Tag Archives: Romance

A visit from Author Isla Grey

Today I’m please to have Wild Rose Press Author ISLA GREY visiting with me.  The first time I heard her lovely name, I wanted to know more about her. From her website I found out she’s like me in that she loves a good story and has been writing for almost as long as she can remember. And – also like me – she’s a pen and post-it hoarder!

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Isla Grey hails from Central Virginia and still lives in the same small town she grew up in. She developed a love of writing at an early age and over the years has tried her hand at penning poetry (some good, some not so good), screenwriting, newspaper articles and historical stories. She’s “old school” when it comes to writing and is a hoarder of more pens, post-it notes and writing journals than she’ll ever need. Isla likes to write different types of stories from romance to mystery and anything in between and loves a “happy for now but there could be some bad things coming” feel. When Isla’s not writing, she spends her time being called “Mom, Mama, Mommy” (well, you get the picture) by her daughter who is forever active, even in her sleep. She considers herself an unofficial “cat whisperer” and is a pet human to a plethora of cats that have taken up residence at her home over the years. Isla also enjoys reading a good biography or ghost story, traveling even though “there’s no place like home”, good music played loud and walking.

Isla loves movies and is the movie mistakes editor at Bellaonline.com where she talks about…well…movies. Her novella, “A Voice in the Dark”, is available now and her book, “Asylum Harbor”, is also available now through Wild Rose Press.

Here’s the blurb and a little taste from this exciting new novel:

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Blurb

Trouble is the last thing Devon Brown needs when she leaves the painful memories of her past behind and heads to Shell Island. As the Salty Dog’s new bartender, she finds herself drawn to Kerr, the Shell Island harbormaster. But finding her happily-ever-after is difficult when dealing with an obnoxious bootlegger who supplies the bar with illegal liquor and a jealous coworker.

A standoffish loner with damaged emotions, Kerr avoids relationships like the plague. Things change when Devon catches his eye. As a simple flirtation grows serious, the coworker and bootlegger quickly become obstacles to any future Kerr and Devon may have together. As the situation worsens, Devon realizes that even the still waters of Asylum Harbor are no refuge during a storm.

Excerpt:

        “You already got dibs on this one Kerr?”

         Porter shot an evil glare at the opposite end of the bar and looked back toward her. “I’ll see you tonight.” He flicked his tongue. “After work.” He raised his glass in a mock toast and chugged it in one gulp.

         The lights dimmed for Victoria’s dance of the night. Devon watched Kerr, who was usually headed for the exit by now, and breathed a sigh of relief when he remained glued to his seat with his back to the stage. He wasn’t staying for Victoria’s peep show. There must have been something about this Porter character that got under his skin in a bad way.

         Devon was eager for the quick break. She hustled to the back as the chords to “Simply Irresistible” began to pelt over the speakers and ran some cold water over her forearm. A red welt was beginning to show where Porter had held onto it. She hoped he would be gone by the time she got back.

       Making it out before mid-song, Devon rounded the bar when someone snagged her wrist and thrust her hard against the bar, knocking the wind out of her. She could smell Porter’s alcohol-laced breath as his weight pinned her under him. One of his grubby hands shot under her shirt while the other wrestled with the button on her pants. “Let’s give them a real show.”

         She struggled to reach the Equalizer, but it remained hidden, out of her grasp. Devon hoisted her knee toward his crotch, but Porter lost his balance and fell backward before she could make contact.

         Kerr towered over him. “Get your hands off her.”

You can connect with Isla at:

Website: http://www.islagrey.com/

Blog: http://www.islagrey.com/islas-inklings

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorIslaGrey

Twitter: https://twitter.com/IslaGrey1

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/islagrey

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00MMTEYEK

Book Trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDfqmyddcQ4

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An homage to Lizzy Bennett….

It’s no secret Pride and Prejudice is my all time favorite romance novel. I’ve written ad nauseam about my love for it. Gone with The Wind comes close, but I always view that book more of a love tragedy than a triumph. One of the reasons P&P is so near and dear to my heart is its heroine, the feisty, intelligent, loyal Elizabeth Bennett. I put her right up there with Xena. Lizzy may not have been a warrior princess, defending land and country with a spear and a wicked drop kick, but she is certainly – in my humble opinion – a kick-ass romance chickita.

I recently read a very good piece titled 9 Reason’s we will always love Elizabeth Bennett. These include:

  • She never received a formal education, but made sure to educate herself.
  • She was confident and sure of herself, and even someone as imposing as Mr. Darcy couldn’t intimidate her.
  • She always put her family first
  • And would definitely have nothing to do with a man who dared to insult them.
  • She wouldn’t accept a partner for reasons less than love…
  • An ideal she stuck to, in spite of the fact that marrying Collins would have given her financial security, something no woman in her time could get on her own.
  • She understood the importance of kindness over money and a harp tongue
  • She never, ever took advantage of Mr. Darcy’s feelings for her
  • And she always, always spoke her mind.

To sum all that up, Lizzy didn’t take anyone’s crap, be it from the snivelingly Mr Collins, who could make her family’s future miserable, or from the snotty Lady Catherine de’Bourge, a high born woman of power and influence. She stayed true to herself as a woman and as a person,  believed love conquered all, and that marriage should be for love and nothing else.

See? Kick-Ass romance chickita!

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Where would you like to go?

As a writer, I can put my characters anywhere in the world I’d like to see them. I can take them to exotic tropical locales, heart-stopping mountainsides, even underwater to a coral reef. Of course, I can also leave them at home and just have them wish  and pine to be taken elsewhere.Hawaii-maui

One of the underlying themes in all my books is that there really is – as Dorothy asserted – no place like home. We’re comfortable there; it’s familiar; for most of us, safe. Home is where that proverbial heart is and many characters never leave the comfy confines of the places they grew up in. Some of the best stories I’ve ever read concern characters who were born, lived and died in the same place. And they were happy. I love to write coming-home stories because I feel as Dorothy did. Surrounded by the people who love you best, homecoming stories have a special place in my heart.

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But isn’t it kind of great to have wanderlust? To dream about being shipwrecked on a tropical island, or snowbound on a majestic mountainside? Of course, since I write romance stories, it would have to be the hero and heroine who are snowbound and shipwrecked, because, where’s the fun if it’s just one character? Unfamiliar territory brings with it all sorts of plot lines, character growth and development, and of course the ability to bring two people together who might never have met otherwise. Agatha Christie was famous for taking her characters and dropping them all over the world.

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Let your imagination take you – and your characters  – anywhere they want to go.

 

 

 

 

 

What if your H/H were running from  a band of thieves in a Moroccan souk?

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Or trying to escape from a group of militant terrorists in the African jungle?

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You have the power to put your characters anywhere you want them to be, whether it’s in a small town in the middle of America or the largest city in the world. Like your kids, they go where you take them. And like your kids they complain, moan about almost everything, but ultimately come to the conclusion that the trip was worthwhile and fun.

So, where in the world have your characters gone? Let’s discuss….

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How does your heroine smell?

A while back I did a blog titled How does your hero smell? It was a light-hearted, but serious-intended piece about using your sense of smell as writer. Today, the tables are being metaphorically turned onto your heroine. So, for lack of a better title, How does your heroine smell?

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Girls are supposed to smell, well, like girls. I don’t think I’ve ever heard a female character referred to as smelling “manly” in a book…not in any I’ve read, anyway. But aside from describing to your reader how your protagonist smells like the inside of an exotic flowering hothouse, or dousing her in buckets of eau d’parfume, what sensory motivators can you use?

We’ve all heard the line sugar and spice and everything nice; that’s what little girls are made of. Well, what about big girls? I kind of think the same thing applies.smell3

Let me ‘splain it you, Lucy.

What does sugar really smell like? Well, we know it tastes sweet, so that colors what our sense of smell tells us it’s like. What, aside from sugar, is sweet? A few things come to mind for me: chocolate, vanilla, cherries, apples. You get the idea. Maybe your heroine smells like warm vanilla pudding, or caramels melting over ripe apples. She sounds good enough to eat, right? And if she does to us, she does to the hero, too (don’t even go there! This is a G-rated blog).

So what spices come to mind when you hear the above saying? When I think of spices I think of tangy, potent ones like cinnamon and nutmeg, citrus and lemongrass. Stuff that I recognize when it hits my tastebuds. Spicy can also be hot, like peppers – although I’d rather name a character Pepper than describe her as smelling like one. Maybe it’s just me, but if I read a character described as smelling like a chili pepper, I’d first think she worked in a Mexican restaurant and I’d have an immediate vision of her that might not be anything like the author wanted. Although now that I think that through….hummmmm.

Back to smells.

The end of the saying tells us girls smell like everything nice. Well, what smells nice to you may not smell nice to me. For instance, I love the smell of coffee brewing, but wouldn’t want to go around smelling like an urn all day. There’s a commercial out right now for – I think, Honey Bunches of Oats – where the line worker goes shopping after working all day at the cereal plant and she says people around her sniff and say they smell cookies. She tells them, “nah, that’s me. I just came from work. You’re just smelling Honey Bunches of Oats.” Now, I don’t think I want to smell like cereal, but you certainly remember the commercial, and therefore the product, so somebody wrote something good there! What smells nice to you? Cotton sheets that have been line-dried smell nice; lemonaid smells nice. Lots of things do.

The lesson learned here is that men and women smell very differently and when we write sensory descriptions, we really need to keep sex ( read: Gender) in mind. I wouldn’t want to write my hero as smelling like a full blooming hothouse jasmine flower laced with sin, but I would describe my heroine that way. Only better, because that line is a little cheesy… and very poorly written. But you get the idea.

So, how do your heroines smell? Let’s discuss…

'I like a boy in my class. Do you have anything that smells like peanut butter?'

‘I like a boy in my class. Do you have anything that smells like peanut butter?’

 

 

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Long and SHort Anniversary Party

Join Long and Short Reviews for their 8th anniversary party. Click on the link and you could…win a prize…find your next favorite author…just answer a question on the link about my debut novel SKATER’S WALTZ, which, btw, in on sale now for #99cents until 9/3. So if you haven’t read it, now’s your chance to for less than a dollar!

 

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What book would you bring to a deserted island if you were stranded and could only have only one?

(And I’m not talking about bringing the Kindle here, loaded with millions of titles. It’s a real, paper and ink book we’re discussing today.)

Tough question? Yes, it is, that’s why I’m asking it. You need to dig deep here, kids.

Answers could include everything from the Bible to War and Peace; David Copperfield to Gone with the Wind; Harry Potter book 1 to The fault is in our Stars.

Depending on what genre you like to read, it could be a non-fiction bestseller, an autobiography, a sports book or even Camping for Dummies (hey, you ARE stranded on a deserted island, you know.)

For myself it’s a no-brainer. I’d bring Pride and Prejudice.

Why would I bring a book whose story is over 250 years old, you ask. Well, I’m glad you did.

As a lover of romance novels – and a writer of the same – Pride and Prejudice for me is the penultimate story of love. It has everything a romance book should have: a strong female lead; a tortured, romantic hero, miscommunication, drama, betrayal, several black moments, a wonderful story-line, and most of all a happily ever after ending that endures for all time.

I think I’ve read this book – no lie – two dozen times since I was 11. The first time I read it the language gave me a bit of difficulty – hey, I was a  tween! – and I had trouble understanding some of the plot. I did think Mr Collins was odious, though, even at that tender age, a thought I still have to this day.

I read it again for high school English. This time around, though, I was able to gleam more about the plot and I remember wondering why Lizzy didn’t try to talk Charlotte out of marrying Mr Collins. If she was a true friend, she should have. I also remember it was at this time in my life I began to see Darcy for the hunkadoodledoo he was.

College brought the next reading and by now I loved Lizzy for her strength of character and her loyalty and – even though I knew the end of the story – I prayed she would wind up with Darcy and not the narcissistic Wickham.

The next several times I read the book were after relationship breakups. I’d read the book cover to cover while inhaling cartons of Milano cookies and Pepperidge farm layer cakes. Then I’d watch the BBC rendition with Colin Firth as Darcy. This always made me feel so much better and got me through the downside of the breakups.

After I was married and the Kiera Knightley movie version came out, I read it again a few times and was impressed with how easy it now was to understand the language. Much more so than when I was 11 and had an untrained English lit ear.

Through all of the re-reads, though, I have never once been disappointed with the story. I know some of the page dialogue by heart and can quote Lizzy’s infamous dismissal speech to Darcy verbatim. The story stands up to time and differing cultures, class and age group demographics.

If I could only take one book to read on that island until I was (hopefully) rescued, it would always be Pride and Prejudice.

And in the event I could take two…..

My most recent book, THE VOICES OF ANGELS.

Blurb:

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Love is the last thing Carly Lennox is looking for when she sets out on her new book tour. The independent, widowed author is content with a life spent writing and in raising her daughter. When newscaster Mike Woodard suggests they work on a television magazine profile based on her book, Carly’s thrilled, but guarded. His obvious desire to turn their relationship into something other than just a working one is more than she bargained for.

Mike Woodard is ambitious, and not only in his chosen profession. He wants Carly, maybe more than he’s ever wanted anything or anyone else. As he tells her, he’s a patient man. But the more they’re together, Mike realizes it isn’t simply desire beating within him. Carly Lennox is the missing piece in his life. Getting her to accept it-and him-may just be the toughest assignment he’s ever taken on.

Buy Links: Amazon /// TWRP /// Kobo /// Nook

If you need to find me, you can:  Tweet Me// Read Me// Visit Me// Picture Me//Pin Me//Friend Me//Google+Me//

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Filed under Author, Characters, Contemporary Romance, Family Saga, First Impressions, Life challenges, Literary characters, Romance, Romance Books, RWA, Strong Women, The Voices of Angels, The Wild Rose Press, WIld Rose Press AUthor

RWA15 final thoughts…

So it’s a little less than a week since I got home from RWA15 in New York. My mind and body were depleted and yet strangely energized as well. Last year – as an RWA conference virgin – I was too excited to appreciate the networking going on around me; too excited meeting my favorite authors in the flesh; too excited to realize what an unbelievable opportunity the conference was to enhance my career.

This year was different on so many levels. Oh, I was still excited beyond belief at meeting my favorite authors- and some new ones – but I took the opportunity afforded  me and branched out in several ways to advance my writing career.

Last year the workshops I attended had more to do with seeing the well known authors presenting them. I took no classes on craft, marketing or the business of publishing. This year, those were the only classes I sat in on.

Last year I stood in line for 2 hours to get Nora Roberts’ autograph at the Literacy signing. This year I volunteered at the event and was thrilled to be assigned to one of my favorite authors of all time, Jayne Ann Krentz. I learned more from watching her  interact with her fans for just 2 hours than I could have learned in years in public relations courses. She showed me – up close and personally – what it’s like to be on the other side of the publishing/writing curtain (like that little Wizard of Oz tie-in??!). As a fan I’ve always seen just my own reaction to meeting a writer one time. Ms Krentz had to deal with hundreds of fans all individually  and uniquely excited, and wanting her to know what her writing means to them – and stay up beat, focused, and gracious, which she was to every single one of them. She never refused to have a photograph taken, or listen to a story about a particular book of hers, or even offer some advice to a fledgling author ( moi!), and her beautiful smile never slipped. By observing how she handled herself during those 2 hours I know precisely how to conduct myself during a book signing. Thank you so much, Jayne Ann Krentz!

From my PRO-retreat workshops I learned how invaluable branding, social media, and marketing are to a writer – whether she be multi-published or fledgling. Anna Alexander and Catherine Bybee were deep wells of information regarding these topics and if I came away with anything to remember during this conference it was this: “A person needs to hear your name 7-10 times before it’s recognizable to them.” Thank you, Catherine Bybee, for this gem. My tweets have increased 100-fold, as have my other social media alerts all because of this statement.

I met with my “dream” agent at a pitch session- something that put terror into my little heart. Not because of the agent, but because I was so nervous about “putting myself out there.” I don’t like to talk about myself – a dumb thing to hear from a blogger, eh?! But on paper you don’t have to look at me and I don’t have to look at you. It’s all fairly visually anonymous. I don’t get nervous when it’s on paper ( or the laptop, really). But face to face is another story entirely. Anyway. Despite my nerves, the agent was lovely, gracious and sweet. I’ll let you know in the future if things progress on this front.

One last memory that will live with me for the rest of my career is the workshop I took with Christie Craig. I’ve mentioned in a previous blog how I think she should be the keynote speaker at next year’s conference and here’s why: this woman is an inspiration in  more than just writing. Her personal journey through life and in her writing career could be made into a must-see television movie for the Hallmark Channel. It would win its time slot for the night, week, month and year. I have always put forth my own writing TAO called NGU NGI ( never give up and never give in.) Ms Craig lives this TAO every day and boy, does it show in her success. I think we can all  use her as an example.

RWA16 will be in San Diego – a town I’ve visited before and loved, so I can’t wait to go. Maybe next year I will be an author participant in the literacy signing. If so, I will remember what I learned from Jayne Ann Krentz about how to conduct myself with fans.

Thank you RWA, Jayne Ann Krentz, Christie Craig, Kristan Higgins, Tracy Brogan, Jill Shalvis, and all the other amazing authors who presented workshops, spent a little time with me out of class to answer any questions, and to my wonderful, talented NHRWA chapter-mates who all journeyed south to NYC this year.

 

 

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RWA15, wrap-up…

Well, I’m back in my cozy, cool home. I finished unpacking, did two loads of laundry and went grocery shopping.

And I reflected on an amazing conference. Multi-published and award winning author Nalini Singh was the saturday morning key-note speaker. She had us laughing-and tearing up a bit-when she described her first trek across country on a train to her very first RWA conference. The Perils of Pauline could have been re-written and marketed as the Perils Of Nalini, as she described her experience on a broken down Amtrak train, an unscheduled stopover in Philadelphia, and the first time she was recognized and wished she hadn’t been!

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Saturday the workshops were outstanding, but the one  I want to talk about was Polish Me Pretty: Five Polishing Tips to Take Your Writing to the Next Level by Christie Craig.  If you don’t know about this amazing women – shame on you! I learned more from her about how to evoke emotions and visualizations when writing a scene than from any other human being alive. Ever. And not only is she is wonderful teacher, she is a truly exceptional motivational speaker. She shared the tale of her humble beginnings in life, teenage marriage and motherhood, her dyslexia, and her 100’s – truly!- of rejection letters before getting the call that changed her life. There should be some kind of petition started to ensure she is next year’s RWA16 keynote speaker. There wouldn’t be a dry eye or a belly that wasn’t shaking with laughter in the house.

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The conference ended with annual Rita and GoldenHeart awards ceremony. The fabulous Lisa Kleypas was the host and I can attest she is as beautiful in person as she is on her book jackets. I won’t name all the winners, but I will tell you my favorite of the night. Jill Shalvis – after 13 nominations – won for One in a Million in the mid length contemporary romance category. She is truly a fan favorite and one of my absolute must reads whenever she has something new out. hbrqqwtt

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I’ll need a few days to wind down and reflect some more on my experiences this year at the conference, so you’ll have to suffer through one more posting from me next week! Until then….here’s the last picture I took of the book giveaways. Add 25 more to this picture and you see why my arm is so sore from tugging my suitcase along on the road back home!

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Filed under Author, Contemporary Romance, Life challenges, NHRWA, Romance, Romance Books, RWA

An interview with Author Angela Hayes

 

 

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Before I left for NYC I did an interview with the talented and beautiful author ANGELA HAYES, who  is visiting me today and she’s bringing MY kind of gift:  a book sale! Her novel LOVE’S BATTLE is on sale from July 17 until the 31. Find out a little more about Angela below, and then check out a special treat at the end of the post.

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What drives you to write?

The fight against insanity. Honestly, I’m sure it’s the same with many writers. Our heads are filled with tons of different plots, characters, images, that it’s essential to our mental health to get it out before it overwhelms our brains and we’re reduced to babbling crazy people. Although I’m sure my husband would already say I’m there. I’m constantly talking to myself while trying to mentally put my characters and plot in order.

What genre(s) of Romance do your write, and why?

At the moment, I’m published in fantasy, but I have a paranormal and cozy suspense/mystery that I’m working on. I also have an idea for a contemporary that I’m trying to figure out. Right now, fantasy and paranormal are really speaking to me. I’m more comfortable traveling outside the realm of reality than I am working within it right now.

What genre(s) of Romance do you read, and why?

I read them all. No joke, my Kindle and bookshelves are filled with nearly every romance genre there is. If the cover grabs my attention and the blurb holds it, then I’ll read it.

What’s your writing schedule? Do you write everyday?

Unfortunately with a day job and tweens I don’t write everyday like I should. I’m more of a binge writer. I’ll go days at a time without writing anything down, but when I finally get to it, I spend close to eight hours at the computer stopping only for potty breaks and coffee.

Give us a glimpse of the surroundings where you write. Separate room? In the kitchen? At the dining room table?

I get the most work done at my kitchen table. I’ve tried to work in the living room, but once I sit on the sofa I pull a Rip van Winkle- I fall asleep without even trying.

Are you the kind of writer who needs total quiet to compose, or are you able to filter out the typical sounds of the day and use your tunnelvision?

The majority of the time I listen to music. When creating my outline, I try to create a playlist to help keep me inspired while I’m writing.

Do you listen to music while you write, and if so, what kind? If not, why not?

While writing Love’s Battle I listened to I think I’m falling for you by Colbie Caillat and a few others. While writing a recent short story it was Be My Forever by Christina Perri and Ed Sheeran. The songs help to keep me in the moments that I’ve created.

How did you come up with the plotline/idea for your current WIP?

My current WIP is a short story that I wrote for The Wild Rose Press’ Valentine’s series. My idea for it came by wanting to loosely tie Love’s Battle and other future fantasy books together with a new trilogy/series. Once I had a central character that acted as a link between the two, I created a community around her and that’s how I got Flora and her friends. From there I tried to pull in Valentine’s themes and fae elements.

Which comes first for you – character or plot? And why?

Character, always. For me my characters control my plot. First I have to figure them out to figure out what they’re going to do.

What 3 words describes you, the writer?

Scatter-brained, Hopeful, Determined.

Tell us one unusual thing about yourself – not related to writing!

I’m very particular about how much toothpaste is on my toothbrush. Too much and feel like I’m blowing bubbles. Too little and it feels like nails on a chalkboard screaming inside my head.

If you had to give up one necessary-can’t-live-without-it beauty item, what would it be?

As long as I could keep my mascara and lotion, I’ll gladly give up my BB cream.

What three words describes you, the person?

Cheerful, Bookworm, Eclectic

Favorite sound :My kids laughing.

Least favorite sound: The kids arguing.

Best song every written: It changes daily, right now it’s How long will I love you by Ellie Goulding. So sweet.

Worst song ever written: It’s a small world after all. That is one song that gets stuck in your head and you can’t get it out. I bet you’re singing it right now

Favorite actor and actress: Anna Kendrick and Liam Neesen

Who would you want to be for 1 day and why? ( It can be anyone living or dead): Nora Roberts. I’d love to know what her thought process is and how she thinks.

What turns you on? Someone who sees an issue and works to resolve it on their own- Initiative.

What turns you off? Initiative is a big thing we’re trying to teach the kids at home. Not having any is not only a huge turn off, it’s highly annoying.

Give me the worst 5 words ever heard on a first date ( here’s mine: “Is that your real hair?”):  My last first date was over thirteen years ago, but if I could imagine one, it would have to be something along the lines of… “Don’t worry it’s not contagious!” Haha.

What’s your version of a perfect day? A day spent with family that ends with good food and a good book.

Peggy here: Here’s a treat: Blurb and Excerpt from Love’s Battle:

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BLURB:

Love Howard has more than a knack for matchmaking. Born from a forbidden passion and a twelve-hundred-year-old promise, she and her sisters can literally see true love. And while Love has no problem bringing other couples together, her own romantic life could use a little help.

Danton DeAngelo has always been well grounded in reality. So it throws him for no small loop when the woman he’s fallen for believes that she’s been reincarnated eleven times and can actually see true love.

Now Danton is faced with the biggest decision of his life. Accept Love for who she really is, or walk away from her forever.

EXCERPT:

The hand Love pressed to her brow was visibly shaking. “There’s something I need to tell you. I just need you to keep an open mind.”
“What is it? Are you sick?” Danton asked.

“No, I’m not sick.” Her voice trembled on a forced laugh. “It’s something else. Something I‘ve been trying to prepare you for. This would be so much easier if you believed in magic. If you could believe that what I’m about to tell you is the honest truth.”

Turning, Love opened the iron chest, the hinges groaning with the effort as specks of rust littered the floor. From its depths she pulled out a clear plastic bag that she held tight to her chest, eyes closed, before handing it to a confused Danton.

“This is my tartan, my plaid. Before it faded and was dinner for the moths, it was once patterned in checks of green, gray, and brown. The purple and white stripes that ran through the hem identified the wearer as part of the royal family.” Love tapped the plastic, her finger pointing out where each color should be. “It was a gift from my father. The first and only time my sister’s and I met him, he was on his deathbed, we were eighteen. A week later our mother died in the same moment he drew his last breath.” Needing the extra air Love drew a breath of her own. “That day was the thirteenth of February, eight-hundred and fifty-eight AD. My father was Cinaed mac Alpin, crowned king of the Picts and Gaels. He was Scotland’s first king.”

“Eight- hundred and fifty-eight?” That couldn’t be right, she was only twenty-five. “Don’t you mean Nineteen-eighty-seven?”

“No. I was born for the first time in Scotland during the middle of the ninth century.”

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Filed under Alpha Hero, Author, Romance, Romance Books, RWA, Strong Women

RWA15…it just keeps getting better

This was truly a total fan girl day for me. I volunteered to help out at the literacy signing and got my dream job: minion to Jayne Ann Krentz.

I know!

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Not only is she a gifted writer, penning a plethora of bestsellers in three names Jayne Ann Krentz, Jayne Castle and Amanda Quick, but she is sincerely one of the nicest human beings I have ever met. For two hours she smiled, took pictures and chatted – not to mention signing over 50 books – and impressed the he** out of me with her natural graciousness.  My favorite moment came when, almost at the tail end of the signing, three 20 somethings came up to her and actually screamed – squealed like pigs – her name. One of them had an antique fan that she assiduously fanned her excited self with. This was  – in my mind -a true fan girl moment (x3!)

The room had over 480 authors plus about 2000 super fans. It was very warm and very loud, but also very wonderful.

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I was luck enough to snag a few pix with some of my favorite authors.

Here’s me and the fabulous, funny, and very cute-as-a-button Jill Shalvis:

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Here’s my NHRWA chapter president, the talented and multi-published ( and just plain nice!) Chrystine Butler:

20150722_184826The line for Nora Roberts went out the door and down the corridor, so I didn’t wait for a pix with her, especially since I have the one taken with her last year framed and sitting on my desk at home. Sigh!

Tomorrow we get to the meat of the conference: the workshops, Publishing House events, and the general meeting.

Whew! I’m tired, elated, ecstatic and… well, you get the picture. More tomorrow from the city that never sleeps.

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Filed under Author, Contemporary Romance, NHRWA, Romance, Romance Books, RWA