Meet Marilyn Meredith's Heroine from Kindred Spirits

Tell us about your heroine --- the female lead in your book.

What's her name?

Tempe Crabtree

Why did you pick that name?

Tempe Crabtree was my great-grandmother's name, unlike my great-grandchildren, I never had the privilege to meet her, though I did write about her in a book and heard many stories about her from my father. It seemed like the perfect name for my heroine.

Give us a brief description of how she looks.

Tempe is Native American, part of the Yanduchi branch of the Yokut Indians. (Yokut is a real tribe--Yanduchi is a made-up name though close to another tribal name.) She has long dark hair she wears in a single braid that she pins to the back of her head when working as a deputy. She's tall, 5' 8", smart and intuitive.


Is there anything unusual about her appearance?

Though she has dark skin and hair, she has blue eyes.

Who does she love? Why?

Tempe is very much in love with her husband, Hutch Hutchinson who is the pastor of the local church. Tempe was a widow raising a teenaged son when she met Hutch. He filled a huge gap in both hers and her son's life.

Of course she also loves her son, Blair, who she raised as a single mom from the time her CHP husband was killed when Blair was only 3.


Does this person love her?

Hutch was a widower and also lonely when he met Tempe. He loves her very much and is a true helpmate. He worries about the dangers of her job. And he often has a difficult time when she uses Native American mysticism as a means to find out the truth about someone or when she does something like calling back the dead.

Tell us about her family.

Her parents are no longer alive. But her Indian grandmother had a great influence on her life when she was a child. Now her family life revolves around Hutch and Blair, though Blair is away at college.

Where is she from? She was born and raised in Bear Creek, a mountain community in the Southern Sierra. (Sierra means mountain.) When her husband was killed, she returned to her home town, went to the police academy and became a deputy--eventually becoming the resident deputy of Bear Creek and its surroundings.

Does her hometown affect her behavior, thoughts and attitude?

Bear Creek is a small community and she knows most of the people who live there although more and more folks are moving up from Southern California--in some cases bringing big city crime along with them. As a teenager, she faced prejudice because of her Native American background. This prejudice she learned in an earlier book had been the reason she hadn't embraced her heritage.

What does she want out of life?

To be the best deputy she can be, to keep the citizens of Bear Creek safe, and to help the detectives find the person who committed the crime.

What's her biggest secret?

She doesn't have a single big secret. Often she keeps things from her husband in order to keep peace in her marriage--which often backfires.

Did you write more than one story about her?

Kindred Spirits in number eight.

How would she describe you? As a sweet little old lady who is a good listener. I've done ride-alongs with female police officers who have bared their soul to me and some of their problems have become Tempe's problems.

Is there anything else about your heroine that we need to know? Feel free to share.

The detectives she often has to work with think that because she's an Indian, she can find out anything from other Indians. In Kindred Spirits they send her to Crescent City to interview relatives and friends of a murder victim she was a Tolowa even though Tempe has never heard of the Tolowa people. This drives her crazy, but is also the reason she gets involved in so many cases.

Please provide your website link.

http://fictionforyou.com

What is the link to buy your book?

http://www.mundaniapress.com

It was wonderful to meet her. Thank you for bringing her to meet us.

Thank you, Nikki, for having us. Marilyn

NEW! Visit my blog at http://marilynmeredith.blogspot.com/
and the Stiletto Gang: http://thestilettogang.blogspot.com/

CL Talmadge - Heroine from the Healing Stone Novels

Tell us about your heroine --- the female lead in your book.

What's her name?
Helen Elizabeth Andros

Why did you pick that name?
She told me her name. All of my characters tell me about themselves. Some
are more willing to communicate than others, but eventually even the
reluctant ones let me know them and their inner/outer lives. In some cases
they end up telling me far more than I want to know about them. (There are
some really nasty characters in my fiction.)

Give us a brief description of how she looks.
Helen is more than 6 feet tall. Skinny from an eating disorder. Blue-black
hair that is fine and full, with ice-blue eyes.

Is there anything unusual about her appearance?
Helen is obviously a cross between the two races who populate her society.
That makes her an outcast.

Who does she love? Why?
She loves her commanding officer, Col. Jackson Orlando. Because she finds
him to be as kind and decent as he is physically attractive--the tall, dark,
silent handsome type.

Does this person love her?
Yes indeedy. He adores her from the first time he meets her. But he does not
think he has the right to pursue her, for a number of reasons.

Tell us about her family.
Helen's mother was falsely accused of a crime and chose exile rather than
being forced to reveal the name of her baby's father. She does not know most
of her mother's family and her father's is hidden.

Where is she from?
Helen was born in a desert land called Khemet, but returns to the nation of
her parents at age 11. This country is called Azgard.

Does her hometown affect her behavior, thoughts and attitude?
Helen is a rootless wanderer, and never really feels she has a home
anywhere.

What does she want out of life?
What she cannot have. She does not even dare hope for what she actually
could have, provided she did some healing and growing herself.

What's her biggest secret? (Only share if it isn't a spoiler in the story.)
The real identity of her father. It's a secret even to her until the first
book in the series.

Did you write more than one story about her?
I am writing a multigenerational fantasy saga with Helen as the
first-generation heroine.

How would she describe you?
Puzzling. I don't seem to care as much about other people's opinions of me
as she does their opinions of her.

Is there anything else about your heroine that we need to know? Feel free to
share.
She's got a ribald sense of humor and a passion for justice that gets her
into trouble because she also can't seem to keep her mouth shut when it
would be prudent to do so.

Please provide your website link.
www.greenstoneofhealing.com

What is the link to buy your book?
Paperback versions of the series' first three books are available at any
online bookstore plus in ebook form at www.healingstonebooks.com

Hunting the Egret by Bryn Colvin

What's her name?
Verity

Why did you pick that name?
It means truth. There are quite a few issues in ‘Hunting The Egret’ about what is true, and real. Giving a paranormal character a name with this meaning rather appealed to me.

Give us a brief description of how she looks.
Verity has blond hair and brown eyes. She’s quite tall and strong – a bit of an Amazon, but otherwise at first glance not that remarkable. Her clothes are old, faded and worn.

Is there anything unusual about her appearance? Hidden under her hair, are ears that are far too small in proportion to her face.

Who does she love? Why? Verity loves the river and the hills. She adores her father. Conventional romantic relationships have not worked for her thus far – she finds it hard to give of herself, or to trust people with how she really is.

Does this person love her? Being a prickly, difficult person Verity does not attract affection. Her family love her, in their own odd ways, and she does inspire strong feelings in others – although she finds this hard to see.

Tell us about her family. Verity’s father lives on a narrowboat, sharing his daughter’s need to be close to the water. Her mother is a traveller, who comes and goes and is somewhat crazy. Verity’s grandmother was a witch and crops up as a ghost on a few occasions, along with a few other ancestors.

Where is she from?
Verity has spent her life on the side of the Severn, in a small village called Arlode. She seldom travels further than she can walk, and considers a sixty mile round trip to be a huge journey. Rejecting much of the modern world, she’s intune with the landscape but at odds with human culture.

Does her hometown affect her behaviour, thoughts and attitude? Verity wouldn’t survive in a city, and would probably struggle in a town. She needs wild places and the river. However, she finds the people around her difficult – in a village the chances of finding a kindred spirit are that much lower.

What does she want out of life? One of Verity’s problems is that she really doesn’t know. There are gaps in her life, but she has little sense of how to fill them.

What's her biggest secret? (Only share if it isn't a spoiler in the story.) I don’t think I can say!

Did you write more than one story about her?
There’s just the one, and it seems like a complete tale to me. She may crop up in the background of another book sometime – I love doing that – but she won’t be the central character in any other stories.

How would she describe you? I come from the other side of the river. Would Verity look twice at me if I walked into the bakery she works in? Probably not. I’m just another person, and she doesn’t do well with people, so I fear she wouldn’t remember me well enough to bother trying to describe me. Perhaps if we met on the riverside and shared a few words about the wildlife she would consider me tolerable.

Is there anything else about your heroine that we need to know? Feel free to share.
One of Verity’s concerns is the threat of a tidal barrier being built across the Severn and harming this unique habitat. I did not invent this threat – I wish it was just a piece of fiction, because the river is beautiful and could be ruined by this.

Please provide your website link. http://brynneth.org.uk/

What is the link to buy your book? http://www.loveyoudivine.com/index.php?main_page=document_product_info&cPath=28&products_id=337&zenid=e8fb5f33a911b999e381b72512589bd7

Qwana from The Last Priestess Series

Tell us about your heroine --- the female lead in your book.: Qwana is the heroine of The Last Priestess trilogy set in ancient Peru. She is the last priestess to the Moon Goddess in a time when religion turned to sun worship. Those who worshiped the moon practiced a gentle, nurturing religion. Those who worshiped the sun practiced ritual sacrifices, terrorizing the populace of Loa, a city on the Nazca Plain.

What's her name? Qwana

Why did you pick that name? I have no idea. I was in a rock shop and the proprietor had a holey stone (it had a hole in it, considered to be very powerful by crystal enthusiasts) from her trip to South America on the counter. I picked it up and must have linked into the story at that point, because I was compelled to write this history about a woman who lived on the Nazca Plain and who became the last priestess in the temple of the Moon Goddess.

Give us a brief description of how she looks. Qwana is beautiful in the eyes of her people: short, compactly built, with dark eyes and hair. Her nose is hooked, her skin is dark and she is dressed in fine, brightly colored garments woven from the wool of llamas and vicuna. Qwana would probably not be considered beautiful in our culture where thin, blonde beauties are the ideal.

Is there anything unusual about her appearance? Not really. Other than the fact she may have richer garments than the common woman of her time due to her special position, she looks like any woman who might have lived in that time and place.

Who does she love? Qwana loves the Moon Goddess and although she is the only young woman of her generation destined to serve in the temple of the moon, she believes it is the proper thing for her to do. She loves the two remaining elder priestesses: Aruz and Mix’la who taught her the rituals of the temple. She also loves Rowland, a visitor from the planet Deesa who has come to this world to see the wonders described by his father, who was also a galactic traveler. She also loves and protects a baby she found abandoned in the Andean foothills.

Does this person love her? In that culture, it was believed the Goddess loved all of her children. The two older priestesses love Qwana as their daughter and are proud of her, although they worry about her solitary state. Rowland, who grew up hearing stories about the wonders of Earth, loves Qwana from first meeting – although she resists his love – believing that she will betray the Goddess if she offers her life and love to the visitor from a world beyond the stars.

Tell us about her family. Qwana’s family does not figure into this tale, she is dedicated to the temple of the Moon from birth. Her “family” are the people who love and depend on her.

Where is she from? Qwana is born in Loa, a city situated on the Nazca Plain, near the foothills of the Andes Mountains.

Does her hometown affect her behavior, thoughts and attitude? The people of Qwana’s city have been swayed to the bloody rituals of the Sun God. They are mesmerized by Xilpu, the high priest of the temple of the Sun. Xilpu is cruel and practices a brutal religion that strips families of their young men and women who die in agony on the stones of the temple. He leads a virtual army of priests that he uses to keep the city in line.

Qwana believes that these bloody rituals are wrong, and while she is forced to witness these brutalities, she longs for a way for the people to be rid of the high priest who uses her as a sexual slave, even though the priestesses of the Moon are supposed to be virgin.

Qwana feels fear and horror at the way Xilpu treats those who follow the religion of the Sun God, but she is powerless to correct the situation and convince the people to return to the worship of the Moon. She wonders if the gentle religion will die if no new girl children are dedicated to follow her in the temple of the Moon.

When Rowland arrives from the planet Deesa, the high priest sends Qwana out on the plain to examine the fallen star, hoping she and her elders will die from exposure. Bewitched by the young priestess, Rowland follows her back to the city, where he witnesses the brutal rituals that honor the Sun God and swears he will release the people from their bondage to the religion that requires a sacrament of blood.

What does she want out of life? Qwana wants to do her duty and serve the Moon Goddess. She is dedicated to this task and believes it to be her life work. Although her initiatian vision indicates she will mate the condor, she believes this to be a prediction of her victory, and not the true ending her story reveals.

What's her biggest secret? Qwana is much stronger than she might have believed. She grows as she protects the elders as they flee from Loa and she comes to understand that true love is an appropriate thing for even the last priestess.

Did you write more than one story about her? Qwana’s story is told in three books: The Last Priestess, Nazca Star and Bride of the Condor.

How would she describe you? I imagine Qwana would see me as a sorceress who is able to record stories in strange boxes and send them out for the world to share. She would probably be shocked at the sort of clothing and lack of reverence exhibited by today’s woman.

Is there anything else about your heroine that we need to know? Qwana is like all of us who are placed in difficult conditions and learn the true depths of our courage.

Please provide your website link. http://www.terrylwhite.com

What is the link to buy your book? www.ebooksonthe.net, or www.Amazon.com in the Kindle section. The Last Priestess Series are also available at Fictionwise, All Romance Ebooks, and other venues.

NOTE: This is a new edition of The Last Priestess story, and is available only as ebooks at this time

Heroine From The Girl Who Fell

What's her name?

Jehanne

Why did you pick that name?

I was inspired be a singer songwriter – also called Jehanne, she told me that her name was probably closer to how Joan of Arc would have identified herself in French than the anglicised ‘Joan’ we have today. It seemed like the perfect name for my heroine.

Give us a brief description of how she looks.

Jehanne’s most striking feature is that she has hooves rather than feet. In Estraguil, there are all kinds of anatomical quirks amongst the kith, but even so hooves are unusual. Otherwise, she is lithe, strong, agile and a touch self conscious in her movements.

Is there anything unusual about her appearance?

Aside from the hooves? There is more age in her eyes than you might expect of someone her age, and an impression of otherness.

Who does she love? Why?

Jehanne adores her younger sister Flower. She still loves and mourns for the child she lost. From the moment she sees them, she is absolutely smitten with the trio of musicians who visit her tref. Tirol, Guile and Luthian are exceptional musicians and compelling individuals.

Does this person love her?

Although she doesn’t see it herself, Jehanne is loved by many of the people around her.

Tell us about her family.

Jehanne and her sister are marcher children – no one is entirely sure who their fathers are. While most women do not choose to have numerous children by numerous men, their mother settled on that way of life. Escaping from a crowded household, the two sisters joined a new tref downriver, where Flower’s skills as a dyer could be put to good use and Jehanne honed her talents for hunting.

Where is she from?

Jehanne belongs to the Tolthian kith – an old tribe within the Forests of Estraguil. She lives alongside a river, in a tref built in the treetops.

Does her hometown affect her behaviour, thoughts and attitude?

Jehanne considers herself something of an outsider – with her hooves she’s not well adapted for life in the treetops. Still, she values her community and heritage, it gives her many of her values and ideals.

What does she want out of life?

Jehanne is a lost soul, she has no real idea of what she wants, and in her heart believes that the best part of her life has already been lived.

What's her biggest secret?

Jehanne keeps no secrets and has no aptitude for lying. She seldom bothers to speak of herself, but will answer truthfully if anyone asks anything of her.

Did you write more than one story about her?

No, nor do i intend to.

How would she describe you?

Too soft, too plump and not fast enough!

Is there anything else about your heroine that we need to know? Feel free to share.

Jehanne has a passion for dancing, and a rare magic in her soul

Please provide your website link. http://www.myspace.com/brynneth_n_colvin

What is the link to buy your book?

http://www.whiskeycreekpress.com/chapters/TheGirlWhoFell_BrynnethColvin.shtml

The Girl Who Fell by Brynneth Colvin

What's her name?

Jehanne

Why did you pick that name?

I was inspired be a singer songwriter – also called Jehanne, she told me that her name was probably closer to how Joan of Arc would have identified herself in French than the anglicised ‘Joan’ we have today. It seemed like the perfect name for my heroine.

Give us a brief description of how she looks.

Jehanne’s most striking feature is that she has hooves rather than feet. In Estraguil, there are all kinds of anatomical quirks amongst the kith, but even so hooves are unusual. Otherwise, she is lithe, strong, agile and a touch self conscious in her movements.

Is there anything unusual about her appearance?

Aside from the hooves? There is more age in her eyes than you might expect of someone her age, and an impression of otherness.

Who does she love? Why?

Jehanne adores her younger sister Flower. She still loves and mourns for the child she lost. From the moment she sees them, she is absolutely smitten with the trio of musicians who visit her tref. Tirol, Guile and Luthian are exceptional musicians and compelling individuals.

Does this person love her?

Although she doesn’t see it herself, Jehanne is loved by many of the people around her.

Tell us about her family.

Jehanne and her sister are marcher children – no one is entirely sure who their fathers are. While most women do not choose to have numerous children by numerous men, their mother settled on that way of life. Escaping from a crowded household, the two sisters joined a new tref downriver, where Flower’s skills as a dyer could be put to good use and Jehanne honed her talents for hunting.

Where is she from?

Jehanne belongs to the Tolthian kith – an old tribe within the Forests of Estraguil. She lives alongside a river, in a tref built in the treetops.

Does her hometown affect her behaviour, thoughts and attitude?

Jehanne considers herself something of an outsider – with her hooves she’s not well adapted for life in the treetops. Still, she values her community and heritage, it gives her many of her values and ideals.

What does she want out of life?

Jehanne is a lost soul, she has no real idea of what she wants, and in her heart believes that the best part of her life has already been lived.

What's her biggest secret?

Jehanne keeps no secrets and has no aptitude for lying. She seldom bothers to speak of herself, but will answer truthfully if anyone asks anything of her.

Did you write more than one story about her?

No, nor do i intend to.

How would she describe you?

Too soft, too plump and not fast enough!

Is there anything else about your heroine that we need to know? Feel free to share.

Jehanne has a passion for dancing, and a rare magic in her soul

Please provide your website link. http://www.myspace.com/brynneth_n_colvin

What is the link to buy your book?

http://www.whiskeycreekpress.com/chapters/TheGirlWhoFell_BrynnethColvin.shtml

Meet the Heroine from His Shadowed Heart with Hazel Statham

Tell us about your heroine ---

What's her name?

Caroline Northam

Why did you pick that name?

It suited her character.

Give us a brief description of how she looks.

She is petite with dark hair and blue eyes.

Is there anything unusual about her appearance?

She is shy and self-effacing and wishes to remain in the background

Who does she love? Why?

Her husband. Although he is cold and aloof at their first meeting, he shows her an unparalleled kindness when next they meet and she is unable to resist his charm.

Does this person love her?

At first, he offers her nothing more than a marriage of convenience but thoughts of her invade his determination never to give his heart again.

Tell us about her family.

Caroline’s mother died when she was a child and she is shunned by society because her father committed suicide. She is now dependent on the charity of members of her family and contents herself with caring for her cousin’s children before returning to her elderly aunt.

Where is she from?

London.

Does her hometown affect her behavior, thoughts and attitude?

She feels it keenly that she is rejected by society, and this accounts for her shyness.

What does she want out of life?

Her husband’s love but knows that she must content herself with merely being at his side.

What's her biggest secret? (Only share if it isn't a spoiler in the story.)

That she loves her husband, despite his seeming coldness to her, and longs for it to be otherwise.

Did you write more than one story about her?

No, this is her only story.

How would she describe you?

I hope kind and someone who is in sympathy with her cause.

Is there anything else about your heroine that we need to know? Feel free to share.

Despite her shyness, she has a lively mind and her confidence grows as her story progresses.

Please provide your website link.

http://www.hazel-statham.co.uk/

What is the link to buy your book?

Fictionwise
http://www.fictionwise.com/eBooks/eBook69078.htm?cache

Wings ePress

http://www.wings-press.com/Bookstore/His%20Shadowed%20Heart.htm

It will also be available from Amazon.com in the very near future.

It was wonderful to meet her. Thank you for bringing her to meet us.

Chesapeake Harvest by Terry L. White

Tell us about your heroine --- the female lead in your book.: The heroine in Chesapeake Harvest is a woman named Mary Charles. The daughter of privilege, Mary follows her heart to the streets of London where she is abandoned by her seducer, and must make her way through the highways and byways by selling first her clothing, then her person. Starving, Mary steals a bite of bread and lands in gaol, where she learns the true meaning of misery. When she thinks all is lost, Mary is brought before a judge and sentenced to deportation to the New World and Maryland colony. Her passage across the Atlantic is another chapter written in misery and it is only by chance that she escapes the sickness that breaks out during the voyage and lives to be sold on the block to a man willing to pay the price of her indenture in return for her services.

What's her name? Mary Charles.

Why did you pick that name? I find that my characters come to me with their stories – and their names -- in their pockets. Mary is representative of hundreds of victims of poverty who were transported to the colonies in order to empty the jails of petty criminals who cost the crown more than their worth to support, even in great privation. Those transported were charged with their own passage, which they had to work off in a state of enslavement for five years on what is now Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Mary seems to be a common name in most epochs of English history, and Charles sounded like a name given to members of the gentry.

Give us a brief description of how she looks. Mary once wore silk dresses and shoes of the finest leather, but her fall from the world of ease leaves her dressed in her mistress’s cast off clothing and garments of rough linen or wool that are more serviceable, but hardly alluring. Her hair is scraped back in a rough knot or braid and her hands are red and calloused from work.

Is there anything unusual about her appearance? Mary is the servant of a man who has connections to royalty, but in the colony even those born with status wear plain clothing that will stand up to the hard work of a frontier farm.

Who does she love? Mary loves Tom, a fellow indentured servant, but she is married to her Master William Baron, who chooses her as a wife when his dear spouse dies of marsh fever. Mary is grateful for the match, for she was raped earlier by the farm’s first male indenture, and she feels that her daughter will be safe if she marries her master. This change in status does not mean her work is lightened, only that she has traded one form of enslavement for another.

Does this person love her? William does not love Mary, although he honors her worth by offering her marriage, a custom of the time when there were fewer marriageable women than men due to the hard work and unattended childbirths they must endure. Tom does love Mary, but she turns him away when he finishes his time of indenture because she is carrying William’s child. In her heart, she would like to put aside her loveless marriage to follow Tom to the mountains of Virginia, but her sense of duty keeps her tied to William and the management of his farm. William leaves the farm often to dabble in politics, and eventually is killed when he is on the way to London to pursue business matters and his ship is caught in a violent storm..

Tell us about her family. Mary has her daughter, fruit of the rape, and several of William’s children, all of whom she loves dearly. She is responsible for raising these offspring and for the management of the plantation in her husband’s absence. After Tom leaves, William presents Mary with a family of slaves, a husband with wife and children. With so many mouths to feed, Mary works very hard to maintain her family.

Where is she from? Mary is from London, but her indenture brings her to the area that is now known as Somerset County on the Eastern Shore of Maryland.

Does her hometown affect her behavior, thoughts and attitude? Mary is responsible for a great deal as the wife of a plantation owner, however, she is grateful for Sir Williams, whose wife Sallie adopted and legitimized her bastard child. Mary is also mindful of her luck in being transported rather than being left to rot in a London gaol. While her marriage has elevated her to a similar status as that of her birth, the circumstances of life in the colony leave her with a great deal of responsibility, especially when her husband is killed. Mary lives in a world where women are secondary to men, but she is not unmindful of the good fortune that has followed her to the New World.

What does she want out of life? Mary would like very much to be loved, but she is dedicated to her children and the land, which she discovers is very important to her as she grows from the abused daughter of privileged to the manager of a large plantation in the New World. Mary is not a woman to feel sorry for herself and she often counts her blessings as she tells her story.

What's her biggest secret? Mary loves Tom for his kindness, even when he leaves the farm when she says she cannot come with him. That said, she puts the love aside and does not pine for what might have been.

Did you write more than one story about her? No. I have told Mary’s story, or rather Mary has sent her story through me for others to enjoy. I believe Mary had an eventful life, but that she took the events as they came and was aware that she was blessed as those events shook her world.

How would she describe you? I believe Mary would see me as a sister, a woman who had similar experiences and who is grateful for the good things life has given her.

Is there anything else about your heroine that we need to know? Feel free to share. I think it is important for the reader to understand that Mary is a responsible person who understands what is important in life. I do not know how her story came to me, but I believe there is a channel that opens and allows me to know the women in my stories and to tell their stories. I believe that women have suffered greatly in the past and that their stories hold the seeds of love for the women of today who may live in misery – then read a book and see that there is a clear path for them to the future.

Please provide your website link. http://www.terrylwhite.com

You can find Terry L. White's books at www.ebooksonthe.net, Fictionwise, Mobipocket, Kindle and Amazon.com by typing her name in the search engines. Look for Runaway Hearts, Mystick Moon, Ancient Memories, The Last Priestess, Mustard Seed, Crazy Quilt, Hang Your Head Over, Imagine, Hell or High Water and Chesapeake Harvest and more. Terry is also a bead artist and musician.

Meet Contessa Morena Monterossa of Portovenere of Bloodstone Castle

What’s her name?

Contessa Morena Monterossa of Portovenere

Why did you pick that name?

The name Morena is an authentic Italian medieval name. I wanted my heroine to have a title, one level of nobility lower than the ducal status of the hero and villain. This made her more vulnerable to both powerful men.

Give us a brief description of how she looks.

Morena is of average build, innocent looking and vulnerable, youthful, but mature. A true beauty with an upturned nose and rose colored cheeks. Originally, she had chestnut hair, but when the cover for the book was chosen, I decided to amend the hair color so she looks like the woman on the cover.

Is there anything unusual about her appearance?

There is nothing unusual about her appearance except for the fact that she wears a beautiful, ancient bloodstone pendant given to her by her mother. She never takes it off.

Who does she love? Why?

Morena does not love any man, however, with time Duke Amoro of Genoa begins to win her heart even though he is a life-long enemy of her family. But she is betrothed to Duke Ernesto of Savona and feels duty bound to marry him.

Does this person love her?

Duke Amoro does not love her at first. His only interest is because he is bound by an oath to marry her. But within a very short time, he grows to love her, long before his love is reciprocated.

Tell us about her family.

Morena is the only daughter of Count Umberto Monterossa and his wife Vittoria who died giving birth to Morena. The Count never remarried. He rescued a young orphan boy named Massimo who he raised like a son and with whom Morena has a very strong bond with.

Where is she from?

Morena was born in Bloodstone Castle in Portovenere.

Does her hometown affect her behaviour, thoughts, and attitude?

Morena feels the duty of her title and loves her home and the people who live and work in the vicinity of Bloodstone Castle.

What does she want out of life?

Morena wants to ensure she takes good care of the many serfs and vassals who serve her family. She wants to be loved. Morena is prepared to do her duty and will sacrifice her own personal love and happiness to do so.

What’s her biggest secret?

Morena knows about the existence of the ancient Roman treasure rumoured to be buried beneath Bloodstone Castle and the bloodstone pendant she wears is proof, however, she does not know its location and is suspicious of her suitors because of it.

Did you write more than one story about her?

No, and at this time I have no plans for a sequel. However, I did leave that door open because I think the minor character of Massimo makes an intriguing hero and perhaps there will be a novel about him with Morena as a minor character in the future.

How would she describe you?

Morena would describe me as a dedicated, obsessed author with a love to create and a passion for stories about Italy and medieval times.

Is there anything else about your heroine that we need to know?

Morena is not afraid to stand up and fight. She understands the duty that comes with her title and is ready to fulfill those requirements regardless of her own wishes or happiness

Please provide your website link.

http://www.mirellapatzer.com

What is the link to buy your book?

You can purchase my book at my websites:

http://www.mirellapatzer.com

http://bloodstonecastle.blogspot.com

http://bestofitaly.blogspot.com

http://mirellapatzer.blogspot.com

Or you can purchase it from Amazon at:

http://www.amazon.com/Bloodstone-Castle-Mirella-Patzer/dp/0978486528/

It was wonderful to meet her. Thank you for bringing her to meet us.

We encourage you to post a comment or ask a question. One person who comments during the tour will win an autographed copy of Bloodstone Castle. Will you win??

Heroine From Outlaw in Petticoats

Tell us about your heroine --- the female lead in your book.

What's her name? Maeve Loman

Why did you pick that name? While doing the background on her father, I needed him to be Irish. So I looked up Irish names and after going back and forth with several, I decided Maeve fit the best with the hero's name, Zeke.

Give us a brief description of how she looks. Straight black hair worn in a bun while teaching and in a braid down her back while traveling the trails searching for her father. She's slender, blue eyes, and has the Irish temper.

Is there anything unusual about her appearance? When traveling, she dresses in an old shirt, worn riding skirt and has a six shooter holstered on one hip.

Who does she love? Why? She slowly falls for the hero, but fights the attraction kicking and screaming. Her father whom she adored left her and her mother when Maeve was ten. She's always felt if she loves someone too much, they will leave her and she refuses to go through that pain again.

Does this person love her? Zeke loves her to obsession. And has a hard time courting and romancing her to bring her around to his way of thinking.

Tell us about her family. Her father who adored her and she adored him, taught her how to handle a pistol then disappeared. The book is about Maeve and Zeke looking for answers to his disappearance. Her mother is an invalid who holds bitter feelings toward both Maeve and her father.

Where is she from? Maeve's family traveled around a lot due to her father's work.

Does her hometown affect her behavior, thoughts and attitude? No, as I said, she has traveled a lot as a child and doesn't really call any one place home.

What does she want out of life? She wants to be independent and not fall in love. ;) But of course Zeke has other plans.

What's her biggest secret? (Only share if it isn't a spoiler in the story.) Her biggest secret is she really dreams of a life with a husband and children, but fears the hurt of being rejected again.

Did you write more than one story about her? Yes, and no. She is the heroine in the second Halsey brother book and has small roles the books following this one.

How would she describe you? A busybody. LOL Because I've dug into her and made her realize what she really wants.

Is there anything else about your heroine that we need to know? Feel free to share. Maeve finds a strength in herself that helps her find the happiness she deep down was looking for.

Please provide your website link. http://www.patyjager.com

What is the link to buy your book? http://www.thewildrosepress.com

It was wonderful to meet her. Thank you for bringing her to meet us.

Thank you for letting me share Maeve. You can read about another feisty heroine in the first Halsey Brother book, Marshal in Petticoats.

Sinbad's Last Voyage by Toni Sweeney

Tell us about your heroine --- the female lead in your book. What's her name?

Her name is Andrea Talltrees.

Why did you pick that name?

Andi is the adopted daughter of Vicente Talltrees, a Navajo Natural. I wanted something that sounded Native American.

Give us a brief description of how she looks.

Since Andi is adopted, she doesn't look native American, and this is one of the first things Sinbad questions her about. She's small, feisty--someone says she can lick all her one hundred and ten pounds in wildcats--blue-eyes and a wheat-blonde. She married Tran when she was sixteen and is now thirty-one and the fact that she's nearly two years older than Sinbad irritates her.

Is there anything unusual about her appearance?

Not to her people. She wears long skirts and shirts she makes herself, long buckskin boots (also handmade). When she has to change clothes into a disguise, she begs Sinbad to let her keep her boots because it took her three months to make them. She usually wears her hair in two long pigtails or a single braid down her back.

Who does she love? Why?

She thinks she loves her husband until she discovers his real agenda in coming to Earth but the moment she meets Sinbad sh'en Singh, she falls in love with him though she doesn't realize it. He's the total opposite of any man she's ever met--crass, outspoken, a criminal. Even Sinbad admits he's morally opposed to everything she's been brought up to believe it, yet there are little flashes of his secret self he reveals to her that make her realize most of his bombasting is a disguise, that a man who has been traumatized by what happened to his parents lurks inside the dependent front he puts on.

Does this person love her?

Sinbad loves her from the moment he sees her, but since she's married and in spite of being a criminal, he refuses to steal another man's woman, he hides his attraction behind insults, wise-cracks, and sarcasm. Eventually, the facade breaks, however, when Andi gets hurt and he thinks he's lost her and from then on--it's damn the torpedoes and full speed ahead!

Tell us about her family.

The head of Andi's family is Vicente Talltrees. She has four foster brothers. Vicente was her father's best friend and when he enlisted in the Federation Armed Services, he asked Vicente to look after his wife and child. When Jon Pardee is MIA, Vicente goes to get Andi and her mother, finds Sheila dead of pneumonia and takes the little girl back to the Naturals' Reservation, raising her as his own. He spoils Andi, sheltering her, and generally letting her have her way.

Where is she from?

Andi and her people live in a valley that has escaped the pollution most of Earth is now under. She has a farm where they grow fruits and vegetables to be sold to the nearby Federation Military Base. The valley is located near Angel City, the remains of Los Angeles after the Great Quake of '89 dropped most of the lower part of California into the Pacific Ocean.

Does her hometown affect her behavior, thoughts and attitude?

The Naturals follow the ways of their ancestors of the mid-twentieth century. Not only Navajos but many Caucasians are members of the cult which spreads across what is called the Buffalo Commons of the Midwest. They are very religious and have strict beliefs about God, marriage, and fidelity. When Andi admits she loves Sinbad--while they're searching for her husband--she feels she's being unfaithful and when they actually consummate that love, she berates herself, insisting she should be stoned for adultery while at the same time knowing she can never let him go.

What does she want out of life?

At first, she thinks she just wants Tran back and her life on the farm to return to its peaceful self. One she meets Sin, she knows that her old life is gone forever. From then on, life has to be with him, whatever that means.

What's her biggest secret? (Only share if it isn't a spoiler in the story.)

Andi doesn't have any real secrets. She's a fairly open person. Being taught to be truthful, she'd have to be. Associating with Sin, she finds hidden strengths within herself that she didn't know she possessed.

Did you write more than one story about her?

Andi features quite prominently in all the Sinbad stories, especially the second one, Sinbad's Wife, which is scheduled for publication this year. That follows the discovery of Sinbad's "secret," their marriage, and a violent separation when Andi's abducted by slavers and becomes their leader's concubine.

How would she describe you?

She's probably say, "I know people say we look alike, but--I swear--we certainly don't think alike! Slavers...criminals...moving to another planet! I'd never think to do that on my own!"

Is there anything else about your heroine that we need to know? Feel free to share.

Andi meets some people she'd never otherwise get to know while she's tagging along behind Sinbad. Someone of them pop up in the other books, too. She has to think fast in some situations and put her own bravery to the test and I think she handles everything rather well--for a very sheltered, slightly spoiled little Natural.

Please provide your website link.

www.tonivsweeney.com

What is the link to buy your book?

www.lulu.com; www.doubledragonbooks.com

Meet Geneva Anderson

Tell us about your heroine --- the female lead in your book.

What's her name?

Geneva Anderson

Why did you pick that name?

Geneva is the name of a lady who is the best friend of a friend of mine. Anderson is my grandmother and uncle’s last name. I picked Geneva because it sounds exotic and unusual. The name seemed perfect for my heroine who has a unique way of looking at things and lives an unusual life.

Give us a brief description of how she looks.

Geneva is about 5’5 with short, black hair that she wears curled under. She is chubby with light brown skin and wears glasses.

Is there anything unusual about her appearance?

No.

Who does she love? Why?

She is secretly in love with the leader of her poetry workshop, Xavier Lakemore. They have never dated. But the only reason that she joined the workshop was to be around him. She has always had problems with men.

Does this person love her?

No, he doesn’t know how deep her feelings for him go.

Tell us about her family.

She doesn’t have any family. Geneva’s father abused her mother and her mother died when she was young. She grew up alone. She only had her aunt Victoria who was murdered. Geneva idolized Victoria.

Where is she from?

She is from Chicago, Illinois.

Does her hometown affect her behavior, thoughts and attitude?

She is very street smart and not afraid to take risks. She is not afraid to find out who really murdered her aunt.

What does she want out of life?

She wants to be a successful poet. She wants to be loved. Geneva thinks that she can only find this love in a man.

What's her biggest secret? (Only share if it isn't a spoiler in the story.)

She wishes that she had murdered her father before his abuse killed her mother. She thinks that she is coward for not doing this.

Did you write more than one story about her?

Not yet. This is the first book in a series featuring the protagonist, Geneva Anderson. I am currently refining the outline for the second book.

How would she describe you?

She would describe me as being slightly obsessive compulsive, reserved, and independent.

Is there anything else about your heroine that we need to know? Feel free to share.

Geneva is resourceful and not afraid to step out on a limb. She focuses on getting the job done sometimes without regard to the consequences.

Please provide your website link.

http://www.bernadettesteele.net

What is the link to buy your book?

Amazon

http://www.amazon.com/Poetry-Murder-Bernadette-Steele/dp/1892343088/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1199323260&sr=1-1

Barnes and Noble

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/results.asp?TTL=&ATH=bernadette+steele&WRD=&PRC=&FMT=&AGE=&CID=&z=y

It was wonderful to meet her. Thank you for bringing her to meet us.

Meet Jane Downing Nelson

Tell us about your heroine --- the female lead in your book.

She is actually an anti-heroine if you consider that she commits the murder that sets the story in motion. But like many stories, you have sympathy for the anti-hero because of the life that created them.

What's her name?

Jane Downing Nelson

Why did you pick that name?

I don't actually recall how it came to be. But when I was thinking up various titles for the book, I remember thinking how I could use Jane for Jane-e-ology (which rhymes with genealogy) as an apt description of the book - the story is the history or study of Jane.

Give us a brief description of how she looks.

She is from Texas so her hair is always naturally highlighted, especially around her face. Her eyes are blue, clear and confident. In many other ways, she is your typical pretty American mother who looks worn out at Wal-Mart, but who cleans up to a nine if she's going to a party.

Is there anything unusual about her appearance?

No.

Who does she love? Why?

Jane loves her husband, Tom. That is certain. He has drawn out her softer side, which wasn't really nurtured in her childhood. I think this is why she was drawn to him.

Does this person love her?

Immensely. This is the heartbreak of the story - loving someone whose mind is no longer her own. How do you love someone who doesn't really exist anymore? This is what her husband grapples with.

Tell us about her family.

This question makes me smile. Why? Because it is the heartbeat of the book. JANEOLOGY is the story of Jane's family. The chapters alternate through past and present and reveal eight of her ancestors. Who they were, what they did and how they were raised all trickled down into Jane's DNA. To say anymore is to begin writing the story for you again (which I would do except Ms. Leigh has space requirements.) Suffice to say, ask yourself about your own family. You would have a story about your mother, your father, your grandmother, your grandfather and so forth. These are the stories that make up JANEOLOGY.

Where is she from?

She is from Texas, born and raised. And it shows. There's a certain can-do moxie about her spirit. This spirit propels her in both good and bad directions.

Does her hometown affect her behavior, thoughts and attitude?

That's something I hadn't thought about before. Perhaps. Texans have a certain wide open attitude. That there is enough room - physically and mentally - to do things in a big way. So, yes, I think that living in Texas must have affected her worldview.

What does she want out of life?

To be known. To have one person really understand her.

What's her biggest secret? (Only share if it isn't a spoiler in the story.)

That she had murderous/post-partum impulses before she acted upon them.

Did you write more than one story about her?

Actually, yes. I wrote Jane from several perspectives and ages. One of those - Jane at age nine - appears in the story. And it is one my favorite chapters in the entire book because I think it stands alone.

How would she describe you?

If she were to describe my day job as a stay-at-home mom she would say, “I completely understand what a tough job it is. Call me if you want to go garage- saling next weekend.”

If she were to describe my job as a novelist she would say, “You are too sympathetic to my husband. Do you realize all the things you DIDN'T see about him? Don't ever call me.”

Is there anything else about your heroine that we need to know? Feel free to share.

Jane is a complex, dark, hurting individual. She surfaced in my writing because of all the tragic stories I have heard about mothers who kill and my quest to understand why and how this was possible. I believe I gleaned a few answers to this question by knowing her.

Please provide your website link.

www.karenharringtonbooks.com

What is the link to buy your book?

http://www.amazon.com/Janeology-Karen-Harrington/dp/160164020X/

It was wonderful to meet her. Thank you for bringing her to meet us.

Meet Frankie A Unique and Touching Heroine

What's her name?

Frankie (real name Francesca)

Why did you pick that name?

I had Frankie's name picked out way before I found her. One of my favorite movies is "Frankie & Johnnie." I've always thought it was so cool that a girl's name could be Frankie. And it just so happens I have my own personal Johnnie who is my husband.

Give us a brief description of how she looks.

She has four, 2-inch legs, red silky soft fur, flappy ears, fawn brown eyes, a skinny tail and a black button nose

Is there anything unusual about her appearance?

Well I guess you could say the fact that her back legs are wheels would be unusual.

Who does she love? Why?

She loves everyone because dogs love unconditionally. Though I think she loves me most of all (I sure hope so!).

Does this person love her?

Absolutely, without a doubt! She would do anything for her little sweetheart.

Tell us about her family.

She has a wonderful, caring, loving Mom, a Dad who adores her, a big yellow lab sister, Kylie and a tabby striped cat sister, Dani.

Where is she from?

She is from the quaint village of Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin

Does her hometown affect her behavior, thoughts and attitude?

Oh yes! Her hometown has been so supportive and compassionate towards the "little dog with tires." Frankie loves to share her positive attitude for overcoming a challenge with everyone she meets.

What does she want out of life?

Probably first and foremost would be kibbles and treats. After that, all she wants is someone to love and cuddle with her.

What's her biggest secret? (Only share if it isn't a spoiler in the story.)

Her biggest secret? She really does love her cat sister.

Did you write more than one story about her?

Not yet, but I plan to.

How would she describe you?

The best human mom a little dog could ever ask for.

Is there anything else about your heroine that we need to know? Feel free to share.

Frankie taught me that we all have challenges. She taught me not to feel sorry for her or for myself. She taught me to look for a blessing in the challenge we faced when she became paralyzed. She showed me being positive will bring much joy and blessings to my life and it has. Her motto is: Be positive and Keep on Rolling!

Please provide your website link.

www.joyfulpaws.com

What is the link to buy your book?

www.joyfulpaws.com

Gisel from Wildcat Victory

Follow Gisel Matah and the thunder of hooves as she strikes back at the Imperial armies that threaten all she has worked for. She must defy every established world power to bring justice to common peasants and workers in societies now ruled by greedy aristocrats. Her covert activities require her to protect her fledgling Radical movement from both friends and enemies.

Risking her life and her love, Gisel negotiates even greater hazards in a wide ranging adventure. Her partner, Yohan Felger, becomes a problem when the Baron has him smuggle a steam engine to the Empire. Gisel knows of the subterfuge but cannot admit it, while Yohan is almost torn apart by the need to deceive her. Faced with removing the pressure on Yohan as he moves his contraband engine, she accepts the offer of General Lord Ricart, an ex-lover, to command a cavalry unit in battle. Her reckless courage is needed to carry out missions against two Imperial armies.

The fight finds her opposed by ever increasing odds until in the final confrontation she must outwit two enemies who vie to dominate Iskander. New friends, allies, and enemies as well as all the old ones fill the pages when Gisel Matah sets out to gain "The Wildcat's Victory".

Tell us about your heroine --- the female lead in your book.


What's her name?

Gisel Matah

Why did you pick that name?

I could say that's almost lost in the mists of time, I started writing stories in the series over ten years ago. I think the name Gisel has a strong but feminine sound to it - and I wanted both. The spelling Gisel rather than the French Giselle being responsible for making the name sound stronger.

I picked the family name as something sounding Indian - as in Zubin Mheta, the conductor. I was very concerned in writing about a group of people from the future that they should be multicultural.

Give us a brief description of how she looks.

She has a page on Facebook with a picture I bought from iStock. http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=550780677

It's not exactly as I visualized her, of course, her arm should be more muscular reflecting her working out and swordfighting strength. Perhaps the girl who modeled for the picture is more beautiful than I originally intended - I wanted Gisel to be striking and to gain attractiveness through her vivacity, but I think this picture does justice to my concept.

My original conception -

She has long black hair, very dark “Gypsy” eyes, and olive skin reflecting her genetic heritage. She's 5'10” and weighs 145lbs.

Is there anything unusual about her appearance?

There is in the stories, because she is a modern young woman in an alternate 17^th century world, and 5'10” is very tall for a man or woman of that culture. Her height enables her to convincingly disguise herself as a man in some of the action.

The hypnotic eyes came from a real young woman I once worked with (who later became my doctor for several years.) She did have Gypsy in her heritage and could give meaning to the myth of the Gypsy's eyes whenever challenged. I wanted Gisel to be able to transfix with a glance.

Who does she love? Why?

She's had more than one love affair but has come to love the rather fussy and serious Yohan Felger, the young man she had to escort to an enemy city in Deadly Enterprise. While other lovers, such as Lord Ricart the commanding general of her people's armed forces, might have been more exciting, Yohan is the steady and reliable man who she can trust when he says he loves her. In the latest novel I'm working on they're married.

Does this person love her?

He does, but he is also exasperated by her strong will and reckless plunging into danger. He knows of (at least one of) her earlier affairs and does his best to control his jealousy.

In working on an early draft of The Wildcat's Victory, where Gisel is called back to a combat command, I had another writer question whether they really loved one another. Then I had them meet after a month's separation when Yohan led an ammunition supply column to join her. In a love scene in the back of an ammunition wagon, almost everything conspires to break the romantic mood and spoil their lovemaking, but they rise above it. My critical reader was convinced.

Tell us about her family.

She was born on a future version of our Earth, near the end of the 23^rd century - not the 17^th century world where her adventures take place. Her father, Henrik, is an engineer from an Anglo-Indian family from Mumbai, her mother, Gina, a Greek medical doctor. The two met when Gina visited her parents in Mumbai, where her father was serving as a UN Trade Commissioner.

The marriage was always stormy and resulted in divorce before these stories start. Gisel was raised sometimes in her parents' home in Mumbai, partly by her Greek grandmother in Greece, and partly by her mother in London during a separation while she practiced at Guys Hospital. I attribute Gisel's stormcrow personality to the less than optimum childhood she experienced.

Where is she from?

I guess I've answered much of this as a preamble to the above. She is a woman of many cultures, and her honour and courage stem from the best of them - Western in her physical personality and Eastern in her spiritual.

Does her hometown affect her behavior, thoughts and attitude?

Her background, upbringing, and melding of cultures affect who she is. When she was returned from Greece to Mumbai as a girl of 8 the staff of the private school she entered pushed her into competition gymnastics in the hopes of channeling her tempestuous nature. When she later accompanied her mother (and elder brother) to London during yet another of her parents' marital storms she was entering into the growth spurt of puberty and could no longer compete in gymnastics. She went into fencing instead and learned the Akido way of the sword from her mentor as well as enough competition skills of the epee to rate as a junior Olympic team member. She fights courageously when she must, but looks for paths to peace when they become possible.

What does she want out of life?

In the dangerous occupation of Security Service officer, her wants at times are narrowed down to just staying alive. She is above all a warrior and a mentor to the local population hoping to rise above the authoritarian and monarchial regimes that rule every nation. Married in the next story of the series, she just wants to be able to blend her official duties with becoming a wife and mother. What's her biggest secret? (Only share if it isn't a spoiler in the story.)

Ah, I suspect her of keeping one, but I've never learned the details. In the next novel to be released, called Arrival, I take the story back to when her people become stranded in the 17^th century world. Gisel is then 16 and has been wangled into the mission by her father as a personal trainer and minder of the starship's gymnasium. The story shows her developing in five hectic months from starship brat into a warrior.

In a desperate fight to prevent an enemy from taking over a shipyard and works they have set up, she acts with rather sinister man, a bodyguard/come trained assassin more than twice her age, to repel the assault. The two become attracted to one another - sexually during the sensory heightening of battle - and subsequently plan to elope. Her father gets wind of this and moves her out of the country. How far did their relationship go? She's never told me.

Did you write more than one story about her?

She's been the prime mover of most of my writing of the last ten years. Three novels published or under contract, two completely set aside (perhaps to be entirely re-written), and one in progress. But I do have another novel under contract and one in progress that she's not part of.

How would she describe you?

Interesting. I can't visualize her ever meeting me. I rather feel that there is a lot of me in her partner Yohan, so perhaps she'd think of me as a rather dull but reliable fellow.

Is there anything else about your heroine that we need to know? Feel free to share.

She shares the rebelliousness of my London forebears, and myself. None of us wants to bow down to arbitrary authority, or to the hierarchies of mere birth and social advantage. That's really why I write stories of a society even more mired in them, where she will deceive her friends - even Yohan - to protect her fledgling Workers' Brotherhood that one day may flower into a truly egalitarian social system where all might benefit from the Common Good.

Please provide your website link.

Http://www.christopherhoare.ca

What is the link to buy your book?

Deadly Enterprise is on Amazon at http://tinyurl.com/yryhs7

The Wildcat's Victory is on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1554045398

Both are on my page at Double Dragon's site ---- http://www.double-dragon-ebooks.com/eAuthor.php?Name=Christopher%20Hoare

It was wonderful to meet her. Thank you for bringing her to meet us.

About Christopher Hoare -

Chris Hoare is a retired surveyor who has worked in all the oil provinces of Canada, the Canadian Arctic and the Libyan Desert. His post secondary education started as aeronautical engineering but he quickly headed out to learn from the world. As well as time in oil exploration, Chris has worked in oil refinery and gas plant operations and surveyed on a heavy construction project, a dam, where he was a member of the tunneling survey crew and then the check surveyor for the main dam construction.

His writing is generally some kind of speculative fiction. His Iskander series novels have a strong female protagonist, a modern young woman in an earlier society on an alternate Earth. The stories feature the struggle to produce technological and social advancement against the opposition of established rulers.

Chris lives in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Alberta, Canada, with his wife of 37 years and two Humane Society shelter dogs.