Jane Porter's Blog, page 22

The Good Wife: Fun Social Media Contest!

The Good Wife went on sale officially this week and reader feedback has been awesome so far.  I’m so thankful to all my friends and readers who have taken the time to write and let me know what they think!  I love that so many of you pre-ordered a copy.  Thank you for working so hard to help me make it a success.

What stuns me more is how many of you already read it!  Thank you so much for the emails and messages sharing your thoughts.  Writing is such a lonely profession sometimes but I do it because I love to tell stories and I do it for YOU.  I cannot tell you how much it thrills me to know you’re enjoying Sarah Brennan’s story.  I love these Brennan girls and the fact that you do too exceeds all my hopes for the series!

Release day means party time and I have some fun lined up for you!  I’ve just launched a great Social Media contest and I’d love to see you participate for a chance to win a fun prize!  Entering this contest is easy.

1 – Take a photo of yourself with your copy of The Good Wife.  You don’t have to include your face in the photo if you don’t want to.  If you bought a digital copy of the book, take a snapshot with your ereader displaying the cover of the book!

2 – Share the photo on your Facebook page, on your Twitter or Instagram account and be sure to use the hashtag #GoodWifeContest with your post so we can track and find your entry!

That’s it.  So easy!  Contest ends at midnight on September 6th, 2013 and the winner will be chosen at random.  The prize is a fun tote bag full of awesome books, a beach towel, gift cards and more! Good luck!!

Is it possible to love someone too much?
Always considered the beauty of the family, the youngest Brennan sister, Sarah, remains deeply in love with her husband of ten years. Boone Walker, a professional baseball player, travels almost year-round while Sarah stays home and cares for their two children. Her love for her husband is bottomless—so much so that her sisters say it will end up hurting her.
Living apart most of the time makes life difficult, especially since Sarah often wonders whether Boone is sharing his bed with other women on the road, even though he swears he’s been true to her since his infidelity three years ago. While she wants to be happy and move forward in her life, Sarah constantly fears that Boone will break his promise. Now with Boone facing yet another career change, tension rises between the two, adding more stress to an already turbulent marriage. Emotionally exhausted, Sarah can’t cope with yet another storm. Now, she must either break free from the past and forgive Boone completely, or leave him behind and start anew…

 

Original article: The Good Wife: Fun Social Media Contest!

©2013 Janeblog. All Rights Reserved.

Release day: The Good Wife

Today is the day!  Book three of my Brennan Sisters series, The Good Wife is officially on shelves and so many readers and friends have already received their copy from online retailers!  I’ve mentioned to you before how much I love Sarah Brennan and now I can share her with you fully.  I hope you’ll pick up a copy of the book soon as I can’t wait to hear what you think.

Is it possible to love someone too much?
Always considered the beauty of the family, the youngest Brennan sister, Sarah, remains deeply in love with her husband of ten years. Boone Walker, a professional baseball player, travels almost year-round while Sarah stays home and cares for their two children. Her love for her husband is bottomless—so much so that her sisters say it will end up hurting her.
Living apart most of the time makes life difficult, especially since Sarah often wonders whether Boone is sharing his bed with other women on the road, even though he swears he’s been true to her since his infidelity three years ago. While she wants to be happy and move forward in her life, Sarah constantly fears that Boone will break his promise. Now with Boone facing yet another career change, tension rises between the two, adding more stress to an already turbulent marriage. Emotionally exhausted, Sarah can’t cope with yet another storm. Now, she must either break free from the past and forgive Boone completely, or leave him behind and start anew…

Readers and friends have already started writing in to give me great feedback and The Library Journal also posted a glowing review, declaring “each entry in this trilogy is more fully developed than the last, with the introduction of more characters and an evolving story line incorporating the three Brennan sisters. An investment worth making for fans of smart women’s fiction.”   I feel blessed.  You know I work hard to make my stories just right and Sarah’s wasn’t an easy one–I tore it apart several times, going back to the beginning over and over–until I had the story I wanted.   If you haven’t pre-ordered, you can get a copy here (and today Amazon is selling The Good Wife for just $9!!)

» Amazon.com

» Barnes+Noble

» IndieBound

To celebrate this exciting day, I’ve got a great photo contest lined up for my readers and friends on Facebook and Twitter so be sure to stop by my author page and get the details.   I would love for any and all to participate – it’ll be fun!

I’m so lucky to be able to do what I do…share my stories and crazy, passionate dreams with you.

xoxox

Jane

 

Original article: Release day: The Good Wife

©2013 Janeblog. All Rights Reserved.

Featured Author: Maisey Yates

I met Maisey Yates three years ago at the Rose City Reader’s Luncheon in Portland, OR.  She’d just sold her first book to Harlequin Presents – at the very young age of 23.   Today Maisey is one of the biggest, brightest voices in the Presents line and I think she’s simply awesome.  I adore her and am so happy to introduce her to you on my Jane Blog.  Maisey has recently branched out from writing her deeply passionate alpha stories to also writing light and sexy contemporary romances set practically in her back yard.  Here’s Maisey!

Is there anything that has surprised you about writing or publishing your books?

I think what’s surprised me most about publishing is how much there is to learn. I learn something new all the time!

What’s your typical day like when you’re between writing projects?

I’m rarely between projects! But when I’m taking time off, I usually just hang out around the house. Sometimes I feel adventurous and take a day trip with my husband and kids.

Was there anyone or anything that helped inspire you to be a writer?

Books. I loved to read books, I loved to be surrounded by books. I wanted to help create what I loved.

Do you have a writing schedule or any writing rituals to help you achieve your daily writing quota?

I have a playlist for every book, and I have scented candles that I light while I work. It helps me get in a good frame of mind!

Tell us about your new release in 2 – 3 sentences.  What do you personally love about this story?

Unexpected, as told by Carly Rae Jepson: “I just met you, and this is crazy, but there was a clinic mix-up and you’re having my baby!” (Now it’s stuck in your head!) What I really like about this book is that Cole and Kelsey, the main characters, have something crazy happen to them, through no fault of their own, and it’s up to them to try and make it work, not just for them, but for their baby!

After spending another family wedding fielding questions about her non-existent love life, Kelsey Noble decides she’s tired of waiting around for things she could go out and get herself. What Kelsey wants is a baby, and she doesn’t see any point waiting for a husband she’s not even sure she wants. But a mix-up at the fertility clinic lands her with a hassle she didn’t count on. A big, muscular hassle in a Stetson and cowboy boots.
Cole Mitchell is shocked to discover that a grand gesture from years past has come back to haunt him. Now, thanks to a clerical error, a woman he’s never met is having his baby—and there’s no way he’s going to walk away and forget he has a child.
Trying to make nice with the unexpected father of her baby lands Kelsey in Silver Creek, Oregon, dealing with the kind of small town life she left behind years ago. Even worse is dealing with the burning attraction she feels for Cole. She knows adding sex to the mix is a very bad idea, but she’s not sure how long she can resist falling for the last man she ever expected…

What are you working on now?

I’m working on Unbroken, the third book in the Silver Creek series.

What do you love most about being a writer?  What do you hate?

I love writing. The act of sitting down and creating a new story. I hate the politics. People can be hard to navigate, and I would rather not have to worry about that!

Name five items sitting on your desk right now.

A candle, an iPhone, a coffee mug, a laptop and a lamp!

Name 3 books you hope to read soon.

A Royal Without Rules by Caitlin Crews

Man Drought by Rachael Johns

Ink by Amanda Sun

Title and author of the latest book you read?

To Sin With a Viking by Michelle Willingham. (LOVED it!)

What’s your astrological sign?

Pisces!

Are you superstitious?

I would like to say no, but I think I really am. I tend to believe my thinking is magical…

If you could meet one person who has died, who would it be?  What would you want to discuss with him/her?

LM Montgomery. We would have to discuss Anne. Because her character meant the world to me.

Five favorite things to do on a weekend?

Read, road trip, watch TV, sit on the deck, sleep in.

What’s the one thing you couldn’t live without if you were stuck on a deserted island?

There are so many things. I’m a high maintenance creature. But if  I could only pick one? My husband would have to come with me. I love that man.

Best advice you’ve ever received?

It’s actually marriage advice from a friends mom. In a fight, don’t say ‘you always or you never’. Because neither is true, and it will only make things escalate. I always think of that, just before I’m about to say BUT YOU NEVER and then I think better of it!

Five things every writer should know?

1. You have to do the work. After you get published there’s only more work, and you have to keep doing it.

2. Working hard pays off.

3. Being a diva doesn’t.

4. It’s okay to love what you write.

5. If you love what you write, you need to be willing to revise it to make it better.

Your favorite dessert or snack?

Hmm….a hard question. Dessert is cake. Snacks are chips. I don’t like one more than the other, it just depends on if I want sweet or salty!

What do you do in your spare time?

Trick question. I have three kids. I don’t have spare time.

What does success mean to you?

Success to me is measured in a few ways. I have a lot of ambition, but I also feel I’m successful now. I’m happy doing what I do, and my family is taken care of. That’s success to me.

Rock or country music?

Country.

Last song you listened to?

The One That Got Away by The Civil Wars.

Sweet or savory?

That’s HARD. I like food. Can we leave it at that?

Favorite ice cream flavor?

I make a chai ice cream that is pretty darn good if I say so myself!

~~~

Maisey, I’ve loved having you join us today.  I’ll have to try the Chai ice cream soon.  :)  Thanks for sharing with us!   Friends, be sure to stop by Maisey’s website and learn more about her books.  To add more fun to today’s post, I’m giving away, to one lucky winner, an ebook download of one backlist book by Maisey Yates, an ebook download of  one backlist book by Jane Porter (anything up to The Good Daughter) and some fun JP goodies.  For a chance to win, leave a comment and you’ll be entered.  Contest ends Monday – Good luck!

Original article: Featured Author: Maisey Yates

©2013 Janeblog. All Rights Reserved.

Featured Guest: Robyn Stone

As my readers know, I have a thing for recipes.

I love to read cookbooks and I subscribe to four different cooking magazines, and am always browsing the internet looking for something that sounds yummy to eat or drink, and during one of my searches that probably said “easy, delicious chicken dinner” I came across  Add A Pinch, Robyn Stone’s website and it immediately became one of my favorite sites for great family friendly recipes.  And then I discovered her cakes.  Oh, I love Robyn’s cakes!  But then I love all things sweet and when I was writing The Good Wife, I reached out to Robyn about coming up with a recipe just for my readers, friends, and fans, and she most graciously agreed.

Robyn has been awesome to work with and everything she does is fantastic and I knew you  had to meet her.  So here she is, and we’re going to go straight to her so she can explain what she does for you!

Robyn, welcome to the JaneBlog, so glad you are here.  Can you please tell us about your website, Add A Pinch – what do you do?

I love sharing recipes on Add a Pinch that I’ve created and several that have been in my Southern family for generations! I usually have a story to go with just about all of my recipes because in the South, it seems that sharing meals and desserts with people has traditionally been a way to gather with those you love and care about. The foods I’ve cooked with my mother, grandmother, and other ladies in my life certainly evoke memories – and I enjoy sharing those with my readers as I share the recipes.

From time to time, I like to tell my readers about what I’m growing (or not growing) in my garden, or show them pictures of our chickens and Golden Retrievers, and tell them other happenings of the moment in my neck of the woods! I also enjoy sharing my thoughts on things I have found that I really like or products I’ve bought that I’m crazy about. I might even share a DIY project or a time saving tip along the way!

My family also loves to travel in our RV, so I share the adventures we have from time to time. My husband loves to grill and I love to cook so we are a pretty good pair when we hit the road, so I will share the foods we love to prepare while camping.

My husband and I decided a few years ago to homeschool our son. I share experiences about our homeschool learning fun or educational programs I’ve found and like from time to time on Add a Pinch, but not as much as I concentrate on recipes, living and travel on the website. I let Little Buddy help decide which stories about his school days that he wants me to share because that is important to me that he has a voice in what information about him that I share with my readers.

How did Add A Pinch come about?

I created Add a Pinch essentially three years ago – soon after I left the corporate world. I’ve always had a passion for cooking and I love making suppers for my family and friends. I really enjoy cooking special treats for my son – as my mother and grandmother did with my sister and me when we were growing up.

Southern Caramel Cake Recipe (click photo!)

Add a Pinch was really born from a desire to pass on a part of my Southern heritage to my son. I decided that I wanted him to have a place that one day he could have the recipes and stories from me and his grandmother and my grandmother – as well as my memories that went along with them. I’ve always liked to write in some form or fashion – as well as cook. As a person that enjoys technology, I knew that a food blog would be the perfect place to chronicle my recipes and a database for my son (and maybe his children) in the future!

I’ve been asked how I came up with the name “Add a Pinch”. I spent a great deal of time and thought to come up with the perfect name, even including my family in the brainstorming process. Since I learned how to cook from my mother and grandmother, standing alongside them as they prepared recipes with love, the name I chose came from something my grandmother always said. I would ask her often, “Grandmother, how much sugar (or salt, or flour, or butter, etc.) do you put in this?” She would usually always answer, “Oh, just add a pinch of this and a pinch of that until it tastes just perfect!” So I knew what I had to name my blog, and Add a Pinch was born.

You put a lot of emphasis on heirloom recipes that you learned from your mother and grandmother. My character, Lauren Summer, in The Good Wife opened her bakery with her sister, using family recipes.  Can you share one or two of your favorite memories of being in the kitchen with them as a little girl?

There are so many memories I have of my mother, grandmother, and even my sister, that are woven around cooking and spending time in the kitchen! At least in my Southern heritage, spending time with family usually revolved around sharing suppers together.

Balsamic Roast Beef Recipe (click photo!)

In the small town where I grew up, there were no fast food restaurants close by – no pizza place delivered to our part of the country either. So our meals were pretty much all prepared from scratch each and every night other than when we went out to eat or the rare occasion that we picked up something and brought it home. Those times gave us a lot of time to talk – and I’ve been told that I could out-talk just about anybody as a young girl!

I loved to help my mother make treats during the holidays and special occasions. Mother, like Grandmother, is an excellent cook. Like I mentioned, most every meal was prepared at home since we lived out in the country. We had an eat-in bar in our kitchen and I loved to be right there on one of those barstools watching and talking – even before I was interested in helping – my mother cook. I am so very thankful that I did watch and help her cook so that I was able to do so even as a young bride.

One of the most vivid memories I have of spending time in the kitchen with my grandmother involves a special treat she did for my sister and me from time to time. She had a set of really old crystal wine flutes that had been passed down to her. Even as very young little girls, my sister and I would ask for her to let us see those “wine glasses” as we called them. Now, my grandmother never ever drank anything, so hearing us talk about her wine glasses kind of made her laugh a little. One summer day we went into the kitchen for some cookies. To our delight, there on the table sat our plates of cookies and those wine glasses with the most beautiful red liquid in them! Of course it was just Kool-Aid, but I believe that was the best it had ever tasted to me then or since!

Favorite dessert to serve during the summer?

It is so hard to name just one favorite! My husband adores anything with strawberries – from cookies, to pie, cakes and so on. My son is one that loves anything chocolate (and I’m kind of with him in the chocolate loving department). I also enjoy baking cakes and homemade ice cream with the fruits of summer – peaches, strawberries and the like.

Favorite family cookie you make for the holidays?

Ever since my son was old enough to pull up a stool to reach the kitchen counter and help me, we have loved making Christmas Cookies together – basically sugar cookies that we cut out in Christmas shapes and decorate together. Baking and decorating these cookies with him every year is so special to both of us and reminds of doing this with my mother as a little girl.

5 adjectives that describe you:

Loving

Loyal

Faithful

Driven

Determined (or hard-headed as my Daddy or my husband might say)

I see from your website that you like to travel.  I’m a huge travel junkie.  Where are you itching to go next?

I do love to travel with my family. I enjoy the trips that we take together and seeing Little Buddy get so excited about going places and seeing new things. We just recently got back from Oshkosh, Wisconsin from a huge air show. We traveled from our home in the south by RV and made a few stops along the way. It was a lot of fun!

We like to take special trips for Little Buddy’s birthday and have done so since he was very young. He loves to go to Disney World, and those trips are always so special to me, so I am always itching to go on the trips that make him so excited and full of wonder!

Do you like to read, and have you migrated to e-readers or do you still like books?  Have you read anything this summer you’d recommend?

I’ve always loved reading! My mother is a huge reader and has been all my life, so she passed that interest down to me I guess. I do enjoy reading on e-readers since I can just look and purchase which ever books I’ve heard are good or have just been released without having to drive to the book store. But there will always be something sort of romantic about the smell of the pages of a book. I still like to read the physical, hold-in-your-hands-and-turn-the-pages books from time to time. I read Gone with the Wind that way over and over again as I get the chance.

Recommend?

This summer my son and I started our own little book club, if you will, where we’ve been reading The Hunger Games series and discussing it as we go. There is nothing like reading a book series with your child and discussing it. I’d always thought I enjoyed a girls’ book club until I started purposefully having a book club like plan with my son. Hands down my favorite!

You recently created a delicious chocolate cake for me for my book, The Good Wife.  Can you tell us about this recipe?  (And can we share it here?)

I was thrilled when I heard from Jane about creating a chocolate cake just for The Good Wife! I used to say as a little girl that when I grew up, I was going to write books, so just imagine how cool it is for me to have a recipe in one!

I spend a lot of time creating what I thought would be a traditional, yet special and delicious chocolate cake for the bakery in the book. It is rich and very decadent – just as you would expect from a true Southern cake shop!

I would be honored for you to share that special recipe that I created just for The Good Wife! I hope your readers enjoy it as much as I did in creating it!

Thank you so much Jane for this amazing opportunity!!!

Robyn

~~~

Thank you, Robyn for sharing with us today!  It was a pleasure to have you with us and an equal but more delicious pleasure to try this yummy recipe!   For my readers and friends, I’ve a special contest, so in the comment section below, tell me about one of your favorite family recipes, and if you enjoy baking, and you could win an advanced reading copy of The Good Wife plus a Starbucks drink card, some of my favorite authors books, and lots of other wonderful treats.  The contest runs through Wednesday and the winner will be announced Thursday morning so be sure to enter soon!

And now here is the recipe the wonderful, kind, and talented Robyn Stone created for The Good Wife.  Once you read the story, you’ll understand my character Lauren Summer’s obsession with making the perfect chocolate cake, and I think once you make this cake, you’ll agree, its pretty darn perfect as chocolate cakes go!

Original article: Featured Guest: Robyn Stone

©2013 Janeblog. All Rights Reserved.

Featured Author: Kate Hewitt

You all know how much I love writing my Harlequin Presents but I love my Harlequin Presents author friends just as much.  I’m so thrilled to have fellow Presents author and good friend, Kate Hewitt as my guest today!  Kate and I have known each other for several years and I adore her.

I read Kate’s first Harlequin Presents novel, The Italian’s Chosen Wife and fell in love with her voice and writing style.  When I met Kate, I became a true fan.  She’s awesome!  Hugely talented and so warm and wonderful to know.  Like me, Kate started out writing romance and has just taken the leap into Women’s Fiction and I couldn’t be happier for her.  I’ve asked her to join us to share more about her new release and ‘Writing from the Heart’!

Here’s Kate Hewitt!

Thanks so much for having me here–I’m so excited to share my first women’s fiction, This Fragile Life, with you, and especially to do it on Jane Porter’s blog.

I first met Jane in 2000, when we were both Golden Heart finalists at the Romance Writers of America. Jane had already sold to Harlequin Presents, and as an aspiring writer it felt like she had crossed to the other side or climbed an impossibly high mountain–I was dying to know how she’d done it! I remember how gracious and friendly she was, and admired her for her wonderful attitude as much as for her publishing success.

When her first Harlequin Presents came out, I devoured it in one sitting. I loved her writing style; it seemed so fresh and different. And it was actually reading a Jane Porter romance that made me decide to try writing one myself after giving it up for several years; lo and behold, my first Presents was published in 2008.

When Jane started writing women’s fiction I gobbled that up too. I loved Flirting with Forty and Odd Mom Out, the first two women’s fiction of hers I read. And once again seeing how she seemed to move effortlessly from romance to women’s fiction made me decide to try it–and so here I am, with my first women’s fiction, This Fragile Life, out now.

This Fragile Life is really a book of my heart. I had the idea for the story many years ago, but felt intimidated by the thought of writing something that seemed so long and complex. The premise of two friends, one struggling with infertility and one unexpectedly pregnant, gripped me because I can identify with both situations. Martha and Alex are very different; Martha is a stressed control-freak and Alex might be too laid-back for her own good, but they realize they need each other in more ways than one. And the idea behind it all, that grief and suffering can lead to strength and joy, is one that I believe in fiercely.

Tell me what book of Jane’s got you hooked on her writing, and I will draw the name of one commenter to win one of my Harlequin Presents romances as well as a $15 Starbucks gift card. I hope you check out This Fragile Life–and let me know what you think if you read it! I love hearing from readers.

Happy Reading,

Kate

This Fragile Life: You love your best friend. You trust her with your life. But could you give her the most precious gift of all? Alex’s life is a mess. She’s barely holding down a job, only just affording her apartment, and can’t remember when she was last in a relationship. An unexpected pregnancy is the last thing she needs. Martha’s life is on track. She’s got the high flying career, the gorgeous home and the loving husband. But one big thing is missing. Five rounds of IVF and still no baby. The solution seems simple. Alex knows that Martha can give her child everything that she can’t provide. But Martha’s world may not be as perfect as it seems, and letting go isn’t as easy as Alex expected it to be. Now they face a decision that could shatter their friendship forever.

Where To Find This Fragile Life:

Carina

Amazon

Kobo

And it will be available on Barnes & Noble, but I don’t have the link yet!

~~~

Kate, thank you so much for visiting with us today!  I’ve adored having you here and can’t wait to read your new book!!  Friends, please stop by Kate’s website to learn more about her new and past releases.  I have no doubt you’ll be adding several titles to your reading list!  And to double the fun for Kate’s new release celebration, I’m going to giveaway a copy of one of my favorite books by Kate, The Sheikh’s Forbidden Virgin and a $10 Starbucks giftcard!  Just leave a comment for a chance to win!

Original article: Featured Author: Kate Hewitt

©2013 Janeblog. All Rights Reserved.

Featured Author: Beth Albright

I just met Beth Albright a month ago in Atlanta when I did a book event with her at The Book Exchange in Marietta, and I love her!  I feel like I’ve known Beth forever and I want to be part of her inner circle.  She’s smart, and funny, and warm, and bubbly, and charming as heck.  She’s also Southern and has the whole Southern Belle thing down to a science…so much so, that she’s writing a series featuring her belles, more properly known as “The Sassy Belles”.

Beth is everything I want to be and more.  I can’t wait for you to meet this amazing talented new author who is taking the world by storm!  Readers and friends, here is the adorable, incredible, vivacious and beautiful Beth Albright!

Beth, is there anything that has surprised you about writing or publishing your books?

Oh my, yes! My nerves are shattered! Hahahahaha…Not really but I was so nervous no one would like the books. So from my very first book “birth”day in June…I have been a wreck. I can’t explain how much it’s just like having a real baby!!

What’s your typical day like when you’re between writing projects?

Same as every other mother or wife…laundry groceries, dishes, you know, the whole thing. And my son is away in college. Hahaha. But I still take care of my biggest baby– my husband! He takes care of me when I’m writing though. And I spend a lot of time promoting the books!! Several hours a day on social media, doing radio interviews or traveling and signing books.

Was there anyone or anything that helped inspire you to be a writer?

My mother and the women that raised me—they were amazing, smart, beautiful, strong and funny. In The Sassy Belles, the first novel of the trilogy, my narrator Blake, talks constantly of her grandmother’s yellow kitchen table. This is where I spent the majority of my childhood with my mother, aunt and grandmother; laughing so hard I could barely breathe. My mother pushed me to write from the time I was little. I was always entering contests. Before I started writing seriously, I was a radio talk show host and an actress on Days of Our Lives as well as owning an acting school and theater for children. When it finally came time to write I knew I would write about my favorite place, my hometown of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and the wonderful women who raised me.

Please tell us about your current release in 2 or 3 sentences.

My latest book is called Wedding Belles. It’s the second book in my new trilogy, The Sassy Belles. Wedding Belles, like the others, is full of sexy southern fun, a mystery, wedding planners gone wild and a redneck psychic as well as portraying the deep bonds of tried and true women’s friendships.

If you could meet one person who has died, who would it be?  What would you want to discuss with him/her?

This is so easy…my dad. He died in a car accident when I was only four years old, so I only have sketchy memories of him. The saddest part was that he was only 24. Oh, I have lots of stories from so many people about him, but one of my greatest desires is to hear the sound of his voice. He was a gorgeous, six foot three, large built man, with magnificent blue/green eyes, deep dimples and jet-black hair. I want to know his touch and hear him speak and talk with him about the dreams he had for himself and what he thought of me for the four years we had each other.

Best advice you’ve ever received?

Several things stand out. My first agent says “Don’t worry Beth, just write! My mother always says, keep your eye on the ball, Beth. But, my grandmother leaned over on my wedding day, just as I was about to walk down the isle and said, no matter what, you can plant the thoughts but always let him believe everything is his idea. It will save your marriage! That one was way too difficult!

Drama or comedy?

The best of anything in film, TV or literature always has elements of both!

Sunset or sunrise?

Sunset for sure. The brilliance of a sunset is the most peaceful view in nature for me. It signals the end of a day, a chance to begin again after a night’s rest. My hobby is taking pictures and I have been known to chase a million sunsets for just the right shot. I have even been able to snap the illusive green flash just milliseconds before the sun disappears into the ocean. I live on the West Coast now and the sunsets over the Pacific Ocean are some of the most breathtaking I have ever seen.

Name 5 words that fit your personality according to you.  And 5 words that fit your personality according to your best friend.

ME: Passionate, friendly, sarcastic, affectionate, outgoing

FRIEND: Emotional, nurturing, quick-tempered, funny, passionate

What three words would you use to describe your book?

Sexy Southern Fun

What is your favorite thing about your book?

I love that the books all take me home again. I have so much passion for where I grew up and that passion gushes onto the pages. I love the women in my books because they are all amalgamations of my closest friends and relatives so I can be with them all the time! And I love that the books are full of college football!! I grew up in a town where –like it says on the back of The Sassy Belles. The first book in the series– There are two seasons in Tuscaloosa—Football and waiting for football! I LOVE it!

~~

Thank you so much, Beth, for sharing with us today!  You are amazing.  Can’t wait to see you and give you a huge hug.  :)

Friends, don’t forget to check out Beth’s website to learn more about her Sassy Belles trilogy.  I am giving away to one of my lucky readers a signed copy of Beth’s first book, The Sassy Belles, an advanced reading copy of The Good Wife, which release Sept 3rd, and a bunch of fun JP reader treats.  Want to win?  Talk to me about your summer and what you’re reading now.  The contest ends Friday night with the winner announced on Saturday morning!

Original article: Featured Author: Beth Albright

©2013 Janeblog. All Rights Reserved.

Introducing Tule Publishing!

We return home to San Clemente in a couple of days and then I’ll be helping Jake pack up and head to college.  It’s a lot harder to let him go than I realized.  I love all my boys equally but Jake is my first born and I’ve experienced all my firsts as a mother with him. It makes me so proud to see him gearing up to start a new phase in his life, but  I’m going to miss him so much!

For the past few months I’ve been working hard to get a special project off the ground and it’s all finally come together.  I’m happy to share that I’ve started a publishing venture called Tule Publishing.  My goal with Tule is to give authors with great voices the freedom to write the stories they want to write.  We have an excellent line up of books coming your way soon and early feedback on our first imprint, Montana Born Books, is already producing great results.  I hope you’ll agree.  Look at our beautiful covers!  Aren’t they gorgeous?

We kick-off our Montana Born imprint with the Copper Mountain Rodeo series, featuring four original, compelling, sexy and sweet cowboy romance novellas from four of your favorite romance writers: Megan Crane, Lilian Darcy, CJ Carmichael and yours truly, Jane Porter.   In fact, we’ve just launched our Facebook page and have a great contest for readers - www.facebook.com/montanabornbooks.  Come LIKE us for a chance win an iPad Mini!

Looking ahead, the last book, and my absolute favorite, in the Brennan Sisters Trilogy, The Good Wife, will hit shelves September 3rd.  I’m beyond thrilled and counting the days.   Kirkus Reviews loved The Good Wife and called it “believable, insightful and marked by witty dialogue.  A novel that may inspire readers to examine their own family relationships.”   I can’t wait for you to read it too!

Is it possible to love someone too much?

Always considered the beauty of the family, the youngest Brennan sister, Sarah, remains deeply in love with her husband of ten years. Boone Walker, a professional baseball player, travels almost year-round while Sarah stays home and cares for their two children. Her love for her husband is bottomless—so much so that her sisters say it will end up hurting her.

Living apart most of the time makes life difficult, especially since Sarah often wonders whether Boone is sharing his bed with other women on the road, even though he swears he’s been true to her since his infidelity three years ago. While she wants to be happy and move forward in her life, Sarah constantly fears that Boone will break his promise. Now with Boone facing yet another career change, tension rises between the two, adding more stress to an already turbulent marriage. Emotionally exhausted, Sarah can’t cope with yet another storm. Now, she must either break free from the past and forgive Boone completely, or leave him behind and start anew…

If you haven’t already done it, you can preorder your copy now: Amazon · Barnes & Noble ·IndieBound but I really look forward to hearing what you think.

As usual, my life is busy and things are hectic but its also good.  I am so looking forward to the Fall as there are is exciting things coming your way.  I hope you’ll join me for the fun and enjoy the adventure!  I’m sharing the excitement with another contest for you.  For a chance to win a fun Montana prize box packed full of awesome goodies, leave a comment – tell me if you would enjoy reading stories that feature characters or themes connected to Montana?  Contest ends on Sunday and I’ll announce the winner on Monday!

 

Original article: Introducing Tule Publishing!

©2013 Janeblog. All Rights Reserved.

Featured Author: Jennifer Chow

I love discovering new authors, especially debut authors. There’s something so wonderfully exciting about a new voice with a fresh or fascinating story to tell.

I’m very happy to have debut author, Jennifer Chow as my guest today.  Jennifer’s new book, The 228 Legacy was inspired from photos of a two-million-person human chain commemorating 228.  Her dedication for research and love for culture shines brightly in this novel.  I really enjoyed the rich depiction of life as a Chinese-American and her distinctive flair for creative storytelling and know you will enjoy getting to know her, too.   Please help me welcome my lovely guest, Jennifer Chow!

Who or what inspired you to be a writer?

My early love of childhood reading, spurred on by weekly library visits, inspired me to become a writer.

Tell us what your current release is about, in 2 or 3 sentences.

Three generations in an all-female Taiwanese family living near Los Angeles in 1980 are each guarding personal secrets. Grandmother Silk finds out that she has breast cancer, as daughter Lisa loses her job, while pre-teen granddaughter Abbey struggles with a school bully. When Silk’s mysterious past comes out—revealing a shocking historical event that left her widowed—the truth forces the family to reconnect emotionally and battle their problems together.

Some writers like to let plot ideas percolate and grow for a while before they start writing the story.  Would you say this applies to you as well?

I have a basic idea in mind. While I conduct research, I let the idea simmer. After that, I actually start writing the story, but the characters may take me to a different place than I had first planned.

What’s your typical day like when you’re between writing projects?

I spend my time revising finished stories and connecting with readers. Also, I chase after my two young daughters.

What’s your favorite time of the day and place to write? 

I like to write in solitude. For me right now, that means after the kids are asleep in bed at night. One day, I’m looking forward to starting in the early morning when my mind is fresh.

Three things you know now that you wish you’d known before publishing your first book?

1. Publishing is a very slow business.

2. Write and rewrite (emphasis on the latter).

3. Fiction tastes are subjective. There will be someone who understands what you’re trying to do.

Your favorite desert or snack?

Egg tart (dan tat): a dim sum treat, featuring creamy egg custard inside a flaky, pie-like crust.

Rock or country music?

Both. I grew up in Fresno, which has a large country fan base, and I enjoy listening to the heart-felt songs. I’m also influenced by rock, particularly early rock-n-roll.

Sunset or sunrise?

Sunrise. There’s something breathtaking about the promise of a new day.

Favorite conference memory?

Last year, I met Jamie Ford, author of The Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet.  Despite being a NYT bestselling author, he was very down-to-earth. He answered all my questions and encouraged my writing efforts.

 

Jennifer J. Chow, a Chinese-American, married into the Taiwanese culture. The 228 Legacy was inspired by the family stories she heard after viewing photos of a two-million-person human chain commemorating 228. She has traveled multiple times to Taiwan and visited places dedicated to the incident. Her experience with the elderly comes from a gerontology specialization at Cornell University and her geriatric social work experience. You can visit her online at www.jenniferjchow.com.

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Thanks so much for sharing with us, Jennifer!  Readers, another wonderful author to try!  Do stop by Jennifer’s website to learn more about her.  To help her celebrate, I’m giving away a $15.00 Barnes & Noble gift card, a $5 Starbucks drink card, a stack of great summer reads, all tucked into a JP tote bag with lots of  reader goodies for one lucky winner!  For a chance to enter this contest, leave a comment and tell me what you like to discover most about other cultures – food, tradition, language etc.  Contest runs through Friday night and I’ll announce winners on Saturday.  Happy reading!

 

Original article: Featured Author: Jennifer Chow

©2013 Janeblog. All Rights Reserved.

Featured Author: Mary Burton

Heading to the airport to pick up Jake and his friends and hoping the predicted tropical storm will blow past us, instead of hitting us…although if it does rain hard, I do have a couple more books lined up that I’d love to read, including Cathy Maxwell’s latest.

One of the delicious books I’ve just finished is Mary Burton aka Mary Ellen Taylor‘s The Union Street Bakery.  I love Mary’s voice and ‘had to’ pick up her first women’s fiction release when we were together at the book signing at Nora Robert’s bookstore in Maryland back in April.  I loved The Union Street Bakery and found the novel very hard to put down.

I’m so pleased to have Mary as a guest on my blog today, to share more with us about The Union Street Bakery.  Welcome to the JaneBlog, Mary!

Some writers like to let plot ideas percolate and grow for a while before they start writing the story.  How about you?  That certainly was true for THE UNION STREET BAKERY (Berkley Trade, February 2013).  This story stayed on the back burner for years.  As I tackled other writing projects it keep tugging at me.  I kept filling up more and more sticky notes with story ideas until finally I had to write the story.  And I am so glad I did write it.  THE UNION STREET BAKERY is one of my favorites.

Tell us what your current release is about, in 2 or 3 sentences.  My first women’s fiction novel THE UNION STREET BAKERY features Daisy’s McCrae who has lost her job, moved home to live above her family’s financially troubled bakery, and faces the challenge of searching for the birth mother who abandoned her at the bakery when she was three.  SWEET EXPECTATIONS, the sequel to THE UNION STREET BAKERY will be out in November 2013.  Under the name Mary Burton I have two suspense novels out this year including THE SEVENTH VICTIM (February 2013) and NO ESCAPE (November 2013).

Name five items sitting on your desk right now.  To my right is my calendar, which I consider an extension of my brain.  I’ve used the same style of calendar for years.  I not only use it to map out my daily page count goals but it also is the family calendar, which tracks not only my appointments but the kids as well.  Next, there is a picture of my kids (who are college age now) taken when they were about one and two.  They are sitting at my desk (which was just a card table at the time) and typing on my computer. I’d only been writing a year or two at this point and hadn’t published my first novel.  This picture always makes me smile. Also on the desk is my Weight Watchers’ pocket guide, the exercise schedule from the YMCA and lots of sticky notes with scattered ideas for novels yet to be.

Do you have a writing schedule or any writing rituals to help you achieve your daily writing quota?  I’m up early so that I can get my workout done before I write.  Getting up and moving gets my brain firing and I find the writing is always smoother if I’ve exercised first. I’m usually at my desk by 8:30 a.m. in the morning because I find I am most creative in the mornings.  Also, when I start a project I map out daily page goals.  I pencil them on my calendar because there is something about seeing the goals in writing that makes them all the more real in my mind.  Often after a midday break (to walk my miniature dachshunds) I’m back at the computer working.  I work most every day because I find sticking to a routine is very important for me.

Do you incorporate any of your own life experiences into your stories?  Do you get asked this question very often?  I do get this question a lot.  And I think to really develop a strong voice as a writer you have to put yourself into the story.  When I was writing THE UNION STREET BAKERY I put a lot of personal experiences into the book.  The heroine in THE UNION STREET BAKERY, Daisy McCrae, is an adult adoptee.  My youngest child is adopted and I incorporated many of my daughter’s personality traits into Daisy.  And of course when Daisy has scenes with her adoptive mother you’ll see a lot of me.  Though our family’s adoption story is very different from Daisy’s many of the emotions are very similar.

Sweet or savory?  Sweet.  I love to bake.  I’ve always joked you can tell how the writing is going by the number of cupcakes on the counter.   If I’m struggling with a story, I find mixing a batter or dough always helps shake loose ideas that won’t flow.  And of course at the end of it all I have a wonderful sweet treat to enjoy.  One of my favorite parts of writing THE UNION STREET BAKERY was testing the recipes I included in the back of the book.

Rock or country music?  Country Music.  Years ago when I was writing historical romances set in the American West I started listening to country music and I got hooked.  During this morning’s workout I listened to some my favorite groups including Gloriana, Sugarland and Lady Antebellum.

What does success mean to you?  It means continuing to do what I’m doing right now—writing stories.  Being able to make a living doing what I love so much is a real blessing.

 

After a career in marketing MARY ELLEN TAYLOR shifted gears and became a full time writer.  Her first women’s fiction novel THE UNION STREET BAKERY was released by Berkley Trade in February 2013 and her second SWEET EXPECTATIONS will be out in November 2013.   Under the name MARY BURTON she also writes suspense novels.  Her latest suspenses include THE SEVENTH VICTIM (January 2013) and NO ESCAPE (November 2013).  Mary is a member of Romance Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and Mystery Writers of America.

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Mary, thank you so much for sharing with us today!  Readers be sure to check out both of Mary’s websites and if you get a chance, do read her novels.  I’m totally hooked and to share the love, I’m giving away, to two lucky winners, a copy of Mary’s The Union Street Bakery, my book The Good Woman, a Starbucks drink card and more fun JP goodies.  For a chance to win, tell me which other authors you read who write more than one genre and which one of their books you’d recommend to someone trying them for the first time.  Contest ends on next week on Wednesday and I’ll announce winners on Thursday.  Good luck!

Original article: Featured Author: Mary Burton

©2013 Janeblog. All Rights Reserved.

Back in Hawaii

I’m back in Hawaii and so enjoying the time with my boys.  It’s been six weeks since I say Ty and three weeks since I held Mac in my arms.  It’s so good to be back with them again.  Jake arrives from California tomorrow with a couple of friends and really, all I need is son Ty to be here too so I have my whole family with me and it would be perfect!

Mac, loving every minute with Dad

Summer keeps Ty busy teaching surfing

Conference in Atlanta was fantastic – hectic but so much fun.  It was great to see my editors and catch up with my friends.  There’s always a crazy, fun energy that makes it an unforgettable event each year.  But now I’m happy to enjoy some quiet time on the beach and catch up on my reading.  I’ve just finished reading an ARC for Mary Balogh’s The Arrangement.  Awesome, awesome book.  Loved it!!  And before that I read Lorraine Heath’s Lord of Wicked Intentions.  I honestly love coming to Hawaii as it gives me a chance to get caught up on reading so many of my favorite authors!

I woke up to great news this morning from my author pal Kristina McMorris who shared that The Good Wife got a 4 1/2 stars review in RT BOOK Reviews Magazine and is an RT Top Pick!  So excited to hear this fun news.  Here’s a peek at the review -

A little over a month and The Good Wife will be available on shelves.  I’m excited and want to share the love!  I have a fun, yummy yummy Hawaii mystery prize for one lucky winner.  Tell me what books you’ve been reading this summer for a chance to win.  This is a short contest and I’ll announce the winner on Monday.  Good luck – and happy reading!!  xoxoxo

Original article: Back in Hawaii

©2013 Janeblog. All Rights Reserved.