Niki Turner - Santiago Sol

Good Monday Morning Readers!

Today, Niki Turner visits 

Lagniappe to discuss her 
latest release, Santiago Sol.

Welcome, Niki!

Tell us a little about SANTIAGO SOL:

I was able to take three trips to Chile, and fell in love with the nation. When Pelican’s call for submissions to the Passport to Romance collection included a story set in Santiago, I decided to take the challenge, which included finding a way to tie three plot elements into the tale. For Chile, the items were a party dress, a diary, and a walking stick.

At the time, I was in a writing funk, and about ready to give up. Again. (Haven’t we all tried to ‘quit’ writing at least once?) Having a fresh project with some prompts was just what I needed.

In Santiago Sol, heroine Tansy Chastain steps outside her comfort zone to fulfill the request of an elderly friend and finds herself on the other side of the world in Chile, at the mercy of handsome and wealthy Sebastian, who’s hiding his real identity. Tansy’s quest endangers her life, and brings her to a new place of faith. Sebastian will be challenged to forgive, and to seek forgiveness as Tansy’s quest collides with his hope for the future.

Do you listen to music when you write? If so, what's on your writing playlist these days?

It depends on the story for me. When I write contemporary I don’t need music, but I find that for historical fiction listening to the music of the era helps me get a better feel for my characters. Thank God for the Internet, and access to music we might otherwise never hear!

What is the best WRITING advice you’ve received?

“If you’re writing a romance, the romance IS the plot.” ~ Paula Moldenhauer.

If you weren't a writer, what would be another dream job?

Honestly, being a writer IS my dream job, since I was a teenager and wrote my first romance on a 1940s-era typewriter. However, my ideal writing life included a high-rise apartment in Manhattan… the budget is not there yet.

Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?

I fight the same battle with my stories that I fight with my body: the dreaded sagging middle. Every story I’ve completed has had several thousand words of blubber in the middle that get cut sometime in the writing process. I wish it were as easy to hit “delete” on my muffin top!

What was one of the most surprising things you've learned while writing your books?

I researched the history of women’s skiing for The Skiing Suitor (Forget-Me-Not Romances) and was genuinely horrified to find out that women were not allowed to compete in Olympic ski jumping until 2014, even though they’d been jumping competitively almost as long as men.

What can we expect from you in the future?

My next two novellas are due to the publisher in January and April. Fully Persuaded will be part of volume 2 of the Austen in Austen series from Whitefire Publishing. First Comes Pie will be one of nine stories in the Blue Ribbon Brides collection from Barbour. I’m looking forward to writing these two stories!

Please include buy links and your website/FB/Twitter etc links.

Buy link: http://bit.ly/SantiagoSol

(if I get the Amazon/B&N links before Thursday I’ll get them to you)

website/blog: http://www.nikiturner.net

Facebook: facebook.com/niki.turner
Twitter:@NikiTurner716

Goodreads: goodreads.com/niki716

Pinterest: pinterest.com/niki_turner/
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/niki716/

LIGHTNING ROUND   

Biscuits or Dinner Roll? Dinner roll, because of “Heidi,” and how she hid her soft, white dinner rolls in her pockets for her friend.

Nora Roberts or Diana Gabaldon?

AHHH!!! Impossible choice! But if I could only read one for the rest of my life, it would be Diana Gabaldon. Why? Well, the characters, but also because I learn so much real, practical information. I was looking for edible plants on my last hiking trip!

Superman or Batman?

Batman, because he’s a superhero in spite of himself, in spite of his past baggage, and the fact he doesn’t actually have any superpowers… just his brains and his brawn. And I like black.

Vacation: Beach or Mountains?

I live in the mountains, so that’s not a vacation. Definitely the beach. I crave the beach.

Women’s Fiction or Romance?

LOL. We’ve talked about this. Romance, but as I get older I like to see more women’s fiction elements in the story. I’d really like to see romances with older heroines! We middle-aged ladies need hope and inspiration, too! 

Niki Turner is a novelist, journalist, blogger, and the production manager for the Rio Blanco Herald Times weekly newspaper, one of the oldest continuously operating newspapers in Colorado. Her first completed manuscript earned second place in the Touched By Love 2009 contemporary category romance contest. She also blogs at www.nikiturner.net and is a co-blogger at www.inkwellinspirations.com.

Niki is a Colorado native who grew up in Glenwood Springs—home of the world’s largest hot springs pool. She married her high school sweetheart 25 years ago. They have four children, four grandchildren, and two West Highland White Terriers.

In 2014, she published “Sadie’s Gift” as one of the Christmas Traditions novella collection with eight other authors.  The Skiing Suitor, one of the Love’s Sporting Chance series published by Forget-Me-Not Romances, released in August 2015. Her most recent project, “Santiago Sol,” was published by Pelican Book Group as part of the Passport to Romance novella collection. She’s currently working on a new novella for Whitefire Publishing and another one for Barbour House.

Niki, thanks for sharing!


Readers, thanks for visiting Lagniappe.

Niki's questions for you:

What’s the farthest from home you’ve ever traveled? 

How did it change you? 

I pray you find 

"a little something extra" 

in each of your days.

Marian

Visit with Clare Revell - Vegas Vacation

Good Monday Morning Readers,

Today I have the privilege to feature author, Clare Revell. My writing Ninja friend is back with her Passport to Romance release, "Vegas Vacation"

Welcome, Clare!

Clare lives in a small town in England with her husband, whom she married in 1992, and her three children. Writing from an early childhood and encouraged by her teachers, she graduated from rewriting fairy stories through fanfiction to using her own original characters and enjoys writing an eclectic mix of romance, crime fiction and children's stories. When she's not writing, reading, or sewing, she's keeping house or doing the many piles of laundry her children manage to make.

She has been a Christian for more than half her life. She goes to Carey Baptist where she is one of three registrars.

 

She can be found at:

http://www.revell124.plus.com/clarerevell/

https://www.facebook.com/ClareRevellAuthor

https://twitter.com/ClareRevell

http://telscha.blogspot.co.uk/

Former protective services officer, Sgt. Martin Ames, is five weeks short of medical retirement from the Vegas PD when he lands one last case: spoiled English heiress, Lady Tamlyn Bradshaw, whose bodyguard is hospitalized with suspected food poisoning.

Tamlyn is on holiday, her first without her father and his ever present bodyguards. She wants to have fun, not spend the time stuck in a hotel room with a disabled cop, even if he is tall, dark and disturbingly handsome.

When food poisoning becomes murder, passions and tempers flare as Martin attempts to keep Tamlyn safe from the assailant who gains everything on her death.

Lies and deceit, murder and mayhem...what else can you expect in Sin City?

Excerpt:

"Martin, you're the only person in the department with the security clearances and the experience to do this."

"I haven't worked protective services for over three years and for good reason. I'm five weeks from early retirement, and I don't want to spend them running around after a spoiled heiress."

"Did I ask what you wanted? This woman's father is royalty and I just got off the phone with him."

Tamlyn cringed in her seat, her cheeks burning. This was a bad idea. She'd go back to the hotel and trust God to protect her. No one knew who she was; she was just one more tourist in a city of thousands.

The angry voice continued its tirade in the office. "Royalty? In that case, I'm sure she can afford a replacement bodyguard. Even better—ask the British Embassy to provide one. My days of babysitting people are over."

"Unless you want to be fired five weeks before your retirement date, your assignment for the next three weeks is to be Lady Bradshaw's bodyguard. There's the door. She's by your desk waiting for you."

The door flung open, and Tamlyn glanced down. She focused her gaze on her fingernails. Maybe she could just pretend she hadn't heard.

Heavy steps crossed the room as muted conversations started up again. They stopped by the desk. "Lady Bradshaw, I presume?"

She looked up into the most intense, glittering pair of blue eyes she'd ever seen. His hair was pulled back in a long black ponytail, and he leaned on a cane. They had to be kidding. A disabled cop? His navy blue shirt and tie at least gave an appearance of professionalism. Although the gun holster on his shoulder made her shiver.

She stood, grateful he couldn't read her mind, because she was already regretting that first thought about his gorgeous eyes. She held out a hand. "I am. You must be Sgt. Ames." 

Other titles by Clare Revell

Season For Miracles

Saving Christmas

Cassie's Wedding Dress

Time's Arrow

Kisses From Heaven

After The Fire

An Aussie Christmas Angel

Monday's Child

Tuesday's Child

Wednesday's Child

Thursday's Child

Friday's Child

Saturday's Child

Sunday's Child

Fairytale of Headley Cross

Shadows of the past

Turned

Vegas Vacation 

Christmas Eva

Readers, thanks for visiting Lagniappe.

Look for "Vegas Vacation" at major online retailers and at the Pelican Book Group Website!

Be sure to leave a comment to let Clare know you've been here!

I pray you find 

"a little something extra" 

in each of your days.

Marian