As an independent author, I still read. I met another author named Magnolia Belle and we decided to exchange our books and review each other's work. I read her first book, Black Wolf Lakota Man and just fell in love with her writing! It was the first in a series of books she's written about four Lakota Indian brothers who form a band and become famous. The books are mostly love stories about how each brother meets his true love. A very good series, and some fantastic books! Belle has quite a bit of talent, and hopefully I can talk her into doing a few guest blogs for Jennifer, too! Even if you aren't a huge romance reader, you should check out her books, they're very good! I haven't read all of them, and actually read two out of order, but here are the links to her books:
Black Wolf Lakota Man:
This is the first book in the series and the one that really got me hooked. It starts out with two musicians running into each other and one telling the other he looked like he needed a kiss. You always think your first book is rough, but I loved this one!
Black Wolf At Rosebud:
I accidentally skipped this one and read the third book first. I'm reading it right now. It's just as good as the rest of the series and shows the boys back on an Indian reservation for one brother's wedding. And, as one thing leads to another...I'll keep reading and see what happens.
Black Wolf On Tour:
After reading this book, I was at first mad at the author and sent her an email telling her so! The fact that she got me all wrapped up and concerned about her characters, and then...well, I won't spoil anything, you'll have to read the book. Be prepared, things get emotional.
Black Wolf Loco Lobo:
I'm looking forward to reading this one. Once I finish with At Rosebud, I'll order and read this one. Once you get wrapped up in the series, it's one of those worlds you just have to follow. I can't tell you about this book for two reasons: The first is I haven't read it yet, and the second is it would give away some of the things that happened in On Tour. Read that one first, you'll want to read this one next, trust me!
And finally, I sent Belle some questions about the series. Here are her answers:
How much research did you do about the Lakota Indians before you wrote your first novel, Black Wolf Lakota Man?
I have a book (still in the works) that I started years ago about the Lakota, so I was familiar on an elementary level with that Nation. For this series, I dug a little deeper into the sweat lodge and the healing ceremony. Because those rites are sacred, I don’t describe them in full detail, but give enough to allow the reader a sense of place.
I have a bit of trouble with names when I write. How did you come up with the names of the characters from the stories?
Some are names I’ve always liked, Caleb and Joaquin, for instance. I’ve only struggled with one name, and that’s the main female in the book I’m still working on.
In your third book, Black Wolf On Tour, things turn a bit dark. After reading the book, I'll admit to sending you an email and calling you a nasty name. Did you expect that kind of response from readers when you took your novels in that direction?
Your reaction/review left me laughing for days. I knew I’d have people upset with me on that book, and boy, was I right!! In spite of those reactions, I felt I needed to take Joaquin down that path. Things came too easily for him, and he needed to understand the value of a close relationship.
I always use my own name as a main character in the books I've written, it's just something I do. Are any of the characters in your novels named after anyone you know in real life?
No. Though, once in a rare while, I throw in a friend’s name as a minor character. It’s a private joke between us, and has only happened two, maybe three times. However, in the last BW book, I’m using my niece’s name for the main character. That’s because it’s a great name and because she absolutely loves this series.
And of course, I have to let you plug what you're working on right now! I understand you're writing one more novel in the series, please tell us a bit about that and anything else you're working on right now.
Yes, I’m working on the last (5th) book in the BW series, “Black Wolf: the Quiet Man”. It’s about the third brother, bass player, Jay. Of all the brothers, he is the quietest and didn’t reveal himself to me until well into the series. Now I’ve discovered how deep he runs and where his heart lies. I can’t wait to introduce him to this series’ fans.
I’ve got a few other projects in the wings, but only one developed enough to be next. It’s set in the 1850s Rocky Mountains, involving the Sioux, mountain men, and an orphaned teenage girl. Talk about culture clash!
Thank you Robert for "draging" another author in for me. Maybe in the near future I'll be able to get Magnolia to do her own guest post for me. These books sound good. I've already added them to my ever growing to be read list! I also love that you have open communication with other authors. I know in a previous post you mentioned having others to throw ideas off of. I always think that all entertainment industries are cut-throat and that the stars don't really like each other. I know it was very common in retail so I figured it was that way in most industries. It makes me feel all the more comfortable with my addiction to reading, knowing that authors are willing to help each other out! Thank you again Robert and I look forward to hearing from you again in the future!
-Jennifer
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