Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Christine Presents: No Gentleman is He

Please welcome Carley Bauer & Lynette Willows authors of No Gentleman is He.

There will be two winners drawn at the end of the tour. Winner 1 will receive a lovely pair of colonial era  earrings (U.S. only please due to shipping constraints); Winner 2 will receive a $100 Amazon GC.

DON'T FORGET TO LEAVE A COMMENT FOR A CHANCE TO WIN!





NO GENTLEMAN IS HE
By
Carley Bauer and Lynette Willows






1.What or who inspired you to start writing?
Carley: My dad and a sixth grade teacher.
Lynette: I always wrote, since I was a socially and verbally awkward child (wait…I still am!), but it was a high school history teacher who loved my rather eccentric presentation of a 1920’s report who took it upon herself to encourage me to continue on writing.
2.How did you come up with ideas for your books? 

Carley: With No Gentleman Is He, I have always been fascinated with the time period, the involvement of the Sons of Liberty both before and during the war for independence and loved the idea of placing my heroine in a position where she has to use her own wherewithal to survive. My ideas generally just pop in my head, though I get ideas from observing people, as well.  
Lynette: Carley used peer pressure to get me involved. I’m glad she did, since I soon became obsessed with the research, subject matter and the characters.
3.What components are necessary for the genre of this novel?
Carley: Along with the obvious passion, romance, lust and falling in love, I believe the most important component is research. Historical accuracy. Lynette and I never shy away from involving our characters in events of the period we're writing in. We've also been known to re-write scenes if we discover we've come across faulty information. Cross-checking information is a must.
Lynette: Personally speaking (and I hope Carley and my illustrious publisher doesn’t shoot me) I wanted to try to blend plot with this character driven genre. I also have this rather ambitious goal to attract men to romance if we include hardcore research and subject matter that will attract them. Based on reviews and feedback, we seem to have achieved some limited success.
4.What expertise did you bring to your writing?
Carley: I wrote interactively for a decade with Lynette and others. Also wrote weekly newsletters and such.
Lynette: I started as a freelance writer and soon evolved into freelance investigative journalism and had a monthly humour/satire column in a magazine for a while.
5.What would you want your readers to know about you that might not be in your bio?
Carley: Perhaps because of my penchant for research, I love reading non-fiction. Though it well-known that I am the city-girl to Lynette's country girl, I also enjoy time in the country.
Lynette: Even though I’m a “Canadian redneck”, I still love language and the proper use of it. I greatly respect the reader. We only write words; the reader’s imagination brings the story to life. I also love exclamation points; it’s a problem. I’m thinking of starting a group for other sufferers of the condition.

6.As far as your writing goes, what are your future plans? Carley: Lynette and I are in the throes of writing the second book in the Sons of Liberty series. I'm also working on a book set in Bedford, PA during the Whiskey Rebellion. My future projects include both collective works with Lynette along with a few solo projects. With my bent on history, it's not a stretch that I would flip flop from Historical Romance to Historical Fiction. I also love to write erotica.
Lynette: I have half-finished manuscripts that I’m working on. I have a literary drama, a mystery involving the sled dog circuit, a thriller, and I’m finished and editing a Christmas western romance based in the outbreak of WW1 in Canada. I get bored being stuck in just one genre.
7.If you could be one of the characters from any of your books, who would it be and why?
Carley: Female character would be Cassandra Courtney Brooks. I love her adventurous spirit, her ability to adapt to change. Male character would be Kirk Courtney, Cassandra's father who plays a small role in the book. He was a character i created some years ago when Lynette and I were writing interactively for both our enjoyment and practice. I decided to use him as Cassandra's father in No Gentleman s He and would love to write a Historical Romance with him in the leading role.
Lynette: Margaret McLean. She is fun-loving, slightly villainous, and never suffers regret for her decisions, even when they go wrong. There is a lot about her that was never revealed in the book, but as the writer I admired her in some perverse way.
8.Do you belong to a critique group? If so how does this help or hinder your writing?
Carley: Not at the present moment, though one could easily consider Lynette a critique partner. It works well with us, and I find her opinion invaluable. As for groups, I have in the past. Some have been helpful. Others not so much. I did learn from one critique group early on, the importance of POV. I've also learned to avoid the over-use of certain words such as had, that and avoid seems at all costs. Either it is or isn't. Seems is wishy-washy, in my opinion. Our editor with No Gentleman Is He, Patricia McAllister, was also a tremendous help.
Lynette: I run a writer’s group in my area. We are slowly attracting members who want to take their writing to the next step of publication. We discourage wishy-washy writers who only write for a hobby. Often our discussions get so involved and heated that the librarians will pass by our meeting room and give us a frown, a hint to quiet down or she’ll throw us out. We are very much like the “Algonquin group” of years ago that included Dorothy Parker and others of her ilk, tossing about ideas and debating issues with our work or with writing in general. Our members are welcome to team up and critique each other’s work, if they wish, but we do not do critiques at the meetings. We are more a mentor group than a critique group. We recently got a new member, a 79 year old gentleman, who has been secretly writing cowboy poetry/ballads all his life. He finally got the courage to join our group and read us one of his poems. He had us in tears by the end of his reading and we are now trying to convince him to do a reading at the world famous “Cowboy Poetry Festival” in our local area.
9.When did you first decide to submit your work? Please tell us what or who encouraged you to take this big step?
Carley: When Lynette and I became empty-nester, allowing for the time for serious writing, I knew we had hit on something with the Sons of Liberty series. We made a joint decision that this was it, this was what believed could make it to publication.
Lynette: Considering within six months we had three, maybe four books worth of material and it was filled with exciting, well developed characters and an exciting plot, it wasn’t difficult to pursue publication.
10.         What is the best and worst advice you ever received? (regarding writing or publishing)
Carley: Best: Don't be afraid to allow your characters to zig-zag away from an outline. Worst: In a critique group, a gentleman was offended by a story I'd written regarding a girl who was assaulted and the mother decided to take retribution into her own hands. He argued endlessly that it was inappropriate.
Lynette: Worst: “Write what you know”. I’d have boring stories if I had stuck to that idea. Best: Let your characters and the story lead you. Don’t fight it. And know how to use the tools of good grammar and structure. You can’t be a carpenter if you don’t know how to use a hammer.
11.         Do you outline your books or just start writing?
Carley: A touch of both. The series we're working on currently started with us writing with no outline. Now, we have the outline. Whiskey Rebellion novel is outlined.
Lynette: Both for me too. I have an outline for all my books, but some have strayed a bit, being led down other avenues and I’m following along for now. With my mystery, however, I’ve learned to follow a tight outline.
12.         Do you have any hobbies and does the knowledge you've gained from these carry over into your characters or the plot of your books?
Carley: I love big cities, and spending time in them. Yes, in so much as it allows me to observe people.
Lynette: I’m an avid camper and fisher, and learning gardening after being a horticulturist homicidal maniac. Vegetables I can grow, but flowers are a mystery. I think I’ve gotten it beat now, though; so far this year nothing has died and in fact are flowering beautifully. This is thanks to an online gardening group of people I’ve known for many years. Some have become great friends, and they forgive me my murderous ways and have worked to reform me.
13.         Do you have an all time favorite book?
Carley: Margaret Mitchell stole my heart with Gone with the Wind. To Kill a Mockingbird is a close second.
Lynette: “To Kill a Mockingbird” and all of Janice McDonald’s Randy Craig mysteries. I’m a groupie of hers. Cheryl Tardif’s “Whale Song” is also fantastic, and got my youngest son to finally read a book.
14.         Have you started your next project? If so, can you share a little bit about your book?
Carley: Yes, the second book in the Sons of Liberty series is in the works. The hero, Jackson Lee, is a character in the first and current book, No Gentleman Is He. A sixth generation Virginian, by 1776, he is deeply entrenched in the Sons of Liberty movement. Widowed after an unhappy, arranged marriage, Jackson has sworn off any future unions that would tie him down. He is a womanizer of sorts and a man who likes to spread himself far and wide. The book finds him in New York City where General Howe has the islands surrounded Royal Navy vessels, while General Washington and his Continental Army have taken up camp in the streets of the city. After pirating an English merchant ship for much needed supplies, Jackson's life takes on the complications of a female who is at odds with his beliefs.
Lynette: I would add that the woman in the story may be a pleasant surprise for our readers who are familiar with the first book. And the way Jackson gets involved with her is payback for all the practical jokes he loved to play on other people. I won’t say more. It’s a surprise.
15.         Do you have any family traditions or recipes you might like to share?

Carley: My children are grown and married, but we gather at my house for Thanksgiving and Christmas. With three children, three spouses and ten grandchildren, we make wonderful memories, along with laughing over days gone by when the children were young. There is a free recipe book called Just Desserts that can be downloaded at Amazon. Lynette and I, along with numerous other Tirgearr Published authors contributed.
http://amzn.to/11rywVh
Lynette: As silly as it sounds, everyone at Christmas gets a stocking filled with silly games and items. And it’s not just for the kids, because even my 83 year old Mom gets one. They look forward more to the stockings than the gifts. One year, I stuffed nerf guns in every stocking and chaos ensued, with nerf darts flying all over the house. Even Gramma got in a few good hits! My dogs wisely went into hiding.
16.         What is your favorite reality show?
Carley: I do not watch reality shows.
Lynette: “Scared Straight”, where they send teenagers who are getting into trouble to prison for a day or two, so they understand the path they are headed down. Even the convicts get involved, trying to straighten out these kids.
17.         Who is your favorite actor and actress?
Carley: Actor: Hands down, Morgan Freeman. Actress: Julia Roberts.
Lynette: Will Smith. I think he reminds me of my oldest son in many ways, especially in “Independence Day”. He has the same facial and verbal expressions, and his humour and attitude is the same. When I miss my oldest boy, I will watch one of Will Smith’s movies.
18.         Can you tell us a little about the black moment in your book?
Carley: Believing Cassandra to be a spy, Colton insists she travel to Boston with him. Cassandra, having a mind of her own, does not listen to Colton when he tells her to stay put. Our black moment happens the day after the beginning of the Revolutionary war.
Lynette: Yes, that moment illustrates how paranoia can erupt in any war. Also, when Colton proposes in his usual unflattering manner and Cassandra refuses, bringing Colton to task for his whole attitude towards her. While he loves her, he had to learn how to show it appropriately instead of belittling her. Cassandra teaches him that lesson quite well.
19.         If you were a casting director for the film version of your book, who would play your lead roles?
Carley: Cassandra: Scarlett Johansson.
Lynette: A yet undiscovered, ruggedly handsome Native American male to play Colton.
20.         Anything else you might want to add?
If you’re curious about our book, (and you won’t regret it) “No Gentleman Is He” is available at:
Kindle: http://amzn.to/179Mo7R
Smashwords: http://bit.ly/13BA5NI
Apple: http://bit.ly/10HVByB
Kobo: http://bit.ly/116Hq5Y
Nook: http://bit.ly/18c5bQu
Sony: http://bit.ly/10HVQd7
BookStrand: http://bit.ly/YUy0OK
AllRomanceBooks: http://bit.ly/14nXNji
OmniLit: http://bit.ly/14nY06l
Tirgearr Publishing: http://bit.ly/14szfmN






Young, adventurous and widowed in a new land, Cassandra Courtney Brooks finds her dream of raising a superior breed of saddle horse slipping away with the death of her husband. Left with four horses, living in a tavern attic, and her scant savings depleting, she resolves to see her vision through to fruition by accepting the scandalous position of steward at Varina Farms.

Born in the image of his native ancestry, Colton Rolfe’s savage blood runs through his veins. Scorned by his father, Colt grew into a man of ill temperament whose only interest is the wild equine beasts on his plantation. His desire to breed his horses with the superior Thoroughbreds of the newly widowed Cassandra Brooks leads him to abandon societal rules. Colt’s growing resentment toward the Crown and his assistance to Sons of Liberty missions is complicated by the discovery that Cassandra’s father is a titled English nobleman.

Cassandra is soon forced to question the wisdom of her decision when she finds herself enamored with her employer. As fiery passion grows between them, Cassandra realizes her own spirit of independence, love of the land, and the savage man who is so much a part of it.
As the threat of war comes ever closer, wills are tested through gunfire, treachery, danger, and kidnapping. Does Colt dare trust Cassandra with Sons of Liberty secrets? More importantly, can he trust her with his heart? And will Colt ever trust Cassandra enough to love her as she longs to be loved?

.

1.
Jackson looked around and spotted a length of rope hanging on the wall at the opposite end of the stables. He went over and snatched it up. “Got a rope,” he said, holding it up.

“Good,” Colton murmured as he removed his coat and flung it, and his shirt, over the stall door. He took the rope from Jackson and laid it aside, knelt by the mare’s hindquarters and moved her tail aside.

Jackson followed suit, removing his coat but only loosening his shirt around his neck and rolling up his sleeves. “You will frighten the girl if you stay half naked, Colt.”

“If she is that delicate, she should not have horses. Where is the wench, anyway?”

“She has only been gone two minutes. Give her time.”

Just then, Cassandra rushed in, a bucket of water in one hand, its contents sloshing down her skirts, soaking them. She clutched a pail of grease in the other. “I could not find a rope,” she huffed, out of breath.

“We found one,” Jackson assured her.

Cassandra looked in the stall as the men worked. To Colton’s amusement, the woman suddenly flushed when she noticed the state of his undress. Apparently disturbed by her own reaction, she busied herself getting the soap from her apron pocket, almost dropping it from her noticeably shaking hand.








Lynette Willows
I’m Lynette Willows. I live in rural Alberta, Canada. My debut novel, “No Gentleman Is He”, the first in the Sons of Liberty series, is co-written along with my partner in romance, Carley Bauer. 
Some have mentioned I have a very interesting past. Not only was it unusual, but some would even say reckless. I’ve lived on an Indian reserve in a teepee with my young son for three months in the winter, I’ve chased storms, and worked as a social services aide on one of the most troubled and dangerous reserves in Canada, where I met great friends as well as made a few enemies.
I enjoy camping, movies, especially historical bio dramas, strange dogs, stranger cats, exclamation points, coffee mugs with stupid sayings, friends, the crazier the better, family, as long as they are crazier than I am, and I have a huge collection of shiny, outrageous earrings. Yes, I’m a magpie. I’ll only play chess with my husband because he’ll let me win.
If you’re curious about my favorite reading material, it’s very eclectic and varied. I’m extremely picky about what I read, so check out my “to read” list on Goodreads. You can also follow me and Carley, my talented, patient, and illustrious co-author at our fan page on Facebook at “Lynette Willows & Carley Bauer”. I’m also on Twitter under @LynetteWillows, as well as Pinterest, though I’m still figuring that out. You are welcome to also visit me and chat at “Lynette Willows, Author” at http://lynettewillows.blogspot.ca/.

“I have enormous respect for the reader. They are able to take symbols from a page that an author has invented, and turn them into images in their minds that create an enduring story. If that’s not artistry, I don’t know what is.”-Lynette Willows



Carley Bauer

Carley Bauer enjoys life on the eastern seaboard of the U.S. with her husband and their blue eyed feline, Noelle. After 30 years as a state contractor in a self employed capacity, she decided to try her hand at her first love, writing.
She loves being an empty nester, free to travel with her husband. Still involved with her children and grandchildren, Carley loves big family events. Some of her other hobbies are home decor, fashion, graphic arts, and the occasional bite of the Big Apple where the excitement feeds her natural love of city life.


LINKS:

Email: carleybauer210@gmail.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carley.bauer.3
Facebook Fan Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lynette-Willows-Carley-Bauer/278323855613717?ref=hl
Blog: http://fromcarleyslaptop.blogspot.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CarleyBauer210
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/cscrawley/
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6981224.Carley_Bauer
Tirgearr Publishing: http://tirgearrpublishing.com/authors/Bauer_Carley/index.htm
No Gentleman Is He available for purchase at:
smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/search?query=No+Gentleman+Is+He+Carley+Bauer
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/No-Gentleman-Sons-Liberty-ebook/dp/B00BPY7UJO/ref=pd_rhf_gw_p_t_1_62DX
Eros Books: http://www.ebook-eros.com/item/SW00000292998/Bauer-Carley-No-Gentleman-Is-He/1.html?fb_action_ids=10151368097972005&fb_action_types=og.likes&fb_source=aggregation&fb_aggregation_id=288381481237582
Tirgearr to Author Carley Bauer
www.tirpub.com/cbauer
Tirgearr Publishing:
http://www.tirpub.com/NGIH



18 comments:

Mary Preston said...

So wonderful to learn more about you both. Lynette I LOVE exclamation marks!!!

marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com

Goddess Fish Promotions said...

Thank you for hosting

Carol Butler Crawley said...

Mary, thank you. This is a new and exciting adventure for us; one we're enjoying immensely.

Christine, thank you for hosting. We very much appreciate it.

Catherine Lee said...

Lynette...You are so funny! I love that Carley used "peer pressure" to get you involved in No Gentleman Is He. You talk about getting obsessed with the research. As a librarian, I'm interested in authors' research processes. What kind of research did you do for this book? Was it all online or did you hit the Library?

I, too, am an occasional horticultural homicidal maniac. If I kill something at the office, I just take it home to my hubby to nurse back to health. It's magic.
catherinelee100 at gmail dot com

Christine Young said...

Welcome to my blog. I hope you have a great tour with lots of sales.

Kemberlee said...

Great interview ladies. I'm always learning something new about you ;-)

Rita Wray said...

I enjoyed the interview. It was nice to get to know you both a little better.

Kit3247(at)aol(dot)com

S.L. Bartlett said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

Mary, I am such a punctuation addict! Great to see you again, and thanks for popping in.
Christine, let me echo Carley's gratitude in hosting us. It's much appreciated.
Catherine, Carley talks me into more stuff...but in this case, I'm so grateful she did! She proved wiser than me. As for plants...well, houseplants, I'm still hopeless, but I've finally learned the secret to great outdoor plants; lots of cow poop!
Research! Carley and I both addicts, but I think I'm more of the library addict. My librarian cringes when she sees me walk in the door, wondering "What kind of obscure, fanciful material does she need THIS time?" Poor woman.
Kemberlee, I shudder to think you learn TOO much about me.
Ingeborg, it's so nice of you to drop in. Thanks very much.

Patty W said...

Hi Ladies! I'm new on this blog, but loved the interview!! As a lover of historical fiction AND a writer of same, this story really intrigues me. I look forward to reading your work! Great job!

Patty W said...

Oh, sorry, I forgot to leave my email address. patty_wiseman1966@yahoo.com :)

Andra Lyn said...

Thanks for sharing the interview! I'm actually super excited for No Gentleman is He. Sounds like something I'd love, but have never really read before!

andralynn7 AT gmail DOT com

Carol Butler Crawley said...

This has been such a refreshing blog. I don't believe we have been asked once how we manage to write together. I'm never sure either of our answers hit the nail on the head. The closest we get to the truth is that we clicked.

Kem, you already know more than you need to know about us. Anymore and we'd have to dispose of you;)

Ingeborg, Thank you for popping in.

Patty, you are more than an author, you are an artist of words and I am a fan! So excited that you stopped in!

Andra Lyn, I believe in this book, think it has the potential to make it. We'd love to hear from you once you read it!

Lynette, admit you are always grateful when I twist your arm:)

Christine, I truly appreciate a host who takes the time to ask probing/fun questions. Thanks for the time you put into this interview.

Unknown said...

I've been enjoying learning more about both of you! I agree with your answers to the components necessary for your novel; I respect historical accuracy and a well-devised plot that supplements the developed characters!

Thanks to both!

falses1gns(at)gmail(dot)com

Kate said...

Thank you for posting this, I am really excited about the book and also the giveaway is fantastic!

hense1kk(at)cmich(dot) edu

Sandi Stolle said...

You two ladies seem the perfect compliment to each other on this project! Looking forward to reading your work(s). Best of luck to you both. Sandi Stolle

bn100 said...

I enjoyed the interview

bn100candg at hotmail dot com

Karen H said...

Sorry for the late post. I’m playing catch-up here so I’m just popping in to say HI and sorry I missed visiting with you on party day! Hope you all had a good time!
kareninnc at gmail dot com