Blind Achievement by Susan Horsnell

Susan Horsnell has released a sequel to her award winning book, Blind Acceptance which received a 4 1/2 star review and Crowned Heart Award from InD'tale Magazine, October 2013. In both romances, the underlying theme is that a handicap doesn't have to limit fully living life. I am happy she's here to tell readers about her newest work.

Book:  Blind Achievement

Blurb:

Phillip Johnson has been blind since the age of six after sustaining a head injury in a wagon accident.Growing up on a ranch outside of Austin hasn't been easy for the young man but he has thrived with the loving help of his Step-Mother, Rachel, and the faithful support of his father, Luke.

At 18 years old, he has made the decision to head to Macarthur to attend the Wyoming College for the Blind. He plans to study Civil Government Law and Political Economics.It is here that he meets Belinda and he falls deeply in love with her. Belinda hides a dark and dangerous secret. A ruthless man is obsessed with owning her. This threat has the power to ruin their relationship and put their lives in jeopardy. 

Can they overcome such obstacles and find happiness together?

Excerpt:

..........It had been a long day and he tapped his way back to his room. He was startled from his thoughts by an ear piercing scream. Coming to an abrupt stop he listened. Sounds of a scuffle and banging came from what he knew was a classroom ahead. He approached and threw open the door without hesitation.

“What the hell? Get out!” a gruff voice bellowed.

“Please help me.” A girl’s agonized plea tore at his heart.

“What’s going on?” Phillip demanded to know.

“None of your damned business, half-wit. Get out.” Phillip could not place the voice.

“Let me go,” she screamed again.

“Let the young lady go.” Phillip said angrily. “Come here to me Miss.”

He could hear her struggling to get free.

“I have asked you to let her go. I will not ask again.” Phillip loaded his voice with menace.

The man guffawed. “Do you really think a blindy like you can stop me?”

Phillip used the man’s voice to help him move closer.

The girl took advantage of her captor being distracted and bit down hard on his arm. He yelped with pain, and she wrenched free of his grip and launched herself into Phillip’s arms.

The air rushed from his lungs as she collided with his chest. He wrapped his arm protectively around her trembling body as she sobbed into his shirt.

Phillip lifted his cane as a warning for the man not to approach. “I am taking her to speak with Mr Carver. I expect he will also want to speak with you.”

The girl in his arms continued to tremble and sob.

“Come with me. We’ll ensure this never happens again,” he told the girl gently.

Blind Achievement at Amazon now

 Website/Blog: http://susanhorsnell.com.au/

Susan's Bio:

I grew up in the Western Suburbs of Sydney in the 50's and 60's.

My parents are originally from the Newcastle-Under-Lyme area of England and came to Australia in 1952 as £10 poms. They came under a migration scheme to help Australia with workers.
My father was a Painter and Decorator and I was the eldest of five children.

I met my husband, Robert, in 1973 and we married in March 1974; we were both 18 years old. We have two wonderful sons, gorgeous daughters-in-law and five incredible grandchildren. We have been extremely blessed. 

I was a Nurse, a career that spanned more than 35 years. During my career I specialised in caring for people with Alzheimer’s type Dementia, an area that fascinates me despite how heartbreaking it can be. My dear father-in-law is unfortunately afflicted with this disease and now resides in a Nursing Home. In the not too distant future I am hoping to pen a novel incorporating some of the stories I have heard from these amazing people. Part of my career was with the blind and I also cared for severely disabled children for a while too. 

When I retired 4 years ago I decided it was time to get the stories out of my head and onto paper. From there I just hoped my stories were interesting and well written enough to attract readers. It is difficult being a new author now that anyone can publish a book. I can understand readers’ reticence to read Indie authors but hopefully they will give people like me a chance. I find as an avid reader, you can be pleasantly surprised most of the time. I can’t imagine sticking to just one or two authors and just because an author has a publisher doesn’t make them good. I have certainly read some terrible books which have been published by some of the largest companies. 

I do hope readers enjoy my books and would love them to leave reviews.

Susan Horsnell: http://susanhorsnell.com.au/
Western Romance Writer
http://susanhorsnell.com
Twitter: @susanhorsnell

guest author, Simone Beaudelaire

Author Simone Beaudelaire  is with us today to tell us a bit about her new book, High Plains Holiday,  book 1 in a proposed series of 4 historical Western romances. The series is called Love on the High Plains.
 

 

Blurb:

A small Western town receives an early Christmas present; a new pastor for the church. He’s young, handsome, and single. But to church organist Kristina Heitschmidt, Reverend Cody Williams is nothing but trouble. Especially as his first move is to attempt to take control of the music away from her. But Kristina is not about to give up her life’s work.

With Christmas fast approaching, it appears the two are at a stalemate. That is, until a sudden blizzard traps them together in the church overnight. Forced at last to deal with each other, they realize that the explosive feelings between them are really symptoms of an overwhelming passion that just might, if they can finally be honest, lead to the love of a lifetime.

I asked Simone to share with readers here why the book was written.

As for why the book was written, like many of my novels, this Western series is something I've been daydreaming about since I was a teen. I was an awkward, bookish child, and lots of kids picked on me. I developed these storylines and characters so I could escape from everyday life. Though to be honest, Cody and Kristina's story was not really part of that set, some of the other characters; Allison, Wesley, Lydia, and Sherriff Brody are old friends. This particular story sprang from a random conversation, and once I started thinking about it, I couldn't stop. I hooked it into my western trilogy and it fit just right.

I chose Garden City, KS because I used to live there. It's a unique place that is not well known, even now. But having lived there, I was able to describe the town, the surroundings, and some of the unique qualities. It really is Old West, by the way, being only about 45 miles from Dodge City (yes, THAT Dodge City). To this day, you can still see the ruts from where the wagon trains crossed the prairie.

What I hope my readers get from this book is a fresh look at the Old West, a bit of the warm Christmas fuzzies, and a gentle love story with just a bit of excitement and quite a lot of heat.

Excerpt:

  

The choir doesn’t want me anyway. They only want you. And, well, we can work together planning out the services. That will be easy now.”

“Cody, do we really have to...”

“Yes. I won’t have us gossiped about. Besides, you’re sitting in my lap in your underwear. That’s pretty thoroughly compromised, no matter how much of a gentleman I am.”

She tried to escape but he held her tight. “Don’t go, Kristina. It’s too late, so we might as well enjoy it.”

Her eyes widened.

A prickling sensation of heat spread slowly up his neck onto his cheeks. “Not like that. I meant enjoy the warmth. I won’t take advantage of you. Relax, and let me hold you. Just think, darlin’, how convenient it will be, the two of us together. We can work on services whenever we want, and you’d have my backing and support for your music, your purpose, again. I promise I won’t meddle anymore. I’ll ask what you want instead of assuming. Is that okay, Kristina?”

“So you’re proposing a marriage of convenience then?” Why did she sound so sad about that?

“No. I’m proposing a marriage. The fact that it’s convenient is nice, but if we’re going to be together, it’ll be for real.”

“Oh. Um, I don’t know how to do that.” He could almost feel her blush.

“Neither do I,” he admitted, “but we’ll work it out. Now then, I would like something from you.”

“What’s that?”

In lieu of an answer, he took her shoulders in his hands and turned her to face him.

“Cody, what?” was all she managed to say before his lips captured hers. He had noticed her lips before, when they first met. He’d thought them pretty then. Now, mashed under his, they were wonderful; soft, full and utterly delicious. He kissed her once, a hard, brief peck, and then raised his head. Even in the dim light of the flickering lamps, he could see her turquoise eyes, the pupils dilated with the dark and her own awakening desire.

High Plains Holiday

 
Simone's links:
 Author Central:  http://www.amazon.com/Simone-Beaudelaire/e/B00CIUPNWK/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1385697613&sr=8-1

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/simone.beaudelaire.5

twitter: https://twitter.com/SimoneBeaudelai

Website: (with my badly neglected blog is simonebeaudelaireauthor.weebly.com

to be or not to be

December, the month that involves so many family and religious activities, is a busy time filled with traditions, expectations and even disappointments. I am happy to use this blog through December as a place for writers of romances to share their work.

Old Tucson December 2012

I have my own books to tell readers more about, of course, with the new Tucson Moon which picks up a story begun in Arizona Sunset and a new romance that begins in the Christmas season-- Tucson 1886. And then my contemporary Christmas novella, A Montana Christmas (story picks up characters in From Here to There), which if I don't have enough writers to take the three-a-week blogs I will likely discuss more. Time will tell on that.

I feel very loose about the schedule especially since I've been to the doctor to see why I am having facial pain again which started Thursday night but has been a factor in my life off and on for more than a few years. Generally I'd go in and get on an antibiotic but this time the doctor did sinus x-rays to rule out sinusitis. There are other possibilities-- none of which are good but time will tell. Little by little we will rule out this or that and probably figure it out. Smoke in our area is a factor in what brought it on as the forestry people burn their slash and we are in an air inversion... Not a good combo for someone like me who is very sensitive to wood smoke.

Anyway, starting with December 3rd, and Simone Beaudelaire, followed quickly by Susan Horsnell, I think readers here, if they aren't familiar with the romance genre will be surprised by the diversity with the romance genre. I know I am looking forward to more information on these writers' books and sometimes how they came to write them. Hope you enjoy the month as we move toward the end of another year.

Next year I will decide whether to bring my four Oregon historicals out as eBooks or paperbacks. This will be determined by whether there is a market for my kind of stories. If not, I may wait awhile and see if things change... or not. I think a person has to be flexible with marketing.