Love: Roman Style

I'm not just an author, I'm a reader. As long as there's a good story, a good romance, or preferably both, I'll probably read the book. And the idea of a historical romance set in Rome intrigues me.

I loved the movie Gladiator, but the ending made me cry. Wouldn't it have been a better movie if it had ended with a happily ever after?

Christine Elaine Black is my guest today and her new novel, Maximus, is set in ancient Rome.

Christine?

Hi Lilly!
As a writer of historically-themed romance, the most thrilling part for me is to create a situation for the characters and see how they deal with it. Sometimes I don’t exactly know the road my hero/heroine will take but I know the final result that I’m looking for.

Boy, do I love conflict and secondary characters to add spice and tension to the tale. In Maximus, book I of the Imperial Desire series, there is plenty going on.

Maximus is an imperial bad-boy who has defied the emperor of Rome and as an exile, he’s staying at an abandoned estate. The neighboring family intrigues him and even though his presence is not welcome, he begins a tentative friendship with a woman, her father and her young son.

Carissa recognizes the soldier from years ago and tries to avoid him but her young son is enthralled by the man and pursues a friendship. Carissa’s father, Milo, plays a significant role in the story. He’s convinced he holds information vital to the emperor but no one has taken him seriously in years and it’s not until Maximus realizes Milo’s true identity that events take a surprising twist, throwing Carissa into danger.

Ah, true love. The road is never easy but it’s so worthwhile once we reach the destination.

It was too difficult to say goodbye to my Roman family so I wrote the next installment, Taurus, to tell the story of Kallie, another member of the family. Taurus, book II of the Imperial Desire series is due out in 2013.

Thanks for hosting me as a guest on your blog, Lilly.

Here's a blurb from Maximus:


Carissa Valeria distrusts the handsome soldier who rescues her reckless son from plunging to an early death. Recalling the man's heartless treatment of her from years ago, she itches to even the score, but her son hails the rescuer as a hero. When he becomes her neighbor, her son's friendship with the soldier threatens to uncover old secrets and place her family and her heart in danger.

Exiled to the countryside by the Roman emperor, Maximus Octavius is confounded by the brittle countenance of the woman he's willing to befriend. She's afraid, and he's determined to find out why. But helping Carissa and her son means confronting the guilt of his long-forgotten past and stirring the silenced passion in his heart.

Can Maximus win Carissa before fear and revenge tear them apart forever?

Wow! Sounds great, Christine. And I bet it does have that happily ever after I crave in novels.
Readers can find Maximus on Amazon, The Wild Rose Press' website, and Barnes and Noble.

Find Christine on Facebook, her blog, or on her website.

Have You Voted?

Have you cast your vote today? Oh not for the presidential elections. I voted in the early elections last week. (Though if you haven't voted, I encourage you to do so. It's your civic duty.) But what I'm talking about today is the Sizzling Hot Book Reviews Cover contest. The voting starts today and ends on Saturday. And my newest release, Helpless Hearts is up for cover of the month this month. How cool is that?

Helpless Hearts is my first Indie published book and the one with the awesome cover designed by my very talented younger brother. I'd love to win the contest, but I'm up against some fierce competition from some of my favorite Wild Rose Press authors. So, if you get a chance, stop by http://www.amazon.com/Lilly-Gayle/e/B003O5OC6G/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1351858992&sr=8-1 and vote for Helpless Hearts.

The "poll" is on the far right hand side of the page. Just click the box by my book title and name and then scroll down to click "vote."

Thanks in advance for your vote!

Helpless Hearts Book Trailer

My latest release, a western historical romance set in the 1870's is now available.

You can find it on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Helpless-Hearts-ebook/dp/B009PSQ4MQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1351259841&sr=8-1&keywords=helpless+hearts

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/helpless-hearts-lilly-gayle/1113461519?ean=2940015572384

Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/244573

Paperback available now at Amazon Createspace: http://www.amazon.com/Helpless-Hearts-1-Lilly-Gayle/dp/1480101796/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1351260021&sr=1-1&keywords=helpless+hearts+on+createspace
Or through any other book vendor using ISBN: 10: 1480101796

But the best news of all? My brother designed a book trailer for Helpless Hearts and it's awesome! Take a look and let me know what you think:

American Holidays and Alana Lorens

July 4th is just around the corner, that famous holiday where Americans celebrate the birth of our young nation. And on this weekend before my favorite summer holiday, I have romance author
Alana Lorens who's in the midst of a dual blog tour.


A DUAL BOOK/BLOG TOUR!!

CONVICTION OF THE HEART (release date June 8, 2012)

And SECOND CHANCES (release date June 19, 2012)

The first and Second books of the Pittsburgh Lady Lawyer Series!

Come by the following blogs or live booksignings and leave a comment to be entered in a drawing—at the end of the tour, Alana will give away one ebook copy of each book and one paperback copy of each book—Four lucky winners! Check out all the websites at http://alanalorens.com


And now, Alana's going to share some thoughts on another American holiday.

So, take it away, Alana...

Holidays. The thought of a holiday dinner just conjures up pictures of steaming, aromatic dishes of food, happy music, the sounds of voices of all ages, and family. You know, all those family games and shared memories and chestnuts roasting on the open fire? Or maybe it’s more a gathering of nuts, period.

A whole group of family. Yes. What a perfect time to introduce your new “friend’ to a whole bunch of strangers at once! Who would put someone through such torture?

Nick Sansone, a Pittsburgh police lieutenant, is a friendly guy, but when the woman he’s after, attorney Suzanne Taylor, invites him to “meet the parents” at Thanksgiving dinner (at her persistent parent’s insistence), his heart has to stumble a little. But his own mother passed away several years before, and his retired cop father is just as happy with a turkey TV dinner. He’s about out of excuses.

Even worse, Suzanne’s father and two teenaged daughters are avid Steelers fans—and he roots for the Dolphins.

            Nobody’s perfect.

            What holidays have you spent trapped with a loved ones’ family—did it bring you closer or pull you apart?

Alana Lorens' Conviction of the Heart  is available from:
http://www.amazon.com/Conviction-of-the-Heart-ebook/dp/B0089PTPAO/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&qid=1340851365&sr=8-1

BLURB:

Family law attorney Suzanne Taylor understands her clients’ problems—her own husband left her with two babies to raise alone. Now that they’re teenagers, her life is full. The last thing she wants is the romantic attentions of a police lieutenant, no matter how good-looking. 

Lt. Nick Sansone is juggling the demands of a new promotion, and doesn’t need complications either. But when he sends a councilman’s battered wife to Suzanne for help, he realizes he wants to connect with the lovely, prickly lawyer on more than a professional level. 

They are soon confronted with a different battle, when the abused woman's husband threatens retribution. The powerful, well-connected councilman can damage both their careers—not to mention hurt those they love. Can they bend enough to admit they need each other in a time of crisis? Or will a husband’s revenge take them down before they ever get a chance?


EXCERPT FROM THE FATEFUL THANKSGIVING DINNER:

      “He’s nice looking, your lieutenant,” Maureen said, a twinkle in her eye as she poured them both a cup of coffee and set out the cream. “So tall.”
            “Yes, he certainly is.” Suzanne read her mother’s face, seeing only approval. “Just what the fortune teller ordered.” Tall, dark and handsome, wasn’t that the usual lingo?
            “You went to a fortune teller?” Maureen gasped.
            “No, Mom. I didn’t go to a fortune teller.” Suzanne laughed. “I’m teasing you. I told you Nick was a nice guy. He’s very thoughtful. Believe me, he wants to look out for us in every sense of the words. It’s his job, you know.”
            “That’s good.  You know I worry about you, Suzie. I know you’re one of these new liberated women who can take care of yourself and handle everything.” Her dark eyes searched Suzanne’s face, emotion intensifying as she continued. “Last year, when I almost lost your father, I learned that we all need to love and be loved. Facing the prospect of being alone scares me to death. You’re human, too. Your children love you, but not in the way each adult person needs, love, support, understanding. No man is an island—and no woman, either.”
            Silence hung for a few seconds in the kitchen, then Suzanne’s phone buzzed in her pocket. She took it out to look at it. A text message from her client Maddie. “Excuse me a minute, Mom.”
            She selected the message. He’s taken Katie!
            Irritation prickling through her skin, Suzanne apologized with her eyes and stepped into the pantry for some privacy, dialing Maddie’s number. When she answered, Suzanne said, “When did he take her?”
            “She must have slipped out this morning. I thought she was studying in her room, but she’s gone.”         Maddie’s voice cracked with the effort of holding back tears.
            “Did you call the police?”
            “Not yet. I called you first. I don’t believe he’s doing this! He knows the children are the only thing I care about.” The sobs tore loose, and Suzanne heard a loud clunk, as if the phone had been dropped, then anxious voices.
            “Maddie?” A growl of frustration escaped her. If Greg had broken into the house, someone should call the police. Do something.  “Maddie?”
            A moment later a scrabbling noise on the other end of the phone and then a relieved Maddie. “She’s here. She’s back. Joshua took her for a walk, but she told him she wasn’t going to Greg’s.” The hint of a smile in her voice. “I’m so sorry for disturbing your holiday. I promise I won’t call again.”
            “Don’t be silly. If you call, I’ll be there for you, Maddie.  That’s what I’m here for.”
            Maddie said goodbye and Suzanne held the blank phone in her hand a moment, glad the pantry door was closed. Maybe she could stall off her mother’s persistent nagging a little longer. Or at least formulate a coherent response.
            She only wants to see you happy. By her definition, that is. A happily married woman, at home, caring for her man.
            Suzanne shuddered. No, thank you. She enjoyed her independence and intended to keep it.
            The door opened suddenly, startling her. She nearly dropped the phone as she took a step back, ramming her shoulder into a thick shelf of canned goods. “Ouch!”
            Nick studied her curiously. His broad shoulders blocked the kitchen from her view. “What are you doing in here? Did your mom put you in time-out or something?”

Goals – Helpful or Hurtful?

Have you ever picked up a book by an unfamiliar author and knew from the first chapter that you were going to love his or her work? That's what happened when I read Katherine Grey's Regency romance, Impetuous. It's the type of Regency romance I love but with a unique twist. The hero is Spanish. And oh so sexy.

Now, Ms. Grey has another book out and she's agreed to guest blog with me today. So, please welcome romance author Katherine Grey as she weighs the pros and cons of setting goals.

Goals – Helpful or Hurtful?

When I first starting writing, I set the most unbelievable goals for myself though I thought they would be achieved with ease.  One of them was that I would write 10 pages of new material a day, 7 days a week all while holding down a full time job, long standing commitments 2 nights a week, and another long standing commitment from 8:30am to 3:00pm on Saturdays, and keeping the majority of my Sundays for family time.  I don’t think I ever wrote 10 pages in one day during that time, or wrote 7 days a week.  As each week passed that I didn’t meet that goal, I became more and more depressed.  I questioned my desire to be a published author.  If I wanted it so badly, then I should be able to meet that goal right?  Wrong. 

A very wise friend and fellow writer pointed out that it wasn’t that I wasn’t committed to getting published, I just had too much on my plate to enable me to devote that much time to my writing.  She suggested that I not set goals or to focus on smaller goals that would fit around my scheduled commitments.  

I sat down and looked at my schedule.  I decided I needed the time to devote to my writing so I gave 3 months notice to the proper people on those long term commitments that at the end of the 3 months, I would no longer be able to do them.  During that time I tried to write whenever I could but I missed the structure goal setting gave me.

I’ve come a long way since then.  I still like to set goals because they keep me on track and help me stay focused.  I set yearly goals, quarterly goals, and weekly goals.  But one thing that has changed is now-a-days my goals are very fluid.  For example, one goal is to write 20 to 25 pages a week.  By not nailing down a set page count per day, I give myself room in my schedule if something pops up and I can’t write on a certain day.

I also set goals in my non-writing life for things I want to accomplish by a set time or date though for some reason it doesn’t work when it comes to dieting.  I wonder what that says about me…probably that my weakness for ice cream on a hot summer night is greater than my desire to lose those unwanted pounds.  LOL.

Do you set any type of goals?  Do you find them helpful?  If you don’t set goals, why not?

Katherine,
This is such a timely topic as I'm having trouble with this very issue. I set goals I can't possibly reach and then feel like such a failure that I stop writing for weeks at a time. Then last weekend, I attended an awesome meeting of my local chapter. The topic was Brainstorming but one of the things the speaker said that resonated with me is this: "You can only eat an elephant one bite at a time." Writing is like eating an elephant. There's more there than you realize and the only way to achieve success is to set goals you can live with.

Check out Katherine's newest release:

The Muse

by

Katherine Grey

Blurb:

Noted poet Blaine Hobson counts the Prince Regent among his patrons. But ever since the socialite he wished to marry took her life, he has been unable to compose a single line of poetry. With a sonnet commissioned by the Regent due in a few weeks, Blaine spends his time alternating between trying to write...and wishing he had the courage to join his beloved in the grave.

Raised in an orphanage with her sister, seamstress Emma Tompkins lives with the guilt of her sibling’s death. Accidentally finding a suicide note penned by Blaine, she resolves to keep him alive at all costs. Vigilant, she returns each day, pushing her way into his home--and losing her heart.

Can Blaine forget his beloved and return the affections of the seamstress? Or once finished with his work, will he cast Emma out of his life forever?

Excerpt:

He had to know if she felt as uncomfortable

in his presence as he did in hers. He strode down the

hall, telling himself his eagerness had nothing to do

with seeing Emma herself. His steps slowed. Odd.

The door to the parlour was closed.

He gave a quick rap on the door, although he

didn’t know why since it was his house, turned the

knob, and opened the door. And came to a complete

halt. Bolts of cloth lay in haphazard piles on the

settee and chairs, a stack of paper and the stub of a

pencil lay nearby. In the midst of it all was Emma.

She sat on the floor, her blue gown tucked around

her, a swath of light green fabric in her lap as she

worked pins into the material.

 “Did you find more pins?” she asked without

looking up.

Blaine cleared his throat, struck once again by

her unconscious beauty.

Emma rushed to her feet, one hand still

clutching the cloth. “Yes, I know. A lady does not

crawl about on the floor.” She blew at a loose curl

that had fallen over one eye. “But I never claimed to

be a lady.”

Blaine heard the tired frustration in her voice.

He moved closer and tucked the wayward curl

behind her ear. “You may do anything you wish in

the privacy of this room.”

He tried not to let it bother him when she took a

step back. She laid the fabric aside and began

straightening her hair. He didn’t want her to redo it.

He liked the way she looked, with the wayward

strands curling about her face and neck. His fingers

itched to linger in it, now knowing it was as soft and

silky as it looked. Realizing he was staring at her, he

clasped his hands behind his back and rocked back

on his heels.

 Buy Links:

The Wild Rose Press:  http://www.thewildrosepress.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=176_138&products_id=4863

Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/The-Muse-Love-Letters-ebook/dp/B0086VMJFE/ref=la_B005PMMHUO_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1338749833&sr=1-2

You can contact Katherine at her blog – http://katherinegrey.blogspot.com or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Katherine-Grey/265375626827267?sk=wall

Welcome Isabella Macotte

Happy Friday 13^th! Today’s blog guest is Isabella Macotte. Welcome, Isabella.      

Lilly, thanks so much for having me as your guest!

So, Isabella, what do you do to relax?

Whenever I take a quiet moment for myself, a good book is always in the picture.

You can usually find me curling up in comfy sweats, a sturdy mug of hot cocoa and real whipped cream waiting for a sip, and a sleepy pup warming the side of my leg.

And the book: a romantic, fantasy-filled, humorous story, spiriting me away from a life filled with mundane but necessary tasks. A feisty heroine who knows her own mind and a hunky hero who thinks he knows what the girl wants all add to the fun.

I’ve always been grateful to the wonderful writers who’ve helped me escape to another place and time. Now, I’m honored and humbled to be counted in their ranks.

I write what I love to read: historical, sexy, funny, all tied together with paranormal elements. Hopefully romance readers will give me a chance to share in their world now. I’ve written The Heart Gem for each and every one of you.

And I can’t wait to read it. I love historical and paranormal romance. In my opinion, these two genres go together as well as milk and cookies!

Biography

Isabella Macotte grew up in Chicago and now lives in the Midwest. Ever since she can remember, she was reading. Not just fiction but everything she could get her hands on. Science, romance, history and paranormal. Especially paranormal...anything scary, creepy, or gory, she loves it. From light paranormal elements to terrifying monsters, she'll make up a story to amaze or scare you.

Isabella Macotte writes the kind of romance she loves to read: a story with delicious dialogue, seductive encounters, a dash of the paranormal, and an irresistible hero you will never forget.

Passionate about books, Isabella keeps busy reading, writing and working in a library. But if a few moments remain at the end of the day, she spends them with a wonderful family and sweet bichon pup named Daisy.

WEBSITE:

www.isabellamacotte.com

Isabella's The Heart Gem is now available from The Wild Rose Press. http://www.thewildrosepress.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=176_138&products_id=4797

BLURB:

In 1885, a proper Victorian woman's place was in the home. Convention never appealed to Hallie Pinefoy.

But plans for financial independence through a successful doll-making venture have one impediment. She's inherited a curiosity shop and a handsome business partner who's proving to be a delicious distraction.

When Bremen Tyler inherits a shop in coastal England, he breaks from the mystical Ancestral clan to live a normal life. The only way to guarantee a permanent break is to marry his Heart Match, a perfect soul mate. Bremen recognizes the captivating Hallie as his true love, but she isn't cooperating with his courtship.

If he can retrieve the stolen Heart Gem, an Artifact of Love, he can use it to prove their match. The surface of the Gem reflects the essence of a couple's future life, but the risks are great. More importantly, will Hallie realize true love doesn't need proof?

EXCERPT:

Hallie’s bottom shifted from Bremen’s lap onto the cold stone garden bench. Why was he stopping just when the moment was getting interesting? Then she heard the footsteps in the distance, rustling along the garden path. Her head still blissfully dazed, Bremen’s possessive hands moved to straighten the aquamarine gown’s bodice, which had drawn away completely from her breasts.

Clay’s face was an angry red, even in the dark night. She jumped at the intrusion and attempted to yank her hand out of Bremen’s, but his firm palm held on without releasing.

“Bremen Tyler, how dare you encroach on our relationship? Hallie and I have a long-established agreement among our families. You must honor this arrangement and withdraw your presence.” The shrillness of Clay’s voice reverberated through the grounds.

“I haven’t been informed of a promise or understanding. In fact, I have heard from the lady she is uncommitted. A state I’m determined to reverse.” Bremen’s deep voice was low and controlled.

“She would be committed to me if it were not for you. You are confusing her; she loves me but you are filling her head with promises and nonsense.”

“I have given Hallie neither false promises nor nonsense. She knows my true feelings.”

“She also knows my feelings and has said she will consider my offer.”

“If Hallie tells me it is you she wants, I’ll say no other word.”

“Hallie, tell him you will marry me. I believe my request was clear at supper,” Clay demanded.

“My love, make your wishes known, and we will visit the reverend directly,” Bremen countered.

Both men stared, waiting for a decision.

***         

               

TWRP BUY LINK:

http://www.thewildrosepress.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=176_138&products_id=4797

AMAZON LINKS

http://www.amazon.com/The-Heart-Gem-ebook/dp/B007PJMEXA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1333495228&sr=8-1

http://www.amazon.com/The-Heart-Gem-Isabella-Macotte/dp/161217048X/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1333495228&sr=8-1

Do I Need an Agent?

I’ve had 3 agents over the last 14 or 15 years. I sold to TWRP without one.

Agent # 1: Agent X requested a full of  Slightly Tarnished when it was still being called American Beauty. She then offered a contract for 15% of sales. No up front money. Sounded good. She then requested that I mail 10 hard copies of the full manuscript for her to shop around. Whew, was that expensive, even in 1998. I never heard from her again. I wrote and emailed. No response. I called. No answer. No return calls. I gave up after a year and moved on.

Agent # 2: The second agent also loved American Beauty aka Slightly Tarnished. She said it was a wonderful story but needed extensive editing and oh, she just happened to own an editing agency. This was in the days prior to my joining RWA or my local chapter and I didn’t know what a critique partner was. My former sister-in-law was the only person who’d ever read my writing. This agent had a website and everything. And her assistant had a British accent when he called. She had to be legit, right? So, I paid the $2500 in 2000 for this extensive editing. Basically, she corrected punctuation and spelling and suggested I not kill off the younger brother. So, I made the changes. And she offered my representation. Then, she sent me a contract for her marketing package. Marketing packages which HAD to be purchased to secure representation, ranged in price from $500-$5,000 with $5,000 guaranteeing publication. Although, there was no guarantee who’d publish it. Oh, but since she owned a vanity press, I had a good idea. I turned her down and when she called to harass me and tell me I’d never get published without her help, I told her where she could go and how she could get there. Not my finest moment to be sure.

Agent # 3: By now, I was a member of RWA and my local chapter. I knew what to look for in an agent. I knew the rules. And I checked her out on preditors and editors. She was legit with an impressive sales record. I even met her at local sister chapter of RWA. She repped Wholesale Husband and shopped it around. I even got some wonderful rejection letters in a very timely fashion form the big 7 publishers with recommendations for improving the story. Of all the books published by TWRP, I think this one needed the least amount of edits because I’d already cleaned it up a hundred times over because of my agent. When she couldn’t sell my book to the big 7, she kept asked me to rewrite Wholesale Husband and my western manuscript and make them inspirationals. She said inspirational romances were HOT, HOT, HOT and she'd have no trouble selling to a publisher.

I tried. I honestly did. But once she read them, she said they weren’t as good. No duh! I don't write inspirational romance. Then, the agent asked me to write an Amish romance because they were the next HOT thing in publishing. That’s when I realized we weren’t a good fit. She was a good agent, but she wasn't a good agent for me.

I wanted to write stories I loved. She wanted me to write to the market and what she preferred to sell. We parted company on good terms but I learned a valuable lesson from all this.

1- Research, research, research. Check out what genres the agent represents. Check out his/her authors. Check out the website.

2- Check the agent out on Preditors and Editors http://pred-ed.com/pubagent.htm to make sure they are legit and have no complaints/lawsuits against them.

3- Make sure the editor will be a good fit for what you already write. Don’t try to write what he/she represents.

4- Make sure you have plenty of patience and can stomach rejection. lol! Finding an agent is a daunting, exhaustive task.

5- Make sure you actually need one!

Thank God, TWRP doesn’t require an agent. In fact, neither do a couple of the BIG 7 publishers. So, I’d suggest trying to publish on your own before getting an agent. From what I understand, finding an agent is easier if you have a track record. Although, I wouldn’t know. I haven’t made an effort to find one since getting published. Until I have a more impressive sales record, I’d like to keep that % 15 to myself.

So, does a writer need an agent? An agent can submit to multiple publishers and shop your manuscript around a lot more efficiently than a new or even seasoned writer. Publishers respond more quickly to agented work. Publishers will often give an agent a reason for rejecting a manuscript with suggestions on how the author can improve his/her chances of publication. The same publisher might send a form rejection letter to an author submitting without an agent and might do so in a less than timely fashion.

One of the BIG 7 publishers has had one of my manuscripts under consideration since August of 2009. I’m sure if I’d had an agent, I would have received a definitive answer, one way or the other by now. So, having an agent can improve response times and those responses. But, is it worth the time and aggravation of finding an agent that’s right for you?

Whatever a writer decides, there are a few things he/she will need for his search. Time. Patience. And maybe a nice bottle of Merlot.

Happy hunting!
Lilly Gayle

Welcome Guest Mimi Barbour who is part of a free e-book give away party 3/14-3/18. Link to party is at the bottom of the page.

My Cheeky Angel

(1st book in the Angels with Attitudes series)

Mimi Barbour

     Annie is naïve and love-starved, she’ll soon to be celebrating her big 3-0. Something needs to be done! Celi, her ‘down-to-earth’ guardian angel appears to help kick-start Annie’s big change—her looks, her job, her whole life. By taking a managerial position with a sophisticated shoe manufacturer, Annie becomes embroiled with her new associates and hooked on the power of big business. Unfortunately, her exhaustion from overwork forces her to ignore old friends, and her lapse places someone she cares about in terrible danger.

    Tyler, a Social Worker and a woman-hater previously hurt in two relationships, only wants Annie in his life as a good buddy. Oh yeah! And to help with his mixed-up street kids. Perversely, once her life alters, he misses her like hell.  In one sweet night of loving everything changes. But, due to an overabundance of nightcaps, she doesn’t remember the night he can’t forget.

Excerpt:

Every time he closed his eyes, a strange image of Annie in trouble took on such realistic tendencies it seemed surreal. Sick of his own company, Tyler decided a walk would do him a world of good, clear his head, and help to get his mind off his tomboy gone rogue.

Once the idea appeared, it became a fixation. No choice, no dragging his feet, he had to get out of his apartment. Either he needed hallucination treatments or a curt, gravelly female had taken up residence in his brain and urged him to hurry and get his butt moving.

The elevator, not ever on his floor, awaited him with the door open and no one else inside. He shivered. Strange and stranger! The ride down lasted only seconds. When it slowly opened, a nightmare unfolded. One look at his Annie clinging to her evening’s escort and his rage superseded common sense. Without thought, he ripped her from the scumbag’s groping fingers and shoved the conceited-looking, puffed-up character against the wall. All Tyler’s six feet two inches of anger intimidated. He watched the coward evaluate, then shrink back.

Within seconds the smooth prick spoke. “Anna had a bit too much to drink. I was seeing her safely home.”

“Not a problem. I’ll take her up,” he growled. By this time, Tyler had a supportive arm around the wobbly woman. He looked down at her. “Say bye-bye to your date...Anna.” His spitting out her newly chosen name would have set worry bells ringing, if she’d been in her normal state of mind. Blitzed out of her head, she just jiggled her fingers and said, “Bye-bye, date.”

With everything happening so fast, Tyler knew Annie hadn’t had a chance to fully appreciate the change in her situation. One minute she was leaning drunkenly against the slimy character whose hands were all over her body, while her unfocused eyes gazed at him adoringly. The next minute, Tyler had taken over.

As the elevator doors closed, leaving Sergio shrugging off his disappointment, a fuming Tyler lifted Annie into his arms.

At ease, Annie wrapped her arms around him, snuggled her face into his neck, and then sighed. His familiar expensive cologne, one of her gifts that he regularly used, seemed to soothe her. “I love how you smell.”

His anger fled the moment he became aware that she sniffed at him like a small kitten. His legs almost buckled when he felt the tip of her tongue lick him, and then press a tiny kiss over the wet spot.

The groan started deep, frustration forcing it out, chasing away his righteous snit. At her door, he lowered her to her unsteady feet, but she refused to unwind her arms from around his neck. They clung, her body glued to his.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_1_15?url=search-alias%3Ddigital-text&field-keywords=my+cheeky+angel&sprefix=my+cheeky+angel%2Caps%2C189

Announcing

Lucky Days Free Par-Tay

http://www.freepartay.com

Discover over 40 amazing ebooks: Romances, Thrillers, Mysteries, Humor, Fantasies, and more!

All FREE at Amazon.com

Fantastic ebooks, many by award-winning and best-selling authors.

There's a genre for every reader's taste.

Romance from sweet to HOT, suspense, paranormal, humorous, historical...we have an awesome range.

If Mysteries and Thrillers are your thing you can't go wrong. Police action, murderous mayhem, amateur sleuths and more.

You'll also find Horror, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, and Woman's Fiction.... A fantastic selection!

Got kids? We have books for elementary school age and teens alike.

Don't miss out! Soon these amazing ebooks will be back to their usual prices. Grab them while they're FREE! March 14th-18th.

Who says you can have too much of a good thing. You can never have too many great books. Load up your Kindle and tell your neighbors to do the same.

The FREE Par-Tay is a BLAST!

Some Examples

of the

 Great Books Available

You like Romance? Find them here.  

Don’t miss Mimi Barbour’s “My Cheeky Angel” or Virna DePaul’s “Chosen by Sin.” Rita Herron will make you smile with “Marry Me Maddie.” Stephanie Bond’s “I think I Love You” and Denise Domning’s “Almost Perfect” are perfect for the addicted romance reader. Debra Burroughs “Three Days in Seattle” and Nina Bruhns’s “The French Detective’s Woman” add a splash of mystery and suspense to their romance.

Excited by Thrillers?  Ecstatic for Mysteries? Scared by Horror? Tweaked by Sci-Fi? You're in the right place!

Ron Kierkegaard’s “The God Particle” stretches the boundaries and Michael Shean’s “Shadow of a Dark Star” will open your eyes to new worlds. Michael Paneush’s “The Stein and Candle Detective Agency” is a fantastical take on mystery and fantasy abounds in Jack Albrecht’s “Osric’s Wand” and Vicki Keirie’s “Worlds Burn Through.” 

“Liquid Lies” By Lois Lavrisa dives into secrets, lies and murder, while Shannon Mayer will lead you through ten Horrifying stories in “Ingredients of a Caldron.” Nathan Yocum investigates a post-apocalyptic future in "The Zona" and Katherine Owen digs deep in a story of love and loss in "Seeing Julia."

And don't forget to sign up for our Newsletter. You'll automatically be entered to WIN $100 in Amazon Gift Cards.

From Books to Movies-The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

Some people prefer reading over watching a movie. Others prefer movies. My husband's motto is, "I'll wait until it comes out on DVD." Me? I love both. I love to watch a movie after I've read the book. I like comparing the two. Most of time, the movie isn’t nearly as good as the book, mainly because it's difficult to portray inner emotions and turmoil on film. But in some cases, the movie version of a good book sucks.

One of my favorite Dean Koontz’s books is Watchers. In the novel, a top secret government laboratory creates two genetically altered life forms. One is a golden retriever with the IQ of a human.  The other is a vicious, hideous monster who hates humans for creating him and the dog, Einstein because his creators loved him.  The book combines a man, a woman, and a dog with action, suspense, horror and romance. What could be better than that?

In the first movie version, the man is a sixteen year old boy and Nora is his mother. There is no romance, precious little suspense or action, and cheesy horror. So, Hollywood created Watchers II, a second version loosely based on Koontz’s novel. The second movie more closely resembles the first. There’s a man, a woman, and a dog but the horror isn’t scary, the suspense is poorly written, and the action is over-acted.  Still, better than the first movie version.

Hollywood did a pretty good job with the movie version of John Grisham’s A Time to Kill.  Although in the book, I don’t remember the lawyer’s law student getting so much “face time.” Then again, Sandra Bullock played the part so I guess that’s why the movie version gave her a stronger role than the character in the book had. Still, the movie was well done and IMHO, more closely followed the book than just about any I’ve ever seen.

The movie Cujo, based on Stephen King’s horror novel was good, but not nearly as good as the book. In the book, King gets into the dog’s head. That seems a bit hard to do on film, and the director of the movie didn’t even attempt it. But if you like horror movies, this one is a lot better than Pet Cemetery and no cute little children die and become blood thirsty zombies.   

Jeffery Deaver’s The Bone Collector was an awesome book. In the movie, Denzel Washington portrays the paralyzed former detective, Lincoln Rhyme. In one scene, the killer comes into Rhyme’s home. Rhyme’s is lying in bed, paralyzed except for one twitching finger. Washington did such a good job portraying Rhyme’s character that for a moment, I actually believed Washington was paralyzed.  IMHO, he deserved an Oscar for that role. And yet, he wins an Oscar for his role in Training Day.

Washington did a fine job portraying a dirty cop, but other actors have played similar roles just as well.  And Denzel Washington has had much stronger performances in much better movies.  In Malcolm X, Denzel Washington seemed to become his character. And his acting in A Man on Fire was phenomenal. That movie had me biting my nails and balling like a baby at the end.

Ken Follett’s Eye of the Needle made a pretty good movie. In my opinion, it was one of Donald Southerland’s best performances.

The movie version of Somewhere in Time, based on Richard Matheson’s novel was enjoyable as well. Then again, I love Jane Seymour and thought she was nicely paired with Christopher Reeve—may he rest in peace.

And I can’t compare books to movies without comparing Gone with the Wind. Both the book and the movie are classics. In the movie, however, Scarlet O’Hara has only one child and if I remember correctly, she had four or five in the book. I remember liking this movie when I watched it way back in the 70’s. I tried to watch again years later when my daughters were younger. They were bored and laughed at the special effects. I cringed at the bad accents and horrible acting. In my opinion, Clark Gable and Butterfly McQueen (who played Prissy,) were the only actors in that film who didn’t over act or do a horrible job faking a Southern accent.

Debbie Macomber’s This Matter of Marriage made a pretty good Lifetime movie. So have several of Nora Robert’s books.  I didn’t like the ending of the book or the movie Message in a Bottle. I loved the movie version of The Notebook. The end was sad, but satisfying. I heard the book ends differently. I haven’t read it. My favorite Nicholas Sparks’ books are The Choice and The Guardian.  Both end happily. So, I bet they’re never made into a movie.

The coast guard movie, The Guardian, is one of my favorite Kevin Costner movies. It was not based on Spark’s book.

Since my reading tastes run toward romance, thrillers, and suspense, there are many more books that have been made into movies that I haven’t seen.  I’ve seen many movies based on books but haven’t read the book so I can’t really compare them. And I’ve read countless books that will never be made into a movie.

I enjoyed the movie Sense and Sensibility but I can’t for the life of me remember if I’ve read the book or Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.  There are some books I’ve heard so much about, I can’t remember if I’ve actually read them or not.

Then there are the books/movies on my TBR (to be read) list and TBW (to be watched) list. I own a copy of The Secret Life of Bees. I’ve yet to read it or see the movie. Nor, have I read or watched The Help.  I seldom go out to the movies anymore and my reading time is severely limited by everything else on my TDL (to do list.)

I can’t end this post without mentioning one of my favorite books: Alexander Dumas’ The Count of Monte Cristo. The book ends with Dante’ finding a new life and love with Haydee, but I always wished Dumas’ had ended it differently. In the 2002 movie version, I got my wish.  Dante’ and Mercedes live happily ever after, which is my favorite kind of ending and the main reason that in this instance, I prefer the movie to the book.

Unexpected Journey

Earlier this month, I made an unexpected trip to Germany to visit my daughter. She was having some minor surgery and needed her mom. So, off to Europe I went.

I flew out of RDU in Raleigh, NC the last Friday in January for a week-long vist. It was 70 degrees that day, which is unusual, even for North Carolina. But we've been having a mild winter. It's not uncommon to have wild temperature swings in February and March. During those months, it can be sunny and 70 one week and below freezing and snowing the next. But I've never gone from 70 to 17 degrees in less than twenty-four hours before. I did that day.

My connecting flight was in Philadelphia where I expected it to be much colder than in NC. Apparently, Philly is having a mild winter this year too. I arrived at the airport in the City of Brotherly Love late in the afternoon and the temp was still hovering around 58 degrees. Not bad. I had on a sweater so I didn't even put on my coat when I stepped off the plane and rushed through the airport to make my connecting flight to Munich. But when I arrived in Germany nine hours later, I was in for a real surprise. It was snowing.

As we circled the runway, the pilot announced the current time and weather. The time was 8:00 a.m. and the temperature outside was 17 degrees Fahrenheit with snow flurries.

Flying over Munich

Munich Airport

Flurries? I could see the snow covered fields from the sky.
I about froze the moment I stepped off the plane.

 Luckily, my daughter had warned me about the bitter cold so I was prepared. And my son-in-law's car has heated seats.

It's 193 kilometers or approximately 120 miles from Munich to Weiden, where my daughter was recovering from surgery at the hospital there. But thanks to the autobahn and no speed limits in sections, my son-in-law made the trip in just under two hours, despite the snow. Than again, the snow plows and brine trucks had started clearing the snow the moment it started falling. Despite the somewhat scary speed at which we traveled, I was able to enjoy the beauty of the Bavarian countryside. 

(Left)Hops field covered in snow.Windmill in background.(Right) German Village outside Munich.

I've been to Germany twice before but this trip was different. It wasn't a vacation, and I hadn't planned for it. I'd gone to be with my daughter after her surgery, which turned out to be less invasive than originally expected and with a much better outcome. While I was there, I got to visit a German hospital which isn't something I'd normally do on a visit to another country. But it was educational.

In the US, I work in a hospital, but it's nothing like the one I visited in Weiden. For starters, US hospitals don't sell beer in the hospital cafeteria. The hospital in Weiden did! 

The rooms look similar, but the beds looked more like glorified stretchers. Some of the equipment looked the same as in the States but in the US, most hospitals use IV bags. My daughter's IV was in a plastic bottle the hospital recycles. 

Thank God, my daughter's hospital visit was brief and she recovered quickly--more quickly than anticipated. So, what started out as a visit to take care of her turned into something fun. We got to spend quality time together without her having to stay in bed.

near my daughter's neighborhood.

View of Rauher Kulm from Eschenbach

 By the middle of the week, we were able to get out and take a walk through her neighborhood and town.

Downtown Eschenbach

We ate at a nice Chinese restaurant where I enjoyed a nice, dark Dunkelweizen. We visited some of my daughter's friends, went to a German deli, and on the last day of my visit, we went shopping in Weiden.

Although this wasn't my first trip to Germany, it was the first time I'd every traveled alone. I was a bit intimidated at first, but on my international flight to Munich, I slept with a handsome 31 year old man. Just kidding!

My "seat mate" on the plane was a cutie from Texas and we did sleep a bit on the plane. He was traveling to Munich on business. He'd previously spent two years in Germany while working for the same management firm. The woman who'd taken his place when his work Visa expired was taking some time off for maternity leave and my handsome seat mate was going back to Germany to fill in for her.

Although we never exchanged names, he was a nice young man. He was also quite handsome. Standing well over six feet tall, he reminded me of Matthew Perry from the Friends TV series. We had a nice chat and I thought of several ideas for a possible romance novel that could start on a plane. Imagine falling in love on an international flight and getting separated in the airport only to realize you'd never exchanged names or information to help you find that person again.

I was intrigued by the concept of writing such a story. But I write historical and paranormal romance. Perhaps I could change the plane to a coach. Or, my handsome Matthew Perry look-a-like could be a werewolf returning to Germany in search of a cure. Since the first recorded Werewolf sighting was around the countryside of German town Colonge and Bedbur in 1591, I could incorporate some of the sites I've seen in Germany. Or, maybe I'll have to try my hand at writing romantic suspense.

What do you think?