Steph Reviews A Stitch in Time By Kelley Armstrong, Narrated by Samantha Brentmoor

Publisher: K.L.A. Fricke Inc
Format Read: Audiobook
Source: the author in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: October 13, 2020
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

Thorne Manor has always been haunted…and it has always haunted Bronwyn Dale. As a young girl, Bronwyn could pass through a time slip in her great-aunt's house, where she visited William Thorne, a boy her own age, born two centuries earlier. After a family tragedy, the house was shuttered and Bronwyn was convinced that William existed only in her imagination.

Now, twenty years later Bronwyn inherits Thorne Manor. And when she returns, William is waiting. William Thorne is no longer the boy she remembers. He’s a difficult and tempestuous man, his own life marred by tragedy and a scandal that had him retreating to self-imposed exile in his beloved moors. He’s also none too pleased with Bronwyn for abandoning him all those years ago.

As their friendship rekindles and sparks into something more, Bronwyn must also deal with ghosts in the present version of the house. Soon she realizes they are linked to William and the secret scandal that drove him back to Thorne Manor. To build a future, Bronwyn must confront the past.

New Author JA Campbell talks about her short story & there's a giveaway!

Today we have a visit from a debut author, JA Campbell. Her first novel, Arabian Dreams, is due out August 1st of this year and her first short story, Into the West, was released yesterday, March 8th, 2011. It's part of an exciting new series from Echelon Press and marks her debut as a published author.

JA is yet another author from the Online Writers Group at Kelley Armstrong's discussion board. If you want to improve your writing and possibly get published, you really need to go join. They have about a dozen members who have gone on to be published.


 A little bit about JA:  Julie writes fantasy novels. When she’s not out riding her horse, she can usually be found sitting in front of her computer with a cat on her lap and her dog at her side.  You can find out more at her website www.writerjacampbell.com

Interview with romance author Morgan Ashbury Part 2

 

Hello, and welcome back. Today I wrap up my interview with Morgan, writer of romance and erotic romance. If you missed part 1, you can find it here.

Morgan writes romance and erotic romance and has been very busy in the 4 years since she was first published , with almost 20 books to her credit. Today we are talking about romance, her mentors and other assorted topics.

Welcome back Morgan, thank you for taking the time to do this. 

Bea: Was there someone who was, or is, particularly helpful to you? Was there someone who inspired you in your writing? In what way(s)?

Morgan:  I always acknowledge Kelley Armstrong. I met her at a writing seminar just as her second book, Stolen, came out. We clicked. I went to her website. One day she said, “What do you think about starting a writing group on line at my site?” That group gave me the forum I needed to improve my craft. Kelley also invited me to go to CanWrite 2005 in Kitchener with her, and that was where I first learned about “erotic romance”. Then she said, “let’s go to RT in May next year. It’s in Daytona Beach!” I did, and that is where I met my publisher.

I consider her friendship to be one of my greatest treasures.

Bea: Ok, so now I have to ask: Who are some of your favorite authors? 

Morgan:  How much space do we have? Kelley Armstrong, Emma Wildes, A. J. Menden (KA OWG member), D. B. Reynolds (KA OWG member & future featured interviewee), Sharon Ashwood, Raina James (KA OWG member), Lara Santiago, Nora Roberts, J. D. Robb, Jayne Ann Krentz, Catherine Coulter, Kay Hooper, Barbara Delinsky, Clive Cussler, Vicky Lewis Thompson. I also enjoy the staff writers who write as “Richard Castle”, lol. 

Bea:  Do you have a favorite of the stories you’ve written?

Morgan:  I am proud of every single story I have written. I have 16 titles published under the pen name of Morgan Ashbury (and no, please don’t tell them my real name), and I have 4 stories (well, 5 on Friday the 11^th) published under a second pen name, Cara Covington.

My Magic and Love series is my sentimental favorite. I was very proud of The Lady Makes Three, my first ménage.  I am also really liking this Lusty, Texas series, too!

***I think Magic and Love is my fave also, I really enjoyed them - Bea*** 

Bea: If you could be a character in a book, which one would it be, and what part would you play? (Romantic lead, sidekick, etc)

Morgan: Oh, there’s a bit of me in every book I’ve written. I’m Hannah in the Magic and Love Trilogy. I’m Lily, in Lily In Bloom. But if I could be in someone else’s books, I’d be a friend or a confidante to the hero or the heroine. It’s just the way I’m wired, at heart, I’m not a centre-stage kind of person.

Bea: You’re on Twitter and facebook, but don’t use them often that I’ve seen. Do you think that hurts your sales at all? Do you think they are important or necessary for published authors?

Morgan: Yes, they are important. All promotion is important. That said, I do believe the best promotion is writing really good stories.

I write a weekly blog and have since 2006. It’s called Wednesday’s Words, and it has a substantial following. It’s included as a regular article in a number of blogs, and is a featured item in “Euro Reviews” an European book review site based in Antwerp, Belgium.

Just this past December I finally set up a blog for it, specifically. This blog keeps the name of Morgan Ashbury visible, and that is half of what promotion is all about.

I don’t use the social networks often because I’m so busy writing! I published 6 books in 2010, which is a lot. And, sadly, I forget to tweet. It’s not that I don’t want to tweet and…[um is there a verb for posting on face book? Is it facing? Booking?] I do want to. There’s just not enough hours in the day.

There is one other aspect to all of this tweeting and facing and blogging. Let me say it like this: my first computer was an abacas.

Bea:  Do you prefer paper books or ebooks? Why?

Morgan:  I do like holding a paper book. But I have an awesomely lucrative career writing e books. So, I have to say I prefer both, for different reasons.

Bea: What is the most romantic anyone has ever done for you? How would you define romance in real life? 

Morgan:  In real life, romance changes as you grow older, and closer to the one you love. I have been married now for 39 years, come July 2011. When my feet or ankles ache, I say to my beloved, “please rub my feet” and he never says no.

That is pretty darn romantic.

Bea: Does your family read your books? What do they think?

Morgan:  My husband reads every single book I write. He is my main beta reader, and he is very proud of me.

My daughter reads some of what I’ve written, but she kind of skips over the sex scenes as she doesn’t want to know that I know those things!

My brother has purchased every one of my books, and my sister has read a few.

Bea: You first became published a few years ago, at what some might consider a late age. Do you think that has been an advantage, disadvantage, or irrelevant? 

Morgan:  I think things happen when they are meant to happen. In this day and age, when I can sit at home in my pajamas and write, and people buy and read what I write, things like age or infirmity really are irrelevant. 

I personally know a very good author, a top seller with both Amber Quill and EC, who is in her 80s.

Bea: Anything that you want to add or say to your readers?

Morgan: I consider myself highly blessed to have been given this second career at a time when I didn’t know what the future really held for me. 

So many of my readers take the time to write, and I am thrilled each and every time I hear from them. To my readers I would like to say, thank you! Thank you so much for reading what I have had enormous fun writing. 

Morgan, thank you again for coming by. I've enjoyed this. 

Interview with romance author Morgan Ashbury Part 1

Morgan Ashbury is an author of erotic romance. Her first book was published in 2007. In just 4 short years, she has published almost 20 books.  I've known Morgan since before she was published and am delighted that she agreed to an interview. It actually turned into a fairly lengthy interview, I kept thinking of "just one more question!", lol. She graciously put up with all of them. I have broken the interview into two parts to make it a little easier to read. This first part deals mostly with her writing and her books, the second part is more general.

Last week, Morgan's publisher, Siren Publishing, announced that she also writes as Cara Covington, bringing her published works to over 20 books.

This is also the first installment of my year long series of interviews with authors who are also members of Kelley Armstrong's discussion board (though they may have a different name on the board). All of the writers are now, or were in the past, part of the KA board's Online Writers Group. That group has been remarkably successful at getting published.

A little bit about Morgan, from her website : 


The only dream I've ever had was to be a published author. It was a dream formed in childhood, and held on to through the business of growing up. Life intruded, as life does, and my dream was put on hold. But now, through hard work, faith, and luck dream has evolved into reality.

Romance is a wonderful genre that accommodates every other. Comedy, mystery, paranormal, suspense, or science fiction, romance embraces them all. Erotic romance gives all of that, and so much more.

For readers who want all the best traditional romance has to offer – great characters, compelling stories and a happy ending – and who crave that extra bit of heat – I invite you to read one of my novels and let me know what you think!

Morgan can also be found on facebook, twitter, and at  goodreads.


Bea: Morgan, thank you so much for being here today, I really appreciate it.

Morgan: Thank you so much for this opportunity!

Bea: Why writing? Would you continue to write if you were no longer published?

Morgan: I think it’s a case that writing chose me, rather than the other way around. I don’t believe it was ever a conscious decision on my part, as I wrote my first story when I was 8.  Would I continue if I was no longer published? Of course. Being an author isn’t what I do, it’s who I am. 

Bea: What is your favorite part of writing?

Morgan: There comes a moment, as you’re progressing through the steps of writing when everything gels. The characters step up to the plate, take over, and the story begins to grow, almost on its own. When that happens it’s absolute magic, and makes everything that might be difficult about this calling worth it.

 Bea: What advice would you give writers who aspire to get published? What is your least favorite part of the whole writing and publishing process eg edits, pr, interviews <big evil grin>, etc?  What is your favorite part? 

Morgan: I am one of those strange creatures who likes every aspect of this process. I can even put on my promoter’s hat when I have to—as so many of your readers who’ve met me at the RT Booklovers’ Convention will know. There isn’t anything about the writing process I don’t like.

My biggest piece of advice to anyone who wants to be a published author is…write. Write every day, at least something. Write and write and write some more. And one more thing. Don’t you ever, ever quit.

Bea: Why erotic romance? What do you like about it? Any plans to write in other genres? What do you say to people who look down erotic romance?    

Morgan:  I love romance. The main thing I love about it is you can find any other genre within its pages; also, romance, with its emphasis on the happy-ever-after, is a reading experience that uplifts. The author of romance can unashamedly portray the human character as very human, and as striving toward the ideals of love, honor, fidelity…the list goes on. Erotic romance just allows me to tell the whole story.

I do, of course, hope to continue to grow as an author; and so I look down the road, and hope to become published in mainstream romantic suspense and mainstream fiction.

As to those who look down on erotic romance, I just shrug. Did you know there are people who look down on all genre fiction as being “transitory” or “trashy”? To them, only literary fiction is worth reading.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion. You can’t generally change people’s minds: they have to do that themselves.

My stories are well written, have depth of character, and I have a lot of readers – I can honestly say thousands of readers. I write for them.

Bea: Your first books were straight up romances with an erotic component. You've also done some with fantastic or magical components. You have slowly moved into romance stories that are more erotic, exploring other areas of sexuality including multiple partners and BDSM. What prompted the change?  

Morgan: In the beginning, I wrote romance. Then I wrote erotic romance with one hero and one heroine.

One cardinal rule for every published author is: know who your readers are. The second rule would be: give your readers what they want.

So to answer your question, I adapted my writing to meet the demands of my readers.

Bea: Your novel, "Shackled", came out in January, part of your BDSM series. Did you do much research for it? <grin> (see my review)

Morgan: Mr. Ashbury is always a willing and eager research partner. And, too, the Internet allows one to travel unknown worlds from the safety of an office chair. <grin>

 

Bea: Can you tell us something about your next book? 

Morgan: I do plan to do another story in the “Reckless Abandon” universe. And, I am currently working on “Love Under Two Fly Boys”, which will be the fourth book in the Lusty, Texas series. That series grew, by the way, out of the only two historical books I’ve ever written – the Lost collection books called Love Under Two Gunslingers, and Love Under Two Lawmen.

Ok, I'll end here and post the rest tomorrow. 

Adventures at Arisia, part 2 Kelley Armstrong, Laura Anne Gilman & Seanan McGuire

     So when last we met, I had stopped just as Kelley, avangyline and I made plans for dinner. Now, as excited as I was about seeing Kelley and possibly spending time with her, and as awesome as the con panels sounded, Saturday was as much about spending time with avangyline and Just X as it was the other stuff. Hanging with them was first priority. avangyline was all excited and nervous about meeting Kelley. What all that means was, we were perfectly willing to blow off any and all workshops and panels for the chance to hang with one of our favorite authors, Kelley Armstrong.

     I had contacted Kelley previously on the board to ask about the possibility of getting together, thinking maybe a few minutes over a cup of coffee. At book signings and other conventions Kelley has often gotten together after hours with any attending board members and I was hopeful that would hold true for Arisia. She suggested that I catch up to her after one of her panels and we'd work something out. So when avangyline and I approached her and she asked if we had dinner plans, we were both like "Nope! We're free!" :D As I said, we were both willing to blow off any panel in favor of some Kelley time. Hmmm, that sounds a little...needy. :P I had met Kelley before and knew she was a lot of fun; avangyline had not met her. Anyway, we arranged to meet later that afternoon.

     By this time we were hungry but didn't want to pay hotel prices so Just X used his cell phone to find a Dunkin Donuts within walking distance. Once we got there we realized that South Station, which had a food court, was 2 blocks over, so we went there. While we were eating Just X had to head home to tend to the dog but he was back in time for dinner. :)

     After our meal, avangyline and I split up for different panels but agreed to meet and hunt up Kelley for dinner afterwards. (LOL, that makes us sound cannibalistic) We hooked up with Kelley and decided, for simplicity's sake, to eat in the hotel as there were three restaurants on the premises and it was frigging cold outside. (Winter in New England, blargh) The first one we tried was closed for a private party, the next had a wait and the last could take us right away. We ate there but honestly, I don't remember much about the food. Dinner was fun and relaxing; speaking just for myself it was low key, relaxed and comfortable. We chatted, discussed books (not just Kelley's) and of course, discussed writing. avangyline and Just X both write (neither is currently published) and they are part of the writers group on Kelley's board. I enjoyed sitting there, listening to them discuss problems they were having and suggestions for working out those problems, writing processes, etc.Afterwards, we took some pics then avangyline, Just X and I headed for the metro to go home.

     The next day, Sunday, the three of us got a later start to the day. I got there first (taking the easy metro route this time) and attended a very lively panel on sexuality in SF/F which quickly turned into a discussion of erotica and sex in SF/F. Although it wandered off track ocasionally, there was some good discussion. The next workshop was on retelling fairy tales and was a wonderful look at the use of fairy tales in fantasy and sci fi. avangyline arrived towards the end of it and we went to a workshop on writing reviews. The attendance was small but those of us who attended had lots to say and it was fascinating to hear the panelists talk. They were a nice mix of people who review books, movies and tv, all of whom work for a major publisher in their field. They all had different approaches, partly due to professional constraints and partly due to their own personal styles. It was fascinating and gave me lots to think about. You may see some gradual changes in how I do my reviews as I decide what to incorporate and then see what works.
 
     avangyline and I split up after this, she went for coffee and I took my pile of books off to where Kelley was signing books. I was surprised, but pleased,to see that the line was short. Kelley gave a little laugh when she saw me in line and I joked that I just couldn't stay away. As always she was pleasant and we chatted for a few minutes before I moved on so the next person could go. I wandered around the dealer area for a bit and madly texted avangyline to come rescue me before I spent all of my money. Fortunately I was able to hold onto my money until I met up with her again. Just X had arrived by now and we made plans. He went off to watch some trailers for upcoming movies and tv shows and we went to hear Laura Anne Gilman read from her newest book, released just this week.

     As we walked into the signing, we were talking about possibly going to a book release party which was scheduled to start during the reading. We joked about sitting near the door and one of the authors scheduled to read gently ragged on us for planning to duck out. It was a small group in attendance in a small room so there was no sneaking out. :P Gilman also teased about us about planning to escape so we chose seats far away from the door :D Despite having a cold, Gilman did a very nice job of reading and I appreciated the sneak peak at the book. All of the authors did a nice job of reading and we ended up staying for the whole thing.

     By now it was almost eight in the evening and we were starting to drag. However, next on our agenda was the comedy team of Seanan McGuire and Cat Valente. Ok, ok, technically they are authors not a comedy team. However, they are very good friends and when together have a schtick they do; it's a free for all question and answer period, fopr adults only. Here's the description from the program: "

Seanan McGuire Talks With Catherynne Valente — 1hr 15min — Burroughs (3E)

Seanan McGuire and Catherynne M. Valente bring their popular Q & A show to Arisia! It's like "An Evening With Kevin Smith", with twice the fantasy authors and ten times the random literary references. You bring the questions and these authors of fantasy and horror will bring their wit and banter for this off-the-cuff, take-no-prisoners monster of spec fic punk rock snarkapalooza. Warning: will contain adult language, adult concepts, concepts, language, and very odd people. Seanan McGuire, Catherynne M. Valente"

The description did not do it justice. They are two incredibly funny, snarky, smart-mouthed ladies who seemed willing to tackle anything. When avangyline and I walked in, I almost crashed into avangyline as she stopped suddenly upon seeing Kelley Armstrong in the audience. When I saw her, I got all embarrassed and silly. I had joked earlier about "stalking " Kelley at the con but seeing her there made me feel as if we really were! As we stood at the back, trying to hide behind each other, Kelley saw us and gestured for us to some sit with her. Despite our embarrassment, we did. Towards the end of the show, someone asked Seanan and Cat to list their 5 favorite authors. Seanan named Kelley as one. :) I looked at Kelley but her face was unreadable. After Cat and Seanan were done, we said goodbyes again and avangyline, Just X, and I headed out to go home.

    Overall, I really enjoyed Arisia. It had so much to offer, there really was something for everyone. Just X, avangyline and I have tentative plans to go again next year but rent a room together at the hotel so we can fully partake of the offerings. Kelley won't be there but I think we'd have fun anyway.

Adventures at Arisia with Kelley Armstrong Part 1 Saturday

     I enjoy fantasy, and the occasional sci-fi.  I'm a long-time Star Trek fan, I watched it as a very little girl and have watched all of it's incarnations. I started attending SF/F conventions in college, primarily because of my interest in ST. Over the years, I've attended eensy weensy itty bitty ones and lots of medium-sized ones. Arisia is neither of those. It's  huge. It also is near me, in Boston MA in the US so when one of my very favorite authors, Kelley Armstrong, posted that she would be attending as the Guest of Honor, I immediately went to their site. Now, I found their site a nuisance to navigate; it took me several tries and multiple clicks on what looked like the right links to find the information on cost and registration. Now, in my opinion, that is very basic info and should be plainly and clearly posted. I ended up finding it with the help of another Kelley Armstrong board member, avangyline. Now avangyline happens to live in the Boston area also, though we'd never met. We chatted and made tentative plans to get together at the con if we both ended up going. So, last week we spoke and made plans to go on opening night, Friday night. Here in the US, it was a three-day weekend due to the Monday holiday in honor of Martin Luther King Jr's birthday and the con was running from Friday afternoon to Monday afternoon. We ended up going Saturday, not Friday which worked well for me as I wasn't feeling well.

     So, during the week last week, I looked at their site, trying to see what the schedule was, what panels and workshops there were, etc. Again, this information is buried; you click on one link which takes you to another link which takes you to another and eventually you get what you are looking for. Now, the website for the 2011 Arisia is very large and contains a lot of information. Unfortunately, you have to work at finding the information that you want or need. It was kind of like a treasure hunt. Since I have limited computer and internet access, a treasure hunt was NOT what I needed. Nonetheless, I finally found both the schedule and the program descriptions and began plotting what to attend. I found myslef in serious want of quick and easy cloning as just about every time frame had at least two panels or workshops that I wanted to attend; there was one time period where there were FOUR that I wanted to attend **cries**. They also had some workshops that started late at night, at 11PM. That struck me as odd until it occurred to me that the con was being held at a hotel and it was the hotel that they'd arranged for discounts for attendees who stayed there. Then it made perfect sense.

     I didn't attend any of the late night ones, although there were several that I wanted. Although I live within driving distance, I hate driving in Boston. I was going to take public transpo, primarily the metro. Because I was doing public transpo, I had to work within their time constraints.  Then I looked at the site, and compared their driving directions to their metro directions and decided to chance driving. Arisia folks - next time, have a local write up the directions, ok? Please? And it if it was a local who wrote them this year, shoot them ASAP. I naturally made a wrong turn driving in but accidentally found myself at South Station, which I recalled from the directions as being a hop, skip and a jump from the hotel so I parked.

     The site directions said that South Station was within walking distance of the hotel so I activated my cell phone's GPS system. Yeah, that didn't work so well. :P It kept telling me to go to the street that I was already on and when I would walk down that street, the street the hotel was on (if I could just find it!), it would tell me, snarkily, that it was re-calculating my route. I surrendered, went back to South Station, and took the T to the hotel. Sigh. As I was waiting for my train, I looked at the metro map and discovered that my initial plan was in fact the better one. The T directions were a whole lot less complicated than the Arisia site had said and it would have been basically a straight shot for me. Double sigh.

      Eventually I arrived. avangyline and I had been texting each other throughout the morning and we found each other fairly quickly., Her husband, Just X, also a Kelley board member, was there too. avangyline and I squealed and hugged; Just X and I said "hello". :D 

     After the greetings, we sorted out what we wanted to attend. Never a cloning machine around when you need one. :P Just X wandered off and avangyline and I went to a panel on vampires and sexuality. Kelley was on the panel. It wasn't bad but I found myself checking my email during it. Afterwards, we spoke to Kelley and made arrangements to meet for dinner that night. SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hmmm, I have talked way more than I expected and I need to head out so, To Be Continued! :D

Author Interviews - Kelley Armstrong board authors

     When I decided to try my hand at interviewing authors, I thought about what authors I wanted to inerview. Well, that list is long and includes some big names who will probably turn me down when I do get around to asking. But, it immediately occurred to me that I knew a group of authors, some personally, some not, who I wanted to spotlight and who might even agree to being interviewed by me. :P

     I belong to various author boards, including that of the awesome Kelley Armstrong. Her board has an online writers group that is very active and apparently very effective, as more and more are now published authors or have been signed by a publisher. So, I approached them and most graciously agreed. So, I will run a series of interviews over the course of the year with published members of the KA board OWG. I plan to run a review of their most current work along with the interview and some giveaways are also planned.

     The list of participants is subject to change as other OWG members get signed or published, and there's always the possibility of someone cancelling. The current line up is as follows, dates to be determined:

Morgan Ashbury - romance and erotica: interview, part 1; interview, part 2 2/14/11

Seleste deLaney AKA Julie Particka - paranormal romance as deLaney; YA as Particka: interview

Kelly Metz - urban fantasy - TBD

Ian O'Neill - mystery and urban fantasy - TBD

Angela Addams - paranormal romance: interview 4/30/11

Julie Campbell - YA urban fantasy: guest post 3/9/11; interview - October/November 2011

D.B. Reynolds - paranormal romance: Interview 5/16/11