Author Notes on GRAVE FUTURE

GRAVE FUTURE, my paranormal romantic suspense novel, has a very interesting history. If I had to choose one word to describe the book itself, I’d pick “persistent.” As you read on, you’ll understand why!

GRAVE FUTURE was first conceived for a New York publishing line that had the theme: Is he going to kiss her or kill her? In other words, the hero needed to be a mysterious character. Maybe he was good, maybe he was bad.

The good news was that the publishing line liked it. The bad news was that it folded before GRAVE FUTURE had a chance. Then Dreams Unlimited acquired the book and published it in 1999. Although I’d written a few books before GRAVE FUTURE, this is my first book published.

An innocent tourist is stranded in an isolated cabin with a hostile stranger, an eerie fireplace, and a Shakespeare-quoting ghost.

GRAVE FUTURE soon gained best-seller status, garnering a Gottawrite.com Award Winner Favorite and many 5 star reviews including Euro-Reviews and Amazon.com. Unfortunately, that publisher went out of business, but GRAVE FUTURE was soon picked up by LTDBooks.

What if a Shakespeare-quoting ghost found a way to avenge his death?

Again, my paranormal romantic suspense was on a best-seller list. But this publisher also closed its doors. However, Awe-Struck eBooks (Mundania Press) acquired the book and reincarnated GRAVE FUTURE where it has remained for your reading pleasure!

GRAVE FUTURE

Now you know why I think GRAVE FUTURE is persistent!

In my books, I like to include a few experiences from my life. Since GRAVE FUTURE is a dark suspense, I used some background from my job at the federal Drug Enforcement Agency to enhance the novel. I also worked at a federal correctional facility, where my training on how to use firearms came in handy! In addition, I actually did get lost in the Poconos while looking for a friend’s summer home, and the car was, in fact, a yellow Triumph! My tiny car, unlike Jocelyn’s, fortunately survived the trip.

One more real life connection: GRAVE FUTURE features a fireplace that seems to be a gateway to Hell! One of the houses I lived in inspired (!) me to write this passage:

“Even the pitted black stones of the fireplace contributed to doom and gloom. A floor-to-ceiling ebony slab of hardened lava rock? She’d never seen anything so ugly or so full of misery. She fingered the gritty exterior of the stones. Nothing tranquil about these rocks. Propelled from the bowels of the earth, they seemed to harbor age-old secrets, age-old resentments.”

So there you have it. Get ready for chills, spills, and... a Shakespeare-quoting ghost. Who could ask for anything more?? GRAVE FUTURE's future is very bright, indeed.

I hope you enjoy Jocelyn and Dan’s story.

Happy reading,

Susanne

Susanne Marie Knight
www.susanneknight.com
Read outside the box: award-winning Romance Writing With A Twist!

Sir Joshua Reynolds–Artist Extraordinaire

When writing novels, authors spent countless hours doing research. It comes with the territory. My collection of thirty-three (and counting!) novels plus numerous short stories all have pages and pages of information that I’ve gathered to help me create realistic stories. But including too much research in a novel can be a kiss of death. And sometimes, I’ve found, all the hours of research boil down to only one line in the novel, but it’s an important line… and I know it’s accurate as well!

In two of my Regency romances, both of them are time-travels: THE QUESTING BOX and TIMELESS DECEPTION, I’ve used the influential English artist, Sir Joshua Reynolds, to give an authentic flavor to my books. Here is an article I wrote a while ago on this painter to give me some insight on him as a person.

First, some background on art. The beginning of the eighteenth century saw the end of the Baroque style of painting as exemplified by Anthony Van Dyck, Flemish, (1599-1641). The Baroque era was known for its masculine tone and portraits of pompous majesty. The death of the French king Louis XIV in 1715 ushered in a new style: Rococo, a style that was famous for its feminine influence. Small details, fluid lines, and lavish design all characterized the Rococo school. François Boucher, French, (1703-1770) is an example of this luxuriousness and wanton frivolity.

But the pendulum of taste soon swung to an emotional feeling; more serious and moralistic (typical of a Cancer Sun Sign). This Romantic style stresses the concept of naturalness or “Grand Style” versus the artificially of the Baroque and the Rococo.

The chief proponent of this style is Sir Joshua Reynolds, English (16 July 1723 – 23 February 1792—Sun Sign: Cancer). In theory, Reynolds expounded the Baroque style but in practice he used the natural element in his paintings. Below is his self-portrait painted circa 1776. (Picture courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)

He was the one of the founders of the Royal Academy of Arts and became its first president in 1768—a position he kept until his death. Reynolds was also the first to adopt the style of the European masters and, in doing so, raised the standard so that English painters were no longer considered technicians of a menial trade. Because of Reynolds, it was now fashionable for English nobility to have their portraits done by their own. He grew famous and was besieged by commissions. In recognition of Reynolds’ contribution to art, King George III knighted him in 1769.

Reynolds also changed the look of English portraiture. His greatest works are those intimate portraits with casual but studied negligence. LORD HEATHFIELD, 1787, (below) is striking in the comparison of the turbulent background of Gibraltar with the calm, unidealized face of Lord Heathfield. (Picture courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)

COLONEL GEORGE K. H. COUSSMAKER, 1782, (below) lounges gracefully against a tree; his horse’s neck curving down at the colonel’s boots. This is a very unusual pose. (Picture courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)

But Reynolds’ most memorable portrait is of MRS. ABINGTON AS MISS PRUE IN "LOVE FOR LOVE" BY WILLIAM CONGREVE, 1771, (below). In addition to being an actress, Mrs. Frances Abington was a former member of the demimonde. Here, she gazes out at the audience while reflecting, and sucks her thumb as a reflex action! (Picture courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)

Regrettably, most of Sir Joshua Reynolds’ paintings have faded due to his experimentation with paint medium. It wasn’t unusual for him to try different mixtures of wax, varnish, and egg without allowing proper drying time. Even in the art patron’s own lifetime, sections of the paint would fall away or buckle from Reynolds’ unorthodox combinations.

Damaged or in fine repair, Sir Joshua Reynolds’ paintings are lovely visions of a world long vanished.

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So there you have it: a concise snippet on Sir Joshua Reynolds.

Susanne

Susanne Marie Knight

http://www.susanneknight.com

Read outside the box: award-winning Romance Writing With A Twist!

 

The Questing Box, 5 Stars, Reader Favorite!

 

Timeless Deception, 5 Stars, PEARL AWARD NOMINEE for Best Time-Travel AND

GOLDEN ROSE NOMINEE for Best Time-Travel 

The Minx Tobin Murder Mystery Series Now In PRINT!

Minx Tobin Murder Mystery Series

Just in time for Valentine's Day!!! My Minx Tobin Murder Mystery Series published by Desert Breeze Publishing is now available both in electronic format AND in print. That's right, all six books are on sale in paperback at:
 http://www.amazon.com/author/susanneknight

Titles include:
The Bloodstained Bistro--Case 1
The Ill-gotten Insurance--Case 2
The Duplicitous Divorce--Case 3
The Virtual Valentine--Case 4 (Perfect for February!)
The Yuletide Yorkshire--Case 5
The Embezzled Envelope--Case 6

Hope you enjoy!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!!

Susanne

Susanne Marie Knight
http://www.susanneknight.com
Read outside the box: award-winning Romance Writing With A Twist!

More of DBP Author Spotlight on Susanne Marie Knight

Here's  Day Two of Desert Breeze Publishing's seven-day interview fest featuring moi and my murder mystery romance series with Minx Tobin.

Are you a full-out plotter? Are you a "let's see what happens" pantser? Or do you think you fall somewhere in between? Describe your process in coming up with and executing a story idea.

Here's my answer:

I’m definitely a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants type of writer, which means I don’t have the action or an outline plotted for my book. This is probably not the best way to write, but it works for me. I use the “what if” scenario to figure out where I'm going, then I choose my characters and let them decide what will happen next. I enjoy writing this way because I rarely know how my characters, with all their quirks and talents, are going to solve their problems! Sometimes I give them a helping hand--throwing a few external conflicts their way. Very often my characters surprise me at how they handle these situations! In the Minx Tobin mystery series, I’ve really enjoyed having the chance to explore the characters in depth. Getting to know them so deeply allows me to anticipate how they will react in whatever situation comes their way. For example, when I started the second book, The Ill-gotten Insurance, I had no idea Minx had a background in art. Nor did I know that there is actually a type of gun called the .22 short, Beretta Minx. That certainly came in handy!

For the Minx Tobin series, I like to plot a story on the basis of the title. I also enjoy the challenge of creating a meaningful title with the two words starting with the same letter. Strange but true!!


Beginning this series is The Bloodstained Bistro. Naturally, the bistro location figured prominently in the book. For The Ill-gotten Insurance, there is an artist who already “died” once before. Minx’s third case is The Duplicitous Divorce where some of the characters may or may not have been legally separated. In The Virtual Valentine, online dating takes a sinister direction. The fourth case is The Yuletide Yorkshire, in which Christmas and a darling Yorkshire play important roles in a murder. Book number six, The Embezzled Envelope, focuses on an old crime that comes back to haunt one of Minx’s friends.

Click on this link to see my author page at Desert Breeze Publishing.
http://www.desertbreezepublishing.com/brands/Susanne-Marie-Knight.html

For those who like to shop at Amazon, here's the for The Ill-gotten Insurance: http://www.amazon.com/Ill-gotten-Insurance-Minx-Tobin-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B004HO5JGU/

 Enjoy!

DBP Author Spotlight on Susanne Marie Knight

Yep, recently Desert Breeze Publishing held a seven day interview fest featuring moi and my murder mystery romance series with Minx Tobin.

Day One asked this question: How do you describe yourself as an author?
Here's my reply!

I’m an intuitive author, which means I write from the heart. My books cover a wide spectrum in the romance genre--paranormal, contemporary, mystery, ghost, Regency, time-travel, suspense, science fiction, and fantasy. I have to say, truthfully, I adore them all! And I love to blend genres, thereby giving my novels an extra little twist. For that reason my motto is: Romance Writing with a Twist. I’ve been published since 1999 and currently have 34 novels plus many short stories under my belt. :)) Six of my novels are with Desert Breeze Publishing: the Minx Tobin murder mystery series.

Who is Minx Tobin, you ask? Minx is a fitness instructor newly relocated to Los Angeles, California. She has a knack for solving puzzles--puzzles concerning dead bodies. For fun, romance, and... unexpected corpses, follow her adventures in this murder mystery series! Book number one is THE BLOODSTAINED BISTRO. Click on this link to see my author page at Desert Breeze Publishing.

http://www.desertbreezepublishing.com/brands/Susanne-Marie-Knight.html

For those who like to shop at Amazon, here's the link: http://www.amazon.com/Bloodstained-Bistro-Minx-Tobin-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B003U8AF86


Enjoy!

Halloween Extravaganza!

Visit Untreed Reads for their special Halloween sale! All month Untreed Reads will feature exciting books and special deals... and on October 31, many of Uncial Press' great authors are offering their books for ONLY $.99 on that day. Look for my popular murder mystery novel TAINTED TEA FOR TWO offered only for $.99 on Halloween!
Follow the link on 10/31/14!

A murder mystery romantic suspense. Someone wants Lord Embrey dead. Will the method of execution be by poison, or injection, or... potato??

When personal fitness trainer Ms. Marty Jackson accepts an assignment in England, romance is the furthest thing on her mind. Fate has other ideas in the form of a handsome British barrister. But when a body is found in the library, can Marty convince her new-found love of her innocence when all evidence points in her direction?

ARIANA Best in Category WINNER, Jude B. Glad, artist.
Book Trailer at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdohSneG7I0

 

Special Sale For Halloween!

Visit Untreed Reads for exciting books and special deals, especially on October 31. Many of Uncial Press' great authors are offering their books for ONLY $.99 on that day.


Look for Susanne's popular murder mystery novel TAINTED TEA FOR TWO offered only for $.99 on Halloween.


Boo!

Great Review For XANADU FOR ALIENS!

Aliens on Earth? A travel agency for extraterrestrials? A Human male from Tau Ceti 3 falling in love with an Earth female? XANADU FOR ALIENS delivers all this and more! Ms. Knight gives us a very plausible scenario of galactic intrigue and a wonderful variety of characters. Fall in love with this fast-paced science fiction romance. This novel is definitely a keeper!

--Norwood Reviews.

Promo: New Science Fiction Romance: Xanadu For Aliens

What if UFO reports are true? What if extraterrestrials are not only here, but they’ve been visiting Earth for countless millennia? XANADU FOR ALIENS, my newest science fiction romance novel, explores the possibility of alien sightseers to our planet But there's no need to be concerned; these tourists are harmless. Or are they?

XANADU FOR ALIENS (Susanne Marie Knight) is available for purchase electronically at Amazon.com, direct URL: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00K2EWFTS, and in print at www.susanneknight.com/orders.htm. 
PARADISE LOST--Teacher Petra Richardson receives a mysterious summer job offer. If she tutors a young boy, Traynor, all her expenses will be paid during her stay in the Galápagos Islands. Although she has misgivings, she agrees. Her new employer is the Taurus City Travel Agency, run by Traynor’s hunky Uncle Kelvin, whom she’d met and fantasized about when she was a teen. While romance simmers between Petra and Kelvin, there’s also danger. Who sabotaged their kayak? What happened to Traynor’s poomba? Why do some travel clients seem to flicker? 

Just what is going on at this sleepy outpost in the South Pacific? 

PARADISE FOUND--Kelvin Lacertus has a full plate. CEO of the Taurus City Travel Agency, he oversees alien and extraterrestrial Human tourists to Planet Terra. He’s handling the most important diplomatic conference in the galaxy. And he’s babysitting his nephew, Traynor. Kelvin arranges for a tutor, little Petra, whom he remembers from his Grand Tour of Terra years ago. She’d impressed him then. The grown-up version is even more irresistible. How can he protect his Petra when a terrorist group targets all Lacertus family members including his would-be bride?

My other science fiction romance novels include: ForEvver, Alien Heat, Janus Is A Two-Faced Moon, and Janus Is A Two-Headed God (P&E award winner and Eppie Finalist). Also available are my science fiction short stories, “Homesick” and “The Convert”. For more information about my books, please visit http://www.susanneknight.com and my Amazon Author Page http://www.amazon.com/author/susanneknight. 

Susanne Marie Knighthttp://www.susanneknight.com
Read outside the box: award-winning Romance Writing With A Twist!

Coming in December!

New life for family favorite Regency short story this December: "A Very Special Christmas Present." Look for this heart-warming story at Uncial Press. 

Her only brother killed in the Napoleonic Wars, romance is the furthest thing from grieving Deidre’s mind. However her young “niece”--Cupid’s curly-haired accomplice--is determined to give Auntie Dee the best Christmas present ever.

 

Susanne
Susanne Marie Knighthttp://www.susanneknight.com
Read outside the box: award-winning Romance Writing With A Twist!
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