Interview with Susan Lute

First let me say, thank you for having me, Wenona. And secondly, I love your site and all the wonderful color. It looks like a party's going on at your place!

Thank you, Susan. As an artistic type ;-) I love color (neutrals bore me LOL), and I thought the owls were a perfect representation of  me, nature, and my craftiness.

I think my "color" rubbed off on my kids because they all are artistic types in love with color as well.

Are you a Mom ? 

I am. I have three grown children. The youngest has two little girls of her own. I'm fortunate to have the oldest and youngest living close. The middle boy is moving home with his wife this weekend.

How do you (or did you) juggle writing and parenting? 

Well, the truth is I've always had a day job. I worked nights as a nurse when my kids were in their formative years. I actually gave up writing during that time because I already took enough time away from them to work at the hospital (I worked nights and slept when I could during the day). There just wasn't enough time to work, be a good mom, and write too. What little writing I did get done was for school age kids. It wasn't until the youngest was an older teen and often out of the house that I started seriously writing again. The daughter and her family have come to stay with us while they get a new place sorted out. I'm a very early riser, so I do most of my writing before anyone else surfaces. When the granddaughters wake up, they come straight to my office. I stop writing and give all my attention to them.

Share a little about yourself, your genres, and any other pen names you use.

I don't use a pen name, but if I did it would be Sloan Leopold. From the time I published my first book, I've always written under my legal name. My husband is very proud of that fact, and kind of frowns when I occasionally talk about Sloan Leopold as if she were a real person. I come from a military family. I love to travel. Writing is my guilty pleasure. I will forever wish I could quit the day job and write full time. I originally published children's literature for a little known magazine called Listen Magazine. My first full length novel, Oops, We're Married? Is contemporary romance. I'm Indie published in women's fiction, contemporary romance, and now with Dragon's Thief, paranormal romance.

I just have to say Sloan Leopold would be an awesome pen name. Love it.

Is there a theme or message in your work you would like readers to connect to? 

There are a couple of themes. My novels are always about family, community, and the journey home. Good overcomes evil. Love conquers all. Even the dragon books have these themes.

Have you ever based your book or characters on actual events or people from your own life? 

No, not on purpose. But there is one character who is most like me...or at least how brave I'd like to be, and that's Idella Landers in Dragon's Thief. She is named after my grandmother. We are of similar ages, and have the same philosophy of taking care of our families, and doing what has to be done. In her former life she was also a nurse.

If this book is part of a series...what is the next book? And what is next for you? 

Dragon's Thief is the first book in The Dragonkind Chronicles. There will be five books; one for each of the quints born to Daniel and Abigayle Pen on the night the earth and life as we know it was torn apart. I know for sure there will be a novella for Daniel and Abigayle, and their love story. Right now I'm working on Book II, Carlton's story, Dragon's Keeper. What's next? That kind of changes as I go along, but I'm thinking about putting A Girl Named Jane and Jane's Long March Home together in a single volume. I'm thinking about an Urban Fantasy Romance, which will have five books, and another paranormal series of novellas set in Las Vegas. That one is top secret :)

Dragon's Thief

The Dragonkind Chronicles

Book 1
Susan Lute

Genre:   post-apocalyptic paranormal/fantasy

ISBN:   978-0-9849784-5-8

Number of pages:   187

Word Count:  88K

Cover Artist:   Susan Lute / Crazy Hair Publishing

Amazon    BN   Windtree Press

Book Description:

From the Dragonkind Chronicles – the battle is just beginning...

In a post -apocalyptic world where Darwin changelings emerge from hiding and humans struggle to reclaim their former glory, mercenary Logan Pen doesn’t want to save the world. His mission is to protect his greatest treasure - his family. That is until he tries to capture a shadow thief. Beyla, a beguiling, emotionless Umbra steals his telein - a talisman forged at his birth while escaping his grasp, making her by ancient dragon law his mate.

Her enemy - a fiery Naga - and the talisman she’s stolen from him rouse emotions Beyla has spent three long years in the land of shadows stripping away. Still she hasn’t been able to banish the grief and pain left by the murder of her human family.

Fighting a desire that flames out of their control, and scrambling to save humanity and their own kind, Logan and Beyla are forced to  join forces to keep a weapon of incredible destructive power out of the hands of the man who would use it to conquer their world. With evil on the brink of victory, only through sacrifice do they learn to trust and embrace the love that will change them forever.

About the Author:

Susan Lute is first and foremost a wife, mother, sister, daughter, friend, dreamer, and author. She is traditionally and Indie published in contemporary romance, women's fiction, and and paranormal/fantasy romance.

Her debut novel, Oops…We’re Married? has sold over 130,000 copies, was a Reader’s Choice nominee and Holt Medallion Finalist. Things you should know - she was born the oldest child of a military family; she's traveled far, but has never been to Hawaii, Paris, or Crete, an omission she hopes to correct soon; her favorite places in the whole world are New York City, Sedona (Arizona), Ouray (Colorado), and Bath (England).

Currently she is working on the second novel in her Dragonkind Chronicles, and dreaming up a new urban fantasy.

website:  www.susanlute.com

See Jane Publish  http://seejanepublish.wordpress.com/

facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Susan-Lute/202040233153546

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1252907.Susan_Lute

If you signup for Susan’s newsletter she will put you in a drawing for a copy of  Dragon’s Thief 

in whatever format you want- 

one to be given away at each tour stop.

Must leave a comment at one of the tour stops

Newsletter address is:  http://www.susanlute.com/newsletter.htm

Character Interview – with Roger Woodbridge from Storm Clouds by M.E. Sutton and a Giveaway

Character Interview – Roger Woodbridge, Interviewed by M.E. Sutton

M: Welcome, Roger. Thanks for taking the time to sit down with me.

R: Not a problem. My pleasure.

M: So, you are the chief steward for Mallory. Just what does a chief steward do?

R: I’m responsible for daily operations for the manor. I oversee all of the other servants, deal with minor disagreements or discipline issues, that sort of thing. If visitors come to the manor, I am responsible for seeing they are given appropriate rooms, meals are planned, etc. And, since Lady Starla is not married, I often accompany her when she travels, both to be a companion and security. I am not, however, involved with the governance of the estate or affairs in Mallory town.

M: You also seem to be the main contact for Lyla Stormbringer.

R: I suppose so. It certainly is true that when Lyla visits she spends a good amount of time with me. I suppose that’s natural since I’m in the best position to know what is going on in the estate.

M: You two do seem to have a special relationship. Do you see yourself as a mentor to her?

R: Well, yes. I lost my own daughter years ago, so Lyla kind of fills that role for me. She has more potential than she knows. The father in me wants her to fulfill that potential. So anything I can do to help, I’m glad to do. And she’s a good companion and friend. We trust each other.

M: In your most recent adventure, you two had to engage it a little hand-to-hand fighting, as well as some investigation. What was that like?

R: Challenging. I wasn’t particular worried about Lyla’s fighting skills, but she was wounded. That concerned me. Sometimes she seems to have crises of confidence, and that makes her be a bit headstrong. Hopefully I can help her get past that. But she’s very smart and strong, more than she gives herself credit for, I think. Yes, she’s well on her way to becoming a find young woman.

M: What do you mean? Isn’t she already a young woman?

R (smiles): Yes, of course.

M: Okay, well then. You seem to know something we don’t, but that’s okay. So, what about Lady Starla? How would you describe your relationship with her?

R: She is a very lovely lady, dignified, beautiful, and accomplished. I am proud to be her steward and am her faithful servant.

M: Really? That’s all? I mean, anyone can tell you care about her very much.

R: I really don’t want to continue that line of conversation.

M: Good enough. So, based on recent events, what do you think is going on? Isolated events or something bigger?

R: I’m not sure yet. Certainly there have been hints that someone is behind both Oscar’s bid to take over Mallory and the recent troubles with Devin. But nothing concrete. It is very troubling. Fighting between estates is bad enough, but not uncommon. If someone is trying to destabilize the entire Empire, that is bad. It must be stopped.

M: Do you think Lyla is up to the task?

R: Absolutely. And of course I’ll be there to help her.

M: Of course. Well, thanks again for talking to me. When you see Lady Starla again, please give her a hug and kiss from me. (winks)

R (blushing): I, ah, will give her your regards.

Storm Clouds

Hero’s Sword Vol. 2
M.E. Sutton

Genre: fantasy -middle grade

Publisher: Delabarre Publishing

Date of Publication: April 24, 2013

ISBN: 9781619410558

ASIN: B00CIUR7HO

Number of pages: 76

Word Count: ~24,000

Cover Artist: Jen Domani

Amazon  Kobo   BN  iBooks

Book Description:

Eighth-grader Jaycee Hiller is beginning to fear she only imagined her trip to Mallory. But when a rainy afternoon leaves her with hours of playing Hero’s Sword, her favorite video game, she finds herself drawn back into the game – literally.

STORM CLOUDS is the exciting second volume of the HERO’S SWORD saga – chronicling Jaycee Hiller’s trials in eight grade, and her exciting adventures in Mallory, the setting of her favorite video game. Jaycee enters the video game realm via a special controller and is caught up in the action of this fantasy realm.

In STORM CLOUDS, a valuable jewel belonging to the neighboring estate of Devin, the Sapphire Star, is missing, stolen at the Fall Consortium. Lady Starla stands accused of the theft. Devin’s demands are clear: return the Star or they will take it back by force.

Now it’s up to Lyla Stormbringer to find the Star and the thief. before Mallory finds itself at war.

About the Author:

A software technical writer by day, Mary Sutton has been making her living with words for over a decade. She writes the Hero’s Sword middle-grade fantasy series as M.E. Sutton, and The Laurel Highlands Mysteries series as Liz Milliron. She lives in Pittsburgh, PA with her husband and two children.

Website: http://marysuttonauthor.com

Blog: http://theresabodyinthelibrary.blogspot.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/mary_sutton73

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorMarySutton

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6588083.M_E_Sutton

Amazon Author page

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