Maggie Blackbird

March 30, 2017

I enjoy memoirs/autobiographies/biographies about the First People of Canada, so I thought I’d share a few that stayed with me long after I finished the book.

Everyone’s journey is a story.

They’re in the Band

Maggie Blackbird

March 26, 2017

I previously did a post about memoirs/autobiographies written by the ladies with the band. For this post, I’m going to recommend awesome books about the rockers in the band, whether memoirs, autobiographies, or biographies.

I got a fever and the only prescription is more cowbell!

Read on to find out which books kept me up late at night.

What’s in my e-reader?

Maggie Blackbird

March 25, 2017

Grass Dance by Kathryn Imbriani

Since I’ve been on an Indigenous heroines kick, Kobo recommended Grass Dance by Kathryn Imbriani for me in my “recommendations for you.” I liked the premise, so I purchased the book. So far, so good.

Here is the blurb:

After General George Armstrong Custer’s defeat at the Battle of the Little Bighorn in June of 1876, the Sioux flee north to Canada seeking shelter and food with the U. S. Calvary in hot pursuit. Irishman Braden Flynn is assigned the task of escorting the desperate Sioux into Canada where the North West Mounted Police wait to act as mediator between the Sioux seeking exile and the U. S. Government bent on imprisoning them on newly established reservations.

As he rides alongside these tragic people and learns their ways and sorrows, he cannot help but admire the resilience and loyalty of Sitting Bull’s niece, Dancing Bird. Fearful for the future of her people, Dancing Bird trusts no white man, not even the kindly, scarlet-clad North West Mounted Policeman sent as their protector. Now, amidst the clash of two governments and murderous upheavals, Braden comes to know that Dancing Bird is meant to be his wife. But to win her trust – and her love – he will have to overcome years of broken promises and mistrust between their people.

This book can be purchased at: Smashwords, Amazon, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, and iTunes.

Rest in Peace, Richard

Maggie Blackbird

March 13, 2017

Medicine Walk by Richard Wagamese

I received a text from my mom this morning, telling me the bad news. One of my favourite authors, award-winning Ojibway writer Richard Wagamese, had passed away. Immediately, I went online to check. Sure enough, the Globe and Mail confirmed the worst. At the time, Richard was working on a sequel to his acclaimed novel Medicine Walk. What strikes me as ironic is that after I finished reading this book, I wished for a sequel, wanting to read more about Franklin Starlight’s (the protagonist) journey into manhood.

Richard’s other book, Indian Horse, is being adapted for a movie, according to the Globe and Mail, and what a movie that will make. I can’t stress enough how much I enjoyed this fictional work by Richard.

I did an Author Alert for him just a couple of week ago, after finally acquiring a faster Internet connection so I could begin updating my blog once again (up until then I was stuck on dial-up and unable to use WordPress).

I do hope many honour Richard’s memory and read his works, both fiction and non-fiction. His latest publication, Embers, is full wisdom from the elders and his own learned experiences during his life’s journey.

Sleep well, Richard. You will be greatly missed.

She’s with the Band

Maggie Blackbird

March 12, 2017

It’s only Rock ‘n’ Roll

Being a die-hard music fan, I enjoy memoirs and autobiographies by groupies and WAGS (wives and girlfriends)–the lovely ladies who inspired many of the songs we love. What about those who work in the music industry or became part of the band’s inner-circle? They’re included, too, because these gals kicked some serious ass.

Have a peek at some of the books I’ve read over the years in case you’re interested in purchasing what kept me awake while I should have been sleeping.

Romance Cover Models (Golfers)

Maggie Blackbird

March 11, 2017

Who’s on the Cover?

I can’t think of one reader who doesn’t enjoy a nice cover on a romance novel. Covers are important to readers and writers. If you see an awful cover, it makes you go “hmmm.” See a good cover and you want to find out more. And what author doesn’t dream up the perfect model to sell her/his story?

Being such a golf fanatic, I thought I’d do something fun today by casting professional golfers as models for romance novels, starting from YA (Young Adult) to MA (Mature Adult) and all genres in-between. Okay, I covered some genres, because if I went with every single one out there, I’d spend my day trying to finish this post LOL. So my apologies in advance if I skipped your favourite. Continue reading

Author Alert: Richard Wagamese

Maggie Blackbird

March 7, 2017

Heads Up!

If you enjoy First Nations literary and non-fiction, I highly recommend the works by Richard Wagamese. My dad introduced me to this author a couple of years ago when he gave me Richard’s For Joshua: A Native Father Teaches his Son for Christmas–a novel about what occurred to Richard as a result of the “sixties scoop.”

The memoir takes the reader through Richard’s life, from being placed in care at the age of three through the Child Welfare System to his escape from his adoptive family at the age of sixteen. His journey of finding where he belongs takes the reader all over Canada as Richard attempts to come to terms with his life and what happened to him. As he recounts his life, he provides lessons he hopes his son will use. Continue reading

TV Shows

Maggie Blackbird

March 2, 2017

What’cha Watching?

I won’t mention the golf tournaments I record, because I think a lot of readers aren’t too interested in watching men hit little white balls off the grass LOL. I will talk about TV shows that have captured my attention in hopes I can entice you to become a viewer. Sound fair?

For this post I’ll focus on British shows. I really enjoy what they produce, from Poirot to Jekyll and Hyde. Both aren’t current programs, though, and this is what my post is about. I’m a sucker for period pieces and murder mysteries, which is why I’m drawn to the literary works of Maureen Jennings and James Runcie. Continue reading

Indigenous Heroines

Maggie Blackbird

February 26, 2017

Anishinaabekwe in 1901

I read a lot of historical romance. One problem I’ve encountered is finding books starring Indigenous heroines. Continent doesn’t matter. I’m game for North America, South America, Africa, Australia, etc. After digging and digging, I came across a few authors who write aboriginal women in starring roles.

Vella Munn: I featured this author in another post. She writes contemporary and historical romance. I fell in love with her Soul Searchers series: Soul of the Sacred Earth, Blackfeet Season, Cheyenne Summer, and Daughter of the Forest. In her Soul Survivors series, two of the four books star aboriginal heroines. They are: Spirit of Eagle and The River’s Daughter.

I highly recommend her work. She captures a time period of long ago with real characters and believable dialogue. Her research is impeccable that she weaves seamlessly into the story. Sometimes her settings feature Europeans, while other books occur when only Indigenous people inhabited North America.

Author Alert: Vella Munn

Maggie Blackbird

February 16, 2017

Heads Up!

Now that I finally have a connection faster than dial-up, I thought I’d start something new for my blog–Author Alert. Every time you see the alert badge to the right, it means I’ve come across an author I’ve discovered and wish to share with the world. My hope? To introduce you to the writer who drew me into her/his imaginary world and turned words into reality as I devoured page after page until sadly seeing “the end.”

The first alert is for Vella Munn, a writer of historical and contemporary romance. I found her by accident after searching and searching for Native American/First Nations historical romances with an indigenous heroine in the lead. I was fortunate to hit pay dirt with Vella Munn’s Soul Survivors and Soul Searchers series. Yes, I’m quite unorthodox when it comes to hunting down books because I scour the ‘Net until I find what I want. My approach may be “needle in haystack,” but I locate that needle each and every time. Continue reading

Dial-up is not fun!

Maggie Blackbird

September 11, 2016

Connect me to High-Speed!

No, it isn’t. It’s quite limiting. So I’m comforted with the fact there are ten million people using dial-up right now. I’m not sure who these people are, but it’s still comforting. Hubby and I live in the country, so dial-up is our only means of accessing the Internet. Sure, we’ve tried to find some kind of faster service, but the Internet gods frown on us. They are insistent we stick with dial-up (they kind of remind me of the golfing gods hehe). Even worse, Bell Canada won’t upgrade the technology in our area so we can’t access DSL. We can’t even purchase dial-up service from Bell. Four years ago I was given the, “Sorry, that service isn’t available where you are,” speech. Um, come again? Not even dial-up? I guess this means even Bell knows how mediocre the technology is here that they won’t chance providing dial-up service LOL. Anyhoo, our connection to the Internet comes from another company.

What’s in my e-reader?

Maggie Blackbird

August 21, 2016

Serve and Protect by Megan Linden

I’m trying my best to keep the blog updated, but dial-up makes this challenging. Thank goodness for high-speed at hubby’s business LOL.

Anyhoo, I wanted to share with you what I’m reading. I won this book at Romance Divas during their NGTC week. It’s Serve and Protect by Megan Linden.

Here is the blurb:

What happens when you fall in love in the heart of politics?

Sam Daniels’ life turns upside down when he meets an amazing guy and gets a job offer he can’t refuse almost at the same time. Working in politics and sustaining any kind of personal life is never easy, but when you’re running a campaign to elect the first woman to the office of the President of the United States, it may become nearly impossible.

Blake Morin, after spending years as a SEAL, lives a quiet life with his daughter and he’s fine with that. He can’t deny the attraction between him and Sam, but is he ready to enter the world he used to avoid?

The book is available at the following places: MLR Press, Amazon, AllRomance, and Kobo. Be sure to check out the other books in the D.C. Files series by Ms. Linden.

What’s in my e-reader?

Maggie Blackbird

February 20, 2016

The Husband Demand by Kat Duncan

Wow, it’s been a long time since I last updated my blog. I must confess dial-up is not WordPress friendly, LOL. It gets frustrating when a simple post takes over an hour to upload. But I’m going to do my best to try regularly update again.

The book I wish to introduce to you is The Husband Demand by Kat Duncan. I beta-read this book and LOVED it.

Be sure to check out Kat’s web site for other great titles.

Blurb: Reyner de Lony scours holy writings searching for absolution from the incident that killed his younger brother. He answers Annade Greylond’s demand for a husband, hoping to make peace with her brother and restore her besieged lands without bloodshed as a final atonement for his crime. But Annade discovers her father’s empty grave, and learns the true reason her lands are under siege. To save the woman he loves from fratricide Reyner may have to carry out the very act of violence he’s spent most of his life doing penance for.

Available at: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Scribd, iTunes, and Page Foundry.

What’s in my e-reader?

Maggie Blackbird

August 28, 2013

Ali’s Victory by Kat Duncan

I downloaded Ali’s Victory by Kat Duncan into my e-reader. I must confess I beta-read the MS hehe. Anyhoo, it’s a great story so check it out.

What young widow Ali Granger doesn’t know can put her six feet under. Her boss, a medical advocate fighting drug companies, has been murdered, and she’s on the run from a killer. After stealing a boat and crashing on a private island, she meets the man of her dreams. Only he’s holding a shotgun, and it’s pointed at her.

Ben Dewey, a.k.a. former entertainment wrestler Hammer Victory, never expected to find Ali’s brand of trouble on his doorstep. But when she uncovers evidence that both his wife and her husband died from the same unexplained condition, he agrees to help.

Danger and desire lurk around every corner as Ali and Ben team up to expose a dietary supplement as a deadly, addictive drug–before the forces behind it silence them forever. But if they succeed, can they leave the past behind and find love again?

Available at: Kobo, Amazon, iTunes, Barnes and Noble, Sony, and All Romance E-books.

Interview with Brooklyn James

Maggie Blackbird

March 21, 2013

Let It Go By Brooklyn James

Today at Romance, She Wrote, I have author, singer, and songwriter, Brooklyn James, in the interview chair. She has an upcoming release, Let It Go, that we’ll be talking about.

1. In the past, you’ve written across genres (coming of age, women’s fiction, supernatural thriller, nonfiction). How would you classify your upcoming release, Let It Go?

Let It Go is a feel-good contemporary romance about two divorcées starting over. One divorcé and one divorcée, if you want to get gender-technical…lol. It’s a laid-back, easy, breezy, fun spring/summer read. Perfect for the season.

Interview with a mentor

Maggie Blackbird

January 31, 2013

Learning is Good

Today, Romance She Wrote has author, writing instructor, and mentor Kat Duncan in the interview chair. Before we get started, I’m proud to say Kat is my mentor. I took a series of workshops she taught a year or two back. When I encountered difficulties, I emailed Kat about a question. After we hashed out my problem, she told me to keep emailing her. Boy, she didn’t know what she’d started. Like it or not, she’s been stuck with me.

Since Kat offers three month mentorships through Savvy Authors, I asked her to speak about mentorships. If you are considering a mentor, Kat is on hand to answer any questions you may have.

Friendly advice for new writers…

Maggie Blackbird

4 comments

January 15, 2013

The Preacher’s Outlaw by Patricia Bates

Today, Romance, She Wrote is pleased to have multi-pubbed author, Patricia Bates, in the interview chair. As a new writer, I’ve been bombarding Patricia with questions about publication, web presence, craft, and whatever else is on a newbie’s mind.

Patricia has graciously accepted my offer to answer questions new writers ask experienced authors. The “advice” posts are part of a series of interviews.

Today, I’m focussing on the first manuscript. If you have questions, please feel free to comment and Patricia will be happy to provide an answer.

My characters pick the tunes

Maggie Blackbird

October 4, 2012

I got a fever and the only prescription is more cowbell!

Being a total music junkie (yes, look at my blog posts because the majority are devoted to music), I can listen to just about anything, although my preference is metal and hard rock. Through Sissy, I was introduced to sixties rock, sixties girl groups, and Neil Diamond. Uh huh, my seventeen-year-old heroine digs Neil. So while writing her story, I had Neil Diamond blasting in my truck. Y’know something? I fell in love with Neil.

Now? My one MC (Keith) enjoys adult contemporary. I just ordered an Air Supply CD. I never thought I’d do that. But he enjoys Air Supply. Rita Coolidge. Carly Simon. I’m glad I already had the last two on my laptop thanks to another character. He even had me listening to the Bee Gees. Yes, there I was, working out to Night Fever and Tragedy.

We have a winner!

Maggie Blackbird