Thursday, August 16, 2018

Wednesday, August 15, 2018

Saturday, February 24, 2018

Building Romance & Suspense: Taking My Cues From Nature

Crystal Rock, Wisconsin…

Is a purely fictional resort town where my stories take place. The Dragonfly Pointe Inn has been restored, and in the process, it’s discovered that a human trafficking ring has been operating in the area during the years when the inn was abandoned.

Or has the trafficking been going on for much longer?

Although I don’t write the paranormal fantasy romance that several authors in our Moonlight and Mystery group are great at, I do weave a slight element of fantasy through my stories.

Once two lovers kiss at Dragonfly Pointe? Their love is meant to last forever.

Based loosely on a town where I spent my summers growing up, Crystal Rock symbolizes the magic I felt during the years our extended family owned cabins in Northwest Wisconsin beginning in the early 1900’s. And the inspiration for the Dragonfly Pointe Inn? Another family vacation etched in my memory from a visit to Mackinac Island, the home of the Grand Hotel.

Setting the scene for both romance and suspense, the backdrop is one of the most important elements in my stories. As a former horticulturist, I’ve always had a deep connection with nature, so I actively use sensory images not only to introduce the setting of my stories, but to enhance the romance. There’s the scent of the air, and the beauty of the surroundings, the rustle of squirrels scampering through the branches of trees~even when they’re young, my characters take their cues from nature when they’re fated to fall in love.

Here are some excerpts:

INTRODUCING THE CHARACTERS AND LOCATION:

From-Tales of the Dragonfly In Flight (Romance Suspense)

~The golden orb of the descending sun spun out radiant iridescent beams of light, firing the sky ablaze atop the tranquil sparkling waters of Crystal Rock Lake.

Strolling side by side, Sam Danielson and Penny Wentworth halted under the very arbor where Jake Loughlin and Danielle Reardon had been married earlier that day. Framed by the backdrop of the picturesque Dragonfly Pointe Inn, they both stood mesmerized gazing at the glorious sunset from their perch above the steep rocky shore.

 

~Under the dense shade of the towering white pines, the waterfall spilling wistfully into the lake nearby enhanced the enchantment of their surroundings. Providing ambiance for wedding festivities, sparkling miniature lights shimmered overhead and around the inviting wrapped porch of the inn. With glowing radiance fading into dusk, at that moment, the atmosphere surrounding the inn exuded a mysteriously magical quality.

From Two Hearts Surrendered (Romance)

~Kelly stared at the sunset overlooking the lake–the backdrop for the wedding was absolutely enchanting. As iridescent light spun from the slowly descending sun, a shimmering purple haze danced across the lake like fire. Glancing down at the rosy-purple gown she wore, she noticed that the beading sewn into the bodice glistened, as it was struck by the shimmering light from the sun.
From That Unforgettable Kiss (New Adult Romance Suspense)

~Beams of misty light threaded through dense fog as sunrise began to dimly light up the horizon. Along the shoreline where birdsong echoed, wildlife stirred, rustling awake with the first light of dawn.

As Crystal Rock Lake magically came to life, Kate Callahan sighed contentedly. She loved this time of the day. There was absolutely nothing more beautiful than the sun rising over the lake. Inhaling an invigorating breath of the crisp morning air, she settled back in her seat and slid the key into the ignition. When the engine surged to life, she slipped the inboard into gear. Holding steady while slowly easing away from the pier, peering cautiously through the windshield, she sliced through the denseness of fog maneuvering her vessel through the murky shadows. As she steered further away from the shoreline, the fog began to mysteriously dissipate, drifting upward into swirling waves.

Finally, the fog abruptly disappeared. Blinded by the glare from the rising sun, Kate shoved on her sunglasses and lifted her face into its warmth. With the visibility clear, cranking the motor into high speed, she deftly spun the wheel steering on toward Dragonfly Pointe.

SETTING THE SCENE FOR ROMANCE:

~And then, he kissed her.

Drowning out the beauty from the sliver of the moon overhead and the brightness of the stars, there was only this mesmerizing magical moment. Beneath them, the secreted creatures hovering in the depths of the shadowed lake stirred an occasional ripple.

But to Penny and Sam, both spellbound, the splendor of nature dimmed.

Penny’s unexpected passionate response seemed to throw Sam completely off balance while Penny’s lips eagerly responded to the deepening of his kiss.

AND WHEN THEY'RE KISSED BY FATE:

From Two Hearts Surrendered

~After glancing over at the park, Kelly hesitated, before stepping towards him, and gazing down to where he sat, hunched over in the sand. “Thank you for saving me,” she said, softly.

At that moment, the sun broke through the clouds. A beam of light shown down brightly on Kelly, leaving her backlit by a smoky-blue haze. But the strange thing about it was, Luke wasn’t seeing her as a pretty little six-year old girl anymore. He was envisioning her as the beautiful woman she’d undoubtedly be someday. Her white-blonde hair was dancing over her shoulders, but her fiery-blue eyes were staring accusingly into his.

Luke blinked, before shaking his head in disbelief. He was exhausted, and most likely delirious. He swallowed uncomfortably. But maybe it had something to do with the magic that he’d sensed here at Dragonfly Pointe?

Suddenly, he became aware of the soft, light brush of Kelly’s lips on his shoulder; like the touch of a butterfly, as she kissed him gently on one of his wounds. Luke felt a strange sense of longing. Her kiss made him feel like he’d been blessed–like its power could heal all his wounds.

And unexpectedly, his eyes began to fill with tears.

AND FINALLY, BUILDING SUSPENSE:

From Tales of the Dragonfly In Flight

~Ignoring a sudden shiver of apprehension, she stopped along the path and stared at the steep turbulent drop where water foamed at the base of the falls. The beauty of it all was magnificent, she had to admit. Half-ripped from its anchoring, a trunk of an enormous pine had dropped across the more dynamic division of the river. Had the tree become uprooted in the storm last night? Surveying the area, Vanessa noticed an assortment of felled trees and ripped branches strewn across the path ahead.

It was certainly much cooler today, she observed, beginning to shiver. With the threat of additional storms forecast for this afternoon, Vanessa turned her gaze upward. Sure enough, the clouds were darkening in the sky.

Staring across the river, she noticed two rather proficient teenagers steering a canoe through the current.

But Vanessa was becoming uneasy. The water alongside the opposite riverbank appeared deceptively calm as opposed to the shoreline belonging to the Riverbend Lodge. The actively raging current of the river crashed turbulently against the outcrop where she was standing.

What the...?

Suddenly aware of intense pain pinching her windpipe, Vanessa was unable to scream in protest.

Gazing down gradually in a daze, she felt like she was moving in slow motion observing a flowering bloom of red sponging through the white of her tunic.

Ah, she finally realized—her premonition was actually coming true.

Vanessa could feel herself fading from far, far away.

Releasing a strangled gasp, she silently collapsed onto to the ground.

Lifeless.



About Tamara Ferguson:

Writing steamy yet sweet compassionate stories of fate that are wonderfully romantic, Tamara Ferguson is the multi-award winning, #1 international bestselling author of the Tales of the Dragonfly Romance Suspense Series, the Kissed By Fate New Adult Romance Suspense Series, the Two Hearts Wounded Warrior Romance Series and the Daydreams & Dragonflies Sweet Romance Series.

Her wounded warrior romances, Two Hearts Unspoken, Two Hearts Surrendered, and Two Hearts Undone were all WINNERS at the 2016 Readers’ Favorite International Book Awards; with Two Hearts Unspoken earning the Silver Medal in Military Fiction. Two Hearts Surrendered is also a 2016 New Apple Romance Selection for excellence in Indie Publishing. Two Hearts’ Christmas Wish, the fourth story in the series, was a 2017 IAN Book of the Year Finalist and was voted #13 BEST INDIE BOOK of 2017.

Along with the 2015 Romance Reviews Readers’ Choice Award Winner That Unforgettable Kiss, Two Hearts Surrendered and Two Hearts Unspoken were also finalists for the 2016 IAN Book of The Year. Tales of the Dragonfly In Tandem was a romance finalist in the Indie Excellence Awards, while Tales of the Dragonfly In Flight was a Romance Suspense Winner at the Readers' Favorite International Book Awards.

A member of the RWA, the Authors' Billboard and the Independent Authors’ Book Network, her stories have been included in several #1 bestselling anthologies.

Since she remains a full-time caregiver for an autistic son (along with a bunch of adopted pets!), you can usually find Tammy working at home, where she spends a lot of time not completing her numerous home improvement projects, because she's writing or helping author friends promote their books on twitter.



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Friday, February 2, 2018

Creating Hotel LaBelle

Ideas for stories, characters, and settings come from a variety of experiences—and not all of them good. After sharing numerous travel horror stories with a writing friend, she said, “You should write a book about this!” Ta-dah!! I drew from these trips to create my fictional Victorian mansion and setting for my Hotel LaBelle Series. Tallulah Thompson, Hotel Inspector and her partner and pug, Franny.

My husband and I travel a lot for business and pleasure. Over the forty plus years of our marriage, we have stayed at everything from a stunning boutique hotels to fabulous bed and breakfasts to corporate chains. We even stayed at a Motel 6 in a blizzard in Davenport, Iowa in the late 1970s. It was so cold, my husband had to keep going out and starting the car every two hours so it wouldn’t freeze and we had to put towels at the door to keep snow from blowing in (you may see a theme here). I will share Good, Bad and Ugly hotel experiences.

The Good: Here are the reasons why this stay with a family run bed and breakfast, the Foster Harris House in Washington, Virginia is always a slice of heaven. Elegant and cozy, each spotless room has its own unique personality. We prefer the Mountain View Room which has a sitting area and a shower with about six showerheads, maybe more. I lost count. When you arrive, a covered dish with homemade cookies awaits . As you can see from the photos, breakfast alone was worth the trip, with creative and exciting combinations of taste and visual delight. Dinners were a lovely, leisurely affair. This is not fast food. This is divine food.

Washington, Virginia was George Washington’s (yes, that one) first planned city. Now, not to be too critical, but the town is pretty small and boasts about two stop signs. Don’t let it’s petite stature fool you. It is filled with artists, great cuisine, and is nestled at the base of the Shenandoah Mountain range, right outside the National Park. It is also a short distance to Luray Caverns if you want to see how our earth began. Breathtaking on both counts!

 

The Bad: Here are the reasons why this stay with a large corporate chain was a bad experience (no name because after I launched a letter writing campaign to the corporate customer service department, we did receive a refund).


One of the basic things a human needs in a home, car, or hotel room is heat. When we arrived in Chicago on a windy day in the perpetually windy city, it was overcast and chilly. We were put into a room on the 41st floor that had a sloooooooow flushing toilet and no heat. The next day, we complained and were moved to a newly renovated room on the 45th floor. Soon we discovered the new room (furnished by IKEA, without even dresser for your clothes) also had no heat.

We called and were told by "at your service" (not) that there would be no heat forthcoming, and that “you are the only ones complaining.” They would turn the heat on only after receiving sufficient complaints from the entire hotel. What that magic tipping point was for a majority vote, I do not know, however, the entire hotel system it seems had two settings: hot and cold. And all we got was cold and colder. The thermostat in the room was a fake for show, as it did not work.

In shades of Motel 6, we obtained extra towels to block the draft coming under the door and while in the room had to wear overcoat and blanket to work at the computer. I had no gloves sans fingertips, so to keep writing I had to get up and warm my hands under the hot water in the bathroom.

Downtown Chicago, Illinois is a great WINDY city. We lived there for over a decade. I recommend visiting only during summer and early fall, as the weather is either HOT or COLD, just like the hotel thermostat.

The Ugly: A business trip to St Louis took us to yet another corporate hotel which boasts a low price, free WIFI and complimentary breakfast (powdered eggs, but we won’t go there). When we arrived, my husband dropped me off with the luggage and took off. He did this so I could take a desperately needed nap—and I checked in to Hotel Hell.

The hotel was under construction. Not just a minor renovation, we’re talking jack hammers on every floor, going from 9 am to 7 pm. When I approached the desk, I gave my name, received room key and a bag of goodies: ear plugs, a water bottle and a granola bar. The clerks at the desk found it amusing when I said I really needed a nap. They LAUGHED at me and suggested I put a pillow over my head to go with the ear plugs.

But wait, there’s more…the room had heat and a comfy bed, which was all I really wanted at that point in time. I put on my leopard pajamas, put ear plugs in my ears, eye mask on my face, played my white noise app and dozed off—only to be awoken by the claxon of a FIRE ALARM, lights flashing and instructions to exit the building via the stairs. I leaped out of bed, into my boots, threw my down coat over my leopard pajamas and raced down the stairs of the closest exit, which was somewhere in EAST NOWHERE behind the hotel. I wandered about a half-mile to get to the front entrance, searching for signs of fire engines, smoke, or any other hotel guests outside. There were NONE.

Out of my mind with fatigue and anger, I went back to my room to discover my room key had been DEPROGRAMMED with the drill. I could not get into my room! If it hadn’t been for a sweet maid who let me into my room with her pass key (she was also not told about the fire drill!) I think I would still be in jail on homicide charges. No jury in the world would have convicted me.


I decided to create my own happy space, a historic hotel on the banks of the Yellowstone River in Billings, Montana, the Hotel LaBelle. In my first book in the Hotel LaBelle Series, The Haunting of Hotel LaBelle, Tallulah Thompson, a hotel inspector and her pug Franny meet the man of her dreams—but he’s not in our world. Cursed by a powerful Native American Medicine woman, Lucius Stewart, the original hotel owner, is in between worlds in limbo and stunned she can see him. She’s there to help the new owner and he wants to stop the clod from destroying the property. Can she reverse the curse without making matters worse? I took my bad and ugly experiences hotel experiences (including that ugly IKEA furniture!) and threw in a shady operator to keep readers in suspense in this tale.

In Legacy of Evil, readers have the opportunity to check back into Hotel LaBelle, catch up with their old friends, Tallulah and Lucius, and make some new ones while visiting the Crow Reservation and an abandoned Air Force base. When Special Agent and remote viewer Bronco Winchester is dispatched to assist horse whisperer Emma Blackfeather, it’s hate at first sight. There’s a way to get into a domestic terrorist group wreaking havoc from the skies. Will posing as newlyweds cause their mission—and budding romance—to crash and burn?

What about you? Have you ever stayed at a hotel and thought, “There’s a story in this place”?

Friday, January 26, 2018

The Allure Of Lake Lanier

My Favorite Setting Evolved From The Allure Of Lake Sidney Lanier


I love to talk about the setting of my Lake Lanier Mysteries series. I live on the northern shores and, gazing across the shimmering water, you'd never suspect the lake is filled with secrets, or that it never gives up its dead. The spine-chilling history and spooky lore attached to this man-made vista speaks of a town time forgot. A sleepy rural area with homes, churches, and businesses, still lingers beneath the surface. The eerie lore inspired my series. What better setting to create a story with natural mystery, suspense, and a love that spanned across time?

 



The creepy stories attached to Atlanta's famous man-made lake, Sidney Lanier, fascinated me. Research lured me into the lives of 1940's moonshiners and added built-in suspense with the birth of NASCAR. Looper Speedway, a half-mile dirt track where bootleggers competed with their souped-up cars, bared its cement stands in a recent draught and the photographs fed the fodder. 

The spine-chilling lore holds whispers...


of a Lady of the Lake who haunts the ghost town beneath the surface. Some say she lures victims to her watery grave. In truth, swimmers get trapped among the deadfall of sheered-off trees and town remains. Even expert divers fall victim when they get tangled within the murky depths, hence the lake's unnerving curse that Lanier never gives up its dead.

The Allure Of Lake LanierStrange phenomena, unexplained disappearances, and supernatural sightings continually plague the 38,000 acre lake, but the eerie stories don't stop the over 10 million annual visitors that come to enjoy the amenities. And the fodder feeds my muse daily, when I gaze through my office window. Dreaming-up mysterious tales is not just what I do, it's who I am, am and Lake Sidney Lanier inspires me.

Ideas for my series swirled through my mind with alluring whispers and a plausible theory: What if excavation explosions induced a seismic shift and, given enough energy, could open a portal to a different dimension or a rip in time. I loved the possibilities. Once the elements entwined, Beneath The Lake blossomed with an energy and life of its own.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwOqm8DUUfA&feature=youtu.be

The sequel, Beyond The Mist, was published September of 2017, the perfect month for the storyline, picking up where Beneath The Lake ended and incorporating two minor characters as the new hero and heroine. But this stand-alone story challenges Lake Lanier's secret time portal by spinning the characters into 2001, and the terrorist attack on The World Trade Center.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bj6ySTh_7xI

Another beloved character plunges back to 1865 Georgia, evades the grasp of some renegade Civil War soldiers and discovers the secret to a century old mystery about millions of dollars in missing Confederate gold. Between The Shadows is scheduled for release this summer, so don't miss the big launch.

As a writer, I spin ideas from scenery, people, news stories, and every-day events, but nothing inspires me more than Atlanta's Lake Lanier.

My Lake Lanier Mysteries can be found in print, e-book and Audible. To discover the portal, start with Beneath The Lake. 


A ghost town submerged beneath Atlanta's famous man-made Lake Lanier reportedly lures victims to a watery grave. But when Lacey Montgomery's car spins out of control and hurtles into the depths of the icy water, she awakens in the arms of a stranger, in a town she's never heard of--34 years before she was born.

When the 2012 lawyer tangles with a 1949 hunk, fire and ice swirl into a stream of sweltering desire. Bobby Reynolds is smitten the moment the storm-ravaged woman opens her eyes and, despite adamant protest, Lacey falls in love with a town destined for extinction, and the man who vows to save his legacy.

Threatened by a nefarious stalker, the wrath of bootleggers, and twists of fate, Lacey must find the key to a mysterious portal before time rips the lovers apart, leaving their star-crossed spirits to wander forever through a ghost town buried beneath the lake.

Availible on Amazon Audible &

through the Wild Rose Press

Then take another journey through the mysterious portal to the 2001 terrorist attack on The World Trade Center and experience a tale that will spin you Beyond The Mist.


Piper Taylor concedes she’ll never fall in love, until a treacherous storm spirals her into the arms of the handsome Nick Cramer. Unrelenting remorse over a past relationship haunts Nick, but he can’t deny the mysterious connection and hot desire Piper evokes.

The allure of a secret portal hidden beneath Atlanta’s Lake Lanier tempts him into seizing the opportunity to change his mistakes. But his time slip triggers consequences beyond his wildest dreams.

Can Piper avoid the international espionage and terrorism of 2001 New York, find Nick, and bring him home before he alters the fabric of time, or will the lovers drift forever Beyond The Mist?

Find me:


Website: casimclean.com

Twitter: @casimclean

Facebook: Casi McLean

FB Author Page: Casi McLean-Author

Goodreads: Casi McLean

Amazon Author Page: Casi McLean

 

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