Pamela S. Thibodeaux talks about her writing and her latest release 'The Inheritance'

It's my great pleasure to welcome Pamela S. Thibodeaux to the Flightdeck today.

Award-winning author, Pamela S. Thibodeaux is the Co-Founder and a lifetime member of Bayou Writers Group in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Multi-published in romantic fiction as well as creative non-fiction, her writing has been tagged as, “Inspirational with an Edge!” ™ and reviewed as “steamier and grittier than the typical Christian novel without decreasing the message.” 

Help yourself to something refreshing from the replicator unit, Pam,  Before we find out more about your book, to you mind if I ask you a few questions about yourself - first of all can you tell us What do you do for fun when not writing? 

PST: When not writing (and even when writing) I absolutely love to read! Although I enjoy a great romance, I’m finding myself more and more drawn into reading spiritual non-fiction. Authors such as Dr. Wayne Dyer, Marianne Williamson, and Doreen Virtue along with numerous others encourage me to open my mind, heart, and spirit and cultivate a much larger perception of God and this magnificent universe He created. Dancing is also a favorite pastime of mine. There is not much more energizing to my heart and soul than a two-step or waltz across a sawdust covered floor in the arms of a gentleman.

What a wonderful answer, Pam. In your own writing, what comes first: the plot or the characters? 

PST: Hmmm…. That’s not easy to say. I’ve had stories begin with a single thought (they say life begins at forty but for Rebecca Sinclair that’s far from the truth – The Inheritance), a statement I make to someone, a dream or when people pop into my brain and start talking.

So what’s you’re writing process? Has it changed since writing your first book? 

PST: Many authors interview their characters and plot the story but me? I just started writing one day the book I’d want to read and this hasn’t changed in over thirty years.

I have to say that's pretty much how I write too Pam. Do you listen to music when you write and if so, what kind of music – or do you find it distracts you?

PST: Having a little background noise (tv from another room) doesn’t always bother me but with music, I either get irritated or so caught up in it that I’m up out of my chair and dancing so I don’t listen while I’m trying to write.

What is your personal definition of success? 

PST: Success is very personal to each individual and therefore as beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so is success. Personally I feel successful when I finish a project, whether that is an article, essay, short story, novel or non-fiction book.

Isn't that the truth, Pam! I couldn't agree more, to finish a project is an achievement that everyone who creates something, from an essay to a full length novel, should be justly proud of. Is there any advice, as a new writer, that you were either given, or wish you had been given? 

PST: Writing is writing…whether nonfiction article or essay, short story or full novel, you ARE a writer! Sometimes life will get in the way and you may want to quit, need to take a break or even a long hiatus from writing but that’s OK; it doesn’t make you less of a writer. Don’t worry about the rules, forget about the market, write the kind of book you want to read, and never give up!

Excellent advice Pam, Lastly, is there a question you really, really wish someone would ask, but they never do?  If so what would be your reply?

       PST: Yes, Q: To what or whom do you credit your success?

        A: Many people have a love/hate relationship with their muse. My muse is the Holy Spirit and I accredit every ounce of success to the grace of God because without HIM I seriously doubt I could write a single word, much less stories that bring hope and healing to so many.

Another great and insightful answer.  Thank you so much for being my guest today, Pam, now let's have a look at your book, which I have on my wishlist and look forward to reading.

Blurb for The Inheritance:

The Inheritance is about the chance we all long for…the chance to start over. Widowed at age thirty-nine and suffering from empty nest syndrome, Rebecca Sinclair is overshadowed by grief and loneliness.  Her husband has been deceased for a year, her oldest child has moved to New York in pursuit of an acting career and her youngest child is attending college in France. Having spent over half of her life as a wife and mother, she has no idea what God has in store for her now.  Will an unexpected inheritance in the wine country of New York bring meaning and purpose to her life and give her the courage to love again? 

US Postal worker Raymond Jacobey has been in love with the little widow since he first set eyes on her.  A wanderer searching for the ever-illusive soul mate, Ray has never stayed in one place too long. Raised by self-centered, high-power executives, he’s longed for the idyllic life of residing in a cozy house in a small town with the love of his life. Will he gain the heart of the lovely widow or will he lose her to the wine country of New York?

Excerpt for The Inheritance:

Rebecca shook her head, “But, surely it’s wrong for me to feel so much more for you than I ever felt for him. He was my husband yet I never wanted to touch him theway I want to touch you, to caress you, to feel you tremble beneath my hand. Why is it that I never felt that way about him? What does that make me?”

Raising her hand to his lips, he kissed the palm. “It makes you a woman, Rebecca, nothing more, nothing less than a beautiful, desirable woman with needs and feelings. And there’s not a single thing wrong in that,” he insisted in an achingly tender voice. “Touch me all you want,” he whispered, placing her hand over his heart. “Feel what you do to me.”

Rebecca closed her eyes, marveling at the way his heart thundered against her palm, matching rhythm with the blood thrumming through her veins. Mesmerized she slipped her hand inside his shirt, felt him shudder, and heard his soft moan of pleasure. Before she could jerk away, he covered her hand with his.

“It’s all right,” he whispered. “Don’t be shy or afraid.”

She lifted wide, pleading eyes to his.

“But I am afraid, Ray. Afraid of where all this will end, afraid that I’ll forget every scrap of morality I ever taught my children and even more afraid that I won’t care if I do.”

“I promise it won’t go that far. I’ll let you know when it’s time to stop,” Ray insisted.

Purchase Links for The Inheritance:

Kindle: http://amzn.to/19J6Dxf

Pelican Book Group

Ebook http://pelink.us/1cvBm29

Printhttp://bit.ly/1scLTVf

Connect with Pam by visiting her Websitehttp://www.pamelathibodeaux.com  

Blog: http://pamswildroseblog.blogspot.com

through Face Book: http://facebook.com/pamelasthibodeaux

or Twitter: http://twitter.com/psthib@psthib

Ladder to the Red Star - an interview andf Giveaway with SF Romance author, Jael Wye

Jael will be awarding a digital copy of Ice Red to a randomly drawn commenter during her tour.

Please follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found HERE

INTERVIEW

I'm thrilled to welcome a fellow SF Romance Writer, Jael Wye,  to the Flight Deck today.  Make yourself comfortable Jael, help yourself to a drink of something sparkling from the synthesiser unit and let's find out a little bit more about you and your books.  First of all, enquiring minds want to know - what do you do for fun when not writing?

JW: When I’m not writing, I’m reading, or else watching action movies and television shows. I can’t get enough of superheroes, dashing knaves, and explosions. I also like to putter around with plants, because they make such excellent listeners.

HL:  Funny that about plants, I find the same thing, actually. :) When did you start writing?

JW: I’ve been writing my whole life, though my previous career as an artist took precedence. But a few years ago I conjured up the idea of retelling fairy tale romances in a science fiction setting, and the concept wouldn’t let me go. I had to get my stories out there. That was when I settled into my new career as a novelist.

HL: And what comes first: the plot or the characters?

JW: Each of my books is based on a classic fairy tale, and so my major plot points are always mapped out for me in advance. My challenge is to translate these tales into a science fiction setting, and then to create characters driven to fulfill their destinies because of their own unique histories and personalities.

HL: That is such an interesting concept! Tell us about your latest release and what you think readers will enjoy about it

JW: My new release, Ladder to the Red Star, is a science fiction romance that retells the story of Jack and the beanstalk, set thee hundred years in the future. It features heartbreaking romance, thrilling action, and interplanetary intrigue. Jacques, the hero is both gorgeous and damaged, and only the courage and love of the heroine, Devi, can save him. Together, they must battle a mad tyrant and a deadly conspiracy that threatens planet Earth. I think readers will enjoy the new twist on a classic tale, the exciting world of the not-too-distant future, and most of all, the chemistry between Jacques and Devi.

HL: That sounds like such a great story. What’s your writing process? Has it changed since writing your first book?

JW: My writing process involves a lot of staring into space and thinking about the plot twists, the characters, and the settings, punctuated by scribbles on sticky notes. This is followed by furious typing long into the night fueled by gallons of coffee. My process works pretty well for me, and so it hasn’t changed since my first high school essay, let alone my first book.

HL: Do you have a support system? Do you have a writing community? What valuable lessons have you learned from them?

JW: I do indeed have a writing community, the Romance Writers of America. The career support and educational opportunities my professional organization provides has been wonderful for me. I have learned everything from how to approach agents to how to properly format a page from them. In addition I work with a critique group to polish my manuscripts before publishing. I cannot recommend professional organizations and critique groups enough. They are invaluable to writers at every stage of their careers.

HL: Where would we be without our Crit group or partners? I belong to the Romance Novelists Association  which is, I think the British equavent of the RWA, and they are, indeed, invaluatble in their help and support. What is your favourite source of inspiration?

JW: A lot of the inspiration for my action scenes comes from movies like the Bourne films, the Lord of the Rings, and Marvel. The pacing, characterization and narrative tension of the individual books is very cinematic. But the inspiration for the series as a whole, with each book forming an episode in a larger narrative, I owe to television shows like Firefly and the X-files. Whenever I need some extra juice I turn on my favorite videos and tinker around with how this scene or that could be better or worse, and before I know it, I’m off and writing.

HL:  You've included a lot of my favourites there, Jael.  Is there any advice, as a new writer, that you were either given, or wish you had been given?

The best advice I’ve ever heard is simply this—finish what you start. The single biggest thing that will prevent an aspiring writer from becoming a published author is not finishing her book.

HL: Absolutely, that was really  exellent advice. What sort of research do you do for your books and what’s your favourite source of information.

JW: The scientific marvels I describe in my books, like the space elevator or programmable fabric, are all based on technology that actually exists today. I get a lot of my information on these subjects from popular science articles and futurists such as Michio Kaku. When it comes to space travel and colonizing other planets in the Solar system such as Mars, I use NASA and other space science organizations as resources. But honestly, the one source of information I can’t do without is Wikipedia, the Swiss army knife of research.

Oh what would we do without Wikipedia? :) Thank you so much for taking time to visit my blog, Jael, it’s been a thrill having you here and learning more about you and your writing. Before you take the shuttle back to Earth, let me wish you much success now and in the future.

Ladder to the Red Star

Once upon a ruined Earth 300 years in the future...

Jacques Tallinn, biotech smuggler and thief, is after the cure for a brain disorder he's suffered since childhood--a disorder inflicted by a powerful tyrant. To get the cure, Jacques will need to climb the space elevator to the new Zenith space station hovering above Earth and go undercover in the lab where it's produced.

Martian head tech Devi Chandra is immediately intrigued by her sexy new lab assistant. Though she insists on keeping things professional, she finds herself charmed by Jacques. Until he betrays her trust, kidnapping her and spiriting her off to Earth.

All Jacques needed to do was steal the biotech and get back home. But when things go wrong, he can't bring himself to leave Devi behind. Now she's injured and a simple caper has become an intergalactic cause, endangering his life and the lives of millions of others. But the hardest part? Winning back Devi's trust.

Find Jael and her books HERE:
CarinaPress — Amazon  – eBooks

Website — Facebook — Twitter – Goodreads

Nicole Zoltac on Magic and Ancient Egypt

I'm thrilled to welcome NicoleZoltac to my Blog today.  Nicole is a very talented writer, who shares my love of horses (and unicorns) as well as history and fantasy. I've always been fascinated by Ancient Egypt, so Nicole's book is of particular interest to me, and I hope it will be to you too. So help yourself to something sparkling from the automatic drinks dispenser while I hand over the controls to Nicole.  

Over to you Nicole!

Ancient Egypt

Hi, everyone, glad to be here! I'm Nicole Zoltack, author of WHITE HELLEBORE. I've always been fascinated with the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, but Egypt has such a ripe history, I had to explore it too.

The idea of magic being alive and practiced in ancient Egypt just made sense to me.

What time period calls to you?

BLURB:

After destroying Skull Krusher, Nicholas Adams thinks Falledge is safe and becomes a security guard at the museum, watching a valuable statue. Unfortunately, the Egyptian statue houses the soul of a scorned witch, biding her time to have her revenge on the descendants of her cheating lover.

Kiya the witch isn't the only new foe in town as the drug that created Skull Krusher has now transformed a scientist into yet another monster, forcing Nicholas to don his Black Hellebore mask again and save Falledge.

Nicholas has no help this time as Kiya gains possession of his love Julianna's body and brings the soul of Justina, Nicholas's high school sweetheart and Julianna's twin, with her. Despite himself, Nicholas is torn between the sisters. If he can't stop the fiends from taking over the world and destroying humankind, he'd never be able to find lasting, true love.

Add it on Goodreads! https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21912639-white-hellebore

BIO:

Nicole Zoltack loves to write in many genres, especially romance, whether fantasy, paranormal, or regency. When she’s not writing about knights, superheroes, or zombies, she loves to spend time with her loving husband and three energetic young boys. She enjoys riding horses (pretending they’re unicorns, of course!) and going to the PA Renaissance Faire, dressed in garb. She’ll also read anything she can get her hands on. Her current favorite TV show is The Walking Dead. To learn more about Nicole and her writing, visit http://NicoleZoltack.blogspot.com

UK Writer Susie Kearley talks about her book 'Freelance writing on Health, Food and Gardens

It's my great pleasure to welcome to the Flight Deck today, Susie Kearley a  fellow writer at the writing group I belong to, Chiltern Writers.

Make yourself at home, Susie and tell us a little more about yourself  - and is there something that most people don’t know about you?

• eBook £6.99 || $9.99
• Feb 28, 2014. 978-1-78279-303-8.
• BUY | AMAZON US | AMAZON UK
• Paperback £11.99 || $19.95
• Feb 28, 2014. 978-1-78279-304-5.
• BUY | AMAZON US | AMAZON UK

I’m a freelance writer, working on magazines and newspapers in UK, USA and Australia. I always longed to be a freelance writer or novelist, but was told to follow a more traditional path when I was young and ended up in marketing. It was the closest thing to writing, in which I could find employment.

I’ve got a new book out, ‘Freelance Writing on Health, Food and Gardens,’ which is a ‘how to’ book, focusing on these areas of writing. It tells my story and is hopefully inspirational for other people wanting to break into this line of work.

Most people don’t know that I was first published in The Lady when I was 21 years old.

Wow!  I had a short story published in The Lady, myself, a few years ago, but sadly they don't publish fiction any more.

What was your favourite part of writing this book/series?

Strangely, one of my favourite parts of the book, is the chapter made up of contributions from other writers. Perhaps this is because I find it really interesting to read about what other writers are doing in this line of work. I interviewed six other writers - two worked in health writing, two in food writing, and two in gardening writing. I found their answers fascinating. Originally I only did the interviews to help me reach the required word count, but it ended up being, for me, one of the most interesting parts of the book!

So what do you do for fun when not writing?

I watch movies. I’m a big fan of Nightmare on Elm Street and have recently had the urge to write a modern sequel of Freddy’s adventures!

Oh, that sounds fun! When did you start writing?

I first starting writing for publication when I was 19, and started a correspondence course. I wasn’t very successful and gave up two years later with one published credit to my name (and a letter, but I’m not sure if that counts!).

I took it up again seriously in 2011, when I quit marketing to follow a career as a freelance writer.

When you write fiction, what comes first: the plot or the characters?

I don’t write much fiction, but when I do, it’s definitely the plot first. The characters become more real as I write and edit. I’ve never had any fiction published. Not yet anyway.

Well good luck when you do! Tell us about your latest release and what you think readers will enjoy about it

Freelance Writing on Health, Food and Gardens was published on 28 February 2014, by Compass Books. In 2011 I quit a 15 year marketing career to start up as a freelance writer in the middle of a recession. In the book, I share how, in under two years, I went from being an aspirational rookie, to working for some of the biggest names in publishing.

I explain how:  I built up valuable contacts from nothing; I used my nutrition qualifications and background in natural health to spur my career forward; I generated numerous feature ideas from single opportunities; I sold articles on health, food and gardening topics to diverse and unexpected markets; my unrelenting perseverance and tenacity came good in the end, despite numerous obstacles; I challenged those who said she would never succeed and proved them wrong.

The book is inspirational. It provides valuable tips to get you started in writing for the health, food and gardening markets, and has wider relevance to other fields of journalism.  

I've got my copy and look forward to reading it! What have you learned about writing since you were published that surprised you the most?

The biggest surprise in my literary career to date was being offered a book deal without actually delivering the first chapter that they'd requested. Here's how it happened...

I was bouncing ideas around with the commissioning editor of Compass Books and she liked one idea. She asked me to write the first chapter. I was so busy with magazine work that I didn't get around to submitting it – to be honest, I didn’t expect to get a book deal so it was low on the priorities list.

To my amazement, I got the offer of a paid contract anyway, based purely on the content of my website. She could see I had expertise and success writing about health, food and gardens. That was in April, and it's just been published.

Oh that just goes to show how important it is to have a good website doesn't it!  What’s you’re writing process? Has it changed since writing your first book?

I’ve written a whole blog on this. I think you should direct people to: http://susiekearley.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/blog-hop-my-writing-process.html

Do you listen to music when you write and if so, what kind of music – or do you find it  distracts you?

No. That would be distracting.

Do you have a support system? Do you have a writing community? What   valuable lessons have you learned from them?

My husband has been very supportive and I attend the local writer’s group, but I’d say the best learning experience has been simply from doing it – writing.

What is your personal definition of success?

For me it was being able to give up conventional work to be a professional writer.

And what is your favourite source of inspiration?

Holidays are a lovely way to get inspiration. I do find things to write about on my travels, whether its historical locations, or story ideas.

  Is there any advice, as a new writer, that you were either given, or wish you had  been given?

Forget the glossy magazines and concentrate on the niche titles.

Excellent advice.  Thank you so much for taking the time to be interviewed on my blog, it's been great talking to you! I wish you every success in your future writing and look forward to seeing you again at our Writing Group.

The book:

www.susiekearley.co.uk/books

www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1782793046

Find Susie on social media:

www.twitter.com/susiekearley

www.facebook.com/susie.kearley.writer

No Refuge - Anne Nicholls Review and highlight

No Refuge
Known Universe
Book 1
Annie Nicholas

Genre: Space Opera/Science Fiction Romance

Publisher: Lyrical Press/Kensington

Date of Publication:  April 7, 2014

ISBN: 9781616505295

Number of pages: 94
Word Count: 24,000

Cover Artist: Renee Rocco

Book Description:

Hunted to near extinction by an alien race called the Ko, my people have run from Earth and drifted so far among the stars we can’t remember the way back. We live everywhere, but call nowhere home. The Ko want us erased from existence and memory. They don’t even want our DNA in the space dust. Humans disguise themselves as other alien species and hide in plain sight. It’s the only way we can survive.

I believe in the myth of Earth. I’ve even discovered a bona fide book written in the dead language of my people. My man, Brody, dreams of a secret human colony. He’s searched for years, hunting any rumor we’ve run across, and finally he’s made contact. Usually, he’s the one grounding me to station and keeping my head out of the atmosphere. Time for me to return the favor…that is, if I can ditch the Ko who’ve discovered me, thanks to my incessant artifact-hunting. If we don’t make our rendezvous, and the Ko don’t kill me, Brody just might…

CONTENT WARNING: Aliens, cargo ships, and a fast paced race against all odds.

My Review*

As a Science Fiction or 'space opera'  writer and reader, I was looking forward to reading this novella and I was not disappointed.  The action is fast and furious, and the characters are engaging and likeable.

Imagine having to disguise yourself as an alien race and be in fear of your life every day.  This is the way the two main characters, Lucy and 'her man' Brody have to live.  The powerful race of aliens known as the Ko would kill them if they suspected they were actually human. Lucille, like Brady, longs to find Earth and manages to purchase an illicit ancient human story book, featuring humans celebrating Christmas with a Christmas tree.

When Brody tells her he has been has arranged for a meeting with someone who knows the location of a secret human colony, she can hardly believe it.  However, they are to face many perils and unexpected events before the  end of the story, and find friends in unexpected places.  The love between Lucille and Brody is evident, and I liked the way he cared for her, and looked out for her, even though she is, herself, a very strong and capable character. The way these two love each other and the sacrifices they are willing to make, each for the other, is very touching.

There are some fairly steamy scenes, but nothing too explicit and they are in keeping with Brody and Lucille's relationship. I  was rooting for them to succeed in their quest to find the Earth colony and look forward to being able to read Book 2.

About the Author:

Annie Nicholas writes paranormal romance with a twist. She has courted vampires, hunted with shifters, and slain a dragon’s ego all with the might of her pen. Riding the wind of her imagination, she travels beyond the

restraints of reality and shares them with anyone wanting to read her stories. Mother, daughter, and wife are some of the other hats she wears while hiking through the hills and dales of her adopted state of Vermont.

Annie writes for Samhain Publishing, Carina Press, and Lyrical Press.

Website: www.annienicholas.com  

Blog:  www.annienicholas.blogspot.com 

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Annie-Nicholas#!/pages/Annie-Nicholas/162716537103705 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/annienicholas
 
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3132972.Annie_Nicholas 

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/annienicholas/    

Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/yt8Kv 

Tour wide giveaway

$50 GC to either Amazon or B&N winner’s choice

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Cover Reveal - When Camels Fly

When Camels Fly by NLB Horton 
Publisher: NLBHorton, via Amazon’s White Glove (May 15, 2014) 
Agent: Mary Keeley at Books & Such Literary Management 
Category: Contemporary suspense, thread of Romance Tour Date: May/June, 2014 Available in: Print & ebook, 370 Pages

A mother’s fatal shot. A daughter’s deadly choice. In Israel, archaeologist Grace Madison shoots her daughter’s abductor. Seconds later, a handsome shepherd drops from the sky to kill a second assassin. Their world changes in two blinks of an eye. Unbeknownst to them, a fiercely ambitious evil is destroying everything in its path—the unconventional path Grace and Maggie take. They struggle to right a wrong as old as time, and discover time is running out in the race for their lives. Family and friends are swept into their vortex, extinguishing old flames while igniting new loves. While the scale tips dangerously toward disaster, millions of lives hang in the balance. And the mother-and-daughter team soon realizes nothing is as it seems. Even each other. Because choosing what’s right is all that’s left.

Advance Praise for 'When Camels Fly':
"When Camels Fly brings an interesting twist to the typical suspense novels that I read. Usually, some man is the main character, who swoops in to rescue the girl, solve the mystery, and set all things right. Not so with this novel. The main character is a delightful woman named Grace, who is a brilliant archaeologist, but definitely no Indiana Jones. More comfortable digging and researching than getting involved in international "incidents," Grace is lured (or dragged, she'd admit) into intrigue and danger when she discovers her daughter, Maggie, has been kidnapped. Like a mama grizzly, Grace heads out to find and rescue her daughter, get the bad guys, and make her daughter comply with her demands (essentially, go home and stay out of trouble). But Maggie has uncovered a disastrous plot that could affect the entire Middle East. And only Maggie (and now Grace) can do something to stop the mayhem and evil.

When Camels Fly, of course, has intrigue and suspense, action-packed scenes, some fun humor, and vivid descriptions of Israel and the Middle East that will make you think you're there in the middle of the action. But its strength really lies in its characters, in particular the mother-daughter relationship with its friendship and tension, which will have you rooting for the dynamic duo. These women are intelligent and strong. No swooning here, readers. And for those readers who still love a bit of romance, this novel provides twists and hints at love blooming. There's married love (the reader watches a "real" marriage between Grace and her husband and how they process the struggles of staying in love after decades), love lost but possibly found (Grace's son and "the one" he let get away, to his great distress, or did he?), and love begun (Maggie meets a potential "one" or two suitors).

The first in a series, you won't want to miss When Camels Fly. It's a fun read-maybe even something you could read with your mom!"-Ginger Kolbaba, author of Desperate Pastors Wives and A Matter of Wife and Death.

"NLB Horton's debut novel, When Camels Fly, incorporates features I have never before encountered in one novel: suspense, science, family, religion, and Middle Eastern intrigue. Middle-aged archaeologist Grace Madison, Ph.D., binds these elements as heroine, and my inner feminist cheered her, and the cast of characters, from the first page through the last.

The Madison women - Grace and daughter Maggie, a hydrologist - are very human and very smart. Their relationship is complex, but loving and insightful, and laced with humor. They wrestle with moral questions in intelligent and intuitive ways, and are unafraid to do the right thing to protect family and produce the greater good. Mark and Jeff Madison, Grace's husband and son, respectively, provide backup while working through a complicated relationship of their own, and attempt to rescue women who are completely capable of rescuing themselves. The characterizations of this mature family are worth the price of the book.

One charming surprise - and there are many in this novel - is Grace's octogenarian seminary professors, former spies for Mossad who converge in Israel and Jordan to assist the family they hold dear. Their espionage skills, masked by the perceived harmlessness of the elderly, allow them to move about undetected, and assist the Madison family in creative and unexpected ways.

Another unique aspect of When Camels Fly is the incorporation of science and history as backdrops for the storyline. Horton's enjoyable and interesting depiction of hydrology and geology are well researched, and give legitimacy not only to herself, but also to her characters. The technical knowledge isn't overwhelming, but provides a solid foundation that increases the story's tension.

From drugged kidnappings and shootings at the Western Wall to a minor-key version of The Commodores' Brick House in Jericho, When Camels Fly empowers women and family in an entertaining adventure. Unstoppable women, well-placed humor, and critical contemporary issues make this book my top read so far in 2014, and I'm watching for news of Horton's second manuscript, scheduled to release later this year."- Leigh Bennett, Reader

"I picked up When Camels Fly, and I couldn't put it down because the dramatic opening hooked me.

Right off the bat, the relationship between Grace Madison and her grown daughter, Maggie, was committed, funny, and endearing - ideal, actually. They're smart, adventurous women stranded in Israel, running for their lives, initially unaware that Grace's husband Mark and son Jeff are in hot pursuit.

Author NLB Horton's vigorous dialogue moved the story along, and portrayed each character as uniquely intriguing. Her descriptions of Israel and Jordan were an enjoyable way to learn more about that part of the world, and it's obvious she's "been there, done that." I felt as if I were in the markets and atop the camels, participating in the story. One of the most interesting aspects of When Camels Fly is that it's contemporary suspense from a woman's viewpoint, set in a part of the world normally filtered through a male lens. And it presents the region in a realistic, approachable way.

I particularly appreciated Horton's strong portrayal of the squadron of elderly intelligence agents. I don't think I've ever encountered a novel in which senior citizens (and I am one) were crafted with such lively respect.

The Madison family is a refreshing, healthy model in the world of contemporary literature, where dysfunctional or overly simplistic family portrayals reign. When I discovered the end of the novel alluded to the story continuing in the next book in the series, I was delighted. I look forward to continuing the adventure begun in When Camels Fly."- Lillian Bohannon, Reader.

About NLB Horton:
After an award-winning detour through journalism and marketing and a graduate degree from Dallas Theological Seminary, NLBHorton returned to writing fiction. She has surveyed Israeli archaeological digs accompanied by artillery rounds from Syria and machine gun fire from Lebanon. Explored Machu Picchu after training with an Incan shaman. And consumed afternoon tea across five continents. When Camels Fly is her first novel. Her second, The Brothers’ Keepers, will be available November 2014. Website: http://www.nlbhorton.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/NLB-Horton/289059931145461 Twitter: https://twitter.com/NLBHorton Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/nlbhorton/