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Showing posts with label author. Show all posts
Showing posts with label author. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 1, 2025
Monday, November 25, 2024
Thanksgiving Sale!
Happy Thanksgiving week to all my US peeps! I hope you have big plans for a lot of family time and too much food. π When you get ready for a little peace and quiet, stop by and snag a book! :D
This week only, take 30% OFF all eBooks and in-stock paperbacks ordered directly from my shop.
Use code: ππππππ πππππππ
Discount valid Nov. 24th - Dec. 1st
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Wednesday, December 7, 2022
Dec Promos: FREE and REDUCED books up for grabs!
Happy December! I can't believe we're coming up on the end of the year. So much has happened in 2022, and so much more is coming in 2023. But I digress. This post isn't a recap of the year. Oh, no, definitely not. Not yet anyway. Today, I want to share the promos I'm involved in during December. Check out the 60+ FREE and/or REDUCED ebooks up for grabs this month.
Happy Holidays!!
Wednesday, December 1, 2021
New Release in 6 days!
Welcome to December! Can you believe how fast this year has gone by? It was 2019, and then I blinked. Boom! Two years later. At least that's what it feels like.
In only 6 days, the newest installment in my Liz Baker series will release. I can't believe this is book 9! This series has been running for 11 years now, and quickly became my favorite. Liz is always getting into trouble with all those vampires, werewolves, demons, and everything else that shows up on her doorstep.
Ruled by Death will be available for download on December 7th. Currently, the preorders are up for only $0.99, but that will increase after release.
I'm in the midst of writing the 10th, and final, book in the series. It will come out in the spring of 2022.
In the meantime, we survived Thanksgiving, and I'm now looking forward to Christmas. The tree is up and the grandson is amazed by all the lights and breakables. LOL! Right now he's hearing the word no a lot.
If you're subscribed to my newsletter, it went out today. I even shared Chapter 1 in there. Don't forget to check it out for your chance to win the author proofs of the Liz Baker series (books 1-8) that are collecting dust in my office. If you aren't subscribed, it's not too late. You can join here, and then pop over to my website for one entry into the contest.
I hope you have a fabulous week!
Happy Holidays!
Tuesday, October 5, 2021
Do you have a minute to help me?
Good afternoon! Autumn is on the way here in north Georgia. After a lovely two weeks of dry, cool weather, this week will be a rainy mess around here. I like this time of year, but it always reminds me that the dreaded winter is right around the corner. I'm NOT a winter person.
In the meantime, I've been hard at work on book 9 of the Liz Baker series. It's moving right along (even though Liz is giving me a lot of attitude), but I still haven't figured out a title for it. I have it narrowed down to four options and decided to put up a poll for my readers to decide.
If you have a minute (literally, the poll says it takes 1 minute), click over and choose the title you like the best. Right now it's at a tie, so do me a favor and break that tie so I can tell the cover designer what to put on the front of the book. LOL!
Thanks for your help!
Friday, January 1, 2021
Happy New Year! It's cover reveal time!
Isn't she lovely? I fell head-over-heels for this cover the moment I saw it. It's beautiful! I used the same cover designer as the entire series and after all these years she has amazed me yet again. This is actually #2 out of 3 designs because she wanted to get it just right. Even after the 3rd one I told her I just couldn't pass up this one. I love it!
Next up will be the release date announcement. I'm hoping to let you all know about it in a couple of weeks, after I get everything in order, so be on the lookout for that one. :)
Best wishes and a Happy New Year to you all! I hope 2021 brings you peace, happiness, health, and love. Fingers crossed for a better year than 2020 provided. Love and hugs to everyone!
Tuesday, December 22, 2020
Author Feature: Maggie Tideswell
Finders Keepers
An Almost Gothic Love Affair
Sometimes it takes a wrong turn to get you to the right place.
A bride is sent off into the unknown to marry a stranger on All Hallows Eve, October 31, 1749. What she finds on her arrival is enough to make her skin crawl.
Limping footsteps, blood-curdling screams, smoking torches, and a house on a cliff... A man she only sees in the dark, his breathing labored behind a mask.
“A betrothal is as good as the wedding vows. You cannot leave.”
“Am I your prisoner?”
"You shall stay here until you bear me a child. Then you
can stay or go, the choice shall be mine!"
The how and why behind Finders Keepers
Finders Keepers was my contribution to the Soul's Day Boxset, which released on October 20th, 2020. The Boxset achieved No 1 bestseller status on Amazon. After running its course, it has now been disbanded, and the rights reverted to the authors. I thought 22 December 2020 a good date for a relaunch, after another round of edits, and sporting a new cover. The old one is on the left.
Then the Boxset came up. I sat down with all my notes for Darkest Midnight. It didn't take much to change the theme from Christmas to Halloween, and so Finders Keepers came about.
About me
The trick is to combine things that can't be explained, sweaty bodies and
rumpled beds in a way that will make the reader's toes curl and hair stand on end.
The Other Me
I love cooking - being married to a chef, the passion for food must have rubbed off. The result is that I am nearly as passionate about creating new dishes as I am about creating alpha heroes for every woman to fall in love with, just like I do, every time.
My Cats
And I love cats. At one time, I had eleven! Now my husband, Gareth, and I have only two as we're living in an apartment. The black and white cat, Thom, was a Tuxedo cat, but he was killed by a car. His sister, pure black - unfortunately I don't have a picture of her handy - is called Nightshade. Get it? The tabby is my baby, 14 years old, called Felix.
How I became a Bestseller
I have several books published, but my WIP pile is growing instead of getting smaller. Sometimes I worry that I won't have enough time to publish them all.
All my books feature ghosts, and they have varying levels of heat. There is the Bridesmaids, Weddings and Honeymoons series, 3 out of 5 published so far. Then there is the Moragh Saga trilogy. The first 2 books are out, and the last and final one coming mid-2021. Roxanne's Ghost duology is a complex ghost story of identical twin sisters' love for the same man. Have a look here:
Get in Touch
- Website: https://www.ghostly.com
- Ghoulies & Ghosties Blog
- Email: maggietideswell@outlook.com
Finders Keepers
Saturday, October 31, 2020
Oh no! I found a fox!
I found a sneaky little fox sniffing around my chicken coop the other day, and for once I didn't chase it away!
This little guy is now 5 months old and all ready for Halloween. What a difference these months have made to the dynamic of our family. Even my youngest (15yrs old) is enamored of this little guy. He knows his Auntie will happily pick him up and carry him around with only a pout from him. LOL! He's definitely a little stinker and knows how to play us all.
Happy Halloween!
Friday, July 28, 2017
Not an August Release After All
Welllll, it looks like an August release is a no-go. Things have been a bit hectic around the Silvers homestead lately and my writing time has fallen by the wayside. Work has kept me busier than usual; the kids being out of school has prevented weekend writing; and then there's the stress of Mr. Christie working stupid night shift and finding time to spend together. Oh, and add on that my middle daughter turned 17 last week and is about to enter her senior year of high school. We're already working on college applications and SAT scores (this time next year I'll have two in college), while getting ready for her braces to come off so I can get braces on the youngest.
Needless to say, I'm struggling with finding writing time lately.
Can you tell I'm stressed the f**k out?
On the upside... I'm happy. Much happier than last year when I was still avidly mourning my mom's passing. So much has changed in the last year. I'm proud of my kids and looking forward to the middle one going to college. And an added bonus is I'll finally get the office I've always wanted when that happens. I'm looking forward to making it allllll mine! Also, I've been going to the gym religiously for almost 2 months now and I'm feeling fantastic! I love it! I've met my first weight loss goal and am closing in on the second one. I'm telling people that I've lost the baby weight from baby #3 and #2, and now I'm working off the weight from baby #1. She's almost 21 years old, but you know... LOL!
Overall, it's a crazy time around here, and I'm hoping it will calm down soon, but in the meantime I am working in small spurts when I have the opportunity (like today) and even though the book won't release in August, I'm optimistic it will release this year. All you Liz fans out there stay positive and be on the lookout for future updates.
Lots of love to you all!
Saturday, July 15, 2017
The Trials of a Book Series
I sat down and went through my notes on each book, but those aren't as helpful as you'd think since a lot time my stories take their own twists and turns... away from my notes. I'm really going to have to sit down, starting with book 1, and go through each on making new notes of what came before. I'd hate to disappoint readers by contradicting what was said in one book, or by not tying up loose ends before the series is over. And I certainly don't want to change the descriptions of all the hotties in those books. Heck no!
And here's where you guys come in.....
If you saw a plot or subplot in one of the books that you feel hasn't already been addressed or finished, please, let me know. If there's a character you'd like to see more of, of possibly know more about, let me know. Email me, message me on Facebook, or leave a comment here. One way or another I'll see your message and see what I can do about addressing you suggestion. In the meantime, I'm going back to the previous books to see what I can dig up. And maybe a better database is in order in case this problem arises again. :D
Friday, June 23, 2017
The hardest part of writing...
For me, the hardest part of writing comes down to two sentences: the first one and the last one.
The first sentence of a new story is the one that needs to entice a reader. It has to bring you into the story enough that you want to read the next one, and the next one, and the next one. It has to make you wonder what will happen next, or how the main character got to where they are in that first line of their story. That's why a lot of writers say staring at a blank first page gives them pause. How do I begin this? I know what the story is, but how to I start it?
Secondly, the last sentence in a story needs to tie up the entire book? It needs to supply a fulfillment to the reader. This one is a completion of the story, yet, if it's a series, needs to lead into the next book. It needs to satisfy the reader. Is this enough information? Is it too much? Will the reader understand? Or have I just pissed everyone off with a cliffhanger? Eek!
These are just a few things that go through my mind when I start and end a story. Right now I'm battling with a blank first page of my next story. I've done research and written plenty of notes, tips, scene ideas, and random sentences, but I haven't gotten the actual first line on virtual paper. Once it comes to me the stories usually flow quickly and smoothly, but it's a matter of getting those few words written.
Wish me luck!
Saturday, May 27, 2017
Goodbye, My Love Blog Tour - Maggie Tideswell
So let's get started...
Roxanne's Ghost Saga, a new mystery series from internationally acclaimed author Maggie Tideswell, is set against the stunningly beautiful backdrop of modern day South Africa. It is a compelling ghost story of identical twin sisters’ love for the same man, and the magical connection the women share.
And the theme? Nothing is what it seems.
Here, we move into the realms of the mists of time that could either reveal or conceal.
Book 1, Goodbye, My Love, sets the scene. It introduces country vet, Ben, his four-year-old autistic daughter and the would-be nanny, Jessica James. Jess’ interview with Ben for the nanny position takes place on Friday the 13th. An attraction between the two is immediate, which by all accounts isn't entirely normal.
Ben's three oddball sisters-in-law descend on him for the anniversary of his wife Roxanne's death. They try to convince Ben that Roxanne isn't dead, more than likely to put an end to whatever might develop between Ben and Jessica. But Ben knows that no one could have survived what led to Roxanne’s death.
His daughter, diagnosed as autistic, only sometimes does she display the symptoms that led to her diagnosis. Autism is not a disease, it's a condition. A condition with symptoms that can't be turned on and off at will. So…what is the child really suffering from?
Ben's wife's twin sister, Millicent, is accompanied by an over-board caricature of a psychic to Ben's home in order to help them find Roxanne. Of course, Millicent isn't happy to find Jess already in Ben's house—trouble is imminent. But only as far as Ben's ancient housekeeper, will allow her to. What does the housekeeper know that will keep Millicent's ruffled feathers under control?
More importantly…
Where is Roxanne?
CHAPTER 1 EXCERPT
Does anyone live here?
The house looked
deserted, kind of spooky. Jess couldn’t see any other houses nearby. Sally had
not been kidding—this was a rather isolated place.
Dilapidated
outbuildings behind the sprawling house looked as unused as the house itself.
Some sort of creeper covered most of the buildings except the house—it looked
far too fragile to bear the added weight.
There were what
looked like turrets on each end of the house, and a domed one in between. That
might be a skylight. Jess worried her bottom lip. What century was this place
built?
Lightning played over
the majestic mountains behind the house, silhouetting it against the darkening
sky, but down here in the valley, the late sun cast long shadows over the
overgrown garden.
It all fit so well
with Friday the thirteenth, because this was creepy. What had she been
thinking? She should have postponed the interview until Monday. One weekend
surely wouldn’t have made that much of a difference.
Jess studied the map
on her tablet, which she held propped up against the steering wheel. This could be the right place, but she had
thought that about both the previous two places, and neither had turned out to be
Weltevreden. Neither had been as eerie as this place, either.
No, this couldn’t be
it. Tapping her finger against the edge of the tablet, she studied the house
again. This whole thing smacked of a Friday the thirteenth Sally-prank.
Sally, her bestie
since high school, ran a very successful employment agency. The professional
image notwithstanding, she still loved pranks of any kind—she would never
outgrow them.
Her eyes had lit up
that morning when Jess sat in front of her desk, mugs of coffee steaming on the
polished wood between them. The platter of doughnuts had been for Jess’
benefit. Sally and her perpetual dieting.
“Something
different,” Sally mused, tapping her pen against her front teeth, then pressed
a button on her laptop, and reached for the sheet of paper the printer spewed
out. “This might be just the thing. It came in just now.” She’d tossed her
platinum curls over her shoulder, grinning at Jess.
Another thing Sally
would never outgrow, her Barbie-doll looks.
“It has my name on it,
then.” Jess leaned her forearms on Sally’s desk. “Tell me, tell me, tell me.”
She grinned back, barely able to contain her excitement. “Does it involve a
man?”
Neither Sally nor
Jess had found their Mr. Full Potential
yet, although both had been ready for wedded bliss, the kids and the house in
the suburbs thing, a long time ago.
“As a matter of fact
it does, but he doesn’t seem to be in the market. It says here that a nanny is
required for a four-year-old autistic girl. Dr. Arnold specifically requested
that only older women be put forward for the position.”
“How
old-fashioned. Where is this job?”
“In
the Wellington area.” Sally frowned at the monitor.
“There you go. He
won’t find anybody qualified to work that far from Cape Town. It is his child,
I presume?”
“It is, but do you
seriously want to give this a go?” Sally looked worried as only she could. It
went with the Barbie look. “I’m
intrigued. What kind of doctor is he?”
“A veterinary
surgeon. And a widower, it says here. That is all the information I have for
you, I’m afraid.” Sally sat back in her chair. “I shouldn’t disregard so
specific an instruction, Jess, but
just this once, I’ll make an exception. Then it’s up to you to change his mind
for him. It’ll be in his own best interest in the end.” She passed an
information sheet across the desk. “I’ll tell Dr. Arnold to expect you at four.
I’d pack an overnight bag if I were you. Call me, okay?”
Now, sitting in front
of the house that might or might not belong to Dr. Ben Arnold, Jess didn’t feel
all that confident anymore. And it didn’t really sound like a prank, unless
Sally had kept some information to herself.
There was only one
way to find out, and that was to knock on the door and ask.
If
there was anybody in the house to ask.
Switching the engine
off, she consulted the rear-view mirror to apply some color to her lips and pat
her shoulder length bob into place. She took a moment to admire the rich auburn
color in the late afternoon sunshine and sighed.
I don’t know about this. It was a long way from Cape Town.
What
did people do around here for fun?
Trying her best to
ignore the goose bumps on her forearms, she opened the car door and stepped
out. Her heels sank into the gravel, her shadow stretching all the way back to
the gate.
Only when she turned
toward the house did she see the man sitting on the top step in the shadows,
his shoulder against the railing, one knee pulled up with his arm resting on
top of it. He wasn’t wearing a shirt, and it looked as if his feet were bare,
too.
Was he there a moment ago? Why didn’t I see him?
Smoothing her palms
down her red pencil skirt, she started toward the house and the man on the steps.
If he wasn’t Dr. Arnold, maybe he could give her directions.
Taking a deep breath,
Jess reminded herself that she wasn’t superstitious about this Friday the
thirteenth nonsense. People liked to scare themselves with the silliest things.
What was supposed to happen on this day? It was a day like any other.
That certainly looked
like a real man on the steps. He wasn’t going to bite her. Today being a Friday
and the thirteenth meant nothing, but now that she’d thought of it, the idea
would stick with her like the taste of garlic.
Leaving the car door
open for a quick escape should she need it, she’d gone no more than a few steps
when she heard something other than the crunch of her shoes on the gravel. It
sounded suspiciously like a dog whining.
She slowly turned her
head, curling her fingers into the fabric of her skirt. It couldn’t be a dog.
She hadn’t seen any dogs when she drove through the gate.
I don’t do dogs!
Her breath hitched in
her throat when she saw them. They were right next to her car, beside the door
she’d deliberately left open, a whole pack of them. Their lips curled away from
their teeth, their tongues lolling out the sides of their mouths, dripping
saliva onto the gravel. Yellowish eyes watched every move she made.
Where did they come from?
How many were there?
They
cut her off from the safety of the Fiesta!
Now she had only one
way to go—into that house. Why hadn’t that man called them off? Why wasn’t he helping her?
Slowly, making no
sudden moves, she took another step toward the porch. The dogs followed her.
Her heart hammered against her ribs. Another couple of quick steps toward the
house. The dogs did the same. She broke into a trot, her scream shattered the
still of the afternoon.
Missing the first
step, she stumbled, recovered her balance, and took the rest of the stairs two
at a time. The dogs were on her heels, whining and yelping, their breaths hot
on the backs of her legs.
Just as a sharp
whistle rent the air, but looking at the dogs, she careened into the man before
the noise had even died down. Her momentum sent them both crashing to the
floorboard. She landed on top of him, but with the dogs all around them, she
hid her face in his neck. Another whistle— right in her ear—made her cringe,
but the dogs were gone.
He lifted his head
off the floorboards to glare at her, his hands at her waist, as if he was about
to lift her off him. Stubble covered his jaw, his lips pressed into a tight
line. A muscle jumped in his cheek. He dragged his eyes out of her gaping
blouse to meet her stare.
They had to be the
greenest pair of eyes she’d ever seen, and he was clearly not amused.
Then she noticed how
much leg was exposed by her skirt bunched around her hips and she quickly
scrambled to her feet, pushing her skirt back down her legs.
“Sorry,” she muttered,
her face on fire. She couldn’t bring herself to look at him, but from the
corner of her eye, she saw the stranger slowly unfold himself from the floor. Up
and up he went, until she felt him looking down at her. Even in her heels, the
top of her head barely reached his nose.
With fists on his
hips, he glared at her. Tucking her hair behind her ears, she lifted her chin
and stared back.
Despite her bravado,
she was intimidated and she had no idea if she had reason to be. She didn’t
have a clue who he was. For all she knew, he was a vagrant taking advantage of
an abandoned house.
She quickly looked
him up and down, hoping he wouldn’t notice. A vagrant—looking like that? This
man looked too strong, too well-fed, and clean, to be homeless. He smelled good
too, of soap and sunshine. Wide shoulders tapered to a flat stomach and slim
hips in a pair of well-washed denim cutoffs. The button was undone and the
zipped half down. And he had a hard-on!
Jess swallowed with
difficulty, forcing her eyes to the garden. Maybe he was the gardener or
something.
If he was the
gardener, he wasn’t very good at it, judging by the state of the place. The
flowerbeds were overgrown with weeds, and grass seeds reached for the sky. With
a bit of care, it could be a rather pleasant garden.
Her attention whipped
back to the man when he spoke. “What’s wrong with you, woman? Those are lap
dogs.” His voice was deep, the timbre vibrating on her skin. “They thought you
were playing with them.”
She’d forgotten about
the dogs. Erections did that to her, they made her forget everything else. She
took another look at the animals. There were only four of them, and now that
they were at a safe distance and there was a man on hand whom they seemed to
obey, they didn’t look all that fierce, or even very big. By panicking, she’d
unnecessarily gotten them both in a rather embarrassing situation.
The veranda was
shadowed, despite the lightning dancing over the mountains, yet the peeling
paint was clearly visible. She should ask this man for directions so that she
could be on her way, but at that moment her nose itched and she sneezed
instead. She just barely managed to get her hand across her nose. The dust from
the floorboards, and she most likely had it all over her face now. She needed
to freshen up before she met with Dr. Arnold. Rubbing her hands over her face
was probably making matters worse.
“Bless you,” the man
said, his jaw clenched. “Explain yourself.” Fists planted on his hips, his bare
chest rose and fell. Jess’ fingers itched to test the contours more fully
before she realized that the man was actually angry.
Who was he? And what was he so angry about?
Knocking him over had been an accident, which he could have avoided it if he’d
controlled the animals sooner. His annoyance didn’t stop him from giving her a
thorough inspection, though.
Barely suppressing
the urge to stamp her foot, Jess snapped, “Those animals should be locked up.”
The hand she pointed at the dogs was streaked with dust. Dropping it, she
rubbed at the smudge with her other hand.
“They were, until a
few minutes ago. When the visitor I expected didn’t show up, I let them out
again. Who are you and what do you want?”
“How rude!” Jess
gasped. “Do you welcome all visitors half naked?” His arousal was disturbing
her.
“Uninvited visitors
never come into the yard,” he growled. He knew she knew about his condition.
“That’s what the clinic entrance is for. And I’m not half naked, I’m shirtless
because I took it off when my visitor failed to show up for her four o’clock
appointment. In case you haven’t noticed, it’s hot. If you’re Jessica James,
you’re way too late—”
“The directions weren’t
very clear,” she interrupted. “I got lost.” Hesitating only a moment, she stuck
her hand out to him. “You’re Dr. Arnold?”
He ignored her hand
and question, reaching instead for the shirt draped over the railing behind him
and shrugged it on. Doctor or not, the man
has no manners.
Buttoning the shirt,
he leaned in closer. “So, it’s my fault you can’t follow a set of simple
instructions? Look, miss, you might as well go back to wherever you came from.
The position has been filled. Good day.” He started to turn away.
“What?
When? I had an interview for this afternoon!”
He glanced at his
wristwatch. “You missed the appointment. You wouldn’t have gotten the job
anyway. Sorry for the inconvenience. It was nice meeting you. Goodbye, Ms.
James.”
She noticed his eyes
on her lips as he dismissed her. “Just a minute. You’re going to disregard my
application because I’m a few minutes late? I have excellent credentials, and
the agency—”
“Had
been told that only older women need to apply.”
“So
you’re dismissing my application because of my age, is that it?”
“Yes. And you’re more
than a few minutes late. The appointment was for four o’clock sharp, and it’s
nearly six now. Take your gripes up with your agent, Ms. James. Your
timekeeping actually has very little to do with it. Now, if you’ll excuse me,
you’re wasting my time.”
Jess narrowed her
eyes. “I pity the person you’ve employed, if that is in fact the truth. You are
a very rude man, Dr.
Arnold.”
He wasn’t exactly
what she’d expected—in his early to mid-thirties and attractive, in a wildly
blond caveman kind of way. And hot.
If
only he had some manners.
It had sounded quite
romantic when Sally first told her about this position, but the reality was far
from romantic. She didn’t need this man or his job, and especially not his
erection. There had to be other positions available in Cape Town. Sally would
find her a good job, with interesting work. She would get into her car and
drive away without a backward glance.
Not being given a
fair interview had nothing to do with Friday the thirteenth. A damp gust of
wind blew her hair into her eyes as she turned toward the stairs. It had
everything to do with him being turned on by her.
Jess remembered the
dogs when they jumped to their feet, tails wagging.
She
froze, clutching her skirt. They might be small, but they were dogs. They had teeth. Damn it, she was going to need his help to get back to her
car. Gnawing the corner of her mouth, she
glanced at him. Would he help her, or would he cross his arms and enjoy the
spectacle from the veranda?
Before she could do
anything, the door behind them creaked open and pale, gnarled fingers curled
around the edge of the wood. Jess took an involuntary step closer to the
doctor, goosebumps covering her entire body, her hand to her throat. Oh,
God.
About the Author
The paranormal, things that happen for which there are no logical explanations and ghosts, are of particular interest to Maggie. What events in a person’s life would prevent that person from ‘resting’ after death? The ‘Old Religion’ is another special interest.
And love, of course. Why do people fall in love? What keeps them together for a lifetime when so many relationships fail?
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