Today, Day 4, finds me over at my old friend THE READING ADDICT. I’m talking about why Romance is such a popular genre for readers of all ages, backgrounds, diversity, and walk of life. Join me and take a shot at a $ 25 Amazon gc!
#GoddessFishBlogTour…day 3
Day 3 of the Tour brings me to Laurie’s Thoughts and reviews. Today’s topic is near and dear to me: KITCHEN TOOLS.Come discover my TOP 10 must-need kitchen items for every cook and chef!
#GoddessFishBlogTour…day 2
It’s day 2 and I’m over at Lisa Hazelton‘s talking about…what else?,,,writing and my new release!! Stop by and take a chance on an Amazon gift card!
#GoddessFishBlogTour day 1
I’m over on Christine Young’s blog today doing a writing interview. Stop by!
2 weeks….
As promised previously, to ramp up interest for my Lyrical Shine 10.3.17 release of A SHOT AT LOVE, I’m posting little excerpts from the book. The last time you got to see Gemma for the first time through Ky’s eyes. Today, Gemma gives you a little glimpse of the FBI agent who pisses her off and turns her on at the same time.
Enjoy!
Gemma paced the small room for the hundredth time, her arms folded across her chest, desperately wanting to hit something.
No, not something. Someone. Agent Pappa-pain, or whatever the heck his name was.
For over two hours she’d been confined to this cramped, windowless, and drab room. During the first, she’d written, in full detail, everything she’d witnessed on the street corner. Agent Winters had guided her through the questions while she wrote the answers in her smooth, precise script. When they were finished, he’d left her, promising to return shortly.
His definition of shortly was exceedingly different from hers.
With a heavy sigh, she plopped back down into a metal chair, arms still crossed. Agent Moron. Reconsidering, she added, a hunky moron, but one none-the-less.
Reconsidering, she added, a hunky moron, but one none-the-less.
She’d been speaking on the phone when she’d turned and seen him approaching her. Her first thought had been serious eye candy. Clad in a supremely well-fitted dark blue suit, he simply tore up the pavement on his way to her, those long legs striding with purpose and determination in each step. His face was a contradiction in origins. Deep, milk chocolate colored hair, cut just a bit too short for her liking, had soft, gold flecks framing his temples and the top of his head. His skin was a light golden brown, giving the impression he spent a great deal of time in the sun. Eyes the color of the sea at sunrise, so light green, they almost appeared crystal with the sun hitting them, were surrounded by jet-black eyelashes Gemma admitted she was jealous of. His face was angular, the jaw tapering into a rock solid V at its tip, a small crevice winking out right below his lower lip.
All-in-all it was a face she wanted to photograph, knowing just the way she’d capture it. The fact he’d yanked her along after him like an errant child got her dander up. Coupled with the way he’d carelessly held her camera made her want to kick some sense into him.
God, what a day.
PreOrder Links: Amazon //Apple //Google // Kobo // Nook
When I’m not trying to sell my soul in the weight of books (!) you can find me here: Tweet Me//Read Me// Visit Me//Picture Me//Pin Me//Friend Me//Google+Me// Triberr
The best parts of each season….#MFRWauthors
I live in New England where in Autumn, there is no prettier place to be, so this topic may be a little skewered to the FALL for me!!
Let’s start with SPRING since by definition, this is the start of it all ( even tho the calendar says Jan.1 is!!)
For me, the best part of spring is the sense of ANTICIPATION I get. Flowers are starting to peek up from grass that is finally turning green. Daylight doesn’t disappear at four p.m. We shed our protective outerwear and begin to make plans for all the holidays to come – Memorial Day, The fourth of July, Labor day.
With SUMMER, I turn LAZY.
Mostly because I don’t like to sweat and the heat makes me clammy, so I tend to just not move much, hence, lazy. But….the days are longer and filled with …more. More of everything. More sunshine, more flowers, more ice cream, more vegetables growing in gardens, more reasons to relax.
AUTUMN, as I’ve said, is my favorite season.
Even though this is a season where things begin to wind down, I have to tell you the best part of this season is that I tend to RE-ENERGIZE during these months. When the leaves change and turn colors, I tend to clean out all the clutter from my house and life. I know I should be doing this in the spring ( they don’t call it spring cleaning for nothing!) but in the Fall, when I spend more time in the house and not outside in the heat, I fill the time with reorganizing, restructuring, and culling from my life, be it clothes that no longer fit, books I’ve read that need to be donated to the Library, or rearranging the furniture to satisfy my inner feng shui.
In Winter I turn to PLANNING mode. Since I hibernate, it seems like the best time to do this.
All the books I need to write for the next year; all the changes I need to make in my life in order to be a better person; all the things I need to do for the rest of the year that will lead to my happiness.
SO…what? You thought I’d write that the best part of winter is Christmas, gardening in Spring, picnicking in Summer, and apple picking in Fall? Well, duh! Of course those things are good. But for me, it’s not about the things, it’s about the feelings. Romance writer, remember? HeeHee
…and I’m sure my fellow #MFRWA authors have totally different takes on the best part of the seasons, so stop by their blogs and read all about it!
Filed under #Mfrwauthors, Author, Contemporary Romance, Romance
When Characters have their say….
It’s always a treat when I get to interview my favorite authors. It’s a double treat when I get to sit down with one of their characters!!! Today I’m talking to Lacey Reed, star of my author friend Charlotte O’Shay‘s newest book A MODEL ENGAGEMENT. Lacey is much much more than just a pretty face, as you’ll see in our interview. Sit back and enjoy!
Blurb:
Lacey Reed jumps at the chance for independence with a career in the big city. But her naivety and ambition blind her to the lure of a blackmailer.
With her savings gone she has nowhere to turn when she literally runs into financier Connor Devlin.
Though dazzled by Lacey Connor sees the desperation she tries to hide. He hires her as his fake fiancée. Now Lacey has a job and he has a bandage for a family crisis.
When the blackmailer ups the ante, Lacey resolves to face him down— no matter what the consequences.
Does that mean Lacey will lose the only man who’s ever seen who she truly is?
Let’s chat with Lacey…..
Q: Well we can dispense with some preliminaries because I recognize you. You’re Lacey Lee, the runway model for Miranda’s Moments. Didn’t Vogue call you ‘the eyes that launched the fantasies of a generation’?
A: (Blushes, rolls those cornflower eyes) Yep, that’s me.
Q: Well, your eyes are even more striking in person. Even that impressive sapphire on your engagement finger doesn’t quite have the same intensity. Who’s the lucky man?
A: Well, I’m not engaged. Not for real. I’m employed as a companion and Connor, my fiancé, I mean my employer, knew his mama who has a severe generative vision problem, wouldn’t accept outside help. So I’m just pretending to … (mutters) always pretending.
Q: Something doesn’t add up here. Why would a model pulling down the kind of income models earn have to take a job as a companion?
A: (Deep sigh) Yeah, it’s a great question. In a nutshell, I need the money. (fidgets, crosses then uncrosses legs) It’s complicated. I only just told my best friend Sabrina. (whispers) I’m being blackmailed.
Q: (shouts) What???
A: (presses lips together then) That was Sabrina’s reaction too. I’ve been living with this secret for months and I finally decided enough is enough and I’m going to get this guy that’s doing this to me. Get him arrested and hopefully put away for what he did to me.
Q: Did to you? Oh honey, what’s he blackmailing you for?
A: (Looks down, then raises head to look straight into Q’s eyes) He gave me a date rape drug and then he filmed me doing… I don’t know what, I was so zonked out I just remember not being able to move and, and… (clears throat) I don’t know what’s on the video. I’ve only seen a couple of seconds of it. But if the film is put online it won’t just affect me. I mean (shrugs) I have sort of a wild reputation in the media but the video might hurt my dad’s career. So I’ve been paying him off.
Q: Your dad’s career?
A: My father is Lucius Reed, the admiral. He’s up for a post in the new administration. He’s career navy. This appointment will be the pinnacle for him and he deserves it. I can’t let my mistakes cause him to lose out on the opportunity of a lifetime.
Q: Who would do such a thing?
A: (voice firms) I knew I should have canceled this interview. Listen, one way or another this will all be out in the open soon. Either he (voice drops) releases the video or I can get him arrested. Either way, you’ll know then. But I can’t take the chance of telling anyone who he is right now…
Q: I understand. And Connor, your fiancé?
A: (Firmly) My employer. He got more than he bargained for. He felt sorry for me I think when he saw how empty my apartment was—I’ve been selling all my stuff. He basically offered me a job on the spot. He loves his mama enough to pretend to have a fiancée just to save her pride. He’s a good son. And I’m a terrible daughter.
Q: From where I’m sitting you’re a pretty good daughter trying to protect your dad.
A: (Shrugs) I got myself into this mess and somehow I will get out of it. I’m not my father’s daughter for nothing.
Q: But Connor?
A: (shakes her head) He’s this big bear of a guy. His entire family, this giant, noisy clan (laughs) all think the world of him. They look up to him for everything.
Q: And you? You and Connor?
A: We get along so well, we have fun. And not only, you know, in the bedroom. But there can’t be a ‘me and Connor’. When all is said and done, if and when this sex video is posted, I won’t drag him, his mama or his family into my drama. They don’t deserve it. I’ll remove myself from their lives. (raises a knuckle to wipe under eyes)
Q: But what if…?
A: (glances at phone) Oh wow, is that the time? I’ve got to go.
(Stands, puts sunglasses on, nods) Such a pleasure to meet you, Miz Jaeger. (walks out the door)
In that moment, she relived just why she needed a job so damn bad. In that moment, all she could remember were the targeted emails, the strategic telephone calls and the persuasive texts she’d received from Barry as he set out to reel her in like the very gullible fish she was.
It all came back like a rush of filthy sewage.
How he’d drawn her in. Discovered her desire to reap the most financial benefit from her career before retiring. Then, in a seemingly normal progression, he set up a meeting at his office. Designed for shoptalk so that they could discuss photographic details of her breakout exclusive ad campaign for Mon Secret.
His home office as it turned out, complete with multiple couches and a closet full of evening wear and fur, props for the shoot. Lacey had developed a veneer of sophistication during her four plus years in the business. Or so she’d thought. But Barry’s lavish living and working space wowed her. She cringed as she remembered telling him how eager she was to start.
Lacey relived it all in that split second and Connor, who’d done nothing more than offer her his jacket and then a ride home was suddenly a stand in for the monster who had taken her piece of mind along with practically every red cent she possessed.
Buy Links: Amazon //Nook // Wild Rose Press //
About Charlotte…..
Charlotte O’Shay was born into a big family and married into another big family.
The drama! The noise! The inspiration!
Negotiating skills honed at the dinner table led her to a career in law. After four beautiful children joined the crowded family tree, Charlotte traded her legal career to write about happily ever afters. She lives on the far westside only 3 subway stops from where she grew up.
When Charlotte isn’t reading or writing steamy contemporaries featuring heroines in crisis and swoony heroes with issues, she’s on the hunt for that perfect pair of sunglasses.
She LOVES to hear from readers.
You can find Charlotte here:
website // Twitter //Instagram // Facebook // Goodreads
Sign up for her newsletter to find out about giveaways and new releases: http://eepurl.com/b4lbvn
Filed under The Wild Rose Press, WIld Rose Press AUthor
A little present from me to you…
In just a few weeks my next Lyrical Shine book A SHOT AT LOVE, bk 2 in the Will Cook For Love Series, will be released. To whet your appetites ( like that pun??!) I’m going to start posting little snippets and excerpts of the book every few days. Today is day one.
First, here’s the back cover blurb:
Nothing’s impossible when love is on the menu. In Peggy Jaeger’s luscious series, the only thing more tempting than a delicious meal is a truly delectable romance . . .
Look for exclusive recipes in each book!
Photographer Gemma Laine is looking for arresting faces on the streets of Manhattan when her camera captures something shocking—a triple murder. In that moment, she becomes a target for the mob—and a top priority for a very determined, breathtakingly handsome, FBI special agent. With deadlines to meet and photo shoots on her calendar, Gemma chafes at the idea of protection, but every moment she spends under his watchful eye is a temptation to lose herself in his muscular arms . . .
With two of his men and one crucial witness dead, Special Agent Kyros Pappandreos can’t afford to be distracted. But Gemma is dazzling—and her connection to Kandy Laine’s high-profile cooking empire makes her an especially easy mark for some very bad people. Keeping her safe is much more pleasure than business, but as the heat between them starts to sizzle, Ky is set to investigate whether they have a shot at love . . .
Now….meet Gemma Laine, for the first time, through Ky’s eyes:
“That’s her.” The officer pointed to a police vehicle in the middle of the barricaded street a moment later. “Name’s Gemma Laine.”
A woman stood next to the vehicle, a cell phone at her ear, her back to him. Tall, maybe as tall as he was, and slender, her back tapered down to a minuscule waist, her legs clad in tight, faded jeans. When she turned Ky almost stopped midstride, the questions he intended to grill her with jumping out of his head. His breath caught as he simply stared at the loveliest woman he’d ever seen.
Hair the color of midnight, straight as a board, fell to just below her shoulders, blowing back from her face in the gentle afternoon breeze. Blunt, chopped bangs fringed a pair of large, bright blue eyes. Plump, coral-colored lips moved as she spoke into the phone and for a brief, hot second, Ky wondered if they’d taste as delicious as they looked.
Her gaze stayed on him as she spoke.
“I’ve gotta go,” she said into the phone. “Yeah. I’ll call when I’m done. Love you, too.”
“Miss Laine?”
She tucked the phone into her back pocket.
“I’m Special Agent Pappandreos. I need to speak with you about what you saw.”
“Special Agent?” Those delicate brows furrowed under her bangs. “Like, FBI?”
Jesus, where does a woman get a voice like that? Whiskey laced with honey and rolled into one smooth pitch.
“Yes. I understand you witnessed the shooting? You photographed it?”
She nodded. “I was working when it all started. I took a series of shots while it was happening.”
His gaze flicked to the camera she held in one hand.
“I need to see those pictures.”
His first impression of her height had been correct. She was maybe three or four inches shorter than his six-foot-one frame. As she moved closer, the hairs on the back of his neck stood straight at attention. She smelled as good as she looked and his nostrils flared from the scent of sweet cherries blended with some hot exotic spice.
“It all went down so fast,” she said. “But I got some good shots.” Handing him the camera, she added, “Press this button to advance.”
PreOrder Links:
More reasons I’m not fit to walk around unattended…
Yesterday I shared my embarrassing shirt backward moment. Here’s today’s equally as mortifying event that happened just yesterday morning.
You all know I go to Planet Fitness because sitting all day and writing will tend to increase the ass size proportionately to the amount of time you sit. I sit 8-10 hours per day. Yeah…My butt has gotten huge these past 2 years!
Anyway. Planet Fitness.
I put all my non-gym stuff in the locker ( purse, phone, glasses), locked the locker with the lock I bring with me – key operated ( no combination because..you know…menopause memory) and proceeded to the gym-proper for an hour. When I was done and I went back into the locker room, for some strange reason my lock wouldn’t open. I swear I grappled with the damn lock and key for 10 minutes, cursing and sweating. I really didn’t want to have to have the staff bolt cut the damn thing open. There were several women in the locker room changing and one asked if she could help. I gave her the key and she couldn’t get the damn thing opened either. She asked if I was sure it was the correct locker. I’m dumb at times but not stupid. Of course it was my locker, I told her. She shrugged and suggested getting the staff to cut it open, that the lock must have somehow broken.
To calm myself down I stepped back and sat down on the bench for a minute to catch my breath and figure out what to do. While I was relaxing ( not!) another gymite came into the room, proceeded to go straight to my locker, stuck in her key, and opened it.
Yeah. I was at the wrong locker. The locks looked identical but my locker was #43. The one I’d been trying to open was # 34.
So let’s add some dyslexia to the list of menopause maladies I now possess.
#FML. For those of you who know what that hastag means, yeah…
When I’m not being stupid you can find me here:
Tweet Me//Read Me// Visit Me//Picture Me//Pin Me//Friend Me//Google+Me// Triberr
Filed under Author, Life challenges, Strong Women
On why I need a keeper…or at least a dresser.
True story.
Yesterday, hubman and I went to early Mass. Usually, we go to the 4 pm Mass Saturdays because we both like to relax on Sunday mornings, but this Saturday we were both busy so we missed the 4.
After Mass we’d planned on going to the gym together. When I typically go to the gym, I leave my house in my workout clothes because I don’t like to change in open changing rooms. Body issues come in all ages, folks, even in successful, intelligent, chubby menopausal women.
Anyway.
Since we were going to Mass first, I couldn’t wear my workout clothes. If you are Catholic you know why. If you are not Catholic just accept it as a fact that I couldn’t go in anything other than Church-clothes, and leave it at that.
I wore nice clothes to the Mass and then planned on changing – in the bathroom(!) when we got to the gym.
Here’s the part of this story that tells you the reason for the title.
When I went to take my blouse off in the bathroom at the gym ( body issues, remember?) I realized I had my blouse on backward. The back of it was in the front. How did I know this? The tag was sitting right under my chin line. All during Mass I felt like the shirt was tight, as if it had shrunken in the dryer or something. Nope. Fit is fine. Wearing it backward will make it seem like it’s tight, though, because there is more material in the front for….proturberances ( read, breasts!) and the back is flatter.
Yeah…I know. 57 years old and I can’t dress myself.
Seriously, I need a keeper or at least someone who can dress me appropriately for when I go out in public.
When I’m not making a fool of myself and wearing my clothes incorrectly, you can find me here: Tweet Me//Read Me// Visit Me//Picture Me//Pin Me//Friend Me//Google+Me// Triberr
Filed under Author, Contemporary Romance, Foodie, Life challenges
