VintageVonnie

MARIE COLLIGAN -- Author

2012-02-16T14:34:00.000-05:00

My guest on Vintage Vonnie today is artist and author Marie Colligan. Marie and I are members of the same writers' group--Hillcity Writers. Her debut book, Marcel's Gift, was released the day after Valentine's Day, so she is a newbie. Not only that, but this is her first guest blogging experience, so be gentle with her.

The blurb for Marcel's Gift is:

One heart: two men.

She's found the love of her life, too bad it isn't the man she's in love with. Love is fickle. It comes disguised in many forms.

It sneaked up on Canadian artist, Solange Bernard, like an intangible fog, breathing its magic whispers into her heart--compelling her, bewitching her, smothering her in the enchantment that was Ambrose. Her heart should have warned her when it recognized loves' breathless spell. But she threw off the trappings of guilt and sin and wrapped herself in the shining aura of divine pleasure and discovery with Ambrose.

However, one question loomed with its confounding answer. "How was it possible for her to love two men at the same time...her husband and a priest of the Catholic Church?"

Marie, being the sweet person she is, has agreed to answer some questions. Your book takes place in many settings, doesn't it? Yes, my heroine travels to Arles, France for a workshop on watercolors and en plein air painting. While there, she is entranced by both the beauty of the area and by a handsome stranger she meets.

En Plein Air painters love painting outside, making use of the sun's effects on objects.

Lovely gardens and arches in Arles.

Other locations in my book include Avignon, St. Remy's and Africa...and, of course, Canada.

Market area of Avignon.

Gardens in St. Remy's

What is your life like away from the computer? Tell us something about your household. Jazzie, my cat, wants to know if you have any kitty-pusses. Life away from the computer is rare. My husband has taken over the duties of grocery shopper and loading and unloading the dishwasher. He even cooks on occasion. He’s a gem. We’ve been married 45 years and I still feel I’m lucky to have found him. But my constant companion when I’m slaving away churning out chapters in the dungeon (what we call our downstairs den) is my rascal dachshund, Ebenezer (Ebbie).

What authors and genres do you like to read? My all time favorite is Charles Dickens. I’ve read “A Tale of Two Cities” three times. I really don’t have a favorite contemporary author; I go more by the book subject than the author. Love non-fiction stuff written about string theory and the universe(s) by Brian Greene. He makes me feel smart.

Do you enter writing contests? If so, has this been a positive experience for you? I’ve been lucky. This past year I won an Honorable Mention and two Frist Place awards for fiction.

Do you ever dream of writing in a different genre? MARCEL’S GIFT is a contemporary love story. My WIP (working title “Lady Mirielle’s Flight) is an historical (middle ages) woman’s fiction. (Oy, the research!)

What part of the writing process brings you the most pleasure? I get the most pleasure from writing when I am totally absorbed in my characters. I want my readers to fall in love with my hero and become my heroine. I just killed off a secondary character in my historical piece, I cried all afternoon. The most angst? P.O.V.

Tell us about your release. Do you have an excerpt to share?

Yes, two in fact. It all started with a dream…

I pulled the international phone card I had purchased when I arrived in France from my wallet. I scanned the instructions. "Oh no! It's in French," I blurted out loud.

I heard a bit of muffled laughter and looked behind me to the row of parked cars at the curb.

Leaning against a small gray car stood a tall man whose good looks placed second only to some of Hollywood's movie stars. The tangle of his curly, almost black hair—the black of shiny French jet—ringed his handsome face, and his engaging smile could melt any icy heart or change a warm heart into an inferno. My gaze lingered a little too long.

"Pardonez-moi, Madame, may I be of assistance?" He smiled at me.

"Oh, thank you .Yes, please. I can't use my phone card. It's written in French." My note of desperation obvious in my voice.

"Allow me." Still smiling, he took the card from my hand. Our fingers brushed. He inserted it into the slot, never breaking eye contact with me as he pressed buttons and spoke French to an operator. He asked me for the phone number I wanted to call and when I gave him the country code, he stopped. "Not the United States?" His voice caused little ripples in my heartbeat.

"No, it's for Canada."

He completed getting the number, and as he handed the phone back to me, our fingers brushed for just an instant. In one fleeting moment of contact, a sensual tremor washed through me. I had to juggle the phone to keep it from falling out of my trembling hands.

"You will have a connection shortly." His eyes danced with a devilish twinkle as he returned the phone card to me.

What a flirt! Typical Frenchman.

****

Late afternoon…the perfect time for a pastis, the favorite apèritif in this part of southern France

In the warmth of what began as a perfect afternoon in Avignon, had just become a nightmare.

Ambrose and I stared at each other—two frozen spirits—wanting to say so much knowing our days together would end tomorrow when I boarded a plane back to my home outside of Quebec.

We sat close. Our fingers barely touched. Ambrose's powerful eyes looked down into mine perhaps searching for the heart of my innermost thoughts and feelings. My eyes, filled with tears of heartbreak. I looked up into his eyes wondering if the feelings I could not express and the thoughts I dared not admit even to myself, merged with my silent words and were understood only by Ambrose D'Arcy, the broken man sitting beside me.

The words he just spoke couldn't have been sharper had they been etched on the icy steel blade of a guillotine just unlashed, and careening down its course to leave in its wake the splintered remains of my heart.

A refugee tear escaped from my eye and Ambrose, with a gentle, sorrowful smile, wiped away my transgression. He leaned closer to me, head bent, to administer his intended kiss. The kiss I had yearned for and fantasized about for days.

Without thinking, I put my free hand to his chest to repel his advance. My action seemed to surprise him. Immediately, his expression changed from deeply caring to deeply hurt; his gaze begged forgiveness. "I'm so sorry, Solange, forgive me, please."

With great difficulty I spoke. My emotions and my constricting throat, acting in concert, betrayed my mixed feelings of abandonment and grief.

"Let's not start something...we...can't finish." The words filtered through my tears. "But…I want you to know…I will dream all my life of this kiss I didn't accept."

Vonie, you are an angel. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to celebrate the release of my debut novel, MARCEL’S GIFT, on your blog. Yes, the dream has become a reality. Everyone is asking me if I am excited. Truth be known, I’m more nervous than excited.

I do have a “teaser” on my blog site http://www.mariecolligan.blogspot.com, but the real deal is available on Amazon.com thru Echelon Press.

The buy link is: http://amzn.to/wsC4Ga

FREE...FREE...FREE!

2012-02-11T21:23:00.000-05:00

ON VALENTINE'S DAY! - THE PHANTOM LADY OF PARIS - WILL BE AVAILABLE AS A FREE DOWNLOAD AS PART OF AMAZON'S KINDLE DIRECT PROGRAM.

If you haven't read Calvin's book, you're in for a treat. He'll take you to Paris on a magic carpet ride of words. Calvin lived in Paris for a year, 1968-69, while on sabbatical. During that time he wrote at sidewalk cafes and absorbed French culture. He filled many notebooks with stories.

When he and I married, I found a stack of notebooks collecting dust in a basement closet. I scanned through them and found something delightful. I carried them to him and said, "Honey, you have to do something with these."

Slowly he converted hand-written pages to computer files. He wrote and rewrote scenes, infusing them with that magical spirit that is Calvin. Yes, I am a tad prejudiced.

Excerpt:

The Phantom Lady of Paris? I knew her well. On the other hand—as I later discovered—I didn’t know her at all. The woman did everything wrong. She did nothing wrong. She was a Jezebel, deceptive in every way. I’ve never known a more honest and straightforward person. During our relationship, she kept me constantly jittery and perturbed. The happiest days of my life were those I shared with the Phantom Lady of Paris. They were the golden days, the good times, good, that is, until…

An Amazon Review:

An amazing trip back to 1968 Paris. A time of turmoil and tragedy with the Vietnam war raging. Mr. Davis has woven a tale full of marvelous characters living in the City of Light.As with the US, Paris is having its similar issues with the War. Protesters, revolutionaries, teachers, and others come to Paris to find or escape themselves. In Paris, they feel they can find the answers with other like minded. Some become disillusioned and walk a dangerous path,others find friendships that will touch there lives forever. The Phantom Lady is the person I think most of us wish we could be.. Although sometimes exasperating and secretive, she is magic and love and kindness in a time where the world is in despair. This is a story that will stay with you long after you finish the book. It will pull you to Paris...to the cafes and bridges...to the people that walk its streets...and to its ghosts. I highly recommend this book. A bit a history woven with unforgettable characters. You won't want to put it down. -- by Lisa Franklin, Rochester, NY

GIFT YOURSELF WITH A FREE DOWNLOAD FROM AMAZON ON VALENTINE'S DAY. http://amzn.to/ofLpOD

JANNINE GALLANT -- AUTHOR

2012-02-08T20:05:00.001-05:00

My guest today is vivacious Jannine Gallant, a fellow Rose with a novella scheduled for the Honky Tonk Hearts series, of which I'm a contributing author. Jannine is also an important part of the international blog, Roses of Prose, of which I'm honored to contribute to twice a month. So you see we run into each other online quite often.

Jannine has had a lifetime love affair with the outdoors. She grew up in a tiny town in Northern California, where kids swam in the river, ran wild in the woods, and rode their bikes everywhere they wanted to go. Now she lives in Tahoe City with her husband, two daughters, and dog, Ginger. When she’s not busy writing or being a full time mom, she enjoys taking Ginger for hikes in the woods around her home.

Whether she’s writing romantic suspense, contemporary, or historical romance, she tries to bring her beloved beauty of nature into her stories.

Weather as a Plot Device

I’d like to thank my friend, Vonnie, for having me on her beautiful blog today to promote my new release, Bittersweet. But first, let’s talk weather. It affects all of us, whether we’re basking in the sun and enjoying a beautiful day, or swearing at the three feet of snow in the driveway that has to be shoveled before we can get our kids to school. We all love to talk about it, predict it, watch it on the weather channel… But I digress. How do we use weather in our writing?

Hollywood has certainly capitalized on its impact over the years. The Perfect Storm wouldn’t have been much of a box office hit on a cloudless day. As for Twister —enough said! But weather also creates atmosphere.

Fargo is a good example, all that snow building tension… And how about Michael Douglass, stuck in a car with faulty air conditioning in the middle of a traffic jam in a heat wave. Is it any wonder he snapped in Falling Down?

Weather may trigger the entire plot of the book. Vonnie and I, along with our fellow Roses of Prose, co-wrote a novella called A Holiday to Remember about two people stuck together in a freak snowstorm. Or, weather can be used at key turning points, to create a situation. In Bittersweet, my heroine, Tess’s house is flooded by the rising creek in a rainstorm, forcing her to seek temporary shelter with the hero, Daniel. Okay, big deal, you say. But, a thunderstorm wakes them in the night, and Tess and Daniel see each other in a different light. It may have something to do with their skimpy attire at the time… LOL Later in the book, a drought threatens their corn crop, forcing them to work together to save it. Another turning point in the book.

So, if you’re an author, let’s hear how you’ve used weather in your books. If you’re a reader, tell us some of your favorite weather inspired scenes. Enquiring minds…

Blurb:

Eight months after her husband is killed in a train robbery, Tess Moran knows she must pick up the pieces of her shattered life and build a future for herself and her infant daughter. Daniel Moran’s love for Tess is bittersweet. Acting on his feelings for his sister-in-law will betray his dead brother’s memory. Watching her search for love elsewhere may very well destroy him.

In 1880, life in rural Colorado is filled with hard work and simple pleasures, but trouble looms on the horizon. Together Tess and Daniel battle drought and the outlaw who killed the man they both loved, but the greatest challenge of all is finding solace for their battered hearts.

You can find me at:

Website: http://www.janninegallant.com/

Personal Blog: http://janninegallant.blogspot.com/

Group Blog: http://rosesofprose.blogspot.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/#!/JannineGallant.Author

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/JannineGallant

Publisher Buy Link: http://www.whiskeycreekpress.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=964

JUNE 27TH -- RELEASE DATE!

2012-02-06T21:53:00.001-05:00

I received the release date for Those Violet Eyes: June 27th. This novella, or Miniature Rose in The Wild Rose Press lingo, is "Spicy" in heat level.

Blurb: Evie Caldwell hates her life. Five years ago, she gave up college and her dream of teaching to care for her ailing mother. Now, she's trapped taking care of her worthless brother and the family ranch. Waiting tables to earn her way out of Texas, the last thing she wants is a muscleman with a macho Marine attitude complicating her life. But, oh, how that man makes her insides melt.

Wounded vet Win Fairchild returns to Texas to heal, find a piece of his soul, and open a ranch for amputee children. Finding someone to love is not on his agenda. But when he starts work at the Lonesome Steer Honky Tonk, a spitfire with violet eyes and a major attitude instantly captures his heart.

Evie just wants to escape, but now that Win knows what he wants, can he convince Evie to stay in Texas—and his bed?

Excerpt:

Evie charged through the swinging door to the kitchen and skidded to a stop. It couldn’t be. Although his back was toward her, there was no mistaking the height and the broad muscled shoulders. This mystery nephew of Gus’s was the guy who’d remarked on her eyes. Her stomach did a little twitchy dance, nerves no doubt. She ran her suddenly damp palms over her short skirt and cleared her throat. “Excuse me. Win?”

No answer.

She took a couple steps closer and noticed he was washing vegetables under a spray of water. “Win?”

No reply.

Evie rolled her eyes and stepped behind him, tapping him on the back. The man dropped the strainer, swung around and grabbed her forearms. In a flurry of movement, he snatched her off the floor and backed her against the stainless steel counter. Cold wet hands viced her arms. Her eyes snapped wide and the air whooshed from her lungs when his body slammed into hers.

“Don’t do that!” Win’s eyes were narrowed and his breathing rapid. His jaw was clenched and a vein bulged in his forehead. The man was every inch the warrior, every hard tensed inch. He held her mid-air, so close they were nearly eyeball to eyeball. As his gaze traveled over her face and awareness evidently crept in as to the sex of his attacker, several inches of his frame hardened even more.

Evie swallowed. Oh, good Lord.

He glared and his nostrils flared.

“I…I’m sorry. I called your name, but…but you didn’t answer. I was only trying to get your attention.” Her lips twitched at the humor in the situation. Hadn’t Keira told her the man lost part of his hearing? Evidently she’d startled him. Poor soul. She felt a portion of herself return. A portion she’d hidden for so long; that light-hearted part of her soul that teased and cajoled. “Honest, I wasn’t trying to attack you.” She placed an open palm on his defined pecs and patted. “You’re safe with me, big guy.” Just to rattle him some more, she winked.

Win’s hazel eyes flashed for a second. Then he slowly leaned in and whispered in her ear, “You’re not safe with me.”

SWEETEST BLOGGER AWARD --

2012-02-04T23:11:00.004-05:00

I was wondering what to fix for dinner when I opened Calisa Rhose's email. I wiped the drool from my chin and gained 5 pounds just from looking at the award.

Calisa is author of the Vietnam era romance, Home. As I wrote in my Amazon review, her historically accurate details of clothing, music, cars, attitudes and morals were very true to the era. I graduated from high school in '66, so reading her story truly was like going home for me. You may find her blog at http://calisarhose.wordpress.com/

Along with the blogger award comes a requirement. I have to share seven things about myself. These are supposed to be things people may not know about me.

Here are my seven:
1. When not writing or reading, I love to draw blueprints for houses.
2. I was 45 when I started college...typical granny goes to college story. I became the "poster child" for Penn State for non-traditional students by way of posters, interviews and speaking to women's groups.
3. I wrote plays put on by Penn State students and also for a non-profit theatre group.
4. I used to work on engines at a Mack Truck plant.
5. In high school I fell UP the bus steps. Graceful, I'm not.
6. While in Berlin, I got in trouble trying to get into a Jewish synogague. It's a long story that involves a metal detector, an open fly and being unable to speak German. Plus, those German security guards have NO sense of humor...sigh.
7. I was, for a few years, a motorcycle momma.

Introducing THOSE VIOLET EYES

2012-01-21T12:50:00.002-05:00

Nearly a year ago a call went out from The Wild Rose Press about a new series: Honky Tonk Hearts. The editor was clear in what she wanted.

"Lonely hearts seem to gravitate to the Lonesome Steer Honky Tonk. Owner and bartender, Gus Rankin, has seen his share of the wandering souls cross his bar and dance floor over the years—he'd even like to think he helped a few find true love along the way. (Word count: 20,000-40,000)

One pivotal scene MUST take place at the Lonesome Steer Honky Tonk. This could be the hero and heroine's first meeting, the black moment, big finale, a scene where important information is divulged or an important realization is made etc."

And so I wondered could I write a short story? I tend to write on the "long" side. I had an opening scene in mind: Win, my hero, easing his Harley onto the parking lot of the Lonesome Steer Honky Tonk on a cloud of dust.

I knew my characters "points of pain." That's a term I've coined for when I create my heroine and hero. You see, I create them from the inside out. Once I know their points of pain--and we all have them--those points (or push buttons) create their personalities. My heroine's points of pain were never measuring up to her older brother in her parents' eyes and the promise her dying Momma exacted from her to always care for her older brother. My hero's points of pain? He's an ex-Marine who lost part of a leg in Iraq. He's suffering PTSD.

Writing the story was fun. Evie is a spunky woman, a little angry at the world. Win--a dream, ladies--is fractured by the war, yet he has a dream: to operate a ranch for children with amputeed limbs. The sparks between these two was a delight to write. So, I take this time to introduce my new literary baby.

Here's the blurb:

Evie Caldwell hates her life. Five years ago, she gave up college and her dream of teaching to care for her ailing mother. Now, she’s trapped taking care of her worthless brother and the family ranch. Waiting tables to earn her way out of Texas, the last thing she wants is a muscleman with a macho Marine attitude complicating her life. But, oh, how that man makes her insides melt.

Wounded vet Win Fairchild returns to Texas to heal, find a piece of his soul, and open a ranch for amputee children. Finding someone to love is not on his agenda. But when he starts work at the Lonesome Steer Honky Tonk, a spitfire with violet eyes and a major attitude instantly captures his heart.

Evie just wants to escape, but now that Win knows what he wants, can he convince Evie to stay in Texas—and his bed?

RELEASE DATE -- JUNE 27th.

TALKING ABOUT MY WRITING BUDDY --

2012-01-08T12:43:00.002-05:00

Some of you know about our cat, Jazie Miles Davis, also known as Bad Puss. He is sitting beside me now, purring and pawing me so I scratch him. It wouldn't be so bad if he enjoyed having his head rubbed or an occasional scratch behind the ears, but he likes his rump scratched. Now tell me, how can I write serious fiction when a spoiled tabby backs up to me and points to his bumm with a furry paw? I'm telling you, it can't be done.

Jazie was nearly grown when we got him. He belonged to a friend of a friend, who no longer wanted him. Calvin insisited he go to the vet before we brought him home. Once the vet declared him healthy and free from ear mites and fleas, we brought him to his new abode, or would that be castle? Two weeks later we had him neutered, and he still hasn't forgiven Calvin for carrying him in for the proceedure.

He's added a lot to our household. There's just something soothing about a cat's purr. Or comical about the way a cat sees his universe. If one of the cats who roams our neighborhood has the audacity to step onto our back patio and look in our French doors, Jazie growls and makes a lip smaking sound. If he happens to be napping elsewhere when the visitor appears, all I have to say is, "I see the kitty-kitty," and Jazie comes barreling out, skidding to a stop at the doors, ready to do battle. To protect his turf and feed bowl.

Dare I mention the monster that lives in the DVD player? Everytime the door opens, Jazie is there, batting at it. One of these days he's going to slay that Drawer-Monster!

Jazie loves to play catch. I wave his toy around and then toss it. He scurries across the floor, feet skittering as he skids to a halt at the toy. He picks it up in his mouth and returns it to my feet. He looks up at me, which is my cue to pet him and say, "Good boy." And then throw it again.

I spend a lot of writing hours in my recliner, writing on my laptop. Jazie curls up beside my legs and sleeps. When an empty tummy disturbs his feline slumber, he moves to the armrest, where he places one paw on my cheek as if to say, "Hey! Fill my feed bowl, oh, lowly servant." If I ignore him, he allows one claw to poke out on his paw and he gently biffs me on the end of my nose for a treat. Calvin has him on a diet, though, and Bad Puss is not too happy there are no treats to be had. For a while his tummy swayed from side-to-side when he ran, and we were concerned about his expanding waistline.

I would not want to imply that Jazie is spoiled, but he does have his own Twitter account with forty-eight followers. The bad thing is I think he's been on Twitter begging for people to send him treats. Strange packages arrive here from time-to-time addressed to him. You can follow him @JazieMilesDavis. But under NO condition should you send him treats. He's still got a caseful sent here by SparkleCat. I bet if SparkleCat knew Jazie was neutered, she wouldn't be so sparkly! The hussy.

What about you? Do you have pets with attitude?

STARTING 2012 WITH A CONTEST!

2012-01-01T13:07:00.000-05:00

Well folks, the hoopla is over. Christmas is behind us for a few months, at least until Halloween when stores start playing "Have a Jolly Holly Christmas." The excitement of New Years Eve is now gonging in our heads, or didn't you indulge? Today it's pork and saurkraut and football games. Tomorrow, the reality of routine.

I'm wading through edits my agent wants in Rain is a Love Song, a romantic suspense set in Paris and Budapest. The story involves an American crime scene photographer and a hunky French counterterrorism agent trying to stop The Red Hand, a group of terrorists. This is book two of a trilogy. Book one, Mona Lisa's Room, is under contract and survived the first round of edits with my editor.

How many times does a book go through edits, you ask? Depends on the quality of the publisher, don't you think? Some are so woefully understaffed, that poor writing often slides through. I'm glad my publisher, The Wild Rose Press, is so strict. Why? Because I'm still unsure of my writing abilities. Oh, the stupid mistakes I make...groans and slaps forehead.

Believe me, there's nothing so humbling as going through edits. I keep thinking I'm getting stronger, that I'm learning to avoid the same old mistakes. Before I send any writing project away again, I'm doing a search for the word "was". That bad boy slips in my sentences far too frequently. Then there's the pesky "that" or "just". And WHY can't I start a sentence with "and"? It's a transitional phrase, is it not?

Since you've been so kind to read my rant, I'm giving away a free eCopy of Storm's Interlude to one lucky commenter. So leave a comment and your email address so I can reach you should your name be drawn. And, folks, have a grand, happy, healthy 2012. Hugs!

CALISA RHOSE--Romance Author

2011-12-27T19:23:00.000-05:00

We're having a party at Vintage Vonnie today! Welcome! My guest is romance author, Calisa Rhose. We're celebrating her release--TODAY, in fact--of her debut story, Home. Isn't the cover dreamy?

I am so excited to be here with you, Vonnie! Thank you for helping me celebrate the release TODAY of my first book with The Wild Rose Press. HOME is available NOW!!!!! And it felt like this day would never come but it is here! To celebrate, I’m at two blogs today. After you comment here, hop over to AJ Nuest’s Tattered Pages and leave a comment for another chance to win your own copy of HOME!

Whistle! Confetti! Streamers!

So let’s get on with this countdown!!!!

DAY FOUR!!!

Calisa, being the sweet person she is, has agreed to answer some questions I sent her.

1. What is your life like away from the computer? Tell us something about your household. Jazzie, my cat, wants to know if you have any kitty-pusses. Life away from the computer usually has me going to work or somewhere with my darlin’ hubby. After 28 years I love that we aren’t totally sick of one another. Lol I spent time with my beautiful granddaughters when I can, because they just grow up SO fast! And, yes, Jazzie. I have a very spoiled Himalayan Siamese Persian named Trouble, and her moniker suits her perfectly.

2. What authors and genres do you like to read? I mostly like contemporary and paranormal genres. As for the authors, I read everyone I think. I have your book on my Kindle, in fact, I have dozens of Wild Rose Press authors waiting for me to read! But I love Ms. Nora Roberts and Sharon Sala. I love reading new authors and new to me authors. I have been known to read the occasional historical, steampunk or fantasy, too, if they catch me in the right mood.

3. Do you enter writing contests? If so, has this been a positive experience for you? Before publishing I entered exactly one contest of which I didn’t even final in. lol I always ‘plan’ to enter, but just never do. I’m thinking of entering the local rwa chapter contest again this year, though.

4. Do you ever dream of writing in a different genre? As a contemporary author, I don’t normally write historical- so I guess you could say HOME IS my venture into ‘another genre.’ I’m also working on some paranormal works.

5. What part of the writing process brings you the most pleasure? The most angst? Everyone says it’s the first idea that excites them the most. I’m no different in that, but writing THE END gives me a thrill like nothing else can. To know I have given that first spark of an idea life by finishing the story is nice. On the flip-side, I hate that part in the middle when all intelligent creativity seems to fly out the window, you can’t figure out how to breathe new life into a wilting wip to reach the end. Ugh! I shiver to think about it. lol

6. What are you currently working on? Right now I’m trying to get through that lifeless middle on a cowboy novella that I hope to submit as part of a series for TWRP’s Yellow Rose line. I’m also and constantly thinking and adding to one or another of five shifter books in a paranormal series. Yes, I work on all simultaneously, but that works since it’s a continuity series.

7. What is one of your most embarrassing or laughable moments? That would be the night I watched a crush next door undress for bed and he turned to face the window just as he unzipped those tight levis. The curtains were wide open facing my house and I was all teen-agnsty-eyes as he began to ease the jeans down...and then his little brother flipped the light out at THAT moment. Then a few weeks later crush boy, Nick, let me know he knew I was watching! I could have died. Then he said he didn’t mind and when would I return the favor?... OMG!!! That scene may make it into a book some day.

Oh, hon, I think you should use it. What a hoot!!

8. Tell us about your current release…or soon to be release. HOME is a story about hope and love in a time when people were more focused on the Vietnam war and all its ramifications. Two unlikely people, each fighting stigmas from a town they had always called home and differences in their pasts, find hope and a future together when all seems lost. Will they each realize home is more than a geological location, or people they thought cared? I hope you read HOME to find out.

BLURB:

What could a gypsy and a Vietnam veteran have in common?

Silvertown’s outcast, Poppy Tippen, has loved football hero Sam “The Force” Callahan forever. But he never seemed to know she was alive. Now he’s home from the war and she suddenly finds herself comforting him from the demons of “that damn war.” Is his attention merely an escape from the haunting nightmares? Or does she hold the interest of the only man she’s ever truly loved?

Sam Callahan’s only solace from the war nightmares wrecking his life comes in the unlikely form of a gypsy girl with stigmas of her own. He’s known Poppy his entire life, but there’s something different about her now. Something special he desperately wants to hold on to. Can he convince her she’s the only thing he needs to put the past behind him?

Excerpt:

“I’ll always want you, Poppy.”

Her head shook in automatic denial. “You’ll want a girl who fits your life. Not some gypsy with no family lineage to brag about. Your momma won’t accept that, either. She’ll make you choose someone like Connie, someone who fits into your world. Not the girl everyone avoids and whispers about behind her back. You’re gonna be the town’s doctor. You need an uppity wife who will make you proud.”

When Sam laughed, his chest shuddered against her back. Deep, husky, real. He turned her in his arms and looked down at her, smiling. “Poppy, do you honestly think I give a damn what people think? Look at me! I’m the town outcast, the survivor who should have died saving the others, not be here planning a future that includes a wife, a medical practice. “I shimmy under park benches, run from my mother’s lipstick, for God’s sake. I wake up screaming and crying over nothing in the middle of the night, crawl under my bed and hide, shaking, until morning. Hell, I can’t even be a doctor because I haven’t finished school yet.”

“I didn’t know. It must be awful for you.” No matter how it hurt Poppy to know he used her, it felt much worse to know how he hurt alone. “The only time it isn’t awful is when I’m with you. When I think of you.”

Get your copy of HOME at The Wild Rose Press. Buy link is: http://bit.ly/sdT0E9
Or order at Amazon: http://amzn.to/vmLNov

Small-town country girl Calisa Rhose lives in a semi-remote area of Oklahoma with her husband, five dogs and one horse. All of her three daughters and their families live within throwing distance. She’s a member of RWA and the local chapter OKRWA. She intends to nurture and continue to grow as an author with the help of her family and supporters.

Find Calisa at her website/blog http://calisarhose.wordpress.com

On twitter @Calisa_Rhose and Facebook @Calisa Rhose

She loves to hear from readers so drop her a line at calisa.rhose@gmail.com

ATTENTION:

The day following the New Years Day party, on my blog, I will be giving away the first copy of HOME to one lucky commenter! The more you comment this week, the greater your chance to win! Don’t forget to leave your EMAIL ADDRESS in all your comments this week! Be sure to come to my BIG SALE PARTY on my blog on January 1, 2012!

You can find the full tour schedule on my website at the link above.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL!

2011-12-23T21:45:00.000-05:00

As you are busy making memories from Christms 2011, enjoy the season of sharing.

Not giving.

Sharing.

Share your smile, your love, your time with others.

We live in a world where human touch is fading.

Our friends are online.

We keep up with families via email and facebook.

Hugs, holding hands during tough times and the touch of a caress are fading from our lives.

So, this Christmas, share yourself.

Enjoy the decorations, the lights, the smells and the hustle of the season.

Most of all enjoy yourself.

For when we love ourselves, we open the doorway to love all mankind.

From my heart to yours...

ANGELA ADAMS -- Romance Author

2011-12-19T22:54:00.001-05:00

I've got a special guest on Vintage Vonnie today. Author Angela Adams. We met online through From the Heart Romance Writers. She's here today to talk about the recent release of a holiday anthology, but first she's agreed to answer a few questions so we can have a chance to get to know her.

1. What is your life like away from the computer? Tell us something about your household. Jazzie, my cat, wants to know if you have any kitty-pusses.

Please tell Jazzie that while I think cats are adorable, I’m allergic. So, no, there aren’t any kitty-cats in my house.

As far as my life away from the computer, when I’m not writing, I’m reading or checking out new books in the marketplace. I’ve had a library card since I was six-years-old. While the card has changed over the years due to wear and tear, I make frequent visits to the library and to my local Barnes & Noble. I’m also a baseball fan and while I’m listening to a game or the sports analysts on the radio, I rummage around on Amazon.com.

2. What authors and genres do you like to read?

I read mostly romance. If a particular book of another genre is recommended to me, like a mystery or general fiction, I’ll read it. But in a bookstore or library, I’m over in the romance section. I need that escapism and happy ending. I sit down with a book to relax, and I need to know that when I’m finished, I’m going to feel good.

As far as authors, I’m a big fan of authors who write series. Two of my favorites are Robyn Carr and Susan Mallery. I love Robyn Carr’s Virgin River series, mostly because the place, Virgin River, leaves me nostalgic for the small town in Vermont where I went to college. Plus, she’s created a cluster of endearing characters that anyone would want for friends, family, and neighbors.

Susan Mallery follows a similar formula with her Fool’s Gold series. I loved her third book in the series, Finding Perfect, since we got to see the teenager from a previous series, Raoul Moreno, as an adult male/hero.

3. Do you enter writing contests? If so, has this been a positive experience for you?

Yes, I do. Two or three a year. I’ve never been a winner, but I’ve gotten such good feedback. I don’t mean “gushy good” as in “what you’ve written is so wonderful.” I mean good as in the comments have been honest and helpful. To me, that’s good. I never enter a contest with the intention of winning--although it would be fantastic. I enter with the anticipation of discovering what others think of my work.

4. Do you ever dream of writing in a different genre?

Not really. While my short stories have been basic contemporary feel good romances, the two novels I’ve written are romantic suspense. That’s pretty much a genre within a genre. But I haven’t had much success with either of the novels. I’m still uncertain if the problem is with the novels or with me, the author.

5. Has your road to publication been a walk in the park or a steep mountain climb? Give us some details?

Well, I guess I would describe the “road to publication” more like curves winding through some peaks and valleys. Although I read primarily novels and I like to think of myself as a romance novelist, short stories--of which I’ve read very few--are where I’ve had the most success. So, although, it’s disheartening to go through rejection after rejection with the novels I’ve written, there’s the excitement of getting the email that my short story has been accepted.

6. Tell us about your current release…or soon to be release.

Whimsical Publications has released an anthology with a winter theme, called Winter Wonders. A collection of nine short stories, Winter Wonders, debuted on December 12^th with a blend of authors. Authors like Janet Durbin (If Only), Regina Puckett (Hearts of Fire), Sharon Donovan (Christmas Angel), and Melissa Hosack (Saving Santa) have previous books with Whimsical. Also included in the anthology are Jenny Twist (Mantequero), Jane Wakely (Christmas Hope), S.M. Senden (Till Death Do Us Part), and Paul McDermott, (Long Winter) and me. The unique feature of this book is the variety. There’s a mixture of your basic contemporary romance along with a little melancholy and some mystic flavors.

Can you describe your story for us?

If I had to describe my story, Burgers and Hot Chocolate, in one word, that word would be “heartwarming.” Set in the small coastal village of Magic Lake (I combined my fondness for small town Vermont with my love of the New Jersey shore), Burgers and Hot Chocolate, is about a little girl, her widower father, and a volunteer in her After School Program. Will Keegan just doesn’t know how to let Theresa Reynolds know he’s interested in her. At the school’s Holiday concert, little Kelly does her part to get her father’s message across.

BLURB:

In the quaint, seaside village of Magic Lake Island, the community gathers for the elementary school's holiday concert. There’s a mutual attraction between school volunteer, Theresa Reynolds, and Will Keegan, a widower with a daughter. Since Theresa can't seem to break through Will's shyness, five-year-old Kelly Keegan devises a way to get her father and her favorite volunteer together.

Angela, the anthology sounds wonderful as does the premise for your short story? Do you have an excerpt to share?

“Daddy, this is my Miss Theresa.” Kelly grinned so hard I thought the freckles that sprinkled her cheeks would burst. “Miss Theresa, this is my Daddy.”

When the man stood, my breathing stopped. This was Kelly’s father?

He was tall and muscular, with hair the color of golden wheat. Dreamy blue eyes accentuated an already handsome face. He wore a grey sweatshirt and jeans that emphasized his hard, sturdy legs. He was extremely attractive.

I would be lying if I said this was the first time I’d taken notice of him. I’d often passed this man going through the yard gate when I left the school each day. Sometimes, I had to stop myself from having heart palpitations. Assuming he was a father, I’d categorized him as off limits. Where there was a child, there was a mother and perhaps a wife. I never saw which child belonged to him, but admired a man who handled “pick up duty”.

Seeing him now, I realized the thought had never occurred to me he might be there to pick up Kelly. I’d heard one of the teachers mention in conversation that Kelly’s mother had been killed by a drunk driver three years earlier. I pegged him to be in his early thirties, not much older than myself. Already he was a widower, working full-time and raising a little girl. It couldn’t be easy, yet from my frequent, pleasant interactions with Kelly, he was doing a fabulous job.

“Will Keegan,” his deep voice said cordially.

I looked down at the hand he had extended, feeling my pulse speed up with my sudden rush of anxiety.

“Theresa Reynolds.” I shook his hand, hoping he didn’t notice how clammy mine suddenly felt.

His grip was firm and sincere. If he noticed my reaction to him, he hid it well.

Buy link for WINTER WONDERS is: http://amzn.to/taFg4j

BIO:

Angela Adams, writes and reviews contemporary romances. Her work has appeared in Romance at Heart,Oysters and Chocolate, Whipped Cream Reviews and The Long and Short Reviews. She’s a member of Romance Writers of America and the online chapter, From The Heart Romance Writers.

Merry Christmas from my Heart to Yours...

2011-12-18T00:51:00.000-05:00

Ornaments dangle from our tree, my collection of snowmen grace every available surface and gifts are wrapped. Our house is filled with the aroma of cookies baking and cinnamon candles burning. Mistletoe hangs from the doorway. Our favorite Christmas music floats from the stereo. We are ready to celebrate the birth of Christ.

This is also the time of the year when we reflect and rejoice at all that's happened to us in 2011. Both Calvin and I had books published. I have contracts for 2 more. We traveled to The Wild Rose Press's writers' retreat in North Carolina. Calvin turned 80 and had a lovely visit with his son, who flew in from Germany. I lucked out with a cancer diagnosis--the cancer was contained within the cyst. Even though I still have no feeling in my left cheek and ear, I hold onto hope feeling will return. If it doesn't, I am still cancer free and I embrace that diagnosis. Our grown children are well and working. The grandkids remain our joy.

I send wishes for a warm, loving and fun-filled Christmas and sincere hopes for a healthy happy 2012. Hugs, everyone and thank you for enriching my life. I adore you all.

Finding YOUR Voice

2011-12-03T22:00:00.001-05:00

Much is said about a writer's voice. Editors claim to be looking for a fresh voice, one that makes them smile and nod while reading a submission. But what is "voice"?

Voice is the literary term used to describe the individual writing style of an author. It is typically a combination of a writer's use of syntax, diction, punctuation, character development, dialog and pacing within a piece of work. Voice can be the "tone" or "mood" or "style" within a piece that hints at the writer's personality.

Because each of us has a unique personality, each of us has a unique voice in his or her writing. The trick is letting that voice come through.

Put 20 writers in a room and instruct them to write 2000 words about a girl's first date and you will recieve 20 delightfully different stories. Some may concentrate on the girl's choice of the perfect outfit and her battle with a bad hair day--of all days, the day of her first date. Others may write a touching story of a girl's shyness blended with tender kindness by the boy. A few may write a date that is a comedy of errors. The end result of the exercise will be 20 different voices.

But how do we find our voice? To me, it's writing the way I think and talk. I am an emotional person who loves to laugh, cry and sigh. I abhor loud bragging people. I get angry when women or children are abused (my pet peeves). And I tend to look for hope in any situation. These elements are incorporated in what I write. This is my voice.

My kids will tell you I am a softie until pushed. Don't make Momma mad.

My heroines are feminine creatures with spines of steel. See any similarities?

I've raised my sons to embrace their alpha tendancies and that it's manly to do whatever needs done around the house. They cook, change diapers and clean toilets.

My heros are alpha males with soft spots for those whom they love. They will do anything for the lady in their hearts. Do you see a pattern?

All of these things become part of my voice.

I love slapstick comedy. I grew up with it. I love to write comedy scenes. I've written many plays for a theater group that are roll-on-the-floor funny. The more absurd, the better. This, too, is part of my voice.

My passion is reading romance. Is this passion in my voice? You bet'cha. Allow yourself the freedom to BE in your writing.

An editor once said if she knew an author's writing voice, she could pick that writer out in a roomful of authors. Think about that statement.

Write your story with your choice of wording, your choice of sentence structure, your passions, your dislikes, your loves. Write with your voice.

LINDA LaROQUE -- AUTHOR

2011-11-23T10:17:00.001-05:00

My guest today is bright and vivacious Linda LaRoque, author of MARSHAL OF HER OWN. she's consented to answer a few questions for me so y'all can learn a bit about her. And she's brought along a blurb of her new book. Make sure you leave a comment to be eligible to enter the drawing for a lovely antique typewriter pin.

Linda, tell us what your life is like away from the computer? Tell us something about your household. Jazzie, my cat, wants to know if you have any kitty-pusses.

I taught school for 30 years but my husband and I now are both retired. We go when we want, either on trips or to see our daughter and grandson, but are always anxious to return home. We have a little Wal-Mart dog named Molly. She’s part fox-terrier and part Chihuahua and isn’t a good traveler, so we either have to kennel her or our son comes over to dog sit. Tell Jazzie we almost had a kitty once but Molly didn’t play nice and we gave him to a young girl whose cat had disappeared.

What is your writing schedule like?

To be honest, I don’t have a schedule. I write when the mood strikes me and lately have been able to get more done when I write on a tablet and we’re traveling or when I visit Starbucks. There is something about using a pencil. I don’t know, maybe I concentrate better.

Do you enter writing contests? If so, has this been a positive experience for you?

I have but don’t do so often. I’ve had both good and bad experiences—you know two great scores and then one low one that knocks me out of the competition. Personally, I believe that anyone who judges a contest should have some type of training. Being a Pro member is nice, but taking RWA’s judge’s training makes, in my opinion, should be required.

Do you ever dream of writing in a different genre?

I do write different genres. I started out writing contemporary western romances, branched out into time travels, have a futuristic romantic suspense coming out Dec. 5^thand am in the process of writing a romantic suspense.

How do you research your storylines or locations?

Since most of my settings are in my back yard—Texas and New Mexico, I’m familiar with the area. Whenever possible though, I travel to areas I don’t know well. For Flames on the Sky we traveled to Chaco Canyon in New Mexico. For my current work-in-progress, we traveled to the Zuni Reservation in New Mexico and along Route 66.

What part of the writing process brings you the most pleasure? The most angst?

The part I enjoy the most is the ideas that pop into my head, the way the characters speak to me at the oddest moments in a story helping to mesh the plot together. The part I enjoy least is editing, looking for all those echoes, ly words, etc.

What is one of your most embarrassing or laughable moments?

At RWA Nationals in Reno I accidently dropped by drivers’ license with my hotel key into the key card box. When it came time to check in to the airlines, I didn’t have it. I had to use my Sam’s card as a photo idea and go through extra security. You can imagine the men going through all the paperback books I’d picked up with the scantily clad women and bare chested men. And, you’ve hear the expression, “Spread ‘um.”

What are you currently working on?

I’m working on a romantic suspense set along old Route 66 in New Mexico. Hopefully it will turn into a series.

I've waited as long as I can, because I do love cowboys, past and present. Tell us about your current release…or soon to be release. I admit to having serious cover envy.

A Marshal of Her Own – Blurb:

Despite rumors of “strange doings” at a cabin in Fredericksburg, investigative reporter Dessa Wade books the cottage from which lawyer, Charity Dawson, disappeared in 2008. Dessa is intent on solving the mystery. Instead, she is caught in the mystery that surrounds the cabin and finds herself in 1890 in a shootout between the Faraday Gang and a US Marshal.

Marshal Cole Jeffers doesn’t believe Miss Wade is a time traveler. He admits she’s innocent of being an outlaw, but thinks she knows more about the gang than she’s telling. When she’s kidnapped by Zeke Faraday, Cole is determined to rescue her. He’s longed for a woman of his own, and Dessa Wade just might be the one—if she’ll commit to the past.

Excerpt:

Dessa stood still and watched as they conversed. Something stank to high heaven about this entire situation. Why were the cops chasing robbers on horseback? It’s not like Fredericksburg was that isolated. She glanced at the captured men. The boy moaned, and she made a step to go over and help him. The Marshal spun, and the expression in his eye froze her in place.

“He needs first aid.”

“He’s fine. The Doc will tend to him when we get to the jail.”

“You could at least call 911 and let them patch him up for you.” She nodded to the man lying so still with his eyes closed. “Your other prisoner doesn’t look so good. He’s going to die on you if you don’t start CPR or get him some help.”

“Lady, no one is going to hear a yell from out here. Never heard of any 911 or CPR.” He propped the hand not holding the shotgun on his hip and threw her a disgusted look. “Are you blind? That man is dead, shot through the heart.”

Her head swam for a moment, and she struggled not to give in to the sensation and faint. She drew in deep gulps of air. “Well...well..., what about the coroner and the meat wagon, not to mention the CSI folks? If you don’t get them to record the scene, how are you going to cover your butt? The authorities might say you shot him in cold blood.”

He looked at her like she’d sprouted an extra head. “I don’t know what the hell you are talking about woman. No one will question my authority. I’m the law in this county. Now, be quiet, or I’m going to gag you.”

A Marshal of Her Own will be available now at The Wild Rose Press, Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble.com and other online book stores. It is the sequel to A Law of Her Own available at The Wild Rose Press, Amazon.com, and Barnes and Noble.com and other online book stores. I’m awaiting a release date for A Love of His Own, the third story in the Prairie, Texas series.

My release contest for A Marshal of Her Own began November 9th. I’ll be giving away this vintage rhinestone typewriter pin. To enter the drawing, go to my website or blog and sign up for my newsletter. Don’t forget to verify your email address. If you already receive it, email me at linda@lindalaroque.com with A Marshal of Her Own contest in the subject line. Contest ends December 15, 2011.

Leave me a comment or ask a question today and you’ll be entered into a drawing for an ecopy of A Law of Her Own.

Also, today’s blog post is part of 2 blog tours—this one for A Marshal of Her Own and starting December 4^th, one for Born in Ice. Follow along each day and leave a comment to be entered into the grand prize drawing and learn about my Born in Ice contest.

The Blog Tour schedule will be posted on my blog and website. It will last 25 days and the Grand Prize is a Kindle. Leave a comment each day and your name will be entered 25 times. Pretty good odds, huh?

Tomorrow, on Nov. 24^th I’ll be on Nancy Jardine’s blog at

http://www.nancyjardine.blogspot.com/ talking about the invention of writing utensils.

Happy Reading and Writing!

Linda LaRoque

Writing Romance With a Twist in Time

www.lindalaroque.com

http://www.lindalaroqueauthor.blogspot.com

http://www.facebook.com/?ref=tn_tinyman#!/linda.laroque

http://twitter.com/#!/LindaLaRoque

OUR STATELY USHER

2011-11-14T20:34:00.003-05:00

I'm a fan of color. Perhaps that's one of the reasons I love Fall. Autumn has a stately quality about it, as if the earth were waiting for some important event. Have you ever walked in a wooded area during Fall and noted the quiet? As if the area were silently biding its time--but, for what? For whom?

Perhaps, for you. Who else would Nature want to show off for than for someone who appreciates her beauty enough to stop and take the time to look around? Notice the echos made by animals scurrying around preparing for Winter. And breathe. Don't you love the aroma of Fall? The season brings forth a richness of hues, feelings, smells and sounds.

It evokes images of apples, pumpkins, gourds and corn stalks. One can almost taste the tang of apple cider. Smell gingerbread baking. Hear Canadian geese honking their way South. And sense leaves silently rustle from branches to ground.

WANITA MAY -- YA Author

2011-11-09T22:38:00.001-05:00

My guest today is author, Wanita May. We're both represented by Dawn Dowdle of Blue Ridge Literary Agency.

What is your life like away from the computer? Tell us something about your household. Jazzie, my cat, wants to know if you have any adorable cats like him.

Hidy-ho neighbor! Thanks for having me on board for the visit! There are no kitty’s at our house, instead we’ve managed to entangle our lives around a Weimeraner (ghost gray) dog – Brit. My hubby is from England, so Brit’s our “Great Brit” And what do I do away from the computer – play with my kids as much as I can. Hubby and I run an online business so A LOT of time is spent with my fingers hovering over the keyboard.

What authors and genres do you like to read?

Enjoy reading YA, Adult, Fantasy, Historical, Sci-Fi. Anything that grabs and holds me – which is pretty much anything.

What is your writing schedule like?

I do my best writing – editing in the evening… kids are in bed and I get to put my full focus on what I’m doing.

Do you ever dream of writing in a different genre?

Hard question to answer – I currently write YA but have written older genres as well. It tends to be the story’s choice, not mine J

How do you research your storylines or locations?

Places I have been, or someone I know has been (then they get grilled with questions and requests for photos), online, and mental imagery (lucky part of any story your write, it doesn’t have to be legit J )

What part of the writing process brings you the most pleasure? The most angst?

Foreshadowing – by far my favourite part. I love how little bits can weave a story together and create such a labyrinth of twist and turns of the plot. Angst? Right now, it’s waiting for reviews – waiting to see what the “big wigs” think of my writing.

What are you currently working on?

Finishing edits to the second book in the Chronicles of Kerrigan, editing another MS that is currently with my agent, and really trying to finish another WIP (except edits from other MSs keep getting in the way J )

Has your road to publication been a walk in the park or a steep mountain climb? Give us some details?

It’s been a neat roller coaster ride. I didn’t start out writing with any intention of publishing. My father had just passed away and one of our last conversations had been him encouraging me to follow my dreams, before I felt it was too late. It stuck with me and the Christmas after his passing, I sat down and wrote a story. Finished it in February and decided to try and learn a bit more. I joined an online critique group (www.critiquegroup.com actually) and figured I’d try and see if I could find an agent who might be interested in my writing (I continued to write and finished a second book). To make a long story short, Dawn – my agent from BlueRidge Agency – liked both my MSs and offered to represent. I had two agents interested, but I decided to sign with Dawn and haven’t looked back since. We edited Rae of Hope and it landed a four book contract with Mitchell Morris Publishing. So to me, it’s been a fantastic ride thus far with everything seeming to happen so quickly.

Tell us about your current release…or soon to be release.

RAE OF HOPE – the first book in the Chronicles of Kerrigan – is available in print Nov 15^th. It is currently out in ebook via all the usual links (amazon, B&N, smashwords, apple, etc…) It’s YA Fantasy with a “whole-lotta” twists and turns.

Here’s “back flap” summary:

Fifteen year-old Rae Kerrigan is used to being invisible. Living in New York with her Aunt and Uncle after having been orphaned at a young age by a terrible fire, her life has been quiet, filled with excellent grades and not much else. Then came the letter from Guilder Boarding School, a mysterious place Rae had never heard of which will change her life. She crosses the ocean to enter a world she's never known existed, one where she's center stage and has a very important role to play.

Will the sins of a father choose her path? Or will she have the courage to change her fate? The decision will be made, by fate or teen, in the Rae of Hope.

The question is, as hero or villain? It seems most of Guilder is voting the later, and it's up to Rae to prove everyone wrong and bring hope to her world. But will she succeed, or will the shadows draw her in and swallow her whole?

Thanks for having me over for a visit – Ill bring the tea and chocolates next time!

Here are some links of where you can find me:

Website: www.wanitamay.yolasite.com

Book Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iauHkcm6UQo

Blog: www.wanitajump.wordpress.com

Twitter: @wanitajump

Face Book: Author Page – Wanita May

Publisher: www.mitchellmorrispublishing.com

THE HALLOWEEN SCROOGE by Vonnie Davis

2011-10-27T10:15:00.001-04:00

Tonight is Trick-or-Treat night in Lynchburg, and I'm not participating. I'm being the halloween scrooge this year. I've always loved the October tradition and made treat bags a good month in advance, chocked full of chocolate, suckers and boxes of raisins. So this change in attitude does not come easily for me. In fact, I carry a tinge of regret over my decision not to join-in.

I have many fond memories of taking my own children trick-or-treating, walking along as my three youngsters charged through our friendly development in Pennsylvania. Neighbors and I exchanged greetings while my children politely expressed their thanks for the adult's generosity. With all the neighborhood children in their scary finery, it was a fun, almost magical night.

Now that my children are grown with children of their own, my role switched and I became the neighbor at the door, handing out treats and waving at the few parents who walked along with their little ones. I still enjoyed the magic of the night, oohing and ahhing at everyone's costume while I handed out my treat bags.

Things began to change. Carloads of kids were slowly driven through our neighborhood. Cars I didn't recognize full of kids and adults I didn't know. Then kids became more forward and less appreciative. "Is that all you're giving me?" or "Come on, throw another bag in here." The kids were older and costumes more suggestive. For some, it was a teenager's excuse to go around looking like a hooker. I'm getting old, I guess. I didn't much like the changes.

Next, cell phones entered the trick-or-treating experience. Kids were now too busy to say anything as they texted with one hand and held the bag with their other. If you tried to engage them in dialogue, they rolled their eyes and huffed in annoyance. You know, that attitude of entitlement so previlent today. The enjoyment was gone. The delight of looking at cute costumes on even cuter kids was dimmed. I'm not giving out treats tonight--and I'm going to miss it. Call back yesterday...

SUZIE QUINT -- Author

2011-10-19T12:17:00.002-04:00

My guest today is romance author, Suzie Quint. Suzie tells me she's always been fascinated with the human psyche, so she can imagine no better way to explore the human condition than through the characters she writes. Finding the happy ending for the people who inhabit her worlds is the best job anyone could have. Getting to share them with others… well, it doesn't get any better than that. Oh, Suzie, I so agree.

I have several questions for you today and I'm tickled to introduce you to my readers. Grab a slice of chocolate cake and a cup of coffee, and we'll settle in for a nice chat. Oh, wait, you must have a couple of these chocolate-dipped strawberries. Calvin says they're my speciality.

Comfy? Tell us, what is your life like away from the computer? Tell us something about your household. Jazzie, my nosy cat, wants to know if you have any kitty-pusses.

I work as an accountant for the State of Washington which has to be about the most boring job to talk about that ever existed. I do have a cat. Isn’t that a requirement for a writer? Tigger’s a bit defective though. He doesn’t seem to get what a privilege it is to be a writer’s cat. He’s the embodiment of the saying, “Dogs have owners, cats have staff.” As far as he’s concerned, my main reasons for existing are to feed him and to open the door for him a thousand times a day. If I do those things to his satisfaction, he’ll deign to let me pet him occasionally.

What authors and genres do you like to read?

I’m pretty eclectic in my reading. Romance and fantasy are mainstays for me. In romance, I like Jennifer Crusie, Rachel Gardner, and Toni Blake. I don’t read a lot of historicals unless they’re by specific authors (I adore Courtney Milan.) Plus I read non-fiction, a lot of it as research for various stories, but some just coz. I’m also a bit of an economics junkie.

Ah, now those two words--economics and junkie--go together in my brain. I took two Honors Economics classes at Penn State--Macro and Micro--and I have to admit my grades were pretty junkie. I had to scrabble to get a B-. Tell us, what's your writing schedule like?

Lately, it hasn’t been good. With my first novel having released in August, I’m spending a lot of time figuring out how to best allocate resources for promotion. But that’s okay. I figure that’s allowed for a little while. Even though I’m not typing away on my current work-in-progress, I know my subconscious is stewing on it, so I’m hoping that when I get back to really working on it, things will fall into place easily.

Oh, I'm sure it will. I've written very little since my surgery last week, mainly 'cause I've been so muzzy-headed with pain medicine. I agree: even though you aren't actively writing, your subconscious is working on it. Do you enter contests? If so, has this been a positive experience for you?

I did for a while, and I came close to finaling a couple of times. I missed once by two points and then once by half a point. The very next contest, the same story scored a 50 from one of the judges, so I decided it was too random for me. I’ve had stellar critique buddies, so I wasn’t there for the feedback, and it was just too expensive to keep playing Russian Roulette, hoping for a win that would put my foot in someone’s door.

Do you ever dream of writing in a different genre?

I’ve actually got two trunk novels that are fantasy. One is high fantasy (You know, wizards and such. I love magic.) The other is Urban Fantasy, but that label means something different in the fantasy genre than it does in romance.

What are you currently working on?

Most of the romances currently on the drawing board are interrelated stories about the McKnight family. The one I’m currently working on (when I’m not trying to figure out how to let people know my stories exist) is Sol McKnight’s story. He’s the oldest of a rather large family, and when the series starts, the only one who’s been married before. His marriage lasted all of six weeks, but he’s never gotten over his ex-wife, and since they have a daughter, it’s not looking like he’ll get her out of his life long enough to try. When she comes back to town for the summer to help her mother recover from a stroke, he sees his chance. He’s fun because he’s a bit unscrupulous when it comes to getting her back.

Has your road to publication been a walk in the park or a steep mountain climb? Give us some details.

I resisted the idea of an epublisher for a long time, but traditional publishing isn’t going to happen for most new writers I don’t think. The big NY houses are too scared to take many risks on untried talent these days. I wasn’t very good at queries anyway. Once I made up my mind to find an epublisher, it happened very quickly. And I’m delighted with my publisher. As you can see, they get me the best covers.

Tell us about your current release...or soon to be released.

A Knight in Cowboy Boots is Maddie’s story. After her sister is murdered by an abusive boyfriend (who is also the father of her sister’s child) and he beats the rap, Maddie takes her sister’s son and runs. Using a fake identity, she lands in Galveston where she meets Zach McKnight, a good ol’ Texas cowboy. It doesn’t take him long to figure out she has “issues.” He wants to help, but she tries to keep him at arm’s length. Not that he lets her. ;) Here's an excerpt from A KNIGHT IN COWBOY BOOTS...

“Let me get that there drink for the lady, Pete.” Mr. East Texas Drawl stepped up to the bar. “That is, if the lady don’t mind?”

She turned her head cautiously, afraid moving too fast would blur her vision.

Mr. East Texas was watching her, waiting for a cue his offer was welcome.

Maddie cleared her throat. “Thank you.”

Oh, crap. She sounded all Marilyn Monroe breathy.

He handed the bartender a ten. Maddie expected him to pull up the next barstool. Instead, he shoved it over with his foot and leaned one elbow against the bar. “So what’s a nice girl like you doing in a place like this?”

Maddie laughed. It should have sounded old, trite, and corny, but nothing said in that drawl could sound anything but enchanting to her. Her laughter lit something deep in Mr. East Texas’s dark eyes. Maddie suddenly felt warm. Sitting-in-front-of-a-raging-fire-on-a-cold-winter-night warm. The flutter in her heart moved into the pit of her stomach.

“Don’t tell the bartender, but I’m casing the place to see if I want his job.” Maddie said, keeping her voice conversational. The bartender's eyebrows rose, but he didn’t comment. He’d no doubt seen this dance often enough.

“Ah, well. Looking for employment. That’s respectable then.” Mr. East Texas nodded sagely. “Though I gotta admit, I was hoping you was here for less reputable reasons.”

“You mean like looking for a man to take me away from all this?” Maddie's open-handed gesture included the entire bar.

“Even the best watering holes have a long tradition of that sorta thing. Why, my daddy met my mamma in a place a lot like this.”

Maddie fought to keep a grin from breaking out across her face. How long had it been since she’d engaged in light-hearted banter, never mind flirting? It seemed like eons. “Really?”

“Well, maybe there wasn’t as much brass and mirrors. Or the selection of beverages this fine establishment has. And there ain’t no straw on the floor nor fiddle player in the corner . . . ” He looked away as though seeking a fiddle player. “And they had dancin’.” His nostrils narrowed with an indrawn breath. His eyes came back to hers. “Damn. A man oughta take a woman dancin’.”

The flutter in Maddie’s stomach moved lower.

“What kind of dancing do you do to fiddle music?”

“The spirited kind.” He let a beat pass before he continued. “But I think you’re the kinda woman a man takes slow dancin’. Someplace where there ain’t much light, so’s nobody’d see when I kissed you.”

He held her eyes, waiting for her response.

Someone down the bar hollered for Pete’s attention and he moved away. Their audience gone, Maddie swiveled on her barstool to face him straight on.

“What if I didn’t want to be kissed?” she asked, knowing her body language sent a completely different message.

“Why, ma’am . . . ” He leaned slowly closer as he spoke. “I don’t think I’d ask first.” His lips brushed hers lightly. Just a gentle touch, as though she’d been kissed almost in passing. He pulled back, but only a couple of inches. Neither of them had closed their eyes. Maddie swallowed, trying to work up some moisture in her suddenly dry mouth.

“My daddy says sometimes it’s better to ask for forgiveness than for permission.”

“Does he?” Maddie forced out.

“Oh, yeah.” His tone was heartfelt. “And I think I may need a passel of forgivin’,” he said just before he kissed her again.

Oh, yeah, you've got me. Loved it, Suzie. Oh, I do like your style.

Thanks. In November, the second McKnight Romance will be released. Knight of Hearts is Zach’s sister’s story. As the oldest girl in their large family, Rachel can be tough. She has a bossy streak and a need to fix things, which serves her well as concierge at a Galveston hotel, but not so much in her personal life. Her best friend’s brother has recently gotten divorced and can’t seem to figure out the dating scene. Rachel needs a date to Zach’s wedding so her mother won’t think she’s not trying; Mac needs a dating coach, so they make a deal. (Yeah, coz Rachel so knows what she’s doing there. Not.) This is a bit of a friends-to-lovers story which is one of my favorite romance troupes.

I also have All’s Fair, a short(ish) story that I’m planning to offer as a freebie as soon as I get all the formatting for Amazon and Smashwords figured out. It’s kind of backstory for Zach and Rachel’s brother Sol and his ex-wife Georgia, so the ending is more hopeful than Happily-Ever-After. Short stories are not my forte, but I’m actually very pleased with this one.

Where can we find you?

website: http://suziequint.com/

writer’s blog: http://suziequint.blogspot.com/

facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Suzie-Quint/240070326039175

twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/SuzieQwriter

goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5082281.Suzie_Quint

Here are some buy links:

Pink Petal Books (my publisher):

http://pinkpetalbooks.com/A-Knight-In-Cowboy-Boots-by-Suzie-Quint.html

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Knight-Cowboy-Boots-ebook/dp/B005IIAVS0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1314325544&sr=8-1

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-knight-in-cowboy-boots-suzie-quint/1104545807

Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/83197

MY LIFE AS A PATIENT -- Vonnie Davis

2011-10-16T11:21:00.002-04:00

My husband and I have an ongoing problem with doctors' new way of dispensing prescriptions. At our primary care providers' office, the nurse sends prescriptions over the computer to the drugstore of your choice. No sloppy handwriting to decifer. No chance of stolen or altered prescription pads. No problem. Right?

But what if the drugstore never recieves the computer generated fax? This happens to us more often than hot days in August. I kid you not.

At my pre-op physical for the removal of a cyst embedded in one of my saliva glands, the surgeon went over every step of the proceedure. We discussed the type of anesthesia they'd use. He went over possible complications. You know the drill. He also said his nurse would fax prescriptions to Walmart, our pharmacy of choice, for pain pills and antibiotics.

Two days later I went to Walmart to pickup the prescriptions. Walmart never recieved the fax. "Maybe the nurse called the other store." (We have two Walmarts in Lynchburg.) Nothing. "Let me check Wal-Greens," the girl at the pharmacy counter said. "Sometimes the patient says 'Walmart' and the nurse hears 'Wal-Greens' and faxes it to the wrong place." No luck.

Since this is now the day before my surgery, I'm more than a little antsy. If I'm going to be cut from behind my ear and over the top of the ear down the side of my cheek and down into the neck, I know without a doubt, I'm going to have some pain. I want my prescriptions. When I called the doctor's office, I was put on hold. After 20 minutes, Calvin said he was driving to the doctor's office to speak to a person, face to face.

Evidently the nurse wore her grumpy face that day. She told Calvin she'd give him a prescription for the antibiotic, but not the pain pill. That the doctor had already taken me off pain medicine. Really? Before the surgery? When Calvin told her he wanted the prescription written and in his hand rather than sent via the computer, her grumpy face deepened.

The day of the surgery, Calvin told the doctor about our problems with the prescriptions and the nurse's attidude. The doctor's eyes narrowed. "Why would I take your wife off pain medicine before I cut her open? Why would my nurse say that? I'll write you new prescriptions, and you'll have them before your wife leaves the hospital." He has a very commanding voice, one that inspires confidence. I think they train pre-med students in that very technique. No doubt the title of the course is "Buffaloing Your Patients 101."

When they wheeled me into the OR, the doctor introduced me to the anesthesiologist. "Vonnie is a romance writer and she's going to put me in her next book. I've asked her to make me tall. For once I want to know what it feels like to be over five-foot-eight." He looked at me and winked. The anesthesiologist laughed.

I took it from there. "Oh, I'm thinking six-foot-four, ripped abs, broad shoulders. When the ladies read about you, they'll think one word: Big." The whole operating room erupted into laughter. Ah, but I digress. I was telling you about our prescription woes.

After surgery, when I was somewhat in my right mind, the nurse taking care of me said she'd phoned in the prescriptions the doctor ordered. "Are you sure?" Calvin asked. He then told her our long ordeal. She assured him she had. She even gave him one of her business cards and told him to call her if there was a problem with the prescriptions. Calvin brought me home and put me to bed before going to Walmart to pick up the medicine.

Two hours later he came into the bedroom and collapsed beside me on the bed, slinging his arm over his eyes. "Angel, you won't believe what happened."

"They never got the prescriptions."

"Exactly. And that nurse assured me she'd sent it in. I called her number on her card. She said she spoke to Della. Problem was Walmart doesn't have a Della working in their pharmacy, so Lord knows which store she called. But I've got them for you now. Why is this process so hard? Why is getting a prescription like looking for the Hope Diamond in a pile of crap?" His frustration levels were evident.

Two days after surgery, my face swelled so bad I had no ear hole and my cheek hung down to my collar bone. We went back to the surgeon so he could lance it in two places and drain off most of the fluid.

As he was doing this fun chore, he said, "I know you'll get a kick out of hearing this. The anesthesiologist was so charmed by you, that after she had you under, she Googled your name. While we operated on you, she read your reviews from Amazon to the OR staff. She ordered your book while I had your facial nerves lying exposed on your cheek. Hell, I enjoyed the reviews so much, even I ordered it."

I told him I was having problems handling the pain medicine he prescribed (I'd never make a druggie). Could he prescribe something less potent? (What was I thinking?) "Sure," he replied.

Once again, Calvin told him our tale of prescription woe. "Unreal," the doctor said. "I'll write one out the old way." He scribbled something on a pad and tore off the prescription. "Here you are, Vonnie."

We checked out and went to the car. I looked down at the prescription the doctor had handed me. The name he'd written on it was Nancy Edwards...

SARAH GRIMM -- Author

2011-10-11T00:01:00.001-04:00

My guest today is lovely and talented Sarah Grimm.

Sarah is an award winning author of contemporary romance and romantic suspense. She lives in West Michigan with her husband, two sons and three miniature schnauzers. Between mom's taxi service, parts runs, and answering the phone for the family marine repair business, Sarah can be found curled in her favorite chair, crafting her next novel.

Sarah's new release was just added to the list of 100 Best Romances for 2011. We're both thrilled with that accomplishment. However, today, Sarah is talking about touch--and I'm all over that, as they say. I do love to touch. So, enlighten us...

The Importance of Touch

A few weeks ago I had the extreme pleasure of being a participant in the Summer Scorcher Blog Tour, where one of the fantastic authors blogged about the 12 Stages of Intimacy. For me, the post was more than just informative, it was thought provoking. You see, I know these stages, at least I once did. I learned about them in one of the multitude workshops I’ve attended over the span of many years. Then, as happens far too often, I promptly forgot about them. Or did I?

Let’s take a moment to look at these 12 stages: (as defined by Desmond Morris, a behavioral scientist).

Eye to Body

Eye to Eye

Voice to Voice

Hand to Hand

Arm to Shoulder

Arm to Waist

Mouth to Mouth

Hand to Head

Hand to Body

Mouth to Breast

Hand to Genitals

Sexual Intercourse

The first three are fairly straightforward. You see someone who interests you, make eye contact and strike up a conversation. Basic stuff, right? And this contact doesn’t always lead to something. But number four is when things begin to get interesting. In fact, Hand to Hand is where things get intimate. This is the first step in physical contact. Allowing someone to touch you also means placing yourself in a very vulnerable position.

You may be surprised to see that number eight, Hand to Head, is considered more intimate than number seven, Mouth to Mouth. But let me ask you—how many people do you let touch your face?

Because nine thru twelve are fairly obvious, I’m going to assume we all know what those stages are and why they’re last on the list. For today, I’d like to focus on number eight. Why? Because Noah Clark—the hero of my new contemporary romance, After Midnight—excels at number eight. Call it a lack of boundaries, or having been raised in a family where touch was as commonplace as a bed to sleep in or a roof over his head. Whatever this contact stems from, Noah’s inadvertent crossing of the boundaries of intimacy—specifically, his habit of jumping from stage three to stage eight—is enough to keep Isabeau, a woman not used to even the most casual of touches, on edge.

~*~

A breeze stirred, picking up the ends of her hair and blowing them across her mouth. Her knees went weak as he reached out and brushed his fingers over her cheek, scooping up the strands.

Isabeau struggled for balance, but knew she wouldn’t find it. Not with him standing this close to her. Her gaze took in his black T-shirt, stretched appealingly across his broad chest, the play of muscle in his arm as he toyed with the ends of her hair. He didn’t appear to have shaved that morning. Dark stubble covered his jaw, lending him a look more dangerous than normal. It looked good on him, damn good. Her throat tightened and her mouth went dry.

She knew she should step back, away from his heat, away from his touch. Instead, she stood there, staring into his green eyes as she fought the urge to reach for him. Her palms began to itch with the need to test the feel of his stubble, the warmth of his flesh. Deep inside of her, desire pooled.

He shifted, her hair sliding through his fingers as he dropped his hand to his side. She closed her eyes and breathed a sigh.

Thirteen years—that's how long Isabeau Montgomery has been living a lie. After an automobile accident took her mother's life, Izzy hid herself away, surviving the only way she knew how. Now she is happy in her carefully reconstructed life. That is until he walks through the door of her bar...

Black Phoenix singer/front man Noah Clark came to Long Island City with a goal--one that doesn't include an instant, electric attraction to the dark-haired beauty behind the bar. Coaxing her into his bed won't be easy, but he can't get her pale, haunted eyes nor her skill on the piano out of his head.

Can Noah help Isabeau overcome the past? Or will her need to protect her secret force her back into hiding and destroy their chance at happiness?

The Amazon buy link is:

http://www.amazon.com/After-Midnight-ebook/dp/B005QBZ0G2/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1318126068&sr=1-1

The Wild Rose Press:

http://www.thewildrosepress.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=175_133&products_id=4633

Find Sarah here:

Website: http://www.sarahgrimm.com

Blog: http://www.authorsarahgrimm.blogspot.com

Group Blog: http://www.smutwriterssoapbox.blogspot.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SarahGrimm.Author

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/SGrimmAuthor

MAKE ME FEEL, AND I'M YOURS --

2011-10-03T10:35:00.001-04:00

I love books that make me feel. If an author can write well enough to make me cry or laugh or have my heart pounding with fear for some scary thing I know is about to happen, I'm going to make note of that writer's name and buy her or him again and again.

Now you know why I have almost every book written by David Morell. Yes, he wrote the Rambo series, but many other action thriller books, as well. Once the professor of creative writing at Iowa University, he is a master story-teller. My favorite of his books is The League of Night and Fog.

Books one and two of Janet Evanovitch's Stephanie Plum series are my favorites for bed shaking laughter (now that I'm writing fulltime, the only chance I have to read is in bed). That woman can write such vivid pictures of her characters that you can't help but laugh.

AJ Neust, one of my sweet online buddies, certainly made me cry as I read Jezebel's Wish. And there are many others.

Still, the question remains. How does a writer suck you into the emotions on the page?

Deep point of view.

When we write in a way that shows, we engage our readers. If I write--Someone was walking behind Gloria, and she turned to see who it was. She saw a man in a dark coat and black ski mask.--that's telling. But notice the difference in overall tone, if I show you. A twig snapped and foilage rustled in the night. Someone was behind her, following her, stalking her. Gloria's footsteps increased as she peered over her shoulder. A man in a dark coat and black ski mask stood not ten feet away. Moonlight glinted off the chrome barrel of his gun, and it was pointed directly at her.

Did you hear the twig snap under his foot? Did you feel the unease creep up her spine? Did you almost gasp when she saw the man and his gun?

When a writer uses "she heard" or "she felt" or "she saw," we are distanced from the story. We're being told the story. There's no chance for us to experience it. But if the writer shows us what the point of view character sees, hears, feels and thinks, we become a part of the experience. We're sucked into the story. We're at one with the point of view character. We're hooked.

My goals as a writer are two-fold. One, I want to tell a good story. Two, I want to hook you from the first paragraph and whisper in your ear, "Hang on, I'm about to take you for a ride." I'm going to introduce you to some great characters, some sweet, some nasty and some quite quirky. I'm going to have you feel a range of emotions between the words "Chapter One" and "The End." Or at least try very hard to do so. I want you "in" my story. And I want you coming back for more.

SIX SENTENCE SUNDAY

2011-10-01T22:53:00.000-04:00

From Storm's Interlude:

When he lifted her, her arms wrapped around his neck and their hungry lips fused, seeking what they both needed. Oh, God, this was even better than the first kiss, even better than his kisses the other night on the horse. He turned and pushed her back against the pillar. She wrapped her legs around his waist. “Rach…God, honey.” His teeth scraped down her neck, and her eyes crossed.

BUY LINK: http://bit.ly/pkkcLq

MY SUGERY IS OCTOBER 12TH

2011-09-30T09:41:00.002-04:00

I've had so many dear, sweet souls contact me over the last few days that I am humbled by your kindnesses toward me. One of the benefits of the Internet is the virtual friends one makes. I've been blessed. Truly.

My surgery is scheduled for October 12th. I'm in a better frame of mind about it now, thanks to all of your kind words and promises of prayers. I'm a big believer in the power of prayer. As Ghandi once said, "Prayer is not an old woman's idle amusement. Properly understood and applied, it is the most potent instrument of action."

Kelly and Calvin last summer.

Four days after my surgery, my Calvin will turn eighty--that's with a small "e" because he doesn't want a fuss made over this achievement. His son, though, has different ideas.

Kelly, who was born close to Calvin's fortieth birthday, lives and works in Berlin, Germany. He has a PhD. in High Energy Theoretical Partical Physics--and I have no clue what that is. He is flying to the States the day after my surgery and staying for his dad's big day.

Kelly says he wants to help get me back on my feet as well as be here for his dad's birthday. How eager I am for his company. For those of you who know my Calvin, you know him to be intelligent, witty, gentle, caring and very sweet. Kelly has inherited all those admirable qualities. He is a joy to be around. So, see, every dark cloud has a silver lining.

SIX SENTENCE SUNDAY

2011-09-25T12:30:00.000-04:00

Engaged. The man was getting married in two months, and he’d kissed her before he even knew her name. Kissed her as if he had every right to. Did the cowboy Romeo kiss every woman he came in contact with? She slammed her hairbrush on the dresser and sprayed perfume. One word out of his talented mouth and she was going to slug him.

An excerpt from Storm's Interlude. http://amzn.to/pkkcLq

LIFE THROWS US CURVE BALLS

2011-09-24T10:57:00.001-04:00

Believe me, I'm trying not to freak. Yet, I'm finding as I age, I'm less spontaneous, less able to adapt to quick upsets in my schedule. Edits for my novella, Those Violet Eyes, are scheduled to arrive the end of October. Edits for Mona Lisa's Room will come shortly thereafter.

Mona Lisa's Room, a romantic suspense, is book one of The Red Hand series. The editor wants the next two books as quickly as possible, so I'm writing like a fool, upset with myself for not making much headway. I'm still in the phase of getting a handle on my characters. Just when I think I know them, they do something that makes me scratch my head. Then I have to go back to previous chapters and layer in elements to support the unexpected behavior or reaction. I'd hoped to be further along than this. In fact, I'd told my agent to expect book two, Rain is a Love Song, by the end of October. Folks, it ain't happenin'.

I have a cyst on the side of my face in front of my left ear. The cyst, the size of a large grape, according to the CT scan is attached to one of my saliva glands. Heck, no wonder I ain't worth spit, as the saying goes. The cyst is growing, causing pain in my ear and jaw, to say nothing of the constant headaches.

So, in a few weeks I'll have surgery to remove it. Because of all the facial nerves involved, it is an intricate operation. The surgeon says it'll take about four hours. Please keep your fingers crossed that he won't knick a nerve and my face will resemble Jack Nicholson's Joker in the old Bat Man movie.

The incision will start on my cheek at the base of my ear and go up the side of my face, over my ear and down the back of my ear and half way down my neck. My head will be shaved in that area, too. I shudder to think how I'll look afterward, but there's no getting away from it. I need the surgery.

Granted at my age, appearances aren't high on my list of priorities. If they were I'd spend more time in the gym and less time writing. But writing is my life right now...and I'm trying not to freak as life throws me this curve ball. My edits will get done on time. My current WIP will get done--eventually--without the pain I'm struggling with now. Things will be fine. I'll be fine. My book will be fine. Right?

SIX SENTENCE SUNDAY

2011-09-18T11:00:00.001-04:00

Storm Masterson and his sister's nurse continue to butt heads. Time after time, the sparks intensify. Here's a 6 sentence excerpt from STORM'S INTERLUDE.

He could swear steam was coming out of her ears, and that fact pleased him greatly. Lordy, but she was a beauty with her cheeks flushed in high anger.

If glares could kill, he’d be stretched out on a marble slab at Van Snoot’s Funeral Parlor. Rachel snatched her shopping bags, turned and stormed out of the room, her pointy chin angled high and that tight skirt switching and sliding so sensually over her hips, he wanted to groan.

“Why, brother, I think she turns you on.” Sunny smiled as if she’d just uncovered some confidential information.

MELINDA ELMORE, AUTHOR

2011-09-14T11:54:00.005-04:00

I have a special guest on Vintage Vonnie today. As I've shared before, I have the delightful pleasure of mentoring four writers. Melinda is one of my delights. She's grown so much as a writer, not because of me, but because of her strong desire to improve. And she has! Melinda has a release coming out soon--Blood on the Feather.

This author is a proud Native American living in Arizona. Her writings are infused with Native history, customs and beliefs. Imagine all I've learned from her! I firmly believe Melinda is on a quest to preserve her cherished history of The People and the Red Way through her writings--and she does it so well. Here's the cover followed by an excerpt from her soon-to-be released book.

DeShay gazed toward skan, sky, and a cetan, hawk, circled overhead. She closed her eyes when a feather brushed her hand. The feather of a hawk or eagle is sacred to the Lakota.

Slowly opening her eyes she glanced down at the feather. It had faded quite a bit and parts were missing, as if they had been pulled off in a struggle. She shrugged at the thought of why the feather had been damaged, but then disregarded her feelings and placed the feather in her pocket.

When she turned to set up her site, something else grabbed her attention. The distinctive odor of death. Uneasiness crept inside her but she couldn't ignore the object sparkling in with the sun's rays. Studying a mound of dirt that held the object, understanding suddenly registered – a dead body.

Cautiously approaching the unknown mound, her heart beat faster, her stomach clenched, and her mouth went dry. She covered her nose and mouth with her sleeve, trying to keep the order from gagging her. A cry of anguish escaped DeShay's lips when she realized the remains were human.

The young woman lay supine, clasping something in her hand. As DeShay came closer, she identified the object as a medicine wheel, hand painted, with an arrow in the center pointing southwest. The cause of death was not evident, at least not to DeShay.

Her mind raced, then she turned and ran toward her Jeep, heart pounding, as she leaped over the gate. She had to get her cell phone. Why hadn't she taken it with her?

Finally, her Jeep came into view. In her haste she tripped over a rock as she made her way over the bumpy ground, then jumped to her feet and ran as fast as fast as she could. Approaching her vehicle, she reached inside, grabbed the phone, and frantically dialed 9-1-1.

"Nine-One-One, what is your emergency?"

"I'm at Eagle Nest Canyon. I came to – to, um, there's a body! A dead girl. Please, please send someone right away. Hurry!"

"Calm down and tell me your name."

"DeShay. DeShay Graywater," she answered, still out of breath from running.

"Tell me exactly where you are, Miss Graywater."

DeShay took, a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart. She blew out the breath and said, "I'm near Eagle Nest Canyon, on a gravel road, off Highway forty-four, just west of Wanblee."

"Officers are en route. Stay by your vehicle until they arrive."

"I will. But tell them to please hurry!"

"They will be there as soon as they can. Remain calm, ma'am. They are on the way."

"I'll try. Thank you."

She opened a bottle of water and took a long drink. Although relieved she had called the authorities and someone would soon arrive on the scene, she couldn't get the picture of the dead woman out of her mind.

"Everything will be okay," she whispered and wiped the sweat from her brow with the back of her trembling hand. She ran her forearm over her forehead and wiped away the sweat and willed herself to stop trembling. Her dig for today would have to wait. For now, the poor woman was more important. The feather, medicine wheel, and dead body were all connected because all were at the scene of the crime and clutched in the victim's hand.

Her cell phone rang, interrupting her thoughts. She glanced at the screen and noticed the incoming number – 9-1-1.

"Hello?"

"Miss Graywater? This is the nine-one-one operator. I wanted to let you know officers have been alerted to the situation and should arrive soon."

"Okay, thank you."

Here is where I will be at for the Release of my new book, Blood on the Feather. Hope to see you there. ~ Melinda

09/14/2011 http://www.anauthorstale.blogspot.com

09/15/2011 http://goddessfish.blogspot.com

09/16/2011 http://sizzlingreleases.blogpsot.com

09/20/2011 http://artistfirst.com from 7-8 pm eastern

09/21/2011 http://www.patyjager.blogspot.com/

09/23/2011 http://www.savvyauthors.com/vb/content.php

http://www.savvyauthors.com/vb/content.php?121-Savvy-Author-s-Den-Blog

SIX SENTENCE SUNDAY

2011-09-11T08:40:00.000-04:00

Holding his reins in his left hand, he clucked his tongue to set his mount in motion. “Most of our horses respond to verbal commands. I don’t abide spurs being used on horses.”

"Gee, guess I'll have to save my spurs for better things, then." Oh Lord, what had possessed her to say that? Like she even owned a pair of spurs; like she'd think to use them on...on...

So what's your SIX today? Would you like to share yours in your comments? I'd love to read them.

IF I RAN THE COUNTRY

2011-09-09T09:36:00.001-04:00

I'm no politician. What I am is a woman who knows how to get the job done. I'm a woman who put three kids through college as a single mother while working two jobs to meet those tuition bills. I know how to balance a budget. So when I watch Congress pontificate and piddle and point fingers, well, it sets my teeth on edge. Don't they have a job to do?

I used to work for a man who loved to yell, "Don't come in here and tell me it won't work! Come in here with a better plan that will."

So, while I grumble at government's inactivity, waste and plain stupidity, I'm sharing Vonnie's plan if she ran the government. Hang on, folks, old fashioned common sense at work here--

Reduce Debt: Phase One--Stop all foriegn aide for three years. Most countries don't like us anyhow. Why should we keep sending them millions of dollars every year? How many times have we heard, "You can't buy love?" So, stop sending money to other countries. Cruel, you say? Well, let's take a hard look at this. We've been sending money to starving countries for years and the populations there are STILL starving. Why? Because our money isn't being used properly. So often, our monies line the pockets of those countries' leaders and never filters down. If it did, there would be less starving people.
Reduce Debt: Phase Two--Kick able-bodied people off welfare after one year. Welfare programs were intitally proposed as a "hand-up" during rough times, not a "hand out" for all eternity. We have generations of families who have been on welfare since day one. Now, here's the thing. People need money to live. Jobs are scarce. So, if we take people off welfare and there are no jobs, how will they live? We create a step-to-freedom program. During your one year on welfare, you'll be trained on how to do various jobs. You don't show up for training, you don't get your check. By the end of one year, you'll have skills to get a job. And, yes, hell yes, you'll have to take a drug test every week. This will create more jobs. Teachers will be needed to teach the skills and more technicians to analyze the drug tests.
Job creation programs--Our country's infrastructure needs updated. Public transportation systems need built. Shift monies spent on foriegn aide and welfare to upgrading the infrastructure. Highways, bridges, power companies, the grid system, to name a few. Workers will be needed. More jobs.
Stop illegal immigration--This may sound radical, but bear with me, folks. Take all prisoners out of jail. Strap a band with GPS on each ankle (more jobs created to make these bands) and position a line of prisoners along the Mexican border. I daresay we've got enough people in jail that they could patrol the border on foot in six-hour shifts. If the prisoners run, sent a jolt of electricity through those bands--just as a reminder. For every illegal alien they stop, they get a pack of cigarettes or an extra hour with family. For every one they miss, they get another week added onto their time. Housing and food services will be required every twenty miles for these prisoner-patrols. More jobs.

Remove high-paid bean counters from government jobs and replace with out-of-work individuals who have successfully kept hearth and home together during their tough times. These people know how to squeeze a dime out of a nickel. They know how to get the most bang for their buck.

Stop government studies. This has to be one of the biggest wastes I've seen. Even here in little Lynchburg, I see $100,000. spent on a study on how to best use a windfall of $140,000. Duh! Can't we make up our own minds? Have we NO common sense?

Granted some of my ideas are a tad tongue-in-cheek, but the facts remain. Our government is run by the dredges of society. Politicians who spout family values and claim a faith in God, yet cheat on their spouse. I'm tied of it. As the saying goes, "we've got the best government money can buy." Now that I've bored you with my ideas on how I'd run the country. What are yours?

SIX SENTENCE SUNDAY --

2011-09-04T09:40:00.000-04:00

Someone swaggered out of the moonlit night toward Rachel. Exhausted from a long day of driving, she braked and blinked. Either she was hallucinating or her sugar levels had plummeted. Maybe that accounted for the male mirage, albeit a very magnificent male mirage, trekking toward her. She peered once more into the hot July night at the image illuminated by her headlights. Sure enough, there he was, cresting the hill on foot—a naked man wearing nothing but a black cowboy hat, a pair of boots and a go-to-hell sneer.

WHEN BLESSINGS COME...one likes to share

2011-08-29T23:28:00.005-04:00

Yesterday was Monday, another routine kind of day. Get up, make coffee, read emails, throw sheets in the washer. Feed kitty his beloved treats. You get the picture. So, when I opened the email from LASR, a popular review site, that announced Storm's Interlude was voted best book of the week, I was thrilled.

Later I received an email from a senior editor about my short story. Had I decided on a name yet? She wants to move ahead with the project. Yes, I had--Those Violet Eyes. So, looks like I'll have a story in the Honky Tonk Hearts Series at the Wild Rose Press. Yee-ha!!

Then, as if I wasn't excited enough, I recieved THE call from my agent. The Wild Rose Press offered a contract on my romantic suspense, Mona Lisa's Room. It seems like we've been waiting so long for a decision. Not so, by publishing standards. We'd submitted the middle of June, so the approval process took about two and a half months.

Short by industry standards; long by my nerves.

I am blessed in my writing career. Although I started late in life, things have been on a wild roller-coaster ride since my first book was contracted the middle of November. It's humbling. Truly.

So, to celebrate I'm giving away a copy of Storm's Interlude to one lucky commenter. Tell me about a dream you have right now. For me, it's losing some weight--groans. For some, it might be a better job, a new baby, new living room furniture, a cruise and the list of possibilites goes on. Tell me, what's yours? Leave your email address in your comment, so I can contact you if you win. Good Luck--and of course, no purchase necessary. Grins!!

SIX SENTENCE SUNDAY

2011-08-28T01:36:00.001-04:00

Firestorm—his kiss, gentle nips at first, quickly turned potent and fierce. He tasted of spice, whiskey and beer. There was a faint smell of lime-based cologne mingled with the dank smells of creek water. Her toes curled in her pink sandals. Oh God, she was in big trouble. Thank goodness she’d taken her hand off her gun or she’d have shot her car dead.

Six Sentence Sunday ~ STORM'S INTERLUDE

2011-08-21T08:19:00.000-04:00

Storm smiled and leaned so his mouth was near her ear. “Great shoes, by the way.”

She chuckled and looked in the opposite direction, hoping he wouldn’t see her blush. “Sunny called them ‘ho-red.’ We laughed so hard when the shoe salesman fumbled, trying to tie the laces around my ankles and calves.”

He glanced at her shoes again, and she could have sworn she heard him mutter, “Lucky bastard.”

SO CLOSE TO SHARING SOME NEWS!

2011-08-18T11:50:00.001-04:00

Two days ago I got "THE" reply from an editor who loves my story. What story? you ask. A short story, a novella by my thinking since it has 38,000 words, for a submissions call at The Wild Rose Press. Am I excited? Oh, yeah. Writing "short" is different than writing "long." Short stories have a different set of elements, and I wasn't sure I could pull it off. I'm thrilled I could.

The editor gave me a list of edits to make. One of the edits is the title. It just doesn't fit. Kinda like the thought of me in a tight short dress. Granted it might cover the basics, but it just doesn't look right. The fit's off. So is the fit of the title. For some reason I just couldn't come up with a good one. I'd changed it three times over the course of writing it, and nothing I tried seemed to fit.

So, once we've decided on a title, I'll make the announcement. Can't wait!!!

MARIE TUHART, ROMANCE AUTHOR

2011-08-16T02:31:00.000-04:00

My guest today on Vintage Vonnie is erotic romance author, Marie Tuhart. Marie's brand or slogan is: Escape to an Erotic Fantasy. Welcome, Marie, and I'm glad to have you here today. Thanks for allowing me to ask you a few questions.

Jazzie wants to know, Got Kitties?

1. 1. What is your life like away from the computer? Tell us something about your household. Jazzie, my cat, wants to know if you have any kitty-pusses.

My life away from the computer is far from exciting, I have a day job as a project manager with a major telecommunications company. I don't have any kitty-pusses, sorry I'm allergic, but I still love them.

2. What is your writing schedule like?

Writing schedule? What is that? I don't have a set schedule, mainly because I write whenever I can. On days I have to go into the office and not work from home, I'll write on my lunch time. If I'm working from home, I'll write after my day job ends.

3. How do you research your storylines or locations?

I try to stick to locations I've visited if possible, if not, I use the internet to search out the cities.

4. What part of the writing process brings you the most pleasure? The most angst?

Writing the first draft usually brings me the most pleasure, because I'm learning about my characters and what they want in life. Editing causes me the most angst, sometimes I want to bang my head against the desk.

5. What are you currently working on?

I'm currently working on a contemporary romance, sexy but not erotic.

6. For fun: Coffee or Tea?….favorite color?…favorite TV show?...favorite actor?...funny movies or tear jerkers?...sneakers, flip-flops or bare feet?...do you listen to music when you write?

I drink both coffee and tea. Favorite color is black. Favorite TV show – that's hard, I don't watch that much TV, but when I do I watch: NCIS, NCIS LA, CSI, Hawaii 5-O, The Event, True Blood and Game of Thrones. No favorite actor right now. I like funny movies over tear jerkers. Bare feet around the house. I don't listen to music while I write, I usually have the TV on CNN but I don't really hear it.

7. Tell us about your current release…or soon to be release.

My current release is Quick Silver Ranch: Saddle Up

Angie Davidson finds herself at loose ends after her best friend's wedding and in need of a vacation, so when sexy yet aloof co-owner of the Quick Silver Ranch, Jared Turner, insists she stay to explore their sexual attraction, she agrees. Though she loves

being a submissive in the bedroom, Jared's distant air after lovemaking brings back bad memories. Can she show this strong sexy man he has nothing to fear from her, or will he abandon her like everyone else in her life has?
Sexy yet aloof Jared, co-owner of the Quick Silver Ranch is eager to explore Angie's submissive side with two weeks of toys and other naughty play. However, the last time he was this attracted to a woman—mentally and phyiscally—she wasn't able to put up with his Dominant streak. Can Angie see that her vacation with him can be the perfect way of life?

You can buy Quick Silver Ranch at any of your favorite e-tailers (Amazon, B&N, Bookstrand, Fictionwise) Or you can buy directly from The Wild Rose Press http://tinyurl.com/6jcwda5

Bio: I was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, where I still live, next year I will be moving to Washington State. I'm published in contemporary erotic romance with The Wild Rose Press, I also write Paranormal erotic romance and series contemporary romance targeted for Harlequin Presents.

Website: www.marietuhart.com

Facebook: Marie Tuhart – I'm the only one

Twitter: @marietuhart

Blog: www.escapetoaneroticfantasy.blogspot.com

Group blog: www.wildandwickedcowboys.wordpress.com

SIX SENTENCE SUNDAY--

2011-08-14T11:08:00.000-04:00

“You’ve got mighty long hair. Guess braiding it keeps it outta your eyes while you’re driving with the top down.” There was a quick smile, white teeth flashed and dimples winked.

Rachel swallowed. Dimples, he just had to have dimples. If she didn’t soon get away from this man with his muscles, his deep voice and those prominent dimples, she’d be nothing but a puddle of femininity on the front seat of her new car.

A LESSON IN PERSERVERANCE

2011-08-13T12:54:00.001-04:00

The Help was turned down by 60 agents before one took pity on Kathryn Stockett, a very determined author with a powerful passion for her story. Bless Kathryn's stubborn heart; she never gave up.

This is a timely reminder for me as I wait for word on two projects--a short story, Waiting on a Dream, written specifically for a submisisons call, and a novel, Mona Lisa's Room, a romantic suspense set in France.

These two elements--rejections and waiting--are part and parcel of a writer's life.

A writer friend of mine recieved word from a large publisher on June 2nd that they loved her book and were moving forward with it to the next committee. She hasn't heard a word since. Nor has her agent after repeated attemps to find out. So, this delightful lady waits-- lurking in the land of publishing limbo.

Before The Help was published, work was already underway for the movie. Yes, the publishing world does move at a snail's pace.

Have you seen the movie yet? Please do. Calvin and I saw it the day it opened here in Lynchbug. For him, it was a visit back to his childhood. For me, it was an education. By the applause that erupted at movie's end, for others in the theater, it was a delight.

Over the years, Calvin and I have shared memories of our childhood. He grew up in the segregated south and I was raised on a farm in Pennsylvania. Early in the mornings, he'd see black men and women, dressed in various uniforms, walking down the streets headed for the bus stop. My early morning activities were herding the cows into the barn for milking and filling their feed troughs with grain. Our formative lives were vastly different.

Yet, one ominous, dark thread of a nasty element in society was woven through both of our lives.

As a black boy he could not lay money into the hand of a white cashier. That white person would not welcome nor accept the touch of black skin against his or hers. As a black teen, working in a white owned store, he could not drink from the employees' water fountain nor use the employees' restroom. This resulted in many a mad dash for home over his lunch break or at day's end.

For me, it was the confusion of being jerked across the street by my good Christian mother before she'd lower herself to walk past a black man. Or watching her participate in fund drives to help "poor little African children" when she wouldn't tip the black woman who cleaned the public restrooms along Main Street in our town. I grappled with the inconsistencies.

I grappled with the same inconsistencies in the movie. White women turned their babies over to black help to raise and bathe and kiss, but refused to allow these same black women to use their bathrooms. Heaven forbid they should have to place their lily-white bottoms on the same toilet seat once used by a black person. It was almost as if they valued their bottoms more than their babies. But such were the morals, the thinking of the time.

Calvin claims whites were as trapped by segregation and Jim Crow as blacks. It made for discord and prejudices all the way around. I hope we've moved beyond all that. I hope so. I truly do...

LYNNE MARSHALL, AUTHOR

2011-08-09T10:47:00.000-04:00

My guest on Vintage Vonnie today is the warm and engaging romance author, Lynne Marshall. Please welcome her to Vintage Vonnie.

First of all, I’d like to thank you, Vonnie, for having me as a guest at your wonderful blog. I have met so many lovely new authors over at The Wild Rose Press, and you are one of them. You’ve sent me a list of questions, and I thoroughly enjoyed answering them.

1. What authors and genres do you like to read?

I love to read contemporary romance, romantic suspense, and historical romance, as well at non-romance books. My favorite authors are Susan Elizabeth Phillips, LaVyrle Spencer, Kristin Higgins, Linda Howard, Allison Brennan, Jennifer Crusie, Jill Marie Landis, Jodi Thomas, Deanna Raybourn, and Susan Crandall. Just to name a few. Non-romance, Jodi Picoult, Sandra Kring, Elizabeth Berg. I read male authors, too! I could go on and on, there are just so many fabulous authors out there. Makes me a little queasy thinking I’ve thrown my hat into the ring.

2. Do you enter writing contests? If so, has this been a positive experience for you?

Oh, I’m a big believer in contests. I started off in the Romance Writers of America entering a lot of chapter contests and getting the snot slapped out of me. I was also dubbed a contest slut by my fellow RWA chaptermates. I learned a lot, and I also grew a thick skin. Eventually I caught on and started making the finals in contests with a few of my entries. One for the Road won and was a finalist in six or more contests a few years back. The judges loved the story and the idea of having an older heroine. Though the manuscript got requested by an editor and found me an agent, the big print publishers weren’t interested, so I’m grateful for The Wild Rose Press and the Last Rose of Summer line.

Since I’ve been published in category romance, I’ve entered published contests, too. A couple of my Medical Romances for Harlequin, Mills & Boon have done well in contests. Temporary Doctor, Surprise Father, was a finalist in the Greater Detroit Book Buyers Best 2010 contest, short contemporary category, and The Heart Doctor and the Baby just won the short contemporary category in the 2011 Winter Rose Contest. So, as you can see I still enter contests.

My advice for contest entrants, if the critique from the judges rings true, or more than one judge says similar things, take another look at your entry and consider making some changes. As with all critiques, take what you can use, and what makes your story better, and don’t torture yourself about the rest. We’ll never please everyone. It’s impossible.

3. Do you ever dream of writing in a different genre?

I can’t say I dream of it, but I have thought about tackling a cozy mystery. Also, when I see movies like Win Win, where the story is so wonderful, I fantasize about writing general fiction, bigger stories with lots of secondary characters and storylines. When I realistically consider what that would entail, I get exhausted. Not that writing romance isn’t hard enough! In all of my reading years, I’ve always been most drawn to the romance portion of any novel. I guess, in the long run, I’m hooked on romance.

4. What part of the writing process brings you the most pleasure? The most angst?

When I begin a new book, I feel completely overwhelmed. Yes, I’ve written the synopsis, written up a conflict chart, gotten feedback from either my critique partner or, if it is one of my category books, my editor. Facing that blank page is always daunting. And the first three to four chapters feel like wading through molasses. That’s the angsty part. Eventually I’ll stumble into the “zone” and get so caught up with my characters and their story, that the words flow and flow, and a snowball effect happens toward the end of the book, and whew, I end up holding onto my hat by the time I write The End. Of course, that’s just the first draft, but I’ve managed to tackle this beast of a story and toss it onto the page! Hooray! From there it is re-writes, editing, revisions, more re-writes and editing, reading, re-reading. Well, you know the process. The part that brings me the most angst though, is waiting for reader responses. Until I’ve had some feedback from readers, I can’t relax or breathe easily. My nerves are all a tangle just writing about it for your blog, Vonnie!

5. What are you currently working on?

I am currently working on another Medical Romance for Harlequin. I’m happy to be under contract with them and have, what I feel, is a good romance story in the works. The hero is my favorite kind – tortured. And the heroine is a solid non-glamorous type of girl (my favorite kind of heroine) who has been dealt a serious blow.

And I’ve also got some good news to share. In July I contracted with The Wild Rose Press for a second book. This one is for the Champagne Line and it is called, An Indiscretion.

6. Tell us about your current release…or soon to be release.

Vonnie, I’d love to! ONE FOR THE ROAD, on sale now, is a road trip, a romance and a mystery all rolled into one big, hopefully fun, story. I think the best way to tell you about the book is to use the back book cover blurb:

D’Anne Palmer and her husband had a life others dream of—traveling the US in a luxury forty-foot motor coach, going where they wanted. Suddenly, D’Anne finds herself a widow with her only asset being the motor home. Without funds to return to California, she decides to hire out the RV.

(My actual words for this section were: D’Anne Palmer and her husband are on their cross country, last ditch, mend-it-don’t-end-it marriage tour when he drops dead. This was gently edited by my wonderful editor at The Wild Rose Press – LOL)

Tyler White was a “one-hit-wonder” ten years ago. At a crossroads, he decides to attempt a comeback. He’s hoping the three-week tour he’s put together will reignite his career. All he needs now is some cheap transportation, and the widow with the RV might just fit the bill.

D’Anne and Tyler discover a lot about themselves—and each other—as they journey from Nashville to Las Vegas, via Texas, with the band and Tyler’s dog. Can close quarters really help a has-been singer on the comeback trail and a widow with California style find love?

As you can see, the trickiest part of this story was having a new widow – her husband has died six weeks before the book begins – fall believably in love again. I worked very hard to make the transition slow and realistic, and I haven’t had one complaint about it yet, so hopefully I pulled it off.

One thing the blurb doesn’t mention is the secondary mystery which involves D’Anne’s deceased husband. As usual, he’s made a mess of things, and she’s left cleaning it up. One of the things I enjoyed the most about this book was I got to write a car chase scene involving a forty foot deluxe RV, a Hummer, and a beat up VW bug. Ah, the joys of writing the stories of our hearts, right Vonnie?

Thanks again for having me guest blog. I’d love to know what your readers think about books that don’t quite fit into one category. For example, One for the Road is a road trip, a midlife coming of age story, a romance and a mystery.

Readers, do you enjoy books that are hard to categorize?

One for the Road is available at The Wild Rose Press (Please link to this: http://www.thewildrosepress.com/index.php?main_page=advanced_search_result&search_in_description=1&zenid=1b97b3e5b60d91dc2246332c76133a16&keyword=Lynne+Marshall&x=24&y=9

And at Amazon http://www.amazon.com/One-for-the-Road-ebook/dp/B005CI7BVQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1312221298&sr=1-1

As well as Barnes & Noble, Digi Books Café, Fictionwise, and many more online e-book stores.

SIX SENTENCE SUNDAY--

2011-08-07T12:35:00.001-04:00

STORM'S INTERLUDE:

“Back up, buster, I’ll not be kissed like that again.”

“I was right. All that hair is glorious hanging loose and free.” He reached out, twirling a long strand of silk around his fingers. God help him, but she was a charmer. He held a long curl to his nose and inhaled her floral shampoo, a sexual vision slowly stroked his libido.

FOR VISITORS FROM THE 'UK' AND 'EU' --

2011-07-31T21:56:00.001-04:00

After reading the "Contests" page, you're back to leave a comment. Thank you for fulfilling the requirements as listed on that page.

Now in the comments, please tell me where you live--city and country--just because I'd like to know where my visitors are from. AND your email address, so I can contact you should your name be drawn and you win.

Thank you for entering and good luck!!!

** Sorry, but the blog rules state you must be from either the UK or EU to be eligible to enter.

THE ROSES OF PROSE

2011-07-30T12:02:00.000-04:00

The "Roses of Prose" Blog has recently undergone a lot of changes. The site is redesigned with a fabulous new look and format. There are new Roses, too. Lucky me, I'll be one of them. You'll be able to recognize me in an instant: I'm the thorny one.

Each of the fourteen Roses will blog twice a month on various things pertaining to writing, reading and life in general. I'll be blogging on the 12th and 27th. From time to time, there will be guest authors to bring a fresh perspective.

Although many of the Roses are romance writers, some are also women's fiction writers. Should be a nice mix. I hope you'll stop by often. The grand unveiling day is August 1st. Please check us out.

http://www.rosesofprose.blogspot.com

AUTHOR, ALANA LORENS

2011-07-26T09:11:00.000-04:00

My guest on Vintage Vonnie today is Alana Lorens--wife, mother, author and active blogger. She and I are swapping places today. I'm blogging on her blog, Clan Elves of the Bitterroot, and she's blogging here. Give her a warm welcome, please. She's brought along a great excerpt for us. Don't forget to leave a comment.

"SECRETS" is a Labor of Love--Literally

When I explain the basic plot of my first published romance novel Secrets in the Sand, how a whorehouse madam falls in love with a doctor, and he with her, I usually get some strange looks. You know the ones. The ones that say “How do you know anything about being a whorehouse madam?”

Well, let me assure you, it’s not from personal experience.

But Lily Pearl Evans is very near to my heart. She’s been a character long before she hit the pages of the book for the Wild Rose Press. She used to live in space. Gene Nicholas, the Doctors-Without-Borders hero she falls for? He used to live on a space station, where he was the chief medical officer.

My real-life husband and I met there, in space, on this space station, as players in an online role playing game (RPG). Both of us had full-time jobs and headaches and kids and used the online time to escape from the busy lives we led. Because we are both science fiction junkies, we found this place where we could live out fantasies of being space pilots or grubby ship mechanics or stunning bartenders or…whatever. It didn’t take long for us to find that no matter what characters we portrayed, they eventually gravitated toward one another and fell in love. (Or they killed each other passionately. But mostly, they fell in love.)

So it was a no-brainer after that. We discovered that we only lived a couple hours apart in the real world, we met in person, we truly fell in love and we got married. That was nearly twelve years ago, and we’re still creating stories together. J

Even in the RPG world, our characters of Lily and Gene were worlds apart in every sense of the word. He’d grown up in a pampered household, he’d had all the privileges, and she’d scrambled for everything she had. She clung to that house she owned and took care of her girls and wouldn’t let any man take it from her. His heart was the size of the moon and he took others under his wing and mentored them, nurtured them, healed them. But they’d never cross each others’ path.

Until one dramatic story arc of the RPG when an evil threat came to the space station and Gene ended up killing the villain with his own hands. Torn between the knowledge he had no other choice and his oath to protect life, Gene has a breakdown and goes on the run. He ends up on Lily’s doorstep. She takes him in, not knowing who he is, and takes care of him. He earns his keep playing piano in her cathouse parlor. And, yes, they fall in love.

My husband and I got very close through this story arc; invested in these characters with all our hearts, we fell in love with each other right alongside Lily and Gene. It was a great love story. I wished I could share it with others. But science fiction didn’t seem the right place to tell the story to romance readers (though it might have been just fine). I chose instead one of my favorite landscapes in the country, New Mexico, and set the scene near the southern border, so Gene could be working with a small town patient base when he encounters the evil of the Mexican drug cartels. And so, the story unfolds again.

They’re not the typical romance hero/heroines. They’ve seen hard lives, they’re older, each is broken in his or her own way. But, just like so many, once they find each other and let down the barriers that keep them locked inside themselves, they discover a world of acceptance, trust and love—just like their creators did twelve years ago.

Alana Lorens has been a published writer for over 35 years, including seven years as a reporter and editor at the South Dade News Leader in Homestead, Florida. Her list of publications includes the non-fiction book 101 Little Instructions for Surviving Your Divorce, published by Impact Publishers in 1999, stories in A Cup of Comfort for Divorced Women, in December 2008, and A Cup of Comfort for Adoptive Parents, in June 2009. Her Clan Elves of the Bitterroot series (as Lyndi Alexander) is available from Dragonfly Publishing; THE ELF QUEEN in 2010 and THE ELF CHILD in March 2011, with THE ELF MAGE coming out in early 2012.

Her newest release is SECRETS IN THE SAND, in the Crimson Rose line from The Wild Rose Press. She also takes care of a husband and a bunch of kids and blogs on a variety of subjects, including autism, science fiction and life at Awalkabout.

SECRETS IN THE SAND is available as an ebook from The Wild Rose Press, or at amazon.com, Smashwords and other ebook outlets. Learn more at www.alanalorens.com

EXCERPT:

Relieved to the point of weak knees to see the cartel hadn’t found the aging BMW yet, Gene walked around the car, imagining each of the bumps and scratches was new, caused by a malicious hand. But a forced objective examination showed him all was as he had left it. He’d even locked the doors.

Funny, he couldn’t remember doing that.

But then much of that trek in the dark, he simply didn’t remember. Since he’d ended up somewhere safe, it was probably just as well. He opened the door, at first, just far enough to wedge his shoulder in. To shove it the rest of the way open required a grunting effort to knock aside a pile of sand that threatened to swallow the car whole.

The phone was easily retrieved from the place he’d dropped it between the seats. He’d left it on, plugged into the car charger. He turned it off and pocketed it.

A survey of the car showed he’d left several bags and his laptop there as well. Good thing the cartel hadn’t come this far. The personal information on that hard drive alone could have nailed him for sure.

He slid into the driver’s seat and tried the ignition. A quick turn of the key brought up the dash lights and a fuel tank reading well below the E.

“Well, damn.” He got out of the car and looked back in the direction of the Club, thinking he must have been hepped up on full tilt adrenaline to stumble that far. Amazing.

He opened the fuel can, screwed on the funnel end, then started to pour. Lily came up behind him. While the gas glubbed slowly out of the can into the BMW, she peered inside at the detritus of his international life.

“It’s not pretty,” he said, with a sheepish grin. “Single man, batching it up, you know.”

“I think some of that’s taken on a life of its own. What is that green stuff on the floor of the back seat?”

He leaned closer to see what she was pointing at. “Not sure. Nothing a dose of penicillin won’t cure.”

Satisfied everything was copacetic, he stepped back from the car, studying the sand around the wheels. He kicked at the sand, making headway against the baby dunes that had piled up. He hadn’t seen a chain, or towbar in the bed of the pickup. How were they going to get the car out?

“You’ve got to let the air out of your tires,” she said behind him.

“What?” His expression must have revealed his shock, because she laughed softly.

“Not all of it. You want to broaden the surface of the tire on the sand. Here, like this.” She bent down and loosened the valve stem on the left rear tire, holding down the catch.

He took the left front, crouching near the tire to mimic her actions. “How long does it take?”

“A long time.” She grinned, her fingers still holding the valve open. “You’ve probably got to lose twenty pounds of pressure.” She glanced off in the direction they’d come. “We’ll have to stop and fill you up again back at the state line.”

“How do you know these things?” he asked, bemused. The Sassafras Social Club’s madam was certainly more than just a pretty face. Although he had to admit, even here, in the middle of a sand pit, without her makeup and fancy clothes, he found her a real knockout.

She shrugged. “You live in the desert awhile, you pick it up.” Her voice acquired an edge as she turned back to her task. “Unless you’d rather assume that the local tow-truck drivers whisper survival mantras for pillow talk.”

“I—No, I never assumed that.” And who would? What a strange thing to say…

He leaned back, stretching his legs in the unfamiliar position. Stiff from sleeping in an unfamiliar bed, he missed his old bed and pillows in Florida. Even in Puerto de Anapra, the villagers had seen to it that he had the best they could scrounge up among those who could spare anything.

Grumbling that he was turning into a cranky middle-aged man, he narrowly diverted a cramp in his leg by standing up a moment. When he cleared the edge of the fender, he sensed a difference in the air. The wind had picked up, but the sky to the east had cleared.

He turned to look behind him, to the west, and a jolt of adrenaline tingled down to his feet. A giant cloud spread across the horizon, reaching a quarter-mile into the sky. The ocher color of the desert sand, the cloud billowed forth in all directions, heading right for the pair of them. He’d never seen a sight so terrifying.

Her face paled when she saw what he was looking at. She started off at a run for the truck.

Unsure what to do, he hesitated. The oncoming cloud swelled and swirled, billowing outward toward them like parachute material filling with forced air, constantly moving, growing. Mesmerized at the monster’s progress, he stood, slack-jawed, until the first pecks of sand stung his bare cheeks, the pain bringing him back to very present danger. The air darkened around him as a hissing filled his ears. His hands came up automatically to cover his face, and he backed into his car door, inadvertently slamming it shut.

“Come on!” Lily stood on the truck’s running board, yelling over the door. “Hurry!” The wind swallowed her voice, stole the words away, but her expression needed no explanation. He moved. He stumbled in the sand, three or four steps in before he got traction enough to run. The cloud came closer, enveloped him. Blinded, he held his arm across his face, fighting his way toward the place he believed the truck to be, where it used to be before the world shifted into chaos.

He’d been working in Miami when Hurricane Andrew devastated the southern suburbs, and that was his only experience that even approached this in terms of terror. The wind roared around him, the sand continuing to assault his skin, even worse than the onslaught of wind and rain Andrew had been.

His heart raced. What if this had happened the night of his border crossing? He imagined being lost in such an event, the sand scraping away exposed skin, filling airways with dust, slowly choking a person to death…