Together
they will discover a passion for each other,
for life, and for freedom.
Following along after
Washington’s Army, was not what Sarah Fanum had planned. Nonetheless, sometimes
fate is cruel. Deciding to control her own future, she accepted a role as a
spy. Gathering more courage than she knew she had, she headed to New York City.
Tristan Radcliff was a pampered playboy. He was used to having his own way, and
lived for the next adventure on the high seas. He was caught off guard by
Sarah’s unpretentious ways, and taken by her beauty. Could he defy not only his
family, but also his country to taste her charms?
Will they realize that love is always worth fighting for?
Excerpt:
She could hear the city before she saw it. It was not
the grandeur of Philadelphia, that she had expected. It seemed… somewhat
darker. Perhaps her feelings were betraying her perception. Thoughts of retreat
fluttered through her mind as she spotted the roadblock. With no other choice,
she squared her shoulders as she moved forward.
“State your business,” the young soldier demanded, he
sounded more bored than anything.
“I have come to stay with my Aunt.” Sarah replied,
remembering that less is more.
He barely glanced at her, and not finding her a threat,
moved to let her pass.
“Hold up there!” A more seasoned officer called.
Sarah somehow kept her face calm, even though her heart was pounding again.
This man was more keen, and his grey eyes seemed to glimmer in anticipation.
She supposed he would have been considered handsome, to most, with his brown hair
and strong features. Of course, the British Uniform quelled any passionate
thoughts on Sarah’s part.
She tensed as his gaze swept over her body. Her eyes met
his, and narrowed, as a sneer crossed over his face. “I think we need to check
this one a bit more thoroughly.”
He was close to her, too close, she wondered how far she
would get if she kicked him in the face and set the mare into a run. Looking
down at her feeble companion, she decided not far enough.
The soldier grabbed her horse’s harness and placed his
free hand on her ankle as he ran his hand up her leg, and under her skirt. She
instinctively drew away from him, and with a shriek, toppled off the horse on
the other side. Cursing, she pushed herself to her feet and turned on her
offender.
Lynn
Hubbard is a Historical Fiction author. She has been writing for over ten years
and has five titles. Three of which are westerns. Lynn is fascinated by the Old
West and her books portray when life was simpler. When, people worked hard, and
sweated to make an honest living. And when justice wasn’t always blind.
So Mitchell, why don’t we start by
learning a bit about yourself.
When did you decide
to become a writer?
After serving over three-decades in law
enforcement, I had seen and heard many things I felt that I should pass
along. Law enforcement is full of
colorful characters—from the cops who work the streets to some of those
involved in criminal activity.
If you had to
choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?
Tom Clancy is my favorite writer. I really enjoy the way he researches
material. He also uses a lot of dialog,
as do I. Fredrick Forsyth’s “The Day of
the Jackal,” is one of the first books that I read from cover-to-cover while
serving a tour overseas in the military.
Like Clancy, he diligently researched his facts, which is why “Jackal”
is a classic novel.
Name one entity
that you feel supported you outside of family members.
My faith is very important to me. Like many Americans, sometimes family
events, work, and personal matters can take their toll. I believe that, whether I was a police
officer or a father, God gave me the ability to shrug my shoulders and
recognize that, like the Biblical figure Job, we are often tested. I thank the good Lord that I have, for the
most part, succeeded. I am grateful and
very content with the life I have lived and thankful for what I have.
For your own reading,
do you prefer e-books or traditional paper/hard back books?
It depends. I really like my Kindle. I can download so many newspapers and books,
even while I’m vacationing in remote areas, such as northern Wisconsin. On the other hand, on a warm sunny day at the
beach, noting beats a traditional book.
I also like passing my dead tree books to others. I think hardcover books are valuable from the
perspective of obtaining an autograph or establishing a family library. They are very durable and last for
generations.
Which famous person,
living or dead would you like to meet and why?
King David would be one. A young man with so many difficult
challenges, who, like so many of our leaders today, succumbed to an
extra-marital relationship (with Bathsheba), but prayed for and received forgiveness. St. Peter, the man who betrayed Christ, but was
later crucified himself, is very inspirational. Nelson Mandela is a leader who, although I disagree
with his political philosophy, has Gandhi-like attributes that enabled him to
reconcile the past by forgiving those who imprisoned and tortured him. He is a much bigger man than most, who would
have sought vengeance over the good of their nation.
Do you work to an
outline or plot or do you prefer just see where an idea takes you?
I generally develop a list of ideas and
seek to incorporate these concepts into compelling characters. I also try to provide readers with stories
within the plotline itself. The
mini-stories, or sub-plots, feed into the overall plot, but, more importantly,
define the characters.
What are the titles
& Genres of your books?
“The Cozen Protocol,” my first novel, was
an Amazon.com Breakthrough Novel of the Year Award nominee. It is fictional, but incorporates actual
offenses into the overall gang/police corruption plot. In “Psychic Reprieve,” the characters, while
all flawed in the face of the justice system, are, at heart, good human beings seeking
to thrive and redeem themselves once released from prison. The genre is fiction, but also makes use of
actual offenses, criminal profiling, interrogations, and high-tech government
surveillance.
What inspired you
to write your first book, The Cozen
Protocol?
During my career with the Milwaukee
Police Department, I felt that many officers were unjustifiably thrown under
the bus for political purposes. These
were rank-and-file officers caught in the midst of political power plays. But instead of folding their tents and
laying low, many of these officers, despite being victims of departmental
politics, forged ahead to serve those that they took an oath to protect. To good officers, police work is a
calling. These are the cops who toil in
unbelievable conditions night-after-night and make a difference.
How did you come
up with the title?
“Cozen” is a word that means “snake
like” and/or deceptive. The characters
who sought to undermine the cops that patrol the street initiated an unofficial
“cozen protocol” in attempt to derail the careers of a handful of officers who
had the goods on a high-ranking police official who wanted to become the
Milwaukee PD’s chief-of-police.
Who is your
favorite character from your books and why?
In “The Cozen Protocol” it was, no
doubt, Detective Gavin Fitzgerald. As
retired Milwaukee PD Captain Glenn Frankovis noted, Fitzgerald knew how to work
around bureaucratic obstacles; he was dedicated but not obsessed; and viewed
his profession as a calling. In “Psychic
Reprieve,” I liked all three major characters—an African-American baseball
pitcher, a disgraced Chicago PD sergeant, and the Italian-American identity
thief—because they understood each other’s strengths and weaknesses.
Give us an
interesting fun fact or a few about your book or series:
In “The Cozen Protocol” and “Psychic
Reprieve,” the personalities of the main characters are drawn out by their use
of humor and/or one-liners. Granted,
sometimes this humor is politically incorrect, as are the beliefs and
personalities of many of us. How
Americans perceive societal trends is often times based on geography, race,
age, political beliefs and religious perspectives. These are the hallmarks of living in America
that I sought to highlight.
Is there a message
in your new novel, Psychic Reprieve,
that you want readers to grasp?
Yes, while there are several things that divide Americans,
such as age, gender, race, ethnicity, political beliefs, and geography, when
thrown together by circumstances outside one’s control, Americans tend to
overcome and appreciate these differences.
How much of the book is realistic?
Several of the crimes mentioned in both “The Cozen Protocol”
and “Psychic Reprieve” are take offs of actual events. Is there anything you find particularly
challenging in your writing?
I try to create unique circumstances that keep the characters
interesting. This is always a challenge
when evaluating solid character development.
I want to give each character a certain personality. In “Psychic Reprieve,” the fact that each
character, to a certain extent, is a fish out of water gives the plot its
uniqueness. Do you have to travel much concerning your
book(s)?
I try to travel to many locales in the Midwest to promote my
books. In the future, I would like to
visit places in the south and southwest to promote each novel at shows and
fairs. My marketing company is in the
process of offering a program where groups can sponsor visits by yours truly to
college campus, community group meetings, or book club events. Did you learn anything from writing your book
and what was it?
I learned that writing a book is much more difficult than I
ever imagined. In a sense, it is like aspiring
to run a marathon—many people seek to do so but very few ever cross the finish
line. During my life, I have been
fortunate to have run a marathon and have written books. In that sense, God has blessed me.
What are your
future projects?
I have conceptualized at least two potential novels involving
organized crime, cops gone bad, and steadfast investigators. Now I just need to work on the characters and
it’s off to the races. Do you have any advice for other writers?
Yes. Do not bite off more than you can chew. Recognize your
limitations; set reasonable expectations, and realize that, when you are an
upstart writer, it is difficult to get recognized.
Thanks Mitchell!
Psychic Reprieve:
Deception & Reality
R.C. is a rising star in baseball,
until his world comes crashing down. Raised by his grandparents, Raunold
Choquet has one dream in life, to play ball. When a hazing incident goes
astray, he finds out that justice is not always blind. Reality sets in when he
is attacked in prison.
Awakening from a coma with piercing
headaches and vivid dreams, he is left to sort out what is real, and what is
not. Psychic Reprieve: Deception & Reality introduces us to a group of
unlikely friends: a well-liked college baseball player, a disgraced Chicago
police sergeant, and a folksy identify thief, as they seek to cash in on one of
the trio's clairvoyant abilities. As their plan unfolds, the lines between
deception and reality blur as the motivation for financial gain clashes with
conscience, patriotism, and personal responsibility.
Purported psychics use their
talents - real or perceived - to provide a service and earn an income. In this
particular line of work, scammers and snake oil salesmen sometimes move about
like thieves in the night. Realists see psychic readings as a pricy form of
entertainment. To those in search of inner peace, however, the hopes of
bringing a loved one's killer to justice or communicating with a relative on
'the other side' can make them an easy mark for brazen charlatans.
Mitchell Nevin's latest novel searches the
shadowy expanses occupied by serial killers, cold-blooded terrorists,
challenged detectives, troubled loved ones, and a gifted young man on a quest
to mend his tattered reputation.
The Cozen Protocol
Mitchell Nevin is a master at
developing characters readers will empathize with, even the bad guys. Nothing
is as it seems-flip the pages to find out, who’s good, who’s bad, who’s dead,
and who survives.
The Cozen Protocol is an intricately woven story, perfect for any crime lover.
Take a ride in the front seat with Milwaukee’s finest and view the world as you
have never seen it before; by walking-a-mile in the shoes of everyday street
cops as they carefully balance the ebb-and-flow of justice and politics.
Faced with inept leadership, outlaw bikers, gangs, and crooked cops, each day
is another unique challenge. Down, but not out, the fine men and women of law
enforcement combine their talents and work together to “foil” the bad guys and
live to fight crime for another day.
I recently met with my editor for coffee. What better place to go than Cool Beans, on the Marietta Square. It was my first visit to the quant shop, so I sipped on my freshly brewed latte as we settled in. We exchanged thoughts and ideas then, the topic switched to ebooks. I was enlightening her, on how my heart had grown to cover ebooks, as well as print.
She leaned in and whispered, apologetically, that she owned a nook. Has our world come to this? Nookies have to hide in secret? I reassured her that it was okay, that I owned a nook as well. And I love my nook, however, with Amazon dominating the field it has made conversations with nook owners….um…a bit awkward. Like perhaps, we did something wrong.
With Barnes & Noble thinking of throwing Nook out into the cold, what are nook owners to do? Do they put on blinders and keep reading? Do they avoid social media? I’m not sure what other nookies are doing, but I am downloading all of my nook books to my computer for safe keeping.*
With Borders gone, B&N is throwing rocks at Amazon. They recently released a statement that newly published Amazon Titles will not be sold in B&N stores. Perhaps this is to get back at Amazon for indie authors flocking to them, and exclusively, enrolling their books, in the Amazon Lending Library.
Of course, if B&N were more indie friendly, the stampede wouldn’t be quite as large.
*To download ebooks, just pull up your Nook Library page on the computer and click the big Blue download button next to the Cover Pic. An epub copy will be downloaded on your computer. You can read it on your computer with Adobe Digital, a free Download.
Today we have Sabrina Lovett with us from Run into the Wind written by Lynn Hubbard.
So let's please welcome Sabrina and grab that cup of java, sit back, relax and enjoy the interview.
Welcome Sabrina, we are very glad you could make it today. Can you tell us about the book you star in?
Run into the Wind is about my life. It starts out on the worst day ever.
How so?
It was the day my family was murdered and my home was burned to the ground. My life was turned upside down in an instant. I persevered though, I planned to rebuild.
How horrible! I am so glad you had the strength to move on.
However, my fancy pants brother decides to finally come home and dictate my life! Nevertheless, I showed him.
How did you do that?
I decided to choose my own fate, when he put me on the train headed for Boston, I jumped right off and headed west.
Lol.. I guess you did show him!
Of course maybe that wasn't my brightest idea, I mean hiding out and dressing as a boy is kinda odd. But that's how I met Brock.
Oh... tell us about Brock!
Now Brock is the kinda man who will make your toes curl! You know what I mean.
Of course I know what you mean! Who doesn't!
Now, it was kinda awkward with him thinking I was a boy and all. I guess I should have told him earlier but I am a bit stubborn.
Well anyway, my secret got out!
How did he find out??
I had to rescue Brock from some train robbers and nearly got myself killed. When Brock found out I was a girl he clenched his teeth so tight I thought his jaw was gonna lock shut forever.
So what happened?
Well, me and Brock made up. (Blush!) Now, I'm really confused. I've been doing just fine on my own, I'm not sure if I want to give anyone that much power. On the other hand, maybe I need to rethink my life, maybe I do need someone. Maybe he needs me too.
Maybe... only you can answer that though.
My life is very complicated.
How so?
I have murderers to hunt down, my brother is chasing me, rescue missions. I don't know if I ever could go back to my old life. A life where everything was good and all I had to worry about was my mother trying to get me to wear a dress with ruffles. It still hurts to think about them being gone, but it hurts a bit less when Brock is around.
There are a lot of complicated things in your life Sabrina. I know that between you and your creator you probably found good ways to deal with all of that. Let me ask you this...
We all want to be different, so what is the one thing you wish your creator had done differentely with you?
I wish she had given me red hair like my mama's. My sister Lydia got red hair, even my BROTHER got red hair. Did I? Nope, dull brown. I did get my green eyes though, guess I should be happy with that.
Your hair is beautiful. It goes wonderfully with your green eyes!
If you could have added something to the story, and your creator would have let you, what would that have been?
I wish I could have shoved Sally's smirking face into the water trough! Her flirting shamelessly with Brock like that. Makes me madder then a wet hen.
lol... amazing how the jealousy monster works isn't it!
What do you love best about yourself? What do you like least?
I have gumption! I stand up for who and what I believe in no matter what. I guess I can be over zealous sometimes. My father always said 'Not even the fatest horse can catch a word spoken in anger'.
Oh, I like that! I will have to remember that and use it!
What part of the book was the hardest for you and your creator to work through?
When I lost Star.
Who is Star?
Star was a horse I looked after. When the barn caught fire, she got trapped. I tried my hardest to save her but Brock came in and drug me out. Made me mad as hell, I didn't need saving. Now Star was gone along with my job.
I'm sorry. I know how much losing and animal can hurt.
Sabrina is there a sequel for this book?
Yes, Brock's happy go lucky brohter had to have his spot in the sunlight. So Chase the Moon was named after him. CTM just came out and continues the story. There are some good times and some bad, but that's what life is all about. If we didn't have hard times the good ones wouldn't seem so sweet.
That is very true.
Do you have anything else that you would like to talk about?
I would like to thank Cindy Smith for writing a song about me and Brock. She is amazingly talented and captured all the emotions I was feeling! You can listen to it at Lynn's Website www.lynnhubbard.com, tell her Sabrina sent you!
Oh wow, (Sorry guys... I made her wait so I could listen to the song real quick!) That is an awesome song - and I have to tell you, I loved the fact that you had that translated into sign language. How wonderful!
Sabrina - it has been an honor to have you here today on WoMen's Literary Cafe! We are so glad you came! I know the readers really want to know more about your book, and I'll fill them in on where they can find out more. Thank you so much for coming!
Sabrina was an absolute pleasure to have on our blog today. To find out more about Run Into the Wind, please check out the following links.
