Summer Jordan's *Spicy* February Contest!

February is the little month with the big heart.

Warm your heart (and more) with a HOT READ!

But Then There Was You ~ by Summer Jordan

Books We Love Spice

Deanna doesn't have time for a relationship. All she wants is wild, steamy sex with no strings attached. But opportunities are few and far between. Then brandy-eyed Jake, a hot, hard Texan, appears on the scene. A rancher who's visiting in the area for only a couple of weeks, he looks like the perfect man to fulfill her lust-filled dreams. Locked together in a supply room during a power outage, Deanna throws caution to the winds and herself into Jake's strong arms where he gives her everything she wants.

Jake is not the 'marrying kind' but he has yearnings of his own and Deanna satisfies them all. Like him, she's not looking for commitment, so they're totally right for each other. Their hot, mind-blowing sex leaves them lusting for more, but all too soon it’s time for the long, hard Texan to head home. Suddenly, Deanna realizes that despite her best intentions, those strings are not only attached but cutting right through her heart. 

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00I2YMCCU 

            Enter a drawing to win a book from Summer’s back list. To enter, send an e-mail to summerjordan@rock.com with But Then There Was You in the subject line and the title of the book from her backlist that you’d like to win. To decide, go to

http://summerjordan.com/  or http://bookswelove.net/jordan.php

– Drawing March 1

 Winner will be announced here on the blog. Good Luck!

Why Wait - Ginger Simpson

WHY WAIT FOR A WINNER WHEN THERE ARE PLENTY OF WINNERS TO CHOOSE FROM with Ginger Jones Simpson at www.gingersimpson.com

Why won’t Meagan Murphy’s father allow her to date anyone in uniform? He must have reasons he hasn’t shared, but contrary to Daddy’s rules, Meg meets Ryan Cullen while volunteering at the USO and throws caution to the wind. Ryan only has a short time before his unit ships out, and Meagan intends to make the most of the time they have left together. His parting gift is a ring on her finger and a request that she wait for him to return. Will he make it home to ask permission for her hand…or are all those nightly radio newscasts about mounting casualties warning her to prepare for the worst?

Countdown to Valentine's Day - Ginger Simpson

Click Here to proceed to  my Pinterest Board - By Karen Cote

Betrayed by Ginger Simpson The advertisement claimed: “Find your true love; we’ll match you with the person of your dreams.” Their irritating spam clogged her computer inbox. "Free tonight? Let’s chat." Cassie Fremont thought of hitting the ‘trash’ button, but the promises were alluring. Divorced and so lonely, Cassie signs up for the on-line dating service. What she doesn’t know is the cost of the ticket for her ride on the romantic roller coaster from hell. See more at http://www.gingersimpson.com

And stay tuned for the next "Relationship" story - Deceived.  Coming one of these days...after I finish Yellow Moon.  :)

Killarney Sheffield's Foster Parenting Video

Books We Love author Killarney Sheffield is very involved with the BC Ministry of Child and Social Services to encourage  foster care in Canada. In this great video, Killarney talks about how she came through the system herself. Please check it out!

Find out more about Killarney's BWL titles here, and follow the links to her website, blog and Facebook pages. http://bookswelove.net/sheffield.php

A Look into the Life of Officer and Author Ron Crouch

by DARRYL KNIGHT The Standard

From The Standard article, found here

NORTH DURHAM: After a 35-year career in law enforcement spanning two continents, local North Division police officer Ron Crouch will be hanging up his badge this week.

The veteran officer has been with Durham Regional Police since 1992 after beginning his career in law enforcement in his native England in 1978. Since 2002, Officer Crouch has worked out of DRPS’ North Division.

However, his journey to become a police officer began several years earlier.  "It was 1971, and human rights was in its infancy, so they turned me down because I was too short. Half an inch too short," said Officer Crouch.

So, instead Officer Crouch joined the Merchant Navy as a navigator, an adventure that allowed him the opportunity to see the world.

"I had this romantic idea of girls in grass skirts and tropical islands." recalled Officer Crouch "During the next six years I worked aboard oil tankers, including super tankers, general cargo ships and container ships. I never did meet any girls in grass skirts during that time, but I sure saw a lot of sea and a lot of desert and had many adventures along the way. My fondest memories are of navigating the Norwegian fjords."

In January 1978, Officer Crouch joined the Sussex Police, and was posted to the busy seaside town of Brighton for 11 years before spending an additional 18 months in the village of Storrington.

It was a turbulent time in the UK, and according to Officer Crouch, led to several violent incidents.

"Respect for the police was nonexistent. Just about every arrest resulted in a fight; few were willing to come quietly." Officer Crouch told The Standard. "This was the era of riots across the UK, including the almost decapitation of Constable Keith Blakelock during the Brixton riots."

In July of 1990, Officer Crouch arrived in Canada after 10 years of applications, but the trip was almost very short-lived.

"I almost went back in the first hour, because I ran into Canadian bureaucracy," said Officer Crouch.

After a series of jobs, and subsequent lay-offs led him to almost return to his native England after just 18 months, Officer Crouch was hired by Durham Regional Police, spending time in the Major Crimes Unit in Oshawa before heading to North Division in 2002.

Widely respected throughout the department, the interview with The Standard prior to his final night shift on the force was frequently interrupted by well-wishing comrades who came to pay respect to Officer Crouch.

"Ron genuinely wants to help people - even career criminals - he wants to get to the root of the problem so that he never has to see you again for the wrong reasons," said Constable Craig Mullen. "The compassion that he shows people, I haven’t seen in another officer that I’ve worked with."

According to Officer Mullen, the positive impact Officer Crouch has had on the community over his 11 years at North Division is evident everyday.

"Not a single day goes by that someone doesn’t stop to thank Ron for the things he’s done to help them and the way he’s treated them," added Officer Mullen.

Aside from his career in law enforcement, Officer Crouch is also an avid painter as well as a writer.

In recent years, Officer Crouch has self-published a children’s book and had two adult books published by Books We Love, a crime/romance novel set in Ontario and a crime mystery set in England. As retirement from the force looms, Officer Crouch is looking forward to publishing a memoir of his experiences over a 35-year career in policing.

In a career marked by highs and lows, it’s the camaraderie of the position that Officer Crouch will remember most fondly.

"What I think I’ll miss most is the banter and laughter in the locker room at the end of the shift between he crossover of the two platoons," Officer Crouch said. "And the old guys I sit with in the morning at McDonald’s."

His legacy of compassion for all people will live on through the efforts of those proud to have served alongside him with DRPS.

"Ron has taught me aspects of policing that I’ll carry over through my career and pass on to younger officers," Officer Mullen said. "Ron has made me a better police officer." 

Find Ron's BWL titles here

IT'S BECOMING PAINFUL TO WATCH TV by Ginger Simpson

I've always been very open to suggestion and even had to stop watching Marcus Welby M.D. in my youth because I manifested the same symptoms the morning after I viewed an episode. Now don't class me as a hypochondriac... there's a vast difference between inventing illness and mimicking one.

I thought I had a pretty good handle on that problem, but now I have to worry about the side affects of the medicines I take...you know all those things they babble at sound faster than the speed of light at the end of the recommending ad?. Would you rather have RLS (Restless Leg Syndrome) or a severe gambling problem? I'm not sure. Depends on my luck, I guess.

Although I don't suffer from the condition, I'm thrilled that those with genital warts are trying to protect their partner by taking a little pill a day, but how happy will they be when their mates suffer a stroke? How about that commercial that shows someone slumbering restfully after ingesting just one little tablet? How peaceful can you sleep when complex behaviors such as “sleep-driving” have been reported by people taking the drug. I kid you not! And what about this epidemic of penile flacidity? Is that even a word? Has this always been a problem and if so, why are we forced to hear about it now? Shouldn't that be a personal issue?

I take medication for atrial fibrillation that comes with a warning list a mile long. I can't take over-the-counter cold medicines because I might have a stroke, and if I combine it with a certain anti-depressant, I might become suicidal. Next thing I know, I won't be able to have sex on a night with a full moon in any month beginning with J.

What happened to the days when we didn't have to hear about feminine itching, hemorrhoids and especially sexual dysfunction. Do we really want to see a couple who has that problem, see the twinkle in their eye and know their business? I don't. I'm an author and I believe in a good romance, but I like something left to the imagination. Don't you?

Killing Your Darlings

or The Dangers of Thinking 'Outside the Box'...by Jenna Byrnes

This post was originally written a few years ago when I was a regular columnist on the 'Oh Get A Grip' blog. Hope you enjoy the reboot!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I thought long and hard about the subject this week, "Killing your darlings."

Huh.

None of my darlings has ever died.

You see, I write HEA. Happily ever after. Killing off one of the main characters works directly against the HEA affect I strive to achieve.


Do I ever put them through torment before that last page is turned? Duh. Books need conflict, or there won't be an interesting story. Most often, the conflict involves something dreadful that's keeping Boy #1 away from Boy #2 (or Girl #1, if you swing in that direction!) As with most good movies or TV shows, the conflict could usually be solved if an objective third party would sit Numbers 1 and 2 down and set them straight with the facts. But that wouldn't be nearly as much fun.

Recently, I tried to kill off a character. Not a main, but a secondary 'snitch' that had a fairly decent role in a cop short story I wrote. As usual, I sent it to my second set of eyes, Jude Mason, for editing. She sent it back with some red marks, some nice comments, and the phrase, "I don't think killing that guy is going to work."

Harumph.

It was my story, and I wanted the dude to die, so I left it in. I got the acceptance back with a contract and short note from my editor, "I really don't think that guy should die at the end. Not a very 'romance novel' thing to do."

Well, whaddaya know? Jude Mason was right. LOL (Okay, she usually is. But sometimes I fight it as much as possible.) And so, with the click of a few keyboard keys, the snitch was pulled back from the brink of death and was healing nicely by the end of the story. I didn't really mind making the change, but sometimes I question the 'in the box' parameters that romance writers have to stick with. I get tired of men who must be alpha males, and just once, I'd like to send one careening over a cliff at the end of a book. I know, I know...not a very 'romance novel' thing to do. But I've often wanted to try my hand at horror. Maybe there, it would work.

Heh heh heh! 


Jenna Byrnes
Page Scorching Erotic Romance
http://www.jennabyrnes.com/
http://bookswelove.net/jennabyrnes.php  

The Back Nine

 

 I FIRST STARTED READING  & WAS READING FAST UNTIL I REACHED
THE THIRD SENTENCE. I STOPPED AND STARTED OVER READING SLOWER AND
THINKING ABOUT EVERY WORD. THIS EMAIL IS VERY THOUGHT PROVOKING. MAKES
YOU STOP AND THINK. READ SLOWLY!

 AND THEN IT IS THE WINTER OF YOUR LIFE€¦   TODAY IS THE OLDEST YOU'VE EVER BEEN, YET THE YOUNGEST YOU'LL EVER BE,

SO ENJOY THIS DAY WHILE IT LASTS.

 You know ... time has a way of moving quickly and catching you unaware
of the passing years It seems just yesterday that I was young, just
married and embarking on my new life with my mate. Yet in a way, it
seems like eons ago, and I wonder where all the years went. I know that
I lived them all. I have glimpses of how it was back then and of all my
hopes and dreams.

 But, here it is... the "€œback nine" of my life and it catches me by
surprise...How did I get here so fast? Where did the years go and where
did my youth go?

 I remember well seeing older people through the years and thinking that
those older people were years away from me and that “I was only on
the first hole” and the "back nine" was so far off that I could
not fathom it or imagine fully what it would be like.

 But, here it is...my friends are retired and getting gray...they move
slower and I see an older person now. Some are in better and some worse
shape than me...but, I see the great change...Not like the ones that I
remember who were young and vibrant...but, like me, their age is
beginning to show and we are now those older folks that we used to see
and never thought we'd become.

 Each day now, I find that just getting a shower is a real target for
the day! And taking a nap is not a treat anymore... it's mandatory!
Cause if I don't on my own free will.. I just fall asleep where I sit!

 And so...now I enter into this new season of my life unprepared for all
the aches and pains and the loss of strength and ability to go and do
things that I wish I had done but never did!! But, at least I know,
that though I’m on the “back nine”, and I'm not sure how long it
will last...this I know, that when it's over on this earth...it's over.
A new adventure will begin! Yes, I have regrets. There are things I
wish I hadn't done...things I should have done, but indeed, there are
many things I'm happy to have done. It's all in a lifetime.

 So, if you're not on the “back nine” yet...let me remind you, that
it will be here faster than you think. So, whatever you would like to
accomplish in your life please do it quickly! Don't put things off too
long!! Life goes by quickly. So, do what you can today, as you can
never be sure whether you're on the 'back nine" or not!

 You have no promise that you will see all the seasons of your
life...so, live for today and say all the things that you want your
loved ones to remember...and hope that they appreciate and love you for
all the things that you have done for them in all the years past!!

 "Life" is a gift to you. The way you live your life is your gift to
those who come after. Make it a fantastic one. LIVE IT WELL! ENJOY
TODAY! DO SOMETHING FUN! BE HAPPY ! HAVE A GREAT DAY Remember "It is
health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver. LIVE
HAPPY IN 2014!

 LASTLY, CONSIDER THIS: ~Your kids are becoming you......but your
grandchildren are perfect! ~Going out is good.. Coming home is better!
~You forget names.... But it's OK because other people forgot they even
knew you!!! ~You realize you're never going to be really good at
anything.... especially golf. ~The things you used to care to do, you
no longer care to do, but you really do care that you don't care to do
them anymore. ~You sleep better on a lounge chair with the TV blaring
than in bed. It's called "pre-sleep". ~You miss the days when
everything worked with just an "ON" and "OFF" switch.. ~You tend to use
more 4 letter words ... "what?"..."when?"...” ??? ~Now that you can
afford expensive jewelry, it's not safe to wear it anywhere. ~You
notice everything they sell in stores is "sleeveless"?!!! ~What used to
be freckles are now liver spots. ~Everybody whispers. ~You have 3 sizes
of clothes in your closet.... 2 of which you will never wear. ~~~But
Old is good in some things: Old Songs, Old movies, and best of all, OLD
FRIENDS!!

 Stay well, "OLD FRIENDS!" ! It's Not What You Gather, But What You
Scatter That Tells What Kind Of Life You Have Lived.



 HAPPY NEW YEAR MY FRIENDS

INSOMNIAC

No Sleep by Milosaur

 

It’s 11:11 p.m. Sometimes, it’s 12:12. And other times it’s 3:33 or, maybe, it’s 4:56.  These clock times engage my imagination. They happen mostly the dark hours, when I wake up, check the time, shake my head and either stagger off to the bathroom, let the cat in or out, or wander around the house for a half an hour until my old joints unkink sufficiently so I can go back to sleep.

I suppose I shouldn’t waste time thinking about whether this means anything, but the problem is that during the '60’s I dabbled in numerology, and that years earlier, sitting on the floor to the off-stage right of a Barbadian bar, this little girl read books about aliens visiting earth in ancient times, which accounts for most of our mythology, or about prehistoric collisions of the earth with Venus, or about contemporary African tribes who somehow or other know all about the invisible-to-the-naked-eye-red-dwarf companion of the blue giant star, Sirius. I’ve been soaking in this other-worldly, one-brick-shy-of-a-load content since I was a post war precocious child, with predictable results.

Whenever I wake up at night, I always look at the clock, and because there is usually some variation of what I take to be a “meaningful” configuration, I’ve begun to imagine these are messages—from somewhere about something. Don’t ask me what, although I’ve spent plenty of 2-4 a.m. hours wondering.

Are these omens, messages from a hitherto uncommunicative universe? 

Is the TARDIS land going to appear in my bedroom? (Cool!)

Is some Nightmarish Being from an occult Lovecraftian dimension with three toes and a long snaky snout lurking just behind the bedroom door?

Is my ship—so long awaited—about to come in?

Or is it all simply a series of unrelated events, just “random chaos ”(as one of my friends has it), business as usual on this particular plane?

 ~~

Juliet Waldron
Author of Mozart's Wife, Roan Rose, Nightingale
and other historical novels. 
http://www.julietwaldron.com
http://www.amazon.com/author/julietwaldron
 

It's All About Blogging

Following is a post I shared in 2007 on my own site.  I love to go back and read how much I've grown as an author and what sort of things I've added to my schedule.  Of course, I see a ton here I no longer do, and friends I've lost contact with.  Sad, but I've made a hundred new ones since then, so I can't be unhappy with the outcome.  The bottom line:  Blogging has brought me joy.  My most current comments are in ( ) below each paragraph.


 How long have you been blogging?
 Not long at all. Only since the very end of September (2006). I began in 2004 with a monthly newsletter and my membership grew to over 550. Although I enjoyed producing a monthly rag, I hated the bounced emails, the constant changing of them, and just the general headaches. So, when blogging became all the rage, I decided to give it shot. The downside was losing all my subscribers, but I found a way to add a subscription link and I actually forced everyone to sign up. Not really, I thought I could import my addresses but found I couldn't, so I spent three nights typing in addys complete with those stupid spam guard letters and numbers. When I went to bed last night, I swore they were tattooed on the inside of my eyelids. I'm happy to say that most of the people I subscribed, confirmed and have signed on for another round of torture. (I have since invited Rita Karnopp to join me, and I benefit from the wisdom in articles she shares on her days.)

 What inspired you to start a blog and who are your mentors? 
 As an author, you have to establish a fan base and I like to know mine. I love interacting with people, and blogging makes that easier. The newsletter was fun while it lasted, but this allows people to comment back to me and let me know what they think. I can also invite other friends to come and share information on days when I'm just too lazy to blog myself. Mentors? I didn't know many people who blogged until I started myself, so I guess I'm my own mentor.
 (I must credit Jude Pittman with getting me started.  I was through her BWL group that I gained my followers…her interactive comment section  allowed me to interact with people who had stopped by, and I believe most of the people who continue to follow me have been with me for a long time. Thank you Jude…not only for being a forward-thinker before you started Publishing, but for helping a new author establish herself.)

 Are you trying to make money online, or just doing it for fun? 
 You can make money doing this? Since I had no idea, I suppose I should be truthful and say I do this for the fun of it. I also write because that's what I love to do. If I was in it for the money, I'd have hung up my keyboard a long time ago. Despite all the promotion I do, my last royalty check barely covered a Happy Meal.  (Things have definitely changed for me since then.  I moved up to Burger King and Whoppers. *lol*)

 What 3 things do you struggle with online? 
 a) The biggest struggle for me the lack of tone in email. There is none and it's hard to keep from adding my own. You know we all have those days when we're pissy and it's very easy to beat myself up with my own attitude. I think I'm insecure and I need my Mommy!  (Still struggle with this and forget that people use their own moods to inflict tone in what you write…I'm a people too, so I have to question myself many times before I respond with a biting tone.)

 b) The next hardest thing for me is saying no when people need help. I'm not a computer geek by any means, but I seem to have a tad more expertise than some, and I find myself fixing boo boos, moderating, doing videos, and tons of other things that take time away from my writing.  (I only say no when it's physically impossible.  I truly believe that being a successful author depends on those with whom you surround yourself.  I will always help promote others, and do what I can to keep us all moving upward.)

 c) The final struggle for me is finding time to visit all the networking sites and being able to keep my own pages current. We have BEBO, BOOKFACE, BOOKPLACE, MYSPACE, SHELFARI...just to name a very few. It's almost impossible to be visible on all of them if I want to keep up with my blogging. I've yet to find a happy medium and I'm driving myself nuts. Good thing it's a short jaunt.

 What 3 things do you love about being online?
 a) It takes away my feelings of solitude. Since I retired from my academic counseling job, I'm a stay-at-home "Nee Nee" to a five-year-old grandson. I hunger for adult conversation, and email and my networking sites is how I get my fix these days.  (Nothing changed here.  The majority of my best friends are people I've never met.)

 b) I'm a closet comedienne and I love to make people laugh. I have a serious side to my blog, but I also like to blend in a lot of humor. Everyone needs a chuckle now and then, and if I can brighten someone's day, I do. Blogging gives me a chance to laugh at the world and myself.  (I love to infuse humor in almost everything I write.  It's hard being serious all the time, so when I get a chance, I like to make people laugh…it's the best medicine, if you haven't heard.)

 c) One of greatest thing about being online is learning new things. Of course then this takes me back to one the struggles of being on line...saying no to people. I've learned to do video trailers, even started a little side business called, TrailMix, Videos. Setting up a Myspace page wasn't a daunting task, but you'd be surprised how many people can't figure it out. I've mastered moderating yahoo groups and setting up my own, and it seems that either people are playing dumb or they really find it a challenge. Nonetheless, I guess I'm destined to be a patsy for anyone in need. There's a lot of satisfaction in it. Makes an old gal feel smarter than she really is. :) I guess now, what I need to do is tag three more people for you to meet. Hmmm, let me see: Yvonne Perry is is a wonder. She's one of the busiest people I know but manages to organize and involve people in great blog chains that connect one to another. I've met some great people and drifted to spaces I would never have found on my own. Vicki Gaia is a good friend and fellow author I met on a critique group. I admire her positive attitude and spirit, and she's been a tremendous help in honing my work for submission to publishers. Anne Whitfield is another good friend and fellow author who started a Historical Fiction critique group and invited me to participate. I've made great progress, good friends, and turned out some pretty decent books thanks to Anne and her group. I owe her a lot. So there you go. This was fun. Thanks to Helen Ginger for recognizing my site and awarding me the 'meme'. I titled this "All About Blogging" but it really was all about ME! Hope you enjoy visiting the other sites and learning about how other people blog. Probably not as crazily as I do, but as entertaining I'll bet.
 (Sadly, the people I've mentioned are ones with whom I've lost contact with, but like I said…I've made many more friends than I ever imagined.  They may not know my face, but they know my name.  I no longer do videos for other people, it's been ages since I've been to MySpace, preferring FB instead, and I've also let go of lots of "time sucks" such as Yahoo groups that provided nothing more than endless excerpts which I doubt many people took time to read and reading reviews from trolls who take delight in desecrating the work of others.  I've also relinquished many networking sites in favor of those I know are frequented by those who love to read.)

So, now you realize why I'm monopolizing this blog. All the reasons above, plus people will only follow a blog that has frequent entries and interesting content.  Jamie put effort into creating this blog for BWL authors, and that's me.  I'm doing my part because I owe BWL a great deal of gratitude…and I love Jude and Jamie.  Next time, I'm going to share one of Rita's interesting posts.  She's a wise woman with tons of good reads.

Always Learning By Ginger Simpson

Writing is always a learning experience. And a confusing one. I thought creating a novel would be the hard part, but I was wrong. It's deciding which helpful critiques of your work make the most sense.

It's a known fact, if you solicit an opinion, you'll get one...and you may not always like it or agree. This aptly describes being in a critique group. Although, it's often a task to glean the most helpful suggestions from the stack, I encourage every new author to find a group and join. You may receive some negative comments, but you get tons of positive ones that help keep you focused. You have to remember the reason you joined is to help hone your story into it's very best, and everyone has an opinion on how to do that. *lol* The secret is to select suggestions that don't change your voice or alter your story-telling ability, but improve the flow and correct the flaws.

Receiving critiques is like going through an editorial process. You must keep an open mind and consider each possibility. If I like a suggestion, I follow it, but if I don't, I hold firm to what I've written. Sometimes, it's my voice coming through, and what separates my story from any other. Every critique or editing provides an opportunity to learn something new.

Herein lies a problem. When I post excerpts, I always notice something I know now that I wish I'd known then. *lol* But, one of these days, I'm bound to write that award-winning novel with all these facts floating around in my head. At least, as I write now, I stop and remember to replace was with a more active word, or remove the could, would and should to keep my story in the present tense and remove the passive voice. I don't need all those necessary instances of that. I stop and re-read the sentence with and without it, and frequently hit the delete button.

I now look for and delete prepositional phrases (to him, at her) at the end of sentences. A reader is usually smart enough to know what is implied. And certainly, if there are only two people in the room, most tags aren't needed. Nothing is more annoying than every sentence identifying the speaker when I can figure it out on my own. Don't treat your readers like they're dummies. *lol*

I've been told that phrases like 'seemed to," "tried to," and "began to," actually weaken a sentence. It's better to stay in the active mode. Example: The aroma of apple pie seemed to fill the room. Why not say: The aroma of apple pie filled the room and made his stomach rumble.

And hardest of all for me to remember: Cause & Effect. Something has to happen BEFORE some has a reaction. Example: She jumped when the door slammed might be considered okay, but it's better if The door slammed and she jumped. So much to remember!

See what I mean? If not for my critique friends and my wonderful editors, I'd still be just a story-teller. There is a distinct difference between that and being a novelist. The secret is in drawing the reader in, making them experience the smells, feel the emotions, and believe they can see and feel along with the characters. It's not an easy task, but the more I learn, the better I become.

Not a BWL Pub, But by One of Our Authors....

I decided to post an endorsement for a book not published by BWL but by one of our authors.  Sometimes, books published elsewhere lead reader's here because they are so impressed with the writing, they want to read more.  This is what I experienced when I read this book..  Killarney is an awesome author and I'm happy to share a recommendation that I don't give lightly:

Through Gypsy Eyes by Killarney Sheffield

All-in-all, this was a story I will long remember and I'm so glad I read it. If you're looking for a romance that contains a whole lot more, you'll appreciate the fact Ms. Sheffield has left most of the sexual exploits to your own fantasies, and she's written in twists and turns you'll not see coming. I consider this worthy of my "I Dug It" award.

If you're interested, it's economically priced by Crimson Romance and available for your Kindle on Amazon.

Making Resolutions

Like many other authors, I'm resolving to spend more time writing and turning out good books, but how long will the momentum last? For years, I've spent time making resolutions only to discover that I spent more time listing the things I wanted to change than actually making any changes.  Let's face it...diet's keep getting postponed to 'next Monday,' along with those exercise program we plan to start.  I know...I'm still waiting for the Monday to come that is just right to cut back on chocolate. I don't expect to see it anytime soon.

Life often gets in the way of our best intentions, so I don't have much faith in resolutions.  In fact, I've stopped making them because of continued disappointment in my lack to exhibit the tenaciousness needed to make changes.  Someone once said, "You can't teach an old dog new tricks," and I'm rather feeling like that old cur these days.  If you couple that saying with "Old habits die hard," you have two really significant reasons why resolving to change doesn't work.

Oh, I'm not totally resistant to change, I'm just being realistic.  I an say I'm going to sit in front of my computer more often and complete those works-in-progress, but chances are I'm kidding myself.  Once I surpassed the age when I truly expected to be dead, I resolved to enjoy life more.  Now, I not only have to contend with reality TV programs, Facebook has hooked me with Pet Rescue and Candy Crush. Last night, when I went to my desk to actually do some work, I discovered Royal Dice.  So, even though I resolve to avoid resolutions, I am going to try harder to be a more productive author...or at least win more dice games.

Happy New Year, ya'll.

Make a Joyful Noise by Ginger Simpson

Anne Collins curled up in her over-stuffed easy chair and glanced at the daily newspaper. The glass of wine on the end table reflected the crackling fire beyond the hearth. Her workday had prompted her to fill a much larger goblet than normal. If one more person mentioned having a ‘Merry Christmas’, she thought for certain she’d lose control. This year, the yuletide held no reason to celebrate. Her husband, Daniel, lay in the hospital, hanging by a thread. Being festive rated last on her ‘to do’ list.

Warmth spread throughout the room as the logs on the grate crackled and popped, chasing away the chill brought on by frigid temperatures and two feet of snow outside. Anne grew comfortable and tossed the paper aside. She picked up her white zinfandel and sipped it while reflecting on past holidays.

She always considered her life was full and blessed…until the diagnosis. Daniel never smoked a day in his life. How did he end up with throat cancer? Surely there were plenty of murderers or child molesters God could punish. Why her husband? He was the epitome of everything good.

Tears trickled down her cheeks, and she took a tissue from a nearby box and blotted her face. Hell couldn’t be any worse than watching Daniel waste away, suffering with every breath. The radiation and chemotherapy burned his throat and made it impossible for him to speak.  Seemed an eternity had passed since he flashed that smile she loved so much.

This was the first time in their married life she’d picked out and put up a Christmas tree without him. The anger festering inside made her want to rip it down, burn the gifts, and rant at the Lord for the unfairness, but…

A blast of cold air blew into the room as the door opened. “Hey, Mom, sorry, I’m late, but I stayed after school to finish up a science project.”

A smaller version of her mother, fourteen-year-old Casey slugged inside, stamping her feet on the rug in the foyer to clear the flakes from her boots. Peeling off her coat, she tackled the layer of sweaters beneath. “Boy, it is freezing out there.”

She opened the hall closet and hung everything inside, then turned to her mother with an arched brow. “Do you realize it’s the second week of December and we’re the only house on the block without outside decorations?”

Anne took a sip of wine to hide a grimace. “I know, dear. I just haven’t been in the mood this year.” She looked at her daughter and sighed. Casey was the only reason Anne hadn’t cracked under the stress.

Casey crossed the room and perched on the chair’s arm. “I can help put up the lights, Mom. All we need is a ladder. Dad left the little hooks up from last year.”

Anne shook her head. “We’ll do just fine without lights, Casey. Besides…” She stared into her lap, her eyes blurred with unbidden tears.

“Dad’s going to get better and come home, so why are you acting like he’s gone?” Casey stood and pulled her lips into pout. “You know how much he enjoys the holidays.” Her chocolate eyes glistened in the firelight, her tone demanded an answer.

Anne rose, walked to the mantle and picked up a filigreed picture frame. Looking upon Daniel’s smiling face sent pain stabbing at her heart. The photograph had been taken the year they went to Maui. Now thin and gaunt, he barely resembled the man she saw. It’d been weeks since he’d even acknowledged her presence in the hospital room.

She put the photo back and turned to her daughter. “Casey, I just can’t muster up any Christmas spirit. Your dad isn’t doing very well and I don’t feel very festive.” She returned to her chair and downed the rest of her wine, hoping it would numb her worried mind.

Casey peered down at her. “I know if Dad was standing here, he’d be disappointed that you’ve lost faith. Why have we gone to church all these years if you can’t trust God to take care of things?” She spun and stomped out of the room.

Anne pondered the question. Why couldn’t she trust God? The answer was easy. He’d allowed Dan to get sick in the first place. She stood and wandered into the kitchen, her wine glass in hand. After pouring a re-fill, she gazed out the window over the sink at the drifts of snow in the backyard. The old tire swing Casey used to love still hung from a giant branch now devoid of leaves. The setting sun was lost behind a gray wintry haze, and everything looked frozen. While her mind questioned God’s motives, Anne watched until the last trace of daylight disappeared and darkness fell.

She picked up her goblet and started to turn from the window, but a flash of light caught her eye. Too bright at first, it soon softened, and Anne blinked in disbelief.

The shimmering outline of an angel, dressed all in white, appeared just outside the glass. A glowing halo shone brightly above her head, and the assuring smile on her face sent a peaceful feeling coursing through Anne’s body.

The entity raised her arms, and as if by magic, an orb of light floated from her hands and rose into the heavens. Anne’s gaze followed the star’s trail as it climbed higher, illuminating the yard, the trees, the swing, and the old storage shed in the corner where Dan kept the gardening tools. Anne thought to call her daughter to witness the scene, but couldn’t find the voice to do it. She stood rooted to the spot, her eyes fixed on the wonder outside.

The heavenly creature floated a few feet above the ground and gestured toward the sky. The gray haze was gone and a canopy of stars twinkled above. One stood out above the rest, sending a blaze of light flashing to the ground. In the snowdrift just beyond the trees, Anne beheld another wonder. Unveiled one letter at a time, an invisible hand seemed to etch the glowing word ‘believe’ into the blanket of white. Anne gasped, trying to call out for Casey, but the image, along with the angel, vanished as quickly as they’d appeared. The stars still twinkled brightly overhead, but the yard turned dark again.  Her mouth agape, Anne marveled at lightness in her heart.

***

Casey sat at the desk in her room. Christmas music played softly on her radio, and she struggled to concentrate on her homework. How could she possibly focus on school when things at home were so depressing? She couldn’t bear to think of life without her dad, and it hurt that her mother had all but given up on his getting better.

With a sigh, Casey stood and walked to the bookshelf across the room. She searched the shelves until she found her Bible. She thumbed through the index, looking for verses pertaining to hope and found Proverbs 3:3-4. Turning to the passage, she read:

Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man.She’d barely finished when she heard a strange noise coming from downstairs—a heavy thumping sound. Her put her Bible back in its place and tilted her ear to listen. She heard it again. Casey opened her door and the sound became louder. “Mom, what is that,” she called out.

When she received no answer, Casey went to investigate. The noise had stopped but she couldn’t find her mom. She walked through the entire house only to find it empty. A half-filled wine glass sat near the easy chair, but no sight of her mother.

The thumping began again—close and right outside. The porch light cast a strange-looking shadow on the front window. Casey grasped the knob and opened the door just a crack. She saw a ladder and a pair of legs from the knees down. She recognized the fur-lined boots.

“Mom, what are you doing up there?” Casey walked to the edge of the porch and peered up.

Bundled against the weather, her mother hammered at the wooden eave. “I’m putting up Christmas lights. Some of the hooks are loose and I’m tightening them. How about if you get a coat on and check the bulbs in the next strand while I finish hanging these.”

“But… I thought…” Forgetting the cold, Casey picked up a coiled cord and began unraveling it.

“I know, I know. I lost faith for a while,” her mother glanced down and nodded,” but for some strange reason, I’ve found it again. I have a strong feeling that Dad is coming home and we need to be ready.”

Casey smiled up at her mother. “Let me get my coat and I’ll be right back. Tomorrow we can put up the manger scene in the yard.”

“Good idea.” Anne went back to pounding.

Casey paused for a moment and looked to heaven. Her mind wandered to her last week's Sunday School lesson. Make A JoyfulNoise Unto the Lord - Psalm 100. "Who would've thought hammering could qualify?" she muttered, then smiled.  Humming “Silent Night,” she headed for the coat closet.  For the first time in weeks, she enjoyed feeling a sense of peace that magnified the joy of the holiday.  Faith would bind their family together; love would sustain them.

THE END! I finished Book 5 in the Curse of the Lost Isle series

Yep, I wrote THE END on the last page of the manuscript of CHATELAINE OF FOREZ, Book Five in the CURSE OF THE LOST ISLE series.

I'm going to polish it to a shine during the holidays, and send it to BWL as soon as they reopen in January. Publication date will depend upon how long it takes the editors (some of them in England), and BWL's talented cover artists, to put it together. I predict it will probably be in late February or early March.

Anyhoo... I'm very excited and celebrating right now. Although this is my... let me count... Twenty-third title (I had to go to Amazon to check how many I had already published), the thrill of finishing a book never gets old.

CHATELAINE OF FOREZ follows Melusine (after Lady of Luxembourg) on a new adventure (still based upon the authentic legends, this time in the independent province of Forez (France), where I had a great time researching the local archives a few years ago.

Here is the short blurb:

Still afflicted by the ondine curse, Melusine seeks the reincarnated soul of her lost beloved in the young Artaud of Forez, who reigns over the verdant hills south of Burgundy, on the road of pilgrims, troubadours and merchants. But this dark and brooding Pagan lord is not at all what she hoped. He knows nothing of their past love, her Fae nature, or her secret curse. Must Melusine seduce and betroth this cold stranger to satisfy the Goddess and redeem her curse?

The gold in the rivers instills greed in the powerful, and many envy the rich Lord of Forez, including his most trusted vassals... even the Archbishop of Lyon. When a mythological creature is sighted in the swamps, initiating a holy hunt, will Melusine find redemption from the curse, or will she and Artaud burn at the stake?

Find the first four novels of the CURSE OF THE LOST ISLE in kindle on Amazon HERE
There is also a box set including the first three novels (best deal)

Find out more at: http://www.vijayaschartz.com