Fresh Book Friday - Finding Love in Nowhere

 It's been a while since I posted Fresh Book Friday. Here's a new book:

Title: Finding Love in Nowhere
Series: The Nowhere Prequals and Duet Series
Author: Heather White
Genre: Fantasy Adventure Fiction
Available in: eBook
Published: August 30, 2021
Price: $4.99

Purchase Links: Apple | BN | Kindle | Kobo | Smashwords

Description:
When Darcy Edwards left the big city and moved to a little town in Montana, she wanted a big change. However, she wasn't expecting to find out that not only do werewolves exist but she was the mate of the future alpha.

Dustin was the future alpha of his pack and had been unable to find his mate and future Luna. He wasn't expecting her to be the new human police officer that moved to town. The hard part was figuring out how to tell her she was his mate.

When rogues threaten to destroy their peaceful life, can Darcy and Dustin keep each other, their family, the pack and the town safe?

Excerpt from Chapter 1:

Branches slapped my face as I ran through the forest in the dark. I could hear the dogs and other officers on either side of me as we all advanced. We were chasing an armed escaped convict from the state penitentiary. I could make out his shadow every once in a while, when he ran through a patch of moonlight shining down through the trees. I picked up my pace to try and close the distance between us. As I got closer, I yelled for him to stop. I aimed my pistol at him as I gave the command. He ran into another shadow, and I lost sight of him. I followed the sound of his footsteps crashing through the underbrush.

I could see a clearing ahead lit up by the full moon. As I reached the edge of the clearing, I saw the convict standing in the middle. I aimed my pistol and yelled for him to put his hands on his head. He didn’t move. I yelled at him again, but he wasn’t paying attention to me. I kept my eyes on him, so I couldn’t see what he was staring at. I started making my way towards him. When I had gotten halfway to him, I yelled again.

“Put your hands on your head, or I will shoot.”

“Alright, I’ll do it. Don’t shoot, just save me from it.”

I didn’t know what he was talking about. He must be crazy. He put his hands on his head, and I quickly cuffed him. I searched him and found his pistol. I took it. He continued staring straight ahead. I made sure I had a good hold on his arm, then decided to see what had him so scared. I turned to look, and my eyes widened in surprise. There sat a very large sandy brown colored wolf with blue eyes. It wasn’t growling or anything. It just sat there watching us. It cocked its head to the side as if to study us from a different angle.

“Get me out of here,” the convict pleaded.

I could hear the other officers getting close.

“Hey Edwards, did you get him?”

I glanced over my shoulder and saw Officer Harris. “Yeah, I got him, but be careful; there’s a…” I had turned to look back at the wolf, but it was gone.

Harris came up beside me. “There was a what?”

“There was a wolf sitting right there.”

“A wolf? There aren’t any wolf packs around here.”

“I thought Montana had a lot of wolves?”

“We do, but not around here. They were driven off.”

“It was sitting right there though,” I said pointing at the spot where the wolf had been.

“Sure it was.”

“Hey, he even saw it.” I motioned to the convict.

“It was probably just a stray dog. I’ve lived here a long time and there’s never been a wolf here.”

“If you say so.”

The rest of the officers arrived in the clearing. As we walked towards the rest of them, I looked back once more, but there was no sign of the wolf. We all made our way back to the cars. Most of the officers here tonight were from other towns, as our town only had three officers: Chief Phillips, Officer Harris and myself. I booked the convict in at the jail for the night. The state pen guys would be by in the morning to pick him up.

Author Bio:
I am from a small town in Arizona. I have been working on becoming a writer for quite a few years now and am finally making that dream come true. I am an avid reader as well. I read and write a wide variety of genres including, romance, western, contemporary, fantasy, historical fiction and paranormal, to name a few.
I love animals, especially horses and dogs. I currently have two huskies.

Fresh Book Friday - Horace & Bunwinkle

Today I'm spotlighting a newly-released book for children. Take a look!

Title: Horace & Bunwinkle
Author: PJ Gardner
Genre: Young Middle Grade animal series
Available in: Hardcover, Paperback, and Audiobook
Published: September 15, 2020
Purchase Links: Harper Collins | Amazon | BN

Description: The first in a young middle grade animal series in which an anxious Boston Terrier and an exuberant potbellied pig team up to solve crimes in their barnyard—from debut author PJ Gardner, with illustrations by David Mottram.

(Perfect for fans of the Mercy Watson series, The Trouble with Chickens, and A Boy Called Bat.)

Horace Homer Higgins III despises dirt. And the outdoors. And ducks. But when his person, Eleanor, moves to a farm called the Homestead, the anxious Boston Terrier is forced to adapt. As if that isn’t enough to strain his nerves, Ellie adopts a perpetually cheerful potbellied pig named Bunwinkle to be his baby sister.

Bunwinkle is delighted to be on the farm despite the stuffy demeanor of her new canine brother. She’s sure she’ll crack his shell eventually—no one can resist her cuteness for long—especially once they bond over watching a TV pet-tective show.

When the duo discovers that neighborhood animals have been disappearing, they decide to use their new detective skills to team up to solve this barnyard mystery. Is it a mountain lion? Or their suspiciously shot-loving veterinarians?

Only one thing seems certain: if they don’t figure it out soon, one of them might be next!

Excerpt from Chapter 2:
Bunwinkle looked over at Boy Dog. “We’re not twins.”
He slumped down on the seat. “I know.”
“'Cause you’re a dog and I’m a pig.”
“Correct,” he said. Then he muttered under his breath, “What was Eleanor thinking? Adopting a pig.”
“Hey, what’s wrong with adopting a pig?” Bunwinkle asked.
“Well, you see, pigs are not pets. They’re barn animals, plain and simple. Which means I am going to have another animal to watch over and no one to help me protect my human.”
“I can be a protector.”
“I don’t think so. You’re far too little.”
Bunwinkle hopped up on her feet and glared at Boy Dog. “I am not!”
He looked down his muzzle at her. “Really? You really think you can follow the Guardian Creed? ‘Ask not what your human can do for you—ask what you can do for your human.’”
“You made that up.”
“I’ll have you know John F. Kennedy said that.”
“Who’s that?” She glared at him. “Some dog you hang out with?”
Horace huffed. “He was not a dog. He was president of the United States. He came from New England, just like I do. However, if he had been a dog, he definitely would have been a Boston Terrier.”
She tilted her head to the side and pretended to be asleep.

Author Bio:  PJ Gardner lives in Gilbert, Arizona, with her husband and sons as well as Rosie the Boston Terrier. For research purposes for her book, Horace & Bunwinkle, PJ spent hours playing with the potbellied pigs that live down the road from her. Visit her at https://www.pjgardnerswitzer.com.

Congratulations, PJ!

Fresh Book Friday - Lies & Secrets: Three Historical Short Stories

I released a collection of three previously-published stories this week. The ebook will be exclusive to Amazon Kindle for the next three months.

Title: Lies & Secrets: Three Historical Short Stories
Author: Marsha Ward
Genre: Historical Fiction with elements of romance
Published: March 29, 2018
Price: Read Free on KindleUnlimited, or Buy the ebook for $0.99 (limited time)

Purchase Link: Exclusively on Kindle

Description: Three Historical Short Stories that expand the Owen Family Universe!

Scandalous: An Owen Family Story

Young Julianna Owen didn't think flirting with Parley Morgan at the barn raising would lead him to put his hands where they ought not to be. But even worse, her sister discovers them, and Parley abandons her, running off into the woods.

Julianna's strict father has found where she is hiding, and her world on the Colorado frontier is crashing down around her ears. She thought love and romance was only about going on picnics and holding hands, not rough kisses and hurtful pawing.

Now the consequences of her actions might be beyond what she can bear.

In the 1866 Owen Family universe, Scandalous shines a light on teen hormones run amok during a trying time in the family's story, as it ties up a loose thread from the novel, Spinster's Folly.

Review: "Be careful what you wish for; you might just get it. I love the Owen Family stories. The love of family and the adventures are made so real in Mrs. Ward's writings. Details are so vivid a reader can feel themselves there."

Broken: A Shenandoah Neighbors Story

Rida Owen didn’t know married life on the Colorado frontier could be so difficult. Nothing in her Catholic upbringing prepared her for long, lonely nights when her husband, Bert, goes drinking. And womanizing. And then comes home to beat her.

Her mother-in-law thinks she’s stuck up when she doesn’t participate in homestead washday. Rida only wants to hide her bruises and preserve her marriage.

Then a neighbor from her past stops to say hello and reveals a secret of his own.

Broken is a Shenandoah Neighbors story that illuminates a dark corner of the Owen Family universe in 1875.

Review: "Marsha Ward writes a compelling story of strength and endurance, beautifully worded and detailed to the post Civil War era."

Bloodied Leather: A Shenandoah Neighbors Story

Isabelle Gilbert chafes against the restrictions that Victorian life puts on a young lady.

Forced to accept a betrothal to Percival Egmont, an English ex-patriot like her father, she is disturbed by his passion for prize-fighting—and other pursuits. And what if Mama spots the bruise on her cheek?

Then shared secrets perplex Isabelle even more.

A Shenandoah Neighbor story, Bloodied Leather extends the Owen Family universe into 1886.

Review: "An interesting short story with good characterization and dialogue that says more than the words alone. So worth the read."
~~~

Read the stories free on KindleUnlimited, or get your copy today before the price goes up. Link to Amazon

Fresh Book Friday - Ned's Choice: A Shenandoah Neighbors Story

Eek! I neglected to make a Fresh Book Friday post about this new story.

Title: Ned's Choice: A Shenandoah Neighbors Story
Author: Marsha Ward
Genre: Historical Romance
Published: February 14, 2018
Price: $0.99 for a limited time

Purchase Links: Kindle | NOOK | Kobo | Apple iTunes Bookstore | Smashwords (all formats available)

Description:
Ned Heizer has just released his betrothed from her promise to marry him. He knows she’s in good hands that are not his own.

But if he carries out his intention to backtrack their trail, to ride toward Raton Pass where he last saw the Mormon wagon party, he’ll be leaving behind his brother and his friends to go in search of an unknown future.

Is he mistaken in his belief that Maggie Julander is the girl for him? If the feeling like lightning that passed between them is any indication, he’s on the right road, unless she didn’t have the same experience.

A Shenandoah Neighbors Story that puts Ned in a situation where he must make an informed choice and take risks for his hope of happiness.

*Mormon religious beliefs play a large part in this story.*

(Ned’s Choice is best enjoyed if read following the Owen Family Saga novel Trail of Storms.)

~~~

If you’re new to the Owen Family Saga and its related series, Shenandoah Neighbors, here’s the perfect starting place: the origin story, That Tender Light.

How did the Owen Family Saga begin?

With a love story, of course, the most romantic love story of all: when Rod and Julia met.

God must have conspired with the angels to put Roderick Owen of Shenandoah County, Virginia, and Julia Helm, of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, in the same place on one magical day in Spring, 1840. All nature paused, as though holding its breath, waiting to see what would happen.

In this short novella, Marsha Ward tells the story of the Owen Family origins, describing in her delicate language the tender feelings of two people who need to find each other in a very small window of time.

Purchase Links: Kindle | NOOK | Kobo | Apple iTunes Bookstore | Smashwords (all formats available)

Fresh Book Friday - Broken

It's Fresh Book Friday again, and I have a new story to present to you.

Title: Broken: A Shenandoah Neighbors Story

Author: Marsha Ward
Genre: Historical Romance
Published: January 19, 2018
Price: $2.99

Purchase Links: Kindle | NOOK | Kobo | Apple iTunes Bookstore | Smashwords (all formats available)

Description:
Rida Owen didn’t know married life on the Colorado frontier could be so difficult. Nothing in her Catholic upbringing prepared her for long, lonely nights when her husband, Bert, goes drinking. And womanizing. And then comes home to beat her.

Her mother-in-law thinks she’s stuck up when she doesn’t participate in the homestead wash day. Rida only wants to hide her bruises and preserve her marriage.

Then a neighbor from her past stops to say hello and reveals a secret of his own.

A Shenandoah Neighbors story that illuminates a dark corner of the Owen Family universe.

Optimum reading enjoyment will be derived from reading this story after reading The Man from Shenandoah, and possibly Spinster's Folly, so you get to know the characters involved.

Author Bio:

Author Marsha Ward writes authentic historical fiction set in 19th Century America, and contemporary romance. She was born in the sleepy little town of Phoenix, Arizona, in a simpler time. With plenty of room to roam among the chickens and citrus trees, Marsha enjoyed playing with neighborhood chums, but always had her imaginary friend, cowboy Johnny Rigger Prescott, at her side. Now she makes her home in a forest in the mountains of Arizona. She loves to hear from her readers.

Connect with Marsha: 
Website: http://marshaward.com
Blog: http://marshaward.blogspot.com
Email: marshaw@marshaward.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authormarshaward
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarshaWard

Join Marsha’s mailing list for a free book, special offers, and new releases: http://eepurl.com/vBKEj 
~~~

If you're new to the Owen Family Saga and its related series, Shenandoah Neighbors, here's the perfect starting place: the origin story, That Tender Light. 

How did the Owen Family Saga begin?

With a love story, of course, the most romantic love story of all: when Rod and Julia met.

God must have conspired with the angels to put Roderick Owen of Shenandoah County, Virginia, and Julia Helm, of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, in the same place on one magical day in Spring, 1840. All nature paused, as though holding its breath, waiting to see what would happen.

In this short novella, acclaimed author Marsha Ward tells the story of the Owen Family origins, describing in her delicate language the tender feelings of two people who need to find each other in a very small window of time.

Purchase Links: Kindle | NOOK | Kobo | Apple iTunes Bookstore | Smashwords (all formats available) 

Fresh Book Friday: The Apple Pie Prize

It's Fresh Book Friday again, and I have a little something for you, a short story!

Title: The Apple Pie Prize: An Owen Family Story
Author: Marsha Ward
Genre: Historical Romance
Published: December 28, 2017
Price: $0.99

Purchase Links: Kindle | Kobo | Apple iTunes Bookstore | Smashwords

Description:
No one in Shenandoah County would say Rod Owen lacked vigor.

The evidence is clear, with six young’uns running around the farm and his wife Julia about to call in the midwife again.

A pie crust and a small boy with a sack of dead squirrels can be vexing impediments when such a man wants a little kissin' in the kitchen.

The Apple Pie Prize is a short story packed with insights into early times at the Owen Family farm.

Author Bio:
Author Marsha Ward writes authentic historical fiction set in 19th Century America, and contemporary romance. She was born in the sleepy little town of Phoenix, Arizona, in a simpler time. With plenty of room to roam among the chickens and citrus trees, Marsha enjoyed playing with neighborhood chums, but always had her imaginary friend, cowboy Johnny Rigger Prescott, at her side. Now she makes her home in a forest in the mountains of Arizona. She loves to hear from her readers.

Connect with Marsha:
Website: http://marshaward.com
Blog: http://marshaward.blogspot.com
Email: marshaw@marshaward.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authormarshaward
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarshaWard

Join Marsha’s mailing list for a free book, special offers, and new releases: http://eepurl.com/vBKEj

Have you picked up your copy of Mended by Moonlight yet? This Shenandoah Neighbors Novella is the perfect book to read after Gone for a Soldier, as it gives a character from that novel a happy conclusion to her story.

Purchase Mended by Moonlight: A Shenandoah Neighbors Novella
E-Book: Smashwords (all formats) | Kindle | NOOK | Kobo | Apple iTunes Bookstore

Fresh Book Friday: When the Clouds Lift

Welcome to Fresh Book Friday! Here's a new romance novel from Laura L. Walker:

Title: When the Clouds Lift - A "When Love Happens" Novel
Author: Laura L. Walker
Genre: LDS Romance
Published: December 12, 2017
Price: $2.99

Purchase Link: Kindle

Book Description:
Having been the class clown through most of her teenage years, eighteen-year-old Ashley Sweeney is ready to leave her family, friends, and reputation behind and start a new life in sunny California. But Ashley’s determination to show her dad and stepmom that she can handle herself in the big wide world falls apart when she becomes the victim of a mean-spirited prank. To make matters worse, the one guy she never wanted to see again has come to her rescue.

Collin Nichols wanted to serve an honorable LDS mission from the time he was old enough to know what one was. But when the former high school football star’s missionary service comes to a crashing halt, he’s suddenly the most unpopular guy in Forest Meadow, Idaho. Now, to avoid his parents’ disapproval and awkward stares from people who used to be his friends, he gladly accepts Ashley’s dad’s plea to help him bring her home safely. If only he can get Ashley to see his way . . . and if only he can forget the electric kiss they shared back in high school.

But getting home is only half the battle. Ashley soon is caught up in the craziness of college life and Collin is forced to stand on the sidelines and watch as she receives attention from a returned missionary who seems like the perfect match for her. But when an unwanted visitor from her past shows up on her doorstep, will she need to be rescued once again? And when the storm clouds finally lift, will a new love have formed in the mist?

Excerpt:
Ashley’s dad turned to the police officer. “What about it, officer? May I have my daughter back now?”

“We’ll need to fill out some forms, then your daughter will be free to go.”

“Great.” Her dad abruptly stood and followed the officer to the door, waving at someone from down the hallway. “She’s in here. Come and wait with her while I go sign papers.”

“Sure. No problem,” a deep voice said. Wondering who her dad was talking to, Ashley stood. A ghost from her past walked through the door, and her mouth fell open. Standing before her in all his white-toothed, well-muscled, and tawny-eyed splendor was none other than football quarterback Collin Nichols, his thick dark brown hair hidden under a baseball cap. Missionary Collin Nichols.

It couldn’t be. Wasn’t he was serving his mission in New York? “Collin? What are you doing here?”

This was the last thing she remembered before everything went black.

Author Bio:
Laura L. Walker grew up in a large family in the beautiful Gila Valley of southern Arizona. From the time Laura was young, she spent hours drawing characters on paper and fantasizing about their adventures. Life became more serious, however, when Laura met her own hero at Northern Arizona University and they later became the parents of six children. In between spurts of grocery shopping, sewing costumes or quilts, transporting kids to practices, and making dinner, Laura still enjoys putting her imagination to good use. Laura is the author of three novels and three novellas. When the Clouds Lift is her third LDS romance.



Connect with Laura:
Website: http://www.lauralwalker.com/

Fresh Book Friday - Scandalous: An Owen Family Story

It's Fresh Book Friday again, and I have another story to share with you!

Title: Scandalous: An Owen Family Story
Author: Marsha Ward
Genre: Historical Fiction, Coming of Age story
Publisher: WestWard Books
Date Published: September 8, 2017
Price: $2.99, Free for kindleunlimited subscribers

Purchase Link: Kindle 

Book Description:
Young Julianna Owen didn't think flirting with Parley Morgan at the barn raising would lead him to put his hands where they ought not to be. But worse yet, her sister discovers them and Parley abandons her, running off into the woods.

Julianna's strict father has found where she is hiding, and her world on the Colorado frontier is crashing down around her ears. She thought love and romance was only about going on picnics and holding hands, not rough kisses and hurtful pawing.

Now the consequences of her actions might be beyond what she can bear.

In the 1860s Owen Family universe, Scandalous shines a light on teen hormones run amok during a trying time in the family's story, as it ties up a loose thread from the novel, Spinster's Folly.

This edition contains bonus material at the end, an excerpt from the Shenandoah Neighbors story, Bloodied Leather.

Author Bio:
Author Marsha Ward writes authentic historical fiction set in 19th Century America, and contemporary romance. She was born in the sleepy little town of Phoenix, Arizona, in a simpler time. With plenty of room to roam among the chickens and citrus trees, Marsha enjoyed playing with neighborhood chums, but always had her imaginary friend, cowboy Johnny Rigger Prescott, at her side. Now she makes her home in a forest in the mountains of Arizona. She loves to hear from her readers.

Connect with Marsha:
Website: http://marshaward.com
Blog: http://marshaward.blogspot.com
Email: marshaw@marshaward.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authormarshaward
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarshaWard

Join Marsha’s mailing list for a free book, special offers, and new releases: http://eepurl.com/vBKEj

Fresh Book Friday: Bloodied Leather, A Shenandoah Neighbors Story

It's Fresh Book Friday! Today is the Release Day for my latest short story.

Title: Bloodied Leather, A Shenandoah Neighbors Story
Author: Marsha Ward
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: WestWard Books
Date Published: August 18, 2017
Price: $0.99 for ebook edition

Purchase Links:
Kindle | NOOK | Kobo | iTunes |Smashwords

Book Description:
Isabelle Gilbert chafes against the restrictions that Victorian life puts on a young lady.

Forced to accept a betrothal to Percival Egmont, an English ex-patriot like her father, she is disturbed by his passion for prize-fighting—and other pursuits. And what if Mama spots the bruise on her cheek?

Then shared secrets perplex Isabelle even more.

A “Shenandoah Neighbors” story that extends the Owen Family universe, Bloodied Leather opens a new era for this popular family saga.

Author Bio:
Author Marsha Ward writes authentic historical fiction set in 19th Century America, and contemporary romance. She was born in the sleepy little town of Phoenix, Arizona, in a simpler time. With plenty of room to roam among the chickens and citrus trees, Marsha enjoyed playing with neighborhood chums, but always had her imaginary friend, cowboy Johnny Rigger Prescott, at her side. Now she makes her home in a forest in the mountains of Arizona. She loves to hear from her readers.

Connect with Marsha:
Website: http://marshaward.com
Blog: http://marshaward.blogspot.com
Email: marshaw@marshaward.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authormarshaward
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarshaWard

Join Marsha’s mailing list for a free book, special offers, and new releases: http://eepurl.com/vBKEj

Fresh Book Friday: The Complete Owen Family Saga

There's so much going on out my way, that I don't really know where to start. I guess Fresh Book Friday is a good Starting Place.

Title: The Complete Owen Family Saga
Author: Marsha Ward
Genre: Civil War and Western Historical Fiction
POD Publication Date: April 28, 2017
Promotional Price: $24.95

Purchase Links: CreateSpace | Amazon 

Book Description:
Marsha Ward did not write the five novels of The Owen Family Saga in order, but there is definitely an optimal reading order, and here it is in one grand box set collection.

The Complete Owen Family Saga is a chronological ordering for optimal reading pleasure and understanding of the five novels within: Gone for a Soldier, The Man from Shenandoah, Spinster's Folly, Ride to Raton, and Trail of Storms.

The Owen Family is headed by Rod Owen, with his wife Julia at his side to hand him a daily dose of love and humility. Their sons and daughters are fun-loving and a bit rowdy, but intensely loyal to God, Virginia, and family. Not even the Civil War and its hardships can quell their spirits, but in quiet times, the losses seem overwhelming.

Join Rod and Julia Owen, their sons, daughters, and neighbors in Colorado Territory and beyond for action, adventure and romance in 19th Century America.

Author's Note:
This box set was first published as an ebook collection, but I was persuaded that some people might like the set in print. Here it is, all 798 pages of it.

The Promotional Price will increase to the Regular Price of $34.95 on June 1, so get the collection while you can at a discount of over $50.00 off the cost of the novels purchased individually.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In other news, Western Stories: Four Tales of the West is now available in both ebook and print, with a brand new cover:

Purchase Links: Print: CreateSpace | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | E-Books: Smashwords (all formats) | Kindle | NOOK | Kobo | Apple iTunes Bookstore

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In addition, I'm in the process of changing the cover for Spinster's Folly due to re-numbering issues with the original print cover that I couldn't overcome. I hope you will like it when it trickles down through the system:

In the next few days I'll have a brand new book for writers available! Keep watch for THE CHECKLIST: Indie Publishing My Way.

Fresh Book Friday: Sweet Water

My sweet, amazing author friend, Laurie Lewis, has a new book out, and here it is:

Title: Sweet Water: Destination Billionaire Romance
Author: Laurie Lewis
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Gelato Publishing
Date Published: March 4, 2017
Price: $2.99 (Kindle EBook)

Purchase Link: Kindle

Book Description:
Olivia joined friends Hudson Bauer and Jeff McAllister in developing a business. While she and Hudson dreamed of using their success to improve the world, Jeff set his sights and fortunes on Olivia. On the most important night of Hudson’s life, Olivia and Jeff eloped. Betrayed, Hudson ended the partnership, throwing Jeff and Olivia aside as he made his own fortune.

After a tragic accident leaves Olivia’s body and heart battered, and her dreams of a family destroyed, she is forced to accept Hudson’s offer to recuperate at his parents’ empty house on Oregon’s Cannon Beach. Her return to the place where the three friends once summered casts new light on her hasty marriage, and on the enemy she once called friend.

Through a new position doing humanitarian work, Olivia reawakens, giving rise to long denied feelings for Hudson. But guilt over Jeff’s death leaves her stuck between grief and the hope of new love. All her life, other people have made decisions for Olivia, but now the future is up to her, if she can make peace with the past and embrace a future with a man she once hated.

Author Interview:

Hello, my friend! Let's tell the folks about you. Where did you grow up?

Far away from where you live, Marsha. In Carroll County, Maryland, between Baltimore and Washington.

Where do you live now?

We raised our family and still reside in the same house, fifteen miles from where I grew up.

That's pretty amazing, Laurie, sticking so close to home! What would you like readers to know about you?

I’m a craft-challenged wife, mother, and grandmother with some life experience under my belt. Some joyful. Some painful. All valuable. I’m also LDS, a woman of faith, and I hope that all those characteristics combine to make me the author of rich, meaningful stories. I’d like readers to pick up one of my books knowing they are getting a smart, clean read that will inspire and lift them.

You're an admirable woman, my friend. How many books have you written, and which is your favorite?

Sweet Water is my ninth published work. As you know, and depending on the day, each book is most writers’ most, and least, favorite, especially while we’re working on it!!! LOL! I generally am exhausted by a book at the end of the editing process, and then I LOVE it again when I see it in print! How’s that for bi-polar authorship??? Seriously, they all are like my children. You put your heart into each of them, so you love them all, but my “Free Men and Dreamers” series and The Dragons of Alsace Farm are probably the two I am most connected to, because those projects changed me.

I know they've impacted many lives beyond yours. Let's talk about writers' ambiance. Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?

I love writing to music, especially for certain scenes. When I wrote my “Free Men and Dreamers” series, I cranked up “The Last of the Mohicans” soundtrack. Andrea Bocelli and Josh Groban got me through The Dragons of Alsace Farm. While writing Sweet Water for Gelato Books’ “Destination Billionaire Romance” series, I listened to a lot of Alex and Sierra, and Adele. *smiles*

Sweet Water: Destination Billionaire Romance is a different type of work for you, isn’t it? What’s the story behind it?

It is, and it isn’t. I’m known as L.C. Lewis for my historical fiction, and I’ve written three women’s fiction novels under my own name, so while it’s true that I’ve never written a “romance” before, with its specific plotting and elements, I am consistent in trying to make all my books character-driven stories that uplift and cause readers to think about something in a new way.

When Christine Dymock and I met at a writers’ conference two years ago, I had no idea she was the owner of Gelato Books, or that I’d be invited to leave my four-hundred-page comfort zone to take a stab at a romance novella for her Destination Billionaire series. I had plotted out a women’s fiction novel during a family visit to the Oregon coast, and decided to use that outline for this novella, but the word count restrictions and pacing demands proved more challenging than I expected. I’d have to say that learning curve is what made this project an absolute blast.

Isn't it wonderful to stretch and grow? What is the major theme of Sweet Water?

Redemption and forgiveness are big themes in my books. We all need a little of both at one time or another. The romance storyline is about hijacked love—when two people miss “their moment,” when their timing gets thrown off by someone or something, and how they react to it when they realize what’s happened. I hope readers see Olivia and Hudson grow, and feel their renewed peace.

That will be good! What do you hope readers will take away from this book?

I hope they’ll find Sweet Water to be an escape book, a few hours’ diversion. With that said, I like to add some depth to each read, so with all the tumult over immigration and refugees, I wanted to introduce my readers to a few amazing women doing great things in the world.

Hudson refers to the AMAR foundation on page eight of the book. A dear friend introduced me to the chairwoman of AMAR, Baroness Nicholson of Winterbourne, while assisting at a reception in her honor near Washington D.C. AMAR provides health care and education to families living in war zones or in areas of civil disorder and disruption. Ninety percent of all donations go directly to helping the people AMAR serves. When so many of us feel helpless to make a difference, here is a safe, trustworthy way we can all help. Click http://bit.ly/1z8Cx2q and enter AMAR to make a donation.

The nuns and orphans being attacked by rebels in Sweet Water are based on an actual convent in The Ivory Coast of Africa. Another friend, Dr. Melei Lath, introduced me to her sister, Mother Eugenie, the Mother Superior of the Fraternité Monastique Des Soeurs de Jesus-Euchariste. These brave nuns support themselves and use their earnings to protect and educate orphans left alone as a result of disease and war. Their great hope is that they will someday be in a position to build a proper orphanage where they can protect the children from the rebels plaguing them. You can see photos of Mother Eugenie, her nuns, and some of the children here on the GoFundMe page I helped them set up. Please consider donating to her work.

Those sound like two very important and worthy humanitarian works we should get behind! But I'm curious. What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be published?

Thanks for asking! I’ve got two projects in progress. Leverage has been in the works for over a year. It’s a complex political suspense novel about two last-chance people who arrive in a dying West Virginia mining town. A tip from a ruthless informant sends fallen journalism phenom, Jackson James, to Cutler’s Ridge to chase down a story lead involving three high-level passengers headed for the town in a private plane that didn’t file a flight plan.

A young scientist, Tallie Brown, was forced by her emotionally distant mother to live a life of seclusion. When Tallie's mother dies in an accident, she leaves behind a newspaper article and a cryptic message that leads her daughter to Cutler’s Ridge, but the townspeople make it clear they don’t like any strangers. Worse yet, they seem to fear the shy, reclusive Tallie Brown.

Even the other stranger in town, reporter James, puts Tallie on his radar when she predicts the fall of the private plane he came to track right before it falls from the sky, killing everyone on board. James uncovers some strange truths about the town and Miss Brown. She has no recorded birth certificate, and the town is riddled with twenty years of secrets that involve the halls of congress and a local military base.

If all goes well, Leverage should hit the market this summer.

Ooo! It sounds delicious! Would you like to hear what readers of this blog think?

I love to hear from readers. I hope they will consider joining my mailing list to receive updates and behind-the-scenes glimpses into upcoming books, or write to me at any of these sites.

Website | Blog | Amazon Author Page | GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Newsletter Sign-up

Fabulous, Laurie! Thanks for visiting my blog today to celebrate your new book.

Thanks so much for the interview, Marsha!

Fresh Book Friday: From Julia's Kitchen: Owen Family Cookery

My newest book launches today, so it's a good thing it's Fresh Book Friday!

Title: From Julia's Kitchen: Owen Family Cookery
Author: Marsha Ward
Genre: Recipe Collection mixed with Fiction
Publisher: WestWard Books
Date Published: March 10, 2017
Price: $4.99 for ebook edition

Purchase Links:

Kindle | NOOK | Kobo | iTunes | Smashwords

Book Description:
When Julia Susannah Helm was just a little girl in Pennsylvania, she discovered a “receipt” for hash in a kitchen drawer, written out in the hand of her father’s former housekeeper. Her brother Jonathan made her a small wooden box to keep it in. That was the beginning of her recipe collection, which became one of her most cherished possessions.

It was never more important to her than when she took it to Shenandoah County, Virginia, to help her cousin prepare for her wedding. Almost out of the blue, Julia became Mrs. Roderick Owen, and the recipe collection proved invaluable to her as a young bride.

Enjoy the fictional aspects of this book in the world of the Owen Family, and then make the real recipes to enjoy.

Includes a Bonus Scene suggested by one of the recipes.

Author Bio:
Best-selling author Marsha Ward writes authentic historical fiction set in 19th Century America, and contemporary romance. She was born in the sleepy little town of Phoenix, Arizona, in a simpler time. With plenty of room to roam among the chickens and citrus trees, Marsha enjoyed playing with neighborhood chums, but always had her imaginary friend, cowboy Johnny Rigger Prescott, at her side. Now she makes her home in a forest in the mountains of Arizona. She loves to hear from her readers.

Connect with Marsha:
Website: http://marshaward.com
Blog: http://marshaward.blogspot.com
Email: marshaw@marshaward.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authormarshaward
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarshaWard

Join Marsha’s mailing list for a free book, special offers, and new releases: http://eepurl.com/vBKEj

Fresh Book Friday - A Golden Princess

It's Friday, and I have a new book to show to you:

Title: A Golden Princess
Author: Anna del C. Dye
Genre: Young Adult Medieval Romance
Published: February 3, 2017

Book Description:
Small for her age, Princess Nyala is determined to be noticed and someday rule with fairness and valor in Kaloma. All that changes when she looks upon the stars and they predict her accident. After she awakens to a broken body, her father takes to his goblet and she steps into power in her kingdom at sixteen.

Her father said that no man would choose a half-broken princess. Is that how Prince Nicolao sees her after the accident? Her heart is unsure, and out of fear, she keeps him away to avoid a broken heart.

As soon the other kingdoms in the land determine the predicament of the Royal House of Kaloma, they too will prey on her vulnerability to steal her kingdom. She will have to confront new foes or lose it all.

Purchase Link: Kindle

Excerpt:
“The servants have set dinner in the terrace for us,” the prince stated.

“That will be different,” the princess replied. “But it is a wonderful night.”

“I think it is the company that makes it more beautiful,” Briton said. He didn’t want to be left out, and Nicolao felt for him, just a little bit.

Never before had he noticed how long the hall seemed or the brilliant lights that hung from the rafters. That night the path echoed with their joyous voices and their steps. He pointed to the paintings of his forefathers and she commented on their clothes and strange hairdos.

“I would love to see your kingdom someday,” he mentioned. He wanted to stay close and see where his admi­ration for her would take him in the next few years. He vowed to let his heart decide the matter.

“Oh, this is enchanting, Prince Nicolao,” she sighed and brought him back to the moment.

The servants opened two glass doors and the group stepped onto the terrace.

“Could you please call me just Nicolao?” he asked.

“Did you see the lanterns hanging from the vines?” she asked, ignoring him and he wondered why? ... Did she do it on purpose?

“They seem like stars suspended in the air.” Misty turned slowly to take it all in.

“The fragrance from those flowers is delicate and beauti­ful,” Nyala stated, and sniffed the air some more.

“I am most pleased that you like them,” the prince said. He wanted her attention and it felt odd to compete with the nightlights and plants for it.

“Like them? We love them!”

After supper, Nicolao invited them for a moonlit walk.

Nyala glanced again at the dark velvety sky and said, “I have never seen so many stars in one place before.”

“Me neither, it is an awesome sight,” her lady-in-waiting added.

“We ordered them,” explained Asher, “the velveteen sky, the diamonds, all suspended in the night, just for you.” He finished with a bow towards Misty. The words fitted the mo­ment and the company and Nicolao wished he would have come up with that thought, but alas, he was outwitted.

“Most thoughtful of you,” Misty giggled.

“I would like to know about the different shapes that the stars form,” Nyala stated. “See that one, it seems to be a pot or something like that.”

“I do see what you mean,” Nicolao responded.

“Do you know what they mean?” she pressed.

“No, but there is someone in the castle who knows about them,” he affirmed. “Briton, could you get Drake, the astrol­oger, from his tower to come and talk to us about the stars?”

“What is an astrologer?” Nyala asked as Briton left.

“Astrologers are few, and only royalty have one in their employ,” the prince explained. “They claim to understand the stars, travel by them and such. But take warning, their upkeep is high.”

“I see,” she said.

“My Princess, many astrologers are seen as an amuse­ment by many of the people of the court,” Asher cautioned her.

“It is just for fun, my friend,” she patted his arm. “I am dying to see what he tells us.”

“Princess Nyala visits us from the Kingdom of Kaloma,” Prince Nicolao introduced her to the astrologer.

“It is an honor, My Lady,” Drake said and bowed to them. A half-moon pendant hung from his neck over the long, dark blue gown he wore.

“Drake, please tell us, what do you see in the stars?” Nyala asked, hands turned upward.

“Many things, My Lady,” he answered.

“What about the shapes of the stars, Drake? Do they mean anything?”

“Yes, My Princess. They all have names and they are the rulers of everyone’s future,” he answered. He then told them the name of many star clusters; at least what he and the other astrologers called the different groups of stars. His knowledge kept them fascinated for a long while.

“What else do you see in them?” she asked again.

“I see the seasons, the weather and also the future.”

“That is impossible; no one is permitted to know such things.” Nicolao stared at the sage.

“Everyone’s future is written in the stars,” the astrologer insisted. His dark eyes returned the prince’s stare.

“Could you tell me about my future?” Nyala asked.

“Yes, My Lady. Please tell me which day you were born.”

She answered all of his questions. He then opened his star charts and did some calculations on them. When Drake seemed done, he glanced back and forth between the prince and her, his lips and tan face appeared tight.

“What did you find out?” she blurted.

“My Lady is going to be a queen before she turns eight­een,” Drake responded.

“Oh, the laws of our kingdom stipulate that I have to be eighteen to become queen.”

“It is written in the stars,” he pointed at the parchment in his hand.

“What else did you see?” Nicolao insisted, not impressed with his first statement.

“My Lady is coming back to visit us in the spring of her fifteenth birthday,” Drake stated quickly.

“That sounds much better. Will I be alone?” Nyala asked.

“No, My Lady, thy father and this young lady will be with you.”

“Anything more?” she insisted.

“Thy father is going to fall ill and die on your seven­teenth birthday, My Princess.”
~~~

Author Bio:
Anna was born in the extreme South along some famous beaches. She grew up with four other siblings, being placed in the middle.

Anna moved to the USA to marry her husband, Rodney, and has resided in Utah since then. Her husband, a native of Idaho, met her in her hometown. They fell in love and she came to Utah on Christmas Eve to be married two weeks later. They are the parents of three princes and a princess.

Early on in her life she showed an affinity for sewing and took classes that rewarded her with the opportunities of doing costuming for the cast of four musicals, and for Utah’s own Fantasy Con, which she enjoyed immensely. She is fluent in both English and Spanish. Anna lives in Taylorsville, Utah, in a house that is 116 years old.

Some of Anna’s writing recognitions:
Anna received the Editor’s Choice Award from the International Library of Poetry and had her article entitled "A New American Mother" published by Desert Saints Magazine. Her short story entitled "Amerine—Fairy Princess" won an award in the Oquirrh chapter contest and was published by Kalkion Magazine. (Now it is published as an e-book.) Other articles about family and relationship have been published frequently in the MOMS CLUB® of Salt Lake Valley-West.

Anna has published seven books in her Elf series. One won a bronze seal, another first page second place and yet another honorable mention. Her love story was published by Deseret book in the anthology entitled Angels Round About, compiled by July C. Olsen. Another of her articles was included in the book Mother’s Message in a Bottle, edited by Tyler Hayden and published by Ninbus Publishing. Her new series, "A Royal Romance," was published in February, 2015, with the first book being Once Upon Two Kingdoms, which won a first page award. A Kingdom by the Sea, the second book in "A Royal Romance," was published in February, 2016.

Connect with Anna:
Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Purchase Link: Kindle