Saturday, September 30, 2023

Books by Mary McFarland are featured on Saturday's Blurbs #MFRWAuthor #Exotic dancer #Golden Pen Award #Ghostly obsession


 

1.     Blurb 1: Jump the Line

Exotic dancer and college senior, Alaina Colby, struggles to live down her family's reputation as a notorious crime family, yet loyalty to family and caring for her meth-addicted brother, is what makes her truly rich.

 

When she's not working at her day job and evading her weird scalpel-waving boss, she's keeping creeps at Omar's, where she dances for tips, from sticking their fingers too deep into her G-string, just to survive. But Alaina’s life—and her homegrown ideas about love—are turned upside down, when a string of campus murders involves her and a local homicide detective in the hunt for the killer.

 

The raven-haired coed is rougher than the streets she'll police after she graduates with her criminology degree and becomes a cop, but will she live to graduate? Can her 4.0 GPA, a personal repertoire of criminal tricks learned from her family, and Alaina’s street smarts keep her alive?

 

https://www.amazon.com/Jump-Line-Toein-1/dp/1514333643/ref=sr_1_2?crid=A1G5AF48PAJV&keywords=mary+mcfarland&qid=1695830996&s=books&sprefix=mary+mcca%2Cstripbooks%2C1740&sr=1-2

 

Blurb 2: Van Gogh Syndrome

An Explosive New Thriller by a Golden Pen Award-Winning Suspense Author!!!

“It’s a hunt forward clandestine op,” the president said, “and your target is America’s first home-grown terrorist cell.”

·         THE PRESIDENT'S REQUEST propels brilliant cyber sleuth Zuri Slade into the clandestine world of espionage, where failure can endanger thousands of American lives and blow Zuri’s chance for a career with the CIA.

·         TRACKING THE TERRORISTS leads Zuri from Washington, D.C. to a Midwest backwater, where residents suffer a peculiar illness, the “Van Gogh Syndrome.” Death from radioactive poisoning looms over the stricken community, but there’s an even larger threat, one Zuri could never have anticipated.

·         PSYCHOTIC NUCLEAR SCIENTIST, Dr. Burch Crabtree, is plotting with legendary North Korean spy, Cobra, to blow the nuclear plant, using a chip stolen from the CIA after the Korean War. Only Jesse Stephenson, a former CIA spy, knows where the chip is, but Jesse’s dying of cancer.

Is this fight too personal, or will Zuri confront America’s enemies—and personal demons, her hate for those who murdered her parents—in time?

Mary McFarland’s “Van Gogh Syndrome” pulls readers into the new frontier of war, a war that has ignited in cyberspace but one that will be finished in America’s back yard by terrorists whose identities no one can predict. A thriller for lovers of the chase, “Van Gogh Syndrome” is the series kickoff and an explosive look at conflicts faced by America’s warriors on the cyber war frontier. An action-packed read recommended for Baldacci and Clancy fans.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Van-Gogh-Syndrome-Forensic-Investigator/dp/B0BT7BHGKX/ref=sr_1_1?crid=A1G5AF48PAJV&keywords=mary+mcfarland&qid=1695831213&s=books&sprefix=mary+mcca%2Cstripbooks%2C1740&sr=1-1

 

2.     Blurb 3: Lila’s Ghostly Obsession

Even in death, I feel Link’s love.  Achingly sweet and intense.  “It’s for keeps,” I used to tell him, my lips as close to his—as my soul was to eternity, although I’d no idea just how close.  “It’s forever.”

So . . .

. . . when I awaken dead, I know I’ve no choice.  I must haunt him.  That, or watch from my grave while Marin Vegas steals Link.

 

But  first, acceptance: I’m dead, a ghost.  Yet I must find a way to warn Link of his little brother’s approaching doom—and stop another tragedy like mine—if I can outrun my hostile ancestors’ ghosts.  Big if.  They exist with me in the haunted Gothic mausoleum, and they’ve welcomed me with dark familial intentions to my afterlife.

 

My murder seems cruel.  I’m no longer that young girl in love and running toward my fate—but from it.  Yet fading into black eternity spurs me to a level of courage I never dreamed I had while alive.  So, in this foreboding world I now inhabit, my fight to hold on to the love Link and I promised each other leads me straight to the thugs who put me here—and to a truth we’d planned to share.  It’s a truth I hold onto tight: Love never dies.

Yet the insanity of being able to haunt Link keeps me wondering: Can my plan to keep his love succeed from the grave?  Can we hook up one last bittersweet time?

Maybe.  But only if the dead can speak to the living.

 

So: how do I do that?

 

If Edgar Allan Poe were to rewrite Annabel Lee as a novel, it would read like Lila’s Ghostly Obsession.  It’s darkly poignant, a perfect read for fans of ghost thrillers and paranormal romance novels like Wendy Webb’s The Haunting of Brynn Wilder, Julia Ash’s Mystified, and Stacy McKitrick’s Ghostly Liaison.

 

JANET, THIS BOOK IS GOING UP ON AMAZON OCTOBER 16TH. 

 

 

Friday, September 29, 2023

Mary McFarland is Visiting and talking about Who She Was Before #MFRWAuthor #technical writer #fiction writer #thrillers

 

1.     What were you before you became an author and did this influence your choices as a writer?

 

Before?  Is there a before (crazy laughter in background).  From the moment my mom gave me a piece of chalk and said, “Now, go outside and do something,” and I defaced several sidewalks with “stories,” I knew I was destined to become a writer.  And that’s exactly what happened.  Prior to becoming a fulltime fiction writer, I was a technical writer in the industry, but my passion was always fiction.  In college, I wrote short stories and, afterward, climbing the executive ladder, I kept writing at night, creating wild stories, most of them discarded, and dreaming of the day I could retire and write.  I’ve never stopped.

 

Being a technical writer fueled my belief that humans, not robots, are the creators and the rulers.  I’m an earth mother, a Virgo, so my passion as an eco-justice warrior was always at odds with my life as a geek.  I can way, however, that the conflict definitely influenced my choices as a writer.  My most recent release, Van Gogh Syndrome, is a technothriller that involves a cyberattack on an American nuclear facility.  My understanding of technology supported my research into the technology, while my stance as an eco-justice warrior informs every page and, especially, my main character’s desire to “save” the world.

 

2.     Are you genre specific or general?  I write primarily thrillers; however, I’ve happily genre-hopped at times, including my first novel up on Amazon, Jump the Line, a romantic suspense.  My upcoming release, Lila’s Ghostly Obsession, is a ghost thriller with a YA paranormal romance sub-genre.

 

3.     What is your latest release?

 

My latest release is Lila’s Ghostly Obsession, an October 2023 release.  It’s got all the elements of a ghost thriller, but it’s packed with paranormal and some fantasy elements.  I wrote the novel in 2005, following my nephew’s suicide; hence, it’s tag line, “Love never dies.”  I love the book because, while it does explore dark themes (teen suicide, teen obsessive love), it’s main character, Lila, is just so me when I was eighteen, and very hopeful and focused on overcoming sorrow and personal loss.

 

4.     What are you working on now?

I’m working on three upcoming releases.  My first release in 2024 is in April, and it’s titled Qumran Conspiracy: The Thorny Death of  Jewish Rebel, a historical romance and heist novel that explores the historical Jesus, while following the romance of a philologist and a Mossad agent who go after a heisted grimoire of Solomonic magic, allegedly written by Jesus.

Book two is titled Dread, a psychological suspense about an aging lawyer coping with divorce and a grandson with autism.  The story involves a murder in a derelict New Jersey skate park, and Liz and her grandson, Bently, must work to solve them.  Liz, of course, explores the joys—and ills—of post-divorce dating from her wheelchair.  It’s a rocking story and, I love to imagine, filled with my particular dry humor.   

Book three, slated for a September 2024 release, is The Confessor’s Burden.  It’s a fantasy with a parallel historical timeline, one set in the present day, and the other in Medieval England, during the reign of Edward the Confessor.  My own confession (ahem!): this novel is my favorite ever to write.  It’s about a single mom caring for her diabetic son, Gryffyd, but her evil magician husband from 1065 shows up a thousand years later and kidnaps Gryffyd and holds him ransom—unless Diva Mayhawk hands over the formula for King Authur’s fire.  Diva has no clue, of course, but she must return to those terrifying times and learn how—and if—she ever possessed the fabled elixir of immortality.

5.     Does your reading choices influence your choice of a writing career?

As a writer, one of my biggest challenges has been finding and honoring my own voice, and I’ve reached the point in my career where I’m solidifying those principles with regard to my career.  So: no!

6.     I’m on Facebook and Twitter a lot, so I can always be found there.  For any information about upcoming book signings, or to get to know more about me, my website is the best source of information.  I’ve recently ventured onto Instagram and TikTok, too.  Links below:

 

 

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorMaryMcFarland.author/

https://twitter.com/McFarlandAuthor

https://www.marymcfarlandbooks.com

https://www.instagram.com/mary_mcfarland_thriller_author/

 

Thursday, September 28, 2023

Pursuing Doctor West is featured today with Thursday's Opening Scene #BWLAuthor #MFRWAuthor #romance #humor #medical

 The mob of creatures waved signs and circled him, leaving no room for escape. No matter how he turned, he saw another sign.

College debts. Medical school loans. Maxed credit cards. Condo rental. Car repairs. Money for his dream house and dream life.

A deep voice roared. His father? “You must pay the debts. You must pay the debts.”

The squeaky voices of the creatures added to the cacophony. They twisted the ends of their Dali-like mustaches.

From a distance, his mother’s voice cried her own demands. “Michael, when will I see grandchildren? You know how badly I want little ones to hug.”

Help! The word remained frozen.

 

* * *

 

Michael West bolted upright and stared at the clock. Almost seven. He rubbed his eyes. Not the weekend. Not his city walk-up, where he’d collapsed after a day in surgery and a night on call. He would be late for his first day as junior partner of Grandvue Hospital’s premier surgical practice. He threw back the covers and dashed to the bathroom.

As he showered, remnants of the nightmare circled in his thoughts. “Sorry, Mom,” he whispered. “No grandchildren for years.” Until the mountain of debts became a molehill he couldn’t take a wife.

With a towel around his waist, he shaved and charged into the bedroom. In five years he could recycle those debts. Then he would be ready to give the woman he selected the things he believed she deserved. He dressed in new gray slacks, a starched white shirt, tie, and a black summer weight jacket, grabbed his medical bag and strode from the apartment to his car.

Though he wished for time to eat a hearty breakfast, on the way to the hospital, he stopped at a deli for an egg and cheese bagel and a huge coffee. Ten minutes later, he sat in the doctor’s parking lot and ate like a starving man.

After stuffing the remains in the take-out bag, he slid from the sedan and brushed crumbs from his clothes. He scanned the lot. New car added to his list of wants. His fuel-economy sedan looked like a waif among the luxury sedans and sporty models. He strode toward the entrance.

“Michael, slow down.” The senior partner of the surgical practice waved.

Michael waited for Dr. Probst. “Good morning, sir. I didn’t expect to see you here so early.”

The gray-haired man smiled. “Always the first. Good to see you’ve the same habit. Three cases on the schedule. First one’s at nine.”

“Will I assist?”

“Eager to get your hands in?”

Michael grinned. “Sure am, sir.”

Dr. Probst chuckled. “How well I remember those days. Before we head to the OR, we’ll make rounds. I’ll show you the surgical unit.”

“Sounds good.” Though he had visited the hospital when he’d been recruited, he hadn’t been impressed with the unit.

“We’ve a new nurse manager. Young, efficient. Has performed miracles during her five months in charge. She’s cracked down on the staff. You’ll like her.”

Michael studied the older man. Was he being set up? Not going to happen. Casual affairs were his speed. He thought about the nurse manager he’d met when the guys in the practice had wined and dined him. She’d been old, steely-eyed, with a thin-lipped smile, making him think young doctors were to be trained like puppies. Young might mean any woman under sixty. If the new nurse manager was attractive and would be interested in a fling in the company of a man with a five year plan, he might give her a try.

They rode the elevator from the basement to the second floor. When he saw the nurse at the counter with a phone in her left hand and her right poised over a keyboard, he halted and fought the urge to run.

“No.” He groaned. “Impossible.”

“Something wrong?” Dr. Probst asked.

Michael cleared his throat. Don’t be an ass. “I never expected to see…” Help! His inner voice shouted the final word of his nightmare.

“Zelda, come and meet the new addition to our group.”

Michael sucked in a breath. The bane of his youthful existence left the computer and sauntered toward them.

His throat constricted. His gut churned. “You work here?” Duh. Could his foot fit any tighter in his mouth? Why else was she dressed in a white uniform? And the lab coat spelled administration. He took a second look. The uniform fit her slender body to perfection.

Dr. Probst beamed. “Guess you know each other. Zelda is our miracle nurse manager.”

My Places

   https://twitter.com/JanetL717

 https://www.facebook.com/janet.l.walters.3?v=wall&story_f

bid=113639528680724

 http://bookswelove.net/

 http://wwweclecticwriter.blogspot.com

https://www.pinterest.com/shadyl717/

 

Buy Mark

https://bookswelove.net/walters-janet-lane/

Wednesday, September 27, 2023

Murder and Bitter Tea #MFRWHooks #BWLAuthor #Mystery #cozy #Robespierre #Maine Coon cat


Join the authors at MFRWHook http://mfrwbookhooks.blogspot.coms for some great excerpts. Mine is found at https://wwweclecticwriter.blogspot.com and is from  Murder and Bitter Tea

Blurb:
Katherine’s newest tenant is estranged from her family and is the granddaughter of one of Katherine’s friends. When her friend falls and fractures her hip, the elderly woman is taken to Hudson House nursing home, an exclusive house.


Katherine’s friend becomes concerned about several recent and unexpected deaths. When she dies Katherine’s curiosity and suspicions send her undercover as a nurse. Soon she’s deeply involved.

Can she learn who is behind the scheme to end the lives of wealthy patients without becoming a victim?




Excerpt:

The sun of the early April day shone in a cloudless sky.  Yesterday’s rain had left the ground moist and easy for digging.  Daffodils and tulips added color to the scene and delight to my spirits.  I knelt beside one of the mint patches and loosened the soul around the emerging shoots.  Soon the numerous varieties would be high and provide leaves for drying and blending into teas.  This year, I planned to use green tea as a base in some of the blends.

 

            I pulled weeds, then sank back to admire my work.  My Maine Coon cat lay beside the gardening mat.  With a boneless movement, Robespierre stretched.  I sighed with envy and wished I had his supple spine.  He ambled toward the car pulling into the driveway.

 

            Jenna Taylor, one of my first floor tenants, slid from the red hatchback and waved.  “Hi, Mrs. Miller.”

 

            I rose and gathered my tools.  “How was class?”

 

            She grinned.  “Thanks for your help on the Psych paper.  Got an A.”

 

            “I’m proud of you.”

 

            Her hazel eyes filled with sadness.  “You’re the only one.”  She took the basket and carried it to the porch of my “Painted Lady.”

 

            The Victorian house I’d lived in since my dead husband and I had settled in this Hudson Valley village had been converted into two apartments.  I chose the second floor with its view of the river and rented the first.  A week after my return from Santa Fe, I’d acquired Jenna and her friend as tenants.  The young women were students at the local college, Jenna in Nursing and Louise in Business.

 

            I paused at the foot of the steps.  “Why don’t you call your grandmother?  I’m sure she’d be glad to see you and as proud of your accomplishments as I am.”

 

            She shook her head.  “And bring my problems with my uncle on her head.  He hated my mother.  After my dad died, Mom asked him for help and he refused.”  Tears glittered in her eyes.  “You should have heard the things he accused me of after my cousin’s death.  I’m better off staying away from family.”

 

            I touched her hand.  “The accident was five years ago.  Surely he’s over the loss by now.”

 

            She combed her fingers through her short honey blonde hair.  “He never forgives or forgets.”  She handed me the basket.  “Have to change for work.  See you tomorrow.”

 

            “Tomorrow,”  I echoed and followed her inside.  Robespierre trailed me upstairs.  There, I spilled a little food in his dish.  He thinks he should be fed every time he returns from outside.  I always indulge him by adding a few dry tidbits.

 

            I put the kettle on.  I hurt for Jenna.  She’d seen more tragedy in twenty-three years than anyone should bear.  Her father’s death, her mother’s alcoholism and series of abusive relationships.  Orphaned at fourteen, she’d gone to live with her grandmother.  Three years later, there’d been the accident and her cousin had died.  For some reason I hadn’t learned until recently, Jenna had become a runaway.

 

            In January, I learned from an acquaintance who taught at the college that Jenna had enrolled as a student and was looking for an apartment.  When she was a child, I’d felt sorry for her and angry about the way her uncle had treated her.  I offered her the first floor apartment at a reduced rate and had signed a lease with the girls.  Over the past few months, Jenna and I have become friends.

 


My Places

   https://twitter.com/JanetL717

 https://www.facebook.com/janet.l.walters.3?v=wall&story_f

bid=113639528680724

 http://bookswelove.net/

 http://wwweclecticwriter.blogspot.com

https://www.pinterest.com/shadyl717/

 

Buy Mark

https://bookswelove.net/walters-janet-lane/

Tuesday, September 26, 2023

The Revenge Plot, the third segment is featured as Tuesday's Writer's Tip

 The third section of the Revenge Plot is Confrontation. The revenge has been accomplished and the characters now must see the results. Did they achieve what they wished for. If this is a serial revenge aimed for this is the time when the worst offender gets his or her due.Classical revenge usually brings violence. This can be upsetting to many readers. But this can be done without violence as in a sting. the hero wants revenge. Important is his motivation. You must remember this plot looks at the dark nature of us all.

My Places

   https://twitter.com/JanetL717

 https://www.facebook.com/janet.l.walters.3?v=wall&story_f

bid=113639528680724

 http://bookswelove.net/

 http://wwweclecticwriter.blogspot.com

https://www.pinterest.com/shadyl717/

 

Buy Mark

https://bookswelove.net/walters-janet-lane/

Monday, September 25, 2023

Meandering on Monday with Janet Lane Walters #BWLAuthor #MFRWAuthor #Reading #Writing #Thoughts

 Meander 1 - Reading - Read a long Andre Norton Book that I'd read eyars ago in paper. Still intriguing and inereresting. Am now reading a Patricia Cornwell book. Interesting so fat.

Meander 2 - Thoughts - Have been thinking lately about what to write nexxt. I have some ideas. One book to finish though I may need to self-publish it. Two new ideas. One a mystery series and one a romance that has abit of medical suspense and one a Regency I found the idea blocked out for. Must decide what to work on next.

Meander 3 - Writing - Murder and Iced Tea has about one third done. Must really get rocking on it to make sure I'll finish it. So much needs to be added.

My Places

   https://twitter.com/JanetL717

 https://www.facebook.com/janet.l.walters.3?v=wall&story_f

bid=113639528680724

 http://bookswelove.net/

 http://wwweclecticwriter.blogspot.com

https://www.pinterest.com/shadyl717/

 

Buy Mark

https://bookswelove.net/walters-janet-lane/

Sunday, September 24, 2023

Pursuing Doctor West is featured today as Sunday's Book #BWLAuthor #MFRWAuthor #romance #medical #the chase

 

Michael West MD has a five year plan before he can consider making a commitment. He’s happy dating women who have no desire for a long-term affair. Encountering Zelda, the pest, the menace, the little girl next door who has impacted his life makes him want to run. She managed to ruin his senior prom and sent several of his dates running. Now she’s grown and the nurse manager of the surgical unit where he will see her every day.

What’s a doctor to do but run? Zelda has loved Michael for year. She knows of the odd accidents her presence has caused him. After an encounter in the condo swimming pool, the accidents become hers but she refuses to give up her quest. The problem is his dating system. He seems to be on an alphabetical quest. He’s just met G and she’s Z. Can she find a way to turn his thoughts to her or must she give up her pursuit?

Reviewed in the United States on March 17, 2015
Janet Lane-Walters once again delivers an humorous fun loving romance. Zelda met Michael West at the age of six when he moved in next door. She decided then and there she was going to marry him when she grows up. Fast forward a number of year and Michael has finished med school and moved back to his home town, joining the hospital Zelda works for. To make matters worse, Michael unknowingly moves right next door to Zelda. Even though he claims to want to avoid the troublesome, bad luck Zelda seems to bring with her, they keep finding themselves together in awarkard and funny situations. Once Zelda decideds she's never going to land the guy of her dreams and makes plans to move to another state, Michael comes to his senses and goes after her.

Reviewed in the United States on July 6, 2015
This book is so funny and charming. It was an absolute joy to read!

Reviewed in the United States on May 26, 2021
A fun, romantic, Action packed drama with lots of drama. I loved this book and hated to put it down.
The author was new to me but I find it thrilling to try new authors and their books and I'm so glad I did.
I look forward to learning more about the author and their books.

My Places

   https://twitter.com/JanetL717

 https://www.facebook.com/janet.l.walters.3?v=wall&story_f

bid=113639528680724

 http://bookswelove.net/

 http://wwweclecticwriter.blogspot.com

https://www.pinterest.com/shadyl717/

 

Buy Mark

https://bookswelove.net/walters-janet-lane/

 

Saturday, September 23, 2023

Saturday's Blurbs features Books by Ruth Casey #MFRWAuthor #romance #historical #Barrister #Earl #Lady #Secret

 

The Lady and the Barrister

She swore she’d help him find his soul mate. Will she realize he has met his match?

Lady Anna Ravencroft shines brightly as a much-admired organizer and hostess. In her mind it is the one thing at which she succeeds. Inwardly she is shy, retiring… a wallflower. With two failed seasons that ended in disaster she has accepted marriage might not be in her future.

Lord Fraser Castleton, a London barrister is shocked when he inherits a title and estate from his father’s great uncle and becomes the 8th Duke of Willbury. He returns to Sommer-by-the-Sea to take up permanent residence. He crosses paths with his longtime friend, Lady Anna. He confides that he is the target of every mother with an unmarried daughter. She commiserates with him. Every eligible gentleman sees the Ravencroft purse rather than her. Together they decide to find a mate for each other. Anna presents him with a list of several eligible women. Castleton is receptive but not enthusiastic. He gives her the same reaction with the subsequent two lists. Will she realize he has already found his match?

Richard Younge, who doesn’t always play by the rules, wants to be the next Member of Parliament for his borough. His political backer will support him if Younge can finance the campaign himself. He suggests Younge find a wealthy wife to support his political plans. Marrying a Ravencroft would all but guarantee not only his backer’s continued support but provide the steady stream of money needed to claim his place amongst the gentry. He calls on Lady Anna for assistance with a campaign event and has an ulterior motive.

Buy Link - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BSG2GMH9

 

The Lady and the Earl

A woman’s manipulating behavior is a prescription for disaster. But for whom?

Harriet Manning is a brilliant physician, dedicating her days to assisting her renowned father and volunteering with the Ladies Auxiliary. Though deeply passionate about medicine and helping others, societal norms restrict her from practicing openly. To add to her woes, her mother is incessantly urging her to find a suitable husband.

During a trip to London, Asheton Dunn suffers a riding accident and is taken to Harriet's clinic for treatment. As he recuperates, Harriet and Asheton grow close, kindling a romance. However, when Harriet's family discovers that Asheton is the Duke of Whippany's son, they are taken aback. Harriet's mother advises her to put aside her medical aspirations and conform to society's expectations to fit into Asheton's world.

Although they are engaged, their match is met with disapproval from the Ton, with Daphne Willis harboring ulterior motives. Will Harriet and Asheton overcome the obstacles that stand in the way of their love?

Buy Link - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C1W6G3FV

 

The Lady and Her Secret

She came home to find a piece of her past. She discovered so much more.

 Lady Rachel Emerson comes from a prominent Sommer-by-the-Sea family and leads a charmed life. Her fiancĂ©, Pryce, Earl Somerset, is more than just tall, dark, and handsome. He’s everything a woman could want. But before they send out the wedding invitations, the betrothal is canceled.

After fifteen years, Rachel returns to her beloved Emerson Manor on All Hallows Eve, the day before the manor is turned over to the local historical society. For years, she mourned the loss of her locket, her only connection to Pryce. Rachel has one day and one last chance to find it. Her search leads her to a cache of old newspapers that rekindle memories and lead her on a journey of self-discovery and reconciliation. But will she find her heart’s desire?

Pre-Order - https://www.amazon.com/Lady-Secret-Return-Ladies-Sommer-ebook/dp/B0CDR6DHVD

 

Friday, September 22, 2023

Ruth Casey is Visiting and talking about her latest release #MFRWAutor #romance #Concert pianist #assassination plot

 

The Lady and the Rogue

Day 1

1. Tell me about your latest release or the book you wish to feature. Genre?

The Lady and the Rogue is book three in the series, the Return of the Ladies of Sommer-by-the-Sea, a Regency romance series with a mix of murder and mayhem. Lady Euphemia Brandt, the esteemed concert pianist, finds herself unwittingly caught up in a dangerous game when she is mistaken for Lord Thornton's contact. In a twist of fate, the two are hastily engaged and embark on a treacherous journey to uncover a deadly assassination plot targeting the Prime Minister.

As Euphemia and Lord Thornton navigate the treacherous waters of high society, they must rely on their wits, resourcefulness, and growing affection for each other to unravel the threads of this dangerous conspiracy. But time is running out, and their only chance lies in deciphering a perplexing musical message that holds the key to saving England from impending chaos.

As Euphemia's musical talents become her most valuable weapon, she must decode the melodies with precision and uncover the hidden truth within the notes. With each passing moment, the stakes rise higher, and the threat becomes even more dire.

In a world where secrets lurk behind every elegant facade, Euphemia and Lord Thornton must face not only their own demons but also the relentless pursuit of those intent on destroying their newfound love and jeopardizing the safety of an entire nation.

Will Euphemia's brilliance at the piano be enough to decode the musical message and save England from disaster? Can she and Lord Thornton overcome the obstacles in their path and find love in each other's arms amidst the chaos?

2. Where did the idea arise?

The story concept began with a thought-provoking prompt and an intriguing article that explored the art of conveying clandestine messages through music.

The prompt presented a scenario in which a young woman found herself in an unfortunate situation, being at the wrong place at the wrong time. She bravely defended herself against an assailant, inadvertently losing her reticule in the process. To secure her transportation, she resorted to taking coins from her attacker. She crosses paths with the same man at her parents' party. The attacker is determined to find out more about her. She is just as determined to stay far away from him. He solved the issue by petitioning her father for her hand.

 You’ll have to read the story to see how I used that prompt and how it all turns out!

3. How much research was involved? Did you stay on point or be distracted by wanting to look at just one more thing?

 The ‘just one more thing’ turned out to be music. I had already decided that the mistaken identity was our hero meeting his contact, a woman who our heroine is teaching how to read music. In doing research, I came across an article on music used in spy codes. So, I used the music code as a device to include our heroine with the villain.

4. How long did it take to write the book?

 It took me three months from start to release. I started the book in June after the release of The Lady and the Earl. The Lady and the Rogue releases on September 12.

5. Now a bit about you. How long have you been writing? What is your Sun Sign?

I have been writing for twelve years. The first book I wrote was Knight of Runes. It was published by Carina Press as an ebook and by Harlequin in print. I am a hybrid author. Including this book, I have published twenty-six books and three novellas. My 27th book will be published in October.

6. Do you write in a number of genres of stick to one?

 I have tried to write in both historical and contemporary genres. My readers overwhelmingly prefer my historical stories. With that in mind, for the last few years, I have been writing Regency romance. I do have a short historical series that includes magic and another that is a time travel.

7. Where on the internet can you be found?

Thank you for asking. You can find me at the following places on the internet.

Website: https://ruthacasie.com/

Ruth’s Newsletter Signup:  http://ruthacasie.com/contact.html#newsletter      

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/ruthacasie/

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/RuthACasie/

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/RuthACasie

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4792909.Ruth_A_Casie

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/ruth-seitelman/6/6b7/964

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/ruthacasie/

YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/@Ruth-A-Casie

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ruthacasie

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/ruthacasie

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@ruthacasie