Happy Friday 13th! Feeling Lucky?

The number thirteen has long been touted as unlucky. Some believe the fear of number thirteen dates back to the Last Supper. There were twelve disciples plus Jesus at that meal. Judas Ischariot hanged himself and Jesus was crucified. 

Throughout the western world, people avoid numbering their houses with the number thirteen and many hotels do not have a thirteenth floor. Hospitals, hotels, and similar institutions often have no room numbered thirteen. And Italy and France never sell lottery tickets with that number.

Fear is also aroused if the thirteenth falls on a Friday--in itself and unlucky day largely because of Good Friday.

But, do I think thirteen is unlucky? Not really.

With the single exception of Friday, September 13, 1985, the number thirteen has always been lucky for me. So, maybe it was the pairing of the number thirteen with Friday that was unlucky for me. I lost my first child when I was just twelve weeks pregnant on that day. Or maybe losing that child was a blessing in disguise. Perhaps, a worse fate would have befallen me if I'd carried that child to term. Or, maybe there was something wrong with that child and had it been born, it would have suffered greatly.

Whatever the reasons, had I not lost that child, I would not have become pregnant again before that baby's due date and I would not have delivered a beautiful baby girl on August 19, 1986. She and my youngest daughter have brought nothing but joy to my life.

My husband was also born on the thirteenth. So, it can't be a bad day. Other good things have happened to me on the thirteenth or in relation to that number. Most recently, my publishing contract. After thirteen years of writing with the intent to publish, The Wild Rose Press published OUT OF THE DARKNESS.

My paranormal vampire romance is now available from The Wild Rose Press, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Borders.

http://www.thewildrosepress.com/out-of-the-darkness-p-4039.html

So, I believe the thirteenth is a day to celebrate. And to do so, I'm hosting Brenda Whiteside, author of SLEEPING WITH THE LIGHTS ON, a contemporary romantic suspense. Now, without further ado, please help me welcome Brenda.

Lilly:

Brenda,

Please tell us a little about yourself, your book, and your views on the number thirteen.  I understand you have a fascinating tale about that particular number yourself.

  Brenda: I do. But first, let me say thanks for having me, Lilly. And congratulations on the publication of your first book. Can I share your excitement? Sleeping with the Lights On, a contemporary romance with a good dose of humor and suspense is also my first published novel. 

Lilly: Then we both have a reason to celebrate! I'm glad you could be with us today. So, tell us your story about the number thirteen.

Brenda: I do have a relationship with the number thirteen, although not as heartwarming as yours! What wonderful insight into how a sad occurrence can actually be for the best and result in a beautiful outcome.

In 1992, we were living in Phoenix Arizona and had grown tired of the heat, among other things about the city. We made a list of what we thought would make a city a good place to live. With that list in hand, my husband's research led us to Minneapolis, Minnesota. He sent off resumes to several companies inquiring if they had any positions available. He received one response.   

On Sunday, September 13, the company flew him to Minneapolis for an interview.He sat on the aisle in row thirteen. When he checked into the Holiday Inn, he was directed to his room on the thirteenth floor. When he called me that evening, we laughed at the coincidence. He interviewed on Monday morning and by noon he had a job offer. We adopted the number that evening as our lucky number.

He moved to Minnesota in October and I stayed behind to sell our home. The company provided him with an apartment for six months. It was a beautiful high-rise overlooking the Mississippi River on the thirteenth floor. His apartment number was 1313. Okay, now we took this number seriously. Since we don't believe in coincidence, the pattern was obvious to us- this move was meant to be!

My resumes were in the mail by November and in December I interviewed with one company. I was hired and my first day on the job was Wednesday, January 13th. Oh hum, just another sign.

We were gypsies at heart until the Minnesota move. We've lived in multiple homes in Arizona (eight if I remember correctly) three homes in Germany, three homes in California, and two homes in Massachusetts, Florida, and Nevada. Minnesota roped us in. We stayed for ten years, moved back to Arizona for a couple of years, and thirteen years after our first move to Minnesota, we moved to Minneapolis again. 

I've tried since to use the number to my benefit but with no success. Lottery tickets, roulette wheels, and other chance offerings have met with a thud. Apparently I have no control over when thirteen works for me.

Lilly: Wow, Brenda! That's a lot of thirteens! No wonder you and your husband adopted the number. 

Brenda: Lilly, you brought up selling your first book after writing for thirteen years. I've not thought of this before but I just did the math. After thirteen years of serious writing, I published my first book. And with The Wild Rose Press! And here we are on Friday the thirteenth. Go figure!

Lilly: Another coincidence? Or just lucky thirteen at work again?

Brenda: So who's feeling lucky?

I'd like to give away an e-book of Sleeping with the Lights On, to someone with a good story about the lucky or unlucky number thirteen.  Leave us a comment and we'll have a drawing.

And if you don't win, you can also purchase a copy in either print or e-version from:

http://www.thewildrosepress.com/sleeping-with-the-lights-on-p-4032.html

Lilly: That's very generous of you, Brenda. I'm looking forward to hearing other stories about the number thirteen. And I'm sure readers are interested in hearing more about you and your books.How can they find out more about you?

Brenda: Stop by my web site and sign up for my Announce Only Newsletter for future contests and give-a-ways.

 http://www.brendawhiteside.com/

Or look me up on FaceBook 

http://www.facebook.com/BrendaWhitesideAuthor?ref=nf

Thank you again, Lilly. Friday the thirteenth isn't so scary after all!

Lilly: No it's not. And thanks for being with me today, Brenda. Now, before you go, please share an excerpt of Sleeping with the Lights On so folks will know what a fabulous book they could win.

Sleeping with the Lights On   

After two failed marriages and countless relationships, Sandra Holiday thinks she's met the man to end her years of less than perfect choices; choices that not only derailed her travel-related career plans  but also left her single and broke.

Carson Holiday a Las Vegas country crooner with swoon-inducing good looks, spent his adult life pursuing a recording contract and love never holding on to either. After eighteen years, he drops back into Sandra's life reigniting an attraction he can't deny.

When Carson reappears, Sandra must choose again. Only this time, nothing's as it seems. A secret admirer, a redheaded stalker, and an eccentric millionaire throw her on a dangerous path, with Carson her only truth. 

As life confronts her with yet another turning point, will her decisions find her eternally sleeping with the lights on- or will she finally discover a way to turn them off?  

An Interview with Rae Summers

Welcome to week two of the Wild Roses Blog Tour. Today I’m interviewing Rae Summers, author of LETS MISBEHAVE.

Lilly-

Rae, LET’S MISBEHAVE isn’t your typical historical romance. It’s not a regency and it’s not a western, two of the categories we think of most often when discussing historical romances. Tell us why it’s different and about the era in which it is set.

Rae-

This story is set in the Jazz Age, the decadent 1920s. I just love that period, partly because in so many ways it’s very similar to the age we’re living in now, and also because it was such an exciting time. For me the Jazz Age was all about music and parties, champagne and short skirts, film stars and sports icons. It was a time in which anything was possible. LET’S MISBEHAVE is also different because it’s not set in America, which is the place we usually associate with the 20s (The Great Gatsby, Prohibition, Al Capone) but in England, where the social changes might have been a little more subdued, but were no less exciting.

Lilly-

Wow! Sounds fabulous. This is one of the very reasons why I love e-publishers. They seem more open to romances set in different times than say, traditional New York Publishers. Is there anything you’d like to share with us about your road to publication with this book?

Rae-

I wrote this story in one mad week; it practically wrote itself. I then submitted it to Harlequin’s fledgling Historical Undone imprint, and when they rejected it I submitted to The Wild Rose Press. Harlequin’s loss was definitely my gain. My editor at TWRP pushed me to add deeper layers to the story, and her encouragement has made this book what it is today.

Lilly-

What made you decide to write it?

Rae-

The inspiration for this story came from the Cole Porter song Let’s Misbehave, written in 1927, which also features heavily in the story. Driving home from work one day, singing along to the song, the characters suddenly appeared in my head. I just had to write their story, and as I said earlier, the words practically flowed out of me.

Lilly-

Is this your first published book? And what other ideas do you have for a historical? Are you working on anything right now?

Rae-

Yes, LET’S MISBEHAVE is my first published book. It was also the first time I tried writing a novella rather than a full length novel. I have loads of ideas for more historical novellas, most set in the 1920s. I just wish I had time to write them all! Right now I’m putting the finishing touches on a story set on the Amalfi coast in Italy in the early 20s.

Lilly-

Did any particular event in real life inspire your story?

Rae-

-

Not really, though the theme (of being free to be the person you want to be) is something that means a great deal to me and runs through a lot of my stories. 

Lilly-

Where are you from? And do you have a job other than writing?

Rae-

-

I live in South Africa, where I work in television advertising. It’s interesting, varied work but the hours are long and demanding, and these days I find myself resenting anything that takes my time away from writing. I dream of the day I can quit the day job and call myself a full time writer!

Lilly-

What do you find most rewarding about writing?

Rae-

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Reading something and thinking “that’s good. Did I really write that?” And losing yourself so completely in a story that the rest of the world disappears.

Lilly-

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

Rae-

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It’s not something I really thought about while writing this story, but the message that comes through quite loudly, perhaps because it was something I was discovering for myself at the time, is that we must all stay true to ourselves. If you try to be someone you’re not just to please others, you’re never going to be happy.

Lilly-

What was the hardest part of writing your book?

Rae-

-

Revisions. I remember reading my first ever revision letter and thinking “I can’t do this – it’s too big!” But I did, and I’m glad I persevered, because the story was so much better for the changes.

Lilly-

How long have you been writing with the goal of actual publication? And what if any obstacles did you have to overcome to get to this point in your career?

Rae-

-

I’ve been writing all my life but only taken it seriously the last 3-4 years.

The biggest obstacle is Time. Just finding the time to sit down and write amongst all the other demands of life; children, the day job, daily chores and the internet. I’ve had to learn to say ‘no’ to a few things (like sleep!) in order to make time to do what I love. Saying ‘no’ to the distractions of the internet is actually proving to be the most difficult.

Lilly-

Can you give us an excerpt from LET’S MISBEHAVE?

Rae-

-

She shifted in her seat to take a harder look at him and felt an unfamiliar frisson of longing. He was not her usual type. He was too staid, too tightly wound, to interest her. Men like that held back all their lives, never living, never feeling. She wanted to feel everything. She wanted to experience every sensation, go places she’d never been. She wanted to taste life. Because only in those thrilling moments of living on the edge was she able to overcome the sense of loss that infected their generation.
He must have sensed her eyes on him, for he turned to look at her. Driving, even at this decorous speed, had altered him. His sandy hair was tousled by the wind, and his bright blue eyes were alight with excitement. He even laughed to catch her staring.
Her stomach did a flip. She imagined those eyes bright with mischief, burning with desire. It would be a thrill to be the one to put that look there, to push him over the edge and make him lose his careful control. It could be done. If just this little drive could stir his excitement, imagine what full blown arousal would do. The devil voice inside her head laughed.
Before he married and settled down, and allowed that spark to die inside him, Sebastian needed to learn to live. And she was going to show him how.

Lilly-

How can readers purchase your books?

Rae-

-

LET’S MISBEHAVE can be bought direct from The Wild Rose Press 

http://www.thewildrosepress.com/lets-misbehave-p-4119.html

and also from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Lets-Misbehave-ebook/dp/B003V4B6AK/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&m=A7B2F8DUJ88VZ&s=digital-text&qid=1279057490&sr=8-7

Lilly-

And how can they contact you? Do you have a web-page or blog you’d like to share with us?

Rae-

-

I blog at http://raesummers.wordpress.com. Here you’ll find background information on this story, as well as on the period.

Lilly-

Thanks so much for joining us today, Rae. And for those of you who’d like to get to know Rae better or offer congratulations on her latest release, LET’S MISBEHAVE, please post a comment. At the end of the blog tour, some lucky commenter will receive a $20 gift certificate to The Wild Rose Press. And, I believe there might even be a drawing for a gift basket from the entire blog tour. So, leave a comment people and enter to win. No purchase necessary and chances of winning depend on the number of comments.

Good luck! And happy reading.

Rae-

-

Thank you for hosting me here today, Lilly.

Blogging with Aileen Harkwood

Blogs are such an important part of networking for writers. So I joined a blog tour. The tour starts today and runs through the end of the month. During this time, I’ll be guest blogging on other author’s blogs and hosting a guest blogger on my blog. And at the end of the tour, I’ll be giving away a $20 gift certificate to The Wild Rose Press on line store.

Today, I’ll be a guest at www.christinedepetrillo.blogspot.com. So stop by Christine’s blog for a visit. But before you do that, why not stay awhile and chat with fellow Wild Rose Press author, Aileen Harkwood who’s a guest on my blog today.

Aileen Harkwood, author of Wolf's Den: Legacy of the White Wolf Book 1 from The Wild Rose Press, lives in the Southern Rockies with her family, their passive-aggressive cat and fetch-addicted chocolate Labrador. She writes paranormal romance and romantic suspense and is always on the lookout for an unexpected twist or touch to add to her stories. Alpha males are her favorite heroes to write, though in real life she loves a hero who doesn't always realize he's an alpha until his heroine is threatened.

Lilly- So, Aileen, do you hold a non-writing job?

Aileen- Yes. I'm a new author, so I still need to hold down a day job. Or I should say night job, since I work mostly at night. I'm a product photographer, shooting for online sales and catalogs. I also do restoration work in Photoshop. I love antique photographs because they almost always tell a story and the connection to the past is right there in front of you. As I work to digitally erase the damage, I find myself wondering about the people or places in the images. Who were they? What were they like? How did the clothes they wore feel? What was it like to live without cell phones and computers and information overload?

Lilly- What do you write? And how did you get started?

Aileen- I started writing novels in high school, really, really terrible novels filled with all sorts of passions, magic, and romantic heroes. I filled notebook after handwritten notebook with what I thought was exciting, sophisticated fiction. Of course I had a lot to learn! It took me years of plugging away at it, and several breaks from writing, but I've finally fallen into a groove that makes me happy, and for which I just earned my first nice review!

Wolf's Den appeared last month and before its release, was awarded a 4-1/2 tea cups review from Happily Ever After Reviews. As you might guess, it's shapeshifter fiction. I find weres extremely sexy. I also love to read and write romantic suspense, having gotten hooked on it by reading authors such as Kay Hooper and the British author Susanna Kearsley.

Lilly- How many books have you published?

Aileen- Wolf's Den wasn't my first book, but it's the first book I'm officially calling published. I sold another paranormal eBook, In Your Dreams, to a small press in 2009 that was in the launch phase. Unfortunately, the press folded before my book could be fully launched. I don't blame the publisher. They simply ran out of funds.

I learned an important lesson, however. As much as you'd like to be published, when you're first starting out and don't yet know the field, it's a good idea to carefully consider where you send each manuscript. In the right situation, participating as an author in a new launch can be a fantastic opportunity, but it comes with the risk that the publisher might not be ready to succeed.

Lilly- What triggers the ideas for your stories?

Aileen- You know, I think my subconscious does a lot of the work for me. Several of my plots have come from a dream I had the night before. Most of my dreams are nonsense, but every once in a while I'll have what I call a "full plot" dream, a complete cast of characters; beginning, middle, and end; action sequences, the whole enchilada.

For the book I'm working on now, a romantic suspense set in Santa Fe, New Mexico, I had one of those dreams. It's funny, I don't remember the dream's plot any more. What I do remember was that I was extremely worried about my cat. In the dream, I had to run and I couldn't take her with me. I was terrified what the kennel might do if I never came home again. Would they just dump her at the nearest shelter?That became the genesis for the book. I switched the pet to a French bulldog, but the idea to jump start the story was there.

Lilly- Do you work on more than one story at a time?

Aileen- I do. Right now I'm working on a romantic suspense, the second book in the Legacy of the White Wolf series, and a mainstream romance with a touch of the paranormal, set in the Pacific Northwest.

Lilly- Where can we buy your books?

Aileen- Wolf's Den is available from The Wild Rose Press, Amazon.com, All Romance eBooks, and BookStrand.

Blurb and excerpt from Wolf's Den:
Waking with amnesia in a body made for sin, Luka is a woman with an identity crisis. Not only doesn't she know her last name, why can't she remember the intense stranger with wolfen eyes who makes her want to howl with sexual hunger? Why has he accused her of a gruesome murder she knows she didn't commit?

Griffin is a wolf in mourning, sworn to bring his mate's killer to justice. His beloved Anya has just died of the bloodsong, a ritual magic forbidden among his people, in which the wolf can be called out in anyone, even humans such as Anya, who can't survive the transformation. How is it, then, that when he looks into her killer's eyes he sees not a murderess, but his own mysterious destiny?

(Pages 112) Spicy

Excerpt:

“Dangerous. Why?

Do you think I can’t take every delicious inch of you? Do you think I can’t handle you?”

He blinked, astonished by this statement and apparently at a loss for words. It was, she had to admit, the single cheesiest thing she’d ever said aloud. She watched him trying to figure out how best to react, while at the same time maintaining that stern, “we aren’t going to have sex, no-way, no-how” attitude.

The longer they looked at one another without saying anything, the harder it was to keep a straight face. She couldn’t say who broke under pressure first, but suddenly both of them were laughing uncontrollably. She collapsed forward in hysterics, her forehead dropping against his chest.

A few seconds later, she realized he’d gone completely still.

He pounced.
.............

Lilly, thanks so much for hosting me on your blog. I really enjoyed answering your questions!

Aileen
------------------------
Aileen Harkwood's book, Wolf's Den ~ July 2010 ~ is on sale now! You can find Aileen at http://aileenharkwood.blogspot.com

Thanks Aileen for visiting.

If you'd like to leave Aileen or myself a comment, we'll be checking in later today. And everyone who posts will be eligible for my gift certificate drawing at the end of the month.

Good luck!
Lilly

How do you choose a book?

When looking for a book to read, how do you decide? Do you go by word of mouth recommendations? Do you only read certain authors? What criteria do you use when choosing a book?

Although the old adage says, you can't judge a book by it's cover, it's usually what draws my attention in a bookstore. If I see a cover that intrigues me, I it up and see who wrote it. Then I turn the book over and read the blurb. If I'm in the mood for a historical and the book is a historical, I usually buy it. Or even if I'm in the mood for a historical and the book is a romantic suspense, if the back cover blurb is good, I'll still buy the book.

When shopping on line, I usually search by genre. Then I'll read the book description and maybe a review or two before deciding. The cover has less impact on my decision if I buy on line. I don't really know why that is...

But according to a fellow Wild Rose Press writer, Sarah Grimm- http://www.authorsarahgrimm.blogspot.com- some readers will pick up a book and read page 99 before deciding what book to read.

So, just for giggles, I looked up page 99 of OUT OF THE DARKNESS. And here's what I found:

couldn’t accept?” he asked softly.
Hopefully.

“Yeah. Something like that.” She glanced
nervously upward, finally meeting his eyes. She
looked wary. Afraid.
And oh so vulnerable.

He leaned in, his arm snaking around her
waist, pulling her closer. Her muscles strained,
but she didn’t resist as he drew her in and slowly
lowered his head.

“And would you have put me in
your sister’s bed?” He raised a finger to trace the
outline of her mouth.

She trembled, her breath escaping her parted
lips in a breathy sigh. Warm air brushed his
fingertips, stirring his senses. Heating his blood.

“I don’t know.” Her breasts rose and fell with
each shuddering breath she took, her soft curves
brushing the hard wall of his chest.

She pulled her plump bottom lip between her
teeth and looked up with pleading eyes. Eyes that
begged him to make the decision for her.

Blood rushed to his groin, awakening an
insatiable hunger, but not for blood. For the taste
of her lips. Just one taste. A taste that would
haunt him in his dreams as the last one had.
He groaned.

And lowered his mouth to hers.

Her lips parted, and God help him, she
responded just as she had that first time. She
melted against him, pulling his head closer,
taking his tongue deep inside until he was hot
and straining against her.

She tasted so damn good. A heady mix of
wine and woman. Mortal woman.

Warm blooded, mortal woman.

Blood roared through his veins, pounding in
his ears in a primitive rhythm. And the dark
hunger reared its ugly head. A craving for blood
and sex. An uncontrollable yearning.

So, would this excerpt make you want to read the book? Or find another?

And just why is page 99 in most ever book I pick up this intriguing?

I wish I knew. But I like this new technique for choosing a book.

How about you? What's on page 99 of your favorite book?