Guest Post: Modern Day Millie by Loni Lynne, Author of Distilled Spirits

Today, I'm super excited to be hosting author Loni Lynne, whose paranormal romance, Distilled Spirits, has just been released. Here is this lovely piece of writing, an interview of the lead character Millie Taylor from Old Town tavern of Kings Mill for you. Also find a promo on Distilled Spirits along with an excerpt. Hope you enjoy it as much as it did!

If you're interested in my review of Distilled Spirits, you can read it by clicking HERE! 

“Millie Taylor—Modern Day Millie”

Character Interview from Millie Taylor of Distilled Spirits by Loni Lynne

Having interviewed many characters for my sequel to Wanted: One Ghost, Distilled Spirits, I wasn’t looking to do anything with April Branford’s unique family of fun females just yet. So one day, Millie Taylor showed up in my office as I was working on another project. She sat down in my winged back chair in her ethereal state and gave me a look of interest and asked me why I hadn’t considered her story.

Millie: Are ye afraid I might be too saucy for your readers?

Me: No of course not. But you did have a relationship with the hero in my first book. How would people react to you coming back to haunt him?

Millie: I’ve read and seen your news from the Telly-vision and the Kings Mill Gazette, people are more acceptable to women and our lifestyles, so why not mine? (She shrugged.)

Me: How can I in all honesty have my readers enjoy your character if you are wanting to steal James Addison from April?

Millie: (snorting) Ye think I want James? Well, I do still have feelings for him but…I’m ready to move on. I’m not necessarily looking for a man. I’ve been takin’ care of meself for quite a while and even before me death. I’m not sayin’ I don’t enjoy a man’s company but they can be bloody fools, keepin’ us women all caged in corsets and slavin’ us to hostin’ their taverns and tendin’ their young.

Me: So you don’t approve of the woman’s roll in your previous society?

Millie: We were at best coddled. At worst we were no better than the cows given milk in the fields. (She stood and danced around my office, stopping to look at my various books on my shelves.) I want to read, did you know James helped me to read? But I also want to run the tavern. I’ve learned so much seein’ everything takin’ place over the years. I know it still belongs to Dave Rogers but I want to be an important member of the team.

Me: You are, Millie. You are the ghost, the legend that keeps people fascinated about the tavern.

Millie: No, I am a fascination because of my past with James Addison, Kings Mill’s founding father. (Her shoulders slump.) But I am so much more but no one really cares.

Me: That’s not true…or I wouldn’t have mentioned you at all in Wanted: One Ghost. But I understand. I haven’t painted you into very polite society.

Millie: Pshaw! I ain’t no lady! In fact, I wish I could wear those pants like you are wearing…

Me: Blue Jeans? Really?

Millie: I want to wear pants, drive an automobile, have an equal partnership in the business…James always told me I could cipher numbers really good! I had a head for business. He was one of the few who would listen to me and my dreams…but then… (She becomes sad.)

Me: I know. He was cruelly murdered. But Fate had plans for him…

Millie: And what if Fate has plans for me? What if I could be alive again? Could I do the things I’ve dreamed of?

Me: (Deep in thought.) You know, I think you could. I just don’t know how I could tell your story. (Reaching for my yellow legal pad to take notes.) First off, I’d need to know how you died.

Millie: I don’t know. I don’t remember. Am I supposed to remember though?

Me: I can’t answer that for you anymore than you can. (I put my pencil down but pick it up again as I begin to do a character sketch of Millie…blonde hair, wildly put up in a loose knot, tendrils hanging around her face, sassy with a body to match…colonial tavern serving wench clothes…) But maybe together we can figure things out. Tell me as much as you can remember and we’ll go from there.

Millie: Okay…but I have to be back soon.

Me: Where? Where are you going?

Millie: I usually just hang around the tavern. I’ll sit in the rafters and watch the goings-on, do a few things to see if anyone will notice. I used to steal Dave’s wife’s stapler and hide it from her. (She giggles, playfully.) But lately…

Me: Lately, what?

Millie: I can’t figure it out? I feel like something is about to happen to me, Kings Mill, I don’t know…something important, though.

(I nod, taking in her look of worry and consternation. She begins to fade.)

Me: Wait! Don’t go…

Millie: I can’t stop meself…but do me a favor. Write a story for me…”

Me: I’m a paranormal romance writer. It has to have romance and a Happily Ever After or at least a Happily for Now.

Millie: So pair me up with a handsome man…and make us happy. Only you can do that.

Me: I’ll try. Take care, Millie—and thanks for the inspiration.

Millie: Don’t thank me, yet. I can be quite a handful. (She winks.)

Me: (Laughing) Looking forward to finding out just how much of a handful you can be. You sound like a lot of fun. (Millie fades completely from my office.) Yeah, this is going to be a lot of fun.

Hope you all enjoy Millie Taylor’s story, Distilled Spirits, as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Remember…Believe in Fate!

Loni Lynne

Distilled Spirits by Loni Lynne

Distilled Spirits

Loni Lynne
Contemporary Romance/Paranormal
Pub date: December 15, 2014 [requested review]

H/h - Sean Lightfoot/Millie Taylor
Setting: Present time.

Read in December, 2014.

My rating:

                                                       [spoiler alert]

Last year, I was lucky enough to discover this talented author whose debut novel, Wanted: One Ghost, blew me away completely. It had everything I would want in a paranormal romance, suspense, mystery, action... and a sexy ghost coming to life with the help of the heroine. I was thrilled learn that there’d be a sequel to the story, of another character who was introduced there only by mention. Distilled Spirits is the story of the sassy tavern wench, Millie Taylor, who is said to haunt the Old Town Tavern to this day.

Wanted: One Ghost, that started it all, tells you the story of the founding father of Kings Mills, James Addison, the second son of a British Lord who settled in here in the mid 1800s. He had done some great things for the place that paved the way for this small town. He was also a ladies man and Millie Taylor, the tavern wench said to have been his paramour. James was hanged in his early 30s on the charge of treason that he never committed. His ghost has been haunting the past 238 yrs. in search of justice, or at the least, to tell someone the true story behind it all. Unfortunately, he has never been able to connect with anyone. He would roam around the area where he used to live and died, especially each anniversary of his hanging. It was one of that anniversaries that he finally finds someone who can see him and communicate; April Branford, a college student having the gift of psychometry.

Guest Post and Giveaway: A Scene of Inspiration by Loni Lynne, author of Wanted: One Ghost

Today, I have this intriguing bit of Guest Post by author Loni Lynne, where she talks about something that must've inspired some of the scenes in Wanted: One Ghost. I do believe the scenes of cemetery were a common thing in that story. Alongside the post, you'll find an excerpt and additional information on Wanted: One Ghost, links and how to connect with Ms. Lynne. Hope you enjoy the post and the book as much as I did!

If you want to have a glimpse of the review of Wanted: One Ghost by Yours Truly, click here.

Loni Lynne will be awarding a $15 Amazon/B&N GC (winner's choice) to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour. 

 

A Scene of Inspiration

The snow crunches beneath my feet, the crisp bite in the air takes my breath away, but not as much as the

scene before me.

Marble obelisks and crypts haphazardly dot rolling knolls and valleys. Their white smoothness are blemished only by the dark aged inscriptions etched into them—some still visible to the naked eye, some barely legible.

These are parts of the past. The remaining history of those who were here before. The dates of birth and death tell their own stories, some were very young—others lived for a century. The details in the artistry of their monuments speak of military service, religious beliefs and social belonging. Their beloveds lay close by, some in fenced off family plots, others just neatly positioned beside them.

A Cemetery in Sepia

Many of these stone markers are over a hundred years old, dating back to the early to mid 1800’s, some even older, and yet here they continue to stand sentry over those who’ve paved the way in our community.

It’s quiet, even so close to town in the early afternoon. The solitude isn’t eerie, just peaceful and beautiful. There is the aroma of another possible snow storm coming in. I stand in awe looking over the hallowed grounds, the barren winter trees throwing shadows over the pristine scene. I have a picture in my mind now—an inspiration to see me through my scene and yet, it’s more about the feeling I have then just a scene for my story.

I only hope I can convey the blissful feelings it has evoked in me to those who read my words now and in years to come.

Authors Note: I love to be able to get inspiration from places I’ve been for my stories. The fictional town of Kings Mill, Maryland in my book, Wanted: One Ghost, is compiled of many images from local sites around where I live in Western Maryland. Steeped in American History from the colonial beginnings to the Civil War, there is much to learn and view and just take in.

Are there places you enjoy that you wish you could share with others? I would love to hear about them.

Thank you for having me here today and for letting me share in a special moment. Looking forward to hearing back!

Wanted: One Ghost by Loni Lynne

Wanted: One Ghost

Loni Lynne
Contemporary Romance/Paranormal
Published in 2013 [requested review]

H/h - James Addison/April Branford
Setting: Present time.

Read in July, 2013.

My rating:

                                                   [spoiler alert]

Wanted: One Ghost by Loni Lynne was an exciting read from the beginning till the end. I love ghost stories and this book didn’t disappoint me. I loved the premise, all the intricate ideas of Psychometry and how it was played throughout the story. There were a few minor complaints and distractions that I could’ve done without though. I’ll try to elaborate in the following.