EXCERPT: CHASING THE LEGACY

Book #4 of my Legacy Series, CHASING THE LEGACY, will be released on September 1! I hope you enjoy this preview of the courtship dance between Grady and Layla.

****EXCERPT: CHASING THE LEGACY by Genie Gabriel****

"Mind if I join you?" 

Layla turned at the sound of Grady's voice. "Your house." 

"I haven't lived here in awhile but, yeah, still home." He eased onto the settee beside Layla with a sigh, a different kind of smoky smell lingering on his clothes--that of explosions and destructive fires. 

"You were a hero tonight." 

"Just doing my job, like a lot of others who are still in town." 

"What happened?" 

"The initial theory is a guy who sold a baby to a wealthy couple didn't like his money-making scheme cut off. So he planted dynamite in the buildings in Halo for revenge." 

Layla shivered. "Pretty over-the-top for one baby." 

"I'm sure there's more to it." Grady covered a yawn. 

Silence settled between them, and soon Layla heard Grady's gentle, even breathing. He had fallen asleep. With tousled hair and smudges of soot on his face from the fires, he seemed more like a little boy than a man who sought out explosives for a living. 

Soon Tallie appeared with a quilt over her arm. She tucked it around Grady and kissed his cheek. Always the mom and, again, Layla felt a pang of envy. 

"May I bring you a blanket?" 

Layla shook her head. "I'm going inside in a few minutes." 

But she didn't. When the sun peeked over the eastern horizon, she had cuddled up against Grady and burrowed under his blanket. 

His arm stretched along the back of the settee over her shoulders and he smiled shyly at her. "I won't tell your pop if you don't tell my mom." 

Her belly did a funny little somersault as a grin formed on her face. "It's a deal." 

He kneaded the muscles in his neck. "I need to get back to town." 

Then he stood and tucked the blanket around her, much as Tallie had done for him earlier. "Welcome home, Layla." 

Her breathing quickened as he leaned close to her. Was he going to kiss her? Was she going to let him? 

www.GenieGabriel.com

Inspiration

Paris

Time to pay the piper! How did you do?

This is the Rogue's Angels weekly check-in. Every Thursday we encourage the Angels and visitors to let us know how their writing is going.

How well are you doing?

Had problems this week? That's ok. Just sit down this coming week and write. Whatever you do, don't let difficulties from the week before get in your way this week.

Every word is one word closer to the finished product.

Had a great week? Keep it up, the momentum is on your side.

I think this is a two week vacation. I've written nothing. Oh well, I'm hoping to have a productive week next time.

A TALE ABOUT THE MIRACLE OF FORGIVENESS

**Once upon a time, there was a little girl who loved her daddy very much. He was a huntsman, strong and fearless, and always promised to protect his little girl.

One day, her daddy told her to stay in their lodge while he went out hunting a wild boar that had terrorized the village. 

But it was a sunny day and the little girl wanted to pick wild flowers in the meadow. So she snuck out of the lodge, keeping in the shadows of the great fir forest until she was far away from the village. 

When she reached the meadow, great white daisies grew almost as tall as her when she stood on her toes. If she tipped their faces down, it looked like they were smiling at her. 

Just a handful of blooms, she thought, to brighten the table near the front door and smile at Daddy when he came home. 

But when she reached for a bloom, the ground rumbled beneath her feet. Startled, she looked up and saw a fearsome, snarling face as the wild boar charged straight toward her. 

Terrified, she began to run, screaming, "Daddy! Daddy! Save me!" 

Soon she reached the forest and scrambled up a fir tree whose branches swept the ground. 

The wild boar was so angry he rammed into the tree, again and again, shaking it so hard the little girl could barely hang on. 

In the distance, she heard the huntsmen's horns, and prayed her daddy would arrive soon. 

She tried to hold on, but her fingers were tired, and the tree was shaking so badly. 

As the boar crashed into the tree once more, her fingers slipped and she tumbled down, down…crashing to the ground.

When she woke up, all the world was gray and cloudy. She could hear her daddy's voice. She could smell soup cooking. She felt the soft coverlet of her bed over her.

But she couldn't see!

"Daddy!" she cried out. 

"I'm here." 

He tried to cuddle her close, but she pushed him away.

"You said you'd always protect me."

"You were supposed to stay in the lodge and be safe." 

But she crossed her arms in anger and turned away.

Over the next days and weeks, her daddy tried again and again to make her happy. He said she could ride his favorite stallion with him, but she refused. He brought her daisies from the meadow, but she threw them on the floor. 

Her anger brought a great sadness to her daddy, and he rarely laughed any more. 

One day her daddy went out hunting and asked her to stay in the lodge. She crossed her arms and turned away from him. With a sad sigh, he took up his bow and walked out the door.

Later, she heard a great commotion outside. The huntsmen had returned. 

But they weren't laughing and happy as usual after a successful hunt. Their silence seem odd as they shuffled into the lodge.

"Where's my daddy?" she asked. Oh, how this cloudiness in her eyes irked her! She wanted to see her daddy again. To see the twinkle in his blue eyes and the way the dimple creased one cheek when he laughed. 

"Your daddy was hurt," one of the other huntsmen said. "The wild boar--"

"I want my Daddy!" she cried.

"Here," her daddy whispered. "On the divan. Let me touch your face once more."

Her daddy's calloused fingers gently traced her cheek. "You be good for your auntie after I'm gone."

"No!" she cried. "Don't leave me!"

"I don't want to, but--" He drew a shuddering breath.

"I'm sorry I didn't stay in the lodge," the little girl cried. "I'm sorry I was angry with you. I see now it was my fault. Please forgive me."

The little girl's tears fell on her daddy's shirt and soaked into his wounds. 

After a time, the silence of the huntsmen turned to whispers. "By the angels, he's alive!"

The little girl wiped a sleeve across her eyes and saw--yes, saw--the white flowers on her favorite lavender dress. 

Saw her daddy smiling at her--one cheek creased with a dimple and a sparkle in his eyes. 

"I can see again! And you're not hurt!"

Word soon spread through the village how a little girl's tears and plea of forgiveness allowed her to see again and brought life back to her daddy. 

As they gathered to celebrate this miracle, brothers who hadn't spoken to each other in years sat together at the hearth. And neighbors who had feuded with other neighbors found peace in sharing a meal. 

And that angry old boar never did come to the village again. However, every once in a while it's rumored he's been spotted in the meadow of daisies with a flower or two between his teeth.

**Copyright Genie Gabriel, 2012

The End of Summer

We are enjoying a beautiful, cool summer day, playing with the grandchildren outside. The moisture in the morning air makes it feel as if fall is almost here.

The last two weeks I've been busy with a book tour promoting my newest release Everlasting Love. This has been a great experience. I've meet a lot of nice people and learned a lot.

When my husband was on the fire department, part of their training was a Burn to Learn. About once a year, they would control burn an old house as training for the fire fighters and as a writer it was a learning lesson for me too. I didn't go into the fire but I watched them work and took some interesting pictures.

My first book in the Forest Ridge Series--Rekindled Love will be free on Amazon Aug. 28th-Sept. 1. Hope you enjoy the read. As for me I'm focusing on writing my next book.

Rekindled Love

Cliff Hanger from Rekinded Love

by

Rosemary Indra

Alone in the firehouse, the stillness of the early evening surrounded Mitch. He propped his boots on his desk and leaned back in his chair.
He thought about his conversation with Hank long after he'd left the station. He was obviously in a desperate situation, but Mitch's gut instinct told him Hank wasn't the arsonist who threatened the communicty.
The phone on his desk rang, breaking into his thoughts. At this time of night, calls were transferred to the 911 operators. Evening calls to the station were usually firefighters trying to contact other people on the department or a firefighter's family. Expecting to recognize the voice on the phone, the muffled voice that crossed the line puzzled him.
"Is this Fire Chief Chambers?"
"Yes."
"Do you really thing a reward will help capture your arsonist?"
The arrogant tone he heard in the man's voice caused Mitch to sit up straighter. Only the arsonist would have the nerve to call and ask such a question. "Without a doubt, it's only a matter of time before we capture you." He hoped his voice relayed the conviction he hadn't felt for some time.
"That's unlikely." His laughter held no humor. "Did I catch you by surprise?"
"Not at all."
"Wait till you see what I have planned for you, Chief. I know that will surprise you." He made a clicking sound with his tongue. "You shouldn't have offered that measly reward. Only a thousand dollars, how offensive. That doesn't matter, no one will come forward."
Mitch rubbed the back of his neck. Since the arsonist called the line usually used by firefighters, Mitch's suspicion grew that one of his crew was the arsonist. "It's enough money to spark someone's interest."
"Don't count on it. I've planned everything."
"Time will tell." Mitch knew this was only a game to the man on the other end. From Abby's description the man needed to feel in control. He planned everything including the phone call.
"Your woman is hot. I'd hate to see something happen to her." Although the man's voice was still muffled, Mitch noticed his lecherous tone.
Mitch's grip on the receiver tightened until his knuckles ached. The reference to Abby changed the tone of their phone conversation. His call was no longer a game. Feeling protective toward her, Mitch wondered if he should pull her off the case and send her back to Seattle. He'd do anything to keep her safe. "This is between you and me. It has nothing to do with her," Mitch said between clenched teeth, trying not to reveal any emotion.
"Sounds like I hit a soft spot. Oh, Chief, you're wasting your time. Your lover won't be able to help you because no one has seen me."
"That's your opinion."
"We both know it's true. And we both know it's time for me to hang up. Good night, Chief." His strong emphasize on the word chief added fuel to Mitch's temper. "Sleep tight."

You can receive a free ebook of Rekindled Love by Rosemary Indra, on Amazon Aug. 28th-Sept. 1.

Rekindled Love Excerpt

Rekindled Love

by

Rosemary Indra



Excerpt

What do you say to the woman you love after she left you for another man? For four years that question plagued Mitch Chambers. Now he watched the woman enter the Forest Ridge Fire Department and knew he needed an answer. With her profile facing him, he observed her before she noticed him.
Abby Denton lowered the hood of her coat to uncover long, flowing blonde hair. A vivid image of her hair caressing her creamy breast while they made love returned full force. Mitch's gut twisted as the memory replayed in his mind.
Standing behind Abby was a little girl about two years old. With a petite form and long blonde hair, the child was a miniature of her mother. Mitch's gaze returned to Abby. Her coat concealed her figure until she cradled her stomach and revealed the silhouette of a woman at least eight months pregnant.
His heartbeat accelerated. That could have been his child Abby carried and his daughter at her side if only Abby had kept faith in him and their love.
She leaned closer to her child. The interaction between mother and daughter tore at his heart and reopened his wounded emotions; emotions he'd hoped to keep in check while they worked together. He'd repeatedly told Hank, his friend and Forest Ridges' Fire Marshall, he could work with Abby. He knew he'd have to struggle with the fact she loved another man. Yet, to see a visible sign of Abby's love for that man was almost unbearable.
Having handled twenty arson fires in a month, his volunteer fire department was taxed to their limit. They'd agreed Abby, an acclaimed sketch artist, known for her ability to take the scantest details from witnesses and create a likeness, would help them find their arsonist. For his department he had to work with her.
Abby unzipped her coat and revealed somehting yellow and white she'd hidden inside. When she handed the baby blanket to her daughter, the young girl smiled and clutched the blanket to her chest. Abby slipped her coat from her shoulders, uncovering her slender body and revealing the fact she wasn't pregnant.
Relief slowed Mitch's heart rate to a more reasonable beat. He exhaled the breath he'd held and crossed the room.

Rekindled Love ebook will be free on Amazon Aug. 28-Sept. 1.



Inspiration

Pyramids

Time to pay the piper! How did you do?

This is the Rogue's Angels weekly check-in. Every Thursday we encourage the Angels and visitors to let us know how their writing is going.

How well are you doing?

Had problems this week? That's ok. Just sit down this coming week and write. Whatever you do, don't let difficulties from the week before get in your way this week.

Every word is one word closer to the finished product.

Had a great week? Keep it up, the momentum is on your side.

I'm working on edit suggestions for chapter 2 and finishing the book. Hope to finish this one today. If not, soon...

Shades of the Future

Please welcome Suzanne Lilly author of Shades of the Future.  Suzanne will be awarding pair of designer sunglasses to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour (US/Canada only), and a $10 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn host. So don't forget to comment.

INTERVIEW:


Shades of the Future, by Suzanne Lilly
Before we begin, I want to say how much I appreciate you having me on the Rogue’s Angels blog today. It’s quite an honor!
1. What or who inspired you to start writing?
I’ve always loved writing and making up stories from as far back as I can remember. In 5th grade, my teacher would make us write a story each week using our spelling words. I loved that assignment, and would sometimes write three or four stories and turn in my favorite.
2. How did you come up with your idea for your novel?
This one I dreamed. I had some trouble plotting, and I went to bed one night and told my mind to work on the story line. When I woke up the next morning, I had a vivid picture of my main character, Mariah Davis. Two men were talking to her, and the message they gave her turned out to be the theme of Shades of the Future.
3. What would you want your readers to know about you that might not be in your bio?
I’m willing to try most anything once. I’m not a big daredevil, but as I’ve gotten older, I’ve done things like riding a zip line, traveling on my own, and challenging my physical limits.
4. As far as your writing goes, what are your future plans?
I’ll continue to write contemporary YA and New Adult stories with a splash of suspense, a dash of romance, a flash of the unexplainable, and always a happy ending. My next book, Untellable, is about Aspen Dwyer, a young woman hiding from her past. She finds love and friendship in Honey Creek, but when her father is released from prison, and threatens her life, she has to decide if she should run again, or stay and fight for the people she loves. Untellable will be available from Turquoise Morning Press in February 2013. I’m working on another book now, and I have the ideas for a four book series after that.
5. If you could be one of the characters from this book, who would it be and why?
I would be Hayley Bayless, the main character’s best friend. She’s carefree, funny, and she can eat anything she wants without gaining weight. She comes across in the book as a bit of a ditz, but she’s a grounding force for Mariah Davis.
6. Can you give us a sneak peek into this book?
I would love to give you a sneak peek.
What would you give to see the future? Would you make your dreams come true? Would you change the things you didn’t like?
Mariah Davis loves animals, running, and her hunk of a boyfriend, Kevin Creamer. Everything looks bright for her until the day she finds a pair of sunglasses that allow her to see the future.
When she glimpses a disaster looming, she tries to avoid it but fails. She has a car accident that lands her in a wheelchair, smashing her hopes for a running scholarship to the veterinary program at Ohio State University. She pushes Kevin away, thinking he’ll want to end their relationship now that she can’t walk.
Will she ever learn to trust and love again? She could search for an answer in the sunglasses. But she’s afraid what they reveal might destroy her.

If you’d like to read a short excerpt, you can send an email to shadesofthefuture {at} gmail {dot} com, or you can get a free sample from my Suzanne Lilly Amazon page.
7. Do you outline your books or just start writing?
I outline to the hilt. First, I start with an idea. Then I work on that idea, adding details and complications. When I think it’s something I want to spend several months writing about, I begin outlining. I use a three act structure to set the main turning points in place. Next, I add notes for events. I continue to build in this way until I have a detailed outline. At that point, I begin writing, and the book will usually flow because I’ve already worked out all the plot bunnies.
8. How do you maintain your creativity?
I’ve never had a problem with creativity. The only time I find it hard to be creative is when I’m very tired. I tend to see the world through a different lens than other people, and my mind goes off in tangents. Some people call that ADD.
9. Are your plotting bunnies angels or demons?
A little bit of both. When I’m outlining, they’re demons, and I might spend days working out the problems. Once the plotting bunnies and I have come to an agreement, they’re little angels.
10. Anything else you might want to add?
I’m celebrating the release of Shades of the Future by giving away a designer pair of sunglasses from Shoebuy.com to one lucky commenter. So don’t be shy, readers! Chat me up on the blog tour and you might win!

Also, 10% of royalties from the sale of this book will go to an animal rescue organization. Mariah Davis and Kevin Creamer, the main characters, work for Happy Paws Pet Rescue. Mariah’s schnauzer Lady is a rescue dog. I also have a good friend who fosters pets until they find their forever homes. All of this is done through donations. If my book can help save a few animals from being euthanized, we will all have accomplished something great together. When I read “Another Doggie Miracle: A Perfect Home for Stewart,” by Amber Angel, right here on this blog, tears came to my eyes. Stewart was definitely meant to be with you, Amber.

I love to chat online, so please feel free to tweet me on Twitter as @suzannelilly, friend me on Facebook at SuzanneLillyAuthor, visit my Suzanne Lilly author page, or my TeacherWriter blog. My Amazon Author page has the details about all of my books, including Shades of the Future. Thanks so much for having me here today!

Shades of the Future

by Suzanne Lilly

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB:

What would you do if you could see your future? Would you accept it or would you change it? 

Mariah Davis loves animals, running, and her hunk of a boyfriend, Kevin Creamer. Everything looks bright for her until the day she finds a pair of sunglasses that allow her to see the future.

When she glimpses a disaster looming, she tries to avoid it but fails. She has a car accident that lands her in a wheelchair, smashing her hopes for a running scholarship to the veterinary program at Ohio State University. She pushes Kevin away, thinking he’ll want to end their relationship now that she can’t walk.

Will she ever learn to trust and love again? She could search for an answer in the sunglasses. But she’s afraid what they reveal might destroy her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EXCERPT

Mariah scooted closer to the inside of the booth to read the digital display. As she slid across the red vinyl seat, something poked into her thigh.

“Hey, somebody left a pair sunglasses here.” She picked them up, rubbing her leg where the frame had left a dent in her skin.

“Those are nice,” Hayley commented between fries.

“These aren’t random sunglasses. These are Dita Aviators.” Mariah turned them over, checking the thin metal frame to make sure she hadn’t bent it. She held them up to the overhead light. The lenses were clean and unscratched. “Plus, they’re like brand new.”

“Let me see them.” Hayley took the glasses out of her friend’s hands and started to put them on.

“Give them back,” Mariah told her. “Your hands are all greasy and cheesy. Not to mention saliva-y.”

Hayley laughed and handed the aviators back across the table to Mariah. “When I have clean hands, I’ll try them on. They’ll look good on me.”

“You think? How do they look on me?” She put them on and a warm tingle of fun washed through her veins.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Suzanne Lilly is a writer at night and a teacher by day, which is why she’s known online as the TeacherWriter. Her articles and stories have appeared in numerous places online and in print. She writes light romance, young adult, and middle grade novels. When not busy with words, she enjoys swimming, hiking, reading, fine arts, and cooking. She lives in California with her family and furry friends and has yet to feel an earthquake. 

You can follow her on Twitter as @suzannelilly,  visit her blog at http://www.teacherwriter.net, or her author website at http://www.suzannelilly.com.

Author website: http://www.suzannelilly.com

TeacherWriter blog: http://www.teacherwriter.net

Fridays at Honey Creek blog: http://www.honeycreekbooks.com

Suzanne Lilly at Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5258804.Suzanne_Lilly

Follow @SuzanneLilly on Twitter: http://twitter.com/suzannelilly

Available at Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Suzanne-Lilly/e/B006HY79IY/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_2 and most online book retailers in digital or paperback.

Suzanne will be awarding pair of designer sunglasses to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour (US/Canada only), and a $10 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn host. So don't forget to comment.

McNair Mysteries

Please welcome Don McNair author of Mystery at Magnolia Mansion and Mystery on Firefly Knob.

Don will giving away reader's choice of a copy of one of his books on http://www.donmcnair.com/ to one randomly chosen commenter.

INTERVIEW:


QUESTION: What or who inspired you to start writing?

ANSWER: I guess the beacon shined on me in grade school, the day my teacher asked us to write a short story about Mother’s Day.  I turned mine in and the next day she gushed about it and read it to the class.  A pretty little girl came up to me later and said, “I loved your story, Donnie.”  That started both my writing career and my fear of girls.



QUESTION: What elements are necessary components for this genre?

ANSWER: A deep interest in exploring the human mind, and presenting characters in a non-plastic way. Once a writer decides to write about a relationship between Dirk and Angel they must take them apart to see what makes them tick.  If Dirk says or does this, how would Angel react in real life? How can I build conflict between them, and let them spend the book trying to make things right?  Conflict sells books.



QUESTION: How did you come up with your idea for your novels?

ANSWER: The muse visits in various ways.  The plot for “Mystery at Magnolia Mansion” occurred to me when I bought and renovated the subject house.  Why not write a book where the heroine goes through the same experiences I did?  The plot for “Mystery on Firefly Knob” was launched when I visited Eastern Tennessee and found an actual knob and an old cabin on the Cumberland Gap overlooking a beautiful valley. When I read an article about exotic fireflies that blinked at the same time instead of individually, my mind put these things together and the story was born.

I ran into another effective method for developing plots in a night course at a nearby college.  Each week the instructor told us to write a story using two specific things for the next week’s assignment.  One assignment, I remember, was to write a story about an old woman and a young boy.  Each week we read our stories, and I was amazed at how good and diverse they were.  That method led to the short stories in my book “The Man on the Park Bench, and Twelve More Tales of Intrigue.”



QUESTION: What expertise did you bring to your writing?

ANSWER: Actually, it was forty years of writing for others.  I spent eleven years on a magazine’s editing staff, six as a professional at a major PR firm, and twenty-one running my own marketing communications business.  When I decided to write fiction I had already conquered the writing basics.



QUESTION: What are your future writing plans?

ANSWER: After forty years, six novels, and three how-to books, I now put that experience to good use helping other writers jump their own writing hurdles.  I started my McNairEdits.com editing service, enjoy it very much, and plan to do it forever.  Well, maybe not forever…



QUESTION: Can you give us a sneak peek into your books?

ANSWER: Certainly. Here’s a thumbnail of both romance novels.

Mystery at Magnolia Mansion: Brenda Maxwell’s new interior design client tells her to “paint, wallpaper, whatever” his hundred-year-old landmark mansion, “but for God’s sake, don’t go overboard.” When she figures her grandiose plans will fit handily into his edict’s “whatever” section, they’re launched into a constant head-bumping mode.  Brenda’s poor money management skills (that’s his view, but what does he know?) and lawyer David Hasbrough’s ridiculous need to control her life (that’s her well-reasoned evaluation of the situation) combine to keep the battle going. Is this couple’s romantic goose cooked? Well, she can’t be near him without sparks flying and goose bumps popping out everywhere.  But that mansion has to be done right!

Mystery on Firefly Knob: When Erica Phillips visits choice inherited property on a Cumberland Plateau knob overlooking a beautiful valley, she finds scientist Mike Callahan camped there to study unique fireflies. She needs to sell it fast to buy a new building for her antiques business, but he freaks out when a condo builder offers her a contract. Miffed, she tells him, “If I have my way, this place will be sold within the week. And, Mr. Callahan, I will have my way!” Their budding romance plays out before a background of a murder mystery, distrust, and heart-racing hormones. Will it blossom into a lifetime relationship?



QUESTION: Do you belong to a critique group? If so, how does this help or hinder your writing?

ANSWER: I belonged to critique groups for many years, and found them invaluable. Now, I have a built-in critique partner: my brother, a published novelist himself.  We trade manuscripts and feel lucky to have each other.



QUESTION: When did you first decide to submit your work? Please tell us what or who encouraged you to take this big step?

ANSWER: I’ve been published all my working life, and for years was actually an editor and agent on my own. I developed hundreds of stories for my clients and, using my magazine editing experience, placed them with other magazine editors.

But fiction is a different animal, and requires a separate set of skills. My first finished fiction manuscript, “The Long Hunter,” was my first serious attempt to be published in that world.  I spent months on research and writing, then many more months trying to find a publisher who liked the book as much as I did. After thirty tries, I placed it. Looking back, I realize that experience helped make me the writer I am.



QUESTION: What is the best writing advice you ever received?

ANSWER: I think my best advice was, “write what you know.”  But I hasten to add that you don’t have to know everything.

For example, in “Mystery at Magnolia Mansion,” I knew the house and the things I wanted heroine to do to it, since I’d done those very things myself.  I also knew the geographical area that would be her world. But I still had to build a story, and that, of course, was new.

For “Mystery at Firefly Knob” I quickly developed my storyline based on the location I’d found, then set about fleshing it in with research.  When I read about the actual exotic firefly in a newspaper, I researched it.  When I decided to make the hero a scientist I built him a backstory that required my actually visiting his supposed workplace, Oak Ridge National Laboratories, to see what it was like and to find a real-life position for him to assume there. I didn’t have to be an expert myself, of course.  I just had to find enough information to make him one.



QUESTION: Do you outline your books or just start writing?

ANSWER: Definitely, I have an idea of where I’m going.  While I don’t make an outline per se—with Roman numerals, etc.—I make sure I can see the stepping stones ahead and my final destination beyond.  My plan is fluid, of course, because my brain is always evaluating and re-evaluating things as I write.  If I see a huge oak tree blocking my way I decide how to skirt it.  But adjusting things as one goes along is okay!



QUESTION: Anything else you might want to add?

ANSWER: Yes.  If you’ve written a manuscript, have an experienced editor look it over before sending it to a publisher or self-publishing it yourself.

I say that not because I happen to be an editor, but because as a fiction editor working through an editing network I’ve seen hundreds of novels written by writers who are confident their work is top quality.  While a handful are almost ready to go, eighty percent need heavy editing, and most of the rest, light editing.  The rest are simply not editable.

But remember, these are the writers who realize their work might not be the best it could be.  The rest are sending their work directly to agents and publishers, and most will get them back with a nice note thanking them for their interest.  They won’t know what mistakes they’re making and for the rest of their lives will make the same mistakes, producing manuscript after manuscript that will find their way back to them.

BOOK ONE

MYSTERY AT MAGNOLIA MANSION

By

Don McNair

BLURB:   

Brenda Maxwell’s new interior design client tells her to “paint, wallpaper, whatever” his hundred-year-old landmark mansion, “but for God’s sake, don’t go overboard.” When she figures her grandiose plans will fit handily into his edict’s “whatever” section, they’re launched into a constant head-bumping mode. 

Brenda’s poor money management skills (that’s his view, but what does he know?) and lawyer David Hasbrough’s ridiculous need to control her life (that’s her well-reasoned evaluation of the situation) combine to keep the battle going. Is this couple’s romantic goose cooked? Well, she can’t be near him without sparks flying and goose bumps popping out everywhere. But that mansion has to be done right! 

NOTE: Don McNair actually lived in this house, and did the very things to it that he has heroine Brenda Maxwell do.

Excerpt 

“Well, hello!”

She jumped. There he stood, directly in front of her, stark naked!  Well, except for a bath towel wrapped snugly around his hips. He was dripping water on her nice clean floor. She tried to turn away, but her muscles refused to budge. His chest, sprinkled with curly black hair, narrowed to a tight stomach which showed off six-pack abs. His muscular bare arms and legs were certainly not those of a desk jockey. No, the man got exercise somehow. 

“Oh!  Oh, I’m sorry!” She finally insisted that her muscles work, and they grudgingly turned her toward the door. Her cheeks burned. Her mind was in turmoil. 

“Me, too,” he said. He flashed a silly grin, backed into the room he’d come from, and closed the door. It was a downstairs bedroom right off the kitchen, complete with a full bath, which she’d earlier pegged as a live-in maid or cook’s living quarters. He’d apparently swung a big deal at that garage sale because she’d noticed the mismatched bed, chest, and end table in that room, which weren’t there on her first visit. The only other furniture in the whole house was the rusty chrome-legged kitchen table and its four matching chairs he’d apparently bought at the same time. If that was his idea of a great décor . . .

BOOK TWO

MYSTERY ON FIREFLY KNOB

By

Don McNair

BLURB:   

When Erica Phillips visits choice inherited property on a Cumberland Plateau knob overlooking a beautiful valley, she finds scientist Mike Callahan camped there to study unique fireflies. She needs to sell it fast to buy a new building for her antiques business, but he freaks out when a condo builder offers her a contract. Miffed, she tells him, “If I have my way, this place will be sold within the week. And, Mr. Callahan, I will have my way!” 

Their budding romance plays out before a background of a murder mystery, distrust, and heart-racing hormones. Will it blossom into a lifetime relationship?

Excerpt

Mike stepped aside, and she saw a clearing. The treetop canopy opened to let in sunlight and blue sky. Grass, kept at bay by constant shadows in the deep woods, covered an open area the size of an average yard. Weeds and wildflowers sprinkled the ground, and sapling maples and vines fringed the woods. 

“This is it?” she said. 

“Yep. The original site. See if you can spot where the cabin stood.” 

She saw nothing but the woods and grass. To her left she noticed a stone outcropping. Beyond it was blue sky, and the hazy distance of Sequatchie Valley. 

“Why, we’re right at the knob’s edge,” she said. 

“That’s right. If you jumped off that big rock you’d fall almost two thousand feet."

As she approached the rock she gazed about the clearing. And then she saw it—a vertical stone chimney that at first glance resembled the tall trees surrounding it. Now she made out its individual stones. She stepped closer and saw beneath it the stone foundation of a one-room cabin. The chimney rose from one corner, with its hearth opening toward the center. She stared at it in awe. It was the precursor of the cabin her father lived in. Perhaps it was even built by Rymer himself, the knob's namesake, in the early eighteen hundreds. 

The sun's slanting rays streamed through the tree canopy and threw light patterns on the chimney and foundation. She touched Mike’s arm. “It’s like a shrine,” she whispered. “I feel like I’ve just stepped out of a time machine.”

 

AUTHOR INFORMATION:

Don McNair, now a prolific fiction writer, spent most of his working life editing magazines (11 years), producing public relations materials for the Burson-Marsteller international PR firm (6 years), and heading his own marketing communications firm, McNair Marketing Communications (21 years). His creativity has won him three Golden Trumpets for best industrial relations programs from the Publicity Club of Chicago, a certificate of merit award for a quarterly magazine he wrote and produced, and the Public Relations Society of America’s Silver Anvil.  The latter is comparable to the Emmy and Oscar in other industries.  

McNair has written and placed hundreds of trade magazine articles and three published non-fiction “how-to” books (Tab Books). He’s also written six novels; two young-adult novels (Attack of the Killer Prom Dresses and The Long Hunter), three romantic suspense novels  Mystery on Firefly Knob, Mystery at Magnolia Mansion, and co-authored Wait for Backup!), and a romantic comedy (BJ, Milo, and the Hairdo from Heck). 

McNair now concentrates on editing novels for others, teaching two online editing classes (see McNairEdits.com), and writing his next romance novel. 

 

PRIZE INFORMATION

Don will giving away reader's choice of a copy of one of his books on www.DonMcNair.com to one randomly chosen commenter.