Shadowboxing by Anne Barwell

I’m so excited to have Anne Barwell here with me today to discuss the re-release of her WWII romance, Shadowboxing. As you know, I’m a huge fan of stories written in that time period and I deeply appreciate the research that goes into making history come alive for the reader. I can also appreciate the desire to set your story in a time that may create additional obstacles to the characters that might not exist today–or at least, don’t exist to the same degree. Anne has done the kind of research that I find exciting, and I love hearing about the source materials she drew on to bring this series to life! Please welcome Anne Barwell!

Thank you for hosting me. I’m excited to be re-releasing the first in my WWII Echoes Rising series.

When I original wrote Shadowboxing, I wanted to read an historical which was an action drama with gay characters. I couldn’t find one—although that isn’t a problem now, so I wrote one.  I also wanted to write a story that had at its heart a romance between two men during a time where, if their relationship were discovered, they risked severe repercussions, even death. I also wanted to explore characters who needed to do some serious soul searching in order to break free of expectations of not only themselves but their society.

I’d always loved stories about WWII, and so the idea for the Echoes Rising series was born.  People meet during wars who wouldn’t usually, as is the case of Kristopher and Michel, the main characters in the series.  Kristopher is a German physicist, and Michel a French farmer.  The Allied team sent to retrieve the plans for the project Kristopher is working are not only a mix of nationalities but have very different backgrounds.  While Matt is American, he’s also spent time in Germany before the war.  Ken is American but he’s also hiding part of his heritage, and Liang is British Chinese.

This mix is very deliberate as I wanted different perspectives to the story.  War is not just about the battles fought, but the people affected by them. I don’t believe that wars are really won  as each country involved loses loved ones, and is damaged to the extent that the consequences are felt for generations to come.

I also knew in writing a historical I had a lot of research ahead of me. This wasn’t a one book project but a series of three books. I need to plot out all three books as, although each book is written so it stands alone, the series is really one story split into three. I figured it was better to write three smaller books than one enormous tome, as those can be rather off-putting for readers as well as writers.  Each part of the story splits nicely with location too so it works out well.  Shadowboxing is set in Berlin, Winter Duet is a road trip across wartime Germany, and Comes a Horseman takes place in France.

I used a range of resources for my research. I work in a library—shelving in the 940.5 section is not a great idea as I get distracted by shiny things.  The library, and its databases, has been a fantastic resource for writing this series. Half the fun was finding the resources as they weren’t just in the history section, as I also needed travel books—for locations—and information about clothing and weapons.  Early on in the writing process for the story I found a book called The Bomb by Gerard DeGroot which was about the ‘life story of the Bomb’ and subtitled A History of Hell on Earth. I bought my own copy of it.

The Forgotten Voices series is also another invaluable resource as it relays personal accounts by both servicemen and women and civilians about what it was like to live through that time. The internet also provided a lot of interesting information although some things were next to impossible to find.  The specifics of German telephones was one of these.  Everything out there is about the US system at the time!  Luckily one of my beta readers is German and she has proved an invaluable source of information. She also checked facts on websites written in German and provided/suggested the German used in the story.

However, there is a flip side to the research.  While I try to ensure I’m as accurate as possible—within the constraints of telling a good story—history can also work for a story rather than against it. After all, there’s no need to find a way to blow something up when it’s already documented that the Allied forces dropped bombs in the area at that time.

I’m aiming to republish Winter Duet in January, and the conclusion to the series, Comes a Horseman, in March.

Shadowboxing

Echoes Rising Book 1

Complete their mission or lose everything.

Berlin, 1943

An encounter with an old friend leaves German physicist Dr Kristopher Lehrer with doubts about his work. But when he confronts his superior, everything goes horribly wrong. Suddenly Kristopher and Michel, a member of the Resistance, are on the run, hunted for treason and a murder they did not commit. If they’re caught, Kristopher’s knowledge could be used to build a terrible weapon that could win the war.

For the team sent by the Allies—led by Captain Bryant, Sergeant Lowe, and Dr Zhou—a simple mission escalates into a deadly game against the Gestapo, with Dr Lehrer as the ultimate prize. But in enemy territory, surviving and completing their mission will test their strengths and loyalties and prove more complex than they ever imagined.

Author’s note: This is the third edition of Shadowboxing. The first and second editions were released by another publishing house.  This story has been re-edited, and uses UK spelling to reflect its setting.

Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08LCRT1ZZ

 

Excerpt:

This was his chance to put things right, to make sure the project did not go further. He hurriedly shoved the file back into the case and then froze. What exactly was he going to do? Only one complete copy existed as far as he knew, but he wasn’t certain if the Nazis were aware he was capable of replicating the information. He would have to destroy the file, then disappear.

That wasn’t going to be easy. The Nazis had spies everywhere, and he did not know anyone who would help him. He wouldn’t ask Clara, nor would he consider death as an option. He couldn’t do that to her, not after she’d spent so much of her energy taking care of him. Someone had to get the information about this device out to the rest of the world. He had helped to create it. He would make sure the project was only ever used for the benefit of all mankind, but where the hell was he supposed to find the people he needed to ensure that happened? How could he trust anyone now, let alone convince them to trust him?

Click

Kristopher turned. The office door was opening. In one fluid movement he gripped the briefcase firmly beneath one arm and bent to retrieve a piece of broken glass, holding the jagged edge in front of him in a feeble attempt to defend himself.

The newcomer took in the situation at a glance, one eyebrow raised in an unspoken question. His eyes flickered onto what had once been Kluge, then back to Kristopher, and finally came to rest on his precious cargo, the briefcase containing the culmination of a dream now better described as a never-ending nightmare.

Kristopher debated for all of a second the chances of his success if he tackled the man head-on, then decided against it. Apart from the extra height, Schmitz’s uniform probably disguised a well-developed physique. He also had the advantage of military training and the gun he held. Kristopher’s opponent possessed some degree of intelligence. That much was obvious by the inquiring look on his face and the way his eyes seemed to penetrate Kristopher’s, searching for an answer. For an instant, Kristopher was sure he glimpsed a depth to those eyes, and the man behind them. He edged back a step, taking comfort in the solidity of the desk digging into the small of his back, the sensation grounding him while he attempted to place the pieces of the puzzle together.

How much had Schmitz seen? His expression did not reveal anything.

If Kristopher surrendered now, everything would be over, and the Nazis would win. He wouldn’t give up, no matter what the odds. He gripped the glass fragment tightly, ignoring the sharp pain as the rough edges scratched against his palm, the red liquid seeping into his shirt cuff already stained with the blood he’d earlier unsuccessfully attempted to stanch. He took a step closer, trying to look menacing, fully aware that on a scale of one to ten he wasn’t achieving even a one.

They stood staring at each other, or rather Kristopher stood staring. Schmitz leaned back casually against the door without shifting his gaze. After a few moments with Kristopher’s ragged breathing the only audible sound in the room, the Obergefreiter pulled himself to attention and took a step forward. He lowered his gun and placed it in its holster before holding out his hand for Kristopher’s makeshift weapon.

“Herr Dr Lehrer,” he said softly, the tone of his voice low, an expression of disbelief fleeting over his features. “You’re one of the most brilliant minds in this institution, and yet this is the extent of your plan?”

Author Bio:

Anne Barwell lives in Wellington, New Zealand.  She shares her home with Kaylee: a cat with “tortitude” who is convinced that the house is run to suit her; this is an ongoing “discussion,” and to date, it appears as though Kaylee may be winning.

In 2008, Anne completed her conjoint BA in English Literature and Music/Bachelor of Teaching. She has worked as a music teacher, a primary school teacher, and now works in a library. She is a member of the Upper Hutt Science Fiction Club and plays violin for Hutt Valley Orchestra.

She is an avid reader across a wide range of genres and a watcher of far too many TV series and movies, although it can be argued that there is no such thing as “too many.” These, of course, are best enjoyed with a decent cup of tea and further the continuing argument that the concept of “spare time” is really just a myth. She also hosts and reviews for other authors, and writes monthly blog posts for Love Bytes.  She is the co-founder of the New Zealand Rainbow Romance writers, and a member of RWNZ.

Anne’s books have received honourable mentions five times, reached the finals four times—one of which was for best gay book—and been a runner up in the Rainbow Awards.  She has also been nominated twice in the Goodreads M/M Romance Reader’s Choice Awards—once for Best Fantasy and once for Best Historical.

 

Website & Blog—Drops of Ink: http://annebarwell.wordpress.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/anne.barwell.1

Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/annesbooksandbrews/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/annebarwell

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4862410.Anne_Barwell

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/anne-barwell

Queeromance Ink Author Page:                       

https://www.queeromanceink.com/mbm-book-author/anne-barwell/

Sign up for my newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/39edaba3e3ad/annebarwellauthor

 

 

 

It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas: Holiday Romance, that is!

I don’t know about you, but I adore holiday-themed stories. I got hooked on them years ago when the big presses would release a Regency or Victorian Christmas anthology every year, and I would indulge in my favorite tropes: the gathering of people for the holidays, brisk walks in cold weather to collect holly and mistletoe, sleight rides and ice skating, the dilemma that threatens to keep the lovers apart, the magic of the season and the miracle of love.Toss in snow and Yule logs on the fire and I am your slave. Better yet if you strand my lovers in a cabin in the woods, an inn in a small town, or on an English estate. MY CATNIP.

Now movies have gotten on board as well, and we have Hallmark, Netflix and more vying to bring us sometimes cheesy, sometimes touching holiday romances, but my first love will always be books. As soon as fall creeps in, etching frost on the windows and blades of grass, bringing blustery days and chill nights, I start reading holiday-themed stories.

I’ve invited some writers to share their holiday stories–past or present–here with us today. And if you have a favorite holiday romance you’d like to tell us about, please tell us in the comments! We’d love to hear about it!

In no particular order, here’s a little something for every taste imaginable! All heat levels, all pairings, contemporaries, historicals, and paranormals so take your pick!

The President’s Daughter by Seelie Kay

When presidential candidate Jamisen Powell meets volunteer Sarah Lee Pearson, he is shocked to discover her eyes mirror his own. But Sarah was raised by two loving parents and has no questions about her heritage. Instead, after their death, she merely longs to find an extended family. She becomes convinced that Powell could be a distant relative. Powell, on the other hand, has spent twenty-five long years haunted by the memory of a daughter kidnapped from her bed. He suspects Sarah could be his long-lost daughter. As both launch separate covert searches for the truth, Sarah is found by the estranged parents of the man who raised her. Suddenly, the truth will no longer set her free. It could destroy the happy memories of her childhood. Hang on to your seat, and more importantly, hang on to your heart, as one woman discovers the true meaning of family.

Buy links:

Publisher:  http://www.extasybooks.com/978-1-4874-2032-1-the-presidents-daughter/

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Presidents-Daughter-Seelie-Kay-ebook/dp/B07MNJFV8M/

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/914579

Kobo:  https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-president-s-daughter-23

Barnes & Noble:  https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-presidents-daughter-seelie-kay/1130048641?ean=2940156333790

Model Christmas by Jaime Samms

Here is the Amazon buy link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B082FQ8JZL/?fbclid=IwAR1SeiqPjg8SxtqpL19fmGhOw3YWGUt-Pw0Gml0Iy1hFZTcO-oT1ofhxaug

Blurb: Sebastian’s ideal Christmas looks nothing like his picture-perfect childhood experiences, but neither should it be spent wandering the cold streets alone and homeless.

Cody has no time for the holidays if he wants to eat. He needs a new model for his next commission–and he needs him now.
Seb can’t go home and Cody’s model took his pay and left. Both men are in dire straits, so when they meet over soup-kitchen chili they each see the answer to their problems in the other.
They never expected more than a means to an end, but now, that perfect Christmas might be as simple as seeing what’s right in front of them.

The Gift exchange
by Adriana Kraft

Buy link: https://www.amazon.com/ebook/dp/B01NAI0ITB/

 
Blurb:

It’s Christmas Eve—what gifts will Mack, Carol and Tara unwrap together?

What is Carol up to now? Mack has always known his free-spirited wife is bisexual, but it seems she has new adventures on her mind this Christmas season.

Carol has long entertained fantasies of a threesome with herself, her husband, and their attractive nearby neighbor, Tara.  Now that Tara’s troublesome ex is out of the picture, is this the season to make her fantasies come true?

Tara’s felt a little deprived since cutting things off with her ex, and she’ll admit she envies what Mack and her best friend Carol seem to share. If they invite her to join them, will she dare?

Midwinter Masquerade Blurb by Rosemary Gemmell
 

Edinburgh, December 1816, young widow Lady Lenora Fitzallan accepts an invitation to the country estate of Edward Montgomery, the man she once thought to marry seventeen years previously. Until he left without explanation.

Accompanied by her godmother, Lady Pettigrew, Lenora forms a friendship with Edward’s young niece and ward, Annabelle, who has a propensity for getting into scrapes and falling in love with the wrong man.

As the Masquerade Ball approaches at the Winter Solstice, the past unravels, the villain is unmasked and Lenora must decide with whom her future lies.

Links

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B076JGLZZV

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B076JGLZZV

Website: www.rosemarygemmell.co.uk

Blog: http://ros-readingandwriting.blogspot.com

 

 

 

THE SNOW BRIDE (THE KNIGHT AND THE WITCH 1) by Lindsay Townsend

https://amzn.to/2MZZan0    

UK  https://amzn.to/2H1tYzY

EXCERPT https://bit.ly/2yV95Cb

Brief Blurb – She is Beauty but is he the Beast?

 

 

 

SIR CONRAD AND THE CHRISTMAS TREASURE  by Lindsay Townsend

 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KW6K5RL/ 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07KW6K5RL/  

Brief Blurb – What is the true treasure of Christmas?

 

 

 

SIR BALDWIN AND THE CHRISTMAS GHOSTS by Lindsay Townsend

http://amzn.to/2vRkEKS

http://amzn.to/2uRlsLa  

Brief Blurb. Will Baldwin heed Sofia or will the restless dead prevail? 
A sweet medieval Christmas Romance
 

 

 

 

 

A CHRISTMAS SLEEPING BEAUTY by Lindsay Townsend

http://amzn.to/2vyjmBH

http://amzn.to/2wFsCEc

 

Brief Blurb. What can the prince do when the princess won’t wake?

 

 

TWELVE KISSES by Lindsay Townsend

 http://amzn.to/1222vrg

UK: http://amzn.to/1z5OSlZ

 
Brief Blurb. She has Twelve Days to win his heart.
 
 
 
 
 
 

A WITCH’S HOLIDAY WEDDING by Tena Stetler – Paranormal Romance

Blurb:

Elemental witch, Pepper McKay and former Navy SEAL, Lathen Quartz built Lobster Cove Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Center on enchanted McKay land. Wedding planning goes awry when the couple spends Thanksgiving with family in Colorado, a Maine snowstorm fills the center with injured wildlife, Lathen finds himself drawn into a covert military mission, and Pepper wants to cancel the wedding. Is she having second thoughts? Will the nosy McKay ghosts, Lathen’s werewolf pack, Pepper’s parents, and her best friend help or hinder the wedding and holiday plans?

Available atAmazonKoboThe Wild Rose Press, and Barnes & Noble

Holiday House Swap by Sarah Madison

on Amazon

Reclusive writer Noah Kinley is facing a dilemma: how to confess to the world he’s really the author of a best-selling romance series. For years, his friend Julie has been the face of his brand, but she wants her life back now. Fast running out of ideas for his popular series, Noah wants to break out into other genres. Not that he’s writing much of anything at the moment anyway, thanks to paralyzing writer’s block. With his publisher breathing down his neck for the next installment, he hopes a change of scene will get his writer’s juices flowing again. Desperate enough to try anything, during the holidays Noah swaps his isolated cabin in the woods for a gentrified horse farm.

USAF Major Connor Harrison has chosen forced retirement over facing charges for an unauthorized mission to rescue a buddy from behind enemy lines. No one expects him home for the holidays, and he certainly didn’t anticipate finding a stranger in his house, much less Noah Kinley with his acid tongue and a wry sense of humor that pierces all of Connor’s defenses.

Both men need to figure out what the next chapter in their lives will be—and whether it will include each other.

Christmas Crush by Mickie Sherwood

Blurb:

Although Ashley Wagner feels more like Scrooge than Santa, she keeps her promise and accompanies her sister back home for a Christmas wedding. Her three-day weekend is off to a rocky start, thanks to the unexpected run-in with her womanizing ex-husband, and his very pregnant new wife. She manages to get away with her dignity intact, but later, with old wounds ripped open, the professional crisis manager ends up in the middle of her own life-altering predicament.

Then, sports journalist Craig Johnston, wheels to her rescue.

Will Ashley spend Christmas brooding over bitter memories? Or will Craig, a dynamic paraplegic, present the deserving divorcée with a gift she can’t resist?

Links:

 
Christmas in Meadow Creek by Katie Eeten
 
BUY LINK:
 
BLURB:
Sarah Laughlin left her big-city life and dead-end relationship behind for a fresh start as a fourth-grade teacher in the small, Wisconsin town of Meadow Creek. And it feels like home, too, despite the persistent troublemaker in her class and the lack of familiar faces. But the holidays are going to be lonely this year. Until she meets firefighter Lincoln Thompson. Suddenly, the hope of spending Christmas with someone she cares about is within reach.
 
Lincoln loves his home town of Meadow Creek, but ever since his long-time girlfriend left him for a better life in the city, he wonders if he’ll ever find love in this small town where everyone knows everyone. Then he meets Sarah during her class’s field trip to his firehouse, and a spark is lit. But when they discover that Sarah’s troublemaking student is none other than Lincoln’s beloved nephew, their newfound relationship is put to the test. Can they navigate through the complexities of family dynamics to find a love that will last?
 

Santa Baby, Several Stars Away by Samantha Kougar. 

 
 

Blurb: 

Kaily has been consumed by curiosity ever since Dylan suddenly appears in her small town. Surreptitiously, she watches the mystery man restore a rundown Victorian mansion, all while his charm and sincerity gain him the good will of most everyone. This is especially true when he volunteers to become the annual Santa Claus for the children at the town’s park. 

The problem for Kaily: No one really knows anything about Dylan’s past or where he came from. With her attraction to him growing day by day, she becomes a driven woman. On a desperate whim, she gives herself to him as a Christmas present. Will Dylan be able to resist her waiting naked, but gift-wrapped beneath his tree? 

Perfectly Christmas by Linda O’Connor

On the first day of Christmas, his true love said to him, “Sorry, I have to work.” That’s the life of a surgeon, and Dr. Madison Hayes wouldn’t have it any other way. Dr. Quinn Malone has another priority. In the countdown to Christmas, he needs to convince his old flame that there’s more to life – and love – than the job itself. This time, his heart is in it for the long haul. Really.

Romantic and . . . complicated – it’s Perfectly Christmas!

 

Buy link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MYW5T7X

Forever Winter by Amber Daulton

 — historical romance — https://books2read.com/u/bwYYKO

Just imagine the perfect wedding… hundreds of candles, the perfect gown, a wonderful man and loving family in attendance. And then imagine everything that could go wrong.
A Christmas Eve snowstorm barreled through the English countryside and wreaked havoc on the residents of Lorican Manor. Susanna Lorican and her fiancé, Viscount Camden Beckinworth, had planned the perfect wedding, but will a series of unfortunate events turn the tide on their happily ever after?

A Hero’s Heart by Amber Daulton

— contemporary romantic-suspense — https://books2read.com/u/mgLLjR

When it comes to revenge, nothing is sacred, not even Christmas.
DEA field agent Jarrett Brandt returned home on his Harley Davidson to visit his brother’s grave, not to reconnect with his first true love.
Now widowed with a son, Marissa Reinn Brandt expected nothing from the one who broke her heart—the twin brother of the man she married—but when her son offered him a place to stay for Christmas, she agreed for her son’s benefit. As they rekindled the flames of love that once bound them together, an enemy from his past and a trusted mentor from his present threatened to destroy everything they held dear.

Mistletoe in the City by Amber Daulton

 — New Adult contemporary romance — https://books2read.com/u/4XKKD1

Krista Hartley never expected the unrequited love of her life, the irresistible Derek Weston, to work as the groundskeeper at the apartment building she just moved into. They barely spoke in high school but now, three years after graduation, they tore at each other’s clothes and jumped into bed together at every opportunity. Then another woman threatened their whirlwind romance.

With just days to Christmas, Derek vowed to win back her heart and trust, and prove his innocence once and for all.
 

Love often means sacrifice—but what if you might have to give up a commitment to be one of Santa’s reindeer and deliver holiday toys to kids to be with the one you love?

Peter McGuire is an EMT with a secret: he’s a reindeer shifter, a Prancer on Santa’s team. His holiday obligations often require him to make excuses for his absences, and even downright lie. That makes it almost impossible to develop a real relationship.

But the secret isn’t his alone, and if he opens up to too many people, he could destroy Christmas.

Jonny Santos is a ski bum distancing himself from being the family caregiver. He knows that his mother’s MS is going to require him to devote himself to her someday, but in the meantime he’s sticking to the slopes and staying single.

Then a pre-Christmas hike goes wrong, and Peter is forced to shift into reindeer form in order to rescue Jonny from a wilderness trail. The sparks between them are real—but are they enough to overcome the obstacles that keep them apart?

Contains Prancers, Vixens and other reindeer, and smoking hot shifter sex! Free in KU; buy link https://amzn.to/2PvUt49 

 

A Saddle Creek Christmas Romance by Lorelei Confer

 

Cold Snow and freezing temperatures come early to the small town of Saddle Creek, Wyoming, wreaking havoc on the Christmas plans of four close childhood friends, now grown men. Though unforeseen perils challenge their joint celebration, with each trial comes triumph as together, they discover the true meaning of Christmas.

 

A Family Christmas

Chase is forced into protective mode, when a ghost from Lauren’s past threatens to destroy, not only their Christmas, but their lives.

 

Christmas Decisions

Samantha and Elliott’s relationship is put to the test when Sam’s newly divorced and heartbroken sister arrives on their door step five days before Christmas, forcing them to rethink their holiday plans. What they need is a Christmas miracle.

 

Christmas Surprises

Avri and Dillon’s Christmas may be ruined when Dillon has one last dangerous mission, but will he keep his promise to return in time…does he return in time for Christmas? And can Avri, once again, forgive him?

 

Amazon:  https://amzn.to/36z9iKM

Goodreads:  http://bit.ly/2qiv8lc

Barnes and Noble:  http://bit.ly/32kwARz

iBooks:   https://apple.co/2pJ80w6

 

Christmas Awakenings by Lorelei Confer

Four Christmas Short Stories in one!

A Star Bright Christmas:   

A young family can’t be late with their mortgage payment again. So, two days before Christmas, at the onset of a blizzard, he heads to the bank leaving his wife and two young sons to endure a blackout on the 24th of December. Will he make it back in time for Christmas? How?

Christmas Promises:  

When a newlywed soldier recently returns from deployment only to work on Christmas day. He’d promised they’d never be apart for Christmas again. But then she discovers the true meaning of Christmas.

Christmas Salvation:

   A widower and a younger woman get to know each other better but not until after he accepts the concept that ‘life goes by in a flash and you don’t want to miss a thing.’

A Palm Tree for Christmas:  

A young family travels from the northeastern United States to the hot sweltering south for a better way of life. Sunny days, sandy beaches, and summer heat. Their dreams are soon squashed and their surplus of money dwindles to their last pennies. Until Christmas Eve….

www.loreleiconfer.com

Amazon:   https://amzn.to/2qqBe2P

Barnes and Noble:   http://bit.ly/32e41Fk

Smashwords:   http://bit.ly/2pFkDsb