Friday, September 30, 2011

Book Signing and Blogging

Me with my mom at Stovall's last year when OTD was released.
On Saturday October 1, 2011, I will be signing books at Stovall's Gifts: 101 Main St. Oxford, NC.
I'll have at least 10 copies of Wholesale Husband, my American historical, 6 copies of Slightly Tarnished, my British-set historical, and 3 copies of my paranormal vampire romance, Out of the Darkness.

If you live in the area, please stop by. I'd love to see some friendly faces and meet some new folks.

I'm also blogging at Caroline Clemmons' blog today. http://carolineclemmons.blogspot.com/2011/09/lilly-gayle-discusses-her-writing-plus.html Stop by and comment for a chance to win an e-copy of one of my books!

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Release Day is Today!


Today is release day for my American historical, Wholesale Husband.

Blurb:

She needs his name. He needs her money. But can a rich New York socialite and a poor Irish immigrant find true love in the gilded age?
Betrayed by her fiancĂ© and heart sick over her father’s death, Clarissa Burdick is further devastated when she learns she can’t inherit her father’s company—the company she loves—until she’s twenty-five or married. And Clarissa is neither. So she sets out to find a husband strong enough to protect her from her uncle’s thugs, too uneducated to run the company himself, and poor enough to marry a woman in name only.  But Irish immigrant Devin Flannery is smarter than he seems and more educated than Clarissa expects.  Her Wholesale Husband soon proves a greater risk to her heart than her company.
Excerpt:

“This is a serious proposal,” she insisted, gnawing her lip.
            “Who are you codding?” He leaned forward, stretching his leg, ready to descend from the suffocating confinement of the hansom cab.
            Again, she stayed him with a touch and again, his body reacted to the contact in a most unwanted way. He narrowed his eyes and pried her hand from his wrist.
            “Surely, you’ve heard of marriages of convenience,” she insisted rather desperately as she rubbed her wrist. “Well, this is an honest proposal. If you come with me to Mr. Tate’s office, I can give you a copy of the contract outlining a proposed marriage agreement between us. If you don’t trust my word or that of my attorney’s, then you can find someone to read the documents to you before you sign them.”
            She rubbed her wrist again. He considered apologizing for his rough handling but after her last comment, he thought better of it. Even after he’d confessed to some schooling, she still thought him too stupid to read.
Well, if she wanted a dumb Irishman, he’d give her one.
            “Aye, lassie. I’ll not be taking yer word for it and that’s fer sure.”
            “Then you’ll come with us?” 
            There must be something seriously wrong with me. But he’d play along, just to see how far Miss Burdick would take this dangerous game she played.
            “Aye,” he all but snarled. “I’ll go with you to the lawyer’s office, but I ain’t signing nothing until someone I trust has a look at those papers.”
            Miss Burdick’s luminous smile shone like the sun bursting through the clouds on a stormy day. Devin’s heart dropped to his stomach. Fiona would smile like that if he had the money to send her to that fancy boarding school.
Damn if he wasn’t actually considering her proposal.

The book is available through the publisher at http://www.thewildrosepress.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=191&products_id=4651 

Or from Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Wholesale-Husband-Lilly-Gayle/dp/1601549768/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1317161945&sr=8-1

Or, you can come to Stovall's Gifts in Oxford, NC on Saturday October 1st where I'll be autographing copies of Wholesale Husband and Slightly Tarnished. Hope to see some new faces there!




Monday, September 26, 2011

Blogging at KMN Books

Fall is here. Halloween is coming. Check out the great
selection of other wordly books at KMN Books, including
my vampire tale from last year, Out of the Darkness.

http://kmnbooks.blogspot.com

Friday, September 23, 2011

Meet British Author, Rachel Brimble


British author Rachel Brimble was kind enough to drop by today to answer some questions.
Thanks for visiting Rachel!

1-      When do you do your best writing? Morning? Evening? Or mid-day? And  how do you organize your writing time?
Morning, definitely – I tend to start my writing day at 9am and do an hour of interviews/blogs/emails and then spend the next four hours creatively with a ¾ hour dog walk in between. Then it’s the school run and chores…often with sneaks to and from the laptop until 7.30pm ;)
Chores sure do cut into a writer's valuable time. Huh? lol!
 
2-      Are you a reader as well as a writer? What have you read lately?
Can you be a writer if you don’t read?? I read as much as possible and tend to have two or three books on the go at any one time. Currently reading Iris & Ruby by Rosie Thomas which is fantastic, Remember Me? By Sophie Kinsella, hilarious & Highland Arms by Cathie Dunn, fabulous Scottish romance from a lovely fellow Wild Rose Press writer.

I've met writers who no longer read for lack of time. I admit, I don't read as much as I used to or as much as I'd like. But I'm trying to fit more pleasure reading into my life.

3-      How do you spend your free time when not reading or writing? Do you even have free time?
My evenings are usually spent in front of the TV with hubby and my two young daughters. On the weekend, we walk a lot. We spend hours walking our Labrador around the fantastic English countryside especially Wiltshire and the Cotswolds.

Visiting England is definitely on my bucket list!
 
Biddestone Box
4-      Since I love to travel and seldom do, I like to hear about other places. It’s one reason I love to read and write. I get to travel in my head. Much cheaper that way. Lol!  So, where do you live? What’s the climate and topography like?
See previous question, lol! I live in Wiltshire in South West England. It is full of surrounding fields and countryside steeped in history. I am attaching some pics of the surrounding villages, beautiful!

Bourton
Who needs to go on vacation with such beauty right at your back door? Gorgeous!

5-      Where is the most exotic place you’ve ever visited?
I haven’t really visited anywhere exotic yet although it is on the ‘to do’ list once the kids are grown. We’ve been to Zante and Fuerteventura which are beautiful places to holiday for sun, sea and sand.

Fuerteventura

Fuerteventura
I've never heard of Zante and Fuerteventura. I'll have to Google them. I love the sea and sand too. But I usually visit the NC coast since it's only about a 3-4 hour drive.

6-      Was it vacation, business, or research? And, have you ever combined travel and research?
Holiday – although most of the places I visit usually end up in one story or another. I think us writers just can’t help ourselves. We have to glean every idea possible from wherever we go and experience

I agree. I also find myself taking pictures of random places and things in case I ever need it for a blog or inspiration for a story.
 
    7- Where is your most recent release set?
In a bustling town in South West England – I based it on my own town but gave it a fictional name. Even though Paying The Piper is novel number six for me, I haven’t used my own town as a setting before so this one was quite easy to imagine, lol!

   8-     Tell us something about the book.
Sure. Paying The Piper is a great romance about two people fighting their demons in order to be together, set against the darker world of nightclubs.

Here’s the blurb:
Nightclub manager Grace Butler is on a mission to buy the pub where her
mother's ashes are scattered but the owner wants to sell to anyone but her. And that owner happens to be her father...who has a secret she
will do anything to discover.

Social worker and all around good guy Jimmy Betts needs funds to buy a house
for three special kids before their care home closes. Time is running out
and he's desperate for cash. He agrees to to a one-time 'job' for bad-man
Karl Butler. But in a sudden turn of events, Jimmy finds himself employed by
Karl's beautiful, funny and incredibly sexy daughter, Grace. Their lives
couldn't be more different, yet one thread binds them: they're both trying
to escape the bonds of their fathers. Maybe the only way they'll be free is
by being together, instead of alone.

Sounds like a great read!
 
9-      Lastly, what are you working on now?
I am currently writing a sexy contemporary romance that will be shorter than I usually write at around 65,000 words rather than the usual 85,000. This one is more category than single title and revolves around a heroine who wants to move her sexy lingerie and toy store next door to a single dad with four-year-old twins. Say no more… ;)

Talk about conflict. lol! That's going to be a fun read when it's done.
You can find Rachel's Paying the Piper at:
http://www.lyricalpress.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=81&products_id=424

Other books by this author can be found on her website:
http://www.rachelbrimble.com/books.html

Friday, September 16, 2011

Dissecting a Dream

“A dream is a wish your heart makes, when you’re fast asleep,” or so sings Cinderella in the 1950’s Disney  version of the classic fairytale.   But what do those dreams mean? Are they just random bits of data rambling around incoherently in our head when we turn out the lights and switch off our brains? Are they mental images of our deepest desires and darkest fears? Or perhaps psychic warnings?

According to Wikipedia, Dreams are successions of images, ideas, emotions and sensations occurring involuntarily in the mind during certain stages of sleep.[1]  It also states the content and purpose of dreams isn’t fully understood. But there is a lot of research and speculation.

When a person falls asleep, the body begins a cycle of sleep known as Non Rapid Eye Movement or NREM sleep. There are four cycles of NREM- which last between 5-15 minutes, followed by a brief period of Rapid Eye Movement or REM sleep. That’s the stage where the body twitches, the eyes move rapidly behind closed lids and the dreams begin. REM sleep lasts five minutes or less. Then the body begins a new cycle of NREM.

In stage one of NREM, the mind is drifting between sleep and wakefulness. The eyes are closed, the brain starts to slow down. Some people experience a falling sensation and will often twitch or jump and briefly awaken. This isn’t a deep sleep and it usually lasts 5 to 10 minutes. 

Stage 2 is another brief period of light sleep, the time when muscles relax, body temperature decreases, and the heart slows.  
In stage 3, sleep deepens until the body reaches Stage 4, the deepest stage where it is difficult to wake up. Stage 4 is also known as delta, sleep. Waking someone up during this time can cause them to feel confused and disoriented.

In Stages 3 and 4, healing occurs. The body repairs and regenerates tissue damage,  builds bones and muscle, and strengthens the immune system. Research shows that getting at least 8 hours of sleep a night can help prevent cancer and prolong life. But the older we get, the less deeply we sleep. 

As a person comes out of Stage 4 NREM sleep he/she passes into REM sleep and the dreams begin. This stage lasts about five minutes before the body begins the nest NREM cycle. If a person is awoken during or soon after REM sleep, he/she is much more likely to remember the dream--which is what happened to me the other day. 

When my alarm went off, I was in the middle of a strange dream…

I was in my bathroom. I was dressed but barefoot. I flushed the commode. The water started to rise and not go down. I knew I had to get a plunger. So, I turned to leave and before I could step out of the bathroom and into my bedroom, I saw water coming into my room. I turned toward the toilet but the water hadn’t spilled over the rim.  But the water was coming in from the bedroom and starting to rise. It was knee deep and something was floating in the water.

At first, I thought it was feces. I backed away as they floated toward me. But when I looked down, I saw chicken nuggets. Then I woke up.
Weird. And vivid. But what did it mean?


Dream interpretation is fascinating and while mine was still fresh in my mind, I decided to look up the key elements on this website: http://www.dreammoods.com/dreamdictionary/t.htm

And this is what I pieced together.
Toilet
 To see a toilet in your dream symbolizes a release of emotions. You need to get rid of something in your life that is useless. Seeing a toilet in your dream may also be a physical manifestation brought about by a full bladder. The dream is attempting to get you up and to the bathroom.
To see an overflowing or flooded toilet in your dream denotes your desires to fully express your emotions.
I wake up during the night to pee and I always have to pee when I wake up. But it wasn't an emergency. So, I don't think my bladder was trying to tell me anything. But I do have a lot of useless crap--like the junk in my garage I need to get rid of. I also have some useless emotions that could use some purging. I don’t normally have trouble expressing myself but words and emotions are two different things. I often keep my true emotions to myself.
To see water in your dream, symbolizes your unconscious and your emotional state of mind. Water is the living essence of the psyche and the flow of life energy. It is also symbolic of spirituality, knowledge, healing and refreshment.
To dream that water is rising up in your house, suggests that you are becoming overwhelmed by your emotions.
Could be on to something here. Things at the day job are stressing me out. Short staffed. Increased workload and being told I have to pull some weekend shifts. That’s stressing me out along with my current WIP. Just can't seem to finish it.
To hear running water in your dream, denotes meditation and reflection. You are reflecting on your thoughts and emotions.  (I heard the water flowing and the toilet running in my dream.) And I have been thinking about a LOT of things lately.
There was nothing about floating food/objects on chicken nuggets on the website, but-- 

To see food in your dream represents physical and emotional nourishment and energies.
Generally speaking, food in dream usually refers to food for thoughts, ideas, new beliefs, etc. They are ideas you take in and digest mentally.

This is encouraging. It could mean I’m digesting new ideas for the WIP. But obviously, I have emotional issues. Guess I need to finish this damn book so I’ll stop stressing and having these weird dreams.

So, what have you dreamed about lately?

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Remembering 9/11


One year ago today, 19 Islamic terrorists from al-Qaeda hijacked four US passenger jets: American Airlines Flight 11, United Airlines Flight 175, American Airlines Flight 77, and United Airlines Flight 93. It is a day that most of us will never forget.

For most, it began like any other day. But early that morning, terror struck the nation at 8:46 am when Flight 11, crashed into the north face of the North Tower at the World Trade Center.  

The plane plowed into the building between the 93rd and 99th floors with fully loaded fuel tanks, cutting off stairwells to the ground and sending a powerful shock wave down to the ground and up again. The plane ignited. People below the 93rd floor started to evacuate—no one above the impact zone could. The stairs were gone—elevators inoperable.

Between 8:48 and 10:28, people trapped on the upper floors of the north tower jumped to their deaths to escape the choking fumes and burning flames. It must have felt like hell on earth with death their only escape. Estimates range from 100 to 250 bodies fell to the earth. Daniel Suhr, a firefighter who arrived on the scene to help save lives, was hit by a falling body. The impact killed him instantly.

At  9:02, the New York Fire Department ordered an evacuation of the World Trade Center buildings, but one minute later at 9:03, Flight 175 crashed into the south face of the South Tower between the 77th and 85th floor. Parts of the plane exited the building and fell to the ground six blocks away. Millions saw the impact live. And they will never forget.

Following the second crash, an immediate evacuation began in the South Tower below the impact zone. 
Above the 77th floor, one stairwell remained intact, but if was filled with smoke. Unable to climb down through the choking fumes, many climbed upward to the roof, expecting an air rescue, but the doors leading to the roof exit were locked and the smoke was too dense to attempt an airborne evacuation. Those who climbed up perished.

At 9:05, presidential aids informed President George W. Bush that a second plane had crashed into the WTC. The president was reading to elementary students. He was previously notified of a plane crash in the North Tower but it was believed to have been an accident. The second crash left no doubt. America was under attack. But the president was surrounded by five year olds and he didn’t want to alarm them. He finished reading and was later criticized for his initial handling of the situation. But would it have been better to terrify those children by dashing out of the classroom unexpectedly?  

At 9:17, the FAA shut down all airports in New York City and by 9:21, all bridges and tunnels into and out of New York were closed. Otis Air National Guard established an air patrol over Manhattan and by 9:26, the FAA banned all civilian flights regardless of destination. 

Also at 9:17, all military bases in the United States increased their terror alert to Threatcon Delta. Threatcon Delta means a terrorist attack has occurred or intelligence indicates an attack against a specific location is likely. 

At 9:37, Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon, setting it on fire. Luckily, most of the offices on that side of the building were newly renovated and still unoccupied. But all 64 passengers on the plane died along with 125 people in Pentagon.

9:43: Authorities evacuated the White House and Capital.

 9:45: United States airspace shut down completely and all inflight aircraft were ordered to land at the nearest airport as soon as possible. All inbound international flights were redirected to Canada and Mexico. But Transport Canada closed it’s airspace as well. From that moment until September 14, 2001, there were no civilian planes in the sky. It was the first time in US history that air suspension was unplanned.

9:51: The New York Fire Department Battalion Chief reached the lobby of the 78th floor where many people in the South Tower had congregated to await rescue. The chief reported two large fires and numerous dead bodies.

9:59: Less than one hour after Flight 175 crashed into the South Tower of the World Trade Center, it collapsed. The crash sent smoke spiraling into the air, coating the ground below with white ash that looked like the residue of a volcanic eruption. Moments after the building collapsed, all police and firefighters were ordered to evacuate the buildings.

10:03 am: Eighty miles southeast of Pittsburgh, United Airlines Flight 93, crashed into a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania after passengers attempted to wrest control of the plane from the terrorists before the plane reached the hijacker's intended target in Washington, D.C  The passengers of Flight 93 died heroes.

10:28: One hour and 41 minutes after Flight 11 crashed into The North Tower of the World Trade Center, it too collapsed. The Marriott Hotel at the base of the tower was destroyed by the collapsing building. 

10:50: Part of the Pentagon collapsed.

By noon, airspace over the 48 contiguous United States was cleared of all commercial and private flights. It remained clear for three days.

Osama bin Laden, leader of the Islamic terrorist group al-Qaeda initially denied involvement but later bragged about the success of the mission, citing U.S. support of Israel, the presence of U.S. troops in Saudi Arabia, and sanctions against Iraq as motives for the attacks. 

The United States responded by launching a War on Terror. Troops invaded Afghanistan to depose the Taliban, a militant group harboring al-Qaeda members and the US and her allies went to war in the Gulf.
There are those who do not support the war. Those who believe it’s a war for oil. Or revenge. 

I believe it’s a war for peace—a war to ensure safety on American soil. As long as terrorist are allowed to murder and destroy without fear of reprisal, no one is safe. Al-Qaeda terrorists didn’t attack an enemy. They attacked innocent civilians of every race, creed, color and age. Muslims as well as Christians and Jews died in the 9/11 attacks—children and women as well as men. In all, more than 3000 people died that day. And the hunt for Osama bin Laden began.

After years at large, 40 troops, largely Navy SEALs raided a compound in Pakistan, killing the terrorist leader. On Sunday night, May 1, 2011, President Obama announced, “Tonight I can report to the American people and the world that the United States has conducted an operation that killed Osama bin Laden. Justice has been done.” 

But the fight against terrorism continues…

So, on this day, ten years after terrorist attack, let’s remember the innocent lives lost, the families of those who died, and the heroes who rose to the occasion. 

From the firefighters, first responders, and policeman who responded that day to the men and women of the armed forces who continue to fight against terror both at home and abroad, I thank you.

Friday, September 9, 2011

September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month

September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. And unlike breast cancer, there are no routine screening tests. Each year in the United States, more than 21,000 women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer and about 15,000 women die of the disease.One of those diagnosed this year is fellow HCRW and TWRP author Heather McCollum http://www.heathermccollum.com/

You can join Heather in her fight against ovarian cancer at https://www.facebook.com/SHOUTagainsttheWhisper?sk=wall&filter=2

Ovarian cancer is the 5th most common cancer among women.
The cause is unknown.
Some possible risk factors include:
Having no children or few children later in life.
Certain genes defects (BRCA1 and BRCA2) are responsible for a small number of ovarian cancer cases. Women who've had breast cancer or a family history of breast or ovarian cancer have an increased risk for ovarian cancer.
Women who take estrogen replacement only (not with progesterone) for 5 years or more seem to have a higher risk of ovarian cancer. Birth control pills, however, decrease the risk of ovarian cancer.(But can increase the risk of breast cancer.)

Older women are at highest risk for developing ovarian cancer. Most deaths from ovarian cancer occur in women age 55 and older but women in their twenties can also get ovarian cancer. It doesn't discriminate against age.

Symptoms-

Ovarian cancer symptoms are not overt. That's why it is known as the Silent Whisper. Often, the cancer isn't diagnosed until the cancer has spread beyond the ovaries because the symptoms are missed altogether or miss diagnosed.

See your doctor if you have the following symptoms on a daily basis for more than a few weeks:
  • Bloating- abdominal tightness, enlargement, or consistent tenderness.
  • Difficulty eating or feeling full quickly.
  • Pelvic or abdominal pain
Other symptoms can also inclued:
  • Abnormal menstrual cycles
  • Constipation, increased gas, indigestion.
  • Pelvic heaviness
  • Swollen abdomen or belly
  • Unexplained back pain that worsens over time
  • bleeding between periods.
  • lower abdominal discomfort
  • Weight changes

A physical examination may reveal a swollen abdomen and fluid in the abdominal. A pelvic examination may reveal an ovarian mass.
A CA-125 blood test is not a screening test but it can be used if a woman:
  • Has symptoms of ovarian cancer
  • Has already been diagnosed with ovarian cancer to determine how well treatment is working
Other tests that may be done include:
  • Complete blood count and blood chemistry
  • Pregnancy test (serum HCG)
  • CT or MRI of the pelvis or abdomen
  • Ultrasound of the pelvis
Laparoscopic surgery can also be done to evaluate symptoms and take samples for biopsy. There are no lab tests or imaging test that will diagnose ovarian cancer in its early stages.

Treatment

Surgery removal of the uterus, ovaries, tubes. Or surgical removal of both ovaries and tubes.
Partial or complete removal of the fatty layer that covers the abdomen and it's organs.
Women who have had there ovaries removed could still get ovarian cancer if ovarian cancer cells are in the omentum (fatty layer) of the abdomen.
  • Examination, biopsy, or removal of the lymph nodes and other tissues in the pelvis and abdomen
Surgery performed by a specialist in female reproductive cancer has been shown to result in a higher success rate.
Chemotherapy treatments are given after surgery and again if the cancer returns. 

For more information on ovarian cancer or to donate, please go to http://www.ovariancancer.org/about-ovarian-cancer/statistics/

Another way to support ovarian cancer research and awareness is to read an Avon Book. I don't write for Avon, but I love some of their authors. Check out there Kiss and Teal link: http://www.avonromance.com/kissandteal/