Those who know me best know this is so me. I just can't seem to help myself. lol
May 26, 2012
May 25, 2012
Friday Quickie
25 quickie facts about Jennifer Ann Coffeen:
Birthday? July 17th
Favorite color? Green
Favorite animal? Cat
Siblings? Brother and a sister- I’m the middle child!
Favorite drink? Tea
If you were a jelly bean flavor, what flavor would you be? Cherry
Favorite author? Georgette Heyer
Favorite dish? Pizza
Ice cream flavor? New York Cherry
Favorite Season? Summer
Plotter or Pantser? Panster for sure
Hobbies? Reading, traveling
Dream vacation? Italy- a repeat of my honeymoon!
Favorite TV show? I used to LOVE “Unsolved Mysteries”.
Musical preference? I’m a 80’s 90’s fan.
Pet peeve? Wasting time
Favorite place to write? In a quiet café writing in my notebook
Favorite song? “Moondance” (It was my wedding song).
Odd family fact? I was named after a character in a romance novel!
Unforgettable moment? Meeting my husband in a zombie play
Favorite Superhero? Batman
Spicy or not? Sadly, not.
Cat or dog? Both!
Favorite candy bar? Snickers
Favorite guilty pleasure? An ice cold beer.
Summarize your book Twitter style – 140 characters or less:
Lady Madeline Sinclair is searching London for a cursed diamond and nothing can distract her, except the kiss of a jilted Duke.
BUY LINK
Birthday? July 17th
Favorite color? Green
Favorite animal? Cat
Siblings? Brother and a sister- I’m the middle child!
Favorite drink? Tea
If you were a jelly bean flavor, what flavor would you be? Cherry
Favorite author? Georgette Heyer
Favorite dish? Pizza
Ice cream flavor? New York Cherry
Favorite Season? Summer
Plotter or Pantser? Panster for sure
Hobbies? Reading, traveling
Dream vacation? Italy- a repeat of my honeymoon!
Favorite TV show? I used to LOVE “Unsolved Mysteries”.
Musical preference? I’m a 80’s 90’s fan.
Pet peeve? Wasting time
Favorite place to write? In a quiet café writing in my notebook
Favorite song? “Moondance” (It was my wedding song).
Odd family fact? I was named after a character in a romance novel!
Unforgettable moment? Meeting my husband in a zombie play
Favorite Superhero? Batman
Spicy or not? Sadly, not.
Cat or dog? Both!
Favorite candy bar? Snickers
Favorite guilty pleasure? An ice cold beer.
Summarize your book Twitter style – 140 characters or less:
Lady Madeline Sinclair is searching London for a cursed diamond and nothing can distract her, except the kiss of a jilted Duke.
BUY LINK
To learn more about Jennifer Ann Coffeen and her writing, visit her website:
May 24, 2012
Sinful Sirens Giveaway Hop
Congratulations JoAnna, random.com picked you as the WINNER!
Watch for an email from me.
Watch for an email from me.
Heat Up Your Summer!
Are you a Sinful Siren?
Are you a Sinful Siren?
We know you are! So come and join us at Under the Covers and Guilty Pleasures for our Sinful Sirens blog hop. This summer we want to heat things up until the only way we can cool down is with a dip in the ocean. Entice other sirens by sharing some of your favorite scorching hot reads!
With all the rain we've had in Michigan this Spring, I thought I would share with you all this sinful little encounter between Noah and Isabeau, hero and heroine from my contemporary romance,
After Midnight.
AFTER MIDNIGHT
The Wild Rose Press Amazon
Thirteen years—that's how long Isabeau Montgomery has been living a lie. After an automobile accident took her mother's life, Izzy hid herself away, surviving the only way she knew how. Now she is happy in her carefully reconstructed life. That is until he walks through the door of her bar...
Startled, she bolted upright in bed, her hand pressed against the frantic beat of her heart in her chest. A glance at her alarm clock told her it was thirty-six minutes after four. The incessant pounding told her whoever stood at the outside of her reinforced steel security door wouldn’t be ignored.With all the rain we've had in Michigan this Spring, I thought I would share with you all this sinful little encounter between Noah and Isabeau, hero and heroine from my contemporary romance,
After Midnight.
AFTER MIDNIGHT
The Wild Rose Press Amazon
Thirteen years—that's how long Isabeau Montgomery has been living a lie. After an automobile accident took her mother's life, Izzy hid herself away, surviving the only way she knew how. Now she is happy in her carefully reconstructed life. That is until he walks through the door of her bar...
(Warning: this excerpt contains adult content. 18 and older only, please)
Wearing nothing but her silk robe, she crossed to the door, paused to peer through the peephole. She blinked to clear her eyes and looked again. With a gasp of shock, she threw the lock and pulled the door open.
Lightning flashed, illuminating Noah as he stood with his hands braced on either side of the doorway. Water ran in rivulets down his handsome face to soak his clothes to his skin, but he didn’t seem to notice. In fact, he didn’t seem to be aware of anything but her as he looked down at her.
Where earlier today his eyes had been emotionless, tonight they were anything but. Her skin flashed hot, her breath caught as deep green eyes filled with longing and desire locked on her. He didn’t say anything, he didn’t have to. His intent was obvious.
Before she could absorb the shock of his arrival, he used his left hand to push the door open wider. His right curled around her waist and pulled her against his wet body. Sensation overwhelmed her—the damp chill that immediately saturated her robe, the hot press of his mouth against hers and the heady combination of pleasure and pain as he fisted a hand in her hair and tugged her head back.
She realized in an instant that this was not going to be like any coupling they’d shared before. His lips were hard and demanding, his muscled arms like steel around her. He kicked the door closed as he feasted on her mouth, devouring, arousing her with his teeth, his tongue. And far from shying away from it, she fisted her hands in his shirt and begged for more.
He tasted like rain. He tasted like aroused man. Desperate to touch him, she trailed her hands down his chest and slipped them under his shirt. Beneath her palms, his body vibrated. Whether it was from restraint or emotion, she wasn’t certain, but she knew it was important for him to work through it. She was more than willing for him to do it with her.
She rocked against him, shuddering as his heat and strength radiated through their clothes. A groan rumbled out of his chest, and he lifted his head to come after her from a different angle. His kiss was voracious, starving. Rough and demanding. She wanted more.
His arm tightened around her waist and he lifted her off her feet. She braced her hands on his shoulders and arched her back in pleasure as his mouth closed over her breast. She sucked in air hungrily, greedily as he suckled her through the fabric, scraping his teeth across her budded nipple—moaning against the exquisite pain, sobbing his name. Shifting her, he treated her other breast to the same beautiful torture until she felt an orgasm building inside her.
His free hand skimmed over her body, slid down the outside of her thigh then up beneath the robe to cup her bare cheek. Her breath left her in a rush as sensation streaked through her. She lifted her knees and hugged his hips. The action separated her cheeks and his fingertips brushed along the division of her buttocks.
“Noah!” she gasped.
“Tell me to leave,” he growled as his fingertips continued downward, following the intimate curve until his long fingers eased between the lips of her sex and his thumb pushed into her in one devastating plunge.
She clamped tightly around him as a contraction exploded inside of her. “Stay.”
I'm giving away an eCopy of After Midnight to one lucky commenter. All you have to do is tell me what you're looking forward to this Summer.
Continue the Sinful Sirens Giveaway Hop HERE
May 22, 2012
Spotlight On... Allie Hawkins
Today I'm excited to have Allie Hawkins with me at the keyboard. Welcome, Allie, can you tell us a little about yourself?
In my previous careers, teaching high school adolescents, creating public library programs and developing high-tech marketing materials, I worked mostly with men. I think those experiences give me a good basis for writing heroes who may come off as tougher than many heroes in romance. I think my heroines—independent, sassy and resilient—reflect having to hold my own in male-dominated environments. Acting in melodrama and teaching Spanish tuned my ear to “hear” dialogue. I love writing dialogue—especially between the hero and heroine. Personally, I’m fortunate to have married a man who enthusiastically supports my writing—even though he’s not my targeted audience.
Tell us about UNRAVELED and where we can find it.
UNRAVELED is an e-book available for all devices from The Wild Rose Press (publisher, )Amazon, Barnes and Noble. It’s also available in print from the same sources. Release is tentatively scheduled for early October.
Which character is your favorite and why?
I’m a big fan of the heroine, Quinn Alexander. Her blind loyalty to her brother strikes a cord for me. She reminds me of how easily we can excuse the bad behavior of those we love.
Will there be any sequels or other books in the same series?
I do have a sequel started, starring my second favorite character in the book. JR Ryder is a maverick cop who falls for Quinn and sets off on a path of quiet self-destruction. Her plea to him to help her find her missing daughter forces him to work with a partner who offers his only hope of redemption.
What is the hardest scene you had to write in this piece?
The hero cheated on the hero four years ago. Writing the scene in which she forgives him and lets him back into her life was tough—because she has deep fears of abandonment. (Her father abandoned her when she was seven).
That would be a difficult scene to write. What are you working on right now?
MISSING, the romantic-suspense sequel to UNRAVELED.
What would your readers be surprised to learn about you?
I love to dance Zumba. I go to Zumba classes three times a week and find I write much better after kicking up my heels.
I love it! Where can we find you on the web?
http://alliehawkins.com
Is there anything you’d like to ask our readers?
Two questions: What kinds of flaws appeal to you in heroes? How important is it that the hero is a hunk? (That is, what other qualities and values trump good looks?)
In my previous careers, teaching high school adolescents, creating public library programs and developing high-tech marketing materials, I worked mostly with men. I think those experiences give me a good basis for writing heroes who may come off as tougher than many heroes in romance. I think my heroines—independent, sassy and resilient—reflect having to hold my own in male-dominated environments. Acting in melodrama and teaching Spanish tuned my ear to “hear” dialogue. I love writing dialogue—especially between the hero and heroine. Personally, I’m fortunate to have married a man who enthusiastically supports my writing—even though he’s not my targeted audience.
Tell us about UNRAVELED and where we can find it.
UNRAVELED is an e-book available for all devices from The Wild Rose Press (publisher, )Amazon, Barnes and Noble. It’s also available in print from the same sources. Release is tentatively scheduled for early October.
Which character is your favorite and why?
I’m a big fan of the heroine, Quinn Alexander. Her blind loyalty to her brother strikes a cord for me. She reminds me of how easily we can excuse the bad behavior of those we love.
Will there be any sequels or other books in the same series?
I do have a sequel started, starring my second favorite character in the book. JR Ryder is a maverick cop who falls for Quinn and sets off on a path of quiet self-destruction. Her plea to him to help her find her missing daughter forces him to work with a partner who offers his only hope of redemption.
What is the hardest scene you had to write in this piece?
The hero cheated on the hero four years ago. Writing the scene in which she forgives him and lets him back into her life was tough—because she has deep fears of abandonment. (Her father abandoned her when she was seven).
That would be a difficult scene to write. What are you working on right now?
MISSING, the romantic-suspense sequel to UNRAVELED.
What would your readers be surprised to learn about you?
I love to dance Zumba. I go to Zumba classes three times a week and find I write much better after kicking up my heels.
I love it! Where can we find you on the web?
http://alliehawkins.com
Is there anything you’d like to ask our readers?
Two questions: What kinds of flaws appeal to you in heroes? How important is it that the hero is a hunk? (That is, what other qualities and values trump good looks?)
May 18, 2012
Friday Quickie
25 quickie facts about Rachel Brimble:
Birthday? April 10th
Favorite color? Red
Favorite animal? Dog
Siblings? Older brother
Favorite drink? Dry white wine
If you were a jelly bean flavor, what flavor would you be? Coconut – because I have very exotic taste!
Favorite author? Nora Roberts
Favorite dish? All pasta dishes!
Ice cream flavor? Mint choc-chip
Favorite Season? Summer – because it’s so rarely seen in the UK!
Plotter or Pantser? Plotter…and a bit of pantser too
Hobbies? Reading/knitting/walking
Dream vacation? Maldives
Favorite TV show? Friends
Musical preference? Soft rock
Pet peeve? Prejudice
Favorite place to write? Sofa with my dog beside me
Favorite song? She – Elvis Costello
Odd family fact? We were rescued by helicopter from the 2010 French floods
Unforgettable moment? See above
Favorite Superhero? Superman
Spicy or not? Spicy
Cat or Dog? Dog
Favorite candy bar? Snickers
Favorite guilty pleasure? Jelly donuts from our local bakery
Summarize your book Twitter style – 140 characters or less:
Danger, love, risk and reward – it’s got it all! Paying the Piper, romance with a dash of humor
BUY LINK
Birthday? April 10th
Favorite color? Red
Favorite animal? Dog
Siblings? Older brother
Favorite drink? Dry white wine
If you were a jelly bean flavor, what flavor would you be? Coconut – because I have very exotic taste!
Favorite author? Nora Roberts
Favorite dish? All pasta dishes!
Ice cream flavor? Mint choc-chip
Favorite Season? Summer – because it’s so rarely seen in the UK!
Plotter or Pantser? Plotter…and a bit of pantser too
Hobbies? Reading/knitting/walking
Dream vacation? Maldives
Favorite TV show? Friends
Musical preference? Soft rock
Pet peeve? Prejudice
Favorite place to write? Sofa with my dog beside me
Favorite song? She – Elvis Costello
Odd family fact? We were rescued by helicopter from the 2010 French floods
Unforgettable moment? See above
Favorite Superhero? Superman
Spicy or not? Spicy
Cat or Dog? Dog
Favorite candy bar? Snickers
Favorite guilty pleasure? Jelly donuts from our local bakery
Summarize your book Twitter style – 140 characters or less:
Danger, love, risk and reward – it’s got it all! Paying the Piper, romance with a dash of humor
BUY LINK
To learn more about Rachel and her books please visit her website: http://www.rachelbrimble.com/
May 17, 2012
Random Photo Day
I missed random photo day last week because I was traveling for work. So this week I thought I would share with you what I saw while on the road. Spring in West Michigan.
This is the highway I was traveling:
The view from the rest area I stopped at:
This is the highway I was traveling:
The view from the rest area I stopped at:
Isn't is gorgeous?
May 15, 2012
Welcome Guest Blogger Paty Jager
Contest! I’m giving away a $5 Amazon gift certificate to one lucky commenter on this post.
Sarah, Thanks for having me here today!
The spirit Trilogy is three books depicting different times in the lives of the Lake Nimiipuu or the Nez Perce band that lived in the Wallowa Valley where I grew up. The idea for the books came to me after reading a Tony Hillerman mystery. I love the idea of Native American spirits and the stories told my elders that talk of spirits. The good spirits and the bad.
In the first book, Spirit of the Mountain, set before the encroachment of the whiteman on their lands I have the good white wolf spirit battling a bad black wolf spirit. The old good versus evil plays out in the mortal side of the story as well. The first book showed how the Lake Nimiipuu came to love the land of their fathers.
In Spirit of the Lake, the second book, I used a story I’d heard while growing up in the Wallowa Valley and discovered it was a true Nez Perce myth or legend. I put a bull elk spirit living in Wallowa Lake. The legend says that an antlered creature lives in the lake and Nez Perce children were told that if they were bad the creature would come out of the lake and take them away from their families. This legend was one of many that taught children how to behave. This book was set during the time the whiteman was moving into the valley and the Nimiipuu struggled to get along to avoid being placed on a reservation.
The current release, Spirit of the Sky, is about the third sibling, the younger sister who is a bald eagle. This story takes place along the 1400 mile pursuit of the Army to place the nontreaty Nez Perce on a reservation. Sa-qan, Bald Eagle, watches the battles from the air and tries to help her people but finds it hard to do so as a spirit. When a cavalry officer spares her life and insists he can help her, believing she is a hostage because of her white hair and golden eyes, she is confused by his concern. And later when she returns the favor by saving his life they discover that while they should be enemies, they have a common ground. They both want to stop the slaughter of the Nez Perce.
Spirit of the Sky
by Paty Jager
by Paty Jager
To save her from oppression, he must save her whole tribe. To give her his heart, he must desert his career…
When the US Army forces the Nimiipuu from their land, Sa-qan, the eagle spirit entrusted with watching over her tribe, steps in to save her mortal niece. Challenging the restrictions of the spirit world, Sa-qan assumes human form and finds an unexpected ally in a handsome cavalry officer.
Certain she is a captive, Lt. Wade Watts, a Civil War veteran, tries to help the blonde woman he finds sheltering a Nez Perce child. While her intelligent eyes reveal she understands his language, she refuses his help. But when Wade is wounded, it is the beautiful Sa-qan who tends him. Wade wishes to stop the killing—Sa-qan will do anything to save her people.
Can their differences save her tribe? Or will their love spell the end of the Nimiipuu?
Excerpt
The plants parted, revealing the contorted face of a soldier squinting down the length of a rifle pointed at them. Girl of Many Hearts squeaked. Sa-qan drew the child behind her, using her body as a shield. As a spirit she could not be killed by a mortal’s bullet.
A man dressed in buckskin pants and a soldier’s shirt with leader markings appeared behind the soldier pointing the rifle at them.
“No, Private! Leave them be!” The command rang with authority. The man’s dark eyes, shaded by the brim of a hat, narrowed, staring at her. “We’re only after the warriors. Go.” He pushed the soldier from the water and stepped closer.
“Are you a captive?” He held out his hand not holding a weapon. “I can help you. Take you from this.” His voiced dropped to a deeper, calming tone.
Sa-qan met his gaze. Should she let him know she spoke his tongue? The compassion in his eyes was a harsh contradiction to the violence still raging through the village. She shook her head and pressed Girl of Many Hearts farther into the river.
He took another step forward. “I can help you. We’re going to keep after these people until they give in. I know the army. They don’t give up.” The sorrow and weariness in his tone puzzled her.
She thought all soldiers thrived on attacking and harassing the Nimiipuu.
“I can get you away from this now, before it gets worse.” He took another step.
His nostrils flared as the stinging scent of burning hide filled the air along with terrified high-pitched screams.
“Damn!” The soldier lunged out of the river and ran toward a group of teepees being lit on fire.
Bio:
Wife, mother, grandmother, and the one who cleans pens and delivers the hay; award winning author Paty Jager and her husband currently ranch 350 acres when not dashing around visiting their children and grandchildren. She not only writes the western lifestyle, she lives it.
She is a member of RWA, EPIC , and COWG. She’s had eleven books and a short story published so far and is venturing into the new world of self-publishing ebooks.
Her contemporary Western, Perfectly Good Nanny won the 2008 Eppie for Best Contemporary Romance and Spirit of the Mountain, a historical paranormal set among the Nez Perce, garnered 1st place in the paranormal category of the Lories Best Published Book Contest. Spirit of the Lake was a finalist in the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence.
You can learn more about her at her blog; www.patyjager.blogspot.com her website; http://www.patyjager.net or on Facebook; https://www.facebook.com/#!/paty.jager and twitter; @patyjag.
Blog Tour Contest! Each blog stop has a picture of an eagle in the post. Follow the tour and send me the number of different pictures you see while following the tour. To learn where I’ll be go to my blog(http://www.patyjager.blogpsot.com) or website(http://www.patyjager.net) If there is more than one correct entry I’ll draw a winner on May 21st to receive a $25 gift certificate to either Barnes and Nobles or Amazon, a handmade custom ereader cover, and chocolate. Send your entry number to: patyjag@gmail.com by May 21st.
May 11, 2012
Friday Quickie
25 quickie facts about Tricia Jones:
Birthday? 29 July
Favorite color? Red
Favorite animal? Dog
Siblings? Younger brother
Favorite drink? Champagne
If you were a jelly bean flavor, what flavor would you be? Blackcurrant
Favorite author? Only one? It would have to be Nora Roberts
Favorite dish? Fish and Chips
Ice cream flavor? Liquorice
Favorite Season? Spring
Plotter or Pantser? Pantser with plotting tendencies
Hobbies? Reading, gardening, playing with puppy, travelling, sleeping
Dream vacation? Monte Carlo
Favorite TV show? Castle and Neighbors (Australian soap)
Musical preference? Eclectic
Pet peeve? Injustice
Favorite place to write? My study
Favorite song? Lady Magdalene by Neil Diamond
Odd family fact? Hmm, nothing springs to mind. We’re a pretty normal bunch.
Unforgettable moment? Standing with my husband and watching elephants come to the waterhole at Treetops in Nairobi
Favorite Superhero? Wolverine
Spicy or not? Hate spicy food, but love spicy books
Cat or dog? Dog. We puppy walk for guide dogs.
Favorite candy bar? Bounty
Favorite guilty pleasure? Chocolate
Summarize your book Twitter style – 140 characters or less:
An old fairy gate and a crusading redhead thwart "Bull" McKinley's plans for a lucrative development deal.
BUY LINK
Birthday? 29 July
Favorite color? Red
Favorite animal? Dog
Siblings? Younger brother
Favorite drink? Champagne
If you were a jelly bean flavor, what flavor would you be? Blackcurrant
Favorite author? Only one? It would have to be Nora Roberts
Favorite dish? Fish and Chips
Ice cream flavor? Liquorice
Favorite Season? Spring
Plotter or Pantser? Pantser with plotting tendencies
Hobbies? Reading, gardening, playing with puppy, travelling, sleeping
Dream vacation? Monte Carlo
Favorite TV show? Castle and Neighbors (Australian soap)
Musical preference? Eclectic
Pet peeve? Injustice
Favorite place to write? My study
Favorite song? Lady Magdalene by Neil Diamond
Odd family fact? Hmm, nothing springs to mind. We’re a pretty normal bunch.
Unforgettable moment? Standing with my husband and watching elephants come to the waterhole at Treetops in Nairobi
Favorite Superhero? Wolverine
Spicy or not? Hate spicy food, but love spicy books
Cat or dog? Dog. We puppy walk for guide dogs.
Favorite candy bar? Bounty
Favorite guilty pleasure? Chocolate
Summarize your book Twitter style – 140 characters or less:
An old fairy gate and a crusading redhead thwart "Bull" McKinley's plans for a lucrative development deal.
BUY LINK
To learn more about Tricia Jones and her writing please visit her website: http://www.tricia-jones.com
May 8, 2012
Welcome Guest Blogger Jannine Gallant
Why Do You Read Books?
I’ve been asking myself this question a lot lately. Why are some books huge successes, while others, equally well-written and entertaining, remain unknown and unread by the vast majority? Could it all boil down to luck?
What prompts you to choose a book? I read for two reasons – fun and my local book club. Let’s look at book club choices first. We invariably chose a book that is (or has been) on the best seller’s list, that is by an acclaimed author, that has a topic we can sink our teeth into, or that is the “in” book to read. Invariably, I fall asleep reading these books and don’t finish them, though there have been a few exceptions. The plot (if there is one) is generally slow to unfold; the characters are not always sympathetic. I find myself thinking, GET ON WITH IT ALREADY. Yet these books are being read by millions. By now you’re all wondering, why is she in this book club? I’ll admit, it’s a social event with great food and wine, and somebody has to have the dissenting voice at these things! LOL
When I choose a book to read, it’s to be entertained. Not to be enlightened. Not so I can have something erudite to say around the water cooler. Not because it’s the book everyone is reading. (I’m too old to cave in to peer pressure!) I choose a book with a plot that sounds fun or exciting and characters who are engaging. I want to like the people I’m reading about, cheer them on, and sigh when they get their happy ending. I do expect the story to flow smoothly, the facts to be spot on, and the grammar to be flawless.
So, why do you read the books you read?
I wrote Nothing But Trouble when I saw the call out for the Honky Tonk Hearts series with The Wild Rose Press. Cowboys, a honky tonk bar, a bull named Stud Muffin… (Okay Stud Muffin was my addition. LOL) What could be more fun than that! I hope everyone who reads Nothing But Trouble has a smile on their face when they finish and a warm feeling in their heart for the HEA ending.
A big thank you to Sarah for having me on her blog today. Happy reading everyone!
Chase Paladin avoids commitment like a patch of stinging nettles. He's seen how love can trample a man, and he doesn’t plan to get hitched—ever. But when Honor Jackson walks into his life, hell-bent on keeping her distance, she turns his convictions inside out.
One look at the too-handsome cowboy with laughing green eyes and a killer smile, and Honor knows he's nothing but trouble. She's come to Redemption, Texas to help an old friend, not to let another man charm her into certain heartache.
But every time she turns around, Chase is there, and the closer they get, the more she fears he’ll break her heart. So when anonymous threats make it clear that someone in Redemption wants her gone, Honor is ready to oblige. Only now Chase isn’t certain he can live without her.
Will two wary hearts take a chance on love before it's too late?
Excerpt:
Chase reached over and gave her arm a squeeze. The imprint of his fingers on her bare skin tingled like a brand.
“I’m sure you’ll do just fine. Soon as word gets out, you’ll draw the locals like bees to honey.”
She rolled her eyes. “I’ve never heard that line before.”
“I can see I have an uphill battle ahead. Charming you won’t be an easy task.”
Leaning her head against the high vinyl seatback, she avoided his smiling eyes. “More like impossible, so don’t bother trying.”
His lips firmed. “Is it me in particular, or are you always this friendly?”
She didn’t answer immediately. Stroking the dog’s silky coat, she spent a moment composing her thoughts. “I’m sure you’re a whole lot of fun. You’re handsome and entertaining.” She let out a breath. “You’re probably a firecracker in bed to boot.”
He coughed and shot her a wide-eyed glance.
“But I’m not in the market for a fling with a good-looking cowboy.”
“Why not?”
“Huh?”
“What happened to put you off men?”
“Life happened. I plan to work for Andee for a couple of months and get my ducks in a row before moving on. I’m pretty sure—make that one hundred percent positive—getting involved with you would complicate the equation, and I’m no math whiz.”
“What are you a whiz at, besides putting men in their place?”
Places you can find Jannine and her books:
Website: http://www.janninegallant.com/
Blog: http://janninegallant.blogspot.com/
Group Blog: http://www.rosesofprose.blogspot.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/#!/JannineGallant.Author
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/JannineGallant
I’ve been asking myself this question a lot lately. Why are some books huge successes, while others, equally well-written and entertaining, remain unknown and unread by the vast majority? Could it all boil down to luck?
What prompts you to choose a book? I read for two reasons – fun and my local book club. Let’s look at book club choices first. We invariably chose a book that is (or has been) on the best seller’s list, that is by an acclaimed author, that has a topic we can sink our teeth into, or that is the “in” book to read. Invariably, I fall asleep reading these books and don’t finish them, though there have been a few exceptions. The plot (if there is one) is generally slow to unfold; the characters are not always sympathetic. I find myself thinking, GET ON WITH IT ALREADY. Yet these books are being read by millions. By now you’re all wondering, why is she in this book club? I’ll admit, it’s a social event with great food and wine, and somebody has to have the dissenting voice at these things! LOL
When I choose a book to read, it’s to be entertained. Not to be enlightened. Not so I can have something erudite to say around the water cooler. Not because it’s the book everyone is reading. (I’m too old to cave in to peer pressure!) I choose a book with a plot that sounds fun or exciting and characters who are engaging. I want to like the people I’m reading about, cheer them on, and sigh when they get their happy ending. I do expect the story to flow smoothly, the facts to be spot on, and the grammar to be flawless.
So, why do you read the books you read?
I wrote Nothing But Trouble when I saw the call out for the Honky Tonk Hearts series with The Wild Rose Press. Cowboys, a honky tonk bar, a bull named Stud Muffin… (Okay Stud Muffin was my addition. LOL) What could be more fun than that! I hope everyone who reads Nothing But Trouble has a smile on their face when they finish and a warm feeling in their heart for the HEA ending.
A big thank you to Sarah for having me on her blog today. Happy reading everyone!
NOTHING BUT TROUBLE
by Jannine Gallant
by Jannine Gallant
Chase Paladin avoids commitment like a patch of stinging nettles. He's seen how love can trample a man, and he doesn’t plan to get hitched—ever. But when Honor Jackson walks into his life, hell-bent on keeping her distance, she turns his convictions inside out.
One look at the too-handsome cowboy with laughing green eyes and a killer smile, and Honor knows he's nothing but trouble. She's come to Redemption, Texas to help an old friend, not to let another man charm her into certain heartache.
But every time she turns around, Chase is there, and the closer they get, the more she fears he’ll break her heart. So when anonymous threats make it clear that someone in Redemption wants her gone, Honor is ready to oblige. Only now Chase isn’t certain he can live without her.
Will two wary hearts take a chance on love before it's too late?
Excerpt:
Chase reached over and gave her arm a squeeze. The imprint of his fingers on her bare skin tingled like a brand.
“I’m sure you’ll do just fine. Soon as word gets out, you’ll draw the locals like bees to honey.”
She rolled her eyes. “I’ve never heard that line before.”
“I can see I have an uphill battle ahead. Charming you won’t be an easy task.”
Leaning her head against the high vinyl seatback, she avoided his smiling eyes. “More like impossible, so don’t bother trying.”
His lips firmed. “Is it me in particular, or are you always this friendly?”
She didn’t answer immediately. Stroking the dog’s silky coat, she spent a moment composing her thoughts. “I’m sure you’re a whole lot of fun. You’re handsome and entertaining.” She let out a breath. “You’re probably a firecracker in bed to boot.”
He coughed and shot her a wide-eyed glance.
“But I’m not in the market for a fling with a good-looking cowboy.”
“Why not?”
“Huh?”
“What happened to put you off men?”
“Life happened. I plan to work for Andee for a couple of months and get my ducks in a row before moving on. I’m pretty sure—make that one hundred percent positive—getting involved with you would complicate the equation, and I’m no math whiz.”
“What are you a whiz at, besides putting men in their place?”
Places you can find Jannine and her books:
Website: http://www.janninegallant.com/
Blog: http://janninegallant.blogspot.com/
Group Blog: http://www.rosesofprose.blogspot.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/#!/JannineGallant.Author
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/JannineGallant
May 4, 2012
Friday Quickie
25 quickie facts about Georgie Lee:
Birthday? Gemini
Favorite color? Green
Favorite animal? Dog
Siblings? 1 sister
Favorite drink? Diet Wild Cherry Pepsi
If you were a jelly bean flavor, what flavor would you be? Pineapple
Favorite author? W. Somerset Maugham
Favorite dish? Prime rib medium rare with a baked potato
Ice cream flavor? Medieval Madness from Thrifty
Favorite Season? Summer
Plotter or pantser? Pantser
Hobbies? Movies, reading, history, thrifting.
Dream vacation? Egypt
Favorite TV show? Absolutely Fabulous
Musical preference? Alternative
Pet peeve? Clamshell packaging
Favorite place to write? In the living room with a Diet Wild Cherry Pepsi next to me.
Favorite song? DJ Culture by the Pet Shop Boys
Odd family fact? One of my aunts was a burlesque dancer in L.A. in the 1960s.
Unforgettable moment? The morning my husband proposed.
Favorite Superhero? Mr. Fantastic. I love Ioan Gruffudd
Spicy or not? Not
Cat or dog? Dog
Favorite candy bar? Twix
Favorite guilty pleasure? Buying jewelry.
Summarize your book Twitter style – 140 characters or less:
Romance meets ancient Rome in this fast-paced story of love, betrayal and conspiracy during the reign of Emperor Caligula.
KINDLE / NOOK / CARINA PRESS
Website: www.georgie-lee.com
Birthday? Gemini
Favorite color? Green
Favorite animal? Dog
Siblings? 1 sister
Favorite drink? Diet Wild Cherry Pepsi
If you were a jelly bean flavor, what flavor would you be? Pineapple
Favorite author? W. Somerset Maugham
Favorite dish? Prime rib medium rare with a baked potato
Ice cream flavor? Medieval Madness from Thrifty
Favorite Season? Summer
Plotter or pantser? Pantser
Hobbies? Movies, reading, history, thrifting.
Dream vacation? Egypt
Favorite TV show? Absolutely Fabulous
Musical preference? Alternative
Pet peeve? Clamshell packaging
Favorite place to write? In the living room with a Diet Wild Cherry Pepsi next to me.
Favorite song? DJ Culture by the Pet Shop Boys
Odd family fact? One of my aunts was a burlesque dancer in L.A. in the 1960s.
Unforgettable moment? The morning my husband proposed.
Favorite Superhero? Mr. Fantastic. I love Ioan Gruffudd
Spicy or not? Not
Cat or dog? Dog
Favorite candy bar? Twix
Favorite guilty pleasure? Buying jewelry.
Summarize your book Twitter style – 140 characters or less:
Romance meets ancient Rome in this fast-paced story of love, betrayal and conspiracy during the reign of Emperor Caligula.
KINDLE / NOOK / CARINA PRESS
To learn more about Georgie Lee and her writing visit her:
Website: www.georgie-lee.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/georgie.lee.96
Twitter: @GeorgieLeeBooks
May 3, 2012
Random Photo Day
This is me, taken using a sketch setting on my son's phone designed to make the photo resemble a drawing. The item in front of my face is a plate - I hate having my picture taken.
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