An Ojibway from
Northwestern Ontario, Maggie Blackbird resides in the country with her husband and their
fur babies, two beautiful Alaskan Malamutes. When she’s not writing, she
can be found pulling weeds in the flower beds, mowing the huge lawn, walking
the Mals deep in the bush, teeing up a ball at the golf course, fishing in the
boat for walleye, or sitting on the deck at her sister’s house, making more
wonderful memories with the people she loves most.
Beverley: Which genre or genres do you write or prefer to write? And why?
Maggie: I write a contemporary and historical romance about
Canada’s Indigenous People. I write
contemporary and historical because those are the stories I’m most drawn to write. Much can be done in contemporary and
historical romances.
Beverley: Who
influenced you the most in deciding to become a writer?
Maggie: My two favourite
authors: Johanna Lindsey and Rosanne
Bittner. I love reading their books, so
I wanted to be able to write stories just like they do.
Beverley: What
gets your creative juices flowing?
Maggie: Music.
Music is my biggest inspiration. I can
easily dream up stories and ideas just by listening to a song.
Beverley: Do
you have a favorite cartoon character? Why?
Maggie: I
can’t say I have one in particular, but I do love the Muppets, especially the
Electric Mayhem Band. Why? They rock.
What’s not to love about puppets playing in a rock band.
Beverley: Who
would you love most to meet 'in person' and why?
Maggie: This
is an interesting question. I haven’t
thought about this one too hard before. I’d
say Jake E Lee. He’s my fave
guitarist. As for why, because in his
interviews, he comes across as a very nonchalant and eccentric guy. He’d be fun to talk to. I love people who don’t live by society’s
standards, but find their own path to take.
Beverley: If
you had an unexpected free day what would you do with it?
Maggie: Go
golfing.
Beverley: What
are you working on now?
Maggie: I’m
doing self-edits and getting ready to submit a time travel/historical romance
to my publisher starring a university student from this time period who meets
her Ojibway ancestors of the past and the warrior she’s dreamed about since she
was a young girl.
Blurb for Knight Moves:
After receiving his grade twelve diploma and marking his eighteenth
birthday, René Oshawee cannot fight the temptation seventeen-year-old high
school junior Billy Redsky blatantly offers now that what they share has become
taboo.
When their secret romance is blown into the open, Billy’s foster parents
send René to Toronto to complete the last of his schooling under the
supervision of a family friend, leaving Billy behind at their Ojibway
community.
Now Billy and René must make the biggest decision of their lives—fight
for the true love they know they’ll never find with anyone else or go their
separate ways.
Excerpt from Knight Moves:
The waitress wove her way through the crowded
restaurant. She held a slice of birthday cake. Under the dim lighting, people
dined at the many tables covered in white cloths and the chairs outfitted in
red felt coverings.
René curled his fingers
together and set his elbows on his place setting. The flickering candle in the
yellow holder caught the glow of Billy’s smooth skin. He was seventeen but
passing for nineteen because the hostess, at the beginning of their meal, had
asked if they’d wanted anything from the bar.
With his hair cropped over
his ears and light spikes to his bangs gelled slightly to the side, there was a
true maturity to Billy now. The sprinkling of whiskers above his mouth offered
a masculine depth to his boyish looks.
“Here you go. Happy
birthday,” the waitress announced.
“Thanks.” Billy flashed her
his cheeky grin. “Great meal. The best prime rib I’ve ever had.”
“I’ll be sure to tell the
chef. Now, are you sure you don’t want anything from the bar for an
after-dinner drink? You turned nineteen today.”
“It’s okay,” René replied. “Some
coffee would be nice, though.”
“Right away.” The waitress
left.
“C’mon, we could’ve had
some beers.” By the twinkle in Billy’s dark eyes, he was jesting.
“You’re driving. Neither of
us is old enough. With the luck you generate, the bartender would’ve told her
to card us, anyway. Coffee’ll suffice.” An itch to reach across and take
Billy’s hand crawled along René’s palm. God, this sucked having to hide what
they felt for each other.
In the past, he hadn’t
minded. Why playing closet this evening irritated him, René wasn’t sure.
“Your present.” He reached insides the breast pocket of his suit and withdrew
the small, wrapped package.
“You did have it on you.” Billy
moved his chair in closer since they sat on opposite sides of the table
instead of adjacent from each other. Another way to hide their secret. “Let’s
see.”
René placed the package
down.
Still grinning, Billy
scooped up the gift. He peeled away the blue paper the clerk at the jewelry
store had used for wrapping.
The intensity of René’s
beating heart was his foot triggering his kick drum in the basement.
Next, Billy cracked open
the white box. His lips formed into an O. He gaped at the black velvet case.
A hint of sweat rose at the
nape of René’s neck.
sing his thumb, Billy
tipped back the lid, then slapped his hand over his mouth. “What the…?” His
fingers held the sterling silver chain. The locket in the shape of an army dog
tag dangled in the air. “What is…?”
“See for yourself.” Gushes
of delight sprinted through René’s veins.
“Seriously? You got me this
shape ’cause of—”
“You did say we were good
little soldiers in Oshawee Army, didn’t you?” René couldn’t help the supple
laugh gliding from his throat.
The waitress strode over
carrying their coffees. Bad timing. Heat of annoyance gathered on René’s face.
“Oh…a present.” The
waitress giggled.
“Um…yeah…” Billy palmed the
gift.
Once she’d left, he clicked
open the locket. His reddish-brown skin morphed to the shade of pink
excitement. “It’s…it’s us. This was taken at Christmas. Downstairs. In the
rehearsal room. Moxy took it.”
“Yeah. I asked her to give
me a copy when she got the film developed.” Pride filled René, pure
satisfaction over Billy loving and understanding what the gift meant.
“Is that why you rested
your chin on my shoulder? I see the metal horns you flashed are missing. It’s
only our faces.” Billy kept inspecting the locket.
“C’mon, she would’ve
wondered why I leaned in the way I did.” Again, the urge to stroke Billy’s hand
and caress his fingers impaled René like a sword.
“I’m putting it on right
now.” Billy unfastened the clasp. Even with a collar, he managed to secure the
chain around his neck. Regret flickered in his gaze, as if he loathed tucking
the locket beneath his navy-blue shirt.
“Remember, it stays
hidden.” The same regret hovering around their table coated René’s tongue with
its bitter essence.
“I understand.” Billy
rubbed his chest where the locket lay. “They’d wanna check out whose picture is
inside. I…” His eyes finished what he couldn’t say in the restaurant. I love
you.
“Me, too,” René whispered. He
lifted his coffee. If only the world was different and they could behave like a
true couple.
He glanced around at the
straight couples holding hands, gazing lovingly at one another, sitting
adjacent with their knees brushing. Longing tugged at his heart.
Buy Links:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B092VBYGWR/
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/knight-moves-13
Devine Destinies: https://www.devinedestinies.com/978-1-4874-3242-3-knight-moves/
Social Media Links
Web Site: https://maggieblackbird.com/
Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/maggieblackbirdauthor/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BlackbirdMaggie/
Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/maggieblackbird
BookbBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/maggie-blackbird
Linked In:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/maggie-blackbird-032798169/
Amazon Author Page:
https://www.amazon.com/Maggie-Blackbird/e/B07KQP1FFG
eXtasy Books Author Page:
https://www.extasybooks.com/maggie-blackbird/
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