Happy New Year 2024 from the Pen Dames

 

Happy New Year 2024 from the Pen Dames! Blessings for all good things in your life, including warm family time, sparkling good health, spiritual uplift, prosperity and abundance, bountiful creative accomplishments, and tons of marvelous reading!

Introducing Guest Author: Barbara Whitaker

 Greetings, everyone! 

The Pen Dames and I (Jennifer Taylor) are thrilled to have author Barbara Whitaker with us for December. This talented author writes Historical Romances set during WWII. She skillfully weaves an intriguing plot and infuses her characters with heart and sensitivity. 

Her latest book is called Scarred Dreams. Here's the back cover blurb:

In 1944, a German artillery shell destroyed Milt Greenlee’s future in professional baseball. His hideously scarred face and useless arm require him to relearn and recondition. But no amount of rehab will restore his looks or his self-confidence. There’s no chance a “cripple” like him could catch the eye of the stunning Nurse McEwen.

Army Nurse, Annie McEwen dreams her voice will take her far away from her hateful, overbearing father. She hopes Milt, a patient who fought in Sicily, might be the one who can help her find closure with the death of her cousin.   

 As their attraction grows, how can their relationship survive Annie's fears and Milt's secret?

                                                            

Please enjoy this fascinating interview with Barbara: 

 How and when did your writing journey begin?

You could consider me a late bloomer because it was later in my life before I started seriously writing. Although I had made up stories in my head for as long as I can remember, I didn’t write them down or try to organize them until I was older. Once I decided I wanted to write a novel, I realized that I had a lot to learn. That’s when I joined a writing group and started reading books on writing. I soaked up all I could. Since I wanted to write historical novels (because I love history), I researched everything. I wrote my first draft, revised it, and revised it again and again. It was probably fifteen years from the time I decided I wanted to write a novel until my first one was published. I learned a lot during those years, and I became a better writer along the way.

What genre is your book? What do you like about writing in that genre?

My novel, Scarred Dreams, is a Historical Romance set during World War II. I love the history of any era and I love romance. I decided to set my romance novels during World War II because I never tire of reading about that time, which makes research easier. As a matter of fact, I can get lost in researching World War II. Another reason I chose World War II was because of all the stories I heard growing up. Everyone’s father, uncle, grandfather, or brother had fought in that war. Some of the mothers had also served, as nurses, in the Women’s Army Corps, or working defense jobs. These stories gave the history a personal touch, especially the ones about how couples met and married during or after the war.

Describe your main character—life, personality, motivation—whatever you think will make us want to get to know the person.

In Scarred Dreams I consider the hero, Milton, as the main character, since he is the wounded warrior who is brought back to the U.S. to recover.  He grew up in a small town and was next to the oldest of five children. Talented in all sports, he chose baseball as his future career and he could have made the big leagues had he not been wounded. He longs to make his own way in life, but the damage to his body makes it more difficult for him to see a way forward. If you like reading about underdogs who overcome obstacles, then Scarred Dreams is the book for you.

 If you could spend an afternoon with any of your secondary characters, who would it be and why?

Sgt. Lloyd Baker is a rehab specialist or physical therapist who I loosely based on my father since that was his job during WWII. An afternoon with him to talk about all his experiences during the war would be wonderful. My father was stationed at the Breakers Hotel in Palm Beach, Florida, which the Army converted to a hospital. Stories from that time inspired me to use that location, with a fictitious name, in Scarred Dreams. Later, in Atlanta, my father worked with professional baseball player Luke Appling, so the character Louis Applegate was based on a real Baseball Hall of Famer.  

Which authors/books are on your keeper shelves?

Susanna Kearsley writes a kind of time-travel where part of the book is current and part is in a historic time with connections between the characters in different times. The historical portions are often in Jacobean Scotland, although some have been in France or even Russia. I love Susana’s writing style and I anxiously await her next book. 

Speaking of Scotland, I love the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon. If I had time, I would reread the whole series.

 Another favorite is Madeline Martin. (Note: Please see below the kudos Barbara received from Madeline for her first book, A War Apart.) I enjoyed her Scottish Highlands romances. Then she started writing World War II historical novels, which I love. As for World War II writers, Sarah Sundin can’t be beat. I’ve read all her books and always look forward to the next one.

 I also enjoy a good, quirky mystery by Deanna Raybourn. With elaborate Victorian settings and most unusual characters, these novels are always a fun read.

                                                                        

Here's a sample from Scarred Dreams:

“Good morning, soldier.” She met his gaze and for an instant he saw recognition before she shut it down as if she’d never seen him before. “Time for your penicillin shot,” she said. Her melodious speaking voice almost matched her singing voice.

“Sure,” Milt replied, making an effort to smile despite his pounding head. If she didn’t want to acknowledge their brief encounter the previous day, why should he care? It didn’t mean he couldn’t enjoy having a beautiful singer as his nurse.

“Which side?” she asked.

“Huh?” Had that sound come from him?

“Which side do you want the shot in? Right or left?”

He watched her lips form the words. Soft, expressive lips. He blinked, knowing he had to reply. “Uh, left is okay.” The cast on his left arm stuck out so much it made it near impossible to roll onto his left side to expose his right cheek. Which made the left as his only choice. In the last few weeks, he’d gotten so many shots in his left butt cheek it probably looked like a purple pin cushion.

“All right. Just roll over and push down your pajama bottoms.” She turned to retrieve a hypo from one of the trays.

Praise for Barbara Whitaker

“Barbara Whitaker’s A War Apart is a riveting novel set during WWII that has been researched to perfection. Whitaker brings history to life with her incredible descriptions and presents us with an entirely plausible way for two people to find love during such tumultuous times where war has pushed them apart…This is a fantastic book that will draw you in by the heart…”

~ Madeline Martin, NYT Bestseller.

“…achingly beautiful. True to the time…many ups and downs for these characters both personally and together. A great attention to detail from the author in which she uses wonderful imagery to transport you to the time…”

~ Novel News Network Blog.

 Here are the social media and buy links for your convenience:

Website – www.barbarawhitaker.com

Facebook Author Page - https://www.facebook.com/BarbaraWhitakerAuthor/

Facebook Personal Page - https://www.facebook.com/barbarawhitaker13

https://www.amazon.com/Scarred-Dreams-Barbara-Whitaker-ebook/dp/B0BGX17914/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1700857496&sr=8-1

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/scarred-dreams-barbara-whitaker/1142306104?ean=2940185591581

 

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/scarred-dreams

 

All you lovers of WWII Historical Romance, you're in for a treat.

 

 

Pen Dames Pointers! Tips to Jazz Up Your Writing 2023-11-7

A passion of Pen Dames is to help other writers by sharing tips and insights we have learned along the way. We hope you will find the pointers beneficial to your writing process.

Flossie Benton Rogers

Procrastination Tip

Are you working on a rough first draft but having trouble getting started on your daily writing routine this morning? Feel the need to check a few more dozen emails and social media sites? Isn’t there a load of laundry requiring attention? Does heading toward your writing space feel more like Daniel entering the lion’s den? Sometimes we want to write the words, but something inside us is reluctant to get in that chair. Something in us balks at doing the job. Some writers even experience physical sensations such as queasiness and upset stomach. Here is a mental trick that may help. Reframe your perception. Instead of focusing on you and how you are feeling, change the central focus to THE BOOK. The book is it. The book is the focus, and it is coming into being. See it in your mind—all finished, published, with a beautiful cover. You need only allow it. The book is the center. You are the conduit. All is well. Sit in the chair and with a spirit of play allow THE BOOK to come into being.

Loretta C. Rogers

Four Tips for Crafting a Suspenseful Scene

Part II

“I Couldn’t Put it Down.” Those five words are music to an author’s ears. It’s the ultimate compliment. It means the reader will probably be waiting for your next book! Here are four suggestions for crafting a suspenseful scene to keep the reader turning the papers:

1. If a villain is causing problems, make him a strong villain so he can make things progressively worse.

2. Give the hero/heroine conflicting goals. This way, while they are falling in love, their progress toward their own individual goals makes matters worse for the other and their relationship. Ultimately, they must choose between their goals and the one they love.

3. Let your hero/heroine inadvertently make things worse by their own actions. Maybe your hero reluctantly decides to take abuse from the villain because fighting back will make things worse for the heroine. Maybe the heroine hurts the hero’s cause by being so honest she unwittingly gives away an important secret to the villain.

4. Let outside forces unexpectedly turn the tide against your protagonists. If the hero is trying to save a child from a burning building, the wind changes direction, and the flames shift toward the child’s bedroom. If the heroine has been trying to prove her worth by making a killing on the stock market, the stock market crashes, and she loses everything.

To refresh your memory be sure to go back and read Part I of Creating Suspense. Also, you don’t want to miss the helpful writing pointers from our other Pen Dames authors.

Katherine Eddinger Smits

Genre

One of the first decisions a writer needs to make is the genre of their book. It’s important to know which genre or genres your book fits in because each genre has expectations that readers want fulfilled. Make them a promise by calling your book a romance, for example, and disappoint them by not giving them a Happily Ever After or Happy for Now ending, and they will throw your book at the wall—before they write a bad review.

Barbara Cairns

Dialogue

Dialogue is so important. It has many functions.

Sometimes, using the narrative technique of dialogue can introduce flashbacks, which allows the reader to understand a character’s past fears and experiences.

Sometimes, dialogue can prevent monologues by the narrator with descriptions, reflections and actions broken up instead of a long narration.

Sometimes, dialogue can provide information about the time and place of the story by the details used in vocabulary, expressions and idioms.

Sometimes, dialogue between characters can advance the plot, by showing, not telling and bringing readers inside the scenes.

And last, but certainly not least, dialogue can help readers know a character better through their voice, through their conflicts, silences and contradictions.

There are different reasons to add dialogue to your narration. You just have to find the right one for you.

Jennifer Taylor

Poetry Inspiration

Having a bit of writer's block? Need some inspiration? Walk away from your desk and read a poem. A poem is a distillation of prose; the use of imagery-metaphors, and similes, for example, enable the reader to look at the very heart of something. It might be a good idea to read a poem before you start. My suggestion would be the classics: Emily Dickinson, Byron, Shelley, and Blake are some of my favorites. Reading poetry regularly can make your prose more powerful. Give it a try and let us know how it goes.

Did these suggestions resonate with you? Let us know, and also let us know of any writing questions you have and topics you’d like us to cover in these Pointers.

Thanks for stopping by, and happy writing! Cheers from the Pen Dames.

Introducing Guest Author: Mary Lu Scholl

 

Introducing Guest Author: Mary Lu Scholl

Happy October to all our Pen Dames readers! We hope you are enjoying cooler weather as autumn approaches. 

We are eager to introduce you to our next guest author, Mary Lu Scholl, a fun-loving, creative writer of Cozy Mysteries, who writes wherever she happens to land. 

Here is the Book Blurb for Fatal Philandering:

Patty Decker is just trying to get along in her new-ish life in a 55+ mobile home and RV Park (well, kind of trying.) She can't help it if she's Johnny-on -the-spot when there's an unexplained death! Of course, they didn't HAVE unexplained deaths until she moved there... 

She's a crotchety old woman who is just a little socially awkward (all right, a lot socially awkward) who struggles with tact, diplomacy, you know, empathy. 

In Fatal Philandering (book 9 of Trailer Park Trevails), a couple of actors show up to get a brief respite from the star-struck life they normally lead; just a little health break. Whoops. 

She didn't do it, but she's in the thick of it again...

A fun interview with Mary Lu: 

1. What can you tell us about YOU that will allow us to get to know you better - where you live, your background, jobs, interests, etc.? 

I'm a retired Postal Manager, but have done dozens of other jobs to keep body and soul together when young, and because I could, after retiring. I've been everything from a waitress to a landscape worker, picked tomatoes and cared for Developmentally Disabled Adults. 

2. What books were your favorites as a child?

Mmmmmm . . . I read a lot of science fiction, and most of the classics in elementary and middle school - The Dune Trilogy, anything by Heinlein or Clarke. Then there was Stephen King. All the mysteries, Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew. Others included Jane Eyre, Forever Amber, The Master of the Game by Sydney Sheldon, and Tolkein. Johanna Lindsay wrote remarkable characters. 

3. How and when did your writing journey begin? 

As a young adult, I wrote a couple of novels and had an agent for a while, but couldn't seem to break through. After I retired, I wrote another novel, set in western Colorado. Then I moved here and was, coincidentally, living in a mobile home and RV park for a while . . . That was in 2018. I have written twelve novels since then.

4. What genre is your book? What do you like about writing in that genre?

I write cozy mysteries. I do like it. Blood, guts, gore and sex are 'off screen' implied. There is no - or very little mild profanity depending upon your perspective. My parents told me that profanity was the mark of a lazy vocabulary and I could make my point much more succinctly using real words.

5. What inspires you to write?

I like to make people laugh. I enjoy exploring the foibles of human nature. I've had a very varied life with a lot of experiences. Using them in the narratives of my books lets other people experience them. I have learned so much from books. I need to perpetuate the gift.

6. What is the setting of your book? Please describe it.

Citrus County, in Lecanto, mostly. In nine of the books, Patty Decker lives in a fictional trailer park on Gulf-to -Lake Hwy. (A 55+ community with two main roads and amenities like a pool, horseshoe pits, shuffleboard, a laundry and shower house, plus a clubhouse for community events.) The other three existing books are dovetailed to this series, but have a male protagonist living nearby the park. Bernie Murphy lives in a Sears House with a very big barn. He's a handsome Irishman returning to his roots. He finds his Irish mythology came with him, or was it already here?

7. Why did you choose this setting? Is it a real place or did you create it for the story?

It's fictional, but nearly all the situations, most of the conversations, and many of the details are straight out of my life.

8. Is your book part of a series or a standalone? If it is a part of a series, describe the series.

There are two series - In Trailer Park Trevails. Patty Decker has moved to Lecanto (aka Paradise in West Central Florida) to soak up sun and write novels in a twenty-five foot camper. What WAS she thinking? Camper Catastrophe sets the scene . . . The second one is Bernie Murphy in Nature Coast Calamities. He has returned to Citrus County and finds that the Irish mythology of his childhood might be real. (The Lecanto Leprechaun, Big Foot and the Bentley, and InverNessie.)

9. Describe your main character- life, personality, motivation- whatever you think will make us want to know this person.

If you want to get to know Patty, it's mostly to convince yourself that YOU are not like her. You have tact.

10. If you could spend an afternoon with any of your secondary characters, who would it be and why?

Patty's best friend is Dr. Catherine. She's very smart. 

11. What writing projects do you have on the horizon? 

Since I just released a Patty book, I'm writing my next Bernie book now. My last Bernie book, Pooka and the Pirates just received a 5 star review. 

12. What is your best advice for aspiring writers? 

Don't lose heart. Keep writing for yourself even if you never share.

13. Which authors/books are on your keeper shelves?

Too many to name. I keep authors I know - have met one way or another. I keep the classics, plus Kay Hooper and Jules Verne.

14. If you could meet any author, living or dead, who would it be and why?

Frank Herbert - because WOW. Or, Tolkein! 

15. What is your favorite book marketing tip? 

Elevator speeches - 90 second clips to capture your audience.

16. What do you like to do when not writing?

I garden and do needlework.

Excerpt from Fatal Philandering:

Chapter Five- Later Thursday - Patty

People were watering things they'd never watered before, just so they could be outside whrn the actor came. I was front and center, behind a shrub.

A car came. It was predictably, a convertible. Didn't they all drive convertibles?

At least until the squirrels ate the canvas.

JJ had a gold Sebring convertible. He had learned the hard way to protect the top from the adorable rodents with poison and Irish Spring soap.

Two men got out. Two? One was tall, had salt and pepper hair and a full beard, trimmed neatly and just long enough not to be confused with that nasty scruff the younger generation cultivates. He was neatly dressed, and stood with his hands in his pockets while waiting for the other man to join him. The second man was short and kind of soft looking. He had an amazing nose. He did have nice hair, even if the improbable cut (a mushroom shape?) was an improbable shade of strawberry-blonde for a man who had to be in his 50s. He carried a laptop case and wore those fancy big sneakers that make your feet look like aircraft carriers.

"Did Desiree say two of them were moving in?" I asked Doris.

I happened to be standing next to her, while she was carefully pruning a plant that had never been pruned before and would probably die from her enthusiastic ministrations.

"Give me those." I took her clippers away from her. "Text Pete."

Before she could do more than pick up her phone, she had an incoming text from Pete. Desiree says there are two of them moving in.

I read unashamedly over her shoulder. "How does he do that?" He seemed to always know when Doris wanted him and what she needed.

Doris just smiled. She was a newlywed and still under the impression that Pete was patient, perspicacious, and alliteratively perfect in every way.

"I'm the one in the bottom picture. Well, maybe the one in the top picture, too."

To contact Mary Lu, use the following social media link:

https://www.facebook.com/maryluschollauthor?mibextid=ZbWKwL

To buy Mary Lu's books, use this link:

https://amazon.com/author/maryluscholl

Pen Dames Pointers! Tips to Jazz Up Your Writing 2023-9-19

 A passion of Pen Dames is to help other writers by sharing tips and insights we have learned along the way. We hope you will find the pointers beneficial to your writing process. 

Jennifer Taylor

Plotting:

Every writer works out their plots differently. Some people (definitely not me) see the plot in their heads like a movie. If you're a plotter, you might write an outline. Over the years and the three novels I've written, I've tried different methods.  I have learned what works for me (although I'm always open to trying new things). I'm a semi-pantser and work on developing my characters first. 

Once I know what a character would do in a given situation, I take one of those big desk calendars-I usually pick up a couple at the end of the year when they're cheap. Instead of the day of the week, for example, I cross out "Sunday" and put "Chapter One". I'm a global type of thinker and tactile, so I like to have everything in front of me. So I use the calendar to jot down ideas for the chapter and which characters are featured. Remember, these are early days. I use the other calendar to jot down random ideas and eventually, I'll transcribe both "calendars" into my computer, which always seems to generate new ideas. 

This is my strategy for the early days of plotting. If you try it, I'd love to hear how it went for you. And if you have any questions, feel free to comment on our blog.

Flossie Benton Rogers

To tune in more deeply to your characters and descriptions, visualize your scene. Put yourself in the place of your point of view character and walk through the scene. Notice what she notices. Feel what she feels. What gestures does she naturally make while speaking? What sensations does she experience?  Getting to know her better can create more authenticity in character development.

Loretta C. Rogers

Does My Story Need Suspense?

Part I

The short answer is: Yes!

Every story, regardless of genre, needs some sense of build-up and suspense. No suspense at all will leave a flat story line. Utilizing suspense can move the plot forward, strengthen interest in your characters, and have your reader wrapped up in how you tell the story. If you craftily use foreshadowing, cliffhangers, red herrings, and symbolism, you can build depth to your story and make it come alive.

For example, in a romance novel you might create a cliffhanger by creating a new scene when a character professes his love after an emotional build-up, but you fast forward to a different scene or flash back to another before the other character responds.

In a thriller/suspense/mystery novel, you might need to draw out suspense for a couple of chapters. For example, you place your H/H in the middle of the action by having them running from someone or trying to catch someone or waiting to be rescued but the rescuer is delayed, and time is running out.

Stay tuned for the next Pen Dames Pointers where I will share 4 tips for crafting a suspenseful scene. 

Katherine Eddinger Smits

If you plan to publish and sell your books, I recommend setting up a website and establishing a social media presence before you begin submitting. That’s right! Do it now while you’re still working on your first draft. 

I know what you’re going to say. “I don’t have anything to show anyone yet.”

BUT

That is wrong. You have yourself, your writing process, your thoughts about the publishing journey, and so much more!

Readers want to know about you, the writer. When did you know you wanted to write? How long have you been writing? What are your favorite genres and books? Who are your favorite authors?

You can answer any of those questions and many more.

Start with one platform. Chances are, you already use at least one. If Facebook is your jam, establish an author profile. If you’re on TikTok, you have potential gold. Post, engage, and repeat.

Next, launch your website. Find a free one and DIY. You can do it. Once you know how, you’ll never have to pay someone else to create or maintain one. Trust me, this will save you a lot of money.

On your website, be sure to include a Landing Page so readers can sign up for your newsletter. Get all your family and friends to subscribe. 

Begin sending out newsletters. They don’t have to go out often or contain tons of content at first, but this will help you learn how to do them and get into the habit of sending them. 

Planning to submit to a traditional publisher? Great! You still need to do all of the above. Having a social media presence could actually help get your work accepted, and chances are, you’ll be asked to implement all these things and more anyway.

Take a little time and establish yourself on social media, your website, and newsletter. With each book you publish, the demands on your time will grow. Organizing all this early in the process will lessen the learning curve and stress of that first release!

Barbara Cairns

After a very frustrating day when technology problems threaten to fry my brain, my writing tip for this month is this: When everything seems to be going wrong, take a day off and do something completely different. Watch a movie on Netflix. Try out a new recipe. Buy a new plant. Phone your friends. Declutter a kitchen drawer. Take your dog for an extra walk. Surprise someone with an act of kindness.

etc. Just remember . . .  There's always tomorrow to write those exact words you want or to conquer that crochety computer.

Did these suggestions resonate with you? Let us know, and also let us know of any writing questions you have and topics you’d like us to cover in these Pointers.

Thanks for stopping by, and happy writing! Cheers from the Pen Dames.

Monster in the Dark - Who will be the next victim?

 To my delight readers often tell me that the paranormal events in my stories sometimes creep them out because the events seem so real; and I’m asked how I accomplish the realism. The answer is neither easy nor difficult. You see, my grandmother was a seer. Yeah, I know, it’s weird. However, she always said that her abilities were a curse and not a gift, and she never wanted any of her children or grandchildren to inherit this empathic ability. So, none of her grandchildren were allowed to have Ouija boards, tarot cards, or a Magic 8 Ball; and we were always cautioned to not ever visit fortune tellers.

Honestly, I never intended to write paranormal or scary stories; it seems to come naturally. Perhaps, a large part of this type story telling stems from my childhood.

As a child, I was considered a “little different,” so books became my best friend. My most favorite stories were fairytales with villains and villainess such as in Little Red Riding Hood, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Hansel and Gretel, to name a few. 

“Monster in the Dark” book #4 in my Doc Holliday Mystery Series was inspired by such fairy tale monsters. Please enjoy this excerpt from Monster in the Dark.

As one reviewer said, "A dark mystery that grabs you from the beginning and doesn't let go."

Available in Print and Ebook

At first, I thought it was a mannequin. You know, like the ones used in store windows. There was no blood. She was sitting in a chair with her back toward us. The room reminded me of a scene from a horror movie.

Dad said, “Mrs. Gardner?”

I thought about the time I’d been on the movie set of Lights…Camera…Murder where the stunt man was killed, but in this act, there were no supporting actors. In the distance, a dog barked, and there was no movie director to call “Cut!”

I swallowed the bile rising in my throat. The beats of my heart echoed inside my ears. I eased around the table. Oh, God! She was real. She was once…like flesh and blood and bone…just…oh, God! The woman I had thought was a mannequin was a corpse.

It was only the extreme brutality of her death that made her appear as if she were not, as if she was some creation of the most brilliant and lurid mind working in a Hollywood special effects studio.

A heavyset woman, clad in an old-fashioned granny dress, her wrists and ankles wrapped with silver duct tape, securely bound to the chair’s arms and legs, and with a double strip of tape that sealed her mouth shut, stared vacant-eyed at an empty soup bowl.

Dad gasped against the offensive smell. “Which fairy tale character is she supposed to be, Tullah, and how long do you think she’s been dead?”

Monster in the Dark is available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, iTunes, Kobo, Apple

https://www.amazon.com/Monster-Dark-Doc-Holliday-Mystery/dp/1509250476

 I always enjoy comments from readers. If, for some reason, you are unable to leave a comment, please feel free to comment on Pen Dames FaceBook page. I look forward to hearing from you.

HAPPY READING!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

           

Introducing Guest Author: Sarita Leone

 

Happy August to all of our Pen Dames Readers! We hope you are enjoying your summer. 

Continuing our guest author interviews, we are excited to introduce you to Sarita Leone, another of our favorite authors. We hope you will enjoy her books as much as we do.

Sarita is a multi-genre author of Historical and Contemporary romance. She also writes light comedy and ghostly experiences.

Getting to know Sarita:

Pen Dames: What books were your favorites as a child?

Sarita: I loved Nancy Drew! Also, Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh. I still have the copy I was given as a child. It is dog-eared and looks a bit frayed, but it is still well-loved.

Pen Dames: How and when did your writing journey begin?

Sarita: I think I began writing stories as soon as I could spell. There are little books with crayon-colored and watercolor-painted pictures to go along with the text in existence. They, too, are frayed, but show that I was always interested in telling stories.

Pen Dames: What genre is your book? What do you like about writing in that genre?

Sarita: Wylder Promises is a historical western romance. It is part of The Wild Rose Press’ Wylder Series. I love writing historical romance because it gives us a chance to fall back in time and enjoy a bit of history.

Pen Dames: What is the setting of your book? Please describe it.

Sarita: Wylder Promises takes place in Wylder, in the Wyoming territory. The land is rugged, the cowboys handsome, and the women stronger than anything frontier life can throw at them. The fictional town is a typical frontier town, with a saloon, mercantile, jail, schoolhouse, social club, dress shop, casket maker, and all the rest.

Pen Dames: What is your best advice for aspiring writers?

Sarita: I think the best way to learn a new skill is by practicing that skill. Take courses, learn from other authors, read about the mechanics of writing. And then, write. Then, write some more. And after that? Start all over again, and write.

Pen Dames: Which authors/books are on your keeper shelves?

Sarita: I’m a big Stephen King fan, so I have a nice collection of his books. I love the book Eat, Pray, Love because I read it at a time when I really needed an escape, and it offered one. And I enjoy John Grisham’s books. I have a number of them on my keeper shelves.

Pen Dames: What do you like to do when not writing?

Sarita: I love to travel. But really, who doesn’t like seeing interesting things and meeting new people? But having said that, I’m also a bit of a homebody. I love spending time with family and friends and enjoy a nice picnic or walk in the park. I go to the gym regularly and practice yoga. I also bake bread, so I’m often in the kitchen elbow-deep in flour!

   

Enjoy a blurb from Sarita’s Historical romance Wylder Promises:

When Gertie Jackson lost her husband in the war, she left Richmond searching for a new life. She wanted peace for her tortured soul...and she found it in Wylder.

Lane Hutchins rode to Wylder as a favor to an old friend...and to look once more upon the woman who'd stolen his heart years ago.

When Gertie's preparations for the big Founder's Day festivities sets off a streak of vandalism, Lane knows he can't leave while she's in danger. But will his efforts to win her heart push her further from him, or will Wylder's magic work to finally bring them together?

And for more enticement here is a short excerpt from Wylder Promises:

 

Even trail dusted, Lane Hutchins made a woman’s heart quicken. He had always turned heads when he’d been a young man. Time did well by him, turning his fresh, handsome features rugged and the spry step to a confident swagger.

 If she had a free hand, she would use it to pat her hair, but the fabric kept her at a disadvantage. She arranged her features into what she hoped was a neutral expression as he stepped up onto the wooden planking.

 “Trudy.” His voice, so deep and with its southern resonance, sent butterflies spiraling low in her gut.

 No one had called her that in over a decade. Her mouth went dry, and it took a moment to find her voice.

 “Lane.” A small jut of her chin toward her chest, but no smile. It wouldn’t come. “No one calls me that anymore.”

 His brow furrowed as he shifted the saddlebags on his shoulder. When he reached for the bolt of fabric, she didn’t resist handing it over. It had been a long time since a man carried her burdens.

 “Are you married again? If so, I apologize…I wasn’t aware that you’d taken on the ‘missus’ again.”

 She shook her head. “I’m not married but folks around town call me Gertie. I haven’t heard the other in so long, it took me by surprise.” Tilting her head to one side, she added, “Seeing you did the same. What are you doing in Wylder?”

 His smile set off a new round of fluttering in her midsection. “A happy coincidence?”

 

How to find Sarita:

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1.     Buy links for: Wylder Promises (The Wylder West) - Kindle edition by Leone, Sarita . Romance Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

 

 

Pen Dames: Sarita, thank you for being our guest author and sharing snippets of your personal life and your writing journey with us. I’m sure writers, both experienced and novice writers will find your writing advice helpful. P.S. I can almost smell the freshly baked bread. Yum!

Sarita: Thank you for inviting me here today. It was a lot of fun. I am a long-time reader of this wonderful blog, so it is an honor to make an appearance here.