​Sometimes, you have to resort to unusual marketing methods when trying to promote a book or series. This time it take the form a Matilda the pig. Matilda is a “character” in my series, The Heiress Games. She inherits a fortune from her owner, Victoria Armington, so I call her my heiress pig. In the series, 3 descendants of the Armington family must compete for custody of Matilda (and control of the money). A friend of mine knew about the series and Matilda so she bought me this little plastic pig at a $1 Store. I decided to make good use of her so Matilda now goes on “field trips” where I take her picture. She’s been the zoo, a fancy hotel, a women’s luncheon. the Youth Fair. This week she’s going to Orlando on vacation and this summer she’s going to Alaska. It’s been fun coming up with venues she can visit and I hope to continue with them. Here are a few of her adventures. One of those pics is Matilda celebrating the release of Book 2 in The Heiress Games, which is Tuesday!

Not Quite An Heiress (Book 2, The Heiress Games)
 
The craziest will ever concocted will bring them all together…
 
Eccentric heiress, Victoria Armington, has died and left her vast fortune to her pet pig, Matilda. Now three Armington descendants have been chosen to compete for custody of the pig…and control of the money. Then there’s the lawyer in charge of overseeing the competition, and his two best friends, who arrive to make sure nothing goes wrong.
 
Welcome to The Heiress Games…
 
Heiress #2: Abby Douglas – Not Quite An Heiress
 
Abby Douglas isn’t quite an Armington. She’s not quite part of The Heiress Games. Her half-sister is, though, and Abby will do anything to ensure she wins the fortune. Because there’s a secret Douglas sister out there...and they need to save her life. The last thing Abby expects is temptation in the form of an arrogant, yet irresistible, ex-football player, Killian O’Connor.

Killian O’Connor needs to reconnect with his troubled teenage son before it’s too late. He’s lost his football career after an injury, and he won’t lose his son. So, he agrees to help his best friend oversee The Heiress Games. The last thing he expected was to fall for a buttoned-up, English professor. Abby and Killian couldn’t have less in common, but they just might discover that the biggest fortune they could find is love.
 
In the midst of it all, there’s also a saboteur at work. Someone who might stop at nothing to make sure no one wins.
 
ALERT! The Heiress Games is like no other series. You’ll actually see the same events unfold in Books 1 (Least Likely Heiress) and 3 (The Forgotten Heiress), but from the other characters’ points of view. Each romance will come to a satisfying conclusion, but you’ll have to wait for the ultimate winner to be announced at the end of Book 3. The author apologizes in advance for writing such a cliffhanger, but hopes you’ll love the journey to the grand finale.
 
Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079Y4CB44/
 
iTunes:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/not-quite-an-heiress/id1339784910?ls=1&mt=11
 
B&N:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/not-quite-an-heiress-the-heiress-games-book-2-kristin-wallace/1127882298
 
Kobo:  https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/not-quite-an-heiress

​Growing up Kristin devoured books like bags of Dove Dark Chocolate. Her first Golden Bookled to Laura Ingalls Wilder, Nancy Drew, Encyclopedia Brown, C.S. Lewis and the Sweet Valley High series. Later, she discovered romance novels and fell in love all over again. It’s no surprise then that Kristin would one day try her hand at writing them. She writes inspirational romance and women’s fiction filled with love, laughter and a leap of faith. When she’s not writing her next novel, Kristin works as an advertising copywriter for clients that have included the Miami Marlins, Discovery Networks, The Peabody Hotel, Radisson Seven Seas Cruises and Sea World. She also enjoys singing in her church choir and worship team and playing flute in a community orchestra.

I rarely write anything in my own blog. I don't know what to write about, or talk about. However, my two favorite subjects has to do with humor, and pets. I believe that God gave us the gift of laughter, or humor, and He gave us the gift of pets.

In my writings, I try to include things that happened to me, both humorous and not so humorous. If I can fit a pet cat or dog in my story, I will. I haven't done a horse, or a pet lizzard, or anything exotic, but I have done cats, and dogs. 

Some humorous events that happened to me, like the time I fell into the creek while attempting to sit down on a wooden bench beside the creek, ended up in Jade's Redemption.

A fight with a squirrel ended up in Blue As Sapphires. Some painful memories from my teenage years also ended up in that book.

My history with golf ended up in a book called Moonlight Path, that hasn't been published yet.

My incidents with horses will eventually find it's way into a future wip. Birds crapping in my hair or on my shoulders has made it's way into another wip not to be published yet.

 got a scene I can't wait to do in another wip that has to do with little boys and a pet lizzard. Can you imagine how funny that will be?

Anyway, I'm a firm believer that laughter is the best medicine. Whoever coined that saying, I tip my hat to him/her. Do you like humor in the stories you read? If you're an author, do you like to include humor in your books? Drop me a line and let me know your thoughts. 

In the meantime, I have 7 contemporary romance books published. You can go to the navigational pane above, and select My Books, to read the back cover blurb, and read the first chapter of each book. Thanks for stopping by.

​I always say—write what you know--and a lot of my own experiences end up in my books. When I was thirteen, I was doing home schooling, as the local two-room schoolhouse only went to grade eight. My job was to walk my younger sister to the bus stop a few miles down the road. One morning was different. Our dog, Captain, had come with us but as usual had headed off into the bush, yelping as he chased rabbits. The road had a light dusting of snow, making it easy walking, with eight foot high snowbanks on either side.
 
I headed back toward home, having seen my sister onto the bus. Soon I heard Captain yelping through the trees, getting louder all the time. He dashed up the bank and bounded down onto the road in front of me. I called him, but he didn’t slow, just raced across the road and up the other bank into the trees.
 
I soon saw why. Two Timberwolves leaped to the top of the snowbank and stopped when they saw me. We stared at each other, my heart racing. Then I raised my arms and yelled. I thought it was best to appear as big as possible and unafraid. They turned as one, leaped across the road and up the other snowbank, disappearing into the forest after Captain.
 
I was convinced we would never see the dog again. He had been running flat out, while the wolves loped along behind him. But by noon Captain had arrived home. He lay sleeping in front of the barrel heater and didn’t stir for the rest of the day.

That encounter ended up in the book, False Confession, when the characters were stranded in northern British Columbia during a snowstorm.

​Music teacher Glory has given up on men, with good reason. Then she meets the handsome lead guitar player in the band she has just joined.
 
Alex, body builder and construction foreman, is determinedly single because he’s given up on women. But that’s before he meets the keyboard player who just joined his brother’s rock band. Suddenly his interest is revived and he goes on a crusade to gain Glory’s attention.
 
But when Alex disappears and the police claim they have a confession giving damning evidence against him, Glory must make a decision. Can she trust the man she’s fallen for, or has she been fooled into believing a lie?
 
Tagline – Did Glory fall for the wrong man, or is someone lying?
 
Buy link Amazon -- http://amzn.to/2v0GLLZ
 
Books2Read Universal Link: https://www.books2read.com/u/mdNOJR 

Hooked. I loved the story and characters, they were all rich and well developed. Could not put this book down and must say, I am now a fan…
 
I really enjoyed this book. It is well written with a strong female main character and a beautiful storyline with hardship and pain as well as love. I found it hard to put down and read it in one sitting. Looking forward to reading more of her work…

​Sylvie Grayson loves to write about suspense, romance and attempted murder, in both contemporary and science fiction/fantasy. She has lived most of her life in British Columbia, Canada in spots ranging from Vancouver Island on the west coast to the North Peace River country and the Kootenays in the beautiful interior. She spent a one year sojourn in Tokyo Japan.
She has been an English language instructor, a nightclub manager, an auto shop bookkeeper and a lawyer. Now she works part time as the owner of a small company, and writes when she finds the time.
She is a wife and mother and still loves to travel, having recently completed a trip to Singapore, Thailand, Viet Nam and Hong Kong. She lives on the coast of the Pacific Ocean with her husband on a small patch of land near the sea that they call home.
​
Email –sylviegraysonauthor@gmail.com
 
Website-- https://sylviegrayson.com/
 
Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/sylvie.grayson
 
Twitter-- https://twitter.com/SylvieGrayson

​When he finds Sky Stravinski, Adam Hamilton becomes enmeshed in a world of danger. Did he bring it with him, earning an enemy as chief engineer and test pilot, or find it along with her? Fulfilling his commitment means persuading Sky to meet the grandmother she never knew she had. Recovering from an airplane crash, torn between opposing forces, and caught up in the attacks on Sky, Adam fights for the fascinating pilot, determined to keep her safe, and win her love.
 
Everything Sky owns comes under attack, from her airplanes to her airfield and her life. Combatting a hidden enemy and Adam Hamilton’s intrusion, Sky feels trapped by circumstances outside her control. As her sponsor, he earns her trust. But Adam wants things Sky won’t give. Meeting her grandmother and developing a relationship with Adam will pull her back into their world of wealth and entitlement. Sky won’t become a rich man’s plaything again. Will the threats that bring them together convince Sky Adam deserves a place in her life?
 
Buy Links:
Amazon US | The Wild Rose Press | Amazon CA
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Excerpt:
“You consider going to Max behind my back being upfront?”
“Max came to me. I was interested and after crunching the numbers, researching your top notch standing on the circuit and talking with my father, thought this was a great PR opportunity for our corporation. I didn’t know you were against the idea. My experience is that as soon as someone knows what I’m worth, they want something from me.”
“And you assumed I was sticking my hand in the pot.” She stopped at the entrance to the big tent, where oceans of food were served all day. “Okay, I see where you were coming from. Pax.” She offered her hand.
She took quiet satisfaction in the fact he looked like she’d turned him on his head. Good, keep him off balance, and he couldn’t do the same to her. He took her hand, his long fingers warm and dry, just the lightest of squeezes. He’d never used his size and strength to intimidate, she realized. He was a true alpha male, for only the strongest, fastest and smartest protected the vulnerable. A weaker male, took advantage of them.

About Madelon Smid:
 
Madelon Smid has the pioneer spirit of a true prairie woman. She seeks inspiration from the rolling hills and river coulees that surround her home; creating characters as intriguing and beautiful as the ever changing skies.
 
As a successful non-fiction writer, she co-authored a best seller, Smart Women, published Chronic Challenge: Living Well with Chronic Disease, and many articles in national and regional magazines.
 
She taught writing classes for adults at her local college, ran a successful online writing course, and edited five anthologies for the Prairie Quills Writers’ Group, before returning to her true love – fiction. The six romantic suspense stories in her Daring Heights series have received glowing reviews.
 
While she continues searching out the best in nature, exploring new stretches of water in her kayak, and seeking new mountains to ski, she sees every adventure as fresh material for the next story she will create in her home by the river.
 
Madelon's Social Media Links:
Website: http://www.madelonasmid.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/madelonsmid
Twitter: https://twitter.com/madelonsmid
Blog: http://www.madelonasmid.com/my_blog/

​Their chance encounter resulted in a steamy affair, but will his former gang and a parole officer tear them apart?
 
Once you’re in a prison gang, you’re in it for life. That’s what Mason Harding thought until the boss accepted his resignation. After the State releases him on parole, a sexy divorcée behind the wheel of a car almost ends his life quicker than a shank. His chance encounter with Mia Eddison results in a night of passion, but her brother—his parole officer—catches them together and doesn’t approve.
 
Mia falls hard for the cocky ex-con, but not because of his chiseled body. She vows to break through his walls and discover his secrets, but never expects those secrets to threaten her life. When members of an organized crime ring kidnap Mia to force Mason’s return to the gang, he goes up against an old friend to save the woman he loves. Will his sacrifice be enough or will everything fall apart in a blaze of gunfire?
 
Book Links:  
Amazon | B&N | iTunes  | The Wild Rose Press store | Goodreads
 
youtube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rc0q0dLLFPM
 
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Release Date: April 30th, 2018
ASIN: B07BHGMQRK
Print ISBN: 978-1-5092-2007-6
Digital ISBN: 978-1-5092-2008-3
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Length: 80k
Heat Rating: 5 Flames

​NetGalley Opportunity:
 
Available for Review
Limited Time Only (promotion runs from May 1-15)
Find Arresting Mason on my publisher’s landing page - https://www.netgalley.com/catalog/publisher/82136
 

 

Oney’s Story…
 
Teenaged Oney Judge was Martha Washington’s ‘favorite servant.’ Oney and Martha both longed for freedom, but in very different ways. Martha hated being confined to the president’s house, forced to entertain politicians and foreign diplomats. Oney hated being someone else’s property, forced to do labor and wait on her owners day and night.
 
After President Washington served one term as president, he wrote his farewell speech. He and Martha started packing for their retirement at Mount Vernon, but it was not meant to be. He was elected again—unanimously. He did not want to serve another term, but gave in under pressure.
 
Martha had no say in it whatsoever. But as she hosted her tea parties and levees, she became close friends with several forward-thinking women, such as Abigail Adams and Judith Murray, feminists of the time. Their radical ideas rubbed off on Martha—education and job training for women to be self-supporting instead of depending on husbands. By the end of George’s term, she experienced a steep character arc. She even changed her attitude toward slavery. When Oney escaped at age 20, at the end of George’s final term, Martha was very resentful: “She was more like a child to me than a servant.” The Washingtons knew that she’d escaped to Portsmouth, New Hampshire and made several attempts to recapture her. But in a sudden act of lenience, Martha gave up on Oney and let her remain free. During her husband’s presidency, Martha complained, “I am more like a state prisoner”, so perhaps she put herself in Oney’s place and realized she deserved liberty, too.
 
As our first First Lady, Martha Washington evolved from a  grandmotherly wife and homebody to an outspoken champion of women’s rights. She provided freedom for her slaves at her death.
 
While living in Portsmouth, Oney married a sailor, Jack Staines, and had three children. She outlived her husband and children, and lived her remaining free life in Greenland, New Hampshire. Somewhat of a local celebrity, she lived in poverty, but the locals supported her and she took in sewing to supplement her meager income. She declared in an 1847 interview, “I am free now and choose to remain so.”
 
An Excerpt from ONEY, MY ESCAPE FROM SLAVERY
 
The hour finally came—while they ate dinner.
 
Nothing heavied my heart—not remorse, not guilt, not sadness upon fleeing my master and mistress. Raw thirst for freedom overcame all that. I walked straight past the Washingtons and out that door. When I shut it, I left them—and my forced bondage— behind me.
 
I tore through the muddy streets in pouring rain. Gasping for breath, soaked to the skin, my heart slamming in terror, I glanced behind me, again and again. No one pursued me—yet. I dreaded and expected pounding footsteps, a clap on my shoulder. But, I asked myself, who would chase me through the driving rain? No, it is not possible, I affirmed—they didn’t even know I’d left the kitchen.
 
At the Jones house I slowed and caught my breath. When Absalom opened the door, I staggered inside, laughing, sobbing, gulping for dear life.
 
I spent the night pacing the attic room, hands clasped. “I beg of you, dear God, walk beside me on this journey. See me through this safe. Don’t let them capture me. I only want to be your servant, no one else’s.”
 
As daybreak nudged away the darkness, I fell to my knees, weary with fatigue. “Thank you, dear God, for ending my final night of bondage.”
 
Serendipity at Work
 
In May 2014, popular romance author Brenda Novak had her annual auction for diabetes—authors donate books, critiques, etc., and people bid on them, similar to Ebay. I donated one of my other books, and I also donated a free manuscript critique. An author named Piper Huguley won the critique auction, but the auction ended and I never heard from her. I thought oh, well, she doesn't want it after all. About 3 months later, she wrote me and sent me her story, A CHAMPION’S HEART, to critique. It's a romance about an African American girl, set in rural Georgia in the 1910s. Very moving and powerful story. I loved it. It was published in 2016 by Liliaceae Publishers.
getBook.at/AChampionsHeart
 
I'd been wanting to find an African American author to go over my Oney novel, but never looked for anyone. I thought of asking one of my grade school classmates, but just didn't get to it...well, one day I decided to ask Piper.
 
Right after I asked her, she wrote back and said she'd be happy to help. Then I went on Facebook and saw that Piper just posted that her mother passed away that morning. So I sent her a message of condolence. Then she wrote this back to me:

And I appreciate your kind comments about my mother. You see, I see your request as "heaven sent" for I think I told you about how my mother told me about Oney. I know that she would want me to work on anything, do anything to forward that story. So, even in the midst of a difficult time, I look forward to helping you--something I really didn't expect after you had helped me so much. Thank you for that.

I don't remember her telling me that her mother told her about Oney. I've heard so many stories about people who pass away, and send 'signs' etc. to their loved ones, this was just too strange to be coincidence. Piper helped me a great deal with Oney’s story and became my co-author. We dedicated the book to her mother.
 
Purchase ONEY:
http://getBook.at/ONEY 

About Diana and Piper:
 
Diana writes about folks who shook things up. Her passion for history and travel has taken her to every locale of her stories, set in Medieval and Renaissance England, Egypt, the Mediterranean, colonial Virginia, New England, and New York. Her urban fantasy romance FAKIN’ IT won a Top Pick award from Romantic Times. She is a member of Romance Writers of America, the Richard III Society and the Aaron Burr Association. When not writing, she runs CostPro, Inc., an engineering business, with her husband Chris. In her spare time, Diana bicycles, golfs, plays her piano and devours books of any genre. She spends as much time as possible just livin' the dream on her beloved Cape Cod.
 
Piper Huguley is a two-time Golden Heart ®finalist and is the author of the “Home to Milford College” series. The series follows the building of a college from its founding in 1866. Book #1 in the series, The Preacher’s Promise was named a top ten Historical Romance in Publisher’s Weekly by the esteemed historical romance author, Beverly Jenkins and received Honorable Mention in the Writer’s Digest Contest of Self-Published e-books in 2015.
Her new series “Born to Win Men” starts with A Champion’s Heart as Book #1. A Champion’s Heart was named by Sarah MacLean of The Washington Post as a best romance novel selection for December 2016.
She blogs about the history behind her novels at http://piperhuguley.com. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia with her husband and son.

Connect with Diana and Piper:
 
www.dianarubino.com
https://www.facebook.com/DianaRubinoAuthor/
Twitter: @DianaLRubino
 
www.piperhuguley.com
https://www.facebook.com/piper.huguley
Twitter: @PiperHuguley
 

​I used some of my amateur theatrical background in CommWealth, which focuses on a theatrical group called Forensic Squad as its stages antihero Allan Larson’s mediocre plays and in fact explodes into bitter accusations of marital infidelity and political espionage during a rehearsal.  As an actor, my major talent was my ability to memorize my lines, reflected in Allan’s snotty dismissal of the supermodel Erica: “She just sorta memorizes her lines and delivers ’em.  That’s not acting.”
 
In any case I was exposed to both mediocre actors and directors, and talented ones with large but fragile egos, and I suppose my ego was also on the line since I was acting as the War Correspondent in a comedy I wrote about high school romances called Total Annihilation: Camouflage!  By the third performance my fellow Rice University student actors had grown bored and set out to sabotage my play with numerous absurd onstage antics.  At the beginning of the third act, as the lights came up, the War Correspondent was to kneel with a handkerchief and mop up a small quantity of stage blood, show the gore to the audience, and declaim in traumatized tones about the apocalyptic quality of young love.  “This … this is all that’s left ...”  However, as the lights came up on the parquet floor on Night Three, the War Correspondent was confronted with an entire bottle of ketchup poured into a twelve-inch puddle.  Gamely he knelt and sought to mop up the mess with his tiny handkerchief; his hands became soaked with dripping ketchup and he struggled to suppress his righteous authorial anger even as he fought not to laugh.  Somehow he managed to deliver his memorized lines.
 
I think that reliving this episode was what made writing the silly theater scenes in CommWealth so rewarding.

The CommWealth system, has created a society in which there is no legal claim to any kind of private property. Any object from your house to the clothes you’re wearing can be demanded by anyone, to be enjoyed for thirty days before someone else can request it. As actors in the Forensic Squad theatrical troupe attempt to adapt to this chaos, their breaking of the Four Rules sustaining the system, as several members navigate betrayals, double agents, and murder to find themselves leading a suicidal revolution.
 
Excerpt:
 
Rule One - You are free to enjoy the chosen object for thirty days. During this period no other person may request it.
 
Rule Two - The requestor is untouchable for thirty days by the person asked. Attempts at retaliation, such as demanding unusually large quantities from the original requestor after the thirty-day period, carry stiff penalties.
 
Rule Three - Once you ask somebody for something, you can never ask him or her for anything else again.
 
Rule Four - You can never ask for the same thing back from the person who got it from you, not even after his or her thirty days of enjoyment.
 
 
Allan shivered at the reflection of his black overcoat and his striding legs on the wet sidewalk. Up ahead someone with a DreamPiston Electronics bag opened a shiny red
Porsche glistening with thousands of water beads.
 
“Okay,” Allan said, “I’ll take your car.”
 
The mustached little twerp looked up. “Ahhh, crap...”
 
“C’mon, don’t give me any trouble. Gimme the key.”
 
“Look, it’s raining. And I just got these MP3 players and the new Fappy tablet—”
 
“Not my problem. Fork the key over.”
 
“Look, my umbrella’s in the car—can I just get my umbrella so my stuff—”
 
“Forget it. The umbrella’s part of the car as far as I’m concerned. Anything in the car. Besides, I just lost my umbrella a couple blocks back. I’m soaked.”
 
“C’mon, I just got this car the other day!”
 
 “Don’t hand me that. The sticker on the plate says you got it a month and a half ago. You’re overdue, buddy. Now hand me the key.”
 
“Got trouble there?” A bright blue City of Linstar police car idled in the rain. “Got a Hoarder there?” a huge officer grinned.
 
“Uh, no... not at all...” said the twerp. “I just—I just can’t find the key—”
 
“Yeah, right—you just unlocked the damn car with it,” Allan said, turning to the policeman. “He is giving me a lot of crap about it.”
 
“C’mon, sir, you know better than that.” The officer’s name tag read BARCLAY.
 
The twerp snarled. He separated the Porsche key off his key ring, thrust it at Allan, then spun around and fastened on a man coming down the sidewalk. “Give me that umbrella! Right now!”
 
The man grunted, surrendering his umbrella to the twerp, who grabbed it and hoisted it above his DreamPiston bag.
 
“We really got the Christmas spirit here, don’t we?” Barclay said.
 
“Really,” Allan said. “Some people...” He examined the Porsche key in the rain. “Thanks for your help, officer.”
 
“Oh, I’m sure it wasn’t really necessary. People are basically good, you know. Give ’em time to adjust and all, that’s what I say.”
 
The twerp leapt into traffic with his new umbrella and his bag, waving his free arm. A little green car skidded to a halt. The twerp ran to the window and pounded on it. “Give me this car! Right now!”
 
Barclay was out of his patrol car in a second, hand on his hand on his holster. “Sir, that’s not the right way to go about it. We need to be respectful. That’s the CommWealth way.”
 
CommWealth is available at:
 
Publisher’s website: http://www.classactbooks.com/index.php/component/virtuemart/dystopian/commwealth-6022015-08-14-23-29-50-detail?Itemid=0
 
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/CommWealth-Michael-D-Smith-ebook/dp/B013YPU5D4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1478983628&sr=8-1&keywords=CommWealth
 
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/commwealth-michael-d-smith/1122537291?ean=2940152097313
 
SmashWords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/569160

Michael D. Smith was raised in the Northeast and the Chicago area, before moving to Texas to attend Rice University, where he began developing as a writer and visual artist.  In addition to exhibiting and selling paintings and drawings, he’s completed fifteen novels.
 
Smith’s writing in both mainstream and science fiction genres uses humor to investigate psychological themes.  On his blog, he explores art and writing processes, and his web site contains further examples of his writing and art. He is currently Technology Librarian for McKinney Public Library in McKinney, Texas.
 
CommWealth is his first novel published by Class Act Books.
 
Find out more about Michael at:
 
Website: , www.sortmind.com,
Blog: www. http://blog.sortmind.com/wordpress/

Don’t think this ever wound up in one of my books. Several years ago I started receiving a bunch of calls from people wanting to buy my boat. Only I don’t have a boat. Apparently, there was a “For Sale” sign up somewhere advertising a boat, and it somehow had my phone number or one close enough to it that people misdialed and got me. I had to keep saying. “Not me, don’t have a boat.” Finally, this one lady called me several times. I kept saying, nope…still me…and I still don’t have a boat. Then she got mad…at ME! She insisted that I hang up so she could call back, only this time I shouldn’t answer. Because apparently the call would magically connect with the mysterious boat owner if I didn’t pick up???? When I told her, she would still get me, and to please stop calling, she called me bitch. Then she hung up…finally. 

Growing up Kristin devoured books like bags of Dove Dark Chocolate. Her first Golden Bookled to Laura Ingalls Wilder, Nancy Drew, Encyclopedia Brown, C.S. Lewis and the Sweet Valley High series. Later, she discovered romance novels and fell in love all over again. It’s no surprise then that Kristin would one day try her hand at writing them. She writes inspirational romance and women’s fiction filled with love, laughter and a leap of faith. When she’s not writing her next novel, Kristin works as an advertising copywriter for clients that have included the Miami Marlins, Discovery Networks, The Peabody Hotel, Radisson Seven Seas Cruises and Sea World. She also enjoys singing in her church choir and worship team and playing flute in a community orchestra.

http://kristinwallaceauthor.com/
Twitter: @KWallaceauthor
Facebook:  KristinWallaceAuthor
Instagram:  kristinwallace_author

Recently, a friend of mine asked me if I’d like some pancakes on a stick.  I thought she was joking but decided I’d play along and see what happened.  She brought me a baggie with these weird little things in it, popsicle sticks with what looked like a frozenT ater Tot on the end.  I took one out and put it in the microwave, nuked it for a minute, then sampled it.  Darned if it wasn’t a little ball of sausage dipped in batter and fried and frozen…a pancake on a stick.  Slathered in maple syrup, it was dee-lish, and no utensils to wash and no sticky fingers.
 
When I wrote The Man from Cymene and got to the part where Trygare finds himself and his son in a strange country with dinnertime coming on, I decided to use that episode as my way to find my hungry travelers.

Trygare kan Ingan was a boy of sixteen when the Drune priest told his parents he was to be the father of kings.
 
Sent into the world on a short-legged hill pony, his father’s sword at his side, the young glyndweller sets out to fulfill the prophesy.
 
Along the way, he’ll slay dragons and men, find love and lose it, and feel the horror of the Bloodsong coursing through his veins before the moment he becomes the ancestor of the dynasty foretold to rule his planet for three thousand years.
 
 

Excerpt:
 
There was dust in the air and the smell of animals and cooking food, intermingled with the sweet scent of flowers and ripe fruit. Looking down the street, Trygare saw a stall where bouquets of blossoms rested in pottery urns, a riot of color on long and short stems, some full-blown, others barely budding. Next to it, someone was selling herbs and spices, little bunches tied by string to the supports of his stall. Nearby, a man rolled dough bits between his hands, skewering them with little sticks, and dropping the balls into a vat of hot oil resting on a brazier in which a small fire blazed.
The frying dough made a loud sizzle and sent a greasy but mouth-watering smell into the air.
Trygare stopped Mist and slid off the pony’s back. The man looked up. He nodded and Trygare returned the gesture.
“What’s that you’re cooking?” Speaking in caravansi, he peered into the pot, being careful not to get too close to the fire.
The balls of dough were becoming crispy, little brown boats floating upright, the sticks like miniature masts.
“Battercakes on a stick,” the man replied. “You interested?” He nodded at Riven. “They’re easy for little ones to handle and you can eat while you ride.”
They certainly looked good. Trygare glanced at Riven, saw the child’s tongue lick across his lower lip as he took a deep breath.
“How much?”
“You’re travelers?” The man studied Riven a moment, smiling.
The child stared back before hesitantly returning the smile.
“That’s not a Francovian accent you have.”
“On our way to Aljansur,” Trygare admitted.
“In that case, I’ll give you a discount,” the vendor decided. “Two cakes for one copper. You’ll need money for lodgings,” As Trygare frowned, he went on, “Aljansur’s at last a day’s ride from here. Your horse, or whatever you call that creature…” He glanced at Mist who snorted. “…carrying two will probably make it in a day and a half.”
Trygare fished the required coin out of his purse and handed it over. The man dropped it into his cashpot, then asked, “Now then, do you want sausage in your cake or do you wish it plain?”
There was a pause while Trygare thought about that. “Is meat extra?”
The man shook his head.
“Then yes, please.”
“It’ll take a few minutes.” Seizing the wooden sticks, the man lifted out the cooking cakes onto a platter, then reached into the bowl for more dough and into a second bowl for a sausage mixture.
When the cakes were done, he placed them beside the others on the platter. Reaching for a small crockery pot, he seized one of the little sticks and dipped the cake inside.
It came out dripping with honey. The vendor held it upside-down a moment, letting the excess honey drip back into the pot, then offered it. As Trygare took it, handing it to Riven, he did the same with the other. Trygare took that one, also.
“Careful,” the vendor warned, looking at Riven. “It’s hot. Best let it cool a moment.”
Nodding, Trygare caught Mist’s reins and turned away. He bit into the cake, looking back to see Riven cautiously doing the same.
The little boy chewed, swallowed and announced, “It’s good, Da.”
“Aye,” Trygare agreed.
It was good. Just like the battercakes Cormac’s cooks made. The extra surprise taste of sausage in the center, all of it surrounded by a coating of honey, made it delicious. He made short work of his, startled by how quickly he’d eaten it.
Guess I was hungrier than I thought.
 
Buy Links:
 
Paperback from the publisher’s website: http://www.classactbooks.com/component/virtuemart/fantasy/the-man-from-cymene-8222017-07-13-18-52-58-detail?Itemid=0
 
e-Book/Kindle from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Man-Cymene-Arcanian-Chronicles-Book-ebook/dp/B073YFFPVP/

Toni V. Sweeney has lived 30 years in the South, a score in the Middle West, and a decade on the Pacific Coast and now she’s trying for her second 30 on the Great Plains.
 
Since the publication of her first novel in 1989, Toni divides her time between writing SF/Fantasy under her own name and romances under her pseudonym Icy Snow Blackstone.  In March, 2013, she became publicity manager for Class Act Books (US). She is also on the review staff of the New York Journal of Books and the Paranormal Romance Guild. In 2016, she was named a Professional Reader by netgalley.com.
 
She is an amazon reviewer, and is in the 1% of reviewers for Goodreads.
 
As of 2017, Toni currently has 61 novels in print, including 3 series, and 3 trilogies. 
 
Find out more about Toni:
 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tvsweeney
Amazon Author’s Page: https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B002BLQBB8
Twitter:  @ToniVSweeney