When Finding Love is a Matter of Destiny

by Susan Fox

Known for its rugged beauty and eccentric residents, tiny Blue Moon Harbor is big on love...

Blue Moon Harbor is on Destiny Island, set among the Gulf Islands near Victoria, British Columbia. The tiny island is blessed with craggy bluffs, forested hills, secret coves with stunning beaches, and meadows dotted with wildflowers. The population reflects the island’s history: indigenous people; African-American, Japanese, and every other kind of immigrant; fishers, entrepreneurs, hippies, artists, and escapees from the city.

The locals are . . . well, I’ll let Aaron Gabriel, the hero of Fly Away With Me, describe them. “Independent, often bloody-minded. They’ll bicker fiercely among themselves, then close ranks against outsiders. Tourists are tolerated more than appreciated. Even though they’re responsible for a sizable chunk of the island’s economy.” (Fly Away With Me is the first book in the Blue Moon Harbor series from Kensington Zebra.)

Destiny is fictional, but it should ring true to residents of the Pacific Northwest, which is my part of the world. I’ve lived in Victoria and Vancouver all my life, and often visited the Gulf Islands. I spend happy summers boating among the islands on our lovely old 36' wooden Shepherd.

After finishing the Caribou Crossing series, set in a ranching community in the interior of B.C., it’s been great fun to write an island setting. Small communities can be quirky—and a small island can be even quirkier! After all, an island is, well, an island. You’re semi-isolated and weather-dependent.

“If you live on an island, you can only get on and off by boat or plane.” She gave a snort. “Duh, that’s so obvious. It’s just not something I’d really thought about. Don’t you start feeling claustrophobic?”

“Not if you can fly a plane.”

That’s Eden Blaine talking to Aaron. Yes, he’s a pilot, and owns his own seaplane company. That’s how he and Eden meet, when he flies her to Blue Moon Harbor.

Why would an Ottawa lawyer visit a dot-on-the-map island she’s never even heard of? To search for her ailing mom’s long-lost sister. A just-discovered letter suggests she may have joined a commune there, back in 1969.

After breaking up with her long-time boyfriend, Eden’s priorities are her family and her job—definitely not romance. But when her sexy pilot offers to not only help with her quest but show her a fun time, a holiday fling sounds irresistible.

A dysfunctional childhood taught Aaron that hoping for love led to disappointment and pain, so all he ever offers is “casual.”

Besides, both Eden and Aaron are totally committed to their jobs, and he’s as devoted to his younger sister and niece as Eden is to her family. With demanding, rewarding lives 2,000 miles apart, they can’t possibly have a future together. Can they?

Let me just say this. When you meet your love on Destiny, life will never be the same!

I’d love to hear your thoughts about island communities, their residents, and their romance potential!

I hope you’ll visit my website http://susanlyons.ca/ (where you can subscribe to my newsletter, find all sorts of info about all my books, and get in touch with me) and my 

Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/SusanLyonsFox/. 

I’m also on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Susan-Fox/e/B003AJSDLG/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1499376925&sr=8-1 

Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/SusanLyonsFox/, 

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/136389.Susan_Lyons and 

BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/authors/susan-fox.

About Susan:

International bestselling author Susan Fox, who also writes as Susan Lyons and Savanna Fox, “knows what women want in a contemporary romance” (Publishers Weekly). Her books have won numerous awards and Love Somebody Like You was a RITA® finalist.

Susan is a Pacific Northwester with homes in Victoria and Vancouver, British Columbia. She has degrees in law and psychology, and has had a variety of careers, including perennial student, computer consultant, and legal editor. Fiction writer is by far her favorite, giving her an outlet to demonstrate her belief in the power of love, friendship, and a sense of humor. 

Ring of Fire

by Diana McCollum

I read Susan Fox's book RING OF FIRE a couple of years ago and have never forgotten the story or the excellent characters she drew.

The heroine, Lark, is a single mother of a young boy who has Cerebral Palsy. Lark is the fire chief of the local fire dept. Her mother lives with her and helps care for her son, Jaden. I fell in love with this little guy.

The hero is Major Eric Weaver. Eric is suffering from PTSD. He lost his leg and his best friend to an IED explosion in Afghanistan.

Both Jaden and Eric are attending Sally Ryland's Riding where they are taking therapy horseback riding lessons, to help with their respective disabilities.

The author portrays Jaden's disease, Cerebral Palsy, so as not to over whelm the reader, but so one gets a clear idea of what this child goes through on a day to day basis. Jaden reaches out to Eric and they become buddies.

Eric and Lark's love story is dealt with in a respectful way. As an amputee, Eric has to learn that he is still a man in every sense of the word. 

When an accident happens on the horse trail, it is Eric who gives Jaden the responsibility of going for help. And Jaden blooms as the hero of the day.

Every bit of this story is believable. Well worth reading.

Personally I have a few people in my life who are disabled in one way or another. I live with two of them. One is my 91 Yr. old mother. She is deaf, but do to a cochlear implant she had done in February she is learning to hear again. She uses a walker and has lots of back and leg and knee pain, none of which can be helped. So good days are few and far between.

My husband has been on disability for about nine years now. He has severe problems with his spine and knees. This is a man who loved to hike the mountains for hours carrying a backpack for camping.

He could carry shingles up a ladder to re-roof a roof job he was working on or carry his aluminum canoe to the lake from the parking lot. Now he can’t do any of that. He can’t paddle a canoe or kayak anymore because of lung issues. Ten strokes and he is done. He pushed the garbage cans out to the street, and came in to the house out of breath.

Needless to say my big strong husband has trouble adjusting to not being the man he was, and this brings on depression issues. He’s in his 60’s, but said he feels 90.

For me, I’m physically okay. Living with two people who have issues sometimes brings on blue days for me.

Do you have a mentally or physically disabled person in your life?

I Will Not Feel Guilty for Reading a Novel!

Susan Lyons Fox AKA Savanna Fox

I was here during Blog-O-Versary month in my Susan Fox persona, and I’d like to thank the Genre-istas for inviting me back as Susan Lyons.

Do you find that life is increasingly confusing and stressful?

I mean, why Susan Lyons and Susan Fox and, oh by the way, I’ll also be Savanna Fox in September? Don’t ask me. I’m a simple soul. I’d have stuck with just one name. It’s not like one name writes vampires and the other writes sweet historicals. All my books are sexy, emotional contemporary romances with character growth and secondary themes like friendship and family. But, anyhow, my publishers in their infinite wisdom think that different names will work better, and I, the humble author, go along and hope that they’re right. After all, what do I know? I’m just a person who gets easily confused.

My publishers are certainly following market trends, which I suppose are designed to better serve consumers but in fact drive me a little crazy.

For example, why, when I go to buy face cream or toothpaste, does the brand I prefer have five dozen choices? Is it better to reduce wrinkles, rejuvenate, lift, smooth, firm, hydrate, moisturize, nourish, refine texture, fight signs of aging? Should I whiten, brighten, fight tartar, prevent cavities, reduce sensitivity, protect gums, shield enamel, yada yada? It’s so confusing that, I swear, sometimes I’ve simply walked away from the store shelf and not made a purchase.

Is there one single thing in life today that’s simple and straightforward? Well, reading a book. Once you’ve figured out which book you want to read, from the seemingly infinite selection that’s available today, and once you’ve decided whether you’re going to read it in print or on a Kindle, Nook, Kobo, Sony Reader, iPad, or yada yada. If you’re still awake and not exhausted from all that decision-making, you can settle down in your chair (or bed or bathtub, but that’s a much easier and less stressful decision!) and turn (or click) to that first page and settle in.

I love books! That’s a huge reason that I’m a writer. Even back in the much simpler days of my childhood, the one thing I could always count on was a good book. It transported me away from the stress, confusion, exhaustion, etc. of day-to-day life. Of my life, and the life around me.

My guy and I were just talking about why we don’t read the newspaper or even, very often, watch/listen to the news. It’s so negative, so stressful, so depressing, so confusing. Yes, a part of me feels guilty for not being better informed, for choosing a novel rather than a newspaper, and yet . . . Darn it, I need a break. I need to relax.

And so do you. Whether it’s a break from the depressing news of the day, or the stresses of your job, or the pressures of family life.

Repeat after me: I will not feel guilty for reading a novel!

How about you? Do you find the world confusing and stressful? Do you take the time to unwind? If you’re visiting this blog, I’m pretty sure you’re a reader, so how about sharing what books mean to you.

And once you’ve done that, get off the Internet and go read a good book!! 

Susan writes for Berkley Heat as both Susan Lyons and Savanna Fox, and for Kensington Brava as Susan Fox. She has degrees in law and psychology, and has had a variety of careers, including perennial student, computer consultant, and legal editor. Fiction writer is by far her favorite! Visit her website at http://www.susanlyons.ca.