Allie Boniface's Blog, page 35
February 8, 2013
Friday Fun Facts: Nemo's Coming!!
As I write this on early Friday morning, Winter Storm Nemo is bearing down on the Northeast US, threatening us here in lower NY with anywhere from 1-2 feet of snow. (Sadly, this does mean that the Hudson Valley RWA Reading scheduled for tomorrow at the Newburgh Library has been cancelled).
In anticipation of what we might get between now and tomorrow, I thought I'd post some pictures from the last time we had a big storm here, 3 years ago:
View looking down our driveway
Yes, we have a few trees on and around our property!
The front view of our house
The backyard
So I'm off to batten down the hatches, after which I'll snuggle up by the fire with my laptop and do a little writing. Hey, sometimes there's nothing at all wrong with being trapped indoors :)
Be safe, everyone!
In anticipation of what we might get between now and tomorrow, I thought I'd post some pictures from the last time we had a big storm here, 3 years ago:
View looking down our driveway
Yes, we have a few trees on and around our property!
The front view of our house
The backyard
So I'm off to batten down the hatches, after which I'll snuggle up by the fire with my laptop and do a little writing. Hey, sometimes there's nothing at all wrong with being trapped indoors :)
Be safe, everyone!
February 6, 2013
Writers' Wednesday: Contest Links and More!
Helllloooo writers! (OK, and readers too). Today, a few links for you:
Lyrical Press is featuring several books this month at their newly revamped website store - 50% off! Click here to shop.
Speaking of Lyrical Press, they're holding their 2nd annual "How Lyrical is Your Romance?" Contest Here's more info:
The entry with highest average score will receive a $100 Advance and publishing contract with Lyrical Press, Inc. Highest-average scoring entry from each category will receive a 25-page edit and a revision letter from an acquiring editor.
Categories are as follows:· Contemporary Romance· Romantic Suspense· Historical Romance· Paranormal Romance
Entries accepted from Feb. 1-10, 2013
Deadline to enter:Click here for all the info!
And finally, Winning Writers is a website that has even more information on writing contests and publishing opportunities. Check out their complete site for all the details.Happy Writing!
Lyrical Press is featuring several books this month at their newly revamped website store - 50% off! Click here to shop.
Speaking of Lyrical Press, they're holding their 2nd annual "How Lyrical is Your Romance?" Contest Here's more info:
The entry with highest average score will receive a $100 Advance and publishing contract with Lyrical Press, Inc. Highest-average scoring entry from each category will receive a 25-page edit and a revision letter from an acquiring editor.
Categories are as follows:· Contemporary Romance· Romantic Suspense· Historical Romance· Paranormal Romance
Entries accepted from Feb. 1-10, 2013
Deadline to enter:Click here for all the info!
And finally, Winning Writers is a website that has even more information on writing contests and publishing opportunities. Check out their complete site for all the details.Happy Writing!
February 4, 2013
Monday Mentionables: A Look at the Super Bowl
Happy Monday! Here it is, the Monday after the Super Bowl, and I have to say.....what a bizarre game. Actually, I'm writing this blog post early in the third quarter, during the power outage, and I'll echo one of my Facebook friends who wrote, "Really? Football players play games in blizzards, mud, rain, but they can't play in a half-lit stadium?"
Among other things (the poor first-half performance of the 49ers, for example), what did you think of the commercials? The halftime show? Thought Beyonce did a good job of redeeming herself after lip-syncing at the Presidential Inauguration, and my favorite commercials were the Audi one (the teenager going to prom solo and kissing the prom queen) and the Best Buy one (with Amy Poehler asking the salesman if he'd read Fifty Shades of Gray to her in a sexy voice).
Speaking of football games and writing (well, I didn't yet, but this blog is by a writer about writing, so...) I wanted to remind you that my writing friend Liz Matis is part of the "Romancing the Jock" group blog, and they always have lively conversations over there, so check them out!
Also, just a reminder that Liz and I (and many more) local Hudson Valley authors will be speaking and reading at the Newburgh Library (Town/Mall Branch) this-coming Saturday, Feb. 9th, from 2-4 pm. Hope to see you there!
Among other things (the poor first-half performance of the 49ers, for example), what did you think of the commercials? The halftime show? Thought Beyonce did a good job of redeeming herself after lip-syncing at the Presidential Inauguration, and my favorite commercials were the Audi one (the teenager going to prom solo and kissing the prom queen) and the Best Buy one (with Amy Poehler asking the salesman if he'd read Fifty Shades of Gray to her in a sexy voice).
Speaking of football games and writing (well, I didn't yet, but this blog is by a writer about writing, so...) I wanted to remind you that my writing friend Liz Matis is part of the "Romancing the Jock" group blog, and they always have lively conversations over there, so check them out!
Also, just a reminder that Liz and I (and many more) local Hudson Valley authors will be speaking and reading at the Newburgh Library (Town/Mall Branch) this-coming Saturday, Feb. 9th, from 2-4 pm. Hope to see you there!
February 1, 2013
Friday Fun Facts: Celebrating the Women in Our Lives
"A woman is like a tea bag - you never know how strong she is until she gets in hot water." ~Eleanor Roosevelt
Happy Friday! Today I'm sharing two of my favorite recent pictures, one of me with my sister (on the left) and the other of me with a close girlfriend. OK, first off I love these pictures because we all look so happy in them. But second, it's a reminder to me how important it is to cherish the women in our lives (yes, the men too, but that's a blog post for another day). Sisters, mothers, daughters, friends, role models ~ they are so important in our lives, from listening to our troubles to lending a helping hand to inspiring us to do the things we think we cannot do. So on this first day of February, with Valentine's Day coming up and thoughts of love in the air, take a minute to tell the loved ones - the female loved ones - in your lives how important they are to you. From romance heroines to teachers to mothers and beyond, they have the amazing ability to shape our lives and show us what we're really meant to be :)
And read yourself a quote or two (or ten) by the amazing Eleanor Roosevelt. Now she was a woman to admire!
Happy Friday! Today I'm sharing two of my favorite recent pictures, one of me with my sister (on the left) and the other of me with a close girlfriend. OK, first off I love these pictures because we all look so happy in them. But second, it's a reminder to me how important it is to cherish the women in our lives (yes, the men too, but that's a blog post for another day). Sisters, mothers, daughters, friends, role models ~ they are so important in our lives, from listening to our troubles to lending a helping hand to inspiring us to do the things we think we cannot do. So on this first day of February, with Valentine's Day coming up and thoughts of love in the air, take a minute to tell the loved ones - the female loved ones - in your lives how important they are to you. From romance heroines to teachers to mothers and beyond, they have the amazing ability to shape our lives and show us what we're really meant to be :)
And read yourself a quote or two (or ten) by the amazing Eleanor Roosevelt. Now she was a woman to admire!
January 30, 2013
Writers' Wednesday: Featured Lyrical Press Author Sondrae Bennett
Good morning! Today I'm featuring fellow Lyrical Press author Sondrae Bennett, whose pararomance
Covert Desires
is brand new this month. Looking for something sexxxyyy and shape-shifting to read? Take a look at the teasers below (and don't you love that cover?)!
Will desire be enough once all their secrets are revealed?
Still recovering from a traumatic assignment, Amber is wary of the man who shows up at her door with a plate of cookies and a welcoming smile. Instinct warns her he’s not all he seems. Then again, neither is she. Since she was sent to root out the secrets of the town and its people, she might as well accept his invitation to dinner. But when things start to heat up between them, will her loyalty lie with her job, or the man trying to win her heart?
Danny knows Amber is an FBI agent. Tasked by his brothers and the shifter council to keep her from discovering too much, he sets out to seduce her, a perfect cover to keep an eye on her and make sure she doesn’t learn about his pack or their society. He hadn’t counted on a blazing attraction at first sight, though. His wolf knows Amber is his mate, and he’ll do anything to keep her safe and happy. But how can he reveal everything he is, and everything he’s been keeping from her, without losing her forever?
CONTENT WARNING: This book contains explicit sex.
*************
Amber put her hands on Danny’s chest as he leaned in and brushed his lips over hers. Pleasure rushed through her, pooling in her belly, but she turned her head to the side, determined to maintain control.
Instead of being deterred, he grazed his lips against her cheek, sliding them toward her ear. A shot of lust spiraled toward her core. She closed her eyes against the rush of sensations.
Everything inside begged her to lean into the embrace. To catch his lips with her own and lose herself in passion.
But in the end it came down to duty. When she’d taken this assignment, she’d sworn to herself and to her boss, that she’d prove the doubters wrong. And if that meant she had to resist temptation, then she’d resist. No matter how much she wished otherwise, or how much she wished to be someone else. To be a woman without the baggage of her job. One who could lean into Danny and take everything he promised.
She gave herself a moment. One small moment to bask in the comfort and pleasure before pushing against his chest. For a second, she thought he wasn’t going to back up, and a flash of fear took her back to another time, when a man had pretended to care for her only to turn against her when he learned she was an agent and responsible for taking down major members of his cartel.
Danny backed away so quickly Amber stumbled against him and almost lost her footing. Hard hands gripped her shoulders as he leaned down and stared directly into her eyes.
“What’s the matter?” he demanded. Concern reflected in the brown depths. Concern for her, she realized with a start. He’d been so in tune to her body and emotions, he’d sensed her mental recoil when she’d flashed back.
She stared at him, amazed at the realization.
“Amber?” Impatience and worry clear in his voice.
“Nothing,” she choked out, coughing against the tightness in her throat. “Nothing’s the matter,” she said with more certainty. “It’s… We’re moving a bit fast for me. I just met you. I need some time to think, is all. It’s been a rough morning.” All true, but she hadn’t included her real reason for pulling away. She could never give in to the pull she felt toward him.
“Are you sure that’s all?” he asked, his hand cupping her cheek while the other moved up and down her arm.
The security he offered felt like a warm blanket surrounding her. She hadn’t expected to find comfort here. Looking up into Danny’s eyes, she knew the concern was genuine. He was beginning to care for her. A pang built in her chest, because when all of this was over, she was going to hurt him.
Amber swallowed against the lump in her throat. After everything that had happened that morning--the nightmare and the attack--the realization that she would hurt this man, who’d not only come to her rescue against a pack of crazed wolves, but had offered her comfort when she’d needed it most, caused tears to well up in her eyes. What she wouldn’t give to be the woman he thought she was.
Will desire be enough once all their secrets are revealed?
Still recovering from a traumatic assignment, Amber is wary of the man who shows up at her door with a plate of cookies and a welcoming smile. Instinct warns her he’s not all he seems. Then again, neither is she. Since she was sent to root out the secrets of the town and its people, she might as well accept his invitation to dinner. But when things start to heat up between them, will her loyalty lie with her job, or the man trying to win her heart?
Danny knows Amber is an FBI agent. Tasked by his brothers and the shifter council to keep her from discovering too much, he sets out to seduce her, a perfect cover to keep an eye on her and make sure she doesn’t learn about his pack or their society. He hadn’t counted on a blazing attraction at first sight, though. His wolf knows Amber is his mate, and he’ll do anything to keep her safe and happy. But how can he reveal everything he is, and everything he’s been keeping from her, without losing her forever?
CONTENT WARNING: This book contains explicit sex.
*************
Amber put her hands on Danny’s chest as he leaned in and brushed his lips over hers. Pleasure rushed through her, pooling in her belly, but she turned her head to the side, determined to maintain control.
Instead of being deterred, he grazed his lips against her cheek, sliding them toward her ear. A shot of lust spiraled toward her core. She closed her eyes against the rush of sensations.
Everything inside begged her to lean into the embrace. To catch his lips with her own and lose herself in passion.
But in the end it came down to duty. When she’d taken this assignment, she’d sworn to herself and to her boss, that she’d prove the doubters wrong. And if that meant she had to resist temptation, then she’d resist. No matter how much she wished otherwise, or how much she wished to be someone else. To be a woman without the baggage of her job. One who could lean into Danny and take everything he promised.
She gave herself a moment. One small moment to bask in the comfort and pleasure before pushing against his chest. For a second, she thought he wasn’t going to back up, and a flash of fear took her back to another time, when a man had pretended to care for her only to turn against her when he learned she was an agent and responsible for taking down major members of his cartel.
Danny backed away so quickly Amber stumbled against him and almost lost her footing. Hard hands gripped her shoulders as he leaned down and stared directly into her eyes.
“What’s the matter?” he demanded. Concern reflected in the brown depths. Concern for her, she realized with a start. He’d been so in tune to her body and emotions, he’d sensed her mental recoil when she’d flashed back.
She stared at him, amazed at the realization.
“Amber?” Impatience and worry clear in his voice.
“Nothing,” she choked out, coughing against the tightness in her throat. “Nothing’s the matter,” she said with more certainty. “It’s… We’re moving a bit fast for me. I just met you. I need some time to think, is all. It’s been a rough morning.” All true, but she hadn’t included her real reason for pulling away. She could never give in to the pull she felt toward him.
“Are you sure that’s all?” he asked, his hand cupping her cheek while the other moved up and down her arm.
The security he offered felt like a warm blanket surrounding her. She hadn’t expected to find comfort here. Looking up into Danny’s eyes, she knew the concern was genuine. He was beginning to care for her. A pang built in her chest, because when all of this was over, she was going to hurt him.
Amber swallowed against the lump in her throat. After everything that had happened that morning--the nightmare and the attack--the realization that she would hurt this man, who’d not only come to her rescue against a pack of crazed wolves, but had offered her comfort when she’d needed it most, caused tears to well up in her eyes. What she wouldn’t give to be the woman he thought she was.
January 28, 2013
Monday Mentionables: Want to Read an Excerpt?
Happy Monday, everyone! Special treat for you today: my upcoming release, Beacon of Love, is officially up on Lyrical Press's "Coming Soon" page, which means you can read an excerpt to whet your appetites!
Enjoy!
Enjoy!
January 25, 2013
Friday Fun Facts: I Hope You Dance
Well, it's apparent from today's fun photo that I was born to be a dancer. I mean, look at that form! That smile! Those awesomely huge glasses, orange leotard, and white fringe skirt that scream the 1970s!! Ah yes, the days of youth. While I wasn't a serious dancer for very long, I took my share of ballet and jazz classes before ending up in gymnastics for most of my youth and adolescence. Still, I always loved to dance even as an adult, and any chance I got (clubs in Cleveland during my grad school days, friends' weddings in my 30s), I took it.
What is it about dancing that's so intoxicating? Somehow that music gets under your skin and draws you (okay, or me) onto the dance floor, where if there are enough people it doesn't matter what you look like, only that you're having fun. My grandmother, who lived to be 93, swore that dancing every weekend during most of her (younger) adulthood is what kept her young and fit, and I don't doubt it. Do a Google search and you'll find that dancing for an hour burns anywhere from 200-800 calories!
My new love is Zumba, which I discovered 4 years ago at my local gym and have fast become addicted to. Not only is the music great and the moves ideal for trimming a middle-aged body LOL, but everyone there is having a good time. Some of my closest friends now hail from my Zumba classes, and what was once a weekly hour at the gym has turned into many, many nights out dancing and enjoying each other's company.
Most of all, I think dancing keeps us young. When I look around my Zumba class, I see people of all ages, races, shapes, sizes, and professions - and every person in there is smiling (and sweating!). Most of them look years, sometimes decades, younger than their biological age. If you haven't gone in a while, you'll be amazed at how demanding it is of your lungs and your legs.
I hope you all find time to dance, if not in the club or the gym or your living room each week, then in your thoughts and your dreams. Music and the freedom to float away with it is magical. Just look at the face on that kid up above!
January 23, 2013
Writers' Wednesday: A New Cover!
Ooohhh!! I'm so excited to share my new cover for my soon-to-be-(re)released novel, The Promise of Paradise!
This book was originally released in 2007 as Lost in Paradise, but this spring it's coming out with new characters, new scenes, and of course this beautiful new cover!
I love the overall design, but I especially love that it matches my cover for Beacon of Love, since the stories are going to be connected by one of those new characters (you'll have to read it to find out which one....!). Blurb soon to follow, and even better, it will be available FREE for 5 days after its initial release on Amazon. Keep checking in here, on my Facebook page, or by subscribing to my newsletter (link over there in the right sidebar) to find out exactly when The Promise of Paradise will be available for purchase!
This book was originally released in 2007 as Lost in Paradise, but this spring it's coming out with new characters, new scenes, and of course this beautiful new cover!
I love the overall design, but I especially love that it matches my cover for Beacon of Love, since the stories are going to be connected by one of those new characters (you'll have to read it to find out which one....!). Blurb soon to follow, and even better, it will be available FREE for 5 days after its initial release on Amazon. Keep checking in here, on my Facebook page, or by subscribing to my newsletter (link over there in the right sidebar) to find out exactly when The Promise of Paradise will be available for purchase!
January 21, 2013
Monday Mentionables: A Romance Reading!
Hey everyone (but locals especially), I mentioned this a few weeks ago, but it's a good time for a reminder:
Authors from the Hudson Valley RWA (that's my local writers' group!) will be speaking, reading, and signing/selling their books Saturday, February 9th, from 2:00 - 4:00 pm at the Newburgh Free Library's Mall Branch on Route 300 in Newburgh, NY. Here's the lineup of authors:
Janet Lane Walters
Elizabeth Shore
Liz Matis
Charmaine Gordon
Tanya Goodwin
Allie Boniface
Jennifer Probst
And just to whet your appetite, the library is having a romance and mystery book sale of its own that day. AND this branch of the library is in a mall. Meaning you can do some shopping before or after visiting with us :)
We would LOVE to see you there on February 9th - please come support your local authors!!
Authors from the Hudson Valley RWA (that's my local writers' group!) will be speaking, reading, and signing/selling their books Saturday, February 9th, from 2:00 - 4:00 pm at the Newburgh Free Library's Mall Branch on Route 300 in Newburgh, NY. Here's the lineup of authors:
Janet Lane Walters
Elizabeth Shore
Liz Matis
Charmaine Gordon
Tanya Goodwin
Allie Boniface
Jennifer Probst
And just to whet your appetite, the library is having a romance and mystery book sale of its own that day. AND this branch of the library is in a mall. Meaning you can do some shopping before or after visiting with us :)
We would LOVE to see you there on February 9th - please come support your local authors!!
January 16, 2013
Writers' Wednesday: Awards for Authors
Hey writers! OK, first of all I have to say how happy I am that (a) "Homeland" won Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best TV Drama and that (b) "Argo" won Best Drama/Film and Best Director for Ben Affleck at Sunday's Golden Globe awards I discovered "Homeland" late and just got the first season on DVD for Christmas. My husband and I are already addicted! Great writing, great acting, great suspense...you just never know quite what's going to happen next. But "Argo" I saw in the theater months ago and knew right then it was a winner. It's a great story (of a little-known story behind the Iranian Hostage Crisis), combining humor and suspense and brutal historic truth with tremendous balance. The only downside is that Affleck didn't get an Oscar nomination for Best Director :(
I was reading the latest issue of Writers' Digest, which features an article this month on some of the most prestigious writing awards. The one I found most interesting is called the "Gift of Freedom Award, it "assists female writers who are ready to restructure their lives in order to complete their creative project" over 2 years. Grand prize? $50,000 with which to restructure. I gotta say, I'm curious about the winners of this one and how exactly this restructuring takes place. Hmm....do I sense a story idea here?
Anyway, if you're the contest type, and want to look beyond your typical genre or category contests, here are some websites they mentioned:
Duotrope.com
FundsforWriters.com
PW.org
WinningWriters.com
Happy writing!
I was reading the latest issue of Writers' Digest, which features an article this month on some of the most prestigious writing awards. The one I found most interesting is called the "Gift of Freedom Award, it "assists female writers who are ready to restructure their lives in order to complete their creative project" over 2 years. Grand prize? $50,000 with which to restructure. I gotta say, I'm curious about the winners of this one and how exactly this restructuring takes place. Hmm....do I sense a story idea here?
Anyway, if you're the contest type, and want to look beyond your typical genre or category contests, here are some websites they mentioned:
Duotrope.com
FundsforWriters.com
PW.org
WinningWriters.com
Happy writing!
