Friday Joanie MacNeil is Visiting and talking about a Featured Book #BWLAuthor #MFRWAuthor #romance #Honorable Men #Australia

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

 

His Secret Promise - Book 3 in the Honorable Men series - is my tenth published novel, and my first brand new novel in some time. Unlike the first two books in the series,  this story is set on the Sapphire Coast, south of Sydney, Australia.

 

2.      Where did the idea arise?

Too many years ago, I had the idea to write a story of a soldier wishing to reconnect with his life in Australia following his tour of Afghanistan. While including some of his personal battles and how he dealt with them, I focused more on the romance rather than the trauma of his situation. My heroine was also dealing with a personal trauma of her own.

 

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

 

I found some old newspapers which contained heart-wrenching stories of incidents where soldiers lost their mates. These gave me an insight into their emotions and what life was like for them on their return to civilian life. I was browsing through a bookshop and found a coffee table book with a range of photos taken in Afghanistan, and these helped with the scenic settings.

 

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

 

Too long, unfortunately. It wasn’t an easy story to write, especially as I wanted to find the right balance of emotions in the telling. I had a good idea of the hero, but had to work at creating a suitable heroine who didn’t come across as being too weak. Once I realized that, she became a little easier to work with.

 

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

 

I began writing in the mid-1990s. My first book was e-published on a floppy disc early in 1999, when e-publishing was a fledgling industry. Look how far it’s come! I had more books published in the following years, but lost my way with my writing career for about ten years, though never wanted to let it go. Must have been my stubborn streak. I’d always anticipated I’d be back. In August 2014, Books We Love published two of my previously published novels, No Boundaries and December Heat Wave.

 

A Traditional Affair and A Sense of Duty are the last of my earlier novels now published by BWL Publishing Inc. These are the first two novels in my Honorable Men series, and are set in Scotland.

 

My Sun Sign is Cancer. My birthday is 22 July, so depending on which horoscope I read, I may be a Leo. I usually read both horoscopes, out of curiosity. There are occasions when one seems closer to what’s happening in my life  than the other…or neither are at all relevant. I did read my horoscope years ago after a major upheaval in my life. I couldn’t believe how much it related to me.

 

 

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

 

Contemporary romance is my favorite genre to write. I’ve written a few novellas/short stories in this genre as well as my novels, plus one short story leaning towards science fiction. That was fun to write.

 

7.      Where on the internet can you be found?

 

www.joaniemacneil.com

https://www.facebook.com/romanceauthorjoaniemacneil/

https://www.instagram.com/joanie_macneil_romance_author/

https://www.pinterest.com.au/joaniemacneil/romance-author-joanie-macneil/

https://twitter.com/JoanieMacneil

 

 

Saturday's Blurbs feature Books by Joanie MacNeil #BWLAuthor #MFRWAuthor #Scotland #Australia #Contemporary romance

 

 

Latest release

 

Contemporary romance set in Scotland

A Traditional Affair–Honorable Men–The Scots: Galen

https://books2read.com/A-Traditional-Affair

 

Will Kate, a modern and determined young woman, resist the temptation to accept Galen’s proposal of marriage?

 

Within the imposing halls of historic Carabrae, Scotland, Australian Kate Fielding finds herself caught in an unusual love triangle.

 

The outspoken young woman who stirs both his demons and his passions intrigues traditional Scot, Galen MacBain. Marriage to Kate would provide him with an heir and a father for her child.

 

Kate cannot accept Galen’s convenient proposal. Though her baby would inherit the wealthy MacBain estate, her marriage to Galen would be for the wrong reasons. In their push and pull search for love, trust and family values, will this modern and determined young woman resist the temptation to accept Galen's proposal of marriage?

 

Sapphire Kisses–contemporary romance

https://books2read.com/b/joaniemacneil-SapphireKisses

 

Alexandra Jordan doesn’t expect the challenge ahead of her when she agrees to spend the summer as a research assistant for acclaimed author, David Meredith, who is losing his sight.

 

David feels threatened by her presence in his home, his sanctuary, and the only place he can be independent. Determined to prove he doesn’t need help, he demands Alex leave. Hired to fill the position as his assistant, she persists in staying on. Once he accepts Alex isn’t like other women, her beguiling ways soon intrigue him…until he discovers her secret.

 

The Trouble with Natalie–contemporary romance

https://books2read.com/b/joaniemacneil-TheTroublewithNatalie

 

Natalie Harrigan knows men are trouble, and having a man in her life is not on her agenda. She'd rather focus on her appointment as CEO of the new Training Advisory Council. Success as the best CEO ever is her number one priority.

 

Luke DeMarco, appointed as Director of the same Council, is her young brother’s best friend. Luke has always loved Natalie from the moment he first set eyes on her at eight years old. Now, twenty years later, she’s more woman than ever, and Luke’s not too worried about the twelve years difference in their ages. He believes gentle wooing will convince his new boss, Natalie, that age is no barrier to love. Will she allow him to move from their boardroom to her bedroom?

Friday Joanie MacNeil is visiting and talking about Panster or Plotter #BWLAuthor #MFRWAuthor #Scotland #Australia #Office romance

 Hi Janet, thank you for having me on your blog today.

 

Panster or Plotter

 

Day 1

 

1.    Are you a panster or a plotter or perhaps a bit of both?

A bit of both. While knowing how I want my story to end, I seem to take the longest and hardest path to get there. In my computer files, there are at least two or three manuscripts, unfinished, because I’ve lost my way.

 

I’ve downloaded Plotter to help keep me on track for future projects. However, I haven’t played with it yet. I’m looking forward to the challenge of giving it a go for my next project: one of the unfinished manuscripts.

 

2.    Which comes first - characters or plot for you?

It depends on the story. I had a couple of characters/ideas in mind for two books, and combined them into one story–Desperate and Dateless.

 

A few chapters into Sweet Temptations I lost my way, though knew how I wanted the characters’ journey to end. I wrote the closing chapters and that pulled me through the story. It’s a tricky way to write a romance. It’s important to ensure the developing relationship and emotions are in the right order.

 

3.    What are you working on now? Is this a book in a current series or something totally new?

 

My March release, A Traditional Affair–Honorable Men–The Scots: Galen, is a contemporary romance set near Loch Ness, Scotland, and is the first book in my Honorable Men series.

 

I’m working through revisions for Book 2, A Sense of Duty–Honorable Men–The Scots: Regan. This book is due for release in July this year, and is set in Braemar, Scotland.

 

4.    Do you have some kind of object or place that figures in most of your books? I use gems a lot, hospitals and caves.

 

Coastal settings in and around the Sapphire Coast, south of Sydney, provided background for Sapphire Kisses, Loving Nick…Again, and Sweet Temptations. I’ve used the same setting for one of my unfinished manuscripts.

 

For No Boundaries and The Trouble with Natalie, I drew on my experience as an executive assistant for a backdrop to these office romances.

 

Visits to Scotland many years ago provided ideal settings for my two Scottish novels.

 

5.    Do you write every day or just when the spirit hits?

 

My goal is to write on a regular basis. When I reach a momentum on the project I’m working on, I try to keep that energy going. Commitments on my time can get in the way and zap my get-up-and-go. I don’t always maintain the writing habit every day.

 

Late last year, I completed two online writing courses through RWAustralia. The courses triggered two projects: the first, a short story, which I’ve wanted to write for two or more years. When the time is right I’ll revisit, and may consider turning it into a novella.

 

For the second course, I worked on the first five pages of an incomplete novel and that’s in my ‘must finish’ pile for later in the year. The feedback I received contributed to my enthusiasm for the story again.

 

I believe success with writing a particular story depends on timing. I’ve set aside a few stories, and returned to them much later with fresh ideas, which, previously, I’d never considered.

 

 

6.    Where can we find you?

 

www.joaniemacneil.com

https://www.facebook.com/romanceauthorjoaniemacneil/

https://www.instagram.com/joanie_macneil_romance_author/

https://www.pinterest.com.au/joaniemacneil/romance-author-joanie-macneil/

https://twitter.com/JoanieMacneil

 

7. Who are your favorite authors? What about a book you’ve enjoyed?

I enjoy listening to audio books, as my eyes are too tired at night to focus on the screen or print books. Of course, there’s always the risk of falling asleep no matter how good the book is. But I can rewind the next night!

 

I’ve finished three more books in the Icelandic series by Ragnar Jónasson. The descriptions took me back to my visit to Iceland in 2017. I’d love to visit there again.

 

I’m enjoying Outback Dreams, a contemporary romance by Australian Author, Rachael Johns. I’d like to listen to more of her novels set in Outback Australia. She brings both characters and setting to life.

 

I have several stories to listen to, including Bridgerton: The Duke and I, by Julia Quinn, plus other authors who are new to me. I did find the Bridgerton series on Netflix very entertaining.

 

Two on my list to download at some stage are:

Hannah Kent’s Burial Rites and a Barbara Erskine novel–I can’t decide which one yet. I’ve read most of hers, but not for a long time. Two or three are particular favorites: Lady of Hay, Midnight is a Lonely Place and The Warrior Princess.

 

Of course, I have several novels in my Kindle to read! The list never ends!

Saturday Books by Tricia McGill are featured on Saturday's Blurbs #MFRWAuthor #BWLAurthor #Historical #Romance #Australia

Mystic Mountains (Settlers Book 1):

In the early 1800s the penal colony of Botany Bay was an unforgiving and harsh place. Isabella O'Shea is transported to New South Wales for wounding a member of the British aristocracy who raped her, so it is understandable that she loathes members of the upper class and the system that punished her; sentenced her to seven years transportation.

Tiger Carstairs is rich, ambitious and English-so is it any wonder she is determined to hate her new master. Tiger dreams of making a new life beyond the aptly named Blue Mountains, so called because of the perpetual haze of blue surrounding them.

Mystic Mountains is a story of courage and persistence-traits that were essential for the settlers who carved out a new life in a raw land where suffering and heartbreak were commonplace.

Isabella and Tiger face tragedy and many hardships in their quest for a new life in this untamed land.

Buy link: https://books2read.com/Mystic-Mountains

Distant Mountains (Settlers Book 2):

Even in the prospering colony of New South Wales, it would be far-fetched to think a convicted man could consider marrying the daughter of a wealthy property owner.

But Remy has larger problems to contend with than Sara’s bigoted father. Forced to leave the woman he loves behind, Remy faces overwhelming odds and an ordeal that threatens to strip him of everything; his pride, his strength, his health—even his life.

Sara has many struggles of her own and when Remy finally thinks he has a future with Sara within his grasp, he is sent to a place where pain and suffering are everyday occurrences. Will the lovers ever find true happiness?

Buy Link: https://books2read.com/Distant-Mountains

Challenging Mountains (Settlers Book 3):

By 1840 the colony of New South Wales was expanding. Transportation of convicts to the east coast ended, and many free squatters set out to settle on lands to the south. In 1836, the Government in London authorised Governor Bourke to establish a settlement in The Port Philip District of New South Wales, and an Association was formed to make the district a separate colony.

Timothy, Tiger and Bella Carstairs’ eldest son has turned 21. Bored with his Government job and intent on seeking adventure and a new life away from Sydney, Tim decides to journey south in an endeavour to find this adventure, accompanied by his Uncle Carlos. Where else to find it, but in a newly formed settlement. 

In the 1840s the road south might not be as hazardous as the one across the mountains travelled by his parents when he was a child, but the month long journey overland holds many dangers and challenges to be faced. Escaped and ex-convicts seek the easy life by forming gangs to take what they can where they can. Forced to fight off the intruders who take claim to the land they have cared for over many, many generations, the Indigenous people are faced with many trials and battles of their own.

Not the least of Tim’s personal challenges is a young headstrong woman who, uninvited, takes it upon herself to join him on his travels.  When they reach their destination, their troubles have only just begun.

Buy link: https://books2read.com/Challenging-Mountains

Friday Tricia McGill is visiting and talking about her latest book #MFRWAuthor #BWLAuthor #Writing #Genre

1.      Tell me about your latest release? Genre?

Thanks so much for having me on your blog again, Janet. It is always a pleasure to be here. Challenging Mountains, Book 3 in my Settlers series, traces the lives and adventures of members of a family. Set in the early 1840s in Australia, Tim, eldest son of Bella and Tiger Carstairs, is fed up with his Government job in Sydney, and decides to set out on a month long trek to the budding settlement of Port Philip in the south. Accompanied by his uncle Carlos, and Josephine, a headstrong young woman who decides to join them, they encounter many setbacks along the way in the mostly untamed land.

2.      Where did the idea arise?

Book 3 in this series had been brewing in my head for a long time. My dilemma was who to set in the lead role, as Bella and Tiger had a large family. Once I began to plan the story, I realised that the main character was always meant to be Timothy Carstairs, their eldest son. Tim was born in tumultuous times and was a small child when his father, Tiger, decided to head west to greener pastures. The road across the mountains was barely defined in those early days and so Tim was no stranger to dangerous journeys.

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

There was still an immense amount of research to do to keep the facts correct, even though it is set in the 1800s as were book 1 and 2. The trip the travellers undertook covered many miles and the landscape was changing constantly as new towns sprang up along the way in those early days of discovery. They covered many miles on horseback or wagon. There were numerous rivers and creeks to be crossed, some hazardous, and in those days once Sydney was left behind, the bridges were few. There was little in the way of law; few churches and even less schools, so it was a fact that the children of squatters ran wild and as untamed as the land. When the travellers reached their destination there was another set of problems coping in a barely settled town, where bushrangers sought an easy life and were a constant threat. This was supposed to be the last in this series, but now Tim’s sister Annie is pestering me to write her story so that is in its early stages, while I wait for her to tell me exactly which direction she wants to go.

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

I’m not really sure as I have no record of when I began, but think it was something like 8 to 10 months from when the idea started keeping me awake at night to when I typed ‘the end’.

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

I guess my short answer to that is, always, but I began writing in earnest about 30 years ago. Most writers, like me, started scribbling stories from the moment we discovered how to put words together. My first published book was Mystic Mountains (Settlers Book 1) then published under another title. Readers seem fascinated by the early days of Australia.  I am a Scorpio.

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

I have written Historicals, Time-Travels, Contemporaries, Family Sagas, and had a crack at a Fantasy/Sci-Fi, but all have romance at their heart, so I am most definitely a romance writer. Only one of my books strays from the Romance genre and that is Crying is for Babies, which is based on the life of one of my sisters.

7.      Where can you be found?

Find me and my books here on my Books We Love author page:

http://bookswelove.net/authors/mcgill-tricia-romance-historical-australia/

            Or here on my Web page: http://www.triciamcgill.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorTriciaMcGill

My Blog: http://triciamg.blogspot.com/

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

Friday's Guest Joanie MacNeil Talking about Who She Was Before #MFRWauthor #BooksWeLoveLTD #Australia

What were you in your life before you became a writer? Did this influence your writing?

Thank you Janet for inviting me to be a guest on your blog today.

I worked as an executive assistant throughout my career, at a university and in government, with a brief stint as a temp EA in private enterprise. I began my writing career in the mid-nineties, when my children were pre/early teens. I continued to work full time as I learned the craft of writing romance novels.

My office career influenced a couple of my novels, The Trouble with Natalie and No Boundaries, in that I was familiar with office routines, and used locations of a couple of places where I’d worked.

2. Are you genre specific or general? Why? I don't mean genres like romance, mystery, fantasy etc. There are many subgenres of the above. 

Contemporary romance is my preferred genre to write. I like writing shorter novels, around 50,000 words, give or take a few thousand. Some years ago now, I entertained the idea of writing a time-travel set in modern Glasgow and the Hebrides. I look at my notes every now and then. Now is not the right time. Maybe one day…

3. Did your reading choices have anything to do with your choice of a genre or genres? 

My first foray into romance reading was in my early forties. On holiday with family at the Gold Coast, I was in much need of some R&R and escapism. I picked up a historical novel by Rexanne Becnel, My Gallant Enemy. From the front cover, through battles, with brooding hero and resourceful heroine, and the mysterious workings within the castle, to the very last page was the pure escapism I sought. Could Lilliane and Corbett ever be together? Such tension! I was hooked on historical romance and couldn’t read enough of it. I still have that book, have promised myself to read it again sometime, and though I haven’t, I’m pleased to say it has survived a few house moves, and many culls of my bookshelves.

While reading and absorbing the wonderful adventures within historical novels, I often thought how much I would like to write a novel, but discounted the idea as too hard, and something other people did. Not me. I wasn’t clever enough. And where to start? Those were my excuses. The need to write wouldn’t go away, and I realised there were occasions during my life that I’d considered writing, but had dismissed the idea.

I enrolled in a six week freelance writing course at a local evening college, the only writing course I could find locally. Better than nothing. It was the session on writing romance that appealed to me the most. By accident, I stumbled on a couple of articles by a well-known Australian romance author in magazines I’d borrowed from the library; saw an ad for a romance writers workshop in my city, hosted by visiting writers. Though the workshop didn’t eventuate, I phoned one of the contact authors and discovered my local romance writers group. I told myself I was meant to be a writer. I found out about a one day workshop in Melbourne, and having never been to Melbourne before, flew down for the day. The speakers were truly passionate about writing and so inspirational for this budding author who was so starved of information about the genre and market and how to write a novel. Through reading a couple of newsletters I discovered an American online romance writers discussion group, signed up and later joined an associated online critique group. A great learning experience, and at last, I could seek answers to all my questions from those who knew about writing romance. At that time, Australia did seem to me to be a long way from the rest of the world.

4. What's your latest release? 

Sweet Temptations – released this week.

https://books2read.com/Sweet-Temptations

Zachary Cordell returns to New South Wales to search for his estranged father’s young widow. Zac is certain that Elizabeth Marshall married his father for his money and he wants revenge.

Elizabeth is looking for a quiet lifestyle away from the notoriety the press associated with her name following the death of her husband. All she wants is a quiet, secure home in her old hometown. When her uncle Max recommends Zac as a handyman, she is nervous about hiring a drifter. She soon begins to trust him and finds herself attracted to Zac. Little does she know his relationship to her late husband, his reasons for coming to New South Wales, or the sweet temptations which will follow.

5. What are you working on now? 

My current work in progress is set on the Sapphire coast, and is a friends to lovers story, and a quest for forgiveness.  My characters each have to negotiate several emotional issues, including danger for the heroine. The burning issue is the hero’s awful secret.

My local writing group, Canberra Romance Writers, plans to release a second anthology in July 2019.  I am in the early stages of planning a story for inclusion in the anthology.

6. Where can we find you? 

FB: Romance Author Joanie Macneil

www.joaniemacneil.com

Visit my BWL author page for buy links to all my books