Sunday, December 30, 2012

Meet Ann Tracy Marr - Holly Jolly Blog Week 5


Welcome to week five of our Holly Jolly Blog Tour. My guest today is Ann Tracy Marr who is the author of romance novels with a splash of magic.  So, let's turn this right over to Ann and let her tell you a little about herself and her thoughts on Christmas in her novels and get a peek at her 2013 New Year's resolutions. So, abracadabra, may I present Ann ...


Ann Tracy Marr writes paranormal Regency romances. She may pretend to be a Christmas bah humbugger, but if she had $150,000 floating around, she would give the twelve gifts of Christmas as prizes for following this blog tour. (She would keep the ten lords a'leaping for herself.)  Anyone up for French hens? Visit her at www.AnnTracyMarr.com .
 
 

Are any of your books centered around Christmas? Tell us a bit about them please. 

Sorry, none of my books even think about Christmas. Maybe I should rewrite A Christmas Carol and make it more real. Less sappy.
 
 

And for the New Year, of course: what are your 5 New Year's writing/reading resolutions? 

Only one resolution applies strictly to writing. I am so much more than just a writer.
1. Chug along. Isn't that what everyone does?
2. Do better.
3. Work harder.
4. Relax and let it flow.
5. Borrow Shakespeare's brilliance.
And my wish for the New Year is for my daughter to marry the beloved son of a major publisher. That will get me a solid gold IN in the publishing world. No more rejection letters!

Thank you, Ann, for this glimpse of you and your writing. For those of you who took the time to stop by, please leave a comment on these questions or share with us how you would answer them. Your comment might just win you a $50 Amazon gift certificate when we draw one lucky winner at the end of our blog tour.

And, I’d like for you to stop by Christine London's blog http://www.christinelondon.com/ and check out my answers to the above questions.
 
Also, we invite you to visit the blogs of all the authors taking part in this Holly Jolly Christmas blog. Leave a comment for another entry in our fifty-dollar gift certificate drawing!
Regan Taylor - http://regantaylorsworld.blogspot.com/
Regina Andrews - http://worldofgood-gina.blogspot.com/
Angie Dobson – http://www.loveromancesandmore.blogspot.com/
Ann Tracy Marr - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ann-Tracy-Marr/114711658247?ref=ts

Saturday, December 22, 2012

Meet Angie Dobson - Holly Jolly Blog Tour - Week 4


Welcome to week four of our Holly Jolly Blog Tour. My guest today is Angie Dobson. It’s very exciting to have a book reviewer as a guest on my blog this week! So, let's turn this right over to Angie and let her tell you a little about herself and her thoughts on handling her reading/reviewing, traveling and absent family member during the holiday season. Sooo, here’s Angie ….

I am Angie Dobson, reviewer for LoveRomancesandmore. I spend most of my time being a mom to a 9-month-old girl, who is getting ready for her first Christmas and her first international trip to spend the holidays with our family in England! I also work full time in the office of a gift shop manufacturer - can we say chaos this time of year? I am also a rep for a direct sales company called Lindt Chocolates - but enough about my day-to-day life; let's talk about my favorite things for this post!

How do you manage your writing/reading schedule with all the other activities around the holidays?

I don't! Once December 1st, hits, my life revolves around the holidays. I do everything I can to put everything else aside until January 2nd each year. I work full time for a high end gift shop manufacturer – we make robes, bath wraps, and baby products. We do more business in the first 3 weeks of December than we do all year around. My whole life becomes on big chaotic blur. I also travel for Christmas each year – anyone have any advice on traveling from the States to Europe with an infant – and all her gifts in tow?

How about traveling during the holidays: do you go visiting or have you in the past? What has that been like? Have there been any absent family members during the holidays ? How has it effected your writing; have you used any of that in your stories?

I would not know what life was like without traveling during the holidays. Since I got married 13 years ago, I have never spent Christmas Eve in my own bed. My husband's parents are in England, most of my family are in West Virginia…And we live in Eastern Pennsylvania. We try to alternate years with them, so we can still get in a summer vacation without feeling guilty! Most often someone is missing from our families, and of course we have loved one who have passed that each year we stop and remember. I think our experiences shape who we are, and even though I don't think I have referenced our holidays in anything I have written, it certainly shapes my mindset and feelings as I read and review a novel – making me feel more deeply, remember and smile at different things that others might just gloss over, or feel even stonger.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us, Angie. Now, Angie and I would like for those of you who have visited my blog to share your comments on Angie’s thoughts. Also, please feel free to leave a comment with your thoughts on these questions. Every comment will give you a chance to win a fifty dollar Amazon gift certificate to be awarded at the end of our six week blog tour.

My thoughts on the above questions can be found on Regan Taylor’s blog this week - http://regantaylorsworld.blogspot.com . Also, you can visit all our wonderful blog hop authors and leave comments there to increase your chances to win the gift certificate.  They can be found as follows: 

Christine London - http://www.christinelondon.com

Saturday, December 15, 2012

Regina Andrews - Holly Jolly Blog Tour - Week 3!

Welcome to week three of our Holly Jolly Blog Tour. My guest today is Regina Andrews. So, let's turn this right over to Regina and let her tell you a little about herself and then she's going to share her thougts on Christmas gving and Christmas literature.

Hi Sharon! Thanks for having me on your blog.

Thanks for stopping by Sharon’s blog to spend a bit of time getting to know me!  I am Regina Andrews, Inspirational Author - but that sounds kind of stuffy, don't you think?

Let's try this -- everyone calls me Gina and I love happy endings, I love writing, I love romance and I love God, so naturally I write romance novels with an inspirational point of view. After all, what's life without a good dose of faith to carry us through those times when things are not exactly going the way we'd like them to be? I know I need it, most definitely.

During the day I am lucky enough to have a full-time writing job at a national jewelry company, specializing in high-end designer and Estate pieces - I'm the one writing what you read about all these one-of-a-kind treasures!

In my off time, I volunteer for the blind, work at the local children's hospital and sing my heart out in the church choir. My hubby and I are proud 'parents' of a semi-feral cat named Queenie who really is in charge of the whole house. She loves Christmas -- especially tinsel! -- and so do I, so let's get to the questions and kick off Week 3 of this fun and fabulous "Holly Jolly" blog tour!

Which charity is most deserving of your holiday generosity and why?
Absolutely, St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. For so many reasons, but most of all what really touches me is that no child is ever turned away. Each and every child is a precious treasure, and St. Jude’s not only recognizes this, they actively fight each day for every child. It’s a war against illness, despair and pain and these valiant angels are on the battle lines every day. I’m not one for ‘war talk’, but in this case – it really is a matter of life and death for the children and their families. http://www.stjude.org

What is your favorite holiday tradition in literature?
If I could count the Bible as Literature, then absolutely I would say my favorite tradition would be the theme of the quest for a home and, in a larger sense, the theme of the journey. By this I mean directly the way Mary and Joseph had nowhere to go and had to keep trudging along to find a place to stay. All they wanted to do was park it someplace for the night, to find a spot to rest. But they had to keep plowing along until there was a room - in a barn. They were very grounded, very rooted in reality and needed to stay put so Mary could have the Child. Similarly, but, actually almost the mirror image thematically, the Three Wise Men followed a star and traveled very far to find the Baby Jesus. They started out, traveling day and night. Following a star? How esoteric! Think about all this action - there was a lot of activity in that desert, lots of traffic! People roaming around to find a place to stay, others going out and embarking on a journey, and looking to find the real King. All this movement, and restlessness and unsettledness builds up the anticipation, of course, and the expectation. I think the common theme with so many different motives and unique backstories is why I love this tradition of the journey. Even today, we each take an individual spiritual journey every Advent.

Now if I can’t reference the Bible as Literature, I’d have to go with gift-giving as in O. Henry’s “Gift of the Maji”. Oh, that still gives me shivers!

‘Nuff said, I’ve probably gone on too long J But the irony – oh!

Thank you so much for hosting me, Sharon!! You can find out more about me and my list of published books at: www.reginaandrews.com and
 
Here's the cover of just one of Regina's books:
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Please visit all our wonderful blog hop authors. Leave a comment and be entered to win a fifty dollar gift certificate!
 
Christine London - http://www.christinelondon.com

Regan Taylor - http://regantaylorsworld.blogspot.com

Angie Dobson – http://loveromancesandmore.com

Regina Andrews -  http://worldofgood-gina.blogspot.com/

Saturday, December 08, 2012

Author Kelley Heckart Shares Some Holiday Fantasies


Welcome to week two of the Winter Blog Tour. My guest today is Kelley Heckart. Kelley and I belong to the Lake Havasu City Writers Group so I've know Kelley for a few years. What I've pleasantly learned is that although Kelley resides on the earthly realm with her husband and two dogs, she always has one foot firmly planted in the otherworldly realm of mystical creatures, fierce warriors and magic. A psychic once told her she has an old soul and this comes across in her tales of long ago places. An avid reader, she turned her lifelong passion for Celtic Mythology into a way to express herself through writing. In her free time, she enjoys playing her bass guitar, writing poetry/lyrics, hiking, watching sunsets/sunrises and horseback riding.

Now, lets turn this over to Kelly -


Hi Sharon! Thanks for having me on your blog.

What is your favorite holiday food and why?

Pumpkin rolls. They are yummy!

You can have any person in history over for your holiday dinner. Who do you invite and what do you talk about?

I would invite W.B. Yeats. I love his writings on faeries, especially Celtic Twilight. I would want to hear his stories of how he gathered all of his information on faeries.

***

 Kelley Heckart writes historical fantasy romances set in ancient on up to early medieval time periods. Her stories reflect her passion for history, storytelling and the supernatural. Inspired by the ancient Celts, her tales are filled with fierce warriors, bold women, otherworldly creatures, magic, conflict and romance. Kelley can be found online at http://www.kelleyheckart.com/.



Her latest release, Daughter of Night, is set in ancient Greece where two mortals are caught in the midst of the battle between the Titans and Olympian gods. Also, all three books in her Dark Goddess trilogy are now available in print, Kindle & Nook. Set in Dark Age Scotland, an Irish clan is tormented by a vengeful goddess and their only escape is to break an ancient faery curse. Buy links for all of Kelley’s books can be found here: http://kelleyheckart.com/BookShelf.html









Please visit all our wonderful blog hop authors. Leave a comment and be entered to win a fifty dollar gift certificate!

Christine London - http://www.christinelondon.com

Saturday, December 01, 2012

'Tis The Season to win a Prize!

So glad you dropped by! And, your timing is great. For the next six weeks I'll be hosting six terrific authors as they share some holiday season tidbits that make this time of year so very special. They'll also be listing some of their novels - novels that cover a wide variety of genres. And, because you take the time to read their post, they invite you to leave a comment which will put you in the running to win a $50 Amazon gift card! So stop by every Sunday from now through Jan 6th. You're in for a good time!

The first guest I'll be hosting is Regan Taylor who writes primarily in the historical romance genre.


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Regan Taylor
 
What is your favorite holiday novel - and why? Movie?
I'm not much for reading holiday books, however, last year I read Sheila Roberts Nine Lives of Christmas and it was wonderful. I plan to read it again this year the closer we get to Yule, because it's just a good story. It would make a fantastic holiday movie.

My favorite movie? Miracle on 34th Street - the original with Natalie Wood. I watch it every year whenever it's on and borrow it from the library as well.

Let us know your favorite holiday tradition that you cherish in your home. And, what holiday tradition do you find fascinating, even though you might not do it at your house? (That might be another culture.)

I don't really celebrate a holiday per se. Before I adopted Missy and Bogie, I did put up a tree - however with how Missy climbs and views pretty much everything as her toy, it's not a good option. Bogie might be content to sit under the tree - but knowing how he imitates everything Missy does .... I can just imagine what they'd do. What I do enjoy is spending the day with some friends of mine. We have a lot of laughs and good conversation.

Regan's Published Novels

So - Thanks for stopping by before you all run out to rent your copy of Miracle on 34th Street! Oh - And don't forget to leave Regan a comment and put yourself in the running for that $50 Amazon gift card.

Check out the other blogs for more chances to win the gift card:
Blogs

Ann Tracy Marr -
ttp://www.facebook.com/pages/Ann-Tracy-Marr/114711658247?ref=ts Christine London -
http://www.christinelondon.com
Sharon Poppen -
http://poppensthoughtsonwritingandstuff.blogspot.com
Regan Taylor -
http://regantaylorsworld.blogspot.com
Regina Andrews -
http://reginaandrews.wordpress.com
Angie Dobson –
 http://loveromancesandmore.com
Kelley Heckert -
http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com

Wednesday, November 07, 2012

The Next Big Thing!!! - Win an Amazon Gift Certif.

I have been invited by author Regan Taylor to take part in a blog event where several authors will be answering a series of questions regarding books they are now writing. I encourage you to check out the blogs listed at the bottom of this post where you'll meet some very interesting authors. And, some of them are conducting contests where you can win a prize. I'm offering a $10 Amazon gift certificate for a question at the end of my list of questions and answers.

Sharon Poppen's Next Big Thing:

What is the working title of your book?

'The Band' is the sixth in a series of books about the Farrell Family which started with my novel 'After the War, Before the Peace' which takes place shortly after the end of the U.S. Civil War.  The time frame for ''The Band' is the 1950s and 1960s.

Where did the idea come from for the book?

At the end of book 5, titled 'Stephen's Boys', the main character is a wounded WWII vet who is trying to raise four sons on a ranch in Maui, Hawaii. When I ended book 5, J.J., the oldest son, stayed in my mind. Being a child of the early rock and roll era, I decided to take the Farrell family into the wild and crazy world of teen idols and how they approached being teen idols, touring, fame and drugs.

What genre does your book fall under?

It's Contemporary/Romance.

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

Channing Tatum could be J.J., Justin Bartha could be Johnny, Bradley Cooper could be Steve and Justin Timberlake could be Mikey.

What is a one-sentence synopsis of your book?

A genuinely good man copes with the challenges of fame and fortune.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

I have self-published one of my four novels and will not self-publish again. I have two potential publishers that are interested in the Farrell family series.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

About one year. I would have liked to spend more time on it. In fact, if a missed a few days, my characters would invade my thoughts and lure me back into their realm. I was working on marketing my third novel 'Abby-Finding More Than Gold' and doing the final edits and prep for the release of my fourth novel 'Regardless' which was published in September of this year.

What other books would you compare to this story within your genre?

None come to mind at the moment. I started with a character who was a genuinely, dependable young man and took his character on a descent into wine, women and drugs, then tried to make my readers like him again. It will be interesting to see if this will pass the believable test with my editor.

Who or What inspired you to write this book?

Like I said earlier, the Farrell Family have always been almost 'real' people to me. In fact, one readers told me that he feels that the characters are so multi-dimensional real that he thinks I may have actually been a part of this family in a previous life. So, when book five ended, the oldest son basically said 'My turn. Now tell my story.'

What else about your book might pique the reader's interest?

The background story of the life, times and culture of the 1950s-60s as to interests, morals, locations and attitudes of the Baby Boom Generation.

Thank you for stopping by to read my blog! Your interest in most appreciated.

Now, if you're still reading, I have two requests to make:

1. Drop by the blogs I've listed below to discover some really good and interesting writers.
2. Leave me a comment about my Next Big Thing post and on Nov. 22nd, I'll put the names of all commenters in a hat and draw out one to win the $10 Amazon gift certificate.

Blogs to Visit:

www.regantaylorsworld.blogspot.com

www.christinelondon.blogspot.com

www.reginaandrews.wordpress.com

http://www.books-writing.com/interview-with-author-sharon-poppen

www.tracyriva.com







Monday, October 29, 2012

Regardless - Available Now!

It's been a crazy few months of editing, getting published and arranging the book signings for my latest novel 'Regardless'. It's a real change for me. I've left my strong women of the old west behind to treat my readers to the adventures of Tom and Michael in the future. The novel begins in the year 2371 in San Francisco. Tom is an Earthling. He is a straight man who is married with one five year old daughter. Michael is an artist/photographer from the planet Maurac. He is gay. They meet on a ski trip to Aspen and the attraction begins. The book follows these two men as they try to follow their hearts while coping with a wide variety of reactions from reluctant acceptance to complete rejection. As usual with my novels, I tried to make the characters come alive for my readers. There is a plot that takes the reader through several twists and turns, but my readers are already saying that it is the actions and reactions of Tom and Michael that made them keep turning pages. I've had one book signing and have two coming up in the next month.

Mixed into all this excitement about the release of 'Regardless', I've had to cope with some sad news. My younger brother Jim died suddenly on Oct. 14th. He was 22 months younger than me, but in my memory he has always been my big brother. He helped me in so many ways during my years as a single parent that my two children have a deep and caring love for this very special Uncle. I can't change the fact that he is gone, but I have promised myself that I will try to live each day more fully in appreciate of having shared so many years on this earth with such a wonderful man.

I'll close tonight with this. "I remember those happy days and often wish I could speak into the ears of the dead of the gratitude which was due to them in life and so ill-returned." Gwyn Thomas

Saturday, July 21, 2012

Ann Tracy Marr's Memorable Quotes


Hi All, So glad you dropped by to check out author Ann Tracy Marr’s selection of memorable quotes from her novels. Believe me, you’re in for a treat as you can see just by viewing her tantalizing book covers.
 Now, let’s read on to see what Ann has to share with us. 

This is the Best Ever Summer Blog Tour. A bunch of writers got together and decided to switch off blogs to give readers a change of pace. Along with meeting new authors, you readers have been winning prizes. This week, it is my turn to offer a goodie. One of the people who comments on this blog this week will win a pdf copy of my first paranormal Regency, ROUND TABLE MAGICIAN. The winner will be announced next Sunday, July 29th. And… commenting on any of the blogs participating in the tour enters you in the drawing for the grand prize, a $50 Amazon gift card.

Thank you, Sharon, for having me host the blog this week. The group decided that we would do some gentle promotion of our books by feeding readers enticing quotes from our published works. I groaned and went along, knowing it doesn’t play to my strengths as a writer. Any decent author can come up with memorable one liners. It’s part of writing good dialogue. But it’s harder to come up with one liners that stand alone. “Here’s looking at you, kid,” or “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn,” make you stand up and take notice. I don’t seem to have the knack.

One of my favorite one liners from Round Table Magician is "Ahh, enjoy the sunshine." If that got you excited, I’d worry about you. It’s not memorable, not special. You need background. At the very least, you need to know this is a Regency romance wherein Lady Martha has fallen in love with Lord Brinston and he refuses to reciprocate. The best the man can do is unintentionally insult her and make lame remarks. And it ticks Martha off. To be honest, you need the whole scene to see why I like the line. Here it is:

Her head came up just as Lord Brinston turned the corner of the path. Dressed for riding and tapping a riding crop in the palm of his hand, Brinson looked prime. He stopped politely and said, "Good morning."

"My lord," Martha replied, wishing she had worn a prettier dress. "It is a lovely day."

"Yes, yes it is. You paint?" He peered at the drawing she sheltered with her hand.

"Not that well."

"I see. You perhaps should squint at the page to see how best to proceed. My sister does that. She says taking her work out of focus helps show her what needs doing."

Unaccountably irritated, Martha didn't respond. She didn't need a lesson in watercolors. She already knew her work was lacking. Having it confirmed by this godlike man rankled. Brinston glanced at her face; his brief impersonal look irritated her further.

He rubbed the crop along his jaw line. "Ahh, enjoy the sunshine," he said and turned toward the house.

Martha mumbled, "Thank you," to the crisply pressed tail of his coat. She watched Lord Brinston stride away, swinging his crop, conscious that there had been no more to the exchange than any man would have offered to any female of his acquaintance. That was what irritated the most--the any part.

The scene still doesn’t convey why "Ahh, enjoy the sunshine." sticks in my mind. Here they sound like mere acquaintances; you don’t get a sense of the history behind them, that her infatuation began when he saved her from a murderous smuggler, that they are both searching for stolen military secrets, that fate seems destined to throw them together. The one line epitomizes their relationship from his point of view. Brinston isn’t cooperating in romance and Martha is almost ready to take a whip to him. To really see why I like the line, you’d have to read the book -- follow their relationship from inception. Then you would see why I think it is hilarious for Lord Brinston to lamely say, "Ahh, enjoy the sunshine."

The line certainly doesn’t stand alone. Neither does this, from Thwarting Magic:
"I take it he does not like the drapes?"
"Lime and orange stripes? I doubt it."
Why his wife redecorates his study with lime and orange stripes is a long story, but I love it.

From To His Mistress:
"The last person to meddle with my business had to retire permanently from Town. Care to try me further?"
Would you believe he is talking to his mother?

Now you see why the perfect one liner is not in my repertoire.
Cheers, Ann Tracy Marr

Where can you find me?
Website: www.AnnTracyMarr.com
Purchase books (e-book or trade paperback) on Amazon.com
http://tiny.cc/7p0xew 

Well, Ann, they certainly sound intriguing to me and I’m sure our readers will want to make some comments and maybe ask you some questions. We’re down to the last week to qualify, so readers get to commenting. Then slip on over to check out my memorable quotes at Christine London’s blog at http://christinelondon.blogspot.com where you can make comments about my choices and get another opportunity to win Ann’s book and qualify for the $50 Amazon gift certificate. Thanks, Ann, for sharing these quotes with us. And, readers, thanks for taking the time to stop by!

For more interesting blogs and yet another chance to qualify for a Ann’s book and the $50 Amazon gift certificate here are the blogs for the other authors on our Best Summer Reading Tour:

Christine London – www.christinelondon.com
Lynn Hones - lynnhones.wordpress.com
Susan Roebuck - http://lauracea.blogspot.com

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Lynn Hones - The Truth Comes Out

Well, everyone, it's time for the truth to be told. Thanks Lynn for a delightful tale that was so whimsical to read. And, while we all wanted Lynn's delicious story to be true, her fib was the treasure chest. Don't worry about whether you guessed right or not. Everyone who commented on Lynn's post will be entered to will the beach sand jewelry and the end of tour award of a $50 gift certificate. Good luck to all of you and thanks again, Lynn, for your lovely story.

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Meet Lynn Hones - Three Truths and One Fib

Hi and welcome to Week 7 of our Best Summer Reading Tour! Today my guest is author Lynn Hones. The very talented Lynn is both an author and the creator of beautiful beach jewelry and lovely, scented candles. You can check out her website at www.lynnhones.com for a complete list of all her exciting novels.

Our topic this week is - Tell us three truths about yourself and one lie. Guess which is the lie.
Lynn has been very creative and has turned the topic into a short story. So enjoy! Then, leave a comment here as to which statement in her story is the fib and you just might win a piece of her beach jewelry and be entered to win the $50 Amazon gift certificate to be awarded at the end of the tour.



I’m supposed to tell you three truths about myself and one lie. This should be fun. I guess, since I’m a writer, I’ll put it in story form.

One beautiful, sunny day Lynn Hones was driving down a winding road. On one side of this road was one of the Great Lakes and on the other side was an old brick home built in 1850 by a ship’s captain.
After seeing the house she and her husband, Martin, bought it before having any inspections done because they felt drawn to it and it’s low price. They fixed the house up and lived in it part-time while ripping out old floors and painting the walls. During this time there was no water or electricity, but they didn’t care. It was fun, an adventure. Fast forward one year and they live in the house full-time; have water and electricity and even cable and Internet. Lynn has opened a store in the back two rooms to sell her beach glass jewelry and candles.

Their neighbor is a relation to the original owners and told them of a supposed treasure hidden in the walls of the house during the Civil War. They would have to knock down walls to find it, and aren’t sure if they should.

They’ve found many interesting things out about the house and the people who lived there before. The thing is, the first couple who owned it, gave it to their son, Martin and his wife, Mary to raise their family in. Lynn’s first name is Mary, so she and her husband have the same names as these previous owners. One of Lynn’s books, Haunted Vows, deals with a couple who live in an old house, fix it up when it has no water or electricity, live in it and start a store on the grounds. They are actually re-incarnated from the original owners of the house. This kinda freaked Lynn out, because it mirrors her life so perfectly, but she figures it’s simply life imitating art.

So what’s true? Did they buy their house on a whim? Does Lynn have a store? Is there a hidden treasure? Did Lynn have a book called Haunted Vows that is frighteningly similar to her present life? Hmmm???? I wonder. (Places index finger to lips.)

Thanks, Lynn, what a fun story of intrigue and fun. You can check out all of Lynn's romantically, exciting books at her website www.lynnhones.com .

To continue the tour and check out the truths and fibs from all our authors here are the websites to visit and, please, leave a comment. Enjoy!

Ann Tracy Marr - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ann-Tracy-Marr/114711658247?ref=ts
Regan Taylor - http://regantaylorsworld.blogspot.com
Corinne Davies - www.daviesromance.blogspot.com
Regina Andrews - http://reginaandrews.wordpress.com
Christine London – www.christinelondon.com
Lynn Hones - lynnhones.wordpress.com
This week you can find me sharing my truths and fibs on Susan Roebuck's blog - http://lauracea.blogspot.com 

Sunday, July 08, 2012

Welcome Corinne Davies!!!


Today my guest is Corinne Davies who authors delightfully exotic romance novels. She'll be sharing her thoughts on the following question. "If you could organize a dinner party, which fictional characters (choose some from your own books too ) would you invite and what would you cook?" After reading Corinne's most interesting sharing, please stop by Regan Taylor's blog www.regantaylorsworld.blogsopt.com where you can read my thoughts on the same question. Now, here's Corinne ---
First off, a big thank you the lovely Sharon Poppen for allowing me to invade her blog today. I can’t believe that our blog tour is already over half way to the end. Don’t forget to comment at the bottom and get your name in the draw for this week’s book.
There really is only one thing that I can say I cooked very well and that is stuffed shells. It’s my one claim to cooking fame. Other then maybe toast…I can make toast. I tried to do a beautiful marinated pork roast on the bbq once. After following all the instructions carefully, I ended up setting my husband’s new bbq on fire. It wasn’t a pretty sight and I have been banned from using it unless he is there to supervise.  Honestly, I am a terrible cook, but thankfully I had the foresight to marry a man who is very good at it. Without him I’m sure I would have starved long ago.
But, much like my books this is a fantasy  J
In my fantasy I whipped up a fantastic dinner. It’s been hotter than Hades around here so let’s do something outside.  We’ll have grilled chicken breasts with a spicy peach glaze, and a grilled red potato salad with bacon blue cheese dressing for dinner. I’ll match that with one of my favourite white wines, Flat Rock Twisted.


I love this picture and it’s too perfect inspiration for the rest of my meal. We’ll be dining on Ecstasy Lake. (Which means all those lovely lanterns are filled with citronella as well LOL) and the most important part..my guest.

Tonight I’m dining with 3XTC’s dj, Kris Beauvert.  Kris is a secondary character that has been on the fringes of most of my Lake books. He’s sits in his DJ booth on the second floor of one of the lake side buildings. Up there he sees everything that is going on around him. He’s the local historian, the keeper of the Blavet museum and all around town gossip. There isn’t anything that happens that he doesn’t know about but I don’t know much about him personally and I think that is going to change. I think that Kris holds a lot town secrets that I need to know. It might take 2 bottles of Twisted to get the information out of him but I’m up to the challenge. ;)

Bon Appetite

Corinne Davies writes paranormal ménage romances set in a small town outside of Ontario’s Algonquin Park. She spends far too much time on Facebook and loves to interact with her readers there.
http://www.facebook.com/#!/corinne.davies.52

Getting to know Corinne more about this author you can visit her website at www.corinnedavies.com

Corinne Davies reads anything she can get her hands on from the side of a cereal box to a historical book on the Riflemen during the Napoleonic wars. During her younger years, she first put pen to paper in an attempt to write a love story between her and her favourite rock singer of the time. It was filled all the angst that only a teenager can come up with and an incredible wardrobe.

In her senior year of high school she tried again. This time, the story was more like Clash of the Titans meets Robin Hood. Despite the unusual combination, the lack of plot, and a horrendous amount of dialogue, she received a lot of encouragement from her grade 12 English teacher. (Thank you Mrs Harvey!)

During the wee hours of the morning, when her first daughter insisted on waking up, she discovered online RPGs and her love of writing emerged again. After many encouraging words from fellow writers, she decided to try her hand at developing her own stories. Something, she quickly learned, was not as easy as she had imagined.

By day, she is a full-time wife, mother, and product consultant. At night, she avoids such mundane tasks as housework and laundry by creating her own worlds where mythology comes to life. Worlds in which you are just as likely to be living next door to an ancient Deity as finding an mystic treasure in the attic.

Check out Corinne's website for more of her exciting novels, but to whet your your appetite here are her four '3xtacy Lake Series' covers.



Saturday, June 30, 2012

Presenting Angie Dobson - Book Reviewer


Welcome back to the July 1st edition of the Best Summer Reading Blog Tour! This week, my guest is Angie Dobson who is a book reviewer. She has a great website www.loveromancesandmore.blogspot.com that you need to check out for some exciting summer reading. Once you finish reading Angie’s interview, leave a comment at the end of this blog and answer this question. How many catagories are incluced in the Golden Rose Award contest? When you leave a comment at the end of this blog with your answer, you qualify to be in the running for this weeks book giveaway and also qualify for the $50 Amazon gift certificate to be given away at the end of the blog tour on July 29th. 

Now, HERE”S ANGIE! 

I love summer! It is a time for vacation and fun in the sun!!  For me it also brings my birthday – can we say time to buy the list of books that piles up between Christmas and the first days of summer?  This is when I get my second round of books that get tossed on my Amazon wish list each year – it is a never ending list of NEEDS and wants. Up until last summer it also meant the release of a new Janet Evanovich book from the Stephanie Plum Series, something I truly miss since I always knew what my mom would pick for my birthday gift!  Now I have to wait impatiently… 
For me the best part of summer is the beginning of the Golden Rose’s on Love Romances and More as well!  I run the contest every spring or summer and we strive to find the best of the best that were released the previous year.   This year we will begin taking entries come July 1st and hope to announce our winners in September.
For our 11th annual Golden Rose Award we will again be running a contest to find out who is the best of the best in writing. We will again this year have five categories with a maximum of 10 entries in each category.  What makes our contest different is that your entire book is read by a panel of judges rather than a popularity contest based on who garners the most number of votes.

~Contemporary Romance
~Erotic
~Historical
~Paranormal/Sci Fi
~Romantic Suspense/Mystery

One staff reviewer will judge each book, with 4 additional judges per category. We have a comprehensive, yet easy to complete score sheet for each category. At the end, all votes will be tallied for a "best of" in each of our five categories.

Do you like to read and have time to read 4-5 books by between August 1st and September 1st? Would you like to help judge the LR&M Golden Roses? We welcome all readers, authors and editors to help find out who the best of the best will be!

CAVEAT: Some entries may be M/M, F/F or menage trois. All judges must be 18+ and agree to be impartial to friends, family and other authors.

Want to be a judge? Email lrmgoldenroses@gmail.com with your preferred genre, followed by your second choice. You will be invited to join a private yahoo group where information will be shared. Books will be emailed privately when our reading period begins (approximately June 1st, or when a category becomes filled).

Want to enter a book? Email lrmgoldenroses@gmail.com to receive a entry form! We will send you an entry form with further details!

*This contest is only open to books published for the first time in 2011
*You must have full rights of the book to send for contests/reviews
*You will need to provide LR&M with 5 copies of the book or the rights to duplicated an e-copy
*All entry forms and $5 entree fees are due by July 28, 2012.
*All books must be received by August 1, 2012
* Winners will have a page on the Love Romances and More blog for the coming year showcasing their winning book, cover and bio.
*All winners will also receive a button that can be posted on their website announcing they have won!

Thanks, Angie!

Now, answer the question about the number of catagories asked in the first paragraph by leaving a comment below and be in the running for a prize. Then, check out my blog this week at www.reginaandrews.wordpress.com to check out what I'm reading these days.

Saturday, June 23, 2012

Introducting Regina Andrews!!

Hi, and welcome back to the 2012 Best Summer Reading Blog Tour. This week my guest is Regina Andrews.

For more information on Regina, check out her website at http://reginaandrews.wordpress.com/ . And, after you enjoy spending some time at Regina's blogsite and getting a look at her world of writing, you can qualify to win this weeks free ebook from one of the blog tour authors and in addition you'll be entered to win a $50 Amazon gift certificate to be awarded on July 29th.  To enter, just leave a comment here on my blog with the answer to the following question. What is the name of the main character in Regina's Inspiration Romance novel, In Good Faith?

Now, grab a cup of coffee and enjoy this blurb about her exciting new novel In Good Faith.
Haley Hawthorne is a successful Art Director at a high-powered greeting card company in Manhattan. Designer clothes and expensive material luxuries are what she uses to try and fill the emptiness inside -- but it wasn't always that way for her.
Orphaned at a young age, Haley was raised in rural Dunbar Falls by her Uncle Nelson amid pasture lands and a clear sense of the things that matter most in life, including her joyful relationship with God.
One day Aaron Carrier, her old friend from Dunbar Falls pays her a surprise visit to her office at Sterling Greeting Cards with devastating news about Uncle Nelson. When she returns home to Dunbar Falls, Haley is faced with a professional decision upon inheriting Uncle Nelson’s air-conditioning company. More than that, she faces a crossroads in her heart. It is a crisis of faith, of loyalty and of love.
What does God want her to do? Will she be able to return home to Dunbar Falls and all that it has meant for her? And will Aaron Carrier be more than a friend?

You can find Regina and get more information on her list of publications and how to contact her at::
WEBSITE: www.reginaandrews.com
BLOG www.reginaandrews.wordpress.com
EMAIL: Andrews_regina@yahoo.com


Next Stop on the 2012 Best Summer Reading Blog Tour
Learn a little more about me and how my characters 'come' into my imagination at Reviewer Angie Dobson's blog at http://loveromancesandmore.blogspot.com/

Saturday, June 16, 2012

Introducing Regan Taylor!

Welcome back to the 2012 Best Summer Reading Ever Blog Tour featuring some of my fellow writers at Awe-Struck Publishing. This week my guest is Regan Taylor who writes primarily in the historical romance genre. Check out her selection of books at her website www.regantaylor.com. Today Regan shares her thoughts on how she researches for her novels. And, after you enjoy Regan's comments, you can qualify to win a free copy of Regan Taylor's ebook With All Dispatch -Book 2 of the Treasures Antique Series and you'll be entered to win a $50 Amazon gift certificate to be awarded on July 29th just by leaving a comment here on my blog with the answer to the following question.  What is the name of the ship where Regan spends a day on the ocean doing some research? Now, Enjoy!!!!
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Regan Taylor


"YOU WON'T BELIEVE WHAT I DID TO RESEARCH MY NOVEL"

I don't know about you, but if I’m reading a book and there are inaccuracies that could have been fixed with a little research it takes me right out of the book.  I used to be a police dispatcher and for the most part public safety folks, both police and fire, are pretty cool about sitting down and telling you what's right and what is pure fiction. Fiction is good - I read fiction, but if something is wrong, it's wrong. Okay, I did have a bit of a time getting someone from Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to talk to me so I could make my BATF agent, Ryan Michaels in my McKenna Series factually accurate. On the other hand, when I contacted the United States Marshals for some historical information for Kendrick Parker in my Bride Series they put me through to their historian in Washington, D.C. who spent about two hours on the phone with me going through some very specific details.  You can find the info you are looking for; sometimes you just need to dig a bit.
Given my own "geek factor" personality I love researching a new book. I spend hours in the library pouring through reference materials and interview people who actually work in the field or have historical information for my historical romances. And then there's the really fun research. Until I started doing my research for SAPPHIRE, my current work in progress, what I did for WITH ALL DISPATCH was probably the most fun—I lived a day in my characters' lives starting with getting up at the same time they would have for the story. First stop was the Cheese Factory just outside Novato, California,  which has been around since the late 1800's and they still make a fabulous cheese. Breakfast was some of their cheese on homemade rosemary bread. There is a duck pond on the grounds and some of the water fowl came to share the meal. While siting and sharing my meal with some friendly ducks I pulled out my netbook and wrote Gareth and Molly's scene.
From there I drove over the covered bridge and out to the coast. The Pacific that day was breathtaking. The ocean can be quite hypnotic and watching the deep blue-green waves travel in and out, watching the tide changes and coastal wild life go about their business paved the wave for Gareth to talk about his past life. That would be the life he led ohhh, about 1500 years ago. Of course Molly, the love of his life, doesn’t quite believe him. Surely a man who traveled from the past wouldn't be all that interested in by the book, sees things in black and white and lives by the rules Molly. So she thinks.
My actual goal for the day was the Pt. Reyes Lighthouse. Lighthouses are their own special kind of magic. And the stories they could tell not only about the long ago sailors who relied on their guidance, but some of the modern day visitors. There is a certain romance to the towers. The on duty ranger provided some great input -- with Gareth ever near the edge of my imagination providing ideas for just what he and Molly would be up to.
Instead of taking the "short way" home I chose to travel down Highway 1 and the coastal route. With its steep cliffs and winding roadway you get the sense of being in another time and place. As darkness and the evening fog settled over the coast I headed inland and stopped for dinner at the Pelican Inn, an authentic 16th century British Inn. I opted for the kind of meal Gareth would enjoy -- Shepherd's Pie with truffle for dessert.
Later on in the story, when Gareth and Molly have their "dark moment", that moment when their relationship is going to make or break I spent another day driving up and down Highway 121 in Napa looking for the exact spot where their confrontation takes place. Six or seven passes the exact spot caught my attention. Walking around in the field, taking in the scents, noises and watching out for the occasional cow patty it was pretty easy to picture that earth shattering confrontation.
More recently one of my friends came along to do some of that helping with my research for SAPPHIRE. When we heard that the Lady Washington, an exact replica of the original tall ship, was coming to down we headed down to Sausalito, California to spend the day on board sailing. The crew was fantastic and the steward, Cat, spent the better part of two hours answering questions, helping with plot points and describing life what they know of life on the high seas. She’s lived on board for most of the past 3 years. While we cruised the way the Lady Washington and its traveling companion, the Hawaiian Chieftain had a mock battle complete with cannons. They say if you can sail San Francisco bay you can sail anywhere. The day of our sail was warm, sunny and crystal clear.
I don't know if you're like me and always plan to see the sites in your local area. I know when I lived in New York I always planned to visit certain places like the Statute of Liberty but never got around to it. I've lived in the San Francisco Bay area for years and haven't yet made my way to Alcatraz. I'm thinking it may be time for one of my books to take place there just so I have to make the journey out to the famous island in the bay. Meanwhile, Gareth's brother, Gehris, will be eating at Cliff house before too long and they still have pictures of the original gothic structure around. Anyone care to join Gehris and I?
Research Photos
     








Here's an excerpt from one of Regan's books:

WITH ALL DISPATCH
BOOK 2 of the Treasures Antique Series

Chapter One 
     Head spinning, Molly Tanner sat down on the bed unable to breathe let alone move. Something that just couldn’t happen, happened.
It just wasn’t possible. No how. No way
“This has to be a joke, a really bad joke,” she muttered, a photograph gripped tightly in her hand.
She looked around the room and weakly called, “You can come out now. The both of you. Really. Actually make that all three of you. Come on Taister, no playing silly cat games this morning.”
Shaking ever so slightly, Molly scooched off her roommate, Carrie Taylor’s, bed and on to the floor. Not that she was worried about Carrie finding her in her room. After all, the twosome had been friends since they were kids. Growing up with her dark-haired friend had been an adventure with Carrie always finding something new and different for them to get in to. Then one day, not so long ago, Carrie brought home a photograph.
A very old photograph.
And damn if Carrie and her cat Taister weren’t sitting in that very photograph this very minute looking like they’d both caught the canary.
Molly flipped it over and studied the paper. “Nope, this isn’t the photo-shopped version of you and Black Eagle. Nope, nope, not at all. This is the real deal. Carrie, you really did it this time. Or not.”
Lifting her hips off the floor Molly turned and peered under the white-eyelet comforter that covered Carrie’s bed and spied nothing but a few of Taister’s silky black cat hairs.
She sniffed. Nothing, except the sulfur-like smell that greeted her when she first walked into Carrie’s room minutes ago, permeated the air. She brought the photograph up to eye level and shook her head, “At least you could have left a note.”
She snickered to herself. “A note? That said what? Hi! I’m back in time with the man I love?”
She shook her head and then snapped her fingers. “Mr. Merle! I’ll talk to Mr. Merle and he’ll know what happened. Right? I mean, he’s the one who gave you this darn photograph in the first place. He’ll know where you’ve gone and if you’re coming back.”
She stood and walked over to Carrie’s closet. Peering inside, she saw it was as neat and orderly as ever. It didn’t appear that even a scarf was missing. Clearly Carrie hadn’t packed before taking off to wherever she went.
“Not that anyone has time to pack before time traveling.” Molly laughed, just short of hysterical. “Right. Like I have so much experience with time travel. Let’s see what or who I know who’s done it? There’s Black Eagle coming here. And then there’s Black Eagle going back to his home and yup, that’s a lot of experience you have there, Molly. You’re a virtual expert. Yup, and going a little bonkers here talking to yourself.”
Molly turned to study her reflection in Carrie’s mirror. “I suppose that’s true though. I mean, how many people time travel or know people who do? Me, and maybe Mr. Merle if he’d admit to it. It’s not the kind of thing you can bring up in every day conversation; ‘say, Janice, did you happen to travel to Queen Elizabeth’s coronation? Liz the first I mean. What did you think?’ Nope. Can’t exactly do that. If people didn’t think you were crazy before they’d know it after a crack like that.”
She padded back to Carrie’s bed as if she carried the weight of the world in her hands rather than the yellowed photograph, and sat. There they were, Carrie, Black Eagle and Taister, in the photograph…together, in time, forever. Carrie had made it back to her man.
“So now, what do I do? Do I try to bring you home? Or let you live the rest of your life in the past sans latte’s, microwaves and Jacuzzis? Should I be happy for you or sad that I’ll never see you again? And why am I asking a photograph?”
(to be continued)

Regan's Bio:
From earliest childhood today’s guest author, Regan Taylor, was an avid reader. Upon discovering Alexander Dumas and Charles Dickens she was hooked on books that carried the reader away to a different time and place. Preferring the quiet of her room and a good book to spending time with people, she traveled far beyond those four walls. It was while working as a police dispatcher, first for the California Highway Patrol and then her local police department, she began to write fiction, primarily time travels and romantic suspense. In the spring of 2009 she returned to the day job she always liked best, working as a legal secretary. Curled up in her bunny slippers with her furfaced children, Mel, Missy and Bogie, while writing is one of her favorite things to do.

Regan's Published Novels
My interview for this week is being hosted by erotic romance writer, Corinne Davies at www.daviesromance.blogspot.com . I'm sure you'll find a couple of exciting reads among Corinne's excting books for your summer reading pleasure.