Seelie Kay's Blog

Joining me today in The Loft is author Reggi Allder. She writes romantic suspense and contemporary romance novels. Her characters must overcome obstacles. The males are strong, though they may be wounded. The women are determined to change their lives to manage their future. They each fight to discover hidden strengths and work toward lifelong goals. The author of The Sierra Creek Series, and The Dangerous Series. Reggi has also contributed to cookbooks and written children’s stories. She is a film buff and collects classic movies. Reggi is also an animal lover and has raised puppies for Guide Dogs for the Blind. 

Author Reggi Allder
S:   Welcome, Reggi! Thanks for joining me today.
Why write romance?
R:  I write about life. Romance is an important part of it, whatever the story. Everyone wants someone to understand, care, and share with them.
S:  That is so true.
How do you develop your characters? Do you use photos or a vision board? 
R:  I do not use storyboards, three-by-five cards, or other props. I sometimes write the character’s profession or goal, and let the story unfold.
S:  Do you outline the plot for your stories before writing?
R:  I’m a pantser, not a plotter. I don’t outline, though I often know the last scene and write toward it. I start and let the characters guide me.
S:  I work in a similar way, though I know the beginning, never the end. 
Do you write in other genres?
R:  I write suspense, mystery, and contemporary novels. I have also written a historical novella. I like writing in different genres and wish I had more time for it.
S:  If you had to do it over again would you still write books?
R:  I would. If I’m going to think about them, I might as well put them on paper so others can read them.
S:  What inspired "My Country Heart?"
R:  I write romantic suspense so why did I want to write a small-town contemporary romance? A friend who is an author and one of my critique partners asked me that. Well, I do love a good romantic suspense novel. However, after writing a few, I realized I needed a break from spending so much time with evil characters who were determined to do bad things.
S:  Is there anything special you would like people to know about "My Country Heart?"
R:  I’ve lived in large cities and small towns. When I was in L.A., many people talked about moving away from the noise, traffic, and crowds. I began to think of characters who might populate the imaginary town of Sierra Creek, a village nestled in California’s Sierra Nevada Foothills, with a population of five thousand. Soon ideas were flowing and Amy Long, a single mother who needed a home, and Champion Cowboy Wyatt Cameron, who was only concerned about his career, were born. They are introduced in Book One of the Sierra Creek Series. and readers may follow them and others in the town throughout four books. "My Country Heart" is the latest in the series.
Here's the blurb--
Sparks fly when opposites attract in the small town of Sierra Creek. “If you love small towns, second chances, and real-to-life characters, the Sierra Creek books are for you!”
Amy Long needs a forever home. Downsized, she lost her apartment in the city and returned to the small town of Sierra Creek to find a fresh start. Does she belong? Cowboy Wyatt Cameron doesn’t think so. She’s in the way of his plans and as executor of her grandmother’s estate, he has the power to send her packing.
What can she offer to change his mind?
When sparks fly will it break a heart?

S:  Where can readers buy your book?
R:  It's available at   http://www.amazon.com/dp/B012U5UTGW .
S:  Reggi, thanks for chatting with me today. If you'd like to learn more about Reggi and her books, please visit--
Amazon Author Page:  https://www.amazon.com/Reggi-Allder/e/B00G05PJRS
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/reggi.allder
BookBub:  https://www.bookbub.com/profile/reggi-allder

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7416390.Reggi_Allder

Blog:  http://reggiallder.blogspot.com

Joining me today in The Loft is new Extasy author Michell Burgan. Michell writes Sci-Fi adult, and dark romance as well as tales of the supernatural. Her stories feature strong, independent, take-charge, plus-size women. No matter their age, they lead their fellow cast to great conclusions. When not writing, Michell pursues other creative tasks, such as drawing, painting, working with acrylic, or taking photos. The single mother of a young adult, Michell resides in her home state of Texas.
Author Michell Burgan
S:  Welcome to The Loft, Michell!
What do you think is the biggest issue facing romance authors today?
M:  Keeping their writing fresh and engaging for readers. Finding a new twist to make their story fresh. In my case and other authors who write spicy romance, it's keeping the story balanced between the spice and the story.
S:  Finding that balance is extremely important. 
If you could change one thing in the book publishing industry, what would it be?
M:  I understand that publishing is a business, but publishers could benefit from not being super-exclusive. There are so many talented writers out there who need the experience of top-notch editors and publishing professionals, but can't afford to pay outrageous fees. There are other ways to make it feasible for both sides. So whether it is profit share, payment plans, or offering smaller cost-efficient classes, those services need to be available. Publishers could also hold small book festivals and invite smaller authors to help them get exposure.
S:  Well-edited and correctly formatted manuscripts are essential to the submission process. I have editing experience, but I also utilize editing software. For me, it's a matter of professionalism.
Why write romance?
M:  Usually, people write what they read and that is the case with me. I love a good romance story with lots of twists. I do prefer supernatural, Sci-Fi, or dark romance, but a cute cozy romance is fun sometimes. The one thing these stories almost always have in common is a lead female character who is usually not confident in herself without the main male character to show her she's worth everything. The female character is also usually a smaller physically-built woman. I want to see more plus-size women and more strong, confident female characters before the male character even shows up in the story. There weren't many of those stories out there. And you know what they say, "If the story you want to read is not out there it's because you haven't written it yet." So that's what I did. I wrote a story that I wanted to read and that I felt had the representation I wanted to see out in the world.
S:  How do you develop your characters? Do you use photos or a vision board?
M:  When developing characters, it kind of varies for me. I normally decide what my world is going to be first. Then I start with names. I always try to pick names that are very different but also fit the world I am trying to build. Once I decide on names, their personalities begin to fall into place. For example, the main character in a new series I am working on is Mars Ramsey Centaurus. This name tells you that she is a strong character and the story is most likely going to have something to do with celestial or supernatural beings. I feel the names of your characters really help with creating their personalities.

S:  When you have fully developed characters, it becomes easier to assign names. For example, the surname, Snively, conveys negative character traits. The surname, Smith, may be used to hint that the character is hiding something.
Do you have a “the one who got away” tale? Care to share it?
M:  I do. He was my college sweetheart and the father of my daughter. We had a huge fight the day I found out that I was pregnant. I didn't know that someone close to me had already told him I was pregnant. I told him to leave during the fight if he didn't like the way I did things. All he wanted was for me to tell him I was pregnant, but I wasn't ready and I didn't know someone else had already told him. Later on, he did try to come back and apologize. The same person interfered. I didn't know he came to apologize to me. We never got past all of it.
S:  Which famous book do you wish you had written?
M:  This is a hard one. I love so many stories out there. But one of my absolute favorites is "Lord of the Rings." So, I wish I had written it. Just the fact that that story has become the archetype for most fantasy stories out there is amazing. I would have loved to have been the first to create these characters--the elves, hobbits, and dwarves. 

S:  What inspired "Treacherous Heavens?"
M:  I love Sci-Fi, but Sci-Fi normally doesn't have much romance, let alone spicy romance. So I decided to do my best to create a story that was a good balance between Sci-Fi and spicy romance. Other than that, the other shows and books that inspired me were Star Trek, The Expanse, The 100, and Night Flyer.
S:  Is there anything special you would like people to know about "Treacherous Heavens?"
M:  In my book, "Treacherous Heavens," and its sequel, "Dangerously Broken," I tried to keep things authentic to its characters and locations. For example, the female lead is from Texas so her dialogue has very Texan words like, y'all and fixin to. But she also shows the Tex-Mex side of her. She curses in Spanish.
Here's the blurb--

Waking up 105 years in the future was shocking. Finding out the world they knew was totally destroyed was devastating.

Atlantis Rey, single mom to Verruca Rey, wakes from her cryogenic sleep pod 105 years in the future to find out things have not gone to plan. Vega, the ship’s AI, explains that the vampire clean-up did not go as scheduled and that she and the 249 other passengers, are the last known living humans.

Vega appoints Atlantis as the leader of the awakees, and they all look to her for the answers to how to survive their new lives. Knowing their best chance is to return to Earth, she has to find the right place to settle them before space or malicious awakees foil her plans.
Yet amidst this chaos, Atlantis and Verruca manage to find lovers and a new family to surround themselves with.

S:  That sounds like a complex plot. Where can readers purchase your book?
M:  Booksellers are listed at https://mybook.to/TreacherousHeavens.
S:  Michell, I'm so pleased that you could join me today. If you'd like to learn more about Michell and her books, please visit--
Website:  https://rydiankainbooksandart.wordpress.com/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/rydiankain.booksandart

Publisher:   https://www.extasybooks.com/index.php?route=product/author&author_id=1265

Amazon Author Page:  https://www.amazon.com/author/michellburgan

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Joining me today in The Loft is Canadian author Anne Hamilton Fowler. Anne traveled many paths before writing her memoir, "I've Worn Many Hats." Anne began her work life as a nurse, but soon moved on to a position as a flight attendant at American Airlines. She left the airline to found Hamilton Enterprises, a well-known personnel agency located in Toronto.  In 2000, she semi-retired to pursue philanthropic projects in Honduras, where she now lives six months each year. The mother of two, Anne enjoys spending time with two grandchildren and two grand dogs. She has also outlived two ex-husbands! 
Author Anne Hamilton Fowler
S:  Good morning, Anne. Thanks for joining me in The Loft today!
How did you prepare to write your book? Did you outline the details or "shoot from the hip?"

A:  The plot was my life. People have asked how I could possibly remember so many details. Of course, we all know that when one reaches a certain age, they may not remember what they did yesterday, but can clearly recall incidents of 50 years ago. I kept notepads around the house and when I thought of a memory, no matter what time of day or night, I wrote it down. As you can imagine, this led to copious pieces of paper/notes scattered about. I knew the book would be written in two parts--before and after Honduras. About once a week, I would gather up my paper trail, decipher the sometimes illegible notes, and enter the information into the appropriate section of my outline. But what no one had warned me about was that the hard part was yet to come--formatting.

S:  Obviously, that method worked for you.
What would you like to people to know about you?

A:  I’ve always enjoyed writing although this is the only book I’ve done. Throughout my life I wrote many business proposals/speeches, weekly newspaper columns, several cookbooks, and as far back as Grade Four, I wrote a mystery play to be performed by classmates. I suspect at age 83, my days as an author are over, but I just might be convinced to compile a collection of stories written by our young international volunteers recounting their tales of adventure in Honduras.
S:  That would be an interesting book!
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
A:  That despite many missteps and sometimes inappropriate, outrageous behavior, I managed to raise two children into outstanding, responsible adults. They are not only wonderful parents but all-around good people. The work I have been doing in Honduras for almost 30 years is just icing on the cake.
S:  That must be gratifying. A life well-lived.
What do you want inscribed on your tombstone? How do you want to be remembered?
A:  I want to be remembered as someone who not always made the best decisions but lived life to its fullest, doing it my way. At the end, I will leave without regrets knowing that in spite of mistakes, I did manage to do some things right and succeeded in making a positive impact on many lives.
S:  What inspired your book, "I’ve Worn Many Hats?"
A:  There were several factors. For one, I was tired of listening to friends urge me to write my life story and was dabbling in putting something together to raise funds for my Honduran programs. Then COVID hit and in 2020, I was stranded in Honduras for 19 months. Unable to return to Canada, my projects were on hold and so I finished what I had started. The book got done.
S:  Is there anything special you would like people to know about "I’ve Worn Many Hats?"
A:  "I’ve Worn Many Hats" has been called, “An entertaining book that once started can’t be put down.” I wrote about events in my life that I’d never before had closure on. It was incredibly cathartic. Plus, I totally unexpected the reaction/dialogue initiated by some readers. This is the beginning of one of those conversations I received via email. “I’ve Worn Many Hats is a truly inspiring memoir written by a remarkable woman who survived terrible traumatic events by entering into a reckless way of living. What I read on the recommendation of a friend, and expected to be just another memoir, turned out to be so much more! Entertaining? Yes. As you laid out your life experiences--romantic, criminal, tragic--so honestly, I found myself identifying with them. For the first time in many years, I was encouraged to finally open up and share with friends my own damaged past. It was liberating! You are indeed an inspiration.” I have received many such responses from women who experienced trauma in their past but had been reluctant to talk about it. As well, I heard from family members and friends of women who had suffered in silence. It is my hope that our conversations have helped to give closure to a few of these people.
Here's the blurb--
This memoir is the no holds barred account of my unorthodox life lived in a manner regularly viewed as risky and on the edge, frequently laughable, on occasion full of hardship, but never boring! The candid account that spans decades of a long bumpy life evokes many emotions; laughter, empathy, shock, admiration. As you read the first half, you may find yourself going back, re-reading and thinking, “she did what?!” In the second half of the book, you will discover what inspired me to make such a drastic life change, leaving behind a long successful career in Human Resources to pursue philanthropic work with the people of Honduras.

S:  Where can readers buy "I've Worn Many Hats?"
A:  It's available at--
Amazon Canada:  https://www.amazon.ca/dp/1778350321
Amazon US:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/1778350321

Amazon UK:  https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1778350321 
Amazon Germany:  https://www.amazon.de/dp/1778350321

Amazon France:  https://www.amazon.fr/dp/1778350321 
Amazon Spain:  https://www.amazon.es/dp/1778350321

Amazon Italy:  https://www.amazon.it/dp/1778350321 
Amazon Australia:  https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/1778350321

S:  Anne, I'm so pleased that you could join me today! If you'd like to learn more about Anne and her book, please visit http://anne.honduranhope.net.

Joining me today in The Loft is fellow Extasy author Kim West. Her new contemporary romance book is her first foray into the romance genre. Previously, she published a book on Pilates and stretching exercises. Kim turned to writing romance after the COVID pandemic forced her to close her Interior Design business. She now writes full-time. The "mother" of three cats, Kim lives in Hout Bay, a picturesque fishing village in Cape Town, South Africa.

Author Kim West

S:  Good morning, Kim. Thanks for joining me today!

Why write romance?

K:   We live in an ugly broken world where people need to escape and dream of beauty. What better way than with a steamy erotic/romantic story? Sex is part of everyday life and I love to write about it. Sex is classy, beautiful, and stimulates the senses. It also makes us feel alive and it is an escape mechanism. When a man and a woman meet and are attracted to each other, they want to explore, and touch and feel, and in return, that makes them feel desired and attractive. Sex is also a much-needed physical activity to reduce stress. In short, we as humans need sex, and that is why God gave us sex. Like all else in the world, it must be treated with respect, and that is what I like to portray in my books. Sex is beautiful, wonderful, and aromatherapy for mind, body, and soul.

S:  I think all romance books offer an escape from reality, no matter the sub-genre. They are aromatherapy for the mind, body, and soul.

How do you develop your characters? Do you use photos or a vision board?

K:   Neither. I have a wide circle of friends and know a wonderful collection of spectacularly outrageous people that I have met through the years. I love using them as my role models, or I dream them up.

S:  I tend to write about lawyers for that very reason. I have met a broad range of people with a fascinating collection of quirks and foibles. Great fodder for my stories.

Do you outline the plot for your stories before writing?

K:   Yes, I do, but it invariable changes. I start with an idea but as the plot develops, I will embroider as the story unfolds and evolves, and then it usually changes direction

S:  I always say you can't write the ending until you understand the journey and that can't happen until your characters actually complete their journey.

What do you write first? The blurb or the book?

K:   The book. I have no idea how it is going to develop.

S:  Do you write in other genres?

K:   I compiled a book with motivational inspirational stories about life after divorce. So, I do write in other genres. I also wrote a children’s book a few years ago, but never submitted it for publication and would love to do that now. I just need to find the time to finish it.

S:  What famous book did you wish you had written? 

K:  "The Prince of Tides" by Pat Conroy. He has an unbelievable way to describe something. He has a way with words that I have never found with another writer. Each to his own, but he is really one of a kind.

S:  I enjoyed that book as well!

What do you want inscribed on your tombstone? 

K:  "Here lies a lady that inspired and motivated others to be the best God made them to be." I would like to be remembered for humility, kindness, empathy, and that I always respected other people in every way.

S:  What inspired "Yes?"

K:   Me! My fantasies.

Here's the blurb--

Although happily married, Cara felt there was a void in her life. Is she unconsciously looking for someone to fill this void? And will she find it?

Cara Belmond is a successful fashion designer and owns Cara’s Collections. She’s married to Rudolf, an artist, and together they own the Belmond Art Gallery. Beautiful and successful, they’re regarded as the golden couple of Cape Town. Cara and Rudolf are very much in love and have a very active sex life, but sometimes—just sometimes—she wonders if she doesn’t need a little bit more. Maybe a little harder.

That is until one night at one of their art exhibitions where she meets Mario Perez. Mario is Spanish, dangerously attractive, and arrogant. He invites Cara for coffee, and instantly fascinated by him she accepts. Will he be what she needs?

S:  That sounds like a steamy romance! Where can readers buy "Yes?"

K:  It's available at all major booksellers including--

Extasy Books:   https://www.extasybooks.com/Yes!

Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/Yes-Kim-West-ebook/dp/B0CLKBRJ8B

Barnes & Noble:   https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/yes-kim-west/1144324937

Kobo:   https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/yes-53

S:  Kim, I'm so happy you could join me today. Good luck with your book. If you'd like to learn more about Kim and her books, please visit--

Instagram:   https://www.instagram.com/kimwest2024/

Joining me today in The Loft is author Lyndi Alexander. Lyndi always dreamed of faraway worlds and interesting alien contacts. That's why she writes Sci-Fi romance. Now retired, Lyndi writes full time, when her nine cats allow her to reach the keyboard. In her spare time, she fosters kittens and cats for several local shelters, gardens and harvests at least one herb per summer, and volunteers at the local autism family support organization and ECOexplore, a science program through the North Carolina Arboretum.  Lyndi lives as a post-modern hippie in Asheville, North Carolina, the single mother of her last child of seven, a daughter on the autism spectrum. She finds that every day feels a lot like first contact with a new species!

Author Lyndi Alexander

S:  Good morning, Lyndi. Thanks for joining me today!

What do you think is the biggest issue facing romance authors today?

L:   The sheer numbers of books that are competition for each one we write. Eighty years ago, the competition was more in the being accepted by a publisher end. By 2000, the self-pubbed authors became a threat to the trad-pubbed authors. Not in an evil way, but there are plenty of people publishing first-draft, non-edited pieces of dreck that are clogging up the way for all of us. Now ads tout the possibility of AI-generated books that can help anyone write their novels and get them in print. It’s hard to rise to the top.

S:  It is difficult to get your name and your books out there.

If you could change one thing in the book publishing industry, what would you change?

L:  I’d love to see publishers have a standard marketing support plan to help authors—I get it that we know who our fans are and can pinpoint the right areas to target, but with so much competition out there, any little bit would help.

S:  You're right. It would be great if publishers offered marketing programs we could share or buy into.

Have you ever attended a writer’s retreat? Did you find it helpful? 

L:   I have, and I enjoyed it immensely. I get a great deal from co-working with other authors. Besides that, it’s nice to spend time with people who are my particular kind of crazy. No one in my family is particularly supportive of my writing, so being able to talk to folk who are is great.

S:  How do you develop your characters? Do you use photos or a vision board?

L:   I have begun to use Pinterest to gather inspiration. Character pictures, location sites, other details that might pertain. I personally could care less what I wear, but the heroine in "Cruel Charade," which comes out this summer, is a real clothes and makeup hound. So I picked out her outfits and pinned them as well. Readers can view my process at  https://www.pinterest.com/lyndialexander/five-things/  I was all prepared to name this book "Five Things," after the grounding technique Bet uses in the story—and then a book with the same title came out about three months before I was finished.

S:  Do you utilize tropes when writing romance? 

L:   I end up there sometimes. But I don’t set out to write “friends to lovers” or “second chance romance.” Once I have a setting and characters I like, then I start feeling out what plotlines will work out with those. Then I can tailor the story to fit something into blocks that I can explain to an editor. I tend not to write to formula, but prefer to write unique storylines.

S:  What do you write first—the blurb or the book?

L:   Definitely the book. I hate writing blurbs and put it off as long as possible.

S:  Do you write in other genres? 

L:  I do. As I said I write the stories that come to me, not anything in formula….so the stories that come are in romance and romantic suspense as Alana Lorens, and sci-fi/sci-fi romance and fantasy/YA as Lyndi Alexander. "Betrayed" is my most recent novel, and it’s the 28th published by small press. It’s a science fiction romance about a space detective who gets way too close to her case.

S:  What would you like to people know about you as a person or as a writer?

L:   That I’m a nice person despite all the disease and death and killers and other dark things I write about.

S:  What is the best/worst thing that has ever happened to you as a writer?

L:   I had a great experience at a book signing yesterday. I had a bunch of Lyndi Alexander books on the table, and someone stopped and said, ”Oh, I have a series of hers about a young Chinese girl!” I asked, “The Color of Fear series…right? Did you ever meet the author?” She said no. “Would you like to?” I stuck out my hand. When she realized I was right there in front of her, her face just lit up. That was amazing.

S: What inspired "Betrayed?"

L:   This story owes a debt to my Maquis Universal cohorts, a group that went for about 10 years online. Kylie and Griff’s characters were formed and fleshed out over the years of online RPG. Once the RPG closed, I wanted to memorialize the love story in writing even after the split from my ex-husband Eric. I will always appreciate and give credit to Eric, who created Griff from thin threads of imagination, and then made him worth loving.

S:  Lyndi, as always, it was great to chat with you. If you' like to learn more about Lyndi and her books, please visit--

Website and Blog:   https://lyndialexander.wordpress.com/

Facebook:   https://www.facebook.com/lyndialexander13/

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4185290.Lyndi_Alexander

Amazon Author Page:  https://www.amazon.com/Lyndi-Alexander/e/B005GDYPU2/

BookBub:  https://www.bookbub.com/profile/lyndi-alexander

Smashwords:  https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/lyndialexander

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/alexander_lyndi/

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/AlexanderLyndi

Joining me today in The Loft is author Helen Henderson! A former computer designer, feature-story writer, and correspondent, Helen writes historical, western, science fiction, and fantasy romance. Her series include the Dragshi Chronicles , The Windmaster Novels , and the Tear Stone Collectors . Her heritage is a reflection of contrasts--the descendent of a Pennsylvania German/Scot and a Czech, a coal miner's daughter, and a flight engineer she grew up knowing the simple life on a rural New Jersey farm. 
Author Helen Henderson
S:  Good morning, Helen. I'm so pleased that you could visit today!
Have you ever attended a writer’s retreat? Did you find it helpful? 

H:  The area where I used to live had several active writing groups so I was fortunate to be able to attend a number of different writer’s conferences. However, there were no affordable formal writer’s retreats. That said, with the number of books, online courses, and other materials, with the right materials and suitable surroundings, you can create your own retreat. Mine was the deck of a lakeside cabin in the Pocono Mountains. The cost? Staining the logs and deck.
S:  My best ideas come through meditation, so I'm not sure I would benefit from a group retreat. I think I would find it distracting.
What do you write first—the blurb or the book?
H:  Definitely the book. I need to know the entire story to identify the points I want the readers to know. Then pertinent keywords have to be researched and included. When a blurb is created, it is not set in stone. Just like the movie disclaimer when it is shown on television-- "This has been modified to fit the time frame and format"--the original blurb is transformed into short, medium, long, and back cover formats.
S:  I think writing the blurb first can be limiting. Waiting to finish the book before composing a blurb is much more freeing.
Do you write in other genres?
H:  At this point, I admit my long works fall into the fantasy genre. However, over the years my writing has crossed into other worlds of imagination including historical westerns and science fiction. Inspiration for the westerns was the Ashokan Farewell and western movie themes. Science fiction and fantasy usually have Celtic harp and flute playing in the background.
S:  Do you have a “the one who got away” tale? 
H:  I would say that the tale of "Hell Lost," a retired gunfighter who straps her guns back on and takes to the outlaw trail to save her family, is the “one who got away.” The story has been thought about several times but never gotten further than a short story that was published many years ago. For a long time, whenever the story rose to the forefront, either life got in the way or I received a paying assignment. These days, instead of going to the past, I seem to be working in worlds of imagination, hanging out with mages, and flying with dragons.
S:  What do you consider your greatest achievement?

H:  I am proud of the titles under my name. Besides a few hundred feature articles, there are three fantasy series and three local histories. There is also “Hearth and Sand: Stories from the Front Lines and the Homefront,” a multi-genre collection of poetry, short stories, and novellas. That has a special place in my heart because it was written in tribute to family members who wore the uniform to defend their country. However, my greatest achievement is my marriage of 50 years.
S:  Fifty years is an amazing accomplishment. Congratulations.
What do you want inscribed on your tombstone? How do you want to be remembered?

H:  Surprisingly, this question has been on my mind recently. Names and dates don’t capture the imagination of the viewer when they walk through the cemetery. I prefer the old-fashioned sandstones with epitaphs rather than the new-fangled markers with a video embedded in it. So here goes: "Here lies an author, storyteller, and historian. She captured the past for the future and cared for all." As to the why? Although I am no longer as active in the field, history is still part of my past and is embedded in every one of the fantasy worlds I visit. Storyteller because at some time we all need to escape our everyday lives and a good tale will take us to another time and place. The last has nothing to do with my career, although I like to think I’ve given a hand up to people rather than trampling them, but rather with me as a person and my hope that the scales of life tilt in favor of a loving, caring, decent human being.
S:  What inspired "Fire and Redemption?"

H:  When "Fire and Amulet" was finished, I knew there probably should be another book continuing Trelleir’s search for the homeland of his dragon kin. However, he said he needed more clues. He was curious as to what happened to the man whom Deneas spared after the attempt to kill her. The title came about when what started as a budding romance between Brial and Karst provided the opportunity for his redemption.
S:  Is there anything special you would like people to know about "Fire and Redemption?"

H:  My favorite character was a toss-up between the magic equines or the legendary hunting bird called a helwr. Tywyll, a helwr who selected Karst as the human he would protect, won the toss-up.
Here's the blurb--
Shunned by his kind and expelled from the dragon isle, Medraut is forced to shed his wings and take on human form to live amongst the people of the mainland. His problem? There are slayers, sworn to kill all dragons.
Brial has one chance to stop the fever ravaging her kin, but her healer powers have not yet awakened. To have the future she desires, she must survive the fever, raiders, and most of all, Medraut’s dragon ability to control minds.
Karst, son of the head slayer, was disowned and sent on an impossible quest to kill a dragon. Rather than return to his village and be subjected to the deadly justice of the Goddess, he made himself a home in the trading wagons of Clan Vreis. His newfound happiness is threatened when the caravan stops to help an injured man lying in the middle of the trail.
Three men and a dragon desire the same woman. One wants her for power, one for her beauty, and one for love. The dragon just wants her.

S:  That sounds intriguing! Where can readers buy, "Fire and Redemption?"
H:  It's available at--
Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CY7ZDFBJ

Barnes & Noble:  https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fire-and-redemption-helen-b-henderson/1145164176

Smashwords:  https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1537238

Additional sites:  https://books2read.com/fire-and-redemption
S:  Helen, thanks so much for joining me today. If you'd like to learn more about Helen and her books, please visit--
Blog:   https://helenhenderson-author.blogspot.com

Facebook:   https://www.facebook.com/HelenHenderson.author

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/history2write

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/777491.Helen_Henderson
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B001HPM2XK

Joining me today in The Loft is fellow Extasy author Tim Smith. Tim is an award-winning, bestselling author of romantic mystery/thrillers and contemporary erotic romance. His novels featuring former CIA agent Nick Seven have garnered several awards and international critical praise. He is also a freelance writer, blogger, editor, and photographer. When he isn’t pursuing those interests, he can be found in the Florida Keys, doing research in between parasailing and seeking out the perfect Mojito.
Author Tim Smith
S:  Welcome back, Tim! I'm excited to hear about your latest book.
What do you think is the biggest issue facing romance authors today?

T:  I think book banning and cancel culture both present issues for today’s romance authors. There are so many people looking for things to label as offensive that it’s getting more difficult to tell a good story without rubbing someone the wrong way. This is especially true for those who write LGBTQ or interracial romance. These subjects seem to dominate the banned book lists. For years, traditional romance publishers have strictly adhered to a list of off-limits story topics. Now we have people intent on adding their own politically-motivated pet peeves to the list.
S:  A particular group of book banners has been very active in my area, submitting requests to school libraries to ban 200 books or more. As a parent and an author, I find their attempts to usurp my judgment aggravating.
How do you develop your characters? Do you use photos or a vision board?
T:  When I’m conceiving a character, I have a certain personality and body type in mind, including hairstyle and clothing choices. I’m a people watcher and I pick up on little things, like a behavior or speech pattern, that I can use to make the characters realistic. In some cases, I might envision a specific actor, and I’ll use a headshot to capture certain details. My Florida-based stories are populated by Latino characters because they’re part of the cultural fabric, and they add realism. The challenge with specifying a character’s ethnicity is doing so without being derogatory or condescending.
S:  I love developing characters. I have so much fun employing quirks I have observed in other settings.
Do you outline the plot for your stories before writing?
T:  I typically begin with a rough outline in my head, including the ending I have in mind. I divide the story into chapters as I go. I seldom write an outline unless I’m stuck, and need to identify the problem. Although I have the story pretty much figured out before I begin, I’m not averse to changing course if the narrative dictates it. There have been times when I’m rolling along then something will make me stop and think “Hey, what if we did this instead?”
S:  I am more of a pantser. I know where I want to start, but I never know where I'll wind up!
What do you write first—the blurb or the book?
T:  The book comes first because writing the blurb is one of the toughest things for me. I’ll make a few notes on what to include while writing the story, but when it comes time to finish the blurb, I agonize over it. That’s the first impression you get to make with potential readers. It isn’t easy to write a 250-word summary that will grab their attention.
S:  I agree. Writing blurbs can be painful. 
Do you write in other genres? 
T:  I’ve published a number of short books that were romantic comedies instead of mystery/thrillers. Some were holiday-themed romances, and others were part of a series I called Key West Heat. All of those stories took place in Key West, but they each had different characters. I like to do the shorter ones as a change of pace. It challenges me to write a complete story in 10,000 words.
S:  What would you like to people know about you as a person or as a writer?
T:  My goal is to give readers an entertaining story, one that will help them temporarily escape this stressful thing called life. It’s why I work hard at creating realistic atmosphere, characters, situations, and dialogue. I don’t intentionally try to include messages or opinions, but sometimes they slip in by accident. I consider writing to be part of the entertainment business, because that’s what we do—we write to entertain and enlighten. I don’t write for the critics, but for the person in Parma, Ohio, or Rugby, North Dakota who just wants a diversion. One of the nicest compliments I can get is when someone says they can’t wait to read my next book. It doesn’t get much better than that!
S:  What inspired “One Way Out?"
T:  My previous series entry, “Out of the Shadows," did very well, and followers of the Nick Seven stories asked when I’d be releasing a sequel. I didn’t see a need for one, but the consensus was that I had left some loose threads at the end. This was done intentionally, because I wanted to leave a question mark about the Holy Grail everyone was after, but never found. After thinking about it, I viewed it as a challenge to see if I could write a story that would pick up where the previous one left off, while still working as a stand-alone adventure. I believe I accomplished that. I was also influenced by current events, social media trends, and political themes that piqued my interest.
S:  Is there anything special you would like people to know about “One Way Out?"

T:  “One Way Out” is my thirtieth published book, and the ninth installment in the Nick Seven series of Florida Keys-based adventures. The books do not need to be read in order. Although I incorporated topical themes into the plot, it’s a breezy, quick-paced adventure with romance, humor, interesting characters, snappy dialogue, and vivid atmosphere. It’s escapism, pure and simple. Chase away the blues by joining Nick and Felicia in sunny, sultry Key Largo for their latest adventure. I think you’ll enjoy the trip!
Here's the blurb--

Lauren Scott is a wealthy widow with a lot of embarrassing secrets. Her late husband, a convicted stock swindler, died under mysterious circumstances, just as he was about to name names in Federal court. His legacy supposedly includes a list of VIPs who attended sex parties on a private Caribbean island, among other things. Now Lauren has become the target of too many people who think she holds the secrets he once kept, and they just might kill her for them.
She calls on her friends, former CIA spies Nick Seven and Felicia Hagens, for help. Despite initial misgivings, they agree to assist her. But their laidback Florida Keys life is quickly disrupted by those in hot pursuit, including a zealous podcaster who is making Lauren’s private life public, a Treasury agent, victims of her late husband’s Ponzi scheme, and a Southern governor who has his eye on the White House.
Looks like there might be trouble brewing in paradise.

S:  That sounds like a fascinating plot! Where can readers buy your book?
T:  It's available at all major booksellers, including--
Extasy Books:  One Way Out (extasybooks.com)

Amazon:  One Way Out (Nick Seven Book 9) - Kindle edition by Smith, Tim. Romance Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

Barnes &  Noble:  https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/one-way-out-tim-smith/1145012169
Kobo:  https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/one-way-out-22

S:  Tim, thanks so much for joining me today and good luck with your new book! If you'd like to learn more about Tim and his books, please visit--

Tim Smith, Author | Books | Series | Interview | Deals | Newsletter | Contact | Site | AllAuthor

Joining me today in The Loft is author Christina Alexandra. Christina writes historical romance spanning from Georgian and Regency England to the gold fields of California. She uses her varied life and work experiences to craft true-to-life characters and emotional stories with a unique twist on modern issues. When not researching, writing, or working as an emergency services operator, she spends her spare time traveling, cooking—oftentimes with a historical flare—and connecting with fans and friends on social media. An avid trivia junkie, Christina is constantly on the lookout for random facts in the hopes that it will help her in her never-ending quest for a spot on “Jeopardy!”

Author Christina Alexandra
S:  Good morning, Christina. Thanks for joining me today.

What do you think is the biggest issue facing romance authors today?

C:   I know a lot of people are worried about AI in the writer and artist spaces. I’m not terribly concerned over this since AI is still a soulless machine that has no hope of replicating human emotion, tone, or voice.  To me, the biggest threat facing romance is visibility. There are so many books out there, some wonderful and complex, and others wonderful and comforting, others, not so much. With so many books out there, it is very difficult for new independent authors to find their audience. Yes, there is a reader for every book out there, but getting that book into the hands of the reader is where it becomes difficult.

S:  Self-publishing certainly opened the floodgates. Estimates are that up to four million books are now published a year. That makes for some pretty stiff competition.

Why write romance?

C:   You know all those bad cliches about romance that people always use to denigrate the genre? Those are the absolute reasons I love romance and write it. I love the formula Hero + Heroine + Shenanigans = HEA. I love the predictability of romance and its emotional payout. I work in a very real-world day job that doesn’t always have a positive end. Romance gives me that blast of endorphins that I need to get through my day. I love the angst, drama, and trauma of the relationships, but I also love how it all falls together in the end. I think we all need that boost of positivity and something to look forward to at the end of the day. And if someone else needs that rush of endorphins and gets it from what I write, then I will be happy.

S:  It would be a dark, dark world without romance--in fiction and the real world.

How do you develop your characters? Do you use photos or a vision board?

C:   Oh, my… characters. I have a list of characters and character pairings that I work off of. I don’t really know who they are. Their personalities, backgrounds, and drama/trauma don’t come into play until I start writing or outlining. I do use Pinterest to find images for characters and settings that I put in a mood board. I try to make a Pinterest board for each of my stories, so readers who follow me there can see what the inspiration for the characters and stories are.

S:  That's a clever idea and a good way to keep readers engaged.

Do you outline the plot for your stories before writing?

C:   I outline my longer stories, especially my series. My long-form stories and series have several plot threads in them, some running through the entire series, and I definitely need to keep track of who does what, how that thread impacts which characters, and how it relates to other external events. I have this big dry-erase board that I keep a series-long timeline on and plot out those points. I like being able to see it all in front of me and writing it out helps cement it in my brain.  My short stories, like "A Midnight Scandal," usually only have one plot thread and don’t require any heavy outlining. They only have the main relationship plot so there isn’t much for me to keep track of. I do keep a minimalist outline that is basically a list of whose point of view I’m in and the major plot point that happens.

S:  Do you utilize tropes when writing romance? 

C:  I do now, kind of. It took me a long time to figure out tropes and how to use them. Now they kind of happen accidentally in the story. I can definitely recognize them when they do happen. My current story, "A Midnight Scandal," is trope-centric. Its part of an anthology project where the only requirement was that all stories had to be the Wrong Bed trope. That was a fun challenge!

S:  I was also confused about tropes when I began writing romance. Then I realized I was already utilizing them. I just hadn't affixed a label to them.

What do you write first—the blurb or the book?

C:   For my short stories, I write the story first. Mainly because I don’t outline or plot them as heavily, so I don’t know what’s going to happen. On my longer stories, I come up with a concept first–usually a single line that gives the main relationship plot. I build a blurb around that, then I go into the rough outline, and finally, I start writing. It’s a whole process. 

S:  Do you write in other genres? 

C:  I tried! I had one disastrous attempt at science fiction, but I always revert back to romance. Specifically, historical romance. I tried contemporary once, but that didn’t work. I couldn’t figure out the language, or the clothing--especially the clothing. And what is up with all this technology? I think I was always destined to write historical fiction and romance.

S:  What is the best/worst thing that has ever happened to you as a writer?

C:   I was in a critique group years ago. It was three writers seeking publication, and a published author acting as a mentor for the group. We all submitted a chapter a week, then met up in person to discuss and critique each other's pages.  The published mentor happened to write in my genre, and they had a bad case of writer’s block. They’d written and traditionally published at least five books, and was feeling the pressure from their agent to submit something soon. One night they ripped my chapter to shreds, telling me the story idea I had was ridiculous, that the concept was unbelievable, no one would believe a heroine would be desperate enough to behave in such a way, and the entire situation was anachronous to the time period. I wasn’t too happy to hear that, but the worst part came two weeks later when they came to the group and showed us what they were submitting to their agent as their next book–the exact same scenario that I had written the month before. I know you can’t copyright ideas, but this felt like a stab in the back. If the idea was so wrong and unbelievable as they said, why did they turn around and use it themselves? That, along with literally throwing a dictionary at me when I questioned some word choices, made me realize this was not the help I needed to get my book written. Luckily, I didn’t take their initial advice, and they never submitted that book to their agent. That author has since stopped writing in the genre altogether. That was a tough time for me. I ended up shelving that entire project and didn’t write anything for over a year.

S:  What a horrible experience.

What inspired "A Midnight Scandal?"

C:  "A Midnight Scandal" was inspired by tropes! The main trope and theme of the anthology was Wrong Bed. For the longest time that was how I referred to it. It didn’t get a title until I was forced to choose one upon submitting to the anthology coordinator.  Using that trope as a starting point, I took off from there. The story itself went through about 15 different versions before I settled on the story as it is now. I started with a Maid in Manhattan vibe, but that evolved into a second-chance romance between a battle-weary soldier with PTSD, and his childhood friend and first love.

S:  Christina, thanks for visiting The Loft today. Good luck with the anthology! If you'd like to  learn more about Christina and her books, please visit--

 Website:  https://www.ChristinaAlexandra.net

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/AuthorChrisAlex

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/AuthorChrisAlex

Other links:  https://linktr.ee/authorchrisalex

Joining me today in The Loft is author Sadira Stone.  Sadira writes contemporary romance, which she defines as "steamy, smoochy tales" set in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. Formerly a high school English teacher, she now writes full-time. Her books focus on small businesses—a quirky bookstore, a neighborhood bar, a vintage boutique, a small-town newspaper—and highlight found family, friendship, and the sizzling chemistry that pulls unlikely partners together. When Sadira emerges from her writing cave, she can be found shaking her hips in dance class, playing guitar, exploring the Western U.S. with her husband, cooking up a storm, and gobbling all the romance books.
Author Sadira Stone
S:   Good morning, Sadira. I'm pleased you could stop by today!
What do you think is the biggest issue facing romance authors today?

SS:  Competition! There are so many of us writing good romance books, it’s a tough challenge to get the attention of readers who’d probably love our stories if they even knew they existed. I mean, I’m an avid romance reader myself, with the bad habit of buying any on-sale eBook that looks interesting, and my Kindle is stuffed with excellent books I haven’t got around to reading yet.
S:  I agree with you. The competition for readers is pretty intense. 
Have you ever attended a writer’s retreat? Did you find it helpful? 
SS:  I'm glad you asked this question! Last October, an author friend set up a small writers’ retreat in Westport, Washington, and I had a wonderful time. We wrote together in the hotel’s café during the day, had lunch and dinner together in local restaurants, and shared writing/publishing industry info around the fire pit at night. It was a super supportive and productive time. I can’t wait for next year’s retreat.
S:  Why write romance?
SS:  Romance is the literature of hope. I’ve lived through too much real-life tragedy, betrayal, rotten luck, and cruelty to want an extra dose of negativity in the stories I read for fun. After a career teaching Li-trah-chur with a capital L, it’s such a joy to write and read stories of hope, human connection, and love. Frankly, I need that guaranteed HEA before immersing myself in a story.
S:  "The literature of hope." I like that!
How do you develop your characters? Do you use photos or a vision board?
SS:  First, I come up with the basic premise for a story, then I create extensive character sketches. Choosing the character’s astrological sign gives me a complex personality to start with. For example, my next book involves a reclusive author with a tragic past, so I Googled “Which zodiac sign is most likely to be a recluse?” Et voilà! Finn Abrams is a Virgo, and his tarot card is The Hermit. I create a Pinterest page for each story, including photos of people who look like I imagine my characters, as well as buildings, interiors, and other places or elements in the story. Having an image helps me lots with writing descriptions. For example, here’s my page for "Love, Legacy, and Little Green Aliens," https://www.pinterest.com/sadira0641/xander-and-hannah/
S:  That's an interesting and unique process. You put a lot of effort into building your characters. 
Do you utilize tropes when writing romance? 
SS:  Absolutely! Romance readers are looking for a certain kind of emotional experience, and tropes are a handy shortcut to help them find what they want. A writer worth her salt--or ink?--knows how to use tropes as one element of a unique, layered story. My favorites are enemies to lovers, friends to lovers, opposites attract, single parent, and rivals to lovers. Lately, I’m writing mostly over-40 romance.
S:  I am also writing middle-aged romance more often. I need more stories I can identify with. 
Do you write in other genres?
SS:  My first three completed novels--as yet unpublished--are cozy mysteries with romantic elements. In fact, I had to tone down the love scenes. Finally, I took the hint and switched to writing romance because who wants to cut out the steamy smooches? But I do plan to publish those mysteries one day. I’ve also published a short horror story.
S:  What inspired "Love, Legacy, and Little Green Aliens?"
SS:  "Love, Legacy, and Little Green Aliens" was inspired by Marsh’s Free Museum, a sublimely eclectic and funky souvenir emporium in Long Beach, WA. In addition to a huge collection of seashells and all the beachy souvenirs, they also display weird taxidermized creatures (two-headed piglet, two-headed calf, shrunken heads), antique penny-arcade games, and Jake “the Alligator Man”—probably a mummified monkey sewn to an alligator’s body. I loooove this place, and for my book, I tweaked it by adding alien-themed tchotchkes. I do love tacky, quirky beach towns, and that’s the atmosphere you’ll find in the Trappers Cove romance series, inspired by all the funky beach towns I’ve visited in Washington State, Oregon, and Northern California.
S:  Is there anything special you would like people to know about "Love, Legacy, and Little Green Aliens?"
SS:  I had so much fun researching UFO believers and their alien encounters for this book. Xander Anagnos, an entrepreneur with a history of failed businesses, inherits his Uncle Gus’s alien-themed souvenir shop and must deal with interference from UFO researchers who believe the site contains a Cosmic Vortex used to communicate with extraterrestrial visitors! If aliens aren’t interesting enough, there’s also a family curse and a ghost standing between Xander and his plans to renovate Souvenir Planet, so of course I had to research ghostly encounters and ghost removal. Fascinating! But Xander’s biggest obstacle is Hannah Leone, a beautiful local journalist desperate to save the Trappers Cove Beacon, the small-town newspaper her family has run for generations. Souvenir Planet and all its ET weirdness is the biggest story to hit Trappers Cove in ages, and she’s not going to let a pesky crush on Xander stand between her and saving the Beacon—and the soul of Trappers Cove. The death of local journalism is a topic dear to my heart, because without dedicated news coverage, citizens lose their agency to affect change in their communities—or to preserve their communities from rampaging rampaging gentrification, as in the case of Trappers Cove.
Here's the blurb--
HEA vs. a curse, a ghost, and a plague of ETs.

According to the Anagnos family curse, second son Xander is doomed to failure. When he inherits his Uncle Gus’s business in Trappers Cove, Washington, Xander jumps at the chance to prove himself. Of course, he plans to remake the schlocky, alien-themed souvenir shop into something trendier and more upmarket. Who wouldn't want that?
Hannah Leone, that's who. Reporter for the Trappers Cove Beacon, Hannah is hell-bent on protecting Souvenir Planet, the beloved icon that draws thousands of tourists to their quirky beach town. The Beacon is struggling to survive, and there’s no way Hannah will let an inconvenient crush stand between her and the biggest story to hit Trappers Cove in ages.
Caught in a battle of wills and sizzling desire, Xander and Hannah discover the bizarre depths of Uncle Gus’s alien obsession. When disaster strikes, they’ll need Xander’s innovation and Hannah’s connections to save Souvenir Planet. But if these hard-headed foes don’t lay down their arms, the town they love will pay the price.
Come back to Trappers Cove for a steamy, laugh-out-loud, rivals-to-lovers romance full of found family, beachy fun, and out-of-this-world mystery.

S:  Wow. That sounds very entertaining. It's definitely going on my TBR list! 
Where can readers buy "Love, Legacy, and Little Green Aliens?" 
SS:  It's available at  https://books2read.com/LoveLegacyLittleGreenAliens .

S:  Sadira, thanks for joining me today! If you'd like to learn more about Sadira and her books, please visit https://linktr.ee/SadiraStone.