Tag Archives: #LaurenLayne

June 24, 2024 · 12:40 am

#mondaymusings 6.24.24

MIRANDA IN RETROGRADE from one of my one-click authors, Lauren Layne. It releases in August and I am very much looking forward to it!

After getting passed over for tenure and having her life upended in the process, a physics professor decides to throw caution to the wind and live by her horoscope predictions for a year in this effervescent rom-com from the New York Times bestselling author of Made in Manhattan.

As the youngest physics professor at her university, practical-minded Miranda Reed plans her life with minute precision. But that’s before she’s denied tenure and the promotion she thought was guaranteed. Suddenly, her tidy life is anything but constant.

Overdue for a sabbatical, Miranda takes some time to look towards the stars—only this time, she’s not looking for black holes. With her faith in science shaken, Miranda turns to a practice she’s long dismissed as preposterous: astrology.

Determined to figure out why her life has suddenly gone sideways, Miranda commits to a year of letting her horoscope guide her. Soon she’s taking on new home improvement projects, adopting a new pet, and studying what the stars have to say about her ideal love match. The intriguingly aloof artist living next door? Never. His Aries energy is all wrong. On the other hand, the charming father of her new tutoring pupil is Sagittarian perfection. Made for her…right?

As Miranda navigates life with new a perspective, she slowly discovers neither science nor the stars have all the answers. And that, when it comes to love, you sometimes just have to trust your heart.

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May 3, 2024 · 12:58 am

#fridayfive 5.3.2024

Today, I’m going to talk about 5 authors who inspire me.

Inspire me to read. Inspire me to be a better writer. Inspire me to use my talent.

  1. Nora Roberts/JD Robb. You had to know this would be the first one, lol. From the moment I read my first SIhoulette Nora in the early 1990’s until this very day, she is the author I love most to read, emulate, and wish I knew personally. I’ve met her at a signing event, but I’d really just like to spend one day with her and watch her writing process. She is my ultimate inspiration for writing, career, and just plain talent.
  2. Lisa Kleypas. Everything she writes, from lusty historicals to modern-day steamy love stories makes me want to be a better writer. She is so talented at conveying emotions through her words. Love that.
  3. Lorraine Heath. From the moment I read her first book I was hooked as a reader. And as a writer. The way she weaves backstory without ever making it boring or dull is more than a talent – it is a miracle!
  4. Lauren Layne. A modern-day writer, she takes contemporary topics and women and makes them so relatable. I love her sassy, quirky and always positive heroines. She was the one who made me think I could write series romances.
  5. Janet Evanovich. I know some people say this 30+ book series about Stephanie Plum and the two men in her life is getting stale- and that she needs to make a choice between them. What these people don’t realize is that it takes true, true talent as a storyteller to keep that amount and quality emotion and WANT up for 30+ books and have the reader keep coming back. Truly, inspiring talent.

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February 8, 2024 · 12:44 am

#tbt 2.8.2024

Each Thursday I’ve been revisiting a blog post I did back in the day.

Today’s #TBT is one of the top 5 days of my life. Read on and you’ll find out why….

From August 7, 2017

At 57 years old, you’d think I’d be beyond hyperventilating when I see a “celebrity.” Yeah…not so much.

My very first RWA in 2014 I actually burst into tears when I met and spoke with Nora Roberts. Not one of my finest, adult moments, but there was truly so much emotion stored up in me concerning her that when I actually got the chance to speak to her, I lost it. Like a two-year-old. She was gracious, lovely, and held my hand. I don’t think I washed it for 2 whole days!!!, but that might not be true because I blacked out after meeting her! and have no memory of the rest of the day!!

You can just make out the tears still wet on my cheeks in this picture her lovely assistant, Laura, took.

Anyway.

Fangirling. Yeah, it’s a thing.  A real thing. Even though I’ve been to 4 RWA conferences and 1 RT, I still get a little queasy butterfly feeling in my tummy when I see my writing idols casually walking around a hotel as if they were, well, normal people, not romance icons. Here are just a few of my absolute meet-favorites from this year. And I’ll tell you honestly, I really struggled not to cry when I met each of them.

First, one of my newest favs, Lauren Layne.

If you haven’t read any of her Wedding Belles series, or any of the Stiletto books, get yourself over to Amazon and get a bunch. You will not be disappointed.

Next, the amazeballs, uber-talented Jennifer Probst. I actually carted her book WRITE NAKED with me to Orlando because I knew she was going to be there and I simply had to meet her to autograph it.

I sat in on one of her workshops as well, but don’t ask me what she said. I was too busy pinching myself because I was sitting in the same room with her!

And look what she wrote to me!!!!!!

Okay, this next picture makes me giggle every time I see it! The incredible, sweet, absolutely lovely and funny Jill Shalvis was sososososos gracious when I basically interrupted her from eating at the Rita’s and begged – yes begged – for a picture.

 Can you see how giddy I am??!!!

And at the Literacy signing I bothered, er, spoke, to her again when she was with another of my favs, and Jill’s BFF, RaeAnne Thayne. Honestly, these two women are graciousness incarnate!!

last but certainly not least, I was able to “hang” with another of my favorite authors, Marianne Rice, who was attending her first RWA. We were having a good natured contest between us to see how many “big names” we could get to take selfies with us. Marianne WON, hands down!!! She got the fabulous Rachel Gibson!!!!  And Susan Elizabeth Phillips!!! Le sigh….maybe next year.

So, don’t ever be upset or embarrassed if you’re a fan girl, because we’ve all been there!! Some of us still are, despite our —ahem--senior ages!

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