Royal Blood Interview

by shantelbrunton | Aug 15, 2022 | Blog

My guest today is Calgary author Simon Rose, who has published eighteen novels for
children and young adults, eight guides for writers, more than a hundred nonfiction
books, and many articles on a wide variety of topics. Today, we’re looking at his latest
release, Royal Blood, the second novel in the Stone of the Seer series.
So remind us about the Stone of the Seer series. What’s it all about?

The Stone of the Seer is an exciting historical fantasy series for young adults, primarily
set during the English Civil War in the mid-seventeenth century. The Stone of the Seer, is
the first book in the series. At Habingdon House, Lady Elizabeth Usborne, Kate, and
Tom discover a magical black stone, mysterious ancient manuscripts, and the tempus
inpectoris, an incredible time viewing device. They are also in grave danger from Daniel
Tombes, who has a fearsome reputation as a witchfinder.
And without giving too much away, what can readers look forward to in the second
novel?

In Royal Blood, Lady Elizabeth, Kate, and Tom move to London in the middle of the
Civil War, experiencing the great political changes taking place at the time, including the
trial and execution of Charles I. They are also still under threat from Tombes, who is also
in the city. The story has many twists and turns, and I doubt if any of the readers will
expect the novel’s cliffhanger ending.

And then they’ll have to wait for the third book?
Yes, they certainly will. I’m hoping that Revenge of the Witchfinder, the final novel and
the conclusion of the story, will be published later this year. After that, people will be
able to buy all three books in the series.

And what’s the story behind the story?
The story, main characters, and some of the settings in Royal Blood are fictional, but like
in The Stone of the Seer, they’re based on real events and historical characters, such as
King Charles I, appear in the story. The English Civil War broke out as a result of the
struggle between Charles I and Parliament, regarding how the country should be
governed. The king’s defeat in the war was followed by his trial and execution in January 1649.

The monarchy was abolished and replaced first by the Commonwealth of England
and then the Protectorate. However, although the monarchy was restored in 1660, in the
person of Charles II, his father’s defeat confirmed that an English monarch couldn’t rule
the country without the consent of Parliament. This was eventually legally established in
1688 after the Glorious Revolution.

Did you conduct extensive historical research for this book, as you did with the first
one?

Although the English Civil War is a time period I’ve always been interested in, I still
engaged in lots of research. I needed to study what life was like in seventeenth century
London, the political and religious beliefs that were around at the time, the influence of
real witchfinders such as Matthew Hopkins and others like him, and of course the trial
and execution of Charles I. The trial itself was very well recorded and I was able to
ensure that the words spoken by both the king and his accusers were accurate. There were
also many witnesses to the execution, so I was able to include established facts about that
aspect as well.
As I did in The Stone of the Seer, I’ve included a glossary at the end of Royal Blood,
where readers can learn more about the events, settings, and leading characters from the
era, locations that are mentioned in the text, life in the seventeenth century, and about
other historical periods that are featured in the story. On my website, there’s also a page
with details about the historical background behind the books, with links to online
sources about the time period.

Do you have any current projects?
Right now I’m working on another historical fantasy novel series, this time set in the
early years of World War II. I’m also working on another series of paranormal novels, in
the same genre as my previously published series that includes Flashback, Twisted Fate,
and Parallel Destiny. You can learn more about those books at http://www.simon-rose.com. In
addition, I’m in the early stages of another couple of historical projects, and am also
working on some screenplays, including adaptations of my Shadowzone series, and on
several other topics.

Do you still work with other authors as well?
Yes, I offer coaching, editing, consulting, and mentoring services for writers of novels,
short stories, fiction, nonfiction, biographies, inspirational books, and in many other
genres, plus work with writers of scripts and screenplays. I’m also a writing instructor at
the University of Calgary and served as the Writer-in-Residence with the Canadian
Authors Association. You can find details of some of the projects I’ve worked on with
other authors, along with references and recommendations, at http://www.simon-rose.com.

So where can people buy Royal Blood and The Stone of the Seer?
The novel can be purchased at most of the usual places, as follows:
Royal Blood
Ebook: Amazon Canada, Amazon USA, Kobo, iBooks, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords
Paperback: Amazon Canada, Amazon USA

The Stone of the Seer
Ebook: Amazon Canada, Amazon USA, Kobo, iBooks, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords 

Paperback: Amazon Canada, Amazon USA

Thanks Simon, for being my guest here today and the very best of luck with Royal Blood
and the Stone of the Seer series. I hope the books sell thousands and thousands of copies
in the coming weeks and months.
You can learn more about Simon and his work on his website at http://www.simon-rose.com,
where you can also link to his social media sites and other locations online.

N.Dune Author Interview

by shantelbrunton | May 17, 2022 | Blog

First off please introduce yourself to the readers

Hi there my name is Natalie, most people call me Nat. I write under the pen name N Dune because I like to keep my author and private lives separate. I have three children ranging from the eldest who is 22 this year to the youngest who turns 11 in June. My husband is my best friend and he alpha reads all of my books, even though romance is not something he would normally read. I live in the south west of England with my little family and three elderly cats.

1.) Where would you say your ideas come from? What’s your writing process like?

 I usually see a scene in my head, the characters start to show me what’s happening. I never plot so when I sit down to write I have no idea what’s going to happen. Often I’m as surprised as everyone else.

2) What fictional character would you like to go on a date with?

If it was one of my characters I would have to say Jay, he is my absolute favourite. Maybe because he was my first. If we are talking about characters from other authors’ books, that would be a crazy busy date because there would be so many of us. I fall in love with book boyfriends on a regular basis.

3.)How did you celebrate after publishing your first book?

After my first book was published, my hubs and I had some bubbly and a nice meal. It was a special occasion as I’d worked so hard to write and publish that one. I had no idea what I was doing and thankfully had a lot of help from fellow authors, who gave me advice and encouraged me to follow my dream.

What does your editing process look like?

4) My editing process has improved over time. I don’t think there is any set way to do it but what I do works for me. I write and Grammarly as I go. Then read through and edit till I’m happy. After that, I give it to my husband, who reads and edits the grammar/spelling and questions anything that doesn’t make sense. Then I have amazing Beta readers who give me feedback, and finally, I send it to my fantastic editor.

5.) Do you have any deleted scenes you’d like to enlighten the readers about?

 Strangely enough, no, I never delete scenes. When you read my book, you see the scenes exactly as I wrote them, with polish from editing and Beta reading, of course. Maybe the odd word or sentence goes, but I don’t delete chunks out, at least, I haven’t so far.

6) Does real life get in the way of writing?

Yes, real-life often gets in the way of writing I have a part-time job, but it takes a lot of my time and energy, plus three kids and a house to run. Sometimes days will go by when I don’t write at all, but I make a point of reading every day, usually at night on those busy days. My mind is too fried at night to write.

7) What books have inspired you?

Now, that’s a tricky question. I don’t really have books that inspire me. I love books, I love characters and stories but do they inspire me in real life or inspire me to write? No, I wouldn’t say that they do. I read a lot of dark romance, and for me, reading is a form of escapism. The books I read give me the courage to just let things happen and not worry about what other people may think about what I am writing.

8) How do you come up with titles?

 Sometimes titles will come to me as I write, other times, it takes a while. My cover designer came up with titles for two of the books I hope to release this year. One was on the pre-made I purchased from her to write a duet, and the other she helped with when I gave her my title, which doesn’t really fit the story. Generally, though, I have to start writing the book before a title emerges. I rarely think of them before I’ve started on a book.

9) What are your thoughts on covers and do you judge a book by its cover?

Lol, yes I’m afraid I do. I’m a big cover Hoe and I admit it. I love covers that is what attracts me to them and I rarely read blurbs unless I’m checking if it’s an RH because I love those. Also, I avoid clean romance unless I’m beta reading for a friend, so I check blurbs for an indication that I’m not going to be disappointed. I love shiny covers with lots of colours but I also like dramatic ones too. I’m particularly fond of gorgeous men on covers but equally a beautiful object cover will turn my head and have me checking the book out.

10.) What is your favourite part about writing?

 I have a few favourite parts. I love being so immersed in my writing that I have no idea what time of day it is. I love typing the final sentence and knowing that I’ve completed another book. I even love it when I start crying because the scene I’m writing is so emotional. But one of the many things I love is someone else reading my book and saying that they loved it. That makes me all gooey inside.

Find Nat’s books here

Interview with Amber Night

by shantelbrunton | Apr 13, 2022 | Blog

First off before all the official questions, could you please introduce yourself and share any facts about yourself you’re comfortable sharing.

Hi! I’m Amber. I’m an interracial romance author, poet, and dancer. I write of love which fractures and repairs. Of yearning which hangs densely in the air. Of dark depths and of light. With spice. 😉   

Seriously, my stories dance to their own tune and won’t quite fit in boxes. So if you’re after something a bit off the beaten path, I’m definitely your woman!

My debut novel Within You and its spicy sequel novella Into the Woods are out now. Both free on Kindle Unlimited. You can also grab a free short-story prequel to get a taste for my writing by signing up to my newsletter. All links here: linktr.ee/ambernightauthor

Oh, and do follow me on instagram! @ambernightauthor

1.) Where did your writing begin, was there a catalyst that sparked all of this?

I’ve told myself stories for as long as I can remember, really. I started writing fanfiction as a teenager and spent many years on and off in various fandoms writing various things (but always with a focus on romance) and learning a lot about the craft. I worked in non-fiction writing/editing roles for a while and only had the energy for the odd poem scribbled on my phone. Then, when I was pregnant with my daughter, I desperately longed for some romance which represented my relationship a bit better and found it hard to find any. I dreamt the rough plot of Within You in a pregnancy hormone dream, and thus the idea was born. (Although I didn’t start writing it until my daughter was almost 2.) 

2.) During your childhood was being a writer something that ever crossed your mind?

I’m not sure it did! I read a lot, but as a child (as opposed to a teenager) I think I mainly wanted to be an astronaut. (So disappointed when I realised my motion sickness rather put paid to that.)

3.) What do your family and friends think about your books?”

That’s too generic a question, lol. They’ve jointly been incredibly supportive, but of course each person takes something different from their reading. A couple of my closest friends who I met through writing in the past are probably my biggest fans. Some others told me that they hadn’t had a chance to read in years and yet picked up and loved my book—that felt so very special. I’ve actually put my brothers on a reading ban for my novella because I decided it was too spicy. xD And last but not least, my husband reliably informs me that there’s just a lot of romance in my romance. Damn it. Caught out again. 

4.) Do you like to listen to music when you write or do you prefer the sound of silence?

Absolute silence is a must. I get a lot of inspiration from music as I wander about and listen to it whilst daydreaming, but I can’t complete complex thinky tasks with background noise. Ask me sometime how well that fits in with mumlife. (Not! xD)

5.) What’s your relationship with your characters like? Are they cooperative muses?

Depends on the character! And on me and where I’m personally at. Sometimes they ride me hard and push me to get a story down faster than my time allows, sometimes I need to listen to them more patiently. Right now they’re proving recalcitrant. But life has kept pulling me out of the flow, so that never helps.

6.) Which celebrities would be perfect to play your characters?

I joke a lot about Idris Elba (I mean, look at that man!), but the truth is, I’m not much of a celeb person. I don’t even know who half of them are or remember their names. Sorry. XD Nor am I very visual, in fact. My characters all incorporate elements of real people in one way or another (although they are not any one particular person), so sometimes I have stronger mental pictures based on that, but I don’t want to cage them, either. I want my readers to be free to see who THEY see. 

7.) If someone robbed you of your emotions, do you think you could still be a writer?

No. Unless we’re talking technical writing, lol. 

I believe that all art is ultimately driven by emotional expression. And that emotion is our fundamental connection point as human beings. I notice this every time I go (social, partner-) dancing—I can connect with people there who are so vastly different from me that in any other setting we might struggle to have a conversation. But the music and the emotion in the music still ties us together like an invisible thread. Dancing is non-verbal communication.

Writing is more abstract an art, because it’s verbal communication, so it’s open to interpretation. But emotion remains the connecting thread.

8.) How much of yourself do you put into your characters?

I am many people. Lol. 

I mean, can we truly express what isn’t already inside us in some way? Even those aspects of humanity we choose to reject and NOT allow to be part of our personalities are still a shadow of potential in our minds somehow. Including the grittier, darker aspects of humanity. Writing is just one way to explore that, I think. To connect with the wholeness of human potential, for better or for worse. 

So yes, I’m in all my characters in that way, and they’re all in me. Just as they all contain pieces of people I’ve met, but they’re not them. 

But we’re all connected anyway. Just like you and me. 

9.) What’s your favourite part about being a writer?

I love those moments of flow, when the story almost tells itself. When that connection to the characters is open and real and it allows me to dive deep, to explore and process both myself and the world around me through the act of creation. When puzzle pieces you hadn’t even consciously put in place randomly line up and slot together into a whole. (This happened to me with the deeper storyline beneath Into the Woods, and it was magical.) It’s really something special. 

10.) Finally, what do readers have to look forward to in the future?

I’m currently working on my second historical romance, set in Victorian London. I’ve one Victoriana already complete—the one with the MC who rode me hard 😉 ;)—but as I write sloooowly, I wanted to make sure I’ve got something to follow it before I put it out there. 

Once we get there, expect dramatic cliffs in the Cornish countryside, a tortured, reclusive hero with a seductive streak a mile wide and a working class heroine trying to come to terms with her past. 

In the meantime, please check out my existing books! And let me know if you enjoy anything in them. 🙂

mybook.to/WithinYou

mybook.to/intothewoods

Valentine’s Day Book Recommendations

by shantelbrunton | Feb 14, 2022 | Blog

Valentine’s Day Romance Recommendations

Today is Valentine’s Day! It’s one of my favourite holidays of the year. To celebrate Valentine’s Day I want to provide you with some awesome book recommendations from my favourite indie authors. Who needs a dozen roses when I’ve got a dozen romance book recommendations.

First up on my list is Amber Night

1.) Amber is an interracial romance author who dreams of the day when the invisible boundaries which separate us need not exist at all. A poet by heart, she explores the depths of what it means to be human. She looks beneath the surface differences which divide us to find the common ground which unites us in our struggles to be seen. She’s also partial to a hefty dose of sensuality and steam. She lives in London with her husband and her daughter. And if she isn’t writing, you’ll probably find her dancing.

Amber has two books available Within You and Into the Woods. These books are steamy, slow burn, dystopian romances.

Find her books here

Next up

2.)T.L Quin who is a contemporary romance of eight amazing romance books. Her books bring in a touch of humour which is always appreciated and she provides a variety of hot book boyfriends to keep you company if you’re on your own today, or these handsome men can fuel your fantasies with your real life partner.

Find her books here

3.) Erin Mc Luckie Moya

Born and raised in South Africa, Erin thrived on stories and the art of story telling. A long stint in marketing saw her move across the world, settling in rural North Italy with her Husband, two children and a cat.

She now hones her craft of story telling in creating tales that she herself would want to read.

Erin reads as much as she writes and enjoys giving ramblings and opinions on books on her Instagram feed.

Her stories are almost always guaranteed to include magic and elements of mythology, taking the reader into realms of the unknown.

Erin is an empress in and of her own right. She delivers books with sexy tarot themes, biker clubs, secret societies, and so much more. Her writing is brilliant and imaginative.

Find her books here

4.)

V.B. Emanuele is an award-winning author/editor who began writing professionally for a serial, visual story app, under the username VioletBlue. She quickly found herself wanting to expand her art, and wrote her first online novel, The Veil, in 2019. After the rapid success of the book, she released several more online novels before deciding she wanted to publish them. Just Business was the first book to launch the Club Euphoria Novels and Violet’s publishing debut.

She has lived in both Europe and the United States and obtained a Fine Arts degree and English Literature degree. When she is not writing or reading, she can be found active outdoors, participating in fitness challenges and events, cooking, or traveling.

“The greatest peace I ever discovered, was stepping away from the expectation of others and creating my own future.” – V.B. Emanuele

She’s got some absolutely hot novels Grab a towel because she brings the heat.

Find her books here

5.) Pixie Auri is a Brazilian author who loves romance, awkwardness, and humor. When she’s not writing, you’ll find her working on her other job or performing in the circus as an aerialist.

She’s got two books available. A word of praise: The Billionaire’s Aerialist and the second is her most recent book called Her Renegade Dragon. Have you ever dreamed of running off to the circus or entering a fantasy world with dragons? Well, Pixie has the perfect books for you.

6.) Love is great and all, but my next author is all about the hate and the love. Grab your tissues because her books will make you wet in more ways than one.

R&C Christiansen is a proud Canadian husband and wife team, although Mrs. Christiansen does the majority of the authoring and Mr. C does the mentoring & proofreading. Together they write dark/erotic romance novels and enjoy reading the same genres when they have time. When the Mrs., is not busy authoring, mothering, or wife-ing, she likes to indulge in a glass of wine, kick back, and think dirty thoughts hoping to inspire the next story within.

She’s got multiple amazing books but the best place to start is with her Tainted Love complete trilogy. The characters feel so real, I have trouble believing they aren’t real.

Check out the amazing books here

7.) Want to read something dark… and I mean really dark and really hot. Meet Monique Edenwood.

Her bio states-

I am the writer of the Black Oak series, the first novel of which is Enter The Black Oak.

I absolutely love helping people escape their daily lives for a short while with the help of some intrigue, suspense and some smoking hot fictional boyfriends! I also love to explore the deep guts of relationships as well as the trauma which shapes us all to some degree.

I am a British-Canadian author based in Vancouver, British Columbia and when I’m not reading or writing, I love hiking and cycling around beautiful Vancouver. I’m also an epic fantasy geek and lover of 80’s and 90’s music.

I love when people reach out to me, so please feel free to contact me via my website http://www.MoniqueEdenwood.com or my Facebook page facebook.com/moniqueedenwood.

Thanks so much for taking the time to visit!

Step inside the Black Oak and meet the absolutely drool worthy men. Jack, Cam, Sebastian. Well, I’m obsessed with them all.

Find her books here

8.) What do you want to experience… C.G Miller has the perfect books for you. The X-Perience is a book describng a way for people to live out their most deviant fantasies with just the click of the button.

C.G Miller was born in San Diego, California. At a young age, her family relocated to a rural area in Nevada where she still resides with her husband and three children. C.G Miller breaks down all the walls in her writing to take you on a journey into the minds of her characters. As an Indie Author, she brings her stories to life creating a truly twisted and dark world that will enthrall you. Her stories aren’t for the faint of heart. Read with caution.

When she isn’t writing, she is enjoying time with her family. She also likes to read, listen to music, and play video games.

Find her books here

9.) Lynn Rhys is a talented author with a range of books that deal with important themes such as escaping abusive relationships, body image issues, self love and so much more. Along with the important messages she delivers some seriously steamy book boyfriends. A personal favourite of mine is Ryker from Safe with Me. Sometimes we just want to be saved.

Find her books here

10.) Sometimes we want to read a sweet clean romance with a really good message. If this sounds like your cup of tea than Rebecca Lange is your author.

Rebecca is a Christian romance writer who focuses on clean YA Fiction, Christian Fantasy, and Historical Fiction as her preferred genre categories. Her romance-inspired novels quickly turn into romantic suspense thrillers since she likes to add a bit of everything to her novels: drama, heartbreak, humor, suspense, lots of sarcasm, and playfulness/ sass (a must for her since she is fluent in both), inspirational thoughts, religious beliefs and faith in God. She also likes to address difficult topics people don’t like to talk about because, in her words: “Only when we speak about these issues can we make a change.”

Bullying, racism, sexual harassment, abuse, human trafficking, drug and alcohol addictions are just some of the topics she tackles straightforward and without sugarcoating. She doesn’t believe in avoiding issues because they are uncomfortable. Her beliefs, views, and opinions on those issues are presented in her books how she feels about them. Her characters are her voice. She calls it as she sees it. Her main characters usually have a strong belief in God – either in general or inspired by the author’s faith.

Find her books here

11.) Next up on my list is Chloe Elizabeth.

Chloe Elizabeth is a Romance Author who mainly writes paranormal books.

She is a college student studying to become a nurse. When Chloe is not studying or writing, she is either reading a book, playing ultimate frisbee, or taking pictures.

She has a sweet romance book called his Blind Mate. It’s a treat to see sweet paranormal romance book.

Find her book here

12.) Do you want to escape the mundane aspects of life? Do you love the water? Do you want some amazing well written romance books, then N. Dune is the author for you.

N Dune is a British author who lives with her husband and three children in the South West of England. Having spent years ignoring the voices in her head, she is finally letting them out to tell their stories. A true pantser, she allows her characters full rein and takes you on their journey with little control over what they want to happen.

N Dune writes steamy contemporary, fantasy and paranormal romance, often with a dark twist and usually full of angst. All of her books are written, for the most part, in British English, with occasional word exceptions in some.

Find her books here

To end this blog post, I just want to say Happy Valentine’s Day and I hope you enjoy these book recommendations.