Tantalizing
Tidbits
Ceci
Giltenan, Tarah Scott, Sue-Ellen Welfonder, Victoria Barbour, Natasha
Blackthorne, Ria Cantrell, Stephanie Joyce Cole, Kimberly K. Comeau, Kathryn
Lynn Davis, Ted Grosch, Brenda Margriet, Mary McCall, Kate Robbins, John Robin,
HD Smith, KyAnn Waters, and Victoria Zak
Genres: Romance, Paranormal,
Contemporary, Literary, Fantasy, Time Travel, Historical, Women’s Fiction,
Highland Romance, Humor, Erotica
Publisher: Cridhe Works LLC
Date of Publication: July 17, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-9909513-2-2
ASIN: B011YLKTWM
Number of pages: 411
Word Count: 163,205
Cover Artist: Zak James Design
Book Description:
A collection of short stories
written by bestselling authors, representing an eclectic mix of styles and
genres. In a word, this book is a smorgasbord; an opportunity to try a bit of
everything.
In the spirit of the smorgasbord,
the collection is presented as a menu and authors have shared recipes which
accompany each story—some fitting, some funny, some simply old favorites.
Ranging from ultra-short but
spine tingling, to meatier tales that are nearly novellas there is a little
something for every appetite including comedy, tragedy, fantasy, werewolves, at
least one ghost, life, death, and of course love.
Dig in. We hope you find at least
one tidbit you enjoy.
Available at Amazon
Appetizers
Savory
fare for smaller appetites - short stories from a wide range of styles and
genres.
The
Motorcycle
by
Tarah Scott
Paranormal fiction
3074 words
No man can ever fully master
memory. But maybe, just maybe, he can learn to live with it. Even be glad for
it. Even if that means reaching across space, time...and the grave.
Ida
and the Nor’easter
Contemporary fiction
8014 words
Is there such a thing as a curse?
With a storm looming on the horizon, 98-year-old Ida Walsh fears a repeat of
the terrible events of her childhood. Will her indomitable wit and resilience
be enough to save the day?
Gardens
Literary fiction
4225 words
Anne begins to question the rigid
limitations of her new marriage as she spies on a mysterious neighbor.
One
Who Waits
by
John Robin
Epic Fantasy
6538 words
Contains
moderate violence
Al'a will die at his father's
hands, unless he can master a forbidden magic.
Al'a Solaris, born into the Sun
Priesthood, only wanted to prove his worth to his father when he delved into
forbidden magic. Now, he must die at his father's hands, to restore honor to
his bloodline. But the blade his father wields is also his final hope -- if
only Al’a can discover its secret and master the fire within.
The
Hole
by
Ted Grosch
Literary fiction
Just exactly why is Bernie digging
that hole?
The
Spirit Bottle
by
Ted Grosch
Literary fiction
A bushman's duty is his legacy
for the tribe.
The
Summons
by
Ria Cantrell
Paranormal romance
5477 words
Contains
mildly explicit sexual scenes
A magical journey where love
knows no boundaries, the Summons combines romantic and ethereal love in a
mystical setting.
Main
Courses
Hearty
fare to satisfy larger literary appetites.
The
Seventh Sister
Paranormal romance
12,439 words
A story of love, legend, and
magic
Down-on-her-luck American artist
Maggie Gleason returns to Ireland, hoping to put old hurts behind her. Instead,
revisiting the fishing village that enchanted her twelve years before only
reopens wounds – until the unexpected appearance of roguish pub owner Conall
Flanagan proves that the Ancient Isle is a magical place where anything can
happen and true love always stands the test of time.
Falling
in Time
by
Sue-Ellen Welfonder
Time travel romance/11,090 words
When love calls across the ages…
Aspiring writer Lindy Lovejoy
knows all about happy endings. But when she travels to Scotland to research
Celtic myth and lore, she never expected a chance to live her own storybook
romance, until a stop at mystical Smoo Cave whisks her back in time and into
the arms of Rogan MacGraith, a Highland hero who’d burn up the pages of the
steamiest Scottish romance novel.
Clouds
Across the Moon
Historical Women’s Fiction
17,151 words
In the 19th century Scottish Highlands,
young Morna struggles with new motherhood, her child’s illness, and her
inability to compete with her husband's idealized vision of her. Will she have
faith in the magic of her dreams, and thus find the strength to save her
child’s life--and her own--as she begins to recognize the truth and depth of
the woman she really is?”
The
Lady’s Portrait
by
Kate Robbins
Contemporary Romance
17,332 words
Contains
mild to moderate sexually explicit scenes
When Gillian Beaton meets the
captivating Ciaran MacLeod, she’s immediately attracted, but is she ready to
trust again? Have her demons followed her to Scotland and can new love grow out
of old heartbreak?
His
Harlot
Historical Erotic Romance
23,018 words
*Contains extremely explicit
sexual scenes that some readers may find offensive*
Late one night, in the midst of a
summer’s hot spell, Thomas spies Rosalind in the woods, clad only in her shift,
dancing in the moonlight. It’s really more than a man celibate for three years
can bear. Thomas is in danger of falling into a sin so powerful it threatens to
challenge everything he thinks he knows about himself and life…
Sneak
Peek at Highland Legacy: King Arthur Strikes Back
by
Mary McCall
Medieval Highland Romance
12,494 word
Michael wed Christina when he was
nine and she was three, then promptly went about his life and tried to forget
about her. Now the pair must unite to thwart the Beast, return the Power of God
that was stolen by their ancestors, and save the world in an epic battle
between the forces of good and evil.
*Please note, this is NOT a short
story, it is an extended preview of Mary’s next novel, book III in her Sisters
by Choice series due for release soon. It is a taste of things to come and
while it does not end on a cliff-hanger, it is not a complete story.*
Desserts
Looking
for something lighter or perhaps a happy ending? The stories in this section
won’t disappoint you. They are shorter and mostly romantic, or funny, or both.
Onyx
by
H.D. Smith
Paranormal fiction
7099 words
Contains
mild violence and a frustrating lack of S’mores
For those that like it short and
sweet
Madison Monroe thinks she has
everything in life figured out, until one ill-fated camping trip has her
running for her life through the woods being chased by two wolves—both eager to
claim her.
The
Life She Had Before
Contemporary Romance
5429 words
A woman is torn between bitter
revenge and the sweetness of a second chance.
Hi.
My Name is Harold
Humor
3778 words
Is there light at the bottom of
an empty peanut butter jar?
For Harold, giving up peanuts for
medical reasons means the end of life's greatest pleasure…until his wife
introduces him to all-natural peanut butter. But his addictive personality
isn't satisfied with an occasional indulgence.
The
Jewel of Grim Fortress
by
Victoria Zak
Paranormal historical romance
7105 words
Eradicating wayward supernaturals
has its consequences.
The hereafter may be closer than
Carson Kincaid thinks when he is charged to discover what ails Laird Maclean’s
mind. Can Kincaid conquer his inner demons while battling the armies of evil?
Paisley Shaw, a powerful druid,
has endured her share of hardened times starting the moment Laird Maclean
stormed into her life. Now, she must find a way to stop him from taking her
powers before it’s too late.
Beautiful
Storm,
by
KyAnn Waters
Erotic romance
7073 words
*Contains
extremely explicit sexual scenes that some readers may find offensive*
Adrian Beck lost everything,
including his passion for designing beautiful buildings, after 9/11.
Isabelle Clemet, of Clemet
Hotels, is ready to rebuild after Katrina. She wants the Adrian.
Can an erotic late-night
encounter on a secluded beach help a lonely architect rediscover his lost
passion?
When
a Rose Blooms,
by
Tarah Scott
Historical romance
4353 words
On the anniversary eve of his
wife's death, Nathaniel kneels at her grave asking questions he fears were
answered the night she died. Despite cold solitude, desire flares when he
learns the woman who now haunts his dreams awaits him in the great hall. By
morning’s light, she will meet him on the battlefield he has built around
himself, and force him to choose between the living and the dead
Sorry
for Your Trouble
Vignette
1913 words
Ceci shares poignant but
sometimes funny memories of the first funeral she attended in Ireland.
The
Personal Ad
Contemporary sweet romance
4211 words
Always the best friend and never
the leading lady, will Nina find love when she answers a quirky, sweet personal
ad?
Interview
I grew up in Chesterfield County, Virginia, but I
presently live in Richmond, Virginia, so I’ve got both country-girl and
city-girl perspectives. I have to say,
my heart remains with the land.
Tell us your latest news?
My humorous short story “Hi. My Name is Harold” is among those included in
the new release, Tantalizing
Tidbits: 21 Stories to Make You Sigh,
Shiver & Blush. What an incredible honor.
When and why did you begin writing?
I began writing when I was twelve years old, mainly
because I grew up on oral stories. My
mother is a fascinating storyteller, both of real-life events and made-up
stories based loosely on fairytales. I
simply continued a family tradition when I took up a pen and began inventing
stories.
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I suspected I could become a writer when my first
short story was published. When I won my
first literary contest, I thought I might have a real chance of fulfilling that
dream. Forty-six years later, I’m still
writing and publishing, but there are so many authors who are better than me
that I hesitate to place myself in that league.
I’m still learning and honing my craft.
What inspired you to write your first book?
A doll house, and the world I invented surrounding
the girl doll who lived there. She was
everything I wasn’t.
Do you have a specific writing style?
I think every writer does. I equate writing style with cursive. When we learn cursive, we look at others’
handwriting and pick a small flourish
that we like from this person’s handwriting, and a curve or bold line from
another’s, and incorporate those bits into our practice lines. In the end, our cursive isn’t Mary’s
handwriting or John’s, but uniquely our own.
We do the same when writing. We
begin, consciously or unconsciously, copying the style of an author we love,
then incorporate a unique element from a different author, and a technique from
a third, until the combination we’ve created becomes uniquely our own.
How did you come up with the title?
Each book or short story I write, at some point in
its creation, suggests its own title, and the stories have trained me to spot
those moments.
Is there a message in your novel that you want
readers to grasp?
Before I set the first sentence to paper, I know the
point or idea that I want my readers to glean.
And by not stating that point outright anywhere within the story,
readers expand upon my idea by incorporating their personal experiences.
Readers who have shared their interpretations of my stories have amazed and
humbled me with their insights and revelations. So many take what I’ve written and fly well
beyond me. They give me new perspectives
on my own work. For such sharing, I’m
eternally grateful.
How much of the book is realistic?
“Realistic” describes my writing style, even when
I’m writing fantasy and science fiction, so I’d have to say, most of it. Which leads into your next question . . .
Are experiences based on someone you know, or events
in your own life?
Yes, and I have lived an incredibly varied
life. Real-life, though, is merely the
springboard that launches a story idea.
I don’t adhere to “what really happened,” but I also don’t confess to
where life and fiction diverge. That’s
the fun of writing and reading . . . what’s real, what’s not? So much of what’s not real to me may be
someone else’s reality. It’s the
recognition of a commonality of human experiences that creates the truth in
fiction. It’s where that subliminal
reader-writer communication and understanding begins.
What books have most influenced your life most?
Andre Norton’s Time
Traders. It introduced me to the
field of science fiction, which sparked a love affair with the genre and opened
an entirely new world of ideas and possibilities I’d never before
considered. J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy had a
similar effect in the fantasy realm. His
imagination and characterization blew me away.
The nonfiction books that have most influenced me are simply too
numerous to list.
If you had to choose, which writer would you
consider a mentor?
I had the remarkable experience of meeting and
corresponding for years with one of my writing idols, Andre Norton. She had a powerful influence on my early work,
which gave me a strong foundation and helped me develop into the writer I am
today.
What book are you reading now?
The
Kennedy Brothers: The Rise and Fall of
Jack and Bobby by Richard D. Mahoney
Are there any new authors that have grasped your
interest?
Yes! Three
just in the last month; two of them discovered through our shared anthology, Tantalizing Tidbits. I am most impressed by Kathryn Lynn
Davis. What a fabulous writer! Such a fine grasp of technique. I learn from her as I read. Ceci Giltenan is another co-author I’m
interesting in reading more of. And last
but not least is Catherine Beaumont, an upcoming author well worth
watching. Her wonderful sense of humor
spills across every page. She’s someone
I hope some day to meet in real life.
What are your current projects?
Currently, I’m working on book edits for two
different authors. When those jobs are
finished, I hope to complete the final edits on my science fiction novel, Rainbow Gold. I’d love to see that book submission-ready
this year.
What would you like my readers to know?
Set personal goals, keep those goals in mind, and
when an opportunity presents itself to advance one of your goals, grab it. It’s when you don’t have goals that it’s
difficult to see how a particular situation might benefit you. And have patience. Most of my goals have taken years to reach
fruition, but I’ve managed to achieve each and every one. You can too.
Kimberly K. Comeau was twelve when she began writing, fifteen when
she published her first story, and eighteen when she won her first literary
contest. Since then, she’s published
short fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and science fiction, served as director of
an online writers workshop, and co-founded PC Quill, a critique group comprised
of award-winning writers. She lives in
Richmond, Virginia, with a musician husband and two fiercely protective cats.
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