Friday, September 7, 2012

REMEMBER THE SIXTIES?


BLURB:  MAKE LOVE NOT WAR
Make love, not war was the catch cry of the 1960’s. Against a background of anti-war demonstrations, hippies and free love, Caroline’s life is in turmoil. Her soldier brother is on his way to the jungles of Vietnam. She discovers she is pregnant with her wealthy boss’ baby, and her draft dodger friend is on the run and needs her help. 


 HOW I REMEMBER THE SIXTIES:
At the risk of revealing my age, I have to say the 1960’s was my time. Mini skirts, stilettos (I’ve bunions to prove it), beehive hair dos, I couldn’t quite manage that, although I did tease the life out of my hair and regularly put in coloured rinses, French Plum or Rich Burgundy, were the colours I favoured. I can remember when the Beatles made their first visit out to Australia. A couple of girls I worked with were lucky enough to get tickets to their concerts, (we hated them, of course), they came to work the next days minus their voices, and stayed that way for about a week, because they had screamed so much.
We used manual typewriters in those days. One original and four copies of everything we typed. I don’t know how many blouses I ruined because I got ink on the sleeves from changing the typewriter ribbon or the black stuff off the carbon paper.
During this time the Vietnam War loomed in the background. The Australian government introduced conscription. It was in the form of a ballot, or the death lottery as many called it. All twenty year old males had to register, their birth dates were put into a barrel and a certain number were drawn out, and those young men had to report to the army and subsequently many of them were sent to Vietnam. This of course caused severe bitterness and division in the community, and even though the government denied it, was subject to abuse and unfairness. Rich men kept their sons at university so they didn’t have to go.  Conscientious objectors were thrown into prison. Only sons were called up, yet families with two or three eligible males didn’t have any of their boys called up.
I only had one brother, and I can clearly remember my father (a World War 2 veteran) vowing, that if his son got called up, he would protest on the steps of the parliament with a placard on his back.
There were protests marches, anti-war demonstrations, and things often turned violent. Not that I went to any of the protest marches, but a cousin of mine did and got trampled by a police horse. A very turbulent time in our history and I was right in the middle of it.
 Margaret
 
 

Monday, September 3, 2012

Howling Halloween Contest


Welcome to Books We Love's Howling Halloween Contest, running now through October 31.




Treat yourself to a feast of Halloween Indulgence
Drawing for Bon Appetite Basket on October 15.


  






Treat yourself to a chocolate indulgence day.  Drawing for Chocolate Indulgence Basket on September 15.

 



 

STOCK YOUR KINDLE WITH A BEWITCHING BREW
WIN ONE COPY OF EACH OF THESE KINDLE EDITIONS
DRAWING ON OCTOBER 31st:


Persephone Cole and the Halloween Curse
Listen to the Shadows
War N Wit Inc.: The Witch
Jude Pittman Triple Threat
Jamie Hill Triple Threat


PLUS EVERY WEEK SEPTEMBER THROUGH OCTOBER 31 WE WILL DRAW ONE LUCKY NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIBER'S NAME TO RECEIVE THEIR CHOICE OF ANY BOOKS WE LOVE EBOOK. WEEKLY WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED ON OUR BLOGS, ALL OTHER WINNERS WILL BE POSTED IN MONTHLY NEWSLETTERS.






We notify winners by posting in our newsletter and posting on our BLOG, if you don't  subscribe and/or visit the Blog you won't know if you win, we do not send an email to notify winners and we do not award prizes to non-subscribers.  If prizes are unclaimed 30 days after posting, they are returned to the prize pool and awarded in a subsequent drawing.  

All contestants must be newsletter subscribers.  It's easy. Our newsletter list is private and only used to announce new contests, new releases, winners of our prizes and new prizes available to be won!

Friday, August 24, 2012

Special Edition, Curse of the Lost Isle - by Vijaya Schartz

The SPECIAL EDITION for the CURSE OF THE LOST ISLE medieval romantic series is out! I must be getting famous!

Find it here: http://amzn.com/B0091HX7EE

This new release includes the first three novels in the series, PRINCESS OF BRETAGNE, PAGAN QUEEN, and SEDUCING SIGEFROI... and all at a super-friendly price!

I am delighted. Whether you love the series, or you haven't read any of the books yet, this is a treat, and a bargain. I'm glad Books We Love decided to make it easy for my loyal readers. And with Book 4, LADY OF LUXEMBOURG, coming out next season, this is the perfect timing.

If you are not familiar with this medieval romantic fantasy series, here is the theme:

From history shrouded in myths, emerges a family of immortal Celtic Ladies, who roam the medieval world in search of salvation from a curse. For centuries, imbued with hereditary gifts, they hide their deadly secret... but if the Church ever suspects what they really are, they will be hunted, tortured, and burned at the stake.

You may also visit my website to enter a contest to win Book 4 when it comes out. Click on CONTEST at the upper right on my website (link below). Good luck!

Hope you enjoy the read, like many already did.
Also visit my website for other series, genres, and titles.

Vijaya Schartz
Blasters, Swords, Romance with a Kick
http://www.vijayaschartz.com

Friday, August 17, 2012

Going crazy with history - by Vijaya Schartz


What is an author to do when historians of the period do not agree? What could be more frustrating than the main expert on this particular place and time saying: "and here history gets rather confusing" Really? My hero is in a dungeon, suffering from malnutrition, and I can’t even know in which or whose castle along the Marne River he is detained?

That’s what I’m up against with my work in progress: LADY OF LUXEMBOURG, to be published late this year. And that’s what I get for dealing with historical figures. Of course it wouldn’t be a problem if I didn’t care so much about historical accuracy. But as an author, I want to be as believable as I can be. I want the good people of Luxembourg, if they happen to pick up this novel, to feel that I did a good job of portraying Sigefroi, their national hero and founding father.

Don’t worry, though, I won’t spoil the story for you. It’s just that sometimes, when dealing with early medieval history, research becomes very difficult. And don’t get me started about Wikipedia or other online sources... Of course, the legends are easier to handle and provide much fodder for all kinds of neat details that make the story intriguing.

But enough venting. Back to writing. Hope you are enjoying the series. The rewards of writing it outweigh the frustrations.

In the meantime, you can read the first three books in the CURSE OF THE LOST ISLE series:

PRINCESS OF BRETAGNE:
http://amzn.com/B007K1EGAM
PAGAN QUEEN:

http://amzn.com/B007Z8F7IA
SEDUCING SIGEFROI:

http://amzn.com/B008LW18EG

Have a wonderful summer.




Vijaya Schartz, Romance with a Kick
Twitter: @vijayaschartz

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Where Do Writing Ideas Come From--Especially for a Circus Romance?

Readers ask me where I get ideas for stories.  Ideas come from everywhere, and often at times when I least expect them--from   newspaper and magazine articles, dreams, personal experiences, books, and movies--and so forth.  Yet from that germ of an idea my characters have sprung to life, fought their “dragons,” and won the battle!        

Okay, now for an example.  One day back when I first started writing, I read a magazine article about a circus family who performed as trapeze artists.  The son who’d been interviewed for the article said he was always careful not to make friends with teens “on the outside” because soon the circus would move on and he might never see that friend again. What a perfect conflict between an everyday teen gal and a guy who is committed to travel and perform with the circus! I decided. I told my critique group, “I think I can do this!” So I started researching the realities of circus life, trapeze artists, and circus veterinary medicine. Then I began writing and rewriting.  Several months later Merry Christmas, Marcie was born.  Imagine my surprise when I received a phone call from Silhouette’s YA editor only three days after I’d submitted the manuscript.  I nearly jumped for joy when she offered me a contract! 

After Merry Christmas, Marcie was published, a spin-off evolved--Summer Magic.  Now an older Marcie has emerged (I changed her name to Lisa), plus the central conflict has taken on on a slightly different twist.  Lisa, now a certified veterinarian assistant, accepts a job to work for the circus vet whom we met in the first story.  Although she realizes the earlier assistants had lasted only a short time because the vet was so difficult to please, Lisa is willing to take on the challenge.  She needs money to pay off medical bills following a serious snowboarding accident.  Soon, however, Lisa questions her ability to pass her probation, especially as one calamity with the circus animals follows another.  Even Michael, the dashing trapeze artist whom she’s strongly attracted to, expresses his doubts, which disheartens her further.  Still worse, Michael will not follow her if she leaves.  Recently, he’d given up circus life to work on "the outside" and was totally miserable.  He knew he had to get back to the circus, no matter what.  Again a barrier looms between Lisa and Michael:  she, the “townie” who will always most likely end up on the outside again, and he, the devoted circus performer who will always stay.

Blurb for SUMMER MAGIC 

When her fiance calls off their engagement, veterinarian assistant Lisa Prentice joins the circus in hopes of escaping the everyday grind. But life under the big top isn't quite what she expected. None of the veterinarian's former assistants managed to please their short-tempered boss, and Lisa fears that her days are numbered, too. Michael Figaro, a dashing young trapeze artist, is also caution about whether Lisa can stay, and because of that, he tries to keep his distance. Still, Lisa finds herself overwhelmingly attracted to him. Although Michael is the aerialist, it is Lisa who is flying on an emotional high wire. What happened to her safety net? Will their love survive?

Reviews for SUMMER MAGIC
"This breezy romance follows Lisa Prentice, a veterinarian assistant, as she begins her new job traveling with the Jessell and Stern Circus. She is interested in continuing the care of an Arabian horse named Ebony that she helped to save while the circus was on a layover in New York. Of course, she has other reasons for "running away with the circus". Her fiance', a prominent lawyer, has recently dumped her for another attorney. Lisa wants to heal by concentrating on her career. Enter Michael Figaro, the star aerialist with the circus and the son of the circus owner. Immediately, there are sparks between the two. However, Michael also has a jealous twin, a trapeze artist named Claudette, and Rita, the pretty aerialist who would like his attention. When Claudette begins to fall in the ring, Michael begins to spend more time with Rita, training her for Claudette's position. Will romance blossom between the two, or will his love for Lisa prevail?

This book is an example of the perfect romance. I enjoyed Ms. Voeller's ability to switch between the point of views of Lisa and Michael. I felt I knew all the characters very well. There were a few side plots beyond Lisa and Michael's romance, and I found that they only enhanced the feeling of the story. This is a great story to read in one sitting and spend a few hours swept away in the magic of the circus." Bethany Payne, Round Table Reviews


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