Sandra Cox's Blog, page 262

Monday

Yes it is.
Last week I went on my Summer Schedule, bless my boss's heart. And I mean that sincerely, not in Southern Parlance:) Which means, I go in early Monday through Thursday, work late and take off Friday's. Ahh. It feels weird being home on a Friday but it's a good weird. Since the hubby is still hobbling around, I was going to mow this weekend, but it continued to rain, so I went out on the porch and read a couple of books instead. grin. One of them Randy Wayne White's North of Havana. I always find notable quotes in his stories. Here's a couple:
'Guilt is the curse of those who care.' 
and
'Friendship is defined, not measured, by one's willingness to go to the aid of another. It is an obligation that blends conscience and accountability. Very, very few are worthy of the word.' 
Granted these are spoken from his Doc Ford's point of view. But insightful, don't you think? One of the reason's I enjoy his work, besides the  obvious--he writes a damn fine mystery--is his character's study of human nature.
Completely off topic, Belle Kitty woke me from a nightmare. I dreamed I was witnessing a murder. She got right in my face, nudged and cried till I woke up then flopped down beside me. I was very appreciative because I was next on the man's hit list. And speaking of murder, I'm thinking about trying one, just on paper mind you. After I finish the other ideas rolling around in my head. But that's for another day. And as far as Monday goes, hope your day is productive and your evening relaxing and enjoyable.

Weekend

Enjoy your weekend.

SBB:Phantom and Demon by Laura DeLuca

BLURB: Demon, Book TwoWhen Justyn and Rebecca set off for the New York School of Performing Arts, they think their dreams are about to come true. To their dismay, they aren’t in high school anymore, and the competition is steep. Rebecca must compete against accomplished singers for a role in the production of Demon Barber, including a stunning Gothic diva with her sights set on Justyn
It doesn't help that things keep disappearing from their apartment or that Rebecca's father refuses to accept that Justyn is an essential part of her life. Yet, all this seems minimal in comparison to the serial rapist terrorizing the campus.
Consumed by fear and obsessed with revenge, Rebecca and Justyn start living the story of Sweeney Todd—both on and off the stage.Blurb: Phantom, Dark Musicals Book #1:Rebecca lands the lead role of Christine, the opera diva, and like her character, she is torn between her two co-stars—Tom the surfer and basketball star who plays the lovable hero, and Justyn, the strangely appealing Goth who is more than realistic in the role of the tortured artist.
Almost immediately after casting, strange things start to happen both on and off the stage. Curtains fall. Mirrors are shattered. People are hurt in true phantom style. They all seem like accidents until Rebecca receives notes and phone calls that hint at something more sinister. Is Justyn bringing to life the twisted character of the phantom? Or in real life are the roles of the hero and the villain reversed? Rebecca doesn’t know who to trust, but she knows she’s running out of time as she gets closer and closer to opening night. Only when the mask is stripped away, will the twenty first century phantom finally be revealed. EXCERPT:Demon“What the hell are you looking at?” Livy demanded.
At first Rebecca just ignored her hostility. She walked back to her cubbyhole and opened it to stowaway her bags until practice was over. She was going to forget the whole stupid idea and just walk away. But Livy was still standing there, leaning against the lockers, looking just as sad as she did angry. Rebecca couldn’t help but feel sorry for her. She was reminded of how horribly everyone had treated Justyn during the production of Phantom and thought perhaps Livy was just as misunderstood.
“Livy,” she started, “can we talk for a minute?”
The Goth just gave her a dirty look. “I don’t know what we could possibly have to say to each other.”
“I just wanted to apologize about what happened at the party,” Rebecca spoke with as much sincerity as she could muster. “No matter how we feel about each other, I never meant to … to embarrass you the way I did.”
Rebecca had never seen the cliché of flashing eyes come to life like it did at that moment. “Don’t you dare!” Livy spat. “Don’t you dare pity me!”
“That’s not what I meant,” Rebecca tried to explain, though she knew she was fighting a losing battle. “I just regret—”
“Do you want to know what I regret?” Livy interrupted and actually shoved Rebecca against her locker. “I regret not ripping every strand of hair out of that pretty little head of yours when I had the chance. This isn’t high school, Becca! We aren’t going to be friends. And I’m not going to stop until Justyn is mine and you run back to New Jersey with your tail between your legs. Is that clear enough for you, deary? Don’t try to make nice with me again.”
Livy stomped away, and Rebecca just stood there, feeling shocked and a little stung. She couldn’t believe how vicious Livy could be. So much for olive branches. Instead of trying to hand her one, Rebecca should have shoved it straight up her….
“Wow.” Frankie came up beside her, shaking his head. “It’s girls like that who give PMS a bad rep. I seriously think the next play she should star in is the Taming of the Shrew.”
“There’s no taming that one,” Rebecca replied, still shaking her head. AUTHOR Bio and Links: Laura “Luna” DeLuca lives at the beautiful Jersey shore with her husband and four children. She loves writing in the young adult genre because it keeps her young at heart.  In addition to writing fiction, Laura is also the editor of a popular review blog called New Age Mama. She is an active member of her local pagan community, and has been studying Wicca for close to eight years.  Her current works include Destiny, Destiny Unveiled, Phantom, Morrigan, Player, and Demon.Social Media Links: http://authorlauradeluca.blogspot.comwww.twitter.com/authorldelucawww.facebook.com/authorlauradeluca
  If you haven't read the first book in the series, now is a great time to get your copy. To celebrate the release of Demon, Phantom is now on sale for only $1.99 exclusively on Amazon!http://www.amazon.com/Phantom-ebook/dp/B007Q3W7XC/Buy Links for Demon:Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Demon-Dark-Musicals-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B00C32YAKY/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1364527596&sr=1-1&keywords=demon+laura+delucaSmashwords:http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/299593Barnes & Noble:http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/demon-laura-deluca/1114955103?ean=2940016600147 

Laura will be awarding to a US Only Winner: a signed copy of Phantom with original cover, crystal geode, rough crystal point, stone pendant, sterling silver pentacle pendant, mini Buddha figurine, smudge stick with abalone shell, 2 Gothic style key chains, incense set with leaf holder and lavender purification bath salts to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour.

More Exciting Times At The Cox Household

Where to begin?
Maybe with the assassination of a big ass, brown, fuzzy spider the night before a showing...or the brown stain I saw on the ceiling....or the day spent in Urgent Care with the hub's.
Okay, I'll start with the brown stain on the basement ceiling.
We had a last minute showing scheduled for the next day and I was in cleaning-frenzy mode. The hubs asked for a grilled cheese. Seriously, take the time to grill a sandwich plus dirty a skillet? Really? What was he thinking? Never fear,  I didn't starve him, I did fix him a TV dinner which required dirtying zero dishes.  It was after the TV dinner, I went downstairs and saw the brown stain on the ceiling.
OMG.OMG. Total panic. How does a brown stain get on the ceiling?  My mind immediately leaped to plumbing issues. What else could account for a brown stain? Reason reasserted itself when it dawned on me there was no plumbing in that section of ceiling. Okay, I went from fear to spooked. How did that brown stain get there? Very woo-woo. After stewing about it for awhile, I finally figured out the answer.
The hub's had spilled a cup of coffee the day before when I was at work and since he couldn't bend had left it. It apparently soaked through the floor to the ceiling below. Whew. I never thought I'd be so relieved over a coffee stain.
As I'm painting over the spill, I glance to my right and there's the mother of all spiders. Big. Brown. Hairy. As close as I can tell it was a Huntsman Spider. Harmless and shy. Ha! It doesn't look harmless and shy, it looks like a brown tarantula. Arming myself with a dust rag, I grab him up and throw him outside. I'm a big believer in live and let live unless its ants. I do exterminate ants.  And mosquitoes.
With the removal of the spider and the mystery of the stain solved, things calm down for the night, if not the rest of the week.
The hub's wakes up with a rash covering his body so off we go to urgent care where we spend the majority of the day.  They do blood work, take him off his meds, prescribe new ones and tell us if that doesn't work its back to the hospital he goes.
Fingers and toes crossed that from here we go back to our uneventful routine.
Oh yes and did I mention we discovered the hound is terrified by those horrible helium monsters that we humans know as balloons? We discovered this when I brought the hub's home from the hospital. But in every cloud there's a silver lining. The hound is not supposed to go upstairs but since she flouts authority she usually makes a trip up there about every other night. I have no doubt her sole purpose is to annoy me. The hub's got the brilliant idea to put the balloons at the top of the stairs. It worked like a charm. She hasn't ventured upstairs since the helium monsters were placed at the head of the stairs. The down side...listening to her growl at them.

BBT:Highlander's Hope

BLURB:   Not a day has gone by that Ewan McTavish, the Viscount Sethwick, hasn't dreamed of the beauty he danced with two years ago. He's determined to win her heart and make her his own. Heiress, Yvette Stapleton, is certain of one thing; marriage is risky and, therefore, to be avoided. At first, she doesn't recognize the dangerously handsome man who rescues her from assailants on London's docks, but Lord Sethwick's passionate kisses soon have her reconsidering her cynical views on matrimony. On a mission to stop a War Office traitor, Ewan draws Yvette into deadly international intrigue. To protect her, he exploits Scottish law, declaring her his lawful wife—without benefit of a ceremony. Yvette is furious upon discovering the irregular marriage is legally binding, though she never said, "I do." Will Ewan's manipulation cost him her newfound love?    EXCERPT:Highlander's Hope Excerpt-London Inn Scene Ewan jolted awake. “Merde.”
He had fallen asleep with Yvette in his arms. Shooting a worried glance at the window, he recognized the first golden blush of daybreak sweeping across the hazy sky.
Sucking in a strangled breath, he grasped the inexperienced hand fondling him. Blast it. The towel had come loose while he slept, of course.
“Yvette,” he whispered as she showered kisses across his bare chest and neck. Grasping her roaming hands, he ensnared her in his embrace, and raised his voice. “Yvette, wake up.”
He gave her a gentle shake. Dark lashes trembled, rising to reveal drowsy eyes. A smile lit her face when her gaze met his. She lifted her hand, caressing his face, her fingers lingering on his scar before she raised herself up and kissed the mark. Caught up in the powerful spell, he almost forgot himself. He fought the urge to throw reason to the wind and kiss her with all the desire he was holding in check. “Yvette. . .”
Ewan knew the moment she awoke. He felt her stiffen in his arms and heard her small cry of shocked dismay. She pressed at his chest with both hands. He released her and watched her scramble across the bed. She stopped in the middle, facing him. Her hair swirled around her, settling in shimmering waves about her hips.Dawn’s glow lit the room. He could see her expressions. Shock—followed by confusion, then complete horror as she realized the full scope of her situation.AUTHOR INFORMATION:A life-long Oregonian, Collette Cameron was born and raised in a small town along the northern Oregon coast. Today she makes her home in a rural community, 30 minutes west of Portland. Her Victorian farmhouse sits on a one-acre certified wildlife habit, interspersed with a plethora of gardens: English, rose, butterfly, rock, water, and of course, vegetable.
A voracious reader of romance since her teens, she even named her daughter after a heroine in her favorite romance novel. An enthusiast of times gone by, and anything related to romance, she writes Historical Romance, with a dash of inspiration, a pinch of humor, and a liberal portion of suspense.
Having dabbled in interior decorating in her youth, Collette returned to school, graduating summa cum laude from Oregon State University, and going on to obtain her Master's Degree in Teaching. She is member of Romance Writers of America, Rose City Romance Writers, The Beau Monde, and Love Faith and Hope, Inc.
Some of Collette's favorite things include unique blends of coffees and teas, trivia, Cadbury Milk Chocolate, inspirational quotes, and scented candles. Her Christian faith, husband, three adult children, and five miniature dachshunds round out her life quite nicely! When she's not teaching or writing, she enjoys amateur photography, bird watching, gardening, interior decorating, rock-hunting, boating or fishing on the Columbia River, and reading. LINKS:Book URL:http://smpauthors.wordpress.com/meet-collette-cameron/highlanders-hope-by-collette-cameron/This is not a "buy" link. My Links:Website:http://collettecameron.com/Blog:http://blueroseromance.com/Facebook Fan Page:https://www.facebook.com/collettecameronauthorFacebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/collette.cameron.5Twitter:https://twitter.com/Collette_AuthorSoul Mate Publishing Author's Blog: http://smpauthors.wordpress.com/
 Collette will be awarding a gift basket that include a gift card, blue rose tea cup, blue rose soap, vintage looking cameo pendant, shortbread, tea, and other goodies to a randomly drawn commenter during the tours.
The tour dates can be found here:  http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2013/02/virtual-book-tour-highlanders-hope-by.html

VBT: Angel of Syn

WITCHES OF THE SYN-IVERSEThe original topic of this post was going to be “the beliefs of today’s witches.”  I would’ve been happy to write something about that, but I don’t have a clue.  Despite a period of time in my youth when I wanted to be a witch (I don’t think any of my “spells” actually worked otherwise Tommy Kingston would’ve turned into a two-headed frog in fifth grade), I’m not a member of the witch or Wiccan societies.  So, I don’t feel qualified to try to represent their current beliefs.What I can talk about are the witches in the world of my Synemancer series.  Their world is similar to ours except supernatural beings live side-by-side with normal humans.  The major groups are witches, wizards, Nightkinds (vampire-like beings), and werewolves.  The witches and Nightkinds are organized into Houses who act like governing bodies for their kind.  Houses are often associated with major families and affiliated beings or humans, much like small kingdoms.  Werewolves form packs.  Wizards are too independent to want to belong to any organized group.The supernaturals have a major law enforcement group called the Portalkind Security Council (PSC) which serves as their highest criminal justice organization.  The PSC is like the human system’s Federal level and the Houses are the State and Local levels.  In Angel of Syn, the PSC are trying to capture Cara.The major witch religion is called Druccan, which is a combination Druid, Wiccan, and other religions.  Druccan’s believe in preserving nature, the divine is both feminine and masculine, and there is a universal life-force that surrounds and connects every living being.  Druccan’s are not prudish about exploring sensuality or multiple relationships before marriage.   But vows are taken seriously once a commitment is made. Witches are born with a wide variety of abilities and different levels of power.  One of the rarest and most powerful is the Synemancer.  Only witches can be Synemancers.  Synemancers draw power from other supernatural beings to fuel their own magic.  They can weave multiple energies together to create power more potent than any of the individuals could have achieved on their own.  The Synemancer exchanges a piece of the other person’s soul with her or his own to form a strong emotional, spiritual, and physical connection.  Cara Augustine is the only living Synemancer of her generation.  In the middle ages, witches were hunted down and killed by humans during the Great Purge.  Synemancers were especially feared for their ability to bind others to them so were completely wiped out. This history is a major problem for Cara because there’s no one left who can teach her to harness and use her abilities.  There are many legends and mysteries surrounding Synemancers that have yet to be brought to light.  Like, what the heck are all those orbs? Why are they attracted to Cara? And why do they always pop in at the worst possible moments?I hope that this provides some insight into Cara Augustine’s magical, dangerous alternate reality.  Would I want to live in that world?  Um, yes but probably more as a visitor than a resident.  A tourist perhaps.  Maybe a foreign-exchange student.  But even for a short amount of time, it would be exciting.
BLURB: Cara is a fugitive, pursued by the Portalkind police for breaking a major covenant. When she accidently made a werewolf her witch’s familiar, it amounted to enslaving a human. And the punishment is death. On the run for her life, she and her companions stumble into a strange paradise dimension. But they quickly find the dangerous world is filled with strange creatures, deadly and beautiful. And, because she’s quickly learning a Synemancer’s life is never simple.  Cara has to deal with an amorous Nephilim (half-angel half-witch), a dangerously deranged French werewolf, and the darkly handsome Nightkind she just might love. Each powerful supernatural man has his own reasons for wanting to possess Cara, body and soul. But if the Portalkind police catch her, she’ll be in a fight for her life. EXCERPT:The nape of my neck tingled with the familiar sensation of being stalked. I glanced over my shoulder to see my bodyguard, Azrael. He was named after the angel of death, but he was no angel—in any sense of the word. I used to think it was a nickname. It wasn’t. We were both witches, but he came with specialized security training.  He watched me from his favorite indoor spot halfway up the stairs to the second story of our Berkeley hills house. His sky blue eyes stared at me hungrily.That stare reminded me of a hawk watching a tasty mouse.  Irritated, I took a last bite from my nearly finished apple, turned, and threw the core at him with deadly precision. I’d been practicing using non-magical self-defense skills. My magic skills were unreliable to say the least.The apple core flew between the wooden posts directly at his beautiful face. He deftly caught it in a blur of motion, put it up to his nose, inhaled deeply, and slowly licked the apple. His eyes never left me. AUTHOR Bio and Links: Mertianna currently lives with her husband, son, and three dogs in Northern California. At a young age, while traveling the globe with her military family, she discovered the joys of reading. Armed with a fascination for science fiction, the paranormal, and fantasy, she amused, shocked, and impressed her teachers with her imaginative stories.
As an adult, reality reared its boring head, and she joined the business workforce. After many years working as a professional manager while secretly wishing she was a writer, she took a detour from the corporate world to immerse herself in the fictional worlds of her own making.
Mertianna has accumulated multiple graduate degrees in business and survived years of doctoral studies in psychology, all of which undoubtedly has influenced how her characters behave or don’t behave as the case may be. Buy Links: 
Mertianna will be awarding a canvas tote bag printed with the book cover on one side and a saying on the other("Are you a syn-er?"), and filled with goodies plus a $20 Amazon gift card to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour (US ONLY). The tour dates can be found here: http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2013/03/virtual-nbtm-tour-angel-of-syn-by.html

It's Here

SBB: Legal Ease

BLURB:Jack Sutton needs a wife and he needs one now. Jack loved his mother, but she really screwed him over when she set up her will. If Jack doesn’t have a wife by the end of the week, he’ll lose control of the largest chunk of voting stock in his company and will most likely lose his position as CEO as a result.
And Jack’s Aunt Mabry is waiting in the wings to make sure that the terms of the will are enforced. If he doesn’t find a wife, she’ll seize control of the stock so she can install her own son at the helm and she couldn’t care less that her son doesn’t want the job or that he probably won’t be any good at it.
Enter Kelly Bradley, a twenty eight year old college graduate with a spot at Yale Law School but no way to pay for it. Kelly and Jack’s eavesdropping secretary have discovered Jack’s secret need for a wife and Kelly comes up with a plan to fix both of their problems.
Just when Jack needs her, Kelly breezes into his office, introduces herself to his Aunt and cousin, and hands Jack an offer. She will marry him for a year so that he can retain the stock that will keep him in control of Sutton Development if he’ll pay for her to go to law school. Jack has no idea where his beautiful savior came from or who she is but he’s willing to take a chance to save it all.             The deal may have kept Jack in control at Sutton Development but his private life quickly spirals out of control. Just when Jack realizes that he wants more than a year with Kelly, his wealth puts her in great danger and he is left scrambling to save her life and their future together.             Chad, with a look on his face that promised Jack would be grilled for details later, excused himself to return to his office. Kelly watched Jack out of the corner of her eye as she continued to talk to his aunt. She had seen Jack Sutton on occasion coming in and out of the building when she’d met Jennie for lunch and Jennie had told her he was handsome, but handsome didn’t even begin to describe the man.
Jack was tall, at least six foot three or four inches. He had dark brown hair that curled up at the edge of his collar. His eyes were a rich, deep brown, almost mahogany, and his face had chiseled features with a strong jaw. There wasn’t a damn thing about the man that didn’t sizzle.
He wore a suit, but even in that Kelly could see that his body was hard and fit under it – his tall, lean form toned and strong. His intense gaze made Kelly’s breath go ragged and she couldn’t imagine what it would be like to be alone in the room with him if he had this kind of effect on her with his aunt and cousin with them.
Jack sat on the edge of his desk, legs stretched out and crossed at the ankles in front of him, arms crossed over his chest. He watched her quietly while Kelly finished chatting with his aunt.
Kelly wrapped things up and ushered Aunt Mabry out the door by four o’clock as she made excuses about Jack needing to get back to work. She closed the door behind his aunt and turned to Jack. That’s when Kelly felt the ground fall out from under her and her world tilt on its axis.
Suddenly, she faced Jack Sutton. Kelly found herself feeling very shaken, to say the least. She looked up at Jack and realized that, in essence, she had just waltzed into his office and proposed.
“I can’t believe I just did that,” Kelly began to pace frantically. She wrapped her arms around her waist and circled the room.
“Oh God, oh God, oh God,” she said and she began to feel like she might hyperventilate. She slid down onto the couch that sat along the longest wall in Jack’s office and tried to breath but ended up taking in huge gulps of air that felt as if they might choke her. For the first time since she came up with her hair-brained scheme to get her hands on enough money to attend Yale Law School by marrying Jack Sutton, the reality of what she had just done hit her like a ton of bricks.AUTHOR Bio and Links: Lori has had a number of careers before embarking on her newest adventure of writing novels. After graduating from the University of Connecticut School of Law, she practiced law for three years, working primarily in the areas of utilities law and intellectual property litigation.
More recently, Lori owned and operated a dog training business in Austin, Texas, where she specialized in aggression and became an expert in the field of dog bite analysis. Lori sold her dog training business in 2013 and is now a full time writer and mother of two.
Lori still lives in Austin with her husband -- who is endlessly supportive of her changing career paths -- and her two children, one cat, and three dogs.
How can your readers follow you?
To follow me on Facebook, visit: http://www.facebook.com/loriryanromanceTo visit my website, visit: http://www.loriryanromance.com/
Want to be a part of my online street team? Email me at Loriryanauthor@gmail.com and put the words ‘street team’ in the subject line. I’ll email you back with directions for joining my team.
To join my email list to receive updates and news, including sneak peeks and free giveaways or contest news, visit http://www.loriryanromance.com/#!join.... 
Lori will be awarding a $25 Amazon Gift Card to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour.
The tour dates can be found here:
http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2013/04/virtual-super-book-blast-legal-ease.html

SSB: The Perfect Duke

BLURB:   Known as The Marble Duke amongst the Ton, Garret Weston, the Duke of Kendal sets himself apart from his peers. Nothing will hinder his guilt-driven attempt to become a perfect duke.  Nothing that is, save the alluring and imaginative betrothed he’d thought dead. His intended believes-of all things-that she is a Vicar’s daughter. The “perfect” duke needs a “perfect” duchess, but how was he to discern her suitability? Employing her as a governess to his niece seemed like an ideal solution. But whose “suitability” is being tested? His betrothed refuses to see he is beyond redemption. And most grievous of all, she stirs his blood, making him forget what’s important.
Cara believes fairy tales really can come true, until she meets the unrelenting and arrogant Duke of Kendal. He looks like a Prince, but acts like a Beast. Why must he challenge her at every turn? Her greatest peril is her attraction to the vulnerable, seductive man behind the title. A match between them would be impossible. But can she show him, without losing her heart, that “perfect” is in the eye of the beholder?  EXCERPT: The duke peered down at her. “I asked Timmons to refrain from telling you about the servants’ lives.”
“You told him what?” Cara stood. “You had no right.”
“Actually, I have every right.”
For the first time in her life, Cara wanted to throw something at another human being. Fortunately, the oriental vase on the table closest to her was out of reach. “Tell me something. Do you relish being feared by your staff?”
He took a backward step. “That is ridiculous. They do not fear me.”
“Don’t they? And what makes you so sure?” Cara could not believe the man had no idea how he treated others. “When did you last speak to a footman?”
“I speak with them daily.”
“Don’t you mean ‘command’ them daily?” She’d witnessed the impersonal way he treated his staff. “I’m willing to wager you don’t even know one of their names.”
“Charles.”
Cara crossed to within inches of him. Staring up into his frigid green eyes, she enunciated every word. “There is not one footman named ‘Charles.’ It’s the name you give them, like referring to all dogs as ‘dog.’”
“You would not understand. That is the way things are done. It would be impossible for me to learn every footman’s name.”
“Impossible, or tiresome?”
The duke took her arms in a firm hold and Cara had the impression he wanted to shake her. “My conduct is not your concern.”AUTHOR INFORMATION: “Once Upon a Time”are four of Dawn’s favorite words. Her love of story became a love of romance when she read Georgette Heyer’s, Devil’s Cub. It inspired her to write stories with strong characters that discover love is never easy, but always worthwhile. Dawn’s written several award-winning novels set in Georgian England – an era filled with rules and intrigue. Her characters often defy “Society” as they pursue love, run away, pursue, run away – well, you get the idea.  
Then again, she might write romance in order to do the research. What other profession encourages you to sit in the audience at Harlequin’s Male Model search, and take notes, or just sigh?
Dawn lives in a Victorian home in Upstate New York with her husband and very independent cats. When she’s not writing, she’s singing, gardening, learning to play the harp or wood carving. If you’d like to learn more about Dawn and her novels, go to her website at www.dawn-ireland.com          LINKS:www.dawn-ireland.comwww.smpauthors.wordpress.comfacebook The Perfect Duke ASIN: B00BT0NGOChttp://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BT0NGOC

What A Week--Glad It's Over

Wow. Glad last week is over. Besides the day job, writing, taking care of the critters and showings, the HH had his knee replacement surgery. Thursday we got up at 4:15 a.m. and headed for the hospital. I got home about 8:30 p.m. But it went well. The HH should have full range of motion once he's healed. Oh yes and did I mention the night before we left for the hospital the hound ate his phone? Cats Rule. Dogs Drool (and destroy things). The HH got it back before Penny actually swallowed anything but she did effectively destroy it. The week before my son's boxer ate a sponge and a cardboard Pepsi case and had to have surgery. They removed a pound of junk blocking her stomach. Again... Cats Rule, Dogs,etc etc.  AND.....My boss's daughter got bit by a copperhead. Yup, glad last week is in the review window.