RAMBLINGS & RECIPES - COASTAL MAGIC 2019 Recap!

Oh how I love a good book convention! And Coastal Magic is one of my favorites! Jennifer Morris has put on this fabulous event each and every year for the past seven years, and it just keeps getting better and better each time! Great authors and great readers attending!

And for a book convention to be held in Daytona Beach, Florida in February is a definite positive for those suffering the cold winter up north! Yes, we were right there on the beach, watching the waves roll up on the sand, seagulls scurrying around and amazing sunrises over the water!

We arrived a day early so that we could lend Jennifer a hand with registration and stuffing the fabulous Welcome Bags that each attendee received. These were stuffed with books and swag contributed by the various authors. Each attendee also received a fabulous T-shirt (super soft and so cute!). The shirts were donated by Dreamspinner and Jennifer Morris is the person who designed these adorable shirts!

Prior to the official start of Coastal Magic, Book Lovers Con presented a Writers' Mini Boot Camp. I understand that it was well attended!

Later that night we had a MARDI GRAS theme Welcome Mingle, with "King Cake" cupcakes and New Orleans Jazz music. 

In New Orleans style, some of those cupcakes had a baby hidden inside. If you found one, you not only had good luck and prosperity for the coming year, but you also got a free drink! Debra Jess was one of the lucky winners!  Of course there was a sign of warning!

PLEASE DO NOT CHOKE ON THE BABIES!


It was a fun evening with lots of flair!

I managed to get some Mardi Gras beads on Hank Edwards, and take a few pictures of Cynthia D'Alba, Darynda Jones, Becca Jameson and Lucienne Diver.

Ohmigosh! 

It was so much fun mingling with these great authors!  

It was all I could do to not go all fan-girl when I saw Darynda Jones! Have you read her Charley Davidson books? WOW! 

And Cynthia D'Alba has such a great sense of humor along with some really great books. I love these ladies!


After a delicious breakfast at the Hilton Daytona Beach Resort restaurant, we wandered on in to a few of the panel discussions (although I'm not sure I should call them discussions because there was more laughter than words at some of them). 

I started my morning with "We Are Family" as we chatted with authors about how they felt including marriage and children in their stories. Those authors included Tere Michaels, Victoria Sue, Sonali Dev, Tawdra Kandle and S.E. Smith.


The next panel I attended was an all-time favorite, "Trope, Trope, Trope... Goose!" This is where we discussed our favorite story tropes. With Cynthia D'Alba, Hildie McQueen, Bru Baker, Rene Folsom and Amy Lane, you know we had some laughs. And I'm so glad I got this photo when I did because Cynthia worked so hard getting that blanket up on the wall for the three minutes that it actually stayed there.


After that, it was time for me to get back to work because I was moderating the next panel "You're my Inspiration".  I had a great panel of authors answering questions about what inspires their writing, but because I was working I didn't get a chance to take pictures. (sigh)  

After lunch, I sat in on "The Sweet Stuff" where we talked ROMANCE! This was a fun panel that included Rene Folsom, Damon Suede, April Alieda, Hildie McQueen and Tawdra Kandle.  Laugh? Oh yes! With Damon Suede in the panel, I laughed until my sides ached!

But the laughter didn't stop there because my all-time favorite panel was next... "Improve Flash Fiction"! This is where the authors create a story, round-robin style, based on audience prompts. The creativity flowed and the laughter was non-stop!

Later that night was another all-time favorite... Cinema Craptastique! That's where they show a totally crappy movie, but with Damon Suede as emcee, it was quite entertaining!

Saturday morning started out with more panels before we broke for "Lunch With an Author". Okay... I'm definitely going all fan-girl here because I was able to have lunch with one of my favorite authors, S.E. Smith! 

I am currently in the middle of reading her Dragon Lords of Valdier series and loving each and every book! On top of being such an amazing author, she is genuinely an extremely nice person.

There were two authors at each table for lunch, so I was actually able to sit with Tere Michaels as well. Yes! Another fabulous author and terrific person!

Oh! And if you're a foodie, the lunch was Tex-Mex and yummy!

After lunch we had our choice of "Second Nature" panel discussion or "RooMADnce LIBS Meet & Greet", which took Mad Libs to a whole new level!

Then came the Public Book Sale/Signing! Wow! So many books and so little room on my shelves. I'm hoping I can sneak into my house later without hubby seeing how many books I brought home. **wink**

We had Amy Lane and Lucy Lennox...

And there was Cynthia D'Alba (if you can see her behind her mountain of books!) In addition to having some great books for sale, Cynthia was giving away some awesome swag, including a cute magnetized chip clip. I grabbed one of those! I always seem to need those little clips.







And Darynda Jones was autographing books too! Even though I've already read several of her Charley Davidson series ebooks, I couldn't help myself and bought First Grave on the Right (Book 1) again in paperback... just so that I could get a signed copy! 

I'm sure she must have had writer's cramp by the end of the day. 

There were so many people crowded around her table, I'm glad I got to chat with her later.

This was the first time James Hunter has been to Coastal Magic, and although very popular, he was a new-to-me author.  After meeting him and learning more about his books, he is now on my TBR list! Love those book covers!

And then there was Kiernan Kelly. This lady totally amazed the audience during the Flash Fiction panel. Witty and quick, she had us in hysterics! 

Kiernan was sitting right next to Tawdra Kandle. Sorry Tawdra! I snapped the picture as you looked away.

Lucienne Diver and Hank Edwards shared a table. Both of these authors are talented and fun with some awesome books!

Mandie Stevens was pulling double duty! She is both an author and a Featured Blogger at Coastal Magic Convention. Check out her blog at "Taking Time for Mommy"! 

So many authors! I have more pictures, but space just won't let me allow to post them all.

Susan Smith (known in the author world as S.E. Smith) had a table heaping with books, dragons and swag.  Did you see the amazing fans she was giving out? Perfect for those warm Florida days! And T-shirts! Super cute! I got a pack of hand drawn Christmas cards that are so adorable!

At the end of the day, my daughter Tracy, my granddaughter Jen, Susan Smith, Narelle Todd (seen standing next to Susan in the picture) and I went to dinner together to a nearby restaurant, Caribbean Jack's. We had such a great time getting to know each other. Susan and Narelle are absolutely delightful and we had an amazing evening!

One more thing I must post before I go... THE CHARITY RAFFLE!  Every year, the generous authors provide awesome baskets, filled with books, wine, and all things good. These baskets are then raffled off on Sunday morning. All proceeds go to Habitat for Humanity. 

Although none of my tickets won a basket this year, I did win a beautiful basket from Tawdra Kandle as part of the I Wanna Be Loved Bayou social media game. Mine was filled with all things London to coincide with Tawdra's book "The Anti-Cinderella Takes London". 

Thank you Tawdra!


I have many more pictures, and I could probably talk about more of the panels and other happenings, but instead I'll just add that you really need to be there! Mark your calendars for next year! Coastal Magic is an event you seriously do not want to miss!

Fajita's

  1/4 cup lime juice

  2 tablespoons olive oil

  4 cloves garlic, crushed

  2 teaspoons soy sauce

  1 teaspoon salt

  1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke

  1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

  1/4 teaspoon black pepper

  1 lb. sirloin steak or boneless, skinless chicken breasts

  1 teaspoon soy sauce

  1/2 teaspoon lime juice

  1 dash of salt

  1 dash of black pepper

  1 tablespoon olive oil

  1/2 large green bell pepper, seeded, sliced thin

  1/2 large red bell pepper, seeded, sliced thin

  1/2 large yellow bell pepper, seeded, sliced thin

Procedure

1).  Combine the lime juice, oil, garlic, soy sauce, salt, liquid smoke, peppers, and either sirloin or the chicken in a bowl and cover.  Refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.

2).  Grill meat over medium flame 4-5 minutes on each side.  (You can also sauté the meat on the stove, if you don’t have a grill.)  Remove meat and cut into thin strips.  Set aside and keep warm.

3).  Combine the 2 tablespoons water, soy sauce, lime juice, salt and pepper.  Set aside.

4).  Cook onion and peppers in oil until brown.  Remove from heat.  Pour reserved mixture over onions and peppers.

5).  Combine meat, onions and peppers.  Serve on warm tortillas.  Serve with shredded cheddar cheese, tomatoes (or pico de gallo), lettuce, sour cream, guacamole and salsa.

*Note:  I like to add the onions to the marinade with the meat for additional flavor. 

Book Review - FIRST GRAVE ON THE RIGHT by Darynda Jones

Title:  First Grave on the Right (Charley Davidson, Book 1)
Author:  Darynda Jones
Genre:  Mystery, Suspense, Thriller
Release Date:  February 1, 2011

About the Book:

First Grave on the Right is the smashing, award-winning debut novel that introduces Charley Davidson: part-time private investigator and full-time Grim Reaper.

Charley sees dead people. That's right, she sees dead people. And it's her job to convince them to "go into the light." But when these very dead people have died under less than ideal circumstances (i.e., murder), sometimes they want Charley to bring the bad guys to justice. Complicating matters are the intensely hot dreams she's been having about an Entity who has been following her all her life...and it turns out he might not be dead after all. In fact, he might be something else entirely.

This is a thrilling debut novel from Darynda Jones, an exciting newcomer to the world of paranormal romantic suspense.

First Grave on the Right is the winner of the 2012 Rita Award for Best First Book.

Buy Links: Amazon 

My Review:

As I was preparing for my trip to a book convention where one of the featured authors was none other than Darynda Jones, I realized that I wasn't familiar with her books.  This astonished a few of my friends. Since I was driving to the convention in a couple of days, I ordered "First Grave on the Right" on Audible, thinking that I could listen to it as I drove. I downloaded the book onto my phone and then tested it to make sure it downloaded accurately. After listening for just a few minutes, I realized I was hooked. I could not put this down. I could not wait the two days for my driving trip. I needed to listen NOW. Much to my husband's dismay, I listened from start to finish and then started searching Audible to download the next book in this series.

Charley Davidson is snarky, sassy and tough! She also sees dead people. I absolutely love this character!

Darynda Jones has created a series that is totally entertaining! Great writing, great characters, great storyline! I can't wait to read more from this author.

My Rating: 

About the Author:

NYTimes and USA Today Bestselling Author Darynda Jones has won numerous awards for her work, including a prestigious RITA, a Golden Heart, and a Daphne du Maurier, and her books have been translated into 18 languages. As a born storyteller, Darynda grew up spinning tales of dashing damsels and heroes in distress for any unfortunate soul who happened by, and she is ever so grateful for the opportunity to carry on that legacy. She currently has two series with St. Martin's Press: The Charley Davidson Series and the Darklight Trilogy. She lives in the Land of Enchantment, also known as New Mexico, with her husband and two beautiful sons, the Mighty, Mighty Jones Boys. 

**MEET DARYNDA JONES IN PERSON AT THE COASTAL MAGIC CONVENTION IN DAYTONA BEACH, FEBRUARY 28 - MARCH 3, 2019

RAMBLINGS & RECIPES - Ever Been to a Book Convention?

I'll be spending today packing my bags and getting ready to attend my first book convention of 2019. There will be several more as the year progresses, but I really look forward to the Coastal Magic Convention in Daytona Beach each year.

How great is that!! Daytona Beach in February! Pay close attention if you live up north and are shivering in the cold and shoveling snow to your front door. 

Now you may ask... what does a person pack when attending one of these conventions? Other than beachwear, that is.

The answer is different for each convention, based on the theme. For Coastal Magic, I'm packing a bright, sparkly purple top, a feathered mask, and lots of beads in purple, green and gold. Yes! The theme for this one is MARDI GRAS! 

I will have lots of extra beads to share, so if you are attending, come find me! No need to flash! (Please!) Just ask.

Oh! And be sure to take along an extra suitcase for transporting all the wonderful books you will end up buying, along with swag and gift baskets and all kinds of stuff you will receive!

Attending these book conventions gives you a chance to really get to know the attending authors. You have time to chat with them, have lunch with them, play games with them, and even buy books from them! And they are more than happy to sign that book for you.

And even if you can't attend the entire convention, stop by the Hilton Daytona Beach Oceanfront Resort on Saturday, March 2nd between 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM where once again, Coastal Magic will be accepting donations for a local branch of HABITAT FOR HUMANITY. The signing is a free activity, and is open to the public.

I'll be heading north from the Keys to pick up one of my daughters in the Orlando area before heading back east to Daytona Beach, and we will be meeting my other daughter and my granddaughter there in Daytona. Once there, I will be taking lots of pictures and... yes... posting them here on my blog and Facebook page. So, watch for it!

Mojitos by the pitcher

Yield:  12 one-cup servings

Ingredients:
      3 cups (packed) fresh mint leaves
      9 Tablespoons sugar
      1½ cups light rum
      ½ cup fresh lime juice
      6 cups club soda
      6 cups crushed ice
      12 lime wedges

Preparation:

1. Reserve 12 mint leaves for garnish.  Place remaining mint leaves in a medium bowl.
2. Add sugar and mash with wooden spoon until mint is aromatic and oils are released.
3. Add rum and lime juice and stir until sugar dissolves.
4. Strain mixture into a pitcher.  (Can be prepared 2 hours ahead; refrigerate.)
5. Add club soda to pitcher; gently stir.
6. Fill each of 12 glasses with ¾ cup crushed ice.  Pour mojito over ice and garnish each glass with 1 mint leaf and 1 lime wedge.

Book Review - SAY YOU'RE SORRY By Karen Rose

Title:  Say You're Sorry - Book 1 of the Sacramento Series
Author:  Karen Rose
Genre:  Romance, Mystery, Suspense, Thriller
Release Date:  February 12, 2019

About the Book:

Introducing the first book in the new pulse-pounding Sacramento series from New York Times bestselling author Karen Rose.

There is a serial killer on the loose, preying on vulnerable women. The only identifiable mark the killer leaves are letters—sometimes one, sometimes two—all carved into the torsos of his victims.  Together they spell “Sydney.” 

When he grabs Daisy Dawson, he believes he has found his next victim. But despite her small stature, she fights back with an expertise that quickly frees her. Before fleeing the scene, Daisy also manages to grab what proves to be crucial evidence: a necklace from around the killer’s neck. 

The necklace is more than a trivial item—it is a link to a cold case that Special Agent Gideon Reynolds has been tracking for seventeen years. With Daisy’s help, Gideon finally has the opportunity to get closer to the truth than ever before. 

But they might not get the chance, as the serial killer has a new target: Gideon and Daisy.

Buy Links: Amazon 

My Review:

Wow! Another great thriller/suspense/romance novel by one of my favorite authors, Karen Rose!  In typical Rose fashion, this one starts out with a spine-tingling, horrifying event that makes you want to sit up straight and not put this book down until the very last page. Yes, that's what it did. And now I am anxiously waiting for more books in this series.

This one wasn't so much of a mystery, but the action and suspense was still awesome! The characters were multi-faceted, showing their strong sides and their weak sides, their vulnerabilities and their strengths. 

The story centers around Daisy and Gideon and a link between the two involving a heart-shaped locket. Even though the main characters were fascinating, many of the other characters worked their way into my heart as well. The Sokolovs melted my heart with the way they brought Gideon and Daisy into their family fold, always being there for them. And Danton and Sammie showed the reader how important a bit of kindness can be and how wonderful it is to "pay it forward". 

The story was a bit drawn out in places, with things being repeated, but I can overlook that because the story was just so dang good!

My Rating: 

About the Author:

Internationally bestselling, RITA-award winning, author Karen Rose was born and raised in the Maryland suburbs of Washington, DC. She met her husband, Martin, on a blind date when they were seventeen and after they both graduated from the University of Maryland, (Karen with a degree in Chemical Engineering) they moved to Cincinnati, Ohio. Karen worked as an engineer for a large consumer goods company, earning two patents, but as Karen says, “scenes were roiling in my head and I couldn't concentrate on my job so I started writing them down. I started out writing for fun, and soon found I was hooked.”

Her debut suspense novel, DON'T TELL, was released in July, 2003. Since then, she has published fifteen more novels and two novellas. Her eighteenth novel, EVERY DARK CORNER, was released in 2017 and EDGE OF DARKNESS was released in February of 2018.

Karen's books have appeared on the bestseller lists of the New York Times, USA Today, London's Sunday Times, and Germany's der Spiegel (#1), and the Irish Times, as well as lists in South Africa (#1) and Australia!

Her novels, I'M WATCHING YOU and SILENT SCREAM, received the Romance Writers of America's RITA award for Best Romantic Suspense for 2005 and 2011. Five of her other books have been RITA finalists. To date, her books have been translated into more than twenty languages.

A former high school teacher of chemistry and physics, Karen lives in Florida with her husband of more than twenty years, two dogs, and a cat.

Come See Me at COASTAL MAGIC!

Today may be the last day for full registration! And do you know what that means? Tomorrow is the first day of February. And do you know what that means?

It means that it's only a few more weeks until a swarm of Readers, Bloggers, Book Reviewers, and Authors (lots of authors) convene on beautiful Daytona Beach, Florida for the seventh annual 

Coastal Magic Convention! 

This is an amazing event!  One that I look forward to every year!

The whole thing starts on February 28th and lasts until March 3rd. Registration is limited to only 300 total attendees. If you can't get a ticket for the whole event, come out on Saturday, March 2nd for the 'free to the public' book signing event.  Stroll around the numerous tables and chat with the authors. You can buy books and have the authors sign them, or just come check out what's available. And I must say that these authors are some of the most amazing people you could possibly meet!

This year's theme is MARDI GRAS! 

That is going to be so much fun!

Come and find me and I'll give you your very own Mardi Gras beads!  

But PLEASE do not flash me. I'm sure they are lovely, but I really, really, really do NOT want to see your.... um... you know what what I mean. 

If you ARE lucky enough to get a full registration ticket you can look forward to some awesome events!  

Aside from the Mardi Gras Welcome Mingle... 

You get to have lunch with one of your favorite Authors! 

Play games! 

Make some awesome swag! 

Have some laughs with Cinama Craptastique with our special emcee, Damon Suede! OMG... this guy is hilarious!

Mingle and get to know some fantastic people and check out some totally awesome books!

If you're a writer or would like to learn more about becoming a writer, there will be a Mini Boot Camp (separate charge for this) on Thursday, February 28th.

For more information and a list of all the fabulous authors attending, check out the Coastal Magic website at:

https://coastalmagicconvention.com/

I hope to see you there!!

The Novel Lady Interviews Author S.E. Smith

Janna and I are so excited to be here with Author S.E. Smith!  I may have to restrain Janna from going all fan-girl here. She is such a huge fan of this author! (But then again, so am I!)  S.E. Smith is a New York Times, USA TODAY, International and Award-winning Bestselling author of Science Fiction, Urban Fantasy, Western Time Travel, and Paranormal Romance. Her addictive story lines bring action, adventure, and suspense-filled tales mixed with humor and romance to readers around the world. She has also written emotionally charged, action-packed stories for Young Adults and children that will take them on a journey they will never forget. 

Scherry:  Welcome Susan! Thanks for joining us here at The Novel Lady.  Tell us a little about yourself and your background?

S.E. Smith:  I love meeting up with you and Janna, Scherry. Thank you so much for taking the time out of your super busy schedule! A brief history of me... LOL. Okay, let’s see if I can do a sixty-second overview. I was born in the wilds of Montana—or at least in a place known as the Home of the Adventurous. I have degrees in Electronics (the geek in me), Elementary Education, and a Master’s in Integrating Technology in the Curriculum. Steve and I have been married almost 33 years and have four wonderful children, three grandchildren, and an assortment of furry-grandkids. I published my first four books in 2012 and now have over 70 books in a wide range of genres that feed my soul. Whew! 

Scherry:  Wow! That's a lot of books! What do you do when you’re not writing? Do you have any hobbies or guilty pleasures? 

S.E. Smith:  My hubby is always on me about finding balance and I’m working on that. I love to play Solitaire and watching CGIMeetup on Youtube, but my guilty pleasure is going to the movies and camping. I love movies that take me away, usually fantasy, scifi, animations, etc. They all have to have an HEA. 

Scherry:  Where do you do most of your writing?  Sitting on the couch with your feet propped up?  Steadfast at a writing desk?  Lounging on the beach with a recording device in your hand?

S.E. Smith:  I write just about any and everywhere. Sitting in a chair in front of the windows when I’m in North Carolina, or at my desk or on the couch in Florida most of the time, but honestly, I write everywhere.

Scherry:  When and why did you begin writing?

S.E. Smith:  I began writing around 2010 after the big economy crash in 2008. I was going through a period I like to call ‘My Rebellion’. I had been let go and rehired by the School Board I was working for, but the knowledge that someone/company could have so much control over my life hit me hard. I’d always given extra and worked as hard as I could and yet it was as if none of that mattered. I understand I was taking things personal when it wasn’t, but it was an eye-opener to the power other people/things had over my life. I escaped into the world of books, but over time I became frustrated trying to find the kind of books I wanted to read, with characters that I could relate to—strong women who were not perfect but still feminine; strong men who weren’t afraid to grow and appreciate that to be a couple, it meant balance. No one can be strong all the time and we all have our strengths. My hubby and I are two halves that make a whole. When Steve suggested I get a hobby, I thought, okay—and began writing. That was the beginning of where I am now and I continue to move forward.

Janna:  I’m a HUGE fan! I’ve read your Dragon Lords of Valdier series and the Sarafin Warriors series. I LOVE Cara from Capturing Cara. She’s such a kickass, feisty heroine – and omg, I want to be friends with her. Most authors have a special place in their heart for a few particular characters or books. Which of your books or characters is your favorite and why?

S.E. Smith:  LOL. Thank you. Cara is dear to my heart. I think if I were to pick three characters it would be Gracie (Gracie’s Touch: Zion Warriors Book 1), Hannah (Hannah’s Warrior: Cosmos’ Gateway Book 2), and Trisha (Tracking Trisha: Dragon Lords of Valdier Book 3). Each character has a quiet determination not to give up. They keep fighting for what they believe in, but you can feel their struggle. Gracie’s enduring hope and humor, Hannah’s quiet reflection and compassion, and Trisha’s need for solitude and her search for peace mixed with grit all deeply resonate with me. 

Janna:  I have to admit that I read your Dragon Lords of Valdier series twice because I was fascinated with how they shared the same timeline. You’re one of the first authors I’ve read in this genre who did this (and did it well). Did you have a hard time keeping everything straight? How did you keep it organized?

S.E. Smith:  I’m a pantser, so everything is written without me knowing what is going to happen. My stories run like real life movies in my head, so I simply pause them and when I go back to them, they start up where I left off. Sometimes I’ll write something and not understand until four or five books later. I loved writing the same scenes from different points of view as we all bring something different to the events that happen to us. Our past experiences play a huge part in how we each handle some situations. For me, my stories are like real life—not everything happens in series; it often happens in parallel where our path crosses before we part again and go about our day. If you think about your life, you’ll see what I mean. We’ve each been going about our day, with things happening, then our lives cross and we interact together, until we part and continue. My worlds do this, making them emulate what is happening in a real world thus making them appear realistic. 

Scherry:  You have so many books out! Really, really great books!  Seems like there is something for everyone! I absolutely loved ‘Indiana Wild’. Great western romance with a twist… Time Travel! Your writing talent encompasses so many different genres!  When writing, do you have a preference?  

S.E. Smith:  I love writing a wide variety genres. In a traditionally published world, this would have been impossible to do because they want to box you into one genre. I know it can be frustrating to readers, which I hope they will understand. I decided early on to brand me as a writer, not my writing based on a specific genre. I promised myself that I would only do this as long as it was fun. When it wasn’t fun any longer, I would walk away with no regrets. In order to do that, I need to feed my soul. I always think what if I never wrote the story that a character is begging me to write? What if it is lost in a void, alone in the dark space, floating unloved, untold and that is the one story that makes the difference to one other person besides myself? How can you tell it that it isn’t important when it may be the most important one of all? I see a young story, sitting in an empty void of black space, her head bowed as she has her legs drawn up to her chest, huddled and softly crying at being forgotten. 

Scherry:  Can you tell us a bit about your most recent release?

S.E. Smith:  My newest releases are Core’s Attack: Cosmos’ Gateway Book 6 and a free Dragonlings’ story called Jabir’s Very Special Christmas Gift: A Dragonlings of Valdier short. Core’s Attack is part of my original series starting with Tink’s Neverland. I knew when I wrote Avery’s character that I needed to write her story. I love that she is strong, yet so vulnerable. I also love that Core never tries to change who she is, but accept her. That is the biggest thing in my stories—love is not about changing a person, but accepting who they are—strengths, weaknesses, faults, and finding that those are what makes you fall in love with them. They both understand and appreciate who they are inside and accept that.

Jabir’s Very Special Christmas Gift came as a surprise write. These are often my favorite as they always touch my heart. Jabir is the smallest of the original dragonlings. He also has a HUGE heart. This heartwarming tale follows Jabir as he desperately tries to give the misfit animals that live on his mountain a special Christmas and the love he finds when his friends and family come together to help him. P.S.—You’ll need a box of tissue when you read this, but I guarantee the story will leave you with a smile.

 https://dl.bookfunnel.com/4m5l2yxozr

Janna:  How much research did you do for your latest novel?

S.E. Smith:  I actually do a lot of research for my stories. From the types of weapons they use, to the places the characters go. I love Google Earth and Streetview as I can walk the streets of just about any place in the world. 

Janna:  What’s the strangest thing you’ve ever researched for one of your books?

S.E. Smith:  LOL. I’m waiting for Homeland Security to come knocking at my door. I think the interior of the Pentagon for Command Decision: Project Gliese Book 1 is one of my most challenging. I talked to people who had been inside the building, looked at diagrams, etc. so that I could get a realistic feel for the story. I also spent a lot of time talking to individuals who had been in the military to get the dialogue right.

Scherry:  How long does it normally take you to write a book?

S.E. Smith:  My writing fluctuates, but typically 45 days to write a full novel (anywhere from 62K-94K). You have to remember that I have four kids, a husband, grandchildren, and as a business owner a lot of other responsibilities than just writing. This is one reason why I write anywhere and everywhere. 

Scherry:  What is next for you?  Do you have any scheduled upcoming releases or works in progress?

S.E. Smith:  I am currently finishing Saving Runt: Cosmos’ Gateway Book 7 and then finishing Ruth and the King of the Giants and The Magic Shell which are part of my Seven Kingdoms (Contemporary Fantasy series). All three are already in progress. 

Scherry:  How can fans contact you/learn more about you?

Emails:

sesmith@montanapublishinghouse.com

sesmithfl@gmail.com

sesmith@montanapublishinghouse.com

sesmithya@gmail.com

Websites: 

https://sesmithfl.com

https://sesmithya.com

https://montanapublishinghouse.com

https://magicnewmexico.com

SES Events (Meets & Greet): 

sesmithfl.com/meet-greet-events

Blog RSS Feed:  

https://www.sesmithfl.com/?feed=rss2 

Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/se.smith.5

Facebook Readers Group by SES:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/ReadersofSESmith 

Facebook Readers Group by Nikki Mann:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/431312713717470/

Facebook Messenger Bot: 

https://m.me/se.smith.5

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sesmithfl 

@sesmithfl

Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/sesmithfl/s-e-smith 

Google+: https://plus.google.com/117606296714572653087/

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sesmithfl

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/sesmithfl

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Scherry:  Susan, thank you so much for joining us here at The Novel Lady!

I’m looking forward to seeing you at Coastal Magic next month!

Readers, if you would like to meet S.E. Smith in person, stop by the Coastal Magic Convention in Daytona Beach in February 2019. Susan is one of our favorite Featured Authors. 

For more information about #CM2019, check out the web page at www.coastalmagicconvention.com.

If you haven’t experienced the writing of Author S.E. Smith yet, check out the books listed below!

Abducting Abby: Dragon Lords of Valdier Book 1 (free read)

Abby Tanner’s peaceful existence is shattered when she finds an alien spaceship on her mountain. Zoran Reykill’s desperate escape from his captors sends him to an unknown world. He discovers what his dragon and symbiot already recognized—his true mate—a rare and precious gift. Zoran will do anything to protect Abby—even if it means abducting her.

The beginning of an epic saga! Discover new worlds, clashes of cultures, schemes of power, revenge, rescues, and above all, hope….

Abby Tanner was content to live on her mountain creating works of art and enjoying the peace and quiet until a golden space ship crash lands with the King of the Valdier inside, desperately hurt. 

Zoran Reykill knew he had to find a safe place to heal after he escapes from a Curizan military post. When his symbiosis Mothership takes him to an unknown planet he finds more than he expects – he finds his true mate. The only problems are Abby doesn’t understand a thing he says and the local sheriff wants her, too. 

Hunter’s Claim: The Alliance Book 1

Hunter is an elite Trivator warrior sent to seek out new worlds. Shocked when a strange human female risks her life for him, Hunter finds in her a reward beyond comprehension to a Trivator warrior, a family. Can he convince Jesse he can give her and her younger sisters a better life on his world?

The Trivators came to bring Earth into the Alliance of Star Systems, but now they have to take control of Earth to prevent the humans from destroying it in the panicked chaos. The Trivators aren’t prepared for how humans will affect their own lives, though, starting with a family of three sisters….

Alone in a world gone mad with just her younger sisters, Jesse Sampson has learned to use the darkness and the remains of Seattle to keep what is left of her family alive. She has seen the savage side of human nature and found they are not much different from the aliens who conquered the Earth.

Hunter belongs to a unit of Trivators who specialize in quelling violent uprisings. His ability to track and capture is renowned, but he finds the tables turned when he is the one captured by a group of ruthless humans. 

Hunter is shocked when a strange human female risks her life to help him escape, only to disappear into the ruins of the city. He now has a new mission: finding the female who saved his life. 

Tink’s Neverland: Cosmos’ Gateway Book 1

When a friend’s experiment creates a portal to another world, Tink finds herself swept into a faraway galaxy she thought only existed in the movies.

She touched his hand, and everything changed....

Jasmine “Tinker” Bell has always had a love for life, looking forward to any new adventure that happens to come along, but when a friend’s experiment creates a portal to another world, she finds herself immersed in far more adventure than she ever dreamed.

J’kar ’Tag Krell Manok had given up hope of ever finding his bond mate. Then a pint-size female unlike anything he has ever seen suddenly appears on his spaceship to save the life of his brother, and disappears just as suddenly. He will do anything, follow her anywhere, to get her back - and he just might be able to do that, because she left a very important piece of technology behind...

Discover new worlds, new species, and the hilarity that can ensue when Tink, an eternally optimistic, quirky, small town mechanic meets J’kar, a serious Prime warrior from a far-off galaxy who is used to being in control!

Internationally acclaimed S.E. Smith presents a new action-packed story full of adventure and romance. Brimming with her signature humor, vivid scenes, and beloved characters, this book is sure to be another fan favorite!