Vocal Expressions

This is the second Z.L. Arkadie contemporary romance I’ve read, this time with an interesting trope (enemies to lovers). For starters, the book is divided into three parts: 1 – High School Crush, 2 – A University Night and 3 – The Plan. This provides context of the longstanding family feud between the Groves and the Valentines – two wealthy families in the tech industry.   Let’s meet Paisley Grove, a high school software designer who has won several awards and now on her way to the prestigious Albrecht Institute of Technology in Boston on a full scholarship. Not having lots of friends because she’s new to the high school, she’s thrilled to be invited to a party the night before graduation. Breaking her rule of not drinking, she accepts a drink that is spiked and is nearly sexually assaulted. Fortunately, Hercules Valentine (“the most stunning and enigmatic boy” she has a huge crush on) comes to her rescue. She wants to thank him at graduation, but he doesn’t show up due to a fami...

Author’s Bio : C.L. Merklinger, the author of Interloper - The first novel in the Realms and Realities Series - grew up with an insatiable appetite for reading and all things scary.  Inspired by Horror Authors such as Ray Bradbury; Stephen King; Dean Koontz; and Edgar Allan Poe, she was also deeply influenced by great Mystery Character Authors such as Lawrence Sanders, Agatha Christie and Mary Higgins Clark.   Following her passions for Horror and the Paranormal she pulls from her experiences as an Empath which inspired her to write this series.  C.L. resides in the Chesapeake Bay area of Maryland where she dabbles in many hobbies.   Deliah Lawrence: What inspired you to write your book?  C.L. Merklinger: I’ve always wanted to write, but never took the time to do so.  This book is a result of a perfect storm.  I had a dream one night that I woke up from and felt the need to take notes on.  The next day, a podcast I listened to, Morb...

Author’s Bio: Elizabeth Smith, who goes by Libby, lives in Parkville, Maryland with her husband Dennis. Her previous book, Twin Strokes , is about a young girl who suffered with a rare illness called Guillain-Barre Syndrome.   Smith, who enjoys writing children’s stories, senior jokes, articles and essays, has three children and two grandchildren. Her hobbies include, reading, writing, baking, walking, swimming, and listening to a variety of music. Among her favorite authors are Jan Karon, Adriana Trigiani, Matthew Kelly, Francine Rivers, and the late, Erma Bomback.   While growing up in the country, a treasured time during the summer was hiking to the nearby bookmobile. “I have fond memories of walking inside and smelling the fragrance of the books and slowly feeling the crinkly plastic covers like they were gold,” said Smith. “It was intoxicating.”   Smith also enjoyed tea...