Historical Western Romance with Elissa Strati

I'd like to introduce you to a historical western writer I met because she was a fan of my books. She has gone on to write multiple books in the historical western genre. I'm not adding a bio here because she tells you everything you may want to know about her in the answers to my questions. 

Paty:  Why do you write Historical Western Romance?

 
Elissa: I slipped into the genre sideways. My first novel was for a Kindle World that I had been invited to participate in by “New York Times and USA Today bestselling author” Melissa Storm (for whom I had done some editing). Love’s Odds: A Hanson Family Saga in the First Street Church Kindle World, a RomCom, was modern, not historical, but set in Texas (western). The second story I wrote for that world, Love’s Sweet Memories, which continued my series, within the World, was also modern. However, in my third Hanson Family tale, Love’s Laird, I had the heroine discover her ancestors’ journals and letters, and did a series of flashback historical vignettes that brought the family through history from the 1700s (Battle of Culloden) to the present day. Each novel was written to stand alone, although characters overlap. I confess that I got hooked on the research, but then, I’ve always had an “enquiring mind”!
 
Obviously, with First Street Church as the world for which I was writing, the stories were designed to fit neatly into its sweet, clean, Christian categories, which (luckily for me!) have a large following. I have kept my stories within those bounds and can (and have!) recommend them for ALL ages. In fact, one of my early reviews suggested the book seemed to have been written for a twelve year old (sorry, don’t remember which of the three dozen plus I’ve published to date was targeted), because the bedroom was ignored. That has always been a deliberate choice. I read nearly everything, but choose to write something the nine-year old me, discovering the library, could safely check out. (I think that is about when I discovered the Perry Mason books of Erle Stanley Gardner, which, although murder mysteries, check all the boxes!)
 
When Amazon discontinued the Kindle World concept about a year later, I’d already completed and published those three books, and was working on a fourth, when the first round of revisions and realignments occurred. My Love’s Odds, was reconfigured a bit to meet the new series guidelines, and republished, but before I could tweak the next two, that process was put on hold, and a third reworking of the series occurred. I ultimately regained rights to all three of my stories, all of which (still) need further editing to remove any common elements from the original World. Unfortunately for them, by then I’d gone in a different direction.
 
Meanwhile, while working with the First Street Church series, one of my fellow authors, Jane Lebak, and I penned a short gothic/horror novel. Still modern, but also set in Texas, the story, Hunger: A Texas Gothic Romance [Hunger: A Texas Gothic Romance], received critical acclaim from horror writer Susan May, to our absolute delight!  (Susan’s books compete fiercely with Stephen King’s!) Hunger was a “one off,” but I’d be delighted to work with Jane again!
 
Shortly thereafter I was honored to be invited to contribute to the first of a number of highly successful MAPs (Multiple Author Project series) created by Australian author Cheryl Wright, and then others to whom she introduced me. However, as mentioned above, I have not had a chance to redo/republish my First Street Church novels. (ON MY TO DO LIST!)
 
By chance, Cheryl’s series were all in historical western romance genre. I had discovered, while penning Love’s Laird, that I enjoyed doing the research necessary to ensure my settings were relatively accurate, and was delighted to share my love of the western life style and landscape. Having grown up with television westerns, Roy Rogers, the Bonanza crew, Gunsmoke, Little House on the Prairie, and more, and also having spent some time living in the “Wild West, I was very comfortable with the territory and the genre.
 
My next three novels were for the Christmas Rescue [Christmas Rescue] series, for which I ended up writing three books, with overlapping backgrounds and family members. Again I found myself creating my own sub-series within the larger series of books that were related only by premise. Although some MAPs do integrate their stories among the various authors, in most cases it is more a case of writing to the same theme that unites the series. Thus one can enjoy a delightful variety of approaches to the same subject matter.

Off and running, I have now published thirty-seven books (in a number of genre’s, but all loosely “western”). All are in Kindle Unlimited, two are also available through Audible) and I have two more in the immediate hopper. Follow me on any of the sites below to be notified of new releases or sales, or to keep in touch:
 
Amazon:                      https://www.amazon.com/Elissa-Strati/e/B077GLWD94
BookBub:                    https://www.bookbub.com/profile/elissa-strati
BookSeriesInOrder:    https://www.bookseriesinorder.com/elissa-strati/
Facebook:                    https://www.facebook.com/ElissaStratiAuthor/
Goodreads:                  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17307510.Elissa_Strati
 
 (Note: Although many are interrelated, each of my books is designed to be read on its own.)
 
 
Paty:  You have a lot of Mail Order Bride books. Why do you like to write like to write this type of story?
 
Elissa: The simple answer is that I write what I like to read. But I actually read in just about every genre (and have written in several!).
A number of the MAPs (Multiple Author Project series) for which I have written have had specific themes involving Mail-Order Brides (MOBs). I suspect I am not alone in being able to create a quick outline of elements to include in almost any concept proffered (witness the burgeoning numbers of authors whose work is available!), but then I let “the back of my brain”* do the hard work and create the tale. *(This is not a scientific description of how the brain works, merely my own concept thereof  ;o].)
The fact that a large number of my titles involve MOBs is pure happenstance, based on conspicuity. The theme is extremely popular, so a lot of the series designers “jumped on the bandwagon” to create a concept that would sell! Meanwhile, the idea of hitching two complete strangers, whatever other parameters are suggested by the series creator, allows enormous depth and breadth for storytelling! Oh, what fun!
 
I have been exceptionally fortunate in the friends I have made in the author community, and honored to have been invited to contribute to so many best-selling series. It is an enormous amount of work to put together a group, and then “herd the cats” to completion. But the imagination and creativity to come up with a concept that will garner interest, the “recipe,” if you will, is the first step.
 
 
Paty:  Is there a particular era of the old west that you like to write about?
 
 Elissa:  Many of the MAP series for which I write specify specific locations (generally west of the Mississippi) and time frames (usually post-Civil War), but I seem to have a talent for slipping outside the box a bit. My “wagon train” book, written for author Caryl McAdoo’s Prairie Rose series [Helen: Prairie Roses Collection Book 30], is set primarily in the year 1812, long before wagon trains were heading across the western plains, and starts in Ireland! I managed to cram a lot of real history into this one (Yes, the rumor is true—there are footnotes!—but only for those who enjoy fact-checking. They are totally unnecessary to the flow of the story.) The fact is that folks were heading west from the time they left the “old world,” and many continued into open spaces. In addition to his Mount Vernon plantation, for instance, George Washington owned large tracts of land well west of the settled areas, where, should his efforts in the Revolution have failed, he was prepared to decamp.
 
On the other end of the spectrum is my World War I novel, Ellen [Ellen: Rescue Me - (Mail Order Brides) Book 10]. The “western era,” as portrayed in the movies and on TV, had largely drawn to a close as train travel and civilization took over, and the country now went from coast to coast, although a number of the territories had not yet attained statehood.

 So, the short answer to the question is “no,” despite a significant number of my stories taking place just after the Civil War (with occasional flashbacks). The fact is, I tend to think in terms of families and villages, and have often looked at a concept and thought, for example, “Oh, what a great way to approach Barnabas’s story!” (My second Christmas Rescue story: [Rescuing Barnabas (Christmas Rescue Book 11)].) Barnabas was absolutely a secondary character in the first book, [Rescuing Christmas (Christmas Rescue Book 4)], but perfect for one Charles’ (the hero of my first novel in this series) relatives.

 
 
Paty: You have been in several “worlds” in historical western romance. Are those fun to write for?
 
Elissa: Again a quick answer! Absolutely! I freelance and not under contract to anyone (although I do consider an agreement to join a particular group to be a contract; one hardly likes to let down friends!) I am continually amazed at the originality of new ideas, as well as the wide variety of author responses to the challenges.
 
 
Paty: How did the plot idea for this book come to you?
 
 Elissa: As in all the MAPs, I was given the premise, in this case a Mail-Order Groom who is rejected by his bride-to-be, a reversal of an earlier series, involving most of the same authors, featuring Mail-Order Brides. (My contribution to the first series was [Lina’s Lasting Legacy (Rejected Mail-Order Brides - Book 5)], which continues to be quite popular.) But in this case, it was the book cover that was my biggest influence, when I realized my hero would have to be the brother of John Henderson, and the son of Mrs. Cornelius (Rachel) Henderson, a schoolteacher introduced in my very first MAP novel. I did not notice initially, but the model is actually the same as for a [A Cattleman for Cathleen: Mail-Order Papa].
           
The model is a rugged, good-looking cowboy, and, like Fabio in days past (my mother’s favorite!) adorns quite a few covers. Besides, William has his own interesting story to tell. After all, he wasn’t always tall and strong. He was once a little boy, and slow to start his growth spurt, although, with older brothers, he understood that girls could be pretty important in life. But, clearly the premise of the book means he will not have an easy time of it, finding true love. However, no spoilers!
 
 
Paty: Do you have a favorite character or world that you’ve written?
 
Elissa: Well, obviously, the character about whom I am writing is always the one creeping into my heart, as s/he whispers hopes, fears and aspirations into my ear. With that charming grin, William has already joined the cast of favorites. As to worlds, although when I wrote my first novel, we had been “given” the modern community in Texas hill country in which to build our tales, when that world disbanded, I realized Texas has a lot of towns and I could simply move my cast to their own. I have since created from scratch (using San Antonio’s early history as a platform) a town in Texas now called Apple Valley for my Texas-based stories, and another in southeast Kansas, known as Green River. Both locations showed up in my Christmas Rescue books and one or the other features in most of my novels. I’m filling in their history all the time as I jump back and forth through the decades.
 
 
Paty: Who are some of the authors you read who write this subgenre of romance?
 
Elissa: Like many of us, I read across the spectrum, in virtually every genre, and have done for more than (***ty) decades. Initially, I carefully avoided reading books by other authors with whom I was writing, to steer clear of any possible inadvertent borrowing of concepts. Also, as you know, I was a technical editor for many years and cannot stop myself from highlighting the oversights (that I seem unable to catch in my own manuscripts!) and occasional typos I may run across. Since I do some reading/reviewing for a few of the major publishers, as well as individuals, I am used to passing these errata on to them—or the author. Not everyone is thick-skinned…

You write modern westerns that happen to be murder mysteries, and, as you know, I adore them!
Suffice it to say I have read widely and enjoyed many, many different authors with whom I write. I cannot guarantee that every book in a multi-author series will appeal to everyone, but based on the popularity of those in which I’ve been privileged to write, you will probably enjoy them as much as I!
 
Paty: Just for fun – Tell us what is your favorite thing to do besides writing and reading, because we know that’s a given. 😉
 

Elissa: Ha, ha! Even as I am writing this I am accompanied by several of my feline companions, who ensure my legs remain warm, as I prop myself up in bed on pillows to write. (This is not due to illness or infirmity, but preference. Sitting at a desk chair typing is torture. I’m too tall to comfortably read the screen without hunching over, and my legs seem to lose circulation, pressured by the chair as I lean forward. With pillows (and cats) conveniently located to position me optionally, and my legs up and free from swelling, I can relax and focus on work instead of physical discomfort. I also have a cup of coffee to hand on my nightstand, and the whole bed on which to spread my other bits and pieces. 

So cuddling with the cats is clearly a favorite pastime. I also enjoy cooking—as long as it doesn’t become a chore. Fortunately my husband also loves to cook, especially exploring his mother’s Italian recipes (some of which are featured in [Lasagna by Lucia: Old Timey Holiday Kitchen Book 15]).
Unfortunately, I haven’t had the time to do handwork for many years. I used to love to knit, crochet, and do needlework (and always wanted to learn to quilt!). At one time I did a bit of painting, but TIME is not my friend, and I also run our family businesses (I can create a mean spreadsheet!), which I also enjoy (when not under pressure). We like to travel a great deal, as well, although a lot of that is road trips these days, generally exploring history, human and natural. I take a LOT of pictures, and bless the continued advance of technology (although I have bad words and thoughts for those who push products out of the chute that aren’t ready for prime time!) that allows me to capture the man, rabbit, or woman in the moon (depending on which culture you learned from) with my telephone. Many of those I turn into jigsaw puzzles, again taking advantage of online tech.

 Hmmm, I also enjoy dancing, dining, getting together with friends and family—all the usual suspects… (I am somewhat addicted to ellipses…) And, of course, I spend the requisite amount of time each morning engaging in Wordle, Dordle, Quordle, Octordle, and Sedecordle (brand name credit to each of the creators thereof). I mean, WORDS! I am an author, after all!

 
Thank you so much for allowing me to share my thoughts and ideas with you today!
 
Best,
 
Elissa Strati

William's Wandering Ways (Rejected Mail-Order Groom Book 3)

by Elissa Strati (Author), Books by Nan (Illustrator) Format: Kindle Edition

Book 3 of 10: Rejected Mail-Order Grooms

If they don't want me, then I don't need them!

William wasn't even out of grammar school when he received his first rejection. His next two attempts at romance were equally rejected, and he made his mind up that women simply weren't for him, and stopped trying to attract the attention of the opposite gender. Leaving his three brothers to help Pa on the ranch, he signed on as a wrangler to guide his family stock in the upcoming cattle drive and forget about girls. That was his plan and he was sticking to it. Of course, the best laid plans...


This series and its predecessor, Rejected Mail-Order Brides, are the brain-child of author Sarah Lamb (whose books I enjoy immensely). The premise is in the series name! Dealing with the rejection is one of the aspects on which I will be focusing, although each author will have her own approach. Like all of my books, this is sweet and wholesome. A quick shout out to ALL my fellow (sister?) authors in this hugely popular series! I think folks will have a bit of extra fun with the twist on the original set of stories.

https://www.amazon.com/Williams-Wandering-Rejected-Mail-Order-Groom-ebook/dp/B0DT5Y8JMJ

Historical Romance Interview with Lauri Robinson

 

I'm pleased to welcome a long-time author friend of mine, Lauri Robinson. We met years ago and even wrote a historical western romance book together. She is a lover of fairy tales and history,  and can’t imagine a better profession than penning happily-ever-after stories about men and women in days gone past. Her favorite settings include World War II, the Roaring Twenties, and the Old West. Lauri and her husband raised three sons in their rural Minnesota home and are now getting their just rewards by spoiling their grandchildren. Visit her at laurirobinson.blogspot.com, Facebook.com/lauri.robinson1 or X-formally Twitter.com/laurir. 

Now to jump into the questions and Lauri's great answers. 

Paty: Why do you write Historical Romance?

Lauri: Since reading The Flame and the Flower by Kathleen Woodiwiss many decades ago I was hooked on historical romances. Since then, it’s been my favorite genre to read, and it was the genre I wanted to write. I love creating heroes and heroines filled with the pioneer spirit and the strength and courage to forge ahead in lives that were not filled with the modern-day conveniences, or the complications that come along with the modern world. The past had its complications, too, and creating characters who faced those complications head-on is exciting.

Paty: You have written books in many different historical settings. Do you have a favorite period that you like to write about?

Lauri: I will forever love writing about the Old West. There is just something about the swagger and grit of an old west cowboy that makes him the ultimate hero. Furthermore, the pioneers who headed into the great American frontier to create new civilizations had such strength, courage, and belief in themselves that it’s easy to imagine each and every one of them as heroes and heroines.

I also love the challenge of writing in different eras. Each one is unique in itself. I’ve written books set during the Salem Witch Trials, all the way up the rise of Rock and Roll in the 1950’s. I do have to say that the two books I’ve written set during WW2 were probably the most emotional ones for me to write. The research that included true stories of men and women who fought, and gave up everything, for their countries often brought me to tears, and left me with a profound gratefulness to those who came before us.

Paty: What drew you to write about a Duke and his life in Victorian England?

Lauri: To be honest, I was hesitant to write a Victorian story, mainly because I was intimidated by the research needed to be completed when setting a story in a country that I’d never seen, and about the rules of nobility and society during that time. My Harlequin editor was so helpful as were other Harlequin authors who live in the UK and write Regency and Victorian. I believe this book is now my fifth one set during the Victorian era, and I’ve truly discovered another era that I’ve come to love writing about. This book, Captivated by His Convenient Duchess, is the first one in the Redford Dukedom duet (a two-book series about two brothers). The years leading up to the end of the Victorian Era coincides with what was known as the Gilded Age in America, which is where the second story, Winning his Manhattan Heiress, takes place. Myle’s younger brother, Wesley, travels to America to introduce their family’s thoroughbred horses to the horse racing world, which was the number one sport at that time.

Paty: Writing historical fiction takes an added amount of research. Do you like the research and learning things about history?

Lauri: Yes, and yes. I’m blessed that my husband enjoys visiting museums and historical sites as much as I do. I also have a wonderful best friend who is always willing to ride along on a research trip, and while in Hawaii, my son and his wife and family, were completely on board to visit Pearl Harbor with me. It’s so often the small tidbits found while researching that I love the most. For example, zippers weren’t invented until 1913. The first one was patented as a “Hookless Fastener’. After improvements, it became a “Separable Fastener’ in 1917, and was incorporated on clothes for the soldiers in World War 1, (yes, I’ve written a book set in WW1, too) but it wasn’t until the B.F. Goodrich Company created galoshes with front fasteners, and an executive tried the boots on and exclaimed, “Zip-er-up” that the word zipper was born.

Paty:  That is interesting! I've never thought to check out the origin of the zipper. Did you have a favorite character in this book? Why is that character a favorite?

Lauri: With each book, the main characters are always my favorites, and it’s not different with Myles and Anita in this story. They both come to the story with pasts, including issues that they need to overcome. Anita had a traumatic past that left her physically and emotionally scarred and Myles is the perfect gentleman to guide her through her healing. It was a joy for them both to find the love they deserve. Additionally, in this book, a secondary character whom I really enjoyed was Joshua, Anita’s driver. The two of them had a special bond that made him quite endearing to me.

Paty: I find that's true with me as well. Each set of characters we conjure up become our favorites as we are writing their stories. Have you ever traveled to a place where you’ve set a story?

Lauri: Yes, several. I’ve had a few books, including a series of roaring twenties stories that were set here in Minnesota. Many of my westerns were set in states throughout the Midwest that I’ve either visited or lived in, and a trip to Hawaii allowed me to visit Pearl Harbor and the USS Arizona Memorial. That was truly the most memorable, and I was extremely lucky to have an uncle who has a condo in Hawaii and is a retired service man, so he was able to take us to additional places that we wouldn’t have otherwise been able to visit.

Paty: That's wonderful you had someone to get you even better information that you could have gotten on your own. I find that invaluable in writing. Who are some other Historical Romance authors you enjoy reading?

Lauri: That list is very long, so I’ll just mention a couple. I know her books are very old school, but my favorite historical romance author will always be Katheen Woodiwiss. I also love Linda Lael Miller’s and LaVyrle Spencer’s historical stories. I also love reading new authors and have discovered many wonderful ones.

Paty: LaVyrle Spencer's books are what made me want to be a historical romance author. Just for fun – Tell us what is your favorite thing to do besides writing and reading, because we know that’s a given. 😉

Lauri: Well, yes, those are two of my favorite things. I belong to a book club that I absolutely love, because of the wonderful people as well as the opportunity to read books I wouldn’t have chosen myself. I enjoy many different things. Sewing, cooking, my flowerbeds and fruit trees, crafting, and mowing the lawn. (I know that sounds crazy, but I have plotted out many books mowing the lawn with my John Deere riding mower.) However, my favorite thing to do is head up north to our camp in the woods. Our family has forty acres up there, with four campers (two are under a large pavilion) and a cabin/bunkhouse, and another cabin. At least one or more of our three sons, (often all of them with their families) as well as nieces and nephews, join us for weekends or longer up there. We fish, hunt, ride four-wheelers, go hiking, and gather around the campfire every night. A few years ago, when our grandson was about five, he was hiking with me and his sisters, and I was telling them the names of different trees/flowers, etc. I’d pointed out wild irises and wild roses, etc. before we came to some cattails, and Connor asked me, “Grandma, are those wild corndogs?” That’s the part I love the most. The memories we make up there.

Thanks so much for having me visit today, Paty!

Captivated by His Convenient Duchess

The duke must marry…

But not for love!

In an accident that killed her parents, Lady Anita was left with a permanent leg injury, and at the mercy of her loathsome uncle. Bartering her to the Duke of Redford is a new low, so when the duke suggests a convenient marriage, she seizes the chance to escape.

Myles is determined his new wife won’t distract him from his ducal duties, but the woman who arrives at his estate is not the meek bride he expects! Society may have overlooked her, but now his spirited, determined duchess is all Myles can see! 

Buy links:  Amazon https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CNWDDT2N

Google books https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Lauri_Robinson_Captivated_by_His_Convenient_Duches?id=NC3lEAAAQBAJ&pli=1

Kobo https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/captivated-by-his-convenient-duchess

Apple books https://books.apple.com/us/book/captivated-by-his-convenient-duchess/id6472891204

B & N https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/captivated-by-his-convenient-duchess-lauri-robinson/1144404307

Harlequin https://e.harlequin.com/shop/books/9781335539700_captivated-by-his-convenient-duchess.html

Paranormal Romance with Cathryn Cade

The first time I met our guest this month was years ago when I attended an RWA meeting. I wasn't familiar with Portland, OR and she offered to drive me to the change of address for the meeting. She was so kind, funny, and down-to-earth that I am humbled to call her a friend. 

Cathryn Cade writes steamy romance in genres from contemporary paranormal set in Hawaii, contemporary MC romance, and Sci Fi space opera as CJ Cade. She has over 40 works independently published, with more to come.

Sign up for her newsletter to stay up to date on new books and Free Reads.

Paty:  Did you intentionally write a paranormal or did it come from the lore of the islands? 

Cathryn: The whole series actually began with a visit to the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, on top of Mauna Loa on the Big Island of Hawaii. In the park headquarters were a series of gorgeous murals depicting Pele, goddess of the volcanoes as a beautiful woman, being honored by exceptionally handsome Hawaiian men in traditional dress. I developed a serious crush on the gentleman in one of the paintings ... And began to imagine a suitable romance for him. He became David Ho'omalu, the hero of WALKING IN FIRE; Book 1 of Hawaiian Heroes.
NOTE: The park headquarters are sadly closed until 2026 to repair damage from several small earthquakes associated with the latest eruptions, but should reopen with fabulous new exhibits.

 
Paty: OUr first trip to Hawaii we went to a show and they had Pele in the show. It was thrilling and fascinating as they depicted the history. How did you come up with the Hawaiian heroes in this series?

Cathryn: Pele's legend is that she used her fire to create the Hawaiian island chain. She now rests under the islands, but still protects them. My idea was that she sent 'heroes' with special powers to do so, the Ho'omalu family. In Hawaiian language, ho'omalu means protector. David's powers come directly from the volcanoes, his older brother Daniel's from the oceans, and from the sea god Kanaloa. Their cousin Lalei Kai-Ho’omalu, a society girl from Honolulu, learns to her shock that she can control the very wind and rain of the Big Island, and cousin Bella Moran, newly arrived from the mainland, discovers that the very plants and trees of the Big Island want to come to her aid.

Paty: The heroes are definitely hunks! Each book in this series is sizzling hot. What made you decide to link the heroes to Pele? 

Cathryn: Pele is depicted in Hawaiian legends as a passionate goddess who longed for a love of her own and sought handsome Hawaiian warriors of old. In the legends, the warriors had to trick her to find a way to be with their true earthly loves. Not to say too much, but this 'may' be a problem for our hunky David ...

Paty:  Each book is different, yet your love interests are mostly tourists. Did that make it easier or harder to ignite the spark between hero and heroine? 

Cathryn:  For me, it was only natural, as I am a serial tourist! My husband and I spend several weeks on the Kona coast of the Big Island every winter. As a tourist, I can easily imagine wanting to find a mate among the beautiful, gracious Hawaiian people, and stay forever, be a true part of the wonderful culture and ambience. I can also imagine a native being reluctant to fall in love with a haole tourist, but I've always enjoyed a spark of antagonism to begin with, heh heh.

 
Paty:  Having finally experienced Hawaii on several islands, I enjoy these books even more. As I read them, I can feel the islands. How did you make the experience so real? 

Cathryn: Thank you! The moment I disembark from the plane in Kona, I take a deep breath of the warm, humid air and just soak in all the scents and sounds of the islands and I feel myself begin to relax. Even just visualizing my favorite places on the island soothes me. So I try to truly immerse my readers in the experience. To me, a big part of the charm of reading books set in other places is feeling as if we've been transported there. It's a gift the author gives us, and a very important one. Otherwise, why not just have every book set in the same place?

Paty: I agree! I love it when I feel like I'm experiencing a new place through a book. What romantic tropes did you use in these books? 

Cathryn: Oooh, lets see, enemies-to-lovers, grumpy-sunshine, unexpected pregnancy, fated mates, lost princess, beauty and the beast, alpha hero, magical hero/heroine, super hero/heroine, last chance epiphany to name a few.

 
Paty: Wow! you captured almost all of the tropes! ;) Just for fun – Tell us what is your favorite activity besides writing and reading, because we know that’s a given. 

Cathryn: I'm going to have to say getting more acquainted with our new home here in central Washington state. We built a house, near the grandkids and other wildlife, with a quilt room for me—first one ever​. Meeting new friends and close enough to the old to visit. Not too far from the west coast to explore and fish. Life is good!

Paty: Wildlife and grandkids you can't get better than that! And a room just to quilt in! I quilt in my bedroom. That would be nice to have. Thank you for being a guest. If you want to find out more about Cathryn you can go to her website or Amazon author page: 

Website: https://www.cathryncade.com

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Cathryn-Cade/e/B003BMTQ40

These Hawaiian heroes are out to save their island… but can their hearts survive unscarred?

For centuries, the Ho'omalu have protected the Big Island for their goddess Pele, while she sleeps beneath her volcanoes. But the battles they now face are the deadliest yet, as a California crime family attempts to move their illicit drug empire to Hawaii. Which will prevail, the paranormal powers of Pele's guardian warriors... or pure evil?

Walking in Fire
Hawaiian Heroes, Book #1 

Passion blooms on a Hawaiian beach… but danger lurks, hot and deadly.
When a young food blogger visits paradise, she falls for a big, handsome Hawaiian… but with glamorous women at his beck and call, she doesn't expect him to notice a freckle-face blonde like her. Until danger throws them together, and passion flows like molten lava on the flanks of Pele's volcano.

Rolling in the Deep
Hawaiian Heroes, Book #2 

Desire as dark as the deep Hawaiian seas… danger poised to strike.
On Hawaii for her best friend's wedding, a young tourist falls for the groom's brother. But the big, tough, tattooed Hawaiian has secrets too dark to share… until passion explodes between them. Caught in desire's net, can he keep her safe and rid his island of evil drug runners… or will he have to choose?

Blooming in the Wild
Hawaiian Heroes, Book #3 

Tropical romance blooms deep in the Hawaiian jungle… but deadly peril is close behind.
A young sporting goods exec leads a team of models and photogs into the remote Hawaiian jungle, for a photo shoot against the backdrop of tropical blooms, along with a cocky, handsome, adventure TV star. But someone wants her plan to wither on the vine. They may even want everyone dead. Good thing she has a hero close at hand… and a rain forest that knows what she needs, even before she does.

Burning Up the Rain
Hawaiian Heroes, Book #4 

Their hook-up is hot enough to set the rain on fire… but danger looms behind the storm.
When a Hawaiian beauty discovers she can ignite storms over the Big Island, she resolves to use her new powers to drive away crooked developers. But to evade the arranged marriage her mother is brokering, she'll need human help. A semi-public hookup with a handsome California tourist should cover it... until they uncover a sizzling passion that neither can deny. And what will happen when he learns she's no ordinary society girl?

Don't miss this sexy, thrilling Hawaiian package--get your copy of HAWAIIAN HEROES Box Set today! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XZWHCKV

Post-Apocalyptic Romance with Susanna Strom

I was happy to have Susanna Strom agree to be our post-apocalyptic author. She is part of an Independent author writing group I belong to and I enjoy helping other authors share their work. Here is her bio:

Susanna loves to read— and write— stories full of complex characters who find love, hope, and connection while navigating through a challenging new world. She writes post-apocalyptic and paranormal romance. An Oregon native, Susanna lives in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with her husband and two very spoiled cats.

My first Question to Susanna is one that I'm sure most readers wonder about. 

Paty: Why do you write post-apocalyptic romance?

Susanna: I’ve always been attracted to end-of-the-world scenarios. When I was a teenager, I loved Nevil Shute’s On the Beach and Pat Frank’s Alas, Babylon. Stephen King’s The Stand is still a favorite read. I’m fascinated by how people behave during a cataclysmic event. What do people do when their old familiar lives are ripped apart and they have to figure out how to survive in a frightening new reality? Do they hunker down and hide? Reach out to others? Hoard or share resources? Fall under the sway of a charismatic figure who claims to have the answers to what went wrong? There are so many interesting questions to explore.

My life and writing have been enriched by the study of the nine Enneagram personality types. Each type has a core desire and a core fear. I’m a type six. Sixes see the world as a place fraught with danger. We crave security and safety. For sixes, the best way to survive in a dangerous world is to build close relationships with reliable allies. Authors who are sixes often write about characters who find the courage to face their fears and work with friends and family to create a better world. I hadn’t heard of Enneagrams when I wrote the World Fallen series, but my innate sixness is in full display in the books. I write about finding love, hope, and community at the end of the world. You might say my Enneagram type makes me hard-wired to write about post-apocalyptic themes.

Paty: Your World Fallen series deals with the issue of a global virus. Did you write or start this series before or after the COVID epidemic?

Susanna: The World Fallen series was in no way inspired by the Covid virus. The timing was entirely coincidental.

I finished work on Pandemonium—the first book in the series—in the fall of 2019, months before any of us had heard of Covid. I decided to hold off on releasing it until I wrote the second book, Maelstrom. I write slowly and thought it might take some pressure off me if I had two books “in the bank” and ready to go when I started work on the third. I finished writing Maelstrom in March of 2020, just as Covid hit.

In the spring of 2020, I faced a moral dilemma. I’d written two books about a deadly virus sweeping across the world, an imaginary pandemic that would kill 99% of the population. I loved the stories, the characters, and the world I created. Writing them accounted for a solid year of full-time work. But real life events had caught up with the fictional flu pandemic described in my novels. The last thing I wanted to do was to add to the pain or to give even the appearance of callously exploiting a genuine tragedy.

I thought long and hard about how to proceed. My editor reminded me that people opt in to reading a book. There’s no such thing as a captive audience. Anyone who found the subject matter too painful, wouldn’t touch Pandemonium. And other readers might welcome a story where characters struggle with and overcome a dire situation that in some way reflects real life. When faced with a global pandemic, my characters learn to be resilient and find the love, hope, and connection that romance novels promise. After talking to my editor, I decided to move forward with publication.

Paty:  I'm sure readers are glad you did publish these books even though they hit close to home. How did you come about picking the setting for your series?

Susanna: I set the World Fallen series in my own backyard, the Pacific Northwest. I wrote about places I’m familiar with: Portland, Pendleton, Mt. Hood, Boise, Prineville. My husband and I visited the locations mentioned in the books, taking photos and making notes, all with the story in mind. Several of the places we came across—like the old penitentiary in Boise and the Ochoco View Point outside of Prineville—found their way into the books.

Paty: I am familiar with the Ochoco View Point. In book one, Pandemonium, you have a romance between a college student and a bad boy. What made you come up with those particular characters?

Susanna: I love reading motorcycle club romances. When I set out to write my first romance, I was determined that the main male character be a biker, with all of their dangerous, bad boy allure. Ripper is a perfect character for a post-apocalyptic story: strong, tough, competent, and loyal to his chosen people. You’d want someone like Ripper on your side when law and order falls apart.

Kenzie, the heroine in Pandemonium, is a conscientious college student determined to earn a degree, get a good job, and find the security and stability her childhood lacked. The pandemic upends all her plans. She has to discover strength and resilience she didn’t know she possessed. Kenzie and Ripper aren’t an obvious match. I love exploring how two very different people learn to trust each other and build a relationship.

When I was brainstorming this series, I deliberately created a cast of disparate characters, people with so little in common that they’d be unlikely to cross paths or form bonds before the pandemic. My heroes are an outlaw biker, a rodeo star, a spoiled frat boy, an idealistic young doctor, and a rancher. Two of my heroines are college students, one is a tattoo artist, and another is a soldier. They all overcome their differences, create a found family, and work together to rebuild the world.

Paty: This sounds like a great cast of characters! Do you have a favorite recurring character in the World Fallen series?

Susanna: As far as I can tell from reviews and from the readers who’ve reached out to me, Ripper is everybody’s favorite character, including mine. He’s a natural leader, a man of integrity, who will burn down the world to keep his people safe.

Paty: While you stayed true to the Pacific Northwest setting, what other types of settings have you read for apocalyptic romance books?

Susanna: Hmm… Many of the post-apocalyptic romances that I’ve read have characters spending a lot of time on the road, wandering the country in search of resources and a safe haven. My favorite series, Rebecca Zanetti’s Scorpius Syndrome, is set in California.

Paty: You mentioned Rebecca Zanetti as a favorite author of this genre. What are some other post-apocalyptic writers that you like?

Susanna: There are so many! Imogen Keeper, Jessica Gomez, Claire Kent, Kit Rocha, Kylie Scott, HR Savage, Gwendolyn Harper and more.

Paty: Just for fun—Tell us what is your favorite thing to do besides writing and reading, because we know that’s a given.

Susanna: I’m an above-average home cook and I love to bake. Baklava babka is probably the best thing I’ve ever made. The entire loaf tastes like the ooey-gooey center of a decadent cinnamon roll.

Paty: Thank you Susanna for answering my questions and sharing your genre with our readers. If you'd like to learn more about Susanna and her series, you can find that information at: 

https://susannastrom.com/ 

https://www.facebook.com/susannastromauthor/

Facebook Readers Group:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1572291033136914 

https://susannastrom.com/

Pandemonium, book #1 in the World Fallen series:

I knew better than to trust bad boys. But that was before the end of the world…

I was a normal college student when the pandemic hit.

Now, the world I’ve always known is becoming a dystopian nightmare.

Taking refuge with my cousin seemed like a good idea at the time. After all, he’d been prepping for the apocalypse for years.

Nothing could’ve prepared me for his best friend, though.

Ripper Solis, ex-Army Ranger and current motorcycle club enforcer, is not a nice guy. I shouldn’t trust him.

But I do.

Ripper’s everything I ever wanted. Sexy and commanding. Protective.

With law and order breaking down and the viral threat looming over our heads, it’s not long before I need his strength and resourcefulness as much as I need his touch.

But in this dark new world where I’ve already lost so much…can I really afford to lose my heart, too?

Pandemonium, book 1 in the World Fallen series, is a tense, action/adventure romance that’s perfect for readers who love The Last of Us AND spicy love stories with happily ever after endings. Download today and buckle up—it’s going to be a bumpy ride.

Buy links for the World Fallen series

All of my books are available both wide and in Kindle Unlimited.

Pandemonium: https://books2read.com/u/bxnRzv

Maelstrom: https://books2read.com/b/mldGlY

Bedlam: https://books2read.com/u/mKRlx5

Cataclysm: https://books2read.com/b/4ERXqz

Requiem: https://books2read.com/b/bo2WG0