Living the Dream

Is he who she thinks he is?
Is she trustworthy?
Nothing is as it seems when romance and suspense tangle.

Get ready for a scintillating collection of romantic suspense stories of different sub-genres for avid readers everywhere. From psychiatrists to psychics, liars, lawyers, Vampires, Wiccans and ghosts, human trafficking, drug rings, and haunted homes, this set is packed with adventure and trills of all heat levels. Enjoy a heart-throbbing, fist-clenching Romantic Suspense collection brimming with both new and classic works by International, New York Times. and USA Today Bestselling Authors from The Authors’ Billboard.

Mimi Barbour – Special Agent Walker: What would you do if you saw a teenager get off the bus in front of school with a rifle barrel sticking out from his backpack? New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author

Rachelle Ayala – Knowing Vera: Caught between a web of family secrets and a deranged adversary, Vera and Zach must depend on each other for survival. Love blossoms, but the truth explodes everything Vera knows about herself. Will she close her heart forever or risk it all for a shot at happily-ever-after. USA Today Bestselling Author

Rebecca York – Night Moves: Although Emma had set out to save her sister, she soon discovered that her own life was at risk–because she had run straight into the arms of a vampire. New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author

Taylor Lee – Big Girls Don’t Cry: Taking down an international drug ring? Solving a vicious murder? All in a day’s work for the sexy special agent. Capturing an irresistible woman as tough as she is beautiful? Now that’s another story! USA Today Bestselling Author

J. L. Campbell –- Phantasm: Mario is determined to win Josette, but fears that her dead husband will succeed in luring her to the other side if he doesn’t stake his claim on her. International Bestselling Author

Patricia Rosemoor – Rescuing the Virgin: ICE agent Quinlan McKenna Farrell’s failure to bring down a human trafficking ring in Texas haunts him until Luz Delgado, an American trying to save her brother, is taken off the streets and sold to Quin as a virgin. New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author

Susan Jean Ricci – Critter Crew: A lady with a debatable past and a middle-aged cop prematurely retired due to his fear of firearms discover how a hornet attack, a runaway ostrich, and a miserable cases of poison ivy offer them another stab at happiness. USA Today Bestselling Author

Susanne Matthews – Atonement: With help from Dr. Walt Tanner, the man who broke her heart, a couple of unusual cats, and an ancient parrot, Anca sets out to discover the truth about Cole Cottage and find the key to saving the future. International Bestselling Author

Alyssa Bailey – Saving Oakley: Just as the psychiatrist and attorney’s relationship develops into a commitment to spend their lives together, Oakley disappears. Frantic, Ryker turns to his best friend Jac and his operatives to help him find and save Oakley before it’s too late. USA Today Bestselling Author

There’s something for everyone in this newest romantic suspense set. Get yours today. Also available in Kindle Unlimited!

https://mybook.to/UProtectors

Second week of September already! We had hot weather last week and it looks like we’re in for rain this week. Our Tuesday Tales prompt today is SILLY. I’m continuing with Listen to the Stones.

How quickly things change, and this time, the change had been for the better. In the two weeks since Marina had learned of her uncle’s bequest, preparations had moved at lightning speed. In less than a month, she would be on a plane bound for England, and from there she would travel to Inverness and then to the Isle of Lewis.

She used tape to seal the bubble wrap in which she’d enclosed the last of her mother’s dishes. There had only been two place settings of the Wedgewood china, but she and her mother had used them for meals at Christmas, New Year’s, Easter, and birthdays. Now that she’d made up her mind to go home, the only thing left to do was to pack up her apartment. Originally, she’d struggled with the decision to ship all of her worldly good or to leave them here in storage. Her friend Lenore had offered to keep the stuff in her basement, assuring her that once her year was up, she would be only too happy to return to Harrisville.

“Don’t be silly! Of course you’ll come back. Think of it, Marina. You’ll be an heiress. You can open your own restaurant.”

But Marina didn’t want to impose. Besides, as much as Lenore was certain she’d get homesick and return, she wasn’t quite so sure. Lately, her dreams had been filled with images of heather growing wild all over, no doubt because of what her mother had once said, as well as white and black-faced sheep, and huge Scottish Highland cattle. She’d been reading about the Isle of Lewis and Harris, the two islands connected, and she’d learned everything she could about Harris tweed.

It was true that the weather wouldn’t be what she was used to. Harrisville was located near Leamington in southwestern Ontario where the climate was mild enough to grow peaches and other fruit. At one time, tobacco had been the main crop, but over the years that had changed to tomatoes and other vegetables.

While there wouldn’t be snow on Lewis, it wouldn’t ever get truly hot either. It would be like fall weather year round with one exception. She would finally get to see both the Aurora Borealis and the midnight sun. How cool would that be?

That’s it. Stay safe, and don’t forget to check out the other Tuesday Tales.

Congratulations to all of the authors who’ve made the IWSG the success that it is these last 12 years. Your hard work is appreciated.

This month’s question is: The IWSG celebrates 12 years today! When did you discover the IWSG, how do you connect, and how has it helped you?

I connected with the IWSG during one of the A to Z activities a few years back. I participate in that each year and have learned many things about writing in general. I’ve even picked up a few friends along the way. What has stayed with me and lifted me up when things weren’t going well was knowing that I wasn’t the only one struggling to find readers and make a name for myself. Sometimes a few words of support made all the difference.

Another thing that being part of the IWSG group has done is give me the courage to take the path less taken, to write what I want to write, even if it doesn’t fit in Amazon’s perfect and limited little boxes.

So thank you to those who co-host each month and those who read the various posts. Here’s hoping the group goes on for at least another 12 years!

As always, check out the other posts here: https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html

Welcome to September. Years ago, for me, that meant a return to the classroom. Now, it’s just the last few weeks of summer. This week, the authors from Tuesday Tales have another word prompt for their scenes. I’m continuing with Listen to the Stones. As always, my cover artist has provided me with an inspiring cover. Enjoy this snippet and your first look at our hero.

Nathan chuckled. “I’m not surprised. The man might’ve been a good businessman, but he was as foolish and stubborn as they come. He and his brother had a falling out over a woman some seventy years ago. He might be the eldest and the Fraser heir, but she chose his younger brother. The men never spoke again. But as to the great-niece, Angus might not have displayed the photographs, but his estranged brother, Iain had a son, Hugh Fraser. The young man, a reporter, was killed during The Troubles in Northern Ireland, just a few weeks after his daughter was born. He never got around to marrying the mother of his child. The woman stayed on the island for three years looking after Iain who’d suffered a stroke and was paralyzed. When the man died in his sleep, Angus wanted nothing to do with her or her bastard child whom he denied could be a Fraser. She packed up her three-year-old and went back to Canada. She never came back.”

“I wouldn’t have taken him to be such a small-minded man,” Jerome mused.

“It seems the old man mellowed with age,” Nathan added. “Ewen MacDonald and I are friends, so when I approached him about buying the land, he shared more than he would’ve with a stranger. When he was diagnosed with lung cancer last spring, Angus tried to reach out to the girl, but Eileen Harrington died four years ago from complications with COVID. The old man made a new will leaving everything to the grand-niece he hadn’t seen in more than thirty years. I hate it when stuff like this comes across my desk. It’s both petty and tragic.”

Jerome shook his head. “Aye, tragic in more ways than one.”

He’d hoped to be settled in Fraser Hall before winter and to take his time studying the stones—after all, he might be a successful writer, but he was still an archeologist. Those particular stones were on Fraser land, and while he could probably get permission from the historic society responsible for preserving all historic sites in Scotland, he wanted to do this on his own, not be required to publish papers and report to bureaucrats. His interest in the stones had nothing to do with their age, mineral content, layout, or purpose. It was all about the power they possessed.

That’s it. Stay safe, and don’t forget to check out the other Tuesday Tales.

Welcome to the last post for the month of August. This week, our word prompt is PITCH. I’m a few words over the 400 word limit, but I wanted to finish the scene.

Cell phone to his ear, Jerome Gillies listened to the disembodied voice and paced his study. Inverness had been his home for fifteen years now, but he never felt as though he truly belonged here. Trained as an archeologist, he’d worked on several digs in and around Scotland, Ireland, and England as well as Northern Ireland, eventually hired by the University of the Highlands and the Islands to work on the restoration of Urquhart Castle, once the home of Robert the Bruce, first king of Scotland. The ruins on Loch Ness drew thousands of visitors each year. This was only a place to work and live until he could return permanently to the island that called to him.

He stopped and stared at the collection of photographs decorating his office wall, all pictures he’d taken on his last visit to the Isle of Lewis. In one, there were the ruins of a few of the black houses on the island; in another, black houses that had been modernized and maintained. The stone buildings had been called black houses because they were essentially houses without windows, the only source of natural light coming from the small doors in their sides. Pitch black inside, the homes had been specifically built in that fashion to keep out the cruel winds and bitter cold of winter storms that assaulted the island each year. The wind never stopped blowing on Lewis, although at times it was nothing more than a comforting breeze keeping the tiny gnats from driving a man crazy.

The houses still being used now boasted windows and skylights. They no longer housed animals along with their human hosts, and while natural light flooded them, they still did the job they’d been designed to do decades ago—keeping their occupants warm and dry despite whatever Mother Nature threw at them. While most no longer used peat as fuel, a few of the old crofters continued to do things the way their ancestors had. They harvested the peat, let it dry on the heather, and carted it home to fuel their fires all year long.

A third photograph showcased a herd of sheep grazing in a common pasture shared by the crofters, but it was the fourth one, the one of stones standing sentinel-like on a cliff that captured his attention. He’d stumbled across these years ago while hiking on the island. Every time he visited the area, he was pulled to the stones that had inspired him. Now, he was hellbent on buying the land they stood on, and nothing would stop him from reaching his goal.

That’s it. Stay safe, and don’t forget to check out the other Tuesday Tales.

Have you ever been searching for a book to read but not been sure if it’s what you want to read? Enter Book Bites: protectors. This collection features the first chapter and sometimes a few pages more of books selected by their authors to tempt and tantalize you. This collection of samples is free to read wherever you get your books.

Inside this collection you’ll find chapter samples of eleven incredibly exciting books. Our hope is that you’ll be so thrilled, you’ll have to continue reading.

Many of the authors are NYT & USAT bestselling authors who understand that a reader loves to get snippets of a story before clicking that buy link. We’ve gathered these together to make the journey easier for you.

Since this is the perfect way for you to find your next book, we also hope it becomes a trail of discovery to a fresh author and her backlist.

Mimi Barbour – Special Agent Walker
Patricia Rosemoor – Fake ID Wife
Rachelle Ayala – Preying Heart
Dani Haviland – The Midwife’s Son
Rebecca York – At Risk
Denise Devine – Small Town Girl
Susanne Matthews – Sworn to Protect
Calinda B. – Gravestones
Taylor Lee – Forbidden
Cynthis Cooke – Deadly Secrets, Loving Lies
Susan Jean Ricci – Evasion

If Amazon is your preferred place to shop for books, here’s a link.

Happy reading!

Seven IRRESISTIBLE couples risking it all for their second chance at love…

Find your happy-ever-after in these BRAND NEW, NEVER BEFORE PUBLISHED STEAMY STORIES From New York Times & USA Today Bestselling, Award-Winning Authors.

TWO HEARTS CAPTURED by Tamara Ferguson, USA Today Bestselling Author: Injured severely and suffering from PTSD, wounded warrior Zander Atkinson is struggling to move forward with his life. When the girl that he rescued as a child appears in his life seventeen years later after her life is threatened by a stalker, can he be strong enough to save her—along with himself?

BEGIN AGAIN by Natalie Ann, USA Today Bestselling Author: They say you never forget your first. When everything changes in Liz’s life, she discovers returning home is the only option. She didn’t expect to run into Christian Butler again nor find out he’s still the same boy she’d fallen for as a teen.

THE SPARK OF LOVE by Alicia Street, USA Today Bestselling Author Tired of always choosing the wrong men, Julie has given up on love. But when she runs into the guy she left behind, his panty-melting gaze and heartwarming smile make her want to believe in second chances.

I LOST MY VIRGINITY AT THE CLOCK MOTEL by Suzanne Jenkins, USA Today Bestselling Author: Gina Perez lives a sheltered life in Mexicantown, a good Catholic girl protected zealously by her mother, Angel. When she meets Freddie Papadakis, captain of the rival high school football team, it’s going to take more than Angel’s overprotective radar to keep Gina safe.

WHERE LOVE ECHOES by Rachelle Ayala, USA Today Bestselling Author The last time Ava saw Cruz, he left her standing at a bus stop with a broken heart. Twenty years later, she is hired by Cruz’s ex-wife to orchestrate a lavish destination wedding at a secluded Caribbean resort, Unexpected Paradise.

IT’S A MATCH by Susanne Matthews, International Bestselling Author: They were a perfect match—until she caught him with another woman. When Marissa canceled the wedding and left her hometown, she refused to listen to Zak’s explanations. Now, she’s in the UK for her sister’s wedding and so is he, determined to set the record straight.

A DELICATE REUNION by Susan Jean Ricci, USA Today Bestselling Author: Melanie Hutchins, a widow with a young child, has recovered from a relationship with the CIA Agent who left her long ago until he strides up the sidewalk and back into her life. Does he really expect her to take up where they’ve left off and forgive him for leaving her to raise their child alone? Or is there a secret he needs to share about his long absence?

This is a great opportunity to grab some last minute summer reading at a great price–only 99 cents USD.

Wow! Where did the summer go? We’re ten days away from the end of August. This week, our Tuesday Tales’ prompt is the word CONFIDENT. I’m continuing with Listen to the Stones. Enjoy.

The man stood and came around his desk. “This is going to turn your life upside down, Marina. From what you said earlier, things haven’t been going well for you. This could be your chance for a fresh start. Don’t give me an answer yet. It’s a big decision. The island may be part of the British Isles, but the people don’t necessarily speak English, or a form of it you’re likely to understand. Most of the crofters and those not directly involved in tourism speak Gaelic, although the children are taught English as well in school. The fact that you were born there makes everything easier from a legal standpoint, but you’ll still be an outsider. Not everyone will be ready to welcome you with open arms, and some will be leery of you and your intentions.” He pulled a photograph out of the folder. … Here’s a photograph of the place. It’s certainly unusual. Should you decide to go…”

Marina reached for the photograph. The stone house with the large windows and what seemed to be a thatched roof looked like something out of a fairy tale. What else would you expect to find on an island that boasted mysterious monoliths? She stared at the image, recalling her mother’s words. “We didn’t belong there. They didn’t want us.” But that had been thirty years ago. Great-uncle Angus wanted her to come home. Better late than never. She didn’t need to think it over. Mom had told her to go home, and now she could do just that.

“There’s nothing to think over,” she said, confident that she’d made the only logical decision. “Please contact Mr. MacDonald and tell him that I intend to claim my inheritance as soon as I can make the arrangements to get to the Isle of Lewis.”

Mr. Harding glanced at the clock. “It’s after three which makes it past eight there. I’ll contact them first thing in the morning. Congratulations, my dear. You’re about to embark on a grand adventure. My wife and I visited Scotland ten years ago. We’ve always wanted to return. Where can we reach you?”

Marina stood. “I’ll be at home, getting myself organized. If you decide to visit the Isle of Lewis, let me know. I’ll make sure there’s a room waiting for you at Fraser Hall.” She extended her hand and shook his. “Thank you for your help with this.”

“My pleasure.”

No doubt he’d be cashing a healthy check for his troubles.

That’s it. Stay safe, and don’t forget to check out the other Tuesday Tales.

I’m back! I had a marvellous and eventful vacation and now I’m raring to go with a new book. Listen to the Stones.

This week, our scenes are based on the word LAMP. Enjoy!

Going into her bedroom, Marina turned on the lamp and opened the bottom drawer of her dresser, removing the small metal box in which she kept her important documents and photographs. These included her divorce decree, her mother’s death certificate, her Canadian passport, and citizenship papers her mother had applied for when she’d been three and had returned to Canada, and her own birth certificate. She unfolded the last document.

Date of Birth: June 21, 1990

First Name: Marina

Middle Name: Alice

Last Name: Fraser

Mother’s Name: Eileen Alice Harrington

Father’s Name: Hugh James Fraser

Place of Birth: Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, United Kingdom

“Go home.”

Was this what her mother had meant? Was it time for her to go back to the place where she’d been born? An island in Scotland’s Outer Hebrides? Was it time to learn about her father and his family? She knew the man had been a journalist and an artist. Mom had been traveling through Europe when she’d met Hugh Fraser and the two had fallen hopelessly in love. After six months together, her mother had gotten pregnant. Intending to do right by her, he’d taken her to his home and family where she’d given birth. A few months later, the paper had sent him to cover peace talks aimed at ending The Troubles in Northern Ireland as they’d been called. Sadly, he’d been killed in one of the last IRA bombings in Newry.

She reached for the photograph of a handsome man with dark hair and blue eyes, her eyes. The photo had sat in a frame beside her mother’s bed right up to the day she’d died. Digging through the other photos, she pulled out the only one she had of her parents together, the one she’d found after her mother’s passing. It showed the two of them, smiling and happy, standing in front of some stones, most likely the Standing Stones of Calanais. She’d seen other pictures of the monoliths. Her redheaded mother, very pregnant, looked up at the man holding her. Her father smiled down at her, his face filled with pride and love. They’d never gotten the chance to marry. After his death, Mom had stayed in Scotland, living with Hugh’s father until Iain Fraser had died in his sleep, leaving her alone once more. Adrift, without family, her mother had taken her and returned to Canada, to the brother she had here, the last of her own family.

That’s it. Stay safe, and don’t forget to check out the other Tuesday Tales.

People who have never been to Norway don’t realize what a beautiful country it is with a rich history that goes back thousands of years. Our son married a Norwegian woman and now lives there. We’ve been lucky enough to visit twice and spend quality time with him and his family as well as see some of the country.

After a stressful departure from Canada, we made it to the first leg of our vacation, his summer house on the fjord. Handyman that he is, he fixed the place up, even building a gorgeous and very modern shower outside. We stayed in the guest house and had a wonderful time. It was cooler than we’d anticipated, but my husband got to go fishing at the mouth of the fjord, help catch the 20 mackerel that made up supper that night, and even go in swimming. Sorry, water that’s 14 degrees Celsius is too cold for me. A family of swans came by to say hello, and the jellyfish which looked to me like a raw egg out of the shell were fascinating. But, when it appeared, I took the time to bask in the sun and soak up some after dinner rays while polishing off my wine.

While we were in Norway, we took a trip along the historic Telemark Canal and spent a night at the Dalen Hotel. From the site, here’s a quick history of the place. Here’s the link. Check it out.

https://www.dalenhotel.no/en

The flow of tourists to Dalen was large already in the 19th century due to the completion of the Telemark Canal. The newly built Canal system became popular among royalty around the world, but Dalen lacked a luxury hotel to accommodate this prominent clientele. Inspired by stave churches and the Viking Age, the Dalen hotel was introduced to the world in 1894. The hotel became known throughout Europe and the English aristocracy came here. King Oscar II was a guest here, as were Emperor Wilhelm of Germany and King Leopold II of Belgium. King Haakon VII and Queen Maud also came here with the then Crown Prince Olav.

During World War II, the Germans took over the hotel, and the interior was removed while the buildings fell into disrepair. The preacher Aage Samuelsen had faith in the future of the hotel. He bought it, but did not succeed in raising capital for the restoration of the buildings. But he gave the hotel a lot of attention and PR. At the end of the 1980s, restoration was started and in 1992 the hotel reopened.

In 2000, the hotel received the conservation organization Europa Nostra’s highest award – a silver medal – for preserving the hotel as a unique cultural monument. Dalen Hotel has also been awarded Olavsrosa as a lighthouse in the Norwegian Cultural Heritage’s product range. Holders of the quality brand Olavsrosa have a strong profile in the dissemination of Norwegian cultural heritage. The motto “Olavsrosa – our best experiences” places high demands on product quality and maintenance of this quality. The National Heritage Board has described Dalen Hotel as the most powerful, magnificent and best-preserved of all the old dragon architecture hotels. 

The canal trip showcased the beauty of this part of Norway. From the sites along the water to the mouthwatering cinnamon rolls, everything about the experience and our night in Dalen was amazing. Note the quaint vehicle that met us at the dock, the exceptional cleanliness of the room, and the truly awesome meal, each course paired with the appropriate wine. If you ever get the chance to go to Norway, this is an experience not to be missed.

The week we spent in Norway with our son, granddaughter and other members of my daughter-in-law’s family who have become friends was truly a memorable one. We hope to be able to return in a couple of years. In the meantime, we have pictures and our memories to sustain us!

This is just a taste of what we experienced. Later this week, I’ll give you a peek at the wonderful things we saw on the second part of our vacation, a cruise around the UK!