Author Profile: Julie Watson

It's my pleasure today to profile New Zealand Author Julie Watson.  Her book Born for Life: A Midwife's Story serves as both memoir and history, detailing both her personal journey as a midwife and a mother of loss and the changes in maternal care that have taken place over the course of her life.  Very well-reviewed, I commend this book to anyone interested in exploring both the miracles and tragedies of childbirth.

From her bio:

"Julie grew up in a small rural town in New Zealand.
She started work in the local maternity annexe on leaving school at the age of sixteen. She met Barry and was happily married until the unexpected death of her second baby at birth. This tragic event in her life led to depression loneliness and despair.
Life was full of challenges and it was during this time that Julie became a Christian. In her late thirties she did her training to become a nurse and a midwife fulfilling a life long dream. 'Born for life' tells her story and she hopes it will encourage others to follow their dreams even with life's difficulties.
Julie has traveled extensively and has worked in several countries around the world, caring for women of different cultures and nationalities. Midwifery continues to be her passion and love."

You can find her on Twitter and Facebook.

Author profile: Staci Troilo

It's my pleasure today to profile fellow Rave Reviews Book Club member Staci Troilo. She's a prolific writer as well as an editor, and, unlike many of us, she actually has a degree in this whole writing thing.

The author is a proud Italian-American, and her Medici Protectorate Series brings you paranormal thrills with a taste of Italian heritage.  Her Cathedral Lake Series contains themes of family, tragedy, and redemption.

Her Amazon bio tells us:

"Her fiction combines dark, dangerous heroes and strong, capable heroines woven together into a contemporary tapestry of tantalizing romance. Compelling villains and gripping mysteries engage the reader from page one of her novels and her short stories feature ordinary characters conquering the odds in extraordinary situations."

Sounds fun, don't you think?

If you want to keep up with the latest from this gifted and successful writer,  be sure to check out her blog and follow her on twitter.

Author Profile: Adam Boustead

I've very much enjoyed "meeting" fellow indie authors through the organizations to which I belong.  The Rave Reviews Book Club has connected me to many such writers, including Adam Boustead, the topic of today's post.  A blind author residing in the United Kingdom, he is a prolific writer of fantasy short stories and poetry.

Adam has published one of his books of poetry with his twin brother Christian (whom you will see in this space on Friday).  Wizard Bound is a collection of poems inspired by myth and by mythological creatures like dragons and unicorns.

In addition, he has a poetry book of his own called Mist Palace Hall One.  The poems feature characters and situations from familiar myths and legends.

For more mythological fun, check out his series of fantasy short stories and poems, The Dragon Chronicles.  Amber Dragon and Dragon Fireside Tales can be read in any order.  A third volume, entitled Black Dragon, is currently in the works.

Adam is a unique voice, and any fans of mythological creatures would do well to give him a look.  Happy reading!

Author Spotlight: Lizzie Chantree

One of the wonderful things about the internet is the ability for writers to meet, network, and get to know one another online.  This combats the loneliness of what is largely a solitary pursuit.  It also affords us to opportunity to hone our craft by helping each other with our works in progress, and it helps us to reach new audiences with our work.  Plus, you get to discover talented people you would never have found otherwise.  To that end, today I'm highlighting a fellow writer from one of the groups I belong to, the Rave Reviews Book Club.

Lizzie Chantree is a true renaissance woman.  She's an inventor and artist as well as an author and entrepreneur.  Her first novel, Babe Driven, taps into her experience as a young, female entrepreneur.  The main character has to try to juggle the personal and professional in her quest for success.  Check it out for a taste of girl power.

Her newer novel, Love's Child, is quite different.  It is more of a medical thriller / mystery, set in a world like our own except for an unexplained decrease in fertility.  Desperation to discover a solution leads to a lot of intrigue.

A third book, Finding Gina, will be released this year, but is not yet available for pre-order.  You can, however, check out the trailer here for a taste of what's to come. 

This U.K. writer is definitely one to watch!  Follow her on twitter or Facebook so you don't miss out on her next release.

Author Highlight: Suzie Jay

You guys, if you like sweet romances that aren't too dirty, Suzie Jay is your girl.  She's a mom, a teacher, and Australian, and a darn good writer to boot.  

I read her novel Walk on the Wild Side some time back, and I was hooked on her quirky characters and clean writing style.  Walk on the Wild Side is an engrossing, entertaining tale of survival and reinvention during and after a nasty divorce.  It hits all the right notes: the sympathetic female protagonist, the suitably obnoxious ex-husband, the terrific friends, and, of course, the hot new man.  The tone is suitably snarky, which provides a modern touch.

Just this past week, she released the timely holiday romance Merry Christmas Eve, and I was lucky enough to get an advance review copy.  This novella is the perfect little Christmas present.  Eve and Grayson meet cute while stranded in an airport, and the cuteness only increases with the introduction of Grayson's children, Max and Noelle.  Eve helps to bring them the joy of Christmas while finding the family she's been longing for.  This is a super sweet, super fun read, perfect for travel or a break from the hustle and bustle of the holiday season.  It will put a smile on your face, and you'll swear you can smell a Christmas tree. It's perfect airport/airplane reading.

If you're stressed and need a breather this holiday season, check out Suzie Jay. She's even got a few children's books if the kiddos need a distraction. Happy reading!

Author Highlight: Guy Bailey

G.S. Bailey is an Australian farmer and indie author of romance novels.  With his new release, Kangaroo Crossing, he has completed his Mystery Loves Romance series  which includes a Man for Kate: Remains of a Local Girl, A Man for Claire: Secrets of the Widow Mulvane, A Woman for Jason: The Soccer Field Bones, A Woman for Blake: Lonely Desert Grave, A Woman for Matthew: The Trelor Sect Killings and A Man for Juliette: the Fontaine Children.

Guy Bailey’s books are super fun: a relaxing and entertaining escape from real life.  The main characters are always vivid as well as easy to root for and identify with.  His leading men are always good guys, and his leading ladies are always strong and beautiful.  The supporting characters are interesting and sympathetic, and the mysteries are engaging and well-paced.  With his books, you have the bonus of getting to take a little trip to Australia and learn a bit about its landscape and culture.

Kangaroo Crossing, his brand new release, wraps up a multi-faceted case that winds through a number of his novels, but you don’t necessarily have to read the others first.  Journalist Blake Malone is investigating a serial killer, and his journey takes him to Madeline’s rural ranch.  Her mother was murdered by the killer years ago, and both of them long to give closure to the families of the killer’s other victims.  Watching them fall in love as they work together is a pleasure, and the depictions of Australian ranch life add a wonderful sense of adventure.  If you are traveling this holiday season, or you need a break from the family and the stress and all the hustle and bustle, I definitely recommend Kangaroo Crossing.