Project and content management for Contemporary Authors volumes
WORK TITLE: Ring of Fire
WORK NOTES: as Susan Fox
PSEUDONYM(S): Lyons, Susan; Fox, Savanna
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: http://susanlyons.ca/
CITY: Victoria and Vancouver
STATE: BC
COUNTRY: Canada
NATIONALITY: Canadian
(Not same as Susan Fox from Iowa, who writes for Harlequin.) * http://susanlyons.ca/media/Bio%20Susan%20Lyons%20Fox-1.pdf * http://susanlyons.ca/bio.php *
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Female.
EDUCATION:Graduated from college.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer. Presenter at writing conferences and library events. Has also worked variously as a legal editor and computer consultant.
AVOCATIONS:Photography.
AWARDS:National Readers’ Choice Award, for Love Somebody like You. Also, winner of the HOLT Medallion, Booksellers Best Award, Book Buyers Best Award, Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence, Aspen Gold Readers Choice, Golden Quill Award, More Than Magic Award, Lories Award, Beacon Award, and Laurel Wreath Award.
WRITINGS
Also, author of novellas, including Stand by Your Man. Author of the “Sweet Indulgences” series and the “Erotique” series. Contributor of stories to anthologies, including The Naughty List, The Firefighter, Unwrap Me, Some Like It Rough, Northern Heat, and Men on Fire. Contributor of stories to publications, including Woman’s World, Woman’s Weekly, People’s Friend, and Woman’s Day.
SIDELIGHTS
Susan Fox is a Canadian writer of romance and erotica novels and short stories. Her stories have appeared in publications, including Woman’s World, Woman’s Weekly, People’s Friend, and Woman’s Day. She has also contributed to anthologies. In addition to writing, Fox has been a presenter at writing conferences and library events and has worked variously as a legal editor and computer consultant. She also writes under the pseudonyms Susan Lyons and Savanna Fox.
"Destination Wedding" Series
The “Destination Wedding” series, released under the Lyons pseudonym, includes Sex on the Beach, Sex on the Slopes, and Heat Waves. Each is focused on a wedding planner working on a wedding in a scenic location.
In Sex on the Beach, Sarah McCann is planning a wedding in Belize. Her devotion to the idea of love and marriage is at odds with the philosophy of groomsman Freeman Lafontaine. Despite the tension, the two finds themselves attracted to one another and ultimately pursue their desires. A reviewer on the Errant Dreams Web site commented: “The setup has promise. It could have been the prelude to a classic-style hilarious romp of misdirections, mis-assumptions, and happily-ever-afters. Or, it could have served as the backdrop to a sweet, poignant, and sexy tale of lessons learned and true loves found. Instead, it seems like Lyons tried for both and ended up with neither.”
Home on the Range and Gentle on My Mind
Home on the Range: A Caribou Crossing Romance is part of Fox’s “Caribou Crossing” series. Protagonist Evan Kincaid left his native Canada, eventually settling in New York City and working as an investment counselor. He returns to Canada on a business trip and runs into his former flame, T.J., who may change his life for the better. “Plot surprises are minimal and romantic tension is low,” commented a reviewer in Publishers Weekly.
In Gentle on My Mind: A Caribou Crossing Romance, Brooke Kincaid meets police investigator Jake Brannon when he crashes his motorcycle in her yard. The two emotionally wounded souls find away to help one another heal. A writer in Publishers Weekly suggested: “Fox’s unconventional heroine and successful blending of thriller elements with small-town romance elevate this offering.”
Love Me Tender, Love Somebody like You, and Ring of Fire
Love Me Tender tells the story of a widower and hotelier who falls for a mysterious woman traveling through town. A reviewer on the Harlequin Junkie Web site asserted: “Love Me Tender is a very well written novel with a little bit of heat though focusing more on the romance and the day to day problems of keeping secrets and learning to live through the pain of loss, all kinds of loss including trust.” “It’s a sweet story, well told, with credible characters about bitter pills,” suggested a Publishers Weekly contributor
In Love Somebody like You, a young widow and horseback riding teacher finds love with an injured cowboy. A critic on the Dear Author Web site suggested: “This is a very character focused book. It’s mainly on Sally and Ben but with past characters showing their current happiness and updates and setting up the next heroines to come. I think Sally’s abuse issues and healing are sensitively shown and the horse sections are enjoyable but a bit of outside plot would have been nice.” A Publishers Weekly reviewer described the book as “engrossing.”
In an interview with Joyce Lamb, writer on the Happy Every After Web site, Fox described the following book in the series, stating: “Ring of Fire … features two very strong individuals who haven’t the slightest intention of ever opening their hearts to love.” The two, ex-soldier Eric and firefighter Lark, eventually learn to love again. A contributor to the AlwaysReviewing.com Web site remarked: “The journey taken by Eric and Lark is filled with convincing incidents, unanticipated desire, and exceedingly realistic emotional reactions. Susan Fox makes Ring of Fire compellingly believable.” A Publishers Weekly writer noted that the book featured “substantial secondary characters and skillful plotting, making this one hot romance to remember.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Publishers Weekly, June 10, 2013, review of Home on the Range: A Caribou Crossing Romance, p. 60; July 1, 2013, review of Gentle on My Mind: A Caribou Crossing Romance, p. 72; October 27, 2014, review of Love Me Tender, p. 76; August 17, 2015, review of Love Somebody like You, p. 57; April 11, 2016, review of Ring of Fire, p. 44.
ONLINE
AlwaysReviewing.com, http://alwaysreviewing.com/ (February 14, 2017), review of Ring of Fire.
Blogher, http://www.blogher.com/ (June 8, 2016), Cheryl Cooke Ha, author interview.
Dear Author, http://dearauthor.com/ (September 29, 2015), review of Love Somebody like You.
Errant Dreams, http://www.errantdreams.com/ (January 5, 2010), review of Sex on the Beach.
Fantastic Fiction, https://www.fantasticfiction.com/ (February 14, 2017), author profile.
Happy Ever After, http://happyeverafter.usatoday.com/ (June 1, 2016), Joyce Lamb, author interview.
Harlequin Junkie, http://harlequinjunkie.com/ (December 4, 2014), review of Love Me Tender.
Susan Lyons Home Page, http://susanlyons.ca/ (February 14, 2017).
LC control no.: nr 92002206
Descriptive conventions:
rda
Personal name heading:
Herpe, Noël
Found in: Author's Mauriac et les grands esprits de son temps, 1990:
t.p. (Noël Herpe)
Journal en ruines, 2011: t.p. (Noël Herpe) cover p. 4 (b.
1965; litterature and movie critic)
================================================================================
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS AUTHORITIES
Library of Congress
101 Independence Ave., SE
Washington, DC 20540
Questions? Contact: ils@loc.gov
Series
Caribou Crossing
1. Caribou Crossing (2009)
2. Home on the Range (2013)
3. Gentle on My Mind (2013)
4. Love Me Tender (2014)
5. Love Somebody Like You (2015)
5.5. Stand By Your Man (2014)
6. Ring of Fire (2016)
7. Holiday In Your Heart (2016)
Sweet Indulgences
1. Sweet Indulgences 1 (2014)
2. Sweet Indulgences 2 (2014)
3. Sweet Indulgences 3 (2014)
4. Sweet Indulgences 4 (2014)
5. Sweet Indulgences 5 (2014)
6. Sweet Indulgences 6 (2014)
7. Sweet Indulgences 7 (2014)
8. Sweet Indulgences 8 (2014)
9. Sweet Indulgences 9 (2014)
10. Sweet Indulgences 10 (2014)
11. Sweet Indulgences 11 (2014)
12. Sweet Indulgences 12 (2014)
Blue Moon Harbor
1. Fly Away with Me (2017)
Novels
Finding Isadora (2013)
Fly Close to the Sun (2014)
Omnibus
The Naughty List / The Night Before Christmas / Yule Be Mine (2010) (with Kylie Adams, Cynthia Eden, Lori Foster, Katherine Garbera, Donna Kauffman, Kathy Love, Erin McCarthy and Jill Shalvis)
Collections
The Naughty List (2010) (with Cynthia Eden and Donna Kauffman)
Susan Lyons
aka Susan Fox
Series
Awesome Foursome
1. Champagne Rules (2006)
2. Hot in Here (2006)
3. Touch Me (2007)
4. She's On Top (2008)
Erotique
Carrie (2009)
Jillian (2010)
Alex (2010)
Destination Wedding
Sex on the Beach (2009)
Sex on the Slopes (2010)
Heat Waves (2011)
Novels
Calendar of Love (2009)
Sex Drive (2009)
The Map of Choice (2010)
Omnibus
The Firefighter (2007) (with Alyssa Brooks and P J Mellor)
Unwrap Me (2008) (with Melissa MacNeal and Melissa Randall)
Men On Fire (2009) (with Rachelle Chase and Jodi Lynn Copeland)
Collections
Some Like It Rough (2010) (with Kate Pearce and Anne Rainey)
Noël Herpe is a senior lecturer at the Université de Paris VIII. He has published works on René Clair and Sacha Guitry, as well as a book of interviews with Éric Rohmer about his text Le Celluloïd et le Marbre.
About Susan Lyons
(also writing as Susan Fox and Savanna Fox)
What follows is a chatty, rambly bio. If you’re looking for a more formal one, here it is and here’s my media kit.
I’m a resident of the Pacific Northwest, a place where, on any given day, you’d best start your day with both sunglasses and an umbrella in your bag – and where there are flowers in bloom every day of the year. My partner and I are lucky enough to homes in both the countryside near Victoria and in downtown Vancouver, BC (though, unfortunately, both come with lots of rain…)
I’ve had a variety of careers, including perennial student, grad school dropout (twice), project manager, computer consultant, and legal editor. I’ve studied psychology, sociology, anthropology, counselling, and law. Get the impression it took a while for me to figure out what I wanted to do with my life? Yup, true enough.
But I did find my bliss (yes, writing) and that makes me feel very lucky. I’ve been writing fiction for more than twenty years now.
My first sales were short stories, and I still have a special fondness for them. Before I sold my first book, I had stories published in Canadian literary journals, the American Woman’s World, England’s Woman’s Weekly, Scotland’s The People’s Friend and Australia’s Woman’s Day. Now I have spicy short stories with Harlequin Spice Briefs as well as a story in Northern Heat: best Canadian erotic romance stories. I also have twelve mini-volumes each containing two or three sweet (not spicy) short stories. They’re called Sweet Indulgences because they’re designed for the busy woman who deserves a few minutes of self-indulgence.
When it comes to book-length fiction, my breakthrough year was 2005. First, my novel Finding Isadora was a finalist in the Romance Writers of America® Golden Heart contest, in the category “novel with strong romantic elements.” And then . . . drum roll . . . I got “the call” and was offered a two-book contract with Kensington Aphrodisia. My first published book was Champagne Rules in February 2006.
Since then I’ve sold more than two dozen romance novels and novellas to three Kensington lines as well as to Berkley/Penguin. My Caribou Crossing Romance Love Somebody Like You won the National Readers’ Choice Award and was a finalist for Romance Writers of America®’s prestigious RITA®.
I still have trouble believing it. I’m one of the many examples of the importance of persistence. Becoming a published writer is one of the most difficult things in the world. I’m called to the BC Bar and let me tell you, it’s way easier to become a lawyer: work hard, follow the rules, and you’ll get there. But with writing (as with most artistic endeavours), there are no rules. Yes, you have to work hard, hone your craft, keep writing and editing and submitting, deal with rejection (and rejection, and rejection), research the market, always be professional, etc. etc. – but that in itself isn’t enough. In the end, it’s a matter of the right manuscript reaching the right editor at the right time.
And then, after it happens that magical first time, it’s not all that much easier to make it keep happening! Anyhow, I feel blessed to be doing what I’m doing. I’m thrilled that characters I bring to life are sharing their stories with the world.
I’m also totally thrilled each time a reader takes the time to contact me and tell me she’s enjoyed one of my stories.
My books are romance, which means the reader is guaranteed of a happy romantic ending. They’re also about dealing with tough issues, re-examining values, doing the hard work of confronting issues and growing as a person, the joy of supportive friendship and, most of all, the power of love.
As well as writing, I enjoy photography and exploring my world. Please visit me on my Facebook page where I share my photos, experiences, and thoughts on life and writing.
International bestselling author Susan Fox, who also writes as Savanna Fox and Susan Lyons, "knows want women want in contemporary romance" (Publishers Weekly).
Susan’s "Love Somebody Like You" was a 2016 finalist for Romance Writers of America®’s prestigious RITA® award. Her books have won the National Readers’ Choice Award, the HOLT Medallion, the Booksellers Best Award, the Book Buyers Best Award, the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence, the Aspen Gold Readers Choice, the Golden Quill, the More Than Magic, the Lories, the Beacon, and the Laurel Wreath. "Sex Drive" was a Cosmopolitan Red-Hot Read.
Susan’s books have been translated into French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, and German. Many are available as audio books.
Susan has presented workshops at the Romance Writers of America® National conference, the Surrey International Writers Conference, Word on the Lake (Salmon Arm), the RT Booklovers Convention, and regional RWA® conferences. She has spoken at library events and to reader groups. Her articles have been published in Romance Writers Report, RT Book Reviews, NINK (the Novelists Inc. newsletter), Love Letter (Germany), and RWA Chapter newsletters.
Susan is a Pacific Northwester with homes in Victoria and Vancouver, British Columbia. She has degrees in law and psychology, and has had a variety of careers, including perennial student, computer consultant, and legal editor. Fiction writer is by far her favorite, giving her an outlet to demonstrate her belief in the power of love, friendship, and a sense of humor.
Visit her website at www.susanlyons.ca for excerpts, behind-the-scenes notes, discussion guides, recipes, articles, newsletter sign-up, contests, and give-aways. She is also on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SusanLyonsFox.
QUOTED: "Ring of Fire is the seventh title in my Caribou Crossing Romances series, set in a small Western community in British Columbia (published by Kensington Zebra). It features two very strong individuals who haven’t the slightest intention of ever opening their hearts to love. Lark Cantrell, a fire chief and single mom, was a victim of the curse of the Cantrell women: falling for the wrong guy. When her ex walked out on her and Jayden after the infant was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, she learned her lesson. Men are fine as colleagues, friends and hook-ups, but other than that, who needs them? As for Major Eric Weaver, he’s a career soldier and, after growing up an Army brat, he doesn’t think that’s any life for a spouse and kids. Since losing a leg to an IED in Afghanistan, his sole goal in life is to return to active duty, which means not only being 100% physically fit but, even harder, learning how to deal with PTSD."
Interview: Susan Fox, author of ‘Ring of Fire’
By: Joyce Lamb | June 1, 2016 12:01 am
Susan Fox (Photo: BK Studios Designer Photography)
Susan Fox (Photo: BK Studios Designer Photography)
Joyce: Welcome to HEA, Susan! Please tell us a bit about your new release, Ring of Fire.
Susan: Ring of Fire is the seventh title in my Caribou Crossing Romances series, set in a small Western community in British Columbia (published by Kensington Zebra). It features two very strong individuals who haven’t the slightest intention of ever opening their hearts to love. Lark Cantrell, a fire chief and single mom, was a victim of the curse of the Cantrell women: falling for the wrong guy. When her ex walked out on her and Jayden after the infant was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, she learned her lesson. Men are fine as colleagues, friends and hook-ups, but other than that, who needs them? As for Major Eric Weaver, he’s a career soldier and, after growing up an Army brat, he doesn’t think that’s any life for a spouse and kids. Since losing a leg to an IED in Afghanistan, his sole goal in life is to return to active duty, which means not only being 100% physically fit but, even harder, learning how to deal with PTSD.
Eric’s therapy team sends him for riding therapy and he meets his fellow student — Lark’s 10-year-old son — and the boy’s mom, and … Well, of course romance authors and readers always know that love has a way of whacking you in the heart when you’re least expecting it, so that’s what happens to Lark and Eric, with a little help from the adorable Jayden.
Joyce: What inspires your book ideas?
Susan: It’s a weird, inexplicable mix of things, and the recipe is different each time. When I’m writing a series, I always have to be thinking ahead about future heroines and heroes, because I want to introduce at least one of them in an earlier book. So, for example, Lark came to mind as a character because I’d read about a community with a female fire chief, and that intrigued me. What a perfect heroine! I gave her a tiny part in Love Me Tender (title five) and then had to think more about her personality and her issues so I could give her a larger role in Love Somebody Like You (title six).
I have a psychology degree and I’m very interested in people’s personalities, their strengths and weaknesses, and the kind of character growth they might undergo when they confront challenges — especially the challenge of starting to fall in love when there are significant obstacles to achieving a happy ending. So I mused on Lark, and on the kind of man who could present those challenges for her, and on the kind of challenges he in turn might face.
Ring Of Fire by Susan FoxOf course the big one for both of them, in this book, is that they’re determined not to fall in love. But I wanted more than that. Lark is a firefighter. So how about pairing her with a man who’s equally strong, but who has a big vulnerability with his post-traumatic stress — and whose PTSD flashbacks are triggered by fire?
It’s part of my voice as a romance writer to feature heroines, heroes and secondary characters who are diverse. I believe that everyone deserves love, and my focus on diversity always comes into play when I’m developing characters. I consider all the possibilities. For example, Lark is half Native Canadian through her mom — who is also a single mom and who lives with Lark and Jayden. Jayden and Eric both have physical disabilities of quite different types. And Eric has PTSD, which of course is a problem experienced by many victims of trauma.
So, all of these kinds of considerations go into building my characters and, because I’m a character-driven writer, the plot flows out of the characters and their issues.
Joyce: Do you write by the seat of your pants (pantser), or do you carefully plot your stories (plotter)?
Susan: I’m a combination of pantser and plotter. By instinct, I’m a pantser and that’s how I like to write. But I do have to plot sometimes, to some extent. Because I’m traditionally published rather than self-published, I sell new projects based on proposals. And that means I have to figure out the basics about my characters and plot. That’s tough for me, but it’s probably a good thing because it ensures I think things through enough to know that my ideas can actually make a book, and that I’ll be happy writing that particular book (which basically means that I love my characters!). The other time that I’ll do some plotting is when I’m feeling stalled and don’t know what happens next. And that brings me to your next question.
Joyce: What do you do when you get stuck?
Susan: Several things. First, I put the work aside. For me, there’s rarely a point to keeping typing when my fingers don’t feel happy about where they’re going. So instead I go for a walk and mull over ideas. I delve more deeply into my characters because for me, the key is always in characterization. The delving can occur while I’m walking, or I may go online and do more research, or I may pull out my favorite reference book, The Complete Writer’s Guide to Heroes & Heroines: Sixteen Master Archetypes by Tami D. Cowden, Caro LaFever and Sue Viders. Usually before long I have an “aha” moment, and then my fingers itch to get back to writing.
Joyce: What’s your ideal scenery while you’re writing?
Susan: I do like scenery, that’s for sure. I know some authors work facing a wall so they’re not distracted. Well, I don’t spend a lot of time staring out the window, but I always face one and I find a natural environment to be so good for my soul that it makes me a more productive writer. I have three work areas. My office at home faces on a forested area and I’ll often see deer and quail. In winter, we escape down to Southern California and Arizona in our motor home, and then my view is of whatever park or campsite we’re staying at.
Boating in the Gulf Islands with Susan Fox.
Boating in the Gulf Islands with Susan Fox.
And in summer, we go boating in the Gulf Islands, so my views are of ocean, islands, boats, seals and other wildlife. No wonder my next series, Blue Moon Harbor, will be set in the Gulf Islands!
Joyce: Pretty!
Do you listen to music while you write? What are some tunes on your playlist?
Susan: I don’t listen to music because I find it distracting. But my Caribou Crossing Romances do feature a lot of country music, so I often pop onto the Internet to find the perfect song for the scene, or sometimes just to listen to a song or two to get me in the right mood. On my website, I have “Behind the Scenes” pages for each book and the ones for the Caribou Crossing titles all have playlists for the books. The two most important theme songs for Ring of Fire are Johnny Cash’s song of that title and Ralph Vaughan Williams’ The Lark Ascending, the music for which Lark was named.
Joyce: What do you do in your spare time?
Susan: Lots of exercise, stretching and walking, because health is so important and I have some back/neck issues. Writing is tough on the body! Being in a lovely natural environment — whether at home, on the road in the motor home or anchored by a marine park — gives me lots of options for wonderful long walks. I’m big into nature and travel photography, too, and often post photos on my Facebook page. Other than that, I enjoy time with my partner and with friends and colleagues. Food and wine are high up on my list! But topping that list has to be reading. I’m an only child, and books have been my best friends ever since I was tiny. I confess, I’m addicted to reading.
Joyce: You’re in the right place, then! 🙂
What are you working on now?
Susan: I’m currently working on page proofs for Holiday in Your Heart, the final Caribou Crossing Romance, which will be out on Oct. 1 from Kensington Zebra. The one thing Maribeth Scott has always known is that she wants, more than anything, to be a mom. She’s dated “men, men, men” since she was a teen but never found “the one.” And so, as her 40th birthday approaches, she decides on artificial insemination. Well, of course that’s the exact time that fate sends her Mo Kincaid, a man she might actually fall in love with. He’s a redeemed sinner and a good man, but there’s a big hitch: He totally screwed up parenthood the first time around and has resolved never to do it again. But Caribou Crossing is a magical place and Christmas is a magical time — and who knows, maybe miracles really can happen!
I’ve also almost finished the first book in the Blue Moon Harbor series, Fly Away With Me, which will be out in 2017.
Joyce: Thanks, Susan!
About Ring of Fire:
No one is a stranger in Caribou Crossing, a small Western town made for healing and second chances…
She’s raising her son on her own, but that’s just fine with Lark Cantrell. Caribou Crossing’s fire chief comes from a long line of strong, independent women—who have lousy luck with men. Lark’s
ex-husband walked out when Jayden was born with cerebral palsy. No matter—Jayden, now ten, is a bright, terrific kid, and the love of her life. When it comes to men, Lark is content with the occasional casual hookup; there’s no room in her heart for more disappointment.
Major Eric Weaver is in Caribou Crossing for one reason: to complete his rehabilitation so he can return to active service. Haunted by what went down in Afghanistan, his wounded soul isn’t healing as quickly as his body. But it’s almost impossible to resist the appeal of the sexy, feisty fire chief and her plucky son—not to mention the friendly, caring small town way of life. In Lark’s loving arms, the scarred soldier begins to believe he may finally have found his true home…
Find out more at www.susanfox.ca.
The Write Spot, with Author Susan Fox
By Cheryl Cooke Ha... on June 08, 2016
Welcome to The Write Spot, a bi-weekly author series spotlighting the many and varied places where writers write.
Author Susan Fox
My guest for this twenty-third edition of The Write Spot is romance author Susan Fox. Susan wrote something like ten romance novels before striking it lucky twice in 2005: she finaled in Romance Writers of America®’s Golden Heart contest for unpublished authors and she signed a two-book contract with Kensington. Since then she has published two dozen books and a number of novellas, writing as Susan Fox, Susan Lyons and Savanna Fox for Kensington and Berkley. She also has two self-published books to her credit.
Susan's books have won numerous awards and this year she’s a finalist for Romance Writers of America®’s RITA award for long contemporary romance (for Love Somebody Like You). She’s an international bestselling author and her books have been translated into French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, and German. Many are available in audiobook format as well as in e-book and print.
Susan has degrees in law and psychology, and has had a variety of careers, including perennial student, computer consultant, and legal editor. Fiction writer is by far her favorite, giving her an outlet to demonstrate her belief in the power of love, friendship, and a sense of humor.
Welcome to The Write Spot, Susan! Please tell us a bit about your personal Write Spot.
Susan Fox's Write Spot
This is my at-home write spot—my office. It's temporary because our house is under renos (I’ll end up with a different room) and it's set up for efficiency rather than beauty, but it's great because it's a separate room with a door that closes and a woodsy view out the window.
Susan Fox's Write Spot - Deer
Occasionally something catches my eye and I look up from my writing to see a deer wander by. Okay, it's a distraction, but it's good for the soul! I go back to my writing refreshed. Also, I have a nice big desk, a good chair, space for my business files (though my books are on shelves in the basement), and enough room to spread out. (And did I mention the door that closes, so I can cocoon myself and shut out the rest of the world?)
But I do also have two other write spots. In summer, we often go boating on our old 37' Shepherd (which looks a lot like a Chris Craft), so then I work with my little laptop, usually on the dinette table or sprawled on a seat—at least when I'm not lounging on the deck with a book in my hand or going kayaking (and hoping to see a seal).
Susan Fox's Write Spot - Boat
Susan Fox's Write Spot - Seal
In winter, we take our motor home (named Rex) to warmer, sunnier climes. When I'm not playing tourist, hiking or sprawling in a lounge chair with a book, I do manage to get in a few hours of writing every day. On Rex, I write in a recliner, on the bed, or at the dinette, and I take a small printer along to plug in when needed (and when we have power).
Susan Fox's Write Spot - Rex
The writing setups on the boat and on Rex aren't as comfortable or as spacious as at home, but they have the bonus of lovely and frequently changing scenery. And, of course, sunshine in winter! I share photos of our journeys on my Facebook page, if you're interested.
What a wonderful assortment of Write Spots, Susan! You must find lots of inspiration on your travels. Other than your computer or laptop, what's the one thing you couldn't be without in your Write Spot?
Two things: my engagement calendar and the to-do list I print out each week. I know it's old-fashioned to use paper rather than a fancy app, but I love the photos in the Sierra Club books. Also, I like the constant reminder provided by having something tangible on my desk—and a place to make a physical tick-mark when I complete tasks!
Susan Fox's Write Spot - notes
There is something very satisfying about checking off tasks on a list. I do that, too. What are you working on now?
Authors have to have at least four things on the go at once, right? I'm celebrating the release of Ring of Fire, which is my seventh Caribou Crossing Romance from Kensington Zebra, and I'm doing page proofs for Holiday in Your Heart, the final book in the series (October 2016). I've almost finished Fly Away with Me, the first book in a new series called Blue Moon Harbor (also with Kensington Zebra) and have started work on the second title (both of which will come out in 2017).
I'm delighted that Publishers Weekly gave Ring of Fire a great review, saying "Fox…proves again that she knows what women want in a contemporary romance."
Where can readers find out more about you and your books?
My website is susanlyons.ca. It has information on all my books, including blurbs, excerpts, behind-the-scenes notes, review quotes, and recipes. I run a monthly opinion poll contest on my website, and you can also sign up there for my newsletter.
I'm on Facebook at facebook.com/SusanLyonsFox.
QUOTED: "substantial secondary characters and skillful plotting, making this one hot romance to remember."
Ring of Fire
Publishers Weekly. 263.15 (Apr. 11, 2016): p44.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2016 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Ring of Fire
Susan Fox. Kensington/Zebra, $6.95 mass market (360p) ISBN 978-1-4201-4026-2
Fox's fifth Caribou Crossing novel, set in British Columbia, proves again that she knows what women want in a contemporary romance. When Fire Chief Lark Cantrell--tough, sexy, six feet tall, and divorced--has to rescue "mouthwateringly hot" Canadian Armed Forces Major Eric Weaver out of his burning rented farm house, her action sets off a physical passion that shakes them both. Eric is a recent amputee due to injuries sustained in Afghanistan, and he's trying to get a handle on his PTSD. Lark's happy with her warm family life with her mother and her son, who is taking riding lessons to help control his cerebral palsy. Lark also has sworn never to let her sexual needs, satisfied in carefully orchestrated one-night stands, interfere with her professional and family responsibilities; and Eric intends to go back to active service, which his army-brat boyhood convinced him was anathema to family life, so he won't consider marrying. But their stunning chemistry might change all their plans. Fox fleshes out this steamy mating dance with substantial secondary characters and skillful plotting, making this one hot romance to remember. Agent: Emily Sylvan Kim, Prospect Agency. (June)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Ring of Fire." Publishers Weekly, 11 Apr. 2016, p. 44. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA449662975&it=r&asid=3b4d6453e8a402aeb95df301b1685670. Accessed 26 Jan. 2017.
QUOTED: "engrossing fifth Caribou Crossing contemporary" "set against a captivatingly horsy rural British Columbia backdrop."
Gale Document Number: GALE|A449662975
Love Somebody like You
Publishers Weekly. 262.33 (Aug. 17, 2015): p57.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2015 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Love Somebody like You
Susan Fox. Kensington/Zebra, $7.99 mass market (379p) ISBN 978-1-4201-3578-7
Fox's engrossing fifth Caribou Crossing contemporary (after Love Me Tender), set against a captivatingly horsy rural British Columbia backdrop, opens with 30-something widow Sally Ryland, a former barrel racing champion, at rock bottom. The riding school she runs is in financial trouble, her assistant is gone, and her emotional wounds are still throbbing from her devastating marriage to the archetypally abusive Pete, whose fatal heart attack sent her into lingering spasms of guilt. When handsome Ben Traynor, a bronco rider from Sally's happy competition days, unexpectedly comes calling, he decides to stay and help her with the heavy demands of her school. His concern, sensitivity, and growing attachment gradually ease her out of her three-year self-imposed seclusion and her shattering fear of men. Ben has his own troubles: a shoulder fracture has temporarily grounded him from the rodeo circuit he loves, and even though he immediately feels drawn to Sally, he's not sure he's good enough for her. Amid their simmering mutual attraction, Fox works in convincing flashbacks of Pete's excruciating abuse of Sally, as well as snippets of rodeo life that bring the allure of the "confident and purely male" bronco rider to vivid life. The reader knows exactly what Sally needs so desperately--kindness and understanding--and Fox provides it with the gentle touch that makes her romances especially endearing. Agent: Emily Sylvan Kim, Prospect Agency. (Oct.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Love Somebody like You." Publishers Weekly, 17 Aug. 2015, p. 57. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA426033861&it=r&asid=248e7fc6482fecbd99669390e655f0b3. Accessed 26 Jan. 2017.
QUOTED: "It's a sweet story, well told, with credible characters about bitter pills."
Gale Document Number: GALE|A426033861
Love Me Tender
Publishers Weekly. 261.43 (Oct. 27, 2014): p76.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2014 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Love Me Tender
Susan Fox. Kensington/Zebra, $6.99 mass market (480p) ISBN 978-1-4201-3576-3
Fox knows how to strike just enough sway between sweet and bitter, homespun and steamy, to sustain a reader's interest in her fourth novel set in the small town of Caribou Crossing, British Columbia (after Gentle on My Mind). This time around, local hotelier, "nicest guy in town," and confirmed immovable object Dave Cousins encounters wanderer Cassidy Esperanza, who has no money, no job, and no prospects. From the day she faints in the lobby of Dave's Wild Rose Inn, Cassidy has a place in the innkeeper's heart. Dave's wife, Anita, succumbed to cancer, and he's sure .he'll never love again, but he can't resist Cassidy's joie de vivre. When the girl with the Canada goose tattoo is forced into a reckoning about some serious issues, the couple's wild, noncommittal fling faces a now-or-never assessment. It's a sweet story, well told, with credible characters about bitter pills. Included is a bonus novella, "Stand by Your Man," which provides the backstory of another couple briefly featured in the novel. Agent: Emily Sylvan Kim, Prospect Agency. (Dec.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Love Me Tender." Publishers Weekly, 27 Oct. 2014, p. 76. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA388565047&it=r&asid=033cbdbc5e8e02e54994cd630d24e860. Accessed 26 Jan. 2017.
QUOTED: "Fox's unconventional heroine and successful blending of thriller elements with small-town romance elevate this offering."
Gale Document Number: GALE|A388565047
Gentle on My Mind: Caribou Crossing, Book 2
Publishers Weekly. 260.26 (July 1, 2013): p72.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2013 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Gentle on My Mind: Caribou Crossing, Book 2
Susan Fox. Kensington/Zebra, $6.99 mass market (384p) ISBN 978-1-42014192-5
Fox follows Home on the Range (2013) with an entertaining romance starring Brooke Kincaid, aged 43, a recovering alcoholic living with bipolar disorder, and redeemed mother of the first book's hero. Dedicated to keeping herself stable, Brooke is shaken when RCMP corporal Jake Brannon crashes through her fence on his motorcycle, bleeding from a gunshot wound. He needs help with a drug-related murder investigation; she knows Caribou Crossing, British Columbia, and can give him valuable inside information. Their inconvenient attraction is swiftly resolved by sex that demonstrates Brooke's increasing self-confidence and Jake's unconscious desire for family despite believing himself incapable of love. Jake sees Brooke more clearly than she sees herself, and Brooke teaches Jake that he is worthy of affection. Their realistic romance is emotionally engaging, particularly their pain after Jake leaves Brooke to return to undercover work. Fox's unconventional heroine and successful blending of thriller elements with small-town romance elevate this offering above its predecessor. Agent: Emily Sylvan Kim, Prospect Agency. (Sept.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Gentle on My Mind: Caribou Crossing, Book 2." Publishers Weekly, 1 July 2013, p. 72. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA335973429&it=r&asid=c68c10b59af7b6929a47991d4e3ac151. Accessed 26 Jan. 2017.
QUOTED: "plot surprises are minimal and romantic tension is low"
Gale Document Number: GALE|A335973429
Home on the Range
Publishers Weekly. 260.23 (June 10, 2013): p60.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2013 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Home on the Range
Susan Fox. Kensington/Zebra, $6.99 mass market (384p) ISBN 978-1-4201-3190-1
Fox follows kickoff e-novella Caribou Crossing with a full-length paean to the virtues of rural life and family bonds. Evan Kincaid fled western Canada and an unhappy home life for Cornell University and then N.Y.C., making his fortune as an investment counselor. When he's sent to appraise a business opportunity at a Canadian resort ranch, Evan is unexpectedly reunited with T.J. Cousins, his former lover. T.J. inspires Evan to help heal family wounds and encourages him to engage with his emotions, contrasting with Evan's girlfriend, Cynthia, a shallow, city-dwelling corporate finance attorney. Descriptions of the ranch's amenities provide an advertisement for the beauties of the British Columbian interior and the joys of country living. Aside from a convenient contrived event that forces T.J. to reveal her most closely held secret, plot surprises are minimal and romantic tension is low. Agent: Emily Sylvan Kim, Prospect Agency. (Aug.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Home on the Range." Publishers Weekly, 10 June 2013, p. 60. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA333741977&it=r&asid=5aa3ae084ad99e6cfcd983a6bb0fea1b. Accessed 26 Jan. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A333741977
QUOTED: "This is a very character focused book. It’s mainly on Sally and Ben but with past characters showing their current happiness and updates and setting up the next heroines to come. I think Sally’s abuse issues and healing are sensitively shown and the horse sections are enjoyable but a bit of outside plot would have been nice."
September 29, 2015
REVIEW: Love Somebody Like You by Susan Fox
JayneC ReviewsCanada / Contemperary / friends become lovers / horses / Rodeo / second chance at love / spousal abuseNo Comments
love-somebody-like-you
With its breathtaking terrain and welcoming people, the Western town of Caribou Crossing is the perfect place for a heart to heal, and for love to blossom once more…
Since the death of her husband three years ago, young widow Sally Ryland has kept to herself and focused on her struggling business, Ryland Riding. Folks assume she’s still grieving, because Sally has never shared the truth about her abusive marriage, or the trust issues that remain. But when a sexy rodeo rider from her past turns up for a visit, he’s a reminder of the feisty woman she once was—and maybe still could be…
Ben Traynor was always attracted to Sally, but he didn’t move fast enough. Now what Sally needs is patience and gentleness. With an injury keeping him from his next rodeo, Ben has the perfect excuse to stick around and help with her chores—and her healing. And as Sally finds the courage to face her demons and open her heart again, she’ll have to decide if what she has with Ben is more than safety, gratitude, and short-term passion, but a forever love…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Ms. Fox,
This blurb and cover caught my eye at netgalley and since I like contemporary westerns, I decided to give it a go. Since this is book six, I was a little worried about jumping into a long series but I didn’t feel as if I was lost at sea or running to catch up.
It’s got a nice cowboy feel and is very character driven. The horse stuff and horse business stuff sounds realistic given the people I’ve known who’ve done the same thing or who have owned horses. A man who is proficient with a hoof pick and can rake out a stall truly is who you want showing up looking for a place to heal and willing to lend a hand.
Sally’s bad first marriage gives her a genuine reason to avoid men and be wary of ever falling in love again. The long standing mental, physical and emotional damage has done a number on her confidence and made her question her judgment. Unable to face letting anyone know just how bad her life was, she’s just drifted into allowing everyone to believe her still grief stricken at the loss of the love of her life rather than overjoyed at the death of the man who had beat her down and broken her spirit.
Initially former time friend Ben believes the picture she presents and what her estranged sister has told him. The misunderstandings he has about her and her life after she was swept off her feet and left the rodeo circuit are based on their past in which he’d admired her from afar and his belief in the myth of her happy marriage. But her continued unease around him undermines the image she’s trying to sell and since Ben is no idiot, he begins to wonder about what’s changed Sally from the outgoing woman he knew. And he’s afraid the clues he’s putting together lead to one conclusion.
One of the reasons new readers can pick up the series here is that midway through the story, past characters begin to appear on page. Little snippets about them had been introduced along the way so it’s not total character dump and it does serve this story by getting Ben to start thinking of life after rodeo and how to help Sally. Still the story seemed to bog down a touch.
Sally’s changes initially occur slowly – a few steps forward and one back. That Ben is an old friend helps her trust in him. His seeming unending patience doesn’t hurt either. Intimacy arrives in baby steps but then makes giant leaps after a few sexual encounters. Sally and Ben still need some time to think and contemplate a future but while they’re doing it, the story again slows down and meanders to the end.
This is a very character focused book. It’s mainly on Sally and Ben but with past characters showing their current happiness and updates and setting up the next heroines to come. I think Sally’s abuse issues and healing are sensitively shown and the horse sections are enjoyable but a bit of outside plot would have been nice. C
~Jayne
QUOTED: "The journey taken by Eric and Lark is filled with convincing incidents, unanticipated desire, and exceedingly realistic emotional reactions. Susan Fox makes RING OF FIRE compellingly believable."
Ring of Fire by Susan Fox
51Od77s+PbLIn the seventh book of the Caribou Crossing series, the two main characters must confront hardships that impact their lives on a daily basis. Though vastly different, these unexpected problems have left them vulnerable yet neither lets it show. All throughout RING OF FIRE, lots of soul-searching must be done before numerous crucial decisions are made. The journey taken by Eric and Lark is filled with convincing incidents, unanticipated desire, and exceedingly realistic emotional reactions. Susan Fox makes RING OF FIRE compellingly believable.
After Major Eric Weaver was severely injured in Afghanistan and loss part of a leg, he is eventually sent to Caribou Crossing for therapy. Though it will take some time, he plans to once again be a Canadian soldier and continue with the only career that he has ever known. An unfortunate event has him meeting the town’s fire chief, Lark Cantrell, and he is greatly indebted to her assistance when he needed it most. A little later, their paths cross again when he and her son are both taking therapeutic riding lessons. Jayden was born with cerebral palsy, and he has benefited from the fun activity. Eric is not certain how much he will benefit from being on a horse, but if it might perhaps get him healed quicker, then he is willing to try after having several setbacks.
Though the only reason Eric has come to Caribou Crossing is to recover his physical plus mental health, he slowly starts to actually like living in the peaceful town where folks are always friendly. Being around Lark and her energetic son is what he finds most enjoyable, especially when he and the spirited firefighter have some time alone. But she has sworn off men after her disastrous relationship with her ex-husband, while Eric thinks there is no place in a soldier’s life for a woman. But how they feel when around each other almost makes them want to reconsider their beliefs.
Realism can be found on every page of RING OF FIRE. From true-to-life misfortunes to the happiest of times, I always felt as though the lives of someone I could easily know were being depicted. Descriptions of any character in the story are very genuine, and whether it pertains to their nature or a response, it is truly credible. Lark has much self-confidence about herself, and I had a great time watching her never back down from anything Eric says. How these two challenge each other is what made them such a fascinating romantic couple, although they certainly did not want to admit to it. She never wanted to get married again, while he plans to stay single. He also thinks his PTSD makes him unfit to be in a relationship. But their actions show what they cannot verbally communicate, as they repeatedly offer emotional support to each other. Susan Fox handles the matter of Eric’s mental struggles with much finesse, and any issues related to cerebral palsy are knowledgeably portrayed. Jayden is such a charming boy, and his behavior often caused me to smile. Lark and Eric definitely have no difficulty when it comes to expressing their sexual desire, and regardless of how these encounters start, they always turn very sultry because of lusty craving.
From time to time, a character from a past Caribou Crossing story is featured. It was great to revisit these likable people, and any of their published books can be read out of order without feeling lost at all. I am really looking forward to the upcoming holiday release in the series. A contemporary romance by Susan Fox is always heartfelt and never disappoints.
Copy received from author
Series: Caribou Crossing – Book 7
Publisher: Zebra
Releases: May 31, 2016
Purchase: http://tinyurl.com/japc89a
Genre: Contemporary
Author website: http://www.susanlyons.ca/
Rating: 5 Stars
QUOTED: "Love Me Tender is a very well written novel with a little bit of heat though focusing more on the romance and the day to day problems of keeping secrets and learning to live through the pain of loss, all kinds of loss including trust."
REVIEW: Love Me Tender by Susan Fox
Posted December 4th, 2014 by Sara @HarlequinJunkie in Blog, Contemporary Romance, Review / 2 comments
Love Me Tender by Susan Fox: Some people have all the luck, others it seems keep getting hit with the hard knocks and when Cassidy Esperanza passes out in the lobby of the Wild Rose Love-Me-TenderInn you have to wonder if this is yet another hard knock. Cassidy hasn’t had an easy life to say the least and has no concept what it’s like to love someone in the forever sense of the word, to be honest forever doesn’t even really have a meaning. No one stays forever, not without a bit of magic dust anyway.
Dave Cousins on the other hand is one of those forever kinds of guys. Yes he’s been divorced but he is still good friends with his ex and her new husband. He’s the kind of guy who will help out anyone in need. The problem with him though is he’s shut off his heart, from everyone other than his daughter. She is the one light of his life, but even still, does she get his whole heart?
When this wild child and this steady man meet will they be able to even see the same book let alone find the same page? When Cassidy gets another knock will she be able to see through it? Finally will Dave be able to open his whole heart to anyone, his daughter or even Cassidy? No one knows what the future will hold but in Caribou Crossing magic dust does seem to fall.
Another installment in the Caribou Crossing series takes the reader into the Wild Rose Inn and some intrigue into this small town. The book can be read as a stand-alone and though you might just get hooked into the twists and turns of this small town.
Love Me Tender is a very well written novel with a little bit of heat though focusing more on the romance and the day to day problems of keeping secrets and learning to live through the pain of loss, all kinds of loss including trust.
If you are into something a little more heady with some romance and happiness thrown in Love Me Tender is the book for you.
Book Info:
4SPublished December 2nd 2014 by Zebra
Dave Cousins, owner of the Wild Rose Inn, is known throughout Caribou Crossing as the nicest—and loneliest—guy in town. He’s had his heart broken more than once, and he’s determined not to let it happen again. So it’s no wonder he’s wary when a free-spirited drifter leaves him longing for more than just a steamy fling…
Like the wild goose tattooed on her shoulder, Cassidy Esperanza goes wherever the wind takes her. For her, a new day means a fresh start. And yet something about her days in Caribou Crossing—and nights with its handsome hotel owner—makes her think about staying a while. But when life takes an unexpected turn, her first instinct is to take flight once more. Is Dave strong enough to help them both face their fears, come to terms with the past, and believe that sometimes love truly can last a lifetime?
QUOTED: "The setup has promise. It could have been the prelude to a classic-style hilarious romp of misdirections, mis-assumptions, and happily-ever-afters. Or, it could have served as the backdrop to a sweet, poignant, and sexy tale of lessons learned and true loves found. Instead, it seems like Lyons tried for both and ended up with neither."
"Sex on the Beach," Susan Lyons, a non-review
Posted on January 5, 2010 by Heather — 1 Comment ↓
Review book courtesy of Penguin Group
To recap: when I put up a “non-review,” it means I couldn’t finish a book. I’m not going to review it on Epinions or Amazon, and this isn’t going to be a full-on review, but I don’t mind telling you folks here why I decided not to finish it in case that information is useful to you. Just keep in mind that my judgment isn’t based on the entire book.
Sarah McCann is a wedding planner who completely believes in happily-ever-after and the perfect wedding and marriage. Freeman Lafontaine is a swinging bachelor and friend of the groom who thinks marriage as a whole is a mistake, and is determined to save his best friend from making that mistake. The two of them are bound to butt heads as two sweethearts are due to get married in a sexy, hot, sandy locale (Belize). Add in a wedding party full of spicy pairings waiting to happen, and you have the perfect recipe for plenty of hot, steamy sex and guilt-free escapism.
Or at least, that’s what I thought when I picked up Susan Lyons’s Sex On The Beach.
The setup has promise. It could have been the prelude to a classic-style hilarious romp of misdirections, mis-assumptions, and happily-ever-afters. Or, it could have served as the backdrop to a sweet, poignant, and sexy tale of lessons learned and true loves found. Instead, it seems like Lyons tried for both and ended up with neither. True, I got frustrated enough with the book to stop reading at the end of the first of the three major pairings (after page 115), but that’s the basic framing story that sets the tone for the book.
Free and Sarah are engaged in a war to either end or preserve the wedding plans. At the same time, they’re having wild sex with each other every chance they get because… well, because of pheremones, I guess, or at least that’s what Sarah says over and over, turning what could have been a sexy pairing into something kinda anti-climactic. Again, playing this largely for laughs or for bittersweet poignancy could have worked, but it felt like the author tried too hard to give us both, and ended up giving us neither. Instead, I ended up feeling that both of the characters were annoying, pig-headed, oblivious people who probably did deserve each other, but not for the nice reasons the author would have us believe. Both of them are so convinced that their views are right and their goals are lofty that they’re willing to railroad over anyone who’s in their way. Free has no trouble using dirty tricks that could be amusing in the right light-hearted tale, but here are just painfully cruel. Sarah is supposed to be a smart business woman, but she’s so busy having the hots for Free that she can’t think straight and keeps doing and thinking stupid things. By the time the wedding was off and then on again, I not only didn’t care whether the wedding happened, I disliked both Sarah and Free as people—which made it awfully hard to be interested in whether they got together at the end or not.
When I picked up this book I was actually looking for just some light, sexy reading; I didn’t have huge expectations or anything. There’s plenty of sex, sure, but the story and the characters largely get in the way. The characters meant to be handled later in the book seemed more interesting, but I couldn’t get myself to keep reading long enough to find out whether their stories were worthwhile.