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.