My guest this week is author, Marcia Meara
Marcia Meara lives in central Florida, just north of Orlando, with her husband of 28 years, four cats, and two dachshunds. When not working on her writing or blogs, she spends her time gardening, and enjoying the surprising amount of wildlife that manages to make a home in her suburban yard. At the age of five, Marcia declared she wanted to be an author, and is ecstatic that a mere 65 years later, she is finally pursuing that dream.
Wake-Robin Ridge: A Darcy’s Corner Novel
“A PHONE RINGING AT 2:00 A.M. never means anything good. Calls at 2:00 A.M. are bad news . . . Someone has died. Someone is hurt. Or someone needs help.”
On a bitter cold January night in 1965, death came calling at an isolated little cabin on Wake-Robin Ridge. Now, nearly 50 years later, librarian Sarah Gray has quit her job and moved into the same cabin, hoping the peace and quiet of her woodland retreat will allow her to concentrate on writing her first novel. Instead she finds herself distracted by her only neighbor, the enigmatic and reclusive, but very good-looking, MacKenzie Cole, who lives on top of the mountain with his Irish wolfhound as his sole companion.
As their tentative friendship grows, Sarah learns the truth about the heartbreaking secret causing Mac to hide from the world. But before the two can sort out their feelings for each other, they find themselves plunged into a night of terror neither could have anticipated. Now they must unravel the horrifying events of that murder so long ago. In doing so, they discover that the only thing stronger than a hatred that will not die is a heart willing to sacrifice everything for another.
A story of evil trumped by the power of love and redemption, Wake-Robin Ridge will transport you to the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and introduce you to characters you won’t soon forget.
Here is a short excerpt from Chapter 23
She Knows Something We Don’t
MONDAY, JANUARY 23, 2012
MAC STOOD BETWEEN me and the front door, shotgun at the ready. I didn’t think it was possible to be more terrified than I had been in the pantry, when I heard someone smash through my front window. I was wrong. Something truly bad was about to happen. Mac knew it, I knew it, and Rosheen seemed to know it, as well. I had never heard any animal make a sound filled with so much primal fear and rage.
Almost worse than being afraid was the total confusion I was feeling. Who had been in my yard, yelling obscenities outside my windows? Where had he gone? And most of all, why were there no footprints or tracks of any kind? If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I would never have believed it. Mac’s footprints circling my cabin and the perimeter of my property were clearly visible, but there was no sign that anyone else at all had been in the yard. I was amazed that Mac didn’t think I was completely delusional. Maybe love really is blind.
And speaking of love, I hadn’t had time yet to process all that Mac had told me. I was going to revisit that topic with him as soon as we made it to his house, assuming we survived whatever the hell was outside, of course. All of that would have to wait, though. Right now, the two of us stood in my living room, watching the occasional scattered snowflake blow through the smashed window, while we waited for … something.
***
Swamp Ghosts, Coming May 1, 2014
Wildlife photographer Gunnar Wolfe looked like the kind of guy every man wanted to be and every woman just plain wanted, and the St. Johns River of central Florida drew him like a magnet. EcoTour boat owner Maggie Devlin knew all the river’s secrets, including the deadly ones that lived in the swamps, but neither Maggie nor Gunn was prepared for the danger that would come after them on two legs.
On a quest to make history photographing the rarest birds of them all, Gunnar hires the fiery, no-nonsense Maggie to canoe him into the most remote wetland areas in the state. He was unprepared for how much he would enjoy both their trips, and Maggie’s company. It doesn’t take long before he realizes he wants more than she’s prepared to give, but before he can win her over, they make a grisly discovery that changes everything, and turns the quiet little town of Riverbend upside down. A serial killer is on the prowl among them.
Here is a short excerpt:
Chapter 18
Be Afraid, Maggie Devlin
~~~
HE HAD DONE HIS homework. He had all the information on Maggie Devlin he needed, and then some. When she was finally in his special guest room, tied down and helpless, he knew exactly what he was going to do to her. But his plan was different this time.
Bored with the same old routine, he was going to try something he’d never done with any of his other women. The torture was going to begin before he grabbed her—a campaign of terror.
It would start small. Little hints here and there that something was amiss at her house. Then it would become more obvious, and she would begin to worry. Finally, when she reached a state of full-blown panic, he would snatch her.
He grinned, imagining how it was going to feel, watching from a distance as her fear mounted day by day. He could picture her paused at the doorway to her house, afraid to go in, but even more afraid not to. It would be psychological torture at its best, but he knew it would also be much riskier to drag things out. More chances to get caught. He would have to plan very, very carefully, but before it was all over, Maggie Devlin would be his.
And then he’d get the other one—Gunnar Wolfe. The man would be a deadly enemy if things went wrong, though. Maybe he’d just shoot him when the time came, and be done with it. Ha. That guy’d look good with a bullet hole right between his eyes. Oh, they would both get theirs, and he couldn’t wait.
He snickered. Be afraid, Maggie Devlin. I’m coming for you…and your great big boyfriend, too.
Thanks, Caitlin, O Editor of Mine! And you’ve worked right along with me. It will be nice to see the fruits of our labor, eh? And I’m already starting to get some good feedback. Just uploaded Swamp Ghosts to Kindle, and now waiting…waiting… 🙂
I am so happy to see Marcia get the recognition she deserves. I have read both books and can’t wait for the next one. Her characters are funny and sexy, and her story telling keeps you turning those pages. Don’t miss out on this up and coming author!!! She is amazing.
Jackie, you are so kind! I’m really happy that you enjoyed both books so much, and I hope you’ll Beta read for my next one, the sequel to Wake-Robin Ridge. I’ve got an idea for what I hope will be a pretty cool mystery percolating around in my brain. Thank you for taking the time to stop by here, too. I really appreciate it.
It so great that Marcia is pursuing her dreams of becoming an author. In the process of her becoming an author she is keeping me entertained. I have read both of her books and enjoyed both. She knows how to mix romance with a little bit of thrill. I can’t wait to read her future books.
Hi, Tracy! So glad to see you here. And thanks for being one of the best Beta readers, ever. And ARC reader, too. Without you guys, I’d be lost. Or would have given up. Thanks for stopping by this week. I really appreciate it. Evelyn has done a wonderful job with this blog, and I can’t wait to check out her work, and that of some of the other authors she has featured here.
This sounds like an exciting book. I’ll have to look into it. Thank you so much for sharing!
Hi, Marja! Nice to “meet” you, and I hope that both of my books are exciting. If you check them out, be sure to let me know what you think. I’d love to hear about it. Thanks for taking the time to comment, and have a great day!
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So glad you are enjoying Swamp Ghosts, Anna. Fingers crossed everyone will think it’s fun and interesting…and creepy in places, too, of course. Thanks for your thoughts!
Evelyn, thank you so much for this great opportunity to share my work with you and your readers. I appreciate it very much! Have a wonderful day, and I’ll be checking back here often, myself. A great source for learning about writers that might be new to me, or learning more about those I’ve already “met,” via their books.