Sandra Cox's Blog, page 263

Memorial Day

Remembering the bravest of the brave

It's The Weekend

Enjoy Your Weekend

VBB: Kidnapped Cowboy

BLURB:After countless attempts to speak with the owner of the retreat for troubled teens she runs on the outskirts of Lone Tree, Montana, Caitlin Myers resorts to kidnapping Brandon ‘The Ogre of Lone Tree’ Barnes in a desperate attempt to change his mind about turning Stoney Brook into a vacation resort for the wealthy.
Retired rodeo star, Dalton Barnes, gets the surprise of his life when he’s abducted by a soft-spoken female with a ‘gun’ and taken to the retreat his family owns. He soon learns she’s kidnapped the wrong cowboy by mistake. She wanted his brother. Things go from bad to worse when a late spring snowstorm strands them together at the cabin. But it’s during their snow-in that Dalton learns why Caitlin has gone to such lengths to save Stoney Brook. Having had issues with his older brother himself and a not so happy past, Dalton promises to do what he can to help her.
When confronted Brandon tells Dalton he’ll hold off on his plans for the retreat, but only if Dalton agrees to stick around and help run it. Keeping his promise to Caitlin, Dalton agrees and what starts out as a common goal to turn the troubled teens’ lives around that summer ends up turning theirs around as well. Can a man who has always avoided putting down roots and a woman with a deep-seated fear of abandonment hang on to the happiness they’ve found together? Or will the past return to threaten their newfound love?
Love, laughter and a heartwarming read…Dalton Barnes froze, one leg hiked up on the chrome running board of his brother’s truck, one hand curled snugly about the open door.  Being held up on the main street of Lone Tree, Montana, where crime was virtually nonexistent, was the last thing he expected to happen when he’d driven into town that evening for a couple of drinks. 
No, make that being held up by a woman on the main street of Lone Tree.
“All right,” he said in the same calming tone he used when working with horses, “I won’t.”
If his assailant were a man he might have attempted to wrestle the gun away.  Instead, it was a female jabbing the barrel of her weapon into his back.  A nervous female at that if the trembling of her hand was any indication.  Not a good combination.
“Good.”  Her voice shook as much as her hand.
“If you’re after money, there’s about fifty bucks in my wallet.”
She let out what could only be described as an unladylike snort.  “That’s all?”
“Look,” he said, his patience slipping, “I can get more.  There’s an ATM machine across the street.  We can just take a walk on over there and I’ll get you whatever you need.”  He started to turn.
“D...don’t turn around,” she gasped, sounding panicked.
The barrel felt like a tree trunk pressing into his back. “I won’t,” he said, throwing up his hands.  “Just take it easy.”
“I don’t want your money,” she replied, sounding more shaken than he felt and that was saying a lot, considering he was the one with a gun barrel rammed into the center of his back.  “I want you.”
Okay, now that was unexpected.AUTHOR Bio and Links: Romance author Lindsey Brookes grew up reading romance novels. She penned her first romance, a historical, at the age of seventeen. From there she went on to join Romance Writers of America where she learned the ins and outs of the publishing business and ways to hone her craft. She switched to writing contemporary romance and has finalled in/or won more than 75 RWA chapter sponsored contests with over a dozen different manuscripts. She is also a four time RWA Golden Heart finalist as well as a past American Title III finalist and winner of Harlequin's Great American Romance Novel contest. She's married to her childhood sweetheart, her hero, with whom she has two beautiful daughters.Check out her websites:www.lindseybrookes.comwww.possumhollo... Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/lindsey.brookes.9?ref=tn_tnmnTwitter - https://twitter.com/Lindsey_BrookesBuy links: Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/KIDNAPPED-COWBOY-ebook/dp/B00BG0TI6A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1365463124&sr=8-1&keywords=kidnapped+cowboyTBarnes & Noble:http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/kidnapped-cowboy-lindsey-brookes/1114581224?ean=2940016254630

Lindsey will be awarding a $10 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour.
he tour dates can be found here:
http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2013/04/virtual-book-blast-kidnapped-cowboy-by.html

SBB:The Cracked Slipper

BLURB:Eight years of mistreatment, isolation and clandestine book learning hardly prepare Eleanor for life at Eclatant Palace, where women are seen, not heard. According to Eleanor's eavesdropping parrot, no one at court appreciates her unladylike tendency to voice her opinion. To make matter worse, her royal fiancé spends his last night of bachelorhood on a drunken whoring spree. Before the ink dries on her marriage proclamation Eleanor realizes that she loves her husband's best friend, former soldier Dorian Finley.
Eleanor can't resist Dorian's honesty, or his unusual admiration for her intelligence, and soon both are caught in a dangerous obsession. She drowns her confusion in charitable endeavors, but the people's love can't protect her from her feelings. When a magical crime endangers the bond between unicorns, dragons, and the royal family, a falsely accused Eleanor must clear her own name to save her life. The road toward vindication will force a choice between hard-won security and an impossible love.
The Cracked Slipper is a book club friendly fairytale retelling in the vein of Gregory Maguire, with a dash of romance. Set in a pseudo-renaissance, corset-and-petticoats enchanted kingdom, The Cracked Slipper brings a magical twist to women's fiction.EXCERPT:"Their host, Sir Robert Smithwick, rose and gave a toast to the health of his nephew. Other speeches followed, each more suggestive than the next. She laughed out loud when Dorian subtly mocked Brian’s inability to hold his liquor. Gregory spoke last, and gave a surprisingly thoughtful salute to his cousin. She patted his arm when he sat, and he gave her a tentative smile.
As everyone returned to their venison and cliff shrimp Eleanor's stepmother tapped her goblet. Mother Imogene rose and lifted the cup. “I must ask you to pause for just one more moment,” she said. “I have another announcement.”
“My darling,” she said to Sylvia. “We’ve all so enjoyed your hospitality this summer. But now my daughter must remember herself, and rest, for with the winter will arrive a future duke! Our dear Sylvia is expecting!”
The guests applauded, congratulating Imogene and Sylvia. Sylvia gazed demurely in her lap, as if embarrassed by the association with procreation. As for the expectant father, he was nowhere to be seen. His wife’s entertaining had proved too much for him, and the duke returned to Harveston for some peace.
Eleanor glanced down the table. Anne Iris retched into her cup, but it was Dorian’s calm face that inspired her. She stood and the room quieted. “My dear sister,” she said. “Let me extend my good wishes.”
Sylvia’s simpering went rigid.
“I will say, Sylvia always had a flair for the dramatic when we were children. Who knew you would entertain so many with your widely varied talents? While I have recently been ill, I’ve heard you neglect no one, from the loftiest lord to the most common stable hand. We are so fortunate there is one among us who gives so generously of herself to others. It’s no wonder His Grace, your husband, took his leave. It must be difficult to share you with so many.”
Imogene’s eyes bulged and her nostrils flared, while Sylvia gave an uncertain twitter. Eleanor looked at Dorian again. He winked.
“So I salute you, Your Grace,” she said.“May your child look just like you. Just as lovely.”
The guests applauded, all the while hiding their smirks and chuckles in their goblets and napkins. Eleanor sat down. This time Gregory touched her arm. “Well played,” he said."AUTHOR Bio and Links: Stephanie Alexander grew up in the suburbs of Washington, DC, the oldest of three children. Drawing, writing stories, and harassing her parents for a pony consumed much of her childhood. After graduating from high school in 1995 she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from the College of Charleston, South Carolina. She returned to Washington, DC, where she followed a long-time fascination with sociopolitical structures and women’s issues to a Master of Arts in Sociology from the American University. She spent several years as a Policy Associate at the International Center for Research on Women, a think-tank focused on women’s health and economic advancement.
Stephanie embraced full-time motherhood after the birth of the first of her three children in 2003. After six wonderful years buried in diapers and picture books she returned to her childhood passion and wrote her own fairytale. Her family put down permanent southern roots in Charleston in 2011. Stephanie is an adjunct professor of Sociology at the College of Charleston. www.thecrackedslipper.comblog.thecrackeslipper.comwww.facebook.com/thecrackedslippertwi... @crackedslipperhttp://www.amazon.com/The-Cracked-Slipper-Series-ebook/dp/B007FLG8KS/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1364778060&sr=1-1&keywords=the+cracked+slipper


Stephanie will be awarding a $10 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-cracked.html

Star Trek: Into Darkness

Loved It! It may be even better than the first one. Darkness introduces us to the larger than life villain Khan. There's nonstop action as Kirk and his crew set out to capture him. The special effects are just what you'd expect from a Trek movie.  I particularly enjoyed the repartee between the crew, and the focus on Spock's conflicts with his human and nonhuman side. And let us not forget Christopher Pine--as if we could. The blue-eyed hunk delivers.  If you haven't seen it, I think you'll enjoy it. Punch it.

It's Going To Be A Week Or... I Had A Dream

The house is on the market and the hubby is going in for knee replacement surgery. Yikes!
This is what we'd like to see:
The housing market in this area is still depressed. I've seen homes drop over 30K in a year. Which if you're in the high 6K figures or above wouldn't be so bad but if you are just in the average range....Ouch! Now if you're on the buying end that's another story.
Luckily, we aren't in a position where we have to move.
What's the market like where you live?
~*~About the surgery...All I can say is, we'll both be looking forward to this time next month. We went to a knee-replacement class. I almost wish I hadn't gone, being a firm believer in ignorance is bliss. It brought home the fact just how out of commission he'll be. They have these handy dandy little gadgets they send home so the patient can put on their own shoes and socks. It reminds me of those  little portable arms on the claw machine that you put money in to try to get a toy out.  Yup its going to be all kinds of fun.~*~
I had a dream...It was a great dream. Perfect. It would make a wonderful movie or book. Can I remember it to write it? Snort. Of course, not. The only thing I remember is the hero and heroine were looking for a bomb and the heroine found out the butler was her father.  You say it doesn't sound like any book you'd want to read? Trust me, this would have been a great one. I'm hoping for a rerun.~*~Now what about you? Did you have a good weekend? I trust so. Have an excellent Monday. Or have one that's as good as a Monday can be.   

It's The Weekend

Enjoy it...I'll be back Monday.

Friendship

Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend.
Albert Camus  

SBB:Lucid

BLURB:   Being hailed by critics as an intelligent new voice in young adult fiction, Roers' debut novel tells the anything but ordinary, coming of age story of a small town, teen aged, misfit named Travis Hunter.

Disfigured at birth and ostracized at school, Travis dreams of acceptance and secretly yearns for the affection of a beautiful young woman named Corrine. When a mysterious doctor promises to help Travis through something called lucid dreaming, Travis suddenly finds himself ushered into a secret society called "The Lucid", a collection of social outcasts like himself, who have created their own world inside of dreams.

When Travis discovers he is able to bring Corrine into these dreams, he gets more than he ever bargained for and soon finds himself learning the secrets of love and life in a fantastic unconscious world.

An instant classic, Lucid is a timeless story of self-acceptance with a fresh paranormal twist. EXCERPT:  I gave her a funny look and loosened the drawstrings. A dark green stone fell out into my hand. It had little red splotches on it and was hung with three small chains from a silver crescent that looked like the moon. The metal of the crescent looked very old, as if it had been pounded by hand.
“You made me zink of it when you mentioned your dreams earlier.” Kelly said. “I zought you might appreciate it.”
“What is it?”
“It’s a talisman. According to legend, it was originally used by da Lucid as a gateway to da dream world.”
“That’s really cool,” I said, “What’s it got to do with me?”
“Talismans are very magical. Dey have da power to make extraordinary transformations. Why don’t you keep it for a while? See how it works?”
“Oh, come on,” I disagreed. “You don’t really believe that, do you?”
Doctor Kelly smiled. “I believe very much in powerful transformations.”Review: "Roers' debut novel heralds the arrival of an intelligent, heartfelt voice in the world of young adult fiction. The rich characters, emotional complexity, and confident prose are matched only by the landscape of dreams that Roers sets them against... a landscape brought vividly to life by the author's seemingly boundless imagination. This is a novel that respects its readers as much as its characters, and that's a beautiful rarity."
~ Mike Flanagan, Filmmaker, Absentia and Oculus
 AUTHOR INFORMATION:Natalie Roers is a veteran writer, voice artist, and on-air personality. A journalist by trade, Lucid is her first work of fiction. She is busy at work on her second novel and hopes to raise money and social awareness for worthy causes with each book she writes. Natalie plans to donate a portion of every sale of this book to her favorite anti-bullying organizations. She lives with her husband Cory, and son Austin, in Columbia, South Carolina.LINKS:Websitesjointhelucid.comhttp://natasha-r.com/writer/FBhttps://www.facebook.com/natalie.roers?fref=tshttps://www.facebook.com/jointhelucid?fref=tsBloghttp://jointhelucid.com/blog/Natalie will award a $10 Amazon or BN.com gift card to one randomly drawn commenter.The tour dates can be found here:  http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2013/04/super-book-blast-lucid-by-natalie-roers.html

Tuesday

Hope Sunday was a lovely day for all you moms out there. We went to see Iron Man 3 Saturday. If you haven't seen it and are going to here's a hint: Don't leave before all the credits have rolled.
I got chocolate-covered strawberries from the boy for Mother's Day. I think they were in lieu of the strawberry pie I'd asked him to make, but whatever the reason I enjoyed them.
Sunday we hooked up with the fam. All in all a great weekend.
Though we should  have a brief moment of silence for my house, which didn't get cleaned at all.

What about you? How did you celebrate your day?

Have you seen this video? Now that's the kind of dog you want around when you have little ones.
Enjoy your Tuesday. Hope it's as special as you are.
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