Laura Beers

Welcome to Uncaged! You are releasing the first book in a new series, A Dangerous Pursuit on March 16th. Can you tell readers more about this book and the series?

A Dangerous Pursuit is the first book in the Regency Spies & Secrets series. It has spies, intrigue and is a clean read. There was a lot of civil unrest during the Regency era because of the war with Napoleon. It was the perfect backdrop for my series.

How many books are you planning for this series?

I have planned out four books for this series.

What inspired you to write in the historical genre? Is there a lot of research involved?

I have always been fascinated with history, especially the Regency era. When I went to college, I majored in Construction Management because it was much more practical than being an author. But the desire to write a book never went away. It was much later that I sat down to start writing.

Yes, there is a ton of research that goes along with writing historical romances.

What have you found the hardest to cope with during the pandemic? What are you looking forward to when a lot of restrictions are lifted?

The hardest thing for me to cope with during the pandemic is the unsurety of everything. I do not like surprises. I like things to be predictable so I can plan accordingly.

I can’t wait to travel to England. My husband and I were supposed to go this March, but we decided to wait a year.

What do you have coming up next that you can tell us about?

I am working on the fourth book to the Regency Spies & Secrets right now. It is a story that revolves around coal miners and the horrid conditions they were forced to endure.

Do you edit out anything substantial in your novels in the editing process? Do you make that extra content available in any way to readers if you do?

I must admit that everything I edit out is done for a good reason. I assure you that no one wants to read what I edit out.

What was the first book that made you laugh and/or cry?

Edenbrooke. This was the first book that made me fall in love with the Regency era.

What are some things you like to do to relax when you aren’t writing or working?

I enjoy spending time with my family. We just returned from a trip to the mountains near Boone, NC, and I loved watching my kids play in the snow.

Besides spending time with my family, I enjoy eating delicious food, going to the gym, taking naps, and golfing with my husband.

How many hours a day do you write? On average, how long does it take to write a full novel?

I wake up every morning at 5am to write. It is quiet and my family is in bed. It is the perfect time to write for me. I try to write about 5 hours a day. Sometimes I can sneak in more and sometimes it is less.

Do you prefer ebooks, audiobooks or physical books? Are you reading anything now?

It depends on my situation. I have discovered that I enjoy physical books when I am at the beach. But I usually read ebooks.

Yes, I am reading/researching right now. Mad & Bad Real Heroines of the Regency is a fascinating book about real women in the Regency era. I am learning so much.

What would you like to say to fans, and where can they follow you?

I would love to say that I am so grateful for you. Thank you for reading my books! You have made my dreams come true by reading my books.

Enjoy an excerpt from A Dangerous Pursuit

A Dangerous Pursuit Laura Beers Victorian Historical Releases March 16

Miss Madalene Dowding was devastated when her mother died, leaving her all alone. To honor her mother’s legacy, she decides to use part of her fortune to open an orphanage. When a teacher at the orphanage goes missing, Madalene takes it upon herself to start looking for her, even if it means taking her deep into the unsavory parts of London.

Baldwin Radcliff, the Marquess of Hawthorne, is working on his last case as an agent of the Crown since he is about to retire and take up his seat in the House of Lords. He is tasked with finding a French

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spy that is in league with a growing group of radicals. As he searches for the enemy, he discovers a meddling heiress that keeps stumbling in at the most inopportune times, making him wonder if she is perhaps the spy he has been sent to find.

Despite mutual dislike, Baldwin agrees to help Madalene, but only if she stays far away from the investigation. A promise that Madalene has no intention of keeping. Will headstrong Madalene and duty-driven Baldwin be able to work together, especially since so much is at stake?

Will Baldwin choose between saving the Crown or saving an obstinate woman that he has unwittingly fallen in love with?

Excerpt

Lord Hawthorne reached into his boot and pulled out a small pistol. “Are you familiar with how to use a muff pistol?”

“I am not.”

“That is disconcerting,” he replied, frowning. “It is not uncommon for a lady to carry one in her reticule.”

Glancing down at the pistol, Madalene remarked, “I have never been in a position that required the use of one.”

“I shall bring my spare with me tomorrow and give it to you,” Lord Hawthorne said, returning the muff pistol to his boot.

“I am not opposed to that.”

“Good,” he replied. “Do you carry a knife on your person?”

“I do not.”

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you not have the slightest regard for your personal safety?”

“I can box,” Madalene announced proudly.

Lord Hawthorne didn’t appear impressed by her admission. “I doubt that very much.”

“It’s true,” she asserted.

His next words seemed to catch her off guard. “Punch me, then.”

Her lips parted in surprise at his odd request. “I couldn’t possibly punch you, my lord.”

Leaning closer to her, he said, “I give you leave to punch me.”

“But what if I hurt you?”

Lord Hawthorne chuckled. “You couldn’t possibly hurt me,” he remarked smugly.

Tired of his pompous attitude, Madalene reared her fist back and punched him in the face. She felt gratified when she saw him stumbling backwards.

His right hand went to cover his nose and she saw blood on his fingers. “Oh, my lord!” she exclaimed. “I am so incredibly sorry.”

Rushing over to the table, Madalene picked up the handkerchief she had been working on and brought it back to Lord Hawthorne.

“Allow me to retrieve some ice for your nose,” she said.

Rising to his full height, Lord Hawthorne asserted, “That won’t be necessary.”

“But you are bleeding, my lord.” “Again, I am terribly sorry—” she began.

Lord Hawthorne raised his hand, stilling her words. “I am impressed, Miss Dowding. You have quite a punch.”

“I assure you that I have never drawn blood before.”

“How often do you box?”

“I practice nearly every morning,” she admitted.

He bobbed his head in approval as he lowered the handkerchief in his hand. “I am glad to hear that. No one would expect someone of your stature to hit so proficiently.”

“I will take that as a compliment.”

“I assure you that it was meant as one,” Lord Hawthorne said.

Madalene glanced down at the bloody handkerchief. “Would you care for a clean handkerchief?” she asked.

Lord Hawthorne followed her gaze. “It would appear that I ruined this one.”

“No need to concern yourself with that,” she assured him. “I have many, many more.”

He smiled, but it was quickly replaced by a grimace. “I’m afraid my nose is not ready for me to smile,” he admitted.

“Did I break it?” she asked hesitantly.

Lord Hawthorne brought his hand up to touch his nose. “It doesn’t appear so. But even if you did, it wouldn’t be the first time I have broken my nose.”

Unsure of what to say, she started, “I am truly sorry, and—”

“It was not your fault,” he interrupted. “I was the one who told you to punch me.”

“That may be true, but I shouldn’t have hit you as hard as I did.”

His lips quirked slightly upward in a hint of a smile. “I have a feeling you have been wanting to hit me for quite some time.”

“No, of course not,” she rushed to say.

Leaning closer, his eyes held an amused glimmer. “Liar.”

A giggle escaped her lips, and she brought her hand up to cover her mouth. “Well, perhaps.”

“I assumed as much,” Lord Hawthorne remarked, taking a step back. “If you are not opposed, I shall call on you tomorrow to continue our discussion.”

“I look forward to it.”

Lord Hawthorne tipped his head. “Good day, Miss Dowding.”

“Good day, Lord Hawthorne,” she replied, dropping into a slight curtsy.

He opened his mouth as if he intended to say something, but then he closed it. Finally, he spoke. “Until tomorrow, then.”

Madalene watched as Lord Hawthorne departed from the room, and she couldn’t help but wonder what he had intended to say.

LaJuana Craft Ryckeley Words from God

Words from God

LaJuana Craft Ryckeley Religion/Poetry

Words from God: Rising Out of the Ashes is a collection of poems of pains turned purpose. It is a showcase of how one can rise from the ashes and be of help and a beacon to others. The words in these poems are the inspiration and bringer of hope that all is not lost. That somehow, these struggles are the instruments toward one’s success.

It’s the classic situation of “When life gives you lemon, you make lemonade.” And life can throw a very, very sour lemon—sometimes more than one at once. And though it is easier said than done, “making a lemonade” is not a walk in the park. Optimism doesn’t come easy to a lot of people. Especially if there seems to be no end in sight for the struggles they have been experiencing. But for some, these struggles seem to be the stepping stone to propel themselves to greater heights, all with the help of someone powerful—more powerful than anybody on earth.

Author LaJuana Craft Ryckeley first lived in Taylorsville, Mississippi, and then moved with her family to Mobile, Alabama. It was one of the earliest challenges she had to face in life along with her family. But those were not hindrances for her to learn and enjoy singing and reading. Thank“I have journaled through my poetry—my life.”

fully, her mother instilled in her the love for poetry. And even when she married, her husband, Wiley, has always believed in her gift for writing poems that he encouraged her to join in contests.

U.S. Review of Books

Poet Ryckeley has survived many challenges and here shares her experiences and feelings in the medium she carried from childhood, learned through hymns and the songs of Stephen Foster. This is a wide-ranging collection featuring hundreds of works arrayed in twelve parts, beginning with the section “Christian Poems and Studies.” The opening call to “Seize the Day’ prepares readers for the lively and thoughtful journey to come:

Relish every breath of air Live each day with zeal and flair When cherished moments come your way Whisk them up and seize the day

The portion on “Growing Old” shows the poet grumbling but always with a redeeming moment to boost the mood. She counts the deficits: simple tasks are harder, dentures don’t fit right, memory is short, and eyesight is fading. But when she turns to reminiscences for solace, she realizes in pieces like “She Is Old” that “old memories are stronger” and evoke a smile. Also, Ryckeley was burdened, or blessed, for some time with raising teenagers. She examines this period in her life with wry humor:

Why do they think they know it all? When they are only in their teens Why are they so rude when you call? I don’t think it was from my genes

The grouping titled “Memories” includes a child’s punishment for noisily “dangling feet” during church and a lengthy paean to “My Daddy,” recalling her father going hunting and fishing, “playing cards, or games he made from wood,” doctoring her wounds, and repair-

ing her bike. She equally cherishes times with “My Mother,” whose plain love for God and nature was an inspiration. Poems extolling the qualities of “Women” contains this lively self-portrait of “Stressed Housewife”:

Like an unwinding ball of yarn That is given quite a kick Battered, I am so forlorn Enough to make me sick

Ryckeley’s collection is introduced with a short autobiography that reveals a stalwart soul who grew up and spent much of her life in difficult circumstances. Her childhood involved family separations. Later, as a wife and mother, she was subjected to harsh conditions and abuse. All these groupings in free verse, rhythm, and rhyme include some words of faith and comfort attributable to Ryckeley’s abiding Christian view of life. In “Words and Words,” she asks to humbly remember that it is God that does the work when she offers prayers. In the poem “I Asked the Lord For,” she acknowledges that what she prays for is not always what she gets. In a vision of the desert, she finds “The Signature of God.” Having found a quiet, comforting lifestyle at last, she now feels free to express herself in verse, with some of the works here marked with the year of their composition, indicating a many-year connection to her inner, word-embracing self. The ironic humor evinced in some of the pieces and the whimsy of her “Just Because” selections mix surprisingly well with the religiously themed selections, illustrating her emotional flexibility and genuine poetic flair. Overall, this is an aggregation for poetry lovers as well as Christians seeking new ways to explore their faith.

RECOMMENDED by the US Review

JILLIA n EAT on

Jillian Eaton grew up in Maine and now lives in Pennsylvania on a farmette with her husband and their three boys. They share the farm with a cattle dog, an old draft mule, a thoroughbred, and a minidonkey -- all rescues. When she isn’t writing, Jillian enjoys spending time with her animals, gardening, reading, and going on long walks with her family.