I'm so excited!  My FIRST GIVEAWAY!  Ok, So I've posted about Rachel Van Dyken before, she is truly one of my favorite authors.  Her newest release, "The Seduction of Sebastien St. James," was just released last week and she has agreed to sponsor a giveaway on my blog!  Here's a little blurb about the book!

When the angelic Duke of Tempest, Sebastian St. James, appeared unexpectedly at his boyhood friend’s home, he had but one goal: Find a suitable wife as soon as possible. However, his impeccable reputation made him a prime target for ambitious mothers of debutante daughters. He needed a plan.

Help came in the form of an unlikely alliance with Miss Emma Gates, the beautiful daughter of a wealthy viscount, who has deemed herself on the shelf, and only wants to marry in order to appease her parents. Together they could sort through the mire of would-be mates to find their perfect matches. That is, if they could keep their hands off each other long enough to pursue likely candidates.

When a man from Emma’s past makes a play for her hand, the truth about her life threatens to destroy Sebastian’s reputation, a reputation he has carefully guarded since his youth. In the end, the Angel Duke has to make a choice that will end up changing his reputation forever.


I've read the book, it was an experience! There were times I would put my kindle down in my lap and gasp, covering my mouth and mouthing, OH MY WORD, THAT DIDN't JUST HAPPEN!  Books like that are my favorite, like we've talked about before, they whisper their sweet lines long after the books finished.  Just talking about it makes me want to re-read it.   So, without further adieu, enter the contest, and Good luck! 

For those of you who can't wait, here's the link to purchase the book from Amazon.


http://www.amazon.com/Seduction-Sebastian-James-Renwick-ebook/dp/B006PHASZE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1325030510&sr=8-1

The Parting Gift

This book was a delighful Christmas Novella. A father looses the love of his life, and his son all in one day. One to death, the other to his own grief.  Stubborn hard hearts turn colder as time progresses till not even the shell of a father and son relationship remain.  Years later a dying wish brings hope to a forsaken home, and a nurse is determined to make that wish come true. You gotta love a book historically based after the World Wars and so full of that spunk that was true to the era!  The nurse edge completed that "feel" for me. 

I really enjoyed this book! by the end I was in tears, not because it was so sad, but because the ending was so emotionally satisfying and beautiful! While addressing issues of betrayal, unforgiveness and destroyed relationships, the authors brought the entire book full circle redeeming everything that was broken.  This is not easily done, especially in such a eloquent manner without a hint of being trite. The romance is braided with interwoven strands of hope and grace.  While having a strong Christian theme, the book is not preachy, rather the Christian themes in the book are what make the book so emotionally captivating and heartfelt.

I have to admit that I am a huge fan of Rachel Van Dyken's books.  If you haven't checked out her other titles, I'll post those links as well as the link to purchase "The Parting Gift." 

The Parting Gift   http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006DTZ28C/ref=cm_cr_error
The Ugly Duckling Debutaunte  http://www.amazon.com/The-Ugly-Duckling-Debutante-ebook/dp/B005PTY15G/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1322290207&sr=8-2
Every Girl Does It  http://www.amazon.com/Every-Girl-Does-It-ebook/dp/B0052FZVS4/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1322290207&sr=8-4

Snow and a Good Book

What is it about snow that makes you want to curl up with a good book, a hot cup of tea/coffee/cocoa and snuggle under a quilt while watching the snow fall?  That was me today.  We had our first real snow.  "Real" meaning we got an inch rather than a few flurries.  I picked up an old Zebra romance I picked up at a used bookstore and lost myself in the simple story with a cup of hot cider.  While reading I was stuck with the idea that reading is a comfort, like chicken soup is a comfort food when your sick.  Reading is a comfort food for my soul.  As I read my imagination takes off and I can stay in my snug house surrounded by those I love, and have an adventure, or "watch" someone fall in love for the first time.  The snow outside magnified that comfort feeling because of the great feeling of, "it's freezing outside and I'm snug inside."  You know that feeling.  Its the same one you get when the wind is howling outside your window and you hear the rain pelt the glass and you squirm under the covers of your bed and revel in the warmth and comfort of your bed.  I love that feeling.  Today I was reminded just how great book can be on a cold, blustery, snowy day.  What is your favorite thing to do inside on a "snow"day? 

Review on "Double Crossing" by Meg Mims

Reading "Double Crossing" by Meg Mims was quite an adventure.  Being a fan of " Reilly's Luck" by L'amore, I was really looking forward to another adventure in the wild west. Meg did a wonderful job of including historical towns, stations and protocol that were very accurate to the time period.  Her "hint of romance" truely was that, a hint.  The main story was based on the desperate attempt to not only find the deed to the mine, but find her father's killer while remaining alive herself.  A compliment to Meg Mims and her editor, there weren't any distracting editing issues, the format was clean.  I don't want to put to much of the story in the review, I want others to find out for themselves, but know this, I never knew riding a train could be so dangerous, or thrilling.  "Double Crossing" was full of life, a spunky heroine, filthy villans and a lot of adventure. 

"Double Crossing" by Meg Mims

This week we're visiting with Astraea Author, Meg Mims! Her new release, "Double Crossing," is fantastic, I can say this because I've read it.  I'll post a review later this week, but for now, here's a blurb from Meg on this thrilling western:

DOUBLE CROSSING

 A murder arranged as a suicide … a missing deed  … and a bereft daughter whose sheltered world is shattered.

August, 1869: Lily Granville is stunned by her father’s murder. Only one other person knows about a valuable California gold mine deed — both are
now missing. Lily heads west on the newly opened transcontinental railroad, determined to track the killer. She soon realizes she is no longer the
hunter but the prey.

As things progress from bad to worse, Lily is uncertain who to trust—the China-bound missionary who wants to marry her, or the wandering Texan who
offers to protect her … for a price. Will Lily survive the journey and unexpected betrayal?

Please leave Meg a comment if you have any questions about her new book or questions from our interview!

Meet our Author of the Week, Meg Mims!

Love a cowboy? Didn't we just talk about a man who could "chop wood" earlier in our hero post?  Well Meg really did a great job capturing that masculine trait in her new book,"Crossroads."  We'll talk more about her book as the week progresses, but for now, lets learn about the woman behind it! 


Ok Meg, is it Meg or Megan and why?  

...It's actually Margaret. Ugh. I am published in the children's market (long ago) under that name. Thought I'd use the shorter version
      for my books. Plus I started Tweeting and using Facebook as Meg, so that made it easier promotion wise. :-)

Big City Girl, or Small Town Girl? 

....I'm a small town girl living in a city that thinks it's a small town, surrounded by a huge metro area.  It's complicated. I want to live where there's a LOT less traffic, woods around, a nice pond or creek for ducks and such, but hasn't happened yet. SIGH.

Favorite guilty pleasure?

 ....COOKIES. Chocolate drizzled shortbread, to be exact. Or any crunchy cookie.

Bucket list number 1 and 2 

.... IRELAND tour, including castles, pubs, music, the whole shebang. And I'd love to do an 1800's style cross-country train trip.

Did you always want to be an author, or did it pick you?   

.... Hmm. Both, I think. The "dream" finally became reality when I took action to make it come true.

When you're not writing, what are you doing? 

.... painting watercolors, gardening, crafting. I ought to be cleaning house, LOL. And grocery shopping.

Current Obsession?  .... NCIS. Great writing, nice twists.

So you're writing a mystery with a dose of romance, what did you like most about that combination?

...I love solving the puzzle in mystery -- and why not throw in what readers crave with a romantic angle? I am a big fan of Remington Steele, the TV series, and prefer to keep the hero/heroine on their toes and apart. It's more fun that way.

What type of hero/heroine do you like to write about? Strong-minded independent women. No wimps. Men who can be a bit macho, but with a heart of gold buried deep.

What's a great quote from your newest release "Double Crossing." 

"Ace Diamond was the last man I’d ever consider an angel of mercy. With my luck, he might have already left Omaha. If not, then I’d take that as a sign of divine intervention. His fists might come in handy if I hired him to protect us on the long journey west. He knew far more about weapons and fighting than I did. An ex-Confederate soldier, a Texan no less, who engaged in street brawls.Then again, beggars couldn’t be choosers."

Anything else you want to say to your readers?
Thanks for buying my book, and keep an eye out for the sequel, Double or Nothing!


Thanks Meg!  It was great to see into your world a little bit!!!  Stay tuned for more on Meg!!  You can follow her on Facebook and Twitter with these links!

 megmims@gmail.com, http://www.megmims.com/ and http://www.double-crossing.com/

Review of " Hauntings of the Heart" By Joselyn Vaughn

Wow.  Reading "Hauntings of the Heart" was delightful. A quick overview:  Minnie's dreams died when she left for the Peace Corps and left her heart behind,  Gordon never recovered from his families loss and the loss of his heart to Minnie so long ago.  Now, years later, they have a chance to make things right, as long as old heartache, misconceptions and hidden betrayals don't stand in their way. Throw in some "paranormal" activity and some ghost hunters, as well as some meddling old ladies and you have a fantastic mix.  One of the things I really enjoyed about this book was the writers ability to keep the storyline very clean, understandable and relateable.  I didn't get lost in "typos", rabbit trails in the plot, or ends that didn't get tied up in the end.  I also didn't feel the book had a really predictable flow which was really refreshing.  I enjoyed every aspect of the plot, and laughed out loud a few times...I love books that make me do that!  Minnie was fantastic, I want to be like her when I get older!  Joselyn Vaughn did a fantastic job breathing life into this story. Not only is she a gifted writer, but also, her storytelling skills are first rate.  I look forward to reading more from her!

You can purchase Joslyn's book, " Hauntings of the Heart " at:
Astraea: http://astraeapress.com/#ecwid:category=662245&mode=product&product=7355585
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Hauntings-of-the-Heart-ebook/dp/B005Z8WJRY/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1319568032&sr=1-1
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1106922258

Interview with Joselyn Vaughn

Our featured author, Joselyn Vaughn, agreed to let me play 20 questions.  So maybe there's not exactly 20 but you get the idea...

Let's start out easy, what's your favorite thing to do, beside write?

I’ve recently discovered Pinterest.com. If you are into anything crafty, it is fabulous. It is also a great way to procrastinate. I love sewing and thrift store shopping and this site is giving me so many ideas. The problem is that my sewing machine which was recently haunted is still broken, so I can’t sew anything until it is fixed. I also enjoy running and have been able to run several races with my sisters this year. My whole family entered a 5k earlier this summer and we had matching shirts. It was really cool. I also did a Race for the Cure this fall with my sisters. My sister went through cancer treatment this year and it was incredible to be there with her.

That is amazing, When you were a little girl, what did you dream of becomming "when you grew up"?

I always thought it would be pretty awesome to be a writer and write books for a living. At that time, I didn’t know how hard that actually was and how many other things are involved in being an author. Writing books is definitely awesome though. It’s so much fun to hear from people who I’ve never met.

As an author that is probably a good thing! I'm sure you get lots of mail from new people.  I can see how that would be exciting.  So are you a city girl? Small town girl?

Definitely a small town girl. We lived in Seattle for a year right after we got married and that was enough. I think it was mostly the traffic that got to us. We liked being close to so many things, but it took forever to get anywhere, so we might as well have been far away. Right now we live in a small town and it’s great. A traffic back up is four cars lined up at the four-way stop.

Being from a small town myself, we had more cows than people, I love the asthetic of small town life.  No traffic is just one of the perks! Ok, what is your guilty pleasure?

Sitting and reading a book. Things are generally pretty crazy in the Vaughn household, so there isn’t a lot of downtime where it’s possible to even sit and open a book and actually read a paragraph or two before a preschooler crawls on top of you. When I get to do any reading at all, it ends up being on my iPod, which is really handy because no one can steal my bookmarks then. When a get to read a paperback or hardcover book, it feels very decadent.

I hear ya, ok Bucket list #1 and 2

This is a hard one. I haven’t thought about it very much. I know some people who have them written down. I would to visit Greece and Italy sometime. I find the ancient cultures that grew from there fascinating. As well as the art and the food.

I'm all about the food..Now, what made you want to start to write?

I’ve always wanted to write. It just took a while for the motivation and opportunity to present itself. A friend and I had been joking about programs we could develop for the library where we worked. One program involved a crafting club and somehow that morphed into an Internet dating service. Eventually it found life in the Ladies Night Out Social Club in my first book CEOs Don’t Cry. The ladies have provided fodder for Sucker for a Hot Rod and Hauntings of the Heart.

Thanks Joselyn!  We'll have more on her interview tomorrow so check back to learn more!  Until then, check out Joselyn's Website:  http://joselynvaughn.com/ and also check out her newest release, "Hauntings of the Heart." You can purchase it at: 

Astraea:  http://astraeapress.com/#ecwid:category=662245&mode=product&product=7355585

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Hauntings-of-the-Heart-ebook/dp/B005Z8WJRY/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1319568032&sr=1-1

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1106922258

I'm reading it right now and it is some spectactular writing!

Meet Joselyn Vaughn!

Hello Everyone! I to introduce you to an increadible author: Joselyn Vaughn of Astraea Press.  This week we'll be learning more about her and her new upcomming book, " Hauntings of the Heart."  Appropriate title for Halloween don't you think?  Here's a little blurb on her newest release...

When lost love shows up on your doorstep, what do you do?  Minnie Schultz slams the door in his face. She and Gordon Anderson have a history—close to ancient history, given the fifty years since their last encounter. After all that time, it might seem like water under the bridge. But the water pours from the plumbing in Minnie’s bed and breakfast, the Lilac Bower, uncovering all the secrets and heartache between them. With the help of some paranormal investigators, an Elvis impersonator and a couple of nosey friends, can Minnie and Gordon find the future they were meant to have?

Check back for more information about Joselyn and her new book throughout the week!

A Shout Out to All You Researching Authors!

Big thanks to everyone who responded to my "Reviews" post! I look forward to reading all your books! I'll be contacting you and spending a week with each one, in efforts to give you as much PR as possible!  If you are wanting me to review your book, see my previous post and let me know! 

So today I decided I have much respect for those of you authors who must research your characters and eras so very thoroughlly, only to have experts find one loophole in your story! Today, I decided that if, IF I were to ever write a book, I would write only about soemthing that I know very well, which leaves me with few options.  Basically, I'm left with mothering, farming, and Dairy Farming.  The last two only because my husband is a WEALTH of information because he worked on them as a kid. I could also pick his brain about the Stock Market but I think I'd get easily overwhemed.  Giggling, I tried to think of a storyline that would have a setting as a dairy farm and well, I didn't come up with much.  Mostly funny scenarios.  So this post is to give encouragement to all your authors who have to research the "Regency" era, who must learn how to describe churning butter for the western stories, and describe the "Civil War" as if you're there.  Keep up the good work, be encouraged, and if you've ever had a bad review where someone nit-picked your story because your character said a word that wasn't invented yet, just know that the rest of us didn't notice.  Keep it up.

Reviews

Ok, I'm opening it up for all you new starting out authors.   I have family in the business and I know its rough.  First overcomming the huge obstacle of getting your manuscript published, then to get it out there so people will purchase it.  It's ovewhelming and sometimes seems impossible. For anyone who is interested, I'll post a review on your book on both this blog and on Amazon. For the blog, I'll do an interview with anyone who wants the extra publicity, and I'll tweet and Facebook about it. Second, I'll post a reivew on Amazon.com and/or BarnesandNoble.com.  Here's what YOU need to do.  First, contact me. Leave a post with your book title, name and e-mail and I'll contact you.  Currently I'm opening it up for Ya Lit, Romance, (non erotica) and general fiction.  If you have a non-fiction piece I'll look at it as well.  If you don't know if you fit into the category, all you need to do is ask.  Second, I'll need a copy of your book and cover art you wish to release to me for the sole purpose of publishing it on this Blog.  I'll also need links so readers can purchase your book from this site.  If I've missed something, let me know!  Have fun and I look forward to your books! 

Heros

In college we had a saying, we wanted a man " who could chop wood."  While I had many friends who were considered, "metro" when it came down to it, I wanted a man who could chop wood, you know, be utterly masculine.  No frilly expensive perfume and manicured nails.  There is nothing wrong with the utterly "metro" guy, but when we girls dream about our knight in shining armor, we dream of someone fierce, powerful, assertive and commanding.  The romantic in us also desires a considerate gentleman who is concerned more for damsels welfare more than his own, a selfless attitude.  Some of my favorite whispers from a book come from lines spoken from the utterly masculine hero who finds himself undone by the female lead character.  There is something so amazing God has done between men and women in their blooming relationships.  The tall dark and handsome become even more alluring when they find they have a chink in their armor, love.  What's even better is when they find that "chink" actually makes them stronger.  It's great when they fight it, makes a great storyline, but it's even better when they realize how futile it is to fight love, and even better when they realize they don't want to.  A few of my favorite heros come from some obscure books.  "California Chances" is one of my favorite books because of the heros within those pages.  The book is by Kathy and Kelly Hake as well as Tracy Bateman.  There are three different stories within the book and each hero is a brother of the same family.  I love family books, or legacy, where you see what happens after the story has ended.  But I digress, I love these books because the man is a rugged California Rancher during the mid 1800s who, in each story, is not only very strong in character and personality, but also very suprised by love and how it finds them.  I love it when I can totally floor my husband, it doesn't happen often but it is a great feeling when I can!  That is a great element in these books. 

Another book where I love the hero is Lisa T. Bergren's "Waterfall"series.  The first time I read her first book, "Waterfall" I had a huge grin and didn't realize I hadn't moved in a few hours till my feet started to go numb. The hero, Marcello, makes my heart sing.  He is an actual knight in Mideval Italy and swordfights, all while fighting his attraction to Gabrella who accidently went back in time and now must find her sister who traveled with her.  I have MANY whispers from this book, and it is my "go to" book when I need a good read.  Her next book "Cascade" was an immediate buy after I finished "Waterfall" and I stayed up till 2am finishing it.  Much to my absolute horror, her final book wouldn't come out for 10 days when I had finished "Cascade." Although it was a good thing. I would have stayed up all night had it been available for purchase!  "Torrent" the third book in the series had my head spinning and honestly, it is my favorite book to this day.  All because of the hero.  The hero can make or break a book.  The hero is the backbone to each good romance, and without a strong hero, your book is weak and watered down.  Even if your book is about a Heroine, you need the strong hero compliment to make the mix perfect.  What type of hero do you go for?

My quote of the day...

Today I have a doctor's appointment for my son.  Of course I'm bringing my Kindle but with hundreds of options for books to read, I find myself in a quandry.  Sometimes so many options makes the choice overly difficult in choosing something to read.  I have to admit that mostly, I read fiction.  I love romance novels, both inspirational and mainstream, but I branch out occasionally and read something different.  It's always refreshing to begin something out of the box for myself.  Currently I'm working on " A Short History of Rome"  which I find highly interesting.  But today I think I'll stick with my fiction love for the dreaded waiting room.  As I look through my list of books I'll hear little whispers from each one reminding me of the story, the characters and my favorite parts.  Currently I think I'm heading toward a re-read...that way I'll be ok with interruptions!  I'm thinking Catherine Palmer's " A Kiss of Adventure."  It was a free book on Kindle last week and I've been a fan of Mrs. Palmer's books in the past, but this one far surpassed my expectations.  I love a tall dark and handsome hero with blue eyes...reminds me of my husband.  The book was full of life, adventure and a great love story with mystery mixed in.  I'm definately feeling that book today...I'll let you know what whispers I'm left with...

Opening up...

Have you ever read a book that whispers its sweet lines in your ear long after you've closed its pages?  Those are my favorite.  The ones you come back to on a rainy day with a hot cup of coffee or tea and quilt spread over your lap.  Books that somehow transcend the page and take up residence in your heart.  It could be because of a character, or a great twist, or maybe it's just because the book makes you laugh so hard, or cry so desperately.  This blog is dedicated to those books.  Have one? Let me know, I love finding new ones.  I'm sure you do too, so keep checking back as I am going to be adding updates on the new books I read that whisper to me.