christmas-wish

    Nan Reinhardt Social Media

    Nan Reinhardt is a USA Today bestselling author of sweet, small-town romantic fiction for Tule Publishing. Her day job is working as a freelance copyeditor and proofreader, however, writing is Nan’s first and most enduring passion. She can’t remember a time in her life when she wasn’t writing—she wrote her first romance novel at the age of ten and is still writing, but now from the viewpoint of a wiser, slightly rumpled, woman in her prime. Nan lives in the Midwest with her husband of 49 years, where they split their time between a house in the city and a cottage on a lake.
    Website http://nanreinhardt.com/
    Twitter https://twitter.com/nanreinhardt
    Facebook https://www.facebook.com/authornanreinhardt
    Instagram http://instagram.com/nanreinhardt
    Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5758438.Nan_Reinhardt
    BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/profile/nan-reinhardt
    Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/Nan-Reinhardt/e/B007OYDC6O