thepopculturedivas

Golden Rules

2012-02-13T11:48:00.009-05:00

The cast of my own memoir includes plenty of dead people, but one of the live, off-camera characters who has helped shape my book is the author Claire Bidwell-Smith.

In addition to being 30-something and a former New Yorker, her just-released memoir, The Rules of Inheritance, also stars several dead people. Her parents, specifically. By the time she was 25, cancer would claim both their lives. In this book, Claire explores life, loss and love with a candor that leaps through time and space to find a home in your own head. Her sepia-toned words shift between haunting and self-deprecating—with turns of phrase that compel underlining or memorization.

While in New York City this month to record her audio book and attend launch parties for Rules of Inheritance, Claire shared her behind-the-scenes process for creating one of the most powerful and technically stunning memoirs I’ve encountered.

TMR: You organized your story into five sections named for Elizabeth Kubler-Ross’ five stages of grief. How did you arrive at this technical decision? Did it happen as a classic eureka moment or was it a slow build?

Claire Bidwell-Smith: It was an evolving process, really. I’d written two other versions of the memoir, both told in a much more linear and conventional fashion. Both of them came across quite boring. Part of the idea for breaking up my story into non-linear sections came after I saw the film "500 Days of Summer" with my husband. Afterward, he turned to me and said, you should really think about doing something unconventional like that. A few months later I decided that I wanted my story to have a pretty serious focus on grief, and decided to use Kubler-Ross’s stages.

I think there’s this tendency with memoir to tell the whole story. As in, you start in childhood and go all the way up to the present. At least in my case that initially seemed like the only option, especially given that I’m not very old so I don’t have a long life to write about. But when I used this approach, the past drafts ended up with a lot of unnecessary stuff. Paring the story down into these vignettes that fit into Kubler-Ross’s stages helped me to eliminate a lot of stuff that just wasn’t necessary.

TMR: As a storyteller, you have an uncanny instinct for balancing your tendency toward self-destruction with a capacity for self-realization. Just when your pain is almost too difficult to witness, you jump-cut to the smarter, healthier, less messy person you have become. Can you share your process for striking this narrative balance so effectively?

CBS: Part of it comes from the choice to write in the present tense at all times. Even when I was writing about a time in my life that took place when I was eighteen, I wrote in present tense. Doing this gave the story an immediacy that’s more difficult to achieve when writing in past tense. But it also allowed me to throw in little sneak peeks to the future.

For instance, when writing about a boy who hurt me in Chapter One I write: Right now I am simply confused and deeply hurt. It is only years later that I will be able to recognize what it was like for him to walk into my world the way he did. It is only later that I will understand that my grief was too much for him. Right now the only thing I can think about is how incredibly alone I am in all of this.

I think some of this balance also comes from writing this book at the right time. It takes time to have perspective on the things that happen to us in our lives. Ten years ago, when I began writing it, I was still right in the thick of the story. I simply wasn’t quite ready to write because I was still living it.

TMR: In addition to achieving balance, your jump cuts between time and space create a suspenseful undercurrent. As you wrote the first draft, did you write in a non-linear fashion or were these jump cuts a product of the editing process?

CBS: The jump cuts were the plan all along. Once I decided to use the five stages as the narrative structure, I wrote a complete outline. Each stage contained three chapters that exemplified that stage. For example, the Denial stage has chapters that take place when I was 18, 14, and 25 years old. I went into the writing knowing this and worked diligently off my outline. It was the first time in my life I really stuck to an outline—and it was incredibly helpful.

TMR: What was the most challenging aspect of writing The Rules of Inheritance and how did you conquer it?

CBS: I think the hardest part was writing it as honestly as I did. I’ve read every memoir I can get my hands on and I’ve decided that what makes the really good ones good is when the author is as absolutely honest as possible. But this isn’t an easy feat. I had to put a lot of people out of my head while I wrote. I didn’t let myself consider what my family or my husband’s family would think of what I was writing and I didn’t let myself think about the actual people I was writing about either. If had let any of those people into my head, I would have been too self-conscious to write effectively.

Lastly, I knew that in order for this to be a book that is helpful to others, which is what I want from it, I had to be able to say things that other people are scared to say. Facing my own darkest thoughts and putting them on the paper wasn’t easy, but I wanted to be brave enough to give voice to the pain and fear that so many of us feel but are afraid to talk about.

TMR: Word on the street is that you’re working on your second book…can you share any details?

CBS: I am indeed working on a second book. It’s a spiritual memoir, tentatively titled After This, in which I attempt to figure out what I believe happens when we die. I go into the journey having no real firm belief on what happens next, and through a series of experiences and research I aim to come out of it with a better understanding of where my parents are and where I might be headed when I leave this world. This book is born out of a desire to impart something useful to my daughter when she asks me what happens when people die, and it’s also an attempt to feel peaceful about all those who I’ve lost. So far I’ve delved into Kabbalah, visited psychic mediums, been hypnotized for past life regression and been counseled by priests. It’s been a fascinating journey so far and I look forward to moving forward.

TMR: Is there any singular piece of advice you have for others who are navigating the process of writing a memoir?

CBS: I think the biggest piece of advice is that you should begin by writing it for yourself, first and foremost. If you’re writing it because you want to sell a book and meet Oprah, then you’re going to fail. You can dream about and even aim for that stuff later, but you have to go into the process wanting purely to write your story, to explore your life and your past in a deeply creative way. Then, no matter the result, you will have achieved something.

Tré Miller Rodríguez lives in Manhattan and her first book, “Split the Difference: A Heart-Shaped Memoir,” is currently under consideration by publishers. To read excerpts, please visit WhiteElephantIntheRoom.com.

WHAT TIME IS IT? - TIME TO READ - "HALF PAST MOURNING" BY FLEETA CUNNINGHAM

2012-02-10T10:16:00.000-05:00

THE REVOLVING BOOK FRIDAY EDITION IS THE ROMANTIC SUSPENSE “HALF PAST MOURNING” by FLEETA CUNNINGHAM

POSTED FRIDAY FEB. 10^TH, 2012

AUTHOR: FLEETA CUNNINGHAM
TITLE: HALF PAST MOURNING (Book Four of the Santa Rita Series)
GENRE: Vintage (1950’s ROMANTIC SUSPENSE
RELEASE DATE: Feb. 3, 2012
PUBLISHER: THE WILD ROSE PRESS http://www.thewildrosepress.com
WHERE YOU CAN BUY THE BOOK:
THE WILD ROSE PRESS: http://www.thewildrosepress.com

AMAZON http://tinyurl.com/7qkj5dz
http://www.fleetacunningham.com/

SYNOPSIS:
Danny Wilson and his 1955 Thunderbird disappeared one hour after his wedding to Nina Kirkland. When Peter Shayne buys a pristine T-Bird and finds Danny’s driver’s license concealed in the trunk, he comes to Nina’s door with a cloud of questions. Once he meets her, the first question is…is Nina Danny’s wife or his widow? To find the answer Nina and Peter delve into Danny’s secret life, search for clues in the world of antique cars, and face dangerous consequences as the past unravels. With her attraction to Peter growing, Nina discovers how little she actually knew Danny and wonders if she can trust her own judgment. Peter, seeing her confusion and sensing her pain, knows he must be patient. He loves her but the past clouds his hope for a future together. Nina still must deal with her broken dreams and is only HALF PAST MOURNING.
READ AN EXCERPT: http://www.fleetacunningham.com/
REVIEWS:
The Santa Rita Series
BLACK RAIN RISING
“A masterful job of bringing the reader back to
small-town Texas in the fifties. She has the values
and prejudices of the era down pat, and the
characters...are memorable and realistic...Gripping
and full of romance, drama, and a bit of suspense.”
~Maura, Coffee Time Romance (5 cups)

“One of the most fantastic books I’ve read this
year...grabbed my attention from the first sentence...
A memorable, entertaining, and well-written story...
An author of increasing distinction who will never
disappoint her readers.”
~Sal, Two Lips Reviews (5 Lips, Recommended)

DON’T CALL ME DARLIN’
“A warm, thought-provoking book...an enticing
hero and a wounded yet proud heroine. A realistic
picture of 1957...an image of small town America
that both warms and terrifies... The best thing is she
balances the buildup with a really good ending.”
~Vasiliki Scurfield, WRDF (rated Fantastic)

“A special treat! Subtly endearing and
thoroughly thought-provoking, The plot deals with
very real issues. Delightful humor, realistic
characters... This is one for the keeper shelf.”
~Camellia, Long and Short Reviews (5 books)

ELOPEMENT FOR ONE
“I was so engrossed in the story I did not notice
the hours pass...The twists and turns...make the
story even more real and alive.”
~Dianna, Night Owl Reviews (5 Stars, a Top Pick)

“Well-crafted story... exciting plot... interesting
characters... The love between the two main
characters is precious, from the beginning to the
final, exciting conclusion... I am now determined to
read the rest of the series.”
~Jaye Leyel, The Romance Studio (5 Stars)
AUTHOR BIO
Fleeta Cunningham began writing at the age of eight, but she was telling stories before she was old enough to write them down, much to the dismay of various relatives who found her ‘tall tales’ less than believable. She found an outlet for her active imagination when a high school English teacher took an interest in her stories and class writings and suggested she join the school newspaper and yearbook. After taking a degree in English Literature from Texas Tech, Fleeta was accepted at the University of Texas where she took a master’s degree in Library and Information Science. She began her career as a law librarian with the State of Texas and later worked with two major law firms in Houston. During those years she wrote a column for her professional newsletter, contributed to a number of publications for the legal industry, and sat on the advisory board of two publishers.
Following her time in the world of litigation, contracts, and torts, Fleeta returned to her home in Central Texas where she taught Enlish and history in a small private school for several years. The urge to write again became too strong to ignore. Since turning her energies to writing full time in 2006, Fleeta has had four books accepted for publication as well as articles and short stories.
A fifth generation Texan, Fleeta Cunningham has lived in a number of small Texas towns. Drawing on all of them, she created the fictional town of Santa Rita and its inhabitants. The Santa Rita Series includes DON’T CALL ME DARLIN’, BLACK RAIN RISING, ELOPEMENT FOR ONE and HALF PAST MOURNING. When she isn't writing, she gives workshops and classes in creative writing. She is a frequent speaker at programs and community events. She also serves as the wedding coordinator for her church and chief housekeeper for her feline roommates.
CONNECT WITH FLEETA ONLINE:
FACEBOOK: Fleeta Cunningham http://www.facebook.com/people/Fleeta-Cunningham/1378590857
WEB SITE: http://www.fleetacunningham.com/
BLOG: http://www.authorsbymoonlight.com
BOOK SIGNING: Book signing for HALF PAST MOURNING Baxter’s on Main, Bastrop, Tex, 2/15/12 and others to be arranged

SNEAK PEEK:
Danny Wilson and his 1955 Thunderbird disappear one hour after his wedding to Nina Kirkland. When Peter Shayne finds Danny’s driver’s license concealed in the trunk of his new car, he offers Nina fresh lines of inquiry. When she learns Danny planned to escape his domineering mother for a life of his own choosing, Nina doubts her own judgment. If she was so wrong about Danny, can she trust this new man in her life? Against the background of exotic cars and an antique auto museum, she searches for clues. She must learn what happened when Danny walked away from the wedding. Then she can admit her growing attraction to Peter. Is Danny hiding from a marriage he didn't want? Or is there a more sinister explanation? Peter vows to help the girl he loves, even if he might lose her. Only then will they know: Is Nina married or not?

JUST IN TIME FOR VALENTINE'S DAY! THE LORD OF ILLUSION by KATHRYNE KENNEDY

2012-02-07T09:53:00.003-05:00

THE REVOLVING BOOK TUESDAY EDITION IS THE HISTORICAL FANTASY ROMANCE
"THE LORD OF ILLUSION" BY KATHRYNE KENNEDY.

POSTED TUESDAY FEB. 7TH, 2012

AUTHOR: KATHRYNE KENNEDY
TITLE: THE LORD OF ILLUSION
GENRE: HISTORICAL FANTASY ROMANCE
PUBLISHER: SOURCEBOOKS CASABLANCA
WHERE YOU CAN BUY THE BOOKS:

AMAZON

BARNES AND NOBLE

SOURCEBOOKS

BOOKSAMILLION

CHAPTERS/INDIGO

KATHRYNE KENNEDY'S BOOK SELLER DIRECTORY

SYNOPSIS:
He'll do anything to save her...

Rebel Lord Drystan Hawkes dreams of fighting for England's freedom. He gets his chance when he finds a clue to opening the magic portal to Elfhame, and he must race to find the slave girl who holds the key to the mystery. But even as Drystan rescues Camille Ashton from Dreamhame Palace, it becomes unclear exactly who is saving whom.

For the fate of humankind lies with Camille...

Enslaved for years in a realm where illusion and glamour reign, Camille has learned to trust nothing and no one. But she's truly spellbound when she meets Drystan--a man different from any she's ever known, and the force of their passion may yet be strong enough to banish the Elven Lords from this world forever.

REVIEWS:
“The world sings with vivid imagery and fantastic magic, and all the previous characters join forces in a thrilling final fight for humankind.”~Publishers Weekly STARRED review
“The hero and heroine are also out of the ordinary, and while this novel remains true to romance-genre mores, Kennedy infuses it with unexpected plot twists that will keep fantasy readers enthralled, too.”~Booklist STARRED review
“Superb writing and a fast-moving plot combined with magical passion make this a real page-turner!”~RT BOOKReviews Top Rating and TOP PICK

READ AN EXCERPT

WATCH THE BOOK TRAILER

AUTHOR BIO
Kathryne Kennedy is a critically acclaimed, best-selling, award-winning author of magical romances. She welcomes readers to visit her website where she has ongoing contests at www.kathrynekennedy.com. She’s lived in Guam, Okinawa, and several states in the U.S., and currently lives with her wonderful family in Arizona, where she is working on the next book in her Relics of Merlin series, Everlasting Enchantment.

CONNECT WITH KATHRYNE ONLINE:
AMAZON.COM
BEBO.COM
BOOKMARKET.NING.COM
FACEBOOK
GATHER.COM
MYSPACE
SHELFARI
ROMANCEWRITERANDREADER.NING.COM
LIBRARYTHING
LINKEDIN
FACEBOOK PAGE
TWITTER

WEB SITE/BLOG
http://www.kathrynekennedy.com/
http://kathrynekennedy.blogspot.com/
ANY UPCOMING BLOG TOUR:
Kathryne Kennedy Elven Realm Blogger Hop

All books and prizes to US & Canada Shipping addresses only.
Schedule – Feb 6-Feb 13, 2012
2/6 “Dewhame”—hosted by Star-Crossed Romance http://star-crossedromance.blogspot.com/
Grand Prize: Small Desktop Fountain + signed copies of all three books in The Elven Lords Series
Runner-up Prize: All three books in The Elven Lords Series (not signed)
2/7 “Firehame”—hosted by Books Like Breathing http://bookslikebreathing.blogspot.com/
Grand Prize: Red Candles (battery operated) + signed copies of all three books in The Elven Lords Series
Runner-up Prize: All three books in The Elven Lords Series (not signed)
2/8 “Dreamhame”—hosted by SOS Aloha http://www.sosaloha.blogspot.com/
Grand Prize: Pretty Sparkly Make Up + signed copies of all three books in The Elven Lords Series
Runner-up Prize: All three books in The Elven Lords Series (not signed)
2/9 “Stonehame”—hosted by Book Reviews by Martha’s Bookshelf http://marthasbookshelf.blogspot.com/
Grand Prize: Purple Jewelry + signed copies of all three books in The Elven Lords Series
2/10 “Bladehame”—hosted by The Royal Reviews http://theroyalreviews.blogspot.com/
Grand Prize: Sword Letter Opener + signed copies of all three books in The Elven Lords Series
Runner-up Prize: All three books in The Elven Lords Series (not signed)
2/11 “Terrahame”—hosted by Debbie’s Book Bag http://debsbookbag.blogspot.com/
Grand Prize: Terra Cotta Wind Chimes + signed copies of all three books in The Elven Lords Series
Runner-up Prize: All three books in The Elven Lords Series (not signed)
2/12 “Verdanthame”—hosted by Book Girl of Mur-y-Castell http://books-forlife.blogspot.com/
Grand Prize: Fairy Garden Orament + signed copies of all three books in The Elven Lords Series
Runner-up Prize: All three books in The Elven Lords Series (not signed)
2/13 Elven Realm Blogger Hop Grand Prize Announcement—hosted by the Sourcebooks Buzz Blog http://www.sourcebooks.com/authors/the-buzz-sourcebooks.html
-Anyone who comments on the other blogs throughout the blogger hop will be eligible for this overall grand prize, too-
Grand Prize: $100 B&N Gift Card + signed copies of all three books in The Elven Lords Series
Runner-up Prize: All three books in The Elven Lords Series (not signed)
Blog Tour for THE LORD OF ILLUSION
Sourcebooks will be giving away one or two copies of THE LORD OF ILLUSION at each blog. Leave Kathryne a comment to enter to win (USA & Canada shipping addresses only).
2/2 Casablanca Authors Blog/LAUNCH PARTY
http://casablancaauthors.blogspot.com/
2/2 Night Owl Reviews/A SENTENCE A CHAPTER
http://nightowlromanceblog.blogspot.com/
2/3 Fresh Fiction/WHICH ELVEN MAGICAL POWER WOULD YOU CHOOSE?
http://freshfiction.com/pages.php?id=blog
2/5 Happily Ever After Thoughts/INTERVIEW
http://happilyeverafterthoughts.blogspot.com
2/6 Star-Crossed Romance/A MAGICAL VALENTINE’S DAY
http://star-crossedromance.blogspot.com/

2/8 SOS Aloha INTERVIEW
http://www.sosaloha.blogspot.com/
2/10 Much Cheaper Than Therapy/INTERVIEW
http://muchcheaperthantherapy.blogspot.com/
2/14 Over the Edge/INTERVIEW
http://www.overtheedgebkreviews.com/
2/16 The Book Faery/CREATING THE MAGIC
http://tbfreviews.net/
2/17 My Book Addiction and More/THE CHALLENGES OF WRITING FANTASY ROMANCE
http://mybookaddictionandmore.wordpress.com/
2/17 RomCon http://www.romconinc.com/
Historical blog/DRYSTAN’S POEM
http://www.romconinc.com/index.php?option=com_lyftenbloggie&view=lyftenbloggie&category=historical&Itemid=23
Fantasy blog/MAKING LOVE IN A FANTASY WORLD
http://www.romconinc.com/index.php?option=com_lyftenbloggie&view=lyftenbloggie&category=fantasy%20/%20futuristic%20/%20paranormal&Itemid=24
2/17 Sapphire Phelan's Passion Corner/INTERVIEW
http://sapphirephelanspassioncorner.blogspot.com/
2/21 Debbie’s Book Bag/INTERVIEW

http://debsbookbag.blogspot.com/
2/23 Ponytails Review/MEET MY DRAGONS
http://ponytailsbookreviews.wordpress.com/
2/29 Book Monsters/Q & A WITH KATHRYNE
http://bookmonsterreviews.blogspot.com/

IT'S SUPERBOWL SUNDAY - SO BUY A BOOK! THE MYSTERY "DEAD WRONG" BY J.M. GRIFFIN

2012-02-05T13:46:00.000-05:00

THE REVOLVING BOOK WEEKEND EDITION IS THE MYSTERY "DEAD WRONG" BY J.M. GRIFFIN
POSTED SUNDAY FEB. 5TH, 2012
AUTHOR: J.M. GRIFFIN
TITLE: DEAD WRONG
GENRE: MYSTERY
PUBLISHER: LACHESIS PUBLISHING http://www.lachesispublishing.com
WHERE TO BUY THE BOOK:
AMAZON KINDLE: $2.99 http://tinyurl.com/7ppv389
AMAZON PAPERPACK: $11.66 http://tinyurl.com/7g97agb
ALL ROMANCE E-BOOKS: $2.99 http://tinyurl.com/73rhysp
READ AN EXCERPT: http://tinyurl.com/7dgjo2r
SYNOPSIS:
The race is on to save Lavinia “Vinnie” Esposito in the third book in the Esposito series.
After finding a dead man, Vinnie realizes she has
become embroiled in yet another crazy situation
involving stolen art, proving her twin brother’s innocence, and saving her own neck.
State trooper Marcus Richmond and FBI agent Aaron Grant are back to help Vinnie find the culprit while keeping her out of harm’s way. That's a task to try the most patient of men, because Vinnie isn't about to let a lead go stale because she's waiting for back up.
A sleuth with attitude, Vinnie Esposito is back!
AMAZON REVIEWER:
B. MARRIOTT:
Ahhh, another Vinnie adventure...and it lived up to its hype! Vinnie is so strong, yet vulnerable. So smart, yet so empty-headed. She's a sleuth in need of man to rein her in. Luckily she has no shortage of men in her life who want to protect her...and love her. I enjoyed the ups and downs of this latest comical mystery by J.M. Griffin. She's got it figured out! Loved it.
AUTHOR BIO:
J. M. Griffin is a student of the human condition, wielding the written craft to stimulate the imagination much like she wields her paint brush. The pages are a blank canvas on which JM draws vivid characters. Dead Wrong is the one in a series of novels featuring Lavinia Vinnie Esposito. J. M. lives in rural Rhode Island, a state she considers colorful and interesting.

Inspiration And Ideas Behind "A Patient Heart"

2012-02-02T12:49:00.000-05:00

Some memories evoke the essence of our childhoods and condense the summer sunshine into something to savor. During the bleak winter months I often find myself recalling moments from the past and when I do, I often think about the first boy I fell in love with at the age of nine. Call me an early starter but at the tender age of nine I fell hard for the boy just a little older than me who lived next door to my aunt in my hometown of St. Joseph, Missouri. His large family filled their home with noise and they had enough team members from their family alone to field an ongoing baseball game in the back yard. Their mother baked snicker doodle cookies, the first I ever tasted, and I spent as much time as possible trailing after one of her sons. I dreamed of growing up to marry him and although it never happened, I’m left with a few fond memories, enough for inspiration.

When A Patient Heart debuted this week from Rebel Ink Press, some of those who knew me best during my childhood may recognize the inspiration behind my hero, Connor Donavan. Now Joe isn’t Connor and I’m certainly not Catherine, my heroine but every idea must begin somewhere and the idea behind my Valentine’s Day contemporary romance started in my memories.

The story itself has little to do with my own past. The novel is set in our Neosho so it probably owes just as much to my present. Rather than attempt to describe it, here’s the blurb:

As a little girl, Catherine dreamed she'd marry Connor Donavan one day and as teenagers, that dream seemed within reach. Until Connor ended their relationshipby leaving town and breaking Catherine's heart. Ten years later, far from the old hometown, Catherine reports for work as a nurse one snowy January evening and learns that her new patient is none other than her old love, Connor. When he recognizes her, all the old feelings stir but a few sparks fly, too. As Connor recovers from an accident, Catherine realizes she loves him more than ever and he seems to love her as well. But after he leaves the hospital and convalesces at her home, his real life intrudes into their quiet time together. Then Connor leaves Catherine behind and she stays until a message sends her speeding to Kansas City, to Connor's club... On Valentine's Day.

Like most of my novels, it will debut as an eBook. Readers who prefer a paperback may be glad to know a third novel with my byline is now also available as a trade paperback. My first time travel romance (first because another is coming Feb 17) A Time To Love is now also available in a paperback you can hold in your hands.

Every story begins somewhere. Although they all evolve from my imagination, some begin here in Neosho, others spring from my memories of another time and place.

But the common denominator is romance that lives and breathes the power of love.

Excerpt:

“Hi,” he said

“Hello, how are things going?”

He shot her a scornful look. “It could be better.”
Catherine came around the bed to sit down. “Is something wrong?”

“No,” he said, his voice harsh and deep. “I’m just fine except for the leg, the cracked ribs, the concussion, scrapes and bruises. Not to mention I’m bored out of my mind, I missed my first chance at a vacation in about five years and I’ve got a business to run. It won’t do very well without me there.”

Without even thinking about it, she picked up his hand and held it. “Are you getting enough pain meds? I can up the dosage if you need it.”

Connor shook his head. “Pain’s not too bad right now and I can deal. It’s the rest of it I’m having trouble with.”

“Connor, I’m sorry. Let your club wait until you’re better,” Catherine told him. She racked her brain to think of something he might enjoy. “I can hunt down a magazine or a book if you want to read or give you my Kindle.”

He turned his hand around and gripped hers tight. “I have just enough of a headache I don’t feel like reading.”

He’s a tough nut to crack. Maybe, though, beneath his hard shell, he’s still worth knowing.

There were so many things she’d like to say, questions she longed to ask but Catherine chickened out and made small talk instead. “Tell me about your vacation you missed. Where were you going?”

“Eureka Springs, Arkansas,” he said after a pause. “Have you ever been there?”

“Sure, I have.” Catherine adored the Victorian village tucked away in some of the most rugged mountains in the Ozark region. Located just a few hours south in Arkansas, Eureka Springs drew visitors from around the world who adored the steep streets, the antique architecture, the ghosts and the unique flavor the place offered. “Have you?”
“No, it would have been my first time,” Connor said, “I had a room booked at some haunted hotel, the Crescent and everything. If it hadn’t snowed, I’d be there now.”
“Then I wouldn’t have ever got the chance to see you again,” Catherine said, the words out before she considered them.
A faint smile illuminated his face, softening his features. “Yeah, that’s true. Well, there’s one small good thing out of this mess. I bet I’ll have to pay for the damn hotel room even though I never set foot in it.”
“Maybe not once they know you were in an accident,” Catherine said. “I can try to call them if you want.”
His grin increased. “Would you? I’d appreciate that.”
“Sure. What kind of business do you own?” She pretended not to know anything about it.
For the first time, his smile warmed his eyes, giving his dark brown eyes a sparkle. “It’s a club, called ‘For My Sins’, in Kansas City, Kansas. There’s a full bar, tables and restaurant service, a stage and a small dance floor. I have a jukebox, a retro Rock-Ola but I book live bands Friday and Saturday nights. On weekends, I draw a fair enough crowd.”
“What kind of music?”
“Rock and roll,” he answered with enthusiasm. “A lot of it is vintage, Fifties, Sixties and Seventies, all the stuff I’ve always liked. Most of it puts today’s music to shame and I get all ages, from aging baby boomers to kids who need to be carded.”
“It sounds awesome,” Catherine said and meant it. If she had time, she’d love to spend a few hours in a place like that. It’d suit Connor, she thought, although she’d never thought of him running a club. She imagined it as just a little bit shabby but not trashy, dark and mysterious. “Do you have one of those silver balls hanging over the dance floor?”
“Oh, yeah,” Connor said. “I do.”
“Cool!” Catherine said, as a woman, not his nurse. “Do you sing?”
He laughed with a genuine burst of mirth rumbling like a distant night train. “I don’t where anyone can hear me. They told me as a little kid I couldn’t carry a tune in a bucket. I thought you’d remember. I’m no singer although I love music. Do you still sing? You used to be pretty good.”
“Sometimes,” Catherine admitted. She hadn’t sung much in years but he wouldn’t know.
“You could sing to me.” Something flared in his eyes to remind her of heat lightning. She liked the intensity and yet it scared her a little too. Talking about things she wouldn’t share with anyone else seemed intimate and if Annette wandered in, she’d have to explain but she didn’t know how she could.
“Maybe I could sometime but my break’s almost over.” It ended ten minutes earlier but she wasn’t counting and hoped Annette wasn’t either. “I need to change your catheter bag because it’s full and then I have other patients to check on, too. I should take your blood pressure reading also.”
“Do it first,” he said, his gaze steady on her face.
So she did, attached the cuff, pumped it up and listened with the stethoscope she kept around her neck while on duty. His reading came in just below normal, natural enough since he remained prone in bed and she charted it.
“So will I live?” Connor asked.

“You will, to at least a hundred,” she quipped.

http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-apatientheart-677026-148.html

http://www.amazon.com/A-Patient-Heart-ebook/dp/B0073FQIPG/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&qid=1328046555&sr=8-15

Facebook: Lee Ann Sontheimer Murphy

Twitter: @leeannwriter

A Page In The Life: http://leeannsontheimermurphywriterauthor.blogspot.com

Rebel Writer: Lee Ann Sontheimer Murphy http://leeannsontheimermurphy.blogspot.com

Seanachie Stories – Tuesday Tales And More http://seanachiestories-tuesdaytalesandmore.blogspot.com

Book trailer: http://youtu.be/Eo4Ttr_7O8Q

Author Ménage and PDA

2012-02-01T09:16:00.000-05:00

February is the month of love, and here we are on the first day. What are you going to do about it? Here's what I suggest: Kiss someone today. Share a smile. Tell at least one other person about an author you like. Ménage literally means (if you speak French, that is) "people living together as a unit; the management of a household." Publishing is a household of authors. We need to promote each other, love each other up, be shameless with those Public Displays of Affection.

One author I love to read and suggest that you read as well is Heather Long. I was first introduced to her writing when we were colleagues at Sapphire Blue Publishing. She has written several engaging, touching, titillating (touch-feely is good when you're sharing the love) books. Although that publisher unfortunately closed its doors in November, the cream rises to the top. Heather has a new book you need to read called The Marshall of Hel Dorado.

Heather's writing is lyrical and absorbing. When you read her characters, you feel like you know them. The Marshall of Hel Dorado is an unforgettable read from page one. Sexy and determined marshall: check. Strong-willed and adventurous heroine: check. Riveting story: check. Go to the Amazon page for the Marshall of Hel Dorado to read the synopsis. Then download it. You won't be sorry.

Heather also runs a great fantasy-romance blog called The Daily Dose. I suggest you get a dose of it, you may just get hooked...in a good way. You can find more of her books at her website.

Now it's your turn. Who would you like to PDA today?

Best Wishes,

Kellyann Zuzulo

www.kfzuzulo.com

THE GENIE IGNITES coming soon from Boroughs Publishing Group

What Would You Wish For?

FREE BOOK! THE REVOLVING BOOK TUESDAY EDITION IS "FOR LOVE OF LIVVY" BY J.M. GRIFFEN - A FUN AND SASSY READ!

2012-01-31T11:15:00.002-05:00

THE REVOLVING BOOK TUESDAY EDITION IS A THE MYSTERY NOVEL
FOR LOVE OF LIVVY by J.M. GIFFIN
FREE OFFER: "FOR LOVE OF LIVVY" IS FREE!!!! FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY On the site ALL ROMANCE BOOKS.COM
POSTED: JAN. 31st, 2012
AUTHOR: J.M. GRIFFIN
TITLE: FOR LOVE OF LIVVY
GENRE: MYSTERY/CRIME with Romantic elements
PUBLISHER: LACHESIS PUBLISHING www.lachesispublishing.com
SYNOPSIS:
After her favorite aunt is found dead and an alarming box is mysteriously left on the doorstep of her aunt's house now legally hers, Lavinia Esposito wants explanations.
But, having cleared the package of explosives, the local cops are dumbounded by the precious stones which came without an explanation, just an address─her Aunt Livvy's. Frustrated by the cops' refusal to share their theories, criminal justice instructor Lavinia Esposito, a.k.a. Vinnie, takes investigation matters into her own hands.
Vinnie is soon dragged into situations beyond her control, finding herself in hot water with the law, the crooks, and her Italian father.
Willing to put her life at risk to find out what really happened to her beloved Aunt Livvy, and why jewels would be addressed to her aunt, Vinnie plunges ahead with her usual tenacity, bravery, and keen wits to solve and survive this mystery.
REVIEWS:
FOR LOVE OF LIVVY HAS RECEIVED 4 AND 5 STAR REVIEWS!
"For Love of Livvy" by J.M. Griffin is a sparkling debut to the sassy and saucy Vinnie Esposito series. Vinnie is a memorable heroine in the spirit of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum. I am loving "For Love of Livvy" as well as Vinnie's other adventures! LUSCIOUS READER
I read, I loved and can't wait for more of Vinnie's antics. Warm, funny and interesting story. -- JAMIE MILLS
Strong heroine. Strong Hero. Strong secondary characters. Loved the life-sized images of little old Rhode Island. Vinnie had me laughing from start to finish....but she needs to cut down on the caffeine {wink, wink}
Oh, and the cat! Forgot his name....but he was a character too. I think I've met him somewhere. I highly recommend this fun mystery. ---B MARRIOTT
J. M. Griffin is a student of the human condition, wielding the written craft to stimulate the imagination much like she wields her paint brush. The pages are a blank canvas on which JM draws vivid characters. For Love of Livvy is the first in a series of novels featuring Lavinia Vinnie Esposito's story. The series also includes "DEAD WRONG" and "DIRTY TROUBLE. She is currently working on her next release in this entertaining and sassy series - watch for it soon! JM lives in rural Rhode Island, a state she considers colorful and interesting.
CONNECT WITH J.M. GRIFFIN ONLINE:
WEB SITE: http://www.jmgriffin.net/
FACEBOOK PAGE: http://tinyurl.com/6wdau7a
FACEBOOK ACCOUNT: http://tinyurl.com/8yfvefo
TWITTER: http://twitter.com/mycozymystery

THE REVOLVING BOOK FRIDAY EDITION IS A DELIGHTFUL DEBUT! "HOW TO DANCE WITH A DUKE" BY MANDA COLLINS

2012-01-27T10:58:00.002-05:00

THE REVOLVING BOOK FRIDAY EDITION IS THE DEBUT HISTORICAL ROMANCE "HOW TO DANCE WITH A DUKE" BY MANDA COLLINS!
POSTED FRIDAY JAN. 27TH, 2012
AUTHOR: MANDA COLLINS
TITLE: HOW TO DANCE WITH A DUKE
GENRE: REGENCY HISTORICAL
PUBLISHER: MACMILLAN (ST. MARTIN'S PRESS) http://tinyurl.com/7gotfst
SYNOPSIS:
What’s a wallflower to do when she’s suddenly in need of a husband? Use all the pluck and moxie she can muster to get what she wants…
SHE’S IN NEED OF A PARTNER
Miss Cecily Hurston would much rather explore the antiquities of Egypt than the uncharted territory of marriage. But the rules of her father’s exclusive academic society forbid her entrance unless she weds one of its members. To clear her ailing father’s name of a scandalous rumor, Cecily needs to gain admission into the Egyptian Club—and is willing to marry any old dullard to do it.
AND HE HAS ALL THE RIGHT MOVES
Lucas Dalton, Duke of Winterson, is anything but dull. He’s a dashing and decorated war hero determined to help Cecily—even if that means looking the other way when she claims the dance card of Amelia Snow, this season’s most sought-after beauty. But Lucas has a reason for wanting Cecily to join the Egyptian Club: His brother went missing during one of Lord Hurston’s expeditions to Egypt. An alliance with the explorer’s bluestocking daughter could bring Lucas closer to the truth about what happened…or it could lead him to a more dangerous love than either he or Cecily could have imagined….
WHERE TO BUY THE BOOK:
Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/7e8k2t4
Barnes and Noble: http://tinyurl.com/7o7ols5
B-A-M: http://tinyurl.com/827hccq
Book Depository: http://tinyurl.com/6lz5bj4
Chapters: http://tinyurl.com/6unpj58
Indiebound: http://tinyurl.com/7w8educ
Powell's: http://tinyurl.com/6r93buu
READ AN EXCERPT: http://tinyurl.com/79bhbwt
REVIEWS:
“Collins’ debut delivers a fast-paced, adventurous love story that will enthrall readers. Her dynamic characters, a murder and passion combine with the perfect amount of lively repartee.”--RT Book Reviews
"HOW TO DANCE WITH A DUKE is sensual, compelling and irresistible."--Romance Junkies
"An excellent debut by Manda Collins that has me desperate for the next book in this trilogy."--Night Owl Romance on How to Dance With a Duke (Top Pick!)
“Regency lovers have a new author to add to their dance cards! Manda Collins heats up the ballroom and writes romance to melt even the frostiest duke's heart. With sparkling Regency wit, a dash of mystery, and just the right amount of steam, HOW TO DANCE WITH A DUKE is an enchanting debut, sure to sweep readers off their feet!”—–USA Today bestselling author Tessa Dare
"Warmth, wit and delicious chemistry shine through every word of Manda Collins’s delightful debut. With a heroine to root for and a hero to die for, HOW TO DANCE WITH A DUKE is a romance to remember."—Bestselling author Julie Anne Long
“Sexy, thrilling, and romantic—whether she’s writing of the mysteries of the heart or of the shady underworld of Egyptian relic smuggling, Manda Collins makes her Regency world a place any reader would want to dwell.” –USA Today bestselling author Kieran Kramer
AUTHOR BIO:
Manda Collins spent her teen years wishing she’d been born a couple of centuries earlier, preferably in the English countryside. Time travel being what it is, she resigned herself to life with electricity and indoor plumbing, and read lots of books. An affinity for books led to a graduate degree in English, followed by another in Librarianship. By day, she works as an academic librarian at a small liberal arts college, where she teaches college students how to navigate the tangled world of academic research. A native of coastal Alabama, Manda lives in the house her mother grew up in with three cats, sometimes a dog, sometimes her sister, and more books than strictly necessary.
CONNECT WITH MANDA ONLINE:
http://www.twitter.com/MandaCollins
http://www.facebook.com/mandacollinsauthor
WEBSITE AND BLOG:
http://www.mandacollins.com
UPCOMING GIVEAWAY - MANDA IS GIVING AWAY A COPY OF "HOW TO DANCE WITH A DUKE" WITH EACH BLOG POSTING ON HER BLOG TOUR:
BLOG TOUR:
January 29, 2012
http://romance.freebookfriday.com/
January 30, 2012

http://foreverbklover.blogspot.com/
January 31, 2012
http://www.theromancedish.com
February 1, 2012
http://www.romancenovelnews.com/joomla/
February 2, 2012
http://www.vauxhallvixens.blogspot.com
February 4, 2012
http://www.romconinc.com
February 6, 2012

http://www.prationality.com/
February 14, 2012
http://kakiwarner.wordpress.com/
February 16, 2012
http://limecello.wordpress.com/
February 19, 2012
http://riskyregencies.blogspot.com/

TUESDAY'S REVOLVING BOOK IS A REAL HAIR-RAISER! NANCY J. COHEN'S 10th RELEASE IN HER "BAD HAIR DAY" MYSTERY SERIES:

2012-01-24T10:22:00.003-05:00

THE REVOLVING BOOK TUESDAY EDITION IS THE MYSTERY “SHEAR MURDER” by NANCY J. COHEN
POSTED TUESDAY JAN. 24^TH, 2012
AUTHOR: NANCY J. COHEN
TITLE: SHEAR MURDER
GENRE: MYSTERY
PUBLISHER: FIVE STAR http://tinyurl.com/73lgnfv
WHERE YOU CAN BUY THE BOOK:
AMAZON: http://tinyurl.com/6q973mb
BARNES AND NOBLE: http://tinyurl.com/7d8akag
SYNOPSIS:
Weddings always make Marla Shore shed a tear of joy, and she’s elated to attend her friend Jill’s reception. Marla’s own nuptials are weeks away, and she’s busy following her frenetic to-do list. Her plans go awry when she discovers Jill’s matron of honor dead under the cake table, a knife embedded in her chest. Lots of folks aren’t sorry to see Torrie go, especially since the bride’s sister knew their deepest secrets. But when suspicion falls upon Jill, Marla wonders if her dear friend is truly innocent. She’d better untangle the snarl of suspects and iron out the clues before the killer highlights her as the next victim.
REVIEWS
“Smart, edgy dialogue and an intriguing cast of characters lift Cohen’s 10th Bad Hair Day mystery featuring South Florida hairstylist Marla Shore (after 2007’s Killer Knots). When Marla looks around for the knife to cut the cake at the wedding reception of her friend Jill, she finds it stuck in the chest of the bride’s sister, matron of honor Torrie Miller, whose body is lying under the table displaying the cake. Marla winds up assisting Jill in figuring out whether Jill should sell the commercial property she held jointly with Torrie, even as clues emerge suggesting Jill is the killer. In addition, Marla must prepare for her own upcoming nuptials to her police detective fiancé. Once again, Marla shows she’s as adept at investigating murder as she is managing her hair salon.” Publishers Weekly
“Shear Murder is another stellar outing in Nancy J. Cohen’s Bad Hair Day mystery series. Marla is a bridesmaid in her friend Jill’s wedding, but when Jill’s matron of
honor--and sister--ends up dead with the cake knife embedded in her chest--hold the video! It’s
a wedding to forget--not remember.” —Lorna Barrett, NY Times bestselling author of Sentenced to Death
READ AN EXCERPT:
http://www.nancyjcohen.com/index.php?id=45
WATCH THE BOOK TRAILER:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbXwb9dhQuA
AUTHOR BIO
Nancy J. Cohen is an award-winning author who writes romance and mysteries. Her first title won the HOLT Medallion Award, while her latest release, Silver Serenade, won Best Book in Romantic Science Fiction/Fantasy at The Romance Reviews. Several titles in her popular Bad Hair Day mystery series have made the IMBA bestseller list. Shear Murder is the tenth book in this series and her sixteenth title. Active in the writing community and a featured speaker at libraries and conferences, Nancy is listed in Contemporary Authors, Poets & Writers, and Who’s Who in U.S. Writers, Editors & Poets. When she’s not busy writing, Nancy enjoys reading, fine dining, cruising, and outlet shopping.
CONNECT WITH NANCY ONLINE:
Website: http://nancyjcohen.com
Blog: http://nancyjcohen.wordpress.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/nancyjcohen
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Nancy-J-Cohen/112101588804907
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/91508.Nancy_J_Cohen
Author’s Den: http://bit.ly/9aGPjT
Linked In: http://www.linkedin.com/in/nancyjcohen
Shelfari: http://bit.ly/adXw2D
Filed By: http://bit.ly/9JYdte
OR
Website
Blog
Twitter
Facebook
Goodreads
UPCOMING CONTEST:
Leave a comment during Nancy’s blog tour and enter to win the following prizes: January—a set of Paua shell jewelry and a signed copy of Shear Murder. February—signed copies of Killer Knots and Perish by Pedicure.
UPCOMING PERSONAL APPEARANCES: http://www.nancyjcohen.com/index.php?id=14
TEASER:
Dead pine needles crunched underfoot as they headed over a less traveled path. An evergreen stand brought a fresh pine scent to her nose. It mingled with a wet earthy aroma and chased away the stench of something rotting in the shrubbery.
A cracking noise overhead made her leap aside just as a large branch fell to the ground in a gust of wind. The breeze picked up, ruffling her hair. She hastened along, aware of clouds accumulating in the wakening sky. Dalton remained silent, his gaze wary as they covered ground.

Fact or Fiction with Misty & Michelle

2012-01-23T08:00:00.004-05:00

by Michelle Miles

This month at PCD, we're promoting other authors. When the topic came up, I need immediately who I'd ask to be my promo subject--Misty Evans. She and I are like long-lost twins. Not only are we both Geminis, but we both have numerous other things in common. Like we love to bake.

Today we're doing a Fact or Fiction. Below are five statements from each of us. Three are fact, two are fiction. If you can spot the fiction, we'll GIVE you some fiction. Our fiction! I'm giving away a print or ebook copy (winner's choice) of my latest, ONE KNIGHT ONLY from Ellora's Cave. Misty is giving away the winner's choice of a download of one of her books. Just post a comment with your answers below. Those who post correctly will go into the hat. We'll draw the two winners from the correct answers.

Are you ready? Here we go!

Misty Evans

1. Misty caught the writing bug in 4th grade when she wrote an essay about her dad and won 2nd place in a contest. Her essay was printed in the town newspaper.

2. Misty was a prima ballerina like Zara in I’D RATHER BE IN PARIS. That’s how to she knew how to write about grand jete and pas de deux.

3. Misty believes in soul mates like Kiva and Rife in SOUL SURVIVOR…and she'd big on revenge like Kali in REVENGE IS SWEET. Her soul mate wouldn’t give her a school picture in 5th grade, so she got him back by marrying him.

4. Misty once drove a white Audi CS100 like Julia in OPERATION SHEBA.

5. Misty hates chocolate, coffee and never co-wrote any stories with Michelle Miles.

Michelle Miles

1. In 2000, Michelle entered and placed Honorable Mention (top 100) in the Writer’s Digest Short Story Contest.

2. Michelle has a fascination with all things Celtic, on which she based her first novel on (which has yet to be published).

3. Michelle hates shopping for shoes and handbags.

4. Michelle’s novel, ONE KNIGHT ONLY, originally began as a full-length historical novel with romantic elements. But when her heroine, Maggie, started acting too modern for the role, Michelle knew it was actually a time travel with other paranormal elements.

5. The only sport Michelle likes better than hockey is football.

Good luck!

THE REVOLVING BOOK: SOMETIMES WEEKENDS CAN TURN INTO NIGHTMARES

2012-01-22T14:09:00.002-05:00

THE REVOLVING BOOK WEEKEND EDITION IS THE THRILLER "WEEKENDS" LINDY HUDIS.
POSTED SUNDAY JAN 22ND, 2012
AUTHORS: LINDY S. HUDIS
TITLE: WEEKENDS
GENRE: THRILLER
PUBLISHER:LACHESIS PUBLISHING http://www.lachesispublishing.com
WHERE YOU CAN BUY THE BOOK:
LACHESIS PUBLISHING E-BOOK: http://tinyurl.com/7j2c7y4
LACHESIS PUBLISHING - PRINT VERSION:
http://tinyurl.com/6n9a8q2
AMAZON KINDLE at $2.99: http://tinyurl.com/7vaxykf
SYNOPSIS:
An innocent-sounding family reunion at an exclusive California beach resort turns into a weekend of murder, deceit, exposed secrets and unexpected intimate encounters.
John Peterson has it all: He’s a respected, successful Beverly Hills entertainment lawyer with a loving wife and grown son, the strikingly handsome young film director Joe Peterson. John also has a secret and he decides to gather his disparate family members at the elegant Hotel Del Moor in picturesque Linda Bella, California for some luxurious fun, togetherness and re-connecting before revealing his secret. Unbeknownst to the family, a brutal serial killer is lurking in the midst of all the wondrous festivities.
REVIEWS:
Midwest Book Review
Weekends by Lindy S. Hudis is a novel of what happens when a sprawling, dysfunctional family gathers together for a reunion in an opulent hotel resort in Linda Bella, a sleepy California coastal town. Instead a traditional family reunion, what follows are three days of unbridled sex, suspense and murder with family secrets exposed, young couples finding love, a brutal serial killer intent on destroying as many as he can.
With Weekends, Lindy Hudis emerges as a gifted storyteller of vivid imagination whose skills with character development and plot twists will leave her readers looking eagerly toward her next effort. Highly recommended reading for fans of the mystery/suspense genre! Fallen Angel Reviews Weekends is jam packed full of action, intrigue, and mystery. Not to mention a good deal of love and romance. Author Lindy S. Hudis has a wonderful storytelling talent. If you are ready for a roller coaster ride of a tale, this book is for you
AUTHOR BIO:
Lindy a graduate of New York University, where she was a theater major and a film minor. She is a former actress, having appeared on the daytime drama, Sunset Beach. Her independent film, The Lesson, screened at the Seattle Underground Film Festival and Cine-Nights L.A. Weekends is her first novel. Her second novel, City of Toys, is inspired by her years as an actress in Hollywood. She lives in Santa Monica, California with her husband and daughter.
CONNECT WITH LINDY ONLINE:
http://www.facebook.com/people/Lindy-S-Hudis/736712042
http://twitter.com/Lindyscribe
http://www.impactmotionpictures.com
http://directorbabe.tripod.com/weekends/

It's My Life - with a little thanks to Billy Joel!

2012-01-21T06:58:00.000-05:00

I'm the first one to admit back in the day Billy Joel's music rocked my world and I embraced it with all my teenage heart. He got my attention with lyrics like "you Catholic girls start much too late", songs like "We Didn't Light The Fire" and most of all "My Life". As a teen about to jump straight out of high school into the real world of college and work I struggled to have my life, to be the me I was within and yearned to be rather than the 'me' my parents saw and wanted me to be.

Now I'm all grown up and I often think about my life - where it is, how it got to this point and most of all how I bucked against the odds and expectations.

Our blue collar working class neighborhood equaled the world to us in my childhood.Those narrow streets lined with tired, worn houses provided shelter and a familiar refuge.We often shopped at the small markets within a few block radius, went to school, to church, and to our relatives, most of which lived within the same area.St. Joseph’s Hospital – known in the ‘hood and community as “Sisters” – was where I was born and where the old folks went to die.

Growing up there my life seemed destined to follow a particular path.I’d grow up, go to the same high school my mother attended, graduate, maybe attend the local college or get a white collar job as a secretary like my mother did, and get married to a boy from the neighborhood.He’d work at the brewery a few blocks away, the same one with the whistle everyone used to keep track of time.Or maybe he’d work at the packing house like my dad did or another factory or at Quaker Oats or if he were really a go-getter, he might become a postman like my uncle.

I’d work, maybe in a nice office somewhere or if not, I’d be a waitress or sew hatbands onto men’s hats at the same sweatshop where my grandma worked.Or I could wash the hospital’s dirty laundry including the priest’s smalls like my Granny.If we could, maybe I’d be able to quit work when the inevitable kids came and if not, they’d go to Granny’s just like I did from the age of two months until school began for me.The years would pass, the kids would grow and I’d get old, living the same lifestyle that nurtured me.I’d go from girl to Granny myself in a few decades but it would be the natural order of things, the way of it all.

Except I never quite fit the pattern.Somehow from birth I was never quite the perfect little girl with ringlet curls and sweet demeanor my mother expected and as I grew up, I dreamed of another life, somewhere else and something different.My Granny, who’d once been a telephone operator with dreams of her own, encouraged me to pursue writing and I promised I would.She and my great-aunt Mae both urged me to stay in school, to get all the education I could.Everything shifted when the packing house closed and my father reinvented his career from necessity. We moved away from the home neighborhood, to another part of the same state and a place as alien to me as the back side of the moon.There I stood out, with my different ways and failed to fit any more than I did at home.

In that quintessential small town the expectations weren’t much different than back in the neighborhood but once again, I broke tradition.When I went away to college, I studied journalism and had no plans to become a secretary.After I earned my degree I went to work in broadcast radio, not an office and started writing with serious intent.My life suffered a lot of bumps along the road, lost jobs, frequent change in plans, different significant others who came and went but I stuck to the dream of writing.

In time I married my current husband, had children and got serious.With twin infant daughters, living in a mobile home tethered in the Ozark forest on the top of a rocky ridge, using a computer my brother rescued from the dumpster at his employer, I began to write my “first” real novel.We moved from that first dinky trailer, a hand me down from my brother-in-law’s broken marriage to a new one with more space and as I wrote, I stared out into the woods, my dreams intact.

After a devastating ice storm five years ago, we moved again and bought a house in what passes for the suburbs in a small town, on the edge of civilization on what used to be a huge orchard and fruit farm.And I got even more serious and kept spinning out my stories, never giving up until I sold the first novel, the second, and so forth.

Now I work harder and for longer hours than I ever have in my life to keep what I’ve begun going forward.I may have left the old neighborhood behind but it lives within me, baggage that serves me well.Along with the teachings of my family members, especially my Granny, I have the stubborn, fighting spirit that brought me here to keep me moving into the future.

Girls from my old neighborhood, from my rough river rat hometown aren’t supposed to grow up and write novels.My mother still can’t accept that it has and is happening to me.It can’t, you see, not to her daughter, not from the old neighborhood.But my other kin, my cousins rally around me with support and folks from the old hometown love my success because it is also their own.

Without them all I couldn’t be where I am but if I were there, I probably wouldn’t be here or just received the news yesterday I have a third romance novel in PRINT. A Time To Love, my time travel romance from Champagne Books joins Kinfolk (Champagne Books) and Love Never Fails (Rebel Ink Press) as my titles in both eBook and paperback format.

Brainy is the New Sexy

2012-01-18T04:04:00.002-05:00

by C. Margery Kempe

My apologies to fans in the rest of the world, but those of us in Britain and Ireland are suffering the withdrawals already from the end of series two of Sherlock. One of the moments that started a little squee of delight on social media was Irene Adler's comment of appreciation about Holmes, "Brainy is the new sexy."

What? It went out of fashion? When?!

I know that heroes in novels have usually been paragons of beauty, but surely the best ones are also sharp, too. Think of it: Elizabeth overcomes her dislike of Darcy's stiff pride largely because his mind clicks along as swiftly as her own. Compare him to the affable but not especially perspicacious Bingley and he's clearly more interesting.

In Sherlock they represent Holmes' bafflement at reading Adler as the beginning of his interest in her. He doubts his powers when his assessment of her—conveniently naked, the way she feels the greatest strength—when he can derive no clear facts from her (nicely represented on-screen with a series of question marks, whereas normally text betrays the facts ascertained from Holmes' quick observations).

Accustomed to being smarter than everyone else in the room, Holmes finds himself captivated by the clever Adler whose actions cannot be predicted. He becomes even more sharply observant and feels the thrill of a renewed interest in life and the spur of a challenge.

For many of us, intelligence provides exactly that kind of attraction. Someone who awakens our minds as well as our bodies offers an attraction that goes beyond the superficial hook of a pleasant appearance. In my story "Stacks" a young librarian finds a way to reach the cute, smart but shy guy she knows to have an interest in her with a little help from Shakespeare:

"Every time I try to talk to you," he said slowly, stopping to swallow, "I get tongue-tied. I want to sound intelligent to impress you, but all I can do is imagine what it feels like to touch your skin." His whole face took on a pinkish hue.

Selena stepped closer. "I bet it would feel really good." She reached up to stroke his cheek, feeling the slight roughness of stubble beneath her fingers as she traced the scar on his chin. Armando looked eager enough, but still seemed frozen to the spot.

Selena smiled. "Would it help if I said, 'Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much, which mannerly devotion shows in this; For saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch, and palm to palm is holy palmers' kiss.'"

Armando grinned. "O, then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do."

"Yes," was all she said, but it seemed to release his hands and his eager lips. His arms enveloped her and their lips met as she buried her hands in his thick black curls. Armando opened his mouth and thrust his tongue into hers, and it burned hot as a Serrano. She twined her fingers in his hair as her breasts crushed against his chest.

Armando's hands slid down her back to her derrière, circling the generous globes with obvious delight. He took his mouth off hers long enough to whisper, "God, you are so beautiful!" then moved his mouth to her throat.

"Stacks" is just one of the four tales to be found in my anthology Four Play, which is just 99¢ at Amazon: what do you think? Is brainy sexy for you?

THE REVOLVING BOOK TUESDAY: CEILINGS: THE STORY OF SELENA D...

2012-01-17T11:08:00.000-05:00

THE REVOLVING BOOK TUESDAY EDITION IS THE ROMANCE NOVEL "CEILINGS: THE STORY OF SELENA 'D' - by COUNTESS LUCIENNE von DOZ AND M.E. HECHT.

POSTED TUESDAY JAN. 17TH, 2012
AUTHORS: COUNTESS LUCIENNE von DOZ and M.E. HECHT
TITLE: CEILINGS: THE STORY OF SELENA ‘D’
GENRE: ROMANCE
PUBLISHER: LuLu
http://www.lulu.com
WHERE YOU CAN BUY THE BOOK:
Lulu.com – eBook
http://tinyurl.com/7xmnxfh

SYNOPSIS:
Selena Di Angelo kept a secret diary – but no one knew it. But it is in the pages of her diary where Selena records privately her deepest feelings—and the truth about her stunning rise from the slums of Naples to the heights of the International Cosmetic World. She writes of her triumphs and shattering disappointments, her family, her inspiration, her feeling for her collaborators and her secret passions.

REVIEWS:
In real life, strong women aren't hard to find. I am surrounded by them. In books, they seem tough to locate. This is why M.E. Hecht and Countess Lucienne von Doz’s book is such a treat for me. In Ceilings, they write about Selena Di Angelo, a strong, competent, intelligent business woman. They write of her triumphs and shattering disappointments, her family, her inspiration, her feelings and her secret passions.

It has quite a few intimate and adventurous love scenes; men with women, women with women, and setting descriptions that are embroiled in sights, sounds, aromas, and taste; are vivid and add to the unique love scenes done tastefully -- explicit to be sure -- but rooted in adventure, intrigue, desire, sensuality, love, respect, and faithful companionship.

All of us wonder about who we are and want to be and how that meshes with who our other is and wants to be. In Ceilings, The Story of Selena D, one exceptional woman explores those questions with passion and intellect. What more could a romance reader, indeed a reader, want?
Thanks for a great read!
June Nameis

AUTHOR BIOS:
Countess Lucienne von Doz, creator of the LUCIENNE line of products, is an American beauty of legendary caliber, a novelist, and a patron of the arts.

Born in New York City she studied here and abroad. There she was to marry an Austrian count who saw that she was gowned by the top couturiers of Paris-including Coco Chanel and Madame Grés, jeweled by Cartier and Boucheron, and taken off to party with the aristocracy and glitterati of Europe and Hollywood. But the Countess, restless with the protocols of this world, ended the union in divorce.
She returned to the states to become the 'face' and spokesperson for Crème de le Mer. Continuing her love of music, and counting among her friends Pavarotti, Renée Fleming, Joan Sutherland, and Marilyn Horn she began The Singers Development Foundation, a not-for-profit organization to foster the careers of promising young opera singers.

Her first novel, Ceilings, a rags-to-riches story of international cosmetics, contains in fictionalized form much of these experiences.

Countess Lucienne von Doz is co-founder of The Singers Development Foundation, a not-for-profit organization that fosters the careers of promising young opera singers. She divides her time between New Hope and Paris. Her personal passions include opera, theatre, and writing.

M.E. Hecht M.D. is an orthopedic surgeon and author of "A Practical Guide to Hip Surgery". She has authored many articles, manuscripts and novels. Connect with M.E. Hecht: http://tinyurl.com/7n4syj2

A Rose, By Any Other Name

2012-01-16T19:22:00.002-05:00

I, like many other authors, use a pseudonym, or, in plain English, a pen name. Pseudonyms have been around for centuries, and have been used for a variety of reasons. Many female authors were forced to use male pen names in order to be published at all; George Eliot is probably the most widely cited example of this. In the mid nineteenth century, although there were plenty of female authors, it was considered vulgar for a woman to write anything other than light romances. Mary Ann Evans used a male pen name to ensure that her work was taken seriously.

It is a sad reflection on today’s society that it is still easier for women to catch the attention of agents and publishers if they masquerade as men. Even J.K. Rowling had to contend with this issue. On the eve of the release of the first book in the Harry Potter series, Joanne Rowling was asked by her publishers to adopt a more gender-neutral pen name in order to appeal to the male members of this age group, fearing that they would not be interested in reading a novel they knew to be written by a woman. She elected to use J. K. Rowling (Joanne Kathleen Rowling), using her grandmother's name as her second name because she has no middle name.

Another reason for using a pen name is to preserve the author’s privacy. This is important to certain people, especially if their husbands are in public life, or if they have young children. Authors of erotic romance, or male/male romance, have even more reason to keep their true identity secret. It is not that they are ashamed of their genre, but the sensitivity of family members should be respected, especially where children are concerned. You may use a pen name in order to spare the blushes of your mother, or your teenager (oh cool, your mom writes gay porn!) or if you happen to be a member of the board of the PTA or (gasp!) your local church (did you know your son’s Sunday School teacher writes erotica?!). Another issue is when the author writes across different genres: it would be quite awkward if an erotic romance and a children’s book, for example, were published under the same name!

These days, there seems to be a trend among authors of male/male romance to use male or gender-neutral pseudonyms. I’ve often wondered why this should be so; as the consumers of m/m romance are overwhelmingly straight women, why should the authors (also largely women) bother to conceal their gender? When I first started writing for Torquere Press, I also adopted a gender-neutral pen name. I thought it was obligatory. I have subsequently learned that is not the case, but it does seem that the use of a “maleonym” increases sales. I have a theory about this: as much as the m/m romance genre itself is built on fantasy, the idea of a male author may be an extension of that fantasy. For a straight woman to fully enjoy a romance written about two hot guys getting down and dirty with each other, would it not feed the fantasy for her to believe the story was also written by a guy?

Of course, most readers of m/m romance are fully aware that the majority of the authors of these novels are female. But the imagination is fed in many ways, and maybe the suspension of disbelief is such that a novel by Nancy Smith (for example) just doesn’t have the same sexy ring as one by (for example) N.R. Smith, or even Nathan Smith.

My real name is classified. My pen name is comprised of my real initials, plus the last name of one of my favourite authors (Oscar Wilde). Some of my work is still published by Torquere Press (http://www.torquerebooks.com) but the majority is now off-contract and the rights have reverted to me. I am offering my off-contract work for sale through Smashwords, and you can find all my novellas and short stories at http://www.ajwilde.com. I hope you’ll give me a try; I promise you won’t be disappointed. My name is A.J. Wilde, and I’m a girl.

Follow me on Twitter: @author_ajwilde

Friend me on Facebook: A.J. Wilde

IT'S FRIDAY THE 13TH! YOU SHOULD BE READING A PARANORMAL NOVEL!

2012-01-13T13:55:00.000-05:00

IT'S FRIDAY THE 13TH!
THE REVOLVING BOOK FRIDAY EDITION IS THE PARANORMAL ROMANCE "RELUCTANT PROTECTOR" by NANA MALONE
POSTED FRIDAY JAN. 13TH, 2012
AUTHOR: NANA MALONE
TITLE: RELUCTANT PROTECTOR
GENRE: PARANORMAL ROMANCE
WHERE YOU CAN BUY THE BOOKS ONLINE-
AMAZON KINDLE: http://tinyurl.com/7r6tfsk
BARNES AND NOBLE: http://tinyurl.com/7p3hbv6
SYNOPSIS:
For five years, Cassie Reeser has been her brother’s personal lab rat. Peter’s experiments have made her a stronger, faster, better human. And she’s not the only one – he’s been experimenting on others as well. For five years, escape has eluded her. Until now. When she finds out he plans to sell her as a human weapon she knows it’s now or never. To make her escape she’ll sacrifice family bonds and leave behind the one person who’s ever helped her. Cassie’s learned to shrink from kindness and to never trust anyone. She knows the day Peter finally captures her will be the day she dies. To elude her brother and save the others, she’ll have to risk her body and her heart. What she doesn't expect is a chance at a normal life.
Seth Adams is used to sifting through lies to find the truth. As a former war correspondent he knows what evils lurk in the world. When he finds Cassie hiding out in his car trunk, her story sounds like a fantastical dream. But, before long, he witnesses firsthand what she’s talking about when they’re attacked by a group of Peter’s soldiers. As a result, he goes through his own transformation into a super human and realizes the extent of what Cassie is running from. Cassie might not think she needs his protection, but he’ll die before he lets her brother have her back.
REVIEWS:
"Think a cross between Heroes (NBC) and Fire Starter. The action gets you right off. And this girl is no damsel in distress. She does the butt kicking thank you very much." Amazon reviewer
"Superheros was something I didn't expect at all, so that was cool. Lots of action and characters I could get behind and understand. All in all it was well done." Amazon reviewer.
"I loved every word of it. It's more than your standard romantic suspense. It actually has modern day superheroes in a way that is believable and sustainable for a series...I'll say one thing, this writer knows how to write hot." Amazon reviewer
READ AN EXCERPT: (http://tinyurl.com/8xew923
AUTHOR BIO:
Nana's love of all things romance and adventure started with a tattered romantic suspense she borrowed from her cousin on a sultry summer afternoon in Ghana at a precocious thirteen. She's been in love with kick butt heroines ever since. With her overactive imagination, and channeling her inner Buffy, it was only a matter a time before she started creating her own characters.
Waiting for her chance at a job as a ninja assassin, Nana, meantime works out her drama, passion and sass with fictional characters every bit as sassy and kick butt as she thinks she is. Though, until that ninja job comes through, you'll find her acting out scenes for hubby and puppy while catching up on her favorite reality television shows in sunny San Diego.
CONNECT WITH NANA ONLINE:
FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Nana-Malone-Writer/122774526915
TWITTER: http://www.twitter.com/nanamalone
WEB SITE: http://www.nanamalone.com
UPCOMING BLOG TOUR:
http://www.nanamalone.com
SNEAK PEEK:
Cassie stepped through the door without a backward glance. Shoulders straight. Eyes level. Look ahead. No one would be able to recognize her. But she had to avoid using her power until absolutely necessary. Sweat slicked her palms and she said a silent prayer to any God she could think of. Luck was on her side. She moved through the brightly lit lobby, complete with eye scanners and armed guards. No one noticed her. And why would they. She looked like one of the anonymous grad students working slave wages and long hours to make a name for themselves. All too absorbed in their own daily movements.
As she rounded the corner to the employee area, she allowed herself one backward glance. The resulting collision knocked her onto her butt.
“Oh, shit. I'm so sorry. I wasn’t looking where I was going and—”
Cassie blinked up at the man, the cold of the floor seeping through her jeans. Her body tensed when he opened and outstretched hand. Her instincts said to run, but his eyes told her she was safe. Honey-brown and laced with concern, he stared at her.
She patted the wig to make sure it was still in place before taking his proffered hand. Contact with his skin made her jump like she’d just gotten a shock from an appliance. But instead of the immediate wash of senses and thoughts she expected, he barely registered. All she noticed was how his firm, warm hand dwarfed hers.
He looked down at their joined hands before grinning at her. His face lit up, showing just how handsome he was. Like the hero out of a romantic comedy.
Say something before you screw this all up. She cleared her throat. “I'm fine. Not your fault. I wasn't watching where I was going.” Her voice sounded strange in her ears. Husky.
“Are you sure you're okay? You look like you took a hard bump.”
Cassie shifted and tried to step around him. The new guards were coming on shift. Just her luck, one of the two, was the guard who caught her the last time. “No, I’m fine. Really.”
Mr. Romantic Comedy wouldn’t be deterred. He danced with her as she shifted, never letting go of her hand. “Okay, then at least let me apologize for being a klutz. My mother always taught me to take care of a lady. If you won’t at least sit down, maybe I can take you to dinner?” He slapped his forehead. “I should have led with my name. Seth Adams. It’s been a pleasure running into you.”
Cassie’s mouth went slack. His voice flowed over her like warm rain in the summertime. Had he just asked her out? This was a territory completely unfamiliar to her. Luckily, she watched enough movies to understand the concept. “I'm sorry I can't.”
He chuckled and shrugged. “Would it help if I phrased it like journalistic research?” His smile was infectious and Cassie wished she was the young intern he thought she was. Dragging in a breath, she knew she had to mind push this conversation out of his memories. Later, when someone came looking for him, she didn’t want him to remember her.
Problem was, as she pushed, she met a brick wall of resistance. The shield around him was like a rubber ball, his brain so dense and slippery nothing could burst through. Pain zinged behind her eyes and reluctantly, she stopped.
“I'm sorry, but no.” Cassie pulled her hand free from his and bee-lined for the exit, never looking back at him. Keep your head in the game Cassie. She joined the queue for the metal detectors and adjusted the hair of the wig around her face. When it came her turn to be searched, she tried to look calm. She didn’t want to take any chances with the guard, so she immediately mind pushed him to do a cursory glance of her backpack.
“You’re free to go Ma’am,” he said, his voice a little dreamy.
She tucked her chin down and mumbled a thank you. Ten more steps. As she rounded the corner to the outer door, someone called out. “Hey, wait a minute.”
For a millisecond, she paused, weighing and tossing out her options. She had to stop. She was weak and tired, but she could push someone if left with no other choice. She didn’t turn heavy when footfalls thudded behind her.
A meaty touched her arm and a small squeak bubbled up without her consent. Was this the end? Had she risked her friend’s life for nothing?
“You dropped your badge back there.”
Cassie had to take the swipe card. If she didn’t, she’d look suspicious. But if she turned, he might recognize her. Rock, meet hard place. Turning on her heel, she reached out with sweat slick hands and snatched the card without meeting the guard’s eye.
His voice was stern. “Security is extremely important here at Gentech. If you need a refresher on security procedures, ask your manager.”
Nodding her acquiescence she turned and kicked up her pace, veering toward the main parking structure. She had to make sure he wasn’t following before she accessed the private parking lot. Three seconds passed before heavy footsteps pounded behind her..
“Hey. What’s your name? Are you new here?” The guard’s lumbering body followed her at a quick clip. Cassie paused and turned around knowing she was cooked. She watched as panic dawned in his eyes.
Make your decision. Fight or flight. She chose fight.

Shelli Stevens, the author your mother warned you about!

2012-01-10T09:12:00.002-05:00

by JoAnne Kenrick

Shelli Stevens is a NYT bestseller author with a backlist to make your toes curl and your hair stand on end! She writes hot romances and leaves no page, erm I mean corner, unturned.

I'm just thrilled to have had the opportunity to interview her for The Pop Culture Divas! We talk life of the writer, upcoming books, awesome backlist titles, and of course we talk HAWT heros. If you haven't read Shelli's work before, you are about to discover a gem! If you are like me, a huge fan of her work, this will be a real treat! But whoever you are, put up your feet and pour yourself a drink, because it's time for a natter with Shelli Stevens...and check the bottom of the post for a contest ;)

Where were you, and how did you find out, that you had made the NYT bestseller list? Dish!!

Well, it never occurred to me that I would have a chance at hitting the New York Times list, so I never checked or really thought about it. I found out when I was out walking, shortly before I pick my daughter up from school. My good friend, and fellow author Karen Erickson, called to tell me she'd found my name on the list. I totally didn't believe her and made her send me links...even then I kept thinking it had to be a mistake. It was an absolutely awesome moment. That series must've struck a note with readers, and it really touches me to realize that! I certainly never expected to be able to say I hit the NYT list. Who knows if it'll ever happen again, but I'm thrilled that it happened once!

Can you remember the name and author of the romance book you 'borrowed' from your mother all those years ago that got you hooked on the genre and the idea of writing your own stories?

Unfortunately I can't remember the name. All I remember was that it was a Harlequin Presents, and the heroine had been shipwrecked on an Island or something. She had amnesia I believe... I just remember thinking OH WOW! SEX! I was probably eleven or twelve. My mom finally got tired of me asking to read them and said go for it, but I warned you! I was totally hooked and devoured every romance novel in every category/genre I could find after that.

And has your daughter or your mum read any of your stuff? If so, what did they think of it?

My daughter is eight, so she's just newly into the reading world. She's still into Judy Moody and The Magic School Bus type books. My mom has read a few of my milder ones, but she still thinks they're pretty risky! Said they were hotter than Peyton Place (which I had to immediately Google since I had no idea what that was!).

Writers get inspiration for stories from all over the place, and sometimes comes from the most strangest of places. So, I have to ask, where did the story spark come from for the holding out for a hero series?

Well, honestly, jury duty. I was on a pretty intense case that lasted almost two months. And I remember one of the witnesses had run to try and avoid testifying. Gone halfway across the country. They brought her back and she had to testify, but it sparked an idea for my first book Going Down. I figured a good match for the heroine, my runaway witness, would be a small town Sheriff. And then the idea of making it a book about brothers, all with careers deemed 'heroic' would be fun. So I ran with it. I had so much fun with that series. Fell in love with the Wyatts and that small town :P

Did you get the pleasure of interviewing--you know, for research purposes only of course ;) --any men in the field for your heros? Like a broody police dude or a smoking hawt fireman? If so, deets please?

I don't know any Sheriffs or police officers really, so I had to do research for that one. But for the Army hero, I interviewed my friend who is an Iraq vet (she read my flashback scenes for authenticity). And for my firefighter, I interviewed an old friend of mine who's now a firefighter. I was a college jazz choir geek and he was our sound tech. Then I found out later he was a firefighter gracing the cover of a calender! I keep thinking I should get him to speak at one of our local RWA chapter meetings :P

In Negligee Behavior, that knowing something threatens the HEA [happy ever after] before the lead characters do plot arch is a surefire way to get me screaming at my eReader. I loved that you included the POV [point of view] of the evil villain set to ruin the romance between the hero and heroine and to get his grubby hands on her fortune. Was it a conscious decision to have three POVs, if so, why did you go that route?

Thank you! I actually really love a villain POV. I especially love writing it. Something about tapping into my inner evil side. You get to be in the head of my villain in my upcoming book Savage Hunger too!

Talking of Negligee Behavior, which has one of my favorite opening scenes for a romance book ever, where on earth did the idea of the bride escaping before the I dos by jumping on the back of a strangers motorbike on the Vegas Strip?

No idea. Really no idea. LOL. Maybe because I started that book a long time ago. At the time I'd been reading a lot of chick lit. But I knew it would be a fun premise. And it was. That book was so much fun!

And is there going to be a follow up to Negligee Behavior for the lovable Brit bartender?

I'd like to at some point, though at the moment have a full plate with the Savage series I'm working on. But the Brit just screamed for a book. My problem with Sebastian is he has some baggage, and his book might not be as light and funny as Negligee. So I'm struggling with that, and I can't help but worry that it would bother readers to read a heavier book after Negligee.

I admire your talent to make your characters on the page so believable and real. Do you have any writerly tips you use to work on your characters?

I try and write characters like real people. How I imagine a conversation with my friends would go down. I want them to be real. Someone I can relate to, or someone I'd fall for, a best friend I'd have. Or that one crazy guy/girl at the party is always fun to put in a book.

Is there a character you found particularly stubborn, who refused to conform to where you wanted to take the story?

I'm not sure there's one in particular. Quite often I plot a book (loosely) and the characters reveal something about themselves that'll take my book in a whole new direction.

What's your daily writerly life like?

Lately it's a bit of a mess, I'll be honest. With the holidays and wrapping up the year. But generally I try and write 1k a day at least. A writing routine is huge in finishing a book.

How do you go about writing a book from start to finish and then to final draft?

You just sit down and write. The 1k a day works like magic. If you do it, you literally have a single title book in three months or so. I take the finished product, read through it again and see what things need to be changed. Then I have betas and critique partners read it. Then after another read through/tweaking, I'm done and send it off to my editor.

Secret to success?

Write. Ignore the doubts and insecurities. Write and build a backlist. And then go out and talk to people. Make friends. Have fun with readers and other writers. Be a real person people can relate to. Nobody wants to see you like a human commercial for your books. I'm personally more likely to buy books from someone I talk to online all the time and really like as a human.

Any new year resolutions for you?

Oh I'm sure some of the same ones everyone has! To be more healthy. To keep at the weight loss. But I'm also making this the year of me. It's my theme. I'm making time for me to write. To work out. To date (if I should be brave enough!). To enjoy life!

If you could change anything about 2011 what would it be?

To not get so freaked out by the NYT hit. It kind of messed with my head and made it hard to write. I thought people would be judging me more, be analyzing my books more (why did SHE hit). It gave me all kinds of self-doubt (where as you think it would do the opposite!) and angst.

Anything new coming up that we should get our knickers in a twist about, erm, I mean keep our eyes peeled for, in 2012?

I have my book Foreign Affair coming out with Samhain in February, and in the spring I have Savage Hunger, a paranormal I'm super excited about coming out at Samhain as well!

Lastly, do you have words you'd like to share with your readers?

Thanks for reading me! For taking a chance on me (not to quote Abba or anything). I hope you always love and defend the romance genre. It really is a wonderful escape and a chance to get a Happily Ever After. Have a happy and wonderful 2012!

Thanks so much, Shelli, for taking the time out to dish the dirt with us pop culture divas!!

And now on to the deets for Shelli's upcoming books so we can look forward to them, and mark our calenders!

Revenge can be sweet…and oh so sexy.

Lena Richards’s whirlwind vacation to Europe with a friend is a welcome chance to shake her pre-wedding jitters—until she learns her high-school sweetheart is cheating on her, Hawaiian-style. Figuring all’s fair, she indulges in a fling of her own with a sexy New Yorker she meets in Amsterdam whose kiss blows her mind—and the lid off her hormones.

Tyler Bentz is wary that the petite bombshell, who only a short time ago insisted their one kiss must never happen again, has done a complete 180. His questions only make it clear she’s interested in probing of the sexual kind. Who is he to turn her down?

As they burn their way across Europe, something shifts, and it’s not just the earth moving with their exploding passion. Lena begins to realize what it really means to fall in love. And Tyler finds himself tumbling hard and fast.

Reality catches up with them in Paris, leaving Tyler to wonder if Lena’s really the one, or if he’s nothing more to her than a pawn in her game of revenge.

Releases 7th February 2012

Available for PRE-ORDER now: Amazon | Nook | Samhain | Google Books | BooksOnBoard

Coming this Spring.... and is it just me, or does the cover remind you of a certain Antonio Banderas in his younger days? Maybe it's the pose, either way...HELLLO!

The man who vows to protect her may be her biggest threat.

Savage, Book 1

Being the daughter of a world-renowned scientist, Sienna Peters has struggled to carve out her own career in the field. But her world is sent spinning when she discovers a secret species being held in the lab where she works, and the horrible things being done to them. Compelled to do more than hand off an information-packed jump drive to her father, she sets out to free the creatures.

The minute his team enters the compound, federal agent Warrick Donovan knows their mission will have more trouble than they bargained on. Unfortunately, trouble comes in the form of Sienna Peters, the younger sister of his close friend. Now not only does he need to save her pretty ass, he needs to discover just how involved she is with the imprisonment of the shifters.

Sienna knows she should trust no one—not even the man she might still love. But as the danger escalates and past passion ignites, her heart has other ideas. Even when the shroud of mystery is ripped off more than one stunning truth

Use the rafflecopter to enter for your chance to win any ebook from Shelli's extensive backlist!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Fascination With Time Travel

2012-01-07T20:47:00.002-05:00

Who knows when it first began? Who first dreamed of visiting the past or coming to the future? It's anybody's guess but the idea of time travel remains a popular one in modern culture. Everything from the zany, wacky Back To The Future movies to Audrey Niggenegger's beautiful novel (and the movie it spawned The Time Traveler's Wife to Diana Gabaldon's wildly popular Outlander series and more delves into time travel. One of my ultimate favorites is the film Somewhere In Time based on Richard Matheson's classic novel Bid Time Return.

And who hasn't dreamed of going back in time to find a new love or to reconnect with the lover we knew in a past life? Or taking a sneek peak into a future unknown?

In my time travel novel (let's make that first time travel novel if you please) In Love's Own Time, my hero lives a reclusive life until a woman appears in his life with, well, the speed of lightning....oh let's just do the deets, the blurb, and then an excerpt (and stay tuned we'll do the book trailer too)

A Time To Love Master Sheet

October 2011

ISBN # 9781926996561

Champagne Books

Time Travel romance

180 pages

73,500 words

$5.99 eBook format

Blurb:

Reclusive songwriter Samuel Baird lives on a remote Arkansas mountain in the Ouachita forest where he’s drinking his life away. The last thing he wants is a woman to complicate things but during a spectacular thunderstorm a woman arrives just in time to save his life. Annie says she’s from the late 1800’s and Samuel thinks she’s crazy. Even so, Annie manages to gain his attention and affection. In time she convinces him she did travel through time. To reach a happily ever after, Samuel and Annie must overcome several obstacles both past and present. Annie must reveal the secret she’s keeping and it’ll take a trip home to meet his family in Nashville to work out all the issues. The couple shares joy, tragedy, and family ties along the way.

Excerpt:

Leaving Mena, he took State Highway 88, the best route, up Rich Mountain. He could smell the grease-laden fries and the tantalizing aroma of the cheeseburgers but restrained himself from diving into the bag. There were multiple scenic turnouts along the road and he chose one with a southern view midway up the mountain. The tailgate of the pickup made a temporary table as they ate, gazing out at the spectacular view.

“I’ve always wondered how far I can see,” he mused, resisting an urge to put an arm around her shoulder.

“I wouldn’t know but I remember walking beside the wagons when we came and we could see Rich Mountain for days before we got here.”

“You walked?” Her memories--real or faux--surprised him.

“Aye, we did.”

“How old were you?”

“Eight.”

“And you came because your mother was sick?” He attempted to sort it out in his mind. “Did she improve?”

Annie sighed and stood up, crumpling the sandwich wrapper with one hand.

“She did for a bit but then she began to fail. She died when I was fifteen.”

Her voice quavered on the words and he ached to offer comfort.

“I’m sorry, Annie. Were you the youngest?”

A snort came from her nose and she smiled.

“Hardly! There were nine of us--three older and five behind me. I had the raisin’ of them, the four least boys anyway, after Ma died.”

He stood up, surprised.

“You brought up your younger brothers?”

“I did.”

It was easy to imagine her as a girl saddled with a mother’s responsibility.

“Didn’t your father help you with them?”

“I told you, my Pa was a drunkard. He did what he could but that was little enough.”

Her speech tinged with uncharacteristic bitterness. She turned away, arms wrapped about her body to contain old anguish as she walked over to the very edge of the turnout

Quick eagerness fired his curiosity and he thought he might unlock the enigma she represented. Her emotions were so profound that he almost believed she had come through time. Willing to consider the possibility, he asked the first of many questions crowding his mind. “What did you do when they all left home?”

She spun to face him, scowling. “I went to work at the Queen Wilhelmina Inn.” Her clipped tone guarded secrets. “And I’ll answer no more prying questions.”

She whipped around to face south with so much force that the barrette that held her hair slipped.

“I apologize. I didn’t mean to be nosy.”

“Humph.”

“Don’t be mad, Annie.” The pleading note in his voice was real and she turned around. He wasn’t sure if she wanted to avoid him or just admire the view.

Her feet were at the edge of the sheer drop to the thick vegetation below and when she moved, she lost her balance and teetered. She struggled to gain solid footing but failed, going to her knees in an effort to keep from falling. Her hands flailed out with panic.

He grasped her beneath each arm and stayed her. She clung to him and he jerked her away from the brink. Without time to analyze his actions or emotions, he acted on instinct and gathered her to him. She trembled in his arms and he tightened his hold to reassure her.

“It’s all right now.” He made the phrase a mantra by repeating it three times. Her breath slowed as she stopped shaking. With the danger past, he felt an intense awareness of her body against his. Every pliable curve was a fit against his frame. He knew the cadence of her heartbeat and smelled the fragrance of her hair. His body quickened as she moved against him, verification that she felt it too, and the strange pull that could make strangers into lovers.

Annie put her mouth to his. He could not move for one long moment as he felt her warm, sweet mouth moving over his and he kissed her back. The act restored something that had been dormant within and he was the old Samuel, healed and unharmed. He was free of the dark animal lust that once carried him to strange beds, a man reborn and made whole.

No embrace had been so intimate since the early years of his marriage and his senses marked each nuance, each sweet facet of the kiss. His loins engorged and his soul ached to fill its hungering need. Before he lost his ability to stop, he checked himself. He took his lips from her mouth and pulled away, leaving her to stare at him with haunting pain.

“I can’t do this.” He choked out the sentence with anguish and shame. No words existed to explain to this woman that he did not dare risk his heart again. He could not tell her that he was a coward. That would require courage, which he lacked and so he withdrew.

“Let’s go.” When she didn’t move, he stalked past her. He waited until she was seated and pulled out, driving too fast on the twisting road. He did not speak and neither did she. Full dark had fallen by the time he parked the truck but he did not wait to walk her into the cabin. By the time she came in, he had downed his first glass of straight bourbon and poured a second. He gulped it, daring her to react but she ignored him.

Instead, she put away clean clothes and tidied the few dishes left in the sink. Although his eyes followed her, Samuel could not speak. His lips still tingled with the feel of her mouth on his and he drank with grim purpose to eradicate it without success. His mind raced in rapid circles as he struggled to understand his emotions. He felt caught, trapped by his history, and hopeless. All of it was more than he could face and he drank far into the night.

Buy and contact links:

Available at

http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-atimetolove-608373-141.html#.ToujvkBI9kw.facebook

http://champagnebooks.com/shop/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=511 Amazon.com and other retailers

Find me at

http://www.amazon.com/Lee-Ann-Sontheimer-Murphy/e/B004JPBM6I/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_6?qid=1317812248&sr=8-6

A Page In The Life

http://leeannsontheimermurphywriterauthor.blogspot.com

http://leeannsontheimermurphy.blogspot.com

Five star review here:

http://manicreaders.com/index.cfm?disp=bookDetail&bookid=17325

And the link to the book trailer, a Murphy Girls Production, here:

http://youtu.be/kNJWcSfcmvs

The Big Change is Coming

2011-12-30T08:53:00.004-05:00

By Sharon Page

With New Year's around the corner, it's time for resolutions. Which is what I mean by "The Big Change".

Christmas has left us reeling at my house--we ended up with a small disaster on the 24th which required a big clean up of the house. Then, on Boxing Day, our furnace quit. After a fall of spring-like weather, our furnace died on the first day it got cold (we'd even had it serviced.) Fortunately, we got it repaired that night. Our kids do ski programs over Christmas, so there was hectic amassing of clothing and equipment, lunches to be made, people to herd.

Since 2012 is supposed to be the end of everything, I wasn't sure if it was wise to make resolutions. I don't usually, but this year I couldn't resist. Of course I made the usual New Year's resolutions for a writer:

Exercise more.
Write more and get more proposals out. Hopefully see an improvement in the career. (Funny, if it's on a day ending in 'y', a writing career always seems to be stalled or slumping :-))
Lost the 15 pounds that comes and goes with more regularity than the seasons.

But I know my real resolution should be to just savor more. Enjoy things. Yesterday, when skiing with the kids in -20 degree weather (by Canadian celcius standards), I decided to savor. Laugh with them, delight in what they've learned on skis, and stop worrying about my upcoming book deadline. We appreciated the clear blue sky, our dusting of white snow, and the way the ice in trees sparkled like diamonds.

Savoring is hard: I actually feel guilty doing it. I feel like I should be rushing to do more, accomplish more, make money, clean up, etc. It feels self-indulgent slacking off to just enjoy the moment. But this year, I'm going to let go of that guilt and stop rushing through life.

As for the 15 pounds, this year I'm really going to do it. It means a change in lifestyle: instead of using tv at night for an hour of relaxing, I should go for a walk. Less wine and less chocolate (except for the dark stuff which is healthy!).

Today, I have more cold weather to savor as we ski with the kids.

Do you have resolutions in mind for 2012?

Sharon Page is the USA Today Bestselling author of sexy historical romance, including Engaged in Sin, Sinful, Blood Wicked. She is a double RT Bookreviews Reviewers' Choice award nominee this year.

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

2011-12-23T05:11:00.000-05:00

It’s almost Christmas, and it’s time to dust off the family traditions that we cherish from year to year. Those traditions can take many forms, including what we have for dinner on that festive day, how we exchange our gifts, what decorations go on the tree, and how we deal with annoying relatives who get drunk, fall asleep at the dinner table, or make wildly inappropriate jokes. We stand by our traditions for a reason—because they give us the comfort and joy that is so much a part of the Season.

One tradition for many readers is enjoying the Christmas-themed books that come out at this time of year. There are cookbooks, histories, mysteries and, of course, Christmas-themed romances. Most authors enjoy writing these types of romances, simply because they’re usually fun, warm-hearted, and readers really love them.

I just finished writing my latest Regency-set historical romance, and I’m happy to tell you that it’s a Christmas story. It’s called His Mistletoe Bride, and it will be released in October 2012. I had a great time writing it, partly because I got to research Christmas customs during the Regency era. Much of what we recognize about Christmas didn’t develop until the Victorian period, when Prince Albert brought his German holiday traditions with him to England, although the Christmas tree—usually in a smaller, table-top size—had been part of some English celebrations for a number of years.

And then there was Dickens, who also helped develop the modern version of seasonal celebrations in his famous story, A Christmas Carol.

But the folks in the Regency period also loved Christmas and they celebrated it with style, especially when it came to food and drink. One of the most treasured traditions of the time was the partaking of the Wassail Bowl, a beverage we would recognize today as mulled wine. There were many different recipes for Wassail, each family carefully passing down their particular version from one generation to the next.

Here’s a description from antiquarian Geoffrey Gent, describing one passing of the communal bowl:

“When the cloth was removed, the butler brought in a huge silver vessel of rare and curious workmanship, which he placed before the Squire. Its appearance was hailed with acclimation; being the Wassail Bowl, so renowned in Christmas festivity. The contents had been prepared by the Squire himself; alleging that it was too abstruse and complex for the comprehension of an ordinary servant. It was a potation, indeed, that might well make the heart of a toper leap within him; being composed of the richest and raciest of wines, highly spiced and sweetened, with roasted apples bobbing about the surface.”

Rich and racy—sounds good to me!

I may not have my own family recipe for Wassail, but I do have one of my mother’s old Christmas cookie recipes. When I was a kid these cookies were my favorite, and I still love them. Give them a try—I bet you’ll love them too!

Flora’s Russian Tea Balls

Preheat oven to 300F

1 cup softened butter
¼ cup sifted confectioner’s sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 tablespoon water
2 cups flour (sifted)
1 cup chopped pecans

Cream together the butter, sugar, and vanilla. Stir in water. Add flour and blend thoroughly. Stir in nuts. Roll dough into 1 inch balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Cool before removing from sheet. Roll in frosting, then flaked coconut (optional).

Frosting:
4 cups confectioner’s sugar
½ cup milk

Vanessa Kelly writes Regency-set historical romance for Kensington Zebra, and has been named by Booklist as “one of the new stars of historical romance.” She recently won the Maggie Award for Best Historical Romance for her second book, Sex And The Single Earl. You can find her on the web at: www.vanessakellyauthor.com.

Confessions of a Holiday Spokesmodel

2011-12-22T00:05:00.000-05:00

By Pamela DuMond

It was the holidays. I was twenty years old, between college and chiropractic school, and needed some moolah. Drug dealing wasn't my thing, and my days as a cabaret singer seemed to have passed. (Yes, I was a Gaslight Girl.)

http://www.gaslightclubs.com/#!gallery/vstc1=historical-photos

So I became a Holiday Spokesmodel at a department store in Yorktown, our local mall. But at the tender age of twenty, what product do you think I was qualified to hawk?

Could I have been A Perfume Model? (Not qualified - couldn't spritz fast enough.)

Perhaps the Incredible Floor Mop Woman? (Not qualified - shoulders not strong enough to mop all day.)

But there was one job I was good at. One job which I could perform with flying colors for eight hour shifts with a song in my heart and a smile on my face. I became...

The Grilled Cheese Machine Spokesmodel.

Perhaps you haven't heard of the famous Grilled Cheese Machines. You just popped some bread inside with a little cheese. Put another slice on top. Closed the lid. Waited a minute or so. And whammo presto - a nicely sealed grilled cheese - very little leakage. Grilled Cheese Machines Corporate informed me that soon every household in America would have, at minimum, two of these machines. (Oops I think they might have exaggerated.)

I made teeny tiny grilled cheese sandwich bites for hoards of holiday shoppers. I sold a lot of machines.

This holiday I'm not selling cheese.

BSP: I am however publishing the next story in my Annie Graceland Cupcakes mystery series to e-readers. Cupcakes, Sales, and Cocktails - The Novella is set during an Easter/Passover holiday sale at a department store.

Bargain Alert: I'm selling it for 99 cents!

Description of Cupcakes, Sales, and Cocktails - The Novella: Annie Graceland’s a midwestern baker with a pinch of psychic ability that’s surviving a divorce while navigating the mean clean streets of L.A. When stressed, Annie’s psychic gift/curse kicks into high gear. She’s empathic; feels other people’s lusts, urges and desires in her own body. Not a problem if that someone’s craving chocolate or Kettle Chips. Definitely a problem if she’s haunted by a pesky ghost to solve their murder.

Annie’s friends push her to update her wardrobe as she re-enters the dating world. At Snotsky's Department Store, Annie meets the world's most obnoxious clerk: Edith Flowers. When Edith’s murdered and doesn’t pass to the After-Life, Annie agrees to investigate her demise. She infiltrates the crew of Snotsky’s suspects. Was it the new manager, the archrival in Cocktail attire, the bra fitter? Will Annie solve the murder and find anything new to wear that she can afford? Can she do it before hottie Det. Rafe Campillio finds it odd Annie keeps showing up at murder scenes?

Bonus: 1st chapter excerpt from Cupcakes, Pies, and Hot Guys! (Next novel in the series.)

The waiting is almost over. Let the mayhem begin. The e-book links should be up in the next couple of days on Amazon and B&N Nook. Feel free to check my author page on Amazon in a couple of days which will probably re-direct you to the new book.

http://www.amazon.com/Pamela-DuMond/e/B0049J16NS/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1

Happy Holidays!

Pam DuMond

~ Now go read a good book and tell someone you love about it! ~

My Favourite Things of December

2011-12-21T12:32:00.000-05:00

By Murissa Shalapata
The Wanderfull Traveler

I look forward to December for so many reasons. I am a holiday fanatic and love to bake Christmas cookies, go shopping for gifts, carefully select wrapping paper to represent the recipients personality and of course, take advantage of the vacation from school and travel somewhere warm to escape the Canadian cold. There are so many things to love but I narrowed them down to my top five. You can even replace the title of each one to the lyrics of "My Favourite Things" from the film The Sound of Music...well I tried anyways.

5. Wrapped roasted Spam in seaweed and sunshine...

Hawaii is my all time favourite destination to spend Christmas and even New Year's Eve. It is somewhat grand to be the last people on Earth to celebrate the arrival of a new year. A Christmas spent on the beach is equally as decadent. It is now hard for me to spend a year away from my ocean friends on the corner of Waikiki Beach and Turtle Cove, just a few yards past surfer lane. Of course, who can forget to try some Spam Sushi to be paired with a bottle of Longboard Lager or in my case Champagne!

4. Ham dressed with stuffing and egg nog with rum balls...

Oven Roasted Stuffing :D

In other words...the food! I love to bake, as I mentioned earlier, so there are always Christmas cookies, Brandini toffee and a savoury feast on Christmas night. This year I am preparing the meal so I have decided to do a Fig and Pears Ham served with stuffing/dressing (my family's favourite, we practically eat it as a main!), Truffle Mashed Potatoes and an Endive Salad.

3. Bountiful pine trees laced with bright string...

Decorating the tree is one of my favourite Christmas activities. My family gets together, puts Christmas Vacation into the BluRay, we all drink red wine or sometimes Champagne and try out best to get the tree straight. This year, throughout my travels, I collected an ornament from each location. Surprisingly, I've acquired 9 since last year! It has been a great year in travel for The Wanderfull Traveler!

2. Soft snowy nights with hot fires and icicles...

Being Canadian you eventually become accustomed to the snow, although the trip to Mexico or Hawaii helps too! I used to hate the snow when I was younger (but that was because of the 40 (Celcius) below weather in Norther Canada. But now that I live in the only desert area in Canada it just isn't Christmastime without it. I love to curl up in front of a fire with a book and some wine. This year, my wine of choice is Ebenezer (Australia), a delicious wine that thematically matches the season.

1. Markets, mulled wine and German delicacies

This year I was fortunate enough to attend the Vancouver German Christmas Market where I sampled delicious meats, cheeses and desserts. I also purchased some gorgeous ornaments and sold by vendors visiting from Eastern Europe. Everything was so authentic and offered the charm of the Christmas markets of my travel dreams.

Hope you enjoyed my countdown! Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and have a great New Year!

Holidays...in the tropics!

2011-12-19T01:43:00.000-05:00

By Zee Monodee

Yes, this is what December looks like on my island!

Hey beautiful people!

I'll admit that when the topic came out for this month's posts, I was stumped - how on earth do you happen to have holiday traditions, of Christmas and all things white and snuggly... when it's 95 degrees outside and the sun is blazing, and in December, you're usually lazing like a lizard soaking up the sun on the grainy white sand of tropical beaches? Yes, can you say 'idiosyncracy'? I could!

But then this got me thinking - holidays are not only about snow and gifts (and Chrismas sales! That's usually the time when my husband will try his best to not take me anywhere near a shop, for fear I'll empty the family wallet!).

No, holidays are about family, relationships, ties that bind, special times spent with special ones... and for this, I can totally relate.

Writing = usually not this glamourous!

I work like a fiend (if my family is to be believed!) all year long, as a writer. No, being a writer doesn't mean you sit in front of your computer, pound away at the keyboard, go from start-middle-end, send the doc off, and see it get published while you rack in the moolah - far from it, even! No, you slave away at your writing, getting it 'just right'! You send the story out for crits, and of course, you are not a cow so you crit in return for the people who are looking over your work. Then you're lucky enough to have a polished manuscript, that you send out to editors in a 'cold' submission, or if you're lucky, to your in-house editor. Then you sit down and bite your nails and rag up your cuticles, and to stop yourself from martyrising your poor fingers, you start work on another story (there's also the tiny detail of voices blaring in your head... but that's normal for a writer!). Then while you're still writing this new story, you get a contract on the submission, and then starts edits... And all through this, don't forget you also have books out, and you're working your arse off promoting them on websites, guest blogs, social media... Did I mention there's only 24 hours in a day?

But I digress - my point so far being, I tone down the writer-life madness in December, to be with my loved ones.

Now we're on holidays in the tropics - 95 degrees heat, super blazing sun, sunburn after 30 minutes out without sunblock... You get the drift. All you wanna do is either be inside with air-conditioning, or outside in that nice little breeze. And according to the blokes in my house, what would life be without good food?

Not the actual pic from my house, but basically that's what it'd look like :)

So, our holiday season in the tropics and the heat include... a BBQ that we host every year for our family (mine and hubby's - about 16 people coming to eat and have a good time at our place!). This is a tradition we started the first year we got married, and over the years, it's something everyone looks forward to. You can bet your money on the fact that there'll be marinated chicken thighs, chicken franks, lamb ribs, and beef steaks on that grill! Veggie skewers with tomato, onions, and bell pepper. 3-4 different kinds of salads, including of course, creamy coleslaw! Dessert is often chilled ras malai that I made (one of the few things I do make well, despite my undomestic goddess status!), or, if I'm beat, store-bought ice-cream.

The recipe for a good time - family, friends, food, and laughter! Whether you have that in a white Christmas setting or in blazing 100-degree heat, the magic of the holidays is all about people - the people in your life...

Hope you all have a lovely holiday season, peeps!

XOXO

From Mauritius with love,

Z

And a shameless plug ( & perfect gift for Christmas: a story to snuggle down with and enjoy!) - check out my latest release from Noble Romance Publishing. It's a sweet romance book about family and people - the people who make a difference in our lives!

Forensic pathologist Margo Nolan is described by colleagues as a cold, unemotional man hiding inside a woman's body. Clinical and rational, the Ice Queen persona is only a facade to protect herself after she lost the only thing she ever longed for: Emma, the daughter she was raising as her own.

When tragedy strikes Emma's life, Margo is the only one who can step in . . . to become the stand-in parent to the 11-year old! Clueless about children—especially tweens, family life, and anything that should involve her heart, Margo is at a loss.

But she need not worry: sexy and easygoing, and much younger, village doctor Jamie Gillespie is here to help the heart-thawing process.

Grab your copy here!

Entering the Ebook Publishing Arena

2011-12-15T07:43:00.003-05:00

So...I got this wacky idea that I should put my Zentangle art books on Smashwords. How did that come about? Well, a friend of mine said she'd done hers there and frankly, I was curious. Always in search of a new format and better way to reach readers, I considered looking at the sight. WOW! Some really neat books are listed and the non-fiction list is as good as the fiction list.

I plan to try my hand at it and see where ti takes me.

I'm also going to put my latest novel Murder on Spyglass Lane up there for a miniscule amount of money. It's a story that includes a sexy swashbuckling pirate-like character, a psychic who dislikes her ability, a sweet Bassett hound, and of course....Murder. The story takes place on Florida's west coast in present day. Stay tuned. I hope to have the book up by tomorrow.

For now...Onward & Upward

Christmas Traditions ~ Ericka Scott

2011-12-15T00:01:00.001-05:00

Around the Scott household, the weekends between Thanksgiving and Christmas all seem to be jam-packed with Christmas parties and family get-togethers. Some years, we have too many to fit into two short days. Over the last couple of years, I’ve let activities crowd out some of our most memorable traditions. Not this year.
This year, we’re having a real tree which we’ll decorate to the strains of NSync’s Christmas album (it’s tradition, you know). Then, we’ll gather around the fireplace to light our Yule log and eat sugar cookies we made to distribute to the neighbors as gifts.

These cookies are, in our eyes, masterpieces. No, they aren’t those gorgeous things you see in bakery windows, but have the quirks that our family is known by. We decorate Christmas fish, only one of which is given three eyes and made especially for our friend, Jon. There are some traditional shapes, stars and Santas, but you are just as likely to find rocket ships amongst the Christmas trees, a T-Rex waiting to devour the red and green bunnies, and there is always a haunted church cookie -- complete with sugar black bats in the belfry.

Given the oddities of our family, I guess it’s no surprise to find that my holiday tales aren’t full of Christmas cheer, instead they tout titles like A Christmas Curse, which can be found in the ‘Twas a Dark and Delicious Christmas Anthology and my latest, Tidings of Fear. I guess I enjoy making readers shiver from more than just the cold.

TIDINGS OF FEAR

A psychic, a skeptic, and a serial killer…

Psychic Lia Morgan sees portents all around her. Although estranged from her family, she joins the search for her missing sister. A simple case gets complicated fast when she discovers her sister’s plethora of secrets includes a son.

Professor Jared Trimble’s world has no room for paranormal mumbo-jumbo. When asked to consult on a case involving a series of crossword puzzles, he’s conflicted. Is he a suspect, or an investigator?

While Lia uses her physic gift and follows signs, Jared uses his wits and experience. When the two collide, passions flare and the final clue brings them both into the bull’s-eye of a serial killer’s target.

********

Excerpt

“Hello?” she called. A creak sounded from above and a trickle of discomfort slid down her spine. She pulled out her key chain, from which hung a small canister of mace. Another creak made her jump.

“Hello?” she called again. Taking a deep breath, she strode purposefully into the house and found herself in a small living room. Lia glimpsed a small alcove off to the side and expected to find a small dining area, or perhaps an attached office.
Her breath caught in her throat as she walked into another large living room and straight into the past. Positioned under the window were the couch and loveseat she remembered from growing up. A recliner sat in the corner, a newspaper already opened to the comics on the seat.

She shivered. A tall enclosed bookcase, the one that had resided in Lia’s bedroom, stood next to the window. If she stepped closer, she knew she’d recognize every title on its shelves.

A small wooden rocking chair sat next to the recliner. A Raggedy Ann doll vied for seat space with her twin, Raggedy Andy.

“Oh, God,” Lia said. The memorial to her family should have been macabre. Instead, it brought tears to her eyes. Even the antique desk her sister, Sylvie, had thrown a fit to own and then despised when computers became popular and her father wouldn’t let her buy a more functional desk had a place in the room. A smile tugged at the corner of Lia’s mouth.

She could almost hear Sylvie’s famous whine, “But, Dad…”

As memories flooded her mind, she had to blink back a sudden rush of tears. She took a step back, turned and nearly ran back to the hallway. A light dimmed and brightened in another room. Lia didn’t need to count the pulses to know there would be eight.

A short walk found her in the kitchen. The stainless steel appliances sparkled and even the floor seemed to have been freshly waxed. She wished her kitchen looked this good. A towering pile of newspapers indicated they were sisters, after all. The stack teetered on the corner of the kitchen table. All of them were opened and folded to reveal the crossword puzzle.

Had Sylvie left these here? She couldn’t remember her sister having a penchant for crosswords, but she obviously didn’t know Sylvie as well as she’d thought.

Or had someone else brought these in and put them there?

Speaking of which, where was her sister?

She headed upstairs, calling as she went. Just as empty as downstairs. And just as neat. A small blue plastic item on the floor of her sister’s office appeared to be the only thing out of place.

Lia scooped it up. A thumb drive. She went to put it on the desk when a loud creak sounded behind her. She shoved it into her pocket and fumbled for her keys.
Heavy footsteps approached up the stairs.

Lia turned as a shadow fell across the doorway.

*****
Check out the Free Reads Page on my website in December for our infamous sugar cookie recipe (it contains eggnog) and also one for a decadent chocolate Yule log (yum).

And yes, Virginia, there were once camels in California…

Want to know more about Ericka?

It all began with Nancy Drew. Many a mystery writer can point to that teenage sleuth as the beginning of their obsession with mystery and romance (isn’t Ned Nickerson a hunk?) Ericka Scott is no different. A life-long reader of mystery, romance, and everything in between, she finally decided to give the voices in her head a chance to escape. Since then, she’s had over thirty tales of seductive suspense published. She currently lives in Southern California with her husband and three children.

Ericka is on Facebook at http://facebook.com/ericka.scott and her Twitter identity is @ErickaScott

Check out all her books at www.erickascott.com

Santa and Scrooge: Two Faces of Christmas In Our Culture

2011-12-14T00:07:00.003-05:00

Of all the many Christmas stories penned over the ages, of the characters we associate with the holidays, jolly old St. Nick and Ebenezer Scrooge are perhaps the two iconic faces we remember most of all. While Santa's reputation may loom larger than Scrooge's, both characters enhance our celebration of Christmas in a very big way.

Santa first showed up as a 6th century bishop who became a saint, hence his formal title of St. Nicholas. Although legends and stories about the generous old elf abound in many cultures, our modern version of Santa Claus must pay homage to Clement Moore's The Night Before Christmas or A Visit From St. Nicholas. The poem first published in a newspaper without a byline, attributed to anonymous but in the 1840's, Moore claimed credit. Our physical description of Santa comes straight out of the poem. Some scholars question Moore's authorship but regardless, the poem gave birth to our modern ideas about Santa Claus.

There's no question about Santa's goodness. He lives to give and spends his year preparing for Christmas Eve when he flies around the world bringing toys and good cheer to children everywhere. Of course, he delivers just to "good children" or so the legend goes. He's been known to deliver bundles of switches and other less savory items to "bad children" but most of us enjoy the Santa Claus personification. The spirit of Santa encourages a great deal of holiday giving, by example and tradition.

So whether or not Clement Moore (or whoever might have penned the poem) intended his verse to personify Santa Claus or live through the ages, it has.

The other face of Christmas, one often mocked and made sport of is a character from Charles Dickens' 1843 novel, A Christmas Carol. Outside of English majors (which I once ranked among) and literature lovers, this is probably Dickens best known work. In it, Dickens managed to preserve the old English Christmas with all its' traditions and glory even as he also wrote a novel of social conscience, something he did quite well in other works as well.

From the original novel we now have multiple modern versions of the tale, everything from cartoon format (even one version with Donald Duck) to made for television movies and theatrical films. We've seen female Scrooges, a Flintstones version, stage productions and more. Because of A Christmas Carol, there's been a plethora of Dickens Christmas Faires appearing each December across America including in the small town where I live.

A wide variety of well known and talented actors have tackled the role of Scrooge. One of my favorites is the performance by George C. Scott but I also like Patrick Stewart's adaptation of the role. There's a Muppets version and so many more. Same story, often almost the same lines taken from the classic novel but A Christmas Carol has become a tradition and favorite for many.

I've often wondered if he created the character of Ebenezer Scrooge out of whole cloth or if Scrooge was inspired by someone Dickens once knew. Whatever his origins, the name of Scrooge has come to be defined as anyone who doesn't like Christmas, someone who's miserly and selfish, and lacks the Christmas spirit.

Too often I think society as a whole forgets Scrooge changed. When I see someone dubbed a "Scrooge" in the media or joked about in society, I think not of the miserly, lonely man at the beginning of the story but of the transformed jolly old gentleman who makes the Crachitt's Christmas and later life so much better.

Often the most memorable character from A Christmas Carol becomes Tiny Tim more than Scrooge.

When it comes to beloved Christmas stories we have everything from the original Christmas story of the Nativity which comes to us from Luke to Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer which began as an advertising campaign for Montgomery Wards to dancing elves and of course Frank Capra's classic and iconic, It's A Wonderful Life. Although many may never realize, it's a different little version of Scrooge's story, changed and transformed with a different kind of character and put into what was a contemporary setting at the time of the movie's release.

Beloved, jolly happy Santa Claus, a man with magical powers and deep pockets who gifts the world each holiday season has some echoes in a mythical way to Jesus Christ whose birth we celebrate. Ebenezer Scrooge, the old miser who lives a meager, miserable and lonely existence by choice echoes the moments we all have when we're in anything but a Christmas mood. The pair continue to be compared and contrasted. Here's a link to a popular Houston Chronicle article from a few years ago comparing Scrooge and Santa. It's a humourous piece and I like it - but it gives Scrooge no credit at all for his change of heart, which seems very common.

http://www.chron.com/life/article/Santa-vs-Scrooge-how-they-compare-1724330.php

Funny but in the end, I have to think Ebenezer Scrooge personifies the true spirit of Christmas in a far more human fashion. He lives Christmas year round, loves the holiday, saves Tiny Tim, and becomes a benefactor for the struggling Crachitt family. He's more like us than the benevolent, all powerful, always good Santa.

Both loom larger than life and yet each offers a little life lesson into giving, into the hearts of mankind, into sharing and Christmas.

Many Christmas theme stories abound - my own first Christmas release is tossed into the mix this year with a poignant love story about faith, hope in the face of utter despair and one woman's powerful love.

A Page In The Life

http://leeannsontheimermurphywriterauthor.blogspot.com

Rebel Writer: Lee Ann Sontheimer Murphy

http://leeannsontheimermurphy.blogspot.com

Website http://leeannwriter.weebly.com

On Twitter @leeannwriter

On Facebook Lee Ann Sontheimer Murphy

Book trailer:

http://youtu.be/mLQBf90xFMM

The Evolution of A Book

2011-12-09T08:00:00.001-05:00

Hi, gang! I'm filling in today here at PCD since there was an opening and, well, I usually have a lot to say. Today I want to talk about my latest release from Ellora's Cave, One Knight Only.

It's been getting a lot of great reviews, which makes me super happy. It received 4 nymphs from Literary Nymphs Reviews. "[Maggie's] efforts to protect Finn warmed my heart, especially when she nursed him back to health. … One Knight Only is a wonderful story about honor and the endless boundaries of love." And 5 stars from Night Owl Reviews! "...this fast-paced story [is] fascinating with a sweet romance weaving its way into your heart."

Here’s the blurb for the book:

A snarky Faery princess, a Scottish knight with a gambling problem, and a murderous earl all add up to one thing: Trouble. Maggie’s medieval education never prepared her for life in the Middle Ages!

Do-gooder Maggie Chase throws her thesis out the window when she wakes up in the arms of a hot Scottish knight. When she realizes she’s somehow ended up back in time, she embraces the persona of Lady Margaret. But she may be in over her head when she realizes she has to keep the sexy knight alive during a jousting tournament in order to get back to her own time.

Sir Finian “Finn” McCullough is a gambling man and owes a very large debt to an evil earl who is after his family estate. When the beautiful and outgoing Maggie arrives in his bed, he can’t remember tupping her the night before and thinks she’s a spy for one of his neighboring clans. He intends to find her kinsman and return her safely but he can’t resist her charms, her smart mouth or her sex appeal. Instead he keeps her close, taking her with him to an important jousting tournament—one he has to win or lose his castle forever.

This book is near and dear to my heart. It was actually very different when I first started writing it way back in 2005 before I was published. My heroine’s name was Grace, she had brother named Lars, Elyne was nothing more than a handmaiden, and the hero was Sir Drake. The evil Earl of Litonshire was still evil, though, in that draft. *grin* Originally, the story was going to be a straight historical. But I had a problem – my heroine tended to sound modern. And I had problems with the historical set up. It just didn’t work. So I stopped writing. I moved on to some other projects that landed me a couple of contracts with Samhain and then Cobblestone Press. But I never forgot about this book. It had always been in the back of my mind.

I fiddled with it in 2008. I rewrote the beginning. My heroine became Maggie Grace from present day, the hero became a hot Scottish knight, Finian “Finn” McCullough and Elyne became a snotty faery princess.

And then I got sidetracked with finishing some other projects. I didn’t get back to it again until late 2010/early 2011. I read through the beginning and decided it was pretty darn good. I tweaked the first chapter (which was originally a prologue). And read the first 90 pages I’d written. Yeah, 90 pages. You’d think I could finish something getting that far into it. I liked the way it was going, though. My heroine had gone back in time to the Middle Ages, waking up in bed with Sir Finian. Who wouldn’t want to wake up next to a Scottish knight?

The story remained mostly the same. It still had the historical elements I wanted, which was a setting during a jousting tournament. Sir Drake became a minor character, I added another a fae character, Sir Derron, plus some other minor characters. But that evil earl remained the same. ;)

I pushed myself to finish the story by late January, got it out to critique partners and then had a final draft ready for submitting by March. Then I waited. And waited. And waited for responses from my submissions that were out. It was ultimately rejected and then my friend suggested I send it to her editor at Ellora’s Cave. I figured it couldn’t hurt and submitted. I had a contract within a week. So it was really exciting to sign that contract, do the edits and get it back to the editor.

I hope you enjoy the book as much as I did writing it.

One Knight Only is available from Ellora’s Cave, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and All Romance Ebooks and released September 29.

Michelle Miles writes contemporary, fantasy and paranormal romance. She believes in knights in shining armor and HEAs. For more information about her and her books, visit her website at http://www.michellemiles.net where you can also sign up for her monthly newsletter, The Monthly Grind. You can also follower her at Twitter, @MichelleMiles, and Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/MichelleMilesRomance.

Story Matters

2011-12-08T10:18:00.000-05:00

An old & classic story

Story does matter. It always has. The more that I watch AMC (American Movie Classics)-- and for some reason (nostalgia perhaps) I watch a lot of AMC during the holiday season--the more that I'm reminded--Story Matters (the network's tagline is Story Matters Here). Of course, they're referring to the cinematic version, but the essence of storytelling, whether spoken or written, holds true. How does story distinguish itself from all those other elements of storytelling, such as description, narrative, grammar, characterization. Isn’t it all those things rolled into one? I don’t think so.

Story is the underlying journey that words and images travel to unveil an adventure, an emotion, a history, a tale. As a writer, I like to visualize my story sorted out before I press those first lettered keys. Of course, story will change and fluctuate, morph and undulate as you go along. But, whether you’re a writer or a filmmaker, the reason you initially decided to focus your time and imagination into the context of a book or movie is because you had a story to tell. If you’re a reader or a viewer, you’re looking for a story whose images will stay with you after the final credits roll.

Story is more important than the writing of it. Story has mattered since before humans could write. The first stories were oral tales told around the fires of nomadic trekkers. Gilgamesh, Odysseus, Beowulf, and The Arabian Nights emphasize the importance of the story because you may not be able to quote a line, but you probably can summon an image from one of these tales. Storytelling was a way to record the collective conscience of a culture; to share a history; to imprint a taboo. But they all had to be entertaining or nobody would listen.

Story matters is why The DaVinci Code by Dan Brown was so successful (in my opinion). The poor guy was plagued and pilloried for his poor writing style, sloppy structuring, etc. But he had a great story. Going back much further, most people can explain one of the many Bible stories on cue. The writing is spotty, suffers in translation, and shows little flair. But the images of a garden of paradise, a great flood, flying beasts, conquest over giants, and miracles galore will stay with us long after other, better articulated prose has faded for want of a story.

Of course, action verbs and minimally invasive adverbs are important, but they’re not going to help you tell your story if your story is lame. With so many commercial fiction books on the market today, the story matters theory is also the reason why some stories excel while others fall flat. In our ceaseless quest to be clear and proper, we sometimes forget the thundering bloodstream that must run through a novel, show, or movie. You can’t just have believable characters, vividly imagined scenes, and visual and aural cues aplenty (don’t forget to mention the smell or taste of something at least twice in a scene).

The important thing is to remember the tale: Who is Eve? Why is she doing that? What does Adam think about Eve? Why do I care? What can they hope to accomplish in this literary dance of destiny? Okay, that’s a bit much. Suffice it to say: if it’s a good story, you’ll be desperate to know what happens next. Why? Answer that, and you’ve got your story.

In the romance genre, it’s especially important to be aware of the story. Sweaty clinches and throbbing clutches are a dime a dozen. What happens between clinch and clutch is what holds our attention. In the 1942 film Casablanca, all the elements of storytelling come together beautifully. Great lines (“We’ll always have Paris”) and great acting…but what we remember best is the story: A cynical and embittered American expatriate crosses paths with the woman who broke his heart and now needs his help. Simple. Elegant. Captivating.

Know what your story is before you tell it. And if it’s well told, all the better.

What is it about a story that matters to you?

Best Wishes,

Kellyann Zuzulo

Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn

FOOTPRINTS IN THE SNOW

2011-12-07T16:28:00.000-05:00

By Caddy Rowland

When I was a child, my father seemed like God. Christmas was always a special time of year in our home, and my father was at the center of it. He made sure we lit the advent tree every Sunday night, sang carols, moved the camels closer to the manger…plus he really enjoyed all of the decorating. At the church service before Christmas, all the kids got a paperbag full of candy and an apple as they filed out. I never knew until after he had died that he was the one who started that tradition and kept it going all of those years.

Once I became a teenager, my father and I no longer got along. I had vastly different points of view from him, and he was not the type of person who appreciated his child forming opinions different from how she had been raised.

One Christmas, I had been reading Laura Ingalls Wilder stories and I really wanted a muff. Laura had wanted a muff and so I wanted one, too. My mom told me that they were old fashioned, but I didn’t care. If a muff was good enough for Laura, it was good enough for me! It did not sound like I would get one, though.

Christmas Eve came and we sat down to open gifts. Since my brother was thirteen years older, it was like being the only child. I must have gotten 50 gifts each year! That year, my brother was not with us. He was in the Navy, far away in Japan. It was not wartime though. It was the early 60’s. I sure did miss him, even though I knew he was safe. There under the tree was a gift from my brother to me. Imagine my delight when I unwrapped it and found a pure white fur muff-complete with a doll’s head on it! I was thrilled! How did he know all the way in Japan what I had wanted???

After unwrapping gifts, my father wanted to go to late service. It was a warm night, so he decided to walk. He asked me if I would like to go along. I did not hesitate! It would be time alone with my dad-and an opportunity to use my new muff!

It was one of those rare nights where there was no wind, about 28 to 30 degrees, and snow was falling softly. I could see the individual snowflakes as they landed on my coat. They stuck to our eyelashes, and I stuck out my tongue to taste them as they fell. There were no cars on the road; we were the only ones out walking. The world was silent as we walked next to each other, both appreciating the show of beauty Mother Nature was blessing us with that night. We talked and laughed, commenting on how perfect the night was.

All of a sudden, I stopped and turned around. Behind us, the only thing you could see besides snow were the footprints of a father and a daughter, walking together in harmony and love. I don’t think I have ever felt such a sense of peace or security as on that night. Only a few years later those footsteps would separate, go in opposite directions. Too many differences, too many harshwords spoken.

He is gone now. He has been gone since I was 27. Still, decades later, that vision of our footsteps in the snow stays with me. I know that, despite all the differences, he always walks beside me. A little girl and her father. Two sets of footprints, in the snow.

Caddy Rowland is author of Gastien Part 1: The Cost of the Dream and the soon to be released (mid-December) Gastien Part 2: From Dream to Destiny. Her blog is http://caddyrowlandblog.blogspot.com and her email is caddyauthor@yahoo.com. You can follow Caddy on twitter at #caddyorpims.

Her books are available for kindle at http://tinyurl.com/3ecu8ku, NOOK at http://tinyurl.com/3ue4a7h, and paperback at http://tinyurl.com/3luddg7. Gastien's fanpage is http://www.facebook.com/Gastien.Beauchamp

The Toy Graveyard

2011-12-05T07:32:00.001-05:00

Has your basement, attic, spare bedroom or cupboard under the stairs become a toy graveyard? Do remnant Thomas the Train tracks or cabooses litter the visible carpet? Have Beanie Babies been tossed in obscure corners, collecting dust bunnies on their silken fur? Do you have to slalom through Polly Pockets and headless Barbies to get to the laundry?

Yes, sometimes our kids accumulate too many toys. What do I blame for that, besides myself? Christmas!

For some reason gold, frankincense and myrrh have transformed into heaps of toys, neglected and hardly used. The joy of giving has become the act of spoiling. Initially our kids squeal in excitement on Christmas morning, but even they start tossing the multiple toys aside after a while with barely a glance. And after spending all that money, we haven’t the heart to dispose of that perfect toy too quickly—especially after wracking our brains trying to come up with something different.

My kids have reached their teen years, so the gifts are fewer, but more expensive. Electronic gadgets—cell phones, iPods, Wii Games, but at least most of them are used until they’re out-of-date. For my younger great-nieces and nephews, I purchase books, but their parents have suggested a moratorium even on those. Too many books.

How can you have too many books?

Okay, so I have too many books. I have a bookshelf of unread books. I have a Kobo full of partially read classics. I have books on the floor, books on shelves in the living room, books on the shelf going down into the basement, books on several shelves in the basement and books on my night table and shelves above my bed. So yes, you can have too many books.

But I’m still convinced that books are the best gifts for kids. If you’re going to give your kids more gifts for Christmas, think of everything a book can do that the toys in the graveyard can’t seem to match (which is why they end up in the graveyard). A new world, an exquisite combination of colours and artwork to dazzle or amuse—if it’s a picture book—a laugh when it’s a sad day, a story that let’s your child know that he’s not alone with the problems he faces at each challenging age, a place to escape the pressures of this world (and let’s face it, kids have enormous pressure these days), an expanding vocabulary, the ability to focus—something multitasking and reduced physical activity (required to expend energy) have removed—the wonders of a different society or culture, lessons subtly incorporated to give them a moral grounding and the strength to face difficult choices, the magic of words so skillfully combined they’re musical to the ear and a future that only literacy can bring. There’s many more, but I’ll stop here so you can breathe.

My daughter once said on FB: I think that there are more books in my house than the average person can read in a lifetime... let's hope I'm not an average person. (I intend to dig into them all... if they're interesting.)

Why would she say that? Because she loves to read. And that is the best gift I could give her.

You're A Mean One Mr. Grinch

2011-12-03T02:59:00.001-05:00

by Kelly Ann Beaton

The famous line, "a heart two sizes too small", is from my all time favourite Christmas holiday television special , How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

Published in 1957, the well-known children's story by Dr. Seuss written in rhymed verse with illustrations by the author was adapted by Chuck Jones as an animated television special in 1966, featuring narration by Boris Karloff.

I am not sure if it is Karloff's voice, or Cindy Lou Who, who asks the Grinch, "why" , but each time I watch it, I am 10 years old again, sitting on my living room sofa in my PJs and and pink slippers. I can remember the excitement I felt when the music started and the opening shot on Whoville. Each year I try to make sure I am home to watch it but in the recent years I have not had a chance. However, this year, I am already organizing my holiday activities around the show. That might sound silly but 35 years later, I am still smitten by the story and I do tear up when the Grinch's heart expands.

It's interesting to note that it was initially criticized for being anti-commercialization of Christmas when it first aired, I think that this message of the show is particularly relevant for our world today. In the face of a society consumed by conspicuous consumption and instantaneous gratification, I believe that it is timely to reflect on what is the real meaning of the holiday and more importantly how happiness can never be achieved through the accumulation of things and filling each minute of the day with things to do.

So in the spirit of the citizens of Whoville, let's put away the blackberrys, slow down and spend time with people we love, decide to buy less gifts and let all of us, in the words of Dr. Seuss,"the tall and the small, sing." Without any presents celebrates the real spirit of the holiday season.

Happy Holidays Everyone!

Finding the Perfect Gift

2011-12-01T06:14:00.000-05:00

by Ann Marie Gamble

My two hardest people to find presents for have birthdays in December--so this month I have to be on my game but good. They are gracious--"Oh, we have everything we need" . . . "Don't you worry about us"--and they mean those things sincerely--it's the children we should ladle it on for, not the wallet-carrying adults. But to ignore the birthdays and then the winter holidays (Christmas and Hanukkah in the same month--an additional plot) in such a short time span is lame.

I have been lame. A teapot for birthday; tea for Christmas. Gloves and then hats. I forgive the year in childhood when I gave both my parents model cars; I really wanted model planes, so at least I was trying.

What makes someone hard to buy a present for? No hobbies is an easy handicap--you can't get them the materials, nor can you get theme T-shirts, mugs, lapel pins . . . (okay, that could get lame). Older people: my newly teenaged son has turned into the tough kid, now that he no longer wants toys. Even older people have money and transportation, so if they want slippers they go get some--they don't put it on their birthday list. And sadly (since I'm talking about relatives who live in the same town, here), people you don't know well are hard to get gifts for. What do they like? What have they already seen? What are they allergic to? Ummmmm . . .

When I was a teenager, my family lived in England for a year. The exchange rate was terrible that year, and we were warned in advance that our Christmas and birthday presents would largely be family trips to the Continent. The school holiday for Christmas was suitably Dickensian in length--none of the namby-pamby nine days we got in the U.S.--and we'd be leaving for France and Italy the moment final exams were turned in in mid-December. No decorating; the stockings hadn't been brought abroad.

I couldn't quite stand it. I walked home from school most days, through the downtown, past a market that sold Christmas trees. I scraped together my pence, and on the day before my father's birthday I bought a little pine tree, drug it home, and hid it in the shrubbery in the backyard. I don't remember if my parents went out that night or if I got up in the middle of the night to enact my birthday/Christmas surprise. Instead of an official stand, I put the tree in the pot we boiled pasta in and packed the empty space with rocks to stabilize it. I cut out snowflakes and letters--"HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD"--put the whole contraption on the dining room table and tiptoed back to bed.

I was happy. My dad guessed, rightly, that I didn't want to skip having a tree along with the rest of the Christmas accoutrements, but I'd successfully kept my plan a secret and everyone had been surprised. We spent the holiday on the Cote d'Azur, saw Monaco and assembled roller skates with the French instructions. On Christmas Eve, my mom filled her hiking socks with French candies and left them at the foot of our beds.

This year, though, I'm stumped. Something to eat? Something to cook with? I still have a few days . . .

Cracked has a guide for the really hard-to-shop-for; none of these types are on my list this year! What are you doing about your tough cases?

The Story of the Cobbler

2011-11-30T11:39:00.002-05:00

by Kellyann Zuzulo

Kurt the Cobbler lived in Fabelonia, a small village on the outskirts of Famenfortunia. Shoemaking was his trade, one that he had worked at all of his 84 years. Kurt had white hair and bright green eyes that sparkled in his wrinkled face like emeralds pushed into dough. All day long and most of the night, Kurt worked at his bench, hammering heels, snipping leather, lacing laces, and, basically, cobbling. He was very good at his trade.

On this particular day, Kurt was finishing a commission for the village banker, Fickle Salesia. Fickle was as thin and bitter as a piece of lemon rind. He had ordered a pair of high boots made of butter-soft coypu leather lined with goose down. Kurt was very proud of the boots. He was polishing the final brass eyelet just as Fickle traipsed into the store, plopped his bony bottom on the threadbare ottoman, and waved Kurt over.

The old shoemaker knelt in front of Fickle and slipped the boots on his long narrow feet. They fit as if they had been dabbed on with a fairy hair brush.

Fickle stood up and admired the shoes. He turned this way and that. Finally, he harrumphed. “I don’t like them.”

“You don’t like them?” Kurt sat on his heels, pushed the bifocals back on his head, and squinted at the stringy banker.

“They’re too something or other.” He leaned over, pulled off the boots, and stormed out of the store.

Kurt had worked on those boots for two weeks, accepting no other commissions (not that there were any forthcoming). Now he had no money, no buyers, and no food. But he had lots of shoes. He gazed lovingly at the rows of handmade shoes that slept beneath the pitted wood of his workbench. There were satin slippers and wooden clogs and ladies’ high heels and children’s soft soles and moccasins of all textures and boots of all heights.

Kurt’s stomach growled. He lifted himself up and took his bamboo fishing pole from a corner of the small shop. “I think I’ll go fishing.” Fishing for fish was the only way Kurt could get food now.

Several hours later, Kurt trundled back into the village. A tiny fish hung on a string from his waistband. Just then, Bloggy the cat came screeching around the corner. Old Missus Crit shouted after her, “And stay off my stoop.”

Bloggy stopped short in front of Kurt, staring hungrily at the tiny fish on his waist. Kurt looked at the cat and then looked at the fish. He leaned over, plucked the fish from the hook, and gingerly held it out to Bloggy, who snapped it up in a thrice.

“Good kitty.”

Bloggy took off with nary a backward glance.

Kurt just shook his head. A bluebird twittered by. In its beak, it gripped a piece of croissant, still fragrant from the oven. Kurt followed the aroma up the street to Bettina Barista’s bakery. People streamed into the store, ordering glistening cakes and pastries that were arrayed on glass shelves inside the window.

Bettina waved to Kurt and came from behind the counter. She had rosy cheeks and a great big heart inside her great big bodice. “Kurt, I heard about that stingy stickler Salesia. Here, have a loaf of bread. It’s a day old but it’ll fill your belly just the same.”

His eyes misted over. As he turned to leave, he gazed at all the sugary delights and had an idea.

He hurried back to his cobbler’s shop. He cleaned the bow window and wiped the wood shelves that faced the street. Cradling his shoes, he assembled them pair by pair inside the window. Then he went back to work, hammering, measuring, snipping, and polishing.

It wasn’t long before an elegant gentleman with lace at his throat and a velvet sack full of coins on his waist came into the store. “Good day, my dear cobbler. I am Alastair Barnes, a nobleman in this area. I noticed those fine boots in your window.” Barnes pointed to the shoes that had been rejected by Salesia. (Barnes, it should be noted, was a rather short gentleman but his feet were long and narrow.)

“I should like to try them on.”

Try them he did. They fit him even better than they had fit fickle Fickle.

Barnes was so pleased with the boots that he told his friend King Gustav about them. Kurt the Cobbler was commissioned to the King. He was never hungry again. To thank Bettina for her inspiration, Kurt made her a special pair of wide width slippers with insoles as soft as meringue.

And he lived happily ever after.

Of course, there’s a moral to the Story of the Cobbler. After all, he lives in Fabelonia. There are actually five morals:

Learn to fish (just in case).
Help others.
Display your wares.
Don't let fickle sales get you down.
Keep on cobbling.

Best Wishes,

Kellyann Zuzulo

(now back to cobbling my latest book)

www.kfzuzulo.com

What Would You Wish For?

When Traditions Collide

2011-11-28T19:12:00.007-05:00

I come with several decades of Christmas ornaments.

When I was younger, we made them as a family: snowmen with top hats, skiing pandas on popsicle sticks, plastic apples with our names in gold pen. As we grew up, the ornaments were store-bought and commemorated a hobby or some significant event: a soccer player for my brother, a cheerleader for me, bears in convertibles the year we got our first cars, a glittery globe for my first trip abroad, a filigree of Sather Gate when I graduated Berkeley.

During my first December with my husband, Alberto, I brought out the ornaments.

A sea of mementos slowly crept across the dining table.

From the couch, Alberto raised his eyebrows.

You’re putting all those up?

They’ll fit! It’s a big tree.

He got up, examined a badly painted dough figure in the hollow of a walnut.

Seriously? he said.

That’s the first ornament I made, I squealed. I was, like, three!

He laughed, shook his head and went back to the TV remote.

You’re not? Going to help?

Um, no. This is your thing.

I couldn’t comprehend it.

My dad and brother had always participated in this ritual.

I was newly married and a little devastated.

Hadn’t yet realized that everything in a marriage isn’t met with mutual enthusiasm.

So I decorated the stupid tree with a pout on my face.

I may have done a tequila shot in the kitchen.

On Christmas Eve, he grimaced as he unwrapped SIX ornaments from our respective families and me.

And then.

He handed me a box: a flaming, Mexican-style heart decorated with the words ‘I Love You.’

The following year, I dressed the tree without pouting on a December night when he worked late.

By Christmas No. Three, as we drove back from Jersey with an evergreen on our convertible, he announced that it would only be fair if we switched off the Christmas-tree theme every other year.

What does that mean? I asked.

This year, we continue your Craft Land Adventure. Next year, we do an all-monochromatic tree. The lights, the ornaments, everything. I’m thinking white or silver.

Does this mean you’ll help me decorate? I laughed.

Are you kidding? I will art-direct that motherfucking tree!

When Christmas No. Four was within sight, I reminded him about the monochromatic tree.

Right, we need to do that.

The second weekend in December, I mentioned it again.

Honey, he smiled, how would you feel about not getting a tree this year? I mean, we’re leaving for Quebec in 10 days and then we’ll just have to pack everything away when we get back…

I did not interrupt to say that, actually, I would have to pack everything away when we got back.

Instead, I agreed.

Not getting a tree sounded brilliant. And practical.

I did not give him an ornament on what became his last Christmas.

He didn’t get me one either.

And as we celebrated the holiday from our suite in Montreal, neither of us gave two shits about ornaments or trees.

Tré Miller Rodríguez lives in Manhattan and her first book, “Widow in a Party Dress: A Love Story,” is currently under consideration for publication. To read excerpts, please visit WhiteElephantIntheRoom.com.

Taking Time to be Thankful

2011-11-24T12:17:00.027-05:00

by Julia Phillips Smith

This was the latest Thanksgiving dinner I attended, at my cousin Julianne's house. Here in Canada we celebrate a month earlier than in the States, but the sentiment is the same.

I'm glad both nations set aside a day to take stock of what's wonderful in our lives, and to give thanks for it.

This has been a rather exceptional year for me, creatively. So I'd like to take this opportunity to give thanks to the people who helped to make two huge dreams come true for me this year. I'd like to start with my mom, Paulette, shown above at right, who did an outstanding job in the art department and wardrobe for the book trailer shoot.

Tara MacDonald produced both of my book trailers, thereby ending a 16-year drought in my directing life. Thanks for creating a set that was a joy to walk onto.

My cousin Julianne MacLean, who believed in my vampire story from the get-go, and my sister Daisy Piper, who along with our cousin first walked the self-publishing path to indie authorhood and showed me the way. Thanks for being the dreamiest roomies on the dreamiest trip to Manhattan, and for taking me to a dream-come-true performance of Swan Lake at Lincoln Center.

To my friend Kelly Boyce, shown at left - thank you for eight years of collecting me for the drive to our writers' meetings, and for your friendship.

To Jennie Marsland and Lori Robitaille, shown at right, and to all the members of my writers' group, thank you for the incredible support, generosity, inspiration and skill-sharing.

To Andrew Miller, who designed the book cover for my debut release, SAINT SANGUINUS, thank you for doing such a kick-ass job.

To my nephew Jake - thanks for agreeing to be the cover model for my book.

And to my husband Brad - thanks for doing triple duty for the book trailer shoot, and for brainstorming me out of several plot problems when I was merging two separate POV storylines into one novel.

Thank you so much to the entire team who helped turn me from a writer into an author this year. May the blessings you've brought me shower down upon all of you in return.

The Best Holiday Traditions

2011-11-21T08:00:00.000-05:00

by Michelle Miles

Here at Pop Culture Divas, we’re talking about the holidays and traditions. It always seems to sneak up on me, even though I know it’s coming. And then I’m annoyed that Christmas stuff is up in the stores before Halloween has even come and gone.

I suppose that’s a tradition in itself. Even though we now the decorations are going up before we take the kids trick-or-treating, we still grumble about it. I like to carve pumpkins every year for Halloween and decorate the house with all the fall stuff I have. We usually buy mums that die in a week or two. This year, I had a fog machine for added effect whilst handing out candy.

I have a neighbor a few doors down who put up Christmas decorations around the first of November. They’re the first one on the block to get their decorations up. Maybe that was their goal – to be first.

Me, I like to get through Thanksgiving first. This year, we’re planning a big family get together at my mother’s. The whole family will be there. We plan to stuff ourselves silly. It doesn’t seem like we have very many Thanksgiving traditions. Except for turkey and dressing. Last year, it was just me and the husband. My son was with his dad and the rest of the family was busy with the rest of their family. So I cooked my first turkey. We made dressing. We watched the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade. Now that I think about it, I watch the parade every year. I guess that’s one of my traditions. We had another Thanksgiving dinner at my mother’s the weekend after. Apparently, I’m the designated cheesecake baker and I don’t come bearing cheesecake, my nephews are unhappy. I’ll e bringing cheesecake this year. ;)

So the day after Thanksgiving, we get the Christmas tree. This year, we’re buying a real one. I like to get one of those real wreaths, too. They smell so good. We put up all the Christmas decorations and deck the halls with lots of holly.

Then the next few weeks are full of all this build up to the big day. I spend that time finishing up the shopping, baking goodies and building a gingerbread house with my son. It’s our thing. We do that every year. Then Christmas comes and *poof* it’s all over. Just like that. Once all the presents are unwrapped, the new toys played with and the Christmas dinner consumed, I always feel a little sad that it’s done for another year. I mean, wasn’t it summer a few days ago?

And New Year’s. I confess I’m usually passed out before midnight. What can I say? I’m old and tired. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it. ;) In past years, the first was always depressing for me. I never much liked turning over a new year. But now I try to embrace the new year as new beginnings.

Who am I kidding? I still don’t like it much.

As far as traditions go, my favorite one? Spending all that quality time with my most favorite people in the world. Everything else is just a bonus.

Michelle Miles writes contemporary, paranormal and fantasy romance. You can find out more about her books by visiting her website at http://www.michellemiles.net.