Launched! THE SOUL CHANGER'S CONFESSION Short Story

My short story, The Soul Changer's Confession, is included in a wonderful anthology published in Running Wild Anthology of Stories, Volume 4 Book 1 by Running Wild Press.

This collection is built on inclusion of diverse voices but does so organically and with ease. Culled from submissions from around the world, authors from Kuwait, Ireland, France, Saudi Arabia, and more offer slices of perspective and life in delicious bites. A joyful and provocative mix of genres and styles made this anthology one of my favorites.

The Soul Changer's Confession is a bit out of the norm for me. Swapping souls among the living to create eternal soul mates sounds wonderful, but havoc erupts at a nursing home when the soul changer sees too much. Yes, I put a smidgen of crime in there too!

The Amazon listing describes Book 1 as, "[a] cornucopia of stories that span genres and styles. Our editor spanned the globe to find every style and type of story to keep you engaged and make sure that we never, ever fit neatly in a box." Available in Kindle and paperback, this book is perfectly calibrated to our times and for summer beach reading. 

Running Wild Press is woman owned and lead. They describe themselves like this: "We’re a tameless mix of creatives who find each other through books, workshops, conferences, blogs, and word of mouth. We share a love of reading and a flair for the unusual."

As an added bonus, the editors found so many great writers from around the world, they decided to create TWO anthologies. Running Wild Anthology of Stories Book 2 continues the exploration and fun. Enjoy both! 

Ready for the Olympics?

It's always fun and games at the Olympics. Right?

Guess again.

The drama for these Olympic Games in South Korea has almost eclipsed the inspirational stories of the athletes themselves. An unpredictable neighbor with an itchy trigger finger hovering above the nuclear button has a way of capturing our attention.

We want our focus to stay on the athletes, but the sad truth is that history happens. We know world governments are working feverishly to ensure a safe event. We can only imagine the lengths they go to identify, assess, and deal with every threat.

Most of my readers will recall that the last Olympics to be held on U.S. soil was marred by a domestic terrorist. On July 27, 1996, a bomb exploded in Centennial Park in Atlanta, Georgia. Two people died. Over one hundred were injured. The scars from the shrapnel-filled backpack are still on the statue celebrating athletes and on our own hearts. We're were changed. 

We can read newspaper accounts of what happened that day and cringe at the rush to justice that ensnared an innocent man. We can marvel that the manhunt lasted years after the event. We can shake our heads at all we know now and wonder how so much went so wrong and how luck kept much worse from happening.

It's hard for me to write about why I set my books in the time period involving so much strife in Northern Ireland and the United States. History happens and we cannot undo what was done to us or to others. We can keep those touched by horrific events in our prayers in the same way we pray for all others to be safe from harm.

But, after I'm done with my prayers and wishes for a safer world, I write.

I cull history for facts. Some facts fit our world view and make us feel safe. Other facts rock us to our core and make us stare at dark ceilings in the early morning hours. Historical facts make my settings and time periods real. Human nature provides other facts that, when blended into my characters, make evil sadly real.

The Wake takes you to that hot summer night when a bomb exploded at the Summer Olympic Games.

Your imagination will take you even further.

And Now A Word From Our Sponsor

It's my blog and I get to brag if I want to! (Hmm. Isn't there a music riff that goes with that?)

I'm over the moon excited that The Wake won Best English Fiction at the EQUUS International Film Festival in New York City this week!

I'll have more pictures and more to say later, but for now, I wanted to share the news with you!

EQUUS Film Festival is a celebration of the horse in art. The three day event included showing documentaries, feature films, shorts, and commercial work as well as photography, multi-media and, of course, books!

I was more than a little nervous as my books were the only art there that did not feature a horse on the cover or image! Seriously! Take a look to the right of this page. See a horse? Nope. That was a head-scratcher for some folks. What's a mainstream thriller doing at a horse event?

But here's the thing. EQUUS Film Festival is passionate about how horses in art elevate the messages of beauty, connection, and healing. You heard it. HEALING. This is where EFF's passion and my inspiration meet. The Wake's story line was inspired by witnessing the power of healing through the eyes of physically and emotionally challenged hippotherapy clients. (Wait, what? Hippotherapy? Yes. For you muggles out there, hippotherapy is horse-based physical and emotional therapies performed with a licensed therapist using the horse as a platform.) My twist on the thriller genre is to use this therapy to heighten suspense and sharpen my plot.

My main character, Jessica Wyeth, is a world-class equestrian entangled in international crime. I'm pleased that my books resonate with avid readers and horse people. I get my details right and crank up the tension. If I screwed up anything to do with horses, I'd be shunned and turned out to pasture by horse folks.


And this is why I'm so darned pleased to win this award. The Wake follows in her sister's footsteps, too. The Troubles won the same award last year, so I'm a two-fer!

Horse people can live in a horse-centric bubble. My books resonate because they reach a wider audience and pierce that bubble. I've already heard from readers who had never heard of hippotherapy and tried it to achieve great success in battling PTSD.

The films and documentaries at EFF told powerful stories and showed transformational moments where the horse was a major factor in healing.

Oh, and my next book? No horses (yet), but it was inspired by my volunteering as a horse handler during therapeutic sessions with survivors of human trafficking.

Okay. I'm done with my end-zone dance. Now, back to work.

Connie Johnson Hambley's THE WAKE won Best English Fiction
at the EQUUS International Film Festival in New York City.

THE BEST BOOK LAUNCH PARTY EVER!

You are invited to the best book launch party ... EVER!

Saturday, September 23 at 7:00 at Jabberwocky Bookshop in Newburyport, Massachusetts.

After sweating blood and nibbling my fingers to the nub, THE WAKE is ready for its big debut. The JESSICA TRILOGY is complete, early reviews are amazing and I am looking forward to hearing from fans about the twists, turns, and wrenching decisions I made to create this new thriller.

Connie Johnson Hambley launches the third book in the
 Jessica Trilogy at Jabberwocky Books in Newburyport, MA

Jabberwocky Bookshop is one of the best book stores in Massachusetts. Sue Little, owner and chief book curator, has created a haven for book lovers. She has been a terrific supporter of local authors and literary events. Holding my launch events there is a win/win. Sue supports another local author and I get to support Sue. Seriously, what could be better?

Join me for a glimpse of the story behind the story, a brief reading, and WINE! Click through to this Facebook event link and mark your interest to attend and stay up-to-date on news. Oh, and while you're there, be sure to like my FB author page, too, for news and giveaways.

See you there!

EVENT: SOUTH SHORE IRISH FESTIVAL

South Shore Irish Festival​

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Place: MARSHFIELD FAIRGROUNDS

Saturday, September 9 to Sunday, September 10

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Time: All day, into evening!

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Drinking Guinness, meeting readers, and signing books? Yes! I'm looking forward to sharing some craic and listening to music and lore. I'll be joined by fellow Sisters in Crime authors Marion Stanley and Kathryn Guare. Both authors write books woven with Irish culture and mystery, and I'll be signing copies of my newest book, THE WAKE. Find the Author's Tent and sit and chat for a bit. We will have author chats on the schedule below:



Fifteen Minutes: The “Story Behind the Story” Author Talks

Saturday

• 2:00 - Connie Johnson Hambley, “The Troubles”
• 3:00 – Marian Stanley, “The Immaculate”
• 4:00 – Kathryn Guare, “Deceptive Cadence”

Sunday

• 12:00 - Kathryn Guare
• 1:00 – Marian Stanley
• 2:00 – Connie Johnson Hambley

You can find a full schedule of events and acts here.

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Join us!

SNEAK PREVIEW: THE WAKE, CHAPTER ONE

THE WAKE available for pre-order on Amazon

Tuesday, July 2, 1996

Louisville, Kentucky

JESSICA WYETH’S FEET hadn’t touched the tarmac before she knew returning to the States was a mistake. The twin engine Gulfstream V made her an easy target as she paused before descending the jet’s airstairs. Arriving at the private corporate terminal didn’t stop reporters from finding her. Questions pelted her from the group gathered at the edge of the chain link fence. Dark stains under their arms appeared each time they raised their cameras, proving the hot and humid Kentucky summer could be as oppressive as they were. They strained to grab their piece of her — the fugitive who had stopped running because she had no place to hide.

Someone must have leaked that Northern Ireland had kicked her out and questioned if the U.S. would take her in.

She was news.

Strike that.

She was their meal ticket.

“Why did you flee the United States?”

“Are you worried about other charges being pressed against you?”

“If you’re innocent, why hide?”

The cool air of the Irelands faded to memory as if it had been years since she roamed its hills rather than hours. She closed her eyes and imagined erasing the tabloid hacks with a wave of her hand while finger-snapping herself back to a normal life. Instead, thick air, laden with the stench of jet fuel, hot tar, and sweat, pushed against her as she stood in the passageway. Each click of a shutter was an electric jolt pushing her dream farther away.

Two police cars flanking a large black SUV, with blue lights flashing beneath their grill, pulled up and blocked the jet’s path. The gold seal of U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service proclaimed their purpose. A man with shorn hair opened the SUV’s passenger-side door and leaned his heft against its frame. His head angled toward the jet as he spoke into a radio mic pressed to his mouth. Aviator sunglasses shielded his eyes. Self-importance oozed out of him.

Uncertain and afraid, Jessica backed into the cocoon of the jet.

A man in his late twenties, dressed in a crisp uniform with “MMC, Ltd.” embroidered on the chest pocket, held her suitcase. Cabin Steward Devins avoided her eyes as he spoke. “I’m sorry, Miss Jessica. There’s an issue with your re-entry. I’m afraid that beefy lad doesn’t want your dainty toes on his soil,” he said, soft brogue keeping his inflection light. “May I suggest you wait here ‘til you’ve got clearance.”

 “Wait. You’re telling me that as soon as my feet hit the tarmac, they’ll handcuff me?” Her back thumped against the hatch frame in disbelief.

“Not so much handcuff you as provide an escort, but an armed one at that. I’ve not seen the inside of the terminal, but it’s a fair guess you’ll be more comfortable with us. We’ve been told the authorities’ presence is all quite routine.”

“Routine enough to send three police cars?” She dared another peek out to the tarmac. The staccato ticks of camera shutters trilled. “No. Something’s up.”

Devins’ expression darkened long enough to trigger acid to pool in the pit of her stomach.

She grappled with her thoughts and pinched the bridge of her nose. Don’t show fear. No one knows. Everything will be fine. “How long will this take?”

 “Could be days, Miss Wyeth.” Jessica turned to see the pilot standing inside the open cockpit. A pin of gold wings with “Capt. Lisbeth Laramie” engraved in block letters rested on her uniform’s navy blue lapel. The salt and pepper bun at the nape of her neck sat as neatly as it had at the beginning of their nine-hour trip from Belfast.

Captain Laramie drew in a short breath and squared her shoulders. “The only information I have is that officials in Northern Ireland contacted their counterparts in the States to inform them of their findings while we traveled.”

“What findings? Those guys are from immigration, but I’m returning to the States.” What was happening? Immigration? Oh, God.

“When one country expels a person, no other country must take them in until they’ve completed an investigation. As long as you don’t deplane, we’re cleared to take off.”

Jessica shrank into the shadow of the door as she looked at cruisers, agents, and reporters. The theater was all too perfect. Images of the inevitable headlines of the evening news tracked across her vision, marquee style — Murdering Heiress: Resurrected to a Life on the Run. She began to feel very small against the forces at work. “But, if I can’t leave, you can’t either.”

“You can leave the U.S., you just can’t enter. You’re welcome to stay aboard while the craft is serviced.” The lilt of the captain’s words did not soften their message. “We will remain on the ground for as long as it takes. I’m told legal teams in Belfast and Boston are working on your situation now.”

“Is that what this is? My situation?” Jessica laughed at the ridiculousness of her circumstance. Her situation, as the captain deftly stated, required nothing less than legal teams in two countries trying to talk logic to bureaucrats.

They’d have more luck making pigs fly.

~

You don't HAVE to read either The Charity or The Troubles to know the backstory of The Wake, but, hey, it's summer, the beach is there, and why not?

Read the award-winning THE TROUBLES

Start the trilogy from the beginning? Read THE CHARITY

So, You Want to Write a Trilogy? Never Say Never

I didn’t start out being an author by declaring I was going to write a trilogy. I wrote one novel and thought my next was going to be related only by genre. No shared characters. No continuing story lines. No recurring settings.

Boy, was I wrong.

Write a sequel? Or a series? Nope, not me! Yet, this summer marks the launch of my final installment in The Jessica Trilogy. Just goes to show that sometimes writing takes you to places you never dreamed.

So, what happened?

Simple. Readers wanted more.

I write mainstream thrillers with a strong emotional pull. I love a fast-paced plot and lots of action, but I also like to create three-dimensional characters that resonate with readers. My main character is Jessica Wyeth, a world-class equestrian with a good share of grit and a longing for a simple life in a home of her own. Events propel Jessica into a world of organized crime. Oh, and she might have fallen in love with the wrong guy.

The Charity: Witness to a gang-style slaying, a young woman is hunted to stop her from exposing the money and the people behind a Boston-based terrorist cell .

Speaking with fans of the first book, they consistently asked what happened to Jessica after The Charity ended? They wanted to know what happened next.

I realized I had the answer. I also realized I needed a lot more than knowing where Jessica went or what her next adventure was. Unlike a mystery or detective series where the sleuth solves a different crime in each series installment, I knew my story was going to evolve and deepen like Stieg Larsson’s Girl with a Dragon Tattoo, Girl Who Played with Fire, and Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest. I also knew I didn’t want a story series that could go on forever, so I decided a trilogy structure was most suited to the world and characters I was creating.

I had seeded the first book with many turning points. [Mini spoiler alert here!] The most compelling was Jessica had been raised by her aunt who turned out to be her biological mother. The question that rattled around my head was, how could a woman live with her daughter for years and never say the words, “I’m your mother.” What happened in that mother’s life to have her keep a secret like that? From that question, more flowed. My second book formed.

The Troubles: Deceived by her family, a rebellious woman seeks to unearth how Northern Ireland’s Troubles are buried in her mother’s secret past.

I must have done something right, because fans loved the direction of the story. Think sweeping, multi-generational tale ala Colleen McCullough meets the world of John Grisham’s tightly knit thrillers. The Troubles won Best Fiction at the EQUUS Film Festival in New York City. Why is the EQUUS award a big deal? Horses play a large part in Jessica’s life and each book features an equestrian discipline. When concocting the plot for The Wake, I knew the discipline I was going to focus on was Hippotherapy, horse-based therapy for physical, occupational, and behavioral needs.

As Jessica’s backstory deepened, so did the complexity of her life. The stickiest question was the trilogy’s secondary main character, Michael. Michael is a tortured soul. He loves Jessica, but forces beyond his control test his loyalties. Going back to the first book, I had opened questions about him I needed to close. A recurring theme in each book was the struggle of a strong moral code in the face of extreme pressure. The main question I needed to answer was, is a terrorist born or made? From that question flowed, what does that look like? How far will someone go for love?

The Wake: A shattered heiress’ family secret is exploited by her spurned lover to blackmail her into engaging in international terrorism.

Hmm. I guess from the log line above you can see how Jessica and Michael’s relationship is going. The Wake is already gathering great reviews. I’m excited about each one, but receiving praise from the CEO of the Professional Association of TherapeuticHorsemanship International is wonderful. Not only did I write another suspense-filled tale, but highlighting horses’ therapeutic value gave my story and my characters another dimension.

I realized I could have written ten thrillers with the world I created for this trilogy, but I’m glad I decided to keep with the trilogy structure.

With The Wake's launch a little over a month away, you still have time to catch up on the story! Follow the links above and get your copy today!

Connie Johnson Hambley's newest book, THE WAKE, is coming this summer!

THE WAKE: Is a terrorist born or made?

World-class equestrian, Jessica Wyeth, is thrust into the middle of a game of geopolitical warfare. Reeling from revelations of her connection to the violent struggles to expunge Britain from Northern Ireland, she’s blocked by unseen forces from returning to the United States. 

The facts of Jessica’s birth become her deepest secret. Her late mother was considered by Northern Ireland to be a terrorist and her father is a key negotiator between violent Irish Republican Army (IRA) factions in Belfast and the British Government.

Jessica vows to keep her father’s identity hidden at all costs.

Only one man knows Jessica’s truth. Michael Connaught, heir to an international crime family who profits from political uprisings, struggles with his own legacy. He is torn between protecting the woman he loves or using her secrets as a catalyst for inciting global unrest.

When a terrorist bomb rips through the crowd at the Atlanta-based Summer Olympic Games, Jessica is forced to fight for her life in ways she never dreamed.

Countdown to Launch: THE WAKE has early fans!

I've been very excited and pleased with the early response to THE WAKE and want to share a few reviews with you. 

“What a wonderful read. Connie Johnson Hambley does a masterful job of weaving the incredible healing power and positive impact of the horse into an edge of your seat story. It’s very clear that Jessica’s healing–both emotional and physical–is intertwined with horses. But that is just one of the facets to this multi-layered story that keeps you riveted throughout the tale.”

– KATHY ALM, CEO of PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION OF THERAPEUTIC HORSEMANSHIP INTERNATIONAL

“In The Wake, Connie Johnson Hambley delivers a fast-paced, emotional conclusion to The Jessica Triology, a series that focuses on competitive steeplechase rider Jessica Wyeth and her search for answers to long-held family secrets. The political background of a divided Ireland and acts of terrorism on behalf of nationalism make this an especially timely book, and horse lovers will fall in love with Hambley's powerful portrayal of the deep, healing bond between horses and humans.” 

—HOLLY ROBINSON, AUTHOR of FOLLY COVE

“For fans of high speed suspense, international political intrigue, and strong female characters, Connie Johnson Hambley delivers on all fronts in The Wake. This third book in the Jessica Trilogy is as exciting as Hambley's first two titles, and Jessica Wyeth is a compelling heroine that lives on in the reader's imagination. A terrific read!”

– LAURA MOORE, AUTHOR of ONCE TEMPTED





It's not too late to begin the trilogy from the beginning. Click through for more information.

ELLEN BURKE: A HERO ON THE HOME FRONT by Ellen B. Alden

I met Ellen at an Irish festival near Boston, Massachusetts and was instantly intrigued with her book. A trove of forgotten letters in a dusty attic ignited her desire to learn more about the role her family played in the Civil War. Ellen and I shared the linkage of Irish ancestry and a desire to tell Ireland's history through our books. I know you'll enjoy meeting Ellen here. If you're in the Boston area, come meet us both at Dorchester's Irish Heritage Festival.

              

Ellen Burke: A Hero on the Home Front

My historical novel is entitled, Yours Faithfully, Florence Burke and it is based on my great, great grandfather’s Civil War letters.  Florence Burke, a strapping, determined man, is an Irish immigrant volunteering for war in the place of a wealthy banker in exchange for a piece of farmland. He needed land in order to improve the lives of his beloved family and in order to apply for citizenship. Florence became a soldier for the 37^th Mass volunteers. While he was fighting in Virginia he wrote love letters to his wife Ellen and his three children back home in West Springfield, MA. There’s no doubt that Florence was a hero to his family, enlisting to improve the lives of those he loved.

But there is another person, a quiet, unlikely hero named Ellen Burke who is thrown into an unimaginable situation and emerges as a strong, resilient “guardian of the home front.” When Ellen learns that her beloved husband Florence has volunteered for war without her knowledge or approval she is shattered and frightened. How will she keep her children safe and well through the harsh New England winter? How will she manage a new farm on her own? How will she support her embattled husband? How can she do this alone?

After Florence heads off for training camp Ellen manages to put aside her resentment and concentrate on providing food, shelter and love for her children.  She is alone now and must make all the decisions for her family. But the battles on the home front have just begun.  Ellen faces winter storms, thieves, disparaging rumors and illness. Through it all, she remains steady and confident, and acts as a strong mother and “stand in” father. Besides family and property management, Ellen also finds herself battling with the prominent town councilman who promised her husband a deed to a parcel of land in exchange for his conscription.  

In Florence’s absence she must fight for this legal contract and other specific trade agreements. Ellen has never even entered her city’s Town Hall and now she finds herself in a man’s world, fighting for what is rightly owed to her husband and her family.  Standing on her own and taking responsibility for all the household duties, Ellen transforms from a meek, naïve woman, to a strong, self-confidant mother, wife and friend. She even manages to rise above her anger and feelings of betrayal toward her husband, Florence. She focuses on staying strong for her children and using her mental and physical strength to cultivate her farm and keep her family consoled.

Ellen uses every resource available to her in order to survive during war time. She seeks help from neighbors, friends and family and the advice from local professionals.  She’s a strong Irish immigrant whose wit, fierce determination and unconditional love see her through many difficult times. To her children, neighbors, and friends—and especially to me, she is a true hero!

~~~

Ellen B. Alden is a dynamic first time author who began the journey of writing after discovering an old leather box filled with nineteen Civil War letter in her attic. The letters were written from her Irish immigrant great, great grandfather, to his wife and children at home in Western Massachusetts. Ever since that day Ellen has worked tirelessly to learn their story and bring it to life through this novel. She travelled to Ireland several times to meet with a local historian, to explore her ancestry and to research the Great Potato Famine.

Ellen is a graduate of St. Michael’s college in Vermont. She earned a teaching degree from Pepperdine University in Malibu, California and then attended Merrimack College Graduate school of Education. She has worked as an elementary school teacher and she has also dappled in the wine business. She earned wine certificates at Boston Universities Elizabeth Bishop Wine Resource Center and worked as a wine consultant for several liquor stores and a winery.

After living in Los Angeles, London and Boston, Ellen calls Andover, Massachusetts her home.  She lives here with her husband Michael, her three children Nathan, Liam and Jillian, and her two dogs Moxie and Frosty.

Dorchester Irish Heritage Festival

EVENT CANCELED DUE TO RAIN.

Feeling like your Irish is a mite bit low these days? Come to the Irish Heritage Festival and replenish on food, song, and BOOKS!

Celebrate Irish heritage with song, drink, laughter, and craic. (Don't know what craic is? Well, you have to come and see for yourself!) I'll be at the Dorchester Irish Heritage Festival to sign copies of "The Troubles" and will certainly have copies of "The Charity" on hand for the uninitiated!

Check out the musicians and dancers who will be attending! New England's best Irish acts will be taking the stage for a great way to enjoy your Sunday!

Florian Hall

Dorchester

South Shore Irish Festival

Join me for two days of all things Irish at the Marshfield Fair Grounds.

A beautiful location filled with song and laughter? Count me in! Celebrate Irish heritage with song, drink, laughter, and craic at the South Shore Irish Festival. (Don't know what craic is? Well, you have to come and see for yourself!) I've been invited to sign "The Troubles" and will certainly have copies of "The Charity" on hand for the uninitiated!

I'll be joining Ellen Alden, author of "Faithfully Yours," and Dick Flavin, poet laureate of the Boston Red Sox and author of "Red Sox Rhymes."

It's wonderful to be invited as a featured author for any event, but to be included in these annual Irish heritage festival is so exciting! I know my books raise a few eyebrows in certain circles. I can see folks wondering what this American lass is doing writing about Northern Ireland's troubles. I've had my politics tested and heard incredible stories of Irish oppression directly from those who have experienced it. I'm looking forward to signing books, chatting with readers, and sharing some craic.