Hello, and welcome to “WHO’S ON THE SHELF?” with yours truly, Nonnie Jules! Since we are a book club, you know we had to offer something that included a bookshelf. A lot of interviews merely cover an author’s work or an individual’s career stories. Here on this “SHELF,” we get down and dirty and ask the questions no other interviewer dare ask. We ask the questions that you want to open up a book and find the answers to, on your favorite authors and fellow book club members, but, no one has dared to cover them. We get personal! Because, when you sit on this “SHELF,” YOU are an open book! Even if I have to pry you open!
Today, we have a very special guest on the SHELF with us, RRBC member, BALROOP SINGH! We have been celebrating her for the entire month of March and today, she…
Cas lives in the lovely county of Hampshire, southern UK, where she was born. On leaving school she trained for two years before qualifying as horse-riding instructor. During this time she also learned to carriage-drive. She spent thirteen years in the British Civil Service before moving to Rome, Italy, where she and her husband, Dave, lived for three years. They enjoy returning whenever they can. Cas supports many animal charities and owns two rescue dogs. She has a large collection of cacti and loves gardening. She is also a folk singer/songwriter and is currently writing and recording nine folk-style songs to accompany each of her fantasy books. You can listen to and download all the songs from her website: www.caspeace.com
Three years have passed since Baron Reen’s trial. A
terrible accident on the island of his exile has transformed him into a
nightmarish scarecrow creature with dark, mysterious powers. Staging his own
suicide, Reen breaks free of his prison and, with the help of the former queen
Sofira, embarks on a ruthless quest for vengeance against his worst enemy, the
woman responsible for the overthrow of his schemes and his own ruination:
Brynne Sullyan.
Sullyan is tasked with investigating Reen’s suicide.
The missing body and a series of disasters in Port Loxton—a vicious murder, a
brutal ambush, and a devastating fire—raise suspicions in her mind. She probes
deeper, determined to uncover the truth, unsuspecting of the evil that’s about to
be unleashed…
Reviews for this series: “Cas Peace’s Artesans of Albia series immediately sweeps you away to a world so deftly written. These nesting novels are evocative, hauntingly real. Smart. Powerful. Compelling.” Janet E Morris: Bestselling sci-fi and fantasy author of: Thieves World, The Sacred Band of Stepsons series; the Dream Dancer series; I, the Sun; Outpassage; The Silistra Quartet; and editor of the Bangsian In Hell series. “A thoroughly believable and hauntingly evocative tale portraying one of the best magical systems ever devised. What are you waiting for? Step through the veil and immerse yourselves in the worlds of the Artesan series.” Andrew P. Weston – Author of the internationally bestselling “IX Series”
The Captives The red-haired man who had once been Othal, swordsman of Lerric’s personal guard, looked about him in confusion. He had somehow traveled through a misty, shimmering cloud to this strange place, and he had a task. He had a vague recollection of something dreadful happening to him, something violating, invasive, and agonizing, but had no clear memory of what. Or who had done it. He could not even remember what he had done yesterday. His life before this moment was a blur. All he knew was he hurt and an imperative existed in his mind. If he did not carry out his orders to exacting standards, he would suffer horribly.
Shivering in fear, he scratched at his chest, yelping when his dirty nails caught on a painful spot. He glanced down at his clothing, pulling it away with one hand. The raw, running sore that met his eyes nearly provoked a memory, but it left as quickly as it came. As he readjusted his clothing, Othal forgot both pain and sore.
He hid among winter-bare woodlands, close by a worn path. Evergreen shrubs surrounded black-limbed trees, affording him cover from the wind and the cold, as well as casual eyes. Not that there were any. He had been here since dawn without seeing a soul.
His eyes, prickling from the cold, gazed at the rope. One end was tied to the bole of a tree opposite; the other lay at his feet. He had brushed snow over its length with a branch, also wiping out his own tracks. His subjugated mind did not question what he had done. His actions were automatic. All he needed to do now was wait.
There it was. The thump of hoof beats. His own heart pounded as he readied himself. He took up the free end of the rope, eyeing the pathway to his right, from whence the rider would come. Courage and sure-footedness were prerequisites for runners and their horses. The pair would be moving fast.
Othal had orders not to permanently damage horse or rider. It was vital they be fit to carry out their duties. He must time his attack to perfection. Too early and the horse might see the rope in time to jump it cleanly. Too late and it might tangle its limbs, breaking a leg or its neck. Neither was acceptable. Othal desired the horse to swerve abruptly, throwing its rider, who should land softly on the recent fall of snow.
Well, that was the plan.
The muffling snow was playing tricks on him and the pair was closer than Othal had thought. He was nearly too late with the rope. He jerked it tight at the last moment, but still the horse tripped over it. Squealing in fear and pain, the beast thudded to the ground in a flurry of legs, kicking out and scattering snow. Taken by surprise, the rider yelled, pitching over the horse’s shoulder to land heavily at the base of a tree.
Othal leaped from hiding, another shorter length of rope in his hands. He sped to the dazed rider as the horse scrambled upright. He knelt beside the groaning rider and pulled the young man’s arms tight behind his back.
The rider yelped again, but Othal took no notice. The youth’s eyes flew open, fastening on Othal as the ropes bit. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” he rasped, his pale face spattered with dirty snow. “I’m a King’s runner. You risk death by harming me. I carry nothing of interest to you, scum, so you might as well let me go. And my horse is branded, so you won’t be able to sell it.”
Othal knew this. He knew all about Elias’s runner system and how it operated. He had heard Lerric’s grudgingly admiring comments many a time, and his sullen laments about not having the funds to set up a similar service himself. Othal ignored the rider and crossed to the shivering horse. He caught its reins, soothing it with a murmured word. He ran a practiced hand down its slender legs, relieved to find no heat in the tendons. He led it forward a few steps. It was sound.
He breathed a sigh of relief. He had fulfilled the first part of his orders. Going back to the young man, who was still trying to convince his captor to let him go, Othal stared down at him. The youth was barely more than a boy, and Othal felt a twinge of doubt. Would the lad be old enough? Would he have the knowledge his master required? What if he wasn’t a local? But that was not likely. This place was so remote, so isolated. No one in their right mind would come here looking for employment if they lived far away. Many did not even know of its existence.
Bending to the lad, Othal tapped him below one ear with the butt of his dagger. The youth collapsed, unconscious. Checking that the precious message pouch was still secure on the runner’s belt, Othal picked him up and slung him across his horse’s saddle. Using the rope he had brought the beast down with, Othal fashioned long reins to the horse’s bit. He walked behind the animal, driving it like a plow horse, stepping in the prints of its hooves to mask his tracks as he made for his hiding place. Now all he had to do was wait for his master’s call.
To view our blog schedule and follow along with this tour visit our Official Event page
Cas lives in the lovely county of Hampshire, southern UK, where she was born. On leaving school she trained for two years before qualifying as horse-riding instructor. During this time she also learned to carriage-drive. She spent thirteen years in the British Civil Service before moving to Rome, Italy, where she and her husband, Dave, lived for three years. They enjoy returning whenever they can. Cas supports many animal charities and owns two rescue dogs. She has a large collection of cacti and loves gardening. She is also a folk singer/songwriter and is currently writing and recording nine folk-style songs to accompany each of her fantasy books. You can listen to and download all the songs from her website: www.caspeace.com
Three years have passed since Baron Reen’s trial. A
terrible accident on the island of his exile has transformed him into a
nightmarish scarecrow creature with dark, mysterious powers. Staging his own
suicide, Reen breaks free of his prison and, with the help of the former queen
Sofira, embarks on a ruthless quest for vengeance against his worst enemy, the
woman responsible for the overthrow of his schemes and his own ruination:
Brynne Sullyan.
Sullyan is tasked with investigating Reen’s suicide.
The missing body and a series of disasters in Port Loxton—a vicious murder, a
brutal ambush, and a devastating fire—raise suspicions in her mind. She probes
deeper, determined to uncover the truth, unsuspecting of the evil that’s about to
be unleashed…
“Who were THOSE shepherds, and why were they so favored?” That one question stirred the imagination of author Michael I. Judson and led to the creation of Lost Shepherd, the fictional backstory of the first witnesses to the birth of the precious Babe of Bethlehem. After you read Lost Shepherd, watch for his answers to other compelling questions (his next books!)
When he’s not writing, he has a large family to love, gardens to grow, fun places to see, ancestors to discover, and even chickens to raise! He also has a full-time job that occupies the bulk of his waking hours. Though still a few years off, retirement beckons with aspirations of writing (with all the fun imagining and discovery that goes with it) becoming his full-time pursuit.
Just who were the shepherds that were singled out from among earth’s inhabitants to hear the angelic announcement of Christ’s birth? What made them so special, or what uniquely qualified them to be His first witnesses? The Bible tells us very little about them. Now there is an answer!
Eleazar grows up awash in a culture of shepherding, but not among ordinary sheep. No, the flocks he and his companions tend are destined for sacrifice on the altar of the great temple at Jerusalem. Like his fathers before him, his life’s work fuels the faith of a nation that tirelessly awaits the signs of their long-foretold Messiah. But unforeseen circumstances lead Eleazar away from his purposeful existence and onto a path of doubt and life-altering decisions that threaten to destroy both his faith and his future. Only the miraculous power of the Christ Child can reclaim him and restore to him to a life of hope and peace—and to an understanding of his importance as a shepherd in Israel.
Lost Shepherd is a tale of real hope and redemption, of faith lost and reclaimed. Let the story transport you back in time as you discover anew the timeless healing power found only in the Savior Jesus Christ.
Most people don’t think about the day they’ll die. They coast through life,
blissfully unaware of how their time is ticking away. I wasn’t like most
people. I welcomed death, wanted her to take me away from the prison I called
life, but she refused. I tried twice only to survive. And then, when I thought
I had nothing left it came.
A reason to live.
Rex was a small, unexpected ray of light my world of darkness that blossomed
into a beam of sunshine. I thought, maybe this was why Death didn’t take me.
Maybe she knew that if I held on a little longer, things would turn around. But
the third time Death came to my door wasn’t by choice. Someone else brought
her, and I fear this time she might take me.
Rex
Being the son of a country star sucks. My parents are never around, I move
every year or so, and I have no real friends. Everyone around me has an agenda.
Everyone except Piper Lovelace. I can’t get that girl to notice me. Trust me
I’ve tried.
Thankfully, fate stepped in and gave me the break I needed. I’ve got her
attention, now I need her to give me a chance.
“Stop,” I mumble, my smile growing harder to contain.
There’s a playful energy building between us, one I wish he’d act on.
The corner of Rex’s lips twitch as he tries to hold a straight face. “Stop
what?”
“Looking at me. It’s weird.” My heart hammers in my chest, beating against my
flesh like a caged animal desperate to get out. I lick my lips. Why? I don’t
know. Apparently, my tongue has a mind of its own and wants his attention.
Rex’s gaze flickers down to it for a full second then finds my eyes again. He
shifts, turning his body towards me, leaning an inch closer.
I can do this. If he can touch me, he can kiss me. What’s the worst that can
happen? I don’t know, a debilitating panic attack where you seize up and die?
Meh, I’ll risk it.
“I can’t help it,” Rex says breaking eye contact to take a sip of his water.
“You’re beautiful.”
Butterflies swarm in my stomach. I don’t know how he’s doing this to me. I feel
alive again. Maybe this is why Death didn’t take me. Maybe she knew Life had a
plan and something good was coming. Rex could be that something good. I roll my
eyes, a nervous laugh escaping me. “Yeah. Okay.”
Rex leans back against the arm of the couch, his brows knitting together. “Can
I ask you something?”
Oh gosh, this is it. He’s going to ask to kiss me like a true gentleman. Yes!
The answer is yes! “Maybe.”
He chuckles, and the sound sends the butterflies into overdrive. So much
flipping and thumping inside me. I can’t take the anticipation anymore. I’m
ready.
Bailey B is an up and coming New Adult author. She lives in
Lehigh Acres Florida with her husband, twin girls, and two fur babies. She
enjoys (but doesn’t get to take part in because of her crazy daughters) the
simple things like Disney+ binge watching, Netflix romcoms, reading and
sleeping. She reads two to three books a week and thinks if narwhal’s are real
animals then unicorns might be too.
“Recently widowed Rae Cavanaugh just survived the worst birthday of her life. She and her two young children must now face a holiday season filled with so many reminders of what they’ve lost. But when a coworker who’s raising his young nephew moves next door, Rae discovers that the support of a good friend, and the gift of a child, can bring back some of the joy of the season.
Through a crazy twist of fate, Caroline Clemmons was not born on a Texas ranch. To compensate for this illogical error, she writes about handsome cowboys, feisty ranch women, and scheming villains in a tiny office her family calls her pink cave. She and her Hero live in North Central Texas cowboy country where they ride herd on their dog and three rescued indoor cats as well as providing nourishment outdoors for squirrels, birds, and other critters.
The over fifty titles she has created in her pink cave have made her an Amazon bestselling author and won several awards. She writes sweet to sensual romances about the West, both historical and contemporary as well as time travel and mystery. Her series include the Kincaids, McClintocks, Stone Mountain Texas, Bride Brigade, Texas Time Travel, Texas Caprock Tales, Loving A Rancher, and Pearson Grove as well as numerous single titles and contributions to multi-author sets. When she’s not writing, she loves spending time with her family, reading her friends’ books, lunching with friends, browsing antique malls, checking Facebook, and taking the occasional nap.
After the death of her grandmother, Melody Fraser must quickly leave what has been her home in South Carolina. There are those who think she murdered her Nana Fraser. She’s innocent but there’s talk about arrest and prosecution. To escape, this Southern Belle agrees to become a mail-order bride in far away Montana. Several of her friends will be living in the same town. Traveling so far to marry a man she’s never met is daunting. Surely things will work out, won’t they?
Nicholas “Nick” Walker is a doctor from Gettysburg whose wife and children were killed when mortar fire destroyed their home. Eager to escape the memories and ravages of the Civil War, he buys a medical practice in Montana Territory. He wants a competent nurse who can assist him with operations and care for patients as his plans expand for a hospital. He wants a well-organized wife to keep him company and start a family. With his usual efficiency, he combines the two into one job description when he requests a mail-order bride.
What will it take to teach Nick that—although she isn’t what he expected—Melody is exactly what he needs?
Top 10 Favorite Things (in no particular order) 1.A baby’s laugh 2.Spending time with my family 3.Reading 4.Cherry Dr Pepper 5.Chocolate 6.Browsing antique malls
7 .Getting together with friends 8.Writing 9.Watching movies on television
1 0.Our pets—three cats and a dog
Arabella Sheraton grew up on a diet of Jane Austen, the Bronte sisters, and many other writers of that period. From Jane Austen to Georgette Heyer, Arabella has found both enjoyment and inspiration in sparkling, witty Regency novels. She also loves history and generally finds the past more fascinating than the future. Arabella wrote her first Regency romance to entertain her aged mom who loved the genre. Arabella is honoured to share the adventures of her heroes and heroines with readers.
In this delightful traditional Regency romance, Miss Diana Dashwood accepts an invitation to Lady Prescott’s Christmas party at Camden House, in the countryside. But things do not go quite as she imagined. Through an unexpected event, she is forced to spend the night in a woodsman’s hut with one of the guests. What a scandal! Of course, Sir Gareth Blakely must propose, and he does. Unfortunately, Miss Diana Dashwood has already been engaged to and broken off her engagement from Sir Gareth Blakely after a bitter quarrel. Is it likely she will bow to social pressure and accept his proposal, one made only to save her reputation, and if they marry, does their union stand a chance of survival? And what about the pretty heiress, Miss Jemima Plymstock, whom everyone thinks is the lady Sir Gareth had his eye upon? Headstrong and proud, Miss Diana Dashwood is caught in a dreadful dilemma. A must-read for Regency fans!
1. Arabella Sheraton is a pseudonym but if I tell anyone who I really am, I’ll have to kill them…
2. The image I use for Arabella is a portrait my grandmother painted many years ago of her best friend. It seemed a fitting tribute to my wonderful grandmother and her friendship.
3. I love anything olde worlde, which means that since I write in the genre of Regency romance, perhaps I lived once upon a time in Jane Austen’s era. Who knows? I like to think so.
4. Pride and Prejudice is my favorite Austen book and book to series adaptation. I just love Mr. Darcy, even when he is acting like a starched shirt.
5. I have always loved reading romances set in the Regency era, and I think that has a lot to do with the fact that apart from my mom having all the Austen books, she was also an avid Georgette Heyer fan, and as a result, so am I.
6. I am never short of ideas for a Regency novel and sometimes a title just pops into my head and from that comes a book.
7. I wrote my first Regency romance to entertain my aged mom, now passed on, who loved the genre.
8. I generally find the past more fascinating than the present.
9. My second favourite book to series adaptation is North and South starring the divinely sexy Richard Armitage.
10. I can’t start the day without a pot of English tea to get me going.
“Mindy loves all things history and romance, which makes reading and writing romance right up her alley. Since she was a little girl, playing in her closet “elevator,” she has always had stories running through her mind. But it wasn’t until she was well into adulthood, that she realized she could write those stories down. Now they occupy her dreams and most every quiet moment she has-she often washes her hair two or three times because she wasn’t paying attention when she did it the first time. Which usually means really clean hair and a fixed plot hole. When she isn’t living in her alternate realities, she is married to her real-life Mr. Darcy and trying to raise five proper boys. They live happily in the beautiful mountains of Utah.
Peter Blythe, Earl of Rockwell fled England when he was thrown over in favor of his father. Now after nearly ten years, he has returned to England to assume his family title. When he asks a young woman to dance at a masquerade ball, he is intrigued by her wit and charm. The only problem is she refuses to give him her name.
When Lady Caroline unexpectedly meets the man she has always loved at a masquerade ball and he does not recognize her, she is determined to keep her name a secret. What starts out as a game soon becomes much more when she realizes she still loves him, all the while knowing if he knew her true identity, he would never feel the same for her.
When they both return home to their neighboring estates for the holidays, acquaintances from years past threaten to sever more than just their childhood friendship.
*I once made David Copperfield so mad that he asked for me to be fired from my job.
*I have seen Les Mis over 125 times and The Nutcracker over 200.
*I once dumped a guy for saying he wanted the Nutcracker to be a family tradition.
*I majored in History and minored in Sports Broadcasting
*I once had a professor tell me that I could not bring banana bread to class because it was “too loud.”
*In college I maintain a diet that consisted pretty much of Diet Coke and cinnamon bears- but I had a healthy dinner, so it was all good.
*Everytime I eat sea salt Popables it reminds me of eating Munchos for lunch in Jr. High (I am now realizing I have had some unhealthy eating habits in my life…)
*In a college English class, a test question asked us to compare ourselves to a character in the Great Gatsby and then write an essay about why. I compared myself to Daisy (cuz, really, is there anyone you can compare yourself to in that book?) When I got the test back I had an A and then my professor wrote underneath- You are full of crap, but you wrote it well.
*/I am anxiously counting down the days until I can take my family to England for resear—I mean vacation.
Amber Gilchrist lives in New Mexico with her husband and six children. She writes YA, Romantic Comedies, and series mysteries. She calls her lifetime of jumping from one job to another ‘experience’ for her books and not an inability to settle down. Amber loves mysteries and a good, happy romance. She also loves to laugh. Sometimes she likes all of them together.
A fan of quirky movies and indie books, Amber likes to be with her family, is socially inept, and fears strangers and small yippy dogs. She alternates between writing and being a mom. She tries to do both at the same time, but her kids don’t appreciate being served lunch and told, “This is the hot dog of your discontent.” So mostly she writes when everyone else is in bed.
Audrey Scott might be a children’s librarian, but that isn’t all she can do. When her best friend, Gretchen Holden, stands accused of a murder, Audrey can’t handle doing nothing more than bailing Gretchen out of jail. She has to figure out who really killed Gretchen’s stepfather, a universally hated federal judge.
With a not small list of potential people the judge has wronged, Audrey and her friends have a rough ride ahead of them trying to decide who had a motive, means, and opportunity to put the judge in an early grave. With the help of Derek Hennessy, erstwhile enemy turned very good friend, and her normal crew of cohorts, Audrey won’t stop until the threat no longer looms.
1. I’ve been to lots of foreign countries, including Germany, China, and
Mexico among others.
2. I have six kids, and yes that is a lot
3. I was on a TV show in the early 90s.
4. I used to pretend I was a fox/mermaid combination whenever my friends
pretended to be superheroes.
5. My first book was written in the 80s and the heroes name was Marvin. I
don’t know why I thought this was a good idea. Thankfully, it was lost many
years ago.
6. I have a weird autoimmune disorder that makes me potentally allergic to
literally almost anything. And then then the next day I won’t be allergic to
that particular thing anymore It’s sounds fake, but it’s not It’s called MCAS.
7. I was a musical theater major my freshman year of college.
8. I don’t really have a bucket list. But if I did the only thing that
would be on it is going places.
9. I don’t really watch TV or movies They require a lot of attention for me
and it always ends up feeling like a chore. There’s probably only half a dozen
shows I’ve actually seen every episode of, my favorite being Chuck.
10. I LOVE true crime. Like in a way that is maybe slightly unhealthy . I listen to so many true crime podcasts.
Character Casting
Okay here’s the pics for the characters. The
redhead is Audrey and the blond guy in the suits is Derek. The woman in the
orange sweater with the black hair is Jane. The dark-haired man in the purple
sweater is Alex. The man in the pale blue button up is Kyle. The woman in the
black sweater with black hair is Gretchen. Tom Hiddles is my Woody inspiration.
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To view our blog schedule and follow along with this tour visit our Official Event page
