A Warm Welcome to Margay Leah Justice
Descended from the same bloodline that spawned the likes of James Russell, Amy and Robert Lowell, Margay Leah Justice was fated to be a writer herself from a young age. But even before she knew that there was a name for what she was doing, she knew one thing: She had a deep and unconditional love for the written word. A love that would challenge her in times of need, abandon her in times of distress, and rediscover her in times of hope. Through her writing, Margay has learned to cope with every curve ball life has thrown her, including the challenges of single parenting, the harsh realities of living in a shelter, coping with the diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis, and the roller coaster ride of dealing with a child who suffers from bipolar disorder. But along the way she has rediscovered the amazing power of words.
Margay currently lives in Massachusetts with her two daughters, two cats, and a myriad of characters who vie for her attention and demand that their own stories be told.

Here's the blurb from Sloane Wolf Book One in The Wolves of Destiny Falls

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For more than a hundred and fifty years, the gray wolf has failed to roam the hills of Massachusetts, leading to the belief that they are extinct. But with a spattering of sightings across the Berkshires, the legend of the gray wolf comes to fruition. The product of that legend, Micah Sloane will go to great lengths to protect his kind from the threat of outsiders, who seek to exploit the legend for their own interests. One thing he didn’t count on, however, was finding his soul mate in the company of such men.

   

From the first time she predicted a stranger’s imminent death when she was little more than a child, Shiloh Beck knew she was different. Wishing to cultivate her gift, her parents made the fateful decision to enroll her in a private school for paranormally gifted children. Unbeknownst to them, the school was just a front for a research facility simply called the Institute, whose secret board members weaned gifted children from their families to exploit their gifts. Shiloh has spent the better part of her life trying to escape the Institute and reunite with the family she was told had abandoned her.

 

 From their first meeting, Micah and Shiloh share a connection that goes beyond the normal to bond them in a way that love alone cannot. But before they can build a life together, they must deal with the fall-out when the legend of the wolves collides with the men behind the Institute.

Now Margay Reveals:
Who controls the story – you or your characters?
Although I like to think it’s me, the truth is it’s the characters – something I am reminded of whenever I try to get them to do something they balk at!

What do you hope your readers come away with after reading your books?
Satisfaction. I always want them to be happy that they read my book, so I try to provide a satisfactory story for them.
 

What do you think are the main ingredients for a successful book?
Great characters, an intriguing story, even pace, and the ability to transport the reader into a new world for awhile.

What do you enjoy about writing romance?
I am a sucker for the HEA, so I love writing about the journeys characters take on their way to finding true love. Part of that is the fun of writing the scenes in which they discover that they have an attraction for each other. Whenever the sparks fly in the stories I write, you can be sure that I had great fun in writing them!

What do you like best and least about writing?
Everything. I just like the whole process of creating characters and stories and setting them in interesting places and seeing how they react to the drama I throw at them! Of course there are some aspects of writing I like more than others, but as a whole, I just love to write.

What can we look forward to from you in the near future?
I am currently working on a sequel to Sloane Wolf, a series about angels and demons, and a book about ghosts, curses and a psychic and how they all tie into a legend that binds two families together. Among other things.

How do you like to spend your free time?
I am an avid knitter and reader, so when I’m not writing, I’m either reading a book, or knitting something for one of my daughters.

Do you have any unfulfilled ambitions you wish to accomplish? What would you most like to accomplish this year?
I have always wanted to visit Paris and London. Though I don’t think it’s on the agenda for this year, it is still on my wish list of things to do in the future

  Finally, a juicy taste of Margay:

Shiloh nearly leapt off the sill as his hand touched her knee. It took every ounce of willpower she possessed to remain seated and appear undaunted by the gesture. “I am…much better now…thank you,” she said, becoming more unnerved by the presence of his hand by the minute. Oh, this was not good, not good at all. The longer it remained there, the stronger her impulse to bolt became. Oh, no…

What was it about this man that rattled her so and with so little effort on his part? Sharing the same air with him was enough to send her pulses to the moon—and her mind somewhere else, something new for her. Being this attracted to a man was beyond her realm of experience. She didn’t know what to do with it—or about it. Should she do anything? Should she pretend indifference? And why wasn’t he so deeply affected? It wasn’t fair.

Still confused, she gave him a weak smile, intent on backing up her previous claim with the gesture. She feared it failed miserably. When Micah returned her smile and lifted his hand from her knee, she felt precisely one second of relief before he shook her world again by caressing her face in parting. She stumbled back against the frame of the window, her lips parting on a startled breath as a lightning bolt shot through her at his touch. Something flickered in his eyes at her reaction—pain, perhaps—and he retracted his hand, balling it into a fist as he turned away from her, preparing to depart.

In an instant, she realized her mistake. Along with it came the knowledge she couldn’t let him go away angry or upset. After everything he and his family had done for her, she owed him that much. She grabbed him by the shirtfront to stop him, and a shock of awareness shot from her hand directly into his heart, just beneath it. She could see it in the gaze he leveled on her then, could hear it in his breath trapped within his lungs, feel it in the missed beat of his heart. But then, all sense abandoned her, and her heart skipped a beat as he held her hand firmly to his chest with one of his own and lifted the other to her head, anchoring it against the window frame. Slowly, his eyes never straying from hers, he leaned across the space separating them. His lips brushed hers, like a whisper, before he withdrew, tilted his head to the side, and advanced again. This time the kiss was fuller, penetrating her every defense, both physical and emotional, but still not long enough for her. He retreated once again after a fraction of time and hovered before her, scarcely an inch away. Watching her. Waiting.

Her heart beating a frantic tempo now, Shiloh abandoned all of her reservations and her good sense to swoop in for a more vigorous kiss. So vigorous, in fact, she knocked him off his perch through the open window. Only quick reflexes honed to perfection at the Institute prevented her from tumbling after him.

Bracing herself against the sill, she leaned out the window as far as she was able and watched his descent from the slanted roof to the ground below. She lost sight of him the moment he slid beyond the reach of the light from her window. But then she heard him land with a thud —and a howl—on the ground in front of the back porch when he failed to catch himself on the roof edge. She clasped a hand over her mouth to silence her reaction and waited. When he didn’t rouse right away, panic shot through her and she leaned out another few inches.

“Micah? Are you okay?”

“Fine,” he answered after a few moments, appearing beyond the overhang of the roof as if to prove it to her. “Nothing hurt but what’s left of my pride.”

Relief coursed through her at his statement, and she allowed herself the laugh she’d literally held back before. Her mirth was cut short, however, by his next words.

“Hey, Shiloh! We’ve got to stop falling for each other like this.”

His laughter followed her as she ducked back into the room. She could still hear it even after she closed the window, though not as well. Oh, Lord. She rested against the cool pane of glass and touched her still-tingling lips with shaky fingers. Was she? Falling for him? Was that what this crazy-mad feeling inside of her was?

The question plagued her long into the night.
                                                                       ***

BUY Sloane Wolf at MuseItUpPublishing Amazon and Smashwords click links

Find out more about Margay at her blogs:

http://margayleahjustice.blogspot.com/ and http://moonlightlacemayhem.blogspot.com/

on twitter, facebook and myspace click for links

Thank you, Margay, for being with us today.It has been great to meet you!

A Warm Welcome to Ginger Simpson Writer of books that combine history, humor and heartfelt romances with happy heroines and heart-throb heroes...and much more.

Ginger Simpson currently resides in Tennessee with her husband and biggest fan, Kelly. He believes he's the inspiration for all her romantic scenes, but Ginger won't verify his claim.
Since the publication of her first book in May 2003, she has remained avid about adding to her accomplishments. Her favorite genre is western historical, but she has been known to dabble in other areas. A 2009 EPIC Nominee, she also won the 2009 Best Historical Novel from Love Romances Cafe for Sparta Rose. She has added the beautiful banner to her wall with other stellar acknowledgments of her work.
She retired to devote more time to writing, but her promotional efforts, blogging, tweeting, and interacting with new friends on author’s and reader’s loops have stymied her efforts.
She watches her grandson, Spencer, in the afternoons, and besides seeing one of her books in a real "brick and mortar" store some day, her main goal is to help her little darling overcome the developmental delays Autism has foisted upon him.
She's got that "million dollar" book in the works, and one day hopes to haul someone into Wal-Mart, point to her novel and say, "That's me." She proclaims that Grandma Moses didn't make it big until her "golden" years, so why not be a believer that good things come to those who wait...and wait...and wait.

Ginger is a prolific writer as well as being multi-genre. Today she is featuring her novel Odessa, an historical western inspired by Bad Girls of the Old West. Here's what she has to say about them: Disclaimer: The following contains adult-related material, perhaps not suited for all ages.

Prostitution has been around since the beginning of time, but did you know there was a difference in the old west between the "painted ladies" and "saloon girls?"

Although proper women assigned many names to others in their gender who held these jobs, names such as "fallen angels, soiled doves, daughter's of sin, or scarlet ladies," the 'painted ladies' were normally those who offered sex for pay, while 'saloon girls' were paid by the establishment owners to entertain clients with singing and dancing.  No matter which position they held, women who worked in saloons and other similar places were looked down upon by 'proper' women simply for their association with drinking, gambling and whoring.  Back then, even watching an animal mate shocked the sensibility of an upstanding lady.

The women who worked in saloons were generally lured there out of desperation.  Flyers promising fancy clothing, fine pay, good working conditions, and protection played upon the female senses since job's were scarce and many husbands died unexpectedly by guns, horses, and disease.  Life expectancy in the old west wasn't very long, and women without partners didn't have the choices we enjoy today.

Of course, I imagine there were some women who became whores simply because they enjoyed sex, and in some instances, 'proper' women considered 'daughter's of sin' a necessary evil. Sex wasn't often discussed between mothers, daughters or even among friends, so entering a marriage bed without any knowledge made the experience unpleasant, and sometimes, something to be dreaded. If romance authors wrote about true experiences, at times our books wouldn't be all that romantic.  Thank goodness, we can stretch the truth a bit.  :)

In my latest historical western release, Odessa, my heroine takes a job as a "songbird" in a saloon, much to the dismay of the hero.  But, being a feisty gal, and finding all other options closed to her, Odessa soon finds she should have heeded Zach's warnings.

And now for A Taste of Ginger - an excerpt from Odessa

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Odessa returned from her third break of the evening. John Harper, quite the polite young man, had provided a welcome respite to worrying about Zach. She’d learned more about John and his family and shared some of her own past. She steered clear of any conversation that might lead to questions about how she ended up in Charleston.

The crowd grew rowdier as the night progressed, and Alf had come to her defense several times when a few trail hands made inappropriate comments or tried to drag her onto the dance floor. Not wanting to draw any more attention to herself, she dropped her suggestive poses and stood with hands clasped at her waist. The jar atop the piano behind her was half-full, and now she’d find out if her singing or her sleazy stance had earned her the extra money.

She joined in on cue when he played Oh Susanna. She tapped her toe to the music and sang in her loudest voice, although she couldn’t help but wonder how someone came from Alabama with a banjo on their knee. The crowd clapped, and some even joined in the chorus. Odessa, caught up in the fun, did a do-si-do with a heavyset and obviously inebriated customer during a piano interlude. But when she sashayed back to her place, she realized he wasn’t ready to end the dance.

Odessa tried to brush off his clutching hands and continue with the song, but her actions only narrowed his eyes and flared his nostrils.

Alf leapt to his feet. “Hands off, mister.”

The drunk punched Alf and sent him sprawling, then blasted him with an icy glare. “Now get up and play, you bastard,” he slurred. “I plan to finish what I started with this here whore, or my name ain’t Augustus O’Reilly.”

People who had glanced over when the music stopped had gone back to their banter and drinks. Alf plunked out Red River Valley, but his gaze rested on Odessa. His face displayed the fear she felt. Time moved in slow motion. Visions of another encounter with an inebriated man flashed in her mind, only this time there was no Zach to come to her rescue.

Her racing heart echoed in her head and she felt helpless. Fingers bit into her skin. Odessa craned away from the burly man. “You’re making a mistake, Mr. O’Reilly. I’m only here to sing.”

“Right.” He guffawed, leering at her chest. “You ain’t showing off those pretty little titties jes to belt out a few tunes.”

This was the very thing Zach had warned her about. Or was it a nightmare?
                                                                                ***                                                                            
LINKS: If you want to find out how Odessa fares, you can find her story at Eternal Press and on Amazon where you can also read her 5 star reviews. 
All Ginger's books are showcased on her website at http://www.gingersimpson.com
or drop by at her two blogs: http://mizging.blogspot.com and http://CowboyKisses.blogspot.com. 

Thank you Megan, for hosting me today and allowing me to blog-jack an article from my newest western blog.

It's a great pleasure to have you here, Ginger, and thank you for such an interesting insight

Leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of Odessa

A Warm Welcome to Writer Jolie Pethtel
Josie Pethtel was born in Ohio, but raised in Arizona, where she met her husband Jim. Jolie has since moved to Indianapolis, Indiana where she lives with her husband and their six rambunctious children.
A domestic Goddess by day, Jolie is a Writer by night.

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Her Jezebel Jinx mysteries feature a neurotic writer (no, not Jolie) who has a knack for finding trouble and more than a few quirks.

Here's what the One Hundred Romances Project had to say about
'Painted Jezebel':

“Sometimes it’s really nice to get out of straight-up romance mode.  Add some humor and intrigue to a developing relationship, and 9 times out of 10, it’s going to make for an awesome story.  Painted Jezebel definitely fell into this category.”
Read their complete 5 star review at: http://onehundredromances.blogspot.com/2011/12/review-painted-jezebel.html
And there's another 5 star reader review at MuseItUp publishing:
Painted Jezebel is so much fun. Each page kept me laughing out loud as Jezebel Jinx, one fireball of a headcase finds herself framed for the murder of her main competition, Connie. if you like the TV show "Monk", you'll love Painted Jezebel. Ms Jolie did a stunning job spinning the murder. The ending is quite a shocker. 

Check out the book trailer at  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1I9_hZBzg0U

Jolie Reveals...

In a couple of sentences, describe the hero’s character.  What do you like best/least about him?  Finn has a great sense of humor and his wordplay with Jezebel is hilarious. What I like least about him is that he worries a little too much about his career, but I’m sure Jezebel can cure him of that.

And the heroine? How do you relate to her? Jezebel is very loosely based on me. We look nothing alike, but she’s also a writer and has some major anxiety issues, even an allergy. Anxiety problems run in my family so I know a bit about it. I’ve even had a few panic attacks myself and some allergies of my own. A few of the funnier scenes in the book came from real life experience, which looking back is much funnier than it seemed at the time.  

Who controls the story – you or your characters? Absolutely the characters. I tried to control the story, but it had a mind of its own. I didn’t even get to pick the killer. Good thing they’re brilliant because no one so far has seen the twists coming.

What do you hope your readers come away with after reading your books? I hope they get a lot of laughs, a few tender moments and are able to say at the end I totally didn’t see that coming. Painted Jezebel is the perfect book to escape into. It’s a really fun read.

What do you think are the main ingredients for a successful book? It has to entertain the reader and hold their interest from start to finish. I hate reading a book where I have to wait for the payoff. I want to enjoy every minute of the ride.

Have you ever suffered from writer’s block? What would be your tips to overcome it? Painted Jezebel was the result of potential writer’s block. I was working on a darker, more intense story and sometimes I would just burn out, so I’d switch to the lighter more fun project. To stop writing only makes it worse and harder to ever lift a pen or tap a key again. Just switch gears and do something different, then come back to the other project when you’re ready. As luck would have it, the fun project finished first and there you have ‘Painted Jezebel’.

What can we look forward to from you in the near future? Poison Pens the second Jezebel Jinx Mystery from Museitup Publishing. There will still be romance, but definitely more mystery in this one.

How do you like to spend your free time?
I have six children and I love to take pictures of them with my digital camera and manipulate the results a bit and of course I love to read. I’m a speed reader and can finish a book in a day, so that can get expensive, but I love it.

Do you have any unfulfilled ambitions you wish to accomplish? What would you most like to accomplish this year? I’ve just begun my writing career with this first novel and am pleased to announce there is a second in the series coming out, but there are also other writing projects I’ve had on hold I’d like to get back to. In particular, I have a young adult paranormal trilogy I’d like to see completed and sold.

  And now for an excerpt:
“Someone was just murdered and I’m the prime suspect. Detective Tyler has gone around smearing my good name with everyone at the conference and here I am strutting around in a bikini. Don’t you think a one piece might have been more—I dunno—respectful?” Jezebel hovered uncertainly in front of the door marked heated pool. “Maybe a black one piece to show I’m in mourning.”

“You can’t flirt with lifeguards in a one piece. It just isn’t sexy enough. Besides, you aren’t in mourning. No one is. Did you see the celebrating going on in the bar? ‘Ding dong! The witch is dead’ is pretty much the attitude in there. If they could give you an award for killing her, they would.”

“I didn’t kill her,” Jezebel hissed.

“No, you didn’t, but if you want to prove your innocence you need to seduce some information out of that lifeguard.”

“My boobs are too small to seduce anyone. My legs are really my best asset, which I could display just as well in a one piece.”

“Rick might be a boob man. That is why you are wearing a size too small and we bought a bikini that lifts.” He mimicked cupping and lifting with his hands, without actually touching her breasts.

“I’m going in.” Jezebel stated as she rolled her eyes, and then stepped toward the pool area entrance. “Think sex goddess,” she ordered herself, adding some strut to her walk.

Finn insisted on the fire engine red bikini and matching strappy high heeled sandals. Who wore high heels to the swimming pool? This was wrong on so many levels.

“You look smokin’ hot, babe,” Finn called out. His idea of encouragement. Well, that was nice to know. Jezebel added a little roll to her hips just for his benefit, before pushing open the door and disappearing from sight.

She spotted Rick right away. He sat on his chair like a Greek Adonis, wearing nothing but snug bathing trunks, a whistle and a smile. The pool was filled with women vying for his attention.  Her self-confidence slipped a notch.

Jezebel hesitated a fraction of a second too long as she neared his chair, and then kept on walking. No way was she going to humiliate herself like this. They would just have to find another way to acquire the information.

“Hello gorgeous,” the lifeguard drawled following it up with a whistle and not the ‘behave in the pool’ kind.

Jezebel froze and then slowly smiled. Ah, an ass man. She attempted to spin around gracefully, but grace and spiked heels did not go hand in hand. Just as she was face to face with her target, she slipped and tottered drunkenly on the tiles. In her defense, they were black and the wet spots weren’t particularly visible. She had a brief unpleasant flash of déjà vu, and then the life guard was on his feet, catching her in proper heroic fashion.

“Feel free to drop in anytime.”

Ugh! Did he just say that? The man was so much hotter when he didn’t speak. All brawn, no brain. How disappointing. So what did she say now? Jezebel wasn’t particularly good at suggestive small talk with half naked strangers. She tended to fluster easily. The hidden agenda only increased her nervousness. Where were the cue cards when you needed them?

“You saved my life! How can I ever thank you?” she gushed, fluttering her lashes.

“Do you have something in your eye?” He frowned down at Jezebel, before setting her on her feet.

“I was just a little—um—disoriented for a second.”

“Are you sure? It looked like you were having a seizure there or something.”

“I’m sure.” Jezebel was absolutely mortified. Thank God Finn wasn’t witnessing this. She would never live it down. Just then she caught a glimpse of him pulling off his T-shirt and diving into the deep end in nothing but a pair of modest swim shorts. Not fair. Not only had he overheard every embarrassing word, his smug grin left no doubt, but he was holding himself to a different standard. He should be demeaning himself for the greater good by wearing a pair of revealing swim trunks.

The women swarmed around Finn splashing playfully and damned if he didn't love every second of it. Jezebel wanted to strangle hm. So he wanted to play it that way, then fine. She could play too.

A final word from Jolie: 'Thank you have having me as a guest on your blog. I had fun with the interview and hope everyone enjoyed it.'

Thank you, Jolie. It has been great to meet you and 'Painted Jezebel' looks a really fun read.  

Read more about Jolie at her website http://www.jezebeljinx.com and find her on facebook link 

Leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of Painted Jezebel