Are you ready for this?  I know you are going to love it!!  Today we have, not one, but two (2) guest authors stopping by.   So get comfy, while Julie from Grand Central Publishing/Forever, introduces us to Ms. Margaret Mallory and Ms. Sue-Ellen Welfonder.  Welcome ladies!!!

        MARGARET MALLORY               SUE-ELLEN WELFONDER

Margaret Mallory abandoned a career as a lawyer to become a romance novelist. Why this surprised everyone, she doesn’t know. Who wouldn’t rather have thrilling adventures with handsome Highlanders than write briefs and memos? Margaret lives in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with her husband, a goofy dog, and a crabby cat.

Sue-Ellen Welfonder is a Scotophile whose burning wish to make frequent trips to the land of her dreams led her to a twenty-year career with the airlines. Now a full-time writer, she’s quick to admit that she much prefers wielding a pen to pushing tea and coffee. She never watches television, loves haggis, and writes at a 450-year-old desk that once stood in a Bavarian castle.

Q & A with Margaret Mallory

1. Do you draw from personal experiences and/or past/current events?
I get a lot of inspiration from my historical research. Lucky for me, Scottish history is bursting with fascinating characters, murder, and mayhem. J

For this series, I was able to take a research trip to Scotland that was incredibly inspiring. Everywhere I went, I seemed to find new places I wanted to bring into the books. The faery glen on the Isle of Skye, which is the site of a couple of important scenes in THE CHIEFTAIN, is in the book because of that trip. If you are interested, I’ve put together a photo album for each of THE RETURN OF THE HIGHLANDERS books & posted them on the videos page of my website, www.MargaretMallory.com.

2. Do you start with the conclusion and plot in reverse or start from the beginning and see where the story line brings you?
I start with the characters and their conflict. Before I begin writing the book, I do character sheets, and I usually have two or three pivotal scenes in my head. I also try to have at least a sketchy outline of the plot. I have to figure out a lot of things as I go, but I write better when I know the basic direction I’m headed.

Deciding exactly where to start the story is hard—at least it is for me. A good book doesn’t start at the logical beginning, but at a high dramatic point, with one or both main characters on the cusp of change. I never have trouble in the middle, as a lot of writers do, but the first few chapters take me forever to write, in part because I’m still getting to know my characters.

What is your routine when writing? Any idiosyncrasies?
I’m not a fast writer, so I guess my routine is to work a lot! To meet my deadlines, I generally work long hours, six or seven days a week. Writing a historical every six months, is challenging, especially when there are so many other things an author has to do these days besides write books. I do get a break between series, which is good.

Q & A with Sue-Ellen Welfonder

It’s a pleasure to be here.  You’ve asked insightful questions, so this is a great way to wind down the blog tour.

CR:  Do you draw from personal experiences and/or past/current events?
SEW:  Yes.  I believe all writing has its roots deep inside the author.  Every experience, our likes and dislikes, beliefs and views, flow into the work.  Each written word is a piece of the writer’s psyche.  My medievals are influenced by special places I’ve visited in Scotland.  So are my Allie Mackay titles (Scottish-set contemporary paranormals), which also include many things that have happened to me on trips to Scotland.  It all ends up in the books.  If you know the writer, you’ll see her in every drop of ink on the page.

Current events might spark an idea in an Allie Mackay title.  The past always inspires me and I love Scottish medieval history.  The most fleeting reference can tantalize, sending my imagination on a journey that results in a new book proposal.  (or a neat plot twist for a work-in-progress). 

CR:  Do you start with the conclusion and plot in reverse or start from the beginning and see where the story line brings you?
SEW:  The beginning and through to the end.  I know the whole story before I type the first word.  That’s how my ideas come to me.  Once I start writing and the characters come alive, they sometimes have ideas of their own.  The planned route may take a slight detour.  But the destination remains the same.  It’s such character-inspired twists that breathe magic into a story.

CR:  What is your routine when writing? Any idiosyncrasies?
SEW:  I have a daily writing goal of 3,000 words.  To achieve that, I write in 1,000 word spurts.  Between writing sessions, I break to walk my dog, cycle and exercise, walk the beach, make lunch, do household chores, etc.  Because I’m a night owl, much of these activities happen between 9 a.m. and noon.  I edit in the afternoon.  My best writing happens after midnight, with me going to bed about 3 a.m.

Idiosyncrasies?  A big one is ‘going silent’ at deadline.  I ignore email, avoid the phone, and head the other way if I spot a chatty neighbor when I’m walking my dog (letting her ‘catch me’ would trap me for an hour of ‘small talk’ when I should be writing).  I listen to classical and New Age music (no words).  I wear a special rune pendant for good luck.  I believe every writer’s office should include a cherished pet.  I dislike chapter openings but know the words flow once I have the first line or two, so I sometimes type “XXX…” and move on, going back later to add a ‘good’ opening.  I must know the hero and heroine names before I begin their story.  I could list more, but won’t.  I believe all writers have ‘peculiarities.’

Thank you so much for inviting me today.  This was a lovely end to a fabulous tour. (said with a wink and a smile at Margaret, too)

Highland Blessings!
Sue-Ellen Welfonder
www.welfonder.com

ABOUT THE BOOKS

In THE CHIEFTAIN, Connor, chieftain of the MacDonalds of Sleat, holds the fate of his people in his hands. Rival clans are plotting to take over his lands, and duty determines whom he will fight, trust . . . even marry. Beautiful Ilysa dresses plainly, speaks softly, and loves her chieftain from afar. Yet when Connor finally stokes the embers of desire that have so long burned within her, Ilysa feels bliss unlike any she’s ever known.Can she find a way to prove she is the woman he needs by his side?

In SEDUCTION OF A HIGHLAND WARRIOR, Chieftain Alasdair MacDonald has sworn to preserve the peace in the Glen of Many Legends. Though he’s handsome and fearless, his warrior’s heart belongs only to his beloved land-until the fair sister of his oldest enemy shatters his defenses. Lady Marjory Mackintosh will do anything to unite the warring clans, even seduce Alasdair MacDonald. She has loved the rugged Highlander since she first saw him and now, as temptation leads to surrender, Marjory dares to possess him, body and soul.

BOOK DETAILS

THANKS TO JULIE, FROM GRAND CENTRAL PUBLISHING,
TWO LUCKY WINNERS WILL RECEIVE BOTH BOOKS
U.S. RESIDENTS ONLY

CLICK HERE FOR THE ENTRY PAGE

DISCLAIMER
I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me,
in exchange for my honest review.
No items that I receive
are ever sold…they are kept by me,
or given to family and/or friends.
ADDENDUM
I do not have any affiliation with Amazon.com or
Barnes & Noble. I am an IndieBound affiliate.
I am providing link(s) solely for visitors
that may be interested in purchasing this Book/EBook.

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ONE WINNING BOOK PER HOUSEHOLD
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WON THIS BOOK FROM ANOTHER
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Hosted by An Island Life

From An Island Life: In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that we take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So I thought that on Fridays I would take it easy on posting, too. Therefore, I’ll ask a simple question for you to answer. Nothing that requires a lengthy response. If you’d like to participate, visit An Island Life answer the question and then post your own question on your blog and leave your link below. Don’t forget to visit the other participants! It’s a great way to make new bloggy friends!

Did you hear about the Carnival Cruise fiasco? If so, it brings me to today’s question:
1. Do you think what was offered to the passengers enough?
2. After hearing about this, would you consider taking a cruise in the future?

…….. of It’s Game Time Somewhere by Tim Forbes

5 Maureen Carol Tweet about the Giveaway

An email has been sent to the winner and she has 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen.  Thank you to those that entered.

http://btt2.wordpress.com

This week’s question:
Not the kind of “love” question you’re expecting for Valentine’s Day. No, what I want to know is:
What do you love most about reading?

My answer:
I have many reasons why I “love” reading.  One is to escape into the pages, tuning everything out around me, which also relaxes me.  Being able to “travel” at without airfare :).  Becoming “friends” with the characters.  And when I read novels of the mystery/suspense genre, becoming the PI to try and find out the “who dun it”, which isn’t often because the writer has written an intricate puzzle.  Plus, I would much rather read and use my imagination to create a movie in my mind than watching a movie.

What about you?  What do you love about reading?

…. of The Alabama Rebel by Tom Roe

2 Maureen Carol Be a Public Follower of ‘CMASH Loves to Read’

An email has been sent to the winner and she has 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen.  Thank you to those that entered.

Tomorrow is the day for love.  Did you know that Valentine’s Day is the 2nd most popular day for card sharing?  And what better way to spend it then with an author who has written about love and beyond.  So I ask, for you to help me in welcoming Ms. Concetta Bertoldi to CMash Reads!

CONCETTA BERTOLDI

Concetta is a full-time medium with a two-year waiting list, who regularly is consulted by members of Britain’s royal family, American celebrities, politicians, and others. She also is a New York Times bestselling author who has been featured in TIME Magazine and on NBC’s Early Today. Her books include: DO DEAD PEOPLE WATCH YOU SHOWER?; DO DEAD PEOPLE WALK THEIR DOGS?; and, her latest, INSIDE THE OTHER SIDE.
Visit Concetta at her blog here.

If you are in the New York area, Ms. Bertoldi will be at The Duplex tomorrow.  Stop by and visit!!

Q &A with Concetta

Concetta could you tell us what your prime motivation was knowledge wise in creating your book Inside the Other Side?
Well the subtitle tells a lot about that: Soul Contracts, Life Lessons, and How Dead People Help Us Between Here and Heaven. I wanted to let people know that this world is not all there is. Here we have many struggles and it can seem meaningless. But it all has meaning – just aren’t aware, we forget the agreements we made with God before coming here. When we go back “home” to the Other Side, everything is clear to us again. It’s all for our betterment, our spiritual growth. I just want people to know that their lives are important; we don’t come here “for nothing.” And while we are here we have the full support of our guardians, the souls of others who have crossed before us or who have opted to stay on that side specifically to help us while we are here.

Would you give our readers a bit of background on how you originally opened up to your abilities?
I opened up to my abilities as a child, ever since I can remember I have heard angels, spirits, loving souls speaking to me who wanted to be heard. I was lucky to have such understanding parents – my father’s father had a similar gift – who did not judge me or try to tell me it wasn’t real. Even though my mother was a little bit afraid of it all, they both encouraged me to embrace the Other Side.

Ok, I am a testicular cancer survivor and had a physically abusive father and mentally had a pretty rough childhood. I hear Capricorns usually do. I am curious to the perspective of soul contracts with scenarios like these. Could you share some wisdom on this?

Every soul born to this side comes here for the growth of his or her soul. Each of us is both here to learn and to teach. We learn through our interactions with others here, through our experiences – whether to do with our relationships, our health, and our work. We learn about our feelings, we learn about the affect we have on others. We can learn specific lessons like trust or courage. And whether overtly – say, in speaking or writing a book or becoming a teacher – or simply by the example of our behavior, our life, we all teach others while we’re here. Each of us have good and bad in our lives, joyful time and difficult times. It’s what we take and transform from them that counts toward our spiritual development.

So how do dead people help the living out exactly? Could you give us some examples?
There are so many ways, from simply giving comfort in difficult circumstances to helping us find lost items, from car keys to important papers – anything, really, to bringing people together who need to be in touch for some reason, whether for love or for something they are meant to do together. They can even help us right some wrong that has been done or help us know the truth about a puzzling situation. A short time after I first went public a woman came to me and told me that her sister had died after being in an accident. She’d been badly hurt and had had her leg amputated. She’d been recovering and expected to go back to work when she was found dead in her bed f a gunshot wound. The death was ruled a suicide. This woman was very upset that her sister would kill herself. When I did the reading, I heard a spirit saying that it had not been suicide. I don’t now recall the specifics, and to be honest, it’s unusual for me to have this kind of reading, but whatever was said, this woman got the information she needed to look more closely into the death. I don’t tend to follow up on my readings – usually when I learn an outcome it’s from the individual I read for or someone who knows them. So it was much later that I heard that it was discovered that the gunpowder was on the wrong hand, indicating this lady did not shoot herself, and that her husband had been convicted of the murder. A reading may not give exact information, but this woman was looking for something when she came to me and she was able to take the message and put the pieces together.

What exactly happens when we die? Would you share with us the transition of going through death?
Well, I’m not a doctor so can’t give any explanation as to what happens to us physically, other than that I can say that the soul, of course, leaves the body and returns to the Other Side of the veil, where it came from in the first place. When we die, it is a homecoming, a celebration for most of us. We are met by those we knew and loved on this side who crossed over before us. We meet all our many guardian angels and the spirit masters. All is made known to us – how we affected others, the differences we made, the mistakes we made, what we could have done differently. The Other Side – or call it heaven if you like – is a beautiful place. Love, compassion, forgiveness – all is waiting for us.

Why do we come here exactly to the Earth? I really have wondered if it is forced at times. Or if I am a fallen angels cast down into the bible belt of the South as punishment for some past misdeeds. Probably not true or could be. Smile. Your thoughts on why we incarnate here exactly? Why not just stay in heaven?
LOL!! Oh, to stay in heaven…wouldn’t that be great?  But it’s not realistic. We come here to learn, to grow, to become more like God. We could be sent among folks who seem very different from ourselves. It’s a real challenge to look for our commonality. But the truth is that we are all one. That in itself is a big lesson, but I don’t know that it’s a lesson that would be the entire make-up of someone’s “soul contract” for a lifetime here. We usually have a number of things we are working on simultaneously. Patience with others who frustrate us could well be one of your lessons, but there are certainly many others. Each of us has our own unique customized agreement with God. The “why”, all the answers will be made known to us… eventually.

I deal with negativity a lot and my father who has passed away also dealt with it a lot. It seems to plague my family a whole lot. What are some ways to overcome this and could you go into Negativity a bit with us?
If only we could get rid of negativity all together !!!!  Join the club. I understand what you are saying because I am married into it and have a family of history of it. In a scenario of negativity, everyone involved has a choice to make, either to be negative, or to take another road. It doesn’t even matter “who started it.” At any point, you can shut it down for yourself and set a different example for anyone else who may be part of it. Grow beyond what you have been born into, It’s all about choices, we all have free will and it’s not necessary to just go along with what everyone else is doing. At any point we can choose to embody the energy of love instead of choosing to be part of the dark energy of negativity. I talk in my book about making deposits into a karmic bank with our acts and our words. If we’re the one being negative, it’s not easy to walk away from what can be so ingrained in our behavior that it feels like a big investment. But investing in negativity will ultimately bring us down, and can bring down others around us, and we end up with a huge karmic debt for later in our life or for the next life, or even many lives beyond this one. It’s not necessary to put our souls in that position. We can work with our own negativity and the negativity of others while we’re here and it can be like the sand that irritates, but ends up making a pearl.

So what is your perspective on why there is evil in the world or why it is allowed by God exactly? Like the Sandy Hook incident and war etc. I struggle with things like these and also with the Christian religion that seems so blood soaked. Curious to your perspective on this.
Everyone wants to know Why? On this side there are so many unanswered questions. Even knowing what I do about the way things work on a spiritual level, I still have always asked why God would allow this or allow that, Heaven is a perfect place; this side is the veil of tears. On this side we struggle with negativity, with things that seem “unfair” or just downright brutal. I feel on very thin ice when I try to read God’s mind on these matters. Even when I personally don’t understand I choose to trust God, have faith in God, knowing in my heart there is a purpose to all God creates, although that is a hard thing to accept when something terrible happens to you or someone you care about. I do know that there are two sides to these kinds of stories. What we would call “the perpetrator” and what we would call “the victim(s).”

In our many lifetimes of spiritual growth we are asked to play every role at some point. We are both the abuser and the abused – sometimes we may even play both roles in the same life. Until we reach spiritual perfection we all have a capacity for cruelty on some level. I can tell you my true belief that the children and teachers who died at Sandy Hook came here for that purpose, it was part of their agreement before coming here. Particularly the children were highly evolved souls who knew they were coming for only a short time in order to set an example, to set other wheels in motion. Any time something like this happens, whether it is a local tragedy or a world war, many other changes are set in motion by and for people both close to the situation and far away. Nothing happens for no reason.

Everything has purpose. It has a large, far-reaching effect and many souls are changed by it. And I hope I don’t sound unfeeling to say that often out of our deepest sorrows something very beautiful will be born simply because we cannot accept the void created by such terrible loss and are motivated to do something that will honor the memory of who or what we lost. The role played by the perpetrator – whether an individual acting alone or a gang or an army made up of thousands – is an especially tragic one. That individual also made an agreement before coming here.

I am not God so I could not tell you whether that individual lived up to his agreement, but I can tell you that when harm is done, very heavy karma is attaches to those acts and it can take many, many lifetimes to balance it. In this life, each one of us has our own particular pain to face. If we truly are seeking a “Why” these experiences will bring us more knowledge, more understanding, more empathy. I don’t think we ever can understand it all here on earth, we are too limited in all things. The Christian religion is another whole subject – I have many questions about that too. It has always amazed me how humans have fought bloody wars, criticized others, made useless judgments all in the name of religion. Meanwhile God is all LOVE and COMPASSION.

Could you share some stories of the dead interacting with the living with us?
My mother, father, and brother have all gone to the Other Side, but every day they are still a part of my life living here on earth. They constantly are interacting with me. During the Sandy storm my husband and I had to leave our home. We were lucky to have friends who could take us in so compared to others we were reasonably OK. But it was impossible not to be affected by the struggles and suffering all around us in New Jersey. It was a very anxiety-ridden and stressful experience. In the midst of all that, my mother came to me, and very simply said that we always need to remember that here is not where life is …there – heaven – is where real life is. It’s funny that this thought could be so calming but I felt so much better even with all the destruction around me and knowing that they stand next to us, these spirits of loved ones who are looking after us, in good times and bad.

Another of my favorites I told in my first book, Do Dead People Watch You in the Shower? I had done a reading for a couple who told me this one. As a young, broke couple they’d bought a house from a man they knew who was going into a nursing home. They didn’t love his taste, but didn’t have money for new furniture so agreed to buy it furnished, and not long after, the man who had sold it to them passed away, leaving no relatives. Sometime later, the young woman began having a recurring dream, featuring, of all things, the old man’s couch. Eventually the couple scraped together a little money and were able to replace the couch – they had chosen another one and the old one would be removed by the guys who were delivering the new one. But the night before the young woman again had the dream, but still didn’t know what it meant. The next day as the couch was being carried out she literally heard a voice saying insistently, “Look in the couch.” She said, “Stop!” and began to lift cushions and actually tear the couch apart. Lo and behold she found several thousand dollars the old man had stashed there, and clearly badly wanted this young couple to have.

Can you tell us anything about some of your interactions with Britain’s royal family or celebrities and politicians regarding some of your counseling?
I don’t like to kiss and tell. However while reading for Sarah (The Duchess of York) I heard from Princess Diana. Very often the souls on the Other Side will use someone here to send a message to others and she asked Sarah to send her love to her sons. She told of a future wedding and children coming to the family. She confirmed to Sarah that she was really Diana  by reminding her of a time when Sarah borrowed a pair of shoes from Diana – there was an amusing story attached to the shoes, which I won’t go into, but Sarah immediately remembered the incident and confirmed it. I loved it that a duchess would borrow shoes from a princess.

What is Concetta Bertoldi up to next book wise and projects wise? Also any links you would like to share? Thank you for the interview!
I am always “filing thoughts” – questions I’m asked by people who write to me or things I think of on my trips. Amazing things I see and hear about – I think about how those things relate to the big questions everyone has about our existence here and on the Other Side. My husband and I love to travel. I especially love going to places where there is a lot of history – I love hearing the souls who still linger in these places telling me their stories. Getting out and about in the world has shown me how connected we all really are. We all are interested in the same things; we all want the same things. I just have so much love for the whole human race – all colors, religions, black or white, straight or gay, Muslim, Christian, Jew, or Hindu. Everyone has something wonderful to share. So I’m looking forward to doing even more traveling, meeting more people, doing more events around the country and the world.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Synopsis (from Amazon):

Psychic medium Concetta Bertoldi knows how it is: Heaven is perfection. Life on Earth is the tough part.

It’s here we need to meet challenges, learn lessons, and grow spiritually even as we cope with our sense of “aloneness” and “not enough-ness” or the loss of a loved one. Through all of this our guardian angels, those who have crossed to the Other Side—or “the dead guys,” as Concetta calls them—offer us loving, behind-the-scenes assistance.

In Inside the Other Side, Concetta explains the importance of the agreements we make with God before being born into a new physical life. She gives advice on dealing with life’s difficult issues: from relationships to a lack of abundance, from illness and aging to coping with loss. Concetta’s wise, witty, and uplifting assistance will help you get more in touch with the Other Side so that you can call on your own angels whenever they are needed the most.

Book Details

Inside the Other Side:
Soul Contracts, Life Lessons, and How Dead People Help Us, Between Here and Heaven
By Concetta Bertoldi
William Morrow Trade Paperback; July 17, 2012
256 pp; $14.99
ISBN 978: 0-06208740-9
Will also be made available as an e-book

THANKS TO CAROLE, AT MERYL L. MOSS MEDIA,
I HAVE FIVE (5) COPIES TO GIVE AWAY
OPEN TO RESIDENTS OF U.S. AND CANADA

CLICK HERE FOR THE ENTRY PAGE

DISCLAIMER
I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me,
in exchange for my honest review.
No items that I receive
are ever sold…they are kept by me,
or given to family and/or friends.
ADDENDUM
I do not have any affiliation with Amazon.com or
Barnes & Noble. I am an  IndieBound affliate.
I am providing link(s) solely for visitors
that may be interested in purchasing this Book/EBook.

*USE THE RAFFLECOPTER FORM BELOW
IN ORDER TO BE INCLUDED IN THE GIVEAWAY*
BE SURE TO INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL

ADDRESS IN THE RAFFLECOPTER FORM
SO THAT I CAN CONTACT YOU IF YOU WIN
*LEAVE COMMENT: HAVE YOU EVER BEEN TO A MEDIUM?
WOULD YOU LIKE TO?*

*U.S. AND CANADA RESIDENTS ONLY*
*NO P.O. BOXES*

 **HONOR SYSTEM**
ONE WINNING BOOK PER HOUSEHOLD
PLEASE NOTIFY ME IF YOU HAVE
WON THIS BOOK FROM ANOTHER
SITE, SO THAT SOMEONE ELSE MAY
HAVE THE CHANCE TO WIN
AND READ THIS BOOK.
THANK YOU.

YOUR JAVA SCRIPT MAY NEED TO BE UPDATED
IF YOU AR EXPERIENCING DIFFICULTY
USING THE RAFFLECOPTER ENTRY FORM

a Rafflecopter giveaway