Blog Archives
The Reasons I Enjoy Writing Romance
Numbers Game follows a football coach who’s relationship with a reporter turns into something deep and changes the direction of both their lives. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
I love stories about athletes, having raised one of them and seen first hand how hard it is to truly achieve those sorts of goals. In fact, all three of my kids played sports of some kind or another in high school and I was always involved somehow — running the concession stand at football and soccer games, helping raise money as a booster, and of course driving to endless practices and attending games all over the U.S. that were necessary to get my youngest to her spot on a Division 1 Big Ten women’s soccer team. We lived in Ann Arbor at the time, and my kids’ school was located directly across the street from The Big House, where Michigan plays football. The town was utterly consumed by football on Saturdays in the fall and that sort of atmosphere was exhilarating to those of use who are sports fans (even if we weren’t Michigan fans per se, we did love living there on football weekends.) I got to meet both Harbaugh brothers (Jim is the Michigan coach) in 2016 when I helped run a fundraising auction and dinner for the high school’s athletic program that we invited them both to attend. It was a rush and meeting one of my favorite pro coaches (John, coach of the Ravens) was a highlight for me.
Desiree is an alum of the University of Michigan and we always made a point to meet up when she’d come to town from Florida to attend a game. I made sure to get her a signed commemorative football from our event and she keeps it on her inspiration shelf in her office. We’re both football fans, and we concocted our fictional Michigan football town with Ann Arbor in mind, without a doubt (even though I cheered for Michigan State …women’s soccer, anyway)!
Hatch and Olivia were intriguing and well developed characters. What were some driving ideals behind the development of their relationship?
We divided up the tasks of writing in their POVs. I wrote Hatch’s and Desiree wrote Olivia’s. It took us almost 2 years to complete this book since we started it as a romantic suspense but it kept turning in a more contemporary, second chances style story the more we wrote. We wanted our characters to both be older than the usual romance standards, both divorced, and having seen the puppet strings behind a marriage, somewhat disinclined to repeat that process. They are laser focused on the goals they’ve set for themselves: Hatch bringing his alma mater’s program back to prominence while leaving his gambling issues behind him. Olivia emerging from a bad marriage and re-capturing her mojo as a sports journalist. But one of the reasons I enjoy writing romance novels is the creation of characters on seemingly separate trajectories that end up colliding, and then what? It’s the “then what” that allows me to show them as people with real emotions, making mistakes, and ultimately recovering and finding happiness.
What was the writing collaboration like with author Desiree Holt?
It was a fun and learning experience. We’ve been published about the same amount of years, but Desires has a lot more books out than I do, as I’ve been working around days jobs while writing. What was amazing and satisfying to me was how well we meshed–keeping egos and pre-conceived notions about how the book should flow out of our equation.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I am working on several things at the moment, but the next book I’m releasing is the final book in a best selling series (Stewart Realty) also set in Michigan. It’s the second generation’s turn to have their happily ever after, and so BACKUP OFFER is a book that is a “ten years later” look at a relationship that fell apart in book 8 — for good, self-care sorts of reasons — and how everything comes back full circle in a mature, gratifying way for the couple in question, as well as for their friend and family. I think “second chance” stories are among my favorite to read and write. My characters are (sometimes too) fallible. They make mistakes, do dumb, human things. But I always redeem them.
Author Links: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | BookBub | Amazon | GoodReads | Website
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Olivia Grant’s ex-husband almost wrecked her journalism career while he definitely did a number on her self-esteem. The documentary on Duncan Hatcher is the perfect way to rebuild both. As a freshman in college, she’d had a crush on the senior football hero, but he hadn’t known she existed. She never expects the sparks that fly between them as they work on the project nor the struggles they must face if they both want to win.
Facing Off – Book Trailer
A rising revolution. Renegades on the run. Relationships transformed.
Ember, Xander, and Will return from their justice-seeking trip to The Outside to deliver a brewing revolution to Serpio Magnus’s doorstep. But when Tranquility’s Magistrate goes on the hunt for them, it sends them scattering into the wind in a desperate attempt to survive.
As Ember battles her way back to find the others, her nightmares urge her to discover the final, staggering truth about her mother, and she must embark on a dangerous quest. When her relationship with her adoring boyfriend is compromised by betrayal, she turns to an unlikely companion to forge a new confidence in herself and in her unique superpowers.
Left with impossible odds, the risky actions each one takes will change everything.
Will their spark of rebellion grow into a blaze of self-destruction?
Gripping Dystopian adventure laced with hot romance continues with Facing Off, the highly anticipated sequel in the Tranquility Series!
No Hiding or Judgement
Divide & Conquer follows a young woman who’s forced to stay at an academy for delinquents and meets someone that will change her life forever. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
My inspiration to write this story was strongly built on a number of different reasons. I, myself, am a part of the LGBTQ+ community and the idea to showcase a story that both dives into the world that I feel is not talked about nearly enough, while obtaining and showing challenges that any ordinary person could experience was something I strongly believed in creating.
Your characters were intriguing and well developed. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
I found that in developing my characters motivations and ideals, that I connected with some part of myself in a way. I wanted to take Freya’s grief and show that sometimes even in your darkest moments, there is always something that can pull you from the realm that lies between grief and recovery. That is where Lexa comes into play. She may have been the hot new roommate, but it’s her straightforwardness and own experience from her past that helped lead Freya back into the light. Of course the rest of the delinquents were a huge impact as well. Sometimes all you need in the world is for someone to take your hand and say, “Everything’s going to be okay,” and so long as they were together, everything was.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
One of the main themes is that the story resolve around the LGBTQ + community, and being able to explore apart of myself in such a fun and creative way was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. There was no hiding or judgement, but for that of my characters who welcomed each other with open hands.
Another important theme would be guilt and grief, both in which played a huge role in this story, as those two emotions shaped Freya into the woman she later became.
And lastly, the thing that transpired between the pages and flowed from the words whole writing this story was forgiveness. I wanted to show that everyone is worth being forgiven and that everyone is capable of giving forgiveness because it’s not who you use to be, or what you’ve done in the past that defines you. It’s what you do with the experiences you’ve been dealt with that truly shape you as a person.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I just released a new LGBTQ+ novel, titled “Untangled Devotion”, this novel revolved around a woman who ran away from her entire life because of reasons I will leave unsaid as to not spoil it; but, having returned to face those issues head on, including a lost love she left behind. It’s full of unbreakable bonds, comedy, friendship, love, and a twist that will leave you hanging onto your seats.
But that’s not all! I have another LGBTQ + novel that I am hoping to release sometime the beginning of next year. That’s going without saying that I have multiple none LGBTQ + novels planned to release this year, some of which consist of Vikings, vampires, or even demonic beings.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
At just 18, Freya Sawyer’s life was anything but perfect, with the weight of the world on her shoulders, she ran with the wrong crowd and got pulled into a vicious cycle. That all changed when one night forced her into a court ordered stay at Arkadia Academy for troubled delinquents.
Lexa Forester just so happens to be her new brooding and sexy roommate. Together they dance around their attraction for each other until there is nothing else standing in their way of falling heart first into what could either be the best or the worst thing for them.
Each other.
Together they can conquer the world and change the unraveling past that they both desperately latch onto to survive. Can true love prevail or will they scare away from the only thing that’s ever made them feel alive?
Find out in this steamy and thrill filled lesbian friends to lovers romance.
Crystal’s House of Queers
![Crystal's House of Queers by [Brooke Skipstone]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41FrLGv6QiL.jpg)
Crystal’s House Of Queers by Brooke Skipstone is a charismatic LGBTQ romance novel that I thoroughly enjoyed. Crystal is a young woman who has survived a tragic childhood. She soon discovers that she likes women when she starts having dreams about her close friend Haley. Although the story goes into details about Crystal’s sexual attraction to Haley, the author focuses more on the underlying love that she possesses for her. I love that Crystal values Haley for more than her looks unlike Haley’s former jerk of a boyfriend Dyaln.
Brooke Skipstone shines a light on the many personal struggles that come with finding sexual identity and coming to terms with liking someone of the same sex. Crystal is an authentic, but fictional, representation of real world issues. She struggled with maintaining a friendship with her crush, which I feel is by far the toughest scenario in this story. Telling someone you love them with so much fear in the back of your brain takes a lot of strength. This also includes telling family and friends that you have feelings for others of the same sex. All of this is told in such a compelling and impassioned way that makes your heart ache and soar with all the highs and lows.
What I enjoyed the most about reading this observant novel is witnessing Crystal slowly begin to become more confident in herself. She is a great representation of lesbian love in fiction. I also enjoyed the setting of the plot and the merging of other LGBTQ characters. The intensity of the character’s emotions kept me engaged and wanting to read more. I would recommend Crystal’s House Of Queers to anyone looking for an emotional yet invigorating lesbian romance novel.
Pages: 313 | ASIN: B091MDH28L
The Power of Memories
Sin Eater follows a woman with an ability to make people forget and who must face her own demons when she returns to her hometown. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
Honestly, this story came from a lot of emotional pain I was in a few years ago. I had so many memories that I wished I could get rid of. I thought that if they were gone, I could function and move on with my life. That led to me wondering if anyone would actually do that: let someone erase their bad memories if they could choose. Jayde was already a character that I’d been drawing obsessively for years, so when I thought of that concept and needed a main character, I knew it had to be her. It finally all came together when I heard a song I loved and saw it in a new light. The song described writing down what hurts and then burning it, hence the finishing touch of Jayde erasing memories by letting her clients write them down and her setting them on fire (though I added that she can destroy them in other ways as well).
Jayde is an intriguing and well developed character. What were some driving ideals behind her character’s development?
A big goal for this book and all its characters was the idea of them having flaws and making mistakes, but it’s relatable or understandable. I wanted Jayde especially to not be the perfect protagonist, to show us that we all have the capacity to hurt the ones we love, no matter how close you may be with them. I’ve heard from close friends that Jayde seems to have some of my characteristics as well, though I didn’t necessarily mean for her to. I suppose I self-inserted in a way. Her character was meant to be somebody you’ve possibly met before, familiar and sympathetic, but you can also see why she regrets the things she’s done.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Forgiveness: of others, but most importantly for yourself. It’s strangely easier for some to forgive those who have hurt them, but they carry around the guilt of what they’ve done for way too long.
Friendship. I wanted Sin Eater to center around the idea of platonic love, to show how much it matters in our lives. While of course I cherish romantic love, I feel like my friendships will always be the reason I am who I am today.
The power of memories. Often I get lost in my own, almost like I go back in time in my mind. I wondered how much other people do that, so I thought I’d write about characters who let their memories control their decisions and feelings sometimes.
Letting go. It’s really hard to let the past go, fully and completely. That can be an ongoing battle everyday. Sin Eater was a way to vent that feeling into the world, to show the baby steps it takes to look forward to the future.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I’m working on a book tentatively titled “Seven Feathers.” I’m not sure when it will be available yet, as I’m still working on the first draft and trying to decide how I’ll publish. I’d love to go through a traditional publisher again, but I’ve also seen the perks of self-publishing over the last few months. I’ll keep everyone updated on its progress!
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
A Satisfying Story in Minimal Words
Robinson, IL and Other Flash Fiction Stories is a collection of imaginative stories with intriguing commentary on society. What inspires you to write flash fiction?
I think my interest in flash fiction comes from the “tweet” and Facebook posting. Most posts are stories with tone a beginning, a middle and an end. With all the devices we have on hand and all the platforms we have the come with devices, there is a challenge to telling a satisfying story in minimal words.
Did you write these stories specifically for this collection or did you write them over time?
I had no intention of creating a collection. These stories were written to stand alone between 2012 and 2019.
My favorite story from the collection is ‘Eighty-Five Days’. Do you have a favorite story from this collection?
I love “Have a Cookie”. This is exactly how the majority of people from my hometown think.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I’m currently working on a play (for the last five years) called Doris Tate. The play got it’s second workshop last February 2021 with actors over Zoom. Doris Tate was the mother of actress Sharon Tate best known for Valley of the Dolls. When you see someone giving a crime victims impact statement on TV or in a film, that is the work of Doris Tate. After the Manson family murdered her daughter, Doris Tate went from grief to grit and became one of America’s most effective crime victim’s advocates.
Author Interview: GoodReads | Facebook | Instagram
Here you will find a kiddie pool, the Miller Family reunion, and a Nazi-themed gay bar. There’s even a home for Dad.
Sissies and nancy-boys. A boy playing with dolls in the garden. A therapy doll, renewed.
A cocktail truck that delivers a disco to your cul-de-sac.
Book a ride on Patsy Cline Airlines … if you dare.
Meet Dick and Jayne, a pirate diva, and the author himself.
A handsome young man named Eric in your bed after a harried Thanksgiving dinner.
Dennis Milam Bensie is still called “Denny” by what’s left of his family in his hometown of Robinson, IL. The author of three memoirs, Mr. Bensie is now offering twenty-seven flash fiction short stories from his rich and twisted imagination.
Denny doesn’t aim to offend … but he/him/his might.
Sin Eater
![Sin Eater by [Amanda Denham]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51xYXVqOkmL.jpg)
Sin Eater by Amanda Denham is a riveting dark urban fantasy novel that explores of identity, memory, and facing your past. The story follows Jayde Holloway, a young woman with an incredible but troublesome gift. She has returned to her small hometown in the southern states for a specific purpose – to make someone forget. She is forced to spend her life hiding behind disguises, but in an unguarded moment she meets a duo who cause her to question her calling, and she finds herself longing to escape, what seems to be, her inevitable destiny.
The opening language is carefully chosen; at this point you don’t know who is telling the story. The flashbacks quickly build suspense, and without knowing what was so catastrophic or why, you are instantly intrigued.
What I really enjoyed about this novel was the unique tone that is effortlessly conjured; I got a bit of a dystopian world vibe with vaguely foreboding overtones and a sense of adventure underlying all of it. Jayde’s relationship with her work handler, Jak, is defined by a claustrophobic sense of manipulation, as when she seeks his permission to visit her former home. At all times, you feel eyes following her.
I do wonder why, if Jayde is required to be anonymous and forgettable, her costumes are so outlandish. If that’s an intentional contradiction, then that relationship could be more clearly articulated. In either case, it was something I looked forward to.
Sin Eater has one of the most compelling lead characters I’ve read this year. The idea behind the story felt original, with some insightful moments and vivid imagery.
The ending left me feeling a combination of hopeful and doubtful. Hopeful that Jayde will overcome what or who controls her, and doubtful that it could be possible. It’s so very nearly an excellent conclusion to what was an imaginative paranormal adventure.
Sin Eater was superbly original, with a well-articulated tone that I relished, and a thick atmosphere that one will only find in top shelf fantasy.
Pages: 220 | ASIN: B08WKS8XJ6
The Risks Necessary to Live
HEAVENLY follows a man who is given a second chance at life after he dies and comes back as another man. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
I based the premise on an idea which begs this question: If you were to die unexpectedly, would you feel that you lived a satisfying life? I think people are pursuing their financial goals and personal goals every day but rarely do they stop and take the risks necessary to live a truly fulfilling life. Some of those risks include reaching out to other people. Without other people, it is not possible to live a full life. That is in my opinion, of course. It’s human connections and interactions that make this life worth living. We may not get a second chance like Peter does in the book so we better be prepared just in case we have to answer to a higher power about the lives we’ve lived here on Earth.
This is the ninth book that you’ve written. What were some things you’ve learned as an author that you’ve used in this book?
I learned that not everybody will relate in the same way to every single book I write but I also discovered that every book is unique. HEAVENLY says everything I ever wanted to say about life and the possibilities that await us when we die. I have no regrets about writing it nor do I have regrets about any book I’ve written. Each book I wrote had a purpose and a story to tell. Whether or not everyone relates to that story is another topic altogether. I hope other people can get something positive from the books as well. If they don’t, I can’t make any apologies. Everybody is different and I’ve learned to understand this fact.
Your characters, as usual, feel authentic. Were you able to relate to your characters while writing them?
Of course, I felt a connection to the characters in HEAVENLY, almost more so than in any other book I’ve written. I feel the characters I write so deeply and hope others can see that the central characters I write are full of passions and dreams. I want my books to have relatable characters first and foremost. That is the goal I strive for in each and every book. I see myself in both John and Peter in this particular novel.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I am working on a film criticism book. I also do movie criticism on the side and I’m writing a book called “100 Movies I Love” which details my analysis of 100 movies I absolutely adore. It should be out by the end of the year. Movie fans, take note. Some classics and some modern day classics are discussed in great detail!
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
LITERARY TITAN 