Author Notes on ALIEN HEAT

I missed posting my Author Notes yesterday, but here they are on Tuesday! Today I’m writing about ALIEN HEAT, my popular science fiction futuristic romance. I got the idea for this novel when I came across a cover story in the magazine U.S. News and World Report. The feature was on global warming. I theorized: what if this warming was due to villainous extraterrestrial factors, not just because of manmade conditions like automobile exhaust? Then I researched the 1994 crash of comet Shoemaker-Levy into Jupiter. I proposed that this could happen to the planet Venus, with the force of impact sending fragments of Venus out into space which then eventually collided with Earth. In addition to a dramatic climate change, there’d have to be significant damage to civilization. With that kind of trauma, cultures and countries usually become divided, so now I had the “primitive” villagers clashing with the more technologically advanced people of the territory now known as Canusa. Throw in colonizing Venusian flowers and you have ALIEN HEAT!

AN ALIEN INVASION

A cataclysmic bombardment by meteorites drastically alter Earth's atmosphere... and bring strange alien plants that have a mind of their own. Because of “mutant” powers, only Glyneth recognizes the threat these Venusian flowers pose not just to humans, but to Earth itself.

AN HONORABLE DILEMMA

Major Lucas Jefferson reluctantly abducts Glyneth as a breeder for his country. But "Lady Bulldog" teaches him that might is not always right. Can he learn from this villager to fulfill the ancient prophecy of uniting the old ways with the new?

In addition, since this novel is a romance, a major focus must be on a relationship between a couple... human or otherwise, while the science fiction portion explores the effects of science on some aspect of humanity. In ALIEN HEAT, the romantic conflict is between “uncivilized” villager Glyneth and Major Lucas Jefferson, an “Outsider” from a technologically advanced culture. The science fiction portion deals with the invasion by heat-producing plants intent on turning Earth into another Venus.

Wings ePress was delighted to read, and then publish ALIEN HEAT. Here’s what one editor says about it: “A good example of [crossing genres] is ALIEN HEAT by Susanne Marie Knight which is a Futuristic/SF book. It has appeal to both audiences because of the way Susanne has woven her story using a mix of both genres.”

High praise indeed! ALIEN HEAT has been a best-seller at Wings ePress and on Fictionwise.com. Its beautiful cover was also nominated for the 2005 Quasar Award!

I love this cover as well. I’d like to share with you the process that created this fantastic piece of art. On the cover art form to describe want I wanted, I wrote: Because my novel deals with heat, I envision the cover colors being in yellows and oranges--colors that give off heat. I picture a blazing sun beating down on parched earth.

I included these pictures to get talented artist mpMann a feel for what I had in mind.

 

I also wrote: I’d love to have an image of the alien plant on the cover, but as I don’t have a picture of this Venusian flower (!) I realize this might be impossible. Below is a passage that describes the plant, plus an attached picture of a glass oval with bubbles suspended in it.

She reached down and plucked one. Its willowy stalk stood tall--about a foot high--and hard, almost like bamboo. Completely covering the stalk was a type of white “fur,” warm to the touch. Inside the gauzy white flower petals, she saw a clear oval, jelly-like mass, with tiny bubbles suspended within it. As she watched, bubble by bubble floated up to the top to be released into the air.

All women love these flowers... but the feeling's *not* mutual.

Here is the lovely... and eerie result!

What happens when an “uncivilized” villager matches wits with a handsome warrior... AND strange, heat-producing plants intent on turning Earth into another Venus?

Amazon.com

ALIEN HEAT was also featured at the 2006 Booklovers Conference in Wiesbaden, Germany!

Now for a quick example from real life that I used in ALIEN HEAT. The secondary character, Lieutenant Will Flagg, was inspired by a boy I knew in seventh grade. Thinking of him, I generated this passage: "There were two things Will Flagg hated above all else. The first was to be called 'short.' The second was to be a disappointment to someone he thought highly of. Unfortunately, the latter was just about to happen."

For plenty of ALIEN HEAT (!) I hope you read this out-of-this-world science fiction romance and enjoy Glyneth and Lucas’ story.

Happy reading,

Susanne Marie Knight

www.susanneknight.com

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

Author Notes on TIMELESS DECEPTION

TIMELESS DECEPTION, my time-travel Regency romance, has been a reader favorite for many years. I’m often asked what gave me the idea for this novel. Easy! I’ve always loved time-travel, and I was intrigued by a different type of plot. A contemporary woman, Alaina Sawyer, somehow finding herself not only being transported back to the past, but switching places with a Regency “twin” so that she is now “married” to the man of her dreams. The additional dilemma here is that the Regency husband, Richard, the Earl of Saybrooke, despises Alaina because he believes his wife is unfaithful. Ouch! What an unusual predicament!

The twist to TIMELESS DECEPTION is that Alaina experiences visions before her time-travel. The reason for this is to allow her to have a brief “heads-up” to see what she’s going to be getting into. She’ll understand what type of woman her double was, and also she’ll be “introduced” her to the hero, who will now be her husband. This creates the interesting conflict of being in love with someone who absolutely *does not* return the affection. In addition, I wanted to explain a bit how the heroine could end up across the Atlantic and back in time without dwelling on the details too much. Alaina is also aware that the only way she can get back to her own time is to find the mystic woman her double used. Once that turns out to be a dead end, she knows she’s trapped back in time.

A TANGLED WEB--Her identity switched against her will, Alaina Sawyer wakes up in the year 1818 as the Countess of Saybrooke. Can she convince the man of her dreams that she is cut from an altogether different cloth than his adulterous wife Alicia?

Richard Cransworth, the Earl of Saybrooke, must come to grips with his wife’s sudden descent into virtue. Is her new behavior wishful thinking on his part, or can it possibly be that she is now his, and his alone?

TIMELESS DECEPTION was first published by Novel Books, Inc., and is now re-released by Awe-Struck Publishing (Mundania Press). This unique novel has garnered several awards including the 2002 PEARL (Paranormal Excellent Award for Romantic Literature), and Golden Rose Nominee for Best Time Travel.

 

TIMELESS DECEPTION has also achieved bestseller status on lists including Fictionwise (#1 for over three months!), Novel Books, Inc., and Awe-Struck. In addition, it has been awarded 5 star reviews by Sime-Gen and Amazon.com.

Waking up in 1818 as the Countess of Saybrooke, Alaina must convince her new “husband” that she’s cut from a different cloth than his unfaithful wife Alicia.

Amazon.com

Here’s a bit of real life trivia for TIMELESS DECEPTION. I have a floor-length, silky robe that I love. It also has a really long zipper. Alaina wears that robe when she time-travels, only hers is rose-pink and mine is sky-blue. The robe serves a double purpose: it’s proof that Alaina isn’t from the nineteenth century since zippers weren’t invented back then. When Richard grows suspicious of his wife’s behavior, he questions her maid, Dana, who tells him about the robe. The follow passage describes what happens when he finds it.

Richard finished his survey of the wardrobe in the dressing room without finding the object he was looking for: the mysterious pink robe.

Entering his wife’s bedchamber, he scanned the room with an eye for possible hiding places. If he could but challenge her with this robe, she would surely then reveal the truth. Dana’s description of the robe intrigued him. And he was completely at sea as to what the magical fastening of the robe might mean.

After a thorough examination of the bedchamber without results, he sat dejectedly on the bed. Where might she have hidden it? The cupid statues surrounding the bed seemed to leer suggestively at him, mocking his current failure. Where the devil could she have cached a blasted robe?

He ran his hand through his hair. A robe was a bulky object but perhaps... just perhaps this one was skimpy. Dana had mentioned it was silky. Perhaps it could be folded upon itself and occupy the smallest compartment. 

In a flash, his gaze rested on the Sheraton writing table in the middle of the room. Yes, of course. A piece of furniture designed for secrets! Moving his large hands deftly over its surface, he discovered its false facade and the lock behind it. Regardless of the damage, he used a knife to break the mechanism.

With a quick inhalation of breath, he pulled the drawer open. Inside the small space, a rose-pink fabric reflected back at him. It had been ruthlessly stuffed within the container.

For several minutes following the discovery, the large ornamental clock on the fireplace mantle ticked away. Richard sat, inanely opening and closing the wonder robe. As he pushed the tab upward, tiny teeth interlocked together. Just as unbelievably, when he pulled the tab down, they were pulled away.

Nowhere in England, or indeed anyplace in the world that he was aware of, could boast of such a fastener, so finely and meticulously made.

The mystery grew deeper and deeper.

I hope you enjoy Alaina and Richard’s story, and how, against impossible odds, she manages to restores happiness Richard’s family. Remember, when faced with an overwhelming situation, you can see it as a predicament, or an opportunity. As Alaina quotes from Ann Landers: “When life hands you a lemon, make lemonade.”

Happy reading,

Susanne Marie Knight

www.susanneknight.com

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

Author Notes on THE BLOODSTAINED BISTRO

Writing a series had been on my to-do list for a while. But what kind of series and what would it feature? After some thought, I decided to do a murder mystery series with romance mixed in, along with the character solving a murder. Voilà! The Minx Tobin Murder Mystery Series was born with THE BLOODSTAINED BISTRO as the first case.

Who is Minx Tobin, you ask? Minx is a fitness instructor newly relocated to Los Angeles, California, who has a knack for solving puzzles--puzzles concerning dead bodies. For fun, romance, and... unexpected corpses, follow her adventures in this murder mystery series!

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.

Artist’s rendering of a possible cover

TO LIVE... AND DIE IN L.A.

Newly relocated Minx Tobin likes to help her friends. She also has a knack for solving puzzles. A huge puzzle in the form of a dead body soon gets dropped into her lap. Did waitress Brandi Evans murder her ex-boyfriend? Minx doesn't think so, but can she crack the Case of the Bloodstained Bistro?

Overworked homicide lieutenant Gabe Harris has his fill of women... and dead bodies. The women he can handle. The dead bodies -- unfortunately they keep piling up. But on this particular case he meets a young woman that not only impedes his investigation, but she also has no interest in him. A healthy ego like his can't handle that. He'll have to keep an eye on Ms. Minx Tobin.

Here’s a picture of me conferring with the legendary detective, Sherlock Holmes on Minx Tobin’s latest case!

Desert Breeze Publishing has published all six (to date) Minx Tobin novels and have received great reviews including 4.5 stars from Sensual Reads and 5 stars from Single Titles Reviews. The books are available both electronically and in print.

Eating at Valentin's Bistro can be hazardous to amateur detective Minx Tobin's health, so why does she continue to dine at this restaurant?

Amazon.com Ebook Amazon.com Print

  

Here is a popular book trailer for THE BLOODSTAINED BISTRO:

Now for the slices of real life. Inspiration for Minx came from my own fitness background; I worked for an exercise program shown on public television--behind the scenes. This experience also came in handy when I wrote my English murder mystery TAINTED TEA FOR TWO. I always admired personal fitness trainers who made exercise look so easy!

And speaking of personal, Minx Tobin’s stomach tends to talk when she’s hungry. I confess; mine does too! This can be embarrassing, but does serve a purpose when advancing the story line. Here’s an example. Minx is getting ready to leave L.A.P.D Headquarters when Homicide Lieutenant Gabe Harris walks over to her car in the parking lot.

Harris nodded. "What are you doing at headquarters?"

"Leaving." Minx’s actions weren't any of his business, thank goodness.

He folded his arms across his chest, and for some reason, she reconsidered her answer. Maybe he subtly intimidated her. "I thought I'd visit Brandi Evans to cheer her up, but she's at the medical clinic."

There. Minx fulfilled her duty as obedient citizen, didn't she? As she extended her arm with the key toward the car lock, her stomach growled. Loudly. Loud enough to be heard. She felt herself flush.

"Hungry?" he asked with a touch of humor lightening his voice.

Why bother answering the obvious? She turned the key in the lock. Her stomach spoke again.

From out of the blue, Harris said, "I'll take you to dinner."

She bristled. "Will you?" The nerve of the man! He just assumed she would acquiesce, that she'd be grateful. He didn't ask her, he told her. Well, he had another thing coming.

"I'm not that hungry, Lieutenant." Unfortunately, her traitorous tummy denied her words. She finished unlocking the car door, looking for a swift escape.

He leaned closer, and she could smell his masculine scent. Her heart beat faster. Why? Anticipation?

"Look, Ms. Tobin, I'm off duty. I need dinner and so do you. Why don't we eat together?"

I hope you enjoy Minx and Gabe’s adventures. There are lots more surprises in store for them as the series progresses. Case Number Two is THE ILL-GOTTEN INSURANCE.

Happy reading,

Susanne Marie Knight

www.susanneknight.com

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

Author Notes on ONE WIFE TOO MANY

ONE WIFE TOO MANY is a second-chance-at-love contemporary romance. Sometimes Love does find us, but at that particular time, we’re not ready for it. That’s what happens to Wilson Struthers.

Wilson Struthers is an ambitious attorney who advances his career by marrying eighteen-year-old Andrea, the boss’ daughter. Things go according to plan... until Andrea is lost at sea. Seven years later, Wilson marries again. Then the fun begins!

So here’s the dilemma: How do I craft this tale so that when Wilson and Andrea meet seven years later, they don’t recognize each other? How can I make this story believable?

Ah, that’s the rub! For Andrea, she suffers from total amnesia of her former life, and for Wilson, well, let’s just say twenty-five-year-old Andrea looks very different from his virgin bride.

Artist’s rendering of a possible cover

Happily, Uncial Press loved Andrea and Wilson’s predicament and published this novel. As they say: “Susanne Marie Knight's books are always fun, sexy and tender. Her latest, ONE WIFE TOO MANY is all of the above, a real feel-good story. Andrea is young and innocent when she marries Wilson, who is an ambitious lawyer in her father's firm. Before the wedding night, she's lost at sea. He remarries, she survives and their lives get really complicated."

Seven years after his bride is lost at sea, Wilson marries again. Bigamist!

Amazon.com

ONE WIFE TOO MANY has earned Best-Seller status at Fictionwise.com and Uncial Press and is available at many internet sites and libraries across the United States including North Texas Libraries On The Go.

Here is a popular book trailer for ONE WIFE TWO MANY:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6axHmA8xwc

Below are a couple of tidbits from my life that helped me write this novel. The islands of Hawaii play a large role in ONE WIFE TOO MANY. During a terrifying storm, Andrea is swept overboard from the deck of a company yacht in the channel of waters between Molokai and Maui. I also was violently tossed about in a small yacht navigating very rough seas. Fortunately, I remained onboard!

Here’s how Wilson (Will) experienced the storm:

Still holding his drink, Will carefully maneuvered past annoyingly loud slot machines and equally annoying drunken passengers until he walked out the casino doors.

Once in the carpeted corridor, he stood a moment to get his bearings. Wrong move. A giant wave crashed against the starboard side of the ship. He lost his balance, and his drink, and smashed into the wall.

          While his crystal tumbler harmlessly bounced on the carpeted floor, the glassware inside the casino wasn't as lucky. The tinkling of breaking glass was loud enough to be heard out in the corridor. Evidently everything that wasn't nailed down on the bar counter had slid to the other end, and then landed down onto the floor.

What a waste of booze.

Will grinned, righted himself, and took a step. Another wave crashed into the ship, knocking him full force back into the wall.

Damn. The shit just got kicked out of him. If Andrea had been seasick before, there was no telling just how badly she was feeling right now. Urgency fueled his movements back to their cabin.

Here’s how Andrea experienced the storm:

Although staying on her feet was a problem, Andrea managed to get to the stairway and headed up one level for the casino deck.

The yacht personnel were prepared for this type of weather. Little white bags had been placed on each step by the wall, just in case.

Thank goodness she didn't need to use one. Her stomach was behaving nicely. And actually, she had to admit, it was fun to be thrown from one side of the carpeted wall to the other.

Andrea grinned. Maybe now that she was a married woman, she could handle things better than before.

After Andrea washes up in the city of Hilo on the big island of Hawaii, she is welcomed into the bosom of a traditional Hawaiian family, the Lawai’as. Since she has no memory of her previous life, she takes the name Anakalia, which means Andrea in Hawaiian. Seven years later, she reluctantly gives a stranger, Will, a tour of Hilo, including the famous Akaka Falls. Here’s a picture I took of Akaka Falls while on vacation there.

Today was about as perfect as a day could be. Will thoroughly enjoyed pineapple pancakes for breakfast, an exotic treat for the palate, the tropical rainforest surrounding Akaka Falls, and the company.

Especially the company. Anakalia Lawai'a combined sultry beauty with a naiveté that stoked his growing desire.

Walking behind her in the dense jungle and watching her bewitching bottom sway as they'd traveled on a narrow path to the falls was nearly his undoing.

Or perhaps it was the primordial surroundings. Any minute he'd expected Tarzan to swing through the trees with his characteristic yell.

No, his overactive libido was all due to her.

So now you know part of the story when Wilson finds out he has ONE WIFE TOO MANY! I hope you enjoy Andrea and Wilson’s book.

Happy reading,

Susanne Marie Knight

www.susanneknight.com

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

Author Notes on LORD DARVER’S MATCH

The premise for LORD DARVER’S MATCH, my popular Regency time travel romance, began one dark morning with me snuggling next to my husband. My eyes were closed and his arm held me against him. Suddenly, an idea for a new Regency popped into my head. What if a married woman realized that the arm curved around her wasn’t her husband’s? How would she react? Would she scream? Yell for help? Start pummeling the man? And then, here’s the kicker: what if somehow, she’d been transported back into the past... now vulnerable and alone and at the mercy of this stranger?

This idea developed into Hillary Logan’s plight... transporting her back to England in the early nineteenth century and the Marquess of Darver’s bed!

AN INNOCENT WISH--Little did modern day Hillary Logan realize when she made her innocent wish for a happy marriage, that she’d be waking up in bed next to a handsome nobleman--in 1815. Struggling to adjust to Regency England, she teaches the dashing marquess a thing or two about love and “a woman’s place.”

A PLEASANT DIVERSION--Seeking a diversion from the ongoing horrors of the Napoleonic Wares, Simon Altmont, looks forward to a liaison with the attractive woman in his bed. She would make a perfect new mistress! He soon learns just how different his mysterious Mrs. Logan really is. Has the Marquess of Darver finally met his match?

LORD DARVER’S MATCH was great fun to write. And to read! LIONHEARTED PUBLISHING offered me a contract and made this novel one of the first in their new publishing line.

What if a woman woke up next to a man who was not her husband?

A flurry of 5 star reviews soon followed including from Affaire de Coeur Magazine, Sime-Gen Reviews, and Amazon.com, along with a Love Romances Golden Rose Nominee for Best Regency.

LORD DARVER’S MATCH became a reader favorite and achieved best-seller status! When the contract expired, I arranged my book to be available at Amazon.com along with other internet sites.

What happens when a modern woman’s wish for a happy marriage lands her back in time, in bed with a handsome nobleman?

Amazon.com

As I’ve written previously, I enjoy using bits and pieces from real life to add realism and inspiration to my novels. So in addition to the genesis of the book as an experience from my life, I also had an “incident” with a rowboat. Happily for me, my rowboat didn’t overturn as Hillary and Simon’s did. The following passage describes what almost happened to me!

Feeling Simon’s hands on hers, Hillary jerked away and started rowing. Her spencer jacket ripped under the arms. Great. How had such a lovely day turned into such a disaster?

“Hillary, I apologize. Here, let me have the oars.”

Well, she could be stubborn, too. Concentrating on her strokes, she avoided looking at him.

“M’dear, the boat is going in circles. Let me....” He leaned over to her.

“No! You’ve done enough.”

To evade him, she thrust her weight to the side. Wrong move. The boat lurched. She just had time to cry, “Simon!”

The rowboat overturned, and dumped her and Simon into the cold waters of the Serpentine.

Under a magic moon, two hearts can become as one, as Lord Darver finds out as he meets his match!

I hope you enjoy Hillary and Simon’s story.

Happy reading,

Susanne Marie Knight

www.susanneknight.com

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

Author Notes on PAST INDISCRETIONS

Writing PAST INDISCRETIONS, my best-selling paranormal romance, was a labor of love for me. I combined my interest in Atlantis and past lives, along with the dilemma... or ethics... of human cloning. The research alone was a blast! After all, who isn’t enthralled by the mystique and allure of Atlantis? Then, to ground this suspense novel, I set a major part of the action in my father’s hometown--a town where I spent several summers at my grandmother’s house, just as Savannah Alexander, the heroine, does. PAST INDISCRETIONS is near and dear to my heart.

Marketing Copy: Can you escape your past? Or are past life issues carried over into present times? Find out how one woman must battle an impossible enemy in PAST INDISCRETIONS.

Haunted by recurring nightmares of doom, Savannah Alexander learns that the future and past are irrevocably linked. Will she be able to save herself and the man she has grown to love from the horrors that await her back in time... on the lost continent of Atlantis?

In matters of love, Tom Patterson has been hurt before. But when overwhelming coincidences bring Savannah back into his life, can he put aside his prejudices and act upon faith to protect the woman he loves?

Artist’s rendering of a possible cover

The editors at Awe-struck Publishing (Mundania Press) quickly picked up the options for this unique book. PAST INDISCRETIONS soon became a best-seller and garnered 5 stars on Amazon.com with a variety of excellent reviews. PAST INDISCRETIONS is still available at Awe-struck both as an eBook and in Print.

Cover artist’s first proof

The perfect human clone may be possible... back on the island of Atlantis.

Amazon.com

One fan of this book wrote to tell me how much he enjoyed Past Indiscretions because I “cleverly bring together the past and mythology.” Thank you! And as for Atlantis, well, I feel like I’ve solved that mystery and I also suggested what then became of the survivors. Who knows? Maybe what I proposed really happened!

Real Life Tidbit: When I was writing Past Indiscretions, my novel about Atlantis, past lives, and cloning, I created the Colby clan with three boys and a girl. One weekend, my family met a couple with three boys and a girl in the same birth order as my book. My daughter mentioned, "Mom, they all have the same face. It's scary!" I pounced on this sentence because it was a perfect fit, especially since my book deals with human cloning.

I also have to thank my daughter for her childhood habit of always wearing socks--even in bed. I had Savannah copy that habit and then, toward the end of the book, I showed why she instinctively never went barefoot. It was because of a past life experience. 

Zeus lifted a bottle the color of putrefied flesh. Although stoppered, the bottle seemed to throw off a stench. Savannah’s nostrils pinched in response.

“Who would believe the first step in duplicating a person is obtained through the feet?” He roughly removed her sandals and threw them on the floor. Opening the bottle, he then dipped in a brush and painted the bare soles of her feet.

The odor was as she imagined, but she quickly forgot it as her feet turned cold. Slowly, the coolness gave way to heat--searing heat. Like acid burning into her skin. She twisted in pain, but was determined not to cry out. Even so, she bit her lip too hard and tasted blood.

“Feels good, eh?” He caressed her shoulder. “Just wait until Anubis begins his part of the process!”

Past Loves, Past Lives, PAST INDISCRETION!

I hope you enjoy Savannah and Tom’s story.

Happy reading,

Susanne Marie Knight

www.susanneknight.com

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

Author Notes on THE MAGIC TOKEN

The idea for THE MAGIC TOKEN, my reader favorite Regency romance, came from a desire to combine a Regency with a touch of magic--the kind of magic where you might wonder, is this a coincidence or is it magic? Coincidentally (or was it?!) during my research for this book, I came across this sentence in a biography on Charles Darwin: “[Charles’] friends enjoyed his tall stories: he claimed to one that he owned a Roman coin.” While his friends didn’t believe him, I did! THE MAGIC TOKEN soon took shape.

For my “What if” scenario, I used: What if a golden coin had the power to change one's fortunes?

A MAGICAL TOKEN--When Amanda Barclay receives a magic token as a gift from a stranger, she is more than skeptical about whether this gold coin can change her fortunes. But then the very man who captured her heart years ago suddenly appears. Is it destiny or cruel fate? Does he even remember her? She desperately needs the position he offers as governess, but how can she endure being near to a man so beyond her reach?

A DIFFERENCE IN RANK--Marcus Hamilton, Duke of Yarborough, is a man burdened by family and political responsibilities. He does not have the time nor the inclination to dally with women beneath his station. But a chance meeting throws him together with Mandy, the engaging young sprite from his past, causing him to reevaluate his beliefs. For once in his life, the call of love beckons far stronger than the duties and obligations of his position. 

THE MAGIC TOKEN was quickly picked up by LIONHEARTED PUBLISHING where it grew to best-seller status, along with earning 5 star reviews from Amazon.com, Visionary Insight Press, and The Romance Studio. My novel also was an EPPIE Finalist for Best Historical Romance.

An old woman gives skeptical Amanda a magic coin. It couldn’t possibly work, but how else can she explain her sudden good fortune?

When the contract ran out, my publisher, Uncial Press, republished THE MAGIC TOKEN, where it continues to flourish today. In fact, one reader posted this comment about my Regency on a blog: “The book THE MAGIC TOKEN by Susanne Knight would also make a good musical.” Wow! I’m still flattered!

After receiving a gold coin, Amanda suddenly becomes governess to the sister of a duke. Is her good fortune a coincidence, or is it Fate?

Amazon.com

As for a real life connection to this book, along with Amanda Barclay, I too have an interest in healing. Although I don’t use healing remedies on people in my “village” as Amanda does, I do have a Masters of Science degree in Natural Health.

Here is a passage from the beginning of THE MAGIC TOKEN where a young Amanda first meets Marcus--inadvertently and unexpectedly--in the woods on midsummer night’s eve.

Marcus must have noticed Amanda’s melancholy. A strange, hungered expression overtook his face. “Don’t ever change, sweet Mandy. I can tell you are one in a million.”

Clearing his throat, he gave her the basket. “Well, my moppet, you best be getting home. Shall I escort you?”

“No, thank you kindly, Marcus. I should return by myself. But what about you?”

“Ah, I am doomed to wander the woods ‘til sleep comes to claim me. You see, dear Mandy, I suffer from insomnia. That is why I happen to be out at this ungodly hour.”

He took a step away from her, then bowed. “‘Tis of no import. My thanks for a diverting evening.”

An unfamiliar ache settled over her heart. She did not understand it; nor could she explain it. For some unknown reason, she did not want Marcus to leave. “Wait! I have something that might help you.”

Reaching into her basket, she pulled out a small linen pouch filled with the herb chamomile. “Here, steep this in boiling water to make chamomile tea. It will let you sleep.”

Marcus’ grin made him appear younger than his years. Laughing, he shook his head. “What’s this? Are you a traveling apothecary? My wondrous Mandy.”

She liked being his wondrous Mandy, but his admiration made her uncomfortable. “I want to heal people when I grow up,” she mumbled at her bare toes. Her friends usually laughed at her when she told them her ambition.

He accepted the pouch, then lifted her chin. “A noble aspiration. However, I do believe you are already grown up, while I, on the other hand, have a long way to go.”

Once again, two strangers meet by chance. Or is it something more, is it... destiny?

I hope you enjoy Amanda and Marcus’ story.

Happy reading,

Susanne Marie Knight

www.susanneknight.com

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

Author Notes on FOREVVER

It's Monday, and that means another installment in my Author Notes Series!The idea for FOREVVER, my 5 star science fiction futuristic romance, first started as a short story that posed this dilemma: What is the price for eternal youth? I was so intrigued with this idea that I decided to expand it into a novel. The dilemma evolved into: What if eternal youth could be found not in a fountain, but in a box? What if the richest man in the world was also the oldest?

In the year 2102, Flavia Gracchus reluctantly agrees to deliver a special shipment from her home on the Moon to ForEvver Rehabilitation CEO, Reid Evver. What she doesn’t know is that Evver, a man much older than he appears, intends to marry her and start a family. How can she escape Evver’s clutches and wed the man of her dreams?

Ambitious Jason Maverick can’t believe his new assignment: to babysit Reid Evver’s future wife, a Moon native, by escorting her on a sightseeing tour on Earth. But the more time Jason spends in Flavia’s company, the more she captivates him. How can he propose to the woman he’s been waiting for all his life when she’s all but bought and paid for by his mysterious, unscrupulous boss?

Awe-struck Publishing (Mundania Press) offered a contract, and soon FOREVVER delighted readers all across the globe. Its beautiful cover was honored with the Dirk A. Wolf Cover Art Award for Best Science Fiction/Futuristic.

Time is running out!

FOREVVER is blessed with excellent reviews including 5 stars with Once Upon A Romance Reviews. After a few years, I arranged my book to be available at Amazon.com along with other internet sites.

In the year 2102, the Fountain of Youth exists for only a select few. But you can’t cheat death ForEvver.

Amazon.com

Now for the bits and pieces from my life that I like to scatter throughout my books. One of the locations mentioned in FOREVVERr is Maui, a beautiful island I had the great good fortune in visiting. Here I am, dwarfed by the famous Iao Needle at Iao Valley State Park.

As you’ve probably noticed, FOREVVER’s heroine, Flavia Gracchus has a Roman name. She’s a Luna native, and in my take on future life on our moon, the ancient civilization of Rome flavors a great deal of lunar life. I’ve always been fascinated with Greek and Roman mythology, and I like to weave these tales through some of my novels, including FOREVVER. Here is an except from the Maui portion of the book where Jason rescues Flavia from drowning.

“Flavia!” Jason arranged her unresponsive body on the sand, and swept strands of wet hair off her face. Relying on instinct, he tilted her head back and listened for breathing.

None.

“Flavia?” He couldn’t keep the fear from his voice. He pinched her nose, then covered her mouth with his. With all his might, he blew his breath into her. Once, twice.

She moaned as she came to, then coughed up water.

Jason had never seen a more beautiful sight.

Helping her to a sitting position, he remained close to her, leaning his cheek against her waterlogged head. His own breathing was as ragged as hers.

The silence on the beach was broken only by crashing waves and squawking seagulls gliding on tropical breezes. These hypnotic sounds enhanced his relieved state of mind. His thoughts turned to a story he’d learned about in childhood. A Greek or Roman tale where a man, Pygmalion, breathed life into an ivory statue. Or requested a goddess, Aphrodite/Venus, to make the statue live. Pygmalion then married his creation, and had a happily ever after ending, an ending that was unusual in mythology.

Jason had saved Flavia; he’d breathed life into her. Maybe their destinies were intertwined--

For a thought-provoking science fiction romance, read FOREVVER before time runs out! I hope you enjoy Flavia and Jason’s story.

Happy reading,

Susanne Marie Knight

www.susanneknight.com

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

Author Notes on TAINTED TEA FOR TWO

Tainted Tea For Two, my best-selling mystery romance, is my homage to Agatha Christie and the English murder mystery genre. So, to get started on this insider scoop on my novel, why don’t you prepare a hot cup of delicious tea--not tainted, of course--and I’ll begin!

One of the genres that I always wanted to write was an English murder mystery, a la Ms. Christie. Before I start a project, I like to come up with a working title. Many of the mysteries I’ve read had menacingly playful titles, so TAINTED TEA FOR TWO just popped into my head. Naturally, this meant poison had to play a role in the novel! And not just poison... but injections, and, oddly enough, potatoes!

For my “What if” scenario, I proposed: what if having a nice spot of tea took on a sinister meaning? Hard Shell Word Factory loved the idea, and soon published TAINTED TEA FOR TWO, both electronically and in print.

While in England, a personal trainer finds romance... and murder. Can she prove her innocence?

After a few years, TAINTED TEA FOR TWO was picked up by Uncial Press. Its new cover won an Ariana Award for Best Contemporary /Suspense /Mystery /Historical Romance.

Amazon.com

Someone wants Lord Embrey dead. Will the method of execution be by poison, or injection, or... potato??

In addition to winning the Ariana Award, TAINTED TEA FOR TWO has been a best-seller over the years and has received 5 star reviews with The Romance Studio and Word on Romance. The book video I created for this mystery earned a Cameo Awards nomination for the Best Romantic Suspense in the Amateur Division.

As always, there are small snippets from my life embedded into this novel. The heroine, Ms. Marty Jackson, is a personal fitness trainer. Her name is Marty because her father--a former Mr. Universe--wanted a son to carry on his name. Although I’m not a trainer, I do have a fitness background, having worked for thirteen years for an exercise program shown on public television.

Marty also has a cherished possession similar to one that I have... or had, given to me by my daughter.

Marty took out her most prized possession: a paperweight in the shape of a giant, clear crystal. She held it upside down, and the colorful pearls suspended inside gently floated to the bottom. A kid's toy, of course, but she never went anywhere without it. It was the last thing her father had given her.

She gave it a place of honor on the nightstand...

This isn’t an actual picture of the paperweight, but it’s close enough. As with Marty’s diamond, mine also fell to its doom.

"No!" Marty raced to the window and watched her beloved remembrance of her father shatter into a zillion pieces. Part of her shattered with it.

For a classic English murder mystery, I recommend TAINTED TEA FOR TWO. I hope you enjoy Marty and Gregory’s story.

Happy reading,

Susanne Marie Knight

www.susanneknight.com

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

Author Notes on LOVE AT THE TOP

LOVE AT THE TOP, my trendy contemporary romance novel, gives a modern-day twist to a fairytale setup: Millionaire Marries Working Girl. Nowadays I would use: BILLIONAIRE Marries Working Girl, but what’s a few extra million in today’s economy?!

The characters, Alex and Cassidy had to meet without her knowing his true identity and that she would soon be working for him. This was an intriguing challenge. What needed to be in place so that Cassidy wouldn’t recognize Alex when she first saw her boss Mr. Hayden-Smith? What kind of person did she need to be for Alex to fall in love with her? All these factors add spice to the story.

I truly enjoyed writing LOVE AT THE TOP, and imbuing the book with New York City’s living pulse, along with experiencing the joys and sorrows Cassidy and Alex face, plus laughing at the antics of the comedic characters. Novel Books, Inc. soon picked up this frothy tale.

What if a lonely woman's dream man turned out to be her arrogant, new boss?

LOVE AT THE TOP earned Best-Seller status on several sites including 5 star standing on Amazon.com. My book was also selected as a finalist in the prestigious EPIC Awards (now EPIC eBook Award) for Best Contemporary Romance.

Amazon.com

After the publishing house closed, Awe-Struck Books (Mundania Press) signed LOVE AT THE TOP, where it is still available for your reading pleasure, also at Amazon.com and other internet sites.

For those of you who enjoy reading about tidbits from my life that appear in my books, I also worked in downtown Manhattan as Cassidy does, and in addition, one of my jobs there was in a personnel (now Human Resources) department. I would often wander the streets on my lunch hour, usually eating a pretzel or a knish.

Walking down Broadway to the park by City Hall, Cassidy shielded her eyes from the bright sun. She was glad she’d changed her mind about lunch. Her office's four walls had seemed to close in on her. She had to escape to the outside, to the sunlight.

Her stomach rumbled, so she stopped at a street vendor's stand and bought a steaming hot pretzel and a Coke. Not much of a lunch, but it was better than being stuck in her office.

One of the wonderful benefits to writing is that I can indulge my imagination and travel wherever my story takes me. With LOVE AT THE TOP, I traveled back home to New York and I also got to “visit” Denver!

A side note: I first conceived LOVE AT THE TOP when the World Trade Center towers were standing tall, majestically silhouetted against the other Manhattan skyscrapers. Symbolically, the towers stood for LOVE AT THE TOP, just as Denver the mile-high city stood for LOVE AT THE TOP. I dedicate my novel to all of us who have lost loved ones on September 11th, and to future generations who can never experience the beauty of the towers firsthand.

Artist’s rendering of a possible cover pre-9/11/2001

Now that you know the inside scoop on LOVE AT THE TOP, I hope you enjoy Cassidy and Alex’s story.

Happy reading,

Susanne Marie Knight

www.susanneknight.com

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