...read all about it!
Welcome everyone to another beautiful Monday. Today we have a new author with us and I can't wait for you all to learn more about her.
Please welcome:
Charliann Roberts !
Hi Charliann, could you tell us a little about yourself?
I was born and raised in Minnesota. I’ve lived in Marina Del Rey, and
Santa Monica, CA. I now reside in Arizona, in “The Valley of the Sun” with my
long-time sweetheart and our “children”, a Sheltie (daddy’s baby) and a Corgi
(mommy’s baby).
What or who initially inspired you to become a writer?
I’ve always loved to read. I have wanted to
write for many years but never had the time. (I know, that’s the common
excuse.) Three years ago I was laid off of two different jobs because of the
economy. That was when I began writing. Writing turned out to be the best job
I’ve ever had (especially the part of working the hours you want and when you
want).
What kind of research do you do for a novel and how extensive do you
get?
Most of my research is online. Every so
often, I head to the library. The romantic suspense novel I’m currently working
on required many questions, answered by the AJPD (Apache Junction Police Dept.)
and I thank them for the time they spent answering each and every one of them
in detail.
Do you have a special place you like to do your writing? Such as an
office, a spare room, the dining room table, your couch?
My office – my desk is in front of a window
overlooking a beautiful mountain view.
As a reader, what types of works do you like to read and do you think
they influence the genre/genres you write in?
I love contemporary romance and romantic
suspense. They definitely influence the genre I write in.
What is your favorite method of writing...as in laptop, desktop, Ipad
or the old fashioned pencil and paper??
And do you plot out your story or go with the flow of your muse?
My first novel, The Sunny Side of the Mountain, began with an outline. My second
novel (now in editing) I just typed whatever came to mind. For my third novel,
I’ve just completed the outline. I’m finding that having and outline is a bit
easier. Once that is down on paper and I know point A to point B, my mind can
wander all and anywhere it wants. I’ve also recently found that I write better
and faster the “old fashioned” way – on the couch with pencils, lots of
erasers, and a thick tablet. Then when I’m ready to type it out, it’s like
editing my first draft. I use my laptop, that way I’m able to take it
everywhere I go, whether it’s on vacation, or up to our cabin in the White
Mountains.
When you need a break or some time off from the trials of being a
writer, what can you be found doing?
We head up to our cabin (of course my writing
tags along). I also love to read, crochet, walk the dogs,
(cleaning the house is last on the list).
Is there anything about yourself nobody knows that you would like to
share with our readers??
If nobody knows, then no one knows.
For fun, I have a few personal questions,
Your
Favorite 5
1) Favorite color - Blue
2) Favorite dessert – Ice cream
3) Favorite Season – In Arizona it’s Winter!
4) Favorite sad song- The theme to Love Story
5) Favorite Romantic movie – It will always be Love Story
And a bonus, what is your ideal romantic vacation??
Anywhere, as long as I’m
with my sweetheart.
Where can our readers find you??
Is there an upcoming or current release you would like to share with us
today and where can we find it?
The Sunny
Side of the Mountain
by Charliann Roberts
He was her rock, her soul. He was her everything. When he told her they
should go their separate ways it hurt so much. Cassandra knew as she watched
Sean walk away from her, that she’d never love anyone with the depth and
emotion that she loved him. Heartbroken and forlorn she surrendered to deep
compulsive sobs.
She tucked those feelings away
when she thought she had finally found the “perfect” husband. However, soon
after the birth of their twins, she began to see another side of Jeff that he’d
kept hidden from her.
Surviving a turbulent marriage
that almost kills her, Cassandra is finally convinced to file for divorce. She
takes the twins and heads up north deep into the woods to a cabin where no one
will find them... but soon she discovers
that they are being followed.
Now for sale in paperback and eBook!
Excerpt:
As
she walked through the meadow, she enjoyed the sweet scent of flowers. She came
to the edge of the grassland and approached the dirt road that led to Nick’s
ranch. She felt happy and carefree. Further down the road, she spotted a
cluster of beautiful butterflies fluttering around the wildflowers scattered
along the edge of the road. When she slowly passed by them, they flew over to
her and swirled around her head. She stopped and gazed up at them, her hands
placed on each cheek. She held a big smile, and was careful not to frighten
them away.
“You are so beautiful and such
distinct little creatures,” she said softly. There aren’t that many butterflies
around, these days. It was a rare treat to see so many at one time.
She
noticed a truck approaching from behind, about a mile down the road. It seemed
to be moving a bit too fast, gathering clouds of dust, so she found it
impossible to perceive whether or not it was Nick’s truck. Assuming it would
slow down, she stayed on the edge of the dirt road and kept walking. Suddenly,
she glanced over her shoulder. It wasn’t slowing down, it was picking up speed.
Panic
welled up in her throat when she realized it was coming straight at her. She
gasped in terror and choked back a frightened cry, then spun around frantically.
She leaped back into the meadow, and ran as fast as she could. If she could get
to the high grass just ahead, she knew that the creek flowed close by and her
salvation might lie there.
It
must be Jeff, most likely very intoxicated, as he zigzagged back and forth,
acting as though he was playing a game. She tried to run faster when she heard
the truck approaching. The wild grass and flowers became thicker and taller,
and now reached to the top of her head. She heard the vehicle very close
behind.
At last, she spotted the creek and
knew this was her only means to stay out of sight. When she approached the
edge, she lowered to her knees, then thrust herself into the waist deep water
and quickly submerged. She held her breath as her shirt billowed out with
trapped air until it became waterlogged. With her short height, she was able to
stay just below the surface as she moved across the rocky bottom on her hands
and knees, grazing them. She followed the strong current, which eased the pain
on her kneecaps.
No longer able to remain underwater,
gasping for air, she frantically lifted her head just as the truck plunged into
the creek and rolled onto its side.
She shivered, and tried to stay very still while she
waited. She stood and watched for any movement. Then Jeff’s head and shoulders
appeared through the open window.
He
looked up, saw her, and hatred blazed in his eyes. His glare burned through her
as she slowly moved her hand to her waist and felt for her pepper spray.
Attached to her belt loop, she loosened it from the pocket of her jeans. Her
clothes were soaking wet, but the pepper spray was waterproof. She crept toward
the opposite edge of the creek, and stopped to speculate what her best move
would be. With difficulty, she struggled over the rocky bottom, and tried to
remain calm, but she was beginning to shake as fearful images began to build in
her mind.
When
Cassandra risked a glance at him, the color drained from her face. He’d now
completely freed himself from his vehicle, and had begun to wade toward her in
a limping fashion.
She
turned blindly, and stumbled on the slippery rocks. Frantic now, unable to
obtain a secure foothold, she looked behind her. His limp had begun to slow him
down. When the tread on her tennis shoe grabbed support on a large rock, she
was able to climb the small bank, and then turned to run north, toward Nick’s
ranch.
Suddenly, he grabbed her forearm
tightly and spun her around. His eyes darkened dangerously with a beastly,
threatening look. While he kept a tight hold on her, she gasped at sight of a
knife in his hand. Suddenly, he lost his footing, and she was able to pull away
fiercely, and slid her arm from his grip. She instantly stepped back, grabbed
her pepper spray, and turned around just as his hands reached out toward her.
He had a repulsive look on his face.
“Back
off, Jeffrey,” she said, but he just kept coming at her.
The
Sunny Side of the Mountain is available in eBook
and paperback at Amazon.com. If you have a Nook, it’s available at BarnesandNoble.com.
You can also purchase any type of eBook at the publisher’s website, Solstice
Publishing @ www.solsticepublishing.com. If you’d like to order
the paperback directly from me (free shipping), just contact me on Facebook or
send an email to charliannaz@hotmail.com for more information.
Reviews:
5.0 out
of 5 stars Heart warming story
From the first sentence it was easy to connect with Cassandra, the
heroine in the story. Her emotions came through so effortlessly in her
movements and internals and even a person who had no empathy would be hard
pressed not to feel for her and her situation.
She's a strong lady who dealt with a rotten marriage to an abusive spouse. Her
saving grace was the wonderful relationships she had with her children and a
select group of friends and her Aunt Em...another strong female figure in her
life who helped raise her.
This story told of Cassandra's hardships, her determination, her victories and
did it all with wonderful description and heartfelt emotion. Throughout the
story I felt like I was taking the journey with Cassandra, seeing it from her
eyes. The ups and downs, good times and bad. Before I knew it, I was at the
end.
I don't want to spoil it for anyone about to read it, so I don't want to give
anything away except to say this was a very easy read. The story was
interesting and flowed smoothly with a nice, pleasant pace.
Congratulations to Charliann Roberts for bringing Cassandra and the other
characters to life with vivid detail and description.
5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome Read!
By
When I read the first two sentences of Ms. Roberts blurb for The
Sunny Side of the Mountain, I knew I was going to fall in love with Cassandra's
story. "He was her rock, her soul. He was her everything." I don't
think I have ever cheered for anyone as much as this endearing brave woman who
never gave up on finding a love to call her own. Her life did not start out
perfect. She loved Sean with the fierceness that comes with a first time love
only to find out it abruptly ended much to soon. Never really understanding her
heartache of losing him, she later meets Jeff who misleads her into thinking he
was her perfect soul mate. His secrets and the birth of the twins send her on a
journey I was only too happy to follow. I give this read 5 stars and hope to
read more from a first time author I enjoyed immensely!
5.0 out of 5 stars A
Pure Delight!
By
The Sunny Side of the Mountain was a pure delight to read. It is a
novel you want to curl up in your favorite chair on a Saturday afternoon, with
a cup of hot chocolate in one hand and Charliann Robert's book in the other. It
is tender and sweet with just enough of suspense to keep you wondering what
will happen next. This author gave the reader everything they ever would want
in a romance/suspense novel. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants
to walk away with a smile on your face and a warm heart. Congratulations
Charliann for a well written book. I for one can't wait for your next novel to
be released. Without any hesitation I give this novel a well-deserved 5-star
rating
And before we let you get away is there a recipe you'd like to share with us? I love to cook and I'm always looking for new recipes to try and share with our readers.
Chocolate
Coconut Cream Refrigerator Bars
½ C. Butter
¼ C. Sugar
4 T. Cocoa
1 t. Vanilla
1 Egg (beat)
Put all in
small pan inside of a big pan of boiling water. Stir until butter melts. Mix
until it resembles custard.
Crush 24 graham
cracker squares
½ C. Walnuts
(crushed)
1 C. Coconut
Flakes
Mix together
w/other stuff.
-
Put all on
greased cookie pan (a cookie sheet with sides)
(hard to spread – push down flat)
-
Put in freezer
for 10 minutes
Then spread
w/filling:
¼ C. butter (do
not melt)
3 T. Milk
2 Egg Yolks
(beaten)
2 C. Powdered
Sugar
Capful Vanilla
Mix together,
then spread over first layer & let stand in freezer for 15 minutes.
Top
Part
Melt 6 squares
(4 wrapped pieces) of Semi-Sweet Chocolate
3 T. Butter
Pour over
filling
Put in
refrigerator
Thanks Charliann for joining us today, it was great learning more about you.
Readers, thanks for stopping by and make sure you visit Amazon right away and get The Sunny Side of the Mountain.
Happy reading,
Krista
I’d
love to share Reaper’s Fragile Ego in my Death Angel Series which for now can
be found on Amazon. There is also a bonus free read within this story called
Bargaining With the Reaper, which will be expanded into a novella later on. Be
sure to check it out…
