Genre Hopping ~by Author Marci Bolden

Many authors have a favorite type of book to write and stick with it. Me? I’m a bit more like a squirrel that ate an entire filter of barely used coffee grounds. My brain goes all over the place and is nearly impossible to control. I fall into the category of the genre hopper. I started my writing career in erotica, moved on to contemporary romance, dabbled in paranormal, dipped my toes into thriller. Now, after lots of research, interviews, and a week spent at the Writers’ Police Academy I’m diving into the romantic suspense pool.

Many authors bounce from genre to genre. While I can’t speak for them, I tend to switch things up because I follow what my characters are telling me to write. When I’m starting a new series, I rarely set out to write something for a specific genre. That’s probably a dangerous practice, but it is one that has worked well for me and lets me flesh out the characters and stories without worry of fitting into the boundaries of certain genres.

I didn’t intend for this to be a series, when I started writing these characters about three years ago, but I absolutely fell in love with these ladies. They are tough as nails, tender when they need to be, and always ready to kick butt.

The series started with Holly Austin being the victim of a crime and her boyfriend Jack trying to solve it, but quickly morphed into Holly being a badass private investigator leading the case. I knew before I was done that Holly was going to be the “hero” of the book. I wanted this focused on how strong women are. That doesn’t mean I’ve emasculated the men, not even close.

Holly and Jack are equals in every way.

Before I was finished, I knew I had to write books for the rest of the women on Holly’s team and my dabbling into romantic suspense became a six-book series!

The Women of HEARTS series is a bit darker romantic suspense. The cases aren’t cozy or easily solved. The reality these women live in can be tough, violent, and dangerous. But so can they. I’m so excited to introduce you to Holly Austin, Eva Thompson, Alexa Rodriguez, Rene Schwartz, Tika Brown, and Samantha Turner. With a diverse background in military, police, and professional training, the women have joined forces to make the world—or at least their town—a safer place.

I am so excited for this series and I hope you are too!

Hidden Hearts: Women of HEARTS Book 1 will be available October 15 and Burning Hearts: Women of HEARTS Book 2 will be following up on October 29.

Former Army Sergeant Holly Austin and her team at the HEARTS agency don’t normally find the police at their door. But it’s been weeks since a local woman vanished into thin air…and now there’s a second victim.

Police Detective Jack Tarek wasn’t officially working the Julia Fredrickson case until a second victim made the matter personal. Holly is willing to cooperate with Jack “unofficially,” but she quickly becomes a distraction he can’t resist. The leads on their cases might be running cold, but the attraction between the investigators is sizzling hot.

With every lead a dead end, those close to the investigation grow increasingly impatient for answers. Just as hidden secrets come to light, one of the investigators vanishes without a trace. The HEARTS team has just hours to solve the case—or risk losing one of their own.

After a spycam is discovered in a secure community, the

homeowners association hires HEARTS to track down the culprit.Investigator Eva Thompson fits the description of every victim so far and volunteers to move into a vacant condo to draw out the suspect from within. But until they know what’s behind the peeping, no one feels safe sending Eva as a decoy alone.

Joshua Simmons is Eva’s ex and the one man she can’t quite escape. As the county medical examiner, he frequently consults with HEARTS and cases—and uses that connection to keep close to the woman he’s still not over. When Eva needs a fake husband to work alongside her as a decoy, Josh agrees on one condition: that Eva won’t do anything to put herself in harm’s way.

Living together stirs up old feelings and old passions. And while Eva and Joshua try to sort out their demons, a voyeur is on the loose and getting braver by the day.

About Marci Bolden

As a teen, Marci Bolden skipped over young adult books and jumped right into reading romance novels. She never left.

Marci lives in the Midwest with her husband, two teenaged kiddos, and numerous rescue pets. If she had an ounce of will power, Marci would embrace healthy living but until cupcakes and wine are no longer available at the local grocery store, she’ll put that ambition on hold and appease her guilt by reading self-help books and promising to join a gym “soon.”

To learn more about Marci you can find her here:

Website

Amazon Author Page

Facebook Page

FOMO or Just Taking the Road Less Traveled ~ by Cynthia Land LMP, RYT

 Many who come to a yoga practice have heard a teacher make reference to something called the 8 limbs of yoga. Many of you have come expressly to practice one of those limbs, asana (limb 3, the physical postures of yoga).   Perhaps you have an interest in dhyana (meditation, limb 7) or pranayama (breathing exercises, limb 4) but you haven’t asked for these things specifically, they are an interesting by-product of a class.  If your teacher is steeped in the 8 limbs, you may begin hearing about and become fascinated with the rest of the limbs. 

Pratyahara, limb 5, invites us to turn our awareness inward.  Take your eyes off the iPhone, put down the fork, stop talking, turn off the music and just become quiet and completely disengage from everything.  This will be nearly impossible for some of us, especially if you suffer from FOMO (fear of missing out).

     We live in a society that pushes us to have and do more.  In fact, we are often told via advertisements that we are empty and we must fill our lives with a myriad of wonderful products and experiences, take a cruise, buy a new car, and check out the shoe sale on Zappos!  Who can pass up the latest and greatest new thing?  No one wants to be left behind. 

     And yet we struggle with the burden of all these THINGS in our lives.  We can barely manage all the events we have scheduled, all the running hither and yon, taking the kids to yet another soccer practice and picking up groceries for the week.  We long to shut things off but just can’t figure out how.  So, just as we started, we must slowly begin to remove things from the schedule. 

     However, this notion of pratyahara (withdrawing the senses) may seem frightening, who really wants to shut down their senses?  They’re kind of handy.  Yet, all day we’re bombarded with sounds, smells, sights and some tastes we’d really rather forget.  Let’s take a look at this limb in a slightly different perspective.

     In the book, The Yoga of Discipline by Gurumayi Chidvilasananda the author says; “the whole purpose of hatha yoga is to draw the attention inward.” Simply by stepping onto the mat, we have already started the journey.  And just like many yoga postures, we go slowly.  Maybe take just a minute to start. 

     Go into a darkened room and sit, quietly, no distractions.  Your mind will probably seem loud but you will learn to divert the attention IN to the body and begin directing your thoughts.  Pratyahara doesn’t necessarily mean shut OFF, it means go INWARD.  Start to listen inward, feel inward and see inward.  You might be surprised at what you start to learn about yourself.  You might learn you don’t like going hither and yon as much as you thought.  You might learn that you don’t need as much as you thought and that you can live with a lot less and the things that you do have will have much more meaning and usefulness to you. 

     

After some time, maybe a LOT of time, you’ll start to crave this thing called pratyahara.  You’ll be able to go out into the world, engage when you need and then disengage when you need to and recharge.  That’s the beauty of the 8 limbs of yoga, there’s something there for you all along with path of this thing we call life.  Don’t take my word for it, check it out for yourself.

Wildlife and Nature Photography by Mark Townsend

Nature and wildlife photography take a good eye and good camera equipment to capture just the right shot of your subject. Sometimes you wait for hours and others you wait seconds. Here are just a few of the memories captured by photographer, Mark Townsend.

copyright/Mark Townsend

October 2, 2018 This Semi came driving along while I was trying to get a photo of the color along the Swan Valley road. I almost did not take this photo waiting to let the truck pass. I am glad I did not wait. I feel it adds to the Montana roads we travel on.

The Driveway into the Marcus Daly Mansion was closed by the

Marcus Daly Mansion driveway

time we went past it. I stopped at the gate and took a few photos to show how the trees are turning to fall colors. By early next week they should be fantastic. If you have not been to the Mansion, it is well worth the ride to see it. Just north of Hamilton, Montana on East Side Road. I am sure if you search for it, the website can give you exact miles and times that it is open to the Public.

Looking West from the road called Wild Fowl Lane that runs

Lee Metcalf Refuge Bitterroot Mountains

through Lee Metcalf Refuge. The sun came out just enough to give some color to the woods and the fog opened enough to see the Bitterroots. Still some frost and snow on the tips of the trees.

Skalkaho Falls copyright Mark Townsend

 
Today, though, we switched gears and direction. Around 2PM the sun was out, and the day was turning rather nice. I said... Let’s head up to Skalkaho Falls and see if there is any snow around it. We packed up some water and clothing, just in case, grabbed Punkin and headed out.  By the time we got up to the Falls, the sun was down behind the mountain to the west of the falls. It was now covered in dark shadow. I set up my camera to get the best settings I could for the photos.

copyright Mark Townsend

I enjoy seeing how the photos come out in Black/White. I think it gives them so much more of a rugged not-to-be-messed-with look. The clouds broke up just right to add a lot to the photos. I feel a few clouds in a photos sets off the photos.  Keep watching More photos of the Bison Range to come.


Lynn and I saw a lot of these little guys running all over trying to

chipmunk copyright Mark Townsend

gather food before the snow covers it all. They don’t stand still for long, so you have to be ready to take photos as you can. I stayed very still, and he stepped out of the bushes on the side of the road. I got two photos. I like how they came out... Lots of other animals to see at the Bison Range.



Here are some random wildlife photos:

Turkey in a tree copyright Mark Townsend

A flock of pelicans copyright Mark Townsend

Whitetail buck  copyright Mark Townsend

 

Photo bomb by a deer copyright Mark Townsend

Our journey wouldn't be complete without more of that beautiful Montana landscape.

**All photos used in this post are the property of Mark Townsend Photography and may not be copied or used in any form without permission.

Mark Townsend and his wife, Lynn, live in Montana with their dog, Punkin. If you like Mark's photography, please let him know by checking out his Facebook page, link provided below.

FACEBOOK

Why I Write Romance ~ by Author Penny Hampson

I’ve always been an avid reader. From when I first learned to read, I was usually to be found with a book in my hand. This didn’t change as I got older. Living near to not one, but two libraries, each located equal but opposite distances from my home, I joined both and visited every Saturday morning. With six books from each, I got through a lot of books.

Things didn’t change when I grew older, only now I was able to buy the books that took my fancy. Commuting three hours everyday to work and back meant I had plenty of time for reading. Whisked away to another time and place, a clever plot, and engaging characters, made the journey time shrink.  

My taste is fairly eclectic, I enjoy nearly any subject matter, providing it is well written and engaging. I read the classics, Jane Austen (of course) and Dickens, as well as modern writers like Kate Atkinson, Ian Rankin, P.D. James. It goes without saying that, as a historian, I also read lots of non-fiction history books. But if I was feeling low, reading something light and escapist was the answer. Georgette Heyer was an author I remembered from my teen years for her lively Regency romances. Beautifully written and well-researched, I enjoyed reading them all over again. To my delight I discovered lots more authors writing in the same genre — these became my go-to reads when I needed a boost.   

Well, that’s what I like to read… now, what started me writing?

A few years ago I was forced to face up to the fact that I couldn’t continue with my full-time job and provide the necessary care for a family member with health problems. I’d been doing just that for ten years and it was becoming a progressively more difficult balancing act. So, I decided to take early retirement. That freed up some time… time that I wanted to be just for me, and time that I wanted to be productive.
The answer seemed obvious… I decided to write.

Writing romance was a logical choice. Romance books had offered me the chance to escape from my problems, on days when everything seemed to be conspiring against me. I knew I felt better after reading an uplifting and compelling story, with characters I cared about overcoming their problems and finding their happy ever after. What better place was there to start than with the genre I enjoy the best?

My aim is to create swoon-worthy heroes, intelligent heroines, and set them in an historical era that I know well. My characters will have lots of adventures, challenges galore… they might not like each other to begin with, but they will fall in love, and there will always be a happy ending.

It is my small way of giving something back, in recognition of the help and comfort romance fiction gave to me.


Having worked in various sectors before becoming a full time mum, Penny Hampson decided to follow her passion for history by studying with the Open University. She graduated with honours and went on to complete a post-graduate degree. 

Penny then landed her dream role, working in an environment where she was surrounded by rare books and historical manuscripts. Flash forward nineteen years, and the opportunity came along to indulge her other main passion – writing historical fiction. Encouraged by friends and family, three years later Penny published her debut novel A Gentleman’s Promise. 

Her second novel, An Officer’s Vow, was released in February 2019.

Penny is working hard on her third novel in The Gentlemen Series, which will be published in 2020.


Penny lives with her family in Oxfordshire, England, and when she is not writing, she enjoys reading, walking, swimming, and the odd gin and tonic (not all at the same time).

You can connect with Penny at the following links:
WEBSITE
TWITTER
PENNY'S BOOKS

Real Life Haunted Castles by Linda Boulanger

It seemed quite fitting as we begin this month of October—a month people enjoy celebrating all things ghoulish, that I would be writing my thirteenth post for Originality by Design. I decided to share with you something I ran across in my writing research that I found rather fascinating: Haunted Castles!

As old as the castles of England are, there are bound to be ghosts in the closets… or more appropriately and historically factual, hiding in cupboards, lurking in darkened stairwells, or wailing from long ago used dungeons or torture chambers.

While there are tons of great castles scattered throughout Europe, I’ve chosen to focus on the castles of England for this post. Except for one, which I’ll start with: Hermitage Castle.

Considered “the guardhouse of the bloodiest valley in Scotland,” Hermitage Castle is said to be steeped in a history filled with conspiracy, killing, anguish and treachery. Built around 1240 by Nicholas de Soulis. Folklore has it that one of his descendants was involved in the Black Arts and that de Soulis made a pact with the devil who promised him immunity from harm by iron weapons or hanging. Wreaking havoc on his enemies, this evil man also tortured his tenants and kidnapped and sacrificed local children, until the people finally turned on him, capturing him and plunging him into a boiling pot… since ropes and steel couldn’t be used.

It’s said his spirit still wanders the grounds, as well as those of his victims. Visitors have been known to hear loud, prolonged screeching, or feel a cold hand run down their backs. The heavy gate swinging on its hinges making one feel as if he or she was being entombed in the vault within the belly of the castle. It’s definitely not a place I’d like to be at night.

Chilling Chillingham: It doesn't look all that dark and foreboading until you learn about its history. Another castle occupying a strategically important location on the border of two feuding nations, this stronghold can be found in the village of Chillingham in the northern part of Northumberland, England. Originally a monastery in the late 12^th century, it’s hard to believe the place is marketed as being one of the most haunted castles in Britain. Hundreds of paranormal events have been recorded there, which may be due to the one purpose the castle itself was built: for killing.

Owned by the Grey family (coincidence?!!), the castle was considered the first line of defense against invading Scots. Those taken prisoner were subjected to great horrors in the dungeons located in the deepest darkest holes of the castle. The torture chambers had floors that sloped in order to drain away the blood. It’s estimated that thousands of Scots died in those chambers considered to have come straight from hell. Run by a man by the name of John Sage who was believed to have tortured somewhere around fifty people a week for over three years, he had every imaginable torture device. Iron maidens, racks, cages, and others that can still be found inside the castle today.

The man who committed heinous acts on men, women, and children met his demise in the courtyard of the same castle, being strung and mutilated by the relatives of some of those he tortured.

Having seen so much terror and tragedy, it seems unlikely the castle would not be haunted and visitors are seldom disappointed. Feelings, smells, and apparitions have all been reported as well as pulled hair, scratched arms, and even a bite or two. That said, I’m sorry to say its Ghost Tour dates are completely sold out for 2019.

Let’s jump down and visit Lancaster Castle in the English county of Lancashire. Believed to have been founded on the site of an old Roman fort built in 79 AD, the castle is the oldest standing building in Lancaster. Owned by The Duchy of Lancaster (FYI: the current Queen of England is the Duke of Lancaster), the castle is often referred to as John O’ Gaunt’s Castle. Until 2011, the castle was a fully functioning prison and throughout its history, it saw its share of religious persecutions, well over two hundred executions, and the notorious Pendle witches were kept and tried at Lancaster in 1612. These men and women were part of a family of local peasants that lived in the nearby Pendle hills. Supposedly in league with the devil, they made clay effigies using human hair and teeth, and ten of them were charged with murder using witchcraft and sentenced to death. Political adversaries were also often held at and executed at the castle. Most executions at Lancaster were not as gruesome as the deaths at Chillingham, instead being accomplished first by public hangings and later in a private execution shed built especially for the hangings.

Ghosts from Lancaster's past have been seen numerous times by both visitors and former inmates. Even during the daytime tours, people have been pushed and shoved by unseen forces at such a common rate that the guides have come to expect it. Considering its history, how could anyone expect anything less?

Majestic in size as well as historical significance, is another castle that touts itself as perhaps England’s most haunted castle. Dover Castle, located in the southern county of Kent is considered the “Key to England” the castle had immense strategic importance. It was England’s best line of defense to protect the country from enemies passing through the English Channel. In its time, Dover Castle was a prison, a fortress, and a royal palace with eerie passageways that have been the home to many ghosts, including King Charles. If you’re brave enough, you can spend the night at Dover Castle and take a walk through secret passageways and medieval tunnels. Perhaps you’ll see the ghost of a decapitated drummer boy or the mysterious woman in her crimson dress.

For the last haunted castle we’ll look at, though certainly not the last one in England, we’ll head to Arundel Castle, ancestral home of the dukes of Norfolk in Sussex, England. This castle may be our youngest, dating back to the 19^th century… don’t let that fool you. It’s steeped in Medieval history, having been built over the remains of at least one and more likely two previous castles.

From phantom cannon sounds to actual apparitions, this castle is supposedly haunted by numerous ghosts, including the Earl of Arundel (who has appeared to a lot of people), a Blue Man in the library, and a young woman who jumped to her death. The castle is also purported to have its own “death omen” in the form of a phantom white bird that flutters against windows to warn of impending death.

Steeped in history, every castle I’ve studied in my research of Medieval England has had some sort of ghost story. From the hauntingly beautiful to the downright scary, they’ve all added to the richness of and provided deeper glimpses into a past we can only experience through stories and imagination, allowing us into lives of people who lived long ago… and some that remain, perhaps darker and less human than others.