Today, I am delighted to welcome talented author, Jacquie Biggar, to Roberta Writes with her latest release Finding Me: The Defiant Sisters Duet-Book 2

Over to Jacquie

Thank you for sharing my new release on your blog today, Robbie. It’s deeply appreciated!

A few years ago, a regular customer of my restaurant lost her husband to suicide. It shocked our small community and devastated her family. They seemed like a happy, loving couple, so what happened?

The same occurred to a famous, well-loved dancer called tWitch. He and his wife had three children, the youngest only two years old. And yet, he, too, is gone.

This led me to wonder (and worry) about the children left behind. How do they handle the loss of their father? Do they blame themselves? Each other?

The Defiant Sisters Duet is an exploration of two sisters, Renée and Izzy, affected differently by the loss and how it eats at the family’s dynamics.

Finding Me

Izzy

My life is not like I dreamed it would be. I had the foolish fantasy of finishing high school, going to college, making something of myself- maybe even becoming famous.

Instead, I’m the infamous kid of the father who killed himself in the family’s backyard.

How’s that for a legacy?

Renée

I came home for my mother’s funeral, but I’m staying to mend bridges with my sister. We have another chance, and whatever it takes, we need to come together as a family or live the rest of our lives knowing we let our brother down.

They say pride goes before a fall, but it doesn’t tell us how to avoid the scrapes along the way.

Excerpt:

Izzy

Renée is trying to make me lose my mind. This partnership she dreamed up isn’t going to succeed if she keeps undermining my authority at every turn. I’ve repeatedly mentioned the importance of having a qualified electrician come through and update all the wiring. The building is old. We need to protect our investment—my investment. I’m not sure where she got her down payment, but I had to use my share of the equity in the house to cover my portion. If it fails… well, it can’t.

I kick a loose stone on the sidewalk and watch it roll into the gutter, my shadow marking time as I walk past the Willoughby’s store and wave at Helen through the window. Renée can buy her own damn salad if she wants one. She had no right to give Ben permission to break his grounding, especially after I expressly told him no. What kind of message does that send to a belligerent teen already pushing boundaries to see how far he can go?

She makes me crazy. It’s been that way our whole lives. Renée’s way is to act all kind and caring while she methodically shoves the shiv into your spine. I’ve seen her in action too many times to be taken in by her crap, which makes me wonder how I got myself tangled up in her new crusade—saving our family one good deed at a time.

You can purchase Finding Me: The Defiant Sisters Duet-Book 2 from Amazon US here: https://www.amazon.com/Finding-Me-Estranged-Sisters-Romance-ebook/dp/B0CV6Y93R1

About Jacquie Biggar

Jacquie Biggar is an award-winning author of romance who has been listed on USA Today’s bestseller list. Her writing is centered around tough, alpha male characters who fall for strong and independent contemporary women. She resides on Vancouver Island with her husband and would love to hear from readers worldwide!

In her own words: “My name is Jacquie Biggar. When I’m not being a klutz, I’m a wife, a mother of one, a grandmother, and a butler to my calico cat. Watching reality TV shows such as The Voice and Amazing Race is one of my guilty pleasures. Every Monday night, you can find me laughing at the judge’s shenanigans as I’m plastered to my armchair. I love hanging out with my husband at the beach, taking pictures, and reading romance novels (what else?). I have a slight obsession with Tim Hortons, enjoy gardening, everything pink, and talking to my friends.”

Subscribe to her Newsletter and follow her on these sites: Amazon | Website | Facebook |

Twitter | Pinterest | GoodReads | Bookbub

Last month I shared about the role of male lions and this month I’m spotlighting lionesses. Thank you for hosting, Kaye Lynne Booth.

In Touch With Nature – Lionesses, the queens of the savannah #lionesses #wildlife

This poem is inspired by a picture prompt by Melissa from Mom With a Blog. You can join in here: https://dversepoets.com/2024/03/19/everything-we-see/

Will you wake, sleeping lion

Heed the scent of danger

embedded in the wind

Widen your eyes and see

the Fallen Angel

Who has betrayed you

He, of the black wings

and rusty halo

Who took your trust

reduced it to ashes

and scattered it

from His self constructed platform

of pride, corruption and greed

***

Will you rise, sleeping lion

Raise your voice in a great roar

Call for justice and equality for all

Ready yourself for the great fight

that lies ahead

Or, will you slumber on

Allow your dreams

just visible beyond His platform

to submerge behind

the dark shadow He casts

Until they disappear

Completely

***

I chose the above painting to write about after reading Merril’s poem here: https://merrildsmith.org/2024/03/19/together-apart/. Thank you for the inspiration, Merril.

While I was visiting Merril’s lovely site, I discovered this wonderful review by Merril of my book, Lion Scream. Another huge thank you to Merril. You can read her review here: https://merrildsmith.org/2024/03/18/overdue-book-review-robbie-cheadle-lion-screams/

And now for some wildlife pictures:

Undeterred by Robbie Cheadle

The acacia tree is drought resistant

An adaption that helps it thrive in arid regions

Lethal-looking, sharp thorns protect its juicy leaves –

the favourite food of the giraffe which uses its

long, maneuverable, black tongue and tough lips [Note 1]

to access this delectable, life-sustaining treat [Note 2]

Note 1: Giraffes have dark purple or blue tongues that look black. This is because they have a high amount of melanin to protect them from the hot African sun.

Note 2: Giraffes, like their relative the camel, can go a long time without drinking water. This is partly due to their consumption of acacia leaves which have a high-water content. In Afrikaans, a giraffe is a kameelperd which means camel horse.

The prompt

Hellooooo, Poets! De Jackson here, aka WhimsyGizmo, happy once again to be hosting my favorite prompt, the Quadrille. This funky little poem-dance is a creation of our own making here at dVerse, and it’s as easy as a sharp 1-2 punch: 
1) We provide a word. 
2) You include that word in a poem of precisely 44 words. 

You can join in here: https://dversepoets.com/2024/03/18/quadrille-197-look-sharp-now-lets-write-a-poem/

Thank you, Robbie, for turning your blog site over to me today so I can talk about my new book, A Beggar’s Bargain.

Sara Beth is my female protagonist in the story and she has a pet rabbit that she takes with her everywhere she goes. While her father only wants to get rid of the rabbit, Layken Martin accepts it as part of Sara Beth. Here’s an excerpt where he meets Cuddles.

When he shot her a glance, she quickly swiveled toward the window.

“What’s your bunny’s name?’ he drawled.

“Cuddles.” Her heart thudded. She prayed he wasn’t about to insist that she make him into a stew.

‘Is Cuddles a boy or girl?”

“Boy.”

“Seems pretty special to you.”

Cuddles chose that moment to hop out of Sara Beth’s arms and onto the seat. She reached for him. “Sorry.”

“Sorry for what?”

“He got out of my arms.”

“So?”

“So, my father would have tried to toss him out the window.”

Layken rubbed the bunny’s long ears, then angled toward her. “Let’s get one thing straight here and now. I’m not your father. I’m nothing like him. From what I’ve seen, he’s a poor excuse for a man. He should be ashamed of the way he treats you.”

***

I love giving pets to characters and the more unusual the better. I’ve never written any chracter who had a pet rabbit, so this was fun. It gave the opportunity for a little comic relief and in certain situations upped the tension (when an owl tried to snag it for breakfast). At the same time, it can get repetitive since the bunny can’t make any sounds and only hops around. So, I had to get creative. Still, it added to the story.

What’s the most unusual pet you’ve ever given any of your characters? Let’s talk.

Book blurb

A shocking proposal that changes everything.

Desperate to honor his father’s dying wish, Layken Martin vows to do whatever it takes to save the family farm.

Once the Army discharges him following World War II, Layken returns to Missouri to find his legacy in shambles and in jeopardy. A foreclosure notice from the bank doubles the threat. He appeals to the local banker for more time—a chance to rebuild, plant, and harvest crops and time to heal far away from the noise of bombs and gunfire.

Only the banker firmly denies his request. Now what?

Then, the banker makes an alternative proposition—marry his unwanted daughter, Sara Beth, in exchange for a two-year extension. Out of options, money, and time, Layken agrees to the bargain.

Now, he has two years to make a living off the land while he shares his life with a stranger.

If he fails at either, he’ll lose it all.

UNIVERSAL PURCHASE LINK: https://books2read.com/u/3nqqEo

BOOK TRAILER LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6vMqD4SuQ4

About Jan Sikes

Find Jan Sikes

This painting “Window in the Studio” by van Gogh inspired this butterfly cinquain for dVerse. You can join in here: https://dversepoets.com/2024/03/14/open-link-night-and-a-chance-to-go-live-on-saturday/

Light delight

The light

So enticing

Drawing me – like a moth

Into its encircling embrace

The light

My eyes tinted pink, I attempt

To capture it with paint

Artist’s

Delight

W3 Prompt #98

You can join in here: https://skepticskaddish.com/2024/03/13/w3-prompt-98-weave-written-weekly/

Nigel’s prompt guidelines

• Write an ekphrastic poem inspired by Peter Paul Rubens’ (1577–1640) painting of Samson and Delilah (above).
  • Feeling ambitious? Try this additional challenge: include this line from Samson’s wedding riddle:
  • Out of the strong came something sweet

This poem is one of my few attempts at mild humour:

Keep it

I am strong

Have my own career

My husband

Is my friend

But I am independent

He can keep his hair

For this, my third Story Empire post, I’m diving a bit deeper into some of the writing decisions I’ve had to make for my own historical writing. My current approach to writing historical fiction is based on trial and error and a lot of rewriting.

Using fictional characters versus real people in historical fiction writing

Nightcaps, a shadorma prose poem

This piece is written for Kay Castaneda’s Let’s go to the Museum challenge. You can join in here: https://bookplaces.blog/lets-go-to-the-museum-writing-challenge-number-one/

When I was a young girl, and my sister, Catherine, was a very small girl, I wanted to be Laura Ingalls Wilder. As Cath was my primary playmate, this meant that she got to be Carrie and play Little House on the Prairie everyday with me.

Mom made us both dresses with high waists and fairly long skirts. We both had a pair of ankle books. What we lacked were bonnets and nightcaps. I solved the bonnet problem by converting my mom’s pageboy evening caps into bonnets with ribbons to tie them on. The nightcaps were a bit beyond my ingenuity and the dress-up materials I had available.

And so I did a very naughty thing. I told Mom that I need two nightcaps for a school play. I procured some material (quite unsuitable as it comprised of four triangles and thus two pieces had to be joined with a seam down the middle to make a square) and prevailed upon my mother to make me the nightcaps. Mom did this although she complained about the poor quality and design of the material. I got my nightcaps but they filled me with guilt. I never derived any pleasure from those nightcaps and I hardly ever used them. It certainly taught me a life lesson.

Two nightcaps

Lovingly handsewn

By a mom

Who trusted

Me, naughty and devious

Paid a price in guilt

Pairs

You can join in Cee’s challenge here: https://ceenphotography.com/2024/03/05/cffc-pairs/

A Fathomless Affair: Harbor Pointe Series Book 6 by Staci Troilo

What Amazon says

The Harbor Pointe Inn has loomed on California’s cliffs for generations of Hawthornes. For some, it’s been a blessing. For others, a curse. Travel through two centuries of stories to discover the old inn’s secrets.

A narcissistic patriarch. A mystical legend. A fathomless affair.

Most people wouldn’t dread a weekend at the historic Harbor Pointe Inn. Lorelei Audley isn’t most people. The fresh sea air, breathtaking vistas, and gourmet meals can’t buoy her spirits. She’s there to coordinate her father’s latest wedding. The bride is a nightmare, yet somehow, the groom is worse. Lorelei steels herself to suffer through a few days of psychological abuse and abject misery.

She’s unprepared for a paranormal encounter, missing persons case, and police investigation.

My review

Despite this being a novella, the author has managed to create a complex and emotional story of love found and lost.

Loralee Audley has an unhappy relationship with her father. First, he left Loralee’s mother for another woman who conned him out of all his assets, and then he hooked up with a mail order bride from Thailand. Despite his poor treatment of her mother, brother, and herself, Loralee wants a relationship with her father. To this end, she ends up organising his wedding at Harbor Pointe Inn. She also ends up footing the bill for the wedding which is a financial strain for her.

Desperate for the day to turn out well and to earn her father’s approval, Loralee arrives early at the inn. An unfortunate accident on her arrival at the inn combined with the unexpected early arrivals of her father and his fiancé, facilitate Loralee meeting an interesting man who is studying to be an astrologer. The astrologist’s interests, and her father’s spectacularly bad behaviour on arrival at the inn, set in motion an interesting mythical adventure.

Exciting and fast paced, this is an entertaining novella.

Purchase A Fathomless Affair: Harbor Pointe Series Book 6 from Amazon US here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CCQLDX47

The Storm

There’s a clash of thunder and the brilliance of lightning. Huge waves gain momentum, slopping over the side of the boat, threatening to pull Carrie down into the murky depths. Will the storm win or will she make it to shore safely?A computer hacker finds himself in trouble. Is it too late to change his ways?It’s the long summer holidays and for one girl, it’s going to be a summer she’ll never forget.A teenager is trapped. Can he free himself from his dark prison?The Storm and Other Short Stories is Esther Chilton’s third collection of prize-winning stories, following on from the success of The Siege and A Walk in the Woods.Some stories will surprise, others will melt your heart and bring a tear, and they’ll also be tales to leave you with a smile.So grab yourself a cuppa, sit back and relax, and delve into this enchanting mixture of stories.

My review

The Storm is an excellent collection of short stories about love and life. The characters are beautifully drawn and compelling, making this collection most immersive. Stories about people and how they experience adversity are my favourites and this collection did not disappoint.

My three favourite stories in the collection are as follows:

Daffodils – A mother must endure days of anxiety as her young daughter battles chronic illness. Her thoughts about daffodils, flowers that were coming into bloom the day her daughter was born and which her daughter loved, bring her great sadness, but also calm and comfort her. My son has battled chronic illness for 18 years and I have spent many days sitting in a hospital watching him recovering from some or other operation or bout of illness. This story was so real to me, I got goosebumps while reading it.

A Special Helper – A young boy, Oliver, must adjust to both a new sibling and a mother who is suffering post-natal depression. Told through the eyes of Oliver, this story is poignant and heart wrenching. I have witnessed family members struggling with post-natal depression and my heart really went out to the whole family.

The Holiday – This story revolves around a family where the father and main breadwinner has suffered a debilitating injury and is unable to work. The mother is doing her best to earn enough money to keep her family going, but financial sacrifices are required. Emma must adjust to both her father’s chronic illness and to the change in financial circumstances in her family. During her journey, Emma learns the value of family.

During my long days sitting in a hospital with my son, I came to realise that when in such a situation, there is always someone whose circumstances are much worse. I grew from my experiences and learned to be thankful and content with my own lot in life. This book serves the same learning purpose, but in a more pleasurable and entertaining way. I recommend The Storm highly.

Purchase The Storm and other short stories from Amazon US here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CKLXCHZ9

Two weekends ago, Terri’s Sunday Stills challenge was iconic places. You can view her post here: https://secondwindleisure.com/2024/02/18/sunday-stills-how-iconic-are-your-favorite-places-and-spaces/

A few iconic places I’ve visited in South Africa:

Reena’s Xploration Challenge #320

We have a word prompt for this week.

Choose any one word from the following to use in your piece.

• abridged
• compressed
• diminished
• underplayed

You can join in here: https://reinventionsreena.wordpress.com/2024/02/29/reenas-xploration-challenge-320/

Life moves on (shadorma)

Disheveled

Diminished by age

Their purpose

Completed

Baby birds independent

Old homes abandoned