HIGHER LOVE by Joanne Kukanza Easley Interview & Giveaway

 

Book Details:

Book Title:  HIGHER LOVE by Joanne Kukanza Easley
Category:  Adult Fiction (18+), 360 pages
Genre:  Women's Literary Fiction
Publisher:  Red Boots Press
Release date:   May 2025
Content Rating:  PG-13 + M: Adult themes of alcoholism, underage drinking, underage sex

Book Description:

In 1986 Austin, Texas, sixteen-year-old Stephanie steps into sixty-two-year-old Lauren’s life, her uncanny resemblance cracking open a buried past. Claiming to be the daughter of the child Lauren gave up for adoption forty-five years ago, Stephanie upends Lauren’s life—already complicated by her remarriage to Brett after thirty-three years apart. Stung by her adoptive grandmother’s deception, Stephanie stays, her past of tragedy and self-harm forging a fragile bond with Lauren and Brett. When Stephanie’s trust fund evaporates, crushing her college dreams, Lauren sacrifices all to give her a future—only to face a bittersweet twist that echoes the past and changes everything. This heart-wrenching family drama delves into the enduring impact of secrets, the power of unconditional love, and the strength found in facing our pasts.

Buy the Book:
Amazon
add to Goodreads

Meet the Author:

Joanne Kukanza Easley, a retired registered nurse who worked in the cold, stark environment of operating rooms and the highly charged setting of psychiatric facilities, now resides in the Texas Hill Country. There, she crafts fiction centered on complex women of the twentieth century. Her debut novel, Sweet Jane, garnered multiple accolades, including the adult fiction prize at the Texas Author Project, and was a finalist for prestigious honors like the Sarton Award and the Eric Hoffer Award, among others. Her second book, Just One Look, was selected as a May 2022 Pulpwood Queen Book Club Pick. Her third novel, I’ll Be Seeing You, revisits characters from Sweet Jane. Her fourth novel, Higher Love, a continuation of her third, is slated for release in Spring 2025. Easley’s award-winning short stories and poetry have been featured in various anthologies.

Interview

Joanne Kukanza Easley, a retired nurse turned award-winning author, crafts compelling stories about resilient women navigating the complexities of the 20th century. In this interview, she shares insights into her creative process, her upcoming novel Higher Love, and her life beyond the page. Her debut, Sweet Jane, which won the adult fiction award in the Texas Indie Author Project. She authored Just One Look and I’ll Be Seeing You, with Higher Love forthcoming on May 12, 2025.

What genres do you write, and what draws you to crafting stories in these categories?

My novels blend literary fiction, women’s fiction, and historical fiction, which I see as stories rooted in the past, even the recent past. I’m drawn to these genres because they let me explore the inner lives of complex women facing tough challenges, like betrayal or loss, and ultimately finding resilience. For example, in Sweet Jane, the protagonist grapples with addiction and abandonment, reflecting struggles I saw as a nurse. I love capturing the texture of 20th-century life—its slower pace and deeper interpersonal connections—before technology reshaped how we live and communicate.

What inspires the settings and themes of your stories?

I draw inspiration from the lives of women who, like me, came of age in the 20th century. With our world and culture evolving so rapidly, I feel compelled to capture that era before it fades from our shared memory. My novels are set in a time before cell phones reshaped how we connect, a period when communication wasn’t instant. In the 1960s, for instance, you had to be home to answer a rotary phone, often shared by the whole family, which could spark all sorts of tension. I’ll never forget stretching the twenty-five-foot cord of our kitchen phone into the coat closet for a private chat with my boyfriend—an experience that feels foreign now. These historical details ground my stories, and I take care to weave them in authentically to bring that lost world to life.

In your upcoming novel, Higher Love, set in the 1980s, you write from the perspectives of two female characters: Lauren, a sixty-two-year-old, and Stephanie, a teenager. Which character was more challenging to craft, and why?

Both Lauren and Stephanie brought unique challenges to the page, but my familiarity with Lauren, who appeared in Sweet Jane and I’ll Be Seeing You, gave me a head start. I knew her voice and history intimately, which made her perspective flow naturally. Stephanie, on the other hand, required extensive research to nail the 1980s teen experience—think popular music like Madonna, mall staples like The Limited, and slang like “totally tubular.” Immersing myself in that era was a joy, but it took effort to get the details right. That said, tapping into Stephanie’s teenage energy came easily; even at my age, channeling my inner teenage girl comes easily—it never goes away.

How do you develop authentic and distinct voices for your characters?

My stories are deeply character-driven, so I start by envisioning a character and building her world from the ground up. I flesh out every detail—her appearance, habits, quirks, speech patterns, fashion choices, and even her likes and dislikes. For example, one character might fidget with her necklace when nervous, while another speaks in sharp, witty bursts. Only after I know her inside and out do I place her in a challenging situation. This immersive process, often involving weeks of reflection before drafting, ensures each character’s voice feels vivid and true to who she is.

What do you do in your downtime when you’re not writing, and does it influence your creative process?

When I’m not writing, I pour my heart into caring for my three rescue dogs, who bring so much joy to my life. I also love swimming and am fortunate to have access to a fantastic health club with an indoor pool. Three days a week, I swim laps, and those moments in the water double as brainstorming sessions. As I glide through the pool, I mull over my current novel, often unlocking new insights about a character or plot twist. The second I reach the locker room, I jot down those ideas do I don’t lose the inspiration.

Can you tell us about your next project and what inspired it?

My next novel, tentatively titled A Question of Temperature, follows four women of a certain age, all members of Alcoholics Anonymous, as they navigate the uncharted waters of internet dating in 2005 Austin, Texas. I was inspired to explore this story by the courage it takes to seek connection later in life, especially in the early days of online dating—a time when dial-up modems and clunky profiles were the norm. The novel blends humor, heart, and the complexities of friendship and recovery, set against a vibrant Austin backdrop.

Thank you for the opportunity to share my story and insights. You can learn more about my novels here: Book Store - Joanne Kukanza Easley

Connect with the author:  website ~ X ~ facebook ~ instagram ~ goodreads

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Enter the Giveaway:

RENEWALS by Gregory F. DeLaurier Interview, Review & Giveaway

 

Book Details:

Book Title:  RENEWALS by Gregory F. DeLaurier
Category:  Adult Fiction (18+), 276 pages
Genre:  literary fiction, amateur sleuths
Publisher:  Independently published/Gregory F. DeLaurier
Release date:   February 2025
Content Rating:  R. My book is rated R for one attempted child sexual abuse, not explicit. There is bad language throughout. 

Book Description:

When academic Richard returns to his hometown he discovers a scam that has ruined the city, he must unite his friends and family to uncover the truth, but this pits him against the scam’s architect, aging but violent drug kingpin Giacomo Duchamps, who could destroy everyone Richard loves should he fail.

Renewals captures the nature of a hardscrabble small town and those who live and struggle there, in this pitch perfect tale of corruption and renewal. It is the story of the renewal of a city but also the renewal of the lives of those who are lost or oppressed; a young woman trapped in sexual abuse and exploitation, a young ex-con searching for a better life, and others.

Buy the Book:
Amazon
add to Goodreads

Meet the Author:

Gregory F. DeLaurier is a retired university professor who has returned to his first love, fiction writing. He lives in Melrose MA, and has a daughter in her 40s who lives in Brooklyn and a 21 year old son attending Berklee College of Music. His fiction and non-fiction are widely available.

connect with the author:  facebook ~ goodreads

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Author Interview

Gregory F. DeLaurier

Renewals

Why is your novel titled Renewals?

The title refers to the two themes of the book: the renewal of a small city decimated by the exploitation of a collection of rapacious gangsters, but also the renewal of several characters who have found themselves at the bottom of life.

What was the inspiration behind your novel?

I grew up in a small working-class city in Northern New York.  It had a lively downtown where on any Saturday it would be filled with shoppers and teenagers, like me, hanging out. But in the early 1970s it all changed; ‘urban renewal’ had hit. Good old buildings were torn down, replaced by cheap look-alike structures and a brick wall was built around the whole area. Supposed to be a pedestrian mall, but noone came and the downtown died, as did the spirit of the City. This always saddened me, and I decided to write about it, and I also decided a fictional account—and I emphasize fictional—might best capture the ‘essence’ of places like my hometown.

If you could put yourself as a character in your novel, who would you be?

Richard, the main protagonist. He grew up in the City but never quite fit in. He was too different. A child of the Sixties, he had long hair, wore funny clothes like paisley bellbottoms, listened to weird loud music like Frank Zappa. Too much for a conservative little City. So he left as soon as he could, becoming a university professor. Yet he retained a love/hate relationship with his hometown. Despite everything, he knew the City better than any other place. The death of the city saddens him and he returns to the City to discover what happened.Richard is,more or less, me, though a fictionalized version.

What message are you trying to convey in your novel?

I don’t know if I am trying to send a message. My hopeis I’ve written a good read. But still there is a theme, and that is hope. Richard and his gang of new and old friends are confronted by several gangsters and their henchmen. But they persevere, and hopefully are able to bring true renewal to the City. But among his gang are characters who are lost. For instance, a sexually abused and exploited young woman who learns to find herself and her autonomy; a young ex-con who discovers he is intelligent and capable and may have a future. I truly believe people, both collectively and as individuals, are capable of change. But ittakes courage and support.

What is the last great book you’ve read?

First of all I want to acknowledge my triumvirate of great story tellers: Elmore Leonard, Robert B. Parker, George V. Higgins. Their influence is no doubt clear. However, the last great book I’ve read is Notes On An Execution by Danya Kukafka. Simply brilliant. It is the story of a serial killer told, however, by the women in his life, including his victims, often ignored in serial killer tales.Her prose flows seemingly effortlessly, and her ability to depict characters deeply is a wonder.

What advice would you give budding writer?

            Write.

 Review:

This is a great mystery and a fast read. What I liked best was the cast of characters in a small town setting. I enjoyed the character interactions so much that I read the whole book in one sitting. This book has something for everyone. The Mob, politics, and small town dynamics. This is a new to me author that I will be following for more great reads. I am giving this book a 4/5. I was given a copy to review, all opinions are my own. 

Enter the Giveaway:

Enter Competition

Tales of the Ocean City Series by Christopher Kaufman Trailer, Excerpt & Interview

 

A young civilization is turning the corner into the future, but first they must face a terrible enemy from their deepest past.

 

Title: Tales of the Ocean City Series

Author: Christopher Kaufman

Genre: Classic Epic Fantasy

A young civilization is turning the corner into the future, but first they must face a terrible enemy from their deepest past – THE VORM.

The main characters are a young man named Harl’ut and his lifelong companion Vispushin – who is a perIanth, a kind of telepathic pegasus. Join them on this epic adventure as they lead a group of young warriors into the heart of the Vorm Hive.

Book One: Battle In The Sky is the first of five books which comprise the opening series of this epic tale. Here, Harl’ut and Vispushin and The Princess Bryn’lynn, engage in desperate battle over the southern plain with savage Vorm warriors. You will be uplifted by the passionate and thrilling conclusion of the first installment of this fantasy adventure. 

In Book Two: Descent Into The Abyss, Harl’ut recovers from his harrowing adventure from Book One: Battle In The Sky. He walks through the streets of The Ocean City, visits the Sculpture Garden and his friend, Elá, the bard, and engages in exciting training games with warrior/mentor, Calanctus. Then the story takes you down the throat of the vast volcano, Pla’than’taa, once worshipped as a god, where Harl’ut enacts a deadly initiation ritual, confronts the barbaric past of his people and battles a terrifying monster. 

Pick up your copies at https://kaufmantales.com/. 

Here’s what readers are saying about Tales of the Ocean City series!

“A collage of vibrant images adorns the pages of Tales Of The Ocean City, treating readers to more than a simple fantasy narrative. Well-chosen colors and designs add emotive elements and offer thoughtful reflections of the unfolding battle sequence, creating an intensely immersive experience. Matching the feel of the imagery, the text includes abundant use of descriptive, almost poetic prose, which adds vigor to the exciting storyline. I found the overall experience to be hypnotic, both in the book’s vivid presentation and its innovation. Mixing qualities from graphic novels, abstract art, classic fantasy, and creative fiction, Christopher Kaufman’s book is an imaginative adventure that is sure to engage your senses.” 

— David Korson for Readers’ Favorite

Book Trailer

Book Excerpt

“Vispushin! Aloft! ” cried Harl’ut.

With a thrust of her wings, the white pegasus shot upwards through billowing clouds. Harl’ut stood with his arms held out, balancing on her back. They burst into vast heights, the realm of Kurl’wra, the morning sun, whose powerful beams illumined iridescent mist on his golden skin. Far below, the ocean roared and thundered.

Vispushin reached the pinnacle of her high arc.

“Now…” she thought to him.

The pegasus hovered and Harl’ut dove backward from her haunches. In a swan dive, he clove through tiers of frothing clouds. He used his chest and arms to glide in a spiral through the planet Tir’whol’s thick atmosphere. He reached the cool misty air just below the clouds, jack-knifed and straightened, and sliced right into the churning ocean currents.

Dark purples and greens suffused his eyes as he penetrated cold shadowy depths. He arched his
back, frog-kicked and drifted lazily up towards a ceiling of shimmering blue light.

He felt rough tickles on his skin as he passed through a multitude of bulbous purple sea stars. A powerful current buffeted him as he reached the water just below the surface.

“Here!” Vispushin’s voice shimmered in his mind like watery light. With a vigorous kick, Harl’ut vaulted through crashing waves and snagged the sharp hoof of his bond-mate.

“Aloft!” he cried again.

Blazing glare trails blinded him. He grasped the white-gold mesh which clothed Vispushin’s supple form and clambered onto her heaving plush back as she strove upwards.

Reaching the air above the clouds once again, she settled into a steady rhythm of flight towards Ocean City!

It was time, he thought, time to join fully in the city life, The Ocean City…

Harl’ut pictured clearly in his mind the city carved from great spires of rock at the belly of a massive volcanic mountain once worshipped as the god, Pla’than’taa!

Now a vibrant city teeming with life. A place of hope, dreams and vision, where a young civilization was turning the corner into the future. A future Harl’ut yearned to be a part of.

The piercing cry of a sea-eagle shattered his thoughts, a winged shadow passed across the sun at a great height.

Harl’ut leapt to his feet, cupped his hands to his mouth and issued his characteristic call…

“Keeyaaaa!”

The giant eagle paused in its flight and answered, then turned and flew off.

– Excerpted from Tales of the Ocean City: Book 1: Battle in the Sky by Christopher Kaufman, Three Dashes Publications, 2025. Reprinted with permission.

About the Author

Christopher Kaufman is an author, composer, presenter, illustrative artist and performer. He started imaginative fantasy books with illustrative art at the age of nine. During high school years he found music and attended The New Orleans Center for The Creative Arts and went on to major in music composition in college. He finished his schooling – earning his DMA in music composition at Cornell University where he studied with Pulitzer Prize Winning composers who prize his abilities as a composer.

Christopher is the type of person who needs imaginative fantasy scenarios to get to sleep. Therefore, he emerged from Cornell, not only with his degrees in music, but with the full event structure for his classic epic fantasy series Tales Of The Ocean City in his mind.

He began writing the story down in the early 2000’s, but it did not really come to life until he developed his home music ‘laboratory’ and started creating the music and text at the same time. Thus books one and two of TOC came about simultaneously as both graphically illustrated pages and effulgent audio albums filled with cinematic epic symphonic music.

They exist now as physical books and audio albums (that go together) and the new Video Book version.  He performs live tours with the music pouring through speakers, live narration and the colorful pages streaming on screen – a true immersive multi-media experience.

He also maintains his career as a composer for the concert stage with a full body of work, from solo works thru orchestral. He specializes as well in ‘environmental works’ which feature soundscapes crafted from hundreds of natural sounds, live musicians (from soloists, chamber groups and to full orchestra), videos filled with both natural and artistic images and readings from the works of John Muir and others.

Interview:

Where are you from?

A far off world…where imagination reigns supreme…I mean, Cleveland… :) Actually, I moved around a lot when young…we went from Cleveland straight south to Atlanta then New Orleans.  Then I went back to Cleveland to go to music conservatory there, then ended up in Ithaca, New York and finished my schooling phase at Cornell (Doctorate in music composition). I lived in Ithaca for about sixteen years and ran a music and arts performance group called CHIRON Performing Arts.  

Now I live in Brooklyn with my wife and daughter - where I present new music and art to audiences of all ages and work on my Storytelling  works - fantasy stories with audio albums filled with music, narration and sound design, like Tales Of The Ocean City. I’m on book eight now of this ongoing series.

So I’m from New Orleans, Ithaca and Brooklyn.

Tell us your latest news?

I performed my first live readings for Tales Of The Ocean City a couple of weeks ago. I created a system where I have a gorgeous screen on wheels for the graphically illustrated pages to float by as my cinematic music pours through my Bose PA, and I live narrate…really fun…audience was appreciative!

When and why did you begin writing?

I started writing fantasy books with illustrations when I was nine years old. Later, I discovered music and lived the life of a composer for many years. My stories never left me. In fact, I am the type of person who needs some kind of active imaginative world to get myself to sleep. I emerged from my schooling phase with a Doctorate in music composition (Cornell) and the complete event structure for Tales Of The Ocean City through book eight, which I am completing now. Of course, when I get to each new area of the story it burgeons out, grows new branches and new things happen from the early conceptions.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I started writing down the Tales Of The Ocean CIty stories in the early 2000’s, but it was only when I initiated my home music ‘lab’ and began creating the text, music and narration at the same time that I found my voice as a storyteller. After two Audio Albums (TOC books 1-2), and then adding the element of the graphically illustrated pages filled with art and color, the style for these works was established.

As I just mentioned, after completing the first two books, I had found my voice.  When I came back to it later, I was able to write without the music…and things progressed from there.  Even so, I still consider myself more of a Storyteller - and have, in many projects, used all of my talents to express the story: prose, music, live theater, film, acting and on. Getting into words what I imagine in my mind is quite a task - but I feel I am getting better at it with each written phrase.

What inspired you to write your first book?

I have an intensely prolific creative mind. My imagination never lets up.  Getting my stories into words has been a long and glorious process.  I think I just have the need to express myself in words and music and illustrative art…it is just who I am.

Do you have a specific writing style?

I mentioned above how my style evolved by creating the story and music together…and narrating aloud.  So the sound, rhythm and feel of the words is paramount. Composing music has also given me a powerful sense of pacing - of knowing when to use very short sentences to propel action (of which there are tons) and when to take time to paint a beautiful scene.

How did you come up with the title?

The title for Tales Of The Ocean City came to me long ago…I have been working on this project on and off…now fully on…for over 30 years.

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

I believe in the transformative power of imagination, especially as demonstrated in the fine arts.  That’s why I like to use the word classical in defining TOC, i.e. Classical Epic Fantasy.  Much of my work is about feeding and growing imagination in one way or another. I hope people experience my work and then feel differently about how they experience the world around them.  Imagination is the highest function of the human mind - it gives us art, music and scientific theories…and helps us envision a better future for ourselves and our civilization. It has been damaged in many ways in our modern lives. Fantasy can help cure this.

Tales Of The Ocean City delivers this message in countless ways.

How much of the book is realistic?

Tales Of The Ocean City is classical epic fantasy. Like all the big stories there are many facets of our world embedded or referenced in it.  In fact, much can be said to be commentary on our world as it is or could be.

Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?

There is much autobiography in my stories.

In Tales Of The Ocean City is chronicled a young civilization turning the corner into the future. The main characters are young Harl’ut and his lifelong companion, Vispushin - she is a perianth (a kind of telepathic pegasus).  They are close, like family, and speak to each other mind-to-mind.

Before moving into the future, the citizens of The Ocean City must face their brutal and primitive past. This happens in multiple ways. For Harl’ut, he undergoes an initiation ritual adventure at the end of Book Two where he faces images and personifications from the past, resolves them and battles a terrible monster. The Ocean City itself, in the over-all five book opening series, must face an enemy from ancient times, The Vorm, with whom they co-evolved on the ancestral isle and who are now threatening their very existence. In books four and five, the heroes of The Ocean City engage in epic war with the Vorm and Harl’ut and Vispushin lead a cadre of young warriors into the Vorm Hive on a vital mission.

Much of this can be interpreted as a metaphor for my personal journey. I emerged from much conflict in my youth to a very positive place filled with career and personal success and am moving forward as a storyteller. When writing TOC, I realized that there were specific things that relate to my childhood experiences and that certain characters relate to people of my past and present. I will save going into those specifics for another time - but am happy to report that the perianth race is based on my animal family - we call them pets…but they are so much more.

What books have most influenced your life most?

Thank you. To answer this, I would love to acknowledge the writers that have informed my work and imaginative life and to whom I am eternally grateful; Tolkien, Lovecraft, McCaffrey, Moorcock, Burroughs, Dunsany, Lewis and my favorite, Lloyd Alexander - who spoke about writing for adults for many years and enjoying it, yet, when he started writing for young people, the emotions became deeper and more powerful, not less so.

If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?

As mentioned above - Lloyd Alexander…for the reasons I explained.

What book are you reading now?

I have been rereading some of my favorites - like Moorcock’s Elric of Melniboné and The Swords trilogy.

Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?

I am always looking for new voices.

What are your current projects?

I will be performing my environmental music, i.e. pieces that include live performance, soundscapes crafted from hundreds of natural sounds and video, at The Queens Botanical Garden and other places this spring.  I am working on my books, making trailers and completing book eight of Tales Of The Ocean City. It has also taken many hours to build up my store at kaufmantales.com - and my distributer Book Vault in the UK.

Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members?

I have a long list of amazing teachers who have had a powerful affect on my life.

What would you like my readers to know?

In general - that I am a creative artist and a storyteller. I create books with vivid audio albums filled with cinematic/symphonic music, narration and sound design and which are also live theatrical shows. I compose music for the classical concert stage and film. I present multiple concert series’ and perform as reader, conductor and player.

I have a mission:

To help reconnect people with their imaginations.  Much of it is lost in today’s world. Reinvigorating the imagination is the function of fantasy art.  In my work I use everything I can - Story, Music, Illustrative Art, Live Performance, and even Puppetry sometimes, to deliver the most powerful storytelling experience I can. I have worked with young people for many years as well…my concert series, ‘The Phantastic Theater - new music and art for people of all ages all at once’ is, in fact, the arts education branch of my efforts as an artist. In these concerts, I find fun and creative ways to introduce young people to the arts and to re-invigorate the imaginations of their parents.  It is a mission that will never end.

I hope experiencing my work help you to see and experience life with imagination. Everything around you is alive, everything is a story waiting to be told.  Tell yourself these stories as you walk through life.

If interested in perusing the breadth of my career in the creative arts thus far - visit my overall home site: soundartus.com

All best - Live With Imagination!

Christopher Kaufman

His home page is – soundartus.com. 

His author page is talesoftheoceancity.com.

His you-tube channel is SOUNDARTUS.

Visit him at Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/talesoftheoceancity.

Christopher believes in the transformative power of imagination.

“Live with imagination!”

 

Sponsored By:

RENEWALS by Gregory F. DeLaurier Interview, Giveaway and Review

 

Book Details:

Book Title:  RENEWALS by Gregory F. DeLaurier
Category:  Adult Fiction (18+), 276 pages
Genre:  literary fiction, amateur sleuths
Publisher:  Independently published/Gregory F. DeLaurier
Release date:   February 2025
Content Rating:  R. My book is rated R for one attempted child sexual abuse, not explicit. There is bad language throughout. 

Book Description:

When academic Richard returns to his hometown he discovers a scam that has ruined the city, he must unite his friends and family to uncover the truth, but this pits him against the scam’s architect, aging but violent drug kingpin Giacomo Duchamps, who could destroy everyone Richard loves should he fail.

Renewals captures the nature of a hardscrabble small town and those who live and struggle there, in this pitch perfect tale of corruption and renewal. It is the story of the renewal of a city but also the renewal of the lives of those who are lost or oppressed; a young woman trapped in sexual abuse and exploitation, a young ex-con searching for a better life, and others.

Buy the Book:
Amazon
add to Goodreads

Meet the Author:

Gregory F. DeLaurier is a retired university professor who has returned to his first love, fiction writing. He lives in Melrose MA, and has a daughter in her 40s who lives in Brooklyn and a 21 year old son attending Berklee College of Music. His fiction and non-fiction are widely available.

Author Interview

Gregory F. DeLaurier

Renewals

Why is your novel titled Renewals?

The title refers to the two themes of the book: the renewal of a small city decimated by the exploitation of a collection of rapacious gangsters, but also the renewal of several characters who have found themselves at the bottom of life.

What was the inspiration behind your novel?

I grew up in a small working-class city in Northern New York.  It had a lively downtown where on any Saturday it would be filled with shoppers and teenagers, like me, hanging out. But in the early 1970s it all changed; ‘urban renewal’ had hit. Good old buildings were torn down, replaced by cheap look-alike structures and a brick wall was built around the whole area. Supposed to be a pedestrian mall, but noone came and the downtown died, as did the spirit of the City. This always saddened me, and I decided to write about it, and I also decided a fictional account—and I emphasize fictional—might best capture the ‘essence’ of places like my hometown.

If you could put yourself as a character in your novel, who would you be?

Richard, the main protagonist. He grew up in the City but never quite fit in. He was too different. A child of the Sixties, he had long hair, wore funny clothes like paisley bellbottoms, listened to weird loud music like Frank Zappa. Too much for a conservative little City. So he left as soon as he could, becoming a university professor. Yet he retained a love/hate relationship with his hometown. Despite everything, he knew the City better than any other place. The death of the city saddens him and he returns to the City to discover what happened.Richard is,more or less, me, though a fictionalized version.

What message are you trying to convey in your novel?

I don’t know if I am trying to send a message. My hopeis I’ve written a good read. But still there is a theme, and that is hope. Richard and his gang of new and old friends are confronted by several gangsters and their henchmen. But they persevere, and hopefully are able to bring true renewal to the City. But among his gang are characters who are lost. For instance, a sexually abused and exploited young woman who learns to find herself and her autonomy; a young ex-con who discovers he is intelligent and capable and may have a future. I truly believe people, both collectively and as individuals, are capable of change. But ittakes courage and support.

What is the last great book you’ve read?

First of all I want to acknowledge my triumvirate of great story tellers: Elmore Leonard, Robert B. Parker, George V. Higgins. Their influence is no doubt clear. However, the last great book I’ve read is Notes On An Execution by Danya Kukafka. Simply brilliant. It is the story of a serial killer told, however, by the women in his life, including his victims, often ignored in serial killer tales.Her prose flows seemingly effortlessly, and her ability to depict characters deeply is a wonder.

What advice would you give budding writer?

            Write.

connect with the author:  facebook ~ goodreads

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Enter the Giveaway:

Enter Competition

Enter Competition

Sarah by Shanna Hatfield Excerpt & Giveaway

Sarah
Shanna Hatfield
Publication date: May 22nd 2025
Genres: Adult, Historical Romance

She desires his heart.
He longs for her love.
Can they find common ground when he returns forever altered by the war.

In a world turned upside down by World War I, all Sarah Richards desires is to love Brett Rawlings and build a future together. After graduating high school a year early, she’s ready to dive into her dreams of college and a home filled with laughter and love. But one impulsive decision threatens all her aspirations—as well as her relationship with Brett.

As the war rages on and men head off to fight, sixteen-year-old Brett reluctantly follows his twin brother, Ben, sneaking off to France to join the American Expeditionary Forces. As the months pass, Ben thrives amidst the chaos of battle, while Brett finds himself haunted by the girl he left behind and the uncertainty of his own heart. When Ben reveals a life-altering secret, the bond between the brothers is shattered, forcing Brett to grapple with betrayal as he faces the brutal realities of war.

Brett returns home a changed man, burdened with memories too heavy to bear, yet yearning to mend the fractures of the past. Will Sarah still be waiting for him, or have time and truth forged an unbridgeable chasm between them?

Find out in this heartfelt historical romance that weaves a tale of hope, grace, forgiveness, and sweet, enduring love.

Goodreads / Amazon

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EXCERPT:

“You have feathers for brains,” Sarah berated herself as Brett closed the distance between them. She accepted the hug he gave her as the impact of how deeply Ben—and inadvertently she—had betrayed him abruptly hit her. The realization of what she’d done made her head begin to pound.

“I’m so glad you came, Sarah. I stopped by to see you earlier, but your mother said you were out, although she didn’t seem to know where. I looked around town and in our usual spots but couldn’t find you,” Brett said, pulling back and giving her a curious glance.

“I’m sorry. I had a busy day,” she said. It had been busy. Sneaking around, being deceived, and making the biggest mistake of her life had taken the entire day.

Brett offered her a smile of such tender warmth, she wanted to burst into tears and confess what had happened. Only she couldn’t. It would ruin the trip, if not cancel it, and Brett had been excited about spending the summer with his grandparents. There would be time enough to sort out all the complicated details when the twins returned in August.

Three months away from Ben might be long enough for her raging wrath to reach a simmering point instead of teetering on the edge of it boiling over at any second.

“I couldn’t let you leave without saying goodbye. I hope you,” she emphasized the word and cast a withering glare at Ben before looking back at Brett, “enjoy your time with your grandparents this summer.”

A shadow passed over Brett’s face, but it was there and gone so quickly, she began to wonder if she’d simply imagined it.

“I’m sure we will. I hope you have a wonderful summer, Sarah Beth.” Brett was the only one who called her that, and every time he said it, her insides felt warm. He leaned down and placed his lips close to Sarah’s ear, making her heart pound in her chest. “No matter what happens, don’t ever forget how much I love you.”

“I won’t. Remember I love you, Brett,” she said, speaking around the sudden tightness in her throat. How could she profess her love to him after what she’d done with Ben? If a bolt of lightning shot out of the sky to strike her down where she stood, she knew she deserved it.

Author Bio:

USA Today Bestselling Author Shanna Hatfield writes sweet romances rich with relatable characters, small town settings that feel like home, humor, and hope.

Her historical westerns have been described as “reminiscent of the era captured by Bonanza and The Virginian” while her contemporary works have been called “laugh-out-loud funny, and a little heart-pumping sexy without being explicit in any way.”

When this farm girl isn’t writing or indulging in rich, decadent chocolate, Shanna hangs out with her husband, lovingly known as Captain Cavedweller. She also experiments with recipes, snaps photos of her adorable nephew, and caters to the whims of a cranky cat named Drooley.

To learn more about Shanna or the books she writes, visit her website http://shannahatfield.com or find out more about her here: linktr.ee/ShannaHatfield

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