This week in The Loft: Author Reggi Allder!

Joining me today in The Loft is author Reggi Allder. She writes romantic suspense and contemporary romance novels. Her characters must overcome obstacles. The males are strong, though they may be wounded. The women are determined to change their lives to manage their future. They each fight to discover hidden strengths and work toward lifelong goals. The author of The Sierra Creek Series, and The Dangerous Series. Reggi has also contributed to cookbooks and written children’s stories. She is a film buff and collects classic movies. Reggi is also an animal lover and has raised puppies for Guide Dogs for the Blind. 

Author Reggi Allder

S:   Welcome, Reggi! Thanks for joining me today.

Why write romance?

R:  I write about life. Romance is an important part of it, whatever the story. Everyone wants someone to understand, care, and share with them.

S:  That is so true.

How do you develop your characters? Do you use photos or a vision board? 

R:  I do not use storyboards, three-by-five cards, or other props. I sometimes write the character’s profession or goal, and let the story unfold.

S:  Do you outline the plot for your stories before writing?

R:  I’m a pantser, not a plotter. I don’t outline, though I often know the last scene and write toward it. I start and let the characters guide me.

S:  I work in a similar way, though I know the beginning, never the end. 

Do you write in other genres?

R:  I write suspense, mystery, and contemporary novels. I have also written a historical novella. I like writing in different genres and wish I had more time for it.

S:  If you had to do it over again would you still write books?

R:  I would. If I’m going to think about them, I might as well put them on paper so others can read them.

S:  What inspired "My Country Heart?"

R:  I write romantic suspense so why did I want to write a small-town contemporary romance? A friend who is an author and one of my critique partners asked me that. Well, I do love a good romantic suspense novel. However, after writing a few, I realized I needed a break from spending so much time with evil characters who were determined to do bad things.

S:  Is there anything special you would like people to know about "My Country Heart?"

R:  I’ve lived in large cities and small towns. When I was in L.A., many people talked about moving away from the noise, traffic, and crowds. I began to think of characters who might populate the imaginary town of Sierra Creek, a village nestled in California’s Sierra Nevada Foothills, with a population of five thousand. Soon ideas were flowing and Amy Long, a single mother who needed a home, and Champion Cowboy Wyatt Cameron, who was only concerned about his career, were born. They are introduced in Book One of the Sierra Creek Series. and readers may follow them and others in the town throughout four books. "My Country Heart" is the latest in the series.

Here's the blurb--

Sparks fly when opposites attract in the small town of Sierra Creek. “If you love small towns, second chances, and real-to-life characters, the Sierra Creek books are for you!”

Amy Long needs a forever home. Downsized, she lost her apartment in the city and returned to the small town of Sierra Creek to find a fresh start. Does she belong? Cowboy Wyatt Cameron doesn’t think so. She’s in the way of his plans and as executor of her grandmother’s estate, he has the power to send her packing.

What can she offer to change his mind?

When sparks fly will it break a heart?

S:  Where can readers buy your book?

R:  It's available at  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B012U5UTGW.

S:  Reggi, thanks for chatting with me today. If you'd like to learn more about Reggi and her books, please visit--

Amazon Author Page:  https://www.amazon.com/Reggi-Allder/e/B00G05PJRS

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/reggi.allder

BookBub:  https://www.bookbub.com/profile/reggi-allder

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7416390.Reggi_Allder

Blog:  http://reggiallder.blogspot.com

This week in The Loft: Author Michell Burgan!

Joining me today in The Loft is new Extasy author Michell Burgan. Michell writes Sci-Fi adult, and dark romance as well as tales of the supernatural. Her stories feature strong, independent, take-charge, plus-size women. No matter their age, they lead their fellow cast to great conclusions. When not writing, Michell pursues other creative tasks, such as drawing, painting, working with acrylic, or taking photos. The single mother of a young adult, Michell resides in her home state of Texas.

Author Michell Burgan

S:  Welcome to The Loft, Michell!

What do you think is the biggest issue facing romance authors today?

M:  Keeping their writing fresh and engaging for readers. Finding a new twist to make their story fresh. In my case and other authors who write spicy romance, it's keeping the story balanced between the spice and the story.

S:  Finding that balance is extremely important. 

If you could change one thing in the book publishing industry, what would it be?

M:  I understand that publishing is a business, but publishers could benefit from not being super-exclusive. There are so many talented writers out there who need the experience of top-notch editors and publishing professionals, but can't afford to pay outrageous fees. There are other ways to make it feasible for both sides. So whether it is profit share, payment plans, or offering smaller cost-efficient classes, those services need to be available. Publishers could also hold small book festivals and invite smaller authors to help them get exposure.

S:  Well-edited and correctly formatted manuscripts are essential to the submission process. I have editing experience, but I also utilize editing software. For me, it's a matter of professionalism.

Why write romance?

M:  Usually, people write what they read and that is the case with me. I love a good romance story with lots of twists. I do prefer supernatural, Sci-Fi, or dark romance, but a cute cozy romance is fun sometimes. The one thing these stories almost always have in common is a lead female character who is usually not confident in herself without the main male character to show her she's worth everything. The female character is also usually a smaller physically-built woman. I want to see more plus-size women and more strong, confident female characters before the male character even shows up in the story. There weren't many of those stories out there. And you know what they say, "If the story you want to read is not out there it's because you haven't written it yet." So that's what I did. I wrote a story that I wanted to read and that I felt had the representation I wanted to see out in the world.

S:  How do you develop your characters? Do you use photos or a vision board?

M:  When developing characters, it kind of varies for me. I normally decide what my world is going to be first. Then I start with names. I always try to pick names that are very different but also fit the world I am trying to build. Once I decide on names, their personalities begin to fall into place. For example, the main character in a new series I am working on is Mars Ramsey Centaurus. This name tells you that she is a strong character and the story is most likely going to have something to do with celestial or supernatural beings. I feel the names of your characters really help with creating their personalities.

S:  When you have fully developed characters, it becomes easier to assign names. For example, the surname, Snively, conveys negative character traits. The surname, Smith, may be used to hint that the character is hiding something.

Do you have a “the one who got away” tale? Care to share it?

M:  I do. He was my college sweetheart and the father of my daughter. We had a huge fight the day I found out that I was pregnant. I didn't know that someone close to me had already told him I was pregnant. I told him to leave during the fight if he didn't like the way I did things. All he wanted was for me to tell him I was pregnant, but I wasn't ready and I didn't know someone else had already told him. Later on, he did try to come back and apologize. The same person interfered. I didn't know he came to apologize to me. We never got past all of it.

S:  Which famous book do you wish you had written?

M:  This is a hard one. I love so many stories out there. But one of my absolute favorites is "Lord of the Rings." So, I wish I had written it. Just the fact that that story has become the archetype for most fantasy stories out there is amazing. I would have loved to have been the first to create these characters--the elves, hobbits, and dwarves. 

S:  What inspired "Treacherous Heavens?"

M:  I love Sci-Fi, but Sci-Fi normally doesn't have much romance, let alone spicy romance. So I decided to do my best to create a story that was a good balance between Sci-Fi and spicy romance. Other than that, the other shows and books that inspired me were Star Trek, The Expanse, The 100, and Night Flyer.

S:  Is there anything special you would like people to know about "Treacherous Heavens?"

M:  In my book, "Treacherous Heavens," and its sequel, "Dangerously Broken," I tried to keep things authentic to its characters and locations. For example, the female lead is from Texas so her dialogue has very Texan words like, y'all and fixin to. But she also shows the Tex-Mex side of her. She curses in Spanish.

Here's the blurb--

Waking up 105 years in the future was shocking. Finding out the world they knew was totally destroyed was devastating.

Atlantis Rey, single mom to Verruca Rey, wakes from her cryogenic sleep pod 105 years in the future to find out things have not gone to plan. Vega, the ship’s AI, explains that the vampire clean-up did not go as scheduled and that she and the 249 other passengers, are the last known living humans.

Vega appoints Atlantis as the leader of the awakees, and they all look to her for the answers to how to survive their new lives. Knowing their best chance is to return to Earth, she has to find the right place to settle them before space or malicious awakees foil her plans.

Yet amidst this chaos, Atlantis and Verruca manage to find lovers and a new family to surround themselves with.

S:  That sounds like a complex plot. Where can readers purchase your book?

M:  Booksellers are listed at https://mybook.to/TreacherousHeavens.

S:  Michell, I'm so pleased that you could join me today. If you'd like to learn more about Michell and her books, please visit--

Website:  https://rydiankainbooksandart.wordpress.com/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/rydiankain.booksandart

Publisher:   https://www.extasybooks.com/index.php?route=product/author&author_id=1265

Amazon Author Page:  https://www.amazon.com/author/michellburgan

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This week in The Loft: Author Anne Hamilton Fowler!

Joining me today in The Loft is Canadian author Anne Hamilton Fowler. Anne traveled many paths before writing her memoir, "I've Worn Many Hats." Anne began her work life as a nurse, but soon moved on to a position as a flight attendant at American Airlines. She left the airline to found Hamilton Enterprises, a well-known personnel agency located in Toronto.  In 2000, she semi-retired to pursue philanthropic projects in Honduras, where she now lives six months each year. The mother of two, Anne enjoys spending time with two grandchildren and two grand dogs. She has also outlived two ex-husbands! 

Author Anne Hamilton Fowler

S:  Good morning, Anne. Thanks for joining me in The Loft today!

How did you prepare to write your book? Did you outline the details or "shoot from the hip?"

A:  The plot was my life. People have asked how I could possibly remember so many details. Of course, we all know that when one reaches a certain age, they may not remember what they did yesterday, but can clearly recall incidents of 50 years ago. I kept notepads around the house and when I thought of a memory, no matter what time of day or night, I wrote it down. As you can imagine, this led to copious pieces of paper/notes scattered about. I knew the book would be written in two parts--before and after Honduras. About once a week, I would gather up my paper trail, decipher the sometimes illegible notes, and enter the information into the appropriate section of my outline. But what no one had warned me about was that the hard part was yet to come--formatting.

S:  Obviously, that method worked for you.

What would you like to people to know about you?

A:  I’ve always enjoyed writing although this is the only book I’ve done. Throughout my life I wrote many business proposals/speeches, weekly newspaper columns, several cookbooks, and as far back as Grade Four, I wrote a mystery play to be performed by classmates. I suspect at age 83, my days as an author are over, but I just might be convinced to compile a collection of stories written by our young international volunteers recounting their tales of adventure in Honduras.

S:  That would be an interesting book!

What do you consider your greatest achievement?

A:  That despite many missteps and sometimes inappropriate, outrageous behavior, I managed to raise two children into outstanding, responsible adults. They are not only wonderful parents but all-around good people. The work I have been doing in Honduras for almost 30 years is just icing on the cake.

S:  That must be gratifying. A life well-lived.

What do you want inscribed on your tombstone? How do you want to be remembered?

A:  I want to be remembered as someone who not always made the best decisions but lived life to its fullest, doing it my way. At the end, I will leave without regrets knowing that in spite of mistakes, I did manage to do some things right and succeeded in making a positive impact on many lives.

S:  What inspired your book, "I’ve Worn Many Hats?"

A:  There were several factors. For one, I was tired of listening to friends urge me to write my life story and was dabbling in putting something together to raise funds for my Honduran programs. Then COVID hit and in 2020, I was stranded in Honduras for 19 months. Unable to return to Canada, my projects were on hold and so I finished what I had started. The book got done.

S:  Is there anything special you would like people to know about "I’ve Worn Many Hats?"

A:  "I’ve Worn Many Hats" has been called, “An entertaining book that once started can’t be put down.” I wrote about events in my life that I’d never before had closure on. It was incredibly cathartic. Plus, I totally unexpected the reaction/dialogue initiated by some readers. This is the beginning of one of those conversations I received via email. “I’ve Worn Many Hats is a truly inspiring memoir written by a remarkable woman who survived terrible traumatic events by entering into a reckless way of living. What I read on the recommendation of a friend, and expected to be just another memoir, turned out to be so much more! Entertaining? Yes. As you laid out your life experiences--romantic, criminal, tragic--so honestly, I found myself identifying with them. For the first time in many years, I was encouraged to finally open up and share with friends my own damaged past. It was liberating! You are indeed an inspiration.” I have received many such responses from women who experienced trauma in their past but had been reluctant to talk about it. As well, I heard from family members and friends of women who had suffered in silence. It is my hope that our conversations have helped to give closure to a few of these people.

Here's the blurb--

This memoir is the no holds barred account of my unorthodox life lived in a manner regularly viewed as risky and on the edge, frequently laughable, on occasion full of hardship, but never boring! The candid account that spans decades of a long bumpy life evokes many emotions; laughter, empathy, shock, admiration. As you read the first half, you may find yourself going back, re-reading and thinking, “she did what?!” In the second half of the book, you will discover what inspired me to make such a drastic life change, leaving behind a long successful career in Human Resources to pursue philanthropic work with the people of Honduras.

S:  Where can readers buy "I've Worn Many Hats?"

A:  It's available at--

Amazon Canada:  https://www.amazon.ca/dp/1778350321

Amazon US:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/1778350321

Amazon UK:  https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1778350321 

Amazon Germany:  https://www.amazon.de/dp/1778350321

Amazon France:  https://www.amazon.fr/dp/1778350321 

Amazon Spain:  https://www.amazon.es/dp/1778350321

Amazon Italy:  https://www.amazon.it/dp/1778350321 

Amazon Australia:  https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/1778350321

S:  Anne, I'm so pleased that you could join me today! If you'd like to learn more about Anne and her book, please visit http://anne.honduranhope.net.

This week in The Loft: Author Kim West!

Joining me today in The Loft is fellow Extasy author Kim West. Her new contemporary romance book is her first foray into the romance genre. Previously, she published a book on Pilates and stretching exercises. Kim turned to writing romance after the COVID pandemic forced her to close her Interior Design business. She now writes full-time. The "mother" of three cats, Kim lives in Hout Bay, a picturesque fishing village in Cape Town, South Africa.

Author Kim West

S:  Good morning, Kim. Thanks for joining me today!

Why write romance?

K:  We live in an ugly broken world where people need to escape and dream of beauty. What better way than with a steamy erotic/romantic story? Sex is part of everyday life and I love to write about it. Sex is classy, beautiful, and stimulates the senses. It also makes us feel alive and it is an escape mechanism. When a man and a woman meet and are attracted to each other, they want to explore, and touch and feel, and in return, that makes them feel desired and attractive. Sex is also a much-needed physical activity to reduce stress. In short, we as humans need sex, and that is why God gave us sex. Like all else in the world, it must be treated with respect, and that is what I like to portray in my books. Sex is beautiful, wonderful, and aromatherapy for mind, body, and soul.

S:  I think all romance books offer an escape from reality, no matter the sub-genre. They are aromatherapy for the mind, body, and soul.

How do you develop your characters? Do you use photos or a vision board?

K:  Neither. I have a wide circle of friends and know a wonderful collection of spectacularly outrageous people that I have met through the years. I love using them as my role models, or I dream them up.

S:  I tend to write about lawyers for that very reason. I have met a broad range of people with a fascinating collection of quirks and foibles. Great fodder for my stories.

Do you outline the plot for your stories before writing?

K:  Yes, I do, but it invariable changes. I start with an idea but as the plot develops, I will embroider as the story unfolds and evolves, and then it usually changes direction

S:  I always say you can't write the ending until you understand the journey and that can't happen until your characters actually complete their journey.

What do you write first? The blurb or the book?

K:  The book. I have no idea how it is going to develop.

S:  Do you write in other genres?

K:  I compiled a book with motivational inspirational stories about life after divorce. So, I do write in other genres. I also wrote a children’s book a few years ago, but never submitted it for publication and would love to do that now. I just need to find the time to finish it.

S:  What famous book did you wish you had written? 

K:  "The Prince of Tides" by Pat Conroy. He has an unbelievable way to describe something. He has a way with words that I have never found with another writer. Each to his own, but he is really one of a kind.

S:  I enjoyed that book as well!

What do you want inscribed on your tombstone? 

K:  "Here lies a lady that inspired and motivated others to be the best God made them to be." I would like to be remembered for humility, kindness, empathy, and that I always respected other people in every way.

S:  What inspired "Yes?"

K:  Me! My fantasies.

Here's the blurb--

Although happily married, Cara felt there was a void in her life. Is she unconsciously looking for someone to fill this void? And will she find it?

Cara Belmond is a successful fashion designer and owns Cara’s Collections. She’s married to Rudolf, an artist, and together they own the Belmond Art Gallery. Beautiful and successful, they’re regarded as the golden couple of Cape Town. Cara and Rudolf are very much in love and have a very active sex life, but sometimes—just sometimes—she wonders if she doesn’t need a little bit more. Maybe a little harder.

That is until one night at one of their art exhibitions where she meets Mario Perez. Mario is Spanish, dangerously attractive, and arrogant. He invites Cara for coffee, and instantly fascinated by him she accepts. Will he be what she needs?

S:  That sounds like a steamy romance! Where can readers buy "Yes?"

K:  It's available at all major booksellers including--

Extasy Books:  https://www.extasybooks.com/Yes!

Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/Yes-Kim-West-ebook/dp/B0CLKBRJ8B

Barnes & Noble:  https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/yes-kim-west/1144324937

Kobo:  https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/yes-53

S:  Kim, I'm so happy you could join me today. Good luck with your book. If you'd like to learn more about Kim and her books, please visit--

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/kimwest2024/

This week in The Loft: Author Lyndi Alexander!

Joining me today in The Loft is author Lyndi Alexander. Lyndi always dreamed of faraway worlds and interesting alien contacts. That's why she writes Sci-Fi romance. Now retired, Lyndi writes full time, when her nine cats allow her to reach the keyboard. In her spare time, she fosters kittens and cats for several local shelters, gardens and harvests at least one herb per summer, and volunteers at the local autism family support organization and ECOexplore, a science program through the North Carolina Arboretum.  Lyndi lives as a post-modern hippie in Asheville, North Carolina, the single mother of her last child of seven, a daughter on the autism spectrum. She finds that every day feels a lot like first contact with a new species!

Author Lyndi Alexander

S:  Good morning, Lyndi. Thanks for joining me today!

What do you think is the biggest issue facing romance authors today?

L:  The sheer numbers of books that are competition for each one we write. Eighty years ago, the competition was more in the being accepted by a publisher end. By 2000, the self-pubbed authors became a threat to the trad-pubbed authors. Not in an evil way, but there are plenty of people publishing first-draft, non-edited pieces of dreck that are clogging up the way for all of us. Now ads tout the possibility of AI-generated books that can help anyone write their novels and get them in print. It’s hard to rise to the top.

S:  It is difficult to get your name and your books out there.

If you could change one thing in the book publishing industry, what would you change?

L:  I’d love to see publishers have a standard marketing support plan to help authors—I get it that we know who our fans are and can pinpoint the right areas to target, but with so much competition out there, any little bit would help.

S:  You're right. It would be great if publishers offered marketing programs we could share or buy into.

Have you ever attended a writer’s retreat? Did you find it helpful? 

L:  I have, and I enjoyed it immensely. I get a great deal from co-working with other authors. Besides that, it’s nice to spend time with people who are my particular kind of crazy. No one in my family is particularly supportive of my writing, so being able to talk to folk who are is great.

S:  How do you develop your characters? Do you use photos or a vision board?

L:  I have begun to use Pinterest to gather inspiration. Character pictures, location sites, other details that might pertain. I personally could care less what I wear, but the heroine in "Cruel Charade," which comes out this summer, is a real clothes and makeup hound. So I picked out her outfits and pinned them as well. Readers can view my process at https://www.pinterest.com/lyndialexander/five-things/  I was all prepared to name this book "Five Things," after the grounding technique Bet uses in the story—and then a book with the same title came out about three months before I was finished.

S:  Do you utilize tropes when writing romance? 

L:  I end up there sometimes. But I don’t set out to write “friends to lovers” or “second chance romance.” Once I have a setting and characters I like, then I start feeling out what plotlines will work out with those. Then I can tailor the story to fit something into blocks that I can explain to an editor. I tend not to write to formula, but prefer to write unique storylines.

S:  What do you write first—the blurb or the book?

L:  Definitely the book. I hate writing blurbs and put it off as long as possible.

S:  Do you write in other genres? 

L:  I do. As I said I write the stories that come to me, not anything in formula….so the stories that come are in romance and romantic suspense as Alana Lorens, and sci-fi/sci-fi romance and fantasy/YA as Lyndi Alexander. "Betrayed" is my most recent novel, and it’s the 28th published by small press. It’s a science fiction romance about a space detective who gets way too close to her case.

S:  What would you like to people know about you as a person or as a writer?

L:  That I’m a nice person despite all the disease and death and killers and other dark things I write about.

S:  What is the best/worst thing that has ever happened to you as a writer?

L:  I had a great experience at a book signing yesterday. I had a bunch of Lyndi Alexander books on the table, and someone stopped and said, ”Oh, I have a series of hers about a young Chinese girl!” I asked, “The Color of Fear series…right? Did you ever meet the author?” She said no. “Would you like to?” I stuck out my hand. When she realized I was right there in front of her, her face just lit up. That was amazing.

S: What inspired "Betrayed?"

L:   This story owes a debt to my Maquis Universal cohorts, a group that went for about 10 years online. Kylie and Griff’s characters were formed and fleshed out over the years of online RPG. Once the RPG closed, I wanted to memorialize the love story in writing even after the split from my ex-husband Eric. I will always appreciate and give credit to Eric, who created Griff from thin threads of imagination, and then made him worth loving.

S:  Lyndi, as always, it was great to chat with you. If you' like to learn more about Lyndi and her books, please visit--

Website and Blog:  https://lyndialexander.wordpress.com/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/lyndialexander13/

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4185290.Lyndi_Alexander

Amazon Author Page:  https://www.amazon.com/Lyndi-Alexander/e/B005GDYPU2/

BookBub:  https://www.bookbub.com/profile/lyndi-alexander

Smashwords:  https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/lyndialexander

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/alexander_lyndi/

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/AlexanderLyndi

This week in The Loft: Author Helen Henderson!

Joining me today in The Loft is author Helen Henderson! A former computer designer, feature-story writer, and correspondent, Helen writes historical, western, science fiction, and fantasy romance. Her series include the Dragshi Chronicles, The Windmaster Novels, and the Tear Stone Collectors. Her heritage is a reflection of contrasts--the descendent of a Pennsylvania German/Scot and a Czech, a coal miner's daughter, and a flight engineer she grew up knowing the simple life on a rural New Jersey farm. 

Author Helen Henderson

S:  Good morning, Helen. I'm so pleased that you could visit today!

Have you ever attended a writer’s retreat? Did you find it helpful? 

H:  The area where I used to live had several active writing groups so I was fortunate to be able to attend a number of different writer’s conferences. However, there were no affordable formal writer’s retreats. That said, with the number of books, online courses, and other materials, with the right materials and suitable surroundings, you can create your own retreat. Mine was the deck of a lakeside cabin in the Pocono Mountains. The cost? Staining the logs and deck.

S:  My best ideas come through meditation, so I'm not sure I would benefit from a group retreat. I think I would find it distracting.

What do you write first—the blurb or the book?

H:  Definitely the book. I need to know the entire story to identify the points I want the readers to know. Then pertinent keywords have to be researched and included. When a blurb is created, it is not set in stone. Just like the movie disclaimer when it is shown on television-- "This has been modified to fit the time frame and format"--the original blurb is transformed into short, medium, long, and back cover formats.

S:  I think writing the blurb first can be limiting. Waiting to finish the book before composing a blurb is much more freeing.

Do you write in other genres?

H:  At this point, I admit my long works fall into the fantasy genre. However, over the years my writing has crossed into other worlds of imagination including historical westerns and science fiction. Inspiration for the westerns was the Ashokan Farewell and western movie themes. Science fiction and fantasy usually have Celtic harp and flute playing in the background.

S:  Do you have a “the one who got away” tale? 

H:  I would say that the tale of "Hell Lost," a retired gunfighter who straps her guns back on and takes to the outlaw trail to save her family, is the “one who got away.” The story has been thought about several times but never gotten further than a short story that was published many years ago. For a long time, whenever the story rose to the forefront, either life got in the way or I received a paying assignment. These days, instead of going to the past, I seem to be working in worlds of imagination, hanging out with mages, and flying with dragons.

S:  What do you consider your greatest achievement?

H:  I am proud of the titles under my name. Besides a few hundred feature articles, there are three fantasy series and three local histories. There is also “Hearth and Sand: Stories from the Front Lines and the Homefront,” a multi-genre collection of poetry, short stories, and novellas. That has a special place in my heart because it was written in tribute to family members who wore the uniform to defend their country. However, my greatest achievement is my marriage of 50 years.

S:  Fifty years is an amazing accomplishment. Congratulations.

What do you want inscribed on your tombstone? How do you want to be remembered?

H:  Surprisingly, this question has been on my mind recently. Names and dates don’t capture the imagination of the viewer when they walk through the cemetery. I prefer the old-fashioned sandstones with epitaphs rather than the new-fangled markers with a video embedded in it. So here goes: "Here lies an author, storyteller, and historian. She captured the past for the future and cared for all." As to the why? Although I am no longer as active in the field, history is still part of my past and is embedded in every one of the fantasy worlds I visit. Storyteller because at some time we all need to escape our everyday lives and a good tale will take us to another time and place. The last has nothing to do with my career, although I like to think I’ve given a hand up to people rather than trampling them, but rather with me as a person and my hope that the scales of life tilt in favor of a loving, caring, decent human being.

S:  What inspired "Fire and Redemption?"

H:  When "Fire and Amulet" was finished, I knew there probably should be another book continuing Trelleir’s search for the homeland of his dragon kin. However, he said he needed more clues. He was curious as to what happened to the man whom Deneas spared after the attempt to kill her. The title came about when what started as a budding romance between Brial and Karst provided the opportunity for his redemption.

S:  Is there anything special you would like people to know about "Fire and Redemption?"

H:  My favorite character was a toss-up between the magic equines or the legendary hunting bird called a helwr. Tywyll, a helwr who selected Karst as the human he would protect, won the toss-up.

Here's the blurb--

Shunned by his kind and expelled from the dragon isle, Medraut is forced to shed his wings and take on human form to live amongst the people of the mainland. His problem? There are slayers, sworn to kill all dragons.

Brial has one chance to stop the fever ravaging her kin, but her healer powers have not yet awakened. To have the future she desires, she must survive the fever, raiders, and most of all, Medraut’s dragon ability to control minds.

Karst, son of the head slayer, was disowned and sent on an impossible quest to kill a dragon. Rather than return to his village and be subjected to the deadly justice of the Goddess, he made himself a home in the trading wagons of Clan Vreis. His newfound happiness is threatened when the caravan stops to help an injured man lying in the middle of the trail.

Three men and a dragon desire the same woman. One wants her for power, one for her beauty, and one for love. The dragon just wants her.

S:  That sounds intriguing! Where can readers buy, "Fire and Redemption?"

H:  It's available at--

Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CY7ZDFBJ

Barnes & Noble:  https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fire-and-redemption-helen-b-henderson/1145164176

Smashwords:  https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1537238

Additional sites:  https://books2read.com/fire-and-redemption

S:  Helen, thanks so much for joining me today. If you'd like to learn more about Helen and her books, please visit--

Blog:   https://helenhenderson-author.blogspot.com

Facebook:   https://www.facebook.com/HelenHenderson.author

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/history2write

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/777491.Helen_Henderson

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B001HPM2XK