Scribbler's Sojourn: April 2017

Monday, April 24, 2017

Guest Post: The Inspiration behind A SYMPHONY OF HEART STRINGS by T.E. Hodden #Romance #NovellaNiblets

HAPPY BOOK BIRTHDAY TO

A SYMPHONY OF HEART STRINGS!

A Symphony of Heart Strings

Paranormal Romance

By T.E. Hodden

Release Date: April 24, 2017

Publisher: Roane Publishing

Keywords: Paranormal, Romance, Urban Fantasy, Contemporary, London, Novella Niblets

Meet Bob. Bob is the guy between the lines of every love story you ever met. The lucky chance, the twist of fate, the astounding coincidence that sets sparks flying. Never seen, but always there.

Today Bob is assigned to help Jenny find love. But there is something more than bad luck working against the quirky librarian. Bob might have to save her life, before he can help her find love.

And he can't do that from the shadows....

PURCHASE LINKS

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GUEST POST:

Some time ago I was writing a romantic drama (rather than a real romance) about a writer who greatly preferred the fictional worlds of romantic fiction to reality. Romance is an odd genre. It has few rules, but it enforces them far stronger than other genres (there absolutely has to be a Happy ending these days, Romeo and Juliet just won't cut it) and there are all kinds of patterns that we find in the stories, some of which become hackneyed and tropes (at least in the hands of a bumbling fool like me), and some which never seem to get old. This is true of every genre, to some degree. Over thousands of years we have found the beats and the tones of a story that resonate. Look at Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and Die Hard, and you will see the same patterns showing through in very different stories.

Over time I kept going to that idea, and wondering: What if these patterns cropped up, because somebody was tinkering behind the scenes. This is not an entirely new idea of course, but the golden rule of writers is to find a new angle to look at something from, and new ways to toy with a subject. I make no qualms in admitting that the story is a love letter to better romances. The fun in writing came from admitting I don't quite get the recipe right, and appreciating the ingredients that Roane stablemates have far better grips on.

There are some direct inspirations that are worth noting. Dressing a bloke all in white to emphasise something a little unnatural is a bit of classic. Simply not having stains, dirt, or hints of abuse is an effective shorthand. You will have seen it all the time on film, or TV, for angels, or ghosts. Notably in the cult classic Randal and Hopkirk (deceased).

The "lead girl" role is another staple. A lot of romances start with girls who are out of luck in love. You have to start there, so they have somewhere to go, love to find, and a journey to take. When done carelessly (and I think I am guilty of this) you are stuck with a paradox: How can a character we fall in love with on page one, not have been noticed by the whole world. It was fun to suggest that sometimes there reasons that bad luck and bad choices haunt good characters.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

T. E. Hodden trained in engineering, and works in the rail industry. He writes as a hobby, when he is not walking the Kent coast, looking for forgotten nooks and crannies of history and folklore.

LINKS:

Facebook: http://facebook.com/tehodden

GIVEAWAY!

A $10 Roane Publishing Gift Card

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use a RoanePublishing.com Gift Code. No purchase necessary, but you must be 18 or older to enter. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter, and announced on the widget. Winner well be notified by emailed and have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. The number of entries received determines the odds of winning. This giveaway was organized by Roane Publishing's marketing department.

Monday, April 10, 2017

New Release: SHOW NO WEAKNESS #GuestPost by @Joyce_Holmes #Contemporary #Romance #Giveaway

HAPPY BOOK BIRTHDAY TO

SHOW NO WEAKNESS!

Show No Weakness
Contemporary Romance Novel
By Joyce M. Holmes
Publisher: Roane Publishing
Release Date: April 10, 2017

She’s a tenderhearted social worker, looking for her Happy-Ever-After. He’s a distrustful RCMP Corporal who’s sworn off relationships. Factor in a surly teen heading for delinquency, and you have a case of passion and turmoil too explosive to handle.

As a defense mechanism to deal with his guilt and grief over his daughter's death, Cole Dennison has become an expert at compartmentalizing his feelings. He keeps his personal life private, while making it his professional mission to rescue children in peril.

Joely Sinclair is fiercely protective and openly compassionate. When she meets Cole Dennison, she falls hard. He's everything she admires in a man, and because she wears her heart on her sleeve, she can't understand how or why Cole keeps all his emotions to himself.

As much as Coleresents his interest in Joely, with her inquisitive and caring nature, he can't deny her appeal. Against his better judgment, he becomes involved in both her and her son's lives. Taylor is in desperate need of a positive male role model, and Cole can't turn his back on the boy. But when Joely starts talking love, Cole's inability to commit puts an end to their relationship—until a dangerous situation throws them back together.

When given a second chance at love, will Cole risk letting Joely into his battered heart?

PURCHASE LINKS

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GUEST POST

Inspiration behind Show No Weakness

I drew my inspiration for Show No Weakness from my penchant for wounded heroes. I enjoy reading about them and most of my stories are about them. Two of my favorite classes in school were Sociology and Psychology, and I blame my fascination with the human psyche for this compulsion to torment my characters.

It’s intriguing to contemplate a big, tough man who tries to hide his vulnerability from the world. When I thought about people who portray strength in their everyday lives, a police officer immediately came to mind. Not only would he likely be physically strong, but in order to deal with the grueling aspects of his job, he’d need a tough temperament, as well.

What if this cop has been dealt a number of emotional blows throughout his life, some so intense they would’ve broken a lesser person? And what if this cop has been raised by the credo Show No Weakness? That gave me the basis for my hero, Cole. Poor Cole, the strong, tough-as-nails cop in Show No Weakness, is certainly haunted. He's hiding from an immense pain he’s not emotionally capable of facing.

But, in order to truly torment the unfortunate fellow, he must be given a temptation that would strike at the worst of his vulnerabilities. So he meets Joely, social worker and single mom, who's blatantly open about her emotions and her compulsion to help anyone in need. Cole is definitely in need, and Joely can’t resist trying to help him, even though she has no idea what he needs help with, and he has no intention of accepting her assistance.

Not only does Cole have to deal with his unwanted attraction for Joely, despite her meddling, there’s also her teenaged son to consider. Without some positive male influence, Taylor might be headed toward delinquency, and Cole finds he can’t turn his back on the boy. Because Cole couldn’t protect the child who meant the most to him, he feels an obligation to save every other child in peril.

I took my wounded hero and threw every emotional curveball I could think of to add to his suffering, knowing he’d rise to the occasion. The result is a poignant rollercoaster of love and discovery. I hope my readers will enjoy following Cole and Joely’s journey as much as I enjoyed writing it.

~ Joyce

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About the Author:

Joyce Holmes lives with her husband and very small dog in the beautiful Okanagan region of British Columbia. Photography and blogging about her travels are two of her passions, along with visiting her kids and grandkids. When she's not dreaming up stories in her head or planning her next great adventure, she’s off enjoying the great outdoors.

Links:

Website/Blog

Facebook

Twitter

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GIVEAWAY!

A $10 Roane Publishing Gift Card

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code. No purchase necessary, but you must be 18 or older to enter. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter, and announced on the widget. Winner well be notified by emailed and have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. The number of entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Roane Publishing's marketing department.