STRICKEN: Two Years Later! (Plus an Announcement!)

Happy 2nd Birthday, STRICKEN!!

STRICKEN came out exactly two years ago today... It's so hard to believe! Two years old. Wow. There are days that it still hasn't sunk in that I'm a published author!

I'd like to thank everyone at eXtasy Books for giving me a chance and for being so amazing all around. Love to all!!

STRICKEN: Love deserves a second chance.

Get it now at eXtasy Books!

The Romance Studios St. Patrick's Day Party

Holy cow, what an amazing weekend! The party at The Romance Studio was a blast! I had so much fun, even if I was having difficulty coming up with posts about only one book without giving away too much of the story. I managed to get through it! 

I am not doing another party like that one until I have at least one more book out - which I hope to correct before the end of this year, if I can get "Something About Alexis" cleaned up to spec!

((Speaking of other books - works in progress - I have an announcement regarding my first series... More on that later!!))

I shared multiple excerpts, a few of my favorite quotes from the story, the character interview with Ewan that Maggie asked me to do for her blog (see it HERE!), and character bios for Ewan and Marti. 

I am exhausted, but it was worth it! People loved the excerpts, and I loved reading the bits from other people's works. eXtasy Books was well represented this year - the five of us who participated got a lot of interactions with fans, and we all had a lot of fun.

Contest for my giveaways ends at midnight Pacific Time - 3 a.m. Eastern. I'm giving away 2 copies of Stricken (via eXtasy Books' website), and a GC for eXtasy Books/Devine Destinies.

Upcoming Blog Tours

I have three tours visiting my blog next week - two on the 25th, and one on the 28th. All of the stories showcased look amazing! I'm slowly booking more and more tours, and more guest spots for my fellow eXtasy Books/Devine Destinies authors, so if any author out there wants to do a guest spot, contact me now to get your name in ASAP. My contact information is in the links area to the left of my blog entries. 

I've also signed up to be a spot for Maggie Blackbird's upcoming blog tour for her second novel, "Redeemed", Book 2 of the Matawapit Family series. Her tour doesn't start until April 29, so it will be a while before you see it on my blog. Watch for it!

THE BIG ANNOUNCEMENT...

I can't believe I'm doing this, but I want everyone to know about the current manuscript draft, the one I've been working on for a while. I've dubbed it "Book 2" of "My First Series"... I've mentioned it a few times on here and in Facebook - which is tied to my Twitter.

It's far from finished, and it's on the back burner until "Something About Alexis" is sent off, but I have been writing a plot bunny given to me by my best friend/Peapod, Heather a couple of years ago. She said something off the cuff, and BAM! A new plot bunny hopped through the brain.

So...........................................................................

I am currently in the middle of writing a companion/sequel to Stricken.

You read that right. 

The MSIP is tied to Stricken.

The mains in it are *not* Ewan and Marti for the record. Nor is it a rewrite of anything I wrote in the past. This is a new couple, with a few *huge* conflicts, and a load of new plot twists that not even I saw coming. I want a fresh, new story with new characters, new conflicts and new ideas done *my* way and to my publisher's ultra high standards. 

(((Well, you do meet the leading man of this one for a few minutes in Stricken... I'm not ready to say *who* it is yet, so please do not ask me anything about the story unless you're in the select few people who do know...)))

I know, Stricken was supposed to be a standalone, or it was when I signed the contract with eXtasy Books two years ago. The thing is, it ended in a way that it could be a standalone story, or be the launching point for another one about another family member. 

Once Heather said the offhand remark, it was "GAME OVER" and I was writing down ideas for the story. The rest is history.

I am only partway through Chapter Four, but the idea is solid, the character development is coming along nicely, and I already know how I'm going to end it. 

I just have to sit down, and keep plugging away at it until Draft One is finished. It does have a name, as does the series, but I'm not ready to reveal either of those yet. Only those most trusted to me have that knowledge. Tee hee!

To answer the next question, YES, I am plotting a Book 3. However, I do not know if it will come to pass or Stricken and Book 2 will be a duology or not. I'll have to see how things go with Book 2, and of course "Something About Alexis", along with the rest of the works I'm plotting.

So yeah. That's the big secret. It feels odd announcing something like this so soon, when its first draft isn't even finished yet, but I'm doing my best to open up and be more like my fellow eXtasy Books authors. They are all amazing, talented people, and a lot of them are so open about what they're working on.

Telling all of you out there that I'm working on a sequel/companion for Stricken is a huge step for me. Normally I like to keep stuff like this to myself, due to criticism I've had in the past, which made me clam up and toss the work - which was exactly what the person doing it was hoping for.

No more. If people do not like my work, that's fine with me. Some people do not like it out of spite, and that only shows what kind of a person they are. I'm going to keep going and write until my fingers turn blue, and keep going.

Anyway...................................................................

It's been a long, exciting day for me.... I hope everyone had a great weekend. Thanks again to all who popped over to the TRS St. Patrick's Day party, and interacted with all of us authors. 

I leave you with the song that inspired me to name my first novel.... STRICKEN by Disturbed! Enjoy!

HAPPY SECOND BIRTHDAY STRICKEN!!!

My First....

There are a lot of great things happening right now in my little corner of southern Canada...

First of all, I am extremely proud to announce that my *first ever* guest spot on someone else's blog went LIVE this morning! I did an interview with the sexiest real estate agent alive, Ewan Campbell from STRICKEN for my friend Maggie Blackbird's blog. Check it out!

An Interview with Ewan Campbell.

THANK YOU MAGGIE for doing this! It was so much fun!

(Don't forget to get a copy of her first book, BLESSED!)

Another first is coming up for me, and although I'm terrified I'm going to fall flat on my face, I'm coming out of my shell even more next week...

I am doing my FIRST EVER Meet the Author - online or otherwise - in BOOK CAROUSEL, which is the Facebook group for eXtasy Books and Devine Destinies readers to mingle with and get some insight and extras from their favorite eXtasy and Devine Destinies authors. It's happening on NOVEMBER 19, 2018 at 10 a.m. Eastern (7 a.m. Pacific, 11 a.m. Atlantic) and I will be taking over BC for ONE HOUR. I have a lot of stuff planned, from a few games to even a contest for a digital copy of STRICKEN. 

Meet the Author events are so much fun, and you can learn (and share) a lot about your audience or the author themselves in that short amount of time.

You have to be a member of BOOK CAROUSEL to join in the fun. Do a search for it in Facebook, and ask to join. Simple!

I'm also writing again, but more on that another day.

Once again, THANK YOU MAGGIE for hosting me! Have a great week everyone!

An Interview with Darryl Keejik by Maggie Blackbird

Hello everyone! Today is THE day that I host my first guest blogger on Word Processor, Romance, Cats, Kids and Creed... My longtime friend, and now fellow author at eXtasy Books, the lovely and talented Maggie Blackbird!

Her first book, "Blessed" was released on June 29, 2018, and it tells the story of Darryl Keejik and Emery Matawapit, teenage lovers that were torn apart, and are reunited ten years later.

Today, Maggie is interviewing one of the two heroes - Darryl Keejik - about his relationship with Emery.

Blessed is available in most e-book formats at eXtasy Books. Follow the instructions for downloading it to your preferred app or device.

If you would like to visit Maggie's website, the link to it is in my links to the left of my blog entries. She hosts her own blog there, and has been having a lot of authors do guest spots. You have to check it out, she has a lot of wonderful people on there!

Thank you for this amazing interview, Maggie. Over to you!

*****

I’ll be interviewing Darryl Keejik.  He’s one of the heroes from Blessed, a m/m, multi-cultural, contemporary romance that takes place at Ottertail Lake, a remote Ojibway community in Northwestern Ontario.

Maggie Blackbird:  Darryl, tell us how you first romanced Emery as teenagers before the relationship fell apart, resulting in your ten-year estrangement at the beginning of the novel.

Darryl Keejik:  I wouldn’t say I romanced Em.  More like I gave him proper respect.  I treated him right and listened to what he had to say.  His parents never took the time to listen to him.  They only wanted to hear him spout the usual crap that the son of a deacon should say.

Maggie Blackbird:  What would you get Emery on Valentine’s Day?

Darryl Keejik:  We weren’t a Valentine’s Day sort of couple.  To me, every day with Em was Valentine’s Day, a chance to do something special together.  Being simple guys from the rez, and having to hide our feelings, we spent a lot of time in the bush hiking, hunting, camping, or in the winter we checked our trap lines.  That was the perfect time to tease him, flirt, enjoy a kiss or two.

Maggie Blackbird:  Did you ever buy Emery anything special?

Darryl Keejik:  *chuckles*  We didn’t go to the city very often, and that’s where you buy presents ’cause the Northern Lights Store isn’t the place you wanna shop for your sweetheart.  When Em’s parents did head off on the plane, that was the perfect “alone” time for us.  Mind you, his older brother or older sister would watch the house.

We weren’t the movie-romance kind of couple.  We were teenagers.  Teenaged boys aren’t the most romantic people.  Romance, to us, was in the thoughtful gestures.  If Emery was tired after we’d been out on the lake fishing, I’d haul in the skiff, fillet the fish, basically do all the work so he could rest.  To me, that’s more romantic than flowers and chocolate.

Romance is in the respect, gestures, and thoughtfulness you give the one you love.  Anyone can buy flowers, chocolates, and presents.

Maggie Blackbird:  Fair enough.  What do you think is the most romantic dinner one can cook for their significant other?

Darryl Keejik:  There’s a great deck on the house that overlooks the river.  I’d grill steaks on the barbecue, make sure and bake a blueberry pie, and raid the garden for some fresh vegetables.  Dinner isn’t so much about what’s cooked.  It’s how you serve it and the atmosphere you create.  Candles.  A nice view of the moonlight on the river.  Soft music.  And my undivided attention at the table.

Maggie Blackbird:  What about romantic gifts?

Darryl Keejik:  Again, that kind of stuff is overrated.  I’d leave coupons around!

Maggie Blackbird:  Coupons?

Darryl Keejik:  Sure.  The “with every purchase kind…” Such as if you do the dishes, I’ll be sure to give you a massage that night.  If you cook dinner, I’ll be sure to wash the dishes, wash the floors, and do the laundry that weekend.  If you clean the tub, I’ll be sure to groom you from top to bottom—I mean besides washing, the whole buffing, nail-clipping, you name it kind of deal.

Maggie Blackbird:  What was one of the most romantic moments you spent as a couple.

Darryl Keejik:  At the powwow.  I dance.  Em, being a hard-core Catholic, never participated.  He’d watch in the grandstands.  When he watched me, I always danced harder and faster ’cause he had that way of getting under my skin.

I’m a northern traditional dancer.  I was re-enacting a hunt.  Emery became the one I hunted.  Although our relationship had grown sexual, I was hunting his heart.  He knew what I was doing because he moved from the grandstands and stood on the outside of the circle where I danced.  I came for him, raised my arrow at his heart, and drew back the bow string.  I had his heart in my sight.  I danced faster, crouching and peering.  I released the arrow.  When I looked up with the final thump of the drum and wail of the singers, he stood there wide-eyed, face paler than normal, clutching his chest, fear in his eyes.  I knew the tip of my arrow had pierced its mark.  Everything faded to the background.  He was the only person there, and I, the only person for him.  I stalked from the circle.  His face was shiny, sweating, hand over his mouth.  I motioned at him to follow me so I could change out of my regalia.  We left on the four-wheeler to be alone.  I knew at that moment Creator had made him for me.  I was eighteen at the time.

Maggie Blackbird:  I guess that’s why you were so hurt when you became estranged.

Darryl Keejik:  Very hurt.  I offered him my love, and he didn’t take it.

Maggie Blackbird:  I can understand why your story plays out the way it does in the novel.  Here’s hoping you two can reconcile your differences.

Darryl Keejik:  *saying noting and simply looks away*

Logline:  A mixed-blood Catholic seminarian struggles to discern his true calling:  the priesthood or his ex-lover, a proud but damaged Ojibway man.

Blurb:  It’s been ten years since Emery Matawapit sinned, having succumbed to temptation for the one thing in his life that felt right, another man.  In six months he’ll make a life-changing decision that will bar him from sexual relationships for the rest of his life.
Darryl Keejik has a decade-long chip on his shoulder, and he holds Emery’s father, the church deacon, responsible for what he’s suffered:  the loss of his family and a chance at true love with Emery.  No longer a powerless kid, Darryl has influence within the community—maybe more than the deacon, and he intends on using his new-found power to destroy Deacon Matawapit and the church.
Hoping to save the church, Emery races home.  But stopping Darryl is harder than expected when their sizzling chemistry threatens to consume Emery.  Now he is faced with the toughest decision of his life:  please his devout parents and fulfill his call to the priesthood, or remain true to his heart and marry the man created for him.
An erotic spiritual journey…

Excerpt

Darryl hung up the phone. He checked off another item on his to-do list. Not bad for a Monday morning. This left him with six more calls to make and a report to submit. First, he’d refill his coffee and enjoy a toasted English muffin.
“You must be proud of your boy. We’re all proud of him.” From the hallway, an old woman’s teasing voice carried into Darryl’s office. “I’m glad he’ll be here for the summer.”
Everyone must have gathered in the reception area to talk. The waiting room at the band office resembled the diner, a place for people to drink coffee while helping them-selves to the muffins from the staff room. Darryl would join them. Someone always had a funny story to tell.
“I’m looking forward to it. Emery’s flying in at two. Maria and I are meeting him at the airport.” Pride filled Deacon Matawapit’s words.
Halfway out of his chair, Darryl froze. The reserve was Emery’s home. A visit was expected. Darryl squeezed the handle of the mug he held and sank in the chair. The news shouldn’t surprise him, nor should he give a damn. Then why was his heart pumping faster than a deer outrunning a wolf pack?
Heels clicked against the floor. As each step grew closer, his stomach flipped and flopped.
“Hello there.” Deacon Matawapit stood in the doorway, wearing his collar, of all things. He must have come from weekday Mass. “Do you have a moment?”
Darryl was no fool. The Matawapits hadn’t bothered with even a How are you doing? when he’d returned, all because he stopped hiding his sexual orientation. Roy had probably blabbed about their conversation this weekend to the deacon. “I was about to grab another coffee. I’ve been busy since I got here. No rest for the wicked.” Since that’s what you think I am.
Although Deacon Matawapit’s lips formed into a smile, his dark eyes never brightened. “It won’t take long.” He cleared his throat. “How are you? I failed to congratulate you on your success running for band council.”
Yeah, and I bet you didn’t vote for me. “I’m fine. How are you?” Their conversation resembled a scripted TV show.
“I’m always well after morning Mass.” The deacon drew in his cheeks. “I assume you heard the news when I was in the hallway.”
“Emery’s returning?” If Darryl was supposed to show enthusiasm, the good man had presumed wrong.
“Yes. He’s in flying in today.”
“That’s nice.” Why bother giving details? It was time for Darryl to end the small talk before the deacon launched into his true intentions. “Sounds like you got a lot on your plate, too.” He held up his mug and in his firmest voice, said, “I have six more phone calls to make and a report to finish. If you’ll excuse me...”
Deacon Matawapit’s jaw tightened, which was typical of a man unaccustomed to being opposed. Everyone obeyed his orders, especially his youngest son.
“Of course.” The deacon’s voice was as lukewarm as the coffee Darryl held. “Enjoy your day.”
Seriously? After the bomb he’d dropped in Darryl’s lap? He forced a smile. “Thanks. You, too.”

About the Author:  An Ojibway from Northwestern Ontario, Maggie resides in the country with her husband and their fur babies, two beautiful Alaskan Malamutes.  When she’s not writing, she can be found pulling weeds in the flower beds, mowing the huge lawn, walking the Mals deep in the bush, teeing up a ball at the golf course, fishing in the boat for walleye, or sitting on the deck at her sister’s house, making more wonderful memories with the people she loves most.

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